Dinner’s on Me with Jesse Tyler Ferguson - D'Arcy Carden – on Almost Giving Up Acting Before ‘The Good Place’

Episode Date: July 14, 2026

'The Five Star Weekend’ star D'Arcy Carden joins the show. Over BBQ black cod and baby beet salad, D’Arcy tells me about choosing roles that scare her after ‘The Good Place,’ like ‘A League of Their Own’ and ‘The Five Star Weekend.’ Plus, we get into her early career in New York City – juggling nanny jobs (including for a former SNL star), comedy shows at UCB, and a fascinating gig that combined live theater and transit.This episode was recorded at Wife and the Somm in Glassell Park, Los Angeles.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Yeah. That's not going to happen, but you're okay. And then, like, isn't this so annoying that, like, a month later, I got the good place? This is Dinner's on Me, and I'm your host, Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Today I'm at Wife and the Somme in Glassell Park. It's a charming neighborhood bistro, and as the name suggests, a great spot for anyone who appreciates a good glass of wine. They have a Somalié here who will be on hand to guide you toward your perfect pore.

Now, that said, you absolutely do not need to be a wine drinker to come here because the food is absolutely phenomenal. The barbecue black cod, the tender Spanish octopus, seasonal dishes that feel like they belong on a tasting menu. There's also a salad here that honestly looks like it's edible art. Baby beets with goat cheese, candied pistachios, wildflower blossoms. It's absolutely gorgeous. And also, I'm so excited to be here.

This feels like a full circle moment. We actually took our very first show photos here. The ones you see when you click on the show. Those photos were taken right here at Wife and the Somme. Okay, Darcy should be walking in any minute. And she's a, oh, there she is. right behind that tree. All right, let's get to the conversation. Okay, let's do it.

Hi. Hi. Do you live in this area? You live on the east side. I live in Los Felis. Yeah, and are you near Kristen and Dax? Yeah, we are. Okay.

I could throw a, what did Kristen say? She's like, I'm going to come spit on your front door. She's like, we're so close. Yeah, we're like kind of around the corner. That's our, is that? They're very aggressive neighbors. I'm going to come spit on your front door. She's like, I'm going to throw an egg on your front door.

I'm like, chill out, you little pipsque. Kristen was one of my first guests on this podcast. Yay. Yeah. Where did you guys go, do you ever? Oh, perfect. Yeah, just down the street from her. And honestly, this restaurant is full circle for me.

Because you're like episode like 150 something. Thank you. Yeah, yeah. But this is exciting because I did the cover art shoot for my podcast right where you're sitting. What the heck? Yes. I want to see it. So is this like a fave place of yours? Well, I came here for the first time when we shot the cover art.

And then, yeah, and then we've been meaning to come back. Look, that's, I mean... I know this picture so well. Yeah, you're sitting there. That's the move. Oh, my God, wait, hold on. She'll recreate it. There you are.

Boom, done. And when we do a spin-off, we've just captured that. Okay, great. It'll be you. Easy. We'll pop you in. Hi. Hello.

My name's Jimmy. I'll be taking care of you. Thanks, Jim. For water, I filter tap or bottles of sparkling. Sparkling are flat. What do you think? I'm going to go flat so that I don't burp on microphone.

I just had some sparkling. Yes. I love sparkling. but every time I do a podcast and I do a sparkling, I regret it. Yeah. I'll do still too. Yeah. Make it easy.

Yeah. Did you just finish your show, your play? I kind of did. How long ago? Three weeks ago. Are you just like coming up for air? Yes, but I leave tomorrow for London. Just so you know, we're going to have some beautiful roasted baby beets with a little goat cheese as boomo,

which is kind of like a little whipped goat cheese. A beet vinegarette. some toasted pistachios and their candied as well, and then a little wildflower and local basil. Cool. Wonderful. So we're going to start with that, and then a little tuna tartar as well with a little green goddess,

a little crispy and braids salsafi, also little wildflowers and onion ash. We love flowers here. Yeah, okay. And ash. A little onion ash. Yeah, a little onion ash, you know, I know. Sounds bad, but I bet it'll be good.

It's good. You're setting our expectations low. I'll have the onion ash. Why don't do ash? No, that sounds great. I don't do that. Oh, gosh, sorry. It would be a pest.

Wouldn't it be so funny if you had a guest on that was like, I'm good? Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, I'm not for me, none for me. I'm false. I already. You'll barely taste the ass. No, no, I can't wait for the ad. Okay, we were talking about your show.

The True Maker Potty show, yeah, that's closed. I have just come up for air. It was a lot of fun. I want to try and figure out how to do it here in LA. Good, good, good. Because I was, I want to see it. It was quick. It was fast.

