Dot Dot Dot with Dot-Marie Jones

And that's what you really missed with Jenna.

And Kevin an iHeartRadio podcast.

Welcome to you, and that's what you really miss podcasts.

This is an extra special, very special episode.

I'm Jenna, I am Kevin, and today we are joined by the Beast herself, the one and only Dot Marie Jones. I mean, I I want to cry every time I just see Dot because she's an angel, Oh my gosh, there's nothing like it, and gives the best hugs and her family are just the most wonderful kind people, and I feel so lucky that we get to talk to her today in the middle of her She's a busy day, she's on a drive drive.

She texted us two hours ago and was like, I'm going to pull on the Silo road to talk to you guys, and that's exactly what she did. So Dot Marie Jones everyone, Hello, Dot.

My baby, how are you so good?

My face hurts already just from looking at me, smiling so hard.

It's good to see you.

You've got damn ray sunshine baby. Thank you for stopping. Dot isn't a car right now driving home and has pulled over safely, not currently driving, and because that's how important we are to her. She pulled over to talk to us.

She did love Oh honey, I do anything for you too, No, we do anything for you baby.

Well, welcome.

It's good to see you see this podcast so that we can see our friends.

I love it. How have you been, I've been good.

Yeah.

We just were and Marrow Bay for two days with Bridget's aunt and uncle. Or drove out from Kentucky. So now we're all caravan and back to our house for the night.

Oh nice, so sweet.

Well we all hold you up for too.

Long Thenney, It's okay. They're good.

Dot. You know, we look up everybody's like bios to see like what everybody with the official like, we know you, we know you emotionally. Yes, you don't need a bio. But then when you read it in black and white, it's like, oh, no big deal. Dot was nominated for three Emmys three years in a row. And it's just it's when you see that, you're like, that's damn right. She was like, are you kidding me? Because I think we forget all the craziness that we all experience together

Casually.

Casually. That's right.

So you did.

You did the pilot that Ryan had talked about. We got to see pretty Handsome with sweet John Roth, and it was wonderful. It's such a fantastic pilot and I wish more people could have seen it.

Was that the first time that you worked with Ryan.

No, I had actually done a few nip tug and then I did the pilot, and then of course ran into Brad and told him to write me.

Something for real?

Is that how it happened.

That is a true story.

I ran into him at a grocery store and I hadn't seen him since we did the pilot.

A pretty handsome and so when you do it?

He said, We're just wrapping up the first season of Glee, and I'm like, come on, man, write me something.

I want to work with you guys again. He said, do you sing?

And I was like, shit, I'm no Mariah Carey, but I can carry a tune.

You're like, yes, yes, I sing, Yes, sure, it's.

Just shower count.

Yes it does.

There's a lot of singing and locker room showers in Glee. So yeah, that's right.

Amen, and on camera and off camera. Right.

Wait, so then they called you and they said we have something for you. How did it happen?

Oh, like I told I told Brad, I said, I said tell Ryan because I'll tell him. And I said okay, And like literally like two or three months, my at that time agent called me and said that they asked my availability starting in July that they were writing me something.

Wow.

So and I actually signed.

It was just I mean not just but it was a guest star of my first four seasons on the show. But it was parentheses, like where it said the role of when I signed my first contract because I didn't have Beast's name yet.

It was just they were writing this character. So I'm like, hell, yeah, man, wow wow.

Respect and being loyal to their word, you know, right. I mean, we live in a town where people say a lot of things. Sure, it's nice to actually come through, but I think it's if anyone you and see how talented you are and how sweet you are, it's like, of course they would.

Kevin, I still don't know what I'm doing do any of us?

Do you know? So we're we're about a third of the way through season two, watching season two and all I think about is our first week together. You and I spent a lot of time together because I was joining the football team. You were new, and being on the football team was new to me, and Chord was new, and Chord to us was the funniest thing in my

Is?

Gary Busey? Oh my god?

I love It's very good.

It was so good. I felt like I would then go back and could report to the rest of the Glee kids, like, Yo, this Chord can do all these impressions. But also Dot is incredible. You got to hang out with Dot. It was the best I because you know, we were around the same people all the time. We're in the Glee club every day. And for me to do anything else and then have it be with you, I don't know why we were together. I felt like a lot those first few years of season two we

Yeah, it was.

