1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:03,680 Speaker 1: Hi everyone, I'm Katie Couric and welcome to next question. 2 00:00:05,080 --> 00:00:08,160 Speaker 1: That's right, I'm back with a whole new season, and 3 00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:11,200 Speaker 1: there is truly no one better or more fun to 4 00:00:11,240 --> 00:00:14,760 Speaker 1: start with than Billy Eichner. Everyone's like, are you having fun? 5 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:22,280 Speaker 1: Having funny? I'm trying. Billy is probably best known for 6 00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:27,280 Speaker 1: creating and hosting the hilarious, random, and sometimes aggressively a 7 00:00:27,280 --> 00:00:31,280 Speaker 1: cerbic show Billy on the Street. It's a Name a Woman, 8 00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:38,000 Speaker 1: Name a woman? Yeah, um, who name a woman? If 9 00:00:38,040 --> 00:00:40,440 Speaker 1: you haven't seen it, it was a cult hit from 10 00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:44,800 Speaker 1: back in the twenty tents, where Billy quizzes unsuspecting strangers 11 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:52,680 Speaker 1: and sometimes his famous friends around New York City a woman. 12 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:56,920 Speaker 1: Billy has also appeared in a slew of comedies on 13 00:00:56,960 --> 00:01:00,920 Speaker 1: the small and big screen, including most recently the mere 14 00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:05,160 Speaker 1: cat character Timne in Disney's remake of The Lion King. 15 00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:08,080 Speaker 1: I've got it. What if he's on our side? Hear 16 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:11,640 Speaker 1: me out, Having a ferocious line around might not be 17 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:15,000 Speaker 1: such a bad idea. Well, then can we keep him? Yes, 18 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:17,600 Speaker 1: of course we can keep it. God who is the 19 00:01:17,640 --> 00:01:22,000 Speaker 1: brains of this operation? And now Billy has written and 20 00:01:22,160 --> 00:01:25,640 Speaker 1: stars in the first gay romcomp from a major movie studio. 21 00:01:26,319 --> 00:01:30,440 Speaker 1: This historic boy meets boys story is called Bros. And 22 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:35,600 Speaker 1: Billy plays the professionally driven but emotionally unavailable Bobby. I 23 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 1: don't think that his type, because I know he told 24 00:01:39,240 --> 00:01:41,560 Speaker 1: me he likes country music and his favorite singer is 25 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:44,320 Speaker 1: Garth Brooks. What kind of gamemance is his favorite singer 26 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:47,000 Speaker 1: is Garth Brooks? That scares me. Plus I see the 27 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 1: guys he likes, they'll look exactly like him. They're all 28 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:53,880 Speaker 1: these like big, hot, straight acting dudes. It's just not me. 29 00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:56,240 Speaker 1: Was the top or bottom? What does that have to 30 00:01:56,280 --> 00:01:58,640 Speaker 1: do with anything? Maybe you're both bottoms and that's a problem. 31 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:08,280 Speaker 1: I'm not always the bottom, Edgar, Oh my god, sex 32 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:12,400 Speaker 1: was more fun when straight people were uncomfortable with it. Well, 33 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:15,920 Speaker 1: I am super proud of you, Billy. It is a 34 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:20,080 Speaker 1: big deal. I know you're feeling the pressure of it too. 35 00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:26,000 Speaker 1: But you know, there have been storylines about gay couples 36 00:02:26,040 --> 00:02:30,360 Speaker 1: and gay dating before I'm thinking about looking right was 37 00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:33,680 Speaker 1: on HBO, and even more in the mainstream. You have 38 00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:37,200 Speaker 1: Modern Family, and there's a whole panoply of shows that 39 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 1: is kind of that have tackled this. But this is 40 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:45,160 Speaker 1: a really big deal. This movie, and I want you 41 00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:49,200 Speaker 1: to explain why it is and why it's different than 42 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:52,840 Speaker 1: the things that have been done before. Well, all of 43 00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:56,480 Speaker 1: those things are All of those shows you mentioned are classics, 44 00:02:56,480 --> 00:02:59,160 Speaker 1: and there are many others too, And there's there's also 45 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:03,760 Speaker 1: a whole I mean, decades of indie films, UM that 46 00:03:03,960 --> 00:03:06,920 Speaker 1: I grew up watching because that was often the only 47 00:03:06,919 --> 00:03:10,000 Speaker 1: places you would find gay love stories and and really 48 00:03:10,040 --> 00:03:12,600 Speaker 1: the only places you would find gay love stories written 49 00:03:12,760 --> 00:03:17,919 Speaker 1: and directed by other LGBTQ people. UM. And I went 50 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:20,000 Speaker 1: to see all those movies and movie theaters, and I 51 00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:21,440 Speaker 1: was lucky. I grew up in New York, so I 52 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:25,359 Speaker 1: had access to them, UM And and Bros. Would not 53 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:29,600 Speaker 1: be here without all of those happening for for decades. 54 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:32,680 Speaker 1: You know. That's where like the ground was laid, you know, 55 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:36,760 Speaker 1: to to lead up to something UM like Bros. Where 56 00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:40,240 Speaker 1: you have a major studio and Universal, you know, the 57 00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:44,360 Speaker 1: same studio that makes these huge franchise films like Jurassic 58 00:03:44,440 --> 00:03:46,839 Speaker 1: Park and Fast and The Theories and Minions and all 59 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:52,720 Speaker 1: these global phenomenons who are putting their support UM behind 60 00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:57,480 Speaker 1: an R rated romantic comedy about a gay mail couple. Right, 61 00:03:57,640 --> 00:04:00,960 Speaker 1: and not only that, but the entire cast of the movie, 62 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:05,200 Speaker 1: save for a couple of quick celebrity cameos, everyone is 63 00:04:05,240 --> 00:04:08,560 Speaker 1: an openly l g B t Q actor or actress, 64 00:04:08,720 --> 00:04:13,040 Speaker 1: even in the straight roles, which you really never see. 65 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:17,720 Speaker 1: Um And I also think that although there are many 66 00:04:17,760 --> 00:04:20,520 Speaker 1: many wonderful l g B t Q centric films and 67 00:04:20,560 --> 00:04:23,080 Speaker 1: TV shows obviously that we've all been watching on streaming 68 00:04:23,080 --> 00:04:26,840 Speaker 1: services for for years, for me, you know, there is 69 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:31,359 Speaker 1: something that is special about going to the movie theater. 