Yeah, it was like 11 weeks. Oh, my God. It looks gorgeous. It's very ashy, I like you. We get a little more ash. This is a beautiful glass of Shenan Blanc from summer. Mommy like you. Oh, I do like you.

Yeah. Thank you. Okay. Compliment your tuna and beats. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Okay. So it was a very small theater, really intimate, like the audience up against you basically.

Yes. This is wild. That sounds really incredible and like brave, honestly. It's, I wanted to do something. It's scared me. It's very hard to find things that feel different than what I've done. I feel like you must feel the same way having done something like the good place where you're playing a very specific type of character.

I'm sure like everything you got after that was just like a version of that and probably not as good. Right. Totally. I know it's like you really have to take the initiative to then like counter program. Which is like, you know, before the good place, every, I mean, I'm, I'm such a struggling actor, you know, like in my heart. And before the good place, I was booking, like, nothing. So to go from the good place to then even having the thought of like, oh, I should not do something similar to this after.

It was like such a new thought. Because before it was like anything. Anything. Anything. Any opportunity. Yeah. Oh, yeah. For sure.

So it was like. I still have to tell myself not to do that, by the way. You mean to just take everything? Yeah, because I'm wired that way. Totally, me too. Especially coming from the theater world, but it's like, you know, every opportunity is something that's just going to give you more information

on this career. I know. I know. That's so true, yeah. And also, I think you're like me, which is that you just love acting. Mm-hmm. Right?

Like, you just want to do it. Yeah. So sometimes you have to be, like, it is a weird, new thing for me to have to be like, yeah, to have to say no to say. It's going to be a, past doll. Yeah, right?

I hate that. But I really appreciate it and I'm so grateful. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, totally, totally, totally. Even when it's shitty. I know. Yeah, doing things that scare me is definitely Yeah, that's kind of my favorite new thing too.

I think that was like the thing I did after The Good Place was League of Their Own. Yes. And it was like such a different character and kind of scary to me. She was so confident and sexy and not my wheelhouse. And it ended up being so fulfilling and enjoyable that I was like, okay, remember this. Like, you were scared to do this and it was great.

And it worked out. So let's keep doing that. Yeah. Which is then the doing the Thanksgiving play was the same thing. You know, you started, but you were a theater kid before. Totally. Theater kid, theater major, moved to New York to do theater. But then.

Musical theater specifically, right? I think he talks about this. When you first moved to New York, you came, you wanted to, like, that was your goal, break into musical theater. I had just done, like, I went straight after college, but I, like, in Ashland, Oregon, which is, like, the Shakespeare capital of the world.

And, um, of the world. England's like, hello. Literally the old club, it's like, um, I don't know about the world. I have an issue with that. And that's my, that, by the way, yeah, I know I disappeared for a moment. It's me.

Wait, hold on. I know, I know. Am I drunk? I might be Meryl Street with these axes, yeah. But I, okay, so I had done a bunch of, I want to call it Summerstock, but let's just say, like, plays in the summer with a bunch of NYU and, like, Broadway, New York actors. They would probably people you know, would, like, come to the Bay Area and we do these shows, and they were, like, a few years older than me.

So I was like, honestly, after this, we'll go through the people. I bet you, like, know them all. Probably. Honestly. And so I was like, well, I do shows with them. So I'm about to go to New York and be on stage with them. And it was like, no, no. These are the most talented people I had ever worked with.

And they were like second guy from the left in the back of like a Broadway show. If they were lucky. Yes. And I was like, okay, so this is going to be hard. Yeah. Which I knew. You know. Yes.

But it really was. You know. Did you go to open calls? Yeah. Like you would get backstage magazines. Yes. What was right for you, remember? Remember?

And were you non-union? I was non-union. So you would go... Yeah, I was non-union. Yes. So I would go and like line up outside the equity building. And I remember like lining up for something

and not even like making it to the front and it was very disheartening. Because if they were done for the day and they didn't get to you there, it's like, oh, we're going to leave. Yeah. I was going to understudy one of the roles. But what I really got was that I was going to sell merch.

It went from like, you know, you didn't get the role you audition for, but we'd like you to understudy this other smaller role but on the other days will you sell merch? And sell merch. And I did it. And I did it. Yeah.

Yeah, because I was. But also wasn't, for you was there, I know, I felt this way. Just being in the walls and the theater felt important to me. Totally. And I, at that point, had no ego in the game. Like, I was like, I don't care. Yeah. And I'm with you.

Like, I didn't feel like, it's funny thinking back on it. Wow, I went from auditioning for this, like, lead, getting a callback, getting an end. And then merch. But it was such a. But it was such. Still also an understudy? Yes, but I think I went on one time. You still went on?

Right, right, right. Who sold the merch that night? No merch, this is a sign, off duty, like an off duty sign. They held auditions for the merch person that night. But it was, yeah, but at the time I was like, I get to come into the theater early. And, like, you know, it felt really. Yeah, like I got right in the building. Talk to the actors.

