And That's what You Really Missed with Jenna.
And Kevin An iHeartRadio podcast.
Welcome to You and That's what You Really miss podcast. We've got a wonderful fan from Ireland who stayed up late to chat with us, Connor. Connor Burke is here. Connor Burke is also in the arts, is an actor and playwright and has a podcast, Glee Cat, that he started during the pandemic where he was going back and watching Glee having thoughtful conversations because he is a thoughtful lad.
And he also co hosts Gleek of the Week with Andrew a lot.
You can tell he's a really good interviewer. Really, he kind of flipped the script on us, which we didn't mind.
But also from Ireland, he's also so good.
He's also so, he's got a lot of soul, he's thoughtful, he's kind.
I love this conversation.
I could have spoken to him for hours. He really is the Irish opera. People are saying it, everyone's saying it.
Saying it. Well, here's Connor.
Oh hello, hello, hello, hello, Hello. It's so good to see you both.
Oh my god, thanks for saying up late for us.
Oh this could have been four am.
And let's be real, what time is it there?
It is ten?
Here is I'm already in bed at that point.
This is not late.
I don't see ten o'clock.
Guys, I can tell you you were both glowing. Whenever I see clips on social media, I'm like that skin dot la vibe is it's really hitting filter.
I'm sitting in the window to get as much light exactly.
I feel direct sunlight on my face. You're so kind. Thank you so much for joining us.
Thank you so much for having me. It has been the best crack ever. Listening to this podcast.
I feel like, thank you.
It has just been so beautiful. I have not personally, I've not watched Glee in a while. Obviously, I've dipped in and out, So like, rewatching with you guys is such an experience. It's so wonderful and it's it's been like the best time, you know, kind of like I don't know, both of you kind of taking back the narrative and like your experience is so like I feel like more people need that, you know what I mean?
Mm, thank you so appreciate that.
I mean, and you sort of started this whole podcast business.
I mean, you are solely responsible.
This is all your fault.
This is you.
Yeah, I'm like Joe Rogan, who hello.
You invented?
Basically yeah, basically that's Spotify deal is coming real quick, I am. Yeah. I set up a podcast called Glee Cap in the midst of Lockdown in I believe it was maybe April or May, and I had previously done some like voice work in Ireland and stuff like that, and I had this microphone sitting in front of me and I literally woke up one morning and I was like, I need to make a podcast about Glee.
Like it was.
It was like a rock had just a religious experience. It was crazy and basically yeah, And by the by the next day I had the first episode uploaded and for the next however long, there was a different guest basically every other week. People were all like Irish British theater people, creatives, so fat, people who had never seen Glee, people who were obsessed with it, and it was a different dynamic every week. Then as a result, yeah, and it was just it was the thing that kept me
going through lockdown. I was I didn't go insane. It was so much work, but like such a joy. And now in twenty twenty four, I'm still talking about it, and I think I will, like if I live into my nineties, Like I'm still going to be talking about the show like to god, like it's insane.
How did you find the show originally? How did it come to you?
Glee?
The thing about Glee was like Glee started in obviously, it first started in two thousand and nine, and so I was fourteen and it ended when I was twenty and so I feel like what people often miss from like the narrative when they talk about the show is that in those years, like you were obviously experiencing like crazy things, like you're growing up, you're figuring out who you were, You're friends with this person, but then you're friends with that person, You're like, what am I doing
with my life? For me, the one constant in those six years was a TV show. And I feel like when you see conversations around fandom, you're just like, oh, they really like this person because they can really sing. But it's like it's actually more than that. It's kind of like what they represent and what the product in this case, the TV show represents for you. Right, So yeah, I mean I was fourteen years old, I was in
an all boys' school in Ireland. I was like obsessed with musical theater, even though I cannot sing or do ance. That is my boss always loved it. And then of course this show comes along and it's like it's Taylor Made. It's like someone reached into my brainah and was like this, this is what you need. So there's kind of like a deep emotionality to it that I feel like maybe a lot of people don't really understand. I know, Like
that's a question I had for you guys. Do you guys obviously now living through like this podcast and recopying the episode, like do you ever think you will both get to a point in your life where you're like, I understand how big of a deal this is? Or do you still struggle to comprehend it even though it's been a time since the show.
