Dear Chelsea - The Weaker Sex with Dave Franco
Episode Date: August 27, 2026Dave Franco joins Chelsea to chat about how he won over the Pope, why cats should be fat, and the best things about playing unhinged characters. Then: A hungry husband resorts to pre-gaming meals. A g...irlfriend struggles to deal with her boyfriend’s family. And a 20-something clocks his dad scrolling on Grindr… while supposedly happily married to his mom. * 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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Okay, guys, here are my dates for the High and Mighty Tour.
In September, I will be in Santa Barbara, San Diego, New York City, Philly, and New Haven, Connecticut.
October is Atlanta, Baltimore, Saginaw, Michigan, Pittsburgh, Toronto, Boise, Idaho, and Spokane.
And then in November, I'll be in San Francisco.
I'm coming to Salt Lake City, Austin, Houston, Dallas, babies, I'll be there.
And then in December, I am closing out my tour in Denver.
and Vancouver.
So get your tickets at Chelseahandler.com for the high and mighty tour.
Hello, Catherine.
Hi, Chelsea.
Well, what time of day is it where you are?
It's around 6 o'clock.
5.30.
5.30.
Yeah, we're going to go in and swim.
We went for a little while.
It was rainy day today.
So that was very nice.
Oh.
We all sat around and we made sangria,
which was really cute.
Actually, they taught us how to make sangria at the Spanish school I went to in
Madrid one day. I thought they said, come meet for sangria after class. So I went and it was to how to make
sangria. And I was like, fuck this. I was like, I don't want to fucking make sangria. I'm like, I am
useless in the kitchen. Just want to drink this angria. Today we were like, we're about to go for a
bike ride. There's like five of us here now. And we're about to go for a bike ride. And then it
started pouring. And I was like, uh, okay. Anyway, so I think we should make some sangria.
And then I looked up a recipe. I'm like, it should take you guys about five minutes.
Once you have the stuff, that's absolutely true.
Now, are you doing a white sangria or a red sangria?
Red, red.
I'm done with white sangria.
But we also use, we use Sprite Zero, so that saved us.
Because it's just too, you're supposed to add brown sugar.
Like, that's gross.
Brown sugar, no.
Brown sugar or sugar to it.
And then you're also putting orange juice into it.
And since, you know, I have an aversion to that level of sugar for my vanity purposes.
But you put some fruit in, I would imagine.
You have to, right?
Yeah, we put some fruit in and we put some orange juice in, but then we use diet sprites.
So that's like getting the fizz without the calories.
So that's good.
Because you know how good diet soda is for everyone.
Of course.
So I'm on a real health kick.
But we've biked every day.
We've swam every day.
It's really warm.
Nice.
The water's really warm, which is really nice at night.
And I've had a lot of people coming and going and just, you know, the magic of my orca changing
lives. Everyone's life is changing. Since the eclipse, everything's been different.
Positivity is on the horizon. Yes. Well, our guest today was super positive, actually. What a ray of
sunshine. Oh, yeah. He's a real cutie. We've had a lot of fun straight guys on or maybe just two.
Well, it's because we only allow fun straight guys. Yeah, yeah. Right. Exactly. I liked our interview with
Adam Scott. That was really cute. And this guy's another cutie-pituity.
fresh and fruity. Also with great hair.
Great hair, great, and a little Tom Cruise adjacent, if you will.
Sure. Adjacent. In Tom Cruise's heyday. He's been in the studio, the Now You See Me franchise together, and he has a new movie, which is called Idiots, which is in theaters tomorrow.
So please welcome Dave Franco. Make yourself cozy. Come a little closer, though, so that you're close to the mic.
and we can hear everything that you have to say.
Good here.
Too close.
All your wisdom that you're going to impart to us.
I got you.
Oh, my God.
Dave Franco is here today.
We're so excited to have you.
I have to ask, before we even start talking about your newest movie,
what is it like being married to a woman that is physically stronger than you?
It's excellent.
It's intimidating.
I'm really into working out.
Yeah.
And I think she might be the only woman I know of.
White woman, I should say, because, I mean, I can't compete with black women's strength.
They're always stronger than me.
Fair enough.
But she is a strong mofo.
She knows what she's doing too.
She walks into a gym and she's like, I'm going to, I'm going to kind of claim my territory.
And she goes straight to the pull-up bar and rips out like 10 of them.
It's like she invented the pull-up.
I know.
So I'm glad.
Do you feel physically safe around her?
You know, I think for a while I was like, oh, this is a thing that I'm figuring out how to feel about it.
And after a while, it's like, she's a badass.
She likes to stay in shape.
What's not the like?
Yeah, that's right.
And you guys have a really, I love your vibe.
I love global.
You know, I support, like, I love marriages that don't have children.
Okay.
I think that that is a huge bonus.
Okay.
And I think that that has the potential to keep a couple together long beyond a lot of couples
who have children.
Not all couples, but a lot.
Sure.
I mean, we, it's interesting.
So we are the couple with two cats, very much the cat family.
I didn't realize how weird that was until I was the single guy with two 18 pound cats.
And that came up in every interview I ever did.
I didn't realize 36 cumulative pounds of cat was not normal for a single guy.
And it actually kind of weeded out the dating pool for me.
Not a lot of girls were into that.
Definitely.
So Allison was like, I like that.
And I was like, you're my only option.
Let's go.
But no, we don't have kids.
But like the crazy thing is we love kids.
Like we have nephews.
too. Totally. I have eight nieces and nephews.
People kind of presume, well, about me, because I bang on a little bit about my child's free choice.
But people presume if you don't have children, you don't like children.
It's like, no, I don't want my own children. I think that would be, I would be a very bad influence on that.
Right, right. But like, yeah, we both have nephews that we adore. I was just at one of their baseball games last night.
And I was like, it was my first game all season. And immediately I was like, I will bleed for this team.
I will do anything to protect this team.
But for whatever reason, it's just not for us.
That's great.
Yeah, I love that.
I love hearing more and more couples doing that.
Now, how did you two meet?
You and Allison?
I can tell the whole story.
Tell whatever story you want to tell.
We met at Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
Solid.
We are the only couple to survive from that.
Solid.
And basically, I'll give you the somewhat condensed version.
Basically, I was working there,
and I had the week off leading up to
Mardi Gras and I was like, I've already experienced New Orleans. I need to go home and just rest.
And so I came back to L.A. And a couple days after being home, my buddy calls me, he's like,
hey, is it so cool if I stay with you for Mardi Gras? And I was like, oh, man, I told him like
months earlier we would have this crazy Mardi Gras blowout. I was like, you know what? I'll meet
you back there. Let's do it. So I'm at the airport in L.A. and I run into my friend Jules and
she's with Allison. And so Jules is like, you should come to dinner with us tonight. And I was
like, oh, I'd like to, but my friend got us parade tickets, but I don't know, maybe we'll
meet, meet up with you later in the weekend. So anyway, we land in New Orleans. It's pouring
rain. All the parades are canceled. And I was like, all right, I guess we'll go to dinner
with Jules and Allison. So get to dinner. I'm an hour late. They're all fucked up. I'm
catching up. At one point, I'm sitting next to Jules. Allison's across the table. They're texting
each other. Jules shows me their text conversation. And she says, you should make out with Davey
tonight. And Allison says,
Sure. And so Jules tells me she's like, don't tell her I showed you this.
I love that this is all going on and no one notices at a dinner table that she's texting
her friend about you and you're showing each other phone.
There was like eight people at the table. Yes, yes. So she's like, don't tell her I showed you
this. I was like, cool, cool. Little do I know, 10 minutes later, they're in the bathroom together
and Jules is telling Allison, okay, I showed him the text, he's in. So she manipulated this whole
situation. But the great thing about it was we both knew that we were in. The next bar we go to,
she brings me a beer and she says, this has some Molly in it. I think we should share it.
And at that point, honestly, I don't know if I had ever done Molly before. And without hesitation,
I said, absolutely, let's share this beer. And the rest of the night, there's still photos that
we have in our living room of us just like face locked for the whole night. So we had this
incredible weekend in New Orleans.
And then the movie took me to New York and Paris and I had her meet me in those places.
Oh, I love that story.
That's a great story.
That's how someone would capture my heart with a beard of Somali.
