November 12, 2024 • 45 mins
Growing up in Raleigh, North Carolina, Amy Sedaris watched a lot of television. She counts "Alvin and the Chipmunks" and "Second City Television" as major influences on her desire to perform, whether that meant pranking family members or acting in the plays written by her older brother, the humorist David Sedaris. Siblings aside, she was also surrounded by several other notable comedians, including Stephen Colbert and Paul Dinello, whom she met in her twenties at Chicago's Second City comedy troupe. That trio would go on to create "Strangers with Candy" in 1999, a sitcom underpinned by the same surreal yet comic tone that would come to define Sedaris’s later roles on shows like "BoJack Horseman," "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt," and her own series, "At Home with Amy Sedaris." On this week’s episode of "Table for Two," the actress and writer joins host Bruce Bozzi to discuss her years working as a waitress, why she prefers guest-starring over leading roles, and her recent addiction to BonBon candy.
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
Hey everybody, it's Bruce and welcome back to the table.
And we are in my favorite city, New York City,
at my favorite restaurant in the West Village via Coroda.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
What do you want?
Speaker 3 (00:16):
Do you know? Why don't you just order for us?
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (00:21):
We like Well if we do what we like, we
like that, like that salad we love to catch at
the pete.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
You love the chicken.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Yeah, fall us in the air. There's a misty rain
going on, and if you have pulled up a chair today,
you're gonna laugh your ass off because we're having lunch
with the funniest person I know. I mean literally, pee
and my pants, funny two pizza, pizza, super talented, incredibly beautiful,
(00:53):
super fun Amy Sedaris. So pull up a chair, grab
some lunch.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
And enjoy.
Speaker 4 (01:01):
I'm Bruce Bozzi and this is my podcast Table for two.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
Okay, Well, first of all, if you pulled up a
chair today on Table for two, this has been long overdue,
I mean long over and it's been a dream. And
I asked Amy over the summer, and you went to LA,
you were working, you were doing stuff, and we are
finally here on this rainy, beautiful New York.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
Three days in a row. It's like happy Bates misery
weather right.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
Truly, truly, but for someone who lives on the other
coast most of the time, any day of the week,
like you know, I opened the curtin and if it's
a blizzard and Brian's home and I say, oh my god,
it's a beautiful day, he goes.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
You know, it could be like shitting.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
And so you are having lunch with the incredibly talented
and friend and fellow aries Amy Sedari.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
Hey, Bruce, thanks for having me. I love your corona.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
How great is this restaurant?
Speaker 3 (02:06):
It's the best.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
How many do you think you've been here?
Speaker 3 (02:09):
Well, it's hard to get in and even though they
gave it, Oh call this you know, email us if
you ever.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
And I'm not you know right, well, you're you're you know.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
What's so interesting about you to me is you are
truly an introvert. You are an introvert.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
You think so I do. I think I'm a little
I can be both.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
But yes, you're that mix because certainly all the characters
that you play, but you as a person, I don't,
I think, and I find.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
I'm like my dream a Genie bottle. You like to
be in there.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
You know what.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
I went to your dream Genie Bottle once and it
was the coolest.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Space on Christopher Street.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
Screen, porch door, oh yeah, and all the patterns on
the walls, everything, it's show you And I thought, this
is magical, this land.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
And I never thought someone.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
Could like create their space and really be fully self actualized.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
What how did that happen?
Speaker 3 (03:01):
Well? You do. I mean, I've been to your apartment.
It's it's so grown up. I love the way your
couches were arranged, just like you can have a meeting
over here here here, like laid out lot, no knick knacks. Yeah,
but it's nice.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
It is nice.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
You get tired of it living in a busy city.
You don't need all that more stuff in your house. Yes,
but I got rid of I did this video for
a New York magazine that came to my home, and
when it aired, I watched it with a volume down
and just looked at it. It was like, oh my god,
it looks like a crazy person lives there. And that's
what triggered me to have a big give everything to
(03:36):
the Cure thrift store and all the money went to diabetes,
and I got rid of so much stuff. It still
looks cluttered a little bit, but not as much.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
What would you say your style is.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
I asked somebody once, a decorator who came into my house.
He said, it's s eglectic. You know, you like you
collect a lot of different stuff. Is that the right
word I'm looking at.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
Because it's such a a reflection of your personality, but
also kind of a reflection of what I think your
mind is empty?
Speaker 3 (04:08):
Well, I like everything. I like everything out to have
a story, like where is that from? And I got
a story behind it. I don't like it when people
give me stuff I don't like, especially if I don't
know them. And yeah, it makes I just if I
want it, I'll get it, right, I'm not I don't
know a gift bag person unless it's Apple.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
Yeah. Yeah, because it's truly you.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
Yeah. Or I'm too lucky. I come from a talented
family like Gretchen will make me my you know, paper
flowers or you know everyone kind of chips and it
makes you stop, David, you will do our work. His
boyfriend will do art work. And so I'm pretty lucky.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
That way, right, And that's all meaningful. It's family. Yeah,
So let's talk about that. You come from a big family,
you have brothers and sisters. Though you were born in
our lovely state, you went south, right, How did all
that influence you? Because like the thing like and it's
so fun to.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
Watch you portray all these characters because you go so
deep and you really embody.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
Them and they're so I'm unemployed.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Go on, you know, you things coming out.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
I have something today. I know we'll go back to
what you're talking about, but I have a bit. I
have something today. So I got to asked. Fine is
on my bucket list, which I hate the expression bucket lit.
But the Simpsons. I get to do the Simpsons today
at five, and I get to do the voice of Maggie. No,
he's never talked, so the baby, the baby, and I
have to say it's kind of like an AI episode
(05:29):
and I have to say for four words, that's it.
But baby talks hard. I've never done that. I mean,
I can, you know, make the noises or whatever, but
to talk like a baby.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
So don't tell us the lines.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
But kind of yeah, I don't know the work. I
worked on it last night. I just worked on it
all night, like yeah, but I gotta say words and
hit the you know, so, it's a it's a big
challenge for me. I'm going to bring my I wear
a mouthguard at night, so I'm going to bring that
and see if that helps me. But I'm stumped. But
it's such a big it's huge.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
How fun is it because you do other voiceover?
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Yeah, I do a lot of voiceovers, and you're you know,
you're super good at it.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
It's always great to hear your voice because you also
change your voice, so like it's right. How difficult is
the process of looking at like matching and looking.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
Well, sometimes you don't get to match anything and you're
just reading it. And it's interesting because I really am
a poor reader, you know, to see a word, say it,
to hear it is you know when I had difficulty
in school with comprehension, you know so, and I still
do so A lot of times I can read, I
don't know, I'll hit you No, I just hit the words.
I don't put the emphasis on the right word a lot,
(06:38):
you know, And I think I'm surprised I'm in this
business just because of the difficulties I had growing up.
Like whoever thought? Like if people ask me, oh, will
you read this book? On tape. I'm like, I'm a
poor reader and I'm not gonna I know, I'm tear
up to be directed, or I love a line reading.
I'm like, how do I oh got it? Like I
know where to hit the hit.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
The words, do the line reading. But then you bring
what you bring?
Speaker 3 (07:03):
Yeah yeah yeah, just their intention right wow? And that
that helps me a lot. Like BoJack was fun because
I had the character down. I knew who princess. I'd
been working on that voice for a while. It's a
little strisand is a little bit of Stris ends and
oh your big dummy Bruces is fantastic. Oh you stupid idiot.
When's the sala gonna come? You know two when two
(07:24):
was twenty two, So she's a little bit you know.
So that was fun because I felt like I could
live the character. Like if I know the person, then
then it naturally comes out. But if I have to
struggle and I'm like, I don't know who this person is,
that's harder for me.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
The characters you play, because you know, like for characters
that like work in grocery stores and waitresses, like are
they all pulled?
Speaker 2 (07:55):
But do you think that area? Like how did that
area for sure.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
I mean born and raised, you know, and I don't
know state. Yeah, I mean I was like as a
southern hospitality, entertaining the come and get it dinners. And
but we came from you know, New York from when
I DM went to the South, so we kind of
were on a dead end kind of a little country
around us. And then it turned into you know, a
(08:22):
popular neighborhood and got more suburban. But I loved it,
you know, Like then I moved to Chicago, and that
was like, oh, I wonder where that taxi cabs going.
So I'm glad I went from North Carolina to Chicago
to New York. I don't think I could go from
New York or Chicago to North Carolina because you go
home and you just lose all your bones in your body.
You're like, this is so, oh my god, I'm gonna
(08:42):
do crazy, Becky. Yeah, just the constant.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
Now you you get removed because it sounds like as
a kid, one of the things that you can have
on that street is create a freedom Mike riding in
the woods, pretend imagination.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
Right, So that is so aiming.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
With each other, living in your head because your parents
are fighting and yeah, I mean it's same with I mean,
anyone who grew up in the sixties, can you believe
all the freedom chasing after bug trucks and can you
believe something away within?
Speaker 2 (09:16):
He's playing Spud?
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Well, I mean I grew up the first early years
were in Jack and Queen's on the street playing spud,
you know, throwing up the ball s p U D
and then everyone freezing and then you get bean by
the ball.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
But while cars are whizzing by you. Yeah, I can't
do that.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
You can't do that anymore.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
It's crazy, I know. It's the wildest sort of game.
You guys played like one of those memorables you.
Speaker 3 (09:43):
Know always you know those big wooden they run wire
around it in construction sites. It looked like gigantic spools
of thread. But you can get inside. We put someone
in it and push them across the horrible horrible things, no,
horrible and life threatening. Yeah, getting locked out of the
(10:04):
house all the time, so you're just like surviving, not
like purposely.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Out everyone out.
Speaker 3 (10:12):
We always reell that get out, did you.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
You've have to say your brother.
Speaker 3 (10:18):
David was the most create I mean I emulated David
and he was always doing little movies and we had
a fake cooking show growing up. I mean he was
my play buddy. And then and Tiffany, I mean we
all did. But David was like you know at the beach.
She would marry these movies and we'd all perform in them.
And but he was also really mean in his evil.
(10:40):
You know what is in the will bear innis over
the ravine ravine, just crazy ship. But he would He's
the one who introduced me to doing character work.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
And I would imitate his characters. And you know, anything
David did, I would do. And then I was really
close to my younger sister Tiffany.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
Yeah, no one makes me laugh like you just so
you know.
Speaker 3 (11:02):
Or Andy knows how to put quarters in me. He
just puts them in Andy, I know what you're doing.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
You guys had a dinner and he posts you. Dinny
always puts you on the spot. You were like this,
I was watching it from LA and you were like, no, Andy.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
No, don't, don't, don't. I don't know what I was
trying to get out of you, Because you know, he's
the ultimate stir.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
Yes, he sure is a little devil pushing buttons. He
pushes buttons.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
I met you. You know you have a side hustle
and it's called Dusty.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
Oh my Dusty Tails cupcake business. Still I need it
allowance money to pay for the hay my first bunny.
