WEBVTT - Jenna Ushkowitz & Kevin McHale 0:00:00.040 --> 0:00:06.680 And what was it called? And you know she clearly 0:00:06.720 --> 0:00:08.760 knows it is going to What is n l T 0:00:09.000 --> 0:00:12.400 stand for? That's my next question, stand for n not 0:00:12.680 --> 0:00:21.000 like them? Not like them? Yeah, okay, yep. All boy 0:00:21.040 --> 0:00:23.560 band names are good. That's the thing about boy bands. 0:00:25.000 --> 0:00:32.839 They all make sense and they're all good. Hi. My 0:00:32.920 --> 0:00:37.800 name is Jenna and I'm Kevin, and we are best friends. 0:00:38.960 --> 0:00:53.440 Give me a break. Hello everybody, it's me Brian Baumgartner here, 0:00:53.520 --> 0:00:58.160 and welcome back to another episode of Off the Beat. 0:00:58.400 --> 0:01:04.759 Today we have not one, No, we have two amazing guests, 0:01:05.160 --> 0:01:10.039 a threesome if you will. Kevin McHale and Jenna Ushkowitz 0:01:10.280 --> 0:01:13.000 will join me today. I am so excited to talk 0:01:13.040 --> 0:01:16.080 to them. They are both old friends of mine. You 0:01:16.160 --> 0:01:19.959 might know them from their time on Glee as Artie 0:01:20.520 --> 0:01:24.360 and Tina because correct me if I'm wrong here. But 0:01:24.520 --> 0:01:28.760 it is just one of those shows that everyone knows, 0:01:29.040 --> 0:01:34.160 whether it's for the crazy storylines, the incredible cast, or 0:01:34.760 --> 0:01:39.080 well that it came from genius Ryan Murphy. If you 0:01:39.120 --> 0:01:42.720 can dream it, it happened on Glee. I'm excited to 0:01:42.800 --> 0:01:46.840 jump right in here. We talk about their origins. Kevin's 0:01:47.000 --> 0:01:51.720 boy band, Jenna's Broadway career and how their friendship has 0:01:51.800 --> 0:01:56.680 led them to their new Rewatch podcast, and that's what 0:01:56.720 --> 0:01:59.680 you really missed. And most of all, you're gonna hear 0:01:59.720 --> 0:02:05.160 all about Kevin's role on the office. That's right. As 0:02:05.160 --> 0:02:08.919 a Kevin on the office myself, I think we just well, 0:02:09.440 --> 0:02:12.239 we just get each other. This is a fun one. 0:02:12.480 --> 0:02:20.960 Let's bring them on, Kevin and Jenna, everybody. Bubble and Squeak. 0:02:22.280 --> 0:02:28.119 I love it. Bubble and squeak on Bubble and Squeaker 0:02:28.240 --> 0:02:42.400 cookie every month, left over from the nut before. What's 0:02:42.440 --> 0:02:49.360 up you guys? How are you? I mean, it's been 0:02:49.520 --> 0:02:59.240 so long four years eighty four years. Wow, great to 0:02:59.240 --> 0:03:07.520 see both of you. You too immediately brings back memories. Good, yeah, 0:03:07.560 --> 0:03:11.919 really good ones. Um some of them we can't tell, 0:03:11.960 --> 0:03:15.560 but many, many good ones. So this is my first 0:03:15.600 --> 0:03:22.320 threesome by the way it is. It's usually one on 0:03:22.320 --> 0:03:26.240 one here, but we're going we're going threesome today more 0:03:26.280 --> 0:03:28.480 than Mary. So I'm going to spend most of the 0:03:28.560 --> 0:03:33.200 time talking about when you guys were reborn, when you 0:03:33.240 --> 0:03:35.560 were reborn, meeting the day the two of you met 0:03:35.880 --> 0:03:38.960 and started working together. But I did want to go 0:03:39.000 --> 0:03:43.680 back a little bit briefly individually. I guess ladies first, Jenna, 0:03:44.080 --> 0:03:50.800 your childhood, when did you start becoming interested in the arts? Well, um, 0:03:50.880 --> 0:03:53.440 I was always interested in the arts, I think, but 0:03:53.600 --> 0:03:57.000 I was put into the business when I was three. 