WEBVTT - Jonathan Van Ness is Busy Being Fabulous 0:00:07.240 --> 0:00:10.840 Hi Brian, Hi Katie. So it's Saturday morning in Los Angeles, 0:00:10.920 --> 0:00:13.720 and I must confess I was a little tired when 0:00:13.720 --> 0:00:15.920 I woke up this morning because Stand Up to Cancer 0:00:16.000 --> 0:00:18.360 was yesterday and we had a fun after party, and 0:00:18.400 --> 0:00:21.200 I was basking in the after glow of raising lots 0:00:21.200 --> 0:00:24.000 of money for cancer research. You know, as our guests 0:00:24.000 --> 0:00:26.320 would say, you were like the Beyonce of that party. 0:00:27.160 --> 0:00:29.320 You were everybody was coming up to you, and they 0:00:29.320 --> 0:00:32.880 weren't asking for autograph. I think self, not really, Brian. 0:00:32.920 --> 0:00:34.919 I think it was because there weren't many celebrities at 0:00:34.920 --> 0:00:37.360 the after party. Think so. I think everyone is very 0:00:37.400 --> 0:00:39.880 proud of you, because without you, this would not have happened. 0:00:39.880 --> 0:00:41.960 It's been going on now for ten years. You've raised 0:00:42.000 --> 0:00:44.760 half a billion dollars for cancer research, and more than that, 0:00:45.040 --> 0:00:48.839 you've really helped to revolutionize the way cancer research is done. Well, 0:00:48.880 --> 0:00:51.120 we're trying, and I have to give credit where credit 0:00:51.200 --> 0:00:53.519 is due. It takes a village. There were nine of 0:00:53.640 --> 0:00:56.640 us and all who started this organization, and of course 0:00:57.000 --> 0:00:59.680 a cast of thousands behind the show last night. So 0:00:59.720 --> 0:01:02.279 I'm glad you were there, Brian. Thank you for my 0:01:02.360 --> 0:01:04.959 incredible seat. I know Brian had a front row seat 0:01:05.000 --> 0:01:07.800 with my really close friend Wendy and her her boy 0:01:07.840 --> 0:01:09.920 toy Randy can have a boy toy when you're in 0:01:09.959 --> 0:01:13.440 your sixties. And my daughter Ellie was there with her 0:01:13.480 --> 0:01:15.800 boyfriend Mark and my niece Laura. So it was a 0:01:15.880 --> 0:01:18.360 very special night for me. Thank you for coming and 0:01:18.400 --> 0:01:21.039 thank you for supporting Stand Up to Cancer, Brian, and 0:01:21.080 --> 0:01:23.399 for any of you out there who watched and have 0:01:23.520 --> 0:01:26.319 supported this effort, Thanks to you as well. So I 0:01:26.319 --> 0:01:29.520 thought it was going to be prettyep, pretty deep, pretty tired, 0:01:29.560 --> 0:01:32.839 as Larry David would say this morning, But that changed 0:01:32.840 --> 0:01:36.399 in a nana second when I met this young man 0:01:36.760 --> 0:01:39.679 named Jonathan van Ness and he's the star of a 0:01:39.720 --> 0:01:42.120 new Netflix show called Queer Eye. Well actually it's not 0:01:42.200 --> 0:01:44.360 quite a new show. It's a reboot of a show 0:01:44.400 --> 0:01:46.640 that aired from two thousand three to two thousand seven, 0:01:46.720 --> 0:01:50.040 and that's right, it's in its second season as well. 0:01:50.080 --> 0:01:53.600 But however you describe it, it is a monster hit. 0:01:53.960 --> 0:01:57.640 And after spending just an hour with j VN as 0:01:57.720 --> 0:02:00.800 my daughter calls him, I can understand why. He is 0:02:00.960 --> 0:02:04.680 absolutely a brilliant and I don't know, I wanted to say, 0:02:04.760 --> 0:02:08.000 I'll have what he's having because the guy has more 0:02:08.120 --> 0:02:11.000 so much energy. He makes me feel like I'm on vallium. 