1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:03,640 Speaker 1: Hi everyone, I'm Katie Curic, and this is next question. 2 00:00:05,400 --> 00:00:08,480 Speaker 1: You know, if you've been watching TV lately, you've probably 3 00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:12,880 Speaker 1: noticed that Jean Smart is having a moment. Or, as 4 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:14,880 Speaker 1: a New Yorker put it, we seem to be in 5 00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:18,360 Speaker 1: the midst of a full blown gena sonce. Here's the 6 00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:22,599 Speaker 1: thing about me, sister Knight, I hate good guys for breakfast. 7 00:00:24,079 --> 00:00:26,480 Speaker 1: This all might be news to Geene herself, since she's 8 00:00:26,520 --> 00:00:30,400 Speaker 1: been working subtly for more than four decades. After starting 9 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:33,000 Speaker 1: out as a stage actress in New York, she got 10 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:36,960 Speaker 1: her first big TV role as Charlene Fraser still Field 11 00:00:37,360 --> 00:00:45,240 Speaker 1: on the nineteen eighties sitcom Designing Women. Stand Out performances followed, 12 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:50,360 Speaker 1: and shows like twenty four look like a wedding cake. Fraser, 13 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:57,320 Speaker 1: get off. You're asking a pen, Samantha, who will play 14 00:00:57,360 --> 00:00:59,440 Speaker 1: that game? Where do you get guess what? People would 15 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:04,040 Speaker 1: guess what you're thinking about? Saying any words? You mean charades? 16 00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:11,119 Speaker 1: I said, no words and Fargo. The point is, don't 17 00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:15,479 Speaker 1: assume just because I'm an old woman to my back 18 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:20,000 Speaker 1: is weak and my stomach is not strong. But it 19 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:23,399 Speaker 1: was her recent one to punch as washed up Las 20 00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:27,440 Speaker 1: Vegas comedian Debra Vance on the HBO Max series Hacks 21 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:32,000 Speaker 1: Coming and as Kate Winslet's mother Helen Fahey and mayor 22 00:01:32,040 --> 00:01:35,600 Speaker 1: of East Town that has finally awakened the world to 23 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:40,000 Speaker 1: the genius that is Gene. I don't know how to say. 24 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:43,119 Speaker 1: Oh wait, it just came to me. That was stupid. 25 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:46,839 Speaker 1: I recently got the chance to talk to her about 26 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:49,720 Speaker 1: her long career, what it feels like to experience a 27 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:54,720 Speaker 1: resurgence of attention at seventy, the sudden loss of her 28 00:01:54,800 --> 00:01:58,640 Speaker 1: husband of more than thirty years, fellow actor Richard Gilliland, 29 00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 1: and the coming second season of Hacks, which, by the way, 30 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:10,359 Speaker 1: I loved. Hi, Gene, how are you. I'm good, I'm good. 31 00:02:10,880 --> 00:02:15,320 Speaker 1: You are doing the proverbial junket when you talk to 32 00:02:15,919 --> 00:02:21,000 Speaker 1: what scores of annoying interviewers like me. I feel so 33 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:25,320 Speaker 1: bad because I've been subjected to the round robin of 34 00:02:25,320 --> 00:02:29,280 Speaker 1: a junket myself, and you start wanting to make up stories, 35 00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:36,640 Speaker 1: and you just you're so bored with yourself by the right. No, 36 00:02:36,840 --> 00:02:39,240 Speaker 1: it's it's everybody's been so nice and the thing has 37 00:02:39,240 --> 00:02:43,079 Speaker 1: been really gratifying. Is that so far everybody who has 38 00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:45,720 Speaker 1: seen some episodes of season two, they got its sneak peek. 39 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:49,600 Speaker 1: Have have just loved it because you know, season two, 40 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:52,640 Speaker 1: you you want to have something to prove. Well, that's 41 00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:54,799 Speaker 1: I was going to ask you about that. It's sort 42 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:57,000 Speaker 1: of like you don't want to be a one hit wonder, 43 00:02:57,040 --> 00:03:00,959 Speaker 1: you know, or that novelist who's got the number one 44 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:03,760 Speaker 1: on the New York Times bestseller list and is paralyzed 45 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:07,240 Speaker 1: when it comes to writing a second How much pressure 46 00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:10,000 Speaker 1: was it for you all going into the season two 47 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:18,040 Speaker 1: after season one was so well received. Oh it um, Chris. 48 00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:21,480 Speaker 1: Most of the pressure was on the writers. But no, 49 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:24,120 Speaker 1: you definitely feel like people are going to be gunning 50 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:27,240 Speaker 1: for you, you know, to say, oh yeah, try and 51 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:32,720 Speaker 1: make me laugh. But uh, when I started reading the 52 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:35,119 Speaker 1: scripts for season two, I just thought, Wow, they've they've 53 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:39,520 Speaker 1: They've done it again. It's just was wonderful. Why do 54 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:44,520 Speaker 1: you think the characters in this show are so fun 55 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:48,960 Speaker 1: to write for? Yeah? No, I mean I you know, 56 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:53,040 Speaker 1: Jen and Paul and Achia. I have been living with 57 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:58,240 