May 23, 2024 • 53 mins
She's a big-shot executive now, but Megan Doyle was a "lowly" PA on Glee's set back in the day, working countless hours behind the scenes, and she's got stories to tell! Megan opens up to her friends Jenna and Kevin about her time on Glee, including how she got her PA job, her thoughts on the cast when she initially met them, the craziness of the Glee tours, her and Kevin's very first trip to a gay bar, but Megan not realizing Kevin was gay, and what it was like working with her aunt Jane Lynch on set!
Plus, the trio reminisces about the time a huge celebrity guest star was MIA, and Meg was tasked with finding them and getting them on set . . . how she tracked them down and the one pit stop they were forced to make. You'll be 'loving it.'
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
And that's what you really missed with Jenna and Kevin
an iHeartRadio podcast. Welcome to and That's what You're in
the miss podcast. Hello Kevin, Hey Jenna. Today we have
a special guest, I mean, one of our favorite people
(00:23):
on the planet, one of our best friends, one of
the most successful parts of Glee, like behind the scenes, hardworking,
one of the things that just made the show. Mother
mother she is, She's our mother mother. Meghan Doyle is here,
and Megan Doyle is the Nieces. She says it America's
(00:47):
Jane Lynch. Megan is so much son tour. I mean,
obviously she earned her keep and is integral part of
the Glee machine. Truly, she works her way. She works
for bradfaw Truck now even still she's a VP of
his come company Television Production Company, Television. She's a She's
(01:11):
a boss. H and we knew this.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
I feel so proud of being able to have watched
her grow from the first Glee tour where she was
thrown to the wolves.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
That's the true test.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Yeah, she thrived in it. She didn't just make it.
She excels. She's not just surviving, she's thriving. This is
Megan Doyle enjoy Hi Meggs.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Hey guys, welcome.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
That's too generous.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
I don't think it's generous enough to be honest.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
I want a headset like you guys. It's very profresh.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
It's just a mask. Yeah, we'd just like to hear
her own voices as loud as possible. Exactly. Well, welcome
to the show. It's very exciting to have you here.
You feel like an integral part of our Glee experience
and so wouldn't be the same if we didn't have
you on the show.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
I also feel like you are a prime example of
someone who really had a journey within the show and
post a show with it like within this family. Yes,
you have climbed the ranks more than anyone else has.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
That's I mean you have. Yeah, you have like your own.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Journeys right, Yeah, I did ARC and it's.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Still going okay. Can you tell the people who don't
know already what your role was when you joined the
show and how you got into a world like how
you you joined the show? What was the opportunity presented
to you?
Speaker 3 (02:56):
So I was living in Chicago, nannying post college, and
all my friends were had like nine to five marketing
gigs in the city, and I was like, this is
not for me, Like I, I can't do this. I'm
not cut out for a nine to five in sales.
(03:18):
And I'm also not cut out to be a nanny
for the rest of my life that I know that
I would become an adult nanny. So I had done
a bunch of internships throughout the summers during college in
LA and my aunt, America's Jane Lynch was was on
(03:41):
this little show called Glee, and I was ready to
jump ship. I was like, I'm ready, I'm ready to
go do this. I don't know what I'm going to
do in entertainment, but I need to at least, you know,
dive in and see see what's out there. And so
I reached out to her and I was you know,
we were very close, we were always very close, and
and she was like, well, you know, I'm going on
(04:01):
this concert tour this summer. Maybe there are some assistant gigs.
And I was like great, And in my head I
was like, oh, I'm totally like a shoe in for
this job, like I'm Jane Lynch's knees. Of course I'm
going to get it. And I ended up having to
go through like six seven interviews.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
To get this weight stop. Who did you muw it?
Speaker 3 (04:23):
I remember jeff Bywater helped. Oh yeah, okay, so wonderful.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
I Jeff Water was like the music department at FOXNY.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
Executive thought like I had no idea that I was
talking to somebody who was like so big and accomplished. Anyway,
he was so lovely and kind of like to under
his wing. And then I remember having to interview with
a few people at like Irving and aise off. One
(04:54):
of them was like a bit it might have been
I don't if somebody super high up, and I was like,
why is it so hard to get an assistant a job?
Like so nepotism was at play, but it also like
I had to you know, but I was a real person.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
To nepotism got you in the door, you had to
follow through right right, prove yourself.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
So then I had actually never been out of the country.
I didn't even have a passport. I never studied abroad
or anything like that. And although see the first tour
was not overseas, so back to the first tour, they
were like, okay, like you're hired, show up at this
airport and then you'll start and I had no idea
(05:37):
and I show up and they're like, okay, great, Like
there was Telly and all cast was there, and you
guys were all like, you know, in your own little pod,
and I was like, Hi, you know, I'm Megan. I'm
an assistant on this tour as well, and I just
kind of got thrown into the deep end. Obviously, Telly
took me under his wing. Our tour manager, Angie Warner,
was incredible, and so I was kind of like her
(06:00):
little right hand person, whereas Kelly was more like the
cast assistant, kind of an extension of what he'd been
doing on set.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Did they give you any kind of context of what
your role would be or you just like got thrown
to the fire and said, like, you go, where's needed.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
I don't remember any context at all. I was I
was a desperate just to get out of Chicagogo and
hit the road with you fools. So I remember being
I remember I met Corey first, and I was I
remember being a little starstruck. Yeah, and he was so nice,
(06:39):
you know, and and the rest of y'all are pretty clickie.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
Well, I was going to ask you because I remember.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
It was very weird because that was the first time
we had been outside of our safe space, outside of Paramount.
We had become very close, the show had become very,
very successful, and so like this was us out in
the real world. And I remember meeting you and like
you being introduced, and we were also very protective of
(07:10):
like Telly and Telly's role within our group, and I
remember thinking, like, who is this, Like how how do
they think we're just.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Going to like except bring somebody else in. Yeah, like
we have our system that works. Telly can do everything right.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
We don't need somebody else. But I think that dasted
for maybe, like I don't know, forty eight hours. Yeah,
I don't last long.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
I remember, like one of my first memories on that
tour was obviously meeting you all, but then and we
were flying commercial at the time, right, we weren't in
correct on our private jet, which is a generous term
for our second tour exactly. But I one of the
first things I remember was being in Phoenix and I
(08:00):
went out with you. I clicked with Chris Colfer right away.
He was wonderful. I was Jane's niece, and like we
just clicked. But I remember going out with you and
Chris and Jeremiah, who was doing hair on the tour,
and he.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
Went to a gay bar, my first gay bar ever,
mine too, and I'm.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
Jammed in the back seat. We're all like pretty drunk
in the back seat of this you know. I guess
it was a taxi. Yeah, And I just remember that. No,
I thought Kevin was straight. I am, And I don't remember.
I think I I think I texted Jane or I
was like I said, I was like, yeah, I went
(08:44):
to a gay bar with so and so, and I
was like, yeah, but Kevin's straight and she was like.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
No, he's not.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
Kevin's something inappropriate, but we don't use anymore, Jane. But yeah,
I had knew, I think kind of. I was just like, oh,
he's cute, but like not, I knew he wasn't from you,
weren't for me, you weren't like but I didn't know.
I didn't put the pieces together.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
That you were getting.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
That's when stop on the tour was La and then
Jane came in and she's like, so, you're a little
gay boy, and I was like, she saw the panic
in my fish, so sorry, and I looked horrified and.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
Then I was like, no, you can know, just not
here right, Cleane always knew, of course she did.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
I mean you could smell it on me.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
Yeah you know.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
Then how did you get a job on the show then?
Speaker 3 (09:39):
Yeah, So basically I was still I did the tour.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
And a bond and fell in love with you. Yeah. Yeah,
I fell in.
Speaker 3 (09:47):
Love with you guys, and we So at that point
I was like, Okay, well now I'm totally gonna get
a job on the show, like I've I've earned my stripes.
And Donte di Loretto. I remember emailing him being like
I want a job on the show, blah blah blah
set and he wrote me back and told me that
I was too green and that I needed to get
more set experience because the tour is not the same
(10:08):
as set and Glee. As you know, it's a beast
of a show. So at this point, I'd moved to
LA and like, you know, you guys are my only friends,
and I was like, what am I going to do?
Like I have to get on this set. So I
Telly's dad JP K John cusackagent legendary producer, was working
(10:30):
on n CIA or you know, producing n C. I
S L A and he was like, well, I can
give you a job as an office PA, and I
was like okay. So I spent like seven months basically
stocking the refrigerator of a production office, like the bottom
of the bottom of the bottom of assistants. And then
I got invited to go on the second tour with
(10:51):
you guys, which was overseas, and I like dropped ass
to have everything at n C. I s l A
and said for well to elchool Jay and I got
my first packport and went overseas with you idiots. And
(11:11):
it was that was where I think I earned my stripes.
Uh yes, it was bananas and like a real traveling
circus freak show situation and like it was also I
remember like I was looking through my journal, uh like
I had like it was like a it was on
my computer or whatever. I remember being so mad at
(11:34):
you guys at one point, and I remember being like
I am like, don't ever work with these people again.
It was just a polarcoaster of emotions, like you guys
were like they're terrible people and I love the same time.
And as it turns out, I couldn't quit you because
I did get a job as a set PA for
season three. Wait wait, hold on, we were okay when
(11:59):
I was writing the Journalist.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
Yeah, what happened.
Speaker 3 (12:02):
We were in London on the bus from London to
man Manchester, middle of the night, terrifying like two lane roads,
like one going each day, and I remember, I remember
the bat we like had a bathroom on the bus
and it like like people were it was discussing, and
everybody was so mad and just and I just I
(12:25):
just remember thinking English, It's like, God, they're so spoiled.
They don't know how good they.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
Have it in that moment, right, that's fair. That was
like a weird time portal like that bus ride. It
was the only time we ever did anything like that,
and it was we had just gotten out of the country.
We did We had like four days in Manchester. It
was our first couple of days off and then we
were going to London. And if you listen to this
(12:50):
podcast regularly, you know that mentally lost. Most of us
never made it to London. And what happened was on
that bus ride, people fully just checked out and I
lost it. Yeah, And that was the turning point.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
Right, everyone was like their worst selves.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
It was the first time too that everyone sort of
like factioned off in a weird way. It almost felt
like stranger things were like that was the upside down
or I don't know what happened everything changed on that
was like four hour bus ride or something.
Speaker 1 (13:23):
It was yet the second leg of the tour and
we were almost done. We were like getting to the end.
We weren't in our country. People not weird when they're
not in their own country.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
And everybody was getting sick. It was like a revolving door.
Who was who had an IV for hydration or whatever.