0:02:11.000 --> 0:02:14.880 He is a uniquely enthusiastic character, but very authentic to 0:02:14.960 --> 0:02:19.679 who he is. By the way, highly intelligent, clearly incredibly 0:02:19.760 --> 0:02:23.799 well read, very engaged, and has a lot of smart 0:02:23.919 --> 0:02:27.320 informed opinions. We should say for people who don't watch 0:02:27.400 --> 0:02:30.520 the show, that queer eye. The premise is basically that 0:02:30.600 --> 0:02:35.200 these five gay guys travel to various places and they 0:02:35.280 --> 0:02:38.400 make over somebody. It used to be just a straight guy, 0:02:38.440 --> 0:02:40.080 and now it can be anyone. It can be a 0:02:40.120 --> 0:02:45.200 straight woman, it can be um. And they do more 0:02:45.240 --> 0:02:47.200 than the hair and the makeup and the house. They 0:02:47.240 --> 0:02:50.280 really help the person to kind of re examine their 0:02:50.320 --> 0:02:53.960 lives and think about their priorities in a new way. 0:02:54.040 --> 0:02:55.960 It's it's much deeper than just a kind of a 0:02:56.000 --> 0:02:59.200 makeover show. Definitely, and in many ways, I think why 0:02:59.240 --> 0:03:02.520 this show has resonated so much at a time of 0:03:03.200 --> 0:03:06.880 huge divisions in this country. It is really, I think, 0:03:07.000 --> 0:03:10.840 bridging the cultural divide and showing what we all have 0:03:10.960 --> 0:03:14.480 in common rather than what is tearing us apart. And 0:03:14.520 --> 0:03:18.960 how refreshing is that? Yeah, Verry, Yes, so we talked 0:03:18.960 --> 0:03:21.120 with Jonathan about everything from what it was like growing 0:03:21.200 --> 0:03:23.760 up in a small town Quincy, Illinois, where he was 0:03:23.800 --> 0:03:27.280 the only male cheerleader, to the experience of filming Queer 0:03:27.320 --> 0:03:30.520 I and some very conservative places in Georgia, to his 0:03:30.600 --> 0:03:33.639 hit podcast, which is called Getting Curious. We also asked 0:03:33.720 --> 0:03:37.800 Jonathan for a few makeover suggestions for Brian spoiler alert, 0:03:38.040 --> 0:03:42.760 I'm perfect. He didn't have too many. But enough about us, people, 0:03:42.840 --> 0:03:45.280 Let's get back to our guest, j b n Or 0:03:45.360 --> 0:03:48.560 Jonathan Van Ness, one of the shining stars of Queer I, 0:03:48.880 --> 0:03:52.360 one of my new favorite shows. So hold onto your hats, people, 0:03:52.680 --> 0:03:59.720 this is going to be a doozy. Should I call 0:03:59.760 --> 0:04:04.920 you Jonathan or j Van Jonathan? Obviously you can honestly 0:04:04.920 --> 0:04:06.800 either one of those. I don't care. The daughter calls 0:04:06.800 --> 0:04:09.440 you j Vin. I'm going to call you Jonathan. She's 0:04:09.480 --> 0:04:12.120 such a fan and absolutely adores you, and she and 0:04:12.160 --> 0:04:16.560 her boyfriend watched the episode with Tom you know in Georgia. 0:04:16.760 --> 0:04:18.480 I guess so many of them are in Georgia, but 0:04:19.000 --> 0:04:22.120 the first episode and they had they had the eyemask 0:04:22.240 --> 0:04:26.040 on recommended and they were watching it wearing the eye mask. 0:04:26.160 --> 0:04:28.720 I love that, you know, and I like I said, 0:04:28.760 --> 0:04:32.520 such an underrated beauty to all it really is. She's 0:04:32.560 --> 0:04:36.000 so anti inflammatory and she's so affordable, which is great. 0:04:36.600 --> 0:04:39.080 You know, I'm asking man, no, just like literal ice 0:04:39.120 --> 0:04:43.240 and little ice. Yes, have gotten into recently a cold 0:04:43.360 --> 0:04:45.200 rinse at the end of the show. It's great. It's 0:04:45.200 --> 0:04:48.040 good for your skin. You've been I don't. I always 0:04:48.040 --> 0:04:50.120 did that. It's good for your hair and your hair 0:04:50.240 --> 0:04:52.839 folical right. Yet well, it steals down your cuticle, so 0:04:52.880 --> 0:04:56.440 it makes it more didn't know, increases blood flow. It 0:04:56.480 --> 0:04:58.520 was a little shocking at first, but now I kind 0:04:58.520 --> 0:05:02.159 of like it. Befo and honey, oh my god, thank you. 0:05:02.240 --> 0:05:04.320 We're going to talk about Brian in a minute, but 0:05:04.400 --> 0:05:06.240 at first I want I want to get to that 0:05:06.279 --> 0:05:09.400 first question. When you were growing up in Quincy, Illinois, 0:05:10.040 --> 0:05:13.000 what was your first inkling that you know what, I'm 0:05:13.040 --> 0:05:17.000 gay and I'm cool with that morgeous question. I think 0:05:17.160 --> 0:05:19.400 it was it must have been a both Lex