What does it mean to truly understand the complexities of familial relationships while navigating a vibrant career in Hollywood? Join host Buzz Knight on this episode of takin’ a walk as he engages in a heartfelt and thought-provoking conversation with the multi-talented Gina Gershon. Known for her iconic roles in films like "Bound" and "Showgirls," Gershon takes us on a journey through her latest book, "Alpha Pussy" where she reflects on her unique upbringing and the challenges of caring for her mother during her final days.
As the discussion unfolds, Gershon draws fascinating parallels between her adolescent experiences and literary classics such as "Lord of the Flies" and "Mean Girls," offering deep insights into the emotional landscapes that shape our identities. Buzz Knight, with his signature style, delves into Gershon’s diverse career, exploring how her roles have evolved in public perception and what it means to be a part of the ever-changing landscape of American music and film.
But it’s not just about acting; Gina Gershon shares her passion for music and how it intertwines with her artistry. From performing at the renowned Cafe Carlyle, to her exploration of different music genres, she reveals the profound impact music has had on her life and career. Discover the stories behind her songs and the emotional healing that music can bring, as Buzz Knight guides this inspiring conversation.
Throughout this episode of takin’ a walk, Gershon emphasizes the significance of self-awareness and personal growth, offering reflections on creativity and freedom. Her journey is a testament to the resilience found in the arts and the importance of understanding our roots and influences. Whether you’re a fan of classic rock history, indie music journeys, or simply looking for inspiring artist interviews, this episode is packed with insights that resonate deeply.
Join us for this engaging episode of takin’ a walk, where Buzz Knight and Gina Gershon explore the intersection of music, family, and personal storytelling. This is not just a conversation; it’s an invitation to reflect on your own creative journey and the stories that shape who you are. Tune in now and be inspired by the powerful narratives that come from the heart of the music industry!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Taking a Walk.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
I'm Buzzsnight and welcome to the Taking a Walk Podcast.
Today I'm going to be talking with somebody who is
carved out one of the most fearless and fascinating careers
in Hollywood. She's an actress, a musician, a writer. He's
had iconic film roles in movies like Bound based off
Cocktail and Showgirls. She's appeared on Broadway. She's been in
(00:25):
rock bands. She's already written books before, but now she's
adding a new book to her resume called Alpha Pussy
and Trust Me. It's as bold and unapologetic as she is.
I can't wait to talk with Gina Gershan next. I'm
taking a Walk, Taking a Walk. Gina Gershan, Welcome to
(00:48):
the Taking a Walk Podcast. It's an honor to have
you here.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
Thank you, nice to be here.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
I love the book. It's got a great vibe to it,
Alpha Pussy. The adolescent years are, to me are a
cross between the Lord of the Flies and mean Girls,
maybe with a dash of stand by me. Is that
a fair take?
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Yeah? Yeah, I think so. Lord of the Flies. That's
pretty scary, you know, sure, why not? It's got a
little bit of everything in it. I suppose.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
It definitely does. It keeps you on your toes for sure.
The book, you pay homage to your mom, Mickey, tell
us what those last days that you spent with your
mom meant to you. They were a very emotional part
of the story.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Yeah, you know, it's funny. I wasn't really ever planning
on putting that part of the you know, it didn't
really fit what I was going through or was aiming
for thematically. And yet you know, during COVID, you know,
and then she got so and I was in Los Angeles,
(02:02):
so I actually had, you know, the last few years,
spent quite a bit of time with her, and which
really proved to be a blessing because she was you know,
she couldn't really go out, so we just kind of
hung out and talked quite a bit, and she was
quite vulnerable and not guarded, as was I, I suppose,
And you know, I just found it really interesting that
(02:26):
that whole story with the president of the Girls League,
you know, really kind of came out of nowhere, and
somehow it just really stayed with me, and then it
was really just wind it popped my head. I'm like,
oh my god, Like she was such an alpha pussy
everything she did, and I realized I started the whole
(02:49):
book with you know, being inside of her, you know,
like she didn't know she was pregnant and all that,
and I just thought, oh wow, this kind of goes
full circle. And you know, listen, it's not how to
book or an advice book, but I think the only
advice I really give, and I give it to anyone
because I've really proven it to be true, is you know,
know your parents and know what is your relationship with
(03:11):
them and what their relationship is with their parents. Because
in between all of that, you know and their shadows,
and sometimes you're caring things that you don't realize that's
not yours, that's theirs. That you have issues that you
don't know why this thing is going on, but you'll
find the answers in your parents, you know, And sometimes
that's so hard. But it was very lucky. And then
(03:34):
I realized that my healing her and her telling me
these stories, it released something in her and then it
like released it in me as well, which was really
unexpected and beautiful, and it just made its way as
I was writing it. At the end, it just started
coming out of me. Everything else with stories I was
telling and it was the kind of thing in real
(03:56):
time that was coming out. I don't know, I just
thought I'm putting it in. It didn't seem to make sense,
but then it did make sense. Do you know what
I mean. That's a very long answer.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
It makes total sense. And I'm so glad that you
went there, because life is so precious and so fast,
and then suddenly a parent reaches the end of the line. There.
I wouldn't say it's advice that you're necessarily given, but
I guess it is to know your your parents and
(04:27):
what they stand for, and maybe what their parents stood
for is such an important thing for a generation. I
think to hear you know.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
And it's not I think it's even more than what
they stood for. I think it's like interpersonal dynamics. You know,
there's that whole family structure thing. I get what they
call it. I mean, I remember when I was doing
you know, acting classes with my teacher, my best teacher,
Sondra Siekat. We didn't really do scenes. I remember there
was this there was a class called the family and
(05:00):
you literally, you know, you do your first dinner table
scene you remember, and your last and it's very interesting
you acted out and it was like all the dynamics
that you had then you still had now, you know,
and it's very subtle. Some were not so subtle. But
I learned a lot during that. I learned, you know,
(05:20):
about myself and about how I dealt with other people.
Part being to me in alpha pussy, you know, is
just knowing who you are and where you stand and
or how you feel about things. If you're uncomfortable, just
to taking your own power back and not let people
push you around or tell you what to do. You
have to kind of know yourself, you know, as an artist,
as a person. I think it's just really important to
(05:42):
figure that stuff out.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
You know, your career has been so diverse, a film, TV, Broadway,
music writing. When you look back at that young girl
starting out in Hollywood, what do you think she would
be most surprised by?
Speaker 3 (06:03):
What would I be most surprised by? I would be
surprised and kind of relieved that maybe it's because I
came from a family of a lot of musicians, or
is music all around me? And I saw how serious
everyone took it. I didn't take it lightly. So to me,
it's like what you do you really fully do and
even though I love music, at the time, I'm like, no,
(06:24):
I'm gonna be a serious actress. I need to really
just focus on that. And I think I gave up
music a little bit at an early age just because
it was also a different time. You know, now you
could do everything then you like are you acting or
are you dancing? Are you singing? You know, and I
wanted to be so serious, so I kind of gave
that up. So I think I would have been relieved
that I found my way back at times to music,
(06:47):
because you know, it's just what's more fun than music.
Maybe it's just a getting older thing. It's just like
whatever kind of floats my boat, you know, like I'm
going to paint now, I'm just going to go to
painting for a while. I'm gonna write, I'm gonna write,
you know. I think I was so rigid with what
I wanted to do that I wasn't into the flow
of things. I was just like, I'm going to be
an actress. Maybe that's what I had to do at
(07:08):
the time, and that's really all I wanted to do.