And I feel like I comprehended. I feel like I do comprehend it, I think as well as I can. This podcast has absolutely helped, Like talking to people like you and learning about those perspectives has sort of filled out a bigger picture where I think in terms of
if I travel anywhere. For example, I was in Houston Texas a couple of weeks ago, and was getting recognized everywhere I went in La like that doesn't happen very often, And all those things add up to like a greater picture of Oh, this show has been off the air for a long time, But I think you just described it beautifully because I have this I feel this way
about certain shows or movies. But when people attach certain parts of their life to that show, to that experience, then that creates sort of the phenomenon of what it was.
Because yes, like we were on cracker Boxes and you're on tour, but a real lasting impact exactly how you just described can only be felt after time has gone by, and I think through this experience like we're doing right now, it has created a much deeper understanding of the impact it has had, and especially while we were doing it, was very hard to detect or to feel right sure.
Yeah, I feel like there's another there's a level of understanding and comprehension that we can kind of grasp from a viewers point of view. It's like Gray's Anatomy. For me, when that first came out, I felt like it was the an Asian character that just played herself, like I felt like there were characters I could relate to their storylines that I loved, Like there was just a lot of things about it that I hear echoed in Glee fans.
But like the understanding of like the impact it had globally at such a big level, Well, it's still hard to understand that, like we were a part of that, I think. So I'm not sure if we'll ever you know, I think we'll understand it to a point, but yeah.
Absolutely, because I feel like I remember so distinctly when I was fourteen or fifteen years old sitting watching Glee with my parents, who and obviously I was a gay teenager. I had known that since I was like a ten or eleven, and there was a scene happening on screen that was centered around Kurt. I can't remember what it was, and I remember so distinctly staring at my parents in my peripheral vision to try and read the reaction. Yeah, you know, that was my That was my first introduction.
Like I had no idea what to do in that situation, like I was a child, and so to see this played out on screen was so powerful and it's so so beautiful and something that I see a lot like on social media around the show. It's I don't see like a lot of story like that discussed kind of enough. I'm I kind of approached Glee from a more emotional standpoint, and obviously I laugh at all the memes and stuff too, and all the great stuff that have come out. But yeah,
that that's that's like a really important thing. Yeah, definitely, Yeah, So yeah, like what a beautiful thing.
What about Damien coming on the show? What would.
Oh my god, I was so glad to get that Irish repon. I don't know, I obviously know he was on your pod, like yeah, a couple of months or whatever. I can't remember. Did you guys ask him about that? I can't remember what his whole thing is. I think he just thinks it's hilarious.
Really yeah, yeah, he took it in stride.
Yeah.
I also think it was out of all the places, like I love that somebody from Ireland and the show.
I know, I loved, we loved him so much.
So yeah, I was such a gorgeous singing voice as well. I remember there was one there was one season it must have been season was obviously season three, and he came home to Ireland for Christmas and there is a very famous talk show in Ireland called The Late Late Show. It's like it's actually the longest running talk show in
the world. And he was honest and it was like the Beatles, like people were going like you and of course you guys obviously don't see it from that perspective, but people were like, I remember going to the tour in Dublin.
Oh my god, guys, Oh my gosh.
You go to I went to the very last one.
Okay, that was that was pretty crazy.
Oh my god, you were there.
Our energy was wild.
Is it true what they say about Irish Crewds because all these musicians are always like Irish Crewds are brilliant, But then you always think, oh are they just saying that just to appease let's are we good?
Oh yeah, yeah.
Well the thing about that venue was weird. They weren't allowing people to stand up.
