Transcript: Ariana Grande on Good Hang with Amy Poehler

Hello everyone. Welcome to another

episode of Good Hang. Boy, we have a

superstar on this podcast today and a

wonderful person. Ariana Grande is

joining us. And you know, I never had

the pleasure of meeting Ariana and I

walked away feeling like the biggest

fan, but also like I had met just a dear

dear openhearted and tender and nice

person. So um we are going to talk about

a lot of things today. We're going to

talk about Ariana's love of the

Christopher guest movie Best in Show. We

are going to talk about what it was like

singing with Mariah Carey. We're going

to talk about how she likes to take a

bath and she's going to demonstrate what

she does in there. Um, and uh we're

going to of course talk about Wicked 2,

the film that's out this week. Uh, the

gigantic hit that she is the star of. Uh

but but before we get started uh talking

to Ariana with a person this special, we

really need a special person to uh kick

us off. And you know, I wanted to talk

to somebody who knows Ariana, who is um

you know, close to her, who wants to

speak well behind her back and give me a

good question to ask her. And we have

the one, the only Bowen Yang. Bowen Yang

from SNL who I just got the chance to

perform with a few weeks ago. incredible

actor, comedian on a terrific podcast

with Matt Rogers, Lost Culturistas,

which we all know and love. So, let's

hear what Bowen has to say about our

girl Ariana Bowen.

Hi.

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I wanted [music]

[singing]

>> Hi.

>> I love this print and this bow.

>> Oh my god. Thank you. I really was

trying to think about what to wear for

Ariana and I wanted to go a little high

fem.

>> Yes.

>> And uh this won't come as a surprise,

but I don't have a lot of that in my

closet. [laughter]

>> You are the high fem. You don't need

adornments for that.

>> Wow. Thank you. She does bring out a um

a femin a real like delicate feminine

energy. Yes. A daintiness that's really

nice to try to get into. Um, okay. We're

gonna talk to her today and thank you

for this time. But before we do, I just

have to say once again confess my love

for not only you

and all of the work that you do, but

Lost Cult, which congratulations on the

award show that you created out of

nowhere that I hope is very strong and

um, lucrative IP for years to come.

Um, congratulations on your podcast

which continues to delight, inform, and

entertain me in all different ways all

the time. I love it.

>> The fact that Thank you so much. I

receive that. The fact that I was

watching my heroes, you and Kristen,

named dropping us very casually in your

discussion about Salt Lake City

housewives. I I [laughter] I like leapt

out of bed. I was like supine in bed,

maybe

flirting with seasonal depression, and

then I [clears throat]

you y'all cured me right quick.

>> God, seasonal depression is a funny drag

name for [laughter]

>> for I don't know, anyone. For me,

>> ladies and gentlemen, seasonal

depression [laughter]

>> coming to the stage. Um, by the way,

before before we get to [laughter]

before we get to the question, what

where are we right now? Are we in an

office of yours?

>> We are in my home office. Um,

and I feel like I'm a commentator on

MSNBC.

>> Well, I was going to say if we were on a

Zoom right now, like a Zoom pitch or

something, I would pin your photo, make

it full screen right now, and I would

look at everything. Do you not do that

when you're on Zoom? Listen, this if

this were my podcast, I would go into I

don't think so honey about blurring your

background on Zoom. I get why people do

it.

>> I don't like it. I think a blurred

background is usually hiding a bed.

>> Yeah. Unmade

>> an unmade bed. And I remember those days

of co where heads of giant film studios

were

talking in front of their unmade bed on

Zoom.

>> Have some respect. Not for you. For me.

[laughter]

>> Exactly. Have some respect for me.

[gasps]

>> I don't want to see that. I don't want

to see a crumpled duvet.

>> No. Get in front of a blank wall, babe.

Anything but a bed in the background.

You're a grown man.

>> You're a grown and somehow you're under

lit. Like, fix it.

>> But I just So, congrats on your

background. It's beautiful. I love it.

Thank you.

>> So, um we're talking to Ariana Grande

today and you know

I have been very heartened and not

surprised by the relationship that you

two have like talent

talent loves talent and that both of you

feel like you have just become very

genuine and warm friends. Is that the

case?

>> It is absolutely

miraculously the case.

>> When did you guys first meet? We first

met in rehearsals for Wicked and this

was after the saga of um me maybe not

being able to do the movie because of

the SNL schedule and it has always been

was always in that time like my top

priority. Our wonderful benefactor

friend boss Lauren Michaels was like you

can't miss shows like if you're going to

fly back and forth to London like I just

don't think it's going to work. And then

on the wicked end, they were trying to

figure out how to make it happen. And

they were like, "Okay, I think we're

going to deploy

Miss Grande to pick up the phone and

call up Lauren and try to convince him

to let me do it." And I think that was

the beginning of like sealing the deal

of finalizing it, right? It's like she

like just that imagining that conver

like to be a to be a wire tap fly on the

wall for that phone conversation is is

really

thrilling to me. Just like hearing the

two of them talk to each other. I mean

they they have a great relationship too

cuz she's been at the show. She hosted

the first time. I thought that was a

gang busters episode before my time

there. And um so she really like she

already like went to bat for me before I

even met her. And Lauren was like, "A

Ariana [laughter]

I get it.

>> Ariana, I get it.

>> I get it. It's that thing where you're

trying to balance and

[laughter]

>> you friendship and your dreams.

>> Are you going to Wimbledon? [laughter]

>> Are you going to Wimbledon? You know, I

was at Tom Stopard's birthday and

[laughter]

>> he's he's he's written some of the best

plays ever and I think, you know, Wicked

is I think Wicked's a play is Would you

say it's a play? [laughter]

>> But you know, shout out to the Lord. He

did not need to give you that time off,

babe. He didn't need to give you the

time off. And she closed the deal.

>> And she closed the deal. And um then

thus began this like really organic

thing. And I was very this thing that

I've learned from working at SNL is like

you never step on the gas if you want to

like make any sort of genuine connection

with the host. You never want to force a

friendship or camaraderie. Um, and so I

went into that experience being like,

I'm going to be boundaries king

mutually, like respecting other people's

and honoring my own. And I was not like

forcing this friendship necessarily, but

she was just so warm and inviting. And

somehow within like a couple weeks, we

were like watching mommy dearest

together and like [laughter]

playing rummy cube and like baking

cakes. And it was it just happened in

the most unforced way, I think.

And that that also speaks to like the

tone of the friendship and and sort of

her personhood

in herself. Like she's just a very

I don't know. I think she's someone who

like is strength in softness. She is

like, you know, incredibly vulnerable

and that is why people adore her. So,

what question do you have a question

that you think nobody ever asks Ariana

or would be an interesting question for

her to speak about or um you know

something that would be fun for us to

talk about?

>> Yeah, I mean like what does she think

the throughline of her work is? Like I

think she has had such a varied career,

right? like start off Nickelodeon or I'm

sorry, you start off Broadway, you go to

Nickelodeon, you go pop star, you go

actor

and like there's like fashion

iconography on top of that like

throughout. It's like I want to see what

the unifying theory is from her. She

will kind of like squirm at that

question because anytime I like want to

like talk to her about like what her

favorite album is, she's like, "Don't do

that." Like it's it's great. It's great.

