Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi, I'm Chelsea Handler. Welcome to Life Will Be the
Death of Me production of I Heart Radio. You may
know me from my shows, my TV shows Chelsea on
Netflix or Chelsea Lately, or Chelsea Does Series on Netflix,
or any of my books. I am doing a limited
series podcast to go hand in hand with my sit
down comedy tour about my book called Life Will Be
(00:23):
the Death of Me. I wrote a book about me
seeing a psychiatrist for the first real time in my
life and getting real about childhood, trauma, loss, grief, all
of the things that none of us ever really want
to deal with. I dealt with him at forty two
and still dealing with them now. But I have to
say I feel a lot better, a lot more grounded,
and a lot happier. So I just kind of want
(00:45):
to take everybody through my journey of taking this book
on the road, of talking to all the different people
on the road who are going to interview me in
different cities. Jake Tapper's in d C. I have Annie
Britten in Austin and Dallas, and I have Natasha Leone
in New York. I have all sorts of fun people,
(01:07):
and I also have my psychiatrist, Dan Siegel, who will
be coming on to talk with me about me, my
problems and potentially you and yours and how we can
all kind of get better at being people. And my
bff Mary McCormick, who you may recognize her from The
West Wing or from In Plain Sight, a show she
(01:27):
was on for many years and most recently on The
Kids Are All Right on ABC. She lives ten minutes
away from me and has had to deal with my
behavior for the longest amount of time out of all
of my friends. So I will be starting the podcast
with her. She's my best friend and she knows all
the really embarrassing stuff that didn't make the book. Thank
you for joining us today. It sounds so I feel
(01:49):
like a little bit um Oprah crossed with something else
that's with with Gail. And then here we are, and
we're sitting here with Brandon, who is my brand And
how would you describe your position with me? It's a
woman of the night. Yeah, I tell people were platonic
life partners. So we're basically, Yes, you're my assistant and
(02:13):
my decision maker, and I love that you've decided to
do your first podcast with your assistant. Well, he knows
the most about I love it. I just love it
because you admit that you don't do much without the
help from an assistant. But this is sort of I mean,
I love it. Yes, I actually think it's going to
(02:34):
be great because you're funny and smart and you do
know Chelsea sort of as well as anyone. But I
also think it's an incredible completion in your journey have
come full So just admitting that you don't want to
do anything without the help from many assistants. Right, So
it's it's basically like it's a three sixty because I
started out wanting to become more self sufficient, and in
that like year of therapy and self exploration, I realized
(02:59):
that it's is better for me to have an assistance.
It's overrated all that independence. Yes, it's best that Brandon
is a side was close to my son. I would
like him, Yes, So I decided that, you know, independence
is great if you've you know, but why push it? Well,
I pushed something when I'm not good at it, and
I have so many other strengths that I want to
(03:20):
focus on. Right, that's really smart. So Brandon, let me
take you back because I know you How long have
you been assisting me about three years. Almost three years, okay,
so that's not even that long. But before that he
worked on Chelsea Lately. Were you an intern? And then
when you asked him was well, I mean, I'm just
confirming the story that I've heard. So I don't know
if you know how I met Mary originally on the
(03:41):
show now, yeah, yeah, I interview on the show, and
then we went to some women's event the next night.
And we liked each other on the show because she
was bad mouthing her children and talking about how annoying
they were, and I was like, I can respect that.
And then we went to that. I forget what kind
of event it was, but it was for women about
women and how to be stronger. And it was way
(04:01):
before I had the luxury. I don't know how to
frame it. It was a time where I didn't take
the events like that as seriously as I should have.
I kind of was like, oh, god, women talking about
being powerful women. It's like, just go be a powerful woman.
Why do you have to talk about it all the time.
That was about ten years ago. So then she asked
me if I smoked, and I said sure, and she goes, oh,
(04:21):
let's go out and smoke a cigarette. I was like, okay, great,
we walked outside, I handed her cigarette goes oh, no,
I quit. I can't do it, but please just blow
the smoke into my face. No, I said, blown into
my tits? Why? And then it goes longer. I get
more of it. You're describing your tits as long right now. No,
I'm saying I get the smoke experience for a longer
period of time. Meaning if you aim at my face,
I always say aim at my boobe. But that is
(04:42):
how we became friends. I wanted to heal your second cigarette, right.
I think I made a comment about drinking and you
were like cheers to that, and we were both on
the same page with like having a good time and
not taking you know, Hollywood too seriously. This is a
relatively quick relationship. Yeah. I think we made a dinner
plan that week anyway, So the relationship started from there.
(05:05):
And I would like to introduce in order to get
a full landscape of our relationship because our lives are
very different. You're a mother of three, you're married, you
know you take your responsibilities seriously. Well, yes, you're right,
and Irish Catholic, you have a lot of like Catholic guilt.
You want to do you like to show up and
(05:27):
work hard and hustle and be a good person. Yeah,
those thank you. I mean I think that's a compliment.
I'm not sure in sound like, yes, those are true.
That's true for the most part. I don't always do that,
but that's my aim. Brandon, would you agree with Have
you noticed these things about Mary? And I've observed the
same things. Okay, great, I would say that these are
(05:48):
all the things that I would think of when I
think of you. That's nice. I sound pretty together. Yes,
So I'm not together. I don't have a lot of response.
I have responsible relities, but they're like man made or
you know, it's debatable what kind of responsibilities I have.
But I don't have children, and I like to get
up and you know, fly away and go on trips
(06:10):
and impromptu vacations and stuff. So I have a different lifestyle.
I think that's true. But I do think I mean,
I think some people have kids and they don't have
a lot of responsibilities. So I don't think that just
the having kids makes it meaning. I think you actually
do have a lot of responsibilities and you sort of
do show up a lot to things, and I mean,
you say you're gonna be there, you're there. You get
more done in one day than I do. Well, I
(06:32):
don't know if that's true, but I like to show
up when I say I'm gonna show up. We're both
like that. We don't like to blow things off. We're
not flaky. Neither one of us are like that. And
in this town that's good because you're although we should
be more flaky. I would argue if if I just
want to like, you know, I think you know what
I'm talking about, and I think I have to learn
a stronger lesson about not saying yes to people that
are not necessary to hang out with. I do that
(06:56):
work well, I would argue that you do it too
that I said for from that more. Yeah, it's people
people pleasing. Yes, I suffer from that. My friend Shawna
calls it the Mary McCormick disease because she thinks I will,
like I suffer from it and will never get over it.
