Priyanka Chopra Jonas

[0] Welcome, welcome, welcome to armchair expert.

[1] I'm Dan Shepard.

[2] I'm joined by Maximum Mouse.

[3] Hello there.

[4] Hello.

[5] We have a guest with perhaps the prettiest first name of any guests we've ever had.

[6] Beautiful name, yeah.

[7] Priyanka Chopra.

[8] Yes.

[9] She's a big get.

[10] Yeah, Priyanka Chopra Jonas.

[11] That's right.

[12] It didn't come up.

[13] I didn't say it when we interviewed her.

[14] But do you know she's the most followed Indian female human?

[15] on Instagram.

[16] Did you know that?

[17] I didn't, but I'm not surprised.

[18] 85 million followers.

[19] Yeah, huge.

[20] 85 million.

[21] She is one of the biggest movie stars globally.

[22] I mean, it's just the truth.

[23] That's just how it is.

[24] Do you think when you have 85, you start getting really itchy to get to 100?

[25] Oh, probably.

[26] Like, I imagine the human brain, right, is just like, God, I'm really close to 100.

[27] That sounds better.

[28] Yeah.

[29] You get used to where you are.

[30] Like, if you have 8 .5, you want 10.

[31] That's right.

[32] I have 3 .1 or six.

[33] And what do you want?

[34] Oh, yeah, just be better if it was at four.

[35] Okay.

[36] Yeah, sure.

[37] Do you do that?

[38] Yeah, of course.

[39] Where do you want to get to?

[40] 40.

[41] No, no, no, no. You know, funny enough, when I tagged you today in a post, it says your follower numbers, right?

[42] When I start filling your, it'll auto fill, it'll bring up as a suggestion, you.

[43] Okay.

[44] And then it says right next to your, the followers.

[45] Huh.

[46] I didn't realize that.

[47] That is weird.

[48] Maybe.

[49] I'm wondering if that even happened.

[50] In the future, maybe they're rolling out.

[51] Yeah, but I know that I saw today, how many followers you have?

[52] So I actually know.

[53] Yeah.

[54] So many.

[55] Doing well.

[56] Pretty happy.

[57] Not Priyanka numbers, that's for sure.

[58] It's all relative.

[59] Yeah, yeah.

[60] Priyanka, Chopra Jonas is an actor and a producer.

[61] She was in Quantico for a few years.

[62] Bewatch, the movie, kind of ironic, because she saw it a lot as a kid.

[63] The Matrix Reservoir.

[64] Directions, The White Tiger.

[65] She has a new show out, April 28th on Amazon Prime video called Citadel, which is a full -blown, big, big budget, awesome spy show, directed by the Russo Brothers, who are gigantic Marvel directors.

[66] And then she also has a movie coming out, May 12th, called Love Again.

[67] So please enjoy Priyanka Chopra Jonas.

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[70] Or you can listen for free wherever you get your podcasts.

[71] He's an armchair.

[72] Oh, wow, Dax.

[73] You're wearing your cool jumpsuit.

[74] This is its first time out.

[75] In inaugural.

[76] A jumpsuit?

[77] Yeah.

[78] You're very fashionable.

[79] So I was like, you know what I'm going to.

[80] Go for it.

[81] You are.

[82] You are.

[83] You are still with your sweats guys, so I might have wore jean.

[84] No, you look.

[85] Look at that thing.

[86] I could go to consider it.

[87] You got a property.

[88] Yes, I do.

[89] Missal be but hot.

[90] Do you have an ember?

[91] Yes, I do.

[92] My husband invested in the years ago.

[93] It's a good.

[94] Yeah, really good.

[95] And like early, early when it was...

[96] So that's cool.

[97] Smart, smart, smart, smart.

[98] My new bag is very excited about his investment in ember.

[99] Oh, I bet.

[100] You know what else is great?

[101] Eminent.

[102] Yeah, let's keep, let's, yeah, let's give Eminem some love.

[103] I don't like chocolate.

[104] You don't like chocolate?

[105] Oh, wow, wow, wow.

[106] Starting out with it.

[107] A hot taste.

[108] Controversy.

[109] Wow.

[110] Oh, Lord.

[111] This, I know one other person who doesn't like chocolate.

[112] Like, I'm not going to lose my shit over it.

[113] I'll have it.

[114] If there's an amazing brownie, I'm not going to be like, gagging.

[115] Okay.

[116] You don't crave it.

[117] No, I'd rather have pizza.

[118] There we go.

[119] Savory.

[120] And butter.

[121] I get that.

[122] You know who doesn't like chocolate?

[123] Who?

[124] Deltafina.

[125] That's right.

[126] My soulmate.

[127] My eight -year -old daughter weirdly doesn't like chocolate.

[128] It's not weird.

[129] Why are you classifying us?

[130] Well, we have to have some agreement on what words mean.

[131] Weird means very low percentage of people.

[132] Out of the ordinary.

[133] Right?

[134] We've got to agree on what the word.

[135] As long as we use it for its definition, which is an abnormal amount of people.

[136] Non -conventional.

[137] But not a pejorative.

[138] It's not a pejorative.

[139] It's not a pejorative.

[140] Austin's weird.

[141] It's my favorite city.

[142] Keep Austin weird.

[143] I love weird people.

[144] Weird people are my favorite.

[145] Were you just in Austin?

[146] Yes.

[147] Yes, I was.

[148] So was I. For South by Southwest.

[149] I saw that you were going to be there.

[150] Oh, so how would it go?

[151] What did you do?

[152] I did a panel for Spotify.

[153] And would you talk about Sonic Science?

[154] I mean, I didn't talk about Sonic Science.

[155] There was an MIT professor who talked about Sonic Science.

[156] I need to spend more time with you.

[157] I mean, I have nothing to give.

[158] Are you comfortable telling us where you stayed because Monica had a whole saga about where she started and where she ended up?

[159] Where did you stay?

[160] I stayed at a hotel.

[161] That's a very popular hotel there.

[162] A lot of people stay there, I guess.

[163] And I was there for an hour and I was like, I can't do this.

[164] There's way too many people.

[165] Everyone is there to see or be seen, if you will.

[166] It's not for me. So I moved to the Commodore Perry, which I will shout out because it's a beautiful hotel.

[167] A little outside.

[168] I mean, I kind of did feel that when we just drove from the airport into Austin.

[169] I was like, what's happening?

[170] Yes.

[171] And it was just south by southwest.

[172] It's a hugely popular festival.

[173] So many people show up.

[174] But I also felt really great about the audience was super engaged.

[175] They cared about being there.

[176] They cared about movies.

[177] They cared about tech.

[178] They cared about business.

[179] They all cared.

[180] It's true.

[181] So it was a cool group of people.

[182] It was fun to interact with them, I think.

[183] What was your panel?

[184] Me and Jennifer Salky, who's the head of Amazon Studios, we were talking about Citadel and the ambition of the show.

[185] And just like as women in the business, you know, we've both been in it for a minute.

[186] and navigating how hard it is.

[187] It was cool.

[188] Nobody came and told us when we should end it.

[189] So, you know, we had like awkward pauses at the end.

[190] And we're like, so, has it been 90 minutes?

[191] Was there not a moderator?

[192] No, it was just her and I. Moderator free.

[193] We were moderating ourselves.

[194] Raw dog.

[195] Just wanted it to be a conversation, you know, instead of being a Q &A.

[196] 90s long.

[197] I know.

[198] But I think we kept it going for 90 minutes and then we just ran out.

[199] You know, there's no more gas.

[200] What's her history?

[201] Where did she come from?

[202] What did she do, Jen, before Amazon?

[203] Was she running a different network or?

[204] Oh, yeah.

[205] You could say it.

[206] There's an Amazon representative here, and he's so fucking nervous.

[207] Like, just the notion of even acknowledging where the president was once at.

[208] The way he responded, he's like, yes, she was.

[209] And I was like, oh, God, she killed someone before she left.

[210] There's a huge scandal.

[211] You know, Tyler's being protective here.

[212] But you could say it.

[213] I met her when she became the head of Amazon.

[214] Yeah, Jen's a legend in the industry.

[215] She's on Amazon for about five years.

[216] Okay.

[217] She's a legend.

[218] I'll have to look it up.

[219] It'll be in the fact check.

[220] In the fact check, we'll say where she came from.

[221] Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[222] So it's an Easter egg.

[223] Yeah.

[224] What came out of that panel, some of the conversation, which was fascinating, was for you to have been doing this for 22 years, doing 70 -plus movies, two series, and that this be the very first time you got the same amount of money as your male.

[225] Co -star isn't the greatest report?

[226] car I'm a vocal girl like I asked for it I was just told no in the past and after Citadel which I joined about three years before this when it was just a conversation my agents UTA I'll give him a shout out for that because they went in and they told me your co -leads in the show because there was a disparity initially yeah and I was like true they were like let us go have a conversation and I was like okay good luck nice I've done this before I've been down this road you guys and they came back and they said that was easy and, you know, most favorite nations and I was like, wait a minute.

[227] Great.

[228] What?

[229] And I did wonder, is it because it was a female head of studio?

[230] But whatever it was, after that, I've always had parity if I'm playing a co -lead with someone.

[231] It's amazing.

[232] I hope my daughter or the next generation of girls are not having this conversation.

[233] Okay, but let me paint a hypothetical situation.

[234] Rob is your next co -star, okay, who's taking pictures.

[235] He is no quote, right?

[236] They could get him for scale.

[237] He'd work for $6 ,500 a week and he'd work 100 hours.

[238] Yep.

[239] So he wants parity, but you're like, well, fuck, if they make parity with him, that's all the money that could have gone to me. So do you want parity for him?

[240] I do.

[241] Obviously, it depends on what your role is and how much work you're actually putting in.

[242] Right.

[243] But if he's a co -lead of mine, he should get paid what I get paid.

[244] Okay, hold on though.

[245] Or either way around.

[246] But is it his first job depending on where he is in life?

[247] Yeah.

[248] What about the marketplace?

[249] We can't say that Rob has the same appeal as you do in a commercial or that as many people are going to tune in to see Rob Act.

[250] So that's got to be the equation, right?

[251] That's a conversation to be had.

[252] And I've had people having that conversation with me. When I was newer in the industry, I didn't go and say, you know, like, I want to be paid the same as the rock.

[253] Common sense about it.

[254] I'm not going to go in hot asking for something.

[255] Even in this case, I actually was just like, okay, let's have the conversation.

[256] Yes.

[257] And it became something which I feel really proud of.

[258] And I feel like maybe I was a little bit jaded where I didn't even think to ask.

[259] And my agents kind of were like, you have enough of a body of work.

[260] Yes.

[261] You bring a lot to the table.

[262] Yes.

[263] You should have that.

[264] The paradigm's a trap a little bit because conventionally, let's take gender out of that, right?

[265] Let's just say that it's going to be a show of four lead dudes.

[266] Okay.

[267] They're all going to share.

[268] Conventionally, how people's pay works in television is you have an existing quote, right?

[269] So all four guys have been on previous shows and the network goes, what were they getting paid?

[270] A hundred grand an episode.

[271] Okay.

[272] We're going to be menches.

[273] We're going to get them 110.

[274] So we're going to give them a raise.

[275] But it's all based on what the previous quote was.

[276] But when we do apply gender to it, you're caught in some perpetual cycle where it's like, well, to get the quote up, you have to start paying women appropriately.

[277] So it's like they're leaning on the, well, what was her quote?

[278] We'll give her out 50 % raise.

[279] But there's a big gap to be made up that eventually, you can't really apply that model of just what's the quote if you hope to close this gap.

[280] Absolutely.

[281] And it's not even just our industry, right?

[282] It's across industries in business specifically for a woman to become CEO.

[283] There are so many women that I've met who have said, you know, we've had to have like extra degrees.

[284] We've had to like run harder and push more and have more results to be able to get that seat on the table.

[285] We have to continue the conversation because don't be like me and be jaded and be like, okay, I'll take whatever you give me. You know, ask that question.

[286] Yeah, but they trick you into thinking that you're ungrateful if you do that.

[287] Absolutely.

[288] And that you can be replaced in any second.

[289] So if you push back.

[290] I've felt that always.

[291] When I started working, which was like early 2000s in Hindi movies, which is popularly known as Bollywood, there was no conversation around, forget parity.

[292] It's like you just arrive and you wait for your co -acted arrive whenever they do and you shoot whenever they want to shoot.

[293] I am so curious about the.

[294] That was then, though.

[295] That was then, though.

[296] I feel like there has been tremendous change with my generation of female actors specifically and the ones that came before us that were like, uh -uh, we want to be the faces on a poster.

[297] We want to sell the movies.

[298] We want to have parody.

[299] We want to have credit.

[300] We want movies that are sold on our shoulders and we don't want to hear that no one's coming to watch them.

[301] And I think that's seriously changed now.

[302] And it's amazing to have been a part of seeing that live.

[303] Well, you're an enormous part of it.

[304] I was trying to think of like a con. for you for Americans who don't know the history.

[305] And I would say you're like Angelina Jolie in India.

[306] Yes, that's what my parents would say that.

[307] They would say that as well.

[308] Yes, and they have.

[309] Yeah, because you had like the highest grossing opening day as a female lead movie, which had never happened.

[310] These are like Angelina Jolie type things that happen, especially in that space, any kind of action or thriller, right?

[311] So I think people would be excited to learn that that is your role kind of in India, which is pretty gangster.

[312] I mean, if there was any comparison.

[313] and I will take that.

[314] Okay, let's start at the beginning because it's a really fun and twisty ride.

[315] Let's do it.

[316] Okay, so you're born in India and both of your parents are military physicians.

[317] And so you're traveling a lot.

[318] That's my first order of interest.

[319] Kids you travel a lot, you're making new friends.

[320] This either kills you or potentially defines you in a positive way.

[321] What was your experience?

[322] Moving, moving, moving, meeting, meeting, meeting, adjusting, and all that.

[323] Well, it kind of grew when I was really young.

[324] Both my parents at that time were in the military, and they left me with my grandparents.

[325] My mom was doing her master's or some super speciality.

[326] My parents were really academic.

[327] She became a gynaecologist ultimately?

[328] Yeah, she was studying, and so my grandparents raised me predominantly with my mom's sister until I was like four.

[329] and then kindergarten I moved with my parents the first time my dad came and told me I had a best friend I was getting A's in class I was having the best time in kindergarten this was in New Delhi and he said we've got to move and I had a tantrum and I was like you can leave me here I'm going to go to Denise's house and stay and yes my best friend's name was Denise Denise was she a Caucasozoid no she was Indian but there are many different religions in India and the diversity of India is influenced by our many colonizers.

[330] On behalf of white people, I apologize.

[331] Thank you.

[332] I will take it.

[333] Not English, but I feel like I'll.

[334] I'll still take it.

[335] But so there's many, many religions, especially the larger cities.

[336] It's like they become more cosmopolitan because you have a lot more travel and business.

[337] But anyway, I was really upset tantrum with my dad.

[338] And he said something which I kind of still do is he said, you know how your math teacher doesn't like you?

[339] That's what I said.

[340] It's like in the next school you go to they won't know what you did And I was like Wait a minute New identity You could be whoever you want In the next school you go to Denise will write to you She'll come visit Don't worry about Never saw again But Shout out to Denise Bye Denise By Denise But besides that It became such a game for me Every time I moved In fact I would look to move I would crave it I would be excited about it because I was like, I could make mistakes and know that I had an avenue to kind of leave them behind.

[341] That was a very smart move on my dad's in and I still kind of get excited every time.

[342] I have to travel because I'm like, okay, who is she?

[343] So you're good with change.

[344] You embrace it.

[345] I don't have many materialistic attachments.

[346] I feel like my family is that I crave my closet where I know where my gray jacket is instead of living out of suitcases.

[347] Like, that sucks after a while.

[348] So I like having home base.

[349] but I can travel at the drop of a hat and because maybe I was military really prepared me for this career and to be able to locate in London for the summer which is what I'm going to do now and it's like okay let's pick up and go it became a lot easier with that mindset this won't be exciting for you guys because you know many of them but I only know one Ashok and that's Monica's father Oh your dad's name was Ashok too yeah Shoke we just talked to him yesterday we called him to find out how many Indians he thought had blue eyes.

[350] We had Jay Shetty on.

[351] He has impossibly blue eyes.

[352] And I said, I've never seen an Indian person with blue eyes.

[353] So again, as a result of our colonization, and I don't know exactly where Jay is from.

[354] But there are states around Maharashtra, and their ascendance had blue and green eyes because of stuff.

[355] So her dad was like green, blue, whatever.

[356] he said when I was in India as a kid, the thing I never even looked at was hair or eyes because it's a given, they all look the same.

[357] And I was like, oh my God, that's so funny to hear him say that.

[358] But then he's like, but the thing I know about is cat eyes.

[359] There's a Mali -Aulam term.

[360] My parents are from Carol.

[361] And he set, it like translates to cat -eyes.

[362] And he says there's a movie about it.

[363] Popular movie in India called Cat -Eyes or the equivalent of cat -eyes.

[364] Do you know the name in Hindi?

[365] Ask him, what's the name of the movie?

[366] Cat -eyes.

[367] But you know, it's very.

[368] When he said cat eyes, I said, oh, my God, that's so much better.

[369] That's actually what I would describe Jay is having.

[370] Fuck green or blue.

[371] That's not the interesting thing.

[372] Your gorgeous feline eyes.

[373] There's a feline quality.

[374] He does.

[375] Yes, yes, yes.

[376] They're hypnotic.

[377] Yeah, they are.

[378] Right.

[379] Powerful.

[380] And his wife, both of them are insane.

[381] Roddy's eyes.

[382] I get lost in those pools of blue and green, turquoisey goodness.

[383] I'm not legally allowed to talk about her anymore.

[384] I cut a lot of what you said.

[385] I bet you did.

[386] You were really taken by her.

[387] Can't believe what she looks like.

[388] Stunning.

[389] Stunning.

[390] Okay.

[391] You're moving all around India and it's fun.

[392] You have a particularly fun spell in L -E -H, L -A -H?

[393] L -A -H.

[394] That's like a sweet spot for you.

[395] Well, I was in fourth grade and lay is right in the middle of the Himalayan mountains.

[396] And it's very high sea levels and you have to acclimate when you get there.

[397] And I was in fourth grade and I was wanting to explore and it's very influenced by Buddhism.

[398] So there are like little stupas and Buddhist temples all around.

[399] So me and my other military kid friends would go exploring and I was the leader.

[400] And it was that phase in my life where I was kind of figuring out that I had a lot of curiosity.

[401] And my parents always let me explore and I traveled everywhere with them.

[402] And travel was just learning and an adventure.

[403] And both my parents really believed and just back up the car.

[404] and take off for the weekend, go up to the hills.

[405] My dad would always drive, and we would stop in just rivers when we drove in their Himalayas, and they would be spring mountain rivers, so like super cold water.

[406] Yeah.

[407] And they put beers in there, and we'd put fruits in there and just have a little picnic.

[408] I mean, I wasn't allowed beer and had apple juice instead.

[409] Some Fisher kings?

[410] Kingfisher.

[411] Oh, my gosh.

[412] That's an exciting story.

[413] Do you know his story?

[414] The Kingfisher guys?

[415] Yeah, the guy who owned it.

[416] And then he started Force India, the race team.

[417] Yes, yes, couldn't have been more interested.

[418] Okay, now, at the point you moved to the U .S., you're 13, what was your knowledge of the U .S.?

[419] What were you watching on TV?

[420] Did you have a fantasy about what the U .S. was?

[421] Yes.

[422] To me, it was 90210, saved by the bell.

[423] Little Baywatch in there?

[424] Baywatch was in there because my mom used to watch a lot of Baywatch and soaps.

[425] Oh, my God.

[426] What was this?

[427] As the world turns.

[428] Guy in the beautiful.

[429] As the world turns.

[430] Remington Steel.

[431] That's a golden one.

[432] Well, Pierce Bronson.

[433] I still love.

[434] She still loves him too.

[435] He's sexy.

[436] I mean, come on.

[437] He's amazing.

[438] This is a thing.

[439] My grandmother was obsessed with soap operas.