0:03:57.680 --> 0:04:02.920 So I was doing commercials and print ads from three on. 0:04:03.960 --> 0:04:07.040 And my first commercial was like the Toys r US commercial, 0:04:07.360 --> 0:04:12.320 and then I started doing Sesame Street. And then right 0:04:12.360 --> 0:04:15.200 around the age of nine, I auditioned for my first 0:04:15.240 --> 0:04:18.960 Broadway musical. And I had done school plays and things 0:04:19.000 --> 0:04:21.520 like that before, and I had done, you know, some commercials, 0:04:21.520 --> 0:04:24.440 but like, this is a totally different caliber of work. 0:04:24.960 --> 0:04:28.279 So I auditioned for The King and I um revival 0:04:28.279 --> 0:04:31.440 with lou Diamond Phillips and Donna Murphy, and um, somehow 0:04:31.480 --> 0:04:36.039 I booked it. There were fifteen kids, and somehow I 0:04:36.080 --> 0:04:41.000 booked it. You did a number of shows on Broadway 0:04:41.200 --> 0:04:46.839 when you were very young, including Spring Awakening. Now was 0:04:46.920 --> 0:04:52.360 your future uh CO star involved at that time or no? Yes? Yes, 0:04:52.600 --> 0:04:56.640 so Lee was in the original LeeAnne Groff both were 0:04:56.640 --> 0:04:59.680 in the original cast of Spring Awakening, obviously, and then 0:04:59.800 --> 0:05:04.000 I joined at the tail end of their run and 0:05:04.120 --> 0:05:07.240 into the new cast. So basically I got a taste 0:05:07.240 --> 0:05:10.200 of both casts of Spring Awakening. But yes, I was 0:05:10.279 --> 0:05:13.560 there and Leah and I. Leo was on Broadway doing 0:05:13.640 --> 0:05:15.320 le Miss when I was doing The King, and I 0:05:15.400 --> 0:05:21.440 as well, so we had known each other since that time. Really, yes, 0:05:21.480 --> 0:05:23.880 a little young a zette. She went with her friends. 0:05:28.040 --> 0:05:33.479 She was old. It feels, you know, to feel appropriate 0:05:33.520 --> 0:05:37.560 for her character to be like I played because at 0:05:37.560 --> 0:05:42.799 the ripe age of eight. Wow, so you were on Broadway. 0:05:43.120 --> 0:05:45.440 Did you grow up in New York? Yeah, I grew 0:05:45.520 --> 0:05:48.760 up on Long Island, so I was very close to this, 0:05:48.960 --> 0:05:51.839 a straight shot to the city, if you will, right, 0:05:52.200 --> 0:05:55.680 And this was I mean, when you're three and you're 0:05:55.720 --> 0:05:59.159 put into things, this is not a choice, This is 0:05:59.160 --> 0:06:02.280 not a pass. Yet by the time you're nine, are 0:06:02.400 --> 0:06:06.040 you full? You're full? I am, I am in, I 0:06:06.080 --> 0:06:10.160 am locked and loaded. Um. Honestly, it was like the 0:06:10.200 --> 0:06:15.640 Broadway camaraderie and family experience of doing a show um 0:06:15.680 --> 0:06:17.640 of that size. It was like fifty two cast members 0:06:17.720 --> 0:06:20.919 or something crazy like that. I was in love. I 0:06:21.000 --> 0:06:23.000 was the My parents will tell you I was the 0:06:23.000 --> 0:06:25.479 one first one at the theater and the last one out. 0:06:25.560 --> 0:06:28.160 They'd be like, where is Jenna? Please? Let because they 0:06:28.160 --> 0:06:30.400 didn't let the parents backstage, so they waited at the 0:06:30.400 --> 0:06:32.520 stage door. For me, it was a three hour show, 0:06:32.839 --> 0:06:34.800 and they'd be like, can can she please come out 0:06:35.080 --> 0:06:40.320 and leave? They wouldn't let them backstage. Is brilliant, It 0:06:40.560 --> 0:06:45.919 is brilliant, brilliant that normal. And they can because we 0:06:46.000 --> 0:06:49.039 have wranglers a backstage that are hired to take care 0:06:49.080 --> 0:06:53.200 of us. So when the wranglers bring us to the door, okay, 0:06:53.480 --> 0:06:56.520 and they're like, keep these crazy stage parents away. Now. 0:06:56.560 --> 0:06:58.760 I haven't talked to anybody about this. I've talked to 0:06:58.800 --> 0:07:00.600 plenty of people who did see it or but not 0:07:00.920 --> 0:07:05.320 now are you are you schooling at this time as well? Well? 0:07:05.440 --> 0:07:09.320 So during rehearsals, during the six week rehearsal I was doing, Um, 0:07:09.560 --> 0:07:13.040 we were home schooled, were tutored on set basic set. Yeah. 0:07:13.120 --> 0:07:15.080 I was nine, I was in fourth grade, and so 0:07:15.160 --> 0:07:17.400 I would go to school and then I would go 0:07:17.560 --> 0:07:20.520 do the show, except for Wednesdays when they let me 0:07:20.840 --> 0:07:22.960 my parents let me take off because I had a matinee. 