October 20, 2020 • 33 mins
Macy Gray is a Grammy winner, and actress, and the artist behind one of the most ICONIC songs of all time. Wells gets to know the REAL Macy Gray and finds out what happened before she released “I TRY”. Her musical journey actually started in film school!
And we hear about the amazing work she’s doing with her charity!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Oh check cut. How does that sound good enough for
what they're paying me? Roll it? This is a Wells
cast with Wells Atoms and I Heart Radio podcast. What's
(00:24):
going on? What's happening in your neck of the woods? Me? Yeah,
well nothing really nothing. Write home about drinking myself a
blue moon. Uh, not because I want a blue moon,
but because I'm sitting in a hotel room for work.
(00:46):
This is what production sent me. And it's disgusting, right
and last Blue Moon is now sponsoring this show. And
then it is delicious blue Moon Belgium white. It tastes
just like something that my mom would probably like. M
all right, it's not that bad. You know, I need
an orange slice. What happened? I recently voted, which I
(01:07):
think everyone should go do. But if you don't go
do that, then whatever, you're an idiot, I suppose or
not I don't know, or you're not of age, or
you don't care, or you're disenfranchised with the political system
in our country. But you know what, it's like the
one thing that we've got that you're supposed to go
do and whatever. And so I made a video of
my happy ass walking down the street with my ballot
(01:29):
and I put it in the ballot monster I don't
know what it's called the receptacle, and then I made
if they didn't not posted it, and then of course
someone immediately d m me, being like, why are you
trying to tell me a want to vote? If they
don't want to vote, that's their problem, all right, we
don't need you a deal in celebrity telling us aboute
(01:52):
And it's like, wait, what You also don't need me
telling you how to make poached eggs? But I still
do that on my Instagram and love that makes you
all hot and bothered in the Crotchell region. What's the difference.
This is just me. This is the thing that I'm
currently doing today. I'm voting. I don't care if you
do it, but it's what I'm doing. And that's what
(02:12):
I guess what touch means about, right, It's a telescope
into my little world and people follow it because they're
interested in it. And the fact that someone what that
is is don't vote the way that I think you're voting.
Don't tell people to vote the way that I think
you're voting, because it's against what I'm voting. And that's
so dumb, because in the day, there's only two choices. Well, yeah,
(02:34):
but we have all these choices. We don't we have
two choices. We have one more choice than people who
are in a kingdom. We have one more option than
England in two years ago. I don't know it's good
(02:55):
to vote, go vote. I think I just get so
riled up when people do that in your d m
s and you're like, what, who hurt you? Why are
you doing this so much so that you watched my video?
You got fired up that I made a video of
me voting. I didn't tell you who to vote for,
by the way, you got so fired up hot under
(03:16):
the collar of me just videoing myself putting an envelope
into the mailbox. And then you thought, you know what
I'm gonna do. I'm gonna message him and I'm really
gonna put him in his place. I'm really gonna get
under his collar. And you know what, it actually worked.
I'm doing like seven minute bit on it. But just
remember you've got one more option than people who live
(03:39):
in the monarchy. Anyways, Uh, super pumped about today's show.
And I'll tell you why. Sister Anne a little song
called I try that show trying to walk in its
(04:13):
kind of you know it, you love it. I butchered it.
It's fine, That's what happens when you drink blue Moon.
Belgian white. Sponsor the show, not a sponsor the show. Well,
eventually we'll be okay. We had a Grammy winner on Today, guys,
someone who won a Grammophone. Those are hard to come by,
(04:33):
not easy. She sold over twenty five million albums globally.
That seems like a lot of albums. She got two
brit Awards. I thought you had to be British to
win those. Maybe she is British. I don't know. I
don't think she is though, Or maybe she's the first
American to do it, which is britted neat. Yeah, she's
won two brit Awards and a Grammy. But she's also
(04:53):
an actress. She started Tyler Perry's for Colored Girls. She
was on Netflix's hit Fuller househ She worked alongside Denzel Washington.
You might have heard of him in a little movie
called Training Day. But here's the great thing about our
guests today. She's committed to using her platform as an
artist for those who are unheard, and has taken a
(05:14):
stand for mental health through founding a nonprofit organization called
My God. She's a busy woman this week. She's got
something coming up on Friday and then something coming up
on Saturday, and it's all for good. Do you know
what I've got coming up on Friday and Saturday this week?
I think I'm just getting drunk. I think that's as
far as I've thought it through. So she's much better
than me. So coming up in the Wells Cast, we
have the one, the only, Macy Gray. That's right. If
(05:38):
you guys don't listen to this podcast, it's fine, but
my walls will crumble that you're not here. Okay, Yeah,
I went there and I liked it. Actually, Macy Gray,
(06:01):
Welcome to the Wells Cast. Big fan of yours. It's
so cool to actually like zoom with you in person.
This is super crazy. How are you? I'm all right?
How are you? I'm doing good? Yeah. So I was
looking at your week and I was comparing it with
mine and like, so like for like Friday and Saturday.
Like my big thought was, like I was just gonna
(06:23):
like Netflix and get wasted. For you. You have a
lot going on, So tell everyone, first of all, what's
going on on Friday? And then let's just then we'll
go twenty four hours in advance, and what the hell
is happening on Saturday? Okay, have a charity. It's called
my Good dot Org. We support the families who lost
loved ones to the police vans. We're partnered with another
(06:44):
foundation called Truth Injustice and they do the social justice
and they fight for justice changing laws. We're having this
kind of weekend also ourselves, the Truth Helping Justice EVENTAG
Saturday night and then Saturday night is like a big
after party. We're gonna play bingo, We're gonna drink. It's
live performances. We have a really cool comedian coming on.
(07:08):
They were all supposed to be surprises. I can't tell you,
but you can't miss it. It's gonna be so much fun.
But so can people go to this or is this
like a virtual situation? Yeah, we all meet at the
airport and we got not just kidding not it's on
It's on virtual. It's on Zoom of course. Unfortunately, this
will be a really fun party in person, but it's
(07:28):
gonna be super cool on Zoom. It will be my
first Zoom party, but I know it was gonna have fun.
Though it's an amazing idea and it's a really really
important thing to be raising money for, especially right now
or at any time for that matter. So more information
over at my good dot org of the events simulcast
on Facebook and on Instagram starting at seven on Friday,
(07:49):
and then on Saturday, you're doing the after party, which
is It's Halloween Bingo Bash. So are you calling bingo
on Saturday? Yeah? Yeah or don ingo. And the prizes
are the coolest thing in the world. We got like
the best pizza shop in Chicago is going to ship
you a pizza. I mean, you can't beat that, right.
