Dear Chelsea - Get Your Balls In Order with John Stamos
Episode Date: October 26, 2023Chelsea’s childhood crush John Stamos is in-studio this week to talk about getting sober in his 50s, why he always dreamed of fatherhood, and why he loves Disneyland so damn much. Then: A newly-so...ber man is finding his new life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. A 20-something wound up in bed with her best friend, and isn’t sure what to do next. And a daughter struggles with the loss of her parents at an early age - and wonders if she can move beyond using humor to process the pain. * Read If You Would Have Told Me by John Stamos here! * Need some advice from Chelsea? Email us at DearChelseaPodcast@gmail.com * Executive Producer Catherine Law Edited & Engineered by Brad Dickert * * * * * The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the Podcast author, or individuals participating in the Podcast, and do not represent the opinions of iHeartMedia or its employees. This Podcast should not be used as medical advice, mental health advice, mental health counseling or therapy, or as imparting any health care recommendations at all. Individuals are advised to seek independent medical, counseling advice and/or therapy from a competent health care professional with respect to any medical condition, mental health issues, health inquiry or matter, including matters discussed on this Podcast. Guests and listeners should not rely on matters discussed in the Podcast and shall not act or shall refrain from acting based on information contained in the Podcast without first seeking independent medical advice.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Hi, Katherine.
Hi, Chelsea.
Hi, what is going on?
Not too much, just loving the fall weather.
You've been traveling all over, though.
Where are you headed?
Well, I'm performing in Milwaukee on Friday night.
And then I have two shows in Chicago, Saturday, Sunday.
Milwaukee, Friday night.
And then, where is that?
Where's the theater?
Oh, Bradley Symphony Center.
And then the Chicago Theater, Saturday and Sunday night.
Oh, shit.
And then another show, Sunday night.
But that's sold out. Chicago First show is sold out. We have tickets available for
Saturday night, October 28th, and tickets available for Milwaukee, Thursday night, October 26th.
I am in New York City waiting for, I just had to get some more knee surgery. I had to get my
knee cleaned out. So I am off the pills. I had a two-day party, pill party.
Great.
And then I have to throw them.
Well, I don't throw them away because they're gone.
They're gone after two days.
And that's how I have any excuse to be put under.
Yes.
Any excuse to be put under.
But my doctor said this will allow me, afford me the ability to ski without pain because
my knee has really been acting up since my
orca.
So I'm going to either get my leg removed and replaced.
I'm waiting for them to come out with some sort of knee enhancement replacement thing
where you don't even have to get surgery, but be put under, obviously.
Yeah.
I just think it's a matter of months before they have some new technology or AI comes
up with a new knee or something.
Yeah.
You know? So anyway, we have one of my childhood crushes on today.
Mine too.
His name is John Stamos.
I'm very excited about today.
I know.
He has a new book out.
What is it called?
It is called If You Would Have Told Me.
If You Would Have Told Me.
Okay.
Well, we're going to see what he is going to tell us because there's a lot of juicy
stuff in that book. So he did tell us a lot because there's a lot of juicy stuff in that book.
So he did tell us a lot of things.
A lot of celebrity books coming out lately with a lot of insight and inside scoop.
He is a three-time Emmy Award-nominated TV, film, and theater actor.
And his memoir is called If You Would Have Told Me, and it's out this week.
Please welcome John Stamos.
How are you, honey?
I'm pretty good.
Yeah?
John Stamos is in the house, everybody. John, my childhood crush. I loved you, honey? I'm pretty good. Yeah? John Stamos is in the house,
everybody. John, my childhood crush. I loved you so much when I was growing up. I mean,
not to say I don't love you now. I mean, you're very attractive. I'm getting old. Well, we all
are. I have a crush on you because you're smart and you're beautiful. And I remember I was on
your other show. Yeah. I've interviewed you before. Are you doing good? You look great.
Oh, yeah.
Thank you.
You talk about being happy now and stuff.
That makes me happy.
Oh, are you happy?
I am.
Yeah.
You know what?
I was reading your book, you guys.
Yeah.
Yes, of course.
The book is called If You Would Have Told Me.
It's out this week.
It's John Stamos's.
It's your first book, right?
That's right.
Yeah.
I want to talk to you about the process because- Well, what do you want to talk about?
Let's get started.
How was it?
I like, I mean, listen, it's a very different medium than everything that you're probably
used to.
So if this is your first book, I can understand you probably feel a little bit overwhelmed,
right?
Yeah, I was.
I feel good now that it's done, but then now I'm going to have to go out and sell it.
Sell it and promote it.
And that is a different beast.
But you know what I find that is nice and refreshing about books, and maybe you can think about this while you're promoting it, is like you're not promoting a project that you're not completely responsible for.
It's your story.
Right.
So they're your truths.
And then you get to just talk about yourself in the most kind of, I feel like, most organic way rather than promoting a show or a movie.
You're right.
Yeah.
It has been interesting, the interviews I've done so far, especially doing this long form
because you can really get into it because there's a lot of intricate stuff in the book
and ups and downs and stuff.
But to do a quick pop on it is difficult, right?
Yes, absolutely.
But you want to get people interested enough to buy it.
Listen, there's a lot of interesting stuff in this book.
And can I ask you, so therapy, you've been, that's your-
You think you're interviewing me right now? Is that what you think?
No, I'm not trying to. I just, I'm fascinated by you always. And I like to ask questions.
I went to therapy for about two years, intense therapy with this guy, Dan Siegel. And
it changed my, I mean, it took a while. Like if someone said, oh, therapy was going to take two
years and then probably two years of absorbing what you learned
in therapy
I would have been like
that's too fucking long
like fuck it
but I went in
before I knew
how long it was going to take
and so it was like
did you think it was
a couple of
a couple of sessions
yeah I think
I thought
oh I'm pretty smart
like I'll get this quickly
and then
as soon as you get deeper
are you in therapy
yeah
I talk about it in the book
to this guy Phil Stutz who's sort of a famous.
Oh, yeah.
Stutz, the one that they did the documentary with Jonah Hill, right?
Yeah.
Okay.
I was going to him way before Jonah Hill.
I think it was like 12 years ago.
I can't remember who sent me there.
I had Saget go.
I said, we can't be friends anymore until you go to therapy.
Oh, yeah?
And he was there until he died.
In fact, he still owes Phil money.
Phil told me.
He said he didn't pay for his last session.
Well, he doesn't need the money.
So it helped you then.
It helped me.
Yes.
It helped me immensely.
It helped me with my self-awareness.
It helped me understand the way that I, the vibes I'm giving off.
If my personality was coming before any sort of thoughtfulness.
So now I'm a little bit more thoughtful and careful with my personality rather than throwing it out there.
It's not necessary for me to insert myself all the time.
My guy said, you've already charmed the world.
Stop.
You don't have to anymore.
Just sit back and, you know.
Yes.
Stop trying so hard.
Maybe that's, you know.
Well, we get, I think we get interesting conversation because I think we get very wrapped up in who we think we are.
And who we think they want us to be.
