Drama Queens - One Last Toast to One Tree Hill • Drama Queens Live From Wilmington

Episode Date: November 17, 2025

After nine seasons of One Tree Hill, countless behind-the-scenes stories, deep-dive character discussions, and years spent reconnecting with the show that shaped a generation, Sophia, Joy, and Rob gather for a heartfelt goodbye. Special guests Austin Nichols, Jana Kramer, and Tyler Hilton join the celebration as they reminisce about filming the show’s ending, share favorite memories, and raise a farewell cocktail to the fans who made it all possible. One last toast to Tree Hill. One last episode. Don’t miss this final goodbye.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. The best dates happen when someone really gets your vibe, your niche references, your hot takes, even your reality TV obsessions. That's why it's so exciting to be partnering with Bumble. Dating feels easier on Bumble with prompts that show off your personality, shared interests that help you find common ground, and verification that gives you peace of mind that you're meeting someone real. So if you're ready to meet someone who really gets you in your energy, Bumble is the perfect place to start. waiting for download bumble and start your love story she said johnny the kids didn't come home last night along the central texas plains teens are dying suicides that don't make sense strange accidents and brutal murders in what seems to be a plot ripped straight out of breaking bad drugs alcohol

trafficking of people there are people out there that absolutely know what happened listen to paper The Texas Teen Murders on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Robert Smith, and this is Jacob Goldstein, and we used to host a show called Planet Money. And now we're back making this new podcast called Business History about the best ideas and people and businesses in history. And some of the worst people, horrible ideas, and destructive companies in the history of business. First episode, How Southwest Airlines Use Cheap Seats and Free Whistle. to fight its way into the airline is. The most Texas story ever.

Listen to business history on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What do you get when you mix 1950s Hollywood, a Cuban musician with a dream, and one of the most iconic sitcoms of all time? You get Desi Arness. On the podcast star in Desi Arnaz and Wilmer Valderama, I'll take you in a journey to Desi's life, how he redefined American television, and what that meant for all of us watching from the sidelines, waiting for a few.

face like hours on screen. Listen to starring Desi Arnaz and Wilmer Valdarama on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. The Rich Russians Falling Out of Windows podcast is back. Sad Olegak Season 2. Since we left you in 2023 after season one, many politically motivated Russian millionaires have continued to die in suspicious circumstances. Season 2 gets very weird

Listen to Sad Olegak on the IHeart Radio app Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts First of all, you don't know me We're all about that high school drama girl All about them high school queens We'll take you for a ride in our comic girl Chearing for the right team Drama queens drama queens

Smart girl rough girl fashion but you're tough girl You could sit with us, girl Drama Queen, Drama Queen's, Drama Queen's, Drama Queen's, Drama Queen's. Welcome in to, apparently, I'm pretending it's not happening, the last episode of Drama Queens. This is the one occasion where I feel like a boo is appropriate and welcome. that was lovely way to be good sports how are you guys feeling i i feel i feel like i was gonna say nervous but it's not nerves it's just i'm melancholic and i'm also i'm like i'm so excited

to be here with all of you guys and with you and to celebrate all together all the work that we've done and put into this but it's also just really sad and i'm i don't want it to end but you know, the show's over and it's time, but... In the weirdest way, when we get to come to these cool things and hang out with you guys, and someone will be like, I'm on my fifth rewatch, now I'm like, you know what, I get it. Maybe we should just start over. There's more things to say.

Can you imagine, though, literally we just keep starting over. We're like 60, and we're just watching it. I think that's a great idea, actually. It's just us having the same conversation over and over, and people still tuning in to be like, I'm here for it. This is great. But I am so glad that this, while this is so melancholic, I'm so grateful for the way that we're getting to do it.

With you all here at Trick in Wilmington, it's like this is an event I would prefer to not have to have. happen, but if it's going to happen, like, this is exactly how I would want it to go down. Like, with you all in this building, in this town. We were talking about this on our way up the stairs when we were all trying not to cry, and we were like, well, at least silver lining, we're here, and we looked at each other. And Joy goes, could you imagine having done this over Zoom? And I said, yeah, like what, hit the red button, leave meeting, and it's over?

Yeah, and so it's like climactic. It would have been the worst. It would have been a disaster. I think we all would have just left our computers on for the day. Just like gone in and out of the house. We're just like, let's just leave the Zoom on. So at least we're in each other's present. Well, also what happens sometimes is like we hang up on the Zoom

and then we immediately all FaceTime each other. We like get on a group FaceTime to figure some detail out. And I'm like, we would have just gotten on FaceTime and cried and drank or something. I don't know. Yeah. Yeah. I want to try. This is good.

This is a good practice for me because I'm such a theater kid. performer. I'm used to stepping on a stage and my emotions immediately have to click into whatever the performance is expected of me. But I really want to be here with you guys with you guys and like feel what I'm feeling. So, um, yeah. Yeah, man. Bring your mess. Bring all of the colors. We welcome them. Also, there's probably a lot of people in the audience who are feeling the exact same way. So too. Yeah. One, there is like one saving grace to it is that at least like we have these events. So while this specific activity the drama queens is coming to an end, it's not like if this was a one time

thing where we didn't do these, it would be brutal. Because it would be such a fun time and then we'd be like, and there's, it's never happening again. Yeah. At least there's some comfort in knowing that like this whole fun is still going to be able to happen. It's just like this is coming to end. We get to keep seeing you guys and you guys. I kind of wish we would all watch the finale together. Do you know what I mean? Like if we played it on the screen

and then sat up, and then just immediately turned around and sat down and started talking about it. I should have had that idea two months ago. I'm sorry. By the way, our entire production team back there just went, oh no! We're not expecting you to queue that up.

We just, in real time, realized it would have been cool if we thought about it two months ago. That's a terrible habit of mine, by the way. Being in a moment and being like, you know what would make this so much? much better. If somebody two months ago

had thought of, A, B, or C, everybody's like, that's great. So now we're all just bummed out. You're a producer's nightmare. I totally have.

