Singer, Broadway star and film actor Ben Platt joins the show. Over chicken and broccoli, Ben tells me about the queer Americana of his latest album “Honeymind,” we hear the real backstory to his romance with fiancé Noah Galvin, and we get the scoop on the ambitious “Merrily We Roll Along” Richard Linklater film. This episode was recorded at Genghis Cohen in LA's Fairfax District. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Aug 27, 2024•44 min•Ep 33•Transcript available on Metacast "Jackpot” star Nora “Awkwafina” Lum joins the show. Over croquettes monsieur, Nora tells me about feeling like an “Asian mom” on her Comedy Central show, the unusual store where her grandmother likes to namedrop her, and coping with the loss of her mother in adulthood. This episode was recorded at Mr. T in Hollywood, CA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Aug 20, 2024•50 min•Ep 32•Transcript available on Metacast Singer, actor, and “The Masked Singer” host Rita Ora joins the show. Over uni and endive salad, Rita tells me about turning down “Eurovision” and Andrew Llyod Webber, how making tea for musicians led to her big break, and the reality TV inspiration for her villainous Queen of Hearts in Disney + film “Descendants: The Rise of Red.” This episode was recorded at Amour in West Hollywood, CA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Aug 13, 2024•50 min•Ep 31•Transcript available on Metacast Comedian, actor and “WipeOut” co-host Nicole Byer joins the show. Over French toast, Nicole tells me why sitcom “Grand Crew” was so special to her, how she was initially unsure if she nailed “Nailed It” (see what I did there?) and what her dad might have thought of her hamburger bikini number. This episode was recorded at Lady Byrd Café in Echo Park, CA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Aug 06, 2024•51 min•Ep 30•Transcript available on Metacast Actress, comedian and cultural icon Sandra Bernhard joins the show. Over a porgy fillet, Sandra tells me if she still thinks about a high-profile break-up, the ridiculous medical situation she dealt with before a Letterman appearance, and what it’s like to be a fashion icon of the 80s and 90s. This episode was recorded at Cookshop in Chelsea, NYC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jul 30, 2024•50 min•Ep 29•Transcript available on Metacast Australian musician and entrepreneur Iggy Azalea joins the show. Over pasta, Iggy tells me about her decision to step away from music, her success in crypto with her coin $MOTHER and her advice for young people out there who might feel like outsiders or misunderstood. This episode was recorded at Sartiano’s at The Mercer in Soho, NYC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jul 23, 2024•44 min•Ep 28•Transcript available on Metacast “30 Rock” and “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” star Jane Krakowski joins the show. Over cloud-like pita bread, we reminisce about when I was Jane’s Starbucks barista, our iconic “Carpool Karaoke” moment and why wigs hold a special place in our hearts. This episode was recorded at Zaytinya at The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad in NYC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jul 16, 2024•49 min•Ep 27•Transcript available on Metacast "The Diplomat” and “The Americans” star Keri Russell joins the show. Over salmon and a glass of Sancerre (over ice), Keri tells me about aging out of the “Mickey Mouse Club,” an iconic bathroom run-in at the Golden Globes, and what it’s like to hang out with the Obamas. This episode was recorded at Cecconi’s Dumbo in Brooklyn, NY. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jul 09, 2024•53 min•Ep 26•Transcript available on Metacast Singer-songwriter Jason Mraz joins the show. Over diner classics, Jason tells me about why he has a hard time singing his early songs, what it was like to open about his sexuality and why his latest album “Mystical Magical Rhythmical Radical Ride” feels like a new beginning. This episode was recorded at Mel's Drive-In in West Hollywood, CA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jul 02, 2024•53 min•Ep 25•Transcript available on Metacast Comic and the star and co-creator of Hulu's “Fire Island” Joel Kim Booster joins the show. Over ghost chili lamb vindaloo and samosas, Joel tells me about growing up in a conservative Christian household in the Midwest, reconnecting with his mom after his father’s passing, and falling in love for the first time after meeting his boyfriend at “Gay Disneyland.” This episode was recorded at Badmaash in Downtown Los Angeles, CA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jun 