March 18, 2025 • 42 mins
This week, Tommy is joined by actress Melissa Peterman, who you most likely fell in love with from her role in the smash hit television series Reba, where she worked alongside the one and only Reba McEntire. All is right in the world because she is teaming up with her friend once again in NBC’s comedy, Happy’s Place, which just got renewed for a second season. Happy’s Place is about a tough and lovable woman who inherits her late father’s Tennessee tavern, only to discover that her new co-owner is also the half sister she never knew she had. Melissa plays Gabby who has worked at the tavern for quite some time, and her character is a total vibe. It’s a series about 3 women in totally different places in their lives. On paper they seem so opposite one another, but in reality, they all have much to learn from each other. Today, Melissa opens up about that emotional moment she found out Happy’s Place got picked up for a second season, why she thinks the show is connecting with so many people, if she was a bit anxious to tell a different kind of story after the massive success she had with the Reba series, why she wants to continue working with Reba, how their friendship has formed over the years, what vacationing together is like, what it was like reuniting with Christopher Rich, what we can expect with the upcoming season finale, one of her secrets to longevity as a non-stop working actress, the importance of taking chances and showing up no matter how big or small the opportunity may seem, what she has learned through moments of rejection throughout her career, one of her greatest life lessons, the moment she realized she was funny and could create a career in comedy, her recent powerful revelation about being a mom, and so much more. Subscribe, rate, and review this episode if you enjoyed this conversation!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hey guys, welcome to I've never said this before with
me Tommy di Dario, so today's guest. Oh man, she
brings so much joy to the world and to experience
her beautiful spirit up close and personal, h it was
such a treat. The talented actress Melissa Peterman joins my
show today. Who you know and you love from so
(00:21):
many beloved roles, but you most likely fell in love
with her from her role in the smashit television series Riba,
where she worked alongside the one and only Reba McIntyre.
Of course, so all is right in the world again
because she's teaming up with her friend in the NBC
comedy Happy's Place, which just got renewed for season two
because that's how popular it is now. Not only did
(00:43):
she reunite with Riba for Happy's Place, but she reunited
with the Riba team of writers to make some magic
come to life in a completely different and new, unique story.
And if you haven't seen Happy's Place yet, here's the
cliff Notes version. Follow me here. It's about a tough
and lovable woman. That's who Riba plays who and it's
her late father's Tennessee tavern to well only then discover
(01:04):
her new co owner is also the half sister that
she never knew she had. Yeah, did you get all that?
And Melissa plays Gabby, who's worked at the tavern for
quite some time. And let me tell you, Melissa's character
is a total vibe. But here's what I love about
this series. It's about three women that are definitely in
all different places in their lives, and on paper they
(01:26):
seem so opposite, but in reality, well, they all have
some pretty important things to learn from each other. It's
a show full of so much heart. And do you
want to know how much I love hanging out with Melissa?
So much so that I am embarrassed to admit I
invited myself on her next vacation with Reba because that's
how much I enjoyed her company. I didn't want to
leave her. We laughed, we cried, and we had many
(01:49):
heartfelt moments in this conversation that you're about to hear.
So let's see if today we can get Melissa to
say something that she has never said before. Melissa, Hi,
I am so happy to see you. How are you?
Speaker 2 (02:07):
I'm great? Thanks?
Speaker 1 (02:08):
You are like radiating right now.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Well, it only took a mirror, I don't know. Two
and a half hours and I just start to radiate.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
Well, there we go. Welcome to New York.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Thanks. I love it here.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
You love it here, I really do.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
I still, in my mind have that thought that someday
I'll have a little place here and I can come
and just see five shows in a weekend and be there.
But I don't know if that's in the cards. You
have to be really young and willing to live with
like ten people, or extremely wealthy. I think to maneuver
New York, right, it could be.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
A tough city. It can be a tough city, but
it's a good city.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
But it is, and I really I love love being here.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
Well, we're happy to have you. Welcome to the show.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
I feel like I've already fallen in love with you
because I was looking at your Instagram and I came
across a video where Reba came to set and announced
the season two pickup of Happy Place. Yeah, and your
reaction was so sweet. You have the biggest goofiest beautiful
smile on your face, tears of joy. You were so
(03:10):
ecstatic in that moment. What does that mean to you?
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Ah? Well, clearly a lot I mean it means everything.
I mean, you I felt like I've won the lottery
several times in my lifetime just do a show that
got picked up one time and then to have it
happen a couple times. It's like, it's not that's not
who gets to do that, and just very grateful and
(03:35):
you know, it's funny. I think I was talking about
thinking about it the first time around. I didn't know
what it was going to mean, you know, getting to
do that show. I was naive. I was like, I've
got a job, I'm an actor. I'm doing it, and
I'm just trying to keep my head like low and like,
don't get fired, Melissa, you know. And turns out that
that show, the first Rieba show, changed my life in
so many ways professionally, personally I have lifelong friends and
(03:57):
forever family from there. And the second time around, it's
almost more precious because I know now I know how
rare it is. I know, like when you're kids, like ah,
I'll do this show and then I'll do that show,
and you know, life's all ahead of you, and now
you think it's far more precious to me. This could
be it's really rare and we're taking you want to
like take good care of it, you know, in a
(04:19):
way I know how rare it is. That was a
really long answer. Yes, I was extremely nappy and grateful,
and I cried.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Yes, well, it's beautiful, it really is. And I mean
this show is resonating with people in such a big way.
I mean, seventeen point six million people watch the premiere
across all platforms, which is just a number you don't
see these days anymore. It's right. I mean, you know,
it's such a rarity to hit that kind of a number,
which means people are loving it, they're buying it, they
(04:49):
want more of it. Why do you think that is?
Speaker 2 (04:51):
I think I think there's a renaissance of multicams in particular,
because it feels nostalgic. It feels like it's something you
can watch and forget things, and you want to hang
out with these people for what is it now? Twenty
three minutes at a time, I think about what I
watched or what I continue to watch. In times where
I'm like, ugh, this is it's crazy. I need to
(05:14):
turn off. I go to my favorite sitcoms. I go
to my favorite characters, those families. I still watch those
I'll go watch. I think during COVID, I was watching
Family Ties again because I wanted some time with the Keatons.
So I think these kind of shows where you get
to know these characters and they feel like family, they're fun,
they feel good. I think there's a hunger out there
again for them. And people say, you know, sitcoms, they
(05:36):
were dead, they went away. I don't think they ever did.
I just think something felt cooler for a minute, and
then they made more of those, and there's always a
place for them. I like to believe that.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
And they're having a big moment right they are. You know,
there's a lot as that comes across traditional broadcast television
that I feel like are pretty explosive.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Yeah. So I think Nightcourt was that first time where
they were doing it and that sort of opened the
door for more sitcoms and four camera multicams to be made.
And I know right now, I feel like I'm opening
up and reading a deadline article, you know, at least
weekly where I'm seeing another multiicam pilot happening, which is exciting,
and you know, I think people think, well, does that
(06:14):
make you nervous that there's no when there's more there's enough.
There's enough pieces of pie for everyone, and when one succeeds,
that means more can succeed, and that's there's not an
infinite amount of success, so it's exciting.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Well, that mentality is one of the many reasons why
you've had so much success in your career, right because
I don't know if everybody thinks like that, and to
support other people and want other people to do well
and look at the big picture of television and think
like that, it's rare.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
I think, well, that makes me sad. I think it
should not be rare. But maybe that is why I'm
you know it, When one funny woman succeeds, it doesn't
mean there's less roles for me. Means that means they
want more funny women. And I learned early on. I
don't know or knew early on. Maybe I you know,
(07:02):
Reba was always a great example of watch knowing that
if one person shined, it's better for us. She was
the first one to be like, give Steve Howie that line,
or give Melissa that line, because it's going to be funnier,
and then if we get a laugh, it means everyone
did better that night. So I think that's just been
a night. Maybe I don't know. I'm my parents, I'm
a Midwest girl. It was sort of that way, but
(07:24):
you know, you can still have moments like oh, I
wish I would have gotten that part, but I'm sure
glad she did. And I just think success begets success.
Did I say it begets a word? Let's say it's
a word. It's a word, and it has helped me
in times where I felt like, where's my thing? You know?
And I think that's a bad place to live in.
Whatever you do is where's mine. It's never a healthy,
(07:48):
good place and no success will come to you in
that place. So I really I really made an effort
early on to really go you know what it's the
part wasn't yours. Yours is still out there, and yes
they went another way, and that person's going to be great,
but it's not you because you have to think that
(08:08):
way as an actor. There's a lot of talented people,
but there's no one that no one will do it
like you did it. So that wasn't your part. They
didn't need that for this part.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
You're bringing me to church today and I'm here for it.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
Oh, I'm going to be to be fair. I've also
eaten a pack of Cheetos in my car cried for
a minute, you know, after an audition, going like shoot,
I really wanted that.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
I also feel like there's been times like I've done
a network test and I think I lost a role
because I had a bubble in my throat, like where
you did that any way, and like, no, I've got timing.
I had a bubble.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
You've been through it all.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
I've been through it all.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
Yeah, Well that's amazing. I'm so happy to see you
here at this point of your career on a show
that people love, and you know, coming off of the
Riba Show, I'm working with a lot of the similar
folks you know, behind the camera and front in front
of the camera as well, and now doing the show.
Did you have any fear or anxiety or a worry like, Okay,
people know Reeb and I on this hit show and
(09:04):
now we're doing another one, like are they going to
compare them? What do we did you do? Think like that?
Or no?
Speaker 2 (09:08):
Absolutely, you know there was excitement and also yeah, anxiety too,
because people want they love that show is so beloved
and it lives on in syndication and people they maybe
want we want exactly what that was, and we weren't
going to be were It wasn't going to be a reboot,
so you worry like, oh, are they going to like this?
