We Can Do Hard Things with Glennon Doyle - Find Your Towanda with Tig Notaro & Stephanie Allynne

Episode Date: August 18, 2022

1. Tig and Stephanie’s highly effective and hilarious ways to diffuse their marital feuds. 2. Stephanie’s experience figuring out her sexuality (years after she married Tig)–and how Tig knew Stephanie was the one. 3. Why Tig’s deep in “Towanda-ing” right now–and how that affects their marriage. 4. The power of knowing what you DON’T want in your life. 5. Tig, Stephanie, Abby, and Glennon each share something they’ve discovered they don’t want. About Stephanie:  Stephanie Allynne is a writer, actor, producer, and director. Her acting credits include THE L WORD: GENERATION Q, ONE MISSISSIPPI, ROOM 104, DREAM CORP LLC, LOVE, and TWIN PEAKS. Stephanie also starred in the Sundance hits PEOPLE PLACES THINGS and Lake Bell’s IN A WORLD. Stephanie wrote on the critically acclaimed Amazon series ONE MISSISSIPPI, and co-directed the 2022 Sundance film AM I OK? starring Dakota Johnson and Sonoya Mizuno. Stephanie is currently set to write and direct the feature film TIME AND SPACE that will star Tig Notaro. She will produce alongside Notaro and Judd Apatow.  IG: @stephanieallynne About Tig:  Tig Notaro is an Emmy and Grammy nominated stand-up comedian, writer, and actor. Rolling Stone named her one of the "50 best stand-up comics of all time." Notaro appears in "Army of the Dead" and “Star Trek: Discovery”; wrote and starred in the groundbreaking TV show “One Mississippi”. and recently released her second HBO stand-up special, "Tig Notaro: Drawn." In 2021, Tig co-directed, with wife Stephanie Allynne, the feature film 'Am I OK?', available later this year. She hosts the advice podcast "Don't Ask Tig", and cohosts the documentary film podcast "Tig and Cheryl: True Story." IG: @therealfluffnotaro To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Whether you're doing a dance to your favorite artist in the office parking lot, or being guided into Warrior I in the break room before your shift, whether you're running on your Peloton tread at your mom's house while she watches the baby, or counting your breaths on the subway. Peloton is for all of us, wherever we are whenever we need it, download the free Peloton app today. Peloton app available through free tier, or pay subscription starting at 12.99 per month. Welcome to We Can Do Hard Things. This is a really exciting day because we have a double date happening today. So exciting. And that double date is with Stephanie Allen

and TIG Nataro. For real, that's happening. Stephanie is a writer, actor, producer, and director. Her acting credits include the L word generation Q1 Mississippi room 104 dream core LLC love and twin peaks. She also starred in the Sundance hits people places things and lake bells in a world. Lots happened because of that one. Stephanie is currently set to write and direct the feature film time and space that will start TIGNATARO while I wonder how she got that role. She will produce a Nataro and Judd Apatow. TIG Nataro is an Emmy and Grammy and nominated stand-up comedian, writer and actor, Rolling Stone named her one of the 50 best stand-up comics of all time.

Nataro appears in the army of the dead and Star Trek Discovery, and Star Trek Discovery, lots of different, like, other worldly things going on. Well, she is otherworldly. Yeah, yes. Wrote and starred in the groundbreaking TV show One Mississippi and recently released her second HBO stand-up special, Tignitario Drawn. Co-directed with wife Stephanie, the feature film, MIOK. She hosts the advice podcast Don't Ask Take.

I've been on that. And co-host the documentary film, podcast, Tegan Cheryl, true story. And Tegan Stephanie, live in LA with their sons, Max and Finn, and their cat, Fluff. Hi! Hi! We didn't know them. bios were going to be red.

Yeah, that's what you do at dates. Have you never even ever get a double link? You have our bios, right? Oh, no, you go. We travel with your bios. And all the time reading. I want to make an adjustment. We have three cats.

We have two, two new ones left out or actually in Stephanie's office with us. And luckily they didn't hear it because we have our headphones on. Okay, and their names are? Skip and Linus. Okay, and are they also producers and directors? Yes. They work at Judd Appetow's production company. I okay. That's how we met them. Got it. Okay. They were assistants. They were assistants and we asked them if they um wanted to live with two mothers. Of course, they meiled, which means you know, could it is yes. Yes. Could have been no.

Could have been hell no. So if I take speak cat, it's good. We do. Well, we're so excited, really, really grateful for this double date. We are so excited to be on. Well, I met both of you through Donast TIG, but this is, do we pretend like that didn't happen? No, no, no, we do. We talk about that.

Yeah, that was a great hour together. We talk about that. Yeah, that was a great hour together. Did you do Don't Ask Take Two? She was setting up the, I was helping the the tech. Oh, right, right, right, right. You don't remember anything that I do for I remember. This is what long-term marriage is like. Yeah, well, speaking of long-term life, you know, the memory goes. And I'm not saying you're elderly, but I have a lot of memory problems. Yeah, so do I. I will tell you that sometimes I don't know exactly whether what you're saying is real or funny

because before we jumped on, my sister was on and we were laughing so hard because two years ago, Tegan and I were emailing back and forth about to plan this freaking double date. Okay, two years ago. Okay. I tried to schedule and then you emailed back and the email started with Jesus Christ glenning. This doubleated tempt has turned into a real full-blown pandemic nightmare at this point. However, we are reading it. Yes, I found it. However, we are around for rescheduling. I must warn you, though, I will be starring in a major motion zombie flick.