But there are a couple opportunities and moments that I
look back going like, you know, I should have been
a little bit more like, yeah, this sounds fun, but
I was very focused on that.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
But my take on it also is the you know,
the impact that your mother and your father had on
you in terms of giving you this freedom and you know,
giving you enough rope to get yourself in trouble, but
also treating you with incredible respect even when you messed up.
(07:46):
I mean, and I think that gave you greater freedom
as an artist. Don't you think I do?
Speaker 3 (07:54):
I definitely do, especially my dad, you know, I think
that there are moments where I thought, for sure would
say you are not doing that movie, mo, daughter, and
he never anything I wanted to do. They were like,
I mean, my dad more than my mom. I think
my mom worried a little bit more, but my dad
was like, if you're comfortable with it, I'm comfortable with it,
(08:14):
and if you're not, you leave or you don't do it.
And I think it it definitely helped me learn how
to make up my own decisions because he was like,
it's your body, it's your life, Like are you comfort?
Is that what you want to do? And it really
made me think like, oh, do I really want to
(08:34):
do this?
Speaker 1 (08:36):
No?
Speaker 3 (08:36):
Actually, eh, I don't really want to do this, and
I never had that moment of you know, someone asked
me once like, oh, did you were you were so
rebellious you did these sort of movies, you know, Bound
and show Girls. Was like, you know sometimes people rebel
against their parents, like I'm gonna do this really wild thing,
and like the thought never even crossed my mind, you know,
because I didn't have to rebel against anything. I think
(08:57):
they gave me a lot of freedom to make my
own decisions, which is important, especially later on. You know,
when you have agents or managers or people telling you
what you should be doing, and you know, between me
and me, I'm like, that doesn't sound right, Like that
sounds weird. So I did for better or worse, really
what I wanted to do, you know, I guess it
(09:19):
depends what your endgame is.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Bound is considered a groundbreaking film. What was it about
that script that made you say you know yes to that?
And did you have any sense at the time it
would become a cult classic?
Speaker 3 (09:36):
No, I had no idea. I mean, no one wanted
me to do that script. I had to leave my
agents Overbound because in their mind it was time to
do a big studio film and make me into a
big movie star because show Girls was coming out, and
that was like, I don't know, show Rules is going
to be what everyone thinks it's going to be. So
(09:56):
it was really important for me to do a part
that to me was really you know, it didn't have
all the glitz and the glam and you know, very
pure acting. And when I read that script, the writing
was just so great and I hadn't I'd never read
a part for a woman like that, you know, it
(10:17):
was always the hero parts were always for men. Really,
it was like the traditional guide part that I always
loved to watch, you know. But I'm like, wow, I
get to cut off my hair, cut off my nails,
like you know, just have a complete one a from
what I had just done, which was exciting to me
as an actress. And then I thought, you know, these newcomers,
these boorshowskis, I could just tell they were really good.
(10:41):
I could just sense these these bozshowskis know how to direct.
So that was very exciting to me.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
And then you mentioned Showgirls. It's an interesting trajectory for
that film in Hollywood history. You have to admit, I mean,
it was panned and then it's celebrated. What has your
relationship been with that film over the years, and can
you paint a description for us of the seven thousand
(11:11):
dollars g string.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
Yeah, you know that movie is such. That's movies to
me interesting in so many different levels. You know, the
fact that it was completely panned. People were like, this
is the worst movie ever, blah blah blah, and now
like it's I can't do an interview without people saying,
oh my god, let's talk about show Goes. I love it,
you know. So in a way it taught me to
(11:36):
not really take reviews too seriously. And you know what
was there was a movie the other day, oh when
you know, the great bud Court died, and I was
reading about Harold and Maud, one of my all time
favorite movies, and of course that got panned when it
first came out. So many great movies that we love.
Not that I'm putting Show Girls on the same level
as Harold and Maud, I definitely am not, But you know,
(11:57):
I came luckily they were for the most part kind
to me in the in the reviews. But it's still
not a good feeling that you're in this complete bomb
but you know, if you read the good ones, you
got to read the bad ones, and it all didn't
really mean anything to me. After a while, I knew
what I had done. You know, I was confident with
(12:19):
my work in it. I didn't direct it. In fact,
I thought, you know, I thought it was a much
different film when I took it. I envisioned one of
Verhoven's very dark Dutch projects that I love so much
as other films, And then it certainly wasn't that. You know,
you learn I learned a lot of good lessons on
that movie. You know, you think you're going to go
(12:40):
in to perform one way or to in a certain
projects and it's completely not that. So then guess what
you got to adjust. It's like going and it's like, oh,
you're going to go do a little acoustic number with
your little cute nylon guitar, and then you get there,
it's like, oh, it's a stadium show. Like, okay, this
isn't going to work. We've got to bring out electric guitars,
(13:01):
We've got to bring out amps, we've got to bring
out a band. Maybe, like you just have to adjust
to what's going on else and still stay true with
what you're doing within a different structure.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
What was the first time you heard a jews harp
and how awful was your first experience playing one.
Speaker 3 (13:21):
It's pretty bad, pretty bloody, as it should be. I
first heard the jews Harp on Snoopy, you know when
Charlie Brown when you saw Snoopy in a dent. I
don't think that jews harp is in that part, but
I think I also heard it. That's the first time
I saw it. But I remember clocking it. Is it
squeeze box the who you know at the beginning? Yeah,
(13:46):
It's just a sound that always kind of caught my ear. Anyway,
I saw Snoopy playing it on the TV. I was
at the store during my you know, klepto years, and
I saw the jews harp in the store with Snoopy
on it, and I'm like, oh my god, that's that
the jews harp. I think they called it the mouth
(14:07):
harp of the jaws harp. You know, I have so
many different names. Yeah, so I took it. I stole it,
you know, to give it some authenticity. Yeah, and then
I went home and I tried to play it, and
you know, honestly, there was blood everywhere because you know,
I didn't know how to do it, and your lips
get caught in it. And then Marie Gibson, who was
(14:28):
a woman who'd been living with us since I was
two years old, she said, child, give me that thing.
She was I learned how to play that on the plantation,
and she grabbed it from me and she started playing
it like nobody's business, like bow bow, and I was like,
what like, So she showed me how to play it,
and I just thought it was so cool.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
You know, I made the mistake after first hearing member
the band up on Cripple Creek. After hearing that and
loving the band, I was like, oh, that's great. I
can't play a lick of anything. Let me pick up
one of those mouth harps. So I thought I was
a big shot, picked it up and I don't think
(15:11):
my mouth ever recovered from it. Yeah, it's rough, for sure.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
Yeah, I know. People are always like, show me how
to play it. I'm like, you know what you know, sir,
I said, I'll do it with a disclaimer. You might
choop your tooth and you're definitely get bloody at the beginning.
You know, until you know how to do.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
It, we'll be right back with more of the Taking
a Walk Podcast. Welcome back to the Taking a Walk Podcast.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
You've always had this incredible rock and roll spirit. I
mean in the book, you make it sound so easy.
Being able to pull together pretty much guns and Roses,
to be able to be out with you. I mean,
it was marvelous how it came together. You love music
so deeply. How has music informed your acting and your
(16:02):
creative life overall?
