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Savings vary. Subject to terms, conditions, and availability. Allstate Fire and Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates, Northbrook, Illinois. Sprite, McFlurry, Big Mac Sauce, Double Dipped in Buffalo and Ranch, Moore Ranch, and Creamy Chili McCrispy Strip Dip. Welcome to the HanselPod, I'm Fortune Feimster. I am Tig Notaro. And coming in from the rear, it's Mae Martin. Good morning. Morning. How's everyone doing? Fortune, your voice sounds a lot better. I'm trying to sound sexy for you guys.
Yes, but it's not working. But how is your voice? Better. Yeah, you sound good. Let's get back. Sounds smooth. Thank you guys. I appreciate that. I have a lot of talking to do today. Yeah, I've got a full day of talking. It's weird to lose your voice when your entire job is talking. I know. Do you get tired of talking? Oh, God, yes. Do you? Really? Yes. You guys don't?
Oh, yes. But I also do a two-hour radio show four days a week. Right, right. And I've done that for five years, so that feels like a lot of talking just with that alone. Yeah. Do you guys hate when you're promoting something and you end up telling the same stories over and over and the sound of your voice gets so, like, nails on a chalkboard to yourself? Yeah, it's, um, I remember somebody...
criticized me because they had heard me in one interview and then heard me in another one. They were like, oh you just have cut and paste answers answering this and it's like I'm asked the same question and that is the answer yeah do I make up a new answer But yeah, it's definitely hard to repeat the same thing over and over. And then other times it's very easy because I forget that I've already told the story. Do I sound sexy? Wait, because your voice is deeper this morning? Yeah.
Why is it deeper? Walk. Because you just woke up 10 minutes ago? Less than 10. Now, do you ever consider setting your alarm 10 minutes earlier? So you're not just waking up. I hit snooze. And then, you know what actually happened is I woke up, yeah, like in time. And then I got a stressful text. and then I cried, and then now I sound really sexy because My voice is deep from crying, sleeping, and testosterone. Aww. Why is someone making you cry at 9.30 in the morning? I know.
That's too early to cry. Yeah, I know. What is the proper time to make somebody cry? 3 p.m.? At least... Not till I've had my coffee. Yeah, exactly. What do you put in your coffee? Do you do sugar and cream or just cream or black? It's just espresso. I have three drinks today. This is my tea. Whoa. This is my coffee. Triple fisting. and this is my water wow
My coffee is just espresso with a little bit of oat milk, and that's it. Because I know oat milk has sugar in it, but I don't do sugar. I don't add any sugar, no cream. My tea today is the throat coat. Sure? With a little lemon and a little bit of honey. Okay. And my water is full of ice. Yeah, do you crunch ice with your teeth? I love ice, but I'm not necessarily crunching it the whole time. I used to be an ice cruncher. I like my drinks. Cold, baby.
Well, I like my drinks like I like my women. Cold and scary. Cold and making me cry at 9.30 in the morning. Wait, what did you say, fortunately? Cold and making me cry at 9.30 in the morning. Was it a romantic call that you got or text? Of course, of course. Yeah, this is making this little cowboy cry. I got a big bleeding heart. I'm not making May cry. I'll tell you that right now. You will. You will. Should we all just cry right now?
Okay. I'm not feeling even remotely sad. Okay. I was just trying to be empathetic. Do you think you could get there? I could make myself cry. I don't want to right now, but I could. So you're that good of an actor where you can go to it and you can cry? I think I could get there, yes. I'm not saying I'm that good of an actor, but I could get there. I feel like that's what you were saying. No. I did have to do that on my FUBAR last season.
And it is weird when all these people are staring at you and you're just kind of squeezing your eyes. Yeah, yeah. So I finally had him give me the stick. like how many times everyone's like you know what it's not about the crying like sometimes it's More moving just to watch someone try not to cry. That's what they always say to me, to take the pressure off. But you know they're thinking, you better get some fucking tears out. And do you have trouble crying, Mae, when you're on set? No, no.
I did actually this time. And it was like, I think it was because it was too dramatic, the scene. I don't want to give spoilers, but I'm like tied to a chair and it's like... I'm going to maybe die and then I'm really supposed to like... That feels like a spoiler. Yeah, that feels like a massive spoiler. No need to watch the show now. No spoilers.