It's like true friend. She's like, "I

don't want you're not like entertainment

tonight. Like what are you doing?" I'm

curious to see how she would answer that

through you through me. And also the

second question is um silly dumb

question. What's the best note to sing?

>> Oo,

>> what's the best note to sing? [laughter]

>> That's such a good It's [gasps] so good

because I mean I I'm sure you are the

same. I mean, I I just love music and

watching

when the way singers sing. I feel that

way about when dancers dance. Like, it's

just like it's just like, "Wow, how did

you do that?" I just can't. It just

feels like magic. And there's so many

notes that she can sing,

>> right? [laughter] She must have one that

she

>> must Let's do Let's do a B. Let's do an

A. Let's keep it in G.

>> Keep it in G. just do G5 or whatever the

octave is. It's like it's like the the

the letter and the number because it's

the octave on the piano or whatever.

Like I don't you know I'm not I'm not a

music theorist, but

>> she I'm sure she has a thought around

that.

>> That's such a good question. It's like

we've done B minor too many times.

That old hacky note.

>> Oh, that old chestnut. Gh. Get that

away. Get B minor away. I need to do

major.

>> Well, I cannot wait to see you soon.

Thank you so much for doing this. I know

she will be thrilled that you did,

Bowen. I just adore you.

>> I love you so much. I'll see you very

soon.

>> Same, same, same. Thank you so much for

your time. Bye.

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>> Ariana, I'm so excited to be here with I

don't even know how to talk anymore.

That was not

>> It's okayish.

>> Did you just use an English accent?

>> I know. [laughter]

You have to start over.

>> Do you I feel like you're a sponge

though. I feel like you pick up on the

way other people talk.

>> I think I I I've always loved to do

voices. Like when I was a little girl, I

loved to impersonate and do characters

and voices and accents. And

>> you're so good at them. And that's kind

of what I wanted to start with today.

First of all, it's nice to meet you.

>> It's nice to meet you, too. I love you

so much.

>> I love you, too. I feel like I know you

as most people do, but I am thrilled to

meet you in person.

>> Me, too.

>> And I was thinking about how to start

today and I was thinking, yes, we'll

talk of course about the huge success of

Wicked and we'll talk about your music

and we'll talk about your life and all

that, but I wanted to talk about you as

a funny person, as a comedian, as a

deeply genuinely funny person. You're

very funny.

>> Thank [laughter] you. coming from you.

I'm I am Yeah, I'm like I've

been saying since I walked in, but

that's really how I like I can't

[laughter]

>> I adore you and I Yeah, I look up to you

so much. I love SNL. I'm

>> so like I

>> Well, what is your relationship to

comedy like when when you were growing

up? What were you watching? What did you

like?

>> My favorite movie was Best in Show

>> from a really young age. I Which is so

strange, you know, to be a child and to

really love that. I I I don't when I was

really young. Um,

>> did you love that style of, you know,

that like mockumentary style?

>> I did. I I did. I loved like dry humor

and um it made me feel so close to my

family, like laughter. My dad and I

bonded over our favorite movies. And

>> Well, what kind of what what's your

dad's sense of humor?

>> Um, we love Jim Carrey. Uh, we love, you

know, all the Adam Sandler movies and,

you know, that kind of thing. The

Christopher Guest, of course, and SNL.

And that was just sort of how we bonded

was through comedy. Do you remember

getting your first laugh? Do you

remember like being in [sighs and gasps]

getting my first laugh? Yeah. I I

actually Wow. I I've never thought about

this in [laughter] my my life, but I was

really little. I don't know how old I

was, but I was doing standup. I forget

the name of my persona that I had

created, but I was doing standup as a

guy, as like an as like this guy, this

old guy from my grandparents, and I got

a laugh from them, and I just remember

it felt so special. I don't [laughter]

know. [gasps] You were in their house

doing it.

>> Yes. And I And I don't remember the name

of the character, but it was full out.

It was like I had disappeared into this

man. I'm always interested in the

connection between musicians and

comedians because I think they have some

kind of love for each other and I I

don't know exactly know what it is.

>> I think so. I think I think for me

personally the thing that I love about

both so much music and comedy is that

they've always made me feel so like safe

and like I can relate to the person, you

know?

>> And um

>> you learn a lot about somebody by what

they laugh at.

>> Yes,

>> you do.

>> Yeah. Um, and when you find someone who

uh has the same sort of like ticklish

spots as you, that's just

>> the best thing. You know, when you work

with someone and you find someone that

tickles you the same way. My best friend

Liz Gillies, we look up to you and Tina

so much because we are like, "Oh my god,

we should do things like that someday."

[laughter]

>> You guys are so funny together.

>> Oh my god.

>> What I love about your what I've seen of

your relationship is again that kind of

feeling of play. Like you know each

other and you kind of you're like being

stupid basically. We love to be stupid.

What a gift it is to be able to play and

be stupid sometimes.

>> I know. And I mean, I feel that when you

do SNL is that you're not a afraid to be

stupid and you kind of like it.

>> It's the best.

>> It's the best.

>> And it's it's so vulnerable, but you

can't be afraid. It's like it's just the

most thrilling thing in the You really

have to be down.

>> You do. You can't go in halfway.

>> No. And it is you whether it's you're

impersonating someone or you're doing

some stupid idea. It's it's it's I I'm

sure you feel this way too. I bet it's

similar to singing which is you have to

kind of push through

>> to the other side and make sure you're

committing to whatever you're doing.

>> Have to see it through. [laughter]

>> It doesn't matter. [gasps] And if you're

on the and you're if you're locked eyes

with someone and the scene is cuz you've

done SNL a few times

>> and their bald cap is sliding and

[laughter]

you're like what the hell are we doing?

>> Yeah. Or you're like, "This scene's

never gonna see the light of day." Like

we This is not making the show. We You

have to be safe with each other.

>> Totally. It really is where like love

blooms.

>> It really is. It really [laughter] is.

It's true.

>> It's true. Because if you if you hang in

there with each other, then you're kind

of friends for life.

>> Yeah.

>> It's true. Yeah.

>> We've we've kind of had some really

extraordinary circumstances with slime

and bald caps and things. Did you ever

have any things on SNL where where you

know it's always fun like the bloopers

of that show like where things go wrong

or you don't make your change or

anything like a stress dream come true?

Did anything ever happen there when you

were there?

>> First of all, I am dying for your

stories. Can I can I return the question

after I answer?

>> Absolutely.

>> Please. I have so many for you. Can we

do another episode where I'm just asking

all the questions, please? [laughter]

>> Um let's switch seats. But um no, I

thankfully other than like breaking a

couple of times. Yeah. Um, there was

this sketch that

didn't air that we did with Taran Kllum

>> and he was and he had this like big 70s

hair and he played this like weird

musician person and he wrote this song

that was so long [laughter]

and so strange and and I don't think I

don't think like Lauren loved it at the

end of the day.

>> Sure. And the audience was like

>> I loved it so much.

>> You were fighting for it. The audience

was on our side as well, but it it was

cut for time and that was kind of

heartbreaking because it was just so

ticklish.

>> I bet he still thinks about it that and

appreciates it because it was there's

nothing better than when the host fights

for something of yours. Even if it

doesn't make it, it means something that

they do.

