Livin' La Vida Loca ("The Spanish Teacher" S3 EP12)

And That's what you really missed with Jenna.

And Kevin an iHeartRadio podcast.

Welcome to and That's what you really miss podcasts. A very special episode. We are broadcasting from Blue Wires Studios at WIN Las Vegas with our very special friend Vanessa Lenji. Happy to be here.

Let me tell you, if we can keep it together just long enough to get through this episode.

I will be shocked. I don't know. This is a there's a lot, and this is a lot. Our energy is a lot. This episode is a lot. We're just we're a lot.

We're well into our residency at the Wind Las Vegas, whether the Win Las Vegas knows it or not. We've already requested a standing desk for Jenna next episode.

And the sitting desk for Kevin. Any sleeping desk for Vanessa. Yes, so just a tilted desk Hollywood type sez right.

No no requests, just a small writer of a ten page writer. Welcome back, Vanessa, Thank you.

She switched outfits.

We This window outfit is something very special. She's a bridge house.

And she's sitting in the window. So we're at the wynd Hotel in Las Vegas and there's a window I feel like we're in a zoo, but we get to watch like they can't comment on us, we can comment on them. This is great. This is how I want to live my life all the time.

Great because we live here now, yeah, this is it. I would live here. Can we squat here? No, Kevin, you can't announce that you're squatting and then squat. You got to just squat waters right. I actually didn't know what squatting was until christ And Channel episode of Home and when she was a squatter?

Oh yeah, in the show. Do you remember Jenna lived with me, stayed with me for a little bit like one piled season, and there was a house across the street and they were.

They were squatting in the house, squatters for years with the birds. Yes, there were the squatters.

They had birds.

Oh my gosh, that's.

A fun fact.

I'd love to know.

When and Jenna was staying with me, we'd put each other on tape for auditions and things, and Jenna had a motto that she'd repeat for herself and for me, Jenna, what was it.

Ww VLD What would Vanessa Lengs do? And you know what that was? For every audition I would go in, I'd wear a different colored lipstick. I would give them the riskiest version of that character, and i would just do something different because we always said that you were one of a kind, and that's why you booked so much, because there's only one Vanessa out there, whereas like, you know, these cookie cutter people come in me trying to be a cookie cutter thing coming in and I'm like, that's

Ngis I just do something weirder than they were expecting you.

To do the thing you actually want to do, that's fair and not feel bad about it. Yeah, you're scared of it.

You're like unapologetically you or whatever it was at the time in your life that you were feeling weird or different, it was it was working.

Is working, bring yourself pleasure and then they will feel that.

I know we have a recap to do, but I have a question about that, because what when you get an audition or something, what is your approach to her secrets?

I'll give you all this.

I'm just because like watching you act is like watching Slean Beyonce whoa or coming across the Daltons in a pod in the ocean because it's it's like so juicy, Like I feel like you read a page and you see something so much more than I ever could, Like you see all the subtext? Do you see all that this character could be, even if it's just a word. What is that process like for you?

Okay, this is great.

I think I was an only child and I was alone a lot, so my fantasy land is well practiced.

We still have access to that.

I still have access to that.

I was also acting since I was five or six years old, so I don't think I ever got a chance to use access, which is a whole other story. Uh No, I chose this. I chose this career. I chose this career. I chose, I chose this career. I choose this career.

I choose. Okay, So here's my here's my thing.

I read it and I imagine it, and I read it again and again again again and again again. I read it so many times until it kind of paints itself. So I know what the walls look like in the room, and I know what I'm wearing, and then you know, there's like all these details that come the more you read it, the more you read it, the more you read it, there's more details, and I leave the details.

By the way, I never not go.

So that's a weird rule I have with myself because I also I should turn down more auditions, but I can't because I think, and I SI, you're so lucky to have this opportunity. If you say no, that's like, yeah, it's like punching a gift horse in the mouth. What's the expression that, I don't think you punch them? But don't take that look it up. You do something with a gift horse, which is weird.

I don't know.

I need that explained.

But whatever it is, I don't want to do it when it comes to auditions.

The poor horse. Okay. The thing is, don't look a gift horse in the mouth. And it means that you shouldn't criticize a gift, even if you don't like it very much. A gift horse, in other words, is a gift.

Yeah, And so I see auditions as a gift because a lot of people want to do what we do right, and a lot of people don't get to. So every time I have one, I think, okay, I have to, you know, see this as the gift. And then if I'm going to go, which I am going to go, I better love it. This is good advice for all children. So HI, enjoy everything you do, don't do it?

Yeah? So then so then like how do I how do I how do I love this?

Like?

How do I love this? How do I have fun here?