Totally. I don't know if you felt this way, but also when I was struggling for, you know, struggling, let's say, for the whole time I was in New York. You know, never made a dollar. Not true, but like really, you know, never. Through acting, it was like few and far between that I would get a dollar for doing that. But I, like, loved it. I was very aware of how happy I was.

And I remember, like, sort of being able to see not the future of, like, where my life would go, but sort of, like, when you're older, you will look back on this time as being, like, so wild and fun and free. and you're like drunk at a diner with your best friends after doing a late night show at three in the morning. You know what I mean? Nine people came to. Yes, and it was like, it really was a wonderful time in my life that I like only look at fondly.

Yeah, same. Now for a quick break, but don't go away. When we come back, Darcy looks back on her years in New York City comedy and the unexpected mindset shift that happened right before the good place came along. Okay, be right back. You know those meals that just immediately take you somewhere? Like you take one bite and suddenly you're transported to a backyard. Someone's manning the friar and everyone's waiting for a taste.

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Brand New Day In theaters July 31st And we're back with more dinners on me Here Come about what's in here So Strotta Pretti is the noodle. It's kind of like a little pretzel twist almost. It does. And then

it's got a cacciatore sauce so it's carrots, onions, celery, garlic, fennel, tomatoes, slowly cooked, then toss with that pasta, tap with some grated parmesan, uh, and then a little bit of pepper and Sicilian olive sauce. Damn. Yeah, it's really good. Simple, but like really delicious. Yeah, thank you.

Please enjoy it. It's complex. Yes, it does. Good word for it. So wait, when did you decide to like leave New York and come to L.A. Did a job bring you here? It was a husband's job. Oh, good. He was working at... So he pulls his way?

He pulls his way. Okay, good. He was working at S&L doing, like, the digital shorts. Hmm. So his life was also very fun, like, thinking back on it now, it's like, he would, like, leave our apartment on Wednesday and, like, come back on Saturday morning. Right. And then we'd, like, sleep all day, getting ready for the show that night because it starts at 11.

Did you go to a lot of SNL typeings? So fun. So many. That was like our life for like two years. That's so exciting. Which was so fun. Did you ever want to be on that show? I did want to be on it when I lived there.

Uh-huh. And doing UCB stuff, it was like such a direct path sort of. Sure. Yeah. I mean, Amy Poller started UCB, right? And then, hello. Right, I know. We wish we had more food.

Well, that's exactly what we were thinking. We're just about to say it. I'm going to do a little more tuna. Yeah, take a little more tuna. Here, I'll take that last thing. Yeah, I take that last little bit there. And here we have some beautiful black cod. I saw this on the menu.

It's barbecue. It's kind of like an Asian barbecue where it's a little sweet, a little savory. So that's gonna be marinated in that. And then it's kind of finished on our broilers. So you get a nice little sear on the outside. It's got a crispy Thai rice salad at the bottom, fresh basil, Thai basil,

Thai basil, cilantro, and those are Satsuma, mandarin oranges. So nice texture, nice sweet, nice sweet, It's a fun, fresh, really delicious dish. Thank you. It's incredible. Of course. Give me. Give it.

Yeah, so I did. That was sort of maybe like, in a way, one of my biggest dreams. But also, I can imagine. Also, like, I couldn't even have. It was almost like the dream was too big for me to even name it. Like, I think at the time, if you said, do you want to be on us and L, I'd be like, no. do, no.

It's like, so being in the comedy scene in New York, it's very easy to submit a tape, you know, to submit a tape for an audition. That doesn't mean you'll get an audition, but like every year it would be like time to submit the tapes and everyone would submit a tape. And I never did it. I just always made up a reason why I wasn't ready or would do it next year or it was really like a self. Or if it came to in a different way. Yeah. Like they asked you to come in.

Yeah, it was a little like self-sabotagey. Were you at this point working for Bill Hader? No. Had you already worked with him? We, because I know you nannied for him, right? I nannied for Bill. Well, I was babysitting for him. If S&L had come to me and be like, we want you to be on the show, I would have jumped for joy.

Yeah. But I wasn't like actively, I wasn't, I was like so focused on UCB stuff. Right. I didn't have like the business brain. I didn't know how to like take that step. It was like, I have a show on Friday night I got to prepare for or whatever. Do you think you would have been good on SNL? Because it's not for everyone.

Right. And what I've, I always wanted to do it as well, just because I like the idea, first of all, steady jobs. And they got to be funny. And then they also got paid well and they were, you know, famous. Yeah. But like, I didn't get paid that well. They didn't get paid. You're right.