Speaker 1: this idea of this character, this woman Deborah for seven years, 58 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:01,400 Speaker 1: thank god, and made seven years ago, because I would 59 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:03,880 Speaker 1: not have been at the top of the list probably, 60 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:08,200 Speaker 1: So I'm grateful that they've just percolated on it for 61 00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:10,600 Speaker 1: a long time. But they when they said when they 62 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:14,280 Speaker 1: pitched the show to to HBO, they basically told them 63 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:17,560 Speaker 1: like five years of the story. I haven't even asked 64 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:22,640 Speaker 1: them where they see this this going, but they I 65 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:27,080 Speaker 1: love the little, tiny, weird details about characters that put in, 66 00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:30,440 Speaker 1: the little idiosyncratic things, And especially in season two, they've 67 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:33,760 Speaker 1: really fleshed out all the ensemble, all the supporting characters 68 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:36,440 Speaker 1: who have more to do, And it's so much fun 69 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:40,279 Speaker 1: to watch them because they're all a little demented, even 70 00:04:40,320 --> 00:04:44,200 Speaker 1: my housekeeper they are, but they're all so funny, and 71 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:49,440 Speaker 1: there's something so real about them, right, because they're so multidimensional. 72 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:52,120 Speaker 1: I think, each and every one of them. You see 73 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:55,520 Speaker 1: them being funny, you see them being sad, you see there, 74 00:04:56,160 --> 00:04:59,920 Speaker 1: you know their regrets and longing. You see them try 75 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:04,160 Speaker 1: to find themselves still after all these years, right, And 76 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:07,960 Speaker 1: I think as a result of that richness, so many 77 00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:11,200 Speaker 1: people relate to it. When you first got the script, 78 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:13,520 Speaker 1: did you just eat it up, Jean, did you just 79 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:17,680 Speaker 1: say I have got to have this role? Absolutely? Absolutely? 80 00:05:17,680 --> 00:05:21,080 Speaker 1: Eye and Tech I was so I was. I've never 81 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:23,280 Speaker 1: said this before, but I walked into the room with 82 00:05:23,320 --> 00:05:27,240 Speaker 1: the producers and I said, um, because my agent called 83 00:05:27,240 --> 00:05:29,880 Speaker 1: me and sent me the script. Is said they they 84 00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:32,840 Speaker 1: want you to do the script. And I just couldn't 85 00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:34,920 Speaker 1: believe how great it was. And I working around and said, 86 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:39,080 Speaker 1: you're right, I'm absolutely perfect for this. Um, you should 87 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:44,680 Speaker 1: hire me. Um. But no, it's it ticked off every box. 88 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:48,640 Speaker 1: I mean, if I could have described what I hoped 89 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:51,400 Speaker 1: my next project would be, it just had everything. It 90 00:05:51,480 --> 00:05:55,840 Speaker 1: just had everything. What when you say everything, I mean 91 00:05:55,880 --> 00:05:57,600 Speaker 1: it had it had It had the humor, it had 92 00:05:57,640 --> 00:06:03,359 Speaker 1: the intelligence, that had the pathos, that had offbeat fun stuff. 93 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:08,760 Speaker 1: I mean, it had Vegas, had sequence, a leopard print 94 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:12,360 Speaker 1: and mean it was like and Martinis. I mean, how 95 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 1: could I say Now? It has that weird mother daughter dynamic, 96 00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:21,960 Speaker 1: which to me is also so fun and actually at 97 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:27,280 Speaker 1: times painful to watch because you know, they're just so 98 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:31,279 Speaker 1: different and they really have it. They really have a 99 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:35,760 Speaker 1: difficult time connecting, and and that's why I think there's 100 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:40,880 Speaker 1: also kind of another mother daughter relationship that's part of 101 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:44,440 Speaker 1: the show. Right. Yeah, No, I absolutely think you were 102 00:06:44,480 --> 00:06:47,920 Speaker 1: absolutely right. And you know, Caitlin Olsen is so amazing 103 00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:51,560 Speaker 1: as DJ and when you find out that DJ actually 104 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:56,080 Speaker 1: stands for Deborah Jr. It's like, oh no, she actually 105 00:06:56,200 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 1: mannered kind of like George Foreman, right exactly. Yeah, I mean, 106 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:06,320 Speaker 1: Caitlin is so amazing, she says. I know, she says, 107 00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:07,960 Speaker 1: it's like I'm a sixteen year old trap in a 108 00:07:07,960 --> 00:07:11,840 Speaker 1: fourty year old body. But but it's sad too, because 109 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:14,240 Speaker 1: you know, as a parent, I'm sure you know, you 110 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:17,320 Speaker 1: feel like you never get it right, you do too much, 111 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:20,320 Speaker 1: or you do too little, or you you know, and 112 00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:22,640 Speaker 1: and Deborah feels