Mayim Bialik's Breakdown - From Beauty School to First Lady, with Cheryl Hines!

Episode Date: April 23, 2024

Could Cheryl Hines become America's next FIRST LADY?      On this BRAND NEW episode of MBB, we break down her journey from Comedian to possible political royalty.     Cheryl Hines (Curb Your Enth...usiasm) joins us in the MBB studio this week to say goodbye to her long-running character in the final season of CURB, and to discuss how she still manages to find the comedy and fun in the midst of her husband Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s campaign for president!      They chat about Mayim’s guest role on CURB and her out-of-the-box audition process, whether Cheryl ever wishes her own character had the opportunity to evolve, and the huge loss of Cheryl’s close friend and longtime co-star Richard Lewis.     Cheryl also opens up about: - The hilarious way Larry David introduced her to her now husband, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. - Why Larry didn’t think her relationship with Robert would last - What it was like marrying into the Kennedy dynasty, especially as someone who didn’t grow up with politics - How Robert Kennedy’s bid for the presidency has changed their relationship + how Cheryl is fitting into the world of politics now - What it feels like to know there’s a chance she could be the First Lady?! - The struggle to reel in her comedy instincts while she’s on the campaign trails - Navigating security threats & ways she manages the stress of her new life in the political realm     PLUS Cheryl reflects on the ways her improv background translates to other areas of her life, her humble beginnings growing up in Florida, and she and Mayim share their O.J. Simpson bar stories!   Check out Cheryl Hines' body care line, Hines+Young, and use code "Breakdown20" at checkout for 20% off your order: https://shophinesyoung.com/   BialikBreakdown.com YouTube.com/mayimbialik Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:02 You ended up being introduced by Larry David to, you know, part of one of the most famous dynasties in this country, you know, and you ended up marrying one of the Kennedys. I did not grow up that way. My family, we never talked politics. You know, if I asked my mom who she was voting for, she'd say none of my business. There are some things you don't talk about people. And politics is one of them. I didn't have an idea of who the Kennedys were. I would have never in a million years imagined that this would be my life. It's a fine line to write, still find the comedy and the fun in situations. A lot of times we'll be at a big dinner table and somebody will be a low talker. And they are talking about something very serious.
Starting point is 00:00:58 And it's just like, you know, when I, and Bobby and are like, wait, did you say your father? And they're like, yes. And on his death, like, and then, you know, at some point you're just like, oh, huh. Wow. Okay. Yes. You know, you had a very scary experience with an intruder. With Bobby, yeah, it's intense.
Starting point is 00:01:30 There are people that want to hurt him, and we've seen it. I'm home. I'm in my office, and I look outside and I see a guy. I don't recognize coming in the backyard. And then I watch the security, you know, take him down, and somebody in the living room is calling 911, and I'm like, I think it's actually an under control. I mean, I guess your definition of under control has to shift.
Starting point is 00:02:03 in your life. Hi, Mianbiolic's breakdown. She's going to break it down for you. Because you know she knows a thing or two. Hi, I'm I'm Biolik. I'm Jonathan Cohen. And welcome to our breakdown. This is the place where we break things down.
Starting point is 00:02:25 You never really give me that line. So you don't have to. This is the place where we break things down, so you don't have to. Today we're going to break down a very, very funny human. Very excited. It's very exciting. I've worked adjacent to this person, but I really feel like I know her.
Starting point is 00:02:41 Emmy Award nominated actress director and producer Cheryl Hines. She's perhaps best known for her role as Cheryl on Curb Your Enthousiasm, which is currently airing its 12th and final season. I freaked out when I saw that that season was, I didn't know, and I just opened HBO Max, and then all of a sudden there it was. I was like, oh, my gosh, I'm very excited. Well, she's been a huge part of it, also directed. an episode of, and many other things, but an episode of Curb in particular.
Starting point is 00:03:11 Cheryl does lots of awesome things. She has a company that she started with her daughter, called Heinz and Young. We're going to talk about that. So many things to ask Cheryl Heinz about. Welcome to The Breakdown. Thanks, guys. How was it to hear part of your bio? It's always strange.
Starting point is 00:03:30 You're like, oh, that's interesting. And actually, something that I would like to add, which I didn't. sort of read from the bio. I know you as a Groundling alum because I grew up in L.A. And I have many friends who are part of the Groundlings company. And you're a huge part of that, you know, community and that, you know. Yeah, that world. The improv world. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And you were there in some pretty interesting years. Like you were there when Will where, Will Forte was there when you were there. And a lot of overlap. I was looking at your cast picture. seen a lot of those people, you know, for years in groundlings.
Starting point is 00:04:08 Melissa McCarthy. Yeah. Kristen Wigg. It was right before Chris Wigg. But Chris Parnell. Wow. I mean, there's so many. There's just Rachel Harris is really in front of mine.
Starting point is 00:04:24 Yeah. It's crazy. Well, I mean, I have so many things I want to ask you about, but I'd like to start there if we can because, you know, for people who are not in the comedy. world. A lot of people don't realize, you know, it's kind of like groundlings and upright citizen brigade and like Second City. Like those are sort of the places in the country and greater Northern America being respectful to the Canadian in the room. Those are those are funny people. Second City is, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We're hilarious. But those are kind of like the places and a lot of people like come to the cities that those places are in order to make it big. And you
Starting point is 00:05:05 start often in these theaters. And you end up building a repertoire. You build a character. You build relationships. And you went from that to obviously other acting roles. But this role that you are most known for is really, it's an extended long form improv, right? It is. And I wonder when you started doing improv and doing sketch, did you feel like this is my gateway to something else? Like when Kurb came about, nobody else was doing what KERB was doing that way. Actually, they're still not, which is interesting. I don't know of any sitcom that's all improvised. But, yeah, it's funny because when I was at the groundlings, I really felt more at home doing sketch comedy, writing sketch, performing sketch.
Starting point is 00:05:55 And then improv was just, you know, I did my best. Some people are great at it. Yes. Well, what we do on Curb is different than what you do on a live and a live show on stage, right? You're on stage. You know this better than anybody. They say, what are these two people doing? They work at Dunkin' Donuts.
Starting point is 00:06:17 Lights go down. Right. And then now you're in a scene about Dunkin' Donuts. And it's terrifying. To me. It makes me cry. No, it's like. I keep trying to do the gas, like the Cooking with Gas show.
Starting point is 00:06:29 It doesn't go well. Yeah. Same. And they're like, no, just come back. But it's different because on Kerr, so that is more about, you know, deciding on a character in a moment. And, you know, they always say take it to 10. So why are I watching this moment in time? It's not two people saying, hi, how's it going? How's it going? There's a crisis or something going on. Put your hands up. Yeah, exactly. So some people and some. improvisers, you know, especially at the groundlings, just because I know them, are so good at, they can reference, like, pop culture, politics. They have everything on their fingertips. And I am not necessarily that person. When I did, when I guest did, there was a long form, you know, the second act as a long form. And the, what was chosen was Harry Potter. And I had not read or seen any Harry Potter. I haven't.
Starting point is 00:07:33 On this stage and it's like, oh, she's famous. She's going to, I had no. I was like, I vaguely know that there's sorcery. Right. And I literally just was the sidekick in every scene that I did. And I like literally didn't go back for five years. I mean, it was horrible. It wasn't like, oh, you did great.
Starting point is 00:07:50 It was like, I don't know any of these references. Yeah. It was really bad. There was a sketch that you were in. I forget who your partner was. When I did it more recently. Yeah. And the reference was a book that he clearly didn't know.
Starting point is 00:08:05 And mine didn't know that he didn't know it. We had to do like a Dr. Seuss book. I don't know why he didn't know what Dr. Seuss was, but he didn't get the rhyming thing. So I kept rhyming. It was sometimes it's funny, but the Harry Potter one, if you have to have a reference, that's very, very difficult. Right.
Starting point is 00:08:22 But what did you, were there specific characters then that you enjoyed creating in your time there that were more part of like, I like writing and creating this world as opposed to improv. Yes, yes. Yeah, you know, I had some fun characters. I don't know, one, you know, there was a girl that was going over to see her boyfriend and she wanted for him to buzz her in because she was downstairs. And he just kept making her, you know, kept asking these very personal questions before he'd buzzer in
Starting point is 00:08:54 and now people are at the door. They're listening to what kind of condoms. And I hope you're going to drink a lot. And it's like, oh, my God, just buzz me in. That's funny. So there were things like that that I felt like, okay, this is, you know, I can control it. I can write it. I can think about it.
Starting point is 00:09:15 So there, so there were, listen, I was in the Sunday company at the Growlings for two years, which is crazy. So you're doing sketches every week. writing new sketches and performing on Sundays. You mentioned the word control, and I think this is one of the reasons I hate improv, because I do. I like to have, you know, a sense of control. What is it like because, you know, how do you seek for you, Curb? Is it a fusion of, you know, sort of creating and also a character that is established? Like, where do you feel sort of a comfortable sense of control in that format?
Starting point is 00:09:54 Well, Curb is so different. because, you know, your training as an actor is all about listening. Well, I mean, so is improv, of course. It's really just about listening. So on curb, I don't have that pee in your pants feeling like, oh, the oven is on fire at Dunkin' Donuts. And, you know, you have to break the extinguisher. It's like, that's live improv, right? But on curb, I know, and I knew from the beginning, who Larry David is.
Starting point is 00:10:31 And what's sort of ridiculous about him. And what the idea of the show is is just to, you know, highlight that, right? So. You're a little bit, I mean, everybody's kind of laying pipe, right? If you're in a scene with Larry, you're like literally laying pipe. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You're just like, oh. Yeah, but it's funny because I was teaching improv when I got that job.
Starting point is 00:10:58 And the first three years of curb, he never showed me the show outline. So most shows have a script. This has like a three to five page outline. But I didn't even get to see that. So when I would be doing scenes with him, Larry would come home and say, you know, oh, I just killed the neighbor's dog. I go, oh my God, why would you do? So I was always asking questions.
Starting point is 00:11:25 Right. When I go to teach my class, they would say, why are you, we watch you and you're always asking questions. I said, why? Because I don't know what's going on in other scenes. I mean, I'm playing the reality of the seed as his wife. That's funny. I did nothing he said made sense to me. So I just tell me, what?
Starting point is 00:11:46 Why would you do that? So it was, yeah, it's a different vibe. Yeah. I did three episodes, but I think I only spoke in one. And what was funny, I don't know if you know this story of how I got on to curb. Tell me. Tell me. So I played Jody Fonkhauser, right? And the way that I got onto Curb is I was auditioning. It was after I had had two kids. It was I think before I got Big Bang. And I had just started auditioning for things. And I was auditioning in a building. And as I was walking down the hall, I saw that it was the Curb Your Enthusiasm casting office. I've never done this in my life. I walked in and I was like, I'm down the hall for another audition. It's not even that's my favorite show. This show is my life.