commercial 0:05:19.560 --> 0:05:22.360 or like it must have been like an infomercial. Yes, 0:05:22.440 --> 0:05:24.719 I remember being like I remember seeing like an infomercial 0:05:24.760 --> 0:05:26.120 that was like for a both lex or both lex 0:05:26.160 --> 0:05:27.640 like machine, and my mom was in the room and 0:05:27.680 --> 0:05:30.640 I was like, mom, um, what am I going to 0:05:30.720 --> 0:05:33.560 get abdominals like that? Because like they like I just 0:05:33.640 --> 0:05:35.440 I loved an abdominal, honey. I was like, what is 0:05:35.480 --> 0:05:37.720 going on when you were looking at Christie Brinkley, I 0:05:37.760 --> 0:05:40.800 wasn't looking at Yes, I was like this this all 0:05:40.839 --> 0:05:43.479 this muscle honey. And and I don't know if I was, 0:05:44.120 --> 0:05:46.960 but that could have just indicated sort of vanity not 0:05:47.080 --> 0:05:49.680 necessarily section, you know, No, I was no. I was 0:05:49.720 --> 0:05:51.559 like I was curious about that. I was like my curious. 0:05:51.560 --> 0:05:53.680 And then I also feel like I was pretty clear 0:05:53.720 --> 0:05:56.719 by like kindergarten that like I was obsessed with Miss Universe. 0:05:56.720 --> 0:05:59.240 I wanted to watch Miss America Like I was like that, 0:05:59.360 --> 0:06:00.760 Like there was just like a really cute girl on 0:06:00.839 --> 0:06:03.000 Barney that had this little fringe. I was obsessed with 0:06:03.000 --> 0:06:04.719 her fringe. But then the other little boys that I 0:06:04.720 --> 0:06:06.360 was in kindergarten with, like I definitely just wanted to 0:06:06.520 --> 0:06:10.320 push them down and then run away like you're the 0:06:10.360 --> 0:06:13.360 youngest of four yeah, and and and how did your 0:06:13.360 --> 0:06:17.600 parents react to your dannus early on? I think my 0:06:17.680 --> 0:06:20.400 dad was very very troubled by it, very very worried 0:06:20.400 --> 0:06:21.720 by it. Like I would play a lot of dress 0:06:21.760 --> 0:06:23.400 up with my cousins at their house, and I remember 0:06:23.480 --> 0:06:25.320 him like walking in on me in this like fierce 0:06:25.400 --> 0:06:27.960 velvet evening gown with like a big puffy gold sleeve, 0:06:28.360 --> 0:06:31.599 and he like had a literal like nervous break like 0:06:31.600 --> 0:06:33.800 he was like like it was it was it was 0:06:33.839 --> 0:06:35.520 like five yeah, I mean it was like and then 0:06:35.520 --> 0:06:37.359 I couldn't play dress up after that. But then my 0:06:37.360 --> 0:06:38.960 aunt would like kind of still like sneak me to 0:06:38.960 --> 0:06:41.000 play dress up, but we really had to like cushion 0:06:41.120 --> 0:06:44.080 the potential arrival times of my dad, you know, nothing 0:06:44.080 --> 0:06:45.960 to extravagant if I really need to get out of 0:06:45.960 --> 0:06:48.479 it in a hurry. So did that make you feel shame? 0:06:49.080 --> 0:06:53.040 Absolutely as as a little boy, for sure, But then 0:06:53.080 --> 0:06:55.840 how did you how did you deal with that? Aunt 0:06:55.960 --> 0:06:57.680 was a big factor, you know, my aunt, My aunt 0:06:57.760 --> 0:07:00.520 least is amazing. My mom was amazing, and even my 0:07:00.600 --> 0:07:02.800 dad was amazing. I think that because also I think 0:07:02.839 --> 0:07:05.840 one thing that you have to remember about the early 0:07:06.000 --> 0:07:09.040 nineties late eighties having a flamboyantly gay son, there was 0:07:09.080 --> 0:07:11.480 obviously a lot of fear of like HIV AIDS, Like 0:07:11.520 --> 0:07:13.520 no one knew like what that disease is going to 0:07:13.600 --> 0:07:15.560 grow into, Like what was really going on with at 0:07:15.600 --> 0:07:17.440 a time. And so I remember in a very young 0:07:17.480 --> 0:07:20.240 age my dad being like like he was so worried 0:07:20.240 --> 0:07:22.280 about HIV AIDS. But like by the time I was like, 0:07:22.280 --> 0:07:25.080 you know, like eleven or like twelve, like very like, 0:07:25.280 --> 0:07:26.960 there's so much fear on