And usually that'll involve some kind of weird costume thing that delights me. I love I think it's funny, or a lot of the times it's a oh I could do this weird nuanced reference from the sound of music that no one will ever pick up on, but I will know that it's a shout.

So I'll do that.

I'll mix in things that I love that I secretly just obsessively love. Let's see what else do I do I really love that? I also, all I used to do this one was in person auditions. I think of everything in terms of relationship, so like, of course we have an amazing relationship. And when I think back to even meeting and us getting to know each other, naturally, the three of us kind of just congealed, and we

And then she's so good, you guys.

And then then wait, and then there's also this thing called PAD, which is post audition depression.

It happens every single.

Time I go to me and you just have to have room for a pad and you have to take really like you have to just be like okay, and then you go down and you're.

Like that sucked. I suck.

Everything sucks. I should never. I'm never working again. I should never. I shouldn't work at the post office. Nothing against post office work, because that's great too, but like whatever, I should just not be, you know, in front of a camera ever again. And so I just let let myself have that. So that so that here's what that does.

You can, you can beat me up, you can just hold I'm going to give you.

That nice pad afterwards, or you're going to get to shit talk me to your heart's content, but not here, because you know, if we don't go into that room thinking that we're going to get the job, there's no way we're going to get the job.

You're totally right, I mean because I've been in that room several times being like this isn't for me.

That's what you should just get. That's what you get.

And you know it's not a science, but at least when you look back at your life, you're like, I had a good time.

Yeah, that's the biggest thing.

I think.

Once you I had to adjust myself being like, let me just enjoy this because maybe the only opportunity to have to play this character.

Isn't here, so let me just enjoy it.

I also like how you like analyze a script where like you're seeing everything, so like all the work is done before you go into the room or put yourself on tape, because you already know how you as a character exists in that world, so you don't worry about it.

And then I'd say, try to try to not practice how you're going to say something as much as possible, because I used to get caught up on that, like on how it should sound coming out of my mouth, and.

When I see that.

Thinking about the story you told me on the plane on the way here about dated running. He doesn't listen to these podcast lines with you and you guys, I love him such a sweetie.

What was I saying? I don't know. Oh, I was saying, no.

Getting too stuck in how you like?

Yeah, because when.

You're missing the relationship, right, yeah, you're missing playing off another person.

You created the world and you know who the character is. Your instinct of that character when you go in there is already given. So if you're so focused on the lines, you haven't thought and you haven't thought about the world, it's probably a good thing because then you at least say the lines in some way that you wanted to. But if you've created the world, you just trust the way your instincts are going to give or what they're going to say.

Yeah, and knowing that even the parts that you probably didn't plan probably the best parts.

And that makes it fun because you're discovering it in there with the person you now built this relationship with exactly.

And then they feel like a genius, right because then they contributed. Yes, Okay, wow, thank you for that. Thank you for sharing that, because again, what would Vanessa and she just do? Now, that's what she would do. That's that's what you really missed. Kids.

Listen, you can go to NYU for Forum kidding.

This is season three, episode twelve, The Spanish Teacher, and this air on February seventh, twenty twelve.

What was going on in the world Kevin set Fire to the Rain by Adell was a number one song set Fire to This episode was also.

A part of this Yeah, very good Chronicle was a number one movie.

That movie was great.

Actually I didn't see it, but another one I haven't launched Michael B.

Jordan's career. Also wasn't Dane Dehan and that movie I think I don't know. I could be like I didn't tell you he was in it. Yeah, that movie was a gigantic like launching pad for.

It's quite a few movies that we've watched that have been number one that we haven't seen. It convinced.

Chronicle was great. Glean news this week afterwards he's ended in the Big Michael episode.

It was a quiet week, nothing happened. So this episode, why do you guys sound so sad?

Okay, Well, yeah, let me know.

You watched it.

I did. It was we were in it. Jenna, you guys were both in it. What were you doing this week? Jenna's head had been removed from her body. I had unhinged my jaw, it was on the ground. My feet were removed from my body as well. This is your PTOM paid time off. See you later. I was wondering what I was.

Yeah, when they showed me which episodes we're doing and said Jenna wasn't in it, I was like, how honest do you guys get on this podcast, because let's get honest. I just felt like they were I mean, I'm glad that it was paid time off, but I just didn't agree with why how they treated you.

Thank you, thank you. Yeah, it's a tough. It was a tough time to be away. It was actually strange to be away, not on my terms. It wasn't like they were like, you know, you have to be away, but they it was kind of like that. It was a nice It was actually a nice break, but it also was like, had I chosen to take it off so it would have felt better, Yeah, did you think it was off?

Did you go somewhere?

No?