Starting point is 00:12:30 I am Larry David. And I just want you to know, like, I'm auditioning again and I exist. And my name is Myambiolic. And whoever was sitting at the desk was like, oh my gosh, hi, that's really awesome. I never thought I'd hear anything. And several weeks later,
Starting point is 00:12:44 I got a call to audition for Kirby Enthusiasm. And I was like, the one time I actually put myself out there was for something I really, really felt passionate about. So I went in and they gave me a slip of paper. Yeah. And it was literally a slip of paper. It was like an inch. It's like a ransom note, not even.
Starting point is 00:13:00 And it said, you know, you run into Larry and Jeff. And, you know, you're excited to see Larry. You're not excited to see you. Like, that's it. And that was all the information. I was cast from that audition. I'm a terrible improv person. You know this.
Starting point is 00:13:12 I don't think that's true. But I was like, I didn't even have much to say. They hired me and I figured, okay, well, I'll get to see the outline. Nope. What was the audition, though? But you skipped over the part where, like, you had to play that out. Yeah, and I was just like, sorry. I was like, hey, nice to see you.
Starting point is 00:13:32 Hey, like, that was it. And then the audition was over and I got the job. And then the day that I showed up to work, I was given no more information. And they were like, okay, now you're going to do that scene that was on your piece of paper. And there was Larry and Schem. And I didn't know that my character was a lesbian. I didn't know anything. I didn't know that until the episode came out.
Starting point is 00:13:52 And then I got to be... To the episode came out. And then I got to be in two other episodes, you know, with Bob. And like, we had this unbelievable. It was a wedding scene. And I didn't speak, but they needed me there because I was like part of the family, right? Yeah. And Bob...
Starting point is 00:14:08 Einstein. Yeah. He just... He narrated what every extra was thinking the whole time. And it was a running commentary the whole day. And we were peeing in our pants. He was unbelievable. And that was my day.
Starting point is 00:14:19 He was, he really was entertained by the Amos Beer Workers. You know, look across the room. Oh, my gosh, he'd look across the room and go, Larry, these are all my friends and family. Look around you. Actors that are extras, you know, they're just like, what? Oh, he had a whole. He would whisper to me, this one is a butcher.
Starting point is 00:14:46 Oh, no. And she met him in their third date, he brought a piece of cornbread. And it would just go on. And on. Anyway, I had a wonderful time, but I was surprised that you literally don't know what else is happening. No, you really don't. There's something about your role on curb that is actually quite hilariously resembles like the stereotypical wife. Yeah. You know, and like reflective of relationships.
Starting point is 00:15:16 They're like, what are you talking about? Right. Like, I talk to mine about my business. And she's like, I don't understand. understand anything that you're saying to me. Why are you traveling to this city? And so, like, that's just on steroids. Right. Which is just so perfect. Well, yeah. Well, thank you. But I do think a lot of couples see themselves in these characters. Yeah. And sometimes it's opposite, but a lot of times the husband is Larry David and the wife is Cheryl David.
Starting point is 00:15:51 I'm going to, and, you know, I love that you didn't have to stay married, meaning your characters didn't have to stay married the whole time. I think that's really interesting. And I think it's, I think it's important, you know, it's an important dynamic. Yeah. I wonder for you, you know, as an actress in terms of, this is a long time to play a role, you know? It's like a really long time. And yes, there was a hiatus. But it's a really long time to play that role.
Starting point is 00:16:15 Is there ever a desire to be able to be a different version of this character? Or is it kind of like once you sign up for this formula, you're in it? Oh, yeah, no. No. Curb is its own animal. You know what I mean? There's no changing it. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:16:37 And, um... Like, you're, you're gonna be blonde. And, like, you couldn't be like, I want to be a red head. Like, I need to break out of my shell. No, no. Because it's never, it's never about Cheryl David. Right. It's really how Larry David sees the world.
Starting point is 00:16:52 Wow. It's through his lens. So there's never going to be a sigh, you know, a B story of, you know, Cheryl David, gets a job. It's like, that's just not this kind of show. You know what I mean? I wonder if that's, I think that's a lot of women's experience, especially before the women's revolution, right? Before the feminist revolution. Like, you were just that person's.
Starting point is 00:17:14 There's sometimes if you look in old cemeteries, sometimes women are buried as wife of, like John Smith. Her name's not even on the gravestone. So I'm not saying that this is like, you know, the 1700s on Curb Your Enthusiasm. No, but I think it's an interesting thing that as an actor, you're given a role and you kind of have to play it. And especially for women, sometimes you are. Yeah, I'm a, yeah, because, I mean, maybe I'm crazy. It's maybe true. I think on, I think it was on SNL.
Starting point is 00:17:47 This is like years and years ago. I think they did a curve sketch and somebody played me and they and they were just, you know, with a dish, a dish towel, like just doing nothing with the dish towel saying, Larry. And I was like, oh my gosh, that's kind of, it's just Cheryl waiting for Larry to walk in the door and go, what are you up to? And I never really thought about until I saw that. I said, oh, I guess that is, I'm just always at home. Wow. you know, Larry, you know what I mean? Or we're out to dinner or something.
Starting point is 00:18:22 But if there isn't the one person grounded in some form of reality, you don't really see how just how absurd it is. Right. So like for... No, you're the audience in that sense. You're the person helping us understand. I'm just trying to think about like the audience who may be listening that like hasn't seen curb. Like how would we describe...
Starting point is 00:18:42 It's like this podcast, but with Larry David and Cheryl Lyme. I'm Larry David and you're Cheryl lines. How would you describe the show? Yeah, how would you do? Like, I don't know that I could do it necessarily. One of the creators of Seinfeld, right? Created a show that's even more Seinfeld than Seinfeld. Like that's, you know.
Starting point is 00:19:02 It's often like very, very small issues that get extrapolated and blown up to the endth degree. I mean, a lot of neuroses. A lot of neuroses and unbelievable things happen to this man. And he really hates. social niceties. So, I mean, I have in real life been with him when somebody calls and says, you want to go to lunch. And he's like, no.
Starting point is 00:19:25 And they said, oh. And he said, why do you want to go to lunch? And they said, oh, I just, we haven't seen each other in a year. He's like, no, I don't want to go. But if you want to talk about something, just say it now. And they were like, oh, no, I just thought it would be nice. He's like, no, I don't want to do it. And there's, that's the part of the show that really speaks to people because a lot of people think that.
Starting point is 00:19:49 They would like to do that. My favorite, like my favorite Kirby Enthusiasm moment that, that I think really typifies the show is when Larry's mother dies. And obviously he's sad, but he also is so deeply relieved that he can use it as an excuse to get out of everything he doesn't want to do. And someone will call and be like, you want to do this? Oh, I'm sorry. My mom just. Right. Like that's it. That's the epitome of Herb.
Starting point is 00:20:17 When Larry was going to do that episode, because, you know, we would talk all the time. He's like, what do you think about this idea? I like that I'm saying that. And Larry's going to listen to this and go, oh, really, Cheryl. I'm running all my ideas by you and have to wait for you to okay then. But he said, he said, I think I'm going to do a show where my mom dies and my dad doesn't tell me and I miss the funeral. And I said, that's not funny. I said, you can't do that. That's not funny. And he's like, you watch.
Starting point is 00:20:46 And he did that. He did the episode. You know, and his dad, played by Shelley Berman, was like, well, I don't want to bother you. 100%. I mean, this would happen to my family. 100%.
Starting point is 00:20:56 And it was funny. And I was wrong. So what do I know about comedy? My M. Bialx breakdown is supported by Superpower. We all know the feeling of leaving a doctor's office and kind of feeling like we didn't get anything out of the experience that was useful. Maybe they're like, you're fine, drink more water. There's no real data. There's no game plan. This has happened to me many, many times, especially on the
Starting point is 00:21:19 perimenopause journey. That's why we're fascinated by what superpower is doing. They send a licensed professional to your home or you can visit a nearby lab, one simple blood draw with over 100 biomarkers. That's way more than you usually get. It unlocks a true understanding of your body. their app has detailed information on heart, liver, thyroid hormones, metabolism, vitamin and mineral levels, even environmental toxins. From disease prevention to treating that annoying brain fog or simply optimizing your gym game, superpower is the most comprehensive and advanced system out there. I've been super tired of constantly guessing or just trying to read articles online about what to do for health.
Starting point is 00:21:56 Superpower gives you an actionable health plan based on personal results. It's a real game changer. Plus they have an on-demand clinician team to answer questions. supplement or prescription suggestions can be directly bought through Superpower so you don't have to go anywhere else. They also have nutritional guidance, tips for lifestyle and behavioral adjustments. You even get your true biological age that you can track over time. Superpower used to cost $499. Right now, it's $199 for the full experience, which is much more affordable than anything else out there. Make this the year you stop guessing about your health with superpower.
Starting point is 00:22:28 Superpower. Not only did Superpower reduce their price to just $199, but for a limited time, our listeners get an additional. additional $20 off with the code break. Head to superpower.com. Use the code break at checkout for $20 off your membership. And after you sign up, they'll ask how you heard about them. Make sure to mention my and Biala's breakdown to help support the show. Were there ideas that sort of were discarded because they were too crazy that you were like, oh, thank gosh they didn't do that or?
Starting point is 00:22:58 Oh, I don't know any that were discarded because they were too crazy. I know. I'm thinking of the ski lift and it's Shabbat. She's going to violate Chabot so just to jump off the scale. But by the way, that was based on a true story. It's literally, my father passed away almost 10 years ago. And like, one of the saddest things is that he could not experience Curve your enthusiasm. Because it's like, it's our life.
Starting point is 00:23:22 And my dad and I have so many Larry David, like, you know, just things happen to me that shouldn't happen to people. And then I watch Curve and I'm like, it's not just me. It's happening to Larry. Anyway. Yeah. I do want to talk about losing Richard, Richard Lewis. And this is, you know, a huge icon, obviously, in the comedy world. And such a huge component of this show and of, you know, obviously, you know, him and Larry's relationship.
Starting point is 00:23:57 Yeah, anything you'd like to talk about. I'm happy to give you a little space to, you know, to share anything. about Richard. I appreciate that. I mean, I loved Richard. And I did. I had the biggest crush on him, you know, when I was younger and he was this, you know, tortured stand-up. And I was like, I like that guy. And then when he, when I got to work on Curb with him, it was really a dream come true. And he was as neurotic as one might thing. So I remember because you know from being on the show, there's no rehearsal for the scene. Nobody talks about what's going to happen in the scene. Larry wants it all to just be, to capture the moment, you know.
