Holiday Special w/ Darren Criss

of us. Yeah, you know, we're full of ourselves. We put out a couple episodes and now we're like, well now we're living in a studio and we need eight cameras on us and full lighting and winter wonderland. Yeah, this is wonderful. It feels like winter holidays are here. We don't really get winter in Los Angeles. Let's be weird. No, no no, no no, So I'm taking this opportunity to where every warm thing I have, I'm wearing a chunky net. I love a chunky net. I do have to say,

I do count down for this time. You're just so I can. The most items of clothing I have in my closet are warm things that I will never ever get to where a living. Yeah, yeah, so this is the time. Yeah, what what's your favorite thing about the holidays? Like, what's what are you most excited for coming up in the next days. Um. I don't necessarily want the social aspect of having to go to parties, but the food

is why I go to parties. The food gets you out of bed and the holiday parties, the food is what I want more than anything. What's what kind of food? It's the cookies, It's the cakes. It's the warm wine old wine that could turn Jenna the Scrooge into the Christmas loving angel. Yeah, making snow angels with muled wine. Yeah, I just I love it. Now I'm hungry. Yeah, I'm always hungry. That's what's why anybody else is all we

talk about is food. Yeah, that's why I find myself And I feel like it's like you get see a lot of friends and family and everyone's usually and a happy holiday spirit mood. I feel like, Um, when we were doing Glee, it was like the one time like Harry Potter, where everybody left for a while and went home and like things were quiet. It was like the only time we didn't see each other was the holidays, true, and it was like a really nice time. I'm just kidding.

I actually missed you guys a lot, and I feel like we probably all talked during the holiday. Yeah, of course, we didn't know we were apart. Yeah. I also just remember during that time of I was always worried whether or not because our last day of shooting for a week was we'd usually go really really late at night or into the early morning, that we'd be worried about making our flights. Yeah, we don't book your flight until the next day when we all made mistakes. Yeah, you know,

we did all mistakes. We made a lot of mistakes. I have to say, speaking of friends and glee that we might have a friend from really here, somebody with a Christmas album himself. Did you like the transition? If? I thought it was pretty good. I thought it in your eyes, and I thought it was coming, and I felt compelled to allow you to do it. Thank you so much for giving me that space that anytime, Um, I think everybody's gonna be really excited, probably more excited

than watching the two of us voices. Okay, um, the one and only dear and christ everybody. I thought what you were going to say was speaking of mistakes. This guy. Hi, Hi, guys, feeling good? Uh? You guys brought up something that I just remembered right now that I thought would be fun to talk about. Please because it has to do with coming back from Christmas break on the show and the show. I've noticed it's still picked up because they like it when the Glee kids talk about Glee stuff, no matter

how how tepid or salacious. This is somewhere in between. That's what I remember talk about, you know. Uh, I don't want to say mistakes, that's a little strong of a word, but you know, young kids having fun, being wacky.

I so I joined the show late for for years, remember, at least in my mind, even though I know it was there a lot for a long time with you guys, I was still in this like in between in the beginning of still getting to know everybody, and there was like a transitionary period where, like you know, it wasn't ntil much my longer time in the show really got to know like the game. And my second year, the Christmas break that I had, I went straight to do a show on Broadway. Remember I had to leave in

this and I missed one episode. So I leave after one night that same thing, like getting the flight right afterwards, and I went right to rehearsal. I did it and I came back and it was like completely wall to wall I get back. The first day I had come back, we had like a talking to, like like one of the big bosses that was kind of like a finger wag of like we were just kind of misbehaving or something during during the episode wherever I was like, guys,

I left for like two an minutes, what did I miss? Like? I just came off this like incredible high of doing this this show in Broadway and you guys and we had to be sat down and I was like, what are we doing? What did you guys? Do? A lot? But also did you feel like you were like, well, it wasn't me kind of I was. I was getting I was like I had like the Dunce camp and we were all getting kind of reprimanded for for I think it wasn't anything crazy before anybody gets you wild ideas.