I stayed home. I also didn't want them to be like, well, I come back and they're like, well, you went to Hawaii? Do you know what I mean? Like I couldn't win anyway. Yeah, that's how I saw it too. I was like, there's not getting a chance to win, So you know, I just took the time off. I did some reflecting, and in a few episodes, I'm gonna get a really fucking great episode Tina gets to be Rachel Berry. Maybe that's also a metaphor for what was happening at the time.

I don't know.

Home oh man. Anyway, I actually am kind of grateful so I have not been in this episode. After watching it, I missed you all for sure, but I really I'm I'm my jaw was on the ground when I watched this the other night. Had you seen this episode before. I don't think so, no that makes sense. I also like, yeah, like it's like it doesn't bring back good memories. So I'm not sure that I was like sitting down to watch this. Yeah, I don't imagine, you know, yeah, like

Dancing him and Eric him and Eric always they were like, we'll let you.

Behind the spirder halfway through because like who directed this? Because we were all on one.

Yeah, it was.

Doing things that we were like. Amber started one of the musical numbers like sitting up. I was like, that is weird.

I know on this side the thing, I was so weird. But I will say, uh, Paris has come on the podcast great and he calls some of these things auchi's oh and so I would call this whole episode a big old Auchi got through it. He did get through it, Okay, So this was what we're going to get into this or not get into it and kind of talk around it. This is directed by Paris we love Paris. This was written technically by Ian Brennan and it was a very

Well, Vanessa and I have shared something in common.

Tell Ricky Martin was both Kevin and my first concert.

Wow, not the same place I was in Montreal.

I was Dallas and Ricky came out on that car. Yeah, and it was the loudest I had never heard my ears hurt so much. I didn't know concerts were like that either. And they didn't have parents who cared enough to put your I mean I wasn't that young.

Wait a second, I don't think I went with my parents.

Shoot, I was my mom.

Okay, there you go. We didn't get headphones, is what I mean?

Those like noise canceling my ears.

We're definitely damned.

I just didn't know. It was like I had been living in a cave my whole life. And then I stepped into that arena, and then he stepped out on stage in those leather pants and sixteen thousand women started screaming.

Is that when you realized you were again? The moment I don't think that was it was it before or after.

I don't think it was then.

What if it was.

I think it's the moment I realized I was gay, And if you could have that same moment simultaneous, that's why it was connected.

It definitely was something around it, though, because there were rumors about him, and I remember hearing like my family talk about it and like especially tuning into it, and like if I wasn't concerned about it, I wouldn't have been tuning into it, you know what I mean. I don't think I realized why.

I would pick up on what's interesting to us and we don't consciously maybe no.

And I think it was like, well, how do they feel about it?

Sort of gauging the totally totally just do the gods think this is good or bad?

Exact people are not. Okay, So you guys were Ricky Ricky fans.

We're Ricky fans, and Kevin and I, you know, bonded over the fact that was our first concert and then was so exciting that he was there.

Can we tell him?

I'm sure we told him. I mean we were.

When I think back of this episode, it was everyone was falling over each other to try to get closer to him and tell him just like like offer adulation, like just like can we okay first covered in sex?

I need to know. I need to tell me. So everybody's a Ricky fan. He's gorgeous. You guys were big fans. You went to the concert, Yeah, you know that was your first concert. What was he like and who got close to him? Like, because when Gwyneth came in, like there was a handful of people that kind of like got into her circle a little bit. She like allowed in, right, she was very kind to everybody, but like there's a

And I don't remember him being as Gwynneth was like down for everything. She like was hanging out one like what's the hot goss like totally we were talking about like current music. I don't my perspective. I was also very intimidated by Gwyneth, but she sort of I don't nip that in the bud pretty quickly as much as she could right by being so approachable. Ricky Martin was not unapproachable, but I was also so intimidated, and I think I needed him to sort of like break the

Spoke to him like once or twice because I.

Was like sitting in the room just sort.

Of like I am shocked.

I don't think anybody got really close, and I think he was. I think we were objectifying him, to be honest, probably I think everyone was.

Just like yours. Well, he must be so used to that too that he's like, who do I even allow to like be near me?

Well, he was coming in?

When was where was he on his coming out?

He was yeah, But like the only real thing I remember was watching him eat lunch in the choir room.

Goodness coming.

Because he got like, you know, we would eat like trash, we'd eat like whatever was around.

What did he eat?

And he like had like his assistant bring him like a really nice salad of course, And I was just like, he's here working these long days, he's so fine.

And what is he eating?

He's eating a salad. I'm like, I'm tired and want to eat brown. Because I was mostly judging myself like I'm not doing enough?

Why am I not eating a salad? Why am I eating this? But he was so so nice, but he was it was very much like very nice. I remember that, Yeah, I remember that. It was very nice. He wasn't there to make friends.