Starting point is 00:24:42 So, so even if you do have a tiny rehearsal, you speak gibberish. You know, if you said, oh, I'll come over here and I'll sit down and I'll say la-da-da-da-pink. And then I'll walk out the door. So this was early, Larry and I were across the room. was on the other side. And before we're rolling, Larry and I are talking about nothing, you know, what we're going to have for lunch, nothing at all interesting. And Richard's like, what are you guys talking about? It's like, no, we're not talking about it.
Starting point is 00:25:15 You guys are coming up with lines? Are you coming up with something funny? Because I've got funny stuff. And Larry's like, don't have funny stuff. Don't think about what you're going to say. And he's like, well, you guys are over there talking about what you're going to say. We can say, we're not, we were just talking about what we're going to have for a lot. We're not talking about this scene.
Starting point is 00:25:35 But always, even I had a, I had a poker party, you know, Texas Hold'em. And I don't think he was putting this on. I don't think it he was. But, you know, in Texas Hold'am, you have two blind bets that go around the table. They rotate around. And every time I would come to Richard, you know, we'd say, well, you have to put in $25, whatever, to say, What? Why? I said, well, that's, you know, the way that this is, you know, three hours into it. That's the, it rotates around. I mean, I'm looking around. I'm the only one putting money in.
Starting point is 00:26:10 Right. Remember, we just went around the whole table. He's like, I don't know what you're talking about. I just felt like I was being crazy. But he was just an always so, so soulful and sweet at the same time. really appreciated people. Yeah, I think I got to, I used to go to Jeff Garland's Break the Fast on Yom Kippur, and so Bob Sagitt would be, I mean, like, it was just like, so everybody was there. And so I think I may have crossed paths with him at one point, but I also had a huge crush on him. Something about that hair, you know. It was so hip then. And dressed in black. All black. All black. He was always running his hands through his hair. I was like, wow, this guy's got a lot going on, but I like it. I wonder if we can dip into a little bit
Starting point is 00:26:59 of what your life was like kind of before you got to Groundlings. You're born in Florida, is that right? Yes. Okay. And you come from humble beginnings. Yes. And kind of an interesting story.
Starting point is 00:27:14 I wonder if you can talk a little bit about how you grew up and were your parents creative? Was it just you? So I did. I grew up in Florida, mostly central Florida and then Tallahassee. Yes.
Starting point is 00:27:30 Very humble beginnings. My dad had different jobs throughout his life. One time he, for no reason whatsoever, I don't know what I, you know, was he a great businessman? No. He came home with a big van and a few mopeds. Oh. Yeah. And we were like, what's happening?
Starting point is 00:27:56 He's like, this is the new business. Oh. Like, how is this a business? So I had my dad on that side. Did the business work out? No. Okay. Just asking.
Starting point is 00:28:07 No, but Katu, I remember I didn't have a car. At some point, you know, I'm 16. I don't have a car. I'm like, well, there's the old moped. I remember I was going to a dance and I, and I was like, I guess I got to go pick up the corsage on my moped. But, and then my mom was, you know, really always working. There were four kids. And, yeah, I mean, we were on free lunch when I was little and always wondered, well, why do I have to stand in this line?
Starting point is 00:28:39 But, you know, I have a deep appreciation for how hard she worked. And they were fun. You know, my mom's still around and she's having a ball. Some days. Some days. I'm having a ball. I'm like, all right. But, yeah, my sister and I would, and I guess, I guess my brothers, they weren't quite as enthusiastic as we were, but we would put on sketch comedy shows.
Starting point is 00:29:10 Yeah, every Sunday. It was, they weren't good. So don't, you know, don't be too impressed. But, yeah, I don't know why. I don't know how, why I had that instinct from early. Who took the lead amongst your siblings? Were you like writing and producing and directing or was it collaborative? Like how did you guys get into that?
Starting point is 00:29:32 I mean, my sister was very bossy. I know she's listening. My sister Becky, Dr. Becky Hines, the first doctor in the family. But yeah, she's, I don't know. We just had a good system, you know. It's like, okay, you're ready to do the elevator sketch? It's like, yep. And then whoever, whatever friends were over, you know,
Starting point is 00:29:54 we'd make them wear a hat and tell them what to do. What number are you in birth order? Three. Okay. So it went... It went my brother. Boy. Yeah, Chris, who passed away.
Starting point is 00:30:08 It's very sad. Thank you. My sister. Okay. And then I have a younger brother. Got it. Wow. Are any of them creative or are you really the...
Starting point is 00:30:18 They're creative. My sister, Becky, is very creative. Now, Mike is listening going, Okay, what am I? Well, I just like, you know, so like, are they musicians? Are they actors? Are they? Becky is, she's a great writer.
Starting point is 00:30:35 She's, she's an idea person and a good executor. My dad, my dad had ideas. I was just like, I just bought some mopeds. Like, well, hmm. And then Mike is more of a, he's more of a, well, he was teaching. And then when I started Heinz and Young, he's now running our warehouse. Oh, cool. So he's a, you know, a worker.
Starting point is 00:31:05 Like, yeah, I get it all done. Like, okay. Did you always know you wanted to be an actor? Yes. Were there other things you were interested in or you felt like that was a... Well, I felt like that, I never felt like there was going to be anything other than that. But after I graduated from high school, I didn't think I was going to go to college. I couldn't afford it for one thing, but also didn't have a desire.
Starting point is 00:31:33 And I went to beauty school. Wow. And I got my cosmetology license. And then while I was in beauty school, all of my friends were in college. And I kept thinking, oh boy, when they graduate, are they going to be smarter than me? Like, what are they teaching? What do they know that I don't know? So I felt like I really need to go to college just to see.
Starting point is 00:31:54 what I'm missing it for no other reason. So I worked in a salon during the day and I bartended at night for probably a year and just saved as much money as I could and then I put myself through school. Wow, where did you go to school? Where didn't I go to school? Got it.
Starting point is 00:32:11 I graduated from the University of Central Florida. Wow. Yeah. State school. That's awesome. Yeah. No, it was great. I had a really great experience
Starting point is 00:32:24 and I majored in television production, minored in theater. I wanted to major in theater, but I couldn't because I couldn't be in the plays at night because I had to work. Wow. That's a slog to put yourself through school like that. I mean, like, that's no joke. By the way, I still owed on student loans when I got curb your enthusiasm. Wow. Wow.
Starting point is 00:32:47 Yeah. They're paid off now. Believe it or not. That's incredible, though. What I'm, I'm really fascinated with beauty school. I mean, partly because, like, so partly because, like, if you grew up watching the movie Greece, which was my favorite, right? I watched it.
Starting point is 00:33:05 Yeah. I was born in 75. So I was, like, the perfect age to fall in love with Greece, right? And so there's a whole thing about beauty school. It's, like, throughout, no, beauty school dropout. Yeah. Anyway. But it always really fascinated me.
Starting point is 00:33:18 And then my, my mom, you know, was raised in the 50s and 60s. And so, like, I also grew up with, like, these amazing stories based on photos of, like, they would wrap toilet paper around their beehive and you'd sleep in it and just, like, all the, like, cool things about, like, hair, all the things, you know, she would iron her hair in the 70s, like, on her body, she once burned herself. Anyway, what did, did you have, like, a specialty or, like, did you love doing hair? Did you love doing makeup? Like, what did you do?
Starting point is 00:33:43 Okay. First of all, I was 17. Wow. So I graduated high school when I was 17. So I started beauty school when I was 17. This was the, this was the, this. This was in the heyday of perms and cherry curls. So, and there were only a few young, there were only, I think, like three girls that had just come out of high school.
Starting point is 00:34:06 Everybody else was sort of older and like they knew this. They were pretty serious about it. But we would stay out all night. We would go to school in the morning, shampoo each other's hair, put it in curlers, and then sleep under the hairdriar. Wow. Until my instructor would, you know, bang on the hair dryer. I'd say, you can't sleep all day in this class. So what was I good at?
Starting point is 00:34:34 I don't know. Haircuts, I guess. Okay. Not color. Okay. I mean, it's also come quite a distance since probably what it was like. Not that you're that old. I'm just saying like the technology is.
Starting point is 00:34:46 First of all, I am that old. And second of all, it hasn't changed that much. Right. But perms were... Perms were tough because, you know, you can really burn somebody's hair off. And this one guy that I met, we were talking, he said, oh, did you do pocket perms? And I said, what? What's that?
Starting point is 00:35:08 What is a pocket perm? And he said, well, when I was in beauty school and I would give somebody a perm, when I would rinse the rod, the hair and the rod, sometimes the whole rod with the hair wrapped around, it would just break off and drop into the shampoo bowl. he said, and I would just reach in and grab it and put it in my pocket before they noticed that their hair just fell out. Because the chemicals are so harsh. They're so strong. I mean, you're literally changing the, they're trying to change the follicle. Yes. It doesn't want to change.
Starting point is 00:35:36 You soften, you soften the hair. This is not a perm, by the way. This is the real deal. Well, by the way, if I let my hair go, it would look like that. Really? I didn't know that. No, it's crazy. And when I was in Florida, when I first started out,
Starting point is 00:35:52 I mean, my hair was just curly frizzy, not too curly. Well, Florida weather is like, you know. And my agent, I had an agent at the time, and this before I had done anything, he said, well, you've been booked for a print job. It was like a print job, like a, like a model? Somebody looked at my picture and they want me for a print job, and they said, yeah. I said, oh, my God, that's amazing. So I get to the job and I said, what do you, you know, what do you need me to do?
Starting point is 00:36:29 And they said, it's, this is for salon. We correct people that have bad perms. And they said, we just need you to hold up some of your hair. Your regular hair. My hair. And I don't even have a perm. And to look at my. You were the before.
Starting point is 00:36:45 I was the before. And look at my hair with a face like, uh-oh. Look at my hair. And then they put, and then when they ran. They said, bad perm, we can help. How much did you get paid for that? Oh, my, I have no idea, like $50. Oh, my gosh.
Starting point is 00:37:02 Probably just a sandwich. And you were the before. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Wow. Do you have your, like, do you straighten it every day or you do something to it now that makes it stay straight? Well, first of all, it helps that there's not the humidity.
Starting point is 00:37:15 Right. Second of all, I do keratin treatments. Oh, okay. So you do it things. You don't have to do it. And third of all, yes, I straighten it. I just, like, blow it out. Right, right, right.
Starting point is 00:37:23 I won't. I refuse. That's not going to be me. I have let it go? This is very new that it started doing this. Everyone's confused. You mean it started curling? Yes, I don't have curly hair.
