Some Time With... Karen Miller! (Part 2)

Hey there, Fanarido's welcome to part two of our interview with Karen Miller. She was with us on Full House since the very beginning and we are truly truly inspired by her story of how she broke into the industry and made her mark. We can't wait for you guys to hear the rest of our conversation with her. So without further ado, here's Karen just like the old gang

Yeah, yeah, they did this.

They were in the seventies cruise seven almost said sea cruise, but yeah, the seventies cruise. No, no, not sea crewse that's the one we don't like. Seventies cruise was what did you think of sea Cruise?

Do you?

Cruise was secret? Is the worst episode that we ever did as a show.

Was a disaster?

Okay, oh okay, let's get let us know the I mean other than it being a disaster as an episode and janas Sweeten's least favorite episode, therefore making it just the worst we've ever done.

But what happened?

And also you were like, wait, so early in this series of a family show, we're doing that episode.

Yeah, that was the Yeah, that was my mom's issue with it, and also that it just was like not it didn't seem like us and also was just a terrible episode.

It was and it was kind of like it was like I don't even I wouldn't even say it was the boy's fantasy to do that episode, but it turned out to be this this weird episode and it was the director if you remember that what you probably don't remember it was the director at the time, it was like there was a bunch of stuff that was that created a really challenging week.

And who directed that episode, Tom Turpovich. That's right, I remember there was a Then we were like, who the hell is that guy? And we never saw his name again, And now that's why, yeah, I.

Will I remember well remember that episode because if you that was very early on, it was like it was like the third I think Tom Miller was like going to lose his mind because you know, it was one of those also where yeah, okay, Tom, and I think it was it was just so out of character for Full House and then you know, there was that pivotal moment, and maybe it was I don't you have to ask, you know, Bob or Jeff. I suppose when that pivotal moment came where it was that refocus which Tom and

Tom, Yes, yes, yeah, he's getting it. Yeah. It was just a little something.

It was a little and it was just we saw that shift in it being about the family and less about the boys, you know, dating and well.

And I think because you know, we because we've had Jeff on here a couple of times, but Jeff you know, was saying that the show originally was about three comics and the kids were kind of incidental to the story. And then you know, they were like, well what about a family thing. He's like, yeah, I could do that, and like, you know, sure, here you go, and you know, like you do in this business, you just go, I, yes, that's actually I was thinking that too funny, you mexactly

Basically they didn't cancel us in that particular moment. It wasn't. It was something that was like, you know, there's always one episode or there's always one episode in every season that you're like, we're just going to bury that one.

Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, there's we found some yeah yeah no.

That was that that always stood out to me, and that.

I'm telling you universally worst episode. Yeah yeah, everyone agrees.

That was so fun, Elie.

Can you imagine that? Karen was like, that was my favorite episode.

I thought, so great, I have to end this podcast really why? Yeah?

Uh so interesting choice. It's great, and you continue working today.

Okay, you have good taste, you have Wow? Yeah, I see that turned around.

What other stories like, because Jody and I were back in the school room for most of them, What do you what can you tell us about the things that we don't know that happened?

Any stories? Tell us more? What was the I.

Saw it on set, but it just was like I remember being in the office and coming down to set and just very early on realizing that you had to watch what you said because even the most innocent of things to Bob or Dave in particular, was I just became a run on joke, and so you would just you'd say something and it just became the attention was quickly turned to you, which I was not in favor of. I just kind of wanted to do my job. And and but yes, I remembered. I just remember laughing all the time.

All the time.

I remember. I just remember Bob always getting yelled at by Joel because.

He was.

Because of the phone.

Oh my god, are okay the days before cell phones, you guys, the days of hoarded phones were talking. Bob was the worst with the phone, always on the phone, always on the stage phone, always taking the call. And Joel would lose his mind. And it was Bob was super tall and Joel was super short, and Joel would be yelling up at Bob and it was it was.

The funniest thing.

I mean, it happened all all right, and it.

Was and Joel would be losing his mind and Bob was just a child and like laughing at and would start going, oh no, he's mad. Oh and You're like, oh my god, oh my god, Joel's gonna explode. And it just it was the dynamic and they but yet they like loved each other, like it wasn't without a doubt. It was it was, you know, someone trying to get something done who just yells by nature, and then a class clown who's like, I'm gonna make this a joke.

Yeah.

And it was also it wasn't as if he took the note in the room and then he just put the phone away. He would just sneak it and then he would go, you know, back to the picking up the phone and making the call. And it was it was brilliant. I mean, it was just it was comedy at its best.

Bob.

