December 12, 2023 • 9 mins
Get ready for a festive treat! 🎄✨ Young and the Restless star, Michael Damian, has unwrapped brand-new holiday music, and he's spilling all the merry details in an exclusive sit-down with Ellen K on the official holiday music station, KOST 103.5 FM. 🎶🎁
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Welcome to the studio, my goodclose friend, Michael. We've known each
other for decades. Michael Damien ishere. So good to see you.
It's so good to see you.Why has it been so long? Well,
you know, I keep calling youcollect but I forgot that doesn't work
anymore, you know. But Ijust I listened to you all the time,
so I feel like i'm now thatI'm seeing you. And I listened
(00:22):
to you every morning, so youknow, it's we're like family still,
like family still. And I haveto tell you, you're one of the
reasons that I even him here inLa in radio because when Rick Dy's hired
me, he was super tight withyou and your family. I know he
still is. But when I appliedfor the job, it was your good
recommendation because we knew each other whenI was radio in San Diego years before.
(00:43):
That really sealed the deal. AndI am forever grateful to you.
Michael Damian. Well, you're anangel. Thank you for saying that.
Oh my god, it was allyou. You have the talent. I
mean when I when I heard youin San Diego and you were, you
know, amazing, and that's whereI'm from, and that's where you're from.
That's so awesome San Diego. Wegot to pack it up and move
to La now and now you're asuper star. Dam that's such a fabulous
(01:06):
radio station. Come on, that'sa nice Let me keep going, Michael,
you did a Christmas album. Inthe single bring Back the Christmas Card
is climbing the charts, number numberthree six on media Base. You are
cracking the billboard top forty. Rats. Thank you, thank you. It's
back on the charts. I can'tbelieve it. I was gonna I thought
(01:26):
I was gonna have to sing rockon right now, but you know,
now I can sing bring Back theChristmas Card and it's it's really awesome.
And you know it's just the audienceand the fabulous supporters from Young and the
Restless and from whatever might when Iplayed Joseph on Broadway, you know they're
still there and they're very supportive tothis day. So it means the world
to me. You're the kind ofguy who your fans are, your fans
(01:48):
with full like, full hearted fans, right, super loyal all the things
that you've done, because I mean, and you're doing so much. You're
back on the Young and the Restlessand I've always wondered Danny Romelotti because you
ROTI right, yes, yes,So did you think of the name for
your character or did they No?But I'll tell you what. And you
(02:09):
met my grandmother. I don't havea temo, and we had pasta many
times in San Diego. But whenI called my grandmother and said, Mommida,
guess what I'm playing on The Youngand the Ross, Oh, I
said, yeah, but I'm playingan Italian character, Danny Romolatti. Oh.
And then and then, of course, from that day on, you
(02:30):
know, if I called her justyou know, I would say, mommy,
and I hate I I can't talkand now I'm watching the story.
She was hooked on it. Iwas like, I can't even talk to
her. She called her the storyanyway. So I love playing Danny Romlatti.
It's a you know, well,first of all, what's so cool
is that my character Danny has basicallymirrored my life. And you know when
(02:53):
when Danny had uh, you know, a number one record on the show,
because you play that musician, andwhen Danny played Joseph on Broadway,
so did Michael Damiens. So Ijust love the way they infused it and
they organically, you know, connectedthe two worlds, right, life imitating
art or vice versa. I'm notsure which one it? Well, which
(03:14):
one is it? Because now you'reback at general said and mixing things up
with your exes? Are you doingthat in real life? It's wait again,
that's going to be a lot ofexes for for you to go mix
things up. There's a lot ofexes everywhere. All I've got, well,
there's cricket and then there's Phyllis.Yeah, Cricket and Phyllis. Yeah,
there's a lot of drama there.And uh, for some reason,
(03:35):
Phyllis is you know, into meagain and yeah, I don't know why,
but I think I made some pastasauce. It it just you know,
she loved it. And then Cricketwe go back a long way.
Yeah, and you know, soI think the things are starting to happen
with with Danny and cricket. Okay, always loved the Danny Cricket combo.
Yeah, let's just hope Phyllis doesn'tmess it up because the pebler are concerned.
(03:57):
And I'm so am I to behonest with you, would Phillips murder
someone? What's that would Phillis murdersome well, you know, I kind
of. She did try to runover a crick at a while back.
I know, that's the thing.I'm like, I don't want to see
things get too bad, but she'schanged. Everybody deserves a second chance and
a third and fourth and six.I love only in that world, could
you say with a straight face shedid try to run over to normal and
(04:21):
she did just beat another. Shehad another she was going to go to
jail again just recently, but sheworked it out. It's all good.