Starting point is 00:37:38 That's clearly the case. It's really cute. You feel weird? I mean, I had stick straight hair. You know, like stick straight when I was a kid. And then, like, when I hit puberty, like, it got, you know, what we call a jufro, which is like half curly, half straight, like curly underneath, but like straight on the outside. Hard to do something.
Starting point is 00:37:56 Very hard. And then I just had like hippie chick hair, you know, even when I was on curb. I don't even remember what they did with it, but it was just. Probably not a lot. Yeah, not a lot. It was just like kind of, I don't know. But then it kind of later in life started curling. I mean, I'm through menopause, so that must be it.
Starting point is 00:38:14 This is my wise hair. Can't you tell you? But I think I look like a 1930s child. You know, like those, like, Clara Bo pictures? Because, like, it looks cute. I mean, honestly, it does kind of look like you have a perm. I mean, in a good way. She's going back to the 80s.
Starting point is 00:38:33 A body weight. It's not. It's not. I just. If you use larger rods. A friend of mine, I mean, I had to. You could be the before picture. I literally, I have a friend who was kind of a new friend. We met, like, as adults.
Starting point is 00:38:45 And she's got this really awesome curly hair. And she, uh, I think she was just. just waiting till we were close enough for her to ask, what do you use in your hair? To which the answer was, I don't use anything. I don't know. And she suggested what she uses. And I think it was her way of being like, you don't, like, yeah, you don't need to look like that. And so now when I get out of it, and I learned if you have curly hair, you can't just take a towel and be like, because I did it. That's what I've been doing. No, you have to scrunch. Yeah. Yeah. Otherwise it gets too frizzy and, mm-hmm. So now I scrunch and then this stuff that she told me to buy.
Starting point is 00:39:20 I put a little and I go like that. It looks good. He likes how it looks like the next day when it's standing on him. You like Einstein. Big and crazy. If you look at her Instagram and you scroll,
Starting point is 00:39:34 there's a handful of times where it's just like Einstein and she looks, I think it's like very punk rock. Very wise. And a little bit artistic and a little bit badass. And I'm like, just let her go all the way.
Starting point is 00:39:47 My grandmother and my mother both had a really, really distinct white stripe. And I've started, I don't color my hair. So I've started to get what I can tell will be my white, which I'm very excited about. You're ready for it? And I'm totally ready. Anyway, okay, enough about my hair in particular. I would like us to get from Florida to Los Angeles.
Starting point is 00:40:07 Okay. Well. I mean, you also wanted to get from Florida. Yeah, I did. I did. I just, you know, I was working at Universal Studios and bartending at night. In Orlando. In Orlando.
Starting point is 00:40:19 to save money to move. And then at some point I packed up my Toyota Tursil. And I drove across the country with my ex-boyfriend who was driving me crazy. At that time was he, right? Yes. And I was like, you can't go. And he said, I've never been out of Florida.
Starting point is 00:40:39 This is my chance to leave Florida. And I was like, yeah, boy. Okay. And it was a long car drive. It was a long car drive. And then we were so confused when we got here because in Florida, you know, the highways, they are, there are a lot of toll booths. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:40:59 So we're always paying toll, you know. And then when we got here and we were trying to get, when we were trying to get on to one of the freeways, it's a meter on. Mm-hmm. So we're like digging through, looking for quarters and we're like, where do you put the quarters in? People are honking. It's like, we're looking, we're paying our toll. just give us a second. At some point we said,
Starting point is 00:41:21 okay, we're just going to have to gun it. I mean, we're going to get a ticket. I don't know. I can't find out where to put the money in. It didn't make sense to me.
Starting point is 00:41:30 So it was definitely a culture shock. Yeah. Did you have a plan of like, you're going to, like, what did you know about L.A. at the time? It was just like,
Starting point is 00:41:38 I'm going to show up. I had a plan. I had a job at the intercontinental hotel in downtown. So I had a bargaining job. There's a plan. That was a little plan. that was good. And I had two
Starting point is 00:41:51 friends that lived here. So that was great. Actor friends. Yeah. One was a professional extra. Okay. And his boyfriend. Okay. Well, I can't say that they had
Starting point is 00:42:09 strong careers. No, but they were people that you knew. Oh, really? Why am my best friends? Right, right. And so it was the three of us, you know. So I, I, I barred. attended for a long time and I've told this story a few times, but that's where I met one of Phil Hartman's sisters. She was at, she came to the hotel and she was sitting at the bar. We were talking.
Starting point is 00:42:33 And she said, I want to go to the groundlings because that's where my brother got to start. Oh my God. And I said, what's the groundlings and who's your brother? And she told me, you know. So you didn't know. No. Wow. So she said that's. You know, Phil Hartman started there doing stand-up and sketch. He was also a very good artist, she said. So after that, I went to the first Groundlings show that I could on my day off. I was so inspired by them. All I wanted to do was take a class there, but I didn't have enough money.
Starting point is 00:43:11 I didn't even have a refrigerator. I didn't realize that some apartments don't come with refrigerators here. Strange in Los Angeles. Mm-hmm. But all I did was talk about wanting to take a class. And for my birthday, my regulars and the other wait staff chipped in to buy my first groundlings class. Wow.
Starting point is 00:43:34 And that's how it all begin. That's unbelievable, though. I mean... Yeah, it's pretty crazy. Yeah. And then was that kind of your end to groundlings and then you were kind of in that system? Yes. So Lisa Kudra was my first teacher.
Starting point is 00:43:48 Wow. She was right before she got friends. So she was on Mad About You. Uh-huh. Which I was starstruck. I was like, my teacher is on television. Like you were, when I called my sister, I'm like, you are not going to believe it. But she and Lisa was so funny and so smart and so quick.
Starting point is 00:44:09 I was so inspired by her. And just all the people, I mean, when I was going through the school, that's when, Sherry O'Terry and Will Ferrell were in the company. And I would, I would just watch every show every weekend. Wow. How long were you there? Well, it takes a long, it takes a while to get through. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:44:39 I was so probably took me six years to get through the classes. And then like I said, I was in the Sunday company. So you're in the Sunday company before they ask you, you're invited. to the main company. And that's where it usually goes off track for people because they're only 30 members of the groundings. So they can't invite someone to be a member until somebody else steps down.
Starting point is 00:45:07 And it's a very democratic system. It's run by the people for the people. And yeah. Yeah. So you always have people watching you and talking about your writing and your performance. It can be stressful. Yeah. A lot of people audition for S&L and things like that from there. Did you ever audition? Was that?
Starting point is 00:45:29 That I was dying to audition for S&L, but I did audition for Mad TV probably three times. And as a matter of fact, when I got Kerb, I was sort of heartbroken by Mad TV because they had said, don't supposedly to my agent. Don't let her take another job because we want her. But that doesn't make sense because then why don't you just hire her? her. And then I auditioned for Curb, and Curb was just supposed to be a one-hour special. So it didn't feel like it was going to change my life, you know. And then it became a series. And then I, you know, I would think back and think, oh, I'm so glad I didn't go to SNL or at TV. And you managed to also have a child somewhere in here. So chronologically, you're in I'm trying to think what season. Right. I was going to say.
Starting point is 00:46:25 So you're in L.A. When did you, and I know you're not married to the father of your daughter right now, but when did you, like, when did your personal life happen in Los Angeles? So, yeah, I was single when I started Kerr. Wow. That I met Paul Young, my first husband. Because he was on the board at the growlings. So I was on the board at the growlings.
Starting point is 00:46:49 And so I don't know, probably. season, probably between season three and season four, something like that on curb. But that's also, it's an indicator of how long we would go in between seasons. Right, because I was never pregnant on the show. Amazing. No. So, yeah, got married, had a baby. Right.
Starting point is 00:47:13 And that didn't work out 100%. And that baby is a grown-up now. No, she's 20. And that's, you started a company with her. Yes. That's the young. That's the young. Because I was like, oh, Hines and young, because it's her daughter. It's the younger Heinz. But no, her last name is, I just put it together. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:47:31 Oh, it's funny that you, that, I like that. No, but I like that idea too. So you started a company, which I know from having an 18 year old, but he's much more savvy about everything in the universe, meaning like, I don't know anything. I don't even know how to, like, put my clothes on without him being like, why did you put your sock on that way? So you decided to start a company with a young person. I know. It was very savvy. Did you know you wanted to start this?
Starting point is 00:47:57 Was it something that she wanted to do? How did it come about, especially as a family junction? Yeah. I was starting to get so sad thinking about her leaving. And I thought, well, how can I keep her close? How can I keep her close? Something that, you know, she'd have to talk to me. That's why Jonathan started this podcast with me.
Starting point is 00:48:21 You were ready to move out and grow up. It worked. And then Kat and I, you know, I really, we wanted to do something that didn't use single-use plastics. So just being, I'll say, in the beauty world, which I'm not necessarily, but I do have a history in it. Yes, you do. So I really pay attention to products. And the beauty industry is really bad about single-use plastics. So Kat, my daughter and I wanted to try to do a company that didn't use single-use plastics,
Starting point is 00:49:03 but made a line that we both like, which wasn't easy. But it was great, you know, because we have... We have body creams and we have candles and we have four different scents and sense stories. And, you know, they all smell amazing. And so we had to agree on what it's going to look like, what it's going to smell like, what it's going to feel like. Who is in charge of marketing and sort of the visibility of it? Because, like I said, my 18-year-old, like, he knows everything about social media and, like,
Starting point is 00:49:44 the way to do things. Like, he has a comment about everything that we post and everything. Like, is that part of the conversations or does that get left to grownups? It's a lot of grownups. Yeah. Also. Because I want to believe like that you can just like unleash it on the 20 year old and be like, do it.
Starting point is 00:50:03 See what happens. That's what I thought. Yeah. But I guess it's like anything. It's if you have to do it, it's like, ugh, it's different than if you, if you're just posting something because you love it. Because it's your life. But if it's a job, then it's a different vibe.
Starting point is 00:50:21 So we have, we have some different people. And, and Kat. Kat's a really good photographer. Oh, let's see. She's also very beautiful. I wish she would be, you know, out there more for it. But she gets a little shy. Mm-hmm.
Starting point is 00:50:37 She's never wanted to pursue acting or on-camera stuff. Well, you know, she really hasn't until lately. and we've been going to different premieres and different projects, and she's very inspired by the people here. It's creative, it's fun. You know, we leave the premiere and she'll say, oh, my gosh, Kristen Wigg was so funny in that. Oh, my God, you know.
Starting point is 00:51:04 And so we have a really fun talk about it. So it's interesting. We're interested to see what happened. I want to ask one more thing before we move on. You and I have a shared OJ story that revolves around a bar. Yours might be more interesting than mine, but I don't know.