Bob just provided so much fun. I mean, I remember being in San Francisco. We were shooting in San Francisco and we had I think we'd all flown out of Burbank. We all flew to San Francisco. We were all in this hotel. We were going over the bridge to sell Sasolito.

We were going to Sasillito, and it was Dave who yelled out, oh, it's the entire cast, the whole house, out the window, driving over the Golden gate Bridge, waving at people. And this was at a time when you knew who the cast was, like fourth season and so literally and we're in like a fifteen person or passenger van. Okay, we look like we're going to like county jail or I don't know, so you know what I mean, We're all like fifteen of us sitting in there waving every

Just and there was a morning when I think Bob either his call time was later, but he decided he was going to go for a jog. And I don't know that Bob actually exercised.

I remember it. No, he wasn't going for a job. That was a lie.

What was he He said he was going to go to a for a job. So he ran from the hotel, which I don't know how he ran to down to the pier.

Okay.

He called me and he said, yeah, you know it's there's a lot of hills here.

Right, That's yeah, going down to the pier is one thing. Getting back up to the hotel.

I can't run back up the hill. So can you send a driver for me?

And I was my season.

I said, Bob, they're all on location. I don't have a driver, right, And I was just like, well, what do you, well, what do I do? And I I became that mall. I become I became mom. And I was like, oh, so do you see a taxi? Right, hail the taxi, raise.

Your hand, get it.

I don't have any money. Oh okay, get back to the hotel. Tell the driver you need to run up to your room to go get money. He'll wait for you because he wants to get paid, right, Okay, okay, yeah, I can do all that. And that's and I was like, oh my god, I love you, Bob. And so that he did, yeah, yeah, now he was that. That was yeah, one of those moments I'm like, okay, yeah, I don't. I can't really help you. That's such a bombing moment, so out of character. Also to go jog, but I'm like, okay.

He was probably like, I'm just gonna go for a quick, little easy run take in the city. It's pretty. And then he was like, oh my god, these hills is right, And then he got an elephant or a horse, which he could ride back through the streets of San Francisco, as apparently is so easy to do.

It was.

It was one of those moments where I was like, okay, yeah, no, I I there were a lot of little things like that, right, it was like oh, by the way, oh yeah, we haven't really figured that piece out, or how do we do that? And you know, you kind of you knew that they were fully functioning adult, right, but we also were an environment that you know, things were done for you, right, And so I think when you step out of that stage and you're on location, you're expecting sometimes that things

Actually, actually everyone's busy doing their jobs, right.

But I don't that never change. I'm going to say that didn't change.

Throughout fuller And none of this is said in a mean way, but definitely it was like I think the guys always were like, well, can't somebody do that? And you were like, no, you can do that, and that even our fur was like just just go do the thing, exactly, just go do the thing for yourself.

No, and again always like with always with joy and one right.

And then they'd be like oh oh.

Yeah yeah yeah yeah, but just the thought that like it, you know, this might be inconvenience.

Yeah, yeah, it's a life of a producer. You have to multitask and problem solve twenty four hours a day.

But it's the hardest. Like people who can't stop creating problems often to.

Just again are so completely lovely and innocent to some degree about it, right, Like there is this resence about it.

It was never malicious, nobody knew. Like our cast, we didn't have malicious egotistical. It was just like, hey, could you do that thing? And You're like, I've got seventeen drivers and I need nineteen and.

So no, I can't sacrifice one of them for you right now.

Like but it was just it was like oh yeah, oh yeah, oh no, I can do that.

I'm like, oh, okay, I'll see you that well.

It's also you know that I always tell the story about the cow under the table on four House, you know, when when we were staying there and there's a very obvious large cow that is not going to fit under the table, and Jeff's standing there and going, huh so you can't fit the cow under the table, you know, and like as a producer you have to go, I, you know, I let me see, we're going to need a smaller cow or a bigger table.

Because why would they rewrite that bit?

And you just and you question your reality, going does everyone else seeing this cow the same size as I am?

Okay?

Yeah, Like you can make that work, can't you?

Right? Right right?

And that's work, and that's what you do as a producer and speaking of it, and you must have done it very very well because after Full House, I mean you went into some pretty amazing leadership roles at Disney and NBC Universal and like more in the sort of content acquisition side of things.

So you were killing it. Car, Thank you.

I I feel so privileged. I feel so privileged that that really was This what I will say is the start of my career and something that you know, I learned so much. You learned, you just you learned because you had to be you had to be in your feet, you had to think, you had to act, You had to solve problems. You know, you had to you had to show up in a way you would to show up almost you know, better than than what was expected of you.

Right, Like you know that, well, sitcoms sort of demand that, like it's it's a yes, there's a routine to it, but it's also like a constantly moving machine that doesn't slow down, and you've got four or five days to fix the problems, and really you've got like two or three days to fix the problems because you're shooting the problems by day four.

To be in the Miller Boyette family and then and then being able to because that that was the time also where there was a there was this myth going around that tape was going to end and you had to learn film and you had to be on a film show because film shows were going to replace all tape shows. And so I went to Bob and Tom and I was like, I need to be on a film show, Like, what what have you got? So I did the Hog and so I did the syndication for a Full House, and then I went to do the

Rally or yeah that was I did Valerie around that, Yeah, so we did.

So I did that and then I did I did a ton of shows for Miller Boyette, which was amazing. Step by step not ever really family matters. I mean yet family matters. Step by step. Then me go, do you remember Miga with Bronson Pinchot and Jonathan Vickey. That was actually a Bigley Warren. That was a big Lee. That was big Okay. So I did those and then and I was at Warner for seventeen years in an amazing, amazing career. And then I had always dealt with the

I remember that.

Yeah, I read the Pigeon ones. Yes, I think b was. I think b was. They'd been out a little while because she's fourteen now, but yeah, I definitely, yeah remember.

So I just remember.

Don't let the pigeon drive the bus, because how many times have I said that, you know what I mean, it's just over and over.

You got to remind.

People don't let the pigeon drive the pigeon. Yes, mine, and let's find and love it.

And it's just amazing. So yeah, I mean again, I think you know right place, right time, hard work, incredible mentors and tons of support, you know, whether it was family or extended family that allowed me to have a great career and raise two amazing kids who are both in the industry, which I did try to prevent that, but but somehow the mirroring of the way we were raised in the industry was something that they they saw and they they're both in now.

So yeah, I mean, incredibly wonderful positive experiences in this business that we are both.

You know, Christopher is a production manager over at Bento box On. He was on Bob's Burgers for years.

And now oh yes, right North so.

I oh, okay, oh cool, So he loves it. He's been with them forever. And Olivia is at NBC Universal. She does social media, so she's across Bravo and E Content. Yeah, so, I mean it's just amazing. So it's yeah, really so incredibly proud, and and they're just they're such good people and they have such good strong worth work ethics and just lovely, lovely.

It's well, I mean, I'm not surprised. Yeah, it's not that apple. Those apples did not.

Fall far from the try. It's how do you how.

Is the business you think changed like from one I mean other than in every way possible. But from the time that like we were doing you know, full House and kind of starting there to where it is now, I feel like it's just so different in so many ways, and yet it's still the same sort of the same grind and the same like.

Weird priorities of you know what I mean.

But like, but at the same time, the entire model of it has so changed and shifted.

It's become I mean, I think there was just sense of, you know, there was just a sense of I think, more freedom and more fun. And you had you had more chances, right to get it.

Right, right.

Yeah, you had twenty two episodes in a season, and we've talked about a lot of the filler episodes that you're like.

Yeah, sometimes you just kind of had to go shilt that one.

Just waste twenty two minutes of air time, can figure it out, you know.

But I think and I think you had there was an opportunity to let an audience grow, and there was just also I feel like, you know, certainly there was not the social media, that was not the all of the cameras in your face all the time, which I can't imagine how that is as an actor, and so you know, yeah, and there's been so much consolidation with buyers and networks and streaming.

Platforms and so, you know, you.

Make you feel like you're moving forward, and then it's four steps back because they're spending less on content. They're making ten episodes. You know, if it doesn't catch on like fire, you know, beginning, then you don't have a chance. There's also so much content, it's hard to get people the eyeballs on it.

I was gonna say, it's really hard.

You know.

In the beginning, when it was like two streaming services, you were like, oh, well, is it.

On this one or this one.

I can't tell you how many times I'm like, oh, I'm gonna watch that show and I'm like, wait, where is it?

Which, ah no, And.

You're going through, you know, fifteen of them and you're like this, but I think we've I think we've I think we've gone back.

If you remember from tgif do you remember, yes.

It was there was appointment television. It was that was what you did people because that was you had a one shot unless you could tape ith.

ABC loved Miller Boyett because Miller Boyett was one of those they were like, yeah, bring it on. This is free marketing for us. Sure, we'll host the week, We'll host Friday night. We'll sit on the sofa, we'll talk about what's coming up next. You know. Yeah, it does it take a half hour out of our production day and produce the time shoot the show.

What we're talking about, by the way, is for those of you who actually watched TGIF back in the day on television when it was was there was a very limited amount of channels.

There was no DVR.

We would host TGIF the Tanner family or sometimes it would be the Winslow family or you know, one of the various families on the show, and we would be like, hey, coming up next is you know such and such in between the different shows in between at commercial breaks and so yeah, we had commercial breaks on a regular basis, you know all of those things. And it was like you got little hosting things kind of throughout the night.

It tikes different shows.

And it would it was really appointment viewing. When you talk about doing not only the show being on a specific time, on a specific day. But it was the best marketing tool to tell the audience that stick around, hurry, run to the bathroom, or go go get a popcorn and come right back because family matters.

That's coming up next.

I mean, and we used to bring casts on, We used to mix the cast to do it.

It was.

It was amazing and and and really I feel like I'm you know, it's no secret, but Miller Boyett was really big and in in and and literally probably the leader in making that work because they saw it as yeah, this is great. I mean, yes, did it impact the writers who had to write it on each show and the cast and all of that, but the payout.

In the end, but that was so much greater.

So yeah, everyone remembers tgis like it was. It was.

It felt like it was a show, right because it was a show.

Yeah.

And and that was Jim Janaseik at the time. I don't know if you remember that name.

But it's amazing, ABC.

But it was. It was incredible, and you know, so I yeah, it's very different. You have you have so much noise and and some content better than others, a lot of reality content right now, you know, it's it's hard. And I've been in the kids and family space now for well, I would say probably for the last twenty years, and that is even more challenging because you know, it's

It's such a I mean, such a great it.

Has my heart and I feel like we always use that as to say no, it actually can work, it does work, It holds subscribers. Yeah, and you know, and so yeah, I think it's it's also I think as a woman also you see little moments where there is a bright light and then you know, we discover we still have the same problems, we still have the same challenges. We still have a lot of the things that are annoying as shit, you know, as that's.

Pretty the patriarchy still exists, right right, you know, So that I think I think we're well, we're we're a lot more aware of it, I think, whereas before, you know, it was it was the eighties or the nineties and you just smiled.

And read off things.

Now I think, you know, we've all found our voice, and you know there's strength in that, and I think and there's also just we're more unified in that way as well.

Right, and the understanding that like that doesn't have to be a part of this business or any business that. Like, for so long it was like, well, hey, if you if you want to be a woman and you want to work in this world, you got to take the ship. And everybody's kind of like, I that's not true. And we finally are like at a place where like, yeah, no,

I mean, I think.

Or something you wish you I would say that.

I think that we're also having grown up in this business, and I think where this generation is less tolerant of spending time doing something that does not bring them joy, and so I think, you know, there's those pivotal moments in your career, and in some cases you stick it out out a little bit longer because you're like, oh, it's going to change, or I don't have an option. And I think, you know, what I see now is that people they put their head down, they know there,

Anyone in this business is just any business is any person having a sense of security in knowing what you know and also understanding what you don't know.

And and being open and being curious. Right Like, I feel like we're three amazing women who had an incredible career because we're curious and we're kind, and I think, like, you know, that's super important. I don't think we have to be what others define us as. I think we should we should allow to be who we are. But also, no, you know, sometimes you got to you got to you know, show up in a way in which you know, you got to read the room.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, art to that as well.

Yes, indeed, yeah, sometimes you got to walk in and be like outwardly like I got this, I know what I'm doing, I'm making the decisions, even while inside you might be like, I have no idea, I have no idea. Oh my god, they're gonna find I don't have no idea. And then you're like, no, I have an idea, right.

CEO, now you know? Yeah, I mean I I will say that there are times where someone will say, oh, what do you do And I'll say, oh, I run this company, and Olivia will say you're the CEO, and yeah, I mean.

I know that.

You're like, right, you're like an oftening of that in some cases to make somebody feel more comfortable, which is very crazy notion.

Well it's so, and it's also it's such a thing we've been told those women like, don't play up your Could you imagine a man who was the CEO ever being like, well, I mean I'm sure there are I'm not going to generalize that, but like, but for the most part, when dudes are CEOs or you know, they're like, hey, I'm the CEO. If you're walking by them on the street you've never met them, and they're like, hey, did you know I'm a CEO?

And you're like, I don't. I don't need to know that. But women were like, well, I sort of. I mean I do a thing.

It's like a like a business and in cred like there's three letters and right, yet no, don't own it.

I love Olivia for that.

Yeah, No, she's I mean, she's a she's a she's a rock star.

So I I you.

Know, I think look at I think again, going back to like where we all started, we had such a strong foundation and we had so much love and it was so joyous and it continued to be that throughout our lives, and there's all these touch points. It's as if no time has passed. And that is extraordinary. And it makes me get weepy every time I think about it, because it is a foundation that you know, we're all well aware of the value of that, and it is in our hearts and our soul and the way we

Mean, the other casts that we did this stuff.

You know. It's just yeah, I mean, I will say everything in my career literally pales by comparison when I when someone finds out I did Full House, I'm not even I'm not even kidding.

I can't tell you how many people say that. All all our guests are like, oh, yeah, everything, you know, also I've done there, Like but I was on.

Full House people, what yeah, stop just you know, yeah exactly, So no, I mean, beyond grateful and you know, and it's been such a joy to watch both of you grow up and and just be these amazing women and and kick ass. And that's you know, that's it's.

Well, we learned it from women like you, truly, from watching women like you and and watching you all grow up and find your voices in your power and be really amazing women and grow up in an environment where we knew that we all had those opportunities. And you know, again, it was it was like a little magic fairy dust that sprinkled on that cast and that crew and that.

Set that we existed the way.

That we did, and you know, and in the safety and sort of cocoon of like a family, and it's.

What we still bring out to the world. And I think that, yeah, and I think it really changed. I think we we I've talked to writers and stuff. We all take that spirit. Yes, wherever we go.

To work, we just go we can have fun and do this and be and it'll.

Be okay, and if not, we'll do something else.

And if not yet exactly exactly.

Yeah, that's where that strength comes in, and that just that confidence of knowing, you know, it's it can be good, it can be great. Yeah, I lively both. I adore you, joyful seeing what amazing women you are and all the great things you do and you Yeah, I just joy joy joy and cherry.

Thank you.

Your mom would be so proud, Andrea. I I just I I adored her.

I mean just yeah, thank you.

She would have she would have loved this podcast. She would have but she would have been a guest with Janis for you.

They would they would have had their own the two of them would have had their own podcast.

Oh my gosh, you would have had to start.

Yeah, that would be that would be now, that would be the behind the behind the scene.

Yeah right, that was feeling yeah every week right, yes, indeed, Well my mom said to send her love as well, and she says, Hi, so yeah, this was.

We're so glad that we got to have you on the show, Karen.

Thank you for being such an important part of our of our life and our early careers.

And we just love you and we will talk to you.

So love you.

You can.

Oh there was so great. Gosh, I love her.

That was that. I'm filled with My heart is so full right now, just like it's like no time had passed.

It just feels like no time had passed and it's like I can still hear her voice as you know what I mean, Like just the it's like seeing old family again.

I love it.

Yeah, this was so much more than just a job. You know, this was our this was our life, this this is this is family.

Yeah.

What how what a great opportunity, Like I am so grateful for this podcast.

We get to talk to people like we wouldn't have a reason to be like hey, Karen, let's go chat for an out like I mean we would, but there's this is this is just an easy opportunity to do well.

And it's an easy opportunity. And I also I love.

Letting fans and people peek into not just the cast because we were you know, we were the forward facing ones that everyone saw and yes we all have a family bond, but like getting to see all of the people behind the scenes that also talk about what an amazing group of people it was, and you know, I think it just it really helps our fan of Rito's really understand like why we loved doing it as much as we did.

Yeah, and you know.

Talking about what it's like growing up in this business when when you have a good, positive experience you know, we we there's so much understandably, there's so much talked about and the horrible, painful, unsafe things that happen in this business that I'm glad that we get to be representative of, like a really positive experience. Yeah, and talk to people who you know, loved and cared about us and who still do and so's just a pretty pretty wonderful thing.

Yeah, it's it's a feeling of hope. Like, it doesn't it doesn't have to be negative. It doesn't have to Yeah, it doesn't, right, and the great it can be great. It can be wonderful and it can't. Yeah, if you if you have the right people in charge and taking care of others, Yeah, it can be a really wonderful experience. So but then it is it's you know, it's rare get opportunities like like we did with Full House and then to do it again, I just yeah, anyway, so

We just we love you guys. We're so glad that we get to do that.

Thanks for listening to this podcast, because like we get to have fun doing it.

I mean, I would do this with you anyway. This doesn't even feel like you guys. I'm not saying that, but I was, like, you know it, just what a joy, What a joy this is. It's so many your face.

A few times a week, we get to see people, old faces that we haven't seen in a while.

It's great, and.

Get to watch it or listen to it in real time too, like this is we haven't seen Karen in decades, and you just watched this reunion. You listen to this reunion happen right in front of you.

And we're so happy for of us. So thank you so much.

Fan rito's if you want to follow us on Instagram, make sure you're following us at Howard Podcast. If you want to send us an email if you've got questions, we do some fan Q and A episodes sometimes, so send in your questions at howardpodcast at gmail dot com.

Yeah got that right, Yeah. Boom boom,