like I just wanted you to be 113 00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:25,640 Speaker 1: with me, and her daughter sees it as you dragged 114 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:28,960 Speaker 1: me all these horrible places with horrible people and when 115 00:07:28,960 --> 00:07:31,600 Speaker 1: I was a kid, and you know, And I think 116 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:35,680 Speaker 1: it's particularly complicated when you have a mom which I 117 00:07:35,720 --> 00:07:38,880 Speaker 1: can relate to in the public eye in terms of 118 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:43,360 Speaker 1: a daughter, you know, when I have two daughters establishing 119 00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:47,880 Speaker 1: their own identity. I'm wondering if, if if this resonated 120 00:07:47,920 --> 00:07:53,240 Speaker 1: with Eugene Um in terms of your own kids. No, absolutely, 121 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:55,720 Speaker 1: I think I think I think it must be. I mean, 122 00:07:55,720 --> 00:07:57,440 Speaker 1: I have no idea, but it must be very hard 123 00:07:57,480 --> 00:08:00,840 Speaker 1: to have a kind of a famous parent. Um. I 124 00:08:00,880 --> 00:08:05,480 Speaker 1: remember when my oldest was young. If I would be 125 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:07,680 Speaker 1: out in public and people would ask for an autograph 126 00:08:07,760 --> 00:08:09,760 Speaker 1: or something, I would if I was with him, I 127 00:08:09,760 --> 00:08:12,440 Speaker 1: would try to just really nicely say I'm so sorry. 128 00:08:12,640 --> 00:08:14,160 Speaker 1: I hope you don't mind if I say no, I'm 129 00:08:14,200 --> 00:08:16,520 Speaker 1: just I'm just mom today. You know, I'm just mom 130 00:08:16,640 --> 00:08:18,640 Speaker 1: right now. And people are always very nice about it. 131 00:08:18,920 --> 00:08:21,560 Speaker 1: And this happened several times, and finally my my son 132 00:08:21,640 --> 00:08:24,000 Speaker 1: looked at me and he said, no, Mom, it's okay, 133 00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:26,080 Speaker 1: it's okay, you can sign it. It just means they 134 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:29,080 Speaker 1: really like you, you know. So that was really sweet. 135 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:31,840 Speaker 1: And then my my my youngest, he didn't like it 136 00:08:31,960 --> 00:08:36,320 Speaker 1: when he never wanted to watch me in anything. I 137 00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:38,800 Speaker 1: think it made it seemed creepy do him to see 138 00:08:38,840 --> 00:08:40,880 Speaker 1: his mother pretending to be somebody else. I'm looking kind 139 00:08:40,880 --> 00:08:42,600 Speaker 1: of different, and he didn't like it if I'd come 140 00:08:42,640 --> 00:08:44,280 Speaker 1: home with all the hair and the makeup and everything. 141 00:08:44,320 --> 00:08:48,720 Speaker 1: He he just wanted me to just just be mom. 142 00:08:48,760 --> 00:08:51,440 Speaker 1: So they don't seem any worse for the wear. In 143 00:08:51,559 --> 00:08:54,240 Speaker 1: terms of you being in a hype, you know, in 144 00:08:54,440 --> 00:08:57,319 Speaker 1: high profile jobs, or having a mom who was on 145 00:08:57,400 --> 00:09:04,320 Speaker 1: TV or in movies, well, I don't know, I'm sure. 146 00:09:04,360 --> 00:09:06,040 Speaker 1: I just try to tell myself that if they have 147 00:09:06,080 --> 00:09:10,080 Speaker 1: any issues, it's not because of me, and it's between 148 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:16,120 Speaker 1: them and their therapists exactly. More with the very smart 149 00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:29,760 Speaker 1: Gene smart. After this break, well, let's talk about sort 150 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:34,479 Speaker 1: of the whole ensemble cast. I think obviously Hannah e'inbinder 151 00:09:34,840 --> 00:09:40,440 Speaker 1: is is a revelation. She really is wonderful in the 152 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:45,959 Speaker 1: role and provides such a great contrast to to Deborah's character. 153 00:09:46,320 --> 00:09:49,000 Speaker 1: Tell me a little bit about working with Hannah and 154 00:09:49,480 --> 00:09:52,200 Speaker 1: where she came from, because she just seems to have 155 00:09:52,360 --> 00:09:57,120 Speaker 1: exploded onto the scene. Gene. Yes, I know. Apparently our 156 00:09:57,160 --> 00:09:59,960 Speaker 1: producers were fans of her comedy because Paul Downs is 157 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:03,120 Speaker 1: also a stand up comic who plays my manager Jimmy 158 00:10:04,040 --> 00:10:07,080 Speaker 1: so brilliantly. Um, but so they had her on the 159 00:10:07,120 --> 00:10:09,920 Speaker 1: list of girls to audition. I guess a lot of 160 00:10:09,960 --> 00:10:13,680 Speaker 1: actresses read and then they brought me in to do 161 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:16,320 Speaker 1: what they call, you know, a chemistry read for the 162 00:10:16,440 --> 00:10:21,319 Speaker 1: last handful of young women. And uh so I watched 163 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:25,920 Speaker 1: some of Anna's stand up on online and I just 164 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:32,240 Speaker 1: was taken with how she seemed so confident on stage 165 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:34,679 Speaker 1: and she but she was very kind of quirky, and 166 00:10:35,320 --> 00:10:37,360 Speaker 1: I've never seen anybody do a routine quite like what 167 00:10:37,480 --> 00:10:39,920 Speaker 1: she was doing. And I just thought she was amazing 168 00:10:39,960 --> 00:10:42,840 Speaker 1: because she took her time and everything was very small, 169 00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:45,839 Speaker 1: and it was just I just thought she was hilarious. 