November 4, 2025 • 44 mins
This week, Tommy is joined by actor Jonathan Bennett who became a household name playing the high school heartthrob Aaron Samuels in the cult classic film, Mean Girls. Since then he has gone on to star in, host and produce so many projects that bring audiences pure joy. He has been crowned as one of the reigning “Kings of Christmas” through his incredible work with the Hallmark network. Right now you can catch him hosting, “Finding Mr. Christmas” Season 2 on Hallmark and starring in his upcoming movie, “A Keller Christmas Vacation,” out November 9th. Today, Jonathan opens up about the strangest place someone quoted Mean Girls to him, if he felt like playing Aaron Samuels put him in a box for a while afterwards, what being a gay, closeted actor was like in the late 90’s/early 2000s, if he has had a serious conversation with Lindsay Lohan about a Mean Girls sequel, what his idea for that sequel is, how hard he really had to push Hallmark to embrace same sex love stories, the personal reasons he advocates for these stories, why Finding Mr. Christmas feels like his life’s work, his surprising revelation about Christmas, and so much more.
Subscribe, rate, and leave a written review for this episode if you enjoyed this conversation!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hey, guys, welcome to I've never said this before with
me Tommy Di Dario, So I am refraining from saying
every single viral quote from me and girls right now.
It's not easy. I'm not gonna lie, but I'm trying
because my guest today has heard them NonStop a week
after week since the release of the movie in two
thousand and four, and he must be exhausted. But that's
(00:23):
just a testament to the iconic work that mister Jonathan
Bennett has done in his career. What a joy it
is to be in his presence. I truly mean that.
It's no wonder that he does it all. He's acting, hosting, producing,
I mean, the list goes on and on, and he
has so many fun Christmas projects going on right now.
So we're about to get a little bit festive up
in here and talk to a man who brings so
(00:44):
much joy to so many. All right, let's see if
today we can get Jonathan Bennett to say something that
he has never said before. Jonathan Bennett. Yes, I'm not
running into in an equinox.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
I know, seeing each other the gym. We're not liking
each other's post on Instagram. We are in the flesh.
Do you know Tommy Dedari a real human being? You
can actually touch him. He's actually a real human being.
He's not just an AI Instagram person. He's a real human.
It's very nice to see you. It's good to see you.
How you doing wonderful? Can't can't complain You're feeling good,
feeling great.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
You have a lot going on.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
There's honey, I'm tired.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
I bet you are tired. We have a lot to
cover today. We're going to celebrate all the things going
on in your world. Okay, but my first burning question
for you, let's let's start hard. Okay, are you ready
for you?
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Ready for it?
Speaker 1 (01:35):
Are you really ready?
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Born? Ready to Okay?
Speaker 1 (01:38):
How many times a week do people hit you with?
It's October first, zero, but they hit me with it.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
It's October third a lot. That's a correct number, So
I would say, for that's not the number one you get. No,
October third is what I get hit with the most.
And they want to tell me my hair looks sexy. Pushback.
Those are like the two.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
Two weekly things, oh daily, Yeah, there you know, we're
just place that's happened.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Someone asked me this, I said, the weirdest, uh, the weirdest. Oh,
I'll tell you exactly where we were in Mexico and
we were uh celebrating the Day of the Dead there
and I was in full makeup, like you could not
recognize me at all. And this kid turned around to
me in the middle of the street while we were dancing.
It was like October third, and I'm like, how I
(02:28):
am literally covered completely faced the entire phase and makeup,
like you know, design and everything. And he spotted me
in the middle of like a street fair dance festival
in Mexico and it was I said to my husband,
I was like, I don't know what it's like to
not be Aaron Samuels. Like it's been so many years
(02:50):
that like I can't remember back to like what life
was like before all the mean girls stuff, because I
was like twenty two when that happened. So like my hold,
like I can't remember back to like what it's like
to go to a Starbucks and not have the girl
right like cruel on your on your cup, Like it's
just it's just normal, Like it's just like what life
is now.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
Yeah, I mean it kicks off everything for you, right, yeah,
really big launch do you feel like doing that project
because you were the hunk, right, You're the hot guy
in school and that's how everyone knew you. You feel
like that put you in a box for a while.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Good question. Uh, yes, I think it does put you
in a box.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
There.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
You know, there's two different ways to look at boxes.
One you can look at them as a bad thing,
which I think it was for me in some ways
with mean girls, with being like you're like the hot jock,
like that's what you do, so everyone just saw you
as that. But then I think there's a way to
(03:49):
like reinvent yourself and control the box. Like people are
gonna put you in a box regardless, So if you're
gonna be in a box, don't be in the box.
Be the guy that like stands on top of the
box because you own this box. You pee on that box,
like that is my box. No one's touching it, can't
come close. You know. That's like that's I think when
(04:12):
you when you think of like in terms of like
being put in a box, I was just put in
the wrong box being like the hunk that that was
like just like this jock, you know, straight guy that's
like I don't want to say boring, but it was
you know, I think Jonathan Bennett has way more to
offer in like qualities about him that are more fun
(04:33):
to put, you know, for people to see than who
Aaron Samuels was. Like Aaron Samuels just cares about school,
his mom and his friends, right, you know, like he
was like kicks the soccer ball and like does that
where like I had so much more life to you.
So in a sense that's being in that box was
not great because I was like, but that's not who
I am. I'm all these other things. It just took
(04:54):
a while for me to get to that other box.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Right, You're like, I want to show the other things
that yeah, yeah, and what so interesting? And during that
time you weren't out right.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Correct, No not. I mean my friends and family knew,
and you know, like everyone knew. It was like this
like thing in Hollywood where like everyone I call it
like Santa Claus. Like it's like it's kind of like
Santa Claus, like you, oh, I don't know if you
have children listeners.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
But this is a free space to say what okay.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Good, like if you're Hollywood and like the late nineties
early two thousands, being gay like your friends and family knew,
like people you worked with, no, but like you wouldn't
talk about it publicly because it was a different time
and you just couldn't like it was just about it
or yeah you could, well we didn't have posting, sweetie,
it was we are hold on how much time do
(05:45):
you have we? I mean when Mean Girls came out Facebook,
I think just started that year, so it was a
different time. So, you know, I think it's like Santa Claus.
And what I mean by that is if there's people,
if there's a kid the room and you start talking
about Santa Claus, I'm not going to correct you and
be like, what are you talking about? There's no such
(06:07):
thing as Santa Claus. I'm like, oh, yes, Santa Claus
is definitely coming tonight. Like we're all in on the lie, right,
the whole world's in on it. It's part of culture,
and it's something that's celebrated. That's kind of like what
it was like being a gay closeted actor in Hollywood
in the late nineties early two thousands, Like I didn't
have to tell my co stars and my family to like, hey, like,
(06:31):
let's not share this too much, you know, like you
want to keep this close to the best. They just
knew to do it. Like if we would be out
somewhere and like get an interview question about like does
Jonathan have a girlfriend? Like my co stars wouldn't be like, no,
he's gay. They'd be like, I don't know. I guess
you'll have to ask him. Like everyone's in on the
everyone's in on the joke, you know what I mean.
(06:51):
And that's it's It's what it was.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
Back then, Like you didn't even have to have that conversation.
It was it was.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
It was if you live in Hollywood and we're in
the industry, you just understood it.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
So when you see yourself in that movie and it
comes on TV and you look at that guy and
you are not encouraged to publicly be who you are,
But at the same time, it's a project that's so
beloved by so many people, in a role that's so
beloved and means so much so many people. Does a
party you ever feel like, God, like that kind of
sucked for that dude. Who can it really be who
he is at the time?
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Yeah, yeah, I it does in a way, But I
also don't know life without that, Like I don't, like
I can think back of like what, God, it would
have been so much better to just like be your
authentic self and like be out and I would love that,
(07:46):
But I can't then picture what life would be like
having done that because I don't know what that is, right,
So it's like, yes, that sounds like something I would
want to have done and like be like, gosh, I
wish you could have been out, But I also like,
I just I can't fathom it because being in the
closet and being a you know, closet, you know, being
an actor and like doing all the films I was doing,
(08:08):
it was definitely like you're always waiting for the shoe
to drop, the other shoe to fall, right. You're like, well,
as long as they don't know that I'm gay, like
I'll get this job, you know what I mean. Like
that's like always in your back of your mind. You
never live a day without the fear that, like, if
they find out that I'm gay, I'll never play leading
(08:28):
man again. And the only thing you gotta think about
it like this the only thing you care about in
life For me, for someone who's obsessed with what they do,
and it loves it more than anything on earth except
for my husband. It's the thing that it's it's the
second biggest love of my life, right, Like I love acting,
I love performing, I love creating for people. And back then,
(08:50):
if you were told, hey, you can have all this,
but if they find out that you're gay, you're gonna
lose it all. Yeah, it's like giving a night and
like it's like it's like the night is walking into
the castle and they're throwing from coming home from more
and they're throwing roses at them, but they're like, but
before you go in, we're gonna take away your sword
because you're just you're not gonna be all of you.
(09:12):
You're just gonna be part of you. We're gonna celebrate
that part. But if they find out the rest of
you not, you're not gonna You're not gonna be a
night anymore. You're not gonna work. And so that's kind
of like the analogy I use when I think back
to that time, Like, of course I wish I could
have been out, but I just can't fathom what that
would be, Like I have no idea.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
Yeah, sometimes that's better than not now. Yeah, yeah, it
is what it was, and here you are and.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
Yeah, and how how would I know? Also, I think
if I was out, then I wouldn't be such an
advocate for telling gay stories gay love stories. Now had
I been out then, yeah, you know, because you know,
we grew up before RuPaul's Drag Race was on television.
Yeah you know what I mean, We watched TV and
movies before that, and now this amazing general that's here.
