WEBVTT - Danica McKellar 0:00:00.200 --> 0:00:03.880 I don't have like quippy intro today. Let's just run it. 0:00:05.800 --> 0:00:08.800 This is the Wells Cast with Wells Adams and I 0:00:08.960 --> 0:00:27.720 Heart Radio Podcast. I am so freaking pumped for today's episode, guys. 0:00:28.080 --> 0:00:29.760 Is it because I had a crush on the guests 0:00:29.880 --> 0:00:32.760 when I was a kid? Maybe? Is it because I 0:00:33.240 --> 0:00:35.479 well have already recorded the interview and I know how 0:00:35.479 --> 0:00:38.840 good it is. Yes? Absolutely in awe of this woman 0:00:38.880 --> 0:00:42.080 and all the things she's accomplished. Abs a freaking Lutley. 0:00:42.280 --> 0:00:44.760 You guys are in for a treat. I'm telling you what. 0:00:45.000 --> 0:00:48.440 Our guest today is the star of Hallmark Movies and 0:00:48.560 --> 0:00:52.599 mysteries new series Matchmaker Mysteries. The new one is called 0:00:52.640 --> 0:00:54.800 The Art of the Kill. But the amount of stuff 0:00:54.800 --> 0:00:57.680 that she did before this most recent project is going 0:00:57.720 --> 0:01:00.480 to blow your mind. Was she America's sweetheart? Little show 0:01:00.520 --> 0:01:03.800 called The Wonder Years? Oh you know it? Wait, we 0:01:03.880 --> 0:01:05.480 played just like a little bit of Joe cock or 0:01:05.600 --> 0:01:08.360 just like get people like in the mood for what's 0:01:08.400 --> 0:01:15.759 happening because we need to be transported back. Yeah, oh 0:01:15.840 --> 0:01:21.520 my god, seven pm on like a Thursday night in 0:01:21.560 --> 0:01:25.120 the early nineties. You're about to sit down and enjoy 0:01:25.640 --> 0:01:30.720 the Wonder years, Fred Savage is gonna be there, whenned 0:01:30.800 --> 0:01:43.479 Gooper is gonna be there? What do I do? Yes? 0:01:43.520 --> 0:01:46.720 It all started with The Wonder Years. But our guest 0:01:46.760 --> 0:01:50.280 today has done so much. She's been the mainstay on 0:01:50.320 --> 0:01:52.440 the Hallmark Channel doing a bunch of Christmas movies like 0:01:52.520 --> 0:01:55.640 Countdown to Christmas. She did one with Dolly Parton called 0:01:55.720 --> 0:01:59.680 Christmas a Dollywood. What she's been in the industry forever. 0:02:00.080 --> 0:02:02.800 There's so much more to her story, like graduating Summa 0:02:02.840 --> 0:02:06.480 cum laudy at U c l A majoring in mathematics, 0:02:06.720 --> 0:02:13.040 what minoring in physics? Okay? Did she testify before Congress 0:02:13.720 --> 0:02:18.080 about the importance of women in math and science? Yeah? 0:02:18.280 --> 0:02:21.320 Was she named Person of the Week by ABC World 0:02:21.360 --> 0:02:25.919 News for tackling math education and simultaneously breaking the stereotype 0:02:25.960 --> 0:02:29.519 of the math nerd with her highly entertaining and illuminating books. 0:02:29.680 --> 0:02:32.360 Has she written a bunch of New York Times best 0:02:32.400 --> 0:02:37.519 selling books for kids, specifically young women in math? Yeah? 0:02:37.560 --> 0:02:41.680 I mean literally, this woman has done everything, well, not everything. 0:02:41.720 --> 0:02:45.000 She hasn't been on the Wells Cast until today. So 0:02:45.160 --> 0:02:49.200 strapping guys, buckle down because this one is going to 0:02:49.280 --> 0:02:53.120 be a good one. Danika mckeller a k a. Winnie 0:02:53.160 --> 0:02:56.720 Cooper is going to be on the show. Seriously, don't 0:02:56.720 --> 0:03:12.520 go anywhere you don't want to miss it. Hello, Hello, 0:03:13.000 --> 0:03:15.880 can you hear me? Yes? Can you hear me? Yes? 0:03:16.919 --> 0:03:19.399 Can I get a check from you? Really quickly? Three 0:03:19.440 --> 0:03:22.080 point one five nine two six, five three five eight 0:03:22.160 --> 0:03:28.279 nine seven nine Can you keep going with Pie? There 0:03:28.360 --> 0:03:30.640 is that where it ends, Well, I have a song, 0:03:31.040 --> 0:03:32.680 and so if I sing my song, I can get 0:03:32.680 --> 0:03:35.160 a little further. I wrote a PIE song to help 0:03:35.160 --> 0:03:38.200 people