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"Huge Fornicators" (w/ Cate Blanchett)

2025/3/19

Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang

Shownotes Transcript

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Catch the new Hulu original comedy Mid-Century Modern from the creators of Will & Grace, executive producer Ryan Murphy, and director James Burroughs. When three best friends move in together...

Palm Springs will never be the same. They're fun, they're fabulous, and they're turning life's lemons into spiked lemonade. Shake up a batch of cocktails, relax by the pool, and get ready for some serious shade. Mid-Century Modern stars Nathan Lane, Matt Bomer, Nathan Lee Graham, and Linda Lavin. Mid-Century Modern premieres March 28th, streaming on Hulu. Prohibition is synonymous with speakeasies, jazz, flappers, and of course, failure.

I'm Ed Helms, and on season three of my podcast, Snafu, there's a story I couldn't wait to tell you. It's about an unlikely duo in the 1920s who tried to warn the public that prohibition was going to backfire so badly it just might leave thousands dead from poison. Listen and subscribe to Snafu on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Do you remember what you said the first night I came over here? Ow goes lower? From Blumhouse TV, iHeart Podcasts, and Ember 20 comes an all-new fictional comedy podcast series. Join the flighty Damien Hirst as he unravels the mystery of his vanished boyfriend. I've been spending all my time looking for answers about what happened to Santi. And what's the way to find a missing person? Sleep with everyone he knew, obviously. Listen to The Hookup on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

Look, man. Oh, I see. Wow. Bowen, look over there. Wow. Is that culture? Yes. Oh, my goodness. Wow. Las Culturistas. Ding dong. Las Culturistas calling. Just for a warning, you're going to hear that twice. We're going to ding dong again because we are not currently with our guest of this episode, which you can probably see now based on the title is with...

The one and only Cate Blanchett. Cate Blanchett. Got a new movie, Black Bag. It's great. It's great. I was actually like, I was watching Black Bag and then I was going to choose another thing from her filmography to watch again before this. There's so much. I got overwhelmed. You got antsy. I got antsy. When you're at the bookstore.

Yeah. So many options. Not even just little options where it's like, oh, could be that, could be that. Big, delicious options. It's like a Cheesecake Factory her filmography. It's a menu with a spiral spine. This is a rule of culture if I've ever heard one. This is a rule of culture number 94? Yeah, 94. Cate Blanchett's filmography is like the menu at a Cheesecake Factory. The options.

What were you, were you juggling? Did you like whittle it down to a final selection? I mean, there's always Tar. Yep. There's always Tar. But the thing about Tar is it is the, let's just call it the big stake of options because it's so, it's long. It's a big old film. And it's the most Kate you're going to get. It's the most bang for your buck Cate Blanchett you're going to get. Yes. But having already seen that several times. Right. And then I thought, why don't we do Carol? And I thought,

I was like, this could be good, but I've also seen that a couple of times. And then I thought notes on a scandal, which is ultimately what I went with. Cause I know that's what you went with. That's what I went with. This is my favorite film in her filmography. We'll tell her. Notes on a scandal. I think it is.

Just because I love melodrama. We are off track. So the reason why we're doing this is because we want to give you a little bit of a culture catch-up. We know that people have been sort of desiring this. Because a lot has happened in the last month. Where do we start? In our lives, and of course in the grand scheme of things. But we just thought we'd give you like a little sort of hybrid episode. And I feel like someone like Cate Blanchett deserves a sort of like

Little preamble because it's just going to be a lot. Yeah, I also thought to myself, I'm like, what if Cate Blanchett came in here and we did like a traditional intro and Cate Blanchett, the legendary Cate Blanchett was just sitting here. So we'll probably do like a 30 second intro for her and just get into it because I actually can't bear the thought of her sitting here. Listening to us. While we're like, so what's the thing about like my favorite soup is or whatever dumb shit we would say. Mm-hmm.

What's your favorite soup? New England clam. Thank you for asking. I always just wanted to say New England clam, but it's hard to pick a favorite soup. It's so hard. I don't think so, honey, having to pick a favorite soup. And it feels like the pressure is always on to choose a favorite soup nowadays. Well, I feel like that's a self-invented pressure because you just brought that up as like an example. You don't feel that pressure day in and day out?

Ever since Hale and Hardy has disappeared from New York City, I know I'm no longer making the decision of what soup do I want today. It is nosedived and it makes me sick because it used to be like the only thing that gave me joy was to like pick a new soup. And now I just don't encounter soup as much as I would like. Excuse me. First of all, let me tell you something.

Hale and Hardy, that was a great American institution. And I'm so disappointed in all the consumers of America and everyone that eats food out there. What you did, what you allowed to happen to Hale and Hardy is unacceptable because where else are you going to get? I'm sorry, 12, 13, sometimes 14 options of soup. When you see Moroccan lentil on a menu. Add to cart. Add to cart because you're lucky to have that opportunity. Yeah.

And now... Unbelievable. I'm sorry. There have been rumors for, I want to say, decades now. Sick of rumors starting. Rumors starting that it's coming back? No, it's not. No, it's not. Shut up. I've heard this for years. No, it's 2025. We don't have...

optimistic thoughts anymore. Who are you? Who are you? The one that got away and picked up and moved to a different town and you're like, I'm thinking of moving back into New York. Lose my number if that's who you are via V, hail on Hardy coming back. Via V? You know, via V. Vis-a-vis. So in French, if it's... You don't think that via V is more fun? It's very fun. It's not the French way to say it.

But you can say, you can say VAV. You better, you have to understand, nowadays, Bowen has to be helping me with this because we're going to Europe. We're going to, we're going to Europe. Very tar-coated. She would fly back and forth, you know? Yeah. A cultured woman with secrets. Can't wait to ask Cate Blanchett if she has secrets too.

We were talking about soup. We were talking about soup. We were talking about preamble. Culture catch up. Yeah. Favorite role is notes on a scandal. Yeah. Oh, this is what I was going to say. RKPFK's K's. Whatever. RKPFK's.

We're missing a K. What? R-K-P-F-K. Yes, you're right. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. It's getting unwieldy. I was going to say, hold me to account. I want to ask her if she thinks, well, I guess, what? Is there any use to this? I want to be like, do you think they would make notes on a scandal now? Like you would not be able to have like, make out with a teenager. Not just make out. Fuck in a train yard. Can I tell you something? She fucks that kid. Shit. I mean, and listen, it's, but that's, that's, that's the whole crux of the film. That's the scandal. I didn't write it.

on a scandal. Oh my God. That's the sequel. That's the sequel. Starring us. Wait, who's Kate and who's Judi Dench? I'm Judi. I love that you really... You're Sheba. I am. Here I am! I do think what we should do, and it will be embarrassing, but we should say the iconic line to Kate.

You think this is a love affair? You want to fuck me, Barbara? You want to fuck me, Barbara? How come I thought you think this is a love affair? It was clearly you want to... Fuck, you know what? I have a you want to fuck me, Barbara t-shirt that I had made as a wrap gift for game show. And it's in LA. I didn't wear it today. Where's your Lydia Tarr Innocent t-shirt? Oh my God. We should have worn that. It's okay. I'm literally thinking, can we make it home? No.

This sucks. It's okay. We'll just tell her. We'll show her the photo. We should both have been wearing our Lydia Tartt is innocent t-shirts. What if she had been like, you know, she's not. She's not. She was an awful woman. She drops in. She's like, this is, I don't like this at all. I don't agree with this.

This is our culture catch-up portion of the episode. Yes. So let's just make the list now. Let's just make the programming. Okay, Lady Gaga was on Lost Coach. Bowen sang with Lady Gaga in two sketches and became best friends. Matt was front row at the Oscars while I was backstage. No, Bowen presented at the Oscars. It's not Matt was front row at the Oscars. No, I have been such a happy accessory this past month. You have no idea. I feel like the most beautiful purse in the world.

Stop it. No, stop. I love it. You, I feel like I'm your emotional support animal and I'm so happy about it. But you know, it's like, it's, it's like when a movie star, it's like when an actress like brings her dog to a red carpet. Let's say like someone like Demi Moore brings, oh, that dog. I forget the name. We're going to call him Pip. Pip. It's like, well, everyone's, everyone's obsessed with Pip. You know what I mean? I mean, you know, what's really happened is we've fulfilled the prophecy. I'm busy. I'm busy. I'm busy.

Phillips, you are Michelle. I'm busy. The prophecy has been fulfilled. There's officially a gay Michelle Williams and busy Phillips. No, no, no. I am not Michelle. You are not busy. And that is both like, that would be a disservice to both of them and us. Excuse me. I'm saying this with all the love in the world for both of those legends. And I'm saying it with a lot of love for us. But I'm saying like, there's something about, listen, I'm walking on to the red carpet of the Oscars and it's,

everyone being like, Matt Bowen, Matt Bowen. They are not. In a way that was like, that filled me with such profound joy. I was like, yes. We slayed the glam bot. We slayed the glam bot. And we're just like. And they're talking about it. I can't believe I'm here with my best friend at the Oscars. And we're like. Putcha. Putcha, putcha, put your hearts up. And it's, it's really, I still have to journal about this.

SNL 50, I feel like RKPFKAF, JK, were not totally satisfied with their SNL 50 recap. No, they weren't. We're happy to go into more detail with that. Let's just say top highlights. Let's start there. SNL 50. Top highlights for you. Waving a chair backstage. Doing the pre-tape with Andy Samberg, which was so much fun. Just loving the moments that we shared together with everybody. It felt like this wonderful moment

family reunion it felt like we were all sort of giving each other it was like a Dickensian experience of like everyone was being visited by the ghosts of SNL past present future in a way that was actually not terrible like we were all Scrooge and we all were waking up on Christmas morning like God bless us everyone and that was the highlight for me yeah

I mean, everyone was obsessed with Matt working the carpet. That was fun. I will say one of the highlights after it for me was when, so you've been on it before, but I made my at Nikki C. Bell debut on TikTok. Yes.

We love Nikki. Obsessed. Deeply obsessed. And I was so... I'm, of course, watching it bed-rotting, like watching the TikTok in bed. Like Nikki is. Yeah, exactly. We were very much simpatico there. I was like, I want to lay down too and be lazy looking at my TikTok. And then I see myself...

And he goes, not the right color. And so then I wasn't following him. So I followed him, which was a mistake on my part. And he sends me a message and he goes, he revealed himself as a reader. I don't know how he identifies. Oh my God. He's a finalist. I go, just so you know, it wasn't as bright in person.

Great. And he goes, okay, I get it. Yeah, totally. But I loved it. Oh my God. Because it's a celebration to even be on there. Of course. Loved that. He had to press save on a photo of you. Yeah.

You know what I mean? It didn't look that bright in person. Like, I absolutely loved what I wore. The blue? Yeah. Oh, so good. Thank you. Was it even like a, it was not like a jewel tone. It was not even, but it was not. Certainly not. But it was still. Can you imagine me in a jewel tone at the SNL 50? Absolutely not. But it was just a deep, sumptuous blue. Yeah. It was great. By the way, I don't know why. I pictured me in a jewel tone at SNL 50 and this was the pose.

Like, wait. Like, like Lea Michele. Like, yeah. Like taking your two hands on me and putting, pushing like your hips forward and like this. Clavicle. No, your clavicle first. And you just hear, you just hear. Matt, Matt, Matt. I'm over here, Matt. And you know what they always say to me? Big smile, Matt. Big smile. Big smile. Chin up, chin up, chin up. Chin up. No, down, down. Chin down. That's too much. Chin.