70 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 1: Um And, I think people have forgotten how much fun 71 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:39,160 Speaker 1: it is and how magical it is, and how uplifting 72 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:43,080 Speaker 1: it is to go watch a great romantic comedy in 73 00:04:43,160 --> 00:04:46,880 Speaker 1: a movie theater and straight or gay. We just don't 74 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:50,800 Speaker 1: get many movies like that anymore. And I grew up 75 00:04:51,360 --> 00:04:55,279 Speaker 1: in the eighties nineties, we had so many great romantic 76 00:04:55,279 --> 00:04:58,000 Speaker 1: comedies and I loved them so much. And those were 77 00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:01,240 Speaker 1: movies that made me fall in love with movies. They 78 00:05:01,279 --> 00:05:04,240 Speaker 1: made me want to be in Hollywood, you know. I 79 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:07,880 Speaker 1: I Pretty Woman and Moonstruck and When Harry Met Sally 80 00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:10,680 Speaker 1: and Annie Hall and Working Girl and Broadcast News and 81 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:13,120 Speaker 1: all Nora Ephron movies. I mean, I went to see 82 00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:15,720 Speaker 1: all of them with my parents. I can tell you 83 00:05:15,800 --> 00:05:18,320 Speaker 1: exactly what movie theater I was in for many of them. 84 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:21,000 Speaker 1: I still remember, you know. And I also went to 85 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:23,560 Speaker 1: see action movies and superhero movies and all that stuff too, 86 00:05:23,600 --> 00:05:26,240 Speaker 1: I was a kid. But those are the movies that 87 00:05:26,279 --> 00:05:29,680 Speaker 1: really stay with many of us for years, and we 88 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:33,040 Speaker 1: don't get many of them anymore. We've never gotten many 89 00:05:33,080 --> 00:05:37,039 Speaker 1: of them about a gay couple. And so you know, 90 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:41,080 Speaker 1: these are the reasons why Bros. Is special, and you know, 91 00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:44,680 Speaker 1: more than your average comedy. You know, it is it 92 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:47,440 Speaker 1: is an event. It's we haven't gotten something like this. 93 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:50,680 Speaker 1: And and also on top of it, the main thing 94 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:53,840 Speaker 1: is that I hope I think it's really funny. You know, 95 00:05:53,960 --> 00:05:57,560 Speaker 1: we we Nick Stoler and Jadapa Tow and I. We 96 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:00,520 Speaker 1: never sat down and said, let's make a history movie 97 00:06:00,640 --> 00:06:04,919 Speaker 1: or you know, right right break some barriers here. No, 98 00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:07,080 Speaker 1: we didn't even know we were doing that. We didn't 99 00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:08,760 Speaker 1: know who would buy the movie or sell the movie 100 00:06:08,839 --> 00:06:10,839 Speaker 1: or distribute the movie, you know, at the beginning of 101 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:15,159 Speaker 1: the process, and we just said, let's make a hilarious movie. 102 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:18,840 Speaker 1: Judd and Nick have a long history of making some 103 00:06:18,880 --> 00:06:22,000 Speaker 1: of the funniest movies of the past twenty Years Bridesmaids 104 00:06:22,040 --> 00:06:24,760 Speaker 1: and four year Old Virgin and Knocked Up and Forgetting 105 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:27,760 Speaker 1: Sarah Marshall and all these amazing movies that we all love. 106 00:06:28,760 --> 00:06:31,200 Speaker 1: But this one happens to be like that, but about 107 00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:34,360 Speaker 1: a gate couple and with lgbt Q actors, and that's 108 00:06:34,360 --> 00:06:36,919 Speaker 1: really exciting. And so there's a lot about it that 109 00:06:36,960 --> 00:06:39,279 Speaker 1: I think is going to feel new to people while 110 00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:43,880 Speaker 1: also giving them that classic rom com experience that we 111 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:46,880 Speaker 1: all love. There's so much I want to cover with you, Billy, 112 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:51,320 Speaker 1: and one of those is why aren't there more rom coms? 113 00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:56,520 Speaker 1: I mean, I know that the movie industry is really 114 00:06:56,560 --> 00:07:00,320 Speaker 1: obsessed with these global blockbusters that can be trained flayed 115 00:07:00,360 --> 00:07:02,960 Speaker 1: it into a lot of languages. My nephews a director, 116 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:05,320 Speaker 1: and he explained to me a few years ago that's 117 00:07:05,320 --> 00:07:08,479 Speaker 1: why action films are so desirable, because you don't have 118 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:11,560 Speaker 1: a lot of dialogue and you don't have to translate it, 119 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:14,880 Speaker 1: and it's not like it's not like, you know, culturally, 120 00:07:14,960 --> 00:07:18,080 Speaker 1: you have to really help people understand sort of the 121 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:22,600 Speaker 1: nuances of relationships, etcetera. Is that why we just don't 122 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:26,240 Speaker 1: see that many romcoms now being produced by these big 123 00:07:26,280 --> 00:07:29,720 Speaker 1: movie studios. I think there's probably a few different reasons 124 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:32,600 Speaker 1: for it. Judd Apataw recently put it best when he said, 125 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:35,679 Speaker 1: years ago, you had romantic comedies that were big hits, 126 00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:38,160 Speaker 1: you know, including many of his movies, and they would 127 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:41,760 Speaker 1: make a profit. They would make money when they worked. However, 128 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:47,600 Speaker 1: somewhere along the way, studios realized on a big franchise film, 129 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:50,840 Speaker 1: they wouldn't just make a profit. They wouldn't just make 130 00:07:50,880 --> 00:07:54,560 Speaker 1: a hundred million dollars. They could make a billion dollars. 131 00:07:55,160 --> 00:07:57,680 Speaker 1: And then they could make another billion on the sequel, 132 00:07:57,680 --> 00:08:00,840 Speaker 1: and and even more, and the toys into this and that, 133 00:08:01,240 --> 00:08:06,320 Speaker 1: and merchandise, and and like you say, those movies play 134 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:10,560 Speaker 1: well internationally, like that material is a you know, translates 135 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:14,040 Speaker 1: more easily maybe, whereas you know, a romantic comedy might 136 00:08:14,080 --> 00:08:18,000 Speaker 1: be culturally specific as as they say. But but I 137 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:22,960 Speaker 1: maintain that there's nothing wrong with superhero movies. I love 138 00:08:23,040 --> 00:08:26,000 Speaker 1: those two, nothing wrong with big franchise movies, and they're 139 00:08:26,080 --> 00:08:29,600 Speaker 1: keeping the movie going business alive, so we have to 140 00:08:29,640 --> 00:08:34,240 Speaker 1: give them credit for that. However, people have forgotten how 141 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:36,280 Speaker 1: much fun it is to go to a movie theater 142 00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:39,080 Speaker 1: with your friends or on a date, or even by yourself, 143 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:43,520 Speaker 1: and just laugh out loud for two hours. And we 144 00:08:43,640 --> 00:08:46,760 Speaker 1: live in such a bleak world. It's such a cynical world. 145 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:48,679 Speaker 1: And look, I'm a New Yorker, I'm an atom New Yorker. 146 00:08:48,840 --> 00:08:53,079 Speaker 1: I'm cynical. But we need movies that make us laugh 147 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:56,080 Speaker 1: and then make us feel good. You know, Bros. Is 148 00:08:56,160 --> 00:08:59,280 Speaker 1: laugh out loud, funny, and it's really hopeful and it's uplifting. 149 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:03,680 Speaker 1: It is on It's not like everything so hunky dorry. 150 00:09:03,760 --> 00:09:06,080 Speaker 1: You know, we wanted it to be real, but it 151 00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:10,960 Speaker 1: really leaves you feeling good. It's an emotional experience. And again, 152 00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:14,319 Speaker 1: to see it in a movie theater, there's a unique 153 00:09:14,320 --> 00:09:18,200 Speaker 1: sort of power to that because you really escaped the world. 154 00:09:18,559 --> 00:09:21,520 Speaker 1: It's a communal experience. You get swept away, it's all. 155 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:24,839 Speaker 1: You're not watching it on two screens, you're not distracted. 