This is what I call the Mary McCormick when I
if I ever see it again, I will call it that.
But I haven't because almost nobody in the world does.
(07:16):
It is She was at a party at a cocktail party,
sitting on a stool kind of like a bar stool,
talking to two men confidently and for a long time,
like very confidently. Legs like you know, in jeans, but
open like splayed like a guy like you do on
a stool, like a guy does on a stool. That's right, right,
Well we're guys basically. I mean, I would say I'm
(07:38):
more masculine than feminine, excluding these two juggernauts. Um, yes,
and do you want to finish this? Finish it? I
you know, I mean, I don't know that there's that
much relevance to this story. I don't know why. Well
I just call it a Mary McCormick. And I want
people to know because I'm because I made a fool
of myself. So I looked at after a long time
(07:59):
of chatting, I looked down and I saw my vagina.
My button on my jeans was still done, but the
actual zipper was down. So there was just a triangle
of vagina. Vagina, Yeah, people care, and also just vagina
fat like like a little you know, the flesh on
the vagina what I call the pincushion, you know what
I mean. So, and and it was made more like
(08:21):
pincushion sq because the jeans was forcing it, you know,
like it was almost poof out a bit. Yes, like
you would do something if you wanted something to be poofy.
I don't wear vagina was peacocket. I don't wear a
lot of underwear. That's correct. Yeah, yeah, she doesn't wear
a lot of underhere, she doesn't wear underwear. I underwear yesterday. Why,
I don't know. I think you get used to having
(08:43):
a thong up your house if you do it long
and right. That's like people who spin and they're like,
eventually you can't feel the pain in your vagina. Guess what.
I don't want to lose that pain. My other favorite
Mary McCormick story is when she was driving to Pasadena
and she carries a thermis with her, long before it
was cool or what was it cool? But I didn't
(09:04):
know they got cool. I like, I like a coffee thermis. Yeah,
and you were driving and you texted me a picture.
It wasn't a picture of what happened. But can you
take us through that story. I'm just doing this this
exposition because I want people to know the glue that
keeps us together? Is this the glue. Perhaps, Wow, I
(09:26):
didn't know it was that. I'm happy to share it.
It's I mean, it's it's I think you think this
is my most humiliating story. I don't think of it
that way, but I think of it as completely resourceful.
I'm proud of myself for how I handled it. I mean,
it's not ideal. I wouldn't want it to happen again.
I was driving and I was in traffic, but really
bad l a traffic whether I couldn't go left and
I couldn't go right. There was nowhere to turn, I
(09:48):
mean the cars in front of me and backwards, and
all of a sudden I had to go to the
bathroom and not number one. I had to shut I
should do be That's what I call it. Yeah, but
it was like my stemp for it to happen that quickly.
I was like, Oh, this could be anything. I mean,
I don't know what nature of shoudubi was going to
come out, because I just knew that something was about
to happen, either in my clothes or I guess, on
(10:11):
the side of the road. I mean, I was in
a full panic. I didn't know what to do. I
couldn't go anymore. I hope for you would be the
side of the road, but that would get arrested for that.
I mean, you can't just get out of your car.
And that's my hope for you. I would like to
see next time. I think we already gave the story
away by your leading. But luckily I had my thermos,
and I could see that if the car, if my
(10:32):
car could sort of inch up, even just two more feet,
there's an alley way I could get down. I couldn't
turn down a real there's no real streets, but I
could get down this alleyway. And so I managed to
do that, like I managed to sort of ride the
curb a little and get down this alleyway. And then
I pulled over, and I thought, what am I? I
have to ship? But if I get out and do
(10:53):
it in the alleyway, there's windows like business is looking
down onto the alleyway. I'm going to get in trouble.
I'm gonna get arrested or call it or and I
don't know how long it's going to take. I mean
I might be I might be squatting for I don't know.
And so I emptied my thermis out the car. Coffee
coffee out of the car, and I took the Luckily,
(11:13):
I have shopping bags in my car paper, you know,
grocery bags because your mom. Well, yeah, because you should too.
But anyway, and then I, well, Brandon does, I'm sure right,
So I put garbage bags on my seat, and then
I took the thermis and I'm doing a turning motion
with my hand because luckily, it's a very thin Japanese thermis,
and so the top is maybe like this, maybe an
(11:38):
inchure inch and a half two inches probably wide, and
I put it up to my butt, but like tight,
a tight fit, not quite in, but definitely in adjacent,
like really close to in, so that there could be
no accident. And then I pooped into my thermis and
then I screwed the top back on. I have wipes
(11:59):
in my car as well, because I'm a mom. I
always have wipes. And so really the whole thing was
as I mean, it was as if it never happened.
I it sounds like a very easy transition, I mean
I was the only hard part was getting in the
position to get the thermis is about you know, it's
tall and thin, So getting up enough in my car
to get the thermis under my bum but I could do.
(12:19):
I did it obviously, and then there was a dumpster
through the whole thing away thermis bags wipes. See, I
was if it never happened. Felt great. Yeah, I mean
it's almost like it's never happened. But I would feel
like it would be hard to place that into the area,
Like I wouldn't feel confident like this thermis right here,
the YETI with a big opening, then I would have
confidence that I would think, oh, I'm going to aim
(12:41):
in the wrong. I got it, I got it. Was
no aim, I'm not aiming. And that's tricky because you
didn't know what sort of situation is going to come
out of there. I had a sense that there was
not a full, big, solid action just based on my
how fastily I sensed that this might have a liquid
quality to it. I feel proud of my resourcefulness and
(13:04):
that my car has everything, and my car has everything
you need to survive, Yeah, it does. It's car. Yeah, Brandon,
you should have that in your car for me? Which
is my bag? I need? Yeah? I don't need snacks.
I should, like, you know, things that can save my life.
I think the question is is what do you do?
With the thermis. You know, throw it away? I know,
but I bet you there are some people that I
did love that thermis. It's a Japanese thermis. It's a
(13:27):
great one. But I threw it away. I have more.
It's a weird start to this. No it's not. I mean,
I just wonder why you find it, And then I think,
didn't I get a text from you this year saying
you also pooped in your thermis. No, I didn't poop.