Starting point is 00:51:20 I was in Ireland during the O.J. when he escaped in the... Oh, the Chaste. The Chaste. The slow Chase. I happened to be working in Ireland, and I was at the bar. I was at the bar.
Starting point is 00:51:31 I didn't drink until I was an older person. And so I remember I was like, because you could drink at 18, I was in the bar. And no one cared about this American guy, O.J. Simpson. But we were like, oh, my gosh, what's happening? O.J. Simpson is driving in the Fort Bronco.
Starting point is 00:51:49 Anyway, that's my OJ bar story. Tell us your OJ bar story. Okay. Well, why? So I was working at the intercutting hotel downtown, and that's where the OJ jurors were sequestered. And I forget what floor they were on, but we weren't allowed to go to that floor. We weren't allowed to tell anybody they were there.
Starting point is 00:52:11 Lord knows they needed a drink. Oh, they did. No, one of them. of them, you know, etched help me in their window and you can see it. I was like, what is going on on that floor? But they were going crazy. Yeah. I mean, that was word at the bar.
Starting point is 00:52:24 They were like, we had a pianist that would go and she would play for them, but it had to be, you know, on their floor and completely private. And she was like, they are going nuts. Yeah. They can't, they're not going to make it. So it was very interesting. And then, I mean, I hate to toot my own horn. but I will. I was so good at working at the hotel as a bartender.
Starting point is 00:52:52 Sometimes I'd fill in as a waitress. One time I did room service. That my manager during that trial asked me to pack a bag and keep it packed by my door. Because when they got news that a verdict was coming in, I was to drive straight to the hotel and check in. I think it was the first time I stayed in a really nice hotel. So I get to stay in a room and then, you know, later on make drinks for people and deliver some chicken to somebody's room, which was also a very weird experience doing room service. I only did it one.
Starting point is 00:53:32 That's really funny. It was like, hi. Can I come in? And this guy's in a bathrobe and it was just like, what are we doing? That's very funny. It was a strange dynamic in somebody's room. And I didn't know how to set up the thing. And I was just like, I'm, you know, it's my first day.
Starting point is 00:53:54 I love that. One of the reasons that I find your story such an interesting trajectory, like from, you know, from Florida and from, you know, the way you grew up and, you know, beauty school and then coming to L.A., you ended up being introduced by. Larry David to, you know, part of one of the most famous dynasties in this country, you know, and you ended up marrying one of the Kennedys, as it were. I'm wondering there's, and I don't mean to romanticize, you know, because of course there's like this, you know, I think at least for my generation and possibly yours, there's a real, like, fantasy element to certain aspects of American culture. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:54:39 And the Kennedys was one of them, you know, like I grew up, my parents would, you know, tell me where they were the day they found out Bobby Kennedy was shot. And the day they found out where, you know, like, and my father stopped voting after JFK was shot. Like my father, like, it was, I mean, in my home, it was like he was the hope, the voice, you know, especially for liberals and my parents were first generation Americans. And like, anyway, so I grew up with this, like, myth of the Kennedy. Right. So I'm just thinking of your story and like where you came from. and then like to be, you know, obviously to like make it in L.A. is awesome. And you, and I don't want it to be like you're defined by the person you're dating. However, when you're introduced to a Kennedy, like, what was that like? What did it feel like to sort of consider yourself like as part of that world? Well, it's interesting because I did not grow up that way. Like my family, I don't remember my parents ever mentioning the Kennedy.
Starting point is 00:55:40 We never talked politics. You know, if I asked my mom who she was voting for, she'd say none of my business. So it was just like, oh, we don't speak of politics. Why do you think that was? I mean, you're also from a part of Florida that's basically the South. Yes. So it could have been also that there were progressive tendencies
Starting point is 00:56:00 that were burgeoning and young people. Yes. I'm not sure. And I'm not sure if it's because, you know, my mom, mom, but she was very, or she is, I should say, you know, yes, Southern manors. And, you know, there are some things you don't talk about with people. And politics is one of them. So I didn't have an idea of who the Kennedys were.
Starting point is 00:56:29 I really, the only thing I had known about them was what I learned in school and was like, okay. You know, pretty amazing people. complicated. There's some complexity in there. Some criminal issues. Yes, we've got some. Yes, it's a big family. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:56:48 Yeah. So then, yeah, when I met Bobby, Bobby and Larry had been friends for a long time, and I just met Bobby. I want to say in passing, you know, it wasn't a moment in time where I was like, I just thought, oh, you know, he was really nice.
Starting point is 00:57:07 He gave me his Beanie, like Nick Cap because we were actually on a ski lift And he was He said You don't have a hat I said no, I was with Larry We're going to go to this fundraiser
Starting point is 00:57:25 No intention of skiing And then we get there and Bobby's like Okay, what's a shoe do you wear? We got these skis Next thing you know Larry and I have skis on and we're headed to the ski lift. And Bobby said, well, why don't you have anything on your head? I go, I didn't even.
Starting point is 00:57:43 And he said, here, take this. That's intimate. To give someone a be me? I said, now you're going to be cold. He goes, I'll be fine. I know. And I was just like, who is the guy in pleaded cackies that just gave me a beanie? Like, that's very nice.
Starting point is 00:57:57 You know, meanwhile, Larry's, like, bundled up. Like, of course you're not getting my beanie. Why wouldn't you bring one if you wanted one? You know, he's, it was just, it was just another day. I was surprised he didn't take the one that Bobby gave you. Me too. Me too. Um, and then, you know, I've been, then I, really, Bobby was just an acquaintance for years and, uh, you were both married, you both got divorced. Yeah. He lived in New York. I lived here and, and then I, and then at some point, I saw that
Starting point is 00:58:25 he was going through divorce. I was going through a divorce. And this fundraiser was happening, you know, at the same time every year. And I thought, oh, it'll be a, interesting to talk to him because it's hard going through a divorce. Did you have a little feeling? When I met, when I, I mean, that's when I feel like I really met him. Because I'm a divorced lady. And sometimes like you're divorced and you're kind of like, everyone's a potential target for my love. Who can I take prisoner next? Sorry. Well, it was, we was like a, it was like a, it was like a lightning strike.
Starting point is 00:58:58 I choose you. Sorry. Okay. Lucky. Come with me. Yeah, it was just like a, I don't know, there was an energy that just struck me when I saw him. We connected it a way that was just like, oh, I see you, I see you. And it was interesting. But still, I lived in L.A. He lived in New York, and it was just, it was what it was for a while. We were just a long distance, interesting romance. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:59:30 And then did he end up moving out here? Yes. then he asked me to marry him. Still living apart. Yes. I love that. That's so grown up. Look, this distance thing is a problem.
Starting point is 00:59:42 Let's solve it with marriage. Well, yes, I guess. But I said, well, I don't, you know, it would make more sense if we lived in the same state. You're so conventional. And he has kids? He has six kids. Six. Yeah, he had two kids with his first marriage.
Starting point is 01:00:03 People are complicated. Yeah, yeah. Four with his second marriage. And so what's the age difference between, let's say, his youngest and cat? His youngest is 22. Oh, okay. Yeah, they're pretty... Oh, so same, okay, I mean, same arena.
Starting point is 01:00:21 Yeah, got it. Okay, so you got married. He moved here, you got married. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Yeah, and then as time we're, by. You know, he's, he's an environmental
Starting point is 01:00:35 attorney. I remember early on having a conversation with him asking him why he wasn't in politics. Right, because his whole family, I mean, that's, yeah. He felt like he could get, he could accomplish more if he wasn't in politics. He could sue polluters. He could hold people responsible
Starting point is 01:00:52 in a way that he wouldn't have been able to do. And he's done a lot of tremendous, tremendous things in, in that capacity. Larry said not to date him. Well, you know, so Bobby talked to Larry, which is kind of hilarious. Why would he feel the need to ask him for his... He's also traditional, clearly. Yeah, for his, you know, approval.
Starting point is 01:01:19 Yeah. And Larry was like, yeah, I mean. And then when I talked to Larry and I said, so it does look like Bobby and I are going to start seeing each other. He's like, that's a terrible idea. It's never going to last. I was like, okay. But I couldn't tell you there's not one, there's not one name that if I had said that person, you know, George Clooney, Larry would be like, that's a terrible idea.
Starting point is 01:01:45 It's never going to laugh. You know, it doesn't matter who it was. There's never a world in which Larry would be like, that sounds great. Right. Because Larry hates love or Larry's territorial over you? Larry doesn't like people. Yeah. And he's pretty sure.
Starting point is 01:01:58 I totally get it. It makes total sense to me. Yeah. And probably looking back, it's like, you know, his misanthrope. He's a lovable misanthrope. Yeah. Bobby and I were in his orbit, but two different.
Starting point is 01:02:13 I mean, this is a Shedach for the ages. This is a match for the ages that Larry made, though. I mean, that's a, he's a matchmaker. He needs two more, right? I need two more to get a place in heaven. So, you know, I, also, we can totally cut out that, like, for me, I have, like, a princess fantasy about the Kennedys and clearly Cheryl was like, not so much.
Starting point is 01:02:31 We can cut that out. No, but you should leave that in because a lot of people feel that way. Like JFK Jr. Like that. Oh, yeah. I mean, I grew up with that as like, this is it. It's like, this is ours. He's ours.
Starting point is 01:02:40 Like my parents had, anyway, it's like a whole thing. Right. Right. It's like a thing. Anyway. But the second level of like, not just like, oh, you're like from where you came from. Like, I'm meeting a Kennedy. Like, whatever.
Starting point is 01:02:51 You are now married to someone who's running for president of the United States. I've never spoken to someone in my life. I've never gotten to be this close to someone. who's in this enormously complicated situation. That's a huge change in your relationship, meaning it's not just like, oh, you're a public person, you're an actress, you can handle it. This is like next level. It's next level.
Starting point is 01:03:13 Yeah. Yes. It was a long conversation. I mean, it was. Maybe more than one conversation. It was probably over the course of four or five months. Wow. Where it just, I kept thinking, maybe he'll change as much.
Starting point is 01:03:29 Right? Because you don't want to be the one to be like, no, don't. I don't want you to. Right. Because that's his, if that, if he feels that strongly, especially after all that. Right. So he. But you have to get your head around. Yeah. He, it definitely is his calling. Like, he feels it in a very. Ancestrial.
Starting point is 01:03:49 Yeah. I mean. So he feels it. And this is what he is meant to do. And so that is really. Yeah, but it's not like, honey, I'd like to go back to law school. Can you like? work a couple extra shifts at the dry cleaner so I can become a lawyer. This is like I'm going to thrust our life. I mean, it's thrusting your life.