You're like, well, that's not exactly what we wanted because
(09:29):
people wanted it. They wanted that reboot, and we were
nervous and excited but really hopeful that they would be
accepting of this. And I think we were. Kevin Abbott,
who is was the showrunner on the Riba TV show
and is the showrunner for Happy's Place, We've got him,
We've got Matt Barry, We've got our producers Michael and Mindy,
so we've all been there, and so I think they
(09:51):
were very mindful of going it is going to be different,
and it might bump people for a minute, but if
they hang on, they're going to see that we are
keeping true to the chemist. You two have the feel
of that show, the tone of that show, which is
we want it to be funny, we want it to
have heart, and we want people to want to come
back and spend time with him every week. So but yeah,
(10:12):
I was scared. I was like, Oh, what if they
they're like, it's not Barbara. You know, it's not Reeba
and Barbara Jing again, it's Bobby and Gabby And are
they going to be okay with that? And I'm not
the half sister, I'm this person, and so I think
maybe there probably were people that they were like, well,
this isn't it. But I think if they came back,
they they'll stay. And they did stay. So that was
(10:32):
a relief too. But I was scared. I was like,
what if they what if they want exactly that and
it's not that it's different.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
Yeah, well it's clearly resonating in such a big way.
We're there conversations about rebooting Riba before this came to be,
and like how did that happen? And what made you
all decide, you know what, let's do something new.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
I wish I could say I'm ever the one who
decides anything, because I'm not. I'm the one like when
do you where do I show up? What time?
Speaker 1 (10:59):
In your opinion matters?
Speaker 2 (11:01):
Well in my house it does. But you know that
the reboot idea has been floated all the time, like
whether it was rumors on social media or actual conversations,
it's been there. I think again, I'm never involved in
any of the big decisions. But part of it I
think was is the timing right? Who owns the rights
(11:21):
to this? And then now somebody bought that company, Now
they own the rights to this. We have to get
permission here, there, and everywhere. So it's always never I
don't think the timing was right for us or for
the people who owned it. I don't know. I don't
know that part. I know that there was conversations about
it and it didn't work out, and then you get
(11:42):
disappointed and you think, is it ever gonna Are we
gonna ever get to do anything again? And Reba's always
been I think the reason why she is still working
and resonating with people is she's always like, what I'm
supposed to be doing will happen when it's supposed to happen.
So she was always like, let's have faith, and other
ideas were floated, like the ideas, different ideas for us
her and I to work together didn't pan out, and
(12:04):
then Julia Abbot, Kevin Abbitt's wife, had this idea about
what if it's woman finds out that has a half
sister upon you know, the reading of the will, and
it came up with this idea and Kevin Abbott wrote
it it felt right, and then little baby steps happened,
and I'm still very cautious when I'm like, okay, great,
so they want you to write a pilot, all right,
Well call me when that goes. And then like, now
(12:25):
they want to we want to make a pilot, all right,
Well we did that. That was great. All right, we'll
call me if it gets picked up. And it was
what did Reba say? It was like cautiously optimistic always
because in this business you don't know. And so yeah,
in every little step it just kept we kept getting
a yes, and that felt really, really good, really good,
(12:46):
And I won't lie the first time we walked on
the first day of walking on the set and seeing
the set and seeing her sitting there, it was like
there were some tears of like it hits here. We've
been talking about this for twenty years.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
Yeah, I feel like and it's so rare that you
get to work with people again who you gel with
and love and want to work with. I mean, that's
just not a norm in the business. So what keeps
you coming back from more with three? But why do
you want to keep working with her?
Speaker 2 (13:12):
Well, she's truly become one of my closest friends. We
have the timing, like I know, I don't even have
to say anything, and she knows what I'm going to do,
and I know what she's going to do. And I've
been so lucky. I've worked with so many amazing people
and actors, and there's been there's a few that are
(13:32):
just you just you don't know what it is. But
I felt like that on the first show, like especially
in that season two where just like, oh, we're supposed
to this is supposed to be a comedic duo sort
of thing. She's easy, we have a shorthand, she makes
me laugh. We trust each other, and I think that's
really important for actors, Like when you trust, I know,
I trust, she's got my best interests at heart. She's generous,
(13:57):
she's fun to work with, and who doesn't. I mean,
as you get older, you don't want to you want
to work with people you like, and I know it's
going to work. Also, here's the deal. If you're gonna
hitch on anyway, and hitch on the one is really successful.
Like I had to tell you, I've done. I mean,
when you're doing when Reba's name is involved, it usually
(14:17):
seems to really work out, and I think I love
watching she assembles really good people around her, and I
think that's why it does do that. So I always
I feel safe with her too in a way because
I feel like she's got everyone's best interest at heart,
you know, And it's fun. She makes me laugh, I
make her laugh, and we have a blast together.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
And before you began working together, you didn't know each other,
which is amazing that you built this organic chemistry through
years and years of working together.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
The first day, I you know, I knew who she was.
You know, I mean I wasn't living under a rock,
so I knew who she was. And she that first
day in the RIBA show, she's like, hey, I'm Reba McIntyre. Like,
we don't need your last name, We're where And even
the first I she called me, I was like, I
was so weird. On the phone, She's like, Melissa, it's
Raba and then McIntyre, I'm like, I know, and I got.
(15:10):
The thing about her is like she puts you at
ease right away, and then we just had fun together.
And you know, I keep shoes at her house in Nashville,
so no one takes my room.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
Well, Yeah, you have fun to go your vacation together.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
Vacation together?
Speaker 1 (15:23):
What is a vacation like with Melissa and Raba? What
can we expect?
Speaker 2 (15:27):
A lot of games have been played, Backgammon, Sky Joe everything,
any game, margariteas.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
Ooh spicy regular, What are we talking?
Speaker 2 (15:39):
Whatever comes out of the blender, cocktails games, lots of
laughs and no makeup. Like everyone's sort of just comfy.
And you always know when lunches. That's a very important
riba McIntire thing. Whether you're traveling or on vacation, we
always know what time lunches. She needs to know one lunches.
(15:59):
That's good. I like that.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
That sounds like a fun trip.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
It's a great trip because like I just need to
know where i'd be at lunch.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
Do you need a pool boy?
Speaker 2 (16:08):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (16:09):
Okay, well absolutely, I'm in great, are in great? I
am so excited. I love hearing stories like that. I
think it's so nice in the arts when people who
work together genuinely love each other and it's a job,
and I think people forget that sometimes and you're paired
(16:31):
with coworkers that maybe not that you don't love, but
you just kind of do your job at go home,
there's you don't like, right, So I think it's always
refreshing to see that. And I think that's the magic
of this show and the other show you guys did together.
It's like you want to be in that circle of friendship,
(16:51):
you know.
Speaker 2 (16:52):
And you were talking about like what the nerves were
like too, And then I get nervous, thinking we have
the we're adding these new cast members, we've got, you know,
to call, and we've got and obviously Rex I've gotten
to hang out with because you know, he and Reebarre together,
so I've gotten to spend time with him. But I
didn't know Bellisa or Pablo or Tokala. And you were like,
I don't want to be I don't want to force that.
(17:12):
Let's we're best friends in force at Chemistry. And it
was a really big relief to genuinely like them so
much at the very beginning because you don't know, you
really don't. You can walk onto any set and you
can respect them, have a good time, do a great
scene together, but do you genuinely want to hang out
with them outside of work? Maybe not. And we've been
(17:35):
really I've been very lucky. On the first show on
Baby Daddy on Young Sheldon and on this show that
I genuinely like to be with them and hang out
with these people like I hang out with I still
John Luke and Derek who played the on A Baby Daddy.
My sons came and watched a taping of Happiest Place
for a finale, and I'm still friends with them, and
(17:57):
Annie Potts and like you know, from Young shelld I
love to see her and I'm Rachel. So it's like,
you're so lucky when you get friendships out of what
you do for eleven you probably have that happen all
the time.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
Yeah, yeah, I think it's it's special when that happens,
you know, And you strike me as someone who's very
easy to get along with too, So you you you asked, well, okay,
all right, we'll take up those skeletons later.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
My husband's been with me for twenty six years, so
I'm not always but I think so yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
And that's a cool energy to bring to any sort
of job. And I think that also sets the tone
for what the experience will be like, which is really
cool and amazing. People keep popping up in this show
from from the past. We'll say, right, yes, Christopher rich Rich.
He really hasn't done a ton, right. He was sick
and I believe had a stroke, Yeah, and hasn't acted
(18:47):
much since.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
This is not much really sense the stroke. And I
think a lot of people didn't know that he had
had a stroke, you know. I mean obviously it's not
something that he probably announced him, you know, immediately, but
I think that he's and open about it in more
recent years. But yeah, he had a he had a
pretty big stroke. I think about eight years ago. I
think it was eight years ago around Eastern and terrifying
(19:10):
and scary because you know, this was it is prime.
He's got he had two he has two kids and
three kids and anyway, it was, it was it was.
I was at the hospital I think within days of
that happening, and we were all there for him, and
it was really terrifying, and so it was so lovely
to get him to come back and and to and
(19:32):
to do his thing and to watch him do it
and have a place for like we were like you
you need to come back, they want to see you.
And I think for him he was always He's always Chris.
His body betrayed him in a way that terrified him.
And I think he was nervous, and so this was
a safe place to go. You are Chris Rich, You
are an amazing actor. And to me, he's my family
(19:54):
because Rock was he was Brock and Barbaging. He was
my truly my partner on that show. And I was
young and he taught me so much and he is
forever my family. So it was just so gratifying to
have him come and he crushed it. He crushed it
and he and he was so open about and even
in those women there was talks before about if there
(20:16):
was a possible rebo what happening. Chris was very much
like I will say that Brock had a stroke. He
was not going to be shy about wanting to explore
what those what that story would be, and that what
it would be like for Barbaging if she was a caretaker,
and stuff like that. So I love that he was
really willing to be open about it and talk about
what the realities of it are, find humor in it,
(20:38):
make the jokes, because again you have to if you
you know, we all know somebody or were related to somebody,
or someone we love is related to somebody that has
maybe gone through a stroke, Parkinson's any of these things
that are just hard for everybody to deal with. So
again I feel like I'm rambling.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
Do you edit these You're weally want to edit yoube
we don't want to edit you. I'm here for all
of it. That's that's the beauty of the show. You
can actually freely speak and not worry about a SoundBite,
you know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (21:07):
Well, it was it was for we was so great.