And I'm like, I mean, I'm in a really scary situation that I've never been in in my life. Like if I'm doing a breakup scene or something, I can cry because I've. been through that so many times but this was like so out of my experience and I'm like submerged in water kind of and there's like And then so I could hear the director, it was like really quiet and everyone's trying to be really respectful so I can, you know, really get there. And then he goes, May, he's well, she goes.
think about everyone sorry think about everyone who's ever abandoned you oh my god he goes may just think about everyone in your life who's who's ever abandoned you and i started laughing not like that really they'd be like an acting coach it depends on the acting coach some are you know want you to use real life and some think that if you use your real traumas, it cheapens your own trauma and life experiences if you're trying to access those for a fake. god i would love to cheapen my trauma
Yeah, just take the edge off. Yeah, like why not cheapen the trauma? Yeah, that's so true. Why keep it built up? Or preserve it for something good. Yeah, let's cheapen that. Let's take it down a notch. I really I'm not sure I can follow that for all those years of therapy yeah it just depends on the person did you end up thinking about all the people that abandoned you
Well, I started laughing, and then that annoyed everyone. And then I tried to think about that, and that didn't work. And then I sort of got choked up. But I do sometimes forget that acting is... acting like you. You should... I should be thinking... Oh my god, I'm tied to a chair and I'm gonna die.
You know what I mean? And not being like, who's abandoned me? You may have talked about all the people who have abandoned you. Who have abandoned you. And I wanted to be like, why do you think i've been abandoned and then uh nobody's left yeah not a single person has left i'm totally fine tony collette had to in the scene she like slaps me and this is again a big spoiler another spoiler I know but I was like can you just
slap me please and she was like no i'm an actor i was like but i'm not good at acting and i don't know how to act being slapped she was like i'm not gonna slap you i was like please and she wouldn't no because she's a professional Yeah. I don't know. Maybe some people would have, but I was glad. It looks good on camera. I wouldn't have slapped you. Fortune, would you? I would have been hesitant.
Fortune slaps us no matter what's going on. Fortune walks in the room, just slaps all of us silly. Even Thomas knocks the glasses off his face. Mustache goes flying. I would slap Fortune if she asked me, but I don't know if I could slap you, Tay. Why? Because... You might break your jaw. I also just picked you up and broke your rib. I was scared also you'd give me like a very deadpan look afterwards and I'd be like, I'd be scared. I feel like Fortune... A deadpan look scares you. Oh, yeah.
And delights me. Okay. Yeah. Oh, that was good, Fortune. Was that your deadpan look? It was more like this. What was the other one where you leaned forward? Was that an attempt at deadpan, or what was it? When I put on my lip taint. We might need to have our own chapstick that says lip taint. Oh my god. I was telling Fortune before you got on me that I do think that we should, when we do live, in person, in studio, how many more descriptive words can I use? Episodes that we should do makeup.
Tutorials? Tutorials, yeah. Okay. And I'd be happy to be the one receiving the makeup, you know. Oh, wow, okay. Oh, cool lady. Yeah. Did my makeup routine inspire you? Yeah, when you had that little sponge thing. Beauty blender. Beauty Blender. And are you open to some tainting? I am, of course, open to some taint. Fortune, you're applying lotion there. I am. And I just find, I'm endlessly amused that you both are such little makeup faces. Princesses, yeah. Princesses.
Well, my grandmother always was very big on lotioning my hands. Oh, she would do it to you? Yeah, like she says. Is that why you started doing that to your friends that you had the hots for? I think, you know what, Tig? I've never put that together, but maybe. Because your grandma had the hots for you. Because you're my best friend! My grandmother would sneak attack me with lotion though. She would have it in her hand.
and not tell me it was in her hand and she grabbed my hand and then like apply it to me oh my god Isn't that weird? I want to do like a meet and greet with fans after a show and I'll have a bunch of lotion in my hands every time I shake their hands. That would be so disgusting not knowing that that's coming and from a person you don't know.
You know what I loved doing when I was a kid? I'd soak my hands just in the water fountain, and then I'd go up to a friend of mine, and I'd grab their arm and be like, can you help me get my lunch money out of the toilet? That's amazing. Gross! That's so good. Another classic Tig move. Classic, classic Tig. I mean, that's so fun. That's really fun. You should bring that back. I've done it a few times. What are your Hollywood friends?