I think we just we were being young kids having fun doing I think it was doing the Michael Jackson episode. Maybe people were kind of fooling around maybe because of that, probably on our phones too much honestly, whatever it was, it was something kind of benign. But at the time when you're on the clock, it was very stress with production for obvious reasons and understandable reasons, but all the same, I get back, Hey, guys, how did everything go all right?

We need to like we got sat down, talked. Very clear memory of this was at the dance to Yeah, and we were like in a corner and we were told three things. All you have to do is show beyond time and show up on time, hit your mark, and know your lines. And I remember walking out of the dancer like I just got here. I just died here. Obviously this isn't about you. We all suck and you're fine now, God knows. I didn't follow that all the time either, so I don't love that, but I just

remember just like, wow, welcome back. It was very I love that too, That's what I missed. That was also one of the most high school feeling moments, like when you're in this professional setting, and it did feel like we were called to the principal's office, like we messed up. You guys. It wasn't me. It wasn't me who did it? Yeah, exactly, But that I mean that stuff is kind of charming to me, you know at the time, you know it's the great uh, it's the great Charlie Chaplin quote. Life

is tragedy and close up comedy and long shot. Like you're talking about a bunch of kids on like a television show, like living their dreams. Like I'm not saying it makes it any easier for the people in charge, but like it's kind of part of the territory. Like we weren't that bad, we were that bad. We were pretty good. Yeah, but you know he was he was doing our producer that give us us talking to was

doing his damn job. Like it's it's all good. But anyway, I just find little story I just remember now when you're like you were, and I don't remember anything that was a fun one, all the holiday stuff that we did on the show. Okay, so what's your favorite? What What was another really good one that you remember? What?

I really really loved them. The Judy Garland episode recreation we did Matt directed it and being a big old Hollywood nerd is a recreation of the nineteen sixty four Judy Garland Christmas special or She's like a little I think it's no, it's yeah. Somebody fact checked me. I might be off by a few years. But this is where I caught you on your I remember catching you. I was not coming back to me. I remember sitting in the auditorium with you and you were watching Judy

Garland videos. Yeah, as we were like setting up a shot in the auditorium and you're like yeah, yeah, because I was watching, I wanted to see how how similar it was totally doing. They recreated her house, it's like a mid century house. Did the Christmas wrapping dance. Yeah, but it's that whole like Christmas wonderful special paradigm of like who could be at the doll, like you know, special guests come through. The first Christmas special we did, no,

I don't think so. Was the second, Well, they're always Christmas Eve things, but that one was like evoking the old school Christmas TV special and I loved that one was so good. I did um Let It Snow with Chris and that's like one of my favorite was that the roller skating rank No that Yeah. I had a bunch of good Christmas ones. We did the ice skating rink. We had Baby It's Cold outside, which and then but let it snow like that arrangement. I've told the Andrews brothers, like,

that's like one of my favorite arrangements. The best arrangement of all were the Christmas albums. Yeah, all the Christmas song so good. Everyone just got to go crazy on Yeah. I really like the one that's right that did the Christmas round. I did it, I did it. That was fun one. I like that. I didn't get to that Tangled in the ribbon anyway, that's my fun memory. I

love that stuff. What's your favorite non Glee because sometimes we got to talk about nonly Christmas, Christmas traditions, Christmas memories, Christmas things that you do. I'll give you the there's so many, I mean this Christmas albums. So I spent like a good year thinking about nothing but Christmas. Also, yeah, album is incredible and everyone should go down get it. Aside from the very obvious eye rolling pun of the album title of Very Deary Christmas, it is a very

mean thing. All the songs are very left of center and kind of odd. Um, but my favorite Christmas things, I mean, I grew up doing this thing with my my My dad was an amazing chef and he would he had this thing because he spent a lot of time in England was a big anglophile where he would make a Christmas goose like wow, Yeah, and I did it since I was a kid. It was a huge tradition with with my parents, friends and their kids and we did every year. So yeah, Goose Knight was a

