Shownotes Transcript
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Hi pussies and welcome back to Therapist. Sorry, it is very, very cold in the therapist's office this afternoon. I don't know why, but I've never really complained about the cold before ever. You know what? Actually, let me rephrase that. I'm not complaining about the cold. In fact, I actually am really enjoying having a blanket over me.
and feeling the warmth from the blanket and the cold from the outside air. So I guess I'm just making more of a statement. Tonight on Therapist, we have Leah Michelle. I grew up being the biggest Gleek in the entire world, and I never got to see Glee live in concert. So this was extremely full circle for me and really important to me. It was one of my favorite interviews I have ever done.
During the interview, I honestly couldn't believe that I was doing it because I kept thinking about how excited I would be as a 10-year-old if you told me that this would be my life today. So I'm just very grateful to Leah and everyone. It was incredible.
it was incredible and I'm so excited for you guys to hear it before I go if you want to see me live go to past that post calm and click live with Jake Shane to see if I'm coming to a city near you and click tell me what's wrong to tell me what's wrong leave a name and number if you're feeling fancy love you pussies I feel like you have so many amazing fans and so much like great supporters but I really feel like I might I was like at the
beginning you were at the beginning I was at the beginning I like wrote you I was like and I was sending your videos to everyone I knew being like you have this is the funniest like person I have seen in years like there are certain people who tickle like my funny bone and make me laugh it's like
Will Ferrell, Kristen Wiig, and you. Stop. Whatever you do. I was trying to think of my top three. I remember when you did Baby Moses going down on the stream. Yes, it was raining in LA. It was raining? Yes. That was...
Like, unbelievable. It's like true genius. It's like you are, I think all people who are funny, like, are geniuses. And you have to be, like, you have to be so smart. And you're so smart and funny together. And, like, oh, my God. Like, you brought me such joy. Well, Lea Michele, everybody, is on the podcast today. Oh, my God. Wow. The fact that if I had told, like, little me that you just said that to me, like, could die happy. Wow.
I really mean it. Thank you. I am the world's biggest fan. I'm the world's biggest Glee. I am so excited that you're here today. I'm so excited. I'm so excited to chat and be with you. Yes. This is great. So you are about to go on tour, huh? I am, yeah. And you're doing Glee covers and stuff, huh? I'm doing sort of, so it's going to be like my life from when I started working when I was eight years old. We do like Broadway stuff and then we go into a little Glee moment.
Memory lane. And then I'm going to do some songs for my albums also. But yes, I have like a big Glee section because it's, you know, it was such an important part of my life and we did such great music on the show. And I think that a lot of people now also, it's like Glee always is recycling through new generations and there is such a pull towards Glee and people really want to hear those songs and reminisce and kind of go back to, you
the feeling that they felt of when they watched the show. It was the first, yeah, it was the first show I ever watched live on TV. Oh, really? Yeah, it was like, what, every Wednesday night? Like, what's that like? It was like, I would sit down and I would be like, it's Glee time because everyone at school was watching Glee. Yeah. And it was like, it was such a cultural moment, I feel like. I mean, every morning after, all the songs from Glee would be on the iTunes chart. Right.
Oh, my God. Was there like one that you were – well, because the real – I mean, everyone says like the Glee song is like Don't Stop Believing. But for me, the Glee song that I remember like changing the course of like everything was – Oh, I wonder if it's going to be what I'm thinking. So I have one in my head. Should we one, two, three it? Okay, wait. I know the name of the band. The song is called – okay, go. Ready? One. Two, one. One, two, three. We are young. Oh, my God. Yes! Yes!
That was the one for me too. Nobody was like, okay, so I love this. Yeah, me too. No, okay. That was the one. Like anyone that's on Glee,
Any cast member will tell you that for us, too. We had all these moments where we were like, whoa. We're at the White House. We're on Oprah. But it was so funny when that happened because Fun was an incredible band and great. But we did the song. Our song went to number one. And then their song went up.
also went to number one afterwards, and then their band blew up. Right. And a lot of it had to do with our show, and that's when we were like, okay, wait a minute. The waves of Glee are hitting television and now music, and then kids and families, the ripple effect of what Glee was doing, it was in that moment where we were like, okay, this isn't just some...
incredible like moment. Right. This is like really making waves. Right. And that song was so great. It was what? I'm not doing that on tour, but maybe I should. Well, aren't you doing surprise songs as well? I'm doing what would Rachel Berry do now? Stop. Like a medley. What would she do now? But you tell, I mean, like what, don't you like hear a song on the radio? Yes, and I'm like Rachel. Not that you're thinking about me and Glee all the time. I am. I am. But like, I'd hear a song and I'd be like,
I could hear Alex Anders and Adam Anders melodies like they did all of the music for Glee. I could hear in my head like and I'd be like you know Mercedes would sing that part Tina would sing that part Quinn would sing that part like I can hear everything in my head when I hear a song on the radio. What's the last time that happened to you when you heard Pink Pony Club? But
But it would be Kurt. It wouldn't have been Rachel. It would have been Kurt. A hundred percent. But I am going to do that on the tour. That would be amazing. I also feel like casual. Like any Chapel Rowan song, like Rachel would just eat. Anything Chapel. Because she's like theater. Right. Like her songs are like, I mean, to me, they're like, it's my favorite of all time. The ultimate, the ultimate Rachel Berry song, I think is Driver's License. Well, I'm doing Driver's License.
obviously. You have to. It's like, when I, like, met Olivia, I was like, this is, like, the greatest. And then Vampire 2. Oh, yeah. It was, like, so, so, so good. But Rachel would 100% sing Driver's License, like, in the car, going to Finn's house. Yeah, like, something like that. Like, it would just be perfect. I know. It's like, that's why...
look until there's some reboot until that comes whenever, if ever, this is the great, like fun time to play around and like revisit her. Like I love the show so much. It was a wild experience. Um, and one day, you know, maybe I'll write a book and talk all about it, but I really, you know, the show means so much to me, the work that I did. And I love Rachel so much. So to have the opportunity to go on tour and,
and sing these songs and also talk about what was going on while I was doing them. I've never really been able to do that and talk openly about, you know, what it was like to sing Make You Feel My Love or why did I sing Glitter in the Air? Like, there's so much that was going on behind the scenes. And, you know, my tour is a real opportunity for me to reflect
be just open and talk about what that was like for me. Um, just from my experience. Is there anything you remember that was like going on behind the scenes that you were like, Oh my God, if only these people watching new right now, like literally everything, like,
Like literally everything. I mean, yeah, it was, look, we were all so young and everybody was growing up and, you know, falling in love or, you know, for me, like that was a huge part of the whole experience for me was my, you know, like this great, you know, love. And yeah, it was so unbelievable that you'd be watching the show. And when I watch it, I can tell you exactly. I'd be like, oh, yeah.
that day I was sobbing in my dressing room like or that day was like the best day in the world right you had a lot of like family met like family on that show like Jonathan Groff and you were in spring awakening he's like my second husband right yeah I was about to say I'm going to see his opening night tonight did you know that no wait where what's he in just in time on Broadway I'm gonna promote that as well everyone Bobby Darin Jonathan Groff at Circle in the Square in New York City oh I have to go oh my god of
you do. He loves you. I love him. I told you when you saw him and then he was like, I met your friend. I ran up to him. I ran up to him. Good. I'm glad that you did. Were you guys, did you push for him to join the show? Like how did that work? No. Did you just get lucky? He was offered Finn and he turned it down. What? So this is the whole story. You can put this in the podcast if you want or you can edit it out. I would never edit this out. So we were in Spring Awakening on Broadway together and
Ryan Murphy came to see Spring Awakening and I knew Ryan because he did a television show way way way before you're no way way way before you called Popular which was my favorite show of all time it was my AOL password and I loved Popular I'm obsessed yes I was literally AOL to like a month ago okay I had to get rid of it but he came and I was like oh my god Popular was like Leslie Bibb was on it it was like the show it was like our gossip girl for my generation and
And so I was so excited to meet him. And then he cast Jonathan in a pilot that he was doing. So Jonathan, this is a very long story. I'm here. So John was like, I have to leave Spring Awakening to go film this pilot in California with Ryan Murphy. And I was devastated. Turns out the same two weeks he was gone, Broadway shut down.
