1 00:00:07,840 --> 00:00:10,799 Speaker 1: This is Alec Baldwin and you're listening to Here's the thing, 2 00:00:11,440 --> 00:00:15,400 Speaker 1: My chance to talk with artists, policymakers, and performers, to 3 00:00:15,480 --> 00:00:19,600 Speaker 1: hear their stories. What inspired their creations, what decisions change 4 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:24,520 Speaker 1: their careers, what relationships influence their work. I never had 5 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:26,360 Speaker 1: a fallback on purpose, and my dad used to say 6 00:00:26,400 --> 00:00:27,880 Speaker 1: that all the time, you need a fallback, but I 7 00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:30,080 Speaker 1: knew that this career was so difficult to succeed in 8 00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:31,880 Speaker 1: that if you had a fallback, you would fall back. 9 00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:34,680 Speaker 1: So I didn't have one. It's so great to be 10 00:00:34,800 --> 00:00:38,159 Speaker 1: back here in Boston, where I went to college, where 11 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:41,279 Speaker 1: I started the one stand up comedy. Rosie O'Donnell has 12 00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:44,920 Speaker 1: been a stand up comic, an actress, a star search contestant, 13 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:49,360 Speaker 1: a talk show host, an activist, a philanthropist, a magazine editor, 14 00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:53,960 Speaker 1: a Broadway and television producer, and a mom. Rosie has 15 00:00:54,040 --> 00:00:59,000 Speaker 1: five kids. You have to manage your time and make 16 00:00:59,040 --> 00:01:02,760 Speaker 1: each one of them feel spe doing it all was 17 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 1: a pattern Rosie established early in high school. She was 18 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:11,440 Speaker 1: voted homecoming queen, prom queen, senior class president, and class clown. 19 00:01:13,240 --> 00:01:16,760 Speaker 1: Rosie o'donald has never shied away from a controversial subject. 20 00:01:17,319 --> 00:01:21,119 Speaker 1: Her combination of confidence and conviction has led to very 21 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:25,080 Speaker 1: public disagreements with celebrities such as Tom Selleck, Donald Trump, 22 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:28,280 Speaker 1: and Elizabeth Hasselbeck. From the view, you just said our 23 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:31,960 Speaker 1: enemies in Iraq? Did Iraq attack us? No, I'm saying 24 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:35,320 Speaker 1: al kada? Okay, did Iraq attack us? Elizabeth, Iraq did 25 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:38,360 Speaker 1: not attack us. We've been there before. I'm saying our 26 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:41,520 Speaker 1: enemies al Qaeda? Are you hearing that? But that same 27 00:01:41,600 --> 00:01:45,640 Speaker 1: combination led to her hugely successful talk show, The Rosie 28 00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:48,920 Speaker 1: o'donald Show, in which she talked with celebrities and non 29 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 1: celebrities alike. Rosie talked about what mattered to them and 30 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:56,240 Speaker 1: to her. She earned herself the nickname the Queen of Nice. 31 00:01:56,880 --> 00:01:59,080 Speaker 1: Where are you from? A Toronto? And he came down 32 00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:00,760 Speaker 1: here just for the show, just for the show. My 33 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:03,000 Speaker 1: husband drove on me and my friends ten hours. So 34 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:06,160 Speaker 1: I'm very afraid to fly. He didn't have tickets because 35 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:12,760 Speaker 1: where I don't know. He's wandering outside thirty robbers, probably 36 00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:14,640 Speaker 1: watching the show, freaking out that I'm here because I 37 00:02:14,639 --> 00:02:16,480 Speaker 1: said I would be here. If he's still in Toronto, 38 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:18,079 Speaker 1: you don't know he's here? Is in New York? Where 39 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:20,079 Speaker 1: in New York at a her hotel. Again, what I'll 40 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:24,680 Speaker 1: tell you the Belvedere right on fifty second eight. Hey, 41 00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:28,920 Speaker 1: what's his name? Eddie? Eddie, get you butt down, Rosie 42 00:02:28,919 --> 00:02:34,000 Speaker 1: o'donald is nice. I'm grateful from what she has. She 43 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:37,040 Speaker 1: might say that has something to do with her childhood 44 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:40,000 Speaker 1: when she suffered the hardest blow imaginable. You know, my 45 00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:46,760 Speaker 1: mother died. There were two younger siblings and two older siblings. 46 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:49,399 Speaker 1: That's right, So that was really hard everything, yes, and 47 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:52,160 Speaker 1: and it's sort of close to her, not really. I 48 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:54,720 Speaker 1: mean I think that she was very irish and reserved 49 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:56,280 Speaker 1: like my father. There was no I love us in 50 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:58,520 Speaker 1: the house. There was no hugging, you know. It was 51 00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:00,440 Speaker 1: more like like I went to Jackie South all the time. 52 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:02,560 Speaker 1: My best friend still lived across the street when I 53 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:05,799 Speaker 1: was a kid, and her mother would say I love 54 00:03:05,840 --> 00:03:09,880 Speaker 1: you to them, and I remember being struck like cold 55 00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:12,200 Speaker 1: from that, like you would say that to each other, 56 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:14,560 Speaker 1: Like no one said that to each other and my 57 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:18,120 Speaker 1: family ever until we were really older adults, and even 58 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:20,560 Speaker 1: then it was difficult. So I remember when I had 59 00:03:20,639 --> 00:03:23,519 Speaker 1: my first child, when Parker, who was now eighteen, the 60 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:26,720 Speaker 1: I love yous were frequent and fluid. And you know, 61 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:28,800 Speaker 1: even now, I dropped my boy off at school this 62 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:31,040 Speaker 1: morning and he's thirteen. You know, I'm like, by Blake, 63 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:34,080 Speaker 1: I love He's like love you to mom, like casual nothing, 64 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:36,480 Speaker 1: don't even And that was so foreign to me as 65 00:03:36,480 --> 00:03:39,760 Speaker 1: a child, and I craved it. I craved it. And 66 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:42,200 Speaker 1: when a mother dies in a family like that, things 67 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:45,840 Speaker 1: turned to disarray because the washing machine, the you know, 68 00:03:45,960 --> 00:03:48,000 Speaker 1: things that my dad just had no clue about, Like 69 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:50,800 Speaker 1: he mashed the potatoes in the water. He was trying 70 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:53,280 Speaker 1: to make mashed potatoes. After she ducked, It's like all 71 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:55,040 Speaker 1: of the domesticity went out of the house and it 72 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:58,040 Speaker 1: was so kind of stark and cold and and run down. 73 00:03:58,160 --> 00:04:00,840 Speaker 1: And you know, the things that a mother's touch generally 74 00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:03,520 Speaker 1: bring to your life, we're missing. And that's all the 75 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:06,440 Speaker 1: all the softness and the and the kind of safety 76 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:10,400 Speaker 1: and security to prepare the family for a life without her. 77 00:04:10,920 --> 00:04:13,640 Speaker 1: Rosie's mother taught each of her five children a different 78 00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:17,240 Speaker 1: meal to cook. Rosie learned how to make London broil, 79 00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:19,640 Speaker 1: which she says she still won't eat because of the 80 00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:24,080 Speaker 1: memories it conjures. Up in her hometown of Komack, Long Island, 81 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:26,839 Speaker 1: not far from where I grew up. Rosie began to 82 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:29,839 Speaker 1: plot out her future and a life in show business. 83 00:04:30,160 --> 00:04:32,039 Speaker 1: You know, I never wanted to be a talk show host. 84 00:04:32,120 --> 00:04:34,280 Speaker 1: That was never my goal. I wanted to be on Broadway. So, 85 00:04:34,360 --> 00:04:36,080 Speaker 1: you know, I wanted to be a Bette Midler backup singer, 86 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:38,080 Speaker 1: one of the Harletts. So when I was, you know, 87 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:42,200 Speaker 1: in in Comac High School South and nine, and I 88 00:04:42,200 --> 00:04:44,800 Speaker 1: would take the train in and see a matinee every 89 00:04:44,839 --> 00:04:47,760 Speaker 1: Wednesday and cut out of school and do standing room. 90 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:49,839 Speaker 1: And so my goal was Broadway. And I saw a 91 00:04:49,839 --> 00:04:51,560 Speaker 1: bet on Broadway and Clams and a Half Shell one 92 00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:53,760 Speaker 1: of my first shows ever. That was my goal. It 93 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:56,279 Speaker 1: was in streisand it was never to be. You know, 94 00:04:56,480 --> 00:04:59,040 Speaker 1: I didn't grow up listening to Johnny Carson like every 95 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:01,680 Speaker 1: comic tells you. I, you know, admired to be like 96 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:05,080 Speaker 1: my mother. You don't want to, No, I never thought 97 00:05:05,080 --> 00:05:06,920 Speaker 1: of it. My mother didn't like Joan Rivers. My mother 98 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:09,359 Speaker 1: thought she was mean. And I remember my mother telling 99 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:11,919 Speaker 1: me Tody Fields was a real comedian, Phillis Diller was 100 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:14,560 Speaker 1: a real comedian, but that Joan Rivers is not nice. 101 00:05:14,880 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 1: And she said, you never go for in exactly and 102 00:05:18,480 --> 00:05:20,560 Speaker 1: Joan was made fun of Elizabeth Taylor, which I think 103 00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 1: to my mother was sacrasych you know, so I never 104 00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:25,920 Speaker 1: like thought of it. So when I was in high school, 105 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:29,320 Speaker 1: I would do the play for the seniors, right, everybody 106 00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:30,840 Speaker 1: makes fun of the teachers and like a Saturday and 107 00:05:30,880 --> 00:05:33,240 Speaker 1: night life type thing the senior year, and I was 108 00:05:33,279 --> 00:05:34,880 Speaker 1: a freshman and they knew that I was sort of 109 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:37,560 Speaker 1: into comedy, and they said, would you write the skits? 110 00:05:37,720 --> 00:05:39,719 Speaker 1: So I did so I was the only sort of 111 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:42,559 Speaker 1: freshman allowed to be and for every year sophomore junior, 112 00:05:42,560 --> 00:05:45,520 Speaker 1: I was writing these skits. So the last years, my 113 00:05:45,640 --> 00:05:48,719 Speaker 1: senior year, this guy comes in and and says, hey, 114 00:05:48,839 --> 00:05:50,240 Speaker 1: did you write all this stuff? And I said yeah. 115 00:05:50,240 --> 00:05:51,760 Speaker 1: He goes wanting to be a stand up. I'm like, God, 116 00:05:51,760 --> 00:05:53,000 Speaker 1: I don't know how to do stand up because, well, 117 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:55,640 Speaker 1: I own a club, east Side comedy club in Huntington's 118 00:05:55,640 --> 00:05:57,880 Speaker 1: near you. Why don't you come and do stand up? 119 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:04,359 Speaker 1: What year is that? That is nineteen seventy eight? What 120 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:09,040 Speaker 1: is a stand up comedy club like in Huntington's night Well, 121 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:11,080 Speaker 1: I was sixteen years old. I just got my license, 122 00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:13,080 Speaker 1: but I wasn't really old enough to get into clubs. 123 00:06:13,279 --> 00:06:15,960 Speaker 1: So I took my neighbor Dory Norton's license. Remember when 124 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:18,159 Speaker 1: they were paper and you could take a little pin 125 00:06:18,279 --> 00:06:20,480 Speaker 1: and scrape. So I had fake ID to get A 126 00:06:20,480 --> 00:06:22,839 Speaker 1: whole career is built on a crime, actually without a death. 