170 00:10:46,320 --> 00:10:49,760 Speaker 1: And uh, I actually called her the night before our audition, 171 00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:56,240 Speaker 1: just to introduce myself, and I think I called two 172 00:10:56,320 --> 00:10:59,360 Speaker 1: of the girls. I didn't call all of them. Feel bad, 173 00:11:00,040 --> 00:11:03,719 Speaker 1: but I just wanted to put them at ease a 174 00:11:03,760 --> 00:11:06,280 Speaker 1: little bit, you know, because that's always weird to be 175 00:11:06,320 --> 00:11:08,320 Speaker 1: in that position. And plus we had to meet. It 176 00:11:08,320 --> 00:11:10,320 Speaker 1: was like something out of a spy movie. We met 177 00:11:10,520 --> 00:11:14,880 Speaker 1: in this huge, dark, dark, empty sound stage with one 178 00:11:15,040 --> 00:11:18,240 Speaker 1: light bulb on a stand like you're gonna be interrogated 179 00:11:18,240 --> 00:11:21,319 Speaker 1: and tortured, right, you know, and two straight backed chairs 180 00:11:21,360 --> 00:11:29,840 Speaker 1: about sounds very off off Broadway. Yes, through plexiglass, you know, 181 00:11:30,559 --> 00:11:35,760 Speaker 1: because of COVID. Yes, it was insane. So I'm glad 182 00:11:35,760 --> 00:11:37,720 Speaker 1: that we had chit chat on the phone a little bit. 183 00:11:37,760 --> 00:11:41,559 Speaker 1: But but she was great. She was great, and she 184 00:11:41,720 --> 00:11:45,000 Speaker 1: was definitely my my first choice, and I was glad 185 00:11:45,040 --> 00:11:48,040 Speaker 1: they at least let me have some input, and luckily 186 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:52,160 Speaker 1: they agreed with me. And after we've been working together 187 00:11:52,200 --> 00:11:55,000 Speaker 1: about two weeks. She was she was still she was 188 00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:57,520 Speaker 1: stealing awe of me back then, but that's completely gone. 189 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:01,080 Speaker 1: She came up to me and she said, I just 190 00:12:01,120 --> 00:12:04,200 Speaker 1: really wanted to thank you because you know, I heard 191 00:12:04,240 --> 00:12:06,559 Speaker 1: that you really went to bat for me with the producers, 192 00:12:07,040 --> 00:12:09,319 Speaker 1: and I said I did. I said you were absolutely 193 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:11,880 Speaker 1: my first choice. I said, in fact, I told them 194 00:12:11,920 --> 00:12:13,959 Speaker 1: that if they didn't hire you, I was gonna do 195 00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:22,199 Speaker 1: the show. And she said really, I said, no, I'm nice, 196 00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:26,040 Speaker 1: but not that nice. I hesitated for just a second 197 00:12:26,040 --> 00:12:27,599 Speaker 1: before I say, said, should I say this is just 198 00:12:27,679 --> 00:12:29,880 Speaker 1: too mean? No, she's a comedian, she can take it. 199 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:33,040 Speaker 1: And I remember we ran into each other at the 200 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:38,240 Speaker 1: Vanity Fair Oscar dinner, which was kind of interesting. But um, 201 00:12:38,280 --> 00:12:42,400 Speaker 1: I remember you telling me about her background and her mom. 202 00:12:42,559 --> 00:12:45,640 Speaker 1: Can you share with everybody? Sort of because when I 203 00:12:45,720 --> 00:12:48,240 Speaker 1: heard that, I was like, are you kidding me? Yes, 204 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:51,120 Speaker 1: speaking of kids growing up with famous parents, her mom 205 00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:58,479 Speaker 1: is Lorraine Newman from SNL fame, fabulous comedian, and uh 206 00:12:58,679 --> 00:13:00,560 Speaker 1: so it was kind of in her blood. And she 207 00:13:00,640 --> 00:13:03,320 Speaker 1: started doing stand up in college and she's been doing 208 00:13:03,320 --> 00:13:08,480 Speaker 1: it ever since. And she her boyfriend is also a 209 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:10,720 Speaker 1: successful stand up comic. He's got a show in New 210 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:13,320 Speaker 1: York right now. It's been they keep renewing it and 211 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:16,920 Speaker 1: renewing it and renewing it. And he's very funny, very nice, 212 00:13:17,080 --> 00:13:20,000 Speaker 1: very nice guy. And it must be nice for Eugene 213 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:23,480 Speaker 1: as somebody who's who's been around for a while to 214 00:13:23,640 --> 00:13:27,360 Speaker 1: see to see this, this kind of a breakthrough role 215 00:13:27,480 --> 00:13:31,520 Speaker 1: for this young woman. It must be really exciting to watch. 216 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:34,240 Speaker 1: And wait, oh, it is absolutely. I mean, I'm so 217 00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:37,120 Speaker 1: happy for her, and I won't insist on my five percent, 218 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:42,520 Speaker 1: but you know, but no, and it's she said, it's 219 00:13:42,559 --> 00:13:46,119 Speaker 1: really you know, changed things for her, you know, and 220 00:13:46,120 --> 00:13:48,280 Speaker 1: and uh, she said she thinks it's made her a 221 00:13:48,280 --> 00:13:50,880 Speaker 1: better comic. And but you know what, it's true. It's 222 00:13:50,880 --> 00:13:53,120 Speaker 1: true about singers too. To be a really good stand 223 00:13:53,200 --> 00:13:56,040 Speaker 1: up comic, And I also think to be a really 224 00:13:56,040 --> 00:13:59,640 Speaker 1: good singer, you have to really be an actor, you know, 225 00:13:59,760 --> 00:14:02,800 Speaker 1: you to act your material. So I don't I don't 226 00:14:02,840 --> 00:14:06,800 Speaker 1: think it's you know, surprising that you know, she's as 227 00:14:06,840 --> 00:14:11,600 Speaker 1: good as she is. She's just so she's just so natural. Um, 228 00:14:11,800 --> 00:14:17,720 Speaker 1: I can't believe it's really her first role. Meanwhile, I mean, 229 00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:21,280 Speaker 1: you're amazing in it gene and it's so you know, 230 00:14:21,400 --> 00:14:24,560 Speaker 1: for me, somebody who's watched you my whole life and 231 00:14:25,120 --> 00:14:29,880 Speaker 1: cheered you on in all the iterations that you've been in, um, 232 00:14:29,920 --> 00:14:33,560 Speaker 1: it's just been. It was. It was so exciting for 233 00:14:33,640 --> 00:14:36,240 Speaker 1: me as a fan, and I'm sure for you as 234 00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:41,320 Speaker 1: the the lucky recipient of these roles to have this 235 00:14:41,440 --> 00:14:45,160 Speaker 1: incredible year. You know, I I don't want to bore 236 00:14:45,240 --> 00:14:48,760 Speaker 1: you with the genisance and all that jazz, and you know, 237 00:14:48,880 --> 00:14:52,600 Speaker 1: the New Yorker writing Jeane Smart never went anywhere, which 238 00:14:52,680 --> 00:14:56,720 Speaker 1: is true. But having said that, it was a pretty 239 00:14:57,200 --> 00:15:00,480 Speaker 1: great year for you because you had Hacks, which was 240 00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:05,280 Speaker 1: awesome and continues obviously in season two to be awesome. 