Chin down. A little bit of a smile. Over here. And they're always over there. You know what we should do even when our backs of our outfits are really bad? Over the shoulder?

I love an old... I love that. Like your fucking Gwyneth. Oh. Anyway. That sound 50 was amazing. Oscars. Oscars. You really did crush that present thing. And there was BTS. It was back and forth whether or not that bit was going to happen. Yes. And you stuck to your guns. I stuck to my guns. The producers pitched the idea. The producers and the writers. Wonderful team there. They're just like...

For working the Oscars, they are a cool, chill bunch. They're like, yeah, whatever. It's like these people do it. This is their thing year in, year out. Yeah. You know what I mean? Yeah. They know how this all works. Yeah. They're at the Dolby. They know where the bathrooms are. And it was so much fun. I stayed up after SNL, got on a plane, took a little gummy, conked out, woke up, went straight to the Dolby.

Felt great. Did the bit. Had lovely stand-ins. Saw the rehearsal for the Oz medley with the stand-ins. And I was still gagged. I was like, it's not even Cynthia and Ari doing it. And I'm still like in tears. You actually just saw that? Like stand-ins? It was these stand-ins who like were

were slaying. Yeah. Who like were not, I would say like maybe they're professional vocalists and singers, but they were just like, but I even saw the shot of like Ari in the background. Yeah. Oh, that was a great shot. And it was just like Miss Thing, blonde girl in the back.

Just kind of like watching this other woman on the raised platform. And I was like, this is going to fucking... The stand-ins for them. Just like seeing the staging and like... And me and all of Conan's background dancers for the opening bit, we're all just dying backstage. This is so fun. I also want to say in terms of stand-ins, shout out to whoever was sitting next to me for 90 minutes. So first of all, Bowen says to me beforehand, we're sitting in the front row. I said, you better shut the fuck up. And he goes, also...

I can't be with you for like, he goes for the first 40 minutes, presenting the fourth award. And I have to get into the costume because we are doing that bit. Like it went back and forth about whether that was going to happen because it was going to be a big costume change. It was going to be a big costume change. And they weren't sure they were going to have the proper rehearsal time with me because I was flying in the day of. Yeah. So it might not have happened. And so I told Matt, I budgeted 40 minutes. It was the full. It was 90. Yeah.

90 minutes of the show. It was 90 and literally I'm with this seat filler the whole time and she probably 70 minutes in turns to me and goes, where is Bowen? And I go, am I not fun or

Are you not enjoying being at the Oscars? She was in great vibe. But I will say... She had to go to the bathroom. Probably. But also, I think she was just like... There was a little bit of like... Did something happen? There was a little bit of like, I feel bad that Bowen isn't in his front row seat at the Oscars. And I was just like, I mean, I hope he comes soon. I'm enjoying you. Yes. But like, I do want... Because I knew you wanted to be out there watching it because... You missed...

Obviously, Cynthia and Ariana, which was amazing in the room. I missed the Bond thing. The Bond tribute. Of Lisa and Doja and Ray. And Margot Qualley. And Margaret. Oh my God, Margaret. Yeah, I mean, and it was, I will say, sitting there for 90 minutes and looking to my left and just seeing all those people, I was like...

What the fuck? You know what I was really proud about? I was like, wow, I've really managed my anxiety. Because I was sitting there chilling. Wow, I'm so proud of you. And I think a year ago, I wouldn't have been like that. I think I would have been like, but I was like, okay, it's okay. It's okay. I'm okay. I was channeling Tate. You were channeling Tate. Tate would be cool as a cucumber in front of the Oscars. I think so. She'd be like,

This is fun. Yeah, I think she'd be like, this is cool, man. This is cool, yeah. Why would that be the impression? Cool, man. But you did finally come out, and we got to see the last half of the Oscars together. Yes, which was just as fun. It was great. I mean, the wins went as expected until... That was a sad moment when Demi lost, but Mikey's so fucking great in that movie. No, it's like, that's what's... It's not like an out-and-out snub, necessarily, but it is just a thing of like, God, this...

There's just something about the expectation being sort of slowly downloaded into you. Like as just as on a human level, like if you are told like over several months that like. It's yours. It's yours. It's yours. Something's going to happen to you. Something great. And it doesn't. That is very just for lack of a better word, devastating. And with a camera in your face, the moment it doesn't happen, like like here's what I'll say.

After that, and you know, I love Anora. I think Mikey Madison's incredible. I actually think it was even better on the second time I watched it. I think that that performance is great, especially when you see how dissimilar she is to that character. I think she deserved to win. But it's just tough when there's so many of these award shows. It makes you feel like, is it a little too much?

I would say, sure, absolutely. Like right after another, after another, it feels like a job that can't possibly have any reward outside of like, ultimately, if you do win and only one person can. And if you happen to like, you make yourself like a fashion moment, which I'll say again, Brad Goreski absolutely crushed it with Demi all season. I hope she feels good. I'm sure she feels good. I'm sure she does. And it makes me go to answer your question. Like, is this too much? Like,

kill me for saying this. It makes me go like, well, for a culture awards, I think we should like build out precursors. Oh no, the culture awards will have 20 made up precursors. No, there's going to be a brunch. There's going to be, there's going to be a lot of things, a lot of precursors. Like we were actually going to create many other small awards with guilds that we create. Actually, that's going to be a reader awards, a publicist awards, a Katie awards, a finalist awards, and the Kyle awards. And you are going to get to sign up for the guild. This is going to be a

This actually is happening in real time. We've not discussed this. We've not discussed this, and we don't think we have the... We're looking at producer Becca, we're like, this is a nightmare in terms of execution. It's also kind of officially not really up to us anymore. I don't know what we can say, what we can't, but it is... Oh, Matthew. We are nearing the time of really being able to say something very big and cool, but I don't know if it's now. We were told it might be around now, but I don't know. I don't, yeah. Let's, for now...

Watch this space. For now, we're going to pretend we can say anything we want. Okay. And we'll be told later if we can't. That's actually a great way to approach. Ask for forgiveness, not permission. Oh, yes. Ask for forgiveness. Yeah. Yeah.

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When we're five years into prohibition, the government is starting to go, okay, this isn't working. In fact, you might even say it backfired spectacularly.

I'm Ed Helms, and on Season 3 of my podcast, Snafu, we're taking you back to the 1920s and the tale of Formula 6. Because what you probably don't know about Prohibition is that American citizens were dying in massive numbers due to poisoned liquor, and all along, an unlikely duo was trying desperately to stop the corruption behind it.

They were like superhero crusaders turning the page on a system that didn't work, wasn't fair and was corrupt. So how did prohibition's war on alcohol go so off the rails that the government wound up poisoning its own people? To find out, listen and subscribe to Snafu on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Take a big whiff, my bra. Listen to The Hookup on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. I started to live a double life when I was a teenager. Responsible and driven, and wild and out of control. My head is pounding. I'm confused. I don't know why I'm in jail. I don't know why I'm in jail.

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This season, join me on my journey through addiction and recovery. A story told in 12 steps. Listen to Crumbs as part of the Michael Lura Podcast Network. Available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. You know, I'm watching the UK season three Traders right now. And there's an Anglican priest on the show. And her defense of not being able to be a trader is, I can't.

I can't lie. I am not able to be deceitful. I'm not able to do it. I can't be traitorous. And was she a traitor? Is she a traitor? No, but it's interesting because half the people are like, I mean, she's a priest. Like, she can't do this. And then other people are like, no, she can lie. She just has to confess. Which she will. Yeah, which she will. But it's unclear, like, whether or not she feels that way. Uh-huh.

So just know that you can't trust priests. Are there fun Northern accents on UK Trader season three? Yes. Because I miss Amanda from season one. Iconic Northern accent. So, yeah, there's a really good... Do a Northern accent. Are you talking about this? Northern. It's like, it's very... Scouse? Scouse? She goes... I really like Alexander. I really like Alexander. I love being around him. It's Cheryl Cole. I can't...

I can't believe I had to murder. I've got to murder again. I've got to murder again in the turret. It's like... In the turret. In the turret. The turret is a very scary place to be. It's like Liverpool. It's that. I love it. I love it. You're right up my street. That's famously what Cheryl Cole said to Cher Lloyd.

Oh, when Sheryl Lord was on X Factor? Correct. I love that. You're right up my street. You're right up my street. This is the most gay millennial shit ever. Pretty much. Is knowing what Sheryl Cole said to Sheryl Lloyd on the stage of X Factor. From being obsessed with X Factor UK on YouTube in 2000.

Who knows? Wait a minute. Getting a call from an 800 number. No, don't pick up. No, well now it's in the voicemail and that means it's in God's hands. It's in God's hands. It's actually rollercoaster number eight. When it goes to voicemail, that means it's in God's hands.

That is kind of how voicemail feels now. Oh, yeah. You're just kind of... It's a message in a bottle, and you're in a terrible stormy ocean. Yeah. Like, who knows if it'll get there? Okay, so Oscars, and then we went to the Vanity Fair party. Went to the Vanity Fair party. That was so fun. So fun. Can I tell you my favorite sentence that's ever come out of my mouth? White Bestie Summer? No, not White Bestie Summer. That was fun. That was fun. This is my favorite sentence I've ever said.

Okay. Madison Beer, do you know Alison Brie?

And they hadn't met, but they did. They did. And you introduced them. Well, our friend Michael brought over Madison Beer, who I was so thrilled to meet. I was obsessed with her. I said to her, Madison Beer, whenever anyone does the glam bot, I say, why are you doing the glam bot? You're not Madison Beer. And then she died at that. She loved that. I was trying to play it cool around her because Michael, our friend. Yes, Hoffman. Hello. Hi, Michael. Somehow became besties with Madison Beer within seconds. I get it. I get it. But just like, but minutes before. Mm-hmm.

Sometimes you have chemistry with people like us. But Madison was following Michael into the crowd and then we saw Michael and said hi and then I look over and there was Madison Beer in her full glory and I was like,

Hey, how are you? I'm Bowen. It's so nice to meet you. Trying to play it cool. How's your night going? And then finally I was like, finally you came over and you were like, you're Madison Beer. And I dropped the whole thing. I was like, I mean, you're Madison Beer. And we invited her on the pod. If you're not listening to Madison Beer, Becca, are you a stan? Yes! Period. Like, Madison Beer's music is really good. And can I say, as a boob gay,

Period. She is top tier. And then I was looking to my right at the glory that was Alison Brie, and I said, well, I have to make this happen. I was like, Madison, do you know Alison Brie? And they hadn't met. They hugged. I can only assume traded numbers and became best friends. We'll find out. What was the vibe? Because we were with Mr. Ham. Love him. For Jon Hamm to be in close proximity to Alison Brie made me truly thrilled me. Oh, my God. You know what's funny? I didn't realize it until right after. I'm like, oh, my God.

Fucking Don and Trudy were right there. It was Don and Trudy vibes. Oh, that was good. Rene Rapp. Rene Rapp. You really stay a legend. This is my life now. This is actually like a perfect microcosm for like what the last month has been. And it is my peak. And like, it's all downhill from here. We're at the Vanity Fair party. We're talking. We're talking. For this person to come up and tap me on the shoulder and be like, oh my God, thank God you're here. For this to be the person I'm about to say three words. This was good.

We've all been this person at any party where it's like, oh, thank God you're here. Yeah. Like I have someone to talk to.