(08:11):
Are you performing at these I am. I'm gonna do
a performance, and we have we have another performance that
I'm not supposed to talk about, which is really drug
because I'm really excited about everybody that's showing up. Okay,
So a lot of famous, amazing people are going to
be at this thing, which means everyone out there needs
to be at this thing. And of course it's for
uh an amazing cause. Again, more information at my good
(08:34):
dot org to r SUP for the Macy Gray's Halloween
Bingo Bash oct And then one, of course, is the Truth,
Hope and Justice Initiative hashtag Rise Up and Stand. When
did you start My Good the Light just a few
months ago? Is this the first fundraiser that you've done
for the since the launch of the charity. Yeah, this
(08:57):
is our first fundraiser. Some kind of nerve. It's it's
going well. People are founding and they understand the need
for it. I wanted to make a fun because I've
been to tons of fundraisers. As much as you want
to help them do good, you know, a lot of
them are you know, tasking on your attention span, listen
to long speeches, and it's important. But this is all
(09:17):
just We're just gonna drink and play bingo and have
some fun, you know what I mean, and raise money
and help it sounds awesome. I mean, so, I don't know.
You wouldn't know this, but I used to have to
host a bingo night. Uh, back in my early radio days.
I didn't know that. I know. I still have all
the old jokes, don't worry jokes. Oh yeah, whenever, okay,
(09:40):
So I'll give you a couple whenever B eight comes up.
You know, you can definitely throw in a masterbait joke.
That's an easy one. Whenever you get B nine. You
can say, hey, listen, guys, I had a mole on
my neck. I was really scared, went to the doctor.
But don't worry. It came back B nine and that
one that one kills. Uh. I mean I got I
got a million of them. Don't worry. But I will
(10:02):
tell you this that we used to have to do
this a lot. And it's a really smart thing because
bingo one. It's fun because you think you're winning stuff
like apparently like like pizza's flown in from Chicago, but
you get drunk, and then what happens when you get drunk,
People's wallets open up and then they give money to charity.
And that's what some point, that's what we're doing. See
you you you found this out. That's the whole point.
(10:25):
I wish I knew you did bingo. I wouldn't call
it you would have been permanent. Yeah, yeah, next year
I'll be there next year for sure. All the information again,
is that my good dot org. And I assume a
lot of stuff is that is on your socials as well? Right, yes,
our socials are Instagram. Is my good dot org spelled
out so M Y G O D D O T
(10:48):
G and then we're on Facebook under my good dot org.
We're just getting started, though. Anybody who wants to get
involved and just wants to help out can also go
to the side and leave us here your email and
will eat you up. You can't make it to the party,
you can always still make at my good dot org
once again. Yeah, you don't even have to go and
play Bengo. You can just give Macie your money and
(11:09):
that works too, So everyone go do that. Yeah, there's
a lot of reform laws on everybody's ballot. There's a
lot of states you're still going back and forth over
the chokehold laws and things like that. Doesn't matter, you know,
and and the reality is that could happen to you.
You know, you could run into the wrong cup on
on the wrong day, no matter what you look like.
So it's important to participate in the decisions that your
(11:32):
your state, and your cities make for sure. Yeah, well
I love this again. All the information over at my
good dot org. Um, is there anything else that you
want to talk about in terms of this before we
get into kind of the meat of this show. Just
come just bingo alcohol free pizza. What's better than that? Yeah?
(11:53):
My good dot org again is where you go online. Quick, great,
we come back. We're gonna get into the meat of
this show, which is where the hell did Macy Gray
come from? Stick around, you're listening to the Wales Cast. Alright,
(12:18):
back on the Wales Cast. I have Macy Gray on
this show. Very excited. Coming up on Friday, Macy will
participate in the Truth, Hope and Justice initiative hashtag Rise
Up and Stand attribute to our mother's The event will
be simulcast on Facebook and on Instagram seven pm Central
and then, of course, there is going to be a
kind of an after party the next day on Saturday, October,
(12:40):
the inaugural Halloween Bingo Bash fundraiser, and they'll be raising
funds for my Good dot org, the nonprofit organization dedicated
to support the families of victims of police brutality as
they faced many unfortunate challenges after the death of a
loved one. Again, it's gonna be on Friday, and said
today October, my Good dot Org is where you gotta
(13:04):
go again. I just applaud you for I don't know,
walking the walk, I guess and talking to talk. A
lot of people say they believe in a lot of
things and want to do good, but they don't have
ever actually kind of put things in motion. And I
applaud you for for not only like believing in this,
but then also getting behind it and doing this. So
this is amazing, Macy. The idea of this show is
(13:24):
origin Stories, and it's how the hell people that are
extremely successful and talented got to where they are now.
How did you get to sell over twenty four million albums?
How did you get the blue check mark? How did
you get to this point where you can throw a
bingo bash and raise a bunch of money for an
amazing charity. It's a cool way for people to see
how hard work, dedication, and talent intersect into success. So
(13:48):
I wanted to find out how the hell you got here?
Where did you come from? Macy? And I'm from Canton, Ohio,
which is about an hour south of Clever. It's a
small city, about a hundred thousand people. My I as
a teacher, and my dad worked there still factory and
had a bottom shop. And then when I was fourteen,
I went to board in school. When I was seventeen,
(14:09):
I got accepted the USC and I came out to
l A. I went to actually the film school. But
I discovered there. I wasn't got interested in film. I
got in because I'm good with the pain I could write.
I could always put stories together, and I got into
the screenwriting program. But while I was there, all I
did was hang out with the music majors and and
I joined the band, started messing around, you know. I
(14:31):
played all the clubs on the strip, the Whiskey, the Rock.
See this is way back in the day, you know.
But the bad slots, like the five o'clock slots, like
the parts where no one was there, not even the
people that worked. They were there, yet it would be
on stage, you know. One day during a very it
was like a six o'clock slot. It was still day out.
(14:53):
Nobody was there except from my GUTA player's girlfriend and
the two other people. And then in walks a guy
by the name of Tom Caroline, who was head of
A and I Atlantic Records at the time, and he
was actually there. I don't know if he's hanging out
or he came to see someone else, but he called
my show. He pulled me aside after the show and
(15:13):
asked me if I was doing showcase for Atlantic Records.
And then I did the Showcase and I got my
first record deal, and then I got pregnant and then
they dropped me. I mean, you can't say that's why
you're dropping someone, but that's why I got dropped because
my album never came out. And then like three years
later I signed to Epic Records and and they put
out my first album, which is on how Like This.
(15:34):
That was the beginning enough of my career. So did
they effectively shelve your record? We did this record, it
was and I got pregnant and I was I was actually,
you know, Karmen is real because I was actually trying
to keep it from him when he showed about the
studio one day and I'm, you know, this big watermelon
on my belly and then you know, they acteel like
(15:54):
it was all cool. But then a few months later
they were like, we decided want to want to put
your regularut and so it never it never came out,
but it's a good record. I still have their record. Yeah, yes,
are you able to release it or does Atlantic still
own the rights to it? And then you just can't
do anything. No. Actually, Epic bought it, so when when
I got signed to Epic, they bought it. From Atlantic,
(16:16):
so that Atlantic wouldn't put it out. This is what
goes on behind the scenes. Potentially nobody can put it out. Yeah, well,
because I lived in Nashville for a long time and
I worked in radio, but a lot of my friends
were musicians and songwriters. That story isn't unique. That happens
all the time, where someone will make this amazing record
and then they just shelve it and then nothing ever happens.