0:07:23.560 --> 0:07:26.600 Were you were you doing all of them? Yeah? Time 0:07:26.960 --> 0:07:29.480 you didn't have a double cast. No, it's it's I 0:07:29.520 --> 0:07:33.040 think it's like six or seven that you can do it. Um, 0:07:33.280 --> 0:07:35.640 you can do the full show. So I was doing 0:07:35.760 --> 0:07:38.440 the full eight shows. My parents were driving me back 0:07:38.480 --> 0:07:40.640 and forth every day, and then I would go to 0:07:40.680 --> 0:07:43.080 school and then they picked me up and we drove 0:07:43.120 --> 0:07:50.120 to the city. Wow. Yeah that is insane. It's pretty 0:07:50.280 --> 0:07:54.440 feel so bad for your parents. Yeah, I know. I 0:07:54.480 --> 0:07:57.280 mean I was doing not to make this about me, 0:07:57.360 --> 0:07:59.800 but I was doing the eight shows a week thing 0:08:00.560 --> 0:08:04.880 as well. But when I was fully able to drive 0:08:05.040 --> 0:08:10.400 myself or get myself somewhere, I wasn't reliant on I 0:08:10.440 --> 0:08:14.600 mean that's significant. Yes, yeah, it's hard because a lot 0:08:14.640 --> 0:08:17.280 of parents kids were like, I want to do that, 0:08:17.720 --> 0:08:20.120 and a lot of parents would ask my parents like 0:08:20.160 --> 0:08:21.960 how do you do it? And my dad was able 0:08:22.000 --> 0:08:23.840 to work out of the offices when cell phones were 0:08:23.840 --> 0:08:27.120 just starting to like be a thing and um pagers. 0:08:27.560 --> 0:08:29.160 Remember if I would get a call back, my agent 0:08:29.200 --> 0:08:31.720 would page my dad and then we have to call 0:08:31.800 --> 0:08:34.160 them back. But like, you know, it was just one 0:08:34.240 --> 0:08:38.480 of those times where my my mom had stopped working 0:08:38.520 --> 0:08:40.800 when she had my brother and me and so like 0:08:41.000 --> 0:08:43.960 or when they adopted me. But like when you know, 0:08:44.040 --> 0:08:46.319 she was able to take me up to the auditions 0:08:46.320 --> 0:08:48.240 and my dad would wait in the car circle around 0:08:48.320 --> 0:08:50.920 or double park and like work while he was doing that. 0:08:51.040 --> 0:08:54.360 So it was a real commitment from both parties. Someone 0:08:54.400 --> 0:08:57.200 I just talked to brought something up to me. I've 0:08:57.320 --> 0:09:01.599 never thought of it this way before. This was his theory. 0:09:01.720 --> 0:09:05.280 Our education system is set up in a flawed manner 0:09:05.679 --> 0:09:08.640 in that we go to school with people exactly our 0:09:08.720 --> 0:09:12.559 same age, like within a twelve month period of time. 0:09:13.480 --> 0:09:18.560 And he talked to me about the arts in the theater. 0:09:19.320 --> 0:09:22.240 You are socially and in some ways in terms of 0:09:22.280 --> 0:09:26.400 even your real education, if you're doing set school or whatever, 0:09:27.280 --> 0:09:30.679 you have the experience and the perspective of people with 0:09:30.840 --> 0:09:34.360 such a wide range. And isn't that a much more 0:09:34.600 --> 0:09:39.400 natural way actually of being educated and growing up? Did 0:09:39.440 --> 0:09:42.320 you start to feel that and you were doing shows? 0:09:42.679 --> 0:09:47.400 I agree. I think that's an interesting point. It's um 0:09:47.440 --> 0:09:51.960 being surrounded by kids where I was somewhat they're elder 0:09:52.000 --> 0:09:54.360 and then also kids that were a little bit older 0:09:54.400 --> 0:09:59.160 than me. Um, but also being around adults, like being 0:09:59.320 --> 0:10:03.640 around cast members that kind of took us under their wing, 0:10:03.880 --> 0:10:06.240 that played our mothers that we're probably in their early 0:10:06.240 --> 0:10:08.720 twenties at that point, you know, mid twenties dancers and 0:10:08.760 --> 0:10:12.560 like I felt like I got I got a lot 0:10:12.679 --> 0:10:15.320 more world experience than the kids