No, but better than babysitting. Yeah. But, you know, I'm very close with Rachel Dratts and Anna Gassire and Amy Polar. And like, all of them have different stories. There's a common thread of how hard it was to be on that show. So many of my UCB friends became writers and some cast members. And now at this point, you know, like having worked with Bill and Maya and Will Forte and some like really amazing UCB people, S&L people, it is like such an interesting mix

of hardest thing I've ever done, best thing I've ever done. Wouldn't go back best memories of my life. You know, like like constant anxiety, big things. thrill. Like it was such a I think it was it's not easy for anyone, but it's like, it's magic. Yeah. And would I have been good at it? I think I

would have been, yeah, I mean, not to like, I would have, but I think I made up, made for it. Like, meaning I think I could have handled it. Okay, so you came to L.A. because Jason got work here. Oh yeah, Jason got, he got hired as a producer at Funny or Die. Oh, okay.

I'm aware. I'm, I'm, he wasn't there for, He was probably there for like four years. I bet you guys like worked together. We might have. I bet he came home and he was like, guess who I'm working with? He's a nightmare. No, no, no, no.

It was like, you know, it was so exciting to, even though we had come from Mass & L, it was really exciting that every week it was like a new celebrity. You know who I was most excited about more than anyone else he ever worked with? Mary Lou Hennar. Oh, shit. I was like so, I came to set. I was that, like, excited. Why were you so excited about Mary Lou?

I mean, she's incredible. She's amazing. Yeah. I don't know why this happened. But when I was in, like, sixth grade, we had a book report to read an autobiography of a famous person, and I chose Mary Lou Hennar. How interesting.

And people chose, like, Abraham Lincoln. Like, people chose, like... By the way, rookie mistake. Boring. I know. I got to read about, like, you know, a sexy flirting with John Travolta. Like, it was great. It was such a fun reading.

Totally. I think my mom had like just read it and I was like, I'll try this. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But anyway, so she's sort of imprinted on me at a young age. And she, and my, Jason told her, he was like, Darcy did a book report on you when she was, you know, in junior high. And she was like, oh, she was definitely like, did you know? Like she loved it. She's like, what was your favorite part?

She was great. I love that. Yeah. Okay. Okay. So you moved to L.A. I moved to L.A. This is like 2013.

Now, and now, tell me about the struggle here. Uh-huh. Because it was still a while before. That is almost what makes me think, like, it would be easier to struggle in New York. Okay. As I talk with a mouthful. But at this point, were you married? Mm-hmm.

Okay. Married? You and Jason got married. And I had been on a couple episodes of Broad City. Right. Wait. Yeah. Oh, God, I love Broad City so much.

Those girls. And I came up with those girls at NUCB. Okay. Like from, like, Class 1. Yeah. Right. I was probably in like one or two episodes of season, which was huge for me. And in a way, like, changed everything, even though it wasn't...

Just for visibility. Yeah. And in fact, when I got the good place at my test, like, meaning my last audition, Mike Scher and Drew Goddard brought up... An episode had aired the night before. And they were like, great job in the show last night. Or in Broad City. I was like, oh, that's huge for me, you know?

because otherwise I would be like, who the hell are you? Right. Yeah, but I was really struggling, and it's more TV and movie based out here, obviously. So there's, like, it's more in your face that you're not doing well when you're not doing well, if that makes sense. In New York, I mean, there's shows. I mean, there's theater on every block, but it's like, in L.A., if you're not on TV or in movies. What are you doing? Yeah.

It's really, like, you are. very aimless. Well, yeah, I mean, in New York's such a great city to just, like, be sort of stagnant in. You kind of can have a community anywhere. Yes. The restaurant you're a waiter at. Like, in my time in L.A., I was probably here for three years before I got the good place, which in the grand scheme isn't that long, but imagine also 10 years in New York. Yeah. So I was sort of like, okay, I missed it. I missed my opportunity. Maybe it was an S&L audition I didn't do five years ago. You know, like I, something along the way I missed my little exit lane. Yeah.

And so now what? So now, okay, I have to like learn how to love writing because that seeming to, I keep getting jobs like in that world. I am going to teach improv. I love doing that. I'm going to keep performing at UCB. I love that. And then I was kind of like, wait a second, this is great. Jason will make money.

I'll figure out how to make money in other little ways. I'm making money too as a writer. And it just was like a shift where all of a sudden it was like, you know what? this is okay. You're still doing what you love. It's just not what you dreamed about. You're not Megan Malawi. You know what I mean?

Right. Like, or whatever. You're not, you know, you're not in some like amazing ensemble. Whatever, whatever your dream was. Yeah. That's not going to happen. But you're okay. And I really felt like that.

It was like kind of amazing. And I told Jason and then like, isn't this so annoying that like a month later I got the good place? That's how it happens. That's how they always say even with relationships like stop. looking for it, it'll happen. You know, it's like, please. I know. But that is sometimes.