that. I mean, people had 0:07:26.960 --> 0:07:29.200 been seeing people like just dropping like flies. It was 0:07:29.240 --> 0:07:31.680 like literally an epidemic like in this country, like in 0:07:31.760 --> 0:07:34.120 front of people's faces. So I think that that's actually 0:07:34.120 --> 0:07:36.120 an important thing to point out, you know, I was 0:07:36.120 --> 0:07:38.760 thinking about like all the attention even though it wasn't 0:07:39.120 --> 0:07:42.280 because he was gay. But remember Ryan White, Yes, Ryan 0:07:42.320 --> 0:07:47.680 White funding, he's so influential with with um magic. But 0:07:47.800 --> 0:07:51.320 Ryan White specifically did so much to raise awareness and funding. 0:07:51.360 --> 0:07:53.800 Because I mean, one thing that really people really don't realize, 0:07:53.800 --> 0:07:56.160 and this is insane. Ronald Reagan was the president in 0:07:56.200 --> 0:07:58.960 this country for eight years and over a hundred thousand 0:07:58.960 --> 0:08:02.880 people died a Americans died before he even uttered HIV AIDS, 0:08:02.920 --> 0:08:07.600 which wasn't until seven And then this current president eulogize 0:08:07.640 --> 0:08:09.920 as this president and all these people think that you know, 0:08:10.000 --> 0:08:12.960 Ronald Reagan was just like amazing man. He presided over 0:08:13.000 --> 0:08:15.800 one of the most intense, I mean, the worst health 0:08:15.800 --> 0:08:18.559 epidemic in this country's history, and because of the people 0:08:18.600 --> 0:08:20.880 that were being affected by it, did not move a muscle, 0:08:21.240 --> 0:08:23.560 And in two thousand and eighteen, an entire party still 0:08:23.560 --> 0:08:25.120 looks back at him as he is, like he's the 0:08:25.160 --> 0:08:27.480 model of a good president. I cannot think of two 0:08:27.520 --> 0:08:31.680 people who were more falsely looked up to than the Reagans, 0:08:32.240 --> 0:08:34.640 really really, really bad. Do you think he did anything 0:08:34.800 --> 0:08:37.760 that was admirable at all? Um? You know, maybe like 0:08:37.800 --> 0:08:40.480 economically people can make a case for that, but I think, 0:08:40.640 --> 0:08:42.720 you know, especially when you think of their relationship that 0:08:42.760 --> 0:08:45.840 they had with um Rock Hudson or was it Rock 0:08:45.920 --> 0:08:49.120 Hudson the whole thing, and that personal pleaded Nancy Reagan 0:08:49.160 --> 0:08:52.640 and she like, I mean it's really very heartless, like 0:08:52.640 --> 0:08:54.719 how they treated a whole gate community of people that 0:08:54.760 --> 0:08:57.320 were dying before people's eyes and being very vocal about it. 0:08:57.559 --> 0:09:02.160 And I mean, they really hit administration, like worked tirelessly 0:09:02.200 --> 0:09:06.120 against HIV research. It's interesting that there wasn't actually even 0:09:06.320 --> 0:09:10.800 more outrage on the part of the media or even 0:09:12.120 --> 0:09:13.600 like as me as a gay man, as a thirty 0:09:13.600 --> 0:09:15.160 one year old game and every time I have to 0:09:15.200 --> 0:09:17.960 hear a Republican senator or or the president or anyone 0:09:18.040 --> 0:09:20.240 really praised the Trump administration. I think that's one thing 0:09:20.240 --> 0:09:23.320 that we really look over, is what what has administration 0:09:23.360 --> 0:09:25.199 did to this country and what has administration did to 0:09:25.240 --> 0:09:28.360 the health of this country. Yes, it's so interesting as 0:09:28.400 --> 0:09:32.040 people deify Ronald Reagan, it's not as good word. It's 0:09:32.080 --> 0:09:35.439 not as though they didn't know because Ronald and Nancy Reagan, 0:09:35.480 --> 0:09:37.520 of course lived in l a And had lots of 0:09:37.600 --> 0:09:40.360 gay friends and a number of people Nancy Reagan was 0:09:40.440 --> 0:09:44.040 close to we're actually dying this illness, and it wasn't 0:09:44.080 --> 0:09:47.560 she Wasn't she influential though in getting her husband to 0:09:47.679 --> 0:09:51.560 recognize