156 00:09:24,960 --> 00:09:28,920 Speaker 1: There's that communal aspect that is so fun. When you're 157 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:32,720 Speaker 1: watching something and with people with complete strangers, you have 158 00:09:32,840 --> 00:09:37,240 Speaker 1: this sense of community and and oneness that is so 159 00:09:37,440 --> 00:09:40,880 Speaker 1: missing in our culture. So I agree with you. I mean, 160 00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:43,920 Speaker 1: I haven't gone too many movie theaters since COVID Billy 161 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:47,200 Speaker 1: and I miss it. Yeah, And I'm telling you, and 162 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:48,920 Speaker 1: this is just the truth and it's weird to say 163 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:51,240 Speaker 1: about my own movie, but you know, we've had a 164 00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:53,760 Speaker 1: ton of test screenings of Bros. Because that's part of 165 00:09:53,800 --> 00:09:56,080 Speaker 1: the process when you're making a major studio film. And 166 00:09:56,120 --> 00:09:59,600 Speaker 1: those test screenings happen in real movie theaters, big multiplexes 167 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:01,720 Speaker 1: all over the country in New York, l A, Chicago, 168 00:10:01,760 --> 00:10:04,280 Speaker 1: and I went to all of them because I wanted 169 00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:07,400 Speaker 1: to see what the reaction was, and especially for the 170 00:10:07,440 --> 00:10:10,360 Speaker 1: first few, because I hadn't gone back to the movies 171 00:10:10,400 --> 00:10:12,640 Speaker 1: a lot at that point. This was earlier this year. 172 00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:17,640 Speaker 1: I even for me, I had forgotten how much fun 173 00:10:17,679 --> 00:10:20,400 Speaker 1: it is, you know, to to see a movie like 174 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:23,560 Speaker 1: this and laugh with other people. You know, we're so 175 00:10:23,720 --> 00:10:25,800 Speaker 1: used to watching things alone in our house, and there's 176 00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:27,720 Speaker 1: a lot of great things to watch alone in your house, 177 00:10:27,760 --> 00:10:30,680 Speaker 1: but it is it's not the same experience. One doesn't 178 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:34,120 Speaker 1: negate the other. But this, it is a magical thing 179 00:10:34,480 --> 00:10:36,680 Speaker 1: to go and sit in the dark and be swept 180 00:10:36,720 --> 00:10:39,120 Speaker 1: away by a movie like this and people leave and 181 00:10:39,160 --> 00:10:43,199 Speaker 1: they just feel good. You know, It's it's just it's 182 00:10:43,200 --> 00:10:47,280 Speaker 1: a different type of experience. It's it's unique, and you know, 183 00:10:47,440 --> 00:10:49,680 Speaker 1: it's why people go to the theater even you know, 184 00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:54,120 Speaker 1: it's there's something bigger than life about it and what 185 00:10:54,320 --> 00:10:55,920 Speaker 1: And this is gonna sound a little cheesy, but it 186 00:10:55,960 --> 00:10:59,440 Speaker 1: really has been my experience watching Bros. When you're watching 187 00:10:59,440 --> 00:11:01,160 Speaker 1: a movie at home and even on the biggest flat 188 00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:04,960 Speaker 1: screen TV, you kind of lose that childlike sense of 189 00:11:05,040 --> 00:11:07,480 Speaker 1: wonder that you have when you can get lost in 190 00:11:07,520 --> 00:11:10,120 Speaker 1: the movies in the movie theater, you know, and stare 191 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:13,600 Speaker 1: up at the big screen. And that's the experience that 192 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:16,040 Speaker 1: we really wanted to give people in addition to making 193 00:11:16,080 --> 00:11:20,320 Speaker 1: them laugh a lot. And I have to believe that 194 00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:24,720 Speaker 1: people still want that experience. You know, Before we get 195 00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:28,600 Speaker 1: too far into Billy's current successes, I couldn't help but 196 00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:32,439 Speaker 1: dig into his past more with Billy Eichner right after this, 197 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:45,400 Speaker 1: I have to tell you, I know your parents are 198 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:48,640 Speaker 1: no longer with us, but even reading about you, Billy, 199 00:11:48,720 --> 00:11:51,760 Speaker 1: I fell in love with your mom and dad, because 200 00:11:52,280 --> 00:11:54,200 Speaker 1: it sounds as if you grew up in such a 201 00:11:54,240 --> 00:11:58,640 Speaker 1: happy household. It sounds as if your parents were so 202 00:11:58,720 --> 00:12:01,839 Speaker 1: much fun. They took you to all these movies. They 203 00:12:01,960 --> 00:12:04,880 Speaker 1: took you to see Barbra streisand they took you to Broadway. 204 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:07,760 Speaker 1: I guess somebody gave them a hard time about your 205 00:12:07,840 --> 00:12:11,800 Speaker 1: dad about taking you to a Madonna concert. And somebody 206 00:12:11,800 --> 00:12:15,200 Speaker 1: basically he said, it just very matter of factly, she's 207 00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:19,480 Speaker 1: a she's a great performer. Right. And and this was 208 00:12:19,520 --> 00:12:21,680 Speaker 1: in Forest Hills, New York. You were you were born 209 00:12:21,679 --> 00:12:25,640 Speaker 1: in ninety eight, And they sound as if they were 210 00:12:25,760 --> 00:12:31,880 Speaker 1: just completely and utterly supportive of you in every way. Um. 211 00:12:32,120 --> 00:12:35,320 Speaker 1: And and it made me wonder did they know sort 212 00:12:35,320 --> 00:12:38,040 Speaker 1: of immediately or did they get the sense that because 213 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:41,000 Speaker 1: everything I've read about you, Billy, there hasn't been like 214 00:12:41,040 --> 00:12:43,760 Speaker 1: a moment where you said mom and dad, I'm gay 215 00:12:43,880 --> 00:12:46,600 Speaker 1: or anything like that. Was that just something that they 216 00:12:46,640 --> 00:12:49,439 Speaker 1: sensed and accepted from the get go, or how did 217 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:53,280 Speaker 1: that enter the whole sort of dynamic of your family. Well, 218 00:12:53,320 --> 00:12:55,200 Speaker 1: I did have to come out to them as everyone, 219 00:12:55,600 --> 00:12:58,920 Speaker 1: you know, as as you usually do, even though I 220 00:12:58,920 --> 00:13:01,160 Speaker 1: I had a feeling he knew I was gay from 221 00:13:01,160 --> 00:13:04,520 Speaker 1: a young age. Um, but you still have to come out, 222 00:13:04,679 --> 00:13:06,240 Speaker 1: you know. I mean, I guess you don't have to, 223 00:13:06,440 --> 00:13:09,800 Speaker 1: But well, you know, I didn't know. They seemed so cool. 224 00:13:09,880 --> 00:13:12,760 Speaker 1: They might have even said, hey, are you know, Billy, 225 00:13:12,880 --> 00:13:15,679 Speaker 1: we we have this you know idea that you might 226 00:13:15,720 --> 00:13:17,520 Speaker 1: be gay and that's cool with us, do you know 227 00:13:17,559 --> 00:13:20,360 Speaker 1: what I mean. It's funny that you say that, Katie, 228 00:13:20,440 --> 00:13:23,959 Speaker 1: because the way I came out to my parents, it 229 00:13:24,120 --> 00:13:26,760 Speaker 1: was they were so supportive, and look, it was I 230 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:29,920 Speaker 1: had a very happy childhood. Of course, they were human 231 00:13:29,960 --> 00:13:32,520 Speaker 1: beings and they were flawed, and it wasn't perfect by 232 00:13:32,559 --> 00:13:37,000 Speaker 1: any means, but um, when it came to me, they 233 00:13:37,160 --> 00:13:43,040 Speaker 1: really loved me so unconditionally and especially knowing. And this 234 00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:45,559 Speaker 1: is back in the eighties. It wasn't necessarily the norm 235 00:13:45,640 --> 00:13:48,760 Speaker 1: for the parents of a child who seemed like he 236 00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:51,960 Speaker 1: was most likely a gay kid to just have that 237 00:13:52,080 --> 00:13:56,560 Speaker 1: unconditional love without hesitation, you know. I mean, I don't 238 00:13:56,559 --> 00:13:59,720 Speaker 1: think people remember how different it was back then. You know, 239 00:13:59,760 --> 00:14:03,520 Speaker 1: it's almost shocking when you think about it. But you know, 240 00:14:03,640 --> 00:14:06,720 Speaker 1: certainly for me growing up Billy, and then even for 241 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:09,560 Speaker 1: you in the eighties and nineties, it was a very 242 00:14:09,679 --> 00:14:12,920 Speaker 1: different culture. It was. And I remember I was a 243 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:16,240 Speaker 1: child in New York at the height of the AIDS epidemic, 244 00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:19,440 Speaker 1: so which as a child, of course, I only could 245 00:14:19,480 --> 00:14:22,880 Speaker 1: understand to a certain degree. And this was long before 246 00:14:22,920 --> 00:14:25,520 Speaker 1: I was saying I was gay. But my parents certainly 247 00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:30,040 Speaker 1: understood it, um, And you know, I'm sure they had 248 00:14:30,120 --> 00:14:33,840 Speaker 1: fears around that in terms of my gainness at that time, 249 00:14:34,240 --> 00:14:38,480 Speaker 1: but even so, they they never put a stigma on it, 250 00:14:38,800 --> 00:14:41,200 Speaker 1: you know. Um, of course they wanted me to be happy, 251 00:14:41,240 --> 00:14:43,640 Speaker 1: and they were worried for any number of reasons, you know, 252 00:14:43,680 --> 00:14:48,040 Speaker 1: about my well being. But um, they were so great, 253 00:14:48,600 --> 00:14:52,880 Speaker 1: and I really think that they're the reason why a 254 00:14:52,920 --> 00:14:57,120 Speaker 1: movie like Rose can happen for me personally, and why 255 00:14:57,160 --> 00:14:59,880 Speaker 1: maybe not specifically this movie, but there why I was 256 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:02,800 Speaker 1: able to stick with it for so long, you know, 257 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:06,360 Speaker 1: especially in the lean years. You know. My mom died 258 00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:09,040 Speaker 1: when I was twenty, about six months after I came 259 00:15:09,040 --> 00:15:12,960 Speaker 1: out to her. Um, she was just fifty four and 260 00:15:13,520 --> 00:15:16,800 Speaker 1: she had a heart attack. And that was so young. 