Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware - S15 Ep 15: Jake Shears

Episode Date: May 31, 2023

Ahead of the release of his epic new album 'Last Man Dancing’ this Friday, we have the one and only Jake Shears joining us for a spot of dinner. Mum served up a delicious healthy turbot and samphire for main with poached pears for pud. Jake was utterly charming, he told us all about the various places he lived while growing up, including the island his family moved to off the coast of Seattle where it's inhabited by foot long Banana Slugs (Google it, they’re gross!), the beautiful and moving story of his best friend who inspired the hit song ‘Mary’, and drinking the mysterious ‘magic tonic’ purple drinks with the locals on Bourbon Street in his second home of New Orleans - a must do apparently! Jake we absolutely LOVE your fabulous new album, can’t wait to have you round for Friday night chicken soup again soon! x Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello and welcome to Table Manners. I'm Jessie Ware. It's a Tuesday evening. We have had a throng of children in the house. We're at mine. I haven't done the cooking. No, it is Meals on Wheels again. Hang on, you haven't done that for ages. No, I cooked the dessert at home. Okay. And schlepped it. I appreciate that.

And schlepped the fish. Well, what have we got on the menu, Mum? We've got turbot. Haven't had that for a while. I don't think we've ever had it. The king of the sea? Is that what? The queen or the king.

The king of the sea, didn't we? I don't know. Let's have queen. Didn't Tom... Tom Kerridge said it's the king or queen of the sea. I don't know.'s have queen didn't get didn't tom tom kerridge said it's the it's the king or queen of the sea i don't know we'll have king because it's topical um i'm doing roasted turbot on fennel lemon and potatoes a few chili with some chili flakes and wine And we're Serving it with samphire Which I didn't

Realise was so expensive Oh is it? Yeah £9.80 For 500 grams But I think It goes a long way No I think it goes a long way and I think it looks Nice anyway

I want to know what's for pudding. Well, because you always like the healthy option, I've poached some pears in cinnamon and vanilla. Yum. Yeah. And we should really serve it with the Chantilly cream. But actually, I think we should serve it with whipped cream, I think. Should we whip it in a minute? We can do.

Whip it real good. Yeah. You whip really quickly. Oh, do I? Was it you whipping when we had Sam Smith on and we whipped? That was mental. And it kind of whipped in one... I think that that was because it was off.

Who knows? Anyway, we have the formidable Jake Shears on tonight. He's got a new record out. It's fabulous, darling. Last Man Dancing. And you can really dance to this one. He's got a new record out. It's fabulous, darling. Last Man Dancing. And you can really dance to this one. It's so good. It's so fun.

He's got Big Freedia on the record. He's got Kylie on the record. He has got himself on the record, which is always a joy. I've seen him in the club. He loves the dance. It's so good. It's so nice to have him back.

He has become a friend of mine and I really am so fond of him. The Scissor Sisters were so massive. I remember their Glastonbury performance, that iconic Brit performance. Jake always had a fabulous outfit on and wriggled those hips like nobody's business. Well, I'm excited to hear all

about his musical. Oh yeah, of course. The Eyes of Tammy Faye. I can't wait to hear all about that. He made with Elton John. It was such a success. It just won Olivier's too, didn't it? He's

got his fingers in a few musical pies and he's brilliant and he's a very, very nice guy. So excited to have Jake Shears at my house coming up on Table Manners. So Jake Shears has just said goodnight to my children, told my son how much he loves Groot and Spider-Man. My mum is preparing the mains. How are you, Jake? I'm great.

You are? You really are? I'm good, yeah. I'm really, I'm very happy. I feel like you're an optimistic, positive person. I am. I mean, I try to be, see, you know, I have dark days sometimes, you know, where I get a little overwhelmed by things. days sometimes you know where I get a little overwhelmed by things and you know but most of the time I try to yeah I try to look at the bright side of things I try you know you're you're in the right camp with fascination we've both got the same management we do and they are very positive aren't yes but I also have I love deeply deeply cynical people do you is that why you live in London is that why I live in London? Is that why I live in London?

Yeah. I mean, do you feel like the city is full of... Do you think New York or London is more cynical? I don't. I've not... I don't feel like I know enough people in London yet

to even answer that. Is it quite a new thing for you to live here? It is. I've been here for one year. I just kind of hit my one year mark in the city. Happy anniversary.

Thank you. It's been great. I really enjoy it. I still feel like I haven't penetrated the city. In what way, Jack? In all ways. You were with Zachary Quinto, or you wanted him to go to that disco.

Speaking of penetration. The disco, and he loves London. No, he wanted to go to the night that we saw each other at yeah but he was performing but he was talking about how much he loved London and he could live here

yeah I could see that I love Zachary they ended up over at my house later that night oh did they yeah after we went to this because you and I went to this r ray and your brother yes and which was super fun yes and then you went and did a dj set at your house or something i did is this what happens on a jake shears like is that what happens everyone comes to your house and you do a dj set that's my favorite that's so fun that's my favorite thing to do are there nipples or drinks i did invited, but I had children to look after.