I'd be like, okay, maybe I will consider marriage at this point.
Okay, so I watched your movie idiots.
First of all, yes, of course.
Okay.
And I watched it last night.
And well, first of all, my favorite, it opens in a way that is just so winning because you're at a desk job.
not being professional at all around people who are looking at you.
And I think you pour, is it whiskey or a bourbon or whatever?
It doesn't matter.
It's just something that I shouldn't be pouring at work.
It really doesn't matter into your whatever,
coffee or tea or whatever you're drinking at work.
And with the absolute right to do it.
Sure.
Your attitude was like, this is my job and I need to drink to survive.
Yeah, I'm vaping.
I'm drinking.
It doesn't matter.
I'm watching, you know, these degenerates fight each other.
And on the computer screen,
it's all, it's all good.
Yeah.
So not taking your job seriously,
100% respect for that.
I like that already.
And then you obviously promptly get fired
and you have to reroute.
And then you're,
I don't want to give away
anything about the movie
that I'm not supposed to,
but then you have to find work.
Yes.
You and your kind of degenerate roommate
have to find work.
A guy, actually,
it's a guy I don't know.
We're kind of paired up.
We're classic odd couple.
He's a little more buttoned up.
He's a man of Christ.
I'm the guy that you have described.
And we have to pair up
and we have to drive a rich
teenager to rehab.
And what we don't realize is
this teenager is a full on psychopath
and he's going to make our life hell every step of the way.
Yeah, there is a scene and this is also
in the beginning of the movie
with you guys trying to secure his person
running around on the lawn
trying to, which is really ridiculous
and really fun and a really
fun journey. I can only imagine how much fun you had filming this movie. It was great. It was so much fun just because
it is just a balls out comedy where like we're taking big swings. We're doing the stupidest shit we can
ever think of. And I don't think a lot of comedies just like go full comedy these days. And so
there's that. And then I'm surrounded by a bunch of people who I know and love. Like I've worked with
O'Shea Jackson Jr. before. I just worked with Mason Thames before the director, Makin Blair. I've known him
for 10 years on and off.
And so when you're in a situation
where you're just surrounded by people
that you feel comfortable with,
you're doing your best work
because you're just like,
I'm gonna try anything.
No one's judging me.
I'm gonna try the weirdest shit
that comes to mind
and that's when the best stuff comes.
Yeah, and I think you're right
about comedies going hard.
Like, it's really refreshing
when you get to watch something
where they clearly don't give a shit
and they're like going for it
because sometimes comedies
and I don't know if this is intentional or not
because I'm not in the movie business in that way,
but like they are,
they present us comedies
and they're quite soft.
And it's nice, and it's feel good.
And there's an audience for that.
Yes, of course.
But it's not like ruckus, crazy kind of, like out of control.
Yeah.
Like in certain scenes in this movie, it looks like you guys really like lost the plot.
For sure.
And are just filming and it's just going haywire and it made the movie.
Oh, I'm glad that there's that feeling when you're watching it.
I mean, there was a moment in this movie without giving anything away because it's a nice moment where body fluids are involved.
And I just remember texting my wife and I saying like I just did the craziest thing I've ever done on camera, which is saying a lot because I've done some really fucked up shit on camera.
You're pretty brave on camera.
Yeah.
And I don't know what that is because in my real life, I'm pretty even keeled and low key.
And then when you turn the camera on, I'm just like there's no parameters and I'm just going to fucking push the boundaries as far as I can go.
Yeah.
Well, you guys, you and Alison have that in common.
Yeah, definitely.
You both go for it.
Right.
Now, on a separate note, what is your skincare routine?
because you are looking very luminous.
Oh, that's very kind.
Yes.
You know what?
Don't you agree?
I agree.
I agree.
His skin is lighting up.
My skin care routine is Allison's skin care routine.
I literally took all of her products.
I started going to her facialist, Biba.
Everyone check out Biba.
And that's that.
Just Biba.
Go outside, yellow.
You'll find it.
You'll find it.
You'll find me, Mom.
Yeah, well, of course, you're from three boys, right?
What number are you out of your three?
Number three.
They're five and seven years older.
Okay.
And James is in the business and your other brother is he in the business too?
Kind of.
Kind of.
He's an artist in his own right.
He mainly does painting and sculpture.
Okay.
But his wife is a producer in film.
And so he's kind of like been a just a utility player on her sets now.
And sometimes all of a sudden they'll get a text from them where it's a photo of he,
they threw him in a scene with Demi Moore.
And so like he'll pop up now.
And are you, do you have young?
Youngish Child Syndrome, like, are you the baby?
Um...
In the sense that...
Have you ever read, um, like, there's a book called The Birth Order and there's a book
called The Sibling Effect?
I have not read either.
Okay.
They're both about threes.
Okay, tell me about it.
Because I'm from six.
So, so I have three boys.
My mom had three boys.
And then she had three girls in that order.
Oh, wow.
Okay.
And so this book basically purports that the oldest child takes on oldest child's responsibility,
kind of type A organization.
The middle child, if the oldest child doesn't fill that role, the second child will go in to fill that role.
If the oldest is a fuck up or like, you know, a mess, then the second one goes.
But the youngest is always kind of the baby, the loudest, the biggest personality.
I don't think I fall into a lot of that, to be honest.
Really?
Definitely the baby.
I'll always be the baby.
But I think because the age difference was significant enough, like I was kind of on my.
own in a way. And also, I was a mistake. And so by the time,
a caboose, a caboose. All the youngest kids are mistakes. Yeah. My mom said it was the best
mistake she ever made. But like, by the time I came around, my parents were tired. And so they
didn't need, they like just didn't have the energy to discipline me or whatever. And so I
almost didn't feel the need to rebel. Like no one was pushing against me. And so I was a pretty
good kid. But like, no matter how old we get, I'll always be the baby brother. Yeah. Yeah. You can't
change that. And it's kind of a sweet spot to be in, in my opinion, as a family member,
because you grow up with the benefits of your, like, older siblings kind of wanting to like look
after you. For sure. And so you kind of almost have, like, if your siblings are old enough,
older enough, or what am I trying to say? Older than you, by far, like, my siblings were so much
older than me that I got like two sets of parents.
Yeah, yeah.
Because my parents were also asleep at the wheel and they had already raised five children.
They're like, good luck with everything.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And then so how did you get into acting?
Is that like a family thing or did you do that on your own?
So growing up, I, like you were saying, the youngest is sometimes the loudest.
I was actually the opposite.
I was debilitatingly shy where I just didn't even really speak until junior year of high
school. And so I had no intention of performing in any way, but I loved movies. I know that's like a very
obvious basic thing to say, but like my first job ever, I was 14 years old. I was working at a mom
and pop video store. And it was actually illegal for me to be working there at that age. So they
paid me by allowing me to take home as many movies as I wanted. And so that's how I just started
watching everything. And it happened to be the year 1999, which is now regarded as like one of the best
movie years of all time. It's just like a laundry list of iconic films like The Matrix,
Blair Witch Project, American Pie, American Beauty, Fight Club, Bean John Malkovich. So all these
movies that like really formed me and helped me really just like lock in this love for movies.
So when I eventually came down to L.A. to go to school, I kind of got forced into an acting
class by my brother's manager. And even though I hated it at first, I remember sitting there
of the first day.
And I was just auditing the class.
And the first people up, they start screaming and crying and hitting each other.
And I was like, fuck this.
But I stuck it out because I was like, okay, I think this is just a way into the movie
business.
And also, I don't know if I had this foresight yet, but I just was like, this could bring
me out of my shell a little bit.
Oh.
And so I didn't love it for a long time just because I was so nervous every time I was
performing.
But after a while, I just kind of like let go and start.
started to have fun with it.
And at this point, like, I love it.
I can't imagine doing anything else.
Do you want to mention the acting class or no?
Oh, Playhouse West.
Oh, Playhouse West.
On Lancash, I think I've heard of that.
I do also, like, I found acting classes quite embarrassing.
Because I came out here and I was like, what am I doing?
Like, I didn't know what I was going to do.
Like, I kind of fell into comedy after a couple of years when I realized I could just
write my own material instead of reading others.
But I definitely went to acting classes kind of like the ones you're describing.
where you see people get up and do their scene
and you're like, oh my God, that is intense.