around me, and that 0:10:15.400 --> 0:10:18.200 I was going back to school with every day, and 0:10:18.240 --> 0:10:22.280 I felt like just my my world experience was bigger 0:10:22.320 --> 0:10:26.160 and more expansive. And I absolutely agree with you. I 0:10:26.200 --> 0:10:30.200 think it is a fascinating idea. And my husband was 0:10:30.200 --> 0:10:33.480 in education, he would love this, um but it's it's 0:10:33.559 --> 0:10:37.719 it's definitely something that I attest to. The groundedness that 0:10:37.760 --> 0:10:40.200 I learned at a young age, the humilia I learned 0:10:40.240 --> 0:10:43.160 at at a young age, the discipline I learned at 0:10:43.200 --> 0:10:46.440 that point. So I am a pent on board with that, 0:10:46.520 --> 0:10:48.360 and I think about that for like my daughter, like 0:10:48.520 --> 0:10:52.400 what what can I share with her through the arts 0:10:52.480 --> 0:10:57.079 or through these experiences that I had being around adults 0:10:57.320 --> 0:11:00.000 at a younger age more than like kids my own age. 0:11:00.240 --> 0:11:02.199 And I think like being around you know, of course 0:11:02.240 --> 0:11:04.120 we go to school with the kids because you're supposed 0:11:04.160 --> 0:11:07.240 to be in this developmental age where everything is everybody 0:11:07.320 --> 0:11:09.720 is developing at the same time. But that's not it. 0:11:10.000 --> 0:11:12.559 That's not it either, Like babies don't develop at the 0:11:12.600 --> 0:11:15.120 same time. You're one baby is you know, rolland and 0:11:15.160 --> 0:11:18.720 one baby isn't like it's not. It's the standardized testing 0:11:18.760 --> 0:11:21.200 bullshit that we you know, we have in our you know, 0:11:21.760 --> 0:11:26.600 us education system that's quite flawed. So right, No, but 0:11:26.679 --> 0:11:31.120 even what you say, like even just the valuable experience 0:11:31.880 --> 0:11:35.840 of dealing with kids who are younger. They're not teaching 0:11:35.840 --> 0:11:40.040 you algebra, but they're certainly teaching you, you know, and 0:11:40.120 --> 0:11:44.920 you're showing you the world like things right exactly, and 0:11:44.920 --> 0:11:48.199 and social interactions and yes, as you said, people who 0:11:48.200 --> 0:11:52.079 are older as well, and even adults who well, maybe 0:11:52.080 --> 0:11:54.240 sometimes they're not teaching you the right things to do, 0:11:54.280 --> 0:12:00.920 but at least you learn through failure and bad experience. Um. Fascinating. 0:12:01.080 --> 0:12:08.720 Kevin High, not Hot, not New York, but Texas you 0:12:08.760 --> 0:12:11.439 were born and raised. Talk to me a little bit 0:12:11.480 --> 0:12:15.600 about your introduction into the arts and at what age 0:12:15.640 --> 0:12:18.120 did you realize this is what you wanted to do. 0:12:19.120 --> 0:12:22.679 I don't really have a memory with me not being 0:12:22.720 --> 0:12:28.040 interested in the arts. I didn't realize until much later, though, 0:12:28.080 --> 0:12:32.760 that it was something that I could pursue as more 0:12:32.840 --> 0:12:35.160 than just a hobby or an interest. I don't know 0:12:35.200 --> 0:12:36.840 if it was just being from Texas or that I 0:12:36.880 --> 0:12:39.520 was just a little slow or something, but I was, 0:12:39.559 --> 0:12:42.320 like you know famous people do that like this is 0:12:43.240 --> 0:12:45.920 I. I I wanted to be a meteorologist or an architect. 