I peed in my thermis. I was visiting my uncle
and I pulled over and I had to pee so badly,
and I just I had to pull over on a
(13:47):
very busy street actually and empty the thermis and then
get into my car put it. But the vagina, you know,
like that I know how to do. Also, was it this?
Because you know that's not a real thermist, that's this
is a yettie. This is for Yeah, this is not
to do. It's almost like a toilet. I mean, that's
not really a t I don't know if I could
get a smaller thing around my vagina either, I'm not
sure would be harder because the peeing gets a little
(14:08):
but harder than the butthole. This I aligned it quite.
It was a snug aligne matter. We got that loud
and clear through all three times. She's taking a sip
out of it now anyway, Uh, Mary and my friendship
has lasted a how long have we been friends since
Rosie was a little girl? Like probably six months after
(14:30):
Rosie was born, which is probably one of my longest
last relationships actually longer. So yeah. So and Brandon, um,
you haven't been here the whole relationship time, but Mary has.
And so you've seen me go through a lot of
different phases as I've seen you go through well less
probably I haven't seen you go through many phases. I
(14:53):
would say different work experiences, but I mean like, um,
you know emotional or therapy phases you have. I started
going into therapy. Well yeah, I mean yeah, you went
yeah absolutely and started meditating and you know, yeah, you
were the one you started doing t M and then
you said it really helped you. I love it, and
I yeah, and I do. You still do it every
day although my sometimes my second meditation is like right
(15:16):
before bed um, and when you did that, like I
remember we would be in the Bahamas and you guys
were meditating and you go over on a hammock and
come back and say, oh my gosh, I fell asleep meditating,
And I'm like, what the fund is that? Like, how
could you get so relaxed in the middle of the day.
I had no understanding of it. I knew that people
liked it, Brandon, do you meditate? No? I try. I
can't get into it. I can't stay relaxed long enough. Right,
(15:38):
have you tried smoking pot? And meditating kind of defeats
the purpose, but it's a good gameway drug to get
you there. Yeah, And I did it for about ten
minutes that time, and I forgot what I was doing,
So I don't know if it really worked out. I
think forgetting what you're doing is great, but I don't know.
That was just suddenly on the floor and I'm like,
what am I doing down here? I couldn't remember why
had braced myself. So when I decided that, oh, I
(15:59):
didn't think. I didn't take your meditation, like I didn't
want to meditate myself, Like I never had that desire. No,
you had a little disdain, Yeah, well yeah, yeah, a
little disdain sure, definitely, Like I was happy, but I
don't think you really like I didn't Yeah, I didn't
think I could. I thought it was good for a
lot of people, but I wouldn't get anything out of it.
(16:21):
But it's also you get this very judgmental um feeling,
at least for me, about people who went to therapy.
Because I was in this town. It's a lot of
I coupled that with colonics and cleanses and kale and
you know to what I realized is you can go
to therapy and still take a run, right right, Like
it was no shame in just saying I need some help. Yeah.
(16:43):
So now I'm meditating every morning, you're meditating, and Brandon
you're just masturbating before you go getting and finding himself
on the floor apparently. But tonight I'm going to go
home and go into meditating. Well yeah, you know, I mean,
don't feel peer pressure. I mean, this is one of
the This is a conversation a that I never thought
I would be sitting around having. I copy that. Yeah, right,
I mean talking about meditating and we have I mean
(17:07):
we are almost in our fifties. You already are fifty.
I don't need to I'm forty four. Just for the record,
I just want to want to know what's what the
deal is here because sometimes Mary gets confused and groups
us together. It's true, but then it's always comforting when
people come up and say she looks older. Yeah, I
mean people will always say that about me, and I
think it's because I'm so mature. Getting back into the
(17:28):
friendship kind of where it started. Did you know right
away that it wasn't going to be just a Hollywood
friendship that was gonna last you know, a few like
dinner dates and then taper off. No, because you don't
know that you know, no, but I mean you do. Yeah, No,
I mean because in this time you meet people all
the time, and like sometimes you know, a first impression
is a great impression, and then it's the wrong impression,
(17:49):
and sometimes people are slower burned. I mean, we were
instant friends, but we we were just like, you know,
very similar. It could have got either way, that's true.
But this friendship seems different than friendships that you have
with anyone else, Like you two together, and why do
you think that is? Like? What is it that Mary
does for you that her relationship has endured when others haven't.
(18:10):
What's your opinion of our relationship? Before I answer questions,
you've seen us like you've seen the dynamic of our
relationship and we've been friends for like eleven plus years
and change. I think Mary is kind of the way
you describe what you want in a man that I
think that she now I do like I Mary is
(18:30):
has like an authority to her, and I think she
puts you in your place when you need it. I
think like she tells you the truth, even if it's
not going to benefit her, Like she's that honest friend
that you have that you can go to know you're
going to get a really answer. So if she thinks
you know, what you're doing is garbage, but everyone else
is telling you it's great, you know you can rely
on that. Yeah, I would say most of the time
(18:51):
you tell me the truth. I think you try to
spare my feelings sometimes, though, like I probably wouldn't know
the best way to go about getting the truth, asking
in a way that I think that would indicate that
I don't care about the answer. Maybe it depends on
the issue. I mean, I think there have been times
where big things have happened where I say that was unacceptable,
unacceptable When I made our friend cry at dinner one
(19:12):
night we were at a restaurant in l A and
we went out to dinner. There was four of us. Yeah,
it was just I mean, it was just completely unnecessary. Yeah.
I was really pissed at my friend and I just
kind of went off on her and she just sat
there crying, and then I left in a restaurant though,
where we knew tons of I was like, you could
have just done that in a healthier way tomorrow, you know.
So I mean I think, like, look, I do think
(19:33):
we both sort of honor each other with the truth.
I mean that there's been times where I hurt your
feelings and she says it, which I value. And you know,
I have very few friends who do that. I mean,
I have a handful of friends who say, hey, you know,
when you did that thing, it sort of sucks, it
sort of actually hurts my feelings, and I value it,
even though it's hard to hear in the moment. I
do value it because it means at least your friendship
(19:55):
is worth that you know that they're not lying to
you and building a presentment. And so I think we
do that pretty well. I mean, I think we've gotten
pretty good at that over the years. Well, okay, so
looking back at that instance in the restaurant, would you
like pre therapy and post therapy? That was pretty therapy?