But do you provide nibbles and drinks, or is it just the music? There's a lot of digging through the cabinets and seeing what's wrong. I'm such a bachelor. I'm very much like that kind. I can adopt you and come and fill your cupboards for you and bring chicken soup when you need it I would love that

that's my favorite is it? it's my favorite I eat a lot of chicken soup whenever I can whenever I have access to good chicken soup where's your

favorite chicken soup? there's this place I don't know if it's like janky or if it's some chain or whatever but I've found coquette

cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock cock I found... Cockette? Cockette? Cockette? Cockette? Cockette. Where is it? Oh, and you get a good chicken soup on it.

I can look up where... Are you like the king of Deliveroo, Jake? I have been, and I'm really trying to... Trying to curb that. But it's not kosher chicken soup with nuts and balls. Yeah, no, I don't think so. But I do... Yeah, I do like having people over.

I love hosting. But my hosting is much more late night okay i like having people over i love uh sort of an unexpected uh evening where everybody's just hanging out and dancing and so you're not going to be the one that's bright and early at columbia road flower market and you're putting on a brunch for everyone if you see me out if you see me out at columbia road flower market at like eight i haven't gone nine a.m it's it and it is brutal out there if like it's if you've had a night and you walk out there do you live near columbia road right right off of it but the door that i have i won't say exactly where it is but the the the gate that I'm sort of in a muse

and the gate that opens up it really is I feel like on Sundays when you open it up it's like you're walking out on like a stage set it's like a notting hill or something everyone like you know will so if I if I've if I've had a big one and I'm walking out at like 9 a.m. Pull your brim right down. Oh, it's rough. Yeah. Have you got any favorite spots that you go to? Are you a big patisserie person? Or are you kind of, because you've got some, you've got Lily Vanilli right there. I love Lily Vanilli.

I have a lot of their cupcakes. They do a great sausage roll. Oh, do they? They do on Sundays. The people that work there are very nice. I get a wonderful four shotshot cappuccino. Four shots? I do two usually every morning.

Yeah. No, two four-shot cappuccinos. What's that called in the States? Is it called like a red eye? I don't know. A quad? I think a red eye is when you've got espresso and coffee if I'm not mistaken I only have two shots a day

do you feel it when you have it? I feel it if I don't have it so you have eight shots of coffee in the morning yeah and then I have like my little like espresso machine and then I have like the little kind of instant things that I drink but it doesn't really and

it's would you say you love coffee Jack I do I really do should be in Greece why because I love coffee I love Greece but it's not I like it strong I like it to have like some kick there's nothing worse than just like when things get watered down like if you order an Americano and like they just you know fill it up with hot water and just water watered down coffee like makes me sick to my stomach like maybe actually a little espresso in the morning but yeah would you yeah would you like my men but would you have it as a cappuccino or do you would you be that person that's sipping an espresso i can totally do an espresso but i do a cappuccino because it's just a little easier as far as like getting the milk in there without having to like direct around too much. And if it's four shots, then you know it's going to be strong enough.

You know, I know it's not going to be some wimpy. Yeah, no shit. So where's your favorite place for coffee? The people that allow you to order a four shot. How much do they charge you per shot? They do. I think. Or do they just kind of slip it in?

You know, every once in a while they'll slip it to me. My favorite little spot, which is, I mean, I don't know if this is, I love, I'm just always go to the pavilion on Columbia Road. It's really sweet. It's great. And get my eggs there and stuff. You have the doll. Yeah, it's delicious.

But I'll tell you. So I live in New Orleans part time. I have a house in New Orleans. How did you fall in love with that place then? I when Scissor Sisters first started sort of touring around I got off the bus and started wandering around the quarter that morning. The French Quarter is just so special. It's this big sort of grid that's not changed in 200 years. It's one of the oldest parts of the States. In the United States they tear everything down.

It just doesn't exist like that in the States. But not in New Orleans. Not in New Orleans. You need to say New Orleans, not New Orleans as well. It's really important. It depends on what you're rhyming it with. Really? I'll sing... I'll put it in songs a lot and you know...ming it with. Really? I think it was about, you know, I'll sing, I'll put it in songs a lot and,

you know, You changed it. In Take Your Mama, I refer to it as New Orleans. Okay, fine. You know. Okay. Depends on how you sing it.

Do you have a house then? Yeah. I'm so jealous. I've got a gorgeous, I've got a beautiful house. What are those beautiful houses? It's a double shotgun cottage. So it's just like one of those with like doors on each side if you're facing it.

I'm so jealous. And it's not like too fancy or anything, but I've like made it so cozy and nice to hang out. I've got a huge library in it. Do you go there a lot? I've not been able to see this last year, but I mean, yeah, I lived part. I've, I lived part of my life there. I've been living there part time for better part of a decade. So it was New York, New Orleans. It was New York. It was New York to then Los Angeles. Then I started splitting Los Angeles with New Orleans. Yeah. Now I'm saying New Orleans. Okay, fine. NOLA, we also call it. To LA, to New Orleans.

And then I sold my house in LA and then I was just kind of like floating and then I was like, I ended up buying a house in New Orleans. I had a little condo there. And right when I bought my house, COVID just started happening. So you were there for COVID?

