LadyGang - Alexis Martin Woodall

Episode Date: February 5, 2019

The bad ass Hollywood lady boss behind American Horror Story and Glee joins the Ladies to remember how she came to befriend Becca on set, as well as what she did to make her successful in a male-dominated Tinsel Town! Amazon = Go to amazon.com/shop/ladygang to find their favorite products while keeping the podcast FREE! Baked By Melissa = Get 15% off your order at BakedByMelissa.com/ladygang and use promo code LADYGANG at checkout. The LAST day to order for Valentine’s Day with standard shipping is February 12th at 2:00pm EST!  Function of Beauty = Go to FunctionOfBeauty.com now and take a quick 2-minute hair profile quiz to customize your unique shampoo/conditioner and take 20% off your first order with promo code LADYGANG  MVMT Watches = Get 15% off today with FREE shipping and returns at MVMT.com/LADYGANG  Shine = Download the Shine App today on the App store or Google Play and go to ShineText.com/LADYGANG to get 50% off Shine Premium!  Tommy John = Get 20% off your first order at TommyJohn.com/LADY See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hey guys, it's your Lady Gang, Jack Vanek, Kelty Knight, and Becca Tobin. Thank you so much for subscribing on iTunes, and thanks for supporting the great sponsors who make it possible for us to have this much fun with you every single week for free. Well, what is this? Welcome to the Lady Gang. That's amazing. Say that again. The Lady Gang.

Things are about to change around here. Each week, we catch up with Hollywood's hottest girl posse, Kelty Knight, Becca Tobin, and Jack Vanek. Hello, hello, hello. Welcome to the Lady Gang. I am Becca Tobin here with Kelty Knight and Jack Bannock. Hi, guys. I'm on my phone still. Sorry. I got a new clipboard, and it is, like, so important to me. Wow.

It's a clipboard front and then a note-taking middle. This is primo. Isn't that beautiful? What kind of soup are you eating, Kelty? Oh, I'm eating red lentil. Oh. One of my New Year's resolutions. Are you using a wooden spoon?

Yeah. That's her nightmare. Why? I'm, like, literally afraid of wooden things that you put in your mouth. Didn't I talk about this recently? Yes. Yes. Well, I'm using the wooden spoon because my goal of 2018 was to be more aware of my plastic use at the office.

Oh. Because I eat at, like, the commissary every, you know. So you don't care if you're killing trees. Well, this is recyclable. I'm more worried about the turtles, to be honest. The plastic? The plastic. And so this is a recyclable, I think.

I don't know. Now I'm eating out of a plastic thing. because I'm feeling like a dick. So that's why you can't say anything because there will always be something that you can... Well, there's always something, but I was like... You're making the effort. Yeah.

You're trying. Yeah, and it's not that bad. Your life is really going well when you have time to make a resolution like use less plastic at work. Yeah. Well, I just went on Amazon and I bought like the big pack of the, you know, that.

And then I bought a reusable straw and I've been using it. It's actually easier than you would think, people. I use reusable... Straws. Stainless steel straws. So do I. Yeah, me too.

Love them. We're really, like, good. We're pretty good. I know. I miss plastic straws. I'm not going to lie. So one of my manifests for this year was to try to eat. Just in general?

To eat meals, like an actual meal. Yeah. My problem is I'm always snacking, and then I'm eating, like, chocolate and Diet Coke is, like, my meal. So I had a smoothie for breakfast, and then I'm having my soup for lunch, and I'm really hungry. Good for you. It's because once you start eating real food, your body actually craves more real food, and it's like, give me a fruit or a vegetable. Vegetable, please. I missed it.

I know we have to get into it, but my boss, yesterday I was like eating on set before and she was like, oh, what are you having? I was like, oh, I'm trying to eat more and like stop for lunch and like eat. And she goes, oh, but just a soup. You're like, are you going to be full? And I was like, fullness is not the problem. Like the problem is like you don't know show business. Nobody's full.

I need a nutrient. The problem is I just need like anything. Yeah. I just need it to not be like two coffees, a diet Coke and a Snickers. Anyway. Well, congrats. Yes. Good job.

Welcome to the show. Welcome to the show. I'm glad that you started eating at 36 years old. You're welcome. Taking care of yourself. All right. On that note, it's time for Good Week. Yes, it is.

Bad Week. Oh, no. Let's start. I'll go. Okay. Wait. Okay. Good Week.

I recently went to Mammoth, and while I was in Mammoth, I had a really good day because I met a trio of French bulldogs with the best names ever. it was jack becca and kelty who's gonna do that that's gonna be amazing somebody has to name their dog someone has to do that they have to do it before you go into the names i need more details you're at the ski hill where the dog skiing no they weren't skiing it was an apres i met him while i was having a post drink their names were frankenstein dracula and bill interesting isn't that amazing it's kind of odd but i'm into it it's so good and i met them one night it was like this guy and then his dad owned bill and the guy owned frankenstein and dracula but they all

traveled together oh so i met them one night with the younger kid and then the next day i was going to brunch on another little part of mammoth and i'm walking he saw frankenstein i'm like is that bill and the guy's like excuse me i'm like it's bill right and frankenstein and dracula and he was so confused was it him he was bill yeah oh it was a great dog name so especially when his brothers are named frankenstein and dracula it's so weird it's what you should name your children frankenstein frankenstein dracula and then like susan it makes like the like really boring name so much better it's true i loved it you took me to a happy place okay what's your thank you um bad week you know we're starting off the year and i never have resolutions but i need

to kick a bad habit so bad i pick my cuticles so much that like i'm like constantly bleeding my nails are constantly bleeding and i need to like figure it out so this is like a call for help for somebody to help me not pick them is it because your nails are long and they're like little tweezers that makes it easier to because when my nails are longer i pick more yeah so what if you just cut your nails shorter even when my nails are short they're still when i have a short nail with gel on it i can't get a grip on a cuticle i don't know if i would be myself with short nails i think you'd be okay there's such an important part of my identity well you want to keep bleeding cuticles that was my suggestion i feel like i'm gonna end up deforming my fingers

it's so bad and like i used to i'd always get gel manicures every two weeks because when i get a gel manicure they you know clip them and then you know i won't pick them that much yeah yeah and it's just like such an anxious thing and i don't i don't know maybe there's something at the root yeah that we should discuss no it's definitely like an anxious ocd thing yeah but you know well i'm screwed unless somebody wants to help me or like hypnotize me or something that's where i'm down she went instantly to hypnotize not just go like therapy journaling willpower i want like a fast fix i don't like putting effort she's like oh i should definitely be hypnotized yeah okay you know somebody help me all right i'm going rebecca so my bad week this is gonna be terrible but very

brand for me i came to a conclusion i hate the holidays i hate them i really really really hate them i hate when i look beautiful though you look so thin you look pretty what are you even talking your face is so like this is not but it has nothing to do oh for like after holidays no because everybody else i don't care about the puffiness of holidays like that's fine i hate i hate when adults need gifts and need feel the need to buy gifts i and i hate all the bullshit surrounding it you're talking to a person whose love language is gifts i know but like gifts throughout the rest of the year is fine but like why christmas like there's so much pressure and then there's so much like togetherness that nobody actually wants