He was there to do to do his thing, and I felt like he I didn't see much difference in his personality between the character and him, Like he was a sweet, warn nice teeth man.

Yeah, no notes, because there were some people that would come on and like you would see the different levels understandably of how much they were trying to integrate and get to know us, but like that takes a lot of extra energy to do that.

And to be fair, he was only in one episode. Like the other guests like Gwenna came back, like Staymos who were close with he came back, So like there's a there's an icebreaker, and then there's an inn. And when you only see him once, it's like how much can you get in that amount of time when you were his number?

Maybe I don't know if anyone did. I will say I was watching this episode in the hotel room last night and I had two friends with me and we were watching sex and I know it started and my friend Cleia was like, Kevin, your voice is like so identifiable just from like one sound, and I was like, I don't think that's me singing, because I would remember if I did a song with Ricky Martin, right, it was absolutely me and I It was the first moment

Is my brain okay? Because I have no absolutely.

Zero recollection of recording that song, And like there's times where, like you know, we'll see something come up and I don't initially remember it. I'm like, oh, as we're watching it, the memory started to come back. Nothing.

I feel like Kevin though. Sometimes they bundled a bunch of songs together, like you do two songs in an episode, especially if it's a short kind of like little stint in like or chorus or an ad lib, so you just like, I know, there's a lot going on for you emotionally.

I do have to say, I don't know if the wind knew what was up. But I walked down. I got down from my room tonight today to walk here, and Madonna's song from the episode was playing in the casino. Yes, it was very I was walking to breakfast and I was like, okay, this is weird. The wind knows the wind Las Vegas has its finger on the pulse, on the pulse talking about songs so sexy and I know it.

And I wanted to talk about the fact that Zach had me roll down Harry Harry's body in that scene. I actually wrote down, like did a log roll like you would do down Grass down Harry's body onto the floor.

Yeah, they really You said yes a lot? Yeah, I said yes a lot.

Any like I think that in the sleep deprivation and over exhaustion of Zach's mine and Brooke and Brittany too, probably whenever they had a like a fever dream of an outlandish damp opportunity, they would be like, Vanessa will do it. Vanessa will roll down somebody's body onto the floor, totally. Vanessa will do the what's that called the helicopter. I had to do the helicopter. Yes, it's a break dancing movie. And I was like, I don't even know how to do this, but I will do it. You're like, I'll

I don't care. I don't care. We had to do we had to do double time, and then I had to do a hell whatever that move is. We were running down anything. We even ended up in the in.

The in the show, well that double time did double time did? Yeah, but not my not my special breakdown.

That's wow.

That's a hard song to do two times as fast it was.

Oh, it was QUI actually crazy, Okay, I'm sorry. Well but as we warned the Vanessa, we'll say yes and that that Ricky Martin number. All I remember is wow, I'm I don't know how this is going to go. And I rolled down his body on the floor.

I similarly I had to do like the body. He and I were doing like matching body roles, and I just like I think I couldn't contain myself. I was texting my family the whole time, like, I can't believe I'm doing this with Ricky Martin right now.

You were really stars.

I was very starstruck because it was someone like so formative to like my adolescent brain musically and therefore like professionally, and then also maybe.

Homo, Yeah for sure, who knows for sure? Yes?

Okay, So also don't want to lose you Bomboo and hero.

Lasha keep going lah lab mona.

A little less conversation in cucaracha.

Don't talk about it, don't say it.

You talk about Naya's beautiful legs and dancing and face when she sings, and I mean, I mean you'll get to.

That great all right. So there's some fun veacts about this episode that we should talk about. So I remember November twenty ninth, twenty eleven, the day news broke that Ricky Martin had closed a deal with Glee to guest star in an episode. Ricky tweeted, I hear McKinley High has an opening for a Spanish teacher. Y'all apply sexy mm. Ricky also recorded his songs on January fourth, and the episode began filming in January fifth.

Welcome to the Club. He got thrown in real quick. He finished filming the scenes that week. He shot from the fifth to the seventh.

They shoot him out. So it was that quick. So that's why you guys numbers. Yeah, makes sense. It felt like a like a drive. Well he did great.

Then that whole speech he did about being a teeth tooth model.

Teeth model, that's probably what he's probably just cheting it together.

To get through a lot to say.

And then he also landed this that big monologue.

Was uh will will at the end. That was beautiful. So he crushed it in three days. That's amazing.

I was very impressed by his acting and also like the whole One of my favorite parts of the episode was his whole speech about being a teeth model, because it reminded me of earlier seasons of was like, Okay, this is satire, Yes, this isn't racist, yes, which was refreshing during the episode. Didn't get a lot of time for that. And he's just so natural. Yeah, I don't know why.

I very good. But he also he was in General Hospital for a long time. Wasn't he like he he had acted before his music career?