It was just like and who knows if we were
also like always.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
Yeah, like we also got like all these like shots
and stuff in Manchester because we were all sick and stuff.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
People were yelling at each other. Yeah, it was weird.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
When you first tour moved to La work on and
says La and how being on that second tour, which
was a whole different animal, what was your I guess
expectation versus the reality of your experience on that tour
the second tour, I had.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
No idea, Like I knew how big the show was
because I was always with you guys socially, and you're
like you're being paparazzi left and right, but I had
no idea what a splash you'd made internationally.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
It was wild.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
I mean, it was, it was. It was. It was
so cool, like it was Radio City the second tour
or the first first tour. Okay, So I had a
moment during Radio City where I looked outside and I
saw like the streets were completely packed with people like
you guys were the Beatles. But then on the second tour,
I again, I just didn't realize the impact you'd had.
(14:50):
And I remember we were being like in Dublin, there
were women who would leave there or bring their or
they'd bring their babies into the bar to chase after us,
you know, and then the bartender be like, there are
no babies allowed in here, and they'd leave their little
kids and their babies outside while they would go in
and chase you around. And there were people popping out
of bushes outside of our hotel, and like we'd have
(15:10):
to take secret, you know, escape routes to get to
the theater. It was. It was wild. It really felt
like like she's using the Beatles comparison, but it really
felt like I was like on tour with the Beatles.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
It was insane.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
How did you like, how did you feel like in
your position with and like, I also feel like you
had a bigger job that second tour, Like you were
like you were leading things, like you were rounding us up.
You were like you were it seemed like you had
more of like a managerial yeah, position than you did
the first tour.
Speaker 3 (15:49):
I think Kelly was like felt a little bit. First
of all, he was tired from working on season two, right,
and he felt I remember him being like, Megs, I'm
passing you the torch. And it was such it was
a bigger production than it was season one tour, and
so it was kind of all hands on deck. But
also Telly and you guys trusted me enough for me
(16:10):
to kind of step up into that. I had kind
of earned it at that point, but Telly was like
kind of like, I'm starting to take step back and
you're going to take over. And like, honestly, Kelly taught
me everything that I knew or any anything, Yeah, And
he taught me how to be an assistant, especially you guys,
you know. And also I had my own relationship with you,
(16:31):
like I knew I'm very observant. I love watching natural habitats,
and I could, I ID have.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
To handle specific people.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
Yeah, and I put my own rhythm with you guys,
But I learned a lot of that from.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
Telly, which is Telly's a master at that and you
both are, because it's so hard to come into a
group with so many different types of people that are
also all so close and be able to manage them,
get them where they need to be, but also not
feel like, I don't know, you're nagging them or you're
(17:05):
being like a parent.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
Well adult nannies. It was an adult nanny.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
I was an adult nanny, and you know that, It's
funny all those skills that I learned on set still
kind of carry over into like what I do now,
so and then just like dealing with difficult personalities and
you know, getting people to do what I need them
to do, but also so that they feel supported and
(17:32):
that I'm you know, I'm there for them. And yeah, so.
Speaker 4 (17:37):
A lot.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
It was amazing that the skills that you and Telly
could have to treat us like the children we were
acting like, yet us not be insulted by it.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
Yeah, it was a fine, very fine, delicate line because
you know, a lot of times that we'd have day
player pas or when I would get pulled to a
different unit.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
You guys, you were so pissed that I was there,
you know exactly, And but.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
You know, I feel bad for those day player pas.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
Yeah, but it was tough role, very delicate. Yeah, yeah, me.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
You both were masterful at that position, and I think
a lot of time it's like a thankless position to
be in, for sure, but we all needed it so
desperately that as soon as one of you weren't around,
we felt it and it felt like we didn't have.
You guys were like our foundation, our baseline, and so
like without it, we always like WHOA, we can't do
(18:34):
anything without them, and I don't. We don't need to
listen to anybody else, which is also why interesting you
have that journal entry about the bus, because I feel
like it's like with family members, where you love them,
you're the closest to them.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
In your life, but hate them.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
You can also treat them the worst because you know
at the end of the day, they're still going to
have to be there because you're they're family. And I
feel like, upon reflection, you and Kelly probably got so
much of that regularly because we could or we felt
like we love them, we're family, and it's not. It's
that fine line of obviously it's not professional to be
(19:15):
this way, but also we're really close outside of this,
and so there's this blurry line of yes, we're co workers,
which we always used to make jokes about calling each
other co workers because really we were just best friends
and obsessed with each other, right it I you.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
Know, I I don't remember feeling disrespected by you guys.
I remember because there were always like I remember Corey
would always ask, like, what do you want to be
when you grow up? What do you want to do?
And he and Darren would always tell me like, someday
you're going to be my boss. Some day you're going
to be my boss, Like you're you're better than this,
You're gonna I can't wait to see what you do. Yeah,
(19:51):
And so I just never it was fun. It was frustrating.
But like if I got frustrated, and I'm sure tell
you feel the same way, we could express it to
you and you'd be like, okay, we need to like
get in line.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
Yeah, so you get back from tour, how do you
then get on set?
Speaker 3 (20:11):
Finally, I remember, I think I went through Leo. I
was putting. I was put in contact with Leo, and
at that point he knew what a crazy time the
tours were.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
And Leo was our first a d Leo. He was
trusting legend like rand that said, he is the man
like God love him. I can't even I could cry
when I think about it. It's so wonderful. Okay, sorry.
Speaker 3 (20:42):
I learned so much about like how to be a
good person in this business from Leo Baber.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
Yeah, same makes sense.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
So at this point, you guys were a well oiled
machine and I had, you know, proven that I could.
You know, I kind of stepped up on the second
tour and so uh he interviewed me and was like, great,
you're in. You know, I had day played on a
few other sets as a PA, which was absolutely mortifying
because I had never been on a set at a
(21:12):
walkie talkie and and I remember one of the ads
is like, you know, Megan, go to two, which means
like switched a channel too. I literally I was so
green that I I started running around being like, where's
to where's looking for two of the destination and somebody
would go to channel two. You've done it, as right, exactly,
(21:37):
and so I had only done a few days on
set before I came on a Glee and I my
first episode was the food fight at one episode, like
on the stages and then and and Kelly was in
charge of first team. That was he was like the
key set PA. I was like the bottom bottom tier
set PA.
Speaker 1 (21:55):
And also like first team is like us, right, it's
so funny, but we're first team.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
Yeah. So they were kere of pas and what you do,
and so Telly was very much the PA. But at
this point I had a relationship with you guys, and
so you guys were treating me like an equal to Telly.
And for the ads that I was working under, the
second ads like they didn't like that, you know. They
were like, you know, they were, yeah, what's friends with
(22:25):
these people? And so she's special, No, she's got to
start the bottom. She got It was like manual labor.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
Like but we still found you. I remember like seeking
you out and still.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
Being like.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
What what were you doing? Though?
Speaker 3 (22:36):
On those like what was what were your I remember
I was in charge of Okay, so I was like
the first one in and the last one out. So
I was charge of They put me in charge of
radios radio, and so I had to distro the radios
to every department and like track and the thing is
each radio. I don't know how much they cost, but
(22:57):
they're very expensive. And like the big thing is is
me who I was making probably five hundred dollars a
week for working like sixty hours on my feet. I
was in charge if if these radios went missing, because
these grown men, these grown grips lost to radio, like
it was my fall at the end of the season.
So anytime we had like a person who was day playing,
(23:18):
I had to have them sign their life away for
a radio. But the thing is is like if I
didn't find them in their radio at the end of
the day, it was on me, Oh my god. So
it was like I took it very seriously. But I
was also had like one foot out the door.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
I was like this sucks, right, yeah, like this is
not what I imagined. Tour was glamorous.
Speaker 3 (23:35):
Yeah, really, I was saying, we were saying the nicest
hotels on tour and then like this was the least
glamorous thing I'd ever done, and so yeah, and then
you know, being I would sign out all the stand
ins at the end of the day signed, like the
time cards, things like that, like really boring stuff or
in you know, in the grand scheme of things. I
(23:55):
would have to then go collect everybody's time card at
the end of the night when they were when all
the grips and you know, camera people, everybody. I had
to wait for the last person to leave the kind
card they'd signed. So it was a doozy And what
happened was so Kelly, this is season three Tlly. I
don't remember when he transitioned up to the writer's room,
(24:18):
but I had been kind of being trained by him,
and then he left to go be a script coordinator
and I was in charge of you guys.
Speaker 1 (24:27):
Plan was always like get her in.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
There were always rumblings of like if Telly Ever decides
to leave, like we're fucked, yeah, like what are we
going to do? And then megsd stepped on the scene
like okay, and then it became like okay, meg z
Ever leaves, what are we going to do? Right, So
it's like we needed we got to keep her around. Yeah,
but we also were trying to push Telly out because
we're like, Telly, you've been doing this, You've spent so
(24:52):
many hours go make more money, like move up in
the ranks. Because also I think within the Ryan Murphy
world there was a lot of lawyer in that way
where you build up that cachet and Ryan trusts you,
Brad I and everybody loves Telly. Everybody loves you. It
respects your work ethic and then it's like, come on,
(25:13):
just you got to go ask for the thing. And
then he started moving up and then you quote unquote
moved up to us.
Speaker 3 (25:21):
I moved up to you. That was my next stop
on the assistant totem poll. We were the good old days.
I don't think it happens like this anymore, or at
least it doesn't feel and I think you have boundaries
now and I didn't have any.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
You ended up dealing with a lot of guest stars.
You dealt with like you were the guest star. Gal.
Speaker 3 (25:47):
I was a difficult person, Gal, So I was like
you guys listened to me. But I found myself being
the person who was sent to Casman houses when they
were sick to like get them off the floor whatever
was going like there was I was always around vomit.
(26:07):
For some reason, I was always the person because I'm
a helper I'm caretaker. Somebody throwing up and I you know,
I remember Mark throwing up into a garbage can and
ME like rubbing his back and I was like, what
am I doing?
Speaker 1 (26:18):
Like this is right, not my responsibility.
Speaker 3 (26:22):
So I yes, I became the.
Speaker 4 (26:26):
I was.
Speaker 3 (26:26):
I remember I was always being pulled between two units.
It was like, you guys wanted me. I was like,
you're pacifier and then so like. And then when Leah
was in New York, you know, or she always wanted
me to so I was kind of going back and
forth between the two. And then guest stars. Yes, there
were a few guest stars that I had the pleasure.
Speaker 1 (26:48):
Of dealing with.
