Spotify secretly launched a show with this controversial duo — it's already a hit

Spotify has a brand new original in its podcast charts, but you'll probably love it if you didn't know about it.

Last week, Spotify launched a new pop culture show, Breaking Bread, on Spotify Live. The recording of Breaking Bread now ranks at number 11 on Spotify's Top Podcasts chart after holding the number two spot for most of the week, placing it just behind Joe Rogan. The show's popularity — and the reason the company may be keeping quiet about its new hit — is due to its two hosts: Jackie O'Sheare Weinreb and Claudia O'Shri (aka Instagram's GirlWithNoJob), who come with a huge built-in audience. While the sisters have extended their massive fanbase to the app, they have a controversial history that could be problematic for Spotify at a time when the company is being extra cautious.

The sisters had a short-lived show in 2018 on Oath, Verizon's now-defunct media brand, which was canceled after The Daily Beast reported that their mother was notorious conspiracy theorist and anti-Muslim activist Pamela Geller, and both sisters had earlier posted racist and anti-Muslim statements on social media. The sisters apologized, deleted their Twitter accounts, and relaunched as an independent podcast with The Morning Toast. Some fans have been uncomfortable with her mother's reluctance to disapprove of her activities, but her audience is undeniable. The Oshari sisters have over 3.5 million Instagram followers, their flagship podcast is currently in the top 100 on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and they maintain what appears to be a strong Patreon base (stats are private now, but as of 2019) , he had over 9,000 subscribers). The Oshree sisters did not respond to a request for comment.

But if the Oshari sisters are controversial, you wouldn't know that from their shows. Morning toast is mostly run-of-the-mill pop culture fare, and breaking bread is a lot: Kim Kardashian's Marilyn Monroe dress, Hailey Bieber's skincare line, Britney Spears' wedding. The Spotify Live platform allows fans to attend shows, seeking advice on mild topics like puppy training and graduation woes.

Following the model of other Spotify Live shows like After Hours with Alex Cooper and Dating Harry Josie, the original show takes place on the Live app and is later posted as a podcast to Spotify. Unlike those shows, Breaking Bread received no promotion from Spotify. The company did not issue any press release regarding the show and did not put it on any of its social channels. The only promotion seems to have come from Oshri on their social accounts and podcasts.

The backlash to Spotify for a nine-point deal with brawl machine Joe Rogan may have something to do with it. Rogan has what is undisputedly the biggest podcast in the world, and as Spotify grows its podcasting, the company needs it. But Spotify's unfailing support for Rogan has caused some prestigious, if not monetary, damage. Spotify declined to comment on why they partnered with the Oshiari sisters or whether their past has had to do with the lack of publicity for the show, but the way the company has approached Breaking Bread. Of course, it looks like Oshri is going to ' fan enough without the stuff.

Even though Breaking Bread may be ineffective on its own, it's debuting at a time when Spotify is being particularly wary. Last week, the company announced a Security Advisory Council to help with its content moderation policies (a move Geller called a "government-sponsored internal coup") and Integral to strengthen its brand security analysis for advertisers. Made a new deal with Ed Science.

But the company is trying to promote its social audio app Spotify Live (previously branded Spotify Greenroom) at a time when social audio is playing out, and Breaking Bread may be its biggest hit yet. If Osheries continues to deliver numbers, it will be difficult for the company to ignore the show.