127 00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:26,960 Speaker 1: I was impersonating um. So I went in and you know, 128 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:30,160 Speaker 1: when you're sixteen years old, you're fearless, right. Also, everybody 129 00:06:30,160 --> 00:06:32,080 Speaker 1: I knew from my high school showed up that night 130 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 1: because it was a Saturday night or something, and he 131 00:06:34,400 --> 00:06:36,479 Speaker 1: let me go on and do a few minutes, and 132 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:39,600 Speaker 1: I killed because everybody I knew was in the room, right, 133 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:41,719 Speaker 1: So I'd make jokes like Maryland's going out with Mitchell 134 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:44,039 Speaker 1: and Mike doesn't know, and all my friends would be 135 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:46,760 Speaker 1: like I made fun of the teachers, like common things that. 136 00:06:47,440 --> 00:06:49,080 Speaker 1: So the owner said, well, that was really good, why 137 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:51,680 Speaker 1: don't you come back tomorrow? So I went back the 138 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:53,880 Speaker 1: next night. I didn't know anyone. It was a school night. 139 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:57,200 Speaker 1: I bombed like you have never oh my god, like 140 00:06:57,240 --> 00:06:59,200 Speaker 1: a horrible death. And I went home and I thought, 141 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:01,760 Speaker 1: I don't want to do that anymore. So I'm watching 142 00:07:01,960 --> 00:07:05,279 Speaker 1: um merv. Griffin and I see Jerry Seinfeld and I 143 00:07:05,320 --> 00:07:07,240 Speaker 1: see him doing is that. It's all going like last 144 00:07:07,440 --> 00:07:09,000 Speaker 1: and I remembered is that, you know there were no 145 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:11,880 Speaker 1: VCRs then, but I remembered, like you know, my car 146 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:14,600 Speaker 1: stopped and I opened up the hut and I'm thinking 147 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:17,400 Speaker 1: what am I looking for? And on off, switch, on off, 148 00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:22,520 Speaker 1: and I'm thinking hi, And so I remembered it right. 149 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:24,760 Speaker 1: The club owner called me again, Richie and said, come back. 150 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:26,600 Speaker 1: Why don't you come back? You were good that first night. 151 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:28,720 Speaker 1: And so I come back and I do Signfelds act 152 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:31,280 Speaker 1: almost verbade him, and I get off stage and Ritchie 153 00:07:31,440 --> 00:07:34,040 Speaker 1: and you know, a bunch of other comics are standing around, said, 154 00:07:34,040 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 1: wod you get that material? I said, this guy named 155 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:38,560 Speaker 1: Jerry who was on MERV Griffin yesterday. They go, You're 156 00:07:38,560 --> 00:07:41,040 Speaker 1: not allowed to do that. I'm like, why not? They 157 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:42,760 Speaker 1: you have to write your own jokes and like, wait 158 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:45,640 Speaker 1: a minute, Strician doesn't write her own song. Did you 159 00:07:45,680 --> 00:07:48,520 Speaker 1: do well? Did the audience like? And they didn't you 160 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:51,760 Speaker 1: hear those? Because they were laughing jokes a joke. I 161 00:07:51,840 --> 00:07:55,480 Speaker 1: have to write the jokes and nuts. Harold Arlen wrote 162 00:07:55,480 --> 00:07:59,440 Speaker 1: that song that stuff, and so you know that. Then 163 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:01,119 Speaker 1: I they say, well, why don't you just hang around 164 00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:04,080 Speaker 1: here and uh, you can watch. So I started watching, right, 165 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:07,360 Speaker 1: I started going there almost every night watching comics. The 166 00:08:07,440 --> 00:08:10,160 Speaker 1: crowd like, well, back then he was sort of the 167 00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:12,720 Speaker 1: Heyday was starting with the Heyday, like Eddie Murphy had 168 00:08:12,760 --> 00:08:15,720 Speaker 1: just gotten on Saturday Night Live. So somebody from our 169 00:08:16,120 --> 00:08:19,520 Speaker 1: little club broke out to the big time. And comedy 170 00:08:19,520 --> 00:08:21,000 Speaker 1: clubs were kind of hot in the eighties, you know, 171 00:08:21,080 --> 00:08:23,080 Speaker 1: I sort of yeah, I hate the wave at the 172 00:08:23,160 --> 00:08:25,440 Speaker 1: exactly the right time. One Michael said that to me once. 173 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:28,800 Speaker 1: He said that when Saturday Night Live started back then 174 00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:32,680 Speaker 1: in the mid seventies. He said, they were like six 175 00:08:32,760 --> 00:08:35,160 Speaker 1: comedy clubs in the United States exactly, and you knew 176 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:37,280 Speaker 1: every stand up working. There was a time when I 177 00:08:37,320 --> 00:08:39,839 Speaker 1: started where I knew every female comics working working in 178 00:08:39,880 --> 00:08:42,200 Speaker 1: the country, right, And everybody knew each other, and everybody 179 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:43,920 Speaker 1: would help each other out. Hey, there's a club Tickles 180 00:08:43,920 --> 00:08:45,800 Speaker 1: and War in Ohio. I can talk to the guy 181 00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:49,640 Speaker 1: for you. You wouldn't have to audition because you knew 182 00:08:49,679 --> 00:08:51,559 Speaker 1: somebody who went there. And a lot of times I'd 183 00:08:51,559 --> 00:08:52,920 Speaker 1: go to the clubs and they pick you up in 184 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:54,600 Speaker 1: the car at the airport and they'd have a sign 185 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:56,560 Speaker 1: and they'd be driving you back to the comedy condo 186 00:08:56,600 --> 00:08:58,079 Speaker 1: and the guy go, you know, you know the fourth 187 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:00,360 Speaker 1: girl I had, the last three sucked if you went 188 00:09:00,400 --> 00:09:02,200 Speaker 1: good him the nether book and a girl again. I 189 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:04,680 Speaker 1: was like, no pressure, you know, just my entire gender 190 00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:07,520 Speaker 1: is writing on this. So um, you know. The kite 191 00:09:07,559 --> 00:09:09,400 Speaker 1: comic called me and said come back, and then I did. 192 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:11,520 Speaker 1: I was hanging out there and then I would do 193 00:09:11,679 --> 00:09:14,680 Speaker 1: open Mic Night. So Shirley Hempill, do you remember what's happening? 194 00:09:15,800 --> 00:09:18,480 Speaker 1: Big heavy Black Lady should play? Okay, she was the headliner. 195 00:09:18,520 --> 00:09:20,880 Speaker 1: Now that was a big deal in nineteen eighty. Right, 196 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:24,480 Speaker 1: she's the headliner and she's they are a day early 197 00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:26,880 Speaker 1: watching open Mic Night. I come off the stage. She 198 00:09:26,880 --> 00:09:28,520 Speaker 1: comes over to me. She goes, little one, little one, 199 00:09:28,520 --> 00:09:31,080 Speaker 1: come here. I said, yeah, Now, I'm an eighteen year 200 00:09:31,120 --> 00:09:34,000 Speaker 1: old kid, alec, but I look about fourteen, right, and 201 00:09:34,120 --> 00:09:36,640 Speaker 1: she says, um, you're funny. Come with me. She takes 202 00:09:36,640 --> 00:09:39,079 Speaker 1: me in through the kitchen to Richie's office and says 203 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:41,240 Speaker 1: I want her to open for me this weekend and 204 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:42,880 Speaker 1: he goes, no way, she's too new, she doesn't have 205 00:09:42,880 --> 00:09:45,040 Speaker 1: any act. She says, I wanted to m C. I 206 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:46,880 Speaker 1: wanted to open and do every show, and I want 207 00:09:46,880 --> 00:09:49,280 Speaker 1: you to pay her twenty five bucks a night. There 208 00:09:49,360 --> 00:09:52,560 Speaker 1: was a hundred dollars. I was eighteen and in high school. 209 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:55,920 Speaker 1: I thought my head was gonna exactly, my head was 210 00:09:55,920 --> 00:09:59,240 Speaker 1: gonna explode. And so she really helped my career. I 211 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:01,560 Speaker 1: started doing on and then I never stopped. And you 212 00:10:01,600 --> 00:10:05,719 Speaker 1: did that until Star Search was two, when you were 213 00:10:05,760 --> 00:10:10,079 Speaker 1: on right now, obviously this idea of the Talent Search show, 214 00:10:10,559 --> 00:10:13,480 Speaker 1: this goes back to Leonard Sillman on Broadway years. I mean, 215 00:10:13,800 --> 00:10:16,520 Speaker 1: this has been forever. And then then of course there's 216 00:10:16,520 --> 00:10:18,800 Speaker 1: a renaissance of this now with the voice and this 217 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:20,480 Speaker 1: in the hand and the foot and the tongue and 218 00:10:20,520 --> 00:10:22,600 Speaker 1: every of the show. What was that like back then 219 00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:26,920 Speaker 1: for you? Well, it was unbelievable because unlike huge and 220 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:29,720 Speaker 1: unlike today where there are so many media platforms and 221 00:10:29,840 --> 00:10:32,640 Speaker 1: there are so many shows like it, we had four channels, 222 00:10:32,840 --> 00:10:35,760 Speaker 1: five maybe, and I remember my nana whenever somebody was on, 223 00:10:35,800 --> 00:10:38,280 Speaker 1: like Tody Fields was on MERV Griffin or the Don 224 00:10:38,320 --> 00:10:40,320 Speaker 1: Ho Show which was on twelve and the f I'd 225 00:10:40,320 --> 00:10:42,960 Speaker 1: have my nana press play and record on the cassette player, 226 00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:46,280 Speaker 1: so I could listen to Tody Fields on the shows 227 00:10:46,280 --> 00:10:47,959 Speaker 1: that I would miss at school. And I think back 228 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:50,240 Speaker 1: about that now and it's kind of trippy. The TV 229 00:10:50,360 --> 00:10:54,040 Speaker 1: was the fireplace. Oh my god, totally. So what happened 230 00:10:54,120 --> 00:10:57,240 Speaker 1: was Star Search was so popular and I was on 231 00:10:57,280 --> 00:11:00,720 Speaker 1: the second season. Comics had two minutes a hundred and 232 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:03,559 Speaker 1: twenty seconds to do materials. You have a clean routine, 233 00:11:03,640 --> 00:11:06,400 Speaker 1: Always have a clean routine. Oh no, not in clubs necessarily. 234 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:09,760 Speaker 1: But I hadn't, you know, enough stuff. The problem was 235 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:13,240 Speaker 1: I kept winning, So I had enough clean material for 236 00:11:13,280 --> 00:11:15,640 Speaker 1: like five weeks, and then I kept winning. So I 237 00:11:15,679 --> 00:11:17,400 Speaker 1: called up comics who are my friends, and said, can 238 00:11:17,440 --> 00:11:19,319 Speaker 1: I use that bit? About this? Can I use that? 239 00:11:19,360 --> 00:11:21,000 Speaker 1: And they a lot of them said yes, you know, 240 00:11:21,200 --> 00:11:24,079 Speaker 1: Jeanette Barber, let me use a lot of bits, Carol Henry, 241 00:11:24,280 --> 00:11:26,280 Speaker 1: let me use bits. And you know, I had people 242 00:11:26,320 --> 00:11:28,559 Speaker 1: trying to help me. And so then I lost, and 243 00:11:28,920 --> 00:11:32,160 Speaker 1: I eventually, but I won like god like. It was 244 00:11:32,200 --> 00:11:35,240 Speaker 1: like twelve thousand dollars or like fourteen thousand dollars, and 245 00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:39,040 Speaker 1: I remember thinking I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe it. 246 00:11:39,240 --> 00:11:41,559 Speaker 1: I went for the final a hundred thousand dollar thing, 247 00:11:41,559 --> 00:11:45,200 Speaker 1: and I lost, and I remember never being so nervous 248 00:11:45,240 --> 00:11:48,079 Speaker 1: in my life. You know, TV was so different back then. 249 00:11:48,280 --> 00:11:51,040 Speaker 1: In they put you up at the Sunset Strip, right, 250 00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:53,560 Speaker 1: it was at Sunset and Vine where they filmed it. 251 00:11:53,640 --> 00:11:55,480 Speaker 1: And I didn't have any money, right, they'd give you 252 00:11:55,520 --> 00:11:58,359 Speaker 1: per diem, but I didn't know to get per diem. 253 00:11:58,440 --> 00:12:00,160 Speaker 1: So I had all that I had in my talk. 254 00:12:00,240 --> 00:12:02,160 Speaker 1: It was like, you know, forty dollars. So I'd walk 255 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:04,199 Speaker 1: every day to Carney's. You know that hot dogs cheer 256 00:12:04,280 --> 00:12:07,040 Speaker 1: on Sunset and for a dollar forty you could get fries, 257 00:12:07,120 --> 00:12:09,360 Speaker 1: a small coat, and a hot dog. And that's all 258 00:12:09,400 --> 00:12:13,040 Speaker 1: I had. That's welcome her back. Here's Rosie oh Donald. 259 00:12:14,120 --> 00:12:15,800 Speaker 1: So it's so funny. You watch it. You watch me 260 00:12:15,840 --> 00:12:19,199 Speaker 1: losing weight every single week because I didn't. I didn't really, 261 00:12:19,520 --> 00:12:21,199 Speaker 1: you know, But I ended up winning all this money 262 00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:23,560 Speaker 1: and I went from being an opening act to being 263 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:28,000 Speaker 1: a headliner from Star Start Overnight. But it really did 264 00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:29,839 Speaker 1: help my career doing Star Starch. After I did the show, 265 00:12:29,880 --> 00:12:32,040 Speaker 1: I was up for partner movie. I said, you can 266 00:12:32,040 --> 00:12:33,640 Speaker 1: have the part. Can you drop the New York accent? 267 00:12:34,240 --> 00:12:38,200 Speaker 1: I said sure, But the only way I can drop 268 00:12:38,240 --> 00:12:40,320 Speaker 1: the New York accent is if I opened my eyes 269 00:12:40,440 --> 00:12:45,200 Speaker 1: really wide and actually think about everything I'm saying. The 270 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:49,160 Speaker 1: only problem is I can't act this way. The only 271 00:12:49,160 --> 00:12:51,160 Speaker 1: thing I could be is a contestant in the Miss 272 00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:56,440 Speaker 1: America paget and then you get into the movie business. 