learn multiple Yeah, I really need to brush up 0:03:38.200 --> 0:03:39.520 on it. I feel like it's been coming up more 0:03:39.560 --> 0:03:41.080 and more lately to be like, oh, can you sing 0:03:41.120 --> 0:03:43.120 the song like I can sing the beginning of it? 0:03:44.120 --> 0:03:46.880 Pie is equal to three point one four one five, nine, six, five, 0:03:46.920 --> 0:03:49.280 five eight nine seven nine three two three eight four 0:03:49.320 --> 0:03:52.440 six two six four three day eight three two seven, nine, 0:03:52.480 --> 0:03:55.160 five two eight four one nine seven one six nine 0:03:55.160 --> 0:03:59.360 three three seven five one uh five two zero nine. Anyway, Wow, 0:04:00.080 --> 0:04:01.920 I can go further with the song. But the song 0:04:02.040 --> 0:04:03.760 if the full song has a hundred and three nine 0:04:03.800 --> 0:04:05.760 digits and I don't know the full song anymore, but 0:04:05.800 --> 0:04:08.800 I used to do. It's so funny. I've been interviewing 0:04:08.800 --> 0:04:13.000 people for a very long time, and it's so interesting 0:04:13.040 --> 0:04:16.400 when you interview someone who's very smart what they check with. 0:04:16.800 --> 0:04:18.080 I don't know if you remember. There's a band called 0:04:18.120 --> 0:04:19.880 the Old Bunny Sevens and the lead singer was this 0:04:19.880 --> 0:04:21.839 guy name Rhett Miller who has a big fan of 0:04:21.839 --> 0:04:25.640 their band still am and I was like setting up 0:04:25.640 --> 0:04:27.320 for interview, and I was like, hey, rahtt can I 0:04:27.360 --> 0:04:30.520 get a check from you? And he reeled off the 0:04:30.720 --> 0:04:33.560 entire Gettysburg address and I was like, oh my god, 0:04:33.920 --> 0:04:38.400 Oh my god, that's awesome. That's awesome. Okay, great, you 0:04:38.400 --> 0:04:42.520 can add to your list of unique sound checks. Yeah, okay, 0:04:42.520 --> 0:04:44.400 are you ready? Are you ready to go with this? 0:04:45.520 --> 0:04:49.000 Very excited to have Well, I'll just be honest with you, 0:04:49.640 --> 0:04:54.359 childhood crush of mine on the show The One and Only. 0:04:55.040 --> 0:04:57.719 And I know this is probably annoying for you, but 0:04:57.839 --> 0:05:00.599 you have to understand, like you will always be Winnie 0:05:00.600 --> 0:05:03.719 Cooper to me. But welcome to the show. Dannika mckeller, 0:05:03.839 --> 0:05:06.040 How are you doing? I'm doing great? How are you? 0:05:06.800 --> 0:05:10.840 I'm amazing? I was a huge murder, she wrote, fan 0:05:11.080 --> 0:05:15.479 like a big angela Landsbury guy, And are you like 0:05:15.720 --> 0:05:22.000 the new wage Angela Landsberry with these Matchmaker Mystery series. Yes, yes, 0:05:22.040 --> 0:05:24.880 myself and some others on Hallmark. So Hallmark Movies and 0:05:24.920 --> 0:05:28.200 Mysteries has a few different of these mystery franchises and 0:05:28.520 --> 0:05:31.200 these collections of movies, and I'm one of them and 0:05:31.200 --> 0:05:34.480 I love it. Yes, we we all play these women 0:05:34.560 --> 0:05:37.919 who aren't professional detectives or anything, but somehow let's stumble 0:05:38.000 --> 0:05:41.000 upon murders more often than your average person, and then 0:05:41.120 --> 0:05:42.920 somehow are the ones to be able to figure out 0:05:43.000 --> 0:05:45.839 who did it? Who done it? And this yeah, I 0:05:45.839 --> 0:05:50.279 play Andrew Dubb professional Matchmaker, and I this is the 0:05:50.320 --> 0:05:52.679 third movie in which I stumble across a dead body 0:05:52.720 --> 0:05:54.960 and I helped the detective to solve the case in 0:05:55.000 --> 0:05:57.600 this one. This is called Matchmaker Mysteries The Art of 0:05:57.640 --> 0:06:00.360 the Kill. So what happens in an art museum and 0:06:00.400 --> 0:06:03.279 it starts off My father in it, played by Bruce 0:06:03.360 --> 0:06:07.479 box Liner Tron of course, he is a retired cop 0:06:07.800 --> 0:06:12.479 and he actually is helping to solve some fests, investigates 0:06:12.480 --> 0:06:14.440 some effts that are