261 00:15:17,520 --> 00:15:19,920 Speaker 1: I was. I was, I was really young. And getting 262 00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:23,320 Speaker 1: back to your story though about coming out, which happened 263 00:15:23,360 --> 00:15:26,160 Speaker 1: for me, Like I said, I think it was, yeah, 264 00:15:26,200 --> 00:15:30,520 Speaker 1: about six months before she died, Um, she they came 265 00:15:30,520 --> 00:15:34,520 Speaker 1: out to I went to Northwestern. I was a theater major, UM, 266 00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:38,120 Speaker 1: and I did a lot of musicals and they came 267 00:15:38,160 --> 00:15:40,600 Speaker 1: to see me. I was playing Mr Mushnik in a 268 00:15:40,600 --> 00:15:43,000 Speaker 1: Little Shop of Horrors, which is not even the lead 269 00:15:43,080 --> 00:15:45,080 Speaker 1: and they still flew from New York to see me 270 00:15:45,160 --> 00:15:49,760 Speaker 1: in it. Um. And we went to dinner the next 271 00:15:49,840 --> 00:15:55,119 Speaker 1: night in Evanston, Illinois, where Northwestern is, and out of nowhere, 272 00:15:55,520 --> 00:15:58,440 Speaker 1: my mom, out of nowhere said, so are you dating 273 00:15:58,440 --> 00:16:03,760 Speaker 1: anyone boy? Girl? Whatever? And that was and I said, 274 00:16:04,080 --> 00:16:08,040 Speaker 1: I remember looking down being like, oh god, here we go. 275 00:16:08,280 --> 00:16:11,120 Speaker 1: Here we go at the Davis Street Fish Market, which 276 00:16:11,120 --> 00:16:16,320 Speaker 1: is the restaurant we reading and um, and I said, no, Mom, 277 00:16:16,400 --> 00:16:20,360 Speaker 1: I'm on dating anyone. And then we were going home 278 00:16:20,760 --> 00:16:23,280 Speaker 1: from that dinner and I my dad was driving me 279 00:16:23,320 --> 00:16:26,120 Speaker 1: back to my apartment and I said, okay, pull over, 280 00:16:27,160 --> 00:16:29,600 Speaker 1: and I see he did, and I said, as it 281 00:16:29,640 --> 00:16:36,240 Speaker 1: turns out I'm gay and um, and they say, knocked 282 00:16:36,240 --> 00:16:39,200 Speaker 1: me over with a feather. No, you know, they said, 283 00:16:39,520 --> 00:16:41,640 Speaker 1: it was an emotional moment even when you all know, 284 00:16:41,840 --> 00:16:44,840 Speaker 1: it's still like there's such a weight being lifted off 285 00:16:44,840 --> 00:16:48,840 Speaker 1: of my shoulders that has probably been carried around for years, 286 00:16:49,040 --> 00:16:51,520 Speaker 1: you know. And at one point I did say to them, 287 00:16:51,560 --> 00:16:55,360 Speaker 1: I was like, guys, like you know you knew right, 288 00:16:55,920 --> 00:16:57,600 Speaker 1: you know. I was like, you took me to Barber 289 00:16:57,600 --> 00:17:00,520 Speaker 1: Streisang concerts and you need a bet mid a radio 290 00:17:00,560 --> 00:17:03,240 Speaker 1: city music all and it took me to every Madonna 291 00:17:03,360 --> 00:17:08,439 Speaker 1: concert and my father, classic Jaikener said, we discussed the possibility. 292 00:17:09,119 --> 00:17:13,760 Speaker 1: Um um. But they were great. And then he I 293 00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:16,480 Speaker 1: do have a half brother who I didn't really grow 294 00:17:16,560 --> 00:17:19,720 Speaker 1: up with, but my dad's first child from his first marriage, 295 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:21,680 Speaker 1: and and you know, we are in each other's lives, 296 00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:23,239 Speaker 1: but he was older than me, so we didn't grow 297 00:17:23,320 --> 00:17:26,119 Speaker 1: up together. And my dad's next question was, is your 298 00:17:26,160 --> 00:17:30,200 Speaker 1: brother gay? And I said, no, he's not gay at all. 299 00:17:30,560 --> 00:17:32,600 Speaker 1: But my brother had It was the late nineties, and 300 00:17:32,640 --> 00:17:34,720 Speaker 1: he was he was a photographer and he had dyed 301 00:17:34,760 --> 00:17:38,080 Speaker 1: his hair peroxye blonde just to be like hip, you know, 302 00:17:38,400 --> 00:17:40,240 Speaker 1: and my dad and my dad said, as your brother 303 00:17:40,320 --> 00:17:42,520 Speaker 1: gay And I said, no, Dad, Steve is not gay. 304 00:17:42,560 --> 00:17:44,760 Speaker 1: And he said he died as hip blonde. And I 305 00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:47,919 Speaker 1: was like, yeah, that's not that's not a reason he 306 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:51,440 Speaker 1: might be gay. Um. And and they were and then 307 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:54,600 Speaker 1: from then on they were great and um and then yeah, 308 00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:58,480 Speaker 1: my mom died six months after that, and but my dad. 309 00:17:58,600 --> 00:18:01,359 Speaker 1: I did have an older dad's so he died about 310 00:18:01,359 --> 00:18:03,520 Speaker 1: ten years ago, but he was eighty already. He had 311 00:18:03,600 --> 00:18:06,800 Speaker 1: me later in life. He was older than my mom. Um, 312 00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:09,320 Speaker 1: but even my dad, you know, because I was in 313 00:18:09,359 --> 00:18:12,040 Speaker 1: my early thirties at that point, and I kept having 314 00:18:12,080 --> 00:18:15,600 Speaker 1: brushes with success, like I kept you know, I would 315 00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:17,639 Speaker 1: get a pilot, but I wouldn't get picked up, or 316 00:18:18,320 --> 00:18:20,439 Speaker 1: you know, it was I was getting close but no cigar, 317 00:18:20,560 --> 00:18:22,800 Speaker 1: and everyone was telling me, I'm so talented and this 318 00:18:22,920 --> 00:18:25,439 Speaker 1: and that, and it's going to happen. But you know, 319 00:18:25,640 --> 00:18:28,040 Speaker 1: it's it's cute in your twenties, and in your thirties 320 00:18:28,080 --> 00:18:31,360 Speaker 1: you start to worry, right, And my dad did start 321 00:18:31,400 --> 00:18:35,520 Speaker 1: to worry more too. But even when he was worried, 322 00:18:35,680 --> 00:18:38,640 Speaker 1: he always he always, at the end of the day said, 323 00:18:38,680 --> 00:18:41,359 Speaker 1: you have to keep going, you have to stick with it. 324 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:44,480 Speaker 1: He just really believed in me. And it must be 325 00:18:44,960 --> 00:18:48,639 Speaker 1: pretty bitter sweet too. You know, here you've got this 326 00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:54,480 Speaker 1: major movie release happening, and um, you know, you must 327 00:18:54,480 --> 00:18:57,040 Speaker 1: wish that they could be here to celebrate with you. 328 00:18:57,600 --> 00:19:00,000 Speaker 1: I wish they were here. I'd love to meet them 329 00:19:01,160 --> 00:19:04,120 Speaker 1: they were, Yes, of course I do. Yeah, I mean, 330 00:19:04,200 --> 00:19:08,000 Speaker 1: I just you know it it's comforting to know, though, 331 00:19:08,040 --> 00:19:12,240 Speaker 1: I mean, you can dwell on the sad part of it, um, 332 00:19:12,280 --> 00:19:15,719 Speaker 1: but but honestly, whenever I think about them, I you know, 333 00:19:15,840 --> 00:19:17,520 Speaker 1: not that I'm not sad, because of course I am, 334 00:19:17,520 --> 00:19:19,280 Speaker 1: and I wish they were here to to see all 335 00:19:19,280 --> 00:19:23,399 Speaker 1: of this, but I'm just feel so lucky, you know, 336 00:19:23,560 --> 00:19:25,879 Speaker 1: like as as an adult, I have even more of 337 00:19:25,880 --> 00:19:27,920 Speaker 1: an a you know, I was like a kid, and 338 00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:30,439 Speaker 1: you know, didn't always appreciate it all and I was 339 00:19:30,480 --> 00:19:32,640 Speaker 1: just like moms their away from me and all that, 340 00:19:32,760 --> 00:19:35,960 Speaker 1: you know, as a teenager and all that. But looking back, 341 00:19:36,119 --> 00:19:39,640 Speaker 1: like I always think, God, I'm so lucky, and and 342 00:19:39,680 --> 00:19:44,119 Speaker 1: the reason for all of my success, fundamentally it is 343 00:19:44,160 --> 00:19:48,240 Speaker 1: how supportive they were, um and how much they encouraged me. 344 00:19:48,480 --> 00:19:50,760 Speaker 1: And that's really the reason I was. I was able 345 00:19:50,800 --> 00:19:53,479 Speaker 1: to hold on for so long and get to this moment. 