Starting point is 01:04:08 Everything about, I mean, everything about you is open for the public, right? And him, you know. It is, it is, I would have never in a million years, imagine that this would be my life. just because I've never been interested in politics. I'm not really that person that's excited to go. Listen to a lot of people talk about politics for five hours. That's the name of the game right now. And I'm just like, oh, my need.
Starting point is 01:04:48 Okay. There's very few jokes. Not a lot of jokes. They're not hilarious people usually. Sorry, politicians that are listening that are like, I actually am funny. But if you're comparing the groundlings and, like, professional comedians. Like going to work at curb versus, like, going to work on the campaign trail. Well, that is, that's the thing.
Starting point is 01:05:08 It's like, I am from a world of comedy where we're doing, you know, bits about pickles, pickleball, or, you know, your glasses or your hair. And these bits could go on for two hours. No, this is like the real world. And now you're talking about national security. Oh, my gosh. And as actors, we literally play. I make believe for a living. We are paid to pretend and dress up. And this is like the realest thing there is is that your husband is running from the presidency. No, it is so real. It is very surreal.
Starting point is 01:05:43 And sometimes I feel like, oh, this is like a scene from a movie because we'll be dressed up, you know, dressed up walking through strange hallways. Like you're always going down weird hallways that nobody's ever seen or heard of. And, you know, security is with us. And it's like you walk when they say walk because you don't know what's going on out there. So it's just a, it's a different world. And you're like, wow. And then somebody will open a door.
Starting point is 01:06:17 And I'll be like, are you ready? Wow. And you'll say, yes. I don't know what the question really is. But yes. Open the door. And then there were 500 people. they're waiting to say hello and to meet Bobby.
Starting point is 01:06:30 And it's just like, wow, it's interesting. It's also interesting, you know, your role on Curb Your Enthusiasm is, you know, as you said, kind of supplying the support for a very high profile character, right? And in some ways, I mean, for any politician, they're all playing a part, right? And you are also in this position of like, you know, I mean, I also think that. of you as this like spontaneous, funny person who's also trained and extremely gifted at being funny, saying whatever you want. And you're now in a place where you have to be so careful. You have to consider your words. What is that light? It's really, it's sometimes it's hard.
Starting point is 01:07:14 I mean, the first big interview I did was with the New York Times. And I read it. And that was very hard because I have to try to think about. Yeah, I want to say something flip or, you know, but I don't because it's not going to, it's not going to train. And there's always going to be someone looking to find fault. That's the position that you and your husband are in. Right, right. So you can't. So sometimes even in that interview, I remember she asked me, had I talked to any of the previous first ladies?
Starting point is 01:07:53 Like, yeah, we're all on a WhatsApp group. That's, and I, I wanted to say, oh, I just got a text from Melania. Yeah, you're channeling Lady Bird. Yeah, but I didn't because no matter what you say, it's not, some people will be mad. Some people, it just, so I have to just like, okay, just take a beat. You know, it's a, it's a fine line to write, still find the comedy and the fun in situations. Are there those moments personally? Like, there has to be some way that, you know, you can sort of diffuse, you know, when it's just the two of you, right?
Starting point is 01:08:35 Like, there has to be, I want to believe that there's humor there, meaning that you can joke and laugh about all the, like, craziness of the structure of bureaucracy and politics. Well, yeah, I mean, that, listen, it is like, Veep meets modern family because I've, because Heinz and Young is. hilariously, a relaxation line that we had been working on for a few years. And it just happened to launch right after Bobby announced. Oh, Bobby. So, Bobby. So me and my sister Becky and my brother Mike and Kat, we're working on Heinz and Young. You know, light a candle at the end of the day.
Starting point is 01:09:18 Just relax. And then Bobby, you know, it's about, you know, you're doing. walk into the living room and they're talking about Russia and, you know, or whatever, or, you know, you look at your Alexa and you're like, don't say it in front of Alexa. And, you know, it's just like, what is happening? But Bobby and I have a, we have a lot of fun together. And one of the things that I don't, it's hilarious, but also in the moment it's not as funny as you might think. But a lot of times we'll be at a big dinner table and somebody will be a low talker.
Starting point is 01:09:59 And they are talking about something very serious. And it's just like, you know, when I was a wonder, my father said to me and he said, one thing that I never want you to forget. And Bobby and are like, wait, did you say your father? And they're like, yes. And on his death, buddy. And we're like, and then, you know, at some point. you're just like, oh, huh.
Starting point is 01:10:24 Wow. Okay. Yes. And then we, you know, it's like, did you, did you get the story? It's like, wow. Oh, that's funny. So we had, there are those little moments that you can't, that are just, you can't even imagine until you're in them. Yeah.
Starting point is 01:10:39 But, you know, it's a whole night of that. It's not just, that's not just one moment of the night. That's like, a lot of the night. Mm-hmm. You're just like, I can't. Will you sit next to the low talker for just 20 minutes? because I need a earbreak. I'm like, I'm dying over here.
Starting point is 01:10:54 You're leaning. Yeah, I am. I'm leaning, like, with my ear, like, to his mouth. And it's like, okay, I got to dial. I want to ask another question. Yeah. And you don't have to say who it is. Have you ever met, like, a really, really, like, important, like, political person and...
Starting point is 01:11:13 You don't know who they are? I would say you don't know who they are, but, like, I would imagine, again, like, with... I know how your brain works. Like there has to be like absurdity to some of the situations that you find yourself in. Yes. Right. But it has to be like the Vee. The V person had like the assistant whispering in their ear who the heck is.
Starting point is 01:11:34 And then sometimes you get it wrong and you like. Right. Well, and also you can't laugh your way out of things, which for me, that's always the way I get out of things. So I guess that's what I was asking. Like, are there any situations where, you know, you're kind of needing to call on other resources, right? Because you cannot use humor. Well, definitely when you're in another country and you don't speak the language. You go to other countries.
Starting point is 01:11:59 We did. You've had to go to other countries. Oh, we've been around the world. I mean. Wait, wait. Okay, so this I don't know. Like, it's part of his life, your, his job, the presidency. Well, no, we haven't, we haven't been traveling around the world for his presidency.
Starting point is 01:12:19 But, you know, he... I just didn't know if you traveled during that time. I know that you have to... Yeah. No, no. But it's a fair question. Yeah. But it's to... Because you have to look like you know what you're doing.
Starting point is 01:12:28 Yeah, you have to look what you... But Bobby has dedicated his life to clean water and clean water around the world. Got it. So with Waterkeeper Alliance. So, you know, we went to Bhutan. We've been to India. We've been to... I mean, you name it.
Starting point is 01:12:47 We've probably been there. And you... You are. than you have to be presentable and you have to interact in all these situations. Right. So even in, you know, someplace like Bhutan where I didn't really, you don't really know the culture. It's very sweet.
Starting point is 01:13:07 I'm looking on a map. I know that it, I know where it is roughly. I just want to see on a map. Yeah. Got it. Okay. Eastern Himalayan Edge. That's where it is.
Starting point is 01:13:19 And we, you know, sometimes somebody, you know, prime minister of a country that you don't speak their language, will want to serve you lunch, which is very nice. But for them, if they use their hands, it's an even bigger honor. So it's like, thank you. Very much. And I don't eat meat, so that's always, you know. Some places don't understand that. No, and it's just something with a giant bone sticking out. Thank you.
Starting point is 01:14:00 You know, so it takes a lot to not, you know, go to do a comedy bit. Yes. It's like not the place. It's a tough audience. It's a tough audience. I'm not saying that that was our experience in Bhutan. But in Bhutan... Yeah, yeah.
Starting point is 01:14:20 But this could happen anywhere potentially where your normal go-to would be like... Thank you. One of my friends said, and maybe if I write a book this will be the title, said, when in doubt, curtsy. Because it's like, that's not bad. It's like, hello, curtsy. I don't know what I'm doing here. No, but in Bhiton, we went to this coronation.
Starting point is 01:14:43 I think it was a coronation. It was a celebration of nonetheless. the king's the king was there and it was an all-day thing and one of my friends was there and he you know he said he was getting really hungry
Starting point is 01:14:58 and they were serving rice and you just put your made a little cop with your hands and which he'd you know he was watching everybody else and he's like all right got it and then that and then you just you know eat it out of your
Starting point is 01:15:15 Hand cup Handcups But it's moments like that That are really interesting You know what's fascinating To see other cultures And to meet other people But there are funny things
Starting point is 01:15:26 That you can't really Yeah be funny about it I mean like practical stuff though Like you're in a country They're serving You're with the king Like you are Yes if you will
Starting point is 01:15:36 And I assume if you're with the king You're at the kingdom palace Yeah like an outdoor Yes but there are Definitely, yes. Are you staying at the palace? You're staying at a hotel next to the palace. There's palace guest quarters.
Starting point is 01:15:53 In this particular... There's the Bhutan Palace. Yeah, we didn't stay at the palace. It's fascinating that you're like getting exposed to things that you would never see. No, it's amazing. So that's like truly fascinating. But like practically, like for example, I don't eat gluten. And that can be a tough adjustment.
Starting point is 01:16:12 Yeah, you... For example, if you go to Texas. Yes, yes. If I go to somewhere and I don't eat meat, and you're hungry, but like, what do you do? You keep a pack of peanuts in your purse. And I'm not kidding. You have to. Yeah.
Starting point is 01:16:29 Because what are the odds that you're going to be able to eat, you know, whatever somebody's serving in the moment, it's, you just have to be self-reliant. I mean, if nothing else, I learned about Bhutan today. Is there a king in Bhutan? The palace was built in 1857. It's one of the oldest monarchies in the world. And the Bhutan Foundation is hiring a senior program officer and an accounts officer. So if anyone is looking for a position in Bhutan. It's very beautiful.
Starting point is 01:17:00 But by the way, you can't even go, you can't visit Bhutan without a guide. Oh. Yeah. It's very mountainous. Remote, yeah. And yeah. And so if you're just a tourist, you might have trouble. One of the questions that I hate that you're asked, which I'm not going to ask, is like,
Starting point is 01:17:21 what would it be like if you became the first lady? It's a dumb question because we're not there. And you don't have to think about that right now. But the question that I have is a little meta. Yeah. I wonder if like when you're alone, when you're like in bed, like if you ever let yourself go there, just like even for like a second. Like, do you let yourself go there or do you really have to suspend disbelief?
Starting point is 01:17:47 And when you go there, is it like a scene in V? Well, it's really weird because there are parts of it that I can imagine because we already are living it. You know, I'm, I've been to... Lack of privacy. Lack of privacy, but even, you know, dinners where there's protocol and, uh, it's, you know, you know, you have to know who's at the table and you have to know what you can and can't talk about. So we were already doing that so I can imagine that. What I can't imagine is just like, what is the day to day?