>> I cherish it. My dad watches it every

day. That sketch it's on YouTube and he

watches it every single day without I'm

I'm not kidding. He starts his days with

Smile. I think it's I don't remember

what it's called, but I think it's the

song was called Smile

>> and he was like a 70. So it made the

show We were a sip of water and she

smiled too big for her face and everyone

was like [laughter]

>> but we were love we loved it. We loved

it.

>> Oh my god. I mean yeah one of the people

that became a friend to you is Bowen.

Yay.

>> Yes.

>> Such a talented nice person.

>> The most brilliant, the kindest,

[clears throat]

>> most caring.

So so ridiculously otherworldly smart.

Mhm.

>> And just so funny. I love him so much.

>> Well, we do this thing on this pod where

we kind of ask people um we have guests

uh who know our guests to come on and

and we speak well behind their back and

they give me a question to ask and so we

talked to Bowen today.

>> Oh my god.

>> Yes. Bowen was your person.

>> Yes. And um Bowen had such amazing

things to say about you and just you

that sketch when you two were together

as the that was your idea, right? The

when you were basically playing some

version of your mom.

>> I was I was [laughter] a version of my

mom.

>> So for people that don't remember, it

was kind of like a game a version.

>> Yeah. Sure. Yeah.

>> Yeah. Sure. Um

>> she's very proud of that, too.

>> Yeah. It was a game night that went

wrong basically.

>> It sure was.

>> Yeah. And you came to Bowen with the

idea which he said was like being handed

a gift.

>> Yes. Because sometimes life has to

inform art. And this was one of those

moments. [laughter] I was like, Bowen,

there's no reason that this happened if

we're not supposed to use it. And it was

a

>> So what is your mom like? Tell us tell

us what your mom is like. Like like that

sketch.

>> I mean just sometimes. Just sometimes.

That's a that's a side of her. She's a

beautiful gorgeous soul. I love her so

much. But she was very proud of that,

too. I warned her 15 minutes before

>> it started the show. No, the the show

started that night. She was in my

dressing room. She's like, "Break a leg,

honey." I was like, "By the way, sorry.

I have to [laughter] tell you because

the wig arrived and it's your hair." I

thought it was going to be like a blonde

bob. I didn't know it was going to be

your hair, but since it is your hair,

you do have to know I'm you in a sketch.

And she was like, "I can't wait." And

she loved it.

>> She loved it.

>> And I heard her as I was running to my

quick change being like, "THAT'S ABOUT

ME. IT'S [laughter] NOT ABOUT ME. She's

being me."

>> She loved it.

>> She loved it.

But we were having a family game night

[laughter] and

my brother's husband's brother

was a guest. We were playing games and

um you know my my I don't have the I

didn't get this thing that my brother

and my mom have where playing games is

really is really really competitive.

>> Okay. I don't you just want to have fun.

>> I love to have fun. I want to be with

everyone. I love them. I'm like really

thankful for the time that we get to be

together. I'm like, "Yay, let's play a

game."

>> That's not how they are.

>> Yeah.

>> It's really Yeah. And they're really

grateful, too. And it's good vibes

[laughter] until, you know, someone's

losing. And then um Yeah. My mom just

said like under her breath like

[clears throat] tiny dick syndrome or

something. And I was like, [laughter]

>> "Whoa, mommy, excuse me.

>> Mommy, wait. Mommy, your your inside

thought went outside."

>> Yeah. ma'am. I was like, "Mom, you

didn't just say that." And they were all

like giggling, but like nervously. And I

was like, [laughter] "This is she's

joking. She's doing a bit." And she was

like, "No, that's what that is."

[laughter]

>> And I was like, "Coming down the barrel

so hard."

>> And I was like, "Excuse me, guys."

Bowen. Hi. [laughter]

Something has just happened at some

point in our lives. We have to use this.

>> You were so funny in it. I mean, you're

so funny in so much stuff that you did.

I mean that you're you're singing off

key in Domingo which is hard to do I was

it hard to do to sing off key.

>> It was fun. It was really fun and I

liked that it got worse every time I

came back to the mic. It was like as

sort of really subtly

>> but the but no but with game night I I I

had to fight for that one like you said

like sometimes the it's it's the most

gratifying when you fight for it and

then finally people believe in it.

[laughter]

>> I was so happy. I feel like I get a

sense from you that, you know, and

you've been working long enough now to

know that one of the things I think

that's nice about getting older is you

know what you're good at. Like you're

like, I think I can do this well. Like

that isn't always the case when we're

figuring ourselves out, like what we can

actually deliver on, but I feel like

that's what I mean about the confidence.

I feel like you know what you can do

well comedically.

>> That is such a generous and nice thing

to say. Oh my god, I hope this is okay.

Sorry that I'm here. No, I'm kidding.

[laughter]

But like,

>> but I feel that about you. I know what

tickles me and I know that I um I know

how it feels like with the players like

to experience and if it has that like

>> carbonation that ticklish thing it's

then there's a chance you know and I am

not one to

>> you know I would never but we we were in

Lauren's office and we were going over

the run of show and he kept moving game

night over and I was like Lauren I'm so

sorry please can we at least try it at

dress can we please try it at dress

please I'm so like I promise I owe you

forever can We just try to address a

little more crew and he moved it back.

[laughter]

>> Okay. Yeah. I mean, people don't know

that that what's so cool and terrifying

about the SNL system is it still uses

just index cards.

>> I love the index cards and you have

these index cards with your scenes and

then it's just very like high school

play. You walk in and everyone looks up

to see if their card made it into the

show.

>> It's so special.

>> It is. It's really old school and it is

I have a little bit of PTSD when I see

index cards when you just said moving

the index card [laughter] that I just

had a moment of like

>> cuz I remember many times where the

index card was in a safe zone and then

you come in you're like where did it go?

>> Oh no.

>> Wait, do you have ones that you want to

share about? Well, you know what's also

fun about those index cards is there's

always kind of a collection at the

bottom because the show often runs long.

>> Mhm.

>> And you know, sometimes things have to

get cut on the fly as people know.

There'll be like two index cards

fighting for the bottom,

>> right?

>> There'll be two scenes that are in the

bottom and you're like, see on the mat

like let's see which one makes it

>> and you don't know until it's just

>> Yeah. It really does kind of build your

I think your um tolerance for rejection,

right?

>> Yeah. just kind of like you get used to

thinking, okay, this isn't my last good

idea. I have to try again next week. I

think that's good.

>> Yeah.

>> Yeah. But you feel but I I I feel like

Well, Bowen Bowen was so great talking

about you because, you know, he's such a

a friend and also loves talking about

how easy it is to talk to you. And then

his two questions were really funny. One

I don't really understand. [laughter]

One was kind of like two question. No,

they were there. But one was like um

what what would Ariana say is the

trajectory of her career? What is the

unifying theme?

>> Oh wow.

>> I know. It's it's kind of might be hard

to answer this early in the interview,

but

>> No, I feel it feels clear actually.