We've had Steve and which was a whole other wonderful
thing because he's like my brother that I grew up with.
I remember watching him go in for his final test
as Van on Riva and he just was bouncing off
the walls and so funny, so great, and I'm like,
if this guy doesn't get it, I don't know who
(21:28):
could play Van. He was just amazing. No one funnier,
no one makes me laugh like Steve Howie and that
was lovely. But for Chris, it was especially sort of
gratifying just to watch him come out and be received
so well, like you can. You're such a great you
give so much hope to everybody like that. Keep going
(21:48):
and get back out there, and I hope he comes back.
The doors are open for him to come back.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
Well, I know the fans are going wild over it,
and they love seeing these little you know, respects to
the past that keep popping up in this show, in
particular the finalees coming up? Yeah, can you tell us anything?
Is there anything we can expect?
Speaker 2 (22:09):
Oh? I was like, when did we shoot that? I remember?
Speaker 1 (22:13):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (22:13):
Yes, I know we have as all good finale season finales,
and there is a little bit of a cliffhanger where
we want to pick it up right where it lefts off.
What can I say? I think I can. I think
they've hinted a little bit about on the show. I
know the episodes, they've hinted a little bit about Emmett
(22:34):
and Bobby, a little bit of that relationship. And I
think that there's there's a moment in this finale that's
kind of fun. Okay, I can say that, you'll want
you here's what I'll say. You'll watch it go like,
when is it coming back? I want to know what happens.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
Okay, yeah, oh, cliffhanger.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
There might be a little I can say. I can.
I think I can say there might be a little
love in there.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
Okay, all right, Well, we're ready for it. We're ready
to watch that. I think it's so cool that you're
sitting here across from me and I'm thinking in my
mind about all the shows you've done and how you've
consistently been working in that sitcom space, right, like you've
become one of the raining queens of sitcom.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
And wow you have and you have you recorded that? Right?
Speaker 1 (23:15):
You should put that on your Instagram Buio queen of
rob coms too.
Speaker 2 (23:21):
Maybe right, that's you know what, there's still life in
this old girl. I can be wrong. It can be
a romantic comedy, right.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
You can do it all, but it's it's amazing because
that's not the norm. So what do you think is
one of your secrets to success with your work?
Speaker 2 (23:40):
Don't be afraid to not be number one on the
call sheet or number two or number three or even
number four, Like don't it's be the team player, be that,
be the sidekicks. Sometimes it comes in and like, I
don't know, I think some people are like, oh, I
don't want to do that. That's that seems like it's
not enough or it's not big enough. Like no, it's
(24:02):
being part of an ensemble. To me is where I
think everyone can really shine. So I don't know, don't
be afraid to be the bet story. I think because
sometimes when you're great at the B story, you become
the A story. Does that make sense. I've always felt
such freedom and not on being the sidekick in a
(24:24):
way and getting there's to me there's freedom and getting
to be a little bit crazy, the crazy one, the
one that has a little I don't have to hold
everything together. I can have a little of freedom in there.
And I love that. And I love sitcoms. I'm a
theater girl at heart, and so there's to me that
medium is like a one act play every week. So
(24:45):
I love rehearsal. I love coming up with bits. I
think if I could say if I had a secret sauce,
and I don't know if I have a secret sauce,
but I think it's my ability in rehearsals to try
stuff and to not be afraid to to ask to
try something. And and I've been very lucky that I've
(25:05):
been with showrunners and writers that allow that to happen.
Like I love to I have ideas. I think that's
a good thing, come to work with ideas. I think
that makes maybe people I hope want to work with
me that I just don't wait for them to tell
me what to do. I've like, I've already thought of
six things. What if we had this, this, and this.
You know it's funny. Straws are funny. Let's get a
(25:26):
straw in there, Like I like to be that person
that and I love it. You know, I've been really lucky,
Like we've got a props department that you know that
goes Kenny. You know it'll be funny. Let's try this
and those little details of like really, I really love
the medium. I just love and I love funny. And
I think I think I understand comedy. I think so
(25:48):
I understand comedy. Maybe that's why I'm good at it.
But I love it. And I think there's been times
where I've taken the job that maybe felt like it
wasn't not not it wasn't, but just like you do
want to be there. You're supposed to be the guest
star on just a Pilom, Well maybe I was supposed
to be, but now I'm on every episode, you know
what I mean? Like, don't I think there was some
(26:08):
of some of those moments in my life and for
sure on that's how it happened on Baby Daddy. I
think Bonnie Wheeler was supposed to not be in every episode,
and I think people like, you're just gonna play the mom,
and they're like, yeah, I'm gonna play the mom on
that and I'm gonna have a great time. It's gonna
be fun. And it turns out I did a hundred episodes.
So I think, say yes to those things and show.
Speaker 1 (26:29):
Up, because you never know where it's gonna do.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
You never know, you never know. I always tell it
to people. Someone asks you to come fill in at
a table read because an actor can't make it, and
even though you know it's not your part, go in
there and kill it at the table read. Someone's watching
you that has another part somewhere else, So say yes
and show up.
Speaker 1 (26:48):
Are you somebody who has faced a lot of rejection
in your career because it seems like you've been working
non stop?
Speaker 2 (26:55):
Well, that's it appears that way, I mean, and I've
been very lucky that I have, and very pretty much not.
I've had some dry years for sure, and faced rejections.
A lot of parts I really wanted that I didn't get.
Sometimes felt like not part of the cool club of comedy,
you know sometimes but then reminding myself that there is
(27:17):
way everyone feels like they're not in a club sometimes.
I think I've learned that lesson as I got older, too,
where like you can be in a room where everyone
I just think are legendary and I admire so much,
and I guarantee you they're probably and I went, oh
my gosh, they that person. They looked at me and
they might have known my name or or I can
tell them how much. And everyone feels like they don't
(27:38):
they're not in the club. I kind of think that,
I know, I know that, I think everyone doesn't feel
like they're part of the club. But I have faced rejection.
I've been fired before, and that's awful, and it happens
to everyone where you get fired from a pilot or
you get recast, that's what they call it. It doesn't
make it not be firing. You're fired, and I'll forget
(28:00):
it was. And the people on the show called me
and just said, it wasn't about you, and you're funny
and great, and it was. It really wasn't about me.
It's sometimes about that they wanted somebody shorter or whatever.
But I've really tried very hard, and I think I've
been I think I've done it every time when I
when it's been someone else that's gone Friday, I made
sure I reached out and let them know, because when
(28:22):
someone reached out to me, it made the difference for me,
you know. And the very next day I had an
audition for another thing by the same producers, so in
their mind it was like, no big deal. We just
fired her from there because she wasn't right. There's this
other thing, and I'm like, oh my god, I still
have orange dust on my fingers from the Cheetos I
ate in the car. I got to wash this off
(28:42):
and go to an audition, you know. And I do
remember that quite clearly, thinking if I don't get up
and go to that audition today, I might not do
it for a while. And I did. And I think
that every actor and any it doesn't even matter if
you're in the business. I think where all everyone gets rejected.
I think it hurts my parents more now than it
(29:02):
ever did me. My mom like, you know what, I'm
not gonna I'm not going to buy that cereal. You
didn't get that commercial like A like I'm not going
to I'm like you know, Pam, I think that they
noticed that big dip in the Midwest sales and the
director feels horrible. They feel horrible, or sometimes she'll be like,
do you have his number? I'm like, you're not calling them, Pam.
Speaker 1 (29:21):
I love a protective parent.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
They're very protective and if a show doesn't get you know,
if I didn't get picked up with my mom, they
would be devastated, which I understand now. As a parent,
you just want you don't want your kids to face it.
But I'm getting I'm pretty good at rejection. You have
to be yeah, right, yeah.
Speaker 1 (29:44):
Sometimes from the outside it con SeeMe oh my god,
there's nothing to worry about in your world and everything
just comes so naturally and easy. But you too have
had to overcome your own hurdles to get to where
you are. And you've had longevity in this business because
a your talented, but be you've never stop believing in
yourself and you keep going and you don't let those
hardships stop you and believing that.
Speaker 2 (30:05):
There might be years where you're not consistently working, but
you're working enough, and then you have a year that's
spectacular as far as you've been so busy and cherishing that.
I think that's what I was sort of alluding to
in the beginning of like, I know how special it
is now, Like you know, twenty some years ago, you're
like great, and then I'll do this show and I'll
get this show and that show, and now you know,
(30:27):
like this might be the last show or the last thing,
or or for a while it might be. So enjoy
every minute and then be ready to ride out maybe
that next little dry wave until it comes back at you.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
You know. So from being that woman on day one
of Reba to where you are right now, what do
you think you've learned about yourself? What's been one of
the greatest lessons you've given yourself throughout all those years?
Speaker 2 (30:53):
My knees are not going to stay as good as
they were. And you know more than you think you do?
Speaker 1 (31:02):
Mmm?
Speaker 2 (31:03):
I think that I think I know more. I always thought,
well I didn't know that, or why would I be
able to answer that question. I think I think I
know more than I thought I did. As far as
you know, I think we all learned stuff through us.
Most is that we don't give our self credit for
or if you're paying attention, And I think I know
I know more about particularly this business and I than
(31:23):
I thought I did. I don't know does that I
don't even know if that makes sense?
Speaker 1 (31:27):
It does? It does?