[440] And every day we would, in the summers, I stayed with her.

[441] And we just watched four in a row soap operas.

[442] She was obsessed.

[443] They were her shows.

[444] Got to watch her shows.

[445] So interesting.

[446] Now my mom has moved on to close.

[447] Korean dramas.

[448] Oh, wow.

[449] She likes saying, goodnight, guys, I'm going to Korea.

[450] Just go upstairs, the 3 o 'clock in the morning.

[451] You still see her on a laptop.

[452] Oh, there's a TV right there.

[453] Our algorithm is all Korean dramas when my mom comes to visit on Netflix and Amazon.

[454] Oh, yeah, all the suggestions.

[455] All of them.

[456] Okay, so based on those shows, 90210 .10.

[457] Let's really hone in on that.

[458] Because I, too, was obsessed with 90210.

[459] And so my fantasy of California specifically was 90210.

[460] You end up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

[461] This is not what's on television.

[462] So my concept of the geography of America was limited.

[463] I didn't grow up here.

[464] Yeah.

[465] So my cousins were in some city called Cedar Rapids.

[466] Okay, great.

[467] And I was 13.

[468] Boys were on my mind, you know, more than anything else.

[469] I was just like, listen, we're going to America.

[470] I'd come to visit my cousins.

[471] I wasn't supposed to stay here.

[472] But my mom had retired from the army because my brother was born.

[473] And now I know, basically, she planned this whole thing because she was starting her private practice and she was like, I'm just going to send my oldest to my sister for a year and keep the baby.

[474] And like, you know, I'm fine over there.

[475] I wanted to do it anyway, but it gave her time to kind of figure out where she lands.

[476] But at that time, my mom's really smart.

[477] My cousin took me to her school.

[478] And when you are an Indian kid from an Indian school, which is each class has at least 60 to 100 kids, we don't go from class to class.

[479] Our teachers come to us.

[480] because can you imagine, like recess in an Indian school.

[481] The hallways.

[482] No way.

[483] Once you get them in there, you got to keep everyone.

[484] And the teacher is coming in and out.

[485] So I was mind blown by the American school system.

[486] We always carried our lunch with us.

[487] Whatever mom made was what we take.

[488] And then we would like barter with each other's, you know, whoever was carrying something else, we would switch it around.

[489] Here you are at a cafeteria?

[490] Yeah.

[491] People were making fresh food for you.

[492] Well, fresh in quotes.

[493] You know, whatever.

[494] It was hot.

[495] Rectangle pizza?

[496] But it was pizza?

[497] Yeah.

[498] Are you kidding me?

[499] We had to wait for Sunday for pizza in India.

[500] So for me, when I came, it was like 902.

[501] And oh, even if it was Cedar Rapids.

[502] Oh, I love it.

[503] That's great.

[504] There was a band.

[505] There was theater, sports.

[506] There was a gym.

[507] There was a basketball court.

[508] I was like, mind blown when I moved here.

[509] I was like, okay, I got to change my life right now.

[510] Yes.

[511] I need to tell my mother.

[512] that this is for my education because that might work if I'm like, Mom, I will work better here, I will be smarter here.

[513] She was playing me. I was playing her.

[514] We both knew what was happening.

[515] We just let it happen.

[516] And she was like, okay, if you get into the school and, you know, you can get your visa and stuff done, then sure.

[517] And my aunt figured out.

[518] I got my student visa and I started staying with her.

[519] And this is in a junior high.

[520] Eighth grade.

[521] Okay.

[522] Shit's happened.

[523] Yeah, that's a time.

[524] When I came to America, I think I just celebrated.

[525] in my 12th birthday, they got my eyebrows done for the first time because I was like, I'm getting on a flight to go to America.

[526] I need my eyebrows, did.

[527] Yes, you need your brow game.

[528] And I told my mom, I was like, I need a blowout.

[529] My mom was like, what, you're 12th?

[530] Oh, my God.

[531] I was like, do you know what girls look like there?

[532] Watch this show.

[533] I really thought everybody looked like Kelly Kapowski from Tiffany Amberthese.

[534] Yeah, like those girls.

[535] Actually, no one here ever at 12 is like getting their eyebrows done.

[536] I know, but I'm getting all dressed up to come to America.

[537] Oh, my God.

[538] What an interesting new girl to come.

[539] Oh, my God, yes.

[540] And landing in farm boy country.

[541] To you, to me, it was 90210.

[542] Right.

[543] Were you boy crazy off the charts when you landed?

[544] Well, I had a crush on this guy called Seth.

[545] We won't tell you his last name.

[546] He had green hair.

[547] He was the lead singer of a band.

[548] Oh, my God.

[549] And this was in Cedar Rapids.

[550] And he sat in front of me in math class.

[551] So I just got to see his hair.

[552] I didn't really interact with him very much.

[553] And were boys viving you?

[554] Not yet.

[555] Not yet.

[556] They would be in a year.

[557] Okay.

[558] I kind of grew.

[559] American hormones got me, I think.

[560] My hair grew.

[561] My shape grew.

[562] I'm so jealous.

[563] I'm so, this is, of course.

[564] Tell me. Tell me. Because you come in and you're different.

[565] You're from India.

[566] Yeah.

[567] I spoke different.

[568] I dress different.

[569] Yes.

[570] My jokes were different.

[571] Exactly.

[572] But.

[573] I tried a new accent every week to try to fit in.

[574] Okay, yeah.

[575] It ended up working for you.

[576] And I did the opposite thing.

[577] It didn't because I left America.

[578] I was like, fuck you.

[579] I need, can I say fuck on the show?

[580] Oh, yeah.

[581] All things are more.

[582] I'm going to say.

[583] Ask sometimes.

[584] I forgot I didn't ask you if profanity was loud.

[585] What I just learned is you've never heard the show and that's okay.

[586] No, I did.

[587] On my way.

[588] Paul Rudd.

[589] It was such a fun episode.

[590] He's so fun.

[591] I was like, I need an education.

[592] That was a really fun episode.

[593] I don't know.

[594] Lots of swearing.

[595] Swearings welcome.

[596] Okay.

[597] So first, do you want to finish your point?

[598] Because I want to hear about between 8th and 9th, what happens.

[599] Well, right, because I was born here, grew up here, and felt so different the whole time.

[600] It was trying so hard to fit in and be white.

[601] Cheerleader.

[602] I'm just thinking, if you arrived at my school, I would be so mad at you for coming.

[603] Because she was a bombshell.

[604] Well, I think multiple things would be happening.

[605] One, I'd be jealous just because, yeah, I'd be like, oh, no. No, there's this most amazing version of me. Another brown girl.

[606] That's what people would have thought.

[607] And then also would be like, oh, no, now she's like drawing attention to the fact that there are brown people in this world.

[608] Like, I was trying really hard to pretend like that didn't exist.

[609] So you know why, right?

[610] No. Can I break it down for you?

[611] Just as an immigrant experience.

[612] Please.

[613] I think the generation that came before your and my, our parents, basically, they moved countries in their 20s.

[614] They came to a country.

[615] They didn't speak the language.

[616] the outfits were different.

[617] It was like settlements.

[618] They were settling in trying to find a better life for their kids, right?

[619] So they kind of had to be, I remember so many times being told, be invisible, don't attract attention to yourself.

[620] And back in India, my mom was telling me the opposite.

[621] She was like, find your feet, find your voice.

[622] Who are you?

[623] Find the light.

[624] What is your opinion from when I was five years old, I would hang out my parents.

[625] And my dad, in a conversation, would literally say, what do you think about this?

[626] And not as a kid.

[627] And he would encourage my opinion.

[628] And then I came here where our parents really had to be invisible to get a job, to put their feet into the door, to make people notice them not because of what they look like, because they would never be noticed, but actually with their skills.

[629] So when you look at doctors and lawyers and, you know, you see South Asians spread out, is because our parents, even if it's like the Patale stores and the gas stations, like our parents came in and did that so you and I could do this.

[630] I know.

[631] It's amazing.

[632] And we're not even thinking about it.

[633] So the be invisible what we inherited, because I inherited that too, was from their burdens.

[634] But I think we evolved that conversation into saying, okay, yes, it was really scary for them, but you made a safe space for me. And I'm going to use the safe space because of your sacrifices to be the best version I can be.

[635] And that's why you see you on a mic, me on a show.

[636] You see so much more South Asian representation because the next generation.

[637] It took over south -way -southwest.

[638] That's right, the two of us.

[639] It's infestation of beautiful Indian women down there.

[640] It's really true.

[641] Finding your voice and saying, it's okay for me to have a voice, even if I'm brown.

[642] Yeah.

[643] I think, yeah, because there was a big internal struggle for me, because same.

[644] Like, at my dinner tables, nothing but debate, always share your opinion.

[645] You know, everyone's yelling at each other all the time.

[646] But when you step out into the real.

[647] Yes, then I'm just, I just have to agree with all the white people.

[648] Like, I have to.

[649] I don't have any other.

[650] option that's interesting yeah monica's on an interesting oh you listen to me stop asking you can set things on fire you can steal shit pee on the couch you can change your outfit yeah i may have gone to a cleptop face so don't say that to me yeah monica's i think if i can speak for you on a interesting trajectory of assimilation assimilation confidence her own domain seeing other people in pop culture who chose to run right at it husson's very inspirational for monica and now kind of finding her way back into owning, being Indian embracing it, exploring it.

[651] So it's like almost criss -crossy.

[652] But I think that's what happened to a lot of us in second generation.

[653] I mean, I lived in India, but I spent like four years, three years in America during a very transformative time in my life.

[654] Adolescence is when you're kind of figuring out who you are and I was here.

[655] And I inherited that feeling as well.

[656] So I think that because we felt that way and we had to struggle with, especially for my cousins and for you, Indian Americans who are second generation, who am I?

[657] I had so many friends that changed their names from like Varun to Warren just to make it easier.

[658] No one could get my name right when I was in high school.

[659] They would stare at it for a second.

[660] So I was like, just called me pre, you know, at that time.

[661] But I was bullied in 10th grade.

[662] I just started feeling really icky about who I was here.

[663] And I called my mom and I said, I want to finish high school in India.

[664] I don't want to stay here anymore.

[665] And she was like on a flight the next day.

[666] Came in, we emptied out my locker, and she took me home.

[667] Can I guess something?

[668] Yeah.

[669] I'd imagine the women were rougher on you.

[670] I imagine the guys liked you once high school hit.

[671] We can't compete with this.

[672] Two of my best friends, one in Cedar Rapids and one when I lived in Indianapolis, were guys.

[673] I always, even when I was a kid, had guys as friends.

[674] Even now, I have some amazing guy friends.

[675] Women for so long have been pitted against each other because, there can't be two that get the job or they can't be too.

[676] Like what Monica was saying, if I came to her school, it'll be like oh, fuck another brown girl to compete with.

[677] I wanted to be the only exotic one.

[678] You know, like we tell ourselves that shit versus we're now finding enough confidence to build community to be able to say their strength in numbers.

[679] If we come together, we might be able to just feel like, okay, I'm not alone in this.

[680] Yeah.

[681] And whatever your journey is.

[682] Well, it's a really predictable outcome of finite resources.

[683] You look at American cities where you've got four different ethnicities all living in a small pocket in poverty with very limited resources.

[684] You're going to see massive competition and in -group, out -group anger.

[685] Like you put one rib in front of six lions.

[686] Guess what's going to happen?

[687] Lots of fights.

[688] Creating more opportunity.

[689] We even as women, when we talk about, you know, equality, it's not saying that I want to be 400 pounds or I want to be able to lift weights.

[690] Nobody's asking for that kind of equality.

[691] equality and opportunity you give opportunity you create more space we will stop feeling like we need to compete with each other and that destructive cyclical thing may not exist the mating thing's always going to be there though like the guys are going to fight for the guys are going to hate the guy who's getting all the attention so listen i'm going to brag for a second i was kind of you in which way okay i was punk rock i had crazy hair i dressed insane and so girls yes and girls me you're sad no but the older girls were like, who's this fun peacock?

[692] And the jocks were like, fuck this guy.

[693] Why is he getting all the attention for wearing those stupid clothes and that stupid hair?

[694] And they hated me. So again, anytime you're competing for love interest, it's going to get gnarly.

[695] Yeah, maybe that's what it was.

[696] But whatever.

[697] I was like, I'm done with this.

[698] Well, yours was compounded.

[699] Didn't they make fun of your accent and all of that?

[700] I felt the need to dramatically change my accent when I was in school.

[701] Because if I said something, this next sentence, the response would be, excuse me?

[702] Sorry, what?

[703] Yeah.

[704] So it gets so annoying after a point.

[705] And, you know, people debate this a lot about immigrants who come in and their accents change.

[706] It's basically making it convenient for the person.

[707] Well, because you get sick of repeating yourself.

[708] Yeah.

[709] But that's happened like now, I see my husband, for example, he's American.

[710] But when he comes to India, his accent changes.

[711] Because he's trying to in English, he has a little bit more of an Indian English accent because he's trying to make it more convenient for everyone who hears it a certain way.

[712] That's why when I'm in Italy.

[713] I say, oh, where's the bathroom?

[714] I want to get to something to eat.

[715] No, it's not so coffee, a cigarette.

[716] Yes.

[717] They understand.

[718] Oh, my God.

[719] Okay, my dad has weighed in.

[720] Oh, wonderful.

[721] It is a Maliello movie.

[722] So you might not know it, but he says it's called he thinks Puchacani.

[723] Okay.

[724] I don't speak Mulelelam, but I'm going to research this movie.

[725] Okay.

[726] So you're not in it.

[727] No. I don't know.

[728] a Malala movie yet, but my grandmother was from Kerala.

[729] Oh, I bet my parents probably know that because they're always like, oh, this person's from Kerala.

[730] Like, it's one of those, you know, they take a lot of pride in that.

[731] Stay tuned for more Armchair Expert, if you dare.

[732] What's up, guys?

[733] It's your girl Kiki and my podcast is back with a new season, and let me tell you, it's too good.

[734] And I'm diving into the brains of entertainment's best and brightest, okay?

[735] Every episode, I bring on a friend.

[736] and have a real conversation.

[737] And I don't mean just friends.

[738] I mean the likes of Amy Poehler, Kel Mitchell, Vivica Fox, the list goes on.

[739] So follow, watch, and listen to Baby.

[740] This is Kiki Palmer on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcast.

[741] We've all been there.

[742] Turning to the internet to self -diagnose our inexplicable pains, debilitating body aches, sudden fevers, and strange rashes.

[743] Though our minds tend to spiral to worst -case scenarios, it's usually nothing, but for an unlucky few, these unsuspecting symptoms can start the clock ticking on a terrifying medical mystery.

[744] Like the unexplainable death of a retired firefighter whose body was found at home by his son, except it looked like he had been cremated, or the time when an entire town started jumping from buildings and seeing tigers on their ceilings.

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[750] Okay, so you go back to India.

[751] That was crazy.

[752] Going back?

[753] Yeah, because I've changed.

[754] I had boobs.

[755] I was 16.

[756] Yeah.

[757] And I knew how to use them.

[758] Right.

[759] You had boobs in America.

[760] I had boobs in America.

[761] So I learned how to use them.

[762] Yeah.

[763] Well, me and my friends, when we were in ninth grade, the thing to do was obviously go to the mall, right?

[764] and see how many numbers you can get like that was the game so after school my aunt would be like okay you and friends can go to the mall and we would compete with how many numbers we could get at that time it was written on a piece of paper and slid into your hand in a very clandestine way so now I come from there imagine that girl I was listening to 90s hip -hop I loved Missy Elliott and Tupac and Biggie and puffy, and I was living in New York City, and I'd moved to Boston.

[765] And I was a city girl by now.

[766] You learned to dance some hip -hop.

[767] I was that girl with puffer jacket, jeans, rollerblades, hoop earrings, the lip liner, all that.

[768] Blue eye shadow?

[769] Oh, yeah.

[770] Eyeliner game on point.

[771] Anyway, I come to 11th grade in a small town called Borelli, and I have to go to an army school because that was the best school in town at that time.

[772] Boys and girls.

[773] Before that in India, I was in a girl school.

[774] So when I came back, I was like, oh, this is great because I had been in American high school.

[775] So in my head, I'm an evolved worldly woman at 16.

[776] Yeah, you're going to come run this shit, is what I would be thinking.

[777] And kids wear uniforms in India because they all come from such a different social economic background that to create uniformity, everybody has to wear the same thing.

[778] Unlike private schools here, our public schools have uniforms.

[779] So kids don't like pick on each other.

[780] So all these kids are wearing uniforms.

[781] And this is a movie for me because I can see it back so clearly.

[782] My dad drove me to the school.

[783] I'm wearing flair jeans with clunky heels that were in that time.

[784] I forget what they're called.

[785] So my legs looked excessively long.

[786] I had this long, loose, oversized t -shirt.

[787] I was wearing makeup.

[788] What?

[789] To an Indian school, you're not allowed to wear makeup.

[790] And I had my hair up in this big bun.

[791] This is footloose.

[792] The movie you're describing it.

[793] It was insane, you guys.

[794] I can remember this.

[795] I wanted to put it in a scene somewhere in some movie that I make because I felt like a peacock.

[796] Yeah.

[797] I walked into that school and everybody was looking out of their class.

[798] They were like, who is that?

[799] And I was feeling myself because I was like, no one's wearing heels or makeup in this school.

[800] So, you know, I know more.

[801] Yeah.

[802] And so much to teach.

[803] You're mature.

[804] So much I want to teach you guys.

[805] Class is in session.

[806] I'm the teacher.

[807] It really was.

[808] I mean, of course, I had to wear the uniform.

[809] Most girls, their uniforms had to be below their knees.

[810] But, of course, I'd come from an American high school.

[811] I'd learned how to show my knees by now.

[812] Yeah.

[813] You know, I was living on the edge.

[814] So I used to hem my skirt higher than my knees, and I always got into trouble for it.

[815] My chemistry teacher actually called me out in class once and ripped my hem out.

[816] Oh, my God.

[817] Okay, I have a pervy question.

[818] Were kids in high school in India, like, hooking up like kids in American high school did?

[819] But you pretend to be really good kids in school.

[820] Kids are still sexual in high school.

[821] You won't talk about it as much.

[822] Okay.

[823] It's not out in open, but it's happening.

[824] Yeah, it's happening.

[825] People date.

[826] People are couples.

[827] You just are kind of more discreet about it.

[828] You won't be making out in school.

[829] You won't be seen doing that.

[830] No handholding.

[831] No, they handheld.

[832] Oh, they did.

[833] Yeah, yeah.

[834] I think this was in my school, Army School, barely giving a shout out.

[835] We had the couples in class with the ones that were always together.

[836] We had parties.

[837] How do you find a Seth there?

[838] I had a few.

[839] that time.

[840] Okay.

[841] I was playing the field X. Okay, wonderful.

[842] I was 16.

[843] I'm feeling myself.

[844] What kind of guy were you attracted to there?

[845] I had changed.

[846] I was more into like expensive rapper types or like expensive sports guys.

[847] Sure.

[848] Like I had a crush on this guy in high school in 10th grade and he was like a varsity football player.

[849] So I was in my head I'm there now when I go back to India.

[850] Soccer.

[851] Yeah, but you have athletes in India.

[852] You know Monica?

[853] I'm only, people play sports.

[854] I'm only half aware of that.

[855] I mean, all kinds of cricket and football and basketball and all of that.

[856] That was my lane at that point.

[857] I was there just for a year, though.

[858] Okay.

[859] And so you graduate and you do a few pageants when you return.

[860] I didn't graduate high school.

[861] Okay, I'm sorry.

[862] I've never graduated high school.

[863] What a loser.

[864] I didn't know that.

[865] No one told me that.

[866] So I'm going to have to leave.

[867] No, no. I dropped out in 12th grade.

[868] But you did a few pageants.

[869] I'm imagining.

[870] kind of regional, and then ultimately you do this huge pageant, then Ms. World.

[871] You become Miss World in 2000.

[872] It sounds like you were kind of at that time built for pageants.

[873] You're already kind of, you entered schools if like this is the page.

[874] Like a pop star.

[875] Yes.

[876] Like, give me the microphone.