Yeah, between you and Corey, it was like and then Cordo Chord came on, When night came on, it was like, it's like a dream.

And then just getting to be around the other kids, because I mean.

Like Jenna and I finally got to do things with them over time, and it was so much fun, so much fun.

I remember the first time you came, you got to sit in the choir room and the boys perform that number for you, stopping the Name of Love. It was it was really fun to just have another like cool, cool adult that everybody loved.

And you know, we got to but we didn't.

Really get to like work together a ton, but I remember they're just so the memories are so vivid in my mind, Like the when we did shake it Out for you.

I was just gonna say that I still hear that song and it makes me cry.

Yeah, that was that was unbelievable.

Yeah, well you had a lot of acting to do and that.

Yeah it's crazy.

Yeah, was this your first time? Also, like working with Jane.

I have a funny Jane story. I don't even know if you guys know this.

Jane and I We had actually met a couple times at a party prior to at someone's house before this, but I was like so excited to like work with Jane.

And so my first episode season two.

Were riding to the set and we're on the back of the the golf cart. Yes, we're on the back of the golf cart, facing backwards, and we're just sitting next to each other and I said something.

She didn't answer me, and I'm like, don't tell me, she's going to be like this, you know, I'm thinking, oh shit.

So then I said something else and she didn't even acknowledge that, say anything, and I'm like, son of a bitch, what And then all of a sudden, Jane, you know, Jane, she goes, did you say something?

I'm so sorry. I'm totally deaf in this here.

She just didn't hear me, and.

I said, oh, thank god, I thought you were being a total bitch.

And we just died laughing.

And so she was so cute because then when we worked together, she I walked in a few times and she was changing our chairs so that I was on her right side.

She'd always do that, she'd like come to my other side.

I love her so much. Oh my god, it was so damn funny.

Oh god, you had so many scenes with her, did you ever break because.

Oh god, yeah, that's what we're supposed to do. That was the funnest part. Oh yeah, some of our stuff.

It was just you couldn't help it, I know, especially in the teacher's lounge when I had to eat three thousand pounds of rotisserie chicken.

Oh my god, God, the chicken for real.

Well, there was this one episode where they wanted me to just keep shoving it in my face and talk as I'm doing it, and I like spit like chicken, and that made us laugh.

And then.

I just kept oh my god, And so I'm talking with my mouth full, and I'm like, oh my god, because they wanted me to get the lines out with steal my mouthful.

But I kept like spitting food across the table.

And then once you start doing it, you gotta do it for every take like that exactly.

Oh my god.

Yes, And they kept bringing in cut up chicken to stick in the place on this chicken where I'd taken it from.

It was funny. We've talked to a couple of people who were not in nearly as many episodes as you. But they were in a lot and they were guest stars for the first bit, and they were saying, how you know, you could just sort of be left not knowing when you're coming back what your storyline was going to be, and then all of a sudden you show up and you're in an episode out of nowhere?

Right, What was I mean?

You were in almost fifty episodes you were.

Yeah, I was in forty some Yeah?

Did you Was that like that for you? Or because you were such I think as a regular character, you were there all the time. Like once you were in, you were in, did you Yeah? But did it feel like that or no?

From year to episode or season to season. Rather, I didn't know how many I was going to do. Like the first season, I think they guaranteed me six guest star spots and I ended up doing like eleven, right, yeah, and then each year it was the same thing until the last season they made me irregular.

Wow.

Yeah, But as far as episodes, I didn't know what I was doing. I mean, Ryan, God.

Bless him, called me in when I had to do the domestic violence episode. That one was a tough one, and he called me in and he just asked me if I was okay with it and if I would be okay with it, and I'm like, absolutely I would. And he said of all the characters, he thought that mine could handle it. So I mean that meant a lot. Yeah, but then yeah, but then go from that to the final season six with the transitioning, that was heavy, right. Yeah?

Did he call you for that too?

Uh uh?

