Kate Flannery: Episode Link
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On this episode, we are speaking with the hilarious actress, singer and comedian Kate Flannery. Kate discusses her role as drunk Meredith on the popular series The Office and more about her career and her midlife journey.
TRANSCRIPT:
Welcome back to Hot Flashes and Cool Topics. Today we are going to have a really fun conversation with Kate Flannery. Many of you will remember her as the drunk Meredith from the office.
But she has, she is really busy and we are just thrilled to have you on the show. So welcome to the show, Kate. Kate. – Hey, how’s it going, Colleen and Bridget? What’s up? – Going great,
going great. – Yes, we have interviewed a lot of people over the last four years, but I have to tell you, my daughter is one of the biggest fans of the office. And when I told her I was interviewing her, she lost her mind.
– We’re gonna get to some mom’s treat right here. We need to get you, yeah, just to know that you’re a cool, yeah. – Yeah, my son is a big fan of the office. office. So her daughter my son. Yeah.
Yeah Yes, exactly. Oh, yeah. I Kind of wanted to start a little bit about starting maybe like now and then work our way back So right now you have a couple shows you’ve got plan B and the prank Can you talk a little bit about those shows and what’s going on with that?
Yeah, no, no, it’s okay I, the prank is a horror comedy starring Rita Moreno, Keith David, Meredith Talinger, myself. We filmed this a couple,
like, I guess it was almost two years ago. And we, it was, it was South by Southwest last year, and it’s, and it’s in limited theaters right now, but it’ll be on a platform soon, I don’t know which one,
but what a joy to work with. The great. great Rita Barano, who she’s got, but she’s also a wonderful energy to be around. And I want to be here when I grow up.
I want you to. Yeah. What was it like working with her? I mean, Well, actually, to be honest, I didn’t have scenes with her. We just got to do press together. But everyone that worked with her on set,
I mean, she was playing a really mean character. She never gets to play mean characters. characters. It’s a shame because we should have had more movies with her playing a main person.
She’s hilarious and fantastic and perfect. Yeah, I think I guess the premise she’s a main teacher. Is that right? Yeah, she’s a physics teacher. Yeah. Are you a character?
I’m the lunch lady. I’ve been a lunch lady before. I actually did the voice for that. The graphic novels the lunch lady series Derek Krakowski.
Yeah, it’s such a good, such a great Krasowski, sorry I’m saying his name wrong, but he’s such a great author. He has a book called Hey Kiddo. If you have any like teens or like,
you know, tweens, they’re told they should be all reading these books. Lunch lady is so fun. She’s like a superhero. superhero. It’s fun, unlike in a prank where she’s not a super. She’s not so super.
But yeah, I guess it is a really interesting project since the office ended. And I have to say, like, you know, guys, I was 40 years old when I got the office. I was still waiting to cable. I was working, but I felt like I still had to supplement my income.
And, you know, a lot of people give up at 40. And I’m here to tell you I am a late bloomer in a sense that, like, even though I’ve been at this since I was young, I’ve never– you know, things haven’t come fast all the time.
And I feel like for me, slow and steady winds the way, you know, slow but sure as my dad would say, it’s just like, I think there’s something to be said for having a lot of experience still having an open heart,
going after your dreams, but not being bitter when it don’t happen quickly. And hopefully not comparing yourself to other people because that is is the worst. Yeah.
That’s such a good message because so many people do give up or they even they hit 40 or 50 and they think that, okay, this is it. But that’s the thing Colleen and I want to get out with this podcast is we’ve got a lot of life left in us.
I mean, look at the 90s. She’s a perfect example. But the other thing too is that we have so much life experience and hopefully we’ve learned to avoid some drama that used to trip us up when we were younger.
Absolutely. So hopefully, there’s more gratitude, there’s more joy when good things do happen. Because you realize that it’s rare sometimes,
and you better dig it, you better really, really enjoy every minute of it. because why not? You know, I mean, that’s why we’re here. Like if you’re not having a good time,
you know, I don’t know about you, but it’s like, what’s the point of all the hard work if you can’t have some joy? That’s right. Yeah. Definitely appreciate it more having a little bit of life experience beforehand.
What about Plan B? Can you tell us a little bit about that? Oh, I, this is a movie called Plan B. Okay, the best thing about Plan B is, well, it’s a very funny movie. and it’s a rom -com,
starring Jamie Lee and John Heeter. And John Heeter was, he played Napoleon Dynamite. He’s the best. And Jamie is a very funny writer, actress, stand -up.
I knew her, I used to host the TV Guide Network, all female stand -up show called Stand -up and Solettos. That was like 12 years ago, and she was on, it was like her first TV appearance. So it’s kind of…
full circle for that and then the other thing is that Tom Bairinger’s in the film and I was I got to tell Tom I was an extra in the movie editing the Cruisers when I was a teenager in high school really so full circle for me that I like working in a movie with Tom Bairinger and so I told the extras in the movie like this could be you in 40 short years we shot Eddie and the Cruisers in 1982 I mean that’s
crazy that’s insane Yeah. Yeah. Pretty awesome. So again, I’m like, you know, be pleasantly persistent in your life. You can be persistent,
but if you’re not pleasant, then you’re not really going to, like, nobody really wants to be around an angry persistent person. Right. Or bitter. It wants to work with you. Yeah. You got to figure out that piece. And that’s an inside job.
You got to figure that out. And you also have to hold your dreams and hopes in way. with a little, you know, you have to keep them somewhat sacred. You can’t be the punchline of your own life.
I think there’s a point where, you know, I mean, having done a lot of comedy on stage and clubs and stuff, I realized like even in relationships, like I remember when I met my boyfriend,
I was like, oh my gosh, I’m not going to talk about him on stage because I see that’s a pattern. I made somebody, I usually made him. a punchline after they broke up with me, but still. You know,
it doesn’t always really work, you know. I mean, you could sexualize it maybe, but still, you know, you want to keep your life, you know,
again, like, just be, have some sense of sacredness to your journey. And, you know, I mean, not to sound too hoity, hoity or, you know, of it,
but I think that there’s something that we don’t talk about, but I feel like if there’s something you really wanna do, maybe it’s not up for discussion with other people,
you might wanna just keep it a little inside, keep it safe, or just only talk to people that really support you. – Right, I think, yeah, that is something special between two people or whomever,
your family, or they may not. want their life shared, you know, you know, out there. Yeah. This is true. Yeah. I also think that, you know, there’s,
you know, we’re allowed to have, we’re allowed to have our private lives and you need to, you know, like make sure it’s okay with somebody else. Yeah, that’s right. You know, that kind of leads me to the question,
what was it like kind of gating that notoriety post 40 when you’ve already kind of had so much easier it’s so much easier because you have much more perspective you realize like and and i i mean because i i had studied in work at second city in the torn company i felt like there were so many funny people that i knew that did well when they were young and then maybe things didn’t go well later um so i understood
that this was a gift to get a job in my 40s especially on tv where where, you know, especially for women, we change so much between the age of 20 and 40, but it’s harder when you get older because everyone wants you to look like you did when you were younger.
And, you know, I just, I mean, we all do it, like even though I’m like, I hope, you know, no one does it to me, it’s like, it’s hard not to compare what people look like as they get older.
So, it’s, and I feel like when you’re 40 to 60 is a much better better curve, you know, learning curve, because you don’t change that much from 40 to 60. It’s not as dramatic for most people. Right,
right. Yeah, you were, you were with Second City, were you with the Annoyance Theater in Chicago? Yes, and the Annoyance Theater in Chicago, yes. I went there,
that was like my first visit to Chicago, we went to the Annoyance Theater and I’m like, yeah, yeah, I’ve reading about you and I thought, “Oh my gosh.” And I think the play we saw was something called Co -Ed Prison Sluts.