[877] And Rihanna hadn't even popped then.

[878] Yes.

[879] You're Rihanna, pre -Riana.

[880] Oh, my God.

[881] In my head.

[882] Pre -Riana.

[883] Priiana.

[884] Priiana.

[885] Oh, my God.

[886] Oh, we got there.

[887] Priyana.

[888] It's a stretch, but it kind of works.

[889] It works just enough.

[890] I'll take it.

[891] Okay, and now, naturally, I'm interested in culturally how things are different.

[892] So this is a stereotype, and I could be wrong, but I do think most parents that are intellectuals in the U .S., you take two doctor parents.

[893] They're probably not letting their daughter get into the pageant world.

[894] Culturally, it's a different thing.

[895] And I'm wondering if your parents had any reservations, or they were like, this is awesome, go crazy.

[896] Culturally, pageants in America are seen, at least now, in my view, as exploitative.

[897] And you don't really need to have brains to get into a pageant.

[898] You don't need to have a conversation.

[899] American pageants sort of have that tone.

[900] When Trump's the president of one, it kind of says everything you need to know.

[901] The tone has been said.

[902] Yeah, exactly.

[903] The brand is clear.

[904] Across, but across a lot of Asia in India, in even South America, Brazil, Colombia, beauty pageants are really looked at as a stepping source.

[905] stone for careers.

[906] It's an arm of show business.

[907] And at that time for me, I was 17.

[908] I just said fuck you.

[909] And I was like, I'm going to go back to my country, become a peacock where I land.

[910] So it's very happy with my landing.

[911] Yeah, yeah.

[912] And then I realized that I had to study and had exams coming up.

[913] So 12th grade and 11th grade exams in India are called the boards.

[914] The boards are like A levels or O levels in Britain.

[915] SATs in America.

[916] They matter when you're trying to get to college they matter when you're getting your jobs they like live in your resume forever they matter even more right in the same way that in germany they do like it puts you on a path that's hard to then jump out of like you're going to go to a vocational school or you're going to go to university or you're going to go into the labor field like it's kind of determinative in a much stronger way than it is here your career path will be like here you could go to junior college afterwards you could totally you have time as well we jump straight into career choices So I was an honor student in America, so I thought I would be an honor student in India.

[917] No, no, no, no, no. No. We were doing like integration in math.

[918] And I didn't even know the eye of integration.

[919] I didn't even know that symbol of integration.

[920] We were still doing.

[921] I still don't as you say it.

[922] You know it.

[923] You know it.

[924] But we were doing trigonometry maybe.

[925] Yeah.

[926] Which Indian kids had done in like seventh grade.

[927] So I was drowning.

[928] Yes.

[929] When I went back, and I thought, because I was like, ah, as an honor science student, I took science.

[930] So it was physics, chemistry, mats.

[931] I was so mad with the decision of coming back.

[932] I had to go to school.

[933] I had to take extra classes, tutions, and I still barely just about passed.

[934] And on top of that, I had to do some language as well.

[935] I think it was Hindi or something.

[936] So I was drowning.

[937] This Miss India thing happened really in a weird way.

[938] It's like so funny how destiny kind of places you, at least in my life.

[939] There was no world in which I ever.

[940] anticipated entering a pageant.

[941] I loved Ashwariya Rai and Sushmita Sen, who were the first Miss World and Miss Universe from India.

[942] But they won in 94, 95.

[943] There was four within seven years when you won.

[944] You guys took over Miss World.

[945] That decade was, you were here.

[946] That was us.

[947] But the first ones that kind of did it in that decade, I was 12 or 13.

[948] I was very inspired by the fact that they'd done it because it was a cultural conversation.

[949] And they came in like Queens and they had a homecoming and they were in their cars and people were lined up and they were parading and it was a cultural movement at that point India being part of this global thing so my brother is 10 years old at this point and my mom used to get this magazine which always had the ad for Miss India and I was given my brother's room because I was 16.

[950] He was kicked out of his room and my mom made makeshift hallway into his bedroom and he was like I'm sleeping in the hallway and using grandma's toilet Oh, no, I'm not happy about it.

[951] No one wants to use grandma or grandpa's toilet.

[952] I know.

[953] And the hierarchy.

[954] Exactly.

[955] And I like, I'm showing off, locking my door in front of him, kicking him out.

[956] Oh, my God.

[957] Asking him to say, please may I come in if he has to come back into his room.

[958] These poor little brothers.

[959] I know, little brothers, man. I have one too, by the way.

[960] Seven years.

[961] Eight for me. She gave him hell.

[962] I gave.

[963] Why do we do that?

[964] Little, this is a little brother thing.

[965] You did it, right?

[966] I was like, you have to say, please.

[967] may I come in and if you miss any one of those letters you have to find like a rupee and put it in this envelope.

[968] And then they like did it.

[969] He has to go scavenger hunting and steal from my parents to get the money.

[970] I know.

[971] I have a lot of regret around him.

[972] I taught valuable lessons, I think.

[973] Resourcefulness.

[974] You know, we found the money.

[975] Okay.

[976] So you see this ad in this magazine.

[977] He sees the 10 year old.

[978] Sid sees this ad and he tells my mom, she'll have to move to Mumbai, right?

[979] If she wins this thing.

[980] Ah, McAvelian.

[981] He's like trying to get you.

[982] Right.

[983] You're a lot of smarty pants in your house.

[984] Everyone's very smart.

[985] And I had taken these mall shots because I went to take photographs for a scholarship program.

[986] And the photographer was like, oh, you're pretty.

[987] I want to take pictures.

[988] And I was like, yeah.

[989] Of course you do.

[990] I'll be back in an hour with a wardrobe of clothes.

[991] My mom was like, hell no, I'm coming with you.

[992] Anyway, I had these glamour shots.

[993] And my brother was like, and we have the photos too.

[994] Wow.

[995] He did this.

[996] Yeah.

[997] Yeah.

[998] My mom sent them in.

[999] I didn't even know.

[1000] I was drowning in my exams at this point.

[1001] Pick up the phone one day.

[1002] And they were like, well, we're calling from Feminemina, Miss India.

[1003] You've been selected for the preliminary rounds.

[1004] You've got to come to Delhi and bring a swimsuit, don't wear makeup, and bring heels.

[1005] Wow.

[1006] And I was like, how do you know me?

[1007] I am thinking because I'm so popular in school in India now, as the American return peacock with a short skirt and mascara, word has gone.

[1008] God out.

[1009] Oh, my God.

[1010] My teenage self was like really proud of myself because my mom told me what happened.

[1011] Oh, this is great.

[1012] And then we had to tell my dad.

[1013] You're like, I'm getting scouted.

[1014] I literally thought I was discovered.

[1015] Yes.

[1016] Just because I was like short skirt hoops and the scar girl.

[1017] The only American in India.

[1018] And when I'm going to school.

[1019] Get money.

[1020] Literally in a music video every day in my head.

[1021] So this thing happened and it happened during my pre -year.

[1022] boards, which were like rehearsal exams for the boards.

[1023] So it was kind of the timing was right.

[1024] My mom told my dad, I don't know how she convinced him, because he was very conservative about me at that point.

[1025] Yeah, well, bring swimsuit and heels.

[1026] Dad's like, what?

[1027] I'm 17.

[1028] Yeah.

[1029] I'm not going anywhere with the combinations.

[1030] So my mom was sent with me. My dad was like, only way she's doing it is if you're there, we're sitting in the lobby.

[1031] And I think I'm all that because I'm popular in school in India.

[1032] but these girls were models and they walk in the doors open in coordinated clothes with blown out hair I had my eyebrows done though guys I was a little bit prepared my unibrow was gone but these women looking like gazelles walk in and I turned to my mom I was like this I wasn't prepared for because this was their careers and I'd never done that by the skin of my teeth or ignorance however I got through and was top 30 and had to go to Mumbai for the pageant which was right before my boards so I'm like I can't study and I will fail the boards so my parents and I started talking about taking a gap year and giving an exam the next year because now like I was in this pageant and I didn't know what was happening, happened to win it yes yes yes then now people know me people are taking pictures of you which is so weird you were made for this but I thought the crown was like a uniform I would wear it while I was brushing.

[1033] Mm. Like, I guess, this is my job now.

[1034] You know, you're an ambassador to your country.

[1035] And I'm taking it seriously.

[1036] I took it so seriously at 17.

[1037] Like, I laugh at that girl now.

[1038] In some weird, bizarre way, with all my loud clothing and hairdos, I was practicing to be famous.

[1039] So for me, it felt very natural.

[1040] Yeah.

[1041] To get attention.

[1042] I was like, oh, I've already been practicing this in school.

[1043] You kind of willed it in some ways.

[1044] You know, you're really.

[1045] Right, because when I was in high school, I used to leave my home dressed as something else because my aunt was super conservative.

[1046] I used to wear like oversized shirts and like jeans.

[1047] And then me and my three or four other outcast friends, we were the hot outcast.

[1048] We used to go to the Salvation Army and skip lunch and save money and get some stuff from there, cut patchwork, make short shorts, like tied up crop tops.

[1049] You were practicing being stared at and you either you get comfortable with it.

[1050] Yes.

[1051] Asked for it.

[1052] Opened up my name.

[1053] We wanted it.

[1054] Yes.

[1055] So when you win this thing and all of a sudden, like, the light switch turns on and people are taking your picture and you're in magazines and stuff, you're kind of like, that's right.

[1056] I'm a dolphin in water.

[1057] I didn't figure that out until this moment.

[1058] And thank you for articulating that because my uncle used to say this to me. My mom, he was like, she can't pass a reflective surface without looking at her reflection.

[1059] Sure, sure.

[1060] Yeah.

[1061] And that must have been telling for my family.

[1062] Right.

[1063] Now they say that.

[1064] They're like, we should have known.

[1065] Yeah, yeah.

[1066] I have a question about the pageant.

[1067] Was there any colorism stuff happening there?

[1068] In India?

[1069] Yeah, at that time.

[1070] Colorism was so normalized in the industry at that time that we had sponsors that were fair and lovely.

[1071] So many of us had done commercials that were get fair skin.

[1072] Again, post -colonial effects where we think it's normal.

[1073] Obviously, since social media broke out and there's conversation about how damaging that is to our own narrative, I remember when I joined movies, I was considered Dusky.

[1074] It was written the Dusky actress.

[1075] Like, what is Dusky?

[1076] What does it mean?

[1077] Yet I did a commercial because you're doing a beauty brand.

[1078] A beauty brand is a really big part of an actress's trajectory.

[1079] And all the beauty brands were selling those creams.

[1080] What I'm trying to imagine is it was maybe as benign as when you see teeth whitening commercials.

[1081] Like no one's seen teeth whitening commercials thinking there's some moral imperative being broken, right?

[1082] It was as normalized as that.

[1083] Like you want white teeth.

[1084] Men did it.

[1085] Women did it.

[1086] Actors did it.

[1087] They're doing it even now.

[1088] I want darker cream.

[1089] I know.

[1090] Oh, yeah.

[1091] In America, everyone's trying to get tan.

[1092] It's the grass is green on the other side.

[1093] Everyone's trying to get light in Asia.

[1094] Everyone's trying to get tan in America.

[1095] But there is a massive equity on lighter skin in Asia.

[1096] They want to aspire for it.

[1097] Even now, India got her independence in 1947.

[1098] We're not even like a century old.

[1099] Exactly.

[1100] It's a very recent thing that happened.

[1101] And in our own country, we had signs that said dogs and Indians not allowed outside restaurants and stuff.

[1102] In our own country.

[1103] In our own country.

[1104] In India.

[1105] We were picked up in boatloads taken across the world as servants.

[1106] So there was a lot that was taken by colonization and left behind.

[1107] This is my hypothesis.

[1108] I don't claim to be an expert.

[1109] But I really think that these are all damaging.

[1110] Our parents were taught that.

[1111] Literally, if you see matrimonial commercials, it'd be like fair girl required.

[1112] And even in beauty, when I joined the movie business, if you were fair, you were guaranteed some form of success or casting, but if you were darker, and I'm not even that dark for Indians.

[1113] For darker girls, it was like, well, let's lighten you up.

[1114] I was lightened up in many movies.

[1115] Digitally or through the lighting, they would overlight you.

[1116] To makeup.

[1117] And then blasting lighting.

[1118] Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[1119] There was a song which I still remember, and it was called Chitty Dudkuri, which means a girl who's as white as milk.

[1120] And I ain't that.

[1121] But I was But I was playing her.

[1122] But I was playing her.

[1123] And I was like really lightened up in the movie.

[1124] You were in white face.

[1125] I think I was.

[1126] But that was also something makeup artists used to do.

[1127] It was such a damaging narrative.

[1128] But it was the end of it when I started.

[1129] I would credit my generation and I will credit social media and the conversations, the good stuff that's come out of the world becoming a smaller place is we can call this shit out.

[1130] The stuff that's normalized even for educated smart people by culture can be called out and can be changed.

[1131] and you're seeing that in India now.

[1132] You're seeing a pride with our brown skin.

[1133] It's crazy to be racist with other brown skin people when you're all brown.

[1134] It was cultural.

[1135] And I see so many people back in India in the world because of the conversation being like, wait a second.

[1136] I don't need to aspire for that.

[1137] In fact, let me sit out in the sun.

[1138] Like I had to get my mom used to that concept as well because there's this thing of don't sit out of the sun.

[1139] No, I know.

[1140] You'll get dark.

[1141] And I love the sun.

[1142] Same.

[1143] I'm like a sun worshipper.

[1144] I like fry in the sun.

[1145] But I used to go on spring break and just cover myself in towels.

[1146] And all my white friends are just like putting oil on.

[1147] We were talking about damaging bullshit.

[1148] Even I got caught up into it and I looked back on that.

[1149] The commercial was so damaging.

[1150] I'm darker skinned and this guy comes in.

[1151] I was selling flowers and he comes in and he doesn't even look at me. And I start using this cream and I get a job.

[1152] I get the guy.

[1153] And all my dreams come true.

[1154] Yeah, yeah.

[1155] And that was like mid -2000s.

[1156] Wow.

[1157] Okay.

[1158] We're going to zip a little bit now.

[1159] We're going to put our pedal to the medal because in 2000, you win this.

[1160] And then as is the course in India, you start getting lots of offers for movies.

[1161] And so now you start working just straight through to 2015 -ish.

[1162] You do movies in India and you become an enormous star in India.

[1163] you're Angelina Jolie.

[1164] Angelina Jolie is Priyanka.

[1165] However you want to phrase it to benefit.

[1166] Yes, yes, yes.

[1167] They come after you.

[1168] Yes, yes.

[1169] No, no, yeah.

[1170] Angelina Jolie is the Priyanka of the U .S. All these enormous milestones for you.

[1171] Your first super successful movies, 03, you've got a breakout starring role in a thriller in 04 that people love.

[1172] You have a really pretty meteoric rise.

[1173] You have a shitty fucking year, which is what I'm most interested.

[1174] interested in.

[1175] 2008 is fucking rough for you, right?

[1176] You have like six movies in a row that don't pan out.

[1177] I had a couple questions as I learned this history.

[1178] A, how many movies a year?

[1179] You did five movies in ours?

[1180] So I'm curious the difference of working here and there.

[1181] So that's one of them, right?

[1182] I've had to learn it so I can make the distinction for you.

[1183] Yeah, so one is the amount of work you do if you're a working actor there.

[1184] You might do five movies a year.

[1185] That's quite different from here.

[1186] So you're filming all year round.

[1187] What are the hours like there?

[1188] Do you have a trailer there?

[1189] Are you treated the same?

[1190] Do you have a union with a turnaround?

[1191] How did it differ?

[1192] be good in my first few movies.

[1193] I kind of had to just observe.

[1194] And I think young people in a country like India, or I think all over the world, even in the States, we are told that you have to grind yourself to the ground if you want to win.

[1195] There's a romanticization around not taking time.

[1196] Paying your dues.

[1197] You know, you have to pay for it.

[1198] You have to work hard.

[1199] Hyper productivity.

[1200] So if you want the job, you're going to do as much work as needed.

[1201] And I think I was on that train.

[1202] And also culturally in India at that time, they're like, top 10 actors and top female 10 actors.

[1203] They're the ones that do the biggest movies in the decade.

[1204] They're the ones that are relevant in the decade or the few decades.

[1205] They're paired together.

[1206] Those 10 change almost every two decades or so as new generations come in.

[1207] And I'm super ignorant on this.

[1208] But even when I was reading about the movies, some of them your first movies aren't described as Bollywood movies.

[1209] And then it says, then she did her first Bollywood movies.

[1210] How does that differ within?

[1211] So Tamil and Telugu and Malayalam.

[1212] So India has almost.

[1213] every state has a different written and spoken language.

[1214] So the alphabet changes as well.

[1215] Gurmuki is a different alphabet.

[1216] Tamil is a different alphabet.

[1217] Tamil is from the state of Tamil Nadu.

[1218] And that's what you first were doing Tamil movies.

[1219] Yes, I did.

[1220] My first movie was a Tamil movie.

[1221] My family is also from Kerala.

[1222] There, they speak Malayalam.

[1223] And all of these states have their own.

[1224] Her grandma was friends with your grandma.

[1225] Oh my God.

[1226] That would be amazing.

[1227] That would be so amazing.

[1228] I'm going to do some digging.

[1229] But they all have their own localized film industries which speak in Malayalam or Tamil.

[1230] European movies are made out of Spanish and French and different languages.

[1231] So my first one happened to be in Tamil.

[1232] And then Bollywood is Hindi language.

[1233] And that first one was in 2003.

[1234] Okay.

[1235] And then you do Bollywood movies for a long time.

[1236] And these are the ones that are the big blockbusters.

[1237] Yes.

[1238] I did indie movies too.

[1239] I did some which were predominantly on my shoulders as well, which was very new at that time because the big movies were always with the, big actors.

[1240] So the girls had to covet working with the five or seven big actors.

[1241] Alpha male dudes.

[1242] And it's never been my strong suit.

[1243] I'm not the best at kissing the ring.

[1244] Yeah.

[1245] I love that for me. I've felt that today right when you're looking.

[1246] It's admirable quality.

[1247] I'm going to be honest, you guys are in the business.

[1248] Networking is a part of it.

[1249] We all have to suck it up and do it sometimes.

[1250] Yeah.

[1251] The award circuit, the parties, like you do it.

[1252] But it's though being cast.

[1253] because you're the flavor of the season.

[1254] That was just hard for me, but I did a lot of it.

[1255] Please excuse my ignorance.

[1256] I am trying to learn, but I have this stereotypical paradigm that I think Bollywood is a little bit.

[1257] I think of it as being like Hollywood more in the 50s.

[1258] The movie stars are held up a little higher.

[1259] Back then in the 50s, they were.

[1260] And maybe the off -screen life's a little more curated.

[1261] You're playing a part in the social drama as well as being an actor.

[1262] I don't think you're far from it.

[1263] But I think that was what it was.

[1264] It was like Hollywood in the 50s, the big studios, the five actors.

[1265] The big movies would be made by them, male dominated.

[1266] But the game has changed so much, first of all, with streaming and giving access to so many more actors, writers, directors, so many more people that are making content.

[1267] Well, and you personally having huge hits where you're the poster and that had not happened.

[1268] That also changed.

[1269] A lot more girls were doing movies on their shoulders.

[1270] Yes, they were smaller budgets.

[1271] But they started doing well at the box office.

[1272] They have been precedent before us, but few and far in between.

[1273] It didn't happen the numbers that it started happening.

[1274] And Bollywood has evolved in such an incredible way where you have that mainstream big movie, which is like the big actors and the action and the love story and the dancing.

[1275] Triple R for us is the one I saw.

[1276] Yeah, that's a Tamil movie, by the way.

[1277] That's like a big mega blockbuster Tamil movie, which does all of those things.

[1278] Five dance set pieces.

[1279] It's like our Avengers.

[1280] People will come out to see those big movies.

[1281] But we also have every genre within Bollywood.

[1282] When I first came to America, we've had a few actors from Hindi movies who have worked in America, Ishwari Rai, Erfan Khan, Ompuri, Anupam Kare, amazing actors who've come before me. When I first came to Hollywood and I saw on streamers, Bollywood was a genre.

