Speaker 1: And that's what you really missed with Jenna and Kevin
Speaker 1: an iHeartRadio podcast.
Speaker 2: Welcome to and That's what you really miss podcasts. This
Speaker 2: is a very special audition at Blue Wires Studios at
Speaker 2: WIN Las Vegas, with a very special guest, Vanessa Lenjie.
Speaker 1: Hello, Oh my gosh. Wow. First of all, selfishly, let's
Speaker 1: just go not even I love the win. And so
Speaker 1: when this thing happened, people are like, you can talk
Speaker 1: about the wind, make it sound organic. No, this is
Speaker 1: actually nobody loves the win more than Kevin. I love
Speaker 1: Las Vegas. And then I'm like the biggest walking billboard
Speaker 1: for Win Las Vegas. I'm always trying to find an
Speaker 1: excuse to come here, and I swear this isn't like
Speaker 1: spawn con. This is me truth. I showed up days
Speaker 1: earlier than Vanessa and Jenna just to be here. Yes
Speaker 1: you did, And as Vanessa Lenji's would say, we're winning,
Speaker 1: Yeah we are. You are winning with why? Winning with why?
Speaker 3: In Las Vegas specifically, I forgot how much I loved
Speaker 3: Las Vegas. And Jen and I flew here and was
Speaker 3: looking over there's that that that sphere and this beautiful win.
Speaker 3: I love Vegas. Get me an alcoholic can of whipped
Speaker 3: cream and stay at the wind.
Speaker 1: And we'll be winning. She walked into the casino, She's like,
Speaker 1: just the smell of liquor.
Speaker 4: And.
Speaker 1: That's my This is our Las Vegas residency. See was
Speaker 1: what when a Dallas a residency? Selene? They all have residencies.
Speaker 1: This is ours. And when you think of interview with
Speaker 1: Vanessla and Jason, you think in line after Adele and Selene,
Speaker 1: you think of us. That's the natural progression.
Speaker 2: Obviously, if you have no taste, Kevin, I did start
Speaker 2: listening to the Selene Dion Christmas album as you had requested,
Speaker 2: my Canadian queen.
Speaker 1: Yeah, and was I wrong? No, you weren't wrong. You
Speaker 1: can see that year round. No, you actually can. Yeah.
Speaker 3: The last time I was in Vegas was to see Celine.
Speaker 3: Was it not the most spiritual experience ever?
Speaker 1: Yeah? I cried. I cried and my friend told me
Speaker 1: to be less loud. What? Yeah, I was screaming a lot.
Speaker 1: What do you mean, be less loud? We don't talk anymore? Okay,
Speaker 1: cut them out? Uh No, it is amazing. I was.
Speaker 1: I was just I just felt found myself screaming.
Speaker 3: Same experience when I saw dolphins in the wild for
Speaker 3: the first time, where I just started screaming at them.
Speaker 1: The same experience with Celene. I do feel like it
Speaker 1: is watching Celine because I saw Selene a couple of times.
Speaker 1: Watching her was like seeing a pot of dolphins. Thank you,
Speaker 1: because there was something so miraculous about it, and like
Speaker 1: you could hear her like smack her own chest. She
Speaker 1: pointed at me and said, do you believe in love?
Speaker 1: I don't believe. I said, yes, obviously, I don't believe anything.
Speaker 1: She told me to jump off the cliff. I would
Speaker 1: happily swan dive off that. Kevin saw Celine with me
Speaker 1: for the very first time.
Speaker 2: My first time, my first time seeing Selene was with
Speaker 2: Kevin McHale and the lead up too was actually just
Speaker 2: as good as the concert because I was like shaking,
Speaker 2: you were actually shaking.
Speaker 1: I have a picture of her like outside the theater
Speaker 1: and she couldn't She was smiling, but she looked so nervous.
Speaker 1: She's just like, I don't know what to do.
Speaker 3: The same night I saw Selene, Darren Chris was at
Speaker 3: in Vegas as well, and you had to choose between
Speaker 3: the two.
Speaker 1: No, he was like, come come meet me, out. Sorry, Darren.
Speaker 3: I was like, I'm in bed. He was like, come,
Speaker 3: you can come in your pajamas. So I literally went
Speaker 3: to meet Darren Chris out in Vegas in my pajamas
Speaker 3: and it was it was he had a VIP private
Speaker 3: Steve Aoki.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I don't know what that's called. Rave, Yeah, Raves,
Speaker 1: did you show up to a club in your pajamas?
Speaker 1: In my pajamas? I feel like that for you though. Yeah,
Speaker 1: it's true, because if anybody can pull that off, you can.
Speaker 1: I was just going to say, that is very Vanessa
Speaker 1: Lenngi's to show. I wasn't sure what what you were
Speaker 1: going to show up in today. I wasn't sure, and
Speaker 1: that's a good thing. She brought outfits and one of
Speaker 1: them has a window.
Speaker 3: Yeah it's a brick house dress and I'll change into
Speaker 3: it for another episode. Has a little peep window for
Speaker 3: the atas.
Speaker 1: Speaking of ceiling again, I swear I went to the
Speaker 1: new show here last night, the Wind Las Vegas Awakening.
Speaker 1: I had two friends with me, and when I tell you,
Speaker 1: we were gasping. Were you I have never seen anything
Speaker 1: like gasping. We were like there was a part of
Speaker 1: it where they created water with light and then had
Speaker 1: gigantic jellyfish dropping from the.
Speaker 5: Ceiling real jellyfish. No, they were not real jellyfish. So
Speaker 5: I don't know because it looked so good.
Speaker 1: Wow, I didn't know. I had no idea what I
Speaker 1: was myself, Oh you should It was we'll come back
Speaker 1: next time for our It was very surreal because if
Speaker 1: you blink then like the entire set change, like things
Speaker 1: are coming down from the ceiling, things are coming up
Speaker 1: from the floor. There were these like creatures with masks
Speaker 1: that were like eight feet tall that would look at
Speaker 1: you and it was terrifying, but also like don't look away.
Speaker 1: It was I couldn't get over it. It's like what is this? Also,
Speaker 1: how does somebody think of that? And also it ruined
Speaker 1: any other like theater experience for me because now I
Speaker 1: know it's possible, right, And then I was like, I
Speaker 1: would like to see more Beyonce do this. Oh wow,
Speaker 1: what does Beyonce in the round look like? Dr that?
Speaker 2: Yeah, okay, let's talk about Vanessa Enjis.
Speaker 1: We're going to be here all day and I'm prepared
Speaker 1: for it. I know this is a lot. This is
Speaker 1: a hard episode to keep compact, but we're not going
Speaker 1: to It feels like we've been friends forever.
Speaker 2: It didn't feel like you join the show at season three.
Speaker 2: It feels like you've been there from the start because
Speaker 2: you locked in so quickly with all of us, truly
Speaker 2: just coming in very quickly doing your iconic rendition of hey,
Speaker 2: big spender. To have to do that in front of
Speaker 2: a very established show at the time, with friends, your peers,
Speaker 2: your age, and to commit so deeply was actually the
Speaker 2: most impressive thing I think I've ever seen. Telly tell
Speaker 2: us about your your initials, well, well that get to
Speaker 2: that too, but also tell us about like how you
Speaker 2: got Glee and all of that.
Speaker 3: Yes, this is great, This is great. First I want
Speaker 3: to say, Kevin, you look so sexy to me. I'm
Speaker 3: going to try to keep it together. You should have
Speaker 3: put us a little further apart to go how did
Speaker 3: I How did I come to be young?
Speaker 1: Glee?
Speaker 3: So it was twenty ten I think I think that
Speaker 3: feel ten or eleven contract and I got this audition.
Speaker 3: It said it's just an episodic one episode. This character
Speaker 3: sugar Mata, and she does she's a terrible tone deaf singer.
Speaker 1: Sorry to interrupt, Yes it was was it just a
Speaker 1: guest start.
Speaker 6: Was that's correct, that's correct, that's the power.
Speaker 3: And I remember Eric's I always say his name, Yes,
Speaker 3: that's right, Stilts. Eric Stultz was in the audition room
Speaker 3: with me in the casting room and gift.
Speaker 1: It was a gift. I was like, Oh, this is
Speaker 1: so great.
Speaker 3: They really treat actors with respect, the directors here.
Speaker 1: I love that.