Speaker 3 (16:05):
Oh that's an interesting question, you know, I think because
I got away from it for so long, and then
when I was asked to do cabaret, when Sam Mendez said,
oh you do cabaret. You know you don't have to
sing that good it's the part, you know, it's more
the And then of course, as soon as I start
singing those songs, I was like, first of all, these songs
are amazing, and secondly like, oh yeah, I love to sing.
(16:26):
I forgot that, I know how to say. I remembered
how much I loved singing in front of an audience
and performing. And from that, of course, it led to
going on tour. It led to that prey for rock
and roll, and then it went to going on tour,
and I kind of went into a whole musical realm,
which I was super into. And the thing that I
think music did when once I went back into acting
(16:50):
it it kind of loosened me up in a bit.
It felt more like, you know, not jazz, but like
improv felt. It felt more like being in the moment
and really laying off of other people as you you know,
have to do when you're playing in a band. I
think I think it gave me freedom as an actor.
I think my improvisational skills definitely got much better, for sure.
(17:13):
I mean it's all the same thing, like on different
sides of the crystal. You know, it's different versions of
expressing yourself and how do you do it? And I
feel like, you know, it's nice being in the arts whatever,
because everything can inform everything and you just don't know
how it informs it, but it does on some level.
Of course.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
You sang at the Cafe Carlisle, at the wonderful Carlisle Hotel,
one of the great places, certainly Bemmelman's Bar, one of
the great places in history. What as an artist is
that like performing in that venue?
Speaker 3 (17:55):
Wow, you know, it felt very it was really magical.
I was really honored when they asked me to do
a two week residency, and you know, i'd kind of
when i'd been there before, I saw Bobby Short, you know,
I had seen like real and I take jazz musicians
especially very seriously because that's what my uncle was, a
(18:16):
jazz m musician, so I you know, I kind of
grew up watching the greatest jazz musicians around playing, so
I really have so much respect for it. And I thought,
oh my god, what am I going to do with
the Cafe Carlisle. I better The first thing is like,
I better put a shit hot band together. You know,
I didn't care any money they gave me. I'm like, great,
I'm going to allocate it. And I got the great
you know, Steven Bernstain, who's my buddy, and i'd known.
(18:38):
I'm like, we need to you know, I asked Christian McBride.
Of course Christian can't do it, but like he's like,
go to this person, go to this person. I just
kind of went all out and I just found the
great band that I just wanted to listen to and
have respect for. And then the next step was like,
oh wait, I don't sing that way though, and Steph
kept saying yeah, you do, just do it. And the
(18:59):
guys were really great, you know, so I really kind
of did a whole weird show from gosh Ida Cox
all the way to like Chrissy Hine all the way
to like it was, you know, some of my stuff.
But I like to tell stories, so I kind of
hung it on the line of you know, wild women
(19:19):
in my life. But it was a blast. I mean,
you go downstairs and you play in that room, it's beautiful.
I mean, it's pretty cool. I'd like to do it
again actually, but yeah, it was really fun.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
And Miley Cyrus wrote a blurb for the book. Did
you happen to see Miley when she played? I think
she played at Bemelman's or maybe she played it both.
Did you happen to go?
Speaker 3 (19:43):
Oh, I've seen Miley? Though you know, I hadn't seen
I've only I worked with Miley one night at some
little movie lol, a long time ago. We just talked
that one night and we just really got along. And
then I was at the Chatau Marmont right when she
was coming out, I think with the Wrecking Ball during
that period, and so she just did a piano and
(20:03):
vocals in a very small room. And she was like,
oh my god. Oh, I said, I didn't even know
if she'd remember me, but we really had a nice
bonding moment. And then I don't know why she's such
an alpha pussy. She it embodies everything, you know, the
spirit of an alpha pussy, you know. So I just
for some reason, I just sent her a note, thinking
this is weird, and she's like, I would love to.
(20:24):
And she started reading the book and she loved it,
and I was really flattered by her blurb. I read it,
I was like, oh my god, I started crying. It
was so sweet.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
That's awesome. Yeah, I didn't want to give too much
away about a story about a guy who has a
purple limo that you encountered. Who would that be? Maybe Prince?
But have you encountered a purple limo?
Speaker 3 (20:51):
Since only purple limo I've ever been in was the
one with.
Speaker 2 (20:56):
Prince and Rick James impressions too.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
He did a couple of Rick James impressions. Not gonna lie, it's.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
Really good And how difficult is it for you to
with a straight face think of the whole Chappelle bit
that that he did with with Prince and with Eddie
Murphy's brother and everything. I'm sure you've seen that, haven't you.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
I haven't.
Speaker 2 (21:22):
Oh my god, I love it's one of the best bits.
I promise, especially with your personal experience, you will just
absolutely just think it's a riot and apparently most of
it is true.
Speaker 3 (21:36):
It's so brilliant. I love him so much. But I'll
look up. I can't believe I haven't seen it.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
Prince Rick James, Yep, it's Prince Dave Chappelle, you know,
Rick James, Charlie Murphy, Charlie.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
Okay, I'll check it out. Oh no, I mean, I'm
obsessed with Dave. I think he's incredible, but I haven't
seen absolutely everything because there's so much to see, you know.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
Yeah, there is so much. So back to music here,
thinking about the soundtrack of your of your life, are
there a couple of songs that particularly stick out to
you that are the soundtrack of your life? As you
kind of reflect on the book and your love of music.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
There certainly would not be one. I mean, for a while,
when I got into high school, my sister, you know,
she was always in the music business, and she'd be like,
you have to go see the talking Heads tonight. I'm like,
what are about talking Heads? I have a test tomorrow.
Tracy like she's like, just go to the Roxy. There's
(22:41):
a ticket, you need to go. And I'm like, okay,
of course you see David Byrne jumping all over and
I was like, oh my god. So I remember when
she told me you got to go see Elvis. I'm like, Elvis,
isn't he dead? Like Elvis? And it was Elvis Costello
of course during my aim is true, like it was
this fat you know, I was young, and I'm like,
trace is She said just go? And of course I
(23:01):
was so blown away. And to me, every album that
Elvis would do seem to have a theme song of
what I was going through at that moment. So he
was like, my guy, you know, god, I can't. I
couldn't pick just one song, to be totally honest, it's
too hard.
Speaker 2 (23:21):
Well, I knew you were going to probably mention talking
Heads because there was one point in the book where
you're like you're thinking, oh my god, just like that song,
what have I done?
Speaker 3 (23:31):
You know what, I'm hanging up on a rope. It
was like, my god, what have I done?
Speaker 2 (23:35):
Yeah, so I thought of that for sure. But also
thinking of your friendship with Dave Stewart, who's such a
brilliant artist. And I know Dave recently has done a
whole bunch of Bob Dylan covers, which I think are fantastic.
Are you a fan of Dylan?
Speaker 3 (23:55):
Of course? How are you not a fan of Dylan's
you know.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
Particular era of Dylan that you love or other than
all of it.
Speaker 3 (24:04):
You know, I have such a crazy story with Dylan.
I have a lot of crazy stories with him. I
only write about one because he's a very He's been
like a good pal of mine in the last few
years ever since. I there's that story when we went
sparring and then we became friends after that. But I'll
never forget that when I made my record, that was
(24:27):
stuck in my head after, you know, when I was
promoting Prey for Rock and Roll, I went on tour
to promote the movie, to promote the record, and of
course Sherry lovedg who the movie was based on. Three
weeks before I'm going out to promote the music with
Girls against Boys, She's like, you know, a lot of
(24:47):
these songs don't really work live, And of course they
didn't because like her whole The whole point of movie
is like she never really made it as an as
an artist. They weren't great songs. Some are very interesting,
but you know, hardly commercial songs that are going to
take off. And so I started writing songs like a maniac,
just because I'm like, oh my god, I got to
like do something that I'm gonna want to. I just
(25:09):
got the bug. So I just stuff started coming in.