And we're rolling, and Joy's like, I was just thinking, what if there was rain in this shot? Yes, Joy, it would be better if there was rain, but we don't have time.

Do you remember the Halloween episode? In what way? When I was directing? Well, yes, but in what way? And you looked at me and went, but why am I wearing this? And I was like, I can't help right now. I'm directing from inside of a paper mache orange.

Just help me. And you went, yeah, I got you. Okay, I got you. Was I a pregnant cheerleader? What was? Yeah, and I was like, what's my motivation, Sophia? She's like, Joy, there's 400 people in this scene. Like, figure it out.

Remember, because, like, the joke was supposed to be that you just stuck, like, a pillow in your cheer uniform, except it wasn't a pillow. It was, like, a nude pregnancy. but it didn't have the belly button and you were like it should either be a pillow or be the bump with the belly button and I was like I don't have those

give me a pencil I'll draw you a belly button with a Sharpie I don't know at least you didn't say maybe it should be raining in here you know but to your credit that was a really good idea

because could you imagine if one of the event options was like a drama queen's slumber party and it was straight up like five hours and we just watched the last three episodes together. Oh my God, like high school lock-in? Yeah.

I loved those. I'm not saying we couldn't do that at a later time just for fun. Like maybe, you know, just a little reunion late, maybe next year. I mean, I will say I sort of think the whole shared ethos of this entire room is that we like

re-watching our show. Yeah. We don't have to do it just once. Hey, and listen, now that we're doing holiday-themed events, hear me out there is nothing stopping us from doing like a rewatch of a Halloween episode that sounds good in costume in costume okay yeah I do have the hat

I'm halfway into badsanding right now I think I could probably yeah somewhere there's a Batman suit for James again all of the producers and organizers backstage are like that's so great could you just get through tonight thank you that I worked tirelessly on thank you so much oh that's good oh you Guys. Well, it's been fun.

Thank you so much. No, they gave us cards. We have things to do. We do things we're supposed to do. 710. 7.02, host chat. We have four more minutes. We've got five minutes until we get to tie up.

There's the clock. Okay. Wait, I am trying to think of like the very last episode. It was a good episode. It was. Well, we got this great question. Remember when we were doing our Q&A, somebody asked how,

We wanted our characters to end, like if we could have given them another ending. But you weren't here for that, because that was Lee and Twan and Rob and I. You guys very sweetly... Do you have anything to say about that? Well, I didn't know the question until this very moment. I'm starting to put you on the spot. I mean, I do mean to put you on spots exactly what I'm doing. Yeah, yeah, yeah, of course.

No, these guys very sweetly did a Q&A I couldn't make because I've been working in Canada. And then I really... I was so convinced I was going to be able to do it. I even brought my mic to set. And then those producers were like, ma'am, why do you have a microphone for the job that you're not here to do? And I was like, I don't know, I see how that might not track well.

I'll put this away. I just thought I'd get on the Zoom or something. I love that. That's the neurodivergent part of your brain. I was like, I could do both. And they're like, literally you can't. I'm like, right, got it. I think for me, when you say that,

like, how would you want your character to end. I was so happy with our last episode. It really did feel kind of like a present. You know, you hear people say in a negative way about TV sometimes, like, oh, yeah, at the end of every episode, they're wrap it up in a bow. Like, that's not real life. But I actually think our show deserved an episode where we wrapped it up in a bow and, like, made it beautiful. I do kind of wish some of our shark riding in surprise season nine hadn't been like so sharky. Like I would have liked to have not maybe had another run-in with Xavier, like for why? For what?

Although the gal who has my sweater from that scene is here and it's a great sweater. So there were silver linings. But I feel really good about where it went. I liked seeing everyone in a rhythm and happy and doing the things our characters had done when we were in high school. There's really something to that to the kind of cyclical nature of a life.

And I thought it was sort of great. Yeah, that's kind of, I think, what we ended up saying too, that it just feels like everything ended in such a way that it was right for everything that we'd all been through, that all the characters had been through. Yeah. To just be able to be connected and have like these moments of happy endings

because there is no happy ending in life. I mean, you just moments end and new ones start and then those end and new ones start. And some are happy and some are not. But for all of us to have a moment collectively that is a happy, ending of that season of life felt like there's still space

for so much more that you can imagine is continuing on in their lives and it felt like it was done really well to me yeah it was it did feel like more of a see you soon than a goodbye and I feel like what it did very successfully is it was a good episode of television while also being a great thank you to the fans

in the sense like I feel like everyone because we've all come to love these characters And in this case, it was like, now we're going to let you see that, like, they're going to get the life that you hope they were going to get. You know, like, they're going to have a, quote, unquote, like, happy ending, you know? And I just felt like that was, it was such a service to the fans because so many shows will be like, we want to leave you on a cliff hanger or a big question mark. And this one was kind of like, nah, you're going to see all of our people and they're going to be happy and they're going to have worked out most of their stuff. Yeah. And they're going to sing the same song.

Yeah. All the girls are going to be wearing really long extensions to show the passage of time. I also, I just have to say, Rob, you're such a classy guy. You're so thoughtful because you're the inner sanctum dude, right? Like, you're the ally in the room always. And even the fact that this sweet man just goes, you know, a quote-unquote happy ending because he doesn't want to be like, all the character's got a happy ending. That's what she said.

You are so yummy and I love you. Like, he just, come on. This thoughtful guy. Stop. Come on. You know, this feels like the right time to celebrate a nice moment with a cocktail. Um, yeah.

I can help with that. Let's go! Okay, yeah. Some of you may know, and for those of you who don't, we have a lovely sponsor, Cheap Caribbean. And has anyone actually taken a tour with them? Is anyone gone on a Cheap Caribbean cruise? I'm going to hold this for you.