Speaker 3: And and there was something that happened in the audition
Speaker 3: where you gave me permission to be as awful as possible.
Speaker 1: And I just thought, Wow, what a what.
Speaker 3: An opportunity, because you know, when you go to audition,
Speaker 3: you want to you want to impress. You know, it's
Speaker 3: like counterintuitive to try to be as awful as possible
Speaker 3: instead of the usual experience of trying to be as
Speaker 3: impressive as possible.
Speaker 1: And I could feel it, like I just could.
Speaker 3: Feel this, this sense of oh, I'm going to be
Speaker 3: I'm going to be with these people like this. Yeah,
Speaker 3: and it's working, but also kind of like what Jenna's saying,
Speaker 3: it's weird that I came in season three because our
Speaker 3: relationship feels like it started before that and will outlast this,
Speaker 3: of course. And I could feel that already in the
Speaker 3: audition room is what I mean.
Speaker 1: Wow? Yeah, And then and then I were we nice
Speaker 1: to you when you came in.
Speaker 6: So so so I came in to do a practice
Speaker 6: for Big Spender with Brad on piano, and and you
Speaker 6: guys were filming.
Speaker 1: Yes, we were on the auditorium stage right, I remember that.
Speaker 3: And I walked into the audio auditorium and to meet everyone,
Speaker 3: and I met Kelly for the first time. Telly is
Speaker 3: now my best friend. I still will never forget meeting
Speaker 3: mister Aristotle. And then and then and everyone was on
Speaker 3: stage and you guys were either recording or practicing. We
Speaker 3: got the beat with the purple pianos, and I walked
Speaker 3: down and I watched and I felt just this awe.
Speaker 3: I felt this awe of the energy. And then and
Speaker 3: then you cut. And then I think it might have
Speaker 3: even been telling you. It's like, everyone, come meet Vanessa.
Speaker 3: She's gonna play sugar Mata. And I remember I was like, who,
Speaker 3: who the fuck is this? And might have used the
Speaker 3: F word, but that was the energy, was who the
Speaker 3: f is this? And then and Kevin, you were very excited,
Speaker 3: because Kevin would be very exciting, He was very nice.
Speaker 1: I was an actual Vanessa Lnji's fan because I don't
Speaker 1: know if you've anyone seen American Dreams, because that was
Speaker 1: the best show and I was obsessed with it. I
Speaker 1: did not miss an episode and Vanessa was on it.
Speaker 3: I played Roxane but Jorski, the trouble making best friends
Speaker 3: absolutely hussy.
Speaker 1: And was so good and believable as the Hussy. Thank you.
Speaker 1: I pulled from the deep for that. She just showed
Speaker 1: up as herself. She's like and I didn't know, like
Speaker 1: we don't know usually who's getting these roles, and then
Speaker 1: when Kelly brought her in, I was like, I know
Speaker 1: absolutely who this girl is. I have seen her. I
Speaker 1: grew up watching her. And also one of my first
Speaker 1: like young Hollywood quote unquote events in La was at
Speaker 1: I might have been like the Sportsman's Lodge, like years
Speaker 1: before Glee, like I was on a boy band and
Speaker 1: it was like a gifting suite, I think for something,
Speaker 1: and I had never been to one of those before.
Speaker 1: And there was like a little step in repeat and
Speaker 1: I looked over and Vanessa Lenji's was there, and I
Speaker 1: was so star struck I had like I left, I
Speaker 1: walked past. I couldn't even look at her or going
Speaker 1: to talk to her because I was like, this is
Speaker 1: I'm seeing a celebrity and I have to leave. And
Speaker 1: then she shows up on the show that I'm on.
Speaker 1: Are you kidding me? I didn't know that, and I
Speaker 1: knew how good she was. So that's why when there
Speaker 1: was some coldness from other members of the cast, I
Speaker 1: was like, oh, you just wait, because this is an
Speaker 1: actual actor. She belongs here. Well the rest of us
Speaker 1: can go yes, like she's legitimate. The rest of us
Speaker 1: are faking it, wow, because I was like, she's been
Speaker 1: doing this longer on TV than all of us have combined. Right, wow.
Speaker 3: First, did they give away Hello Kitty toasters at that
Speaker 3: gifting suite?
Speaker 1: I have no idea.
Speaker 3: I had never been to a gifting suite either, and
Speaker 3: I remember being like, how much is this toaster? And
Speaker 3: they're like, you just can take it? And I was like,
Speaker 3: I can take this toaster. It puts Hello Kitty's face
Speaker 3: on toast. You're just going to give this to me?
Speaker 3: They're like, yeah, that's that's the point.
Speaker 1: I remember, thousand dollars. This is great. Wow, Kevin, I
Speaker 1: love you and that's very sweet.
Speaker 3: I feel I feel just uh honored. And then and
Speaker 3: then yeah, people were so so So I walked into
Speaker 3: that rehearsal or or film and they were weird. I
Speaker 3: were really weird from coming. I'm a sensitive cancer, uh,
Speaker 3: and I could tell that something was up and and
Speaker 3: and you know, I had respect for it too. I
Speaker 3: was like, you know, everyone has been working together for
Speaker 3: the last you know, two years.
Speaker 1: They haven't had any time off.
Speaker 3: They've gone from filming a season going on tour, filming
Speaker 3: a season going on tour. This is a tight knit group.
Speaker 3: And I think maybe I've had enough experience to know,
Speaker 3: you know, that there is a whole ecosystem here that
Speaker 3: I do not yet know about. So I think in
Speaker 3: my mind, I was just feeling like I can just
Speaker 3: be as open as possible and be as you know,
Speaker 3: kind of malleable as possible, and just remember, you know,
Speaker 3: to show up with love and all the crevices where
Speaker 3: love is needed. And I had known Corey's previously, so
Speaker 3: Corey and I were friends, so that was also. I
Speaker 3: was like, Corey was like Vanessa and that moment, so
Speaker 3: you and Corey made me feel very very welcome.
Speaker 1: And then and then you know, and women, it's different.
Speaker 3: I think I think everyone was going through something and uh,
Speaker 3: and also you were probably fairly being like can.
Speaker 1: You can you roll with this? Because this is intense.
Speaker 3: What we're doing is intense, So you know, what do
Speaker 3: you what are you going to bring? Are you going
Speaker 3: to be a foe? Are you going to be a friend?
Speaker 3: Are you going to be competition? You know, I could,
Speaker 3: And I feel like that's a very you know, when
Speaker 3: you're meeting new women, that's kind of through it.
Speaker 2: That's unfortunate in Hollywood that it feels like that, but
Speaker 2: it often feels like that. And in hindsight, like I
Speaker 2: wish we had made more space, but we were also
Speaker 2: personally all going through as you said, that's so much.
Speaker 1: I was ready for it. I mean I was. I
Speaker 1: was there just Vanessa and you like roll.
Speaker 2: With it, and we always watched and when we talk
Speaker 2: about the in the podcast when you came on the
Speaker 2: last season, we talk about you because even with like
Speaker 2: you know, Heart is like.
Speaker 1: Your first real big episode other than Big Spender. There's
Speaker 1: a lot of characters, there's a lot of story for
Speaker 1: not a lot of people, and you always made such
Speaker 1: a mountain over a mole hill, like in the best
Speaker 1: way possible, and like just committed to the one line
Speaker 1: you had in the episode and made it something. That's
Speaker 1: why they always cut to you. That's why, like you
Speaker 1: always made us laugh because it was so genuine and uh.
Speaker 1: And then you know, in hindsight, like so appreciated that
Speaker 1: it wasn't somebody who came in that was like, this
Speaker 1: is my house now, bitch, Like you came in very respectful.
Speaker 2: You had enough experience. You've been on a lot of
Speaker 2: shows before, You've done a lot of stuff. And then
Speaker 2: I remember though, when you started. I think when Corey
Speaker 2: like set the tone for us. You're like, He's like,
Speaker 2: she's cool. You have somebody you trust, it's like a
Speaker 2: mutual friend. You startarted telling us about your audition for make.
Speaker 1: Stick It the Legendary and Vanessa, I think so much
Speaker 1: because that tale right now. Okay, so in my Sticket audition,
Speaker 1: I commit to.