And I didn't have like anywhere to go. And we were like, what are we going to do during these two weeks? Right. So I got on a plane and flew like any best friend would do. Girl in New York who doesn't know what to do without her best friend. I got on a plane. I flew to L.A. My boyfriend also broke up with me. Uh-huh.
And my grandmother had passed away. It was like all of this stuff. And I got on a plane. I flew to him. And he was like, look, I'm working all day, but get dressed. We're going to the Chateau Marmont tonight with Ryan Murphy. I was like, the where? Yeah. I was like, great, whatever. I go to Melrose Place. I pick out the ugliest dress, but I thought it was beautiful. It was a purple silk dress with ruffles down the front. Literally, did I know I was picking a Rachel Berry dress? Yeah, I was about to say.
And I showed up to the Chateau. It was probably like the, you know, the record like scratched. It was like, who is this girl, this like weirdo girl coming here? And I just sat there and I talked to Ryan all night about Barbra Streisand and Celine Dion and Broadway. And,
And then a couple months later, John and I were back on Broadway, and he's like, Ryan's writing this show for me and you. And I was like, no, he's not. That's never going to happen. And turns out that he was. He was writing Glee for me and John. I auditioned. I ended up getting Rachel. They offered him Finn, and he turned it down. He didn't want to play a football player. He didn't want to be on, like, a long contract. And then they hired Corey, and...
Then, you know, however, later into the run, Ryan was like, will you please come on at least and just play this like
you know, kind of coming in, coming out character. Right. And he was like, sure. So then he came and played Jesse St. James. That is a wild, crazy, wild story. That makes so much sense though. I mean, imagine if I hadn't gone there. Right. Like the butterfly effect. Yes, totally. But is it true that, cause I was, I remember hearing that you, when you auditioned, like there was a car crash or something that happened right before you like had glass in your hair. Yes. This is like the story of my life. Like talk about butterflies.
Right. Yeah, no, I was in L.A. I had left Spring Awakening. I knew that this Glee audition was like coming up, but I was like, whatever. It's never going to happen. They're never going to cast me. I was always told I was too Jewish looking for television. I wasn't like pretty enough, like all of that.
And I was driving in my little like mini coupe that I had rented in L.A., blasting Adele and singing at the top of my lungs on my way to my Glee audition.
Trying to make a right turn into the studio from the center lane because I'm from New York City. Right. And I totaled my car, played dead, but then realized if I'm dead, I can't audition. So then I revived myself, literally left the car in the road, ran up the lot and walked in and they were like, you can go home. And I was like, I'm not going home.
pulled the glass out of my hair dropped it on the table auditioned for Rachel Berry and got the part that day they were like she's fucking can we curse on this yes they're like she's a fucking crazy that is I feel like life imitates art in Glee with you I mean look I guess I can't say right now that I'm not like Rachel because I'm really like proving myself yeah but
Look, there are a lot of things that we are different in, but I completely like her sense of determination. Like I've been working since I'm eight years old. Right. I just celebrated 30 years of working professionally. I did my first Broadway show when I was eight.
And talk about Butterfly Effect. I went on an audition with a friend and booked it for fun. Wait, you were eight and you auditioned for fun? Yes. What do you mean by that? How did that come about? My friend really wanted to be on Broadway. And there was an audition for Les Mis in our hometown. And she wanted to go. And then the night before, her father had a heart attack.
And her mom called my mom and said, will you take her? Like, I don't want her to miss out on this opportunity. So my mom was like, tomorrow, Chloe wants to go on this audition. Hi, Chloe. And we were going to take her. And I was like, well, I'm going to go too. And my dad was like, you can't sing, but you're a great dancer. Couldn't have been more wrong. And...
I sang a song and I booked it and I was on Broadway two weeks later. Over Chloe. Over Chloe and thousands of other talented girls. That is crazy. And then you did Les Mis. You were eight years old. And then from there, what's happened? I just continued to work from eight until 17, 18. I did Broadway shows and then I got Spring Awakening and that was sort of the biggest thing.
thing that I did as a you know sort of adult that was a huge moment it was like a great pre-Glee experience because it was like a mini Glee it was like a Broadway just explosion of this amazing show like it
Like we all blew up. Like it was – do you know Spring Awakening? Of course I know Spring Awakening. Yeah. So did you see that documentary? You should watch it if you haven't. No, but I recently saw some video of – was it you and Jonathan Groff? And he's like crying. And he's like crying. You're laughing at him or something. It's like everywhere. But yeah, that was great to kind of like talk about what that show was like and what that experience was like. And then after that I booked Glee and the rest is sort of history. Were you like –
Did you guys have... What were your expectations for Glee upon shooting? That's a really good question. I think... So...
that I really knew, but I had no television experience. So I didn't really know canceled, like not like I, I didn't understand. Right. Like I was just sort of like, Oh, I got a TV show and it's, you know, going to be picked up for a season. And I, I was sort of maybe a little bit more skewing positive because I didn't have as much experience where maybe other people were probably like, now I understand that it's not as, you know, um,
good or whatever. So, but I knew we had something really special. I wasn't sure if people would like understand it. Everybody was like, well, is it high school musical? Well, is it, you know, like the movie election? Like people couldn't really figure it out. Right. But it was very clear that once it aired that we were like, oh,
Like, this is going to be something. Now, I didn't think it was going to be what it became. Right. But I think we all knew at that point. Like, I remember being in my apartment and finding out that we got picked up. And we were like, okay, like, this is it. Were you picked up for the season or picked up for the next season? Or what was that like? I remember. So we did the pilot and I was back in New York. And I think that Jenna Ashkowitz was at my apartment and
And we got the email that was like, we got the 13 for season one. Right. And we were like, okay, like we're going to New York. Like we're going to LA. Like this is it. That's crazy. And then we got the back nine. Right. Cause there was a dub. There was that. There was like a, yeah, that season was long. Like I always think the end of season one, Jonathan had to remind me the other day. I think the end of season one is don't rain on my parade, but it's not. It's faithfully. I owe faithfully by the way. Yeah.
So the other day, so Jonathan sends me like a screenshot of Spotify. He's listening to Faithfully. Yeah, the Glee version, obviously. And I was like, oh, you know, he was like, I just am thinking of you in that gold dress. I'm sad. And I was like, oh, I remember we were all like, that was a wild day on set. I thought, I said to him, I was like, oh yeah, the end of season two, right?