Do it to Hollywood friends. Yeah, like, how would Jennifer Aniston react? Jen! Oh, honey! Tick, tick! I can't believe Jennifer Aniston. Honey, no! Do you ever do prank Max and Finn? It feels like it would be almost not pleasant because they're so pure. Well, they prank. Oh, they do? Yeah. They have whoopee cushions and they have those like buzzer handshakers. Yeah. But right now, I think I already told you, they're very into magic.
there's nothing funnier than a kid with one of those hand buzzers where you can see it on their hand and also it's a child being like can I shake your hand and you're like something's up here Or when they're both trying to get you to sit on one particular cushion of the couch. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And you can see the whoopee cushion. I like it when a small town has like... One guy that everyone knows does magic.
Is that a thing? I'm not familiar with it. What's in my town? Who's the magician in this town? You know, Joe, he always does magic tricks and tells jokes. And I would love... to be in a small town and be known as the guy that tells jokes and that has does magic tricks yeah well what a life it feels like that's also the guy who they kind of uncover darker things about later he used to tell this one joke because he would like um uh do the
Posting for like the things in town. And he would say like. I took my wife to go get some ice cream. Went to Baskin Robbins. 31 flavors. And get any flavor you want. She picked vanilla. what wait that was his big joke that you remember yes She picked vanilla. And is the joke that his wife is... I think he set it up better. oh my god as a professional comedian you couldn't
I think he drove hours to take her. I left that part out. She chose vanilla. She chose vanilla. I think it was like I was expecting it to be the type of joke that is like a dad joke with a really clear punchline but actually it's more of an anecdotal like he drove her hours there's all these options I could actually listen to
like that is a 20 minute story there yeah is there more yeah i'm sure there was how long they've been married i don't remember a single other joke you told but that one always stood out to me you Some people just know they can save hundreds on car insurance by checking Allstate first. Like you know to check and make sure you pack your swimsuit when you're headed to visit a new city for the first time. It's always fun to tread some water in a new part of the world.
Checking first is smart, so check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds. You're in good hands with Allstate. Savings vary. Subject to terms, conditions, and availability, Allstate Fire and Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates, Northbrook, Illinois. This episode of handsome is brought to you by booking.com booking dot yeah
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And she said, can I see you in the back, please? And I thought I was in trouble. And I was like, oh, okay. So I have to climb out past these two guys. go to the back and she wanted to show me um youtube videos that she had made And wanted to get my opinion on it. Can I sit back, please? And you're not even sitting in an aisle. I'm not even in an aisle. I have to make people get up so I can go back there. And she wanted me to tell her if they were funny.
and they were terrible and i was like i don't know what to say what did you say because you mean i'm very polite i think i was like These are incredible. Listen, you're doing it. That's what you gotta do is you gotta do it. Hey, you make these. You captured something. You got a camera. You did it. You filmed it. You put it up. You did it. Oh my god. That is so rough. I don't even think she gave me any free chips or anything.
oh my god I was on a flight and they um I don't know they didn't even tell me that they knew who I was they were just like Throwing treats at me. And you were like, I'm like a seal. We're transporting this seal from LA to New York. and i also felt bad because half of them weren't vegan you know and i didn't want to like You're like, oh.
I'm a vegan person. You should have thrown him right back and been like, you're obviously not that big a fan. Yeah. I've tried Googling me. I've been on a flight with Tidge. And there was no vegan option. Really? Sad time. Wait, what happened? You were on a flight with me and there was no vegan option?
You don't remember this? No. This was years ago. We weren't flying together. I think we just happened to be on the same flight. Yeah. Yeah. I would lose my mind if I showed up and I sat down in my seat and one of you was sitting a few rows away, I would lose my mind. If it was just, we didn't know we were on the same flight. Yeah, I love that kind of thing. I'd be taking pictures the whole time. Yeah. Keeping it handsome.
I'd tell the flight attendant that it was your birthday and you wanted to meet the pilot. Oh my god. But that we were too shy to ask. I had been in that cockpit and I was like, should I have fortresses? Okay. Not the- May. Wait, you were allowed to go into the cockpit? Yeah, the pilot was like, a fan, and said, come back here. And I was like, why is everybody making me go to places on the plane? Is this all you dreamed of when you first sat down?
And then, yeah, so we had me sit in the seat, and we took a picture, but I'm like... While you were flying? No, we were on the ground. Oh, okay, okay. I was really stressed. No, God, no. I don't think... I think no one is allowed up there. They lock the door now. I would hope so. Yeah. Isn't it crazy how loosey-goosey it used to be at the airport? Yes. I remember just wanting to go pick people up. That was so fun. Yeah, at their gate.