He's he at the hundredth episode party that we had, he said, I have big plans for your character next year and me to do that and drop it, but me not knowing, I didn't know at that time. I was coming back and I said, I, you know how like you blurt something ount and you're like oh, And I just said, well, I got nothing to lose, I said. He goes, I have big plans for your character next

And he was so cute. He goes, well, if that's what you want, then that's what it'll do.

What wo?

But you know, you never know? I mean, god, they have so many people.

And then they came back and gave me that. But the transitioning thing. No, that was his big plans, and I didn't know it until I got the script.

Wow wow, wow, wow wow. How did you approach that? How did that feel for you? To tell me?

That's a huge That was the first time I played a trans character. And Alexandria Billings who was in Transparent and she's fabulous Broadway actress and played my wife, and so Alexander and I that was the first time we had met and worked together, and I just love her so much, and she was so available because I told her, I said, I'll play any character, but I will never disrespect who I'm playing, right, And so my thing was his Planet trans character. I asked her everything. She said,

They couldn't have given that storyline to a better person. YEA, yeah, baby, you can handle that emotional like depth and the care for doing something like that.

Kevin, I never cried more in my life when when they had And a lot of people don't know this is that there were two hundred the quiet when I come in and sing with Alex, who was amazing and right, and you.

Know, I just got chill bumps. And there was the two hundred choir members.

Not everybody knows that every single one of them were trans men and women.

Wow, wow, Yeah.

And I was a mess.

I would I drove home and I think the whole way home I bawled.

And I got home and I.

Was just crying. And Bridget was like, what's wrong? And I said I couldn't even to try and explain. It was overwhelming, you know, experience.

Yeah, it really was.

It really was, because I mean that could have easily gone a different direction, you.

Know, had Yeah, you had some heavy ship, like in all of the seasons, like your your stuff was not just like being some fun football coach, which was also really fun to watch you do.

But but then you got.

To sing too, which Ryan obviously asked if you or Brad asked if you could do.

I think your first solo is Julie, right, That actually.

Was my only solo, and I didn't know it until until I got the script. I didn't know until and I'm like, wait a second, what, But it was it was amazing.

It was so much.

Fun, so you had fun with it. Were you nervous? Were you nervous going in the recording studio? Like, what was that for you?

Well, the boys at the recording studio, you guys know, they're just amazing and so patient.

I'll go with patient for me, same God bless him. And so.

When I went to the recording studio, they just made it so much fun. And and you know me, I'm a big five year old, so I just had a blast.

Hm hmmm.

What an iconic song like you got that's like one of the greatest songs of all time, right, You're just like coming in hot with like, yeah, oh my god.

It was.

And somehow word got back to me that actually Dolly Parton liked it.

So the fact that, yeah, that somebody in the recording.

Said that, yeah, Dolly had heard it and liked it, And so I was like, I'm good, Yeah, I'm.

Good talking out just like that makes sense. Though. I feel like nothing, none of her catalog or anything is used without her having personally OKAYDD and listen to me. I feel like that tracks to me absolutely.

Miley Cyrus version of Joline is unbelievable.

Yeah, yeah, I love that kid, big fan. When you got nominated for the first Emmy as someone who has never been nominated for an Emmy.

What does that feel like, Kevin?

I was found out I was nominated when we landed in Australia. What that's yeah, because remember we went to Australia, you and Harry and Ashley and I.

Yes, that's right.

When we landed, I had a text from Max Adler saying congratulations, babe, You're nominated. And I was like, I looked at Bridget because Bridge went with me, and I was like what And I just was like, oh my god, wow. Yeah, but that's how I found out when it was a minute ago. That was twenty eleven. That was twelve years ago.

Yeah.

Crazy.

We got right off tour and I went straight to Australia. I was like, I don't know what I'm doing.

I'm tired, right, And neither did they?

Oh boy, oh boy?

Oh yeah no, And then you got nominated twelve thirteen.

Does it get old?

It still feels pretend because it's like something I never in my life.

You know.

I mean, I'm not a spring chicken, but I didn't start acting till I was twenty seven. So for me, it's something I never thought was going to be an option or an opportunity, and to get that nominated into you know how people say it doesn't matter if you want to lose the fact that you're nominated it's incredible, that's totally true.