It's tough.
It's very vulnerable.
And I do encourage people to do it,
especially when they're starting,
because it's a place where you can fall on your face
and you can try things as opposed to falling on your face
in auditions or on set.
It's like you can practice your stuff.
And also, I think it helps build confidence
because like when you're first starting especially,
but always, like, you can go on 50 auditions
and not get a role.
And it doesn't necessarily mean you're doing a bad job.
It's just how things work.
And so after 50 auditions, you're like, I suck.
But you go to class and you build your confidence back up.
You're like, no, no, no, I'm doing something right.
Oh, that's cool.
What was the best?
Can you think of some really, like, the best acting advice you got or career advice?
Yeah.
Okay.
So I was just talking about how, like, I was so nervous.
And then eventually I realized, like, I need to have fun with this.
this is like a pretentious story because it's a very privileged story.
But basically when I got to that place where I really wasn't having fun anymore and I was at kind of this tipping point of like, am I going to keep doing this?
I was talking to my brother and telling him about it and he said, you should talk to Catherine Keener.
Do you guys know what Catherine Keener is?
So she's icon.
And I was like, I'm not going to fucking burden Catherine Keener with my problems.
And he had just worked with her and he was like, she's the sweetest person.
Trust me.
Here's her email.
Reach out.
So I write this email to Catherine Keener.
Just kind of laying out like where I'm at mentally.
I'm not having a good time.
And I'm just so.
And you just introed like, hey, I'm James' brother.
He gave me your email.
And I've just been so stressed and whatever.
And not only does she write back, but I just remember she writing back this like really
touching letter.
And essentially what she was saying was.
if you're not having fun with it, why are you doing it?
And like, it stayed with me to the point where it was like,
it just allowed me to let go and be like,
I got to change my mindset about this.
I got to stop beating myself up so much and just let loose
and do what I'm doing now,
which is just throwing it all against the wall
and seeing what happens and having a good time with it.
Because when you're having a good time when you're acting,
it shows on screen.
Yeah, I think that attitude is applicable to everything.
You know, like when,
and sometimes it feels.
empty when someone says have fun, just have fun.
Because there's so many nerves involved with performing and being on camera or like live
performance or whatever kind of, you know, a performance you're doing.
And sometimes when people say, go, just go out there and have a good time.
You're like, have a good time.
I know.
And meanwhile, I'm a comedian.
So it's like, I have to be having a good time.
Yeah.
But it takes a long time to understand that that really is the ticket.
Yeah.
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Hey, this is Hayes Davenport.
And Sean Clements.
We host the podcast Hollywood Handbook on the Big Money Players Network.
Our show is extremely accessible to first-time listeners.
Each week, we talk to someone in show business, aka the biz,
and try to help them with their careers and see what they have to offer us.
Everyone has a good time, and no one gets mad at their publicists for letting them do our show.
We've had a lot of great guests like Sarah Sherman.
Not that great.
Actually, can you help me shape this?
How about we flip it on his head, right?
How about we flip the script?
What is the surprise woman?
Who actually you think is the straight man is actually the one who's acting weird.
Adam Scott.
This entire time, you've been expecting Adam Sandler to come to visit the show.
I would never expect.
I would never set expectations for something like that to happen.
If the universe allows for something like that to happen, I'm open to it.
I'm always going to accept.
You know, Danny McBride, fine.
Yeah, it's all this fragile masculinity.
Exuding.
I could smell it walking down the hallway, to be honest with you.
I was like, is that weed?
Nope, it's fragile masculinity.
Ben Stiller, no.
Because a lot of times out of context, people don't get it
or even know what a circle is.
You know what I mean?
They're like, they're so stupid.
Everyone's so dumb.
And fake.
Right, fake and also not interested
or just like, oh, I've got my life, I don't care about your life.
And a lot of other big shots that wouldn't be where they are without us.
Oh, and by the way, Will Ferrell told us personally he loves the show
and he wants to be a guest on every episode, but he's just so busy.
Listen to Hollywood Handbook on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
On the new podcast Solita, we share the messy reality of traveling alone as a woman.
I can wait four hours for the next bus or this random dude is offering me a ride on his
I chose option B.
I'm Julie Pinheiro, and I travel by myself because it's a rare space where I can say yes
without asking anyone else first.
I'm on a mission to reclaim the word solita, trading the pity for possibility.
Every time I tried to be alone, I kept meeting people, and they were like, you smiled at us.
Not a lot of people smile around here.
It's when you're alone that you're most receptive to the world as it is, and not the lies you're
sold about it. It can be a time where you push your limits, change your mind, or wake up to a new
version of yourself. So whether you're a solo travel veteran or you're too nervous to book your
first trip, I hope you listen to Solita on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you
get your podcasts. I'm Munga shit together and I'm back with a new season of the podcast Skyline
Drive. This time I'm diving into a rabbit hole of peptides, organoids, blood boys, blue zones,
and brain replacement to try to understand
what this longevity obsession is all about
and what it really means to live forever for all of us.
I learned about some rad science.
I can make a brain for you
and then we can test what draw is the best for your brain.
As opposed to his brain.
Here's some hard truths.
I would expect Indians to age faster
but I did not expect it to be almost a four to four.
five-year acceleration.
And get myself into a world of trouble.
I'd say probably start bone smashing.
That doesn't work.
To make it look more defined.
They say it works.
I don't know.
Listen to Skyline Drive,
How to Live Forever on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts,
or wherever you get your podcasts.
So you recently met the Pope.
Oh, my God.
What happened there?
How did you set that up?
That's a good question.
So, okay, my publicist reached out to me one day.
And she basically said, she was forwarding me this letter.
And she's like, I don't know if this is real, but let me know if you want me to look into it.
And it was an invite to meet the Pope at the Vatican.
And I was like, yeah, definitely look into that.
And so she did.
And she was like, okay, there's not a lot of details I can get, but it sounds real.
They wouldn't tell me who else is coming.
And so my next question was, why me?
why are they inviting me and my wife?
That's also my next question.
No offense.
No, absolutely.
How do they choose these people?
And so, like, we, at that time,
we were promoting this movie that we had just put out,
this movie called Together,
which is this crazy horror movie,
where, like, our bodies fuse together,
and we were like,
does the Pope love body horror?
Like, there's this moment in the movie where, like,
spoiler, but, like, my penis gets stuck inside of her
and just, like, picturing the Pope watching this,
So anyway, we were like, okay, I mean, we're in, like this is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
We're going.
So we show up.
We're in Rome.
And are you religious at all?
I'm not.
I'm like, I'm kind of spiritual, but not really.
Good answer.
So we find out that the one person we also find out is going to be there is Adam Scott, who we know.
And so we just start talking with Adam.
We're like, okay, we don't know what we're going into, but let's do this all together.
So they kind of just drop us off one morning at this one end of the Vatican City.
And there's like a congregation of like 100 people.
And most of them are Italian.
There's some other actors and directors that we recognize.
But they usher us through Vatican City.
And we get into this big, like long hallway inside the Vatican, beautiful hallway.
And we're just waiting in this hallway for like two hours to go in and meet the Pope.
In the meantime, we're talking with Adam, talking with other people.
people, this worker at the Vatican comes up to Adam who's leaning against the wall.
And the worker's like, um, sir, that's one of Raphael's frescoes you're leaning again.
He's like, I'm so sorry.
So anyway, uh, we're sweating our asses off.
We finally, we finally go into this beautiful room.
We're all seated.
Pope comes out.
He gives this like genuinely beautiful 20 minute speech just about film and the importance of film,
which I found out after the fact was very important because,
I guess pretty recently in Italy,
they were talking about getting rid of all movie theaters.
And so to have the Pope coming out and speaking about the importance of cinema,
it was like a huge, huge deal.
Wow.
I love this new Chicago.
This guy is amazing.
I know, I know.
I love how he inserts himself into all of these global issues
because that's what we've been waiting for.
Or at least I have it.
Like, I don't want the Pope to be just only focused on religion.
I want him to be focused on like the world and the ways.
And it was like a genuine.
speech that wasn't like it didn't feel like it was just written for him and he was just reading the
words. It came from the heart. So anyway, he does the speech and then we all line up and we each get like,
you know, 10 seconds to just shake his hand and have a moment with the Pope. And so we knew that was
coming. And so leading up to this day, we were like, what do you, what do you say to the Pope?