And he was like, no, it's the end of season one. I was like, oh my God, thank you for schooling me on Glee right now. It was regionals, right? That I don't know. Like that I don't, that's a blur to me. Regionals, nationals. I think it goes sectionals, regionals, nationals. Just school me right now and tell me everything. I have not rewatched like anything. I went through, John and I went through a phase where we would get like drunk and then we would watch Glee.
We would like late at night at like 2 a.m. be like, let's put it on. We'd be like, what do we want to watch?
And we would like pick like the random musical numbers or whatever. And we would like watch just like bits. But like my husband has never seen Glee. You're kidding. He doesn't like know anything about it. How did you meet him? At a wedding. What? We were friends. Oh, that's beautiful. And he's never seen Glee? He's never seen Glee. You ever? He saw some of Scream Queens. Okay. But we were like, you know, in each other's lives at that point. But also iconic for sure. Yeah. But no, he's never seen Glee. He has to see Glee. I know. I forgot what they.
Someone was saying the other day and he was like, maybe I need to like watch it. But it's the it really is like a pinnacle of American culture. Like I was rewatching it. It is so funny about that. No, I mean, you know, thank you for saying that. It's true. I think so, too. I've never seen myself so in a character that I have in Rachel Berry. Are you do you feel like you're Rachel or do you feel like her? Oh, I'm Rachel. You're Rachel. I'm Rachel. Yeah, I think I'm like, do you? What do you think?
I am like I everything she does. I I'm the biggest Rachel defender till I die. Everything like everything she does. I'm like good for her. I literally will never forget in the pilot the first time I walked down that hallway and it that when when she's storming down the hallway. Oh, we stormed down. But it was the first time I did it.
and Ryan like gave me a direction, but it was just like, I just knew what to do. I was like, no, I've done this before. Like I know what to do here. And I think that that's like, you know, that,
That's why it's like you love her or you hate her. And it's a very strong energy to have around you. Right. And I guess I'm similar. I feel like it's because Rachel is so confident in what she likes and loves. And like anybody in this world who is confident in what they like and love, like you're never going to be in between on them because they're not pandering to any sort of side. But if she knows you and loves you, there is no one that is like a greater, stronger friend. Right.
And like for me, the people that I'm like very close with in my life, like I'll like do anything for those people that are like my core people in my life. Do you? Which you're now in. Oh!
Seriously, the best day of my life. Like, I was thinking on my way here, I wanted to see you guys live at Radio City. Oh, yeah. Because you guys went on tour and I was so excited. Everybody in my school was going to see you guys live at Radio City. And I was so excited. I was trying to get my parents to buy me tickets and they agreed. And then I got into it. I think I was like 10 and I got into it. No!
I got into a disagreement. I just short circuited. No, no. Okay. I got into a disagreement with my parents that day. And then they took it away from you? They took it away from me. Like I threw a temper tantrum or something. Oh my God. Maybe we need to do a Glee reunion at Radio City just for you. Well, this makes up for it. I meant some. That was a wild. Yeah, that was, we did that tour.
First, we did a mall tour. Why? Where we went to Hot Topics. Do you know what that is? Yes, I know Hot Topics. I used to buy Twilight merch. Right. So we would buy Twilight shirts and wear them at the Hot Topic tour. So that was the first thing we did. Before it was even on the air, we were doing Hot Topic tours. Oh, really? Yeah. And then we did a small little appearance thing in Australia. And then we did our first. So we would film 22 episodes, record four.
hundreds of songs, learn thousands of dance numbers, and then finish filming and within days go on tour immediately. That's insane. It was insane. So what was the schedule like? It was songs, dance, record, or how did it work? It was fucking hold on tight. Like don't have to eat, don't have to sleep, don't have to poop. Like just...
When they need you, they need you. And if you're not filming, you were recording. If you weren't recording, you were in dance rehearsal. If you weren't in dance rehearsal, you were filming. If you weren't filming, you were in a fitting. You were always doing something. And it was unbelievable. Like it was extremely hard for, I mean, everyone. The fact that, yeah, we managed to put it all together and so well together
I think that it was truly for the love and I can't speak for everyone here, but I really believe that it was just for the love of what we knew we were doing and how important it was, whether or not we all liked each other or whatever was going on, whether it was a day we loved each other or a day we didn't love each other or a day that someone was going through something or we just knew that this was so important. I mean, again, that for me was one of the things that kept,
me going right about what however tired we were was there an episode or like was there like a musical number that you guys just couldn't get for the longest time and it was like so hard and it was like you just remember being like this is the hardest gosh
This is where my memory like doesn't serve me. And there are other people on the show that are probably like screaming, being like, it was this number. Why can't you remember? I think we had certain directors that would take a really long time. And then, of course, when Ryan would come, Ryan would know exactly what he wanted and it would be like.
Great. Obviously, when you're dealing with a number like We Found Love in a Hopeless Place where we're in a pool and we're doing synchronized swimming, that's going to take forever. Yeah. I do remember now...
I think it was Michael Jackson episode and we were in a parking lot and it was late at night and that was the first night that I was like, I cannot do this. I need to leave. I'm going to leave. I'm dying. I'm so tired. That for me stands out as one where I was like, it was just taking so long and it was so late at night and we were really, really tired. I think...
There were numbers like that, but then there were numbers that whenever there was an element to it, like the singing in the rain where it's like raining, stuff like that would just always be hard when you're dealing with
Right. You know, on top of just having to sing and dance. That's crazy. And the nationals and sectionals and regionals always took the longest. Right. Like the Paradise by the Dashboard Light, which is actually randomly one of my favorite Glee numbers of all time. I love that so much. I remember that day like it was yesterday. I literally remember...
So I think it had been at that time. So we ended up doing 800 musical numbers that day. Maybe we'd hit 500 and they had every number on. I've never told anyone the story before they were shooting. What are those like the little like if it's like Powerball, those like balls, what are those called? You know, it's like these are the numbers. If you win like like bingo balls. Yeah, but like little light whatever balls.
That's the best I can do. Yeah. And they were like shooting them out with like a gun. Okay. On each ball was a name of a song and they shot out like 500 in the auditorium. Why? For what reason? Just to be like, yay, we did 500 numbers. Catch a little. I don't know. I actually stepped outside because I was like, I needed like a minute. And Corey walked outside and he was like, look what I got. He's like, I just randomly picked a ball off the floor and it was don't rain on my parade.
And funny enough, like I have so many special things from the show, but that I will never let go of that little fucking whatever you want to call it ball. Oh, yeah. It's so like so like it's funny how some things I remember so clearly and then other things I don't.
I have no memory of whatsoever. But I think that like that has to do with when things were like really intense or when, you know, it was a little bit of a not so intense time on the show. Right. I mean, how could it not be intense? I feel like everybody on the show, it was everybody's first time for everything. Yeah. So when you have everybody experiencing everything for the first time, how could it not be the craziest thing of all time? Of course. And there were no rules. Everyone was figuring it out as we were going. Like,
It's not like the people who created the show were like, we have a formula and we know how to do this where everyone feels supported and has protection. It's like everyone was kind of figuring it out. And we were so young. I think I started when I was 22. Oh my God. And I ended when I was 27 maybe. Yeah.
Yeah, I don't know. I'm 28 now. It's like, how am I? How are you supposed to do this kind of math? But no, I'm 38 and proud of it. But yeah. Sorry. Continue. No, I just. Yeah, it's just we were so young. We really were. And do you remember like was there ever like did life imitate art in the sense that like was anyone ever fighting for a song?