Megan Thee Stallion comes up to me. She goes, oh my God, thank God you're here. I'm like, hi. Hey, Megan Thee Stallion. Someone I've like fully like been on a professional, have been lucky enough to be on a professional level with and like worked with before. But it's still shocking to me whenever she's like, hi. I'm like, hi. It's a bitch. It's Tina Snow. Let's go. That whole party was just like, and I say this in the most,

I say this in the most... How do I say that I revere this? In the most reverence. I say this in the most reverent way. The most random group of people ever. It's random as fuck. All talking to each other. And I was like, woo. And then I don't think we can say where we went next. We can't say where we went next. But I think we can say this because this is actually a huge moment that I want to share with people. And it's like the perfect karmic...

we went to a party. Yes. And we were the Megan Thee Stallion in this situation where we look around, everyone's way too cool for us. And then we, this is the person that we zeroed in on and we were like, oh, we can talk to this person. Yes. Chapel Roan. Chapel Roan. And guess what?

The groundwork has been laid. I think this is the year for Chapel on Las Colas. We're just putting it out there, but... Incredibly cool. I mean, like, was... Did I help facilitate that introduction between you and her? Yes, you did, and that was so kind. And, like, she was so sweet and, like... But I got to tell her, and I told her, like, when I first met her, I was, like, or when I first talked to her for interview, I was just, like, my best friend, Matt Rodgers, was years ahead of the curve. Wow. And I was just, like, look, I was, like, Chapel, this is my friend, Matt. Like, we're besties. I've met Chapel. And...

And you two hit it off. She was cool as hell. She really liked you. Yeah, I mean, listen, we love Chapel Roan. And I'm excited about, I guess, oh, by the time this comes out, I guess by the time this comes out slash tomorrow, The Giver, we're headed for a really fun Chapel era. Definitely. You ain't gotta tell me. Baby, I do. I'm excited. Baby,

I love it. It's really great bridge. God, she's a bridge queen. Thank God, too. You know what I love about Mayhem? Not a song under three minutes on that goddamn album. And thank God for Gaga for bringing back the breakdown outro.

Please. The outros are, it helps you live in the song. I think you can apply this across the board, especially in terms of a pop structure. It's like, outro us. Show off the production. Highlight the production. This is just as key in the song as the vocals. Not to give them too much credit, but her highest pitchfork ever. Yeah, sure. 8.0. Mr. Rich. Mm-hmm.

Great review. And I think it's deserved. And also, it's so great to see it get the critical acclaim. But, okay, so are we moving on to Gaga now? Yes! Okay. I mean... Now you know she was on the podcast, which we had to keep a secret for a long time. Yes. And... You love her. I'm still not... So we're recording this on Monday, two days after the show, and I... God, just like... That is a consummate entertainer in every way. Mm-hmm. Killa...

I got to see the soundtrack for it on Thursday and I lost my mind. So good. One of the most memorable, both of her performances, some of the most memorable in recent memory. We got to go on the floor to watch Abracadabra and you had been saying like,

And Abracadabra goes crazy. And it did. And we were also just cacked before we started on the podcast. We were like, Gaga performed where Ali once performed. Gaga performed where Ali once performed. I was honored to introduce her for Abracadabra. So I brought my friends, my dressing room guests, which included Matt, to the floor. We were waiting in the tunnel, steps away from the host quick change booth, where she was getting into her...

Red, encrusted, Loire bodysuit. Vocally warming up. Vocally warming up. Unbelievable to be able to be there while she was like in the zone and getting her voice ready. And then just watching her walk on stage and just destroy that performance. At dress rehearsal. I think this did happen on air too. But like on the walkout when she was walking on stage, when everyone in the audience could see her. I've never heard a gasp like that.

Everyone's like, oh! Looks all night, too. Like, even when she was going over to the after party, like... Yeah. That was amazing. And just, you see the shots that they got of her coming out of the limo? Her one eye in the spot. The one eye poking out. Truly good. Holding Pip the mouse. Oh, yeah. Oh, holding Pip the mouse. The sketches were so good, too. Just, like...

on fire this week. And I told Bobby, like, her manager was like, I feel like this is reflective of who she is and, you know, maybe even on the nose what the album is. I'm seeing on the nose like my analysis of it. It's like all 10 to 1 sketches. Yeah. Weird. It was weird from the top. I was like, I remember the first sketch being that scooter sketch. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We were all turning to each other and your dresser going to be like, that was the first sketch was like a huge swing. Which I love. I loved. And I'm like,

Wait, I'm like so invested in this romance now between Marcelo and Gaga. I know. So sweet. It was good. That little pug. That was good. I'm getting a dog tomorrow. It is time for you, isn't it? I have like...

I have like dog fever. Yeah. You're burning up. I need one and I'm burning up, burning up for you, baby. A Jonas Brothers shout. Yeah. Why not? Love them. Jersey Kings. Oh, I never really think about it like that. I never think about the Jonas Brothers as Jersey Kings, but I guess it's a rule of culture. Number 30. The Jonas Brothers are Jersey Kings.

And then I can't believe I got to sing with her twice. That was never the plan. Bowen, that was amazing. The plan was always just, let's have fun. I'm going to try to write, you know, a couple things. And then I just lucked out in every possible way like this past week.

You sounded so good. And I said, I was like, I was like, did you, did you actually do some sort of little vocal training? Cause your placement and like the ease with which you were getting up there, you do sing very high, but like you were very like. Something about being next to her. Yeah. Like osmosis. I know that sounds crazy, but I would say at Chromatica Ball. Yeah. I was the best singer. Well, we were on a lot of mushrooms. We were on a lot of mushrooms, but there's something about,

The chemical shit that happens, your brain chemistry giving you... Singing ability. Singing ability. Y'all just hit 35 minutes, by the way. Thank you, Becca. Oh. Um...

No, that's a great way to communicate with us. Because we're just in it. You know, that's how producers talk to housewives on set. Yeah, so they have like... So what you don't know is that... What are you on right now? Google Docs? What are you on? I was a Google Slide. Becca put up a Google Slide just on a white background that said, y'all just hit 35 minutes BTW. So I, at one point in my life, was hanging out with...

Someone who produces for the Housewives. Yes, yes. And they were telling me that the way that they get them to ask certain questions is they'll put up like a tablet. They'll show it to Meredith Marks and they'll be like, ask Angie about this, this, this, this. Like at the restaurant. And that's how they get reminded to answer certain questions or ask certain things, et cetera. Wow. It's just a producer like our very own producer, Becca, was producing us just now. Yes. This is how it works.

It's kind of like some person at a club, like, holding up their phone being like, play, you know, play York. Stream mayhem. Stream mayhem. Play Beophilia. Exactly. Yeah. That's you. That's me. Play Beophilia. Okay, what else? Gaga. Oh, yeah. Amazing. Oh, yeah. Vocally, no. We did, like, extensive music rehearsals with her in a way that, like, made me really appreciate, like, because she just kept turning to me and going,

it'll just be so much funnier if we sound great. And I was like, 100%. And she was just so exact about the way things were phrased and the way things scanned on the melody. And so we found the right key because like it was in like,

It was like in G and then we got it all the way up or down. I don't know. Girl, you were up there. We were... I think it was a B sharp or a B, whatever. It was just like we tried it out all these different ways. You got it in your pocket. But like to find the right key with a duet with Gaga, I didn't realize until literally just now what that sort of would... Like what that means to me. Yep. And it was so fun. I mean... I can't believe it. And then... It's crazy. And then... I don't know. Like...

What she said to us, what she said to me and Celeste, newsflash, she loves Celeste. Everyone loves Celeste. Everyone loves Celeste. Any person who you would think seems distant or, I don't know, unassailable in a way, is obsessed with Celestium. And I get it. Yeah. Who would it be? Christopher Vega. The Christopher Vega. It's Matt's nickname for Celeste. For some reason. And...

It makes sense when you're there. It makes sense when you're there. It's like being next to Gaga singing. Exactly. It's like, you know. But Gaga was just like telling me and Celeste, and this is what she brought up on our episode, like community. She's really been revisiting this idea, this thing that she misses a lot about coming up in New York is that she was like every night doing shows at the Slipper Room, like having comedians on or doing like, like, you know what I mean? Like she was like... She was a New York artist. She was a New York artist. And community is so important. Doing her...

very different version of like what you and I were doing, not to like compare things, but it's like you and I would like bring our fucking props to like shows and like be on lineups with people. And that's how we got to meet people. And that's why we still keep in touch with these people and still have these relationships that we cultivate. Like I completely, I love that this is the thing that she's like really returning to. She is like grounded and happy and like really inspired in a way that like we haven't seen before.

in a long time, not since Chromatic, but that was like during COVID when like we couldn't really see it. She wasn't really out there doing too much press for it. And it feels like in the last five years, she's really been in that place. And,

I just love that she, that we got to intersect at all with her, that you and I did, that the show, that SNL did. She's on like a mission of joy too. I feel like the, the like emotional landscape of Chromatica was different because it came from a different place. Like she's on record saying it came from a place of real pain. And so she, she's so clearly emotional.

joyful right now. And there was something about like, even with watching her bounce from sketch to sketch at SNL, et cetera, like watching her do the press that she's doing surrounding mayhem and that she involved us in that was so lovely. And, you know, it's just, it feels like it's a really good moment. I also think, you know, I'm obviously sitting here gagged at your singing in that sketch, but I don't think she's sounded better in years. And we were saying to her, like,

Obviously on the album, the way that she sings is just so mind-blowing. But, you know, I think it's the best singing that she's done. Which is obviously saying something. She's one of the greats. Perfect celebrity? You kidding me? Even at the end of How Bad Do You Want Me, it is happening again where I listen to an album and I do get... I love everything on the album, but I get stuck on one song. That's totally normal. It happens every time something comes out. I get stuck on one song and just can't get over it.

I love it. It's so interesting watching the fans discuss that song. Well, you know, but Bobby, Bobby Campbell was saying like the day of the album coming out, he goes, it's just so interesting because like,

So much of what the fans are saying are just echoes of what you and Matt were saying in the hotel. As we listened to it. As we listened to it. And like, it never crossed their minds. They were like, oh, I guess it does sound like a Taylor song. Because I did say 45 seconds into listening to How Bad Do You Want Me, I did say, this is giving Taylor. And Bobby was like, really? Yeah. And I was like, but is it not? Like, it's sort of... And that has...

I will drag myself now and I will also drag everyone who's kind of saying that. And here's why. Don't get upset yet. What I'm going to say is Taylor didn't invent that kind of pop music. Go back to the fame. Like before Taylor was doing pop, like Lady Gaga had big emotional pop songs like paparazzi. You know what I mean? Like that's a big emotional pop song. And like Gaga also has roots in this kind of thing. She hasn't done it in a while. Right, right, right. But

I feel like to give this entire genre to Taylor speaks a little bit to Taylor's omnipresence, which I guess is understandable. But let's not say this isn't a Gaga song because it's very much a Gaga song if you give it some thought, I think. I just love that I'm in this... I like that I'm able to radiate out from this album and connect it to other Gaga things where I'm like, this is the same woman who sang fucking...

Edge of Glory, which is basically like a Springsteen song who sang Shallow, obviously. Yeah. Like, and everything off of Joanne and everything. And like, Rick Rubin shit on Art Pop. It's like, she's so expansive as an artist. It's a combination. It's like, she's my favorite. She's my favorite. Name another legend. Anyway. Okay.

All right. Now, did we feel like we did a culture catch up? Is there anything that we missed that people are going to be saying? Well, we missed it, which doesn't feel good. Doesn't feel good. Oh, God. No, I think we covered our bases. And now we present to you our very, very...

We don't know what the conversation is yet because we haven't had it. I have some thoughts about things to ask her. Me too. Wouldn't you believe it? Wouldn't you believe it? We're so excited to talk to Cate Blanchett. Here it is, our conversation with two-time Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett!

Prohibition. It's no secret that banning alcohol didn't stop people from living it up in the 1920s.

When we're five years into prohibition, the government is starting to go, okay, this isn't working. In fact, you might even say it backfired spectacularly.

I'm Ed Helms, and on season three of my podcast, Snafu, we're taking you back to the 1920s and the tale of Formula Six. Because what you probably don't know about Prohibition is that American citizens were dying in massive numbers due to poisoned liquor. And all along, an unlikely duo was trying desperately to stop the corruption behind it.

And Santi was gone. I've been spending all my time looking for answers about what happened to Santi. And what's the way to find a missing person? Sleep with everyone he knew, obviously. Pillow talk. The most unwelcome window into the human psyche. Follow our out-of-his-element hero as he engages in a series of ill-conceived investigative hookups.

Mama always used to say, God gave me gumption in place of a gag reflex. And, as I was about to learn, no amount of showering can wash your hands of a bad hookup. Take a big whiff, my brah. Listen to The Hookup on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

Are your ears bored? Yeah. Are you looking for a new podcast that will make you laugh, learn, and say que? Yeah. Then tune in to Locatora Radio Season 10 today. Okay. I'm Diosa. I'm Mala. The host of Locatora Radio, a radiophonic novela. Which is just a very extra way of saying a podcast. We're launching this season with a miniseries.

Totally Nostalgic, a four-part series about the Latinos who shaped pop culture in the early 2000s. It's Lala checking in with all things Y2K, 2000s. My favorite memory, honestly, was us having our own media platforms like Mundos and MTV3. You could turn on the TV, you see Thalia, you see JLo, Nina Sky, Evie Queen, all the girlies doing their things. All of the beauty reflected right back at us. It was everything.

Tune in to Locatora Radio Season 10. Now that's what I call a podcast. Listen to Locatora Radio Season 10 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Ding dong, Las Culturistas calling. Well, we're sitting here with one of the greatest ever. Truly, truly, truly one of the greatest ever. Okay, I mean, we're not going to waste any time. She's here. We've done a whole preamble already.

Two-time Oscar winner. Countless BAFTAs. And the winner of the Cate Blanchett Award for Good Acting at the Las Cotterillas Cultural Awards, which I believe gagged the audience harder than anything that happened that night. It was a harder gag than even when, like, I'm going to say Taylor sent in two videos and that was a gag. But when Cate Blanchett sent a, I was going to say wordless, but no, you did say the words

I won. Yes. You know, confetti went up in the air. It was a huge acceptance moment. Your dog got scared. Yeah. It was a big moment for everybody. Yes. Well, it deserved it. I mean, this is the star of Black Bag, which is out this Friday, which we saw. We love Soderbergh's new one. I mean, so exciting. And,

Let's waste no more time. Everyone, please welcome into your ears, Cate Blanchett! Thank you. Thanks for having me. Okay, we just discussed a shoe theory. Yeah, tell us this. No, I was told today while I was wearing white sneakers that if you wear white sneakers, it means you're not getting any.

You are not a fornicator. And I just went, hang on a minute. I'm a huge fornicator. Massive. And I've been sending out really bad signals for quite a long time. I have three pairs, which I wear. I alternate. So I'm basically in... Well, I'm not today. I'm wearing heels. But a lot of the time, I'm sending out non-fornication signals. Did this person seem like an authority on this? Or were you like, okay. He said it with great authority. But I was...

very alarmed. You know, you think you get dressed, you're getting dressed for yourself. Yeah, right. You don't over, well, I mean, I didn't overthink the sequence at all. You're in the right place. But you know, you don't, you don't think that's a signal you're sending out. Right, never. Maybe if you wore a nun's habit or a next to knee

and gloves, you think maybe. Oh, so is that what this person was saying? Like it's a chastity signal? Well, I don't know. It seemed to be a little bit like wearing your keys on whichever. Is that really 80s? Wait, what's that about? Oh my God. You guys, I am so much older than you. This is so 70s and 80s. I think this could come back though. I'm not even gay and I know this. Like as like a way to like stop

You just did that. So if you do that, does that mean I'm available? Oh, I'm available. Everything I do is shouting that I'm available. And I also want to say I wear white sneakers a lot. And you were saying... And I don't have problems. Before we rolled it, Matt was... What, sex problems? You don't have problems getting it. No, I'm saying my sluttiest times were when I was in a white Converse.

I used to wear a white leather converse to like weddings where I was single. But were you wearing anything else? I was wearing like a blue suit or a red suit. My wedding sort of drag. Yeah. And then a white leather converse because I think I'm gay and can get away with it.

You can go to a straight wedding and you can kind of take a swing with the shoe. Okay. You know what I mean? But not with a white converse. Apparently. Did you get any of that evening? I did. I hooked up with the bride's cousin. Oh, okay. So it's rubbish. Yes, I'm telling you. I don't need to be worried. I can put them back on. My bunion will be so happy. There you go. Buy another pair. I'm good.

by another pair. Honestly, though, because they're white, they get a little scuffed. You need a backup and a backup backup. That's what I said. I said in a very apologetic way. I said, well, they're a little bit scuffy and dirty. So does that mean...

I don't know. Maybe that looks desperate. That's like I'm trying to pretend that I'm not wearing them anyway. I was freaked out. No. By a message that I didn't know that I was sending. I don't believe anyone believes that. That I'm not getting any. No, you don't give celibate. Okay. I don't give celibate. No. Thank you so much. I came into the room. Could you play celibate? Could you play celibate? Have you ever played celibate?

Have you played a nun? Not intentionally. I have played a nun. An alcoholic nun. Yes. An alcoholic nun? Yes. What film was that? Who then prostrated herself on the grave of a priest. But I don't think that that was sexual. Okay. At least intentionally. I see.

And did it feel right in the body? Did it feel good in the spirit? Like you would do it again? Yeah, I didn't wear underwear. Okay. But it was set back in time. Yeah. Speaking of not wearing underwear, when I played Queen of the Elves, they gave the, I don't know, the,

the toy manufacturing thing to some company. And a lot of the hobbits were very upset because they didn't feel that those toys were gonna be made properly. And then I had one child and I have four. So clearly I fornicate. There's no issue here. But I gave the elf toy of me, of Deladriel to my son.

And he was really upset because he said elves don't wear underwear. And they hadn't bothered to put underwear on the elf toy. But they did for the hobbits, you said? No, no, but the hobbits were upset because they didn't feel the toys were going to be made properly. And they weren't because I wore underwear as an elf. I think elves do wear underwear. Elves do wear underwear. Yeah, I think so. When you say the hobbits were upset, do you mean the actors who play the hobbits? Are you sure you're talking about the fans? My hobbit friends.

Yes. The Hobbit community. Oh, I meant the actor Hobbits. Yes, of course. They're not really Hobbits. Right, right, right. Well, BTS, they weren't really Hobbits. No, I guess I have not ever had the experience of having a toy made of me in my fashion. Oh, you will. I don't think so. That injustice will be corrected. Do you have input in that process? Well, no, clearly I didn't because if they had asked me, I would have said they had knitted underwear. Yeah, knitted. I think Galantriel, out of...

elf kind of web. Yeah. Sure. Yeah. But if you're immortal, if you're an elf in Tolkien's world, in Middle Earth, it's like... You don't need to wash your underwear, but you need to wear it. Yes. Okay. Yeah. All right. Wow. I never thought about their process in terms of like...

their sartorial nature. I know, we should see this toy. It was really disgusting. It's like Barbie not having genitals. Do you think after the Barbie movie that the Barbies are now going to have genitals? I mean, that's what kids learn about stuff. You know what's funny? One time, I remember seeing when I was a kid, there was a Ken with like more of a lump there. And I was being...

It did weird me out. And I was like, if people thought this was something that needed to be corrected, I can now tell you as someone who's seen a Ken with a penis, we didn't need this. But it was a lump is not a penis. A lump is a lump. But it was a suggestion. A lump is something you need to get checked. Yeah. Right. He needed help. Yeah. Stat. I know. I don't know. That was an infirm, Ken. Yeah. I know. I didn't learn a lot from Barbies growing up.

Or Ken's. What did you play with? What did I play with? As a kid. I had a ballerina Barbie. And so the crown, you could turn her around. I had one of, which I loved, is I had one of those dolls, which was a Red Riding Hood wolf doll. And when you turned it upside down, it was the wolf and the other way around. So you can do all the voices. Yes. I love that. And the wolf had a skirt? Yeah.

Well, yes, when it was the wolf. Right. Oh, but the wolf was dressed as the grandmother. Oh, wait. Was it Red Riding Hood and the wolf? Because that changes the story in a way that I love. Yes, it wasn't the grandmother. Oh, wow. But the wolf was dressed as the grandmother. Yeah, but the skirt was kind of brown. It was a bit Amish. It was an Amish wolf. I got it. Of course. God, what a performance they were giving. What did you guys play with?

I had an Aladdin Ken doll and he had the suggestion of a lump as well. Okay. And I kind of a queer awakening for me. I went, well, he's really handsome. I'd like to see him naked. Right. You know, I think, okay, so you're saying children learn from these dolls. Well, they could. Right. They could learn from the dolls. I just, I'm not learning as much as I am just like intrigued by, you know,

my own like fascination you know what I mean like I'm would you definitely with those dolls they're made to be dressed and undressed yes so it could be I mean then when it's your body starts to change and you go oh okay yeah I think one of my favorite this is no longer a lump it's something it's something it's meaning something else one of my favorite parts of the Barbie movie was the depiction of like the fucked Barbie that Kate McKinnon played the one that was just rode hard and put away wet and

I really was the king of the Barbies. My sister had dozens of them for some reason. And you were never given any? So, no. But I kind of was... I remember actually one of my earliest memories. I'm from Long Island. Was sitting on Santa's lap and asking for a Barbie and his reaction being really negative. And so I could never ask for one because it was really explicit in that moment. Like, don't ask for that. Like, this sort of...

Long Island Man playing Santa really instilled it in me. Which is creepy anyway. Exactly. I mean, it's really that's all a lot. We did the visit to the grotto with our kids one time when they were little and they were like, this is ridiculous.

And you're sort of watching it as a parent, like seeing the pageantry a little differently, I would imagine. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think I was quite traumatized by the Santa Claus grotto growing up. Yeah. All the photos were like, get me out of here. Kids can smell the booze. Yeah. Parents taking the photo was slightly removed so they can't smell it. They're not within an inch of. Yeah. Yeah. But I'm sure that was before they did the safety check. Yes. I mean, it's like allowing your children to go over there and have like a private conversation with this like,

with a dude who's wearing, who you cannot recognize. Yeah. Yeah. Who's just truly ensconced in like,

all this like fun, friendly stuff. And it's just, it's dark. It belies something very dark. It does. Very dark indeed. But the Barbie thing I remember for us, me and my sister, was a lot about survival. We would play Titanic with the Barbies and like they would slowly one by one pass away to the devastation that was caused by the Titanic hitting that iceberg in 1912. And the one that remained got to be undressed. It was all about taking off the clothes. It was always like...

This is me as a kid. It was always like the blonde prettiest Barbie. She wore like a blue, very shiny mini dress. And it was always her. She was always the sole survivor, the rose, as it were. But yeah, no, I do remember like really loving that group of that community of women that was the Barbies, the ensemble cast. I know when you never had your own.

But I only had the one. I found them boring in the end. Right. I loved the movie, but I found, yeah, the actual... So my kids have never had...

Yeah. Barbies. Probably good. Would you, besides Galadriel, would you want other characters that you portray to be dolls? I feel like a Sheba Hart doll would be very fun. Notes on a Scandal doll set would be very fun. That would be interesting. That would be interesting. There are some really good games you can play with those dolls. You know what's funny? Separately of each other, we were like, we obviously watched Black Bag. Phenomenal. And then we each picked...

one of your other movies watching last night didn't tell each other, it was Notes on a Scandal. It is one of our favorite films. It is fun every time. Judy Dench. Oh, my God. She turns 90-something. Wow. She's just had her birthday. Yeah. Yeah, she's a legend. Juno Temple. A young Juno Temple. Yes. Wow. Oh, my gosh. She was my daughter. That's how old I am. Yeah, but she was fabulous. Well, she's amazing. I wanted to ask, like, the really just...

pronounced queerness of your filmography. Is that like it's really it's really something. I mean, I was thinking about it and there's there's elements of this in a lot of what you do. Really? Yeah. I mean, Tar, obviously, I guess I guess it's growing up in Sydney.

Yeah, I spent so much time at Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, which was wild. I think it's been a bit OH&S now, but the parties were so fabulous. I went a couple of years ago for World Pride and I was really blown away by how Sydney really committed to and embraced the fact that they were hosting Pride. It was really lovely, especially now with everything going on. Looking back at that, I was like, I wonder if an American city would go for it this hard.

because Sydney was... It really felt beautiful to be there because it felt like a very queer city. Yeah, it totally is. What is OH&S? It's Occupational Health and Safety. Oh, sure. I see, I see, I see. Did I get the acronym right? Wait, so... And you're saying...

Australian Mardi Gras? No, no, no. The things that went on in those bathrooms, in those fire tracks, in the clubs that, you know, you were probably too young to go to, you know, that they've all been kind of cordoned off. Sure. Yeah. I feel like you would have a fun experience going to... I think those events are still happening the world over. Yeah. I would encourage you to...

To seek them out in my white sneakers. And your white sneakers. Hey, dude, back off. Yeah, listen. Leave me alone. I'm not interested. Don't you see my feet? I'm a non-fornicator. Yeah. Hello. Look at the shoes. We're going to Berlin in a couple of weeks. We're going to go to Berghain. Oh, my God. Have you been? Yes. Yes. Once. It's pretty wild. Did you wait in line and like do the whole thing of being? Yeah, I knew someone who knew someone who knew someone. Okay, I gotcha.

Was this recent? I can't remember, maybe five, six years ago. Okay. It was pre-COVID. Yeah, sure. Just pre-COVID, I guess. This will be our first time. You don't need to keep your eyes open. Things just happen. Sure. Oh, you can close your eyes and things happen. And things happen. Well, it depends where you are. It's a bit of a labyrinth. Sure. I mean, and look, there were things and places that I did not go into. Sure. A bit too Jeanne for me. Jeanne. Yeah.

A bit too Janae is the title of that. A bit too Janae. I just want to go to the, did you go to the gelato stand? Yes. Okay. Is this a famous thing? Yeah. There's a gelato stand that people like, everyone's just serving gelato. Oh, I love it. A little light relief. Sure. A palate cleanser. A little clean off, as it were. Yeah. Oh, that's fun. From the delights, from the carnal pleasures. Oh, wow. So is this a research trip? It is.

How did you know? How did you know? I don't know. I just assumed. Always working. There was a glimmer in our eye. Oh, wow. No, we're excited. Okay, I don't want to prize it out. No, no, no. You can prize it out. I was just going to say, I can't tell if we want to go down the friend of a friend of a friend route or if we, I think it would be informative for us to wait in the line. And either way. Who is being rejected? Yes. They won't reject you. I don't know. I think they might. I think I might. I don't think you look gay.

At all. Would that count against us? I don't know. What are they looking for? I don't know. We won't wear white shoes because what if they feel that way? What if they feel that way? This week, I was telling Gaga this when she was at SNL. She was like, what are you doing? Oh, how amazing. Oh, she was amazing. Amazing. Just like that. Phenomenal. God. Phenomenal anyway. Anyway. But the only thing more exciting was you introduced. I am.

I'm not excited. I'm not excited. I was, yeah, it was amazing. It was volcanic. Volcanic. No, I did erupt. She was saying that she has been turned away.

She's been turned away from that line because they were like, I think the implication was she was like, I think it was because I was a woman and it was a bit too sexy of a night, a bit too fornicate-y of a night in a way that was exclusive to phalluses. You know what I mean? Oh, okay. So I think maybe that's a thing that happens depending on if you're going to labyrinth her. She could have bought one. Yeah, totally. We can all buy a phallus. We can all buy a phallus. You can't buy a hole. You can't buy an orifice.

Wouldn't you agree? Well, you have many of them. So many. But don't you want to like... I think buying a phallus gives you like a degree of removal in a way that you're like, oh, I'm purely using this as an instrument. I can put this away. Yeah. I can put this away. A hole's a hole and you're stuck with it. I don't mind being stuck with mine. I'm quite happy. I don't want to... I'm pleased to have all the holes I have. Yes. But I'm... This...

Talk to me after you've been to Berghain. Oh, my God. Wow. This is a family show. This is a family show. This is for family communities. I don't think anyone's, they're not going to be shook by anything we say on this episode. But are you taking in a microphone? You won't be allowed to take it in unless you. Oh, no, we're not taking anything in. But it's research.

It's research where the phone's being put away. Right. But there's so, actually, there's so few spaces that you can go now where you are private like that, where people can really, that's what I loved about the late 80s going to all of the dance parties in Sydney for the Mardi Gras is because people were just there. They were so present. They were just together collectively having a great time.

that was non-aggressive. No one was being recorded. No one cared what anyone did. The other night we went to a place like that. There's a place called Basement. Yes. They put the tag on the phone. It was, it celebrated the idea of just go do it. And it's such a relief. I think people are profoundly relieved when they feel, I don't need to record this. Right. I can just tell people or not.

Yeah. But now it feels like that chasm between that kind of event, that ideal is widening from the thing that's very common now at like an award show, let's say, where you've got lip readers, you're being photographed. Lip readers? Oh yeah, on TikTok, there'll be people that are, you know, looking at a video of two celebrities talking to each other and they'll lip read what the conversation is. It looks like it could be exactly what they're saying in a way that's a little bit odd. That,

that's really what, I mean, do something. Learn Ikebana or something. I mean, it's like a skill that's actually beautiful. There are so many trains to pick up. Yeah. Wow. But that makes it feel even kind of more treacherous. Yeah, it is treacherous. You know? You do see celebrities nowadays on the carpet going like this a lot.

because, you know, those are the ones on TikTok and know they're at risk of being lip read. Yeah. Yeah. But I mean, I say, I mean, it's blasphemy. Go back to the day when it wasn't televised. You know, bring that back and just have a great party where people can just let go. I mean, the industry is so...

scattered in such a point of which I think could potentially be exciting or it could be really depressing. Right. But it's at a pivot point. Yeah. And so we need to gather together and celebrate what it is that we do. Right. Without it having to have any public facing. I mean, the fashion's great and all of that stuff. Of course. We will find out in the end who won or who didn't win. Yeah. Right. You know, but it would be so nice that that happened behind closed doors. Absolutely. It would be a very different evening. Yes. We were saying that

especially after, you know, the Oscars just happened and there's, it just feels like the march to that evening is so long. Do you feel there's maybe too many ceremonies? Well, that's what you're saying. Like,

un-televised some of them. Yes. You still have them. It's so great. It's so great that people's work is celebrated and we, and that way I think there's a kind of a sense that, because this is the thing, is you, all these films are amazing. Yeah. And so many amazing films and performances and all of the craft awards, cinematography and, you know, you want to celebrate them. Of course. But,

you can get sick of those films by the time, because they all get whittled down as they must. And then I don't want to get sick of any of those films because they're brilliant. Yeah. And it's like on face value, there doesn't need to be an over conversation about Onora the way that it's happening online and stuff like that to the point where we really lose the forest for the trees. It's just amazing full stop. Everyone in it is amazing full stop. And Sean Baker is a genius. Yeah.

Yes, he is. I've been such a fan of his work for such a long time. He's brilliant. Yeah, Red Rocket was... Red Rocket. It was really incredible. When she got off the bed with him and then sang like an angel at the synth, it was just breathtaking. Even just his earliest stuff has the same DNA of like the realism to it. It's all pretty consistent. Yeah.

Prohibition. It's no secret that banning alcohol didn't stop people from living it up in the 1920s.

When we're five years into prohibition, the government is starting to go, OK, this isn't working. In fact, you might even say it backfired spectacularly.

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What was the most Soderbergh thing that he did on Blackjack? I feel like he's such an expansive filmmaker. He can do pretty much anything. I think it's crazy that he's under budget so many times when he makes films. Under time. Under time. He's got this, he made The Presence, if you haven't seen that recently. I don't think I've ever seen it. Lucy Liu was in it, and the cast was amazing. I love Lucy Liu. And it was set in a house where a family moved in, and it was haunted by a presence, and so the whole narrative unfolds according to what

the presence in the house learns. Oh. It's amazing. But he shot that, I think, in nine or 11 days. What? So it's like, oh man, how quickly are we going to shoot Black Bag?

But the thing with Soderbergh is he's so economical. He always gets into work early. He knows how he's going to shoot it. But the reason why he started to operate, I asked him finally. I'd worked with him before, but I'd forgotten to ask him. He edits, he lights, he shoots, he directs. He doesn't write anymore. But he said the reason why he operates is because he wants it to keep moving and flowing. And he doesn't want the actors to go off the boil waiting around between takes and setups.

And so what he does is you start at the normal time, but you're done by three, which is great. You want to pick up your kids from school or, I don't know, get on a plane and go to Berkheim, whatever your thing is. But then what he does, he's such a workhorse as he goes and he edits. And so where he spends the money is keeping the sets open. So if he needs to pick something up,

He can. And so he assembles the thing, but then he's really forensic. He goes, no, that's too long. No, that piece of information needs to be revealed there. And so it's a really fluid thing with him. And so you've got to dance with him. But he did say...

typical Soderbergh was I said, we did one take and he wanted to move on. And I said to him, I said, I said, are we moving on because you're bored or because you've got it? And he went, yes and yes. He was bored with me and he got it.

So he's, but he's great. He's really blunt, but he really, really loves actors. And the cast in Black Bag. It's a great ensemble. Yeah, it's really, I was surprised that it was such an ensemble. Yeah, it is. And then it really is like, it's like watching a very thrilling, stylish play. Yeah. And I say that in obviously the most, you know, reverent way. Not to spoil it. There's like a fun, like, almost like poignant,

like Poirot, Agatha Christie-esque ending to it that I loved. Yeah. Well, it's basically about Fassbender, Michael Fassbender and I play husband and wife and they're espionage, you know, MI5, MI6, but it's all with technology. So it's a real, it's like, oh my God, I can't even open my phone.