[1283] Right, the entire thing.

[1284] Yes, it was like, action, comedy, Bollywood.

[1285] Right.

[1286] And I'm like, hold on.

[1287] Yeah, yeah.

[1288] There's a whole universe of the same genre.

[1289] genres within that as well.

[1290] Right.

[1291] So there's a massive evolution.

[1292] The movies are catering to everyone and everything.

[1293] But was the life of a movie star at that time for you similar to the life of a movie star in the U .S.?

[1294] I don't think you guys have seen that stardom.

[1295] Right.

[1296] It's a different level.

[1297] Tom Cruise.

[1298] Yeah.

[1299] Has seen that.

[1300] I'm not that, but we have actors that have that kind of allegiance and love.

[1301] You're very recognizable at home during the.

[1302] this time, the disparity in pay is even worse there at that time.

[1303] No?

[1304] You're like 10%.

[1305] You're making 10 % of what the male actors are making.

[1306] So really bad.

[1307] Definitely no backhand.

[1308] So you're hugely famous, but you're not profiting in a way.

[1309] Yeah, that's so stupid.

[1310] That's like there's some disconnect there.

[1311] We did not profit in the same way for the longest time.

[1312] But again, that was a change.

[1313] My generation of actresses did.

[1314] So many of them asked for parity, got it, got their names at the same credit with the guy if they were co -leads.

[1315] Those were things that mattered and movies are sold on the guy and the girl now.

[1316] I think that change was a demand by the new generation coming in and saying, great, but make a Bollywood blockbuster movie with me too.

[1317] That was a great transition to kind of witness.

[1318] Stay tuned for more armchair expert if you dare.

[1319] Okay, so you have this rough 08.

[1320] You're like everything's going great then you have some tanks in a row and then people are starting to write in india like well that was fun that's finished out of cover which said finished oh finished what were you personally seeing your face and then saying finished that's also a believable narrative because before you that was happening non -stop so it wouldn't be hard for you to believe yourself oh wow what i don't even know what age you were at that time maybe 30 not earlier 20 something yeah like okay wow this ride's over Over what's next, I didn't take my boards.

[1321] How panicked were you?

[1322] I was panicked.

[1323] My mom was panicked.

[1324] She came to me and she goes, you're going to be 30 soon.

[1325] And I said, yeah.

[1326] She's like, you know that's old in this industry.

[1327] They want to work with 20 -year -olds.

[1328] And so you need to think about a revenue stream if you're going to sustain yourself.

[1329] My mom, business girl, she was like thinking ahead.

[1330] And it's so sad that she had to come and tell me in my ripe old age of 30 that my career would not be the same.

[1331] but it was a fact, it was a concern.

[1332] I got into production because of that, actually.

[1333] But I was terrified when those six movies didn't do well because I'm not a Nepo baby.

[1334] I didn't have that kind of support which exists in a big way in Bollywood movies.

[1335] You know, they are multi -generational actors that come in and get multiple opportunities versus the ones that come in from outside.

[1336] You don't have your uncle making a new movie for you just because your last one tanked.

[1337] You had to get it and you have to like hustle for it.

[1338] I'm not the best schmoozer anyways.

[1339] So that was like, I'm never going to be cast in a big movie again.

[1340] And that was one of the big reasons why I took on a movie on my shoulders.

[1341] It was out of necessity, which turned out to be career defining for me. Isn't this life is so wonderful?

[1342] Yeah, I was terrified.

[1343] Out of failure comes sometimes the most.

[1344] Completely.

[1345] We worked on that script for six months.

[1346] And I told the filmmaker, I was like, I have a chip on my shoulder a little bit because why don't we get to do this?

[1347] Yeah, yeah.

[1348] Why is it always the guys that do that?

[1349] Yeah.

[1350] And then we made storyboard.

[1351] and we made the movie as a collaboration with the writers, me, the cast, the director.

[1352] And it was the first time I felt like I had agency in what I was doing.

[1353] And that really changed how I worked, the movies that I picked.

[1354] I didn't run after the big mainstream movies after that.

[1355] I started doing obscure parts.

[1356] I started working with filmmakers I enjoyed.

[1357] Is it fair to say, you were in a kind of a phone ringing business.

[1358] They call and say you're in a pageant you didn't know you fucking submitted to.

[1359] And then you're in the pageant.

[1360] And they call and say, we want you in these movies.

[1361] And it seems like maybe you realize if I don't steer this, if I allow other people.

[1362] I'm going to stop ringing.

[1363] Eventually, it'll stop ringing.

[1364] Okay.

[1365] So then you have great success for the next seven years.

[1366] Why decide to come here?

[1367] And I just wanted to preface it by saying, your story reminds me of only one other guess.

[1368] And that's Selma Hayek.

[1369] We had her.

[1370] And I don't know if you know her story, but she was like, the biggest star in Mexico.

[1371] And she came here and was like, not a human being knew who she was.

[1372] And she had to start entirely over again.

[1373] That wasn't your case per se.

[1374] Totally was.

[1375] Well, you start on a show, which is great.

[1376] But how did I get that show?

[1377] Okay.

[1378] Tell us that story.

[1379] But regardless, even going from what you were in India in the feature space to being on an ABC show like the rest of us is a big.

[1380] Yeah.

[1381] And nobody knowing your name.

[1382] Nobody knowing my name.

[1383] Yeah.

[1384] So how do you decide you want to even put yourself through that?

[1385] Why do you decide to put yourself through that?

[1386] And then what was it like?

[1387] I was.

[1388] And I've never said this, so I'm going to say it, because y 'all make me feel safe.

[1389] Yay.

[1390] I started with a music career in America.

[1391] I have four lonely singles out there and about 100 songs on my laptop.

[1392] I was signed by Interscope Records.

[1393] Jimmy Iveen was my ANR.

[1394] Wow.

[1395] My now manager, Anjula Acharya, she had a record label called Desi Hits.

[1396] And she was trying to do Indian acts in America, in music, and saw me in some video.

[1397] And I was in the middle of a movie where I was an artiste.

[1398] I wasn't looking at my phone.

[1399] It was called Sat Kuhn Maff, which is basically Susanna and her seven husbands.

[1400] I killed seven husbands.

[1401] It was an acting role.

[1402] I was in prosthetics at 3 o 'clock in the morning, you know.

[1403] Living the part.

[1404] I wasn't picking up phone calls.

[1405] I was in the small village.

[1406] I was living on set.

[1407] You redefined yourself like you like to do in school and towns.

[1408] Yeah, exactly.

[1409] I'm not going to do the mega movies.

[1410] I'm going to be an actor.

[1411] Yeah, yeah.

[1412] So I wasn't taking phone calls, but my publicist at the time, Natasha, she goes, just take this one.

[1413] So I remember I had to go onto the rooftop to get better signal because I was in Kourg, which is a small little town.

[1414] And I spoke to this woman.

[1415] I'd recorded a demo just because I love music.

[1416] And she's like, I hit this demo.

[1417] My dad used to sing, yeah.

[1418] And she goes, I love this demo.

[1419] Would you be open to music?

[1420] And I was like, what does that even mean?

[1421] Like, I'd never been in a studio for real.

[1422] So she flew down the head of universal music.

[1423] And I was like, okay, I'll be a rock star if you think I can.

[1424] Sure.

[1425] Sure.

[1426] Of course.

[1427] But at that same time, the part of it that I said that I've never spoken about before, I was being pushed into a corner in the industry.

[1428] I had people not casting me for reasons.

[1429] I had beef with people.

[1430] And again, I'm not good at the playing that game.

[1431] The politics.

[1432] So I kind of was tired of the politics.

[1433] I was just like I need a break.

[1434] And this music thing gave me an opportunity to go into another part of the world.

[1435] not crave for the movies I wanted to get, but I would require to schmuse certain clubs and, like, cliques of people.

[1436] And it would require, like, groveling.

[1437] And I had worked for a long time by then that I didn't feel like I wanted to do it.

[1438] Yeah.

[1439] So when this music thing came, I was like, you know, fuck it, I'm going to go to America.

[1440] And Interscope was amazing.

[1441] They threw the building at me. I worked with Pitbull.

[1442] I worked with Will I am.

[1443] I worked with Farrell.

[1444] I worked with Matthew Coma.

[1445] That's wild.

[1446] I worked with Red One.

[1447] I worked with incredible artists.

[1448] I had dinner with Bruce Springsteen and his wife.

[1449] I met Jay -Z.

[1450] I was like, I was living the dream.

[1451] Yeah, you're living in your 15 -year -old dream with your headphones on.

[1452] What is happening?

[1453] Yeah, Biggie Smalls.

[1454] I got completely caught up in this music thing.

[1455] And I was like, yeah, I'm a pop star now.

[1456] Forget doing movies quickly to realize I was much better at my day job than I was at this music thing.

[1457] But that lasted about two years.

[1458] And I remember Jimmy saying, well, you're spending a lot more time in America.

[1459] Why don't you look for representation here for acting?

[1460] Just see what it could be like.

[1461] I was having trouble back home anyway with being cast in the kind of movies that I wanted to be cast in.

[1462] So I did it and Jimmy helped me get in with CAA.

[1463] They signed me on and then it started.

[1464] But again, the fact that you needed help getting signed.

[1465] I needed to be referenced by my label to CAA.

[1466] Nobody was taking me meetings at that time.

[1467] Being the biggest movie stuff.

[1468] I was the first actor from my part of the world to be signed by CAA also.

[1469] Really?

[1470] What about Frida Pinto?

[1471] Yeah.

[1472] I don't know who she was with, but she came here and worked.

[1473] She was all the first one that seemed to be embraced.

[1474] She was one, Ashweria Rai was very embraced and loved, Mindy Kaling.

[1475] But Frida, because she's from India.

[1476] We're going to count that one.

[1477] She definitely counts.

[1478] Yeah.

[1479] She's done some amazing work.

[1480] But we're like six or seven of us.

[1481] Right.

[1482] Yeah, yeah, out of a billion.

[1483] You can count us on your hands.

[1484] But at that time, I'm just going to take meetings.

[1485] Will people take meetings with me?

[1486] And that was so hard and humbling.

[1487] And I realized I'm not going to carry the baggage of my career from another country and assume and be entitled that I'm going to get that kind of treatment.

[1488] But that's a very abrupt adjustment.

[1489] Yes.

[1490] It was hard.

[1491] I really wanted to go to the Live Nation party because I was doing music that time around the Grammys.

[1492] And I was like, I really want an invite to that party because now I'm a pop.

[1493] star.

[1494] So I was like, I need to go to that party.

[1495] We didn't get invited.

[1496] Anyway, next year, I'm like, please can we go to that party.

[1497] Finally get an invite.

[1498] Super excited.

[1499] I was like, all right, I'm going to go to this party because it's like A -listers only, right, of music.

[1500] So I was so excited.

[1501] I walk in and I'm like, where are the A -Listerers?

[1502] Yeah.

[1503] That was this one tent where all the who's who were hanging.

[1504] And I wasn't in that tent.

[1505] Yeah.

[1506] And I remember, I was like, shit, I'm going to have to walk there.

[1507] I don't know people.

[1508] They don't know me. Tolls were curling back to Cedar Rapids in the cafeteria was as terrifying as that was for me Well, that's the really funny thing is when you're on the outside of all of it If you're a kid from Michigan like me and you think once you're at the party, you're at the party But then you go through the whole thing and like we get invited to the Golden Globes and we're like, oh, this is cool, we're at the Golden Globes We're like, oh, we're at the tables for TV people and the movie people are in front by the stage You're like, oh, I guess there's always always always always and it's humbling, you know Our industry is very good at humbling people very quickly.

[1509] It's literally like there's four people that are kind of in the sweet spot for a moment.

[1510] And then everyone else is just kind of gazing.

[1511] But it is such a unique.

[1512] I don't know anyone besides, like you said, Salma Hayek, who could relate to this, of being literally the top of the pyramid.

[1513] And then all of a sudden, and you're like, I can't get into this tent.

[1514] The parallel's working.

[1515] You send Angelina Jolie to Delhi.

[1516] and she's got to take general meetings with associate producers to start.

[1517] Do you think it works that way?

[1518] I feel like she'd be able to...

[1519] Well, she's a global movie star.

[1520] But I think now it has definitely changed, again, because of streaming, you have audiences around the world that watch a lot more English language entertainment than there has ever been in the history of English language entertainment.

[1521] So now would be a different time, but at that time, and it was hard to do, and there were many tears involved.

[1522] You get an opportunity to put.

[1523] proved yourself once again.

[1524] What was scary was I had to set up home in the States, which meant not working back home.

[1525] And I had maintained my career about doing like four movies a year.

[1526] I was like, I'm a greedy actor.

[1527] I won't let anyone else do it.

[1528] I'm going to do it all.

[1529] And now here I am not working in my career.

[1530] And my bread and butter comes from there.

[1531] And I had to come here and take meetings and go to parties and go show my show reel to filmmakers and say like, this is what I've done.

[1532] Yeah.

[1533] I can fucking sing.

[1534] I can do all of it.

[1535] I can do all of it.

[1536] I can do all of it.

[1537] Will you cast me?

[1538] Yeah, yeah.

[1539] So how did you get Quantico?

[1540] So I was doing the circuit.

[1541] I happened to be at actually an intimate dinner with Kelly Lee, who at that time was the VP of casting for ABC.

[1542] And ABC was having a moment with like scandal and how to get away with murder and Grey's Anatomy with having female leads that were diverse.

[1543] So it was in that moment.

[1544] I met her at a party and I was talking to her about seeking work in America and like wanting to be an actor here now.

[1545] I decided my music career was over by then.

[1546] I was like talking to her about.

[1547] what would be an approach for someone like me that has not done any English language work.

[1548] Like, how do I do that?

[1549] So she, after a few days, reached out to my manager and was like, would she do TV?

[1550] And that's a seven -year commitment.

[1551] Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[1552] When you sign that contract, I don't know that.

[1553] Oh, yeah.

[1554] I was like, wait.

[1555] So before you get the job.

[1556] It would be longer, but that's the legal limit and the length of a contract that can be signed in California.

[1557] I was like, what?

[1558] You're like, one show.

[1559] You're like, I do 45 movies in seven years.

[1560] For this show yet I had a talent deal that she offered me She was like We're gonna find you a show We want you to be on ABC Here's 30 scripts Come for Pilot season And audition It was one of my first few auditions Was Quantico I hadn't done auditions In years Because I was Miss World So I was cast in movies And then my movies did well So nobody asked me to do auditions Yeah auditioning is brand new It was new at that time for me Wow And I did a few And a terrible experience Terrifying There's so many girls That were sitting on those chairs and you're sitting, like, waiting for someone to come out.

[1561] I just couldn't sit there.

[1562] I went to the bathroom, sat on the commode, and I was like, I'm just going to wait here.

[1563] It makes me feel safe.

[1564] But also, your ego must have been exploding.

[1565] I'm sitting in a room with all these people who have never done anything.

[1566] And I'm done 60 movies.

[1567] There were some substantial actors.

[1568] I'm sure some have.

[1569] But not with your credits.

[1570] Yeah, I just can't imagine.

[1571] I think it's good.

[1572] I think you just click in.

[1573] You're like, yeah, that's where we're at.

[1574] We're going to party.

[1575] I was in warrior.

[1576] mode.

[1577] I was like, all right, I'm a preparation kind of actor.

[1578] So I was like, okay, these are the two scenes.

[1579] I play an American girl.

[1580] I play an FBI agent.

[1581] I need to work on my accent because, you know, I have this confused, I don't know where I'm from accent now.

[1582] I read the pilot, so I knew what the tone of the show was.

[1583] And I worked with an acting coach.

[1584] I did the diligence when I went in.

[1585] And when I got the job, I realized that that's all it takes.

[1586] And that comes very naturally to me is prep.

[1587] So with every job that I have gotten from like smaller roles in features that I did, which I needed to, to kind of build my English language filmography, had a lot of people who knew me from my Indian film days questioning why I went to Hollywood to do small parts and big grade movies is what they would say.

[1588] How embarrassing, Priyanka.

[1589] Mexico was pretty mad at Selma.

[1590] They felt like she left to, sold my soul.

[1591] Yeah, yeah, sold out or wasn't good enough for her.

[1592] That really prepared me to have a sense of accomplishment because I saw so many other girls in contention for that part and I worked on it and I got it.

[1593] You know, that just changed me and I did not have a pride about walking in into uncomfortable zones and taking a meeting.

[1594] One of my meetings was Jen Salki was that, was just taking a general, finished Quantico.

[1595] She was a new person on the show.

[1596] I asked and asked and asked and asked and she was gracious enough to sit down with me and Citadel came from it.

[1597] Just like -minded people talking about what we want to do.

[1598] do.

[1599] That one audition at that phase in my life really defined me. I just realized there's the biggest, you don't listen to the show so you don't know what ding, ding, ding is, but the biggest ding, ding, ding is about to come our way.

[1600] Because before I even stumbled upon this Angelina Jolie parallel that I'm beating to death, what I wanted to say about Citadel was it's so Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

[1601] Like the vibe, fun, I'm bringing up this AJ love, sexy, Playful, comedic, cool action.

[1602] It's very Mr. Mrs. Smith.

[1603] One.

[1604] God, I can't believe how convenient that is.

[1605] It's a lot more drama, though.

[1606] They had a lot more like chemistry.

[1607] Well, I think they're fucking in real life as we know.

[1608] That's true, too.

[1609] That's an assumption we could easily make.

[1610] Yeah, they went on to Mary after that.

[1611] It's more like we're lying to each other, and that's like betrayal.

[1612] The world is there is a spy organization citadel, and it is loyal to.

[1613] no nation.

[1614] So think like dystopian future, just a little bit ahead of where we are.

[1615] There's a lot of war, as we can see, that's happening in the world.

[1616] It's reached America.

[1617] And the world decided they'll share intelligence for the betterment of humanity and not keep intelligence to themselves.

[1618] As you can see, like, you know, politicians politicize and we never know anything.

[1619] So this is an organization that shares intelligence so that you can counterterrorism or war and curb it.

[1620] The show starts with citizens, falling.

[1621] It's infiltrated and the bad guys in our world.

[1622] Their take is, who are you to decide the sinners and the saints?

[1623] Yeah, anti -globalists.

[1624] Basically.

[1625] Or anti -like government.

[1626] Yeah, a big brother, all this shit.

[1627] They're like, who are you to decide culturally, whether that's right for me or not?

[1628] In Richard Madden, who, oh, Rob Stark.

[1629] Love Rob Stark.

[1630] Love Rob Stark.

[1631] What a babe.

[1632] He's such a babe, though.

[1633] Hated when he was murdered at that Red Wedding.

[1634] Yeah, that was a sad.

[1635] They were killing everyone.

[1636] I know, but I thought, but I thought, They're going to keep this hot one around.

[1637] They kill the hot ones first.

[1638] Yeah, always.

[1639] That's where that show was so gangster.

[1640] It was.

[1641] They killed the hottest members of that cast.

[1642] Totally.

[1643] Kill me. Yes, keep him around.

[1644] He's gorgeous.

[1645] They had a deep bench, as we would say in sports.

[1646] They could kill some of these hotties.

[1647] But anyways, Richard is playing an agent with amnesia.

[1648] Citadel has fallen.

[1649] It's been infiltrated.

[1650] And we have this thing because it's spies and we have spy tech.

[1651] They have this thing where they can give you amnesia.

[1652] They wipe your memories because now it was infiltrated by the bad guys.

[1653] They wipe your memories.

[1654] So you basically don't remember anything from the point you wake up.

[1655] Born.

[1656] That's the porn premise.

[1657] Also men in black, they had a little thing.

[1658] Look at this.

[1659] Your memories are gone.

[1660] So you don't remember what happened before this or your relationships.

[1661] And obviously, we have history.

[1662] Yes, it's very spicy.

[1663] And obviously some of us remember it and some of us.

[1664] And comedy.

[1665] Fun.

[1666] He's discovering this.

[1667] And he's suspicious that Priyanka also is one.