So the first show we did it was an afternoon matinee and nobody's standing and we're.
Like, did they hate us, Like what's going on?
And we were did They wouldn't stand never, So we had to ask them. We had to ask them to allow people to stand because we were like this will be a nightmare of show, run of shows if people can't stand up and like dance.
But we just started instructing people like we're on stage, what we're going to do.
I remember, Kevin, did you come out? Am I just imagining this? Did you comment in a tri color and you were singing, ohky boy? Yeah?
I did.
Yes, I'm glad I would erupted somebody.
I remember that, Keaven.
I know, I'm like, I have somebody to verify that it wasn't money.
You remember that?
Oh my god, one of the best nights of my life. My sister and her then boyfriend now husband brought me. It was the three of us. I think I heard you talk about this Jenna recently, Like the crowd was It's the most I've credit ever seen at a concert to this day. Yeah, Like there was literally like an eight year old woman there having the time, Like it was amazing.
Damn.
How did that?
Like?
Did you?
Guys?
That must have been such a relief for you that particular night, because I'm sure you had the best crack ever, but also you must have been exhausted and been like, let me go, Like it must have been such a weird conflict you know what I mean, it was.
It was one of those things where I think every a lot of people were like just very tired, done over it, like we I mean that was in July.
Was that in July?
Yeah, we started shooting a year before or maybe it was June. I don't know. Like we had been working almost for twelve months straight, and so by the time we got to Dublin, we had just lost our minds. Yeah, and so like there were yeah, like you said, there was a part of like my dad has always wanted to go to Ireland. I could be on stage and sing oh Danny Boy with the crowd like the greatest experience ever. And then also then everyone just wanted to
be done. But then during that last last show, I remember looking back and like people were just crying because it was also are we going to be able to ever do this again? Is this ever going to happen? So it is a huge conflict of we're grateful, we're tired, we love each other, we love doing this, all those things all at once, and everything came out sort of in that last show. And I love that you were there to see Yeah, oh.
My god, I amazing, like literally one of the best days of my life, like I swear in my life. But you know what's so interesting when you guys always talk about the schedule and stuff like that, even when you're filming, the thing with me is and I know I will. I have never had this experience. I can talk away to like a radiator and have a full blown conversation for seven hours, but like, I am an
introvert and I need time to decompress. So when you guys talk about those long hours, I'm just like, it's one thing, like the physical exhaustion, But like what I got, like, was there every time where you could just go away into the corner of like the choir room or somewhere off set and just be like, I need to lie down for twenty minutes, please don't speak.
Oh yeah, that happened more often than not.
Yeah, there were times where like you'd be totally in the mix, you'd be laughing, you'd be hanging with everybody, and like two or three people would be off kind of doing their own thing. And then there would be times where like I'd go off and kind of sit and all the sets are pretty much close in you know,
close proximity to each other, so like even shoes. Apartment was like a standing set, and so we would go and like lay in his bed because there was a real bed, so like you'd just go lay there and people would be like, just tell me where you're going next time, so I know where you are when you have to go to set. But yeah, there were definite I think everybody had a little bit of that recharge button that had to like go away for a second.
And especially in those first three seasons when it was just so monstrous, we would all just we were like professional naptakers. We'd all knock out like so fast and for like twenty minutes. It would just be like the most important sleep of our day.
Yeah, I would say the first season, so we were like hanging out more like we'd be playing games. And then as the show started to go on, we're like we learned to preserve. Yeah, we need to take some time. Yeah, yeah, just like sit in silence for a little bit.
Yeah.
How has it been doing your podcast? Still?
It's been a joy. You know. I've had friends of mine, you know, for example, one of my friends, Lizzie, a year or two ago, played Tracy Turnblood in the West End production of Hers by the revival of that show, and she came on and she would talk about how like she was like I do musical theater because of Gray.