I mean, not, it's like, it does make sense. Yeah. I'm sure everything makes sense. Something energetically is happening differently. Yeah. Yeah. Let go. Let God.

And also, you know, it's like, the life of an actor is so desperate and we're so like, like, love me. And the second you can kind of like let go of that is maybe when you're more attractive. Now let's take a quick break, but don't go away. When we come back, Darcy tells me why filming her new series, Star Weekend in Nantucket turned into one of the happiest experiences of her career, and the full circle journey from babysitting for Bill Hader to sharing the screen with him. Okay, be right back.

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Adventure and comfort with Volvo. Whether you prefer gas, plug-in hybrid, or fully electric, there's a Volvo for everyone. Learn more at VolvoCars.a. And we're back with more dinners on me. It's so interesting because, like, with, and I've talked about this before, but, you know, I remember desperately wanting certain jobs and sometimes getting him, sometimes not getting And with the job that, like, ended up being this thing that really changed my life, modern family, it was, even though I knew it was the best thing I'd read in years,

I did go into that audition. I don't know how I did this, but I was like, eh, if it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen. And Ty Borell remembers me, like, being in the waiting room and he was, like, pacing. And he was like, you know, at this point, like, tested for, like, three times. And the studio had rejected it. He was like, he had a rough process of getting into the show. And I was like literally reading the arts and leisure section of the New York Times. And like with my sides, like on the chair next to me.

Like, it'll have it all right. And then I walked in. I put the paper down and walked in, went in. I mean, so it's interesting because it's like, so that proves our point that it's like, um, the sort of appeal of not caring. But then also on the other hand, it's like, Ty was caring so much. Yeah. He was putting in the work and he was like, you know, so I guess it can work either way. It can.

I mean, he ended up obviously getting a job. Totally. And it wasn't like I was, I desperately wanted. I was so excited to get it. But there was something where I was like if this doesn't happen, I really feel like it's okay. I had a similar thing with The Good Place, which was you had already had success on TV, right?

I had, yeah. And I hadn't, other than Broad City, which is truly a handful of episodes. But that's not success. That's my friends being like, here you go. Right, right, right. But it was like, I knew I wasn't going to get it. It was the same for me.

It was like the best writing. I'm like, if I could map out my dream job, it would be a Mike Scher show with fucking Ted Danson and Kristen Bell. You know what I mean? It was like perfect, but I knew I wouldn't get it because there was no way I would get it

because it would go to somebody famous and there's just no chance in the world I was going to get it. So that was kind of freeing. And then I had this thought where I was like, just do a good job in the audition and make him laugh and have him cast you as like

the bus driver. in episode five or whatever the hell. Like just, you know what I mean? Like, like, make him remember you in that way. Yeah. So that was like my goal was just like, like, obviously you're not going to get this role, but maybe you'll get like a little bit part in season two. Yeah.

I mean, just leaves the room feeling like you didn't. Yeah. Like you left a good impression. Yeah. And every time I left the room, whatever it was, three or four auditions, I was like, ooh, that felt great. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And you got it. And you got it. Well, well, I got it. Well, I got it. I got to, I felt very fancy because I got a link to watch Five Star Weekend.

I did. Have you seen it? That is so fancy. I've seen it. Yeah. Have you seen all of it? Mm-hmm. I've only seen the first two episodes.

I've seen all of it. It's really, it's really fun. It's really fun. Yeah. No, thanks for watching it. Yeah, I really liked it. When this comes out, you can watch it right now on Peacock. Peacock.

Yeah. Peacock. Peacock. Peacock. Did you read the book that it was based? I did. Had you already read it before? I hadn't read it, but my older

sister, it was like, it's like one of her favorite books. And in fact, when I FaceTime to tell her I got it, she was like, hold on. And she like reached down to her coffee table and she was like, oh my god. She's like, this is my book. She's read it multiple times. She like makes her friends read it. Wow. Um, so I started reading it right like, you know, that day. Yeah. And it was kind of wild to, I started reading it that day. Don't know why I said that twice. Let's say one more time. And I started reading it that day. And then, you know, we're going to use that one. but I was the last one cast

and I was cast like maybe three days before we started shooting Oh wow Is that right? A Tuesday to a Friday? Yeah, yeah So I was reading it as I was reading the scripts And they were like different enough

That I was like, woo! What is your character? I didn't read the book yet But what is your character like in the book? She's really similar. She's like maybe a little more a little

like a little what's the word she's so sweet she's like a little struggles a little more socially okay I mean I get that you get that good yeah she's like really she seems like a little bit of the black sheep

she's totally the black sheep she's like cannot believe she's invited yeah and again for those if you haven't watched it's it's um it's Jennifer Garner plays Hollis Shaw who's kind of like a food like food celebrity she's like

celebrity She's like Chrissy Tygan Oh, didn't know. Didn't know. Thank you for that. Yeah, a little Allison. Oh. Allison Roman.