Not that I can remember. I do know that like it was very clear when you would hear a song on the radio, you would be like, you're going to like that's going to be in a script next week and you're going to get it. Right. Like it was very clear.
who would like get what songs based on the artists right at of like the time um so I don't remember but I do like I remember I would hear a song on the radio and be like oh like I hope that that song like is going to be on the show but we were doing so much that like I never felt like I felt very like satiated in that I was doing a lot of different stuff like literally like theater like
Yeah. Cranked up on fucking who knows what. Crazy. Actually, I feel like maybe the really kids younger than me don't really recognize at the time how
everywhere glee was like it was inescapable like you know what i mean like it was i mean what so when you weren't filming were you doing press and promo and just everything under the sun we were on tour right you know we so we did a tour in between almost every season of the show right except for maybe the last three or four because we did like i said the hot topic tour the australia tour the
Radio City run and then the worldwide one. With the 3D movie. And then there was the 3D movie. Yeah, yeah. So every break we had something and we were always working. So it was never like...
Oh, and now I'm going to go. I mean, maybe we would go away for a little while and I would come here and I would go back home and always felt so safe. Like the city is like the best place to come back to. But it was very different. Life was very different.
I mean, I had a tour bus that would go past my house in West Hollywood and you would hear it. I'd be in the house and be like, Leah Michelle, Rachel Berry on Glee. And then it would be like I would hear Don't Rain on My Parade playing while I'm sitting in my living room. And then fast forward like four years later, I bought a house like so high up in a canyon, far, far, far, like deep in, you know, Pacific Palisades because I was like, I have to get out of West Hollywood. Yeah.
Wait, they can do that? They can drive by your house and say to people that's where you live? Yes. And there was also a tour bus that used to drive by my house. My publicist will probably want to cut this. But it was the tour of people that have died.
And after everything happened, this bus would come by. It was like the, you know, whatever, Hollywood tragedy tour bus. And here I was 26 years old and this tour bus would go by my house. And every day I would hear like, these are the details and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And like eerie music would be playing from the tour bus. And there I was just at home. Everyone should see the shocked face. No, I mean, I think.
This explains a lot. No, no, but it's, yeah, it was so sad. It was so, so depressing. Do you feel like there was just this like,
kind of adrenaline shock value of like dealing with grief in such a public way? Well, I was 26. Right. No one handed me a guidebook. I was like, it was a fast education on more stuff than I could ever even process. But also, you know, if we didn't show up for work, then people wouldn't have work to go to. Of course. And that was a lot of pressure for me. And so I had to put my stuff aside and just show up so that everybody could continue to work.
Do you feel, though, as like you all, you guys all banded together in like a very tight-knit way? No. Really? I think it really fractured so much. I mean, again, I can't speak for everyone. I think that maybe in some ways it did for certain people. But I think that it was, for me, it was so hard to...
Like I just completely broke. Like I was in a really one track mind of just like doing my job. It was way too much to like,
try to process at such a young age, but I'm very grateful for everyone there, whether or not they know it. Like I personally felt a lot of support and from everybody in the building, like helping me to get through, especially from the crew, like the people that would be behind the camera every day. Like I would be looking at the camera, but looking at the person behind it are incredible crew members. Um,
everyone that held a camera, sound, lighting, I was looking at those people like they were holding me up so much. As well as the people that were on the show. But a lot of people were gone also by then, which was hard. Right. I'm so sorry. Thank you for saying that. I don't really talk about this very much. I know you don't. But I feel like you get it. You love the show. You truly love Glee. Yeah. Glee changed my life. It changed mine too and changed a lot of people's lives. Yeah.
I think that, like I said, for me, despite all of this, I really look back on it and look back at Rachel as just someone and something so special to me. So grateful that you are talking about everything with me. I feel so honored. You know, I... Yeah, I had my daughter in August. I'm a mom. I have two kids now. Right. And...
Um, I, I just feel like, especially after having my second baby, I had my son during the pandemic. It was a really intense time in the world. Um, it was a really hard pregnancy for me. A lot of scary stuff happened. So I was like living in a lot of like,
fear during that time as the whole world was. And obviously having him was like, it changed my life. Like it, it broke me open, but like having my daughter and it was such a beautiful experience. Like I finished funny girl, I got pregnant. I tried and tried to get pregnant. I couldn't. And I finally did. And it was a girl. And I really feel like my son, um,
Like, I don't know how to explain it, but it's like he sort of like saved me and he changed me in so many ways and helped me learn and grow. But that was like a growth thing. My daughter, I just feel like she's like sunshine.
Thank you SeatGeek for sponsoring tonight's episode. Summer is approaching, which means everybody is back on tour and there are so many concerts and live shows to see. Beyonce just begun her Cowboy Carter tour. It looks incredible. Um, Lea Michele is about to go on tour. Tate McRae is about to go on the Miss Possessive World Tour. There are so many concerts and live shows to see and SeatGeek has every single one of them. Okay. When you go to the SeatGeek
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Yes. I don't drink like alcohol anymore also, which is like so annoying. When did you stop drinking? A little bit before I got pregnant. Okay. Okay. Which is like what you should do before you get pregnant. Of course. But it's just kind of like continued. But it's like I'm feeling so great. So you were like you stopped drinking obviously before the pregnancy. I mean like I'll have like a little like my husband and I like I had a little champagne on my anniversary. Right. But like totally like.
So much less. Right. Yeah. Sorry. Party Leah. No more. Were you a party girl? I love a good, you know, I've never done drugs in my life and, but no, but I would like love a nice little drink, but yeah, they say it's like bad for you now.
Well, apparently somebody came on my show once and said that like alcohol actually means like death of like your spirit or like something crazy like spirit killer or like something crazy. Do you remember that? Spirit. And I was like, oh, shit. So I. You're like sipping. You're like, man. Yeah. Cheers to killing yourself. Yeah.
Okay let's get back on track No this is so on track You want to know what so randomly I was listening to on the way here That is like my favorite Everything I say is my favorite Glee cover of all time But really is Roots Before Fucking Branches
I mean, look, I love Roots Before Branches. Like Adam and his wife, Nikki Anders, who I love so much, wrote this beautiful song. It was an original song for the show. What? It was? Yeah, that wasn't like a song on the radio. They wrote that for the show. They needed like a song for Rachel to sing. It was when we started incorporating more
original songs. Right. So like Get It Right is an original song. Loser Like Me. Loser Like Me. Roots Before Branches. But then it was also like people love like my headband. Yes. They love Only Child. They love like my cup. Like I'll be doing concerts and they'll be like do you
And I'll be like, that will trigger me back to the mental institution. Right. But yeah, people really love. I'm like, okay. Yeah. I like it. I don't know why. I don't know why. I think it was like the first time I ever cried at a TV show. Well, if you're watching this scene with the song, then it's like.
I mean, they're in the car and he's like, you have to go. And we were like practicing those lines at home before work. I was devastated. I was like, I don't want to do this. And then getting on the train was
And going to New York, I remember it all. All too well. Yes, all too well. Do you remember a storyline? Because some of the storylines are like so outrageous. Do you remember like because but like at the time when I was watching them, I was like, no, totally. And then when I was rewatching them, I was like, huh. Like maybe around then. But I think the last few like the last season was.