(10:01):
It's like they're just used to seeing it.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
Can I imagine having a show like over Compensating when
we were growing up or or at Stopper or it
just wasn't a thing at all.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
It's it's wild to me, and like they're like, well, yeah,
well on drag Race. Well I started watching it I
was like five, and you're like, what you were watching
drag Race when you were five? Oh my god? Like
we didn't have that, and that's why, like my husband
and I like, you know, you and your husband do
the same thing. And I think it's beautiful. Like we
James and I always post pictures of us kissing or
(10:33):
of our relationship or like really special moments, not because
we need to see another picture of us kissing, Like
we have enough kissing photos and I love them, but
like we post that stuff so that way young James
and Jonathan who are at home wanting to you know,
so they have something to be able to look up
to and say, oh, wait, there's a love that looks
(10:53):
like mine that exists out there, and you can have
a happy life and you can be fulfilled and you
can you can fall in love, you can get married,
you can do all these things because we never had
that growing up. You didn't have that. Geo didn't have that, Like,
we didn't have those things to look at and see.
So like that's why we post all the stuff we do.
It's like we want to be the people that you
can like turn to and be like, oh that can
(11:15):
happen for me too.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
Yeah, it's intentional for good reason, right yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
I mean obviously everyone wants to see my husband in
a bathing suit because he has he's beautiful, and so
I usually post bathing suit photos of us together because
I want to see him, and James is sitting over
there like what are you doing. It's true, I want
to because he looks hot. We see you, Jane, Yeah,
we see you. We see you, j I mean the
dead can see you. Yow. Speaking of speaking of trap,
(11:46):
let's get into our Tommy Dedario thirst trap of the week.
I'd like to go to picture number.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
Six and fifty two.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
Wait, what's the one? What you do recently? You do
the thing with the vitamins. Oh I'm a yeah spokesperson
from guard Yes, yes, you're doing that one. I was like, okay,
he knows how to get the algorithm going. Tommy's not
going to make things see Okay, smart you know that time,
So you got to make things get seen.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
Me.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
If it is Tommy in a shirtless in some sort
of short short, you know that an ad is coming
the next post. Same thing for James. If you see
James in a tiny little booty short with his butt
out and his legs out, you know that we are
about to post a branded content next. That's right, and
we need to drive that algorithm. You got to cut
through the noise. That's right, cut through the noise.
Speaker 1 (12:33):
Okay, that's right, Tommy, Okay, back to you, Back to
you and a little riled up. Now.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
I hate Tommy's He literally turned red because he's like,
you've really nailed it.
Speaker 1 (12:44):
Though you're not wrong, okay to put it.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
No shame in it?
Speaker 1 (12:47):
Oh hell no, no at all, no shame to put
a pin in this chapter of the conversation before we
get to some holiday foot.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
But I just have to get my yettie I never
said this before cup and fill it with water, so
mom brand go ahead.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
Can't with you? I literally, but yes, please fill it
up and show it to Camra. Thank you have been
in this chapter of your life.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
I can't.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
Are you done pouring?
Speaker 2 (13:10):
Now? Tell them on? Get the ball out of the shot?
Speaker 1 (13:14):
There we go, perfect water? Joy?
Speaker 2 (13:18):
Never have I ever? Never? Have I ever? Oh wow,
I've never said this before.
Speaker 1 (13:23):
We won't get a closer with that drinking shot? Not
your best one, but we'll work on it. We'll work
on it, okay, anyway to put a pin on this?
How serious have conversations been between you and Lindsay about
a sequel to me and girls? Everybody wants one? Have you,
honestly seriously had a conversation about it? Like?
Speaker 2 (13:45):
Have you been like me and the low Hand?
Speaker 1 (13:46):
Yeah? Have you been like, if we're going to do this,
what would it look like? Would we do it?
Speaker 2 (13:50):
Like?
Speaker 1 (13:51):
Has that even happened?
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Has there been a conversation between me and Lindsay Lohan
about a sequel? I don't think there's been an actual
conversation between us that I can rem They might have,
but like in the group chat, do we want to
do it? Yes, you know, but we haven't actually sat
down and ben like, how do we do this? I
know that everyone wants to I know that. I mean
(14:14):
ninety nine percent of the cast is like, let's go.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
Like all the main players.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Yes, I think yes, I mean, for to my knowledge,
everyone that I talk to whenever we're like texting, you know,
sometimes on October third and stuff, like our phone lights up.
It's the Me and Girls cast other than me and
Lacy because we do Hamewark movies all the time. And
Daniel Fransese, who I see all the time. The rest
of us all are very very friendly and like like
(14:42):
close with each other. It's just we did that movie
twenty two years ago. So it's like, how many people
do you talk to from college? Like do you actually
keep in contact with everyone you went to college with? No,
But like if they pop up on a thing or
it's their birthday and you remember, it's, oh my god, hey,
good to see you. And it's not because we don't
want to hang out. It's because we all get everyone
grows up. We were children, like we were kids shooting
(15:05):
this movie, and then you grow up and get your lives,
you get married, you have kids, you you know, move away.
So like everyone loves each other, life just gets in
the way and everyone gets busy and starts doing their
own things. So it's like we would love to like
come back and bring the band back together. It's just
way above my pay grade. That's a Tina Fe question.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
Do you think Aaron would be gay or straight consideration?
Speaker 2 (15:35):
That's a great question. I think Aaron will be straight.
I do. I don't think yeah, because I don't think
we should like I think day, Like you know, there,
first of all, how weird is this? Almost all the
guys from Ingirls are gay, and Mingirls is one of
(15:58):
the gayest cult class movies of all time. So let's
think about that, Like what came first? The gay or
the mean girls? Like Daniel frand Szy gay, the guy
that plays Kevin Napoor Rejief gay, Jonathan Bennett gay, like
the three I know, it's so funny that like the
(16:19):
three dudes, I mean other than Shane Omen he's straight,
but like you know, the majority, like the three main
guys all came out at some point, which I thought
was really funny. It's just like ironic in a way.
It's like it's like, yeah, it's just funny to me.
I think Aaron would be straight because I wouldn't want
(16:39):
to just like you would to go and change the
narrative of Aaron Samuels because Jonathan benn is gay. You
would keep the narrative of Aaron Samuels because that's the story.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
Okay, Yeah, well we will you really will wait for
that to happen.
Speaker 2 (16:52):
Yeah, maybe I'll be a I think he would teach though,
he'd be a teacher.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
Oh I could see that.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
Yeah, I mean, why don't we just do the movie?
Everyone wants, right, everyone wants we all come back. We're
all teachers. I'm a teacher at the school. The girl
the you know, the girls are grown up, have their
own kids, and now their daughters are coming to school,
and it's managing the parents with the kids in high school.
Because like the parents of kids in.
Speaker 1 (17:13):
High school, you thought about this at all, huh.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
I mean it's just like it's like in your face,
like that's the storyline. It's not rocket science, you know,
and you know you just you see that way you
have you have multi general. As someone that does Hallmark
Channel movies, we think a lot about multi generational viewing,
and you could have a storyline for all the parents
who are the millennials that are the current fans of
the movie that grew up with it, so they're going
(17:37):
to be attached to like Lacey, Amanda Meet totally that
and then you have the kids who are the new
batch for their kids to be watching, so they can
identify with those kids, the parents identify with their og cast.
I mean you were Tina right at get any younger, sweetie,
Come one, Tina Fa, I'm not getting any younger.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
Well, and you're also booked and busy. I mean you're
also the King of Christmas. If you haven't heard, rumor
on the street is have is the head? The where's
the crown?
Speaker 2 (18:01):
Tommy? Uh huh? Mariah and Mariah and I are the
now apparently the royal family. Yeah, of it, that's what
people say.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
So what makes you the King of Christmas?
Speaker 2 (18:09):
I don't think there's anyone that's done more Christmas TV
shows or holiday TV shows than me. I think like
they come like the gay king. There's straight boys that
have done it, but the Gay King of Christmas for sure,
So I've got to I think it's also just like
being involved with Homework Channel, being involved, I'm like a
(18:32):
Seasons guy. I have Halloween Wars on Food Network. This
was last year. This was happened in twenty twenty four.
Halloween Wars on Food Network, Jonathan Bennett host Great. Then
I have Finding Mister Christmas on Then I have Then
I was in the Thanksgiving Parade, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day
Parade for Homework Channel doing Thanksgiving. Then I was in
(18:55):
Finding Mister Christmas and My Christmas Movies or Homewark, and
then I host the Ball Drop in Times Square New
Year's Eve. So literally it's like Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas in
New Year's I was always working on each of those days.
So I think, you know, just being the doing so
much Christmas content and making so many Christmas movies, but
also making Christmas movies that matter, like we were the first.
(19:16):
I was the first person to do the first same
sex kiss in a Christmas movie in the Christmas House.
And then I got to create and produce and start
in the Holiday Sitter, which was the first gay led
Hallmark Christmas rom com which had never been done before,
which was a huge deal. It was like just the
storyline of the two guys. It wasn't an ensemble cast,
(19:37):
it was just us. And then you know, I created
Finding Mister Christmas, which is my reality show, and that's
like the search for the next Hallmark leading man. And
so with all those things combined, I guess they I
guess I kind of got Christmas. I got a vibe
on Christmas.
Speaker 1 (19:53):
Yeah, you certainly do. And I think what's really cool
is you are working at a network where I think
a lot of people over the years thought that could
never be possible. So how hard did you have to
push for these ideas to happen?
Speaker 2 (20:06):
Then? Great question. Yeah, you know previously, years, years ago,
when you think of Hallmark Channel, you wouldn't think like, oh,
gay Christmas rom com. Right, It was a different world.
And then we had people like Michelle Vickery come into
power at the network who has been a huge advocate
for it. And she called me one day and said,
(20:31):
do you want to play gay characters or straight characters?
And I said I like to play gay characters. She
goes done, I'll make it happen. And ever since we
did the Christmas House. It's the door opened. And we've
had so many more gay storylines on the network, and
I think it's just a people say, do you have
to fight for it? I don't have to fight for it,
(21:00):
but I do have to stay vigilant, right, So it's
not that I have to convince the network to do
gay stories. They are they are dedicated to doing gay
stories on a Hallmark Channel and it's which is probably
the most powerful network in the world for the gay community.