happening at the museum. And I 0:06:14.480 --> 0:06:16.880 go to the museum to have lunch with him, and 0:06:17.000 --> 0:06:21.080 lo and behold resemble across a dead body as it 0:06:21.120 --> 0:06:25.200 happens in Angie Does Life and Yes, Angie is a 0:06:25.400 --> 0:06:28.080 nod to Angela lands Roy the fact that my character's 0:06:28.120 --> 0:06:32.000 name is Angie and it's it's awesome. Detective Kyle Carter 0:06:32.080 --> 0:06:34.240 played by Victor Webster, he and I have a great 0:06:34.279 --> 0:06:37.400 chemistry throughout the three movies. There's been an evolution. In 0:06:37.440 --> 0:06:40.159 the first movie, he was very much like, who is 0:06:40.240 --> 0:06:42.680 this woman and why is she interfering in my investigation? 0:06:42.839 --> 0:06:45.039 You should go off and do your role matchmaking thing, honey, 0:06:45.040 --> 0:06:48.000 and let me handle the murder. But then by the 0:06:48.040 --> 0:06:50.200 end of that movie he realizes that I have something 0:06:50.240 --> 0:06:53.240 to offer in terms of clues because I am really 0:06:53.240 --> 0:06:55.040 good at reading people. That's what I have to do 0:06:55.080 --> 0:06:58.279 as a matchmaker, and so that comes into handy. So 0:06:58.320 --> 0:07:00.839 in the second movie they start get a little closer, 0:07:01.480 --> 0:07:04.720 and in fact, there's a scene where the detective arrests 0:07:05.040 --> 0:07:08.599 my ex boyfriend for murderer he's a suspect while we're 0:07:08.600 --> 0:07:11.240 having dinner. So at the end of the movie he says, 0:07:11.360 --> 0:07:14.040 I still owe you desserts. And in this movie, the 0:07:14.080 --> 0:07:16.840 third one, he actually makes good on asking me out 0:07:16.840 --> 0:07:18.800 to dessert. But the question is because he makes it 0:07:18.800 --> 0:07:21.440 clear that it's not a date. Is it a date? Though? Like? 0:07:21.560 --> 0:07:23.200 Is he asking me in a date? It's kind of 0:07:23.200 --> 0:07:26.120 a fun dynamic. It's that whole moonlighting thing where the 0:07:26.120 --> 0:07:28.640 two main characters, like are they ever actually gonna get 0:07:28.680 --> 0:07:30.920 together or just sort of flirt with the idea? Um? 0:07:31.120 --> 0:07:32.800 Do they really even like each other about much? It's 0:07:32.800 --> 0:07:36.960 hard to know. So it's a really really fun dynamic 0:07:37.000 --> 0:07:39.840 in this third movie, and the murder of Mystery itself 0:07:39.920 --> 0:07:42.120 is awesome. The guy who's dead is actually a professor 0:07:42.480 --> 0:07:45.040 who is the one who does the providence for the 0:07:45.080 --> 0:07:47.760 statues at the museum. So he's the one who says, yes, 0:07:48.040 --> 0:07:50.400 this statue is worth five million because it really is 0:07:50.440 --> 0:07:52.760 three thousand years old. It's not a fake. So when 0:07:52.760 --> 0:07:55.240 he shows up dead, it starts to raise questions about 0:07:55.240 --> 0:07:57.320 the providence of some of these statues. And then we 0:07:57.440 --> 0:08:00.200 find out that he was having affairs, um, and so 0:08:00.320 --> 0:08:02.960 there's all this intrigue, and of course me being a 0:08:03.000 --> 0:08:07.160 matchmaker Mystery being a matchmaker on the show, I'm I'm 0:08:07.240 --> 0:08:09.480 just the right person to figure out who was actually 0:08:09.480 --> 0:08:12.840 having the affairs and who actually had certain feelings for 0:08:12.920 --> 0:08:15.880 him and who didn't. All arrest of it. It's amazing. 0:08:15.920 --> 0:08:17.840 I can't imagine how many of my exes would love 0:08:17.840 --> 0:08:20.200 to see me get arrested during like a like a 0:08:20.320 --> 0:08:28.320 get together. The Matchmaker character is based on a real person, right, yes, 0:08:28.400 --> 0:08:32.880 Patty Stanger, Millionaire Matchmaker. Well, I mean, gosh, years ago, 0:08:32.960 --> 0:08:36.000 I used to watch that show all the time, Millionaire Matchmaker. 