Oh, thank you very much. I'm going to hold this for her so she can, like, vamp and do the thing. I'm just going to sit back here and contribute nothing. It's okay. You sit there and look. pretty dad. You haven't. It looks really fun. I think you should go on a cheap Caribbean cruise. Well, also I do like, you know, Joy is our resident bartender, and I know it's pumpkin

season, but she was like, hmm, I want to go to the Caribbean. That feels like summer. Let me make a margarita. And I was like, my girl, because that's the cocktail I want. Yeah, it is never the wrong time for a margarita. So we're muddling some watermelon. Muddle, muddle, muddle, chic. Is there a pressure? Like, is there a particular pressure to muddle Or does it depend on the fruit? You pressure to crush. So at the point of crushing, then you cease.

That's crushworthy. I'm sorry I had to. Rob is a literal dad, but I got dad jokes, okay? You got them. I got them. We didn't get any copy for Cheap Caribbean, but if I had to just imagine what they'd want us to say, it would probably be something like,

if you like being buzzed in your living room, you're going to love being buzzed in the career. Caribbean. I like that. All right. So that's two ounces of tequila and three fours of a minute. Ah, come on, we're not driving joy. Just kidding.

Make mine a virgin, please. Yes, okay, okay. But I feel like two ounces of tequila. I'm just making one drink here. No, you have to at least triple that. Oh, you're going to make me do math on stage, Sophia. Yeah. Okay, what are, what are...

This is cruel. I'll do it. So if two ounces of tequila, if we're trying to make three drinks um six okay so you put in two do four more okay you guys we're so smart i know it's the three-fourths it's the three-fourths that i'm getting okay but three-fourths is the lime juice yeah so one and a half right is is doubled and then another one no i have to do it fractionally otherwise i can't so it's two it's two and a quarter so do two and a splash all right so There's one already in there.

There's a, there's a, there's a fourth. Three-fourths. Yeah, three-fourths times three is two point in a quarter. Do what? It's two point two-five. It's two and a quarter. Yeah. Can you tell which one of us studied economics?

So do just under two. You know what, do two. Make it limy. Yeah. No, make it three. And let's just, you know, none of us will get scurvy. Great. Let's get a bunch of citrus in there.

This silent killer, guys, we don't talk about scurvy enough. Okay, how much of the agave? Okay, so it's a half an ounce of agave. Wait, let me see, let's see. So you're doing one and a half. I was going to try and talk myself. Hey, do you guys think we should ask Joy to do long division next? What's the new thing?

Good at everything, Joy. What's the new thing? New math? What is it? I don't know. I don't either. Like, kids aren't old enough to do that yet. It's coming.

I was just, wait, I have to tell you, I was just in Rwanda. And I went to this, it was a school that I was there for, and I walked into, like, watch this class if the kids were in third grade. and the teacher, often people who are visiting, will come help out with the class. So I go in, and the teacher's like, do you want to help out? And I was like, sure, let me help. And so he hands me a red pen, and he goes,

can you just go grade some of these papers? And I was like, oh, you don't want me. Everyone gets an A. You don't want me to do that. And he goes, you know, there's a little language barrier, so he understood that I didn't want to do that. So he goes, oh, okay. And he reaches over and grabs the ruler,

hands it to me, and he goes, the board is right there. And he goes and sits down. And I have to teach the math class. No. That's your literal worst nightmare. And I did it. I managed. I don't know how,

but I started managed. By the grace of the Lord. Yes. Okay. Wow. Okay. Get back to muddling. We got drinks to make.

Yeah, you have to make more melons. Watermelons. I just never thought I'd ever teach a math class. Well. But I like that you told this guy, I don't feel confident grading papers. And he was like, if you don't feel confident grading papers, you should definitely be.

teaching the entire class. I don't think he understood. I think he just thought it was my preference that I was being a little like, like dramatic. Oh, no, that's not. I don't want to grade your papers. That's not good enough for me, no.

Let me teach it. You're like, yeah, I've never driven a stick and he's like, you seem like you should teach the driving course. All right, so we have ice. All right. Do we have glasses? Sorry, I'm putting ice in here very badly.

This feels like the right time to talk to you all about better help. Do you find that you're just missing that spark lately, that you're doing good, but you could be doing better? Well, the folks at BetterHelp have you covered. With a wide range of therapists, specializing in all kinds of trauma, you'll find just the person to help you sort out your childhood baggage.

That's BetterHelp, H-E-L-P, because for some reason they ask us to spell out that part. You pass that to our friend.com. Thank you. Okay. Okay. Okay, thank you. Do I have any good jokes?

What are your dad jokes, Rob? You know what? All off the top. Really? I never have any, like... What's the most insane thing one of your children has said to you lately? Oh, my goodness.

When my son was one and a half, one night, it was winter, so it was dark early, and it was getting ready for bedtime. Yeah. And he was standing out the one. window looking out, and it was dark. And I said, hey, it's, uh, it's time, it's pajama time, buddy. And he took a beat, didn't look back at me. He just went, the darkness is waiting for us. And Jenny and I looked at each other like, who,

what? Let's pretend like we're not terrified by that. What's the chance you have a wet one over there for joy? That's, um, very poetic and slightly terrifying. Uh, yes, very, very Oh, I want one of those. Can someone hand me our friend's cup so she can have a garnish also? Yes, ma'am. Here. Oh, I got it. I got you.

Yeah, I'm trading you that. All right. I'm giving you hand sanitizer and seeing our friend a watermelon. Okay. I was harder than it should have been. I'm sorry that you had to. You burned like a thousand calories making those drinks, Joy. Good work.

I tried to look. Cheers. Cheers. Salood. Cheers. Oh, shit, that's fresh. Honestly? Fantastic.

I like the extra lime. Yes, I do too. It's very good. We often think we know our type in dating. Tall, funny, a certain job, but the research shows we're usually not the best predictors of who will actually make us the happiest. As we often say on the happiness lab,

Our minds lie to us about all kinds of stuff, and that definitely includes the kinds of things we need to be happy in a relationship. That's why it helps to stay curious. On Bumble, features like shared interests and prompts, make it easy to notice right on someone's profile initial sparks of compatibility, like a shared love of cooking or the same nostalgic TV shows. Shared interests and prompts let you showcase your personality right on your profile and connect with people who get your vibe.