Yeah. yeah yeah yeah and and kids would go like sit on the pilot's lap and stuff and yeah it was very and they kept those and the doors were always open Yeah. You can wave to the pilots. And now I always find it hilarious that when the pilot has to come out to go to the bathroom, the flight attendant rolls the cart to block the walkway to get to. yeah and it's like but also like if you really
wanting to do some damage, you know, the flight attendant standing there with the food cart probably isn't going to pull anyone back. He'd be like, God damn it. Foiled again. That's at least enough time to yell, help! Yeah, the other thing that concerns me flying is when the flight attendants say, we're mainly here for your safety. But if there's anything, we can get you. And then half the time, if you look down... A flight attendant will have a skirt on.
And heels. And I'm looking at that thinking, if there is an emergency, what are you going to do in a skirt and heels? You better pop off those kip heels and start running. But if there's like... fire or like broken pieces of something if she kicks off her kitten heels we're still in trouble yeah true you know
I didn't really think about that stuff until all this stuff lately, and now I'm like, oh, keep your seatbelt on. Yeah. Like, I'm thinking about all the safety stuff now, but for years I flew and was like, didn't think twice about it. Yeah. Wait, so you didn't wear your seatbelt before and now you do? No, I would wear it, but there would be times mid-flight, you know, where I wouldn't think about it.
yeah now i'm like this baby's staying on the whole time it always makes me laugh when um you see on especially like uh like sort of smaller European flights when there's like a drunk belligerent passenger like a British tourist going to Greece or something there's always a video where they've restrained the passenger but by like duct-taping them to a chair or something. Yeah. I do like the duct-taping people to a chair. I'm not gonna lie. That's pretty funny. Yeah.
Is there a lawn mower? Yes, my gardener is... Stephanie's not mowing the lawn? That's what I mean, is Stephanie is mowing the lawn. And she came in all sweaty like what are you doing? Yeah with like a trucker hat on and she's it's like one of those lawnmowers that you ride. She's like, well, I just finished my morning gardening and lawn mowing.
I don't know if we have some pretty butch listeners that do do that. That mow their own lawn? Oh yeah, a lot of them. For sure. I think it's an LA thing that a lot of people don't mow their own lawn. Oh my gosh, we had this neighbor move in that it was so funny because he was clearly either not from... The area. Or I don't know what was going on, but I had not seen anyone mow their own lawn before. And he was so out of control with his lawnmower because our yard.
Our yards are flat, but then they kind of ramp down to the sidewalk, you know, so we're a little bit up. And he... I had his brand new lawn mower and he would mow it and then he'd go down the hill and he'd lose full control of it and try and pull it back up. And meanwhile, everyone else had their gardeners working on their yards. And then soon after that, he never mowed his lawn again. Oh, man.
For those that don't know, in LA, there's like a bazillion lawn services in every neighborhood. It's just part of LA life. I've never seen it anywhere. I mean... Yeah, back home, we always had to mow our own lawns. for sure and also it wasn't just butchy people my kids are trying to figure out good summer and winter jobs coming up oh business ideas lemonade stand
Well, they've done lemonade. In Toronto, in the winter, it's snow shoveling, like shoveling people's driveways. I have such vivid memories of getting up for school in the morning and my poor dad. still in his pajamas out, like, scraping snow off the car and, like, scraping the window with that little guy that gets the ice off. Scraping snow. Well, I was suggesting that they go ask neighbors if they can water their flowers or, you know, things like that. I don't know, but they...
They want to do something for between a dollar and three dollars, they said. That's a good goal. Per day? I don't know. Per activity, I believe. I don't know. But they were just talking about it last night. I wonder if I can think of something I need done. They go up to your neighbors and they're like, hey guys. Can you Venmo us $5? Just cause. If I've told you about the junk sale that they've done.
i don't know just stuff they find in the house or what not just stuff they find in the house but they'll even find an in-and-out burger um straw wrapper and put that up for sale. And our neighbors are so... Oh, and then cherry pits, like cherry seeds. They'll just have ones that they spit out that they put in a baggie. And then they'll just put prices on all of this stuff.