And of course, when I was on tour promoting the movie,
and this like just songs started like landing in my
head that I just they needed to come out, you know,
cause they're going to drive me insane. And then I thought, well,
I'll just record a record because I have to. You know,
when they just are stuck in your head and they
(25:30):
make you insane until they get out and it's like
please leave me alone. It's like okay, I'll fine, I'll
get you know, it's like this whole weird relationship you're having.
Any So I made the record and then I went
over to Bob's just kind of randomly. He was home,
and I kept thinking, how do I shit? And I
didn't really talk to him about music, but I parted.
There were so many questions I wanted to ask him,
(25:52):
but he knew. He said, what are you doing? I said, well,
I'm trying to mix this record. I don't know how
to mix it and not really why are you making
another record? What do you mean I haven't done. I
did one for the movie, but that wasn't mine anyway.
By the time I was leaving, he asked me about
my stereo in my car, and I'm thinking, oh, my god,
is it going to ask me me to play my
(26:13):
music to him in this stupid, like crappy cassette player.
And I was like yeah, and he's like, would you
like to listen to my new album? And that album
was Modern Times, which is brilliant? Oh yeah, And it
was so just listening to it with Bob looking at
(26:33):
me listening to it. First of all, it's a brilliant album,
the tones. I love the whole quality of it. So
that has a special place in my heart because I
just remember so much of it and talking to him
about it. But I love as far as recent albums,
I really I that one will always be very special
to me.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
Oh thank you for sharing that story. My god, that's amazing.
Writing a book is such a solitaire process compared to
making a film. Is there anything that surprised you about
that experience. I mean, you had written a book before, so.
Speaker 3 (27:10):
It taught me more how to be alone. It's almost
by necessity, I find for some reason. With acting, I
could like work on something and I could be aware
and you pick up things, you know, it's just like
as you're percolating. But I could really work on it
very solidly, and then I know how to wipe my
feet at the end of the day, so to speak,
and then I can get on with my life. And
(27:31):
that I go back to it. With writing, I find
and maybe just because you know, I'm so new to it,
it just it really lingered, like it's hard. Like I
remember writing the other book and my boyfriend at the
time he's like, oh, let's we're going out to dinner.
We have to go out to dinner. And I just
was useless. Really, I shouldn't be around people when I'm
(27:52):
doing that, because I just would be there at dinner
and luckily they were all speaking in a different language
and I just kind of went but inside my head,
I just heard these characters talking like stories just kept
going and I'd.
Speaker 4 (28:04):
Be like, excuse me, i'd write something down, so I
was very I think when I'm doing that, I see
why writers are so isolated at times, because sometimes, you know,
I'm not like a writer that i'd like.
Speaker 3 (28:15):
First of all, I think I'm more of a storyteller.
And in this book, there's a couple of moments I
allowed myself to write and have a little bit more fun.
But for the most part, I really just wanted it
to stay in my voice, like I'm telling you a
story the way I would remember telling it. And you know,
I'd a lot of the times I'd have to approach
it the way I would approach a scene sometimes, or
(28:35):
sense memory stuff. I would just lay there, something would
come up and I'm like, what is that? What is
that ball I'm seeing? Like, And then all of a
sudden you're almost go into I hypnosis. But then all
of a sudden you see the whole scene. It's like,
oh my god, I remember that. Why am I thinking
about that? And you kind of keep chasing it. It's like, Oh,
(28:55):
that's what this is about. That's so interesting. Then you
try to like just write it exactly the way you
see it, you know. So I just found I guess
to answer your question. It's like it's very isolating, but
it's because you kind of have to. You just have
to kind of percolate and be in your own brain
a little bit and allow things to come up.
Speaker 2 (29:15):
Was your experience with Larry David and curb your enthusiasm?
Was that a fun experience?
Speaker 3 (29:21):
The funnest, so fun? I mean that is like the
funnest gig ever because you were just completely improvising. There's like, Okay,
you're going to come in and flirt with Larry's look, okay,
you know, and then you just go like in every scene,
it's like, oh that's great, that's great. Now you're gonna
have an argument about this, and that's it. There's one
line and then you just make it up and the
(29:42):
two of you are going out and obviously he's so
brilliant and funny and we really, I really had a
great time working with him. It was one of the
best gigs ever.
Speaker 2 (29:51):
Oh that's fantastic.
Speaker 3 (29:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (29:54):
So before we close, I have to ask you the question,
because it's called taking a walk. Is there somebody or
some group, a couple more than you're afforded, more than
one who you'd like to take a walk with living
or dead.
Speaker 3 (30:11):
I mean, there's so many people I can't even I mean,
I would like to walk alone with them each time,
you know, so I could have real conversations. I mean,
of course, i'd love to walk with my dad because
he's been gone for so many years. I'd love to
talk with him at my uncle Jack. I'd really liked
to talk to my mom, of course, you know. Weirdly enough,
(30:34):
you know who comes into my dreams a lot. I
swear to God, this is the weirdest thing. We always
have the best time. We've even written weird songs together.
I'm like, I wake up, going, wait, what is this?
Jimmy Hendrix comes into my dreams a lot. Wow, It's
so weird and we like will we like smoking a joint,
or we'll go to in and out Burger or you know,
(30:54):
like random stuff and we just like laugh. I don't
know what he means to me, you know, I really
try to think about it, but I don't know. I
really have a good time with him in my dream
so he would be really fun to take a walk with.
I'd be curious to talk to him, I would say, Jesus. Also,
if Jesus really, you know, he existed at some point
to be like, get his take on this crazy world,
(31:16):
which I'm sure he'd be like, this is bonkers. What's
going on? I didn't say any of that stuff. That
is not what I intended. Oh my god, there's the
list would go on and on and on.
Speaker 2 (31:26):
Really, I'm pretty certain you'd be fun to take a
walk with because you're an observer of everything, especially you
know with now you're in New York and one of
the most fun things in New York is to just
watch people and kind of try to think what's going
on in their head?
Speaker 3 (31:42):
Right, Yeah, I mean a living I should say a
living person, you know who I love taking walks with,
who's like become such a great guiding light and such
a beautiful person in my life as Lorie Anderson. She's
just such a great mind, and we could just like
sometimes we'll just walk and talk and talk and I
can't really remember anything we talk about, but it's just
(32:02):
very flowy and she's very insightful, and she's been very
influential to me on things. You know.
Speaker 2 (32:09):
Yeah, she's pretty brilliant, isn't she.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
She's brilliant and kind and just so generous of spirit
and like a really great example of a human being.
To me, I get very inspired by her kindness. You know,
obviously she's brilliant because her mind is just She's one
of the few people that whatever she asked me to do,
(32:32):
I would say, yes, Hey, what are you doing? Yep,
I'll do. What are we doing? We're going to see
a concert for spiders? Like, Okay, let's do it. She's
a very interesting, very curious person. She's one of the
most curious people. So I really I always like talk
taking a walk with her.
Speaker 2 (32:52):
Well, Gina, it's been an honor.