And with photo and ID verification, you can feel confident the person you're talking to is real, so you can date with a bit more confidence. When you treat dating as exploration, instead of sticking to a rigid type, you open yourself up to happier, more meaningful connections. So maybe your type isn't tall, dark, and mysterious. Maybe it's Love's podcast as much as you do. Stay open, stay curious, and let yourself be surprised. Download Bumble today.

She said, Johnny, the kids didn't come. I'm homeless that. Along the central Texas plains, teens are dying. Suicides that don't make sense. Strange accidents and brutal murders. In what seems to be, a plot ripped straight out of breaking bad. Drugs, alcohol, trafficking of people. There are people out there that absolutely know what happened.

Listen to paper ghosts, the Texas teen murders, on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What do you get when you mix 1950s Hollywood, a Cuban musician with a dream, and one of the most iconic that comes of all time? You get Desi Arnest, a trailblazer, a businessman, a husband, and maybe, most importantly, the first Latino to break prime time wide open. I'm Wilmer Valderrama, and yes, I grew up watching him,

probably just like you and millions of others. But for me, I saw myself in his story. From plening canary cages to this night here in New York, It's a long ways. On the podcast starring Desi Arnaz and Wilmer Valderama, I'll take you in a journey to Desi's life. The moments it has overlapped with mine, how he redefined American television,

and what that meant for all of us watching from the sidelines, waiting for a face like hours on screen. This is the story of how one man's spotlight lit the path for so many others and how we carry his legacy today. Listen to starring Desi Arnaz and Wilmer Valderrama as part of the My Cultura Podcast Network, Available on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

I'm Robert Smith. This is Jacob Goldstein. And we used to host a show called Planet Money. And now we're back making this new podcast called Business History about the best ideas and people and businesses in history. And some of the worst people, horrible ideas and destructive companies in the history of business. Having a genius idea without a need for it is nothing. It's like not having it at all. It's a very simple, elegant lesson.

Make something people want. First episode, how Southwest Airlines use cheap seats and free whiskey to fight its way into the airline business. The most Texas story ever. There's a lot of mavericks in that story. We're going to have mavericks on the show. We're going to have plenty of robber barons.

So many robber barons. And you know what? They're not all bad. And we'll talk about some of the classic great moments of famous business geniuses, along with some of the darker moments that often get overlooked. Like Thomas Edison and the electric chair. Listen to Business History on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

I'm Iba Longoria. And I'm Maite Gomez-Guan. And on our podcast, Hungry for History, we mix two of our favorite things, food and history. Ancient Athenians used to scratch names onto oyster shells, and they called these OsterCon, to vote politicians into exile. So our word ostracize is related to the word oyster. No way. Bring back the OsterCon. And because we've got a very

My Casa is Su Casa kind of vibe on our show, friends always stop by. Pretty much every entry into this side of the planet was through the Gulf of Mexico. No, the America. The Gulf of Mexico, continue to be it forever and ever. It blows me away how progressive Mexico was in this moment.

They had land reform, they had labor rights, education rights. Mustard seeds were so valuable to the ancient Egyptians that they used to place them in their tombs for the afterlife. Listen to Hungry for History as part of the My Cultura podcast network, available on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Speaking of toasts, you know how often the writers love to say speaking of on our show? It was a really nice little callback, don't you think?

They would always cut to another scene, like speaking of. Speaking of, and then, you know. Speaking of, change. Yeah. We have, we have another human we'd like to toast, friends. Uh-uh. No. Is it going to work?

Are you ready? Hi. Hi, guys. Oh, man. I just, I'm always blown away that you guys show up over and over. over and over again. It is an extraordinary community to be a part of. And with the ending of drama queens,

I'm having this deja vu moment because it's reminded me so much of when I was leaving One Tree Hill, and I made a video where I just really wanted to express my gratitude to the fan base and tell them how much I love Peyton Sawyer and how much I have loved working on the show And the whole experience, it was important for me to put that message out into the world, even though I was leaving.

And so in this moment, with the podcast ending, I just, again, really want to say thank you. You know, I know there are a lot of reboot podcasts out there in the world, right? But there was something kind of different about ours, because everyone knew about the trauma that a lot of us had been through. And this podcast was a reclamation, and it was an opportunity to address the bad stuff and really, really celebrate the good stuff. For me, personally,

it was an opportunity to see what you guys saw in the show. I'd had so many of my own personal memories attached to it, to see it through your eyes was so cool and has given me that chapter of my life. life back. So thank you. And, you know, I had no idea when I made that first video back in 2009 that we were going to do so many other things together. We were going to do other TV shows together. We were going to do the Christmas movies that we've done together, that we were going to have this whole convention life together, meeting up in random hotels all over the

world. What a cool future that I had no idea was coming. And it's all because you guys showed up. So thank you for showing up today. Thank you for showing up for the podcast. Thank you for all the various projects that we get involved in. You are an extraordinary group of people. And I'm so grateful for you. Thank you guys. Toast to Hillary. Hell yeah. Woo. Well said, huh? That was beautifully said. I don't know. It's like, I hate when everyone doesn't get to come.

I am. And I love when people are working, but I'm like, work less. Really so true, though. Could you be less good at your job? Will you guys help us send a video back to her? Hi, Boo. Hi, Hillary. We miss you.

We just watched your video. We managed not to completely sob, which honestly feels like a big deal. We really wish you were here, and a bunch of other people wish you were here, too. We love you. We love you. So sweet. Oh, shit.

Bevin and DeNeil aren't here either. Hold on. Okay, okay, okay. Bea, hello. DeNeil. Oh, we've made you. What? Who's dead? Run it back. Run it back.

From the top. I'm starting over. Okay. Hi, B. Hi, guys. Hi, guys. We miss you guys. It feels really weird to be here without you, and there's a whole bunch of other people who agree.

We love you. Thank you. Okay, that feels fun. I'm sorry, I took my phone out, but I'm also not sorry. Bummer, those people couldn't be here, but we do have the good fortune of having a few special friends here with us tonight. We do. The first of which you...