I was there for, I had just started work. So you were there for COVID? I was there for, I had just started work on this house. So I had to go to my parents with my boyfriend in Virginia. How was that? Well, it was great because I just bought them a house to get them off of their farm.

They had this horse farm and my dad's 94 now, my mom's 74. And it was just too much of a handful, this big ass farm that they'd had for 20 years. Where was this farm? It's on the Virginia, Tennessee border. So it's in Bristol, Virginia, Tennessee, which is the birthplace of country music. It's where the first country record was cut. And so I got them a place to coax them off of the farm, which eventually, it took a long time, but eventually they moved into this house. So it's basically like,

if I get you a really sweet house, 15 minutes away from the farm, at your leisure, we can get in there. So did you grow up on a farm? I did not grow up on a farm. I grew up, I was born in Arizona,

and when we were eight, we moved a an island in the pacific northwest like a couple hours out of seattle oh wow like a two-hour ferry ride in like an hour drive so it was like a big deal to go we called it going off island so is that like kind of the equivalent as our like isle of wight or something like that probably yeah i think that's that's probably a good comparison so then it's a tiny little place but it was beautiful and we had uh we had we had 20 acres on the water like we lived on the ocean and uh had orcas you know going by every day and it wasn't like back then the island wasn't like super fancy or anything it wasn't bougie is it bougie now oh my god like around the millennium like you know sort of microsoft and microsoft exploded all the big microsoft billionaires basically discovered it and like started building gigantic garish houses

everywhere and and i do feel like the place lost a little bit of its soul over the years. So what were you growing up eating? If you were by the ocean, were you eating loads of fish? Everyone would, you know, we would do crabs and we would pull crabs. We had a boat that we would, you know, put crab traps out, which I liked, all right. But we also had mussels that we could just pick right there. But I was scared of mussels. I only learned to like mussels way later. I mean, usually I kind of like have always been a little bit skittish about things without backbones.

Yeah. And like eating. That's what I put on. I was like, usually not things without backbones. But mussels, I've really learned to like love the broth. And I think they're delicious. And especially like down in New Orleans oysters are something that I

really have a tough time with and I'm trying what do you think you hate them it feels the texture of it is I grew up with a phobia of slugs and

snails and we had banana slugs on the island a phobia yes we had worms basically that grew up to like a foot long that would like be crawling everywhere

no I said what it was I need to google this horrific what yeah look up like a banana slug a banana slug yeah

they're big and and they're kind of now that I look back on it I'm like actually they're kind of sweet and I was just being you know I was really being they're disgusting and they're kind of now that I look back on it I'm like actually they're kind of sweet and I was just being you know I was really being they're disgusting

and they can grow up to a foot long those are the ones those are the ones they're kind of a what color green is that? kind of like an olive green it's like one of those chilies you get in the fancy places for a gherkin martini.

That looks delicious. And then I'll get the other one while she's... But I don't want dinner lady problems. That looks wildly delicious. I hope so. So, mum has just made dinner. This is crazy. I just had my first bite of it.

It's delicious. It's too much faff. Too much faff? It would be okay if it was in my own kitchen. Wait, what about the potatoes? Do you like those? They're so good. Good.

And the fish is so good. The fish should be good. I'm about to try. So what did you, what is the green? I thought there were green beans when they came to the table. Sun-fried seaweed. Let's see. Your nutritionist will be so thrilled. I think it needs more lemon. I've never had anything like this. I've never had anything like this. Neither have I. That's delicious. This stuff is really cool. I love the texture of it. I was imagining you with shucking your oysters on the island eating samphire.

No? Did you ever have samphire? No. This is the first time I've ever had this particular vegetable. This is so good. Are you sure? I love it. It's very nutritious. I'm telling you to have a home-cooked meal like this is so special and so rare in my life that I treasure this. Like this is... But so many people would like, I'm sure Jake, lots of people

would like to cook through a home-cooked meal. Wait, what? Tell me what? There's another vegetable in here, what is it? Fennel. Fennel. Do you like fennel? Love it. I mean, it tastes great. I don't really know what it is, but... What's this? Oh, Mary. That's the tattoo, Mary.

Yeah. And after your song? After my friend. After your friend. Yeah, it's about a real person. Oh, I didn't know that. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Tell me about eating out with Mary

about eating out with Mary yeah oh my god so we so Mary I met on a phone line when I was 15 years old I was in Arizona

I had just come out we met on like a party line this was like pre-internet and where this this kid at school gave me this phone number you're now in Arizona. Yeah, I went back.

I moved in with my art teacher from junior high. It's such a convoluted, crazy story. Jake, I can't keep up. No, I know. I wrote a whole book about it. That it's a very, you know. I ended up back down in Arizona, like on my own. My parents let me leave the house at 15.

And moved in with an art teacher of mine. It's like, no, no, no, no, no. She was a beautiful Christian woman who's still like my sister, Jennifer LeBair. Moved in with her husband. She was having a baby and lived with her and her husband and his baby.

And was also kind of getting away with murder. I came out at school. But anyways, I got this phone number and started calling it. And it was this party line. It was kind of like an internet chat room, but on the phone. And I met this woman who went by the name Deja. I went by the name Barbie's Nightmare.