Speaker 3 (32:54):
I gave a living person.
Speaker 2 (32:55):
You dish, you gave a good look, you gave a
good list. It was awesome and Alpha Pussy is fantastic.
Congratulations on it.
Speaker 3 (33:04):
So glad you liked it. Thank you for reading it
and for.
Speaker 2 (33:06):
All of your work and the joy that you'd give us.
And thanks for being on Taking a Walk.
Speaker 3 (33:12):
Thank you, thanks for having me. It has been fun.
Speaker 2 (33:16):
I'm Buzznight and thanks for listening to the Taking a
Walk podcast. Now, please check out our companion podcasts produced
by Buzznight Media Productions with your host Lynn Hoffman. Music
Save Me, showcasing the healing power of music and comedy.
Save Me shining a light on how laughter is the
best medicine. All shows are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify,
(33:41):
and are part of the iHeart podcast network.
Taking a Walk.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
I'm Buzzsnight and welcome to the Taking a Walk Podcast.
Today I'm going to be talking with somebody who is
carved out one of the most fearless and fascinating careers
in Hollywood. She's an actress, a musician, a writer. He's
had iconic film roles in movies like Bound based off
Cocktail and Showgirls. She's appeared on Broadway. She's been in
(00:25):
rock bands. She's already written books before, but now she's
adding a new book to her resume called Alpha Pussy
and Trust Me. It's as bold and unapologetic as she is.
I can't wait to talk with Gina Gershan next. I'm
taking a Walk, Taking a Walk. Gina Gershan, Welcome to
(00:48):
the Taking a Walk Podcast. It's an honor to have
you here.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
Thank you, nice to be here.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
I love the book. It's got a great vibe to it,
Alpha Pussy. The adolescent years are, to me are a
cross between the Lord of the Flies and mean Girls,
maybe with a dash of stand by me. Is that
a fair take?
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Yeah? Yeah, I think so. Lord of the Flies. That's
pretty scary, you know, sure, why not? It's got a
little bit of everything in it. I suppose.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
It definitely does. It keeps you on your toes for sure.
The book, you pay homage to your mom, Mickey, tell
us what those last days that you spent with your
mom meant to you. They were a very emotional part
of the story.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Yeah, you know, it's funny. I wasn't really ever planning
on putting that part of the you know, it didn't
really fit what I was going through or was aiming
for thematically. And yet you know, during COVID, you know,
and then she got so and I was in Los Angeles,
(02:02):
so I actually had, you know, the last few years,
spent quite a bit of time with her, and which
really proved to be a blessing because she was you know,
she couldn't really go out, so we just kind of
hung out and talked quite a bit, and she was
quite vulnerable and not guarded, as was I, I suppose,
And you know, I just found it really interesting that
(02:26):
that whole story with the president of the Girls League,
you know, really kind of came out of nowhere, and
somehow it just really stayed with me, and then it
was really just wind it popped my head. I'm like,
oh my god, Like she was such an alpha pussy
everything she did, and I realized I started the whole
(02:49):
book with you know, being inside of her, you know,
like she didn't know she was pregnant and all that,
and I just thought, oh wow, this kind of goes
full circle. And you know, listen, it's not how to
book or an advice book, but I think the only
advice I really give, and I give it to anyone
because I've really proven it to be true, is you know,
know your parents and know what is your relationship with
(03:11):
them and what their relationship is with their parents. Because
in between all of that, you know and their shadows,
and sometimes you're caring things that you don't realize that's
not yours, that's theirs. That you have issues that you
don't know why this thing is going on, but you'll
find the answers in your parents, you know, And sometimes
that's so hard. But it was very lucky. And then
(03:34):
I realized that my healing her and her telling me
these stories, it released something in her and then it
like released it in me as well, which was really
unexpected and beautiful, and it just made its way as
I was writing it. At the end, it just started
coming out of me. Everything else with stories I was
telling and it was the kind of thing in real
(03:56):
time that was coming out. I don't know, I just
thought I'm putting it in. It didn't seem to make sense,
but then it did make sense. Do you know what
I mean. That's a very long answer.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
It makes total sense. And I'm so glad that you
went there, because life is so precious and so fast,
and then suddenly a parent reaches the end of the line. There.
I wouldn't say it's advice that you're necessarily given, but
I guess it is to know your your parents and
(04:27):
what they stand for, and maybe what their parents stood
for is such an important thing for a generation. I
think to hear you know.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
And it's not I think it's even more than what
they stood for. I think it's like interpersonal dynamics. You know,
there's that whole family structure thing. I get what they
call it. I mean, I remember when I was doing
you know, acting classes with my teacher, my best teacher,
Sondra Siekat. We didn't really do scenes. I remember there
was this there was a class called the family and
(05:00):
you literally, you know, you do your first dinner table
scene you remember, and your last and it's very interesting
you acted out and it was like all the dynamics
that you had then you still had now, you know,
and it's very subtle. Some were not so subtle. But
I learned a lot during that. I learned, you know,
(05:20):
about myself and about how I dealt with other people.
Part being to me in alpha pussy, you know, is
just knowing who you are and where you stand and
or how you feel about things. If you're uncomfortable, just
to taking your own power back and not let people
push you around or tell you what to do. You
have to kind of know yourself, you know, as an artist,
as a person. I think it's just really important to
(05:42):
figure that stuff out.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
You know, your career has been so diverse, a film, TV, Broadway,
music writing. When you look back at that young girl
starting out in Hollywood, what do you think she would
be most surprised by?
Speaker 3 (06:03):
What would I be most surprised by? I would be
surprised and kind of relieved that maybe it's because I
came from a family of a lot of musicians, or
is music all around me? And I saw how serious
everyone took it. I didn't take it lightly. So to me,
it's like what you do you really fully do and
even though I love music, at the time, I'm like, no,
(06:24):
I'm gonna be a serious actress. I need to really
just focus on that. And I think I gave up
music a little bit at an early age just because
it was also a different time. You know, now you
could do everything then you like are you acting or
are you dancing? Are you singing? You know, and I
wanted to be so serious, so I kind of gave
that up. So I think I would have been relieved
that I found my way back at times to music,
(06:47):
because you know, it's just what's more fun than music.
Maybe it's just a getting older thing. It's just like
whatever kind of floats my boat, you know, like I'm
going to paint now, I'm just going to go to
painting for a while. I'm gonna write, I'm gonna write,
you know. I think I was so rigid with what
I wanted to do that I wasn't into the flow
of things. I was just like, I'm going to be
an actress. Maybe that's what I had to do at
(07:08):
the time, and that's really all I wanted to do.
But there are a couple opportunities and moments that I
look back going like, you know, I should have been
a little bit more like, yeah, this sounds fun, but
I was very focused on that.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
But my take on it also is the you know,
the impact that your mother and your father had on
you in terms of giving you this freedom and you know,
giving you enough rope to get yourself in trouble, but
also treating you with incredible respect even when you messed up.
(07:46):
I mean, and I think that gave you greater freedom
as an artist. Don't you think I do?
Speaker 3 (07:54):
I definitely do, especially my dad, you know, I think
that there are moments where I thought, for sure would
say you are not doing that movie, mo, daughter, and
he never anything I wanted to do. They were like,
I mean, my dad more than my mom. I think
my mom worried a little bit more, but my dad
was like, if you're comfortable with it, I'm comfortable with it,
(08:14):
and if you're not, you leave or you don't do it.