25, 2024•50 min•Ep 24•Transcript available on Metacast "Modern Family" star Aubrey Anderson Emmons joins the show. Over gnocchi and fried squash blossoms, Aubrey tells me what it was like growing up on the set of "Modern Family," favorite memories from filming together, and how she's rediscovered her love for acting. This episode was recorded at Casalena in Woodland Hills, CA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jun 18, 2024•48 min•Ep 23•Transcript available on Metacast Stand-up comic and actor Margaret Cho joins the show. Over Korean barbeque, Margaret tells me about being a phone sex operator at 16 years old, what she enjoys most at a BDSM party, and why she relates to Angelina Jolie’s character in “Girl, Interrupted.” This episode was recorded at Chosun Galbee in Los Angeles, CA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jun 11, 2024•47 min•Ep 22•Transcript available on Metacast Standup comic and co-host of the amazing podcast “Handsome,” Tig Notaro joins the show. Over vegan sushi, Tig tells me about flunking out of middle school, her overnight success after doing a set about her cancer diagnosis, and what it was like to come out to her twin boys in the car ride to school. This episode was recorded at Planta Cocina in Marina Del Rey, CA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jun 04, 2024•52 min•Ep 21•Transcript available on Metacast Star of “The League” and “How Did This Get Made?” podcast co-host, Paul Scheer joins the show. Over moules frites and a burger, we’ll get into auditioning for “SNL” the same day as Amy Poehler, what Quentin Tarantino trolled him about, and why he decided to write about his difficult childhood in his new book, “Joyful Recollections of Trauma.” This episode was recorded at Lingua Franca in Frogtown, LA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 28, 2024•55 min•Ep 20•Transcript available on Metacast Actor and podcaster Justin Long joins the show. Over delicious dan dan noodles and shrimp wontons, we’ll get into his love story with “Blue Crush” star Kate Bosworth, what it was like going on his ex-girlfriend's talk show, and he’ll do some of his impressive impressions. This episode was recorded at Pine & Crane in Downtown Los Angeles, CA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 21, 2024•53 min•Ep 19•Transcript available on Metacast "Star Trek” actor and activist George Takei joins the show. Over beautiful sashimi, George tells me what it was like to be forced to leave his LA home and live in Japanese American internment camps, only to return and become a successful actor. We also get into the meaningful “Star Trek” scene that never made it in and why he decided to come out at age 68. This episode was recorded at UKA in Japan House in Hollywood, CA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 14, 2024•54 min•Ep 18•Transcript available on Metacast Two-time “Drag Race” winner and tour de force on stage, Jinkx Monsoon joins the show. Over overnight oats and granola, we’ll get into her iconic morning ritual, how sobriety changed her life, and she tells us about her latest project, playing Audrey in “Little Shop of Horrors” off-Broadway. This episode was recorded at Lulla in Chelsea, NYC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 07, 2024•54 min•Ep 17•Transcript available on Metacast Star of "American Horror Story" and Broadway's "Appropriate," Sarah Paulson joins the show. Over cacio e pepe and some very buttery bruschetta, Sara tells me the role she's most proud of, the show cancelation that devasted her, and her reaction to O.J. Simpson's death. This episode was recorded at Via Carota in West Village, NYC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 30, 2024•55 min•Ep 16•Transcript available on Metacast "Brooklyn Nine Nine" star Chelsea Peretti joins the show. Over buttery biscuits and shrimp & grits, Peretti tells me about her foray into directing with her feature film directorial debut "First Time Female Director," why it was scary to leave "Parks & Rec," and how crop-dusting jokes played a role in her early comedy. This episode was recorded at All Day Baby in Silver Lake, CA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 23, 2024•47 min•Ep 15•Transcript available on Metacast "And Just Like That...” star Cynthia Nixon joins the show. Over a pear and pecorino salad and pork chops, Cynthia talks about juggling two Broadway shows when she was barely out of high school and dishes on never-before-seen "Sex and the City” scenes. This episode was recorded at Hearth in the East Village, NYC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 16, 2024•53 