Sex, Love, and What Else Matters - Professional Babysitter: Confessions of a Reality TV Producer

Episode Date: February 28, 2026

Episode 178. In this episode, Kristen is joined by one of her favorite producers — Emmy Award–winning showrunner Lyndsey Burr — the powerhouse behind Queer Eye, former producer on Vanderpump Rules, and a longtime reality TV insider whose career spans from production assistant to talent supervisor to showrunner. Before the Emmys and showrunning credits, Lyndsey worked as a self-described “professional babysitter” on America's Next Top Model, where she started as a production assistant and rose to talent supervisor. Plus — yes — we get into the iconic “we were rooting for you” moment and her firsthand take from being there. Kristen and Lyndsey revisit their time on VPR and unpack the delicate balance between producing great television and protecting real human emotions. The conversation also dives into her work on Queer Eye — from the casting process and the most emotionally difficult episode to shoot this past season, to why the beloved series is coming to an end. If you’ve ever wondered what happens when the cameras stop rolling… this episode is for you. Sponsors: For a limited time, our listeners get 15% off at Arey by using code KRISTEN at Arey.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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And I'm Sabina Gadeki-Ritch, and this is Girl Edits. Think of this as your weekly group chat, but with microphones. We are talking beauty, skin care, and wellness. And whatever the internet is losing its mind over. If it's on your feed, it is on this podcast. Personal stories. Oversharing. Absolutely.

Real unfiltered and various. This is Girl Edits. Listen wherever you get your podcast. Hi, babes. Welcome back to another episode of Balancing Act. Today's guest, I had to write all this down because I just love you so much. Today's guest is someone who has literally seen every version of me. The chaotic, the guarded, the growing, the spiraling, and the evolved. Right? Yeah. Okay. And all of it, the best heart. And before she was, an Emmy winning showrunner. I could cry. She was professionally babysitting models on America's Next Top Model. She then upgraded to babysitting us at Sir on Banderpump Rules, which honestly may have been harder, I'm going to ask. And now she's coming off her final season of Queer Eye, a show built on vulnerability, empathy, and transformation, which feels like a very full circle arc of your career. Outspoken cares deeply about human rights, got married a few years ago, and through it all,

she has stayed one of the kindest, most grounded, and one of my closest friends ever. Lindsay Burr, welcome to balancing up. Yes. Wow. The end. Let's call it. That's really nice. I feel all those things about you plus more. Oh my gosh. I want to write one about you. Kristen, best heart. Just all of these things and you have the best heart. And that's why you are, you always, you are who you are. That's very true. You wear yourself on your sleeve and that's why I love you so much. I don't know how to be any other way. I'm the same way. Yeah. I have no poker face. You just know. And I'm just going to throw it out, even though we're going to get to the Vanderpump of it all, and to my other producers, I love you all.

By far, you have always been, since we work together, my favorite producer, you are the only person that can get me to dive into things that I maybe not want to. I was going to say, do things I don't want to do, but that's not true. Because Lindsay has a sentence that she used to say to me when we would be filming and I would shut down about something. I didn't want to talk about or I felt uncomfortable, it didn't feel good, or I wanted to run away from it. And what was that sentence? Is there a world where? I think it's always important to meet people where they're, like being on TV, I can't even imagine because I'm super uncomfortable even right now with a camera in my face. So doing it for a living, I just have such mad respect for anyone who says, yeah, I'm going to be, I'm going to show myself to you and be vulnerable.

and all that. And I think the role of me and our team of producers is to cultivate trust and to walk you through the difficult things. And to find, we might come in with like needing information. We're here. We're here to make a TV show. We have everyone has bosses. As Tyra says, bosses have bosses. Bosses have bosses. No one's safe. But I always think there's a solution where talent, you can lead with what the talent needs. Like there's, if you don't, it's not, there's no no. There's like, how do we get, how do we approach it so it feels authentic to you? Yeah.

And it's like talking that out. Is there a world where? And you never, ever tried to manipulate me. You never tried to trick me, quote, and quote. Like, you never tried to get me to say or do something that wasn't truly how I felt. it was like, this is what I feel I need from you by watching you and being around you. If it doesn't feel true to you, Kristen, what does feel true? Yes.

And let's find a world where we meet in the middle where we still tell the story. Yes. But I'm not like hiding from the story. Not hiding from it and me not putting my words into your mouth. I think that's always like really big. And it's what is your truth? And like how do we, how do you have that difficult conversation? because I watched you all have conversations with people.

I was like, I would never be able to do that. And how you all navigate that and getting you to that. I remember it was like your ex. We had to talk about like, are you guys going to be together or are you not? And it was, we really sat down and talked about how you navigate that with him because you were worried about his feelings. And there was your perspective of why, your why not, I can't do it like that. is you were just what I love about you is because you were like considerate of him and how he would

come off. And so I think you all make it look easy. It's not an easy job what you do. It's not an easy job. I have a lot of respects. Yeah. I think if maybe for people in docu series reality world like the cast or the talent, if you're living what feels to you as an easy season of life, you know, like if things in your life are going really

swimmingly, then it might be easy. It's fun. It's fun. Everything's great. Life's great, but it's great. No shit. It's so true. But it's always, but it isn't. So yeah, I, yes, but thank you and I love you. And I was a really sweet introduction. It's all true. I'm also a professional babysitter. That's my job. Which is literally what I'm about to get into. Because I don't know how I didn't realize that you did top model until we were talking. And I just. And I just watched, of course, I was a top model, like, obsessed with it when it was out back in the early odds, just watched the Netflix special. I actually sent in casting. Like, I sent in my stuff and I forgot about it. Oh, my God. I wonder if we can find it. I was like 19, I want to say, maybe 18. Oh, my God. Do you remember? What year? What year? I thought of been. 2001, 2002. It was around that. It was early early. It might have been the very first season. Yeah. Oh, I wonder if there's how to get access to that. And I remember like now looking back, I remember doing like my Polaroids or my digitals and being like, oh, they're probably going to think I'm too fat. And I was probably like 120 pounds wet. I was a child. But that's very wild. Like, thank God that wasn't in the cards for me.