0:12:46.080 --> 0:12:49.400 That was my plan. But I was always I was 0:12:49.480 --> 0:12:54.400 obsessed with MTV and music was my thing. Like I 0:12:54.400 --> 0:12:58.240 would always sing around the house. I would watch music 0:12:58.320 --> 0:13:02.240 videos and study. I would like I would learn all 0:13:02.240 --> 0:13:05.559 the dances, all the choreography, mimic their movements and how 0:13:05.559 --> 0:13:08.400 they performed. And I had I was the youngest of four. 0:13:08.960 --> 0:13:11.120 I am the youngest of four and we're all very 0:13:11.120 --> 0:13:15.600 spread out. So I also had a really um great 0:13:15.720 --> 0:13:18.800 education and diversity of music because all of my siblings 0:13:18.800 --> 0:13:21.560 listening to different things. And so I would go to 0:13:21.559 --> 0:13:23.920 school and I would know these artists that no going 0:13:23.960 --> 0:13:25.600 to sort of what you were just talking about, Jenna, 0:13:26.000 --> 0:13:29.080 Education about being around people different ages. I had this 0:13:29.200 --> 0:13:34.240 breadth of musical knowledge that no one else my age did, 0:13:34.480 --> 0:13:37.840 and I valued that really early on. But then my 0:13:37.920 --> 0:13:41.760 sister became an agent in Texas. She's sixteen years older 0:13:41.760 --> 0:13:45.320 than me. She became an acting agent, and I remember 0:13:45.360 --> 0:13:48.040 she was telling me they're auditioning for this movie. It 0:13:48.120 --> 0:13:52.079 was a sequel two, a movie that I had loved, 0:13:52.080 --> 0:13:54.280 and I was like, I want audition for it. What 0:13:54.320 --> 0:13:56.760 was the movie. It was they're making a sequel to 0:13:56.760 --> 0:14:01.359 Little Rascals. I don't think it ever got made, um, 0:14:01.400 --> 0:14:03.520 because they saw me like, you know, let's not even bother. 0:14:03.640 --> 0:14:07.400 This is five now, what do you mean a sequel? 0:14:07.440 --> 0:14:09.640 So the Little Rascals that came out when we were kids, 0:14:09.679 --> 0:14:13.839 and like in the nineties that Little Rascals. There was 0:14:13.880 --> 0:14:16.040 the reboot of the Little Rascals. Yeah, not o g. 0:14:16.400 --> 0:14:19.640 Little Rascal was like, like I was a huge fan 0:14:19.720 --> 0:14:24.280 of just got a facelift, he's got a lot of 0:14:24.320 --> 0:14:28.120 work done. Yeah, I look very good when you met me. 0:14:28.200 --> 0:14:32.840 I definitely was not seventeen um, And so I forced her. 0:14:32.920 --> 0:14:34.880 She was not like a children's agent either. She was, 0:14:35.440 --> 0:14:39.560 you know, an adult agent, and she I somehow wore 0:14:39.600 --> 0:14:42.680 her down and that they let me audition and then 0:14:42.720 --> 0:14:48.080 her agency signed me, you know, nepotism and ever then 0:14:48.080 --> 0:14:51.520 I started doing commercials in Dallas and things, and starting 0:14:51.560 --> 0:14:55.880 singing lessons and dance lessons, and then she sort of 0:14:55.920 --> 0:14:58.520 suggested to my parents that, you know, maybe take me 0:14:58.560 --> 0:15:01.640 out to l A to try it. And we came 0:15:01.640 --> 0:15:03.800 out to l A. I think it was thirteen the 0:15:03.840 --> 0:15:09.880 first time. Okay, what year is this? Uh? Where was 0:15:09.920 --> 0:15:13.920 I born. It was probably like two thou three. You 0:15:14.000 --> 0:15:18.400 were born on June. Yeah, so I think we started 0:15:18.400 --> 0:15:20.360 coming out here like two thousand two or two dozen three. 0:15:20.600 --> 0:15:23.360 I just remember we drove to l A from Dallas, 0:15:23.400 --> 0:15:26.280 and when we drove back entering Dallas, I started to 0:15:26.320 --> 0:15:30.600 cry because I didn't want to be there, and I 0:15:30.760 --> 0:15:33.520 just felt so at home in l A and that 0:15:33.680 --> 0:15:37.200 everything felt artistic. You know. Going back to middle school 0:15:37.240 --> 0:15:41.320 in Texas, it was just football and I didn't do 0:15:41.320 --> 0:15:44.680 anything extracurricular at school. Everything was outside of it. In 0:15:45.000 --> 0:15:47.960 l A. Everyone was already doing that. And so because 0:15:47.960 --> 0:15:50.040 I was the youngest, my parents and I we moved 0:15:50.040 --> 0:15:53.920 out here sort of with the opposite mindset of stage parents, 0:15:54.200 --> 0:15:55.800 where they were like, we want to get the hell 0:15:55.800 --> 0:15:58.040 out of Texas. You want to get the hell out 0:15:58.040 --> 0:16:00.040 of Texas. So it was just I'm gonna go to 0:16:00.160 --> 0:16:04.120 high school and l A and see what