After that, it's highly likely I will become too big of a deal for these types of friendships. Okay. I was like, I don't know if she's serious. I called my sister, I was like, is she hilarious or mean? And I knew you were hilarious, but I didn't know if you were hilarious and also mean. So I crafted an email back to you that could have worked either way.

Whether you were joking, or whether you really were mad at me. And does this happen? Does this happen to you ever? Are you constantly? Yeah, you know, it's terrible. It's, can I apologize? But I don't, but I do. Well, because it happens not just through email, it also just hurt, like, delivery.

There's no, like, change in inflection or facial movement. So you're just people just kind of staring at like really. And then I like say the other night we had dinner with a group of people. I will not drop names, but you'd be impressed with who is there. Was it Taylor Dane? Yes. Um. And, uh, no, before hand, there was an email chain of, hey, can everyone get tested, you know, and everyone was chiming in and I just wrote no. See? What are you supposed to do with that? I know.

I know. I know. I know. I know. I know. Of course she's kidding. And then there's all this follow up of like, are you guys not gonna get tested? Is there a problem here like, oh my God, no, we're totally like, see, I walk away thinking, of course they know I'm kidding.

Why would I do that to somebody? Why would I not test? Why would I not have a double date? Why would, why? Why? This is similar to how we sort of got together officially. And it actually, this got me married to this who actually worked for this, this camera works for me. So this was actually almost 10 years ago at this point. So we had been in this movie together in a world and we were, you know, dating... Hanging out, sorry, hanging out after.

And I was like, I'm straight, but oh my god, you're so funny. And then we... You're so funny. And I'm so pretty, but I think I'm funny. And I'm so stupid. Some people think I'm funny. I really thought you'm funny. And I'm so stupid. Some people think I'm funny. I really thought you were funny. Look, not for everyone, that's fine.

You can't be for everyone. That's right. That's right. Okay, so at what we were hanging out and at one point we kissed, it was actually Valentine's Day. Let me get to the part where it's the summer. And so we didn't kiss because it was valentines. We were hanging out. We kiss. We have a great night. And then I got home and like, oh my god, what have I done? Like I'm straight. This is crazy.

I don't want to like misslead leader on whatever. So I wake up in the morning and I write the longest emails pages. That's just like, pages. I just think the world of you, I love hanging out with you. I think you're so funny. I had a great time last night. Oh, and an honor. I don't regret anything. It's like our bios.

You're just the greatest. I'm just so unfortunately straight. Otherwise, this would be amazing. Friends and emails. Yeah, and I'm like reread it. I'm like, okay, perfect. P like reread it and like, okay, perfect. Pages. Send it.

Like seconds later, she replies and it says, okay, Dyke. Oh, no, I really like her. Oh, that's, that's good. That's really good. That's really good. That's really good. Well, I didn't even know what to do because we have so much fun together and we kiss so naturally. And I was, I just thought, what is all of this meat like? No, that's protest too much.

Stephanie. Well, I know that Tig gets bored with the whole sexuality conversation. I've heard you say that that's boring, but it's not boring to me because I'm brand new here. So I want to hear this story. Where did I say that? Somewhere. I rather you just said if you think it's boring, I don't know if you're serious. So you said that.

No, I've just been dabbling for longer than you. Yeah. And it feels the same way. And so I'm just like, yeah, you know, but it, I'm not discounting your need to talk about it or Stephanie, Stephanie, she could talk about it for, she could write you pages of an image. Pages. Well, you know when people are like new to AA or new to CrossFit or new to like veganism

and they can't stop talking about it. Like, this is one. No, no, no crossfit. Crossfit or new to like veganism and they can't stop talking about it like this is one meal. Look, I'm crossfit, but I am the, I'll talk your face off about plant-based food. Oh, Jesus. So then I'm not even going to worry about this, about boring you. I got my plant-based nutrition certification during the pandemic. I did. Yes, I did.

Okay. And you should have added that in my bio. Okay. If you let me ask a question about sexuality, then I will listen to you talk about plants. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Okay.

This is how friendship works. It's a give and take. So Stephanie, yes. What the hell? So you're straight. And you really believe you're straight your whole life. Let me interrupt here. Okay. Okay. And then interrupt here. Okay, okay.

And then she can talk about her sexuality and answer this question. But let's talk about the other side of things of how many boyfriend you had. Okay. Oh, this is interesting. Oh, see. Well, I had a lot of, um, boyfriends that I was not in long-term relationships with. Okay.

Got it. Okay. And you played basketball. Thank you, Abby. Yes. And softball. I was, you can't play the sword, like the two gayists.

Oh, my God. Like the two gayists. Slightly interested in women. The two gayists. I did notice that part of the documentary, The Basketball. I did even notice that, even my gay dark is that. I mean, I have the worst gay dark on earth because I didn't even know I'm myselfless.

I died laughing because I was like, TIGNATARO's going to watch her friend's basketball game. I know, like, I'm so straight. Move it. Go team. Yeah, that was impressive. Did you feel like you were, because I've heard a red, you say, that you didn't feel like you were hiding something from yourself?

No, I mean, truly did not know. And I, young teenager, early 20s, never had a feeling I was completely thought I was straight. And then I would date guys where I'm like, they're cool. They're interesting. They're, you know, like it was kind of like anybody I thought was a little interesting to talk to. I was like, I guess I like him. Yep. And then the relationship would start and they would obviously want it to grow. And I'd be like, this is casual. This has to stay.

And then we'd have a date and I'd be like, I'm unavailable for a week. So I'll see you next Thursday. And I wanted them out immediately in the morning. I'm like, get out. Like, they would have wanted to have breakfast. And I'm like, no, no, no intimacy. I would roll over, grab my phone and be like, pretend like it beeped and be like, oh no, I have an audition.

