Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang - "HEY! You Famous?" (w/ Andrew Ahn & Joel Kim Booster)

Episode Date: June 1, 2022

The moment has ~finally~ arrived. A two hour episode about TAYLOR SW- just kidding, y'all. Director Andrew Ahn and Writer/Star/EP Joel Kim Booster have crafted the film known to mankind as FIRE ISLAND and are here on Las Culturistas to discuss it. Matt & Bowen are very much in the film, and the four share memories and experiences working on this project, from connecting as a cast and crew to making art and then giving it away. Also, the Be Real phenomenon, VH1's Pop Up Video, the death of blooper culture, and how Bowen, Andrew and Joel stan Ms. Swan and always will. All this, best pop star music video actresses, Joel's first time ever seeing Erin Brockovich, Andrew's past as a child actor and his performance in a pro-OJ Simpson book on tape, thought on RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars 7, and an agreement that the word "sassy" has to fucking go. Stream Fire Island on Hulu on Friday, June 3rd! It's here! It's actually here!!! Fr*ck!!!!!!!!!!!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Real Housewives of New York City are back for another bite of the Big Apple. Look who it is. Joined by elite new friends. Rebecca Minkoff. Have you ever heard of her? But things could change in a New York Minute. She had this wild night and ended up getting pregnant by some other guy. What?

You told her? Not today, Satan. Not today. The Real Housewives of New York City. All new Tuesdays at 9 on Bravo or stream it on City TV+. I'm NK, and this is Basket Case. What is wrong with me? A show about the ways that mental illness is shaped by not just biology.

Swaps of different meds. But by culture and society. By looking closely at the conditions that cause mental distress, I find out why so many of us are struggling to feel sane, what we can do about it, and why we should care. Oh, look at you giving me therapy, girl. Listen to Basket Case every Tuesday on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hey, friends. I'm Jessica Capshaw. And this is Camilla Luddington. And we have a new podcast, Call It What It Is. You may know us from Graceland Memorial, but did you know that we are actually besties in real life? And as all besties do, we navigate the highs and lows of life together. Big or small, we're there. And now here we are opening up the friendship circle to you.

Listen to Call It What It Is on the iHeartRadio app apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts oh hey it's Teresa back from the dead again just wanted to pop in and let you know that haunting is back on October 22nd spooky season I own spooky season we're serving up some killer stories, literally, and a few that might make you question whether you really locked the door before getting into bed. So cancel your lame Halloween plans. Haunted houses? Overdone. Candy corn? Honestly, who eats that? Your new tradition? Listening to me. Listen to Haunting starting on October 22nd on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Look, Matt. There. Oh, I see. Wow. Bowen, look over there. Wow, is that culture? Yes. Oh, my goodness.

Wow. Las Culturistas. Ding dong. Las Culturistas calling. Let me just get tacked out with my sister for a second. We're touching. Touching. Live in the flesh.

I just have to start out with a public apology. A public apology. Dear God. I'm giving you the floor. Thank you. The last episode, I did an I Don't Think So Honey

about the anti-reflective coating on my glasses not being satisfactory. And I guess I didn't realize that I did name the business. You did. And I kind of lightly dragged them and used the words, I felt

scammed. Jesus. And so I do want to apologize to Studio Optics at Rockefeller Center. I am so sorry. I truly, actually experienced exceptional service from Mike, one of the sales associates. Which you did say. I did say.

Dr. Klebenoff, who gave me my eye exam, updated my questions. Iconic name, can we say. I did say. Dr. Klebanoff, who gave me my eye exam, updated my questions. Iconic name, can we say? Stop everything now. Stop everything now. Meet me in the pouring iconic name. Dr. Klebanoff, she kept referring to herself as Sarah and was talking about how she went to the Rangers game. She's a big hockey fan.

She's so iconic. I do think I did something bad. And I want to apologize to everyone at Studio Optics for their exceptional service, their exceptional selection. They are the only place in New York City that has the full Bruno Chassignon

selection and catalog and so many other amazing selections. I truly, I have not ever felt more bad about anything

I've ever done. Bootlicker. Bootlicker. Can I say something? Shut up. It's not bootler. Shut up. I'm sincerely so sorry. I told you on the way here. Can I get tactile with you for a second?

We're touching. I'm so proud of you for the way that you're accountable. You are such an accountable king. And this is the key. You don't go here's an excuse. No, you don't. You never do that. There's no excuse.

Can I say something to everyone out there who's apologizing and saying but and saying, but this is, let me give you some background.

Shut up. Shut up. It's rule of culture number two. Shut up. You just apologized. Just apologized. These are the two words

you don't say in an apology. But or if. I'm sorry if. You're done. You can't say I'm sorry if. You say I'm sorry that. Honey. I'm sorry that I made you feel that way. Listen. Not I'm sorry if, you're done. You can't say I'm sorry if, you say I'm sorry that. Honey. I'm sorry that I made you feel that way.

Listen. Not I'm sorry if I made you feel that way. You. Basic. You did it the right way. I know I did. Thank you. And this is more of a,

this is more of me showing people the right way. Well, when you become as famous as you have become, you have to start showing people more sides. And because the people,

they think that they know you, but the fact is, the truth is, you're also an amazing, accountable person. And that is so beautiful, Beau. I've never been more proud of you than I am right now. And I've seen the film Fire Island, in which you give a star-making performance. I've never been more proud of you right now. And I've seen the film Fire Island, in which you give a star-making performance.

Don't patronize me. And I love that for you, in which you give truly incredible, grounded work, holding your own against the mother of black Hollywood, Jennifer Lewis. Can I tell you what made me feel really good inside? Yeah. When we shot... Oh my God. Oh my God.

No. Get emotional. Do it. Get there. We showed up today to record this podcast. You can go there. And in the lobby, we saw the director of our film, who's the guest on the podcast today. And he said that he's watched the whole show.

I love that for you. Can I get tactile with you? Can I get tactile? We're touching. And he said that he liked my performance. Well, he didn't say that first. I had to ask him if the acting was good. And he laughed and slapped me on the thigh hard.

With his phone, which is made of metal. That hurts. It's made of metal and screen. And when you take something that's made of metal and screen. Ooh. And when you take something that's made of metal and screen and hit someone with it. And flat. And then I turn to my other sister,

told Kim, who's the guest on the podcast today? And he has not seen the episodes. He has. He has. But he didn't compliment me on it. Oh, no, he's caught up. He's caught up.

He's caught up. He just thinks, I don't need it, I guess. You know what I mean? I don't need to hear it from my sister. Can I say, you were giving Sarah Jessica Parker an in just like that in these last two episodes. I'll get better? No, I'll get better.

You think I was giving SJP an in just like that? Compliment whore? SJP's scene partner in one of the episodes was a literal reading light, and your scene partner in these episodes is a handbag. Thank you. And both of you giving true, complete humanity. Well, that handbag went to Carnegie Mellon.

What? Graduated with Patrick Wilson. Yeah, they did actually streetcar together. Patrick Wilson. Who was the handbag? Mama Blanche. Mama Blanche. Mm-hmm.

Mother Blanche. That handbag is one of the mothers of Hollywood. This is how the handbag did the line. Go ahead. I've always relied on the kindness of Neiman Marcus. Honey. You know what I'm so excited for? What?

Our guests. Our guests. Because they are here to join us today on this is so exciting and we've been teasing I've actually been looking forward to this I've really been looking

forward to this and we've been teasing it for a while but this is going to be an episode two hours of Taylor Swift we're all going to say our top ten Taylor

and in depth our guests talk about love Taylor Swift yes this is going to be one of the most iconic episodes ever because it's all about Taylor.

And we are so thrilled to have joining us the director of, checking notes, Fire Island. We're in it. We're in it. Funny enough. And the writer and star. And executive producer. Does he need that title throw in there? Yes. He's making decisions on the day. Writer and star. And executive producer. Does he need that title throw in there? Yes!

He's making decisions on the day. Going, move that chair there. I never saw him say to move a chair. Can I be honest with you? I was there the whole time, six weeks of shooting. Never saw him say move that chair there. I think you were back in your dressing room. It wasn't on your coverage.

Yeah, my big dressing room that I had. And Matt is famous for not being there when it's not his coverage going I oh they're not on me I don't I'm not I'm out I'm out

use the stand in honey did you have this experience too our stand ins were like a little bit hotter than us oh I'm used to this my stand in on Nora from Queens the hottest Asian man I've ever seen

and the hottest man why am I saying Asian yeah examine that and while you do I'll sort of say um the credits spa night i mean just an incredible incredible foray into filmmaking loot

it's upcoming upcoming on psychosexual on netflix this is incredible stand-up special i was there for the taping driveways incredible. Incredible film. Hong Chow. Hong Chow. One of the most bright lights in Hollywood. Mm-hmm. So, we've sort of said there are credits like here, there, everywhere. Generation. Generation.

The Pride documentary. Sunnyside. Why are you laughing and shaking your head? Shut up. Shut up. Two incredible people in our life up shut up two incredible people in our life actually two incredible people

two amazing people and we are so excited to hear all their thoughts on Taylor Swift today please welcome into your ears alphabetical Andrew Ahn

and Joel Kim Booster stop everything now made me in the come on Andrew join in you know the song You know the song. You know the song. Sorry.

And Ruth being bashful. I'm sorry. I know very little about Taylor Swift, unfortunately. Well, this is going to suck. And you knew the whole time during production that we three liked her. So there was no homework or catch up. There was only so I had to listen to Las Culturistas episodes. No, you didn't.

Where you were talking about Fire Island while we were shooting we really were we were remember that day I believe that episode was called

what was that episode called it was called it was Talking Facts Talking Facts because it was the premiere of Salt Lake City Joel Kim came in

it was the premiere of Salt Lake City and we were almost finishing up with the movie and that was it was like the third to last day of shooting we did that episode

in Bowen's bed in his bed yeah and that was I don't know you guys up with the movie. It was like the third to last day of shooting. We did that episode in Bowen's bed. In his bed. Yeah. And that was, I don't know, you guys, I have so many emotional things to say. I'm going to get emotional. How are you feeling? I'm feeling crazy right now. You're feeling really tired from Horsemeat Disco.

Yeah. Okay, walk us through. What do you mean walk you through? What's Horsemeat Disco like? Yeah, what's it like, you know? Walk us through. What do you mean walk you through? What's Horse Me Disco like? Yeah, what's it like, you know? Walk us through the feeling of crazy. The feeling of crazy is I didn't sleep. Yeah.

You got more sleep than I did. What are you saying? I woke up at like 10 a.m. and I went to bed at like 6.30. Okay. Can you talk about being crazy in relation to the film or what? Yeah.

Last night, someone literally grabbed me by the arm and said, Hey, you famous? Oh. Hey, you famous? Title of that. And I said, no. And he said, my friend says you're famous. And he said it in that tone, too.

And then he said, congrats on the movie. So you knew you were in a movie. Insane. You're hacking up along. Yeah. There's no way we didn't get it no i didn't get it this is not what it feels like to have covet yeah i've had it i'm a survivor i'm a survivor too are you a survivor of covet i am actually i am yeah when did you have it i had it right before we had our cast screening in new York. That's right. And I was so sad to miss it. I was like a hundred yards away and I had to like FaceTime be like,

I love you all. I'm so sorry. I bought Joel a cake. Yeah. Because it was his birthday. And we took it to Julius and they cut it out and they handed it a piece to everyone in the bar. And that's Julius.

And that is New York. That is New York, baby. They would never do that at High Top. When they say unique New York. When And that is New York. That is New York, baby. They would never do that at a high top. When they say unique New Nork. When they say unique New Nork. New Nork? New Nork is what he said. Okay, we got fucking Robin Williams as Nanu Nanu.

We're absolutely slaying RIP, by the way. You're going to have to apologize to high tops next week. I know. Yeah, the way you disparage. You are one of those New York fags who comes in and disparages high tops. Well, I have news for you. Hightops is a neighborhood spot. I've said this.

Hightops. We love Hightops. The best food in West Hollywood. A hundred percent. Can I say something? Yeah. So I would say 89% of the tweets about our movie are positive. But after the night of our LA screening, I did see a tweet that was like,

Fire Island is supposedly about the POC, working class, body diverse struggle within the gay community, and he chooses to have his opening night party at High Tops. How does that make any sense? Or something like that dragging me for having our party at high tops.

And I was like, wow, I really can't win. It's gotten to this point now where people will read you for the places. I mean, I don't know. I guess that's not too remarkable. That's just so boring, though. Yeah, but also it's like, if that's what they're going to say after the screening of the movie, that's probably a really good sign. Yeah.

Like, if they came to the movie and they were like, they had the after party at high tops, supremacy! It's supremacy! It's supreme! Yeah, yeah, yeah. Then sure. Well, it's also like this person had to be, like, on your Instagram or something. I think they were maybe even at the screening.

Because how would they know that the movie is about the working class POC body diverse struggle? Yeah. How would they know that? I don't know. How did this movie is about the working class POC body to struggle yeah how would they know that I don't know how did this movie come about how did this movie come about like we like to work with with us can I just say I I think it's really funny I had a number of people who were like so excited that I was directing Fire Island but more excited that I might do an episode of Lost Culture East. I guess this is sort of high stakes then, huh? So when I ask you the question of how did this come about,

you better give a good answer. Well, Joel, you start. No, I don't want to do press tour. Okay, we're not talking about press tour. Shut up. We're not going to take the podcast at all. I was actually asking a facetious question to sort of be quote unquote funny.

I have a question for Andrew. Yeah. Go ahead. You literally just finished post-production in this really crazy city of New York. And how long have you been back in LA? Like two seconds? Yeah, like a month basically. Are you furious to be back here?

You know, I have to say like when I walked here from the hotel. So fucking hot. It's so hot. it's a hot day but i was like oh like there's something so like beautiful about this place you know but i i can't live here i can't live here it's too it's uh i i think there's too much going on and i get fomo and it's like i feel like i I have to do everything every night, you know? And that's how I got COVID. I mean, literally last night, I took a helicopter to Montauk to go to a party where Questlove DJ'd,

and then this morning, my sisters were like, oh, we had such a fun time at horse meat, and I was like, I wish I had gone. It's like, in New York City, it never goes away. You can't do it all, but I will say, me and my sister did have frozen Aperol Spritzes just now at brunch, and that was pretty sweet. And that just doesn't happen in LA. Really? No. That's not true.