big thing that we love special. It was the best. So there's a throw to that in the album. I changed the lyric of one of the songs called those Christmas cliches, and I say, I want the goose with all the gravy, the great I want the goose with all the gravy, the goose that dad only ever made. Yeah, so that's a that's a nice tradition. And we did all the you know the kids who play music, and

there's gifts exchange. Yeah, and now you get to create new memories with your new baby exciting you've always been. It's wild. Thank you you said that. I didn't. I was going to daddy Darren. Yeah, it's me. I guess. Well, congrats on your album. It's seriously go downloaded, very good, yeah, or stream it for phenominal faith, whatever, whatever your choice. When you get music, pick pick your poison. Just don't do it illegally, or if you do, don't tell me.

You know, Jenna, what are your favorite holiday memories? Um? We go to uh, my favorite Italian restaurant on Christmas Eve every year. Still do it. And and then we go home and we watch a marathon that's on one of those TV channels. Where's the restaurant. It's on Long Island, so you get East Coast winter Christmas, that's right, we get windy Christmas. We get some fish because my dad was Italian, so we do like Christmas Eve, we get

some fishies. That's the Italian things to the Seven fishes. Yeah, we don't really do like the true traditions. We just eat something. You know what, it is true tradition because it's you guys do it. It's your tradition, so it is a true that's right. You can. We get to bring the baby to eat some some fish as well. That's exciting. We watch a Christmas story which runs favorite what about you, Kevin traditions? My favorite chicken. Well, no, my family won't do it, but I do get my

country gravy for like Christmas breakfast. And then right, yes, and we get a big breakfast, and I've sort of taken over the mantle of the big morning breakfast. Now are you are? You are? But I do have certain like you just think holiday traditions when like for Thanksgiving, I've now taken over cooking everything. So proud of you because I'm just particular, don't this family has let everything go. I got it, let me figure it out. Appreciate that.

And so for for Christmas breakfast, I now do that as well, and so I look forward to it. But we had a revolt my my brother in law he cooked Christ's breakfast and then stopped, and my sister in law and I were like, well, no, that can't happen, So we'll do it instead because we need it. I mean, just just like that, there are traditions for holidays. That's what anything about the holidays that there are things that you do like it. It's not like a yes follows here,

let's bust out the blank. I don't know. It's like other than like broad spectrum things like the holidays are very specific to a lot of things that very nostalgic. There's there's a there's a their themes, there's an aesthetic, there's a menu. Yet there are songs that's got. There's movies. What are your favorite movies? National Lampoons, Christmas Vacation? Basic? But dude, well, violand Land Love actually is also great, dude, I love We can open that box another time, another podcast,

yet Love Island. After this, it was the British connection and the sort of anglophilic thing I have for English stuff. Actually, come on, that's a holiday Holidays amazing. I mean, come on, Jude Law, Winslet, Jack Black, Cameron Diaz. I'm trying to think of other ones. Yeah, those are like the hit what On, hold On, hold On too. This is a big one. This is a discussion that I see every year. Some publication decides to wage war on this, like die Hard Baby, Yes, die Hard, Come On, which is a

Chris this movie. I think Bruce Willis when I record saying it wasn't, but I'm telling you it is. Sorry like Christmas, because honestly, it was one of those times like when we were shooting and we'd be away from each other, it was actually like the industry shuts down. Everybody shuts down, and you're like, oh, nobody's working. We can't work. We have to actually relax, So that was really go on like a trip or something that's not only seeing your family. But that's when I would go, yeah,

travel a little. I mean if I would, when we would get on holiday break, I would do nothing. I remember binging watch like I would save everything I wanted to watch all year after that point and just set at home. Yeah, because there's only so much British baking Christmas special at all. They bake off British bake off. Dude. They did it with the Dairy Girls, great episode Your Girls fan. I messed up one time because before I knew that bake off was, they asked me to do

