August 1, 2024 • 35 mins
It's time for a one-on-one interview with our dear friend, Christine Lakin! It's time for us to dig deeper into her career and get the behind the scenes stories from Step-by-Step that we know you're all dying to hear!
Did you know she got to meet the Full House cast and fangirled over our very own hosts of this show?! Plus, we hear more about Christine and Stacey's new rewatch podcast!! It's all here on a new episode of How Rude, Tanneritos!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
And welcome back to How Rude, Tana Ritos. Today's guest
is a very familiar face. Not only did we all
grow up as child actors on ABC's iconic TGIF lineup,
but we just went glamping together a few weeks ago
as part of a special episode of How Rude. She
is an actress, a director, and a highly accomplished choreographer,
(00:39):
but you may best know her as Al Lambert on
the beloved sitcom Step by Step. Please welcome to the pod, Christine.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Laken Woo woo he she is hiday By, Hi Brad
Hi naked Lakey. Welcome back. Sorry, but that's it.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
I've ruined your good name with my nickname for you.
Speaker 4 (01:02):
Did I ever have a good name?
Speaker 3 (01:03):
No, you didn't, So I don't.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Feel too bad, okay, And just so you know.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
We jump right into the interview, so uh so welcome.
There's no yeah, you know, there's no preparation or like
lead up or like hey, let's let's get in them now,
it's just we go.
Speaker 4 (01:17):
Why why why start now? Why start now?
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Christine needs so good to see you. Last we saw
you was uh was on our little blamping trip.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
It was yes, out in the wilderness, the hard just
the wilderness, desertness right.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
With with flowers, right, yeah it was and and uh
and and branded cornhole.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Cornhole, branded corn hole. That was fun. You were really
good at that, Christine. You were rocking your corn hole.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
Yeah, every you know.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
That sounds inappropriate. Yeah, yeah, just.
Speaker 4 (01:54):
Rocking, rocking the holes. Yeah yeah, yeah, I'm not good
at things like that, but every now and then I
have like one good shot and then I just have
to stop. And then that's the way.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
And I know, I think it's really you sunk one in.
Speaker 4 (02:07):
Quite well, you sink one and then and.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
Then you're like that's it. That's I'm done now bye.
Speaker 4 (02:12):
Right all I needed to do, really, I don't like.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
People wanting more.
Speaker 4 (02:15):
That's right, That's what I tried to do. That was fun.
I really had a great time with you guys. And
we laughed a lot. Oh my god, we always laugh
a lot.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
We have a ridiculous amounty fun together.
Speaker 4 (02:25):
Yes, it's always good.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
Well, we are so happy to have you on the
podcast again. And uh, it's you know, we've talked about
how much fun it is to renit, renite renight. I'm
going tonight now, so you reunite.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
There.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
We go there we go. Are are you okay?
Speaker 4 (02:42):
I well know, I'm trying to deal with my my
lighting schematics.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Yeah, the glare and helped.
Speaker 4 (02:48):
Back light and there's front light. And I'm not a DP,
but I'm trying to be my own.
Speaker 3 (02:54):
From this is usually just for social media. It's we
don't post the video anywhere, much to people's dismay, but
it's because our guests can't figure out how to operate lines.
So I mean that way, I.
Speaker 4 (03:07):
Can barely figure it out. So all right, now we're now.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
We're just talking about what a great director you are,
and I feel like I have to take it all back.
Speaker 5 (03:14):
You should now you know what your great director is
terrible DP. That's that's a different then CO two to
completely different jobs. Yes to you know, that's why you
hire good people. That's why you hire people that know
how to work a light.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
It's true.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
But you know what's funny on set like and you
might remember this, but it was, and I don't know
if you've been on other sets since, Like obviously when
you're working on a TV show and like everybody has
their jobs, but it feels quite collaborative and it's like
resetting your prop every now and then, or you're responsible
for certain things or whatever. But there are some sets
you get on, and especially when you're the new person.
(03:51):
For instance, as a director, I've been like, because I'm
just so used to working with props as an actor,
sometimes I'd be like, oh, let me just I'm just
gonna fux with this, and someone will come up and
be like, excuse me, may I help you with that?
Because everything is radiated. Yeah, yeah, yeah, thing is a
union and you're not supposed to touch that ladder. Well,
you know, we're not supposed to move that couch, but
I keep doing it.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
I am the worst at that, again, because we're actors
and we're like and and it's because we're actors and
we do it, and nobody goes, that's my job. They're
just like the actors are touching things again, you know
what I mean? Right, And then you always see him
go over and like fix it or do it, you know,
like just because they're like, that's my job and I do.
And obviously, like you said, you work with people for
(04:31):
a while and you just kind of get a rapport.
But yeah, it is hard. Sometimes you come in and
you're like, oh, I'm just I'm just so used to
doing this thing and I'm gonna and they're like, don't
touch that, don't touch that, right.
Speaker 4 (04:41):
And you're like, I'm sorry, you're doing it wrong.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
Yeah, right right, And I'm like, I'm sorry.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
Well as as women too, We're like, oh, let's fix up,
let's clean up, let's do this job, let's make it
all work, multitask, and they're like, no, right, we have
a department for that.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Don't cross union lines.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
Oh yeah, yes, yeah, as much my house ran like that, right,
So I can't cross department lines and that's your job
to unload the dishwasher.
Speaker 4 (05:07):
I think you should start implementing that. I should.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
I mean, you know, I'm gonna have a union rep
in my house and we're going to we're gonna break
into some some guilds. We're gonna have an iazzi and
membership here, and we're gonna you know what, things are
gonna happen change.
Speaker 4 (05:23):
I mean, listen, I don't want our industry to go
on strike again, but I'm not opposed to implementing one
inside my house. Oh God, on the ground, why are
there somebody socks on the ground? Can I ask you
a question? Do people just come in and their tiny
little feet are just so sweaty that they just have
to shed.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
Socks under the table house and then you'll never find
the mate again.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
No, this is like the bane of my existence in life,
is not finding the mate to tiny socks.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
Well, speaking of other dramas, no, So, Christine, I know
we've talked a lot. I mean, you and I have
talked a lot about all sorts of things. But I
would love for people to kind of hear how you
got into the business as a child actor. They haven't
heard your story before, and you know, kind of how
you became Al Lambert and now the amazing industry. You know,
(06:17):
wonder kid that you are. I don't know, I'm having
a bad day. I had night sweats all last night.
I'm not Yeah, it's bullshit, I'm sorry. Yeah, it's we
called this podcast HRT for a reason, and yeah.
Speaker 4 (06:29):
Yeah, I'm with you. I'm right there with you. Yes.
So I moved to Atlanta when I was six, and
I was never very good at sports because I'm I
was always a tiny little person, so so.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
You are pocket sized.
Speaker 4 (06:47):
I'm a pocket sized person. So team sports were always
just like a little bit hard for me. But dance
be kind of became my thing, and my mom really
wanted to involve me in a new you know, new community,
new school like community, such as a dance class. So
I went to a dance studio, was starting to take
some dance classes. They had acting on Fridays. I really
(07:08):
was into what is drama? I want to be in it.
I was the kid who from a very early age
was putting on place for my parents. I was an
only child. I was very creative, always having to entertain
myself and literally anyone else who would watch me, so
that watching Carol Burnett was a I just loved the
(07:30):
movie Annie, I loved her. I love the Carol Burnett Show.
So I really wanted to do things like that, and
drama class seemed like a natural sort of fit, so
we went. The teacher was also a manager, as many
times you would find in the business that happens, and
she managed a few kids and said, hey, have you
ever thought about putting your kid commercials? And my mom
(07:52):
was not. This was Atlanta. This was like a regional,
you know, kind of small town at the time, because
we're talking like eighties, not the where.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
Did you move from? You said, you moved to Atlanta.
Where would where were you?
Speaker 4 (08:04):
Originally? I was born in Dallas, only live there until
I was six months old. We moved to Maryland, lived
there for a few years, moved to Florida, lived there
for a few years, moved to Atlanta. So yeah, my
dad was My parents would say that they were corporate gypsies.
So my dad basically would start up some companies and
then get poached by another company to work for them
(08:26):
for a while. On the poached by another company. He
was sort of in the beginnings of what we now
know and what we are using now, which is Zoom.