[1668] and he chucks a knife at her And she like dodges it And she's like what the fuck You just threw a knife at me He's like I'm really sorry I was expecting you to catch that But that you would remember how to catch that So it's like in the middle of this That's the kind of magic Mr. And Mrs. Smith energy That's happening The Russo brothers Who are phenomenal If you don't know the Russo brothers They started in comedy Like Arrested Development That's right I loved community Community they Yeah I still go back and watch that sometimes Just for my soul But then they've done you know six marvel movies so the quality in the production value of citadel is enormous this is like a tent pump show for amazon it's clearly like they fucking backed up the brinks truck and made a huge epic show yeah this is a very big show for you to be doing it is it's an amazing opportunity i mean i said yes before i even knew the story sure just on the premise yeah if you had in russo brothers i'm like yeah you said russo brothers amazon studios global original IP franchise you're so Somehow it's going to be like this is the home base show and then there's going to be different iterations and different languages, I think I read.

[1669] So it's so cool.

[1670] It's never been done on TV or film before.

[1671] Citadel is the American version of the show.

[1672] Because it's a global spy organization, that is going to be the American show.

[1673] It's an English language show.

[1674] And then we have an Indian show, which is my character's origin story.

[1675] Then there is an Italian show with just finished production, which is sort of another original.

[1676] story.

[1677] So basically the stories are all kind of connected.

[1678] That's awesome.

[1679] We move time.

[1680] We're in local countries speaking local languages.

[1681] So the Italian show is in Italian.

[1682] The social experiment of it all, which is so perfect for Amazon because they're so global, is will a Italian speaking person who consumes their entertainment only in the Italian language watch a Hindi language show because they want to know what happened to that character's story?

[1683] Is that crazy?

[1684] It's really It's wild.

[1685] And it's the potential of going to so many other countries as the show develops.

[1686] And are you in all of these shows?

[1687] Well, our characters are referred to.

[1688] There's cross -pollination.

[1689] I love this.

[1690] You might get to bounce around the globe.

[1691] I'm so excited about that.

[1692] Touched down in different.

[1693] In different territories where I would have never been able to work, but to do something.

[1694] It's just such a cool concept.

[1695] And then the production value at which they've done it, it's six episodes and each episode is a movie.

[1696] We haven't seen it.

[1697] seen that kind of scale when it comes to action and stuff on TV.

[1698] Again, it's the Russo Brothers.

[1699] It looks like you're watching like Marvel -level quality of fighting explosions, chases.

[1700] It's epic.

[1701] Yeah.

[1702] And you adore Richard.

[1703] Is he lovely?

[1704] He's such a sweetie.

[1705] He's precious, though.

[1706] Richard needs to be protected at all times.

[1707] I like that.

[1708] Yeah.

[1709] I like to be his bodyguard.

[1710] Yeah.

[1711] They're not going to kill the hot people, are they?

[1712] I don't know, man. I don't want to lose my job here.

[1713] Friend of ours is also on it.

[1714] The Toch.

[1715] Stanley Tootchy.

[1716] We've had him on.

[1717] We love him.

[1718] How charming is that motherfucker?

[1719] Oh my gosh.

[1720] My wife did a movie with him and she came home and she's like, I'm going to be honest with you.

[1721] I am so hot for Tucci.

[1722] I'm like, Stanley Tucci, really?

[1723] And she's like, wait till you meet him in person.

[1724] And I did and I'm like, yeah.

[1725] It's just such a class act.

[1726] Yeah, we were really taken by him.

[1727] And he invited us to dinner.

[1728] He can cook.

[1729] I mean.

[1730] He's just such a class act.

[1731] I want to be Stanley Tucci in every possible way.

[1732] He was doing so much work when we were filming this.

[1733] They're getting his schedule.

[1734] Oh, I'm sure.

[1735] Because he was doing his cooking show.

[1736] And he's in every show and every movie.

[1737] He used to do eight scenes a day when he shot Sid -A -D -Out.

[1738] And he can do it.

[1739] That's why he's the duch.

[1740] He's bar -a -bar -a -bara.

[1741] His lines are out.

[1742] He's done with a scene in like an hour.

[1743] Oh, it's amazing.

[1744] Dream.

[1745] There's a cute interaction with Priyanka looking in her bag and there's some cool new gizmos in there.

[1746] And they're communicating.

[1747] He's off -site somewhere.

[1748] And he goes, oh, yeah, there's some new.

[1749] toys in there I designed them for my favorite agent and she said oh and then he goes but he didn't want him so I gave him to you he's so funny in the show he brings that charm and charisma that you need when you're watching multiple episodes he's amazing our cast is really amazing okay people would light my house on fire if I didn't talk about Nick for two seconds well you would really be like How the fuck did you get through a two -hour interview with Priyanka and then we got nothing about Nick?

[1750] So my kids, I have an eight, nine -year -old girls.

[1751] And about four years ago, they were starting to get really into the Jonas brothers.

[1752] And they would talk about the Jonas brothers.

[1753] And I would say to them, you know, the fucking Jonas brothers wish they were me. So that was my joke for like years, right?

[1754] We're in Tennessee visiting friends.

[1755] I'm pushing my then five -year -old on a swing.

[1756] She's not a daredevil.

[1757] This is not her.

[1758] The older one is a daredevil.

[1759] one is not.

[1760] I'm pushing her and she's high up on the swing and all of a sudden she just bales off of the swing.

[1761] I assume it's a mistake.

[1762] Like she's falling.

[1763] Yes.

[1764] She flies through the air.

[1765] She lands in the grass.

[1766] She rolls.

[1767] I run over to her because I think she's about to scream bloody murder and I go, oh my God, are you okay?

[1768] And she goes, Jonas Brothers wish they were me. the whole thing was a bit to say that Jonas Brothers wish they were me That is so cute I started screaming loud I could not believe that was even Ruminating in her head and she pulled that off Anywho I don't know a bunch about the Jones Brothers but I know about Nick from Kingdom which was incredible show that was underwatched deserved a much bigger audience so fucking good.

[1769] It revived when it had a re -release, I think.

[1770] It certainly found an audience, but in my opinion, that thing deserved to be really huge and in the conversations that some of the other big, huge shows are.

[1771] And then Jonathan Tucker and adore him, right?

[1772] Okay.

[1773] You guys met in May of 18, and he proposed in July of 18.

[1774] Wow.

[1775] Now, we went on our first date, May of 18.

[1776] Right.

[1777] We didn't meet.

[1778] You'd already met.

[1779] Oh, okay, this helps me because I'm thinking, gang, that is not enough.

[1780] No, this wasn't an arrangement.

[1781] marriage.

[1782] That's not enough time.

[1783] No, it's not enough time.

[1784] But here we are five years later, so it worked.

[1785] Did they?

[1786] And it wasn't an arranged marriage.

[1787] They, like, found each other.

[1788] They were both rebounding from other relationships and then got married in 10 days.

[1789] Okay.

[1790] Last with their whole lives.

[1791] Yes.

[1792] So, yes, I'm sitting here talking to you five years later.

[1793] If I was talking to you on, let's say, August of 18, you told me you just got engaged, and I was like, great, when did you get?

[1794] Oh, our first day, it was in May. I go, oh, my God, sister, I'm worried.

[1795] A lot of people were.

[1796] Yes.

[1797] A lot of people commented on that.

[1798] Okay.

[1799] Okay, so you knew each other somehow before that?

[1800] He slid into my DMs on Twitter.

[1801] Oh, he did.

[1802] So we had a few common friends.

[1803] This is encouraging.

[1804] Yes, for me. I'm very encouraged, yeah.

[1805] I was in a tumultuous relationship at that time.

[1806] This is 16.

[1807] And we had common friends who, like, didn't want me to be in my relationship.

[1808] And we're like, oh, he's single too.

[1809] He's really not with that girl, but he is.

[1810] You know, it was a complicated on both our ends.

[1811] So our friends were like, you guys should meet.

[1812] And it didn't happen.

[1813] his brother loved Quantico.

[1814] Kevin loves network TV.

[1815] And like I love Network TV.

[1816] I'm really glad I did because he told Nick, he pointed me on a billboard and he was like, you should call her.

[1817] Yeah.

[1818] And so he had a few people being like, call her.

[1819] So he just DM'd me. And I was like, why don't you text me?

[1820] Because my social team reads these messages.

[1821] And he was like, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[1822] You just wanted to give me your number.

[1823] I kind of did.

[1824] Sure.

[1825] And I didn't want to admit it at that time because I was in a relationship.

[1826] I didn't want to.

[1827] Quickly.

[1828] What was your pattern up to that point to 2018?

[1829] Were you a serial monogamous?

[1830] Did you date people for long, long relationships?

[1831] Six years, five years average, but back to back to back to back.

[1832] Great.

[1833] I got a vibe.

[1834] When Nick texted me in like 16 and slid into my DMs and we started chatting, I was at the end of my last long relationship before Nick.

[1835] So I didn't want to engage as much at that time.

[1836] I was also like 35.

[1837] Nick was 25.

[1838] I really put a. stop on it in a way because I judged the book by the cover.

[1839] Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[1840] I was like, I want to settle down.

[1841] I've been there, done the, like, fun dating thing.

[1842] You've had some boy toys.

[1843] Yeah, I've had pool toys, boy toys, boys and pool toys.

[1844] Pool boys.

[1845] Pull boys with toys.

[1846] But I was like ready to get serious and not realizing my husband is actually a 70 year old man stuck in a 30 year old's body.

[1847] Is he the youngest of those boys?

[1848] He's the youngest of the three of them.

[1849] Because he's basically been on their maturity timeline.

[1850] Like, I mean, I'm five years young.

[1851] than my brother and people always said I was older, right?

[1852] Yes, that probably makes sense.

[1853] But we kept in touch for those two years, 16, 17, like random texts here and there.

[1854] We went to the Met Gala together in 16 because we were both single.

[1855] Date list for the Met Gala.

[1856] And we were both going with Ralph Lauren and they said, you know, we have like sort of couples.

[1857] And would you like to just go together, what single?

[1858] Both of us said yes.

[1859] Was that night fun?

[1860] It's so much fun.

[1861] It was.

[1862] You know, the one special thing.

[1863] But you're going, high, he's 25, he's 25.

[1864] Yeah, I'm going, he's 25 in my head.

[1865] And the special thing that happened that night, which I think seared Nick into my memory for the next two years, was it was my first met and I come from India.

[1866] So most of these people that I was seeing on the carpet were people that seen on television.

[1867] Of course.

[1868] I don't know any of them.

[1869] They're not my friends.

[1870] I didn't know anyone, which was one of the big reasons.

[1871] So I was like, yeah, yeah, yeah, you're sending someone to go with me?

[1872] Great.

[1873] I'm going to go with this person.

[1874] Yeah, I need a buddy.

[1875] I need a buddy.

[1876] And he's got to be feeling out of sorts.

[1877] Even though he's hugely famous, he's 25.

[1878] Him and I have both had 22 -year careers, and he's 10 years younger than me. He started working at 7 in Les Mets on Broadway.

[1879] Oh, wow.

[1880] Easy one.

[1881] Ice -breaker.

[1882] So we did the carpet.

[1883] We did separate pictures.

[1884] We kind of awkwardly told jokes.

[1885] He held my hand and stood.

[1886] I had to travel in a bus because my train was so long.

[1887] He stood in one corner, very sweetly, helped with my dress, didn't know him.

[1888] We'd gone on one, like, date before because we were like, we're going to the carpet.

[1889] Let's just grab a drink.

[1890] Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[1891] And he took me to the Carlisle for anyone who knows New York jazz bar.

[1892] The average age was 60.

[1893] Of course.

[1894] I love it there so much.

[1895] The piano bar was playing.

[1896] It was dark, dingy.

[1897] Anyway, we go to this carpet.

[1898] I was so grateful I had Nick because you're not allowed representation or anyone there.

[1899] It's just you by yourself.

[1900] We go into the carpet.

[1901] He adjusts my dress.

[1902] He's a complete gentleman.

[1903] He steps aside.

[1904] So I get a moment.

[1905] And then he met people he knew.

[1906] You know, the carpet was always.

[1907] over.

[1908] We went to see the exhibition and he'd taken care of me and he kind of walked away.

[1909] And I remember I was looking at an exhibition and I turned around and I was suddenly alone in this sea of magnificent dressed creatures that I had only watched in TV or magazines.

[1910] And winter.

[1911] And winter.

[1912] That was done, thankfully.

[1913] With me. But when I got in, it was like Rihanna.

[1914] What now?

[1915] Yeah.

[1916] But Donna and Kitty Perry and like Kim Kardashian.

[1917] I had a moment where the room spun.

[1918] It was like a movie scene and I just didn't know what my next step was.

[1919] I didn't know what you're supposed to do.

[1920] And I didn't go sit at your table early, be the first one at your table.

[1921] I didn't even know what the table was.

[1922] I went straight to the table.

[1923] I felt awkward.

[1924] I was so nervous.

[1925] And I just remember this moment felt like it stretched to 10 minutes, but probably was two minutes.

[1926] And I was just standing and staring for a second.

[1927] And Nick came back in my view and my eyes focused on him.

[1928] And he gave me and said, shall we?

[1929] And didn't leave my side that whole night.

[1930] I don't know if he saw it.

[1931] Did you guys He didn't kiss that night?

[1932] No. He didn't kiss.

[1933] We didn't even kiss.

[1934] Which was so annoying.

[1935] Because I took him home.

[1936] Oh, my God.

[1937] Not the Met Gala Day, but when I went to the Carlisle.

[1938] I was like, okay, this could be happening.

[1939] I had a couple of drinks.

[1940] He wanted to have a cigar.

[1941] I was like, I have a balcony.

[1942] Come to my house.

[1943] My mother was staying with me that day.

[1944] This is at 1 o 'clock in the morning.

[1945] She's watching Law & Order on TV.

[1946] And her pajamas in the couch.

[1947] And I opened the door.

[1948] I forgot she was there.

[1949] I forgot she was sleeping.

[1950] And I walk in and Nick walks in and my mom jumps out of the couch and she's like, hi, would you like to sit, whatever, bolts to her room.

[1951] She knows how to be a one man. I sat, not really, but I'll just let me know the rest of it.

[1952] I sat Nick down.

[1953] I was like, I should have called her.

[1954] I didn't tell her, I'm sorry.

[1955] He's like, no worries.

[1956] I was like, that's the kitchen, just grab whatever you want.

[1957] And I go to my mom's room.

[1958] I was like, Mom, I'm so sorry.

[1959] I didn't tell you.

[1960] Carlisle was two minutes.

[1961] I was living up down.

[1962] In the conversation, I forgot to tell you.

[1963] And she's talking to me while putting on a lipstick.

[1964] She's getting dressed to come out to say hi Because I brought a boy home I never used to bring a boy home She's like well you should have at least told me Should I wear a robe?

[1965] And she's fixing her lipstick Putting her face on Comes outside Says hi officially And then goes away And then we hung out that night And at the end of the night I walked him to my door I really thought it would be a kiss You know we're going to the Met together We're both kind of single -ish And he tapped me on my shoulder and gave me a hug and left.

[1966] He was playing a long game.

[1967] Now I know that.

[1968] But at that time, I was very offended.

[1969] But look, it all worked out for him.

[1970] He didn't try nothing.

[1971] He was just...

[1972] But he took care of you.

[1973] He took care of me all night.

[1974] It was by my side.

[1975] We had a great time.

[1976] So then when you guys go out in May of 18, the runway's been kind of...

[1977] I was single for a year and a half.

[1978] By now, Nick had asked me out a few times.

[1979] I'd not done it.

[1980] I'd been a serial, like, in relationships.

[1981] I kept making the same mistakes.

[1982] I was with similar guys.

[1983] What were those guys?

[1984] I feel like a little bit narcissistic.

[1985] And I just needed to figure out what about me evoked that.

[1986] Like, why did I attract it?

[1987] Hold on.

[1988] We can maybe ask this.

[1989] Your father and mine are both dead, a similar time.

[1990] 13?

[1991] 13.

[1992] Yeah, 12.

[1993] Was your dad at all narcissistic?

[1994] My dad wasn't.

[1995] I mean, I can say my mom kind of me. I've been a little bit vain.

[1996] But my dad was the gentlest, softest.

[1997] Like, he's not scared of tears.

[1998] He's a musician.

[1999] super softy.

[2000] But, I mean, I feel like I was more narcissistic than my parents combined.

[2001] Right.

[2002] Or maybe I was just young.

[2003] You know, when you're in your 20s and 30s, you kind of are.

[2004] Is it that you get a sense from a narcissist that there's a degree of unavailability that somehow is the challenge?

[2005] I think that they're emotionally attached but detached.

[2006] So you feel like they're attached, but they suddenly detach, and then you're addicted and you need that attachment.

[2007] And then you start blaming yourself.

[2008] Did I do something wrong?

[2009] A lot of the pattern in my relationship was me feeling gaslit because I gave that kind of power to the people that I was with where I was like, you come first.

[2010] I had very strong parents.

[2011] I was raised when I was in the industry.

[2012] I kind of built a tough hide.

[2013] And so I always looked for someone who I could be vulnerable with, never realizing that my vulnerability gave this incredible power to my partner.

[2014] Could be exploited within the wrong hands.

[2015] I wouldn't say that they were wrong.

[2016] I mean, I've had wonderful relationships and my exes were bad, good, ugly, but, you know, they shaped who I am at that time.

[2017] But this last one and the year and a half that I took before I met my husband officially gave me so much clarity on what I needed, not what I wanted.

[2018] Right.

[2019] I can relate when I was in the market to meet Kristen.

[2020] I very much wanted kids.

[2021] I was 32.

[2022] And I don't want to have a kid with someone I haven't been with.

[2023] a few years.

[2024] So it's like if I do the math, whoever I meet now, and it's like, well, I actively have to go.

[2025] Number one thing is, do I think this would be a great mother?

[2026] Okay.

[2027] That's going to weed out a lot, which is what sounds like happened in your year and a half, which is like, okay, now I want to be on route.

[2028] And so I want these qualities in my next partner.

[2029] Totally.

[2030] The year we went on on our first date, my best friend, Tamanna and her husband, I was always their third wheel for like four or five years.

[2031] So he made me, her husband, And Sudeep made me sit down that New Year's night and said, let's play a game.

[2032] Or let's manifest this.

[2033] What are your five non -negotiables?

[2034] And I've made so many of my girlfriends do this.

[2035] In that moment, what were my five non -negotiables?

[2036] And for some reason, he insisted on that number.

[2037] That's a lot.

[2038] I'd be kind of hard pressed, I think, to come up with five.

[2039] And you can flip it around.

[2040] You can change it.

[2041] And you can say, okay, maybe I don't need someone who knows this as you grow older.

[2042] Right.

[2043] But I wrote my five non -negotiables, and I swear to God, you could put that in a computer and my husband would pop out.

[2044] Wow.

[2045] And this was seven months or something before I got engaged in it.

[2046] What were they?

[2047] Do you mind telling you?

[2048] No, of course.

[2049] Honesty was a really important part of mine.

[2050] I had a lot of lies in previous relationships.

[2051] So I like being able to have communication.

[2052] I'm a communicator.

[2053] I diffuse situations.

[2054] I don't live in stress.

[2055] I like communicating and taking away the power and finding a solution.

[2056] Yeah.

[2057] And that requires honesty and someone who's secure.

[2058] Can I guess one?

[2059] What?

[2060] You must have been plagued with.

[2061] guys feeling emasculated by your power and I have to imagine you just craved someone who actually was truly confident and could actually root for you yeah I've had exes having big fights on my biggest nights yeah you know like when you've won an award or you know you're on a massive cover or you're being honored and that's the night that I would have puffy eyes because that's the night that it had to be picked yeah but that kind of shit I was so sick of and it would never be said but there was always this like you need to remember your place thing yeah and my big thing was I articulated it in a way that I wanted someone I looked up to and there's very few people I look up to that I feel awe inspired by oh so wait what did Nick have that you immediately identified is a virtue or a character that you aspired to be he's a generous leader he's so thoughtful he thinks I'm falling in love with him, though.

[2062] He really is.

[2063] We should hang out because I really think you guys will be friends.

[2064] We have a mutual friend, too, I think.