(16:37):
It's a still born album and someone put their heart
and soul and their blood and guts into it and
nothing happens. It's the weirdest thing that happens in the
music industry. But it's Sponkors that it happens. I read
a story that you were doing the music thing. You
got signed, then you got pregnant. They effectively dropped you.
(16:58):
You were almost I'm gonna go back home. I'm gonna
stop doing this. Is that true? I did go back home.
I was living with my mom when I got time
tell me, but I had to go back to my mom's.
So how did you get signed again? Then it was
a weird thing. I was home. I had actually since
my first record, I had actually gotten married and had
(17:18):
two other kids. I had three kids in four years.
I had three kids when I got back on Epic,
but I was at home at my mom's house. I
had just sput up with my ex husband. This A
and R guy from a publishing company and they're now
Universal Publishing. He somehow got my cape, like he had,
you know, because they all have these assistance or like interns,
(17:41):
and all they do is, well, nowadays you go on
on SoundCloud and you're go on Spotify and you're just
looking for musical Back then, this is how old I am.
They were like listening to cassettes, you know, and so
they have these big boxes of cassettes and they get
this poor kids out of college and they don't pay
him to like go through these cassettes and see if
you find something. And so there's somebody found my tape
(18:04):
from like way back in the day. And he added
to this day, I have no idea how he got
my mother's number, and he called my house. It was
very determined, and he called my house and I got
signed to the publishing deal and then then I got
my record deal. It was pretty from God. That's that
was proof that there's a God, because none of it
made sense I was gonna go back to school and
be a teacher like my mom. You were in Ohio
(18:25):
when you went to live with your mom, Yeah, I was.
I wasn't Ohio with my mom yet my dad. You
got three kids. You get this call from this AY
and R guy. What happens next? You go back to
Los Angeles? Yeah, they flew me out to l A
to meet with Well, first he flew me in New
York to meet with the publishing company, and then they
flew me to l A to meet with all these labels. Yeah,
(18:46):
and I signed the epic. It was pretty crazy, but
I had no idea what was going on because I
was so used to failure. I was just playing like
they were like, we're gonna give you, you know. I
think it was thirty five thousand dollars, and you know,
when when you're living with your mom, you know, twenty
years ago, that was a ton of money. So I
was just like, sure, yes, I'll do whatever. And then
(19:06):
all of a sudden, I had this huge record. But
I was generally just going along with everything. You know,
I wasn't expecting any of what happened. What are your
parents thinking at this time? Are they like I don't know.
My parents were were so over it too, because you know,
when you have a kid that's chasing some kind of
weird dream, you kind of you go through it with them,
(19:29):
you know, And it was so funny. I got booked
and uh to do My first big show in the
stage was in Philly. There wasn't a big show by
you know, Beyonce standards, but for me, it was big shows,
like a thousand people. So my brother drove my mom
up to Philly and there's this huge line outside of
(19:50):
my venue that I was performing at. But there's a
Starbucks next door. So my mother is going on and
on to my brother about how big Starbucks is getting
because she thinks, gonna lie, it's Starbucks. No confidence in
me at this point, so she's going on, but oh
my god, look at this line and Starbucks. So she
didn't get that that was a line for me. So
she got inside and that was the first time she
(20:12):
really understood, you know, that things are getting better. So
that was that's my little mom's story. She still doesn't
think I'd do anything. It hasn't changed. She goes, oh, please,
you get up and sing for people. You know, she
doesn't get it. It's fine. Your mom and my mom
need to go hang out and try to figure out
(20:34):
what the hell it is we do. I feel like
the big breakout record was on how Life Is? Is
that right? Or was there a bigger one before that?
That was my debut album. I think it's sold a
nine million records worldwide. Well, that was the first one
that was allowed to be released by the record label.
I suppose exactly. Yeah, but just people who don't understand
(20:58):
they have these huge side budget budgets and then they
go sign all the bands that they can afford, and
then out of those bands they maybe picked, they can
only afford to promote four or five. Yeah, so you
get like bands that are just sitting there and then
sometimes you just gotta wait till your your turn comes up,
you know. So I was just starting in radio, I
(21:20):
think when that record came out, and I do remember
that that I Try was the first single coming out
at least for our radio station, which was a little,
a small, little triple A station. Did one did the
record label know that that was going to be the
commercial success that it was? And like, was it your
first single? The first thing I was actually do something
(21:42):
that did pretty well on R and B radio, which
is why I got established as an R and B artist,
because I'm really not That was the first one, and no,
I was totally against I try. I thought I had
a better song on that. I really didn't get why
I I was so big. I thought them actually to
put out another song. Yeah, I thought there was two.
I thought the cook was too complicated, and I was like,
(22:06):
it's slow. You know, I was much younger than I
wanted to put out, you know, my record about sex
and you know, so I don't know, but apparely, you know,
sometimes they know what they're doing, you know, went well. Yeah,
like looking back, having matured and going through the I
don't know, the weird world that is the music industry,
do you realize why that was such a big hit
(22:27):
or do you think it was a phenomenon in its
own right? Definitely if a phenomenon, because if if you
ask me to like dissect why people attached to that song,
I couldn't. I couldn't tell you. I mean I could
make something up, but it wouldn't be I really never
understood it. And to this day, I sing it and
everybody still knows the words, and I still hear it,
you know when I go to Starbucks and so it's
(22:49):
pretty wild. I haven't no idea. That's me hard. I
really I wish I could explain it because somebody could
just do it again. Yeah, well, you're definitely not a
one trick pony. I mean, you might have gone to
school for screenwriting at usc but you've done a bunch
of stuff on screen. You were in training Day. That
movie is so freaking like it's almost as iconic as
(23:12):
I try. I feel like, did you what was that experience?
Like jumping over from music to acting? It was amazing,
it was that was also an accident as a story
of my life. So I was the director Antoine Fuqua.
He's gone on to be a huge director now, I
mean I guess he was. Then he shows up at
(23:33):
my studio one day and he said he has this
new movie and he thought I should be and I
was totally against it because I had no desire to act,
and I thought he was an idiot. I was like,
this guy's cornball, Like what am I going to do
in the movies? I don't act. He's doing these movies
and he's peaking people who don't even act like you
know what I'm just going on, and I mean, I'm
(23:53):
talking ship and then he takes me out to dinner
to Mr. Chouse. Anybody who knows l if somebody takes
you to Mr Chow as you go, because it's like
a thousand dollars. So anyways, I went, and at the
dinner he told me that the star of the movie
was Denzel Washington. So then I was like, oh, cool,
I can do to go on the set and I
can a picture from my mom with Denzel Washington, still
(24:16):
trying to prove my words to my mother. But that
was really my incentive for doing that movie because I
had no no, because I had never even thought about
being in movies. And then uh, I got an acting coach,
and you know, I went through my part really hard,
and you know, and I went and I gave it
a shot. You know, looking back or watching it back,
does it surprise you to see yourself in that film
(24:39):
or in the in the other films you were in,
like a Spider Man movie, as I recall, and you've
done Tyler Perry stuff, Like when you watch it back,
is your mind blown or you're like, oh yeah, there
I am. No, it's cooling out to see your younger self,
you know. I mean it was wild, you know, but
it's it's such a great movie. And I mean whether
(25:01):
I had been in it or not, I would still
watch that movie over and over again. So it's a
pretty cool moment. Did you get the picture with Denzel
to send to your mom? I didn't. That was the
first thing I did when I I did that before
I went to my dress room. I went to his
dress room because you know, I'm still groupy at that point.