And I'll tell you about that in a second. But
like the they're dedicated to telling those stories. But I'm
(21:24):
just always there at the front, like making sure that
my eyes are on them so that we're telling the
correct stories. So it's more about like story management than
it is like will we do it right? It's like
making sure they fit And what I think is so
powerful about Hallmark Channel. And we won the glad Award
last year for Best Move for Best Feature Film and
(21:46):
for The Groomsman, which was the first gay wedding that
I produced and started in for Homemark Channel. I know,
I was like, what a gay wedding on Homemark Channel?
Like yep, And it was beautiful. It was absolutely beautiful.
But what's so powerful about this network is that we
are viewed in so many states that the people that
(22:07):
where the people living in them in the smaller towns,
might not have a gay community, might not know a
gay person, or know that they know a gay person,
might not have any gay friends, might not whatever that
may be in some of those people might have, you know,
prejudiced towards the community. And I think by telling home,
(22:29):
by telling gay love stories on Hallmark channel, the number
one go to network for love, Like when you think love,
what do you think? Hallmark Love Stories universally in America
the number one destination, number one watched entertainment cable network
in the world. Like it is the place you go
for love. So when gay stories are told on that network, hey,
(22:53):
why shouldn't they be because it's, you know, network for
love stories. But by telling those stories on that network
with those people that watch that might not ever see
a gay love story otherwise, is a huge, huge, huge,
huge important thing. Like they watch the movies. Let's say,
(23:15):
let's say, you know, I'll use like my aunt for example,
Like you have an aunt that might not accept the
gay community. Maybe maybe that's what's happening but when she
tunes in and she sees Jonathan Bennett and Alexander Lincoln
in a Hallmark movie who are falling in love, and
(23:37):
that movie, in her looks, sounds and feels just like
the other one hundred and thirty seven movies she watches
a year that are straight on a Hallmark channel. There's
something subconscious that happens to her when she's watching it,
because what does it do, Tommy? It feels familiar? Yeah,
And she maybe doesn't change the channel right away. Maybe
(23:58):
she keeps watching and then she goes, oh, okay, and
then she sees something funny or charming or interesting, and
maybe she watches a little bit longer, and then maybe
by the end of that movie, we haven't changed her
mind completely, but maybe we've poked a hole in it.
We've poked a hole in any of the resistance she
(24:20):
has towards the community, because she goes, well, that kind
of looks and sounds and feels just like my love,
And that looks and sounds and feels just like the
other love movies that I watch on the network. Okay,
maybe maybe it's a little more similar than I think.
That one little hole can open up a whole world. Right,
So it's like my job is to go and poke
(24:42):
holes to change hearts and minds with my movies, and
it's powerful.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
That's how it happens. Nothing, nothing happens overnight, you know,
but when you start making things feel like it's part
of the routine, it's part of the norm. It's all
it's familiar exactly. That's why, right, Like you know where like.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
A movie, you know, you have movies, like you know,
some of the other gay movies that come out. They're
great and they're funny, but there sometimes can be a
little more inside baseball.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
Right, it's like you have to understand the grinder joke
to understand like where my ann is, Like what's grinder?
You know what I mean? Like it's not that you
have to like you have to meet the audience where
they are, and you have to meet your the people
that are that might be resisting your community where they are,
and where they are is you know, all over the
country and a lot of people watch this network.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
Yeah, and where you are is everywhere because you're not
only acting and producing, but you're hosting the reality is yes,
season two. I mean, this seems like you love doing it.
You light up when I see you tell me about it.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
Here's the thing, Tommy, think of how hard the industry is.
You've been in the industry a long time, your hub
your hubbies, in the industry forever to be able to
say I have a I have a TV show on
TV that I created. Do you know how many knows
it takes to get there?
Speaker 1 (26:03):
Yeah, it does happen.
Speaker 2 (26:04):
A zillion knows, And by a miracle of God or whoever,
we got to make finding mister Christmas and finding Mister
Christmas is my life's work. It's everything I've learned in
the twenty two years in the industry. I took that
and applied it to this. Because I've been a contestant
(26:27):
on Celebrity Big Brother, I've went home first, I've been
a contestant on Dancing with the Stars, went home third.
I am. I've been a contestant on these shows. But
I've also been an actor for twenty some years, and
so I've taken all that knowledge and combined it to
(26:48):
create like what I think is the perfect reality show.
I think it is absolutely perfect. It is the search
for Hallmark's next leading Man. So we take ten hot guys,
we dress them in Christmas sweaters and flannels, and they
are gorgeous, like ten out of tens, all ten of them.
We take them and we put them in a house
(27:11):
where they compete in different acting challenges. One by one
they get eliminated, and then the winner gets to have
gets to be the next Hallmark Christmas movie star. He
gets a lead into Christmas movie. So we're letting the
audience in on the journey of like finding the next hunk.
My husband hates when I compare it to Rupul's drag Race.
He's like, don't compare it to RuPaul's dragras. It's not
(27:32):
Rupuel's drag race. I said, kind of, but in the
similar zone of like we're searching for talent right Like
it's it's like ten queens trying to be like, you know,
the next drag Race superstars. This is like ten hot
guys competing to be the next like Hallmark leading man.
And it is so much fun and so it's just
(27:53):
the exact thing you want when you watch reality television
that you don't get to see. It is ten hot
guys being vulnerable, opening up and sharing their experiences, crying together,
laughing together. These ten guys walk into this house as
competitors and they leave as like brothers. They all, they're all,
they all become so close by the end of this
(28:15):
because I don't know any I don't know any other
reality shows that you can turn on and see ten
grown men being vulnerable with each other and like supporting
each other, like they're more worried about, like taking care
of each other, to help each other out because it's
Hallmark Channel and that's just what we do and what
we instill in them, and by them helping each other,
(28:36):
they become the best versions of themselves. For the show.
It's absolutely like a It is like a science experiment
in like people like it is the it is like
it's like this, you want, you want to do good,
help the person next to you be better and you'll
and that will RaSE that will raise you up. And
that's exactly what the show does.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
And it's so feel good. Is it one episode a week?
Speaker 2 (28:58):
Yeah, one episode a week, So there's eight episodes. We
start with ten guys. One by one they get eliminated
and we have them compete in different challenges that are
all based on like the Hallmark Christmas movie tropes that
we've come to love of the Christmas movies like It's
it's like you have the meat cute, then you have
(29:20):
the like kiss at the end of the movie, you
have the first date. You have them meeting the family.
Like all the tropes that we see in the movies
that we love, we took each of those tropes and
gamified an episode around it. So on the meet Cute episode,
the first episode, Janelle Parish from Pretty Little Liars is ore.
We bring a different Hallmark girl in each episode to
(29:41):
co star against them in their acting challenges. So they're
like thrown into the fire with like the real Hallmark girls.
You know, we have all the big stars of Hallmark
that they're acting with. And some of these guys, you know,
have never acted before a day in their life. Some
of them have experienced. But episode one, we take them
to a ski slope, put them in snow skis and
(30:02):
give them lines to learn, and we say, you have
fifteen minutes to learn these lines and then you're gonna
act with Janelle Parish while you ski down the hill.
You have one take go And so they're having to
like ski down a hill while acting and like memorizing
their lines. Do it. They have fifteen minutes to do it,
because that's how it is when you shoot Homewark movies.
Sometimes it's like sometimes things change and it's like we're
(30:23):
losing daylight. You have to get this scene in ten minutes,
and we got to get out of here, and so
we need when we're looking for like the next Hallmark
movie star, we're looking for the guy that can like
put when his feet are put to the fire, he
can like rise up and like make it happen no matter,
you know, no matter how he does it.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
And so it's like that animal mentality. Yes, like you
go in like a warrior. Yes, I'm just saying I
would have crushed that so well. Ski Tommy, I know,
I see you posting in your skiing Yeah, I got fine,
you know, ask me. It's crushed that season three. We
have a contentions. I don't want to talk about it
(30:59):
or anything I read for you today. It's no, no, no,
it's fine, it's fine, totally fine. I think you would
be a great home. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (31:06):
But you act too.
Speaker 1 (31:09):
I have a background, you have a background in act.
I'm here to talk about me right now. But yes,
I went to n Yu. Oh did you see this
mic drop by Tommy just now here. I went to
n y U and then he takes his yetty. I said,
we're not going to talk about it, but I went, yeah,
I got kicked out of the iHeart Studio and already Jesus, Tommy,
(31:37):
you also have a movie coming out November ninth, November ninth,
Color Christmas Vacation, which is based on my own family.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
Because I don't know about you, Tommy, but is your
family completely functional and has zero dysfunction in it?
Speaker 1 (31:49):
Oh? Yeah, Italians from Jersey.
Speaker 2 (31:51):
Sure. I thought, with the whole Hallmark lens, what if
we took what if we took siblings and instead of
making it per, what if we just were like super
honest and made a dysfunctional group of siblings that just
don't get along with it?
Speaker 1 (32:06):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (32:06):
And then we put them on a river cruise on
the Dua River in Vienna looking at all the Christmas markets.
So it's two brothers and a sister played by me.
And this is what I love so much about this movie.
Not only is the movie just hilarious and heartwarming and
so much fun, you get to see all the Christmas
(32:27):
markets of Europe and it's just absolutely Brent like we
shot in Vienna during the Christmas markets last year, so, like,
the production value is insane, but the cast chemistry. You
have the gay dude from Mean Girls, Jonathan Bennett gay
Aaron Samuels. You have Brandon Routh Superman yeah, and then
you have Eden Cher, who played Sue on the Middle.
(32:50):
So you have like literally Superman, the dude from Mean Girls,
and Sue from the Middle coming together to play siblings
that don't get along. And it is probably one of
the most beautiful movies I've ever shot, and just the
chemistry between like Eden Cher and brand because Brandon Routh
and I have known each other since we did soaps
together back in New York City in like two thousand
(33:13):
and one, and so we've known each other our whole
lives and we look so similar. And when Ing Girls
came out, everyone thought it was him, and then when
Superman came out, everyone thought it was me. They're like,
are you Superman. I'm like, no, that's my friend Bja.