Yes. A little Ina. A little Ina. Yeah. A little this, little that. A little that. A little that. A little that.

A little Tygian. Sure. And she is and she is having a weekend at Hernandezucket House with her with her, like, best friends from every era of her life. Childhood, Chloe 70,

college, Regina Hall. mom era, me, and then a new friend, Gemma Chan. Also, this cast. This cast. And again, this cast was cast when I was cast. So I know I'm like auditioning for this thing being like, oh, I want this so bad. Also, it was like, it shoots for a month in Nantucket. And I was like, shoots in L.A.

down the street from my house. And in Nantucket, I was like, this is too good. This is too good. And yeah, so my character is sort of like, can't believe she was even invited, which I guess is how I felt. And I never really thought about that until right now. Like, I couldn't believe I was, aw. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, totally.

I don't know. It's a really fun ensemble piece. I mean, it's, I think a testament to, like, you is a very versatile actress that you can, you know, be a fun ingredient, like several different types of groups. Thank you. That's so nice. You know, to league of their own and, like, you know. And now this, it's really a great ensemble. Thanks. That's such a nice compliment and kind of like my favorite thing about what we get to do.

Yeah. You know, it goes right into like the little kid summer camp or just like the little kid school play feeling of just like getting to get super close with a group of people for like an amount of time. And it's just I love it. You said you shot it for a month? We shot it in Antucket for a month, but here for three months. Okay. It was like my whole summer. Oh, got it.

Yeah, June to October. Wow, what a dream. It was great. It was so great. It was like, you know, does this make sense when I'm like, it was a good day at work every day? Yeah. Like it was not a struggle. There was like, we all had to cry a lot more than we thought we would. Yeah.

But that aside, which actually is fun. Yeah. But it was not, it was like a very pleasant time. We loved it. I'm also really just so happy that you have gotten to show such range and like such a, like, such a, like, consolidated amount of time from the good place to like their own to this

um is there is there something that you feel like people don't know I can do this but I can't I mean obviously like you have never like gotten to do a musical but I would be something but like Shakespeare maybe I mean it is when I think of like what you know what I would want to do it is in that world

yeah um and then I think like it's not even I think it's because of my time at UCB doing sketch and improv. I'll get it. Yeah, let me get that.

Go ahead and patch them in. We have a question for caller. Oh, I'm excited. We're trying this new thing. We're taking a gun. Yeah. Do we have a question for Darcy? Oh, it's Judy Kerr.

I, you know, getting to do one trillion different characters every night or whatever is, I really do have like the hunger to kind of do the opposite of whatever I've just done. You know, so, like, a horror movie. Yeah.

Like a period piece. Like, Shakespeare, you know, an action movie. Yeah. Yeah. Is Judy. Judy. Hey, Judy, we actually don't need you. Tell Judy that it was just a joke.

Yeah. She's so persistent. She just doesn't get it. She doesn't get it. Yeah. That's why she's not here. That's right. She's actually been on the podcast.

Yeah. She wasn't available today. She likes to make it about herself. She heard you were coming on. She's like, I want to come back again. Isn't it a funny? After shooting with her, I read her book. Oh, yeah.

Isn't it a funny thing to like, I mean, to know people that have written books about their lives? And then you get to know them in such a, like, deeper way. I know. Jeff Hiller or. I did Jeff Heller is a great example. Yeah. Yeah. I just read the, I don't know her well, but like I've met her, the Lena Dunham book.

Yeah, I'm reading it right now. You know, and I was such a fan of the series girls. And I think it's, like, perfect. And to like know, like, all this stuff that was happening, you know, to her personally, like, while that was happening. I was like, wow, how did she thread all that personal life through, you know, this experience of girls? But, you know, it's remarkable. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. It's just, it's if, and when I told Judy I was going to read her book, she was like, no, not yet. She's like, wait until we're done. Oh, yeah. You know, which I was like, oh, yeah, I get that. I think, that I hung on to. Yeah. Or that she felt like that she was maybe like nervous to like have you read?

You know it's funny like there wasn't it's such an enjoyable, it's such a great book and it's like so funny and she's so charming and just like I think she was just like it'll be too much. Yeah. If we're like together every day and you're because in Nantucketka, it was a lot of like hang time. Sure. We were hanging. Yeah, you don't want someone going home and then reading a book and then reading a book. Yeah, exactly. It's like too intimate.

I guess it's all too much. Yeah. She's like, wait until we're back. on land. Yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure, for sure. You, more than anyone I know has, like, worked with the same people over and over in, like, different... Different... Different iterations. Yeah, that's true.