273 00:12:57,080 --> 00:13:00,079 Speaker 1: Then I become a VJ. I do star Search, and 274 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:02,280 Speaker 1: then I do give me a break. What happened was 275 00:13:02,320 --> 00:13:07,120 Speaker 1: I was at a comedy club and Lauren Michaels was there, 276 00:13:07,120 --> 00:13:10,200 Speaker 1: was Share and Brandon Tarnikoff, and it's called Bigby's Comedy 277 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:14,439 Speaker 1: Clubs okay, and Dana Carvey was was auditioning to get 278 00:13:14,440 --> 00:13:17,319 Speaker 1: on SNL and I was the next comic up and 279 00:13:17,360 --> 00:13:19,240 Speaker 1: the waitress is one of my friends. And they said, 280 00:13:19,280 --> 00:13:23,600 Speaker 1: we're not dropping the check until after your set. So well, Brandon, 281 00:13:23,640 --> 00:13:25,560 Speaker 1: and they wanted the check because they had seen Dana 282 00:13:25,760 --> 00:13:29,040 Speaker 1: I was on and I killed right now. It's I 283 00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:31,319 Speaker 1: had a decade under my belt of doing stand up right, 284 00:13:31,760 --> 00:13:34,640 Speaker 1: so um. They came up to me after the show, 285 00:13:34,679 --> 00:13:37,400 Speaker 1: Brandon Tarnikoff, and said, Hi, I want you to call 286 00:13:37,480 --> 00:13:39,880 Speaker 1: this number at NBC tomorrow. We have a job for you. 287 00:13:40,559 --> 00:13:42,360 Speaker 1: And I called My sister was like three in the 288 00:13:42,400 --> 00:13:45,120 Speaker 1: morning New York time, I said, I got on SNL. Oh, 289 00:13:45,160 --> 00:13:48,200 Speaker 1: my god, Brandon Tarnikoff was here with Lauren Michael's and 290 00:13:48,240 --> 00:13:50,360 Speaker 1: I'm gonna be on SNL. And I walk in the 291 00:13:50,360 --> 00:13:52,079 Speaker 1: next day to NBC and they said, we're gonna put 292 00:13:52,080 --> 00:13:55,480 Speaker 1: you on Give Me a Break, and I was like, now, 293 00:13:55,520 --> 00:13:58,080 Speaker 1: I was still thrilled to be on TV, and so 294 00:13:58,160 --> 00:14:00,040 Speaker 1: that was the show. I did about ten episodes of 295 00:14:00,160 --> 00:14:02,840 Speaker 1: that in the last season with a very unhappy nel Carter, 296 00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:05,800 Speaker 1: which was a very shocking thing to me because I 297 00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:08,600 Speaker 1: had this image that everybody on TV was friendly and 298 00:14:08,679 --> 00:14:11,400 Speaker 1: happy and it was utopia, and I had seen her 299 00:14:11,440 --> 00:14:14,560 Speaker 1: in Broadway and Bubbling Ground and Bubbling Brown Shot as 300 00:14:14,559 --> 00:14:16,520 Speaker 1: well up Town. But that was my first thing I 301 00:14:16,520 --> 00:14:19,680 Speaker 1: did Give Me a Break. After that, that was eighty six, 302 00:14:19,720 --> 00:14:21,880 Speaker 1: and then eighty eight. They were auditioning VJs for v 303 00:14:22,040 --> 00:14:24,760 Speaker 1: H one and at the improv with Budd Freedman, and 304 00:14:24,800 --> 00:14:26,520 Speaker 1: I went there and I did my set and the 305 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:27,920 Speaker 1: guy came out and he said, you're really good, but 306 00:14:27,960 --> 00:14:30,520 Speaker 1: you don't really look like MTV, and I said, I 307 00:14:30,560 --> 00:14:32,120 Speaker 1: know when he goes, but we have another station, v 308 00:14:32,280 --> 00:14:34,480 Speaker 1: H one, And at that time it was reda Coolidge, 309 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:37,240 Speaker 1: I don't know if you remember. And so he said, 310 00:14:37,280 --> 00:14:39,040 Speaker 1: you wanted an audition for that, you'd have to fly 311 00:14:39,080 --> 00:14:40,640 Speaker 1: yourself to New York. I said, all right, So I 312 00:14:40,680 --> 00:14:46,440 Speaker 1: flew my wedding nine times a day, exactly right. And 313 00:14:46,480 --> 00:14:48,120 Speaker 1: they said, you know you can audition. So I went 314 00:14:48,240 --> 00:14:51,400 Speaker 1: on camera and I auditioned and went home to l A. 315 00:14:51,520 --> 00:14:53,760 Speaker 1: And then I wrote him a thank you note, Steve Leeds, 316 00:14:53,960 --> 00:14:55,840 Speaker 1: I said, thanks for the shot. I really appreciate it. 317 00:14:55,920 --> 00:14:57,560 Speaker 1: And he was so moved that somebody wrote him a 318 00:14:57,600 --> 00:14:59,600 Speaker 1: thank you note that he sent the tape over to 319 00:14:59,640 --> 00:15:01,920 Speaker 1: the v A one people. The guy who was hiring 320 00:15:01,960 --> 00:15:04,920 Speaker 1: is named Ed Harrington, very Irish guy. He saw Rosie 321 00:15:04,960 --> 00:15:07,520 Speaker 1: O'Donnell and they hired me. So it was a thank 322 00:15:07,560 --> 00:15:10,880 Speaker 1: you note that got me told I did that for 323 00:15:10,920 --> 00:15:14,360 Speaker 1: about two years that it was because it seems like 324 00:15:14,360 --> 00:15:16,360 Speaker 1: for the person who wanted to the clams on the 325 00:15:16,400 --> 00:15:20,680 Speaker 1: hashell career, you meander and you here and here where 326 00:15:20,680 --> 00:15:22,000 Speaker 1: it takes you. What was it like for you to 327 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:24,160 Speaker 1: be doing that? Well? Everyone everyone said not to do it. 328 00:15:24,200 --> 00:15:26,680 Speaker 1: People who were quote unquote advising my career, like Bud 329 00:15:26,680 --> 00:15:28,400 Speaker 1: Freeman or you know, I didn't even have an agent. 330 00:15:28,400 --> 00:15:31,160 Speaker 1: Really that because I knew it was in twenty three 331 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:33,640 Speaker 1: million homes, and I thought that it would teach me 332 00:15:33,640 --> 00:15:37,600 Speaker 1: how to be conversational versus presentational. Presentational is what you 333 00:15:37,640 --> 00:15:39,400 Speaker 1: do with stand up. You've already prepared it. It's a 334 00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:42,960 Speaker 1: wrapped package. They undo the bow, they undo the thing, Bloom, 335 00:15:42,960 --> 00:15:45,800 Speaker 1: there's the joke, right, But this is more conversational. Can 336 00:15:45,840 --> 00:15:49,600 Speaker 1: you carry on a conversation with a camera and treat 337 00:15:49,640 --> 00:15:51,320 Speaker 1: it like a person? And I thought it was a 338 00:15:51,320 --> 00:15:53,720 Speaker 1: skill that would really help me. And I also thought 339 00:15:54,160 --> 00:15:56,200 Speaker 1: that many millions of people seeing you, you can't say 340 00:15:56,240 --> 00:15:58,480 Speaker 1: no if you've never seen Elton John and concert, I 341 00:15:58,520 --> 00:16:00,240 Speaker 1: am urging you to do with both at in a 342 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:02,120 Speaker 1: lot and I love it. I'm going to see him 343 00:16:02,160 --> 00:16:04,040 Speaker 1: Thursday night and my sisters going to see him tonight. 344 00:16:04,360 --> 00:16:06,840 Speaker 1: Was it also about money? It was a hundred thousand 345 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:08,640 Speaker 1: dollars because I don't want to assume, but are you 346 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:10,720 Speaker 1: like me where a lot of the decisions I made 347 00:16:10,720 --> 00:16:12,560 Speaker 1: was about money? Yeah, at that time, I was like, 348 00:16:12,560 --> 00:16:14,960 Speaker 1: you know, twenty one maybe and to get a hundred 349 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:17,120 Speaker 1: grand because I remember saying to them, I'm giving up 350 00:16:17,120 --> 00:16:18,280 Speaker 1: a lot of money to not go on the road 351 00:16:18,280 --> 00:16:20,160 Speaker 1: because I was making good money in the road and 352 00:16:20,680 --> 00:16:22,320 Speaker 1: you would have to definitely cover that, and so they 353 00:16:22,360 --> 00:16:24,160 Speaker 1: came up with a hundred grand. So what I would 354 00:16:24,160 --> 00:16:25,880 Speaker 1: do is it was eight hours a day, but you 355 00:16:25,920 --> 00:16:28,240 Speaker 1: could film that in about two hours. It was four 356 00:16:28,280 --> 00:16:31,160 Speaker 1: breaks an hour at two minutes a break. So they 357 00:16:31,160 --> 00:16:33,080 Speaker 1: would give you the pictures that you had to do, like, 358 00:16:33,320 --> 00:16:35,240 Speaker 1: you know, this is Rosie O'donnald coming at you on 359 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:37,880 Speaker 1: v H one Video Hits one. The other music television 360 00:16:37,960 --> 00:16:40,520 Speaker 1: that was Whitney Houston, her seven single offer debut album, 361 00:16:40,520 --> 00:16:42,880 Speaker 1: Whitney Houston is doing VH one to Go Go our 362 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:45,800 Speaker 1: dance show only here on v H one Saturday nights 363 00:16:45,800 --> 00:16:47,800 Speaker 1: eight to eleven. You do have a good memory, but 364 00:16:48,280 --> 00:16:51,960 Speaker 1: that was about fourteen seconds. Now I had a minute 365 00:16:51,960 --> 00:16:54,960 Speaker 1: and a half left to fill and there's nobody but 366 00:16:55,040 --> 00:16:57,720 Speaker 1: me and two cameramen. So my goal was to get 367 00:16:57,760 --> 00:17:01,160 Speaker 1: the cameraman to laugh so that the camera would jiggle, right, 368 00:17:01,320 --> 00:17:03,320 Speaker 1: So that was that was my goal. I want to 369 00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:04,399 Speaker 1: go back and see tape to see if I can 370 00:17:04,440 --> 00:17:06,160 Speaker 1: find that jiggling camera. I bet you can't. I bet 371 00:17:06,160 --> 00:17:08,080 Speaker 1: I can't. Yeah, And so I did that for about 372 00:17:08,119 --> 00:17:10,159 Speaker 1: two years and that's how Penny Marshall saw me. She 373 00:17:10,200 --> 00:17:12,679 Speaker 1: saw you on v H one. I had just gotten 374 00:17:12,680 --> 00:17:14,480 Speaker 1: an agent and I sit next to this woman on 375 00:17:14,520 --> 00:17:17,240 Speaker 1: a plane and coach and she's very bitchy to the 376 00:17:17,240 --> 00:17:19,840 Speaker 1: stewardess and she's saying, I ordered a salad, and I 377 00:17:19,840 --> 00:17:21,760 Speaker 1: start making her laugh. I'm like, here, take my salad, 378 00:17:21,800 --> 00:17:23,680 Speaker 1: give me a dessert. You're such a and I put 379 00:17:23,680 --> 00:17:25,760 Speaker 1: her her luggage and I was just making her laugh, right, 380 00:17:25,880 --> 00:17:27,480 Speaker 1: And so it turns out she's an agent. She's a 381 00:17:27,480 --> 00:17:31,719 Speaker 1: new agent at William Moore. She's Julie Roberts, agent's assistant. Okay, 382 00:17:32,200 --> 00:17:34,159 Speaker 1: so I'm like, wow, that's pretty big for me. So 383 00:17:34,200 --> 00:17:35,760 Speaker 1: I start talking to her and she's like, what are 384 00:17:35,800 --> 00:17:37,399 Speaker 1: you doing. I'm like, I'm going out to audition for 385 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:40,040 Speaker 1: a game show. And she's like, oh and good luck. 386 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:41,479 Speaker 1: So I don't see her, you know, I dropped her 387 00:17:41,480 --> 00:17:44,000 Speaker 1: a no to something. And then six months later I 388 00:17:44,040 --> 00:17:47,000 Speaker 1: sit next to her again on another plane. Is that 389 00:17:47,000 --> 00:17:49,159 Speaker 1: the weirdest story? And I she said, what are you doing? 390 00:17:49,200 --> 00:17:50,760 Speaker 1: I said, I got offered wind Lose a drawer for 391 00:17:50,840 --> 00:17:53,280 Speaker 1: kids on Disney. They're gonna pay me fifty thousand dollars. 392 00:17:53,280 --> 00:17:55,680 Speaker 1: A year, five year contract and I'm gonna host that show, 393 00:17:55,760 --> 00:17:58,000 Speaker 1: and she said, you're not. And I'm now your agent, 394 00:17:58,280 --> 00:18:00,480 Speaker 1: and we're too close to God for me not to intervene. 395 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:02,280 Speaker 1: And it's too weird to sit next to you twice. 396 00:18:02,480 --> 00:18:06,679 Speaker 1: What's her name, Reesa Shapiro, of course? And does she 397 00:18:06,720 --> 00:18:09,000 Speaker 1: remain your agent for how long? She did? For probably 398 00:18:09,040 --> 00:18:12,080 Speaker 1: twenty years and then um, she sort of what happened 399 00:18:12,080 --> 00:18:14,959 Speaker 1: to you know, William Morris? And they all integrated, right, 400 00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:17,040 Speaker 1: and they fired all the women. People say to me, 401 00:18:17,680 --> 00:18:19,840 Speaker 1: why are you so bitter sometimes about Hollywood? I said, 402 00:18:19,840 --> 00:18:21,720 Speaker 1: it's just because it's just it's so foreign to me. 403 00:18:22,160 --> 00:18:24,360 Speaker 1: I said, these are the guys who they could come 404 00:18:24,359 --> 00:18:27,240 Speaker 1: into my house Millon and rape my mother and torture 405 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:29,919 Speaker 1: my mother, and then six weeks later to call you 406 00:18:29,960 --> 00:18:31,800 Speaker 1: and they'll go, listen, I know I raped your mother 407 00:18:32,080 --> 00:18:33,960 Speaker 1: and I tortured your mother. But I've got a script. 408 00:18:34,040 --> 00:18:36,200 Speaker 1: It's a great part for you. I mean, come on, well, 409 00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:38,560 Speaker 1: you know, I have a really interesting thing that reminds 410 00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:41,359 Speaker 1: me of I did a movie for Hallmark called Riding 411 00:18:41,359 --> 00:18:43,800 Speaker 1: the Bus with my sister, and Angelica Houston directed it, 412 00:18:44,520 --> 00:18:47,320 Speaker 1: and she's an amazing director. And I love her as 413 00:18:47,359 --> 00:18:49,719 Speaker 1: a person. It was done, and she handed in her 414 00:18:49,760 --> 00:18:53,320 Speaker 1: cut and apparently Hallmark didn't like it, so they recut 415 00:18:53,359 --> 00:18:56,280 Speaker 1: it and they sent it to me and they said, 416 00:18:56,440 --> 00:18:59,920 Speaker 1: if you sign off on this cut, we'll go over 417 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:02,679 Speaker 1: Angelica's head and we'll do an Emmy campaign for you 418 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:05,280 Speaker 1: to be nominated for this much money. And I said, 419 00:19:05,320 --> 00:19:08,520 Speaker 1: do you realize that that is Hollywood Royalty, that is 420 00:19:08,920 --> 00:19:12,920 Speaker 1: John Houston's daughter. Do you get that she's an Academy 421 00:19:12,960 --> 00:19:15,520 Speaker 1: Award winner and you're a corporate guian a suit who's 422 00:19:15,560 --> 00:19:18,359 Speaker 1: not an artist. What are you doing? So I said no, 423 00:19:18,600 --> 00:19:20,640 Speaker 1: and she called me. She was crying on the way 424 00:19:20,680 --> 00:19:22,520 Speaker 1: to the meeting. She said, you know you should be 425 00:19:22,520 --> 00:19:25,200 Speaker 1: dipped in gold o'donnald and she goes, not many people 426 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:27,520 Speaker 1: in Hollywood would do that, which even made me sat 427 00:19:27,560 --> 00:19:29,679 Speaker 1: her like that not many people would do that, But 428 00:19:29,760 --> 00:19:31,960 Speaker 1: you're on the pla Esa Shapiro says, no way, you're doing. 