0:08:36.040 --> 0:08:37.640 I don't know I was, I was addicted to it 0:08:37.760 --> 0:08:40.559 or something. There's something so fun and satisfying about watching 0:08:40.559 --> 0:08:43.079 her and tell everybody put them in their place. And 0:08:43.400 --> 0:08:46.640 she just had like really a good moral center and 0:08:47.040 --> 0:08:49.560 she wouldn't let people get away with being disrespectful. She 0:08:49.640 --> 0:08:52.160 had very strict ideas about how you treat somebody on 0:08:52.200 --> 0:08:54.240 a date, and she had a lot of tough love. 0:08:55.200 --> 0:08:57.920 And much like Patti Stanger in real life, she is 0:08:57.960 --> 0:09:00.240 the first to admit that while she's great at getting 0:09:00.240 --> 0:09:02.680 other people up, she's not so much a master of 0:09:02.720 --> 0:09:05.640 her own love life. And so it's same with Angie 0:09:05.720 --> 0:09:09.400 dubbed this character, which is again inspired by her for sure. 0:09:09.760 --> 0:09:13.160 In fact, she is an executive prester on this movie. Um, 0:09:13.200 --> 0:09:14.920 you know, and she does not know how to handle 0:09:14.960 --> 0:09:18.120 her own love life. So when when Detective Kyle Carter 0:09:18.400 --> 0:09:20.720 asks her on a non date date. She like, and 0:09:20.760 --> 0:09:23.280 it's for that night. She's like, well not tonight, And 0:09:23.280 --> 0:09:25.440 you can just see the wheels turning it for Angie's like, 0:09:25.640 --> 0:09:27.800 we don't ask somebody. You never accept the date if 0:09:27.800 --> 0:09:29.120 they ask you for the same night because then you're 0:09:29.160 --> 0:09:32.600 too available. And of the things she does not know 0:09:32.600 --> 0:09:35.480 how to handle being asked on a date. It's hilarious. Yeah, 0:09:35.520 --> 0:09:38.959 that's like the old adage like the worst therapy patient 0:09:39.160 --> 0:09:42.320 is a psychologist for the worst. That the thing that 0:09:42.360 --> 0:09:47.040 there's speciality is Oh my gosh, that's funny. That's really funny. Actually, 0:09:47.280 --> 0:09:51.120 so Matchmaker Mysteries, the Art of the Kill some Hallmark 0:09:51.200 --> 0:09:53.880 movies and mysteries. Is it going to go forever? Like 0:09:54.000 --> 0:09:57.199 is this something that I can continue to perpetuate upon itself? 0:09:57.200 --> 0:09:59.600 It could right now we just have these three movies, 0:09:59.640 --> 0:10:02.000 but could definitely come back from more and I'm hoping 0:10:02.000 --> 0:10:06.160 that it will. But that also is a mystery. Who 0:10:06.800 --> 0:10:08.960 I feel like you've kind of found this like really 0:10:09.080 --> 0:10:12.600 nice pocket of doing a lot of like Hallmark channel stuff. 0:10:12.920 --> 0:10:15.679 I've been seeing You've been doing a lot of Christmas 0:10:15.720 --> 0:10:19.280 movies and stuff. Is being a part of like the 0:10:19.320 --> 0:10:22.600 Hallmark family. It seems like it would be such a 0:10:22.600 --> 0:10:26.959 warm and cozy place. It is, it really is. I 0:10:27.000 --> 0:10:29.240 feel so lucky to be part of the Hallmark family, 0:10:29.520 --> 0:10:32.320 both on the Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies and mysteries. 0:10:32.760 --> 0:10:35.319 It's just so nice to be a part of channels 0:10:35.360 --> 0:10:38.080 that make movies that make people feel good, you know, 0:10:38.240 --> 0:10:41.040 especially these days. I feel like it's a nice escape. 0:10:41.600 --> 0:10:45.200 Hallmark Land is a nice escape because everybody, I mean, 0:10:45.240 --> 0:10:47.720 nothing ever gets too dark, even in the Murder Mysteries. 0:10:48.120 --> 0:10:51.360 It's the Hallmark version of Murder Mysteries. So you know 0:10:51.440 --> 0:10:53.960 that anybody can watch it and you're going to feel 0:10:53.960 --> 0:10:56.800 happy and satisfied. By the end of the movie. Things 0:10:56.800 --> 0:10:59.000 are going to work out the way you want them to. 0:10:59.600 --> 0:11:02.040 And this just a nice comforting feeling. And when when 0:11:02.080 --> 0:11:04.559 you look around and the world seems to be changing 0:11:04.559 --> 0:11:07.560 and shifting so much, watching a Hallmark movie, you know 0:11:07.720 --> 0:11:09.920 that you're going to feel that stability that you crave. 