This is like, oh my god. You know, I wasn't like,
(25:23):
you know, now everybody's all cool because you can reach
out to anybody on Instagram. But back then, you know,
to be a celebrity was a really big deal and
I and I was new, so I was like, uh,
you know, so Denzel Washington, that was you know, I
was such a groupy on this side. I was probably
really embarrassing, but I was still like really star struck.
It's with everybody. Has there been anyone else that has
(25:45):
star struck you more than Denzel? Yeah? I was. I
was started up like five years. I get in right
into these five years, and I wouldn't know how to act.
I was just a fan still so it was like,
I mean, I've met a lot of you know, really gredibly.
I think when I saw dying Arous, that was pretty
amazing because you just don't see dying a Russ anywhere,
(26:06):
you know, like if you live in l A. Like say,
you're a kid, right and you have a question Justin Bieber, right,
But if you live in l A, you might actually
run into Justin. You might be going on street, he
might be on skateboard light. So that's l A. I've
seen so many people, but I think, you know, as
far as like making me nervous. Gary Oldman, his son
(26:28):
and my little girl went to the same school and
she had a birthday party and his little boy came
to my birthday party and Gary picked him up and
he came to my house and I was so star stock.
I didn't say hi to him though. I literally felt
you don't understand. And He's like, like, I think he's
one of the the best actors ever. Yeah, And I was
(26:49):
just so blown away he was in my house, I
couldn't speak. When you look back in your career for other,
you know, aspiring musicians, what's one piece of advice that
you would give them, It's it's it's new now, and
it's hard to give people advice and entertainment because everybody
kind of makes their own path, you know, everybody kind
of gets there however however they figure it out. So um,
(27:12):
but I would say it's very important to get good
at what you do. I think a lot of people
you have you know, you have all these machines and
there's all these little plugins you can do to make
things look and sound better and filters. You really uh,
only get to where you really want to go, like
to the top of the mountain. If you're really excellent
at what you do, you have to be one of
(27:35):
the best. I mean, you might get in and get
a little some followers, and but if you want to
be you know jay Z, you gotta really master your
craft and and uh and work on yourself and and
be at least one of the best at what you do.
And that that takes time and energy. All those Beaver
fans you know, like people works at it. So that's
(27:58):
that's the one thing I would say the kids now,
because I don't think they get that because it looks
it looks so easy. Now, you know, there's no shortcuts
and overnight successes. Take years and years and years and
years exactly. Before I let you go, I want to
do some rapid fire questions with you. Are you ready
for this? Yes? All right? Rapid fire questions with Macy Gray.
(28:21):
Here we go. What is your favorite pizza? What's your
favorite pizza topping? Um, pepperoni and red onions. Do you
have a favorite book? Um? Green Eggs in hamm That's
the first time E've heard that, and I like that
the most. Who was your first kiss? His name was
George Howell. What is that loser up to these days?
I don't know. I haven't talked to him in the
(28:42):
ages he's in He's in Ohio, though. I think it
was the first concert you went to. Um, my mother
took me to a Jackson five concert. I keep revealing
my age, but there you have it. What was your
first job? My first job was Wendy's. Do you remember
what kind of car your first car was? It was
a Honda Civic. It's like blue green hand the Civic.
(29:06):
I just edged myself again. They don't make blue green
cause anymore. Yeah, I still make Honda Civics, So you're fine.
Who would you call to get you out of jail?
Probably my daughter right now. My daughter, she she would
handle it for me or my lawyer, of course, both work.
What was the first record Consett CD you purchased? Prince
(29:27):
uh Purple Ray? Are you superstitious? And if so, what's
your weirdest, weirdest superstition that you have? Um? Let me
see what's my wirdest superstition is? You know, mine's pretty boring.
I still fall for those black cats. When I see
a black cat at night, I do. That's really really
creeping me because about the movies, you know, like a
(29:49):
black cat comes in somebody. Guys, do you believe in soulmates? Yes?
I do. Who is the most famous person in your
cell phone? Who is the most famous person my cell phone?
It's probably the Michelle Obama? She doesn't know I have
a number one. Well no, it's not like it's not
like I call her up and say HEYY was like
I just got her number, but I don't. I don't
(30:11):
know her at all. The question wasn't who do you
know in your cell phone? It was who's the most famous? Wait?
Sorry that Michelle Obama? And my TEAMV My TV has
a ghost in it. It It just turns on and turns off. Terrifying.
(30:32):
Who's your celebrity crush? Celebrity crush? Gosh, I've had so
many Gary Oldman Okay, no, god, who's my clebery question? Now?
Probably probably Writing Basting. I think he's so fun, he's
(30:56):
such great. Yeah, or Michael Jordan. But Michael B. Jordan
there was way too young for me. I have to
put on my you know, what do you call it?
It's not a coyote? What do you want? Your older
lady and you date younger guys? Sugar had for those ones.
But they're a good pretty individuals. You're not so bad
(31:20):
looking yourself. There. Oh, thank you, Macie. That has been
rapid fire questions with Macy Gray. Of course, you are
doing so much for an amazing cause. Friday and Saturday
this week. You need to tune in, you need to donate.
All the information for both events are at my good
(31:41):
dot org. Macie, thank you so much for being on
the show. Is there anything that I didn't ask you
or talk to you about that you wanted to talk
about or promote my new records coming out Valentine's Day?
Is it a romantic one for Ryan Gosling? Yes, for sure,
it's called This is for Ryan Goslin's It's a good title.
Yeah was called Ryan. Yeah, alright, Macy Hey, thanks so
(32:06):
much for taking the time. I really do appreciate it,
and good luck with I'm gonna bingo games. Oh I
got you, I got you alright by Oh my god.
You guys all heard it right, Macy Gray hit on
me there at the end. You did every everyone heard it, Okay.
I mean she's putting me in in Ryan Gosling, Michael B.
(32:29):
Jordan's Wells Adams. Super cool to get to talk to her.
I mean, obviously everyone's a fan of Macy Gray. She's
been around, she's been doing this forever. You know, she's
been killing it. And now she's putting her money where
her mouth is and I really do love that. And
she's asking you to put your money where your mouth
is as well and donate and help again. All the
information over at my good dot org. Thank you guys
(32:51):
so much for listening to the uh the Welles cast.
I do appreciate it. I'm gonna go watch The Bachelor
now and or The Bounce ratte and make fun of
Claire and all the dudes that she's got sweating in
the desert by the way, I went and film an
episode has an aired yet, And I thought that filming
(33:12):
at Plais Condita in Mexico is bad. It is nothing
compared to filming in Palm Springs Alaquinta. Okay, it's just nothing.
But you just have nuts sweat all day long. It's
just nuts sweat Central. So I feel for those guys,
all right, s tough, all right, Um, I'm gonna go yeah, okay. Later.