Speaker 2 (31:27):
I don't feel like I'm in a studio and I
want to I'm trying to like like give a Ted
talk and I is it? But you know what I mean, Like,
am I saying it right? You are?
Speaker 1 (31:36):
You are? I think that's very right on. I think
we sometimes we're our biggest doubters sometimes right and to
your point, we need a trust and we know what
we know.
Speaker 2 (31:46):
And I know I know more than I thought. Like
there's times where I'm like, oh, I know why we're
switching this scene because that set's got to come down,
because that can't stay there, because we need to bring
this thing. And there's stuff like that where I'm like,
I did know that and I knew that then, or
I know why we have to do it in this order,
or I understand why this line doesn't work if we're
moving on it, if you're standing still hilarious, if we're
(32:07):
moving doesn't work, you can't have him. You know, there's
stuff like that where I go I do know more,
I know more than I than I thought I did.
Speaker 1 (32:15):
So speaking of what you didn't know, when did you
know you were actually funny? Like did you have a
moment where that clicked and you thought, oh, hmm, I
can make a career in this.
Speaker 2 (32:25):
I don't know if I thought I could make a
career in it, but I knew that there was I had.
I knew that there was something about the power of it.
Like it was junior high and I think I made
like people laugh in a classroom and I was like, huh,
I like this, Oh, maybe not going to notice how
tall I am, or how awkward I am, or how
this perm is not quite working on me. And I
(32:45):
knew then that I liked that. And also as a
little kid, for real, my aunt Susan Cathy, they were
like my mom's younger sisters, and they they had an
apartment and my sister and I got to go over
there on weekends and I got to watch Saturday Night Live.
I got to watch you know, Carol Burnett, Second SETV
all that stuff, and I was like, I don't I
want to do that. I want to do whatever they're doing.
(33:09):
And I would put it. I would, you know, try
to make my aunts laugh then, But it was junior
high where I really like. I remember like I made
a joke. I think maybe it was in geometry, and
I know that I made everyone laugh, and I thought, huh,
all right, lean into this Peterman because Homecoming Queen is
not going to be yours. It ain't happening. And I
(33:30):
was voted in high school most likely to become a comedian.
I think I sort of leaned into into it then.
But I think I knew was a little kid like
I was always observing, and I think that's what people,
or I think when people are surprised at the funniest
person like that, they want to meet her a comic.
Maybe in real life they're a little more of an introvert.
And I think that a lot of people that are
funny are watching people. And I loved to like watch
(33:52):
people and observe them. And I think I knew what
funny was pretty early on.
Speaker 1 (33:57):
Thank God, Thank God. Imagine a world without your I mean,
what would we do?
Speaker 2 (34:01):
It will be quieter if I bring a lot of quality,
but I make up for it in volume.
Speaker 1 (34:06):
Well, we're here for all of that. We want more
and more and more.
Speaker 2 (34:09):
If it wasn't funny, then get louder.
Speaker 1 (34:10):
Oh, I like that. Yeah, I like that, Melissa. I
could talk to you for twenty more hours, but I'm
not going to keep coffee.
Speaker 2 (34:17):
I'm not going to sleep tonight.
Speaker 1 (34:18):
Should we get cocktails?
Speaker 2 (34:20):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (34:20):
I should have had cocktails.
Speaker 2 (34:22):
Express some martinis.
Speaker 1 (34:23):
Oh, I mess that up next time, next time. But
as we wrap up this episode, I know the name
of the show is called I've never said this before,
Oh you know it's coming. So this was born because
I cover a lot of red carpets and junkets, and
you get a minute and a half on a carpet,
you get three minutes in a junket. It's not real conversation.
It's you know, headline based, and it's mainly about the
(34:46):
project and only the project, which is great and has
tremendous value. But I wanted to create a space where
people can come on and really show a different side
that they don't get to. We's show and show that
human connection. So is there anything you can think of
what what that means to you that you've never said
before in an interview that you want to share today?
Speaker 2 (35:06):
Well, you were great because you gave me time to ponder,
and I think I've pondered it so much and there's
so many ways to go, and I know that I
thought about it, and I thought about it a lot,
and I think that I don't know if this will
be helpful. I will probably cry, but I think you
want me to cry. No, When I think this might
(35:29):
be helpful, I think that something I've never said before
is I was always the mom I wanted to be. Yeah, Wow,
it's hard to balance everything.
Speaker 1 (35:45):
Did you ever doubt?
Speaker 2 (35:46):
I always every parent out there will feel like they
doubt how they did. My son is great, he's wonderful.
He's nineteen. And I know I was there more than
you know you could always have been because I had
the luxury of nine to five. But sometimes you just wish.
I don't know. I think I was always the best
(36:06):
mom that I could be in that moment, But as
a parent, I think maybe I'm an empty nester right now.
So he just left, so I'm like really missing him.
So I think I just want to go back and
do moments again.
Speaker 1 (36:18):
It goes fast.
Speaker 2 (36:19):
It goes fast. So everyone out there when they go like, oh,
enjoy every minute goes fast, and you're like, no, it doesn't.
I'm I'm holding a shitty diaper right now and I
want to take a nap, enjoy it for real, because
it does go super fast and I like it. I
wanted to say that because I think everyone thinks you
can do it all every second, and the reality is
every day you can do one thing really well and
(36:39):
one thing kind of well, and the next day you
might do the other thing really well and the other
thing kind of well. So yeah, I don't think I oh,
I don't think you always get the luxury to be
the exact parent in every moment, Like you're like, uh,
I wish I didn't have the phone that day, or
you know, there's just a little nothing tragic or anything
like that. Just embrace those moments, you.
Speaker 1 (36:59):
Know, Yeah, was was there a lot of moments throughout
your life where you thought, God, I'm not being the
mom I want to be And you're finally at that
place now, Like, was this a hard place for you
to get at because you're so emotional about.
Speaker 2 (37:13):
I honestly think it's because he just he's not at
home anymore.
Speaker 1 (37:17):
Yeah, I think I was.
Speaker 2 (37:18):
Honestly, I really know I was a good mom and
I had so much time with him, and my husband
was I was. I had the luxury of having my
husband be at home if I had to work, and
a sitcom is like like the best schedule. I was
always there and I didn't miss a lot of stuff
or time. I really didn't. But you know, I just
it's not even about my job. It was just about
(37:41):
it went so fast, and I wish and I do
that thing where I will like look at baby pictures
and go like I want that moment back. So I
think it's just being present in moments. Sometimes we rush things,
we fast forward through things, like even like little moments
like oh, I can't wait till this birthday party is
(38:01):
over and I can clean up, Like no, it's don't
so No. I don't think it was any moment where
I thought I was a wasn't the mom a bad mom.
It was just in hindsight, I wish I had moments.
I wish I enjoyed every moment a little bit more. Yeah,
but I think we all have those.
Speaker 1 (38:18):
It's hard to always be present.
Speaker 2 (38:20):
It's hard.
Speaker 1 (38:21):
It's a fight, right, it's a fight.
Speaker 2 (38:22):
And I really was lucky I had we always had
one of us was always home. Yeah, and maybe it's
that time where you feel like I've gotten so lucky
that I've gotten to I've been blessed to do what
I love and also have and get to be a parent.
And maybe you feel like how lucky. Maybe I don't know.
(38:43):
I just miss him. Call your mother, Riley, if you're listening.
I miss you, really, I do. He left in January
is when he started school. So I just want my
baby back for like a day. And my mom used
to always say, if I could ever have a time machine,
I'd have one more day with you and your sister
as little girls. And I would be like whatever, And
(39:04):
then now I go, oh, I get it. I absolutely
I get it. So now as a daughter, I have
made a vow my sister and I've actually said it
that if we ever have an opportunity where we both
have a free weekend, or we both have time and
it's possible to see our parents, we do you know.
Speaker 1 (39:23):
Well, something tells me if he was in this room
next to me and we were asking him a question
about you being an amazing mom, he would be beaming
and saying she is the best.
Speaker 2 (39:33):
I think I was. Really, I'll just know. I just
know that every parent out there will go no matter
how wonderful or good of a mom you were it's
you never feel like it's enough.
Speaker 1 (39:42):
Yeah, yeah, no, it's I trust me. I'm not a parent,
but I am an uncle and a lot of friends
are parents, and it's a very common thing I hear.
And I love that you share that today because it's
so relatable. And again, when are you going to say
this on a red carpet when you have a minute
with somebody? Probably not.
Speaker 2 (39:57):
If I did, they might go, ma'am, I am, You're
fifty minutes are up. You need to get to your
seat because the seed filler's done with it. They were like, no,
I've got one more.
Speaker 1 (40:08):
You know what.
Speaker 2 (40:08):
As a child, I never I mean I could have
gone what was The other one was like, you know,
I've never said you're paying me too much?
Speaker 1 (40:15):
Which was it bro like that?
Speaker 2 (40:17):
But no, I really wanted to share that because I
think mothers we do not and parents just have to
be everyone parents. You never to cut your because I
felt like I always say to people, cut yourself some slack.
I think I feel like that's something I would say
in red carpets, like you know, and then going like yeah,
but sometimes at night I go, oh, I don't cut myself.
Speaker 1 (40:38):
That, you know, So yeah, well, thank you, thank you
for sharing that, thank you for being here, thank you
for the gift of your comedy, and for happiest.
Speaker 2 (40:47):
Place to watch this ago.
Speaker 1 (40:48):
She's hilarious right right now.
Speaker 2 (40:50):
Look at her, She's just hilarious, balling all over his mic,
drinking coffee.
Speaker 1 (40:56):
I love it all. It makes you more human And seriously,
the show couldn't be more needed, I think in this
world than right now. I am so happy. There's a
season two coming out too, and we look forward to
the finale airing later this month. And just keep bringing
us more joy. I'm progie.
Speaker 2 (41:14):
I promise, I absolutely promise. We do need it.