So there'd be a story like that, or there'd be a story about you know, my friend Emma who when she was thirteen decided her favorite character on Glee was Emma Pill's breathe and decided to run out and die her hair ginger. I was like, I believe, yeah, so it's been beautiful. And what happened was I recapped the first four seasons and I had the time of my life. And then I went to drama school in London and obviously those hours are manic, and so I took a breather.
And then relatively recently, I have been guessing very regularly on Gleek of the Week, which we all know, and it has just been this. It sounds so strange to say it has been such a joy, Like the amount of work that Andrew puts into that podcast. Believe it's a full time job. On top of his full time job, you still have these people who are so invest like, you know, we're getting dms being like I can't believe you voted that song out like that, and it's been glorious.
And Andrew and I got to interview Lauren Party. Yes, that was just wonderful for many reasons. Obviously because we love her, Yes, Secondly, she just spoke so eloquently about her experience and why her life was fundamentally changed by the show. And thirdly, like quite frankly, it was an emotional experience for Andrew and I, Like, you know, it's kind of uncomfortable to say, as I imagine it's uncomfortable
to hear. But there's a lot of cast members yourselves included, that mean a lot to us for a variety of reasons. And so we're kind of sitting there like, oh my god, like this is more to fine, but it's also kind of camp, you know, it's fun. But yeah, it's been a joy and and the podcast inside of it has been great. I's like, I can I can name like six clee podcasts, Like, yeah, I have got my own theories as to why people are still talking about this show.
Tell us do.
You know what's so funny? Actually? And this is strange, Like I was on YouTube maybe a month or two ago, and they always say that no one knows, like no one knows you like your homepage on YouTube, and the recommended video was Glee cast version of Scream, and I had not seen it in so long, and I clicked on it and I watched it, and I was like okay, and then I was like, this is just like this is just fantastic, Like the fact that that musical performance, right,
a random musical performance knee deep into the middle of season three, in an episode with eight or nine musical performances was filmed, and obviously Havin yourself and Harry are amazing in it, but like the cinematography, and like, I was like, this is just people are always talking about I think Glee. People still talk about Glee because of this and this and that. It's like, well, people still talk about Glee because Glee was so good, like it was.
I don't. I don't think there's ever been anything on TV since that comes close with There's been amazing stuff that have been highly influenced by it, like the rise of movie musicals and stuff like that. Yeah, but I don't there's not a there's not been a show that
kind of incorporates music as well. In my opinion, the talent, like I think Robert Ulrich and his team if they ever won any awards, they deserve every award because, like, you all just played your part so well, and like I'm talking about from like from Leah and Corey all the way down to like Josh Sussman, like it was in everything, Like you all just played the part so
like you did the work. Sometimes I was like, how do you guys get a script and then read this ridiculous scenario and then go from that to like what we see on screen? Mm hmmm, because quite often as an actor, and I can only speak in my experience, like quite often it's more difficult to get one or two lines of dialogue and like make at work than actually have like a juicy scene to like for.
Yeah, totally, those were the hardest. Was like sitting in a choir room with twelve fourteen people and you have one line that comes in the middle of all that conversation.
You're like, what is that line again?
Because there's just nothing to connect it too, so you're like, don't forget it, or like I just and then and then you mess it up and you're like, what's my line? You're like the one the actor in the room. When you have one line you can.
Yeah, Chris has a full monologue and three weeks yeah, yeah.
Stop, yeah, I always about about mister Shoe. I was like I in some ways, I'm like I really really kind of felt bad for Matthew Morrison because I'm like, he always had the opening, Hey, we're going to do yeah so much.
Yeah.
Yeah, And like obviously Naya and Uh and Jane Lynch with those monologues like that.
Is just yeah, they were both so good at it.
But I could also just memorize it.
She's look at it and really remember did she do.
You guys like did she have a photographic memory? Like would you be surprised?