Yeah that was in the nineties and I decided what
else am I going to do with three in the morning.
So I got into making cupcakes and selling them at
different cotton.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
We did it for a baby shower.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
Oh yeah, yeah, I'll still do it on request, not chocolate.
But and I'm always like, no repeat business, cash only,
and I'm not available for another six months. I mean,
I always make it really hard. Now I do chocolate
chip cookies and shoeboxes because I have thousands of shoeboxes
and it's hard for me to get rid of a box,
a good box. So now I give them away with
cookies for one hundred dollars cash, no repeat business.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
Thanks for joining us on table for two.
Speaker 5 (12:39):
Throughout her career, Amy Sedaris has played one of a
kind characters on shows like Strangers with Candy, at Home
with Amy Sedaris, and The Mandalorian. I am so curious
to know more about where she pulls her inspiration from.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
No Strangers candy.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
Jerry Blank was we could talk about her because she
was I mean, Amy just did.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
She's in me.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
I just can't go it's gay.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
You know you're gay, right.
Speaker 1 (13:07):
You sent me a xerox copy of a Jerry Blink
headshot and said, p on me dag.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
I print them out myself when people want a headshot.
It's on that Lindsay paper. It's a bad I mean,
it doesn't even print well, but it's like that's all
I got, you know. And I still make lighters for people.
And I think it's a girl scout in me that
like that transactional because.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
And first of all, I think those are the best
gifts because you're never going to get another one like that,
and it comes from you and you're like, oh wow,
this is the most unique thing.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
You know.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
One girl wrote me she's at her house burned down
and she lost the picture of Jerry and I was like,
I sent her new one, but burned all the edges
to it. The characters. It's different each projects. Sometimes I
have no idea until I see wardrobe and I let
them like, I'll trust you if I trust the wardrobe person.
I look in the mirror, I'm like, oh, I know
this person, but really only have like five characters, and
they just keep reinventing themselves. Okay, maybe that's why I
(14:01):
don't get a whole lot of it seems work. But
my favorite job is again a girl Scout level, just
want to character part. You get in, you get a laugh,
and you get out. I don't need to carry anything
unless it's my own thing. But I mean that's frustrating
for agents, I know. But it's like, that's all I
really am interested in doing. Being the guest star, right,
(14:22):
bringing that yes, just for fun and the pressure is
not on you. But when you are number one on
the call sheet, you know that's that's a big, big job,
and then I'd want to control every aspect of it.
But when I'm a guest I'm like, oh what do
you you know? I work with a person and then
try to figure out, oh, who is this right? This person?
Speaker 2 (14:39):
So, and I'm going to get to the number one
on the call sheet.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
That's a good name for something. It is crawl sheet.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
Yeah, that's a good uh memoir title.
Speaker 3 (14:50):
Yeah, number one, number twelve.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
Number sixteen thousand, girl scout you Yes, it's like in
your blood?
Speaker 2 (14:59):
How did that begin? And like you. I mean most
people like in their middle school years. Leave. You stayed
senior year.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
And when I moved to New York City, I went
to the HQ headquarters on twenty third Street and I said, listen,
I have been a girl scout my whole life. There
are two badges I didn't get, Sign of the Star
and Sign of the Era. They're the most important ones.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
Really, why did you get them? What does you have
to It's just.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
Then explained to you. Right, I got all the other ones,
but it's like they were just like the big, the
major ones, and probably low self esteem or something. So
I said, clearly, I've done all this stuff. I brought
my book, I went through all the stuff I had
to do to earn it. So they mailed them to me.
So I have them now. And I'm a horrible at
auditioning something to try to get it. It's not my
you know, So no, I can't remember less of my auditioned.
(15:45):
I mean, I'm just not good at it, right, I
mean a lot of people on the hall, right, yeah,
I think so. But I'm used to failing because I
failed first grade. So it doesn't if I don't get something.
My attitude is like I've been Do.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
You have to repeat first grade?
Speaker 3 (15:59):
I repeated first Gray Bruce, That's where everything started. Like
that sucked. That sucked. All my friends would a hand
of me. It was a failure. I mean it was
like so my second first grade teacher was a big
inspiration to me, and she wore the best high heels
and that's how my obsession with high heels started. All
I would do was look at her feet every day.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
Really yeah, when I met you.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
One of the early memories I have of you is
out when you were visiting Andy and I was in
the house share at the time and summertime, and we
were all hanging out and the tam I know you,
let me tell you, like gorgeous and the hair blonde.
Speaker 2 (16:42):
From the summer sparkle. It was like a movie star
laying there, you know, talking And it.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
Never wore sun block. I will know why used that
number two number four. They don't make it anymore. Vacation
makes a version of it. Wow, but it's not anymore,
do you know? And I wear sunscreen now.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
I mean, if you wanted a tan, you would just
put make up.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
Farmers can't walking around right, yeah, you know, but I
don't know why I didn't get sunspots on my face,
my aunt. My legs are shot, but not my arms
in my face, and I don't know why? Is it weird?
Speaker 2 (17:20):
Well, thankfully?
Speaker 3 (17:21):
And also my first prescription was when I was ten.
I went to the germatologists and he wrote on his
pad that I had dry skin and to use Jurgons lotion.
And I'll never I felt so special. I had a script,
you know, and I stared at it and that's when
I became obsessed with lotion. Really, I'm a lotion theme
(17:42):
constantly because he told me to apply it. And I
still have a Jurgon's bottle and I think the headquarters
is in Cincinnati. But again, I'm like, why can't I
do a Jurgon's commercial? Yeah, or they don't have any money.
Jurgons isn't that big of a Sometimes people just the
things I want to do, they're like Amy, they don't
they don't need anyone to model panty hosts. They don't
need anyone on a Halloween wig bag. You know, I'm like,
(18:06):
why can't I do that?
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Yeah? What were the shows growing up that you watched?
That infant?
Speaker 3 (18:24):
Like, were you I dream a Jenie loved I dream
Jamie costumes and the wigs, and you know, I think
that's started. I mean I watched se TV PTL Club
with Tammy Faye Baker. She was a good character for
me to imitate. And I got a big kick out
of Carol Burnette show. You know, the Brady Bunch. We
thought they were so queer. All of us were like,
(18:45):
oh my, you know, we kind of made fun of
that show, but we still watched it. Of course, yeah,
Land Lost in Spade, Land of the Giants, but you
never hear about it anymore.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
No, it's never a were you like, were you guys
Saturday morning TV? Like until in the news? Can?
Speaker 3 (19:00):
We watched TV all the time? You know, yeah, are
you kidding me?
Speaker 1 (19:06):
Saturday mornings you'd watch TV and then when the cartoons
and stuff ended, it would be like in the news
and it was his and you were like, it was noon,
You've been watching TV for six hours.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
Elvin and the Chipmunks was my voice as far as
voice voices go. I mean that people always say who
do you want to meet, you know, dead or alive.
I'm like, Elvin and the Chipmunks, you're kidding me? I
was like, I love them. Ernie Kovacs, you know, you know,
he was really big into props and stuff, and I
liked uh, Jonathan Winters, you know, Peter Sellers Older.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
They were all I can see all those in you.
Speaker 3 (19:46):
But s C TV was a big because I'm like,
the set design was interesting to me because I got
the impression they just made it like doors would swing
open by accident. The Dracula show, what was that? What
was soap opera but with all vampires.
Speaker 2 (20:04):
Dark Knight, Dark Shadow, Dark Shadows. Yes, yeah, oh so
what what soaps? Did I watch? Soaps? Did you watch soaps?
Speaker 3 (20:12):
Yeah? Secret Storm was a big one.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
I don't don't know that one. Secret Storm.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Yeah, that was the when my mom watched Secret Secret Storm.
Great name opened up with waves crashing against a rock,
edge of Knight, Edge and Night.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
Yes, that was ye thirty minute one.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
That was good. She watched that one too.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
Yeah, No, I was all, I mean, it's like, what
did we do? We watched TV TV.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
That's why we're a cool genuary. And it's like, you know,
people say, if you watch Instagram, like they're like to
these kids now, they're like, we were kicked out of
our house. We were told like come back, when the
sun comes down, like, I don't want to drink if
you want to.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
My mother would be like we'd.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
Go swimming and it would be like a really hot day.
She wouldn't want to do laundry, so she said, you
don't need towels.
Speaker 2 (20:57):
Just stay outside. The sun will dry, like mom, like
a freezing just stay outside.
Speaker 3 (21:04):
I mean she takes you to the pool and wear's
you out right exactly. Yeah, that's what we did. We
were all on the swim team.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
Yeah, yeah, but it was good.
Speaker 3 (21:12):
That was but we watched TV, but we did have
that time to play and use your imagination. Playing House
was my favorite. So Publa, you make the fake liquor
and you would die.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
And write costumes? Were you more Ardreamagenie or Bewitched?
Speaker 3 (21:28):
I dream a Jinie, but I love Bewitch.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
I loved Aunt Clara right, And I was going to say,
so Aunt Clara was your favorite?
Speaker 2 (21:34):
What were you know? Were you more Dreamaginie or her
evil sister?
Speaker 3 (21:37):
Oh? I liked him, but I loved it when they
I wanted to do that on Strangers. I wanted Jerry
to have a cool aunt, but it would be made
up with the brunette. You know, we forgot to it.
You did it.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
I was watching a scene you did.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
You played six characters, but the camera was going like
boom boom, boom boom.
Speaker 3 (21:56):
One at home with Amy Sinaris exactly. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
I mean that's all. Then I realized, oh, I have
to memorize both sides of the script. But then I
had a teleprompter that helped. Especially the second and third season.
I really used it a lot because it was like,
I can't do this, you know. Yeah, that was and
I wish they all got paid separately.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
Would have been nice.
Speaker 3 (22:15):
We saved a lot of money with me doing all
those parts.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
You know, of course, you know you're a businessman. I
didn't think about that.
Speaker 3 (22:21):
Yeah right.
Speaker 1 (22:22):
It's like very entertaining for the viewer realizing, you know,
one person's doing.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
All the work.
Speaker 3 (22:27):
Want to work, I mean, I don't want to sit
in my room and wait for a scene to be over,
you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
It's so okay, let's talk about being number one on
the call sheet.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
What do you think keeps you from because there's no
reason that someone hasn't developed a show that is you.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
You're the full on star of the show.
Speaker 3 (22:48):
So I mean, maybe I stand in my own way.
I mean, I do have an idea for a show,
but now it's not the time to go out and
pitch it is.
Speaker 2 (22:55):
It's a little rough.