>> She's ready to answer it. It just it

feels as clear as Yeah. I don't know. I

I think I just am feeling a lot more

connected to myself and my art since I

started doing different things. I think

um you know I spent so much time only

doing pop music but I grew up as a girl

who loved musical theater and comedy. So

I think the thing that will be like best

for my soul and also for my art and for

what I'm giving myself to is if I'm

chasing things that um sort of feel

just very right in the moment even if

it's spontaneous if it's something

different like I am doing a movie right

now because it's a role that I I read

the script and I love it and it's funny

and I love the cast and I'm so excited

and then I'm going to do a small stint

of shows next year because

>> that is

>> like something that authentically

sounded good to me.

>> Yeah.

>> And then you know from there there are

other things that are different and I

think following those authentic impulses

um feel it feels like a really good idea

like a a a good thing. I think I

>> I think it's a sense of like getting

older and getting understanding like

listening to your own body like figuring

out Yeah. figuring out asking yourself

what do you want first which isn't

always the case and in

>> when we're um when we're doing a lot of

work we're sometimes doing things

because we have to do them or we should

do them and then when you take even a

second to say

>> what do I want to do? What feels right?

>> Yeah.

>> Yeah. That's something that is learned

over time. For me, I when I, you know,

sort of came into all of this and my pop

career sort of took over my life in a

way. I didn't have that at all, you

know,

>> and I think that is I feel very like

privileged and grateful to have learned

that that there can be room for for

different creative endeavors. And um

>> so that's been a really beautiful thing.

I think it will change a lot. I think

the first the last, you know,

10 or 15 years will look very different

to the ones that are coming up.

>> And I don't want to say any definitive

things like I I do know that I'm very

excited to do this small tour, but I

think it might not

>> happen again for a long long long long

time.

>> Sure.

>> You know, so I'm going to give it my all

and it's going to be beautiful and I'm

so grateful that I think that's why I'm

doing it

>> because I'm like one last harrah.

>> Perfect. Because for now, never say

never.

>> No, no, no. I'm not.

>> And it and also I think to your point

like when you're able to

>> step away from acting or music or

writing, you then you really appreciate

it when you get to go back to it

>> so much more and like you are able to do

better

by that art form because you're

appreciative and really able to feel

present in it. Well, this leads me to

Bowen's next question, which was, "What

is your favorite note to sing?"

>> Oh my god. [laughter] My [gasps]

favorite note to sing.

>> I know. Okay, I'm going to play you a

note. [laughter] You tell me if you like

it.

>> Okay. Because we got to get I mean, I

I just got nervous when I just named the

note [laughter] G cuz I was like,

"That's a note, right?" Yeah,

I know that G is is a note that I that

was the highest note of my adlib that I

sang in 13. I think G is pretty high.

>> It was something that I sang in 13. I

know that.

>> That's a nice one.

Can't tell you, but I love it.

>> Okay, let's do another one.

>> What about

>> Is this what I'm supposed to do? Here we

go. I can't [laughter]

Here we go. Here's a C. Oh,

beautiful. And [laughter] we have never

sounded that

>> gorgeous.

>> Okay, so Bowen, we don't know. We don't

know the answer. We don't know.

>> No, but I did learn a lot about music

theory today. [laughter] Thank you so

much, Amy Polar, for my for my

>> One of those notes reminds me of Annie,

which I know you were in,

which is one of my favorite musicals.

>> Yes. What is that note?

>> I don't know. We'll never know. I'll

never know. But I do know that's a hard

one to hit. I hear the relation. I hear

the I know why you thought of that.

>> One of my favorite songs in any musical

is Maybe and Annie. I love Maybe. That

is such a good song.

>> Sad one.

>> That's a sad one.

>> Well, that'll do it.

>> Yeah, that'll get you going.

>> That'll get you going.

>> And was that fun to be a little kid and

Annie? [laughter]

>> It was fun to be a little kid and Annie.

>> What a part.

>> What a big part. It was really a huge

undertaking at that age.

>> It's true. I was I was talking to Rachel

Drach. We were talking about um uh

musicals that like shaped us. And for

women my age, you in my 50s like Annie

was just it was kind of like it was

about it was just like it was about us.

Like it was it was like a musical for

us. It really was. It felt like the

first it was not about us. We were not

orphans.

>> Thinking [laughter] wait

but it was for us. [laughter]

>> Annie was for you. It was a young It was

a She was the same age as us, right?

Like that part was, you know,

>> to just to have a young girl be the lead

of a of a Broadway show and it's named

after her. It's not called Daddy

Warbucks and the Little Girl. It's

called Annie.

>> It shouldn't be [laughter] be called

that.

>> Shouldn't be called that.

>> I don't like that title.

>> Wait, so what are your what are your

>> Well, it's funny with Oh, my SNL or my

musical.

>> Your SNL like

>> bloopers.

>> Blooper. What's one of your favorite

blooper moments?

>> One thing that comes to mind is one time

I was doing a sketch where uh I think

Jason Baitman was the host and there was

a monkey in the sketch. Like a a I would

say maybe a chimpanzeee like a actor.

>> Yes, an animal actor.

>> How do you feel about animal?

>> I don't like them.

>> Yeah. I don't like them. And uh I it's

too stressful for me. And it was like a

young chimpanzee and um I keep I'm going

like this because I just want to show

how strong it was.

>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

>> And I walked past the chimpanzzeee and

it reached out and grabbed me by the

wrist.

>> Oh no.

>> And wouldn't let go.

>> In the middle of a quick change. I think

it was like the blonde hair or my vibe.

>> And I started screaming.

>> Oh, that's really traumatic.

>> And chimpanzees are very strong.

>> Yeah. I I I like I famously.

>> Yeah. So, that was one where I was like

and I couldn't get it to let go of me

and I had to Yeah. It was all fine. It

was all fine. But that wasn't that was a

Would that be considered a blooper?

>> I don't I don't know. I think that's

like PTSD. That's like [laughter] a

different folder. But I love it. I'm

glad. I know.

I do want to talk to you about musicals

because I know you love musicals. Of

course

>> I do.

>> I I like them very much. [laughter]

>> I do. I like them very much. I feel

>> they are. I can also admit they're

ridiculous. Well, what I what I love

about them is when I feel transported,

to me, that is the best feeling ever

when I watch anything or but it's harder

for me to get transported in musicals

than in other things. And I get like,

you know, it's kind of like improv like

there's a vulnerability in that moment

and if it's good, you're psyched. And if

it's not good,

>> it's tough.

>> It's tough.

>> It's ticklish.

>> Yes. How do you when you're you've done

many musicals, you you're you're

currently making a film about probably

the most famous musical, Wicked. Like

when you're when you have that moment

right before the actor sings,

>> right?

>> It's just like jumping off a cliff kind

of. You have to stay in the acting

moment and then switch into song.

>> Do you know what I mean? What do you do

in the preciousness of that moment?

Well, for Wicked,

>> Mhm.

>> thankfully, I do feel like it's really

well written for the characters and for

the moment. So, it feels like they have

to sing the next thought, you know? But

I think

>> so that it can be as honest as possible

and feel like it's just acting and like

the singing whatever. It's vocal

training way long before you get there.

So that it doesn't even feel like a

thought. Like I trained my voice for

months before my first audition because

Glenda's voice is so different than

mine.