Yeah, yes, I saw her too many times do not look at the scene until the morning of and she would have a full page of you know, like rambling nonsense that does makes no sense. Yeah, because you know, like if you would have drama school, if you have a monologue and it's like a train of thought and it's written really well, you could follow that. Then it's much easier to memorize because it's a natural train of thought.
When Ian is writing those like Sue in Santana monologue, it's almost Yeah, it's like joke after joke after joke after joke and with you know, like snarkiness. So not only are they able to memorize it, they're also like acting it properly. And so I would go into the hair and makeup trailer with her like sides for the day, read it over maybe once or twice, and then have it and that and I I would I remember like like yelling at her. I'm like, that is insane, howe.
Why why?
Absolutely rious?
But do you know what as well, what I what I will say is obviously this show and I will die in this hill is one of the funniest TV shows of the past, like thirty years. It is so so witty and I literally sometimes I feel like screaming at my friends that don't watch it. I'm like, you need your ass down the show. But another thing that is so impressive about it the way all of you would like inflect your lines. And Kevin just reminded me
there of when you were talking about Naya. It was it was not only what was written on the page, it was the way your voice would like inflect the lines. Did you guys just kind of was that all instinct or like just say, if you had a one liner that was really funny where you often stopped and was it like a case of Jenna, please don't say it like this, Can you like say it like that? Or was that very much up to you?
Yeah, I don't think that ever happened.
Really, there was no I don't think anybody got coached on their timing or delivery. I think after there was like a tone that was really set in the pilot, and the speed at which we spoke was very much faster than a lot of other shows, and the way that you delivered lines was very much a style that was kind of created for us by all of us I think together. I mean as a lot of the people in the pilot who spoke a lot, I think did. But yeah, no, very I don't think we ever got
delivery notes or anything like that. It was just that they trusted us to know our characters and how we would want to say it.
Yeah, if we got notes, it would be about like maybe timing or pacing.
Yeah, or you said this word wrong or whatever. But the writing was so excellent that like you didn't really have to do much work, like if you just said it, like you let it do the work on its own. And so I think That's also partially where that that tone came from, was the writing was so consistent and the jokes were so consistent in that way.
Sure, because it must have been a bizarre experience, or maybe it wasn't. Like okay, if I think about it right, one episode, it's Quinn getting into a car crush, it's all of the Krofsky stuff. It's Finn and Rachel getting married. The next episode is not Bomer. The next episode it's a tribute to Saturday night favorite. The next episode it's Whitney.
Like, Yes, were you like, would you like open.
Oh, oh look we're gonna perform a man umbrella with Were you like reading this being like this is insane? Or were you like, this is the most normal thing. Like six episodes in felt kind of normalmal.
Completely normal, because when you.
Say it like that, yeah, you're like what.
But we never saw it like that because we were usually like filming one episode and then you get the script for the next episode in the last few days of that current episode, and you're just sort of.
What are we doing next? Tell us where to go?
You're just looking at anything, We're looking at the story. And so I think, like when you see what the episodes are now as a completion, you're like, oh, yeah, that's right, same night Fever and Whitney and like what it's crazy, none of those.
Like how do you do that?
Back to back to Matt Boemer, I think we were just in it, so you're just showing up to work like you're just on the hamster wheel.
That's why I think like Matt Bohmer was such a shock to us when we watched it this time, or at least for me, because he was so underrated in my mind of that episode, because I think we were just moving so fast that when we rewatched it, I was like, how did I miss this?
How did I Martin? It was like some of those people were in and out of there so quickly, so fast. Yeah, that we just had no concept of what was actually happening around to.
Sure, you were part of a massive machine essentially, and I'm sure it felt that way on tour as well, like you're going to all of these great places, but like did you necessarily have the time to like relax, unwind and like no explore you know, I.
Have to interviewer by the way, Yeah, you're very good at that. You're very like are we on your podcast? Are you on ours?
Because do you know what I feel like, Oprah Winfrey right now? Were you silent or were you silent? I've been waiting for this since two thousand and nine, as these are.