429 00:19:32,760 --> 00:19:36,240 Speaker 1: What happens and she um becomes my agent. She gets 430 00:19:36,240 --> 00:19:38,879 Speaker 1: a phone call, HI, do you represent that VJ? Can 431 00:19:38,920 --> 00:19:40,919 Speaker 1: she play baseball? She calls me up. She says, can 432 00:19:40,960 --> 00:19:43,800 Speaker 1: you play baseball? And baseball? I said, if there's one 433 00:19:43,800 --> 00:19:46,159 Speaker 1: thing I can do better than Julia Roberts, it's baseball. 434 00:19:46,560 --> 00:19:49,320 Speaker 1: And so I went and I auditioned for the movie. 435 00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:50,960 Speaker 1: You had to play baseball to even get a reading, 436 00:19:51,200 --> 00:19:53,760 Speaker 1: and I, of course I'm very good at baseball. So um, 437 00:19:53,840 --> 00:19:56,480 Speaker 1: then it was Penny calling back. But anyway I went in. 438 00:19:56,760 --> 00:19:58,479 Speaker 1: It was from her seeing me and went in and 439 00:19:58,760 --> 00:20:03,040 Speaker 1: got the part. And then not Madonna, what's your first movie? Right? Oh? No, 440 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:06,919 Speaker 1: my first movie was with your brother? I have forgot 441 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:09,560 Speaker 1: about that car fifty four? Where are you with? With Daniel? 442 00:20:09,560 --> 00:20:11,760 Speaker 1: With Daniel? Right? Well, when I was a j but 443 00:20:11,880 --> 00:20:14,360 Speaker 1: you but you omit that you left that out, which 444 00:20:14,400 --> 00:20:15,960 Speaker 1: I do as well. I did a movie which I 445 00:20:16,000 --> 00:20:18,200 Speaker 1: pretend that didn't happen. Yeah, I almost forget it happened. 446 00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:19,960 Speaker 1: I literally on my resume there's a movie I have 447 00:20:20,040 --> 00:20:22,240 Speaker 1: just deleted it. Yeah. And when people will say, what's 448 00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:24,159 Speaker 1: the first movie you made, I say, she's having a 449 00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:26,640 Speaker 1: baby with John Hughes and lo, that's not necessarily true, 450 00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:31,639 Speaker 1: because mine this movie, and I go, no, I didn't, Well, 451 00:20:31,640 --> 00:20:34,520 Speaker 1: this movie was not released, right. So when the time 452 00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:36,159 Speaker 1: that I did League of Their Own, League of their 453 00:20:36,160 --> 00:20:38,720 Speaker 1: Own came out first because they held it on the shelf, 454 00:20:38,760 --> 00:20:40,720 Speaker 1: and then after the success of like the flint Stones 455 00:20:40,760 --> 00:20:43,879 Speaker 1: and Sleepless and League, then they released Everywhere You're going. 456 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:47,399 Speaker 1: You're showing up obviously with stand up and then you're 457 00:20:47,440 --> 00:20:49,680 Speaker 1: making the guys laughing, jiggl the camera and there's a 458 00:20:49,760 --> 00:20:52,400 Speaker 1: velocity and a pace and an energy to what you're doing. 459 00:20:52,600 --> 00:20:54,280 Speaker 1: And now you're making movies. And does that become a 460 00:20:54,280 --> 00:20:56,120 Speaker 1: different muscle for you? Do you sit there and go, man, 461 00:20:56,160 --> 00:20:59,480 Speaker 1: this is slow and boring. Yes, But I love the camaraderie. 462 00:20:59,480 --> 00:21:01,360 Speaker 1: I love your set of League their own with all 463 00:21:01,400 --> 00:21:04,520 Speaker 1: the people playing baseball and oh no, it's the actors, 464 00:21:04,560 --> 00:21:06,800 Speaker 1: the camera guys and like you know, all of the 465 00:21:06,840 --> 00:21:08,840 Speaker 1: crew doing the thing where they picked the cards and 466 00:21:09,320 --> 00:21:11,840 Speaker 1: for my family exactly, and it was so loving and 467 00:21:11,880 --> 00:21:14,280 Speaker 1: so beautiful and stand up. You're alone. You're going on 468 00:21:14,359 --> 00:21:16,879 Speaker 1: these clubs. You know, for ten years, fifteen years, I 469 00:21:16,920 --> 00:21:19,760 Speaker 1: was alone on the road. You know, I'd go by myself. 470 00:21:19,840 --> 00:21:21,280 Speaker 1: I had to get in a plane and I'd fly 471 00:21:21,359 --> 00:21:23,280 Speaker 1: to someplace in the middle of the country and they 472 00:21:23,359 --> 00:21:26,520 Speaker 1: picked me up. Feel homeless, yeah, and you feel lonely 473 00:21:37,640 --> 00:21:41,320 Speaker 1: in a minute. Rosie o'donnald recalls her reaction when Ellen 474 00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:43,920 Speaker 1: Degenerous told her she was coming out of the closet 475 00:21:44,080 --> 00:21:48,280 Speaker 1: on her sitcom Ellen, and I remember thinking, why the 476 00:21:48,320 --> 00:21:50,920 Speaker 1: hell is she doing this? She's going to ruin her 477 00:21:51,080 --> 00:21:58,480 Speaker 1: entire career in her life. I'm Alec Baldwin and here's 478 00:21:58,480 --> 00:22:01,720 Speaker 1: the thing. Take a listen to our archive more in 479 00:22:01,840 --> 00:22:06,960 Speaker 1: depth conversations with artists, policymakers, and performers like Stacy Keach. 480 00:22:07,200 --> 00:22:09,439 Speaker 1: I think the hardest thing about Hamlet is is, you know, 481 00:22:09,640 --> 00:22:13,480 Speaker 1: is after that amazing duel in the last act when 482 00:22:13,520 --> 00:22:15,560 Speaker 1: when he dies, you know is not to be called 483 00:22:15,600 --> 00:22:19,119 Speaker 1: breathing on stage. Here from Stacy and fellow actor Michael 484 00:22:19,200 --> 00:22:44,240 Speaker 1: Douglas that here's the thing. Dot Org, this is Alec 485 00:22:44,280 --> 00:22:48,560 Speaker 1: Baldwin and you're listening to Here's the thing. Rosie o'donnald 486 00:22:48,600 --> 00:22:51,280 Speaker 1: claims she had a career in film simply because she 487 00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:54,040 Speaker 1: could play baseball. That she was the only actress in 488 00:22:54,080 --> 00:22:59,320 Speaker 1: Hollywood who could throw from third to first. Best player 489 00:22:59,359 --> 00:23:06,679 Speaker 1: on the team, Thank you. Rosie played Doris Murphy in 490 00:23:06,760 --> 00:23:09,880 Speaker 1: A League of their own, fictionalized account of the real 491 00:23:09,960 --> 00:23:14,000 Speaker 1: life All American Girls Professional Baseball League. The film was 492 00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:16,800 Speaker 1: a huge break for Rosie when they said that Madonna 493 00:23:16,880 --> 00:23:19,600 Speaker 1: was going to be playing my best friend. You know, 494 00:23:19,640 --> 00:23:21,520 Speaker 1: we had all been cast and Penny said that to me, 495 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:22,879 Speaker 1: she's going to come in. You have to make a 496 00:23:22,960 --> 00:23:25,760 Speaker 1: laugh and hopefully she'll do the film. Like I a diarrhea. 497 00:23:25,840 --> 00:23:29,480 Speaker 1: I thought, Madonna, Madonna? How do you be friends with Madonna? 498 00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:31,800 Speaker 1: What the hell? Like? You know? In our lifetime? I'm 499 00:23:31,800 --> 00:23:34,399 Speaker 1: fifty one years old, so we're almost the same age, right, 500 00:23:34,440 --> 00:23:37,440 Speaker 1: And to see her at twenty something explode like she did. 501 00:23:37,520 --> 00:23:39,760 Speaker 1: And I remember she had been friendly with Sandra Bernhard 502 00:23:39,760 --> 00:23:41,320 Speaker 1: a little bit, and as I was a VJ, thinking 503 00:23:41,320 --> 00:23:43,679 Speaker 1: how can you be friends with her? How could somebody 504 00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:46,320 Speaker 1: be friends with like Elvis, like mcdonna? And here I 505 00:23:46,359 --> 00:23:49,080 Speaker 1: am playing her best friends. So I knew when she 506 00:23:49,240 --> 00:23:51,840 Speaker 1: was cast in that role that my career was going 507 00:23:51,920 --> 00:23:54,320 Speaker 1: to take a whole different trajectory because of it. And 508 00:23:54,320 --> 00:23:56,879 Speaker 1: it did. And for you, that experience of working with her, 509 00:23:56,920 --> 00:23:59,399 Speaker 1: it was positive, it was positive, and it was sister 510 00:23:59,560 --> 00:24:01,119 Speaker 1: Lee like know, some people have said to me, I 511 00:24:01,119 --> 00:24:02,520 Speaker 1: thought you guys were lovers. I'm like, are you out 512 00:24:02,520 --> 00:24:05,560 Speaker 1: of your mind? Like you know? Some even Sandra said 513 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:09,320 Speaker 1: to me, away from Madonna, please, I'm such an Irish 514 00:24:09,359 --> 00:24:11,119 Speaker 1: Catholic girl like you can count on both hands how 515 00:24:11,119 --> 00:24:13,160 Speaker 1: many people have been with my entire fifty one years. 516 00:24:13,320 --> 00:24:14,760 Speaker 1: You know, my friend, I don't. I don't know. It 517 00:24:14,880 --> 00:24:17,600 Speaker 1: never crossed my mind because I met her the day 518 00:24:17,640 --> 00:24:20,120 Speaker 1: after I saw Truth or Dare. And in that movie 519 00:24:20,119 --> 00:24:22,000 Speaker 1: Truth or Dare, she goes to her mother's grave and 520 00:24:22,040 --> 00:24:24,639 Speaker 1: it's her own name on her mother's grave, and my 521 00:24:24,760 --> 00:24:28,080 Speaker 1: mother same experience. My mother's name is minname. So when 522 00:24:28,119 --> 00:24:30,000 Speaker 1: I went to see her grave when I finally got 523 00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:32,480 Speaker 1: my license at seventeen years old, there I saw for 524 00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:35,880 Speaker 1: the first time Roseanne O'Donnell. And it's flippy to think 525 00:24:35,880 --> 00:24:39,000 Speaker 1: to yourself, I know someone else who experienced that same thing. 526 00:24:39,160 --> 00:24:40,960 Speaker 1: So when I met her, I said, I saw your 527 00:24:41,000 --> 00:24:42,880 Speaker 1: movie yesterday, and my mom died when I was little, 528 00:24:42,880 --> 00:24:44,879 Speaker 1: and I'm named after her too, and there and it 529 00:24:44,960 --> 00:24:47,480 Speaker 1: was like, right away we had a sister thing, you know, 530 00:24:47,720 --> 00:24:50,480 Speaker 1: right away going on. Now, Penny's in the kind of 531 00:24:51,040 --> 00:24:54,040 Speaker 1: comedy College of Cardinals. There she did the hit show. 532 00:24:54,240 --> 00:24:56,600 Speaker 1: She's funny as hell. Was she helpful to you as 533 00:24:56,640 --> 00:24:58,480 Speaker 1: a director and she just leave you alone? How how 534 00:24:58,480 --> 00:25:00,879 Speaker 1: did you work as an actor? She was amazing because 535 00:25:00,880 --> 00:25:03,240 Speaker 1: she I love to improvise, and I come to find 536 00:25:03,280 --> 00:25:05,159 Speaker 1: out later in all the movies I did after that 537 00:25:05,240 --> 00:25:08,800 Speaker 1: not every director likes this. But she would go, you know, okay, 538 00:25:08,840 --> 00:25:11,160 Speaker 1: somebody got to go over there, caught a bull full 539 00:25:11,200 --> 00:25:14,600 Speaker 1: and just stay come up with a hot door hope doorway. Now, seriously, 540 00:25:14,600 --> 00:25:16,679 Speaker 1: half the time people didn't understand what she was saying. 541 00:25:17,320 --> 00:25:20,080 Speaker 1: So I'd raised my hand and she got rosy again. 542 00:25:20,280 --> 00:25:23,119 Speaker 1: All right, So my part was not really that big, 543 00:25:23,160 --> 00:25:25,520 Speaker 1: and she kept giving me all this extra stuff to do, 544 00:25:26,040 --> 00:25:28,520 Speaker 1: and if you got one take, she'd go try it again, 545 00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:30,320 Speaker 1: like she'd get the grip. The guy played my dad 546 00:25:30,359 --> 00:25:32,800 Speaker 1: was the grip, and he'd come down and he looked 547 00:25:32,880 --> 00:25:36,080 Speaker 1: irish and older guy, and she said, okay, put a 548 00:25:36,080 --> 00:25:37,920 Speaker 1: hat on him. He'll be your father, and let's talk 549 00:25:37,920 --> 00:25:40,239 Speaker 1: about a steak dinner near the bus go like So 550 00:25:40,320 --> 00:25:43,119 Speaker 1: it was a lot of improvisation, which for me is great, 551 00:25:43,240 --> 00:25:45,720 Speaker 1: like doing you know, curb your enthusiasm like you do 552 00:25:45,840 --> 00:25:48,480 Speaker 1: I know so well. I love that. I mean, that's 553 00:25:48,520 --> 00:25:50,520 Speaker 1: to me the most fun because it's like stand up 554 00:25:50,520 --> 00:25:52,360 Speaker 1: where you can go anywhere and say anything you want. 555 00:25:52,720 --> 00:25:57,560 Speaker 1: Did you go right into another film before League got released? Yes, 556 00:25:57,600 --> 00:26:00,520 Speaker 1: I did. Sleepless in Seattle, and so I did League 557 00:26:00,520 --> 00:26:02,320 Speaker 1: and it wasn't out yet. And then my and now 558 00:26:02,320 --> 00:26:05,920 Speaker 1: a woman who I mean, Penny is discerning, and Penny 559 00:26:05,960 --> 00:26:08,280 Speaker 1: is you know, well regarded as a director and so forth. 560 00:26:08,440 --> 00:26:10,320 Speaker 1: But now you go and work with a woman who 561 00:26:10,359 --> 00:26:13,120 Speaker 1: was the most discerning and it was the most options 562 00:26:13,240 --> 00:26:15,879 Speaker 1: and who I could have cast anybody and had anybody, 563 00:26:15,880 --> 00:26:17,880 Speaker 1: and she chose you. And I'm so intimidated because it's 564 00:26:17,880 --> 00:26:20,080 Speaker 1: Nora Fron and I've read every single thing she ever 565 00:26:20,080 --> 00:26:22,160 Speaker 1: wrote in her life, and I knew about her sister 566 00:26:22,240 --> 00:26:24,159 Speaker 1: and her parents and what they had written. So I 567 00:26:24,240 --> 00:26:26,679 Speaker 1: go into the app Thorpe, into her big, you know 568 00:26:26,760 --> 00:26:29,480 Speaker 1: apartment that has a library full of and I'm looking 569 00:26:29,520 --> 00:26:31,480 Speaker 1: at what book she's reading, and I'm you know, and 570 00:26:31,520 --> 00:26:34,159 Speaker 1: she calls me in and she says hello, and I 571 00:26:34,200 --> 00:26:36,200 Speaker 1: say hello, and I'm still like happy to be there. 