[2065] Larry Trelling.

[2066] Oh, yes, of course.

[2067] Who's my favorite person I've ever worked with in my life.

[2068] Nick wrote a show, hand to computer.

[2069] That Larry said it's very, very good.

[2070] Amazon green lit it.

[2071] I'm producing it with him.

[2072] Awesome.

[2073] And he wrote it during the pandemic.

[2074] Larry Trelline, I'm telling you, in my 20 years, best guy.

[2075] The most beautiful person you could ever work.

[2076] work with collaboratively.

[2077] Yeah.

[2078] But that about Nick, I really admire his work ethic.

[2079] I have tremendous work ethic.

[2080] I really don't take my job for granted.

[2081] I walk in prepared.

[2082] I like to bring respect to the table.

[2083] I don't even take press days for granted.

[2084] And Nick is like that too.

[2085] He's very, very intentional.

[2086] If he's doing a job, he'll do it 100%.

[2087] And what made me look up to him is something that I can't do.

[2088] I think I fell in love with him the first time I saw him in a studio.

[2089] He was conducting a gospel band for a Broadway show he wrote, a musical that he wrote.

[2090] At 20 -some years old.

[2091] It was five at that time.

[2092] Stupid.

[2093] It was insane.

[2094] And this was after our first date, which he was very smart about, asked me to get a friend of mine because he knew I wouldn't go out.

[2095] If it was alone, he had tried that a few times.

[2096] But he said, why don't you come by the studio tomorrow?

[2097] I'm super casual.

[2098] I was like, yeah, sure.

[2099] Well, that's normal in my life.

[2100] I've been in studios.

[2101] I was a pop star.

[2102] I was once a famous pop star.

[2103] I have four singles, okay?

[2104] I was with the engineers, and he was in the booth with this gospel choir of 25 incredible singers, and he was telling them how to change their notes, how to go on this higher note, and he was singing it.

[2105] Nick has the most incredible sound, amazing tone and control, and his falsetto, and he's very jazzy and R &B the way he sings.

[2106] My knees buckled.

[2107] Yeah, I'm horny just hearing.

[2108] I know.

[2109] This is awesome.

[2110] This is such a panty -dropper move.

[2111] If you can do that and you can invite someone to watch you do that, it's not.

[2112] Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[2113] Yeah, we had a nice day that night.

[2114] Mom wasn't there.

[2115] Nope, it was just as that night.

[2116] That was so great.

[2117] Yeah, that is sexy.

[2118] And it was a move.

[2119] And you know what?

[2120] He knew what he was doing.

[2121] Yeah.

[2122] He took over my brain in such a slow way.

[2123] He started writing songs.

[2124] Well, he knew you were smart.

[2125] He wasn't going to get you just by doing the cliches.

[2126] Yeah.

[2127] Well, I did like the cliches.

[2128] I mean, he booked a really big yacht on Memorial Day to take me out.

[2129] That was nice.

[2130] That's nice.

[2131] I like that, too.

[2132] He proposed to you in Greece.

[2133] That's pretty like, you know, that's in the playbook of, yeah.

[2134] I don't mind the spoilers.

[2135] He really is, that's what I meant, generous.

[2136] He's not just generous with his family, but his friends, his crew, they're always with him.

[2137] He's had the same friends for years.

[2138] I've had the same friends for years.

[2139] You know, we're a very small.

[2140] Have any of them started cross -pollinating?

[2141] Yeah, they're friends now.

[2142] But are any of them dating?

[2143] Like, if you guys, any of yours?

[2144] We had a problem with one of those.

[2145] Yeah, yeah.

[2146] It's dangerous.

[2147] They were fucked, and then they weren't friends.

[2148] Yes, and it's a whole group dynamic.

[2149] You have a big Christmas party.

[2150] That happened and it was awkward.

[2151] Of course, of course this stuff happened.

[2152] But not as much as I would have anticipated it.

[2153] Yes, I would have thought these two groups get together, and it would be a Bognalia.

[2154] It was close to it.

[2155] Our wedding kind of felt like that.

[2156] Oh, fun.

[2157] Are in general your friends 10 years older than his friends?

[2158] His friends are 10 year older than me. Oh, interesting.

[2159] Friends that are like 50s, 40s.

[2160] Also, then maybe he would love me. Yeah.

[2161] I'm so old.

[2162] I'm almost 50.

[2163] There you go.

[2164] You're all of people as friends.

[2165] Nick's favorite thing is golfing and smoking cigars and watching movies.

[2166] Could he get into motorsports?

[2167] Not a fan, though I am.

[2168] Oh, okay, great.

[2169] You and I can chat that.

[2170] We can do that.

[2171] Kristen and him can talk musical theater and stuff.

[2172] They can talk about all the arts stuff.

[2173] Wonderful.

[2174] Oh, man. This is lovely.

[2175] And congratulations, you have a baby girl.

[2176] That's so wonderful.

[2177] It's insane.

[2178] Just seeing her personality every day.

[2179] seeing her change every day yesterday she started doing this new thing when she eats whenever she's like loving her food she sings she goes she's discovering new foods and she eats everything she eats like lamb chops and roti and how old is she 13 months Korean barbecue like everything I've taken her I want a ballot to be highly diverse because we love food from all over the world she loves pesto like everything and she goes and then she takes her head back in very dramatic fashion and just lays down and goes oh my God I love it she's indulgent yeah did you know you wanted kids like were you always like I want kids?

[2180] I always knew I wanted kids which was one of the big reasons I didn't want to date Nick at that time because I was like I don't know if he wants kids at 25 at that time but I always wanted kids I love kids I've worked with kids with UNICEF for years I've volunteered in kids hospitals I am like a kid whisperer I'd rather spend more time with children than with adults I love kids all our parties are kid and dog friendly in our house you can bring them anytime parents dogs and kids are always welcome wherever we go yeah that's you just described our house yeah yeah yeah I have so many friends that are single and they're like hey let's grab dinner and I'm like you just don't get it I can't go grab dinner I'm with my kids all the time it's such a weird thing when you have kids life changes in such a big way but thankfully we have a lot of friends with kids too so everything becomes a party with for the kids and you know the adults just happen to be hanging around yes Monica just froze her eggs oh I tell everyone to do that yeah it didn't go great for me I'm going to do it again do it as many times as you need I know my mom had said this to me and I did do it for myself as well but I tell all my younger friends the biological clock is real yeah it gets so much harder to get pregnant after 35 and to carry a term and all of that, especially with women that have been working all our lives.

[2181] But science is at such an amazing place right now where if you can afford it, I tell people, you save money to buy a car every month and do it for Christmas.

[2182] It's the best gift you'll give yourself because you're taking the power of your biological clock and you can work till however long you want.

[2183] Your eggs will still be the same age as when you pros them.

[2184] For people who want kids what a great way to take that off the table to evaluate your life that's kind of for me if i were a woman i'd want to just be like okay that's safe now i can really ask the question separated from the anxiety of the time clock and the pressure right that's what it did for me i felt such a freedom i did it in my early 30s i could continue on an ambitious warpath that i wanted to achieve i wanted to get to a certain place in my career and I also hadn't met the person I wanted to have children with or I didn't see that.

[2185] You know, that's anxiety inducing that, okay, you know, 35 and my mom's an OBGYN who's like, who 36?

[2186] Just do it.

[2187] Yeah, and then you do feel rushed at that age to then find the person.

[2188] You're like, oh no, I guess I just now I have to find a person.

[2189] And that's not a good idea.

[2190] Because then you're attached to that person for the rest of your life.

[2191] you have a kid with them.

[2192] And especially if you have a child with them.

[2193] You have to like know that you can handle this person for the rest of your life.

[2194] Yes.

[2195] In some capacity.

[2196] Yeah, if you're going to have a kid with them.

[2197] Yeah.

[2198] I regret.

[2199] I wish I had done it earlier.

[2200] Do it anytime.

[2201] And if you can do it multiple times too.

[2202] Yeah.

[2203] It gets harder though.

[2204] Yeah, it does.

[2205] I tell girls like save up for it.

[2206] Do it.

[2207] Of course it's expensive.

[2208] I think it's a thing like Netflix famously offers it to their employees, which I think is great.

[2209] I think everyone would benefit in that equation.

[2210] That's the next step, I think, is getting that covered.

[2211] But I think it's also a debate for a lot of people, you know, the science element of procreation.

[2212] Oh, yes.

[2213] We did a whole podcast on that one I want to listen to.

[2214] We did 10 episodes and it was called race to 35.

[2215] It's called race to 35.

[2216] And yes, like there's so many thoughts out there about like, and only getting more and more with all the rose stuff of like, well, is it a baby and how early is it?

[2217] And are they babies even when they're just eggs in your body?

[2218] You know, some people are concerned.

[2219] People have contrarian beliefs.

[2220] But from my end, as someone who comes from a family of science, I love science.

[2221] I love the evolution of science, of technology.

[2222] I think human beings are fucking amazing that we can build this stuff.

[2223] It's impossible.

[2224] It's incredible.

[2225] Well, Priyanka, this has been an absolute blast.

[2226] I've really enjoyed getting to meet you.

[2227] And Citadel is awesome.

[2228] It's such a big, huge epic show.

[2229] And it comes out on April 28th on Amazon Prime and then new episodes weekly.

[2230] You're also in a movie that'll be out this year called Love Again, so check that out.

[2231] It comes out May 12th.

[2232] It's Celine Dion's acting debut, by the way.

[2233] She took her time.

[2234] She did.

[2235] She's so funny in the movie.

[2236] It's Sam Hugh and Celine Dion and me. It's a sweet rom -com.

[2237] She's a really funny person.

[2238] I was shocked that she hadn't done more acting before.

[2239] And we get original music from her in this movie, which we haven't had, for a long time.

[2240] And she's had health issues for a little while.

[2241] So I'm just really excited to see her, you know?

[2242] We haven't seen her for a bit.

[2243] I wish her so much love and luck.

[2244] So check out Citadel on April 28th on Amazon Prime.

[2245] And then check out love again.

[2246] And good luck with everything.

[2247] It's been a blast meeting you.

[2248] This is so fun.

[2249] You dressed down.

[2250] I dressed up.

[2251] Next time we'll get it right.

[2252] That was so funny.

[2253] I literally had a conversation about this is Dana.

[2254] And I was like, I'm just going to wear jeans and a shirt.

[2255] You still look very, you look very fashionable.

[2256] And I still wore a shirt.

[2257] Yeah, yeah.

[2258] Yeah.

[2259] I was going to wear my sweats, but then I was like, that might be too comfortable.

[2260] I'm in sweats half the time.

[2261] And I'm like, I'm going to take my biggest swing yet.

[2262] There you go.

[2263] All right.

[2264] Adore everyone.

[2265] Thank you, everyone.

[2266] And now my favorite part of the show, the fact check with my soulmate Monica Padman.

[2267] Oh, you look really tall.

[2268] It's so tall.

[2269] Yeah.

[2270] Oh, my God.

[2271] Oh, boy.

[2272] your feet barely touch it was made just for me it was papa bear no but everything's too small for me and this one's actually where my feet are just what does a normal person do in this chair i should sit in it and see what happens like it sucked in to the cushion well you will be sitting in it during flightless right oh yeah yeah you're gonna be you're gonna have to get a little stool to climb up in it yeah we got to tell people what's happening okay so the original lazy boy tried and true trusted trusted brand got us really far yeah it's leather which i like because it's nearly indestructible and you can spill things on it but i sweat so bad in it you get really self -conscious because of your sweat my back in particular it's very damp by the time we have to go take pictures with the guest yeah i'm like oh my god i got to go fucking change my shirt this is humiliating thank god dave letterman did he kept his hands in his pants in his pockets, not his pants.

[2273] I don't want to paint a wrong picture.

[2274] He did.

[2275] And you had me wiped down your back.

[2276] Which did nothing, right, as we recall.

[2277] Yeah, I went right through that little velvet jumper I was in.

[2278] Yeah, he did.

[2279] Okay, so.

[2280] So at any rate, about six weeks ago, I ordered a new lazy boy.

[2281] And there's so many fabrics to pick from.

[2282] And I went with a uniquely grandpa -e.

[2283] Grandma -e.

[2284] I would say grandma too Yeah okay grandma yeah I don't know why I was acting like it was a grandpa It's the grandma's blue Beautiful blue It's a blue Are my eyes popping?

[2285] They're there yeah I mean I see them Flower print Worn Like it comes looking worn Right with some history You hate it I love the look on your face You hate it Oh I love it You love it Oh Oh, do you don't look comfortable?

[2286] Honestly, you don't look comfortable.

[2287] I'm just going to be honest.

[2288] I feel comfortable.

[2289] Also, mostly comfortable.

[2290] It takes a minute.

[2291] It comes, you know, it comes, it's a little, it's like a new leather coat.

[2292] And I'm up a little high, but that's going to.

[2293] Your feet are not touching the ground.

[2294] I've never seen this in my whole life.

[2295] And I'm disturbed.

[2296] What kind of do I look like a little boy?

[2297] Yeah.

[2298] What do grandma's do in this chair?

[2299] Their feet have to be right here, right?

[2300] We'll see.

[2301] Isn't it for, I think mainly a lot of people recline.

[2302] This is more of a napping chair?

[2303] Yes.

[2304] It's also so wide.

[2305] We could easily both sit in this chair.

[2306] This is incredible.

[2307] It makes the other chair look small, which is bizarre.

[2308] It really does.

[2309] The other chair's still here.

[2310] It's currently in my spot, which I might test it out.

[2311] Yeah, I put it there to see if you wanted to try that.

[2312] Yeah.

[2313] Sometimes I feel motion sicknessness in that chair.

[2314] Yeah.

[2315] It's also pretty crazy intimidating for the guests that both of us are in these.

[2316] Like from where you're sitting, imagine you're there and I'm here.

[2317] Does that seem preposterous to you?

[2318] You both.

[2319] I'm not going to diminish myself if I want to sit in that chair.

[2320] No, I'm not asking that.

[2321] I'm asking, does it look intimidating from the eyes of the guests?

[2322] You're sitting in where the guests would normally sit.

[2323] Yeah.

[2324] Well, you don't look intimidating.

[2325] You look like a grandma, yeah.

[2326] Yeah, yeah.

[2327] Your feet don't touch.

[2328] I like it a little Afghan to drape over my knees.

[2329] She'll wear that blanket.

[2330] I'm going to get an attic cat, a cat that just is in the attic.

[2331] No. I'm not letting you bring a stupid cat in here.

[2332] I'll sit here with my blanket and my purring cat and I'll pet it.

[2333] You've ruined the show.

[2334] You ruined it.

[2335] Well, anyways, I guarantee I'm not going to have any sweating issues going forward.

[2336] I would not say that yet.

[2337] Yeah.

[2338] Well, I hope that's the case.

[2339] I got a hunch.

[2340] I haven't really got under the hood of this thing.

[2341] Yeah.

[2342] But I have to believe that the platform this is on, the two rails it sits on, there's got to be some adjustment.

[2343] To bring it down?

[2344] Yeah.

[2345] Okay.

[2346] Right?

[2347] I just don't know enough to know.

[2348] I'll tell you that it feels good in here.

[2349] Feels good.

[2350] I wonder if you'll feel motion sick because maybe the reason I do is because my feet are on the ground.

[2351] That makes a lot of sense because I. I just, I was rocking way more.

[2352] I'm never rocking unless I choose to rock.

[2353] But you're right.

[2354] I'm kind of just feeling the vibrations of Mother Earth.

[2355] It'll be good if you're both rocking at an interview.

[2356] Synchronize.

[2357] Synchronize, hypnotize the guest.

[2358] All right.

[2359] Well, what's TBD on what's going to happen here?

[2360] What do you think of the print, though?

[2361] You absolutely hate it.

[2362] You don't think it's charming that this is my pick?

[2363] Of course, you're very charming.

[2364] Well, no, I mean.

[2365] You are.

[2366] It's very cute that you picked this.

[2367] Yeah, it's like counter to the...

[2368] But do I like it?

[2369] No, I would never pick it.

[2370] Well, let's go strand by strand.

[2371] Do you like this color blue?

[2372] Yeah.

[2373] Okay, great.

[2374] I agree.

[2375] I mean, it's a really pretty blue.

[2376] You're not going to like this.

[2377] It looks cheap.

[2378] It looks cheap.

[2379] Yeah.

[2380] Yeah.

[2381] For sure.

[2382] That blue is not an expensive blue.

[2383] It's not a pantone blue?

[2384] No. Okay.

[2385] But you're not an expensive guy.

[2386] I got a hunch, though.

[2387] I need to get a chair from the row in here.

[2388] That's what I need.

[2389] Listen, I accept your analysis.

[2390] It's all opinion.

[2391] I know, but I really do think I have a hunch that if you saw this chair, you knew nothing about it.

[2392] And it was sitting in one of these houses.

[2393] houses that's decorated kind of Elizabethan but modern where you're not it's not gross You know what I'm saying Like really traditional And this was sitting in the corner I think you might feel differently About it Which mind you this is not The vibe of this room So of course here it sticks out Like a turd in a punch bowl Yeah We have different aesthetics And that's okay Remember we learn that about Susan and Ivy Right but I think You and I actually have a similar aesthetic.

[2394] Oh, you think.

[2395] This chair aside.

[2396] Okay.

[2397] Well.

[2398] I think we agree on like what hotel lobby looks nice, what restaurant lobby looks not, you know.

[2399] That's true.

[2400] We have, we agree.

[2401] We do agree a lot.

[2402] Although you say that you disagree with Kristen, but her and I are really on a same page.

[2403] I don't disagree with Kristen.

[2404] You said that in Susan and Ivy.

[2405] You said that sometimes you guys will argue about aesthetics, and in her opinion is just right, default.

[2406] That's true, but let me be clear.

[2407] She has a feminine aesthetic.

[2408] She wants everything white and light colors.

[2409] And I have a more, I want a wood -paneled office library with, like, rich, dark, everything.

[2410] Except you chose a blue chair with lots.

[2411] Lots of flowers and fabric.

[2412] I'm coming over to yel aside, but I guess I moved further away at the same time.

[2413] It's hard to hit the bull's eye, you know.

[2414] He went real far on that other side.

[2415] For me, this is a major bull's up.

[2416] I think it's disarming.

[2417] There's a lot of thought that went into this.

[2418] It's also intentionally disarming.

[2419] I look like a clown in it, right?

[2420] Yeah.

[2421] It's a bozo -y looking, like, why is that history?

[2422] It's distracting.

[2423] It's distracting.

[2424] I'm a little nervous that it's.

[2425] distracting.

[2426] Okay.

[2427] You have an actual look of deep anxiety.

[2428] I am nervous.

[2429] You know what?

[2430] If you love it, I love it.

[2431] Yeah.

[2432] It's soft.

[2433] It's so big.

[2434] It's rare that I feel like a teeny tiny.

[2435] Yeah.

[2436] How tiny do I look in this thing?

[2437] You look small.

[2438] Yeah.

[2439] You look really skinny.

[2440] Yeah.

[2441] I'm skinny and tiny and frail and vulnerable, weak.

[2442] Like a grandma.

[2443] Yeah.

[2444] You could, all you'd have to say is, you wouldn't even have to say, give me your money.

[2445] You'd just say like, Like, I kind of wish I had the money in your pocket.

[2446] And I'd be like, okay, sir.

[2447] Wait, we should do a drill where, like, someone starts to break in.

[2448] See how fast you can get out and help.

[2449] Or someone has a medical emergency.

[2450] See how fast you can get up out of the chair.

[2451] You think I might be hindered.

[2452] Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[2453] Goofy now.

[2454] Yeah, what if you get clumsy?

[2455] Well, probably the assailant would start laughing watching me try to climb down out of this chair.

[2456] Yeah.

[2457] But it just crossed my mind while you were chatting that the dudes who dropped it off had come from like Riverside or something.

[2458] In fact, I could see on my tracking thing that I was the 13th delivery for these dudes, right?

[2459] So they had been moving around the city.

[2460] And when they pulled up, I think naturally they do was curious why this like tattooed up guy had a nice house.

[2461] Oh, okay.

[2462] Right?

[2463] So this didn't occur to me until just now.