Like a twig they find. And our neighbors are so nice. They'll come over. And they will buy stuff. They'll be like, wow, so $10 for your cherry seeds. And Finn's like, yeah, that's right. Oh my god. Your neighbor should haggle. Well, and that's the thing is we told Max and Finn about, or somebody mentioned haggling and then they came in and they were like, oh, that's haggling. So anyway.
They've made some pretty good cash off of our neighbors. One neighbor went to get money out of his pocket, and honestly, it was like Lent or something fell out of his pocket. And then they were like, oh, we could sell this too. So they have a sense of humor about it, but they really are jacking those prices up.
just selling junk and some things they'll draw a picture they'll put that up for sale whatever now that's pretty that one I would purchase We had a competition the other day where all four of us had to draw something and then Max and Finn put each picture down that all four of us drew and then they put a cat. treat on top of each drawing and then brought the cats over to see who
Whose picture would win the competition? That's so good. That's so good. And it's just based on what cat ate the treat off of the... And no cat ate the treat. Just kind of... They slowly stepped around the drawings and left. Really? They were repulsed by the drawings? Yes, they were not good drawings. you You know that feeling when your kids love snacking but you don't want to give them junk that's too salty, too sugary, too processed, or all of the above?
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like Kinky Boots, The Wiz, and Hamilton, and is the winner of five Emmy Awards. Ooh! In addition to Grammy nominations. He's also a host of the new podcast What If with Wayne Brady. Wayne Brady is asking today's question. Hey y'all, what's up? Teg, Mae, Fortune. Question for you. In the day and age in which we find ourselves with the government that we find ourselves with and the world being what it is, How do you use your art and your sense of humor? to help yourself and to help others.
That's a nice question. That is a nice question. What do you got for us, May? I don't know what he's referring to with the state of the world. I think everything's great. The state of the world is so fine right now. Yeah. Oh, man. I don't know. I mean, I struggle with... There's different ways to... approach it right like we on we're on this podcast i feel like we're kind of a refuge from all that of just like silliness and and then i don't know some sometimes i
I mean, you just feel it at shows, don't you? It's like a little microcosm of society and it's like, it is so unifying and like people feel human and like we have shared. Sometimes I talk directly about things going on in the world sometimes.
yeah like how in depth do you feel like you go into what's going on in the world i used to do that a lot more and then i felt like oh maybe it's more subversive too not talk about things like identity politics and things like that because it feels like a losing battle because then people go oh they never shut up about
that you know what i mean but then recently with everything going on and i've been talking about it more like when i was promoting the album i was like I was going on the... like TV shows to promote it.
the questions were often like why yeah why did you write this album or why now like the music album and the big part of the answer is like i had top surgery and i don't think i would have been confident enough to do them like it felt directly connected like I wrote it right after that and So I was like, fuck, in this time in the world, even though it's so tense, that felt like important to talk about that if there is like a...
you know, trans agenda that everybody's scared of. It's literally just people trying to be their most confident, happy, creative selves. So I did try not to shy away from that stuff you know and that's helpful to you and to people that are i don't know if it's helpful to me it's stressful it's scary like It's a hostile environment out there, but it felt important, yeah. And when you say scary, what is the ultimate fear of...
Or what have you experienced? Anytime. I mean, people are coming for you online like pretty constantly. Anytime like.
You know other people's fan bases get mobilized against you that's intense and then also yeah just these days with uh like scary legislation and about what yeah you can say and stuff and then with the going through immigration from Canada and being like if you I don't know is that going to be a problem like that if you googled me and I was outspoken about something like it's getting so anyway right yeah there's unpredictable times too yeah yeah
Anyway, I love it. I was like, well, we're a refuge from that stuff. That's what you're dealing with as a human. Yeah, in general, like... I think comedy is just a really wonderful way to get people's defenses down and then kind of connect people about how do you specifically feel like you? Help. I mean, I've certainly... I've been so helped and saved and, um, inspired by so many musicians and comedians and um but it's it's so for some reason it's it's been a a harder thing for me to
except when people say that I've done that for them. Um... because to me it's like oh I'm just talking and sharing what I went through or what I'm seeing and feeling and I know that's what musicians and People do, but when it's me doing it, it's been hard for me to really grasp that I've made any sort of impact.
on anybody um because half the time i'm like oh that was just something silly or i was just trying to make light of of you know um And I think it was actually during the pandemic that I really realized Wow, yeah. I can see how what I'm doing, what other comedians, what people are doing that really do make a change in people's life. But also, it's walking that really fine line of not taking myself too seriously. I don't think I'm anybody's savior.