Do you wish that you would figure it out early so that you could have been dating women that whole time? Yes, yeah, I look back on that and I'm like, oh my God, what I was missing. And I have no clue. And I know, but you got it now because I kind of glenens like, I wish that I knew earlier and I'm like, oh.

I know that by the way, she when I say that. Well, because I'm like, well, you can't go back in time number one. Number two, like that just means you'd be sleeping with so many more women. I'm not into that. Okay, well, this is me. It's not the real time.

And so were you tick worried that she was because Abby's friends all told her do not get serious with this woman. She's just going to like pretend she's gay for a minute and then she's going to go back to men. Well, you were also married with three children. That's true. I was also married with three children. Slightly different. There's another little one. See, Stephanie was single with a roommate. And it felt more, I didn't really hear that. No, but I imagine people might have thought that. I've dated so many people that are interesting or beautiful, smart, funny, all these things. And I talk about the inflection where I would say, oh,

yeah, it's good. You know, things are good. Yeah, we'll see. We'll see how it goes. You know, she's cool. And my voice would be up there. And then when I met Stephanie, I noticed I was talking from this really honest place that was right here, where I would say, I like her so much. She is the great, oh my gosh, she's so funny. And I noticed I was not talking from that place. I was always like, we'll see, you know, or this is yeah. And then I went, oh my gosh. And I think what's that? That's good. It's what?

It's really cool. Oh, you didn't even need that extra comment from you. Sorry, I should have kept that. We interrupt. Go ahead. It's what I heard was it's total. And so I thought, well, let me just check in and see what Tudal means. But anyway, so when I noticed I was speaking from that place, I imagine I was talking to everybody from that place about her.

And I just, I don't know. Maybe that's what it is. That's what I'm kind of chalking it up to is maybe my friends were like, oh, this is not a situation where Tiggs, you know. What did you have? Just people being, but you're not gay. Just a vibe of like, it's gonna run its course. And it wasn't being received in a way of like, oh, you're in love. Nobody was discouraging.

It was, I could just sense that sort of a vibe. But you also had that vibe of people going, wow, I've never heard you talk about somebody. Oh, yeah, yeah, and at the same time that. You said, I think I realized I was actually gay a few years ago after we were married and after we had kids. Yes. Which means...

What were you doing for those two years? What were you thinking about or pursuing? It's been a year. I really feel that way, though. And I kind of blows my mind because when we got together, feel that way though. And I kind of blows my mind because when we got together, we were so in love and just have always been in love. That was the thing. Yes. I'm in love with TIG. And TIGs a woman, but it's and I think I went more in the direction of, oh my god, like labels are so dumb. And you can fall in love with anyone. It took time and sort of my own allowing myself to process of like, oh, I actually don't, I'm not attracted to men and I don't think I could ever

be in love with a man. And oh, that means I actually am gay and I missed this whole part of myself which blows my mind. And then I had to go, so what am I attracted to? What is my sexuality? And what is my sexuality completely separate from Tick? You know, and that, when you're married with kids to go through that, I felt like it was very hard because I, it had nothing to do with our relationship. It's like, of course, this is still strong and of course, I'm still in love, because I, it had nothing to do with our relationship. It's like, of course, this is still strong

and of course, I'm still in love, but I need to figure this piece out because I didn't, I wanna know it about myself. I wanna understand it. Yeah, and it's a scary place, it's tricky because you're already married and so it's done. I mean, I remembered an early interview, I said on the record the words, Abby is my sexuality. That's written down. Yeah. I was having this conversation with a friend and she was like, so were you gay before?

What the hell, Glenan? She's known me forever and I said, well, I don't know. I mean, there's always been some things, but well, you know, I've always thought that, you know, guys bodies were kind of gross and women's bodies were beautiful, but like everybody thinks that. Right. And she was like, no, Klenon. Everyone doesn't think that. Like what? I know. Like men's bodies? Like she said, you want that.

I don't even think men's bodies are gross. Me, they're just happy. Me neither. Yeah, I do. I'm Jonathan M. Hevar. I'm a podcast producer and someone who likes fancy things. But I grew up working class. My parents were immigrants with factory jobs. And because of that, I think about class a lot.

And I want to talk about it. That's what we're doing on my new podcast, Classy. And what did you all eat? You know, trailer food. I was like, girl, we're not doing that anymore. You'll hear from people who told me awkward, embarrassing, and strangely intimate things about what class means to them. She said, you know, for the house cleaner, I hide the tag on the $6 bread.

And I just thought, don't you think she knows that you're wealthy? You're hiding the tags from yourself. Classy. A new podcast from Pineapple Street Studios. Available now, wherever you get your podcasts. I know we joke about sexuality, and TIG, and Abby's sexuality. But the truth is, I think it's really awesome TIG

that you can hold the space for stuff and you need to be able to do that. Not many partners are confident enough in the love, in the marriage to be able to do that. We can't talk like that. We don't talk like that. This is the first time we've talked like that. I mean, that's not.