And I think it it definitely helped me learn how
to make up my own decisions because he was like,
it's your body, it's your life, Like are you comfort?
Is that what you want to do? And it really
made me think like, oh, do I really want to
(08:34):
do this?
Speaker 1 (08:36):
No?
Speaker 3 (08:36):
Actually, eh, I don't really want to do this, and
I never had that moment of you know, someone asked
me once like, oh, did you were you were so
rebellious you did these sort of movies, you know, Bound
and show Girls. Was like, you know sometimes people rebel
against their parents, like I'm gonna do this really wild thing,
and like the thought never even crossed my mind, you know,
because I didn't have to rebel against anything. I think
(08:57):
they gave me a lot of freedom to make my
own decisions, which is important, especially later on. You know,
when you have agents or managers or people telling you
what you should be doing, and you know, between me
and me, I'm like, that doesn't sound right, Like that
sounds weird. So I did for better or worse, really
what I wanted to do, you know, I guess it
(09:19):
depends what your endgame is.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Bound is considered a groundbreaking film. What was it about
that script that made you say you know yes to that?
And did you have any sense at the time it
would become a cult classic?
Speaker 3 (09:36):
No, I had no idea. I mean, no one wanted
me to do that script. I had to leave my
agents Overbound because in their mind it was time to
do a big studio film and make me into a
big movie star because show Girls was coming out, and
that was like, I don't know, show Rules is going
to be what everyone thinks it's going to be. So
(09:56):
it was really important for me to do a part
that to me was really you know, it didn't have
all the glitz and the glam and you know, very
pure acting. And when I read that script, the writing
was just so great and I hadn't I'd never read
a part for a woman like that, you know, it
(10:17):
was always the hero parts were always for men. Really,
it was like the traditional guide part that I always
loved to watch, you know. But I'm like, wow, I
get to cut off my hair, cut off my nails,
like you know, just have a complete one a from
what I had just done, which was exciting to me
as an actress. And then I thought, you know, these newcomers,
these boorshowskis, I could just tell they were really good.
(10:41):
I could just sense these these bozshowskis know how to direct.
So that was very exciting to me.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
And then you mentioned Showgirls. It's an interesting trajectory for
that film in Hollywood history. You have to admit, I mean,
it was panned and then it's celebrated. What has your
relationship been with that film over the years, and can
you paint a description for us of the seven thousand
(11:11):
dollars g string.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
Yeah, you know that movie is such. That's movies to
me interesting in so many different levels. You know, the
fact that it was completely panned. People were like, this
is the worst movie ever, blah blah blah, and now
like it's I can't do an interview without people saying,
oh my god, let's talk about show Goes. I love it,
you know. So in a way it taught me to
(11:36):
not really take reviews too seriously. And you know what
was there was a movie the other day, oh when
you know, the great bud Court died, and I was
reading about Harold and Maud, one of my all time
favorite movies, and of course that got panned when it
first came out. So many great movies that we love.
Not that I'm putting Show Girls on the same level
as Harold and Maud, I definitely am not, But you know,
(11:57):
I came luckily they were for the most part kind
to me in the in the reviews. But it's still
not a good feeling that you're in this complete bomb
but you know, if you read the good ones, you
got to read the bad ones, and it all didn't
really mean anything to me. After a while, I knew
what I had done. You know, I was confident with
(12:19):
my work in it. I didn't direct it. In fact,
I thought, you know, I thought it was a much
different film when I took it. I envisioned one of
Verhoven's very dark Dutch projects that I love so much
as other films, And then it certainly wasn't that. You know,
you learn I learned a lot of good lessons on
that movie. You know, you think you're going to go
(12:40):
in to perform one way or to in a certain
projects and it's completely not that. So then guess what
you got to adjust. It's like going and it's like, oh,
you're going to go do a little acoustic number with
your little cute nylon guitar, and then you get there,
it's like, oh, it's a stadium show. Like, okay, this
isn't going to work. We've got to bring out electric guitars,
(13:01):
We've got to bring out amps, we've got to bring
out a band. Maybe, like you just have to adjust
to what's going on else and still stay true with
what you're doing within a different structure.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
What was the first time you heard a jews harp
and how awful was your first experience playing one.
Speaker 3 (13:21):
It's pretty bad, pretty bloody, as it should be. I
first heard the jews Harp on Snoopy, you know when
Charlie Brown when you saw Snoopy in a dent. I
don't think that jews harp is in that part, but
I think I also heard it. That's the first time
I saw it. But I remember clocking it. Is it
squeeze box the who you know at the beginning? Yeah,
(13:46):
It's just a sound that always kind of caught my ear. Anyway,
I saw Snoopy playing it on the TV. I was
at the store during my you know, klepto years, and
I saw the jews harp in the store with Snoopy
on it, and I'm like, oh my god, that's that
the jews harp. I think they called it the mouth
(14:07):
harp of the jaws harp. You know, I have so
many different names. Yeah, so I took it. I stole it,
you know, to give it some authenticity. Yeah, and then
I went home and I tried to play it, and
you know, honestly, there was blood everywhere because you know,
I didn't know how to do it, and your lips
get caught in it. And then Marie Gibson, who was
(14:28):
a woman who'd been living with us since I was
two years old, she said, child, give me that thing.
She was I learned how to play that on the plantation,
and she grabbed it from me and she started playing
it like nobody's business, like bow bow, and I was like,
what like, So she showed me how to play it,
and I just thought it was so cool.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
You know, I made the mistake after first hearing member
the band up on Cripple Creek. After hearing that and
loving the band, I was like, oh, that's great. I
can't play a lick of anything. Let me pick up
one of those mouth harps. So I thought I was
a big shot, picked it up and I don't think
(15:11):
my mouth ever recovered from it. Yeah, it's rough, for sure.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
Yeah, I know. People are always like, show me how
to play it. I'm like, you know what you know, sir,
I said, I'll do it with a disclaimer. You might
choop your tooth and you're definitely get bloody at the beginning.
You know, until you know how to do.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
It, we'll be right back with more of the Taking
a Walk Podcast. Welcome back to the Taking a Walk Podcast.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
You've always had this incredible rock and roll spirit. I
mean in the book, you make it sound so easy.
Being able to pull together pretty much guns and Roses,
to be able to be out with you. I mean,
it was marvelous how it came together. You love music
so deeply. How has music informed your acting and your
(16:02):
creative life overall?
Speaker 3 (16:05):
Oh that's an interesting question, you know, I think because
I got away from it for so long, and then
when I was asked to do cabaret, when Sam Mendez said,
oh you do cabaret. You know you don't have to
sing that good it's the part, you know, it's more
the And then of course, as soon as I start
singing those songs, I was like, first of all, these songs
are amazing, and secondly like, oh yeah, I love to sing.
(16:26):
I forgot that, I know how to say. I remembered
how much I loved singing in front of an audience
and performing. And from that, of course, it led to
going on tour. It led to that prey for rock
and roll, and then it went to going on tour,
and I kind of went into a whole musical realm,
which I was super into. And the thing that I
think music did when once I went back into acting
(16:50):
it it kind of loosened me up in a bit.
It felt more like, you know, not jazz, but like
improv felt. It felt more like being in the moment
and really laying off of other people as you you know,
have to do when you're playing in a band. I
think I think it gave me freedom as an actor.
I think my improvisational skills definitely got much better, for sure.