Yes. Yeah, I had that a lot too you know just coming under the scene you know being a teen idol and then you know some sort of
you know guy which wasn't me like you know and i'd go on howard stern or jimmy kimmel or all
these shows you know oh you're a playboy tell me about all the girls you fucked i'm like oh yeah
none of it it was true but i felt I had to be that guy for real
which is
when I
and they didn't
it wasn't their fault
I played into it
but once I let that go
it's just hard to
trust yourself
that you're good enough
and you're
interesting enough
and you're charming enough
right just to sit and talk
and I didn't like
I went into
growing up
kicking and screaming
I just barely made it to
I just didn't want to
because it just seemed
boring to me
and it really required to to me. And it really
required to sober up too.
But it's been the greatest.
I've just turned 60.
Oh my God. Really?
That's amazing.
I'm tired.
It's okay. Don't worry, honey. I'm 48.
Are we going to have a big birthday?
In two years.
I mean, yeah. I've got to start planning it now
if I'm going to have the right kind of birthday party.
I just want everyone to know that I offered John an edible before this interview started because I forgot he was sober.
And this is a big problem with me as well.
Back to the therapy thing real quick.
One of the things I learned, which is interesting what you're saying, is, you know, I always thought I had to be the center, like the excitement of a dinner party or like the entertainment for
everybody. Like I thought that's what people expected of me, that I had to go to every dinner
party and just be the funniest person there. And if there was another funny person there,
I was so relieved. I was like, let them do it. But everyone is so insecure about their own funny
that people would look to me and be like, no, you go, you do it. And I'll, you know, so it became
this weird cycle of like, you impress upon go, you do it. And I'll, you know. So it became this weird cycle of like,
you impress upon yourself
what you assume people are expecting of you
when really maybe not everybody's expecting any of that.
No, and then they go, Chelsea, she's got to calm down.
Yeah, calm down.
You know, same with me.
I thought I was, had to be that.
And I, you know, drinking too.
I thought, oh, I gotta be, you know,
so I can be funny and sharp.
People see, you know, it's fuzzy is what they saw. Yeah, I bet you know drinking too I thought oh I gotta be you know so I can be funny and sharp people see right you know it's fuzzy is what they saw yeah I bet you feel that too because you know you're you are people see you on tv and you're funny and you're sharp and
you're very smart too I think that's what impresses me most about you well thank you
I appreciate you lost I know you lost your brother when you were young and abandonment
issues but then there was another really sweet brother who I met on your show. Roy. Is he still cool? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Roy's the best.
He's the sweetest. Will you tell him I said hi? I will. He'll love that. He loves you. And Chewy,
what about Chewy? Is he still alive? Chewy passed away. Did he really? Yeah, yeah. Oh, shit.
But I mean, I'll see him. Catherine, you're doing great, by the way. I'll see him in the
afterlife anyway. When did he die? A couple of years ago. Yeah. He was sweet, right? Yeah, he was a sweetheart.
One of the things that I was reading about in your book that I took issue with is your love of Disneyland and Disney World.
I find that upsetting.
Annoying, right?
To be honest with you, I was over it.
I was done.
And then I met my wife and she brought me back in.
Your wife loves Disney World.
Yeah, and Disneyland.
And she, and so what was the period of time
you were able to stay away from Disney World or Disneyland?
A couple weeks, a couple months.
No, it was a couple, it was a while.
I was just, it was enough already, I thought,
you know, honestly.
But last night.
But why were you spending so much time there
in the first place?
It just, it was, it may, it's, have you been?
Yeah, I was. I was there.
Honestly, before I sobered up,
for 10 years it was kind of fun to go and get drunk
there.
But it was dry for a long time.
I thought they didn't have any alcohol there.
At Magic Kingdom,
Magic Kingdom they don't, but
Epcot, you'd have beers across the world
by the time you got to Canada.
But no, I just get over it.
Because when you walk through those gates, the rest of the world goes away.
And it's just a happy place to be.
That's how I feel about the Playboy Mansion.
You do?
It used to be that way.
Yeah, yeah.
Last night, so I'm leaving town.
I'm so busy with all this book stuff.
And my wife says, and we do this once in a while.
I was like, I've got a surprise.
We're going on a date night tonight.
This was last night.
I said, great.
Where is it?
I can't tell you. I said, oh, yeah, I don got a surprise. We're going on a date night tonight. This was last night. I said, great. Where is it? I can't tell you.
I said, I don't have a lot of time, but I want to at least spend one good night with you before we go.
And so I said, what do I wear?
She said, boots.
Boots are good.
What else?
No, that's good what you have on.
I said, is it a hike?
Is it outdoors?
It might be.
It might not.
So we're driving past Pasadena.
We're going up to this neighborhood house, and there's no parking.
I said, what's the date night?
You and me?
I said, well, it's a Disney party, and there's a couple of Disney legends that are going to be there.
Oh, fuck me.
And a hundred other Disney geek fans that you're going to have to take pictures with.
I said, you're kidding me.
This is date night?
And it was nice people, but, you know, it's a lot.
I said, every selfie I take, you give me a handjob.
And did she?
Yeah, it was about 800.
Yeah, right.
So when is she going to start giving you the handjobs?
I should have got something better, huh?
Probably.
So I don't know.
But she loves it.
I'm, you know, it's enough for me, too.
Listen, I'm just happy you're in a happy relationship.
You know what I mean?
If you have to give a bunch of handjobs and go to a bunch of Disney events.
I don't have to give the handjobs.
Oh, no.
I mean, if you have to get, sorry, if you have to give a bunch of handjobs and go to a bunch of Disney events. I don't have to give a handjob. Oh, no. I mean, if you have to get a bunch of handjobs and go to a bunch of Disney events, then that's the bed you made.
And now you have to lie in it.
You're right.
Now, can I ask you about this joke, Roy?
I love that you think you're fucking interviewing me.
I'm not fucking interviewing.
I'm just interested.
I have a series of questions I want to ask you, though.
People are tired of me already.
I thought it was going to be the greatest thing ever to you.
I was so happy for you. I didn't ask you though. I thought it was going to be the greatest thing ever to you. I was so happy for you.
I didn't know him much.
But do you feel like if you fall in love again, you kind of keep it quiet for a couple of years?
Probably.
You know, I don't need to learn that lesson twice.
Although I didn't even, listen, to be very honest, I don't feel regret or a rueful towards the way that I behaved publicly with him.
I think that was a very good exercise for me.
And it was nice for other people to see that side of me because I've never been
very publicly in love before. So I don't really regret that, even though I probably wouldn't
choose to operate like that again. You know what I mean? Because it's like, who needs to,
it's almost very like teenager-ish. But that's how it felt. It was like a teenager love.
It just felt so bad when it, you know, didn't.
But it's okay.
I mean, relationships end, you know, and you learn from them.
And I think that the most important thing to do as we get older is to remember not to
villainize or demonize the people who've left our lives and actually look at them and say,
you know what?
What did that person bring out in me that someone, that hadn't been brought out in me
before?
100%, yeah. So I think that's okay.'t been brought out in me before? 100%, yeah.
So I think that's okay.
I have like, I think before I wrote this book.
I'm taking my top off because John's turning me on.
Okay.
I think before I wrote this book, I would say, oh, I have regrets.
Yeah, this, I didn't, I got dumped.
I got cheated on.
And after writing, I'm like, no, that's like what you said.