min•Ep 14•Transcript available on Metacast Musician Orville Peck joins the show. Over deli classics, Orville tells me how a South African kid grew up obsessed with country music, why country is actually a global genre, and we bond over our love of "RuPaul’s Drag Race." This episode was recorded at Nate 'N' Al's in Beverly Hills, CA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 09, 2024•53 min•Ep 13•Transcript available on Metacast "Heartstopper” star Joe Locke joins the show. Over green shakshuka and grilled halloumi, Joe tells me what it was like growing up in the small community of Isle of Man, auditioning for “Heartstopper” during COVID on Zoom, and some hints at what’s to come in season 3 of the hit Netflix series. This episode was recorded at Jack’s Wife Freda in Soho, NYC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 02, 2024•45 min•Ep 12•Transcript available on Metacast "SNL” and “Wine Country” star Rachel Dratch joins the show. Over guacamole and tacos, Rachel tells me about her foray into the spiritual world, what happens if you laugh during an SNL sketch, and how a psychic predicted her surprise motherhood at 44. This episode was recorded at Atla in Noho, NYC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mar 26, 2024•46 min•Ep 11•Transcript available on Metacast Kyle MacLachlan, star of “Sex and the City,” “Twin Peaks” and “Showgirls,” joins the show. Over a tomato tartine and nicoise salad, Kyle tells me about working with surrealist filmmaker David Lynch, his friendship with ex-girlfriend Laura Dern and Elizabeth Taylor’s iconic demand during “The Flintstones.” This episode was recorded at Zinque in West Hollywood, CA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mar 19, 2024•51 min•Ep 10•Transcript available on Metacast Simu Liu, star of “Barbie” and Marvel’s “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” joins the show. Over soup dumplings and BBQ pork, Simu tells me why he initially kept acting as a secret from his parents , and how “Good Will Hunting” got him his superhero gig. This episode was recorded at The Formosa Cafe in West Hollywood, CA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mar 12, 2024•51 min•Ep 9•Transcript available on Metacast “Griselda” and “Modern Family” star Sofia Vergara joins the show. Over pizza and “fuzzy orange juice,” Sofia tells me what it was like to produce and star in the Netflix series “Griselda,” which was 15 years in the making. Plus, we get into Ed O’Neill’s voicemails and why marshmallows were hidden on the “Modern Family” set. This episode was recorded at Dante in Beverly Hills, CA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mar 05, 2024•50 min•Ep 8•Transcript available on Metacast "Parenthood” star and “Armchair Expert” podcast co-host Dax Shepard joins the show. Over a burger and fries, Dax tells me about what it’s like to interrupt President Obama, how Anna Kendrick’s “Armchair” episode blew his mind, and him and Kristen’s differing approaches to Instagram haters. This episode was recorded at Cara Restaurant at the Cara Hotel in Hollywood, CA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Feb 27, 2024•47 min•Ep 7•Transcript available on Metacast Oscar and Tony nominated star of “The Color Purple” Danielle Brooks joins the show. Over tuna melts and Thai steak salad, Danielle tells me what it was like to inherit a role from Oprah Winfrey herself, and losing her anonymity seemingly overnight with the success of Netflix's “Orange is the New Black.” This episode was recorded at Superba in Hollywood, CA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Feb 20, 2024•49 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast "Breaking Bad" and “Malcolm in the Middle” star Bryan Cranston joins the show. Over poke and salmon curry, Bryan tells me how he was briefly wanted for murder, that time an ex-lover confronted him on a soap opera set, and the CIA level secrecy that went into Walter White’s cameo on “Better Call Saul.” This episode was recorded at Great White in West Hollywood, CA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Feb 13, 2024•50 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast “Dr. Death” star and singer-songwriter Mandy Moore joins the show. Over some tie-dyed trout and mouthwatering potatoes, Mandy tells me how she looks back at “A Walk to Remember,” what it’s like to have Julie Andrews as a costar, and how she emerged stronger than ever after a difficult marriage. This episode was recorded at Bar Chelou in Pasadena, CA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Feb 06, 2024•54 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast 