And so we ended up like Googling facts about the Pope to see if like we could find any common ground.
And I actually found a good way in.
He's the youngest of three brothers.
And I was like, okay, there we go.
So my wife goes, she's in front of me.
And we see, as he's shaking everyone's hand and talking to them, you know, he's very pleasant, but like a pretty straight face.
And so my wife goes first.
And she basically says, like, you know, thank you for having us.
It was a beautiful speech.
And then she moves on.
And then I come up and I say, I'm also the young.
of three brothers and I just wanted to thank you for giving younger brothers a good name everywhere.
And Allison looks back and he's smiling and she's like, what the fuck?
And we have this beautiful moment of I'm shaking his hand and I got the Pope to smile and it was really nice.
Wow, well that is a feat.
That's exciting.
Yeah. Meeting the Pope is exciting.
It's pretty cool.
One of his brothers has a LinkedIn.
Like it's so weird.
Is that true?
Yeah.
Yeah. He's just like a normal guy from Chicago.
Yeah.
You guys grew up in California, yeah?
Yes. Northern California, Palo Alto.
Oh, Northern California.
What do you think is like the biggest misconception about people who grew up in California?
Oh, wow.
I mean, first off, like, a lot of people think Northern California and Southern California are the same thing.
And it's really a different vibe.
You tell me, I'm curious why you bring that up.
Well, I mean, I think you're right.
I think it's different because there's like a lot of people.
Like, I moved out here when I was 19 years old.
So I didn't meet anyone that was.
homegrown until I was like
here for 10 years. Because everyone I met
were transplants. Oh sure, yeah, yeah.
But then when like people, when then you start to meet
people that have grown up in Beverly Hills
or in like these nice areas, Brentwood, Bel Air,
and you're like, oh, they've never left because why would they?
Sure. You know, I'm from New Jersey, so I had to get out of there.
Yes. I mean, it makes me think of our nephews
who have grown up here and who see
their aunt and uncle on TV, and that's a normal thing.
And then they come to these big premieres,
and that's a normal thing where, like, they,
trust me, they have a great time at these premieres,
but I almost want to just be like,
this is really cool, right?
And they're like, it's all right.
It's like, it's fine.
But, and then you wonder how, like, people's kids
get into show business.
It's like, of course they're going to get into show business.
Totally.
It's a family business.
And it feels accessible.
It feels real.
It's tangible.
It's right there in front of them.
But, like, you know, Allison grew up in
South Pasadena and it's like, God, it's just removed enough from like proper L.A.
that she did have like a seemingly like quote unquote normal upbringing just living in the
suburbs.
I think that's true about Pasadena.
Pasadena is like is separate from L.A. and Hollywood.
I didn't realize you grew up in northern California.
So that makes sense.
And that's also a better place to grow up because that is more, it's just more normal.
It's and it's just so pretty.
But like it's changing a lot, you know, Palo Alto.
The Paloato I grew up in was, felt small, very mom and pop vibes.
And now it's all tech.
Like the whole Bay Area, it feels like a one industry area.
Just like L.A. feels like mostly entertainment.
That said, like when I go up, I go up a few times a year, I can kind of put my blinders on and ignore all the new shit popping up and just kind of stick to my old places I used to go to.
And my friends who I've known since I was five years old, they still live up there.
And so I can kind of hold on a little bit to the old Palo Alto.
Yeah. Talk to me about the studio. So you play a real piece of work on the studio. You play just like this coked up lunatic.
Yeah, which is crazy because I'm literally playing myself. I'm playing Dave Franco on the studio.
But yeah, I'm playing myself while on alcohol, weed, cocaine, and mushrooms simultaneously. And that must be so much fun.
It was so fun. And especially because I'm, I'm, I'm,
surrounded by people who I've known for 20 years.
I met Seth on Superbad.
Right.
And so when, again, when you're surrounded by these people, you know in love, you can just
be free.
And so I'll tell them, I'm like, guys, I'm going to go nuts.
Rain me in if this is too much.
And more often than not, they're like, go further, get weirder.
And so like, yeah, when I'm doing these scenes where I'm on this cocktail of drugs,
there's almost no wrong answer to what I can do.
It's like I can go as big as I want.
And when that's the case, it's just like, I'm just having the time of my life.
Yeah.
Are you an actor who like prepares for that stuff?
Or like, I mean, obviously you're preparing to work.
Am I getting method and doing all those drugs?
You're clearly not method.
I can already answer that question for anybody who's watching or listening and wondering.
But do you just kind of like get prepared?
And then I feel like what you're saying is you prepare for your roles, but then you just go for it.
Definitely, definitely.
I am a nerd and I'll do my whole.
and I really want to know my lines and come in with ideas.
But when I am on one of these sets where I feel safe,
I really try to let go and just throw it all away and just kind of be there.
But I don't know, like, just thinking about that show, again, like I've known Ike Berenholtz
forever.
Oh, yeah.
And what I've been trying to do for the last 10 years now is just continue to work
with my friends and family and
I've found ways on
you know a lot of the time on a smaller scale
whether it's with a movie like idiots
which is an indie movie or that movie together
I made with my wife these are small
movies but we have more control
and we are producers on these films
and so we actually can bring in
the people we love and so
I'm having just the time of my life and if I can
keep going forward doing exactly what I'm doing
that would be the dream
yeah you seem like such a nice
you seem I don't want to put
any pressure on you, but, you know, I know white men are like under attack right now. I know
because I'm one of the people I'm attacking them. But there is a very toxic masculinity going
around and you are the antidote. Like, you are just like, like, is that something that you
think about? Like, as a white guy? Like, how does that impact you? Because I know that all,
there's so many guys in our industry are not like that. I do know that. And I just wonder how it
impacts you as a man that isn't like that to feel kind of all of.
of the conversations going around about toxic masculinity and like, you know, all of that stuff.
Honestly, I think the simple answer is I kind of just keep my head down and just like I, I'm like,
it's weird to say this, but like I am a nice person and like, Alison and I, we feel so lucky to
not only have each other, but just like have a good community around us to be working the way we are.
and literally every day, like, I wake up and I, again, I'm not religious, but I'm spiritual.
And every night and morning, I, like, think about how lucky we are and how we just want to, like, go out and spread joy.
Truly, it's a cheesy thing to say, but I'm just like, I want to, like, put out good energy.
It's not cheesy.
I want to build up the people around me because, like, I know how lucky I am.
And let's just spread that.
Yeah, I got home from a set.
I did, speaking of Pasadena, I did two sets at the Ice House last night with my friend Sarah Silverman.
And we went out there and we had this really fun night and Karen came.
And I was just like, it was such a lovely night.
And I came home and I was like, I got down on my knees.
I don't pray.
But I got down on my knees, but I always do the same thing.
I get down on my knees.
I'm like, thank you for allowing me to spread joy.
Thank you for making it a joyful evening.
And like really taking it in because it is, I think, especially in times like this,
so important to acknowledge, A, how you are conducting yourself and be about putting it
out and not just taking it in.
Definitely, definitely.
And even just when it comes to work, too, like, I've been on the other side of the
camera now.
I've directed a couple of films.
I've been writing and producing more.
And so I've seen every side of this, which has made me enjoy acting that much more.
And just look at it in a different way where, like, I've always been, again, I've always
been the person who's prepared, I'm punctual and all that.
But now I go above and beyond to never be the problem.
I know how much the director is dealing with and I'm just like I will never be your issue and on the contrary
I will try to make your life as easy as possible and so again that's just like trying to spread that joy on set too
yeah so did you I read that you wore a rock in your shoe while filming the idiot that's true what's that
about so I mean early on in the film I twist my ankle really badly and so moving forward I was like
I don't want to be in a scene where I'm forgetting to limp
because I have to limp for 90% of this movie.
And so by putting a rock in there,
I don't even need to think about it.
It just makes you walk with a limp.
That said, like, again, I'm a psychopath,
and I was like, all right, can't just be like a little limp.
And so I was getting these, like, chunky, kind of sharp rocks
that I was throwing in there.
But it helped.
And I didn't have to think about that
so I could focus on everything else in the scene.
I like it.
I like it.
Were you fine afterward or did you, like, kind of mess up your...