Speaker 1 (41:17):
We need lots of it, and you bring a lot
of it. So thank you for hanging out. I'm so
happy you could come today.
Speaker 2 (41:22):
I'm too thank you, thank you.
Speaker 1 (41:26):
I've Never Said This Before is hosted by Me Tommy Dedario.
This podcast is executive produced by Andrew Publisi at iHeartRadio
and by Me Tommy, with editing by Joshua Colaudney. I've
Never Said This Before is part of the Elvis Duran
podcast network on iHeart Podcasts. For more, rate review and
subscribe to our show and if you liked this episode,
(41:49):
tell your friends. Until next time, I'm Tommy de Dario
Hey guys, welcome to I've never said this before with
me Tommy di Dario, so today's guest. Oh man, she
brings so much joy to the world and to experience
her beautiful spirit up close and personal, h it was
such a treat. The talented actress Melissa Peterman joins my
show today. Who you know and you love from so
(00:21):
many beloved roles, but you most likely fell in love
with her from her role in the smashit television series Riba,
where she worked alongside the one and only Reba McIntyre.
Of course, so all is right in the world again
because she's teaming up with her friend in the NBC
comedy Happy's Place, which just got renewed for season two
because that's how popular it is now. Not only did
(00:43):
she reunite with Riba for Happy's Place, but she reunited
with the Riba team of writers to make some magic
come to life in a completely different and new, unique story.
And if you haven't seen Happy's Place yet, here's the
cliff Notes version. Follow me here. It's about a tough
and lovable woman. That's who Riba plays who and it's
her late father's Tennessee tavern to well only then discover
(01:04):
her new co owner is also the half sister that
she never knew she had. Yeah, did you get all that?
And Melissa plays Gabby, who's worked at the tavern for
quite some time. And let me tell you, Melissa's character
is a total vibe. But here's what I love about
this series. It's about three women that are definitely in
all different places in their lives, and on paper they
(01:26):
seem so opposite, but in reality, well, they all have
some pretty important things to learn from each other. It's
a show full of so much heart. And do you
want to know how much I love hanging out with Melissa?
So much so that I am embarrassed to admit I
invited myself on her next vacation with Reba because that's
how much I enjoyed her company. I didn't want to
leave her. We laughed, we cried, and we had many
(01:49):
heartfelt moments in this conversation that you're about to hear.
So let's see if today we can get Melissa to
say something that she has never said before. Melissa, Hi,
I am so happy to see you. How are you?
Speaker 2 (02:07):
I'm great? Thanks?
Speaker 1 (02:08):
You are like radiating right now.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Well, it only took a mirror, I don't know. Two
and a half hours and I just start to radiate.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
Well, there we go. Welcome to New York.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Thanks. I love it here.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
You love it here, I really do.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
I still, in my mind have that thought that someday
I'll have a little place here and I can come
and just see five shows in a weekend and be there.
But I don't know if that's in the cards. You
have to be really young and willing to live with
like ten people, or extremely wealthy. I think to maneuver
New York, right, it could be.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
A tough city. It can be a tough city, but
it's a good city.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
But it is, and I really I love love being here.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
Well, we're happy to have you. Welcome to the show.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
I feel like I've already fallen in love with you
because I was looking at your Instagram and I came
across a video where Reba came to set and announced
the season two pickup of Happy Place. Yeah, and your
reaction was so sweet. You have the biggest goofiest beautiful
smile on your face, tears of joy. You were so
(03:10):
ecstatic in that moment. What does that mean to you?
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Ah? Well, clearly a lot I mean it means everything.
I mean, you I felt like I've won the lottery
several times in my lifetime just do a show that
got picked up one time and then to have it
happen a couple times. It's like, it's not that's not
who gets to do that, and just very grateful and
(03:35):
you know, it's funny. I think I was talking about
thinking about it the first time around. I didn't know
what it was going to mean, you know, getting to
do that show. I was naive. I was like, I've
got a job, I'm an actor. I'm doing it, and
I'm just trying to keep my head like low and like,
don't get fired, Melissa, you know. And turns out that
that show, the first Rieba show, changed my life in
so many ways professionally, personally I have lifelong friends and
(03:57):
forever family from there. And the second time around, it's
almost more precious because I know now I know how
rare it is. I know, like when you're kids, like ah,
I'll do this show and then I'll do that show,
and you know, life's all ahead of you, and now
you think it's far more precious to me. This could
be it's really rare and we're taking you want to
like take good care of it, you know, in a
(04:19):
way I know how rare it is. That was a
really long answer. Yes, I was extremely nappy and grateful,
and I cried.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Yes, well, it's beautiful, it really is. And I mean
this show is resonating with people in such a big way.
I mean, seventeen point six million people watch the premiere
across all platforms, which is just a number you don't
see these days anymore. It's right. I mean, you know,
it's such a rarity to hit that kind of a number,
which means people are loving it, they're buying it, they
(04:49):
want more of it. Why do you think that is?
Speaker 2 (04:51):
I think I think there's a renaissance of multicams in particular,
because it feels nostalgic. It feels like it's something you
can watch and forget things, and you want to hang
out with these people for what is it now? Twenty
three minutes at a time, I think about what I
watched or what I continue to watch. In times where
I'm like, ugh, this is it's crazy. I need to
(05:14):
turn off. I go to my favorite sitcoms. I go
to my favorite characters, those families. I still watch those
I'll go watch. I think during COVID, I was watching
Family Ties again because I wanted some time with the Keatons.
So I think these kind of shows where you get
to know these characters and they feel like family, they're fun,
they feel good. I think there's a hunger out there
again for them. And people say, you know, sitcoms, they
(05:36):
were dead, they went away. I don't think they ever did.
I just think something felt cooler for a minute, and
then they made more of those, and there's always a
place for them. I like to believe that.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
And they're having a big moment right they are. You know,
there's a lot as that comes across traditional broadcast television
that I feel like are pretty explosive.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Yeah. So I think Nightcourt was that first time where
they were doing it and that sort of opened the
door for more sitcoms and four camera multicams to be made.
And I know right now, I feel like I'm opening
up and reading a deadline article, you know, at least
weekly where I'm seeing another multiicam pilot happening, which is exciting,
and you know, I think people think, well, does that
(06:14):
make you nervous that there's no when there's more there's enough.
There's enough pieces of pie for everyone, and when one succeeds,
that means more can succeed, and that's there's not an
infinite amount of success, so it's exciting.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Well, that mentality is one of the many reasons why
you've had so much success in your career, right because
I don't know if everybody thinks like that, and to
support other people and want other people to do well
and look at the big picture of television and think
like that, it's rare.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
I think, well, that makes me sad. I think it
should not be rare. But maybe that is why I'm
you know it, When one funny woman succeeds, it doesn't
mean there's less roles for me. Means that means they
want more funny women. And I learned early on. I
don't know or knew early on. Maybe I you know,
(07:02):
Reba was always a great example of watch knowing that
if one person shined, it's better for us. She was
the first one to be like, give Steve Howie that line,
or give Melissa that line, because it's going to be funnier,
and then if we get a laugh, it means everyone
did better that night. So I think that's just been
a night. Maybe I don't know. I'm my parents, I'm
a Midwest girl. It was sort of that way, but
(07:24):
you know, you can still have moments like oh, I
wish I would have gotten that part, but I'm sure
glad she did. And I just think success begets success.
Did I say it begets a word? Let's say it's
a word. It's a word, and it has helped me
in times where I felt like, where's my thing? You know?
And I think that's a bad place to live in.
Whatever you do is where's mine. It's never a healthy,
(07:48):
good place and no success will come to you in
that place. So I really I really made an effort
early on to really go you know what it's the
part wasn't yours. Yours is still out there, and yes
they went another way, and that person's going to be great,
but it's not you because you have to think that
(08:08):
way as an actor. There's a lot of talented people,
but there's no one that no one will do it
like you did it. So that wasn't your part. They
didn't need that for this part.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
You're bringing me to church today and I'm here for it.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
Oh, I'm going to be to be fair. I've also
eaten a pack of Cheetos in my car cried for
a minute, you know, after an audition, going like shoot,
I really wanted that.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
I also feel like there's been times like I've done
a network test and I think I lost a role
because I had a bubble in my throat, like where
you did that any way, and like, no, I've got timing.
I had a bubble.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
You've been through it all.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
I've been through it all.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
Yeah, Well that's amazing. I'm so happy to see you
here at this point of your career on a show
that people love, and you know, coming off of the
Riba Show, I'm working with a lot of the similar
folks you know, behind the camera and front in front
of the camera as well, and now doing the show.
Did you have any fear or anxiety or a worry like, Okay,
people know Reeb and I on this hit show and
(09:04):
now we're doing another one, like are they going to
compare them? What do we did you do? Think like that?
Or no?
Speaker 2 (09:08):
Absolutely, you know there was excitement and also yeah, anxiety too,
because people want they love that show is so beloved
and it lives on in syndication and people they maybe
want we want exactly what that was, and we weren't
going to be were It wasn't going to be a reboot,
so you worry like, oh, are they going to like this?
You're like, well, that's not exactly what we wanted because
(09:29):
people wanted it. They wanted that reboot, and we were
nervous and excited but really hopeful that they would be
accepting of this. And I think we were. Kevin Abbott,
who is was the showrunner on the Riba TV show
and is the showrunner for Happy's Place, We've got him,
We've got Matt Barry, We've got our producers Michael and Mindy,
so we've all been there, and so I think they
(09:51):
were very mindful of going it is going to be different,
and it might bump people for a minute, but if
they hang on, they're going to see that we are
keeping true to the chemist. You two have the feel
of that show, the tone of that show, which is
we want it to be funny, we want it to
have heart, and we want people to want to come
back and spend time with him every week. So but yeah,
(10:12):
I was scared. I was like, Oh, what if they
they're like, it's not Barbara. You know, it's not Reeba
and Barbara Jing again, it's Bobby and Gabby And are
they going to be okay with that? And I'm not
the half sister, I'm this person, and so I think
maybe there probably were people that they were like, well,
this isn't it. But I think if they came back,
they they'll stay. And they did stay. So that was
(10:32):
a relief too. But I was scared. I was like,
what if they what if they want exactly that and
it's not that it's different.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
Yeah, well it's clearly resonating in such a big way.