but it is so I struggle with that where people are like oh my gosh thank you you saved my life or oh my gosh you changed the and I'm like oh thank I'm so glad and and then I think about The people that have changed my life are... saved me through their art it's no joke yeah and it's hard to put it on to I've done that for somebody else
And it's crazy. It's kind of absurd and hard to process that we still live in a time where like, just visibility just is still so limited that it is meaningful to have someone living a happy, confident life and being themselves.
for sure you know what i mean yeah like it shouldn't it shouldn't still be that way but it is yeah and i think when it's just like a part of day to day and this is my job and this is my life but i what i'm doing i do for myself Whatever I'm sharing, whatever I'm joking about, any story I'm telling or whatever's going on, I'm not doing anything for the audience. I'm doing it solely because I want to share this or I want to talk about it. I'm going through this. I think this is funny.
I think that's most important for it to really translate and land for somebody. And that's when it's nice is when it does resonate with others. But I still grapple with... accepting that I've made a big impact on people sometimes. Well, your ultimate sharing of a real life event was the I have cancer um you know set from Largo that was a big one Yes, for sure. And I, you know, that, that was certainly not for the audience. That was, that was really me in the moment struggling.
And as time has gone on, I thought, I think I really was reaching out for help, too. When I, you know, I'd lost my mother and my girlfriend. I was really sick, and I wanted to talk about it, and I think I was really relying on that audience. Yeah. For a lot, and they really did pull me through. They stepped up, yeah. Yeah, they really did. And it's so amazing when I run into... some of the people that happen to be in that audience and oddly enough the director of the andrea gibson documentary
Come see me in the good light. He was in the audience before I knew him. Really? Yeah, wild. What about you, Fortune? Yeah, I mean, kind of like what Tig said. Just providing levity is kind of what I see as my job. I don't really get a lot into politics and some people are critical of that. But I've not shied away from things I believe in or speaking out when I think something's wrong. A lot of people know where I stand. I've not hidden that.
um spoken out for our community and just human rights in general but there are things that i'm not qualified to talk about and i don't believe you know a lot of people just think because you're a celebrity you should weigh in on everything and I don't believe in that. I don't believe in speaking on things I'm ignorant about. Just because I have a platform, I think that does more harm than good.
I would rather speak out on things that I'm qualified or at least have experience with because I don't want to just talk to talk because it's not helping. And especially if you don't have facts or information. There's also such, there's so many nuanced elements. Exactly. To so many different topics.
that uh it makes it really difficult yeah because then people are like well do you know about this isn't this like i didn't i didn't know you know what i mean it's like i just spoke because you know there's this pressure to do so i don't believe in that but
What I do is tell stories and try to make people happy. That's what I... want to be is providing positivity like you can go to other comics who are very well versed on These other... big things in the world and that's who you should listen to for that thing you know
If that's what you're looking for is a comedian's point of view about these big issues, then that is where you should go. Yeah, you know, like, I want to hear from this person about that thing. You don't go to the person that's taking care of Biscuit. That's right. Thank you, Tig. I'm taking care of biscuits. Yeah, everyone's doing their thing. Fortune's taking care of biscuits. That's right. So, you know, every tour I go to about 100 cities.
And so I'm not shying away from any red state. I go into all these places and I get a lot of fans going, why would you go to... such and such city why would you go there why would you go there they need it they need it you know they need representation they need different voices coming in there. Obviously, a lot of people coming to the show know me, so they're already thinking similarly to me.
But there are a lot of theaters that people just go because they like that theater or they wanted something fun to do that night. And so I'm telling a story of who I am. Here's who I am. This is my life. I'm married, you know, and there is a power in just sharing your story that makes someone who might have been saying they were afraid of gay people or didn't understand gay people. Where they can go, oh, I relate to what that person is saying.
Our lives aren't that different. And it opens up some people's minds, not everyone. And I think there is power in that, just sharing your story. I did a show in Nashville during the times where they were coming for drag queens. It was this huge thing. I sat in the room, I was like, I can't change legislation. I can't come into your city and make any difference with what's happening in the government.