Shut up. No one talked to you yet. Joel, LA versus New York. My very good friend in Los Angeles, Mitch, famously woke up after he had a crazy night out, blacked out, and he was looking at his Insta stories, and he was like, oh, that looked like fun. And he got FOMO from himself.

Like, from himself. Didn't even know. We gotta stop it. I think Instagram's done. I heard Trisha Paytas say Instagram is over. It's all about be real now. Okay, wait, wait. Have you heard it on Be Real?

I've never even heard it. Okay, I need to get on it because the girls are talking about Be Real. Be Real. Be Real. And we have to enjoy it now because they'll ruin it somehow. But now it's perfect where, okay, so my understanding of it is, and please correct me if I'm wrong. Because Joel, I think, is the only one that's on it. You're on it?

I'm on it, yeah. Then you explain it. Be Real is every day. You get a notification think, is the only one that's on it. You're on it? I'm on it, yeah. Then you explain it. Be real is every day you get a notification. At a random time? At a random time. It could be 3 a.m. you get the notification. And it says, it's time to be real. Yeah.

Okay? And so you click into the app and you take a picture of literally wherever you are, whatever you're doing, you take a picture and you take it with your front facing. And then it's also taking a picture of you taking a picture. Oh. And- There's no hiding. There's no's no hiding wait you have to be real you have to give the phone to someone else it's like no no no no no no no it's you have you are taking it so if i took out my if i got the notification right now i'm taking my phone and i would take a picture of you three uh-huh surrounding

if you could get us in frame and then it would also be taking a picture of me at the same time got it and so that would indicate to everyone that i was being real in that moment because i want surrounding me. If you could get us in frame. And then it would also be taking a picture of me at the same time. Got it. And so that would indicate to everyone that I was being real in that moment. Because it's not filtered. Right. It's not staged.

Right. And it is beautifully communal because everyone's taking, is supposed to, ideally, take the picture at the same time. And then if you are late, then it will say,

like, Joel was two hours late. Yeah, so I wasn't being real. Oh my God. So you were not real. You weren't being real. Wow. This sort of relies, though. But that's, I think that's brilliant. It's so I wasn't being real. So you were not real. You weren't being real. Wow. This sort of relies, though.

But that's, I think that's brilliant. It really is brilliant. It's Shark Tank. It's Shark Tank. I hope someone brought this to Shark Tank because Ms. Barbara Corcoran

would say. I bet Mr. Mark Cuban is eating his ass. I bet Mark Cuban is eating his ass over this one. His own ass. Yeah.

Yeah. So I encourage everyone to be real. I want to get on eating his ass over this one. His own ass. Yeah. Yeah. So I encourage everyone to be real. I want to get on Be Real, but the thing is, how many times? So how many times? You don't know what this is. I have no idea. Okay. Would you be real if I told you to right now?

I'm not even on TikTok. I'm not on TikTok either. We're not on TikTok. We're not on TikTok. This is Be Real. This is the next thing. Yeah. TikTok is over.

It's all about being real. It's all about being real. It's all about being real. Is Be Real popping off, though, in a real way? Kind of. Kind of. It's popping off more than Ello ever did. Yeah, certainly. Remember Ello?

That moment? That week? I literally don't remember Ello. Well, we all had one. It was Myspace, but ugly. Yeah. Shit. It actually did the black and white aesthetic before CoStar did, before other people.

Yeah, that is true. That is true. But, Andrew, you do Instagram, you know. Andrew on Films. At Andrew on Films. Follow him. At Andrew on Films, Twitter, and Instagram. Sure.

I mean, it's not, like, I barely know how to use it, and I'm using it mostly just for Fire Island stuff. Because you're proud of the film. Because I'm proud of the film, because I want all of you to, like... Shine. Shine. I want you all to of the film. Because I'm proud of the film because I want all of you to shine. I want you all to be fucking stars. But you're a director. Have you ever thought about making a movie on Instagram stories? No.

It'd be real fun. It would be amazing. Really easy. I mean, would I have done a Quibi show? I don't know. Oh my God, drag us. Would you not have done it if it was still on Quibi? I didn't have the choice.

I didn't get hired. Well, you're saying now, I don't know if I would have done a Quibi show. If you had the choice, would you do it on Quibi instead? Because I heard Quibi's coming back. Quibi 2.0. And I think it's important, and Joel has been very responsible and impressed,

but the Quibi joke in the movie, there's a quick little Quibi joke, and we are all grateful for the people at Quibi. It crushed him out of the screen. It's certainly not the creative executives that I was working with. It was the business people at Quibi who made a lot of, and we were actually talking about this yesterday.

Some random gay guys were talking about this yesterday, if you can believe it. Random gay guys on the street talking about my friends, Michael's friends. They were talking about how they loved your show and they loved the horror show

and the uber stalker show and all these things. The problem wasn't the content. The problem was the business decisions that went into making Quibi untalkable about. Untalkable about. You couldn't airplay.

You couldn't screenshot. You couldn't airplay. You couldn't screenshot. You couldn't, like, take videos. Yeah. It was like, nothing was sticky. I can't believe...

They were obsessed with the use case of people are going to watch this on the subway. On the, you know, like, on the community. It's like, no, or they want to watch it at home.

Well, they had a month after the pandemic hit to pivot that. And I think, honestly, maybe the technology was super sensitive and it wasn't as simple as like let people airplay it. Well, no, they did, though. They did.

Eventually. Eventually, yes. But they missed their window. Well, and the crazy thing is, is in China right now, TikTok is trying to start five to ten minute, ten episode season program. And I think it's going well. Going well. Like people want that over there. And so the thing is, I actually

think someone will do Quibi again in the U.S., but will do it better. And it'll work. It'll be Be Real TV. And then all of a sudden, you're going to become Quibi 2.0's big director. You would have done it at Quibi. You would have heard the pitch

from Joel Kim. You would have sat down together. I came with a pitch deck, and I was... Not as good as their second pitch deck, though. Not as good as my second pitch deck. Oh, there was a second moment. Yeah, yeah. I had my second opportunity. He auditioned for Quibi, and he auditioned for Hulu.

I love to think about you auditioning. I love it. I was a child actor. You were not. Oh, my God. Were you really? I was a child actor. You were not. Oh my God. Were you really? I was. I didn't know this.

Did you have that shine? I was scouted at a wedding. Shut up. Were you dancing crazy? I was probably dancing crazy and I got repped by Acme Talent.

Oh my God. Looney Tunes. Absolute Tunes. And I did What? I did a lot of books on tape because I could read well as a child. That tracks? I did a little reading for a book on tape called O.J. Simpson, I Want to Tell You.

What was that about? I had to read a letter written by a child to O.J. during the trial. Oh my God, what? It's on cassette tape available on Amazon. Oh my God, I want to tell you. You're being very brave. OJ Simpson, I want to tell you, I have the clues. Was the child you were reading for pro-OJ?

Pro-OJ. Yeah. Pro-OJ. I think a kid writing to OJ is going to be a fan. And then... I don't like you. Do you think OJ did it? What is that controversial?

Why would you back away from that? This is your next project with OJ Simpson. You're terrible to me. You're terrible. I'm terrible to you? You know, he says, because Eric Anderson from Awards Watch asked them, this is from a fan, how was the acting, Matt Rogers. So funny.

And Andrew used that opportunity to say that I was attacking him with bits during the show. Do you feel attacked during the show? Do you feel attacked during the movie? It's all love. I feel the love. I feel the love. But yes, it was a very short-lived acting career. Okay.

I hit puberty, got ugly, and then they dropped me. They dropped me. Don't do that. I almost. Don't do that. You're being Howie right now. Don't do that. You're Howie ass.

I'm being Howie. But I did, I almost made it onto the show VR Troopers. Oh my God, I fucking loved that show. What is that? I don't know what VR Troopers is. One of the many Power Rangers films.

It was a knockoff of Power Rangers. Except they would go like, part of it was in virtual reality. Oh. And, yeah, it was only three of them. One person of color, one white person, and a girl. That's not too bad. No, for the time? Not at all.

That's what I'm saying. But I loved it. But, yes. I think it gave me a certain, like, respect for actors. Yeah. Because it's hard. It's really hard. No, it's not. It's respect for actors because it's hard. It's really hard. No, it's not. It's hard. No, it's not.

I know you say this all the time. I think it's sometimes hard. Yeah, you do say that a lot. I think it's sometimes hard. But no, the lifestyle around it is not hard. Like, the way you get treated on set. You sit in a chair and drink LaCroix for hours. That part is not hard.

But occasionally, like, it is hard. I mean, like, we is hard. I mean, like, we would all say there were definitely hard moments during shooting. Yeah.

And, and it was hard to memorize the script. That's not hard. Well, it's hard. You know. You know.

So the writing was, writing, didn't make any sense. How do you even, Joel, it's a jumble. Well, the writing,

Joel wrote the script in a really cool way. It was, like, non-linear at, like, Joel. It's a jumble. Well, the writing, Joel wrote the script in a really cool way. It was like non-linear at like the letter level. So it was like a fucking like pangrams thing. Yeah.

Yeah. You had to decode it. Every day was Wordle. It was Wordle every day. Every day was Wordle in the script. And you only had like 10 minutes

to memorize the line and then it would disappear. It's like Marvel style. Like you get it on an iPad and then it like kind of wipes off. The Real Housewives of New York City are back for another bite of the Big Apple.

Look who it is. Joined by elite new friends. Rebecca Minkoff. Have you ever heard of her? But things could change in a New York Minute. She had this wild night and ended up getting pregnant by some other guy what you've told her not today satan not today the real housewives of new york city all new tuesdays at nine on bravo or stream it on city tv plus i felt too seen um dragged uh i'm NK, and this is Basket Case.

So I basically had what back in the day they would call a nervous breakdown. I was crying and I was inconsolable. It was just very big, sudden swaps of different meds. What is wrong with me? Oh, look at you giving me therapy, girl. Finally, a show for the mentally ill girlies. On Basket Case, I talk to people about what happens when what we call mental health

is shaped by the conditions of the world we live in. Because if you haven't noticed, we are experiencing some kind of conditions that are pretty hard to live with. But if you struggle to cope, the society that created the conditions in the first place will tell you there's something wrong with you. And it will call you a basket case.

Listen to Basket Case every Tuesday on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Once again, we find ourselves in an unprecedented election. And with all that's happening in the lead up to the big day, a weekly podcast just won't cut it. Get a better grasp of where we stand as a nation every weekday on the NPR Politics Podcast. Here are seasoned reporters dig into the issues that are shaping voters' decisions and understand how the latest updates

play into the bigger picture. Listen to the NPR Politics Podcast on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. All besties do, we navigate the highs and lows of life together. And what does that look like? A thousand pep talks. A million I've got yous. Some very urgent I'm coming overs. Because, I don't know, let's face it, life can get even crazier than a season finale of Grey's Anatomy. And now here we are, opening up the friendship circle.

To you. Someone's cheating? We've got you on that. In-laws are in-lying? Let's get into it. Toxic friendship? Air it out. We're on your side to help you with your concerns.

Talk about ours. And every once in a while, bring on an awesome guest to get their take on the things that you bring us. While we may be unlicensed to advise, we're going to do it anyway. Listen to Call It What It Is on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or

wherever you get your podcasts. Did I ever tell you I auditioned for Licorice Pizza? Oh, for the Ben Safdie role? No, it was at the end of the movie, like, Safdie's boyfriend, the gay boyfriend. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. So I auditioned for that. His script, like, what you had to audition for for that, and I might have signed an NDA, but it's, like, far in the past now. But, like, truly, like, one of those, like, auteur scripts, which is, like, not a capital letter in sight.

Punctuation wild, like, eight commas in a row to denote, like, I don't know what emotion. But, like, one of those things. And then it was nominated for screenplay at the end of the year. So, like, I mean, who's to say anything has to be not wordle? When I auditioned for Eternals for Gay Husband, the audition sides were from Good Will Hunting. I auditioned for that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think every gay person did. Every gay person did.

Well, I didn't get that audition. Every gay person of color. You're right. I need to know my place. It was Robin Williams. No, no, no. It was Robin Williams. It was the famous scene.

It was between Matt Damon and Robin Williams. Oh, that's a great scene. I did that scene in college, actually. The Shepherd or whatever. Yeah, no, no. It was Robin Williams. It was the famous scene. It was between Matt Damon and Robin Williams. Oh, that's a great scene. I did that scene in college, actually. The Shepard or whatever. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Missed opportunity for a little mini driver action. I know. She's so good at that.

She's so good. It would have been so funny if Marvel was auditioning their first gay character and made them audition being mini drivers. Honestly, that would be sort of iconic. I got a little bit of your pickle. Like, come on. Oh, that's be sort of iconic. I got a little bit of your pickle. Like, come on. That's such a good

movie on the porch. It's such a good moment. Okay, can we actually say something and say that Joel watched a movie for the first time recently?

Oh, God. This was a shock to me. This was a shock to me. Can we say? Yeah. Joel texts us the other day and goes,

I have something to say. And I go, oh. Could be anything. Could be anything. He goes, I just saw to say. And I go, oh. Could be anything. Could be anything. He goes, I just saw Erin Brockovich for the first time. First time. Erin Brockovich comes up like once every two months. Isn't that crazy?

It's in the script, Joel. I know. I know. You cut it, though. I know. You cut that. Oh, yeah. It's good.

Some of the best lines were cut. One of my favorite lines I had was cut. And I'm going to confront you both about it right now. OK. What is it? It was the scene where we bring Zane over to the house, and I say, you say to Zane, it's not too late to leave. And then I say, rude. And then under my breath I go, and also it is too late.

And I can't believe it's cut. And I want an explanation right now. I will say, no one had more lines cut from the film than me. Well, you get the most lines, so be real. I'm trying to be real. Why was that cut now? Yeah, I actually am curious to know as well. Which one should I address first? Me now.

It's my show. He's going to get so much attention over the next couple weeks. I need this moment. Why did you cut my line? I think it was to get to Marissa Tomei faster. Yeah, right. No, it's a thing.

