Are You A Charlotte? - Sex, The City, and Cher with Cindy Chupack... (S2 E11 "Evolution")

Episode Date: August 28, 2025

What happens when you are a writer with no fashion sense and start working on Sex and the City... Game changer! How this job helped rearrange her closet. Plus, why Cindy and the cast had to go backstage at a Cher concert to speak with her. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. December 29th, 1975, LaGuardia Airport. The holiday rush, parents hauling luggage, kids gripping their new Christmas toys. Then, everything changed. There's been a bombing at the TWA terminal. Just a chaotic, chaotic scene. In its wake, a new kind of enemy emerged, terrorism. Listen to the new season of Law and Order Criminal Justice System

on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hello, it's Danielle Fischel. Rider Strong. And Will Ferdell from PodMeets World. We are back in Las Vegas and giving the people what they want, a full week of Y2K content. Tell me why. Well, for the Backstreet Boys residency at Sphere, of course. We joke and say this is our second marriage, but it takes a lot of communication.

Plus, it's carrot top, baby. And finally, Ashley Simpson Ross joins us to talk about her upcoming sold-out Vegas residency. Listen to PodMeets World on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. It's Black Business Month, and Money and Wealth podcast with John Hope Bryant is tapping in. I'm breaking down how to build wealth, create opportunities, and move from surviving to thriving. time to talk about ownership, equity, and everything in between. Black and brown communities have historically been lasting a lot. Let me just say this. AI is moving faster than civil rights legislation ever did. Listen to money and wealth from the Black Effect Podcast Network

on IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. What would you do if one bad decision forced you to choose between a maximum security prison or the most brutal boot camp designed to be hell on earth? Unfortunately for Marklin, This was the choice he faced. He said, you are a number, a New York State number, and we own you. Listen to shock incarceration on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Bob Crawford, host of American History Hotline, a different type of podcast. You, the listener, ask the questions.

Did George Washington really cut down a cherry? Were JFK and Marilyn Monroe having an affair? And I find the answers. I'm so glad you asked me this question. This is such a ridiculous story. You can listen to American History Hotline on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Kristen Davis, and I want to know, are you a Charlotte? Everybody, welcome back to Are You a Charlotte?

We are here with the amazing and so brilliant Cindy Shupak, our writer and producer of Sex and the City to discuss part two of evolution, 1999. Okay, let's talk about the others. Okay, this is when I also feel, and I felt this way also the last episode, which is when we're getting pedicures, talking about the class system. Yeah.

class and cast system. I feel like our group scenes are like really coming together now. Kind of for the first time in a way. Like they've been kind of together like, you remember when we shot at a restaurant, we had the pepper mill. That was one first season where I'm like, oh, that's working.

Oh, yeah. But like, you know, the group scenes were so challenging to write. Yeah. And they had to really like, we would work on those things all day long and we had to run those lines and run those lines. And then all the angles you had to like film the scene over and over to.

Yes. And the timing of any waiters. But those are my favorite seats. Are they really? I mean, love the scenes of you guys all together and just, you know, breaking down. Well, I love a lot about this series, but those were like so fun for me. They seemed really fun to write and to watch. Because in a way, when I wrote those essays about dating, like for glamour, they would want you

to end on some kind of revelation about some advice. And what was fun about writing the four of you is you could just dissect an issue and you could all four have different perspectives and nobody was right and nobody was really wrong. And so it was like, commiserating. And that's my favorite thing to write and do. So those scenes were just fine to like, and to sometimes have it be surprising what, like, you would think Charlotte would think about this and what she did think about this. Most definitely, everyone surprises almost all the time, which I think is great. And that's the joy. You know, that's the joy. And that's also, you're right, it is unique, unique to the show that there'd be four characters with distinct viewpoints that are friends and that can freely, that it's like they have an agreement. Yes, we're just going to freely discuss it all. And not to that there isn't judgment. There is occasionally judgment or like, no, don't do that. You know, then people just go ahead and do it. And we're still there for each other.

It's not like we're going to be like, well, I didn't agree with that. Yeah. You know what I mean? Never I told you so. Yeah. Right. No, thank God. Thank God.

Thank God. But yeah, it's interesting to think back on it, you know, the things that made it unique. It's interesting. And in this particular scene, we talk about fertility, which is fun. And I say, I have a tilted uterus. And Miranda tells us about her lazy ovary, which I don't even know if they use. that term anymore. It's kind of interesting. Do you think? I think they might, but I don't know for sure. I don't know either. It seems not very scientific. That's what it started on the

gynecologist table this episode with Miranda. Which was so great because Pam, Thomas, again, the director is so visual and she's just got a shot above of Cynthia because it's so awkward we've all been to, and you're going to see Charlotte at the gynecologist, but Pam just had such a creative way of filming. Yeah, and like how Cynthia is just looking up and talking to the person who's like inside her face and then taking and having to describe she's not on birth control because her relationship ended like how you get too much anyway it's a lot I love about how all of you did this so relatable and so great so then we talk about so this is when Carrie wants to leave things at bigs people talk to me about this which I find really

interesting I think I saw it was it who Christy Brinkley oh Christy Brinkley that was Carrie pushing the relationship I saw that clip on TikTok And it was interesting to me. I know. Can I tell you that I kind of wanted to push back a little, but I love Christy and I respect Christy. And I didn't want to, because she was talking about her daughters and watching with her daughters, I just felt like it was a little delicate to push back.