241 00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:08,880 Speaker 1: But you had Mayor of Easttown. And I know that 242 00:15:08,920 --> 00:15:13,320 Speaker 1: you have said the fact that these two shows came 243 00:15:13,360 --> 00:15:18,200 Speaker 1: on simultaneously almost is one of the reasons that people 244 00:15:18,280 --> 00:15:22,320 Speaker 1: really stood up and took notice of your performances because 245 00:15:22,360 --> 00:15:24,600 Speaker 1: it was such a study in contrast, I mean to 246 00:15:24,640 --> 00:15:27,800 Speaker 1: say the least, Yeah, no, And I meant that because 247 00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:30,720 Speaker 1: you know, there are so many brilliant actors out there 248 00:15:30,760 --> 00:15:34,400 Speaker 1: who never get the credit for for what they do. 249 00:15:34,480 --> 00:15:38,000 Speaker 1: And I was very fortunate that I too, amazing roles 250 00:15:38,040 --> 00:15:42,680 Speaker 1: that were so incredibly different into beautifully written projects, high 251 00:15:42,760 --> 00:15:48,920 Speaker 1: profile like back to back, and so people had a 252 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:53,120 Speaker 1: chance to sort of compare, you know, and look. But 253 00:15:53,200 --> 00:15:56,160 Speaker 1: you know, it's true, most actors, even even the three 254 00:15:56,800 --> 00:16:01,200 Speaker 1: of the Actors Union that actually makes a living at acting, 255 00:16:03,040 --> 00:16:08,360 Speaker 1: even among those lucky people, there's very few of them 256 00:16:08,440 --> 00:16:11,720 Speaker 1: to whoever really get the chance to do to show 257 00:16:11,800 --> 00:16:15,960 Speaker 1: what they can really do, because unlike any other art form, 258 00:16:16,040 --> 00:16:19,280 Speaker 1: you kind of have to wait for someone to invite 259 00:16:19,280 --> 00:16:21,240 Speaker 1: you to do what you do and to give you 260 00:16:21,280 --> 00:16:24,760 Speaker 1: the opportunity. And unlike being a writer or a painter 261 00:16:25,040 --> 00:16:28,160 Speaker 1: or a dancer, I mean you can. You can do 262 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:30,720 Speaker 1: all those things on your own. Whether or not you're 263 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:32,560 Speaker 1: gonna pay it, that's another matter, but you can at 264 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:37,040 Speaker 1: least do them. You can practice them, you can express yourself. Yes, 265 00:16:37,080 --> 00:16:39,560 Speaker 1: you can't really do that as an actor. I suppose. Yes, 266 00:16:39,560 --> 00:16:42,160 Speaker 1: you can put together a one woman show or something, 267 00:16:42,200 --> 00:16:47,480 Speaker 1: but it's um you have to be invited to do 268 00:16:47,560 --> 00:16:50,320 Speaker 1: what you want to do. And I think it's interesting 269 00:16:50,360 --> 00:16:54,320 Speaker 1: when you were when you're called versatile, I never thought 270 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:59,560 Speaker 1: of this because basically you said, well, that's what I'm 271 00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:04,479 Speaker 1: that's what I do right, I mean is right? Um, 272 00:17:04,520 --> 00:17:07,000 Speaker 1: But having said that, it must have been fun for 273 00:17:07,040 --> 00:17:13,560 Speaker 1: you to play two such different characters. Um, mayor's mom 274 00:17:13,640 --> 00:17:17,239 Speaker 1: who was a total pisser. I guess that's what they 275 00:17:17,320 --> 00:17:22,320 Speaker 1: might say in Delco right. And then you obviously are 276 00:17:22,400 --> 00:17:28,000 Speaker 1: playing depravants who's completely I mean talk about a completely 277 00:17:28,119 --> 00:17:31,640 Speaker 1: different kind of woman. How I mean, did you ever 278 00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:35,399 Speaker 1: get them confused? Or how was that sho? Now? They 279 00:17:35,680 --> 00:17:40,919 Speaker 1: were just again so so well defined and and in 280 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:46,680 Speaker 1: both cases, I was working with such amazing group of actors, um, 281 00:17:46,760 --> 00:17:49,920 Speaker 1: amazing actors, and I think in both shows, I mean, 282 00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:52,320 Speaker 1: what a gift that must be. And you know, I 283 00:17:52,800 --> 00:17:56,679 Speaker 1: interviewed Kate Winslett for mayor of East Town and I 284 00:17:56,720 --> 00:18:00,359 Speaker 1: did her first television interview when she was to annec 285 00:18:01,040 --> 00:18:04,200 Speaker 1: yes or maybe wait no sorry? I think it was 286 00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:08,080 Speaker 1: sense and sensibility and she was so lovely because they 287 00:18:08,160 --> 00:18:13,040 Speaker 1: had that predated Titanic and um, you all must have 288 00:18:13,119 --> 00:18:17,000 Speaker 1: gotten on famously. I hope that's a yes we did. 289 00:18:17,359 --> 00:18:19,960 Speaker 1: She has invited us to London. I hope we get 290 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:25,280 Speaker 1: to go. Um. She's such a doll. She she she 291 00:18:25,440 --> 00:18:28,800 Speaker 1: called me the other day because she found out about 292 00:18:28,800 --> 00:18:31,600 Speaker 1: the Star on the Walk of Fame and and she 293 00:18:31,720 --> 00:18:38,439 Speaker 1: was doing her alter ego. His name is Hortensio. No 294 00:18:38,520 --> 00:18:41,840 Speaker 1: one told me about just start the Boston's. I just 295 00:18:41,920 --> 00:18:46,400 Speaker 1: said she something marvelous And when did that happen your 296 00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:52,439 Speaker 1: star last week? And and what was that? Like? I 297 00:18:52,560 --> 00:18:55,040 Speaker 1: was nervous for some reason. I was really really nervous. 