If I didn't have those heartbreaks that happened, I wouldn't have known how to be right for my marriage now.
Well, yeah, because especially because you were married to Rebecca Romijn first before your current wife.
And you talk about that in the book and you talk about your therapist and that marriage ending.
Right. And your therapist basically telling you that you weren't ready to be with the one and that you had a lot
of work to do. Right. So what were those conversations like? Well, it was more about,
it was heartbreaking and I didn't want it to end. And I always thought we would have kids and a
thing and a fairytale ending. And when it did, it ripped me apart. And I was angry for many years,
too angry. Angry at her or angry at the situation? Well, her, you know, as I learned,
so I had the first chapter I wrote was, I thought I'd take the hardest ones. And I wrote about this
terrible, the low point of my life, I had this DUI and I was driving drunk, I was driving around
Beverly Hills and I got, and I went to rehab and I think it was there where I discovered like,
so the steps, you probably know some of this. The fourth step is your resentments.
So I was like, she did this to me.
She did that.
And I'm making this a long list.
And the sponsor said, are you done?
I said, no.
And then he goes, so what part did you play in that?
I said, what do you mean?
What?
None.
Well, you might have played, even if it's 1%.
And I start writing.
Oh, yeah.
And it was the first time I really was honest about it.
And I had just as much to do with the end of our marriage as she did.
So, you know, you learn.
Yeah, yeah.
What was that last thing that broke the last straw that broke the camel's back in the marriage?
I started to get emasculated.
And I don't know how much of it was her fault or how much was mine.
But I felt the relationship just went like she was here and I was down here. i was oh you're on tv i'm a and it just was not good and
we split up for a while and we got back together and and it was there was a lot of rules and it
just didn't work and i just said this is not working you know and we walked away but i haven't
and i have never seen her since but you've never spoken to her since the last time i talked to her was in this
but thank god because i did i more about myself like i'm not gonna go i would never go into a
relationship the same way and thank god i didn't when caitlin came around right and so how did you
what tools did you have or like that you developed over the years that made you be able to
like start in a healthy way, this relationship, or healthier?
Yeah, for sure.
I knew that I wanted to...
I could get by for so many years with 50%,
more than most people, 60% maybe, in anything, work.
And I was just always afraid to give 100
because if you fail, then wow, you gave it his all and you failed.
So with the relationships, I'm going to give it my all.
I'm going to throw everything.
And if it doesn't work, at least I know how to do that.
Sober and loyal and honest and all this stuff.
And it worked.
Does that make sense?
Yeah.
I mean, it makes sense.
How many years have you been sober?
Close to eight.
Eight years.
Okay.
So would you consider that newly sober?
No.
I was, you know, I was drinking into my 50s and it just, it was just time.
Well, you have a lot of examples in the book of times where you, I mean, you don't make yourself look good in this book in a lot of areas. And I actually appreciate that because I also like to be honest.
It's very important to be honest and not to gloss over like and pretend like you've got, you're crushing it all the time.
I started out that way.
I was like, I'm going to write a hero book.
And I started writing.
I was like, this is such bullshit.
And it turned into a human story.
Because, again, I never thought I'd write a book.
It wasn't in my thing.
I didn't think I was sharp enough.
And friends of mine that were writing books, how do you do it?
How do you even start?
I just didn't get it.
And then when Bob died, I wrote a beautiful obituary kind of thing in the LA Times.
I remember.
And so people said, oh, you're a good writer.
And I had a kid too.
And I said, okay, so now I'm a father.
What's that like?
And I just kept saying no.
And then I really thought about leaving something behind for him,
a love letter to all the beautiful people
that have come in and out of my life, to my wife.
And I've had a lot of mentors over the years
that I wanted to talk about.
But then the clutch was that I found, I knew I had them, but I dug up all these letters that
my mom left me, these little notes that she would leave me and my sisters. I said, okay,
that's a good place to start. Yeah. Did your mom pass away? Yeah. My mom and my dad are both dead.
I'm an orphan. I just have my brothers and sisters. It's a lot, five or so. Yeah. There's
enough of us to go around. Plus we have eight nieces and nephews. So there's like, you know, we have a big family.
And all of them are married or have girlfriends.
And then we have like 10 cousins that live in L.A.
So we just, well, not 10, but I say 10 as a round number.
But there's eight.
Anyway.
Who lives at your house now?
Do you have any siblings at your house?
I'm actually living with, no, I'm waiting for my house to be built.
And I am living with my neighbor.
So talk to me about being like a father.
This is something I always wanted. And through the book, I was trying to find, like you do,
like try to find as many relatable issues, you know, it's like how many people can relate to
that. I play with the Beach Boys, a million people. But, um. Well, you bring up another
topic, Beach Boys. You learn transcendental meditation with the Beach Boys, right? Because
you drum for the Beach Boys. Do you do TM still? I don't do TM. I do regular meditation, but I know a lot of people who do TM.
Howard?
Yeah, Howard does it for sure.
How would you describe it?
TM?
Yeah.
You know, it's meditate twice, 20 minutes.
I'm not very good at it anymore.
I mean, I don't keep up with it as much as I should.
But even just to sit for 20 minutes and you say this mantra over and over again.
You want to know mine?
Yeah.
Well, you're not supposed to tell your mantra.
That was so close.
That much I know.
You almost got her. Catherine, you're doing great, by your mantra. That was so close. That much I know. You almost got her.
Catherine, you're doing great, by the way.
Oh, thanks.
I'm just enjoying the conversation.
So wait.
So I wanted to come up with relatable things.
Oh, this is the point.
Was that it had something to do with sex.
Gosh darn it.
What was it?
That you wouldn't have sex with me.
I wanted.
I wanted.
Well, hey, honey, we're going on date night.
Where is it going to be?
It will be at your house.
Chelsea's house.
Yeah, okay. And she was so mad at me
because I wouldn't take a tour
the house was about this
it was Disney's house
lived there for a little while
but it wasn't very big
and she was like
come on let's go on this tour
but
I want to know
what you do for four hours
when you go to Walt Disney's house
before the tour
take selfies with everybody there
oh really
yeah
do you hate taking selfies
no I don't mind
no no no
I don't mind it either. I wanted to,
it's easier than signing autographs, and I heard you talking
about, like, you know, you spell
a certain name, and they go, that's not how I spell it.
Oh, that's not my mom. Your mom spelled
it wrong or something. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I once had a
girl named, like, it was LaForsha,
but she spelled it. LaForsha.
LaForsha at a book signing. This happened.
She said her name was LaForsha, but
with the number four.
So L-A apostrophe four and then S-H-A-E.
And I was like, that can't be on your license.
That's a regular spelling.
So that's when I was like, oh, fuck, I better be.
You have to ask when you're doing.
You always go like if it's Kate the normal way or if it's Kate, K-A-Y-T-E.
Yeah, yeah, I hate that.
You're also going to get carpal tunnel syndrome from doing book signings.
I have it already because I've been signing.
But wait, we were talking about sex.
I was trying to find relatable stuff.
I was talking about having a kid, right?
Okay.
You have to have sex to have a kid.
You do?
Yeah.
In the butt.
I was trying to find.
When was the last time you had sex?
It's been a few months for me, yeah.
Do we know who it was?