Speaker 3: Things and I had just I had basically before the
Speaker 3: audition gone to a local gym gymnastics studio and just
Speaker 3: copied them. I just studied them and copied them. I
Speaker 3: tried to get as strong as possible in two weeks,
Speaker 3: which doesn't happen. But then I didn't get I bought
Speaker 3: this gymnastics up top and bottom set like they have
Speaker 3: one before they disrobe, you know, the and it goes
Speaker 3: a zipper goes jumpsuit.
Speaker 1: Yeah, but I'm.
Speaker 3: Five to two and the jumpsuit was made for a
Speaker 3: taller person, and I didn't have time to get it hemmed,
Speaker 3: or even didn't think of getting it hemmed.
Speaker 1: Anyways, I go to do this.
Speaker 3: There's like an agility test to this audition, which doesn't
Speaker 3: really happen often, So.
Speaker 1: My agility test.
Speaker 3: They have cameras filming it, and I'm standing there poised,
Speaker 3: like I watched the gymnasts do in the in the
Speaker 3: in the gymnasium, and I, you know, I look to
Speaker 3: the right, I look to the left, and all I
Speaker 3: have to do is run across the matt, the performance matt.
Speaker 1: What do they call that? A floor? A floor? That's right.
Speaker 3: See, I know so much about gymnastics, and so I
Speaker 3: just I just was focused, and I saw my endpoint
Speaker 3: and I gave it my all, and halfway through the floor,
Speaker 3: tripped over my long pants and face planted it like
Speaker 3: like like face planted like rugburn on cheek and I
Speaker 3: was just lying there. It almost blacked out because like
Speaker 3: I opened my eyes and I'm just laying on the
Speaker 3: floor and I feel like the whole room is just
Speaker 3: holding their breath. And I just had this split second
Speaker 3: like fucking pop sorries for you. Yeah, no, children, do it,
Speaker 3: pop up and do the final stick at landing and
Speaker 3: at your audience. And I just did it and people
Speaker 3: burst out laughing. And then when I and then they
Speaker 3: gave me the job, which great. And then I remember
Speaker 3: Jessica bending Or, the director. We were there and filming
Speaker 3: the scene. She's like, I'm bored of the scene, Vanessa.
Speaker 3: Can you do the thing you did in your audition
Speaker 3: where you fall over and then like pop back up
Speaker 3: and make it seem real? And so in the movie
Speaker 3: there's a scene where like do this little jig and
Speaker 3: just face plant and then just like pop up and go.
Speaker 3: And that was that was totally pulled from that audition.
Speaker 3: And then I used humor. You know you guys, you
Speaker 3: you were we you know, the start of us meeting
Speaker 3: was rocky, but you welcome. You welcomed me in really fast.
Speaker 3: And Kevin was like, I'll give you all the tea.
Speaker 3: I'll let you know that's going on. Oh yeah, you
Speaker 3: were my you were my little canary in the coal
Speaker 3: miners because my vibe I could feel everything. Yeah, but
Speaker 3: I wasn't but the but what I was seeing was confused.
Speaker 1: I also knew that I knew how difficult it must
Speaker 1: be for a new person coming in because we had
Speaker 1: been through that a couple of times. But I also knew,
Speaker 1: like your resume, and I knew you weren't not you
Speaker 1: were not new, but you may be new to us,
Speaker 1: like you're more qualified than the rest of us to
Speaker 1: be here. So I felt like I could trust you,
Speaker 1: be like you're going to get these things because you've
Speaker 1: been on You've been a regular on a show. That's right.
Speaker 3: Yes, And then and then Jenna and I didn't get
Speaker 3: close until later.
Speaker 1: I can't even remember, but I do. Memory is too good.
Speaker 3: No, actually I have well, I remember emotional things. So
Speaker 3: I remember when we fell in love because.
Speaker 1: It was later.
Speaker 2: And I feel like Melissa Buele are wonderful makeup artists
Speaker 2: who did both Vanessa and I kind of brought us
Speaker 2: together as well, because we were both separately very close
Speaker 2: with her and you're like this girl con vibe with
Speaker 2: like anybody. And then like the three of us started
Speaker 2: hanging out, and I just I trusted Buele, you know,
Speaker 2: and when I saw her getting close with you, I
Speaker 2: was like, oh, there must be something to this girl.
Speaker 2: And to be fair, like I had already been on,
Speaker 2: I was unhinged at that point. My torso was aside
Speaker 2: my from my legs, like I just was not not
Speaker 2: on my body, so.
Speaker 3: And can I just come to your defense? Just here,
Speaker 3: and they stand up for my friend Jenna. What I
Speaker 3: was hearing from my Seam and Kevin McHale at the
Speaker 3: time was that people were fucking mean to you and
Speaker 3: talking about you behind your back, putting you down. You
Speaker 3: were having a sing and no one was showing up
Speaker 3: with like is she okay? Does she need anything? Instead
Speaker 3: they were like can you believe what she's up to
Speaker 3: and how she can't keep her stuff together? And I
Speaker 3: think my response was when she gets back, I'm gonna
Speaker 3: love her like she like, I'm just gonna be the
Speaker 3: thing that I would want somebody to be for me
Speaker 3: at that point. And so I remember kind of waiting
Speaker 3: for you to come back and just being like I
Speaker 3: can't wait to love this woman, and were so kind
Speaker 3: to me, and you responded right like you like you
Speaker 3: were nothing like people were you know, painting, painting and
Speaker 3: very nice, and then you know we had just I
Speaker 3: just remember so much love, falling in love, fall in love,
Speaker 3: oh someone, mousies.
Speaker 1: So many mousies. There's also the fact that like when
Speaker 1: and we'll get there. But when the new cast came in,
Speaker 1: there was there was this like new life that breathed
Speaker 1: into this and I was revived at that point. I
Speaker 1: think I had.
Speaker 2: Rid of some of the energy that was like, well,
Speaker 2: if I can't act like those people and get what
Speaker 2: they're getting, then I need to like find myself again.
Speaker 1: And then it was like a.
Speaker 2: Gift, like all these new people came in and we're
Speaker 2: kind of looking to us for leadership, and I was like, oh, bitch,
Speaker 2: I can do this and like set a new tone,
Speaker 2: and so like we felt like even you were a
Speaker 2: part of that.
Speaker 1: We got to set a new.
Speaker 2: Tone with our new cast members and we had like
Speaker 2: a ball Yeah I think season three, Yeah it did, right, I.
Speaker 1: Remember saying yes, And because I think it was very
Speaker 1: indicative of Vanessa's portrayal of when she first came on
Speaker 1: to set to meet us, because there were sort of
Speaker 1: like factions being created and like divides happening for the
Speaker 1: first time really and.
Speaker 3: Some wild behavior. Yeah, and I think who can show
Speaker 3: up latest to to set?
Speaker 4: What did you.
Speaker 1: Experience that on your other shows?
Speaker 3: Not to like, I think Grady would be fine if I.
Speaker 1: Talk to her about this.
Speaker 3: But yeah, when I did when I did American Grady,
Speaker 3: when I did American Dreams and we had family dinner
Speaker 3: scenes there, there were for sure games being played the
Speaker 3: older casts of like I'll get there, like I'll wait
Speaker 3: until somebody wait in there, and I want to be
Speaker 3: the last person to set. But when I joined the
Speaker 3: Glee cast, I for sure saw some pretty crazy behaviors happening.
Speaker 1: And it's hard when you're in it. It's hard to
Speaker 1: identify that those behaviors are crazy and not normal because
Speaker 1: it's what you're used to, so you have nothing to
Speaker 1: compare it to, because like, this is what we see
Speaker 1: every day, and you make it work around that or
Speaker 1: in spite of it, despite of it, because you're like, well,
Speaker 1: this is how we just have to balance these personalities.
Speaker 3: With my experience, I could tell you that the Glee
Speaker 3: schedule was not normal and what you guys were asked
Speaker 3: to do was beyond anything I've seen before, and I like,
Speaker 3: I loved the challenge of it. So I really I
Speaker 3: felt like it was amazing, Like my creative being loved
Speaker 3: having to go to dance rehearsal in the studio, then
Speaker 3: the you know, rehearsal, then act and dance and sing
Speaker 3: and like have these fifteen to seventeen hour days all
Speaker 3: the way into Saturday mornings, and the pressure of also
Speaker 3: then having your show be so famous and that whole demand.
Speaker 1: I loved that, but it was in no way normal. Yeah.