We're there conversations about rebooting Riba before this came to be,
and like how did that happen? And what made you
all decide, you know what, let's do something new.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
I wish I could say I'm ever the one who
decides anything, because I'm not. I'm the one like when
do you where do I show up? What time?
Speaker 1 (10:59):
In your opinion matters?
Speaker 2 (11:01):
Well in my house it does. But you know that
the reboot idea has been floated all the time, like
whether it was rumors on social media or actual conversations,
it's been there. I think again, I'm never involved in
any of the big decisions. But part of it I
think was is the timing right? Who owns the rights
(11:21):
to this? And then now somebody bought that company, Now
they own the rights to this. We have to get
permission here, there, and everywhere. So it's always never I
don't think the timing was right for us or for
the people who owned it. I don't know. I don't
know that part. I know that there was conversations about
it and it didn't work out, and then you get
(11:42):
disappointed and you think, is it ever gonna Are we
gonna ever get to do anything again? And Reba's always
been I think the reason why she is still working
and resonating with people is she's always like, what I'm
supposed to be doing will happen when it's supposed to happen.
So she was always like, let's have faith, and other
ideas were floated, like the ideas, different ideas for us
her and I to work together didn't pan out, and
(12:04):
then Julia Abbot, Kevin Abbitt's wife, had this idea about
what if it's woman finds out that has a half
sister upon you know, the reading of the will, and
it came up with this idea and Kevin Abbott wrote
it it felt right, and then little baby steps happened,
and I'm still very cautious when I'm like, okay, great,
so they want you to write a pilot, all right,
Well call me when that goes. And then like, now
(12:25):
they want to we want to make a pilot, all right,
Well we did that. That was great. All right, we'll
call me if it gets picked up. And it was
what did Reba say? It was like cautiously optimistic always
because in this business you don't know. And so yeah,
in every little step it just kept we kept getting
a yes, and that felt really, really good, really good,
(12:46):
And I won't lie the first time we walked on
the first day of walking on the set and seeing
the set and seeing her sitting there, it was like
there were some tears of like it hits here. We've
been talking about this for twenty years.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
Yeah, I feel like and it's so rare that you
get to work with people again who you gel with
and love and want to work with. I mean, that's
just not a norm in the business. So what keeps
you coming back from more with three? But why do
you want to keep working with her?
Speaker 2 (13:12):
Well, she's truly become one of my closest friends. We
have the timing, like I know, I don't even have
to say anything, and she knows what I'm going to do,
and I know what she's going to do. And I've
been so lucky. I've worked with so many amazing people
and actors, and there's been there's a few that are
(13:32):
just you just you don't know what it is. But
I felt like that on the first show, like especially
in that season two where just like, oh, we're supposed
to this is supposed to be a comedic duo sort
of thing. She's easy, we have a shorthand, she makes
me laugh. We trust each other, and I think that's
really important for actors, Like when you trust, I know,
I trust, she's got my best interests at heart. She's generous,
(13:57):
she's fun to work with, and who doesn't. I mean,
as you get older, you don't want to you want
to work with people you like, and I know it's
going to work. Also, here's the deal. If you're gonna
hitch on anyway, and hitch on the one is really successful.
Like I had to tell you, I've done. I mean,
when you're doing when Reba's name is involved, it usually
(14:17):
seems to really work out, and I think I love
watching she assembles really good people around her, and I
think that's why it does do that. So I always
I feel safe with her too in a way because
I feel like she's got everyone's best interest at heart,
you know, And it's fun. She makes me laugh, I
make her laugh, and we have a blast together.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
And before you began working together, you didn't know each other,
which is amazing that you built this organic chemistry through
years and years of working together.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
The first day, I you know, I knew who she was.
You know, I mean I wasn't living under a rock,
so I knew who she was. And she that first
day in the RIBA show, she's like, hey, I'm Reba McIntyre. Like,
we don't need your last name, We're where And even
the first I she called me, I was like, I
was so weird. On the phone, She's like, Melissa, it's
Raba and then McIntyre, I'm like, I know, and I got.
(15:10):
The thing about her is like she puts you at
ease right away, and then we just had fun together.
And you know, I keep shoes at her house in Nashville,
so no one takes my room.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
Well, Yeah, you have fun to go your vacation together.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
Vacation together?
Speaker 1 (15:23):
What is a vacation like with Melissa and Raba? What
can we expect?
Speaker 2 (15:27):
A lot of games have been played, Backgammon, Sky Joe everything,
any game, margariteas.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
Ooh spicy regular, What are we talking?
Speaker 2 (15:39):
Whatever comes out of the blender, cocktails games, lots of
laughs and no makeup. Like everyone's sort of just comfy.
And you always know when lunches. That's a very important
riba McIntire thing. Whether you're traveling or on vacation, we
always know what time lunches. She needs to know one lunches.
(15:59):
That's good. I like that.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
That sounds like a fun trip.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
It's a great trip because like I just need to
know where i'd be at lunch.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
Do you need a pool boy?
Speaker 2 (16:08):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (16:09):
Okay, well absolutely, I'm in great, are in great? I
am so excited. I love hearing stories like that. I
think it's so nice in the arts when people who
work together genuinely love each other and it's a job,
and I think people forget that sometimes and you're paired
(16:31):
with coworkers that maybe not that you don't love, but
you just kind of do your job at go home,
there's you don't like, right, So I think it's always
refreshing to see that. And I think that's the magic
of this show and the other show you guys did together.
It's like you want to be in that circle of friendship,
(16:51):
you know.
Speaker 2 (16:52):
And you were talking about like what the nerves were
like too, And then I get nervous, thinking we have
the we're adding these new cast members, we've got, you know,
to call, and we've got and obviously Rex I've gotten
to hang out with because you know, he and Reebarre together,
so I've gotten to spend time with him. But I
didn't know Bellisa or Pablo or Tokala. And you were like,
I don't want to be I don't want to force that.
(17:12):
Let's we're best friends in force at Chemistry. And it
was a really big relief to genuinely like them so
much at the very beginning because you don't know, you
really don't. You can walk onto any set and you
can respect them, have a good time, do a great
scene together, but do you genuinely want to hang out
with them outside of work? Maybe not. And we've been
(17:35):
really I've been very lucky. On the first show on
Baby Daddy on Young Sheldon and on this show that
I genuinely like to be with them and hang out
with these people like I hang out with I still
John Luke and Derek who played the on A Baby Daddy.
My sons came and watched a taping of Happiest Place
for a finale, and I'm still friends with them, and
(17:57):
Annie Potts and like you know, from Young shelld I
love to see her and I'm Rachel. So it's like,
you're so lucky when you get friendships out of what
you do for eleven you probably have that happen all
the time.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
Yeah, yeah, I think it's it's special when that happens,
you know, And you strike me as someone who's very
easy to get along with too, So you you you asked, well, okay,
all right, we'll take up those skeletons later.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
My husband's been with me for twenty six years, so
I'm not always but I think so yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
And that's a cool energy to bring to any sort
of job. And I think that also sets the tone
for what the experience will be like, which is really
cool and amazing. People keep popping up in this show
from from the past. We'll say, right, yes, Christopher rich Rich.
He really hasn't done a ton, right. He was sick
and I believe had a stroke, Yeah, and hasn't acted
(18:47):
much since.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
This is not much really sense the stroke. And I
think a lot of people didn't know that he had
had a stroke, you know. I mean obviously it's not
something that he probably announced him, you know, immediately, but
I think that he's and open about it in more
recent years. But yeah, he had a he had a
pretty big stroke. I think about eight years ago. I
think it was eight years ago around Eastern and terrifying
(19:10):
and scary because you know, this was it is prime.
He's got he had two he has two kids and
three kids and anyway, it was, it was it was.
I was at the hospital I think within days of
that happening, and we were all there for him, and
it was really terrifying, and so it was so lovely
to get him to come back and and to and
(19:32):
to do his thing and to watch him do it
and have a place for like we were like you
you need to come back, they want to see you.
And I think for him he was always He's always Chris.
His body betrayed him in a way that terrified him.
And I think he was nervous, and so this was
a safe place to go. You are Chris Rich, You
are an amazing actor. And to me, he's my family
(19:54):
because Rock was he was Brock and Barbaging. He was
my truly my partner on that show. And I was
young and he taught me so much and he is
forever my family. So it was just so gratifying to
have him come and he crushed it. He crushed it
and he and he was so open about and even
in those women there was talks before about if there
(20:16):
was a possible rebo what happening. Chris was very much
like I will say that Brock had a stroke. He
was not going to be shy about wanting to explore
what those what that story would be, and that what
it would be like for Barbaging if she was a caretaker,
and stuff like that. So I love that he was
really willing to be open about it and talk about
what the realities of it are, find humor in it,
(20:38):
make the jokes, because again you have to if you
you know, we all know somebody or were related to somebody,
or someone we love is related to somebody that has
maybe gone through a stroke, Parkinson's any of these things
that are just hard for everybody to deal with. So
again I feel like I'm rambling.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
Do you edit these You're weally want to edit yoube
we don't want to edit you. I'm here for all
of it. That's that's the beauty of the show. You
can actually freely speak and not worry about a SoundBite,
you know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (21:07):
Well, it was it was for we was so great.
We've had Steve and which was a whole other wonderful
thing because he's like my brother that I grew up with.