(33:36):
Subscribe to Wells cast on I Heart Radio, Apple podcasts,
or anywhere you get your podcasts. It's the Internet.
Oh check cut. How does that sound good enough for
what they're paying me? Roll it? This is a Wells
cast with Wells Atoms and I Heart Radio podcast. What's
(00:24):
going on? What's happening in your neck of the woods? Me? Yeah,
well nothing really nothing. Write home about drinking myself a
blue moon. Uh, not because I want a blue moon,
but because I'm sitting in a hotel room for work.
(00:46):
This is what production sent me. And it's disgusting, right
and last Blue Moon is now sponsoring this show. And
then it is delicious blue Moon Belgium white. It tastes
just like something that my mom would probably like. M
all right, it's not that bad. You know, I need
an orange slice. What happened? I recently voted, which I
(01:07):
think everyone should go do. But if you don't go
do that, then whatever, you're an idiot, I suppose or
not I don't know, or you're not of age, or
you don't care, or you're disenfranchised with the political system
in our country. But you know what, it's like the
one thing that we've got that you're supposed to go
do and whatever. And so I made a video of
my happy ass walking down the street with my ballot
(01:29):
and I put it in the ballot monster I don't
know what it's called the receptacle, and then I made
if they didn't not posted it, and then of course
someone immediately d m me, being like, why are you
trying to tell me a want to vote? If they
don't want to vote, that's their problem, all right, we
don't need you a deal in celebrity telling us aboute
(01:52):
And it's like, wait, what You also don't need me
telling you how to make poached eggs? But I still
do that on my Instagram and love that makes you
all hot and bothered in the Crotchell region. What's the difference.
This is just me. This is the thing that I'm
currently doing today. I'm voting. I don't care if you
do it, but it's what I'm doing. And that's what
(02:12):
I guess what touch means about, right, It's a telescope
into my little world and people follow it because they're
interested in it. And the fact that someone what that
is is don't vote the way that I think you're voting.
Don't tell people to vote the way that I think
you're voting, because it's against what I'm voting. And that's
so dumb, because in the day, there's only two choices. Well, yeah,
(02:34):
but we have all these choices. We don't we have
two choices. We have one more choice than people who
are in a kingdom. We have one more option than
England in two years ago. I don't know it's good
(02:55):
to vote, go vote. I think I just get so
riled up when people do that in your d m
s and you're like, what, who hurt you? Why are
you doing this so much so that you watched my video?
You got fired up that I made a video of
me voting. I didn't tell you who to vote for,
by the way, you got so fired up hot under
(03:16):
the collar of me just videoing myself putting an envelope
into the mailbox. And then you thought, you know what
I'm gonna do. I'm gonna message him and I'm really
gonna put him in his place. I'm really gonna get
under his collar. And you know what, it actually worked.
I'm doing like seven minute bit on it. But just
remember you've got one more option than people who live
(03:39):
in the monarchy. Anyways, Uh, super pumped about today's show.
And I'll tell you why. Sister Anne a little song
called I try that show trying to walk in its
(04:13):
kind of you know it, you love it. I butchered it.
It's fine, That's what happens when you drink blue Moon.
Belgian white. Sponsor the show, not a sponsor the show. Well,
eventually we'll be okay. We had a Grammy winner on Today, guys,
someone who won a Grammophone. Those are hard to come by,
(04:33):
not easy. She sold over twenty five million albums globally.
That seems like a lot of albums. She got two
brit Awards. I thought you had to be British to
win those. Maybe she is British. I don't know. I
don't think she is though, Or maybe she's the first
American to do it, which is britted neat. Yeah, she's
won two brit Awards and a Grammy. But she's also
(04:53):
an actress. She started Tyler Perry's for Colored Girls. She
was on Netflix's hit Fuller househ She worked alongside Denzel Washington.
You might have heard of him in a little movie
called Training Day. But here's the great thing about our
guests today. She's committed to using her platform as an
artist for those who are unheard, and has taken a
(05:14):
stand for mental health through founding a nonprofit organization called
My God. She's a busy woman this week. She's got
something coming up on Friday and then something coming up
on Saturday, and it's all for good. Do you know
what I've got coming up on Friday and Saturday this week?
I think I'm just getting drunk. I think that's as
far as I've thought it through. So she's much better
than me. So coming up in the Wells Cast, we
have the one, the only, Macy Gray. That's right. If
(05:38):
you guys don't listen to this podcast, it's fine, but
my walls will crumble that you're not here. Okay, Yeah,
I went there and I liked it. Actually, Macy Gray,
(06:01):
Welcome to the Wells Cast. Big fan of yours. It's
so cool to actually like zoom with you in person.
This is super crazy. How are you? I'm all right?
How are you? I'm doing good? Yeah. So I was
looking at your week and I was comparing it with
mine and like, so like for like Friday and Saturday.
Like my big thought was, like I was just gonna
(06:23):
like Netflix and get wasted. For you. You have a
lot going on, So tell everyone, first of all, what's
going on on Friday? And then let's just then we'll
go twenty four hours in advance, and what the hell
is happening on Saturday? Okay, have a charity. It's called
my Good dot Org. We support the families who lost
loved ones to the police vans. We're partnered with another
(06:44):
foundation called Truth Injustice and they do the social justice
and they fight for justice changing laws. We're having this
kind of weekend also ourselves, the Truth Helping Justice EVENTAG
Saturday night and then Saturday night is like a big
after party. We're gonna play bingo, We're gonna drink. It's
live performances. We have a really cool comedian coming on.
(07:08):
They were all supposed to be surprises. I can't tell you,
but you can't miss it. It's gonna be so much fun.
But so can people go to this or is this
like a virtual situation? Yeah, we all meet at the
airport and we got not just kidding not it's on
It's on virtual. It's on Zoom of course. Unfortunately, this
will be a really fun party in person, but it's
(07:28):
gonna be super cool on Zoom. It will be my
first Zoom party, but I know it was gonna have fun.
Though it's an amazing idea and it's a really really
important thing to be raising money for, especially right now
or at any time for that matter. So more information
over at my good dot org of the events simulcast
on Facebook and on Instagram starting at seven on Friday,
(07:49):
and then on Saturday, you're doing the after party, which
is It's Halloween Bingo Bash. So are you calling bingo
on Saturday? Yeah? Yeah or don ingo. And the prizes
are the coolest thing in the world. We got like
the best pizza shop in Chicago is going to ship
you a pizza. I mean, you can't beat that, right.