I think you landed on the right. The whole trajectory of my life would be so different. You landed in the right world. So yes, you have professionally babysat models, bartenders, servers, the Fab Five. You have a major range. And so before social media accountability, right, there was top model. Yes. So you were a talent producer, a supervising producer. What does that look like on a show like Top Model? So it was really interesting because when I started on Top Model, I was, first of all, the same age as most of the models we were casting.

And I started at 10 by 10 as a production assistant. I like through friend of friend, everything's networking. I walked into this job. And season four, season two, I was in the office, getting everyone coffees. I remember they were going to Italy for season two. And I had gone abroad to Italy for school and like never went to class and knew seven words of Italian. But I thought it was really like they would be at a loss if they did. didn't take me with them with my knowledge of seven words of Italian. So I wrote Ken mock a letter and like put it on his desk and said, you should take me to leave. And these are the reasons. You're a go better. And I didn't go. But I think it stood out. And I know, you know,

there's a lot of stuff going on right now about top model and all of that. Listen, I can taught me so much. And I think, and I tell this to everybody who wants to get into TV or has any ambition in it. Take every job. Every job is going to teach you the skills you either do or don't want for your next one. And I mean, I spent 10, I did 10 seasons of Top Model through babysitting. I did post. It was my first post job. I learned so much about storytelling in that environment. And we can say what we want about all of the, you know, Ken and the evil and blah, blah, blah, but I truly think he had such an incredible team that actually cared about really navigating people's stories. And I learned a lot about that. I credit my eye and listening skills and interview skills,

which I love to do from Top Model, from listening to the people who came before me. So it's not all bad. There's doubt. It didn't age well. It didn't age well. And I think that's the main thing. Like, the world has changed so much as it should. And thank God the world has changed. I just, I think all of this is like, look at where we, where we've come from. And you could take it even in a bigger lens than TV. It's like, look at life. Like, look at 50 years ago in life. So obviously there's an evolution and reality TV. It was a wild west. I mean, I was the baby. Season. four, they were like, you're the babysitter of the girls. And it was a job that like didn't exist. It was kind of like, we need someone to, it was back in the day when there was a lot of betting on reality TV and there were a lot of, there was no social media. So not everybody was a star, right?

So there was a lot of betting, illegal betting going on about who was going to win survivor, who was going to win top model. And so then there were paparazzi. Everywhere we would go, there was always people trying to figure out who had one top model. And then... Like how they do with The Bachelor. Like they still kind of do with The Bachelor. Yeah. So there was a lot of secrecy. So when people talk about the NDAs for Top Model, yeah, there's NDAs because we signed our life away because they didn't want the reveal to happen until it aired. And I remember even my own mom being like, who won? And I was like, I can't tell you. Am I? In watching, the new reboot, or not reboot, I'm sorry, in watching the Netflix thing, hearing some of the

girls say like when they got kicked off the show, like they went to a hotel and they stayed for the entirety. That was me. So you were there babysitter. So I was the babysitter. And how it would work is we always had two legs. We had the, um, Los Angeles or New York. Explain what a leg means. So the first run of the, like we would all be, these seasons, we all shot in L.A. So it would be all the girls that were, women that were cast in L.A. And I think we'd probably eliminate like eight while we were here in L.A.

And then it would be the big reveal and we're going on some crazy trip to somewhere. And all the models that were eliminated in L.A., they would go home. And then we would go on this trip. And then the models that were eliminated on the trip, they would stay throughout the trip. they would all walk the final runway. So when we would do the final runway, people would see

these other people in it. And nobody would knew, nobody there would know who the finalists were, who the last two were. It was really on lockdown. So it was really on lockdown. But these girls, I mean, I could say girls because I was a girl. And so I, I love to use women. I like to say women, but they were young. I was a girl too. I'd like to think we had fun. I, I always made sure they had apartments or hotels that had kitchens or kitchenettes. For the cat, for the challenge. Yeah. So they could cook.

The first season I did, I think they stayed at the standard hotel. And I was like, that's a problem downtown. It was a shit show party. So then by season five, they were staying. Why is it a problem? Because exactly why? Exactly that. And so cycle five, we went to West Hollywood to this great hotel that they had like kitchen.

in a pool. And I would go, this is also crazy. We would eliminate. And then they'd be two women in a room at a time. So most of the time, I don't remember if it was every time we did it, but it would be the two girls in the room, they only knew about each other. And so I would go take them out to lunch and we'd go shopping and then I'd go take out the other girls. And you're like back to your room. Don't come out. Yeah. So they wouldn't know who else got eliminated because that's how tight they wanted to keep. the the information from getting out. But I got tattoos. I got my tramp stamp with the models.

I went wine tasting. We went to Magic Mountain. Like, you still talk to you have any, like, I talked to Joni. Okay, so you do like, yeah, yeah.

I love, I love Joni and I love where her career has gone. I have wild, I get there, and you know what? I love Danny. I think Danny is just the best. I remember Danny.

Naima. Yeah. Kaelin. They were just, I mean, what a time. Yeah. What a time. I loved Janice is crazy. Yeah.

I love her because she is who she is. I know. It's the wild thing is like looking back on the things even that would come out of her mouth. But it again, like it wasn't, it was shock value then. It wasn't frowned upon then. It was shock value. Yeah. And she had lived the life.

Herself. Like, yeah. She had walked that thing. She had terrible things done to her. I ended up becoming a huge Janus fan. I worked on her modeling agency show. I love Janice. And I thought she, I just loved because you knew exactly who she was.

You knew where you stood with her. She, you know, she might throw food at you one day. But you're like, okay. I don't know. Then I read her book and I was like, oh, I see where she goes. comes from and like I she's passionate yeah she was a passionate person but they were wild times I look back on it now and you could if you were to like dig out that section of time and put it in today it obviously would it work and but we've all evolved from that but I also go like every time

I bring up top model there's never been someone who's like oh I don't know what you're talking about it was the biggest fucking show of its time right up there with Survivor an American Idol and It was licensed in 100 and some odd countries. It was one of the first like competition shows that wasn't about being physical. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Like you had like the road rules and the challenge of it all, the survivor of it all. Yeah.