AIDS. I mean, finally, maybe she was, but I 0:09:51.600 --> 0:09:54.120 don't think that. I actually don't know. That's a subject 0:09:54.160 --> 0:09:56.480 of some debate in controversy. And even if she was, 0:09:56.559 --> 0:09:59.760 that wasn't until seven like this was going on, and 0:09:59.840 --> 0:10:01.960 in America by like eighty one, it was like a 0:10:02.080 --> 0:10:04.760 known thing where he was president. I know that you've 0:10:04.800 --> 0:10:09.920 gotten very political, or perhaps you've always been very always now, 0:10:10.000 --> 0:10:12.280 which is great, and we're going to talk about the 0:10:12.280 --> 0:10:16.080 current state of affairs in a moment. But the Ravens 0:10:16.120 --> 0:10:18.880 on fire. First, I just want to talk to you 0:10:19.000 --> 0:10:22.040 first about sort of so growing up. So you're you 0:10:22.040 --> 0:10:25.480 said eventually your dad was very accepting, but you never 0:10:25.520 --> 0:10:29.560 really quote unquote came out. You were sort of always out. Yeah, yeah, 0:10:29.600 --> 0:10:31.320 I never. Well, I think I started answering yes to 0:10:31.360 --> 0:10:33.400 the question by the time I was in fifth sixth grade. 0:10:33.640 --> 0:10:36.480 And what was that like, because again, this was way 0:10:36.640 --> 0:10:41.240 before there were lgbt Q clubs in high schools all 0:10:41.280 --> 0:10:45.600 across America that this generation is incredibly open, so that 0:10:45.679 --> 0:10:47.520 must have been really hard. There were there was a 0:10:47.600 --> 0:10:49.959 lot of like really terrifying moments, Like Matthew Shepard was 0:10:50.000 --> 0:10:51.920 a time when I was really really I know the 0:10:51.920 --> 0:10:54.839 Shepherd's very well, and I covered that story. Yeah, I 0:10:54.880 --> 0:10:58.000 mean I remember when Matthew Shephard was killed. And should 0:10:58.040 --> 0:11:01.240 we just mention for people who don't remember, Matthew Shepherd 0:11:01.440 --> 0:11:05.800 was a young gay man in Wyoming who was brutally 0:11:05.880 --> 0:11:08.760 murder brutally murder beaten to death and strung up like 0:11:08.800 --> 0:11:12.760 a scarecrow. And it lured out of like like he 0:11:13.040 --> 0:11:16.079 it was really like he was lured into the situation. 0:11:16.120 --> 0:11:18.400 It was. It was really one of the most evil 0:11:19.080 --> 0:11:23.160 craven disgusting as It's when I learned the phrase hate crime. 0:11:23.400 --> 0:11:26.079 Actually that's when it sort of infected exactly. But people 0:11:26.120 --> 0:11:30.080 would say to me as a you know, so I 0:11:30.160 --> 0:11:32.400 was ten by the time I was in like six 0:11:32.440 --> 0:11:34.400 and seventh grade, like that was a very common thing 0:11:34.400 --> 0:11:36.720 to be like, you know, you just like you deserve 0:11:36.800 --> 0:11:38.880 to be Matthew Shepherd, and like that was the thing 0:11:38.920 --> 0:11:40.680 that people would type. That was the people that people 0:11:40.720 --> 0:11:44.120 would say he was used as like a people would 0:11:44.160 --> 0:11:45.840 say that out loud to you. Yeah, I mean I 0:11:45.840 --> 0:11:48.240 couldn't take like five steps in junior high school without 0:11:48.280 --> 0:11:52.440 someone like, you know, just saying faggot, screaming faggot, putting 0:11:52.480 --> 0:11:55.840 their hands on me. Yeah, I mean it was like very, 0:11:56.040 --> 0:11:58.760 very scary. But I always had like a really tight 0:11:58.800 --> 0:12:01.000 circle of friends. Is going to say, you must have, 0:12:01.120 --> 0:12:04.280 on the other hand, been incredibly popular because you're so 0:12:04.400 --> 0:12:07.719 carefus in that everyone knew me because I stuck out 0:12:07.720 --> 0:12:10.800 like a sore thumb. But I had like four friends, 0:12:10.080 --> 0:12:15.160 and those friends like always like amazing personalities, like very supportive. 