Right? I mean, as my mom and sister who were obsessed General hospital, I learned that at a very young age. It was oh, litn't love you to look? A sung by the guy that was on General Hospital?

I love it.

Yeah, that was my family. Filming for Michael was not still not finished. We had mentioned and the two episodes continued in parallel until the final Michael Jack's Number was shot on January thirteenth, the same day as the thirteenth episode Heart started filming.

Yeah, I'm remembering this now because I was. I was saying, you know, fifteen to seventeen hour days and well into Saturday. And now I'm remembering when we started to double shoot episodes, triple shoot, and how insane that is. I mean, we really needed eighteen days in per episode truly to do it like where everyone got to rest and where everyone felt calm and everyone's mental health was taking care of.

If the show was made now, and it was would probably be ten episodes like how great sheet, like some more time to actually.

Except when you think about your paycheck checks. Oh yeah, the paycheck and there waiting, I actually can't afford to live.

Yeah right, never mind, I take it back, right, give us twenty two, but mentally, mentally give us ten. Yes, mentally give me ten. Pay me for twenty two. Isn't it too much as it's just like I just like I'm asking for like a little bit like give me twenty two episodes. This is the seventh episode where Rachel doesn't sing a solo and Jenna and Darren, though credited,

Yeah.

That went long. That was a long time.

Yeah.

I mean none of us really had any episodes off. No, so you were in every episode, right, Kevin.

No, I was the only one to do one hundred straight episode. Okay, Okay, that's good. And then I was like, yeah, and I got to.

Do a movie, got it, got it? Got it.

Spanish is Harry's first language because he was born in Costa Rica. Always forget that lived there until his family moved to the US when he was six, So Harry's tri lingual. There's nothing Harry can't. Yes, you can literally have Vanessa roll down his hard as. During the performance of sexteen I Know It, Finn draws a face on a box, which is reference to the shuffle bot from L M FAO, the group who originally performs.

I noticed that, and I was like, yeah on.

The second time. This is the second time we see Mercedes, Rachel and Kurt having a sleepover in the twelfth episode of the season, the first time being in.

Season two episodes twelve, Soill he loved Songs.

I love that little circular moment.

That's right, and I love who's tracking how many sleepovers there have been featured on the show?

Is that just a personal obsession?

God?

Is so A little summary of this episode, Yes, so Well signs a gig club a Spanish singing assignment and enlists the help of his musically inclined night school Spanish teacher. Meanwhile, Rachel spills the beans to Curt and Mercedes on Finn's marriage proposal, and Mercedes has love complications of her own.

Okay, look.

In one breath, It's like, yes, address the elephant in the room. That Will is the Spanish teacher and clearly speaks no Spanish like great, but that's probably where the good stops, right, it starts and stop. I mean just the list of songs, right, Like I felt like I was losing my mind watching this a bit.

Like I was talking to myself while I was watching this, like how is this real?

It felt like the things you're in one breath. It's I think a lot of times the show is so good at walking the line of like satire and being commenting on society in a way that is witty and funny and dark. Right, And it works, Yes, it does. Sometimes you cross the line and it doesn't work.

And sometimes you cross the line so far that the line is a dot. Yes, I have this thing that just popped in my head and I don't know if this is weird. I'm also waving people taking pictures, which is is that you know when we you know, you think of Italians, okay, and you love people people love talking with Italian accents and doing this and this and this and a pizza and apasta and a whole thing, and we it's still not culturally understood that that that

Maybe they do now, maybe they do now, you know, And I.

Just I just I just want to, you know, get let everybody off the hook, ever so slightly. You don't know just the time, Yeah, I do you understand and learn?

That was the thing?

This show is in a time capsule.

Yes, yeah, it's very much of the time. And I think looking back, honestly, when we started this whole thing, I thought a lot more with age poorly and it has yeah, agreed, And I think because the contract of the show being a satire, you can get away with a lot more. Yes, and so it's sort of like the I guess just the racist things.

That are really aging as well.

Right, No, totally, yeah, I mean I felt weird doing like kukaracha.

Oh well you should have. Did you feel we're doing it while you were shooting it?

Yeah?

Okay, good, tell us about how you felt while you were shooting what was going on?

It is like you're in the scene, right.

And your job and it's like.

Okay, well this is supposed to be like funny and absurd because it's so wrong that we're doing it right. So then it's like, oh, these kids are just doing what they're told, so like we're just really committed to the bit. But then when you see it all in forty four minutes of like one number after another, we committed too hard.

So it's like the show was trying to send a message that that there's this inappropriate age thing happening.

The show is trying to convey that.

But because of the amount of cringe, well he didn't balance out or.

Something culturally appropriating and presenting and being reductive. Why yes, while we are commenting on it, it's like, you know, just don't do it.