First of which you all might have heard of, he is Wontree Hill's resident sex pylon. The walking handsome himself, Senor Austin Nichols. Get him out here. Get on up. Stay on to send me. Get on a sex machine.

Get on. Get on. Get up. Get on it. Can I take him to the bridge? Go ahead. Take him on to the bridge. Can I take him to the bridge?

Can I take him to the bridge? Take them to the bridge. Do you have a microphone? Here, you take my... You can have my... Oh, from the coat pockets. Get out of here. Hi.

Oh, yeah. Oh, my God, this is so fun. Thanks for having me. Guys, do you suddenly feel like we're on a late show? I love this. Yeah, this is such a late night talk show vibes. I love it. I have always wanted to hold a pile of cards

like this, and now my inner child is geeky. You have a future in this. What's that? You have a future in this. Thank you guys. Austin. I concur. This is very much,

it's like when Kramer gets the Murriff Griffin show in his living room. All of my cards are just like, it's facts about a giraffe. Best way to make a peanut butter has nothing to do with the show. It's just for me to hold something. Wait, those are different cards than I have. Give me those. Rude. Hey.

Austin, how are you? I'm great. I'm great. I had a great day with all of you. This is such a great day. Give them back to you. I didn't see that before. Wow.

We were just out here talking about how crazy it is to be thinking about the finale of the show. What do you remember about it? You know, I never watched season nine. What? I have not seen it except for the one I directed. And I don't know why. I don't know if I'm saving it.

Maybe I'll watch it. tomorrow but I for some I don't know like I'm a softie and like maybe I was I didn't want to watch it yet or wanted to save I don't know

there was some reason but I will watch it someday I just didn't watch yet there is that thing right where if you don't watch it something in your brain thinks oh there's more maybe like I have that with

a lot of shows that I really love I will try and avoid the last season of the last episode it's a subconscious thing I don't intentionally do it I just happened to get too busy. I just sort of find myself six months from it. It's like an easy way of saying goodbye. Like, I'm leaving you.

You can't leave me. Yeah, there's finality. Better help. H-E-L-P. To this day, I haven't seen the series finale of The Office. Oh. I've never watched the last episode of Breaking Bad. Oh, my gosh.

For exactly the same. The closer was my show. I couldn't. I couldn't do it. And weirdly enough, like you, Joy, it wasn't like a line in the sand. It was like, I got there, I was just kind of like, maybe I'll go make a taco. Yeah, I'll get there.

And I just avoided it. I'm going to try and avoid this discomfort by going somewhere else. Yeah, and I never. So we were talking earlier about the ending of the show and if we were happy with how our characters were wrapped up. And how do you feel about the way Julian and Brooks? Oh, yeah, do you? I'll be honest, I don't remember everything,

but what I do remember that I loved was that Julian, he started as a producer who came to get he got Lucas's book the rights to Lucas his book he wanted to make a movie out of Lucas's book he was a producer who became a director and then a director who wanted to make a TV show about Tree Hill and to be given that was such a huge gift because tree this is I mean what a responsibility you know in this fictional world to be the guy that tells the story about our story also I just realized

you started this show as an actor and then became a director on it so it was a little meta very very very you may have all had this realization I just happened to me in real time right now yeah no the first was this first directing job

the first place I ever got to direct was Wentry Hill and it was really interesting because I just I can't remember exactly how it happened you might have been doing one and I snuck into a scout van maybe when you were doing your first one.

I can't remember, but I remember just sneaking into a van. Sometimes you just got to go. Go on. Sounds naughty, but I snuck into a van, went on some scouts, I snuck into a production meeting or a tone meeting, and people, writers and producers started going, what are you doing here?

And it was kind of like this real, it's like, oh, okay, he's interested in that. And I got my first one in season eight, and it was, I just fell in love with it. I love the whole thing. And I know you guys do too. It's just very cool to be at the helm and talking to the actors and guiding them. And there's something about it that, you know, being an actor, you're kind of like paint on someone else's canvas.

And you get to be the painter and you get to, it's really, really cool. Paul told me once when I was going to start directing on the show and I was talking with him, he said, he saw all my notes and it was like copious amounts of notes and tabs and all the things and he's like Joy directing his quality control I was like what do you mean he said it's just trust everybody in their departments

to do their job they know what they're doing your job is to quality control so if there's something that's like a little out of place or a little off you can speak to it but otherwise you can sort of trust to let things move and I always felt like you were really good at that as a director

that you had this instinct to you just weren't overbearing, but you had very specific ideas, but it never felt like you were trying to fit your foot in the door, like trying to make it work. Like you just naturally showed up and kind of flowed. You could read the room really easily and read the different emotions. And like, you just had that inherently, quality control. Thank you.

Yeah. Well, you also, on our wrap-up tour, we really like to do the compliments dream. And it's because our people deserve it. But you have such an amazing knowledge of filmography. Like, I would say you are probably one of the biggest film nerds of our whole crew. Nerd. But it's really cool because I remember even then, you know, we'd be working on something or doing a storyline,

and you'd be like, oh, yeah, kind of like, and you'd give all of us these references, and we'd be like, what? And we'd all watch these movies that we never would have known about if it wasn't for you. And it's a really, to Rob's point, kind of meta thing that what you're naturally so good at, you developed on top of on the show as an actor and then a director. But then it was, to Joy's point, so who you are in the room that it, like, became your character's journey. You know? Yeah.

Like I joke sometimes that I'm such a pain in the ass about social justice that Brooke Davis became one. because I drove the writers nuts and they were like, shut up, we'll just put it on the show. And you came in and were just like, I'm an expert at this. And they were like, wow, Austin, you are an expert at this. You did a really good job. Proud of you, pal.

Thank you. Thank you, guys. You know, one of my favorite directors is Ron Howard, and Ron Howard, you know, as an actor. And, you know, there's something about just having been we're the same troop and I stand in your shoes all the time and know what it's like

when someone gives you a direction or shouts or maybe does it in a way that doesn't feel good or doesn't have ideas or doesn't have ideas or just maybe it's just yeah like there's just a really there's a way to talk to us and then there's ways that aren't great

we're show dogs we scare easily you know we gotta have kitty gloves we're sensitive A catch and a treat, you know? Yeah. But, yeah, I don't know. There's just, we understand each other. And I say we understand each other.