Like some of it got a little like wonky. Yeah. The puppets, the gas leak. And I think Carrot Top was there for a minute for something like those for me. I'm like, was am I dreaming? Right. Did that really happen? Like, did I really do that? Because at that point I was so like.
you know, it was so hard. Right. So that's when it got, for me, I was a little like, what are we doing? Right. Like, what is going on? But apparently now people are saying too that like, even in those episodes, it's like,
Yeah, we love it. Yeah. Everyone's just like it's camp. It's everything. It's everything. Like my personal favorite is when you guys all took Adderall and saying like walking on sunshine. Oh, vitamin D. Yeah. Yeah. I loved that. We all drank or I don't know if everyone did, but Red Bull.
We were like, let's drink a lot of bread bowl and do this number. And we were like, it felt like the girls were competing with the boys. Right. Whose number could be like better and more like manic and crazy. And then we did it on tour. Yes. We did Walking on Sunshine at Radio City. Oh, I wouldn't.
I wasn't there. You wouldn't know. Mom and dad ruined your life. Yeah. After that, life just really... Seriously. Imagine if you'd gone. That was like a butterfly effect. You could have gone. And then maybe I wouldn't be here talking to you right now. But here we are. So everything happens for a reason. There you go. You had so many incredible guest stars on the show. Yes. Do you remember a favorite guest star? Just like a moment that you were like, this is insane. Oh, so many. Right. Like for me, Kate Hudson, working with Kate was the best. She became...
a really good friend to me and like a lifeline and that I love Kate forever and her family. So working with Kate, singing with her, like Almost Famous is my favorite movie of all time. So that was like major. And I met her
And she was so kind. And I don't know if I was like what I was expecting, but she was she's such a girl's girl and she's the greatest. So Kate watching her sing and dance and her energy. She glows from within like, oh, she is such an icon and I love her. And so Kate was like number one. What was it like with Adina? Love. I mean, yeah.
I can't like talk enough about my love for Adina. I would go to... When Adina was in Wicked and I was in Spring Awakening, I would find out that Adina would go and do Bikram yoga in between shows on Wednesdays. So I would then go to Bikram yoga, just happen to be there in the same class that Adina was and would be like stretching and be like...
Like, how are you like a crazy, crazy fan? Like I went to the stage door of Wicked, like love her, love Kristen too. I mean, don't even get me started about Kristen. She is like a rock and I literally love her. And I have to this day, like if I need advice about anything, I call Kristen and she's like, give us the best advice. And she always picks up the phone and she is wonderful. Adina for me though, like,
I wanted to be Elphaba and like I just always looked up to her and rent. I wanted to be Maureen. Like I was so obsessed with her. And so the fact that she came on and she played my mom, it was wild. It was so wild. And she, you know, she said to me at the time, she was like,
are you like, are you realizing like what's happening here? Like, are you appreciating this? Like she was trying to get me to kind of like stop, um,
And like really like look. And I was like, of course I am like, but I'm so tired. Like I'm too tired to even like, but I look back on it now. And I was like, I really wasn't, you know, like I really wasn't stopping and like looking around and being like, I, I think in order to survive, I needed to have such blinders on. Of course. But she was really trying to give me like such good advice.
advice but I just loved working with her and she's such an amazing person just recently she did a favor for me and she left a voicemail for my son as Elsa because I freeze his toys in ice and leave them in his room and I tell him Elsa came and froze his toys that's really sweet and I play like let it go and I'm like Elsa
and you gotta like break this ice and he like loves it and so then she was so sweet and she left her voice and she's like hi Ever it's Elsa and she like sang Let It Go and it was like
The kindest, kindest thing. So go see Redwood and go Adina. Wow. That is incredible. Yeah. Oh my God. I don't even know. I'm like leaving you like. Speechless? Like, yeah, a little. I'm like, uh, was there a moment where you were like, cause you talked about having such blinders on. Was there a moment though, where you were like able to stop and look at the view and be like, holy, any like pinch me moments? Yeah.
Maybe like on the tours, there was more opportunity to do that because when we were filming, it was so chaotic. But I have one memory that comes of we were playing Madison Square Garden. Like this will make me cry. Like I'm from New York. Like I'm a New Yorker.
Jenna was also from New York and we, we bought like New York Yankees hats and like our dads are like real New Yorkers. And like when we did Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, the New York number, like we walked out like with our New York caps on and we were like, like we made it like, look at this. We are at this venue that for us as New Yorkers, this is like,
this doesn't get any more iconic. Like for me, it was even more than radio city. Um, and I remember like looking out and like wearing that New York cap and being like, whoa, like,
And really soaking it in in that moment. I have a few like that, but that was definitely one of them. Oh, I can't even imagine. Filming was too much. Yeah. Like you never had the time to stop. Right. You know, but of course, like I remember Oprah. I remember the White House, like things like that were moments where we were like,
oh my God. Right. Whoa, we're here. Right. You know, and then all of the awards and all of that was also so crazy. Wasn't there, it wasn't, was it, it was the, it was the Emmys. You did some, you did an opening. Yes. It was the Emmys, right? Yeah. We did the whole opening number with Tina Fey and like Jon Hammond, Jimmy Fallon, I think did it too. Yeah. And the cast of Glee. That's incredible. It's like so crazy. Yeah.
Like actually insane. Yeah. What did you guys think of like the term Gleek? Love. Yeah, like you're a Gleek. Like Gleek of the week. I wanted to be Gleek of the week so fucking badly. Darren literally texts me all the time. He's like, Gleek of the week. Like, how are you?
Like literally, like we always talk about Gleek of the Week. I'm obsessed. Yeah. No, it was like, look, doing this on your head. It was like everywhere. Like, yeah, that was it. Like, oh my God. Gleek, of course. I have a photo of myself going like this when I was 10 years old. Will you text Cassidy and tell her to send the...
The photo she has. We need proof. For her contact photo for me, it's me going like this. I love that. Have her send it. I love that. What was I going to say? I need to talk to you about Funny Girl. Yes. Because I think the entire world, when you booked that role, was like, this is just right. Isn't it crazy? It really is crazy. It's that whole story. I mean, this is the second book. Yeah. You need a sequel. It's going to be a trilogy.
trilogy. Like, of course, there's too much to say. That's wild. What was that like? Yeah.
crazy. Like, you know, there were talks of me doing funny girl in 2014, I think it was, but it was right after everything happened and I was totally not in the right headspace. Um, it would have meant that I could only do it for like three months on Broadway in between seasons of glee. Got it. And I was like, again, full on adrenaline, like,
crazy mode and I'm grateful that I had the wherewithal in my brain to know that it was not the right thing to do at that time and so that door closed and I was like maybe it'll come again like if it's meant to it will but
But I also at that time we were doing so much Funny Girl on Glee that I felt, again, like super satiated. Like I was really given such great material. I was very, very fortunate and very privileged in the experience of Glee that I got to do a lot of really great stuff. I'm not blind to that. And doing literally all of Funny Girl on television was awesome. So it didn't feel so hard like letting it go at that time.