572 00:26:36,200 --> 00:26:38,760 Speaker 1: And we clicked right away, and and she's like wow. 573 00:26:39,080 --> 00:26:40,640 Speaker 1: She goes, wait a minute, and she goes and gets 574 00:26:40,680 --> 00:26:42,760 Speaker 1: the script off the facts that Delia had been working 575 00:26:42,800 --> 00:26:45,119 Speaker 1: on and pieces of new scene and she goes read this, 576 00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:48,080 Speaker 1: and I read that, and then I left and I 577 00:26:48,119 --> 00:26:49,680 Speaker 1: called my agent in the car and said, I got 578 00:26:49,680 --> 00:26:51,399 Speaker 1: the job, and she said, you know, this is your 579 00:26:51,400 --> 00:26:54,439 Speaker 1: second movie audition. You don't really understand. You got the 580 00:26:54,480 --> 00:26:56,360 Speaker 1: first one, but you're not probably going to get this. 581 00:26:56,480 --> 00:26:58,760 Speaker 1: And I said, no, I got the job. And I did. 582 00:26:59,240 --> 00:27:02,600 Speaker 1: And the reason Nora told me was that night at dinner, 583 00:27:02,920 --> 00:27:05,119 Speaker 1: she said, oh, I I interviewed this girl today. I 584 00:27:05,119 --> 00:27:08,400 Speaker 1: think I might hire her. Name's Rosie O'Donnell. And her son, Jacob, 585 00:27:08,480 --> 00:27:11,320 Speaker 1: who was ten at the time, who was a Madonna freak, 586 00:27:11,920 --> 00:27:13,719 Speaker 1: was like, oh my god, mom, I know her. And 587 00:27:13,840 --> 00:27:15,520 Speaker 1: he ended up being a gay man now who was 588 00:27:15,560 --> 00:27:18,120 Speaker 1: a writer at the the Times right, a great guy. 589 00:27:18,480 --> 00:27:20,680 Speaker 1: And and then Nora ended up getting me an apartment 590 00:27:20,680 --> 00:27:23,560 Speaker 1: in the app Thorpe after the movie, and Jacob used 591 00:27:23,560 --> 00:27:26,000 Speaker 1: to come over to my apartment and tell me about 592 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:27,960 Speaker 1: his being gay and not knowing how to tell his mom, 593 00:27:28,000 --> 00:27:30,040 Speaker 1: and so I sort of helped What did you tell him? 594 00:27:30,080 --> 00:27:32,439 Speaker 1: I helped him come out. His mother knew, but his 595 00:27:32,520 --> 00:27:34,280 Speaker 1: mother said to me, do you think he's gay? I'm like, yes, 596 00:27:34,320 --> 00:27:36,880 Speaker 1: I do, right, And he was like ten or eleven, 597 00:27:37,119 --> 00:27:38,720 Speaker 1: She goes, I think he might be too. I said, yeah, 598 00:27:38,760 --> 00:27:40,359 Speaker 1: he is. Some nights i'd come home when he's like 599 00:27:40,400 --> 00:27:43,040 Speaker 1: fourteen years drunk outside. I'm like, come here, you're gonna 600 00:27:43,119 --> 00:27:44,840 Speaker 1: go up to my apartment. Come with us. I take 601 00:27:44,920 --> 00:27:46,960 Speaker 1: him up to the apartment. I'd call Nora, I'd go 602 00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:48,600 Speaker 1: I have him. I'll bring him back in a little while. 603 00:27:48,880 --> 00:27:51,000 Speaker 1: It was like living in Queens. Everybody knew each other. 604 00:27:51,200 --> 00:27:52,520 Speaker 1: But he was a great kid. And you know, I 605 00:27:52,520 --> 00:27:54,840 Speaker 1: have pictures of him playing with Parker, you know, when 606 00:27:54,880 --> 00:27:56,639 Speaker 1: Parker was a baby, and then I have a picture 607 00:27:56,640 --> 00:27:58,040 Speaker 1: of them when we did Love Laws and what I 608 00:27:58,040 --> 00:28:01,119 Speaker 1: wore at the opening night Parker's six with something standing 609 00:28:01,160 --> 00:28:03,600 Speaker 1: next to Jacob, And it's just so weird how life 610 00:28:03,600 --> 00:28:06,840 Speaker 1: goes like that. I'm not big on the whole gay 611 00:28:06,920 --> 00:28:09,240 Speaker 1: identity thing in terms of you know that that story, 612 00:28:09,240 --> 00:28:12,080 Speaker 1: because I'm sure you've exhausted that. But what I'm curious 613 00:28:12,080 --> 00:28:15,040 Speaker 1: about is how over the ark of a long career 614 00:28:15,080 --> 00:28:17,000 Speaker 1: now that's changed for you. And it was being a 615 00:28:17,040 --> 00:28:20,320 Speaker 1: gay woman, being a gay performer, going back to you 616 00:28:20,359 --> 00:28:22,280 Speaker 1: know it is seventy eight to do at the club 617 00:28:22,280 --> 00:28:25,440 Speaker 1: in Huntington's on through Now it's many many years. It's 618 00:28:25,480 --> 00:28:28,440 Speaker 1: a thirty five years since you were a kid doing 619 00:28:28,440 --> 00:28:31,800 Speaker 1: this stuff. How's that changed? For you. Remarkable the amount 620 00:28:31,800 --> 00:28:34,399 Speaker 1: of change that's happened just in my lifetime. You know. 621 00:28:34,520 --> 00:28:37,080 Speaker 1: I was coming out of therapy two weeks ago in Nyack, 622 00:28:37,119 --> 00:28:40,280 Speaker 1: New York, and I see two high school girls holding 623 00:28:40,320 --> 00:28:43,040 Speaker 1: hands walking through the parking lot and like, I almost 624 00:28:43,040 --> 00:28:45,200 Speaker 1: fill up with you. I stopped them. I said, excuse me. Now, 625 00:28:45,200 --> 00:28:47,920 Speaker 1: they have no idea right there, the there's a cut off. 626 00:28:47,960 --> 00:28:50,120 Speaker 1: My fame is over right now. I know there are 627 00:28:50,120 --> 00:28:52,200 Speaker 1: people who still, but it's not like it was right 628 00:28:52,280 --> 00:28:53,840 Speaker 1: So I said excuse me, and they sort of like, 629 00:28:53,880 --> 00:28:55,880 Speaker 1: what's this old lady's talking to me? I said, I 630 00:28:55,960 --> 00:28:58,160 Speaker 1: just want to tell you that I'm a fifty one 631 00:28:58,200 --> 00:29:00,520 Speaker 1: year old gay woman and as a a woman. To 632 00:29:00,600 --> 00:29:02,640 Speaker 1: see you two girls, what are you in high school? 633 00:29:02,640 --> 00:29:04,600 Speaker 1: They're like, yeah, we're in tenth grade. To see you 634 00:29:04,680 --> 00:29:07,920 Speaker 1: holding hands in the middle of town walking through it 635 00:29:08,040 --> 00:29:10,200 Speaker 1: just it moves me so much. And they're like, oh really, 636 00:29:10,320 --> 00:29:14,120 Speaker 1: oh thanks, all right, see you here. I am like, 637 00:29:14,400 --> 00:29:17,160 Speaker 1: come here, but I don't know. You know, people sort 638 00:29:17,200 --> 00:29:19,160 Speaker 1: of knew that I was gay, in my opinion in 639 00:29:19,200 --> 00:29:21,280 Speaker 1: show business because I never hit it. It's never like 640 00:29:21,320 --> 00:29:23,720 Speaker 1: I pretended to have a boy friend or although people 641 00:29:23,720 --> 00:29:25,280 Speaker 1: say I did that with Tom Cruise, but it wasn't 642 00:29:25,280 --> 00:29:27,040 Speaker 1: a sexual thing with him. I still have a crush 643 00:29:27,040 --> 00:29:29,000 Speaker 1: on him, you know, but it's not like I wanted 644 00:29:29,040 --> 00:29:31,200 Speaker 1: to screw him. I just thought, God, that is a 645 00:29:31,760 --> 00:29:34,800 Speaker 1: that is something about the exactly like to have him, 646 00:29:34,840 --> 00:29:37,560 Speaker 1: you know, with no shirt on, painting something in my house, 647 00:29:38,120 --> 00:29:40,680 Speaker 1: you know, and then leaving after he gave me breakfast 648 00:29:40,800 --> 00:29:43,600 Speaker 1: exactly right, So anyway people knew was what I thought, right. 649 00:29:43,640 --> 00:29:47,760 Speaker 1: But I remember, like when Ellen called me up and said, 650 00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:50,640 Speaker 1: I'm going to have my character Ellen Morgan come out 651 00:29:50,680 --> 00:29:54,120 Speaker 1: as a lesbian on my TV show, and I remember thinking, 652 00:29:54,240 --> 00:29:56,520 Speaker 1: why the hell is she doing this? She's going to 653 00:29:56,720 --> 00:30:00,320 Speaker 1: ruin her entire career and her life. It was such 654 00:30:00,360 --> 00:30:03,760 Speaker 1: a foreign concept. This is pre Will and Grace. Okay, 655 00:30:04,200 --> 00:30:07,480 Speaker 1: no one had ever even considered it. The only people 656 00:30:07,480 --> 00:30:10,760 Speaker 1: who were out were rock stars. There was no actor 657 00:30:10,840 --> 00:30:13,720 Speaker 1: or actress or comedian who was out. You know, I 658 00:30:13,720 --> 00:30:16,640 Speaker 1: don't remember even Charles Nelson. Riley wasn't out. I mean, 659 00:30:16,720 --> 00:30:20,560 Speaker 1: you know, certainly gayish people. And I remember thinking she's 660 00:30:20,640 --> 00:30:23,440 Speaker 1: making a huge mistake, you know, And then there was 661 00:30:23,480 --> 00:30:25,840 Speaker 1: that tremendous amount of fall out that happened afterwards. I 662 00:30:25,920 --> 00:30:28,720 Speaker 1: was like, it would pained me for her. It really did. 663 00:30:29,000 --> 00:30:31,280 Speaker 1: Now listen in hindsight, Oh my god, the courage that 664 00:30:31,320 --> 00:30:32,680 Speaker 1: it took for her to do that at the time 665 00:30:32,760 --> 00:30:34,960 Speaker 1: she did it, in the way she did it was 666 00:30:35,080 --> 00:30:38,200 Speaker 1: pretty unbelievable, you know. I I did not possess that, 667 00:30:38,720 --> 00:30:40,760 Speaker 1: And so she did that. And then Will and Grace 668 00:30:40,800 --> 00:30:43,360 Speaker 1: came on, and I remember them telling me at my show, oh, 669 00:30:43,400 --> 00:30:45,960 Speaker 1: there's a new sitcom that's starting. It's about a gay 670 00:30:46,000 --> 00:30:48,720 Speaker 1: man living with a straight girl. And I go, that 671 00:30:48,760 --> 00:30:52,040 Speaker 1: will never work. Remember Love Sydney with Tony Randall. He 672 00:30:52,160 --> 00:30:55,440 Speaker 1: had his dead partner's picture on the mantel and the 673 00:30:55,480 --> 00:30:57,640 Speaker 1: Catholic church was protesting and it was often two weeks. 674 00:30:57,680 --> 00:31:00,640 Speaker 1: And this was Tony Randolph, right, So I thought, that 675 00:31:00,680 --> 00:31:02,880 Speaker 1: will never work. So then Will and Grace comes on. 676 00:31:02,960 --> 00:31:05,000 Speaker 1: Not only does it work, it blows up queer eye 677 00:31:05,040 --> 00:31:09,040 Speaker 1: for the straight guy. It's like the society culture we 678 00:31:09,120 --> 00:31:12,520 Speaker 1: have changed in such a quick amount of time that 679 00:31:12,600 --> 00:31:14,960 Speaker 1: people don't even realize it. You know, to think that 680 00:31:15,040 --> 00:31:18,120 Speaker 1: in my lifetime, in my career, that you can be 681 00:31:18,560 --> 00:31:24,040 Speaker 1: an out performer actor playing against type. Neil Patrick Harris 682 00:31:24,040 --> 00:31:26,959 Speaker 1: playing a womanizer on that show be out married with 683 00:31:27,000 --> 00:31:30,080 Speaker 1: twin boys and it doesn't hurt your career and it 684 00:31:30,080 --> 00:31:32,040 Speaker 1: doesn't do anything to you know. So in a way, 685 00:31:32,240 --> 00:31:36,160 Speaker 1: it's the most beautifully astounding inspirational thing that I can 686 00:31:36,240 --> 00:31:38,240 Speaker 1: think about it in my fifty one years of living now, 687 00:31:38,280 --> 00:31:41,480 Speaker 1: in the time that you from being a young woman 688 00:31:41,600 --> 00:31:43,600 Speaker 1: and a performer in this business and you're making your 689 00:31:43,600 --> 00:31:46,800 Speaker 1: way and you're succeeding, and you're a gay woman, did 690 00:31:46,800 --> 00:31:50,520 Speaker 1: you ever think about marriage, kids, family? Like, when did 691 00:31:50,560 --> 00:31:53,080 Speaker 1: that polaroid begin to become more in focus. I always 692 00:31:53,160 --> 00:31:55,120 Speaker 1: knew I wanted kids, you did always, But I never 693 00:31:55,120 --> 00:31:56,640 Speaker 1: thought I would get married to a man. I mean 694 00:31:56,680 --> 00:32:00,840 Speaker 1: I didn't really accept, of course, but yeah, I would 695 00:32:00,880 --> 00:32:02,680 Speaker 1: not have turned that down. But I know, I just 696 00:32:02,920 --> 00:32:05,000 Speaker 1: you know. I dated one guy when I was twenty 697 00:32:05,040 --> 00:32:06,800 Speaker 1: eight for about a year and a half, two years. 698 00:32:06,920 --> 00:32:09,560 Speaker 1: His name was Mike. We lived together, great guy, six 699 00:32:09,560 --> 00:32:11,600 Speaker 1: ft one or six ft two. I had only dated 700 00:32:11,640 --> 00:32:13,959 Speaker 1: two women before that. I just sort of didn't do 701 00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:16,080 Speaker 1: it at all. It was just like, you know, whatever, 702 00:32:16,600 --> 00:32:20,880 Speaker 1: and yeah, I got a career plan and uh so, 703 00:32:21,120 --> 00:32:23,240 Speaker 1: um I dated this guy, and I remember thinking, maybe 704 00:32:23,280 --> 00:32:25,360 Speaker 1: I'm not gay. Look at this, Maybe I'm not gay. 705 00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:28,680 Speaker 1: But it turned out, you know, I was wrong. So uh, 706 00:32:29,000 --> 00:32:31,040 Speaker 1: that was the only time that I thought to myself, well, 707 00:32:31,080 --> 00:32:33,400 Speaker 1: maybe I am straight. Maybe this I don't know what 708 00:32:33,440 --> 00:32:36,280 Speaker 1: this is. Maybe um you know, because it's it's like 709 00:32:36,320 --> 00:32:38,920 Speaker 1: what people don't understand about homosexuality. It's not that you 710 00:32:38,960 --> 00:32:42,680 Speaker 1: can't have satisfactory sex with the opposite gender. It's just 711 00:32:42,760 --> 00:32:45,040 Speaker 1: that your heart and your soul and your connection and 712 00:32:45,080 --> 00:32:50,080 Speaker 1: your desire for emotional intimacy is only really served by 713 00:32:50,600 --> 00:32:53,440 Speaker 1: somebody of the same set. I've never heard anybody articulated 714 00:32:53,480 --> 00:32:55,760 Speaker 1: that way before ever. Yeah, I've never heard anyone say that. 715 00:32:55,800 --> 00:32:59,360 Speaker 1: I mean, but there was a period. Mike was the name. Yeah, 716 00:32:59,480 --> 00:33:01,960 Speaker 1: you still want with him? Um, not so much. But 717 00:33:02,160 --> 00:33:05,840 Speaker 1: we had been for about ten years. I was half 718 00:33:05,840 --> 00:33:08,600 Speaker 1: a life ago. But did you leave all those people behind? 719 00:33:08,640 --> 00:33:11,480 Speaker 1: Did you shed a skin when you became famous and 720 00:33:11,520 --> 00:33:13,920 Speaker 1: went into the business, Because for me, all my friendships 721 00:33:14,000 --> 00:33:18,040 Speaker 1: began when I got into this business. It's interesting. I 722 00:33:18,040 --> 00:33:20,600 Speaker 1: have two friends, Jeannie and Jackie. They're my friends since 723 00:33:20,640 --> 00:33:23,600 Speaker 1: I was in elementary school and they're still my best friends. 724 00:33:23,640 --> 00:33:26,120 Speaker 1: And the three of us see each other at least, 725 00:33:26,160 --> 00:33:29,240 Speaker 1: you know, Jackie probably twice a week. Jeanie, probably because 726 00:33:29,240 --> 00:33:31,400 Speaker 1: she's out on the island at least once a month, 727 00:33:31,480 --> 00:33:34,960 Speaker 1: and the three of us are like sisters and their family. 