But I kind of wanted to say like, you know, Carrie puts up with a lot, like, way more than big puts up with. And she doesn't ask for a lot. She tries to leave some tampons and a hairdry. Like, is that so bad? Yeah. I don't think so. You know? But I didn't want to, because I felt like I'm always so appreciative when people come on and talk about their real.

No, and I love hearing the different perspectives. I mean, I thought that was interesting to think of it that way when I just felt like she was so gingerly trying to like leave with something. I know. But, yeah, it's interesting to think about it like she was pushing. Maybe Christy knew more than we did that big was not ready. I mean, hey, everybody knows their own experience, I guess. But like, for me... I'm like, Carrie's like bending her whole self around who that man wants her to be or trying, you know, with middling success.

And she holds so much in that I feel like when she does finally speak, sometimes it does come out, you know, with a lot of drama or whatever because she's been shoving it down, shoving it down, shoving it down and not really free. Like he is so, you know, obviously doesn't want her to be doing the things she wants to do. like at one point doesn't she say something to him like you know like people in a relationship do you know what do you think people should be like don't you think this is normal and he goes no I think we're doing exactly what people you know I'm totally happy with what we're doing right now because he is happy yeah and it's not a bad situation actually two apartments we can be together we want to be together but she feels like she needs to look good in the morning and yeah for him also you know she's trying to look amazing for him yeah and so she wants her little baby tiny

hair dryer that I've literally never seen this tinier hair dryer in my life to leave it at his house. I just think he's so mean sometimes, you know, obviously. I guess I can see, oh, I like that because I felt like I could see both sides, definitely. But, I mean, it did, when he comes back with her stuff, like, you left

this stuff at my house. It's just like, oh my God, Teflon for relationships. They were really fun to watch in that, though, I think. I mean, they are because it does have, we're at the point now, luckily, because the first season I was like, big is awful, big is horrible. what the heck, because I never looked at it ever objectively. You know, first of all was in it.

I would just read the script with excitement every time. Of course I loved Big because I was Charlotte and Charlotte loved Big. Like it wouldn't occur to me to peel away that level and think about, well, how does Kristen feel about Big? I would never ask that question, who cares, right? It doesn't matter. But also I also feel in the 90s where we were in New York especially, if you were dating a guy like that, you expected him to be withholding. yeah that was normal i mean i think i didn't have the self-esteem to be very objective about any of this i was like well course she tried she's not gonna push it like not right all that stuff so not

but i i think as a writer i have to like love all the characters anyway like i have to see what's lovable and see what's right about their perspective and so i kind of felt that way i guess all along like i wasn't being objective about uh it was hard to be objective about well is he treating her badly or issue of stepping or anything. I just kind of get it all, you know. Exactly. And you're just trying to be real and relatable and the tell the truth of the stories as you are experiencing them. It's a really good point. It's not our job to be objective. I mean, it's interesting now because now all these many years later, obviously we're looking back at what we created, but also now there's social media where everyone's putting their two-sensing. That's the thing. Thank God we

didn't have that. Thank God. I am going to say, thank God we did not have that. I mean, I often think I'm glad that communication was what it was then because, like, I still find, like, writing into scripts, texting and everything that's going on now, just like not as fun as just people talking about it. And yes, in real life, they wouldn't necessarily go over there or call each other, but it was just fun not to have that option for us. I agree. And then same about the instant feedback.

Like, I think even when I worked on Modern Family, like we, they would like watch the tweets and while the show was airing and see if people were laughing at lines. And it was, it's just, it was nice to be trying to. I mean, I remember Michael saying, like, we're doing, maybe Jenny told me, I think Michael, that we're making the show, like, the network doesn't have a lot of input other than like make it deeper, make it more complicated. Same with you guys. Like those questions. Like I think maybe my character did that, but he was like, we're making the show that we would enjoy watching. And that was really what we were doing and hoping that that was something other people would enjoy watching too. But it was kind of like not based on what we thought everybody wanted to hear. It's pure. It's pure. It's pure. It's pure. And that was the joy of it because we at the time the model was network TV where they were trying to please advertisers right and everything was advertiser based which was why they couldn't kind of push the envelope in different ways yeah which was then the birth of HBO as we then came to know it obviously that they could do whatever they wanted they were subscription based now we're in this

whole other world of streaming everything being available all the time at once and then everyone looking at literally what everyone says. Yeah. And clickbait being important. Yeah. Which is yeah. I mean, it's all very different. The holiday rush, parents hauling luggage, kids gripping their new Christmas toys. Then,