So that was the acting bit that I had to do. But they're devoted to each other. They're married. And then he suspects her of being involved in this, releasing this cyber worm, which sounds pretty icky. Yeah, cyber worm. I wouldn't want to hear the noise that a cyber worm. It's probably, yeah, I was going to say. Did you ever see that Cronenberg film? With the little beeps and bops. You know the Cronenberg film, Existence? Existence? Oh, sure. We're squeamish. The noise that it made when Jennifer Jason Leigh and Jude Law put the plushies

portal into their body. It made me want to throw. It was like. How did you feel about the substance? The substance? What the noises? Yeah, the noise. I thought the sound was unreal. Unbelievable. I had a similar kind of thing. Yeah. Misophonia? Misophonia? Yes. Misophonia and xenophobia. Okay. Which is what Tara had.

Yes. Oh, right. Yeah. So speaking of tar, because this was truly our favorite movie. I remember we watched it or we didn't see it together. We both had the same exact check in with each other. We were like, wow, wow, wow. Well, I remember leaving the movie the first time and feeling really confused after the first five and ten minutes walking out of the movie being like, what? And then I realized, like, as I thought of it, I was like, that was phenomenal. And it just wasn't.

ultimately the genre I thought it was going to be at the top. I thought it ended up being this like incredibly funny satire in a way, but also like presenting as this like very stark drama from the whole time. And it is both of those things. But the question I wanted to ask you was, and I find this with several of your movies, was,

Are you ever really surprised when you see the end result of something in terms of the tone and genre from when you read it the first time? There was so much. I mean, the time made in first sitting, because it asks a lot of the audience. Right. It made a lot of people really angry. Uh-huh. And...

You know, I was really grateful to the critics and the people who had seen it who kept alive all of the other balls that Todd Field had written. Because people said, oh, it's about cancel culture or it's about abuses of power. But it wasn't. I always thought it was about what happens in the art, for me personally anyway. When we create something, we forget that we have to destroy something. Mm-hmm.

And so it's the destructive urge in the creative force. You don't have to be an artist to have a creative force, but we all want to make something in the world. But you often have to be very brutal with yourself when you make that. And there was quite a lot of, there was kind of a ghost story in there. And so we, you know, and there were elements in there, I guess it's far enough away. I didn't want to talk about it.

when it was coming out because you don't want to tell an audience too much with a movie like that. No, definitely not. But, you know, we shot things or talked about things that we decided not to shoot in the end. You know, that the gift, and I've got friends who are conductors who have perfect pitch. You probably have perfect pitch, Rowan. I do not. I do not say this. I apparently have a three-octave range, though. Wow. Apparently. I just wanted to throw that in there. There we go. No, but that she had perfect pitch.

pitch and incredible music ability that her parents were. She was raised by deaf parents. So when I thought about the early, there was an early sequence and these are very, very minor things that, that I used. There was a shot, I think from memory of her conducting as a student, which I think it ended up in the movie. And I use sign language.

to how I conducted that. But that was just fun. I mean, you know, they're not even Easter eggs because you're not ever thinking that the audience will pick those things up. But there was so much in there and he's such a great writer. I have to get him out of the barn, Todd Field. So he makes another film before 10 years pass. The barn. Get him out of there. But it's hard to pry someone out of a barn. They're cozy. No, I'm just saying like... Do you have a barn?

God. You want a barn, don't you? I want a barn. But you want someone to price you out of it. I'm going into the barn. I would love a barn. Are you kidding me? I think you'd be great in a barn. I would love that.

I really do. Thank you. I think you would love a barn, personally. Not very good with hay and all that. No, it doesn't get allergies. You have to be hay. No, it's just, I like my little creature comforts, but so do you. Now I'm thinking you wouldn't love a barn. No. You could have a cashmere barn. Cashmere blind barn. Cashmere barn. A little barn. A barn by Wayfair. I don't mean a barn functionally. I mean a barn just in terms of... A metaphorical barn. Yeah, somewhere to go. Yeah. He has a literal and a metaphorical barn. There you go. It's a twofer job. It's like you got to...

Bring him out of the headspace and the actual physical space. True. Well, I mean, Tar is just for me. Do you consider it a comedy? Because I feel like it's one of the great comedies. I thought Summer this year was really funny. Yeah. You know, I mean, how seriously she took herself. The second time I watched it, I couldn't stop laughing at the first episode.

she's having the talk back. It's so funny. Just how seriously she takes herself and like the performance that is happening and really the amount of ego. Because that was, that's really ultimately, I think it's just like crazy meditation on ego. Yeah, well, it is. But you have to, having stepped onto the podium in front of the Dresden Philharmonic as a woman, you know, but as a conductor anyway, is they sense fear. So you have to, as a conductor, you have to have a lot of chutzpah

Yeah. And that you have to say, this is where we're going. Yeah. And because I realize it's a bit like boarding school, like a lot of the members, they're all soloists, right? But the conductor has to bring them to make one unified sound. So there's a lot of egos and complications and they would all come up to me and start talking to me and telling me things about, you know, I know I'm acting as the first conductor.

cello, but I'm really only the second cello. So I'm really concerned about, and it was like, you have to hold all of this stuff together. But I, I got up there and they hadn't played together because of COVID. They had, the orchestra hadn't played together for quite a

along many, many months. And so when I said, look, in my bad German, I said, when I'm, you know, I'm not an actor. I mean, I'm not a conductor. You're not actors and we're going to have to swap roles. So let's be patient with one another. And I gave the downbeat at the rehearsal and they didn't follow me. And

And I went, let's start again. And they all went, ooh. And they realized, in fact, that I didn't, I mean, I was winging it. I did a lot of preparation. And I examined the score and everything. And I had the music in my, those bits of music in my head. But it was such a gift. Because then they had to lean in and realize that we did have to do it together. But it's not a film about conducting. Well, I feel like you telling that story

filtered through the character of Lydia Tarr makes me think of like I am Petra's father. It's like that is that's the same person in a completely different context of like

No, she thinks of herself as she is that person that like is being like called for at the school or something. Yeah. I mean, yeah. And I think she was probably mercilessly bullied herself. You think? Yeah. And it's also I think when you have an exceptional gift like that. And I always imagined her having parents who were made fun of. Right. And who couldn't hear the thing that she loved. It's a really complicating situation.

And it's all these little things that, because Todd is an amazing director, but also an amazing writer.

is he put all these little clues in that she went and she'd obviously spent a lot of time with the Shipibo Kenebo people taking ayahuasca. Right. And if I'd had enough time, I would have done a little bit more research into that part of it. But, you know, like she was really adventurous. And so she, you know, she did, she was running away from something herself. And also coming out of COVID, I don't know what you guys experienced,

You probably were able to continue the podcast, right? Yes. But if you couldn't do what you do, if you couldn't make music and you were Lydia Tarr for two years, what happens? Your creative herd turns destructive. Yeah. So, you know, I thought about all that stuff. We're talking about so many elements of a movie like this. You know, obviously, like, huge respect for the director and, like, real interest in the

incredibly dynamic character and this story that you can read in so many different ways. I wonder when you are embarking on something or you're sent a script, is there one of those elements, whether it's like the people you get to work with or the story itself or the specific character? Is there something that you feel is what pulls you each and every time? Or is it different? I would imagine it's a combination. But for you, if you could speak to that. You know, the couple of times early on when I accepted to do a script,

based on the role, it's always been slightly disappointing because it's like a theatre script is called a play because you have to play with it. It's not a work of literature. And so...

it's always now for me about the director, it's never the role. Yeah. So, cause it doesn't matter. You could be acting your socks off, but if the camera's in the wrong position or, you know, you haven't all been cast in the right way, or you haven't been brought together by the director into an ensemble, the thing won't lift off. Yeah. And so it won't mean anything to an audience. And so for example, with Black Bag working, I'd worked with Stephen and when we were

my husband and I were running the Sydney Theatre Company. He came in our first season and he wanted to do an all-male production of All About Eve, but we couldn't do it. Oh, wow. So he got obsessed with Nancy Grace and the Casey Anthony story and he concocted this bizarre, fascinating theatre piece.

But when he called me and said he had a slot and David Koepp had written this great ensemble piece, it was to work with him. And then, of course, it was Fassbender and Tom Burke, who's an amazing guy I'm on stage with, and the Seagull at the Barbican in London. So it is the director. And then I'm fascinated with who they want to cast then. Yeah, yeah. You've realized that more and more it is about the people. Yes.

It's not necessarily about, which feels counterintuitive, but it's not necessarily about the content and the primary way. Yeah, it's not about the role. You know, because sometimes it's like, wow, you know, that's a piece of action or I haven't spoken to that audience before. Or, you know, that's a chamber piece or, you know, in fact, that character's really still, I've been moving around too much. So sometimes, yeah, I don't know. But I don't know that I necessarily want to do it anymore anyway. I think I want to spend time with my...

my chickens and my gardens. Really? The barn? Yeah. You need a barn period. I do, yeah. With an occasional Berghain trip. Yes. Yeah. I will venture out to Berghain from the barn. Come with. That I would do. Let's go. We're reading a book now in the research. It's called Lost and Sound, The Beginnings of Berghain and the EasyJet Set. So this writer is kind of putting out this theory that like with the introduction of EasyJet in Europe, with budget travel within Europe,

Oh, it eroded the integrity. Not the integrity. It just brought people to Berlin and it created a nightlife capital in Berlin after the wall went down. I see. With techno coming out of Detroit, it's like it all kind of aligned in a way that like made it this magical, still magical thing that must be preserved because it's a cultural site now. It's considered a concert venue. Yeah.

And not necessarily a club. But, you know, they have to be really careful. Thomas Ostermeyer, who runs the Schaubühner in Berlin, has directed this production of The Seagull. He's such an amazing person and an amazing director.

But they are, you know, so many Australians are in Berlin because you get to, you don't have to apologize for, you know, being a musician or an actor or a painter or a writer or whatever where you kind of do in Australia. But he was saying, like, cultural funding is really going down. And they don't, it's such a, it's a stupidity from an economic point of view, let alone a cultural point of view. You know, you talk about culture on your podcast. Yeah.

But because of the multiplier effect, it's the restaurants, it's the bars, it's the taxi drivers, it's the cyclos, it's all of those other things that actually suffer when you remove culture from a place. Apart from, you know, that's why, as you say, that's why tourists go to Berlin. Yeah, absolutely. I feel like you have that in America too, of like that apology of like, hey, yeah, I'm an actor. I'm, you know.

You know, cloying. People think it's like cool to shy away from. There's a certain sect of people, I think, that don't stand in like

pride for being an artist. I don't know, maybe it's a self-consciousness. Yeah, or, you know, there's a sense that somehow if you are in a creative profession, there's an indulgence. It's elite. And you go, no, it's like you're a member of a circus family. It's true. You do it for an audience. And that's where Soderbergh's so great is he kept saying with Black Bag, he's like, we're making a movie. We're making a film. I want people to go and see this in the cinema and

eat their popcorn and have fun. And it's witty and stylish. It's like, you know, and then, and you know, you don't have to, not every piece of cinema has to have the same function or reach the same audience. They're multifarious audiences, but it's for an audience. I'm not doing it for myself. Right. You know, just to speak, because you mentioned that we talk about culture. We're going to ask you the question. That's a thing. That's a little bit of a

a little bit of a, you know, unifier on this podcast alongside this question, which is what was the culture that made you say culture was for you? Talking about like how you, Cate Blanchett, became Cate Blanchett. If you could think about... I'm constantly becoming. Yes! It could be something you found yesterday. I'm transitioning constantly. I don't know. Like I'm so eclectic in...

you know, I read Eden Blyton books. I spend all the time on my bicycle thinking I was Nancy Drew or Trixie Belden. You're looking at me blankly because you're weird. Trixie Belden was a girl detective. Yeah, as was Nancy Drew. Of course. But I, I,

I think there was a kind of an intersection for me of the royal wedding, Princess Diana and Charles, which was in 1980. At the moment, my grandmother was having a double bypass surgery. So death was meeting sort of life and pageantry. At the same time, the Moscow Olympics was on and I was obsessed. I did calisthenics, you know, like I'm not very strong, but I'm bendy like a

put my legs behind my head. I have no skills, but I can do that. Yeah, you have no skills. But that. And I got really obsessed with, I don't know if this is culture, but I got very obsessed with ribbon dancing. Oh, that's certainly culture. And then the dancing they do with the ball. Wow. So maybe it was that. So we file this under like, you know, the bending of it all, like rhythmic gymnastics. Rhythmic gymnastics. Yeah. I think that that was my...

a high culture expression. And then later on, you saw Picasso painting with light. And so that reminded me of my ribbon dancing obsession. You know, so yeah, maybe it was ribbon dancing. I'm thinking of your performance in The Curious Case of Benjamin Butt. It wasn't ribbon dancing. I know, but a dancer. You know what I mean? Yeah, I've never forgiven Fincher. He's so...

We were doing there was a dance sequence, which I did. He cut it for ages. No, no, no. It's in there. But he decided to shoot it at five o'clock in the morning. I haven't been called, you know, because he shoots forever. Having been called it like, you know, nine o'clock the previous morning. It's like you. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So I don't know how much is me and how much is my body double.

But I didn't get to ribbon dance in that. No, not ribbon dancing, but I just... My age, there's not a lot of call. They don't ask you to ribbon dance in your 50s. No, that's actually going into... Yeah, we'll get you ribbon dancing.

Yeah, it's the ball. It's so beautiful. What does the ball represent? You know, the girls in the Olympics who work with the ball and they move it around. It's incredible. It's like water. It's so magnificent. I don't even understand how you rehearse it. How do you do that? It's like magic. If you were to do magic tricks like pull the ace of spades out of a lemon, I mean, I would literally pee my pants. What's crazy about that is the answers are so simple.

but they're done with such precision. What do you mean the answer's so simple? Because like the answer to how the card comes out of the lemon or whatever the hell. I don't want to know. But what I'm saying is we don't know. And like for us, it seems so crazy, but their answers to that are so simple. Like the sleight of hand is so second nature. Yes.

I know, but I'm still, where do you put a lemon up? I mean, that's, I mean, I don't care. Which hole? Which hole did that lemon come out of? Don't touch the lemon. Don't touch the lemon. You don't want that. But would you agree that like,

Have you ever applied this to your own sort of craft where you're like, I don't want to tell you too much about how I do things? I never want to talk about it because I don't know how I do it. Do you not know? I don't have a process. Really? No. Like people say, oh, you know, I do Meisner or Lee Strasner or I do, you know, Uta Hagen is my, whoever it is. I read it all. I'm a bowel bird. If someone has done something great, I will steal it and

use it. Got it. Because you know, it's always going to be reinterpreted through your lens. Yeah. So I, yeah, I don't know. I, I, every night before I, you know, I start a new job, it's always the first day of school. I'm always terrified. And I say to my husband, who's so bored with me asking the same questions over and over and over. I said, what do I do? What's my process? Really? Just show up. And so you have to

go into a room and go, I do not know how to do this. You humble yourself to the task. And the material and the other actors and the directors and the circumstances...

reveal what research you need to do if you need to do any. Sometimes you don't need to. Sometimes you just have to be present. I feel like that's so comforting as an actor to hear even you say that because there's like a freedom. Terror. There's a freedom you can have to give yourself when you realize this thing I have about my anxieties, about being quote unquote good enough right for it. I was going to ask you how you are about moving on because it sounds like every actor has a different relationship to that. But to hear you speak to

not insecurity, but like any apprehension or, you know, nerves about doing something. I think for even you to say that, you know, it frees me. And it gets worse, I think. It gets worse. Yeah, because then there's a sense that maybe people have preconceptions or expectations if you have some kind of a track record.

And I think you have to risk. I'm sure you both feel this too. You have to. And particularly with stand up. Yeah. It's like you have to risk falling flat on your face. And so if you're not, if you're not on that knife edge, you're not going to keep growing. And so it is confronting. But you have to get yourself in the zone where you go, fuck it. Yeah. Well, my thing with a lot of comedians, and I'm going to say it skews male, but like a lot of male comedians seem to have this fear

allergy to like anything that is theatrical about comedy. Yes. And they have to understand that stand-up is just theater. The schema of it, of like one person being on stage talking to a crowd of people, doesn't matter how big the crowd is or small, it is, it's theater. So, and they are like performing the fact that these thoughts are coming to them off the cuff when they've been refining this routine for a long time over many experimental contexts. And it's like,

Let's just embrace that this is all kind of

artificial. And I don't know what my point is. I'm just saying like, there's... Yeah. And there's a structure to it. It's like if you're telling a story and you forget the pivot point in the story, it's not going to work. But I've always found it really such an education to go and watch stand up at the beginning when they're building the material. Because in the end, I think the process is the most exciting thing. And sometimes when you get to the end point, the hard thing is to keep it

Yeah. Right. You know. And of course, then there's the thing of, you know,

I've now done, I find this with a lot of standups. It's like you see people start to get insecure about having done things for several years. Right. It's like, you know what I mean? It's because then it's less even about how do I keep this fresh? And you're like, did I get too comfortable with, am I too good at keeping it fresh? Am I not moving on and pushing myself to do something else? Well, I got great advice from a Hungarian director who directed us as a company in a production of Uncle Vanya.

And we'd had previews and they were all great. And it was a really lovely company. And he came in and, you know, we rehearsed through an interpreter. And so he said through his interpreter, he said, all of those amazing things that you did last night, they were wonderful. Tonight, opening night, don't do any of them. Love it. And it was such great advice. And you go, okay, this is, I think it's because they come from a culture where things sit in rep. Right.

Right. And so he's interested in the long term health of the show. Yeah. Not getting good reviews, you know, because often it's the good reviews are actually harder to deal with. Because certainly if you read them, you go, oh, that's a good bit. And then it dies. Right. You know, so you can't you can't think about the good or bad bit. You just have to think it's all a process. Right. Or you just can't stay with it in any case, because in comedy, they say, like your act becomes your enemy. Right.

It's like what you're talking about where like... When you say your act, you mean your shtick or the thing. Your shtick, exactly. And like what you've given... It's like, I kind of feel that way now with like SNL. I'm like, oh, I'm playing another inanimate object. And sometimes, and I just want to say, because sometimes it's not always up to the cast member. Right, of course. You're being handed material like, okay, I guess you need me to play, you know, the spy balloon that got shot down. Okay, like fine. You know, it's...

And then it becomes this thing that you're trying to pull away. Anyway, this is not, this is microcosmically compared to like anything that,

No, because I mean, this is the thing is you don't want to be thinking about yourself. You want to be thinking about the energy that it's going out in your audience. And I think when you start to feel uncomfortable about that or habitual about that, then you become self-conscious and the thing's going to die anyway. Which is why it's refreshing and also sort of speaks to your skill, besides putting your legs behind your head, is that like you have this, you have this, you amalgamate all these things in your process to the point where you don't have one, which is...

Perfect. Yeah. I mean, look, I do like having a task that I feel is impossible. To say for something like Tar, I thought, I don't know how to read a score. I learned piano as a girl, but I have to break this score apart and choose the bits that we're going to play. And I really have to learn how to do this. And so in a way,

The part was so overwhelming. It's not a film about conducting, as I said. But it gave me something to do to stave off the anxiety because I had so much to prepare. Yeah, lots of homework. So it's just, I think in the end, process is a way of staving off anxiety, which can make you clam. Yeah. Yeah.

Prohibition. It's no secret that banning alcohol didn't stop people from living it up in the 1920s.

When we're five years into prohibition, the government is starting to go, okay, this isn't working. In fact, you might even say it backfired spectacularly.

Welcome to Pod of Rebellion, our new Star Wars Rebels rewatch podcast. I'm Vanessa Marshall. Hi, I'm Tia Sircar. I'm Taylor Gray. And I'm John Lee Brody. But you may also know us as Harrison Dula, Spectre 2. Sabine Wren, Spectre 5. And Ezra Bridger, Spectre 6 from Star Wars Rebels. Wait.

Uh, I wasn't on Star Wars Rebels. Am I in the right place? Absolutely. Each week, we're going to rewatch and discuss an episode from the series. And share some fun behind-the-scenes stories. Sometimes we'll be visited by special guests like Steve Bloom, voice of Zabarelio Specter IV, or Dante Bosco, voice of Jai Kel, and many others. Sometimes we'll even have a lively debate. And we'll have plenty of other fun surprises and trivia, too. Oh, uh, and me? Well, I'm the lucky ghost crew Stowaway, who gets to help moderate and guide the discussion each week.

Kind of like how Kanan guided Ezra in the ways of the force. You see what I did there? Nicely done, John. Thanks, Tia. So hang on because it's going to be a fun ride. Cue the music. Listen to Potter Rebellion on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

This is a little bit of a left turn, but have you seen Oh Mary on Broadway? No, I haven't. I have to tell you, in getting to know you a little bit now, I think that like you are going to absolutely love it. I've heard it's amazing. Everyone I know who's seen it has loved it. Next time you're in New York. I've now seen it with three different Marys. I've seen it with Kola Skola. I've seen Hannah Solo, The Understudy, and two nights ago we saw Betty Gilpin, who was fantastic. And different every time. Every time. And it's just...

It's just really interesting to see something start as that off-Broadway moment and then no Cole was doing it. And to now see an actress like Betty doing it, it's just, it's, the interpretation is like, it's ever evolving. I just think you have such an amazing sense of humor. You would absolutely love this. Yeah. I don't know how long you're in town. It's such a, no.

Oh, well. Yeah, right. You're doing your thing. I just came in to see you guys. And we're so happy. It was worth it. We canceled a show at the Barbican in London, but I'm so happy. Okay, so it might be time to do I Don't Think So Honey, which is our 60-second segment where we take something in pop culture that really needs to get pummeled into the ground. Yes. You know, and I have some

It's sort of been popping up for years now and I would like to... It's disturbing you. I can tell you're rubbing it far in. Yeah, that was my tell. That's your white sneaker. Let's go. All right. This is Matt Rogers. I don't think so many times starts now. I don't think so, honey. Buddy. One of my buddies. I got a buddy who... Let me tell you something, buddy. Maybe it's the consonants, the B and the D. I don't think... Frickative. It's too frickative. I was going to use the word. Maybe it's not even frickative.

A buddy of you, not a buddy? Yeah. My thing is just like, it feels like something, and it's been used sexually a couple times with me amongst gay men. Oh, yes. With your white sneakers. When my white sneakers were really popping off, and I don't like it there. I don't know what it is. 30 seconds. It feels like when you use the word buddy, you're not saying friend. Yeah.

It feels like something we're like backing off or like trying to. It's an act of aggression. Yes. Yeah, it's an act of aggression. The use of the word buddy or it's just not committing to what it is. It's my close friend. It's my, you know, I think some people, especially the gay guys I've been having sex with. I'm your lover. Okay. Call me something else, not buddy. It's like when someone calls you dude.