0:11:11.000 --> 0:11:13.080 So what I love and I will say I really 0:11:13.160 --> 0:11:16.720 feel like in some ways these characters that I'm playing 0:11:16.880 --> 0:11:20.040 on Hallmark or like a continuation of the Wonder Years, 0:11:20.280 --> 0:11:24.640 because it's the same wholesome kind of um quality entertainment 0:11:25.160 --> 0:11:27.559 and the same type of like good person you. Winnie 0:11:27.600 --> 0:11:29.920 Cooper was a good person. She was strong, and she 0:11:29.920 --> 0:11:31.880 she had stuff she went through and her parents got 0:11:31.920 --> 0:11:34.040 divorced and all sorts of stuff. But she was strong 0:11:34.120 --> 0:11:36.520 and and and kept pulling herself up by our bootstraps. 0:11:36.520 --> 0:11:39.199 And she was kind to people. And that's how these 0:11:39.280 --> 0:11:41.800 characters are. And I really I love putting good stuff 0:11:41.840 --> 0:11:44.240 into the world because, you know, I get offered other things. 0:11:44.400 --> 0:11:46.920 I could offered stuff and I just read the scripts 0:11:47.080 --> 0:11:49.199 and I just say, I just don't want to put 0:11:49.240 --> 0:11:51.480 that out in the world. I know that as an actress, 0:11:51.520 --> 0:11:53.080 you know, I'm supposed to like do all different kinds 0:11:53.120 --> 0:11:55.480 of roles, but I don't know. At this point in 0:11:55.480 --> 0:11:57.800 my life, I know what I want to be doing. 0:11:58.000 --> 0:12:00.720 I'm I'm a mom, you know. I school my son. 0:12:00.840 --> 0:12:03.760 I write my math books to help other kids in math, 0:12:04.080 --> 0:12:06.240 and I do my Hallmark movies, and I have my 0:12:06.480 --> 0:12:11.120 wonderful husband. I'm very very happy doing these and I 0:12:11.120 --> 0:12:14.440 am really grateful that I get to keep doing them. 0:12:14.520 --> 0:12:17.040 I think it's smart in terms of what Hallmark is doing, 0:12:17.120 --> 0:12:22.240 because yes, granted, I am a manly, red blooded American 0:12:22.240 --> 0:12:26.439 who likes football and baseball. But when the colonies come around, 0:12:26.840 --> 0:12:29.920 I do like to like make some hot coco and 0:12:30.200 --> 0:12:33.680 sit and watch some holiday movies. You know, the high 0:12:33.720 --> 0:12:36.280 pallored business woman that comes back to the small town 0:12:36.320 --> 0:12:40.000 and falls in love with the jilted baker and everyone 0:12:40.080 --> 0:12:41.480 falls in love. You know. It's like it's like a 0:12:41.600 --> 0:12:45.040 part of it's a part of the season. And so 0:12:45.600 --> 0:12:48.440 it's smart that they're making this evergreen, right, Like you 0:12:48.480 --> 0:12:52.840 can now experience that, but you can experience it all 0:12:52.920 --> 0:12:56.520 year round with these Matchmaker mysteries, which is cool, that's true. 0:12:56.600 --> 0:12:59.000 And then of course they also have Christmas in July, 0:12:59.600 --> 0:13:02.200 and then these days, ever since the pandemic, sir, they 0:13:02.200 --> 0:13:04.880 show Christmas movies here and there throughout the year. And 0:13:04.920 --> 0:13:08.160 I'm pretty sure every Thursday you can find a Christmas 0:13:08.200 --> 0:13:11.120 movie on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries, and I think every 0:13:11.120 --> 0:13:14.680 Friday you can find a Christmas movie on Hallmark channel. 0:13:15.000 --> 0:13:17.679 So you can get your little dos at Christmas, because again, 0:13:18.000 --> 0:13:22.280 what's more comforting than Christmas Like Christmas movies. It's the best, 0:13:22.600 --> 0:13:24.600 you said a second ago. I get a lot of 0:13:24.600 --> 0:13:26.839 stuff sent to me, and you know, turned down some 0:13:26.880 --> 0:13:30.240 things because I want to do these kind of positive films. 0:13:30.320 --> 0:13:33.760 But I don't know in what world you'd ever get 0:13:33.800 --> 0:13:38.000 to work with Dolly Parton other than like this world. 