I mean, yeah, whatever, it'd be nice to win, but then you just got to do good or and get something better.

That's right. No, they're not doing gooder in your world. There's done the best.

Baby.

The fact that you didn't start acting till twenty seven, I mean, it feels like you should have been acting for forever. But it also tracks and makes sense because you're such an openly available and emotional and vulnerable human and an angel person that like, it makes sense how your acting comes through, your personality comes through and your acting and your you know just again.

Availability of like all of your emotions. But why And I know you were back in the day doing all your cool wrestling and bodybuilding and chuck pudding.

And goods And how did you turn How did you get into the business.

Well, it's crazy because in college I was a shot putter. That's why I got to go to college because I got a scholarship and I would have probably never gone to a four year college had I not i've been able to, I wouldn't have financially been able to.

But I was competing.

I started competing in I started lifting weights in as early as eighth grade because I grew from five six to six to one in seven months. Oh yeah, and my back was so screwed up that I just started. The coach there and my brother's, like one of my brothers said, you know, you got to start strengthening your back and all this stuff, because my legs were fine.

It's just the pain was all in my lower back. Right. So all of my.

Family had done sports in school, so and plus I love sports. So I did volleyball, basketball, and track through high school. And then I got offered several silly but I got offered like several scholarships for basketball because I was a good ballplayer back then.

Yeah it must have been quite good, guys. I was scholarship offers.

Yeah, basketball and track scholarships.

Some universities wanted me for both, like even like West Point Stanford all them.

But I didn't want to run anymore. I hated running.

I was fast, very fast for my size, but I just thought I wanted to do well in.

Track and field because shotput was my deal.

And it's funny because at that time, you know, you set your goals for yourself, and as a kid, you don't know if they're attainable until you keep either progressing or declining. Right, And there wasn't women's basketball in the Olympics, and my goal was I wanted to make the Olympics. So I stuck to track and field, and I did go to the Olympic Trials in eighty eight and ninety two and I placed seven, six or seventh and eleven, so only the top four go to the Games.

But still had a blast of the trials.

Yeah, that's not a bad showing.

One of the bodybuilders, I met Shirley Eeson, who I'll never forget. She and her husband, they lived in Bakersfield and I was still in Fresno. I was working juvenile probation after college. And Shirley was a bodybuilder and I would see her at her shows because I was doing

So she gave me.

The casting lady at the time was Carol o'larry, who God, I bless her. I don't know where she's at, but I'll never forget her, and so I called found out. All the information went down to LA. The first day was like physical agility and stuff, which for my size, I was probably sixty five and at that time I was still tall because before the authritis said, and I was still six ' four, and so I was really

And I was like, what the hell's a cold read?

And so I'm like, okay, it's warriors. Are we going to be reading in some place cold? That's all I could think of. I had no idea what it was.

So they called that night.

They said, well, we'd like you to come in tomorrow for a cold read, and I said okay, because I didn't want to sound that naive, but I said, what would somebody where did that? And they said, well, just wear your best warrior outfit and I'm like, what the hell is that?

So I just wore some workout pants that I had that had like zebra stripes and cut up a I went and got a sweatshirt, cut it up and wore like a red tank top under it.

Yeah, a very sexy picture, let me tell you, that's.

Right, definitely picturing.

What How did this cold read go?

The cold read it was?

I was so nervous because we did it in I think it was close to Hollywood Center Studios somewhere over there, and it was in a big sound stage and I couldn't see anybody behind this table.

Because of the lights. Oh my god.

And I did a read with Carol O'Leary and they had me do When I go in, they say, oh, the sides are on the table over there, and I said, oh okay, and I'm like they thank god there was only one stack of papers because that explained to me what the sides were.

And so I got the.

Sides and I memorized it and went in and then did the cold read and then they had me do improv. So I did that and then I left and they said we'll let you know. So cut to a couple of weeks later, I'm getting all right. I was still sleeping because I didn't have to. I worked at Juvenile Hall, so I was sleeping in and the phone rings and they said, hey, I'd like to speak to Don.