I remember watching him go in for his final test
as Van on Riva and he just was bouncing off
the walls and so funny, so great, and I'm like,
if this guy doesn't get it, I don't know who
(21:28):
could play Van. He was just amazing. No one funnier,
no one makes me laugh like Steve Howie and that
was lovely. But for Chris, it was especially sort of
gratifying just to watch him come out and be received
so well, like you can. You're such a great you
give so much hope to everybody like that. Keep going
(21:48):
and get back out there, and I hope he comes back.
The doors are open for him to come back.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
Well, I know the fans are going wild over it,
and they love seeing these little you know, respects to
the past that keep popping up in this show, in
particular the finalees coming up? Yeah, can you tell us anything?
Is there anything we can expect?
Speaker 2 (22:09):
Oh? I was like, when did we shoot that? I remember?
Speaker 1 (22:13):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (22:13):
Yes, I know we have as all good finale season finales,
and there is a little bit of a cliffhanger where
we want to pick it up right where it lefts off.
What can I say? I think I can. I think
they've hinted a little bit about on the show. I
know the episodes, they've hinted a little bit about Emmett
(22:34):
and Bobby, a little bit of that relationship. And I
think that there's there's a moment in this finale that's
kind of fun. Okay, I can say that, you'll want
you here's what I'll say. You'll watch it go like,
when is it coming back? I want to know what happens.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
Okay, yeah, oh, cliffhanger.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
There might be a little I can say. I can.
I think I can say there might be a little
love in there.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
Okay, all right, Well, we're ready for it. We're ready
to watch that. I think it's so cool that you're
sitting here across from me and I'm thinking in my
mind about all the shows you've done and how you've
consistently been working in that sitcom space, right, like you've
become one of the raining queens of sitcom.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
And wow you have and you have you recorded that? Right?
Speaker 1 (23:15):
You should put that on your Instagram Buio queen of
rob coms too.
Speaker 2 (23:21):
Maybe right, that's you know what, there's still life in
this old girl. I can be wrong. It can be
a romantic comedy, right.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
You can do it all, but it's it's amazing because
that's not the norm. So what do you think is
one of your secrets to success with your work?
Speaker 2 (23:40):
Don't be afraid to not be number one on the
call sheet or number two or number three or even
number four, Like don't it's be the team player, be that,
be the sidekicks. Sometimes it comes in and like, I
don't know, I think some people are like, oh, I
don't want to do that. That's that seems like it's
not enough or it's not big enough. Like no, it's
(24:02):
being part of an ensemble. To me is where I
think everyone can really shine. So I don't know, don't
be afraid to be the bet story. I think because
sometimes when you're great at the B story, you become
the A story. Does that make sense. I've always felt
such freedom and not on being the sidekick in a
(24:24):
way and getting there's to me there's freedom and getting
to be a little bit crazy, the crazy one, the
one that has a little I don't have to hold
everything together. I can have a little of freedom in there.
And I love that. And I love sitcoms. I'm a
theater girl at heart, and so there's to me that
medium is like a one act play every week. So
(24:45):
I love rehearsal. I love coming up with bits. I
think if I could say if I had a secret sauce,
and I don't know if I have a secret sauce,
but I think it's my ability in rehearsals to try
stuff and to not be afraid to to ask to
try something. And and I've been very lucky that I've
(25:05):
been with showrunners and writers that allow that to happen.
Like I love to I have ideas. I think that's
a good thing, come to work with ideas. I think
that makes maybe people I hope want to work with
me that I just don't wait for them to tell
me what to do. I've like, I've already thought of
six things. What if we had this, this, and this.
You know it's funny. Straws are funny. Let's get a
(25:26):
straw in there, Like I like to be that person
that and I love it. You know, I've been really lucky,
Like we've got a props department that you know that
goes Kenny. You know it'll be funny. Let's try this
and those little details of like really, I really love
the medium. I just love and I love funny. And
I think I think I understand comedy. I think so
(25:48):
I understand comedy. Maybe that's why I'm good at it.
But I love it. And I think there's been times
where I've taken the job that maybe felt like it
wasn't not not it wasn't, but just like you do
want to be there. You're supposed to be the guest
star on just a Pilom, Well maybe I was supposed
to be, but now I'm on every episode, you know
what I mean? Like, don't I think there was some
(26:08):
of some of those moments in my life and for
sure on that's how it happened on Baby Daddy. I
think Bonnie Wheeler was supposed to not be in every episode,
and I think people like, you're just gonna play the mom,
and they're like, yeah, I'm gonna play the mom on
that and I'm gonna have a great time. It's gonna
be fun. And it turns out I did a hundred episodes.
So I think, say yes to those things and show.
Speaker 1 (26:29):
Up, because you never know where it's gonna do.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
You never know, you never know. I always tell it
to people. Someone asks you to come fill in at
a table read because an actor can't make it, and
even though you know it's not your part, go in
there and kill it at the table read. Someone's watching
you that has another part somewhere else, So say yes
and show up.
Speaker 1 (26:48):
Are you somebody who has faced a lot of rejection
in your career because it seems like you've been working
non stop?
Speaker 2 (26:55):
Well, that's it appears that way, I mean, and I've
been very lucky that I have, and very pretty much not.
I've had some dry years for sure, and faced rejections.
A lot of parts I really wanted that I didn't get.
Sometimes felt like not part of the cool club of comedy,
you know sometimes but then reminding myself that there is
(27:17):
way everyone feels like they're not in a club sometimes.
I think I've learned that lesson as I got older, too,
where like you can be in a room where everyone
I just think are legendary and I admire so much,
and I guarantee you they're probably and I went, oh
my gosh, they that person. They looked at me and
they might have known my name or or I can
tell them how much. And everyone feels like they don't
(27:38):
they're not in the club. I kind of think that,
I know, I know that, I think everyone doesn't feel
like they're part of the club. But I have faced rejection.
I've been fired before, and that's awful, and it happens
to everyone where you get fired from a pilot or
you get recast, that's what they call it. It doesn't
make it not be firing. You're fired, and I'll forget
(28:00):
it was. And the people on the show called me
and just said, it wasn't about you, and you're funny
and great, and it was. It really wasn't about me.
It's sometimes about that they wanted somebody shorter or whatever.
But I've really tried very hard, and I think I've
been I think I've done it every time when I
when it's been someone else that's gone Friday, I made
sure I reached out and let them know, because when
(28:22):
someone reached out to me, it made the difference for me,
you know. And the very next day I had an
audition for another thing by the same producers, so in
their mind it was like, no big deal. We just
fired her from there because she wasn't right. There's this
other thing, and I'm like, oh my god, I still
have orange dust on my fingers from the Cheetos I
ate in the car. I got to wash this off
(28:42):
and go to an audition, you know. And I do
remember that quite clearly, thinking if I don't get up
and go to that audition today, I might not do
it for a while. And I did. And I think
that every actor and any it doesn't even matter if
you're in the business. I think where all everyone gets rejected.
I think it hurts my parents more now than it
(29:02):
ever did me. My mom like, you know what, I'm
not gonna I'm not going to buy that cereal. You
didn't get that commercial like A like I'm not going
to I'm like you know, Pam, I think that they
noticed that big dip in the Midwest sales and the
director feels horrible. They feel horrible, or sometimes she'll be like,
do you have his number? I'm like, you're not calling them, Pam.
Speaker 1 (29:21):
I love a protective parent.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
They're very protective and if a show doesn't get you know,
if I didn't get picked up with my mom, they
would be devastated, which I understand now. As a parent,
you just want you don't want your kids to face it.
But I'm getting I'm pretty good at rejection. You have
to be yeah, right, yeah.
Speaker 1 (29:44):
Sometimes from the outside it con SeeMe oh my god,
there's nothing to worry about in your world and everything
just comes so naturally and easy. But you too have
had to overcome your own hurdles to get to where
you are. And you've had longevity in this business because
a your talented, but be you've never stop believing in
yourself and you keep going and you don't let those
hardships stop you and believing that.
Speaker 2 (30:05):
There might be years where you're not consistently working, but
you're working enough, and then you have a year that's
spectacular as far as you've been so busy and cherishing that.
I think that's what I was sort of alluding to
in the beginning of like, I know how special it
is now, Like you know, twenty some years ago, you're
like great, and then I'll do this show and I'll
get this show and that show, and now you know,
(30:27):
like this might be the last show or the last thing,
or or for a while it might be. So enjoy
every minute and then be ready to ride out maybe
that next little dry wave until it comes back at you.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
You know. So from being that woman on day one
of Reba to where you are right now, what do
you think you've learned about yourself? What's been one of
the greatest lessons you've given yourself throughout all those years?
Speaker 2 (30:53):
My knees are not going to stay as good as
they were. And you know more than you think you do?
Speaker 1 (31:02):
Mmm?
Speaker 2 (31:03):
I think that I think I know more. I always thought,
well I didn't know that, or why would I be
able to answer that question. I think I think I
know more than I thought I did. As far as
you know, I think we all learned stuff through us.
Most is that we don't give our self credit for
or if you're paying attention, And I think I know
I know more about particularly this business and I than
(31:23):
I thought I did. I don't know does that I
don't even know if that makes sense?
Speaker 1 (31:27):
It does? It does?
Speaker 2 (31:27):
I don't feel like I'm in a studio and I
want to I'm trying to like like give a Ted
talk and I is it? But you know what I mean, Like,
am I saying it right? You are?
Speaker 1 (31:36):
You are? I think that's very right on. I think
we sometimes we're our biggest doubters sometimes right and to
your point, we need a trust and we know what
we know.
Speaker 2 (31:46):
And I know I know more than I thought. Like
there's times where I'm like, oh, I know why we're
switching this scene because that set's got to come down,
because that can't stay there, because we need to bring
this thing. And there's stuff like that where I'm like,
I did know that and I knew that then, or
I know why we have to do it in this order,
or I understand why this line doesn't work if we're
moving on it, if you're standing still hilarious, if we're
(32:07):
moving doesn't work, you can't have him. You know, there's
stuff like that where I go I do know more,
I know more than I than I thought I did.