But he did not create Zoom, but he created teleconference software,
got it for like back in the eighties for large
corporations to do it exactly what we're doing right now. Anyway,
(08:46):
So thanks Christine's dad, we wouldn't be here. Yeah, you
probably wouldn't have several modems but made and then bought
by Motorola without my father. Yeah, So anyway, we went
on a My mom said, Okay, yeah, sure, I mean
she seems to like it. I guess we could give
it a shot. But there was no like, no one
really thought this was going to be a thing. Went
(09:07):
on a few auditions, booked a few regionals, booked a
few national commercials. My mom was like, maybe we need
an agent. I don't know, this seems to be going well.
She seems to like it. So I started slowly doing
some just like very kind of small town things, print
jobs and few nationals and TV movies, blah blah blah.
Was doing theater with my theater company in South Georgia,
(09:29):
and strangely enough, Kirk and Candice Cameron's mom was there
and we did a show for the Make a Wish
Foundation and it's like a special show just for them
and his mom at the time was becoming a manager.
Wasn't sure agent manager, She wasn't sure which way she
was going. Anyway, her assistant approached my mom after the
(09:50):
show and said, we would love to talk more about
maybe representing Christina, California. That seemed like such a long shot.
How is that ever going to work? This is again,
before the time of zoom, So what are you doing
sending a beta tape? It's big to somebody to.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
Be like, look at my demo, real you need a
movie theater size screen, but hold on.
Speaker 4 (10:11):
Yes, So it was sort of like a long you know,
it's like a slow burn nine months or something of
them just sort of randomly talking. Eventually she decided to
get her license and become a manager, I believe, And
for my spring break that following spring, my mom took
me out to California, mostly for fun, but also it
(10:33):
was like, like waited, you know, right off the trip,
like maybe as a manager, and like do a demo
tape and just like have that beta tape ready to go? Yes.
So we came to the set of Full House, which
is the first time I ever met Jodi Sweeten, and
I was beside myself and I still have the picture.
(10:54):
I am wearing a stonewashed jean jumper and a great
It was my favorite outfit and I was a fan.
I mean, I watched the show, I knew everyone. I
believe we actually also met Andrea. I may have a
picture with you, but I don't believe. So nice. I
just remember being so so nice, and I remember going
(11:15):
back and telling all my friends about it, and I
was just like I'm at the cast a full House,
and like Uncle Jesse put his face right next to
mine and he smelled so good, and we have a
picture together, and I was like Kimmy was so nice
and she wasn't a nerd at all. She was so sweet.
But anyway, so that was just a really fun moment
for me. And I sat down on that glad chair
and I did a scene from the movie You all
(11:37):
I think were on maybe a break or dinner or something,
but they worked it out to shoot my demo tape
audition my monologue right on the set. So I sat
down in that on the set, which was like so
surreal for me because of course I'm just freaking right.
And I did a scene from the movie A Reconcilable
(11:59):
Differences in which the character played by Drew Barrymore divorces
her parents on the stand. Oh yeah, And my special
skill as a kid is that I could cry on
a cue, So I had that That's what they wanted
to showcase. I had this ability to just you know,
turn on the water works and do this whole thing
and blah blah blah. So anyway, I'm doing the doing
(12:19):
the thing, and who walks by in the control booths
because at that time, they were still control booths in
sitcom where people would see all the monitors what's happening.
But Bob Boyette and he said, like, what is this,
what's happening this child? You know, she's she's why is
she crying all the stuff. And we're doing a demo
tape and it's a favor and anyway, long story, long
(12:41):
story long. We go back to Atlanta a couple of
months later. You know, don't think again, don't think anything
of it. Right, they've been casting.
Speaker 3 (12:49):
Its usually when it happens when you're like, I forgot
about that, right.
Speaker 4 (12:53):
Yeah, And they were casting step by step. They had
every role locked but the role of Lambert. They had
had an actress and she had fallen through for various reasons,
and it was they were up against it. And Bob
Boyett said, where's that girl? Where's that tape? Someone find her? Wow?
(13:13):
And they did, and we got a call saying can
you be in California tomorrow? And I remember being like,
this is crazy, this is really crazy, Like no bities
across the country for an audition. I mean it was.
It was also nineteen ninety one, nineteen ninety at this time, right, so,
but again only child. My father traveled all the time.
(13:35):
We had tons of frequent flyer miles. My dad said,
if you want to do it, I've got the miles.
If you don't want to do it, no pressure. But
it's it's don't worry about it, Like, if you want
to do it, we can make it happen and it
might be just a great story. Like no pressure, it's
just like, yeah, so we did. So I flew out
with my mom, got in that night. The next morning
(13:56):
I had my audition. I went in for Tom Miller
and Bob Boyette and and the casting director and did
the did the scenes and they laughed and I walked
out and they said, well, she's on a plane tomorrow.
Do you want to see her again? And they were like, yeah,
bring her back. Cans. I can't knot? Can I like
date it again? I think, just make sure it wasn't
like a fluke right right, And got to call. The
(14:19):
next day I booked the pilot.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
Yeah, yeah, I had no idea that it all started
on the Full House set.
Speaker 3 (14:27):
That's crazy, that wild, it's so yeah, so interesting, and
but I mean, you know, Bob Boyett loves finding new
talent new you know. Yeah, yeah, it's funny, that's kind
of I mean, I did Valerie and that was how
I got cast on on Full House. Was again Tom,
Bob and the producers being like and Jeff being you know, like,
(14:48):
oh wait, that's who we you know, it's just funny.
You never again, you never know. That's the thing about
this business is like you never know what weird little
random thing, which is why I'm always like you going
to a pitch, meaning or you go do something and
like it doesn't go the way you want, You're like, yeah,
but it might go away. I don't even have any
idea how it's going to happen. I mean absolutely so.
(15:08):
But what an awesome experience.
Speaker 4 (15:10):
Yeah, and of course, you know, doing a pilot, I
mean it was it was wild. Like we moved basically
from the Hilton and Woodland Hills and then all of
a sudden it was like, ooh, we all knows, like
they had us in like the Century Plaza Hotel. I
was like, oh my god, where did you guys shoot?
Speaker 3 (15:28):
Step by step?
Speaker 4 (15:29):
We shot the first two years at Culver Studios in
Culver City, That's right. But the craziest part, and like
we've talked about this on our podcast that I have
with Stacy Keenan, but the craziest part of that was
because I think Tom and Bob and you know, Michael
Warren and Bill Bickley. They had done so many shows, right,
(15:49):
they had they they knew the formulas. They was happy
these Lavernon Shirley, you know, Full House, like Perfect Strangers,
all these shows. They just had the formula down, and
I feel like they knew when they were gonna push
something to make it a hit. They had Susanne Summers
and Patrick Duffy like the most of us honestly were
interchangeable at any given moment, I'm sure, especially in the beginning.
(16:11):
But they wanted to put a lot behind it. So
the first two days of shooting that pilot, we shot
a title sequence at Magic Mountain where they shut the
entire place down, Like can we talk about that for
a minute, the amount of money.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Yeah, that's insane, that's ambitious.
Speaker 4 (16:31):
Yeah, did you guys shoot the title sequence when you
shot the pilot?
Speaker 3 (16:35):
We we shot that. We did shoot the title sequence,
but because ours was in San Francisco, they did like
they took up doubles to do like the the fishing
bridge and the fishing stuff and all that that's actually
in San Francisco, Like those are doubles and our stuff,
Like as they pulled out like that's all us in
(16:57):
like Griffith Park or something, and then they and then
it cuts to once they're far enough away to just
the car and the bridge. Yeah, but yeah, that's crazy crazy.
Speaker 4 (17:07):
They also had doubles for us. They did not let
us ride Colossus, damn insurance, god stupid. But we did
ride the boat rides, and that's the one that everybody
like remembers going down the boat and splashing.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
Right right right. It's sort of like Jurassic Park at Universal, Yes,
which I take angry on in every October.
Speaker 4 (17:28):
She hates.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
I hate it.
Speaker 4 (17:29):
I hate it.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
I don't like scary rides. I don't like scary things.
Speaker 4 (17:32):
Do you think that's scary now?
Speaker 2 (17:35):
Yeah, well just roller coasters. Yes, I can handle the
Jurassic Park ride. Okay, she can handle it.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
She can handle it. It's the it's the fact that
it's at horror nights that really.