>> How did you train it? I trained with my

vocal coach Eric Vitro and it just takes

a muscle memory. So for weeks and weeks

and weeks, I'd go every day. I was I was

a coach on The Voice at the time, and I

was going in the mornings to Eric and

then my acting coach, Nancy Banks, and

we would work on random things, not even

Glenda related things, just to sort of

get the muscles moving. And I hadn't

acted in a long time. And I it was

important to me to get ready for the

audition. And um you know I just spent

every day going to retrain that falsetto

oporadic area of my voice because I

wasn't using it for a long time. And um

you can hear the quality change if you

look through like the voice notes from

way back then. Like the first week I

went there was so much air seeping out

and then slowly but surely like week

after week there was more purity and

more clarity to get higher. Does there

have to be less air? Like everything has

to be tighter in the vocal cords like

>> No, I think it just sounded I guess what

what I mean by that was that you could

hear like more rasp in my voice,

>> right?

>> So the same amount of air, but just the

quality became clearer and more pure as

time went on.

>> And Glenda doesn't have a rasp. She's so

touchy.

>> No, I mean unless there's like an

emotional break or something like that

can be imperfect, but she has a really a

pure tone and it's um more classical and

I trained really hard so that that could

not be a thought

>> on set so that by the time we were in it

and had to move seamlessly into the

songs hopefully you know that wasn't a

stress that wasn't a thing. No one was

worried about are the notes going to

come out right? And if they didn't, it

probably made sense emotionally. You

know, there are moments where

>> especially in the second one where we

have breaks and we have like choked up

and you can hear it. And that's kind of

like the beauty of being able to do it

live on set because you get to honor

what's happening in the scene.

>> Yeah.

>> But

it's wicked. And I what you're saying

where like maybe if it was something

else it might be I don't know. It's like

that back and forth is so hard to do.

Yeah,

>> you know, thankfully these songs felt so

intentional. Every single song in Wicked

feels so purposeful for the arcs of the

characters and for what's going on.

>> Did you speak in a different voice as

Glenda?

>> I did.

>> A higher voice so you could stay there

when you sang.

>> I did. It's It was kind of um

>> So on days when I'm singing I'll And

also most of the time this is kind of

where my voice sits is like here.

>> Yeah. Um, but sometimes it'll move lower

and then sometimes it'll move higher.

For Glenda, when she's uh younger, it

was a little bit pingier and in the when

she's older, it's a little more

grounded, a little more lived in. She's

like a public figure now. She's supposed

to, [clears throat] you know, she has

this like responsibility. So, it's a

little more and she's been through more.

So, it has a slightly different tone.

But then when she's with Elfie again and

having fun, there's more pep and um

yeah, I feel like people

>> That's incredible that you tracked all

that.

>> It was important. Thank you. But, you

know, it felt really important and

helpful because we were shooting both

films at the same time.

>> Yeah. So, just making sure I also I I

kept uh track of all of that with

colorcoded sticky tabs so that I could

like take a peek at which color so that

I could bounce back and forth. And then,

you know, there were a lot of little

tools that helped with the mind set

shift

>> between both films, but that was um one

of them. and singing voice and speaking

voice feeling a little different were

that was a really fun thing to sort of

figure out.

>> Um some of her songs in the second movie

you get to hear her open up a little

more

>> whereas like everything in the first

movie is so

>> um controlled and

>> prim and proper and bubbly.

>> Um yeah, you get to kind of like peel

back so many different

layers. She grows a lot in the first

movie. Her arc is it she has a a big arc

in the first movie and then in the

second one there's

>> a lot more to go.

>> Yeah,

>> because you're so good. You're such a

mimic. You do men's voices very well.

>> I am working on it because I'd like to

do more male drag and more male voices.

>> You're Eugene Levy is [laughter]

amazing.

>> Thank you. How did you see that? How

have you seen that?

>> From my laptop. [laughter]

>> Everything is here.

>> No one knows about that.

>> You're Can you do a little Eugene Levy?

Can you do you remember?

>> Yeah. I you know I I the thing about

that day is I had

>> I went to a place but I've [laughter]

never gone before

>> and I don't know if I'm able to accessly

but I can I also had put my gum in my

Invisalign.

>> Oo that's helpful.

>> We had teeth but they weren't like

working. They weren't sticking.

>> So I put gum in my Invisalign which

really helped.

>> And you were playing the character he

played in best in show not Eugene. It

was um

>> Eugene is very sophisticated. Not this

character,

>> Jerry Fleck.

>> I was playing Jerry Fleck.

>> And he was sort of like, "Hold on, I

have to like I have to like relax my

body. I [laughter] don't know how to

drop into this."

>> Um I'd like to think that Cookie and I

It's not as low as I'd like today. I

don't have my basement today.

>> It's so good.

>> Work as a team, though. I do nothing.

She does all the work with Winky.

Uh back to I don't know. back in the day

when I I was at Pon Deellion Junior

High. [laughter]

Well, um I wish you I wish people

listening could look at Ariana's face.

>> Really bad. What is it doing?

>> It's transforming. It's really good.

>> I never have any idea.

>> But you have a you have a way to get

pretty You can get pretty low.

>> I sometimes can. Yeah.

>> And you do have that. I mean, I I love I

[laughter] I love I want I want like I

feel like there's a lot of men's voices

you could do well.

>> Oh my god.

>> Because you're very you're very you're

very high fem as people like to say. I

don't know. And um fem

>> high fem I think.

>> And um but

>> I think we both are.

>> I I didn't think I was, but Bowen told

me I was.

>> I think you are. But you also have such

comfortability doing great male voices

and characters.

>> Same. And I and you know and I think

what I love about you is the way in

which you're very like open and um uh

supportive of the way that gender is its

own fluid experience and expression in

in in the way you live your life and

also the way you support people who are

expressing that fluidity.

>> But I think you have a very interesting

masculine feminine energy that you're

always playing around with and it's cool

to see it.

>> That's so nice. [laughter]

>> It's cool to see it. That's so nice.

>> You have a wide range of how you can

play around.

>> That is so nice.

>> Yeah.

>> I'd like to play more men.

>> Yeah. [laughter] Okay. America.

>> Oh, we should have worn mustaches for

this.

>> I love a mustache.

>> I love a mustache.

>> I love a mustache as well without with

with for Jerry for my performance as

Jerry. I um I had these big eyebrows

>> and no other makeup and and um big the

yeah the invisal line of my teeth. It

was really fun. And then you can do that

really breathy, you know, and also Judy

Garland is up in that world. I know you

love Judy and she and you have you can

do I just I mean I'm just I'm pointing

out your range

>> coming from you. I feel like I am

dreaming.

>> I don't know if anyone's told you you're

very talented.

>> That is very kind.

>> You're very very talented.

>> So are you.

Well, I mean, and and you know, you it

is pretty it's so fantastic to hear your

name up with. It's like Seline, Whitney,

Mariah,

>> what are you talking about?

>> You're in that sentence.

>> No.

>> Yes, ma'am.

>> No, no.

>> Yes, you are in that sentence. And what

>> that's crazy. It must be I guess because

I'm talking about people that you love

study and completely like are are you

know a huge fan and you're also their

peer and you're singing with them. Who

is someone that you sang with that you

had to just kind of like keep looking

over and being like oh my oh my god like

I can't believe I'm singing with them.

>> Mariah.