What are you trying to say? But than like, no, we're just reaffirming all that.

We need to find a storyline for Ricky. So let's just make Will be the butt of this really bad Have you had him on the show Ricky? No, yeah yet not yet.

You should ask him about how he would be really fascinating for me. I just said, we have to say all together that this is we say it all at the same time. No to say no, we're saying we're saying no. Okay, just say no, no, We've all said it.

Also inappropriately, Sue is trying to have a baby. Now, well, why is there always a baby? What does that mean?

I think Ryan Murphy loves a baby.

What do you mean by why is there always a baby?

No?

No, But there's also no, no, she didn't so sus now trying to have a baby, there was a fake baby. There's also Quinn has been trying to steal her baby, her technical biological baby back from Shelby for such a long time, where you have finally moved on from that storyline, and yet here we are sus now trying to have a baby. It's like, what is with the babies?

Because babies representing I'm kidding.

Babies don't don't you know. I'm not saying like, let's show on the babies. I love the babies. Just it's just it's like a lie. I think it's you know, I think it's provocative. Okay, fine, because I think that you know, you know, Ryan was a provocateur. Is loves to you know, and people love to be provoked. And when you're talking about like motherhood and child rearing and babies, it's the it's a very vulnerable, easy to provoke spot. I think, like I was the Nanini scene where she's

So that's the nature of the show you're watching. But I couldn't stop my little feelings from getting hurt.

Why is Nini so funny? Oh, she's amazing. Actually forgot how good she was.

Also to give someone who is not an actor, this must have been like three page wrong and she and also some of it obviously is like offensive and whatever. However, as I was gasping at the content of it, I was also gasping a simultaneous delivery.

Her delivery.

Yes, I watched it a few times.

Chokes. She landed those jokes so perfectly.

By the way.

Way, So I got to the Wind Las Vegas a couple of days early before we did this, and I was sitting in the bar and this woman comes up.

First.

I was like, we're just car She was in this like matching set Blencia, yes, and like a beautiful woman and I and I see her from far away, and she sits down sort of like close to me, and I can't really see her face, and then these two people come up and start talking to her and I hear her voice, and then I start texting Jenna and I'm like, I think Nini is sitting next to me, like I haven't seen her face yet, but I know that voice because we're watching these episodes right now, and

Oh, such a good delivery.

And the whole time. Then my friends come meet up with me, like should I go over there be like? Hey, she looked at me for a second and I did this super awkward thing of like smiling to be like, and she stared at me and just like turned away because she was having a thought and didn't recognize a lot of us people recognize her, and they're taking photos with therm like okay, it was her, yes, And then it was obviously.

I would have you would have. I couldn't believe that she was here.

Why we're doing these This is very magical, as are possible.

Face truly, so yes, Nini isless really really so so good. I get it now, I get it well Sue. Sue's trying to have a baby. Guys. I don't know what else to say about it.

I don't know what I liked about it is that the episode made me cry and to almost cry. Actually I won't lie. I almost cried in two spots.

And it was.

Just like the way that she flashed you of vulnerability in this episode. You know, there was this moment where she takes takes off her glasses and I think Samuel said it. She says a lie, like I can do anything. And because she really gets beat up for her desire to have a baby, you know, she really everyone comes at her. Yeah and yeah, so I just I really thought it really showcase as Jane, just like she gets

The Kiti, you know, is just somebody's still her heart.

I think, Jane, really it's a good point, really cry that it's very and she doesn't compare.

So we were talking before the show started, and you were saying, like, what's so little?

It's so subtle or a beat or just like like a like a look of the eye to one side and then back again where she like takes off her armor and then puts it back on, and you're like, oh my god, you know she has feelings.

This is insane. It's great brilliant, brilliant writing.

And reliant acting, Like you'd be brilliant enough just to be able to do the straight sort of crazy soue character like yes, all the awards, but then to be able to a couple of times a season do that with a look or a beat like you said, and breaks your hearts.

Your heart breaks your heart, Jane Lynch, Jane Lynch for you, unbelievable. There's also another thing going on with Mercedes and Sam. I love Why are they so good?

It's in real life also, you would never I would not think that that would make sense together, but on screen, yeah.

I'm pretty good at picking up chemistry. I would say, real life chemistry, not romantic at all.

Nothing. I would never when I watched it, I was shipping them. I wanted more.

Yeah, I was good for them because totally I think any Yeah, they are sort of like the extremes of like the group in that way. Yes, like the rest of us at all in between are all obsessed romantically with each other and like physically, and those two not so much.

But you put them for them, but it doesn't seem like it from the outside, right.

Right, they come on, They're like, actually, we are in love.