Speaker 4 (17:45):
Is the thing.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
That it's the horror nights that I hate.
Speaker 4 (17:47):
The monsters.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
We're prepping it now, we're starting that, we're just so
you know, this is the thing we do every year
that she says she's not going to do it, and
then we do it, and then she has a great time. Yes,
you're right, Wine from Smokehouse, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
It sounds and never oh no, enough of a whole
Hollywood horror nights.
Speaker 3 (18:08):
No, I mean we could keep going. My favorite does
let's not please sh.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
Sh no.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
I was gonna say. I was telling ab before we
started that you and I were in acting class together
and you were talking about, you know, doing class and
the fact that you could like cry on cue and stuff,
and you I was always so intimidated by you in
class that lay in a bad way where I was like,
I can't compare it, but like you were just always
you could pick up a script and like a cold read,
(18:43):
you'd have it almost memorized, and like you would be
so in it. And I told her, I was like, man,
I just never did that. And I was like, probably
because I was fucking around in class. But anyway, but
and Christine was serious and like I'm here, but no,
you just you're like and you're just so talented. I
love I. You know, you're one of my favorite peeps.
(19:05):
And I just think you're super super talented and you
have been since you were a kid. And you know,
people saw you do again, you know, they see us
do sitcoms or whatever, and they're like, Oh, you must
just be fluff, but you're actually really, really freaking talented.
Speaker 4 (19:18):
Oh thank you for saying that.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
And you're a bad ass director. You've been directing the Goldbergs. Yeah,
you have been directing AFRICQE a while, so I'd love
to hear.
Speaker 4 (19:29):
Yeah. I took a circuitous path along many routes and
various careers in the entertainment industry. But so I after
the show ended in nineteen ninety eight, I guess I
was in college. I went to UCLA and kind of
doing college and then also doing like the Guest Stars
(19:50):
and you know, the TV, the teen movies and this
is like the two early two thousands, just kind of
doing all that kind of stuff. I went back to
theater because it was always and a love of mine,
and it just just gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling.
I loved acting class. I loved acting class, being around actors,
I loved being around, you know, a theater company. And anyway,
(20:11):
in doing so, they needed a choreographer and I'd had
all this dance background, and I was sort of like,
I guess I could do it. I think I could
do it. I could do it. So I just start
choreographing for the theater company, and one thing leads to another,
and I start choreographing for other people, and then I
got nominated a bunch of times in la and theater stuff,
(20:31):
and just like again, just like kind of a snowball
of this is cool. I went to go do a
movie called Reefer Madness in Vancouver.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
I wanted to do that movie so bad. I remember
when it was coming out and everyone was up for it,
and I remember when you got it and I was like, oh,
thank god it's Cristique because I was like, but I
was too young, I think at the time. Yeah, I
was definitely like still a teenager and people were like,
I don't know. I was like, but their teens in
the movie, I know, But.
Speaker 4 (20:58):
So great, great. I mean, I was such a big
fan of the stage musical.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
And yeah, I remember going to see it.
Speaker 4 (21:04):
It's brilliant, brilliant, and so yeah, the little tiny part
of played Joan of Arc and then I did some
like dancing and stuff. But I was in Vancouver, as
you know, for a really long time because my scenes
were all there was rehearsal, and the scenes are kind
of all over the place, so the choreographer Marian Pelogg,
who's wonderful, said hey, could you come help me out
(21:25):
and be part of my skeleton crew, which is basically
just helping her be bodies to try different things, try
different shapes, and figure out what she wanted to do
with some of these other numbers. And in doing so,
I basically was able to shadow her throughout that entire process.
It was really amazing. Worked again with her as one
of her assistants on a movie called You Again for Disney. Anyway,
(21:47):
I say all of these things because again, you don't
you never really know where a path is going to
lead you. Yep, Sunday Stevens was the first ad on
You Again. And then after the movie, when on to
work on True Blood, I got a call after You Again.
After I'd worked with her now a couple of times,
I got a call and they said, hey, they need
a choreographer to come in. They're just they need somebody
(22:10):
to do just some like. It was basically social media
promos for their new season coming out, and it doesn't
pay a lot, but you know we need like so
we were going to call Mary ann Ella, who as
an emmy, but she's like I know someone that might
want to do that, and so I said, yeah, sure.
So I found all these hilarious actors and it was
(22:31):
Alexander Scarsguard and he's sitting there in the club, you know,
watching these people who came into audition to be these
you know, the people that were going to perform, and
it's funny and it's it's anyway. So that was kind
of my first thing. And I ended up doing a
bunch of episodes of True Blood and worked with Anna
Paquin and worked with a couple other people, and then
my name just started to get passed around. So I
(22:53):
suddenly had this like funny career as a side job
as a choreographer in film and television because I knew
how to talk to actors, but I also understood movement.
And I also said that a lot of actors aren't dancers,
so you have there's a certain language in which you
can't just be like it's a one, two three and
pivot up down and they're like, I'm sorry, what right? Right?
Speaker 3 (23:16):
I say words, I don't dance. I'm yeah, yeah, you
want to the other big one right.
Speaker 4 (23:22):
And a lot of actors are not super comfortable or
they don't have the confidence to think, like, I get
a lot of you know, I'm not a dancer. I'm
not a dancer. I'm like, I'm not asking you to be.
Let's just figure out what this is.
Speaker 3 (23:33):
I mean, how many times did that happen to us
on Fuller?
Speaker 4 (23:36):
Oh, I'm sure we had.
Speaker 3 (23:37):
We had so many ridiculous dance numbers on that show.
Speaker 4 (23:41):
We did.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
We did a Bollywood number, we did like a giant,
we did a like the whole ballroom dancing thing.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
The Irish dancing, Irish.
Speaker 3 (23:50):
Dancing, we did the the engagement, uh you know street
dancing thing.
Speaker 2 (23:55):
Oh yeah, I mean yeah, Chris Chris Judd had his hands,
that's Truey. He was always like, oh.
Speaker 4 (24:03):
Boy, he's like a real choreographer. Yeah. So anyway, so
that eventually somehow led me after a bunch of you know,
random jobs all over the place. Again, it's just sort
of like who you know, my name got passed to
someone over at the Goldbergs. And I think it's because
(24:23):
I'd done an episode of Breaking In and the same
line producer working on that, and I started on that
show in season one and I became the choreographer for
all ten seasons and then somewhere around season five, I
started to pivot my career in another direction and wanting
to be more behind the scenes, wanting to, you know,
(24:46):
produce and pitch content, wanting to And that's when Jody
and I were working on Hollywood Darlings, and myself and
Jody and Beverly were around. We were trying to pitch
it and get that off the ground, and and it
was kind of like I had this kind of of
aha moment one day when I was sitting on set
for god knows how many hours and watching waiting for
(25:06):
my choreography moment to come up well, watching the monitor
and watching the director, and I just thought to myself,
Oh my god, I think that's the job I'm supposed
to be doing. Why am I not doing that? Because
I know how to now, I know how to do
that job, and I see all the things and I've
been like, and I know how to work with an actor.
That's the job I'm supposed to do. So I have
(25:26):
to get my hands on a camera and I have
to just start shooting so that I have something to
show somebody if the time ever comes. And so for
the next like four or five years, I put my
intention on that and it was really hard. It was
hard to break in. It was really hard to find
whatever that that avenue was going to be. And after
(25:47):
many years of trying to put that foot in the door,
that hat in the ring, whatever it was, they gave
me my first shot on the Goldbergs and then I'd
been with them for five or six years at that point,
and then and then I direct did for the rest
of yeah, for the rest of their run, so next
four years, and it was so some other stuff.
Speaker 3 (26:06):
So awesome to see you get to do that. It
was really fun.
Speaker 4 (26:09):
Thank you. It was. Yeah. I love that job. I
love that job so much. I love putting the pieces together,
and I really love I love working with actors. I
don't I don't. People ask if I miss acting. I
still act and at times like yes, it's fun, but
there's something there's something really satisfying to me about helping,
(26:32):
like helping the actor find whatever the comedic moment is,
or helping it like putting it together. It's just I
get a different kind of satisfaction out of it.
Speaker 3 (26:42):
Well, and when you have like such a great director
who has so much experience and like you know, on
the other side of the camera too. It really does.
Having a director who has been an actor, I think
is always so helpful because it does it gives you
a different language to like communicate. It helps you understand,
you know, the stress or the you know, neurosis of
(27:03):
being in front of the camera. You know, all of that.
Hollywood Darlings. I know it was the highlight of our careers,
but it really was. We had so much fun doing
Hollywood Darlings. We were doing that during Fuller House. We
(27:26):
did a couple of seasons of that, and that's a
cute show, so much fun. Again, it was all improv,
which is something Christine is absolutely brilliant at. Like doing
improv with Christine in those scenes was just and and
she'd come in in an a costume with an outfit.
(27:49):
This girl has a costume closet like you wouldn't believe. Like,
if you ever need a thing, you're like, I have
to dress like Pinocchio for an audition, call Christine and
she'll be like, I got you, I got you.
Speaker 4 (28:00):
So it's the theater. You can't get me out of
the Yeah, I've got you know, I've got the box
of tricks somewhere.
Speaker 3 (28:06):
Oh it's so great. But I like doing that with
you was so much fun because it was such a
great exercise also in again improv and like just sort
of writing on the fly and editing and do you
know like doing a show like that where it's all improv.
You know, we a lot of times going to be
like what are we doing?
Speaker 4 (28:25):
What? What are we doing? What are we this is?
This is Jody right before we felt what are we saying?
We're saying and I'm like, I think I'm saying something
about this and you're saying something. I We'll figure it out, right.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
Like anyway, with the concept of Hollywood Darlings, did was
it the three of you or one person sort of
took the reins or how did it come to be?
Speaker 3 (28:44):
Well, it started with Jimmy Fox and he had been
trying to put together like a show of different He
was a huge fan of like TGIF and sort of
all of those you know, t it cooms up. Beverly
Mitchell was also on Hollywood Darlings with us who was
on seven the other number they yeah, And anyway, so
(29:07):
we had been talking to Jimmy originally and he wanted
to do like the idea had started as like, oh,
they want to do a reality show, and we were
all like, we don't want to do a reality show.
We were like, we'll do a heightened reality show. We
will play sort of Curb your Enthusiasm as where we
will play versions of ourself that are leaning into our
(29:28):
most you know, sort of extreme extreme and like what
makes the dynamic of the you know, the three of
us the funniest because we had been friends for years,
so that was really how it came about. Was like
it had gotten pitched, you know. They were like, oh,
we want to do reality and we were like, we
won't do that, but we will play ourselves as characters.
And that was so much fun because it was a
(29:49):
rereadom of like getting to be yourself but also lean
into the extreme you know nature of your whatever.
Speaker 4 (29:58):
Yeah, the ridiculous nature. Like you know, it's like the
there're the side of me that would be hippy, dippy
and spiritual and come with me to the sound back,
you know. And then there's like Jody who's like, what
do you mean sound back? You know, and then Beverly
was like, guys, right, guys, did see my labels? You know?
Speaker 3 (30:18):
By the way, Andrew Keegan was the one that was
running the sound bath. So that was that. That was
a whole something didn't It wasn't that the episode?
Speaker 4 (30:26):
Where was it?
Speaker 3 (30:27):
You got complete? Something happened. We dumped something all over
You didn't.
Speaker 4 (30:35):
Over, Andrea?
Speaker 3 (30:36):
No, no, no, you the milk, the milk. Right.
Speaker 4 (30:40):
That was when I wanted to be the spokesperson.
Speaker 3 (30:43):
For boob right right right? Yes.
Speaker 1 (30:47):
It was like.
Speaker 4 (30:47):
What what was it? It was an acronym for something.
It was like breastfeeding mothers or something something. Yeah, it
was free the boobs or whatever, right, And you were
like I.
Speaker 3 (30:55):
Want to be yeah, and you were like trying to
become the spokesperson for it, and we're like what are
you doing? And then you got like, yeah, just covered
in milk. I will never forget. I think we were
shooting in like the the church basement or something of that. Yeah, yeah,
and and and it was like all right, we're doing
the milk. I was like, oh my god. And it
was what commitments it was. I mean, you know how
(31:18):
it is, you know how these ab you and I
have done it where you're like all right, we're just
here we go. We're gonna get slimmed.
Speaker 2 (31:23):
You gotta go big or just don't do it at all.
Speaker 4 (31:26):
Right, yep, right, I feel like on Step by Step
there were so many now that I'm like rewatching it.
I haven't seen these episodes in a very long time,
but I'm amazed how many food fight, food on faces,
food moments. Yeah, there were a lot in Full House too.
Speaker 3 (31:46):
Yeah, we had a fit, we had we had food moments,
but ours were also like you know, cars through kitchens,
concrete mixers through kitchens.
Speaker 1 (31:59):
We had a lot of musical moments too, the musical montages.
Speaker 3 (32:03):
Musical montages like you wouldn't believe, particularly the first I'm
convinced now that the first season of Full House is
actually musical. I didn't know it, but we are basically
just a motown musical is what we are.
Speaker 1 (32:16):
Yeah, but it's so yeah to see You're like, oh,
that's what it was like. Because after not have you
ever seen Step by Step while you were filming it
or did you were just like I'm done, I don't
want to see it again.
Speaker 4 (32:30):
No, no, no, I mean, as I said earlier, I
was such a huge tgi A fan. Okay, so I
was watching all the shows on Friday, and then when
I got on a show, it was very meta, like
it was I was excited to see it. I was
a fan of all of it. I just you know,
as it went on and I got into high school
(32:51):
and stuff, I sort of tried to pretend like I
didn't care as much, but I always thought it was
really fun. I mean, I was always really into it.
Stacy Keenan never watched an episode.
Speaker 3 (33:01):
Now, yeah, we never watched. Okay, what's now you're doing
rewatch podcast? Just so yes, people know with you and
Stacy Keenan, what is the name of your rewatch podcast
so that we can get people to go check that
one out too.
Speaker 4 (33:13):
Yes, it's called Keenan and Laken give you Deja Voo.
So we are recapping season one. We're almost at the
end of season one and then we'll start season two
early September. But yeah, we kind of recap the episode,
talk about it, and then we're and then we go
on the tangent of talking about like stuff we remember
(33:34):
certain things in our lives. What's really interesting about her
and I is that because I was the big fan
and I was the target audience, I mean, I was
the demographic, and she was my two dads, and she
had done all these other things, and she wasn't watching
the show, and like we had completely different memories of
the show because mine are very visceral, and she a
(33:56):
lot of times doesn't remember anything about action filming the show,
but remembers a lot of other things for being like sixteen,
Like the stories that she tells about her life and
the people that she knew in the nineties.
Speaker 3 (34:10):
At sixteen, Yeah, yeah, are very.
Speaker 4 (34:13):
Different than the people I was hanging out with at twelve.
I mean, you know, I was trying just to like
get close to JTT at the like you know, Ron McDonald, like.
Speaker 2 (34:21):
Bake off for yes, get in line and start.
Speaker 4 (34:25):
Going yeah hello. So that's actually really interesting there. There's
been a couple of stories she's already told me that
I had no idea happened, things that you know, between
her and Brandon Call and she got him in trouble
on accident once and I had no idea about any
of that.
Speaker 3 (34:43):
Hey, thanks so much for listening to part one of
our interview with Christine Laken, And we have so much
more for you, so much more fun and laughs and
great questions in chatting with our good friend Christine, So
make sure and tune in for part two of our
interview with Christine Laken. In the meantime, make sure that
you're following us on Instagram so you can get those
fun behind the scenes pics and videos and all kinds
(35:03):
of new stuff, and that is at how Rude Podcast.
You can follow us on Instagram or you can send
us an email at howarudpodcast at gmail dot com. Don't
forget to like and subscribe to the podcast wherever you're
listening so that you can get the newest episodes as
soon as they come out. And just remember the door
is always open and it's always t G I F perfect. See,
(35:28):
I don't know. There we go.
Speaker 4 (35:29):
See that was it?
Speaker 2 (35:31):
You just needed a little rehearsal first, and now.
Speaker 3 (35:33):
Correct that one's not my best. We're gonna get a
better part two is gonna have a better, better ten line.
Speaker 2 (35:39):
Sorry, okay, okay, I believe you. I believe
And welcome back to How Rude, Tana Ritos. Today's guest
is a very familiar face. Not only did we all
grow up as child actors on ABC's iconic TGIF lineup,
but we just went glamping together a few weeks ago
as part of a special episode of How Rude. She
is an actress, a director, and a highly accomplished choreographer,
(00:39):
but you may best know her as Al Lambert on
the beloved sitcom Step by Step. Please welcome to the pod, Christine.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Laken Woo woo he she is hiday By, Hi Brad
Hi naked Lakey. Welcome back. Sorry, but that's it.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
I've ruined your good name with my nickname for you.
Speaker 4 (01:02):
Did I ever have a good name?
Speaker 3 (01:03):
No, you didn't, So I don't.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Feel too bad, okay, And just so you know.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
We jump right into the interview, so uh so welcome.
There's no yeah, you know, there's no preparation or like
lead up or like hey, let's let's get in them now,
it's just we go.
Speaker 4 (01:17):
Why why why start now? Why start now?
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Christine needs so good to see you. Last we saw
you was uh was on our little blamping trip.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
It was yes, out in the wilderness, the hard just
the wilderness, desertness right.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
With with flowers, right, yeah it was and and uh
and and branded cornhole.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Cornhole, branded corn hole. That was fun. You were really
good at that, Christine. You were rocking your corn hole.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
Yeah, every you know.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
That sounds inappropriate. Yeah, yeah, just.
Speaker 4 (01:54):
Rocking, rocking the holes. Yeah yeah, yeah, I'm not good
at things like that, but every now and then I
have like one good shot and then I just have
to stop. And then that's the way.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
And I know, I think it's really you sunk one in.
Speaker 4 (02:07):
Quite well, you sink one and then and.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
Then you're like that's it. That's I'm done now bye.
Speaker 4 (02:12):
Right all I needed to do, really, I don't like.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
People wanting more.
Speaker 4 (02:15):
That's right, That's what I tried to do. That was fun.
I really had a great time with you guys. And
we laughed a lot. Oh my god, we always laugh
a lot.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
We have a ridiculous amounty fun together.
Speaker 4 (02:25):
Yes, it's always good.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
Well, we are so happy to have you on the
podcast again. And uh, it's you know, we've talked about
how much fun it is to renit, renite renight. I'm
going tonight now, so you reunite.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
There.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
We go there we go. Are are you okay?
Speaker 4 (02:42):
I well know, I'm trying to deal with my my
lighting schematics.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Yeah, the glare and helped.
Speaker 4 (02:48):
Back light and there's front light. And I'm not a DP,
but I'm trying to be my own.
Speaker 3 (02:54):
From this is usually just for social media. It's we
don't post the video anywhere, much to people's dismay, but
it's because our guests can't figure out how to operate lines.
So I mean that way, I.
Speaker 4 (03:07):
Can barely figure it out. So all right, now we're now.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
We're just talking about what a great director you are,
and I feel like I have to take it all back.
Speaker 5 (03:14):
You should now you know what your great director is
terrible DP. That's that's a different then CO two to
completely different jobs. Yes to you know, that's why you
hire good people. That's why you hire people that know
how to work a light.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
It's true.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
But you know what's funny on set like and you
might remember this, but it was, and I don't know
if you've been on other sets since, Like obviously when
you're working on a TV show and like everybody has
their jobs, but it feels quite collaborative and it's like
resetting your prop every now and then, or you're responsible
for certain things or whatever. But there are some sets
you get on, and especially when you're the new person.
(03:51):
For instance, as a director, I've been like, because I'm
just so used to working with props as an actor,
sometimes I'd be like, oh, let me just I'm just
gonna fux with this, and someone will come up and
be like, excuse me, may I help you with that?
Because everything is radiated. Yeah, yeah, yeah, thing is a
union and you're not supposed to touch that ladder. Well,
you know, we're not supposed to move that couch, but
I keep doing it.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
I am the worst at that, again, because we're actors
and we're like and and it's because we're actors and
we do it, and nobody goes, that's my job. They're
just like the actors are touching things again, you know
what I mean? Right, And then you always see him
go over and like fix it or do it, you know,
like just because they're like, that's my job and I do.
And obviously, like you said, you work with people for
(04:31):
a while and you just kind of get a rapport.
But yeah, it is hard. Sometimes you come in and
you're like, oh, I'm just I'm just so used to
doing this thing and I'm gonna and they're like, don't
touch that, don't touch that, right.
Speaker 4 (04:41):
And you're like, I'm sorry, you're doing it wrong.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
Yeah, right right, And I'm like, I'm sorry.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
Well as as women too, We're like, oh, let's fix up,
let's clean up, let's do this job, let's make it
all work, multitask, and they're like, no, right, we have
a department for that.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Don't cross union lines.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
Oh yeah, yes, yeah, as much my house ran like that, right,
So I can't cross department lines and that's your job
to unload the dishwasher.
Speaker 4 (05:07):
I think you should start implementing that. I should.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
I mean, you know, I'm gonna have a union rep
in my house and we're going to we're gonna break
into some some guilds. We're gonna have an iazzi and
membership here, and we're gonna you know what, things are
gonna happen change.
Speaker 4 (05:23):
I mean, listen, I don't want our industry to go
on strike again, but I'm not opposed to implementing one
inside my house. Oh God, on the ground, why are
there somebody socks on the ground? Can I ask you
a question? Do people just come in and their tiny
little feet are just so sweaty that they just have
to shed.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
Socks under the table house and then you'll never find
the mate again.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
No, this is like the bane of my existence in life,
is not finding the mate to tiny socks.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
Well, speaking of other dramas, no, So, Christine, I know
we've talked a lot. I mean, you and I have
talked a lot about all sorts of things. But I
would love for people to kind of hear how you
got into the business as a child actor. They haven't
heard your story before, and you know, kind of how
you became Al Lambert and now the amazing industry. You know,
(06:17):
wonder kid that you are. I don't know, I'm having
a bad day. I had night sweats all last night.
I'm not Yeah, it's bullshit, I'm sorry. Yeah, it's we
called this podcast HRT for a reason, and yeah.
Speaker 4 (06:29):
Yeah, I'm with you. I'm right there with you. Yes.
So I moved to Atlanta when I was six, and
I was never very good at sports because I'm I
was always a tiny little person, so so.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
You are pocket sized.
Speaker 4 (06:47):
I'm a pocket sized person. So team sports were always
just like a little bit hard for me. But dance
be kind of became my thing, and my mom really
wanted to involve me in a new you know, new community,
new school like community, such as a dance class. So
I went to a dance studio, was starting to take
some dance classes. They had acting on Fridays. I really
(07:08):
was into what is drama? I want to be in it.
I was the kid who from a very early age
was putting on place for my parents. I was an
only child. I was very creative, always having to entertain
myself and literally anyone else who would watch me, so
that watching Carol Burnett was a I just loved the
(07:30):
movie Annie, I loved her. I love the Carol Burnett Show.
So I really wanted to do things like that, and
drama class seemed like a natural sort of fit, so
we went. The teacher was also a manager, as many
times you would find in the business that happens, and
she managed a few kids and said, hey, have you
ever thought about putting your kid commercials? And my mom
(07:52):
was not. This was Atlanta. This was like a regional,
you know, kind of small town at the time, because
we're talking like eighties, not the where.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
Did you move from? You said, you moved to Atlanta.
Where would where were you?
Speaker 4 (08:04):
Originally? I was born in Dallas, only live there until
I was six months old. We moved to Maryland, lived
there for a few years, moved to Florida, lived there
for a few years, moved to Atlanta. So yeah, my
dad was My parents would say that they were corporate gypsies.
So my dad basically would start up some companies and
then get poached by another company to work for them
(08:26):
for a while. On the poached by another company. He
was sort of in the beginnings of what we now
know and what we are using now, which is Zoom.
But he did not create Zoom, but he created teleconference software,
got it for like back in the eighties for large
corporations to do it exactly what we're doing right now. Anyway,
(08:46):
So thanks Christine's dad, we wouldn't be here. Yeah, you
probably wouldn't have several modems but made and then bought
by Motorola without my father. Yeah, So anyway, we went
on a My mom said, Okay, yeah, sure, I mean
she seems to like it. I guess we could give
it a shot. But there was no like, no one
really thought this was going to be a thing. Went
(09:07):
on a few auditions, booked a few regionals, booked a
few national commercials. My mom was like, maybe we need
an agent. I don't know, this seems to be going well.
She seems to like it. So I started slowly doing
some just like very kind of small town things, print
jobs and few nationals and TV movies, blah blah blah.
Was doing theater with my theater company in South Georgia,
(09:29):
and strangely enough, Kirk and Candice Cameron's mom was there
and we did a show for the Make a Wish
Foundation and it's like a special show just for them
and his mom at the time was becoming a manager.
Wasn't sure agent manager, She wasn't sure which way she
was going. Anyway, her assistant approached my mom after the
(09:50):
show and said, we would love to talk more about
maybe representing Christina, California. That seemed like such a long shot.
How is that ever going to work? This is again,
before the time of zoom, So what are you doing
sending a beta tape? It's big to somebody to.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
Be like, look at my demo, real you need a
movie theater size screen, but hold on.
Speaker 4 (10:11):
Yes, So it was sort of like a long you know,
it's like a slow burn nine months or something of
them just sort of randomly talking. Eventually she decided to
get her license and become a manager, I believe, And
for my spring break that following spring, my mom took
me out to California, mostly for fun, but also it
(10:33):
was like, like waited, you know, right off the trip,
like maybe as a manager, and like do a demo
tape and just like have that beta tape ready to go? Yes.
So we came to the set of Full House, which
is the first time I ever met Jodi Sweeten, and
I was beside myself and I still have the picture.
(10:54):
I am wearing a stonewashed jean jumper and a great
It was my favorite outfit and I was a fan.
I mean, I watched the show, I knew everyone. I
believe we actually also met Andrea. I may have a
picture with you, but I don't believe. So nice. I
just remember being so so nice, and I remember going
(11:15):
back and telling all my friends about it, and I
was just like I'm at the cast a full House,
and like Uncle Jesse put his face right next to
mine and he smelled so good, and we have a
picture together, and I was like Kimmy was so nice
and she wasn't a nerd at all. She was so sweet.
But anyway, so that was just a really fun moment
for me. And I sat down on that glad chair
and I did a scene from the movie You all
(11:37):
I think were on maybe a break or dinner or something,
but they worked it out to shoot my demo tape
audition my monologue right on the set. So I sat
down in that on the set, which was like so
surreal for me because of course I'm just freaking right.
And I did a scene from the movie A Reconcilable
(11:59):
Differences in which the character played by Drew Barrymore divorces
her parents on the stand. Oh yeah, And my special
skill as a kid is that I could cry on
a cue, So I had that That's what they wanted
to showcase. I had this ability to just you know,
turn on the water works and do this whole thing
and blah blah blah. So anyway, I'm doing the doing
(12:19):
the thing, and who walks by in the control booths
because at that time, they were still control booths in
sitcom where people would see all the monitors what's happening.
But Bob Boyette and he said, like, what is this,
what's happening this child? You know, she's she's why is
she crying all the stuff. And we're doing a demo
tape and it's a favor and anyway, long story, long
(12:41):
story long. We go back to Atlanta a couple of
months later. You know, don't think again, don't think anything
of it. Right, they've been casting.
Speaker 3 (12:49):
Its usually when it happens when you're like, I forgot
about that, right.
Speaker 4 (12:53):
Yeah, And they were casting step by step. They had
every role locked but the role of Lambert. They had
had an actress and she had fallen through for various reasons,
and it was they were up against it. And Bob
Boyett said, where's that girl? Where's that tape? Someone find her? Wow?
(13:13):
And they did, and we got a call saying can
you be in California tomorrow? And I remember being like,
this is crazy, this is really crazy, Like no bities
across the country for an audition. I mean it was.
It was also nineteen ninety one, nineteen ninety at this time, right, so,
but again only child. My father traveled all the time.
(13:35):
We had tons of frequent flyer miles. My dad said,
if you want to do it, I've got the miles.
If you don't want to do it, no pressure. But
it's it's don't worry about it, Like, if you want
to do it, we can make it happen and it
might be just a great story. Like no pressure, it's
just like, yeah, so we did. So I flew out
with my mom, got in that night. The next morning
(13:56):
I had my audition. I went in for Tom Miller
and Bob Boyette and and the casting director and did
the did the scenes and they laughed and I walked
out and they said, well, she's on a plane tomorrow.
Do you want to see her again? And they were like, yeah,
bring her back. Cans. I can't knot? Can I like
date it again? I think, just make sure it wasn't
like a fluke right right, And got to call. The
(14:19):
next day I booked the pilot.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
Yeah, yeah, I had no idea that it all started
on the Full House set.
Speaker 3 (14:27):
That's crazy, that wild, it's so yeah, so interesting, and
but I mean, you know, Bob Boyett loves finding new
talent new you know. Yeah, yeah, it's funny, that's kind
of I mean, I did Valerie and that was how
I got cast on on Full House. Was again Tom,
Bob and the producers being like and Jeff being you know, like,
(14:48):
oh wait, that's who we you know, it's just funny.
You never again, you never know. That's the thing about
this business is like you never know what weird little
random thing, which is why I'm always like you going
to a pitch, meaning or you go do something and
like it doesn't go the way you want, You're like, yeah,
but it might go away. I don't even have any
idea how it's going to happen. I mean absolutely so.
(15:08):
But what an awesome experience.
Speaker 4 (15:10):
Yeah, and of course, you know, doing a pilot, I
mean it was it was wild. Like we moved basically
from the Hilton and Woodland Hills and then all of
a sudden it was like, ooh, we all knows, like
they had us in like the Century Plaza Hotel. I
was like, oh my god, where did you guys shoot?
Speaker 3 (15:28):
Step by step?
Speaker 4 (15:29):
We shot the first two years at Culver Studios in
Culver City, That's right. But the craziest part, and like
we've talked about this on our podcast that I have
with Stacy Keenan, but the craziest part of that was
because I think Tom and Bob and you know, Michael
Warren and Bill Bickley. They had done so many shows, right,
(15:49):
they had they they knew the formulas. They was happy
these Lavernon Shirley, you know, Full House, like Perfect Strangers,
all these shows. They just had the formula down, and
I feel like they knew when they were gonna push
something to make it a hit. They had Susanne Summers
and Patrick Duffy like the most of us honestly were
interchangeable at any given moment, I'm sure, especially in the beginning.
(16:11):
But they wanted to put a lot behind it. So
the first two days of shooting that pilot, we shot
a title sequence at Magic Mountain where they shut the
entire place down, Like can we talk about that for
a minute, the amount of money.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Yeah, that's insane, that's ambitious.
Speaker 4 (16:31):
Yeah, did you guys shoot the title sequence when you
shot the pilot?
Speaker 3 (16:35):
We we shot that. We did shoot the title sequence,
but because ours was in San Francisco, they did like
they took up doubles to do like the the fishing
bridge and the fishing stuff and all that that's actually
in San Francisco, Like those are doubles and our stuff,
Like as they pulled out like that's all us in
(16:57):
like Griffith Park or something, and then they and then
it cuts to once they're far enough away to just
the car and the bridge. Yeah, but yeah, that's crazy crazy.
Speaker 4 (17:07):
They also had doubles for us. They did not let
us ride Colossus, damn insurance, god stupid. But we did
ride the boat rides, and that's the one that everybody
like remembers going down the boat and splashing.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
Right right right. It's sort of like Jurassic Park at Universal, Yes,
which I take angry on in every October.
Speaker 4 (17:28):
She hates.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
I hate it.
Speaker 4 (17:29):
I hate it.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
I don't like scary rides. I don't like scary things.
Speaker 4 (17:32):
Do you think that's scary now?
Speaker 2 (17:35):
Yeah, well just roller coasters. Yes, I can handle the
Jurassic Park ride. Okay, she can handle it.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
She can handle it. It's the it's the fact that
it's at horror nights that really.
Speaker 4 (17:45):
Is the thing.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
That it's the horror nights that I hate.
Speaker 4 (17:47):
The monsters.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
We're prepping it now, we're starting that, we're just so
you know, this is the thing we do every year
that she says she's not going to do it, and
then we do it, and then she has a great time. Yes,
you're right, Wine from Smokehouse, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
It sounds and never oh no, enough of a whole
Hollywood horror nights.
Speaker 3 (18:08):
No, I mean we could keep going. My favorite does
let's not please sh.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
Sh no.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
I was gonna say. I was telling ab before we
started that you and I were in acting class together
and you were talking about, you know, doing class and
the fact that you could like cry on cue and stuff,
and you I was always so intimidated by you in
class that lay in a bad way where I was like,
I can't compare it, but like you were just always
you could pick up a script and like a cold read,
(18:43):
you'd have it almost memorized, and like you would be
so in it. And I told her, I was like, man,
I just never did that. And I was like, probably
because I was fucking around in class. But anyway, but
and Christine was serious and like I'm here, but no,
you just you're like and you're just so talented. I
love I. You know, you're one of my favorite peeps.
(19:05):
And I just think you're super super talented and you
have been since you were a kid. And you know,
people saw you do again, you know, they see us
do sitcoms or whatever, and they're like, Oh, you must
just be fluff, but you're actually really, really freaking talented.
Speaker 4 (19:18):
Oh thank you for saying that.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
And you're a bad ass director. You've been directing the Goldbergs. Yeah,
you have been directing AFRICQE a while, so I'd love
to hear.
Speaker 4 (19:29):
Yeah. I took a circuitous path along many routes and
various careers in the entertainment industry. But so I after
the show ended in nineteen ninety eight, I guess I
was in college. I went to UCLA and kind of
doing college and then also doing like the Guest Stars
(19:50):
and you know, the TV, the teen movies and this
is like the two early two thousands, just kind of
doing all that kind of stuff. I went back to
theater because it was always and a love of mine,
and it just just gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling.
I loved acting class. I loved acting class, being around actors,
I loved being around, you know, a theater company. And anyway,
(20:11):
in doing so, they needed a choreographer and I'd had
all this dance background, and I was sort of like,
I guess I could do it. I think I could
do it. I could do it. So I just start
choreographing for the theater company, and one thing leads to another,
and I start choreographing for other people, and then I
got nominated a bunch of times in la and theater stuff,
(20:31):
and just like again, just like kind of a snowball
of this is cool. I went to go do a
movie called Reefer Madness in Vancouver.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
I wanted to do that movie so bad. I remember
when it was coming out and everyone was up for it,
and I remember when you got it and I was like, oh,
thank god it's Cristique because I was like, but I
was too young, I think at the time. Yeah, I
was definitely like still a teenager and people were like,
I don't know. I was like, but their teens in
the movie, I know, But.
Speaker 4 (20:58):
So great, great. I mean, I was such a big
fan of the stage musical.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
And yeah, I remember going to see it.
Speaker 4 (21:04):
It's brilliant, brilliant, and so yeah, the little tiny part
of played Joan of Arc and then I did some
like dancing and stuff. But I was in Vancouver, as
you know, for a really long time because my scenes
were all there was rehearsal, and the scenes are kind
of all over the place, so the choreographer Marian Pelogg,
who's wonderful, said hey, could you come help me out
(21:25):
and be part of my skeleton crew, which is basically
just helping her be bodies to try different things, try
different shapes, and figure out what she wanted to do
with some of these other numbers. And in doing so,
I basically was able to shadow her throughout that entire process.
It was really amazing. Worked again with her as one
of her assistants on a movie called You Again for Disney. Anyway,
(21:47):
I say all of these things because again, you don't
you never really know where a path is going to
lead you. Yep, Sunday Stevens was the first ad on
You Again. And then after the movie, when on to
work on True Blood, I got a call after You Again.
After I'd worked with her now a couple of times,
I got a call and they said, hey, they need
a choreographer to come in. They're just they need somebody
(22:10):
to do just some like. It was basically social media
promos for their new season coming out, and it doesn't
pay a lot, but you know we need like so
we were going to call Mary ann Ella, who as
an emmy, but she's like I know someone that might
want to do that, and so I said, yeah, sure.
So I found all these hilarious actors and it was
(22:31):
Alexander Scarsguard and he's sitting there in the club, you know,
watching these people who came into audition to be these
you know, the people that were going to perform, and
it's funny and it's it's anyway. So that was kind
of my first thing. And I ended up doing a
bunch of episodes of True Blood and worked with Anna
Paquin and worked with a couple other people, and then
my name just started to get passed around. So I
(22:53):
suddenly had this like funny career as a side job
as a choreographer in film and television because I knew
how to talk to actors, but I also understood movement.
And I also said that a lot of actors aren't dancers,
so you have there's a certain language in which you
can't just be like it's a one, two three and
pivot up down and they're like, I'm sorry, what right? Right?
Speaker 3 (23:16):
I say words, I don't dance. I'm yeah, yeah, you
want to the other big one right.
Speaker 4 (23:22):
And a lot of actors are not super comfortable or
they don't have the confidence to think, like, I get
a lot of you know, I'm not a dancer. I'm
not a dancer. I'm like, I'm not asking you to be.
Let's just figure out what this is.
Speaker 3 (23:33):
I mean, how many times did that happen to us
on Fuller?
Speaker 4 (23:36):
Oh, I'm sure we had.
Speaker 3 (23:37):
We had so many ridiculous dance numbers on that show.
Speaker 4 (23:41):
We did.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
We did a Bollywood number, we did like a giant,
we did a like the whole ballroom dancing thing.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
The Irish dancing, Irish.
Speaker 3 (23:50):
Dancing, we did the the engagement, uh you know street
dancing thing.
Speaker 2 (23:55):
Oh yeah, I mean yeah, Chris Chris Judd had his hands,
that's Truey. He was always like, oh.
Speaker 4 (24:03):
Boy, he's like a real choreographer. Yeah. So anyway, so
that eventually somehow led me after a bunch of you know,
random jobs all over the place. Again, it's just sort
of like who you know, my name got passed to
someone over at the Goldbergs. And I think it's because
(24:23):
I'd done an episode of Breaking In and the same
line producer working on that, and I started on that
show in season one and I became the choreographer for
all ten seasons and then somewhere around season five, I
started to pivot my career in another direction and wanting
to be more behind the scenes, wanting to, you know,
(24:46):
produce and pitch content, wanting to And that's when Jody
and I were working on Hollywood Darlings, and myself and
Jody and Beverly were around. We were trying to pitch
it and get that off the ground, and and it
was kind of like I had this kind of of
aha moment one day when I was sitting on set
for god knows how many hours and watching waiting for
(25:06):
my choreography moment to come up well, watching the monitor
and watching the director, and I just thought to myself,
Oh my god, I think that's the job I'm supposed
to be doing. Why am I not doing that? Because
I know how to now, I know how to do
that job, and I see all the things and I've
been like, and I know how to work with an actor.
That's the job I'm supposed to do. So I have
(25:26):
to get my hands on a camera and I have
to just start shooting so that I have something to
show somebody if the time ever comes. And so for
the next like four or five years, I put my
intention on that and it was really hard. It was
hard to break in. It was really hard to find
whatever that that avenue was going to be. And after
(25:47):
many years of trying to put that foot in the door,
that hat in the ring, whatever it was, they gave
me my first shot on the Goldbergs and then I'd
been with them for five or six years at that point,
and then and then I direct did for the rest
of yeah, for the rest of their run, so next
four years, and it was so some other stuff.
Speaker 3 (26:06):
So awesome to see you get to do that. It
was really fun.
Speaker 4 (26:09):
Thank you. It was. Yeah. I love that job. I
love that job so much. I love putting the pieces together,
and I really love I love working with actors. I
don't I don't. People ask if I miss acting. I
still act and at times like yes, it's fun, but
there's something there's something really satisfying to me about helping,
(26:32):
like helping the actor find whatever the comedic moment is,
or helping it like putting it together. It's just I
get a different kind of satisfaction out of it.
Speaker 3 (26:42):
Well, and when you have like such a great director
who has so much experience and like you know, on
the other side of the camera too. It really does.
Having a director who has been an actor, I think
is always so helpful because it does it gives you
a different language to like communicate. It helps you understand,
you know, the stress or the you know, neurosis of
(27:03):
being in front of the camera. You know, all of that.
Hollywood Darlings. I know it was the highlight of our careers,
but it really was. We had so much fun doing
Hollywood Darlings. We were doing that during Fuller House. We
(27:26):
did a couple of seasons of that, and that's a
cute show, so much fun. Again, it was all improv,
which is something Christine is absolutely brilliant at. Like doing
improv with Christine in those scenes was just and and
she'd come in in an a costume with an outfit.
(27:49):
This girl has a costume closet like you wouldn't believe. Like,
if you ever need a thing, you're like, I have
to dress like Pinocchio for an audition, call Christine and
she'll be like, I got you, I got you.
Speaker 4 (28:00):
So it's the theater. You can't get me out of
the Yeah, I've got you know, I've got the box
of tricks somewhere.
Speaker 3 (28:06):
Oh it's so great. But I like doing that with
you was so much fun because it was such a
great exercise also in again improv and like just sort
of writing on the fly and editing and do you
know like doing a show like that where it's all improv.
You know, we a lot of times going to be
like what are we doing?
Speaker 4 (28:25):
What? What are we doing? What are we this is?
This is Jody right before we felt what are we saying?
We're saying and I'm like, I think I'm saying something
about this and you're saying something. I We'll figure it out, right.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
Like anyway, with the concept of Hollywood Darlings, did was
it the three of you or one person sort of
took the reins or how did it come to be?
Speaker 3 (28:44):
Well, it started with Jimmy Fox and he had been
trying to put together like a show of different He
was a huge fan of like TGIF and sort of
all of those you know, t it cooms up. Beverly
Mitchell was also on Hollywood Darlings with us who was
on seven the other number they yeah, And anyway, so
(29:07):
we had been talking to Jimmy originally and he wanted
to do like the idea had started as like, oh,
they want to do a reality show, and we were
all like, we don't want to do a reality show.
We were like, we'll do a heightened reality show. We
will play sort of Curb your Enthusiasm as where we
will play versions of ourself that are leaning into our
(29:28):
most you know, sort of extreme extreme and like what
makes the dynamic of the you know, the three of
us the funniest because we had been friends for years,
so that was really how it came about. Was like
it had gotten pitched, you know. They were like, oh,
we want to do reality and we were like, we
won't do that, but we will play ourselves as characters.
And that was so much fun because it was a
(29:49):
rereadom of like getting to be yourself but also lean
into the extreme you know nature of your whatever.
Speaker 4 (29:58):
Yeah, the ridiculous nature. Like you know, it's like the
there're the side of me that would be hippy, dippy
and spiritual and come with me to the sound back,
you know. And then there's like Jody who's like, what
do you mean sound back? You know, and then Beverly
was like, guys, right, guys, did see my labels? You know?
Speaker 3 (30:18):
By the way, Andrew Keegan was the one that was
running the sound bath. So that was that. That was
a whole something didn't It wasn't that the episode?
Speaker 4 (30:26):
Where was it?
Speaker 3 (30:27):
You got complete? Something happened. We dumped something all over
You didn't.
Speaker 4 (30:35):
Over, Andrea?
Speaker 3 (30:36):
No, no, no, you the milk, the milk. Right.
Speaker 4 (30:40):
That was when I wanted to be the spokesperson.
Speaker 3 (30:43):
For boob right right right? Yes.
Speaker 1 (30:47):
It was like.
Speaker 4 (30:47):
What what was it? It was an acronym for something.
It was like breastfeeding mothers or something something. Yeah, it
was free the boobs or whatever, right, And you were
like I.
Speaker 3 (30:55):
Want to be yeah, and you were like trying to
become the spokesperson for it, and we're like what are
you doing? And then you got like, yeah, just covered
in milk. I will never forget. I think we were
shooting in like the the church basement or something of that. Yeah, yeah,
and and and it was like all right, we're doing
the milk. I was like, oh my god. And it
was what commitments it was. I mean, you know how
(31:18):
it is, you know how these ab you and I
have done it where you're like all right, we're just
here we go. We're gonna get slimmed.
Speaker 2 (31:23):
You gotta go big or just don't do it at all.
Speaker 4 (31:26):
Right, yep, right, I feel like on Step by Step
there were so many now that I'm like rewatching it.
I haven't seen these episodes in a very long time,
but I'm amazed how many food fight, food on faces,
food moments. Yeah, there were a lot in Full House too.
Speaker 3 (31:46):
Yeah, we had a fit, we had we had food moments,
but ours were also like you know, cars through kitchens,
concrete mixers through kitchens.
Speaker 1 (31:59):
We had a lot of musical moments too, the musical montages.
Speaker 3 (32:03):
Musical montages like you wouldn't believe, particularly the first I'm
convinced now that the first season of Full House is
actually musical. I didn't know it, but we are basically
just a motown musical is what we are.
Speaker 1 (32:16):
Yeah, but it's so yeah to see You're like, oh,
that's what it was like. Because after not have you
ever seen Step by Step while you were filming it
or did you were just like I'm done, I don't
want to see it again.
Speaker 4 (32:30):
No, no, no, I mean, as I said earlier, I
was such a huge tgi A fan. Okay, so I
was watching all the shows on Friday, and then when
I got on a show, it was very meta, like
it was I was excited to see it. I was
a fan of all of it. I just you know,
as it went on and I got into high school
(32:51):
and stuff, I sort of tried to pretend like I
didn't care as much, but I always thought it was
really fun. I mean, I was always really into it.
Stacy Keenan never watched an episode.
Speaker 3 (33:01):
Now, yeah, we never watched. Okay, what's now you're doing
rewatch podcast? Just so yes, people know with you and
Stacy Keenan, what is the name of your rewatch podcast
so that we can get people to go check that
one out too.
Speaker 4 (33:13):
Yes, it's called Keenan and Laken give you Deja Voo.
So we are recapping season one. We're almost at the
end of season one and then we'll start season two
early September. But yeah, we kind of recap the episode,
talk about it, and then we're and then we go
on the tangent of talking about like stuff we remember
(33:34):
certain things in our lives. What's really interesting about her
and I is that because I was the big fan
and I was the target audience, I mean, I was
the demographic, and she was my two dads, and she
had done all these other things, and she wasn't watching
the show, and like we had completely different memories of
the show because mine are very visceral, and she a
(33:56):
lot of times doesn't remember anything about action filming the show,
but remembers a lot of other things for being like sixteen,
Like the stories that she tells about her life and
the people that she knew in the nineties.
Speaker 3 (34:10):
At sixteen, Yeah, yeah, are very.
Speaker 4 (34:13):
Different than the people I was hanging out with at twelve.
I mean, you know, I was trying just to like
get close to JTT at the like you know, Ron McDonald, like.
Speaker 2 (34:21):
Bake off for yes, get in line and start.
Speaker 4 (34:25):
Going yeah hello. So that's actually really interesting there. There's
been a couple of stories she's already told me that
I had no idea happened, things that you know, between
her and Brandon Call and she got him in trouble
on accident once and I had no idea about any
of that.
Speaker 3 (34:43):
Hey, thanks so much for listening to part one of
our interview with Christine Laken, And we have so much
more for you, so much more fun and laughs and
great questions in chatting with our good friend Christine, So
make sure and tune in for part two of our
interview with Christine Laken. In the meantime, make sure that
you're following us on Instagram so you can get those
fun behind the scenes pics and videos and all kinds
(35:03):
of new stuff, and that is at how Rude Podcast.
You can follow us on Instagram or you can send
us an email at howarudpodcast at gmail dot com. Don't
forget to like and subscribe to the podcast wherever you're
listening so that you can get the newest episodes as
soon as they come out. And just remember the door
is always open and it's always t G I F perfect. See,
(35:28):
I don't know. There we go.
Speaker 4 (35:29):
See that was it?
Speaker 2 (35:31):
You just needed a little rehearsal first, and now.
Speaker 3 (35:33):
Correct that one's not my best. We're gonna get a
better part two is gonna have a better, better ten line.
Speaker 2 (35:39):
Sorry, okay, okay, I believe you. I believe
Hosts And Creators
Andrea Barber
Jodie Sweetin
Popular Podcasts
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Therapy Gecko
An unlicensed lizard psychologist travels the universe talking to strangers about absolutely nothing. TO CALL THE GECKO: follow me on https://www.twitch.tv/lyleforever to get a notification for when I am taking calls. I am usually live Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays but lately a lot of other times too. I am a gecko.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.