Starting point is 01:18:30 Like at the end of the day when you're like, I'm going to hit the hay. What is there a, what does that look like? I mean, of course there's a room. Is it like a giant room? Is it a giant room with a bed with, you know, where you close the curtains of your bed because the room is so big and people are watching you? Or is it just like, or is it carpeted? Like how long has a carpet been in there?
Starting point is 01:18:58 This thing has been around for a long time. Like, what is it, what does it smell like inside? What does it feel like to have that as your home is I think kind of the question, right? Like not just like. Right. You're not just spending the night for a few nights. Right. That seems like that's how it would feel.
Starting point is 01:19:13 Like that's where you have to live now. It's hard to imagine telling my friend, yeah, just stop over. Come up to my room. We'll watch Netflix. And then the Secret Service forever. Right. Like that's a big change. You've talked a bit about some of the security stuff.
Starting point is 01:19:33 I mean, there's also so much around, obviously, the Kennedy family in general. Yeah. Because of, you know, two very, very public and, you know, devastating. stating assassinations in the Kennedy family. But, you know, beyond that, you know, for anyone who's, you know, in the presidency conversation, like there's security concerns, but, you know, you had a very a very scary experience with an intruder, but I was also really struck by how you've talked about it in terms of like, there's a matter of factness about it that you sort of have to take on. Can you talk a little bit about that? And I'm assuming that you've experienced some of that
Starting point is 01:20:11 as a public person yourself, you know, even separate from this. How is it different? Well, it's intense. Because as a public person in the public eye, I've never felt a, and maybe it's naive, but you never felt like somebody was coming to get you. if anything, maybe somebody wanted to talk to you or get close to you. But with Bobby, yeah, it's intense because there are people that want to hurt him and we've seen it. So it is really a strange feeling to be watching the news.
Starting point is 01:21:07 and you're watching the news break that somebody out early on and one of Bobby's events was arrested because he and armed and I'm watching it before I can even talk to Bobby because Bobby got there and did the speech so it's a strange world
Starting point is 01:21:31 yeah and then and then when I was home and I was see this is one again, it's VEP meets modern family. I'm home. I'm in my, my office doing Instagram live with my friend. And her handle is mom loves baking. My friend from, from Tallahassee that I went to high school with. We're just talking about Heinz and Young. She's going to get a big bump after this episode. But she's great. And I look outside and I see a guy. I don't recognize coming in the
Starting point is 01:22:07 backyard. And I stopped it. I was looking out. She said, are you okay? And I said, well, I and I'm watching, because I'm not sure, is this the time when I say I got to go. You're always afraid to overreact in that situation. Like you don't want to be
Starting point is 01:22:27 that lady. Right. So I'm watching it. And then I watched security you know, take him down and somebody in the living room is calling 911 and I'm like, I think it's actually under control. I mean, I guess your definition of under control
Starting point is 01:22:48 has to shift in your life. Or it's like, okay, I don't know. I mean, it would be easy to be so stressed every day about all of it. Yeah. You know, and to be fearful about of the unknown. Like, I don't know what's going to happen.
Starting point is 01:23:09 I don't know what any of this is going to look like or feel like. So I have to, I spend a lot of time breathing through it, letting it go. You know, having, staying close to my family and grounded that way, you know, or we'll look at each other and say, this is crazy. It's surreal. It's surreal. Yeah. I mean, I'm amazed that you can have the piece of mind in that moment to like,
Starting point is 01:23:43 did you finish the Instagram live? Oh, we did. Yeah. We wrapped it up. Show goes on. That's show business, baby. I'm curious, is there anything in particular that you've adapted, either for self-care or, you know, just for general wellness?
Starting point is 01:24:03 is there anything you've adopted, you know, in this new phase of kind of life, meaning have you taken up a new hobby? Is there a certain exercise? Like, is there anything in particular that you've found as helpful as you, you know, kind of enter this very public phase of life in such a different way than your previous public life? Well, this is going to sound like I'm just promoting Heinz and Young, which, you know, is also a promotion for Heinz and Young. But because our, we have, you know, four different sense and I've kind of trained myself with this one sense. It's called Capri honeymoon because we did go to Capri on our honeymoon. But I wait till the end of the day. I have a, I have a candle by my bedside. And I put on my pajamas and then I light the candle. And it's it's like an indicator
Starting point is 01:24:52 to me like you need to whatever you're doing, you need to stop. Remember when he wasn't running for breath in and you were just on your honeymoon and it seemed like you were a princess? Right. I was like, woo-hoo. So I just have to keep reminding myself. And I do yoga. Yoga is very helpful too. Just, and in yoga, you know, your... What kind of yoga do you do? Regular. Like poses and asanas. Yeah, yeah. Okay, got it. So, but, you know, when you're holding a pose that's really uncomfortable and you feel like,
Starting point is 01:25:25 oh, my leg is shaking and I don't want to do it. but you keep breathing and you know it's going to, moments are going to come when you're not doing the pose anymore. So it's good for me to do yoga and to just be reminded that sometimes I'm going to have to do something really hard. And I can get through it and there'll be a moment after that hard thing that hopefully won't be as hard. What is the, when you light the candle, what is the self-talk? I mean, is it similar? Yes, it is like, it's interesting because it's not only at the little flicker of the candle,
Starting point is 01:26:11 because that's visually you're seeing it. And it's glowing and it feels good. But to smell it, it's like, okay, the talk is, everything's already happened that's going to happen today. So there's nothing you can do from this moment till you wake up that's going to change the course of your life. All you can do is relax, take a minute, you know, breathe in, which is hard. You know, because sometimes you want to, and sometimes I do like pick up the phone and see what's, what news is breaking in the world. Is there something I need to know about?
Starting point is 01:26:52 But most of the time, it doesn't matter if I know the news is breaking or not. Most of the time. I'm curious, where did you learn this? Because just based on what you've said a little bit about your parents, I can't imagine, and many of us were not, raised with this sort of like breath and awareness and mindfulness consciousness. When did you get it? You know, is this something you learned in therapy?
Starting point is 01:27:16 Is it something that you just picked up? Like, where did you get that sort of notion? Because it's such a simple thing. to be able to say, like, I don't have to keep working on this. Right. Like, I get to sleep. I get to rest. Like, I've been thinking about, I was recently having some difficulty sleeping and the notion
Starting point is 01:27:33 that, like, I deserve a break. My brain needs to shut down. Like, I deserve a rest. It's hard to shut your brain down. Where did it come from for you? Well, I think it started in acting classes. Because I remember there was one that he really focused on. relaxation, which I was excited about. But I understood later when I would start going in to
Starting point is 01:28:01 audition, you know, you feel your adrenaline, you feel your blood pressure go up right before you walk in to audition. And that's, nobody wants to see a nervous actor. And you're just, you're not going to hire a nervous actor. Just built a career on a chair. You're going to auditions. You're just like crying through it. pretty much. Like, if you cast me, I'll be fine on the day. But, you know, as a producer, you can't, it's hard to cast a nervous actor in an audition because it is very stressful, but on set is even more stressful. So I, I paid attention at that time. Like, how do you keep calm in a very stressful situation? And then, and then I've recently really really, really,
Starting point is 01:28:52 been revisiting it. Well, there's a lot of overlap between not only like improv and acting the mindfulness, but you present, and this is the first time I've ever had the pleasure
Starting point is 01:29:08 of sitting down with you, but you present as extremely grounded, extremely focused, extremely calm. And that, you know, I'm not saying that you don't have a motor running a thousand miles an hour in the background,
Starting point is 01:29:19 but the way that you come across is, She could be the first lady. She has to seem like she's composed. I have to keep it together. I'm going to lose it as soon as I walk out. I mean, people are allowed to let off that steam, but to be able to, you know, have that presence.
Starting point is 01:29:34 So I always find an interesting between the skills of improv and how do they translate to the rest of life. Yeah. Well, I did learn a lot with improv because the thing that you learn, I mean, the things that I had learned previously to the groundlings as an actor was know the script, word by word, know everything about the script. So that when you start doing improv and there was no script and they say you just have to trust yourself, it's like, ew, boy, I don't think so. I mean, this doesn't make sense to me. And then you learn that there's no wrong answer.
Starting point is 01:30:16 whatever you're going to say next is the right thing. It might not be funny. It might not even add to the scene, but nobody's going to get up and walk out because you just said the kitchen's closed. You know, they might not laugh, and your scene partner may be like, okay, well, I thought we were at the baseball game, but okay.
Starting point is 01:30:38 You know, but then you justify. Your scene partner justifies. And so the thing that I learned was just to not, and I can't do this all the time, of course, but to not second-guess yourself and to not judge yourself for saying whatever you're about to say. To trust yourself that you're not going to say, I trust myself that I'm not going to say something terrible to somebody that would be offensive. Right.
Starting point is 01:31:07 So. No, but like sometimes you're like, what's going to come out of our mouth next? Well, there's trust and you have to control the anxiety or you can't get anything. Yeah. So it's like, let's be mindful, let's be present, let's show up. Yes. And so you control that. And then when I think about like bringing it back to the shutting your brain down at night,
Starting point is 01:31:27 you're like, well, I have to have trust that the day is over. Because, you know, when I hear and I have the same experience that my, you know, like when you can't sleep and I can't sleep, put it in the first person, what I'm trying to do is like figure something out mentally that I can't. So I pick up the phone to see if there's news or should. But there's nothing there that is going to solve the thing that I'm focused on. So, like, how do I then come back to trust? And I actually think there's a lot of improv that is related to that.
Starting point is 01:31:55 Like, there's an overlap between mindfulness, presence, trust, and improv and what we learn in any type of healing practice or mindfulness practice. I think you're right. And it is about trusting, right? Trusting the universe. And, you know, it's going to be okay if you... are in bed for two hours awake, but not doing anything. Like, it's okay.
Starting point is 01:32:22 And nobody's judging you. And because there's also that feeling that I feel sometimes, I'm like, if I'm awake, I should be doing something productive. That's the narrative about the thing that you felt in the first place that just spirals us. Because you brought up the word universe and I like talking about the universe. Yeah. Do you feel like there is some sort of like plan that you or some sort of divine intervention that you are on this path that are experiencing, you know, these very, what I'll
Starting point is 01:32:50 call just abnormal because there are only a handful of people that get to have. Exceptional. I mean, you've had exceptional experiences. Yeah. I do feel like it's, it's interesting because there's part of you that, or one, that feels like you, you are controlling, you're, you're navigating the boat. a little bit, but you're not in control of the waves or the ocean. So, yeah, so there's that that when I start thinking back about my life, it's, it, it feels like I am glad that I was paying attention to signals from the universe at the time, even working at the hotel and, you know, being Phil Hartman. Yeah, and then the groundlings.