728 00:33:35,080 --> 00:33:37,440 Speaker 1: To me, Jackie's mother raised me, you know, after my 729 00:33:37,480 --> 00:33:39,400 Speaker 1: mother died, I would eat dinner at their house like 730 00:33:39,400 --> 00:33:41,360 Speaker 1: five nights a week. She bought me my first bra, 731 00:33:41,640 --> 00:33:43,600 Speaker 1: She bought me, you know, tampons when I needed them 732 00:33:43,800 --> 00:33:46,040 Speaker 1: as a kid. She was a mother, right, So, and 733 00:33:46,120 --> 00:33:48,880 Speaker 1: she's still alive Bernies and so I see Jackie like 734 00:33:48,880 --> 00:33:51,160 Speaker 1: like a sister all the time. But aside from those two, 735 00:33:51,200 --> 00:33:53,240 Speaker 1: I don't see anyone from high school. I don't see 736 00:33:53,280 --> 00:33:57,000 Speaker 1: anyone from my old stomping grounds on Long Island. And 737 00:33:57,720 --> 00:34:00,200 Speaker 1: most of my friends, aside from those two, are friends 738 00:34:00,240 --> 00:34:02,600 Speaker 1: that I am out in this business because it's very 739 00:34:02,600 --> 00:34:05,560 Speaker 1: hard for people to understand it is lonely. I mean, 740 00:34:05,600 --> 00:34:08,319 Speaker 1: it's so lonely, and it's hard to explain it to 741 00:34:08,360 --> 00:34:11,200 Speaker 1: someone else because they it's held up as the be 742 00:34:11,320 --> 00:34:13,920 Speaker 1: all and end all. It's held up as and it 743 00:34:13,920 --> 00:34:16,600 Speaker 1: it really isn't. The reality of it is very different 744 00:34:16,640 --> 00:34:18,719 Speaker 1: than what you expected from it. I'll never forget. This 745 00:34:18,800 --> 00:34:21,840 Speaker 1: is gonna seem mundane, perhaps, but this really defines what 746 00:34:21,880 --> 00:34:24,080 Speaker 1: I'm talking about im. I would be sitting like I'm 747 00:34:24,080 --> 00:34:26,879 Speaker 1: in the Canadian Rocky shooting a movie with Tony Hopkins, 748 00:34:27,000 --> 00:34:30,400 Speaker 1: and I'll never forget my assistant would FedEx me my 749 00:34:30,480 --> 00:34:32,879 Speaker 1: mail and I pick up this thing and it says, 750 00:34:32,920 --> 00:34:36,239 Speaker 1: you know the dates of the Bacon exhibit at the 751 00:34:36,280 --> 00:34:38,120 Speaker 1: met and it's going to close and I'm not going 752 00:34:38,200 --> 00:34:40,360 Speaker 1: to get back there and I'm gonna miss the Bacon exhibit. 753 00:34:40,520 --> 00:34:43,720 Speaker 1: I felt so awful because I thought, I'm missing my life, 754 00:34:43,840 --> 00:34:46,440 Speaker 1: I'm missing everything. Like when I did thirty rock people say, 755 00:34:46,480 --> 00:34:48,480 Speaker 1: why did you love thirty Rockets? Because they would work 756 00:34:48,480 --> 00:34:50,680 Speaker 1: the schedule with me. When you're in the movie business, 757 00:34:50,880 --> 00:34:55,879 Speaker 1: they are so punishingly unempathetic because they got ninety days 758 00:34:55,920 --> 00:34:57,560 Speaker 1: to do it. They've got to get this thing done, 759 00:34:57,600 --> 00:35:00,520 Speaker 1: and cutting days and cutting costs is what they're all back. Well, 760 00:35:00,520 --> 00:35:02,000 Speaker 1: I remember when I was on my talk show when 761 00:35:02,000 --> 00:35:03,680 Speaker 1: you were saying, I really want to get a sitcom. 762 00:35:03,800 --> 00:35:05,440 Speaker 1: I really wanted to a Sitcome with me. Remember we 763 00:35:05,440 --> 00:35:07,359 Speaker 1: were talking about it. I tell you, I said, we're 764 00:35:07,360 --> 00:35:11,440 Speaker 1: gonna do Jackie Gleeson and you're Jackie Gleeson and I'm yeah, 765 00:35:11,560 --> 00:35:13,759 Speaker 1: I said, you're gonna be the brassy, tough character, and 766 00:35:13,760 --> 00:35:16,680 Speaker 1: I'm gonna be your witherming husband. Right. So I remember 767 00:35:16,680 --> 00:35:18,520 Speaker 1: when people were saying that there was a show thirty 768 00:35:18,600 --> 00:35:20,360 Speaker 1: Rock and Alec Bolan, and some people were saying to me, 769 00:35:20,440 --> 00:35:22,080 Speaker 1: he's not gonna do a sick I'm like, yes he is. 770 00:35:22,320 --> 00:35:24,719 Speaker 1: You know, because I knew because I had spoke, we 771 00:35:24,760 --> 00:35:27,400 Speaker 1: had spoken about it, how taxing it is, and I 772 00:35:27,480 --> 00:35:29,400 Speaker 1: knew what you were craving was some kind of a 773 00:35:29,480 --> 00:35:32,640 Speaker 1: normal schedule, Like a sitcom is the perfect gig for 774 00:35:32,680 --> 00:35:34,880 Speaker 1: every actor. If you could get a thirty minute sitcom, 775 00:35:34,960 --> 00:35:37,680 Speaker 1: I think that, you know, one hour drama is just 776 00:35:37,719 --> 00:35:39,480 Speaker 1: like doing a movie for nine months in a row. 777 00:35:39,760 --> 00:35:45,040 Speaker 1: It's exhausting. In a minute, Rosie o'donald shares what it's 778 00:35:45,080 --> 00:35:49,160 Speaker 1: like to be a new parent in your fifties. I'm 779 00:35:49,160 --> 00:35:54,040 Speaker 1: all ears, this is Alec Baldwin and you're listening to 780 00:35:54,120 --> 00:36:14,000 Speaker 1: here's the thing. This is Alec Baldwin, and you're listening 781 00:36:14,040 --> 00:36:18,480 Speaker 1: to here's the thing. Rosie O'Donnell has supported kids charities 782 00:36:18,520 --> 00:36:21,400 Speaker 1: for most of her career. At age thirty three, she 783 00:36:21,480 --> 00:36:24,400 Speaker 1: adopted a child of her own, a baby boy, Parker. 784 00:36:24,840 --> 00:36:28,400 Speaker 1: The balancing act between motherhood and career, particularly in the 785 00:36:28,520 --> 00:36:32,560 Speaker 1: entertainment industry, took her by surprise. When Parker was a baby, 786 00:36:32,600 --> 00:36:34,560 Speaker 1: you know, I didn't know anyone who went a nanny. 787 00:36:34,680 --> 00:36:37,080 Speaker 1: I grew up like you did. There was an unheard 788 00:36:37,120 --> 00:36:39,720 Speaker 1: of thing. I didn't even know anyone who a babysitter, right, besides, 789 00:36:39,800 --> 00:36:41,800 Speaker 1: somebody would come over for three hours when your parents 790 00:36:41,840 --> 00:36:45,080 Speaker 1: went to you know, red Lobster. So um. I did 791 00:36:45,120 --> 00:36:47,840 Speaker 1: Harry at the Spine, my first movie after he was born, 792 00:36:48,239 --> 00:36:51,320 Speaker 1: and he was about three or four months old, maybe 793 00:36:51,320 --> 00:36:54,880 Speaker 1: five months old, and I took him to Canada to film, 794 00:36:54,960 --> 00:36:56,799 Speaker 1: and I asked my cleaning lady to come with me 795 00:36:56,880 --> 00:36:59,160 Speaker 1: to watch him because I didn't have anybody to help. 796 00:36:59,719 --> 00:37:02,560 Speaker 1: So she came. And the third day that I came 797 00:37:02,600 --> 00:37:05,319 Speaker 1: home from a twelve hour day on the set, he 798 00:37:05,320 --> 00:37:07,600 Speaker 1: wouldn't come to me. I won't come to you, buddy, 799 00:37:07,760 --> 00:37:11,040 Speaker 1: and he would cry. He wouldn't. He was staying with Maria, 800 00:37:11,320 --> 00:37:13,719 Speaker 1: and I remember at that moment, I called my agent 801 00:37:13,719 --> 00:37:15,080 Speaker 1: and said, you need to get me a job that's 802 00:37:15,080 --> 00:37:17,319 Speaker 1: going to keep me in New York because I don't 803 00:37:17,320 --> 00:37:19,200 Speaker 1: want him growing up on movie sets. I want him 804 00:37:19,200 --> 00:37:20,640 Speaker 1: to have his own bedroom. I want him to know 805 00:37:20,680 --> 00:37:22,880 Speaker 1: his cousins. I want him to have a normal life. 806 00:37:23,040 --> 00:37:24,799 Speaker 1: And so that's the reason I did my talk show 807 00:37:25,000 --> 00:37:27,560 Speaker 1: was because I wanted you and I it's a mirror. 808 00:37:27,560 --> 00:37:29,640 Speaker 1: That's why I did thirty Rock and and my daughter 809 00:37:29,680 --> 00:37:32,120 Speaker 1: lived in l A. But I said to Lauren, he said, 810 00:37:32,160 --> 00:37:35,120 Speaker 1: what's it gonna take. I will give you off every 811 00:37:35,160 --> 00:37:37,160 Speaker 1: Monday and every Friday, any weekend you want to go 812 00:37:37,160 --> 00:37:38,400 Speaker 1: to go see your daughter who was in l A. 813 00:37:38,680 --> 00:37:40,600 Speaker 1: Which in the beginning I would do. And then as 814 00:37:40,640 --> 00:37:43,439 Speaker 1: my daughter got older, I mean I stopped going every 815 00:37:43,480 --> 00:37:45,239 Speaker 1: other weekend because like I would drive out there and 816 00:37:45,280 --> 00:37:47,480 Speaker 1: like drive my daughter to a party and drop her off. 817 00:37:47,520 --> 00:37:53,080 Speaker 1: Believe its hell, But when does the moment come You're like, 818 00:37:53,200 --> 00:37:54,880 Speaker 1: let's have the baby, Let's get this pot on the 819 00:37:54,880 --> 00:37:58,400 Speaker 1: stove and get this thing going. What happens? Well, I did, um, 820 00:37:58,440 --> 00:38:00,680 Speaker 1: all those movies in a row, that like the number 821 00:38:00,719 --> 00:38:03,000 Speaker 1: one movie, three summers in a row, right, So first 822 00:38:03,040 --> 00:38:05,239 Speaker 1: I did A League, and then Sleepless in Seattle and 823 00:38:05,239 --> 00:38:08,000 Speaker 1: then the flint Stones. Well that's pretty astonishing, you know, 824 00:38:08,120 --> 00:38:10,680 Speaker 1: especially because I was like, um, those wasn't a trained actress. 825 00:38:10,680 --> 00:38:13,160 Speaker 1: I was a comic writer, didn't even really go to college. 826 00:38:13,200 --> 00:38:15,759 Speaker 1: I went for one year, so I thought that was 827 00:38:15,800 --> 00:38:20,160 Speaker 1: pretty astounding. And um, I wanted to do Broadway and 828 00:38:20,239 --> 00:38:22,000 Speaker 1: Greece was coming out. So I call my agents, said 829 00:38:22,000 --> 00:38:23,040 Speaker 1: I want to go do that. She's like, are you 830 00:38:23,120 --> 00:38:25,600 Speaker 1: kidding me? Or on this role? Movie wise? And I'm like, 831 00:38:25,600 --> 00:38:27,879 Speaker 1: but I really really want to do it. So I'd 832 00:38:27,880 --> 00:38:30,600 Speaker 1: saved a lot of money, you know, I'd spend wisely. 833 00:38:30,680 --> 00:38:32,640 Speaker 1: I'm not like a big don't go buy clothes and 834 00:38:32,680 --> 00:38:37,320 Speaker 1: shoes and stuff, and so I exactly, it's the truth. 835 00:38:37,520 --> 00:38:40,640 Speaker 1: So I went and um auditioned for Greece and I 836 00:38:40,680 --> 00:38:43,000 Speaker 1: got it on Broadway and I said, when I'm done 837 00:38:43,040 --> 00:38:45,879 Speaker 1: with this run, I'm gonna adopt a baby. So I 838 00:38:45,920 --> 00:38:49,319 Speaker 1: was thirty two. How long a year? And can I 839 00:38:49,360 --> 00:38:52,600 Speaker 1: tell you, Alec, dear Lord and heaven. It was like 840 00:38:52,719 --> 00:38:56,279 Speaker 1: groundhog Day the movie, only without Bill Murray. Oh my god, 841 00:38:56,320 --> 00:38:58,640 Speaker 1: it was. I couldn't. I would love to do Broadway again, 842 00:38:58,680 --> 00:39:02,319 Speaker 1: but I would never come in to talk. Yeah, Lord, 843 00:39:03,680 --> 00:39:06,040 Speaker 1: I know, I'm sorry I missed it, but boy, that's something. 844 00:39:06,200 --> 00:39:09,480 Speaker 1: That's something. And uh, so I decided I was going 845 00:39:09,560 --> 00:39:11,920 Speaker 1: to adopt a baby. And it wasn't I wasn't dating anyone. 846 00:39:12,000 --> 00:39:13,480 Speaker 1: Wasn't like you know I was. I saw I was 847 00:39:13,480 --> 00:39:15,480 Speaker 1: seeing a girl who was in the cast of Greece. 848 00:39:15,560 --> 00:39:17,680 Speaker 1: But I it wasn't like we were gonna have kids together. 849 00:39:17,680 --> 00:39:19,200 Speaker 1: I was going to adopt this baby. And she's like, well, 850 00:39:19,239 --> 00:39:21,319 Speaker 1: what about me. I'm like, well, I don't know about you, 851 00:39:21,360 --> 00:39:23,160 Speaker 1: but this is what I'm doing in my life. And 852 00:39:23,800 --> 00:39:25,640 Speaker 1: so I adopted. She's like, well, what would I be 853 00:39:25,680 --> 00:39:27,480 Speaker 1: to him? I don't know what you're gonna be. It 854 00:39:27,560 --> 00:39:29,600 Speaker 1: wasn't like I was doing a week. I was just 855 00:39:29,640 --> 00:39:32,920 Speaker 1: adopting a baby myself. And then I went and did 856 00:39:32,960 --> 00:39:34,840 Speaker 1: Harry at the Spy and said to my agent, I 857 00:39:34,880 --> 00:39:36,680 Speaker 1: got to stay in New York. And at the time 858 00:39:36,760 --> 00:39:39,160 Speaker 1: Kathy Lee was threatening to quit. I said, get me 859 00:39:39,200 --> 00:39:42,000 Speaker 1: that gig with Reach and they said, oh, she's staging, 860 00:39:42,160 --> 00:39:44,640 Speaker 1: but they are willing to give you your own show 861 00:39:44,680 --> 00:39:46,279 Speaker 1: like that, and I said, well, the only thing I 862 00:39:46,400 --> 00:39:48,359 Speaker 1: want to do is MERV Griffin. I just simply rip 863 00:39:48,400 --> 00:39:50,360 Speaker 1: off his show. I would do exactly MERV Griffin, a 864 00:39:50,360 --> 00:39:52,719 Speaker 1: talk show when nobody gets hurt, where everybody's friends, when 865 00:39:52,719 --> 00:39:55,759 Speaker 1: nobody's gonna embarrass anyone. People in Hale Helium you got 866 00:39:55,800 --> 00:39:59,319 Speaker 1: it and yet fun cooking segments and everybody likes each other. 867 00:39:59,400 --> 00:40:01,960 Speaker 1: It wasn't like candalized like right. So I drew the 868 00:40:01,960 --> 00:40:03,560 Speaker 1: set like I said, this is what I want the 869 00:40:03,560 --> 00:40:05,000 Speaker 1: set to look like. I drew where the band was 870 00:40:05,000 --> 00:40:07,279 Speaker 1: supposed to be. I decided I wanted to current like 871 00:40:07,280 --> 00:40:10,279 Speaker 1: I knew exactly what I did the logo myself, like 872 00:40:10,320 --> 00:40:13,200 Speaker 1: I was totally like, here's how you do the club 873 00:40:13,200 --> 00:40:17,520 Speaker 1: all over. I was just gone, he's not coming down here. 874 00:40:17,640 --> 00:40:21,160 Speaker 1: Actually he was around then, and he was so sweet 875 00:40:21,200 --> 00:40:23,080 Speaker 1: to me and Mike Douglas because it was a tribute 876 00:40:23,120 --> 00:40:24,719 Speaker 1: sort of to both of them and Dinah Shore, who 877 00:40:24,760 --> 00:40:26,400 Speaker 1: was gone. But you know, those are the shows I 878 00:40:26,440 --> 00:40:28,399 Speaker 1: watched as a kid. That's funny how when you talked 879 00:40:28,360 --> 00:40:30,920 Speaker 1: to before about a world without VCRs and stuff for 880 00:40:30,960 --> 00:40:32,640 Speaker 1: them when when we were kids, when we watched TV. 881 00:40:32,840 --> 00:40:34,799 Speaker 1: I'd watch Dino Shot Me too. I'd sit in my 882 00:40:34,800 --> 00:40:36,000 Speaker 1: house and be like, I don't know who the hell 883 00:40:36,080 --> 00:40:37,879 Speaker 1: is brought is, but I'm gonna watch because the point 884 00:40:37,920 --> 00:40:41,080 Speaker 1: is what else was there there was? Like those shows? 