(08:11):
Are you performing at these I am. I'm gonna do
a performance, and we have we have another performance that
I'm not supposed to talk about, which is really drug
because I'm really excited about everybody that's showing up. Okay,
So a lot of famous, amazing people are going to
be at this thing, which means everyone out there needs
to be at this thing. And of course it's for
uh an amazing cause. Again, more information at my good
(08:34):
dot org to r SUP for the Macy Gray's Halloween
Bingo Bash oct And then one, of course, is the Truth,
Hope and Justice Initiative hashtag Rise Up and Stand. When
did you start My Good the Light just a few
months ago? Is this the first fundraiser that you've done
for the since the launch of the charity. Yeah, this
(08:57):
is our first fundraiser. Some kind of nerve. It's it's
going well. People are founding and they understand the need
for it. I wanted to make a fun because I've
been to tons of fundraisers. As much as you want
to help them do good, you know, a lot of
them are you know, tasking on your attention span, listen
to long speeches, and it's important. But this is all
(09:17):
just We're just gonna drink and play bingo and have
some fun, you know what I mean, and raise money
and help it sounds awesome. I mean, so, I don't know.
You wouldn't know this, but I used to have to
host a bingo night. Uh, back in my early radio days.
I didn't know that. I know. I still have all
the old jokes, don't worry jokes. Oh yeah, whenever, okay,
(09:40):
So I'll give you a couple whenever B eight comes up.
You know, you can definitely throw in a masterbait joke.
That's an easy one. Whenever you get B nine. You
can say, hey, listen, guys, I had a mole on
my neck. I was really scared, went to the doctor.
But don't worry. It came back B nine and that
one that one kills. Uh. I mean I got I
got a million of them. Don't worry. But I will
(10:02):
tell you this that we used to have to do
this a lot. And it's a really smart thing because
bingo one. It's fun because you think you're winning stuff
like apparently like like pizza's flown in from Chicago, but
you get drunk, and then what happens when you get drunk,
People's wallets open up and then they give money to charity.
And that's what some point, that's what we're doing. See
you you you found this out. That's the whole point.
(10:25):
I wish I knew you did bingo. I wouldn't call
it you would have been permanent. Yeah, yeah, next year
I'll be there next year for sure. All the information again,
is that my good dot org. And I assume a
lot of stuff is that is on your socials as well? Right, yes,
our socials are Instagram. Is my good dot org spelled
out so M Y G O D D O T
(10:48):
G and then we're on Facebook under my good dot org.
We're just getting started, though. Anybody who wants to get
involved and just wants to help out can also go
to the side and leave us here your email and
will eat you up. You can't make it to the party,
you can always still make at my good dot org
once again. Yeah, you don't even have to go and
play Bengo. You can just give Macie your money and
(11:09):
that works too, So everyone go do that. Yeah, there's
a lot of reform laws on everybody's ballot. There's a
lot of states you're still going back and forth over
the chokehold laws and things like that. Doesn't matter, you know,
and and the reality is that could happen to you.
You know, you could run into the wrong cup on
on the wrong day, no matter what you look like.
So it's important to participate in the decisions that your
(11:32):
your state, and your cities make for sure. Yeah, well
I love this again. All the information over at my
good dot org. Um, is there anything else that you
want to talk about in terms of this before we
get into kind of the meat of this show. Just
come just bingo alcohol free pizza. What's better than that? Yeah?
(11:53):
My good dot org again is where you go online. Quick, great,
we come back. We're gonna get into the meat of
this show, which is where the hell did Macy Gray
come from? Stick around, you're listening to the Wales Cast. Alright,
(12:18):
back on the Wales Cast. I have Macy Gray on
this show. Very excited. Coming up on Friday, Macy will
participate in the Truth, Hope and Justice initiative hashtag Rise
Up and Stand attribute to our mother's The event will
be simulcast on Facebook and on Instagram seven pm Central
and then, of course, there is going to be a
kind of an after party the next day on Saturday, October,
(12:40):
the inaugural Halloween Bingo Bash fundraiser, and they'll be raising
funds for my Good dot org, the nonprofit organization dedicated
to support the families of victims of police brutality as
they faced many unfortunate challenges after the death of a
loved one. Again, it's gonna be on Friday, and said
today October, my Good dot Org is where you gotta
(13:04):
go again. I just applaud you for I don't know,
walking the walk, I guess and talking to talk. A
lot of people say they believe in a lot of
things and want to do good, but they don't have
ever actually kind of put things in motion. And I
applaud you for for not only like believing in this,
but then also getting behind it and doing this. So
this is amazing, Macy. The idea of this show is
(13:24):
origin Stories, and it's how the hell people that are
extremely successful and talented got to where they are now.
How did you get to sell over twenty four million albums?
How did you get the blue check mark? How did
you get to this point where you can throw a
bingo bash and raise a bunch of money for an
amazing charity. It's a cool way for people to see
how hard work, dedication, and talent intersect into success. So
(13:48):
I wanted to find out how the hell you got here?
Where did you come from? Macy? And I'm from Canton, Ohio,
which is about an hour south of Clever. It's a
small city, about a hundred thousand people. My I as
a teacher, and my dad worked there still factory and
had a bottom shop. And then when I was fourteen,
I went to board in school. When I was seventeen,
(14:09):
I got accepted the USC and I came out to
l A. I went to actually the film school. But
I discovered there. I wasn't got interested in film. I
got in because I'm good with the pain I could write.
I could always put stories together, and I got into
the screenwriting program. But while I was there, all I
did was hang out with the music majors and and
I joined the band, started messing around, you know. I
(14:31):
played all the clubs on the strip, the Whiskey, the Rock.
See this is way back in the day, you know.
But the bad slots, like the five o'clock slots, like
the parts where no one was there, not even the
people that worked. They were there, yet it would be
on stage, you know. One day during a very it
was like a six o'clock slot. It was still day out.
(14:53):
Nobody was there except from my GUTA player's girlfriend and
the two other people. And then in walks a guy
by the name of Tom Caroline, who was head of
A and I Atlantic Records at the time, and he
was actually there. I don't know if he's hanging out
or he came to see someone else, but he called
my show. He pulled me aside after the show and
(15:13):
asked me if I was doing showcase for Atlantic Records.
And then I did the Showcase and I got my
first record deal, and then I got pregnant and then
they dropped me. I mean, you can't say that's why
you're dropping someone, but that's why I got dropped because
my album never came out. And then like three years
later I signed to Epic Records and and they put
out my first album, which is on how Like This.
(15:34):
That was the beginning enough of my career. So did
they effectively shelve your record? We did this record, it
was and I got pregnant and I was I was actually,
you know, Karmen is real because I was actually trying
to keep it from him when he showed about the
studio one day and I'm, you know, this big watermelon
on my belly and then you know, they acteel like
(15:54):
it was all cool. But then a few months later
they were like, we decided want to want to put
your regularut and so it never it never came out,
but it's a good record. I still have their record. Yeah, yes,
are you able to release it or does Atlantic still
own the rights to it? And then you just can't
do anything. No. Actually, Epic bought it, so when when
I got signed to Epic, they bought it. From Atlantic,
(16:16):
so that Atlantic wouldn't put it out. This is what
goes on behind the scenes. Potentially nobody can put it out. Yeah, well,
because I lived in Nashville for a long time and
I worked in radio, but a lot of my friends
were musicians and songwriters. That story isn't unique. That happens
all the time, where someone will make this amazing record
and then they just shelve it and then nothing ever happens.
(16:37):
It's a still born album and someone put their heart
and soul and their blood and guts into it and
nothing happens. It's the weirdest thing that happens in the
music industry. But it's Sponkors that it happens. I read
a story that you were doing the music thing. You
got signed, then you got pregnant. They effectively dropped you.
(16:58):
You were almost I'm gonna go back home. I'm gonna
stop doing this. Is that true? I did go back home.
I was living with my mom when I got time
tell me, but I had to go back to my mom's.
So how did you get signed again? Then it was
a weird thing. I was home. I had actually since
my first record, I had actually gotten married and had
(17:18):
two other kids. I had three kids in four years.
I had three kids when I got back on Epic,
but I was at home at my mom's house. I
had just sput up with my ex husband. This A
and R guy from a publishing company and they're now
Universal Publishing. He somehow got my cape, like he had,
you know, because they all have these assistance or like interns,
(17:41):
and all they do is, well, nowadays you go on
on SoundCloud and you're go on Spotify and you're just
looking for musical Back then, this is how old I am.
They were like listening to cassettes, you know, and so
they have these big boxes of cassettes and they get
this poor kids out of college and they don't pay
him to like go through these cassettes and see if
you find something. And so there's somebody found my tape
(18:04):
from like way back in the day. And he added
to this day, I have no idea how he got
my mother's number, and he called my house. It was
very determined, and he called my house and I got
signed to the publishing deal and then then I got
my record deal. It was pretty from God. That's that
was proof that there's a God, because none of it
made sense I was gonna go back to school and
be a teacher like my mom. You were in Ohio
(18:25):
when you went to live with your mom, Yeah, I was.
I wasn't Ohio with my mom yet my dad. You
got three kids. You get this call from this AY
and R guy. What happens next? You go back to
Los Angeles? Yeah, they flew me out to l A
to meet with Well, first he flew me in New
York to meet with the publishing company, and then they
flew me to l A to meet with all these labels. Yeah,
(18:46):
and I signed the epic. It was pretty crazy, but
I had no idea what was going on because I
was so used to failure. I was just playing like
they were like, we're gonna give you, you know. I
think it was thirty five thousand dollars, and you know,
when when you're living with your mom, you know, twenty
years ago, that was a ton of money. So I
was just like, sure, yes, I'll do whatever. And then
(19:06):
all of a sudden, I had this huge record. But
I was generally just going along with everything. You know,
I wasn't expecting any of what happened. What are your
parents thinking at this time? Are they like I don't know.
My parents were were so over it too, because you know,
when you have a kid that's chasing some kind of
weird dream, you kind of you go through it with them,
(19:29):
you know, And it was so funny. I got booked
and uh to do My first big show in the
stage was in Philly. There wasn't a big show by
you know, Beyonce standards, but for me, it was big shows,
like a thousand people. So my brother drove my mom
up to Philly and there's this huge line outside of
(19:50):
my venue that I was performing at. But there's a
Starbucks next door. So my mother is going on and
on to my brother about how big Starbucks is getting
because she thinks, gonna lie, it's Starbucks. No confidence in
me at this point, so she's going on, but oh
my god, look at this line and Starbucks. So she
didn't get that that was a line for me. So
she got inside and that was the first time she
(20:12):
really understood, you know, that things are getting better. So
that was that's my little mom's story. She still doesn't
think I'd do anything. It hasn't changed. She goes, oh, please,
you get up and sing for people. You know, she
doesn't get it. It's fine. Your mom and my mom
need to go hang out and try to figure out
(20:34):
what the hell it is we do. I feel like
the big breakout record was on how Life Is? Is
that right? Or was there a bigger one before that?
That was my debut album. I think it's sold a
nine million records worldwide. Well, that was the first one
that was allowed to be released by the record label.
I suppose exactly. Yeah, but just people who don't understand
(20:58):
they have these huge side budget budgets and then they
go sign all the bands that they can afford, and
then out of those bands they maybe picked, they can
only afford to promote four or five. Yeah, so you
get like bands that are just sitting there and then
sometimes you just gotta wait till your your turn comes up,
you know. So I was just starting in radio, I
(21:20):
think when that record came out, and I do remember
that that I Try was the first single coming out
at least for our radio station, which was a little,
a small, little triple A station. Did one did the
record label know that that was going to be the
commercial success that it was? And like, was it your
first single? The first thing I was actually do something
(21:42):
that did pretty well on R and B radio, which
is why I got established as an R and B artist,
because I'm really not That was the first one, and no,
I was totally against I try. I thought I had
a better song on that. I really didn't get why
I I was so big. I thought them actually to
put out another song. Yeah, I thought there was two.
I thought the cook was too complicated, and I was like,
(22:06):
it's slow. You know, I was much younger than I
wanted to put out, you know, my record about sex
and you know, so I don't know, but apparely, you know,
sometimes they know what they're doing, you know, went well. Yeah,
like looking back, having matured and going through the I
don't know, the weird world that is the music industry,
do you realize why that was such a big hit
(22:27):
or do you think it was a phenomenon in its
own right? Definitely if a phenomenon, because if if you
ask me to like dissect why people attached to that song,
I couldn't. I couldn't tell you. I mean I could
make something up, but it wouldn't be I really never
understood it. And to this day, I sing it and
everybody still knows the words, and I still hear it,
you know when I go to Starbucks and so it's
(22:49):
pretty wild. I haven't no idea. That's me hard. I
really I wish I could explain it because somebody could
just do it again. Yeah, well, you're definitely not a
one trick pony. I mean, you might have gone to
school for screenwriting at usc but you've done a bunch
of stuff on screen. You were in training Day. That
movie is so freaking like it's almost as iconic as
(23:12):
I try. I feel like, did you what was that experience?
Like jumping over from music to acting? It was amazing,
it was that was also an accident as a story
of my life. So I was the director Antoine Fuqua.
He's gone on to be a huge director now, I
mean I guess he was. Then he shows up at
(23:33):
my studio one day and he said he has this
new movie and he thought I should be and I
was totally against it because I had no desire to act,
and I thought he was an idiot. I was like,
this guy's cornball, Like what am I going to do
in the movies? I don't act. He's doing these movies
and he's peaking people who don't even act like you
know what I'm just going on, and I mean, I'm
(23:53):
talking ship and then he takes me out to dinner
to Mr. Chouse. Anybody who knows l if somebody takes
you to Mr Chow as you go, because it's like
a thousand dollars. So anyways, I went, and at the
dinner he told me that the star of the movie
was Denzel Washington. So then I was like, oh, cool,
I can do to go on the set and I
can a picture from my mom with Denzel Washington, still
(24:16):
trying to prove my words to my mother. But that
was really my incentive for doing that movie because I
had no no, because I had never even thought about
being in movies. And then uh, I got an acting coach,
and you know, I went through my part really hard,
and you know, and I went and I gave it
a shot. You know, looking back or watching it back,
does it surprise you to see yourself in that film
(24:39):
or in the in the other films you were in,
like a Spider Man movie, as I recall, and you've
done Tyler Perry stuff, Like when you watch it back,
is your mind blown or you're like, oh yeah, there
I am. No, it's cooling out to see your younger self,
you know. I mean it was wild, you know, but
it's it's such a great movie. And I mean whether
(25:01):
I had been in it or not, I would still
watch that movie over and over again. So it's a
pretty cool moment. Did you get the picture with Denzel
to send to your mom? I didn't. That was the
first thing I did when I I did that before
I went to my dress room. I went to his
dress room because you know, I'm still groupy at that point.