Tell us about your movie with LindsayLoan coming out next to your Irish wish.
Oh well, yeah, So I'vebeen making movies, as you know,
as a director, writer, producer. And our last holiday film was
Falling for Christmas, Lindsay Lohan's returnon Netflix, and it was it was
(04:46):
so much fun making that film andjust you know, having the reaction was
so overwhelming. To be number onein the entire world, you know,
on Netflix was a super thrill.And so we did another film with Netflix
and Lindsay and it's coming in twentytwenty four. And what's cool is that
we shot the whole thing in Irelandand I'm half Italian, but I'm also
half Irish. Yeah, yeah,yeah, So I was able to connect
(05:10):
my family's over there in Ireland andmet up with my cousin and oh my
god, and we filmed in thebeautiful Irish countryside in an Irish castle,
and it's a love letter to Ireland. It's a rom calm and a super
fun movie about a girl that youknow, she's in love with this guy
and has an opportunity to make awish, and she makes a wish and
(05:34):
you know, some incredible things happened. Yeah. So, Michael, you're
so diverse in your talent and you'redoing so many things that I'm just sitting
here thinking of you and looking atyou to going. This is so emotional
for me because I started in radiobasically with you, and now, you
know, decades later, we're heretogether and it's really a beautiful thing.
(05:54):
I know, it really is.I'm like, oh my god, and
your whole family embraced me and tookme in. How many nights I spent
at your Calabasas house but it wasa lot, and your sister always feeding
me and driving me places and showingme the town and where to live.
I mean, really thank you fromthe bottom of my heart. You're so
sweet. I remember we had greattimes with in George Clooney and yes,
John Stamo, so that we hada lot of fun parties, Nancy can
(06:17):
I know. I remember Janine,my wife, telling me. She's like,
well, you remember, we rememberGeorge kept coming over George George Clooney,
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah,of course, oh yeah that guy,
yeah, guy yeah. And thenyou know, it's really cool.
And we ran into George at thecan Film Festival and and and Janine said
to me, she said, oh, she said, George is over there.
You should say hi. I amnot. It's the walk over there,
(06:40):
yours upbringing. I'm not going tosay anything, Okay, I just
want to hide. And all ofa sudden I hear Michael Damia and I'm
looking around and I see George going, you know, and he and he
runs over. We hugged, anduh, you know, it was It
was great. It was really greatreconnecting Calabasas. Yeah, a lot of
(07:00):
things happened in Calabasas, and whathappens there doesn't necessarily stay there, I
know, I know. Oh mygod. Well, let's talk about your
song Bring Back the Christmas Card.We're climbing on the charts featuring Sharon Hendricks.
You say that you and Sharon goway back as well. Yes,
Sharon went to school with my brotherLarry and who you know very well.
And she's this incredible singer. Mymother was the pianist at the high school
(07:24):
and she helped her with her vocalizingand becoming a wonderful vocalist. She is.
She's been with Barry Mantilis, singingwith him for I think about twenty
five years, and on stage withBarry, and we just thought this would
be a perfect song to sing together. And I was so thrilled to finally
do a duet with her. Yeah, and all these years later. And
it's about a meaningful subject, likeput down your phone and go back to
(07:47):
the Christmas card, like bring backthe Christmas card. Yeah, just write
it. Maybe it's about if youcould just stop for one minute during the
holiday season, just pause for abeat, you know, turn off the
instead of texting, you know,because you know I'm guilty of it too.
You just you immediately, oh,sent a text. Wait a minute,
I can I could write it.I could send a nice car actually,
(08:07):
or I could call them too,so, which would be I think
much nicer. But I think weforget in this uh you know age of
technology where we're everything's so advanced thatyour phone it wakes me up. It's
like, hello, Michael, doyou want to call someone? No,
I'm not even talking to you.Stop talking to me, But yes I
do. I want to call someone. Ellen at Coast. Okay, let's
(08:30):
chance and Grandma your grandmother, andyou can say Merry Christmas the way she
would want you to on Coast.Okay, she would say, ah Mary
christ a messa on the coat ofradio. Gratsy me, Michael, don't
ookalk to me. I am Iwatching the story, Mamita, I want
to talk to you. Click.Well, Michael, you're a good friend.
(08:54):
Congrats on the music, Congrats onall the directing, and congrats on
shaking things up on Young and therest. And congrats I'm being just a
great person. You're so sweet.Well. I love you, Hey,
I'm so proud of you and allyour success. And it warmed my heart
every time I turn on the radioand I listen to you and you too,
Ryan, warms my heart to knowthat you know her well. No,
(09:18):
because I don't we didn't. Ididn't know you in San Diego.
See you, i'd have a differentemotional feeling. But I feel a lot
for you than you
Welcome to the studio, my goodclose friend, Michael. We've known each
other for decades. Michael Damien ishere. So good to see you.
It's so good to see you.Why has it been so long? Well,
you know, I keep calling youcollect but I forgot that doesn't work
anymore, you know. But Ijust I listened to you all the time,
so I feel like i'm now thatI'm seeing you. And I listened
(00:22):
to you every morning, so youknow, it's we're like family still,
like family still. And I haveto tell you, you're one of the
reasons that I even him here inLa in radio because when Rick Dy's hired
me, he was super tight withyou and your family. I know he
still is. But when I appliedfor the job, it was your good
recommendation because we knew each other whenI was radio in San Diego years before.
(00:43):
That really sealed the deal. AndI am forever grateful to you.
Michael Damian. Well, you're anangel. Thank you for saying that.
Oh my god, it was allyou. You have the talent. I
mean when I when I heard youin San Diego and you were, you
know, amazing, and that's whereI'm from, and that's where you're from.
That's so awesome San Diego. Wegot to pack it up and move
to La now and now you're asuper star. Dam that's such a fabulous
(01:06):
radio station. Come on, that'sa nice Let me keep going, Michael,
you did a Christmas album. Inthe single bring Back the Christmas Card
is climbing the charts, number numberthree six on media Base. You are
cracking the billboard top forty. Rats. Thank you, thank you. It's
back on the charts. I can'tbelieve it. I was gonna I thought
(01:26):
I was gonna have to sing rockon right now, but you know,
now I can sing bring Back theChristmas Card and it's it's really awesome.
And you know it's just the audienceand the fabulous supporters from Young and the
Restless and from whatever might when Iplayed Joseph on Broadway, you know they're
still there and they're very supportive tothis day. So it means the world
to me. You're the kind ofguy who your fans are, your fans
(01:48):
with full like, full hearted fans, right, super loyal all the things
that you've done, because I mean, and you're doing so much. You're
back on the Young and the Restlessand I've always wondered Danny Romelotti because you
ROTI right, yes, yes,So did you think of the name for
your character or did they No?But I'll tell you what. And you
(02:09):
met my grandmother. I don't havea temo, and we had pasta many
times in San Diego. But whenI called my grandmother and said, Mommida,
guess what I'm playing on The Youngand the Ross, Oh, I
said, yeah, but I'm playingan Italian character, Danny Romolatti. Oh.
And then and then, of course, from that day on, you
(02:30):
know, if I called her justyou know, I would say, mommy,
and I hate I I can't talkand now I'm watching the story.
She was hooked on it. Iwas like, I can't even talk to
her. She called her the storyanyway. So I love playing Danny Romlatti.
It's a you know, well,first of all, what's so cool
is that my character Danny has basicallymirrored my life. And you know when
(02:53):
when Danny had uh, you know, a number one record on the show,
because you play that musician, andwhen Danny played Joseph on Broadway,
so did Michael Damiens. So Ijust love the way they infused it and
they organically, you know, connectedthe two worlds, right, life imitating
art or vice versa. I'm notsure which one it? Well, which
(03:14):
one is it? Because now you'reback at general said and mixing things up
with your exes? Are you doingthat in real life? It's wait again,
that's going to be a lot ofexes for for you to go mix
things up. There's a lot ofexes everywhere. All I've got, well,
there's cricket and then there's Phyllis.Yeah, Cricket and Phyllis. Yeah,
there's a lot of drama there.And uh, for some reason,
(03:35):
Phyllis is you know, into meagain and yeah, I don't know why,
but I think I made some pastasauce. It it just you know,
she loved it. And then Cricketwe go back a long way.
Yeah, and you know, soI think the things are starting to happen
with with Danny and cricket. Okay, always loved the Danny Cricket combo.
Yeah, let's just hope Phyllis doesn'tmess it up because the pebler are concerned.
(03:57):
And I'm so am I to behonest with you, would Phillips murder
someone? What's that would Phillis murdersome well, you know, I kind
of. She did try to runover a crick at a while back.
I know, that's the thing.I'm like, I don't want to see
things get too bad, but she'schanged. Everybody deserves a second chance and
a third and fourth and six.I love only in that world, could
you say with a straight face shedid try to run over to normal and
(04:21):
she did just beat another. Shehad another she was going to go to
jail again just recently, but sheworked it out. It's all good.
Tell us about your movie with LindsayLoan coming out next to your Irish wish.