Speaker 1: I think that's also why that led to in the
Speaker 1: popular that combined with the popularity of it m HM,
Speaker 1: led to certain behaviors happened, helping mechanisms, and then they
Speaker 1: were just like allowed to happen. Yeah, well that's what
Speaker 1: that's what was. That was what was weird.
Speaker 3: And I think that's why I just respected Jenna so much.
Speaker 3: I was like, why is she getting punished? Yeah, when
Speaker 3: what I'm seeing over here is getting rewarded.
Speaker 1: Feels good. Where somebody else say that, it's nice to hear.
Speaker 1: Thank you.
Speaker 2: Yeah, you started the infamous and this podcast is now
Speaker 2: dedicated to the trouble Tones. I had a dream about
Speaker 2: the trouble Tones last night, and I had a dream
Speaker 2: the trouble Tones were real and I was joining the
Speaker 2: trouble Tones and my dance teacher from high school was
Speaker 2: the head of the trouble Tones. Nya was there, actually
Speaker 2: she came. Yeah, she was there. It was She was
Speaker 2: very vivid there. But I was in the silver dresses.
Speaker 1: Remember that one. Oh, I will survive, survivor, I will survive. Yeah,
Speaker 1: what a number. So I was in the trouble Tones
Speaker 1: last night.
Speaker 3: I love that I would resurrect the trouble Tones and tour.
Speaker 5: Yeah.
Speaker 1: Why didn't Trouble Tones make an appearance? I really happen
Speaker 1: enough to tour. Yeah, if we had another tour it was.
Speaker 1: I would have loved to tour. I know everyone was
Speaker 1: ready for never never seen even the more more unhinged
Speaker 1: behavior from everybody. You like, every day was weird. It
Speaker 1: was there was no oversight. We could do whateveryone wanted
Speaker 1: as good as you would have loved it, pregnant absolutely,
Speaker 1: even you, Kevin, we would have tried. Let's talk about
Speaker 1: Sugar's wardrobe for TEC because you are infamous for pattern
Speaker 1: color risk taking, Yes, says Vanessa is known for that,
Speaker 1: and so I trying to know whose idea? Who you know?
Speaker 1: How Sugar's whole being came.
Speaker 3: To be and how it evolved for you, uh pause
Speaker 3: for effect. I think that Sugar as a as a character,
Speaker 3: as a person, and you know, as a backstory is
Speaker 3: ninety percent wardrobe.
Speaker 1: Think this what what came to be.
Speaker 3: And this is fun about characters that we play as actors,
Speaker 3: is you have an idea of who they are and
Speaker 3: what they're about, and then as you be them, you know,
Speaker 3: you're you're schooled in what this character actually wants to be.
Speaker 3: And I love that about acting. And so with Sugar,
Speaker 3: it was she became just her clothes like that. That
Speaker 3: was ninety percent of this of who she was. And
Speaker 3: I can and I can't I get it because she
Speaker 3: you know, she was a spoiled, rich kid who was
Speaker 3: told nothing but good things about her all the time,
Speaker 3: so she could have that delusion that she actually knew
Speaker 3: how to sing. And I imagine that she just watched
Speaker 3: you know, pop culture movies, television or or older you
Speaker 3: know whatever. She was just a consumption or as far
Speaker 3: as you know, television and film and music, and so
Speaker 3: every so when she saw clothes and she would just
Speaker 3: think of those things that she had seen in a
Speaker 3: movie or a TV show or an artist and then
Speaker 3: became that, you know, and it was like the opposite
Speaker 3: of cocoax Chanel, Like instead of taking something off before,
Speaker 3: one item off before you leave the house, Sugars put
Speaker 3: on five more because it's not done until you have
Speaker 3: you know, until it's not. And then because I didn't
Speaker 3: have a lot of lines and a lot of storyline,
Speaker 3: I just as an artist was having so much fun
Speaker 3: with the clothes so that I could feel this sense
Speaker 3: of fulfillment just by what I wore.
Speaker 1: Yeah, and I mean in the Heart.
Speaker 3: Episode, I was, I watched it last night and when
Speaker 3: I jump on your chair and you wheeled me out,
Speaker 3: I'm just like the socks and the neck like this,
Speaker 3: just the shoes, just like everything was delightful, like it was.
Speaker 3: It brought me pleasure, Each item of clothing brought me pleasure.
Speaker 3: And then I would I would kind of be like
Speaker 3: what did she who? Just this is Sugar dressing as
Speaker 3: Britney Spears in you know, right, you know this music
Speaker 3: video or this is Sugar being Julie Andrews in the
Speaker 3: sound of music and this, you know, just would be
Speaker 3: like Sugar being who Who's Sugar being?
Speaker 1: Right now that was one of my favorite things about
Speaker 1: getting to work with you was the moment you came
Speaker 1: into that choir room and there was still like some
Speaker 1: weird and deserved tension. I knew how like serious. I
Speaker 1: could tell after the first few takes, Like how serious
Speaker 1: you were as an actor, Like how much thought you
Speaker 1: had already put into this character that is only going
Speaker 1: to be here on paper for one episode. And you
Speaker 1: have like been a regular on other TV shows, like
Speaker 1: you've been in movies, like you've done things, and to
Speaker 1: come in and like be a guest star can be
Speaker 1: like a hard thing. And how much thought and care
Speaker 1: went into that one character for that one episode. I
Speaker 1: was like, Oh, the rest of us, to a certain
Speaker 1: extent may not be thinking as deeply about our characters,
Speaker 1: or by that point you're an autopilot. I think it
Speaker 1: happens to a lot of TV shows where you become
Speaker 1: caricatures of the original character.
Speaker 3: Yeah, and you guys, also, coming to the defense of
Speaker 3: my friends, you were also your personal lives were mind
Speaker 3: for your characters totally, and I don't think you had
Speaker 3: a chance to opt in or say like I'm okay with.
Speaker 1: This, and for me, you're totally right. I wouldn't. Well,
Speaker 1: first of all, this is just where I was as
Speaker 1: a human.
Speaker 3: I would never let anybody in to be able to
Speaker 3: mine my inner world for you know, extort my a world.
Speaker 1: At the time.
Speaker 3: Now I'm like, my whole game is trying to be
Speaker 3: more vulnerable and more honest. But at the time, I
Speaker 3: was like, no, I play a character.
Speaker 1: That's how I live, right. But but y'all, I felt
Speaker 1: like I didn't have that separation of self and character.
Speaker 1: So I just I want to just you're right to
Speaker 1: come to my friend. And I also think that was
Speaker 1: the starting point of this weird thing that was also happening,
Speaker 1: not to like I don't want to like be gossipy
Speaker 1: and like talk shit. I thought that's what weird. I thought,
Speaker 1: that's what this podcast. But but there was like this,
Speaker 1: you have missed the memo. No, no, you're right, Okay, yeah,
Speaker 1: season three, this is what happened. Hey, season three, I'm
Speaker 1: just a season three bitch, because like we were asked
Speaker 1: to do like crazy, weird, big things like hey, big
Speaker 1: Spender was like a big you have to come in
Speaker 1: there and like let loose basically, And there were lots
Speaker 1: of times during the season and beyond where we had
Speaker 1: to do really big, wacky things. Yes, and if the
Speaker 1: other person is judging you and you can tell they're
Speaker 1: judging you, it is the worst thing because the only
Speaker 1: way you can make that work is like we're in
Speaker 1: this together totally absolutely, And Vanessa coming in and doing
Speaker 1: Big Spender, I was like, I don't trust. I remember
Speaker 1: having this thought that everybody in this room is going
Speaker 1: to be on board or get what she is doing
Speaker 1: because they're uncomfortable or like they don't care, or like
Speaker 1: I don't know what they're thinking. And it was like
Speaker 1: Vanessa's an actual actor, a serious actor, and is coming
Speaker 1: in here to do a job that she's paid to
Speaker 1: do and cares about. And it was a real wide awakening,
Speaker 1: like kicking the ass for me, like I need to
Speaker 1: step up my shit even if I don't have a
Speaker 1: bunch of lines in this episode, because that's what Vanessa's doing.
Speaker 1: And it was nice to be like reminded of like
Speaker 1: what our jobs were because we could get caught up
Speaker 1: in the schedule and like the fame of it all
Speaker 1: and that he said, she's the stuff that was happening
Speaker 1: behind the scenes, and so having you there was a
Speaker 1: very excellent lesson and just like the originally what we
Speaker 1: were hired to do, Like, hey, guys, focus, focus up.