I did have a little thing after.
A little bit of like, oh,
like what's wrong with my foot?
Oh yeah,
I was fucking walking around
with a rocking it for two months.
But like I do this to myself.
Again, like I throw myself into these projects so much where I think back to I,
a long time ago, I did this movie where I play a heroin addict and I lost.
Which movie was this?
It's called Six Balloons.
No one's seen it, but it's a good movie.
And I'm glad I did it.
But it was one of those things where I was young enough.
I was like, yeah, I want to do this thing that no one's going to see just for the art.
And so I lost like 20 pounds in a month or so.
which I'm not a big guy as is.
And so I was miserable.
And I was like me just running on a treadmill all day every day,
just trying to lose the weight,
eating lettuce with no dressing.
Anyway,
the reason I bring this up is like after that movie ended,
because I was running so much and I was running just like off.
Like I was landing just off with one foot.
I couldn't walk for like three months after that.
It was just like not only did this movie take me down
because I wasn't fucking eating and my wife hated me,
but then for three months I couldn't walk.
What does it like to film a movie
that you put that much effort into
physically and emotionally?
And then, as you said,
not many people saw it.
You know, it's interesting.
It's taken time,
but a lot of the times
when directors reach out to me
about a project,
they'll reference that movie.
And I think it maybe shows
a different side
than people have seen before,
but it does come up these days.
That said,
even if it didn't,
I don't know.
I still get something out of it.
I've gotten pretty good at not having expectations for my projects to perform because that's just never going to end well.
Well, being attached to the outcome is never going to.
Yes, and you're always going to be disappointed.
And so I've gotten pretty good at being like, okay, I truly have no expectations.
If this is one of the few projects that does do well, it's a nice surprise.
But like, again, I'm just like trying to have a good time while I'm doing this.
Like if a movie's taking me away from my wife and my cats for three months, it better be worth it.
It better be a good time and it better be with people I like.
Are your cats still both weighing in at 18 pounds?
So those cats passed.
That's my favorite body type for an animal corpulose.
I like a lot around.
I just want to get my hands on you.
I don't know.
It's like I'm not interested.
I know.
Especially cats.
I know.
Those were our old cats.
They lived a long, great life.
So we have two new cats who are much smaller, which at first I was like, feed them.
Let's get them up there.
But now our little girl, she just, they're about six now, she just is a little pygmy.
She just never, she just stopped growing really early on.
She's just this little thing.
But now she's getting a little chunky in a good way.
She's so small, but a little chunky.
What are your cat's names?
Little girls, Max, little boys, Otis.
Okay, I just want you to know how I would never, ever ask anyone,
what their cat's names were unless they were speaking about them in the way that you are.
That's very kind.
Actually, we had someone else who had a cat on.
I was Gaten Madaresso.
Oh, yeah, yeah.
Mattarazzo.
He's a cat lover too.
Yeah, he's a cat lover.
Right, clearly you're a dog lover.
Yeah, I'm a dog lover.
Yeah, but I'm not an animal lunatic.
Like, I'm not one of these crazy people.
It doesn't mean you hate the other animals if you're a dog lover.
I'm not that interested in your animals.
I'm more interested in my own.
That's okay.
Yeah, I'm not going to the dog park trying to make friends there.
You know what I mean?
I get.
I appreciate you asking my cat's names.
Yeah.
We're gonna, so we, the second half of this, we take callers and we give live advice.
But before we do that, do you tint and curl your eyelashes?
No.
I mean, did you have your eyelashes tinted and lifted?
I've literally never touched my eyelashes.
Okay, your whole, your eyebrow and eyelash situation should be a after picture.
I'm serious because I get mine tinted and lifted and they don't look nearly as good as tins.
What are the lashes doing because no one's ever commented on that?
Curling.
They're up.
And they're framing your eyes in a really nice way.
I mean, honestly, you should be a face model.
You should be like, not a face model.
You should be an eyelash, like somebody who has one of those eyeshals.
Yeah, just from the face up.
They don't have to do anything.
They just take the after-micter.
Whatever you're doing, it's working.
That's very good.
So great.
Good for you.
All right.
Well, our first question is just a quickie.
Sam says,
Dear Chelsea, I absolutely love my wife.
Since I'm like Chelsea and I'm not welcome in the kitchen, she does most of the cooking.
She has a small appetite, so she makes tiny dinners.
The truth is, I've been going to bed hungry every night, even losing weight when I'm not trying to lose.
When I try to talk to her about making a larger meal, she beats herself up.
So I've been pre-gaming after work by getting fast food on the way home.
It was going fine until I ran into my in-laws one day, and they told on me, my wife was so mad.
What should I do, Sam?
He ran into his in-laws at that.
First of all, this is your wife.
Be honest.
Yeah.
Like, who gives us shit?
This is funny because I'm on tour.
When I go on the road, I have like a little crew with me.
One of my assistants comes.
And we're all just kind of like, you know, before you perform, you don't want to like have a huge meal.
So we always have a light dinner.
Plus everybody's on Trezepotide.
So we're nobody, everybody's appetite is gone anyway.
And he's always like, he's always disappointed.
And then at night, he's like, always ordering room service.
He's like, I'm still hungry.
We don't eat at all at dinner.
And I'm like, you're allowed to eat.
I'm not telling you can't eat.
just don't want that much food. I'm with you. It's like he's already told her like, oh, I'm a little
hungry after these meals. So he's already been honest about that. Then why do you deceive her by
getting fast food before coming home? You're in a marriage. You're allowed to get in. Have some good snacks at
home. Honestly, I do this all the time. I'm a terrible cook. I love my wife. I adore her. She's literally
keeping us alive by cooking for us. But like I eat more than her. And truly half the time I
will snack after dinner.
And she doesn't, she never bats an eyelash.
She's like, yeah, get more food in you.
I think the scale is sensitive.
Maybe you could say, like, hey, I know you're cooking for two.
Maybe you could make an extra two portion.
So I have lunch tomorrow and then you actually just eat like a little extra.
I just think.
Still being deceptive.
Exactly.
Deceptive is the word.
You're a man.
You require more food just by your body composition.
Like it's okay to tell your wife.
I like the seriousness of this question.
Yeah.
But also, you need to just tell your wife the truth.
And that's a good conversation.
That's a good way to handle a minor conflict with honesty and integrity so that when you do
have real problems, because this isn't fucking one of them, then you can practice having
those kinds of conversations.
This is a question from someone who is very naive when it comes to cooking.
So this is a very dumb question.
But does it take that much more effort to make one extra portion?
No, I don't think so.
Well, I'm, you're not
I'm not asking a lecture.
Yeah, yeah.
So, yeah.
So, yeah.
So, yeah.
Yeah.
All right.
But honesty, let's just be honest.
Yeah.
We're married now.
You've heard the chaos.
Now you can see it.
Hello.
My gosh.
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Hey, this is Hayes Davenport.
And Sean Clements.
We host the podcast Hollywood Handbook on the Big Money Players Network.
Our show is extremely accessible to first time listeners.
Each week, we talk to someone in show business, aka the biz,
and try to help them with their careers and see what they have to offer us.
Everyone has a good time and no one gets mad at their publicists for letting them do our show.
We've had a lot of great guests like Sarah Sherman, not that great.
Actually, can you help me shape this?
How about we flip it on his head, right?
How about we flip this script?
What is the surprise woman?
Actually, you think is the straight man is actually the one who's acting weird.
Adam Scott.
This entire time, you've been a...
expecting Adam Sandler
to come to visit the show.
I would never
let go of that. I have. I would never
set expectations for something like that
to happen. If the universe allows
for something like that to happen, I'm
open to it. I'm always going to accept.
You know, Danny McBride,
fine. Yeah.
It's all this fragile masculinity
exuding. I could smell it walking down
the hallway, to be honest with you.
I was like, is that weed?
Nope. It's fragile and masculinity.
Liddity.
Ben Stiller, no.
Because a lot of times, out of context, people don't get it or even know what a circle is.
You know what I mean?
They're like, oh, it's so stupid.
Everyone's so dumb except for you.
And fake.
Right, fake and also not interested or just like, oh, I've got my life.
I don't care about your life.
And a lot of other big shots that wouldn't be where they are without us.