Like Abby, Jacobson, and Alana Glazer of Broad City, and then then you did... Ligon with Abby. With Abby, and then Ted Danson, and you did the Good Place, and then you did an episode of... Man on the Inside. Kristen, Bell, and you have worked together several times. Yeah. My Rudolph on The Good Place,

and then on Lute. Yeah. I love it. Yeah. I love it. I mean, that's, that, that is so fun to get to, reunite with us people, yeah. Like, I want to do that forever. Yeah. You know? Yeah.

God. But all the people you work with, I'm like, there are people I want to work with them. I know. I want you to work with that too. Thanks. I mean, I lucked out with some of these ensembles in such an insane way.

Yeah. Like, you know, thinking of the Barry ensemble, getting to like, I talked to Henry yesterday. Even that, like having babysat for, you know, for Bill? For Bill. And then being on a show with him. I know.

I mean, that, you know. That's wild. That was like. My babysitter never hired me. And he could have. He could have. He's a damn screenwriter. But, you know, that was such, like, it was so,

Bill really, it's like beyond nice. You know what I mean? I was about to say that's so nice of him. It was like so, the words can't even. He really was like, like, Like, I don't know, we'd worked together for so long, you know, babysitter to daddy. Yeah. That's what they call it.

Yeah, babysitter to daddy. That's what's most comfortable usually for the family. Totally. Hey, daddy. Hey, daddy. Hey, mommy. And we just like, I don't know how to say this other than we like, we didn't go there. Do you know what I mean?

Yeah. Yeah. Well, I guess I should say. Meaning. Let me specify. Let me actually. Meaning we just like, you know, I never. I never was like, would love to be considered.

It was like, God, would never, ever, ever do that. Right, right, right. And so when he, and he had told me so much about Barry over, like, the year, you know, because they'd been working on it for so long, and I knew this story and it sounded so great. And I guess just never even had the thought of, like, maybe there's a role for me. Just didn't even think it. It was, again, like, don't let your, I mean, I just didn't even think it. Because also, he's a type of guy that would have said it.

He would have been like, I wrote your role or whatever. Right. the audition came along, I had the instincts to tell him like, oh, you don't need to do this. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Like, this will just be awkward. Like, you felt like he was almost throwing you. Yeah, or maybe he didn't know or something.

Like, you know, when the audition came my way, I was kind of like, oh, God, this is going to be awkward. Right. Did you also feel like, what if I, like, bomb or don't put it? Yeah, yeah. That's weird for me. But then also similarly, it was like, I knew it was going to be a lot of improv in the audition.

And the script was so good that I was like, well, at least this will be very fun. Yeah. And it was. I mean, it was just like... When you were on set, did he, like, keep talking about how you used to be his kid's babysitter? I mean, we definitely talked, like, everybody knew. Yeah.

Also, I'm so close with his girls that I would tell stories about them the way you would tell stories about, like, your nieces or whatever. So, you know, he would be like, oh, when, you know, like, the tooth fairy, and I'd, like, finished the story. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, like, we really were... I'd been babysitting for them for so long. We were, like, family, you know? Yeah. Anyway, he really changed my life, and it was just so special that we, like, got to do that together.

I can't believe I got to do that. It's such an amazing show. And he actually, in a family sort of way, he gets really, like, gooey about it, where he's like, you know, he's like, a few years ago you were doing this and now you're doing this. Like, when I got the Emmy nomination, I do think that was one of, like, the sweetest text was from him, where he was, like, look at this. Like, take stock and what, like, what has happened. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It was really nice. It's good to have those people in her.

I know. I know. That's very lucky. Yeah. Speaking of random jobs. Oh, yeah. So many random jobs. There's something about an interactive theater on a bus in New York. Yes.

The ride. Bus ride. No, it was called The Ride. Oh, I've seen it. Yeah, you've seen it. Is this the thing that like faces out? Yes. It's like, I think they call it, what kind of seating is that?

Stadium Stadium. It's like, instead of facing the bus driver, you're facing the street. You're facing the street. I get immediately nauseous. I know. I know. Can you imagine? If you like even like, if I even like look slightly to the left, I get, I want to bomb. I know. And now imagine like standing and being my back to, I mean, I don't know how we didn't.

Did anyone ever barf? Well, it was, this was during the UCB days. This is in New York. In New York. It didn't exist yet. It was like, it wasn't like I was auditioning to be on this bus that I'd seen around town. It was like, the description was sort of like an interactive show on a bus or whatever. And you were supposed to go with a pair, a male-female pair. So I went with my dear, great friend Tim Dunn, who we had done tons of improv and sketched together. So we did the audition, and it was like the director and the couple producers were great and cool and easy to talk to. And we just sort of sat down with them and they were like, we want you to do it. It was like one of those immediate things. And we said, will you let us like cast the rest of the

of these tour guides basically. Right. Because there needed to be a bunch of buses going, so there needed to be like 20 couples. Oh my God. And we were like, we know every funny person that you don't know that are the best improvisers in the world that are looking for jobs.