0:12:15.400 --> 0:12:18.320 Like my best friend Emily. It was really close with 0:12:18.320 --> 0:12:20.079 her in sixth grade. I still post about her a lot. 0:12:20.080 --> 0:12:22.600 We do stand up together. She was really important to 0:12:22.600 --> 0:12:25.280 me growing up. She's probably the most important person to 0:12:25.280 --> 0:12:27.880 be growing up out. So were they quote unquote outcasts, 0:12:27.920 --> 0:12:30.000 Like you know, my friends always had like a way 0:12:30.000 --> 0:12:32.040 of like I had this other friend, Kim, who was 0:12:32.080 --> 0:12:34.320 like the prettiest girl, Like she's like the prettiest girl 0:12:34.360 --> 0:12:36.040 in junior high in high school, and so we were 0:12:36.040 --> 0:12:38.000 really Kim, Yes, so we were good friends. So she 0:12:38.080 --> 0:12:39.640 kind of like she was kind of in there, and 0:12:39.640 --> 0:12:42.360 like Emily was kind of in there. And also people 0:12:42.440 --> 0:12:44.480 who used to not make fun of me used to 0:12:44.720 --> 0:12:47.240 remember being called stuck up a lot in in junior 0:12:47.320 --> 0:12:49.440 high in high school. And I think that's because I 0:12:49.520 --> 0:12:52.400 had such a like my chest was always out like 0:12:52.440 --> 0:12:54.920 my child much confidence. Yeah, like my chin was always up. 0:12:54.920 --> 0:12:57.680 Like I think I've always been able to master the 0:12:57.760 --> 0:12:59.400 art of like faking it till you make it, like 0:12:59.440 --> 0:13:01.880 even if you are not feeling it, like I can 0:13:01.960 --> 0:13:04.760 at least convince like other people that I am. I 0:13:04.800 --> 0:13:07.760 really admire the fact that you just like embraced who 0:13:07.760 --> 0:13:10.360 you were at a very young age, when people are 0:13:10.440 --> 0:13:13.840 so insecure and doubting themselves and kind of figuring themselves out. 0:13:14.200 --> 0:13:17.679 You were the only male cheerleader at your high school, 0:13:18.000 --> 0:13:20.880 and you were kind of loud and proud about it. Yeah, 0:13:21.000 --> 0:13:23.760 and I didn't have another way. How did this confidence 0:13:23.840 --> 0:13:27.360 survive all of the bullying and insults? I mean, I 0:13:27.360 --> 0:13:29.320 think if I were in your shoes, it would have 0:13:29.360 --> 0:13:31.880 just I don't know whether it would have literally killed me, 0:13:31.960 --> 0:13:34.400 but I would have been certainly very insecure. I'm a 0:13:34.520 --> 0:13:37.520 very passionate person. So like the Today Show, for and 0:13:37.559 --> 0:13:40.280 since every morning, like there's like little pockets of joy 0:13:40.320 --> 0:13:41.719 that I was just like obsessed with. Like I love 0:13:41.760 --> 0:13:43.920 the news, I love to read, I love pop tarts, 0:13:43.920 --> 0:13:45.640 I love how to donuts, I love figure skating, I 0:13:45.679 --> 0:13:48.200 love gymnastics, I love to read. Like there's just so 0:13:48.240 --> 0:13:50.880 many things that I love to do with my time 0:13:51.000 --> 0:13:53.040 that like I also, in eighth grade, I made this 0:13:53.080 --> 0:13:55.800 like huge post it countdown thing with like the number 0:13:55.840 --> 0:13:57.640 of days so I would graduate high school based off 0:13:57.720 --> 0:13:59.920 if I graduated in my senior year, which I end 0:14:00.040 --> 0:14:02.720 up graduating a year early. So I always knew that 0:14:02.840 --> 0:14:05.480 like eventually I would get out of there and like 0:14:05.559 --> 0:14:08.120 it would be it would be better. You knew it 0:14:08.120 --> 0:14:11.160 gets better before they did the campaign. It gets better. Yes, 0:14:11.240 --> 0:14:12.520 it's like you just gotta get out of here. Girl. 0:14:12.840 --> 0:14:15.400 It must have been your parents to helping you kind 0:14:15.400 --> 0:14:17.640 of Definitely my mom, like my mom like is you know, 0:14:17.840 --> 0:14:19.320 I think we had like a lot of very like 0:14:19.360 --> 0:14:21.800 you know, strain times as a teenager. But she definitely 0:14:22.360 --> 0:14:25.600 like has always been supportive and given me, like given 0:14:25.640 --> 0:14:27.960 me the room to be myself. You