Like, I'm just a director now. I'm still an actor. But there's something great about that understanding. We understand, you know. Yeah. I also think there's a really cool thing that happens when you are being directed by your peers. You're being directed by people you trust,

especially, you know, on a show like this one, which has so many amazing moments and great storylines and then often puts a bridle on a shark. And you're like, how am I going to do this at all? And when you have a friend and an ally with you, there's something when you can look at your director and go, is this tracking or do I look ridiculous? And the person behind the camera can go,

this is tracking really well, make this little shift here, give me this, and it will read the way I know you want it to. And it makes you feel freer to perform in a way. Because you're less like, well, that guy's just watching the clock and the angle and doesn't really care what I'm doing and I'm going to look crazy. You trust the person behind the monitor. You'll do anything for them.

Yeah. But it's trust. Yeah. You're not giving a good performance if you're simultaneously watching your own back. No. You can't. Most of the fans don't know that the whole Julian not knowing how to high five was actually based on a real issue of you not knowing how a high five.

Wait, is this true? No, it was a joke. No, I'm terrible at high five. I mean, this makes me so happy. It was a joke. Gotta watch the elbow. And I think I just, I said, you know, the nerd high five, and we were talking, and everybody was around,

and I said, you know the nerd high five. It's like, it's from really low, like down from the hip, and you just go straight up. And I just, it's just a funny, it was just this funny thing. this funny thing and then like a month later I get a script and I start reading and I go oh god just the audacity that

like we took objectively the coolest guy on our show and we decided to saddle him with the storyline that he didn't know how to do one of the most widely popular social norms like this guy should be inventing

cool shit not like not knowing how to do the very first iteration of it I was a problem that's very nice but also the things that when we when we make fools of ourselves it can sometimes like I I was afraid to do that I thought it was in the moment in those days I thought it was dumb really and then now everybody like talks about it and they like want to high five on the sidewalk well buddy I'm like I've told you your vulnerability we've all said it your vulnerability and you're willing to play it sincerely became your superpower because what that did is it made

Julian infinitely more likable and lovable oh thank you Yeah, I think had you played that trying to make it cool, it would have been wildly unsuccessful, but, like, your instincts were spot on in making it just, like, endearing. Thank you. Thank you. Very good. Thank you. No one can resist a rule of culture, so here's one for the dating files.

Rule of culture number 72. Chemistry isn't just vibes, it's values. Because what's the point of matching with someone if you can't talk about the shows you binge, the books you dog ear, or all the hot takes, you'll defend it brunch? I mean, you definitely have friends who have met their partners on Bumble, and it makes sense. It's not just about matching with someone. It's about finding someone who gets your references, your obsessions, your whole vibe. With shared interests and prompts, you don't just see a profile.

You get a glimpse of someone's personality, which makes it even easier to start conversations that actually lead somewhere. Plus, with photo and ID verification, you can trust that the person you're talking to is real. With that added piece of mind, it's so much easier to show up as your full self. So whether your rule of culture is, the best first date start with the shared hot take on Renaissance, or compatibility as having the same hometown bodega order, download Bumble and turn those connections into something bigger. Download Bumble and start your love story.

Is you say, Johnny? The kids didn't come home last night. Along the central Texas plains, teens are dying. Suicides that don't make sense. Strange accidents and brutal murder. In what seems to be, a plot ripped straight out of breaking bad. Drugs, alcohol, trafficking of people. There are people out there that absolutely know what happened. Listen to paper ghosts, the Texas teen murders on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

I'm Robert Smith. This is Jacob Goldstein. And we used to host a show called Planet Money. And now we're back making this new podcast called Business History. about the best ideas and people and businesses in history. And some of the worst people. Horrible ideas and destructive companies in the history of business. Having a genius idea without a need for it is nothing.

It's like not having it at all. It's a very simple, elegant lesson. Make something people want. First episode, how Southwest Airlines use cheap seats and free whiskey to fight its way into the airline business. The Most Texas Story Ever. There's a lot of mavericks in that. story. We're going to have mavericks on the show. We're going to plenty of robber barons. So many robber barons. And you know what? They're not all

bad. And we'll talk about some of the classic great moments of famous business geniuses, along with some of the darker moments that often get overlooked. Like Thomas Edison and the electric chair. Listen to business history on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. What do you get when you mix 1950s Hollywood, a Cuban musician with a dream and one of the most iconic sitcoms of all time. You get Desi Arness, a trailblazer, a businessman, a husband, and maybe most importantly, the first Latino

to break prime time wide open. I'm Wilmer Valderrama, and yes, I grew up watching him, probably just like you and millions of others. But for me, I saw myself in his story. From planning canary cages to this night here in New York, it's a long ways. On the podcast starring Desi Arnaz and Wilmer Valderrama, I'll take you in a journey to Desi's life,

the moments it has overlapped with mine, how he redefined American television and what that meant for all of us watching from the sidelines, waiting for a face like hours on screen. This is the story of how one man's spotlight lit the path for so many others and how we carry his legacy

today. Listen to starring Desi Arnaz and Wilmer Valderrama as part of the MyCultura podcast network available on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. I'm I Belongoria and I'm Maite Gomez-Rajuan. And on our podcast, Hungry for History, we mix two of our favorite things, food and history.

Ancient Athenians used to scratch names onto oyster shells, and they called these Ostercon, to vote politicians into exile. So our word ostracize is related to the word oyster. No way. Bring back the Ostercon. And because we've got a very Mikaasa esucasa kind of vibe on our show, friends always stop by. Pretty much every entry into this side of the planet was through the Gulf of Mexico. No, the America. No, the Gulf of Mexico, continue to be so forever and ever. It blows me away how progressive Mexico was in this moment.