885 00:40:41,840 --> 00:40:43,680 Speaker 1: Or digest them because it's like, what the hell are 886 00:40:43,680 --> 00:40:46,759 Speaker 1: we gonna do? Mcgilla Garilla that of the Little Rascals, right, 887 00:40:47,080 --> 00:40:51,479 Speaker 1: or you know Kimber the White Lion, remember that speed racer. Yeah. 888 00:40:51,920 --> 00:40:54,239 Speaker 1: So I did the pilot and then I went to 889 00:40:54,360 --> 00:40:56,560 Speaker 1: Napty and all of the TV people, which is a 890 00:40:56,560 --> 00:40:59,840 Speaker 1: convention for television executives station owners, and they came and 891 00:40:59,840 --> 00:41:02,360 Speaker 1: they said, well, if it doesn't work, are you gonna 892 00:41:02,360 --> 00:41:04,640 Speaker 1: do like you know Haraldo and Jenny Jones, because those 893 00:41:04,640 --> 00:41:06,279 Speaker 1: were the shows that were number one at the time. 894 00:41:06,560 --> 00:41:10,399 Speaker 1: It was, you know, more format. They were afraid that 895 00:41:10,440 --> 00:41:12,280 Speaker 1: this wouldn't work because it hadn't been on in twenty 896 00:41:12,280 --> 00:41:14,719 Speaker 1: five years, right, And they were afraid that I would 897 00:41:14,760 --> 00:41:17,440 Speaker 1: become just like the other shows where people were punching 898 00:41:17,440 --> 00:41:19,760 Speaker 1: each other and you know this, I had an affair 899 00:41:19,800 --> 00:41:23,720 Speaker 1: with him, and that I would change the genre correct, 900 00:41:23,760 --> 00:41:25,319 Speaker 1: And I said I will never do that. I will 901 00:41:25,320 --> 00:41:27,919 Speaker 1: just walk away before I do that. And they said, 902 00:41:27,920 --> 00:41:30,920 Speaker 1: all right, we'll try it. So they were hesitant, the 903 00:41:30,960 --> 00:41:37,920 Speaker 1: station owners. It's not your baby exactly, everybody, please. I 904 00:41:37,960 --> 00:41:39,560 Speaker 1: couldn't do that, I really could. I don't know how 905 00:41:39,560 --> 00:41:42,400 Speaker 1: they sleep. I watched Morius still on them like THK guy, 906 00:41:42,560 --> 00:41:45,280 Speaker 1: what to seeing Connie talk about? At night? Okay, today 907 00:41:45,320 --> 00:41:47,839 Speaker 1: I had two treads, vest Night, short people, and they 908 00:41:47,840 --> 00:41:50,560 Speaker 1: had twelve boyfriends. I don't know how many years do 909 00:41:50,560 --> 00:41:52,920 Speaker 1: you do the talk show? Six? I told them. Initially 910 00:41:53,120 --> 00:41:54,920 Speaker 1: I had a baby who was one. I said, I'm 911 00:41:54,920 --> 00:41:56,319 Speaker 1: going to do the show for five years, and then 912 00:41:56,360 --> 00:41:58,840 Speaker 1: I'm quitting before he goes to kindergarten. I said, I 913 00:41:58,920 --> 00:42:01,239 Speaker 1: just want you to know before he starts, like first grade, 914 00:42:01,280 --> 00:42:04,320 Speaker 1: real school, I'm quitting because this is a toxic business. 915 00:42:04,360 --> 00:42:05,960 Speaker 1: I can't imagine what it would do to a kid. 916 00:42:06,360 --> 00:42:08,759 Speaker 1: It's too much for me. And I also knew in 917 00:42:08,840 --> 00:42:10,920 Speaker 1: Success how much money it was. It was an insane 918 00:42:11,160 --> 00:42:13,920 Speaker 1: amount of money. So I told them from the beginning, 919 00:42:14,120 --> 00:42:16,920 Speaker 1: I'm only doing uh five, I was a four year deal. 920 00:42:16,920 --> 00:42:18,640 Speaker 1: I said, I'm only doing four years because he would 921 00:42:18,640 --> 00:42:21,880 Speaker 1: be fun. They said yes. But in year one it 922 00:42:22,000 --> 00:42:25,040 Speaker 1: was such a big hit that they said, please give 923 00:42:25,120 --> 00:42:27,600 Speaker 1: us two more years. Please, We'll give you, you you know, 924 00:42:27,920 --> 00:42:31,040 Speaker 1: the Oprah deal. So I agreed to do six. Now 925 00:42:31,080 --> 00:42:33,520 Speaker 1: in my fifth year, they said, please sign us. That's 926 00:42:33,520 --> 00:42:35,440 Speaker 1: when I begged you to do the Jackie Gleason spa off. 927 00:42:35,440 --> 00:42:38,080 Speaker 1: And you turned to me and said, you leaned into 928 00:42:38,120 --> 00:42:40,160 Speaker 1: me very common. You said, I can't. I'll never forget that. 929 00:42:40,160 --> 00:42:42,279 Speaker 1: You'd lean to me and you said I can't. You said, 930 00:42:42,360 --> 00:42:44,480 Speaker 1: I'm about to sign a deal. I'm gonna make quote 931 00:42:44,680 --> 00:42:49,160 Speaker 1: that sick Oprah money exactly. It was sick Oprah money. Yeah. 932 00:42:49,360 --> 00:42:51,160 Speaker 1: So I signed on for two more years, and then 933 00:42:51,200 --> 00:42:52,880 Speaker 1: you know, in the fifth year, they kept saying, you know, 934 00:42:52,920 --> 00:42:57,720 Speaker 1: at one year left, come on, we're gonna offer you this. Honestly, 935 00:42:58,080 --> 00:43:00,600 Speaker 1: the truth is, I felt, if you have a hundred 936 00:43:00,640 --> 00:43:04,160 Speaker 1: million dollars in the bank and you think you need 937 00:43:04,160 --> 00:43:07,880 Speaker 1: a hundred million more, you're missing your life. I had 938 00:43:08,120 --> 00:43:11,600 Speaker 1: three children at the time, right, I had three kids 939 00:43:11,680 --> 00:43:15,120 Speaker 1: under the age of five, and my mother died at forty. 940 00:43:15,320 --> 00:43:18,120 Speaker 1: I was thirty nine. My show ended right when I 941 00:43:18,160 --> 00:43:20,200 Speaker 1: was forty. I thought, any day they're going to diagnose 942 00:43:20,239 --> 00:43:22,640 Speaker 1: me with breast cancer, I'm gonna be gone. I wanted 943 00:43:22,680 --> 00:43:25,000 Speaker 1: to go spend the time raising my children the way 944 00:43:25,000 --> 00:43:27,280 Speaker 1: my mother didn't get to. So there was no amount 945 00:43:27,280 --> 00:43:29,880 Speaker 1: of money. They kept upping the money and upping the money. 946 00:43:30,000 --> 00:43:34,279 Speaker 1: And you know, Dick Robertson, Dick Robinson has said, to me, 947 00:43:34,440 --> 00:43:36,680 Speaker 1: who's still around. The older guy used to work at 948 00:43:36,680 --> 00:43:39,000 Speaker 1: Warner Brothers. He said, never in his life did he 949 00:43:39,040 --> 00:43:41,200 Speaker 1: see somebody walk away from that much money, He said, 950 00:43:41,200 --> 00:43:44,000 Speaker 1: he still doesn't believe sometimes he thinks about that moment, 951 00:43:44,200 --> 00:43:45,879 Speaker 1: you know, because he walked in and he's like, I've 952 00:43:45,880 --> 00:43:48,440 Speaker 1: been authorized to present you with this, you know, and 953 00:43:48,560 --> 00:43:50,799 Speaker 1: thinking I was gonna go, well, okay, but when you 954 00:43:50,920 --> 00:43:52,839 Speaker 1: walked away from that, because this is something that I 955 00:43:53,120 --> 00:43:56,880 Speaker 1: wrestled with. Sometimes you want to be more proactive and 956 00:43:56,920 --> 00:43:58,680 Speaker 1: involved with your kids. I mean that that's I don't 957 00:43:59,000 --> 00:44:01,200 Speaker 1: don't dispute that. I mean, it's obviously very very important. 958 00:44:01,200 --> 00:44:03,759 Speaker 1: I made a lot of my choices around it as well, like, like, 959 00:44:03,880 --> 00:44:06,560 Speaker 1: beyond this thing of not wanting to have money control 960 00:44:06,600 --> 00:44:09,399 Speaker 1: your life, was it also did you become someone you said, 961 00:44:09,600 --> 00:44:11,359 Speaker 1: I'm sick of her and I'm sick of that, Like 962 00:44:11,440 --> 00:44:14,560 Speaker 1: that's Rosie in one stage of the rocket Ship and 963 00:44:14,600 --> 00:44:16,439 Speaker 1: now I was trying to walk away from them. Yes, 964 00:44:16,560 --> 00:44:19,160 Speaker 1: I had morphed into a different person, right because at 965 00:44:19,200 --> 00:44:21,440 Speaker 1: the beginning of that show, the concept of knowing Barbra 966 00:44:21,520 --> 00:44:25,640 Speaker 1: streisand of knowing Tom Cruise, of knowing you like I 967 00:44:25,640 --> 00:44:27,320 Speaker 1: had worked with the actors I had worked with. I 968 00:44:27,400 --> 00:44:29,040 Speaker 1: knew those people and I was friends with them. But 969 00:44:29,080 --> 00:44:30,719 Speaker 1: that didn't mean that I felt I was part of 970 00:44:30,760 --> 00:44:33,680 Speaker 1: the showbiz community. But when that show took off and 971 00:44:33,760 --> 00:44:37,920 Speaker 1: I had literally interviewed everyone from Walter Cronkite to you know, 972 00:44:38,000 --> 00:44:40,960 Speaker 1: Joan Plowwright like to, you know, everyone was happy to 973 00:44:41,000 --> 00:44:44,160 Speaker 1: be on your show exactly, and it was you know, 974 00:44:44,239 --> 00:44:46,360 Speaker 1: it was the first one of its kind. There's a 975 00:44:46,440 --> 00:44:48,160 Speaker 1: lot of them now, and you know, Ellen has has 976 00:44:48,200 --> 00:44:51,040 Speaker 1: done it amazingly well. And she had all of my 977 00:44:51,160 --> 00:44:53,840 Speaker 1: same producers, she had Jim Teratory, she had the same team, 978 00:44:54,080 --> 00:44:55,399 Speaker 1: and she went and she did it. And I think 979 00:44:55,440 --> 00:44:57,600 Speaker 1: she's very good at it, you know, I really do. 980 00:44:57,680 --> 00:44:59,440 Speaker 1: But I know that I could not have done it 981 00:44:59,440 --> 00:45:01,360 Speaker 1: any longer than I did it. I knew I was 982 00:45:01,400 --> 00:45:03,440 Speaker 1: not a marathon. And then when you stopped what happened, 983 00:45:04,680 --> 00:45:07,680 Speaker 1: I was, um. I felt free. First of all, I 984 00:45:07,719 --> 00:45:10,120 Speaker 1: had just sort of come out right. I had written 985 00:45:10,200 --> 00:45:13,040 Speaker 1: my first book and it talked about my being gay 986 00:45:13,080 --> 00:45:15,560 Speaker 1: and all of the struggles that I had with how 987 00:45:15,600 --> 00:45:17,480 Speaker 1: to how to announce that. And I did it in 988 00:45:17,520 --> 00:45:19,439 Speaker 1: conjunction with an A c l U case about force 989 00:45:19,520 --> 00:45:20,960 Speaker 1: to care because I was a foster parent and blah 990 00:45:21,000 --> 00:45:22,719 Speaker 1: blah blah. So I didn't want it just to be 991 00:45:22,760 --> 00:45:25,319 Speaker 1: about hey, like, let's talk about my sex life and 992 00:45:25,480 --> 00:45:27,880 Speaker 1: sexual preference. You know, I wanted it to be about 993 00:45:27,880 --> 00:45:30,080 Speaker 1: something more. So there was a case with the Loft 994 00:45:30,120 --> 00:45:32,239 Speaker 1: and Crew tou case down in Florida to men who 995 00:45:32,239 --> 00:45:35,080 Speaker 1: had adopted this children and they cyril converted from HIV 996 00:45:35,160 --> 00:45:37,920 Speaker 1: positive to negative because both men were nurses and they 997 00:45:37,960 --> 00:45:40,800 Speaker 1: wanted to take the kids away after they ciril converted. 998 00:45:40,840 --> 00:45:43,360 Speaker 1: So I, actually, there's there was a law at the 999 00:45:43,360 --> 00:45:46,000 Speaker 1: time in Florida that gay people could not adopt, even 1000 00:45:46,000 --> 00:45:49,040 Speaker 1: the force to chieved children they raised. So I I 1001 00:45:49,400 --> 00:45:51,839 Speaker 1: went through this lawsuit and well the book came out 1002 00:45:51,920 --> 00:45:54,960 Speaker 1: three months after nine eleven, so it was sort of 1003 00:45:55,000 --> 00:45:58,880 Speaker 1: like nobody really cared nine eleven happened. And thank god 1004 00:45:59,320 --> 00:46:04,000 Speaker 1: I was off the following May because I did not 1005 00:46:04,080 --> 00:46:07,080 Speaker 1: think and I think there was some you know, intervention 1006 00:46:07,160 --> 00:46:09,959 Speaker 1: from above that I was off during the Bush administration. 1007 00:46:10,360 --> 00:46:12,600 Speaker 1: I think I would have probably lost my mind on 1008 00:46:12,719 --> 00:46:15,919 Speaker 1: national television, you know, when I could not believe when 1009 00:46:15,960 --> 00:46:20,479 Speaker 1: my show was off and we were going into war, 1010 00:46:20,680 --> 00:46:23,640 Speaker 1: going to Afghanistan, like and Phil Donoghue was on again, 1011 00:46:23,800 --> 00:46:25,840 Speaker 1: and you know, I I spray painted no war on 1012 00:46:25,880 --> 00:46:29,000 Speaker 1: the back of my denom jacket. I could Oh yeah, 1013 00:46:29,160 --> 00:46:32,239 Speaker 1: I couldn't believe it. I just couldn't believe now aproposal 1014 00:46:32,320 --> 00:46:34,920 Speaker 1: that I mean, obviously you like me, you don't hesitate 1015 00:46:34,960 --> 00:46:39,680 Speaker 1: to speak your mind. Now you went from being ubiquitous 1016 00:46:39,920 --> 00:46:42,839 Speaker 1: the show and so forth, And do you enjoy that 1017 00:46:42,920 --> 00:46:45,520 Speaker 1: now where you don't you're not out there and you're 1018 00:46:45,560 --> 00:46:51,160 Speaker 1: not an opinion maker. Yes, but the fall between one 1019 00:46:51,320 --> 00:46:56,399 Speaker 1: and the other extreme was intense and sharp and shocking. Well, 1020 00:46:56,440 --> 00:46:57,719 Speaker 1: you know, I when I was on the cover of 1021 00:46:57,719 --> 00:46:59,560 Speaker 1: news Week, you know, when my show premiered, said the 1022 00:46:59,600 --> 00:47:01,560 Speaker 1: Queen of Nice, I remember holding it up on on 1023 00:47:01,640 --> 00:47:03,320 Speaker 1: live TV and saying, this is gonna bite me in 1024 00:47:03,360 --> 00:47:05,239 Speaker 1: the as one day, because you know what, I'm not 1025 00:47:05,320 --> 00:47:07,200 Speaker 1: that nice. If you ever saw my stand up BacT, 1026 00:47:07,360 --> 00:47:09,960 Speaker 1: I go after people and issues that I find abhorrent 1027 00:47:10,080 --> 00:47:12,600 Speaker 1: and repulsive, and I present them in a comical way 1028 00:47:12,640 --> 00:47:14,720 Speaker 1: that makes you laugh and yet think. So I knew 1029 00:47:14,760 --> 00:47:17,480 Speaker 1: that that was never ever the totality of who I was. 1030 00:47:17,880 --> 00:47:20,960 Speaker 1: So um, I was not you know, naive enough to 1031 00:47:21,000 --> 00:47:24,680 Speaker 1: think that I was going to slimply glide slowly down 1032 00:47:24,719 --> 00:47:28,839 Speaker 1: towards the anonymity, you know. Uh, but it was very, 1033 00:47:28,960 --> 00:47:31,120 Speaker 1: very harsh and it was very very quick, and it 1034 00:47:31,239 --> 00:47:34,040 Speaker 1: was a very big shock. Also, I was sued by 1035 00:47:34,080 --> 00:47:37,480 Speaker 1: the magazine company. And when you're sued by a corporation, right, 1036 00:47:37,520 --> 00:47:39,759 Speaker 1: I was sued for three million dollars right by this 1037 00:47:39,840 --> 00:47:44,600 Speaker 1: corporation they I when my show was ending, I was 1038 00:47:44,680 --> 00:47:47,640 Speaker 1: convinced to do a magazine like Oprah did with my 1039 00:47:47,719 --> 00:47:50,720 Speaker 1: name on it, Rosie, and I was totally had creative 1040 00:47:50,719 --> 00:47:54,080 Speaker 1: control and they had the sales kind of control. What 1041 00:47:54,200 --> 00:47:56,640 Speaker 1: happened was after my show ended, the guy who worked 1042 00:47:56,640 --> 00:47:59,040 Speaker 1: there said, well, you signed a stupid contract and your 1043 00:47:59,120 --> 00:48:01,279 Speaker 1: lawyers weren't good. And I owned the show and I'm 1044 00:48:01,280 --> 00:48:03,959 Speaker 1: gonna do what I want and fired the staff. And 1045 00:48:04,160 --> 00:48:06,560 Speaker 1: UM wanted to do like thinner thighs in thirty days 1046 00:48:06,600 --> 00:48:08,719 Speaker 1: and all the things that are not met. And I said, 1047 00:48:08,719 --> 00:48:10,520 Speaker 1: well you can't do that, and he said, well, you 1048 00:48:10,520 --> 00:48:13,200 Speaker 1: didn't see this loophole in the contract. So I remember 1049 00:48:13,200 --> 00:48:16,919 Speaker 1: saying to UM, my friends are to some learned people 1050 00:48:16,960 --> 00:48:19,800 Speaker 1: I knew who is the toughest and the best female 1051 00:48:19,880 --> 00:48:22,680 Speaker 1: lawyer in New York And they said Mary Joe White 1052 00:48:23,320 --> 00:48:28,440 Speaker 1: and Mary Joe White, who brought down the first bombers 1053 00:48:28,480 --> 00:48:31,279 Speaker 1: at the nine eleven. The Khalid Khalil Khalior, whatever his 1054 00:48:31,360 --> 00:48:34,319 Speaker 1: name is, and she has just been appointed with the 1055 00:48:34,480 --> 00:48:37,000 Speaker 1: Obama administration. She's like a huge mockey. Mark Well. I 1056 00:48:37,040 --> 00:48:38,920 Speaker 1: went into her office on a Saturday. She had shorts 1057 00:48:38,960 --> 00:48:40,719 Speaker 1: on and a T shirt, and I gave her the 1058 00:48:40,719 --> 00:48:42,799 Speaker 1: contract and I said, now I want to ask you 1059 00:48:42,960 --> 00:48:44,839 Speaker 1: and my writer. Am I wrong? She said, well, you're right, 1060 00:48:45,200 --> 00:48:46,600 Speaker 1: and I said, She goes, but I don't know that 1061 00:48:46,719 --> 00:48:48,440 Speaker 1: means you're gonna win. I said, but I am right. 1062 00:48:48,640 --> 00:48:50,759 Speaker 1: What I'm saying is right that this man cannot take 1063 00:48:51,000 --> 00:48:52,880 Speaker 1: what I've worked for for twenty years, my name and 1064 00:48:52,880 --> 00:48:55,640 Speaker 1: what it represents, and reform at him because I signed 1065 00:48:55,640 --> 00:48:59,480 Speaker 1: a contract. Susanne Summers correct or, who actually like and 1066 00:48:59,520 --> 00:49:02,480 Speaker 1: think is very were more like, make me into a 1067 00:49:02,520 --> 00:49:06,279 Speaker 1: Cosmo girl, right, And she said, no, you're right, and 1068 00:49:06,320 --> 00:49:07,920 Speaker 1: if you're tough enough, you'll win. But they're going to 1069 00:49:07,960 --> 00:49:11,080 Speaker 1: put you through hell. And they did. I was like 1070 00:49:11,120 --> 00:49:13,120 Speaker 1: on the cover of the Post like nine three times. 1071 00:49:13,320 --> 00:49:15,880 Speaker 1: And when you came out of it, you prevailed. Yes, 1072 00:49:16,280 --> 00:49:20,680 Speaker 1: But it was exhausting, extensive and painful litigation. It certainly was. 1073 00:49:21,040 --> 00:49:23,120 Speaker 1: Now we're going to run out of time, so I 1074 00:49:23,239 --> 00:49:24,879 Speaker 1: want to say two things. And I want to say 1075 00:49:24,880 --> 00:49:27,560 Speaker 1: this carefully because this is not about personal animus or 1076 00:49:27,640 --> 00:49:31,319 Speaker 1: somebody who pissed you off. What's one thing you were 1077 00:49:31,360 --> 00:49:33,880 Speaker 1: involved in that you went to the map cause wise 1078 00:49:34,040 --> 00:49:37,600 Speaker 1: or something or an event, something you really went out 1079 00:49:37,640 --> 00:49:40,480 Speaker 1: there and was the most outrageous that made you the 1080 00:49:40,520 --> 00:49:44,960 Speaker 1: most indignant. You know, I think it would probably be 1081 00:49:45,400 --> 00:49:48,600 Speaker 1: um the right of gay people to adopt in Florida. 1082 00:49:48,680 --> 00:49:51,160 Speaker 1: We actually did a canvassing of the state of Florida 1083 00:49:51,200 --> 00:49:52,919 Speaker 1: back and you know, in the nineties when my show 1084 00:49:52,960 --> 00:49:54,960 Speaker 1: was on, because I thought, if we're gonna fight this, 1085 00:49:54,960 --> 00:49:56,880 Speaker 1: we're gonna lobby, let's try to see what the what 1086 00:49:56,960 --> 00:50:01,160 Speaker 1: the temperature is of the state and found a surprising amount, 1087 00:50:01,600 --> 00:50:04,520 Speaker 1: like disproportionately large amount of people would prefer that children 1088 00:50:04,600 --> 00:50:06,560 Speaker 1: had no parents than gay parents. That was at the 1089 00:50:06,600 --> 00:50:08,799 Speaker 1: time in the nineties. Now, look how things have changed now, 1090 00:50:08,880 --> 00:50:11,279 Speaker 1: right that the ruling has been overturned, and you know, 1091 00:50:11,360 --> 00:50:13,520 Speaker 1: gays are allowed to adopt in pretty much every state 1092 00:50:13,560 --> 00:50:15,560 Speaker 1: I think at this point, and we're allowed to get 1093 00:50:15,560 --> 00:50:17,879 Speaker 1: married and we're allowed so a lot has changed since then, 1094 00:50:17,880 --> 00:50:21,000 Speaker 1: but that was quite disheartening at the time. I think. Also, 1095 00:50:21,120 --> 00:50:23,440 Speaker 1: you know what my saying that I do not believe 1096 00:50:23,440 --> 00:50:26,640 Speaker 1: the official story of nine eleven has brought a tremendous 1097 00:50:26,640 --> 00:50:29,520 Speaker 1: amount of angst into my life. And I don't accuse 1098 00:50:29,560 --> 00:50:31,640 Speaker 1: anyone specifically or say that I know any answers. I 1099 00:50:31,719 --> 00:50:33,719 Speaker 1: simply say it defies the laws of physics. I mean, 1100 00:50:33,760 --> 00:50:37,399 Speaker 1: we're here, we are. It's the fiftieth anniversary of JFK's assassination, 1101 00:50:37,719 --> 00:50:39,200 Speaker 1: and people still don't want to talk about that. Well, 1102 00:50:39,200 --> 00:50:40,800 Speaker 1: and that's when when people come over to me and say, 1103 00:50:41,080 --> 00:50:42,600 Speaker 1: I won't talk to you about nine eleven, I said, 1104 00:50:42,600 --> 00:50:44,080 Speaker 1: before we have the conversation, I just want to ask 1105 00:50:44,080 --> 00:50:46,360 Speaker 1: you one thing, who killed John Kennedy? And if they 1106 00:50:46,400 --> 00:50:48,080 Speaker 1: say Lee Harvey Oswald, I said, then we're not going 1107 00:50:48,120 --> 00:50:51,360 Speaker 1: to have a conversation. But if they you know, because honestly, 1108 00:50:51,400 --> 00:50:54,160 Speaker 1: you either have the benevolent father image in your mind 1109 00:50:54,200 --> 00:50:57,480 Speaker 1: and you can't right. It's the cognitive dissidence, right, You 1110 00:50:57,520 --> 00:51:00,279 Speaker 1: can't hold two opposing ideas in your brain at one time. 1111 00:51:00,600 --> 00:51:03,360 Speaker 1: You can love the United States of America, right, and 1112 00:51:04,120 --> 00:51:06,280 Speaker 1: I love my country and therefore I want to seek 1113 00:51:06,320 --> 00:51:10,319 Speaker 1: exactly right. And therefore democracy demands dissent. And if you 1114 00:51:10,400 --> 00:51:12,360 Speaker 1: have questions, that's part of being and you and I 1115 00:51:12,400 --> 00:51:15,719 Speaker 1: have shared that we're people doubt our patriotism because we're 1116 00:51:15,719 --> 00:51:18,520 Speaker 1: critically I'm going to go off Twitter. It's too much negativity, 1117 00:51:18,600 --> 00:51:20,759 Speaker 1: and it's too much negativity that I don't get in 1118 00:51:20,800 --> 00:51:23,120 Speaker 1: real life. I can walk anywhere even to like, you know, 1119 00:51:23,160 --> 00:51:25,719 Speaker 1: my son goes to a military school. These are all Republicans. 1120 00:51:25,719 --> 00:51:27,880 Speaker 1: These are you know, hello, miss o'donald, thank you. You know, 1121 00:51:28,080 --> 00:51:32,200 Speaker 1: like unbelievably crimes people in the world. I experience of 1122 00:51:33,200 --> 00:51:36,240 Speaker 1: Twitter correct, and that's what it is. It's like standing 1123 00:51:36,280 --> 00:51:38,279 Speaker 1: on a stage in a dark and comedy club and 1124 00:51:38,320 --> 00:51:40,480 Speaker 1: people throwing shit at you and you're still trying to 1125 00:51:40,480 --> 00:51:43,080 Speaker 1: do your act. I want to close with one thing, 1126 00:51:44,200 --> 00:51:48,240 Speaker 1: and that is I watch people who are virtuosic musicians. 1127 00:51:48,239 --> 00:51:50,480 Speaker 1: I mean, I do this announcing for the New York Philharmonic. 1128 00:51:50,520 --> 00:51:52,440 Speaker 1: I just went to Long Longs benefit on Monday at 1129 00:51:52,440 --> 00:51:57,000 Speaker 1: Carnegie Hall. I have this tremendous, tremendous, almost insatiable appetite 1130 00:51:57,000 --> 00:51:59,399 Speaker 1: for the classical repertoire and the people who play it well. 1131 00:51:59,640 --> 00:52:01,600 Speaker 1: And and I think to myself, you know, where is 1132 00:52:01,600 --> 00:52:04,880 Speaker 1: that and what we do? Like acting? Those people talk 1133 00:52:04,920 --> 00:52:07,760 Speaker 1: about Olivier and Kevin Klein and you know, and Colin 1134 00:52:07,840 --> 00:52:10,840 Speaker 1: Firth and all. They're really really beautifully etched actors of 1135 00:52:10,920 --> 00:52:14,440 Speaker 1: their day. And then I think about you, and I 1136 00:52:14,440 --> 00:52:17,480 Speaker 1: think about to be able to talk on a talk 1137 00:52:17,520 --> 00:52:20,200 Speaker 1: show and be able to communicate the way you did. 1138 00:52:20,840 --> 00:52:25,040 Speaker 1: You remind me in the conversational mode of a classical 1139 00:52:25,080 --> 00:52:27,560 Speaker 1: piano player, because you can touch, you can do anything, 1140 00:52:28,400 --> 00:52:31,520 Speaker 1: you can play anything. You are funny as hell, You're tough, 1141 00:52:31,600 --> 00:52:35,319 Speaker 1: you're smart, you are so many things. You could have 1142 00:52:35,360 --> 00:52:39,319 Speaker 1: done anything. You're so tenacious, and you're so smart. If 1143 00:52:39,360 --> 00:52:42,520 Speaker 1: this hadn't worked out for you, what was among the fallbacks? 1144 00:52:42,520 --> 00:52:43,920 Speaker 1: What might you have done with your life of you 1145 00:52:43,920 --> 00:52:46,000 Speaker 1: didn't do this. I never had a fallback on purpose, 1146 00:52:46,000 --> 00:52:47,439 Speaker 1: and my dad used to say that all the time, 1147 00:52:47,480 --> 00:52:49,240 Speaker 1: you need a fallback, But I knew that this career 1148 00:52:49,320 --> 00:52:51,120 Speaker 1: was so difficult to succeed in that if you had 1149 00:52:51,160 --> 00:52:53,720 Speaker 1: a fallback, you would fall back. So I didn't have one. However, 1150 00:52:53,800 --> 00:52:55,799 Speaker 1: I know I would have been a teacher, because it 1151 00:52:55,880 --> 00:52:57,680 Speaker 1: was teachers who saved my life. We were in an 1152 00:52:57,680 --> 00:52:59,920 Speaker 1: abusive all my dad had some issues after my mother. 1153 00:53:00,040 --> 00:53:02,319 Speaker 1: I didn't even before, and it was teachers in the 1154 00:53:02,320 --> 00:53:05,040 Speaker 1: public school system who saved my life. Literally, I don't 1155 00:53:05,080 --> 00:53:06,799 Speaker 1: think I would be here. I don't think. You know, 1156 00:53:07,080 --> 00:53:08,839 Speaker 1: when my grandmother died, who who had lived with us 1157 00:53:08,880 --> 00:53:12,520 Speaker 1: after when my mother had died, you know, when she 1158 00:53:12,600 --> 00:53:14,240 Speaker 1: died when I was in high school, all the teachers 1159 00:53:14,239 --> 00:53:16,680 Speaker 1: came to the funeral, all the like we were. We 1160 00:53:16,680 --> 00:53:19,480 Speaker 1: were five orphan children pretty much who were embraced and 1161 00:53:19,560 --> 00:53:24,120 Speaker 1: taken in by the teachers in our communities. And I 1162 00:53:24,400 --> 00:53:29,400 Speaker 1: definitely would have been a teacher. I love kids, and 1163 00:53:29,600 --> 00:53:34,320 Speaker 1: it shows. Rosie's fifth child, Dakota, was born this past January. 1164 00:53:34,600 --> 00:53:38,000 Speaker 1: Her oldest, Parker, was seventeen at the time. Honey, it's 1165 00:53:38,000 --> 00:53:41,919 Speaker 1: a different gig. Oh my god. First of all, it's 1166 00:53:41,960 --> 00:53:46,560 Speaker 1: so much calmer. You're so much more relaxed. You're enjoy 1167 00:53:46,800 --> 00:53:50,200 Speaker 1: every moment so much more like this baby. First of all, 1168 00:53:50,200 --> 00:53:52,440 Speaker 1: she's a dream. She she wakes up and she goes 1169 00:53:52,480 --> 00:53:54,839 Speaker 1: to bed at nine o'clock after bottle, wakes up at six, 1170 00:53:54,840 --> 00:53:56,200 Speaker 1: give her a bottle, and she sleeps in the bed 1171 00:53:56,200 --> 00:54:00,800 Speaker 1: with us till about every night. That's you know. And Michelle, 1172 00:54:00,840 --> 00:54:02,600 Speaker 1: my wife, this is our first kid, goes, let's get 1173 00:54:02,640 --> 00:54:04,600 Speaker 1: another one. I'm like, you're out of your mind. They 1174 00:54:04,600 --> 00:54:07,040 Speaker 1: don't come like this normally. No, She's just it's a 1175 00:54:07,120 --> 00:54:09,560 Speaker 1: dream and I feel younger because of it. I feel 1176 00:54:09,600 --> 00:54:12,320 Speaker 1: like that my design, oh my god, I like it, 1177 00:54:12,480 --> 00:54:17,279 Speaker 1: like turned on every creative. It's just it rebirthed me. 1178 00:54:17,840 --> 00:54:20,920 Speaker 1: It rebirthed me in a way that I was not expecting, 1179 00:54:21,040 --> 00:54:24,879 Speaker 1: and I'm so thankful for There's something about this experience. 1180 00:54:25,320 --> 00:54:27,560 Speaker 1: Uh that's very different from the other kids. You know, 1181 00:54:27,560 --> 00:54:29,960 Speaker 1: when you your first baby. I always say, the other 1182 00:54:30,080 --> 00:54:32,680 Speaker 1: kids never get what that first kid got. And I'm 1183 00:54:32,680 --> 00:54:34,719 Speaker 1: not the first kid in my family right my brother 1184 00:54:34,840 --> 00:54:37,440 Speaker 1: Eddie is so in a way, this baby feels like 1185 00:54:37,480 --> 00:54:46,400 Speaker 1: the first kid all over again. Rosie O'Donnell entertainer, activist, philanthropist, 1186 00:54:46,480 --> 00:54:50,080 Speaker 1: extraordinaire and above all a mom to five with some 1187 00:54:50,120 --> 00:54:53,080 Speaker 1: good hand me downs. I suspect thank you for doing this, 1188 00:54:53,120 --> 00:54:54,560 Speaker 1: and I love you and I love you too, and 1189 00:54:54,560 --> 00:54:56,960 Speaker 1: I'm sending you so many baby things. Don't buy everything, 1190 00:54:57,000 --> 00:55:01,359 Speaker 1: because I have a lot of extra. Here's the thing. 1191 00:55:01,600 --> 00:55:04,960 Speaker 1: You can hear more in depth conversations in our archive 1192 00:55:05,360 --> 00:55:08,400 Speaker 1: from Brian Williams to Chris Rock. I don't know about you. 1193 00:55:08,400 --> 00:55:13,360 Speaker 1: I find a business a lot smaller, less movies, less 1194 00:55:13,920 --> 00:55:16,920 Speaker 1: I mean less stuff that relates to me. You know what, 1195 00:55:17,040 --> 00:55:20,680 Speaker 1: less stuff that relates to me. I'll say that I'm 1196 00:55:20,719 --> 00:55:25,760 Speaker 1: a very emotional guy, and I often get a catch 1197 00:55:25,800 --> 00:55:29,080 Speaker 1: in my voice. I'm a very patriotic guy. I kind 1198 00:55:29,120 --> 00:55:34,880 Speaker 1: of have a little schmaltz in me. I guess. Listen 1199 00:55:34,960 --> 00:55:42,279 Speaker 1: to more and Here's the Thing dot Org. Here's the 1200 00:55:42,280 --> 00:55:45,680 Speaker 1: Thing is produced by Emily Botine and Kathy Russo with 1201 00:55:45,800 --> 00:55:50,680 Speaker 1: Chris Bannon, Jim Briggs and Herbsman, Melanie Hoops, Monica Hopkins, 1202 00:55:50,719 --> 00:55:55,280 Speaker 1: Trey k Sharon Machee, and Lou Okowski. Thanks to Larry 1203 00:55:55,360 --> 00:56:00,399 Speaker 1: Josephson and the Radio Foundation, This is alec old one 1204 00:56:00,600 --> 00:56:02,239 Speaker 1: and you're listening to Here's the Thing.