0:13:38.040 --> 0:13:41.960 I suppose whatever you're doing, you're doing it right, because 0:13:42.000 --> 0:13:44.760 getting to work with Dolly Parton seems like the rattus 0:13:44.800 --> 0:13:49.079 gig in all of Hollywood. I agree, Yes, doing Christmas 0:13:49.120 --> 0:13:53.360 at Dollywood in was the best. It was some sort 0:13:53.360 --> 0:13:58.360 of just magical opportunity. And it's interesting because I the 0:13:58.400 --> 0:14:01.760 reason that movie happened because of my math books. So 0:14:01.800 --> 0:14:03.840 if you had told me, like five years ago your 0:14:03.880 --> 0:14:05.960 math books or they're gonna be the reason why you 0:14:06.000 --> 0:14:08.000 work with all A Parton and be like what. So 0:14:08.040 --> 0:14:11.600 she has this incredible organization called the Imagination Library, and 0:14:11.760 --> 0:14:16.640 so they've donated I think a hundred million books worldwide 0:14:16.640 --> 0:14:18.840 now to kids who normally might not be able to 0:14:18.880 --> 0:14:21.400 afford books, and they chose a few years ago, they 0:14:21.480 --> 0:14:23.520 chose one of my books to be part of their program, 0:14:23.800 --> 0:14:26.080 good Night Numbers. So that book, good Night Numbers, is 0:14:26.080 --> 0:14:28.200 now in the hands of like one point three million 0:14:28.480 --> 0:14:30.840 kids who normally wouldn't be able to have a book 0:14:31.040 --> 0:14:33.480 let alone, one that might help them learn math while 0:14:33.520 --> 0:14:35.600 they're you know, just learn to count to ten. I mean, 0:14:35.640 --> 0:14:38.720 it's a really sweet little book. Because the book was 0:14:39.360 --> 0:14:42.720 brought into their Imagination Library, the organization has been in 0:14:42.760 --> 0:14:44.440 touch with me and they asked me to be the 0:14:44.520 --> 0:14:47.240 narrator for the documentary about the charity. And so I 0:14:47.240 --> 0:14:51.280 did that back in April of like, I think, um, 0:14:51.320 --> 0:14:54.320 I can beginning of the dates wrong, but anyway, my 0:14:55.240 --> 0:14:58.760 so the programming executive at Hallmark said, hey, we're looking 0:14:58.960 --> 0:15:01.960 to come up with some cool locations for Christmas movies 0:15:02.040 --> 0:15:03.720 this year. Do you have any ideas for years? And 0:15:03.760 --> 0:15:05.680 I had just gotten back from Washington, d C. At 0:15:05.680 --> 0:15:08.680 that point. This is I spoke. I had a chance 0:15:08.720 --> 0:15:10.840 to read good Night Numbers in front of the Library 0:15:10.840 --> 0:15:14.680 of Congress UH for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library event, 0:15:15.320 --> 0:15:17.000 and I was like, well, and so Dolly Partners is 0:15:17.040 --> 0:15:19.400 on my mind. And I hadn't gotten to meet her yet. Okay, 0:15:19.400 --> 0:15:21.840 so I hadn't narrated the documentary yet because I got 0:15:21.880 --> 0:15:23.720 to meet her then too, I hadn't met her yet. 0:15:23.880 --> 0:15:25.600 I done this event with Dolly Partoner was a big 0:15:25.640 --> 0:15:27.880 cardboard cut out of Dolly there at the event, but 0:15:27.960 --> 0:15:29.960 no Dolly, and so I said, well, you know what, what 0:15:29.880 --> 0:15:33.800 what about Christmas at Dollywood and and and the executive said, 0:15:34.000 --> 0:15:35.760 we love it. Let's I said, well, should I go 0:15:35.800 --> 0:15:38.120 get like a producer and a writer and put together 0:15:38.120 --> 0:15:40.280 a pitch. She said yes, and so we did. And 0:15:40.400 --> 0:15:42.680 next thing, you know, the next Christmas, we got Christmas 0:15:42.720 --> 0:15:44.640 of Dollywood and I got to work with DOLLI Parting. 0:15:45.080 --> 0:15:49.200 It was amazing. She is electric. For anybody who's ever 0:15:49.240 --> 0:15:52.800 met Dolly Parton, you just she walks into a room 0:15:52.840 --> 0:15:56.480 and she instantly knows how to make everybody feel great. 0:15:56.840 --> 0:15:58.480 I don't know how she does it. It doesn't even 0:15:58.480 --> 0:16:00.560 matter how big or small one room is. She'll make 0:16:00.560 --> 0:16:02.880 you feel important and she'll make you feel good. And 0:16:03.280 --> 0:16:05.840 that's her gift is well, one of her many many gifts. 