(17:13):
I mean it's all the same thing, like on different
sides of the crystal. You know, it's different versions of
expressing yourself and how do you do it? And I
feel like, you know, it's nice being in the arts whatever,
because everything can inform everything and you just don't know
how it informs it, but it does on some level.
Of course.
Speaker 2 (17:33):
You sang at the Cafe Carlisle, at the wonderful Carlisle Hotel,
one of the great places, certainly Bemmelman's Bar, one of
the great places in history. What as an artist is
that like performing in that venue?
Speaker 3 (17:55):
Wow, you know, it felt very it was really magical.
I was really honored when they asked me to do
a two week residency, and you know, i'd kind of
when i'd been there before, I saw Bobby Short, you know,
I had seen like real and I take jazz musicians
especially very seriously because that's what my uncle was, a
(18:16):
jazz m musician, so I you know, I kind of
grew up watching the greatest jazz musicians around playing, so
I really have so much respect for it. And I thought,
oh my god, what am I going to do with
the Cafe Carlisle. I better The first thing is like,
I better put a shit hot band together. You know,
I didn't care any money they gave me. I'm like, great,
I'm going to allocate it. And I got the great
you know, Steven Bernstain, who's my buddy, and i'd known.
(18:38):
I'm like, we need to you know, I asked Christian McBride.
Of course Christian can't do it, but like he's like,
go to this person, go to this person. I just
kind of went all out and I just found the
great band that I just wanted to listen to and
have respect for. And then the next step was like,
oh wait, I don't sing that way though, and Steph
kept saying yeah, you do, just do it. And the
(18:59):
guys were really great, you know, so I really kind
of did a whole weird show from gosh Ida Cox
all the way to like Chrissy Hine all the way
to like it was, you know, some of my stuff.
But I like to tell stories, so I kind of
hung it on the line of you know, wild women
(19:19):
in my life. But it was a blast. I mean,
you go downstairs and you play in that room, it's beautiful.
I mean, it's pretty cool. I'd like to do it
again actually, but yeah, it was really fun.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
And Miley Cyrus wrote a blurb for the book. Did
you happen to see Miley when she played? I think
she played at Bemelman's or maybe she played it both.
Did you happen to go?
Speaker 3 (19:43):
Oh, I've seen Miley? Though you know, I hadn't seen
I've only I worked with Miley one night at some
little movie lol, a long time ago. We just talked
that one night and we just really got along. And
then I was at the Chatau Marmont right when she
was coming out, I think with the Wrecking Ball during
that period, and so she just did a piano and
(20:03):
vocals in a very small room. And she was like,
oh my god. Oh, I said, I didn't even know
if she'd remember me, but we really had a nice
bonding moment. And then I don't know why she's such
an alpha pussy. She it embodies everything, you know, the
spirit of an alpha pussy, you know. So I just
for some reason, I just sent her a note, thinking
this is weird, and she's like, I would love to.
(20:24):
And she started reading the book and she loved it,
and I was really flattered by her blurb. I read it,
I was like, oh my god, I started crying. It
was so sweet.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
That's awesome. Yeah, I didn't want to give too much
away about a story about a guy who has a
purple limo that you encountered. Who would that be? Maybe Prince?
But have you encountered a purple limo?
Speaker 3 (20:51):
Since only purple limo I've ever been in was the
one with.
Speaker 2 (20:56):
Prince and Rick James impressions too.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
He did a couple of Rick James impressions. Not gonna lie, it's.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
Really good And how difficult is it for you to
with a straight face think of the whole Chappelle bit
that that he did with with Prince and with Eddie
Murphy's brother and everything. I'm sure you've seen that, haven't you.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
I haven't.
Speaker 2 (21:22):
Oh my god, I love it's one of the best bits.
I promise, especially with your personal experience, you will just
absolutely just think it's a riot and apparently most of
it is true.
Speaker 3 (21:36):
It's so brilliant. I love him so much. But I'll
look up. I can't believe I haven't seen it.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
Prince Rick James, Yep, it's Prince Dave Chappelle, you know,
Rick James, Charlie Murphy, Charlie.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
Okay, I'll check it out. Oh no, I mean, I'm
obsessed with Dave. I think he's incredible, but I haven't
seen absolutely everything because there's so much to see, you know.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
Yeah, there is so much. So back to music here,
thinking about the soundtrack of your of your life, are
there a couple of songs that particularly stick out to
you that are the soundtrack of your life? As you
kind of reflect on the book and your love of music.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
There certainly would not be one. I mean, for a while,
when I got into high school, my sister, you know,
she was always in the music business, and she'd be like,
you have to go see the talking Heads tonight. I'm like,
what are about talking Heads? I have a test tomorrow.
Tracy like she's like, just go to the Roxy. There's
(22:41):
a ticket, you need to go. And I'm like, okay,
of course you see David Byrne jumping all over and
I was like, oh my god. So I remember when
she told me you got to go see Elvis. I'm like, Elvis,
isn't he dead? Like Elvis? And it was Elvis Costello
of course during my aim is true, like it was
this fat you know, I was young, and I'm like,
trace is She said just go? And of course I
(23:01):
was so blown away. And to me, every album that
Elvis would do seem to have a theme song of
what I was going through at that moment. So he
was like, my guy, you know, god, I can't. I
couldn't pick just one song, to be totally honest, it's
too hard.
Speaker 2 (23:21):
Well, I knew you were going to probably mention talking
Heads because there was one point in the book where
you're like you're thinking, oh my god, just like that song,
what have I done?
Speaker 3 (23:31):
You know what, I'm hanging up on a rope. It
was like, my god, what have I done?
Speaker 2 (23:35):
Yeah, so I thought of that for sure. But also
thinking of your friendship with Dave Stewart, who's such a
brilliant artist. And I know Dave recently has done a
whole bunch of Bob Dylan covers, which I think are fantastic.
Are you a fan of Dylan?
Speaker 3 (23:55):
Of course? How are you not a fan of Dylan's
you know.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
Particular era of Dylan that you love or other than
all of it.
Speaker 3 (24:04):
You know, I have such a crazy story with Dylan.
I have a lot of crazy stories with him. I
only write about one because he's a very He's been
like a good pal of mine in the last few
years ever since. I there's that story when we went
sparring and then we became friends after that. But I'll
never forget that when I made my record, that was
(24:27):
stuck in my head after, you know, when I was
promoting Prey for Rock and Roll, I went on tour
to promote the movie, to promote the record, and of
course Sherry lovedg who the movie was based on. Three
weeks before I'm going out to promote the music with
Girls against Boys, She's like, you know, a lot of
(24:47):
these songs don't really work live, And of course they
didn't because like her whole The whole point of movie
is like she never really made it as an as
an artist. They weren't great songs. Some are very interesting,
but you know, hardly commercial songs that are going to
take off. And so I started writing songs like a maniac,
just because I'm like, oh my god, I got to
like do something that I'm gonna want to. I just
(25:09):
got the bug. So I just stuff started coming in.
And of course, when I was on tour promoting the movie,
and this like just songs started like landing in my
head that I just they needed to come out, you know,
cause they're going to drive me insane. And then I thought, well,
I'll just record a record because I have to. You know,
when they just are stuck in your head and they
(25:30):
make you insane until they get out and it's like
please leave me alone. It's like okay, I'll fine, I'll
get you know, it's like this whole weird relationship you're having.