>> Yeah. Every time I'm I cross paths with

her, which has been like a handful now,

and that feels just like such a dream,

>> I have to pinch myself. And um the best

part is how kind she has been to me and

how she's embraced me and um

>> just she's a wonderful kind person. I I

really love her. It's very surreal. What

was it about Mariah's music growing up

that spoke to you? What was that special

sauce about her voice?

>> The vocals and the sense of humor.

>> I think her her her

pen and her producing ear. I mean,

>> yes, she's the greatest vocalist, of

course, but the the other pieces are

just so are just what make her her, you

know?

>> Yeah.

>> Um,

>> talk about, you know, she's the greatest

singer. So many people sing beautifully,

but her her point of view and her sense

of humor and her um [snorts] wit in her

songwriting [clears throat]

and Yeah. And she talk about male drag.

>> Why did she do that?

>> Yes.

>> What did she obsessed video?

>> Look it up.

>> Let's look it up. You have to see it.

>> She dressed she and and Lady Gaga also

does that as well. So well.

>> Yes. Oh my god.

>> And I mean

>> I love these divas. I she's another as

well who is just so I love the sweetest

in the world.

>> You could that rain on me so good. Um

well thank you and I loved seeing you

two together because it just felt like

two professional super talents like I

could just

>> we're theater nerds as well.

>> Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Obsessed Mariah Carey.

Oh, she's dressed as a um she's at the

limousine. She's a limousine driver.

She's obsessed with herself. [laughter]

She's playing a

>> Wow. I never saw this. I'm

>> I know.

>> I'm She's one of us.

>> That is so cool. Who are you seeing in

music in film and who who are you saying

like, "Whoa, they're doing something

really exciting inspired by them."

>> I have to say, I'm sort of I'm on set

right now. I'm filming this movie. I'm

filming.

>> Can you talk about what you're filming

or is it

>> I'm filming Fauler-in-law?

>> Oh, nice. So, I'm having so much I know

it's crazy. It's like the fourth

movie, but it's like it's such a treat

and it's such a privilege. I'm I'm

learning so much and working with Ben

Stiller and Robert Dairo and everyone

that is in this cast. I'm I'm really

enjoying my time with and it's such a

>> Who's directing it?

>> John Hamburg, who

>> John is awesome.

>> Yeah, he's wonderful.

>> Yeah, he's great. And it's just so great

to um sort of experience a new a new

journey and uh like learn from those

around me. And

>> I'm very inspired by my cast. I love and

Beanie Feldstein is in it and she's

incredible. I love her so much.

>> So funny.

>> So funny. So wonderful. And um yeah, I'm

learning a lot from my castmates and um

yeah,

>> and it's probably like a lot less

physical

um it's probably a lot less physically

exhausting than Wicked, which

>> must be not. [laughter]

>> I'm not kidding. I'm not kidding. I

don't know if I'm allowed to say this,

but I have to say it cuz you're going to

laugh your ass off. My character is a

triathlete.

>> Oh, no.

So, you're always running? I spent

yesterday doing burpees in high knees

with Robert Dairo and he's like good job

Olivia good job and it's like the

craziest most [laughter] I'm like what

is this movie what are we doing but

[gasps] I'm having a blast like it's

really special but no [laughter] it's

bar it's not physically exhausting yeah

she's a lot of things but a triathlete

is one of them there's also a lot of

biking in this movie like a lot a lot a

lot lot

>> Ben Stiller is so

>> he's so fitian he runs a couple miles a

day

>> before. Yeah, it's too much. I mean,

it's crazy.

>> No, it's it's too much.

>> I feel like I'm on the set of the

Avengers between him and Bob, Mr. Dairo.

I'm like,

>> yeah.

>> Are you guys

>> But Bob Bob's not running in the

morning, is he? Oh my god.

>> At like 4 at like 3:30.

>> They got them. They got to stop. That's

not okay.

>> Obsessed with them. But I do love a good

morning Pilates moment. I do.

>> Here's how I feel about running.

>> Yes. Yes.

You prefer I prefer walking. I prefer

walking.

>> There we go.

>> And when people are running, I'm like

too much running.

>> Yeah.

>> What are you running from?

>> I I hear

>> it's too much running. [laughter]

>> But I just I just assume that Wicked is

just so much physical because also the

outfits the outfits are a lot of like

like wearing an outfit is is a heavy

like that's just a and the

>> Well, every day was corseted. The only

the only looks the only looks that I had

that weren't corseted were my pajamas.

But it was but it was helpful.

>> Yeah. It kept you feeling

>> Yeah. I I was so eager to get into my

corset and her shoes because I wanted to

like find her posture immediately and

like her weird stiffness. I wanted to

jump into that.

>> So I had a rehearsal corset and

rehearsal shoes and then it was like

fine by the time we you know it was it

was great.

>> And John Shu seems awesome.

>> He's the best person in the whole entire

world. You can just kind of tell right

away. I mean,

>> I have to say in general, the press that

you and Cynthia did for the tour was so

exciting to watch because

>> there is an like a,

>> you know,

>> there's this thing that one always has

to push against when you're a woman in

the business, which is people are kind

of constantly comparing and

>> asking each other.

like there's just like a little bit of a

a an electricity in the air that people

are looking for conflict. And what you

and Cynthia did over and over and over

again was so radical which is you kept

>> getting ahead of it, speaking to it and

then in the moment really

>> reminding everybody about how you made a

commitment to each other to support each

other through the project. It was really

cool. And in doing so, you commented on

the bigger idea of like the pressure

women feel constantly to be compared to

each other and to

>> have conflict with each other.

>> Did you two make that pact together? It

feels like you did. Did you say it to

each other or was it just unspoken?

>> Well, we did, you know, it was it was

really first of all, thank you. It was

it was really hard work, you know. Yeah.

um not to commit to that but to kind of

um take care of each other. Firstly,

through this incredibly huge thing that

was making Wicked, you know, um I really

wanted to

>> be safe.

>> Yeah.

>> In each other, you know, I I wanted to

make sure that she knew immediately.

Like I I am a cancer. I jumped in way

too fast. I was like, "Hi, [laughter]

>> time."

>> You were like, "Ready to cry?"

>> Yeah. I was like, "Hello.

>> Shall we cry together?"

>> Yeah. Start with the the like the

darkest. No, I was like, like, but you

know, I really did want to

>> want to establish that right right away.

And I kind of said, "Hey,

>> we're getting to know each other. I, you

know, we're going to learn a lot about

each other very quickly."

>> Yeah.

>> You need to know. I want you to know

there's nothing that we can't talk

about. You don't have to face something

alone. Um, if you need help with

something, I am on your side already. I

don't even know what it is yet, but

we'll get there together. This is um a

huge undertaking

>> and I want us to stay connected as much

as possible

>> um

>> every step of the way. And you know,

there were so many challenges in the

making of and that we checked in and we

always stayed

>> um honest, you know.

>> You did. And we got to see it. It was

really cool because you have to

[sighs and gasps]

>> deal with a lot of people's energy when

they're talking to you about the stuff

that you made. And the way And also you

guys just physically checked in. Like

it's really sweet how you touch each

other. [laughter]

>> You like to touch

>> in a in a nonsexual way in a in a loving

way of like supporting each other.