Starting point is 01:33:45 And then everything in Curb Your Enthusiasm. I didn't get mad TV. I didn't even get to audition for S&L. And then I'm on curb. And then I meet Bobby. And then the next thing you know, he's running for precedent. And it's like... And you're eating rice out of your hands.
Starting point is 01:34:00 Yeah. I mean, you're eating rice out of your hands. And it's... It's... But I, you know, I feel like... I try to be receptive to what... coming at me and what's presented to me in life. I mean, I don't want to sound too, you know.
Starting point is 01:34:23 But you might, I mean, do you feel the same way? I mean, I didn't get married at the Kennedy compound. Still waiting. She wants to know if there are extra cousins. Are there cousins? Are there any single cousins? Well, no, I mean, also like, you know, John of Kennedy is the first Catholic president,
Starting point is 01:34:46 like in my family were Jewish. It was like there was some weird camaraderie, I think that a lot of immigrants felt. Like, yeah. Like, he did it different. Like, we're different. So, like, you know, it's a very kind of different world
Starting point is 01:34:59 that we're talking about. But I think that, you know, it's something that we talk about a lot. Like, and, you know, what we're talking about, like the Christian word is providence, right? Is there providence here? Are you able to say, the hand of God, whatever that looks like,
Starting point is 01:35:13 you know, was always guiding my past. path. And, you know, with that, though, you have to take the bad with the good, meaning like every, you know, every trial and every challenge is also included, you know, in that path. But, yeah, I mean, if I, I mean, if I, no, I wouldn't have drawn, if I were you, I wouldn't have drawn that line from beauty school at 17, you know, to being a famous actor. Right. And, you know, like, respected in your, you know, in your profession and known to, you know, millions of people, like, for your talent as an actor. Like, that alone, I mean, you have, you're very nine lives about this, though, you know, you've had a lot of incredible iterations. It's really, um, and if we go metaphysical,
Starting point is 01:36:02 because to answer your question, you know, obviously totally different, um, arenas. But I do think that for me, when I look at, like, small moments, for example, I'm at my name when our kids were three years old at a shared birthday party that they were friends at. We were both married to other people. That was 12 and a half, maybe 13 years ago. I moved from out, away from L.A. back to Toronto. Then I moved to Oregon and this number of things that happened. And the way that then we got to these chairs is totally random.
Starting point is 01:36:44 You know, like there was no way. that that would have happened. And the number of things that would have had to happen in order for that to unfold to even have this conversation. Right. To hear about someone's life who is even more peculiar. But in some of my circles, they're like, you're sitting down and having this conversation from some kid, you know, I'm from Toronto and my friends are most of them, a lot of them still
Starting point is 01:37:06 there doing whatever it is that they're doing. Many of them having really cool experiences. But just I never saw that for myself. This is your boot on? Is it your moot on? You can eat rice out of it. I have phil of rice. And then the other things that, you know, have aligned beside that to, you know,
Starting point is 01:37:24 start a company and to explore that and to be sitting with sometimes people who have started, you know, very large influential organization. You're like, there's a surreal nature that I could never have imagined. And I do wonder, I'm like, is it Providence? Is it totally random? But what I always connect back to is that growing up, I was like looking around and I never looked around and was like, oh, this is for me. You always thought there was something.
Starting point is 01:37:54 I always thought there was something else. Oh, that's how I felt in Florida. Although my whole family lives in Florida and I appreciate Florida. I appreciate the people there. But when I was growing up, I just felt like, hmm, this is, I don't think this is where I'm supposed to be. Wow. And that's the intuition when I heard you talk about Florida and you're like, oh, I know I need to go to Los Angeles.
Starting point is 01:38:18 I didn't know where I needed to go, but I knew that I needed to leave in a way. Corona's an amazing city. Like I think it's one of the best cities in the world. And I, all my friends, not all of them, but majority of my friends, they went to a college called Western, which is in London, Ontario, which is two hours away. And I was like, I knew so much that I was not going there. Yeah. I, again, didn't know where else I was going to go. And a lot of my life is like, I'm not sure where to go.
Starting point is 01:38:44 But then I end up there. That's where you ended up going to school? I did not go. No, I ended up going to Vermont and then out to the west coast to Victoria Island, British Columbia. Then from there down to Los Angeles and I did the American Film Institute's conservatory program. Never would I have thought to do that from there. But like, again, following the sign of like, oh, this doesn't feel like something I need to do. or where I need to be.
Starting point is 01:39:12 Which is powerful, too, to know what you don't want. And to be able to move away from it. That's hard. It's not always easy. Because a lot of times it's, you know, it's taking risks. That's the other thing. I, for the most part, I'm okay, taking risks. You know, I don't, because I have faith that I'll make decisions in the moment that are going to be okay.
Starting point is 01:39:40 I will figure it out when the time comes, but I know people that are paralyzed by risk. They do not want to take a risk. That is probably part of it. That goes back to presence, mindfulness, which is another parallel between improv and mindfulness and spirituality. It's like, you were okay to be like, I'm going to be able to make that decision, which has a huge amount of trust in it, which I admire. First of all, I don't relate to either of you because I've been stuck in the city. since, literally, since I was two weeks old.
Starting point is 01:40:13 And every time I tried to leave, I ended up staying. I was supposed to go to Harvard, but I was working on Blossom, and I'm just stuck and I'm here, and I've always, like, I just, I don't relate. And part of it, I mean, I think there's a risk element, but I don't know. It's like my destiny was just to wait here for you to move back, I guess. I don't know. Can I tell Cheryl about how great New York is for you? I do love New York.
Starting point is 01:40:35 That's my city. You talk about that you've been stuck here. Yep. But there's a totally different version of her. But you like better. Everybody knows. In New York. I'm a different person there.
Starting point is 01:40:47 Her hair's a little different. She's like, but she drives differently. Oh, I drive like, this is how I was supposed to drive. Everybody understands me here. But there's a resonance of a place that I think people can gravitate towards. Can I do rapid fire with you? It's very rapid. It's very rapid.
Starting point is 01:41:01 I thought you were to say we weren't recording. This is rapid fire, breakdown style, with Cheryl Hines. What was your mother right about? Um, she'd always tell me, when I fall in love to save a little piece for yourself in case it didn't work out. I was like, okay. So that was interesting. What was your father right about? Oh, if you have, you don't, you might not know this.
Starting point is 01:41:32 If you have a leg cramp or a foot cramp to drink pickle juice. Super good information. There's a lot of pickle juice going on in our house. and it drives my daughter cat crazy because she'll go, she'll be like, why are you talking about me? So she'll get a pickle and there's no pickle juice in the church. Like, you guys are disgusting. Do you get a lot of cramps?
Starting point is 01:41:54 Yes, because have you ever hiked them out in a Bouton? Do they have pickles in Bouton at the store? No, they don't. But in our house, for whatever reason, there's a lot of physical fitness. or whatever. I mean, Bobby's, Bobby will, he hikes every day. And he would have me do it too if he. Yeah. A friend of mine who adjacently knows him was like, I can arrange a hike for you with him. I'm like, is that how you meet with him? You hike with him? Sign me up. Is there like a, what, meetup? No, I don't know. Location that promotes your best mental health. I mean, the beach.
Starting point is 01:42:36 Oh. Yeah. I'm probably any beach. Nice. You're in the right state. Do you have a mantra or a saying that you like very much? My sister and I always say, you know, if we're having a tough time, we always say you just got to run through the fire. You know, there are just tough times that will happen. And my sister was saying that this is a slow walk. The election, she's like, you're going to have a slow walk through the fire. I'm like, thank you. And you're not wrong.
Starting point is 01:43:08 I love that. Yeah. Just make sure you don't cramp. Who's been your best spiritual teacher? My sister. Nice. Moment of best intuition. Well, this is sort of strange, but kind of circling back to what we were talking about.
Starting point is 01:43:23 When I first moved here and I was getting my headshots done, the photographer, we were talking about life and he said that I had to read the seven spiritual laws of success by Deepak Chopra. And I thought, that seems a little crazy, but okay. And I did. And I mean, it was, it wasn't something that I usually do if somebody says, oh, you have to read this to go get it and read it. But you did. And it really did change.
Starting point is 01:43:56 There's one, one of the rules in there really changed my life. Which one? The rule of detachment. Because at the time, I was, I mean, and I still am an actor, but I felt like if I just got this acting job, my life would be perfect. So you get so attached to the outcome of every audition that I just needed that job. And then once I could detach from the idea, you're probably not going to get the job. So just relax.
Starting point is 01:44:29 But just go have a great audition. It changed my life and it changed how I see things because sometimes I realize I have to let go of the outcome. Just like, it's just like this, um, um, um, campaign. If I really, if I really wanted to be first lady and that's, I felt like my whole life would be complete. And that's what I was hanging on to. That's a tough way to live. And then if that doesn't happen, then what are you left with?
Starting point is 01:45:00 But if, if your intention is, I'm going to see, I'm going to enjoy the people that I meet along the way, I'm going to see this world through this lens that otherwise I would never see it through. Then it's, then you're, and then whatever happens, the outcome is what's supposed to have happened, whether you make it or not, but if you don't make it, it leads you to the next thing. And if you do, then, you know, that was meant to be. That's a long answer for a rapid fire, sorry.
Starting point is 01:45:32 That's great, though. It's a great piece of learning. Who are you most competitive with? I'm not very competitive. Oh, well, oh. Okay. No, that's not true. My friends that play poker, we play poker.
Starting point is 01:45:44 Oh, and you get competitive? Oh, yeah. Mm-hmm. And what do you know to be true? That change is inevitable. As much as you don't want things to change, it's going to change. The final episode of Curb aired last week, but you can watch the whole season, currently available on Max. Also, if you've never watched Kirby's enthusiasm and you like me, watch that show, it's the show for you.
Starting point is 01:46:12 And also, check out Heinz and Young. Oh, yeah. Can I just say that your listeners can have a discount. What? If they go to shop Heinz Young. A lot of people listen to this. Yeah. Okay.
Starting point is 01:46:25 And then type in break. She's like, your five listeners can have a coupon. And then type in, you know, when you're checking out the breakdown 20. Stop it. Yes. That is so generous. Breakdown 20. And you too can have a Capri honeymoon with Cheryl.
Starting point is 01:46:41 And at the end of the day, just light your candle and don't worry about a thing. From our breakdown to the one we hope you never have. We'll see you next time. It's My and Beallix Breakdown. She's going to break it down for you. She's got a neuroscience PhD or two. One fiction. And now she's going to break.

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.