Deja. Yeah. Like in This Is Us. Mm. It was a Deja and This Is Us, a TV show. Oh. But you were Barbie's Nightmare. i was barbie's nightmare she was deja and then we uh you know it was it was interesting because i she was 21 and and before

we decided to meet up and she said to me before we did we had a phone conversation she's like there's something i haven't told you i'm i've have a weight issue that i've had all my life and she was a really really big woman and had a lot of shame about it and uh you know i think being in public was really hard for her she had developed kind of an agoraphobia like not wanting to go out not wanting to go out. Go out. Going out. Okay. Out, you know, out into public. People would be very cruel. And it sort of opened my eyes to the cruelty of people. And we would go to, so we met up.

I remember our first date was at a restaurant called Fusi. It's like kind of bad Italian, sort of off of a, sort of in a parking lot of a mall, I think. And we just hit it off. And we had a great, we had such a great time. Finish that drop.

And then it's a different one. It's a different one. And she's still your friend. I mean, it's a sad story. It's a sad story. No, but I'll talk about it. We were, you know, she became my best friend. And, you know, I was 15, she was 21.

And we developed this gorgeous friendship. And she ended up, I went back to Seattle and then moved to New York. She loved Seattle visiting me, so she moved up to Seattle. And I'd moved to New York and She loved Seattle visiting me. So she moved up to Seattle and I'd moved to New York and we, you know, I had a, I had a phone, uh, a landline that only she had the number in my apartment. So when, when that phone went off, it was basically her, we talked every day and I was making the first scissors, and she got really upset at a certain point. And she was like, you are, you know, you're living this glamorous life. You don't, you know, your life is so fabulous now. Why are you even my friend? And I went and I wrote the song Mary on the first record.

And I... Did she hear it? Yeah, I put it on a and and sent it to her and basically this song was me saying it's a beautiful record it was me saying like like don't ever say that you're not my best friend you know like you can never say that again like we're never having that discussion again that's what that song was about and yeah and then it went on from there. Are you right? Where is she now? She, so, uh, when she loved this song. And so when, when it came out, basically she and I made a deal that she really wanted gastric

bypass surgery. So we made a, uh, yeah. If the song ever made any money I was gonna get you this operation and the song the album was such a success she came over to London we had a great time she came to shows we were at Royal Albert Hall

together and got to show her such a good time and she went in and had the surgery and yeah, she passed away. No. Yeah. It's a very sad story, but you know, our friendship was, was incredible. And it just, it, it just shows you like what life is so strange, you know, these weird like paths that, that happen. And you'd never know when you meet somebody what that relationship is going to be

and how you can, you know, how people affect one another and how, you know, it's that sort of like the wings of a butterfly causes a, you know, a monsoon on the other side of like that. And, you know, I, she, she was so funny and she, we, we loved like a diner to answer your question. We loved a diner. Uh, and we would go out late and we would, what's your,

what's your food that you choose? Oh, we'd eat like grilled cheese sandwiches and yeah. And fries. And, um, and we just, we just had so much fun together. She really was an amazing person. That's such a tragic story.

But I feel so fortunate to have, you know, shared, you know, I've gotten to have her in my life. And, you know, that we were there for each other. You know, and such a strange pair. I was a 15-year-old, like, weird gay boy. gotten to have her in my life and and you know that we we were there for each other you know and such a strange pair I was a 15 year old like weird gay boy she was this 21 year old woman you know what I mean like we were an odd couple and uh but just found this like amazing common ground and you know we were in each other's lives for for just over 10 years you know it was amazing before before Is this

the saddest table manners? No, before she went and had the surgery she told me, I'll never forget the conversation. She said, I just want you to know that this is my decision. And if anything happens, you need

to know that this is my decision. For her to have the foresight for that, you know, I don't think if we'd not had that conversation, like, I don't know if I could have lived with myself. You know, and when she said that, I thought it was so ridiculous. I was just like, that is just too, like, shut up. Like, what are you talking about? Like, no. Any surgery has a risk, isn't it yeah oh fuck and but i'm thankful that we had that you know that conversation and i'm thankful that there's this song

that i get the that i get that i get to get up you know i just did it on radio too recently surprised everybody i was like i just want to have this orchestra and i want to get up and sing mary yeah and and just even in that moment you know it's just like it's so special that like everybody I was like I just want to have this orchestra and I want to get up and sing Mary and just even in that moment you know it's just like it's so special that like there's this I can sort of pay her tribute you know a lot on you know in a concert

or there's this song that's still there and I think we'll live on for a long time you know and it's about a real thing it's about a real person it's not you know it's not some made-up story it's it's all real oh jake thank you for sharing that this has repetitive also i think it's like there's something beautiful about it too you know this life is short and friendships are dear and family is dear and you just,

you can't take any of it for granted. Jessie. Can I just talk about food? Yeah. New Orleans. Yes. So the food there is particularly special, I think. So we had... is particularly special, I think.

Beignets. How do you say it? Beignets. Beignets. So we have Randy Jackson, who comes from New Orleans. Does he? Yeah. You remember nothing.

