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Tails and Tassels

Tails and Tassels

By: Gemma Smith
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About this listen

Hello, kitty cats! Welcome to Tails and Tassels. I’m your host, Gemma Smith. By day, I work in animal welfare, and by night, I host the Catbaret!, New York City's cat-themed variety show.


On this podcast, you’ll dive into the world of burlesque and nightlife performers—their craft, their cats, and how these two worlds collide. You’ll also get bonus episodes featuring feline experts answering your most curious, cat-centric questions.


New episodes drop every Thursday. If you like what you hear, please subscribe, rate, and review—and come join our cozy com-mew-nity on Instagram.

Thanks for listening! I’m paws-itively delighted you’re here.


Get in Touch:

  • Instagram: @tailsandtasselspod, @gemmasmithnyc
  • Email us at TailsandTasselsPod@gmail.com
  • Leave a comment below
© 2025 Tails and Tassels
Art Entertainment & Performing Arts Social Sciences
Episodes
  • The Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide for Creatives & Their Cats
    Dec 11 2025

    Don’t Miss the Next Catbaret! 🐱🎭

    There’s always a new Catbaret show coming up—whether in person in NYC or virtually! Grab your tickets at CatbaretShow.com for a night of cat-themed comedy, music, and burlesque!

    --

    In this week’s solo episode, I share my newly refreshed Holiday Gift Guide for Creatives and Their Cats. These are the tools, treats, and experiences I actually use and love.

    Resources & Links (mentioned in the episode)

    • Felis Lux Prey Wand Toy – Beautiful, sturdy wand toy Lion-o and Luna absolutely love. Special Listener Offer: Use code TASSEL50 for 50% off your first order at Felis Lux (works on one-time purchases and subscriptions)
    • Passion Planner
    • Leopard Print Suitcase Set
    • Leopard Print Packing Cubes
    • Stila Stay-All-Day Liquid Lip in Beso
    • The Burlesque Handbook by Jo Weldon
    • Weruva Wx Phos Focused Tuna Lickable Treats
    • Sustainably Yours Litter
    • The Refined Feline Lotus Cat Tower
    • Cosmic Fit Club with Fortune Cookie
    • Photography Sessions with El Jong
    • GiGi Holliday – Burlesque classes and Auntease Knows Best 1:1 sessions
    • Sterling “TrapKing” Davis Merch – Shirts and gear supporting TNR and community cat advocacy plus a membership to his patreon

    Experiences as Gifts

    • Tickets to Books & Burlesque (Caveat NYC)
    • Tickets to Show Me Your Kitties Cabaret (Long Beach, CA)
    • A night out at your favorite local variety or burlesque show
    • And of course… the next Catbaret March 5th in NYC and Livestream

    💌 Connect with Us:

    • Follow us on Instagram: @tailsandtasselspod
    • Email: tailsandtasselspod@gmail.com

    Programming Notes
    Dec 18: New expert episode with Harris Baker (Catfluence) on SEO for creatives
    Then a short holiday break so we can rest, recharge, and snuggle your cats. The podcast returns the first full week of January

    Gemma’s cat-themed variety show, Catbaret, is back with a brand new theme: A Cat Lady Purr-ty!

    Happening March 5th at Caveat in NYC, this show brings together comedy, burlesque, music, and all things feline. It’s the ultimate night out for cat lovers!

    🎟️ Snag your tickets before they sell out: CatbaretShow.com

    Support the show

    Logo by Logan Laveau

    Show More Show Less
    18 mins
  • How Sterling “TrapKing” Davis Blends Hip-Hop Culture with Community Cat Rescue
    Nov 27 2025

    Don’t Miss the Next Catbaret! 🐱🎭

    There’s always a new Catbaret show coming up—whether in person in NYC or virtually! Grab your tickets at CatbaretShow.com for a night of cat-themed comedy, music, and burlesque!

    --

    In this week’s episode, Gemma sits down with Sterling “TrapKing” Davis – a former touring rapper turned community cat advocate and founder of TrapKing Humane Cat Solutions. Sterling shares how he went from life on the road to trapping, neutering, and returning cats around the world, and why he believes you don’t lose cool points for compassion. He breaks down what TNR really is and how his #SameTeam and One United Paw philosophy is changing the way rescuers work together.

    📖 Resources & Links:

    • Learn more about TrapKing Humane Cat Solutions: trapkinghumane.org
    • Support TrapKing’s rescue work: Patreon – TrapKing Humane Cat Solutions

    🛒 Gemma’s Episode-Inspired Picks:

    • Cat Clicker Training Set – simple clickers to start trick training and build confidence with your cats

    🐾 Connect with Sterling “TrapKing” Davis:

    • Instagram: @the_original_trapking
    • TikTok: @the_original_trapking

    💌 Connect with Us:

    • Follow us on Instagram: @tailsandtasselspod
    • Follow Catbaret on Instagram: @catbaretshow
    • Email: tailsandtasselspod@gmail.com

    ⭐ Subscribe & Review:

    Follow Tails & Tassels on your favorite podcast app and don’t forget to leave a rating and review – it truly helps our little indie, cat-loving corner of the podcast world grow. 💖

    Gemma’s cat-themed variety show, Catbaret, is back with a brand new theme: A Cat Lady Purr-ty!

    Happening March 5th at Caveat in NYC, this show brings together comedy, burlesque, music, and all things feline. It’s the ultimate night out for cat lovers!

    🎟️ Snag your tickets before they sell out: CatbaretShow.com

    Support the show

    Logo by Logan Laveau

    Show More Show Less
    39 mins
  • Fortune Cookie— Books, Burlesque & Building Creative Community
    Nov 13 2025

    Don't Miss the Next Catbaret! 🐱🎭

    There’s always a new Catbaret show coming up—whether in person in NYC or virtually! Grab your tickets at CatbaretShow.com for a night of cat-themed comedy, music, and burlesque!

    --

    In this week’s episode, Gemma sits down with Fortune Cookie—a NYC burlesque performer, acrobat and producer of Books & Burlesque, the literary-meets-burly show celebrating underrepresented authors and stellar performers. Fortune shares how Chinese dance and circus arts fuel her storytelling onstage, why a little improvisation goes a long way, and how she builds joyful community through art.

    Plus, meet her ragdoll duo Donut and Koffee—gym mascot, stroller pros and occasional “assistants” to her costume-making adventures.

    📖Resources & Links:
    Follow Fortune Cookie: @fortunecookie_burlesque
    Tickets to Books & Burlesque at Caveat NYC
    Workout with Fortune: Cosmic Fit Club

    💌 Connect with Us:
    Follow us on Instagram: @tailsandtasselspod
    Follow Catbaret on Instagram: @catbaretshow
    Email: tailsandtasselspod@gmail.com

    Subscribe & Review:
    Follow Tails and Tassels on your favorite podcast app and don’t forget to leave us a review—it really helps us grow! 💖

    Support the show

    Logo by Logan Laveau

    Show More Show Less
    42 mins
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