I said, this is done, and I hear it. Oh Hi, this is Carol.

O'Leary, and you know how like you're a sleep and you go, oh hi Carol, And I'm like, who the hell's Carol? And she goes, how would you like to be a warrior? And I said, oh my god, I just like I couldn't believe it. So then I wrote down all the stuff I had to do, and they explained, you know how you'll do a pilot and if the pilot sells, you know all that stuff and.

Changed my life. I said, I'm in.

Wow, camp in acting immediately, here's side, here's what a cold read is, figure out and improv.

Wow. Wow, No, I just know in my heart of hearts this is what I'm supposed to be doing.

Wow.

When we watched season two, the it was a scene with you and Matt and never Been Kissed where you start crying and m it's one of those things where the ability and I think to Jenna's point of the way you're so vulnerable, where you're playing this hard ass coach right yelling at these boys, and that's what we expect. That's all the coach is going to be one dimensional. This is what we're getting. But you can hire Dot

I know. You guys are so sweet. You know. It's like.

I've played every cop, biker, chick, coach, lesbian, prisoner cop, every billy badass that you could handle. And then to get Beast, who's this tough character but then as vulnerable as she can be, she can be as strong as she can be.

And it was like that.

It was it was honestly, it was some days we're just overwhelming.

It was imagine, if you run into Brad in the grocery store again, can you.

Just tell them to write some stuff for all three of us?

Yes, I actually have something all three of us could actually do.

Let's go, let's go get our friends, let's do it.

Did you feel like the fame came from or were you recognizable before?

Like?

What was there a huge contract.

You kids had set such a precedent in season one that it was on fire. I can't even tell you the response I got because of the audience that you had all pulled in because I came in in season two, first episode that it was overwhelming, like the you know, back then Facebook was open to everybody, and I had like literally thousands of messages from people wow, and it was like it was ridiculous.

I was like, oh, good god, this is going to be big. It was already big, yeah.

Yeah, but it did get bigger. It just got bigger. I mean, you have a huge part in the super Bowl episode, which is the most episode, the thriller.

Yes, yeah, the shuffle that was oh right, Oh my god, that's right.

What is what is the feeling that Glee leaves you with.

So many gifts from you know, jobs being offered, but more importantly like you kids, I love you, and I feel like I've known you my whole life, and and and like the opportunity to you know, it's like the jobs I had done prior to Glee obviously nothing even Emmy nomination worth Wait what am I saying nothing worthy of an Emmy nomination? Which I mean, I'm not saying it was bad work, but I'm not. I'm saying it was something that wasn't as acknowledged as what we did.

Hopefully a lot mostly for the better. Yeah, and just to be a part of that and to.

I mean, I still will be somewhere and some of those like this weekend, some of you said, were you a coach at something something high school?

And I'm like, not there, that's funny.

Oh you don't even know. Were you a coach at such and such high school? At college?

I don't know?

No, Oh my god.

Well, we feel so lucky.

We're all It was like again, like lightning in a bottle, but all of us two in a bottle.

You know.

It's so nice to have family forever.

And absolutely, and we love you and I think we got so lucky to have each other.

Yeah.

Absolutely.

I always say sometimes your chosen family is a hell of a lot closer than some of your blood family, right.

That's right.

Well that we love you and we're not from your drive anymore, but thank you for taking the time.

Literally, bridget in the.

Family as well.

I'll tell her Bridget they said they love you.

You too, love you, love you so so much.

All right, give that baby a kiss, Jenna.

I will love you.

I love you kids.

Well, so much. Love. It's all love. Is everyone sick of us just being obsessed with each other.

Honestly, I'm sick of myself being obsessed with myself.

Self. Love is important, Jenna, It is important.

You can't love yourself, how the hell you're gonna love someone else?

The gospel of the gospel.

Well, she's like we said, she's the sweetest and Glee was so lucky to have coach Beast.

Yes, and what a life like. Thank you for sharing, you know, a summary of your life with us, Dot, because she's got stories upon stories upon stories, and we were so lucky. Just get a little taste of that. Thank you Dot for joining us. Love you, Thank you everybody for listening.

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