Somebody in London.
Really?
Yeah, I was on vacation, so I usually get most of my action overseas.
Was it somebody you just met on the flight?
Yes, at a bar.
No shit, no kidding.
Yeah.
Wow.
I like that kind of interaction.
When I was single and if I saw you in a bar in London, first of all, I'd be,
how are these guys not intimidated by you?
Men are intimidated by me, and a lot of them cannot perform.
Is it the glasses, do you think?
No, I don't wear my glasses when I'm out.
Those are only for today because I was reading.
So men are intimidated, and how do you—
Men are intimidated, and it plays out like they have trouble performing sexually.
So a lot of times I will be out with a man, and we're at a bar or something or at a club.
I mean, not that i'm a
clubber but like when i'm in london i go out when i'm in spain i'm out and i'll be like do you want
to come back to my house and then we get back to my house and they cannot perform sexually
this is a constant in my life and it's obviously my personality and men are just either scared or
turned off or i don't know but why would they come back to my house if they weren't going to
be able to perform there I don't get that.
They're the wrong guys.
These guys.
Yeah.
So I just keep auditioning different people and seeing who could actually.
And what happens?
So you're in London.
You say, come back to my place.
And the guy goes.
Sometimes they'll.
So once a guy was like, I go, do you want to come back to my place?
And he left.
He goes, yeah.
He goes, I'm going to the bathroom.
And he goes, I'll be right back.
And he never came back.
I can't imagine any fool would do that.
But see, the thing about these fantasy, like, and I try to talk about it in here, too, where
when I was a kid, some penthouse girl came into my dressing room at General Hospital
and had sex with me.
And I was depressed afterward, you know?
And I think, you know, I think people maybe think that our lives, they probably think
our lives are fantastic, right?
And they pull the curtain behind and it's like, oh, she's fucked up.
He's fucked up.
You're not, Catherine, but the two of us.
But I like that scene too,
because you talk about the glaring overhead light
and the vinyl, you know what I mean?
It wasn't the fantasy.
No.
I tried to, yeah, again,
I tried to find the relatable stuff.
I started off with getting this DUI.
So I thought, okay, that's a good place to start.
It's the hardest thing, I thought.
Turns out it wasn't.
And the five stages of grief there were more booze and sex and all this bullshit. And then the second chapter I thought, okay, that's a good place to start. It's the hardest thing I thought. Turns out it wasn't. And the five stages of grief there were more booze and sex and all that bullshit.
And then the second chapter I wrote, which happened to be the end, was the day I found out that Bob died.
And by this point, you know, my five stages of grief were, you know, therapy and family and prayer and, you know, getting my shit together.
And it was—so then I had to figure out how to, you know, A to B.
Yeah.
But I tried not to be honest a lot of times.
My mother kept every teen magazine, every calendar, every journal, every picture.
She took a lot of pictures.
So it was sort of easy to fact check everything as well.
Yeah, yeah.
Because you don't want to put out a book like this and not be truthful.
And I think part of the catharsis of writing a book is being able to be truthful.
Because when you are in the
public eye you have such little privacy that you try to retain i know this from being friends with
lots of celebrities and i know you've been famous since you were a little boy basically so you've
really never had a private private life you have to kind of really protect what is private because
so much of it is public and now with social media everyone there's – there's no privacy. And I'm not a private person.
I don't care.
Like I'm not trying to be private.
I don't care if people know about my personal stuff.
I'm not that kind of celebrity.
But I can respect the fact that celebrities feel that way.
They want something that they can keep for themselves.
So I get that.
But I think the true – like when you write a book like this, you kind of have to give people something that they don't know.
You have to.
It was very hard at first, and then I really got into it.
And I was doing all day long.
And then the audio book was a trip, too, you know.
Yeah, that's annoying.
I don't like recording that.
It took me like 35 days.
They say it takes four or five days.
First of all, it should not take you 35 days.
I mean, that's like an elephant's gestation period.
I know.
I don't understand.
That should never take you that long.
It was my fault.
But I was rewriting it.
I had time to rewrite it.
Yeah, you know what?
I don't like when they give you direction when you're recording your audio book.
Yeah, you're like, fuck you.
They're like, talk more slowly.
I'm like, I don't talk slowly.
So that doesn't sound like me.
I had a good direction.
I didn't bother.
I did this thing for Amazon that didn't come out or something.
But it was for people to sleep.
And I was like, okay.
And I didn't really know what kind of voice I had.
The cowboy and the horse.
Can you slow it down a little bit, people?
Okay.
The cowboy and the horse.
Could you, sorry, John,
can you, less inflection.
We're trying to put people to sleep.
Fuck off.
All right, we're going to take a break
and we're going to be right back.
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And we're right back.
That was fast.
We're back, John Stamos.
And guess what we're doing now?
Chelsea Handler.
You're going to give advice to strangers, okay?
That's what we're doing.
And what's, and okay.
The show is about giving advice.
It's called Dear Chelsea.
I know, I listen to it.
Do you feel you're qualified enough to give?
No.
Okay, good.
But that doesn't matter. And by the way, yes, actually I am. You're a viewer. I am, because listen to it. Do you feel you're qualified enough to give? No, but that doesn't matter.
And by the way, yes, actually I am.
You are.
I am because I'm bright, I read, I listen, and I care.
So I think those are really the four.
You're super intelligent.
The last time you were on Howard Stern, I was so impressed too with you.
Do you remember that?
I don't know.
Okay, good.
Okay, so anyway, Catherine.
What advice do you need from me?
Well, we're going to see.
We have letters and we have callers. What's the first one, Catherine?
So this first one comes from Sober.
Oh, okay. Well, that's you. And then I guess your alter ego.
Yes.
It keeps me out of trouble, being sober.
I can see that, John. I can see that.
And I see that you-
Get into trouble?
Get into trouble.
I don't get into that much trouble.
Tell me this, though. in order to get into that,
in order to be picked up by some British guy with bad teeth in a bar, you'd have to be a little
fucked up, right? I mean, I'm drinking. Yeah. And yeah, sometimes I smoke weed. Sometimes I do
mushrooms, LSD. I like all sorts of micro dosing. So I do that a lot. I know you're jealous right
now. A little bit. I know you are. I know. And I don't want to rub it in your face. I did a lot. I know you're jealous right now. A little bit. I know you are. I know. I did a lot of it.
I don't get into trouble trouble.
I have a pretty good
system going. But I mean, the inhibitions
drop down. Have you ever been sober
and just met some guy in London and
asked him to come home?
It takes a little bit of... No, I haven't.
That was a big part of it for me.
And then you get yourself in.
It would be with the wrong people and the wrong type of person.
Yeah. Right. Well, I mean, yeah.
Okay, good. Good night, everybody.
John is trying to get me sober.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
It sounds like you are.
You don't have a problem.
Sounds like you're jealous of my...
I used to.
No, I heard it.
Well, let's keep this guy sober. He says, Dear Chelsea, I'm a 44-year-old gay man who's newly sober. I started using drugs and alcohol when I was 15 and took to them right away. I loved the feeling of being drunk or high, and I felt like it took away all my problems. At first, I used socially, and for many years, it wasn't a problem in my life. But after about 20 years, it caught up with me and turned into abuse. I hit my low when I lost a really big job. I've been sober for 10 months now
and plan to stay that way.
My drug use became such a daily part of my life.
I had something come up and something to come down
and something to go really up
and something to go really down.
I'm not working right now.
Is this from Elvis Presley, by the way?
No, it's not.
It's not? What? I don't know.
But you do mention it in your book.
You were like, yeah, I was my own pharmacist.
I don't have a boyfriend and I'm not working right now and I'm really missing drugs and alcohol a lot.
I'm having trouble finding joy without my vices and worried I'll never have fun again.
Daily life and socializing seems boring to me.
I know you enjoy drugs socially and thought you could help shed some light on my scenario.
Best, sober.
Oh, this is perfect timing.
We were just talking about this.
This is for you to answer.
This is for you.
No, you have to speak to sobriety.
I'm the one who still uses and you don't. So you have to do half of it and then I'll do.
Well, OK, I would say that if you've been listen, if drugs have caused you to lose a job,
to lose anything important in your life, you've made the right decision by getting sober for 10
months. You've been sober. Do not throw that in the garbage. You need to stay sober. And this is a test. These tests come up all the time, right? With sobriety, with life,
with ever. You have to have, you can't do something for 10 months and expect your whole
world to change and for everything to be perfect for the rest of your life. You're feeling down.
And then this is a test for you to get through to the other side. And I promise there will be light
at the end of this tunnel. I've seen it. Yes. Speak to sobriety.
Well, no.
That's it exactly.
And I was that same way you were, sir.
What's his name?
Sober?
Yeah, he just said sober.
Hang on.
Just hold on, hold on, hold on.
Because it does get better.
It's hard at first.
Because all of a sudden when you're not doing drugs and drinking,
all you have is yourself.
And your life is probably pretty shitty from all that.
And then you go, well, what do I have?
Why stay sober?
What am I staying sober for?
I have nothing.
And also don't define yourself like even you signing the letter is sober, writing the letter
is sober.
It's like that's a very one dimensional way to look at yourself.
You're so much more than your sobriety, even though the sobriety is the most important
thing for you to continue doing right now.
You're more than that.
And once you get through the like challenges of remaining sober, because the first
year is the most difficult, they say, and it's true, I'm sure. I can only imagine that you are
tested and tempted so many times. Once you get through this year, I promise you, you will feel
differently about your sobriety and it won't be such a test. Isn't that right, John?
A hundred percent. And when the good things come to you, and they will, I promise you,
they will. You got to stay the course. Then you go, oh, I don percent. And when the good things come to you, and they will, I promise you they will.
You've got to stay the course.
Then you go, oh, I don't.
And they start to outweigh the drinking.
Like we just said, it just would take me down the road.
It would low-hanging fruit.
Good, I'll take three of those.
And just the comfort it brings you at the moment.
But then the next day you wake up, oh, shit, I've got nothing.
What am I doing here?
All I wanted my whole life.
I don't know about this gentleman, but I just wanted a family. I wanted kids. I wanted a wife. I wanted someone who I love. My parents were great. They had a good relationship. And that's what I wanted.
And it finally came to me, but it would not have come if I slipped after 10 months or
a year. And people could see it on me. And when I stopped and I could be clear,
and like you're doing now, you have it, where you could just look at someone and just be honest and boom, boom.
Then the good stuff comes.
My wife would have run for the hills if she saw how, you know, how I was before.
I thought I was cool, man.
I was funny.
I know.
It's so funny.
I had a friend that was telling me this story.
We were in Mallorca this summer, a girlfriend of mine.
And I were – and she was saying she was taking some drug.
I forget what it was called.
I didn't – I wasn't even familiar with it.
But she was taking some street drug, smoking something that's not very popular, but like in certain areas of the country it is.
Anyway, she was smoking and she thought she was crushing it. You know, she thought she was going
out being entertaining, having these nights where she was so funny and so awesome and charming. And
she goes, and then her friend took a video and she was basically passed out, nodded out the entire
dinner like this, just sitting with her head down. And she thought she had crushed that night. And she saw that video
and she never did that drug again, which is a good way to keep people sober. I know I saw this
shit. Like I was slumped over in my car when the cops came in and TMZ has it. All I have to do is
look at that picture for one second. It makes me so sick. I could have killed. I'm fucking terrible.
And I was on my way to go meet Saget,
by the way, at the Palm.
So I blame him.
But I want to say a little bit about my wife too,
because I know I'm making jokes and stuff about her.
She is the most wonderful,
she's first of all,
the greatest mother,
maybe as good as my mom.
And that says a lot.
And the conversation that we have in our house now
is so smart and so,
you know,
sharp about politics,
about the world.
My son's a flirt, and he's more like her.
I was not a flirt at five, five and a half, but he's terrible.
He's like her.
It was my birthday, and he had four or five girls, Bella, Stella.
And he's looking at me like, Dad, help.
I'm like, you got yourself into this.
We were at Disney.
We were in Paris in August.
At Disney World there, too?
Yeah, I have a great day.
It's a little much, no?
Anyway, so we're there.
And we were there for two days.
One day we have a guide.
She was a nice woman, maybe 50, 55, kind of just a normal.
And he didn't really pay attention.
Day two, we have this 30-year-old hot French girl.
And he's like, blah, blah, blah.
And it is plays.
And I can't do this because I'm married now, it's pretty good he's like so what's my favorite color
what's my favorite food
you know
and I'm like
can't you do better than that son
and so
then I overhear him saying
I have this girlfriend
and her name is Bella
and she's really cute
and she lives down the street
and then the guy says
excuse me
I'm going to use the restroom
and she walks away
just as he gets out of earshot
and I swear to God
he goes
why did I tell her I have a girlfriend? But my point to that was that we have these great
conversations and we are very clear with him that no means no and respect women. And we didn't have
that conversation in my home, but my dad was that. My dad was so respectful to my sisters and to my
mom and never held, she wanted to be a housewife and it was beautiful. And he never held that over her. He never thought money or anything like he always
thought that she had the more important job, which she did. Stay sober, buddy, because you know,
it's a thing. It's, it's not easy. You know, it's not easy. Well, we're going to go on to our next
question yet. So let's, let's move on to the next one. Well, our next question comes from Chloe.
She is joining us here. She is Chloe with a K. Chloe Kardashian My neighbor? Khloe was supposed to come on this podcast years ago.
Are you friends with them?
Khloe?
I mean, yeah.
I mean, I like Khloe.
She's cute and sweet.
She's the taller one?
She's the taller one.
They're all very sweet.
You can't say that they're not nice.
And smart.
Whoever's making the dough for them.
Anyway.
Well, Khloe says, I need your advice.
I'm currently in love with one of my best friends.
I know. Tale as old as time. And I actually did not pick with one of my best friends. I know,
tale as old as time.
And I actually did not pick this one
for the Disney reference.
I just thought it'd be a fun one.
I noticed my feelings for him
about a year ago.
Wait a minute,
you're wearing a Mickey Mouse shirt.
Not that I'm looking.
I am.
She loves Disney World as well.
Why didn't she wear that
because she knows
how I feel about it.
I know, I know.
Because it's called Dear Chelsea.
That's why.
Dear Chelsea.
I don't want to bother Kevin No I don't want to
bother you with these
fucking Disney World stories
I mean that was the
most upsetting part
of your book to me
was the Disney World aspect
You can skip over it
you don't have to read it
No no I just
personally I was like
really?
This is what you're doing
in your spare time
I mean that was
I was flabbergasted
Really?
Yeah I didn't know
I used to go and take drugs
there you would have
liked that
Yeah I would have
liked that version
of you better.
And the hair?
Yes.
Can you just fucking focus for two seconds?
That's the color of the tank top that I wore in the Kokomo video, I think.
Is it a few shares of that?
Yes, it is.
Oh, Kokomo video.
Oh, that was funny.
That was a good video.
That was a good song.
It is a good song.
It's still.
Okay, go on.
So, Chloe. John, stay focused Okay, go on. So, Chloe.
John, stay focused, okay?
I'm focused, but.
Just try and listen to the, these are about the callers, not you.
It's about to get racy.
Lobbying questions on everybody.
Well, why don't we, where are they?
I mean, shouldn't they call us?
She's joining us.
She's about to come on.
You just stay focused and watch what happens.
Go ahead.
So, I noticed my feelings for him about a year ago and didn't want to act on them because
he's part of my core group of friends.
We recently went on a trip to celebrate a friend's 30th birthday.
And since we were the only single people in the group, we were put in the singles room together.
And well, after many cocktails, we ended up hooking up.
I need your advice on what to do next.
His best friend told me that I'm his dream girl, but he's hesitant to make a move because he doesn't want to lose our friendship.
I initiated the hookup. Do I need to also initiate the next move? And do I tell him how I feel or
risk losing our friendship forever? Chloe. This is the first time you've been one step ahead of
me the entire episode. John just put on his headphones before I did. And that was pretty
quick. You are observant. I've had him since I walked in the room. I prefer first vacations. Hi, Chloe.
How are you?
I'm doing great.
How are you guys?
Chloe with a K.
Chloe with a K.
So she fell in love with a friend. So John Stamos is our special guest, and he's going to start to ask you a series of questions.
I'm ready.
I'm going to refer to it as a barrage.
But so how long have you been close?
Have you ever fallen in love with a friend?
Yeah.
Oh, I've had sex with them and thought I was in love with them.
And then.
Are you in love with him?
Do you love him?
I definitely do.
He's the dream man.
He's the total package.
Well, she's worried about his family, his reaction.
And if he feels the same way, because he's a little bit more trepidatious than she is.
Right?
Yes, exactly.
But you guys hooked up, right?
We did.
And so afterwards, was it like, you know, like straight, you know, like, like, why did we do that?
No, not at all. It was just very much like, I think we're both in the zone of what we did that now we either go back to just being completely friends or we navigate maybe a friends with benefits, a relationship, whatever that next step would be.
Would you be okay with friends with benefits?
I wouldn't be opposed.
Oh.
Is he there?
Can we talk to him?
No, he's not here.
He's obviously not there.
That's why she's calling us about it.
Or is he a teacher?
That's very cute.
Yeah.
Oh, that's beautiful.
That's cute.
I think you should just listen.
I think there's only one avenue forward and you just need to make this happen.
I think you need to just go to him and be very honest about how strong your feelings are. You just said you love him. You feel like you're in love with him.
Yes. truth. Hopefully he will come to his senses, but you can't move forward without honesty.
You only get to live once. You should just go take a leap of faith and hope that it works out. And it probably will. Yeah. Yeah. I just, I needed a little, a little push in that direction. Cause
all of my friends have been very wishy-washy on maybe you should, maybe you shouldn't.
But what advantage would you have by not saying anything?
Nothing.
No advantage.
We would be stuck in the unknown.
Does he listen to this podcast?
No, he's a straight man.
Exactly.
You're the only straight man that listens to this.
Listen, I think it's good to take life by the balls and have balls.
You know what I mean?
And I think by you calling in is you trying to just get your balls in the right order.
And I want to tell you they're in the right order.
Go for it. I don't think you're ever going to regret speaking your balls in the right order. And I want to tell you they're in the right order. Go for it.
I don't think you're ever going to regret speaking your truth to somebody
and saying and proclaiming your love or adoration and saying,
let's go for it.
There's nothing set in stone.
We don't have to commit to each other.
We're not getting married,
but we're both going to try and have a relationship and see where we go.
And if it works out, fucking awesome.
And if it doesn't work out out we'll always try to remain
friends yeah that's great about tomorrow you like you said just gotta fucking go for it how are you
gonna do it how are you gonna tell him do you want us to do it i have started a little text note in
my phone of things i was gonna say and then i deleted it and then i restarted and so far it's
i think you know that i like you something along those lines. Cause it's
very, I'm not being hidden about it. I'm not being coy about it. He knows that I find him attractive.
He knows that I like him. So I think it's just again, me taking the initiative and being like,
Hey, what, what should we do now? What are we doing? But like, I don't think this is a text,
right? Like this is a, like invite him out, go to dinner.
No, no, no, no.
This is a face to face.
And don't be like, this is coming from somebody who has a very dominant personality.
Really?
You don't have to make him agree to anything.
You just are inviting him to join you in this relationship.
It's not like, this is how I feel.
This is what's going to happen.
I don't think you're going to say it that way, but I don't want you to confuse what
I'm saying with that.
You want to go in and say, this is how I feel.
I want to start something with you.
I would like to have us try a relationship.
And with the understanding that if it doesn't work out, we will remain friends.
We can both be very mature about this.
And let's not go into this assuming it's all going to be sunshine and roses because that's a big mistake people would make too.
And the first sign of like a difficult time, you know,
some people you want to be able to know that they can handle that in your relationship
and handle difficult conversations and blah, blah, blah.
So it's not like you're signing up to get married.
Yeah.
This isn't love is blind.
Yeah, right.
We barely know you, but I think he'd be lucky to have you.
You seem like a really good person.
Thank you.
I agree.
What is that on the side there?
Is that a TV screen or puppets?
Are you ready?
It's a Bob Ross finger puppet.
That's cute.
And you're finger blasting your finger puppet right now.
Exactly.
That's a finger blast.
Do you know what that is, John?
A finger blast?
That's a, oh yeah.
I'm doing it right now to myself.
Thank you for calling in.
Thank you for calling in.
Thank you for showing us your puppet.
Thank you for dealing with John.
Right, thanks.
And keep us posted.
Let us know what happens, okay?
Yeah, totally.
Thank you so much.
Love you guys.
Yeah, absolutely. Who do you love more? Sorry, Yeah, totally. Thank you so much. Love you guys. Yeah, absolutely.
Who do you love more?
Sorry, John, but...
Chelsea.
All right.
Someone hung up on you.
She got cut off, so I just want to finish her sentence.
It was Chelsea.
I think she was going to say me.
How do you keep your balls in order?
What were you saying?
Keep your balls in order.
I think you were mixing a metaphor.
It doesn't matter.
I can do whatever I want.
It's my podcast.
If you pray to your balls, is that sacrilegious?
I think keeping your balls in order means flying right, flying straight.
Got it.
You know what I mean?
I'm doing it.
Always, like, you know, I'm always heading north.
I feel like that conversation would be easier if she's just, like, hooked up with him again.
I don't know.
I could never figure out, like, being friends and then all of a sudden falling in love.
Like, one has to, like, Kimmel and Molly. Like, they worked together for so long and then all of a sudden one day they're in love with each other.
It's interesting.
One has to, she's looking at me like I'm a fucking idiot.
No, I'm not.
I'm just thinking.
There are a million ways to fall in love.
Sometimes it's one person.
Sometimes with Joe Coy and me, I knew he liked me a lot and had a crush on me.
Who doesn't?
So it had to be my idea.
But every dynamic is different.
And it's kind of the most respectful thing to do to another person is also is be honest.
Right.
You know, like in a relationship, like these are my feelings so that they know this is how I feel.
And if you don't feel the same way, like, okay, we're coming from two different places.
And that gives them an opportunity to act in kindness and, you know, respect as well.
Yeah. And she's going to hate herself if she doesn't say anything. And then he winds up in kindness and, you know, respect as well. Yeah.
And she's going to hate herself if she doesn't say anything.
And then he winds up with somebody else, you know, and she like didn't get in there when she had a chance.
Well, our next caller, it's a little bit of a turn emotionally, but.
I think John's ready for anything.
I think so too.
I think what you've demonstrated thus far is that you're ready for any sort of problem.
I can bring it on.
Okay.
All right.
I have to go.
Okay. Beth says, I have to go. Okay.
Beth says, I'm hoping to get your advice on something I think you can relate to.
It will make sense in the end, I promise.
When I was seven, my mom got cancer.
At 10, my dad got cancer.
And at 14, my mom got a different cancer.
And at 22, I learned that my dad was diagnosed with his second cancer.
When I was 25, my mom had to move into assisted living,
and the next year, my dad's body lost its battle
with the disease, and my sister and I
helped him pass peacefully via hospice.
Within the last 18 months, I hit a triple whammy.
My mom's body lost its battle.
I turned 30 and ended a seven-year relationship.
Many people ask how I'm so strong, quote unquote.
Well, my coping mechanism is humor.
I often joke about using the dead parent card to get what I want, and I turn things into jokes in an attempt to help avoid making my friends uncomfortable with my grief. I use self love me assume I can handle everything that's happened because I'm used to the trauma.
This is where I'm hoping Chelsea can help.
As a fellow strong woman who's been through a lot of shit, who has a sarcastic sense of humor and uses deadpan tones, how do you convey your needs when necessary?
Is it your tone of voice?
Do you do this only in therapy and not with your friends?
I could really use some help to figure out how to reestablish connections with those that I know want to support me without taking my own jokes on the chin.
Hi.
What's her name?
Beth.
Beth. Hi, Beth.
Hi, Beth. This is John.
Hi, Beth.
You know, Saga was the king of that, and he would make jokes out of, you know, he had a lot of tragedy in his life.
And that was his way of getting through grief.
And it was probably, as Beth was dealing with with a little bit, he was like that. He would use jokes when tragedy struck. And he had a lot in his
life. We didn't get along in the beginning at all. We had different styles and we were like this.
But we finally, when his sister got scleroderma and she passed away, Dave's sister had cancer,
and my sister had a brain tumor. What are the chances that all three of your sisters
were so sick?
My sister made it, thank God, but theirs didn't.
And so he would make jokes about it.
And it was fun at first, but then it would be, come on, Bob, you know.
But that was his way.
It was his only way out.
But he was always there for someone.
Like he would do the jokes, jokes, like probably you are.
And then he was there.
Then he became Bob, and he was the most reliable guy on the planet.
I asked him to host my father's funeral. And he got up and started with tonight's specials are
cake and cock and we're out of cake. And I was like, okay. And my mom was like, oh, but we needed,
but that was a time when everybody, we just needed to laugh. And that was great. And then he got very
serious. And then after that, he was right by my side through all of it. So maybe you do that.
Yeah, definitely. And I feel
like a lot of my friends that have tragedy in their lives too, you know, they come to me because
they know that I've experienced it and I made it through it. And I do have coping mechanisms that
I've used. It's just this particular loss, the loss of my mom, you know, just six months ago
has hit me harder than everything else. And I think that they're just kind of assuming,
you know, I'm going to stay on the same track
that I have always had.
And it's kind of like, this one's different though.
And I really need somebody else to be there for me
the way that I've been there for them.
Well, you just said it perfectly.
And listen, I want you to think,
you're in therapy, you said, yes?
Yes.
Yes, okay.
So I want you to think,
this is a whole new chapter in your life.
You've lost your mother and that's been the biggest blow,
but you've had a million blows.
But that doesn't make this blow any less painful.
Your reaction and deflection with humor, I have used humor my entire life for difficult situations. When anybody used to say, I'm sorry about your brother dying, I would be like, well, you didn't kill him.
Like, what did you do? Push him off a cliff?
Like, it's so uncomfortable.
But was that hard because you didn't take it? And then when you were alone, did it hit you?
Well, it hit me many years later. I had kind of delayed grief because I wasn't allowed to grieve
in my mind at that time. I didn't want to let myself grieve because everyone around me was
grieving. And I didn't like the looks of that. So it hit me a lot later in life, like what I lost
and the impact that that had on me. But I think, listen, you have so much experience in this that you need to take this like new chapter of your life.
You're 30.
This is the first time you're going into life without your mother.
This can be a new experience for your grief.
And you can easily explain in the most eloquent way that you just did that you have been using humor to deflect to the friends that you need.
And this is a time in my life where I need to be honest with you. I actually need to lean on you.
I actually need help from you. Just because I've had a lot of tragedy doesn't mean that I've become
inured to it. You can say all of these things to people that you trust and know that love you,
and I guarantee you are going to get responses that are going to help you through this time.
And you can also look at this new chapter in to help you through this time. And you can
also look at this new chapter in your life as the period of time where you're not going to deflect
your pain anymore. You're not going to use humor every chance you get. And to know the way that
John just retold the story of Bob, it does make people uncomfortable and it makes them unable to
understand how to communicate with you or how to help you grieve when you're constantly making jokes. So it's not even really benefiting you in any way anymore. So you know how Oprah always says things work until they don't? Like humor has worked for you now and now it doesn't. if they are really trying to connect, because I have wonderful friends, and they'll ask me how things are going, or they'll try to bring up both of my parents,
and I hadn't even considered that that's selfish of me, that they might have been genuine in that.
I guess I had just always assumed that they were just trying to be nice,
or that they just wanted to acknowledge the giant elephant in the room that is, you know.
You're denying their friendship to you.
They want to help.
They want to pour their heart out.
And when you put this wall up of jokes and things, then they go home,
oh, man, that felt bad because they didn't get to help you, right?
Yeah, I appreciate that.
I hadn't thought of it that way.
And I would be frustrated if somebody did that to me and I'm, you know,
and the friend that would sit down and, you know, grab their shoulders and say,
you know, I'm here. that to me and I'm, you know, and the friend that would sit down and, you know, grab their shoulders and say, you know, I'm here, talk to me. Yeah. And sometimes all you just need
is like, as soon as you break that dam and just let them know that you're aware of this cover
that you've been using, all you need is a good cry on your friend's shoulder. It's not even that
we need so much. It's that you've put up this kind of wall around yourself, and you just need to let that wall crumble down.