Pretty much. That's not 100% true. A little bit. Listen, you sat down at a table one day and you said we are not Standing up from this table until we figure out what I am asking me all right, let's figure it out. I mean, I know we're married. So It's hard to figure out after you're married Yeah, I mean Stephanie said and then I closed a door early and so I never ever got to discover what was behind it

Yeah, I am human and I mean Stephanie said, and then I closed her door early. And so I never, ever got to discover what was behind it. Yeah, I am human. And it's not just easy to treat knowing that there's any sort of regret or something. Gosh, I hope it's not regret. I don't even know. It's more terrifying, I think, if people are holding these secrets or thoughts, that's when things get rough. And as rough as the conversations are or exploration or thoughts, are or exploration or thoughts, I think it's that's easier to get through than being confined

with those private thoughts or concerns. And I assumed that if we were together, that no matter if it was a woman, a man, a tree, a non-binary person who had trans, whoever it was, that Stephanie, or even myself, that anybody could potentially think, oh, is that person attractive? Or how do I feel about this? Or how I know that Stephanie is a human being. And so it's complex. But I also know so deeply that we love each other so, so much, and we enjoy each other. And we have so much together. We also have a lot of problems

and issues, but because we're alive and we're together, but I want to have those problems and issues with Stephanie. And I think what was fascinating about kind of that discovery at the time in which it was was like, it almost was harder because we were so in love and because I was so in love. It's like, well, I don't wanna do anything that would weaken that intensity of that love

by me exploring or thinking about the side of myself. And what ended up happening when we worked through that was just how much our love got stronger. And being able to kind of go, oh, this is how I feel. This is who I am. Now you know that. Now we've talked about it, it changed so much. And I think in a weird way, not knowing I was gay, I had sort of heteronormative ways that just were the way I saw things. And then in this relationship, even though I'm now in a gay relationship, I was still going about things in a heteronormative way. Like what? Give me an example, because same. Yeah. Same. I was like, I need to know, I want to be like all gay and everything, but I also need to know

who's getting the fucking bugs, because it's not going to be me. And I'm not carrying the trash out. I need some, I need some heteronormativity in my lesbian relationship. Yeah. That's hilarious. And just sort of that feeling of like I think a power dynamic or who differs to who or how does something, oh, what does that mean if you do this and I do that? Yeah, I, I for sure had a big growth spurt in this relationship because we have

a 15 year difference between us. And when we got together, well, I don't mean to sound like a mathematician, but we were much younger. And even though I'd been in relationships, I was essentially single in the way that I wasn't married and the way I handled money or my house or whatever it was, my time, I was calling the shots.

And then when Stephanie and I got together, I feel silly saying again, she was much younger. But we met when I was 25. Yeah. Wow. And so time went on and she was like, listen, I'm older. I, I have my career now. I have my money.

I have all these things. And this is, I know this, the people will probably hear this and say, well, of course, you're separate people. And of course, fine, I'm telling you, I was for sure calling the shots of like the house and where the money was going to be spent. And I had to look at myself and go, right, we're married, we're together. This is our house. This is our money. I was like, oh, she's all set up. She's got all her stuff going on. It wasn't like I was this like passive person. I was just sort of like,

oh, yeah, buy whatever you want, get whatever you want. And we're in love. It was natural. It was I didn't even think about it. And then later in this sort of discovery, it was like, what does that mean if you do that? And that feels weird for me. And now I'm not, I don't like myself in this. And I'm so uncomfortable because it goes against everything I actually believe in. And then I'm like, and by the way, I don't think I've told you everything I believe in. believe in. And then I'm like, and by the way, I don't think I've told you everything I believe in. Let me introduce my new self to you. And that's all different. And that's when it became Tawanda! Yes! I really like, you're going to have to be with a brand new person.

But that's also exciting because I'm a brand new person. Yeah. And we continue to each become brand new people and that's great. It's a long time. But there was a huge tawanda moment. And by the way, I am mid-tawanda myself. I just told my therapist that the other day because I was like, I think I'm starting to tawanda.

How? I must know. How is tawanda? You're starting to tawanda. I can somebody explain tawanda to me? Oh, babe. Well, it's very gay. I'm surprised you don't know, but on fried green tomatoes,

when Kathy, did you see that? Of course you will. I watched you this afternoon. I'm sorry, you never saw it. Well, Kathy Bates, how would you describe Tawanda? She's in a very terrible marriage, and she's like sick of it, and she's, you know, she's getting used to it.

By the way, you were in a terrible marriage. You said Tawanda. I know, but I was joking because you were like, you have to watch the movie. Yeah, basically her claiming herself and just kind of like, fuck it. I'm like, you know, I'm gonna do whatever I want. It's like her inner goddamn cheetah comes out.

She slams the car into this jackass. He's just parked drunk. Yeah. Oh no, she just like, oh yeah. She releases her, she shows up for her life. And she's just off. I'm too wanderin' right now. I'm realizing, well, I, she shows up for her life. And she's just stuff. I'm to a wandering right now.

I'm realizing, well, I mean, I don't know if I need to go into all of the to wandering that's going. I think you do. Just what's happening? On a very serious note, I've had a lot of unsettling things happen in the past few years. And I've lost a lot of grounding people. Well, I mean, it's a nerthing to have my spouse go to onding. And then, and then, as I had this guy

that cut my hair for 16 years in my house, passed away two days before the pandemic, and then the pandemic is unsettling. My manager of forever got out of the business, and my stepfather passed away on the anniversary of my mother 10 years later. I've just felt a little like what's happening and what the ground underneath me is a little unsteady. And so it's made me look around like what's your role, what do you do?

Do you make sense in my life? I need to feel secure right now. I really need to feel secure right now. I really need to feel secure. And in that, I felt like when something doesn't feel right, I am. And I'm very confrontational in if I need something or once. I'm very forward. But it's... It's...

It's to wanting. Where I'm like, this does not work for me. I, in a way that I have not been before, as much as I do the jokes of like, no, I won't test or, you know, whatever, that email I sent you which I don't even remember sending. But it sounds like me or the okay, dyke moment. I have this other side of me where I do think I am a nice person.

And I want things to be okay and nice with people. But right now I'm going through a place of, yeah, of towanding. And how do people react to your towanding? Because I always feel that the after moment is what's, it's not even the to wanting that's hard. That feels good. Then it's waiting for other people's reactions to your to wanting that makes you be like, oh, never mind.

No worries. No, I've just, I've just gotten very seriously firm about things or I've raised my voice in a way that I don't normally like my agent of like 15 years ran into Stephanie at a party and he was like, I have not, he was on a call with me where I was just very firm about something. Cool. And he was like, I've never heard TIG like that before. And I'm like, yeah, I overheard that. I'm like, me either. Wow. So how do you feel about to want to TIG?

I love it. I feel like we're both in a place of like, oh, this is what we value. This is what we like. I mean, not necessarily. I don't think we go about it the same way, but just where you're going, this is really how I feel. This is really how I see it. And I don't want my life to not be that. And so if I keep nodding along or keeping it in or just going, I guess that's how it goes,

then your life is that. That's right, that's right. I think we're at an inflection point too, and the way that women work, women in business, I have spent my whole fucking life just being like, yes, sure, I'll do that. So, grateful for the opportunity. Thank you so much.

And it's like, you know, it's half of what I probably could be earning. And recently, I mean, it took this one because she's just stronger than me in terms of holding her boundary, her line, for what she knows she's worth. And physically. Yeah, of course.

Well, we see it's because she towers over. We think it's because I lived my whole life as a straight white Christian middle class. I was the most entitled of the entitled my whole life. I just got to the marginalized group. So when people mistreat me, I'm like, what the fuck? I'm like, we call me Queerin because it's like the Queer Karen. But really, like, she, oh my god. But it's been interesting because she felt bad about it for a

while because she was like, why are you always the one that speaks up? Right. But it's because she was in this situations for her whole life when the risk was much higher. So that to wanting, I think, comes because I had, I was more used to being entitled. Yeah, I think a lot of us are in a, in a, Tawanda, Yeah, right now. It's good.

I am so, so deeply in it. I love it. And there are, there is the aftermath of, and I don't know if this is exactly what you're talking about, but there is the aftermath of people being stunned at our production company, our creative executive who used to be our assistant years ago. He's worked with us forever now.

But I was talking to him about it. And he said, you don't have to apologize or he said, those are real emotions and feelings. And although I know that it was, it was nice to hear it because I just, the circus I'm finished with. I'm very finished with the circus. And it is nice when men and women are both like, yeah, that's cool. And you know what? I actually like that because I do think it's that thing with women where you, if a woman, you tell a woman to do something and she just says, no, it's like, wow, she's difficult. Whoa, she's crazy.

What a bitch. And you see a guy go, no, I'm not doing that. And they're like, he's so smart. Oh my god, he's so smart. Oh my God, he's so strong. No, he's really strong. I love that guy. And I feel like I've noticed with women now,

even like other actors, or I'm like, I love that you're just like, no. It's the best. It's so freeing when somebody else does it. Yeah. You're like, oh, I can do that. Yeah, it's an invitation to all the other Marvels. But there's also plenty of people

that are on ego trips and power trips that also do it, that are not what I'm talking about. Exactly. And I'm not talking about the power ego tripping people that do this. That's a whole different thing. I'm talking about just really, really getting in tune with what you want. I am so obsessed with the things that I don't want to. That's meaning I love learning. I don't want this. I don't want this in my life. I don't want this. And I love that.

When it rears its head as much as I find something like Stephanie where I'm like, I want this. This is what I will work and live for. And this is that side of it. And then there's this where I'm like, oh, am I thrilled that I know that I don't want that. Yes, I do not want that. That's right. And it all feeds into toanda. What's an example for each of you of something you've discovered that is I don't want that? Well, I know. Mine is totally linked to that, like coming into my sexuality because a friend of mine who is married to a man who identifies this queer.

And I'm like, so what does that mean? Queer, because queer, I never quite, I'm like, am I queer? Can I say I'm queer? Like, are we all queer? And she was like queer is just other. So queer is anything other than the heteronormative patriarchal paradigm.

And so if she's like, I wanna be other in my writing, I wanna be other in my parenting, I wanna be other in my relationship, I whatever it is, I don't want like, I want to be other in my writing, I want to be other in my parenting, I want to be other in my relationship, I, whatever it is, I don't want that, I want other. And I feel like I'm like, ah, that's what I want. I don't want the way this goes. I don't want the like, we're falling into roles, we're playing this out. I want to know in every moment what I'm actually feeling, what I actually think.

And then that is my reality. Yes. Queer is like, they give you a menu instead of choosing, you just return the menu. All of everything. Yeah, you're just like, I defer choice. I think about the all the time terms of faith, all of it. Like queer, faith, queer gender, queer art, queer relationships, all of it, so good.

Yeah. What about you, take what do you not want, not this? There's so many things, creative things and people in the creative world that I have had too much patience for. And there's a lot of creative stuff that I've been open to because I do think it's important to try new things out, but there's so much creative that I've learned that's not for me and I don't want to spend my time doing that. And just there are people that I am okay with, I'm not looking for a battle with them, but they're not for me. And I'm okay with cutting that loose and being friendly, perfectly friendly when I see them.

But they're not for me. And I'm not interested in the world that surrounds them. And I'm not interested in the world that surrounds them. And I'm good with that. And I also, I just want to be comfortable. I want to be safe and comfortable and healthy. I feel that. I feel all of that. Queer, comfortable, safe.

Glenn, and what don't you want? Yeah, what do you think you don't want? Well, I mean, I think I have found, you know, we go to some, we'll go to like a get together with people and they're all talking about, like climbing this hamster wheel more, more, more. I don't want to have a life where I'm constantly thinking that happiness or success is like one great project or deal or connection away. I'm obsessed right now with figuring out like what is enough

and not and just stopping. There's this frantic climb to nowhere. And I know you're climbing to hell. Yes. That's right. Absolutely climbing to hell because people are so blinded by fame, fortune, power. When it gets into the right hands, you have incredible people. And then when you get, when that gets into the wrong hands, it is astounding the monsters. And I'm always like, people will say, does it frustrate you when you hear that she or they

or whoever is getting it? And I'm like, no, keep feeding that monster. Yes. Let them have it all. Let them have it all. It would be one thing if you could see anything that looked like joy or peace or happiness on that side because I am always looking at for that, you know?

Like a particular table we were at recently, and everybody was just talking about, what's next and what's bigger and who's doing what? I said, well, how do you know when you've done it? How do you know when you've done the thing? Yeah. And then also, are you happy? And it was like, it was like,

well, we're not talking about that. But like, yeah. not talking about that. Yeah, you know, sort of like that feeling too. I mean, especially in the arts or entertainment, you're doing the thing you love. Like you're the person that has got to do the thing they love. And so isn't that amazing? And isn't it amazing that we're all here doing this really fun thing with each other? Trying to get everybody on that page is so challenging. It's so challenging and it's and look, I love we both, I'll speak for myself, I love working,

I love what I do, I love it, but I am not looking to just fill my calendar. Stephanie and I have a production company and we do things together and that excites me so much, writing, creating, producing, acting. We do all of those things together and have over the years and we have so much for everybody. It's like, oh God, what was that like working with your wife? It was incredible. I know. It was incredible. It was so fun.

And we're both so sad when we go to a set and the other one is not there. And we're looking for more people like us. Yeah, we love working together. We love it. And we love working on our projects. And so that, their labors of love. And again, I've done plenty of things

outside of what we create together. But Stephanie makes fun of me because when, you know, how on projects or sets, people are like, I'm not here to make friends. And I'm like, I'm only here to make friends. So that is the only thing I'm here to do. I might not, you might not be, you know, I might pick up something weird about you,

but I'm not necessarily gonna be friends, best friends with everyone, but I am here to have a good time. I want to be laughing on set and enjoying myself. to be laughing on set and enjoying myself. That's so, so crucial to me is to enjoy what I'm doing and feel like there's a positive message to the project or there's good people involved in it. Of course, it's hit or miss out there,

but that's what I'm going in for. That's really, really what I'm interested in. And something I heard Mary Ann Williams and say that I think about almost daily is she was like, it's great when you go about life in a way that's like, it's a really big fucking deal. And then at the same time, big fucking deal. Yeah.

And both are at the same time, big fucking deal. And both are at the same time. So it's like, you can't be that forceful to the top and you want the money and you want the, and then it's, you know, and if you don't get it, you're miserable. It kind of all has to exist at the same time. Yeah. I always say nothing matters.

And it's devastating. But also nothing matters. And it's devastating. But also nothing matters. But nothing matters. Nothing matters? Yes. Nothing matters. But nothing matters. But nothing matters.

But nothing matters. But nothing matters. So do it. Take the risk. But just remember, nothing matters. But if the risk works out, just remember. Yeah. Nothing matters.

Yeah. Actually, that's quite freeing. Yeah. That's going to be the title of this double date. Nothing matters. Nothing matters. This doesn't matter. It's not going to be to bonding.

No, it's for sure going to meet to one. Not the question. But, and we, Abby, what would you, what do you want? Thanks, Stephanie. Sorry. So the question is, what do I not want? I choose to live a life without chaos. And that's good.

It's difficult with three children, truly, because a lot of that can feel chaotic in moments, but I don't seek chaos. I was a seeker of chaos for many years of my life, and peace is kind of what I'm after. So if I were to say what I don't want, it would be chaos, and there's a few things that I have to do every single day to achieve, like to have a knowing of that grounding-ness. Like, it's like working out. It's drinking coffee in the morning.

It's, you know, making sure I'm staying connected with my wife. Like, those kind of three elements, like, seriously coffee is that important to me. It rises to that top. But yeah. Do you have a mug that says don't even talk to me until I've had my coffee. It's implied. It's, it's, there is just no communication for the first 20 minutes of

wakeness. No, that's right. You haven't talked to each other. No, no, we'll talk to the dogs. Yeah. How old are your babies now? You have two little boys, right? Twin six year olds.

There's six. All right. They just turn six. Oh, shit. What is that like? And what's the best thing and what's the worst thing? And how has it changed things? Do you dress them the same?

No. They dress themselves and they look like maybe they don't have parents. Yeah, sure. They're very into their clothes. Yeah. But you wouldn't know it. That's the reason. Nothing matters. I have nothing matters.

I feel like I become a cliche annoying parent when I talk about them because they have their little moments, but they're so great. So great. They're so great. And any time we find ourselves getting caught up in, you know, oh, this one always forgets to do this or this one gets frustrated with this or this is their little struggle with their dynamic. They are not difficult children, and they're so loving and protective of each other. We cannot reprimand one without the other one

getting so upset with us. That is my brother. That is my brother. That is my brother. Don't say that. Don't say that to my brother. So even when they're the ones that was mad, you come in and then they both just turn on you. And you're just like, okay,

you guys gotta figure this out yourselves then, which is pretty much what they do for the most part. It's that thing where you just look at them and you're like, oh my God, how are you this little person in the world and look at your little watch and your shorts and your, it's just like, you're about to put pants on them.