[2464] Okay.

[2465] We come up into the attic.

[2466] They deliver it to the attic.

[2467] And he's like, he saw my 454S pickup truck.

[2468] He's like, oh, it's a good looking Chevy, man. I'm like, oh, thanks.

[2469] And he's like, yeah, and that sand rail is really cool.

[2470] And I said, yeah, it's really all I care about is motorsports.

[2471] It's the only reason I work and make money.

[2472] And then he goes, yeah, I swear to God.

[2473] He goes, yeah, how did you make all this money?

[2474] Yeah.

[2475] This hit me right.

[2476] Fair question.

[2477] I loved it.

[2478] Yeah.

[2479] And I said, this room, this podcast.

[2480] Yeah.

[2481] And he goes, what's it called?

[2482] And I go, armchair expert.

[2483] He goes, ah, what's it about?

[2484] And it now is just occurring to me that he was dropping off an armchair.

[2485] And we moved a different armchair out of the way to put this one in here.

[2486] And then he learned my podcast is called armchair expert.

[2487] He must think it's literally about armchairs.

[2488] And he must be wondering, how could there be that much.

[2489] It's turning into that.

[2490] This whole episode is about that.

[2491] But it's our first one.

[2492] Yeah.

[2493] It's our actual, and we're proving to not be experts, which is clear.

[2494] But I was just thinking about how literal he must have taken that, having zero context.

[2495] Wow, that's a very niche.

[2496] And then he said, I should start one.

[2497] I said, you should.

[2498] I know way more about armchairs than this guy.

[2499] Yeah.

[2500] Yes.

[2501] He's like, fuck, this guy.

[2502] This guy's got a sweet 90s OBS Chevy with a fucking LTE.

[2503] in it?

[2504] I'm the actual expert on this.

[2505] This is my 13th delivery on today.

[2506] Oh, my God.

[2507] That just crossed my mind.

[2508] Also, there's a candle that I wouldn't have chosen.

[2509] I have nothing to do with that.

[2510] That's my candle.

[2511] Okay.

[2512] Well, I wouldn't have chosen that.

[2513] She's lining us up.

[2514] You're getting blessed.

[2515] What's wrong with the candle?

[2516] No, it's pretty, but I don't love the smell.

[2517] Oh, okay.

[2518] I thought you were going to say it looks cheap.

[2519] Is it fine, but there's too much jasmine.

[2520] I'm not interested in jazz.

[2521] Matches the chair.

[2522] Does it look cheap?

[2523] There's three, so I could smell some of the others.

[2524] Maybe I'll like some of the others.

[2525] Were those scent to us?

[2526] No, I just got them.

[2527] Oh.

[2528] Oh, because we need more good smells.

[2529] Oh, thanks.

[2530] Thanks, Wobby.

[2531] It does pair nicely with my, some of the flowers are the same color as this palette.

[2532] Yeah.

[2533] You are fucked up over this.

[2534] This is hysterical.

[2535] You know what I don't like?

[2536] Tell me. That seam, it looks like a butt crack.

[2537] Okay, yeah.

[2538] Well, one thing that's...

[2539] One of the things that is unattractive about this is the amount of, like, pleading and stuff.

[2540] Yeah, why, yeah, why?

[2541] Well, you need that for maximum comfort, though.

[2542] You do?

[2543] Yeah, and my...

[2544] Look, I got to go function over fashion.

[2545] No, you...

[2546] I sit in this chair like four hours a day.

[2547] Well, you went both, and then that was a problem.

[2548] Think how bad it would have looked in just one color.

[2549] It would have looked in so big and...

[2550] monolithic.

[2551] I should show you the other swabs I was going between to see if you had liked any of more of the swabs, okay, swabbing my pap smear went great.

[2552] Oh, my God, great.

[2553] So we got the results?

[2554] No. But they didn't tell you.

[2555] She just said things look good.

[2556] She didn't scream.

[2557] Yeah.

[2558] To the visual eye, nothing was popping out.

[2559] Okay.

[2560] And she also does a part with her fingers.

[2561] Oh.

[2562] So that part went well.

[2563] Okay.

[2564] She didn't feel any fissures.

[2565] This is the doctor with a mustache?

[2566] No, I want to be clear because we made that joke and that was a joke.

[2567] It's a, I have a female doctor.

[2568] She could have had a mustache, though.

[2569] I don't want to paint her into a corner.

[2570] I don't know, this is probably not okay to say.

[2571] But did I tell you about the person that Nate and I saw when we were hiking?

[2572] No. Because it didn't occur to me. It should have occurred to me, I guess.

[2573] In an age where people are non -binary.

[2574] I guess I thought that meant either you did you just didn't identify with either or right the stereotypical either or of masculine feminine female male yes but I think I stupidly always assumed it was one gender who really identified with the other gender and was exploring that trans yeah but Nate and I were hiking and a person was coming add us with large breasts.

[2575] Okay.

[2576] Really long hair.

[2577] Styled pretty.

[2578] Feminine.

[2579] Uh -huh.

[2580] Like curled or something?

[2581] Yeah, like wavy and like layered.

[2582] Okay.

[2583] Not like when a dude grows his hair out and it's a big fucking sheet of hair.

[2584] Yeah.

[2585] And then a full beard.

[2586] Oh, wow.

[2587] Yes.

[2588] Okay.

[2589] And I guess that should have been obvious to me that like non -buyer and Mary might mean to someone like, I'm none of these things.

[2590] I want tits, beautiful long hair.

[2591] hair and a big full beard.

[2592] Right.

[2593] How old was...

[2594] Oh, pitter -patter.

[2595] Oh, folly.

[2596] Yeah, pitter -patter.

[2597] Real life, fully.

[2598] Not folly.

[2599] This is the nice kind of rain where it's pitter -patter and not freaking you out that there's going to be a flash flood.

[2600] Anyways.

[2601] How old did this person look?

[2602] 35.

[2603] Okay.

[2604] Uh -huh.

[2605] Yeah.

[2606] Wow.

[2607] Cool.

[2608] So, you're gynecologist.

[2609] She still could have because she's wearing a mask.

[2610] Oh, you don't even know.

[2611] I don't know.

[2612] Well, she wore a mask the whole time.

[2613] Yeah.

[2614] Do you think, okay, food.

[2615] No, doctors are wearing masks still.

[2616] I was just had a doctor who didn't wear a mask.

[2617] Really?

[2618] Yeah.

[2619] Yeah, I don't.

[2620] Everyone at Cedars was wearing one.

[2621] Oh, they were.

[2622] Okay.

[2623] I was just at one and the, no one, like the nurses weren't, no one's wearing.

[2624] It begs the question.

[2625] Mm -hmm.

[2626] Do you think a gynecologist is maybe like, I'm going to run the mask forever and just say it's COVID?

[2627] They should?

[2628] See, I need you this.

[2629] I need you to say that.

[2630] I can't say that, but I'm thinking out loud that maybe that would be great.

[2631] And then they have in their mask, they just have like a Jolly Rancher tape in there or something, something that keeps everything really nice and fresh smelly.

[2632] Aren't we talking about the same thing?

[2633] Yes, but all of a sudden it got gross.

[2634] No, Jolly Rancher make things cute.

[2635] I specifically chose Jolly Rancher because it's a disarming, like my big grandma chair.

[2636] I know.

[2637] I just started thinking like.

[2638] Okay.

[2639] how about she has a piece of big red gum a stick of it, wrapped around her both nostrils, and then she pinches the mask around the big red slice of gum.

[2640] The problem is it with the candy you're choosing, okay?

[2641] It's just reminding me of why she would need that.

[2642] Right.

[2643] And, ew.

[2644] Well, we've got to be honest, a lot of people are going for their checkup.

[2645] Time for your checkup.

[2646] Time for your checkup.

[2647] Dr. McStuffins.

[2648] You're just going in for you.

[2649] once every three year pap smear, which is what you would say what you were doing, your tri -decadeal that's, listen, I don't make the rules in America of the insurance.

[2650] I would love to you.

[2651] I went every four months.

[2652] Yes, I know you would.

[2653] But the point is you went in for your time for your checkup.

[2654] Yes.

[2655] Many people that visit her are dealing with a real problem that needs some exploration.

[2656] Yes.

[2657] I don't know what's going on down there.

[2658] Right.

[2659] I was just saying, of all the doctors that might end up rocking the mask longer, it's going to be proctologists and OBGYN.

[2660] Yeah, I agree with you.

[2661] And dentist.

[2662] Dentists.

[2663] Great point, Rob.

[2664] They always, I feel like forever they've done it, even before COVID.

[2665] Yeah.

[2666] That's why.

[2667] Here's my beef with Dennis, though.

[2668] Uh -oh.

[2669] Okay.

[2670] The gynecologists could have just eaten a bowl of turkey chili.

[2671] We would never know our care.

[2672] because your vagina doesn't have gustatory powers.

[2673] It can't smell.

[2674] Yeah.

[2675] So you don't know.

[2676] The proctologist could have just had brought worse.

[2677] You don't know.

[2678] Your dentist, they're fucking six inches from your nose.

[2679] I have had terrible experiences.

[2680] You have?

[2681] I have.

[2682] And it makes me really angry.

[2683] Like if there's any profession where like ethically, legally.

[2684] Yes.

[2685] Homorabi's code.

[2686] Ocamp's razor.

[2687] What do they take?

[2688] Hypocratic oath.

[2689] Yeah.

[2690] They should have to have perfect breath.

[2691] I agree.

[2692] So I want them to wear a mask with one of those fart filters that you can put in your undergarments.

[2693] We saw them advertised once we were talking about the fart pillow.

[2694] People sent them to us.

[2695] Wearing a charcoal filter over the mask.

[2696] And then, yes, you have to be eating a jolly rancher the whole time you're servicing someone's teeth.

[2697] So they need to wear a mask for us.

[2698] Although that's counterintuitive for dentists.

[2699] I know.

[2700] They'd have to get a sugar -free option.

[2701] They exist.

[2702] Listen, I have never experienced that.

[2703] You haven't?

[2704] No, that's because my dentist is so good and the practice is so good.

[2705] They're very high -end.

[2706] Yeah, but look at it this way.

[2707] Look at it this way.

[2708] Choosing an occupation doesn't change your biology.

[2709] If you're someone who's predisposed for simple chronic helitosis.

[2710] No. Yes.

[2711] You can't be a dentist and have that.

[2712] I would say you're right, but it's like having a blind service.

[2713] You can't be blind and be a surgeon.

[2714] There's other things you can do.

[2715] You're not going to have enough.

[2716] I'm sorry, but like you're not going to have clients held.

[2717] They're not going to trust you.

[2718] No, listen, I lived in a small town.

[2719] There was a dentist.

[2720] Oh, my God.

[2721] He had hypochondriotosis.

[2722] He had hypochondriotosis.

[2723] He had hypocondriotosis.

[2724] He did have it.

[2725] Intermittently.

[2726] I don't know if we would call it simple chronic.

[2727] But I also had an orthodontitis that.

[2728] had rough.

[2729] Yes, I've had many.

[2730] And then you're...

[2731] Do you think it's because the water in Michigan?

[2732] I see it.

[2733] It was well water.

[2734] Yeah.

[2735] I mean too much iron or phosphorus or...

[2736] Oh my God.

[2737] Sulfates.

[2738] You know it would get in your water well.

[2739] If you grew up on a well, every kid who grew up on a well experiences, there can be a period of time where the water level sitting where a big, big deposit of sulfur is.

[2740] And you turn on your fucking shower in the morning.

[2741] with the hot water, and it smells like eggs are coming out.

[2742] Have you ever smelled that at someone's house with a well?

[2743] No. Oh, is it brutal?

[2744] And it can last like a while as it goes through that deposit of sulfur.

[2745] Yeah.

[2746] I remember Aaron, they hit a, I mean, there was a lot going on.

[2747] But his was so bad you couldn't.

[2748] He was taking a shower one morning and threw up in the shower before June cry because it was so hot eggs.

[2749] that he started gagging.

[2750] I know, I know.

[2751] I think we went through a lot out there in the country.

[2752] Oh, my God.

[2753] Not to mention then you come to find out that there was all kinds of contaminants soaking into the water table from the unnamed, although I've said it in the past, unnamed developmental facility.

[2754] That was a mile from my house.

[2755] Well, this is what I was talking about.

[2756] I was mainly talking about Flint.

[2757] Oh, sure.

[2758] Yeah, that one's more.

[2759] is different, but yes, yes, yes, yes.

[2760] Michigan.

[2761] They're not known for that.

[2762] This is ironic.

[2763] We're known for our fresh water.

[2764] And yet it turns out it's not always so fresh.

[2765] You're famous for your water and infamous for it.

[2766] Another thing that happened, I had a buddy, my buddy Dean, his first house he owned, also this was knocking at his door from the EPA, wanted to test this water.

[2767] Like two miles up the road, there was this big depot of road salt where they kept all the road salt to spread out on the road.

[2768] For snow.

[2769] No one had realized that that was all leaching into the water table.

[2770] And then there's something poisonous that can stem from that.

[2771] Oh, my God.

[2772] Oh, my God.

[2773] I know.

[2774] I know.

[2775] That's why we're a tough, rugged group of those Michiganers.

[2776] I mean, well, hold on.

[2777] Arthritis.

[2778] Literally could be part of it.

[2779] Or the overactive arousal center.

[2780] What do you mean?

[2781] That has someone with lots of A -scores.

[2782] in a heightened state of fight or flight quite often and what that does is your immune system.

[2783] So when you're stressed, it turbocharges your immune system.

[2784] I thought you meant sexually.

[2785] That's what I heard too.

[2786] Yeah.

[2787] I know arousal.

[2788] It's like eroticism.

[2789] It is.

[2790] I thought you're talking about sexually, but then I was going to counter, except then Aaron had that boner problem, so we can't say.

[2791] But he was so horny, even though he was having.

[2792] I just need to say for everyone, like his dick is hard as a rock now.

[2793] Okay.

[2794] No, we need to say, if we were saying he was having problems, we need to say.

[2795] That he's getting hard as an anvil now.

[2796] Thanks to Dr. Kay.

[2797] No, thanks to his, I think his weight loss.

[2798] No, but also Dr. Kay, that was when it all happened.

[2799] That was, yeah, that was temporary, really.

[2800] That temporary from like years.

[2801] Yeah, yeah, it just, the positive effects went away.

[2802] Probably if he would have continued treatment, maybe not.

[2803] But that was two, three years ago.

[2804] But post his mom.

[2805] recent weight loss, you tell me, you can't keep it down.

[2806] It's always at attention.

[2807] Oh.

[2808] My God.

[2809] Okay.

[2810] Yeah.

[2811] Wow.

[2812] Um, I'm switching gears.

[2813] Okay.

[2814] I'm switching.

[2815] I'm actually coming back around to aesthetics.

[2816] Really quick.

[2817] Before we move on.

[2818] We're almost done.

[2819] Okay.

[2820] Do you think a urologist should wear the face mask?

[2821] I don't know enough about urologists.

[2822] Well, they're handling penises all day.

[2823] But like, in what context?

[2824] Jerking, tugging, squeezing, yeah, yeah, they're examining.

[2825] Then yeah.

[2826] Of course.

[2827] Yeah.

[2828] Of course.

[2829] Okay.

[2830] All right.

[2831] Pits, tits, and slits, PTSD.

[2832] Yeah.

[2833] If you work on any of those parts.

[2834] Wear a mask for yourself.

[2835] I would not be offended.

[2836] I'll say that.

[2837] Right.

[2838] What if the doctor?

[2839] What if you're going to go, I'll just put on a gas mask in the front of the window between?

[2840] You'd be offended, right?

[2841] Of a gas mask.

[2842] Or after being down there for like a minute or two.

[2843] It goes and grabs a mask.

[2844] Yeah.

[2845] That would be a problem.

[2846] That would be a problem.

[2847] I guess I'd be happy If she had a mask and was like Oh, I don't need this And then took that all Throw it off Sniff in the air Oh actually I don't need this for you And then she dabbed her wrists on your Pack of Dormus And then dabbed her neck That would be the ultimate compliment Oh my god Oh my god Switching gears Sort of This shirt Do you like this shirt I'm wearing?

[2848] Speaking of aesthetics.

[2849] Yeah.

[2850] Okay.

[2851] So not real.

[2852] No, it's just you, you, I totally do.

[2853] You set the bar really high for yourself is what it is.

[2854] You have so many exciting sweaters.

[2855] Thank you.

[2856] Even the one I was posting today for Letterman and that red one is so beautiful.

[2857] That is an old get.

[2858] That's Victoria Beckham.

[2859] VB.

[2860] Yeah.

[2861] Great, great brand.

[2862] So it's totally a nice top.

[2863] But you've set the bar insanely high.

[2864] Thank you.

[2865] Yeah.

[2866] This is a very nice top.

[2867] It's casual, so I think that's maybe why you, it doesn't look fancy.

[2868] You know, the more I really hone in on it, it is pretty great.

[2869] It's, guess, guess who has it?

[2870] What, tell me. Guess.

[2871] Guess who has it?

[2872] Yeah, like, I saw it on somebody.

[2873] Oh, that's what made me buy.

[2874] Jenna Ortega.

[2875] Matt Damon.

[2876] No. No. Who do I want to be so bad?

[2877] Olsen.

[2878] Good guess, but.

[2879] no it's not the row it's not the row and nor was but actually could have been wearing something that wasn't the row she could have but their style is very um the row it's very muted okay like color wise there's not as much well they have some but this is more colorful yeah big time like my it looks it pairs well with my new that's so offensive right yeah that is so offensive who who was wearing ninda rie rayna has this sweater oh wonderful and she wears it with her her belly out because she's pregnant.

[2880] And proud of it.

[2881] So she wears it above the belly.

[2882] Oh, cool.

[2883] I can't do that because I'm not pregnant.

[2884] But I saw it in Vogue.

[2885] She was wearing it.

[2886] And then you promptly ordered it.

[2887] First of all, I was like, oh, what's that sweater?

[2888] I love that sweater.

[2889] Oh, I love her belly.

[2890] Oh, I love her.

[2891] Yeah, yeah.

[2892] And then it was also on Haley Bieber, another.

[2893] Fashion icon.

[2894] Very fashionable person.

[2895] And I bought it.

[2896] Okay, great.

[2897] And now I'm wearing it.

[2898] How much was it?

[2899] 500?

[2900] It was more than that.

[2901] This is, okay, it's Lauevae, which is a high fashion brand.

[2902] Okay.

[2903] I'm not going to say how much it was.

[2904] Well, no, you just cut it.

[2905] No, but I don't want to tell you.

[2906] I want to know.

[2907] Why?

[2908] I tell you everything.

[2909] I bet it's the same price as this recliner.

[2910] Probably.

[2911] Maybe more.

[2912] It might be more.

[2913] $1 ,400.

[2914] No. Less than $1 ,000.

[2915] Then great.

[2916] I don't know why you're embarrassed.

[2917] I'm not embarrassed.

[2918] I just feel like you, not judge me, not judge me. That's not the right word.

[2919] I bought an engine and transmission yesterday.

[2920] I know, but I think you're very protective of me and my finances, like my dad.

[2921] You know, well, I am your West Coast dad.

[2922] Exactly.

[2923] I feel that from you.

[2924] And I actually appreciate it.

[2925] I'm not worried.

[2926] Okay.

[2927] Listen, I'm going to cut this, but I want to tell you because it's exciting.

[2928] Yeah.

[2929] I was invited to something cool.

[2930] Why are you going to cut this?

[2931] Okay, I'm not going to cut it.

[2932] Okay, great.

[2933] What did you get invited to?

[2934] Um, I got invited to the premiere of air.

[2935] Oh, wow.

[2936] Ben and Matt's new movie.

[2937] Oh, my God.

[2938] Are you going to go?

[2939] Yes, of course.

[2940] I don't play hard to get.

[2941] I don't know.

[2942] No, I have to go.

[2943] And not for the fact that they're my boyfriends, but when the email came in.

[2944] Yeah.

[2945] I was like, oh my gosh, how cool.

[2946] Yes.

[2947] And I sent.

[2948] And then I, then it like hit me. Yeah.