Oh, and by the way, Will Ferrell told us personally he loves the show and he wants to be a guest on every episode, but he's just so busy.
Listen to Hollywood Handbook on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
On the new podcast Solita, we share the messy reality of traveling alone as a woman.
I can wait four hours for the next bus or this random dude is offering me a ride on his motorcycle.
I chose option B.
I'm Julie Pinero, and I travel by myself because it's a rare space where I can say yes without asking anyone else first.
I'm on a mission to reclaim the word Solita.
trading the pity for possibility.
Every time I tried to be alone, I kept meeting people,
and they were like, you smiled at us.
Not a lot of people smile around here.
It's when you're alone that you're most receptive to the world as it is
and not the lies you're sold about it.
It can be a time where you push your limits, change your mind,
or wake up to a new version of yourself.
So whether you're a solo travel veteran
or you're too nervous to book your first trip,
I hope you listen to Solita.
on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
I'm Munges shit together, and I'm back with a new season of the podcast Skyline Drive.
This time I'm diving into a rabbit hole of peptides, organoids, blood boys, blue zones, and brain replacement
to try to understand what this longevity obsession is all about and what it really means to live forever,
for all of us.
I learned about some rad science.
I can make a brain for you.
And then we can test what draw is the best for your brain, as opposed to his brain.
Here's some hard truths.
I would expect Indians to age faster, but I did not expect it to be almost a four to five-year acceleration.
And get myself into a world of trouble.
I'd say probably start bone smashing.
That doesn't work.
To make it look more defined.
They say it works.
I don't know.
Listen to Skyline Drive, How to Live Forever on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Our next question is pretty juicy.
So Alex is 28 and he says, Dear Chelsea, around Thanksgiving, I oversaw my dad using his phone on a gay hookup site.
He's been married to my mom for over 30 years, so I would never expect any infidelity or openness in the marriage.
I'm gay, not really out to my parents, but I think they definitely know.
I recently wrote him a letter saying what I saw.
I was afraid of denial and anger.
However, he texted me afterward saying he's not gay, but, quote, has a friend who wants him to be and that my mom knows about the friend.
We haven't discussed everything yet, but he's willing to talk through this.
I don't want personal details, but I want to make sure my mom isn't being blindsided.
Alex.
Hi.
Hi.
This is our special guest, Dave Franco's here today.
Hi.
Amazing.
Okay.
You're gay and your dad says that your mom knows.
Do you believe that your dad, that your mom knows about the guy?
that your dad's talking to?
I don't know.
That's a very good question.
I, you know, we haven't had any further conversation about this.
So, like, I just kind of trust them and, like, move on with everything.
But I don't know if I do.
Just out of curiosity is the ideal goal at this point is to just make sure your mom is
essentially aware of what's happening.
Yeah, exactly.
I feel like she's, like, the main priority.
And so, like, I don't want to know all the details, right?
Like that's your life. Do what you want. As long as everybody's in agreement, everything's safe. And that's your life. When you wrote that letter to your dad, you basically just spelled this all out. And his response was, can you just say it again? Like what he said to you? He basically said, like, he wouldn't hide or hurt mom in any way. Like, he loves me and my mother more than his own life. Like, and he was very open to talking about everything. And I think I've just been kind of a foignant because it's very, we're just like we never talk.
like that, like as a family about stuff. So I think he's very open to talk about it, but we kind of
like have pretended like nothing has happened. I think the balls in my court, but like I said,
I don't know if I truly trust everything, but I think we're all kind of avoiding with it.
Okay. Well, of course. Most families are pretty avoidant with a lot of stuff like this.
Do you have any inclination or would you be open to sitting down with him and having a really like
face-to-face kind of conversation with him so you could get a better read on the situation
and express to him that you need to be really confident that your mother is aware of this?
Yeah, I think so. I just don't want to come off as like accusatory or anything in that sense.
But, you know, this is your mother and it's your father and it doesn't have to be accusatory.
It just has to be out of love. Like, I'm coming to you out of love. I love my mother.
It would break my heart if she's being hurt in any way.
so I just really need you to explain to me what's going on because I did see what I saw and I want to support you too. You're my father. I love you just as much as I love my mom. And if there's any way, he knows you're gay, right? Yes, he does. Yeah. Like if there's any way that you're having these kinds of feelings or questions and you want to talk to me. It's almost like an invitation. Like, hey, you can talk to me if you are having these feelings. I am gay. I'm out. You know that. But like trying to just even stretch the conversation open more.
so that you can either allay your suspicions or confirm that maybe there is a little dishonesty going on.
Because as your, like, you know, if it's my pay, as your mother's son, you obviously are not,
you're going to want to protect her from any sort of lies or deceit.
Yeah, for sure.
And I guess, you know, I think the issue is like if I don't trust what he's saying,
then do I bring my mom into this?
I think you do.
I do. I would. But I mean, it's not for everyone. Like, I think if you don't trust what your dad is saying,
then you have to challenge him and say, hey, like, then let you, me and mom sit down and discuss this.
Then if it's all open, I just want to have a better understanding and I'm really protective over my mother,
as I'm protective over you, but I can't stand the thought of you deceiving my mother or doing anything behind her back that would devastate her in this way.
So let's all just sit down and make sure we're all on the same page without inserting yourself into his you know into their sex life like you did see something you should say something these are your parents it's not like people from work that you're just you know getting involved in their relationship
I think I know I need to do that. It's just the, this is going to be so awkward.
I know. I know it is.
Just to give you, just to what's already admirable about what you've done is first even
writing this letter, that's, that's amazing that you were able to be just open and honest
about that. And then just to kind of acknowledge like the situation, you know, regardless
of who knows what, like I can imagine like it's also a big thing for you to be going through.
just to even find out that it may even if your mom does know everything that this is like oh wow
this is a new thing that I'm dealing with and like learning about my parents so I just think like
allow yourself to feel those feelings and it's like it is an intense situation it is an awkward
situation and that's that's okay to feel that too and it's also like these are kind of um
defining moments in life when you have to kind of face something that is really uncomfortable and
really awkward like I know it feels overwhelming and almost maybe insurmountable but you did
take the first steps, like Dave said, that is hugely admirable. And it's worthwhile to follow
through on that. Just as a person who's going through the world so that when you are facing difficult
conversations, you actually have experience in dealing with them head on instead of being avoided,
you know, instead of looking the other way. And who knows what you'll open up? You know what I mean?
Who knows what kind of open dialogue you'll create? When your dad responded about the guy,
Did he give you any, like, okay, this guy wants to have sex with me or is trying it.
I don't know.
You said make him gay.
What was, what can you expand on that a little?
Yeah, he said, I have a friend who it is and kind of wants me to be.
And then he said, I'm not.
And I'll explain everything to you.
And so I think that he is open to talk.
And I do want to give him the chance to share that story.
Yeah.
I feel like it took me a while to write that letter.
And then he responded.
responded and now it's still taking me a while to like circle back.
Yeah.
I feel like for a big conversation like this, maybe it's like, hey, dad, can we go to dinner?
Can we like go out just you and me?
I want to like talk and just connect on some things.
So like you know that there's sort of a time in place for this as opposed to feeling like every time you walk in the house like, should I say it now?
Should I say it now?
Like set a time for you guys to sit down together.
Yeah.
Yeah, that's a good point.
It took me about to write the letter because I wanted to do it in person.
But every time I had the opportunity, I just chickened out.
I was like, completely.
Yeah, but you didn't check it out in the end.
You wrote it.
That's great.
So do this.
Have a conversation with him first, just one on one.
And then from there, you'll gather the information of what you should do next.
But please get back to us after you have the first conversation and check in and let us know what happened.
And if you want to like to talk about it further, we're totally down.
But also, obviously, we're just meeting you.
but you do seem like just such a kind, warm person that I think, I think this, you don't have to look at it like a confrontation.
I think you have already in you just the ability to bring it up in a way that it's like it's coming from a good place and just wanted to protect your mom and make sure everyone's on the same page.
Thank you.
I appreciate the words.
And that's kind of how I wrote my letter coming off.
It's like, this is coming from love.
Yeah.
And the more time you take, like, you know, I could tell that you're carefully thinking about.
about this because you took your time to do it. You're not being reactive. You're responding.
And that already is a sign of maturity and growth. Have you been to therapy already?