Like, let us just do this for you. And so we truly cast the entire thing. You were the cast structures of it as well. It was so fun. So to have all of our UCB people now get to do this. And the, like, I don't know how to explain it other than like tech rehearsals on a bus were so fun and we were getting paid

and it was like easy money easy fun until it like wasn't until we realized we were like what was the show though I remember seeing the buses go by and just seeing all these people here's what it was I was the couples were like um

we were dressed like little like 50s airline stewardesses what's the word air hostesses air hostesses you would say now you would say flight attendants and you of course you would say that Sophie called them when I have some fly with her. Plain waiters. Yes.

She couldn't think of the right words. Yes, she's right. Where is he a plane waiter? They're like, anything for you. Yeah, yeah. Flight attendant. And so we were sort of like, you know, telling the facts of New York. And what was the show?

I don't even remember what our relationship was. It was like a little flirty. It was like a little bit like, will they monta, a little like scientisty. Like, I don't know. We were like nerdy. But here's the funny thing is we would roll up to different parts of New York and there would be a planted actor on the street who was mics and we would talk to them.

So we would be like, you know, we would be in front of like Carnegie Hall or something and we'd be talking about Carnegie Hall. And then we'd be like, well, this looks, what is this person looking? Looks like they're lost. Sir, sir, sir, can, you know, like, can you tell us what you're doing? And he's like, I'm late for an audition. You know, and then would like break into song. No. Yes.

How did I never encounter one of these experiences? You probably were like This would be about 2010. Okay. So you were on modern family. I was not living in New York, but I do remember seeing the buses driving by when I would go back.

Yeah, because what's that? Totally. And it was up until a few years ago that you would still see them. Okay. But it was a funny situation because they overpaid us, meaning they just paid us

more than any of us were getting paid to do anything else. And then as maybe like as the tickets didn't sell that well or something. Even though it was running, running for years, they just kept docking our pay by, like, so much. We got to keep this thing afloat.

Yes. They'd just be like, and we were changed. How many years did you do it? Less than a year. Okay. Once it got under what I would make at a waiting table. So I was like, this is not worth it anymore. Yeah.

Because it was a little, it was a little. Demoralizing. Yeah. A lot of people you would know, like Matt Rogers did it and Arturo Kavana. Astro. Like all these, you know, all these people that you would recognize. I got to talk to that about that. I'm so happy you did this.

I'm so, I was so excited. I was so excited to see you. You do. You're just a joy. You are too. Thank you for having me. This is a pleasure. And also, I just love this podcast.

It's my coziest listen. Aw. It really is like, you know, wait, we're saying goodbye, and I'm like, let me tell you another story. When I'm shooting on location and I'm alone, I, you know, like if I'm in an apartment by myself for a month or something, I use podcasts to feel less lonely. Yeah, I get that. And this is the perfect one.

Oh. Because it's really, it feels like I'm hanging out with two friends. It does sort of feel like fly on the wall, which I like. Yeah, it's great. Yeah. Keep doing it, honey. Um, I adore you. And listen, dinner's on me.

Oh my. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, please, please, please, please. Take my global entry. Wonderful. This episode of Dinners on me was a, was a recorded at Wife and the Song in Glastell Park, Los Angeles. Next week, you know him from therapist, viral TikToks.

It's the internet sensation Jake Shane. We talk about the accidental video that changed his life and why validation is more complicated than people admit. And if you don't want to wait until next week to listen, you can download that episode right now by subscribing to Dinner's On Me Plus. As a subscriber, not only do you get access to new episodes one week early, you'll also be able to listen completely ad-free. Just click try-free at the top of the Dinners-On-Me show page

on Apple Podcasts to start your free trial today. Dinner's On Me is a production of Sony Music Entertainment and a kid named Beckett Productions. It's hosted by me, Jesse Tyler Ferguson. It's executive produced by me and Jonathan Hirsch. Our showrunner is Joanna Clay. Our associate producer is Alyssa Midcalf. Sam Bear engineered this episode.

Hansdale She composed our theme music. Our head of production is Sammy Allison. Special thanks to Tamika Balance Kalasni and Justin Makita. I'm Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Join me next week. Here at the Happiness Lab, we're serving up some hot takes for the summer. Big ideas that just might reshape how you think about your well-being. Like the radical notion that we should get rid of small talk completely.

We talk about current events. We talk about what you do for a living. But not do you love what you do for a living. Is this your dream job? For more surprising ideas, backed by Psychicic. psychological science, check out our new series, Happiness Hot Takes. Listen to the Happiness Lab with me, Dr. Lari Santos, wherever you get your podcasts.