happens. And 0:16:04.160 --> 0:16:05.960 I go on auditions, but if it happens, it happens, 0:16:05.960 --> 0:16:08.720 and if it doesn't, it doesn't, and then you know, 0:16:08.760 --> 0:16:12.480 I got into a boy band and things. That's where 0:16:12.520 --> 0:16:14.080 we're going next. But I just I don't want to 0:16:14.080 --> 0:16:17.640 make this awkward you would have been three to seven 0:16:17.680 --> 0:16:20.840 years old. Were you aware of me? I went to 0:16:20.960 --> 0:16:24.000 SMU in Dallas. Were you aware of my you know, 0:16:24.800 --> 0:16:26.840 my prowess. I don't know what the word is. I'm 0:16:26.880 --> 0:16:30.440 looking for everybody. Did you feel the energy of me 0:16:30.920 --> 0:16:34.400 and for those few years? Yeah, maybe that's why you 0:16:34.520 --> 0:16:37.440 cried later on because I had left already. Yeah, it's 0:16:37.520 --> 0:16:39.920 well he's not here, so what's the point. What is 0:16:39.920 --> 0:16:43.840 the point? Um? Yes, I was there for four years. 0:16:44.240 --> 0:16:48.120 SMME has turned out some greats. SMU has turned out 0:16:48.160 --> 0:16:55.280 some grades right now? Me? Um No, Cathy Bates, Cathy Bates. 0:16:55.400 --> 0:17:00.400 Of course we're garson. I think that's right. Some grades. Okay, 0:17:00.400 --> 0:17:03.760 boy band? So you go, Now do you leave school? 0:17:04.000 --> 0:17:06.120 You can't leave school. You have to still be going 0:17:06.160 --> 0:17:09.119 to school a thirteen, you have to. So you you 0:17:09.160 --> 0:17:11.800 go to school out in California. We end up moving 0:17:11.800 --> 0:17:14.439 to calif When when I was okay, it took a 0:17:14.440 --> 0:17:16.120 couple of years to decide, like what are we going 0:17:16.160 --> 0:17:19.639 to do? My brother, closest an age to me, you know, 0:17:19.720 --> 0:17:21.879 went to college and so we're like, okay, well now 0:17:21.920 --> 0:17:24.560 I'm basically an only child. What do you guys want 0:17:24.560 --> 0:17:28.600 to do? Ever since my dad lost his job in 0:17:28.600 --> 0:17:32.240 two thousand one, so he was sort of popping around, 0:17:32.359 --> 0:17:34.400 you know, when all that sort of like telecom thing 0:17:34.400 --> 0:17:37.960 he did sort of busted a little bit, and so 0:17:38.000 --> 0:17:40.480 everyone's looking for a change. I was obsessive boy bands, 0:17:40.520 --> 0:17:43.920 obsessive pop music, and there was a random audition. Um. 0:17:43.920 --> 0:17:46.119 I had a dance agent at the time, which is 0:17:46.240 --> 0:17:50.280 hilarious in hindsight because I'm not a dance agent. Yeah, 0:17:50.800 --> 0:17:55.360 I didn't know those existed. Was to be a band artist, 0:17:55.920 --> 0:17:58.399 I don't think it was. I didn't think it was. 0:17:58.840 --> 0:18:01.760 Like again, boy bands like Instinct, Bactory boys were sort 0:18:01.800 --> 0:18:04.119 of like done. The craze was over. So I was 0:18:04.160 --> 0:18:08.600 like I missed the boat. And then someone held auditions 0:18:09.200 --> 0:18:12.439 and I showed up and got it, and then was 0:18:12.520 --> 0:18:16.359 in a boy band from like fourteen until nineteen basically, 0:18:16.720 --> 0:18:22.760 and what was it called and general? You know, she 0:18:22.960 --> 0:18:25.440 clearly knows it is going to What is n LT 0:18:25.680 --> 0:18:28.440 stand for? That's my next question. Does it stand for Ken? 0:18:29.040 --> 0:18:35.520 Not like Them? Not like them? Yea, m hmm, okay, yep. 0:18:36.320 --> 0:18:38.680 All boy band names are good. That's the thing about 0:18:38.680 --> 0:18:42.400 boy bands. They all make sense and they're all good. 0:18:43.240 --> 0:18:47.240 So okay, there's so much to want Packer. Well, your 0:18:47.280 --> 0:18:50.520 friend here is doing Broadway musicals. You're in a boy band. 0:18:50.640 --> 0:18:52.840 You love it though you always wanted to be in 0:18:52.840 --> 0:18:55.520 a boy band. We're loving boys. This is a dream 0:18:55.560 --> 0:18:59.040 for you, and you're in it for four