346 00:19:54,000 --> 00:19:57,879 Speaker 1: I wanted to ask you about your early career because, 347 00:19:57,960 --> 00:20:01,280 Speaker 1: as you said, it took you a to get your mojo, 348 00:20:01,320 --> 00:20:04,640 Speaker 1: and you weren't really bullied. I know that you've said 349 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:07,320 Speaker 1: it's because you were tall and kind of an imposing guy, 350 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:10,679 Speaker 1: and you know, you didn't face a lot of a 351 00:20:10,760 --> 00:20:13,679 Speaker 1: lot of I don't think it sounds like it people 352 00:20:13,720 --> 00:20:16,919 Speaker 1: being mean. Yes, there was the occasional comment here and there, 353 00:20:16,960 --> 00:20:20,680 Speaker 1: but but as you started to go into show business 354 00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:24,360 Speaker 1: and after you graduated from Northwestern you found there were 355 00:20:24,480 --> 00:20:29,399 Speaker 1: some pretty significant obstacles for a young gay man trying 356 00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:32,960 Speaker 1: to make it in the entertainment business. What what were 357 00:20:33,040 --> 00:20:38,199 Speaker 1: those exactly, Billy, Yeah, it's interesting. Um, Again, I was 358 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:40,680 Speaker 1: lucky as a kid. There were comments, and there were 359 00:20:40,680 --> 00:20:44,040 Speaker 1: bullies and things, but it never got too extreme, and 360 00:20:44,080 --> 00:20:47,000 Speaker 1: for some reason I was always able to shake it off. Again, 361 00:20:47,080 --> 00:20:48,679 Speaker 1: probably had a lot to do with my parents, I 362 00:20:48,720 --> 00:20:50,840 Speaker 1: was going to say, yeah, and also the culture I 363 00:20:50,880 --> 00:20:52,720 Speaker 1: was exposed to at the time, and the fact that 364 00:20:52,760 --> 00:20:55,159 Speaker 1: I grew up in New York City. So even though 365 00:20:55,840 --> 00:20:59,680 Speaker 1: forest Tails not exactly excuse me, Queens is a borrow 366 00:21:00,040 --> 00:21:03,199 Speaker 1: New York City, all right, Um, but my but my 367 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:06,119 Speaker 1: parents would take me into the city as we called 368 00:21:06,160 --> 00:21:09,440 Speaker 1: it all the time, and we would go into Manhattan 369 00:21:09,440 --> 00:21:12,359 Speaker 1: and and you know, I think that that exposed me 370 00:21:12,440 --> 00:21:15,040 Speaker 1: to so much that I could shake off, you know, 371 00:21:15,119 --> 00:21:18,920 Speaker 1: the bully at my local school, because I knew there 372 00:21:18,960 --> 00:21:23,440 Speaker 1: was a much bigger world out there for me. Um. However, 373 00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:27,040 Speaker 1: interestingly enough, it's when I got into that bigger world, 374 00:21:27,720 --> 00:21:31,200 Speaker 1: specifically Hollywood and the entertainment industry in my twenties, as 375 00:21:31,280 --> 00:21:35,400 Speaker 1: I started to develop a fan base and TV execs 376 00:21:35,440 --> 00:21:37,920 Speaker 1: were coming to see my live comedy show in New York, 377 00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:40,479 Speaker 1: and that's where the Billy on the Street videos started 378 00:21:40,480 --> 00:21:42,920 Speaker 1: as part of that show, and and I was getting 379 00:21:42,920 --> 00:21:45,840 Speaker 1: a lot of attention. But that's also the place where 380 00:21:45,880 --> 00:21:51,280 Speaker 1: I really experienced homophobia for the first time in my life. 381 00:21:51,320 --> 00:21:54,480 Speaker 1: It was professionally, you know, it wasn't physical, you know, 382 00:21:54,520 --> 00:21:59,199 Speaker 1: one was beating me up physically, But there were the 383 00:21:59,320 --> 00:22:02,960 Speaker 1: things that people said, overt things, more subtle things. There 384 00:22:03,040 --> 00:22:05,679 Speaker 1: was a TV executive when we first sold Billy on 385 00:22:05,720 --> 00:22:08,080 Speaker 1: the Street at the first cable network it was on, 386 00:22:08,119 --> 00:22:11,080 Speaker 1: which was a very obscure network. But um, I wrote 387 00:22:11,080 --> 00:22:13,600 Speaker 1: this silly little Billy on the Street jingle for it, 388 00:22:13,680 --> 00:22:16,159 Speaker 1: and to this day, like the fans sing the song 389 00:22:16,359 --> 00:22:23,320 Speaker 1: and it's like, you know, it's a silly little thing, 390 00:22:26,800 --> 00:22:29,440 Speaker 1: but it started with a whistle that I guess kind 391 00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:33,080 Speaker 1: of sounded a little disco ee. And the executive said 392 00:22:33,080 --> 00:22:35,480 Speaker 1: to me, you know that can't be your theme song. 393 00:22:35,600 --> 00:22:40,320 Speaker 1: This isn't logo and logo being the gay network, and 394 00:22:40,320 --> 00:22:42,320 Speaker 1: and and but I mean little things like that. It 395 00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:44,520 Speaker 1: was just so annoying to have to fight those battles. 396 00:22:44,560 --> 00:22:47,520 Speaker 1: But then bigger things where I had a manager in 397 00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:52,040 Speaker 1: two thousand six, very successful manager, UM, a straight woman 398 00:22:52,119 --> 00:22:55,840 Speaker 1: in New York City who had a lot of Broadway clients, 399 00:22:55,880 --> 00:22:58,919 Speaker 1: you know, a very which is obviously as a you know, 400 00:22:59,000 --> 00:23:01,480 Speaker 1: as a ton of LGBT p Q folks in that community. 401 00:23:01,520 --> 00:23:04,760 Speaker 1: And and she said to me, and I'm she considered 402 00:23:04,760 --> 00:23:07,200 Speaker 1: herself a very gay friendly person and an ally and 403 00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:10,040 Speaker 1: an advocate, but she wanted me to be able to 404 00:23:10,080 --> 00:23:12,480 Speaker 1: really break through in a mainstream way. And she said 405 00:23:12,520 --> 00:23:14,320 Speaker 1: to me, can you make your show a little less 406 00:23:14,359 --> 00:23:17,960 Speaker 1: gay this month, because I'm bringing agents from William Morris, 407 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:20,960 Speaker 1: you know. And I had there was an executive at 408 00:23:21,040 --> 00:23:24,720 Speaker 1: Comedy Central back then. Back then there were two huge 409 00:23:24,760 --> 00:23:27,359 Speaker 1: platforms to try to break through as a comedian on 410 00:23:27,440 --> 00:23:31,520 Speaker 1: tv SNL obviously and Comedy Central. Right these are the 411 00:23:31,560 --> 00:23:35,000 Speaker 1: days of The Daily Show with John Steward and on 412 00:23:35,119 --> 00:23:37,159 Speaker 1: The Colbert Show. And you know, if you got a 413 00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:40,119 Speaker 1: show on Comedy Central, you could really go to the 414 00:23:40,160 --> 00:23:43,840 Speaker 1: next level. And I went in and pitched a show 415 00:23:43,920 --> 00:23:46,000 Speaker 1: to Comedy Central where I was going to be playing 416 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:50,480 Speaker 1: a gay man. And um, the head of Comedy Central 417 00:23:50,520 --> 00:23:52,560 Speaker 1: at that time, who always claimed to be a big 418 00:23:52,560 --> 00:23:56,600 Speaker 1: fan of mine, said, well, I think you're hilarious. I 419 00:23:56,640 --> 00:24:00,520 Speaker 1: think you're brilliant in his words. We obviously can't do 420 00:24:00,560 --> 00:24:03,200 Speaker 1: that here, but I think you should go to Bravo 421 00:24:03,280 --> 00:24:06,840 Speaker 1: and you'll have a home run, right, because Bravo being 422 00:24:06,880 --> 00:24:08,840 Speaker 1: at that time the net was one of the only 423 00:24:08,880 --> 00:24:12,159 Speaker 1: networks that you know, regularly had gayman on. But but 424 00:24:12,240 --> 00:24:14,920 Speaker 1: they didn't do comedy, and they didn't do scripted comedy, 425 00:24:14,920 --> 00:24:17,159 Speaker 1: and they didn't do anything is subversive that I you know, 426 00:24:17,960 --> 00:24:21,240 Speaker 1: I wasn't trying to do a reality show. Literally, Oh 427 00:24:21,359 --> 00:24:24,359 Speaker 1: you're gay, go to the gay ghetto on Bravo and 428 00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:27,840 Speaker 1: maybe they'll have you because I'm not going to right. 