They had land reform, they had labor rights, they had education rights. Mustard seeds were so valuable to the ancient Egyptians that they used to place them in their tombs for the afterlife. Listen to Hungry for History as part of the My Cultura Podcast Network, available on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Well, you said you had never directed before One Tree Hill, and our next guest had never touched a musical instrument or sang a song in her life until an episode of One Tree Hill. Welcome our next guest, Janae, That's what I love about your love?

Pass me off her feet. Takes me on a trip to another galaxy. Snakes me with a smile. Longer than a country mouth. It's my heart. Like a river on and wild. Sorry. That's how emotional we are.

We're like, no, but I saw you backstage, but touch me, hold me, hug me. I'm sad. Hi. Hi, guys. Guys, guys, hi. Have fun. This is fun. It really is like late night.

You had never played music or sing or anything before Wintry Hill? I was six in the Romeo Peach Pagent in Romeo, Michigan, and I sang Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star and a Rock version. And that was the last time, pretty much. To be fair, I actually just said that being stupid, because I figured for sure you were so talented that I assumed you had. So that was me rifting. Technically, the true story is,

The first time that I ever really sang in front of anybody that wasn't my best friend in Los Angeles was during the writer's strike. I was on Friday Night Lights and the writer strike happened and CMT was doing a show, Can You Duet? And I'm like, well, this sounds fun. I'm not doing anything. The show was shut down. I don't know when it's going back. And so me and my girlfriend flew to Nashville and stood in line and auditioned. And that was the first time I sang in front of anybody besides her.

Wow. What? Yeah. And then I made it and then she didn't And then I was like, but I can't do it without her And so then I quit the show and then the whole thing And then the writer's trick ended And so I was like, well, I just always remembered that moment

Like maybe I do have something And I wanted to kind of try Yes, I'm so glad you did I remember hearing you sing on set Like wandering around listening to you sing You said it like Mindy Smith is what was the first thing I love Mindy Smith She's amazing

Oh my goodness That Ragdoll song was one of my favorite songs ever I actually don't know that one Oh it's so good Yeah I had her Christmas album, I think, at the time. But anyway, I... It's also so...

Not when I'm next to Joy, okay? It's so crazy to think about that, though, because it's, like, you just happened to you, it's happening to me in this moment. We were so in the swing of music on the show and with you and Tyler and Kate and the thing, and then you were just doing it,

and you were, I mean, we were living together, and you were going to Nashville every weekend. The first time I ever really wrote a song was when I was living with you guys. and I had someone fly in from Nashville and we wrote a song called You Can't Save Me and Save the Rose I mean all this, yeah.

But I'm like, wait, you were literally walking around. Jana was like suddenly writing songs on the couch with this songwriter and we were like, what's going on? And then we heard her sing, we're like, oh my God, she's so good. Whoa, and then she was going to Nashville and we were like, well, duh,

what do you mean that wasn't in the works when you got here? That's a detail that fell through the cracks in such a crazy, I just, yeah, I mean, it was just something I knew the creator loved music and finding new music, so that's why I, you know, was writing some songs and then said, hey, what do you guys think? And then some of them were like, yeah, and then they turned it into a singer. I mean, hello? So it's fun.

And I'm so grateful because it was a really fun ride. I don't do it as much anymore. But whenever I did play a show, I always thanked my one tree hillers because they were the loudest at any show ever. Yes. Yes. Yes, you are. I mean, you guys are truly the only reason I ever got a record deal. There's no way.

Truth be told, before the show came out, I went to labels, and I got turned down by every single label. And then when the show aired and the song came out, that is when the labels then said, wait a minute. Yeah, that's right. And you got your pretty woman moment. You were like, you guys made a big mistake. Huge.

Huge. And then I got dropped five years later. It's done. Happens to the best of us. So I have a question, because we go back and forth a lot about Alex on this podcast. Oh, I heard. There's a lot of... No, no, don't say it like that.

I know. Because we praise you from the mountaintops. Oh, yeah. It's all, I mean, it's good news about Jana and what talent she is, but I have some bones to pick with Alan. Oh, I heard. Well, no, there's a lot, I mean, there's a lot of, there's a lot of whiplash with her character and when I mean character

I mean like the body of who she is as a person not like the caricature of what she's written as but like I would just you know I think all of us whether we're playing a villain or a hero we defend our character to the death you have to believe in what you're doing

and create reasons for your character to make sense in the world tell me can you just tell us a little bit about like Alex who she is to you is she a hero is she a villain is she just a misunderstanding woman. Like, tell, how do you see her? So when I, because I didn't audition for her at first.

You didn't? I auditioned to be your sister. Oh my gosh, that's right. That's right. That's right. Okay. And in the room, they said, you should read for Alex. And when I was reading the breakdown of it, I mean, truly, I was just like, I didn't like her at all. Really? At all. Okay. And I just was like, I've never been drunk. She's, like, she's me. Like, I don't, I don't know how to play this, like, ugh, kind of character. So truly, I was shocked that I got hired.

And then, no, I really was. I was just like, this is, and then I was really self-conscious because I'm not the, like, even my best friend, I was auditioning for something and it said, like, really bubbly. And I'm like, I have a hard time being like, blah, and she is that. And I didn't, so I didn't really love her at first.

So then I remember talking to the creator saying, like, I'm struggling with this. And he goes, find something you like about her. And so. What was that? She had stuff. She didn't know how to deal with. It was all stuff that, so I put pieces of my own things into her and then I started to mold her into that. And then I, then I was like, no, she's fun. And she's just, doesn't know

how to express her. One question that we've kind of all been looking at is that regarding the ending, talking about like, did we get the end? Is this the ending we would have liked for our character? And I feel like we all had a much different experience than you because we got a happy wrap up, a timely wrap up. That's right. Walk us through years because that was, We were like, I'm sorry, what? So I was told by my label I couldn't finish the show. Because why? Do you have to go on tour?

I had to go on radio tour. There it is. Thank you. That is the second correct boo of the night. By the way, not a good idea. But keeping you on the show would have been great for them too. But then, like, country, the country market, if you didn't devote to just being a country artist, like they weren't signing people. They don't believe you.