I imagine, and and so they go to Emma for help, and they they she suggests that they don't speak to each other for a full week, but also her pamphlets. Why are Emma's pamphlets. I'm glad that they're addressing the pamphlets now, yes, they're they're talking about Emma caring so deeply about Creed hating the pamphlets because at first it just feels like a thing that you know, what a great prop master you have, or Ian who wrote all

I don't know.

It's really sweet, it's really really sweet. I think you cried.

I think you cried because how many times in life have you wanted something with someone? And whether it be friendship or romance or you know, whatever it is, there's a feeling and there are too many reasons not to.

It's heartbreaking.

It's heartbreaking to look at somebody and be see what's possible but not be able, and not be and know that you're never gonna act on it, you know.

I think that's what came up for me.

And I also that combined with seeing like your friends do this thing, Like I was also so.

Proud of them.

They're so good at it because they displayed everything you just said, and like that's hard to do, and it was a really any.

Cord really pulled, pulled out the guns, the big gun. I'll just wait till next episode and get out of here.

I'm always so impressed by him because because he doesn't come across like he's able to do that.

No, he is.

He's just like I don't know, I'm just scored, like playing the guitar and like I'll make you laugh.

And that's like his down place ability.

He's disarming. Yes, that's right, he's.

And he does care about it.

It doesn't like he's reminds me of how uh, how much he took care of back up, like when she was.

The most nursuring and actually wildly nurturing. Like surprisingly so when he would be around like Bear or around Emma, No, anytime he's around them, he is a dog and baby whisperer. It is the weirdest thing. Bear would just like sleep in his arms and I'd be like, he is never this colmon And like Emma, he like loves being around kids. He comes from a big family, and it makes sense. He is just so unassuming in all of these ways.

There's also Rachel and Finn. Yes, this I feel like this is the new Quinn and the Baby. So Vanessa, yes, tell me Quinn and Puck. And now I forgot a name, but Adina what's her character name?

Shelby? There we go.

I'm a co host of a Glee rewatch podcast.

You wouldn't know it. No. For me, we sort of.

Over that story because it dragged on for so long and it just felted with the and now this whole proposal thing feels like a bit in an episode is one thing, and then to start like committing to.

It feels so uncomfortable as a viewer.

For me, at least, I've been like, why is this happening?

Now?

I think we the characters do a lot of weird, high schooly, rash, irrational things, and I feel like this is justifiable and that way where this is the longest standing relationship in the entire show A shippers, and the debate about what's going to happen post graduation is Rachel going to New York, Finn doesn't nobody wants to do with his life, and so I feel like it makes sense. It just and I guess when I say like I'm uncomfortable,

Address it for like a hot minute, and.

Because it doesn't look like there's no moment of we're not going to tell anybody, like a big secret meeting, they just don't address it. And then it comes up finally in the scene where they're like all in bed and she reveals it. Yes, And also it's like, you know nobody can keep a secret. Well, we know it's going to come out.

Yeah, I actually don't get weird about this storyline until next episode. I think that's probably what I'm.

Yeah, I'm so I can't wait till the next episode of the podcast I find out what the.

Weird thing that's right? Very good Vanessa. Yes, so we will. Well, we'll unpack that more because there's like when when adults get involved, that's when it gets weird to me.

I can just tell you that the vibe in this room has changed significantly when this this topic of this storyline came up just as the as the vibe check for the room. It was like, we like went into two floors below this floor and I started feeling this weird twisty sensation inside, so like it like it feels like a shark is lurking. Well, it's twist it. Okay, that's the next episode. I just wanted everyone to know I do.

Want to talk about Naya.

I'd love to all the time because, oh please, let's do it.

She in this episode her usual it's just like.

So good.

Besides the fact, yes, it's very I love that Sentana's calling out Will and all this shit. However, I don't know what student in high school.

I was thinking it was like a little out of line, but okay, like we're.

Yeah, it's fine, but I would like I would have liked the whole episode which just her and Rickey Marton performing songs together because they talk about chemistry. One oh, they're both so talented. I was like, can this number just go on for the next twenty to thirty minute. It's the one that feels it felt the most appropriate. Yes, even though it also was not appropriate. No, no, you're right,

Song, right right, Okay, good point, keep point taking right.

But however, the number was in there and they showed up.

Oh, they showed up. Rating was good. Yeah, romans was good. Give it to me. So we do tarty takes, fanessa okay, and this is where we give our takes of different categories, and so each category will have its moment and you can chime in. You can give your strong opinion, not so strong opinion, so best cringe moment of the episode. And that could be the whole thing that's hard in this one. I really think the first one that came up for me was the first scene of Glacu Karacha.

I think that the one where the actress says that she she's in the class to tell her maid not to the night of the bathroom at her house and then she wins the Grassius Award and then doesn't say word Grassius, but does say that now her mate.