429 00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:30,240 Speaker 1: And it was stuff like that all the time. You 430 00:24:30,320 --> 00:24:34,000 Speaker 1: were able to break through, really, Billy, I mean you obviously, 431 00:24:34,040 --> 00:24:38,560 Speaker 1: as you said, you had some chances and some opportunities, 432 00:24:38,600 --> 00:24:41,959 Speaker 1: but nothing that kind of catapulted you into the public 433 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:45,520 Speaker 1: eye like Billy on the Street. Really, and and I 434 00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:49,520 Speaker 1: think I was thinking about this. I wonder if the 435 00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:55,080 Speaker 1: media landscape hadn't changed and you weren't able to do this. Um, 436 00:24:55,119 --> 00:24:58,679 Speaker 1: I guess you did it on YouTube originally, right, and 437 00:24:58,720 --> 00:25:02,560 Speaker 1: then it was picked up by a streamer. But you know, 438 00:25:02,680 --> 00:25:05,760 Speaker 1: do you ever wonder gosh, if there hadn't been this 439 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:11,960 Speaker 1: revolution in media, if disintermediation, going direct to consumers, without 440 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:15,000 Speaker 1: all these gate keepers and without the people you just 441 00:25:15,160 --> 00:25:19,159 Speaker 1: described kind of saying, go to Bravo. If if you 442 00:25:19,160 --> 00:25:21,920 Speaker 1: would have been given an opportunity, it's almost like the 443 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:28,520 Speaker 1: market gave you the opportunity. Those executives be damned. That's 444 00:25:28,560 --> 00:25:32,280 Speaker 1: exactly what happened. I I mean, look, the Internet, social 445 00:25:32,320 --> 00:25:36,080 Speaker 1: media are greatest double edged sword, right so you know 446 00:25:36,320 --> 00:25:40,240 Speaker 1: it'll make you, it'll break you, um, sometimes within the 447 00:25:40,280 --> 00:25:43,800 Speaker 1: same week. But for me, ultimately, I would not have 448 00:25:43,840 --> 00:25:48,280 Speaker 1: a career without YouTube and originally Facebook, you know which, 449 00:25:48,320 --> 00:25:51,159 Speaker 1: before Instagram and Twitter and TikTok, there was Facebook, and 450 00:25:51,200 --> 00:25:53,440 Speaker 1: that's where you were posting your videos and people would 451 00:25:53,480 --> 00:25:58,119 Speaker 1: share your videos. Um. Because that allowed for the democratization 452 00:25:58,800 --> 00:26:04,119 Speaker 1: of entertainment. And for so many years, even fans of mine, 453 00:26:04,240 --> 00:26:07,320 Speaker 1: like agents and executives who I knew, loved me and 454 00:26:07,400 --> 00:26:09,000 Speaker 1: thought I was so funny, and they would come to 455 00:26:09,080 --> 00:26:11,760 Speaker 1: my shows voluntarily just as fans, but they would never 456 00:26:11,840 --> 00:26:16,000 Speaker 1: give me a job. And I had in their minds 457 00:26:16,240 --> 00:26:18,720 Speaker 1: I was to this. I was too that, I was 458 00:26:18,720 --> 00:26:20,639 Speaker 1: too gay. I was to New York. I was too smart, 459 00:26:20,680 --> 00:26:22,679 Speaker 1: I was too loud, I was too edgy, all of 460 00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:25,959 Speaker 1: these I'm to this and too that, you know. And 461 00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:28,959 Speaker 1: they were scared because I was new, because I was different, 462 00:26:28,960 --> 00:26:33,840 Speaker 1: and I was bold and I was unapologetic. Um. And 463 00:26:34,240 --> 00:26:37,160 Speaker 1: what it took was me putting my own work online. 464 00:26:37,359 --> 00:26:39,400 Speaker 1: And then you know, those early Billy on the Street videos, 465 00:26:39,400 --> 00:26:41,720 Speaker 1: they would get hundreds of thousands of views than millions 466 00:26:41,720 --> 00:26:43,320 Speaker 1: of views. And I could look at I could look 467 00:26:43,320 --> 00:26:46,719 Speaker 1: at the executives and say, look, this is this is 468 00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:51,840 Speaker 1: people people like me. They like me, like me, they 469 00:26:51,880 --> 00:26:55,639 Speaker 1: really like me. And it's not just gay men in Manhattan, okay, 470 00:26:55,680 --> 00:26:58,479 Speaker 1: Like these are people watching Billy on the Street clips 471 00:26:58,520 --> 00:27:03,240 Speaker 1: all over the world, straight people, gay people, everyone. It's 472 00:27:03,359 --> 00:27:07,520 Speaker 1: They're united not by being part of a particular demographic. 473 00:27:07,520 --> 00:27:10,119 Speaker 1: They're just united by the fact that they think I'm funny. 474 00:27:10,320 --> 00:27:13,840 Speaker 1: It's a shared comedic sensibility more than it is anything else. 475 00:27:13,920 --> 00:27:18,320 Speaker 1: That's all that matters. Funny is funny, people want to laugh. 476 00:27:18,760 --> 00:27:21,119 Speaker 1: Comedy is subjective. Of course, Billy on the Street was 477 00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:24,280 Speaker 1: never for everyone, but boy, the people that love it 478 00:27:24,760 --> 00:27:27,480 Speaker 1: really really love it. And mean now, even years later, 479 00:27:28,200 --> 00:27:32,840 Speaker 1: the clips are more popular on TikTok ever been before. 480 00:27:32,880 --> 00:27:35,679 Speaker 1: I mean, there are clips billion the street, clips on 481 00:27:35,680 --> 00:27:40,040 Speaker 1: TikTok which have millions and millions of views. I don't 482 00:27:40,080 --> 00:27:43,040 Speaker 1: even post them. It's fans posting them. And there are 483 00:27:43,080 --> 00:27:47,480 Speaker 1: probably there are absolutely kids watching those clips on TikTok 484 00:27:47,520 --> 00:27:51,439 Speaker 1: who were not born when I first did it. So 485 00:27:51,520 --> 00:27:54,200 Speaker 1: it's just amazing that, you know, the executives, they put 486 00:27:54,280 --> 00:27:56,480 Speaker 1: up so many obstacles, they were so scared of me 487 00:27:56,600 --> 00:27:59,720 Speaker 1: for being different. And yet even all these years later, 488 00:28:00,800 --> 00:28:03,120 Speaker 1: Billy on the Streets still and more popular than it's 489 00:28:03,160 --> 00:28:06,240 Speaker 1: ever been, and still continues to be the thing that 490 00:28:06,320 --> 00:28:09,720 Speaker 1: allows a movie like Bros. To happen. Did you have 491 00:28:09,800 --> 00:28:13,280 Speaker 1: a favorite episode? I have a few favorites. I mean 492 00:28:13,280 --> 00:28:18,040 Speaker 1: there are so many. UM. I love um singing Christmas 493 00:28:18,040 --> 00:28:21,080 Speaker 1: carols with Amy Poehler and people on the streets. So 494 00:28:21,119 --> 00:28:22,480 Speaker 1: do you want to send Christmas carols to me and 495 00:28:22,480 --> 00:28:26,040 Speaker 1: Amy Poehler for a dollar? For a dollar? Yes, here 496 00:28:26,320 --> 00:28:31,640 Speaker 1: we go. Check the holly fall? No no no, no, yes, yes, 497 00:28:31,840 --> 00:28:36,679 Speaker 1: chance the season to your be jolly. Don we now 498 00:28:38,120 --> 00:28:41,840 Speaker 1: orel Let's go ahead and let it go. Let's go 499 00:28:42,040 --> 00:28:46,200 Speaker 1: don't know he didn't know. We once took Julianne Moore 500 00:28:46,800 --> 00:28:49,520 Speaker 1: the Times Square and had her recreate some of her 501 00:28:49,520 --> 00:28:53,040 Speaker 1: classic monologues to tourists as if she was like Spider Man, 502 00:28:53,240 --> 00:28:55,360 Speaker 1: you know, like one of those guys roaming her mound 503 00:28:55,440 --> 00:28:58,400 Speaker 1: Time Square. It was really funny. And then I'm not 504 00:28:58,480 --> 00:29:02,160 Speaker 1: just saying this, Katie, because you're in it, but I 505 00:29:02,200 --> 00:29:05,360 Speaker 1: promise you I say this to people all the time. Um. 506 00:29:05,400 --> 00:29:07,720 Speaker 1: It wasn't a typical billy on the Street segment, but 507 00:29:07,760 --> 00:29:11,000 Speaker 1: when we did my version of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, 508 00:29:11,120 --> 00:29:14,160 Speaker 1: but very billy on the street version of it, and 509 00:29:14,200 --> 00:29:16,600 Speaker 1: you were so gracious to come and be my co 510 00:29:16,760 --> 00:29:19,440 Speaker 1: host the way you co hosted on TV all those years, 511 00:29:19,440 --> 00:29:21,880 Speaker 1: the real parade, Like all of the balloons she'll see 512 00:29:21,880 --> 00:29:24,760 Speaker 1: in the parade today, the Rooney Mara balloon stands at 513 00:29:24,760 --> 00:29:28,600 Speaker 1: a whoppi six ft tall. That's right, Katie. And you 514 00:29:28,600 --> 00:29:31,719 Speaker 1: know Todd Haynes directed the film Carol. He also directed 515 00:29:31,720 --> 00:29:34,040 Speaker 1: the first film I ever saw gay sex in, and 516 00:29:34,080 --> 00:29:38,480 Speaker 1: that was called Poison Happy Turkey Day, Rooney Mara. It 517 00:29:38,640 --> 00:29:42,280 Speaker 1: is perfect. It is so funny your delivery, and that 518 00:29:42,360 --> 00:29:44,200 Speaker 1: really is I'm not just saying it really is one 519 00:29:44,200 --> 00:29:46,960 Speaker 1: of my favorite ones. But I love doing it. And 520 00:29:47,000 --> 00:29:49,320 Speaker 1: I also happened to look really cute that day, So 521 00:29:49,360 --> 00:29:53,400 Speaker 1: I like watching the clips. What I had a little jaunty, 522 00:29:53,480 --> 00:29:58,680 Speaker 1: little driving cap on. When we come back, Billy teaches 523 00:29:58,720 --> 00:30:02,280 Speaker 1: me a thing or two about gay sex. Yeah, that's 524 00:30:02,320 --> 00:30:12,920 Speaker 1: right up to this. I want to get back to 525 00:30:12,960 --> 00:30:16,880 Speaker 1: the film because it's such an important film. It's for 526 00:30:16,920 --> 00:30:20,040 Speaker 1: so many reasons. It's such a big film for you, 527 00:30:20,560 --> 00:30:24,840 Speaker 1: and it's a very real and in some ways, um, 528 00:30:24,880 --> 00:30:31,280 Speaker 1: you know, very honest portrayal of gay relationships, including gay sex. Yeah. 529 00:30:31,320 --> 00:30:33,200 Speaker 1: I mean, look, sex is part of it. You know, 530 00:30:33,280 --> 00:30:35,920 Speaker 1: it's part of dating. You know. I think straight people 531 00:30:36,040 --> 00:30:39,800 Speaker 1: understand this too. And and look, it's also first and 532 00:30:39,880 --> 00:30:43,960 Speaker 1: foremost all the historic stuff aside. You know, we wanted 533 00:30:44,000 --> 00:30:47,480 Speaker 1: to make an explosively funny movie, the way that Judd 534 00:30:47,520 --> 00:30:50,160 Speaker 1: Apatow has always made movies. You know, they have these 535 00:30:50,200 --> 00:30:53,640 Speaker 1: big explosive scenes of great physical comedy, you know in 536 00:30:53,760 --> 00:30:57,640 Speaker 1: Bridesmaids when they go to the wedding shop, No, no, 537 00:30:58,560 --> 00:31:03,200 Speaker 1: look a way out, look away. I love those, like 538 00:31:03,680 --> 00:31:07,320 Speaker 1: big loud, funny scenes, you know, and Apatow movies are 539 00:31:07,360 --> 00:31:09,320 Speaker 1: known for that. The forty year Old Virgin when he's 540 00:31:09,320 --> 00:31:12,880 Speaker 1: getting his chest wax and right, and forgetting Sarah Marshall 541 00:31:12,960 --> 00:31:16,520 Speaker 1: that classic opening scene, UM where Jason Siegel is totally 542 00:31:16,600 --> 00:31:19,479 Speaker 1: naked and having that fight with his girlfriend. You know, 543 00:31:19,560 --> 00:31:22,080 Speaker 1: it's human and it's real and it's funny, and so 544 00:31:22,520 --> 00:31:24,520 Speaker 1: that's all we wanted to do, you know, And and 545 00:31:24,560 --> 00:31:27,680 Speaker 1: sex gives you so much potential. It's awkward, it's sweet, 546 00:31:27,760 --> 00:31:31,200 Speaker 1: it's funny, it's romantic, um, and it can be a 547 00:31:31,240 --> 00:31:34,240 Speaker 1: little shocking, you know. And this is an R rated comedy, 548 00:31:34,360 --> 00:31:37,080 Speaker 1: you know, this is um, this is for adults. And 549 00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:39,880 Speaker 1: I think those scenes are just honestly, they just felt 550 00:31:39,920 --> 00:31:43,280 Speaker 1: funny to us, Like our focus was always on what's 551 00:31:43,280 --> 00:31:47,160 Speaker 1: funny and also what's romantic and what shouldn't Why shouldn't 552 00:31:47,160 --> 00:31:50,040 Speaker 1: it be in there? I mean, you know, it's it's 553 00:31:50,160 --> 00:31:54,400 Speaker 1: it's part of relationships, it's part of life, and certainly 554 00:31:54,760 --> 00:31:58,560 Speaker 1: is in straight comedies you know, and has been for decades, 555 00:31:58,720 --> 00:32:01,760 Speaker 1: you know, like get gay people. We grow up from 556 00:32:01,760 --> 00:32:05,080 Speaker 1: the second we're conscious. We're watching love stories and comedies 557 00:32:05,080 --> 00:32:08,040 Speaker 1: and romantic comedies about men and women. You know, every 558 00:32:08,040 --> 00:32:10,920 Speaker 1: story is about men and women meeting and dating and 559 00:32:10,960 --> 00:32:14,160 Speaker 1: falling in love, falling out of love and you know, um, 560 00:32:14,240 --> 00:32:16,800 Speaker 1: and I love those stories obviously. Again, I love all 561 00:32:16,840 --> 00:32:19,320 Speaker 1: those romantic comedies, but I thought there was a bit 562 00:32:19,320 --> 00:32:22,200 Speaker 1: of an homage to win Herring that Sally too, when 563 00:32:22,240 --> 00:32:26,400 Speaker 1: you're walking around New York and uh, our Love is 564 00:32:26,440 --> 00:32:28,880 Speaker 1: Here to Stay is playing in the background. I was like, 565 00:32:29,000 --> 00:32:32,520 Speaker 1: that's a little when hearing that's Sally Ish. Yeah, yeah, 566 00:32:32,560 --> 00:32:35,160 Speaker 1: we we've got our nods to those romantic comedies. I 567 00:32:35,200 --> 00:32:38,120 Speaker 1: love in there when Harry met Sally and uh, there's 568 00:32:38,120 --> 00:32:42,040 Speaker 1: a scene with You've Got Mail that wet. And also 569 00:32:42,120 --> 00:32:45,520 Speaker 1: I should say Mark Shaman, who wrote the music for Bros. 570 00:32:45,560 --> 00:32:48,640 Speaker 1: Who's the greatest he? I mean, how magical is that 571 00:32:48,760 --> 00:32:51,200 Speaker 1: Mark wrote the score for When Harry Met Sally And 572 00:32:51,240 --> 00:32:53,840 Speaker 1: he wrote the score for Bros. You know, and I 573 00:32:53,880 --> 00:32:57,560 Speaker 1: love Mark. Yeah, Mark's amazing, And the music is so important. 574 00:32:57,720 --> 00:33:00,320 Speaker 1: Every rom com needs a great score, are in a 575 00:33:00,360 --> 00:33:03,040 Speaker 1: great theme song, and we were so lucky to have Mark, 576 00:33:03,160 --> 00:33:05,880 Speaker 1: and so yeah, I mean Bros. Really is a really 577 00:33:05,920 --> 00:33:08,280 Speaker 1: fun mix of things that are kind of more current 578 00:33:08,480 --> 00:33:10,960 Speaker 1: and fun and shocking and things you've never seen before, 579 00:33:11,040 --> 00:33:16,400 Speaker 1: mixed with those timeless classic rom com elements that we 580 00:33:16,520 --> 00:33:19,320 Speaker 1: all love. You know. We were really going for that balance. 581 00:33:19,600 --> 00:33:21,680 Speaker 1: I woke up laughing about you so rudely calling me 582 00:33:21,720 --> 00:33:24,640 Speaker 1: out of my ship. Well you deserved it, bitch, Honestly 583 00:33:24,640 --> 00:33:27,120 Speaker 1: I was impressed. You may be more emotionally unavailable than 584 00:33:27,160 --> 00:33:30,200 Speaker 1: I am. Well, maybe we can be emotionally unavailable together. 585 00:33:30,600 --> 00:33:33,880 Speaker 1: Maybe we can be emotionally unavailable together. Who's writing your texts? 586 00:33:34,000 --> 00:33:37,920 Speaker 1: Maroon five? Funk off kidding? We can go out? Are 587 00:33:37,960 --> 00:33:41,280 Speaker 1: you asking me out? I'm done for whatever? Yeah? Same? Cool? 588 00:33:41,400 --> 00:33:44,240 Speaker 1: Sounds good? So tomorrow or we can do whenever? Yeah, 589 00:33:44,280 --> 00:33:46,120 Speaker 1: I can do whenever and I can do whatever. I 590 00:33:46,160 --> 00:33:48,200 Speaker 1: don't care what we do. Yeah, me neither. We can 591 00:33:48,240 --> 00:33:50,320 Speaker 1: do whatever and we can do it whenever. Does that 592 00:33:50,320 --> 00:33:54,400 Speaker 1: work for you? Yeah, that definitely works great, whatever, whenever, cool, whatever, whenever. 593 00:33:54,560 --> 00:33:58,640 Speaker 1: Gift of Michael Scott dancing. That's good office gift. This 594 00:33:58,680 --> 00:34:02,760 Speaker 1: person isn't gay. How much pressure are you feeling and 595 00:34:02,880 --> 00:34:06,560 Speaker 1: how are you managing it? Because you wanted to do well, 596 00:34:06,800 --> 00:34:10,360 Speaker 1: This needs to attract a mainstream audience. You need to 597 00:34:10,440 --> 00:34:12,920 Speaker 1: get what do you call it, butts in the seats? 598 00:34:13,200 --> 00:34:16,360 Speaker 1: Tell me a little bit about how you're feeling about 599 00:34:16,440 --> 00:34:22,319 Speaker 1: that and the importance of this being successful. Of course, 600 00:34:22,360 --> 00:34:25,120 Speaker 1: I want people to see it. The truth is, we 601 00:34:25,200 --> 00:34:28,279 Speaker 1: really need straight people to go see it. And that's 602 00:34:28,400 --> 00:34:32,799 Speaker 1: very blunt, but that's the honest truth. And and if 603 00:34:32,840 --> 00:34:35,560 Speaker 1: you go, you're gonna laugh your ass off. It is 604 00:34:35,600 --> 00:34:39,560 Speaker 1: a hilarious movie. It's super relatable no matter who you are. 605 00:34:40,120 --> 00:34:42,120 Speaker 1: And like I said, we wanted to make a great, 606 00:34:42,360 --> 00:34:46,120 Speaker 1: laugh out loud, jutt apatile comedy like Bridesmaids, like fourty 607 00:34:46,200 --> 00:34:49,239 Speaker 1: year Old Virgin, like Knocked Up, like train Wreck. It 608 00:34:49,320 --> 00:34:51,759 Speaker 1: happens to be about a gay couple. It happens to 609 00:34:51,800 --> 00:34:54,200 Speaker 1: have an l g b t Q cast, which is important, 610 00:34:54,360 --> 00:34:56,279 Speaker 1: you know, because we should be able to tell our 611 00:34:56,320 --> 00:34:59,920 Speaker 1: stories to you know, lgbt Q folks. We've been going 612 00:35:00,000 --> 00:35:03,000 Speaker 1: to see movie romantic comedies about straight people forever, so 613 00:35:03,280 --> 00:35:05,960 Speaker 1: why shouldn't it work in the reverse. It took us 614 00:35:06,000 --> 00:35:09,040 Speaker 1: a really long time to get here, and I want 615 00:35:09,600 --> 00:35:13,080 Speaker 1: everyone to go straight people, LGBTQ folks for a number 616 00:35:13,160 --> 00:35:15,600 Speaker 1: of reasons. I want to entertain people and give them 617 00:35:15,640 --> 00:35:18,440 Speaker 1: a feel good movie. I want to show the industry 618 00:35:18,520 --> 00:35:21,560 Speaker 1: and the world that people, especially straight people, will go 619 00:35:21,760 --> 00:35:25,680 Speaker 1: out and support a movie about two funny gay guys. 620 00:35:26,239 --> 00:35:28,840 Speaker 1: Um and and I also want to make sure that 621 00:35:28,920 --> 00:35:30,960 Speaker 1: there are more l g b t Q films that 622 00:35:31,080 --> 00:35:35,239 Speaker 1: follow this, and also that major studios straight or gay, 623 00:35:35,360 --> 00:35:39,600 Speaker 1: don't stop making comedies and romantic comedies, because this is 624 00:35:39,640 --> 00:35:42,279 Speaker 1: an important genre. It's a genre we all love, and 625 00:35:42,360 --> 00:35:44,600 Speaker 1: if we don't go support them, we won't get more 626 00:35:44,680 --> 00:35:47,839 Speaker 1: movies like this, And really all we will get our 627 00:35:47,920 --> 00:35:50,879 Speaker 1: superhero movies and action movies and horror films, and those 628 00:35:50,880 --> 00:35:54,840 Speaker 1: are all great, but these are equally great and equally necessary. 