0:16:06.080 --> 0:16:07.920 I could fan girl about her for the rest of 0:16:07.960 --> 0:16:10.920 our interview if you don't stop me. In terms of philanthropy, 0:16:11.200 --> 0:16:15.360 second to none. Oh, I know, she is just can't 0:16:15.400 --> 0:16:18.320 speak higher of anyone in this world. So I think 0:16:18.320 --> 0:16:20.360 that's just like super cool. That's like getting to meet 0:16:20.400 --> 0:16:22.160 Elvis or so I don't I don't even know. I 0:16:22.160 --> 0:16:24.280 don't even know if I can make up. No, I know, 0:16:24.440 --> 0:16:26.240 I know And when when my so when good night 0:16:26.280 --> 0:16:28.960 numbers was first brought into the Imagination Library. There was 0:16:29.000 --> 0:16:30.840 I got sent a letter or they sent a letter 0:16:31.160 --> 0:16:33.480 to my publisher who sent it to me, and she 0:16:33.600 --> 0:16:35.200 signed it. But they put it in one of those 0:16:35.200 --> 0:16:37.760 puffy envelopes that didn't have any backing, so it was wrinkled, 0:16:37.920 --> 0:16:41.040 and I was like, this is wrinkled, Like how could 0:16:41.080 --> 0:16:42.800 they sit? And I like try to press it. I 0:16:42.840 --> 0:16:45.920 haven't a frame. Even though it's wrinkled. It's like, oh 0:16:45.960 --> 0:16:47.920 my gosh, Dolly Parton signed something for me. And if 0:16:47.920 --> 0:16:49.200 I had known, like a couple years later, I was 0:16:49.200 --> 0:16:50.720 going to get to actually worked with her, I would 0:16:50.760 --> 0:16:54.880 have painted. But she's I'm I'm so grateful that somebody 0:16:54.960 --> 0:16:58.800 like Dolly Parton exists. That's kind of in summary. I'm 0:16:58.840 --> 0:17:00.480 just glad that she's part of the sun it and 0:17:00.560 --> 0:17:03.960 she can never ever die. So if we somehow get 0:17:03.960 --> 0:17:06.320 the potion for living forever, we have to all agree 0:17:06.359 --> 0:17:08.159 to give it to Dolly Parton, and I think everybody 0:17:08.200 --> 0:17:14.000 would agree. Actually, Dolly Parton is the personification of Hallmark, 0:17:14.320 --> 0:17:18.840 Like she's just good and positive, and yes, I agree, 0:17:19.240 --> 0:17:20.800 I agree. I hope we get to do another one 0:17:20.840 --> 0:17:23.320 with her. So you touched on it, you know, it 0:17:23.359 --> 0:17:25.399 was the catalyst that got you to work with the 0:17:25.440 --> 0:17:28.600 one and only Dolly. You graduated with a sumacom reality 0:17:28.680 --> 0:17:33.399 from u c l A. You're a super super smart person. 0:17:33.720 --> 0:17:38.680 Was your major math and then your minor physics. Yes, exactly, 0:17:38.880 --> 0:17:41.959 that's hard. It was hard, you know what. Honestly, part 0:17:42.000 --> 0:17:43.159 of the reason why I did it is because I 0:17:43.240 --> 0:17:46.200 like a good challenge, to be honest, I mean the math. 0:17:46.400 --> 0:17:48.679 I've always loved a good challenge. I and I and 0:17:48.720 --> 0:17:52.239 I math and I get along. I mean, I'm not like, 0:17:52.280 --> 0:17:54.680 I'm not a savant, and it's not super easy. I 0:17:54.720 --> 0:17:57.040 always had a study physics for some reason was always 0:17:57.080 --> 0:17:59.600 more challenging. Fact, it was like it was sort of 0:17:59.640 --> 0:18:01.560 needle me how difficult it was for me. So I 0:18:01.600 --> 0:18:04.240 decided to face that fear and go ahead and minor 0:18:04.280 --> 0:18:08.600 in it. I was in like freshman or sophomore physics 0:18:08.760 --> 0:18:11.320 and in the meantime and graduate was like as a senior, 0:18:11.359 --> 0:18:13.640 as a senior in college, like in sophomore physics and 0:18:13.640 --> 0:18:16.639 and taking gradual level courses in math, and I was in. 0:18:16.760 --> 0:18:18.720 I spent all my time in the physics tutoring center 0:18:18.760 --> 0:18:22.120 at hours like trying to grab my head around these things, 0:18:22.520 --> 0:18:24.280 um just because I like a good challenge. So that 0:18:24.280 --> 0:18:25.959 explains a lot about me. I'm kind of all those 0:18:25.960 --> 0:18:27.679 people where if you say, I bet you can't do that, 0:18:27.800 --> 0:18:30.919 it becomes a little irresistible. I mean, as I've gotten older, 0:18:31.359 --> 0:18:33.960 that's tempered a little, but it's still in there. I 0:18:34.040 --> 0:18:37.960 might not act on it, but I still feel that way. 0:18:37.960 --> 0:18:40.080 This at the time when you you face your fears 0:18:40.080 --> 0:18:42.200 and you figure out what you're made of. And part 0:18:42.200 --> 0:18:44.920 of what I like about math is that you can't 0:18:44.920 --> 0:18:47.840 get away with like not actually understanding it. You've got 0:18:47.840 --> 0:18:50.520 to actually understand it to succeed. And there's a right 0:18:50.560 --> 0:18:52.480 and there's a wrong answer. You have to push yourself 0:18:52.480 --> 0:18:54.119 and you have to you have to face those fears 0:18:54.160 --> 0:18:56.400 and face those challenges. And when you do that, by 0:18:56.440 --> 0:19:00.040 the way, you get something from it. You teach yourself 0:19:00.040 --> 0:19:03.199 You've got more fortitude than you thought because you know 0:19:03.280 --> 0:19:05.040 you're you're facing a math problem and you feel so 0:19:05.200 --> 0:19:07.520 you can't do it, and uh and then and which 0:19:07.560 --> 0:19:09.439 you stay with it, You stick with it, and you 0:19:09.560 --> 0:19:12.000 keep pushing and then you do solve it. I mean, 0:19:12.040 --> 0:19:14.359 I remember, thinking of this is like a math high. 0:19:14.640 --> 0:19:16.520 You get to a new place and it gives you 0:19:16.560 --> 0:19:19.719 confidence that I believe extends far beyond mathematics. And this 0:19:19.760 --> 0:19:21.320 is what I tell my readers because I've got I've 0:19:21.320 --> 0:19:23.639 written math books now and they're all super fun and 0:19:23.720 --> 0:19:26.600 entertaining with cartoons and a little fun stories for ages 0:19:26.680 --> 0:19:29.280 zero through sixteen all the way up through high school geometry. 0:19:29.560 --> 0:19:32.680 And my whole point is to make it fun and accessible, 0:19:32.760 --> 0:19:37.160 but also to explain to my readers, hey, you don't 0:19:37.200 --> 0:19:39.639 want math to be super easy. You wanted to be 0:19:39.720 --> 0:19:41.479 to struggle. You want to be challenging, because that's how 0:19:41.520 --> 0:19:43.360 you get stronger. If you went to the gym, it's 0:19:43.359 --> 0:19:44.840 like going to the gym for your brain. If you 0:19:44.840 --> 0:19:47.000 went to the gym and you lifted lightweights all day long, 0:19:47.040 --> 0:19:50.639 you wouldn't get anywhere. It's when you struggle through and 0:19:50.640 --> 0:19:52.480 then you succeed and you build and each time you 0:19:52.520 --> 0:19:54.280 can do a little more and a little more. That's 0:19:54.280 --> 0:19:57.000 what builds your brain and build your confidence. And then 0:19:57.080 --> 0:19:59.800 in life, because life is gonna throw a lot of 0:20:00.000 --> 0:20:02.520 ostables your way. It always does, is just how life is. 0:20:03.280 --> 0:20:06.159 You will have prepared yourself in a way that not 0:20:06.200 --> 0:20:08.720 only are you a good problem solver, because that problem 0:20:08.720 --> 0:20:11.280 solving logic does extend to other parts of life as well, 0:20:11.400 --> 0:20:15.080 but just the exercise of facing obstacles and saying, wait, 0:20:15.160 --> 0:20:17.320 I've been in a situation before where I thought I 0:20:17.359 --> 0:20:19.359 could do something and I stuck with it and then 0:20:19.400 --> 0:20:21.680 I did figure it out. Maybe this is one of 0:20:21.720 --> 0:20:25.080 those situations too, like that actually really is valuable. And 0:20:25.160 --> 0:20:27.280 so I say to you, I mean college, you know 0:20:27.359 --> 0:20:29.199 it's it's good to do what you're interested in, but 0:20:29.320 --> 0:20:31.159 especially when you have to be in a math class. 0:20:31.240 --> 0:20:34.200