know, Yeah, she 0:14:28.280 --> 0:14:32.200 gave you room to even make mistakes for sure. Um. 0:14:32.240 --> 0:14:35.000 I did this like interpretive like lyrical dance in my 0:14:35.080 --> 0:14:37.840 sixth grade talent show to this like ghost track from 0:14:38.000 --> 0:14:42.280 like Jule's album, and I like and I just that 0:14:42.360 --> 0:14:44.680 video and I like, I actually dread it. It's going 0:14:44.720 --> 0:14:46.480 to come out somebody. I know someone has a video 0:14:46.480 --> 0:14:48.760 of it. But I like did this like hand design 0:14:48.840 --> 0:14:51.160 costume with this like gigantic like it was like a movie. 0:14:51.160 --> 0:14:53.120 It was actually very similar to the sweatshirt dress, but 0:14:53.120 --> 0:14:54.560 it was a T shirt and it had like a 0:14:54.600 --> 0:14:57.440 glitterpin um question mark on the front and then an 0:14:57.520 --> 0:14:59.320 upside down question mark on the back. You know. Because 0:14:59.320 --> 0:15:01.360 I just started taking Spanish it was sixth grade, I 0:15:01.440 --> 0:15:05.680 was like, yes, queen, I like I glittered decorated it myself. 0:15:06.040 --> 0:15:08.120 And my mom was like, I remember after I made 0:15:08.120 --> 0:15:10.040 the talent, you, honey, because everyone tried out for the talent. 0:15:10.080 --> 0:15:12.720 It was very major. And so when I made it, 0:15:12.760 --> 0:15:16.360 my mom was like, if you do this, like you 0:15:16.440 --> 0:15:20.920 will never like this will always be like your kind 0:15:20.920 --> 0:15:24.080 of thing and like you'll never like escape it really 0:15:24.080 --> 0:15:25.960 and she's like, I'm gonna be there, like I want 0:15:26.000 --> 0:15:27.480 you to do whatever makes you happy, but I just 0:15:27.480 --> 0:15:29.480 want you to really be sure. And I was like, 0:15:30.080 --> 0:15:33.000 fuck you bitch, I'm doing it like it's gonna be fierce, 0:15:33.040 --> 0:15:36.120 like you will love it. I I hate you for 0:15:36.240 --> 0:15:39.080 like even down to be like my Arabesque is gorgeous 0:15:39.080 --> 0:15:43.720 in the opening in the opening position, amzing tuney, it 0:15:43.800 --> 0:15:47.200 was amazing. I was, I mean, well, actually I remember 0:15:47.200 --> 0:15:50.160 when I actually did Sunshine. It was my little miss Sunshine. 0:15:50.200 --> 0:15:51.560 But when I did see video the first one, I 0:15:51.600 --> 0:15:53.240 was like, oh, like in my head, I was really 0:15:53.280 --> 0:15:55.160 giving you so much more, Christie, I'm a Gucci real 0:15:55.160 --> 0:15:57.920 in this, Like the jumps were higher, the roles were tighter, 0:15:58.320 --> 0:16:02.440 the leaves were much less bet legged um, but in 0:16:02.480 --> 0:16:05.560 my head it felt great. It felt great. Now did 0:16:05.560 --> 0:16:07.320 your dad show up for them? Yeah? Yeah, I think 0:16:07.320 --> 0:16:08.480 my dad and I set that there. I had a 0:16:08.560 --> 0:16:11.000 very cool like co parenting, like my mom and dad, 0:16:11.040 --> 0:16:12.400 Like they got divorced and I was young, but they 0:16:12.400 --> 0:16:14.560 really co parented like very much with my stepdad, Steve, 0:16:14.600 --> 0:16:17.440 who was amazing. Um, so I got very lucky with 0:16:17.480 --> 0:16:19.840 like my parents like divorced very well, Like you were 0:16:19.960 --> 0:16:22.800 super lucky. I think in so many ways in terms 0:16:22.840 --> 0:16:25.360 of your family situation. What about your siblings, I'm just 0:16:25.400 --> 0:16:28.880 curious how they're saying and good and fun. Yeah, they're 0:16:28.880 --> 0:16:34.240 really reproducing a lot and very well. They Actually, my 0:16:34.240 --> 0:16:36.760 one brother just moved to this other town in Illinois, 0:16:37.040 --> 0:16:38.720 Like I know the name of it, but for some reason, 0:16:38.760 --> 0:16:40.400 I feel weird about saying it. I'm like, I don't 0:16:40.400 --> 0:16:42.200 want everyone to know where my brother lives. I don't 0:16:42.200 --> 0:16:46.200 know what that's okay, do you know what else it is? 0:16:46.200 --> 0:16:48.840 It's like sometimes like I'll randomly be like Kim Kardashian 0:16:48.840 --> 0:16:50.640 got robbed in Paris, like stopp telling so much about 0:16:50.640 --> 0:16:53.080 where your family lives. Like even though like they don't 0:16:53.120 --> 0:16:55.520 have fierce jewels, like they really would be like a 0:16:55.600 --> 0:16:59.640 raft four or like a car, you know, um, maybe 0:16:59.640 --> 0:17:02.120 some nice TV's like some you know, like a nice 0:17:02.120 --> 0:17:05.680 flat screen, but not not Actually he lives in Porious. 