What I can do is have a room of 3,000 people in this city who you know is an ally. In this room, you can look left and right and see people who are going to have your back. and go out into this city and look out for each other. There's something cool about gathering those spaces.
of people who aren't agreeing with what's happening in the legislation. They can go out and try to make a difference. They can get empowered in that room with the energy and love and positivity and then go out into their community. and try to help make those changes. I'm just trying to provide a space that's positive and happy. And when you're in those rooms, when you're in these shows,
There is this feeling of just, like, every theater I do, the people that work there say, I can't explain it. There's something in this room that is so... happy and joyful and positive. Yeah. And they go, I just feel so good tonight. And that's what I want to provide people. And that brings me a lot of joy. That's a powerful type of resistance one, especially when the government uses fear tactics so consistently and is Yeah, to push back with them.
just joy and community well that's like you hear so many times that just showing up is a political statement and that's it's very true it's yeah it's very true um the visibility and i do sometimes feel like i could do more though and And like, I should be more organized in my activism and things like that. So I feel like I'm constantly learning as well. And also as the world changes and who knows how things are going to be, like, I guess we'll all have to like.
be constantly learning. I think there's also an unfortunate element to social media where people are saying you know like you were saying fortune why aren't you speaking out or you have this platform and it's like Social media isn't the only platform. There are in-person appearances that you make. There are
you know, charity events. There's all sorts of ways that you use your platform and social media isn't the only platform. And so much of what's going on on social media is the shallow back and forth arguing. about these different views. And meanwhile, if you're not on social media and you're out making appearances, donating your time, money,
It's almost like it's fine and you're doing a great job as long as you don't have social media. But if you have social media and you're not directing all of your energy... to that platform then it's as though you're not doing anything if you're not on there arguing back and forth with people yeah it's a tough it's a very tough
Balance I think like I know like fortune you were directing people to where they could donate or I think we all were where they could donate for certain things, but it is like There are people, I think, who are using a ton of their energy every day just reposting, resharing, just and if you directed that energy to some initiative in the real world that sometimes would be yeah but it's tough though because we also do need yeah people do get their information from
For sure. From social media sometimes. Yeah. It's such a small sect of people, though, too. Yeah. There's so many people not on it that people forget. This isn't. the actual world right for sure that is what blows my mind is i remember somebody This was years ago when I was on Facebook. I still have an account, but I always say I go on there like once or twice a year to see who died. That's horrible. Anyway, I went on Facebook.
Like I said, six months, 12 months later, and somebody had posted about somebody else who did something terrible and they were like, If I see anybody is still friends with them on Facebook, I am writing you off in the real world. And I was like, I haven't even been on here. And it really highlighted that people are so... so neck deep in social media that they don't even realize that some people aren't.
I haven't even been on here. And of course, I wasn't really worried about this person blackballing me in life. But it just, it was so, I just thought it was so.
Kind of silly. People have ended friendships over stupid social media stuff. But it is, like Mae was saying, it is nice to have one benefit of sharing your art is gaining a platform and um being able to use that platform like when there was the hurricane to say you know donate here do this and the fires this person needs help That is a really cool byproduct to be able to, like...
um mobilized to help other people and by the way the people that were dealing with the hurricanes and the fires are still dealing with it and still need help all of that gets so immediately highlighted and you know talked about and then it's and then everybody moves on and uh so just remember
Well, I saved everything because I did Celebrity Jeopardy and I got to donate $30,000. Oh, yeah. So I fixed it all. You fixed it. Well, thank you, Fortune. You're welcome. I always feel like the big thing is voting. Like, that's the... if everyone voted we'd be fine like if i fall you know so it's around elections and stuff that's when i'm like we all gotta
Seriously, because that might make a difference if someone, like when Taylor Swift was like, not that we're Taylor Swift, but when Taylor Swift was like, vote, I imagine a lot of young people voted because she said that.
for sure so let's pull a taylor swift and say vote next time you can you talk about you know that that does require a lot of courage for someone like i mean some people might not think that like oh what who cares but You know, it's very divisive these days to say who you're voting for. She has this huge platform of people that vote and think different ways than that. So for her to speak out is brave, you know? I've talked about her before, but Natalie Maines with the chicks.
What they went through, I didn't know them when that whole controversy happened, but she was on stage and just said something. That in these days would be considered not scandalous at all. And then their entire career was. What did she say again? She told the story about her wife went to Baskin Robbins. They were doing a little show in London and just said the war was starting.
She's anti-war and just said, like, we're ashamed that Bush is from Texas because they're from Texas. And that was it. And the entire, like, they started getting a death threat. That's insane. Bulldozing their CDs. Radio is one place. their own country music people making fun of them at award shows I mean like tons of death threats you get security everywhere So anytime I'm being a real pussy...