They're like, are you the guy from Ingirls. He's like, no,
that's Jonathan because we look so similar when we were younger.
So it's really we've always wanted to play brothers. And
now we get to come together and like play brothers.
(33:34):
I played the gay one. He plays like the jock
football player brother. And Eden's like our sister that's in
the middle. And it's just it's so much fun.
Speaker 1 (33:42):
Oh my god, what don't you have going on? Man?
Speaker 2 (33:45):
Well, I don't know I have. We have a lot
going on. And I'll be back here. What are you
guys doing for New Year's Eve? We'll be in New
York City.
Speaker 1 (33:54):
I'm not sure yet, but we're here to do it.
Speaker 2 (33:56):
I'm hosting the ball drop again ten years in a row,
tenth love it ten years. Yeah, okay, you really are
the King of Christmas, King of the Holidays, king of
all that.
Speaker 1 (34:06):
Yes, we're gonna do a little Rapid Fire.
Speaker 2 (34:07):
I love Rapid Fire.
Speaker 1 (34:10):
Number one. What three Christmas albums would be on your
mount Rushmore?
Speaker 2 (34:17):
My husband wrote probably the best Christmas album I've ever heard.
And I don't mean that like because he's my husband.
It's the songs are so good. So James Vaughan, Babe,
what's the title? Because I always mess it up? Feels
like it feels like it feels like Christmas? By James Vaughan.
(34:38):
It's on Spotify and everywhere you get music because we
got to use his movie or his music in what
in my Christmas movie last year? During the kiss scene
my husband's movie played, my husband's song played, and it
was so special to have like a gay Christmas movie
with like the leads gay husband singing the song. It
was a very cool thing. Yeah, in st Merry Christmas,
Happy Holidays never gets old, never ever. And Whitney Houston
(35:07):
Joy to the world, because I can hear it in
my head right now, like when she's so good. I mean,
come on, I mean that would be it instinct solid
in my husband sold if you're in a really good company.
Speaker 1 (35:20):
Yeah you are. That's that's quite a lineup. Okay. The
holiday or love actually love.
Speaker 2 (35:27):
Actually nothing better than that mono. Oh you like the
Holiday Moore really love actually for me all the way
it is that the monologue about the Heathrow Airport and
the love gets me every time. And it's also when
the singer what's his name Billy that sings this, like
the you know, British singer guy and he's like, we
(35:49):
took the word love and changed it to Christmas. That's
how I feel sometimes, like when I'm pitching things I'm like,
it's Rupe Paul's grace, but we're replacing it with hunks.
It's not rocket science.
Speaker 1 (36:06):
Okay, solid solid. Two more Christmas lights white are color white.
I love a clean Christmas light. I love Green Garland
white Christmas lights, red bow. It is so classy and
just so like it just it feels so elevated. You
feel so like, oh, we're rich. We have white lights
(36:30):
in Green Garland with the bows. Okay, Green gars.
Speaker 2 (36:33):
I think like all the like neighborhoods that were like
super like big houses, they always did like the white
lights of the things. So it was like a little
more classy, elevated. So that's why my head.
Speaker 1 (36:43):
Goes yeah, solid, solid choice. And finally, when is the
first day you should decorate for Christmas?
Speaker 2 (36:49):
Tommy?
Speaker 1 (36:49):
When is it appropriate?
Speaker 2 (36:51):
Tommy? Oh, this is not part of our something. I've
never done this. I've never this is not part of
I've never said this before. But it is never too
early to decorate for Christmas. However, I don't decorate for Christmas.
Speaker 1 (37:06):
What does that mean? I don't decorate for holidays? For
holidays ever? Ever, like you don't put one decoration out
in your house?
Speaker 2 (37:13):
Hm, barely do we babe, like one tree, Oh, the inflatables.
I put the inflatables in our yard. The inflatables in
our yard are like I did that to annoy James.
That was one thing. But like, and the reason is
you don't put a tree up. No, I know, I know,
and you would think. And I'm just being honest because like,
(37:35):
here's the thing. Like I could come on here and
be like, yo, like, yeah, of course we decorat, but
that'd be lying, and I don't want to lie. Like,
here's the thing. January eighth around, we start casting for
Finding Mister Christmas season two and I start or season
three and I start designing the challenges. So I'm designing
Christmas challenges and casting the guys. And then after designing
(37:59):
the challenges, we still shooting the show. So I'm in
Christmas mode shooting the show for like three weeks, and
then I go into a Hallmark Christmas movie. By June,
shoot another Christmas movie. That's another month of Christmas shooting.
Then we start doing like the Hallmark Countdown to Christmas
kickoff where it's all Christmas all the time. Then we
do Christmas in July. Then I shoot Halloween Wars to
(38:23):
in August to like start celebrating Halloween and then the
countdown to Christmas kickoff and the show starts airing. So
we're doing Christmas events, the Hallmark Christmas Cruise, Hallmark Christmas
Kansas City Experience. By the time the actual Christmas Day
gets here, I'm like, I don't think I can put
a tree up, Like I think I just need to
lay on the couch. And it's not the fact of
(38:43):
like I don't want a tree, it's that I don't
want to have to take it down because we have
been putting up Christmas decreations and doing Christmas decorations all
over the world for an entire year. So when the
actual holiday gets there, I'm like, my holiday is to
like let everyone else enjoy the holidays that we helped
make Marion Brighte for them. I'm gonna land my couch
and eat like Tai food and watch movies.
Speaker 1 (39:05):
That's fair.
Speaker 2 (39:06):
Like, That's what I'm gonna do. It's fair, totally fair,
And it's not because I don't like it. It's because
we started January eighth. Yeah, I started doing Christmas.
Speaker 1 (39:13):
You got a year of it.
Speaker 2 (39:14):
We've had a year.
Speaker 1 (39:14):
I get it. I get it. I was shook at first.
I feel like it makes sense and by the time
it happens, you're just like.
Speaker 2 (39:23):
Okay, no more Christmas for me. I'm just gonna land
the couch.
Speaker 1 (39:26):
Okay, you deserve it. You you deserve it, don't mean
that you deserve it fair enough. I feel like that
was a really good what you've never said before? So
I guess I'm still gonna ask you the question. I
wrap up every interview with this question based off the
title of the show. I've mainly because I was tired
of going to premieres and jun kits and talking to
people for two minutes and like not having a real
conversation and it's all the same bites that you answer
(39:49):
from the same outlets, and you know, it's just, to me,
the least interesting part of my job, if I can
say that. So I created a show where I could
have people come on and say something they don't get
a chance to say, or that they want to get
off their chest, or whatever it means to you. It's
just like, here's your time to say something you don't
always get to say. So, what is something you've never
said before?
Speaker 2 (40:09):
Oh, I've never said no to a gig or to
a paycheck. Never, I've never said no to a job
like and you can look at my IMDb and go, yep,
(40:31):
you definitely have not said no ever, because there are
some real turns on there. But I've never said no
to like opportunity or a connection because I love working
and even if the movie's absolute garbage, I love being
(40:52):
on set. And when you're on set, you never know
what you're gonna learn or who you're gonna meet.
Speaker 1 (40:56):
In this.
Speaker 2 (40:58):
Business, in this industry, and really life in general is
all about relationships. It's not about being the best actor.
If it's about if it was about being the best actor,
watch TV, you wouldn't see any bad actors. Do We
see bad actors a hundred times? So why is that?
Because it's about the relationships, right, So relationships are the
most important thing in your life, personally and professionally. And
(41:23):
I've never said no to a job like. My age
will be like it's like zero dollars and you're shooting
and like you know, muskokey for two months and you
get a hundred bucks and you have no hotel, you
have to sleep on the street, and you're like, yeah, great,
I'm like I'm in let's do it. Like I've never
said no to a job.
Speaker 1 (41:44):
I kind of love that.
Speaker 2 (41:45):
Yeah, because and every time I say yes, work gets work.
You never know who you're gonna meet. You never know
like what thing is gonna click on there, Like sure,
maybe it might be a garbage movie no one's gonna watch,
but guess what, the writer on this is actually really
good and he actually met someone who met someone and
blah blah blah. And the next thing you know, you're
out to dinn they're like, you should read for this project.
(42:07):
And then you get another gig. Like it's it's always
about like we're getting you work. And like so I've
never said no to a job or a paycheck, and
you can look at my social media to say that
I've never said no to it.
Speaker 1 (42:21):
That's a great one. I actually really love that. And
you wouldn't be where you are today without that, right,
Like you're here for a reason, you're doing You're in
a career and in a path that you love and
you're happy with. And yeah, opportunities seem to keep coming
to you.
Speaker 2 (42:33):
And also that's another thing. They don't come everything you've
seen me promote than Halloween Wars, I've created. Yeah, of course.
And that's the thing which is easy. Yes, that's the
thing that I tell everyone that wants to break into
the industry. Right, They're like, how do I do it?
I'm like, create your own stuff? The only I mean,
you created a podcast that I'm sitting on and talking
on right now, Tommy.
Speaker 1 (42:52):
Based it came from an Instagram live show I did
during the pandemic.
Speaker 2 (42:55):
Yes, and then now we're on your podcast talking about
it because you created it. I hard to and just
call Tommy and say, oh, never have I ever. Let's go.
I know it's not called never havever ever. I just
like saying that I've never said this before. Let's do
the show. Tommy's like, no, I'm going to create the
thing in the IP that makes iHeart go, oh, will
you come do the show here? Yeah, And that's what
(43:16):
you have to do in twenty twenty five, twenty six
to like make it in this industry.
Speaker 1 (43:20):
I am ready for a masterclass with Jonathan Bennett.
Speaker 2 (43:23):
Let's think we just got one.
Speaker 1 (43:24):
Let's go. Let's go, my friend, thank you.
Speaker 2 (43:27):
I am so happy that you're a real human. Oh
my Instagram model people, Oh my god. He doesn't just
like his green Earth, No I, what is it green Earth?
What's it called? Earth?
Speaker 1 (43:39):
Go watch all the things going on? Finding Mister Christmas
and a Keller Christmas Vacation out November ninth. Jonathan Bennett's
Thank You, m Me Doter, thank you so much, Thank you.