or five years. Now, 0:18:59.040 --> 0:19:02.680 are you touring? We did. We eventually did a little 0:19:02.680 --> 0:19:05.240 touring when we were young. There wasn't that much going 0:19:05.320 --> 0:19:10.239 nowhere like internationally. It was just the Usum, yeah, a 0:19:10.240 --> 0:19:12.960 lot of that. We did two tours. The first tour 0:19:14.040 --> 0:19:16.280 we were in one eight hundred Cruise America r V. 0:19:17.280 --> 0:19:21.800 Following around we opened up for the Pussycat Dolls. So yeah, 0:19:21.840 --> 0:19:25.919 I've heard. I want to be very very clear, I 0:19:25.960 --> 0:19:28.600 am not making fun of Albuquerque. Okay, I want to. 0:19:28.600 --> 0:19:31.440 I want that on the record here before anything, before anything. 0:19:32.680 --> 0:19:36.440 It's not New York City Broadway hashtag love Albuquerque. I 0:19:36.560 --> 0:19:39.800 was more saying, are you are you going to Paris 0:19:40.640 --> 0:19:43.600 or Mexico City or are we going to Albuquerque? Okay? Now, 0:19:44.000 --> 0:19:47.560 it was definitely very local. One Cruise America tells the 0:19:47.600 --> 0:19:52.720 story there, um okay. And then the second tour was 0:19:52.760 --> 0:19:56.120 what the second we had no we had proper tour 0:19:56.160 --> 0:20:00.480 buses and at that point, A couple of are people 0:20:00.520 --> 0:20:02.400 had ideas to put boy bands together. So we went 0:20:02.400 --> 0:20:05.119 on like a boy band tour the house of blues 0:20:05.200 --> 0:20:11.200 all around America. Yeah, it wasn't very successful. I think 0:20:11.320 --> 0:20:16.320 are there across there used to be a lot there was. 0:20:16.359 --> 0:20:19.440 It was a time there were pop ups too. Yeah, 0:20:19.440 --> 0:20:22.280 it was before they all started closing. But yeah, we 0:20:22.320 --> 0:20:25.160 went all over the place. That was a while. And 0:20:26.080 --> 0:20:29.760 I relate to what Jenna was saying about being around 0:20:29.800 --> 0:20:33.040 older people in that time because we were the youngest 0:20:33.040 --> 0:20:37.480 people around. The music business is way I don't know 0:20:37.480 --> 0:20:40.919 if I can cuss, but crappier you want. It's shittier 0:20:41.080 --> 0:20:45.760 than the acting business. There's no equity, there's no sag 0:20:45.880 --> 0:20:49.600 or after a it's just every man for themselves. And 0:20:50.680 --> 0:20:52.720 my parents are all of our parents and that at 0:20:52.720 --> 0:20:54.960 that time. We're all very aware of that and very protective. 0:20:55.000 --> 0:20:57.320 So they did a good job with that. But it's 0:20:57.359 --> 0:21:01.200 just like deals are bad, everyone's screwing you over. We had, 0:21:01.280 --> 0:21:03.520 you know, we'd go to New York audition for record labels, 0:21:03.640 --> 0:21:07.600 and so we had to learn as fifteen sixteen year 0:21:07.600 --> 0:21:10.600 olds how to be around these people and how to 0:21:10.880 --> 0:21:15.359 operate professionally. And be a performer. And in high school 0:21:15.400 --> 0:21:18.479 then I was during the daytime going to class, at 0:21:18.560 --> 0:21:21.560 nighttime going to the recording studio, going we got signed 0:21:21.560 --> 0:21:24.639 to Geffen, which was under Interscope, and so I remember 0:21:24.720 --> 0:21:27.359 there was a party we went and I met Stevie 0:21:27.440 --> 0:21:29.600 Nicks and Mary J. Blige. And then the next day 0:21:29.640 --> 0:21:32.000 going to school and no one has any idea that 0:21:32.119 --> 0:21:35.000 this is like what I'm doing at nighttime. That's crazy, 0:21:35.200 --> 0:21:36.960 But it was a very good. It was a really 0:21:36.960 --> 0:21:40.520 good education, especially with Glee coming because I did the 0:21:40.520 --> 0:21:44.320 touring and did the dance rehearsals, like recording studio, all 0:21:44.359 --> 0:22:07.760 of that. Don't don't take my tease, Damn. Are you 0:22:07.840 --> 0:22:11.879 a fan of Broadway musicals as a boy band member? 