Do you remember that? Yes, I was in it the whole time, the whole run, but I did it for a while. I’m sure I did it for at least a year. Oh my gosh. And I did the show before it and the show after.
I may have seen you. I may have seen you. You might have. Yes. You might have. So, take. – So, taking it back to, when did you know, did you always know you were funny? Did you always want to be a comedian or was it,
I want to be an actress and then I realized– – I always want to be an actress. I was, I always want to be an actress. And I remember when I was 15, it was the first time I ever sang in a variety of show in a club, nightclub. And I was telling jokes in between songs.
And I was like, I didn’t really plan it, but I was like, oh wait, I sort of understood the sense of like show biz that had to go on. (laughs) which is so yeah I feel like and the thing is I studied acting in college I studied musical theater for two years,
and then I got my degree in acting, but I think that Something about comedy as a fan spoke to me much more But I think as an as an actor when you’re on stage and you don’t get a laugh You know,
you got to fix that moment like you know, it’s a great roadmap and it’s much easier I think think to understand where you’re going uh uh you know in in your art if you get an immediate response or don’t so you know what to do so I feel like comedy is really a gift in that respect now you also worked a lot with Jane Lynch um could you talk about yes I do I do now yeah I want the first time ever went to
second city Jane Lynch was on her study for somebody and then two years later I became her understudy at the annoyance It’s just a small, crazy world. But yeah, I sing with Jane. We’ve been performing the other for the last,
probably the last 10 years. But we did an album eight years ago that did very well in the Billboard Top 10. And it’s a Christmas album called “Swingin’ Little Christmas.” And so we get to do these Christmas concerts every,
every December. We go out for two or three weeks. And it’s a blast. We are performing this jazz band. and Tony Gerovich had Tim Davis sing for the two,
and it’s just like, the music is fun. Some of it’s just nice music, but I mean, there’s a lot of comedy in what we’re doing in between, and some of the songs are actually really funny.
So it’s a great, I mean, I’m so lucky. I’m so lucky. We play the Kennedy Center, the Carlisle Hotel, Joe’s Pub in New York. We’ve done a lot of great venues, and I’m always very, very happy.
to get to play with Jane because she’s just, I mean, she’s so generous. She’s so funny. I feel like we just,
we just really click. We know how to play off of each other and we never worry. If anybody’s having an off day, the ball is never dropped. We are there for each other 100%. It’s really rare and wonderful.
We’re going to have to find, we’re going to have to catch that somewhere. Colleen. – We’re in Nashville. – Absolutely. – So we’re gonna have to find it somewhere. – We played the city winery in Nashville. I hope we’ll be there. – Oh, good. – That would be great.
– Okay, okay. – We’ll get our tickets. Keep us posted. So we have to talk about the office because that’s just phenomenal and everybody loves it.
How did you get the role and what was it like working with that incredible cast? – Well, I auditioned twice. I initially auditioned for the part of Jan.
I didn’t get it. I didn’t do the pilot. I ended up replacing somebody from the pilot. And yeah, I just, you know, it was just an audition. And, you know,
you never know. You never know where life will take you. I knew Steve Corral from Second City Days. So I was happy to see him. And I knew Angela ’cause we were in it. all female improv troupe for a couple years called Planet at a theater in Hollywood.
That was really fun. So yeah, I mean, I felt like it was just kind of a few people I should have met like Oscar. I feel like our paths almost crossed a billion times and we knew some with similar friends in the comedy world.
But yeah, I mean, it’s, I mean, being on the opposite. Let me tell you, I always felt like Steve was Such a generous captain of the ship He just always made sure that the show was more important than anybody on it Including himself like he really put the show first in the work first.
He was never a diva He never threw tantrums. It was always about the work And I kept everybody in check and you know, we were told to bring paperwork the first season They actually wanted to be doing office works.
So that was a really interesting opportunity as an ensemble member of Second City. Like, I understood, like, oh, you just have to be as present as possible. Sometimes my lines would get cut.
The camera would still come to me. I’d still go laugh. It was pretty special and pretty rare. And I felt like I never had to worry that I didn’t speak for a while. And when I did speak,
it was always worth it. I got to do a little… lot of my own physical comedy on the show, which I, you know, I loved doing. I loved, you know, when Meredith gets hit by Michael Scott’s car,
like I was on the top of the car, it had to hit the glass, fall off on a giant… – Really? – Absolutely. – You did that. – I mean, I did a lot. – Oh, wow. – I did a lot of crazy things. – There wasn’t a stunt person.
– Oh my gosh. – No, we did have stunt people on the show though, but sometimes it would use… I would still do it anyway. So some of the cuts were them, some of them are me, but I did a lot of my own, which was really,
really fun. I just had a great time. And I think sometimes I think it’s funnier when you can tell that it’s a real actor. It doesn’t take you out. ‘Cause I know about you guys, like I’m old enough to remember the Bionic woman when her stunt double looked like a football player with a blonde wig on.
It didn’t look like a woman. So I kind of, you know, always had that in my mind, I’m like, you know. know, do it yourself if you can. I enjoy, you know, you know, I’m doing a show that you don’t even realize it’s going to have an impact.
But I, when we did the first season, I was still waiting tables because I didn’t know we were going to get picked up. And I remember seeing my one big boss there and he,
he invited me to come in and watch in the editing bay and see like a finished episode. And I just was like, I thought it was so good and I was just worried that the network wouldn’t what I almost thought it was too good that that it wouldn’t be understood because we really our show really changed a lot of TV comedy because we we had the documentary style we had that what they call the talking head where you know
people have like an interview with the camera that was all new TV we were the first one to really do that and and to do it well and I think that I’m just so proud of the show. I think it’s so smart.
And so many kids have plugged into it. I mean, your kids, both your kids have plugged into it. And I just feel like there’s no accident. The show treats the audience very intelligently. Like they treat them like they have intelligence.
They don’t tell them when to laugh. You can watch the same episode again and again and find something different to laugh at ’cause your laugh over something that might have happened right after what you were laughing at. You know, I mean, but I love that the lawyers and like just the relatability.
I mean, everyone’s had a job where they have a boss and, you know, or they go to school and the teacher’s kind of like the boss and they’re a desk next to someone that they don’t particularly like. So I feel like it’s very,
very relatable. I thought so. And I always thought about Meredith. I can’t imagine, first of all, anybody else being Meredith, except for you. I can’t at all.
And I can’t think it about okay, she gets bit by a bat. She gets hit by her boss. Meredith really could have collected a lot of. She could have been really hard to pull.
– Workers comp. – Yes, if only she was sober enough to fill out the forms. Oh well. – As the show gained popularity, did it surprise you?
I know you said after watching that one episode, you knew you had something. smart and wonderful on your hands But it has it grew into like cult like you saw the office stuff every story you went in had something the office related What was that like?
I mean, it’s it’s it’s totally the dream You know, I mean, I I always wanted to be on a on a really fun Comedy that had a great finale and that’s what I got again because I grew up watching there Tyler Moore and mash and even Kerbernet,
where they really acknowledged the end of their series. And it was just so nice to be a part of that. And it’s a great thing to feel like you’re being rooted for by people you don’t know.
There’s a lot of affection for all of us. And I feel like I was I was not driving the bus. I was not the main course. on the office, but I was on a team and I’m proud to represent. Yeah,
that’s what I felt like that show was, that it was an ensemble and it was a team. And you’re right, that final was great. You know, it really was because sometimes, sometimes finales are,
are disappointing. A let down, yeah. A let down, but that wasn’t, that wasn’t, I loved it. And I listened to the office ladies and how at the beginning,
you know, you said, you know, they weren’t sure if they’re going to pick it up and they weren’t sure if it was going to continue. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Like you didn’t have like a permanent like place that you’re set.
Yeah. Right. Right. Yeah. I mean, that’s, but that is amazing though, that you, I think, like you said in the beginning that you just kept persevering. and look what this did.
Look at the door. Everybody knows who everybody from the office, everybody. I mean, that’s what I feel like. And then here I am with my Stanley cup and everybody’s been putting Stanley stickers on the Stanley cup.
Like this is my Stanley cup. – All our rooms. – Yeah. – So once the eighth season and the show ended, what happened then? Was it a hard transition into doing something after that?
Yeah, absolutely. I did a lot of indie films. The first couple of indie films I did, one went to Sundance. I had to do a lot of festivals.
And then there was another one at the Toronto Film Festival. I had a couple films in the Tribe Backup Film Festival. It’s a must. mostly did any films I don’t like overdozen and There are a couple dozen I should say And of some guests our stuff I was recurring on American housewife as Nancy the crossing guard and then I I Got into a cartoon on cartoon that were called okay KO Why play KO’s mom for three years and
I recurred on Steven universe as barb the letter literary Sadie’s mom. So yeah, and then I played Harper’s mom on Wizards Way, Really Place. So yeah, I’ve had some fun stuff and then getting to do the live stuff as well.
I feel like it, and I was also doing my comedy act, The Lamp Shades, which we did for, oh my God, we did it every week for the first five years, like even while I was doing the office. It’s like a dying lounge. Jack used to do comedy clubs and opened for a lot of big acts and big shows.
comedy festivals. So yeah, it was, I mean, I, I’ve been really, really lucky. I get to do a lot of different things. And, you know, I actually, and four years ago,
I got to do Dancing with the Stars, which I don’t know if I can do this, I’m so old, I hadn’t danced since I was, since I was in my 20s.
And I’ll be honest with you, I got the call, my sister, my, sister Nancy had passed away from breast cancer. And I got the call literally driving back from the funeral to my dad’s.
And I was like, I can’t do this. I don’t even, I can’t even move. I don’t even know what to put one foot in front of the other. I was just like in grief. And I just, you know, a few weeks later, I was like, I think I’m doing this.
And, you know, there was like just kind of enough time to get me on board. board and it was such a gift and it’s just so interesting because my sister Nancy I remember when we were you know she was brave enough to talk about like you know what kind of you know she wanted all that stuff and those conversations that are so hard to have and but yet like I’m so honored we got to have them you know she said she
wanted a dance party so I feel like I gave her a dance party like a sort of or she gave me a dance party really is really what happened. That’s really what happened. She gave it to me, and I had such a great experience.
It was really, really difficult, really physical challenging, mentally challenging, a little emotional, just ’cause, you know, it’s hard to be judged every week. And, you know, I kept saying like, I’m 55.
Like, I cannot, like, you know, forget to talk about that. And, you know, I was completely out of shape before. And then I ended up getting to do a big part of the tour of dancing. Dancing with the Stars that year. And actually I hosted and I got to do a county model.
I could do a bunch of my dances from my season, which was insane and so fun. And I could not party on the bus because, oh my God, I had to, I, every day was such a challenge like to stay in shape.
But I got to host at the Ryman, which was so awesome. Sorry, now the Ryman’s the Grand Old Operator. Sorry, the Grand Old Operator, the Big Old Operator. – Okay, yeah. – And many trolls dressing room, love.
every second of it, loved it. I actually said when I got out there, I was like, I’m at the Grand Ole Opry, I gotta tell you, I have to, I have one thing to say to you. How did you do it?
(laughing) – That’s great. – Oh wow. – It gave me a mug with a hat on it with the price tag on it. – Price tag on it? – Yes. – They did love it.
But yeah, and I got to host it Radio City, which was 6 ,000 people. I’m like, oh my God, this is crazy. It was just like, so I’ve had some really, really amazing experiences.
I was just at the Dancing With The Stars tour. They had a show in Hollywood and my partner and his wife, Pasha and Daniela, they were there and they pulled me up on stage for one thing and I got to dance with Gleb. It was really fun.
So, they’re like a family too. They really, it’s like one show or something in the club. But I had, it’s had a really, it was an interesting interesting opportunity for me that I never would have expected that would have,
you know, I don’t even know if I could do any of it. Like, I thought it would get cut the first week. Never know. You never know. So if you feel like you’re done, you’re not done. You’re not done. Just show up.
Just show up. Yeah. I mean, we’ve talked to a few people that have been on dancing with the stars. It sounds so hard, but I mean, it sounds really hard. But it’s really hard.
sounds like too with you look at these people that you’re you know, this community you’ve gotten from being in that That is that’s really amazing. I know I’m the fans are great. Yeah I’m from Kentucky and I know a few years ago.
You went to the Kentucky Derby because that is like, yeah That is it’s so funny. Any that’s the only time Louisville gets anybody That’s on TV in Louisville,
didn’t we interview Taylor Dean and you were talking to her about yes, she went to Kentucky Derby to I’m getting ready to go next month all the way and they all do yeah and everybody was so I’ve been twice.
Oh yeah. So fun. It’s an exotic day. Yeah, it is. My grandfather went to the 40s, 30s or 40s. or maybe even ’30s,
’40s, he went a few times. Oh, gosh. Yeah. I tried to get my dad there, but it didn’t work out. But yeah, maybe. Yes. It’s an exhausting day. Yeah. It is. So is there one genre you like better,
like movies and TV or perhaps the stage or singing or what is their preference? There’s really not. I mean.
mean, I I always feel like I kind of always feel like whatever I’m doing at the moment is like the best thing But I mean nine years on the office, it’s hard to beat I’ve worked on a bunch of TV shows like Brooklyn Nine -Nine and You know new girl and I mean,
I’ve been on a bunch of stuff, but I feel like There’s something about that particular job that is I feel like it really was the best thing of time I mean if that’s that’s a classic too I mean it is it’s gonna go down to be a part of that is special it really is we always like to know that it was it was as cool off -screen as on screen like we all were a family and you know we all see each other along
because it’s some fan events that we attend from time to time and it you know it’s the fans are great and And, you know, so we, we do get to keep in touch, which is nice.
That is nice. Well, you know, we like to ask women of our age range about their experiences with menopause. So if you don’t mind sharing your personal experience,
what was it like? Well, it actually kind of started during dancing with the stars. So it was great to be really physical because that’s a weird thing. But I’ve had a year before that I had frozen shoulder.
And I was like, What is this? What is this? I’m told that that is related to menopause. And then I got it again, during pandemic, I got to be another the other arm during pandemic. I was like, Oh, my God. But I luckily had a physical therapy.
And that really, really helped. And also understanding that it had a beginning, middle and end. And give up, don’t give up, don’t give up, don’t give up. I’ve also– like,
I have this doctor that I’d go to that– I have these non -prescription yams. It’s like a yam supplement. I think it’s like standard processes.
Anyway, so I take it naturally health as well. And another thing called prolamide iodine. Um, so I take it– it a few things over the counter that have been really, really helpful. I mean,
definitely the night twist kind of hit me when the pandemic started. And I was so nervous because when I would wake up hot, I thought, oh my God, I’ve got COVID, I’m hot,
I’ve got a fever. So I had a thermometer with me, like literally next to me all the time because I was so worried that it was COVID. It’s such a crazy time.
But I feel like I’m one of seven kids, and there’s six women and six girls and one boy. And luckily, I have sisters to talk to. I talked to my mom a little bit about it before she passed my mom’s sister,
my aunt Anne. And everybody has a slightly different age thing when it kicks in. And so it’s, yeah, it’s, it’s, it’s, it’s, it’s, it’s, you’re someone’s daughter does not mean you’re going to get the same schedule as them.
I mean it just doesn’t work like that or sister, like it’s everybody gets their own, so. But you know I will say the diet thing is tough because I feel like sugar in any form just just makes you put on weight it just does and also soy flour which you like.
you’re like, oh, I’ll have soy, particularly soy flour, is like that causes more night sweats than anything. Like that’s like, once I stopped, I was eating something that had it in it and it was like some sort of snack.
I’m like, once I stopped, I was like, oh my God, I feel so much better. So there’s so much information that we don’t have. We don’t share, it’s not available. I don’t know.
I mean, if I was in charge, I’d be– be making commercials about the stuff all the time. Just like the more you know, right? Right. Come on. And it’s, yeah, it’s so hard to even get one commercial out there.
Uh, fine. Yeah. The OSA and, um, the, uh, vasomotor symptom, they showed it during the Superbowl because, you know, at least they did show it during the Superbowl,
but that was like, thank God. No way. Absolutely. – Yeah, yeah. But I feel like even like, I just feel like there’s not even, I mean, there should be news stories on it. Like we should be letting women know like,
“Hey, this is what’s going on.” There’s no, no, there’s none of it, you know? And I don’t know about you, but like, you know, I’ll see like, you know, women’s magazines, they don’t even talk about it. Like every,
I feel like every women’s magazine, every women’s publication of any kind, she just have like a, “Hey, this is what to expect.” Or, “This is like the king of women’s magazine.” code go there and get some information What to expect when you’re expecting it should be what to expect when you have menopause and pause Slowly changing but the narrative it’s slow You really have to dig because you know it wasn’t I never could
find a lot of information Until Colleen and I started this podcast and we have to research and we have to dig. Talk to the experts. There’s people out there, but it’s not readily available. You have to dig for it.
And then women filler are not women, but people, they don’t like to put it out there because they feel like they’re going to catch it. It’s a disease. Right. No, totally.
Or someone don’t want to admit that like that they’re older. Right. I’m like, okay, well, you can still look good and go through this. It doesn’t matter. mean, you know, I mean, and also like at a certain point,
I mean, whatever, I just, there’s a vanity factor that I’m just like, give it up, it’s vanity and sanity. Like, let’s just get real. – I love that. – Vanity. – Vanity and sanity,
I love that. – It is. – Oh my God. – It is. – Yeah, it’s a bummer, it’s a bummer, yeah. – And we get so much information from our girlfriends. It’s like, if you could just sit down and with a glass of wine or a cup of coffee and talk to five other girlfriends who have been through it,
you’re going to learn more than at your doctor’s appointment. Absolutely. Absolutely. And doctors, yeah, doctors don’t know at all. You know, like I always said, my first line of defense was my OBGYN.
And they don’t, we’re finding out they’re rare. They’re trained maybe eight hours on menopause. In meds. school yeah in med school eight hours of four years of med school residency you know internship and eight hours so that’s slowly that’s changing there is the menopause society it’s glacial glacial changes so what are you looking So what are you looking forward to now like what’s what’s next on the horizon?
There’s a couple things I can’t talk about but this summer I have a bunch of fan events. The last two years I’ve been doing a bunch of minor league fan events at minor league baseball games across the country and it’s so fun and I love baseball and I’m literally throwing out the first page and taking pictures with people for a couple hours and yes I’m kind of bowling in the sky I’m not the best pitcher I just play
softball but I’m not I mean it’s also like it’s pretty far to go from the mound to the catch it’s it’s not close but I so I, yeah, I’ve learned a few tricks,
but yeah, that’s something I’m doing this summer. And so look, if you, if you see like an office night or like whatever, I’m probably there. At the Nashville Sounds, we’ll have to look. Yeah, the Nashville Sounds.
I don’t know if I’m there this year, but we’ll see. Yeah. But yeah, yeah, yeah, I’m trying to think of, yeah, I have another film coming out called Bolts in the Blue, which is um, it’s a movie I did in Alaska,
um, and it’s, uh, kind of, that was such a trippy process, so, yeah, we’ll see, well, yeah, and I’m sure some other stuff is gonna pop up, like, and I have done a bunch of game shows and stuff I can’t talk about yet,
but you’ll see, you’ll see, so. – Well, we’ll have to have you back on at that point to talk about it when you can talk about it. – What are, you know, and I wanted to ask you about the game shows, like, how competitive are other celebrities,
really? ‘Cause I know you’ve done several of them. – Yeah, there’s some that are like, whoa, they’re not mess around. But,
you know, I mean, in general, it’s really fun. And what I love about game shows is that they pop up everywhere. And, you know, when I’m home visiting my family in Philadelphia and I’ll run into a friend of mine from grade school,
they’re like, oh my gosh, what’s going on? You know, like, I just… just a great way to connect with the world and with my world, I should say. And I feel very lucky to get to be a part of people’s time during their day.
You know, it’s just like, it’s a privilege. It really, really is. No matter how white the content is, you know, it’s fantastic. – Well, it’s nice that you just sound so grateful for all of the opportunities.
– Yes. – And like you said, I think it comes… also with age that we are just more grateful for the big and the small. And do you find that you’re looking more forward to the next chapter and the next chapter,
you know, the next eight, the next decade? – I think so. Yeah, I mean, I definitely have a couple of things coming up. Like, you know, I’m just, a couple of creative projects.
So, okay. are like a real challenge to me and I’m happy to be challenged and I’m happy to, you know, roll up my sleeves and get into it. I think I’m an artist first and,
you know, it’s just when the universe like actually steps up and allows you to explore all this stuff and, you know, and have fun in the process and make money doing it.
I mean, it’s like, it’s all gravy, seriously. I mean, I always say, like, if my boss really hit me with this car, you know what? I had a good run. I’m just saying. And not that I want to be.
(laughing) – Don’t let it happen. – Not for it there. – I’m just saying. – I’m just saying. Yeah, yeah. Well, you sound so appreciative and that’s such a great example for a lot of women our age.
You know, just what the life you’re living right now just is such a great example. But thank you for sharing that with us. – And, you know, I think being in the moment. too and like just enjoy all we really have is our time with each other that’s all we really have and you know if you could just make the best of it to your best and take the high road and don’t be a douchebag you know and keep your mouth shut
sometimes you know you don’t have to give your opinion if it’s gonna blow up everything you know you know yeah yeah yeah it can’t be if you can’t be kind and just be gone,
leave. Leave the room. Right. It’s true. And it’s much easier to be aware of that when we’re past the age of 40 than in our 20s and 30s. I think so.
Yes. I think so. I mean, I feel like also as you get older, if you’re crazy, you got to work on your crazy because you get crazy year after year. Just another level. I think crazy gets really loud.
Yes. Yeah. Yeah. there’s no filter. – Either you calm or you blow up. – Thank you so much. – Yeah, you’re on one road or the other, that’s it. – Exactly. Thank you so much for coming on the show.
This was such a fun conversation. – This was so fun. – And please come back any time to talk about your secret projects. We would love to hear more. – Sounds good. And maybe I’ll leave again on the car next time.
I’m sorry, you guys. (laughing) – You know what? We make it work. – She’s not driving. – Yes. she’s not driving. – I’m just on cruise control. Just cruise control. No, I never on cruise control. Never,
trust me, never. I always have to drive. I’m a bad passenger, I have to drive. Thank you so much. – Thank you. – Have a good day. – Bye. – Thank you guys. – Bye.