But it was for me like it wasn't a singing competition. Yeah. It was something completely on its own. Interesting. And Richard, there was a producer. He passed away of ALS and he ended up becoming like a really great. film director. He did the movie Kinseniera and Still Alice that won the Academy Award. He wrote and directed that. He was heavily involved in our, he was a post story producer and he was heavily

involved in this crafting of stories. And I loved him so much because he taught me that nuances everything in looking at people. He loved, he loved knowing about everyone, like what made someone tick. Yeah. What is what is their heart, you know? And I think a lot of that gets looked over in or simplified, over simplified in reality TV these days. For sure. Not not everyone so black and white and he was so great at at navigating that and and it was really, I loved learning from him. So yeah, yeah. But yeah, we have. had some crazy challenges and they didn't age well. Yeah.

So, um, what wild stories, like a story or two, whatever you want, like that you were around for. I mean, I know you were there when I was there when Tyra did the, we were rooting for you. We were rooting for you. Um, I was sitting on the floor. It's so wild. I could like, did the room physically go back? Yes. Yes. Felt as a viewer. Yeah. Absolutely. And I was. I'm only laughing because I'm uncomfortable thinking about it. It's not funny. Like, it was very, even watching it back now, I'm still like, I feel like my muscles tense up. Oh, yeah. And I just want to run and go hug her. Her Tiffany. And be like, Tyra, you need to take a walk. This is about- Chill out. None of us expected that.

My mother yelled at me because she loved me and screamed it at the top of her lungs. I was like, oh, no. Oh, that's not good either. You got some stuff to work out. Well, and now you're taking it out on this poor girl. I know when she said in the documentary that there was a history with Tiffany, I don't think I was aware of that. I just know. I don't know if there was. That's just my take? Yeah.

I maybe, I don't know. But I was sitting on the floor of that room. And those rooms were not, it was still a pretty tight room. And I was sitting next to, I believe, like Rubin, one of our camera operators. And I remember looking up. And I had not been on set for Top Monument. this was my first season being on set. We were shooting in downtown L.A.

And I was just like, is that supposed to happen? Right. Was that supposed to? Yeah. So that was really uncomfortable. I mean, there's so many. The crew of that show, I will say, we are still in contact today. Like, I'm on a text chain with people that, like, our old production manager and producers.

And it was such a tight crew. We would shoot two cycles a year. So we would go. You shot two cycles per year. And then we'd get these trips paid for. We'd go to South Africa. We'd go to Thailand. And you're young and it.

Oh, my God. And then you could extend your trip. So we would all travel. Like we were in London for the subway bombings. Doing a judging during the subway bombing. And I remember being like, why are there all the cops and every, the sirens going off? And so at the end of judging, we told all the girls. And we had to shut down production then.

Yeah. But me, I was like crazy. I was like, I'm still going to Ireland. And I did. That's so fun. I don't think people realize the necessarily the amount of, because you're bringing up crew like the amount of work that goes into making any show. I mean, just the shows I've been a part of.

It's a circus. The Valley. I did a competition show called The Goat. And we had. And that show was like nothing. We had 150 plus crew members. Yeah. That's different for you.

Yeah. Like the robocams are those cameras. You see that like are in the house. House. House cams. Yeah. Just the amount of people that it takes like it takes a city to build these shows. And it's everyone's like specific talent.

And I and this is taking years to cultivate, right? Like when when back in 2000, I mean, we're always learning and adjust. and adding roles. And now we need someone who could do this, right? I mean, I remember when I did Top Model, our director didn't want to go to work at 6 a.m. So he's like, you're going to direct morning reality.

And I was like, all right. So I would go and I would just direct cameras. And they were like TVs. They weren't even monitors. They were like hard big TVs. It's like 20 years ago. Yeah, that you would carry in. But yeah, there's a whole team of people

that go into crafting to making it happen, right? And that team often becomes super close and on a series like that was really special because we had so many opportunities, like it kept going. So we had an opportunity. Like a season after season, they called it cycles. Yeah, cycles.

It's seasons. But yeah, we had the opportunity to just see a lot of the world and it was great. Okay. Can we talk about the moment you noticed your first gray hair because mine did not arrive quietly. I was like, oh, okay, we're here now. And it's never just about color. It feels like a reminder that your hair is changing and suddenly you're thinking about

how to keep it looking healthy and vibrant. Listen, I color, I heat style my hair a lot. So when I got a system, I was especially excited about the deep treatment duo. I have been using it consistently. My hair feels stronger, more conditioned. It looks smoother. It's fuller. And I'm seeing fewer new gray's coming in, which honestly, it feels empowering when you're trying to maintain your natural hair color as long as possible. What I love is that a ray is designed to slow gray growth while actually caring for your hair. It feels proactive, like you're supporting your hair instead of constantly reacting to changes. Most of us invest in skincare, right, to slow signs of aging. This is that same mindset, but this is for your hair. And I genuinely wish I started sooner. Most people cover

grays, but you can actually slow their progression. For a limited time, our listeners get 15% off at Array by using code Kristen at Array.com. So just head to A-R-E-Y.com and use code Kristen and you are all set. After you purchase, they will ask where you heard about them. Please support our show and tell them that our show sent you. Just in regards to 2000's reality TV culture, what do you think would surprise people the most about that now? I mean, I guess that just no one thought anything

of what was happening in the moment. I think we didn't, I think we were so, it's so easy to look at it now and go like, duh. And maybe we'll say it again about now. We were so concerned and wanting to make a hit

and what do people want to see. What does it mean to make a hit? And what does it mean? And how, when we did it, can we do it again? Like people don't want to recreate the magic. People don't want to see the same thing. They don't want redundancy.

So how do you make it different this time? And I think we were so wrapped up in that. Yeah. That like you couldn't see the forest through the trees, right? And I wonder what we'll say about TV today 20 years from now. Like how will it change? So. Yeah.

And the pressure to the pressure to like keep up with what the viewers want, but also create something that's authentic enough, depending on what kind of show it's obviously. What's the balance, right? And then there's people like, you can argue about what people will do for things today, like beast games, all these things that are, I go, like they're not far off from, you know. Yeah. But any, I don't know. It's that and just there used to be really big budgets. That is also. There used to be so much money. Far less, like, the amount of shows for network. Big budgets.

Like, I remember we did average Joe and we rented. I remember that. Oh, my God, what a ridiculous show that was, too. We rented like 20 luxury cars that probably cost $200,000 each, took him to the desert. They all got destroyed. And it was like, no big deal. And that was, I mean, the budgets on things, those don't. exist. We used to have money. That's such a good point. But I also think the people outside of what you do

for a living have no idea. The scope. For a really big scope. People invested and now, it's like, what can you do? And so we can't really judge reality TV then by today's standards. No, it's ever evolving. It's like apples and oranges. You can comment on it and you can critique it. And we should all hear that. And I'm sitting here going, yep, you're right. But to cancel it is where like I go, well, I think we learn from it, right? Yeah. I think it would be a cool, just to kind of wrap up the total, I think it would be really interesting as a revamp, but I don't know what it is. It would have to be done so differently. Well, this is what I was going to say. So there, I know she's like, cycle 25 and and there's been talk amongst the I'm sure the world about bringing top model back um I

this is maybe kind of the segue but I think in some ways the reboot of queer eye was um the original queer eye was a really great representation at the time of queer of queer of five it gave it gave a microphone to five gay men that you didn't see on TV. But it was quirky and it was cut really differently and it wasn't cut with the emotion that you saw. It wasn't about the heart. It was more of the, and it was kind of mean-spirited at times. It was funny, but it was like you look at it. If you go back and look, there's times where like they're not so kind to the straight guy. Yeah, they're basically like, look at you and look at us. Yeah. And I think that fit. for the time. It was really like, of course, that's how we're going to tell it. But when

the idea of revamping that came about, and this is Scout and ITV and Jen Lane, they hired literally the most incredible showrunner on earth to rethink like, you can't just say, like, here's a format, let's do it again. What does that show look like today? And that was her, that was all of them being like, it's got, well, let's not just have straight slubs in this. It could queer eyes for everyone. It's about meeting people where they are and having conversations. And I think if a top model was ever to,

I don't know what that looks like. I sit there often and think because like what a joy it would be if we could get like the gang back together and make top model again without like people throwing tomatoes at us. What would that look like, right? And obviously, modeling still exists. So, you know, you have influencers. It looks different.

The world looks different. But how, I mean, obviously, I don't think we'd be putting, like, the woman whose friend just died into a grave to take a photo. Like, like, let's rethink our storytelling. I think that we were going for. It doesn't have to be for shock value because there will be things that just naturally comes. Yes. Find the interesting story without, well, maybe tell the story about the girl who lost a friend.

instead of challenging her. Yes. Tell the story. Story telling. Did, do you feel like, and maybe not, maybe you were too young then, do you feel like any of doing Top Model like shaped you into feeling like protective over. Oh, yes.

People you work with protective. Oh, my God. Are you kidding me? I thought, even though I was the same age of them, I would have, I, they were my kids in my brain. I would have stood in front of a bus for them. I remember guys hitting on them out on the street and I would be like, get away. I mean, and I...

That's just naturally who you are. I am a mama bear. So, yes. And it's how I feel about my both crew and the talent I work with. Like on and off camera, if I am, especially as you, I've moved up and I think there were moments in my career where I would have wanted someone to protect me. better. And I learned from that. And so I'm never going to not protect the people that. There are times I wanted to protect you, too, for sure.

Okay, let's talk about Queer Eye. My favorite show ever. Because I, Queer Eye is my favorite show ever. I could cry right now, thinking that it's not going to be on anymore. And I thought there were going to be more episodes. I know you texted me. I was like, I think like three times and DMD. I was like, wait, but I thought there was at least six? And like, wasn't there 10 last season? No, we're 10. Why? Why?

Yep. Is there any simple answer for why is it ending? Or is it just time? I think it's just time. And listen, we all want it. We'd want more. It's, there's no simple answer. I wish there was.

But I will say this last season, it felt like time. And not to say that there is. another world where Queer Eye has another rebirth. I know we all want that for it. Even if it's like a special of some kind. What does it look like? Or is it new Fab Five? Is it new? I just feel like whenever you work with five people who have very different schedules and have built their own lives. Yeah. And built their brands from the show. They are really famous people now. And they go out and they're famous. Some have families. And they have on top of, like their own career outside of the show.

So it just makes it harder to do. And so does the spirit of queer I live on? Yes. Can it be, can we do it again? I have so many thoughts of what it would look like if we could do it again. And I'm hopeful there'll be another world where we can. But it's hands down the best show I've ever worked on in my, sorry, Vanderpump and Kristen. 100%.

But it was my dream job. Like dream. I mean, to be able. to work on a show that is not about surrounded by like the drama of but it's about the empathy of and the lives that are being changed and and how that's done what I love about queer right now it's not like these crazy we're going to make you over into someone you're not we're going to help you're going to work with what your life is now and we're going to do these these small changes that feel really big to the person. We're going to give your house a little refresh. We're going to show you clothes that

accent your body and your lifestyle as well. But you can do these things to kind of like put a little pep in your stuff. I mean, I want to be queer-eyed. I worked on it. I would love to be queer-eyed. I would love to be queer-eyed. I wear leggings every day. They would come look at my closet and be like, oh, tan hates the leggings. Oh, most people do. I mean, like, I wear a legging every day. Tan take take over. But seriously, I mean, just every, every cast member just has such a purpose that it looked like looking way back how like you, like you just said, like looking at your own life. I would love like the queer eye makeup. But I'm like, it really is. It's like here's the soul. And the clothes, the hair, the makeup, like I love Jonathan. Oh my God. That's so fun. More than words can say.

It's so fun. Just his, he's the best person for that when someone doesn't want to get ready. I don't like, I don't care about skincare. And it's like, oh, honey. It just, my whole heart melts. And we know as women, like, I'm not like, I have my makeup done today. I get it done when I'm on camera because I'm not a big makeup girl. Me neither. I like, I should have got it done. I forgot. And I'm none of those things, but we do know, like, there is something that changes when you get up in the morning and you like brush your hair. And you feel good. And you put a little lip gloss or a little blush on or a little mascara and you look at yourself in the mirror and you just feel differently. And that's what these guys do.

It's, for these incredible people that are so deserving on top of that. Kristen, I can't even begin to tell you how insanely life changing. And if I do nothing else for the rest of my career, to say I got to do queer eye, Jen always says it's we just turn your shoulder a little bit and that just little turn changes your trajectory, our heroes. Like our, we just shift you just a little bit. And you're like, oh, wow, I had it. It's like Dorothy.

I was a homeless hero. I had it the whole time. I just needed five fairy godmothers to tell me, right? I needed the confidence boost or the mindful to be sort of taken off of my eyes to be able to see myself. And it's joy. Like the show is joy. What a gift. In the final season, do you have a fit?

I know. I'm probably. Yeah. Oh, I can tell you. Oh, yeah. And was there one logistically at all that was very difficult? Oh, yes. In my mind, who are you thinking?

The firefighter woman. I forgot her name. How logistically difficult that felt. I'm watching it as someone who's done TV for a long time and seeing how resistant she was would just make it so hard, not only on the guys, but on, and you guys as producers. Yeah. Mostly. Myself at time. I still create a show, but you're not, this is not a show where you force someone to do something.

To do something. No. Yeah. You meet people where they're at. And I remember seeing that moment for her, that turn where she softened. She stopped herself. And allowed them in. In, like into her soul.

And I was just sobbing. I was like, thank God. Because I was like, you guys are clearly airing this episode. It could end not the way we hoped. It could not. And it may end with like a not a fairy tale ending. And you're still telling the story because she wasn't ready. Yeah.

We were like, you know what? If we don't get the fairy tale ending, that'll be a first for queer eye. We were all very skeptical of it. And same with the Fab Five. They were like, wow, this is going to be a lot of work. And I loved the human that was that you guys chose to show in the Fab Five, like in their frustration. Yeah.

But still the kindness that lived through the frustration. but you didn't sugarcoat the frustration where they were like, don't worry, she'll come around. It was like, this is really hard because we just want to help you, but we can't. You have to help yourself. Yeah, you have to help yourself. That was a really difficult.

Did that one take longer to shoot? No. I mean, we don't, we have our, we shoot the show in five days. And like each episode, each episode gets five days. And it's truly those, it's truly what you. you see. Like, and one of those days is our like prep day, like all the pre stuff you see. So really it's, we turn, it's, you know, a week is what I, that's a true timeline what you see in the edit. She was really difficult, but this is what I've always loved about queer I and pretty much about

like any unscripted television I work in. I love, even if I don't love someone or if I, I, I, I, I, I'm not saying I don't love Kay. I do actually. But if I have, I find them challenging or like, God, I look at the people that love them. And then that just like her daughters. Yeah. I got to meet her community. I went to her church and I met the woman who works at her church who is rooting for her and said, you have to do this.

I met her mom. I talked to her brother, you know. And like the people that root and want it, even if they don't want this for themselves, who want better for the person they love. is the purpose, right? So that's the gas. I mean, her daughters are everything. Her community, that neighborhood.

I mean, her neighbors were incredible. I couldn't believe how many people came over to see, like, the house revealing. Everyone. And it was a torrential downpour, and people just kept showing up. Yeah. So, oh, we had such big plans for the fashion show. We wanted her to do it for everyone, but it was raining. And so it didn't happen.

But so that. So that's where in the difficult things, I always go like, man, look at the people. Look at the people that love. And we could be struggling, her and I or whoever. But this woman has this community that is loving her and rooting for her. And we're here to help them help her. And I even felt that way, remind me her name, Episode 1. Oh, Doreen.

Doreen is my girl. I know that you told us your favorite, right? That was your favorite, right? That was your heart and sense. If I never, she was even a little, she wasn't as like, no, I'm not doing this as Kate was. But she was a little. Yeah. She was skeptical.

Clearly ready, willing and kind and cool to the guys. Yeah. But it definitely took some like maneuver. And then when she got that, when she got dressed with tan, oh my God, I can't. I can. That episode to me, I would, I would talk about it for three hours if you wanted. It's my. when we met them in casting, all the way through,

they were the last one, they were the first episode that aired. They were the last episode we shot. And what a perfect way to end Queer Eye. The end of Queer Eye happened with these two women. And I'm such a sucker for like older women and grandmas. And just my core like Jess is has always been attracted. I'd love to do a show about, older people. I've always, I've pitched many versions of these and it always gets turned down.

But, um, I just love them. And that was also a really challenge. I mean, they were, what you see, they were, they had a lot of difficulty communicating. There's health issues. But what a joy that week was. What does the casting process look like for queer? It's never even crossed my mind. I guess as a viewer, you know people are submitting their loved one or someone that they care about. It's literally saying this is why I think they should. It's literally nominations and friend of friend. God, how do you narrow that down? I would be like, everyone.

Oh my gosh. You get really, I don't know. It's hard because when I first started in the Austin season, I thought I was that. I was like, everyone should do it. But then more experience and working with our team. our team is so good and both our casting team, our producing team, the whole, everybody that produces Queer Eye is just A plus. So there's a lot of voices in it that say that, you know, ring the golden buzzer like,

we must have this or we must have that. But it's, this one was particularly challenging because it was the end, right? And so, and do we always get it right? I don't know. Like, it's hard because. I think it was perfectly, right? Just, you know. a half a season too short.

That's what I say. I was like, but you want to know what was so crazy is we thought Vegas was going to be our last season. We like really were like, every time you do a show,

you think this is like the end. We're never going to do it again. And so I think, and Vegas was, when I say, it's the best time I have ever had making TV in my career.

It was so fun. The crew, everyone, we had so much fun. And our hotel was fun that we all stayed at. It was just symbiotic. It was fun to do something on the West Coast, too. So we thought we were done.

And then we got the call for season 10. And I think a lot of people who work in TV don't get the luxury of knowing it's going to be their last season. So did you know when you absolutely knew when you started filming season 10, this is it. It was going to be the last. And so we all went into it. with like a little like extra, it was extra special because we knew we, we had closure, right? As a, that it's another crew that I became incredibly close to. We all do. We like, it's just so it exudes love. I think my biggest thing I think all the time is whatever you, whatever is having

happening off screen will show itself on screen. I truly believe that. And our crew, I mean, this season in particular, Vegas, it was just we were tight. We were a tight. We so much love. And so to be able to do something in knowing it was ending when we called the, you know, rap on that last shot with, in the, in the, in the, in the drag bar with the, you know, and the whole crew standing out there, there wasn't a dry eye. And we had the, we got to know that was happening. So we got to live it, knowing it, right? And I think that's extra special. I mean, I have nothing. The emotions, like, I can't even imagine that, you. you feel because as your friend, as a viewer, as an avid lover of this show.

It's the best. It's the best. It's the best. I love my, I love it. I'm sad. Now I'm sad. I don't want you to be sad. Okay, well, let's talk up a little bit about, like, the actual, like, the mechanics behind.

Because that's something that a lot of people wonder about that I could never try to explain, even though I'm aware, you know? Yeah. But, like, for you, as an executive producer of that show, what? what does your like day to day? Oh, it's so interesting. And it changes a lot. Yeah.

We get prep. So we prep the show and prepping is really cast like finding out who we're, who our heroes are going to be. And once we cast our show or we get close to, you know, we, once we start casting it, we start developing what does that look like? And we work, um, with the Fab Five and their team. They all have their own team behind them. Like, Tan is, I love Tan.

He's so wonderful at, like, crediting Katie and Aniella, who are his, you know, the stylist, amazing. They help. Yeah, he's not just like a one man. He's not out, you know, they all consult. Like, where do we want? What do we think looks as a shop to go to for this person and what type of clothes? And they do design boards and they go back and forth. So they all have a really awesome team around them.

And, you know, as much as we want to see. say Jeremiah is in there with like a hammer and nail for 20 words. He has a whole team, right? And his team's amazing. And so a lot of- That's just your prep work to start. That's our prep is we have to get ahead and figure it out. But what I do love is we're very adamant on the meeting with the Fab Five.

We never, we want that to be authentic, right? So they're essentially like producing with you. They're- Oh, yeah. They're- They're producers of the show. They hear the story. But they never meet the hero.

Until what we're seeing? Until what? Because we want that to be authentic. We don't want our heroes to ever feel like they're acting. We don't want our heroes to ever feel like they're on a TV show. Like they're on a journey. They're on the yellow brick road. And they're going to hang on tight and trust us.

And when the Fab Five meet them, and that's weeks and weeks of prep, right? Like what are we doing? What's this going to look like? You know, scouting, looking at houses. once the Fab Five do meet them and we're filming, if they have a difference of opinion from based on this prep, we pivot. The show has pivoted many times. I mean, a house that was going to be yellow turns to blue.

Like, this, that store is not going to work. We got to find. And then it's the scramble. That's the fun of TV where it's like, all right, we got to find a new location in 24 hours, you know. Who's willing to let us film? And what do we actually? is this vibe work with what we're doing. And yeah, like if Antske goes in and says, no, we're not going to do that because now I feel

like I've really made a connection and tapped into something else, we help facilitate that. And I think that's also kind of what makes the show so special is it's not, nothing is locked. It has to be this. Has to be able to pivot. Yeah, it has to be nimble. Pivot. You have to be able to, it has to be nimble because that's what.

it makes it authentic because it's true to we they the fab five are putting themselves on TV and they are the ones cultivating this journey and connecting with our heroes so it has to truly if they feel it's off right based on the actual human interaction we changed oh god why is it ever going away it's so fun it's so fun and challenging and it's so good I love it so much how so okay so making one episode is five of queer eyes is five days of filming filming yeah weeks of prep weeks of prep then there's post production and there's months of post productions months like so one episode takes months yeah it takes i mean yeah months is a good a good thing but then you deliver all together because it all goes because netflix doesn't unlike bravo or like they all the shows go out at once right all the episodes

go out so So an episode will finish, but the show delivers as a package together. Yeah. A package. Okay. That makes sense. But it's really, I got that first episode. I got to do post for it. I like the Helen and Doreen episode. Do you normally not do, I actually don't. Not on, I do post, but I haven't done it on Queer Eye, but I got to do it on Queer Eye for this season for that. And it was even more special. It's just like relive. And you're there through all of it. Like, you're in. You're at every shoot. I am everywhere. So I saw, I lived it, and then I relived it

3,000 times in those. So, so much fun and amazing. So what do you think is something that viewers of the show would assume is easy or spontaneous or, but something, but it actually takes long time? And maybe it is that, the prep work and all of that. I mean, I think the whole. Because you're saying kind of what we see is what we get is the before and after. I think this is so interesting because I try to think about myself as someone who watched the show before I made it.

And that, quick, like, side story. I hadn't watched the new Queer Eye. And my godparents' daughter was like, you haven't watched this. Before you ever worked on it. She's like, you haven't watched this. This show is the best show on TV. And so one day I was hungover with my sister and I put on Queer Eye Japan. There's a special season.

Because I was going to Japan for New Year's. And I was like, oh, maybe I'll learn something. And I watched four episodes sobbing my eyes out, crying, crying, crying, crying. And then I went, this is my dream job. Like, I have to work on the show. And a week later, I got a cold call for it. And I have no poker face. So I just started being like, this is destiny.

Yeah. You're like, yes, I want it. What do we do? Yeah. I went, oh, my God, yes. Yes. And so, but what I always say from then and then having now worked on it and knowing, you know, the bells and whistles and how the sausage is made, I always tell our everyone, our whole crew, post and production, man, you all make this look easy. Because when you watch it, it feels effortless.

That's how I feel. Like it was always supposed to be like that. Oh, it feels very effortless. It's like, you come in, you know, I mean, maybe not the story. part, depending on the hero of it all. Yeah. But it's like, well, now Tan's going to take you and now they're going to swap off and now Anthony's going to take.

You know, Jeremiah's going to come in. Like, it just boom, boom, boom. It just feels like it should be easy. And that's the magic of the show. Of the TV part. It's probably one of the hardest shows I've ever made because you're dealing with lots of moving parts. When you're filming one episode, you're prepping others.

You're dealing with lots of people and their families. You're dealing with a makeover of a house. A house renovation is a low. There's just shows on house renovations. Yeah, I was going to say I'm like that. Maybe that would be the part, I guess, in my mind that feels very spontaneous. But it's hard. I mean, imagine you're re-painting wallpaper.

You're redoing cabinets. Furniture. Yeah. And so a lot of that is the. But still that happens within the five days. It does. That's bananas. And like we could, we could show Jeremiah pictures and watch.

and like give him the idea. But if he walks in and feels, he's such a feeler. That's what I love about him so much. He has such heart. And if he feels strongly that choices that have been like thought about aren't right, then we pivot. You pivot. Like, and we just pivot.

So I think, I think the secret, what makes that show so special is you don't feel it, though, when you watch it. For sure. And that's special. Do the Fab Five know anything about the story? ahead of time. They just don't get to meet the person. Yeah.

We want them to be prepared. We want them to not have. We don't want the hero to re-meet the Fab Five, right? We want that moment to be. We want every interaction they have to be, even when cameras aren't rolling, it's like just conversations to be authentic and real. So it doesn't feel like TV.

And I think that's really an amazing culture that I'm going to shout out Jen Lane again. Yeah. She established, yeah. Hell yeah. Do you feel like you ever take those stories home with you? Oh, yeah. I mean, and I'll be friends.

I mean, Mike, the teacher, his daughter is looking at colleges. That maybe was my personal favorite episode. I have three sisters that are teachers. So, yes, that was a really special one to me. But his daughter's going to college. They're coming out here for college visits. And, you know, it's like, I still talk to Terry White. I haven't in a while.

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Go's got you covered. Find out more at gootransit.com slash tickets. And I think about so much about like we come in to, the responsibility of a producer is, it's very, like I have my own life. We all have our own things and we're busy. But we come in and we become so much a part of someone's lives

that I think duty of care and the responsibility to know that like, my number, it's not a fake phone. That's my personal number and now you have it forever and I'm here, you know. So like Doreen and Helen, I talk to once a week. We'll tell them. I'm obsessed with them. I love them so much. Like, I can't be. They're pretty fabulous. They're pretty fabulous. Oh, God. And now it's just over. And then we just wait for you to win another Emmy. And then that's so fun to get dressed up. I'm not like a dressed up person, but can you believe that you have Emmys? No.

It seems so real. I told you you're my favorite producer. It's so. It seems, um, it's very epic. I remember the first time you went and then you went again and I'm just like, what is happening right now? But it's to me, it's like such the icing on the, like, the best, the making the show is so fun. And like, I had no idea.

I didn't know. I just watched that Japan season and was like, if I'm going to make. TV. That's the TV I want to make. And so to have the opportunity, like the, the accolades and the things that come with it, like not doing it for that. Like that's just, but it's very cool. But it's just like so cool that that is part of what has happened. And that you got it for, of all the television that you've done, that you got it for something that was so meaningful and so special. But I think everything's meaningful, Christian, because I can I can transition that to very. Vanderpump too.

Of course you can. I could talk about pump. Pump is meaningful. Pump is pop culture. Yeah. All of this is pop culture. It was like my life. So it's, I don't know.

Here's what I'm going to say about Vanderpump. Yeah, tell me. I didn't watch, same like with queer. I hadn't watched it. I had very close friends that had worked on it. I was offered the opportunity to work on it. And I was like, well, let me watch it. And I watched it.

And I am the biggest fan of 902.10.1. Like there's, you can quiz me. Yeah. You can quiz me. You can ask me any question about 90210. No, I will have the answer. Yeah. Vanderpump is 90210.

It's literally pop culture. It's the, I'm rooting for Mike Kelly and Brenda. And it was, it took what 90210 did as a scripted. opera and it was real people, it living this in such a beautiful, vulnerable, funny, chaotic. chaotic. I was one bad decision away from working at Sir. I lived on Kings Road. I'm your age.

I was like, I am this. I remember going to Carter's birthday as a producer walking in and I knew like half the people there. And I was like, yeah. This is me. I love, that's a whole separate story, but I just love the pop cult. Like you guys created.

And I think it's really like not easy to repeat. People want to repeat it. I do think it was lightning in a bottle. It's lightning in a bottle because it was real though. Right. That's the thing is the authenticity that you all had as friends, as real friends. Yeah.

Lightning in a bottle. So when you came on banner pump, it was, you come in, you've never seen it. You have friends that are working on it. And I will say, because I've already said you're my favorite producer, those years with you, even though they were really difficult, not as difficult as my earlier ones, but like they were more difficult for me because it was just like I really thought during those years, like I was about to like, okay, this is the I'm going to marry. Like my life's about to start and then things didn't pan out that way for a reason. But I felt very seen and very understood.

And that made it easier to be vulnerable. I think because of who I had surrounding me. So as a field producer, if you can want to briefly explain what that means to people, because I won't explain it in the right way. But it's a very different role. Yeah. And every thing, every show is set up differently. But in.

Or at least on. Yeah. Yeah, because I only know what I know. It was such a, it was so fun. Like I would go, it was. Like you're in the field means, meaning like you're on, I don't know how to explain it to people. You're kind of everything, right? Like on a show.

There's no set. It's no surprise, like, although you are flies on the wall when we're shooting a show like Vanderpump, you still have call times. There are still, like we're going to be at your apartment at this hour or you're going to this restaurant at this hour. Yeah. Because logistically. there are camera sound.

Yeah, we have to move the people to these places. There's so much where it's not just like we're following you around 24-7, 365. That's not. Yeah, that's just not doable. But what I loved about Vanderpump and the team at Vanderpump is like story was followed in real time. So we would start the summer and it would be like these are, there would be a big catch up of like, this is what's going on in everyone's lives.

And now we're going to launch from that. we're going to have, you know, a scene at the park where they talk about that or a scene at the house where they talk about that. And then we're going to literally follow in real time. So week to week, you don't, aside from like birthdays and like things like that events, you don't really know what you're doing tomorrow. Tomorrow is based on today. And, and there was a lot of, is that hard as a producer of a show? Not if you are, if your shows, like, if, if, if it's set the right way. If you have the right staff to do that, and Vanderpump was so well done in that. There was always, there was the team that worked in the office. And then the team that went out

in the field, a field producer. So, and the field producer goes out and gets all the information. And then it goes back to the office and then the office goes, okay, you're literally the verbal punching bag. Oh, yeah. Like, you are, you are the talent punching bag. Like, I can't tell you how many times I've had to, not had to, but chosen to, like, apologize for being shitty to you guys when it had literally nothing to do with you at all. It just had to do with my own shit. Yeah, but I think any field producer knows that, right? We know, like my... It just feels like such a thankless job. We have... From my perspective, I'm like, oh, my God, I'm so sorry. It probably actually is, and we all need to go to therapy. But like, but it's like,

you have to have thick skin, right? And, and so it's, it's thick skin. And then it's the knowledge of, like, if we could figure this out, we're going to have something great, right? Like, we're going to make something and it'll be cathartic or it'll be, or it'll move the needle more. So, like, you're getting closer. I mean, I can't, I was obviously not on during the scan of all stuff, but, like, none of that is comfortable to talk about. But that, I think. But it's honest. But What I loved about you all, like it was, you all are the most authentic real people. No one's acting. There was no. And people to this day are like, well, it was scripted. I go, no, Vanderpump is the least scripted thing. Oh, how easy my life would have been if I had a script to follow. Are you kidding? These are real people that just from a very young age. And that's, I kind of think the lightning in the bottle of it all. Like it's, it's why it's, like not a housewives or and I and I know these are all great shows but you all were so young and beautiful and and broke and wanted to be actors so you already knew camera and so there was just a lot of

things that worked well to make the drama but then you were you knew what your job was and your job was to be honest yeah to tell the truth you never to have an authentic conversation with someone who's already in my life and and you did it yeah and I and I think think that is for a field producer. I don't know. Yes, you're probably right. It is why do people do this job? I mean, I always think why do people do production? I'm much more conscious of it now as I'm older. Yeah. And a mom and that like my camera guys like, they have kids at home and like they have a wife to go home to her. They have dogs. They have things that they're going to go do after their work day. And they don't need my, meanness or whatever, frustration.

But you could also be frustrated. I think like no one is like I just know that when you're mad at me, mad, you're not mad at me, you're mad. And then you just kind of let it go and then we revisit. Yeah. What is something that cast members do? And it doesn't have to be on VPR, but just in general, or it is VPR and you don't have to say so, that like absolutely drive producers crazy.

Like is there anything that pops out in your mind of like you guys are back having lunch and you're like, oh, my. This one. I think, I don't know if I have like one specific thing, but I do love that you bring up like life. Like we have lives. Yeah. You've talked to. Yeah. And like families and animals at home and just literally.

This is your work. I think there is a lack sometimes with a lack of. recognition of the people who are making you all look great. Yeah. And not for you. I fully agree with you, though. Like from you, but I won't say names or the show, but I remember very specifically, like we had cultivated a dinner to, so this one person could have a very difficult conversation

that was promised in the creation of the show. And it was Friday, so we shot all week. And this was our last thing we were filming. and we made sure it was people that she was comfortable with. And she knew there was no like, gotcha. It was like, we're going in to talk about this. And we sat down and they started talking. And all that was being discussed was skiing in Aspen forever.

And I remember just being like, I'm going to take a pencil and stab it in my eye. Because here are these guys. You're right. Like they're holding cameras on their shoulders. Yeah. Heavy. It's hot. We're like, we don't have.

nine hours to have where this is at the dinner that's going to go till 2 a.m. And then you're going to be comfortable with talking like here's our window and the window is closing. And I think like that is probably the thing that when I, we don't, I don't ever want people to feel like they're watching your clock or like they have to operate. But to be respectful. Like that's the thing. For sure. To be respectful. A lot of moving parts. Lots of, you're not the only, we're all in it together. This isn't your. world that we're living. We're all in it together. So I guess time is a big thing of like showing up or not showing up, like showing up late or not

showing up. And I will say the Vandercombe cast. The latest. Oh, Kristen. I think you were going to say, I was like, I can't. Are you kidding me? I feel like we were the worst on. Absolutely not. I like the best. I would rate Vandercombe is a plus with time. Hands down. It shocked me. I know that I am like perpetual. like 10 minutes. And I'm like that. It'll be some consistent.

10 minutes is a. In life and filming. I've got people who just don't show up. Yeah. And you're like, yes, we don't. We're not working today. So I love you so much. I love you, Christy.

Thanks for having me. Opening up about your personal stuff. Of course. For everyone, because I think that's really why you guys listen to my podcast because I want to talk about the real real adult. But also just the fascinating shit behind. the statistics of what people don't understand about unscripted series. I think it's just in a blogger ones.

It's just fun making unscript keep watching. And also, Kristen's the best, everyone. I'm not paying to say that she can't really be my friend. No. After producing me, we became friends. I was like, I love this woman. I love you. I love you.

And everyone, if you haven't watched Queer Eye, because you're insane, all sadly, only five episodes are out on the final season. It's a quick watch. It is a binge. It is one day. Boxes of peanuts. I've watched the whole season three times already. Oh my God.

And then started going back. Go back to season one. Oh, my good. Go back to Japan. No, just kidding. Okay. I love you. I love you so much.

I love you guys. We'll talk to you next week. Peace. Make sure to follow us on social media. You can follow me on all platforms at Kristen Doty and follow Luke on Instagram at Luke double underscore Broderick. Be sure to click the subscribe button so you can stay up to date with new episodes. Thanks for listening.

See you next week.