This is like, oh my god. You know, I wasn't like,
(25:23):
you know, now everybody's all cool because you can reach
out to anybody on Instagram. But back then, you know,
to be a celebrity was a really big deal and
I and I was new, so I was like, uh,
you know, so Denzel Washington, that was you know, I
was such a groupy on this side. I was probably
really embarrassing, but I was still like really star struck.
It's with everybody. Has there been anyone else that has
(25:45):
star struck you more than Denzel? Yeah? I was. I
was started up like five years. I get in right
into these five years, and I wouldn't know how to act.
I was just a fan still so it was like,
I mean, I've met a lot of you know, really gredibly.
I think when I saw dying Arous, that was pretty
amazing because you just don't see dying a Russ anywhere,
(26:06):
you know, like if you live in l A. Like say,
you're a kid, right and you have a question Justin Bieber, right,
But if you live in l A, you might actually
run into Justin. You might be going on street, he
might be on skateboard light. So that's l A. I've
seen so many people, but I think, you know, as
far as like making me nervous. Gary Oldman, his son
(26:28):
and my little girl went to the same school and
she had a birthday party and his little boy came
to my birthday party and Gary picked him up and
he came to my house and I was so star stock.
I didn't say hi to him though. I literally felt
you don't understand. And He's like, like, I think he's
one of the the best actors ever. Yeah, And I was
(26:49):
just so blown away he was in my house, I
couldn't speak. When you look back in your career for other,
you know, aspiring musicians, what's one piece of advice that
you would give them, It's it's it's new now, and
it's hard to give people advice and entertainment because everybody
kind of makes their own path, you know, everybody kind
of gets there however however they figure it out. So um,
(27:12):
but I would say it's very important to get good
at what you do. I think a lot of people
you have you know, you have all these machines and
there's all these little plugins you can do to make
things look and sound better and filters. You really uh,
only get to where you really want to go, like
to the top of the mountain. If you're really excellent
at what you do, you have to be one of
(27:35):
the best. I mean, you might get in and get
a little some followers, and but if you want to
be you know jay Z, you gotta really master your
craft and and uh and work on yourself and and
be at least one of the best at what you do.
And that that takes time and energy. All those Beaver
fans you know, like people works at it. So that's
(27:58):
that's the one thing I would say the kids now,
because I don't think they get that because it looks
it looks so easy. Now, you know, there's no shortcuts
and overnight successes. Take years and years and years and
years exactly. Before I let you go, I want to
do some rapid fire questions with you. Are you ready
for this? Yes? All right? Rapid fire questions with Macy Gray.
(28:21):
Here we go. What is your favorite pizza? What's your
favorite pizza topping? Um, pepperoni and red onions. Do you
have a favorite book? Um? Green Eggs in hamm That's
the first time E've heard that, and I like that
the most. Who was your first kiss? His name was
George Howell. What is that loser up to these days?
I don't know. I haven't talked to him in the
(28:42):
ages he's in He's in Ohio, though. I think it
was the first concert you went to. Um, my mother
took me to a Jackson five concert. I keep revealing
my age, but there you have it. What was your
first job? My first job was Wendy's. Do you remember
what kind of car your first car was? It was
a Honda Civic. It's like blue green hand the Civic.
(29:06):
I just edged myself again. They don't make blue green
cause anymore. Yeah, I still make Honda Civics, So you're fine.
Who would you call to get you out of jail?
Probably my daughter right now. My daughter, she she would
handle it for me or my lawyer, of course, both work.
What was the first record Consett CD you purchased? Prince
(29:27):
uh Purple Ray? Are you superstitious? And if so, what's
your weirdest, weirdest superstition that you have? Um? Let me
see what's my wirdest superstition is? You know, mine's pretty boring.
I still fall for those black cats. When I see
a black cat at night, I do. That's really really
creeping me because about the movies, you know, like a
(29:49):
black cat comes in somebody. Guys, do you believe in soulmates? Yes?
I do. Who is the most famous person in your
cell phone? Who is the most famous person my cell phone?
It's probably the Michelle Obama? She doesn't know I have
a number one. Well no, it's not like it's not
like I call her up and say HEYY was like
I just got her number, but I don't. I don't
(30:11):
know her at all. The question wasn't who do you
know in your cell phone? It was who's the most famous? Wait?
Sorry that Michelle Obama? And my TEAMV My TV has
a ghost in it. It It just turns on and turns off. Terrifying.
(30:32):
Who's your celebrity crush? Celebrity crush? Gosh, I've had so
many Gary Oldman Okay, no, god, who's my clebery question? Now?
Probably probably Writing Basting. I think he's so fun, he's
(30:56):
such great. Yeah, or Michael Jordan. But Michael B. Jordan
there was way too young for me. I have to
put on my you know, what do you call it?
It's not a coyote? What do you want? Your older
lady and you date younger guys? Sugar had for those ones.
But they're a good pretty individuals. You're not so bad
(31:20):
looking yourself. There. Oh, thank you, Macie. That has been
rapid fire questions with Macy Gray. Of course, you are
doing so much for an amazing cause. Friday and Saturday
this week. You need to tune in, you need to donate.
All the information for both events are at my good
(31:41):
dot org. Macie, thank you so much for being on
the show. Is there anything that I didn't ask you
or talk to you about that you wanted to talk
about or promote my new records coming out Valentine's Day?
Is it a romantic one for Ryan Gosling? Yes, for sure,
it's called This is for Ryan Goslin's It's a good title.
Yeah was called Ryan. Yeah, alright, Macy Hey, thanks so
(32:06):
much for taking the time. I really do appreciate it,
and good luck with I'm gonna bingo games. Oh I
got you, I got you alright by Oh my god.
You guys all heard it right, Macy Gray hit on
me there at the end. You did every everyone heard it, Okay.
I mean she's putting me in in Ryan Gosling, Michael B.
(32:29):
Jordan's Wells Adams. Super cool to get to talk to her.
I mean, obviously everyone's a fan of Macy Gray. She's
been around, she's been doing this forever. You know, she's
been killing it. And now she's putting her money where
her mouth is and I really do love that. And
she's asking you to put your money where your mouth
is as well and donate and help again. All the
information over at my good dot org. Thank you guys
(32:51):
so much for listening to the uh the Welles cast.
I do appreciate it. I'm gonna go watch The Bachelor
now and or The Bounce ratte and make fun of
Claire and all the dudes that she's got sweating in
the desert by the way, I went and film an
episode has an aired yet, And I thought that filming
(33:12):
at Plais Condita in Mexico is bad. It is nothing
compared to filming in Palm Springs Alaquinta. Okay, it's just nothing.
But you just have nuts sweat all day long. It's
just nuts sweat Central. So I feel for those guys,
all right, s tough, all right, Um, I'm gonna go yeah, okay. Later.
(33:36):
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