Speaker 3 (22:55):
I HiT's rough, and I don't want to I would
hate to do that, and then nobody takes it, and
it's that show you a back burner, which is what
I was really gonna call my show the back burner
with Amy Sins, but you know I don't, so then
I'm like, well, I can't do that, you know, I
don't know. I just like to think about things for
a long time. I know it sounds like a stoner mentality,
but I got it. It's like a stew you got
(23:16):
to be like at home. I thought about that and
did the books right for what eighteen years or something.
It's everything I know. So it takes that long if
you really want it to.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
Take to percolate, to come to life, and then of
course to get the funding or the permission, because you're
constantly asking.
Speaker 3 (23:36):
For because you want to think of everything. You don't
want someone to suggest that you haven't thought of. I'm
always like, that's how I get it when it's a
personal project. But that can slow things down and prevent
me from moving forward.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
Have you seen something recently that you were like, wow,
that really can't you know? I never thought about that
like or.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
Like that kind of I did think, I haven't seen
it yet, that show Chaos. But I did have that idea.
But why hasn't anyone done a modern day Greek the
Greek gods, but play them like contemporary character. I did
think of that, and then I heard there's a show.
I was like, oh, that's funny. I thought about that idea,
but I didn't. I just thought, why doesn't somebody do it?
Speaker 2 (24:14):
Like?
Speaker 3 (24:14):
I didn't think, oh, I'll do it.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
See, well that's yeah. Yeah, we all get in our
own way, most of us do. I mean some of
us don't. Like they're just have a million things going
on for some reason. I mean I get stuck.
Speaker 3 (24:27):
Yeah, I get stuck. I need someone to work with. Yeah,
and if the people that I trust, you know, they're
all working on other jobs and it's.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
Harder for me. You have Okay, So you had great
partnerships with.
Speaker 3 (24:36):
Colbert and Danello. Yeah, and Paul and I still will
work and he helped me with at home with Amy Sedaris,
or if I have an idea or need help. You know,
he's still there for me, right, So at.
Speaker 2 (24:46):
Home with Amy Sedaris. That's is that that's shot in
the studio.
Speaker 3 (24:50):
That's not Yeah, that's why people like being a guest.
It's like, we'll get you in out, you know, yeah,
you know everything. We never left the studio and that's all.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
So was the genesis of the books.
Speaker 3 (25:03):
Yeah. I did the books first, and that way I
could slide the books across the table and say, this
is what the show is.
Speaker 2 (25:08):
You know.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
So everyone was like, what do you mean what visually?
What does it look like? And You're just like, this
is what it looks like. And then they would understand, Oh, okay, So.
Speaker 2 (25:17):
I mean you like every time, I mean, you work
so much.
Speaker 3 (25:20):
People say I do, but I'm always like I don't
work enough. I'm always like, oh, I want a job.
I want to work because I feel like I'm like
I was a waitress and I worked in grocery stores
and I always had three jobs you know when you're younger.
And once I got into acting, if whatever you want
to performing, that's when I felt like I got lazy,
Like I felt like I was always hustling, always making money,
(25:41):
always Yeah. And then then I even waitress during Strangers,
and I was like, where Mary's Marian's, and then Marian's
on the Bowery, and then I worked at Mary's Fish Camp.
But I felt like I was taking jobs from people
who needed it's only I didn't need it. It's just
like Saturday night is their night. You know, why am
(26:02):
I waitressing when that shift should go to somebody who
really needs it. So I felt that attitude coming in
my way and thought, oh, yeah, no, this isn't or
it felt like it was a bit and it wasn't.
I just wanted to I'm always all going to lie,
like saying you need anyone to gift wrap or going
to Bigelow's, let me give rap and just you don't
have to pay me because I'm good working with people,
(26:23):
and I like that. They never have I'm sure they're like, well,
how are we gonna, you know, just make that happen busy. Yeah,
I liked waitressing the grocery stores because I think I
(26:43):
liked because your timing. I was really good at it,
you know. I liked making tips and it's good character
and I would bullshit like if I had to sell wine,
if I just said it has a buttery finish or
a peppery sald like I was, and I open it
and pop it on the table like it's a taverna
and Greece and like, Amy, you can't. I'm like, I
(27:05):
was so fake, but but I like that. And I
wait on these five businessmen once and they told me
that I should not be a pantyhose model, that you
should not I should be a pantyhose model. And I
made I was like, wow, we're else going to get that?
Speaker 2 (27:20):
Like was the skirt short in that?
Speaker 3 (27:23):
Yeah, back in the day. Always yeah. I love a uniform.
I stole my red Lobster uniform, my name tags, and
my wind Dixie uniform Girl Scout uniforms. I just love
a uniform. Job.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
I stole my NBC page uniform. Oh I supposed to
turn it back in and I had, like I literally
on a hangar.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
Have the jacket, the pins from nineteen eighty nine, the
the tie, the short, the pants.
Speaker 3 (27:52):
That's fantastic it We're gonna have it.
Speaker 2 (27:55):
I love it. You stole these well.
Speaker 3 (27:57):
I save stuff so much because I'm like, oh, if
I do a show, like a lot of the stuff
on at home was a lot of my own stuff,
and I bring in racks and be like put these
on people who background or guest stars, or my own
shoes and props, and I always think, you know, I'm
gonna need them. But you know, I'd love to own
my own prop shop. I've talked about that for a
long time because there's not that many in New York
(28:18):
or costume places anymore.
Speaker 2 (28:21):
Really are That's a great idea, I know it. Really.
Speaker 3 (28:24):
There's Alias which is great right here, and I'll bring
clothes there sometimes, but I'm always jealous when I go there,
I'm like, why isn't this my place?
Speaker 1 (28:33):
Well there you go like, that's like and that's part
of the whole package because you could still work.
Speaker 2 (28:40):
Yeah, you still have you know your shop and you
do that. You own real estate. Right, I'm working this out.
(29:07):
Welcome back to Table for two.
Speaker 4 (29:08):
We've been having an amazing lunch with our guest, Amy Sedaris.
Speaker 2 (29:12):
While our meal has.
Speaker 4 (29:14):
Been delicious, Amy has also recently discovered a new love
for a certain type of candy.
Speaker 3 (29:21):
I ate so much bonbon candy. So I went on
a one day like how much a one day fast? Yesterday?
Speaker 2 (29:28):
You did like a full fast? No?
Speaker 3 (29:30):
I do that prolonged fast. You can do one for
one day or five day. I really like it, just
a reset, that's all. You still eat on it.
Speaker 2 (29:37):
It's like eating or drinking.
Speaker 3 (29:39):
It's eating like they make soup pack. It's just like
astronaut food. It's like, but at least I can. I'm
disciplined and I do it break. It gives you a break.
Speaker 2 (29:48):
I like that. But I just.
Speaker 3 (29:51):
W it ate so much candy and I felt disgusting
and I have a headache from it and I can't
even believe I'm eating that much candy.
Speaker 1 (30:00):
Well, Amy, this is how I feel like my Like
I was the type of kid that I got, like
the big massive Twizzlers bag or like the big Dots
Member Dots and I'd say, like someone be like, oh,
I go, would you want one? And they'd be like, oh,
maybe later, and I'd say very clearly there won't be
a later, like I will eat the whole box.
Speaker 3 (30:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:23):
So I really had to like work on not having
one because it would how many is a lot?
Speaker 2 (30:32):
And like what got you to have the first one?
Speaker 3 (30:35):
Well, I was hanging out my apartment and my friend
Adam Salmon was visiting and we had some people over
and they both brought bags of bombon chick candy, and
I was like, I can't believe you guys eat that stuff.
Like I never got into gummies and the fish and
the iron, was like, how can you just eat it?
And then one night I was high and I was
(30:56):
hanging out with some friends and that bomb bomb was
in my apartment and I started eating. I was like,
oh my god, this is what you guys have been
talking about, right boom addicted, right, addicted, addicted? And I
thought to myself, God, that was sure would be hard
if you were an alcoholic or a drug addict and
you couldn't quit. Because this is going to be really
hard for me to quit. I don't have something that
I feel like I have to. You know, I've always
(31:18):
protected myself. I've never gone too far, you know. And
I was like, oh right. I mean when I was
a kid, my best friend had a her dad was
a candy distributor, and they walk in closet with a
slanted roof all candy, and she would.
Speaker 2 (31:32):
Load up my lunch box really with candy.
Speaker 3 (31:34):
And Maritina cherries. I had cavity in every tube and
I felt, oh my god, I'm back to it, right.
Speaker 2 (31:42):
Yeah, it really is interesting.
Speaker 1 (31:44):
It's like, it's an interesting question you're posing, is acknowledging
you have a problem.
Speaker 2 (31:50):
You have a problem, and how am I going to
quit this? Because bombomb bomb? So yesterday did you get stoned?
Are we you're hanging out?
Speaker 3 (31:59):
It's just no, I had n't brought in air. I
went there to get some bond bonds for my godson's birthday.
He likes these sweet and sour ones. I was great.
I don't like sweet and sour, so I walk there
and back. That's a good. Yeah. And then I got
a few marshmallow jelly ones on the way home and
I ate half the bag and then I gave the
rest of my dorman and they gave it to their kids.
Speaker 1 (32:20):
That's the only way to like, you have to get
them out of the house.
Speaker 2 (32:24):
So like, so you have none right now in the house.
Speaker 3 (32:26):
I do, ah, because I ordered some through the mail
and I saw before I came down here there it was.
But I don't eat.
Speaker 2 (32:34):
Candy anymore, So you don't eat candy except for that.
Speaker 3 (32:38):
No, No, I'm now not anymore. That's my attitude, just
like I don't eat candy anymore. So I'll bring that
up to maple.
Speaker 2 (32:45):
When I write, sometimes it takes a very specific mindset.
I had to do that with cigarettes.
Speaker 1 (32:51):
Oh, I tried, I tried, I tried, I tried, and
then one day I said, you don't smoke anymore, and
I never smoked.
Speaker 2 (32:59):
The air.
Speaker 3 (32:59):
Wow, it's pretty good.
Speaker 2 (33:00):
At some point in my.
Speaker 1 (33:01):
Thirty late thirties, like mid thirties, thirties, and then when
I did, I had one years later it was most disgusting.
Speaker 2 (33:08):
Thing.
Speaker 1 (33:08):
What I'm trying to do with alcohol now is the
same thing, like, which is just stop, like like.
Speaker 2 (33:15):
Really just do it. It's occasion, occasion having a glass
of wine. It's hard. You have to really change. But
once you change your mindset, you're able to do it.
Speaker 3 (33:25):
Well, we'll see. I mean, I tried and then I failed.
Speaker 2 (33:29):
So yesterday it was rough.
Speaker 3 (33:31):
Yesterday was easy because I fasted all day. The day
before was tough and the weather didn't help and it
was just but I did walk four miles to get it.
I mean.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
But still, well, that's always I think a very good
thing too.