and there's so much like it's a million dollars to fly anywhere and then you get there and you're sitting around staring at each other. It's cold out. No one's exercising or doing anything good. They're just eating garbage food and avoiding awkward conversation with family. I hate the holidays. And I said to Zach, I go, guess what? I'm not going home next year. You may go home. I'm not going. And I may never go home again. I hate pressure. And I really hate New Year's Eve too. New Year's Eve always sucks. I think that I just don't like it when there's all this hype around something that's just a freaking day welcome to the club i went to bed at 9 30 on new year's eve 9 30 yeah i have not spent time with family at christmas in the last decade

chris and i either go on a vacation far away just the two of us oh we missed you at christmas it's the only time we have or i stayed in town did not get out of my pajamas for two weeks i did see the kids on christmas day and the rest of the time i was quote-unquote working can't see you anyone i literally hid away it's the best because you're absolutely right i don't want to stare at you i don't and i think there's nothing more awkward than adult gifts no that's what i was just gonna say the gift thing is the thing that like grinds my gears the most it's honestly i had a friend of mine who her and her like kind of new boyfriend you know they're he like mentioned something to her he's like oh by the way this is what i want for christmas and like tells her he wants this

expensive what's the point buy it yourself then i know but then also doesn't ask her what she wants like it's just this whole weird song and dance and people are so weird about gifts and people are so narcissistic about it sometimes where it's like i want this you i deserve this it's like go buy it for yourself we're all adults if you want something buy it let's all save our own money and buy ourselves things when we need them it's so much excess it's a lot i don't get it but it's cute with kids it's cute it's adorable with kids kids makes the holidays but like kill me kill me i agree here's my good week as much as i hate new year's eve last year i did make a list of like maybe 10 things a good band it was not a it was not a vision board it was like a bullet point of

like goals you know still sounds an awful lot like a manifest list accounting no no it's goals like i want to have this much in my bank account i want to make this much this year like it's all financial no the source.com says they're all the same but no but i had like eight ones that were like doing certain things better like blah blah blah blah and i found the list and i really think that like the majority of them were accomplished which is great that is good you want to share any of the intimate details? No, because I'm actually not a big believer

in sharing goals. I'm not. I'm superstitious too. I keep mine to myself until the year's over. Yeah, me too. You guys are really the only people that read it

because I have it up in my bathroom. Well, and yours are embarrassing. Grow mermaid hair. Mine did not have anything about my hair on the list or really my appearance in general.

It's mostly just, you know, career. When you're already a 10, you don't have to like aim higher, you know? You know what I mean? sixes we have to like really focus really focus on it thanks all right healthy okay so i was in the airport and i have been yeah well this is a from december because i've since tried to quit

diet coke it is my new year's resolution anyway so in december i was traveling i think i was traveling to see you guys but anyway i'm in the airport lounge and it's very quiet because it's like real fancy in there and everyone's just like on their airpods or like you know like going drinking free wine and i had to fart and i really thought i thought that i was going to be able to it was going to be one of those ones where you can like lift your butt cheek a little bit and it just like slips out and then like you're like oh who farted gross you know the stench just like rises yeah yeah yeah so i had my ear pods in but i didn't have them on danger already so i just went for it and I lifted up

and it was like a full like See, this is you have to lift but then you also have to lift the butt cheeks I've made a problem. I had the legging on and it was keeping it together. Anyway, I was so embarrassed because I just

pretended I was watching something on the phone. It's so gross to lift it up. No, I know. Maybe like keep the butt cheeks down so then it kind It's like it's trapped in the middle of my seat. No, too much noise.

No, it's because those pleather seats. Oh, yeah. It's like the faux leather. The pleather, it expanded. Anyway, all right. My good week. Callie is really turning into be a brilliant child. Oh, good.

So whenever I give Callie a big treat, like not her regular food, she doesn't eat it. She takes it outside and she buries it. She's like a real street dog. Does she go back to get it later? Well, I don't know. Like, I don't know what she did. She's not burying them in the same place? She's burying them all over.

Like, I see her digging and bury it, and then, like, and then it's gone. So then, to answer your question, Becca, this week I witnessed her go out on the patio, looking around, chasing a bird, and then start digging in the succulent pot, a potted plant. Dig, dig, dig, dig, dig, dig, dig, dig, dig. And then she pulls out her treat, brings it inside, sits on her dog bed, and eats it. no she's so smart she learns it she learned how to ration on the street rationing on the streets because she knows because she knows food comes and goes i'm like i'm you're so safe i'm always gonna feed you oh my god but she like saved her treat for later and then brought it back into the house and ate it later when she was hungry that is the sweetest she was like a year when

i got her so she's like anyway she's so fucking smart callie you're brilliant i wish you weren't such an asshole to other dogs okay on that note when we come back smart ladies are here well just one yeah we're not now back to the lady gang our guest today serves as an executive producer on some of the most inspiring and creative shows in television history you might know her from a show called glee becca have you ever heard of that don't answer that a normal heart i cried American Horse Story, Too Scary for Me, American Crime Story, Delicious, all which have been nominated for Emmy Awards. She's currently serving as the executive producer of the FX drama Feud, which we love. And in her spare time, she's in a band playing keyboard, tambourine, and singing backup vocals.

You have some old news. You're not in the band anymore? Girl, that ended like five years ago. It did? Yeah. She used to be in a band called Kissing Cousins, which I'm glad is over because I wanted to unpack the title. She's got sassy style, a hilarious Instagram, and a brand new Emmy. So let's welcome to the Lady Gang, Alexis Woodall.

What happened to the band? I know! Oh, no. The band is one of those things, and everybody should know this. Like, I will say, I'm 38 years old. I have no problem saying my age. From 33 to 36, ladies, you're going to realize who you want in your life, who you don't want in your life.

It's going to be that weird. I mean, you're always going to be figuring that out, but that's that window, I think, that you're going to learn. I'm good with this. I've told this story. I love music, and the funniest part of all is music is so ingrained in what I do professionally that it gives me such a great language. But it was fun to be like, oh, I'm in a band in L.A. in my 20s, and it was fun.

It was also, by the way, a pain in the ass. I didn't need to play a midnight show. I don't want to be someone's roadie. It's not my dream. Am I allowed to say that? Yes. Okay, great. So it was one of those things where it was around the time we started.

My career was really starting to develop because I have multiple shows. I've had three shows at a time over the last five years. Because now there's 911. Well, it's 9-1-1, Pose, Politician for Netflix, We're Prepping Ratchet, American Horror Story just wrapped, and then we have, yeah. I mean, you have a lot going on. We have a lot going on. So it was that kind of time where I didn't really want to be committing to that anymore.

It was really fun to be doing something that was, like, alter ego-y, but a different band maybe I keep sticking with, and it's like, I just wasn't. What kind of music was it? It was, like, you know, Black Sabbath? Mm-hmm. I picture Black Sabbath with a really cute girl, so it's, like, loud rock and roll. It's kind of cute, though. It was cool.

It was really, I mean, it was awesome. Did you have some good stage clothes? Well, I like to think all of my clothes are good, although you're meeting me in a very understated fashion, but I did. Me too, girl. Me too. Becca's wearing a fur. I know.

Well, because it's chilly. Alexis will never not be dressed to, like, head to toe, accessorized. Like, you always have a bold lip. Always. And she's the hardest working person pretty much at every job she's at, but she comes to work looking like that. I'm like, how do you do that? Do you do, like, a morning?

Do you do, like, a morning? No, here's the deal. At this point in my career, I've gotten a place where I control my schedule enough that I work from home usually in the morning. So I get up. Ideally, I go to boot camp. Right now, the Battle of the Bulge is a special thing. But I get up and I go to boot camp and I come home and I work from home for a while. So I'll watch cuts from home or I'll deal with network calls or studio calls or just what people need or just what Ryan needs.

And that kind of sets the day up. And then I usually, because I work across town at Fox, I usually head in at like 1130 or noon and then work later there. because there's something about once I get to the office, people need you. You know, it's like, and then you don't get anything done. So it's a matter of setting time. But it was really nice to have that trust with Ryan over the years of me saying, hey, if you want me to hit these deadlines, I have to work the way I need to work. Yeah.

Let's talk about the amazing way. So the Ryan you're speaking of, if people don't know, is Ryan Murphy. And we've had him on the podcast. I know. It was one of my favorite episodes. We just loved him. He loved it. He loved it.

He really talked about you guys and talked about it a lot. He was really moved because you got fresh stories out of him. Yeah, we did. Yeah, we did. I thought it was one of his best interviews, too. But what I loved when I was researching you is how you got noticed by him and got the job you have. And I think this is such a great lesson for all ladies because, you know, there's that age-old thing of, like, the way you get someone a cup of coffee is the way that you will run the company one day. So can you tell us a little bit about the story of when Ryan noticed you and then hired you?

Well, first of all, Kelty, I completely agree with you. And it doesn't matter how many times you hear it, dress for the job you want. Dress for the job you want. If you don't understand why you're not getting promoted and you keep wearing schlubby jeans and a worn-out sweatshirt and all you do is complain at work, even if your complaints are valid, all they see is schlubby jeans and a complaining sweater. Like, dress the way that you feel that you are. And so I always did. I was from Georgia. I thought I was Scarlett O'Hara.

I'm actually a natural blonde. I dye my hair dark. Are you? Oh, yeah. Cute. And I moved to Colorado when I was nine and was just like, is this all there is? And so I was always like, let's dress up. Let's be better.

Let's be fabulous. And so I was the only PA, the production assistant, who was dressing up in heels and skirts and lugging bags of tapes and deliveries and lunches around. And I talked to everybody and I said hi to everybody. But Ryan really views the writing process as the writer's room and the editing room. And I was a PA in post-production, which meant I was the only girl in with a bunch of dude editors. And I would sit in the bullpen, and I'd hear Ryan in the room. And, you know, he'd come and go. And one day he wasn't in a great mood.

Not that that ever happens to any of us. And I heard him getting ready to leave one of the offices. And I'm sitting by myself in the bullpen, and I'm like, oh, my God. I don't know where to look. I don't want to be in front of that, you know. And he came out, and he looks at me, and he goes, I like your dress, lady. And he leaves. And I called my mother, and I was like, Ryan Murphy likes my dress.

Oh, my God. Ryan Murphy likes my dress. Yeah. But it was that thing where he noticed me, and so there was a down period between two seasons of Nip Tuck, and because I was still new to L.A., I had worked since the beginning, but I went back to waiting tables, because no one tells you that you can go on unemployment and not wait tables, which would have been amazing. But unfortunately, I'm a worker of the world and not a trust fund kid right now.

Damn it. That's what my mom says. She's like, you are your own trust fund, which is fine. But I just wish someone would just give me one. I need a bigger trust fund than mine. Just a backup. Well, just a trust fund that allows you to have a little bit of money. Yeah, a little bit of flexibility would be nice.

I just don't want to go in today. I just don't. But no, I don't have that. I have work. So I was waiting tables, waiting for the third season of Nip Tuck to come back. And Ryan's assistant at the time had called and said, my dad is really sick. I have to go. I don't know if it'll be for three days or three weeks, but it's the down season.

Ryan's asked for you by name to cover for me. How did he know who you were? Just from the dress? Ryan knows who everyone is. And Ryan knows his – I like to say Ryan knows his stars. That's me, guys. I'm talking about me. But no, because he would – because I was in editorial and he would come to editorial every day.

And so you see everybody. It's like, you know, your PAs. Right, right, right. Sure, sure. And so he – and I was always outspoken and had a point of view. And so I went in and I said, I can help – you know, I can help you out. I'm not really an assistant type. I'm more of like a I'm going to do what needs to be done kind of type.

Yeah. And he said, what are you scared of? and I said hanging up on somebody and of course I did the very first call. But I ended up staying with him just for about three months while we did Running With Scissors. And at the end of that three months,

I was just, I was having dinner with him two nights ago telling the story and he was like, oh my God, I forgot all about it. At the end of the three month period, he calls me into his trailer

and he says, I don't want you to go back to post-production. I want you to stay with me and be my assistant. Now in the downtime, I had found that I was getting another promotion in post-production to one of the most hardworking jobs

but also the most tedious job. It's called the post-supervisor. Ladies, it's a smart job to have it's not the most exciting but I was excited because I was only 24 and I'm ambitious

and a move was a move so I stood in Ryan Murphy's trailer and I said I love working with you this is the most glamorous fun job ever but I don't want

to be a writer so at the end of getting coffee and making calls for you for a year my skill set won't have increased but if I go to this

really ugly unglamorous job for your company for your show I'm going to be a bigger asset to you and I'm going to help build your business

and I think that's where I should go even though I don't want to go but i think that's where i should go and he goes i respect that and a week later one thing led to another he calls me up and he's like you're now running that department you're the associate producer sink or swim i believe in you oh my god you're a fucking boss but for you to i mean that's crazy ryan murphy is looking you in the eyes and he's like stay with me and you're like nah i know i'm like i would love to but that's like to the easy path and i need to be

better. Wow. Ladies, take the easy, no, don't, don't, don't take the easy path. No, I just thought it's one of those things. Like I, I always know that when I walk into a room at this point and it doesn't matter what it is, I can tell people exactly what to do. They listen to me and they listen with confidence because I've done everything and I had to do it at an accelerated pace because I suddenly got moved to the top of the department, but I had been the PA this season before and I had six editors and three people working for me

I had I think a department of like 10 or 12 and they all probably thought I was a moron except they knew I was smart

well then the computer started failing in the first week and the only job I had to do was make sure the computers were working so our director

was in for a director's cut Ryan's like why are the computers not working I called my mom a lot I called my mom and she was like I was like

I don't know what to do no one wants to come help us we were working on Final Cut at the time with you know not Avid like everybody else and she goes

you should write Steve Jobs a letter and I was like I wonder if that would work. So I called Cupertino. I asked for the email address for Steve Jobs. He did not accept emails. He only accepted fax and snail mail.

So I wrote a letter to Steve Jobs on Nip-Tuck letterhead stationery. No. I didn't clear this with Ryan or any of the EPE. Oh, my God. What did I know? And I basically sent a letter that I was like, you guys need to help us. No one's acknowledging us. we are a golden globe

award winning drama that I would hate to let the town know that we went back to Avid because no one from Apple would help us no and what happened

the vice president of Apple called me the next day oh my god and you were out there no wait I just love that your mom was like you should write a letter

to Steve Jobs and you're like okay this is my mother and it worked what's the worst that's going to happen yeah

at least we've tried something holy shit I never heard that story oh yeah we were talking about that the other night I was like that is insane

so I think what I do is I hit like really big goal posts so that way no one sees me scramble because sometimes I'm also like am I skating

I don't know but I'm not I know I'm not but we all know it because I remember and you don't know this but I remember sitting with you

at Le Pen Catitienne after our Paris trip and you said my friend Kelty and I are coming up with this idea this lady gang thing and we're going to record it and we're going to do it

and it's going to be no it's four years ago four and a half years ago or three and a half years yeah 2015 oh my god I know it's amazing that's crazy

you've worked since then yeah They shouldn't say anything about you, Jack. She wasn't born yet. She wasn't born. No, but it's crazy. It's just so funny that you were saying that because just a few weeks ago on the show, the sound was off. And I don't know shit about sound.

But you know more than you think you do. Now we're doing sound. And, like, my husband came in and we spent two hours and we were, like, learning about the mics. And I was like, the sound is weird. Let's fix it and whatever. And you just kind of do what you have to do to make it. And whatever you don't know, you learn. And we've certainly learned in the last couple of years.

We're like, we don't know how to do this. Like, how do you, you know? Well, I think it's really impressive. And I think what I like, because I was doing my cram session homework before I was, when I was packing for New York on Saturday night, just catching up, because I listened to you guys a lot when you first started. Like, I'm sure everyone tells you and then whatever. Anyway, so I was catching up and I was just appreciating it because I was laughing so

much. But you do so much work. Like, the idea that you produce this yourself, Emily was just saying that you guys have been packing up the Lady Gang boxes, which, congratulations, guys. The boxes are really cool, ladies. You'll be very excited. You might get one. Oh, might I?

Maybe when you leave. I hope there's a dildo. No, what? I'm sorry. There's not in this one. I want to know what you first thought of Becca. How you met her. Because you were already working on Glee when the second wave came and she was in it.

It was a different time, too, because to be totally honest, Glee's shiny spot had sort of worn off. It was still a beloved show, but we had Horror Story. I think I was doing Normal Heart by that point. So I was already pulled. And one of the things that everyone always asks me is, like, oh, my God, do you just love being on set? No, I don't go to set very often. I have so many things. I'm creatively in the dark so much.

And also I start to have certain relationships with my actors through the fourth wall that I don't really want to break. I don't want to have to look my actor in the eye and be like, oh, yeah, I cut that whole scene. It had nothing to do with you, but that whole scene is out of there. Because I have that kind of creative control. Power, yeah. And so, but our good friend Jenna Oshkowitz, who was one of my favorites from the beginning, and really smart, and you guys know her. She's a smart, smart person. And she was always going on and on about Becca.

And Becca was kiddie wild. Becca was like the mean girl with her tight ponytail. And I was like, I don't know, I just liked her. And one day, I can't remember when we first met, but I'm sure it was just on set. I don't remember. I remember so many things. But it was on set and this and that. But you did this thing that was really cool because she really was like, I want to learn everything.

That same thing I did in my world. And she was the only actor in seven years of Glee. Sorry, Jenna. In seven years of Glee that said, I want to come sit with you in the editing room. And I want to hear you work on an episode. And I want to hear what you talk about. And I had said to her, I was like, okay, I think we picked one that you weren't terribly heavy in because I was that same issue. That's weird.

And also, Ryan doesn't want me really sharing the secrets. Because that's part of what makes it happen. But I also think people who want to know, it's going to make them better. And ladies, the biggest thing I will tell you is always ask questions. Choose your time and place of how to ask questions. Do not open with a thousand questions because it will put people off or maybe annoy them. But if you want to know how something works, ask how something works. And you can say, I just don't know.

You don't have to pretend like you know. It's not like comparing music taste in like 10th grade where you're like, oh, my God, I totally love that band. And you have no idea who it is. you can just say I don't know but I want to know and everybody respects that so Becca came in

and we just sort of hit it off and the best part oh my god the boys in the department lost their shit she's so hot

I lost their shit guys she's hot cause she would come in in her little like crop tops not your crop tops which I did really enjoy that

the other that little people's choice word episode was but but they she would come with her crop tops

and her jeans and she was so warm and she talked to everybody I mean, we had two, I have two very, very, very gay editors who were ready to convert for Becca. And so it was fun for me. She's got that charm. She does. It was fun for me to inspire my people because a lot of times they work really hard on something creatively, but they don't share any sort of glamour part.

Yeah, yeah. So they got to feel special because one of the actresses was coming to kind of, to respect what they're doing. I looked awesome because I was like, oh, you know, this is my realm. It's my bestie. you know but then Becca got to learn but we just hit it off from there and it was really Paris

when we got really drunk and cried our faces off one night at like five in the morning and ate burgers we ate something crazy in my hotel room we stayed up all night long

we had been at a club that night they wouldn't let me in with my jacket so I took my shirt off underneath and I was like it's not a jacket

it's my shirt but it was also like she's a gorgeous actress who's like oh if I have to take my shirt off she didn't have to take her shirt off I was so brought in, didn't you?

We did have such a good time. That really bonded us. But there's a lot of trust because I think she's smart. And I think that's what I like. And look at what you guys have done here. I respect that. So do you have any advice for us as we continue on our TV journey? Well, it's certainly not easy to be a lady in the TV world.

It's not easy. I think, first of all, congratulations for getting the show. It's a really good show. It feels like your podcast, which I think is really good. And it's like it's fun that you get to be styled and on set and everything. And it doesn't feel like they edit you too much in terms of personality. But I think the biggest advice is, honestly, you just have to work twice as hard. You just have to be ready.

But here's the thing that I will say. I have been very fortunate in the sense that I've gotten plenty of shit and I've dealt with some real assholes. But the person who I really work best with is Ryan Murphy. and he and I for ups and downs and everything over the years he's one of my best friends

and he always respected me so he one time told me he's like I don't see you as a when I was like I'm younger than every other producer and I'm a woman

and he's like I don't mean it in a mean way but I don't look at you and be like oh well there's my woman producer I think there's my producer and I but I think

say yes to everything but have your boundaries there are times there are very specific times where I will I mean at this point no one fucks with me

but for the longest time I would say you need to do that. When you do that, bring it back to me and then we'll look at it together as opposed to letting usually a man try and get you to do it. However, I did play cleanup for years and I still very often play cleanup because I look at a situation and if I can see how it can be better, I'm not going to not make it better, but I'm not going to let it go unnoticed. I have a very healthy ego and I think it's important to be proud of the work you do. If someone gives you a compliment, ladies, say thank you. Do not throw it off. In fact, that's the one lesson I want to

say to you guys you are three beautiful women when i binged five episodes on saturday night which i did you tear each other or yourselves down you support each other you tear yourselves down and i was like it's sort of funny and then it's sort of reminiscent of my friends and i but it was a good lesson to be like why i know also you have great bodies which i know is so a basic rude thing to say you've such great bodies and when i hear you doing on your saggy knees i was like shut up I think I was tacky. Granted, I wasn't culty talking about her saggy knees. Yeah, someone on Twitter.

Wait, is that what happened? Yes. Oh. Someone, I get a lot of, for someone who's so unpopular on the internet, I get a lot of people commenting on my face, body, teeth, way I talk, hair, everything. So someone wrote me and was like, on Entertainment Tonight, stop wearing short dresses because your knees are saggy. And I was like, I had never added my knees to my list of things to not like about myself.

I don't need that. Like, it just seems like such a, like, a 10th thing on the list. Like, I could pick a lot more things, you know what I mean? But then it's like, the other day I was at, like, yeah, I was at a dermatologist, and he was like, you know, you could put a little filler in your chin, and it would even out your nose. And I was like, is there something wrong with my nose? Like, do you know what I mean? It's like these things, I was always like, I kind of like my nose, but okay, like, now I'll think about that. I love your nose.

Anyway, it's just weird to be a girl. It is weird to be a girl. And it's weird to be a girl where I have a constant, like, I spent the week in New York being like, oh, I don't feel good in my body. I don't feel good in my body, but also I'm f***ing awesome. And that's sometimes the hardest dichotomy. So I think the biggest thing is don't hesitate to compliment yourself. Don't hesitate to be like, no, no, I like what I do and I like me because I like me. I mean, there are things I need to be better.

I wish I could say no to like three bowls of cereal at 11 o'clock at night. But why say no to that? Why not just regret it the next day? What has been your ish moment, best moment of your career? And what has been the moment that you thought, I'm done? I'm done. Can you even say? I'm excited for these.

Me too. I can't think for a second. I mean, you did that whole feature in The Hollywood Reporter, was it? Oh, The Closet? The Closet. Oh, The Closet was good. You were, that was a good one. The Closet is, that's a good one.

My, one of my best friends is a professional organizer and her friend's a journalist and she called two Christmases ago or two Novembers ago and said, hey, The Hollywood Reporter wants to do a piece on Alexis's Closet for the women in power issue because they're doing the closets and they're organizers slash designers. It's so cute because everyone's like, oh, she's a major Hollywood producer. She has three Emmys.

I live in a silver bungalow because my husband and I decided to buy a restaurant instead of a house. We own a restaurant. My closet was basically the size of this table. No one knows it because I dress really well, but it's like, I can't do that. My best friend Beth was like, let's turn

the study, our second bedroom, let's turn it into a closet. We did it in Five days, and it got photographed, and it's stunning, and we kept it. You never turned it back? No. I had this whole exposed shelving with my shoes. I have two giant, tall wardrobes. I have a party rack with all my sparkly stuff.

I had to end up getting an actual party rack because I have so many clothes from so many events because I don't use a stylist because it's not my way yet. I like to pick my own stuff out. Anyway, so now I have racks of clothes that I'm running out of room for, but I try and re-wear them. But that was the moment where I was like, oh, wait. But you know what's actually really weird is I think what's happening now in the sense that I've gotten, I'm being treated differently in a really cool way. But normally you're not aware of the transition times in your life. I'm aware of it.

And so that's what's weird where I'm like. Well, like I was flying out to New York on Sunday. And I was flying out with one of my other producers, Brad Simpson. And the flight attendant, you know, they fly you when you're flying for work. They fly you first class or business class. And there's a chauffeur that picks you up and takes you. And all that sort of, like, wrote at this point because I do travel enough and I've done it long enough. I don't ever take it for granted because it's such a nice perk.

It's such a nice perk, yeah. But I'm on the plane and the flight attendant comes up to talk to Brad and I about something. And he's like, do you guys watch American Horror Story? Because so-and-so is on the plane. And Brad, of course, because he has no shame, he's like, she produces American Horror Story. And this flight attendant, like, literally, I was fangirled for, like, three hours. And at one point, I mean, he was bringing me extra things and this and that and all these moments where you're like – and that's that feeling of I'm just the same person I was. Like literally, I'm the same person who's been drunk and crying and eating burgers at 3 in the morning just like everybody.

But you feel when people treat you differently and you're like, oh, I'm making that next transition. And I really like who I am and I want to keep being who I am. But I do want to keep growing. So I don't know. I'm still Jenny from the block. Just minus those terrible Timberland stilettos. Oh, remember those? Yes.

You had a pair, didn't you? I didn't, but I had something adjacent. I kind of want a pair now. Oh, okay. I think you could bring those back. What has been the worst moment, the quit moment? You know, there are just a lot of times when you have, there was a time where there was a big miscommunication.

I got snowbound in Burlington, Vermont. Burlington, Virginia. The Cove Factory. Burlington, Vermont. and there was a big miscommunication with Ryan and it led to a really big, this is back in 2011 or 10, it was a long time ago,

but it led to a really big examination of trust and intention and it's like when it's all said and done, he doesn't even remember it. I do because I'll never forget it because it was really hard for me because he thought I was intentionally trying to get out of being at work and I mean, if anyone's been to Burlington, Vermont,

it is the cutest place, but I was supposed to be there for 36 hours so I didn't have any good clothes with me no laptop charger it was bleak but it was that lesson of when you think that you aren't needed or noticed

because I hadn't been like hey I'm going to be gone it was that kind of thing and then he missed me and then he was like why didn't you tell me it was just a lesson in communication but it really led to a big examination of do the people around me appreciate me for what I do

Are they going to be quick to change their mind about me if I, God forbid, don't show up? And, you know, you start thinking, oh, my God. And it's just really hard. It is really hard to always be, like, fighting to get ahead. And, like, let's be real. I, for years and years and years, I was always doing great work. And for years and years and years, I was paid a pittance compared to what a lot of my male counterparts were. Not the Ryan Murphy's or the Brad Falchuk's, you know, but other people.

And it's like those knowing it, it's like, okay, I'll get to that next contract. And that next contract is like, okay, then I'm going to do that next contract. And now, as I said to my lawyer recently, I'm grabbing for everything. Because f*** them if they think that I'm going to work this hard and continue to politely share it. Like, no. So there's my next lesson, ladies. Take what is yours. Do it nicely.

Look people in the eye. Do not be shady and do not be cunty. But take what is yours. Because if you work for it, no one's going to give it to you if you do not take it. Damn. Mic drop. She brought us to Lady Boss Church. That was Ryan Murphy level

That was more like RuPaul level It was RuPaul level Was that in your head Did that just come out of your brain This is Alexis We're going to have to transcribe this I know I need to go back and listen to it And write it down and put it next to my bed

I just think that it's really My mom and dad gave me such a great sense of self Because they were like you can do anything you want to do But you have to do the work You have to do the work and like we said there's no trust fund and it would be awesome

if there were but then maybe I'd be like 400 pounds and like on the Riviera all the time which I don't know if that's a bad thing either but I know right

I want to do that I think there's something like when you're in your 20s I know that I went through like when you're in your 20s and you're like I will do everything for free just because I want to be

in the room I just want to experience and then you get into your 30s and you're like you know what I would like to be in the room but I'll be fine if I'm not and I'd rather like

I'd rather work hard and feel like you appreciate it and it comes from money and it also comes from you know like even in making the Lady Gang TV show we were executive producers and that meant a lot to me

it meant a lot to me to have that title because I've never been an EP before and we didn't really know what the we're doing as EPs like I don't know what we're supposed to do or whatever but like I shoved my face in there and was like I'm now an EP and I want you to treat me like an EP and

that's hard. It didn't happen, did it? No, not without asking a lot, you know? And I don't mean it in a bad way, it's just that a lot of people, because the one thing that happens is that everyone's always like what do you do, what's a producer? She's a money man. I'm like, that's like an archaic idea. That's like 1920s Broadway. Yeah, exactly.

It's like, you'll never work in this town again. But you know, a lot of times people get a credit and they're like well I have this credit so you should take me seriously and the people around her are sort of like you got a credit but did you really work for it because a lot of those people didn't see what you guys have done here for three and a half years

to get to that point so you get in there and I know that as a type 3 I believe are you 3-2? I would assume so when I was listening to that I was like don't hesitate Becca I'm a 3-2 though

I'm really happy being in control of everything me too it's like fine great in fact the other day my husband said something to me about a plan and I was like no here's the deal I'm done on this conversation I am a producer by nature that is my skill set let me do what I'm good at this is my love language this is this is if I you're going to tell me something I'm going to play out the three scenarios that it's going to go and I will I'm going to know what it is I'm going to make the best decision and then we can operate

and have a wonderful afternoon knowing sort of what our like loose boundaries are without having to stop me like well what time is it well what do we have to do next I have I can stop making decisions because i've made all the decisions ahead of time yeah exactly but so people don't under don't know that about you i'm sure they got to know that when you became the eps that you are yeah but you have to dig in and what i think about when it really comes down to what an executive producer does for me for what i do is it's a matter of creative leadership and managerial leadership and then knowing at the end of the day if if emily sorry i'm calling you out if emily doesn't get it done

but the person you have to present it to has to see it, you answer for it. Right. You don't ever say, oh, my person didn't get it done. You know why?

Because your person reports to you. Right. So you are the person. Like, for me, if something goes wrong on my shows, on any of my shows,

and it's gotten up to me, it does not go for me to Ryan. I fix it. I get it under control. Then I go to Ryan and I'm like, okay, this is what's going on. But I'm never going to be like,

I don't know. They didn't do their job, so here we are. I know. The blame game. No, and that's the other thing. I always tell everyone, I don't need to know whose fault it is. We can talk about blame later because we will do a post-mortem and figure out how to not have this happen again.

Right now, I only want to look at solutions because that minimizes a lot of the angst when people are in the middle of it because there's a lot of times it's a fan that is someone else's fault. It's so much easier to be like, oh, my God. And I do that privately, but like when it comes down to getting things done. But compromise is really good, especially when the person controlling the compromise. so I'm like look you can have A or B I'm good with either option I've set the terms

because I've decided the option shall be but that's really what it is to be an EP I think is like execution and execution with style ideally

and in a way that makes people feel good because if people feel good they're going to keep working really hard for you because and I tell my PAs this I'm like I know

it's a Ryan Murphy show or it's a Alexis Woodall show you know or this and that but your name is on this you're working on this so don't you want to know that you came

and I know that you're sick of getting salads for people but you got salads for everyone this week and they were so appreciative because you gave them the fuel to keep going. Like it is, everybody does have to feel that ownership of self. So I'm sure for you and for all of you,

going in for the TV show is like, okay, I feel ownership but I'm so out at sea. Where do I begin? Did you like how it turned out? Did you feel good? I mean, you know what? You don't have to answer that either.

No, I mean, I think that we didn't like, we like where we're at now. We didn't like what it took to get here. Yeah. Yeah, that was the most frustrating part. Yeah, watching, you know, because Kelty is somebody who, like, she's kind of the bad cop. She is the bad cop. You have no fear of confrontation.

No fear. None. Wait, I'm sorry. But I do in those situations. I think coming from being an actor and just being used to being told what to do and just shutting up and doing it, like, I'm still in that weird mode. And I'm like, oh, I'm the talent. I need to shut the fuck up and be grateful for a job. But, like, Kelty was like, no, we've worked very hard.

We've created this brand. Like, you're welcome that we're here. You're the talent. They need to shut the f*** up and understand that you guys brought them something that they didn't have before. And that you were only there to make it better and better. And you will take their notes if it's going to improve the process. But if they're going to give you notes for the sake of notes, f*** that. They didn't invent Lady Gang.

They'd be like, oh, you know, it'd be really great if... And sometimes I'm sure you hear notes and you're like, that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. But there are one or two that you give them the gimmies. But no, you did the work to get there. I think it's just hard when you're like I created this and you probably see things from the creative like oh this is just a pitch all the way to now we're winning Emmys

but it's hard when you're like I know the DNA of this so well and then for someone else that's the challenge for someone else to sit down and be like let me tell you about American Horror Story and you're like go fuck yourself we're basically being mansplained what Lady Gang is I remember when you and I were

at the restaurant right before you started shooting that and you told me you guys had a male showrunner. And I was like, it's called the lady game. They need to be giving you a female showrunner because otherwise three very attractive white women are still being told what to do by a man. And I did not like that.

I know. Here's what the truth is, is that there are so few women executive producers that do what you do. So we're another 10 years away from all of the girls that you're mentoring that are now going to be coming up. like you really are

a trailblazer and you know when you go to these award shows and stuff and you see the creative teams all sitting in rows at the Dolby Theater there's not many of you

there's a token female I did the shoulder shimmy when I went up on stage this time I didn't even realize that people were like I loved your shimmy I had to go back

and look at the video and it was like because someone had to I feel like it was just a reaction I just shimmy all the time so I was just I was just shimmy

and so I think we got to the point where you know it was there truly were not females available for the job Getting it made was more important than getting it made.

And so we found the best people. And we actually ended up falling in love with our showrunners. Yeah, I mean, they're pretty amazing. Okay, great. And they let us do our thing. But it did shed a lot of light on the fact that there aren't enough women doing this. Yeah. And also.

We had like maybe one option. Maybe. Maybe. Didn't it also shed a lot of light on the fact that you guys did it pretty well? Yeah, I mean. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. When people are like, oh, I don't know.

No one's done this before. It's like, well, then let's try. Because really and truly, like, let's be honest. they're not giving you it's not like you're going to burn down a 50 million dollar budget you know so give you two episodes to try and if it's up that that's one of it's always been my argument people like well they've never done it before you're like never know don't try well you know sink or swim yeah yeah and i will say that's been a very i mean this is like a therapy session at this point but the hardest thing is when um it was like the be yourself but change

everything about you mentality where it's like you're so fresh you're so different and then they're like well this is what talk shows do

and that's what's hard I watched the Kat Graham episode and you guys all had a really good interaction with her but that was the episode where I was like

oh they were like this is who we want you to interview is that how it felt and it had a different vibe than what you do here where it's like there's a

and that's part of it is you know you button up a little bit more it's like yeah we know it's TV and it's gonna be like slightly different

but I was like she was really fun and you guys it was a good episode but I was like that was when I was like oh they have this is a talk show

this is not their show because I really like it it's your show with but it's early days and you gotta get people watching it but I know what you mean

where it's like yeah it was definitely a challenge to figure out how do we do this because we do get the luxury of being like we want Alexis on the show because she's like

a cool woman in this world and it's gonna like inspire the fuck out of all the women listening around the world like or we want RuPaul or we want an actress

or we want a famous person Or we want a hormone expert We understand the value of people Over the entire spectrum Where maybe When you're doing something on TV It has to be this famous With this many followers

That is doing this specific thing That isn't conflicting with this So there's a lot of constraints I was really impressed when I was doing research on you Because I didn't realize that you started your own clothing line That's a baller move Thank you To be a woman in that

Especially in the skater I was in the music, like Warped Tour world Yeah. Also the Warped Tour. I just laughed. I was like, oh my God, I went to the Warped Tour so many times. Of course. Everyone did.

I was like, oh my God. No, that was like my life. And everybody, I mean, I was in a boy's world for sure. And I was getting knocked down all the time because people thought I was sleeping with all the band members and that was the reason why I was doing it. No, I wasn't. Okay. Were you sleeping with any of them?

I was making out with a lot of them. Okay, good. Okay. But I was like, I was a virgin until I was like 23. Oh, okay. Like in spite almost. Yeah. Because I was like, I am not sleeping with these guys.

This is not the reason why I'm doing it. I'm not trying to get a boyfriend. That's really cool. I want to, like, pave my own way in that world, so. That's really impressive. Thank you. Yeah, I don't think anyone here is doing anything halfway. Well, I do.

Well, I mean, you're mostly mediocre. Mostly. My middle name. I'm pretty mediocre. No, see, stop. She's mediocre. We're great. Should we do our Ask the Lady Gang our own questions for Alexis?

I think so. I was going to. We have these questions from fans, but I'm like, now I'm at the church of you, and I I feel like we need to do this. Do you have yours? Just ask whatever you want. I have mine. Okay, go first, Becca.

Wait, hold on. When we come back, Alexis answers Ask the Lady Gang from the actual f***ing Lady Gang. Yes. Hey, ladies! Funky. Ask the Lady Gang. And we're back. Here is my question.

Well, I have two questions. Okay. I'm going to have two. My first one is, do you feel or did you ever feel like everybody's faking it? And so, and like, did you have the imposter syndrome? That's what I was going to ask. Is it still happening? Like, does it still happen?

Rear its ugly head? I'm going to ask a question to your question. When you say you feel like everyone's faking it, do you mean professionally or just in general? I think in general. When people, when you tell people that you're scared of something or you're like, but what if I'm not good enough? A lot of people's response is like, everybody's faking it. Oh, everybody's faking it. I don't think, I wouldn't call it imposter.

When you say imposter, I start to think about, like, negatives about the industry. I'm like, oh, yeah. If imposter syndrome is different. Yeah, so if I go in and I'm like, okay, everybody's faking it. So I'm going to go in and I'm going to be gangbusters and, like, do my best but know that, like, nobody else is better qualified for this than I am. But then I get to the place where if you get that thing, then you get this, like, weird insecurity of being like, I'm an imposter and I'm faking it. Oh, no, it goes away. Okay.

It goes away, but it doesn't ever – you're never done because it's like – I had that for the longest time where I was like, I'm doing this, but am I doing this? But I'm doing this. So you have that, and then you get really confident. But here's a perfect example. So we're opening our second restaurant downtown at 8th and Grand. It's called Red Herring. It's called Red Herring. What's the restaurant that you own now called?

Red Herring. It's in Eagle Rock. So we're doing Red Herring, Grand Avenue. Yeah. So the funding fell through about three weeks ago. We're supposed to break ground the second week of January. I'm the person, and it's just my husband and me. Like, we don't have investors.

It's just us. He is a chef. He is an incredible chef. I have the weight of the financials. And he shares it with me, and he lives it. But it's like I'm the person. If the money is falling through, I'm the person who's going to find the next set of money. And last Tuesday night, the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, I had such a meltdown, like a real meltdown where I couldn't stop crying.

And I was like, I don't know where the money is coming from. I am so scared. I am so fucking scared. And he Alexis-ed me. He was like, it's going to be great. We're going to do this, this, and this. We're going to have a plan. It's going to work out, whatever.

And I just was – we talked through it all. And I said, I need to talk about this with some people. Like I need to start talking about this. Are you okay with that? Because it's private. And he was like, of course. I had a meeting the next day with someone that had nothing to do with the restaurant but I've known him for forever. And I started talking about – I sat down and he was like, how are you?

And instead of doing the thing that people say, well, they're like, good. I'm always like, do you really want to know or do you want me to just say good? Because I can say good if we need to just move on. But he's like, I really want to know. And I sort of like unleashed and just started talking about it. And I felt immediately better because in that conversation, he was like – he shared a moment years ago in his business where he was like, oh, my God. This had happened and this had happened. And people start telling you the craziest stories about their own personal experience when you share that you're scared.

So I'm a huge believer in saying I'm nervous about something. I'm not nervous about a lot. But when I am nervous, I'm nervous about it. I talk about it. I don't know if it's actually happened, but on Wednesday while I was in New York, I had not one but two major meetings about financial people things. But it came out about because I think I said, I know everybody's faking it, so I need to ask for help. And so I think that it gets better, but you're still going to touch into it. That's sort of a convoluted answer, but does that help?

No, it does help. It's sort of the idea that ultimately, the one thing I will say that you've always resisted, for as savvy as you are and as much as you have a keen eye on everybody else, you are afraid to truly trust that you're as badass as you are. I 100% agree. so if you can work on that then it gets better because it's like

you know you're actually great like you and I wouldn't be friends if you didn't because I'm not really friends with people who are insecure I love people who are insecure because I want to help them

but like I can't have my closest friends be insecure because then it's like then I am in the words of Beyonce I'm much too much for you so but I think that

that's I have a question about that so like Becca will talk about our auditions and like when you are watching actresses come in

and audition for shows, what would you rather them be? Like visibly nervous and like shaken and been like, I don't know if I can do this. I don't see anyone visibly nervous and shaken.

Okay. But that's like a specific, that's different though than in real life. But I'll say this. Most of the casting stuff I see are tapes. I'm not in the first person

casting sessions. Okay. That's not really my realm. And I will say every time I watch all of the links they send you, every time I just say, oh my God,

it is so hard to be an actor. Like that is what I say every time. Oh my God, it is so hard. Because I get a link, and I'm not even the one making the decisions. I get a link with 60 people on it. And that's called down to 60 people or 30 people.

So, no, in general, I never want to see someone visibly nervous. I wouldn't mind seeing someone who's smiling and trying to be confident and then says, I'm a little nervous. Like a scared shitless. Because that's that window. But I don't want someone saying, I don't think I can do this. Because you know what? If you don't think you can do this, guess what? You probably aren't going to do this.

So it is an ethos thing. because it's like a hard thing of like when you walk in and you're like I've got this I'm the shit I'm not scared but like inside

you're like I'm so scared but everybody probably is everyone should what I really like like for me there are times I've gone places

where I get nervous if it's my first time so I like to get there a little early and like go to the bathroom or check it out or whatever and sometimes I'll share

with whoever's working at whatever place this is and I'll be like I don't really know what I'm supposed to do here and I was visibly nervous now nobody was around nobody cared

but for me I felt like such a fool because I was like I don't know what door do I go in? Do they buzz me in? Do I have to like present records? I literally had no idea. I love that you have like three Emmys and you're the biggest

boss in the world and this was an intimidating experience for you. I felt like I was in a very like weed heavy jail cell. I understand. The first time I went with a credit card and they're like we don't take credit cards. And I was like oh. I should have taken out cash. I'm so embarrassed about this.

Sorry Orly. I should have known. Cash only. but you get those weird places where you're like I don't know why I'm nervous here but I'm nervous here so I'm just going to say it that's good because when you get it out you're like

wait I'm good and then you can start bopping again I have a question no you go how the f*** do you balance everything that was my question because now that our TV show has taken over our lives we all have our own regular jobs going on

and personal lives and personal lives and they have husbands I don't obviously but obviously ladies it's obvious

nobody wants to date me but it's hard enough for us so I can't imagine how hard it is for you I ebb and flow I've always been good at being busy I always joke

my mom's had me overbooked since I was six years old because she was like you join things and you do classes and you do this and you do this and you know

sometimes I'm really good when I'm busy I like but I'm definitely as I've gotten older I realize that as much of an extrovert

as I am I'm kind of a lone wolf where it's like I have lots of groups I like to connect with but I move and do my own thing so a lot of times it's just like

prioritizing and reprioritizing and then deciding what you can throw out and it's amazing like I was in New York for an award show on Monday night and I was supposed to go

Monday morning and get my nails done and it was raining and it was gorgeous and I said I'm not getting my nails done oh I'm not getting my nails done for an award show

and it doesn't matter and it doesn't matter sometimes it does like it was one that didn't matter and I just sometimes throw something out every day i do think i probably disappoint at least one person every day um i cry probably

twice a week just not for any just like if i feel like i need to cry i cry if i get overwhelmed i'm overwhelmed but i do have really good people helping me i've got great assistants and great friends and an awesome husband but with us having a business together as well as the three shows sometimes that's crazy where there are times when where i we will be like and we go home and we're We're like, we have to watch Bob's Burgers and eat cereal at midnight. Like that's basically, like there's that sort of weird thing for us. Yeah. So it's a little bit of picking and choosing.

And I also, for me, having the restaurant, and Becca will tell you this, a lot of times when I haven't seen someone in forever, I'm like, do you mind meeting me at Red Herring? Because I just need to be here even though I don't have to work. Yeah. I'd rather sit there so I can have a drink with you. It's never as much fun for the person meeting me because they're like, I don't get your full attention. But sometimes I like to combine worlds.

Amazingly, a lot of my friends over the years have really become friends with each other. So I can kind of sometimes be like, oh, let's all get together. But you just pick and choose. And then sometimes you throw everything out and you're like, no, I'm just not doing that. I'm just not. Yeah. It's very comforting for me to hear that you feel like you disappoint someone every day. Every day.

Because no one ever talks about that. And I feel like when you have a little bit of success or your dreams are coming true, that sounds so cheesy. But it is true. But you have to disappoint people. Like I have friends that I now don't have time to call back. And like I don't have enough time for my family and I haven't seen my niece and nephew since Easter. And like you're just – the things that you have to say no to at some point, like unfortunately some of that becomes that. And I just feel so guilty all the time for disappointing people.

So that was really nice to hear. The guilt gets better. I mean I will – I had guilt for a really long time. I started making a joke about myself because I'm almost always late. Like I'm early for things like this when I know that it's a schedule because I understand schedules. But I'm almost always late to everything. I'm almost always late. That's how I get a lot done too because I'm like, I can do one more thing.

I can do one more thing. But we call it Alexis time. So my staff, my team, I will have to show up at a sound mix and they'll be like, okay, it's 4 o'clock. They'll work entire on my schedule and everything. And my schedule is packed and I'll be like, let's say 4, but you know we're not going to hit play before 5. But if we actually plan for 5, I will be there at 5.30.

So I know that we need to be on schedule. So we call it Alexis time. Usually it's like a half hour. So if it's 4, I say 4 because if I'm like, oh, I don't need to get there until 4, it's 10 to 4 I'm like oh shit I gotta leave good thing it's 4.30 so I build time in and I'm very open about that but I also

in disappointing people I do a lot really well every day and people see me work really hard and so most of the people I'm convincing I'm convinced I'm disappointed they don't feel that way most of the time I really work to send that one text saying hey I'm really sorry I will get back to you I'm not forgetting

or I'll say I'll have my assistant call so and so or do whatever it is because I try and at least in the restaurant we call it a table touch you know touch the table how's everything going you know

I try and do a table touch with the people that I need to I also did say to Dave the other day I was like I can keep hustling like this for about

two more years but I have to go back to seeing the world I love what I do I love my life I love my career I love that we've spent the last four years

building this restaurant that's turning into really something with the second one but it's been f***ing hell and it's been a good hell but it's been hell and I want to be able

to I don't I don't ever need – because I'm not a workaholic. People call me that, and I'm like, no, you make the mistake. I have too much work currently, and I have to get the work done. But I don't get off on it. I'm not like, oh, can I go home and work again? No.

I want to go out with my friends. I want to go out to dinner. I want to, like, go on vacation. I mean, I'm very – and that's the other thing is I build at least one night a weekend either for myself or with myself and, like, my true best friends or whatever where I, like, putter around my closet and I, like, reorganize. You just make that time where you're like, this is what I'm going to do. so but yeah

I disappoint someone all the time you didn't disappoint the lady gang I'll tell you that oh my god I'll tell you that that's my segue

to wrap it no I'm sorry this is amazing this is amazing we need this we need this and you guys

really should be proud I will always come back but you really that was my big takeaway from like I said cramming you guys need to be really proud of what you do

and I think it's really fun and really funny the way you stick because that's true friendship and also that's part of the brand but really and truly I don't want to hear you tearing yourselves down so much

oh no okay Thanks, Mom. We literally have no brand left, but thanks, Alexis. I really liked your brand, but change everything. I love you, but change everything about yourself. The nice lady. Hold on.

Let me get my notes. Okay, so everyone, if you need to follow this inspiring woman, which you do because she's your new Oprah, you can follow Alexis at AlexisVMW. Yeah. Voicemail? Virginia. So I'm Alexis Virginia Martin, and I married my husband, Woodall. Dave Woodall

and so VMW but growing up everyone made fun of me for being called a Lexus like Lexus the car and so bizarrely

my initials were also like a BMW or Honda Lexus VMW yeah so it's a little weird but yeah Lexus VMW and you thank you so much

for being here and congratulations on everything and of course you can follow us at the Lady Gang at Becca at Kelty

at Jack Vanek and we will see you next Tuesday hey guys thanks so much for listening to the Lady Gang and you can subscribe to our show

if you loved it And we have new episodes every Tuesday and Thursday at Podcast One or wherever you listen to your podcasts. Now, if you're interested in following us on social, we are at The Lady Gang. Our TV show is Lady Gang TV. And if you're really bored until March when our show comes back to your TV Sunday nights on the E! Channel, you can follow us personally at Kelty, at Becca, at Jack Vanek. You can head on over to our website, theladygang.com. And on there, you'll see how to send us an Ask the Lady Gang question,

how to sign up for our newsletter, and how to buy all the cute Lady Gang merch you see all your friends wearing. We're so happy you're here, and thank you for your support, and we will see you next Tuesday.