Until next time, Stay Sexy, San Diego. I've Never Said
This Before is hosted by Me Tommy Didario. This podcast
(43:59):
is exactecutive produced by Andrew Publici at iHeartRadio and by
me Tommy, with editing by Joshua Colaudney. I've Never Said
This Before is part of the Elvis Duran podcast Network
on iHeart Podcasts. For more, rate review and subscribe to
our show and if you liked this episode, tell your friends.
Until next time. I'm Tommy Dederio
Hey, guys, welcome to I've never said this before with
me Tommy Di Dario, So I am refraining from saying
every single viral quote from me and girls right now.
It's not easy. I'm not gonna lie, but I'm trying
because my guest today has heard them NonStop a week
after week since the release of the movie in two
thousand and four, and he must be exhausted. But that's
(00:23):
just a testament to the iconic work that mister Jonathan
Bennett has done in his career. What a joy it
is to be in his presence. I truly mean that.
It's no wonder that he does it all. He's acting, hosting, producing,
I mean, the list goes on and on, and he
has so many fun Christmas projects going on right now.
So we're about to get a little bit festive up
in here and talk to a man who brings so
(00:44):
much joy to so many. All right, let's see if
today we can get Jonathan Bennett to say something that
he has never said before. Jonathan Bennett. Yes, I'm not
running into in an equinox.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
I know, seeing each other the gym. We're not liking
each other's post on Instagram. We are in the flesh.
Do you know Tommy Dedari a real human being? You
can actually touch him. He's actually a real human being.
He's not just an AI Instagram person. He's a real human.
It's very nice to see you. It's good to see you.
How you doing wonderful? Can't can't complain You're feeling good,
feeling great.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
You have a lot going on.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
There's honey, I'm tired.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
I bet you are tired. We have a lot to
cover today. We're going to celebrate all the things going
on in your world. Okay, but my first burning question
for you, let's let's start hard. Okay, are you ready
for you?
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Ready for it?
Speaker 1 (01:35):
Are you really ready?
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Born? Ready to Okay?
Speaker 1 (01:38):
How many times a week do people hit you with?
It's October first, zero, but they hit me with it.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
It's October third a lot. That's a correct number, So
I would say, for that's not the number one you get. No,
October third is what I get hit with the most.
And they want to tell me my hair looks sexy. Pushback.
Those are like the two.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
Two weekly things, oh daily, Yeah, there you know, we're
just place that's happened.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Someone asked me this, I said, the weirdest, uh, the weirdest. Oh,
I'll tell you exactly where we were in Mexico and
we were uh celebrating the Day of the Dead there
and I was in full makeup, like you could not
recognize me at all. And this kid turned around to
me in the middle of the street while we were dancing.
It was like October third, and I'm like, how I
(02:28):
am literally covered completely faced the entire phase and makeup,
like you know, design and everything. And he spotted me
in the middle of like a street fair dance festival
in Mexico and it was I said to my husband,
I was like, I don't know what it's like to
not be Aaron Samuels. Like it's been so many years
(02:50):
that like I can't remember back to like what life
was like before all the mean girls stuff, because I
was like twenty two when that happened. So like my hold,
like I can't remember back to like what it's like
to go to a Starbucks and not have the girl
right like cruel on your on your cup, Like it's
just it's just normal, Like it's just like what life
is now.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
Yeah, I mean it kicks off everything for you, right, yeah,
really big launch do you feel like doing that project
because you were the hunk, right, You're the hot guy
in school and that's how everyone knew you. You feel
like that put you in a box for a while.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Good question. Uh, yes, I think it does put you
in a box.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
There.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
You know, there's two different ways to look at boxes.
One you can look at them as a bad thing,
which I think it was for me in some ways
with mean girls, with being like you're like the hot jock,
like that's what you do, so everyone just saw you
as that. But then I think there's a way to
(03:49):
like reinvent yourself and control the box. Like people are
gonna put you in a box regardless, So if you're
gonna be in a box, don't be in the box.
Be the guy that like stands on top of the
box because you own this box. You pee on that box,
like that is my box. No one's touching it, can't
come close. You know. That's like that's I think when
(04:12):
you when you think of like in terms of like
being put in a box, I was just put in
the wrong box being like the hunk that that was
like just like this jock, you know, straight guy that's
like I don't want to say boring, but it was
you know, I think Jonathan Bennett has way more to
offer in like qualities about him that are more fun
(04:33):
to put, you know, for people to see than who
Aaron Samuels was. Like Aaron Samuels just cares about school,
his mom and his friends, right, you know, like he
was like kicks the soccer ball and like does that
where like I had so much more life to you.
So in a sense that's being in that box was
not great because I was like, but that's not who
I am. I'm all these other things. It just took
(04:54):
a while for me to get to that other box.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Right, You're like, I want to show the other things
that yeah, yeah, and what so interesting? And during that
time you weren't out right.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Correct, No not. I mean my friends and family knew,
and you know, like everyone knew. It was like this
like thing in Hollywood where like everyone I call it
like Santa Claus. Like it's like it's kind of like
Santa Claus, like you, oh, I don't know if you
have children listeners.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
But this is a free space to say what okay.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Good, like if you're Hollywood and like the late nineties
early two thousands, being gay like your friends and family knew,
like people you worked with, no, but like you wouldn't
talk about it publicly because it was a different time
and you just couldn't like it was just about it
or yeah you could, well we didn't have posting, sweetie,
it was we are hold on how much time do
(05:45):
you have we? I mean when Mean Girls came out Facebook,
I think just started that year, so it was a
different time. So, you know, I think it's like Santa Claus.
And what I mean by that is if there's people,
if there's a kid the room and you start talking
about Santa Claus, I'm not going to correct you and
be like, what are you talking about? There's no such
(06:07):
thing as Santa Claus. I'm like, oh, yes, Santa Claus
is definitely coming tonight. Like we're all in on the lie, right,
the whole world's in on it. It's part of culture,
and it's something that's celebrated. That's kind of like what
it was like being a gay closeted actor in Hollywood
in the late nineties early two thousands, Like I didn't
have to tell my co stars and my family to like, hey, like,
(06:31):
let's not share this too much, you know, like you
want to keep this close to the best. They just
knew to do it. Like if we would be out
somewhere and like get an interview question about like does
Jonathan have a girlfriend? Like my co stars wouldn't be like, no,
he's gay. They'd be like, I don't know. I guess
you'll have to ask him. Like everyone's in on the
everyone's in on the joke, you know what I mean.
(06:51):
And that's it's It's what it was.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
Back then, Like you didn't even have to have that conversation.
It was it was.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
It was if you live in Hollywood and we're in
the industry, you just understood it.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
So when you see yourself in that movie and it
comes on TV and you look at that guy and
you are not encouraged to publicly be who you are,
But at the same time, it's a project that's so
beloved by so many people, in a role that's so
beloved and means so much so many people. Does a
party you ever feel like, God, like that kind of
sucked for that dude. Who can it really be who
he is at the time?
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Yeah, yeah, I it does in a way, But I
also don't know life without that, Like I don't, like
I can think back of like what, God, it would
have been so much better to just like be your
authentic self and like be out and I would love that,
(07:46):
But I can't then picture what life would be like
having done that because I don't know what that is, right,
So it's like, yes, that sounds like something I would
want to have done and like be like, gosh, I
wish you could have been out, But I also like,
I just I can't fathom it because being in the
closet and being a you know, closet, you know, being
an actor and like doing all the films I was doing,
(08:08):
it was definitely like you're always waiting for the shoe
to drop, the other shoe to fall, right. You're like, well,
as long as they don't know that I'm gay, like
I'll get this job, you know what I mean. Like
that's like always in your back of your mind. You
never live a day without the fear that, like, if
they find out that I'm gay, I'll never play leading
(08:28):
man again. And the only thing you gotta think about
it like this the only thing you care about in
life For me, for someone who's obsessed with what they do,
and it loves it more than anything on earth except
for my husband. It's the thing that it's it's the
second biggest love of my life, right, Like I love acting,
I love performing, I love creating for people. And back then,
(08:50):
if you were told, hey, you can have all this,
but if they find out that you're gay, you're gonna
lose it all. Yeah, it's like giving a night and
like it's like it's like the night is walking into
the castle and they're throwing from coming home from more
and they're throwing roses at them, but they're like, but
before you go in, we're gonna take away your sword
because you're just you're not gonna be all of you.
(09:12):
You're just gonna be part of you. We're gonna celebrate
that part. But if they find out the rest of
you not, you're not gonna You're not gonna be a
night anymore. You're not gonna work. And so that's kind
of like the analogy I use when I think back
to that time, Like, of course I wish I could
have been out, but I just can't fathom what that
would be, Like I have no idea.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
Yeah, sometimes that's better than not now. Yeah, yeah, it
is what it was, and here you are and.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
Yeah, and how how would I know? Also, I think
if I was out, then I wouldn't be such an
advocate for telling gay stories gay love stories. Now had
I been out then, yeah, you know, because you know,
we grew up before RuPaul's Drag Race was on television.
Yeah you know what I mean, We watched TV and
movies before that, and now this amazing general that's here.
(10:01):
It's like they're just used to seeing it.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
Can I imagine having a show like over Compensating when
we were growing up or or at Stopper or it
just wasn't a thing at all.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
It's it's wild to me, and like they're like, well, yeah,
well on drag Race. Well I started watching it I
was like five, and you're like, what you were watching
drag Race when you were five? Oh my god? Like
we didn't have that, and that's why, like my husband
and I like, you know, you and your husband do
the same thing. And I think it's beautiful. Like we
James and I always post pictures of us kissing or
(10:33):
of our relationship or like really special moments, not because
we need to see another picture of us kissing, Like
we have enough kissing photos and I love them, but
like we post that stuff so that way young James
and Jonathan who are at home wanting to you know,
so they have something to be able to look up
to and say, oh, wait, there's a love that looks
(10:53):
like mine that exists out there, and you can have
a happy life and you can be fulfilled and you
can you can fall in love, you can get married,
you can do all these things because we never had
that growing up. You didn't have that. Geo didn't have that, Like,
we didn't have those things to look at and see.
So like that's why we post all the stuff we do.
It's like we want to be the people that you
can like turn to and be like, oh that can
(11:15):
happen for me too.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
Yeah, it's intentional for good reason, right yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
I mean obviously everyone wants to see my husband in
a bathing suit because he has he's beautiful, and so
I usually post bathing suit photos of us together because
I want to see him, and James is sitting over
there like what are you doing. It's true, I want
to because he looks hot. We see you, Jane, Yeah,
we see you. We see you, j I mean the
dead can see you. Yow. Speaking of speaking of trap,
(11:46):
let's get into our Tommy Dedario thirst trap of the week.
I'd like to go to picture number.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
Six and fifty two.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
Wait, what's the one? What you do recently? You do
the thing with the vitamins. Oh I'm a yeah spokesperson
from guard Yes, yes, you're doing that one. I was like, okay,
he knows how to get the algorithm going. Tommy's not
going to make things see Okay, smart you know that time,
So you got to make things get seen.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
Me.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
If it is Tommy in a shirtless in some sort
of short short, you know that an ad is coming
the next post. Same thing for James. If you see
James in a tiny little booty short with his butt
out and his legs out, you know that we are
about to post a branded content next. That's right, and
we need to drive that algorithm. You got to cut
through the noise. That's right, cut through the noise.
Speaker 1 (12:33):
Okay, that's right, Tommy, Okay, back to you, Back to
you and a little riled up. Now.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
I hate Tommy's He literally turned red because he's like,
you've really nailed it.
Speaker 1 (12:44):
Though you're not wrong, okay to put it.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
No shame in it?
Speaker 1 (12:47):
Oh hell no, no at all, no shame to put
a pin in this chapter of the conversation before we
get to some holiday foot.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
But I just have to get my yettie I never
said this before cup and fill it with water, so
mom brand go ahead.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
Can't with you? I literally, but yes, please fill it
up and show it to Camra. Thank you have been
in this chapter of your life.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
I can't.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
Are you done pouring?
Speaker 2 (13:10):
Now? Tell them on? Get the ball out of the shot?
Speaker 1 (13:14):
There we go, perfect water? Joy?
Speaker 2 (13:18):
Never have I ever? Never? Have I ever? Oh wow,
I've never said this before.
Speaker 1 (13:23):
We won't get a closer with that drinking shot? Not
your best one, but we'll work on it. We'll work
on it, okay, anyway to put a pin on this?
How serious have conversations been between you and Lindsay about
a sequel to me and girls? Everybody wants one? Have you,
honestly seriously had a conversation about it? Like?
Speaker 2 (13:45):
Have you been like me and the low Hand?
Speaker 1 (13:46):
Yeah? Have you been like, if we're going to do this,
what would it look like? Would we do it?
Speaker 2 (13:50):
Like?
Speaker 1 (13:51):
Has that even happened?
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Has there been a conversation between me and Lindsay Lohan
about a sequel? I don't think there's been an actual
conversation between us that I can rem They might have,
but like in the group chat, do we want to
do it? Yes, you know, but we haven't actually sat
down and ben like, how do we do this? I
know that everyone wants to I know that. I mean
(14:14):
ninety nine percent of the cast is like, let's go.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
Like all the main players.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Yes, I think yes, I mean, for to my knowledge,
everyone that I talk to whenever we're like texting, you know,
sometimes on October third and stuff, like our phone lights up.
It's the Me and Girls cast other than me and
Lacy because we do Hamewark movies all the time. And
Daniel Fransese, who I see all the time. The rest
of us all are very very friendly and like like
(14:42):
close with each other. It's just we did that movie
twenty two years ago. So it's like, how many people
do you talk to from college? Like do you actually
keep in contact with everyone you went to college with? No,
But like if they pop up on a thing or
it's their birthday and you remember, it's, oh my god, hey,
good to see you. And it's not because we don't
want to hang out. It's because we all get everyone
grows up. We were children, like we were kids shooting
(15:05):
this movie, and then you grow up and get your lives,
you get married, you have kids, you you know, move away.
So like everyone loves each other, life just gets in
the way and everyone gets busy and starts doing their
own things. So it's like we would love to like
come back and bring the band back together. It's just
way above my pay grade. That's a Tina Fe question.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
Do you think Aaron would be gay or straight consideration?
Speaker 2 (15:35):
That's a great question. I think Aaron will be straight.
I do. I don't think yeah, because I don't think
we should like I think day, Like you know, there,
first of all, how weird is this? Almost all the
guys from Ingirls are gay, and Mingirls is one of
(15:58):
the gayest cult class movies of all time. So let's
think about that, Like what came first? The gay or
the mean girls? Like Daniel frand Szy gay, the guy
that plays Kevin Napoor Rejief gay, Jonathan Bennett gay, like
the three I know, it's so funny that like the
(16:19):
three dudes, I mean other than Shane Omen he's straight,
but like you know, the majority, like the three main
guys all came out at some point, which I thought
was really funny. It's just like ironic in a way.
It's like it's like, yeah, it's just funny to me.
I think Aaron would be straight because I wouldn't want
(16:39):
to just like you would to go and change the
narrative of Aaron Samuels because Jonathan benn is gay. You
would keep the narrative of Aaron Samuels because that's the story.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
Okay, Yeah, well we will you really will wait for
that to happen.
Speaker 2 (16:52):
Yeah, maybe I'll be a I think he would teach though,
he'd be a teacher.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
Oh I could see that.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
Yeah, I mean, why don't we just do the movie?
Everyone wants, right, everyone wants we all come back. We're
all teachers. I'm a teacher at the school. The girl
the you know, the girls are grown up, have their
own kids, and now their daughters are coming to school,
and it's managing the parents with the kids in high school.
Because like the parents of kids in.
Speaker 1 (17:13):
High school, you thought about this at all, huh.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
I mean it's just like it's like in your face,
like that's the storyline. It's not rocket science, you know,
and you know you just you see that way you
have you have multi general. As someone that does Hallmark
Channel movies, we think a lot about multi generational viewing,
and you could have a storyline for all the parents
who are the millennials that are the current fans of
the movie that grew up with it, so they're going
(17:37):
to be attached to like Lacey, Amanda Meet totally that
and then you have the kids who are the new
batch for their kids to be watching, so they can
identify with those kids, the parents identify with their og cast.
I mean you were Tina right at get any younger, sweetie,
Come one, Tina Fa, I'm not getting any younger.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
Well, and you're also booked and busy. I mean you're
also the King of Christmas. If you haven't heard, rumor
on the street is have is the head? The where's
the crown?
Speaker 2 (18:01):
Tommy? Uh huh? Mariah and Mariah and I are the
now apparently the royal family. Yeah, of it, that's what
people say.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
So what makes you the King of Christmas?
Speaker 2 (18:09):
I don't think there's anyone that's done more Christmas TV
shows or holiday TV shows than me. I think like
they come like the gay king. There's straight boys that
have done it, but the Gay King of Christmas for sure,
So I've got to I think it's also just like
being involved with Homework Channel, being involved, I'm like a
(18:32):
Seasons guy. I have Halloween Wars on Food Network. This
was last year. This was happened in twenty twenty four.
Halloween Wars on Food Network, Jonathan Bennett host Great. Then
I have Finding Mister Christmas on Then I have Then
I was in the Thanksgiving Parade, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day
Parade for Homework Channel doing Thanksgiving. Then I was in
(18:55):
Finding Mister Christmas and My Christmas Movies or Homewark, and
then I host the Ball Drop in Times Square New
Year's Eve. So literally it's like Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas in
New Year's I was always working on each of those days.
So I think, you know, just being the doing so
much Christmas content and making so many Christmas movies, but
also making Christmas movies that matter, like we were the first.
(19:16):
I was the first person to do the first same
sex kiss in a Christmas movie in the Christmas House.
And then I got to create and produce and start
in the Holiday Sitter, which was the first gay led
Hallmark Christmas rom com which had never been done before,
which was a huge deal. It was like just the
storyline of the two guys. It wasn't an ensemble cast,
(19:37):
it was just us. And then you know, I created
Finding Mister Christmas, which is my reality show, and that's
like the search for the next Hallmark leading man. And
so with all those things combined, I guess they I
guess I kind of got Christmas. I got a vibe
on Christmas.
Speaker 1 (19:53):
Yeah, you certainly do. And I think what's really cool
is you are working at a network where I think
a lot of people over the years thought that could
never be possible. So how hard did you have to
push for these ideas to happen?
Speaker 2 (20:06):
Then? Great question. Yeah, you know previously, years, years ago,
when you think of Hallmark Channel, you wouldn't think like, oh,
gay Christmas rom com. Right, It was a different world.
And then we had people like Michelle Vickery come into
power at the network who has been a huge advocate
for it. And she called me one day and said,
(20:31):
do you want to play gay characters or straight characters?
And I said I like to play gay characters. She
goes done, I'll make it happen. And ever since we
did the Christmas House. It's the door opened. And we've
had so many more gay storylines on the network, and
I think it's just a people say, do you have
to fight for it? I don't have to fight for it,
(21:00):
but I do have to stay vigilant, right, So it's
not that I have to convince the network to do
gay stories. They are they are dedicated to doing gay
stories on a Hallmark Channel and it's which is probably
the most powerful network in the world for the gay community.
And I'll tell you about that in a second. But
like the they're dedicated to telling those stories. But I'm
(21:24):
just always there at the front, like making sure that
my eyes are on them so that we're telling the
correct stories. So it's more about like story management than
it is like will we do it right? It's like
making sure they fit And what I think is so
powerful about Hallmark Channel. And we won the glad Award
last year for Best Move for Best Feature Film and
(21:46):
for The Groomsman, which was the first gay wedding that
I produced and started in for Homemark Channel. I know,
I was like, what a gay wedding on Homemark Channel?
Like yep, And it was beautiful. It was absolutely beautiful.
But what's so powerful about this network is that we
are viewed in so many states that the people that
(22:07):
where the people living in them in the smaller towns,
might not have a gay community, might not know a
gay person, or know that they know a gay person,
might not have any gay friends, might not whatever that
may be in some of those people might have, you know,
prejudiced towards the community. And I think by telling home,
(22:29):
by telling gay love stories on Hallmark channel, the number
one go to network for love, Like when you think love,
what do you think? Hallmark Love Stories universally in America
the number one destination, number one watched entertainment cable network
in the world. Like it is the place you go
for love. So when gay stories are told on that network, hey,
(22:53):
why shouldn't they be because it's, you know, network for
love stories. But by telling those stories on that network
with those people that watch that might not ever see
a gay love story otherwise, is a huge, huge, huge,
huge important thing. Like they watch the movies. Let's say,
(23:15):
let's say, you know, I'll use like my aunt for example,
Like you have an aunt that might not accept the
gay community. Maybe maybe that's what's happening but when she
tunes in and she sees Jonathan Bennett and Alexander Lincoln
in a Hallmark movie who are falling in love, and
(23:37):
that movie, in her looks, sounds and feels just like
the other one hundred and thirty seven movies she watches
a year that are straight on a Hallmark channel. There's
something subconscious that happens to her when she's watching it,
because what does it do, Tommy? It feels familiar? Yeah,
And she maybe doesn't change the channel right away. Maybe
(23:58):
she keeps watching and then she goes, oh, okay, and
then she sees something funny or charming or interesting, and
maybe she watches a little bit longer, and then maybe
by the end of that movie, we haven't changed her
mind completely, but maybe we've poked a hole in it.
We've poked a hole in any of the resistance she
(24:20):
has towards the community, because she goes, well, that kind
of looks and sounds and feels just like my love,
And that looks and sounds and feels just like the
other love movies that I watch on the network. Okay,
maybe maybe it's a little more similar than I think.
That one little hole can open up a whole world. Right,
So it's like my job is to go and poke
(24:42):
holes to change hearts and minds with my movies, and
it's powerful.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
That's how it happens. Nothing, nothing happens overnight, you know,
but when you start making things feel like it's part
of the routine, it's part of the norm. It's all
it's familiar exactly. That's why, right, Like you know where like.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
A movie, you know, you have movies, like you know,
some of the other gay movies that come out. They're
great and they're funny, but there sometimes can be a
little more inside baseball.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
Right, it's like you have to understand the grinder joke
to understand like where my ann is, Like what's grinder?
You know what I mean? Like it's not that you
have to like you have to meet the audience where
they are, and you have to meet your the people
that are that might be resisting your community where they are,
and where they are is you know, all over the
country and a lot of people watch this network.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
Yeah, and where you are is everywhere because you're not
only acting and producing, but you're hosting the reality is yes,
season two. I mean, this seems like you love doing it.
You light up when I see you tell me about it.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
Here's the thing, Tommy, think of how hard the industry is.
You've been in the industry a long time, your hub
your hubbies, in the industry forever to be able to
say I have a I have a TV show on
TV that I created. Do you know how many knows
it takes to get there?
Speaker 1 (26:03):
Yeah, it does happen.
Speaker 2 (26:04):
A zillion knows, And by a miracle of God or whoever,
we got to make finding mister Christmas and finding Mister
Christmas is my life's work. It's everything I've learned in
the twenty two years in the industry. I took that
and applied it to this. Because I've been a contestant
(26:27):
on Celebrity Big Brother, I've went home first, I've been
a contestant on Dancing with the Stars, went home third.
I am. I've been a contestant on these shows. But
I've also been an actor for twenty some years, and
so I've taken all that knowledge and combined it to
(26:48):
create like what I think is the perfect reality show.
I think it is absolutely perfect. It is the search
for Hallmark's next leading Man. So we take ten hot guys,
we dress them in Christmas sweaters and flannels, and they
are gorgeous, like ten out of tens, all ten of them.
We take them and we put them in a house
(27:11):
where they compete in different acting challenges. One by one
they get eliminated, and then the winner gets to have
gets to be the next Hallmark Christmas movie star. He
gets a lead into Christmas movie. So we're letting the
audience in on the journey of like finding the next hunk.
My husband hates when I compare it to Rupul's drag Race.
He's like, don't compare it to RuPaul's dragras. It's not
(27:32):
Rupuel's drag race. I said, kind of, but in the
similar zone of like we're searching for talent right Like
it's it's like ten queens trying to be like, you know,
the next drag Race superstars. This is like ten hot
guys competing to be the next like Hallmark leading man.
And it is so much fun and so it's just
(27:53):
the exact thing you want when you watch reality television
that you don't get to see. It is ten hot
guys being vulnerable, opening up and sharing their experiences, crying together,
laughing together. These ten guys walk into this house as
competitors and they leave as like brothers. They all, they're all,
they all become so close by the end of this
(28:15):
because I don't know any I don't know any other
reality shows that you can turn on and see ten
grown men being vulnerable with each other and like supporting
each other, like they're more worried about, like taking care
of each other, to help each other out because it's
Hallmark Channel and that's just what we do and what
we instill in them, and by them helping each other,
(28:36):
they become the best versions of themselves. For the show.
It's absolutely like a It is like a science experiment
in like people like it is the it is like
it's like this, you want, you want to do good,
help the person next to you be better and you'll
and that will RaSE that will raise you up. And
that's exactly what the show does.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
And it's so feel good. Is it one episode a week?
Speaker 2 (28:58):
Yeah, one episode a week, So there's eight episodes. We
start with ten guys. One by one they get eliminated
and we have them compete in different challenges that are
all based on like the Hallmark Christmas movie tropes that
we've come to love of the Christmas movies like It's
it's like you have the meat cute, then you have
(29:20):
the like kiss at the end of the movie, you
have the first date. You have them meeting the family.
Like all the tropes that we see in the movies
that we love, we took each of those tropes and
gamified an episode around it. So on the meet Cute episode,
the first episode, Janelle Parish from Pretty Little Liars is ore.
We bring a different Hallmark girl in each episode to
(29:41):
co star against them in their acting challenges. So they're
like thrown into the fire with like the real Hallmark girls.
You know, we have all the big stars of Hallmark
that they're acting with. And some of these guys, you know,
have never acted before a day in their life. Some
of them have experienced. But episode one, we take them
to a ski slope, put them in snow skis and
(30:02):
give them lines to learn, and we say, you have
fifteen minutes to learn these lines and then you're gonna
act with Janelle Parish while you ski down the hill.
You have one take go And so they're having to
like ski down a hill while acting and like memorizing
their lines. Do it. They have fifteen minutes to do it,
because that's how it is when you shoot Homewark movies.
Sometimes it's like sometimes things change and it's like we're
(30:23):
losing daylight. You have to get this scene in ten minutes,
and we got to get out of here, and so
we need when we're looking for like the next Hallmark
movie star, we're looking for the guy that can like
put when his feet are put to the fire, he
can like rise up and like make it happen no matter,
you know, no matter how he does it.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
And so it's like that animal mentality. Yes, like you
go in like a warrior. Yes, I'm just saying I
would have crushed that so well. Ski Tommy, I know,
I see you posting in your skiing Yeah, I got fine,
you know, ask me. It's crushed that season three. We
have a contentions. I don't want to talk about it
(30:59):
or anything I read for you today. It's no, no, no,
it's fine, it's fine, totally fine. I think you would
be a great home. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (31:06):
But you act too.
Speaker 1 (31:09):
I have a background, you have a background in act.
I'm here to talk about me right now. But yes,
I went to n Yu. Oh did you see this
mic drop by Tommy just now here. I went to
n y U and then he takes his yetty. I said,
we're not going to talk about it, but I went, yeah,
I got kicked out of the iHeart Studio and already Jesus, Tommy,
(31:37):
you also have a movie coming out November ninth, November ninth,
Color Christmas Vacation, which is based on my own family.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
Because I don't know about you, Tommy, but is your
family completely functional and has zero dysfunction in it?
Speaker 1 (31:49):
Oh? Yeah, Italians from Jersey.
Speaker 2 (31:51):
Sure. I thought, with the whole Hallmark lens, what if
we took what if we took siblings and instead of
making it per, what if we just were like super
honest and made a dysfunctional group of siblings that just
don't get along with it?
Speaker 1 (32:06):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (32:06):
And then we put them on a river cruise on
the Dua River in Vienna looking at all the Christmas markets.
So it's two brothers and a sister played by me.
And this is what I love so much about this movie.
Not only is the movie just hilarious and heartwarming and
so much fun, you get to see all the Christmas
(32:27):
markets of Europe and it's just absolutely Brent like we
shot in Vienna during the Christmas markets last year, so, like,
the production value is insane, but the cast chemistry. You
have the gay dude from Mean Girls, Jonathan Bennett gay
Aaron Samuels. You have Brandon Routh Superman yeah, and then
you have Eden Cher, who played Sue on the Middle.
(32:50):
So you have like literally Superman, the dude from Mean Girls,
and Sue from the Middle coming together to play siblings
that don't get along. And it is probably one of
the most beautiful movies I've ever shot, and just the
chemistry between like Eden Cher and brand because Brandon Routh
and I have known each other since we did soaps
together back in New York City in like two thousand
(33:13):
and one, and so we've known each other our whole
lives and we look so similar. And when Ing Girls
came out, everyone thought it was him, and then when
Superman came out, everyone thought it was me. They're like,
are you Superman. I'm like, no, that's my friend Bja.
They're like, are you the guy from Ingirls. He's like, no,
that's Jonathan because we look so similar when we were younger.
So it's really we've always wanted to play brothers. And
now we get to come together and like play brothers.
(33:34):
I played the gay one. He plays like the jock
football player brother. And Eden's like our sister that's in
the middle. And it's just it's so much fun.
Speaker 1 (33:42):
Oh my god, what don't you have going on? Man?
Speaker 2 (33:45):
Well, I don't know I have. We have a lot
going on. And I'll be back here. What are you
guys doing for New Year's Eve? We'll be in New
York City.
Speaker 1 (33:54):
I'm not sure yet, but we're here to do it.
Speaker 2 (33:56):
I'm hosting the ball drop again ten years in a row,
tenth love it ten years. Yeah, okay, you really are
the King of Christmas, King of the Holidays, king of
all that.
Speaker 1 (34:06):
Yes, we're gonna do a little Rapid Fire.
Speaker 2 (34:07):
I love Rapid Fire.
Speaker 1 (34:10):
Number one. What three Christmas albums would be on your
mount Rushmore?
Speaker 2 (34:17):
My husband wrote probably the best Christmas album I've ever heard.
And I don't mean that like because he's my husband.
It's the songs are so good. So James Vaughan, Babe,
what's the title? Because I always mess it up? Feels
like it feels like it feels like Christmas? By James Vaughan.
(34:38):
It's on Spotify and everywhere you get music because we
got to use his movie or his music in what
in my Christmas movie last year? During the kiss scene
my husband's movie played, my husband's song played, and it
was so special to have like a gay Christmas movie
with like the leads gay husband singing the song. It
was a very cool thing. Yeah, in st Merry Christmas,
Happy Holidays never gets old, never ever. And Whitney Houston
(35:07):
Joy to the world, because I can hear it in
my head right now, like when she's so good. I mean,
come on, I mean that would be it instinct solid
in my husband sold if you're in a really good company.
Speaker 1 (35:20):
Yeah you are. That's that's quite a lineup. Okay. The
holiday or love actually love.
Speaker 2 (35:27):
Actually nothing better than that mono. Oh you like the
Holiday Moore really love actually for me all the way
it is that the monologue about the Heathrow Airport and
the love gets me every time. And it's also when
the singer what's his name Billy that sings this, like
the you know, British singer guy and he's like, we
(35:49):
took the word love and changed it to Christmas. That's
how I feel sometimes, like when I'm pitching things I'm like,
it's Rupe Paul's grace, but we're replacing it with hunks.
It's not rocket science.
Speaker 1 (36:06):
Okay, solid solid. Two more Christmas lights white are color white.
I love a clean Christmas light. I love Green Garland
white Christmas lights, red bow. It is so classy and
just so like it just it feels so elevated. You
feel so like, oh, we're rich. We have white lights
(36:30):
in Green Garland with the bows. Okay, Green gars.
Speaker 2 (36:33):
I think like all the like neighborhoods that were like
super like big houses, they always did like the white
lights of the things. So it was like a little
more classy, elevated. So that's why my head.
Speaker 1 (36:43):
Goes yeah, solid, solid choice. And finally, when is the
first day you should decorate for Christmas?
Speaker 2 (36:49):
Tommy?
Speaker 1 (36:49):
When is it appropriate?
Speaker 2 (36:51):
Tommy? Oh, this is not part of our something. I've
never done this. I've never this is not part of
I've never said this before. But it is never too
early to decorate for Christmas. However, I don't decorate for Christmas.
Speaker 1 (37:06):
What does that mean? I don't decorate for holidays? For
holidays ever? Ever, like you don't put one decoration out
in your house?
Speaker 2 (37:13):
Hm, barely do we babe, like one tree, Oh, the inflatables.
I put the inflatables in our yard. The inflatables in
our yard are like I did that to annoy James.
That was one thing. But like, and the reason is
you don't put a tree up. No, I know, I know,
and you would think. And I'm just being honest because like,
(37:35):
here's the thing. Like I could come on here and
be like, yo, like, yeah, of course we decorat, but
that'd be lying, and I don't want to lie. Like,
here's the thing. January eighth around, we start casting for
Finding Mister Christmas season two and I start or season
three and I start designing the challenges. So I'm designing
Christmas challenges and casting the guys. And then after designing
(37:59):
the challenges, we still shooting the show. So I'm in
Christmas mode shooting the show for like three weeks, and
then I go into a Hallmark Christmas movie. By June,
shoot another Christmas movie. That's another month of Christmas shooting.
Then we start doing like the Hallmark Countdown to Christmas
kickoff where it's all Christmas all the time. Then we
do Christmas in July. Then I shoot Halloween Wars to
(38:23):
in August to like start celebrating Halloween and then the
countdown to Christmas kickoff and the show starts airing. So
we're doing Christmas events, the Hallmark Christmas Cruise, Hallmark Christmas
Kansas City Experience. By the time the actual Christmas Day
gets here, I'm like, I don't think I can put
a tree up, Like I think I just need to
lay on the couch. And it's not the fact of
(38:43):
like I don't want a tree, it's that I don't
want to have to take it down because we have
been putting up Christmas decreations and doing Christmas decorations all
over the world for an entire year. So when the
actual holiday gets there, I'm like, my holiday is to
like let everyone else enjoy the holidays that we helped
make Marion Brighte for them. I'm gonna land my couch
and eat like Tai food and watch movies.
Speaker 1 (39:05):
That's fair.
Speaker 2 (39:06):
Like, That's what I'm gonna do. It's fair, totally fair,
And it's not because I don't like it. It's because
we started January eighth. Yeah, I started doing Christmas.
Speaker 1 (39:13):
You got a year of it.
Speaker 2 (39:14):
We've had a year.
Speaker 1 (39:14):
I get it. I get it. I was shook at first.
I feel like it makes sense and by the time
it happens, you're just like.
Speaker 2 (39:23):
Okay, no more Christmas for me. I'm just gonna land
the couch.
Speaker 1 (39:26):
Okay, you deserve it. You you deserve it, don't mean
that you deserve it fair enough. I feel like that
was a really good what you've never said before? So
I guess I'm still gonna ask you the question. I
wrap up every interview with this question based off the
title of the show. I've mainly because I was tired
of going to premieres and jun kits and talking to
people for two minutes and like not having a real
conversation and it's all the same bites that you answer
(39:49):
from the same outlets, and you know, it's just, to me,
the least interesting part of my job, if I can
say that. So I created a show where I could
have people come on and say something they don't get
a chance to say, or that they want to get
off their chest, or whatever it means to you. It's
just like, here's your time to say something you don't
always get to say. So, what is something you've never
said before?
Speaker 2 (40:09):
Oh, I've never said no to a gig or to
a paycheck. Never, I've never said no to a job
like and you can look at my IMDb and go, yep,
(40:31):
you definitely have not said no ever, because there are
some real turns on there. But I've never said no
to like opportunity or a connection because I love working
and even if the movie's absolute garbage, I love being
(40:52):
on set. And when you're on set, you never know
what you're gonna learn or who you're gonna meet.
Speaker 1 (40:56):
In this.
Speaker 2 (40:58):
Business, in this industry, and really life in general is
all about relationships. It's not about being the best actor.
If it's about if it was about being the best actor,
watch TV, you wouldn't see any bad actors. Do We
see bad actors a hundred times? So why is that?
Because it's about the relationships, right, So relationships are the
most important thing in your life, personally and professionally. And
(41:23):
I've never said no to a job like. My age
will be like it's like zero dollars and you're shooting
and like you know, muskokey for two months and you
get a hundred bucks and you have no hotel, you
have to sleep on the street, and you're like, yeah, great,
I'm like I'm in let's do it. Like I've never
said no to a job.
Speaker 1 (41:44):
I kind of love that.
Speaker 2 (41:45):
Yeah, because and every time I say yes, work gets work.
You never know who you're gonna meet. You never know
like what thing is gonna click on there, Like sure,
maybe it might be a garbage movie no one's gonna watch,
but guess what, the writer on this is actually really
good and he actually met someone who met someone and
blah blah blah. And the next thing you know, you're
out to dinn they're like, you should read for this project.
(42:07):
And then you get another gig. Like it's it's always
about like we're getting you work. And like so I've
never said no to a job or a paycheck, and
you can look at my social media to say that
I've never said no to it.
Speaker 1 (42:21):
That's a great one. I actually really love that. And
you wouldn't be where you are today without that, right,
Like you're here for a reason, you're doing You're in
a career and in a path that you love and
you're happy with. And yeah, opportunities seem to keep coming
to you.
Speaker 2 (42:33):
And also that's another thing. They don't come everything you've
seen me promote than Halloween Wars, I've created. Yeah, of course.
And that's the thing which is easy. Yes, that's the
thing that I tell everyone that wants to break into
the industry. Right, They're like, how do I do it?
I'm like, create your own stuff? The only I mean,
you created a podcast that I'm sitting on and talking
on right now, Tommy.
Speaker 1 (42:52):
Based it came from an Instagram live show I did
during the pandemic.
Speaker 2 (42:55):
Yes, and then now we're on your podcast talking about
it because you created it. I hard to and just
call Tommy and say, oh, never have I ever. Let's go.
I know it's not called never havever ever. I just
like saying that I've never said this before. Let's do
the show. Tommy's like, no, I'm going to create the
thing in the IP that makes iHeart go, oh, will
you come do the show here? Yeah, And that's what
(43:16):
you have to do in twenty twenty five, twenty six
to like make it in this industry.
Speaker 1 (43:20):
I am ready for a masterclass with Jonathan Bennett.
Speaker 2 (43:23):
Let's think we just got one.
Speaker 1 (43:24):
Let's go. Let's go, my friend, thank you.
Speaker 2 (43:27):
I am so happy that you're a real human. Oh
my Instagram model people, Oh my god. He doesn't just
like his green Earth, No I, what is it green Earth?
What's it called? Earth?
Speaker 1 (43:39):
Go watch all the things going on? Finding Mister Christmas
and a Keller Christmas Vacation out November ninth. Jonathan Bennett's
Thank You, m Me Doter, thank you so much, Thank you.
Until next time, Stay Sexy, San Diego. I've Never Said
This Before is hosted by Me Tommy Didario. This podcast
(43:59):
is exactecutive produced by Andrew Publici at iHeartRadio and by
me Tommy, with editing by Joshua Colaudney. I've Never Said
This Before is part of the Elvis Duran podcast Network
on iHeart Podcasts. For more, rate review and subscribe to
our show and if you liked this episode, tell your friends.
Until next time. I'm Tommy Dederio
Host
Tommy DiDario
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.