Excellent questions, very good questions. It feels like therapy. This is great.
Kevin and I actually were pretty good on tour, even though I was losing my mind and my head was half off.
Like, we did explore quite a bit.
The two of us would like go out during the day with a security guard and try.
And go see things and try the food or whatever.
Like in Philadelphia we want to get like Philly steaks at the Samous place. Like it was just like we tried as much as we could to like make this a normal experience for ourselves.
We didn't sometimes we were moving too quickly. When we got to Dublin, we had a full day to which was like a luxury temple Street was so much. Yeah, so we get to run around and actually.
Yeah, we went to dinner. It was really fun. Yeah.
Yeah, people were insane back in those days, like the Sons are are absolutely amazing, but so I just can't rock around that concept. Has your relationship with This sounds like I'm peers mooredan has your relationship with like Anderson Cooper and seeing in exclusive, but has it like has your relationship with the quote unquote fame slash being well known recognized? Like how does that sit with you now? Like are you comfortable with it? Is it kind of annoying? Is it?
Like? Well, I don't feel like I'm famous anymore? So, Like I kind of feel like at the time, we were so young and we were we were Oh thank you. We were living in this like crazy hot bubble that like was just on fire the whole time, and we were just riding it like it's like a wave. I don't know, that's a really weird analogy, but.
I feel like we were in it.
We were in it together, so like it wasn't just one person. It wasn't like Jennifer Lawrence coming up in her career and being all by herself in this like moment, Like we were all together in it. It was happening to all of us at once, and it was very strange at the time, and I'm sure we all have our own stories about how it shaped us and affected our lives and affected our lives now even but I think now I look back on it, like, wow, what a cool, weird thing, Like fame isn't fame isn't the
thing that's that's important? Like it sure, and like it was a really it did a lot for us, Like it opened a lot of doors and it's why we're able to be in the positions we're in still but like in our careers. And so I feel like, but I look back on it with that moment of like, oh, right, that was It is fleeting and it's not real and it's kind of strange, and you know, you learn lessons from it.
I don't know who it was, Jenna, but you probably were there for this conversation somebody who I don't know who it was, but was very famous at the time and we were just starting and they're like, fame is not real, famous, fake, None of these people know you. They and it's really great to be admired by these people because you're a part of something that's touching a
lot of lives. But if you use that or hold on to that in any sort of serious way to make yourself feel important or give your life meaning, you are going to be left because it is not a real thing, right, and like just and like once the show is done, then that fame changes, it evolves or moves away, and so I think sort of keeping that in the back of my mind the whole time. Yeah, was and like also adjusting to your relationship to fans, I think.
In terms of when.
You're out in public, how you interact with people, how they interact with you. Also on tour was a really interesting experience because state to state, country to country, fans interact differently, very differently, because it's a cultural thing. And so I think, like now my relationship to it is very different because maybe because I've gone through all of that, but like now I have no problem with it, easy, happy when people come say hi, you know what whatever.
Back then it was because it was I think so frequent and so sometimes aggressive that you have the adverse reaction and you want to just sort of shrink into yourself and like that's it.
Kevin, I think it was like a little bit scary, Like we were a little bit threatened at the time, not by the fans themselves, but just by like your own personal space being kind of.
Eliminated.
So there's this like level of like am I am I safe in this moment right, like, because I'm still a person, Like it's like anybody coming into your personal space and asking you for something that is very unfamiliar. But these days, I think with social media and the way we choose to put out our lives and the way that we're connecting with fans and even with this podcast, it's like I equate them with like two different things. Like I equate our fans as a very different thing
than fame. Yeah, Like I fame to me is like this fake thing that's like, Yeah, the media builds you up.
People kind of know who you are. They think they know who you are.