Speaker 1 (32:15):
So speaking of what you didn't know, when did you
know you were actually funny? Like did you have a
moment where that clicked and you thought, oh, hmm, I
can make a career in this.
Speaker 2 (32:25):
I don't know if I thought I could make a
career in it, but I knew that there was I had.
I knew that there was something about the power of it.
Like it was junior high and I think I made
like people laugh in a classroom and I was like, huh,
I like this, Oh, maybe not going to notice how
tall I am, or how awkward I am, or how
this perm is not quite working on me. And I
(32:45):
knew then that I liked that. And also as a
little kid, for real, my aunt Susan Cathy, they were
like my mom's younger sisters, and they they had an
apartment and my sister and I got to go over
there on weekends and I got to watch Saturday Night Live.
I got to watch you know, Carol Burnett, Second SETV
all that stuff, and I was like, I don't I
want to do that. I want to do whatever they're doing.
(33:09):
And I would put it. I would, you know, try
to make my aunts laugh then, But it was junior
high where I really like. I remember like I made
a joke. I think maybe it was in geometry, and
I know that I made everyone laugh, and I thought, huh,
all right, lean into this Peterman because Homecoming Queen is
not going to be yours. It ain't happening. And I
(33:30):
was voted in high school most likely to become a comedian.
I think I sort of leaned into into it then.
But I think I knew was a little kid like
I was always observing, and I think that's what people,
or I think when people are surprised at the funniest
person like that, they want to meet her a comic.
Maybe in real life they're a little more of an introvert.
And I think that a lot of people that are
funny are watching people. And I loved to like watch
(33:52):
people and observe them. And I think I knew what
funny was pretty early on.
Speaker 1 (33:57):
Thank God, Thank God. Imagine a world without your I mean,
what would we do?
Speaker 2 (34:01):
It will be quieter if I bring a lot of quality,
but I make up for it in volume.
Speaker 1 (34:06):
Well, we're here for all of that. We want more
and more and more.
Speaker 2 (34:09):
If it wasn't funny, then get louder.
Speaker 1 (34:10):
Oh, I like that. Yeah, I like that, Melissa. I
could talk to you for twenty more hours, but I'm
not going to keep coffee.
Speaker 2 (34:17):
I'm not going to sleep tonight.
Speaker 1 (34:18):
Should we get cocktails?
Speaker 2 (34:20):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (34:20):
I should have had cocktails.
Speaker 2 (34:22):
Express some martinis.
Speaker 1 (34:23):
Oh, I mess that up next time, next time. But
as we wrap up this episode, I know the name
of the show is called I've never said this before,
Oh you know it's coming. So this was born because
I cover a lot of red carpets and junkets, and
you get a minute and a half on a carpet,
you get three minutes in a junket. It's not real conversation.
It's you know, headline based, and it's mainly about the
(34:46):
project and only the project, which is great and has
tremendous value. But I wanted to create a space where
people can come on and really show a different side
that they don't get to. We's show and show that
human connection. So is there anything you can think of
what what that means to you that you've never said
before in an interview that you want to share today?
Speaker 2 (35:06):
Well, you were great because you gave me time to ponder,
and I think I've pondered it so much and there's
so many ways to go, and I know that I
thought about it, and I thought about it a lot,
and I think that I don't know if this will
be helpful. I will probably cry, but I think you
want me to cry. No, When I think this might
(35:29):
be helpful, I think that something I've never said before
is I was always the mom I wanted to be. Yeah, Wow,
it's hard to balance everything.
Speaker 1 (35:45):
Did you ever doubt?
Speaker 2 (35:46):
I always every parent out there will feel like they
doubt how they did. My son is great, he's wonderful.
He's nineteen. And I know I was there more than
you know you could always have been because I had
the luxury of nine to five. But sometimes you just wish.
I don't know. I think I was always the best
(36:06):
mom that I could be in that moment, But as
a parent, I think maybe I'm an empty nester right now.
So he just left, so I'm like really missing him.
So I think I just want to go back and
do moments again.
Speaker 1 (36:18):
It goes fast.
Speaker 2 (36:19):
It goes fast. So everyone out there when they go like, oh,
enjoy every minute goes fast, and you're like, no, it doesn't.
I'm I'm holding a shitty diaper right now and I
want to take a nap, enjoy it for real, because
it does go super fast and I like it. I
wanted to say that because I think everyone thinks you
can do it all every second, and the reality is
every day you can do one thing really well and
(36:39):
one thing kind of well, and the next day you
might do the other thing really well and the other
thing kind of well. So yeah, I don't think I oh,
I don't think you always get the luxury to be
the exact parent in every moment, Like you're like, uh,
I wish I didn't have the phone that day, or
you know, there's just a little nothing tragic or anything
like that. Just embrace those moments, you.
Speaker 1 (36:59):
Know, Yeah, was was there a lot of moments throughout
your life where you thought, God, I'm not being the
mom I want to be And you're finally at that
place now, Like, was this a hard place for you
to get at because you're so emotional about.
Speaker 2 (37:13):
I honestly think it's because he just he's not at
home anymore.
Speaker 1 (37:17):
Yeah, I think I was.
Speaker 2 (37:18):
Honestly, I really know I was a good mom and
I had so much time with him, and my husband
was I was. I had the luxury of having my
husband be at home if I had to work, and
a sitcom is like like the best schedule. I was
always there and I didn't miss a lot of stuff
or time. I really didn't. But you know, I just
it's not even about my job. It was just about
(37:41):
it went so fast, and I wish and I do
that thing where I will like look at baby pictures
and go like I want that moment back. So I
think it's just being present in moments. Sometimes we rush things,
we fast forward through things, like even like little moments
like oh, I can't wait till this birthday party is
(38:01):
over and I can clean up, Like no, it's don't
so No. I don't think it was any moment where
I thought I was a wasn't the mom a bad mom.
It was just in hindsight, I wish I had moments.
I wish I enjoyed every moment a little bit more. Yeah,
but I think we all have those.
Speaker 1 (38:18):
It's hard to always be present.
Speaker 2 (38:20):
It's hard.
Speaker 1 (38:21):
It's a fight, right, it's a fight.
Speaker 2 (38:22):
And I really was lucky I had we always had
one of us was always home. Yeah, and maybe it's
that time where you feel like I've gotten so lucky
that I've gotten to I've been blessed to do what
I love and also have and get to be a parent.
And maybe you feel like how lucky. Maybe I don't know.
(38:43):
I just miss him. Call your mother, Riley, if you're listening.
I miss you, really, I do. He left in January
is when he started school. So I just want my
baby back for like a day. And my mom used
to always say, if I could ever have a time machine,
I'd have one more day with you and your sister
as little girls. And I would be like whatever, And
(39:04):
then now I go, oh, I get it. I absolutely
I get it. So now as a daughter, I have
made a vow my sister and I've actually said it
that if we ever have an opportunity where we both
have a free weekend, or we both have time and
it's possible to see our parents, we do you know.
Speaker 1 (39:23):
Well, something tells me if he was in this room
next to me and we were asking him a question
about you being an amazing mom, he would be beaming
and saying she is the best.
Speaker 2 (39:33):
I think I was. Really, I'll just know. I just
know that every parent out there will go no matter
how wonderful or good of a mom you were it's
you never feel like it's enough.
Speaker 1 (39:42):
Yeah, yeah, no, it's I trust me. I'm not a parent,
but I am an uncle and a lot of friends
are parents, and it's a very common thing I hear.
And I love that you share that today because it's
so relatable. And again, when are you going to say
this on a red carpet when you have a minute
with somebody? Probably not.
Speaker 2 (39:57):
If I did, they might go, ma'am, I am, You're
fifty minutes are up. You need to get to your
seat because the seed filler's done with it. They were like, no,
I've got one more.
Speaker 1 (40:08):
You know what.
Speaker 2 (40:08):
As a child, I never I mean I could have
gone what was The other one was like, you know,
I've never said you're paying me too much?
Speaker 1 (40:15):
Which was it bro like that?
Speaker 2 (40:17):
But no, I really wanted to share that because I
think mothers we do not and parents just have to
be everyone parents. You never to cut your because I
felt like I always say to people, cut yourself some slack.
I think I feel like that's something I would say
in red carpets, like you know, and then going like yeah,
but sometimes at night I go, oh, I don't cut myself.
Speaker 1 (40:38):
That, you know, So yeah, well, thank you, thank you
for sharing that, thank you for being here, thank you
for the gift of your comedy, and for happiest.
Speaker 2 (40:47):
Place to watch this ago.
Speaker 1 (40:48):
She's hilarious right right now.
Speaker 2 (40:50):
Look at her, She's just hilarious, balling all over his mic,
drinking coffee.
Speaker 1 (40:56):
I love it all. It makes you more human And seriously,
the show couldn't be more needed, I think in this
world than right now. I am so happy. There's a
season two coming out too, and we look forward to
the finale airing later this month. And just keep bringing
us more joy. I'm progie.
Speaker 2 (41:14):
I promise, I absolutely promise. We do need it.
Speaker 1 (41:17):
We need lots of it, and you bring a lot
of it. So thank you for hanging out. I'm so
happy you could come today.
Speaker 2 (41:22):
I'm too thank you, thank you.
Speaker 1 (41:26):
I've Never Said This Before is hosted by Me Tommy Dedario.
This podcast is executive produced by Andrew Publisi at iHeartRadio
and by Me Tommy, with editing by Joshua Colaudney. I've
Never Said This Before is part of the Elvis Duran
podcast network on iHeart Podcasts. For more, rate review and
subscribe to our show and if you liked this episode,
(41:49):
tell your friends. Until next time, I'm Tommy de Dario
Elvis Duran and the Morning Show ON DEMAND News
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com