an episode like that. It was years and I had no idea what it was. It didn't really start like blowing up in the stage. I made the biggest mistake. I was in England working and I wenter from my friend's house like, hey, do you guys know what this bake off show is? They're like sitting yeah, we're gonna show you, and then happen to the episode is like you say yes. It was like it's too late, was a dude. The English on the holiday treats man, that's every show and also like every show has a holiday

special everything. Yeah, that's kind of like the way they do the One that Got Away. You can just like you there now, Yeah, just like you we're gonna talk about that. I'm gonna go see I'm just stirring the pot. This stirring a pot that doesn't staring the Glee t of thing. Don't look into that. I'm Jenna's side before, are we sayings the bill? Yeah? You guys deserve each other. Yeah, don't Do you have favorite holiday music? Obviously, honestly Glee

music do you play? I feel that's the only time I've ever heard our Glee music is during the holidays, because they would just play the real song ye if public you know, the actual teenage drink, but the Christmas so yeah, they are. I'm I don't know what's your favorite Christmas songs? We did you do? That was your favorite on your album? That like, which was like, we don't have enough time. There's so much to say about

Christmas music because and Kevin knows this. Because of my favorite topics with Kevin is like music and albums and musicology, and what I love about Christmas albums is like there are genre you know, and so many people have made Christmas albums and Christmas originals that having spent a lifetime consuming Christmas albums, like, I've spent a lot of time thinking about if I did it, Here's how I do it, Here's how to make it different, Here's how I have

to do it because I have to make it accessible. So I has to sound like this, but I want to like sort of use it as like like trick you to think that it's, you know, familiar, But here's some really weird left of center stuff. So I grew up listening to a lot of weird stuff, and I, if I had my way, the entire album would have been songs no one's ever heard. But I'm not an idiot, and obviously you have to put things that people know.

It's like a gateway. Hopefully it's other things. But long form answer is there is this what I couldn't have covered it because it's the best recording of it. Do you guys know this famous cover of O Holy Night of like the guy screaming his way through it? It has a whole history. I encourage people to look it up. It's called like the Holy Night, worst version ever, the funniest version ever. It's by a guy. It's somehow got leaked.

It's like one of these internet memes stories where it was like uncovered, and it's by a guy named Steve Malden who was like a record producer who was just kind of taking the piss and just joking when he's recording it. But his vocal performance of the Holy Night is one of the It's one of the funniest Christmas songs I've ever heard. We used to listen to it

as a family. Just crack up that end Hippopotamusr Christmas, which is the song that I covered on the album in honor of my mom, who like always lip sings that song chas time. So I have a lot to say about Chrismas music. I mean, oh Holy Name is also my showers song what it goes. But it's a nice because I do like a love top key change thing where I just keep going nice and then I see, like, how terrible is my voice? You got to hear this sort of that's what I do. I'm telling you, look

up funniest version ever. It's it's it's like, yeah, got nailed it, bad day. Should we like sing the song? Should we do it? Should we do? Speaking of ridiculous versions terrible. I'm sorry you have to sing right now? What do you? Public dom clearance free song? Yeah, let's do it. That good alright, so start us off there, Yeah, dashing through the snow in a one horse open slay.

Oh that feels me go last that Nicky's married fun right single saying song tonight Oh, jingle bell, gingle bell gingle oh fun right, myself day gingle bell gingle best gingle love, Oh funny right to say so this is that part where the other verses, but nobody would do it. There's like eight verses, so we don't do that. But that's a pretty good song to last since the late eighteen hundreds and have everybody know it but not know who wrote it. For the other verses dashing dashing walking away,

ha ha, happen by to sperious, my sperious. It is to write and see you, to say so tonight, oh gingle bells, gingle bell gingle lo oh fun? It is to write and one also be same gingle bell gingle gingle Oh what fun? It is too right, you know one, so say yeah only becuy love that Thanksgiving song? Thank you guys, Yeah, I love it. Thanks making sapit I mean Thanksgiving us a Holidays Act one season. I'm hungry. Okay, cookies, Yeah, let's decorate cookie that's very slowly coming out. I'm okay,

which cookie do you want? This? Okay? Everything also okay? Then what are you gonna do? What I'm gonna do is pretend to do something and then make a mess, but then pick up an actually finished cookie that looks actually and hold it up because you guys aren't close enough to see me. I just want to eat. Make it as honestly curious if I could actually decorate a cookie? Dat the man? You mean, let's do it. It's like riding a bike. You can't sell you something? What's your

favorite one? What favorite? All I was going to say is this is a little factoid, see this little the loser hand thing? Yeah, never actually did this. You didn't never did it because you didn't season you guys. You guys did it for I think the first season. All your art work was that I've seen it, but it's fake. Somebody photoshopped on my head. So I never well, honestly, we also got um. The ad really ended up being like Sue and Quinn doing the l to us, so

we weren't right. Yeah, I've never actually done this for any Did you know that there was going to be a War Wars spinoff? Did Ryan ever talk to you about that? Oh? Yeah, did you know? When? I? Okay, I think I mean whatever he said is what is the thing? I don't have no idea. I think he probably thought about it, But I think Ryan thinks about a lot of things, so I don't think that's like not true obviously, but it was even talk to you about it? Definitely not a serious capacity. When did you

find out in the press? Yeah, yeah, I did a couple of weeks ago. I found out whenever you guys? Yeah, what was that a couple of days ago? Yeah? Exactly. Can I eat this? Not like I did it? Okay? You ever set this up? Can you come to my house and set this up? I'm all done. It's beautiful. You did a great job. I'm done. Oh wow, Jenna, you're so talented. Okay, grand reveal of the Chris masterpiece drum brold. Please take it away whichever direction you prefer.

And there budget like you call budget, like most of the things that were totally utter accident. Bang there he goes off. Why don't we sing a ditty, a single ditty. I don't have any facts about this, but we'll do all the verses this time. Do you guys know what a bow of holly is? Um? No, I'm assuming it's actually just Yeah. I wish it was like a like an Asian bat like a bow bo of holly. I don't know how I would be delicious, I do like

would be what would a Christmas bow be? It would have some sort of like spices in it, meat like s. Yeah, like a like a like an English like like a like a meat pie kind of thing. Cranberries after this, Yeah, like a Christmas like a bow of holly. That's really good. Take that to big Ud when you go back. That's it. You heard it here. First, come on a right speaking

bows holly. Okay, let's go the deck, come home with bowser la la la la last disease and do bealla la la la la la done now or gay no falla la la la la la la la true the agent Dalla la la la la la la. That still look there. That was impressive for you. I mean you, oh my god, you've heard all the times. You don't see the lazy before laa like the heartened, join the car. Falla la la la mere lalla la la la la la lalla. Why I tell the time pressure balla la la la la la la la all right fast to

eighty you dear passes. Falla lallalla la lalla, Hail the new ye lads and lasses. Falla la la la lalla sing with joyous all together, Falla la la la la la la la. He the server wind then where the falla la la la la la la lie dext all with thous of horty from la la la la season to be jay Falla la la la la la la song now very gay apparel. We did it, We did it. Happy holidays. That was so sweet. Thanks for joining us, everybody, Thank you, Thank you for having me guy Chris Chris Summas.

Thank you and go listen to the album called Yeah Very Day in Christmas. Check it out if you can. Playing some dates in the East Coast, come by see me do some Christmas incredible. It's a load of fun. Um, but is everybody, how do we celebrate the holidays? You know, yeah, Christmas? Happy, happy holidays and um, you know, listen to our podcast and if you want to, if you want a soundtrack for your holiday season. You can listen to podcasts, or you listen to the Glee songs right oh yeah, it's

not a very day in Christmas. You can listen to those thank you listen to yeah yeah, so you better choose the right ones, which is those two things. Thank you, Thanks having me, guys, Bye, thanks for listening, and follow us on Instagram at and that's what you really miss pod. Make sure to write us a review and leave us five stars. See you next time.