Hey. Yes. Yeah, that was our victory. I was just like, oh gosh, I just want to put little pants on someone. I was just like, oh gosh, I just want to put a little pants on someone. And you know what's like, I know your guys' kids are so much older, but like at this age,

and they're, they haven't started kindergarten yet. They're about to start, but just their pure joy and the way they run toward their friends at school and they hug each other and they go, I love you. And they're like, I love you. And just, he's my friend and she's my, and it's like, I look at that and I go, I feel that way about people and the world.

But I would be crazy, you know? Like that, just being able to express yourself and everybody just go, yeah, this is great. Yeah. If you do that, you're like, you don't have to tawanda. Yeah. Right. Totally. Exactly.

Eight. But I have to say tawandaing is kind of, it's kind of fun. Yeah. It's really, it's really freeing to tawanda. Kathy Bates was standing in front of me at the airport, like maybe five people in front of me. And I considered telling her I was mid-Tawanda, but then I just thought, oh, she hears that all the time. And I can't be another person that does the... And she's like, actually, I've never heard that. Kathy, I'm never heard that.

Happy. I'm, I'm twawning. Oh, I don't know if she calls it. It calls us. What do you guys fight about? Yeah. Because it feels like you got, I mean, do you have arguments? Yeah, it's a question. Before I was like, we've got plenty of issues and problems.

And a lot of them, we've worked through and a lot of them continue to rear their heads. Yeah. But we have like our ones we've really figured out. and then we have the ones that we really do every time. Yeah, what are the ones you do every time? We've got like three in the bank that we just keep coming back to. I don't know, like old files. Where it's like, should we pull out that old file? And we know what's in there, but should we pull out the old file? A friend of mine that I grew up with.

We also have old files where I'm like old jokes or stories. And we've been friends since we were children. And we moved out here to Los Angeles together. And we have stories that we've told each other a million times because we grew up together. And we had those stories together. We lived it together. And one of us will bring out the old file

and start telling a story. And then the other one will say, wait, do you know this? And the other one will say, absolutely, but please tell it again. And then we won't stop each other and move it up. Okay, well, and so, and we know the story by heart. And it's the same thing with our issues. Well, and that's what's so weird.

Don't interrupt me. Stephanie. Oh, that's our issue. Um, let's get that file. Um, it's weird where we're at now kind of once you acknowledge, like, oh, we don't fight well around this one. Like this one is going to end like the other night was such a weird one because we were going toward one of our fights. And it's not even like one of our fights, it's just like this is gonna turn into our fight.

This is, it's just something triggers. Here we go. And I was like, okay, I don't wanna do this right now because I'm gonna get really mad and then I'm not gonna be able to get off of it. And then you're gonna say this and it's just going to end in the wall. And I don't feel like doing it right now. And it was like, so grown up.

And you're like, I don't even recognize you right now. I don't even know. I said, so you just, you're just not even going to head over there. You're just going to stop. I'm so mad. I, of course, that I'm mad about that. Of course. I'm so mad. Of course that I'm mad about that. Of course I'm so mad about that. So I don't know what to say.

Yeah. That's so good. We should really try that. You know what I'm saying? You're on a rollercoaster, it's like, yeah, but there's nothing you can do. You're struggling. You're there for the whole damn ride.

You triggered it and it's like, you got on. One time we were having an argument early and are probably in our first year, oh yeah, in our relationship. And we still use this technique to get out of an argument. 70, we were both upset and I think she was maybe locked in to maybe yelling at me or something in the moment. This, she was like something I was coming at me verbally.

And then I mid argument, I just wandered off to the window and just put my hands against the glass and I started singing and in prompt to musical and I was like there was a time and I just started singing about all the good times we used to have and more things went awry and Stephanie started laughing so hard and so now we'll sing musicals to each other when things get really tense. And it pulls us out of those moments. And what we're working on now is following up after... That's good.

...after... ...after that. ...because I'm still... No resolution. ...with that issue still there. Yeah, absolutely. ...so we can pull each other out. Another thing that Stephanie does that will pull me out of is when she's driving me insane, which

has only happened once, of course. But I'll be so frustrated that I can't see and then she'll start pointing to her wedding ring. Like, you got me for life. I'm yours. You're the one you picked. I'm the one you picked. And then that makes me laugh so hard. And we also joke about when we're in an argument, we'll talk about how, well, I'm legally bound to you.

I just find a contract. And so I guess we've got to work this out because we are contractually bound to a situation. Oh my God. Okay. This is brilliant then because we've only focused on the things to get us out of it. But we haven't focused on the then coming back. Because if you only focus on your whole life would have to turn into a musical. If you'd never talk about the thing. Ooh, I have to tell you one more thing

that gets us out of an argument that actually we haven't done this in a while. It's so funny. There was a meme or something that you sent me where a guy was driving a car and then his dog was in the passenger seat and had its paw on his arm. And they're both facing forward. No, they're not looking at each other. Right. And I think I've told you that it gets me out of situation.

Yeah, if somebody will just touch me in an argument, I can talk better if she just reaches out and touches me. And so she sent me that meme of the guy driving in his dog just having its paw. And so sometimes when we've had arguments, Stephanie will kind of mimic the dog and put her paw on my arm. We're like so mad. And then dog and put her paw on my arm. We're so mad and it's like,

we're just so mad and then she'll put her paw on me. And then it makes me laugh. Or it makes me feel like. It brings you back to reality too. It brings me back to reality. As it's like, that would help for you. I do too, because it's not about the thing. It's about panic.

It's about like, abandoned man, and oh, no. It's a connection and that touch, when Stephanie will reach out and touch me, I'm like, okay, we're together. And it is that thing of like, it's so not what you're talking about. It's like, this is bothering me

because I have all these things. We've done couples therapy in the past. And I think there's certain things where you have to kind of give it over to someone else because you're gonna, you're in your thing. I think a breaking point for us, and I actually love this moment so much as we were in like a really big fight. And we both like at a point where like, okay, we gotta get done with this fight.

And we both, we both were like, well, I'm not sorry. And she's like, I'm not sorry either. Wow. And we both were like, okay, yeah, we're different. We see this completely differently and I cannot do that one. And she's like, I cannot do that one.

And so I felt like that was really a great moment because at least nobody's going toward their thing and being like, okay, you're sorry. That's so interesting to me because I- You're not abandoning yourself. I am always looking for you to be sorry. Yes, you are. And then I have to lie.

Yeah, I need to. She's never sorry. I'm like, do you actually feel sorry? She's not, I'll say I'm sorry. And she'll go, do you feel sorry? And I'm like, well, we're lying anyway. Do you want me to actually tell you that I feel sorry? No, I don't.

It's like, this is my opinion very deeply. I thought you were going to talk about how I remember one time after an argument. And look, we're not arguing all the time. What percent of the time? Yeah, this is a one percent of our, but one of the times that we argued, I came back in the room. I thought you were going to talk about this. And I said, we just got in big trouble.

And that's how it felt like, wow, we misbehaved there. You know, we just, yes, I get that. If it felt like a parent would have been like, whoa, you two. Yeah, and we do reference that still where after we'll have an argument, we'll be like, we just gone big trouble and that'll break tension too. And I feel our couples there are pissed told us this, which I loved so much. It is in the way of like, okay, if you're not going to say you're sorry, but go up to the person, go, how can I help? And just how simple that is.

It's like clearly you're not okay. And so as a person, how can I help you? What can I do to make you feel okay? And what can I do to make you feel okay? I love it. I feel like you've been talking for four minutes. I know. We feel like we didn't get through. We have 18 more questions. We have so much more that we want to talk about. We love you too. We love you guys.

I'm just so grateful to have met you and I would love to meet your little boys sometime. Well, that's not possible. But thank you. Thank you. Jesus Christ. Now I'm just going to take a deep deep into it. And I don't care who's giving you a signal. We're not finished. But I do want to take a moment to acknowledge how thankful we are

for what you both do for the world and the greater good. And I feel so strongly about putting your time and money, and power, and influence into your beliefs. And I think that you both do that beyond measure. And I am so, so thankful for that. Well, just real quick, you know, you have to go, but how do you figure out what you're going to care about? I mean, I'm just going to say this to the Pardsquad. Tegan Stephanie just gave a shit ton of money. I know if I'm allowed to say it, but like because... But I know you weren't saying it because of that.

No, no, no, no. I know. I absolutely am. I want people to know. No, no, no. No, that's not why I'm saying. I'm truly... I remember Stephanie talking to me about Stephanie talking to me about what you do both of you and how activated you are and that drew me. I was so blown away and I fully believe that if you have a problem with something, don't complain about it. Do something. Donate money. lift a finger and help people. And how do we know? I mean, it's funny to talk earlier about nothing matters. But of course, I think everything matters.

And I care about everything. And I think that there's just different ways that you can activate yourself, whether it's showing up in person for people or giving your money in ways and towards things that you can't physically get to. I don't know, Do you make a decision what you care about? I mean, yeah, we have to because we... There's so many heartbreaking things constantly going on in the world, so you do kind of have to figure out what's breaking the world's heart

and go towards certain things. You gave all the proceeds to the New York City Beacon Theatre event to the Suffering and Ukraine through together rising. So how do you to figure out with all, I mean, because people are asking us this all the time, like, with all the heartbreaking things in the world, it's just easy to shut down and do nothing. Since you can't do it all. So how do you decide? You know what's interesting about you guys and together rising is like when everything was happening at that time, it had just started in Ukraine,

it's like there's a trust in you guys of like, they're feeling what we're feeling. So they're gonna put the money in the place that goes toward what we're all feeling. And it's not gonna be because it's coming from a place of like feeling. And when you can connect to that, then you go, oh, okay, then I have trust in together rising

because I know the people behind it are just trying to figure it out. And that's where the trust intention is so crucial. And I think that we trust the intention behind your organization. I think all the time, let's say you both despise me or you don't like my comedy

or you took all of my joking seriously. I don't care. I'm still going to give you my money, you know. I do not care what you think about me because if I think you have good intentions and you are going to be doing something incredible and powerful with that money. Great. Great. We just love you guys so much for it. I mean, we were floored and it's not often that people step up like the way that you do. And the way and the thing why togetherizing works so well is that it's usually just very minimal donations. I think what's the average? 31, $35.

$31. That's what's so much about it. I think we're at $40 million. It's incredible. It's incredible. Because that's what matters. All these people that have a little bit. Right.

And we tend to think that changes for people who have a lot. And that's not actually ever been true in the history of the world. Right. You all are magic. Thank you so much for being here in the world for everything. But seriously, that's meet in person. I know.

It would be so great. We want to meet your guys as kids. So good. Love to the boys. Love to the three cats. Thank you. Same to you. And just good luck with everything.

We just love you. We love who you are in the world. And to all the rest of you people listening, we will see you next time on We Can Do Hard Things. Yes. Bye! We Can Do Hard Things is produced in partnership with Cadence 13 Studios. Be sure to rate, review, and follow the show on Apple podcasts, Odyssey, or wherever you get your podcasts, especially be sure to rate and review the podcast if you really

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