>> You like to hold each other's

>> like hands and and be there for it's

very sweet. You like to do that with

people. You do I do like I do I I am

very

>> I I I channel a lot of energy through my

hands.

>> Yeah.

>> And so I'm always holding a hand. I'm

always like squeezing a something as

you've learned.

>> I'm always reaching for something.

Sometimes

>> you have so many things here that you

can squeeze fake food if you want.

>> That's wonder. No, but it's often it's

often like who I'm with and like Yeah.

It's like I I like to channel support

and energy and like whatever. I didn't

even notice that it was a thing about me

until that thing happened.

>> And then

>> you're talking about when you grabbed

Cynthia's little finger. It was so cute.

>> Cuz I didn't know what the was

going on. Sure.

>> And um

>> and you were like and you [laughter]

just reached over a little teeny tiny

grab.

>> I knew it was gender and and sexy and

beautiful and I just wanted to be

supportive. I was like, "Oh my god."

>> And it was so sweet and it felt sweet.

But again, a great example of in a

awkward or confusing moment, you you

guys kept turning towards each other.

>> Yes. And I think that's something that

we've worked hard to maintain. And, you

know, there's a lot of time that passes

between the wrapping of the film and

then the press tour happening. Um, and

then, you know, it's a check-in here and

there when you can. You know, we're both

so busy, but we do our very best um to

stay connected in that way and to take

care of each other. Let's all take care

of each other so that we can honor the

project as much as humanly possible and

do great work. Yeah.

>> Is [snorts] like

>> the best lens ever. Yeah. And I'm so

lucky that John Chu is the king of

[snorts]

that exact thing that we're talking

about.

>> I mean, the fact that he was at his

baby's birth and not at Wicked Premiere.

[laughter]

>> Well, I mean, thank thank God.

>> I know. But there's a few people that

would have made a different choice.

>> I know. But he had three over the course

of the whole film, you know. I think

>> he had three babies. Yeah.

>> Well, let's let's be clear. His wife had

three babies.

>> Yes. Yes. First three babies. Yes. But

but um

>> but that's how long we've been working

on.

>> Oh, that's a lot of babies.

>> Isn't that crazy?

>> Yeah.

>> Wow. No twins.

>> No twins.

Okay. [laughter] All right. Um

Okay. I have a lightning round for you.

>> Okay. Okay. Okay. So,

>> I have to disclaim. I'm really bad at

lightning. Take Lightning doesn't have

to be fast. I'm I'm like in the middle

always because PTSD I build a case for

both answers.

>> Yeah. [laughter]

>> So I I'm like very indecisive

due to things.

>> Okay. Got it. So I want you to know that

this is not it's you don't have to worry

about being fast cuz I also don't ask

the questions fast.

>> Oh, [laughter]

thank God.

>> So it's a slow we're on a slow round. A

really slow landing like [laughter]

where you kind of see it in the sky and

it comes down really slowly and it hits

the ground really slowly. Okay. Turtle

round. Um, so the first thing I'm gonna

ask you is kind of a gotcha question.

>> Okay,

>> give me give me it.

>> And this gotcha question is

>> you say you're 53.

>> I don't say that.

>> That's what the internet says.

>> I say I'm 52. Well, the internet says a

lot of things.

>> True.

>> I'm 5'2.

>> That was the question.

>> I'm 5'2.

>> Are you 5'2?

>> I'm 5'2.

>> Is it 5'2 on your license?

>> Um,

>> do you have a license? [laughter]

I haven't used it in a long time.

>> I'm in I'm in New York. I ask, "Do you

have a current driver's license?"

>> I think so. [laughter]

>> She thinks so.

>> I'm kidding. I'm joking. No, I do. I do.

I'm not driving though.

>> Do you like being 5'2? What What's the

pros and cons of being 52? I asked cuz I

am also 5'2, but my license says 53.

>> I Oh, does it?

>> Yeah.

>> Was that a choice?

>> No, it they measured me or somehow

someone put it down.

>> It was a tall day. [laughter]

>> You were having a tall day.

>> I was having a tall day. I get it.

>> And I got I got I got like excited. I

was like 53. I was like, "Okay." And

then

>> black [laughter] pepper.

>> Yeah. So 5'2. So 52.

>> What do you think about being a tiny a

tiny person?

>> I think it's fine. I think I'm enjoying

my time.

>> Mhm.

>> Things I wish I could reach more.

>> Yeah.

>> I wish I could reach

>> like the water more. I wish I could

reach it.

>> Is there anything that you think um you

wish you had height for? Like

>> just I guess reaching. [snorts]

>> No, I mean just reaching.

>> Yeah.

>> You know, the highest book, the highest

water, the highest whatever it is. But I

But I'm okay with it. Do you Are you Do

you

>> I mean I know I know no other way.

>> I know no other way.

>> I know other way. I mean I have heard

that uh shorter people live longer,

[laughter]

>> but um not to brag.

>> I don't know why.

[laughter]

>> I hope so.

>> I hope so.

>> Well, I hope we all live long.

>> I don't know what I'm saying.

>> We can't all live long. Let's give it to

the short people.

>> I hope everyone lives a beautiful long

life.

>> Of course, but let's have short people

live longer.

>> Something Let's have something.

>> Okay, moving on. Lightning round.

>> Okay. [laughter]

>> Do you think you had a past life? Have

you ever felt like you've lived before?

>> Oh god, you're going here. That's so not

lightning. [laughter]

>> I do feel like I've lived before, but I

don't

>> Who what? Who was she? He What was Where

did you live? Do you have a sense?

>> I have no sense. I have no sense. But I

But I do feel old.

>> Um, so that's what people say. They say,

"Oh, like an old soul."

>> I I not calling myself an old soul. I

think I'm just tired, actually.

[laughter] Just whoever you are was

tired. Yeah. I think I think it was

tired and I think [laughter] I think

they might have drowned.

>> Ooh, sorry. Sorry. I just have a thing

with like when people hold their breath

underwater. I don't like that.

>> Okay. Very good to know.

>> I don't like that at all.

>> Great.

>> But back to the thing when you said, "Is

there anything you wish you could do?" I

just have one more if I don't get it

out. I I wish I were a person who like

had entomology endless entomology

knowledge and I could look at a bug and

be like, "Ah, leodopa a pier." You know,

that kind of person. I do wish I had

that.

>> Who could classify insects?

>> Different insects.

>> Mhm.

>> Different like you know the people who

do that with birds.

>> I have the bird app. The Merlin app. Do

you have that?

>> No.

>> It's fabulous. You you play you record

the sound of the bird and it quickly

pops up what it is. They can tell by

their tone of voice. I love that.

>> I feel like you would also probably be

able to impersonate a lot of birds.

>> I think you you have a lot of faith in

me. You're being really kind to me.

[laughter]

Um best Halloween costume you've ever

worn? Oh, well,

>> or one that you've worn.

>> I think my favorites are

um the best in show stuff that I did

with Liz that we did together. That's

forever my favorite. And I was also the

um pig face from Twilight Zone. That was

like a

>> Oh, yes. That's a old classic.

>> Yes. I love Halloween.

>> For people that don't remember, there

was a Twilight Zone where a woman woke

up from

>> the beholder.

>> Yes. And it was she woke up from what

was like plastic surgery and everyone

started screaming and her face looked

beautiful.