[2949] You used to stand.

[2950] Yeah.

[2951] Yes And not But Oh, okay Well, I could see this going either way Okay Let me How do I Mount this?

[2952] Just like you mounted your chair Feet a dangling Feet a Kimbo I could see where Maybe my ego would be like I'm a peer now I'm not a fan going to the movie Right But it's not like the movie theater.

[2953] I'm invited to the premiere.

[2954] Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[2955] It's not like, do you want to go to Regal on Friday and see a screen?

[2956] It's not a screening.

[2957] Right.

[2958] It's the premiere.

[2959] Yeah.

[2960] No, I just thought about the girl who watched Goodwill Hunting.

[2961] Who thought they were going to be at the campground.

[2962] Yeah.

[2963] That girl is so happy to be invited to a premiere of a movie they made.

[2964] Yes.

[2965] Yes, it is incredible.

[2966] Really exciting.

[2967] And I'm glad that is your takeaway.

[2968] Like I could have been like, I wish I was, I should have been in the movie or something?

[2969] Well, just like, um.

[2970] I didn't feel like it was placating, if that's what you meant.

[2971] No, it'd just be like, I imagine myself being there and then seeing them and I'm not sure how I would feel.

[2972] Right.

[2973] That's what I'm.

[2974] Well, I'm sure I will have some feelings there.

[2975] Yeah, so what do we think?

[2976] So you're in the lobby.

[2977] Yeah.

[2978] And then you're waiting to get a popcorn.

[2979] And then they step up behind you and they press their bodies against yours and push you against the popcorn.

[2980] Oh, my God.

[2981] Whatever we call that, the popcorn box.

[2982] I can't wait.

[2983] Oh, I really can't wait.

[2984] And then you turn around.

[2985] They're both wearing masks.

[2986] And I can take them off.

[2987] I already went to the gyno and everything's fine.

[2988] Everything's fine.

[2989] Everything's great.

[2990] You will not need those.

[2991] You can get rid of your Jolly Ranchers.

[2992] But save him for later after your popcorn.

[2993] You're going to want something sweet.

[2994] No, I mean, I doubt I'll even make...

[2995] I might see them from afar, but I don't think we're going to be in close contact.

[2996] Right.

[2997] And if we are...

[2998] You have or haven't seen Ben in real life.

[2999] Never seen it.

[3000] Okay, so I hope you see him in real life.

[3001] Me too.

[3002] Because he's big.

[3003] Much bigger than you're expecting.

[3004] How do you think he'd do in this chair?

[3005] He'd be like you, right?

[3006] Yeah.

[3007] Yeah.

[3008] He might be an inch tall.

[3009] smaller than me. But still, this chair...

[3010] I could take them if that's what you're asking.

[3011] Definitely not what I was asking.

[3012] Please don't take it like that.

[3013] I can take them, but...

[3014] Oh my God, I'm gonna get a...

[3015] Internet says he's only 6 -2 and a fourth.

[3016] That's not true.

[3017] I don't think that's true.

[3018] Would Celeb Heights .com lie about that?

[3019] What does it say about Dax?

[3020] Read Seleb Heights list of top 10 smartest animals.

[3021] Let's see if we agree.

[3022] Wait, look up Dax's hide on this.

[3023] Then we'll have a...

[3024] Then we'll know.

[3025] If it says I'm 6 -1...

[3026] And then I agree.

[3027] Six, two and a half.

[3028] Oh, that's right.

[3029] That is right.

[3030] I don't, I'm not taller than I don't think.

[3031] Or maybe his star power affects me when I'm around him and he seems taller than he is.

[3032] But I don't think that's it.

[3033] He's a big boy.

[3034] He's a big motherfucker.

[3035] I can totally take him, though.

[3036] So don't think, don't even let that mislead you thinking he had some upper hand.

[3037] Okay.

[3038] Because 10 ,000 hours.

[3039] Okay.

[3040] Well, she knows .com says he's 6 .4.

[3041] There we go.

[3042] And she knows.

[3043] She does know.

[3044] She does knows.

[3045] Yeah.

[3046] What does it say about Kristen?

[3047] I like this.

[3048] We need sample size.

[3049] And she knows or celebrity fitness?

[3050] What was it?

[3051] Celebrity Heights?

[3052] She knows might only be men, though.

[3053] Five foot one.

[3054] That's right.

[3055] That's right.

[3056] All right.

[3057] Okay.

[3058] And before that, I have a busy life.

[3059] Whoa.

[3060] Yeah, busy cow.

[3061] This Friday.

[3062] I'm going to a way more important premiere.

[3063] You are?

[3064] Yes.

[3065] Which one?

[3066] Prom pact.

[3067] Because your friend Anthony.

[3068] Disney Plus has a movie called Promptact that Anthony, my Anthony, wrote.

[3069] Uh -huh.

[3070] And my Rachel produced.

[3071] Oh, guys.

[3072] Dream Team.

[3073] I'm so, I can't.

[3074] The good guys are winning.

[3075] I know.

[3076] Yeah.

[3077] I can't wait.

[3078] I cannot wait.

[3079] Is that on the one side?

[3080] A little bit.

[3081] Where's that?

[3082] It's on, yeah, like Will Sher and like Pica.

[3083] I know, I know.

[3084] I know.

[3085] I know.

[3086] But I'm so excited to see his name up there, to see Rachel's name up there.

[3087] Really quick.

[3088] I don't think people that don't live in L .A. Understand the west side situation.

[3089] I mean, they can't be, they can't really understand it.

[3090] I guess if you live in New York, there's definitely, you know some.

[3091] If you live in one borough and it's, it's.

[3092] The things in Coney Island, like, forget that.

[3093] But I will say, like, it's nearly equivalent to, like, if you live in Detroit, going to Toledo.

[3094] You can go to Toledo, Ohio, often quicker than I can go to Santa Monica.

[3095] And just imagine you're like, hey, you're invited to this movie.

[3096] It's in Toledo.

[3097] Fuck, no. Who's going to be there?

[3098] Ben and Matt.

[3099] Oh, shit.

[3100] Well, they promise they're going to push my body up against that hot popcorn machine.

[3101] You're a pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop.

[3102] Oh, God, okay.

[3103] And you'll forever associate that with that elation and apex arousal in the conventional sense that you guys first thought of it, arousal.

[3104] Sure, yeah.

[3105] And then every time you're in a movie theater and you hear, you'd be like, whiz.

[3106] Oh, PQs.

[3107] PQ, Pee -Pew, Pee -Pew, Pee -Pew, Poo, Poo, Poo, Poo, Poo, wow.

[3108] I don't remember checking a box, but this is like this is.

[3109] You got an extra wide.

[3110] I got an extra wide.

[3111] That's insane.

[3112] That's insane.

[3113] Well, that's the grandma vibe is going to get into wheelchair.

[3114] Oh, maybe.

[3115] It's just the transition from that to that to wheelchair.

[3116] I'm probably in dying this chair.

[3117] No, don't say that.

[3118] No, when I'm convalescing, this is the chair I want.

[3119] Stop.

[3120] You're now, you've doubled down.

[3121] You've been in it for like 30 minutes.

[3122] And now you want to die in it?

[3123] It's not that I want to.

[3124] It's just that I'm going to.

[3125] You'll never be able to get up out of it.

[3126] Also, like, clearly this is the cherry convalescent.

[3127] I'll have my programs, my remote control, my little TV dinner tray.

[3128] It does look like the one my grandpa has right now.

[3129] I bet he's so comfortable.

[3130] I hope so.

[3131] Well, that answers my question.

[3132] How's he doing?

[3133] Now I know.

[3134] Perfect.

[3135] He's doing great.

[3136] Okay, I mean, that's sort of a ding, ding, ding, because my grandpa's Indian, and this is for Priyanka.

[3137] And we thought maybe for a second that my grandma knew her grandma, but they don't.

[3138] I loved meeting her.

[3139] Me too.

[3140] I don't know anything about anybody.

[3141] And when I get snippets, like I hear there's a famous Bollywood actress, actor, star, married to a Jonas brother.

[3142] I just deduce a bunch of things that I know nothing about.

[3143] I don't know one thing.

[3144] I just imagine she's fancy.

[3145] Oh, yeah.

[3146] Right?

[3147] I figure, like, oh, she must be fancy.

[3148] I don't know.

[3149] I could see that.

[3150] I don't even know what I, but then I mean, I'm like, this gal's down as fuck.

[3151] Yeah, she's really, she was really cool.

[3152] The thing, like, that made the most sense is when she was saying she was in New York being, dressed like a fly girl.

[3153] Yeah.

[3154] Oh, yeah.

[3155] That suit this person that I'm talking to is, like, before I would use India or Bollywood or acting.

[3156] I'm like, this girl's a fly girl.

[3157] Yeah, totally.

[3158] Yes.

[3159] That's really true and right.

[3160] And I like it.

[3161] Me too.

[3162] I liked her a lot.

[3163] A long time ago, I read an article with her and I made all these assumptions about her.

[3164] Oh, great.

[3165] What were yours?

[3166] Um, I mean, I'm just being on it.

[3167] They were negative, but that's all my shit.

[3168] It's so, it's all me. Yeah.

[3169] And my stupid issues.

[3170] And so I was so.

[3171] happy that she was here and and I was like she's so awesome I got it so one pet peeve soapbox I have is the written interview yeah because you don't know what point of view the writer has and they have one yeah like to fool yourself and think that the the writer of the article doesn't have an opinion before they come in or that you know who knows yeah but it's going through someone else's filter, even the questions they ask are reflective of their interests and personality.

[3172] So it's like that interviewer may only broach topics that the subject either does no opinions about, no feelings, and it's just kind of forced to free, I don't know.

[3173] I will say that's why I far prefer like getting to know people, not even on this show, just long form podcasts, their truth is going to come through.

[3174] It can't really be fucked with too much.

[3175] Well, it's still that the interviewer will ask what the interviewer wants to ask, but it's tone.

[3176] You can hear.

[3177] And they're free to kind of answer and pontificate on whatever topic that that made them think of.

[3178] And then there's no editorial process in the sense that I'm going to cut off everything that didn't pertain to my question when I print out what they said.

[3179] Well, it could, depending on what you're up.

[3180] what your show is.

[3181] Yeah, it is so much different.

[3182] And so also, yeah, seeing her and meeting her, she's pretty cheeky and fun and playful.

[3183] And I wonder if that didn't translate to what I was reading.

[3184] And also, again, she was probably perfect and I just didn't.

[3185] Yeah.

[3186] Anywho.

[3187] So, okay, definition of weird.

[3188] Suggesting something supernatural or uncanny.

[3189] example the weird crying of a seal okay jen salky the mystery behind jen salky what is her past former nbc entertainment president when i was doing parenthood probably which makes me wonder that's why i knew that's why i knew that name it also actually bob something was at the time but i think she replaced him Okay.

[3190] And then in 2018, she was named head of streaming for Amazon.

[3191] Hmm.

[3192] I think Kristen knows her well.

[3193] I think she was the president when Good Place started.

[3194] Oh, okay.

[3195] I think I hear the name from Kristen as well, a bunch.

[3196] Got it.

[3197] Yeah.

[3198] I mean, I wondered then if he was afraid to say it because maybe you were supposed to know.

[3199] Like maybe he was trying to protect you, actually.

[3200] Well, now then that's been pointed out to me. and I'm going, oh, yeah, obviously.

[3201] I'm totally embarrassed by the interview that I didn't put that together then.

[3202] But, you know, I will say, parenthood, there was so little network interference.

[3203] A lot of times you're on shows where you do a table read every week and you do it in front of the executives and you get to know them while they're there.

[3204] We did not do table reads.

[3205] We never did that.

[3206] Oh, that's so nice.

[3207] Oh, it was so nice.

[3208] We never ever had a table read.

[3209] So we never, like once a year the executives would come through because they were going to show Bob the president what they had cracking.

[3210] But that was it.

[3211] You know?

[3212] That's nice.

[3213] For six years, I probably saw the executives come through six times.

[3214] Okay.

[3215] So we didn't stop for this, which I'm glad.

[3216] But we have to say it now.

[3217] She said maths.

[3218] Yes.

[3219] I was proud of us that we didn't.

[3220] We didn't stop.

[3221] We didn't make a meal out of it.

[3222] but anyone who listens to Flightless Bird definitely heard that.

[3223] Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[3224] And probably laughed.

[3225] Yeah.

[3226] It's just us.

[3227] It's just us, which is crazy.

[3228] Well, and Canadians.

[3229] Or friendly neighbors to the north.

[3230] Yeah.

[3231] Although, I wonder about British.

[3232] They probably do, because that's probably where it comes from in India.

[3233] And New Zealand also common.

[3234] Yeah.

[3235] Yeah.

[3236] I'd be curious if in Latin speaking, countries, Italy, Spain, if they pluralize math.

[3237] Great question to put out to the commenters.

[3238] Tell us.

[3239] Tell us if, well, I guess we could ask Anna as well.

[3240] Quite easily.

[3241] Yeah.

[3242] Let me call her.

[3243] Yeah, give her a ring.

[3244] But she's assimilated.

[3245] No, she's her first language.

[3246] Still.

[3247] But she's not going to say in Spanish.

[3248] It'll be English.

[3249] Well, Spanish still has as plurals are singular.

[3250] Hello?

[3251] Hi, you're on air.

[3252] Oh, hi.

[3253] Oh, hi.

[3254] We have a question.

[3255] It's going to be hard to ask.

[3256] Oh, my.

[3257] What is the, how do you say the subject in school that has numbers?

[3258] Mathematica.

[3259] Oh, Mathematica.

[3260] Can you shorten it?

[3261] What would you, would you shorten it?

[3262] If you were to say I was bad at.

[3263] blank in Spanish, what would you say?

[3264] So I'm like Mathematica.

[3265] Yeah, we don't have a math, like short like that, no. Well, at least not in Venezuela.

[3266] So it's singular, though.

[3267] It's not plural.

[3268] Mathematica.

[3269] Yeah.

[3270] If it were plural, what would it be?

[3271] Mathematicus.

[3272] Mathematicas.

[3273] You just add an S at the end.

[3274] Yeah, Mathematicus.

[3275] Okay.

[3276] But we say mathematics.

[3277] So that's not the same.

[3278] But most importantly, she would, you would never say math, right?

[3279] No. Well, then this isn't a good.

[3280] But it is.

[3281] She didn't say Mathematicas.

[3282] She said Mathematica.

[3283] But we say mathematics.

[3284] We never say mathematics.

[3285] We say math or maths.

[3286] Am I?

[3287] Yeah, if you were to say the long version, you'd say mathematics.

[3288] It would have a plural.

[3289] Yeah, I just, I don't want to get in a fight with you.

[3290] But when's the last time you heard someone say, I was really good at mathematics?

[3291] No, but I'm all to say the shortened version of across the board.

[3292] They don't even have it so we can't, we have to throw out this data, Anna.

[3293] No, we don't.

[3294] It's either pluralized or singular.

[3295] That's our inquiry.

[3296] We, I guess, have different inquiries.

[3297] That's all right.

[3298] Anna, we're fighting now.

[3299] Thank you, Anna.

[3300] You're welcome, I guess.

[3301] Bye.

[3302] Bye.

[3303] We need to talk to an Italian.

[3304] We got to call Ricardo We talk about kids You talk a lot about your kids She talks about hers I sat next one on a plane The other day One of her kids Yes One of her kids I think she only has one right Yeah It was a little baby boy He was so cute On your way to D .C. On my way home He did cry the whole time which was long and it was a bummer and he did spill his water on me but he was cute enough that it was fine and I was so impressed because the family also had a two -year -old and they were dividing and conquering and the two -year -old was in coach with the dad and the mom had the baby in her lap and they were stressed out and I felt so bad for them Were they drinking at least?

[3305] No. Oh, they should have been.

[3306] No. They couldn't.

[3307] They were like holding the baby.

[3308] You should have poured some in their lips.

[3309] Put your mask on.

[3310] That would have been the nice thing to do.

[3311] Yes, it would have.

[3312] It's hard to be a baby on a plane.

[3313] It's hard.

[3314] You don't know what's going on.

[3315] The air pressure's changing.

[3316] Your ears hurt.

[3317] You don't know how to yawn and get rid of it yet.

[3318] You can't make them pop.

[3319] Exactly.

[3320] It's really those ears.

[3321] I agree.

[3322] Poor little buddy.

[3323] But he was really cute.

[3324] Did you breastfeed him on the way down?

[3325] That's the trick.

[3326] You're supposed to breastfeed the baby.

[3327] baby on the descent.

[3328] And then all that sucking makes their ears pop.

[3329] Oh, she might have because what ended up happening mid -flight is the dad moved up.

[3330] They switched spots.

[3331] Okay.

[3332] I think she was getting very stressed out.

[3333] She had it had enough.

[3334] That's like a five -hour flight, right?

[3335] It's a long hour.

[3336] Five and a half.

[3337] Yeah, it was long.

[3338] But I think she was more stressed that the rest of the plane, like she was worried it was bothering everyone, which I felt bad for her.

[3339] She's like, you know, trying really hard to calm the baby down.

[3340] When the dad came, he was also trying, but then I felt him fully give up.

[3341] We move into acceptance mode a little quicker.

[3342] He fully did.

[3343] He went into acceptance mode.

[3344] He just held this baby.

[3345] It was bawling.

[3346] And then eventually it fell asleep.

[3347] Oh.

[3348] And the dad was probably like, this is what I knew was going to happen.

[3349] You just let him cry until he falls asleep.

[3350] And he kind of bragged after he was like, all he needed was that nap.

[3351] Well, sometimes it'll happen.

[3352] Like, Vincent will calm down easy with me because he wants something out of Natalie.

[3353] Oh.

[3354] So he thinks he can get something.

[3355] Yeah, get some milk.

[3356] Get some of that yummy milk.

[3357] But I think, well, A, there's a societal expectation that a mother's supposed to be able to sue the baby.

[3358] Mm -hmm.

[3359] And I think the dad walks in.

[3360] It's like no one, everyone thinks the dad's a dip shit and can't do anything.

[3361] So it's like the expectations are much lower on us.

[3362] That is very true.

[3363] If the dad is holding the baby, like, like, yeah.

[3364] like, wow, this guy's really, he's crushing it.

[3365] He's holding the child.

[3366] Everyone in the planes are no longer annoyed.

[3367] Yeah, like, oh my God, look how cute.

[3368] Yeah, this guy isn't drunk at a boy, Nellie.

[3369] What an accomplishment.

[3370] Yes.

[3371] There's that, but then there's also, I think the mother often and traditionally is more a part of regulating the kids' emotions.

[3372] Whereas the dad doesn't necessarily.

[3373] even think he has that ability.

[3374] So it's like, I can't affect whether this child, I don't know.

[3375] I don't know.

[3376] I'm a little out on a limb.

[3377] The societal thing, though, I stand by.

[3378] Yeah, that I think is right.

[3379] I'm just realizing the delivery men left one of their blankets behind.

[3380] Yeah, I asked Rob about that.

[3381] Do you think that was so they can come back?

[3382] To learn more about podcasting.

[3383] Maybe.

[3384] And just like you would leave an object at a lover's house.

[3385] It's their toothbrush.

[3386] Yeah, that's the...

[3387] That's a good move.

[3388] Yeah.

[3389] It's a very good move.

[3390] Fernie pad.

[3391] Okay, the eye she was talking about for math.

[3392] I think she was talking about that little eye, which is in the quadratic equation.

[3393] It's the solution to the quadratic equation.

[3394] It's called the imaginary unit or unit imaginary number.

[3395] I think that's what she was referring to.

[3396] And it's in italicies, right?

[3397] It's slanted.

[3398] Yeah.

[3399] Anywho, well, that was Priyanka.

[3400] I loved her She was great Very cool I'd have loved I'd have seen her in high school Yeah she seemed like a character Fun character Taking big swings Yeah All right I love you Sorry you don't like The new lazy boy But Oh it'll be fine Maybe if I can lower it a little bit And maybe as the color Mutes a little bit It'll Who knows It's a new era It's so wide Lots of space Incredibly wide Lots of space All right love you All right.

[3401] I love you.

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