Not about this, but I've been the therapy many times in the past. Yeah. It seems like you've
been to therapy so that you have like a mature outlook and, you know, not to do things with a knee-jerk
reaction because that doesn't always, you know, net well. What a compliment. Thank you.
Oh, yeah, of course. Yeah. But let us know how that goes, okay? Have that conversation and then check
back in with us.
Yeah, I will.
Thank you so much.
Awesome.
Thanks for calling.
Thanks, man.
Bye.
Oh, wow.
I know.
And I'm also sort of like, sometimes people explore things and then nothing
happens with it, right?
So he might find out like, oh, sort of a false alarm, but you just never know what he's
going to uncover.
The binary reactions to things.
Like, okay, yes, he's on a gay website.
Yes, he's talking to a man.
Most people listening to this are going to be like, okay, obviously something's
up, he's full of shit.
He's, but,
but I do think there is room for nuance
with everybody.
Like some people are just,
like some people aren't just,
it's,
it's not automatically that this guy's gay and lying
and has a secret life.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
It's a possibility,
but it's not just a definite assumption to make.
There's a version where,
you know,
the mom does know,
but also her and her husband
haven't even fully talked about it.
Like maybe she doesn't want to address it yet.
Right.
But like with what he's going through, clearly he needs to get it out.
You can't just let this sit there forever.
Yeah, with your own parents.
If I do that, I would immediately just pack my dad's bags and be like, you're out of here.
You know, with no conversation about it.
That would have been my reaction.
So I love that he's like so mature and thoughtful about it.
You've heard the chaos.
Now you can see it.
Hello.
My gosh.
Watch all your favorite podcasts from start to finish right inside the free IHIR radio app.
Gets the blood going up.
Catch every live.
laugh and I roll on shows like the Tom Green Farmcast and park the bus. Now with full video.
We're building a ramp for Tony Hawk. It's the same hosts and the same chemistry with all the
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podcasts and tap watch. Hey, this is Hayes Davenport. And Sean Clements. We host the podcast Hollywood
Handbook on the Big Money Players Network.
Our show is extremely accessible to first-time listeners.
Each week, we talk to someone in show business, aka the biz,
and try to help them with their careers and see what they have to offer us.
Everyone has a good time, and no one gets mad at their publicists for letting them do our show.
We've had a lot of great guests like Sarah Sherman.
Not that great.
Actually, can you help me shape this?
How about we flip it on his head, right?
How about we flip the script?
What is the surprise woman?
Actually, you think is the straight man is actually the one who's acting weird.
Adam Scott, this entire time you've been expecting Adam Sandler to come to visit the show.
I would never expect.
I would never set expectations for something like that to happen.
If the universe allows for something like that to happen, I'm open to it.
I'm always going to accept.
You know, Danny McBride, fine.
Yeah.
It's all this fragile masculinity exuding.
I could smell it walking down the hallway, to be honest with you.
I was like, is that weed?
Nope, it's fragile masculinity.
Ben Stiller, no.
Because a lot of times out of context, people don't get it or even know what a circle is.
You know what I mean?
They're like, oh, what's just a state.
Everyone's so dumb.
And fake.
Right, fake and also not interested.
Or just like, oh, I've got my life.
I don't care about your life.
and a lot of other big shots that wouldn't be where they are without us.
Oh, and by the way, Will Ferrell told us personally he loves the show and he wants to be a guest on every episode, but he's just so busy.
Listen to Hollywood Handbook on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
On the new podcast Solita, we share the messy reality of traveling alone as a woman.
I can wait four hours for the next bus or this random dude is offering me a ride on his motorcycle.
I chose option B.
I'm Julie Pinero.
and I travel by myself because it's a rare space where I can say yes without asking anyone else first.
I'm on a mission to reclaim the word solita, trading the pity for possibility.
Every time I tried to be alone, I kept meeting people, and they were like, you smiled at us.
Not a lot of people smile around here.
It's when you're alone that you're most receptive to the world as it is, and not the lies you're sold about it.
It can be a time where you push your limits, change your mind,
or wake up to a new version of yourself.
So whether you're a solo travel veteran
or you're too nervous to book your first trip,
I hope you listen to Solita on the IHeart Radio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
I'm Mungesha Together, and I'm back with a new season
of the podcast, Skyline Drive.
This time I'm diving into a rabbit hole of peptides,
organoids, blood boys, blue zones,
and brain replacement to try to understand
what this longevity obsession is all about.
and what it really means to live forever, for all of us.
I learned about some rad science.
I can make a brain for you,
and then we can test what draw is the best for your brain,
as opposed to his brain.
Here are some hard truths.
I would expect Indians to age faster,
but I did not expect it to be almost a four-to-five-year acceleration.
And get myself into a world of trouble.
I'd say probably start bone smashing.
That doesn't work.
To make it look more defined.
They say it works.
I don't know.
Listen to Skyline Drive,
How to Live Forever on the IHeart Radio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
So Mia is writing in and she says, Dear Chelsea,
I'm 33 years old and I've been with my boyfriend for three years.
Overall, our relationship feels about 80% great and 20% in need of work.
My fear is that the 20% could grow over time and start to overshadow the good,
especially if we decide to have children.
The main challenge is his family.
His mom is wonderful, but I struggle with his two sisters who have never felt fully comfortable
around.
One sister is particularly religious, and sometimes I feel judged by her.
The other has an extremely negative personality, scolding her husband and kids over small things,
and speaking in a demeaning way.
Being around her is emotionally draining, and I strongly dislike it.
Family gatherings are especially hard for me.
There's a little meaningful adult conversation, and I leave feeling depleted.
I often tell my boyfriend that I just don't want to attend, which leads to you.
to arguments. The holidays are particularly difficult. We don't agree on how to divide time, and I tend
to avoid his family, which has led to a lot of resentment. My boyfriend understands how I feel,
but gets hurt and says he can't understand why I can't just be present for him, while I feel
like I'm constantly protecting my emotional energy. It's starting to impact our relationship,
and I worry it'll only get worse if we have kids. So I'm left wondering, is this something
that can be worked through with boundaries and compromise, or are we fundamentally incompatible when it
comes to family? Thank you, Mia.
Hi, Mia.
Hey, Mia.
Hello.
Hi, this is our special guest day, Franco.
How's it going?
Oh, it's going great.
Nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you.
Wow, that's really an interesting question.
Yeah.
Because I don't, like, I mean, you guys are both married and you're like, what do you?
I'm not married to someone specifically because I don't want to deal with someone else's family.
We're actually not married.
I know, I know.
But you're thinking about spending.
your life with him, right? Yeah. So I'm curious, what's his own relationship like with his family and his
sisters? Well, it's a very interesting one. He would say that they're extremely close. You know,
they grew up with a single mom. Their dad left them when, well, he was about six years old.
And he would say that they're very close. But when I'm around them, there's very little interaction.
My boyfriend is very quiet.
I feel like his sisters don't really ask him any questions, like how school, how's work, you know.
So it's very, very little to just low communication.
But, you know, he's very much there for them whenever they need any kind of support, whenever there's a family event, a gathering, a birthday, dinner.
He's always there.
So he does try to be very present.
It's a tough situation.
I mean, I know people who are in a similar situation, and I'm trying to think of how
they've dealt with it over the years because, you know, obviously his family is very important
to him and he wants to spend time with them and, like, on the holidays, like, he will be with
them.
I'm thinking about my friend, she endures that, you know?
It's never going to be easy for her to be with her partner's family, but she's found ways
to handle it, whether it's just even little things.
things that add up, whether it's like, okay, when I'm at, you know, some sort of event or some
some sort of holiday with your family during the morning, I'm going to go on my morning walk,
just me. I'm going to go get my coffee. I'm going to spend time by myself and I can just
kind of be away and just get a little more zen. And then knowing that, like, it doesn't
sound like it's ever going to be like a beautiful, harmonious situation with this family, but I just
think you need to do things for yourself. Just another question. I imagine like you seem like a nice
person. I imagine you've tried to bond with the sisters. You've tried to make it work. You've tried to
make it more cordial. Yes, definitely. I do try. I feel like when I'm around them, I'm like invisible.