And that's very fricative as well, we think maybe. D&D. Dude and buddy, I'm just not feeling it. I think we should say, like, I think we should just use our words with more intention. Because buddy, it's existing in a gray area. I don't think so, honey. And that's one minute. You know, do you use buddy? I do say dude a bit. Dude is okay for you. Is it for a straight white woman to say dude? I think

Dude is fine. I have less of a problem with it. It's not my... I guess what I'm saying is when gay guys...

My same, I'm going out with my buddy. Yeah, yeah, yeah. What am I to you? Right. Yeah, where do I exist? Because buddy isn't like, it's existing in an area between acquaintance and friend. I never thought about it. I don't like it. This is an educational podcast. This is an educational podcast. Friend, I'm going to put a theory out there. The English language is sort of limited in the kind of words we have for friend. Buddy, I don't like when someone's like,

Five times out of ten, I'm going to say. Half the time. Half the time. When someone says, hey, friend, I go, huh? Like, I shudder a bit. Well, hey, no, here's what I'm saying. It's not... Hey, anything. Yeah. Hey, you. Hey, buddy. Hey, friend. It's like, hello. Hello. Ex-squeeze me. Yeah. It's just like... I'd rather you say ex-squeeze me. Ex-squeeze me is back now as a result of you saying it. It's the same kind of...

We haven't found the right word yet that feels right on the tongue. For what? For friend. For friendship. In the same way that we don't have the good words for marijuana. Weed, pot. Yeah, but I like reefer. Doobie, reefer. Delicious. Yeah. Yeah. I don't know. But what would you say? In what context are you calling someone a friend or a buddy or a mate or a pal? I think I got triggered. I like pal. I like mate too. Mate.

Mate is fun. Mate is fun. Not in Australia. It's just so overused. Is it really? Mate. Get out of here. Mate. I don't know. But maybe the way you say it, it's probably not so bad. I've got some mates in town. I mean, it doesn't sound right. But don't you think...

Lover is such a kind of... Yeah, I don't like it. I feel like it's taking your shirt off in an inappropriate way. It's too intimate. But sweetheart, I think my sweetheart is really nice. You know what I say when my friends make fun of me? I say, thank you, my love.

I love my love. At restaurants, I say my love. I call a lot of people my love. And our friend Jared is always like, I want to die when you say it. And I'm like, well, that's how I feel about Buddy. I love my love. But you wouldn't call away to Buddy. Or if you did, so I was in the service industry for 10 years. I've done hard yards. Getting called Buddy, it feels degrading. Maybe that's what I'm...

Yes. Picking up on. Yes. It's a post trauma. Yes. You haven't recovered from your waiting time. I think this, we stumbled upon it. It's that. It feels like a little bit of a put down or like, or it feels like that's maybe what I'm getting at with it, that it feels noncommittal. Yes. You know what I mean? It's just, it's, there's something. It's pat. Punched down about it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's pat. Yeah.

Maybe. It's simply Pat. It's simply Pat. It's interesting. Fascinating. I don't know. Yeah, I just needed to walk that through. And I'm happy we did here today. Okay, so this is Bowen Yang's I Don't Think So Honey. Did you come prepared today? I did. And this has been brewing for several years as well. For several years. We're really unearthing a lot today. Oh, wow. Okay. This ended up being therapy. I'm here. I'm here. Yeah. So this is Bowen Yang's I Don't Think So Honey. His time starts now. I Don't Think So Honey. Hakuna Matata.

No worries for the rest of your days? Privileged. I'm worried. It's not even a privilege thing. It's a detachment from the human condition, which is to experience stake, experience some kind of investment in the future. Evolve. And how can you be invested in the future if you're not worried a little bit about losing the thing that you want, about...

about letting go of desire. 30 seconds. It feels too Buddhist, too aggressively Buddhist, which is not what Buddhism is, which is anathema to Buddhism in the first place. You can't be an aggressive Buddhist. To say no worries for the rest of your days, to be that absolute about not worrying, something's off. 15 seconds. You're numbing yourself too much to circumstance, to...

to what life throws at you, you're going to be worried because guess what? Everyone in this room, I'm looking at you, Mahid, Matt behind the camera, we're all worried. You all have something to worry about. You all have something to worry about. They're pretending not to be, but they're worried. Also, not for nothing, they were a warthog and a groundhog. A meerkat. A meerkat, thank you. In Africa, you have worries. You've got worries. There are predators all around you. Be worried. Stay worried.

- Vigilant in these streets. And by these streets, I do mean the prairie lands. - The prairie lands. - The jungles. - This red room. - Yes, this red room. - This red room. - Stay on your toes. - Be afraid, be very afraid. - Hakuna Matata, I think not. It's really culture number 14. Hakuna Matata, I think not. - I loved that, Bowen. - Thank you. It's from the heart. - Yeah. - We were told that you came prepared as well.

I'm meant to have one. I'm not going to be as eloquent as you are. That's okay. But I have something, I have a lot of things that really, you know, what's the first bit I have to say? You say, I don't think so, honey. I don't think so.

I don't think so, honey. Okay. This thing. And we're going to put the timer up, but I think you should feel unbounded by this. Okay. I don't think so, honey. Timing, I don't think so, honey. Hakuna Matata in terms of this. In terms of this. My blood pressure's just gone up. Okay. We're just going to put it up just for ceremony. Okay. This is Cate Blanchett's I Don't Think So, Honey. Her time starts now.

I don't think so, honey, leaving the toilet seat up. And I am not talking about the lid. I am talking about the thing that you sit on. Of course. In a domestic setting, men may think, or people with penises may think that their aim is good. No. But it is all over the seat. And I have to put that thing down because in the end...

Everyone sits down more than they stand up. And when you are at, you know, somebody else's house and you and it's not only the pee that goes onto the seat, it's little bits of hair. And you think I want to touch that? You think I want to smell that? And so I have to put it down and then I put the seat down and then the whole thing comes up and it starts all over again. And if you are in a public bathroom.

It's like I am going to invest in a shiwi because, do you know what a shiwi is? Oh my God. It's a cup with a little tube on it that women use for going for a bushwee when they're camping. I don't want to have to spend money just because people who need to put the should be putting the seat down can't pee straight.

Right. Oh my God. Yeah. So it's my whole thing is the toilet seat thing. And I have, I live in a household with three boys and my husband and each of them say, I always put it down, which is almost more in rate. They lie, lies, lies. That's the plot of Black Bag. That's one minute. There's a traitor in your midst. Yeah. But,

This is... Are you going to defend yourself? No. I don't want to hear your defense because it is not true. I'm not defending myself. I'm actually... But... I'm sort of self-owning when I say it's always so jarring. This is the thing about living alone. Mm-hmm.

I'm going, well, that's my hair. I got to get mad at myself. Yeah. But do you find yourself getting mad at yourself if you go, well... I don't shed. Yeah. But you can't control that, can you? Oh, yeah. No, yeah. Years of work. I am Taurus, Taurus, Taurus. I told you that before I came in. I'm very controlling. Hair, stay in there. Stay in there. I can't stand going to someone else's bathroom and when they're okay with hair being all over the toilet. Like, I am essentially like...

a top level cleaner whenever I have anyone coming over. I make sure I put muscle into it. I know, but do you put the lid down? Always. Yes. I want photographic evidence. That's what my husband said. And he said, come on, just leave me alone. It's six in the morning. I do put it down and I go to the toilet and say, it's like,

We've been married 27 years and we are still married because I just had to let it go. And I tried to teach my boys, but I realized they're imprinted on my husband. So I failed as a parent. No, no, certainly not. I have, I have, I have. No, no, no. I'm exposing my sons in a way that I probably shouldn't be.

We don't know which of the sons. Yeah. All of them. Well, you've now specified. Yeah. So there we go. All of them. You can ask us for photographic evidence. You as a mother, this is your success as a mother is that you're not asking photographic evidence of them. No. You would never make them take it. It's true. I know. I don't shame them. Right. No. But they do get the passive-aggressive,

Every time I go to the bathroom. My thing is, and I'll reveal this, and I bet you'll agree, the older I get, I'm sitting down to pee more anyway. If I'm at home, I'm sitting. I do have male friends who sit down out of deference to their friends of all sexual situations and orientations. I'm going to sit down because I'm not going to miss if I sit down. Exactly. The risk becomes exponentially less when you are, when quite frankly, your dick is already in the bowl. Exactly. And if you don't have a dick,

you know, your hole's in the bowl. Your hole's in the bowl. Honestly. It's a win-win. All right. This is huge. And with that, you can cut that out. My mother's going to listen. Sorry, mom. Sorry, mom. No. And this is good for us for Berghain because there's the piss goblin there. There's probably a hole in the bowl room. There's a hole in the bowl room. You know, we're all going to be sitting. I'm sitting on the piss goblin. Yeah.

And I will not get photographic evidence of that. No, you can't. I'll get the descriptor. Absolutely. We'll fill you in. Have fun. Thank you. We're going to have the best time just like we did today. This was so amazing to have you. It's such an honor. It's so great to meet you. And you really are just one of the best. And this has just been so lovely. One of the best.

- Well, would you- - Is that like calling me your friend? - Would you- - No, your buddy. - Hey buddy, you're one of the best. - Listen buddy, you're one of the best. - No, you're meant to say to every guest, you're the best. - You are the greatest of all time. - And they leave feeling good about themselves. - Oh my God. - And see, and the next one comes in, you are the best. - You are the best. - Like you two are. - Undisputed. You're the undisputed best.

We named an award after you for good acting. I know. It was named after you. I was so chuffed and confused. I can understand. When we sent those to Ask Sam, we're like, are they going to have any reference for this? And then the fact that you went out and did it, we were like, thank you for the commitment. Bless you. Well, we end up being upset with the song. We sure do. I wish we only had, we're an orchestra right now. We can play and be conducted. Second cello. Let's see. Boy, you got my heartbeat.

I think I tried a harmony there and it didn't work. It's okay. We'll get it next time. Thanks. Bye. And our music is by Henry Kaburski.

Prohibition is synonymous with speakeasies, jazz, flappers, and of course, failure. I'm Ed Helms, and on season three of my podcast, Snafu, there's a story I couldn't wait to tell you. It's about an unlikely duo in the 1920s who tried to warn the public that prohibition was going to backfire so badly it just might leave thousands dead from poison. Listen and subscribe to Snafu on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Welcome to Pod of Rebellion, our new Star Wars Rebels rewatch podcast. I'm Vanessa Marshall, voice of Harrison Dooless, Spectre 2. I'm Tia Zirkar, Sabine Wren, Spectre 5. I'm Taylor Gray, Ezra Bridger, Spectre 6. And I'm John Librodi, the Ghost Crew Stowaway moderator. Each week, we're going to rewatch and discuss an episode from the series and share some fun behind-the-scenes stories. Sometimes we'll be visited by special guests like Steve Bloom, voice of Zabarelio, Spectre 4, or Dante Bosco, voice of Jykel, and more.

Hey, y'all. It's your girl, Cheeky's, and I'm back with a brand new season of your favorite podcast, Cheeky's and Chill. I'm your host, Cheeky's, and I'll see you next time.

I'll be sharing even more personal stories with you guys. And as always, you'll get my exclusive take on topics like love, personal growth, health, family ties, and more. And don't forget, I'll also be dishing out my best advice to you on episodes of Dear Cheekies. It's going to be an exciting year and I hope that you can join me. Listen to Cheekies and Chill season four on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

"Huge Fornicators" (w/ Cate Blanchett) 01:37:03 Share

Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang

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"Huge Fornicators" (w/ Cate Blanchett)