298 00:18:55,040 --> 00:18:57,560 Speaker 1: I don't know what what that was. I don't usually 299 00:18:57,600 --> 00:19:00,760 Speaker 1: get nervous. But um, but it was very nice. My 300 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:07,400 Speaker 1: friend Joe Montana spoke, and Hannah spoke. She was hilarious. Um. 301 00:19:07,520 --> 00:19:12,760 Speaker 1: She started she started saying things like, you know, Jean, 302 00:19:13,080 --> 00:19:14,800 Speaker 1: you know, I just I love you so much and 303 00:19:14,800 --> 00:19:17,440 Speaker 1: I'm so happy for you, and you know, and every 304 00:19:17,520 --> 00:19:21,920 Speaker 1: day being with you has been, you know, such a joy. 305 00:19:22,040 --> 00:19:25,120 Speaker 1: I wake up in the morning and I I look 306 00:19:25,160 --> 00:19:27,960 Speaker 1: in your eyes and then she says, wait a second, 307 00:19:28,040 --> 00:19:31,399 Speaker 1: because I'm sorry. I lost I lost my place. I 308 00:19:31,480 --> 00:19:33,240 Speaker 1: lost my and I thought she really had lost her 309 00:19:33,240 --> 00:19:38,480 Speaker 1: place and she said, what what, oh God, I'm sorry. Um, 310 00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:41,040 Speaker 1: and she holds up this folder with her She was 311 00:19:41,280 --> 00:19:44,080 Speaker 1: I switched to folders and she holds up this folder, 312 00:19:44,080 --> 00:19:51,480 Speaker 1: says wedding vows it's ridiculous. But Linda Bloodworth Thomas and 313 00:19:51,520 --> 00:19:54,159 Speaker 1: who wrote Designing Women, was actually going to speak, but 314 00:19:54,240 --> 00:19:58,719 Speaker 1: unfortunately she got COVID. She was just heartsick about it, 315 00:19:58,840 --> 00:20:02,760 Speaker 1: and so show very nicely wrote this beautiful speech that 316 00:20:02,760 --> 00:20:05,359 Speaker 1: I could not have paid someone to write. Um that 317 00:20:05,480 --> 00:20:13,720 Speaker 1: Linda had written. Uh, really nice. More with Gene Gene 318 00:20:13,760 --> 00:20:25,960 Speaker 1: the Comedy Machine right after this, Well, of course I 319 00:20:25,960 --> 00:20:29,680 Speaker 1: have to ask you a couple of questions about Designing Women, Geen. 320 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:33,920 Speaker 1: And you know, again, that was a very formative show 321 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:36,960 Speaker 1: for me, just at the same time Murphy Brown was, 322 00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:39,480 Speaker 1: and it was one of the first shows that really 323 00:20:39,520 --> 00:20:44,199 Speaker 1: showed the lives of working women. And I mean, what 324 00:20:44,280 --> 00:20:47,760 Speaker 1: are your most vivid memories and why do you think 325 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:51,600 Speaker 1: that show was such a hit. I think it was 326 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:58,800 Speaker 1: a combination of Linda's really unusual writing, because unlike any 327 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:02,399 Speaker 1: other sitcom i'd ever same. She would give us page 328 00:21:02,480 --> 00:21:07,320 Speaker 1: long speeches, um, which just doesn't heard of in a sitcom, 329 00:21:07,400 --> 00:21:09,719 Speaker 1: and sometimes she'd rewrite the right before the audience came 330 00:21:09,720 --> 00:21:13,000 Speaker 1: in and be like, oh God. And uh, we said, 331 00:21:13,040 --> 00:21:15,600 Speaker 1: you know, she's lucky. She's got four actresses who were 332 00:21:15,640 --> 00:21:18,200 Speaker 1: like word processors. We just choped to turn it out. 333 00:21:18,280 --> 00:21:22,280 Speaker 1: But um, it was the first time you've seen just 334 00:21:22,760 --> 00:21:27,480 Speaker 1: basically just women, with the exception of our Garling Misha Taylor, 335 00:21:28,200 --> 00:21:34,520 Speaker 1: just women and working women, um, single women, uh, and 336 00:21:34,600 --> 00:21:38,359 Speaker 1: also Southern women. Southern characters were usually depicted in a 337 00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:42,280 Speaker 1: very one or two dimensional way. Um, so that was fun. 338 00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:45,280 Speaker 1: Although at the first table read for the studio and 339 00:21:45,280 --> 00:21:50,239 Speaker 1: all the suits, uh, everybody was happy. Everybody loved it. 340 00:21:50,359 --> 00:21:52,800 Speaker 1: And then we were talking to Linda and Harry and 341 00:21:52,840 --> 00:21:55,639 Speaker 1: they said, but they don't want you guys to do 342 00:21:55,720 --> 00:21:59,919 Speaker 1: Southern accents, but they love the show, right, that was 343 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:04,959 Speaker 1: what I said. I was like, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, 344 00:22:05,000 --> 00:22:06,919 Speaker 1: don't say that, you know. And I was the only 345 00:22:07,040 --> 00:22:08,800 Speaker 1: Yankee in the bunch, you know, I was the only one. 346 00:22:09,800 --> 00:22:14,320 Speaker 1: And I thought, you can't just take away the accent. 347 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:17,840 Speaker 1: It's not the same person. An accent is part of 348 00:22:17,880 --> 00:22:20,880 Speaker 1: a person, every part of them. And did you say 349 00:22:20,880 --> 00:22:24,720 Speaker 1: and it's it's it's in Atlanta, folks, thank you. They 350 00:22:24,720 --> 00:22:29,480 Speaker 1: were afraid that people would not understand what we were saying. Damn. 351 00:22:29,800 --> 00:22:34,359 Speaker 1: So anyway, we kind of soft and they were trying 352 00:22:34,400 --> 00:22:37,440 Speaker 1: to be more careful the first towards the bed, but 353 00:22:37,480 --> 00:22:39,600 Speaker 1: then they finally just kind of never said anything else, 354 00:22:39,600 --> 00:22:42,320 Speaker 1: and we just didn't pull out. I was like, oh 355 00:22:42,359 --> 00:22:43,879 Speaker 1: my god, I can't imagine what the show would have 356 00:22:43,920 --> 00:22:45,800 Speaker 1: been like if we all sounded like we came from 357 00:22:45,920 --> 00:22:49,600 Speaker 1: you know, Chicago or something. Well. One of the reasons 358 00:22:49,680 --> 00:22:53,800 Speaker 1: I love Designing Women is not only were you all 359 00:22:53,960 --> 00:22:58,080 Speaker 1: quote unquote steel Magnolia's, but it was quite political. And 360 00:22:58,240 --> 00:23:02,800 Speaker 1: of course Linda, long time friend of the Clinton's um, 361 00:23:03,320 --> 00:23:08,919 Speaker 1: had a lot of very strong feminist messaging in that show. 362 00:23:09,119 --> 00:23:14,840 Speaker 1: So beneath sort of the pretty exterior, Uh, they were 363 00:23:15,359 --> 00:23:21,160 Speaker 1: very strong, very tough, and quite political, especially I think 364 00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:24,879 Speaker 1: Dixie Carter's character. It was it was. It was really 365 00:23:24,920 --> 00:23:31,320 Speaker 1: Dixie and Annie's characters. Because Delta and Delta's characters Susanna 366 00:23:31,320 --> 00:23:37,119 Speaker 1: and me Charlene, we were rather woefully unenlightened, but you 367 00:23:37,240 --> 00:23:41,720 Speaker 1: provided I think feminism or anything like that. Yeah, it 368 00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:43,440 Speaker 1: wouldn't have been it wouldn't have been real if we'd 369 00:23:43,440 --> 00:23:46,439 Speaker 1: all been on the same page. But it was funny because, uh, 370 00:23:47,119 --> 00:23:50,320 Speaker 1: we were all Democrats except for Dixie, and Dixie was 371 00:23:50,359 --> 00:23:55,639 Speaker 1: the one who had the long, limberal rants. And she'd say, okay, Linda, 372 00:23:55,880 --> 00:23:58,960 Speaker 1: she says, but for every one of these I get 373 00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:03,800 Speaker 1: to sing a song, so she bartered with them, you know. 374 00:24:04,480 --> 00:24:07,600 Speaker 1: And and Dixie was the loveliest person. I still miss 375 00:24:07,640 --> 00:24:11,040 Speaker 1: her dearly. I know, I was so so sad she 376 00:24:11,440 --> 00:24:14,960 Speaker 1: um she she died when she was just seventy of 377 00:24:15,440 --> 00:24:22,959 Speaker 1: endomitrial cancer. And um, of course married to the legend. 