0:22:11.920 --> 0:22:18.240 Are you disdainful or dismissive or uninterested of that? I 0:22:18.280 --> 0:22:22.760 was probably mostly uninterested, uninterested. I grew up. My mom 0:22:22.800 --> 0:22:25.680 took me to every touring show that came through Dallas. 0:22:26.160 --> 0:22:29.920 I was obsessed with fan of the opera as a kid. Yeah, 0:22:29.920 --> 0:22:32.840 I'd put on shows in my living room. But besides that, 0:22:32.920 --> 0:22:36.080 I didn't nessarily have an interest um in keeping up 0:22:36.080 --> 0:22:39.399 with it what was happening on Broadway. I didn't really 0:22:39.480 --> 0:22:41.600 know that world. Yeah, there was not so much more 0:22:41.640 --> 0:22:45.000 of an indifference, I guess for the musical theater. Okay. 0:22:45.600 --> 0:22:49.560 And now the same token, Jenna, as you're someone who's 0:22:49.600 --> 0:22:53.119 performing on Broadway. Now are you a fan of boy 0:22:53.160 --> 0:22:56.480 bands at this time? Are you? Are you? Yeah? I 0:22:56.520 --> 0:23:00.320 didn't know an LT. I didn't do I did no 0:23:00.480 --> 0:23:06.080 Dream Street, okay, And I did know obviously in sinking 0:23:06.119 --> 0:23:11.240 back try boys? Who are they? No? I was kidding, Okay, 0:23:11.000 --> 0:23:13.359 So I wasn't big. I was able. Oh so you 0:23:13.400 --> 0:23:18.160 were a fan? Okay, definitely. It wasn't what I expected 0:23:18.160 --> 0:23:21.040 you to say, but actually both of you said when 0:23:21.080 --> 0:23:28.560 I didn't, which is why we asked the questions. I know. 0:23:28.720 --> 0:23:32.159 That's that's really interesting. So before we get to you, guys, 0:23:32.200 --> 0:23:38.480 is meeting you guys the time you guys met Kevin, 0:23:38.640 --> 0:23:43.840 I actually met you before. Jenna, you were a very 0:23:43.880 --> 0:23:48.159 significant guest star on the Office when you were seventeen 0:23:48.280 --> 0:23:51.639 ish years of age. How was that experience for you 0:23:52.280 --> 0:23:55.800 the delivery boy I believe it was your title pizza 0:23:55.880 --> 0:24:00.280 delivery boy from Alfredo's. What was that experience to like 0:24:00.400 --> 0:24:02.399 for you? And how much experience did you have at 0:24:02.440 --> 0:24:04.960 that time in film and television. It sounds like not 0:24:05.040 --> 0:24:07.280 a lot, not a lot. It was I think my 0:24:07.760 --> 0:24:11.320 second guest star thing ever. The other one was Zoe 0:24:11.400 --> 0:24:15.560 one on one on Nickelodeon. And yeah, it was a 0:24:15.720 --> 0:24:19.920 really really big thing for me. The audition process was 0:24:20.000 --> 0:24:23.719 unlike anything I'd ever experienced, where the callbacks we were 0:24:23.720 --> 0:24:25.640 in the room with Steve and he came in and 0:24:25.840 --> 0:24:28.480 read with us. You know, Steve Correll. I'll just say, 0:24:28.520 --> 0:24:36.040 Steve Um. I was dying. I was so terrified. Really 0:24:36.080 --> 0:24:38.880 were you? Were you a fan of the show. Oh, yeah, 0:24:39.160 --> 0:24:41.040 I was. And I was a fan of the the 0:24:41.160 --> 0:24:45.359 UK version, like I was all about it. And Alison Jones, 0:24:45.359 --> 0:24:50.120 the casting director, is probably the only reason why I've 0:24:50.160 --> 0:24:54.320 had any sort of career because she, when no one 0:24:54.320 --> 0:24:58.840 else did, kept giving me chances on everything. So I 0:24:58.880 --> 0:25:01.879 got really close and super bad she and then she 0:25:02.000 --> 0:25:04.159 just you know, as if you get on TV and 0:25:04.200 --> 0:25:07.000 you become semi recognizable, you get to skip a couple 0:25:07.080 --> 0:25:08.879 rounds of auditioning and you just get brought into the 0:25:08.920 --> 0:25:11.640 later rounds. I didn't have any reason to get brought 0:25:11.680 --> 0:25:14.840 into automatically too later rounds for things. She just started 0:25:14.840 --> 0:25:17.479 doing that for me because somehow she believed in me, 0:25:17.520 --> 0:25:21.120 and it I really took that to heart and made 0:25:21.119 --> 0:25:22.840