Oh well, yeah, So I'vebeen making movies, as you know,
as a director, writer, producer. And our last holiday film was
Falling for Christmas, Lindsay Lohan's returnon Netflix, and it was it was
(04:46):
so much fun making that film andjust you know, having the reaction was
so overwhelming. To be number onein the entire world, you know,
on Netflix was a super thrill.And so we did another film with Netflix
and Lindsay and it's coming in twentytwenty four. And what's cool is that
we shot the whole thing in Irelandand I'm half Italian, but I'm also
half Irish. Yeah, yeah,yeah, So I was able to connect
(05:10):
my family's over there in Ireland andmet up with my cousin and oh my
god, and we filmed in thebeautiful Irish countryside in an Irish castle,
and it's a love letter to Ireland. It's a rom calm and a super
fun movie about a girl that youknow, she's in love with this guy
and has an opportunity to make awish, and she makes a wish and
(05:34):
you know, some incredible things happened. Yeah. So, Michael, you're
so diverse in your talent and you'redoing so many things that I'm just sitting
here thinking of you and looking atyou to going. This is so emotional
for me because I started in radiobasically with you, and now, you
know, decades later, we're heretogether and it's really a beautiful thing.
(05:54):
I know, it really is.I'm like, oh my god, and
your whole family embraced me and tookme in. How many nights I spent
at your Calabasas house but it wasa lot, and your sister always feeding
me and driving me places and showingme the town and where to live.
I mean, really thank you fromthe bottom of my heart. You're so
sweet. I remember we had greattimes with in George Clooney and yes,
John Stamo, so that we hada lot of fun parties, Nancy can
(06:17):
I know. I remember Janine,my wife, telling me. She's like,
well, you remember, we rememberGeorge kept coming over George George Clooney,
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah,of course, oh yeah that guy,
yeah, guy yeah. And thenyou know, it's really cool.
And we ran into George at thecan Film Festival and and and Janine said
to me, she said, oh, she said, George is over there.
You should say hi. I amnot. It's the walk over there,
(06:40):
yours upbringing. I'm not going tosay anything, Okay, I just
want to hide. And all ofa sudden I hear Michael Damia and I'm
looking around and I see George going, you know, and he and he
runs over. We hugged, anduh, you know, it was It
was great. It was really greatreconnecting Calabasas. Yeah, a lot of
(07:00):
things happened in Calabasas, and whathappens there doesn't necessarily stay there, I
know, I know. Oh mygod. Well, let's talk about your
song Bring Back the Christmas Card.We're climbing on the charts featuring Sharon Hendricks.
You say that you and Sharon goway back as well. Yes,
Sharon went to school with my brotherLarry and who you know very well.
And she's this incredible singer. Mymother was the pianist at the high school
(07:24):
and she helped her with her vocalizingand becoming a wonderful vocalist. She is.
She's been with Barry Mantilis, singingwith him for I think about twenty
five years, and on stage withBarry, and we just thought this would
be a perfect song to sing together. And I was so thrilled to finally
do a duet with her. Yeah, and all these years later. And
it's about a meaningful subject, likeput down your phone and go back to
(07:47):
the Christmas card, like bring backthe Christmas card. Yeah, just write
it. Maybe it's about if youcould just stop for one minute during the
holiday season, just pause for abeat, you know, turn off the
instead of texting, you know,because you know I'm guilty of it too.
You just you immediately, oh,sent a text. Wait a minute,
I can I could write it.I could send a nice car actually,
(08:07):
or I could call them too,so, which would be I think
much nicer. But I think weforget in this uh you know age of
technology where we're everything's so advanced thatyour phone it wakes me up. It's
like, hello, Michael, doyou want to call someone? No,
I'm not even talking to you.Stop talking to me, But yes I
do. I want to call someone. Ellen at Coast. Okay, let's
(08:30):
chance and Grandma your grandmother, andyou can say Merry Christmas the way she
would want you to on Coast.Okay, she would say, ah Mary
christ a messa on the coat ofradio. Gratsy me, Michael, don't
ookalk to me. I am Iwatching the story, Mamita, I want
to talk to you. Click.Well, Michael, you're a good friend.
(08:54):
Congrats on the music, Congrats onall the directing, and congrats on
shaking things up on Young and therest. And congrats I'm being just a
great person. You're so sweet.Well. I love you, Hey,
I'm so proud of you and allyour success. And it warmed my heart
every time I turn on the radioand I listen to you and you too,
Ryan, warms my heart to knowthat you know her well. No,
(09:18):
because I don't we didn't. Ididn't know you in San Diego.
See you, i'd have a differentemotional feeling. But I feel a lot
for you than you
Ellen K Morning Show On Demand News
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.