Speaker 1: Here's someone like putting one hundred percent into everything they're doing.
Speaker 1: Anytime the camera cuts to Vanessa, she is fully even
Speaker 1: if she's just like staring at someone talking or singing,
Speaker 1: she's sugaring. There was never not a moment where she
Speaker 1: is not Sugar. Like we were like, there's Jenna, there's Kevin,
Speaker 1: there's Amber, there's Naya Sugar. Vanessa was like, that's a
Speaker 1: testament to your ability. It's like you were a professional.
Speaker 1: I only broke during our love affair hardly you were
Speaker 1: still you were still Sugar. I also love like because
Speaker 1: you can sing much better than Sugar can. Yeah, anyone
Speaker 1: can sing much, Yes, I'll take the complimation. Yeah, like
Speaker 1: you can actually sing. And then American Dreams is also
Speaker 1: musically based, and you came on which there were not
Speaker 1: a lot of musical shows that people could pull from
Speaker 1: to be like I was on this or at any experience.
Speaker 1: Did you feel like having that in your repertoire in
Speaker 1: your past somehow like did you think that was going
Speaker 1: to help inform you of how you integrated into the show. Obviously,
Speaker 1: it was very different.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think I think I just got really excited
Speaker 3: that I was asked to come back for another episode,
Speaker 3: and then another episode, and then oh, Sugar, Mota's dad
Speaker 3: created the Troubletones, and that is a whole thing. I
Speaker 3: was just I just kept being excited that I was
Speaker 3: welcomed back, and I, uh, it was episode by episode
Speaker 3: that you get well, episode by episode, I didn't you
Speaker 3: just wait.
Speaker 1: For her the first one? Did you know you're going
Speaker 1: back by the second one? Oh gosh, I don't know.
Speaker 1: I'm not sure. I also think it's like we were
Speaker 1: all up.
Speaker 3: I didn't answer your question because the answer is no.
Speaker 3: It was just like, now you're going to a dance rehearsal.
Speaker 3: Oh wait, I'm dance. Oh now I'm dancing. Oh now
Speaker 3: you're going to the studio to record the Chicago what's
Speaker 3: the Chicago one we did?
Speaker 1: Sugar has a.
Speaker 3: Whole I don't even think they used it on the show.
Speaker 3: But if you if you download cell Block Tango down Beaudiful,
Speaker 3: I'm thirty eight years old. The full version you stream
Speaker 3: it on Spotify, I don't know whatever. If you see
Speaker 3: the full version of Cello, I actually have.
Speaker 1: A part in it.
Speaker 3: Somewhere along the line, Sugar was singing and dancing and uh,
Speaker 3: and I never thought, oh I can because I'm.
Speaker 1: Qualified to do this.
Speaker 3: I just thought, oh, I get to they're inviting me
Speaker 3: in to do this now, Oh cool. It was always exciting.
Speaker 1: I also feel like because very quickly we all became
Speaker 1: obsessed with you, Like it was a very quick turnaround
Speaker 1: from like any sort of resistance too stretch to let
Speaker 1: this load, like we can't let her go. And I
Speaker 1: feel like every department felt that, which is also probably
Speaker 1: why you like immediately like keep writing her in like
Speaker 1: we need her, because like the energy was so good.
Speaker 1: And also I imagine for the writers too, to get
Speaker 1: somebody who's as good as you with comedy and like
Speaker 1: physical comedy, where we had a lot of people who
Speaker 1: were really good at that, but like you were another
Speaker 1: like powerhouse powerhouse coming in. I imagine from a writer's perspective,
Speaker 1: that was very fun to write for, knowing that like, oh,
Speaker 1: I'm going to write this, and I know Vanessa's just
Speaker 1: going to make this even better, so take that.
Speaker 3: I'm taking it, letting it in, and it's like uncomfortable
Speaker 3: but also feels good and gooey.
Speaker 1: I know it should feel good and gooey, which is
Speaker 1: what's wild to watch. Vanessa is the biggest ray of
Speaker 1: sunshine and like ball of love. And it's wild that
Speaker 1: it can be uncomfortable for somebody like that to receive
Speaker 1: all these compliments because you deserve it all. There's not enough.
Speaker 1: I don't know enough words to say all the good
Speaker 1: things about you. Let's just talk about some bad things
Speaker 1: about me for a second. So I don't know, do
Speaker 1: you come on, No, there's no bad things. I don't know,
Speaker 1: there's no bad things. Let's not sit here long enough
Speaker 1: to figure it out.
Speaker 2: I'm curious, like, do you have like distinctive memories of
Speaker 2: being on set? Because you were with us for so long,
Speaker 2: for us, a lot of it melds into one. It
Speaker 2: all kind of is a blur.
Speaker 1: Each day was kind of the same in some you
Speaker 1: know respect, But like, do you have core memories of
Speaker 1: being on set things that you did I have.
Speaker 3: I have a really good memory of Corey and I
Speaker 3: and it was like we were in the in the
Speaker 3: holding room and there were sets everywhere, and almost everyone
Speaker 3: was napping in.
Speaker 1: A different in a different position.
Speaker 3: There were people lying on the floor, there are people
Speaker 3: who had chairs set up in a row of three
Speaker 3: and were sleeping on that, and it was everyone was
Speaker 3: sleeping and Corey was sitting. Corey was the only one awake,
Speaker 3: and I was sitting next to him, and like I said,
Speaker 3: you know, we had been friends from before, but it
Speaker 3: was very trippy. He was looking at everyone with this
Speaker 3: kind of loving papa vibe. And I remember we had
Speaker 3: this talk about his experience that's that that you know,
Speaker 3: to that point on Glee, and he was talking about
Speaker 3: each of you as you slept with so much love
Speaker 3: and and it was it just was a cosmic conversation.
Speaker 3: I don't know how else to describe it, where I
Speaker 3: really just saw his holding of.
Speaker 1: Everyone and silently.
Speaker 3: You know, he wasn't he wasn't a man of many words,
Speaker 3: But that conversation really stands out to me. So that
Speaker 3: one stands out. That was kind of a heavy one.
Speaker 3: But I also remember I remember these shorts I wore
Speaker 3: in a dance rehearsal. There were like these cotton shorts
Speaker 3: that made my butt jinggle and everyone said something about it,
Speaker 3: and I just remember that moment being like, oh man,
Speaker 3: you're just so hot. This is a sexy group're so hot,
Speaker 3: thank you, And I just I don't think I saw
Speaker 3: myself as hot at the time. My personal life was
Speaker 3: not hot at the time. And I'm and and so
Speaker 3: I think like, just like my own the way I
Speaker 3: saw myself and the way you guys reflected who you
Speaker 3: saw in me was there was a gap there. But
Speaker 3: so those moments really stand out for me when I
Speaker 3: got that kind of reflection, So that that that stands
Speaker 3: out for me.
Speaker 1: I'm trying to think of we were all just like
Speaker 1: we said that everyone was attracted a grant, everyone was
Speaker 1: also attracted.
Speaker 3: Oh thanks as I was to you. I remember breaking
Speaker 3: up with that person that I was with while I
Speaker 3: was on Glee and thinking, I have so many regrets
Speaker 3: that I didn't I didn't hook up with people on
Speaker 3: the cast because I wanted to be a good girlfriend
Speaker 3: to this this person.
Speaker 1: That was a mistake. That was a mistake.
Speaker 2: Venosa, do you remember when we did tell him in
Speaker 2: the blue Dresses? No, it wasn't tell him. It was
Speaker 2: maybe the same so when we did, we did look
Speaker 2: at me, I'm Sandra d And we went, all of us.
Speaker 2: We were having such a fun time on set. We
Speaker 2: all went to Chipotle together on Vine Street and picked
Speaker 2: up a party box of Chipotle.
Speaker 1: We got like a cater You and I were like,
Speaker 1: let's get the catering box. And we went and we
Speaker 1: got a catering Chipotle. Picked it up in our pajamas.
Speaker 1: We were all in like our pana hats and like
Speaker 1: flannels and this is always in pajamas. That's right. That
Speaker 1: was our card dream. But we're having such a fun
Speaker 1: on set, are going to Chipoli.
Speaker 3: That's when I found out that Jenna love Chipotle as
Speaker 3: much as I did, and that Chipotle had given her.
Speaker 1: In my memory, it's a lifetime. I wish it was
Speaker 1: a time friends. All of our friends remember those cards
Speaker 1: as a lifetime year of free Chipotle is a daily
Speaker 1: breed on you to use it though, Oh you had one,
Speaker 1: and I would get it for all my friends. She'd
Speaker 1: get it for all her friends.
Speaker 2: I would also, and they would let me use it, like,
Speaker 2: welcome Chipotle. If you're listening, I'd like.
Speaker 1: That card back. Yeah, and we won't abuse it, we promise.
Speaker 1: I don't know about it. I had to start switching
Speaker 1: uplications because they're catching me like, oh, I'm sorry, this
Speaker 1: is for I'm like, oh, I had no idea. I
Speaker 1: lived down the block from Chipotle, that was the issue.
Speaker 2: Would like, on the way home from set, I would
Speaker 2: just veer off, grab it, and then go home. I
Speaker 2: would go home for lunch and pick up Chipotle and
Speaker 2: then go eat it in my loft and then drive
Speaker 2: back to work. But anyway, my most vivid memories of
Speaker 2: Chipotle there though, were when Kevin and Vanessa we would
Speaker 2: all partake in it together, because I think the three
Speaker 2: of us actually love Chipotle the most. I'm actually so
Speaker 2: glad that we're here right now. We had a bond
Speaker 2: totally trio Amba. Like I'm just remembering, You're like feeling
Speaker 2: that we had coming back. We were special, we did.
Speaker 1: We are special. One of the most special trips I've
Speaker 1: ever taken in my entire life was with Vanessa.
Speaker 3: Yes giving gold, giving Gold, Mexico, Giving gold in Mexico.
Speaker 3: We went to Cancun, and it was was this Was
Speaker 3: this the trip I always forget? Was this the trip
Speaker 3: where Naya crashed into the family trip where Nya and
Speaker 3: Brittany Parks were like spooning on this pair of sailing
Speaker 3: umbrella umbrella crashed into a family.
Speaker 1: They landed into a family, family dinner on the beach.
Speaker 3: So this was not that trick, and it wasn't the
Speaker 3: trip where we did and everyone realized that I was
Speaker 3: a connive.
Speaker 1: That was the same trip as the Mafia trip. Was
Speaker 1: the same trip as the parasale into the family, Okay,
Speaker 1: two different trips. That was also incredible because we also
Speaker 1: we all played Mafia as a cast regularly and we
Speaker 1: took it very seriously. Yes, Naya like, in addition to
Speaker 1: having sticks with parties every Christmas, she would also invite
Speaker 1: a lot of us on trips every summer. And so
Speaker 1: we went Tusay one to Naho and the first night
Speaker 1: we had this huge dinner with how many were there,
Speaker 1: like fifteen of us or something A lot that many
Speaker 1: people went. Was that the tequila tasting right? No, that
Speaker 1: was that was a different trip. Most of my memories
Speaker 1: are about Mexico with teven. It takes about ninety percent
Speaker 1: of your brain. We played the craziest game of Mafia
Speaker 1: and started several fights between couples and we were to
Speaker 1: them on because we like people were swearing on their
Speaker 1: own children to their partners, and we were all like, yes,
Speaker 1: get into it. And then afterwards we were all like, oh,
Speaker 1: that was a great game. My good job, Vanessa like
Speaker 1: murdered everyone. It was fine, And then couples had to
Speaker 1: like go away and to reconcile and then come back
Speaker 1: and join the festivities.
Speaker 3: I think somebody a couple didn't talk for a whole day,
Speaker 3: and I need to know who these people were.
Speaker 1: I'll tell you. But okay, so giving gold because Vanessa,
Speaker 1: it's interesting to hear you say also that you weren't.
Speaker 1: Maybe when we were at work, you were in the
Speaker 1: space to be like completely open with your life personally,
Speaker 1: but outside of work it felt like the complete opposite.
Speaker 1: You were very, very open and free with us, and
Speaker 1: we were with you in return. And so we went
Speaker 1: to this. We went to kan Kun at this like
Speaker 1: all inclusive resort, and like amongst other things we were
Speaker 1: giving away. We didn't realize it was all inclusive until
Speaker 1: like halfway through the truth and we started because we
Speaker 1: had to like pose for fake paparazzi pictures and we
Speaker 1: got the stay. Remember this is one of those things.
Speaker 1: I remember this, And we ended up meeting all these
Speaker 1: people that probably were not old enough to drink, and
Speaker 1: we were playing volleyball with them, and like their parents
Speaker 1: are watching, We're like can we get shots for everyone?
Speaker 1: You were giving gold and no, and so then towards
Speaker 1: the end of it, we had had so much tequila
Speaker 1: over like the four days we were there, we were shattered,
Speaker 1: just broken versions of ourselves. And we had lunch or
Speaker 1: brunch on the beach and like it was hot and
Speaker 1: we were all so hungover, like dying and emotionally fragile, yes,
Speaker 1: because we hadn't really slept and we're only drinking tequila
Speaker 1: for most of the days. And we decided to go
Speaker 1: around the table and give gold and like pick to
Speaker 1: each person and say what we love about yeah or Vanessa, yeah,
Speaker 1: very Vanessa, Like pick a moment, yes you remember with
Speaker 1: the person, and then tell you how you felt. Like
Speaker 1: if you talk to any of us that were there,
Speaker 1: none of us have forgotten it. And it was like
Speaker 1: so deep, weirdly transcendent. We're like, we shouldn't it shouldn't
Speaker 1: be that meaningful at this moment, it was everyone was bawling, sobbing.
Speaker 3: We couldn't look at hold we were. We were, we
Speaker 3: were clenching each other, we were we were holding hands,
Speaker 3: holding bodies, sobbing. Who was there? Kelly, Kevin justin Thorne,
Speaker 3: Alex the butcher Marcus. It was also like a weird
Speaker 3: random group.
Speaker 6: Yeah.
Speaker 1: I'm like, what group? Is this the only You're the
Speaker 1: only China? Yeah wow Yeah. And it was fascinating and
Speaker 1: it was like this weird like everyone just came like
Speaker 1: it was a mixture of like several different groups and
Speaker 1: everyone was just so open. And I will say Vanessa
Speaker 1: and Telly, I think inspire that when you're around them
Speaker 1: for everyone to just be like accepting and open to
Speaker 1: whatever is going to come our way in most in
Speaker 1: a very positive way. And so by the end of
Speaker 1: that trip where we all felt like we're family with
Speaker 1: those I even told them at the airport we're a
Speaker 1: new kind of family. When I tried to she was
Speaker 1: going through immigration and they said are you people family?
Speaker 3: She said, yes, that's my family, and they're like, you
Speaker 3: should we be together? And I was like, well, we're
Speaker 3: We're a new kind of family, like.
Speaker 4: The old ABC family slogan, like a new new kind
Speaker 4: of During that trip, we had what they called like
Speaker 4: a butler a house A house. I don't know, and
Speaker 4: I feel like we shouldn't.
Speaker 1: I don't know, if be good, I don't know what
Speaker 1: the word was, but sway was with us like all day.
Speaker 1: I know I'm beside the point right now, but it
Speaker 1: was just he's just looking at you like you are
Speaker 1: off the plot, off the out of the rails. The
Speaker 1: rails brought us to security and cried. Yes, that's how
Speaker 1: crazy this trip was. What were you guys on? I
Speaker 1: don't know out nothing love. Yeah, yeah, I'm not talking
Speaker 1: any friendship rumors, but you know what I mean. Speaks
Speaker 1: to the power of Vanessa's love. Oh that was the
Speaker 1: That was the point on it, because if you were
Speaker 1: not there, that absolutely would not have happened.
Speaker 2: Fair.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I usually like to end with people crying. That's
Speaker 1: the killer. Dream wedding dream, dream wedding.
Speaker 3: Okay, wait, so before we and Jen feverally looking at
Speaker 3: her papers trying to get us back on.
Speaker 1: At least we have someone respond there's an adult in
Speaker 1: the room. No, I have some questions. Well, some people
Speaker 1: wrote in, lots of people wrote in questions.
Speaker 2: We asked people for questions for you, and I was
Speaker 2: just browsing through all of these and I wanted to
Speaker 2: know this as well. So Aaron Charlotte asked, what did
Speaker 2: you think of Diana's impression of sugar and what was
Speaker 2: it like playing Quinn?
Speaker 1: I love that day. That was a great day. It
Speaker 1: was really fun.
Speaker 3: I think Diana is one of the most stunning people, yeah,
Speaker 3: of all time. Just like to look at her. I'm
Speaker 3: sure I've told her this a million times, just like
Speaker 3: it's captivating. It's like your brain shuts off and you
Speaker 3: kind of just tilt your head and get lost in
Speaker 3: this like beauty.
Speaker 1: That she eminates.
Speaker 3: And then I also think she's quite an interesting actress.
Speaker 3: Like I remember, like she's like constantly positive, even if
Speaker 3: she forgets the line halfway through, you know, so she'd
Speaker 3: be like she'd be like talking or saying her line,
Speaker 3: and then there'd be this pause, and I remember thinking,
Speaker 3: is she.
Speaker 1: Taking a dramatic pause? And then she'd just be like
Speaker 1: what is it? With no guilt, no shame.
Speaker 3: I would feel I would I would go home and
Speaker 3: just you know, beat myself on the back with something uncomfortable.
Speaker 1: That's a weird thing to say, but whatever was like
Speaker 1: delighted and so and so to switch with her. I've
Speaker 1: sent them off. I've sent Jenna. And that's the best
Speaker 1: way anybody's ever explained it, because it's true.
Speaker 3: So I think so I think the opportunity to get
Speaker 3: to play her, for me was more to get to
Speaker 3: play that because I had been just like observing her
Speaker 3: with this awe and reverence for the you know, for
Speaker 3: however long I had been a part of the cast,
Speaker 3: and so when I saw that I got to play her,
Speaker 3: it was more really for me to play that part
Speaker 3: that I just like this.
Speaker 1: Really, I told you, I like it when people cry.
Speaker 1: She has power. She's going to make you cry. You
Speaker 1: will get there.
Speaker 3: Oh my god, I'll know you're feeling right now, Jenna,
Speaker 3: how do you feel there's a feeling of elation because
Speaker 3: I think we're all in a room together, and so
Speaker 3: I'm feeling like buzzy.
Speaker 2: It's like I'm drunk, but I'm not. I'm drunk on love,
Speaker 2: and I just this is a really great observation and
Speaker 2: a way to explain something that I never fully could
Speaker 2: put words to. So it felt very rewarding in them.
Speaker 3: That's it.
Speaker 1: Wow, there's a revelation. I hope that answers her question.
Speaker 1: Thank you for a good question. What watching them play
Speaker 1: each other? You both have extroversive energy. You guys were
Speaker 1: my favorite, Like Dana was up and like dancing, Like yeah,
Speaker 1: I was like, oh, who are these people? We really
Speaker 1: did see like people transformed in that episode. It was
Speaker 1: really so fun and different. It was like we were
Speaker 1: honoring each other. You know, yes, exactly, except some people
Speaker 1: didn't take it well. But yeah, if you can't make
Speaker 1: fun of yourself, I know, crash test comic wants to know,
Speaker 1: did you prefer Sugar was Rory or Artie? Oh, crash Test, pardon,
Speaker 1: don't worry about that. Okay, I want to say, because
Speaker 1: I don't want to hurt his feelings. Is the problem
Speaker 1: is in the room. We won't tell him. No, okay, no,
Speaker 1: I won't tell him.
Speaker 3: I The thing I never got out of Glee was
Speaker 3: that we didn't have a relationship. Sugar and Lartie did
Speaker 3: not have a full relationship. That there was no makeout scenes.
Speaker 3: I really would have loved to see that. There's still
Speaker 3: time when we apparently there's like reboot whatever, or just
Speaker 3: let's make our own show. Okay, we can just make
Speaker 3: or we can just make out after this, that's perfect.
Speaker 3: What happens at the Win in Vegas gets on this podcast. No,
Speaker 3: of course already I know whatever Rory got me a puppy,
Speaker 3: But you know what I'm at the time, I was
Speaker 3: very allergic to dogs, so actually that was a terrible gift. No,
Speaker 3: I've i've, I could get into it, but I've convinced
Speaker 3: myself I've i've, i've, i've got I'm not allergic to
Speaker 3: dogs anymore.
Speaker 1: Wow.
Speaker 3: I also had to be a dog trainer on Turner
Speaker 3: and who really figure it out? And those are not
Speaker 3: hyperlog which actually will just give you the rundown because
Speaker 3: it's so weird. And I think you're going to really
Speaker 3: love this about me. I read this thing that said
Speaker 3: sometimes kids with childhood allergies make them up because their
Speaker 3: parents aren't giving them enough attention, and they have no
Speaker 3: other way to like call for attention other than to
Speaker 3: have this reaction because they're competing with the animals, and
Speaker 3: that as an adult, we are allowed and we don't
Speaker 3: realize or remember that we can ask for the attention
Speaker 3: that we need and that we can create a new
Speaker 3: sense of safety for ourselves and we don't have to
Speaker 3: be in competition with these animals.
Speaker 1: And I kid you not, I hope this is for you.
Speaker 1: Maybe you have an allergy that you can get over.
Speaker 1: I kid you not.
Speaker 3: I just started telling myself, Vanessa, you're safe and if
Speaker 3: you want attention, you can ask for it. And I
Speaker 3: am no longer allergic to dogs. And I'm telling you
Speaker 3: I was full on, like sneezy nose hives the whole thing.
Speaker 3: So I mean, you know, wow, I am also Vanessa.
Speaker 1: I'm not a doctor.
Speaker 3: Please do not like, get off your allergy medication and
Speaker 3: blame me for your hospital visit.
Speaker 1: Absolutely not. But I just think that that's you know,
Speaker 1: if anyone else said that, I would have been like, yeah,
Speaker 1: they're lying. Yeah, but I believe it. If you don't
Speaker 1: understand or believe in the power of Vanessa after this episode,
Speaker 1: what you're doing. Nothing away from this I have. I
Speaker 1: have one What was your biggest takeaway from Glee? Professionally
Speaker 1: and personally? That's from Coco five to five. But then
Speaker 1: additionally Bella new Grace said, why did you disappear from
Speaker 1: the show's so great, so three parter?
Speaker 3: Personally, I think our friendships, like, without a doubt, I
Speaker 3: can't believe how many hard times that we've gone through
Speaker 3: together after the show, which also deepened our friendship. But
Speaker 3: even if let's say we hadn't had those things happen,
Speaker 3: I just feel like there was there is something about
Speaker 3: being together for fifteen to seventeen hours a.
Speaker 1: Day for years. That makes you close with someone forever
Speaker 1: and you still like each other. We like each other.
Speaker 3: And also just yeah, just like come yeah, I just
Speaker 3: felt really, I think this is the vibe that I
Speaker 3: told you I felt in the audition. There's some vibe.
Speaker 3: I felt like, Oh, I've found a family. I'm going
Speaker 3: to be in this family. This is what the family
Speaker 3: feels like and it hasn't changed. So that was my
Speaker 3: biggest personal takeaway. And also shout out to Tally Kusakis
Speaker 3: Aristotle Causakis because.
Speaker 1: He's my ride or die.
Speaker 3: Yeah, and I met him through Glee and he's save
Speaker 3: my life not to sound dramatic, but definitely saved my
Speaker 3: life emotionally and and and so I'm just like, wow,
Speaker 3: I gotta tell you out of it.
Speaker 1: So there's that.
Speaker 3: And then professionally, I think, you know, Instagram gives me anxiety,
Speaker 3: but all of those followers that I have on Instagram,
Speaker 3: which now in today's world is you know, not that many,
Speaker 3: but all of those people who give me so much
Speaker 3: love on a regular basis came from Glee. So I
Speaker 3: think professionally that was just like a big shift in
Speaker 3: my life. I love that for you, thank you.
Speaker 1: And then the third question was probably the why did
Speaker 1: Trigger disappear from Glee? That's right, do you know? Okay,
Speaker 1: so this is my this is my yeah thought. I
Speaker 1: love this. I think that, Okay, this is this is
Speaker 1: what I think.
Speaker 3: I think that when they were filming scenes, I wasn't
Speaker 3: the best dnswer and I wasn't the best singer and
Speaker 3: it was probably costing them a lot to try to
Speaker 3: like make it work.