And then I heard rumors that it was coming back. And at that point, I was really wanting to do it. It was sometime around like 2018, I
Yeah, 2018. And I really wanted to do it. And they wanted someone else. I don't know if it's like out, but they really wanted Adina to do it as well. And it was like back and forth of, you know, what, what, what direction they were going to go in. And then I got pregnant and I was like, well, I'm out guys. So see ya. So I got pregnant. I was so happy to be pregnant that again, I was like, okay, this wasn't meant to be like, I'm going to go watch Adina do it. And like,
I'm going to have the time of my life. Like, you know, that's, it's going to be amazing. And when I found out that it was going to be, you know, coming and how it was happening, I was like, this is amazing. I'm so happy that funny girl is coming to Broadway. And, you know, my journey of doing it was only meant to be on Glee. And like,
that's beautiful. And I was very grateful for that. I went and I saw the show. I loved it. Like I cried, you know, seeing these songs being sung on, on stage. And when I started to hear of, you know, potentially like coming into the show, I don't think I like even like grasped it. Cause it had been kind of like possibly happening at so many points in my life that,
until it was like, no, can you do it in four weeks? And I was like, what? I was at the park with my son staring at the Statue of Liberty exactly where Barbra Streisand rides on the boat while singing Don't Rain on My Parade. And I was like, okay. And I like turned to my husband at the park. I hadn't been on Broadway in 15 years. And I was like,
can we do this? Like, and he was like, I've got you like go and do this. And he's the greatest man. And if it wasn't for like his support, like I, that's a whole other, that's another part of the book.
And I was like, okay. Because we had no playbook on how our family would kind of, you know. And I just dove right in. It was like I just knew what to do. And the same thing happened. But for some reason I was singing it differently than I did it on Glee. And I was doing it differently than it was on Glee. I felt like I had...
so much more to access now that I was a wife, now that I was a mother. And what I learned in the whole experience was that the universe wanted me to wait until I was married and until I had a child to truly understand Fanny's pull of not wanting
of between love and fame. Right. And until I could learn that as a person, I wasn't supposed to play Fanny Bryce. And I was the only person to play her on the stage to ever be a mom. And like Barbara had her son in between the show and the movie, but to play Fanny as a mother, like it was, you know, uh, I just needed that growth and that understanding. And, uh,
I prepared and prepared quietly in a studio all by myself with our director and our assistant director who gave me so much support and freedom. I remember coming in and Michael Mayer, who's the director who I've known since I'm 13 years old, literally doing Spring Awakening together. He was like, I just want you to, what comes from like here? And I was like, are you ready? I was like, sit down. And I was like,
climbing on ladders and jumping off things. I was like, this is what I want to do. And if we can't do it like this, then I don't want to do it. Right. And he was like, we will do it like that. And they had to relight the show and restage parts of the show. And the cast who had already worked so hard came back, did a whole other rehearsal process with me, a lighting, everything. And then I opened the show and, and I did it. And,
the greatest cast in the whole world, the most unbelievable support from that cast of Funny Girl from day one until the end. Like they were so incredible, just opening their arms and their hearts to me. It was the greatest professional experience that I've ever had in my life. I'm grateful to look back and like have the best memories with onstage and off. And I just loved it. It was unbelievable. My last night was amazing.
Like it was just like, well, it got really hard. Like, you know, I don't think the adrenaline faded by like six months in and I started to really feel like what it felt like. My body hadn't done anything like that in a really long time. You know, I like I found that I had endometriosis halfway through and I was trying to get pregnant and I couldn't and I had a lot of losses and I
you know, my I'm older than I was when I was on Broadway before and I'm taking care of my son was in the hospital, you know, halfway through the run as well. And
It's like life. Life is happening while you're doing it and you need to show up and you need to do your best every night. And the people that are sitting in the audience, they don't know. They don't care. You know, I mean, not that they don't care, but they don't know. They don't know. And they just want to see you do a great job and as they should, you know. But it was it got very hard and I really started to miss, you know, my son started to get like
you know, when are you coming home? Right. And so, um, I, it was just, it was time and it was perfect. And it was unbelievable that last night. And I'm still just on such a high from it. Do you, well, first off, congratulations. Thank you. Second off, do you feel like,
Do you feel, what do you feel the difference is in doing Broadway, doing television? Cause both are incredibly hard. I feel like Broadway's six, seven times a week. So it's eight. Yeah. Oh my God. I'm a funny girl. I did seven shows. Um,
But the tip of the norm is eight shows a week. What's the difference to you which is more difficult for you? I think that like when you're looking at a show like Glee, it's pretty similar and just in the intensity. What gets really hard for me with Broadway is it's just the same material over and over again. At least with
television, like you might be exhausted, but you're always having to sink your teeth into something new. With Broadway, it's like, okay, how am I going to now make this exciting for myself and exciting for the audience every night when you're doing the same thing over and over again? So that for me starts to get really hard. Right. Just the repetition. Right, right. But they're both very hard.
very hard. I can't even imagine. Do you ever think you would go back to Broadway again? Definitely. Yeah. Look, I'm, I'd never planned on coming back to New York, but I told you before we started that during the pandemic, like my husband and I moved back here and I had no idea what, what I was going to do. I, I didn't know where my career was going to go. I had no idea. All I knew was
I was so grateful to have our son and my husband and we were back home and then Funny Girl came along and it really just reignited this passion that I have for Broadway from the thing that I've been doing since I'm such a young girl and for my city. So yeah,
to have the opportunity to come back, like it would be unbelievable. Right. But you know, I don't know if anything will ever be as hard as Fanny Bryce, but each will have its own, you know, challenges and, and,
I haven't seen a Broadway show in forever. What? Yes, my mom. Wait, weren't we talking that you were going to go see Merrily? No, I was going to see Merrily. I was also going to see Funny Girl. Oh, that's right. I kept not missing it. You kept missing me. I kept missing when you were going to do it. Right. And then I think the last Broadway show I saw, and this is really going to tell you how long ago it was, I think it was Fun Home.
Oh, yeah. Wow. With my mom. Long time ago. Long, long time ago. Gotta get you. I know. Well, maybe when you move back here. I know. I agree. I really want to. Yeah. We'll come all the time. What are you a therapist about today? What am I a therapist about today? Like, what am I like... Angry about.
I mean, I legitimately have a mouth full of canker sores because I... How bad does it hurt? It hurts so... No, it's like ever since I was like a little kid, it's like an immune like thing. Uh-huh. And if I'm like tired or like stressed. And so it does look like I had like really great lip injections. Your lips look amazing. Thank you. But that really sucks right now. Like I can't... Whenever I have canker sores, like I literally like...
I've realized that men have the least amount of pain tolerance ever and women have the highest pain tolerance of all time. Like, I don't know. Like, if I had a mouthful of canker sores, I would not be here right now. So I applaud you. I'd be in the ER. Like, I'd be in the ER. Well, I'm just grateful for this mic because I'm just like this.
Hiding, hiding, hiding your mouth of the canker sores. I haven't even seen one. That's me. That's my, that's my truth. I'm pissed about my, I have sweat stains under my shirt. Am I making you sweat? I know. I just like, maybe like, I don't know what it is. Like I never get sweat stains. It's intense. And I also feel. We like really went there today. We really went there. But you sweat up your Prada. I mean, I did. You sweat up.