And he talked about that bean thing that his grandma used to make with green beans. And he says the food is really special. a bean casserole yeah he said the food is really special in new orleans the food it's one of the food capitals yeah i think the world have you been i played to pretty much nobody but i ate well where i think i was in the house of blues yeah I'd say go back now. Do you think? Maybe, yeah. Yeah, no, I think people would be very excited. Thanks, Jake.

You're just so cute and nice. Okay, so tell me. But wait, really quick. Before we go on, I want to say New Orleans food. So when I first moved down there, I just wasn't thinking about it, but the food was so good, and I was going out to eat all the time and i remember pretty early on i went to this place called okra was the name of it and i had this incredible dinner and i just kept eating and have you know i just had a couple drinks, but I just ate so much, and the food was so rich. I remember I got home, and I was like, I have, I had, it was the only time I've ever, like,

I was like, I've got to barf. Oh my god. You're over eating. I over ate. And, you know, but it's like, the food is that good that you have to like watch out for like because you could just you can eat it's it's some of the best but it's very rich yeah it's very very rich so where do you get your po' boy from when you're there can i tell you something funny yeah i've never had one but isn't it it's one of the main thing. A po'boy is like a giant piece of bread that is filled with like,

you can put shrimp and all these different fillings into it. It's kind of like New Orleans' version of a submarine sandwich. Okay. But they look so overwhelming. You need to share it with three people. Yeah, I've never had one, and they look so overwhelming that you need to share it with three people yeah i've never had one and they look so messy um but i have i do eat sweetbreads there a lot which i never thought i would be into no i don't think and are you now i love them how do you eat them they just fry i mean you would you would you would love them they're do you eat them? They just fry. You fry them, darling. You would love them.

They're so tasty. I kind of trust that you may. If he doesn't like an oyster, but he likes a sweet bread, we've got to give it a go, Mum. You've got to know where they come from, darling. Where are they from? The innards of the... It's the lining.

A sweet bread is the lining of the cow's stomach. I don't think it is. It is. Yeah. I think it's brains. I don't think it is. It is. Yeah. I think it's brains. Oh, there's brains as well. That's another one. I think it's brains too, Mum.

But I ain't going to eat brains. You thought it was what? Testicles. Oh, God. Oh, my God. I thought it was the stomach lining. But it's so... Or is that tripe?

It's very tasty. That's tripe. I'm telling you, you would love it. It's a gland of sorts. It's one of those things where I was like, I would never eat that. And I was like, you know what? I'm going you it's a gland of sorts it's one of those things where I was like I would never eat that and I was like you know what I'm going to try that and I was like they could serve this at McDonald's but what about the spicing

is really clever in New Orleans isn't it so many spices there's just like loads of like gumbos and jambalaya it's like yeah it's Cajun food it's very spicy. I was drinking their Mardi Gras. People drink there.

Yeah, it's a drink in town. What do they drink? Anything. Anything. And like sugary, you know, these sort of hurricane-y things. We have a special drink there. We have a very special drink called Purple Drink.

Which is sold at the, it's at the oldest bar, I think, in the States. It's called Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop, and it's on the far end of Bourbon Street. Bourbon Street. There's a... There you go. And if you stand across the street from it, I mean, it looks like the place is sort of sinking into the ground.

And they do a, it's like a daiquiri. It's a dark purple daiquiri the taste is not sweet it's a distant grape and no one really knows what's in it it's very cold and it it's just like a tonic basically that we have on Sundays if you're not feeling good on. Yeah, oh, if you have one, if you're not feeling good on a Sunday morning... Have a purple drink. You have a purple drink.

And it's the main local drink there. I love that. The tourists drink these big hand grenades and stuff, but the locals drink purple drinks. And it really is a magic... That's the only way I could describe it, is sort of like our magic tonic of the city. How's the coffee there, Jake?

I was going to talk about that earlier. Because I think I can describe it. It's sort of like our magic tonic of the city. How's the coffee there, Jake? I was going to talk about that earlier. Because I think I know about this. When we were talking about it, it's an incredible coffee place. There's a little market that every morning I get up and go and have a... It's called Coast Roast. It's local coffee. And I go and I get a big iced cold brew, which they haven't really figured out how to do over here.

No. They don't. And there, every morning, I will get it. I'm telling you, it will put hair on the back of your neck. So is it without milk? It's like nitrate. No, it's like a frappe in Greece. No, it's fucking not, Mum.

All right. That's all. I love that you're lensplaining to me about good coffee. I'm trying to... Lensplaining. That's good. Nescafe, Mum.

But it's very strong. It's very strong. I mean, I like to put straight up cream in it. Just a little bit of cream and then some dark, dark chocolate syrup. That cream isn't like what we have, up cream in it like just like a little bit of cream and like and then some like dark dark chocolate syrup that cream isn't like what we have darling

it's like a mocha cold brew yes I mean and that and I have that basically every morning there and it's and it really will get you

talking about getting revved up you need to bring this over here I just don't understand why well first of all like people no one over here

likes ice. No. Every American loves ice. We never like ice. We hate ice. Do you want some ice in your water? No, no, no. We hate ice. I don't understand. Tell me why you hate ice. I don't hate it, but I find it really unnecessary. I don't know why it's annoying and unnecessary.