Speaker 1: And that's what I that's what I took that to mean.
Speaker 3: And then if I could take one hundred percent responsibility
Speaker 3: for why, like you know, because that's what I do now,
Speaker 3: just try to take responsibility for everything.
Speaker 1: I was really mad that they killed Corey's character. I
Speaker 1: really wanted.
Speaker 3: Him to live on, Like I wanted it to just
Speaker 3: be written that he went somewhere and just is living
Speaker 3: a great life and h m hmm. Inside I was like,
Speaker 3: that's fucked up. It's fucked up, like you know, in
Speaker 3: my in my my opinion, which is not you know,
Speaker 3: it's just me. I just and I think it's just
Speaker 3: it's it's actually just that I had a really really
Speaker 3: deep desire for him to live on somewhere and then
Speaker 3: they just took that away and I was like this,
Speaker 3: I don't I'm my heart is broken.
Speaker 1: That was very so.
Speaker 3: I don't know if that's if I'm taking responsibility for
Speaker 3: why there was a but it came back for the
Speaker 3: wedding episode, which was like the vest.
Speaker 1: Day Ever did you ever did you voice that to
Speaker 1: anyone or do you just feel like you emanated that?
Speaker 1: And I feel like it emanated it.
Speaker 3: I feel like I probably told Telly because he knows
Speaker 3: every single thing for just to know about me. But no,
Speaker 3: I don't think I made a stink about it. I
Speaker 3: just like judged, just silently judged.
Speaker 1: I did. I'm glad that when we had Ryan on
Speaker 1: he talked about that. But tell me what he said.
Speaker 1: He said, wouldn't do it again? Yeah, because there was
Speaker 1: there was. I think there's no right way, no to
Speaker 1: do it. Definitely not. It was a lose lose no
Speaker 1: matter what, absolutely and like none of us wanted to.
Speaker 3: Do it the show there he said, Yeah, it's just
Speaker 3: like one of those things where you might have this,
Speaker 3: you might be like making this a part of the
Speaker 3: show might be good for processing and digesting this really unfathomable,
Speaker 3: un yeah, you know, I can't say the word we
Speaker 3: did baffling experience, but I don't feel like that's actually
Speaker 3: what happened. I felt like it it created more distance
Speaker 3: between people to have to bring the grieving process to
Speaker 3: the set and have it, you know, and and uh, yeah,
Speaker 3: I have a lot of opinions about that. I think
Speaker 3: that's probably why energetically I popped out.
Speaker 1: I think that's I mean, that makes a lot of
Speaker 1: sense because we were all feeling that way. Yeah, I
Speaker 1: think you just voiced it because I didn't have a
Speaker 1: solution either. I'm like, can we just ignore it? I
Speaker 1: put like the greatest Moment's greatest hits together or something. Yeah,
Speaker 1: like that's I mean, there's no right way to do it,
Speaker 1: but I agree that there's could be wrong ways to
Speaker 1: do it.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, and there there isn't a wrong way,
Speaker 3: you know, because it was done that way. So I
Speaker 3: guess like, looking back, like that's just and that that
Speaker 3: really does represent how why Glee was so beloved because
Speaker 3: they they they took those inside your insides and put
Speaker 3: them on the outside, and people were just drinking it up.
Speaker 1: They're like, I just love this.
Speaker 3: This is like look at these all these amazing, talented
Speaker 3: beings and I can I get to see the inside
Speaker 3: of them, no matter how exploitive and you know, vulnerable.
Speaker 3: That was for everyone on the cast, So you know,
Speaker 3: so that was good. And then I guess when I
Speaker 3: think of the audience, I don't know, I don't know what.
Speaker 1: I don't know what. You guys have.
Speaker 3: Feedback you've gotten from their experience of how they wanted.
Speaker 3: You know, Glee is like that because people loved it
Speaker 3: so much, you kind of do want to take care
Speaker 3: of them in a sense like I wouldn't. I wouldn't
Speaker 3: give anybody advice to validate fans because that can be messy.
Speaker 3: But there's there is something in me that wants everyone
Speaker 3: who loved Glee to know that they're not alone and
Speaker 3: that they're loved. And this grief is hard, and especially
Speaker 3: all the grief that you know has piled on. But
Speaker 3: what am I even trying to say? I'm just trying
Speaker 3: to not make it wrong. But yeah, at the time, I.
Speaker 1: Was like, yeah, yeah, it felt yeah, yeah it was yeah,
Speaker 1: just really it was really easy to cry in a scene.
Speaker 1: The opposite, I was angry. Yeah, I was just like,
Speaker 1: you're not getting this from me. Oh God, that's hard,
Speaker 1: because it was just hard not to.
Speaker 4: You know.
Speaker 1: I think, just like they they should have counselors and
Speaker 1: therapists there, you know.
Speaker 2: Well, Ryan had said also in the when he came
Speaker 2: on the show, like we're mental health was not a
Speaker 2: thing in the workplace when we were there, things would
Speaker 2: be so different, and the way they handled my whole
Speaker 2: thing would have been different, the way they handled Corey
Speaker 2: would have a different they handled a lot would have
Speaker 2: been different, and everybody would have had support and would
Speaker 2: have felt like they had something that was offered that
Speaker 2: felt normalized.
Speaker 1: You know.
Speaker 2: I think they had offered like if we needed a
Speaker 2: grief counselor they could get one for us, but none
Speaker 2: of us were doing that at the time, and none.
Speaker 1: Of us felt like and it didn't feel Yeah, it was.
Speaker 1: It was a very strange experience, but fortunately like learning
Speaker 1: whilst going through it. Yeah, right, So no, you're allowed
Speaker 1: to feel the way you feel. And a lot of
Speaker 1: people felt that way. And I actually don't know how
Speaker 1: many how people feel about that, particularly, I mean I
Speaker 1: think people that I have spoken to me about it,
Speaker 1: like the episode, I guess they wouldn't speak to me
Speaker 1: if they didn't like the episode, right, But I've always
Speaker 1: found that really interesting. I'm always shocked by it because
Speaker 1: of how we all felt about it, like, oh, you
Speaker 1: liked that.
Speaker 2: But I think I can understand they were watching the
Speaker 2: characters though they weren't watching us, and so we were
Speaker 2: doing ourselves. We weren't doing our characters. Yeah, that's the difference. Yeah,
Speaker 2: and that's really hard because they don't know. Yeah, they
Speaker 2: can only understand.
Speaker 3: That's why you have this show, because this is this
Speaker 3: is this is the actual processing, by the way, what
Speaker 3: you guys are doing, this is this is where you
Speaker 3: get to go back and alchemize the experience because now
Speaker 3: people do get to know and then there's not this
Speaker 3: separation right between what was what was remembered as as
Speaker 3: the truth and then there's like, no, there's there's more
Speaker 3: to it.
Speaker 1: And I think that's amazing. I think that's amazing. I
Speaker 1: think what you're doing is amazing. On a lighter note
Speaker 1: that when we're right in that, I am, but I'm
Speaker 1: so grateful that you're here. And then, how does you
Speaker 1: feel about pom Poms? We know how you feel about
Speaker 1: sure Sugar was pompoms? Did your back hurt from carrying
Speaker 1: the comedy of Glee throughout the series, I will go
Speaker 1: on a date with you does a great line me
Speaker 1: pb uh seven oh one? Thank you because that really
Speaker 1: just took me. Yeah, I was like Vanessa, Yes, darling,
Speaker 1: we are just so grateful that you are here with us.
Speaker 1: You are such a light you have you have always
Speaker 1: been a light to us, and then you continued to
Speaker 1: shine so brightly for us. Every time. It seeps through
Speaker 1: your pores and it is contagious and unavoidable. Damn you
Speaker 1: did that, you did that. I have nothing else to add.
Speaker 1: We love you. Vanessa is also like our new co
Speaker 1: host for a couple episodes, a couple episodes, so this
Speaker 1: is strap In and she's here for a couple of weeks.
Speaker 1: So Vanessa, thank you so much. Thank you. See you
Speaker 1: next week. Yes, and that's what you really bess by.
Speaker 1: Thanks for listening and follow us on Instagram at end,
Speaker 1: that's what you really miss pod and make sure to
Speaker 1: write us a review and leave us five stars. See
Speaker 1: you next time.