In fact, I would say that was probably one of
the That time period was a pretty angry time period
(20:18):
for you. Fair. I'm trying to think what period of
time in my life it was, but I'm sure you're right.
I think it was right before you decided to leave. Yeah,
And I was you know, done before it was over. Yes.
And when you look back on that instance, do you
think that there are things that you like now, the
tools that you've learned in therapy that you would have
been able to apply or would you still just to
(20:40):
do that now? No, I'm not emotional now like in
that way. I think one of the things with therapies
you learn all these lessons, they give you all the tools,
but then to actually apply them as a lot harder.
Then you go out and get into a fucking screaming
match with a parking lot attendant after you've been meditating
for thirty minutes. Well, you're not going to be perfect,
you know. I mean, it's not. I don't think meditation
or any of that. Stoor therapy makes you heal. That
(21:00):
just makes you able to at least acknowledge what's going
on now. You're a big believer in therapy, and when
she wanted to get into it, did you like what, no,
what do you think? I'm was thrilled, but you sort
of snuck into it, like she even she was sort
of like one of those people who gets sober but
doesn't say I'm sober now. They just are like, I'm
not drinking this month, and then it's two months, and
then it's six months. And I mean, I think you
(21:22):
sort of approached your therapy the same way, like because
she said that she liked the way Dan explain things
and Dan Segel, who is your what will we call
him your psychiatrist? Psychiatrist? He is very scientific with the
way he delivers information. But then months earlier you'd gone
to a hypnotist to quit smoking. So that's like a
huge juxtaposition between I want somebody, I think that is
(21:43):
I think that's scientific, seems very l A like very
I think there's a ton of people in l A
who probably are not actual hypnotherapists, who who you know,
it won't work, but that is in I mean, lots
of people are changed their behavior based on HYPNOTHERPI I'll
carry gainer who was or hypnotists. We've sent other family
members there to quit smoking and they all stick with it.
(22:04):
So whatever he's doing works. But to me it seems
like wacky that, like I'm going to go to a
hypnotist for this, but it's not like getting exactly. She
didn't go like find out what her aura palette is
she at home palette because I don't want to do
she got it done on the Netflix show by Megan Fox.
(22:26):
They did something with her aura. Do you remember I
have to dig that out of the garage. Le let's
rewatch that episode together when we get home today. Would
you say, in your estimation since this year I just
tried to put aside for myself and self awareness and betterment,
do you think that I've become better or less dependent
on you? Definitely? I think that you have become more independent,
(22:47):
less dependent on me in a lot of ways. But
for me it was always like I would tell you,
and I think sometimes I would tell you in times
where you were already frustrated, so it's hard to hear.
But there's a difference in wanting to do something and
being able to do something. And for me, like when
I'm gone when I'm no longer your assistant. I want
you to be able to do them like you should
know how to do things, even if you don't mind
(23:09):
up another person. Just let's be reasonable, I know, honestly,
like you think after I'm done with well, that's not
a good way acast. I thought you said we were
getting married. This is my two weeks notice. I thought
you said you wanted to be married. We are. We're
going to be like Craig and Ellen. So what are
you talking about to move on? I thought, I'm just
saying when we get married and we find an assistant
(23:32):
to support both of us. Um. But that's why I
think the difference is. And I think that you've been
more willing to try and do things yourself, which is
a lot of people won't do. So I think that's
really positive. Okay, we're gonna take a quick break and
we'll be right back. So do you think post Chelsea
you would be worried less? Like if that were true
(23:53):
what she said, I mean post therapy, Yeah, for sure,
because there's a gentler reaction to everything. You know, she's
she's what do you see it in the most? Do
you think with the way she responds, Now, I just
think I see it even in UM. I mean, she's
always been inquisitive, like meeting people and stuff, but she
(24:15):
also has a Sometimes if someone says something stupid or
is just a little bit boring, she used to just
be like I could see her glaze over, and then
I'd be like, we should go because it's going to
get soon. She'll just stay to their face like are
you serious for that story? Like she would really, and
then we'd have like an awkward exit where I'm going, hey,
it's okay, Like behind her, she's already in the car
going Mary in the car yelling at me because I'm
(24:39):
inside doing the apology tour, so that I'm less on
the Apology to That's what we should call my book,
to the Apology to our great idea. I'm sorry everyone.
That's when this whole podcast should be called the Apology.
It should be called with the Orange because of the
Orange team of the book. Aren't you glad I went
to therapy? That would be not that, But I am
(25:00):
really glad you're into therapy because I did do a
lot of you know, in fairness to her and asked
me to do it, And maybe that's my own codependent craziness,
wanting to be like disease. I don't know, but I
did often do like a clean up before I would
then get in the car. Do you do you think
that there's a way that you have responded best to
therapy that you're like, Okay, now I can deal with
(25:22):
annoying people more or yeah, I mean that's been made
much more patient. You're kinder. I mean, I have to
say I think it comes from an increased empathy level.
I'm sure, which you can call it whatever you want,
but it's a kinder person. It's a kind of it's
a more patient person. Right, So if someone is bombing
on a story or a joke or not that you were,
I mean you just have it. You had to cut
off switch like it would get annoyed real quick and
(25:45):
then and then not be able to hide it, right,
And now she has a much more you laugh at
jokes that are like you're just it's a sweeter amston
a lot, yes, and that helps. I mean I actually
think that whatever that chemistry is probably should be working
for a ton of people. You know, don't use cannabis
(26:05):
right now, because I don't I lose my mind, like
it's not fun for me. It's just scary. But I'm not.
She can't smoke up. She can't. I really think I'm dying.
I think like it's not I think that's just not
the right mix. Then, like she's fine with the way
she is. She doesn't need it. I needed it to
cut my reaction time, you know what I mean, or
(26:26):
ad reaction time. I do think it adds. I mean,
I do think it's a love drug. It's a nice
it's you know, people on pot aren't beating each other up,
They're they're kinder to each other. So I think in
that respect, I'm all for it. Okay, So oh, I
have an idea. Let's talk about where we started when
when I started writing this book, where you and I,
(26:48):
where we started after the election, to where we are now.
Let's talk about that, and Brandon feel free to chime in.
Do you want to start? Well, I mean we could
start by just saying that we had different expectations of
the election. Yeah, okay, I was sure Trump was going
to win and I was sure that he was not.
And you watched at my house with all my girls
(27:09):
and we had champagne on because I was hoping I
was wrong, champagne and tears we had before the tears,
we were all it was a long night, and we
had a lot of women or not. I think my
sister had flown in and maybe my mom. No, not
my mom, but anyway, there was a bunch of women
and three little girls who had campaigned for her and stuff.
So it was a pretty painful night, I mean for everybody,
(27:29):
but in our house, particularly painful because then I had
to try to explain to them that we just elected
a known sexual assaulter and how to make sense of that.
You know. It was awful that night, wasn't it. Yeah,
it was really bleak. It was done for days after.
I think there was a real shock and a lot
of crying, and and then I think something happened with you,
(27:49):
which was really great. I'm going to take a hit
off my babe, pen that's great. But I do think
what was great about that time is that you, I mean,
instead of just at first we had like a little
morning period, and then I think you just saw it
as a chance to be part of the solution and
not comment on it from the sidelines like your show
had been for years. That it's commentary, right, it's like
your point of view about things that are happening, and
(28:11):
for the first time I thought, I think you sort
of were like, well, maybe I can be part of
the thing that's actually happening, the solution. And when you
started going to colleges I think and talking to young
people and yeah that I think that was really meaningful
for you. Well college, it was meaningful for me, I
think also because I had to figure out a way
to talk to conservatives without screaming, which was my only
(28:33):
way to communicate for so long. So I had to
figure out how to have discourse that was effective instead
of just being at a ten and outraged because I
realized you're not getting anybody to listen to you in
that way. That's why I think it linked nicely with
the therapy. You know, the timing was appropriate, yes, because
that was my initial thing to go into therapy was
(28:55):
how do I learn to not be so you know,
not to be so out about my anger and my outrage. Yeah,
and I think that part of that was Trump. And
also at the time, I remember before therapy, you had
expressed to me like, am I just hated am I?
You know, like you had had arguments with more than
one a few people, right, and you had had sort
(29:16):
of like or not arguments, but you were just like,
oh I felt that person to do this, or you
were really concerned about my image. Yeah. I remember we
had that one conversation in my driveway, sitting in a car,
and I had said, there is something about the fact
that none of the people I knew who you were
your friends when we met, that you don't speak to
(29:37):
any of them, and that's something to look at, you know.
I mean I was still there and others as well,
but there was a bunch of people who had who
were just gone, Okay, um, how do you think I'll die? Mary?
I don't think you'll ever die. Okay, you want to
be kept alive. You want to be fine. I don't
want to Yeah. So I'm one of those people that
(29:57):
So Brandon write this down for both of us, because
this is impre information for you to know. She wants
to be kept alive no matter what you want. When
when they tell you I'm brain dead, I don't want you.
She wouldn't want to live like this, Yes, she would.
You know when people say that I want to live
like that. So let's say after the fact to say
that the plug has been pulled. You want your brain cap? Yes,
(30:19):
I want everything cap, but don't even pull the plug.
She'd rather be a vegetable bed sores for the rest
of my like, flip me, sponge me down. I don't
care what because, yes, he is moving so fast. Don't
unplug me. Never unplug me. Michael can get remarried. You
all can get it. You can get a new best friend,
you can forget about me, don't visit. I don't care,
but don't unplug me. And then she's hoping that stem
(30:41):
cell research or whatever will come around in time to
resurrect her body. And when that happens, she's ready to rumble.
And you're the exact opposite. I want to be put
down if I get diagnosed. I'm tired, and I'm I
would be totally fine if I died tomorrow, so it
would be a joyous, wonderful experience. I would be excited
to get onto. I am excited about the sleep. Yeah,
(31:02):
in death, that seems What would you like us to
do with your body, Brandon? And do you have any
specific instructions that stuff me and just put me in
a chair at your house? You just want to I
just want to be with you. That sounds very very gay. Mary.
What's the worst thing that you've seen me do? Mhm,
trying to think of the worst thing I've seen you do.
(31:23):
I'm thinking that thermost shipping story is pretty much the worst.
But I think you think no, I think of it
as as yeah, as like god damn it, like I
can get out of any Yeah. Maybe I'm associating too
much shame with taking a ship in your car, and
I think I'm not proud of that part. But I
mean I would rather that not happen. It was uncomfortable,
but it was like I nailed it. I nailed it.
(31:45):
I mean I could have gone to a meeting afterwards.
Emisso it went so well. So I don't find that
I don't know the worst thing you've ever done. I
would say my most humiliating experience. I haven't a humiliating experience.
That she was different than worse. But I ask to
me about that. We were at that Kevin Huvane's party
and I was in a black out, but it was
(32:06):
because you were on a crazy diet. Well, I've been
in a plenty of blackouts that I don't have a
diet to blame. But this one. I was on that
because I haven't seen you drunk like that, like I've
never You always walk out of parties, like even if
you even if you yell at people on the way
out and I'm behind you apologizing, you do walk out.
This was like I've never seen anything like it. And
it was because you were on that hCG diet, so
(32:28):
just on a really really localories almost no eating plus
a shot. Yeah, I was doing that shot to my
thigh like a pregnancy h whatever. Any that combined with
it was only firstly there like an hour and you
were so you couldn't see straight, you didn't know where
you were. You were we carried you out, well, no,
I think Jeremy Renner and Chris Evan and Sandy Bullock
(32:49):
and I carried you out, came and got you guys,
and they're like, Chelsea's outside. I guess I was leading
against it. It was really bad. I don't remember. I
remember waking up at five o'clock in the in my
bunk beds and calling I was like, not even in
my big girl room and I call Mary. I'm like
what the fuck and be like, oh sweetie, that was bad.
It was You're like do you remember any public public
(33:13):
like bright lights, and every person in the industry is
the Oscar party. I think, yeah, but you know what,
there is a feeling about like that. Having it happened
there versus like a family affair, would I prefer because
everyone in Hollywood, like, not everybody, but there's enough people
that make asses out of themselves that there's a new
story every week. Like I would be more humiliated if
(33:33):
that happened at like, you know, my dad's funeral, because
then that would mean I'm like off the rails or
something like for some reason the context of it, it's
not good. So anyway, let's how long ages up? It's Tuesday? No,
I would say three? Was it about three years? Four
years ago? It was longer than that, really, Yeah, that
was like five years ago. Probably. She once caught me
(33:57):
stealing candy at one of her daughter's swim meets. But
you're stealing it for this for them? Yeah, I was
a sweet that's not bad. No, I don't know, trying
to think of like an actual event. You do you
do you have a memory that comes to mind when
you're asking her, like, you do you have something? We're like, oh,
(34:19):
this is the worst thing. I've done. I've done to
some party, is what I just thought of? I mean
in terms of character, like doing something bad. I don't know,
Like my bad is impulse, Like when I think about something,
I wouldn't you know what I mean? So like anything
I've done has always been like like I don't know
when when you think of yourself doing something bad, you
think of it in terms of like to yourself, or
(34:41):
like something that you've done that didn't that's bad to
someone else, like bad behavior, not like mean spirited behavior.
Would you have known that before you were your hands
brand and keep them where I can see them? Please?
Would you have been able to recall that before therapy
or only now that you're trying to work on the
empathy part? Not just like oh I feel bad for
this person, but like really how that person must have felt.
Remember how you said that thing to that girl at
(35:02):
that party. She had on a pink dress, when you
said something like, oh, that's like, um, I like your dress,
and I was like, right away, I get nervous because
I knew you don't like it, so right away my
blood runs cold, like I know the rest is coming.
And she was like, oh thanks, And she knew you
she knew each other when you were young or whatever,
and then she you said something like yeah, it's like
(35:22):
summer horror or something, and then just walked away. And
I know her, so I was left like, and she went, God,
that's so mean, huh. And I was like, she's just
trying to be funny. It's just her being funny, you know,
she just likes to make a joke and walk away.
And she just was like, Oh, that's so mean. That's mean.
You don't do that. I mean, yes, you, because I
(35:47):
know it is. But like I laughed at people listening
to this are going to laugh at that, because I
was like, it's like we know that brand of humor
associated with her where it's like when we really think
about it and know what type of person she is, like,
that's not nice. Well to the person, right, meaning if
she says it to me this listen, I'm not. I
mean I love all that about her too. It's like
that's the fun stuff, right, I mean, her point of view,
(36:07):
her angry point of view. That's why we sign up
for her every day. But I rarely do it too.
There's been some you wouldn't do that now, I would
not to the person's face not and if I did,
it would be somebody who knew me that I was
friends with. I wouldn't do it, Like, I don't not
any longer expect people to understand my personality that everything's
(36:27):
a joke, like I that's not their problem, that's my problem. Okay,
But you're both very funny and you kind of have
the same sense of humor. Yeah, we have a mean
sense of humor. We try not to be. Do you
try to keep each other like checked in that though,
because Mary, you're you are kind of vocal or like
you have looks for each other that you're like, no, Like, yeah,
but I mean, I think I have a mean sense
(36:48):
of humor, but I'm not mean to people, you know
what I mean, because there is a line I think
that now I just keep you know, I try and
keep more thoughts to myself. Do you both think that's
better that people have been more thoughtful that way, because like,
I've talked to people and I think it's too They've
gone too far one way and now nothing's funny anymore.
You can't joke about anything, like I think I was
(37:10):
talking to Chelsea about family guys not doing any gay jokes. Anymore,
which I think are some of the funniest ones on
the show. It's been around for I think like seventeen seasons,
and they're just taking them out completely. I don't know,
it's a hard think. I think that like it's good
for us to challenge ourselves to get humor in different ways.
It's interesting to hear you say that though, as a
gay man, because I always, whenever I hear white man,
(37:30):
the only ones really complaining about things not being funny
anymore white guys in my experience, So it's interesting to
hear you say that because while you're a white guy,
you're a gay white guy, But mostly I only hear
straight white guys going like, yes, just nothing's funny anymore.
It's like, yeah, you know, you'll figure it out. We're
still laughing, Like we're all still laughing, you know, people
of color are still finding things funny. It's so, I
(37:51):
don't know, but that's why that's interesting to hear your
point of view on that. But I think I think
there's still a lot to laugh at without you know,
poking fun at someone. Yeah, Like do you think I
think it's all and it's all kind of interrelated with
you know, I think, for instance, Brennan, I'm curious to
see are you. Were you as surprised like the Me
(38:12):
Too movement and all of the people that I know,
Mary probably wasn't as surprised as I was about how
rampant it was, because Mary has been like singing that
song for a while. Though it's a man's world and
like women are not respected, and I'm always like living
in this like Butterfly rarefied existence where just everything was
going great for me, So I assumed that not to
be the case because I was looking at my own
(38:32):
experience rather than other people's. But as a gay man,
were you as surprised to hear how rampant this kind
of abuse of power and sexual abuse was not at all?
Not at all, no, I But to me, like I'm
from the world west, you see it from the outside,
it's all very sparkly and exciting, and I think a
lot of those stories are these people coming here again
(38:54):
with that kind of allure of like, oh my god,
this is what the opportunities are going to be if
I do this thing. But I still think that there's
a sense for anyone, and I'm sure people will not
like this, but like if you're going to a hotel
room or a meeting, like, but we're thoughtful about this
with you, like you don't take meetings in your hotel room,
whereas I always thought like you would know right or wrong,
like you would know like don't take this meeting in
the hotel. But some people, really, I think, just come
(39:16):
into it thinking like this person is looking out for me,
they have my best interests at heart, like why should
this be weird? I'm not going to make it weird,
And now you have all these women. So I think
that's what was more surprising, was that the context that
we're finding out these things happened, or that like I
really did not expect this, And I think other people
have said, like you kind of know what you're going
to get if you do those things. But I think
(39:37):
I knew that there were things going on, but maybe
not in the way they were happening. Did you ever
get sexually assaulted by somebody at work, Mary, or did
you feel sexually uncomfortable? Yes? And I've also yes, I've
been two really yeah, for sure, I had a guy yes. Yeah,
And you would also argue that I have to and
just don't recall it, right, yeah, or laughed it off
(39:59):
or you know whatever, drop. But I haven't this an
interesting relationship to this too, because on the one hand,
I feel like most women my age spent decades, you know,
trying to keep their job and not funk the guy, right,
Like that's how we are laugh at enough jokes that
he feels flattered, but not just that one that you
don't laugh at too many because then he's gonna want
to see a naked right. So it's that fine line
(40:19):
we I mean women my age spent and I think
young women are not suffering from that now, which is fantastic.
I have three daughters, so I want all this change.
I do have a little bit of like an irrational
part of my brain sometimes that goes like complaining about that, like,
which is so messed up because I want all the
complaining is good and all this changes, oh my god,
long overdue and for the best. But I do have
(40:42):
this weird It's like it's like people who've been through it,
women my age must be like, fuck me, are all
we did that? Like we managed. I found a way
out of that room or that situation or that, But
I shouldn't have to find a way out of that
hotel room. I shouldn't have to find a way to
try to keep my job and not funk that guy,
or you know, I shouldn't have to not get the
(41:04):
job because I didn't funk that guy. Right, So, and
I hope for and I think through all of this,
and even though there's painful moments and sometimes we're gonna
overcorrect and go too far, and you know, it feels
like we're losing the ability to make jokes or whatever.
I think through all of this, I'll have three daughters
who don't who can actually have a meeting in a
hotel room. They should be able to have a meeting
in a hotel room, I would argue, and worried and
(41:26):
not fucking worried. Men should be able to have a
hotel hotel room meeting as well, and not assault and
not just take everything all the time. Yeah, it sounds
like there's gonna be a whole new generation of men
who really are fucking walking on eggshells. Yeah, well, for
right now, they're really piste off. I mean, I think
men are really confused. I hear it all the time.
White men arega, oh god, he can't say anything anymore, Yes,
(41:46):
she can. There's a lot you can say, you just can't.
It's it feels like the end of a party for them,
because it is the end of a party for them.
That's why it feels sad. They're sad. They're gonna mourn this,
this this world they lived in because it was a
world where they got to eat whatever they want, take
whatever they want, funk whatever they want. They wear sandals,
I mean, they show their feet, and they sit on
(42:07):
subway cars with their legs spread open. Take up three seats,
two fat. Fuck. That party's done. Women have had it.
It's over. And so yeah, I understand why they're pissed. Well,
it's like you're saying your you can either get on
board or you're gonna miss the train, like right, And
so they're gonna be angry, and it doesn't matter. Young
women don't care. I did this movie recently with a
(42:27):
bunch of young women and I was the only woman
my age and we were driving in a van from
base camp to set and the Transpo guy, the guy
driving the van, we were in stop and go traffic
with the transpo driver and I've never seen this. They're
usually really really professional, but he was showing pictures on
his phone to the guy in the passenger seat, and
I was in the back row of the van like
looking at it, like, oh god, oh my god, why
(42:49):
is he doing that? And this young actress in front
of me just like was in the middle of a
conversation with another young actress, and she literally just went
like this, hey, pal, get off your phone. What are
you doing? And then she just went back to talking
to her friend. And I was like, instantly through my body,
I felt relief that she'd said it and shame that
she'd said it. Like I was like wanting to apologize
to that guy because I felt that he'd be embarrassed
(43:10):
because it was a you know, a big van full
of people. And I thought, this is so interesting. She
felt Not only did she not feel embarrassed, she felt
completely happy speaking up for her safety and then went
right back into her conversation. She didn't like, had I
done the exact same thing, had I found the courage
to do it, which is so stupid, I would have
said this, hym, I'm so sorry. I was in an
accident a few years ago, and so I'm a little
bit crazy about like traffic and safety. If it's not
(43:34):
too much trouble do you mind putting away your phone?
I'm so sorry, but that's how I would have done this.
Is that what we're trying to get away from, like
a woman feeling needed to write, That's what I'm saying. No,
that's exactly my point. My point is hats off to
that girl in front of me. That's that's generational. And
so I hope my daughter never hope my daughters never
feel that way about speaking up for their own safety
or and I hope they live in a world where
(43:54):
they don't have to laugh at bad jokes just to
make some guy feel, you know, yeah, like you want
to fuck a fully you didn't have a boyfriend. How
many times I've said that that party is over? It
is amazing what men think that they can do and
get away with with because they have because they have
kind because we have a guy in the White House
who brags about sexual assault and is the leader of
the free world, So why shouldn't they think that. I
(44:16):
think like as a man is the type of men
who come out in supportive women like or take responsibility
for like, oh yeah, I've definitely done like gross dude
things like I think maybe Ben Affleck was one when
he slapped that woman's ass at a party and came out.
It's like, I'm so sorry for like the way I behaved,
but like I'm I'm growing, like I'm working on it
as a person, and I think we're we criticize them
still because it's like you should know better, But these
(44:38):
men who have really come out and I don't mind
process and that they're like, you know what, I made mistakes,
Like I'm really not. We can't change overnight. I think
that's great. I mean, I have a friend who man
explained me so hardcore recently, Like I said something about
I don't want the politician or something, and then he
literally said it back to me. I didn't even really
Sometimes man splainders will change a word or two to
(44:58):
make it sound like it's their idea, but he obviously
just liked the idea and then repeated it back word
for word, and I was like, I just I have
to say something. I was like, I can't. You can't
just repeat back the thing I just said to you
without even dressing it up as like your idea, Like
you just completely man splain me in the most aggressive way.
I can't, and I have to tell you as a
friend that that's what you did and isn't and he went,
(45:20):
I don't man, explain like and I went, and then
he went, I didn't mean to. And I thought, all right,
that we can work with I mean, listen, I didn't
even know that term before. I just knew. I lived
in a world where men always taught me things I
already knew. But now we know that word and we
can identify it, and that's it's going to be uncomfortable
for a little while right that. I think that's a
(45:40):
growth moment and that made me love that guy. Well.
I think that there's a lot of you have that,
especially in entertainment. From what I've seen, is that people
don't know what they're doing. Can seem condescending or rude
because I think some people are just trying to be
friendly or give you the information what this guy was
doing with or it's a habit that that's been created
over time and over time, and they don't know the difference.
It's because it's like a fish and water. They don't
(46:02):
know that they're doing it. But like this guy taking
a couple of seconds to reflect on what you've done,
being like, oh, yeah, I didn't mean to. Yeah, it's
a nice it's like a little yeah. I mean I
knew him much, so I felt comfortable saying it. But
you know, you don't have to worry. Yeah, but I
think it's so good that you said it. Yeah, it's
big for me because I'll tell you that van story.
When I got off the van, that young woman just
(46:23):
went into set and did her lines and was thinking
about her work. And I got off the van and
did ten minutes with the driver, like, Hey, not a
big deal. I think you know some people anyway, I
mean literally undermined everything she did. I hated myself for
I'm telling that may be my most embarrassing. I'm proud
of the therm pooping in the thermis. This I'm not
proud of. Would you do that if it were a
woman driver? Oh yeah, yeah. So maybe it's not as
(46:43):
sex related. You're just worried about people's feelings. Yes, but
it's gender. It's it's generational that the issue is not
about him. Although maybe I was more sensitive because he
was a man. I think I was meaning, yeah, I
watched a man be dressed down by a young woman,
and for me, as a fifty year old woman, and
how I was raised in the world I was raised,
and I was like, oh God, he's gonna feel super emasculated.
(47:05):
That's not safe. I don't like when men feel emasculated.
Let me make this better instead of just how about
he doesn't get on his phone. Yeah, when he's driving
a group of right, I know that to be true.
It's interesting she did that, like and reflect on it
so quickly after the the I think about that. Van
read a lot because I also have three daughters, so
(47:26):
I think, like I want them to live in a world.
I bumped into furniture and apologize. I mean, women have
a lot of we have a hard time taking up
space and and and and and demanding what's ours. But
I hope I see younger women not having as much
trouble with that, and it's a real positive change. Okay, well,
this sounds like a good time to take a break. Okay, Brandon,
(47:51):
I see you whipped up some questions here, so we'll
try and just entertain you with them. You wrote these, No,
I don't know where these came from, but probably the
cleaning lady. Probably. Um, what do you think that my
cause of death will be? This is for both of
you old age? Yeah, I agreed. If I didn't have assistance, managers,
cleaning ladies, or any staff at all, how long do
(48:11):
you think I would survive? Not long? Not long. You
can't do a podcast for that assistant, I mean, for
fox sake. What is that stupid book you gave me recently? Essentialism? Yeah?
Fuck you? I was like, literally here this do you
know what essentialism is? That? Just in the book like
do less? I'd love to do less, you fucking asshole.
(48:33):
I need you give me my bell, Brandon Tanner, who's
your house? Who's your house? Guy? Now you give me
those guys, and then I'll read essentialism. Willie so suck
on that essentialism. Essentialism is good. Yes, I would love
to do that. I would love to do that. You
can do less, but just know your audience do that.
(48:53):
Just know that you do too much. You don't have
to do everything you do, you don't have to pay.
But for you to say that you're great, I'm I
have three lives who depend on me to do everything
I do. I have fifteen people who depend on me too.
They're not my children, but they depend on me. Okay,
let's move on, Yeah, let's I mean, no one takes
me seriously as a Bernie's are you listening to this?
She doesn't even know I'm her mother. Okay, what is
(49:18):
something you've seen me do that you would categorize as
not normal? M hmm, Brandon, I mean I appreciate this
about you, but like diagnosing other people and I'm giving
them belves yeah, no, antibiotics. Yeah, but you will give anyone.
Be careful everybody in here, because you will be on
his EPAC before the day is out. But I also
(49:39):
give you medication that you need. You know, when you
go on a trip and you need xanax, I supply
that or Sonata or whatever else. You know. I'm always
I love pharmacy. Yeah, I know what people need. What
kind of guy would you want me to settle down with.
I mean, Brandon thinks it's me basically, who reads a lot,
(50:01):
someone who skis really well, someone who I think most
of all has to be really inquisitive. Like I think
your ideal partner would be sometimes a partner, but your
ideal person would be someone that you could like travel
all over the world and just get into trouble, like
go on adventures with someone really inquisitive. I think that's right, Brandon,
wouldn't you second that emotion? Non industry they have like
(50:22):
a job, separative entertainment. Yeah, skier. Skier probably does not
live in the same city as you. Yeah, that's that
not I hope that's not. Well, he can visit l A.
He just I think ultimately you're going to be right. Okay,
that's that makes sense. It would be hopefully someone who
gets like who really just loves you for you. You
(50:43):
know that you don't have to change for I think
that's the key. I don't think so. I don't think
I can change. I just already changed so much I
have to go back to the other person. Have any
more versions of me that can there be? This is it?
I want to settle into this one because she's nicer
and I do less apologizing. So the reason why I
wanted to do this, Mary, thank you for accommodating my wishes.
Happy to be here. This book is as funny as
(51:05):
all your other books, and then has all this other
breaks your heart as well. I mean it's really I mean,
I've talked to so many people who are like in
tears reading it and then feel sort of healed after,
you know, I know, it's amazing that people would have
to think, because I think a lot of people have
similar experiences. You know, we sort of think we bury
something really sad, or we bury our weakness and our
(51:26):
sadness and our vulnerability and we turn it into anger, right,
And that's and I think everyone can relate to that.
So there's something really cathartic for people when they read it.
But it is also really really funny. So I think
it's that you're calling it to sit down. Tour is
one of my favorite things. And also luckily I read
that book that um you so aptly described Essentialism, which
explained to me to Do Less Better, which is a
(51:48):
book about saying no to more things and doing fewer things.
And my lesson in this book and writing this book
was that this is the one thing I mean, I know,
I did a documentary. I was like campaigning Brandon, whatever
you were talking about. I'm sorry if you're we're boring
you right now, Um, he's on tender. Is that this
is the first time I'm able to focus on a
book tour, to go on a tour and to be present.
That's my new thing is to be present with every
(52:10):
engagement with every person all day long and not be
distracted by bullshit or you know. And and so I'm
going to do that tour in that vein and like
really try and enjoy every moment instead of being angry
at my success. H. There you go. Anyway, this has
been an emotional morning you guys. I want to thank
you all for being here, the two of you. Now
(52:33):
the world knows my secret, and you're gonna be interviewing
me in Phoenix, Arizona. Yes, which is May thirty one.
Mary will be interviewing meith in Phoenix. And you can
get tickets to that at Chelsea Handler dot com or
Live Nation dot com. That's going to happen. And then
we'll continue. And then Mary, you'll just have to pop in.
Whenever we need to do a podcast, I'll just poop
in some more thermisis so I've more to talk. Yes,
(52:53):
please bring your thermis next time. Thank you. Life will
be the Death of Me as a production of I
Heart Radio. For more podcast from my Heart Radio, visit
the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you
listen to your favorite shows. H