0:17:05.760 --> 0:17:09.280 That's gorgeous, and going to wonder how queer Eyes playing 0:17:09.280 --> 0:17:13.720 in Peoria. Yeah, so obviously Quincy, Illinois, but he lives there. 0:17:13.720 --> 0:17:17.520 And then, but I have I have eight nieces and nephews, 0:17:18.440 --> 0:17:21.040 a lot of children. I'm really excited for them to 0:17:21.119 --> 0:17:23.040 all be like old enough for me to be like, 0:17:23.840 --> 0:17:26.040 you know, put on your shoes and let's go to 0:17:26.200 --> 0:17:29.280 a movie. I can't deal with kids when they're so little, 0:17:29.840 --> 0:17:35.080 like it. It really really stresses me out. Yeah, I 0:17:34.840 --> 0:17:37.720 I understand that I like kids, get a little. I 0:17:37.720 --> 0:17:40.880 do not like newborns, and I really like them when 0:17:40.880 --> 0:17:47.200 they're shoes yeah sixteen. No, No, I like them when 0:17:47.280 --> 0:17:50.119 you can kind of interact with them and they're not 0:17:50.200 --> 0:17:53.680 just sort of blobs. Sister Kiki loves newborns and I've 0:17:53.720 --> 0:17:56.119 just she said they're like hot water bottles. But I 0:17:56.160 --> 0:18:00.719 have just anyway, So obviously, Quincy, Illinois, you were too 0:18:00.800 --> 0:18:04.000 big for that town, clearly, even though you probably have 0:18:04.119 --> 0:18:08.240 great feelings towards it because of your relatively happy child. 0:18:08.240 --> 0:18:11.359 But then you went to Arizona to move on. Yes, yes, 0:18:11.520 --> 0:18:14.000 I I left Quincy as soon as my little gay 0:18:14.040 --> 0:18:16.000 feat could take me, and I went to Tucson. I 0:18:16.000 --> 0:18:18.160 went to school there, but you know, really I always 0:18:18.160 --> 0:18:20.240 wanted to do hair, and so I think I really 0:18:20.359 --> 0:18:23.800 was just kind of doing that to appease the famm. 0:18:24.520 --> 0:18:27.000 You didn't want to go to college, No, but you're 0:18:27.000 --> 0:18:30.080 so smart, I'm surprised. Well, well, I did want to 0:18:30.080 --> 0:18:31.679 go to college because I wanted to get out of Quincy. 0:18:31.760 --> 0:18:33.600 But like this, this is the kind of college tude. 0:18:33.600 --> 0:18:35.919 And it was I signed up for astronomy because I 0:18:35.960 --> 0:18:40.240 thought it was a sterology and so like I was like, wait, 0:18:40.280 --> 0:18:42.639 where is the aries, where is the chart? Where is 0:18:42.720 --> 0:18:46.000 like Professor McGonagall, where is Like I don't I was 0:18:46.040 --> 0:18:49.359 just like wanting more like a Harry Potter experience. And Arizona, 0:18:49.920 --> 0:18:51.199 well just you know, I just want to college. You 0:18:51.240 --> 0:18:53.720 this like magical cute time. I didn't realize that you 0:18:53.760 --> 0:18:57.680 had to like work so hard, Like it's hard. College 0:18:57.720 --> 0:19:02.040 is like literally hard. You know, I'm gonna put that 0:19:02.119 --> 0:19:04.680 on a pillow. I don't think he's realized how hard 0:19:04.720 --> 0:19:06.879 it is to like self discipline. And so you stayed 0:19:06.880 --> 0:19:10.600 there only for a semester. I got a one point seven. 0:19:11.760 --> 0:19:14.080 It was dropped out after one semester. Yeah, because I 0:19:14.119 --> 0:19:15.719 only got one point seven, so I got kicked off 0:19:15.720 --> 0:19:17.159 the cheer squad. And then I told I was like 0:19:17.200 --> 0:19:18.199 i'd like to my mother. I was like, oh, I 0:19:18.240 --> 0:19:19.240