378 00:24:22,320 --> 00:24:26,639 Speaker 1: Oh my god, how I mean we got married Richard? 379 00:24:26,680 --> 00:24:30,199 Speaker 1: I got married in their rose garden. That must have 380 00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:35,240 Speaker 1: been beautiful looking white colonial Where was their rose garden 381 00:24:36,480 --> 00:24:43,000 Speaker 1: in bell Air? And um? Also, uh, my sister. I 382 00:24:43,040 --> 00:24:47,119 Speaker 1: think Dixie died I think in March or April of 383 00:24:47,200 --> 00:24:50,800 Speaker 1: two thousand ten. And my sister had died at the 384 00:24:50,800 --> 00:24:55,520 Speaker 1: age of sixty one in January, so it was. And 385 00:24:55,560 --> 00:25:02,159 Speaker 1: then my best friend died in August. Awful, terrible year, terrible. 386 00:25:02,200 --> 00:25:06,800 Speaker 1: How did your sister die? Should brain cancer, glib bust, dolma. 387 00:25:07,920 --> 00:25:10,240 Speaker 1: That is a very tough my sister. Also, I have 388 00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:16,119 Speaker 1: two sisters. My oldest sister died of pancreatic cancer. And uh, 389 00:25:16,200 --> 00:25:21,359 Speaker 1: it's just it's just, you know, excruciating to say the least. Well, 390 00:25:21,920 --> 00:25:24,280 Speaker 1: since we're on that subject, you know, you and I 391 00:25:24,320 --> 00:25:27,879 Speaker 1: are both widows. I lost my husband when I was 392 00:25:28,040 --> 00:25:37,360 Speaker 1: forty one to colorectal cancer. And you lost Richard very recently, um, 393 00:25:37,400 --> 00:25:41,639 Speaker 1: and and and very suddenly you had met on the 394 00:25:41,680 --> 00:25:46,000 Speaker 1: set of Designing Women. He was in the show. Memory 395 00:25:46,040 --> 00:25:49,000 Speaker 1: of the show, I'm sure, I'm sure it must have 396 00:25:49,040 --> 00:25:52,000 Speaker 1: been something to fall in love with your you know, 397 00:25:52,119 --> 00:25:55,920 Speaker 1: your fellow cast member. But um, tell me a little 398 00:25:55,920 --> 00:25:58,280 Speaker 1: bit about him, because I looked him up, you know, 399 00:25:58,359 --> 00:26:01,400 Speaker 1: and preparing for this interview, of course I recognized him 400 00:26:02,080 --> 00:26:05,399 Speaker 1: and he had such a nice space. He looked like 401 00:26:05,560 --> 00:26:11,760 Speaker 1: such a kind, decent, low key person. Tell me, tell 402 00:26:11,760 --> 00:26:13,879 Speaker 1: me a little bit about him. Well, I don't know 403 00:26:13,880 --> 00:26:15,480 Speaker 1: if he was low key, but he was very kind 404 00:26:15,520 --> 00:26:19,200 Speaker 1: and he was he was hilarious. I don't know, Maybe 405 00:26:19,240 --> 00:26:22,560 Speaker 1: I think of low key just sort of um maybe 406 00:26:22,600 --> 00:26:26,040 Speaker 1: that's the wrong word. But he looked he looked easy 407 00:26:26,200 --> 00:26:29,040 Speaker 1: to be with, Is that right. Characters were like that, Yes, 408 00:26:29,080 --> 00:26:33,119 Speaker 1: but he he was I was. He was fast paced 409 00:26:33,200 --> 00:26:35,000 Speaker 1: kind of person. You know. It's like I said, your dad, 410 00:26:35,359 --> 00:26:37,040 Speaker 1: my kids, I said, your dad does everything fast with me. 411 00:26:37,400 --> 00:26:44,000 Speaker 1: Thinks faster, talks faster, he sleeps faster, breaks faster. But yeah, no, 412 00:26:44,240 --> 00:26:47,480 Speaker 1: I mean, what a sweet man. And you know, we 413 00:26:47,480 --> 00:26:49,560 Speaker 1: we were never apart after the day we met on 414 00:26:49,600 --> 00:26:54,320 Speaker 1: the set. He you know, I I don't know. I 415 00:26:54,320 --> 00:26:58,960 Speaker 1: remember I saw him and I just thought, wow, who's that? 416 00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:03,640 Speaker 1: I love last lines around his eyes and his hands 417 00:27:03,720 --> 00:27:05,320 Speaker 1: and I don't know, he just had the greatest he 418 00:27:05,359 --> 00:27:07,320 Speaker 1: was talking to me, the greatest smile on his face. 419 00:27:07,359 --> 00:27:09,720 Speaker 1: And we were in this building on this on the 420 00:27:09,720 --> 00:27:13,760 Speaker 1: Warner Brothers lot, and we're a few shows would do 421 00:27:13,800 --> 00:27:16,800 Speaker 1: their table reads and things, and I thought, oh, I 422 00:27:16,840 --> 00:27:19,760 Speaker 1: wonder if he's gonna be on our show. And lo 423 00:27:19,880 --> 00:27:21,960 Speaker 1: and behold, there he was sitting across the table from me. 424 00:27:23,040 --> 00:27:25,280 Speaker 1: And it was episode five. We hadn't even gone on 425 00:27:25,320 --> 00:27:27,880 Speaker 1: the air yet, we hadn't even aired the show ever yet, 426 00:27:28,040 --> 00:27:29,960 Speaker 1: and it was episode five and he was playing He 427 00:27:30,080 --> 00:27:36,080 Speaker 1: came on to play Annie's boyfriend, and UM, I just 428 00:27:36,680 --> 00:27:38,560 Speaker 1: I don't know, I've never been so aggressive. I mean, 429 00:27:38,920 --> 00:27:41,440 Speaker 1: you know, I invited him into my trailer to help 430 00:27:41,440 --> 00:27:47,560 Speaker 1: me with the crossroom puzzle, and um, and we started 431 00:27:47,600 --> 00:27:50,000 Speaker 1: talking on the phone every night. You know, we lived 432 00:27:50,040 --> 00:27:51,760 Speaker 1: like fifteen minutes apart. We talked on the phone for 433 00:27:51,800 --> 00:27:54,920 Speaker 1: two hours every night, and he invited me to see 434 00:27:54,960 --> 00:27:58,400 Speaker 1: this play he was doing, and and we were never 435 00:27:58,480 --> 00:28:02,000 Speaker 1: apart from that day and how many years were you 436 00:28:02,040 --> 00:28:07,440 Speaker 1: all married? Thirty four years. Well, you had an incredible 437 00:28:07,480 --> 00:28:11,720 Speaker 1: life together, but it's it's never long enough. And he 438 00:28:11,880 --> 00:28:15,040 Speaker 1: was he was very young, and our young he was 439 00:28:15,080 --> 00:28:19,160 Speaker 1: only seventy one, and our youngest was only twelve, which 440 00:28:19,240 --> 00:28:23,480 Speaker 1: is really