In fact, if people offer me a drink, I say don't put ice in, please. Really? Yeah. I just don't. When there's like one cube sort of floating in the top of something, you know what I mean? You get like a whole thing.

Are like my cocktails to be strong? What's your best cocktail? I love a mezcal Negroni. Oh. I've never had one of those. You're hardcore, Jake. I am pretty hardcore. That is what I, you know what?

I think you might have just summed it up. I am... You could describe me as a hardcore person. He's hardcore. I'm pretty like... You look good for it, though, babe. Thanks. When I say hardcore, I'm not even referring to substances or anything. I just definitely...

Whatever in life... You like to party. Well, I just live life to its fullest. And it's not even in a party way. It's just in a... I love, you know, I love life and I try as best as I can to explore it. Did that ever get too much in the Scissor Sister days? Like where you lived life to the fullest

and it kind of was problematic? The opposite. Oh, really? We were like a nunnery. This is your rebellion. Oh, my God. Like, when, after, like, after our last album, after the fourth record, like, I went, my L.A. years, when I went to L.A., those were, like, I sort of, that was my time of, you

know. Celibacy and. No, not celibacy. Oh, yeah, that's when you went wild. Just, like, going off the rails or whatever oh really yeah when we were

in the band I mean we you know I think when you're working so hard as you and I you know in this business

and we love it you can't if you're in the thick of it you have to really be on top of it and be focused

and and Scissors Sisters would never have happened if if if that's what I was doing. I mean, it was such a huge thing, the whole... I mean, you were huge. Yeah, I mean, there was some pretty bonkers moments. Yeah.

It's weird. It's a sweet thing to look back on sometimes. It's like, whoa, that actually that happened is it are you enjoying being I mean you've been like are you enjoying being a solo artist yeah is it scary not having anyone else to kind of is it scary having your name up there or is it okay it's I mean yeah it's it's fine I yeah I can I can I can definitely swing it um I am so happy that all of that happened when it did. In the timeline of the world, I don't think I would ever want to go through anything like that in this moment.

I'm not interested in anything like that in this sort of moment in time with how everything operates. And so I'm thankful that I lived in it, that I was successful in a time where we were selling CDs. Yeah. You know? And it's so cool.

It's old school. Where does the name come from, Scissor Sisters? Is it because you're... Oh, no. Because it's... I thought because his name... I don't know. No, because his name is Shears.

You're absolutely, yeah. I thought shears are scissors. They are. Okay, you're laughing at me, Jesse, and that's not fair. Mum, do you know what a scissors is? No. Oh, that. Yeah.

Bumping. Oh, I didn't know that. You know. Well, it's a good job. Bumping Badger. He's on to part the record, probably. I didn't know that you know well it's a good job I didn't want to fall on the record probably I'm interested to hear

what your last supper is Jake because like you've eaten all over the world you have lived in so many places Jake you don't have to finish it it's been delicious I think I just did

I think I just took the last bite anyway last supper I just have my like I love comforting food and I would my last supper would be like my the thing the only thing that i cook which what is it it's like i mean you don't have to oh is this your because it's very good i just love it

it's my favorite okay i make just very suburban american gringo tacos oh Oh my God. I can't make a taco. Like old El Paso, like fajitas. I'll use El Paso refried beans. Okay, I like that. Yeah. And chopped up black olives and shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese. Yeah.

And then do like kind of a beef, you know, fry some beef up with like some sort of store-bought taco seasoning. Yeah. So you like beef? Beef, but like the real like old school taco seasoning. I thought you were going to go like, I don't know,

I thought you were going to go like Frenchman Street. No, I've had... Beignets. No, this is my favorite meal. Okay. And iceberg lettuce chopped up. So you get all that out and then you take the corn tortillas. I fill a thing up with vegetable oil, and I fry the tortillas.

Oh, my God. And all of that together is just, to me, it's the tastiest thing. It's heaven. I love it because I can do it at a party. I bring a lot of people. You can have a lot of people over. He's quite fatty. So? I bring a lot of, you can have a lot of people over. He's got quite fatty. So?

I'll get like, He's frying his tortillas for God's sake. Well, in like vegetable oil. Can't you buy the little baked ones? Isn't vegetable oil okay? No.

It's made out of vegetables. Do you have people over? You all cook this. I'll do like 15 people, 10 to 15 people and everyone hangs out and you make it. And they help themselves.

Yeah, and then I just, I just stand at the thing, make it all, and then I just fry the tortillas. And that makes you happy. It makes me really happy. But can't you buy the taco shells? That's the secret of this thing.

So when you do your tortillas and you fry them, do they go crispy and hard? They do, but I do them just at the right. It's a mixture of crispy and and chewy okay so it's like it just it's almost like a a cookie or there's it just the texture that you get from it and because people are so used to getting this the store-bought shells right and so when you when you fry up the shells with good corn tortillas, it just makes it taste so delicious. Is that how taco shells are made?

Fried tortillas? Authentic tacos, I know, in California, they'll heat the tortillas, but they don't necessarily fry them. My version is very, it's not authentic in any way whatsoever. How big are your tortillas? They're like, they're little. Little small ones. They're small, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Where'd you get those from? I found them. Mexico, mom. No, but I found them. No, here. I have, I do see them here every once in a while. You can, I did on my, on my birthday this last year, I made a batch of them. And yeah, it's just one of my favorite things to make.

I like it because it's like sort of what, you know, what we're doing now. It's super tasty. Yeah, and also it's just like a community. You hang out with everybody. And, you know, it's easy. And that's my favorite meal. And I think if I was to have a last supper, that would be... So would you have a starter before that?

God, a starter. Jesse, maybe put the pears in a bowl darling or serve one up in each bowl i'd go straight for the i go straight to the taco we've i i'd make some really good guac oh some great guac that you can eventually put on the on the tacos i usually secret I don't have one. I always have somebody there that actually does the guac. And what about dessert? You're not a big dessert. Yeah, this is just like brutal.

This is all very embarrassing. I want to tell you something. I make very very quite nice desserts sometimes don't I Alice Jessie's on a diet and she said Jake

oh that's a pretty bowl I knew that we were both looking after ourselves yeah so I thought about us and our physique and we're going quite light tonight

great is that okay yeah it's a poached pear yeah I he doesn't like pears I love pears I love pears okay yeah i i guess my favorite my favorite

dessert if i was going to if i could transport it into my house would be a churro from disneyland oh yeah what what dipping with chocolate they do these no not with chocolate? They do these, no, not with chocolate. They do just like a sugary churro from Disneyland that they usually sell right off of the main, in front of the, what's that? Why Disneyland? It's the happiest damn place on earth. And it really is. Look at that.

Yeah, it's on my arm. It is. I love Disneyland so much. Do you stay for the parade? I do. Yeah, I just went to Disneyland this last January. I just went to Disneyland Paris and

stayed for a couple days. How was it? Did you enjoy it? I had a great time. Oh my god, you're not putting them on the table like that. No, I fucking not. Just pour them into that, Jesse. It's gonna be so good. Oh my god. We love you, And I would have made you something really delicious, but she said this.

Oh, wow. He's happy. You happy? He probably isn't. He probably wanted chocolate pudding. I'm so happy. Or what's that banana cream pie that everyone loves in the States? I do like a coconut cream pie a lot.

I like a coconut cream pie, and I like a key lime pie a lot. I like a key lime pie. Oh, my God. But I've never made coconut cream pie. Coconut cream is like, mm. key lime pie a lot. I like a key lime pie. Oh my god. But I've never made coconut pie. Coconut cream is like Have you got a good recipe? I can't cook worth two shits. So when

all your people come for tacos do they get a dessert? Um, usually I would just do some ice cream probably. Oh wow. Is it like a mascarpone? No, it's just got a bit of icing sugar in it. It's called Chateau de Crème.

That looks good. It's like sculptural. We haven't even got on to Tammy Faye yet. This is like, how much longer have we been not even like on Tammy Faye? Can we talk about that? Yeah. Congratulations for your Oliviers.

They're, you know, they their actors won, you know, Katie Braben, Zubin Barla won. Because you, you know, helped them. It's your baby. They were amazing. And yeah, no, Tammy Faye was like one of the joys of my life. It looks like it's going to, I mean, I can't. Is it going to move?

It's going to. Because I missed it. I do have some, yeah, there is some news coming down the pipeline pretty soon. How was it working with Elton? I mean, the memories that I have of us making all these songs, it's just so special. And the fact that he asked me to do it with him, and the fact that we have this body of

Work together, you know, we've got this like show that we've made together Yeah, they're memories that I'm gonna cherish Forever that's quite a feat to create a musical It's my second. I mean, you know, I did tales that I adopted tells the city into a musical when I ran in San Francisco 2010 Never came over here. I feel like it could have a Tales of the City into a musical. When? It ran in San Francisco 2010. No, it was not. It never came over here. I feel like it could have a life someday. Maybe it could.

So I'd seen a theater thing, Tales of the City, at the National. And then they did a kind of television thing with What's It Linney. Laura Linney. Yeah. Olivia Dukakis. I really, really enjoyed it. I love Tales of the City so much yeah it's wonderful

but yeah I want to keep doing them they take forever they're full of heartbreak you never know what's going to happen you could work on them all your life you never know but when you see the curtain go up

and the lights go down. Why are they not bringing it to the West End here? It was a huge sellout. They will. Timmy Faye will ride again in London. I can tell you that. How many times did you go? Me?

I went. Every night? All the time. And when it closed, there was like a kind of relief a bit it ran for six weeks i kind of couldn't stay away from it i loved being i love the almeida i love the almeida such a great and watching katie brabin like just in the cast everyone just tear it up my mom came for the opening yeah my mom and and you and Auntie Gabby, a family friend. And I remember when they...

I had never been so exhausted in my life. No. I remember I sat down on the couch. I was so tired that I just remember my body ached just laying on the couch. I was so tired. That was after we opened. And then... But exhilarating. I was so tired. That was after we opened. And then... But exhilarating.

Exhilarating. I love doing that. Would you do any theatre yourself? I've done Kinky Boots on Broadway. Of course. But would you do any more? Yes.

Jesse, you would. I can't... You can't speak about anything. I can't... And I can't wait to do some more theater. I'm very excited to do more theater. So the record comes out. You're probably going to do some more theater.

You're probably going to write a new musical. You're going to go back to New Orleans for a bit. You'll. Just for the win. I just want December, January, February in New Orleans. That's such a great life. January, February, March in New Orleans. I's such a great life. January, February, March in New Orleans. I just need winters.

I'll work here and I can go chill out there when it gets... Sounds like a good balance, Jake. I think so. I think so. I do like warmer weather and I like to be down there. So it's trying to set it up. I still feel like I've been dating and it's been great. Who knows what's going to happen in that side of things.

But it's like I really would love to set up. I'm in here and I look around and I see a home and a family. And that's just really what I want. I think you'll get it, Jake. I think you'll get it. You. I think you'll get it. You deserve it. I'm so emo. Oh,

Jake! Don't you make me cry now. Oh. No, but I do like that. It's, it's very special. It's not all this crap.

Oh, Jake Shears, you are like an absolute diamond. You tell a brilliant tale and also like you're vulnerable and wonderful and talented and I just can't wait for everyone to hear the record, which is

amazing, by the way, we haven't even talked about. You have Kylie Minogue on it, Big Freediaida you kill it it goes from jane fonda fuck off jane fonda yeah she she's got a big moment in it yeah you're doing all right aren't you jay life is good life is good i'm very lucky and i have i have a great time you know it's not perfect but it's it's like it could it couldn't be any better well i just best of luck with it last of all i just want to thank you for such an amazing dinner and it's not perfect but it's it's like it could it couldn't be any better well i'm just best of luck with it last of all i just want to thank you for such an amazing dinner and it's just such a pleasure meeting you and such a pleasure getting to hang out with you

i love seeing you likewise likewise and hopefully we'll get to do some more you can come for dinner when we're not i would love that yeah i would love to just like come hang out and like, you know, sit on the sofa. You know what? If you ever need a bit of chicken soup after a big long week, you need to just call Lenny. And I'll Uber it. That's what she does. She'll do an emergency chicken soup if you need that, Jake. Thank you.

But I would need a little bit of you too. Okay, I'll bring it. I would need a little bit. I would need a little bit of. I would need some hang with you as well I think I'd done weight training with those bloody turbots they were so big I think Jake was ready to crack open another bottle of wine and put the world to rights.

Well, I would have done, but... I've got to get up, Mum, sorry. We have to get up early in the morning. You've got to drive back to Clapham. I've got to schlep back to Clapham, and you got stopped for driving the other night. Oh, my God. I know.

OK, should I tell the listeners about this? On the way back from the last podcast that we did, which was last night. And you hadn't drunk anything. I'm not drinking. I hadn't drunk. I was driving home. I was on the South Circular

and I see flashing lights go off behind me, like two flashing lights cars, like undercover policemen. And I'm like, oh God, they're in a hurry. God, what's going on? And I'm doing my 30 miles per hour and I'm like oh god they're in a hurry god what's going on and I'm I'm doing my 30 miles per hour and I'm like I know I'm a shit driver but this is a bit weird they're still behind me what's going on then they indicate so I'm like oh I'll just pull into the middle lane so they can get out then they pull up next to me and they're like we're trying to

pull you over and I said oh my god I'm so sorry what have I done and they kind of look at me and laugh with your car seats with my car seats my glasses on and me like looking apologetic and going what's going on and obviously not understanding that when they're indicating and flashing and have their sirens on they want you to pull over I didn't know that so I said I'm so sorry they start laughing and go you're not the person we're looking for and i said oh well what are you anyway the car matched a description and they ran off robbers are driving volvos now christ i thought i was making their life easier by going into the middle lane to get them to go but anyway that was the first time i have had a run a run in

with the law and And I was terrified. It's so scary. I was terrified. But the fact that they laughed in my face made me feel like, yes, I am not the person they are trying to capture. Anyway, it was shocking. Jake was so interesting and so fun. And I feel very touched that he shared that story about Mary with us. I know. And also that he felt that he about Mary with us I know and also that he

felt that he could be as vulnerable to say about what he wants um well first of all he's a very handsome those astonishing eyes they kind of pierce you and I just thought he was really warm but I felt he wanted a maternal touch Jessie that I might need to look after him. Okay, so what are you going to do? What are the next steps? I think the next steps are we're having him for a Friday night dinner. Okay. And he can have a chicken soup and matzo ball. I felt that was missing.

You told me that he was on promo and so he needed to have a healthy option, like you. He didn't seem to be bothered about the healthy option. No, he did not. Well, the pears your children. No, he did not. Well, the pears were amazing. Really lovely. I'm very excited about them being in my muesli.

Thank you so much for listening. Now, Mum, I love you, but please get out of my house because I want to go to bed. Okay, I'm going to make you.