It's such a set piece. It's such a set piece. It's so good. And then Erin Brockovich. I think it had something to do with wanting to get to the romance of that scene faster. Wow.

So he's always cutting things to get somewhere else. I'm cutting the jokes. Sort of trying to get through. We have to leave stuff for the DVD extras. Yeah, but can I say something? And this actually, okay, maybe I should, because I told you what my I Don't Think So Honey is going to be. Yeah.

And maybe that's why I shouldn't get into this too much. No, no. Okay. Will we see scenes from The Cutting Room Floor? Will we see them? I mean. On the DVD and the Blu-ray? The only place, but the only, no, everyone stop.

Let's stop pretending that people still buy Blu-rays, DVDs. Go off. To watch feature. The only place featurettes live now is on fucking YouTube. YouTube.com. And it's like, it's hard to serve that up unless it's in people's algorithm, and that's something I'll get to in mine. I don't think so, honey.

Oh! But I just think it's, everyone's like, it'll be in the DVD. It's like, stop saying that. You don't mean that. When directors say this, including our illustrious director, it should have been in the film. It should have stayed in the film. You should have kept everything that was cut.

There's roughly 20 minutes that was cut for the film that I would stayed in the film you should have kept everything that was cut there's roughly 20 minutes that was cut from the film that I would love to see back in oh god the three of you are just like what the FD yeah

we hold you responsible hey I I agree there is a lot of stuff that I wish were still in the movie direct is cut direct is cut

yeah release the uncut yeah what was your process this is like a serious question okay first day of post, you're seeing almost all the footage?

Like, how does it work? I'm just curious. I truly don't know. So our brilliant editor, Brian Cates. Yes, queen. Of Short Bus fame. Yeah, love. Private Life, The Savages.

So cool. He's amazing. He's amazing. He complimented my ADR. We'll talk about that later. Okay. He's amazing. He's amazing. He, he complimented my ADR. We'll talk about that later. Oh God. To hold that, to hold that so dear.

I have to say. ADR king. Well, because I kept going, I'm doing a bad job. And then Brian goes, it's always the ones who think they're doing bad.

We're actually really proud. Really? Because I leave every ADR session being like, I crushed it. I think ADR is one of my great skills. Okay, so Brian, he wanted a few extra days to finish his assembly of the movie. And so I had like four or five days to just decompress,

like not think about the film, try and put that behind me um i do you remember uh i had like jacked off a lot sat around and jacked off yeah i had no i was still in new york um i had a i had like a a fancy dinner and you deserve it after a big film and I came I came back to to New York like just like chilled saw some of Sean's friends yeah

um and then I just Sean is his boyfriend Sean is my boyfriend Sean is his boyfriend he's gay gay

gay lover gay man um I love that at some point get used to it like in the process of getting to know me Joel was like

you have to stop talking about your boyfriends. Oh! Yeah, lol. Wait. You eye-rolled. You eye-rolled every time I said like, oh, the guy that I was dating at the time. Oh, no, no, no. This was not about you talking too much about your boyfriends. It is the fact that

you have had 17 boyfriends. Have you had a lot of boyfriends? No, no, no. I've had four. That's a lot. How old are you? 36. That's a lot of boyfriends. He's had 17 boyfriends. I've had four. That's cool. That's a lot. I've had four. How old are you? 36.

That's a lot. I've had four. This has been my longest relationship with Sean. It's once every 10 years he's had a boyfriend. Did you have a boyfriend when you were young? I had two college boyfriends. Two. Yeah.

And one of them broke my heart. Fuck him. And then I think I broke. You're so much better off. But then guess what? He broke another boy's heart. He's about to say. It's a transfer.

It's a terrible. It's a cycle. It's a cycle. It's a cycle. Anyway. Hurt people hurt people. Hurt people hurt people. Wounded people.

I watched the assembly. Yes. And it was, I think it was like two hours long. And I couldn't watch it. It was really hard. I just kept thinking about the shoot, and I kept thinking about, I wish we got this, or the beach looks like it's raining. And so I just thought of all the problems.

And then it's not until you kind of get your hands in it that you're like, oh, I get it, I see it, you kind of turn it. And I, you know, I think with every cut, I felt like, oh, like, it's turning into something that is really beautiful and something that I hope Joel is going to be happy with. He was. Joel, the first screening for Joel, I was shaken in my booties. You were shaken in your booties. But I remember you saying that that first screening went over so well. Yeah, I thought it was great.

I loved that version of the movie. I think that there are definitely things that were improved by notes and things like that that we got from the studio. And there are things that I missed, certainly. Well well that's going to be with everything yeah yeah but i do think that i am glad that the movie is under an hour 40 ultimately like the actual movie with credits it's longer but like yeah i'm like not every movie needs to be two and a half hours no and i actually hate when they are like i think it's a great length it never it feels like i don't know it's it's a joy to watch from start to finish. Although I will say, watching it the first time,

I think as an actor in the movie, and you had this experience too. And I was actually surprised that you did not have this experience. Oh, I still have this experience. Well, yes, but like, I wept after the first time I saw it. Not in a good way. I was like, I had like a dysmorphic meltdown.

I FaceTimed you and was weeping. And then I watched it a second time, and you had this experience too where you first saw it and were like, oh my God. And then the second time watched it, and it's like it comes together in a way. There is like a shock of seeing yourself play a situation that you kind of, it is a very meta film for all of us. And so watching yourself do it, it's like, and I think maybe it's a thing of watching yourself on camera too, which I'm not really very used to, to be honest. But the second time I watched it and was able to watch it as a movie,

I was so moved and like beyond proud to be a part of it after I got over the shock of seeing what we had done for the first time. So maybe that's like the same with you too. It's like you watch it for the first time and you think, oh my God, you're so self-critical, you can't get over it. And then like you see it again and it starts to become more clear. Is that correct? I think that's 100% true.

It's just like there's a weird like shock to just like seeing something that you've done. And also like when it's not like fully polished you know there's something about filmmaking you know it's like it's such a fantasy and anything that like takes you out of it it makes it difficult to like assess well and it's also it's like a unique sort of process this and the television because when you're when i'm writing the script i'm seeing it as it's being created. Like, when someone's painting, they're seeing it, like, slowly form and be created.

But, like, it's not, like, there's still so much work. And even just, like, from that first cut to now with, like, the mixes. Oh, my God. The sound has changed every time I've seen it, too, in such a remarkable way. Like, I don't even know how to explain just hearing everything

makes it so different. But I think you're summing up a really nice in a general and a good way creative process where clay's on the table and you're like, God, look at this fucking clay. And then you mold it and then there is that

moment where you want to fast forward to it sooner where it's like oh now it's starting to come together there is just this crucible you have to walk through with everything especially with writing

especially with like anything that's generative I don't know where you just you have to get over that first phase of like ooh this is rough this sucks

I don't know not that you felt that it sucked or anything no no but there is a thing of like especially when you are the director of the film and it's, like, your responsibility to curate it. Like, and this is both of you, too.

It's, like, it does, like, once you write it and you star in it, it leaves you for a second and then comes back to you in this form. And you're, like, wait, what? Like, especially, like, being a control freak about, like, the jokes in the script and, like, working on that stuff and, like, shooting it, getting the takes. And then it comes back and it's like, wait, this is a part of the process that I did not have the skills for. And you had had all the skills from the writing to the acting, to the producing.

And then it goes away during this crucial part of the process, which is editing. And then it comes back and you're like, Oh my God. And it's like that adjustment period. It is like a little shocking. And I mean, just,

I can speak for Bowen and I, like we were just actors in the film and it came back and it's like, Oh my God. Like it's like that adjustment period it is like a little shocking and i mean just i can speak for bowen and i like we were just actors in the film and it came back and it's like still shocked oh my god like it's it is like a shock especially when you realize that like ideally and probably a lot of people are going to see it you know what i mean like i i just remember at one point while we were editing i think a bunch of us got together here in New York and yeah I remember that went out to Phoenix and and I was telling Bo and I was like oh my god like it's like you brought up Fire Island on the podcast you know and bone was like you know we need to stop talking about we need to stop talking about and and We need to stop talking about it. We really haven't talked about it that much. I don't remember that. And I think in the next episode,

like, Matt was like, I saw the film. And then you were like, but we're not gonna talk about it. And it made it sound like it was bad. Honestly, you came over to my house with a few of the girls.

It was like Louis, Fertel, Gossicky was there. Our friend Nico was there. And we watched it in a very contained atmosphere. And watched it on my television, which always bums me out because it skips. And we were streaming it from the computer and it was skipping a little bit. And I was just like, by the end of it. And then I remember we watched Tomas and Diana on Netflix. Which is like a gorgeous palate cleanser.

Which, by the way, some of the songs were actually really good. Were they not? Stop, Joel. They were good. Don't say that. You looked away from me.

No, we were making eye cuts and the songs in Diana were good. Pretty, pretty girls. Yeah! Just bop, slay, and go off. But anyway,

it was like you're watching it rough and you're like, oh my God. And then I realized never again can I watch early cuts. Yeah. Do not show them to me. I'd rather just see it when it's fully done because it drives me crazy.

Especially then you see it and then things get cut and things get shifted around. And then you do kind of feel grateful to be just a part of the and then like be able to wash your hands of it and then get it. But I think we all did feel, even though like we were only merely actors in the movie, like an ownership over it. Because I remember when we wrapped like and we were all posting our like Instagrams about it. I remember saying like, while this is still ours, like this feels like really, really good because it does have a special place on, I think, all of our hearts because it is about so much that's very real to all of us. And it was funny because we had gone to Fire Island the month before and then it felt like we were back like acting out the experience of doing it. Like definitely, I think, for all of us, like inhabiting like a younger version of ourselves and i think that the three of us here like all played roles that were sort of like if not written directly for us then like you know inspired in the writing a lot would you say yeah no i mean actually you you of the people that i

like had in mind while i was writing it you two are the only ones who ended up in the movie yeah so and so like i think that we knew that. And so walking away from it was very emotional. And I wonder like how you felt like walking away from that experience. And I also wonder like what character you relate to the most. No, no, genuinely. Like and I wonder like what was your connection to that? What was your connection to the piece in that way? I mean, for me, the connection to was always the the noah howie friendship you know like i have a group of gay asian friends who you've met now you know they're so fun and lovely and i i didn't know

they weren't a part of your pitch deck too which makes a lot of sense yeah um and i just really uh you know i i really connected to the fact that here is a film that has two like queer Asian-American leads and they're super different and they're friends like that to me felt really like special. And it's like and as someone who's made queer Asian-American film like, you know, Spa Night's a very sad, you know, lonely perspective. And so that that was how I you know came into the material I also love Pride and Prejudice like I love Pride and Prejudice that Joe Wright Pride and Prejudice is like my comfort movie

it's so fab you know Kira is truly great and Matthew I know Colin gets like the Darcy like iconography but like Matthew well my favorite Mr. Darcy is now Conrad Rickamora. I mean come on we've got our gay Darcy you know.

He's so good in the movie you guys like everyone listening like you're gonna absolutely get your life watching him in it. He's so fucking good. He's so good. I remember when you and I met for the first time like you were like the big draw for me in this for this project was that it's Pride and Prejudice but it's about Jane and Liz like that it's that it's like an opportunity to tell that story but focus

it on a different point yeah i think that's like the like the brilliance of joel's like queerification of the story is that you take it away from the romances and you focus it back onto the chosen family and i think that that's something that queer audiences like really understand yeah you know I've been saying and this does sound like total soundbite but I've been saying the thing that Joel has layered on so well is that it's about belonging and like I don't think I would say that Pride and Prejudice

the original text is not necessarily about that it's about divides in a way but it's like but there is this thing about people's conception people's notions of Fire Island have to do with whether or not they feel like they belong there or if they go with people that they feel like they belong yeah you know absolutely so i feel like that's like the brilliant thing and we're just yeah something someone's pulled a bunch of people have pulled obviously from it too is like that that i had not really zeroed in on either is about like desire and why we desire

and how much that drives an experience like this one um like for example and I think it's actually in every single character that's that has a main plot in the movie is just like this idea of wanting and wanting to be wanted and wanting to be desired. Was that in your head the entire time? Oh, yeah. I mean, because I think that's a huge part of my journey over the last five years of being in New York and then being in LA and then exploring all of the no fans, no femmes, no Asians bullshit

that has been in me since i downloaded grinder in 2011 you know like and i think like it's followed you until coming yeah yeah yeah and coming to terms with like understanding that like i want to be desired and by who and all of these things and then working it that out over the course of the last several years is like the whole reason one of the big reasons i wanted to explore this story through the lens of class vis-a-vis Pride and Prejudice. Yeah. Yeah.

I wasn't on that trip where you were reading that book, but I do remember you came back and like, then you wrote that piece for- Penguin. Penguin. Yeah. What is that? It's their publishing company.

Oh. Penguin Random House. Yeah, Penguin Random House. They have a website? They had a literary blog that wasn't then defunct, but they added just that essay back on. Really? Yeah, yeah. You can find that essay.

The essay's so good. It's a great essay. The essay's really brilliant. I wish I had read it before. You hadn't? I hadn't. Because it wasn't anywhere. It wasn't anywhere, yeah.

The whole blog that it was a part of went down. Oh, really? Yeah. That's cool that they brought it back, though. Yeah, it was nice. Yeah. No, the mapping is just so clear. You know what I mean?

Like, it's a home run, Jolie. Thank you. We're very proud of you. Thank you. Are you sick of hearing it? No. No, I just, I don't know. I don't like, I'm not quite able to absorb it right now, I think.

And I think part of it is wanting to enjoy this period where it's still ours, like you were saying, where it's still ours. And then come Friday when it's out and the world has seen it it feels like this part will be over. We were saying on the way over here, Matt was like the discourse will be broken open in a way. For better or for worse, it will be in another set of hands. I think that's also

what's comforting about a process like this though is that ultimately it does not belong to you. It belongs to the people that it's going to affect. And I think that that's actually kind of nice like we think about it in a certain way of like how it's going to be discussed on social media and what are going to be the things that people like decide to hammer on or like talk about but also it's like okay i went on youtube and i typed i was really one night. It was like really late at night. And I typed in the words Fire Island trailer.

And I saw someone's response video to the trailer. And it was this person who was so sweet and doesn't have that many followers on YouTube and was so excited about the movie. And it was just truly him watching the trailer and laughing and his eyes got so big. He said in very few words after the trailer

was on he said very few words about the movie but he said, it just makes you want to go to Fire Island and have an experience like this. And I thought, that's really who the movie is for. You know what I mean? It's for people who are going to live this experience through the movie.

And it's about friendship. And it's about, yes, I wish it wasn't so cliche to say. But the chosen family and how important that is. And how it's still important. Even though we've all been lucky enough to live that experience for such a long time i start crying um that that's like really it's it's very meaningful and it's so it makes me so proud to be a part of and honestly i was so emotional at that that second screening that I saw for so many reasons. In L.A.?

Yeah. Well, we watched it again at my house. And I was, like, beyond moved. But not only just because of that, because of, like, the image of love that we get to see at the end of the movie, you know, the nod to, you know, the past and the song that's chosen. It just, like, overwhelmed me so much. And, like, you boys did an amazing job. And you did such a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful film. You did a beautiful film.

We did a beautiful film. We did a beautiful film. And my sister is a star. And let me turn to you right now and say you did that. Oh? Queen. Thanks. What were you going to say, Andrew?

I was just going to say to go back to your previous question about like you know it's like letting go of it yeah and and i i think that there's a certain understanding um of my work where uh it's like i have to find a kind of meaningfulness in just the process of making it, you know? And I think it has to do with how when I made my first feature, Spa Night, like I was like, who's going to watch this? Like, I don't know if it's going to get into any festivals. And so for me, I said to my whole team, I was like, even if this doesn't go anywhere, I'm so happy that we did this together. I'm so glad we made this, right? And so I've so happy that we did this together. I'm so glad we made this. Right.

And so I've, I've held onto that through, uh, driveways. And then even on this, even though I knew that it was going to be on Hulu already, right? Like it already had guaranteed distribution. I was like, let's just make it so that, um, we have a great time doing this together. And whatever happens in the future is bonus you know and so that for me i think has been really like healthy in like thinking about like this release now you know well i think you did a brilliant thing which was before the table read so this is before like most of the cast had met each other for the first time. But you had me, Joel, Matt, Tomas, Torian and Margaret come early and you sat us down and you were like, everybody go around and like share an experience you had either on the island or like a fond vacation memory you had like with friends or like with your chosen family.

And this was like, and like Matt, Joel and I knew each other. But then, you know, the rest we weren't, we were getting to know the rest and it was the perfect level setting of just like everybody coming in with the same shared notion of what like this movie like what these characters were going through I don't know it was the perfect thing

to I really that stayed with me the entire time of shooting I was like oh Andrew did that for a reason and I'm really grateful well it's like so much more fun to talk about That stayed with me the entire time of shooting. I was like, oh, Andrew did that for a reason. I'm really grateful. Well, it's so much more fun to talk about a fun trip we've had versus like, tell me about your coming out. Yeah, yeah. No, totally.

Everyone go around the table and say an interesting fact about those hours. Yeah, yeah. The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City are back. I love that. Oh my gosh. Welcome. And last season's drama was just the tip of the iceberg. You're recording us?

I am disgusted. Never in a million years after everything we've been through did I think that you would reach out to our sworn enemy. We were friends. How could you do this to me? I don't trust her. The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, Wednesdays at 9 on Bravo or stream it on City TV+. I felt too seen. Dragged.

I'm N.K. and this is Basket Case. So I basically had what back in the day they would call a nervous breakdown. I was crying and I was inconsolable. It was just very big, sudden swaps of different meds. What is wrong with me? Oh, look at you giving me therapy, girl. Finally, a show for the mentally ill girlies. On Basket Case, I talk to people

about what happens when what we call mental health is shaped by the conditions of the world we live in. Because if you haven't noticed, we are experiencing some kind of conditions that are pretty hard to live with. But if you struggle to cope, the society that created the conditions in the first place will tell you there's something wrong with you, and it will call you a basket case. Listen to Basket Case every Tuesday on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Once again, we find ourselves in an unprecedented election. And with all that's happening in the lead up to the big day, a weekly podcast just won't cut it. Get a better grasp of where we

stand as a nation every weekday on the NPR Politics Podcast. Here are seasoned reporters dig into the issues that are shaping voters' decisions and understand how the latest updates play into the bigger picture. Listen to the NPR Politics Podcast on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. And what does that look like? A thousand pep talks. A million I've got yous. Some very urgent I'm coming numbers. Because, I don't know, let's face it, life can get even crazier than a season finale of Grey's Anatomy. And now here we are, opening up the friendship circle. To you. Someone's cheating?

We've got you on that. In-laws are in-lying? Let's get into it. Toxic friendship? Air it out. We're on your side to help you with your concerns. Talk about ours. And every once in a while, bring on an awesome guest to get their take on the things that you bring us.

While we may be unlicensed to advise, we're going to do it anyway. Listen to Call It What It Is on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I think we asked Andrew a question. It's time. It's time. Okay, Andrew, because we've asked Joel. This is Joel's 18,000th appearance on this podcast. Is Joel the most frequent guest?

I'm a host. He's basically. He's sort of a co-host. The third. One time Bowen will, sometimes Bowen will sort of log on to the virtual Zoom and be like, guys, I don't know, guys. And I'll be like, okay, I'll ask Joel.

And then Joel always comes through. It's like when Lisa Ling comes back to host the view. Yeah, that's it. Ask him the question now. Okay, Andrew, what is the culture that made you say culture is for me? So I think I've been preparing for this. I've been I have so many different answers. I think it has a lot to do with it's VH1's pop up video.

Oh, my God. Yeah. Really good. There's just something about it where like I realized the video. Yeah. Like I realized like culture is something that you can like analyze and has a backstory. You know, and I loved like like I don't know why I still remember like the Jamiroquai virtual insanity video. Like more blood was supposed to gush out of that room, you know, like because of Papa video or like for it's all coming back to me now celine dion like

like um when she's brushing her hair the fact was like over brushing leads to alopecia you know like the most bizarre things it's the reason i know that that third eye blind song is about what like heroin oh it's from because of papa oh fuck i wish you would step back that one no um no oh yeah yeah yeah yeah um did it teach you about like production or whatever like or is that like tying it into like well i don't know is that is that fair or is that like like maybe actually that's a good question i don't't know. I mean, I think there was something about like visuals and music and how those come together that like did fascinate me. Like I remember, and this is like somewhat related but like um in college I was like obsessed with um music videos and I like sat my best friend down you know Charlie in front of

the computer and I was like you're watching the maps video for from the yeah yeah oh my god and she was like that was good and I was like that was just good. And I could tell that I had this passion for it in a way that made me want to learn how to make it. And so that was a segue. But I think with pop-up video, I think the other thing, too, that was fun for me was like, because I think I was 10 when it came out. And just remember talking to my friends and being like oh my god like did you see the pop-up video like I know this about this song and like and I lived in a very kind of uh Asian American suburb of Los Angeles um and like my friends and I would go to karaoke after school you know and like just like the stupidest things. I think that's when I realized, oh, culture is super, it's shared, right?

I remember someone saying, Sarah McLachlan, I will remember you. And then a number of us did the doobie-da-da-da. And we couldn't stop laughing. And I was like, how did we all know this? And it's like, oh, because we all watched the video and we all knew the song. So it's like there's something about that VH1 MTV, but more VH1, I think, for me. Oh, yeah. I was definitely a VH1 boy.

As was I. I wasn't allowed to watch MTV because of the sex. Was it gayer? Was VH1 just gayer? I think that VH1- In a Lilith Fair sort of way. Yes. It was presenting like light sophistication. It was.

At the time, it was more adult contemporary. And so I was allowed to watch MTV. No, I was not allowed to watch MTV because my mom associated with sexuality. Overt sexuality, like trashy sexuality. There was always blurred out, pixelated nudity.

And VH1 was never going to show that. But what VH1 did was it was more of a sensuality. So my idea, my like cultivated like idea of what like sexuality was, was less like horny teens making out open mouth on a beach. It was more about like Shania Twain, like draped on an off the shoulder shawl. That man in a bathtub in that black and white music video. Yes. You're still the one. You're still the one.

And also Mariah Carey, my all in that tight black mini dress, like singing over the black lake. You know what I mean? And then her like on a plank and like, she sort of makes out with a guy. And like, you see just like her back as a shawl comes down.

Like it's like tasteful nudity. But whereas like... And it also was they were obsessed with the divas too. You know what I mean? MTV was not showing Celine Dion. I'll come back to me now. BH1 was. They were concerned about the ladies and not the boys and the girls.

You know what I mean? In a way that I think was formative. I love that Mariah Carey, Always Be My Baby video with her in like the tire. The tire swing. Like it's so good. So good. It's so good.

I do want to say that there is a Mad TV pop-up video sketch parody where it's Mariah, Deborah Wilson is Mariah singing the Lover Muffin song. Lover Muffin. It was the heartbreaker. It was the parody, but it was Lover Muffin. Lover Muffin song. It was the heartbreaker but it was the parody but it was Lover Muffin. Lover Muffin. But it's all these people being like

Mariah, Mariah, Mariah's acting weird in this, whatever. And then the last one is Mariah popping up and going, hi I'm Mariah. I'm from Mars. And I just want to say Bowen Yang one of the funniest things about Bowen Yang One of the funniest

things about Bowen is that he stands Matt TV. He is obsessed with Matt TV. He loves every character. We got Matt TV better on our antenna. We didn't have cable. We got Matt TV better on antenna than we did SNL. So I would watch I would typically watch Matt TV first and more often. And SNL, if I

got the bunny ears just right then I would watch it. Bowen loves it all. Bowen loves Miss Swan. I love Stuart. I love Miss Swan. I mean, I'll say my family and I would watch Mad TV and Miss Swan. We laughed. We laughed. Because it was actually

not really even... It was a nondescript nondescript amalgam where it was kind of like horseshoed into not even being Asian anymore. I also think that there is something about... Also, Swan is not an Asian story.

There's also something about first generation versus second generation. There's a hilarious YouTube video of first gen second gen like Chinese Americans

eating Panda Express and like the second gen like our generation is like this is disgusting like this is not Chinese food and the first gen is like this is delicious

like they're like loving it and they're like it's not Chinese food but it's great right and there's something about that where I'm like

my parents watching Miss Swan they're like this isn't Asian but it's great. Right. And there's something about that where I'm like, my parents watching Ms. Swan, they're like, this isn't Asian, but it's hilarious. There you go. Yeah. Wow. Would you ever direct a music video? I was going to ask that. I've done a little.

I've directed two music videos for a friend, Dia Frampton, who I think is so- Dia Frampton from The Voice? Yeah. Oh my God. I used to stan Dia. Joel and I watched The Voice every week. Yes. I was in a voice fantasy league for many seasons.

D.F. Rampton? D.F. Rampton. And she's so good as a performer. She's an amazing voice. You sent me some of her songs during production. I did. I asked you to listen to Die Wild. Die Wild with D.F. Rampton as a way to get me, oh my God, Andrew.

In the Howie mood. I really appreciate that but i i love dia and she she said hey like you know uh i i'd love to work with you in some way this was right after spa night and so i did these two uh music videos that like have uh like more narrative you know there's more of a story um there's uh a love story between dia and uh the actor yoshi sidarso um where i recreate the darcy hand moment she slips and falls and he uh like helps her up and it's like and i showed her that moment and i was like i want to recreate this uh so yeah and Prejudice has really been a part of life.

Yeah, exactly. So you're saying you're reusing shots from other people's movies. You're a big copier. What is our hand moment? It's the dance. It's when I put my little, like, gay wrist ends up on Conrad's shoulder. I didn't notice that until this cut, the final cut. I didn't notice the gay wrist.

I do. It the gay wrist. It's such a raptor. It is the claw. I hate it. It's one of my least favorite parts of the movie because I think it looks so goofy. That's your part of the movie that you're like, ugh. No!

Any part where I walk, it's an extended scene of me walking. You're such a good walker. I look crazy when I walk. Stop. You do this in one of them. Yeah, I know. It looks insane.

No, it looks great! Did you notice that we added a little yawn? Yeah, I did. Bowen writhes whenever we watch the scene of him falling in the water. The scene from the water. What is it about that?

It's so good. Where I'm like screaming in the pool. It's funny. And it's truly me in the tub where like Joel invites, Joel invites.

I know, I know you hate that. Wait, why? I love that scene. I think it looks so cute. Your arms look so good too. Well,

no, but it's the shot of me like kind of like looking up. No, no, I love that scene. I think you look so cute. Your arms look so good, too. Well, no, but it's the shot of me kind of looking up. No, no, it's so good. It's so good. It's so funny. I don't know. My profile is like not. No, it's beautiful.

Something I've had to let go of in the last couple of years is that I have no objectivity about what I look like. I know. I know. Or how I'm presuming myself. It drove me into the ground. I cried. I wept. Oh, me too. It was the scene

at the end, which is, I don't want to spoil it because this episode is going to come out before the movie, but when we have our moment on the dock, it's just, I can't, like, it's just like a chin thing. And I'm like, I can't stand my chin.'s just like it's just a chin thing and I'm like

I can't I can't stand my chin but the thing is like you're watching it and like no one would see it but you but that's what

you do not have permanence watching yourself or you think you're gonna show up on screen and like look like fucking you know Ryan Reynolds or whatever

you all look so beautiful well I think it's also like we also have too much control over what we're putting out of ourselves now because of the Instagram of it all. The second you lose control of that, I think it's just amplified 10%. I will say every single piece of press that I've posted of myself over the last month, I think I look bad in almost all of it.

But again, I've let go. I've just said, well, this is not what I look bad in almost all of it. Really? But I'm like, but again, but I've let go. I've just said, well, this is not what I look like. But here it is. So I don't know. It's crazy. I remember, though, shooting the movie, and I literally was like, I am making a pact with myself. And I did this for the series I shot too.

I am not looking at a single daily. I am not looking at any shots. I don't want to see any footage of it until it's over because I think the death of your ability to act comes when you see yourself doing it. Because then you're literally going to think,

LOL, but I saw Jennifer Lawrence say this too. She was like, I would never look at a picture of myself, a still of myself, because once you're thinking about what you look like, you cannot act. You cannot do it. I mean, I think it's the it's that trust with the the way he's pouring the

water into the mic. I'm a fully. I'm a fully. It's the trust that you give to the director, right? Like, they have to watch for you. And we trusted you. I think I was very fortunate that, like, you all, like, trusted me.

And I took it very seriously, you know? Like, I didn't want to, like, abuse the power, you know? Well, we're all extremely nude in the film. Yeah. That's a thing. Oh, I thought you said new. Nude. New and nude.

Yeah. I mean, certainly the most nude we've all ever been on camera. Yeah, it's true. It's a thing. Oh, I thought you said new. Nude. New and nude. Yeah. I mean, certainly the most nude we've all ever been on camera. Yeah, it's true. It's true. But I feel like Andrew really, I know you say you had a light touch and such because you were trying to let us bring the comedy or whatever, but I feel like it just made the moments of you stepping in and actually really shepherding the thing so much more meaningful.

I don't know, the times where you would have to come in and really set me emotionally, I thought were always so well done. The Bowen, the Howie emotional moments are so good. They're so good. Bowen has a Demi Moore moment in the film.

Oh my gosh. I'm going to say it. Bowen is Demi Moore in the film. And that's all we'll say. And that's all I'll say. That's all we're going to say. And if you know what we're talking about, you are a real reader. Wait, okay, wait, random question.

Was Yeah Yeah Yeah's, was there like an extra affinity because of Karen Oh? Did you know she, I didn't know she was Korean until like five years ago. I didn't know that she was Korean either for a long time. And I think I was just like really into the music and just her performance in that video is nuts. Oh my God. But yes, your performance

in this movie is amazing. It's Karen O. Who is the best music video actor? Who is the best pop star acting in their music videos? Sinead O'Connor. Nothing compares to you. Come on.

That's a really good poll. That's a really good one. That's a really good one that's a really good one you might be hard to beat on that one I think Alanis is actually pretty good in most of her videos Natalie Imbruglia

oh the torn video that is a good one I mean it is one take it's one take yeah Jesus I will say

my favorite music video ever and I it's I've talked about it a bunch talk about it a bunch. Talk about it. It's cool, Gwen Stefani. Oh, my God.

Gwen slays that. Yeah, really good. In Italy. Maybe it's not the best acting in the music video of all time, but like- The video is filming. The video is gorgeous. Have you seen that video? I can't remember it. Oh, my God.

It's so good. She's a brunette. Well, she's blonde. Acting. She's blonde in bed, sort of sitting in the camera, reminiscing about this brunette. Reminiscing when she was brunette. When she was brunette well she's she's blonde acting she's blonde in bed like sort of saying to camera like reminiscing about this this like reminiscing when

she was brunette when she was brunette and then the flashbacks are all these like beautiful like like Italian like vistas the song is about

like seeing someone that you were in a relationship many many many years later and isn't it great that we're we've moved on and we're in

we're settled in our new lives but we still remember that and so the video is this thing of like she's inviting him over to her very palatial home in italy and like he's got a new wife and like they sit down and like the second they lock eyes like it flashes back to them when they were young it's really well done it's so good and gwen is serving in it no No one reveres Gwen as much outside of this podcast, I have to say. The number of times she appeared on the songbook She's not really on the songbook, is she?

She's on the songbook a couple times, I guess. She's more than Mariah. Mariah only has one song in the songbook. Mariah's got a whole episode of this podcast, though. Yeah, that's true. Can I say, on top of Pop-Up Video, because Pop-Up Video also did really influence me and make me want to make things, too. But the other thing, too, if I had to redo the question today, it would definitely be.

I think you're entitled to that. I think enough time has passed. What was the culture that made you say culture was for you, Joel? Blooper reels. Oh, my God. Literally, this is so fucking funny. That's my, I don't think so, honey. What? That there's no blooper reel in Fire Island.

Shut up. I love bloopers! We were just talking about how bloopers are lost in the culture. It's so important. Bloopers changed literally everything for me because it opened you up to the world beyond just the show.

And you're like, oh my God, there's so many people involved in this. There's so much going on. They're like a family. I've watched The Office bloopers probably more than I've watched The Office at this point. The Friends bloopers were always banging. I loved it. The end of movies when they would play that blooper reel. Rush hour to the best.

I'm telling you, I feel like if our movie didn't end as emotionally as it does, and it is sort of like, it's a cathartic high point. It's a great way to end the movie, but the way I wanted bloopers. There weren't a lot of bloopers, though.

That's the thing. I think that's true. There were not a lot of bloopers. I think. And I remember you being like, is this movie funny? Because we're not breaking and laughing.

You said that a few times, and I was like, yes, Joel, it's just like, we're all just doing it. And also, it wasn't times. And I was like, yes, Joel. It's just like, we're all just doing it. And also, it wasn't like we were made of time. You know what I mean? I think that was the thing. It was such a tightly scheduled shoot. You know, it's like, we just

had to move so quickly. And some of those scenes, the sun is already set. We're like, we need to get this scene. We have 20 minutes. Right? The day the waves were crashing on the dock and we had to shoot that scene on the Oh, that was so stressful, you guys. We have 20 minutes, right? The day the waves were crashing on the dock and we had to shoot that scene on the dock, that was so rough.

So we were, everyone reading, the readers, we were going to shoot the finale, which takes place on the dock on this day, where truly, I've never seen the waves like this. I've never seen it. They were crashing over the dock. There was no way. And we were really trying to figure out a way

where it's like, okay, so we're going to talk about how you guys can do this and not die. And we're like, oh. And it was this thing to figure out a way where it's like, okay, so we're going to talk about how you guys can do this and not die. And we're like, oh. And it was this thing, too, where we asked our, like, safety person who, like, is a nautical captain or something. Wow. And we were like, it's like, okay, like, this is high tide. Like, how long will it take until it gets lower? And he's like, no, this is low tide.

It was a rough day. And we just were like, and we had to pivot and shoot. The boardwalk scene. Yeah, you know. Which I think turned out really great. It's great. It's really great, yeah. People, re-listen to this episode after you've seen the movie.

It'll make a lot more sense. My favorite thing about you, Matt, in the movie is if you look, like, your hand tries to make it into so many shots. What are you saying? Like, if it's, like, not your coverage, and you'll just see your hand snake in. Are you dragging me? Long fingers.

Don't touch my arm. Are you dragging me? No, I'm just saying, it's like, you love the camera. You are a fluff-a-luff. How dare you do that to me? No, that really means that, like, the character of Luke just kind of wants to get in there. I think it's great. We put that in purpose in the movie.

Me sort of floating into the shots? I love the moment between you and James Scully near the end of the film. Oh, I know what you're talking about. Rolling with the homies. Yeah, rolling with the homies and it's so good. There are three Clueless references. I only know of two. There's Way Harsh Time, which is

in the trailer, I believe. And then Rolling with the Homies. And then the other one is like a very oblique reference to Clueless and it's a reference to the scene in Clueless where they're leaving the party in the valley and they're like, you go with him. And it's like, no, scene in Clueless where they're leaving the party in the valley and they're like,

you go with him. And it's like, no, it doesn't make any sense. And then they're like, yeah, all of that. It's like such, if you watch the movie, you could probably miss it.

But to me, in my head, that is a Clueless reference. To be in, this is going to be a cuckoo, but like to be in like a gay Clueless rocks. I love it so much. It's my favorite movie of all time. Probably yours.

Yeah. So I mean, I literally, whenever anyone comes in here and says Clueless is their culture, they made them say culture was for them, which happens a lot. Dr. Wendy said that. Yeah. And what was iconic. But it really is. And I remember you said when we were doing the movie, you were like, is this funny?

Because we're not breaking. This is happening. And you had a day where you did not think the movie was funny. I had a couple days. You were melting down. And I was like, it literally is. But now you watch it, and especially to watch it with a bunch of people, you realize there is a quotability to it, which I have to say. I understand when comedy movies and comedy series want to be, like, dropped

in and quote-unquote grounded, but leave in the quotable lines. You have to, because it is, I mean, you can, like, when you said that culture was meant to be shared, I remember when I realized that. That's how you share it. We were literally at lunch quoting Mean Girls to each other. Bowen and I were, and we've done it

probably every third time we hang out. It's the most basic thing about us. Yes, we literally, our friendship is often quoting, and we've done it probably every third time we hang out. It's the most basic thing about us. Yes. We literally, our friendship is often quoting, and then we do it again, the same line, and then we do it again simultaneously. So Bowen and I, a lot of our friendship is just doing the Mean Girls monologues. I can't invite you to my party because I think you're a lesbian. Right?

She was a lesbian. Girls are in their bathing suits. Girls are in their bathing suits. We're doing it. We're doing it. You did this when I said I saw Erin Brockovich, too.

You literally did a 15-minute tear on Erin Brockovich. I'm not talking to you, bitch! I'm not talking to you, bitch! Excuse me! Get out of my face! That's all you got, lady.

Two wrong feet and fucking ugly shoes. But this is what I'm saying. If you want the movie to live to live forever to be a shared a shared cultural asset leave in the jokes

what can I say the iconography has to stay yeah Maya Rudolph asked me this question on set for Loot and we were talking

it turned into like a weeks long conversation that we don't quote movies anymore what is the last movie that was highly quotable? That's because a lot of them, honestly, it's Bridesmaids. And it's like, it's like, it's, it's these movies that are not afraid of being hard comedies. And this is something I really feel strongly about is if you want an audience to fall in

love with a character, give them jokes. Because the serotonin pops when you see a character come on screen and you think, I'm going to get a joke. Like subconsciously in the back of your mind, it's like, if Jenna Maroney had no jokes, she'd just be unbearable. Yep, yep, yep, yep. Like, period. Do you know already what a quotable... I know one.

I know one. Yeah. From Fire Island? Yeah. I do. What's yours? Premium stuff hits differently than well. I mean, that is like... Oh, top shelf stuff just hits differently than well. Yeah. I do. What's yours? Premium stuff hits differently than well. I mean, like, that is, like...

Oh, top shelf stuff just hits differently than well. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, I think the one is not even a line that I wrote. It's Matt's improv, which is... Well, my two favorites are... And eagle-eye listeners will have... Or eagle-ear listeners will have to listen for these. But it's, um...

Can I trade anyone a Crest White strip for a PrEP pill? I was really proud of that. And then James Scully has my second favorite, which is, they really don't like it when you put makeup on animals. It's very subtle, but it's definitely anime. I heard that too the last time I met him. Wait, can I ask a question? Everyone's like, you have to stay after the credits. You have to stay after the credits.

What is after the credits? No, we can't say. We're not going to tell you. I don't know. I don't know what it is. Yes, you did. You saw it. I don't think so.

What is it? You did. I don't think I saw. It's just the very end of the credits. And it's an audio only. It's an audio only. It's not like a cut scene,

but... Yeah, you'll just have to stay for the end. I guess I'll have to stay for the end of the credits. All the readers have to stay for the... What's my quotable line?

Honestly, there's a lot, but I honestly... It can be yours. No, it's not one of mine. I think... Well, the whole Marisa Tomei thing

I think is iconic. And I do think that the sometimes number is iconic. But in terms of lines, hmm. I haven't seen it as much as you guys, but they are there. And this terms of lines, hmm. I haven't seen it as much as you guys, but they are there, and this is what I'm saying, even if I can't pull it right now, it's that

there are lines there that are like, honestly, I think the fact that there's so many, I guess I'm excited to see which ones jump out at the audience. I have another one. Go. Nick Adams. Oh, Nick has so many. That's why his voice is so deep. That's why his voice is so deep. That's why his voice is so deep.

It's so weird. It's so funny. It makes no sense to me. And it kind of does. I don't know. And also, like, I didn't say that. You said that. Yeah.

Oh, my God. That's so irresponsible of you. Oh, my God. I didn't say that. You said that. That's really irresponsible of you to say. I actually love that he's of a different culture. Oh, that.

The words, of a different culture. That's one. Yeah, I love that. Really funny. Also, just like Oh, that. The words, of a different culture. That's one. Yeah, I love that. Really funny. Also, just like Tomas being like, bitch, who is this? Like, I don't know, just little things. What Tomas says through the sunset is also. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

That is so. Again, everyone come back and listen to this episode after you've seen the film. I'm so excited for everyone to see it. I really, really am. Can we talk about the cast for a second? Because I think that something that is so great about it is like, I mean, I think that Bo and Joel and I obviously have like a years and years long friendship, but it really did feel like when we got to set and Bo and I had met Margaret, Joel's met Margaret before.

But when we got to set, like it really, especially at that first table read, I really feel like A, maybe everyone was really excited to be a part of it and so was bringing a good energy. But B, like immediately, like we all wanted to really hang out with each other. And like, I wonder if you could talk about like just like watching that happen and like how what what the casting process was like. I mean, I remember like. You were the first person I think cast. Yeah, I was. Yeah, you were the first person I think cast I was? because you guys were attached we were attached

I did audition though twice and I remember like Joel was like this is for Matt and I was like yeah I get it and then I watched the tape and I was like no perfect and I really mean this like I've said it before like gay Jenna Malone you know like that's like the perfect Lydia you know what's

funny is it was announced that I was playing Lydia and everyone online was like oh of course he's Lydia to the point where I felt a little dragged I was like okay girls like relax like the thirsty mess like and a review described Lydia as a thirsty mess. And I'm like, okay, this is how the readers see me, which is fine. But, yeah, no. I think it takes, like, there's, you have to have so much fun with her, you know, with that character. And then she has to get into trouble, you know. And I think that, like, I trusted you with that, you know. And then with Keegan, you you know we wanted to find like

someone who could stand up to you yeah exactly and that's really hard it's super hard you know and and i think a lot of people a lot of very like cool actors fancy girls yeah fancy people like we just we just didn't feel like, we couldn't find that person. And then Tomas, like, Joel said, like, Tomas' audition, like, makes me laugh so hard. And I met Tomas on Zoom. They were hilarious. Yeah. And actually, I kind of loved that, like, I think maybe because Tomas went to the fame high school

LaGuardia like they're so well trained to you know just like technically like I gave a note like such amazing you know such amazing adjustments like Tomas was so good and then I think for me just was so

much fun to hang out with irreplaceable energy it truly changed the way we spoke yeah it was like living in an episode of legendary yeah like that vibe honestly like maybe number one thing i'll obviously being with my sisters but number two is like tomas like for me just like and meeting and knowing I was nervous about it because I knew that this person had to sort of be like another half of my body and meeting Tomas immediately falling in love and we had the best time and I mean I think we all had that but like to have like I mean I know what it's like to have a real sister you know what I mean and so like to

have that actually feel very natural. And I remember you saying, you guys should be pretty amorphous from the beginning, literally physically on top of each other throughout the entire thing. And honestly, in the film, you did an amazing job with that because literally we are physically entangled

for most of it. But it didn't feel like I had to act that. You know what I mean? Tomas is brilliant. I think Joel and I both saw very quickly how you two would get along. Love her. And then Torian, I mean, it's so funny.

Joel, you had worked with Torian in Chicago. I cast him in a play in 2014. Yeah, that's so funny. And I remember seeing his tape being like, holy crap, this is so good. Well, also, I didn't have an agent or anything. I think they reached out to him on Instagram because I was like, oh, what about this guy? And then they couldn't, yeah, and it really worked out.

And there was something about Torian's read. I wonder actually if it's because he works in casting too. Maybe. That every joke, he landed every joke I didn't think about that, he really knows how to audition but at the screening too, the LA one that we were all at, every single joke of his, yeah they all land

huge, hard fireworks, it's so funny I mean like I remember cause I think he auditioned for Keegan as well and his Keegan is so different than his Matt max was also amazing you know like but it was just this thing where i i i zoomed with him and um i was talking to him and and at one point we i found out that he plays the cello and we're like should max like bring his cello to

the island and it's just this like other thing that's, like, so Mary about him, Mary Bennett, you know? But, like, I think I saw in that Zoom, like, just someone who has such a good heart and was so inspired by the story and, like, knew the meaningfulness of this film, I was like, oh, we are all going to come together with this shared purpose and get along so beautifully. And then Margaret. Well, and I'll say this too about Tomas and Torian. Kitty and Mary are the most underwritten characters in Pride and Prejudice.

They are the most periphery of the sisters. And I don't think that either of those parts would work in the movie. I mean, because everyone gets a moment in the movie, at least. But they bring so much of themselves to it that they fill in so many of the blank spaces, I think.

There wasn't real estate to service everybody on the same level because it's a large ensemble movie. But they bring so much specificity and individuality to those roles that fill in the gaps in my writing. And I think the movie wouldn't work without the two of them specifically in those parts.

I agree. I agree. And Margaret. I know. I love her. I love her so much. She's so good. She's so much. She's so good. Yeah.

She's so good. She's so funny, and she, like, was just the sweetest human being. She's a great vibe. Yeah. Really. I mean, like,

and the dog Lucia. Lucia. Well, and originally written to be an older gay man. Yeah. Cast an iconic older gay man in the role who had to, unfortunately,

drop because of other engagements, and literally the day he dropped, Margaret Cho reached out and was like, cast an iconic older gay man in the role who had to unfortunately drop because of other engagements and Literally the day he dropped Margaret Cho reached out and was like I want to be in the movie And I was I barely had to rewrite it from an older gay man to Although but although like her being this lesbian who was from Trader Grove like is so perfect Yeah, and then also it solved a problem. I didn't even know I Imagine it without her. But then, you know, like, if you know readers

who haven't seen it, like, there's a scene, please come back and listen to this after you've seen the movie, where she just, you know, she has a great moment where that is all informed by, like, that characterization

that only she could have done. Yeah. So cool. And then you had a- I think we all had a really nice individual moment with her where we're like god this is someone we've

no I think every gay person on set at one point pulled her aside and told her how much she meant to them well I had already done

so BG background is Bowen and I got her on the podcast like years ago and this is when the podcast was like a baby podcast

and she was I think the biggest was like a baby podcast and she was I think the biggest person that we had booked and like I had been on I had told you for years that she was like a hero of mine

like like closing my door putting my earphones in listening to her albums like her telling me what my sense of humor was

like from from the computer you know what I mean or whatever she was so we were so I was so panicked to meet her back when we had her on the podcast that I was, like, rearranging the chairs of the furniture in the room where we were waiting. I was so anxious and nervous, and I think we did a bad episode with her because we were so nervous.

And then meeting her to do the film, I was anxious, and I remember we were sitting at the dock, on the dock, on her last day of filming, and we were just sitting there. It was like a quiet moment. And she turned to me and she said, I just want to say this was a really great experience doing this. You really make me laugh. And I literally turned to her and I was like, I don't

think I can express the words right now because I will cry. But she's so meaningful. I think so much more than she knows. And I remember when she was on the podcast years ago, I asked her, but she's so meaningful. I think so much more than she knows. And I remember when she was on the podcast years ago, I asked her, do people tell you that? Do you get that? I think she does.

Of course. Definitely. Yeah, definitely. I think she gets that and then she pivots it, right? Yeah, she does. How do I foster this next generation? She doesn't waste the platform, you know? And I think that that's what makes her so special.

Yeah. She's seen it all. Yeah. And she is this, like, she is herself an icon, but she's also this generational bridge between, like, a Joan Rivers and, like, you know, like, us, or let's say, you know? Like, not that we're, like, that whole spectrum or whatever,

but it's, like, she is this person who, like, has had to interface, like, in so many ways, in so many different capacities. Actor, stand-up comedian, reality show, talk show host, all these different... She has... What a career. There's not many people like her. And then I think in terms of the more nefarious characters

or the rich gays in the movie, I think we terms of the more nefarious characters or the sort of rich gays in the movie, I think we all had been a fan of Nick Adams. Nick Adams. And the brief with Nick Adams was so hot it's scary. Yeah. Nailed it. Check. Zayn, I think, was the second

person to audition for that part and we wanted him for a long time. We loved Zayn. And just the sweetest guy. Definitely the most second person to audition for that part and we wanted him for a long time we loved zane yeah yeah um and just the sweetest guy couldn't definitely the the most nick and him are the most opposite of their characters in the movie totally so i remember like nick would come out of his trailer nick would come out of his trailer in the clothes and like the sheen and like just the way he looked was so it was violently it was violently hot it was like Ken doll hot

like walking Ken doll and I remember he would come out of his trailer and we would all just laugh like and we would just laugh at how hot he was and he would just roll his eyes

and be like yeah I know it's a visual joke it's a visual joke casting someone that hot is a visual joke but he's so fucking funny and good

yeah I know and a sweetheart and oh Zane's so fucking funny and good. Yeah. I know. And a sweetheart. Oh, Zane. It was so funny. We made Nick Adams so shiny. So shiny. We really leaned into it.

I forgot our birthday. Again. I know. I know. And I love that he's wearing that red hat that's like shiny. It's a Versace hat, right? I think so. It's like a designer red hat.

I think he's head to toe. Every outfit is head to toe. The costume budget was mostly allocated to him. I think so. It's like a designer red hat. I think he's head to toe every outfit is head to toe. The costume budget was mostly allocated to him. I would imagine. A huge part of it. I remember like we were talking about I remember when you were casting Dex you were like it's going to be maybe this person

that we know and then this other guy named Zane and I was like super anxious about it because I knew we would have to do like a sex scene in the movie and I was like cast the person that we know I'm comfortable with that and I was like for super super anxious about it because I knew we'd have to do like a sex scene in the movie and I was like cast the person that we know like I'm comfortable with that and he was like yeah but you haven't seen Zane and I remember you sent me Zane's audition tape and I was like

oh yeah maybe it should be maybe it should be Zane maybe it should be the Zane character brutal I think it's he like so good knew how to to like draw someone in like yeah he's a star and i literally on his first day of shooting i said to him in that store i said you should and will be on a cw show in three months and he was and i'm a fucking witch because it happened. And shout out to the Legacies fans.

If you're listening, you terrify me. They're so scary. Yeah, those girls and their vampires don't get in the way. They're really into it. Any fan cam community, I'm like, you all are powerful. Yeah. I would never speak a word against the fan cam community. Of any fandom. And then shout out to Aiden Worden and mikey griseffa who were both lovely brilliant mikey

griseffa really got the comedy of that part and it is like a very small part but he is so funny and honestly one of like every time i watch the movie like james impresses me more and more like he's so guileless and so like he's such a puppy dog like he really like and uh yeah in a way that like I was reading a review that like lightly commented on the fact that like he performs the guilelessness in a way that makes it believable that like Howie and Charlie and end up together in the end that they're both so kind of pure and they're coming at it from two sides of purity. Yeah, it's like, yes.

It makes sense and you're rooting for them, hopefully, by the end and that it works, ideally. The scenes of their innocence drawing them into each other, like the puzzle, that all works because you believe the puppy love. You know what I mean? And it is like, every time there's a cut to them by themselves, I am laughing,

because it's so innocent and sweet, and then it culminates in that beautiful way, and that really starts the waterworks for me at the end of the movie. And then Conrad. Conrad. Superstar stud. I know.

Who I remember, I did not write this part to be an Asian man. And there were things about the original script that did not work if I cast my love interest as an Asian man. Because originally, the actor we cast at Quibi was African American. And so it was like, I rewrote it for that. And then when we saw Conrad's tape, I was like, I don't know if this will work. I'd have to rewrite the script. And I was feeling very lazy.

And then Conrad came in and did the chemistry read. And I remember steps out the door. I was like, I will rewrite the script for this man. I remember you texted me and you were like, that could not have gone better. I was like, wow, that's so exciting. Because what did you say? He was the only one to rattle you, fluster you. I went up on my lines and I wrote the like, wow, that's so exciting. Cause what did you say? Like he was the only one to like,

fluster you. I went up on my lines and I wrote the thing. It was, it was so obvious in the room, you know? And like, like the, uh,

like when Conrad pulled you up, like you were caught off guard and I love that moment. Yeah. And it ended up in the movie. Yeah. Yeah. It's such a, it's, it was such a, uh, eyeopening moment. Yeah, and it ended up in the movie. Yeah, yeah. It's such a, it was such an eye-opening moment. And Conrad is also just, like, so, like, wonderfully charming, you know?

But he was able to, like, give you that Darcy snootiness at the beginning, you know? And I think that that transformation of how the audience, like, sees that character, like, very few actors can pull that off. I've said it in press before, but it is an indictment of Hollywood that this is the first time Conrad Whickemore is playing a romantic lead in a project because he is so good at it. Yeah. And I think it's not the last.

There was a day, Bowen, do you remember, it was when we were shooting, I think we were shooting in Sands Point, and we were like messing around at the trailer, and the car, the van pulls up, and Conrad came out, and he was like backlit by the sun,

and shirtless, and came out of the van, and we literally were gawking. We were like, it was like that scene in the movie where it's like, the soundtrack is like, oh yeah, like that type of thing. We were like, it was like that scene in the movie where it's like, the soundtrack is like, ooh yeah.

Like that type of thing. We were just like, and we were just like, we were like a 90s. We were a gawk, and he was like, what's up guys? And we were like, just watching you fucking absolutely destroy our life. And Bowen Yang is, you are so iconic in the movie

baby. You are so good and I'm so proud of you Indie Spirit Award nominee Indie Spirit Award nominee I'm a witch I'm a witch

he's a witch the Igoite the Igoite the Emmy Grammy Oscar Indie Spirit Award Tony Igoite

Igoite Igoi Igoi French how are you feeling about all of it? I'm so... I just... I feel like the way that Matt feels, like, I'm just so grateful to be a part of it.

And I... All I can really think is, like, reverence for Joel and Andrew. Like, it's just... I can't believe you guys, like, not only stick the landing, but just, like... I don't know, like, stick the landing and then immediately like build something foundational that like goes up back up you know does this like metaphor make sense?

no. fuck you I don't know just I'm so I'm so lucky so lucky. I'll never forget shooting it on the island that to me like while we shot for most of it like off the island but those two weeks like really dominate the process for me in terms of, I can't believe we all lived in

that house. Sometimes I think there should be a movie about the making of the movie. A documentary crew should have filmed us. There is. It was called Instagram Stories. Everyone saw it. Everyone watched. I want a super cut.

That's what I want. I want a super cut. That's what I want. I want a super cut of us. Lorde, great music video actress. Lorde. Lorde is referenced in the movie. When? It's your line. It's my line? Oh, yeah.

I said Lorde could never. Stupid. We're giving it all away. No, it's okay. Okay. There's a lot of spoilers in this podcast. I think you need to bleep it all out. Okay.

No, we don't, Joel. And you don't tell us what to bleep. This fall on Bravo. It's time to turn up. Think you've seen it all? I don't think you've been a good friend to me lately. We're friends like that. Who needs enemies?

You ain't seen nothing yet. Cheers to being Germanic. With the Real Housewives of Potomac. Oh my gosh can i take this in it's gonna be amazing new york city everyone is a gossip no one gets a happier life salt lake city we don't wear pastels we wear fashion and below deck salia you broke the rules and now you're here getting upset watch all new seasons on bravo or stream it on city tv plus I felt too seen. Dragged.

I'm N.K., and this is Basket Case. So I basically had what back in the day they would call a nervous breakdown. I was crying and I was inconsolable. It was just very big, sudden swaps of different meds. What is wrong with me? Oh, look at you giving me therapy, girl. Finally, a show for the mentally ill girlies. On Basket Case, I talk to people about what happens when what we call mental health is shaped by the conditions of the world we live in.

Because if you haven't noticed, we are experiencing some kind of conditions that are pretty hard to live with. But if you struggle to cope, the society that created the conditions in the first place will tell you there's something wrong with you. And it will call you a basket case. Listen to Basket Case every Tuesday on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Once again, we find ourselves in an unprecedented election. And with all that's happening in the lead up to the big day, a weekly podcast just won't cut it. Get a better grasp of where we stand as a nation every weekday on the NPR Politics Podcast.

Here are seasoned reporters dig into the issues that are shaping voters' decisions and understand how the latest updates play into the bigger picture. Listen to the NPR Politics Podcast on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, friends. I'm Jessica Capshaw.

And this is Camilla Luddington. And we have a new podcast, Call It What It Is. You may know us from Graceland Memorial, but did you know that we are actually besties in real life? And as all besties do, we navigate the highs and lows of life together. And what does that look like?

A thousand pep talks. A million I've got yous. Some very urgent I'm coming numbers. Because, I don't know, let's face it, life can get even crazier than a season finale of Grey's Anatomy. And now here we are, opening up the friendship circle. To you. Someone's cheating? We've got you on that. In-laws are in-lying? Let's get into it. Toxic friendship circle. To you. Someone's cheating? We've got you on that.

In-laws are in-lying? Let's get into it. Toxic friendship? Air it out. We're on your side to help you with your concerns. Talk about ours. And every once in a while, bring on an awesome guest to get their take on the things that you bring us. While we may be unlicensed to advise, we're going to do it anyway. Listen to Call It What It Is

on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. It's time for I Don't Think So, Honey. It's time for I Don't Think So, Honey. Now, I know Andrew is so excited. Before we get into it, what do you think of Taylor Swift?

Stop. Why stop? Why stop? I mean, it's just, I think I miss the Taylor Swift boat a little. I think I'm like just that little bit older. I'm sorry. I mean, I know her songs. Patti LuPone loves her.

Yeah. Are you different than Patti? No, I'm not different. Are you older than Patti? I don't know what to do. Okay, fine. What's your favorite song? Ever.

What's the- Name a song. Name a song. It doesn't have to be, fine. What's your favorite song? Ever. What's the... Name a song. Name a song. It doesn't have to be Taylor Swift. What song do you like? What's the one with the music video where it's with Clint Eastwood's son? Wildest Dreams.

Oh, Wildest Dreams. Wildest Dreams is a great song. Well done. That is a favorite of this podcast. Back in our great, great days. Wildest dreams. It's so dreamy. I miss it.

So beautiful and lovely. But problematic, right? No, come on. The music video? Yeah. That she's doing in Africa? Yeah. Yeah, I mean,

the music video's whatever. I don't love that song for the music video. I love that song for the song. I don't like any of it. You like Wildest Dreams. No, I don't. I like Out of the Woods.

What does that mean? You can't like Wildest Dreams because you like Out of the Woods? Yeah Out of the Woods. What does that mean? You can't like Wildest Dreams because you like Out of the Woods? Yeah, exactly. The best song on that album is I Wish You Would. No, it is not! No.

It's the best song. It's the most arena rock 80s, which is the promise of the album is that she's giving you 80s pop, but the most 80s sounding songs are Out of the Woods and I Wish You Would. That's it.

That's true. Flop. The best song on the album is Welcome to New York! Hey! It's been waiting for you! Welcome to New York! Welcome to New York!

Now it's time for I Don't Think So Honey. Yes. This is where we take one minute to rail against something in culture. Matt, I think you have something that we've already alluded to. I can't believe Joel said it. That just means sisterhood. Sisterhood. Are you still going to do it?

I'm going to do it still. This is Matt Rogers. I don't think So Honey has time starts now. I don't think So Honey. Lack of bloopers and stigma around blooper culture. One of the funniest things you could do is break. It's so funny every time. That's why Jimmy Fallon was the best SNL cast member of all time.

He's so famous for it. And blooper culture should be in every comedy film. And I'm ashamed of this film that I'm in, Fire Island, starring Joel Kim and Bowen. Because there's no bloopers. And I know we can scrounge together some bloopers. You're telling me that I didn't do a good enough job. 30 seconds. You're saying I didn't do a good enough job, that there's no bloopers.

Don't answer that. This is not your I Don't Think So, Honey. It's mine. And I feel that there should be more bloopers. Don't answer that this is not your I don't think so honey. It's mine. And I feel that there should be more bloopers. And how come at the end of every comedy film I have to see not bloopers

and I sit through even Marvel Cinematic Universe 15 seconds. You're telling me that they're in those costumes and they're not laughing sometimes? You're telling me that sometimes Elizabeth Olsen

doesn't go up on the line and say oh shoot and everyone laughs on set? It'd be so funny to see. More bloopers now for film. I don't think so, honey. And that's one minute. I think the fact that all cinema is

MCU now is maybe the reason why. Well, you're telling and come on. There are Marvel bloopers though. Only like Thor or something. On the funny ones. They do not do bloopers in the credits. They do. They're online. That's what I'm saying. It should be part On the funny ones. They do not do bloopers in the credits. They do. They're online.

They're online. That's what I'm saying. It should be part of the movie going experience. It has to be in the credits. I will say that there was a request to create a blooper reel, and I don't know what happened to it. Well, who requested it? It was Searchlight requested it, and then our assistant editor, Matthew Buckley, he, like, was gonna put it together, and I don't know what happened.

Well, we gotta follow up. We gotta follow fucking up on that. Yeah, that's the thing you have to do! Follow up! Give us the real. Director, give us the bloopers. Why don't ya? I have two options. I told you mine earlier today, Matt. Yes. It has nothing to do with the movie. Me and Warren has something to do with the movie. Hmm. I'll do the one that something to do with the movie. Hmm.

I'll do the one that has to do. We're all here. We're never going to do it. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. This is a once-in-a-lifetime podcast event. Here we go. The Taylor Swift episode of Las Culturistas.

I know, I know. This is Bowen Yang's I Don't Think So Honey. His time starts now. I Don't Think So Honey, people saying, oh, if I see the Fire Island trailer in my fucking algorithm again,

I'll kill myself or whatever the fuck. Stop being gay online then. It's your algorithm. Don't blame the movie. Blame your algorithm. Stop typing in Andrew Christian jockstrap on Google. Stop typing in Caroline Polachek, Carly Rae Jepsen mashup on SoundCloud.

It's your fault for being a faggot so that you can get served up this trailer. It's almost going to be out. 30 seconds. It's your fault for being a faggot so that you can get served up this trailer. It's almost gonna be out. 30 seconds. It's gonna end soon. This is just temporary. I promise you. And look,

I'm not actually telling you to be less scared on the internet. I'm just saying, like, it's fine. We all get personalized ads that, like, are attacks. All ads are attacks

in this personalized world that we're in. 15 seconds. I'm getting, like like shapewear ads, which I'm actually okay with because my stylist has gotten me onto them and they actually are amazing. I love it.

Male Spanx. And they don't have to be gendered. What are we doing here? I don't think so many people saying, stop showing me the trailer. Just watch the movie. And that's one minute. It's just,

it's a problem with the culture and not the film. Exactly. And that's with all concerns and critics of the film if it's a problem with the culture and not the film. Exactly. And that's with all concerns and critics of the film if it's a problem with the culture. But there are critics of the film who are like, who are critiquing the film

based on things that are about the culture and not the movie. Literally. Like the drugs. And that actually fucking sucks. Keep it in the therapy session,

mama. Mama. Mama house. Hey listen, stop Googling Caroline Polachek. Carly Rae Jepsen mashup. If you don't want to watch the Fire Island trailer, then listen to Caroline Polachek on Spotify only.

Where they don't follow you. And then that's your fault. And turn the cookies off. Turn off the cookies now. I said. Can I tell you my favorite thing about your I Don't Think So Honey from a few weeks ago with Michelle Yeoh, the Coco Lee.

Oh, Coco Lee. Not winning the Oscar. Love Before Time, yeah. For Love Before Time. Did I say something wrong today? No, no, no. So I have a fun story about that. So I worked with James Seamus on Driveways.

Uh-huh. And he was a producer on Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. And he co-wrote A Love Before Time. What? And I told James, I was like, I love that song. Like, I love that song. And he told me that before the Oscars, he was waiting in the green room with Ang Lee.

The night of the show. The night of the show, yeah. And James was like, God, what if I win for a song? Wouldn't that be hilarious? And Ang was like, I didn't vote for you. He voted for fucking Bob Dylan? I think he voted for Bob Dylan.

That's so funny. Ang. I don't think so, honey. I love it. So that's why. I hope you say that Ang Lee is a flop on this podcast today. That's what you're saying. We've all been saying wedding banquet, wedding banquet, wedding banquet this whole press

cycle. I'll say it. Hulk flop. Flop. Misusing Jennifer Connelly. Is she misused? I don't know. I saw Top Gun and I saw Top Gun Maverick the other day, and she definitely has highlights in it and sort of a slang. My favorite part about Top Gun Maverick is she's like a sailor in it. She sails a boat.

And then they get off and her hair is perfect. She's like, all right, come on. Jennifer Connelly sort of- It's Top Gun. She gave more than I thought she was going to give in the movie. That's just saying that. She's great. She's amazing. I love her. Do she gave more than I thought she was going to give in the movie. That's just it. She's great. She's amazing.

Do you think so? I love her. You love Jennifer Connelly? Yes. Beautiful Mind. Beautiful Mind? God, so gorgeous in that movie. What is it?

The Kate Winslet film. Little Children. Little Children. Little Children. That is a good one. He's just got that into you. She's in the MCU. She is.

But not in Hulk? No. Wait, who is she? She plays the new voice of Captain America's, or excuse me, Iron Man's AI. And which is funny

because Paul Bettany was the original voice of his AI and is married to Jennifer Connelly. To Jennifer Connelly, fish. Whoa. They're married, queen.

Betcha didn't know that. Betcha. It all goes back to the Depp-Hurge trial. Paul Bettany's... God, we haven't even commented on it. No, no, no. I refuse. I'm sorry.

I didn't even mean to bring it in. Okay, next up we have Andrew On. Andrew On. This is your I Don't Think So Honey. Are you ready? I think so. Yeah, you are. You want to do it?

Andrew On's I Don't Think so. When his time starts now. I don't think so, honey. The meme format, tell me blah, blah, blah, without telling me blah, blah, blah. You know what that is? You know what that is? That's just show me. That's just show me. Just say show me that your boyfriend is never going to leave you.

Or like show me that your cat is clingy. Right? Like, I don't think so, honey. Take a writing class. I don't think so, honey. Take a writing class. I don't think so, honey. Read a writing book. The Elements of Style by Strunken White. He did not just drop Elements of Style on us.

You know who the white is? That is E.B. White, the writer of Charlotte's Web. He knows how to write a good book. I don't think so, honey. Could you imagine if Charlotte had to weave out Tell Me You're Some Pig with telling me you're some pig. She would be dead. 50 seconds.

She'd be dead. The book would be over. She would use far too much web. Wilbur, like, in the slaughterhouse, totally dead, side of bacon. I don't think so, honey. Tell me, blah, blah, blah. Five seconds.

Tell me, blah, blah, blah. Use less words. And that's one minute. Incredible. Didn't Charlotte die? Yes, she did. She didn't die. She passed away. She passed away. That's's one minute. Incredible. Didn't Charlotte die? Yes, she did. She didn't die. She passed away.

She passed away. That's actually one of the saddest animal deaths. A spider, no less. Yeah, arachnid death. Who knew we could connect to someone so... And that's the magic of E.B. White. And therefore, take the Gotham Writers Workshop courses today. Hey, where's the gay reboot of Charlotte's Web?

With... With Templeton. Your tongue puff was just so funny. So pathetic. Because your tongue came all the way out of your mouth. I forgot I had to do this. What are you talking about? I always forget.

Do you have a tongue puff? Yeah, I think I have something. Of course, you always deliver. I have something. Joel is an he always deliver. I have something. Joel is an icon of the forum. He's done some incredible I Don't Think So Honey sub-titles today.

And begrudgingly, this is Joel Kimbooster's I Don't Think So Honey as time starts now. I Don't Think So Honey sub-titles. Oh! I've been watching you.

I've been watching you and I don't like what you're bringing to the table sub-titles, okay? Because listen, I don't want to read while I'm watching. I don't want to read while I'm watching. I don't want to read while I'm watching. And I know that subtitles aren't necessarily for me, okay?

But I don't like the embellishment. I don't like the editorializing that subtitles sometimes feel beholden to do. When I'm watching my friend Matt Rogers on a show called I Love That For You, I do not want to see sassily laughs, okay? I don't want to see derisive snort. Let me be the judge visually of what the snort is doing. I don't need your help, subtitles. Step aside, subtitles.

Okay? Because I don't like you. I don't like what you bring. If I wanted to read a book, I would read a book. Yeah. Okay? That's not what I want to do. You're distracting.

I'm looking at the bottom of the screen. I should be looking at the eyes of my friend Matt Rogers. Five seconds. And I love that for you. I do not need to know that he's gay. I can tell from his movements. And that's one minute. Can I say something? The word sassy has to go.

The word sassy is inherently homophobic in such a dark way. And also, the character that I play on that show is not sassy. He's dry. Would you describe me as sassy on that show? I would say what your arms are doing are sassy, but not your voice. I'm not sassy on that show. The people writing the subtitles sometimes take liberties. They take liberties.

And they're not okay. No. Honestly, if a straight character laughed the way I laughed on that show, it would not be And they're not okay. No. Honestly, if a straight character laughed the way I laughed on that show, it would not be called sassily laughed. No.

I hate sassy. I hate the word sassy. You guys have to do a subtitle pass on Fire Island. Wait, we should look at that. Yeah. Wait,

can I say too, wait, sassy fag walks into room. That's what I was going to say under every word. I can't remember what subtitle we were watching the other day,

but actually the artists behind the subtitles were actually really good because someone said, oh, it was Drag Race. Someone called, Monet called herself a thick queen, and they spelled it correctly, T-H-I-C-C. And I was like, good job, girls. Good job, gorals. But it's when they describe something in brackets that's when they

that's when it's wrong and sometimes they're just they're just plain wrong and they don't circle back I love to catch the mistakes but it's a distraction

from what I'm there to do because I'm not there to read I'm there to watch yeah you can't get the intimacy do you watch Drag Race? yeah are you watching All Winners? I'm watching All Winners

well let's give the people what they want let's talk about it let's give listen nobody I guarantee you, nobody wanted to hear us blather on about our fucking movie. They wanted to

hear us talk about all winners. We said it was a two hour episode. What are your thoughts on winners? I mean, so far like the love has been spread, right? Like no one has more than one star. Legendary legend star.

Legendary legend star. Say the name. I love it when they're dumb. But, I mean, like, Jinx obviously slayed Snatch Game. Like, amazing. Winner. The ball was cool. Random ass theme, but yeah.

Vanna is not, the thing is, the gag of Vanna surprising them was very funny, but as a category, it's not super interesting. It's like gowns. Who was it that like didn't notice? Evie. For so long? Evie. Well, and I think they had to cut it weird because

Evie just didn't do the assignment at all. And so like, if I were Vanna White, I'd be offended when Evie walked out in a gigantic red wig and not even a gown that Vanna would ever wear on that show. Like, just completely disregarded it. And I have to say,

okay, I do like the non-elimination format. I think if this is how we get actual stars and actual talent back on the show, then by God, let's do all-stars this way. Not even All-Winners. Regular All-Stars. So we can see the GGs. We can see Asia O'Hara back.

Kim Chi back. We're never going to get those people back because they have no reason to sully their non-winner but still good reputation by going home early. I don't need to see Serena Cha-Cha back on my screen. No, actually, not in All-Star. And we say that with all the loveCha back on my screen. No, actually, not in All-Star,

and we say that with all the love and respect in the world. No, and I'm sure she listens, but listen, it is tough. I think also, in terms of all winners right now,

I think that... You better tread carefully, bitch. No, I lost it. What was I going to say? Oh, yeah, this is the thing that somebody else on our group

should have noticed this, and I agree, is that it sucks. Raja has been third in every episode so far. Raja has solidly been in third. And some might argue second. I actually think that she should have been in the top two for Snatch Game over Trinity. Oh my god.

I thought what she did was better, funnier, and more interesting than what Trinity did purple mittens that was true purple mittens was very funny the makeup work

on both of her characters was insane I think it was smarter I think that gay Satan was not an interesting enough take it was it was first thought

it didn't go to the second level it's diminishing returns after like the hey girl what kind of gay personality yeah you know like give me some more specificity there than just gay, like, southern gay guy, which you are, Trinity.

And then also, I thought Leslie Jordan was great. I think the funniest part of the entire episode was Jake singing. They changed it to drag queen. I think she singed top two when she sang that. I think that's what. Honestly, no, that, and I get it. Like, Raja was excellent at the Snatch Game. Like, that was so much better than I think that's what... And I get it. Raja was excellent at the Snatch Game.

That was so much better than I think anyone thought was going to be. But I just think Trinity was... There were more jokes. Raja had beats that she was playing and Raja looked flawless.

And I also thought that Madam was really good. Madam was amazing. And the transformations, she probably could have been top two on that alone. I thought, and I also thought

Raja did better at the runway. But again, runway on that show, it, like, sometimes counts, it sometimes doesn't matter. Like, the reason Raja wasn't

in the top for the ball was because of Olivia Newton-John Rogers. I liked that. I thought that was smart. You know, like, I get that it was,

like, subtle, but it's perfect. It didn't read, though. It didn't read. It was too smart. Honestly, I think had she come out and was Sandy from the neck down and really John Waters' face and no wig,

we would have gotten it because Raja could have taken it all the way with the John Waters face and the kookiness of the face and given Sandy body. But I don't know. I just think that it wasn't thought out well enough. And for someone that watches every single runway to not know that that mustache wasn't going to read. Yeah. It was a major misstep. Shout out to my boyfriend, friend of the pod,

Jean-Michel Sitzina, who said she should have done, and I agree, Olivia Newton-John Travolta. Yeah. Oh my God. Come on. That would have been so good. Missed opportunity.

Are you kidding me? Damn. Yes. Oh, that would have been, that's like right there. Yeah. It's like, it would have been a slay

and she would have won because she had the best Vanna. Yeah, she did. She really had the best Vanna. And she had the best, and the best like original Oh, by far. made dress too.

Then again, Jada, let's not take it away from Jada. Jada was great. Jada was stunning. And so was Trinity. Yeah. So was Trinity.

Yeah. Although Trinity gives me the impression that I kind of feel like Trinity had that design ready to go and was, like, going to make that dress no matter what the feather. She said that. She said as much. Like, she's like, I've got something, like, in my back pocket. Which, not to take away. It's insane that she made that in a day.

Yeah. Like, no matter how she came to the show with it. And I think a couple of the contestants would have done well to have thought a little bit more in advance about what they were going to design for a ball challenge. Yeah.

I'm just going to say, I have a feeling Jada is really going to blow us all away. You think so? Yeah. The underdog narrative percolating. Underdog narrative. She was always impressive her season.

She only lip synced once, I think. Yes. And I just really enjoyed seeing her. It's hard to gauge with her because she does well in like, obviously she did well in the ball challenge her first season. She was in the top for that. And so like, design, that's

there. But like, it's one of those things with like,one where like she did good on a lot of she's a funny and she did good on a lot of the comedy challenges but flopped on some of the other comedy challenges and it's the same with jada where jada's very funny but like is like sort of flopping on some comedy challenges and not others i don't i don't it's it's she's a wild card because like i think she's amazing she's one of my favorite winners. Me too. But I don't know how she's going to do here. Yeah.

I think the only person, and I'm sort of on record, I am not an Evie Audley fan, and I think she's the only person that's not measuring up. But I will say I like Evie better on this season than I did on her original season because it feels like she is like not necessarily there to compete as much as she is there to have fun. I don't think Evie expects to win. I think Evie is there to do her, which I sort of like because the reason I didn't like her on season 11 is she was so overly competitive. And there was just an edge to her, like a competitive edge to her, which I was just like, I think took, maybe it was the edit, but it went too far.

And now it's just like to see a fun side of Evie, like it makes me feel like less on edge watching. Well, here's the difference too, I think, is that like Evie was on an extremely non-competitive season of Drag Race. It was rough. And so like the thing is, it's like you could be annoyed that Evie was, like, calling out the competitors for not doing well. But the fact was is they weren't doing well. And Evie was doing well. And so, like, beyond Brooklyn Heights on that season,

there was no competition for Evie. And, like, now there is. And so I think she doesn't have that, like, chip on her shoulder because she's not, she's competing against people who are good now. And, like, she's, like, learning. And who are good now and she's learning and there's like she even said it in Untucked this last time, she's glad to finally

be making friends with the girls that she's competing with because I think she respects them and she didn't respect the girls she was competing with the last time. And I will say Monet is doing great this season. I actually feel like because of the plunger it's like the people that are perceived as the frontrunners

are going to get fucked over. And I think you're getting... Because I think Shay has a really good shot at it, unless she keeps getting blocked. And I think that it's the same with Jinx. I think Jinx and Shay are sort of the ones that like... Everyone's looking at them. They have a target on their back.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because they are sort of all around good. Like they each have like one weakness i think everybody trinity is maybe the one though that is probably poised to do the best because she's versatile she is sort of like i don't know if she's the best in all categories but she's competent at least in most of the categories well we have seen her do extremely well in comedy and fashion whereas like with shay and it's never been more clear to me than this season how fucking stunning shay is like in and out of drag and good at the competition like good at the game of drag yes yes but the comedy is sometimes a little dodgy yeah i think she's a very smart, serious person. Yeah. Ultimately. Yeah.

But like, an incredible competitor. Yeah. Unbelievable. I mean, like, and hits the runway and is just like, like that crown look. Everything she does

is so well thought out. I know. That crown, like the royalty look that they had to do the first week, I was like, this is so,

and you have to have such an eye and taste to put that together because it's like, it doesn't seem like it would go command Yeah. Commanding. And the way she walked with Naomi Campbell in front of her. I cried.

So good. Amazing. And you could just tell how meaningful that was. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, we love this. Really quick, top four for all of you. Who's getting the most legendary legend stars? I think it would be, I'm going to say Jinx,

Trinity, Shay, I hope Raja. I hope Raja gets in there. I'm going to say Jinx, Trinity, Shay, and Monet is where it's headed. Because again, for the well-rounded thing. Because Monet really figured out the fashion.

Sometimes she comes out and doesn't look right. Like, her Vanna White was not right. But, like, there's times when Monet hits the runway and she's absolutely beautiful. I think they were all genuinely, except for Raja and maybe Jada and Trinity, I think they were all a little bored with that and were like, we don't want to do this. Like, because I do think Monet looked great. It was just not the category. And, like...

It is kind of rude to have Vanna stand there and then they're like, oh, fuck, I'm not. I kind of got the prompt completely. Because I didn't want to do this. Each look was giving Junior a problem in a way that was sort of iconic. By the way, they uploaded the clip, just the Vanna White portion of the runway. And the title of the video is Vanna white scares drag race contestants and it's like that's not what she was doing it's surprise why didn't you why didn't you put boom vanna white surprises drag race if it really was a cut to like fucking like raja being like oh my god

that was i was so scared when I saw Vanna. Rajah's reaction was like super cute. They all were. They all were very funny. Except Evie. Yeah, except for Evie. I'm actually not entirely sure that Evie recognized Vanna White for Vanna White. Right, right.

Which is like, oh, some chic lady. And I think, I feel like the Vivian didn't recognize her, but that's just a cultural thing. I mean, that's fairly cultural. The Vivian's doing good. Yeah. My, Shay, Jinx, Trinity, I think Monet's going to make it. Yeah, we're the same. I'm going to say, it's funny, people keep talking about how Monet is playing the social game very well.

No. And I don't actually know how much that matters. She keeps saying it's gay Survivor. I'm like, no, that was All Stars like four, five, six. Like, this is not how Survivor works. It's just so funny that like these alliances are happening. There's eight. And then everybody keeps like being like,

are you in an alliance? Like they keep eavesdropping on their alliances. I love, as someone who actually like loves Survivor, I love these queens who have a baseline understanding of the show being like, girl, we need to do an alliance. Like, what does that mean? And it's just like, what does that mean? Don't vote for each other?

Yeah, that's what that means. And I love both Jinx and Shay completely, like, just with, like, a couple interrogating it just a little bit. It, like, falls apart. So you don't want us to vote for you, and you're saying this now that you already have a star and money's like maybe maybe not no girl that's what it is uh minor jinx jay trinity and i'm gonna say jada and because here's the thing here's the thing i get it i

don't think they will block jada like i think the pattern has been block the person who won the week before. I do not think next week whoever wins is going to block Jada. Interesting. And I think that that will give her an opportunity to bake it back up and surprise. Because, again, she's a little unpredictable. I think she is considered maybe one of the underdogs of the season. And I think that whoever next week, it's a comedy challenge, so it's probably going to be Trinity, Jinx, Monet.

And I don't think any of them are going to block Jada. But the trailer made it seem that they all did really well. True. So, okay, the only reason I hope for Raja is that, well, for obvious reasons, but I think the show, it's in the interest of the show maybe to have Raja in the top four because it's like, I think it's so cool that Jinx is being introduced to this new audience in a way. I feel like there's something cool for them to

have an old quote unquote winner. Well here's the thing though I wonder though because it's a lip sync smackdown at the end there's always the calculus of like who's going to put on the best show you know and I do wonder like if they're going to consider that because I wonder what the thing is

is Raja has adjusted to the game that it is that this show is now better than I think anyone could have expected it's completely different it's a completely different show now and she's slaying it every single week and like stuff like the first challenge that was not

something that they did in her season I mean they did like the single like punk first challenge, that was not something that they did in her season. I mean, they did the single punk rock challenge or whatever, that music challenge. But beyond that, they didn't do the verses that they have to do now, the dancing that they have to do now. And Snatch Game is very different from her first Snatch Game. The bar has been risen. I just think that she's doing so much better. And even if she doesn't win, it's a big win for Raja coming back on.

Major. huge net positive bring back Bibi Saharabane yes what I want to see if it's not winners and we go forward I want to see

Kim Chi Asia like you said I want to see Gigi yeah Gigi Good I want to see Brooklyn Heights Gottmik

Gottmik I want to see honestly Cameron Michaels I want to see Dieter Ritz Dieter Ritz. Dita Ritz. Dita. Long overdue.

Bring back Dita. Still top five, one of the best lip syncs. Yeah, that lip sync is amazing. Yeah. Or at least a lip sync assassin. I can't believe she hasn't been brought back as an assassin. She's crazy. Also, not for nothing, but Queen from last season, that made the top four.

God, God, God. She must have been a real star. Angeria! Angeria! I would love to see back. I could see Angeria coming back even without the incentive of no eliminations because I think she would do well. Yeah, and Lady Camden would be great. I mean, last season was strong.

Maybe Rosé? You know what I mean? There's a lot of queens from that season. Candy Muse should come back. But I think you are going to get more interest if you're not going to eliminate them. This looks fun. This season, if I'm a former contestant, it looks fun to do. And we as an audience are having a lot of fun watching. Yeah.

Yeah, because it's better when the people competing are better. And Jinx can be like, I hate my dress and laugh and not be worried. So funny. That was so funny. And not be like, I hate my dress and I'm worried be worried that was so funny and not be like I hate my dress and I'm worried that my reputation is going down in flames

like the goddamn yeah I mean the only stakes for them are humiliation yes that's it yeah it's cool though

I love it love drag race love it love it well Joel Andrew thank you so much

thank you for being here on Lost Killed Teresa what do you have to say to us um the acting was so good the acting was good that's what I wanted to hear Thank you for being here on Lost Kilt Recess. What do you have to say to us? The acting was so good. I'm not no. We end every episode with a song. You tell me you're in love with me.

Like you can take your pretty eyes away from me. It's not that I don't want to stay. But every time you come too close I'm away For the rest of that song, you better listen to the Fire Island movie. Spoiler! Bye! I'm NK, and this is Basket Case. What is wrong with me? A show about the ways that mental illness is shaped by not just biology. Swaps of different meds.

But by culture and society. By looking closely at the conditions that cause mental distress, I find out why so many of us are struggling to feel sane, what we can do about it, and why we should care. Oh, look at you giving me therapy, girl. Listen to Basket Case every Tuesday on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or did you know that we are actually besties in real life? And as all besties do, we navigate the highs and lows of life together.

Big or small, we're there. And now here we are opening up the friendship circle to you. Listen to Call It What It Is on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Oh, hey, it's Teresa back from the dead again. Just wanted to pop in and let you know that haunting is back on October 22nd. Spooky season? I own spooky season. We're serving up some killer stories, literally, and a few that might make you question whether you really locked the door before getting into bed. So cancel your lame Halloween plans. Haunted houses? Overdone. Candy corn? Honestly, who eats that? Your new tradition? Listening to me. Listen to Haunting starting on October 22nd on the iHeartRadio app,

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