Did you get to spend great time with her at the end there, and were you guys close?
Oh, yeah.
I was her primary caregiver for about six years.
Oh, wow.
She must have been so proud of you and the way you took care of her.
That means so much to a parent.
And she died knowing that, that you are the great daughter and you took
care of her and you put other, your needs aside for hers. At least you have that. That's,
that's really sweet, right? Yeah. That's very valuable. Six years is, I mean, oh my God.
That's a sacrifice. I don't know that a lot of people or that every person would do something
like that, give of themselves in that way. So you can also take comfort in knowing that, you know,
you were such a support system to your mother. But I think more importantly, moving forward, you want to create this kind of new
way of life, right? Like you're 30 now, you're a grownup, you don't have to deflect anymore,
you're allowed to be in pain. And the minute you let a little out, it's like you're blowing an
entire gasket. You don't have to look at this as like, oh, you're going to be crying on your
friend's shoulder every single day. It's not like that. You know how grief is. It comes in spurts and it's not
constant. And the minute you get those walls down, you're just going to feel so much more support
coming at you and so much loving energy coming towards you that you've been kind of holding at
bay. I would encourage you next time that you're feeling down or you're feeling really emotional, send a
text to a friend and say to them, you know what, I'm really going through it right now. Would you
be able to come over and talk with me or be with me tonight, tomorrow, whenever? Let that be sort
of your entree into opening up to a friend. That way, you know, you know, and they know,
this isn't like funny,
funny, fun times. This is I'm really dealing with it. And I really need somebody to like come be with me while I process this grief tonight. And your friends are going to be thrilled.
Yeah. Yeah, I hope so. I kind of, you know, had written in because I was just kind of saving it
for therapy. And, you know, I have a great therapist and I have a great psychiatrist that
helps me with my meds and I trust both of them and i'm really thankful for that but i know that that's not
healthy to just you know keep it between myself and the person that i'm paying this is free we're
free yeah and friendship is free friendship is free i bet you've helped so many of your friends
right in the past you've been that you've been that person to them. Let them be that to you.
Yeah. I have a dead parents club group text.
Oh, I love that. That's good.
I have one too.
From like different friend groups that have lost parents or siblings in some cases.
So yeah, I've brought a few people together in that way, but I've just struggled when it comes to myself and not deflecting.
What's one of the great things that your mom bestowed on you?
Oh, gosh, everything.
I know that's a cliche answer,
but she was just spicy and sassy
and never apologized for being herself.
She was super materialistic and not in an annoying way,
but in like, yeah, I'm going to buy nice things.
I like and deserve nice things.
I mean, she demanded that she be buried with a full manicure and jewelry on and i pick up the outfit for her to
wear and that's that's beautiful just even to talk about her because did you see that movie coco have
you ever seen that movie coco it's a disney movie i'm sorry we're talking about it you and me no
vanessa and me she uh it was you know when somebody dies, they go up to a certain part of heaven.
And then if you don't keep their name alive, you don't talk about them, all the good things they did, like you just talked about and the wonderful qualities of your mother, then they die again up there.
So it's important to talk, tell stories about her, laugh about her, make jokes, put pictures of her everywhere and call into podcasts and talk about her if you can.
Okay, John.
Can I wrap that up?
Yeah, wrap that up.
Honey, okay, keep us, you're going to be fine, okay?
And this is, I just want you to, when you get off this, like you're 30 now, you're going
into a new part of your life.
Those old things are going to become something of the past.
And now you're going to enter adulthood and womanhood.
And you're going to be the woman that your mother knew that you were and that you know
you are.
I appreciate that.
Thank you.
Yeah.
Okay.
Love you.
Love you. Thank that. Thank you. Yeah. Okay. Love you. Love you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I'm Jason Alexander.
And I'm Peter Tilden.
And together on the Really Know Really podcast,
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Really?
That's the opening?
Really, No Really.
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Because you've lived so hey, this and that. You're really good at it. Now I know why you have this show. She's good at advice. Thank you. Thank you, guys.
Because you've lived so much? Is that it?
I don't know. I like people and I'm interested in everyone's story. So I pick up a lot of information, I think. Maybe that's why. But sometimes I feel like I don't know what I'm
talking about. And sometimes I feel like I do. So that's just like everybody in life,
right? Sometimes you think you're crushing it. And sometimes you're like, what the fuck am I
doing giving advice out? So I just don't take myself
too seriously
so it doesn't ever
really become a problem
well you're a good friend
I bet
well you talk about
your friends a lot
you take them on vacations
yeah
well I like friends
John Stamos
yes
the book is
if you would have told me
you guys can order it
you can go to your
local bookstores
which I would say
to support your
local bookstores
so that we have
bookstores
in 50 years.
And I thank you for being here.
My pleasure.
Always a pleasure, John Stamos.
Always a pleasure.
It's not enough.
We need to get together more often and talk and stuff.
Well, we can just meet up at Disney World.
I'm there usually two, three times a week.
I usually go from 12 to 4 Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
I love to hit the LA traffic on the way back.
You're the one who wears the Mickey Mouse outfit, right?
No, no, no.
That's not me.
That's not me.
But I do have a joke
in my stand-up
about going to Disney World
for the first time at seven
and even then
I knew it was horse shit.
Why?
Because I just thought,
what is this?
This is a nightmare,
this place.
A bunch of grown mice
running around
trying to take photos with me.
People say she's bitter.
No.
You're not.
You've changed.
You've gotten softer.
Less bitter.
Yeah, except for that Disney rant.
I'm a huge fan, and I think you're smart and beautiful and great,
and I'm glad to reconnect with you because I haven't seen you in a few years,
and Catherine's fantastic.
Likewise.
You need her because I've heard you on your own.
And thanks for having me.
I love you.
Thank you, John.
Shabbat shalom.
Okay, second shows have been added.
For those of you coming to see my new stand-up tour,
which you have to come because I'm having the best time,
we added a second show in Cincinnati in the daytime at 5 o'clock p.m.
I'm doing my first show because I don't have a night where I can go back,
so we added a second show at 5 p.m.
And the original show is at 8 p.m.
Original show is sold out.
Second show, tickets are available Cincinnati. I'm also coming to Chicago, the Chicago Theater,
Portland, Oregon, San Francisco. They're both almost completely sold out. And you can go to
ChelseaHandler.com for other tickets and other information. And if you want to buy some of our
merch, that's all available on ChelseaHandler.com. And yeah, guys, I'll see you on the road.
If you'd like advice from Chelsea, shoot us an email at DearChelseaPodcast at gmail.com.
And be sure to include your phone number.
Dear Chelsea is edited and engineered by Brad Dickert, executive producer, Catherine Law.
And be sure to check out our merch at ChelseaHandler.com.
I'm Jason Alexander.
And I'm Peter Tilden.
And together, our mission on the Really Know Really podcast
is to get the true answers to life's baffling questions like
why the bathroom door doesn't go all the way to the floor,
what's in the museum of failure, and does your dog truly love you?
We have the answer.
Go to ReallyKnowReally.com
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Welcome to Decisions Decisions, the podcast where boundaries are pushed and conversations get
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