Cole Escola

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I would go to lunch with them. I don't know why my mom – I'm sure she knew. I mean it was literally every Monday of second grade that I would say, I'm sick. I need to go to grandma's. And we would go to this burger joint or the diner with my grandma, Irene, and her friends, Ruby, Grace, and Shirley.

In your comedy, you often do characters that are middle-aged women, like Mary and like these women that you're speaking of. Do you think your appreciation for women of that certain age sort of began with your grandmother and her friends?

In your comedy, you often do characters that are middle-aged women, like Mary and like these women that you're speaking of. Do you think your appreciation for women of that certain age sort of began with your grandmother and her friends?

In your comedy, you often do characters that are middle-aged women, like Mary and like these women that you're speaking of. Do you think your appreciation for women of that certain age sort of began with your grandmother and her friends?

I mean, undoubtedly. I wanted... I mean, I wanted to be with them. I wanted to be them. I just they were and they because they also loved me. They loved I was so precocious and they were always just shower. I mean, after my grandmother, her Alzheimer's got really bad and she had to move into a nursing home and the

I mean, undoubtedly. I wanted... I mean, I wanted to be with them. I wanted to be them. I just they were and they because they also loved me. They loved I was so precocious and they were always just shower. I mean, after my grandmother, her Alzheimer's got really bad and she had to move into a nursing home and the

I mean, undoubtedly. I wanted... I mean, I wanted to be with them. I wanted to be them. I just they were and they because they also loved me. They loved I was so precocious and they were always just shower. I mean, after my grandmother, her Alzheimer's got really bad and she had to move into a nursing home and the

You know, the sort of group of gals split up and all went their separate ways because of health issues. I started going to church by myself. I was like 11 years old because I needed that validation from – I needed someone, you know, brewing coffee for the group to look at me and say, well, aren't you just so polite? That was life to me. Yeah.

You know, the sort of group of gals split up and all went their separate ways because of health issues. I started going to church by myself. I was like 11 years old because I needed that validation from – I needed someone, you know, brewing coffee for the group to look at me and say, well, aren't you just so polite? That was life to me. Yeah.

You know, the sort of group of gals split up and all went their separate ways because of health issues. I started going to church by myself. I was like 11 years old because I needed that validation from – I needed someone, you know, brewing coffee for the group to look at me and say, well, aren't you just so polite? That was life to me. Yeah.

Did you actually become religious then or were you in it for the social? No shade either way.

Did you actually become religious then or were you in it for the social? No shade either way.

Did you actually become religious then or were you in it for the social? No shade either way.

No, no, no. A little of both. I mean, I definitely remember in that period I was praying a lot to God to make me bisexual. I knew my attraction to men was so strong. I knew I was like, well, there's no way even God can take that away. I'm not asking you to take anything away. Just give me, please, an attraction to women and I will only act on that, I promise.

No, no, no. A little of both. I mean, I definitely remember in that period I was praying a lot to God to make me bisexual. I knew my attraction to men was so strong. I knew I was like, well, there's no way even God can take that away. I'm not asking you to take anything away. Just give me, please, an attraction to women and I will only act on that, I promise.

No, no, no. A little of both. I mean, I definitely remember in that period I was praying a lot to God to make me bisexual. I knew my attraction to men was so strong. I knew I was like, well, there's no way even God can take that away. I'm not asking you to take anything away. Just give me, please, an attraction to women and I will only act on that, I promise.

which, you know, in retrospect is, of course, sad, but also now that I'm safe, it's amusing.

which, you know, in retrospect is, of course, sad, but also now that I'm safe, it's amusing.

which, you know, in retrospect is, of course, sad, but also now that I'm safe, it's amusing.

My guest is comic writer and actor Cole Escola. They're nominated for two Tony Awards, Best Play and Best Leading Actor in a Play, for the Broadway show Oh Mary. More after a break. I'm Anne-Marie Baldonado, and this is Fresh Air.