– Bye. (upbeat music) (upbeat music)
But she has, she is really busy and we are just thrilled to have you on the show. So welcome to the show, Kate. Kate. – Hey, how’s it going, Colleen and Bridget? What’s up? – Going great,
going great. – Yes, we have interviewed a lot of people over the last four years, but I have to tell you, my daughter is one of the biggest fans of the office. And when I told her I was interviewing her, she lost her mind.
– We’re gonna get to some mom’s treat right here. We need to get you, yeah, just to know that you’re a cool, yeah. – Yeah, my son is a big fan of the office. office. So her daughter my son. Yeah.
Yeah Yes, exactly. Oh, yeah. I Kind of wanted to start a little bit about starting maybe like now and then work our way back So right now you have a couple shows you’ve got plan B and the prank Can you talk a little bit about those shows and what’s going on with that?
Yeah, no, no, it’s okay I, the prank is a horror comedy starring Rita Moreno, Keith David, Meredith Talinger, myself. We filmed this a couple,
like, I guess it was almost two years ago. And we, it was, it was South by Southwest last year, and it’s, and it’s in limited theaters right now, but it’ll be on a platform soon, I don’t know which one,
but what a joy to work with. The great. great Rita Barano, who she’s got, but she’s also a wonderful energy to be around. And I want to be here when I grow up.
I want you to. Yeah. What was it like working with her? I mean, Well, actually, to be honest, I didn’t have scenes with her. We just got to do press together. But everyone that worked with her on set,
I mean, she was playing a really mean character. She never gets to play mean characters. characters. It’s a shame because we should have had more movies with her playing a main person.
She’s hilarious and fantastic and perfect. Yeah, I think I guess the premise she’s a main teacher. Is that right? Yeah, she’s a physics teacher. Yeah. Are you a character?
I’m the lunch lady. I’ve been a lunch lady before. I actually did the voice for that. The graphic novels the lunch lady series Derek Krakowski.
Yeah, it’s such a good, such a great Krasowski, sorry I’m saying his name wrong, but he’s such a great author. He has a book called Hey Kiddo. If you have any like teens or like,
you know, tweens, they’re told they should be all reading these books. Lunch lady is so fun. She’s like a superhero. superhero. It’s fun, unlike in a prank where she’s not a super. She’s not so super.
But yeah, I guess it is a really interesting project since the office ended. And I have to say, like, you know, guys, I was 40 years old when I got the office. I was still waiting to cable. I was working, but I felt like I still had to supplement my income.
And, you know, a lot of people give up at 40. And I’m here to tell you I am a late bloomer in a sense that, like, even though I’ve been at this since I was young, I’ve never– you know, things haven’t come fast all the time.
And I feel like for me, slow and steady winds the way, you know, slow but sure as my dad would say, it’s just like, I think there’s something to be said for having a lot of experience still having an open heart,
going after your dreams, but not being bitter when it don’t happen quickly. And hopefully not comparing yourself to other people because that is is the worst. Yeah.
That’s such a good message because so many people do give up or they even they hit 40 or 50 and they think that, okay, this is it. But that’s the thing Colleen and I want to get out with this podcast is we’ve got a lot of life left in us.
I mean, look at the 90s. She’s a perfect example. But the other thing too is that we have so much life experience and hopefully we’ve learned to avoid some drama that used to trip us up when we were younger.
Absolutely. So hopefully, there’s more gratitude, there’s more joy when good things do happen. Because you realize that it’s rare sometimes,
and you better dig it, you better really, really enjoy every minute of it. because why not? You know, I mean, that’s why we’re here. Like if you’re not having a good time,
you know, I don’t know about you, but it’s like, what’s the point of all the hard work if you can’t have some joy? That’s right. Yeah. Definitely appreciate it more having a little bit of life experience beforehand.
What about Plan B? Can you tell us a little bit about that? Oh, I, this is a movie called Plan B. Okay, the best thing about Plan B is, well, it’s a very funny movie. and it’s a rom -com,
starring Jamie Lee and John Heeter. And John Heeter was, he played Napoleon Dynamite. He’s the best. And Jamie is a very funny writer, actress, stand -up.
I knew her, I used to host the TV Guide Network, all female stand -up show called Stand -up and Solettos. That was like 12 years ago, and she was on, it was like her first TV appearance. So it’s kind of…
full circle for that and then the other thing is that Tom Bairinger’s in the film and I was I got to tell Tom I was an extra in the movie editing the Cruisers when I was a teenager in high school really so full circle for me that I like working in a movie with Tom Bairinger and so I told the extras in the movie like this could be you in 40 short years we shot Eddie and the Cruisers in 1982 I mean that’s
crazy that’s insane Yeah. Yeah. Pretty awesome. So again, I’m like, you know, be pleasantly persistent in your life. You can be persistent,
but if you’re not pleasant, then you’re not really going to, like, nobody really wants to be around an angry persistent person. Right. Or bitter. It wants to work with you. Yeah. You got to figure out that piece. And that’s an inside job.
You got to figure that out. And you also have to hold your dreams and hopes in way. with a little, you know, you have to keep them somewhat sacred. You can’t be the punchline of your own life.
I think there’s a point where, you know, I mean, having done a lot of comedy on stage and clubs and stuff, I realized like even in relationships, like I remember when I met my boyfriend,
I was like, oh my gosh, I’m not going to talk about him on stage because I see that’s a pattern. I made somebody, I usually made him. a punchline after they broke up with me, but still. You know,
it doesn’t always really work, you know. I mean, you could sexualize it maybe, but still, you know, you want to keep your life, you know,
again, like, just be, have some sense of sacredness to your journey. And, you know, I mean, not to sound too hoity, hoity or, you know, of it,
but I think that there’s something that we don’t talk about, but I feel like if there’s something you really wanna do, maybe it’s not up for discussion with other people,
you might wanna just keep it a little inside, keep it safe, or just only talk to people that really support you. – Right, I think, yeah, that is something special between two people or whomever,
your family, or they may not. want their life shared, you know, you know, out there. Yeah. This is true. Yeah. I also think that, you know, there’s,
you know, we’re allowed to have, we’re allowed to have our private lives and you need to, you know, like make sure it’s okay with somebody else. Yeah, that’s right. You know, that kind of leads me to the question,
what was it like kind of gating that notoriety post 40 when you’ve already kind of had so much easier it’s so much easier because you have much more perspective you realize like and and i i mean because i i had studied in work at second city in the torn company i felt like there were so many funny people that i knew that did well when they were young and then maybe things didn’t go well later um so i understood
that this was a gift to get a job in my 40s especially on tv where where, you know, especially for women, we change so much between the age of 20 and 40, but it’s harder when you get older because everyone wants you to look like you did when you were younger.
And, you know, I just, I mean, we all do it, like even though I’m like, I hope, you know, no one does it to me, it’s like, it’s hard not to compare what people look like as they get older.
So, it’s, and I feel like when you’re 40 to 60 is a much better better curve, you know, learning curve, because you don’t change that much from 40 to 60. It’s not as dramatic for most people. Right,
right. Yeah, you were, you were with Second City, were you with the Annoyance Theater in Chicago? Yes, and the Annoyance Theater in Chicago, yes. I went there,
that was like my first visit to Chicago, we went to the Annoyance Theater and I’m like, yeah, yeah, I’ve reading about you and I thought, “Oh my gosh.” And I think the play we saw was something called Co -Ed Prison Sluts.
Do you remember that? Yes, I was in it the whole time, the whole run, but I did it for a while. I’m sure I did it for at least a year. Oh my gosh. And I did the show before it and the show after.
I may have seen you. I may have seen you. You might have. Yes. You might have. So, take. – So, taking it back to, when did you know, did you always know you were funny? Did you always want to be a comedian or was it,
I want to be an actress and then I realized– – I always want to be an actress. I was, I always want to be an actress. And I remember when I was 15, it was the first time I ever sang in a variety of show in a club, nightclub. And I was telling jokes in between songs.
And I was like, I didn’t really plan it, but I was like, oh wait, I sort of understood the sense of like show biz that had to go on. (laughs) which is so yeah I feel like and the thing is I studied acting in college I studied musical theater for two years,
and then I got my degree in acting, but I think that Something about comedy as a fan spoke to me much more But I think as an as an actor when you’re on stage and you don’t get a laugh You know,
you got to fix that moment like you know, it’s a great roadmap and it’s much easier I think think to understand where you’re going uh uh you know in in your art if you get an immediate response or don’t so you know what to do so I feel like comedy is really a gift in that respect now you also worked a lot with Jane Lynch um could you talk about yes I do I do now yeah I want the first time ever went to
second city Jane Lynch was on her study for somebody and then two years later I became her understudy at the annoyance It’s just a small, crazy world. But yeah, I sing with Jane. We’ve been performing the other for the last,
probably the last 10 years. But we did an album eight years ago that did very well in the Billboard Top 10. And it’s a Christmas album called “Swingin’ Little Christmas.” And so we get to do these Christmas concerts every,
every December. We go out for two or three weeks. And it’s a blast. We are performing this jazz band. and Tony Gerovich had Tim Davis sing for the two,
and it’s just like, the music is fun. Some of it’s just nice music, but I mean, there’s a lot of comedy in what we’re doing in between, and some of the songs are actually really funny.
So it’s a great, I mean, I’m so lucky. I’m so lucky. We play the Kennedy Center, the Carlisle Hotel, Joe’s Pub in New York. We’ve done a lot of great venues, and I’m always very, very happy.
to get to play with Jane because she’s just, I mean, she’s so generous. She’s so funny. I feel like we just,
we just really click. We know how to play off of each other and we never worry. If anybody’s having an off day, the ball is never dropped. We are there for each other 100%. It’s really rare and wonderful.
We’re going to have to find, we’re going to have to catch that somewhere. Colleen. – We’re in Nashville. – Absolutely. – So we’re gonna have to find it somewhere. – We played the city winery in Nashville. I hope we’ll be there. – Oh, good. – That would be great.
– Okay, okay. – We’ll get our tickets. Keep us posted. So we have to talk about the office because that’s just phenomenal and everybody loves it.
How did you get the role and what was it like working with that incredible cast? – Well, I auditioned twice. I initially auditioned for the part of Jan.
I didn’t get it. I didn’t do the pilot. I ended up replacing somebody from the pilot. And yeah, I just, you know, it was just an audition. And, you know,
you never know. You never know where life will take you. I knew Steve Corral from Second City Days. So I was happy to see him. And I knew Angela ’cause we were in it. all female improv troupe for a couple years called Planet at a theater in Hollywood.
That was really fun. So yeah, I mean, I felt like it was just kind of a few people I should have met like Oscar. I feel like our paths almost crossed a billion times and we knew some with similar friends in the comedy world.
But yeah, I mean, it’s, I mean, being on the opposite. Let me tell you, I always felt like Steve was Such a generous captain of the ship He just always made sure that the show was more important than anybody on it Including himself like he really put the show first in the work first.
He was never a diva He never threw tantrums. It was always about the work And I kept everybody in check and you know, we were told to bring paperwork the first season They actually wanted to be doing office works.
So that was a really interesting opportunity as an ensemble member of Second City. Like, I understood, like, oh, you just have to be as present as possible. Sometimes my lines would get cut.
The camera would still come to me. I’d still go laugh. It was pretty special and pretty rare. And I felt like I never had to worry that I didn’t speak for a while. And when I did speak,
it was always worth it. I got to do a little… lot of my own physical comedy on the show, which I, you know, I loved doing. I loved, you know, when Meredith gets hit by Michael Scott’s car,
like I was on the top of the car, it had to hit the glass, fall off on a giant… – Really? – Absolutely. – You did that. – I mean, I did a lot. – Oh, wow. – I did a lot of crazy things. – There wasn’t a stunt person.
– Oh my gosh. – No, we did have stunt people on the show though, but sometimes it would use… I would still do it anyway. So some of the cuts were them, some of them are me, but I did a lot of my own, which was really,
really fun. I just had a great time. And I think sometimes I think it’s funnier when you can tell that it’s a real actor. It doesn’t take you out. ‘Cause I know about you guys, like I’m old enough to remember the Bionic woman when her stunt double looked like a football player with a blonde wig on.
It didn’t look like a woman. So I kind of, you know, always had that in my mind, I’m like, you know. know, do it yourself if you can. I enjoy, you know, you know, I’m doing a show that you don’t even realize it’s going to have an impact.
But I, when we did the first season, I was still waiting tables because I didn’t know we were going to get picked up. And I remember seeing my one big boss there and he,
he invited me to come in and watch in the editing bay and see like a finished episode. And I just was like, I thought it was so good and I was just worried that the network wouldn’t what I almost thought it was too good that that it wouldn’t be understood because we really our show really changed a lot of TV comedy because we we had the documentary style we had that what they call the talking head where you know
people have like an interview with the camera that was all new TV we were the first one to really do that and and to do it well and I think that I’m just so proud of the show. I think it’s so smart.
And so many kids have plugged into it. I mean, your kids, both your kids have plugged into it. And I just feel like there’s no accident. The show treats the audience very intelligently. Like they treat them like they have intelligence.
They don’t tell them when to laugh. You can watch the same episode again and again and find something different to laugh at ’cause your laugh over something that might have happened right after what you were laughing at. You know, I mean, but I love that the lawyers and like just the relatability.
I mean, everyone’s had a job where they have a boss and, you know, or they go to school and the teacher’s kind of like the boss and they’re a desk next to someone that they don’t particularly like. So I feel like it’s very,
very relatable. I thought so. And I always thought about Meredith. I can’t imagine, first of all, anybody else being Meredith, except for you. I can’t at all.
And I can’t think it about okay, she gets bit by a bat. She gets hit by her boss. Meredith really could have collected a lot of. She could have been really hard to pull.
– Workers comp. – Yes, if only she was sober enough to fill out the forms. Oh well. – As the show gained popularity, did it surprise you?
I know you said after watching that one episode, you knew you had something. smart and wonderful on your hands But it has it grew into like cult like you saw the office stuff every story you went in had something the office related What was that like?
I mean, it’s it’s it’s totally the dream You know, I mean, I I always wanted to be on a on a really fun Comedy that had a great finale and that’s what I got again because I grew up watching there Tyler Moore and mash and even Kerbernet,
where they really acknowledged the end of their series. And it was just so nice to be a part of that. And it’s a great thing to feel like you’re being rooted for by people you don’t know.
There’s a lot of affection for all of us. And I feel like I was I was not driving the bus. I was not the main course. on the office, but I was on a team and I’m proud to represent. Yeah,
that’s what I felt like that show was, that it was an ensemble and it was a team. And you’re right, that final was great. You know, it really was because sometimes, sometimes finales are,
are disappointing. A let down, yeah. A let down, but that wasn’t, that wasn’t, I loved it. And I listened to the office ladies and how at the beginning,
you know, you said, you know, they weren’t sure if they’re going to pick it up and they weren’t sure if it was going to continue. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Like you didn’t have like a permanent like place that you’re set.
Yeah. Right. Right. Yeah. I mean, that’s, but that is amazing though, that you, I think, like you said in the beginning that you just kept persevering. and look what this did.
Look at the door. Everybody knows who everybody from the office, everybody. I mean, that’s what I feel like. And then here I am with my Stanley cup and everybody’s been putting Stanley stickers on the Stanley cup.
Like this is my Stanley cup. – All our rooms. – Yeah. – So once the eighth season and the show ended, what happened then? Was it a hard transition into doing something after that?
Yeah, absolutely. I did a lot of indie films. The first couple of indie films I did, one went to Sundance. I had to do a lot of festivals.
And then there was another one at the Toronto Film Festival. I had a couple films in the Tribe Backup Film Festival. It’s a must. mostly did any films I don’t like overdozen and There are a couple dozen I should say And of some guests our stuff I was recurring on American housewife as Nancy the crossing guard and then I I Got into a cartoon on cartoon that were called okay KO Why play KO’s mom for three years and
I recurred on Steven universe as barb the letter literary Sadie’s mom. So yeah, and then I played Harper’s mom on Wizards Way, Really Place. So yeah, I’ve had some fun stuff and then getting to do the live stuff as well.
I feel like it, and I was also doing my comedy act, The Lamp Shades, which we did for, oh my God, we did it every week for the first five years, like even while I was doing the office. It’s like a dying lounge. Jack used to do comedy clubs and opened for a lot of big acts and big shows.
comedy festivals. So yeah, it was, I mean, I, I’ve been really, really lucky. I get to do a lot of different things. And, you know, I actually, and four years ago,
I got to do Dancing with the Stars, which I don’t know if I can do this, I’m so old, I hadn’t danced since I was, since I was in my 20s.
And I’ll be honest with you, I got the call, my sister, my, sister Nancy had passed away from breast cancer. And I got the call literally driving back from the funeral to my dad’s.
And I was like, I can’t do this. I don’t even, I can’t even move. I don’t even know what to put one foot in front of the other. I was just like in grief. And I just, you know, a few weeks later, I was like, I think I’m doing this.
And, you know, there was like just kind of enough time to get me on board. board and it was such a gift and it’s just so interesting because my sister Nancy I remember when we were you know she was brave enough to talk about like you know what kind of you know she wanted all that stuff and those conversations that are so hard to have and but yet like I’m so honored we got to have them you know she said she
wanted a dance party so I feel like I gave her a dance party like a sort of or she gave me a dance party really is really what happened. That’s really what happened. She gave it to me, and I had such a great experience.
It was really, really difficult, really physical challenging, mentally challenging, a little emotional, just ’cause, you know, it’s hard to be judged every week. And, you know, I kept saying like, I’m 55.
Like, I cannot, like, you know, forget to talk about that. And, you know, I was completely out of shape before. And then I ended up getting to do a big part of the tour of dancing. Dancing with the Stars that year. And actually I hosted and I got to do a county model.
I could do a bunch of my dances from my season, which was insane and so fun. And I could not party on the bus because, oh my God, I had to, I, every day was such a challenge like to stay in shape.
But I got to host at the Ryman, which was so awesome. Sorry, now the Ryman’s the Grand Old Operator. Sorry, the Grand Old Operator, the Big Old Operator. – Okay, yeah. – And many trolls dressing room, love.
every second of it, loved it. I actually said when I got out there, I was like, I’m at the Grand Ole Opry, I gotta tell you, I have to, I have one thing to say to you. How did you do it?
(laughing) – That’s great. – Oh wow. – It gave me a mug with a hat on it with the price tag on it. – Price tag on it? – Yes. – They did love it.
But yeah, and I got to host it Radio City, which was 6 ,000 people. I’m like, oh my God, this is crazy. It was just like, so I’ve had some really, really amazing experiences.
I was just at the Dancing With The Stars tour. They had a show in Hollywood and my partner and his wife, Pasha and Daniela, they were there and they pulled me up on stage for one thing and I got to dance with Gleb. It was really fun.
So, they’re like a family too. They really, it’s like one show or something in the club. But I had, it’s had a really, it was an interesting interesting opportunity for me that I never would have expected that would have,
you know, I don’t even know if I could do any of it. Like, I thought it would get cut the first week. Never know. You never know. So if you feel like you’re done, you’re not done. You’re not done. Just show up.
Just show up. Yeah. I mean, we’ve talked to a few people that have been on dancing with the stars. It sounds so hard, but I mean, it sounds really hard. But it’s really hard.
sounds like too with you look at these people that you’re you know, this community you’ve gotten from being in that That is that’s really amazing. I know I’m the fans are great. Yeah I’m from Kentucky and I know a few years ago.
You went to the Kentucky Derby because that is like, yeah That is it’s so funny. Any that’s the only time Louisville gets anybody That’s on TV in Louisville,
didn’t we interview Taylor Dean and you were talking to her about yes, she went to Kentucky Derby to I’m getting ready to go next month all the way and they all do yeah and everybody was so I’ve been twice.
Oh yeah. So fun. It’s an exotic day. Yeah, it is. My grandfather went to the 40s, 30s or 40s. or maybe even ’30s,
’40s, he went a few times. Oh, gosh. Yeah. I tried to get my dad there, but it didn’t work out. But yeah, maybe. Yes. It’s an exhausting day. Yeah. It is. So is there one genre you like better,
like movies and TV or perhaps the stage or singing or what is their preference? There’s really not. I mean.
mean, I I always feel like I kind of always feel like whatever I’m doing at the moment is like the best thing But I mean nine years on the office, it’s hard to beat I’ve worked on a bunch of TV shows like Brooklyn Nine -Nine and You know new girl and I mean,
I’ve been on a bunch of stuff, but I feel like There’s something about that particular job that is I feel like it really was the best thing of time I mean if that’s that’s a classic too I mean it is it’s gonna go down to be a part of that is special it really is we always like to know that it was it was as cool off -screen as on screen like we all were a family and you know we all see each other along
because it’s some fan events that we attend from time to time and it you know it’s the fans are great and And, you know, so we, we do get to keep in touch, which is nice.
That is nice. Well, you know, we like to ask women of our age range about their experiences with menopause. So if you don’t mind sharing your personal experience,
what was it like? Well, it actually kind of started during dancing with the stars. So it was great to be really physical because that’s a weird thing. But I’ve had a year before that I had frozen shoulder.
And I was like, What is this? What is this? I’m told that that is related to menopause. And then I got it again, during pandemic, I got to be another the other arm during pandemic. I was like, Oh, my God. But I luckily had a physical therapy.
And that really, really helped. And also understanding that it had a beginning, middle and end. And give up, don’t give up, don’t give up, don’t give up. I’ve also– like,
I have this doctor that I’d go to that– I have these non -prescription yams. It’s like a yam supplement. I think it’s like standard processes.
Anyway, so I take it naturally health as well. And another thing called prolamide iodine. Um, so I take it– it a few things over the counter that have been really, really helpful. I mean,
definitely the night twist kind of hit me when the pandemic started. And I was so nervous because when I would wake up hot, I thought, oh my God, I’ve got COVID, I’m hot,
I’ve got a fever. So I had a thermometer with me, like literally next to me all the time because I was so worried that it was COVID. It’s such a crazy time.
But I feel like I’m one of seven kids, and there’s six women and six girls and one boy. And luckily, I have sisters to talk to. I talked to my mom a little bit about it before she passed my mom’s sister,
my aunt Anne. And everybody has a slightly different age thing when it kicks in. And so it’s, yeah, it’s, it’s, it’s, it’s, it’s, it’s, you’re someone’s daughter does not mean you’re going to get the same schedule as them.
I mean it just doesn’t work like that or sister, like it’s everybody gets their own, so. But you know I will say the diet thing is tough because I feel like sugar in any form just just makes you put on weight it just does and also soy flour which you like.
you’re like, oh, I’ll have soy, particularly soy flour, is like that causes more night sweats than anything. Like that’s like, once I stopped, I was eating something that had it in it and it was like some sort of snack.
I’m like, once I stopped, I was like, oh my God, I feel so much better. So there’s so much information that we don’t have. We don’t share, it’s not available. I don’t know.
I mean, if I was in charge, I’d be– be making commercials about the stuff all the time. Just like the more you know, right? Right. Come on. And it’s, yeah, it’s so hard to even get one commercial out there.
Uh, fine. Yeah. The OSA and, um, the, uh, vasomotor symptom, they showed it during the Superbowl because, you know, at least they did show it during the Superbowl,
but that was like, thank God. No way. Absolutely. – Yeah, yeah. But I feel like even like, I just feel like there’s not even, I mean, there should be news stories on it. Like we should be letting women know like,
“Hey, this is what’s going on.” There’s no, no, there’s none of it, you know? And I don’t know about you, but like, you know, I’ll see like, you know, women’s magazines, they don’t even talk about it. Like every,
I feel like every women’s magazine, every women’s publication of any kind, she just have like a, “Hey, this is what to expect.” Or, “This is like the king of women’s magazine.” code go there and get some information What to expect when you’re expecting it should be what to expect when you have menopause and pause Slowly changing but the narrative it’s slow You really have to dig because you know it wasn’t I never could
find a lot of information Until Colleen and I started this podcast and we have to research and we have to dig. Talk to the experts. There’s people out there, but it’s not readily available. You have to dig for it.
And then women filler are not women, but people, they don’t like to put it out there because they feel like they’re going to catch it. It’s a disease. Right. No, totally.
Or someone don’t want to admit that like that they’re older. Right. I’m like, okay, well, you can still look good and go through this. It doesn’t matter. mean, you know, I mean, and also like at a certain point,
I mean, whatever, I just, there’s a vanity factor that I’m just like, give it up, it’s vanity and sanity. Like, let’s just get real. – I love that. – Vanity. – Vanity and sanity,
I love that. – It is. – Oh my God. – It is. – Yeah, it’s a bummer, it’s a bummer, yeah. – And we get so much information from our girlfriends. It’s like, if you could just sit down and with a glass of wine or a cup of coffee and talk to five other girlfriends who have been through it,
you’re going to learn more than at your doctor’s appointment. Absolutely. Absolutely. And doctors, yeah, doctors don’t know at all. You know, like I always said, my first line of defense was my OBGYN.
And they don’t, we’re finding out they’re rare. They’re trained maybe eight hours on menopause. In meds. school yeah in med school eight hours of four years of med school residency you know internship and eight hours so that’s slowly that’s changing there is the menopause society it’s glacial glacial changes so what are you looking So what are you looking forward to now like what’s what’s next on the horizon?
There’s a couple things I can’t talk about but this summer I have a bunch of fan events. The last two years I’ve been doing a bunch of minor league fan events at minor league baseball games across the country and it’s so fun and I love baseball and I’m literally throwing out the first page and taking pictures with people for a couple hours and yes I’m kind of bowling in the sky I’m not the best pitcher I just play
softball but I’m not I mean it’s also like it’s pretty far to go from the mound to the catch it’s it’s not close but I so I, yeah, I’ve learned a few tricks,
but yeah, that’s something I’m doing this summer. And so look, if you, if you see like an office night or like whatever, I’m probably there. At the Nashville Sounds, we’ll have to look. Yeah, the Nashville Sounds.
I don’t know if I’m there this year, but we’ll see. Yeah. But yeah, yeah, yeah, I’m trying to think of, yeah, I have another film coming out called Bolts in the Blue, which is um, it’s a movie I did in Alaska,
um, and it’s, uh, kind of, that was such a trippy process, so, yeah, we’ll see, well, yeah, and I’m sure some other stuff is gonna pop up, like, and I have done a bunch of game shows and stuff I can’t talk about yet,
but you’ll see, you’ll see, so. – Well, we’ll have to have you back on at that point to talk about it when you can talk about it. – What are, you know, and I wanted to ask you about the game shows, like, how competitive are other celebrities,
really? ‘Cause I know you’ve done several of them. – Yeah, there’s some that are like, whoa, they’re not mess around. But,
you know, I mean, in general, it’s really fun. And what I love about game shows is that they pop up everywhere. And, you know, when I’m home visiting my family in Philadelphia and I’ll run into a friend of mine from grade school,
they’re like, oh my gosh, what’s going on? You know, like, I just… just a great way to connect with the world and with my world, I should say. And I feel very lucky to get to be a part of people’s time during their day.
You know, it’s just like, it’s a privilege. It really, really is. No matter how white the content is, you know, it’s fantastic. – Well, it’s nice that you just sound so grateful for all of the opportunities.
– Yes. – And like you said, I think it comes… also with age that we are just more grateful for the big and the small. And do you find that you’re looking more forward to the next chapter and the next chapter,
you know, the next eight, the next decade? – I think so. Yeah, I mean, I definitely have a couple of things coming up. Like, you know, I’m just, a couple of creative projects.
So, okay. are like a real challenge to me and I’m happy to be challenged and I’m happy to, you know, roll up my sleeves and get into it. I think I’m an artist first and,
you know, it’s just when the universe like actually steps up and allows you to explore all this stuff and, you know, and have fun in the process and make money doing it.
I mean, it’s like, it’s all gravy, seriously. I mean, I always say, like, if my boss really hit me with this car, you know what? I had a good run. I’m just saying. And not that I want to be.
(laughing) – Don’t let it happen. – Not for it there. – I’m just saying. – I’m just saying. Yeah, yeah. Well, you sound so appreciative and that’s such a great example for a lot of women our age.
You know, just what the life you’re living right now just is such a great example. But thank you for sharing that with us. – And, you know, I think being in the moment. too and like just enjoy all we really have is our time with each other that’s all we really have and you know if you could just make the best of it to your best and take the high road and don’t be a douchebag you know and keep your mouth shut
sometimes you know you don’t have to give your opinion if it’s gonna blow up everything you know you know yeah yeah yeah it can’t be if you can’t be kind and just be gone,
leave. Leave the room. Right. It’s true. And it’s much easier to be aware of that when we’re past the age of 40 than in our 20s and 30s. I think so.
Yes. I think so. I mean, I feel like also as you get older, if you’re crazy, you got to work on your crazy because you get crazy year after year. Just another level. I think crazy gets really loud.
Yes. Yeah. Yeah. there’s no filter. – Either you calm or you blow up. – Thank you so much. – Yeah, you’re on one road or the other, that’s it. – Exactly. Thank you so much for coming on the show.
This was such a fun conversation. – This was so fun. – And please come back any time to talk about your secret projects. We would love to hear more. – Sounds good. And maybe I’ll leave again on the car next time.
I’m sorry, you guys. (laughing) – You know what? We make it work. – She’s not driving. – Yes. she’s not driving. – I’m just on cruise control. Just cruise control. No, I never on cruise control. Never,
trust me, never. I always have to drive. I’m a bad passenger, I have to drive. Thank you so much. – Thank you. – Have a good day. – Bye. – Thank you guys. – Bye.
– Bye. (upbeat music) (upbeat music)