You get this like rise and you know, ego and moments of like wow, people want want to be you, They want to be a part of you, they want to know it. Whereas the fans were like the we would be nowhere without our fans and without this show, Like people like you who were you were deeply impacted in an emotional way, like I've been deeply impacted by another show. Like so I see them as two completely separate things. Just to be clear, But yeah, I think it's a it's really weird.
Yeah, And I think that's what both of you just said. There is so beautiful because I think from obviously I'm only one person, like I'm not speaking for all of the fans, but I think what are what are so beautiful about podcasts like this, particularly this one, is that the way you two just spoke. I think when you're a fan and you're a lifelong follower of people, you can really sense that kind of authenticity, if you know
what I mean. Like your first two episodes on this podcast with Ryan Murphy was like I'm going to go on a limb here and say this two of the best podcast episodes I've to ever about anything, because it was just so like, let's just talk about this, like three human beings that love and respect and admire people and admire each other and like just have a chat like there's and you can tell that when you're listening,
do you know what I mean? Like, if you've got any semblance of emotional intelligence, you can kind of tell that. And that's why this has just been so beautiful, Like it's very there's something really like moving about that, do you know what I mean? And you guys kind of come into that realization as you've gone through. Is there anything that surprised you about the show, Yeah so much.
Let me season three. Yeah, And I know we've said it before, but what's my favorite part, honestly is like getting like the interactions from people who listen and being like this in season three or look out for this
in season two. That's been surprising because a lot of time very different than our memories, and so having a direct connection to people in that way, like if we were on a show now and you could almost have that instant connection to see how you know, an episode affects people, but people even on Twitter back then it
was different. There's a different language, slower, yeah, And so being able to hear people's favorites and what moves people, and like hearing your story about like sitting next to your parents during a Kurt like coming out scene, all of that is surprising in like a really wonderful way, because like that is something very meaningful and obviously something that you will remember, and that has been and people like you sharing that and feeling comfortable sharing that, that
to me has been like the most surprising thing. And I think maybe it probably just goes back to your wonderfully astute observation and questions about when we started the podcast, I think setting it up as a place of safety,
you can be honest, there's no judgment. Nobody's perfect. We all made mistakes making this thing, as everyone does at times in their lives, and so I think setting that up for fans or cast or crew to come on to share their experience has been very surprising because the perspectives, even with people we worked with, are very different than our own. And that's just been wonderful to hear.
Sure, it's a.
Very long way to say that. Sorry, no, I.
Remember so clearly, you know, complete honesty. When NYA passed and twenty twenty and obviously that was the Height during the Height lockdown, and it was a very tough time all around the world for a myriad of reasons. And at that time a BBC journalist reached out to me to ask me to go on to BBC and talk about queer representation and why that's important, especially with what Naya and some time I did for all of us.
And I did, and I went on and I was talking to them for around fifteen minutes and I hung up with the phone. But it was like an hour long slot on the radio, if you know what I mean. So I listened to like the remaining forty five minutes, and there must have been like a dozen two dozen people on after me talking about their experiences and the weight that Glee and then by extension, all of you
guys held for us. And I remember in that moment, I literally just kind of broke down crying, but like obviously because of what had happened, but also because I was kind of thinking I will probably never meet these people who are talking about their experiences on the radio in my life. I don't know them. They're from different parts of the world to me, but like, here we
are so connected by this like thing. Yeah, and then I was kind of like, and people who are listening are going to think that this sounds so hyperbolic and so over the top, But like I was, like, I know for a fact in that moment that this show is going to echo throughout my life in some way for the rest of my life because it came into my life at such a time when I needed it, so it implanted itself into my brain. Yeah, and there hasn't been a piece of media since it came out
that I'm like, I obviously like things. I love different TV shows and stuff, but it's it's like, I'm twenty nine. Who said that, not me? I'm twenty nine now, Like the show came in when into my life when I was fourteen, that.
Is right, and half my life. Wow, that's crazy.