Speaker 1 (33:44):
So when I find like I eat something that's really
horrible and I feel it, I walk and I just
count myself and I.
Speaker 3 (33:51):
Walk because you're in your skin is when you got
it all.
Speaker 2 (33:54):
Yeah, you gotta get it terrible. But yeah, but you
got to move it out because that helps move it
out too. Yeah, you know what I mean, you gotta
it's tough.
Speaker 3 (34:04):
I mean the sugar. It's not like Mike doesn't stay
in your tongue if you spit out. It's not pink.
It's not it's sweetish candy. It's something better about it.
It's just it's just so fucking good.
Speaker 2 (34:16):
Oh it's good. That's Swedish candy. I know exactly what
you're talking.
Speaker 3 (34:19):
Pretty pink bag.
Speaker 2 (34:20):
Yeah, they have it in on Avacinnie out in Venice.
Speaker 3 (34:22):
But I like the way people carry it around and
that the way the people look into the bag is
a good visual, Like you don't just reach in and
you know, you were like, you look and you're choosy,
and then you pick the pink marshmallow woman and you
I like the whole way. I like the way it looks.
Speaker 2 (34:39):
I do too.
Speaker 1 (34:40):
And recently we were at that place in California and
I got and I was like, oh, let's all get
our bags.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
And my bag was gone.
Speaker 1 (34:48):
Within minutes because I couldn't pick one or two and
then put it the bag away to save for later.
They all had to be consumed before we were about
to have dinner, which was going to be pizza and pasta.
Speaker 2 (35:00):
So I was like, I don't is it used to be.
Speaker 3 (35:03):
When people say what are your favorite moments? Used to
be your business class or first class on American airlines?
Watching a cult movie, you know, like a spiritual cult
what's uh?
Speaker 2 (35:14):
Like?
Speaker 3 (35:14):
What's his name?
Speaker 2 (35:16):
You made?
Speaker 3 (35:16):
You drink the kool aid? Like you mean the real Yeah, yeah, yeah,
Jim Jones, Jim John and eating one of their Sundays
at the same time, five episodes on the way to
La hate that flight. Now it's bonbon candy in bed,
massaging Tina and watching Belmont. I mean, who want you
wouldn't want that life? And I thought this just got
(35:37):
replaced and eating candy, massaging Tina and watching.
Speaker 2 (35:40):
Them right, Like, that's a perfect I feel like if
you have the ability just to have the self control,
that's a nice, enjoyable thing. You're alive. We should be that.
It's why I don't want to give up alcohol completely.
I want to enjoy the glass of red wine. I
want to enjoy the margarite foundries. Yeah, I just don't
need to have it every day.
Speaker 3 (36:01):
Right, you do feel it? The older you get of wine, Yeah, because.
Speaker 1 (36:06):
That's what happens, because you get the tolerance whatever, feeling
of relaxation, s like the you know, the bombs you
start you so, I don't know, we're alive, I know.
Speaker 3 (36:18):
But the older you get, like I felt it the
next day and I felt it, you know, you get
the sugar crash. I don't take naps. Impossible for me
to take a nap.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
My eyes open at four o'clock.
Speaker 3 (36:29):
Well, I fell asleep and it was from the sugar.
Speaker 2 (36:43):
What has been the most challenging time in your life
would you say, because.
Speaker 3 (36:47):
Like I know, like first grade, Well, when you lose somebody,
when my mom died and then when my sister died.
You know, losing a sibling is so different than losing
a parent. Then you divide people up in the world.
You're like, oh, you haven't lost a parent yet, you
get on that side of the street because you don't
like the way you see things after that with loss
is uh? Is that that's hard for me to lose people,
(37:10):
to lose pets, to lose things I love, lose his
favorite sweater. Yeah, you know, when I when I lose things.
Speaker 2 (37:16):
Yeah, it's interesting you say that with the parent.
Speaker 1 (37:19):
I haven't lost a parent, and I'm very fearful of that.
And I understand because I have many of my friends
have lost parents. Yeah, I a parent or both parents,
and I do know that's a life defining moment.
Speaker 3 (37:34):
But my death, you've probably dealt with a lot with it,
you know.
Speaker 2 (37:37):
Well I was so I did, Like, you know, I
was that generation of young men that were like I
wasn't you know there were no fifty year olds when
I was.
Speaker 1 (37:48):
You know, they were all you know, that generation was
going right, But I was living in the fear of
and we were all like existing within it.
Speaker 2 (37:57):
And yes I saw people, but I think, you know,
I have have loss in my life, but I think
the it's.
Speaker 1 (38:05):
Interesting how you phrase that, like, oh, like okay, you're.
Speaker 3 (38:08):
On that side of the stream, Like that's how I
felt that, you know, but it makes complete sense.
Speaker 2 (38:13):
Like you don't know it until you experience.
Speaker 3 (38:16):
And then you have empathies for other people. Because when
Cole lost his brother this year, I mean, I didn't
know how to word it, but it's like it's so
hard to say it's a gift, but it's like, what
you're gonna learn from this? You know now that changes
who you are now and how you see other people. Yeah,
it's just such a strong So I'd say that's what
I struggle with the most. That's losing yeah people, and
(38:41):
I can't imagine or you get your friends start going yeah,
that's very scary. That's gonna be tough.
Speaker 1 (38:46):
Yeah, but it also like and like you're sixty three,
I'll be fifty nine, so we're like in the same boat.
Speaker 2 (38:54):
It's jarring to me sometimes to say my age when
people ask me, I don't feel it.
Speaker 3 (38:59):
And I I just don't put an age with you.
You know what I mean. You don't seem like you're
any age. You just age. Yeah, you know what I mean.
I wouldn't think, well, how old is that? You just
look fantastic you always have. First time I met you,
you had a full face of makeup. True. I was like, Andy,
who's your girlfriend? That's Bruce.
Speaker 2 (39:20):
Amy my name right, the first time.
Speaker 3 (39:24):
My name like that, We're gonna still pick this is
good because it's because he talked about you so much
and you were best friends. So that's when I was like,
who is this Bruce and why do I bo why
does he bother me?
Speaker 2 (39:37):
And then yell that makeup on why did I have
to make it?
Speaker 3 (39:40):
I think it was around New Year's Oh yeah, it
was a New Year's party Sarahead Restaurant. Yeah, I mean
Sarah gets us together. She's just really nice. One wants
a party for their big and she's so good camaraderie.
She brings people together.
Speaker 2 (39:56):
Yeah, I'm super so excited and happy for you for
this afternoon. I think that's me too. That's the news.
Speaker 3 (40:12):
I just want to it's not in my little prepertoire.
I don't know if I'm going to do it, and
I don't think. I don't know if I'm going to
do a good enough job because of it. I don't
know what a baby voice is.
Speaker 2 (40:22):
But I think you'll figure it out in the process,
as you're saying, I think you will. I mean, look,
there's nothing that would show that would say not to
the pressure and make you be nervous about it. That
the body of work, the talent, the years.
Speaker 1 (40:36):
See It's like, it's like, what brings us together today
to me is everything we've done. One thing veers off.
We're not sitting at this table today like and Norman
Lear said that to me when he invited me on
his podcast, which I was like, oh wow wow, But
he really wanted to ultimately talk about me being part
(40:58):
of the Palm and the allian and being gay. He
really wanted to understand thank you. And it was like,
oh wow, I get it.
Speaker 3 (41:09):
He has a double scotch.
Speaker 2 (41:10):
Oh this is I like the tall glass.
Speaker 3 (41:13):
Look at the hearts, They're so pretty.
Speaker 1 (41:17):
So I really do feel and I share that because
I think this afternoon, when you find yourself in the booth,
everything that you've done in your life brings forth the
creativity that will you'll find that.
Speaker 3 (41:32):
Well, as long as I'm in the moment, nothing's better
than being in the moment. And you know, when you're
in the moment, or you know when there's a split
second surprise and you know in your own life and
you are forced to be in the moment, you're like, shit,
that's the moment. Like can you believe how deep and
dark it is? Like even if you're getting mugged or
I don't know, whatever birth of your child, whatever it is,
(41:52):
you're boom, you're you're just can't believe how different it
is because you think you're in the moment until so
when I'm doing so like that, then whatever preparation you
throw it out and you just have to be in
the moment. And it feels so electrifying, especially if it's
a live house or something.
Speaker 1 (42:07):
You're just like.
Speaker 3 (42:10):
You're in the moment. Like the best moment I had
was playing a donkey in this play that David and
I wrote, Call and I was car all the donkey
and over sex donkey, and we rehearsed all week. We
did it all but not until it was opening night
and there was an audience. He came alive. The donkey
came alive in me, and I was like, holy shit,
that is nothing top set. And then when I did
(42:31):
some Louis c K when I did something b Louie
his show Horace and Pete, and that was one of
the best jobs I ever did in my life really
because it was in the moment. He just trusted me.
I got to improvise, did it like five times and
I felt really good.
Speaker 2 (42:48):
Yeah, that's funny.
Speaker 1 (42:50):
It's funny too, like with being the donkey, the over sexualized,
Like yeah, it really when it's like happening is when.
Speaker 3 (42:59):
Oh my god, nothing's better. It comes out yeah, I
didn't know that was what Colin was. Well, I'm hoping
that will happen in the booth. I'm just going to
be a baby.
Speaker 2 (43:09):
Yeah, a baby. I mean you can practice all like
what you think babies are, but you're just I did
a baby. You're the baby.
Speaker 3 (43:17):
The baby.
Speaker 2 (43:17):
Whatever the baby is in you is gonna be the baby.
Speaker 1 (43:20):
Yeah, you know.
Speaker 3 (43:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (43:24):
Any as we drink our cappuccinos and everyone who's pulled
up a chair today, I want to see it.
Speaker 2 (43:30):
Finally, you got to do this. You are one of
the most special people I feel, and I really do
feel honored that that I'm a friend.
Speaker 3 (43:40):
I didn't I didn't regret it. I didn't like I
gotta do that. It was like, never had that feeling.
So that's off to us, right, Cheers, cheers, Thank.
Speaker 2 (43:58):
You for pulling up a chair.
Speaker 4 (44:00):
We love our launches and never forget the romance of
a meal. If you enjoy the show, please tell a
friend and rate and review us.
Speaker 2 (44:09):
On Apple Podcasts.
Speaker 4 (44:10):
Table for Two with Bruce Bozzi is produced by iHeartRadio
seven three seven Park and Airmail. Our executive producers are
Bruce Bosi and Nathan King. Our supervising producer.
Speaker 2 (44:21):
Is Dylan Fagan. Our editors are Vincent to Johnny and
Cas B. Bias.
Speaker 4 (44:27):
Table for two is researched and written by Jack Sullivan.
Our sound engineers are Mio B. Klein, Jess Krainich, Evan Taylor.
Speaker 2 (44:35):
And Jesse Funk.
Speaker 4 (44:36):
Our music supervisor is Randall Poster. Our talent booking is
done by Jane Sarkin. Table for two's social media manager
is Gracie Wiener. Special thanks to Amy Sugarman, Uni Scherer,
Kevin Yvane, Bobby Bauer, and Alison Kanter Graber. For more
podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast, or
(44:57):
wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
Hey everybody, it's Bruce and welcome back to the table.
And we are in my favorite city, New York City,
at my favorite restaurant in the West Village via Coroda.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
What do you want?
Speaker 3 (00:16):
Do you know? Why don't you just order for us?
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (00:21):
We like Well if we do what we like, we
like that, like that salad we love to catch at
the pete.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
You love the chicken.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Yeah, fall us in the air. There's a misty rain
going on, and if you have pulled up a chair today,
you're gonna laugh your ass off because we're having lunch
with the funniest person I know. I mean literally, pee
and my pants, funny two pizza, pizza, super talented, incredibly beautiful,
(00:53):
super fun Amy Sedaris. So pull up a chair, grab
some lunch.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
And enjoy.
Speaker 4 (01:01):
I'm Bruce Bozzi and this is my podcast Table for two.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
Okay, Well, first of all, if you pulled up a
chair today on Table for two, this has been long overdue,
I mean long over and it's been a dream. And
I asked Amy over the summer, and you went to LA,
you were working, you were doing stuff, and we are
finally here on this rainy, beautiful New York.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
Three days in a row. It's like happy Bates misery
weather right.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
Truly, truly, but for someone who lives on the other
coast most of the time, any day of the week,
like you know, I opened the curtin and if it's
a blizzard and Brian's home and I say, oh my god,
it's a beautiful day, he goes.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
You know, it could be like shitting.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
And so you are having lunch with the incredibly talented
and friend and fellow aries Amy Sedari.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
Hey, Bruce, thanks for having me. I love your corona.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
How great is this restaurant?
Speaker 3 (02:06):
It's the best.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
How many do you think you've been here?
Speaker 3 (02:09):
Well, it's hard to get in and even though they
gave it, Oh call this you know, email us if
you ever.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
And I'm not you know right, well, you're you're you know.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
What's so interesting about you to me is you are
truly an introvert. You are an introvert.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
You think so I do. I think I'm a little
I can be both.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
But yes, you're that mix because certainly all the characters
that you play, but you as a person, I don't,
I think, and I find.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
I'm like my dream a Genie bottle. You like to
be in there.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
You know what.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
I went to your dream Genie Bottle once and it
was the coolest.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Space on Christopher Street.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
Screen, porch door, oh yeah, and all the patterns on
the walls, everything, it's show you And I thought, this
is magical, this land.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
And I never thought someone.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
Could like create their space and really be fully self actualized.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
What how did that happen?
Speaker 3 (03:01):
Well? You do. I mean, I've been to your apartment.
It's it's so grown up. I love the way your
couches were arranged, just like you can have a meeting
over here here here, like laid out lot, no knick knacks. Yeah,
but it's nice.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
It is nice.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
You get tired of it living in a busy city.
You don't need all that more stuff in your house. Yes,
but I got rid of I did this video for
a New York magazine that came to my home, and
when it aired, I watched it with a volume down
and just looked at it. It was like, oh my god,
it looks like a crazy person lives there. And that's
what triggered me to have a big give everything to
(03:36):
the Cure thrift store and all the money went to diabetes,
and I got rid of so much stuff. It still
looks cluttered a little bit, but not as much.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
What would you say your style is.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
I asked somebody once, a decorator who came into my house.
He said, it's s eglectic. You know, you like you
collect a lot of different stuff. Is that the right
word I'm looking at.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
Because it's such a a reflection of your personality, but
also kind of a reflection of what I think your
mind is empty?
Speaker 3 (04:08):
Well, I like everything. I like everything out to have
a story, like where is that from? And I got
a story behind it. I don't like it when people
give me stuff I don't like, especially if I don't
know them. And yeah, it makes I just if I
want it, I'll get it, right, I'm not I don't
know a gift bag person unless it's Apple.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
Yeah. Yeah, because it's truly you.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
Yeah. Or I'm too lucky. I come from a talented
family like Gretchen will make me my you know, paper
flowers or you know everyone kind of chips and it
makes you stop, David, you will do our work. His
boyfriend will do art work. And so I'm pretty lucky.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
That way, right, And that's all meaningful. It's family. Yeah,
So let's talk about that. You come from a big family,
you have brothers and sisters. Though you were born in
our lovely state, you went south, right, How did all
that influence you? Because like the thing like and it's
so fun to.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
Watch you portray all these characters because you go so
deep and you really embody.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
Them and they're so I'm unemployed.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Go on, you know, you things coming out.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
I have something today. I know we'll go back to
what you're talking about, but I have a bit. I
have something today. So I got to asked. Fine is
on my bucket list, which I hate the expression bucket lit.
But the Simpsons. I get to do the Simpsons today
at five, and I get to do the voice of Maggie. No,
he's never talked, so the baby, the baby, and I
have to say it's kind of like an AI episode
(05:29):
and I have to say for four words, that's it.
But baby talks hard. I've never done that. I mean,
I can, you know, make the noises or whatever, but
to talk like a baby.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
So don't tell us the lines.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
But kind of yeah, I don't know the work. I
worked on it last night. I just worked on it
all night, like yeah, but I gotta say words and
hit the you know, so, it's a it's a big
challenge for me. I'm going to bring my I wear
a mouthguard at night, so I'm going to bring that
and see if that helps me. But I'm stumped. But
it's such a big it's huge.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
How fun is it because you do other voiceover?
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Yeah, I do a lot of voiceovers, and you're you know,
you're super good at it.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
It's always great to hear your voice because you also
change your voice, so like it's right. How difficult is
the process of looking at like matching and looking.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
Well, sometimes you don't get to match anything and you're
just reading it. And it's interesting because I really am
a poor reader, you know, to see a word, say it,
to hear it is you know when I had difficulty
in school with comprehension, you know so, and I still
do so A lot of times I can read, I
don't know, I'll hit you No, I just hit the words.
I don't put the emphasis on the right word a lot,
(06:38):
you know, And I think I'm surprised I'm in this
business just because of the difficulties I had growing up.
Like whoever thought? Like if people ask me, oh, will
you read this book? On tape. I'm like, I'm a
poor reader and I'm not gonna I know, I'm tear
up to be directed, or I love a line reading.
I'm like, how do I oh got it? Like I
know where to hit the hit.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
The words, do the line reading. But then you bring
what you bring?
Speaker 3 (07:03):
Yeah yeah yeah, just their intention right wow? And that
that helps me a lot. Like BoJack was fun because
I had the character down. I knew who princess. I'd
been working on that voice for a while. It's a
little strisand is a little bit of Stris ends and
oh your big dummy Bruces is fantastic. Oh you stupid idiot.
When's the sala gonna come? You know two when two
(07:24):
was twenty two, So she's a little bit you know.
So that was fun because I felt like I could
live the character. Like if I know the person, then
then it naturally comes out. But if I have to
struggle and I'm like, I don't know who this person is,
that's harder for me.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
The characters you play, because you know, like for characters
that like work in grocery stores and waitresses, like are
they all pulled?
Speaker 2 (07:55):
But do you think that area? Like how did that
area for sure.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
I mean born and raised, you know, and I don't
know state. Yeah, I mean I was like as a
southern hospitality, entertaining the come and get it dinners. And
but we came from you know, New York from when
I DM went to the South, so we kind of
were on a dead end kind of a little country
around us. And then it turned into you know, a
(08:22):
popular neighborhood and got more suburban. But I loved it,
you know, Like then I moved to Chicago, and that
was like, oh, I wonder where that taxi cabs going.
So I'm glad I went from North Carolina to Chicago
to New York. I don't think I could go from
New York or Chicago to North Carolina because you go
home and you just lose all your bones in your body.
You're like, this is so, oh my god, I'm gonna
(08:42):
do crazy, Becky. Yeah, just the constant.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
Now you you get removed because it sounds like as
a kid, one of the things that you can have
on that street is create a freedom Mike riding in
the woods, pretend imagination.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
Right, So that is so aiming.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
With each other, living in your head because your parents
are fighting and yeah, I mean it's same with I mean,
anyone who grew up in the sixties, can you believe
all the freedom chasing after bug trucks and can you
believe something away within?
Speaker 2 (09:16):
He's playing Spud?
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Well, I mean I grew up the first early years
were in Jack and Queen's on the street playing spud,
you know, throwing up the ball s p U D
and then everyone freezing and then you get bean by
the ball.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
But while cars are whizzing by you. Yeah, I can't
do that.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
You can't do that anymore.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
It's crazy, I know. It's the wildest sort of game.
You guys played like one of those memorables you.
Speaker 3 (09:43):
Know always you know those big wooden they run wire
around it in construction sites. It looked like gigantic spools
of thread. But you can get inside. We put someone
in it and push them across the horrible horrible things, no,
horrible and life threatening. Yeah, getting locked out of the
(10:04):
house all the time, so you're just like surviving, not
like purposely.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Out everyone out.
Speaker 3 (10:12):
We always reell that get out, did you.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
You've have to say your brother.
Speaker 3 (10:18):
David was the most create I mean I emulated David
and he was always doing little movies and we had
a fake cooking show growing up. I mean he was
my play buddy. And then and Tiffany, I mean we
all did. But David was like you know at the beach.
She would marry these movies and we'd all perform in them.
And but he was also really mean in his evil.
(10:40):
You know what is in the will bear innis over
the ravine ravine, just crazy ship. But he would He's
the one who introduced me to doing character work.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
And I would imitate his characters. And you know, anything
David did, I would do. And then I was really
close to my younger sister Tiffany.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
Yeah, no one makes me laugh like you just so
you know.
Speaker 3 (11:02):
Or Andy knows how to put quarters in me. He
just puts them in Andy, I know what you're doing.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
You guys had a dinner and he posts you. Dinny
always puts you on the spot. You were like this,
I was watching it from LA and you were like, no, Andy.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
No, don't, don't, don't. I don't know what I was
trying to get out of you, Because you know, he's
the ultimate stir.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
Yes, he sure is a little devil pushing buttons. He
pushes buttons.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
I met you. You know you have a side hustle
and it's called Dusty.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
Oh my Dusty Tails cupcake business. Still I need it
allowance money to pay for the hay my first bunny.
Yeah that was in the nineties and I decided what
else am I going to do with three in the morning.
So I got into making cupcakes and selling them at
different cotton.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
We did it for a baby shower.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
Oh yeah, yeah, I'll still do it on request, not chocolate.
But and I'm always like, no repeat business, cash only,
and I'm not available for another six months. I mean,
I always make it really hard. Now I do chocolate
chip cookies and shoeboxes because I have thousands of shoeboxes
and it's hard for me to get rid of a box,
a good box. So now I give them away with
cookies for one hundred dollars cash, no repeat business.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
Thanks for joining us on table for two.
Speaker 5 (12:39):
Throughout her career, Amy Sedaris has played one of a
kind characters on shows like Strangers with Candy, at Home
with Amy Sedaris, and The Mandalorian. I am so curious
to know more about where she pulls her inspiration from.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
No Strangers candy.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
Jerry Blank was we could talk about her because she
was I mean, Amy just did.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
She's in me.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
I just can't go it's gay.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
You know you're gay, right.
Speaker 1 (13:07):
You sent me a xerox copy of a Jerry Blink
headshot and said, p on me dag.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
I print them out myself when people want a headshot.
It's on that Lindsay paper. It's a bad I mean,
it doesn't even print well, but it's like that's all
I got, you know. And I still make lighters for people.
And I think it's a girl scout in me that
like that transactional because.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
And first of all, I think those are the best
gifts because you're never going to get another one like that,
and it comes from you and you're like, oh wow,
this is the most unique thing.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
You know.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
One girl wrote me she's at her house burned down
and she lost the picture of Jerry and I was like,
I sent her new one, but burned all the edges
to it. The characters. It's different each projects. Sometimes I
have no idea until I see wardrobe and I let
them like, I'll trust you if I trust the wardrobe person.
I look in the mirror, I'm like, oh, I know
this person, but really only have like five characters, and
they just keep reinventing themselves. Okay, maybe that's why I
(14:01):
don't get a whole lot of it seems work. But
my favorite job is again a girl Scout level, just
want to character part. You get in, you get a laugh,
and you get out. I don't need to carry anything
unless it's my own thing. But I mean that's frustrating
for agents, I know. But it's like, that's all I
really am interested in doing. Being the guest star, right,
(14:22):
bringing that yes, just for fun and the pressure is
not on you. But when you are number one on
the call sheet, you know that's that's a big, big job,
and then I'd want to control every aspect of it.
But when I'm a guest I'm like, oh what do
you you know? I work with a person and then
try to figure out, oh, who is this right? This person?
Speaker 2 (14:39):
So, and I'm going to get to the number one
on the call sheet.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
That's a good name for something. It is crawl sheet.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
Yeah, that's a good uh memoir title.
Speaker 3 (14:50):
Yeah, number one, number twelve.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
Number sixteen thousand, girl scout you Yes, it's like in
your blood?
Speaker 2 (14:59):
How did that begin? And like you. I mean most
people like in their middle school years. Leave. You stayed
senior year.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
And when I moved to New York City, I went
to the HQ headquarters on twenty third Street and I said, listen,
I have been a girl scout my whole life. There
are two badges I didn't get, Sign of the Star
and Sign of the Era. They're the most important ones.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
Really, why did you get them? What does you have
to It's just.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
Then explained to you. Right, I got all the other ones,
but it's like they were just like the big, the
major ones, and probably low self esteem or something. So
I said, clearly, I've done all this stuff. I brought
my book, I went through all the stuff I had
to do to earn it. So they mailed them to me.
So I have them now. And I'm a horrible at
auditioning something to try to get it. It's not my
you know, So no, I can't remember less of my auditioned.
(15:45):
I mean, I'm just not good at it, right, I
mean a lot of people on the hall, right, yeah,
I think so. But I'm used to failing because I
failed first grade. So it doesn't if I don't get something.
My attitude is like I've been Do.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
You have to repeat first grade?
Speaker 3 (15:59):
I repeated first Gray Bruce, That's where everything started. Like
that sucked. That sucked. All my friends would a hand
of me. It was a failure. I mean it was
like so my second first grade teacher was a big
inspiration to me, and she wore the best high heels
and that's how my obsession with high heels started. All
I would do was look at her feet every day.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
Really yeah, when I met you.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
One of the early memories I have of you is
out when you were visiting Andy and I was in
the house share at the time and summertime, and we
were all hanging out and the tam I know you,
let me tell you, like gorgeous and the hair blonde.
Speaker 2 (16:42):
From the summer sparkle. It was like a movie star
laying there, you know, talking And it.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
Never wore sun block. I will know why used that
number two number four. They don't make it anymore. Vacation
makes a version of it. Wow, but it's not anymore,
do you know? And I wear sunscreen now.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
I mean, if you wanted a tan, you would just
put make up.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
Farmers can't walking around right, yeah, you know, but I
don't know why I didn't get sunspots on my face,
my aunt. My legs are shot, but not my arms
in my face, and I don't know why? Is it weird?
Speaker 2 (17:20):
Well, thankfully?
Speaker 3 (17:21):
And also my first prescription was when I was ten.
I went to the germatologists and he wrote on his
pad that I had dry skin and to use Jurgons lotion.
And I'll never I felt so special. I had a script,
you know, and I stared at it and that's when
I became obsessed with lotion. Really, I'm a lotion theme
(17:42):
constantly because he told me to apply it. And I
still have a Jurgon's bottle and I think the headquarters
is in Cincinnati. But again, I'm like, why can't I
do a Jurgon's commercial? Yeah, or they don't have any money.
Jurgons isn't that big of a Sometimes people just the
things I want to do, they're like Amy, they don't
they don't need anyone to model panty hosts. They don't
need anyone on a Halloween wig bag. You know, I'm like,
(18:06):
why can't I do that?
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Yeah? What were the shows growing up that you watched?
That infant?
Speaker 3 (18:24):
Like, were you I dream a Jenie loved I dream
Jamie costumes and the wigs, and you know, I think
that's started. I mean I watched se TV PTL Club
with Tammy Faye Baker. She was a good character for
me to imitate. And I got a big kick out
of Carol Burnette show. You know, the Brady Bunch. We
thought they were so queer. All of us were like,
(18:45):
oh my, you know, we kind of made fun of
that show, but we still watched it. Of course, yeah,
Land Lost in Spade, Land of the Giants, but you
never hear about it anymore.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
No, it's never a were you like, were you guys
Saturday morning TV? Like until in the news? Can?
Speaker 3 (19:00):
We watched TV all the time? You know, yeah, are
you kidding me?
Speaker 1 (19:06):
Saturday mornings you'd watch TV and then when the cartoons
and stuff ended, it would be like in the news
and it was his and you were like, it was noon,
You've been watching TV for six hours.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
Elvin and the Chipmunks was my voice as far as
voice voices go. I mean that people always say who
do you want to meet, you know, dead or alive.
I'm like, Elvin and the Chipmunks, you're kidding me? I
was like, I love them. Ernie Kovacs, you know, you know,
he was really big into props and stuff, and I
liked uh, Jonathan Winters, you know, Peter Sellers Older.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
They were all I can see all those in you.
Speaker 3 (19:46):
But s C TV was a big because I'm like,
the set design was interesting to me because I got
the impression they just made it like doors would swing
open by accident. The Dracula show, what was that? What
was soap opera but with all vampires.
Speaker 2 (20:04):
Dark Knight, Dark Shadow, Dark Shadows. Yes, yeah, oh so
what what soaps? Did I watch? Soaps? Did you watch soaps?
Speaker 3 (20:12):
Yeah? Secret Storm was a big one.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
I don't don't know that one. Secret Storm.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Yeah, that was the when my mom watched Secret Secret Storm.
Great name opened up with waves crashing against a rock,
edge of Knight, Edge and Night.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
Yes, that was ye thirty minute one.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
That was good. She watched that one too.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
Yeah, No, I was all, I mean, it's like, what
did we do? We watched TV TV.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
That's why we're a cool genuary. And it's like, you know,
people say, if you watch Instagram, like they're like to
these kids now, they're like, we were kicked out of
our house. We were told like come back, when the
sun comes down, like, I don't want to drink if
you want to.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
My mother would be like we'd.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
Go swimming and it would be like a really hot day.
She wouldn't want to do laundry, so she said, you
don't need towels.
Speaker 2 (20:57):
Just stay outside. The sun will dry, like mom, like
a freezing just stay outside.
Speaker 3 (21:04):
I mean she takes you to the pool and wear's
you out right exactly. Yeah, that's what we did. We
were all on the swim team.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
Yeah, yeah, but it was good.
Speaker 3 (21:12):
That was but we watched TV, but we did have
that time to play and use your imagination. Playing House
was my favorite. So Publa, you make the fake liquor
and you would die.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
And write costumes? Were you more Ardreamagenie or Bewitched?
Speaker 3 (21:28):
I dream a Jinie, but I love Bewitch.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
I loved Aunt Clara right, And I was going to say,
so Aunt Clara was your favorite?
Speaker 2 (21:34):
What were you know? Were you more Dreamaginie or her
evil sister?
Speaker 3 (21:37):
Oh? I liked him, but I loved it when they
I wanted to do that on Strangers. I wanted Jerry
to have a cool aunt, but it would be made
up with the brunette. You know, we forgot to it.
You did it.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
I was watching a scene you did.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
You played six characters, but the camera was going like
boom boom, boom boom.
Speaker 3 (21:56):
One at home with Amy Sinaris exactly. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
I mean that's all. Then I realized, oh, I have
to memorize both sides of the script. But then I
had a teleprompter that helped. Especially the second and third season.
I really used it a lot because it was like,
I can't do this, you know. Yeah, that was and
I wish they all got paid separately.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
Would have been nice.
Speaker 3 (22:15):
We saved a lot of money with me doing all
those parts.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
You know, of course, you know you're a businessman. I
didn't think about that.
Speaker 3 (22:21):
Yeah right.
Speaker 1 (22:22):
It's like very entertaining for the viewer realizing, you know,
one person's doing.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
All the work.
Speaker 3 (22:27):
Want to work, I mean, I don't want to sit
in my room and wait for a scene to be over,
you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
It's so okay, let's talk about being number one on
the call sheet.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
What do you think keeps you from because there's no
reason that someone hasn't developed a show that is you.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
You're the full on star of the show.
Speaker 3 (22:48):
So I mean, maybe I stand in my own way.
I mean, I do have an idea for a show,
but now it's not the time to go out and
pitch it is.
Speaker 2 (22:55):
It's a little rough.
Speaker 3 (22:55):
I HiT's rough, and I don't want to I would
hate to do that, and then nobody takes it, and
it's that show you a back burner, which is what
I was really gonna call my show the back burner
with Amy Sins, but you know I don't, so then
I'm like, well, I can't do that, you know, I
don't know. I just like to think about things for
a long time. I know it sounds like a stoner mentality,
but I got it. It's like a stew you got
(23:16):
to be like at home. I thought about that and
did the books right for what eighteen years or something.
It's everything I know. So it takes that long if
you really want it to.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
Take to percolate, to come to life, and then of
course to get the funding or the permission, because you're
constantly asking.
Speaker 3 (23:36):
For because you want to think of everything. You don't
want someone to suggest that you haven't thought of. I'm
always like, that's how I get it when it's a
personal project. But that can slow things down and prevent
me from moving forward.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
Have you seen something recently that you were like, wow,
that really can't you know? I never thought about that
like or.
Speaker 3 (23:55):
Like that kind of I did think, I haven't seen
it yet, that show Chaos. But I did have that idea.
But why hasn't anyone done a modern day Greek the
Greek gods, but play them like contemporary character. I did
think of that, and then I heard there's a show.
I was like, oh, that's funny. I thought about that idea,
but I didn't. I just thought, why doesn't somebody do it?
Speaker 2 (24:14):
Like?
Speaker 3 (24:14):
I didn't think, oh, I'll do it.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
See, well that's yeah. Yeah, we all get in our
own way, most of us do. I mean some of
us don't. Like they're just have a million things going
on for some reason. I mean I get stuck.
Speaker 3 (24:27):
Yeah, I get stuck. I need someone to work with. Yeah,
and if the people that I trust, you know, they're
all working on other jobs and it's.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
Harder for me. You have Okay, So you had great
partnerships with.
Speaker 3 (24:36):
Colbert and Danello. Yeah, and Paul and I still will
work and he helped me with at home with Amy Sedaris,
or if I have an idea or need help. You know,
he's still there for me, right, So at.
Speaker 2 (24:46):
Home with Amy Sedaris. That's is that that's shot in
the studio.
Speaker 3 (24:50):
That's not Yeah, that's why people like being a guest.
It's like, we'll get you in out, you know, yeah,
you know everything. We never left the studio and that's all.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
So was the genesis of the books.
Speaker 3 (25:03):
Yeah. I did the books first, and that way I
could slide the books across the table and say, this
is what the show is.
Speaker 2 (25:08):
You know.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
So everyone was like, what do you mean what visually?
What does it look like? And You're just like, this
is what it looks like. And then they would understand, Oh, okay, So.
Speaker 2 (25:17):
I mean you like every time, I mean, you work
so much.
Speaker 3 (25:20):
People say I do, but I'm always like I don't
work enough. I'm always like, oh, I want a job.
I want to work because I feel like I'm like
I was a waitress and I worked in grocery stores
and I always had three jobs you know when you're younger.
And once I got into acting, if whatever you want
to performing, that's when I felt like I got lazy,
Like I felt like I was always hustling, always making money,
(25:41):
always Yeah. And then then I even waitress during Strangers,
and I was like, where Mary's Marian's, and then Marian's
on the Bowery, and then I worked at Mary's Fish Camp.
But I felt like I was taking jobs from people
who needed it's only I didn't need it. It's just
like Saturday night is their night. You know, why am
(26:02):
I waitressing when that shift should go to somebody who
really needs it. So I felt that attitude coming in
my way and thought, oh, yeah, no, this isn't or
it felt like it was a bit and it wasn't.
I just wanted to I'm always all going to lie,
like saying you need anyone to gift wrap or going
to Bigelow's, let me give rap and just you don't
have to pay me because I'm good working with people,
(26:23):
and I like that. They never have I'm sure they're like, well,
how are we gonna, you know, just make that happen busy. Yeah,
I liked waitressing the grocery stores because I think I
(26:43):
liked because your timing. I was really good at it,
you know. I liked making tips and it's good character
and I would bullshit like if I had to sell wine,
if I just said it has a buttery finish or
a peppery sald like I was, and I open it
and pop it on the table like it's a taverna
and Greece and like, Amy, you can't. I'm like, I
(27:05):
was so fake, but but I like that. And I
wait on these five businessmen once and they told me
that I should not be a pantyhose model, that you
should not I should be a pantyhose model. And I
made I was like, wow, we're else going to get that?
Speaker 2 (27:20):
Like was the skirt short in that?
Speaker 3 (27:23):
Yeah, back in the day. Always yeah. I love a uniform.
I stole my red Lobster uniform, my name tags, and
my wind Dixie uniform Girl Scout uniforms. I just love
a uniform. Job.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
I stole my NBC page uniform. Oh I supposed to
turn it back in and I had, like I literally
on a hangar.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
Have the jacket, the pins from nineteen eighty nine, the
the tie, the short, the pants.
Speaker 3 (27:52):
That's fantastic it We're gonna have it.
Speaker 2 (27:55):
I love it. You stole these well.
Speaker 3 (27:57):
I save stuff so much because I'm like, oh, if
I do a show, like a lot of the stuff
on at home was a lot of my own stuff,
and I bring in racks and be like put these
on people who background or guest stars, or my own
shoes and props, and I always think, you know, I'm
gonna need them. But you know, I'd love to own
my own prop shop. I've talked about that for a
long time because there's not that many in New York
(28:18):
or costume places anymore.
Speaker 2 (28:21):
Really are That's a great idea, I know it. Really.
Speaker 3 (28:24):
There's Alias which is great right here, and I'll bring
clothes there sometimes, but I'm always jealous when I go there,
I'm like, why isn't this my place?
Speaker 1 (28:33):
Well there you go like, that's like and that's part
of the whole package because you could still work.
Speaker 2 (28:40):
Yeah, you still have you know your shop and you
do that. You own real estate. Right, I'm working this out.
(29:07):
Welcome back to Table for two.
Speaker 4 (29:08):
We've been having an amazing lunch with our guest, Amy Sedaris.
Speaker 2 (29:12):
While our meal has.
Speaker 4 (29:14):
Been delicious, Amy has also recently discovered a new love
for a certain type of candy.
Speaker 3 (29:21):
I ate so much bonbon candy. So I went on
a one day like how much a one day fast? Yesterday?
Speaker 2 (29:28):
You did like a full fast? No?
Speaker 3 (29:30):
I do that prolonged fast. You can do one for
one day or five day. I really like it, just
a reset, that's all. You still eat on it.
Speaker 2 (29:37):
It's like eating or drinking.
Speaker 3 (29:39):
It's eating like they make soup pack. It's just like
astronaut food. It's like, but at least I can. I'm
disciplined and I do it break. It gives you a break.
Speaker 2 (29:48):
I like that. But I just.
Speaker 3 (29:51):
W it ate so much candy and I felt disgusting
and I have a headache from it and I can't
even believe I'm eating that much candy.
Speaker 1 (30:00):
Well, Amy, this is how I feel like my Like
I was the type of kid that I got, like
the big massive Twizzlers bag or like the big Dots
Member Dots and I'd say, like someone be like, oh,
I go, would you want one? And they'd be like, oh,
maybe later, and I'd say very clearly there won't be
a later, like I will eat the whole box.
Speaker 3 (30:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:23):
So I really had to like work on not having
one because it would how many is a lot?
Speaker 2 (30:32):
And like what got you to have the first one?
Speaker 3 (30:35):
Well, I was hanging out my apartment and my friend
Adam Salmon was visiting and we had some people over
and they both brought bags of bombon chick candy, and
I was like, I can't believe you guys eat that stuff.
Like I never got into gummies and the fish and
the iron, was like, how can you just eat it?
And then one night I was high and I was
(30:56):
hanging out with some friends and that bomb bomb was
in my apartment and I started eating. I was like,
oh my god, this is what you guys have been
talking about, right boom addicted, right, addicted, addicted? And I
thought to myself, God, that was sure would be hard
if you were an alcoholic or a drug addict and
you couldn't quit. Because this is going to be really
hard for me to quit. I don't have something that
I feel like I have to. You know, I've always
(31:18):
protected myself. I've never gone too far, you know. And
I was like, oh right. I mean when I was
a kid, my best friend had a her dad was
a candy distributor, and they walk in closet with a
slanted roof all candy, and she would.
Speaker 2 (31:32):
Load up my lunch box really with candy.
Speaker 3 (31:34):
And Maritina cherries. I had cavity in every tube and
I felt, oh my god, I'm back to it, right.
Speaker 2 (31:42):
Yeah, it really is interesting.
Speaker 1 (31:44):
It's like, it's an interesting question you're posing, is acknowledging
you have a problem.
Speaker 2 (31:50):
You have a problem, and how am I going to
quit this? Because bombomb bomb? So yesterday did you get stoned?
Are we you're hanging out?
Speaker 3 (31:59):
It's just no, I had n't brought in air. I
went there to get some bond bonds for my godson's birthday.
He likes these sweet and sour ones. I was great.
I don't like sweet and sour, so I walk there
and back. That's a good. Yeah. And then I got
a few marshmallow jelly ones on the way home and
I ate half the bag and then I gave the
rest of my dorman and they gave it to their kids.
Speaker 1 (32:20):
That's the only way to like, you have to get
them out of the house.
Speaker 2 (32:24):
So like, so you have none right now in the house.
Speaker 3 (32:26):
I do, ah, because I ordered some through the mail
and I saw before I came down here there it was.
But I don't eat.
Speaker 2 (32:34):
Candy anymore, So you don't eat candy except for that.
Speaker 3 (32:38):
No, No, I'm now not anymore. That's my attitude, just
like I don't eat candy anymore. So I'll bring that
up to maple.
Speaker 2 (32:45):
When I write, sometimes it takes a very specific mindset.
I had to do that with cigarettes.
Speaker 1 (32:51):
Oh, I tried, I tried, I tried, I tried, and
then one day I said, you don't smoke anymore, and
I never smoked.
Speaker 2 (32:59):
The air.
Speaker 3 (32:59):
Wow, it's pretty good.
Speaker 2 (33:00):
At some point in my.
Speaker 1 (33:01):
Thirty late thirties, like mid thirties, thirties, and then when
I did, I had one years later it was most disgusting.
Speaker 2 (33:08):
Thing.
Speaker 1 (33:08):
What I'm trying to do with alcohol now is the
same thing, like, which is just stop, like like.
Speaker 2 (33:15):
Really just do it. It's occasion, occasion having a glass
of wine. It's hard. You have to really change. But
once you change your mindset, you're able to do it.
Speaker 3 (33:25):
Well, we'll see. I mean, I tried and then I failed.
Speaker 2 (33:29):
So yesterday it was rough.
Speaker 3 (33:31):
Yesterday was easy because I fasted all day. The day
before was tough and the weather didn't help and it
was just but I did walk four miles to get it.
I mean.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
But still, well, that's always I think a very good
thing too.
Speaker 1 (33:44):
So when I find like I eat something that's really
horrible and I feel it, I walk and I just
count myself and I.
Speaker 3 (33:51):
Walk because you're in your skin is when you got
it all.
Speaker 2 (33:54):
Yeah, you gotta get it terrible. But yeah, but you
got to move it out because that helps move it
out too. Yeah, you know what I mean, you gotta
it's tough.