At 6.33 p.m., everything changed. There's been a bombing at the TWA terminal. Apparently, the explosion actually impelled metal, glass. The injured were being loaded into ambulances, just a chaotic, chaotic scene. In its wake, a new kind of enemy emerged, and it was here to stay. Terrorism. Law and order, criminal justice system is back. In season two, we're turning our focus to a threat that hides in plain sight

that's harder to predict and even harder to stop. Listen to the new season of Law and Order Criminal Justice System on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hello, it's Danielle Fischel. Rider Strong. And Will Ferdell from PodMeets World. And we're bringing you Viva Las Content. That's right.

we are back in Las Vegas, the city of sin, and giving the people what they want. A full week of Y2K content. Wait, we're back in Vegas? Tell me why. Well, for the Backstreet Boys residency at Sphere, of course. We sat down with Kevin Richardson and A.J. McLean just minutes before they took the stage, and our very own Wilfredel basically became the newest member of the band.

Boy band, please. Plus, the man who has the longest running comedy show on the strip joins us, gets his props. It's carrot top, baby. And finally, we all, L-O-V-E-Hur, Ashley Simpson-Ross, joins us to talk about her upcoming sold-out Vegas residency. It's a full week of nostalgic interviews you don't want to miss. Listen to PodMeets World on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. So what happened at Chappaquittic? Well, it really depends on who you talk to. There are many versions of what happened in 1969 when a young Ted Kennedy, drove a car into a pond.

And left a woman behind to drown. There's a famous headline, I think, in the New York Daily News, it's Teddy escapes, blonde drowns. And in a strange way, right, that sort of tells you. The story really became about Ted's political future. Ted's political hopes. Will Ted become president? Chapiquitic is a story of a tragic death

and how the Kennedy machine took control. And he's not the only Kennedy to survive a scandal. The Kennedys have lived through disgrace, affairs, violence, you name it. So is there a curse? Every week, we go behind the headlines and beyond the drama of America's royal family.

Listen to United States of Kennedy on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Hi, I'm Jennifer Lopez, and in the new season of the Overcover podcast, I'm taking you on an exciting journey of self-reflection. Am I ready to enter this new part of my life?

Like, am I ready to be in a relationship? Am I ready to have kids and to really just devote myself and my time? I wanted to be successful on my own, not just because of who my mom is. Like, I felt like I needed to be better or work twice as hard as she did. Join me for conversations about healing and growth. Life is freaking hard. And growth doesn't happen in comfort. It happens in motion, even when you're hurting.

All from one of my favorite spaces, The Kitchen. Honestly, these are going to come out so freaking amazing. Be a part of my new chapter and listen to the new season of the Overcomfit Podcast as part of the My Cultura Podcast Network on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. What would you do if one bad decision forced you to choose between a maximum security prison or the most brutal boot camp designed to be hell on earth? Unfortunately for Mark Lombardo, this was the choice he faced.

He said, you are a number of New York State. state number, and we own you. Shock incarceration, also known as boot camps, are short-term, highly regimented correctional programs that mimic military basic training. These programs aim to provide a shock of prison life, emphasizing strict discipline, physical training, hard labor, and rehabilitation programs. Mark had one chance to complete this program and had no idea of the hell awaiting him the next six months.

The first night was overweight. And you don't know who's next to you. And we didn't know what to expect in the morning. Nobody tells you anything. Listen to shock incarceration on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Okay, let's talk about just Futterman, right? So here we are. Charlotte is on a date, but she doesn't know if she's on a date.

She's wearing her glasses, which is funny. They go to see a Broadway show and they discuss Betty Buckley in Hotel. She has what she really made me laugh, and I loved it. And she's with a very handsome guy. He's played by Dan Futterman. His name is Stefan. Or Stefan. Yes, Stefan.

Am I saying it right? Good. And then we were walking and talking and, you know, Charlotte seems oddly relaxed. She's not on her normal date vibe, right? Yeah. But yet it's a beautiful night. You know, it looks great. He looks great.

Whatever. She's talking about the show. And then they get to the cab. And then he grabs her and kisses her. And she gets in the cab and she's just staring at him like, what's that? I touched my glasses, right, which is really funny. It was fun to see you, though, like, see Charlotte. Yeah, how we wouldn't have really thought about how she's different with a guy

she doesn't think she's on a date with because we've mostly only seen you on dates. 100%. We're either with the girlfriends or on date. Yeah. But you were kind of like, yeah, like you'd be with girlfriends. Yeah, relaxed. It was so nice. And then it was a nice little lesson, I mean, reminder that like maybe we should just be that way.

100%. 100%. So then we go to lunch. No, sorry, we're at a bar. We're at a bar with the ladies. And I'm telling them that I'm confused about this guy. Is he gay? Is he straight?

And we have a conversation where we talk about gay straight. And straight gay men. Yeah. It's a new term of heterosexual males spawned in Manhattan as the result of over exposure to fashion, exotic cuisine, and musical theater and antique furniture. Every stereotype. Anyway, can we talk about Miranda? So let's hear that, Miranda. Well, first of all, I love, yes, I love Charlotte in this whole thing.

And, like, that was a sexy love scene that you and Dan Fetterman did. Thank you. Like, it was, like, a really beautiful. Pam Thomas really, really planned it out. And I think that's my first sex scene ever. That's, like, a beautiful sex scene. Yeah. I think there were little hits.

Like, there's that one time in the first season where I'm trying to get this dude a hand job. And they wanted me to do it over the sheets. And I had to hide in my trailer and my dressing room and, like, wait, like call Dave in L.A. my manager and say like, help me. They want me to do something over the she's that's like so ick and cringe to use the word. And then I put it under the sheets. But like that was like a joke. Right.

You know what I'm saying? That's the thing. Like most of our sex scenes were for comedy. Right. And weren't, uh, I heard you talking to some guest about the male gaze. It wasn't because it wasn't, um, voyeuristic, really. It was usually a story point of some sort. And we didn't really linger on it.

Right. And that story point though in this one was that like she wasn't sure about him and what. And then it's this. sex, like really intimate, beautiful sex. So that was important there. It was super important and so beautifully done. And she had come to me early because I hadn't really done the sex scenes, right? Yeah. And I hadn't showed any body. And I don't feel like there was a ton of body, but she had a whole plan about the camera being over us on a track. And I remember it all. And of course, Betterman made me feel so much better because I was super nervous, you know, just about

my body and whatever. And everyone, it made it. It was so easy because he's such a good actor. Pam had such a specific plan and was so calm about it. So even without intimacy coordinators, which we do discuss all the time that we did tell them. It was so comfortable as much as they can be. Yeah, she was a good director. She was great director. Like just making you, yeah, know what you were up to. And also I think because she'd come from commercials, I think, was the thing I remember.

So she was so visual, but yet she shared that with us. Yeah. And she brought in like sample, like other screen grabs of other things that were she was using as reference. It's like there's one time where she goes from like your bed, I think, to Samantha's bed over the sheets. Which was super smart. If you watch that, there's some beautiful directing in that way. There's some beautiful directing. And also that's what we needed to get everything's starting to be tied in.

Yeah. And as it goes, that you can see that developing, you know, episode by episode, right? And she did a beautiful job. I at the time was like, wait, are those my legs? No, those are Kim's legs. They're very beautiful. You know what I mean? But like, so, so beautifully, beautifully done.

So wait, wait, let's go back to the thing at the bar. this is when Carrie holds up the tiny fendi bag. People talk a lot about the fendi baguettes and how, you know, what a great partnership that turned out to be. Yes. And Sarah Jessica said, you know, it's literally just because that's who would send her some bags. Well, now that she didn't love that. I was sorry about that because I, you know, grew up in Oklahoma,

I had no fashion sense, still probably don't have the greatest, but I learned so much on the show. But when I wrote that episode, which was only the second episode I ever wrote, I think I wrote in, it was like her little coach bag or something. And I remember Pat Field was like, don't just leave it to us. Don't even try. And I was like, I don't know, it was a purse. I knew they made this molly.

I mean, I just had no vision of like the hierarchy. Can I tell you that that continued until the end of it just like that? The girls would write something in and Molly would be like, no. No. Yeah. It's so cute and funny though. But I mean, how could you know? Yeah, no, but that was the perfect old bag

because the point was like she didn't have to carry a big bag because she was his lean stuff. And it was also so cute. And it's so sweet that like she's trying to, you know, it's so cute that she wants to leave the things. Okay, so then we're there. Wait, at Carrie's apartment, they comes over for drinks with the girls.

Wait, and returned. Oh, yeah, that's horrible. And he brings that bag back. I've skipped a head somehow. But they talk about it. Yeah, they talk about it. And then she said she meant to leave it. And then, and then,

And then she asked, oh, this is the thing that I was saying earlier. She asked about the ideal living situation for their relationship. And he responds exactly what we have. And then he has his place. She has her place. They see each other when they want. And then they get to be alone when they want. And I just love Sir Jessica's acting so much because whenever he does do these things,

you could just see so many things going through her mind and her heart. You know what I mean? And she doesn't say them like, just sucks. And he's so, but also that voiceover, I still, I stand by that voiceover afterward when she says, ever since men heard about Woody Allen waving across the park to Mia Farrow. He goes, so we're like, Woody and Mia. I remember this. Before Sunyi.

I remember this like it was yesterday. Do you remember that whole article where you were just like, what? Like, it must have been Vanity Fair. You're just like, what, but they do what? And she can only wear a beige. Like, what? And I think we talked about it every day at work. Yeah. But also I still think that fantasy of like living sort of separately, but, you know, having your own space, but being able to be together.