Is going to the bathroom.

Before she I was like, that doesn't feel funny or good to me.

Yeah, I was like, moment, oh.

Great, Wow, I didn't know, no, no, it was it was absolutely I'm saying it's fantastic. But I like when people I guess I like to be agree with Yeah, that's weird, and will unpack that later as I tell you, don't do anything.

For validation best dance move. I think the log rule, Hey it obviously.

I really was proud that I did it. I didn't break anything. I also did push ups in that too impressive. Oh and Jen's wanted me to say this. I was on the prices right as a contestant and in the last few years, like I don't even recently. That's what I'm trying to say. The Drew Carey price is right. And I did do push ups and I don't know why, Like it was like one of those moments where I think I was just on the edge of blacking out out of joy and disbelief that this was happening to me.

But you know, inside, I don't believe that about myself.

And so when I was watching this episode and I saw that me do the push up thing, I was like, oh, maybe that's my thing. Like you, there's people always knew how Ashley Simson did the jig which you go uncomfortable. There's always some you have, like a core that happens that you do. I think that's mine, just like do do push ups? I go for those arms, get.

Those Just watching this episode, watching that number and picking someone to watch throughout the entire thing because everyone's doing wild.

Yes, it was a real for all things perform rockout best performance, but best song, Sorry, yeah, it's just sure there, okay, best performance.

By a prop the pamphlets. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to step on you, No, I was.

I was just remarking. I didn't know that that question was coming up. The best performance by a prop is that when you do every episode? Wow, that's just I love that you know, as an only child, I have a lot of relationship with things. Yeah, and I feel sometimes a tiny minture. I have a lot of things. Puppets, yes, so oh my finger puppets.

Yeah, that's right. So that question really checked me.

It took me because it felt like a little part of me was being seen, Like, of course, what was the best prop's performance problem? That's something I would have written. The pamphlets were great. I also think uh Sue was cleaning her trophies with the Q tip, and I felt like the trophies really yeah, we're saying something about her character, you know, adding to the scene.

We haven't done the trophies yet. That's a good one.

I also think Roz's metal is always a standout because like, what is she without it?

Right? All that?

That's a great that's a great one, Kevin, that's a good point, great question, and the best line is, oh.

Lord, I mean we have some quotes here, Okay, great, I'm gonna look Santana.

You went from laku karacha to bullfighting to a bull fighting mariachi. Also, my god, that number, why don't you just dress up as a taco bell chiha embark the theme songatory they explore you don't even know enough to be embarrassed about these stereotypes that you're perpetuating. And I feel like the whole episode was leading to that, like that's the thesis of it. However, like do you need it? It was like six times of like beating it in of likes nothing.

I don't know that line is great, though, I love that line. Ross had some good ones.

Uh, what you need to do is start praying that you give birth to a child that likes to eat sand, because that's all that's coming out of those old, wrinkly boobs. I was I don't know how I was shocked. I guess I was gasp worthy.

Kurt had a good one. Ladies. I appreciate you spending time with me while Blaine recovers, but why are you being so weird and serious? Our periods don't come until the end of Oh that was great, very good, very good. Normally I like learning.

I like learning that those characters were saying, we grade the performances normally.

Wow, you guys really into the threw me into the.

Oh gosh, I have a great performance moment Heather dancing as the bull, Oh so good, so great. She really embodied that bull she did, Harry, Yeah, come on, physicality.

Yeah. I don't know that we should rate these numbers. No, they all sort of get like a two thumbs down. Yeah. I think that's that's where we're after. Okay, cool, Okay, it's been great to be on your show.

Performance MVP.

Yes, performance MVP.

I mean honestly knowing his schedule and showing up and knocking out of the park.

I'd say, Ricky Martin gets the MVP. Absolutely the schedule, but knowing that as well.

You did all of that in three days, and that's crazy, it's wild, that's actually wild.

Lot. You should actually get a real medal. He's fine, Okay, should we found on TikTok.

I don't know how many people tagged me in this, especially on Twitter and on on TikTok personally, Jen and I got tagged so many times because we're back with another greatest hit from demy de Vito, who honestly star an icon of our time, and this is if there was a Taylor Swift episode of Glee acting all the parts, and it's.

Surreal, unreal. That is.

I appreciate everyone tagging, and I understand the fervor. Thanks in the persistence because that deserves all the awards, all the attention.

You can take the trophy back from Rickeyan. Well, he'll understand the MVP of this episode. Yes, well, thank you so much Vanessa for joining us from the episode. You guys, we have another episode of Vanessa next week. You're welcome, right, Well, that's what you really.

Miss Thanks for joining us live from the Blue Wire Studios at the wind last faces you next week. 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.