I really, really, really did. And also like what I'm Thera pleased about is I have never been more present in a conversation. This is like an Akka, you know, and like you're like using the like Thera, like Akka yes, Akka excuse me. Akka excuse me. That was like a big one. But I literally have never felt so present. When I was just talking to you, like I literally think I just entered like another dimension. But I feel like I've known
I've known you there's but I just I have been like watching your videos for so long I really really adore you and I'm like so grateful you felt so comfortable enough with me to talk about all those things thank you I mean yeah I don't like if I'm gonna go and do something I'm not gonna like you have to look if you can't be like your full authentic self then just like stay home right you know right I feel like that's I didn't stay home today you didn't I feel like that's Rachel Berry's motto
Yes. That's like literally. Is this like the point where we like tell people what to do? Yes. With their lives? You said you were excited about this. Yes. I mean, now I'm like nervous. Now I'm going to start to sweat. I don't want to give like an advice and be like, Lea Michele told me to do that. No, no, no. I've given the worst advice. I've given the worst advice in history. Do you ever lay in bed and you're like, ooh, I told that person to. All the time? There was something the other day that someone was like, you told me. And I was like, holy shit, I told you that. Yeah.
And it was like, I can't believe that came out of my mouth. I mean, Louise will sometimes see like my Instagram stories of like me giving advice to people. And she's like, you need to take this down. Let's do it. Yeah. I'm ready. My roommate hugs me morning and night, tracks my location, sits in my bed when I'm not home and tells others she's in love with me. I'm overwhelmed and need help. This is not okay.
I am an only child. Right. Shocker. So, like, I could imagine that I would also, like, be like, you would think as an only child, you'd be like, give me my space. But I'm not. I'm like, let's stay in bed. Let's snuggle. Let's watch movies. Even now, like, I feel like I need to be the almost 40-year-old person to say to this person, like...
personal space is really important. But not only that, if it's not something that you like, that's okay. Right. Like you should just be able to say, I love this and I love that you want to spend time with me, but I just, my energy needs to be like, I fuel my energy. People actually, you'd think I'm an extrovert, but I'm actually an introvert. Really? I get my energy from being alone. So like my husband is an extrovert and,
He gets his energy from being out and seeing people. I refuel by being alone at home and then I can go out and like do what I love. Right. But like, it's okay to say like in order for me to like refuel, I need to be, have more personal space. Right. Also like find, like move somewhere else. Or, and watch single white female. Yeah. I mean, but like, I think that there's a way to be like, this is very sweet, but like I need some space. Right. Of course. For myself.
And then watch single white female. My friend caught me hooking up at their lake house, ripped the covers off mid act, cussed me out and made us leave. There was plenty of other open beds. Do I apologize or is this over the top? Wait, they were making out like, I think what they are hiding is that it was in like their parents. They were in, it was in someone's bed. I don't really understand this, but these friends went to their lake house and
The friend whose lake house it was caught her friend who wrote this in hooking up with someone in bed and ripped the covers off, told them to leave and cursed them out. And she's like, do I apologize or is this over the top of her? Well, I think it's like, it depends because if it's like you invited a boyfriend and a girlfriend or two girlfriends or whatever the situation, like a couple. Right. And you invite a couple over and they're in bed and if they're making out, like,
What do you expect? Right. But if it were like two people and maybe it was like a little of like a messy situation and you're like, wait, this isn't what this weekend was about. And you're disrespecting my parents house. Like maybe an apology. Yeah. Like a soft little like, hey, I'm so sorry. Like if you found that disrespectful. But I don't. There's not enough information. There never is. Yeah.
I always lean on the side of apologizing. Yeah. Just because like I remember in high school someone was like, well, you don't get to tell someone how that made them feel. Right. You know what I mean? That's so your generation. But this reminds me, do you ever watch Girls on HBO? Oh my, okay. Like it's my, literally besides Glee, it's like my show of all time. I've watched it front to back multiple times. That, Sex and the City, Friday Night Lights. Friday Night Lights.
I'm sick. Are, like, my shows. Is this or is this not given when Marnie goes to... Was it the lake house or a beach house and, like, everything goes awry on her entire week? Do you remember? That was, like, later. Yes. And, like, and then what's her... Hannah's, like, not feeling it. No, Hannah, like, invites all the guys over. Yeah. And then Marnie's like, fuck you. And... I mean, that was, like, later. But that's what this is giving to me. That's what it's giving to you. Yeah. It's like, you don't know what this weekend meant to Marnie. Yeah, I mean, also, like, people...
feel a certain way about their home that like maybe if it were your parents house like you they wouldn't care right but like other people's family like they might and so a soft apology never hurt yeah it really didn't yeah my ex was 10 hours late to my birthday brought flowers wait I don't understand how to give advice to this one it just says my ex was 10 hours late to my birthday brought flowers and a plan b that was the entire gift like girl what the fuck help
Well, this person's your ex. Right. That's what I'm thinking. If it was your boyfriend, then we'd have a conversation. Plan B, like the drug? Right? Like, I don't understand this. Wow. I placed first at a debate competition and qualified for nationals. I'm sick already. Wait, I was a national debater in New Jersey. Like-
Bergen County champion debater over here. Okay. I would pay money, obviously. To see me in a debate? Yes. I would say I would pay money for a Lea Michele debate tour. We were me and my partner, Samantha Melnick. We crushed. We would do matching outfits. I'm sick. It was, yeah. I loved the debate team.
For everyone who thinks that I can't fucking read, like, I was on the debate team. I mean, I would, like, write speeches. Like, it was just... You must think that rumor is, like, hysterical or does it actually piss you off? It depends on the day. Yeah. Like, it really depends on the day. Like, sometimes...
I think it's crazy that people care enough about me that they would make up something that someone has so little to do in their life and their day that they would waste it on like me is like hilarious to me. And then there are moments where I fucking get so frustrated by it because I
I'm one of the only women in my whole family to get accepted to college. You know, my mother and my mother's whole family was like extremely poor, like from the Bronx, like not very well, like educated. And my parents moved me from the Bronx to New Jersey to get a good education and to thrive. And I did. And my parents and my family are like so proud of that.
And it really like was so important for like my grandmother to see me. And, and so for someone to like minimize that, like, it's like so sad. Yeah. And so frustrating. Yeah. I don't know. It's wild. It's wild. It's really wild. It's wild. It's a crazy thing. It's like. I'll never forget. Like the same day that that all came out, like Donald Trump, uh,
said he was going to like punch John McCain in the face or something like that. It was 2015. And he said something like so wild. But what was trending online more was Lea Michele can't read. And Ryan Murphy called me and he was like, have you heard this rumor? And I was like, no, what's going on? And like, yeah, the fact that we are here all these years. Give me the, I'm reading them. I'm sick.
Jonathan is not here to read me this shit. Okay, ready? I placed first in my debate competition and qualified for nationals. What is this word? But after seeing the score sheets, I don't think I actually won. Should I speak up or just take the win?
And not a fucking stutter. And not a fucking stutter. Oh my God, the theories are going to be like, Jake called her in advance. This doesn't prove anything. She memorized it. She saw the cards in advance. This proves nothing. I feel as though as now you, the rumor is so camp. It's like,
It's so camp and so out of love from the gay community at this point. Is it, though? I don't know. Jonathan did a podcast and someone was like, you know, can Leah read? And his response to me was, like, so funny. He was like, do you really think she can't? Like, what is...
does that say about you right but yeah okay I'm gonna keep reading okay what should this person do take the win or tell the truth well what was I didn't even catch I was so let me read it to you again I placed first at a debate I can now I'm actually I have photographic memory too okay how do you think I memorized all of those Rachel Berry I know you can read I know you can read
Okay, I placed first at a debate competition qualified for nationals, but after seeing the score sheet, I don't think I actually won. Should I speak up or take the win? Take the win. Oh, okay. Look, it's, yeah, it's not your fault that they scored it wrong. Like, take the win. Take the win. Right. Okay.