>> Gorgeous.

>> But they were all

>> pig faces.

>> Mhm.

>> Fabulous.

>> Chew on that.

>> Fabulous episode.

>> Um, what about uh best bath product? You

love taking baths. What?

>> I love Lush. I'm a Lush person.

>> You're like a bath bomb.

>> I'm a bath bomb.

>> So you love a fizz.

>> I love a fizz. I love the smell. I love

like salts and a bath bomb and a trickle

of oil like essential oils.

>> And do you take um do you have one of

those things on your bathtub like where

it goes across where you can put your

phone? Do you take your phone to your

bath?

>> I do. I take my I also take my laptop. I

get a [laughter] lot of work done. I'm

not kidding. Okay, so I have to talk

about this because I'm a big bath

person. Did someone tell tip you off?

>> Yes, we heard you were a big bath

person.

>> Oh my god. I'm a big bath person. I like

like it's like a it's like it's a

ritual. It's a Yeah, it's a ceremony.

And I have

>> us talk us through the ceremony.

>> I have my like I have my

>> I'm in the bath and I have my coffee

[laughter]

I have my coffee here.

>> Got it. Do you have a

>> laptop here? No, it's just on the edge

of the thing and I know that's scary.

>> I know. I know. But it's okay. It's

always fine.

>> And you know I push the bubbles back

[laughter] so they're not in the way

because this is what this is. This is

when I have time to do like my approvals

of stuff before I go to work. That's

good.

>> So I'm able to like look at the links of

stuff

>> in the water. Yeah. I look like

interesting and yet afraid of drowning.

>> I know. But that's [laughter] the thing.

So, I'm in control in the bath. There's

big control that we're working on. And

I'm in control in the bath.

>> And I'm a cancer. So, I'm very I'm very

aquatic. I love the water. I love to be

submerged. But the drowning thing.

>> Yeah. Um, favorite Italian food.

>> Ooh, I have to say pasta.

>> What kind? So many kinds.

>> Marinada. Just simple Marinara.

>> Yeah. What my Nona would make.

>> Yes. I'm sorry about the passing of your

Nona. She seemed amazing. Marjorie

>> was amazing and she was so funny.

>> Tell me about her.

>> My favorite Nona story is Frankie coming

out

>> to her and um

>> so Frankie, you're

>> My brother is Frankie. Um he is gay. Um

and he [laughter] is very gay. I don't

know if you know. Um and he um and he

came out to us and you know my first

question was like, "Do you have a

boyfriend? Who is he? I want to meet

him." And um you know, Nona was just

trying to figure it out. You know, very

accepting, very loving, very

celebratory, but she was just trying to

figure it out because she couldn't

believe it. And you know, in her mind,

she had plenty of like boyfriend. I uh

he had plenty of girlfriends and

whatever. And um so she goes, "Frankie,

>> have you seen a pair of breasts?"

[laughter]

And he was like, "Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Know, I' I've

seen breasts." Yeah. And she goes,

"Didn't do anything for you." [laughter]

He was like, "No, no, no, no." And she

was like, "Well, you're gay." And

[laughter] Matt was like, "Yeah, I

know." Like, he [gasps] was like, "I

wasn't asking for you."

>> She was like, "One time, right before

you leave, can I just tempt you one more

time?"

>> Have you seen all of them?

>> She's like, "I just want to know if you

know what you're what you mean." It was

just so

>> Before you go, I'd like to remind you

what you're missing. And Frankie

[clears throat] was like, "I'm okay."

>> Yeah, I'm good. I know. I've already

asked this question. I promise.

>> She seems amazing. Like,

>> your family seems like it they're like a

really funny like tight group. Like, you

seem really connected to your family.

>> They I mean, we are. We are.

>> I mean, are you a typical Italian

family? Like,

>> I think so. I think so. I think like I

that's how we kind of grew up in the

loud Italian household with Sunday

dinners and cards and yeah,

>> you know, I learned poker with like I

was saying way before I should have

probably. And yeah, I I was

>> it was beautiful. I do feel like I am so

right smack in the middle between my mom

and my dad. Like I think Frankie and my

mom are like very similar and then I

like kind of in the middle of it all.

But yeah, they were amazing and my

grandpa [clears throat] was the best

ever. What was he like?

>> He was the best. And

>> what did you call him?

>> Grandpa.

>> Grandpa.

>> I called my nona nona and my grandpa

grandpa because he thought no no sound

too sounded too negative.

>> No, no,

>> no, no. He didn't [laughter] like it.

>> He was like, "No, no, no, no, no."

>> Yeah.

>> But he was incredible.

>> Yeah.

>> And he didn't And when Frankie came out

to him, he was just like, "What? What

the hell? Who cares? What are we going

to love him any less? We got dinner

reservations at Positano. Let's go."

>> Perfect. It's like that's what you wish

for every kid. You wish for every kid

that they have that kind of like loving,

teasing, instant acceptance, instant

love,

>> and just like being seen right away.

>> We need it now more than ever.

>> Amen. Amen.

>> I wish that for all the kids.

>> Same. And you do you provide that for a

lot of people. Ariana, you're just so

great. I just love love you so much,

too.

>> I was so nervous and excited to come

here because I adore you so much.

>> Thank you. Was there anything we didn't

talk about? I don't think they're okay.

Great. [laughter]

>> Thanks so much for doing this. It means

a lot. And um congrats on Wicked 2,

which is going to be out this week. And

I'm sure this little indie film is going

to get a lot of people talking.

[laughter]

>> No, but congrats on the huge success of

it and I can't wait to see all the stuff

that's coming up for you. And I'm just

such a fan. So, thanks for doing this.

>> You too. I love you and thank you for

having

>> Thank you so much.

>> Thank you, Ariana. It was so great to

have you and so great to um hear you

talk about all of the good things. And

it is time now for the Polar Plunge.

Today's Polar Plunge is presented by

Visible. When your phone plans as good

as Visible, you've got to tell your

people. Unlimited data, just 25 bucks a

month. Join today at visible.com.

So, to plunge into the uh into the

interview today, uh I I just want to say

that Ariana talked a lot about game

night and how uh how much fun she has

playing games and how some members of

her family get competitive. And I just I

wanted to just kind of do a public

service announcement to remind people

that a competitive person at game night

can ruin a game night. But as kind of a

competitive person myself, don't come if

you're not ready to win.

So, walk the line. Be care and try, but

don't be, you know, so awful that uh you

make everybody quiet. It's a fine line,

but I know you can reach it. So, today's

Polar Plunge was presented by Visible.

It's one line wireless on Verizon's 5G

network for $25 a month. That's a top

tier network at a budget friendly cost.

Tell your people and make the switch.

Terms apply. Sevisible.com for plan

features and network management details.

Thank you so much for listening. See you

again. Bye. [applause]

You've been listening [music] to Good

Hang. The executive producers for this

show are Bill Simmons, Jenna Weiss

Berman, and me, Amy Polar. The [music]

show is produced by The Ringer and

Paperkite. For The Ringer, production by

Jack Wilson, Cat Spalain, [music] Kaia

McMullen, and Alia Xanerys. For

Paperkite, production by Sam Green, Joel

Levelvel, and Jenna Weiss Berman.

Original music by Amy Miles.

I [music] could hate.