Speaker 3 (34:04):
I mean the sugar. It's not like Mike doesn't stay
in your tongue if you spit out. It's not pink.
It's not it's sweetish candy. It's something better about it.
It's just it's just so fucking good.
Speaker 2 (34:16):
Oh it's good. That's Swedish candy. I know exactly what
you're talking.
Speaker 3 (34:19):
Pretty pink bag.
Speaker 2 (34:20):
Yeah, they have it in on Avacinnie out in Venice.
Speaker 3 (34:22):
But I like the way people carry it around and
that the way the people look into the bag is
a good visual, Like you don't just reach in and
you know, you were like, you look and you're choosy,
and then you pick the pink marshmallow woman and you
I like the whole way. I like the way it looks.
Speaker 2 (34:39):
I do too.
Speaker 1 (34:40):
And recently we were at that place in California and
I got and I was like, oh, let's all get
our bags.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
And my bag was gone.
Speaker 1 (34:48):
Within minutes because I couldn't pick one or two and
then put it the bag away to save for later.
They all had to be consumed before we were about
to have dinner, which was going to be pizza and pasta.
Speaker 2 (35:00):
So I was like, I don't is it used to be.
Speaker 3 (35:03):
When people say what are your favorite moments? Used to
be your business class or first class on American airlines?
Watching a cult movie, you know, like a spiritual cult
what's uh?
Speaker 2 (35:14):
Like?
Speaker 3 (35:14):
What's his name?
Speaker 2 (35:16):
You made?
Speaker 3 (35:16):
You drink the kool aid? Like you mean the real Yeah, yeah, yeah,
Jim Jones, Jim John and eating one of their Sundays
at the same time, five episodes on the way to
La hate that flight. Now it's bonbon candy in bed,
massaging Tina and watching Belmont. I mean, who want you
wouldn't want that life? And I thought this just got
(35:37):
replaced and eating candy, massaging Tina and watching.
Speaker 2 (35:40):
Them right, Like, that's a perfect I feel like if
you have the ability just to have the self control,
that's a nice, enjoyable thing. You're alive. We should be that.
It's why I don't want to give up alcohol completely.
I want to enjoy the glass of red wine. I
want to enjoy the margarite foundries. Yeah, I just don't
need to have it every day.
Speaker 3 (36:01):
Right, you do feel it? The older you get of wine, Yeah, because.
Speaker 1 (36:06):
That's what happens, because you get the tolerance whatever, feeling
of relaxation, s like the you know, the bombs you
start you so, I don't know, we're alive, I know.
Speaker 3 (36:18):
But the older you get, like I felt it the
next day and I felt it, you know, you get
the sugar crash. I don't take naps. Impossible for me
to take a nap.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
My eyes open at four o'clock.
Speaker 3 (36:29):
Well, I fell asleep and it was from the sugar.
Speaker 2 (36:43):
What has been the most challenging time in your life
would you say, because.
Speaker 3 (36:47):
Like I know, like first grade, Well, when you lose somebody,
when my mom died and then when my sister died.
You know, losing a sibling is so different than losing
a parent. Then you divide people up in the world.
You're like, oh, you haven't lost a parent yet, you
get on that side of the street because you don't
like the way you see things after that with loss
is uh? Is that that's hard for me to lose people,
(37:10):
to lose pets, to lose things I love, lose his
favorite sweater. Yeah, you know, when I when I lose things.
Speaker 2 (37:16):
Yeah, it's interesting you say that with the parent.
Speaker 1 (37:19):
I haven't lost a parent, and I'm very fearful of that.
And I understand because I have many of my friends
have lost parents. Yeah, I a parent or both parents,
and I do know that's a life defining moment.
Speaker 3 (37:34):
But my death, you've probably dealt with a lot with it,
you know.
Speaker 2 (37:37):
Well I was so I did, Like, you know, I
was that generation of young men that were like I
wasn't you know there were no fifty year olds when
I was.
Speaker 1 (37:48):
You know, they were all you know, that generation was
going right, But I was living in the fear of
and we were all like existing within it.
Speaker 2 (37:57):
And yes I saw people, but I think, you know,
I have have loss in my life, but I think
the it's.
Speaker 1 (38:05):
Interesting how you phrase that, like, oh, like okay, you're.
Speaker 3 (38:08):
On that side of the stream, Like that's how I
felt that, you know, but it makes complete sense.
Speaker 2 (38:13):
Like you don't know it until you experience.
Speaker 3 (38:16):
And then you have empathies for other people. Because when
Cole lost his brother this year, I mean, I didn't
know how to word it, but it's like it's so
hard to say it's a gift, but it's like, what
you're gonna learn from this? You know now that changes
who you are now and how you see other people. Yeah,
it's just such a strong So I'd say that's what
I struggle with the most. That's losing yeah people, and
(38:41):
I can't imagine or you get your friends start going yeah,
that's very scary. That's gonna be tough.
Speaker 1 (38:46):
Yeah, but it also like and like you're sixty three,
I'll be fifty nine, so we're like in the same boat.
Speaker 2 (38:54):
It's jarring to me sometimes to say my age when
people ask me, I don't feel it.
Speaker 3 (38:59):
And I I just don't put an age with you.
You know what I mean. You don't seem like you're
any age. You just age. Yeah, you know what I mean.
I wouldn't think, well, how old is that? You just
look fantastic you always have. First time I met you,
you had a full face of makeup. True. I was like, Andy,
who's your girlfriend? That's Bruce.
Speaker 2 (39:20):
Amy my name right, the first time.
Speaker 3 (39:24):
My name like that, We're gonna still pick this is
good because it's because he talked about you so much
and you were best friends. So that's when I was like,
who is this Bruce and why do I bo why
does he bother me?
Speaker 2 (39:37):
And then yell that makeup on why did I have
to make it?
Speaker 3 (39:40):
I think it was around New Year's Oh yeah, it
was a New Year's party Sarahead Restaurant. Yeah, I mean
Sarah gets us together. She's just really nice. One wants
a party for their big and she's so good camaraderie.
She brings people together.
Speaker 2 (39:56):
Yeah, I'm super so excited and happy for you for
this afternoon. I think that's me too. That's the news.
Speaker 3 (40:12):
I just want to it's not in my little prepertoire.
I don't know if I'm going to do it, and
I don't think. I don't know if I'm going to
do a good enough job because of it. I don't
know what a baby voice is.
Speaker 2 (40:22):
But I think you'll figure it out in the process,
as you're saying, I think you will. I mean, look,
there's nothing that would show that would say not to
the pressure and make you be nervous about it. That
the body of work, the talent, the years.
Speaker 1 (40:36):
See It's like, it's like, what brings us together today
to me is everything we've done. One thing veers off.
We're not sitting at this table today like and Norman
Lear said that to me when he invited me on
his podcast, which I was like, oh wow wow, But
he really wanted to ultimately talk about me being part
(40:58):
of the Palm and the allian and being gay. He
really wanted to understand thank you. And it was like,
oh wow, I get it.
Speaker 3 (41:09):
He has a double scotch.
Speaker 2 (41:10):
Oh this is I like the tall glass.
Speaker 3 (41:13):
Look at the hearts, They're so pretty.
Speaker 1 (41:17):
So I really do feel and I share that because
I think this afternoon, when you find yourself in the booth,
everything that you've done in your life brings forth the
creativity that will you'll find that.
Speaker 3 (41:32):
Well, as long as I'm in the moment, nothing's better
than being in the moment. And you know, when you're
in the moment, or you know when there's a split
second surprise and you know in your own life and
you are forced to be in the moment, you're like, shit,
that's the moment. Like can you believe how deep and
dark it is? Like even if you're getting mugged or
I don't know, whatever birth of your child, whatever it is,
(41:52):
you're boom, you're you're just can't believe how different it
is because you think you're in the moment until so
when I'm doing so like that, then whatever preparation you
throw it out and you just have to be in
the moment. And it feels so electrifying, especially if it's
a live house or something.
Speaker 1 (42:07):
You're just like.
Speaker 3 (42:10):
You're in the moment. Like the best moment I had
was playing a donkey in this play that David and
I wrote, Call and I was car all the donkey
and over sex donkey, and we rehearsed all week. We
did it all but not until it was opening night
and there was an audience. He came alive. The donkey
came alive in me, and I was like, holy shit,
that is nothing top set. And then when I did
(42:31):
some Louis c K when I did something b Louie
his show Horace and Pete, and that was one of
the best jobs I ever did in my life really
because it was in the moment. He just trusted me.
I got to improvise, did it like five times and
I felt really good.
Speaker 2 (42:48):
Yeah, that's funny.
Speaker 1 (42:50):
It's funny too, like with being the donkey, the over sexualized,
Like yeah, it really when it's like happening is when.
Speaker 3 (42:59):
Oh my god, nothing's better. It comes out yeah, I
didn't know that was what Colin was. Well, I'm hoping
that will happen in the booth. I'm just going to
be a baby.
Speaker 2 (43:09):
Yeah, a baby. I mean you can practice all like
what you think babies are, but you're just I did
a baby. You're the baby.
Speaker 3 (43:17):
The baby.
Speaker 2 (43:17):
Whatever the baby is in you is gonna be the baby.
Speaker 1 (43:20):
Yeah, you know.
Speaker 3 (43:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (43:24):
Any as we drink our cappuccinos and everyone who's pulled
up a chair today, I want to see it.
Speaker 2 (43:30):
Finally, you got to do this. You are one of
the most special people I feel, and I really do
feel honored that that I'm a friend.
Speaker 3 (43:40):
I didn't I didn't regret it. I didn't like I
gotta do that. It was like, never had that feeling.
So that's off to us, right, Cheers, cheers, Thank.
Speaker 2 (43:58):
You for pulling up a chair.
Speaker 4 (44:00):
We love our launches and never forget the romance of
a meal. If you enjoy the show, please tell a
friend and rate and review us.
Speaker 2 (44:09):
On Apple Podcasts.
Speaker 4 (44:10):
Table for Two with Bruce Bozzi is produced by iHeartRadio
seven three seven Park and Airmail. Our executive producers are
Bruce Bosi and Nathan King. Our supervising producer.
Speaker 2 (44:21):
Is Dylan Fagan. Our editors are Vincent to Johnny and
Cas B. Bias.
Speaker 4 (44:27):
Table for two is researched and written by Jack Sullivan.
Our sound engineers are Mio B. Klein, Jess Krainich, Evan Taylor.
Speaker 2 (44:35):
And Jesse Funk.
Speaker 4 (44:36):
Our music supervisor is Randall Poster. Our talent booking is
done by Jane Sarkin. Table for two's social media manager
is Gracie Wiener. Special thanks to Amy Sugarman, Uni Scherer,
Kevin Yvane, Bobby Bauer, and Alison Kanter Graber. For more
podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast, or
(44:57):
wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
Host
Bruce Bozzi
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