It's great. It's just not a great example because it really didn't go well. Yeah, it didn't go well. It really didn't go well. That's not our model. So it's very fascinating. Maybe you do want to be in the same building. Right. But I think it's a lot like the, the sleep marriage situation. It's a little bit like that. That's the current today version where you're married, but you're not sleeping in the bed together. And some people think that's amazing. And some people think that's a sign that you're going to get divorced. like she realized when she had a king-sized bed with her first husband that she should never have that big a bed and she should have a queen-sized bed. They should be that close. And I was like, what? Well, listen, Charlotte and Harry have a tiny bed. And people commented on it on the, on the stuff. And it is something where every day Evan and I would be like, why is our bed so? That's a good relationship. I guess so. And neither have you snore.

But there's a vintage bed that they loved is the gist because we did actually have to ask like why. Because sometimes it would be awkward to film in it because it was so small. Did you know what I mean? Yeah, yeah, yeah. But maybe it's because they have such a good marriage that they can. Maybe that's why they have such a good marriage? I don't know. But it is interesting to me because I would definitely be like bigger bed,

possibly sleeping in a different room. But I'm not married, so I don't have to worry about that. Okay, so we're back. Oh, let's go back to the Samantha. So Samantha's whole plan is that she's going to lure this her version of Mr. Big, who's named Dominic, back. She wears a stunning dress to go out with him. she tells Carrie she's not going to have sex with him right she's going to make him want to have sex with her and then she's going to be like bye I'm going to do to you what you did to me but it doesn't go that way because she just enjoys him too much and he keeps telling him how beautiful she is and how incredible she is and that she's more beautiful than he remembered and you know so many things he's very smooth um meanwhile I go back on another date with Stefan and he is now um using a Martha Stewart recipe

So we bond over that Which is so cute But also confusing So Charlotte is between like This is amazing Oh I'm a little confused This is amazing Oh I'm a little confused

Which of course is really fun And then like he gives you this amazing kiss But then he like stands back and looks at you And it's like Chris Cynthia Rale Exactly And I still have that dress It's a great dress It's a great dress

I don't know if I can still wear it But it's a great dress I should probably give it to my daughter But yeah it's hanging in my closet I just thought today And I was like oh my god So that kitchen where you guys Do you remember

That was the same I can't remember who's Samantha Richard when she was dating Richard. It's the same apartment. Remember that? So for mega fans, if you, like, when they had that amazing apartment of Richards that had the stairs that came down, the kitchen there was this kitchen that we used for Dan Fetterman's. That apartment was amazing. Yeah. That is amazing because that apartment was amazing.

Yeah. I didn't remember that. Thank you, Cindy, for connecting those dots. I love it. December 29th, 1975, LaGuardia Airport. The holiday rush, parents hauling luggage, kids gripping their new Christmas toys. Then, at 6.33 p.m., everything changed. There's been a bombing at the TWA terminal.

Apparently, the explosion actually impelled metal, glass. The injured were being loaded into ambulances, just a chaotic, chaotic scene. In its wake, a new kind of enemy emerged, and it was here to stay. Terrorism. Law and Order Criminal Justice System is back. In season two, we're turning our focus to a threat that hides in plain sight. That's harder to predict and even harder to stop. Listen to the new season of Law and Order Criminal Justice System on the IHeart Radio app.

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hello, it's Danielle Fischel. Rider Strong. And Wilfredel from PodMeets World. And we're bringing you Viva Las Content. That's right. We are back in Las Vegas, the city of Sin, and giving the people what they want.

A full week of Y2K content. Wait, we're back in Vegas? Tell me why. Well, for the Backstreet Boys residency at Spira. Of course. We sat down with Kevin Richardson and A.J. McLean just minutes before they took the stage, and our very own Wilfredel basically became the newest member of the band. Boy band, please.

Plus, the man who has the longest running comedy show on the strip joins us and gets his props. It's carrot top, baby. And finally, we all L-O-V-E-Hur, Ashley Simpson-Ross, joins us to talk about her upcoming sold-out Vegas residency. It's a full week of nostalgic interviews you don't. want to miss. Listen to PodMeets World on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

A foot washed up a shoe with some bones in it. They had no idea who it was. Most everything was burned up pretty good from the fire that not a whole lot was salvageable. These are the coldest of cold cases, but everything is about to change. Every case that is a cold case that has DNA. Right now in a backlog will be identified in our lifetime. A small lab in Texas is cracking the code on DNA. Using new scientific tools, they're finding clues in evidence so tiny you might just miss it.

He never thought he was going to get caught, and I just looked at my computer screen. I was just like, ah, gotcha. On America's Crime Lab, we'll learn about victims and survivors, and you'll meet the team behind the scenes at Othrum, the Houston Lab that takes on the most hopeless cases, to finally solve the unsolvable. Listen to America's Crime Lab on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. American history is full of wise people. What women said something like, you know, 99.99% of war is diarrhea and 1% is gory.

Those founding fathers were gossipy AF, and they love to cut each other down. I'm Bob Crawford, host of American History Hotline, the show where you send us your questions about American history, and I find the answers, including the nuggets of wisdom our history has to offer. Hamilton pauses, and then he says, the greatest man that ever lived was Julius Caesar. And Jefferson writes in his diary, this proves that Hamilton is for a dictator based on corruption. My favorite line was what Neil Armstrong said. It would have been harder to fake it than to do it. Listen to American History Hotline on the IHeart Radio app. podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.

Your entire identity has been fabricated. Your beloved brother goes missing without a trace. You discover the depths of your mother's illness, the way it has echoed and reverberated throughout your life, impacting your very legacy. Hi, I'm Danny Shapiro. And these are just a few of the profound and powerful stories I'll be mining on our 12th season of Family Secrets.

With over 37 million downloads, we continue to be moved and inspired by our guests and their courageously told stories. I can't wait to share 10 powerful new episodes with you, stories of tangled up identities, concealed truths, and the way in which family secrets almost always need to be told. I hope you'll join me and my extraordinary guests for this new season of Family Secrets.

Family Secrets. Listen to Family Secrets Season 12 on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Okay, then we go to the dessert bar where Steppen is the pastry chef. And I take Carrie in Stanford to get their help with deciding if he is straight or gay, which is kind of entertaining. And everyone loves him, basically, and he notices Carrie's hair. And again, it's the moment of like, huh, oh. Oh, it's all very interesting. And we've all been there.

Then, oh, this is so sad, Miranda's date. Oh, Lord. It's so good. She's so good. She's so funny. I remember noticing how Cynthia would kind of serve up so that he could just knock her down. Like, the way, if you watch that scene, the way she says, like, she's excited to have this conversation about freezing your eggs. Oh, good.

Someone I can, like, debate with. And then he just, like, turns out. And, but she, yeah, it was interesting. All of you guys did that. I mean, her instincts are incredible. Her instincts are so good. To just sort of make the other actor better even. Absolutely.

And also just to understand the, like she plays it all so close to the best yet it's also present. You know what I mean? And I think that, you know, so many times when I'm watching her. And the guy that she's acting with is Harry O'Reilly. I feel like I know from something else, but I forgot to ask you, Hannah, at what Harry O'Reilly's been. He's supposed to have a hairplugs and he starts just like staring at his head. And it's like, are you looking at my forehead?

And it's like, judgmental about this guy with hair plugs who she had eliminated before her lazy ovary and now she had to consider. I know it's kind of like I just always was wrestling with that. Maybe still like just like what you're too good for and what like maybe you're not even good enough for you. Like where I am with you, Cindy. I don't know where we're with. Are we?

I still don't know. I don't know either. I do know that people, there was this post that has done really well on my social media that I reposted Evan, which was kind of interesting. Evan was doing some press for the show. And someone said to him something about, he said, you know, women come up to me all the time and say, I'm still looking for my Harry. And he says to them, because he's Evan and he doesn't care about anything. He says to them, how many Harries have you pushed away? Ooh, good for Evan.

and fat and bad for us it's probably true oh my god it is probably true I think and Evan's so great looking anyway but remember when you met him there's like the really handsome lawyer and then there's Evan

they were both handsome in their own way but I remember Evan saying because his standin who is the person they like and it's his standin was not good looking was just bald sorry if you're listening But Evan was like, it's kind of like when you get set up on a blind date, and you go, is that how you see me? Like, Evan was like, oh, no.

Is that? I don't remember this. Oh, my God. I remember him saying something about it. Like, okay. Oh, you know. But he's the hero. Everybody loves him.

He put up with so much. But he is the last man standing, which I'm really happy about. He deserves it. He does. But he did put up with so much. Remember when we made that put the hair on his back? Oh, my God. He didn't have any hair.

Poor Evan had to go through. that oh my god um back back to the olden days we're back evan hasn't come yet harry has not arrived so then we go this is the really this is when we were in bed and he puts on share do you remember that we had to go to a share concert to get permission it was part we all went right yeah and she came and like talked to us before the show and i touched her and she was so fragile and i just wanted to take care of her like a viking whole thing going on it's like a headpiece which on stage looks in person and it was kind of like, wow, what is that? I know.

In person, you're like, I can't believe you have to wear this. And she was so sweet. Does Cindy Lopper open for her or something? Oh, my God, yes. Whoever it was, we were having, like, dinner and Cher was talking to us while Cindy was on, I think. Right. And I do remember.

It was incredible. At Madison's Court Garden. Yeah. It was incredible. It was when she had this song that we get to use in the show. Wait. Do you believe in life? Okay, it is.

I mean, it's an old song now. Like, we would have been happy to go to the concert anyway, but yeah, there was some connection where we. I think we had to get to get to. I think we had to get her seal of approval, which is totally fine because we got to me to share, which is incredible. Because I grew up watching the Sonia and shared show, and I don't care if I'm dating myself. That was one of those experiences where you're like, okay, I can't believe this is my life.

Insane, absolutely. And I love that song so much. And when it ever comes on the radio, I'm so happy. It's so happy because it reminds me of Butterman, reminds me of Cher, reminds me of us. It's a great thing. So we're there. I try to ask poor character, Stefan, if he's been with a man. And he asked me if I've been with a woman, which is a fair question.

Charlotte doesn't answer, which makes me wonder, had Charlotte been with a woman and we don't know? I think the answer is no, because I don't do that threesome. Yeah, I think Charlotte, to me, it was like she's just like, you're right. Well, no, just, you're right. It's a ridiculous question. Like, of course, he wouldn't ask me that. And why am I asking him that? Or maybe, okay, but except for today, maybe he would.

Right. And also, it's like a weird, it's a weird thing. Yeah. It's a weird thing. Exactly. Like, right. making out it's very strange but charlie you know she's concerned i don't know she's confused it's right that she asks him what she's been worrying about at least it's honest right to ask him honestly but then she

dodges when he asks her which is kind of funny and then he does say the very funny thing about how he lives in chelsea he's a pastry chef he'd he'd be gay if he was gay which you know yes more power to you and then and then i'm relieved and then we have beautiful sex which is great and everything goes great we're just going to skip to the mouse everything goes great the next morning he wants to make her some tea and then a red star squealing and I'm like what's that noise and he's like what noise and I'm like it was like a squealing and he's like oh yes over there in the glue trap I forgot there's the whole thing there's literally supposed to be a little mouse stuck in the glue trap in his kitchen yeah how new york and terrifying I don't think it was stuck in the guy I can't remember how

we did that but it was a real no okay we cannot have put a real mouse in blue trap I would not have been okay with that. It looks real. It's horrifying. I won't even let people put glue traps at my house. Even when I had mice in my old house, I was like, no, that's mean and horrible. I tried it once. And then it was like the telltale heart because this mouse was not dead but had one leg.

And it was like dragging around a glue trap and I was hearing the glue trap. Oh my God. It's awful. It's so awful. It was cruel. And I'm sorry. I never did it again. I know.

It's a terrible, terrible thing. But then Dan Futterman's character. I think that mouse is so live just walking around with the glue. my god, oh my God, oh, my God. I hope he made it. I think he did. Because I didn't kill him. I'm glad you didn't kill him. So Danny Futterman's character, seven, jumps up on a chair and squeals. And then there's the funny voiceover that it basically says, oh, I didn't write it in here, but it basically says, you know, that Charlotte is not, doesn't her develop, her masculine side is not developed enough for her to be with someone who's feminine side is so developed.

And that's great. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? because that's a real thing. Yeah. And you kind of have to find the right fit, you know? Yeah. And at least Charlotte knows this about herself, you know?

It was fun. I mean, it was fun to be on the step for all of this. It's always fun to be on the set. Okay, wait, here's a trivia. When Charlotte is hailing a cab with Stefan and says you, you got to show a little leg. This isn't the first, oh, this is a through line. Carrie does this in Morocco. Do you remember?

I forgot about that. But the funniest thing is I so don't show any leg. Yeah. Because you know how I feel about my legs. I don't know if you know, but yeah, I'm not fond of my legs. So I'm sure I was like, I don't want to show my legs. Like I do some like pose. Yeah.

Like, I'm like, this is the pose you make. And then it works, which is hysterical. Because who wouldn't stop for Danny Futterman? You know what I mean? But it is true that this is a through line. I have to say my other thing that I'm so amazed by every time I watch the old episodes, we say, and just like that every single episode. Do we?

In this episode, we said it. It's crazy. It's kind of like I couldn't help but wonder. There were certain lines I didn't quite realize we were using all the time. I didn't either. I did either. I mean, I did know the, I didn't have, but wonder, but more so because once ever social media started, they would always, it was such a great jumping off point. But I didn't realize the, and just like that. I mean, we use it all the time. It's nutty. It's nutty. Cindy. Yes. Are you a Charlotte? Okay. I think maybe right now for the first one of my life, I'm not. Wow. Which isn't good. No. I think I always had this like romantic optimism and I'm just feeling like, ugh, I don't know. I'm a little bit more Miranda right now than usual, but I usually feel like I've got a little of all of them. Okay, then I think Charlotte is optimism and hope.

Okay, I'm going to be, I'm going to be Charlotte again. But anyway, I think Charlotte is a good thing to get to. I agree with you. It's hard to remain Charlotte for your whole life. Yes. I think in some ways that's an unrealistic expectation, even for myself and I play her. You know what I'm saying? But I think they're all aspects.

Like I always thought, I start out like Charlotte, then I get into the relationship. I kind of get in my own way a little bit Miranda like then I'm kind of Carrie over analyzing it like I think Carrie is the whole everything and then you're kind of Samantha like it totally but then somehow I go back to Charlotte again

and it's like I mean I think Charlotte is your core you know what I mean and I think that when I know for myself when I get down it's because Charlotte is my core yeah right because like if you look at Miranda I mean Miranda does like she's kind of a little down in this episode right yeah but she Also, sometimes she just, like, gets strength from her pragmatism. You know what I'm saying?

She's just like, I see it like it is and I call it like it is. And no, no, no, no, no. But then, like, when Steve breaks up with her, which was the one right before, you know, she's so gutted. Yeah. Like, it's just so sweet. But all the characters are so beautifully, beautifully drawn and written. But anyway, I'm proud to be a Charlotte, a core Charlotte. Excellent.

I think Core Charlotte is good. I mean, that's how I think of myself, too. I'm Charlotte with some Carrie because I, that's why also I enjoy the podcast because I can look at the themes of the relationship stuff and talk to other people like yourself about them. It's fun. It's very Carrie-esque, really, you know? And Carrie did have a podcast for a minute there, but not like mine. Not where she's in charge. You know what I mean? It's trying to be in charge of your podcast. I enjoy that. But it is, I think it's so interesting. Thank you for being here and you have to come back because you write so many of the absolutely iconic episodes.

And I love to hear your memories because you have different memories than I have. You know what I mean? Yeah. And to pull them together is fun. Can I say in case I don't come back? You getting married to Trey when you've just found out he can't get it up with the veil. I think I wrote that line like Carrie tells you like maybe he

like masturbating before you came home. Right? And you're in your veil and you go, I think the stage dejection was hopeful and you go, maybe he did jerk off. It's one of my favorite moments. My favorite moments at that was you and your wedding dress. with your veil and then hopeful.

Do you remember shooting that and that Betty Ann, our AD laughed out loud? She was up on a ladder behind me laughed out loud and ruined a take. I was so mad. Oh, my God. Because that's hard to do that. Yeah. You know what I mean? Like, it's a very delicate.

Thank you. And thank God I could do it again because you're always scared. Like, can I do it again? I don't know. But if you make the AD laugh on a ladder, then you know it's working. You know, but then you also ruined to take. You know what I'm saying. But that's what I remember.

I remember just wanting to thread that needle so precisely, you know. Thank you. That's a big episode in my mind as well in terms of just the glory of her getting what she thinks she wants. And then obviously later on we find out it's not what she wants. But what a great, great character arc. You know, thank you for having me. Thank you for being here. And you must come back. There's too many that you wrote now to come back. I mean, yeah, we'll just plan it out. I don't want to overstay my welcome. But please come back. December 29th, 1975, LaGuardia Airport. The holiday rush, parents hauling luggage, kids gripping their new Christmas toys. Then, everything changed. There's been a bombing at the TWA terminal, just a chaotic, chaotic scene. In its wake, a new kind of enemy emerged, terrorism. Listen to the new season of Law and Order Criminal Justice System.

on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hello, it's Danielle Fischel. Writer Strong. And Will Ferdell from PodMeets World. We are back in Las Vegas and giving the people what they want. A full week of Y2K content. Tell me why. Well, for the Backstreet Boys residency at Sphere, of course.

We joke and say this is our second marriage, but it takes a lot of communication. Plus, it's carrot top, baby. And finally, Ashley Simpson-Ross joins us to talk about her upcoming sold-out Vegas residency. Listen to PodMeets World on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Jenna Lopez, and in the new season of the Over Comfort Podcast, I'm even more honest, more vulnerable, and more real than ever. Am I ready to enter this new part of my life? Like, am I ready to be in a relationship? Am I ready to have kids and to really just devote myself and my time?

Join me for conversations about healing and growth, all from one of my favorite spaces, The Kitchen. Listen to the new season of the Overcombered podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. If you're looking for another heavy podcast about trauma, the saying it, this is for the ones who had to survive and still show up as brilliant, loud, soft, and whole. The unwanted sorority is where black women, fims, and gender expansive survivors of sexual violence, rewrite the rules on healing, support, and what happens after. And I'm your host and co-president of this organization, Dr. Lyotra Tate. Listen to the unwanted sorority, new episodes every Thursday on the I-HeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Our IHeart Radio Music Festival, presented by Capital One, is coming back to Las Vegas. Vegas. September 19th and 20th. On your feet. Streaming live only on Hulu. Ladies and gentlemen, Brian Adams. Ed Shearer, Fade. Chlorilla, jelly roll, Chon Fogarty, Lil Wayne, L.L. Cool J,

Mariah Carey, Maroon 5, Sammy Hagar, Tate McCray, The Offspring, Tim McRaw. Tickets are on sale now at AXS.com. Get your tickets today. AXS.com. This is an I-Heart podcast.