hard, you know, especially for boys to lose 441 00:28:23,520 --> 00:28:29,480 Speaker 1: their dad's um. And how are the boys doing. They're 442 00:28:29,520 --> 00:28:32,199 Speaker 1: they're doing in a way, they did better, They were 443 00:28:32,200 --> 00:28:36,399 Speaker 1: doing better than me. But I think that it's um, 444 00:28:36,520 --> 00:28:40,560 Speaker 1: my youngest especially keeps things inside kind of you know. Yeah, 445 00:28:40,840 --> 00:28:43,000 Speaker 1: it comes, you know how it is, you know exactly 446 00:28:43,080 --> 00:28:47,720 Speaker 1: what it is. It comes in waves, you know, um, 447 00:28:47,760 --> 00:28:50,080 Speaker 1: and there will be one you think you're doing fine, 448 00:28:50,080 --> 00:28:52,360 Speaker 1: and then they'll you'll you'll see something or hear something 449 00:28:52,440 --> 00:28:55,360 Speaker 1: or read something and it just kind of washes over 450 00:28:55,440 --> 00:28:59,680 Speaker 1: you again. You know. Um, it still seems unreal. Sometimes 451 00:28:59,680 --> 00:29:01,959 Speaker 1: it's been just over a year. I can't believe. It 452 00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:04,840 Speaker 1: feels like it's been maybe a few months. Yeah, I 453 00:29:04,840 --> 00:29:07,920 Speaker 1: haven't been able to go out to his office and 454 00:29:08,080 --> 00:29:10,800 Speaker 1: do anything with this stuff. Well, it took me a 455 00:29:10,800 --> 00:29:14,200 Speaker 1: long time to do that, and uh, it does give 456 00:29:14,240 --> 00:29:18,160 Speaker 1: me some comfort obviously. You know, you had quite a 457 00:29:18,200 --> 00:29:20,880 Speaker 1: love affair. The two of you, and and I wrote 458 00:29:20,880 --> 00:29:23,680 Speaker 1: about this in my book Gene, and it sounds sort 459 00:29:23,680 --> 00:29:27,920 Speaker 1: of probably cheesy, but but when I was so upset 460 00:29:27,960 --> 00:29:31,000 Speaker 1: when my mom died, you know, so upset when you know, 461 00:29:31,400 --> 00:29:33,640 Speaker 1: my husband died, and my sister and my dad, I 462 00:29:33,680 --> 00:29:37,320 Speaker 1: was obviously incredibly close to all of them. But my 463 00:29:37,440 --> 00:29:43,080 Speaker 1: minister said, you know, those who who love deeply grieve deeply, 464 00:29:44,520 --> 00:29:50,400 Speaker 1: and it turned it from sadness to to gratitude in 465 00:29:50,440 --> 00:29:52,960 Speaker 1: a weird way. You know, it's true that you actually 466 00:29:52,960 --> 00:29:57,000 Speaker 1: had the opportunity to grieve a relationship like that, right 467 00:29:57,080 --> 00:30:00,680 Speaker 1: and to have that kind of love. I read that 468 00:30:00,760 --> 00:30:04,800 Speaker 1: you had to do that funeral scene shortly after Richard died, 469 00:30:04,880 --> 00:30:09,880 Speaker 1: which must have been very surreal. Um, it was that 470 00:30:10,000 --> 00:30:14,360 Speaker 1: that one. I was scared. I remember, I'll be perfectly honest. 471 00:30:14,360 --> 00:30:18,040 Speaker 1: I Um, I took a little pill because I was 472 00:30:18,040 --> 00:30:20,479 Speaker 1: starting to hyperventilate, and I thought I wasn't gonna make 473 00:30:20,520 --> 00:30:23,440 Speaker 1: it through the day. But it turned out to be 474 00:30:24,560 --> 00:30:27,280 Speaker 1: a great scene and a fun scene. And you know, 475 00:30:28,440 --> 00:30:30,840 Speaker 1: but yeah, they gave me a choice. I could either 476 00:30:30,880 --> 00:30:33,320 Speaker 1: come back to work and just knock all the last 477 00:30:33,320 --> 00:30:35,560 Speaker 1: five days out, or I could take a couple of 478 00:30:35,600 --> 00:30:37,960 Speaker 1: weeks off and then do it, or I could spread 479 00:30:38,000 --> 00:30:39,600 Speaker 1: it out over a couple of weeks that we were 480 00:30:39,640 --> 00:30:41,960 Speaker 1: so kind, and I said, no, I just I want to. 481 00:30:42,000 --> 00:30:43,480 Speaker 1: I want to. I was still in shocks, so in 482 00:30:43,520 --> 00:30:45,600 Speaker 1: a way it was easier, so I just no, no, no no, 483 00:30:45,760 --> 00:30:47,080 Speaker 1: I just want to. I don't get it down and 484 00:30:47,080 --> 00:30:49,000 Speaker 1: get back to my kids in my my house and 485 00:30:50,640 --> 00:30:54,200 Speaker 1: excuse me. So that's that's what I did. It probably 486 00:30:54,280 --> 00:30:58,480 Speaker 1: was helpful ultimately. Well, I'm just I'm just I'm so 487 00:30:58,560 --> 00:31:02,760 Speaker 1: sorry for your loss, Gene, and uh, and I thought 488 00:31:02,800 --> 00:31:07,320 Speaker 1: about you a lot when I heard the news, and um, 489 00:31:07,360 --> 00:31:14,160 Speaker 1: but I'm also so so happy about your success and um, 490 00:31:14,200 --> 00:31:16,920 Speaker 1: it's just such a thrill to see you kicking ass. 491 00:31:17,280 --> 00:31:20,479 Speaker 1: And I also think it's great for women of a 492 00:31:20,520 --> 00:31:25,240 Speaker 1: certain age, you know, I'm about your age to see 493 00:31:25,440 --> 00:31:28,840 Speaker 1: you know, to see us represented and to see us 494 00:31:28,880 --> 00:31:36,320 Speaker 1: have these big meatia roles that convey a person in full. No. Absolutely, 495 00:31:36,440 --> 00:31:42,200 Speaker 1: I I'm eternally grateful. It's still amazed some days that 496 00:31:42,240 --> 00:31:44,600 Speaker 1: the roles I've been getting, especially the last you know, 497 00:31:44,720 --> 00:31:48,800 Speaker 1: five or six years. Um. Actually I had no idea 498 00:31:48,800 --> 00:31:52,920 Speaker 1: it would work out that way. You can see Jean 499 00:31:53,440 --> 00:32:06,400 Speaker 1: right now and Hack season two on HBO Max. Next 500 00:32:06,440 --> 00:32:08,720 Speaker 1: Question with Katie Kurik is a production of I Heart 501 00:32:08,800 --> 00:32:13,280 Speaker 1: Media and Katie Currik Media. The executive producers Army, Katie Curic, 502 00:32:13,400 --> 00:32:18,040 Speaker 1: and Courtney Litz. The supervising producer is Lauren Hansen. Associate 503 00:32:18,080 --> 00:32:22,520 Speaker 1: producers Derek Clements and Adriana Fasio. The show is edited 504 00:32:22,600 --> 00:32:26,880 Speaker 1: and mixed by Derrick Clements. For more information about today's episode, 505 00:32:27,040 --> 00:32:29,560 Speaker 1: or to sign up for my morning newsletter, wake Up Call, 506 00:32:29,840 --> 00:32:32,560 Speaker 1: go to Katie Currek dot com. You can also find 507 00:32:32,560 --> 00:32:35,479 Speaker 1: me at Katie Curic on Instagram and all my social 508 00:32:35,520 --> 00:32:39,560 Speaker 1: media channels. For more podcasts from I Heart Radio, visit 509 00:32:39,600 --> 00:32:43,000 Speaker 1: the I Heart Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you 510 00:32:43,080 --> 00:32:44,560 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows,