May 29, 2025 • 41 mins
Every second counts! We’re diving into the thrilling world of 24 and talking to Chloe O’Brian herself, Mary Lynn Rajskub! Mary Lynn has played not one… but TWO roles in Gilmore Girls!
Mary Lynn takes us behind the scenes of the challenges of making 24, we get a final answer on her Gilmore Girls character, and we hear how she handles hecklers as a stand-up comedian!
This is a podcast recorded in real-time, for a 40ish minute adventure!
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
I Am all In again.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Oh that's just you.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
I Smell pop Culture with Eastern Allen, an iHeart radio podcast.
Hey everybody, it's Eastern Allen. This is the I Smell
Pop Culture edition of I Am all In, a podcast
hosted by Scott Patterson. He is not here right now.
I am here. You're stuck with me. My name is Easton.
Scott Herzer has ordained me to host this episode here.
(00:39):
Here's what we're gonna do. We're going to explore the
pop culture references, the moments, the legends that are referenced
in Gilmour Girls, and we're gonna go so deep. We're
gonna get to know these people. We're gonna hear the
stories that make them pop culture icons. We're going to
find out who they are, how they became, who they are,
what they created. It's so much fun. We're having the
(01:00):
time of our lives over here. This week is so special.
I know I say that every time, but this week
I really really mean it. Okay, this is a really
special guest we have this week because this person wasn't
just a pop culture reference on girl More Girls or
her role she was in Gilmore Girls. She was in
one of the best moments of Gilmore Girls. If you
(01:21):
ask me, here's what we're doing. We're talking to mary
Lynn Rice Cub. She was Chloe O'Brien in twenty four.
I know you love twenty four. I love twenty four,
but she was also in Gilmore Girls. We'll talk about
that in a second, but first I got to tell
you what these references are. There's two references to twenty
four that we have found in our research, going back
(01:43):
and rewatching the entire show before we did this episode.
In season seven, episode nineteen, laurale I says, be right back, Yeah,
you know how Jack Bower should torture terrorists make them
go car shopping with their exes. Jack Bauer is, of course,
the main character in twenty four, which is a drama
(02:04):
thriller that was told in real time. I remember when
this came out. It was such an exciting thing, like
it was like this this is going to be The
season is twenty four episodes, and each episode is an
hour of the day, and it's the craziest day you
could ever imagine. Twenty four started in two thousand and
one and ran until twenty ten, with eight seasons. A
(02:31):
couple mini series in there, an iconic show. I mean,
if you haven't seen twenty four, you gotta watch it.
It's really like legendary. Key for Sutherland again in the
Star twenty four was mentioned also in Gilmore Girls. When
we let's fast forward to a year in the Life Fall,
(02:52):
the Netflix revival, Luke and Laurli are working on the
guest list for their wedding and we find out that
Lucas friends with key for Sutherland, the star of twenty four,
and Laura Le says, the real key for Sutherland Chloe.
The Canisters are already armed.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
Damn it.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
I can't do these lines, Scott. I can't be in
Gilmore Girls. This is embarrassing. But the Chloe that Lurlai
references in that moment is played by mary Lynn Rice Cub.
She is so funny. She is a comedic actress. She's
so funny. But she was the counter Terrorism Units analyst.
(03:27):
Get this, everybody, she was in twenty four. The only
other person who was in more episodes of twenty four
is Key for Sutherland. It's Key for Sutherland, and then
Marylyn Rice Cub as Chloe. She was in one hundred
and twenty five episodes of twenty four. It's really incredible.
So we're gonna talk to mary Lynn here in a second.
But I think you already know where I'm going with this.
(03:49):
Mary Lynn was in two episodes of Gilmore Girl. She
played two different characters. One of the characters was She
appeared alongside our beloved Sean Gunn in film by Kirk,
one of the best moments in Gilmore Girl's history. She
played Kirk's girlfriend in that short film, that black and
white film, What do you have to offer?
Speaker 3 (04:10):
Who?
Speaker 1 (04:11):
I love your daughter? What do you have to offer her?
That is Marylyn Rice Cub in that short film. We're
gonna talk to her all about it. She also returned
in season six as the Town True as one of
the Troubadours. When there's the town is overrun by Troubadours,
she is playing at guitar. She sings about her eighty
nine volvo. It's an original song. It's a great moment.
We're so excited to talk to Marylyn Rice Cub. It's
(04:33):
the Icemail Pop culture podcast. Hi, mary Lynn, thank you
so much for doing this.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Thanks for having me. This is exciting.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
So there's so much to get into. I mean, twenty
four your stam Up Special We're gonna be talking about
that so much great stuff, But we have to get
this out of the way. First of all, Gilmore Girls.
You are in Gilmore Girls. You're in two episodes of
Gilmore Girls. Yeah, but the first one, season two, you
started alongside Sean Gun in a film by Kirk, one
(05:01):
of the greatest moments in Gilmore Girl's history. I got
to know how that happened, how'd that come together?
Speaker 2 (05:06):
Yeah, that is the one that people randomly will recognize me,
and it shows me how big of fans of Gilmore
Girls there are. Amy Sherman Palladino was always a long
time I mean I say was always because we know
what she became, you know, but at the time the
(05:28):
Gilmore Girls was fairly new, and she was a showrunner,
but she was also she's always been a massive comedy fan,
and so she was really well acquainted with all of
us in the local LA scene.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
And you know, I just.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Feel lucky enough to be in her orbit and that
she would ask me, And I mean that part was
pretty weirdly tailor made for me a film with Kirk,
it made sense. It really needed some follow up. What
happened to the two of them?
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Yes, I want to know what happened. Like, so, when
when Amy came to you to be in it, like
was it did she say like, Hey, we're doing this
like weird kind of like experimental film, we want you
to be in. How is it pitched to you?
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Oh gosh, I don't even remember whatever it was. I'm
sure it was some version of what you just said
of like trying to explain it. But then you know
that was in my wheelhouse of like something that was
performance already, that was funny, that was not funny, that
was awkward. I mean, I don't think she explained it
(06:41):
much more than kind of how you just tried to
describe it.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
And I'm trying to remember.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
I think I remember being a little bit nervous because
it was so weird and open ended for that show
in terms of like wait, what is this?
Speaker 3 (07:00):
How does this fit in? And there really was no
answer to.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
That, nor could there have been, But as an actor,
you get that anxiety of like, wait, how does this
fit into the world, fit into the story?
Speaker 3 (07:13):
Am I hitting the right tone?
Speaker 2 (07:14):
It's like all that went out the window because it
was just such a weird, odd, you know, and it
felt weird and odd and it's like, oh, okay, that's how
it was supposed to be, and yes, great, you're happy.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
I'm happy.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
I'm glad that you know that it was as awkward
as it felt to do and weird and like like
non secretary and.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
What if you say it works, you're the boss. And
of course it was what it needed to be exactly.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
It hit everything that I just me personally if we
were making this just for Easton. It hit everything that
I love. I love awkward things, I love non sequiturs,
I love stuff like that. So I was just on
the edge of my seat. I wanted more Have you
done a lot of like student films that were kind
of like that, have you done?
Speaker 3 (08:07):
Actually? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (08:09):
And a word to what you just said, I love
like awkward non sequord That makes me think of like
the brilliance of Amy is that she knows that and
she's able to insert it within the narrative of this
already in progress show. But she gives it to us
on a platter of like, well, you know this character,
(08:31):
and of course he would be the He's the perfect
person to make something like this, and then you know
what I mean, Like she sees the audience's point of
view to just your point to enjoy on that level
of like all the townspeople being like, okay, well that
was a film by Kirk, Like it was just beautifully
done and the black and white and the casting of
(08:53):
it is hilarious and weird. And yes, I have been
in student films like that, and I have.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
You know, I came up in art school.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
I went to art school and I studied performance art,
so and there there was a lot of crossover between
people who were straight narrative storytellers.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
But it's, you know, a place where you can blur.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
These lines and not have a script fully formed, not
even have an idea that's fully formed, and go ahead
and commit that to film or commit that to a performance,
even if it's like a gesture or like some kind
of half assed thing that seems like way deeper than
it really is.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Yeah, I was very versed in that.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
Wow, so you have a bad like you say, a performance?
Are I love that? Did that? Like when you got
into comedy? Did how much did that?
Speaker 2 (09:50):
Like?
Speaker 1 (09:50):
Train? Like, I mean I must have prepared you for
for like getting on stage and making people laugh, but
also like I'm just curious how that training kind of
worked into your comedic career.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
Uh, thank you for asking you are you are on point?
Because I was.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
I went to school for painting, and I it's a
very personal you know, as we all should. All of
our paths hopefully are personally, you know, psychologically and emotionally,
and you know what you desire oriented if we're lucky enough.
I got to kind of follow that path by going
to art school to be a painter because I didn't
(10:28):
want to just go get a job and I didn't
make it any big colleges and so I loved it,
but I painting I was sort of imploding, you know.
So I started performing and I did acting in high
school and as a child, and I really loved it.
I just didn't think it was the thing that you
go to school for. So I was like, oh, painting,
(10:48):
that makes sense. But then painting is such a solitary thing,
and I didn't really understand a lot of the critiques
and the way that people were building themselves up as painters.
It just wasn't like I sort of had this like
energy that was busting to get out of me and
connection and I think I, you know, I was sort
(11:09):
of destined, and so I started doing performance art, but
a lot of that stuff mine was always comedic, but
I didn't realize it was comedic.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
But I also was just.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
You know, a weird art school kid, so I didn't
have the presence of mind to articulate socially or otherwise
like a stand up comic.
Speaker 3 (11:33):
I didn't relate to what a stand up comic was.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
So when I started doing performance art, I almost then
started making fun of performance art, and that's what pushed
me out of the art world and into the comedy world.
So I just was able, long winded way of saying,
I was just able to take an organic path with that,
and a lot of the early performances that I did,
I did not understand why people were laughing, but I
(11:59):
knew who I was funny, so it was fine figuring
out how I was funny, and I got.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
To do that through, you know, being a character on stage.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
It's so beautiful. I love like that style of exploring
how you're expressing yourself and how you're finding the type
of art you want to make.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
I feel very lucky that I was able to follow
that path like that. I really do, because if I had,
you know, shown up with the stack of headshots like
it wouldn't taking that trying to take the straight path
that sometimes you're forcing something that you're not ready to do,
or it's it's not really aligned with where you're coming from.
(12:37):
And I think that's so important for anyone that's in
art of any kind. You have to, you know, figure
out what you can really be aligned with. I don't
know any more specific way to say that.
Speaker 3 (12:55):
No, No, it makes sense, true to it, I guess.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
And you're speaking of making art. You when you return
to Gilmore Girls in season six, you're at the town Troubadour.
You're playing some music. You got a guitar on Uh
do you play guitar? Do you have a musical background?
Speaker 2 (13:15):
No, I had a comedy band with a friend of
mine at the time.
Speaker 3 (13:20):
She taught me how taught up.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
She taught me like three chords and right, and so
we just played this Eagles song.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
I think it was, I forgot what song it was,
over and over again.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Oh no, I think Ring a Fire was one of
the first, you know, these very awesome songs that I
only take three chords. And then we immediately started going
on stage, but it was more of a comedy act.
She became much better at guitar than I ever did, uh,
but I knew enough that I could, and even that
(13:58):
on Gilmore Girls, it was nerve wracking, you know, to
lay and sing is like so nerve wracking.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
But thankfully I knew that I was only.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
Gonna have to do it, you know, two to four
lines of that song, and that it'd be moving on.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
And that was That's also.
Speaker 2 (14:15):
Like the brilliance of it, because I was like perfect,
Like if I I mean definitely I would if I
was like a Troubadour that was in the whole episode or.
Speaker 3 (14:24):
Had it like an arc, I would figure it out.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
But that was the perfect amount of like, oh, okay,
I did that.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
You know, now did you who wrote the song? I
want to know that you wrote the song? All right?
Speaker 2 (14:38):
And she let me do it, and you know, again,
that's such a testament to her and her trust in
her vision and her trust in when she hires people
that she likes because she knows what she wants and
she knows what she likes and that in that instance,
that's what it called for and that's what she needed
(15:00):
and she.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
Allowed me to do it. And it was so fun.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
I mean I remember it to this day just you know,
it was kind of exhilarating.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
It's such a great moment too, and hearing that about
Amy Sherman Palladino is so excited. Like we've interviewed a
few people that have been on the show, and they
always tell us like, she has such a specific vision
for what she's doing, but when she brings people in,
she trusts them to do their thing, and that's why
she brought them in. I just think it's such a
cool balance of like having a vision but also being
(15:32):
collaborative and bringing other people in that are creative and
have an idea. It's really cool about that.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
And the nutshell is I mean, obviously her immense talent
and writing a thing, but but what you just described
I think is what makes you know, the most the highest,
the most iconic creators I think have that you know,
the specificity of vision and the confidence, but then also
(16:01):
the trust because it's such a like massive collaboration and
and just see over the years, like what she's created
it is just mind blowing, Like it's such a testament.
It's like, wait, what you did that, and then you
did it again, and then you did it and then
you're just like are creating the most gorgeous, you know,
(16:24):
just on all on all levels, on all layers, just
working at the highest, you know, integrity.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
She's it's just she's my favorite.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
It's it's tremendous. It's really sounding. I have to This
is like such a nerd question, but I want to
ask it because I'm curious. Do you think is the
troubadour character the same as the girl in the film?
Speaker 3 (16:49):
Is that the same?
Speaker 1 (16:51):
Okay, thank you for clearing that up. I just wanted
to ask, because there's out there.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
If you could bend it and say she became he
went through some hard knocks and became a troubadour.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
But no, those are two very different people, Okay, innocence
of the girl and Kirk's film, the purity of that.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
Expression versus the grizzled I mean, the Troubadour is pretty
sweet and pure too, But but no, I would say
the Troubadour has seen some life.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
Yes, absolutely lived some life. Did you that the short
film moment? The audio from it, like went viral on
TikTok a few months back. I don't know if you
saw that, the like, I love your daughter, what do
you have to offer her?
Speaker 3 (17:38):
I saw it.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
I posted a I did it, did one myself, but
that my friend found it and he.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
What is the actor's name who has the show that Jordan.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
Were saying, Brian Jordan Alvarez, a friend of mine is
a really huge fan of his, and he's like, so
I just kept seeing him do and I praised it
and he was like, good, then, oh, there you were,
and and so that's how I found out. And he's like,
you gotta you gotta post on this, and so I
did and it was super fun, like I felt like,
(18:15):
you know it, it was a it was a fun reveal.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
Yes, it's so awesome. I uh, I just love that.
You're like, you're the center of that. It's so cool.
But you're also at the center of a world called
twenty four and we have we have to get into
twenty four. That is your that's a big connection to
Gilmore Girls too, and we're going to do that in
just a second. This is the I Smell Pop Culture Podcast.
We're gonna hear some great commercials. Everybody, one second. It
(18:50):
is I Smell Pop Culture on the IML and podcast.
My name is Easton Allen. We're hanging out with mary
Lyn Riis cub from twenty four from a short film
by Kirk a film by Kirk, but twenty four was
mentioned a couple times in Gilmour Girls. You know, we
love their pop culture references. But Chloe, Chloe O'Brien, your
character was specifically mentioned in the Netflix revival. It's in
(19:14):
fall and Luke and Lareli are working on the guest
list for their wedding and we found out that Luke
is friends with Keifer Sutherland. And to clarify, Laurel As, like,
you mean the real keeper Sutherland, Like Chloe, the canisters
are already armed, damn it. And like Lucas, I guess it's
a real key for Sutherland. So twenty four, I mean
it went incredible. Run. First of all, I look this up.
(19:37):
This is incredible. You're in the most episodes besides Keefer,
Like it's him, and then you wow, that's wild. What
one hundred and twenty five episodes?
Speaker 3 (19:45):
It's unreal?
Speaker 1 (19:46):
Unreal? Okay, so you joined in season three? How did
tell me? How that? How did you because you were
doing mostly comedy before this, Like, how did you get
into the world of twenty four? Into this?
Speaker 2 (19:58):
Like Thrilla one of the producers had seen me in
a movie called Punch Trunk.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
Love, and actually they are.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
I don't know who told who, but they the producers
called me in and they said, we like your quality
in this movie, this kind of overbearing bossy, and we
don't really the part wasn't really written yet. On the page,
it was just yes, Jack, and they said, we just
wanted to meet with you. We like you for this role.
(20:30):
It's not written yet, but we're going to develop it.
And it was one of those things where I just thought, well,
that was amazing to just be recognized and call in
like that.
Speaker 3 (20:41):
I didn't even necessarily think it was going to pan.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
Out, because that's how everything goes, you know, some kind
of things that are a sure thing really are not.
Speaker 3 (20:52):
And I was just happy to have the meeting.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
And then it worked out, and I don't it just
started working somehow. I remember people being really annoyed.
Speaker 3 (21:04):
With my character at first.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
Because I was sort of seemed like I was getting
in the way and I was in know it all.
And then the episode I don't remember specifically what the
episode was, but they they wrote me they revealed that
I actually helped Jack. So up until that point I
was just like this, like oh, look, I'm trying. I'm
doing it, Like, why isn't anyone listening to me? And
(21:28):
then when it showed that I was working with him
and I did something to help him, that's when everything changed,
because people loved him so much that it suddenly gave
this annoying character this whole like, oh wait a minute,
we didn't know that about her, so it kind of
(21:48):
gave this fun layer to the character that was unexpected
that I think just was fun.
Speaker 3 (21:56):
And then from that point on, we just like, you know,
roll with it.
Speaker 1 (22:02):
Well, I'm glad that people came around on Chloe because
she's such a great character.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
Well they were forced.
Speaker 2 (22:09):
To because they're like wait, and then it got to
the point where it's like, well, he can't do that
without her, And.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
Of course, do you consider yourself like a techie person?
Was like learning all the jargon hard for you?
Speaker 3 (22:23):
Oh, it was really hard.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
Yeah, I've told this story before where I on the
first day of shooting, I, you know, the show was
already massively popular, and as you had mentioned, I hadn't
really done any dramas and I got thrown on this
set and I'm a pretty quick study, and I felt
like I had a handle on it, and I did
for the first take, and then they go, you know,
(22:47):
it's a show like that has done like a film,
so there's long breaks while they relighte and you know,
everything shifts, but you're still in the same scene. So
we went back like twenty thirty minutes later, and the
stuff that I delivered once where you know, I had
limited experience in like little movies, live comedic sitcoms where
(23:11):
you're in front of an audience, and so you know,
I did that first take and I'm like, I nailed it.
Not that I didn't know there was gonna be like
other angles, but I just didn't realize that. My body
and my mind were like bye, Like we did it once,
like we're done, and like I lit it and I
showed up and it just would not come out of
(23:33):
my mouth, and I was and the you know, the
more it didn't come out, the worse it got. And
I just was like got really hot, like so humiliated,
and we had to take a break and I had
to go into the corner and like drill the line
over and over again and kind of like shake it
off and come back. We got through the day and
(23:54):
then at the end of the day, the director said,
don't worry.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
That happens to everyone.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
So I guess that's not And you know that the
show was like so intense in the plot, yeah, so
quickly that there were so many people over the years
that would come on for one episode, two episode, and
so you're you're all.
Speaker 3 (24:12):
Of a sudden, it's like and go.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
And so that made me feel a lot better that
I wasn't the only one that completely was like, oh,
because it doesn't your brain has nothing to hang on to.
Speaker 3 (24:24):
So I developed well.
Speaker 2 (24:27):
First of all, I was much more prepared in terms
of working on the memorization instead of being like, oh,
I'm a quick study. Because if something's like a natural
way of talking, I'm like, oh, that's a natural way
of talking.
Speaker 3 (24:41):
But when it's something that you can't, you don't know,
you know.
Speaker 2 (24:46):
So I started like drilling it beforehand so I would
be over prepared. And then if I really couldn't get it,
I developed like a mnemonic. I would just break up
the word by sound, and I would associate the sound
like you would do with my last name, like how
do you you know? Like it's right, it's rice, So
you pitt your like a rice and a cub. So
it would take these like technical words and just break
(25:09):
them down into sounds if I needed to, because sometimes
there would be speeches where it would be normal, normal, normal,
and then you'd.
Speaker 3 (25:16):
Have to say like four or five like the thing.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
And I can't even do like a fake example right
now because they're weird and hard. But you know what
I'm saying, like just a bunch of technical stuff where
if you're acting and you're in the moment again, your
brain can just.
Speaker 3 (25:33):
Be like, mmm, does not I will not adhere to
this because the.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
Weird thing happens when you're acting where you're like making
it real and then it's almost like it wants to
reject the words that it doesn't know. Even if you've
studied and you go, no, okay, this word actually means
this and you associate it with the thing. Sometimes that
didn't work. So yeah, I would break it down into
like sounds.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
It's so fascinating because like I mean, I've never acted,
I likely will never act, but like it's it's such
a like muscle memory part of it. But you also
have to, like, you know, put in this creative expression thing.
And we hear about this on Gilmore Girls, a lot
because with Gilmore Girls, you have to talk very fast,
and there's like a lot of you know, you have
(26:19):
to and there's there's no improv you have to see
exactly what they wrote very fast. And so I'm wondering,
like in twenty four, could could you improve it all?
Could you go off script? Like how loose were they
with that?
Speaker 2 (26:33):
Not really and you but honestly, I imagine it was
looser than you would think.
Speaker 3 (26:40):
It would be interesting, like in terms of.
Speaker 2 (26:44):
If you got if you didn't got to turn a
phrase wrong, or you maybe added a couple of words
and it made sense and felt right, they wouldn't care.
I mean, you're not improvising whole scenes on twenty four.
But sometimes things weren't like word per or very occasionally
sometimes you'd skip something and you like truncated something by accident,
(27:08):
and they're like great.
Speaker 3 (27:10):
I mean, Keifer was somebody who really.
Speaker 2 (27:14):
You know, it's a testament to how to be a
lead to the show because he was also very conscious
of like the movement of the show. I mean, the
directors and camera would do this, but he often would
take the lead on like let's drop those two lines
are expositional, you know, because sometimes from the writer's room
to the floor, the writers are like, we have to
(27:37):
say this.
Speaker 3 (27:38):
It's like, okay, let's lose that one line and we're
on the move.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
So I'm gonna be walking and I'm gonna be taking
the thing as I'm saying it. So he was always
a big proponent of like, how can we make this
if any you know, his instincts of like if it
feels like it's slow or not necessary, he and he
had the instinct and the power and the talent to
(28:03):
push that stuff through.
Speaker 1 (28:05):
Wow, what was it? I mean, what's he like? What's
it like working with Keiper Siloly? You could be honest,
no one will hear this. You can just tell me.
Speaker 3 (28:15):
I mean, he's amazing.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
It's probably what you would imagine. It's probably what you
would imagine it's like working with him. He can be
very intense because I think like anytime you see him
speak in an interview, he's sort of you can see
all the components that make up him. He's intense, he
(28:39):
cares a lot, he wants it to be good. He
has integrity, but he also can be goofy and sensitive
and like.
Speaker 3 (28:45):
To play around.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
He also can be angry and passionate, and you know,
he's all these things, which is what makes him a superstar.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
Now, this is something I like to ask people, and
this is a hard question, but like you twenty four,
you were such a big part of twenty four, so many,
so many episode. I mean, as we said BEFO one
hundred and twenty five episodes. Do you is there a
memory like when you look back on your time on
twenty four, is there a memory that like jumps out
at you right away, like like like wow, I can't
believe we did that, or like something you like to
(29:16):
revisit when you think about twenty four, like your I
don't want to say favorite memory, but like, is there
something that happened during the show that just you you
visit in your mind a lot. I'm most curious about that.
Speaker 2 (29:28):
I Mean, I don't really think about it that much anymore,
but I.
Speaker 3 (29:31):
I will say that coming out of twenty four it
was a big adjustment.
Speaker 2 (29:40):
And I'm sure this is like this with anyone who's
been on a substantial show for a long period of time.
Is that it gets very hard to because there were
many many things in my memory like that if I
think about it now, because all the time on that show.
Speaker 3 (30:01):
We were in weird locations.
Speaker 2 (30:03):
Of course for me, I was indoor on the computer,
but I but I have a lot of memories of
hours and hours and hours that we would spend in
that you know floor, on that floor and the counter
terrorist unit, especially in those early days where it was
so new to me, the pacing of a drama and
the intensity of it, you know. So I have tons
(30:24):
of memories of like little moments of having to deliver
this exposition and we're in and we've got the screens
and we're just having these serious talks.
Speaker 3 (30:34):
But then I also have many.
Speaker 2 (30:35):
Memories of action stuff of being you know, out on
a dock with all these shipping containers or in just
just like in weird, crazy locations.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
Like there was so much stuff about it. I was just.
Speaker 2 (30:53):
Uh memorable and intense, and you know, it was serious,
but it also was it was fun because we all
loved it and we were all crowd to be on it.
Speaker 3 (31:06):
You know, so there was an investment level.
Speaker 2 (31:08):
It was special in that way where sometimes it was
hard and you got on each other's nerves, but everybody
cared about the show, and everybody was proud of the show.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
It's such a It's one of those shows like that.
I think when you look at all of television history,
it really like I remember when it came out, was like, oh,
it's going to be told in real time, like every
episode it's an hour. I was like, oh, whoa, you
can do this? Oh my god. And they started thinking
about like what's going to be the most boring hour
of the day for this one, Like is there going
to be a part where everyone's just kind of sitting
(31:39):
around eating lunch or something like that. Yeah, now we
talk about like like Gilmore Girl's references twenty four, But
also this happened in real life Project Chloe at the
Department of Homeland Security. Do you know about this?
Speaker 3 (31:52):
I do?
Speaker 1 (31:53):
Yeah, what a program for drones to defend against infrared missiles.
How did that feel when you found out that you
were your character was named after a or there was
a program named after your character.
Speaker 3 (32:07):
That was disturbing?
Speaker 1 (32:08):
Yes, crazy, right, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
Very bizarre. And the extent that like.
Speaker 2 (32:16):
People in the in the in the where that worked
in the government were crazy about twenty four Like that
I meant, I met a lot of people that had
the equivalent of our job that were like, yeah, we
don't things don't move that fast, you know. Actually at
the time, it's like we don't have the technology to
do even half the stuff, right, So it was fun
(32:43):
but kind of disturbing to know that that was named Chloe. I.
Speaker 1 (32:52):
Mariy Lynn Rice Cub is with us. This is the
Ice Smell Pop Culture Podcast. We're going to take one
more quick break. We have more to get into. I
have a question for you about your past, and we
got to talk about your your new special road gig.
It's on YouTube. Stick around everybody, We'll be right back.
(33:16):
It is the Icewell Pop Culture Podcast. This is Easton
Allen hanging out with mary Lynn Rice Cub. I'm feeling
so confident in seeing your last name now I shout
it from the rooftops. So I read that you worked
at the movie theater inside the Beverly Center. Is that right?
Speaker 3 (33:32):
That is true? I also worked at the Hard Rock Cafe.
Speaker 2 (33:34):
But yeah, I worked at that movie theater and I
was not good good research.
Speaker 3 (33:41):
I was not concession stand material, that is what I
told me. So I got.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
Reduced to taking tickets because they didn't trust me at
the concession stand to interact with the public.
Speaker 3 (33:56):
And more than just taking a ticket.
Speaker 1 (33:59):
I had the exact same experience.
Speaker 3 (34:01):
What do you mean.
Speaker 1 (34:02):
I worked in a movie theater too, and I worked
my way to the concession stand. But I was that
I had to take the tickets and clean the theaters
and tell people like, uh oh, open water would be
up to your right theater five.
Speaker 2 (34:14):
We both did that, Thank you cleaning the theaters. Who
knew there was like a real hierarchy at the movie theater.
Speaker 1 (34:22):
Right, it was crazy like and then the people in
the box office forget about it. Those were like untouchable.
But did you ever find anything really weird when you're
cleaning a theater or like, like, what was the craziest
thing you found? If you can remember anything?
Speaker 3 (34:33):
No, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (34:34):
I don't know anything. I don't think that job lasted
very long for me.
Speaker 3 (34:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (34:39):
I remember eating some leftover candy. Wow, right, you know
desperate times. Yeah, I get it, get candy and I
needed it to get through that shift.
Speaker 1 (34:51):
I was jealous the people that worked in movie theaters
inside a mall, because I'd like the one I worked
at was in a shopping center. It wasn't the same.
And I loved fast times at Ridgemont High and I
wanted to be like that kid, you know, like, oh,
the girl at the pizza shop across the wall. You know,
I wanted that experience. But you have a new special out.
It's on YouTube. It's called road Gig. You filmed it
(35:13):
at Zanies. Tell us about this comedy special. What can
people expect from that? Why should they watch it?
Speaker 3 (35:19):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (35:21):
You know, I'm really proud of this special. I talk
a lot about I touch upon my career a little bit.
I talk a little bit about twenty four I talk
about being a parent, being a woman in the world.
It's a little raunchy. It's I had one night to
do it. One show. The audience did not know I
(35:41):
was doing a special. Wow, so and it was a
particularly they were a great audience, Like we really got rolling.
Speaker 3 (35:48):
I feel like if you watch this, you'll feel like you're.
Speaker 2 (35:50):
Hanging out with me, and you'll get to know me
and get to know stories that you can like sit
back and be like, Okay, that are you know, relatable
and unique. But also the audience piped up to talk
to me quite a lot, especially doing a taping.
Speaker 3 (36:10):
I wanted to be like, this is my special. In fact, within.
Speaker 2 (36:14):
The first minute there's a guy pointing at his friend
and I was like, yes, like he.
Speaker 3 (36:20):
Has his hand raise I'm just starting.
Speaker 2 (36:23):
The show, like okay, yeah, and we left it all in.
He goes she was on twenty four and so I
had a whole conversation with this woman who worked a
day on twenty four was killed, and he was like,
I got you, like I'm gonna.
Speaker 3 (36:41):
You know, like, oh yeah, I'm gonna shout out.
Speaker 2 (36:45):
I'm like I am, like I do have a microphone,
And I'm glad you were on it for one day.
I was on it for about eight years. May I
please continue with my show now? But it was very
and there were a lot of things that happened like
that where I was interacting with the audience. But it's
a very fun show. I'm very proud of it.
Speaker 1 (37:07):
Doing stand up, you get Heckler's you get you know,
like or I don't know. There's a weird line between
like someone like trying to be combative or like aggressive
and then people who think they're like gonna be part
like that's there's some many people who think that's how
comedy shows work. Is like I'm gonna yell something at
the stand up and they're gonna interact with me, Like,
how do you handle that kind of thing, like when
(37:29):
someone just starts yelling at you from the audience.
Speaker 3 (37:32):
Well, I mean there's many different ways.
Speaker 1 (37:36):
I mean, I know it's like a case by case thing,
but like, do you like to kind of go back
and forth with them? Do you want to shut it
down right away? Is there something like you have an
instinct to do?
Speaker 2 (37:44):
I think when I first started touring on the road,
I probably and occasionally I'll be like, Oh.
Speaker 3 (37:52):
I just wanted to get through. I just wanted to
do my material.
Speaker 2 (37:56):
Like there are there are nights where I'm like frustrated
because the audience is because it can take you in
a different direction. But for the most part, I've accepted
this and it just becomes part of the show.
Speaker 3 (38:12):
And most of the.
Speaker 2 (38:13):
Time people are nice and they don't realize that they're
interrupting momentum or they're stepping on a punchline. But I'm
to the point in doing this where it's just it
just can be a free for all. And I really
I shouldn't say that because I don't invite that, but
(38:34):
you know, it's it's almost like I've jumped the shark
on hecklers, because I've dealt with so many hecklers. Like
I just did a show in Arlington and I think
I turned it back on. I was like, well, what
did you whatever it was the topic they were piping
up about.
Speaker 3 (38:49):
I ended up saying to this guy like, well, what
did you do in the relationship?
Speaker 2 (38:53):
And the guy's like like he felt like he was
put on the spot, and I was just laughing.
Speaker 3 (38:58):
I was like, we are all in support of you.
Speaker 2 (39:00):
We just started like, but now, like he left some
like it was something about, you know, going through a
divorce or a breakup where he said something juicy but
he didn't say it, so I was.
Speaker 3 (39:10):
Like, oh, we have to know, and then he felt
like put on the spot.
Speaker 2 (39:13):
And so yeah, it's it's to the point where I'm
just none of it really even throws me in any way.
I Mean, certainly there are nights where there's a momentum
and I want to keep it going and I'll.
Speaker 3 (39:28):
Just be like blah blah blah, like shut it down
with like a comment or two.
Speaker 2 (39:31):
Yeah, But you know that's the thing with live performance,
it just goes where it goes.
Speaker 1 (39:39):
Do you have a do you have a favorite club
across the country that you like look forward to playing.
Speaker 2 (39:43):
I mean, Zaniews is pretty fantastic, uh, legendary. I like
performing in New York. I don't get the chance to
do that very much.
Speaker 3 (39:53):
You know. I love the Comedy Store in LA.
Speaker 2 (39:55):
I love like most of the clubs in the La
that the Improv and the Left Factory.
Speaker 3 (40:00):
I just did Tulsa Looney Bin.
Speaker 2 (40:02):
It was fantastic at the Dallas Comedy Club recently, so
you know, it's discovering new clubs as well. The punchline
is fantastic. Side Splitters Florida as a classic one for
me that I revisit. You know, when I first started
doing the Road, that was one of the first clubs.
Speaker 3 (40:19):
That I did.
Speaker 1 (40:21):
Well. If mary Lynn Risk is coming to your town,
go see her, and if not, go to YouTube. Put
this on the big screen. It's called road Gig. Watch
this right now. Everybody turn off this podcast immediately before
the more ads start playing. Go watch this video. Thank
you so much for doing this. You're so cool. We're
such big fans of you. And thank you for being
(40:41):
in a Kirk by a film by Kirk.
Speaker 3 (40:43):
Yes, we got to get we got it. We need
the full movie. The fully film of Kirk, Film by Kirk.
Speaker 1 (40:49):
We need a theatrical release.
Speaker 3 (40:51):
Thank you, East and I really appreciate you.
Speaker 1 (40:53):
You're just the absolute best. Thank you so much, Dotty everybody,
(41:25):
and don't forget follow us on Instagram at I Am
all In podcast and email us at Gilmore at iHeartRadio
dot com.
I Am all In again.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Oh that's just you.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
I Smell pop Culture with Eastern Allen, an iHeart radio podcast.
Hey everybody, it's Eastern Allen. This is the I Smell
Pop Culture edition of I Am all In, a podcast
hosted by Scott Patterson. He is not here right now.
I am here. You're stuck with me. My name is Easton.
Scott Herzer has ordained me to host this episode here.
(00:39):
Here's what we're gonna do. We're going to explore the
pop culture references, the moments, the legends that are referenced
in Gilmour Girls, and we're gonna go so deep. We're
gonna get to know these people. We're gonna hear the
stories that make them pop culture icons. We're going to
find out who they are, how they became, who they are,
what they created. It's so much fun. We're having the
(01:00):
time of our lives over here. This week is so special.
I know I say that every time, but this week
I really really mean it. Okay, this is a really
special guest we have this week because this person wasn't
just a pop culture reference on girl More Girls or
her role she was in Gilmore Girls. She was in
one of the best moments of Gilmore Girls. If you
(01:21):
ask me, here's what we're doing. We're talking to mary
Lynn Rice Cub. She was Chloe O'Brien in twenty four.
I know you love twenty four. I love twenty four,
but she was also in Gilmore Girls. We'll talk about
that in a second, but first I got to tell
you what these references are. There's two references to twenty
four that we have found in our research, going back
(01:43):
and rewatching the entire show before we did this episode.
In season seven, episode nineteen, laurale I says, be right back, Yeah,
you know how Jack Bower should torture terrorists make them
go car shopping with their exes. Jack Bauer is, of course,
the main character in twenty four, which is a drama
(02:04):
thriller that was told in real time. I remember when
this came out. It was such an exciting thing, like
it was like this this is going to be The
season is twenty four episodes, and each episode is an
hour of the day, and it's the craziest day you
could ever imagine. Twenty four started in two thousand and
one and ran until twenty ten, with eight seasons. A
(02:31):
couple mini series in there, an iconic show. I mean,
if you haven't seen twenty four, you gotta watch it.
It's really like legendary. Key for Sutherland again in the
Star twenty four was mentioned also in Gilmore Girls. When
we let's fast forward to a year in the Life Fall,
(02:52):
the Netflix revival, Luke and Laurli are working on the
guest list for their wedding and we find out that
Lucas friends with key for Sutherland, the star of twenty four,
and Laura Le says, the real key for Sutherland Chloe.
The Canisters are already armed.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
Damn it.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
I can't do these lines, Scott. I can't be in
Gilmore Girls. This is embarrassing. But the Chloe that Lurlai
references in that moment is played by mary Lynn Rice Cub.
She is so funny. She is a comedic actress. She's
so funny. But she was the counter Terrorism Units analyst.
(03:27):
Get this, everybody, she was in twenty four. The only
other person who was in more episodes of twenty four
is Key for Sutherland. It's Key for Sutherland, and then
Marylyn Rice Cub as Chloe. She was in one hundred
and twenty five episodes of twenty four. It's really incredible.
So we're gonna talk to mary Lynn here in a second.
But I think you already know where I'm going with this.
(03:49):
Mary Lynn was in two episodes of Gilmore Girl. She
played two different characters. One of the characters was She
appeared alongside our beloved Sean Gunn in film by Kirk,
one of the best moments in Gilmore Girl's history. She
played Kirk's girlfriend in that short film, that black and
white film, What do you have to offer?
Speaker 3 (04:10):
Who?
Speaker 1 (04:11):
I love your daughter? What do you have to offer her?
That is Marylyn Rice Cub in that short film. We're
gonna talk to her all about it. She also returned
in season six as the Town True as one of
the Troubadours. When there's the town is overrun by Troubadours,
she is playing at guitar. She sings about her eighty
nine volvo. It's an original song. It's a great moment.
We're so excited to talk to Marylyn Rice Cub. It's
(04:33):
the Icemail Pop culture podcast. Hi, mary Lynn, thank you
so much for doing this.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Thanks for having me. This is exciting.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
So there's so much to get into. I mean, twenty
four your stam Up Special We're gonna be talking about
that so much great stuff, But we have to get
this out of the way. First of all, Gilmore Girls.
You are in Gilmore Girls. You're in two episodes of
Gilmore Girls. Yeah, but the first one, season two, you
started alongside Sean Gun in a film by Kirk, one
(05:01):
of the greatest moments in Gilmore Girl's history. I got
to know how that happened, how'd that come together?
Speaker 2 (05:06):
Yeah, that is the one that people randomly will recognize me,
and it shows me how big of fans of Gilmore
Girls there are. Amy Sherman Palladino was always a long
time I mean I say was always because we know
what she became, you know, but at the time the
(05:28):
Gilmore Girls was fairly new, and she was a showrunner,
but she was also she's always been a massive comedy fan,
and so she was really well acquainted with all of
us in the local LA scene.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
And you know, I just.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Feel lucky enough to be in her orbit and that
she would ask me, And I mean that part was
pretty weirdly tailor made for me a film with Kirk,
it made sense. It really needed some follow up. What
happened to the two of them?
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Yes, I want to know what happened. Like, so, when
when Amy came to you to be in it, like
was it did she say like, Hey, we're doing this
like weird kind of like experimental film, we want you
to be in. How is it pitched to you?
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Oh gosh, I don't even remember whatever it was. I'm
sure it was some version of what you just said
of like trying to explain it. But then you know
that was in my wheelhouse of like something that was
performance already, that was funny, that was not funny, that
was awkward. I mean, I don't think she explained it
(06:41):
much more than kind of how you just tried to
describe it.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
And I'm trying to remember.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
I think I remember being a little bit nervous because
it was so weird and open ended for that show
in terms of like wait, what is this?
Speaker 3 (07:00):
How does this fit in? And there really was no
answer to.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
That, nor could there have been, But as an actor,
you get that anxiety of like, wait, how does this
fit into the world, fit into the story?
Speaker 3 (07:13):
Am I hitting the right tone?
Speaker 2 (07:14):
It's like all that went out the window because it
was just such a weird, odd, you know, and it
felt weird and odd and it's like, oh, okay, that's how
it was supposed to be, and yes, great, you're happy.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
I'm happy.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
I'm glad that you know that it was as awkward
as it felt to do and weird and like like
non secretary and.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
What if you say it works, you're the boss. And
of course it was what it needed to be exactly.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
It hit everything that I just me personally if we
were making this just for Easton. It hit everything that
I love. I love awkward things, I love non sequiturs,
I love stuff like that. So I was just on
the edge of my seat. I wanted more Have you
done a lot of like student films that were kind
of like that, have you done?
Speaker 3 (08:07):
Actually? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (08:09):
And a word to what you just said, I love
like awkward non sequord That makes me think of like
the brilliance of Amy is that she knows that and
she's able to insert it within the narrative of this
already in progress show. But she gives it to us
on a platter of like, well, you know this character,
(08:31):
and of course he would be the He's the perfect
person to make something like this, and then you know
what I mean, Like she sees the audience's point of
view to just your point to enjoy on that level
of like all the townspeople being like, okay, well that
was a film by Kirk, Like it was just beautifully
done and the black and white and the casting of
(08:53):
it is hilarious and weird. And yes, I have been
in student films like that, and I have.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
You know, I came up in art school.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
I went to art school and I studied performance art,
so and there there was a lot of crossover between
people who were straight narrative storytellers.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
But it's, you know, a place where you can blur.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
These lines and not have a script fully formed, not
even have an idea that's fully formed, and go ahead
and commit that to film or commit that to a performance,
even if it's like a gesture or like some kind
of half assed thing that seems like way deeper than
it really is.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Yeah, I was very versed in that.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
Wow, so you have a bad like you say, a performance?
Are I love that? Did that? Like when you got
into comedy? Did how much did that?
Speaker 2 (09:50):
Like?
Speaker 1 (09:50):
Train? Like, I mean I must have prepared you for
for like getting on stage and making people laugh, but
also like I'm just curious how that training kind of
worked into your comedic career.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
Uh, thank you for asking you are you are on point?
Because I was.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
I went to school for painting, and I it's a
very personal you know, as we all should. All of
our paths hopefully are personally, you know, psychologically and emotionally,
and you know what you desire oriented if we're lucky enough.
I got to kind of follow that path by going
to art school to be a painter because I didn't
(10:28):
want to just go get a job and I didn't
make it any big colleges and so I loved it,
but I painting I was sort of imploding, you know.
So I started performing and I did acting in high
school and as a child, and I really loved it.
I just didn't think it was the thing that you
go to school for. So I was like, oh, painting,
(10:48):
that makes sense. But then painting is such a solitary thing,
and I didn't really understand a lot of the critiques
and the way that people were building themselves up as painters.
It just wasn't like I sort of had this like
energy that was busting to get out of me and
connection and I think I, you know, I was sort
(11:09):
of destined, and so I started doing performance art, but
a lot of that stuff mine was always comedic, but
I didn't realize it was comedic.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
But I also was just.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
You know, a weird art school kid, so I didn't
have the presence of mind to articulate socially or otherwise
like a stand up comic.
Speaker 3 (11:33):
I didn't relate to what a stand up comic was.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
So when I started doing performance art, I almost then
started making fun of performance art, and that's what pushed
me out of the art world and into the comedy world.
So I just was able, long winded way of saying,
I was just able to take an organic path with that,
and a lot of the early performances that I did,
I did not understand why people were laughing, but I
(11:59):
knew who I was funny, so it was fine figuring
out how I was funny, and I got.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
To do that through, you know, being a character on stage.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
It's so beautiful. I love like that style of exploring
how you're expressing yourself and how you're finding the type
of art you want to make.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
I feel very lucky that I was able to follow
that path like that. I really do, because if I had,
you know, shown up with the stack of headshots like
it wouldn't taking that trying to take the straight path
that sometimes you're forcing something that you're not ready to do,
or it's it's not really aligned with where you're coming from.
(12:37):
And I think that's so important for anyone that's in
art of any kind. You have to, you know, figure
out what you can really be aligned with. I don't
know any more specific way to say that.
Speaker 3 (12:55):
No, No, it makes sense, true to it, I guess.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
And you're speaking of making art. You when you return
to Gilmore Girls in season six, you're at the town Troubadour.
You're playing some music. You got a guitar on Uh
do you play guitar? Do you have a musical background?
Speaker 2 (13:15):
No, I had a comedy band with a friend of
mine at the time.
Speaker 3 (13:20):
She taught me how taught up.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
She taught me like three chords and right, and so
we just played this Eagles song.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
I think it was, I forgot what song it was,
over and over again.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Oh no, I think Ring a Fire was one of
the first, you know, these very awesome songs that I
only take three chords. And then we immediately started going
on stage, but it was more of a comedy act.
She became much better at guitar than I ever did, uh,
but I knew enough that I could, and even that
(13:58):
on Gilmore Girls, it was nerve wracking, you know, to
lay and sing is like so nerve wracking.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
But thankfully I knew that I was only.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
Gonna have to do it, you know, two to four
lines of that song, and that it'd be moving on.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
And that was That's also.
Speaker 2 (14:15):
Like the brilliance of it, because I was like perfect,
Like if I I mean definitely I would if I
was like a Troubadour that was in the whole episode or.
Speaker 3 (14:24):
Had it like an arc, I would figure it out.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
But that was the perfect amount of like, oh, okay,
I did that.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
You know, now did you who wrote the song? I
want to know that you wrote the song? All right?
Speaker 2 (14:38):
And she let me do it, and you know, again,
that's such a testament to her and her trust in
her vision and her trust in when she hires people
that she likes because she knows what she wants and
she knows what she likes and that in that instance,
that's what it called for and that's what she needed
(15:00):
and she.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
Allowed me to do it. And it was so fun.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
I mean I remember it to this day just you know,
it was kind of exhilarating.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
It's such a great moment too, and hearing that about
Amy Sherman Palladino is so excited. Like we've interviewed a
few people that have been on the show, and they
always tell us like, she has such a specific vision
for what she's doing, but when she brings people in,
she trusts them to do their thing, and that's why
she brought them in. I just think it's such a
cool balance of like having a vision but also being
(15:32):
collaborative and bringing other people in that are creative and
have an idea. It's really cool about that.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
And the nutshell is I mean, obviously her immense talent
and writing a thing, but but what you just described
I think is what makes you know, the most the highest,
the most iconic creators I think have that you know,
the specificity of vision and the confidence, but then also
(16:01):
the trust because it's such a like massive collaboration and
and just see over the years, like what she's created
it is just mind blowing, Like it's such a testament.
It's like, wait, what you did that, and then you
did it again, and then you did it and then
you're just like are creating the most gorgeous, you know,
(16:24):
just on all on all levels, on all layers, just
working at the highest, you know, integrity.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
She's it's just she's my favorite.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
It's it's tremendous. It's really sounding. I have to This
is like such a nerd question, but I want to
ask it because I'm curious. Do you think is the
troubadour character the same as the girl in the film?
Speaker 3 (16:49):
Is that the same?
Speaker 1 (16:51):
Okay, thank you for clearing that up. I just wanted
to ask, because there's out there.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
If you could bend it and say she became he
went through some hard knocks and became a troubadour.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
But no, those are two very different people, Okay, innocence
of the girl and Kirk's film, the purity of that.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
Expression versus the grizzled I mean, the Troubadour is pretty
sweet and pure too, But but no, I would say
the Troubadour has seen some life.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
Yes, absolutely lived some life. Did you that the short
film moment? The audio from it, like went viral on
TikTok a few months back. I don't know if you
saw that, the like, I love your daughter, what do
you have to offer her?
Speaker 3 (17:38):
I saw it.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
I posted a I did it, did one myself, but
that my friend found it and he.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
What is the actor's name who has the show that Jordan.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
Were saying, Brian Jordan Alvarez, a friend of mine is
a really huge fan of his, and he's like, so
I just kept seeing him do and I praised it
and he was like, good, then, oh, there you were,
and and so that's how I found out. And he's like,
you gotta you gotta post on this, and so I
did and it was super fun, like I felt like,
(18:15):
you know it, it was a it was a fun reveal.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
Yes, it's so awesome. I uh, I just love that.
You're like, you're the center of that. It's so cool.
But you're also at the center of a world called
twenty four and we have we have to get into
twenty four. That is your that's a big connection to
Gilmore Girls too, and we're going to do that in
just a second. This is the I Smell Pop Culture Podcast.
We're gonna hear some great commercials. Everybody, one second. It
(18:50):
is I Smell Pop Culture on the IML and podcast.
My name is Easton Allen. We're hanging out with mary
Lyn Riis cub from twenty four from a short film
by Kirk a film by Kirk, but twenty four was
mentioned a couple times in Gilmour Girls. You know, we
love their pop culture references. But Chloe, Chloe O'Brien, your
character was specifically mentioned in the Netflix revival. It's in
(19:14):
fall and Luke and Lareli are working on the guest
list for their wedding and we found out that Luke
is friends with Keifer Sutherland. And to clarify, Laurel As, like,
you mean the real keeper Sutherland, Like Chloe, the canisters
are already armed, damn it. And like Lucas, I guess it's
a real key for Sutherland. So twenty four, I mean
it went incredible. Run. First of all, I look this up.
(19:37):
This is incredible. You're in the most episodes besides Keefer,
Like it's him, and then you wow, that's wild. What
one hundred and twenty five episodes?
Speaker 3 (19:45):
It's unreal?
Speaker 1 (19:46):
Unreal? Okay, so you joined in season three? How did
tell me? How that? How did you because you were
doing mostly comedy before this, Like, how did you get
into the world of twenty four? Into this?
Speaker 2 (19:58):
Like Thrilla one of the producers had seen me in
a movie called Punch Trunk.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
Love, and actually they are.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
I don't know who told who, but they the producers
called me in and they said, we like your quality
in this movie, this kind of overbearing bossy, and we
don't really the part wasn't really written yet. On the page,
it was just yes, Jack, and they said, we just
wanted to meet with you. We like you for this role.
(20:30):
It's not written yet, but we're going to develop it.
And it was one of those things where I just thought, well,
that was amazing to just be recognized and call in
like that.
Speaker 3 (20:41):
I didn't even necessarily think it was going to pan.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
Out, because that's how everything goes, you know, some kind
of things that are a sure thing really are not.
Speaker 3 (20:52):
And I was just happy to have the meeting.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
And then it worked out, and I don't it just
started working somehow. I remember people being really annoyed.
Speaker 3 (21:04):
With my character at first.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
Because I was sort of seemed like I was getting
in the way and I was in know it all.
And then the episode I don't remember specifically what the
episode was, but they they wrote me they revealed that
I actually helped Jack. So up until that point I
was just like this, like oh, look, I'm trying. I'm
doing it, Like, why isn't anyone listening to me? And
(21:28):
then when it showed that I was working with him
and I did something to help him, that's when everything changed,
because people loved him so much that it suddenly gave
this annoying character this whole like, oh wait a minute,
we didn't know that about her, so it kind of
(21:48):
gave this fun layer to the character that was unexpected
that I think just was fun.
Speaker 3 (21:56):
And then from that point on, we just like, you know,
roll with it.
Speaker 1 (22:02):
Well, I'm glad that people came around on Chloe because
she's such a great character.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
Well they were forced.
Speaker 2 (22:09):
To because they're like wait, and then it got to
the point where it's like, well, he can't do that
without her, And.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
Of course, do you consider yourself like a techie person?
Was like learning all the jargon hard for you?
Speaker 3 (22:23):
Oh, it was really hard.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
Yeah, I've told this story before where I on the
first day of shooting, I, you know, the show was
already massively popular, and as you had mentioned, I hadn't
really done any dramas and I got thrown on this
set and I'm a pretty quick study, and I felt
like I had a handle on it, and I did
for the first take, and then they go, you know,
(22:47):
it's a show like that has done like a film,
so there's long breaks while they relighte and you know,
everything shifts, but you're still in the same scene. So
we went back like twenty thirty minutes later, and the
stuff that I delivered once where you know, I had
limited experience in like little movies, live comedic sitcoms where
(23:11):
you're in front of an audience, and so you know,
I did that first take and I'm like, I nailed it.
Not that I didn't know there was gonna be like
other angles, but I just didn't realize that. My body
and my mind were like bye, Like we did it once,
like we're done, and like I lit it and I
showed up and it just would not come out of
(23:33):
my mouth, and I was and the you know, the
more it didn't come out, the worse it got. And
I just was like got really hot, like so humiliated,
and we had to take a break and I had
to go into the corner and like drill the line
over and over again and kind of like shake it
off and come back. We got through the day and
(23:54):
then at the end of the day, the director said,
don't worry.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
That happens to everyone.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
So I guess that's not And you know that the
show was like so intense in the plot, yeah, so
quickly that there were so many people over the years
that would come on for one episode, two episode, and
so you're you're all.
Speaker 3 (24:12):
Of a sudden, it's like and go.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
And so that made me feel a lot better that
I wasn't the only one that completely was like, oh,
because it doesn't your brain has nothing to hang on to.
Speaker 3 (24:24):
So I developed well.
Speaker 2 (24:27):
First of all, I was much more prepared in terms
of working on the memorization instead of being like, oh,
I'm a quick study. Because if something's like a natural
way of talking, I'm like, oh, that's a natural way
of talking.
Speaker 3 (24:41):
But when it's something that you can't, you don't know,
you know.
Speaker 2 (24:46):
So I started like drilling it beforehand so I would
be over prepared. And then if I really couldn't get it,
I developed like a mnemonic. I would just break up
the word by sound, and I would associate the sound
like you would do with my last name, like how
do you you know? Like it's right, it's rice, So
you pitt your like a rice and a cub. So
it would take these like technical words and just break
(25:09):
them down into sounds if I needed to, because sometimes
there would be speeches where it would be normal, normal, normal,
and then you'd.
Speaker 3 (25:16):
Have to say like four or five like the thing.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
And I can't even do like a fake example right
now because they're weird and hard. But you know what
I'm saying, like just a bunch of technical stuff where
if you're acting and you're in the moment again, your
brain can just.
Speaker 3 (25:33):
Be like, mmm, does not I will not adhere to
this because the.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
Weird thing happens when you're acting where you're like making
it real and then it's almost like it wants to
reject the words that it doesn't know. Even if you've
studied and you go, no, okay, this word actually means
this and you associate it with the thing. Sometimes that
didn't work. So yeah, I would break it down into
like sounds.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
It's so fascinating because like I mean, I've never acted,
I likely will never act, but like it's it's such
a like muscle memory part of it. But you also
have to, like, you know, put in this creative expression thing.
And we hear about this on Gilmore Girls, a lot
because with Gilmore Girls, you have to talk very fast,
and there's like a lot of you know, you have
(26:19):
to and there's there's no improv you have to see
exactly what they wrote very fast. And so I'm wondering,
like in twenty four, could could you improve it all?
Could you go off script? Like how loose were they
with that?
Speaker 2 (26:33):
Not really and you but honestly, I imagine it was
looser than you would think.
Speaker 3 (26:40):
It would be interesting, like in terms of.
Speaker 2 (26:44):
If you got if you didn't got to turn a
phrase wrong, or you maybe added a couple of words
and it made sense and felt right, they wouldn't care.
I mean, you're not improvising whole scenes on twenty four.
But sometimes things weren't like word per or very occasionally
sometimes you'd skip something and you like truncated something by accident,
(27:08):
and they're like great.
Speaker 3 (27:10):
I mean, Keifer was somebody who really.
Speaker 2 (27:14):
You know, it's a testament to how to be a
lead to the show because he was also very conscious
of like the movement of the show. I mean, the
directors and camera would do this, but he often would
take the lead on like let's drop those two lines
are expositional, you know, because sometimes from the writer's room
to the floor, the writers are like, we have to
(27:37):
say this.
Speaker 3 (27:38):
It's like, okay, let's lose that one line and we're
on the move.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
So I'm gonna be walking and I'm gonna be taking
the thing as I'm saying it. So he was always
a big proponent of like, how can we make this
if any you know, his instincts of like if it
feels like it's slow or not necessary, he and he
had the instinct and the power and the talent to
(28:03):
push that stuff through.
Speaker 1 (28:05):
Wow, what was it? I mean, what's he like? What's
it like working with Keiper Siloly? You could be honest,
no one will hear this. You can just tell me.
Speaker 3 (28:15):
I mean, he's amazing.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
It's probably what you would imagine. It's probably what you
would imagine it's like working with him. He can be
very intense because I think like anytime you see him
speak in an interview, he's sort of you can see
all the components that make up him. He's intense, he
(28:39):
cares a lot, he wants it to be good. He
has integrity, but he also can be goofy and sensitive
and like.
Speaker 3 (28:45):
To play around.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
He also can be angry and passionate, and you know,
he's all these things, which is what makes him a superstar.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
Now, this is something I like to ask people, and
this is a hard question, but like you twenty four,
you were such a big part of twenty four, so many,
so many episode. I mean, as we said BEFO one
hundred and twenty five episodes. Do you is there a
memory like when you look back on your time on
twenty four, is there a memory that like jumps out
at you right away, like like like wow, I can't
believe we did that, or like something you like to
(29:16):
revisit when you think about twenty four, like your I
don't want to say favorite memory, but like, is there
something that happened during the show that just you you
visit in your mind a lot. I'm most curious about that.
Speaker 2 (29:28):
I Mean, I don't really think about it that much anymore,
but I.
Speaker 3 (29:31):
I will say that coming out of twenty four it
was a big adjustment.
Speaker 2 (29:40):
And I'm sure this is like this with anyone who's
been on a substantial show for a long period of time.
Is that it gets very hard to because there were
many many things in my memory like that if I
think about it now, because all the time on that show.
Speaker 3 (30:01):
We were in weird locations.
Speaker 2 (30:03):
Of course for me, I was indoor on the computer,
but I but I have a lot of memories of
hours and hours and hours that we would spend in
that you know floor, on that floor and the counter
terrorist unit, especially in those early days where it was
so new to me, the pacing of a drama and
the intensity of it, you know. So I have tons
(30:24):
of memories of like little moments of having to deliver
this exposition and we're in and we've got the screens
and we're just having these serious talks.
Speaker 3 (30:34):
But then I also have many.
Speaker 2 (30:35):
Memories of action stuff of being you know, out on
a dock with all these shipping containers or in just
just like in weird, crazy locations.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
Like there was so much stuff about it. I was just.
Speaker 2 (30:53):
Uh memorable and intense, and you know, it was serious,
but it also was it was fun because we all
loved it and we were all crowd to be on it.
Speaker 3 (31:06):
You know, so there was an investment level.
Speaker 2 (31:08):
It was special in that way where sometimes it was
hard and you got on each other's nerves, but everybody
cared about the show, and everybody was proud of the show.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
It's such a It's one of those shows like that.
I think when you look at all of television history,
it really like I remember when it came out, was like, oh,
it's going to be told in real time, like every
episode it's an hour. I was like, oh, whoa, you
can do this? Oh my god. And they started thinking
about like what's going to be the most boring hour
of the day for this one, Like is there going
to be a part where everyone's just kind of sitting
(31:39):
around eating lunch or something like that. Yeah, now we
talk about like like Gilmore Girl's references twenty four, But
also this happened in real life Project Chloe at the
Department of Homeland Security. Do you know about this?
Speaker 3 (31:52):
I do?
Speaker 1 (31:53):
Yeah, what a program for drones to defend against infrared missiles.
How did that feel when you found out that you
were your character was named after a or there was
a program named after your character.
Speaker 3 (32:07):
That was disturbing?
Speaker 1 (32:08):
Yes, crazy, right, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
Very bizarre. And the extent that like.
Speaker 2 (32:16):
People in the in the in the where that worked
in the government were crazy about twenty four Like that
I meant, I met a lot of people that had
the equivalent of our job that were like, yeah, we
don't things don't move that fast, you know. Actually at
the time, it's like we don't have the technology to
do even half the stuff, right, So it was fun
(32:43):
but kind of disturbing to know that that was named Chloe. I.
Speaker 1 (32:52):
Mariy Lynn Rice Cub is with us. This is the
Ice Smell Pop Culture Podcast. We're going to take one
more quick break. We have more to get into. I
have a question for you about your past, and we
got to talk about your your new special road gig.
It's on YouTube. Stick around everybody, We'll be right back.
(33:16):
It is the Icewell Pop Culture Podcast. This is Easton
Allen hanging out with mary Lynn Rice Cub. I'm feeling
so confident in seeing your last name now I shout
it from the rooftops. So I read that you worked
at the movie theater inside the Beverly Center. Is that right?
Speaker 3 (33:32):
That is true? I also worked at the Hard Rock Cafe.
Speaker 2 (33:34):
But yeah, I worked at that movie theater and I
was not good good research.
Speaker 3 (33:41):
I was not concession stand material, that is what I
told me. So I got.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
Reduced to taking tickets because they didn't trust me at
the concession stand to interact with the public.
Speaker 3 (33:56):
And more than just taking a ticket.
Speaker 1 (33:59):
I had the exact same experience.
Speaker 3 (34:01):
What do you mean.
Speaker 1 (34:02):
I worked in a movie theater too, and I worked
my way to the concession stand. But I was that
I had to take the tickets and clean the theaters
and tell people like, uh oh, open water would be
up to your right theater five.
Speaker 2 (34:14):
We both did that, Thank you cleaning the theaters. Who
knew there was like a real hierarchy at the movie theater.
Speaker 1 (34:22):
Right, it was crazy like and then the people in
the box office forget about it. Those were like untouchable.
But did you ever find anything really weird when you're
cleaning a theater or like, like, what was the craziest
thing you found? If you can remember anything?
Speaker 3 (34:33):
No, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (34:34):
I don't know anything. I don't think that job lasted
very long for me.
Speaker 3 (34:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (34:39):
I remember eating some leftover candy. Wow, right, you know
desperate times. Yeah, I get it, get candy and I
needed it to get through that shift.
Speaker 1 (34:51):
I was jealous the people that worked in movie theaters
inside a mall, because I'd like the one I worked
at was in a shopping center. It wasn't the same.
And I loved fast times at Ridgemont High and I
wanted to be like that kid, you know, like, oh,
the girl at the pizza shop across the wall. You know,
I wanted that experience. But you have a new special out.
It's on YouTube. It's called road Gig. You filmed it
(35:13):
at Zanies. Tell us about this comedy special. What can
people expect from that? Why should they watch it?
Speaker 3 (35:19):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (35:21):
You know, I'm really proud of this special. I talk
a lot about I touch upon my career a little bit.
I talk a little bit about twenty four I talk
about being a parent, being a woman in the world.
It's a little raunchy. It's I had one night to
do it. One show. The audience did not know I
(35:41):
was doing a special. Wow, so and it was a
particularly they were a great audience, Like we really got rolling.
Speaker 3 (35:48):
I feel like if you watch this, you'll feel like you're.
Speaker 2 (35:50):
Hanging out with me, and you'll get to know me
and get to know stories that you can like sit
back and be like, Okay, that are you know, relatable
and unique. But also the audience piped up to talk
to me quite a lot, especially doing a taping.
Speaker 3 (36:10):
I wanted to be like, this is my special. In fact, within.
Speaker 2 (36:14):
The first minute there's a guy pointing at his friend
and I was like, yes, like he.
Speaker 3 (36:20):
Has his hand raise I'm just starting.
Speaker 2 (36:23):
The show, like okay, yeah, and we left it all in.
He goes she was on twenty four and so I
had a whole conversation with this woman who worked a
day on twenty four was killed, and he was like,
I got you, like I'm gonna.
Speaker 3 (36:41):
You know, like, oh yeah, I'm gonna shout out.
Speaker 2 (36:45):
I'm like I am, like I do have a microphone,
And I'm glad you were on it for one day.
I was on it for about eight years. May I
please continue with my show now? But it was very
and there were a lot of things that happened like
that where I was interacting with the audience. But it's
a very fun show. I'm very proud of it.
Speaker 1 (37:07):
Doing stand up, you get Heckler's you get you know,
like or I don't know. There's a weird line between
like someone like trying to be combative or like aggressive
and then people who think they're like gonna be part
like that's there's some many people who think that's how
comedy shows work. Is like I'm gonna yell something at
the stand up and they're gonna interact with me, Like,
how do you handle that kind of thing, like when
(37:29):
someone just starts yelling at you from the audience.
Speaker 3 (37:32):
Well, I mean there's many different ways.
Speaker 1 (37:36):
I mean, I know it's like a case by case thing,
but like, do you like to kind of go back
and forth with them? Do you want to shut it
down right away? Is there something like you have an
instinct to do?
Speaker 2 (37:44):
I think when I first started touring on the road,
I probably and occasionally I'll be like, Oh.
Speaker 3 (37:52):
I just wanted to get through. I just wanted to
do my material.
Speaker 2 (37:56):
Like there are there are nights where I'm like frustrated
because the audience is because it can take you in
a different direction. But for the most part, I've accepted
this and it just becomes part of the show.
Speaker 3 (38:12):
And most of the.
Speaker 2 (38:13):
Time people are nice and they don't realize that they're
interrupting momentum or they're stepping on a punchline. But I'm
to the point in doing this where it's just it
just can be a free for all. And I really
I shouldn't say that because I don't invite that, but
(38:34):
you know, it's it's almost like I've jumped the shark
on hecklers, because I've dealt with so many hecklers. Like
I just did a show in Arlington and I think
I turned it back on. I was like, well, what
did you whatever it was the topic they were piping
up about.
Speaker 3 (38:49):
I ended up saying to this guy like, well, what
did you do in the relationship?
Speaker 2 (38:53):
And the guy's like like he felt like he was
put on the spot, and I was just laughing.
Speaker 3 (38:58):
I was like, we are all in support of you.
Speaker 2 (39:00):
We just started like, but now, like he left some
like it was something about, you know, going through a
divorce or a breakup where he said something juicy but
he didn't say it, so I was.
Speaker 3 (39:10):
Like, oh, we have to know, and then he felt
like put on the spot.
Speaker 2 (39:13):
And so yeah, it's it's to the point where I'm
just none of it really even throws me in any way.
I Mean, certainly there are nights where there's a momentum
and I want to keep it going and I'll.
Speaker 3 (39:28):
Just be like blah blah blah, like shut it down
with like a comment or two.
Speaker 2 (39:31):
Yeah, But you know that's the thing with live performance,
it just goes where it goes.
Speaker 1 (39:39):
Do you have a do you have a favorite club
across the country that you like look forward to playing.
Speaker 2 (39:43):
I mean, Zaniews is pretty fantastic, uh, legendary. I like
performing in New York. I don't get the chance to
do that very much.
Speaker 3 (39:53):
You know. I love the Comedy Store in LA.
Speaker 2 (39:55):
I love like most of the clubs in the La
that the Improv and the Left Factory.
Speaker 3 (40:00):
I just did Tulsa Looney Bin.
Speaker 2 (40:02):
It was fantastic at the Dallas Comedy Club recently, so
you know, it's discovering new clubs as well. The punchline
is fantastic. Side Splitters Florida as a classic one for
me that I revisit. You know, when I first started
doing the Road, that was one of the first clubs.
Speaker 3 (40:19):
That I did.
Speaker 1 (40:21):
Well. If mary Lynn Risk is coming to your town,
go see her, and if not, go to YouTube. Put
this on the big screen. It's called road Gig. Watch
this right now. Everybody turn off this podcast immediately before
the more ads start playing. Go watch this video. Thank
you so much for doing this. You're so cool. We're
such big fans of you. And thank you for being
(40:41):
in a Kirk by a film by Kirk.
Speaker 3 (40:43):
Yes, we got to get we got it. We need
the full movie. The fully film of Kirk, Film by Kirk.
Speaker 1 (40:49):
We need a theatrical release.
Speaker 3 (40:51):
Thank you, East and I really appreciate you.
Speaker 1 (40:53):
You're just the absolute best. Thank you so much, Dotty everybody,
(41:25):
and don't forget follow us on Instagram at I Am
all In podcast and email us at Gilmore at iHeartRadio
dot com.
Hosts And Creators
Amy Sugarman
Danielle Romo
Scott Patterson
Tara Soudbaksh
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