Well, it's just so nice to hear from you that it affected you so profoundly that like you you can't see like you can see this like forever connection. That's like really beautiful and I don't think anybody's ever said.
It that way.
And thank you for all your really wonderful, thoughtful, intentional questions. I have one more question for you before we wrap up. What is the feeling that Glee leaves you with?
Oh my god, it's so lovely listening to your podcast when you ask that question, because when you're listening to it and you're just like cleaning your room or whatever as you're listening, you can always hear like a beat before someone answers that. It's so lovely. Uglee was and continues to be like one of the most important things to me. It quite literally like altered the course of my life. And I sometimes I hear I hear what I'm saying and I'm like, oh my god, Conor, I
can't pletely just said that. But that's how I feel. I get so emotional about it. It was I I look past everything surrounding the show and I look I kind of look to the work and what all of you did for me. The work is the most important thing. There's a very there's a very famous Irish playwright that I love called Enda Walch who he actually, you guys, might he adapted the musical once he wanted like a
Tony Ward for that. Yes, And he gave an interview to a newspaper a couple of years ago that he said all of his all of my plays are about people who haven't been loved or looked after. And I think that really resonated with me because I'm like, I think a lot of like Ryan Murphy and Co's work is centered around that team. Yes, just the essence of Glee to me, I wasn't necessarily interested in who was
like in a relationship or who was breaking up. The emotional essence to me was these weird old kids following their dreams. That that was the impact for me. I was like, are they going to get into Niada? Are they going to go to New York? What is already going to do when you leave that because I was living at Yeah, you know, my dad is in a wheelchair too. My dad is a double amputee, and you know, he's the best man ever, but he's also a man
of a certain age that expresses very little emotion. I remember him seeing Artie on TV for the first time and literally like an older man. So it leaves me with immense gratitude and gratefulness and I'm still talking about it today and I will continue to do that as well. All of my friends, like we just adore the show and I don't think that's ever going to ever going
to change anytime soon. So thank you so much for asking me on and also thank you for just doing this in general, because I know as a fan, I think it's well needed and it's it's such a beautiful like exercise and like kind of talking your truth and stuff like that. So yeah, thank you.
You're yeh jem Yeah sweet sweet, I just thank you. You're a playwright, yes, yeah, I can't imagine the things you write because you speak. Yeah, if it makes you, it makes anyone feel any better.
Lee is the only thing in the world I can talk about like I'm like, bitch, don't ask me about taxes.
You know, like, well no, yeah, who knows, that's about that.
Thank you so much, thank you so.
Much, so much speaking with you so much.
Bye.
Oh my goodness, what.
A sweet sweet I feel moved, you know, just like sit back in your chair a little bit when you talk to people like that who just have these like really intentional, thoughtful questions.
I don't know how many times I have said thoughtful in this episode, but.
I think Connor, if you're still listening, I don't know if you thought to pursue journalism or being a host of some sort in your professional life. But I know you said it's only because you know so much about Glee that you can talk like this. I don't think
that's true, because you're brilliant. You really sat and watched somebody who was really good at the job, and this is not what you do professionally, and and like we've been interviewed a bunch of times by a lot of people interview and you're excellent.
At this, like this is and he was on our podcast.
Yeah, And I just need to be your cheerleader for a hot second and be like, maybe you need to think about this and a more in like a serious way, because you're very good and it was an honor to be interviewed by you. You had incredible questions, you were engaged in listening. Listen like I'm taking notes. I will be applying them to our future interviews. Wow, I just you know good, Yeah, I know if you know you know yeah, Like we were in the presence of somebody who was excellent at what they do.
Wow.
And it felt like that and felt nice to share it with you.
Thank you Connor to come for coming on and showing your don We really appreciate it.
Hope you all enjoyed it. We're going to have some more fans in the future, so come back. That's what you really miss see ye thanks for listening and follow us on Instagram at and that's what you really miss pod and make sure to write us a review and leave us five stars. See you next time.