Speaker 3 (26:50):
And yeah, there was one who didn't show up to
set and it was a really big day and you
guys were so mad because it was one of It
was a competition day. I think it was regionals or
sectionals or something, and those days are so chaotic. There
are so many people, it's so sweaty. It's just absolutely miserable.
(27:11):
You have to get there so early, and then you
just sit and wait all day and everybody is waiting
on this one guest star, and.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
You know, I.
Speaker 3 (27:23):
Production sent me in a van to Chateau Marmont, because
that is where this person was pictured or seen the
night before, and I had to go on the on
a wild goose hunt for this person. I found that
person and I put them in the van. And even
though that person was you know three at this point,
(27:46):
like three hours late, they demanded they asked if we
could stop at McDonald's for a meg McMuffin, and then
I was assigned to that person for the rest of
the episode.
Speaker 1 (27:58):
Of course, you work, you're too good at it. That's
the same when you make yourself known that you're so
valuable in that way, you screw yourself. Everyone listens to you.
It's so true.
Speaker 3 (28:10):
It was weird because we all we needed that actor
to do their work, and even though like they were
notoriously difficult, and so I'd be in their trailer and
you know, they'd be smoking a cigarette, which isn't allowed
in those trailers, like you have to completely you know,
that trailer's garbage when somebody smokes in it, and you know,
everybody be waiting on set, and I'd have my ear
(28:32):
piece in and they'd be like, look like, don't upset
her because she's she's going to take off. But like
I need you to coerce her to get onto set,
like please.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
You're like like do you want to treat? Do you
want to treat?
Speaker 3 (28:45):
It was like trying to get.
Speaker 2 (28:50):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
Wow, it was wild.
Speaker 1 (28:53):
Did you was there a part of your like that
you and did you enjoy that at all? Did that
like stress you out?
Speaker 4 (28:59):
Like?
Speaker 1 (28:59):
What was that for you and your mental capabilities?
Speaker 3 (29:04):
I'm a little bit of a masochist in that way.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
Like I.
Speaker 3 (29:08):
I I'm the oldest of four, I grew up in
a big family. I just I kind of thrive in chaos.
Now is that like a good thing? Maybe not. I
was my therapist like, I'm sure has some opinions on that.
But I to be good at something, you know, right,
I got that person on a set and you know,
(29:30):
they didn't know any of their lines, and it was
like I was in the corner practicing their lines with them,
Like it was just it was it was insane holding handholding,
but I was so Yes, I liked it, I think
because I was good at it, But it also was
like what's next?
Speaker 1 (29:47):
Yeah, what am I doing?
Speaker 3 (29:48):
What am I doing with my life? Because I actually
don't want to be on set for the rest of
my life.
Speaker 1 (29:52):
This is not for me.
Speaker 3 (29:53):
And I think part of the process of being an
assistant is that you start exing things off your list.
Ye want to do that, don't want to do that,
don't want to do that totally.
Speaker 1 (30:03):
That's so what was next for you? Megs? Where'd you
go next?
Speaker 4 (30:09):
So?
Speaker 3 (30:10):
Next, I had my site set on the big Ivory
Tower at Paramount Studios, the Ryan Murphy Loft. I had
become friends with Brad Falchuk's assistant, Jess Meyer, like we
all had, and she was getting promoted, getting ready to
get promoted to you know, go into the writer's room,
(30:32):
and so she kind of started grooming me to be
Brad's assistant. You know, like he directed lots of our episodes,
so I knew him pretty well, but she would have me,
you know, bring him his lunch or like things like that,
and just so he like started to know me and
(30:52):
trust me. And you know, so once she got promoted,
I moved up to be his assistant.
Speaker 1 (31:01):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (31:01):
That was like a very that was that was terrifying.
You know, it went from you went from I went
from being on set with all of you to being
in a very different setting up and up in those offices.
Speaker 1 (31:17):
Me as the creator of one of the creators of
the show. He's like not a nobody, no.
Speaker 3 (31:22):
But Brad was amazing. I mean he was the chillest
of people.
Speaker 1 (31:26):
You know.
Speaker 3 (31:26):
Yeah, I love something. But it's funny. I went from,
you know, living this kind of grubby set life to
being in like a pretty glamorous office.
Speaker 1 (31:39):
I love that office so much.
Speaker 3 (31:42):
It was a good space.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
When you moved up there, I started sneaking away. It
was also like such an end of an error where
I just like missed you and Telly, where I would
sneak away and have lunch up there with you guys.
I get all the secrets just by all the sitting
in there. I could just listen to all the conversations.
Speaker 1 (31:59):
Yeah, get how smart.
Speaker 3 (32:02):
You would tell me all the tea from set.
Speaker 1 (32:04):
It was great compare notes the best of both worlds.
You don't have to be down there, you just hear
about it. Yeah, Megan is the ultimate Fairyvale catcher, Like
she knows all the secrets.
Speaker 3 (32:16):
I think that's kind of why I was good at
dealing with you know, people different personalities.
Speaker 1 (32:22):
Is that very different?
Speaker 3 (32:25):
And I'm really great at keeping secrets.
Speaker 4 (32:27):
Yeah, yeah, we know you have so many secrets years
later and then yeah, and then she was like, yeah,
I know exactly what.
Speaker 1 (32:40):
She's so good. How would you explain your experience with Brad?
Like assisting Brad?
Speaker 3 (32:51):
It was really nice for me because he was working
on so many shows at once. It was I had
just experienced like Hollywood boot Camp on set, and then
now I was experiencing like Hollywood boot Camp from like
a producer oil point.
Speaker 1 (33:07):
Of view, like an executive creative.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
Yeah, so you know, and then those were the days.
I mean, at least from my perspective, it felt like
they would just spit out a log line and they'd
be in production a few months later.
Speaker 1 (33:21):
That's just how.
Speaker 3 (33:23):
They didn't really have to develop the way you have
to develop shows now. At least that's how it felt
from where I was sitting. So it was, it was
I I loved I loved observing all that it was.
It was very inspiring, and it's you know, it started
getting a wheels turning about, like what what do I
(33:44):
want to do after this? And I knew I didn't
want to be in the writer's room, and I had
a pretty good feeling that I wanted to be a producer,
a non writing so yeah, Brad was. It was also
great because Brad was directing a lot of these episodes,
so I'd be traveling with him, like if we were
shooting you know, Scream Queens and New Orleans. I went
(34:07):
with him for that for you know, at one point
we were there for like a month or two, like
prep for the pilot and then I think the pilot
and maybe episode two, which was great. Learned so much
and again I was on set, but like in a
different capacity than I had, just kind of refreshing.
Speaker 1 (34:24):
Yeah, having to run around chasing us, right, Like.
Speaker 3 (34:28):
Brad is very very low maintenance, and he's also he's
a very good person. Yes, I learned after I left
as his assistant, I learned that that was incredibly rare
and this is so and he's he's also incredibly loyal,
which is why I work for.
Speaker 1 (34:46):
Him again now right, producing shows.
Speaker 3 (34:51):
Yeah, full circle.
Speaker 1 (34:53):
Yeah, so tell the people what you do now.
Speaker 3 (34:59):
So I'm the of Brad Felcheck's company.
Speaker 1 (35:01):
Tell you that's right, vice president.
Speaker 3 (35:08):
I what do I do?
Speaker 4 (35:10):
You know?
Speaker 3 (35:11):
He has his he we have a first look deal
with Netflix. So for a few years we had an
overall deal. Now we have a first look. I kind
of you know, it's Brad and his producing partner Michael Bonason,
and then it's myself and my colleague Nils, and then
we have two assistants and kind of running the day
(35:31):
to day. So I'm meeting with writers and directors every day,
people that we can be in business with. I'm constantly
reading scripts. I'm constantly reading articles that you know might
be the seed of an idea for a show, just
you know, looking for things that Brad can write on
or that can create, and then also looking for opportunities
(35:53):
where Brad can co create with other writers.
Speaker 1 (35:56):
So you guys must have a short such a shorthand
by this point, you and Brad.
Speaker 3 (36:01):
It's funny we don't have an office, and it doesn't
feel that way because I just I feel like we
know each other so well that it doesn't like not
seeing him day to day in person, like really doesn't
make a difference, right right, Wow, Which awesome, He's great.
Speaker 1 (36:17):
He's the best.
Speaker 2 (36:19):
When you were talking about doing when you first got
on to Glee and you were the lowest rung of
the total pole signing all those people in and out,
I bet that makes you such a good executive in
that way. Because you know, when it comes to filming
a show. You guys did Brother's Son, which is incredible,
(36:41):
but like on set seeing something being filmed from that
point of view, this is your position. Now you know
how long these people are on set working, and you
know where they are, what they're doing. And I feel
like it's pretty rare to have somebody in your position
that has seen set life from almost every single perspective
(37:04):
from bottom to the top. And I feel like when
you are now in this position doing this on set, like,
how do you notice that day to day like the
consideration into managing like the work life culture and set
culture and all that.
Speaker 3 (37:19):
Yeah, I was on set every day for Brother's Son.
I was there to kind of make sure that our
creative vision was being you know, carried through on set.
And it's interesting because a lot of executives, many executives
that i've you know, peers that I've worked with, never
(37:43):
had they started out at an agency. They didn't take
the set route. And every now and then I'll meet
somebody who did come up on set and we have
like such a camaraderie like right away because we know
what it's to be in the trenches and to really
know what it takes to make a show Soup to nuts.
I think it's like it's it's rare, yeah, and it's funny.
(38:05):
Set feels like home to me. We were lucky enough
to have a few of like Glee American Horror Story
crew members on Brother's Son and.
Speaker 2 (38:18):
It.
Speaker 3 (38:18):
Yeah that that was like such a bonus. And uh,
it's everybody who's there is like the best at their job,
and like with one piece of the puzzle missing, it
doesn't get done.
Speaker 1 (38:33):
Do you have a memory or a moment that like
sticks out on your mind from the gleaset? That's a
lot because I know that we spent a lot of time.
Speaker 3 (38:52):
I loved anything Trouble Tones.
Speaker 4 (38:57):
Ah.
Speaker 3 (39:00):
Yeah, so you start to become a little jaded when
you know, see musical numbers shot every day. And when
the Travel Tones came on, I like I remember taking
my phone out and like recording rehearsal to because I
was like, I can't wait for this to come on
to TV. I need to be able to watch it
whenever I want at home. Yeah, exact, Yeah, rumor has
(39:23):
it someone like you or whatever the mashup was.
Speaker 1 (39:28):
To this day.
Speaker 3 (39:29):
And it's funny because I like when we had the
songs on iTunes, I paid for them and downloaded them,
even though I was like, right, like I'm crazy, like
I was listening to them as had them. Yeah, well
I've paid for them. You're welcome for that. I remember it.
(39:52):
There was like walking onto those dusty sound stages every day.
And I remember, even on the days where I was
so freaking tired and poor and like just like miserable,
I would walk on the set and I always knew
that there was like this was a very special experience
(40:13):
that I was privileged to be a part of. I
knew that there was something special happening in those walls.
And I got butterflies all the time watching you guys perform,
just like incomplete, all of you. It didn't get old.
I had such a lady boner for anything Adulton Academy.
(40:35):
It was really yeah, because it was so refreshing because
one we were in beautiful Pasadena at the American Red
Cross House or headborn, right, but also like and I
loved you guys like you were my day to day.
But then it was such a nice reprieve because all
those boys were so happy to be.
Speaker 1 (40:53):
There and we're so good and.
Speaker 3 (40:59):
I loved any anything Dalton and yeah, and I think
season four was really special because it felt like we
were shooting like two different shows with New York and
then William McKinley and we kind of shifted into a
new normal with all the new kids and.
Speaker 1 (41:23):
It.
Speaker 3 (41:23):
But it felt good. It wasn't not to say that
it's bad before they got there or anything like that.
It was just different. It felt like we like it
just we needed that fresh blood. And I feel like that.
I feel like you guys needed it too, you know,
like it was it was nice.
Speaker 1 (41:41):
Driving my ear. Yeah saying that and what you said
exactly just matches what she's been saying that true.
Speaker 3 (41:47):
Yeah, it was just like and I remember that that
was the first time because I wasn't around for season
one and season two, so I didn't I met you
guys when you were already famous. But it was really
interesting to be at base camp and to have these
new kid kids around, you know, like Blake and Jacob
and Becca and Melissa and and Alex and for them
to be super excited to be there and to see
(42:08):
their lives changed very quickly, and so like I remember
when one of the kids got his very first credit card,
and he was like sitting at base camp and he's like,
last night, I went out to dinner. I had a steak,
I had potatoes. I had a glass of wine. And
he's like, and I put it on my new credit
card and my limit is eight hundred dollars. Oh my god,
(42:33):
I'm gonna remember this like you forget it. You know,
It's just like it was. It was innocent. So and
also like the guest stars that we had, especially on
the New York set that year, We're fucking epic. I
loved watching Rachel like like transform into this sex pot.
Speaker 1 (42:54):
You know, smoky shadow.
Speaker 3 (42:58):
Yes, yeah, And like Kate Hudson was like we had
so Also the guest stars that we had that season,
Kate Hudson and Sarahtsica Parker who people burg like everybody
was a consummate of professional, consummate professional on set and
like just fun and cool and like yeah, they'd hang
out and eat with Crewe and SGP was eating like
like I work.
Speaker 4 (43:19):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (43:20):
The catering that day was like hot dogs and she
was just sitting amongst the crew eating a hot dog
and I was like this is and I'm sitting across
room like this is unreal, Like, yeah, you know, it's
it was. It was very it was a very cool time.
Speaker 1 (43:35):
Or was really special? Do you have any face like
to any more? Like favorite guest stars. I remember being so.
Speaker 3 (43:50):
Psyched about Shirley McLean. I remember Whoop for Me was
very surreal. I honestly Kate Hudson, like growing up watching
two thousands rom coms. That was the most where I
was like, okay, like I don't I don't usually get starstruck,
and that was one where I was like, oh shit,
this is crazy. So I mean, who else? What are
(44:14):
we list of some guests?
Speaker 1 (44:16):
I mean, who else is there? Tyra banks On?
Speaker 3 (44:20):
I don't think I ever interacted with Tyra Niini Meani
was Nini was a riot so funny, It's just so good.
Constant quotable. You know. I kept a notes app in
my phone where I would just write down it just
says like Glee season four quotables and Glee season three quotables, whatever,
(44:41):
And I would just write down things. And a lot
of quotes aren't assigned to people. But I can't tell
you how many Niani leaks quotes I have that could
spin off episode where I sit here and read through
my notes and you guys, guess who's true.
Speaker 1 (44:57):
Absolutely, you have all the receipts.
Speaker 2 (45:00):
I always say, like, Megan's got notes, She's got photos,
she's got videos.
Speaker 1 (45:05):
It's insane.
Speaker 3 (45:07):
Yeah, I remember. Okay, So you remember there was the
Valentine's Day dance episode, the school dance episode, and they
had you know, of course, the props were incredible I
and everything was like all the food was like impeccably done,
like Lee and Paul Crops and Ellis and everybody, like.
(45:29):
There are these heart shaped rabulis that had been sitting
out all day, and at the end of the day,
Nya was like, Megs, I will pay you fifty dollars
to eat one of those ravulis that's been sitting out
all day. And I was like, oh, absolutely, I will
do it. And so I just found this video in
my phone this morning of Nya's holding the camera and
(45:51):
I'm sitting there and I like, take it. And it's
like it's like floppy, it's been sitting there all day,
and I just take a bite and I'm like okay,
and then she's like, oh my god, I popped the
whole thing in my mouth. She hands me fifty dollars.
Speaker 1 (46:05):
Oh my god, her word was good disgusting. I have
so much respect.
Speaker 2 (46:13):
Do you have great memories of working with your auntie Jane? Yeah,
I mean it was a look.
Speaker 3 (46:19):
I was very lucky because you know, she had her
trailer and so, like I, I had a place to
like put all my ship during the day, or if
I didn't want to go in like the porta potties
or whatever, I can go into our trailer. I still
have dreams about going into her trailer. It's very weird
just going to be at base camp. That's like I
recurr where we're all at base camp. But yeah, totally,
(46:43):
but we were. I mean we would we would get
what thirty minutes for lunch most days, and Jane and
I would take a nap together.
Speaker 1 (46:52):
It's really cut.
Speaker 3 (46:54):
Yeah, she was. I loved the number where she's nickim in. Yeah.
I will watch that over and over and over and
I just remember like laughing so hard. I was crying
watching that and watching her in that outfit. I think
at first I was nervous about being associated with Jane
(47:16):
because I didn't want people to think that I didn't
deserve to be there. But like day one, she'd like
be like, that's my Nay's that's my name.
Speaker 1 (47:26):
You know.
Speaker 3 (47:26):
She's so proud, so there was no hiding it. But
she watching her in action like she had always been.
You know, I grew up in Chicago, she lived in
La She you know, we would hear her voice on
the radio for Baker Square commercials and the one where
she'd be like, well you'll always find a great deal,
good food and unbelievable pie. And like I thought, she
(47:51):
was like the biggest star ever and so to be
able to work with her like at the peak of
her career. Granted she's always evolving.
Speaker 1 (48:01):
And she'll always work, but like no one works more
than Jane Lynch truly.
Speaker 3 (48:05):
Right, but like this was this was like an incredible
time for her and it was just I was I
was just so proud to be to be working side
by side with her every day. But like and I
didn't have to tell her what to do like she was.
Jane was always in a corner by herself on her phone,
(48:25):
Like she never was involved with the drama, though she
loved to hear about it. You guys were like a
whole different beast.
Speaker 1 (48:31):
Yeah, yeah, she always she was always professional.
Speaker 3 (48:36):
Yeah, both Jane and Matt were always like they kind
of kept to themselves.
Speaker 2 (48:40):
But yeah, exactly what is like special? Like who else
gets to do that? Like who else in the world
gets to have that experience with their aunt, right, Like
you two, no one, no one like it is such
a specific thing. And at the time when this show
is gigantic, Jane is the star and you get to
(49:02):
be there to witness it, and no one else in
your family has that experience. No one else out in
the world has that experience, right, And yeah, I think
it's just so beautiful that you got to have that.
Speaker 3 (49:13):
I'm very very lucky.
Speaker 1 (49:15):
Before we let you go off to your Zoom meetings
and you're busy, real what is the feeling that leaves
you with.
Speaker 3 (49:29):
Homesickness? Mm hmmm, I would say, yeah, I was watching
I was watching season four this morning, and it makes
me feel so warm inside. I don't any of like
the bullshit that happened.
Speaker 1 (49:48):
Just goes goes away.
Speaker 3 (49:51):
You know, it really does feel like home to me,
you guys, to me, you know, like rolling growing up
in your the growth that you do in your twenties
is like so poignant, I think, and I got to
do it with you guys and with that incredible crew,
(50:13):
you know, the makeup girls or like my big sisters
taught me everything, and I yeah, Glee feels like home. Yeah,
nothing will ever compare. I really don't think so. Yeah,
it's hard that Glee makes them feel homesick.
Speaker 1 (50:32):
No, that was a new one. That was great. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (50:35):
Yeah, the sentiments are similar where people feel really special.
But but homesickness, I think is a good one. It
makes a lot of sense. Yeah, I feel that.
Speaker 1 (50:46):
Well, Megsty. Thank you for joining us today. We really
thank you so much time with love you for having me.
I would quickly without you.
Speaker 3 (50:55):
I made like more soundbites of random stories.
Speaker 2 (50:58):
I've got them, but this we need to hold you
to come back and read some of your notes like quotes.
Speaker 3 (51:05):
Yes, my favorite one, one of my favorites that I
just came across this morning was Oh, Megan, I love
you so much. No matter what Mark Selling says about you.
Speaker 1 (51:17):
That was absolutely Wait can we guess who it was?
Speaker 3 (51:20):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (51:20):
Sure, the way you did it, it makes me feel
like it was Ryan.
Speaker 3 (51:30):
No, that would be amazing.
Speaker 1 (51:33):
I would say Mark Selling said something about you. It's
like in one of the eighties or something. I don't know.
Speaker 3 (51:39):
It was Damien said I would like with this Irish accent,
and it was like because he's so sweet, and then
I like, I was like, oh he loves that's nice,
he loves me. And then I was like, wait, what
is selling.
Speaker 1 (51:52):
Saying about me? That is so funny And it's even
funnier than it came from Damien. Oh, Damien, I love you, guys,
love you so much. I'll see you soon.
Speaker 4 (52:07):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (52:07):
Megs Well, sweet Megan Doyle. I like to call her
Megan Doyle even though we never call her that. You know,
she's love Megs d love her, lover, lover. I'm glad
that she had to I'm a little sad that she
didn't share more secrets. Yeah, but I just guarantees that
(52:31):
she has to come back again. That's true because those quotes, Yeah,
you know, she's gonna be texting us like wait, I
have more. Of course she does.
Speaker 2 (52:39):
We're gonna we'll have her back because it will be
a specific, targeted secret.
Speaker 1 (52:46):
We only use code words. Yeah, you guys. I hope
you guys enjoyed that episode with Nan and see you
next time.
Speaker 2 (52:56):
That's thanks for listening and follow us on Instagram at
and that's what you really miss POD.
Speaker 1 (53:02):
Make sure to write us a review and leave us
five stars. See you next time.
And that's what you really missed with Jenna and Kevin
an iHeartRadio podcast. Welcome to and That's what You're in
the miss podcast. Hello Kevin, Hey Jenna. Today we have
a special guest, I mean, one of our favorite people
(00:23):
on the planet, one of our best friends, one of
the most successful parts of Glee, like behind the scenes, hardworking,
one of the things that just made the show. Mother
mother she is, She's our mother mother. Meghan Doyle is here,
and Megan Doyle is the Nieces. She says it America's
(00:47):
Jane Lynch. Megan is so much son tour. I mean,
obviously she earned her keep and is integral part of
the Glee machine. Truly, she works her way. She works
for bradfaw Truck now even still she's a VP of
his come company Television Production Company, Television. She's a She's
(01:11):
a boss. H and we knew this.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
I feel so proud of being able to have watched
her grow from the first Glee tour where she was
thrown to the wolves.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
That's the true test.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Yeah, she thrived in it. She didn't just make it.
She excels. She's not just surviving, she's thriving. This is
Megan Doyle enjoy Hi Meggs.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Hey guys, welcome.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
That's too generous.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
I don't think it's generous enough to be honest.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
I want a headset like you guys. It's very profresh.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
It's just a mask. Yeah, we'd just like to hear
her own voices as loud as possible. Exactly. Well, welcome
to the show. It's very exciting to have you here.
You feel like an integral part of our Glee experience
and so wouldn't be the same if we didn't have
you on the show.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
I also feel like you are a prime example of
someone who really had a journey within the show and
post a show with it like within this family. Yes,
you have climbed the ranks more than anyone else has.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
That's I mean you have. Yeah, you have like your own.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Journeys right, Yeah, I did ARC and it's.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Still going okay. Can you tell the people who don't
know already what your role was when you joined the
show and how you got into a world like how
you you joined the show? What was the opportunity presented
to you?
Speaker 3 (02:56):
So I was living in Chicago, nannying post college, and
all my friends were had like nine to five marketing
gigs in the city, and I was like, this is
not for me, Like I, I can't do this. I'm
not cut out for a nine to five in sales.
(03:18):
And I'm also not cut out to be a nanny
for the rest of my life that I know that
I would become an adult nanny. So I had done
a bunch of internships throughout the summers during college in
LA and my aunt, America's Jane Lynch was was on
(03:41):
this little show called Glee, and I was ready to
jump ship. I was like, I'm ready, I'm ready to
go do this. I don't know what I'm going to
do in entertainment, but I need to at least, you know,
dive in and see see what's out there. And so
I reached out to her and I was you know,
we were very close, we were always very close, and
and she was like, well, you know, I'm going on
(04:01):
this concert tour this summer. Maybe there are some assistant gigs.
And I was like great, And in my head I
was like, oh, I'm totally like a shoe in for
this job, like I'm Jane Lynch's knees. Of course I'm
going to get it. And I ended up having to
go through like six seven interviews.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
To get this weight stop. Who did you muw it?
Speaker 3 (04:23):
I remember jeff Bywater helped. Oh yeah, okay, so wonderful.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
I Jeff Water was like the music department at FOXNY.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
Executive thought like I had no idea that I was
talking to somebody who was like so big and accomplished. Anyway,
he was so lovely and kind of like to under
his wing. And then I remember having to interview with
a few people at like Irving and aise off. One
(04:54):
of them was like a bit it might have been
I don't if somebody super high up, and I was like,
why is it so hard to get an assistant a job?
Like so nepotism was at play, but it also like
I had to you know, but I was a real person.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
To nepotism got you in the door, you had to
follow through right right, prove yourself.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
So then I had actually never been out of the country.
I didn't even have a passport. I never studied abroad
or anything like that. And although see the first tour
was not overseas, so back to the first tour, they
were like, okay, like you're hired, show up at this
airport and then you'll start and I had no idea
(05:37):
and I show up and they're like, okay, great, Like
there was Telly and all cast was there, and you
guys were all like, you know, in your own little pod,
and I was like, Hi, you know, I'm Megan. I'm
an assistant on this tour as well, and I just
kind of got thrown into the deep end. Obviously, Telly
took me under his wing. Our tour manager, Angie Warner,
was incredible, and so I was kind of like her
(06:00):
little right hand person, whereas Kelly was more like the
cast assistant, kind of an extension of what he'd been
doing on set.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Did they give you any kind of context of what
your role would be or you just like got thrown
to the fire and said, like, you go, where's needed.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
I don't remember any context at all. I was I
was a desperate just to get out of Chicagogo and
hit the road with you fools. So I remember being
I remember I met Corey first, and I was I
remember being a little starstruck. Yeah, and he was so nice,
(06:39):
you know, and and the rest of y'all are pretty clickie.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
Well, I was going to ask you because I remember.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
It was very weird because that was the first time
we had been outside of our safe space, outside of Paramount.
We had become very close, the show had become very,
very successful, and so like this was us out in
the real world. And I remember meeting you and like
you being introduced, and we were also very protective of
(07:10):
like Telly and Telly's role within our group, and I
remember thinking, like, who is this, Like how how do
they think we're just.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Going to like except bring somebody else in. Yeah, like
we have our system that works. Telly can do everything right.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
We don't need somebody else. But I think that dasted
for maybe, like I don't know, forty eight hours. Yeah,
I don't last long.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
I remember, like one of my first memories on that
tour was obviously meeting you all, but then and we
were flying commercial at the time, right, we weren't in
correct on our private jet, which is a generous term
for our second tour exactly. But I one of the
first things I remember was being in Phoenix and I
(08:00):
went out with you. I clicked with Chris Colfer right away.
He was wonderful. I was Jane's niece, and like we
just clicked. But I remember going out with you and
Chris and Jeremiah, who was doing hair on the tour,
and he.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
Went to a gay bar, my first gay bar ever,
mine too, and I'm.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
Jammed in the back seat. We're all like pretty drunk
in the back seat of this you know. I guess
it was a taxi. Yeah, And I just remember that. No,
I thought Kevin was straight. I am, And I don't remember.
I think I I think I texted Jane or I
was like I said, I was like, yeah, I went
(08:44):
to a gay bar with so and so, and I
was like, yeah, but Kevin's straight and she was like.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
No, he's not.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
Kevin's something inappropriate, but we don't use anymore, Jane. But yeah,
I had knew, I think kind of. I was just like, oh,
he's cute, but like not, I knew he wasn't from you,
weren't for me, you weren't like but I didn't know.
I didn't put the pieces together.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
That you were getting.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
That's when stop on the tour was La and then
Jane came in and she's like, so, you're a little
gay boy, and I was like, she saw the panic
in my fish, so sorry, and I looked horrified and.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
Then I was like, no, you can know, just not
here right, Cleane always knew, of course she did.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
I mean you could smell it on me.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
Yeah you know.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
Then how did you get a job on the show then?
Speaker 3 (09:39):
Yeah, So basically I was still I did the tour.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
And a bond and fell in love with you. Yeah. Yeah,
I fell in.
Speaker 3 (09:47):
Love with you guys, and we So at that point
I was like, Okay, well now I'm totally gonna get
a job on the show, like I've I've earned my stripes.
And Donte di Loretto. I remember emailing him being like
I want a job on the show, blah blah blah
set and he wrote me back and told me that
I was too green and that I needed to get
more set experience because the tour is not the same
(10:08):
as set and Glee. As you know, it's a beast
of a show. So at this point, I'd moved to
LA and like, you know, you guys are my only friends,
and I was like, what am I going to do?
Like I have to get on this set. So I
Telly's dad JP K John cusackagent legendary producer, was working
(10:30):
on n CIA or you know, producing n C. I
S L A and he was like, well, I can
give you a job as an office PA, and I
was like okay. So I spent like seven months basically
stocking the refrigerator of a production office, like the bottom
of the bottom of the bottom of assistants. And then
I got invited to go on the second tour with
(10:51):
you guys, which was overseas, and I like dropped ass
to have everything at n C. I s l A
and said for well to elchool Jay and I got
my first packport and went overseas with you idiots. And
(11:11):
it was that was where I think I earned my stripes.
Uh yes, it was bananas and like a real traveling
circus freak show situation and like it was also I
remember like I was looking through my journal, uh like
I had like it was like a it was on
my computer or whatever. I remember being so mad at
(11:34):
you guys at one point, and I remember being like
I am like, don't ever work with these people again.
It was just a polarcoaster of emotions, like you guys
were like they're terrible people and I love the same time.
And as it turns out, I couldn't quit you because
I did get a job as a set PA for
season three. Wait wait, hold on, we were okay when
(11:59):
I was writing the Journalist.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
Yeah, what happened.
Speaker 3 (12:02):
We were in London on the bus from London to
man Manchester, middle of the night, terrifying like two lane roads,
like one going each day, and I remember, I remember
the bat we like had a bathroom on the bus
and it like like people were it was discussing, and
everybody was so mad and just and I just I
(12:25):
just remember thinking English, It's like, God, they're so spoiled.
They don't know how good they.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
Have it in that moment, right, that's fair. That was
like a weird time portal like that bus ride. It
was the only time we ever did anything like that,
and it was we had just gotten out of the country.
We did We had like four days in Manchester. It
was our first couple of days off and then we
were going to London. And if you listen to this
(12:50):
podcast regularly, you know that mentally lost. Most of us
never made it to London. And what happened was on
that bus ride, people fully just checked out and I
lost it. Yeah, And that was the turning point.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
Right, everyone was like their worst selves.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
It was the first time too that everyone sort of
like factioned off in a weird way. It almost felt
like stranger things were like that was the upside down
or I don't know what happened everything changed on that
was like four hour bus ride or something.
Speaker 1 (13:23):
It was yet the second leg of the tour and
we were almost done. We were like getting to the end.
We weren't in our country. People not weird when they're
not in their own country.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
And everybody was getting sick. It was like a revolving door.
Who was who had an IV for hydration or whatever.
It was just like and who knows if we were
also like always.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
Yeah, like we also got like all these like shots
and stuff in Manchester because we were all sick and stuff.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
People were yelling at each other. Yeah, it was weird.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
When you first tour moved to La work on and
says La and how being on that second tour, which
was a whole different animal, what was your I guess
expectation versus the reality of your experience on that tour
the second tour, I had.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
No idea, Like I knew how big the show was
because I was always with you guys socially, and you're
like you're being paparazzi left and right, but I had
no idea what a splash you'd made internationally.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
It was wild.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
I mean, it was, it was. It was. It was
so cool, like it was Radio City the second tour
or the first first tour. Okay, So I had a
moment during Radio City where I looked outside and I
saw like the streets were completely packed with people like
you guys were the Beatles. But then on the second tour,
I again, I just didn't realize the impact you'd had.
(14:50):
And I remember we were being like in Dublin, there
were women who would leave there or bring their or
they'd bring their babies into the bar to chase after us,
you know, and then the bartender be like, there are
no babies allowed in here, and they'd leave their little
kids and their babies outside while they would go in
and chase you around. And there were people popping out
of bushes outside of our hotel, and like we'd have
(15:10):
to take secret, you know, escape routes to get to
the theater. It was. It was wild. It really felt
like like she's using the Beatles comparison, but it really
felt like I was like on tour with the Beatles.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
It was insane.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
How did you like, how did you feel like in
your position with and like, I also feel like you
had a bigger job that second tour, Like you were
like you were leading things, like you were rounding us up.
You were like you were it seemed like you had
more of like a managerial yeah, position than you did
the first tour.
Speaker 3 (15:49):
I think Kelly was like felt a little bit. First
of all, he was tired from working on season two, right,
and he felt I remember him being like, Megs, I'm
passing you the torch. And it was such it was
a bigger production than it was season one tour, and
so it was kind of all hands on deck. But
also Telly and you guys trusted me enough for me
(16:10):
to kind of step up into that. I had kind
of earned it at that point, but Telly was like
kind of like, I'm starting to take step back and
you're going to take over. And like, honestly, Kelly taught
me everything that I knew or any anything, Yeah, And
he taught me how to be an assistant, especially you guys,
you know. And also I had my own relationship with you,
(16:31):
like I knew I'm very observant. I love watching natural habitats,
and I could, I ID have.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
To handle specific people.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
Yeah, and I put my own rhythm with you guys,
But I learned a lot of that from.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
Telly, which is Telly's a master at that and you
both are, because it's so hard to come into a
group with so many different types of people that are
also all so close and be able to manage them,
get them where they need to be, but also not
feel like, I don't know, you're nagging them or you're
(17:05):
being like a parent.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
Well adult nannies. It was an adult nanny.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
I was an adult nanny, and you know that, It's
funny all those skills that I learned on set still
kind of carry over into like what I do now,
so and then just like dealing with difficult personalities and
you know, getting people to do what I need them
to do, but also so that they feel supported and
(17:32):
that I'm you know, I'm there for them. And yeah, so.
Speaker 4 (17:37):
A lot.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
It was amazing that the skills that you and Telly
could have to treat us like the children we were
acting like, yet us not be insulted by it.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
Yeah, it was a fine, very fine, delicate line because
you know, a lot of times that we'd have day
player pas or when I would get pulled to a
different unit.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
You guys, you were so pissed that I was there,
you know exactly, And but.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
You know, I feel bad for those day player pas.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
Yeah, but it was tough role, very delicate. Yeah, yeah, me.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
You both were masterful at that position, and I think
a lot of time it's like a thankless position to
be in, for sure, but we all needed it so
desperately that as soon as one of you weren't around,
we felt it and it felt like we didn't have.
You guys were like our foundation, our baseline, and so
like without it, we always like WHOA, we can't do
(18:34):
anything without them, and I don't. We don't need to
listen to anybody else, which is also why interesting you
have that journal entry about the bus, because I feel
like it's like with family members, where you love them,
you're the closest to them.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
In your life, but hate them.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
You can also treat them the worst because you know
at the end of the day, they're still going to
have to be there because you're they're family. And I
feel like, upon reflection, you and Kelly probably got so
much of that regularly because we could or we felt
like we love them, we're family, and it's not. It's
that fine line of obviously it's not professional to be
(19:15):
this way, but also we're really close outside of this,
and so there's this blurry line of yes, we're co workers,
which we always used to make jokes about calling each
other co workers because really we were just best friends
and obsessed with each other, right it I you.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
Know, I I don't remember feeling disrespected by you guys.
I remember because there were always like I remember Corey
would always ask, like, what do you want to be
when you grow up? What do you want to do?
And he and Darren would always tell me like, someday
you're going to be my boss. Some day you're going
to be my boss, Like you're you're better than this,
You're gonna I can't wait to see what you do. Yeah,
(19:51):
And so I just never it was fun. It was frustrating.
But like if I got frustrated, and I'm sure tell
you feel the same way, we could express it to
you and you'd be like, okay, we need to like
get in line.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
Yeah, so you get back from tour, how do you
then get on set?
Speaker 3 (20:11):
Finally, I remember, I think I went through Leo. I
was putting. I was put in contact with Leo, and
at that point he knew what a crazy time the
tours were.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
And Leo was our first a d Leo. He was
trusting legend like rand that said, he is the man
like God love him. I can't even I could cry
when I think about it. It's so wonderful. Okay, sorry.
Speaker 3 (20:42):
I learned so much about like how to be a
good person in this business from Leo Baber.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
Yeah, same makes sense.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
So at this point, you guys were a well oiled
machine and I had, you know, proven that I could.
You know, I kind of stepped up on the second
tour and so uh he interviewed me and was like, great,
you're in. You know, I had day played on a
few other sets as a PA, which was absolutely mortifying
because I had never been on a set at a
(21:12):
walkie talkie and and I remember one of the ads
is like, you know, Megan, go to two, which means
like switched a channel too. I literally I was so
green that I I started running around being like, where's
to where's looking for two of the destination and somebody
would go to channel two. You've done it, as right, exactly,
(21:37):
and so I had only done a few days on
set before I came on a Glee and I my
first episode was the food fight at one episode, like
on the stages and then and and Kelly was in
charge of first team. That was he was like the
key set PA. I was like the bottom bottom tier
set PA.
Speaker 1 (21:55):
And also like first team is like us, right, it's
so funny, but we're first team.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
Yeah. So they were kere of pas and what you do,
and so Telly was very much the PA. But at
this point I had a relationship with you guys, and
so you guys were treating me like an equal to Telly.
And for the ads that I was working under, the
second ads like they didn't like that, you know. They
were like, you know, they were, yeah, what's friends with
(22:25):
these people? And so she's special, No, she's got to
start the bottom. She got It was like manual labor.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
Like but we still found you. I remember like seeking
you out and still.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
Being like.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
What what were you doing? Though?
Speaker 3 (22:36):
On those like what was what were your I remember
I was in charge of Okay, so I was like
the first one in and the last one out. So
I was charge of They put me in charge of
radios radio, and so I had to distro the radios
to every department and like track and the thing is
each radio. I don't know how much they cost, but
(22:57):
they're very expensive. And like the big thing is is
me who I was making probably five hundred dollars a
week for working like sixty hours on my feet. I
was in charge if if these radios went missing, because
these grown men, these grown grips lost to radio, like
it was my fall at the end of the season.
So anytime we had like a person who was day playing,
(23:18):
I had to have them sign their life away for
a radio. But the thing is is like if I
didn't find them in their radio at the end of
the day, it was on me, Oh my god. So
it was like I took it very seriously. But I
was also had like one foot out the door.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
I was like this sucks, right, yeah, like this is
not what I imagined. Tour was glamorous.
Speaker 3 (23:35):
Yeah, really, I was saying, we were saying the nicest
hotels on tour and then like this was the least
glamorous thing I'd ever done, and so yeah, and then
you know, being I would sign out all the stand
ins at the end of the day signed, like the
time cards, things like that, like really boring stuff or
in you know, in the grand scheme of things. I
(23:55):
would have to then go collect everybody's time card at
the end of the night when they were when all
the grips and you know, camera people, everybody. I had
to wait for the last person to leave the kind
card they'd signed. So it was a doozy And what
happened was so Kelly, this is season three Tlly. I
don't remember when he transitioned up to the writer's room,
(24:18):
but I had been kind of being trained by him,
and then he left to go be a script coordinator
and I was in charge of you guys.
Speaker 1 (24:27):
Plan was always like get her in.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
There were always rumblings of like if Telly Ever decides
to leave, like we're fucked, yeah, like what are we
going to do? And then megsd stepped on the scene
like okay, and then it became like okay, meg z
Ever leaves, what are we going to do? Right, So
it's like we needed we got to keep her around. Yeah,
but we also were trying to push Telly out because
we're like, Telly, you've been doing this, You've spent so
(24:52):
many hours go make more money, like move up in
the ranks. Because also I think within the Ryan Murphy
world there was a lot of lawyer in that way
where you build up that cachet and Ryan trusts you,
Brad I and everybody loves Telly. Everybody loves you. It
respects your work ethic and then it's like, come on,
(25:13):
just you got to go ask for the thing. And
then he started moving up and then you quote unquote
moved up to us.
Speaker 3 (25:21):
I moved up to you. That was my next stop
on the assistant totem poll. We were the good old days.
I don't think it happens like this anymore, or at
least it doesn't feel and I think you have boundaries
now and I didn't have any.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
You ended up dealing with a lot of guest stars.
You dealt with like you were the guest star. Gal.
Speaker 3 (25:47):
I was a difficult person, Gal, So I was like
you guys listened to me. But I found myself being
the person who was sent to Casman houses when they
were sick to like get them off the floor whatever
was going like there was I was always around vomit.
(26:07):
For some reason, I was always the person because I'm
a helper I'm caretaker. Somebody throwing up and I you know,
I remember Mark throwing up into a garbage can and
ME like rubbing his back and I was like, what
am I doing?
Speaker 1 (26:18):
Like this is right, not my responsibility.
Speaker 3 (26:22):
So I yes, I became the.
Speaker 4 (26:26):
I was.
Speaker 3 (26:26):
I remember I was always being pulled between two units.
It was like, you guys wanted me. I was like,
you're pacifier and then so like. And then when Leah
was in New York, you know, or she always wanted
me to so I was kind of going back and
forth between the two. And then guest stars. Yes, there
were a few guest stars that I had the pleasure.
Speaker 1 (26:48):
Of dealing with.
Speaker 3 (26:50):
And yeah, there was one who didn't show up to
set and it was a really big day and you
guys were so mad because it was one of It
was a competition day. I think it was regionals or
sectionals or something, and those days are so chaotic. There
are so many people, it's so sweaty. It's just absolutely miserable.
(27:11):
You have to get there so early, and then you
just sit and wait all day and everybody is waiting
on this one guest star, and.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
You know, I.
Speaker 3 (27:23):
Production sent me in a van to Chateau Marmont, because
that is where this person was pictured or seen the
night before, and I had to go on the on
a wild goose hunt for this person. I found that
person and I put them in the van. And even
though that person was you know three at this point,
(27:46):
like three hours late, they demanded they asked if we
could stop at McDonald's for a meg McMuffin, and then
I was assigned to that person for the rest of
the episode.
Speaker 1 (27:58):
Of course, you work, you're too good at it. That's
the same when you make yourself known that you're so
valuable in that way, you screw yourself. Everyone listens to you.
It's so true.
Speaker 3 (28:10):
It was weird because we all we needed that actor
to do their work, and even though like they were
notoriously difficult, and so I'd be in their trailer and
you know, they'd be smoking a cigarette, which isn't allowed
in those trailers, like you have to completely you know,
that trailer's garbage when somebody smokes in it, and you know,
everybody be waiting on set, and I'd have my ear
(28:32):
piece in and they'd be like, look like, don't upset
her because she's she's going to take off. But like
I need you to coerce her to get onto set,
like please.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
You're like like do you want to treat? Do you
want to treat?
Speaker 3 (28:45):
It was like trying to get.
Speaker 2 (28:50):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
Wow, it was wild.
Speaker 1 (28:53):
Did you was there a part of your like that
you and did you enjoy that at all? Did that
like stress you out?
Speaker 4 (28:59):
Like?
Speaker 1 (28:59):
What was that for you and your mental capabilities?
Speaker 3 (29:04):
I'm a little bit of a masochist in that way.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
Like I.
Speaker 3 (29:08):
I I'm the oldest of four, I grew up in
a big family. I just I kind of thrive in chaos.
Now is that like a good thing? Maybe not. I
was my therapist like, I'm sure has some opinions on that.
But I to be good at something, you know, right,
I got that person on a set and you know,
(29:30):
they didn't know any of their lines, and it was
like I was in the corner practicing their lines with them,
Like it was just it was it was insane holding handholding,
but I was so Yes, I liked it, I think
because I was good at it, But it also was
like what's next?
Speaker 1 (29:47):
Yeah, what am I doing?
Speaker 3 (29:48):
What am I doing with my life? Because I actually
don't want to be on set for the rest of
my life.
Speaker 1 (29:52):
This is not for me.
Speaker 3 (29:53):
And I think part of the process of being an
assistant is that you start exing things off your list.
Ye want to do that, don't want to do that,
don't want to do that totally.
Speaker 1 (30:03):
That's so what was next for you? Megs? Where'd you
go next?
Speaker 4 (30:09):
So?
Speaker 3 (30:10):
Next, I had my site set on the big Ivory
Tower at Paramount Studios, the Ryan Murphy Loft. I had
become friends with Brad Falchuk's assistant, Jess Meyer, like we
all had, and she was getting promoted, getting ready to
get promoted to you know, go into the writer's room,
(30:32):
and so she kind of started grooming me to be
Brad's assistant. You know, like he directed lots of our episodes,
so I knew him pretty well, but she would have me,
you know, bring him his lunch or like things like that,
and just so he like started to know me and
(30:52):
trust me. And you know, so once she got promoted,
I moved up to be his assistant.
Speaker 1 (31:01):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (31:01):
That was like a very that was that was terrifying.
You know, it went from you went from I went
from being on set with all of you to being
in a very different setting up and up in those offices.
Speaker 1 (31:17):
Me as the creator of one of the creators of
the show. He's like not a nobody, no.
Speaker 3 (31:22):
But Brad was amazing. I mean he was the chillest
of people.
Speaker 1 (31:26):
You know.
Speaker 3 (31:26):
Yeah, I love something. But it's funny. I went from,
you know, living this kind of grubby set life to
being in like a pretty glamorous office.
Speaker 1 (31:39):
I love that office so much.
Speaker 3 (31:42):
It was a good space.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
When you moved up there, I started sneaking away. It
was also like such an end of an error where
I just like missed you and Telly, where I would
sneak away and have lunch up there with you guys.
I get all the secrets just by all the sitting
in there. I could just listen to all the conversations.
Speaker 1 (31:59):
Yeah, get how smart.
Speaker 3 (32:02):
You would tell me all the tea from set.
Speaker 1 (32:04):
It was great compare notes the best of both worlds.
You don't have to be down there, you just hear
about it. Yeah, Megan is the ultimate Fairyvale catcher, Like
she knows all the secrets.
Speaker 3 (32:16):
I think that's kind of why I was good at
dealing with you know, people different personalities.
Speaker 1 (32:22):
Is that very different?
Speaker 3 (32:25):
And I'm really great at keeping secrets.
Speaker 4 (32:27):
Yeah, yeah, we know you have so many secrets years
later and then yeah, and then she was like, yeah,
I know exactly what.
Speaker 1 (32:40):
She's so good. How would you explain your experience with Brad?
Like assisting Brad?
Speaker 3 (32:51):
It was really nice for me because he was working
on so many shows at once. It was I had
just experienced like Hollywood boot Camp on set, and then
now I was experiencing like Hollywood boot Camp from like
a producer oil point.
Speaker 1 (33:07):
Of view, like an executive creative.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
Yeah, so you know, and then those were the days.
I mean, at least from my perspective, it felt like
they would just spit out a log line and they'd
be in production a few months later.
Speaker 1 (33:21):
That's just how.
Speaker 3 (33:23):
They didn't really have to develop the way you have
to develop shows now. At least that's how it felt
from where I was sitting. So it was, it was
I I loved I loved observing all that it was.
It was very inspiring, and it's you know, it started
getting a wheels turning about, like what what do I
(33:44):
want to do after this? And I knew I didn't
want to be in the writer's room, and I had
a pretty good feeling that I wanted to be a producer,
a non writing so yeah, Brad was. It was also
great because Brad was directing a lot of these episodes,
so I'd be traveling with him, like if we were
shooting you know, Scream Queens and New Orleans. I went
(34:07):
with him for that for you know, at one point
we were there for like a month or two, like
prep for the pilot and then I think the pilot
and maybe episode two, which was great. Learned so much
and again I was on set, but like in a
different capacity than I had, just kind of refreshing.
Speaker 1 (34:24):
Yeah, having to run around chasing us, right, Like.
Speaker 3 (34:28):
Brad is very very low maintenance, and he's also he's
a very good person. Yes, I learned after I left
as his assistant, I learned that that was incredibly rare
and this is so and he's he's also incredibly loyal,
which is why I work for.
Speaker 1 (34:46):
Him again now right, producing shows.
Speaker 3 (34:51):
Yeah, full circle.
Speaker 1 (34:53):
Yeah, so tell the people what you do now.
Speaker 3 (34:59):
So I'm the of Brad Felcheck's company.
Speaker 1 (35:01):
Tell you that's right, vice president.
Speaker 3 (35:08):
I what do I do?
Speaker 4 (35:10):
You know?
Speaker 3 (35:11):
He has his he we have a first look deal
with Netflix. So for a few years we had an
overall deal. Now we have a first look. I kind
of you know, it's Brad and his producing partner Michael Bonason,
and then it's myself and my colleague Nils, and then
we have two assistants and kind of running the day
(35:31):
to day. So I'm meeting with writers and directors every day,
people that we can be in business with. I'm constantly
reading scripts. I'm constantly reading articles that you know might
be the seed of an idea for a show, just
you know, looking for things that Brad can write on
or that can create, and then also looking for opportunities
(35:53):
where Brad can co create with other writers.
Speaker 1 (35:56):
So you guys must have a short such a shorthand
by this point, you and Brad.
Speaker 3 (36:01):
It's funny we don't have an office, and it doesn't
feel that way because I just I feel like we
know each other so well that it doesn't like not
seeing him day to day in person, like really doesn't
make a difference, right right, Wow, Which awesome, He's great.
Speaker 1 (36:17):
He's the best.
Speaker 2 (36:19):
When you were talking about doing when you first got
on to Glee and you were the lowest rung of
the total pole signing all those people in and out,
I bet that makes you such a good executive in
that way. Because you know, when it comes to filming
a show. You guys did Brother's Son, which is incredible,
(36:41):
but like on set seeing something being filmed from that
point of view, this is your position. Now you know
how long these people are on set working, and you
know where they are, what they're doing. And I feel
like it's pretty rare to have somebody in your position
that has seen set life from almost every single perspective
(37:04):
from bottom to the top. And I feel like when
you are now in this position doing this on set, like,
how do you notice that day to day like the
consideration into managing like the work life culture and set
culture and all that.
Speaker 3 (37:19):
Yeah, I was on set every day for Brother's Son.
I was there to kind of make sure that our
creative vision was being you know, carried through on set.
And it's interesting because a lot of executives, many executives
that i've you know, peers that I've worked with, never
(37:43):
had they started out at an agency. They didn't take
the set route. And every now and then I'll meet
somebody who did come up on set and we have
like such a camaraderie like right away because we know
what it's to be in the trenches and to really
know what it takes to make a show Soup to nuts.
I think it's like it's it's rare, yeah, and it's funny.
(38:05):
Set feels like home to me. We were lucky enough
to have a few of like Glee American Horror Story
crew members on Brother's Son and.
Speaker 2 (38:18):
It.
Speaker 3 (38:18):
Yeah that that was like such a bonus. And uh,
it's everybody who's there is like the best at their job,
and like with one piece of the puzzle missing, it
doesn't get done.
Speaker 1 (38:33):
Do you have a memory or a moment that like
sticks out on your mind from the gleaset? That's a
lot because I know that we spent a lot of time.
Speaker 3 (38:52):
I loved anything Trouble Tones.
Speaker 4 (38:57):
Ah.
Speaker 3 (39:00):
Yeah, so you start to become a little jaded when
you know, see musical numbers shot every day. And when
the Travel Tones came on, I like I remember taking
my phone out and like recording rehearsal to because I
was like, I can't wait for this to come on
to TV. I need to be able to watch it
whenever I want at home. Yeah, exact, Yeah, rumor has
(39:23):
it someone like you or whatever the mashup was.
Speaker 1 (39:28):
To this day.
Speaker 3 (39:29):
And it's funny because I like when we had the
songs on iTunes, I paid for them and downloaded them,
even though I was like, right, like I'm crazy, like
I was listening to them as had them. Yeah, well
I've paid for them. You're welcome for that. I remember it.
(39:52):
There was like walking onto those dusty sound stages every day.
And I remember, even on the days where I was
so freaking tired and poor and like just like miserable,
I would walk on the set and I always knew
that there was like this was a very special experience
(40:13):
that I was privileged to be a part of. I
knew that there was something special happening in those walls.
And I got butterflies all the time watching you guys perform,
just like incomplete, all of you. It didn't get old.
I had such a lady boner for anything Adulton Academy.
(40:35):
It was really yeah, because it was so refreshing because
one we were in beautiful Pasadena at the American Red
Cross House or headborn, right, but also like and I
loved you guys like you were my day to day.
But then it was such a nice reprieve because all
those boys were so happy to be.
Speaker 1 (40:53):
There and we're so good and.
Speaker 3 (40:59):
I loved any anything Dalton and yeah, and I think
season four was really special because it felt like we
were shooting like two different shows with New York and
then William McKinley and we kind of shifted into a
new normal with all the new kids and.
Speaker 1 (41:23):
It.
Speaker 3 (41:23):
But it felt good. It wasn't not to say that
it's bad before they got there or anything like that.
It was just different. It felt like we like it
just we needed that fresh blood. And I feel like that.
I feel like you guys needed it too, you know,
like it was it was nice.
Speaker 1 (41:41):
Driving my ear. Yeah saying that and what you said
exactly just matches what she's been saying that true.
Speaker 3 (41:47):
Yeah, it was just like and I remember that that
was the first time because I wasn't around for season
one and season two, so I didn't I met you
guys when you were already famous. But it was really
interesting to be at base camp and to have these
new kid kids around, you know, like Blake and Jacob
and Becca and Melissa and and Alex and for them
to be super excited to be there and to see
(42:08):
their lives changed very quickly, and so like I remember
when one of the kids got his very first credit card,
and he was like sitting at base camp and he's like,
last night, I went out to dinner. I had a steak,
I had potatoes. I had a glass of wine. And
he's like, and I put it on my new credit
card and my limit is eight hundred dollars. Oh my god,
(42:33):
I'm gonna remember this like you forget it. You know,
It's just like it was. It was innocent. So and
also like the guest stars that we had, especially on
the New York set that year, We're fucking epic. I
loved watching Rachel like like transform into this sex pot.
Speaker 1 (42:54):
You know, smoky shadow.
Speaker 3 (42:58):
Yes, yeah, And like Kate Hudson was like we had
so Also the guest stars that we had that season,
Kate Hudson and Sarahtsica Parker who people burg like everybody
was a consummate of professional, consummate professional on set and
like just fun and cool and like yeah, they'd hang
out and eat with Crewe and SGP was eating like
like I work.
Speaker 4 (43:19):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (43:20):
The catering that day was like hot dogs and she
was just sitting amongst the crew eating a hot dog
and I was like this is and I'm sitting across
room like this is unreal, Like, yeah, you know, it's
it was. It was very it was a very cool time.
Speaker 1 (43:35):
Or was really special? Do you have any face like
to any more? Like favorite guest stars. I remember being so.
Speaker 3 (43:50):
Psyched about Shirley McLean. I remember Whoop for Me was
very surreal. I honestly Kate Hudson, like growing up watching
two thousands rom coms. That was the most where I
was like, okay, like I don't I don't usually get starstruck,
and that was one where I was like, oh shit,
this is crazy. So I mean, who else? What are
(44:14):
we list of some guests?
Speaker 1 (44:16):
I mean, who else is there? Tyra banks On?
Speaker 3 (44:20):
I don't think I ever interacted with Tyra Niini Meani
was Nini was a riot so funny, It's just so good.
Constant quotable. You know. I kept a notes app in
my phone where I would just write down it just
says like Glee season four quotables and Glee season three quotables, whatever,
(44:41):
And I would just write down things. And a lot
of quotes aren't assigned to people. But I can't tell
you how many Niani leaks quotes I have that could
spin off episode where I sit here and read through
my notes and you guys, guess who's true.
Speaker 1 (44:57):
Absolutely, you have all the receipts.
Speaker 2 (45:00):
I always say, like, Megan's got notes, She's got photos,
she's got videos.
Speaker 1 (45:05):
It's insane.
Speaker 3 (45:07):
Yeah, I remember. Okay, So you remember there was the
Valentine's Day dance episode, the school dance episode, and they
had you know, of course, the props were incredible I
and everything was like all the food was like impeccably done,
like Lee and Paul Crops and Ellis and everybody, like.
(45:29):
There are these heart shaped rabulis that had been sitting
out all day, and at the end of the day,
Nya was like, Megs, I will pay you fifty dollars
to eat one of those ravulis that's been sitting out
all day. And I was like, oh, absolutely, I will
do it. And so I just found this video in
my phone this morning of Nya's holding the camera and
(45:51):
I'm sitting there and I like, take it. And it's
like it's like floppy, it's been sitting there all day,
and I just take a bite and I'm like okay,
and then she's like, oh my god, I popped the
whole thing in my mouth. She hands me fifty dollars.
Speaker 1 (46:05):
Oh my god, her word was good disgusting. I have
so much respect.
Speaker 2 (46:13):
Do you have great memories of working with your auntie Jane? Yeah,
I mean it was a look.
Speaker 3 (46:19):
I was very lucky because you know, she had her
trailer and so, like I, I had a place to
like put all my ship during the day, or if
I didn't want to go in like the porta potties
or whatever, I can go into our trailer. I still
have dreams about going into her trailer. It's very weird
just going to be at base camp. That's like I
recurr where we're all at base camp. But yeah, totally,
(46:43):
but we were. I mean we would we would get
what thirty minutes for lunch most days, and Jane and
I would take a nap together.
Speaker 1 (46:52):
It's really cut.
Speaker 3 (46:54):
Yeah, she was. I loved the number where she's nickim in. Yeah.
I will watch that over and over and over and
I just remember like laughing so hard. I was crying
watching that and watching her in that outfit. I think
at first I was nervous about being associated with Jane
(47:16):
because I didn't want people to think that I didn't
deserve to be there. But like day one, she'd like
be like, that's my Nay's that's my name.
Speaker 1 (47:26):
You know.
Speaker 3 (47:26):
She's so proud, so there was no hiding it. But
she watching her in action like she had always been.
You know, I grew up in Chicago, she lived in
La She you know, we would hear her voice on
the radio for Baker Square commercials and the one where
she'd be like, well you'll always find a great deal,
good food and unbelievable pie. And like I thought, she
(47:51):
was like the biggest star ever and so to be
able to work with her like at the peak of
her career. Granted she's always evolving.
Speaker 1 (48:01):
And she'll always work, but like no one works more
than Jane Lynch truly.
Speaker 3 (48:05):
Right, but like this was this was like an incredible
time for her and it was just I was I
was just so proud to be to be working side
by side with her every day. But like and I
didn't have to tell her what to do like she was.
Jane was always in a corner by herself on her phone,
(48:25):
Like she never was involved with the drama, though she
loved to hear about it. You guys were like a
whole different beast.
Speaker 1 (48:31):
Yeah, yeah, she always she was always professional.
Speaker 3 (48:36):
Yeah, both Jane and Matt were always like they kind
of kept to themselves.
Speaker 2 (48:40):
But yeah, exactly what is like special? Like who else
gets to do that? Like who else in the world
gets to have that experience with their aunt, right, Like
you two, no one, no one like it is such
a specific thing. And at the time when this show
is gigantic, Jane is the star and you get to
(49:02):
be there to witness it, and no one else in
your family has that experience. No one else out in
the world has that experience, right, And yeah, I think
it's just so beautiful that you got to have that.
Speaker 3 (49:13):
I'm very very lucky.
Speaker 1 (49:15):
Before we let you go off to your Zoom meetings
and you're busy, real what is the feeling that leaves
you with.
Speaker 3 (49:29):
Homesickness? Mm hmmm, I would say, yeah, I was watching
I was watching season four this morning, and it makes
me feel so warm inside. I don't any of like
the bullshit that happened.
Speaker 1 (49:48):
Just goes goes away.
Speaker 3 (49:51):
You know, it really does feel like home to me,
you guys, to me, you know, like rolling growing up
in your the growth that you do in your twenties
is like so poignant, I think, and I got to
do it with you guys and with that incredible crew,
(50:13):
you know, the makeup girls or like my big sisters
taught me everything, and I yeah, Glee feels like home. Yeah,
nothing will ever compare. I really don't think so. Yeah,
it's hard that Glee makes them feel homesick.
Speaker 1 (50:32):
No, that was a new one. That was great. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (50:35):
Yeah, the sentiments are similar where people feel really special.
But but homesickness, I think is a good one. It
makes a lot of sense. Yeah, I feel that.
Speaker 1 (50:46):
Well, Megsty. Thank you for joining us today. We really
thank you so much time with love you for having me.
I would quickly without you.
Speaker 3 (50:55):
I made like more soundbites of random stories.
Speaker 2 (50:58):
I've got them, but this we need to hold you
to come back and read some of your notes like quotes.
Speaker 3 (51:05):
Yes, my favorite one, one of my favorites that I
just came across this morning was Oh, Megan, I love
you so much. No matter what Mark Selling says about you.
Speaker 1 (51:17):
That was absolutely Wait can we guess who it was?
Speaker 3 (51:20):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (51:20):
Sure, the way you did it, it makes me feel
like it was Ryan.
Speaker 3 (51:30):
No, that would be amazing.
Speaker 1 (51:33):
I would say Mark Selling said something about you. It's
like in one of the eighties or something. I don't know.
Speaker 3 (51:39):
It was Damien said I would like with this Irish accent,
and it was like because he's so sweet, and then
I like, I was like, oh he loves that's nice,
he loves me. And then I was like, wait, what
is selling.
Speaker 1 (51:52):
Saying about me? That is so funny And it's even
funnier than it came from Damien. Oh, Damien, I love you, guys,
love you so much. I'll see you soon.
Speaker 4 (52:07):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (52:07):
Megs Well, sweet Megan Doyle. I like to call her
Megan Doyle even though we never call her that. You know,
she's love Megs d love her, lover, lover. I'm glad
that she had to I'm a little sad that she
didn't share more secrets. Yeah, but I just guarantees that
(52:31):
she has to come back again. That's true because those quotes, Yeah,
you know, she's gonna be texting us like wait, I
have more. Of course she does.
Speaker 2 (52:39):
We're gonna we'll have her back because it will be
a specific, targeted secret.
Speaker 1 (52:46):
We only use code words. Yeah, you guys. I hope
you guys enjoyed that episode with Nan and see you
next time.
Speaker 2 (52:56):
That's thanks for listening and follow us on Instagram at
and that's what you really miss POD.
Speaker 1 (53:02):
Make sure to write us a review and leave us
five stars. See you next time.
Host
Jenna Ushkowitz
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