I had to be like, no, I'm not. This is what I want to do, and I quit this, and I'm going to show you that I'm doing this to just, like, prove that I was what they wanted me to be. But meanwhile, the other people on the label the men were able to do, like, but he's doing that. He's doing that. Why can't I...

Boo! So I was so disappointed because, obviously, I mean, no granted, it all works out, everything's fine, but my biggest regret in that, it was I didn't get to have a wrap-up. It's just, it was just gone, and then it was just, that was a bummer because truly acting is I love

that's my number one besides being a mom but just to not have that wrap up with the character still feels a little empty to me how would you like to have seen her have you thought about that like what kind of ending you wanted? I don't but maybe one day

she can come back somewhere somehow I don't know I don't know business savvy well played Hey, Kramer. It's also so interesting that they, I feel like our writers got at least a little dig-in

on your behalf, because literally Alex says to Chris Keller, I want to take the tour, and then she's gone. And we all were like, wait, what? But, you know, they were kind of like, oh, you're going to take her? We'll tell the people you took her. Yeah. You know? Everyone, most of the time, we're like,

please don't take things from our lives and put them on the TV. that feels weird, but that felt that's kind of nice to know they got it in there a little bit. And now it's like you realize how special it is to be on something so incredible. So back then I didn't really appreciate where I was at. Like now if I was to

be able to be on a show again, series regular, which is what I'm always fighting for, it's something that I will take, I will not take for granted as I took back then. And to be fair, I don't think any of us fully appreciated or understood what we were a part of.

at the time. I would have stayed 1,000%. Yes. But it would have been awesome to see what they would have done with Alex, because in watching the way that we got to see a conclusion with Dan, like, it's nice to see our good characters get a nice ending, but it's almost more interesting to watch our characters who we've gone real back and forth with. So it would have been great because, like, you had such high highs and low lows. It was manic at times. And like, and you did a great job with it, but, then you also grounded a real human in there. And so it would have been cool had they had the time to actually see where it would have

ended. You know, because the range of outcomes for Alex, dude, it's massive. Yeah. You must have had so much fun. You just got to play so many different. I miss it so much. That's the thing. I miss, like, having fun like that.

Yeah. I would love to have that. I feel like you got to play like six different characters in one because you never knew what was going to come up on the page. I feel like even just rewatching, I was like, oh, it's this Alex. this time. Oh, it's this version of Alex. It's so fun. She's my hands-down the funnest character I've ever played.

What was your favorite part of playing Alex? What type of scenes when you'd read in the script, you'd go like, oh, hell yeah? When I was able to, I mean, again, my favorite scene was the one with Austin where I said I hate myself when it's quiet because I really tapped into my own stuff in those scenes, and I love being able to heal through work.

So I loved being able to bring a little bit of heart to her and authenticity to her. Yeah. That scene with you, too, on set? So good. It was the most relatable, real moment when you're freaking out, because you're like,

I don't think I can do this as an actor. And then you as like a kind, wise director, you're like, you just like talked her down very gently. And then you dropped into it and you actually crushed the real performance was so good. So good. Austin is, I mean, he's,

I've told you just a million times. Like, we did a movie together, what, two years ago? hands down my favorite scene partner with, you know, because you give so much to your scene partner, and it's always been so appreciated. Wow, you lick a guy's face and suddenly he's chopped liver.

No, I thought. But we didn't really have those moments together. Do you know what to even have a scene together? She licked my face. I did. I looked at it. But, you know, but we didn't have those like real intimate things. We were like, what up, Clay. You know? I don't know. They were like, we don't know what to give these two.

Have her lick his face and leave. Yeah. Okay. Wow. Hey, thanks for listening. Don't forget to leave us a review. You can also follow us on Instagram at Drama Queens, O-T-HtH. Or email us at Drama Queens at I-HeartRadio.com.

See you next time. We're all about that high school, drama girl, drama girl, all about them high school queens. We'll take you for a ride in our comic girl. Drama girl. Chearing for the right team. Drama queens, drama queens. Smart girl, rough girl, fashion, but you'll take it. up girl, you could sit with us, girl.

Drama queens, drama queens, drama queens, drama queens, drama queens, drama queens. Is she said Johnny? The kids didn't come home last night. Along the central Texas plains, teens are dying. Suicides that don't make sense. Strange accidents and brutal murders. In what seems to be, a plot ripped straight out of Breaking Bad. drugs, alcohol, trafficking of people.

There are people out there that absolutely know what happened. Listen to Paper Ghosts, the Texas Teen Murders, on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What do you get when you mix 1950s Hollywood, a Cuban musician with a dream, and one of the most iconic sitcoms of all time? You get Desi Arnest. On the podcast star in Desi Arnaz and Wilmer Valderrama,

I'll take you in a journey to Desi's life. how he redefined American television and what that meant for all of us watching from the sidelines waiting for a face like hours on screen. Listen to starring Desi Arnaz and Wilmer Valderrama on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. I'm Robert Smith, and this is Jacob Goldstein, and we used to host a show called Planet Money. And now we're back making this new podcast called Business History about the best ideas and people and businesses in history. and some of the worst people, horrible ideas and destructive companies in the history of business. First episode, how Southwest Airlines use cheap seats and free whiskey to fight its way into the airline business. The most Texas story ever.

Listen to business history on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The Rich Russians Falling Out of Windows podcast is back. Sad Olegark Season 2. Since we left you in 2023 after season one, many politically motivated Russian millionaires have continued to die in suspicious circumstances. Season two gets very weird. Listen to Sad Olegak on the IHeart Radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm I'm Iba Longoria. And I'm Maite Gomez-Rajuan, and this week on our podcast, Hungry for History, we talk oysters, plus the Mianbe Chief stops by. If you're not an oyster lover, Don't even talk to me.

Ancient Athenians used to scratch names onto oyster shells to vote politicians into exile. So our word ostracize is related to the word oyster. No way. Bring back the OsterCon. Listen to Hungry for History on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast.