One on One: Kerry Butler

I Am all In.

That's just you. I Am all In with Scott Patterson an iHeartRadio podcast.

Everybody Scott Patterson, I Am all In Podcast one eleven productions, iHeartRadio, iHeart Media, iHeart Podcast. One on one interview with the one and only Carrie Butler. Here's a Gilmore Girls fact. Carrie portrayed therapist Claudia in two episodes and a year in the Live Spring and Summer. Let me tell you a little something about Carrie very impressive resume. Carrie is an actress and a singer, known primarily for her work

Talk to you.

We enjoyed your performance. Had no idea until this morning that you were such a decorated and accomplished musical theater artist. So let's take it from the beginning, because this was nine years after the series. The original series, it airs before you auditioned for the role of Claudia. When tell us about that audition process and how you got the audition?

So it's a very funny story. I am a humongous Gilmore Girls fan, like I'll obsessed with it. So when I was doing Xanadu on Broadway, I heard that Amy and Sherman Paldino was doing a sitcom in Brooklyn, and I started I never read the book The Secret or anything, but I started manifesting meeting Amy because I'm like, this is my my dream would be to like work with her because I was obsessed with Gilmore Girls. So one day my agent says to me, so, you know, I'm sorry,

Palladino, Oho, what wow?

I met her, We became friends, and she knew what a psycho fan I was, and she actually said, I'm going to write a part for you on the show.

Is that right? She said that to you? What did that feel like? Eh?

I mean just the whole thing was dream. I got to go on that little park, I got to walk to this gazebo, and I was also on with Sutton Foster, who's another huge Carolyn also Amy loves her, so the two of us were there together and fangirling the whole time, just at the set and everyone we were so excited. I was definitely pinching myself when she called me and said, can you work it out in your schedule? Because I think I was. I think I was in a show

Right, right, Wow, that's terrific. So tell us about the first day on set. What was it like? I mean, I remember who did you meet? Who do you remember meeting? And what was it like? Yeah?

I remember just going on this set and seeing all Miss Patty's dance studio, all those places and just dying and I took pictures everywhere, and then I got to meet Lauren, who was amazing. And I think all of my scenes were pretty much with Lauren.

Uh, I don't Kelly.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, But I didn't have any other scenes besides the ones in the Oh no, no, I had the fun scene where I actually sang, so she would even put singing into the show. On fact, Dan wrote the song that I sang in the show.

That was a terrific show, that was so funny.

That was actually my favorite parts so far the Netflix episode is that that musical, The Stars Hollow Musical, was the most brilliantly written, the most the funniest thing I have seen on that show in.

A long time. And I thought Sutton killed it. I thought she just killed it.

Yeah, really tremendous fun And I bet you Dan had a blast writing it too, because the lyrics were hysterical.

Yeah. He ended up giving me a copy of it.

Oh really yeah, Wow, that's that's very special. So you're sitting across from the two of them, we're talking about Kelly Bishop and Lauren Graham, and you're just going back and forth with a Quick Dial.

Did it make you nervous at all?

Now, coming from a musical theater background, I always found those actors to be really mindful of hitting their cues, and they just seem to be have a heightened awareness when they're on an acting set, you know, knowing the real basic nuts and bolts of what it is to you know, timing, comedic timing, and it's like, you guys are really on it. Did you find it difficult to fit in or with the pace of the show because it didn't seem like it at all.

No.

I felt it difficult to not laugh at the two of them because they were so funny. Those scenes were so funny, and to just act like I was annoyed with them.

And right, right, right, what? So what? What are your fondest memories of filming that?

I think? Honestly, it was watching the two of them together. I mean, they are just such masters at that that writing and the comedy and and and also there were really heartfelt moments, like Lauren uh had this amazing monologue that was, you know, very heartfelt, and so I just felt like I was watching two masters at work. You know.

Do you have a favorite episode in the Netflix episodes.

Did you watch all of them?

Oh?

Of course, of course I watched all of them, but I would say, you know, the first the first section before I was on is More my favorite. Like I loved when when Rory was little and all the going to the prep school, all that stuff from the very very beginning was was my favorite.

Mm hmmm, So again I think we we touched.

What was your reaction when you finally saw Stars Hollow the musical?

I thought it was hilarious and really well done, and I was just so excited to be a part of it. And the funny thing is, I'm sure you know this that Gilmore Girls has this incredible life now with all tweens, and I have a thirteen year old, so now I'm suddenly the cool mom again because all of her friends are like, I saw your mom on guilm Girls. Yeah, and my daughter has Gilmore Girls pajamas, and it's like I always dreamed that I would get to watch the

She watches friends.

No.

Yeah, it's disappointing.

Oh my god, we do.

But whenever fall comes around, I feel like it's time again, we have to start watching Gilmore Girls again now.

So you've never watched the show with your daughter ever.

I forced her to watch with me a few times. She loves it.

I told her.

She was very excited that I was doing this podcast with you today, as I was. But she doesn't want to watch with me for some reason.

So just as she gets together with her friends and they just watch.

It, or they're watching it at the same time, and you know, like texting each other, you know about it.

What is it about this show?

You know? You know going through these episodes, you know, because I never saw it, and that was the premise of the podcast. That's what I pitched. I just never like watching myself. I didn't want to watch the show. Yea, yeah, you know, I think most actors are like that, and and.

So I never really saw it. I saw the I saw Winter at the.

Premiere because I was forced to sit there with a captive audience. But that's the only thing I ever saw. I saw the pilot episode, which I liked, but I never saw any of the other one hundred and fifty two episodes. And I never saw the three other Netflix episodes. So that's basis of the podcast. And finding out how darn funny this thing is.

I never I look.

I was in all the table reads, I was in a lot of the scenes. I know it's funny. I know it's high quality. You know it's sophisticated comedy. These are very very witty people, Amy and Dan very well read, various studie people, and this humor is really sophisticated, and it's coming at you. Not only is it coming at you fast and furious, but it's coming at you in groups of ten great lines.

I mean, it speeds by so fast.

And this is the reason why people continue to rewatch it. It's a lot of things, but I think the primary reason is the level of humor. You get the level of great jokes, the unexpected one liners, And it doesn't matter how many times you've seen it. You can't remember all of the singers, and it's always a surprise, so it always seems fresh. Do you find that as well when you're watching these episodes?

One nd percent? And even when I watched it, you know, the first time, I thought, oh, they must be theater writers, because they would have very obscure theater references in there. So yes, I always thought it was hilarious. But also I just there's just it's like comfort food. It's so loving and refreshing to see that relationship between a mother and a daughter. To see you know, her love affair with your character, it was just so sweet and beautiful.

Yeah.

I have to tell you the experience of this now, the way that it continues to grow and capture younger and younger audiences. Every generation is discovering this show. I just how can you envision twenty five years ago that something would be have such staying power and that it would continue to grow in popularity. I mean, it's it's absolutely bizarre. It's a real phenomenon in the industry.

It really really is.

It's timeless the show because it's well written.

It's timeless, right, It's going to stand up forever. Yes, because of the quality of the writing.

Yeah, I agree. I mean these two really really accomplished something special. There's a there's a there's a sort of an honorary Emmy in.

Store for these two, I guess. I mean I think there has to be.

I would be so upset every Emmy season, like, how is everyone not getting Amy in this show? I mean, even because the acting quality was just phenomenal, you know, I don't.

I think the critics didn't know what to make of it. I think they didn't know what to make of it. I think, is this a drama? Is it a comedy? We know it's funny, it's dramatic, it's a drama, but I just never understood it myself.

And to have a show of it's actually.

Kind of a unique category to be in because there's plenty of great actors and great performances, great productions that never got nominated for anything. I mean, if you go through the list, it's like, wait a minute, how but she don't even get nominated for what this guy or Meryl Street or whomever, or Kate Blanchette and everything she does. You know, it's amazing how often great things in this business are completely overlooked. So you gotta wonder what's going

Now? Do you know Sutton Foster? Did you know?

Do you know her from your brother? So it's a small community of people, right, and so you know her.

Sutton actually understudied me in Lee Miss when she was like eighteen years old.

Is that right. So she was kind of a phenom coming out of high school.

Yes, yes, yeah, she didn't go to she went straight to Broadway.

Yeah, are you kidding me? From high school?

Yep?

What elite?

Where? Now? Where is she from? Is she from the Northeast?

Her brother is Hunter Foster and I had already or I did a show with her brother too. I did Little Hearts with mm hm.

Oh my goodness.

So it's in the blood. It's in the blood in that Foster family.

Yeah. Yeah, wow, what a talent. And she was also a huge fan of the Gilmore Girls. So both of us were like.

There, now isn't Amy doing something with Sutton now on Broadways?

That she writing in a musical.

The Mattress Once Upon a Mattress. I think that's what it's called. Yeah, yeah, it's a limit okay? And Amy wrote it and Sotton's in its the star.

Yeah all right.

So so after the episode you filmed for Amy for Gilmore Girls their revival, she brought you in for a role in mysell and the Marvelous Missus myself. Uh, what was the role? What was it like working with her again?

Well? This time I feel like last time she didn't direct the show or this time, you know, it was just there's so much going on in our episode was one day where they were just shooting this scene with a million different things going on, a huge restaurant, tons of extras, and so it was really exciting to see her in her element as the director and just how everybody loved her and just getting everything, putting all the

Oh that's great. So you see her, you go to lunch for her. Do you live do you live in the city.

Yeah, well I moved out to New Jersey, but I did live in the city forever.

That's yeah, that's great. All right, So let's talk about this Aaron Hernandez thing which took over the headlines for a while. So you've done plenty of drama and now with your episodes just mirroring the in the Ryan Murphy American Sports story. Aaron Hernanz, which do you prefer working on musicals or drama?

I think I prefer musicals. I mean, it's great to stretch that muscle, and obviously it's fun to be on TV. But like I'm doing. I created this show with my friends girl. Now we're going we just did it in la like two days ago, and we're going to have an off Broadway run. And it's just there's just something so magical about being in front of the audience and hearing the act right there, like having the palm of your hand. And this show I do with my friends,

You know, there is nothing.

More vital than live theater when it's done well, I agree, nothing, nothing comes close to it. So you're saying, is you prefer the live theater experience that you're used to to portraying characters in a psycho sports, murder, documentary styles serious limited series, you would prefer to be on stage with your friends, singing and dancing, magazine laugh.

Go exactly exactly. If you choose, like what I'm going to put out into the world, especially now, I think I choose joy and maybe laugh and bringing people together. Not that there is a place for the other.

There's always going to be a place in people's hearts for psycho sports murders, dramas.

There's absolutely an audience, and by golly, I'll be tuning in just to catch your performance. I'm curious to see what you did. What did you do in that? What did you do in that?

I played Urban Meyer's wife. Oh okay, yeah, so old person. And who played Urban Meyer Tony Yasbeck, who is also a huge Broadway star, big, big dancer, and this was his kind of big break for TV.

And he's, oh, that's you, guys. You go, there's something about you too. That said to Ryan Murphy, I gotta bring him in for the sports psycho murder thing, you know, gotta have them.

Well, this one, this one I did have to audition for. I didn't get it just because I'm friends.

Now, you didn't.

You had to.

You had to earn that. Wow.

Well, not saying you wouldn't earn if you got the offer, but that's amazing. Okay, so extensive theater work.

Most TV stuff I auditioned for.

Yeah, TV's tough is tough. It's a tough crowd. Okay.

And you now teach a class called Breaking into Broadway and it's a digital course for musical theater performers. What is your number one advice for someone wanting to make it on Broadway. Let's say, at my age, I came to you and said, listen, I'm sixty six. Now I've never been on Broadway. I'd like to try it.

Oh.

As a matter of fact, I was considered for the lead role in Chicago, the New York production of Chicago.

Sure that couldn't well.

For now, you broadly be lucky to have you so, but sim you so you hadn't had this amazing career. Then I would say, find the thing that makes you special, like find your special sauce. You do that nobody else can do. And like I could say, for you, it's that kind of like dark comedy.

You know, like oh, I was going to say skiing, So I was.

Gonna say, I'm grumpy but lovable.

Okay, people lovable, right, And then.

Like you know, just go into your auditions with that and lead with that, and the parts will come to you that you have.

Hopefully Amy and Dan will write me a Broadway musical and I can start it.

Get out there. You got to do the secret like I did. Yeah, it's gonna happen all right.

But you you have to do it with me.

Okay, I need you there, you guess I'm gonna like text Amy, guess what, Amy?

Yeah, the old guy wants to do Broadway music. Yeah, that'll give her a real thrill.

We'll have a most fun ever, like you would love doing all. All people who come over are like, oh, it's just crazy fun.

Yeah.

I no, no, I wanted to do Chicago. We just couldn't work it out in the schedule. But I really it was like, Wow, what an opportunity, you know, And I'm sure with all the rehearsal and all the professionals surroun, they're not gonna let you fail, right, They're going to make sure that you're going to give a performance.

You probably wouldn't get that much parsal, have I I because you probably.

How much rehearsal do you think you get?

I think maybe maybe two weeks or maybe three weeks, that's what That's what I would guess.

So what do you think the most challenging part is?

It is like getting the voice in shape, right, getting getting your voice in shape and getting it used to really belting out these songs, right, yeah, I.

Guess, or doing the dance moves, or just the stamina of doing like the eight shows a week.

Oh my, goodness, what am I doing?

You can do it?

I believe you think I can do it.

I do.

We're gonna play a little game called rapid fire, and there's there's no pressure.

To answer these questions quickly.

It's really I don't know why they call it rapid fire, but I just want to take the pressure.

How do you like your coffee?

Oh? I actually don't drink coffee, So that's how you like your coffee?

With no coffee? You like an empty cup? Or tea?

Tea? I'll take tea.

We've got Are you team Logan, Team Jess or team Dean?

Oh? Gosh, Oh that's a hard one. I'm gonna I'm gonna say teen Dean Dean.

Okay, I.

Love them all. I loved all them.

Who's your favorite Gilmore Girls couple? Luke and Laura? Are Emily and Richard?

Luke and Laura?

I of course that's but Emily and Richard great couple. That's a funny question, as if.

Right, I mean, come on, would you rather work with Michelle or Kirk Kirk?

Kirk Kirk, the zany Kirk?

Yeah?

Yeah? What would you order? Gary?

What would you order if you happen to find yourself one day, one glorious morning in Luke's Diner.

Mmmm, well, this is tough because the burgers are the staple. Right, I'm vegetarian. Do you think Luke's Diner like has moved into vegetarian burgers.

I believe that Caesar could whip one up for you.

That's what I think. That's what I have to go for. Then I have to get in the price.

You got it? You got it? Uh? Who would you rather hang out with Paris or Lane?

Lane?

Yeah?

I don't know.

How can you imagine hanging out with Paris? That's that would be like? Whoa Harvard or Yale? Or would you drop out live in the poolhouse? Actually, I don't like that part of the question. Just Harvard or Yale?

Harvard?

Okay? Why isn't isn't that?

Did Worry go to Harvard or did she go to Yale?

She went to Yale.

She always dreamed of going to Harvard. But Richard is you know it would make her a legacy because Richard loved went to Harvard, I mean to Yale.

Sorry, Oh I really don't have a reason.

Why Just Harvard? Right? Okay? Just because you like you like the way it looks on a sweatshirt. I got you.

Both in Boston, so that was like, that would have been my main thing.

But right, okay, would you rather attend a da AR event with Emily or a town meeting with Taylor?

That's a very easy easy. That's the wrong answer.

Why because you have to sit in that tent all day in one hundred and twenty degrees.

You know, at least they're interesting. Oh but when you film it.

That's so interesting when you're shooting it.

No, no, it's all good.

It's all good. Only one hundred and thirty degrees in there, so big, and you're wearing winter clothes and hats and all that kind of stuff.

It's not a problem. It's not a problem.

Then I have like fans and stuff. Were you all?

Of course?

I want to lose ten pounds today.

Not a problem. You know what they do? You know they have those big yellow tubes.

Oh, pump in the ac. Sometimes it would work, sometimes it wouldn't. But you know, hey, at least you were there, right, at least you were in Gilmore Girls. So I'll just shut up Gilmourger's character.

That you would want as a roommate moral I duh, duh, I mean who my best friend there? You go right?

Yeah, that is.

See that's her show. It's her show, Something in your life. You are all in.

On my dog.

Your dog? What kind of a dog do you have?

I have a mutt and I actually got him. There's this event called Broadway Barks that Bernard Peter started and we tricked my husband into going there because I had to like perform there, and we fell in love with my dog. And I am one of those crazy people now who just like sends pictures all the time and just right my dog when I go away.

Yeah, I want to get my son a dog. He really wants a dog, and I want to get him a dog. I want to surprise. I want a dog.

So fun.

Yeah, it's been a pleasure. Carrie Harry Butler. Ladies and gentlemen check her out in the Gilmore Girls the Year in Life episode as Claudia the Therapist. And you also did get a chance to do a scene outside the therapist office by the gazebo when you were auditioning for the Musical Stars Hall of the Music and you were very excited.

And now that now that you know me, you can see that's right now, I recognize it. I was really acting as the therapist.

No, absolutely, and great job, by the way, great job.

But you definitely, you know, the real you came out in the older scene. But it's been a pleasure getting to know you a little bit, and good luck with everything.

And I hope to one day meet you and to see you on Broadway. I would love we're.

Gonna be on Broadway together.

It let's do it. You be, you be roxy Heart, I'll be uh, what's his what's his name? Doctor Detroit? No, it's not doctor. What's the guy's name? That's why to get the part, I couldn't. I couldn't.

Billy billy, billy, right right right.

All right, anyway, all right, all the best. It was a pleasure.

Thanks so much, and good luck with everything, and best your daughter and your dog and your husband and everybody.

Take care, okay, thanks all right, bye

Everybody, and also again, follow us on Instagram at I Am all In podcast and email us at Gilmore at iHeartRadio dot com.