Is this like okay for your show? Please. Okay. My boyfriend of two years' mom constantly makes rude comments about my body in front of his dad. He never defends me and I don't know what to do anymore. My boyfriend of two years' his mom constantly makes rude comments about my body in front of his dad and my boyfriend never defends me. Oh, it's giving like the mom is super insecure and like
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Maybe it's like super... Like doesn't want the dad to be like... Yeah, that's creepy. That's creepy. But you need to say something to your boyfriend and be like... He never defends me and I don't know what to do anymore. Definitely say something. Yeah, I would definitely say something. Definitely be like, this makes me really uncomfortable. Right. If it were me, I'd say something like right then and there. Right. To the mom. And be like, what... Or I just start wearing like really sexy outfits. Yes, yeah. Yeah.
You would say something to the mom? No, in the moment. Yeah. I'd be like, oh, that's not nice. Yeah. Like, right? Do you believe that like when you're marrying someone, you're marrying their family as well or like –
I mean, I love my mother-in-law and father-in-law. Like, I got very, very lucky. But you want a partner who loves their parents. Right. Like, I love my mom and dad. I'm, like, super close with my mom and dad. So, of course, you want, like, you're marrying their family because you want them to be super close. Like, at least that's what I want because I, like, that's the kind of relationship that I'm used to. Right. And, like, we have the same, like, similar family dynamic. And that's why, like, our families work together so well. Right. Well, if I was this girl, I would watch Monster-in-Law.
Oh, this is like beyond monster. Yeah. There's something going on with the dad. Okay. I'm just like praying that I can like under like, don't stutter. I,
I stayed in my hometown for university because of my boyfriend. My boyfriend. I stayed in my hometown for university. Is that like overseas they call it university? Yeah, so it would be like staying in New York for college or staying in New Jersey for college. Okay, I stayed in my hometown for university because of my boyfriend. Now I feel stuck, full of FOMO and regret. Do you love how I read it? Yes, like Rachel. And regret. Not leaving like all of my friends did. I don't know. That's Rachel. Yeah.
I don't know if I should transfer or just stick through it and leave after. No, you got to go. You got to go. You got to go. Roots before branches. You've got to go. Yeah. Yes.
No. If you're feeling FOMO now. It's only going to get worse. Yes. And if you're worried that your relationship like isn't going to last. Then you shouldn't be in that relationship. 100%. Also like you can't focus on the past. Like what's done is done. You already stayed for a year. You already. And it doesn't feel right. And it doesn't feel right. Get out of there. Out of there. Roots before branches. Yes. Hashtag. Hashtag. Okay. My friend is a pathological liar. Ooh. She once used a fake story about a car accident to ditch our London trip. Girl.
How do we hold her accountable when she denies everything? Oh, you can't be back to her anymore. What if this was me and my fake story about my car accident getting to Glee? I saw about your car accident while I was listening to that, but that is crazy. Who wrote this about me? Jonathan? Um...
Yeah, of course you have to hold her accountable. Yeah, and be like, you're a liar. Yeah. I hate when people lie. It's like my number one thing. I can't do it. Yeah, no, no, no, no, no. This is not okay. Also, like the first line, my friend is a pathological liar. It's like, that's not a friend. That's not okay. Because how are you going to ever know if they're telling the truth ever? Right, they're like, I love you. Right. But not good. Right. Oh my God, this next one. I fainted while getting a haircut and it fucked up my hair like bad. There's a huge tremor mark everywhere.
What should I do? It looks horrible. You can always get it fixed. One time when I was a kid. But why did you faint? Maybe she's scared of scissors. One time I cut my friend's hair. We cut each other's hair in the closet and we got in so much trouble. This is deep. Yeah, I think we like hid in a closet and cut each other's hair. Oh my God. Bad lighting. No, we got in so much trouble for cutting each other's hair and it looked so bad. Her hair was just terrible.
Like I wrecked the hair. I just did the workshop. And she was able to go to the hairstylist and get it fixed.
Go get it fixed. Go get it fixed and maybe take like a beta blocker or something that like relaxes you. Love a propanenol. Yeah. Like. What's a propanenol? That's beta blocker. Oh, got it. Got it. That's the like prescribed name for that. No, I get terrible stage fright. No, you don't. Horrible, horrible, horrible stage fright. Still to this day? Oh, yeah. Yeah. Like I don't take beta blockers. I have taken them before. Weirdly.
I get more nervous for more intimate. Like just recently I sang at a birthday party with like a hundred people and I was like, I, all I had to do was sing don't rain on my parade. And I felt like I was going to have a heart attack. And like, I feel like I'm going to faint. It's so bad. Um,
And no one knows, but like I was nervous every night before Funny Girl. Really? Every single night. Like I get such bad stage fright and my like nervous and anxiety are so bad. So, but yes. Where do you feel your anxiety? Here. Yeah. Like here. Yeah. Like right here in my chest. And how does it manifest for you? Do you like pace? Do you sit quiet, talk? I can't talk. Okay. Or I'll talk a lot and like you'll never know it, but I'm dying inside.
And I just, and the minute I get out there, I feel like I'm going to faint. And then when does it ever go away? It never goes away. Throughout the entire time you're performing? Usually like halfway through, I'll like feel a little bit better. And then when I'm done, I'm exhausted. Right, because you're exerting so much mental strength. So much stress and worry. Yeah. Wow. I know. If I, I can like count on one hand the only times like that I haven't been nervous. Which was?
I mean, weirdly, when I sang Don't Rain on My Parade at the Tony Awards this last time, I wasn't, I was, because I was just in such a flow of doing the show. Right, right, right, right. So. This one is really deep. I've been really depressed and I don't know what to do. There's some pick-me-ups during a man, so. Yeah. Okay, well, Leo. Wait, this is just part one. This is, I mean. I'll come back. I'm.
I'll come back to when we're not at the Baccarat. I'm so grateful for you and your friendship and everything you've done for me in my life. Like without even, you don't even know. You're so sweet. I really love you. You too. And I'm really excited. I knew we were going to. I know. I knew this was going to happen. Thank you so much for having me and for making me feel so welcomed and safe in your little environment. Thank you. Thank you. Before I let you go. Yes. What do you think we learned today?
Oh, gosh. That I would write an incredible book. Yes. That is going to be not one, not two, but three parts. Three parts that Lea Michele can read. That Lea Michele can read. And, you know, maybe just a little bit more about one another. Yeah. Right? And that I love you more than I ever thought. You too.
I love you. The best. Thank you so much. We'll be friends, right? Forever. Okay. Hopefully. Then he like never talks to me again. No. Oh my God. I'm going to get text trapped. That was so much fun. Thanks for coming. Are you going to come to my tour? Yes. Yes, I will come to your tour. You couldn't. I'll call your parents. I'll be like, no matter what happens. He is coming to my- You are not keeping him from seeing me on stage again. Exactly. That is going to be my- Will you come up on the stage? Are you kidding? Are you kidding? Are you kidding? Yes. Special guest? Yeah. You got it. Do you want to give a little bye pussies? Oh my God. Bye pussies. This is the best. Bye.
I love you. Oh my God. Thank you so much.