And I don't use that word very often. But if I'm being a real puss, I think about, I do think about her and I'm like, oh, Nellie would be so ashamed. I gotta be stronger. Yeah, we have to. well i mean i don't want to see anyone bulldozing handsome merch though but it would kind of amuse me to see someone bulldozing our pontes i guess i just figure don't you use a bulldozer when something's really heavy
Yeah, I don't think you needed a bulldozer to run over a CD. I mean, the same effect that happened with a... Children's toy truck. Well, friends, should we hear what Wayne Brady has to say? Wayne Brady! From the podcast, What If? I used to love that, Whose Line Is It Anyway? Did you guys ever watch that? I thought they were gods. They're so quick. I used to love it yeah I haven't watched it in years and years but I would love to see
Slow improv. They're so quick. I was thinking how funny to see Mary delayed. Improv. That would be good because you'd have time to think about what you were going to say. Yeah. I mean, it's not easy. It's not easy how they do what they make it look effortless. Wayne Brady, especially with... his songs and his songs yeah yeah let's hear what he has to say well my answer would be um just trying my absolute best to put some light out there. We do improvisation. We make folks laugh, right?
So my aim is to get on stage, whether it's in front of a few thousand people, a couple people, and just bring some light. Because if I can make someone else laugh, then I make myself laugh. And for that day, one day at a time, at least for that day, I've got some hope. And that's what it's all about. A little bit of hope. that's awesome all right i love hearing thomas that's a beautiful answer though i feel like
He was so articulate. Well, people are on Instagram too much. It is hard, though, when your job is to make people laugh and you're having a bad day. Or going through things yourself. Yeah. There's been some real doozies lately where I've just been in a real... funk yeah and having to like dig myself out of this hole to go and go make people laugh like i love our job more than anything um but god those have been some trying times i know and it's it's tough because people really forget that
You have a personal life, a private life. You have bad days. hard stuff going on and you are supposed to be the person that they saw on TV or on that stage no matter when they run into you. You better not be tired. You better not be in the middle of a very important conversation. You better not be having anything going on at home. Nothing. Losing a friend out of nowhere. Nothing. You know, the dead.
Adrenaline of being on stage does focus the mind like that's a and that at least it's an exchange like you yeah thing of being out in the world or having to do like a radio show or something like that is tricky but there's something about being on stage that at least gets you out of your head for a little bit yeah for sure and learn those laughs it does make you feel like it's like okay i needed that you know yeah yeah it's so hard to get yourself on the stage but then when you're there like
Okay, okay, we got this. We're in this together. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It is crazy how that can snap you out of things. Yeah. It's so wild. Yeah. Whether you're tired or you're having... personal stuff going on when you get on the stage. The worst is when you get on the stage, you don't have a great show. It's like, oh, my God. I was already down. I should have never said yes to this. Well, that was a delightful episode, and thank you to Wayne.
And yeah, does anybody, Fortune, you got your tour? Yeah, coming up on May 1st, I got Greensboro, North Carolina, Roanoke, Virginia, Baltimore, Pittsburgh. Grand Rapids, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Kansas City, Mulvane, Kansas, Vegas, Knoxville, Tennessee, and Lexington, Kentucky. Lots more cities, too. So fortunefemes.com for tickets.
Beautiful. I got April 25th at Largo in LA and then... just check out my social media after everything I said today check out my social media for other shows that pop up and you can watch Feel Good on Netflix if you haven't or If you want to feel good, baby. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, for me, June 14th, I'll be in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. And then I will be in P-Town August 23rd. And if you haven't... watched my new stand-up special that's newish about a year old
Hello again on Prime Video. And then I'm also working out new material in Los Angeles at Largo and Dynasty Typewriter, sometimes in Toronto. Go to Tignotaro.com for all the information. and also if you like this episode or any other episode share it with a friend and help us build the handsome community subscribe to the show Subscribe to our YouTube channel so you can see our handsome faces. Do all that. Yeah. Until next time. Cheers.
Handsome is hosted by me, Mae Martin, Tig Notaro, and Fortune Feimster. The show is produced, recorded, and edited by Thomas Ouellette. Email us at handsomepod at gmail.com and please follow us on social media at handsomepod. What a podcast! What a podcast! That was a HeadGum Podcast.
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