Any So I made the record and then I went
over to Bob's just kind of randomly. He was home,
and I kept thinking, how do I shit? And I
didn't really talk to him about music, but I parted.
There were so many questions I wanted to ask him,
(25:52):
but he knew. He said, what are you doing? I said, well,
I'm trying to mix this record. I don't know how
to mix it and not really why are you making
another record? What do you mean I haven't done. I
did one for the movie, but that wasn't mine anyway.
By the time I was leaving, he asked me about
my stereo in my car, and I'm thinking, oh, my god,
is it going to ask me me to play my
(26:13):
music to him in this stupid, like crappy cassette player.
And I was like yeah, and he's like, would you
like to listen to my new album? And that album
was Modern Times, which is brilliant? Oh yeah, And it
was so just listening to it with Bob looking at
(26:33):
me listening to it. First of all, it's a brilliant album,
the tones. I love the whole quality of it. So
that has a special place in my heart because I
just remember so much of it and talking to him
about it. But I love as far as recent albums,
I really I that one will always be very special
to me.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
Oh thank you for sharing that story. My god, that's amazing.
Writing a book is such a solitaire process compared to
making a film. Is there anything that surprised you about
that experience. I mean, you had written a book before, so.
Speaker 3 (27:10):
It taught me more how to be alone. It's almost
by necessity, I find for some reason. With acting, I
could like work on something and I could be aware
and you pick up things, you know, it's just like
as you're percolating. But I could really work on it
very solidly, and then I know how to wipe my
feet at the end of the day, so to speak,
and then I can get on with my life. And
(27:31):
that I go back to it. With writing, I find
and maybe just because you know, I'm so new to it,
it just it really lingered, like it's hard. Like I
remember writing the other book and my boyfriend at the
time he's like, oh, let's we're going out to dinner.
We have to go out to dinner. And I just
was useless. Really, I shouldn't be around people when I'm
(27:52):
doing that, because I just would be there at dinner
and luckily they were all speaking in a different language
and I just kind of went but inside my head,
I just heard these characters talking like stories just kept
going and I'd.
Speaker 4 (28:04):
Be like, excuse me, i'd write something down, so I
was very I think when I'm doing that, I see
why writers are so isolated at times, because sometimes, you know,
I'm not like a writer that i'd like.
Speaker 3 (28:15):
First of all, I think I'm more of a storyteller.
And in this book, there's a couple of moments I
allowed myself to write and have a little bit more fun.
But for the most part, I really just wanted it
to stay in my voice, like I'm telling you a
story the way I would remember telling it. And you know,
I'd a lot of the times I'd have to approach
it the way I would approach a scene sometimes, or
(28:35):
sense memory stuff. I would just lay there, something would
come up and I'm like, what is that? What is
that ball I'm seeing? Like, And then all of a
sudden you're almost go into I hypnosis. But then all
of a sudden you see the whole scene. It's like,
oh my god, I remember that. Why am I thinking
about that? And you kind of keep chasing it. It's like, Oh,
(28:55):
that's what this is about. That's so interesting. Then you
try to like just write it exactly the way you
see it, you know. So I just found I guess
to answer your question. It's like it's very isolating, but
it's because you kind of have to. You just have
to kind of percolate and be in your own brain
a little bit and allow things to come up.
Speaker 2 (29:15):
Was your experience with Larry David and curb your enthusiasm?
Was that a fun experience?
Speaker 3 (29:21):
The funnest, so fun? I mean that is like the
funnest gig ever because you were just completely improvising. There's like, Okay,
you're going to come in and flirt with Larry's look, okay,
you know, and then you just go like in every scene,
it's like, oh that's great, that's great. Now you're gonna
have an argument about this, and that's it. There's one
line and then you just make it up and the
(29:42):
two of you are going out and obviously he's so
brilliant and funny and we really, I really had a
great time working with him. It was one of the
best gigs ever.
Speaker 2 (29:51):
Oh that's fantastic.
Speaker 3 (29:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (29:54):
So before we close, I have to ask you the question,
because it's called taking a walk. Is there somebody or
some group, a couple more than you're afforded, more than
one who you'd like to take a walk with living
or dead.
Speaker 3 (30:11):
I mean, there's so many people I can't even I mean,
I would like to walk alone with them each time,
you know, so I could have real conversations. I mean,
of course, i'd love to walk with my dad because
he's been gone for so many years. I'd love to
talk with him at my uncle Jack. I'd really liked
to talk to my mom, of course, you know. Weirdly enough,
(30:34):
you know who comes into my dreams a lot. I
swear to God, this is the weirdest thing. We always
have the best time. We've even written weird songs together.
I'm like, I wake up, going, wait, what is this?
Jimmy Hendrix comes into my dreams a lot. Wow, It's
so weird and we like will we like smoking a joint,
or we'll go to in and out Burger or you know,
(30:54):
like random stuff and we just like laugh. I don't
know what he means to me, you know, I really
try to think about it, but I don't know. I
really have a good time with him in my dream
so he would be really fun to take a walk with.
I'd be curious to talk to him, I would say, Jesus. Also,
if Jesus really, you know, he existed at some point
to be like, get his take on this crazy world,
(31:16):
which I'm sure he'd be like, this is bonkers. What's
going on? I didn't say any of that stuff. That
is not what I intended. Oh my god, there's the
list would go on and on and on.
Speaker 2 (31:26):
Really, I'm pretty certain you'd be fun to take a
walk with because you're an observer of everything, especially you
know with now you're in New York and one of
the most fun things in New York is to just
watch people and kind of try to think what's going
on in their head?
Speaker 3 (31:42):
Right, Yeah, I mean a living I should say a
living person, you know who I love taking walks with,
who's like become such a great guiding light and such
a beautiful person in my life as Lorie Anderson. She's
just such a great mind, and we could just like
sometimes we'll just walk and talk and talk and I
can't really remember anything we talk about, but it's just
(32:02):
very flowy and she's very insightful, and she's been very
influential to me on things. You know.
Speaker 2 (32:09):
Yeah, she's pretty brilliant, isn't she.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
She's brilliant and kind and just so generous of spirit
and like a really great example of a human being.
To me, I get very inspired by her kindness. You know,
obviously she's brilliant because her mind is just She's one
of the few people that whatever she asked me to do,
(32:32):
I would say, yes, Hey, what are you doing? Yep,
I'll do. What are we doing? We're going to see
a concert for spiders? Like, Okay, let's do it. She's
a very interesting, very curious person. She's one of the
most curious people. So I really I always like talk
taking a walk with her.
Speaker 2 (32:52):
Well, Gina, it's been an honor.
Speaker 3 (32:54):
I gave a living person.
Speaker 2 (32:55):
You dish, you gave a good look, you gave a
good list. It was awesome and Alpha Pussy is fantastic.
Congratulations on it.
Speaker 3 (33:04):
So glad you liked it. Thank you for reading it
and for.
Speaker 2 (33:06):
All of your work and the joy that you'd give us.
And thanks for being on Taking a Walk.
Speaker 3 (33:12):
Thank you, thanks for having me. It has been fun.
Speaker 2 (33:16):
I'm Buzznight and thanks for listening to the Taking a
Walk podcast. Now, please check out our companion podcasts produced
by Buzznight Media Productions with your host Lynn Hoffman. Music
Save Me, showcasing the healing power of music and comedy.
Save Me shining a light on how laughter is the
best medicine. All shows are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify,
(33:41):
and are part of the iHeart podcast network.
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