629 00:35:54,880 --> 00:35:58,279 Speaker 1: And you know, brokeback Mountain, right, So many of the 630 00:35:58,360 --> 00:36:02,840 Speaker 1: movies we have gotten out gay men and LGBTQ folks, 631 00:36:03,160 --> 00:36:07,759 Speaker 1: their tragedies. They're sad and it's about tortured characters, and 632 00:36:07,840 --> 00:36:10,960 Speaker 1: it's a period piece about how about our struggles and 633 00:36:11,040 --> 00:36:14,359 Speaker 1: our challenges and how tortured and sad we are right? 634 00:36:14,800 --> 00:36:16,880 Speaker 1: And yes, that is part of our history, that is 635 00:36:17,040 --> 00:36:20,520 Speaker 1: part of our experience, and it's we need those movies too, 636 00:36:20,719 --> 00:36:23,640 Speaker 1: But it's so for so long, all we've gotten right 637 00:36:23,800 --> 00:36:27,680 Speaker 1: and all that the public has embraced, and why can't 638 00:36:27,719 --> 00:36:30,040 Speaker 1: we also star in a great comedy, you know, like 639 00:36:30,239 --> 00:36:32,680 Speaker 1: why why does it always have to be so tortured 640 00:36:32,719 --> 00:36:36,080 Speaker 1: and tragic? Um? And so there are many reasons. I 641 00:36:36,360 --> 00:36:38,560 Speaker 1: hope people get out and support this, and I really 642 00:36:38,640 --> 00:36:40,880 Speaker 1: think they'll have a great time. And a movie like 643 00:36:40,960 --> 00:36:44,479 Speaker 1: Brokeback Mountain, you know, it's a masterpiece. I've seen it once, 644 00:36:44,719 --> 00:36:48,839 Speaker 1: Pretty woman, I've seen fifty times. So who's to say 645 00:36:49,080 --> 00:36:52,239 Speaker 1: what's more important? You know, around coms are are important too. 646 00:36:52,760 --> 00:36:55,520 Speaker 1: I'm just curious from a both from a professional and 647 00:36:55,680 --> 00:36:59,839 Speaker 1: a personal standpoint. You know, how did this all imp 648 00:37:00,040 --> 00:37:03,160 Speaker 1: have to this whole experience, no matter what happens at 649 00:37:03,160 --> 00:37:07,800 Speaker 1: the box office. Yeah, I mean, in so many ways. 650 00:37:08,280 --> 00:37:11,080 Speaker 1: I think that a lot of times in life are 651 00:37:11,480 --> 00:37:16,839 Speaker 1: biggest learning experiences come from things that maybe fail creatively. Um, 652 00:37:17,080 --> 00:37:19,160 Speaker 1: And this is a strange one where I mean, again, 653 00:37:19,200 --> 00:37:23,640 Speaker 1: we'll see what happens, um. But from early reactions and 654 00:37:23,880 --> 00:37:26,680 Speaker 1: from my own reaction to it, I don't think we 655 00:37:26,840 --> 00:37:30,680 Speaker 1: failed creatively. I'm really really proud of the movie. And 656 00:37:30,960 --> 00:37:34,719 Speaker 1: also it has been a huge learning experience in a 657 00:37:34,840 --> 00:37:37,040 Speaker 1: very practical way. I learned how to write a movie. 658 00:37:37,320 --> 00:37:41,880 Speaker 1: I learned how to navigate a pretty high level major 659 00:37:42,000 --> 00:37:46,080 Speaker 1: studio experience, you know, and which would always be challenging 660 00:37:46,239 --> 00:37:48,919 Speaker 1: and and and I had to do it while making 661 00:37:49,000 --> 00:37:53,120 Speaker 1: an R rated gay romcom when there have not been many. Um, 662 00:37:54,400 --> 00:37:56,920 Speaker 1: and so I learned a lot just in terms of 663 00:37:57,000 --> 00:38:00,040 Speaker 1: the on the business side of things. And I don't know, 664 00:38:00,239 --> 00:38:04,800 Speaker 1: taking a bird's eye view look at it, regardless of 665 00:38:04,880 --> 00:38:08,800 Speaker 1: what happens, it's I think I'd like to think of 666 00:38:08,840 --> 00:38:11,200 Speaker 1: it in a way, me getting this experience and I'm 667 00:38:11,560 --> 00:38:15,200 Speaker 1: so grateful that they trusted me with it. But maybe 668 00:38:15,320 --> 00:38:19,840 Speaker 1: on some level it's a reward for always wanting success, 669 00:38:20,040 --> 00:38:23,600 Speaker 1: but really wanting it and almost insisting upon having it 670 00:38:23,719 --> 00:38:27,880 Speaker 1: on my own terms as an openly gay man in 671 00:38:28,200 --> 00:38:32,200 Speaker 1: in comedy, um, which when I was starting out, there 672 00:38:32,239 --> 00:38:34,359 Speaker 1: are a lot of barriers to that. As much as 673 00:38:34,400 --> 00:38:38,479 Speaker 1: I believed in myself. You have those moments because people 674 00:38:38,520 --> 00:38:40,840 Speaker 1: are telling you up there's gonna be a ceiling for 675 00:38:40,960 --> 00:38:44,239 Speaker 1: what you can do, you know, and Bros. Is an 676 00:38:44,320 --> 00:38:48,360 Speaker 1: example just just real tangible evidence that you know what 677 00:38:49,000 --> 00:38:52,840 Speaker 1: they were wrong. They were wrong. And I say that 678 00:38:52,920 --> 00:38:57,840 Speaker 1: in the movie. But um, anyone out there who you 679 00:38:57,920 --> 00:39:01,200 Speaker 1: know it is having that self out. We all have it. 680 00:39:01,440 --> 00:39:04,200 Speaker 1: But you've got to push through. And that's what you've 681 00:39:04,239 --> 00:39:07,320 Speaker 1: always done. That's what you've always done that And and 682 00:39:07,760 --> 00:39:09,880 Speaker 1: sometimes I get it right, sometimes I don't, but I 683 00:39:09,960 --> 00:39:13,280 Speaker 1: have always chosen, ultimately, even with all this self doubt, 684 00:39:13,760 --> 00:39:17,919 Speaker 1: to believe in myself and that talent would be enough. 685 00:39:18,760 --> 00:39:21,319 Speaker 1: That if you if you don't think I'm talented, that's 686 00:39:21,360 --> 00:39:23,480 Speaker 1: one thing. If you don't think I'm funny enough, that's 687 00:39:23,560 --> 00:39:26,040 Speaker 1: one thing, And I can deal with that. But don't 688 00:39:26,120 --> 00:39:28,399 Speaker 1: tell me I can't have what I want or make 689 00:39:28,480 --> 00:39:32,040 Speaker 1: what I want because of who I sleep with or 690 00:39:32,040 --> 00:39:35,640 Speaker 1: who I'm attracted to. That's just nonsense. And you know, 691 00:39:36,400 --> 00:39:40,359 Speaker 1: so I'm really proud of this movie. Well, I'm very 692 00:39:40,520 --> 00:39:44,919 Speaker 1: excited for you and um and and not to sound 693 00:39:44,960 --> 00:39:47,440 Speaker 1: too maternal, but I'm really proud of you, Billy, and 694 00:39:48,360 --> 00:39:50,920 Speaker 1: I have been a fan of yours for a very 695 00:39:51,040 --> 00:39:53,800 Speaker 1: long time, and I'm just so excited for you to 696 00:39:53,840 --> 00:39:58,000 Speaker 1: get this new opportunity and for to continue to watch 697 00:39:58,120 --> 00:40:02,560 Speaker 1: what you'll do next. So the oudious bros. It's terrific. 698 00:40:02,880 --> 00:40:06,880 Speaker 1: You're hilarious. And the whole cast and crew, I want 699 00:40:06,920 --> 00:40:10,880 Speaker 1: to congratulate them too, because you know, I think the 700 00:40:11,000 --> 00:40:13,839 Speaker 1: only way you usher and change is to put your 701 00:40:13,840 --> 00:40:16,279 Speaker 1: money where your mouth is, and you certainly did this 702 00:40:16,520 --> 00:40:19,880 Speaker 1: when it came to to staffing this film, and you 703 00:40:20,040 --> 00:40:22,880 Speaker 1: put a lot of thought into that too, so kudos 704 00:40:22,960 --> 00:40:25,719 Speaker 1: to you for that as well. Thank you, and you've 705 00:40:25,719 --> 00:40:29,080 Speaker 1: always been so supportive. You're a legend, so thank you 706 00:40:29,200 --> 00:40:34,439 Speaker 1: so much. Roses in theater starting this weekend September thirty, 707 00:40:34,800 --> 00:40:37,480 Speaker 1: So go get your bus in those theater seats everyone, 708 00:40:37,920 --> 00:40:44,000 Speaker 1: for Billy's sake. Next Question with Katie Kurik is a 709 00:40:44,040 --> 00:40:47,120 Speaker 1: production of My Heart Media and Katie Kurk Media. The 710 00:40:47,200 --> 00:40:52,000 Speaker 1: executive producers Army, Katie Curic, and Courtney Litz. The supervising 711 00:40:52,040 --> 00:40:57,400 Speaker 1: producer is Lauren Hansen. Associate producers Derek Clements and Adriana Fasio. 712 00:40:57,760 --> 00:41:01,120 Speaker 1: The show is edited and mixed by Eric Clements. For 713 00:41:01,239 --> 00:41:04,080 Speaker 1: more information about today's episode, or to sign up for 714 00:41:04,200 --> 00:41:07,120 Speaker 1: my morning newsletter wake Up Call, go to Katie correct 715 00:41:07,160 --> 00:41:09,800 Speaker 1: dot com. You can also find me at Katie Correct 716 00:41:09,840 --> 00:41:13,399 Speaker 1: on Instagram and all my social media channels. For more 717 00:41:13,520 --> 00:41:17,080 Speaker 1: podcasts from I Heart Radio, visit the i Heart Radio app, 718 00:41:17,280 --> 00:41:20,800 Speaker 1: Apple podcast, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.