Like they don't really try to talk to me. Got it. It's just, it's a very interesting dynamic. So I feel
like I have to like insert myself, share, you know, a random story. Otherwise, you know, I could
just be quiet the whole time that I don't want to be, you know? Does your partner recognize
that it's awkward for the whole family or does he not see it that way? I think he has come to
recognize, you know, because I have told him again and again like, hey, like try to start up a
conversation to get us like both involved, you know. I think it's, you know, I think it's,
just hard for him because it's just how it has been, you know, forever. Yeah, so around the
holidays, this like big event occurred. It was Christmas Day. We went over to open a present
and him and I shared that we were going to go on like a New Year's trip to Costa Rica. And his
sister's birthday is on New Year's Day. So it meant that we were going to miss her birthday.
And she got really upset and like she cried about it. And then he started getting really emotional.
So it was like a whole thing. And when we left, you know, he just kept telling me that I don't
understand their family traditions. And I think that after that things, I think a lot of resentment has
built up. And just being around his family has become even more uncomfortable for me.
Oh, you seem so sweet. And I know what you mean. Like, I can totally relate to this,
just not from my own personal experience, but from friends and so many people that have dealt
with this because it is a really tricky subject because family dynamics are family dynamics
and you will never know what happened with that family growing up and how they interact and how
they operate and to get involved is very tricky. And I think the only thing that you can do
is to really sit down. And maybe you want to do this with a therapist, you know, a couple's
therapist, just so that you have like, you know, a third party there that can navigate the
conversation. Because you're coming from a really sweet, loving place. And it isn't your family,
but you do want to be respectful of his relationship with them. But that doesn't always need to
include you. There can be boundaries that are creating.
in a really healthy way around the fact that you don't feel so comfortable, you feel like
there's some unhealthy attachments, you know, and all of this in a non-judgmental way.
Like, you're not going to say unhealthy attachments. That's probably what the therapist is for
to just point out, you know, adults having to celebrate their birthdays as adults is a little
bit silly, quite frankly. You know, like if my brother was upset with me for not being there
on his birthday, I would tell him to go fuck himself. Like, that's absolutely not happening.
So, and I understand that there's a tradition, blah, blah, blah.
But these are kind of, they sound like childlike traditions that you're not necessarily going
to take into your adult life.
So I think it would behoove you to have a third party involved with your husband to
kind of lay that out for him so you're not the enemy because you're clearly just coming
from a very reasonable place.
Yeah, I agree.
And, you know, I think the goal would be to figure out when you're with this family, how to best engage. And also, like, what is the ratio? Is it one and four that you attend of these family parties? Is it a couple times a year? You know, what sort of makes sense for their family? But also one thing I would recommend when you do have to go to these is have something outside of just conversation. That's something you can do together. Chelsea's going to hate this. But whether it's a game or, dare I say,
say a puzzle. A puzzle is something everybody can be working on. You can talk. You can not talk,
but you have something to do that's like communal. And like it kind of just like helps smooth over some
stuff. So having something that's outside of yourselves that's like a little project or a game or
something can help take the pressure off of like, damn, these people are really boring or like
unpleasant to be around. And I also think, yeah, those are good ideas. And I mean, there's not a lot
talking that goes on with a puzzle anyway, so that's kind of perfect. But I also think the way you
introduce this subject to your partner, like introducing the idea of like, listen, I really,
you guys are kind of planning to be together for life, right? Like, that's what we're talking about.
Like, and this is your, this is a concern of yours. Like, if you say, hey, listen, I really want to
make this work with us. Like, what's the best way for us to move forward? And actually maybe let's
get another, like a third party involved, like a couple's therapist, just to talk about the family
stuff because I think that's our only area that we really need to work on. And I don't want to
impose or insert myself in any way that's inappropriate, but I do need you to hear me. And I do
want to figure out the best way to move forward. And so that I'm protected and that you're also getting
to spend quality time with your family. You know what I mean? You could just introduce the whole thing
in the most loving way.
And, you know, the real key is to always go to a therapist before you have the problem.
You know, so you can kind of frame it like that.
Like before it becomes a big issue, let's figure out the best way we're going to deal with it.
Do you feel comfortable doing something like that?
Yeah, definitely.
We have talked about going to therapy and he is open to the idea.
Oh, great.
Great.
So then there you go.
Then that's what you do.
That's your next step.
Okay.
Or you can bring him on this show and, you know, we can talk to him and see how that goes.
We always welcome couples.
Yes, for sure.
But, yeah, so that sounds good.
And good luck with everything.
Keep us posted.
Let us give us a report back.
We love those.
All right.
We'll do.
Thank you so much.
Thanks, Mia.
Thank you.
Thanks, Mia.
All right.
Dave, have you ever worn headphones before?
Are you trying not to mess up your hair?
What is going on over there?
We can take them off now.
We can take them off?
Yeah.
It's over.
It's over.
Chelsea, you are, both of you guys are very good at this.
Oh, you did great too.
You did great.
You were great.
No, but like, it's, it's tough, like, giving advice because this is people's real lives.
And, like, you don't want to send them off in the wrong direction and say, do something that's going to blow up their relationship.
But, like, that was really tender and nice.
Oh, well, thank you.
Thank you.
You guys, you can see idiots.
It's in theaters tomorrow.
It's real fucking funny.
So, if you want to reprieve from the world that we're living in, please go and see it.
You can also catch Dave in the disaster artist, the studio, together.
Now You See Me, Franchise and Neighbors.
And also, you have a new movie, Forgotten Island that's coming out.
That's right.
Right, a Filipino story.
Oh, yeah.
Are you Filipino now?
No.
It's basically me, Jenny Slate and all the Filipinos.
Let's go.
Just joke away in it?
He's an ex.
Oh, my.
Yeah.
What are the chances?
Oh, my God.
But it's a beautiful, beautiful movie.
I'm, like, so proud to be in this one.
Oh, that's, oh, that's,
Awesome. I love it. So what's your relationship to all the Filipinos in the movie?
You know, so it's an animated movie. I play a wear dog. It's kind of like a werewolf, but the dog version.
So I'm just like a little creature on this island. Okay. Well, hopefully they'll be able to feature your eyelashes.
Thank you, Dave Franco. You've been such a pleasure. Thank you guys. That was awesome.
If you want advice from Chelsea, write into Dear Chelsea podcast at gmail.com.
Dear Chelsea is a production of iHeartMedia. Follow Chelsea on
all socials at Chelsea Handler and find Catherine on TikTok at Flashcadabra.
Dear Chelsea is edited and engineered by Brandon Dickert, executive producer Catherine Law.
Find full video episodes and minisodes now on Netflix and get tickets to see Chelsea Live
at Chelsea Handler.com.
Hey, this is Hayes Davenport.
And Sean Clements.
We host the podcast, Hollywood Handbook.
Each week, we talk to someone in show business and try to help them with their careers
and see what they have to offer us.
Everyone has a good time and no one gets mad at their publicists for letting them
do our show. We've had a lot of great guests like Sarah Sherman, Adam Scott, Danny McBride,
Ben Stillard, and a lot of other big shots that wouldn't be where they are without us.
Listen to Hollywood Handbook on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
You gave everything you could give, and now it's time to take the next step.
Hey, it's Emily Tish Sussman, and this season on She Pivots, the podcast where women share bold
career moves and personal turning points. I sit down with culture-shifting women who share
their pivots like Elizabeth Smart.
I still feel that drive that I can still make a difference, so I'm going to keep going.
And feminist legend, Gloria Steinem.
All of us were trying to express women's real lives.
Listen to She Pivots on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
On Big Lives, we take a single cultural icon.
People like Jane Fonda, George Michael, Little Richard.
And we pull apart the story behind the image.
Discovering forgotten interviews that changed exactly how we've seen.
see these giants of our culture.
We're here for the messy, the brilliant,
the human version of our heroes.
I'm Emmanuel Jochi. I'm Kai Wright.
And this is Big Lives.
Listen to Big Lives on the IHeart Radio app,
Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Did you think you were the only one?
Like, no matter what you did,
it was never good enough for your mother.
I'm Jennifer Arnese, and this is the Black Mother Woon podcast,
where we unpack and heal
from the very first relationship that shaped us.
We rush to accommodate other people when we have been hurt and our hurt has not been healed.
Listen to the Black Mother Wound podcast from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcast.
This is an IHeart podcast.
Guaranteed Human.
