Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Appearances
Confessions of a Female Founder with Meghan
Business Is Not a Battlefield with SPANX’s Sara Blakely
Hey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus here. If you listen to me on my Wiser Than Me podcast, you probably already know that I'm an investor and an evangelist for the Mill Food Recycler. There are a lot of reasons to love Mill, but for me, it's all about the impact. Keeping food out of the garbage is one of the most powerful things we can do to help the planet every single day.
Confessions of a Female Founder with Meghan
Business Is Not a Battlefield with SPANX’s Sara Blakely
We're talking banana peels, carrot tops, old takeout. When that stuff heads to the landfill, it becomes a huge driver of climate change. If you already compost, great. But of course, there's the smell, the flies, the running to the curb every day with a little leaking compost bag made of cornstarch. That's where Mill comes in. It makes keeping food out of the trash as easy as dropping it in.
Confessions of a Female Founder with Meghan
Business Is Not a Battlefield with SPANX’s Sara Blakely
It can handle nearly anything from a turkey carcass to like 20 avocado pits. It works automatically while you sleep. You can keep filling it for weeks and it never, ever smells. Mill makes dry, nutrient-rich grounds that you can use in your garden, add to your compost, feed to your chickens, or Mill can get them back to a small farm for you. But you kind of have to live with Mill to really get it.
Confessions of a Female Founder with Meghan
Business Is Not a Battlefield with SPANX’s Sara Blakely
And that's why they offer a risk-free trial. Go to mill.com slash wiser for an exclusive offer.
Confessions of a Female Founder with Meghan
Business Is Not a Battlefield with SPANX’s Sara Blakely
Right.
Confessions of a Female Founder with Meghan
Bootstrapped and Booming with Kitsch’s Cassandra Morales Thurswell
Hey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus here. If you listen to me on my Wiser Than Me podcast, you probably already know that I'm an investor and an evangelist for the Mill Food Recycler. There are a lot of reasons to love Mill, but for me, it's all about the impact. Keeping food out of the garbage is one of the most powerful things we can do to help the planet every single day.
Confessions of a Female Founder with Meghan
Bootstrapped and Booming with Kitsch’s Cassandra Morales Thurswell
We're talking banana peels, carrot tops, old takeout. When that stuff heads to the landfill, it becomes a huge driver of climate change. If you already compost, great. But of course, there's the smell, the flies, the running to the curb every day with a little leaking compost bag made of cornstarch. That's where Mill comes in. It makes keeping food out of the trash as easy as dropping it in.
Confessions of a Female Founder with Meghan
Bootstrapped and Booming with Kitsch’s Cassandra Morales Thurswell
It can handle nearly anything from a turkey carcass to like 20 avocado pits. It works automatically while you sleep. You can keep filling it for weeks and it never, ever smells. Mill makes dry, nutrient-rich grounds that you can use in your garden, add to your compost, feed to your chickens, or Mill can get them back to a small farm for you.
Confessions of a Female Founder with Meghan
Bootstrapped and Booming with Kitsch’s Cassandra Morales Thurswell
But you kind of have to live with Mill to really get it, and that's why they offer a risk-free trial. Go to mill.com slash wiser for an exclusive offer.
Confessions of a Female Founder with Meghan
From Mama to Mogul with Cécred’s Tina Knowles
Hey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus here. If you listen to me on my Wiser Than Me podcast, you probably already know that I'm an investor and an evangelist for the Mill Food Recycler. There are a lot of reasons to love Mill, but for me, it's all about the impact. Keeping food out of the garbage is one of the most powerful things we can do to help the planet every single day.
Confessions of a Female Founder with Meghan
From Mama to Mogul with Cécred’s Tina Knowles
We're talking banana peels, carrot tops, old takeout. When that stuff heads to the landfill, it becomes a huge driver of climate change. If you already compost, great. But of course, there's the smell, the flies, the running to the curb every day with a little leaking compost bag made of cornstarch. That's where Mill comes in. It makes keeping food out of the trash as easy as dropping it in.
Confessions of a Female Founder with Meghan
From Mama to Mogul with Cécred’s Tina Knowles
It can handle nearly anything from a turkey carcass to like 20 avocado pits. It works automatically while you sleep. You can keep filling it for weeks and it never, ever smells. Mill makes dry, nutrient-rich grounds that you can use in your garden, add to your compost, feed to your chickens, or Mill can get them back to a small farm for you. But you kind of have to live with Mill to really get it.
Confessions of a Female Founder with Meghan
From Mama to Mogul with Cécred’s Tina Knowles
And that's why they offer a risk-free trial. Go to mill.com slash wiser for an exclusive offer.
Still My Baby
Welcome to the World, Mike Mike
Hi there, it's Julia Louis-Dreyfus. This fall, my podcast, Wiser Than Me, is back for season three with even more wisdom straight from some legendary old ladies. These chickadees have a lot to teach us. Every word is a lesson in living unapologetically and focusing on the stuff that really matters. From Lemonada Media, Wiser Than Me season three out now. Find it wherever you get your podcasts.
Still My Baby
Welcome to the World, Mike Mike
Subscribe to Lemonada Premium in the Apple Podcasts app and listen to every episode of Season 3 ad-free.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Ina Garten
Well, hello there. It's me, Julia Louis-Dreyfus. I'm so happy to be back with Season 3 of Wiser Than Me. And to celebrate that, I am so excited to share that we have partnered with Lingua Franca, a New York City-based luxury and sustainable clothing brand, to offer our listeners Wiser Than Me-specific hand-embroidered sweaters, sweatshirts, and more. LEMONADA LEMONADA
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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I have one of those too, but it's not from before I was married, but I've had it for probably 25 years and I just, I love it. This is 55 years and it's still good.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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I thought you were referring to your marriage. You said this is 55 years, it's still good.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Ina Garten
Even better than a spatula. Yeah, exactly. So moving out of the kitchen for a moment, you're a gardener. You have a beautiful garden at your house in the Hamptons. Thank you. I'm in Santa Barbara, California, and I planted garlic, which I've never planted before.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Yeah. And I did not know you break apart your clove of garlic and you take each individual clove and you plant it.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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And it's already poked through the earth. And I just planted it like nine days ago, which is kind of amazing, you know?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Ina Garten
Yes, it teaches me, certainly does teach me patience, but also it's a thrill because you don't know. There's so much, you know, if you go away for a week and then you come back to look at your garden, things will have changed. And so it always feels like a miracle to me. Yeah.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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well, I couldn't really order lunch because I was too full. But I assure you of one thing. I did not learn a lesson that day. I've always been a true and deep lover of sweets and desserts. In fact, One of my earliest memories is of these peanut butter cookies that my grandma Didi made for me, you know, the kind that have the fork imprint on them.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Yeah. It's a reminder of life and the miracle of life, you know.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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And the circle. Yeah. It's just gorgeous. Until the bunnies come and eat my roses. They eat your roses? Yeah, those little motherfuckers.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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But they're so adorable.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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They're so precious. But I do kind of turn into like Farmer McGregor or Elmer Fudd. Yeah. I have learned to hate them. And can you garden all year round because you're in Santa Barbara?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Yeah. Oh, that's great.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Ina Garten
But believe it or not, yes, but we do have seasons. So certain things look great right now and certain things are dormant.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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I know, and every time my mother visits, she cuts. I mean, I have rosemary all over the place. It's like ground cover, and she just goes around cutting it. It's like she's a crazy woman, and she puts it into a bag to take home to herself and to all her girlfriends.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Like they don't have rosemary in New York.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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I know, but it feels special, right, coming from this garden. We have to take a break now. My conversation with Ina Garten continues in just a bit. Hey, Prime members. Did you know you can listen to Wiser Than Me ad-free on Amazon Music? Download the Amazon Music app today to start listening ad-free.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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This episode of Wiser Than Me is supported by Boehringer Ingelheim, the maker of NexGuard Plus, Afoxyloner, Moxodectin, and Pyrantel chewable tablets. Would you do anything for your dog? Of course you would. Whether you're planning a dog birthday party or finding the perfect sweater-booty combo to keep your pup warm, prioritizing your furry friend's happiness is always the wise thing to do.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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And although every person's dog care style is different, there's one thing everyone can agree on— that your dog's well-being is always a top priority. And one super simple way to prioritize their well-being is with NextGuard Plus Chews, which provide them with next-level protection from parasites.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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NextGuard Plus Chews provide one-and-done monthly protection that kills fleas and ticks and prevents heartworm disease. And the big plus here is that it also treats and controls roundworms and hookworms. It's a whole lot of protection packed into a delicious beef-flavored soft chew. So why not make that monthly dosing easy and enjoyable? One more important note.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Use NexGuard Plus with caution in dogs with a history of seizures or neurologic disorders. Dogs should be tested for existing heartworm infection prior to starting a preventive. Stay wise with NexLevel protection for your dog. And remember, the next time you're at the vet, ask about NexGuard Plus Chews. Hey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus here.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Ina Garten
If you listen to me on my Wiser Than Me podcast, you probably already know that I'm an investor and an evangelist for the Mill Food Recycler. There are a lot of reasons to love Mill, but for me, it's all about the impact. Keeping food out of the garbage is one of the most powerful things we can do to help the planet every single day. We're talking banana peels, carrot tops, old takeout.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Ina Garten
When that stuff heads to the landfill, it becomes a huge driver of climate change. If you already compost, great. But of course, there's the smell, the flies, the running to the curb every day with a little leaking compost bag made of cornstarch. That's where Mill comes in. It makes keeping food out of the trash as easy as dropping it in.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Ina Garten
It can handle nearly anything from a turkey carcass to like 20 avocado pits. It works automatically while you sleep. You can keep filling it for weeks and it never, ever smells. Mill makes dry, nutrient-rich grounds that you can use in your garden, add to your compost, feed to your chickens, or Mill can get them back to a small farm for you. But you kind of have to live with Mill to really get it.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Ina Garten
and that's why they offer a risk-free trial. Go to mill.com slash wiser for an exclusive offer. Maybe your mom's always wanted to learn how to paint or write that novel or finally perfect her sourdough game. This Mother's Day, help her get started with Masterclass. Our parents taught us so much.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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I still have her handwritten index card with the cookie recipe engraved. Well, actually, I think I have it. I don't know where it is. My mom may have it. I don't know. But I love dessert so much. I don't know exactly why, other than it's so sweet and yummy. But God, why not? It's always been like that for me.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Now they can learn from people they've always admired, like Jane Goodall on The Natural World, Diane von Furstenberg on Style and Confidence, and over 200 more leaders, artists, and innovators at the top of their fields. Whether you're gifting masterclass to your mom or treating yourself, it's a thoughtful way to invest in personal growth.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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With a membership, you get unlimited access to classes across cooking, writing, design, leadership, photography, and more. For just $10 a month, build annually. That's every single instructor, anytime, anywhere. And it actually works. Did you know that 88% of members say Masterclass has had a positive impact on their lives? Plus, every new membership comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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This Mother's Day, give your mom something inspiring to dive into. Our Wiser Than Me listeners always get great discounts on Masterclass of at least 15% off any annual membership at masterclass.com slash wiser. See Masterclass's latest deal at least 15% off at masterclass.com slash wiser. Masterclass.com slash wiser.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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You may know the cute Aflac duck, but did you know Aflac is a leader in supplemental insurance? Well, Aflac is here to help with something most people don't think about until they're in the middle of it, the gap between what health insurance covers versus what it doesn't. AFLAC offers supplemental insurance that can help you with expenses health insurance doesn't cover.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Because even with good health insurance, if you get sick or injured, you can still be left with out-of-pocket expenses. AFLAC can help with the part that may not be covered, which can hit your wallet when life already feels overwhelming. AFLAC pays cash that can be used to help with anything you choose in your time of need.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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That could be towards medical bills like co-pays or prescriptions or even everyday expenses to help keep life going while you focus on getting better. And that's really what it's about, helping provide peace of mind, knowing that if something happens, you're not alone. AFLAC is here, and they can help provide a financial safety net. Get help with expenses health insurance doesn't cover.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Visit Aflac.com to learn more. So you worked at the White House.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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And you worked on nuclear policy, correct?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Yeah. And what struck me, first of all, that's extraordinary that this is your story in and of itself. But I was thinking about science and the overlap of science and cooking.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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And so, you know, when our kids were little, providing for them, obviously, this is some instinctual maternal thing. You just get this incredible joy out of your kids finishing a meal that you made for them, right? The most basic kind of nurturing. And I'm also very captive to ritual, as I think we all are to a certain extent.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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So I'll take the chocolate cake any day. Yeah, 100%.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Ina Garten
And you're taking notes along the way, obviously. Yeah.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Do recipes come to you in your... I mean, do you conjure them in your head? Are you improvising a recipe and then you write it down and you try it? How does that work, Ina?
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So you're an improviser as well. Yeah. To a certain extent. Exactly. My husband's brother, Jim, is a scientist, a very respected scientist at UC Irvine. And I remember he was at our house once, and I was cooking. I love to bake. And I was baking, and somebody was in the kitchen with me, and they were measuring out the flour. But they were measuring it out, but not...
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Leveling it off, which I said, no, no, no, no, you must level it off. And I was showing how to do it, actually for all the ingredients, particularly for baking. And I remember looking at my brother-in-law, Jimmy, and he had such, what can I say, respect and adoration in his face because he was a scientist. He was appreciating the attention to... The detail. The detail.
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Yeah. Especially the baker. Right. Especially. Talk about entertaining. I mean, did your family entertain growing up?
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So I put great store into birthdays and making sure that both of our kids always had memorable birthdays. And so when our first son, Henry, was little, you know, just a little toddler, I was so looking forward to baking him a birthday cake. And so I asked him what kind of cake he wanted. And I mean, honestly, he was little. He was barely even talking. What does he know about cakes?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Did you like food before then?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Wow, that's incredible. Isn't that amazing? Yes, it's amazing. And you were 20, right?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Yeah. And when you started to entertain at a young age, did you feel the same anxiety that your mom had or you did and you overcame it or you didn't have it?
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Are you the same way? I'm afraid so. I really... I every time I'm if I'm having people over and I'm cooking about an hour before I'm trying to come up with a way to cancel it.
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I mean, I want out of this. It's like, the table's pretty. That was fun. It was fun to set the table. Dessert I made earlier. I love to make dessert. That's okay. But the meal, oh, fucking forget it.
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Yeah, exactly. There's a story in our family. My husband's grandmother, this was in the Deep South, and it was during the Depression. And she was having people over, and they were not well off. They were actually pretty strapped for cash back in the day, and it was the Depression. And she had people over, and she was sitting at the table. Her name was Narcisse. And
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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But he was a fanciful kid. So when I said, what kind of cake do you want, hen? And he said, orange. And this was clearly the color orange. I don't think that he had any idea that a cake could even have an orange flavor. This was just about the look of it. You know, think about it. Just a giant orange cake. So... I set about looking for an orange cake that I could make for him. And I did.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Her daughter, Charlotte, brought in the roast and all of a sudden Charlotte tripped and the roast fell onto the ground. And Narcisse, Brad's grandmother, without missing a beat, she goes, that's all right, Charlotte, just pick that up and take it back and get the other one.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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There was no other one. It was this one washed off. Yeah. That's really that was a really good catch. Yeah. Yeah. She was. That was a really good improvised moment. Really good improvised moment.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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God. And you prefer cooking alone, though, right? That's what I heard you say. You prefer to be by yourself cooking?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Do you feel like you have to do that too? Yeah. Yes. I mean, I do. I have a brother-in-law, Patrick, with whom I can cook because we can stand by each other and not talk. But honestly, I get bothered when people are around me talking or even offering to help. I'm like, I can't.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Yeah. Get out of here. Go enjoy your cocktail. I'll be there in a minute.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Yeah, it's going to ruin the evening. So we got to get our shit together. That's what you're saying.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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But that'll be our little secret. That's our secret. You never heard it from me. Never heard it.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Don't go anywhere. More wisdom from Ina Garten after this quick break. This show is sponsored by Midi Health. Staying in touch with your body becomes more important than ever as you get older, especially for women. After 40, hormones shift, energy changes, and what your body needs has evolved over time.
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Paying attention to how you feel, how you move, and how you respond to stress can make a huge difference. So, of course, while this hormonal transition is a fact of life, it doesn't mean you have to accept these symptoms as just another part of aging. Get help with MidiHealth.
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Their clinicians are menopause experts equipped to support you with safe, effective, FDA-approved medications as well as supplements, lifestyle coaching, and preventative health guidance. Thank you so much for having me. You deserve to feel great. Book your virtual visit today at joinmidi.com. That's joinmidi.com.
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When the temperature creeps up, does your wardrobe start to feel a little repetitive? You know the drill, the trusty tank, the go-to shorts. It works, but maybe it's time for a little something more without having to try too hard. That is why you have to give Quince a try.
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They've got these amazing 100% European linen shorts and dresses, and seriously, you won't believe the price, starting at just $30. And the quality? It's the real deal. Think luxe swimwear that actually makes you feel good and Italian leather platform sandals that are as comfy as they are stylish.
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I found a Bundt cake made with real oranges that I then jerry-rigged into a three-layer cake. And then I concocted this cream cheese frosting to go with it. And I shouldn't say this because, you know, it's not very, you know, farm-to-table cake. But I dyed the frosting orange, not a bright orange, more sort of a peachy salmon color so that it was aesthetically pleasing, you know.
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Comparing them to those high-end brands, the vibe and the quality are totally there, but the price tag is so much friendlier. Imagine those easy, breezy linen pieces for your next get-together with friends or those chic sandals for a wander around town. Quince just makes it simple to feel a bit more put together easily.
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And it's good to know they're all about doing things the right way, working with responsible factories and using beautiful premium fabrics. Treat your closet to a little summer glow-up with Quince. Go to quince.com slash wiser for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. That's q-u-i-n-c-e dot com slash wiser to get free shipping and 365-day returns. quince.com slash wiser
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Thank you so much for having me. Rosetta Stone's been around for 30 years, and honestly, it's the go-to for learning a new language. Millions of people use it, and they've got 25 languages to choose from, like Spanish, French, Italian, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, you name it.
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Learn to order a delicious coffee in French, ask for directions in Cantonese, or simply how to better pronounce words in a language you already know. What's cool is that they don't rely on English translations. You just dive in and start picking things up naturally, kind of like how you learned your first language. It starts simple, then builds up to full-on conversations, and it actually sticks.
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Plus, you can use it whenever, on your phone or your computer. So whether you've got five minutes waiting for coffee or a whole hour to dive in, it's easy to fit into your day. Don't wait. Unlock your language learning potential now. Wiser Than Me listeners can grab Rosetta Stone's lifetime membership for 50% off. That's unlimited access to 25 language courses for life.
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Visit rosettastone.com slash wiser to get started and claim your 50% off today. Don't miss out. Go to rosettastone.com slash wiser and start learning today. What's one easy thing we can do for the planet every day? We can stop putting food in the garbage. We're talking banana peels, carrot tops, old takeout. When that stuff heads to the landfill, it becomes a huge driver of climate change.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Ina Garten
So we compost, right? But then there's the smell, the flies, the running to the curb every day with a little leaking compost bag made of cornstarch. This is why I'm an investor and an evangelist for the Mill Food Recycler. It makes keeping food out of the trash as easy as dropping it in. It can handle nearly anything from a turkey carcass to like 20 avocado pits.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Ina Garten
It works automatically while you sleep. You can keep filling it for weeks, and it never, ever smells. Mill makes dry, nutrient-rich grounds that you can use in your garden, add to your compost, feed to your chickens, or Mill can get them back to a small farm for you. But you kind of have to live with Mill to really get it, and that's why they offer a risk-free trial.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Ina Garten
Go to mill.com slash wiser for an exclusive offer. You're known for your look, your signature style with the button-up shirts and with your beautiful scarves. Thank you. How would you characterize that style? Comfortable.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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And I covered it in mandarin oranges on top. It was gorgeous. And it was a huge hit with Henry. And I've been making that cake on his birthday ever since. And then my younger son, Charlie, he requested a key lime pie. So I made him this key lime pie. I ordered the key lime juice from just one place. These guys called the Manhattan Key Lime Juice Company.
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Yeah, it does. Yes, I have to say, it's funny because I went back and I started watching the first season of Barefoot Contessa. Oh, did you really? Yes. Oh, my God. And... What I so admire about you in your approach and also your look is that it's classic and it's worked. It's worked from the get-go and you stuck to it. You didn't try to futz with it, in my view anyway.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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And that speaks to a lot of confidence. Yeah. I think, in you. You have confidence in yourself. Thank you. Do you agree with that?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Right. Maybe it was like a really healthy defense.
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Yeah, I think I am, and I have my group of people that I go to for their take on things.
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But when I'm sure about something or I haven't—I would say that my instincts are usually pretty right, and the mistakes I've made in my life have been not— following those instincts sometimes, you know?
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Oh God, that's so nice of you to say.
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Thank you so much. Thank you so much. And I think, well, having a healthy marriage helps, right?
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Absolutely. Brad and I have been married. Oh, my God. 36 years now. And, you know, I could never have done any of this without him in my life.
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Well, that's what I feel, too. Yeah. And has your marriage changed over the many decades you've been married?
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And you can look it up because that's all they sell for real, key lime juice, nothing else, which is just so fabulously old school. I just love it. So I've been making that key lime pie for my Charlie for almost 25 years and the orange cake for Henry going on 30 years. Now I use fresh oranges from our own tree, so it's even better. For me, this is just the quintessence of a gesture of love.
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So we worked it out. Yeah. So you got married pretty young, which was typical back then, but it was not typical. And really, I think it was a very bold move as a woman and particularly as a working woman in the 70s to make the decision to not have kids. Right.
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And Jeffrey felt the same way?
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Nowadays to opt not to have kids, it feels more sort of almost normal. But back then I would think. But then it wasn't. Then it wasn't. And there you are being sure of yourself.
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I'm so looking forward to reading it.
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Yeah, right. So you've kind of been this person for a long time. Right? Yeah, really. But wait a minute. Do you ever do you ever like do you get mad? Do you lose your temper? What pisses you off?
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Excise all those people from your life. That's my, yeah.
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It's such... A simple thing, you know, measuring, mixing, baking, but it does take focus and concentration and exactness. And even then it doesn't always go the way you want. You know, there's some luck and karma mixed into it too, but boy, it's just, it's so meaningful to me to make something sweet and poignantly delicious for the people that I love.
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Yes, that's the benefit of getting older.
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They assume I'm going to be funny. And I'm not a big... It's not like I'm a big joke teller. Yeah. And sometimes I'm very quiet because I'm... Just because sometimes I am. I'm just watching. Yeah. Listening. You're observing. Observing. And I think... And then sometimes people think I'm being funny when I'm not trying to be funny. Do you know what I mean? I do. Yeah. Because they expect it.
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They expect it. So a certain gesture or whatever, I didn't mean that to be funny, but I'll take the laugh.
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Oh, my God, yes. And they also, I think, particularly with television, well, now everything is, I mean, who knows, with computer, I should say. I mean, everybody's watching it on all these other devices. But, you know, you're in their home.
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I mean, you have that same experience with your show, no doubt.
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You're in their home, so they feel relaxed with your presence. And they feel like you're a friend. Correct. Which can be lovely. There is a downside to it, though. One time when I was giving birth to my first son, and this is kind of a gross story, but we can cut it out if it's too repulsive. And I was giving birth and when you're in labor, they put that monitor around your tummy and
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And I was in the bathroom and I was naked. And I had the thing around my tummy. And I was massive, by the way. And I gained like, you know, 50 pounds when I was pregnant. And I was standing there and my water broke. And all of a sudden a nurse came into the room and I went, my water broke. Okay, reminding you, naked. And she goes, Elaine! Elaine! Oh, my God.
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It was so awful. Elaine. Elaine. Isn't that crazy?
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I know. That's crazy. I know. How do you make friends as you get older? Is that an easy thing to do for you? What is the key to meeting new people? I guess you probably do in your line of work.
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And I plan on doing this for the rest of my life, this little thing, or it's actually kind of a big thing because it gives me such joy and pride. It's become a sacrament really now to me. So I guess cooking can take on a significance way beyond just being delicious and nutritious. And that's why I am so delighted today to get to talk to Ina Garten.
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I had the opportunity to meet President Macron last year. It was at a thing at the White House. Did you? Yeah, because my grandfather was French and flew for the Free French during the war. Oh, wow. He was a part of the resistance.
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And so I went over to Macron. I said something... Do you speak French? Well, like you, badly. Enough so that the first sentence or two sounds like I know what I'm talking about. And the problem with that, of course, is that then they assume... You have to understand the answer. Yeah. So Macron starts going... And... I have no idea what that guy said to me, but I just kept shaking my head.
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So anyway, I, I know that feeling.
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You don't want to start it. Cause you don't know.
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Totally. Completely. Oh my God.
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So she thought you were a brassy dame. I like it. I mean, actually, it's almost a better expression. Fuck me quick before my wife gets here.
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That's great, and I love it. I'm going to remember that. So bad French can get you in trouble. Yeah, I guess so.
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Right. That's really good. We have this thing at the end. I ask you a bunch of quick questions, and you can choose to answer them or not, whatever you feel like doing. Okay. I'm ready. Yeah, you're ready. Something you go back and tell yourself at 21?
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No. I think I've done everything I wanted to do. You said all the yeses that needed to be said?
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Is there something you want to tell me about aging? I mean, not that we're that far apart in age, but is there some little tidbit that you could tell me about aging?
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That'll be amazing. That's a that's a life changer. I've been I've done that. And it's what did you see? Kind of everything. Everything?
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Yeah. And I do remember, though, at the time, speaking of having kids, we went when our kids were younger. I want to say they were like maybe 8 and 13. And we went, and our first night there, and we're out in the... And we were actually in tents, and our leader guy was saying, okay, now, a couple rules around camp. There is no running. Nobody can run.
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And I thought to myself, oh, my God, what have we done? I have two rambunctious boys. And I have to now for the next two weeks, they've got to sit the hell down. I thought they're prey. These kids are prey. The whole time I was in a panic. I mean, I had a good time, but it was still I was like on the edge of my seat the whole time. Well, this has been such a treat to talk with you.
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Hi, I'm Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and this is Wiser Than Me, the podcast where I get schooled by women who are wiser than me. Anybody hungry? you're gonna be, because our guest today has been dishing out fabulous recipes and a shit ton of charm for decades. She is the Barefoot Contessa, the queen of comfort cooking. Her signature bob and blue shirt are as iconic as her roasted chicken.
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And for me too.
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I'm such an admirer of yours.
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And I of yours. Thank you.
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I hope to see you soon. Me too. Okay, thanks.
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Thank you. Okay, time to get my mom on this Zoom call. I got to tell her about this conversation. Hi, Mama.
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I just spoke with Ina Garten.
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Because she worked in the White House and she was writing nuclear policy during the Carter administration. Wow. And her husband, Jeffrey, was also, I believe, in government. And anyway, at a certain point, she became uninterested in that work, and she needed something to do. And Jeffrey said, you need to find something to do that's fun.
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And so she found this store in the Hamptons, a food specialty store called the Barefoot Contessa, and it was for sale. And she bought it. She bought it.
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No, not at all. Except she has, there is something about her that's quite, I think, rarefied in terms of her approach to food and making it accessible for everybody. That is unusual, what she's done. Right. But something I found really interesting, Mommy, is that she got married when she was 20. She's been married for 55 years.
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And she made a decision when she got married that she was not going to have kids. And this was based on the fact that she had a very difficult childhood. She did not have a lot of joy as a child. She didn't have much agency, and she couldn't really make decisions for herself.
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And so she made the choice not to have kids, which really strikes me as something to remark on because nowadays to make that decision is one thing, but to make that decision in the late 60s, early 70s is extraordinary, right? Yeah. I mean, like for you, Mom, in the period of time when you were having kids, did it ever occur to you not to have kids?
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Yeah, it's exciting to know where she came from and how she's taken what was a hardship and turned it into an enormous strength. Hey, speaking of recipes, there's one food that Ina Garten hates, and it's cilantro.
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Yeah, that's right. And she says that if there's even a tiny leaf, it really, really bothers her. And I personally cannot get enough cilantro.
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When we have Ina and Jeffrey over, we won't be making things with cilantro. We will pretend it doesn't exist. Oh, well, wait a minute. Actually, we just looked this up, and there's actually a genetic reason that some people think cilantro tastes like soap.
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These particular people have a variation in a group of, we just looked this up, olfactory receptor genes that allows them to strongly perceive the soapy flavored aldehydes in cilantro leaves. So Ina must have that gene. And it turns out, mom, that it's present in about four to 14% of the US population. So your made up bullshit statistic was spot on.
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I don't know. You pulled that out of your ass and you were right. Okay. Okay. Love you, honey. Love you, mommy. I'll see you tomorrow.
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Goodbye. Love you. There's more Wiser Than Me with Lemonada Premium. Subscribers get exclusive access to bonus content from each episode of the show. Subscribe now in Apple Podcasts. Make sure you're following Wiser Than Me on social media. We're on Instagram and TikTok at Wiser Than Me. And we're on Facebook at Wiser Than Me Podcast.
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Wiser Than Me is a production of Lemonada Media, created and hosted by me, Julia Louis-Dreyfus. This show is produced by Chrissy Pease, Jamila Zahra Williams, Alex McCohen, and Oja Lopez. Brad Hall is a consulting producer. Rachel Neal is VP of New Content, and our SVP of Weekly Content and Production is Steve Nelson.
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Executive producers are Paula Kaplan, Stephanie Whittles-Wax, Jessica Cordova-Kramer, and me. The show is mixed by Johnny Vince Evans with engineering help from James Barber. And our music was written by Henry Hall, who you can also find on Spotify or wherever you listen to your music. Special thanks to Will Schlegel and, of course, my mother, Judith Bowles.
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Follow Wiser Than Me wherever you get your podcasts. And if there's a wise old lady in your life, listen up.
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But it's not just about the food. Her down-to-earth approach has not only transformed the culinary landscape but has also left a real mark on how real people perceive and embrace the art of home cooking. I mean, we eat roasted carrots at our house because of her. In an era full of star chefs, she claims not to be a chef but a cook.
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She stands out not just for her recipes but for her genuine connection with her audience, which has made her a cultural figure known for her warmth and authenticity, and somehow that makes her food even more scrumptious. One iconic store, two hit TV shows, 13 best-selling cookbooks, and a 55-year-long marriage.
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Later, our guest feels universally cherished, especially by her husband, Jeffrey, but also by me. And for me, she really pretty much is up there with fresh, salty butter on warm bread. I think it's because she makes every meal feel like a cozy get-together with an old friend. Now, full disclosure, I'm really just hoping to get invited to a dinner party at her house. And I'll bring the dessert.
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I will. I'm so pleased to welcome the James Beard Award winner and the Hamptons' most notorious resident, a woman who is so much wiser than me, Ina Garten.
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I'm so happy to be here. I love you. I love you. I love you. Let's just say that from the start.
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Completely, 100%. You brought carrots back into my life in a very powerful way. So let me ask you something. Are you comfortable if we share your real age? I am. I am.
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I hear that. I love that. You're completely embracing it. I I feel the same way about getting older. I mean, there are aspects of being younger, physical aspects that would be nice, but there is something very freeing about getting older, right?
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Yeah, I completely hear that. And it's it's nice to feel it's like boots that you've been wearing a long time. They're super comfortable and you're you feel confident in them.
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Once in our travels, when I was a little girl of about eight, I think, when my daddy Tom was a surgeon on the Hope hospital ship, we were living in Tunisia. And I remember very vividly that I was so upset with my mom because she said I had to finish my dinner before I had dessert, which made no sense at all. And And there was another couple there who were working with my dad.
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Well, that's right. And I remember in doing research to talk with you and you were saying that, Jeffrey, when you were making the decision to leave government, the White House, and you weren't sure what to do. And he said, well, just find something that's fun for you.
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I had a physics teacher when I was in high school, Mr. Coyne, Marty Coyne, and he was a wonderful teacher. He would write at the bottom of every paper that you would turn in, he would say, have fun at all costs.
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Yeah. And obviously that can be misunderstood, but I knew what he meant. And I've certainly applied that in my own life. It's an incredible lens through which to make decisions. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. So tell me, take me through a typical eating day for you. Like, you know, well, I mean, what'd you eat today?
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Yeah, I want to hear.
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Yeah, I hear that.
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Yeah, not fun. There we go with the fun again. I want to show you a picture for our listeners. I'm showing a picture of what I made for me and my husband this morning for breakfast. Let me see if you can see it. Oh, wait, shit. Oh, God, I don't know how to get that thing away. Oh, God. I'm trying to work my iPhone. Okay, wait. Can you see that? That looks great. Poached eggs on toast?
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Oh, smashed eggs on toast. It's the smashed eggs with the grainy mustard. Isn't that great? Yeah. Oh, how fabulous.
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Yeah, and also I was just looking. I was reviewing a bunch of your cookbooks, which, of course, I own, and I was just sort of wanted to get. Oh, yeah. Are you kidding me? I mean, I could not live without them. Oh, Julia. I could not live without them. Thank you. How has your relationship changed to food as you've gotten older?
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You know, I mean, are there tastes that you have now that you didn't then or things, I mean, back in the day or things you didn't like when you were younger that you love now?
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And the woman in the couple said, well, how about I take you out for lunch, just you and me, and then you can have dessert first. And so that was very appealing, as you can imagine. And I did. We went to lunch, and I ordered a huge hot fudge sundae. I mean, just huge. And I just gobbled that fucker up. And then when it was time to actually order lunch—
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Better at identifying that, right?
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Because I think our taste buds change, you know. I mean, I think that they physically change. Don't ask me how or why that happens.
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Yeah. Now, listen, you and I are going to have a huge argument about that because I love cilantro. You love it? I put it on everything. Do you really? Yeah, I do. I made chicken salad the other day and I just throw tons of cilantro in it. Why don't you like cilantro, by the way?
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Oh, my God, that's incredible.
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Okay, so I know what not to get you for Christmas, a bunch of cilantro. Sometimes I like to think, believe it or not, this sort of calms me down in my mind. I think about what in my kitchen is a must-have, you know, like just basic things. I have, for example, I have a hand electric mixer that my mom gave me, and it says General Electric on it. It's from like the...
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Yeah, like the early 70s, I think. And that's a must-have for me. Or a rubber spatula, you know, with a little tiny curve in it, you know, with the concave center. Are there things like that that you just—tools in the kitchen that you just— have a love affair with?
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They had everything at Caldor's, right?
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Hey, listeners, it's me, Julia. LEMONADA LEMONADA
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Wait, can you just back up for a second? Because I need to hear about bees. I'm so curious. I'm tempted to have bees.
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So like when you go in there and you're doing your beekeeping work, what does that look like?
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And coming for me, that's saying something. Because you know what? I don't have an ideal history with dogs. First, our childhood dog, Pippi, a miniature dachshund. Pippi was run over by a Volkswagen bug. And I know that's kind of funny now, but believe me, at the time, it was a complete horror show. And then there's Jack.
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Oh, I see.
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Yeah, so you're supplementing their diet since you're taking away some of their own food source. I understand completely. Yeah, that's fascinating. That is absolutely fascinating. Have you been ever – sorry to keep asking these questions, but I'm so interested.
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Oh, my God. So... Most of the animals on your farm are, for the most part, female. Is that correct?
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Did you have to have them castrated, or they came that way? They came that way. I see. That's the way they got entrance.
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That is hilarious. You know, your son described you as going from the big city life to a really different lifestyle at the farm. It's almost as if she becomes a different person. So I want to know about that. I want to know what's the difference between big city Isabella and farm Isabella. How would you describe it?
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So Jack was a rescue Cavalier King Charles Spaniel that my first husband brought home unannounced one day when I was eight months pregnant, juggling a four-year-old, working a thousand hours a day on Seinfeld, and let's say unprepared for the rigors of dog ownership. Yeah, I mean, my first husband was a nice man, but he brought Jack home with no crate, no food, no dog dishes, and no plan.
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But I mean, is it a different mental state for you?
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I complain. You've become that person.
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But all of your family has moved, I believe. Yes. So you've got everybody, your daughter, your son on the farm.
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You say Mother Nature, I say feminine instinct. Yeah, feminine instinct, yeah.
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Yes, which I love, by the way, love.
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And the first thing that Jack did was escape from the house and run as fast as he fucking could east, like perhaps towards Mecca or Jerusalem. I have no idea, but Lord Almighty, did he take off. He was so fast. that my husband got on his bike and I got in a car and frantically chased after him until we finally caught him in the middle of traffic on Sunset Boulevard.
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That's so funny. That's an amazing thing to consider studying a maternal instinct. God, I have to think about that.
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Don't go anywhere. My conversation with Isabella Rossellini continues after this quick break. Planning for a dream vacation is so thrilling, and scrolling through Airbnb's website to find your dream getaway is half the fun. They even have a tab called OMG featuring their most unique stays, like a house literally shaped like a shoe. But hosting with Airbnb can be just as exciting.
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Thank you so much for having me. Finding a co-host is easy. Just head to Airbnb.com slash host, and you'll find trusted professionals ready to help. It's practical, stress-free, and the perfect way to earn a little extra money without all the work. Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at Airbnb.com slash host.
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Okay, so at this point, you can imagine, I wasn't exactly thrilled with this first husband of mine, who I should mention is Brad Hall, to whom I am surprisingly still married. So the next day, Brad thought it would be a very good idea to drive Jack the dog an hour and a half up a super curvy road to a little beach house where we were staying. And poor little Jack got very carsick.
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You had a childhood game you used to play with your mom. You would ask each other which animal you would want to be, and your mother said she'd like to be a horse. And you said, I'm afraid I would just be a sheep. I belong so strongly to a herd. Would you still say that same answer, Isabella?
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Do you see yourself aging in place on your farm and being here? How divine.
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That's very nice. You're very lucky. So you had a great dad, Roberto Rossellini. He was obviously a legendary film director, but... You described him as being a seahorse. You said that if he could have given birth to you, he would have.
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And so was he like your primary source? Do you think of emotional support when you were young?
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And then when he arrived, he proceeded to have projectile diarrhea all over the place. And I screamed so loud that Brad, in a panic, picked the poor dog up underneath his belly and tried to run him outside. And as he ran, the diarrhea sprayed like machine gun fire across all the walls of the beach cottage. And I really actually mean all the walls.
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It sounds like even though he was protective of you and maybe defensive of you when you became a teenager or a young woman, it sounds like he was very supportive of you as a woman. Is that correct?
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Probably he envisioned you having more control over your life, perhaps?
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Exactly. Yes. And I did.
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Well, it's funny you say that because I see that you said that after the death of your dad, you said if I were to divide my life into before Christ and after Christ, it would be June 3rd, 1977 when he passed away. And I lost my dad, yeah, I lost him eight years ago. It's interesting how the ground shifts, doesn't it, when you lose a parent? Incredible, incredible.
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Yeah, and also people knew them. They're known. So that adds another layer to this that maybe is complicated or maybe it's comforting.
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Yeah. Speaking of fame, you said when you were little you didn't really understand your mom's fame. No. And that's such an interesting idea to consider because when my kids were little and – And I was having some fame. I know they didn't understand it when people would come over and say they needed an autograph or something. It was off-putting. It was an intrusion.
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That's hilarious. When my son was really little, and at the time I was... Because I was on Seinfeld and we were on a lot of magazine covers, etc. So he was really sort of used to seeing me on the front page of something. And we were walking by... We were walking by a bookstore and the front window of the bookstore had a bunch of books all about Margaret Thatcher.
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And if I recall correctly, they also had sisal carpeting. So just put that in your mind, okay? Diarrhea, sisal carpeting. Yeah.
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There was some book that had just come out about her life, biography of, and it was her face on the front. And he looked and he goes, look, mommy, that's you. Any woman on the cover of anything.
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That is so dear. That is so adorable. Your mom wrote a bunch of diaries, did she not?
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It will not come as a surprise that Brad left within the hour to take the dog back to the shelter where he waited until little Jack was happily readopted by a family that was much more prepared to care for this poor creature who I fear that we had probably traumatized completely and thoroughly.
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And so did you learn a lot about your mother reading these diaries? Did you? Yeah.
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Yes, my son went there. Janine Basinger, the great Janine Basinger. Yes, Janine Basinger. It was his teacher.
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Oh, I see. But it just so happens she did. She did, yeah. Yes, of course. So... I know that I wanted to talk about a time of your life because I thought this would be interesting from sort of a, well, from a life experience point of view. 1982 to 83, a lot happened for you, if I'm getting this correctly. Your mother passed away. You got divorced. You got your first Vogue cover.
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And you had a daughter.
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So wait a minute. How did you get through that period of time? Did you have someone? Who did you look to for guidance? Yeah. Was it hard to have a baby, not having your mother around?
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So many years later, I was convinced to get another dog, a black Labradoodle we adopted from Australia, since you couldn't get Labradoodles in California yet. And Brad did his research and figured out how to bring the dog over. which was very good, and it was all very organized. And also, I should say, in my dad's family, there's this tradition of naming female dogs after flowers.
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It's such a shock. It's a shock to have a person who you're responsible for and who takes precedence over you. Exactly. There's an ego shift that is... Shall we say disarming, which is an understatement.
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So difficult. It's a new way to frame your entire life. It's funny that you said that about your accountant and getting a job because I remember I was offered a job during the summer, and this is when I was going to be taking – I only had one child at the time, but they had this thing. When they would start nursery school, they called it separation.
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So you would bring your kid to nursery school, and then you would be there for the first two weeks, and so he becomes – And then you slowly move out of nursery school. But I knew that if I took this job, I would miss that. I wouldn't be able to do it. And so I didn't take the job. And I remember my agent said to me, this is the worst decision of your career. Yes.
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Oh, fascinating.
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Well, we need more women in government. Let's start with that.
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Oh, yes. Talk about that. Please tell the story of the first stint at Lancome and then the second and that evolution because it's an amazing story.
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But now, wait a minute. How many years were you under contract for Lancome at that time? 14 years.
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And since our son Henry was a giant fan of the Powerpuff Girls, the perfect intersection there was Buttercup, and that's what we named her. And this is a dog that transformed me. I mean, I was, I still am very much a cat person, but now I'm a dog person too. Buttercup was utterly sublime.
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Oh, my God.
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And for the next 15 years of her tender little doggy life, I learned through her what it is to be truly devoted to a dog. I mean, of course, there are lots of reasons to love them. The unconditional love, the companionship, the connection. Plus, guess what? There's a science behind it. This is going to sound bullshitty, folks, but it's true.
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Okay, but wait a minute. Explain. So I just want to understand a little bit of orange sort of on your eyelid, underneath your eyebrow? Yes, right under the eyebrow. But what does that mean? What does that orange do? I don't understand that because I'm going to try this. As soon as this podcast is over, I'm going to the bathroom to do this.
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Okay. I love it. So we're getting tidbits. It's time for another break. There's much more wisdom from Isabella Rossellini when we return.
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When people spend time with dogs, and especially when we look into a dog's eyes or cuddle with a dog or whatever, our oxytocin levels rise. We looked it up. And in humans, it plays a really important role in social bonding and in love and reproduction and childbirth and caring for children after you give birth to them. And here's the completely outrageous part of all of this.
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That's CozyEarth.com slash Wiser. And if you get a post-purchase survey, tell them you heard about Cozy Earth right here. Sanctuary awaits at Cozy Earth. Wiser Than Me Season 3 is available ad-free when you subscribe to Lemonada Premium. You'll also get access to exclusive interview excerpts from each episode. Subscribe now in the Apple Podcast app.
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Were you aware of the power of your beauty when you were younger? No. And then you were not? No.
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But Isabella, once you got past that and you became a young woman and you were, of course, very beautiful, were you aware of the power of your beauty then? And then can you talk about how... If you were aware of that power, how that power has evolved as you've gotten older?
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When we make eye contact with our dogs, their oxytocin levels go up too. Isn't that amazing? So this all leads me to my mother-in-law, who is 96 years old. Talk about wiser than me, my God. She is one of the dearest, most selfless people I've ever known. She is the most selfless person I've ever known, actually.
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So, Isabella, moving on to another topic, there was this really incredible interview where you mentioned that there hasn't been – a piece of art that accurately reflects your sexual life in your 60s. And I would love to talk about the relationship with your body as you age, your relationship to intimacy and sex.
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Exactly.
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I love that that's an adventure. That's good. Yeah.
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She suffers now from serious frontal lobe dementia, but her personality, by the grace of God or whoever is in charge of the universe, is utterly unchanged. And if you met her, your oxytocin levels would skyrocket because she's just that kind of a person. So we often take our dog, George, over to her little cottage to visit. And she has no functional memory at all.
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But here's the thing. Are you missing that now? Do you want to have another boyfriend? Are you happy to be back to being single?
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So let's talk about reinvention, actually, because, well, for example, your performance in Death Becomes Her, which was so wonderful, really so wonderful. And... We're talking, of course, about eternal youth in that movie. And in your memoir, you wrote something so beautiful, which was, I may not like myself old, but I like myself ancient.
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And... I think I know what that means to me, but what does that mean to you?
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Hey, let's talk about having a twin sister. I have sisters-in-law who are twins, although they're identical twins, and you are a fraternal twin. Do you feel like a psychic connection to your sister, to your twin sister?
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Oh, gosh, that's so lovely to have that connection with someone, a sister, a sibling. Okay, Isabella, going back to animal behavior now, I can't remember exactly where I read this, but you were talking about something called cryptic female choice. And I am so dying to hear more about this. Can you tell us about that?
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So every time she meets our George, for her, it's like meeting a new dog. And each time we have to remind her that our dog, George, is named after her husband, whose name was George. And she laughs and she throws her head back. She thinks that is just so hilarious. Yeah.
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Crazy. This is already crazy. Crazy.
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Mm, mm, mm. Cryptic female choices might want to be the title of a book you write. I think there's something to it that is so spectacular. Yeah, I mean, chapter one could be choosing to be single as a cryptic female choice.
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Okay, so a couple of quick, short questions I ask at the end I'm going to throw at you, Isabella. Is there something you're looking forward to?
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Is there something you wish you'd spent less time on, Isabella, in your life?
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And then she looks George straight in the eye and she ruffles his fur and she says in her inimitable way, she goes, oh, the only dogs. And then George, and here's the amazing thing, he only does this with her, okay? He curls up right at her feet and sometimes even on her feet and he doesn't move until we have to go. He just becomes kindness. Kindness.
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Okay. Is there something that you would like me to know about aging?
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Well, I mean, you know, I'm aging and I have found it to be wonderful thus far.
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Oh, that's beautiful. I love that. Community, baby. It's community and laughter.
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Yeah, it really is. It really is. Well, thank you so much for taking time. What a delightful conversation. Yes.
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90. Good for her. Yeah, I'm going to ask her. Yeah, I'm going to hang up with you, and I'm going to call her on Zoom, and hopefully she'll be able to turn the Zoom on, and we'll be good to go.
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Who doesn't? But anyway, thank you so much. It's been an utter delight. I would like to come and stay at your bed and breakfast sometime. Come. Anytime. Anytime. Okay. I think I might. And you can show me the bees and all of it. Yes.
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Okay. Well, lots of love and many thanks. You're very generous.
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Thank you. Wow. Well, that was all just so mind blowing. I learned so much in this conversation with Isabella. I got to get my mom on the Zoom right away to tell her all about it. Hi, Mommy. Oh, hi, love. So I just talked to Isabella Rossellini. And first of all, she knows the podcast. So she goes, are you going to call your mom now? And I said, yes. And she goes, I will tell her I said hi.
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Gosh, you're going to love listening to this episode. She's such a delightful human being and so giggly and she's got a lot of joy in her life. We can't get too much of that. No, but she has a farm in Long Island. She has a bed and breakfast there. It would be fun to go. And she has a lot of animals.
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I mean, for real, that would be fun to do, to spend a day, a night there and look around the farm and figure things out. Oh, dear. I think I'm concocting an adventure, Mommy. I may have to take you away to go there. I will do that. Oh, my God. And then maybe we could tour the farm, and she has a farmer who does incredible things there, and she's got the sheep and the chickens. Oh, wait.
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And how can it be that this little domesticated wolf creature can know exactly what he needs to do to bring a tiny bit of joy to his dearest granny? And isn't it so wonderful that there are sometimes unexpected places that love and warmth and joy can be found, even when times seem a little dark? You know, as for all of us these days, they often do.
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So this is what I'm going to tell you. So there's a scientific term, and it's called cryptic female choices, and it has to do with certain animals in the animal kingdom who, when they are mated with – have the ability to control certain aspects of mating. For example, if a chicken is mated by a rooster and doesn't like the rooster, the chicken's vagina can spat out the sperm.
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It's funny you say that Mary Oliver quote because she was talking about how she likes the soft wrinkles of her dog who's old, but she doesn't like her neck. And she aims to like her neck the way she likes her dog's wrinkles. It's sort of the same idea.
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I know. She's had such a varied, interesting life, you know.
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That's fantastic. And by the way, this is not the only thing she does. She's also a director. She continues to act. She's in this movie that's called Conclave. So she's doing a lot of things. But she wanted me to ask you if you agree with her, I think, which is the key, she thinks, to aging, I guess she might say happily or aging well, as simplistic as this sounds, is laughter and community.
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And I'm sure you agree with that.
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And I think you've got both of those things going for you, mommy, don't you?
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Ah, look at the morning. Ah, ha, ha, ha.
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Okay. Okay, mommy. I think it's time for us to sign off.
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Love you, my mama. Love you, love you, love you. Okay. So I realized right after I had hung up here on the Zoom with my mom that I had missed an opportunity. So I got her back on the Zoom. Hi, Mama. Oh, hi, love. The reason that I wanted to get you back on Zoom was because after we had our little conversation, I thought, oh, my God, I should have you read that Mary Oliver poem.
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I think that would be so nice for everybody to hear.
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Yeah, it's especially a good poem for now. So why don't you go ahead and read it, and we can all just relax and listen to that.
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So when George lies down at Granny's feet, it just, it really makes me weep. And as Shakespeare said, this is such a great line. Shakespeare says, how much better is it to weep at joy than to joy at weeping? So that's what I'm thinking about today. Sorry, I'm choked up. Animals, family, friends, warmth, and joy. Let's focus on that.
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Love you, mommy. Soft animal, my mommy.
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There's more Wiser Than Me with Lemonada Premium on Apple. You can listen to every episode of Season 3 ad-free. Subscribers also get access to exclusive bonus interview excerpts from each episode. Subscribe now by clicking on the Wiser Than Me podcast logo in the Apple Podcasts app and then hitting the subscribe button. Make sure you're following Wiser Than Me on social media.
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We're on Instagram and TikTok at Wiser Than Me, and we're on Facebook at Wiser Than Me Podcast. Wiser Than Me is a production of Lemonada Media, created and hosted by me, Julia Louis-Dreyfus. This show is produced by Chrissy Pease, Jamila Zahra Williams, Alex McCohen, and Oja Lopez. Brad Hall is a consulting producer.
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Rachel Neal is VP of new content, and our SVP of weekly content and production is Steve Nelson. Executive producers are Paula Kaplan, Stephanie Whittles-Wax, Jessica Cordova-Kramer, and me. The show is mixed by Johnny Vince Evans with engineering help from James Sparber. And our music was written by Henry Hall, who you can also find on Spotify or wherever you listen to your music.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Isabella Rossellini
Special thanks to Will Schlegel and, of course, my mother, Judith Bowles. Follow Wiser Than Me wherever you get your podcasts. And if there's a wise old lady in your life, listen up.
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And that makes talking today with the endlessly joyful Isabella Rossellini just about perfect. Hi, I'm Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and this is Wiser Than Me, the podcast where I get schooled by women who are wiser than me.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Isabella Rossellini
If legendary filmmaker Roberto Rossellini and iconic Oscar-winning actress Ingrid Bergman had a child together, you might guess the kid would turn out to be either a brilliant director, a phenomenal actor, or strikingly beautiful. Well, you'd be spot on because our guest today is all three of those things and more.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Isabella Rossellini
The strikingly beautiful part, her 14-year contract with Lancôme made her the highest paid model of her time. The phenomenal actress part, she starred in classic cult films like David Lynch's Blue Velvet and Wild at Heart, in Marcel the Shell, and her latest, Conclave, in which she is just sensational.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Isabella Rossellini
She also steers her own projects, like directing the incredible Green Porno series that became a viral hit. I love it. Diving into the love lives of the animal kingdom, only Isabella could make snail sex both educational and utterly charming.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Isabella Rossellini
She's truly one of a kind, constantly experimenting and pushing boundaries, and always with a fearless authenticity that, even though she's been doing it for decades, is exciting and surprising and even shocking. I just love this. In her 50s, as modeling work and acting roles disappeared, she went back to school to get her master's degree in animal behavior and conservation.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Isabella Rossellini
At her graduation, she addressed her fellow students to say, I am here to tell you that if you ever encounter a dip in your life, pay no attention to the voice inside of you that judges you, that is negative, that fosters further anxiety. Just follow your curiosities. That's great for our show. And when Isabella Rossellini follows her curiosity, she goes big.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Isabella Rossellini
Today, she owns and operates Mama Farm in Long Island with her two children. They have goats, ducks, turkeys, over 150 chickens, and a small flock of rare breeds of sheep named after iconic female artists like Garbo, Callow, and O'Keeffe. Who does that? The woman is living life entirely on her own terms. But the real legacy she's building is through her work in sustainability, community, and art.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Isabella Rossellini
I am so happy to speak today with a twin sister. Mother, grandmother, creative force, and chicken lover who is absolutely wiser than me, the marvelous Isabella Rossellini. Welcome, Isabella.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Isabella Rossellini
Oh, cry. Thank you. We cry on this show, so go right ahead and weep away is what I have to say. So are you comfortable if I ask your real age?
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Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Isabella Rossellini
And how old do you feel, Isabella?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Isabella Rossellini
Yeah, exactly. Luckily. Yeah. I mean, the alternative is not what we want. Yeah, the alternative is not so good. So what do you think is the best part about being your age, if you were to say?
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Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Isabella Rossellini
Well, you can paraphrase.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Isabella Rossellini
I'm sure I've mentioned here on Wiser Than Me that I have a dog named George, whom I love with all my heart. He is perfect. Well, he's got inflammatory bowel disease, and he is allergic to everything. And he barks way too much when somebody comes to the door. He barks so much, actually, that it makes my Apple Watch give me a decibel alert thing. But still, he is perfect.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Isabella Rossellini
Yeah, freedom and serenity. I love that. I love that. Yes. It's funny. It reminds me, completely off topic, but kind of related. Back in the days when I was doing Seinfeld, and there was something that Jerry Stiller, there was a line that he used to say. He used to scream... He used to scream serenity now when he was looking to be calm.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Isabella Rossellini
He would scream serenity now, which is not exactly, of course, what you're talking about. But it makes me laugh whenever I hear the word serenity. I think of it. So you have this font. which is incredible. And you are a farmer. And as I mentioned, you have 150 chickens thereabouts and sheep and bees and the whole nine yards, kit and caboodle. What's your routine like on the farm?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Isabella Rossellini
Yeah. Oh my God. Yeah. Love you. Okay. Love you. Love you.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
Well, hello there. It's me, Julia Louis-Dreyfus. I'm so happy to be back with Season 3 of Wiser Than Me. And to celebrate that, I am so excited to share that we have partnered with Lingua Franca, a New York City-based luxury and sustainable clothing brand, to offer our listeners Wiser Than Me-specific hand-embroidered sweaters, sweatshirts, and more. LEMONADA LEMONADA
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
My high school was so different, but just as foundational. My high school and elementary school was a private all-girls school. I went there for 10 years. And then, my God, my father, I do not know why, he wanted me to go to an all-girls college, which I definitely did not want to do. He absolutely insisted that we go tour Wellesley College.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
We had Rita Moreno on this podcast. She's wonderful. She's wonderful. Did you know that she dated Elvis Presley? And she said he was kind of boring.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
I know, but I mean, I have to say that was a shock for me to hear that. I think that's amazing.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
Good for you, reaching across the aisle.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
So we did, and we ended up having this huge fight about the school while walking across the quad. And all of a sudden, a bee flies up my skirt and stings me on the ass. This is a true story, you guys. No kidding. And I started screaming in front of the whole tour group like a crazy person. The good news is I didn't have to go on the rest of the tour. So that was excellent.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
So you hit an obstacle, you know, like, well, the Affordable Care Act, that was a hard one, was it not? I mean, and you launched a campaign across the country to get the word out about the Affordable Care Act, right? To have people tell their personal stories. Were there other examples of that kind of leadership that you did, Nancy, before the Affordable Care Act to get legislation done?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
There's much more with Nancy Pelosi in just a moment. Stay right where you are. This show is sponsored by Liquid IV. Between traveling, hosting big gatherings and keeping your family sane, there's always a lot going on this time of year. When life gets that hectic, taking care of yourself and staying hydrated tends to fall off the radar.
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Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
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Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
But anyway, back to my all-girls high school. My school has a roster of wildly successful female alums, and maybe that's because at a school like mine, everyone who is the captain of a team or the star of a play or president of the class or the valedictorian or whatever is a woman.
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Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
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That's symbiotica.com slash wiser for 20% off your order plus free shipping today. Filmmaking can take you anywhere. Sometimes it's to a soundstage, and other times you get to go abroad to fab places like London or Paris. The only downside to traveling? Your home is left unused while you're off exploring. That's why hosting on Airbnb is such a great idea.
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Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
It turns those travel days into an opportunity to earn extra income. Whether it's a spare room, a cozy guest house, or your entire home while you're away... Airbnb makes it easy to share what you have. You're in control every step of the way. Decide when you host, who stays, and how much you charge. Plus, Airbnb offers tools and support to help you feel confident and secure.
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Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
You might be wondering whether your place is a good fit for Airbnb, but many hosts started with the same question. So if you've ever thought about listing your space, now's the perfect time. Turn unused space into extra income and give travelers a chance to experience your city like a local. Plus, then you can use that extra cash for your next adventure, wherever your travels may take you.
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Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at Airbnb.com slash host. After the 2016 election, you described Hillary's loss as actually physical, like a mule kicking you in the back, which, by the way, I think is very apt. I felt the same way. Many of us now are still feeling maybe even a bigger sting, a bigger kick.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
Can you give us some advice, Nancy, about how we move through our feelings of not just disappointment, maybe even despair? I know you talk about, you say, don't agonize, organize, which I love, love, love.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
And when you look at lists of successful women, CEOs, members of Congress, musicians, journalists, the percentage that went to all-girls schools is considerable. Kind of stunning. I mean, everybody from Pink to Michigan Senator Alyssa Slotkin to Ambassador Susan Rice and Melinda Gates to, I don't know, the Wicked Witch of the West, Margaret Hamilton. Yes, it's true.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
By the way, congratulations. You won your seat again. No surprise, but that's so fabulous. And in an interview, you said, I'm confident in my ability to lead because I know my strengths. So my question is, what are your strengths? What do you see your strengths as being? Well, first of all,
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
They all went to all-girls schools. So am I making a pitch for all-girls education? Well, no, not exactly. I'm making a pitch for putting women in charge.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
You do say in your book, lead by instinct, that you have to trust your judgment, have the confidence to act when the moment demands. So here I have a question about that. I have a question about the use of strategy versus intuition instinct, right? Because a couple of moments, for example—
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
But when the former president, the president-elect, when he made that speech, that State of the Union, and you tore up the speech, were you—had you read the speech before and did you think, I'm going to tear it up, or that was an instinct, that you had the intuition to do it in that moment?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
Well, it was an iconic moment. And your gesture, it was like, talk about blowing off steam. It was a huge relief to see you do that. It was like, oh, there's a sane person reacting sanely to insanity. But it was such a sad speech.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
It's a pitch for an even playing field because I bet the powerful and successful women who did not go to all-girls schools were also at some point in positions where their leadership was allowed or maybe they powerfully insisted it be allowed to flourish. Success followed. Of course, not everyone is a leader, obviously. But when women lead, everyone benefits, men included.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
By the way, there's no male intuition. You'll notice that's not a phrase.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
Nine out of ten, it's still an A. But you make it happen.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
Yeah. It's time to take another break. We'll be right back with more wisdom from Nancy Pelosi. I know we're all so excited to find the perfect gifts for the people we love. There's nothing like seeing your adult child light up because you finally nailed it and surprise them with exactly what they wanted. Macy's Friends and Family Sale is here to help make that magic happen.
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Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
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It's good for everybody. At my all-girls high school, which was far from perfect, it had its own stupid rules and prejudices and very conservative ideology, my experience of seeing women lead without apology, myself included, by the way, instilled in me an expectation of female leadership, a normalization. That's the word. That was just how it was, and it was wonderful.
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Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
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If you get a post-purchase survey, say you heard about Cozy Earth on the Wiser Than Me podcast. We'll be right back. with none of the prep that's required of a standard colonoscopy. It is the only FDA-approved, non-invasive screening test that looks for both altered DNA and blood in your stool.
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Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
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Do not use Cologuard if you have had adenomas. have inflammatory bowel disease and certain hereditary syndromes, or a personal or family history of colorectal cancer. False positive and negative results may occur. Any positive results should be followed by a colonoscopy, not a replacement for colonoscopy in high-risk patients. The Cologuard test is available by prescription only.
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Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
Wiser Than Me Season 3 is available ad-free when you subscribe to Lemonada Premium. You'll also get access to exclusive interview excerpts from each episode. Subscribe now in the Apple Podcast app. I know you've said you characterized yourself as being shy when you were younger. Do you recall a moment when you first entered public service?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
Do you remember a time where you got pushed back and you had to really steal yourself and go? No. No.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
Having children obviously prepared you for all of this, correct?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
And then out in the real world, my classmates and I just expected to be taken seriously. And when we weren't, we would put up a hell of a fight. I mean, if I've learned one thing from Wiser Than Me, it is that the women we have been so honored to talk to from everywhere. every walk of life, they know how to put up one hell of a fight. They know how to lead.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
I would say, see, this is why I like so much playing Selina Meyer on beat and why I think I could tap into it because there are parallels, you know? You have to stay relevant. You have to keep getting elected. You have to, as an actor, keep getting jobs. And you need to be electable. And the parallels are kind of run deep. You're a brand. You're a brand.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
There's a brand of you that you're selling, right?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
You said that if your mother, Big Nancy, which is the greatest name ever, you said, if she lived in my generation or my daughter's generations, my goodness, Lord knows what she would have been able to accomplish. Because she was an inventor. She held a number of patents, which is extraordinary. One for a steamed facial machine. Can you talk about her and her influence in your life?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
I remember what a good man he was. I remember when I was back in the 80s, I was on Saturday Night Live for a couple of years. And he hosted when I was there.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
No, you have not crossed the bridge. I'm going to help you with this. Speaking of your mom, this is something I found incredibly touching, that when you were first in Congress and you would get letters from your mother whenever— Oh, woman. A woman was appointed. Can you please tell us what those letters were? That is mind-blowing to me.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
And she would say it, tell them I'm praying for them.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
They have, every one of them, earned our deep, deep respect. So as I've said many times, listen to old women, motherfuckers. And we're just scratching the surface of each of these individuals' life story, the tons and tons of wisdom they can pass along to us.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
What a loss it has been for our country, our culture, to not hear from all of the women with brilliant ideas and tons of talent and genius, the women who have been kept from leadership, from flourishing by stupid rules, by what is now almost laughingly called the patriarchy. Well, fellas, you're lost because women in leadership roles, well, I mean, obviously, we're not 100% fabulous.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
Yes, this is from the suffragette movement.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
Yeah, we do, and hopefully it'll be in our lifetime. Not mine. Oh, absolutely. It'll be in your lifetime. Nancy, just stick with the hot dogs and the chocolate ice cream. You're going to outlive us all. So, look, I'd like to ask you about your marriage. Yeah. For the first, I guess, maybe 25 years, I guess it seemed pretty traditional, I think. And he had a very demanding, successful career.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
How did your marriage evolve as your political career demanded more of you? Yeah.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
Why five? Why didn't you go for more?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
I'll grant you that. I mean, you do get your occasional insanely crappy congresswoman, your idiot female pundit. We're not batting 1,000, but we're batting in the high 400s, and even Ted Williams never did that. Well, how perfect then.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
But you were thinking outside the box. That's kind of, that's fabulous.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
You've been in Washington so long, Nancy, and you've been on the front lines. You've witnessed so much in terms of the vitriol in the discourse between sides has become so toxic. It's the most toxic I've ever witnessed in my lifetime. Yeah, let's eat chocolate. Absolutely have a piece. Yeah. And do you think, before I ask you any more, can I have one of these too? Okay. Is it good?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
Is it worth it? It's delicious. Oh, this is too huge. They're big. Yeah, they're big. All right. Well, anyway, I'm going to ask you this question and then eat this. Do you think it's ever going to be possible to pull back from this toxicity? I mean, do you think it's possible to sort of put the toothpaste back in the tube in terms of public discourse in your heart of hearts?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
that we talk today on the last show of the season to a fellow all-girls high school graduate and one of the greatest female leaders of our time, maybe even the greatest female leader of our time, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi. I'm Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and this is Wiser Than Me, the podcast where I get schooled by women who are wiser than me.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
Yeah, and I think that most people are fundamentally good, and so we have to count on that and believe in that and move forward with that in our hearts and minds, right? The goodness of the American people...
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
I think I'm going to convert to Catholicism after this conversation. Okay. I don't know what I'm going to do on confession, but I may have to do it. All right. We have to wind things up because you have places to go. I have quick little questions to ask you. Is there something you go back and tell yourself at 21, Nancy? I'm glad we got the chocolates.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
So maybe. You would maybe spend more time on a little self-care. A little. Or just a shower, perhaps.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
God bless you. Thank you. Thank you, Nancy Pelosi. What a treat to have you here. My pleasure.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
Well, thank you for saying that. My father came here. He was born in France, of course. And so for him to have the opportunity to meet the French president, to come to a state dinner like that was pretty mind-blowing. It was really an exciting—that was an exciting evening for sure.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
All right. We done did it. Here we go. You want more chocolate?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
Hey folks, before we begin, we wanted to let you know that this episode was recorded before Speaker Pelosi's recent accident in Luxembourg. We are keeping her in our thoughts and sending our love for a smooth and speedy recovery.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
Well, wasn't that something else? Oh, my goodness. Ladies and gentlemen. Wow. Okay. So normally, of course, on this podcast, I call my mother after these conversations and I sort of bring her up to speed on the conversation that I've had with the wise woman I was talking to. But in this case... My dear mom was listening because she was so excited to hear it live. So she heard the conversation.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
We're going to grab her on Zoom now to see what her thoughts are. Sit tight. Hi, Mommy.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
Yeah, I know. I felt the same. By the way, I don't know if you know this, but my sister Lauren came to watch it live, too, as did my niece, your granddaughter, Fia. And she came along as well. And so she got to meet Nancy Pelosi, which was very important and exciting. I thought that was cool.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
Well, not just her grandchildren. She brought all the children up. Well, yes. So there were lots of people who had brought their kids on the opening day of Congress and they had brought their children and grandchildren to the floor. And so she invited all the children up. Right. Which is so cool of her to have done.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
And also, by the way, you know what else is interesting? She has said many times that she's doing the work she does, she's doing it for the children. She uses that phrase a lot. I thought that was particularly interesting because I don't know if you remember, but Patti Smith, when she was on the show, she said the same thing.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
When people ask her where she stands, she says she stands for the children. That's an interesting framework to think about a point of view, a political point of view, to apply that lens to help you come to a conclusion or an opinion.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
It is an axiom, an undisputed truth that in the developing world, the fastest, most effective way to bring a village, a province, a nation out of poverty to reduce disease, crime, and violence is to empower women. But right here in our own rich, supposedly sophisticated nation, we're too stupid to apply that same axiom. We need more women in positions of power.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
Okay, but I think that the calendar thing probably has to do with an update on the iPhone, and I can help you figure out the calendar. There's a search thing that you can push.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
I will. I promise. So, by the way, this is, as you know, the end of season three. And I think what a perfect conversation to end on because we can all sort of leave this season thinking about what is our why and kind of pound down on understanding why. not only what our why is, but how it came to be, and then apply it to our life and move forward positively.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
And I mean, it sounds like this is all of a sudden a self-help podcast. I really don't want it to be or mean it to be. But anyway, it's interesting, an interesting thing to consider. I've actually been thinking about what is my why. I'm not really sure what it is, but I'm thinking about it. Anyway,
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
I just want to say that's the end of Wiser Than Me Season 3, and it was a great one to go out on, and bam, there you go, right? Oh, yeah. Sorry. Sorry, Mommy. Had you fallen asleep? No, no.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
I didn't know who I was talking to either. I'm talking to our listeners, but I'm also talking to you. Yeah, you're still on here.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
Yeah, that's right. So it's true. If you've got older women in your life, take some time to listen to them. You might learn something. And, Mommy, I learned tons from you, and I love you tons.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
There's more Wiser Than Me with Lemonada Premium on Apple. You can listen to every episode of Season 3 ad-free. Subscribers also get access to exclusive bonus interview excerpts from each episode. Subscribe now by clicking on the Wiser Than Me podcast logo in the Apple Podcasts app and then hitting the subscribe button. Make sure you're following Wiser Than Me on social media.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
We're on Instagram and TikTok at Wiser Than Me, and we're on Facebook at Wiser Than Me Podcast. Wiser Than Me is a production of Lemonada Media, created and hosted by me, Julia Louis-Dreyfus. This show is produced by Chrissy Pease, Jamila Zahra Williams, Alex McCohen, and Oja Lopez. Brad Hall is a consulting producer.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
Rachel Neal is VP of New Content, and our SVP of Weekly Content and Production is Steve Nelson. Executive Producers are Paula Kaplan, Stephanie Whittles-Wax, Jessica Cordova-Kramer, and me. The show is mixed by Johnny Vince Evans with engineering help from James Sparber, and our music was written by Henry Hall, who you can also find on Spotify or wherever you listen to your music.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
Special thanks to Will Schlegel and, of course, my mother, Judith Bowles. Well, believe it or not, this is the final episode of season three. And because it takes a lot of people to make a show like this, I wanted to take a moment and quickly thank all of the many wise people who helped make this podcast possible.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
And of course, I'm not saying men should stay away from politics. I mean, we've had 45 male presidents and almost two and a half of them were great presidents. Right. And one of those wasn't even named Washington or Lincoln. I'll let you guess who that was. I'm just saying if you want to get stuff done, hire women. Elect women.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
Our incredible marketing team includes Lizzie Breyer-Bowman, Jackie Westfall, Sahar Baharlou, Rose Dennis, Amber Girardi-Robinson, Grace Cohen Chen, and Emily Dentinger. Thanks to our friends in business development, Cece Dongbrin, Val Bodurtha, Mia Licardi, Ron Russ, and Dana Wickens.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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With additional support from Autumn Dornfeld, Christina Perdomo-Fernandez, Rochelle Green, Brian Castillo, and Noah Smith. Follow Wiser Than Me wherever you get your podcasts. And if there's a wise old lady in your life, listen up.
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Hey, Wiser Than Me listeners, we want to hear from you. By just answering a few questions on our listener survey, you can share feedback about show content you'd like to see in the future and help us think about what brands would serve you best. And even better, once you've completed the survey, you can enter for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card.
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The survey is short and sweet and will help us play ads you don't want to skip and keep bringing you content you love. Just go to LemonadaMedia.com slash survey. LemonadaMedia.com slash survey.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Case in point, Nancy Pelosi, the first and only female Speaker of the House and arguably, and I'm going to make the argument, the most effective speaker and leader in a century. Nancy Pelosi didn't run for public office until she was 47 years old. Can you believe what I am saying? and think of what she has done.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
Always a fierce advocate for the unseen and unheard, starting with the AIDS crisis in the 80s through the Affordable Care Act, which she, through her magical political jujitsu, somehow worked through Congress and now insures millions of Americans. Her stupendous tenacity has led her to become the most powerful woman in the Western world.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
It is no surprise that Nancy Pelosi grew up in a family that lived and breathed politics. Her dad, Tommy D'Alessandro Jr., wasn't just a visionary Democratic congressman. He was also a great dancer and the mayor of Baltimore. Her mom, Big Nancy—I love that name—was a whip-smart strategist, inventor, and I'm guessing—guessing, possibly—the brains behind her husband—
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
And Nancy, she was little Nancy, the shy youngest of six children and, of course, the only girl. When Nancy became a public servant, she showed us what tough, unwavering, principled persistence looks like. She leads with agility and ferocity and does it while taking zero crap.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
My God, the threats and real violence she has had to put up with throughout her career, the classless, insipid, dangerous way that the people who are taking power right now think they can talk about this great woman. I don't know how she perseveres, so let's find out. I can't wait to talk to someone who I have been...
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
It's hilarious to me how often a conversation with somebody in their 50s or 60s or even 70s will start with the words, well, when I was in high school. We never get over high school, do we? Seriously. I mean, as my own kids get older, I see constant proof, for good or ill, that these high school years are critical and formative.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
So truly lucky to work with on so many issues important to me and to her, and who is simply one of the smartest, wisest, most fascinating people we'll ever have the privilege of talking with on our show. My God, I am deeply honored to welcome a mother, a grandmother, a person of faith, the Speaker of the House Emerita, the voice of the Democratic Party, a real deadhead, and a woman who is...
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
completely and utterly wiser than me, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi. Welcome, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
I want to just ask you some silly questions at the very top, if I may. Please. Are you comfortable if I ask you your real age?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
Like young girls do, too. By the way, we have chocolate here for you because we heard you were a bit of a chocoholic.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
We have that in common, by the way. What's the best part, do you think, about being your age? May I call you Nancy?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
Yeah, I know. I don't feel that way. I know what you mean. Well, of course, you're so vibrant. You're doing everything all the time. So I can understand. You just have more experience under your belt, right?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
What about, are you wearing heels right now?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
Yeah. You know, it's funny, because when I was doing this show called Veep, in which I played the vice president and then the president, and I was always in heels like the heels that you often wear. Stilettos, mm-hmm. Yeah. And we made a whole thing of me taking off my shoes once I got back into my office and being barefoot. Do you take your shoes off when you're working? Not so much.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
Not so much. My God, these heels don't bother your back?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
What about food? I mean, I know you eat chocolate ice cream, but like when you're at work, do they have good food on Capitol Hill, like at the house there? Is there any good food?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
I have to tell you, I was once in the—I had the great pleasure of having lunch with then-Vice President Biden in his office. Yes. And I was really nervous because I'd never been, you know, hanging out like that with a vice president before.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
That's right. But when it came to the real thing, I was anxious. And we sat down to eat and... He starts to order, and I didn't have any appetite because I was so nervous. And I said, oh, I'll just have a salad. And he says, I'll have that salad. And he goes, oh, no, no, you should have the crab cakes. He goes, just bring the crab cakes, too.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
And the next thing I know, I've got this huge plate of crab cakes and this massive salad, and I could barely eat a thing. I'm sure he—anyway, whatever. But I did have it by the crab cakes. They're pretty good. At least the White House crab cakes were good. Yeah, that's a different— Well, of course, you're near Maryland, and crab cakes are part of our staples. I know. Coming from Maryland.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Nancy Pelosi
Totally, totally. You graduated from the Institute of Notre Dame. It was an all-girls Catholic high school in Baltimore, right? Yes. By the way, I went to an all-girls school, too, in Bethesda, Maryland. And I have to say there was a huge benefit to going to an all-girls school. Did you like going to an all-girls school?
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Hi there. It's me, Julia Louis-Dreyfus. We're back for season three of Wiser Than Me. We're ready to bring you even more wisdom from the magnificent old women I have had the pleasure of talking to this season. And get a load of this. We've added some fun new items to our Wiser Than Me merch collection.
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And I put them on and I'd forgotten how, because I wore culottes when I was a little girl, but I had forgotten how unbelievably comfortable culottes were. And I was like, oh my God, I think I've got to own these. But I wasn't sure. And I thought, oh, maybe this is just a moment. I'm going to put them on hold. I'm going to go have some lunch. So I put them on hold and then I went to go have lunch.
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And I was thinking about, should I buy them or not? And as I'm thinking about that, one of my teeth fell out of my mouth. Wow. I don't know why, but all of a sudden my tooth fell out. And I thought that was a sign that perhaps I had lived a little bit too long to start running around in culottes.
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What if you don't have any teeth in your mouth? No, I'm kidding. You think you can wear culottes until you're 90? Yeah.
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And he was, be still, my beating heart, perfect. And Bobby had a big hit song called, Julie, Do You Love Me? Julie, Julie, Julie, do you love me? Julie, Julie, Julie, do you care? Julie, Julie, are you thinking of me? Julie, Julie, will you still be there? I mean, I didn't like being called Julie because my name is Julia. But Bobby didn't know that when he wrote that song for me.
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You mean in culottes or generally speaking? What are you talking about?
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By the way, you know, on your Instagram, the picture that you posted of yourself in your bathing suit, you look so beautiful and so strong. And I just wanted to applaud you for it. I just I thought it was inspirational.
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What about this word? Well, again, I'm going to use this word aging, which I shouldn't. but I will for this question I wanted to ask you about. You know that phrase, aging gracefully? I feel like there's a lot to unpack there because— Well, just call it living gracefully. Living gracefully, right.
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But it has a lot of different meanings to different people, and the idea of how to present yourself as a person who has lived a long time and You know, and the judgment about plastic surgery or not to have plastic surgery and all that stuff.
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I think that's incredible because I've had the exact same experience. Exactly. I always wanted to get older. I really did. It was like, even, I have to tell you, this is going to sound strange, but even when I started to develop as a teenager and my breasts started coming in and I noticed that they were very... upright.
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And I used to push them down because I wanted them to look like my mother's breasts that would hang a little bit more. And I would push them down because it drove me crazy. And it's funny you say that.
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More with Diane von Furstenberg after the break.
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Hey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus here. If you listen to me on my Wiser Than Me podcast, you probably already know that I'm an investor and an evangelist for the Mill Food Recycler. There are a lot of reasons to love Mill, but for me, it's all about the impact. Keeping food out of the garbage is one of the most powerful things we can do to help the planet every single day.
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We're talking banana peels, carrot tops, old takeout. When that stuff heads to the landfill, it becomes a huge driver of climate change. If you already compost, great. But of course, there's the smell, the flies, the running to the curb every day with a little leaking compost bag made of cornstarch. That's where Mill comes in. It makes keeping food out of the trash as easy as dropping it in.
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It can handle nearly anything from a turkey carcass to like 20 avocado pits. It works automatically while you sleep. You can keep filling it for weeks and it never, ever smells. Mill makes dry, nutrient-rich grounds that you can use in your garden, add to your compost, feed to your chickens, or Mill can get them back to a small farm for you. But you kind of have to live with Mill to really get it.
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And that's why they offer a risk-free trial. Go to mill.com slash wiser for an exclusive offer. Maybe your mom's always wanted to learn how to paint or write that novel or finally perfect her sourdough game. This Mother's Day, help her get started with Masterclass. Our parents taught us so much.
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With a membership, you get unlimited access to classes across cooking, writing, design, leadership, photography, and more. For just $10 a month, build annually. That's every single instructor, anytime, anywhere. And it actually works. Did you know that 88% of members say Masterclass has had a positive impact on their lives? Plus, every new membership comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
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He and I were meant to be together if there had just been some way for us to meet. So at the age of eight, I decided I would write a letter to Bobby Sherman. Not a fan letter, but a personal love letter. I can't remember now all the details of my letter, but I certainly can remember how it opened because it was so fucking clever. It went like this. Dear Bobby, I think you're really cute.
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This Mother's Day, give your mom something inspiring to dive into. Our Wiser Than Me listeners always get great discounts on Masterclass of at least 15% off any annual membership at masterclass.com slash wiser. See Masterclass's latest deal at least 15% off at masterclass.com slash wiser. Masterclass.com slash wiser. Let's talk about being a woman in power, right?
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and how our culture here particularly can make you doubt yourself. What has that experience been like for you? I mean, how did you become a confident leader? Is that something you had to cultivate or it came to you naturally?
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What would be a vulnerability that you would own that would then somehow become an asset?
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How's that for a start? Question mark, with a heart at the bottom of the question mark instead of a period, because that's what the cool second graders did back then. But the real clincher, I was going to enclose a photograph, a photograph that was guaranteed, goddamn guaranteed to make him love me back. And
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And did you take those lessons that you learned from your mother and did you apply them to being a mother yourself?
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Is there an example that you can recall in your life where you've confronted fear and looked it in the face and overcome it? Is there anything specific that you could tell us about?
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Along with our classic tote bag and kitchen tea towel, we're introducing a new Wiser Than Me branded hardcover notebook. and an exclusive partnership with Lingua Franca, a New York City-based luxury and sustainable clothing brand. You've got to check out the gorgeous hand-embroidered sweatshirts, cashmere sweaters for you and your dog with Wiser Than Me phrases. Yeah, cashmere for your dog.
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Huh. It's stepping outside yourself and looking back in. Changing your lens. Changing your lens.
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I had cancer too, and I was terrified. I didn't have your mother's advice in my ear, but what I did do was take one step at a time. Exactly. I approached it as if it were something to be approached in manageable parts, and that's exactly what I did, you know? Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Talk about relaxing. How do you relax? What do you do to relax?
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I'm a big hiker. Me too. Yeah. Me too. And if you go by yourself, it's an entirely different experience. And swimming.
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Now, at this time in my life, I had two items of clothing in my closet that I knew were can't-miss sure things. The first was a two-piece pink ruffle gingham bathing suit with bottoms that went all the way up to my waist. In my mind, this was, of course, a bikini.
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You know, I've taken up swimming recently, too. Let me ask you something. What do you do about the sun when you're out there? Do you wear like a full body UV suit?
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Because then, yeah, yeah, yeah.
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Two hours? My God in heaven. What does that mean? How many miles are you going? That's a couple of miles, is it not?
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Have you been meditating a long time, your whole life?
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My conversation with Diane von Furstenberg continues after the break. What's one easy thing we can do for the planet every day? We can stop putting food in the garbage. We're talking banana peels, carrot tops, old takeout. When that stuff heads to the landfill, it becomes a huge driver of climate change. So we compost, right?
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Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Diane von Furstenberg
I have recently looked at some pictures of me in the aforementioned bikini, and honestly, with the ruffles on the back, it looks like I'm still wearing a diaper. It really does. The second item from my closet, a pair of vinyl white, almost knee-high go-go boots. Do you hear what I just said? Go-go boots. I knew that either one of these would probably have been enough to seal the deal with Bobby.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Diane von Furstenberg
But then there's the smell, the flies, the running to the curb every day with a little leaking compost bag made of cornstarch. This is why I'm an investor and an evangelist for the Mill Food Recycler. It makes keeping food out of the trash as easy as dropping it in. It can handle nearly anything from a turkey carcass to like 20 avocado pits. It works automatically while you sleep.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Diane von Furstenberg
You can keep filling it for weeks and it never, ever smells. Mill makes dry, nutrient-rich grounds that you can use in your garden, add to your compost, feed to your chickens, or Mill can get them back to a small farm for you. But you kind of have to live with Mill to really get it, and that's why they offer a risk-free trial. Go to mill.com slash wiser for an exclusive offer.
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Plus, every item is made with ethical, responsible production practices and elevated finishes that last season after season. For your next trip, treat yourself to the luxe upgrades you deserve from Quince. Go to quince.com slash wiser for 365-day returns plus free shipping on your order. That's q-u-i-n-c-e dot com slash wiser to get free shipping and 365-day returns. quince.com slash wiser.
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But together, the bikini and the boots? Forget it. He was as good as mine. So I put on my bikini and my go-go boots and I walked my eight-year-old ass downstairs with a camera and I told my mom that I needed her to take a picture of me because I wanted to send it along with my personal love letter to Bobby Sherman. You guys, you see, you have to understand something.
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What's cool is that they don't rely on English translations. You just dive in and start picking things up naturally, kind of like how you learned your first language. It starts simple, then builds up to full-on conversations, and it actually sticks. Plus, you can use it whenever, on your phone or your computer.
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So whether you've got five minutes waiting for coffee or a whole hour to dive in, it's easy to fit into your day. Don't wait. Unlock your language learning potential now. Wiser Than Me listeners can grab Rosetta Stone's lifetime membership for 50% off. That's unlimited access to 25 language courses for life. Visit rosettastone.com slash wiser to get started and claim your 50% off today.
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Don't miss out. Go to rosettastone.com slash wiser and start learning today. Let me ask you this question. Was there ever a time in your life that you struggled financially, or were you—you sort of hit it big from the get-go?
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You mean before the wrap dress or in between?
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Turn it into an asset, right?
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Yeah, it's funny because, not to keep going back to this, but when I had cancer, and it's funny you say that, which was just very wicked. And I was in production. We had to shut down production, right? Whoa. For almost a year. And because I was, you know, normally I would have kept something like that completely private and to myself because... It was because it is so private.
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But in this case, I really had to make a statement about it because everybody had to stop working on this show. I was doing Veep on HBO. And so... So I had to make it public. Well, here's the positive thing that came out of that was that I was talking about insurance and how critical insurance obviously is for everyone and everyone deserves to have it.
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And out of that sprung an opportunity for me to raise awareness and raise funds for women. Exactly.
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Are you going to retire at some point or you're just keeping up this pace of fabulousness?
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I knew, I just knew in my heart that when Bobby saw this picture and read my note, we would be together for the rest of our lives. We were meant to be together. So anyway, I asked my mom to take the picture and struck a pose. And she laughed. Which, I have to say, I'm still quite pissed about. She didn't even acknowledge the infallibility of my plan. She laughed. And then she said no.
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This year we are, I don't know if it was this year. No, it wasn't. It was last year. We lost the spectacular Vogue journalist and editor Andre Leon Talley, I know who is a very good friend of yours. What did he mean to you? And also, can you talk about endings and how you deal with endings?
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Yeah, but I mean, but what about your sadness when he passed? I mean, you must have been very, I mean, he sounds like such an extraordinary human being.
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I know. We've all got it in common. We're all headed there. That's right. God, you're so gracious with your time. I want to ask you just a couple more quick questions, and you can just give me whatever thing pops into your head. Is there something you'd go back and tell yourself at 21? Go for it. Is there something you'd go back and say yes to?
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What's the best business advice you ever received? Or the worst?
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But you're like an inspirer. That's the sense I have.
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Can you give me an example of when that happened in your life?
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Which, of course, makes sense now, considering I'd essentially asked her to help me send what they might now call a sext or worse. But back then, I was so insulted. I threw a proper tantrum, big time. I may have been eight, but this was like a two-year-old on the floor, screaming, pounding fists tantrum. I remember it so vividly. God, I was so mad.
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That would be superb. I got to say, it's been kind of dreamy talking to you. It's been very dreamy talking to you.
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The chicest lady ever. Bye. Lots of love to you. Thank you. Bye. Bye-bye. Bye. Okay, another podcast. Done and dusted. Wow. There is so much to tell my mom. Okay, I'm going to call her right now. Mama. Oh, hi, honey. Hi. So I just talked to Diane von Furstenberg. Oh, wow.
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Yeah. Speaking of the wrap dress, mom, did you have a wrap dress, mommy?
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Well, it was a very sexy dress. So maybe that's why you felt self-conscious. Yeah. Because it's not like you're wearing pants all the time. But I told her this story and I got to say, she did not find it as funny as I do. I don't think I told you this, but recently I was on vacation and I saw a pair of culottes and I wasn't sure if I should get them or not. Right. Right.
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It was like, when am I going to wear culottes? I don't play golf. But they were so comfortable. And so I put them on hold and I went to go have lunch. And then one of my teeth fell out of my mouth during lunch. And I thought, oh, this is maybe not a good sign. A woman whose teeth are falling out from health should not perhaps be buying culottes.
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Why did a tooth fall out? I don't know, Mom. I cracked a molar. Who knows? But the next thing I know, I was practically coughing on it. Oh.
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Yes. No, the whole thing came out. It was all... Anyway. So what was your dentist? I had to have surgery on my mouth or something, you know? I mean, it all worked out fine. And see, look... I'm opening your mouth. You can see all my teeth. I've got all my choppers.
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I don't have any gum disease. I've got my teeth. And I'll tell you what I don't have is a pair of culottes. That I don't have.
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That's the thing. I'm back in love with them, too. They are really comfortable. I don't know why. It's the shorts underneath the skirt. It's like a magic combo, you know? Shorts underneath the skirt? Yes, that's what culottes are. Oh, I thought culottes were those three-quarter pants that were wide. Well, I don't know what the fuck they are. Oh, I'm talking about, maybe I'm talking about a skort.
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And it really is a shame that she didn't take that picture because, God, I really wish I had it now. I was so fierce standing there in my bikini and go-go boots, convinced all I needed to make my dreams come true was this one special outfit. This was the first time I understood or really thought about the power of a look.
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I guess that's, I'm being told. Well, this whole time I was talking about a skirt that has shorts attached.
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There's more Wiser Than Me with Lemonada Premium. Subscribers get exclusive access to bonus content. Subscribe now in Apple Podcasts. Wiser Than Me is a production of Lemonada Media, created and hosted by me, Julia Louis-Dreyfus. The show is produced by Chrissy Pease, Alex McOwen, and Oja Lopez. Brad Hall is a consulting producer. Thank you.
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Special thanks to Charlotte Chrisman Cohen and, of course, my mother, Judith Bowles. Follow Wiser Than Me wherever you get your podcasts. And hey, if there's an old lady in your life, listen up.
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I still feel that way when I put on the right dress for the Oscars or any red carpet show or feel exactly right in an outfit for a fucking hike. That's the power of fashion, how you feel inside of it when everything is working and you know it. What a feeling. And so today, of course, we're talking to Diane von Furstenberg.
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Hi, I'm Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and this is Wiser Than Me, a show where each week I get schooled by women who are wiser than me. Well, hold on to your freaking wrap dresses, people, because our guest today has been at the forefront of the fashion world for over five decades. And guess what? She's not done yet. Not even close. Remember how not that long ago, everything all of a sudden was a brand?
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Do you know what I mean? Shoes, computers, entertainment, people, everything's like a brand now. Well, way before that, decades even, Diane von Furstenberg became one of the original brands by creating clothes that celebrate the strength and independence of women.
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I did say that. Browse the whole collection and start shopping today by visiting wiserthemeshop.com. Lemonada. So the big debate when I was eight or nine years old was, do you love Bobby Sherman or do you love David Cassidy? These guys were the absolute teen idols of the time, and everybody loved one or the other. Naturally for me, it was Bobby Sherman. I didn't like Bobby Sherman.
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She had the vision to see exactly where women wanted to go in fashion, and she turned that vision into a global empire, one chic little outfit at a time. And then she banked her success, and she started doing all kinds of good for all kinds of people.
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She is the founder of the Diller von Furstenberg Family Foundation, the DVF Awards, an incredible supporter of the Women's Cancer Research Fund, and is the former chairman of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, and so much more. She has the brains, the beauty, the confidence, and the skill to make it in an industry that caters mainly to women but is still most often run by men.
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She's willing to share herself with us as an author, designer, and philanthropist. So please welcome a woman who is wiser than me, Diane von Furstenberg. Hello.
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Yeah, that's quite an entrance you've just made. So are you comfortable if I say your real age, Diane? Yes.
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Oh, that's so nice. But how do you feel inside? What age do you feel? Do you feel 300? No way.
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Yeah, yeah. Got it. Of course, I'm going to join the millions of people who want to talk about the wrap dress. So indulge me for a second. There's such a universality to the wrap dress. It changed my life completely. That wrap dress. What's your story? Okay, here's my story. I was born in the early 60s.
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So by the time I became a teenager in the, you know, 70s, being super thin was the only way to be. And I was not. I was a little bit heavyset, but I had a small waist. OK, and I'm going to tell you honestly that your dress was, I think, the first sort of fashion thing that I wore that made me feel like, oh, I don't mind my body so much.
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I'm going to say I was 16, 15.
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Well, I had multiple of your dresses. I had many of them. Here's one of my favorites, which I'm going to ask my team to pull up to show you on the computer right now. This is me in your dress. Oh, you look hot. Yes. How about that? Diane von Furstenberg said I look hot.
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Oh, absolutely. Let me tell you, just for our listeners, I'm wearing, of course, the wrap dress, and it's in the fabulous leopard print. And actually, you know where I was going? I was going to a Paul McCartney concert. Wow. Wow. Yeah, he was performing at some benefit or something in Los Angeles and I wore this. And I think I even still have the bra that's underneath it.
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It's still in my possession. You look hot. Thank you. Oh, I'm so happy that you said this. That's made my week that you said that.
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So listen, let's talk about clothes for a second. Diane, are there any staples you think a woman should have in her closet?
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Unbelievable.
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I loved Bobby Sherman. He was incredibly, indescribably handsome. He was on a TV show called Here Come the Brides. And he had this full mop of gorgeous hair that was sort of all combed in one direction across his forehead. I mean, really, it was just like the Beatles, which was, of course, irresistible. And he wore these kind of big, blousy, very groovy shirts.
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But do you have other staples that you like in your closet? You know, I'm thinking of something like some people in the past have said to me, every woman needs to have a perfect white blouse or something. Do you think that's stupid or do you think that makes sense?
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Let's talk about aging and body changes and how to embrace all of that. How have you embraced all of that as you've gotten older?
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Yes, I'm going to change this.
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Yes, it's a completely different framing, and I applaud it. Right.
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Yeah. Wow. I love that framing. How long have you lived? I'm really going to apply that to the way I speak now. I think it's brilliant, actually. Yeah. Well, then I'm going to rephrase this question for you. Do you think there are things that women who have lived a long time should not wear? And here's why I asked you this question. Let me tell you something. So I was on a vacation, right?
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And you know how when you go on vacation and you go into a You get sort of caught up in the culture of where you are and maybe and what people are wearing and maybe it's in a different country or whatever. Anyway, long story short, I was in this shop and they were selling these cute culottes.
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Ever notice how the older you get, the more you crave things that are actually good? Not just sweet or flashy, but truly delicious, beautifully crafted, something with a little depth, a little wisdom behind it. So if you're looking for a sophisticated drink that skips the booze but keeps the complexity, let's talk about Ghia's award-winning non-alcoholic aperitifs.
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Can you tell us the origin story of that phrase? There's a great story behind it, and I think everyone deserves to hear it.
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Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Wow. It came through the universe into your brain and out. Beautiful. I think our listeners need to deeply understand the unconscionable working conditions for the farmworkers when you first began. And can you talk about the rights that ultimately they got as a result of your activism? Can you just sort of break that down for everybody? Sure.
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But when you would be, because you said, well, I was a translator, but you were obviously so much more than that. So you were trying to, I would imagine, when you were going to the employers, you were trying to impart to them the humanity or lack of it that was happening.
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So speaking of your work on behalf of farmworkers brings me to Cesar Chavez. He really became the face of this union movement. And you've said that credit is never something that you were looking for. And yet I know very much that you care about women taking and receiving credit for their work. And I want to read something that you said that struck me as right on the money.
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You said, we've been so inculcated to be the nurturers and the servers that we don't think of ourselves as the decision makers. It was something I had to learn. And how do you... reconcile those things about the fact that Caesar really is, do you reconcile the fact that he is the face of that movement and yet you were there alongside him? How do you reconcile that?
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Truly glad that this is the episode that we're sharing today because our guest is a living reminder of the resilience it takes, win or lose, to keep on organizing and fighting for the things that you believe in. I mean, she is really wisdom in action. It is so fortuitous that this is the episode today. That comes out this week.
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Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
I don't think, by the way, that's possible, Dolores. I don't agree with you on that. This is our first argument right now. I don't think you can be – I don't think you can be over-recognized.
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It's time to take a break. We'll be right back with Dolores Huerta in just a minute. This episode of Wiser Than Me is supported by Boehringer Ingelheim, the maker of NexGuard Plus, Afoxyloner, Moxodectin, and Pyrantel chewable tablets. Would you do anything for your dog? Of course you would.
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Whether you're planning a dog birthday party or finding the perfect sweater-booty combo to keep your pup warm, prioritizing your furry friend's happiness is always the wise thing to do. And although every person's dog care style is different, there's one thing everyone can agree on— that your dog's well-being is always a top priority.
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And one super simple way to prioritize their well-being is with NextGuard Plus Chews, which provide them with next-level protection from parasites. NextGuard Plus Chews provide one-and-done monthly protection that kills fleas and ticks and prevents heartworm disease. And the big plus here is that it also treats and controls roundworms and hookworms.
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It's a whole lot of protection packed into a delicious beef-flavored soft chew. So why not make that monthly dosing easy and enjoyable? One more important note. Use NexGuard Plus with caution in dogs with a history of seizures or neurologic disorders. Dogs should be tested for existing heartworm infection prior to starting a preventive. Stay wise with NexLevel protection for your dog.
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And remember, the next time you're at the vet, ask about NexGuard Plus Chews. Maybe your mom's always wanted to learn how to paint or write that novel or finally perfect her sourdough game. This Mother's Day, help her get started with Masterclass. Our parents taught us so much.
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Now they can learn from people they've always admired, like Jane Goodall on The Natural World, Diane von Furstenberg on Style and Confidence, and over 200 more leaders, artists, and innovators at the top of their fields. Whether you're gifting masterclass to your mom or treating yourself, it's a thoughtful way to invest in personal growth.
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Plus, every new membership comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. This Mother's Day, give your mom something inspiring to dive into. Our Wiser Than Me listeners always get great discounts on Masterclass of at least 15% off any annual membership at masterclass.com slash wiser. See Masterclass's latest deal at least 15% off at masterclass.com slash wiser. Masterclass.com slash wiser.
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Hey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus here. If you listen to me on my Wiser Than Me podcast, you probably already know that I'm an investor and an evangelist for the Mill Food Recycler. There are a lot of reasons to love Mill, but for me, it's all about the impact. Keeping food out of the garbage is one of the most powerful things we can do to help the planet every single day.
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We're talking banana peels, carrot tops, old takeout. When that stuff heads to the landfill, it becomes a huge driver of climate change. If you already compost, great. But of course, there's the smell, the flies, the running to the curb every day with a little leaking compost bag made of cornstarch. That's where Mill comes in. It makes keeping food out of the trash as easy as dropping it in.
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So anyway, I hope you enjoy the conversation and thanks so much for listening. When I was very young, I remember going to the grocery store with my mom and grabbing some grapes, because, I mean, who doesn't love grapes? And my mom told me, Julia, Julia, no, no, no, we can't buy those. And she explained that we were supporting the United Farm Workers and I had to put the grapes back. So I did.
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It can handle nearly anything from a turkey carcass to like 20 avocado pits. It works automatically while you sleep. You can keep filling it for weeks and it never, ever smells. Mill makes dry, nutrient-rich grounds that you can use in your garden, add to your compost, feed to your chickens, or Mill can get them back to a small farm for you.
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But you kind of have to live with Mill to really get it, and that's why they offer a risk-free trial. Go to mill.com slash wiser for an exclusive offer. You may know the cute Aflac duck, but did you know Aflac is a leader in supplemental insurance?
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Well, Aflac is here to help with something most people don't think about until they're in the middle of it, the gap between what health insurance covers versus what it doesn't. AFLAC offers supplemental insurance that can help you with expenses health insurance doesn't cover. Because even with good health insurance, if you get sick or injured, you can still be left with out-of-pocket expenses.
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AFLAC can help with the part that may not be covered, which can hit your wallet when life already feels overwhelming. AFLAC pays cash that can be used to help with anything you choose in your time of need. That could be towards medical bills like co-pays or prescriptions or even everyday expenses to help keep life going while you focus on getting better.
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And that's really what it's about, helping provide peace of mind, knowing that if something happens, you're not alone. AFLAC is here, and they can help provide a financial safety net. Get help with expenses health insurance doesn't cover. Visit Aflac.com to learn more. I'd love for you to tell us the story about what Fred Ross taught you about activism.
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So for our listeners, Fred Ross was a famous community organizer in California. Dolores, I know you were trying to help a man who had had a stroke, I believe, and was asking for assistance. Can you tell what happened from there?
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You know, it's funny because within the context of the story, of course, I am hearing the phrase, yes, you can. And Fred Ross said to you, yes, you can. And you brought it to life. Where does this courage come from in you? And talk about moments of doubt, because I think... Well, first of all, everybody in the world has moments of doubt.
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And I think probably women in particular are more prone to that. You know, it's funny because at the 2020 Democratic Convention, in which Biden was the nominee, obviously, I hosted the final night of it. And I'm going to tell you something. I was terrified. Terrified. Because it was different than, you know... just performing, which is what I normally, that's what I do for a living, right?
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And, in fact, putting those grapes back might have been the first activist thing I ever actually did. Now, a few years later, I like to think of myself as an activist because I think that's a great thing. It's an honorable thing to be. When I was pregnant with our eldest son, I was thrilled to march in Washington, D.C. in support of reproductive justice for women.
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But it felt weighty because, of course, it was weighty. It needed to be done well. It had to be entertaining. It had to be very serious. It had to tick all the boxes because so much was on the line. And I don't think I've ever been more frightened in my life than when I first went out on the stage and started to speak.
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But for me, once I got going and I had a feeling of righteousness that we were doing the right thing, that this was for the country, that I felt very patriotic, and my fear subsided somewhat and my courage came up. And I want to hear from you about that, about those moments when you,
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I'm not going to say paralyzed with fear because you never, it doesn't sound as if you ever were, but when you were really, how did you summon up the courage?
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Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Yeah, and it sort of carried you through. I know you were very close to Robert Kennedy Sr. at the time of his death in 1968, and he was a fierce advocate for the work you were doing. Can you talk about that loss?
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And so you were sort of, it was more sort of fuel to the fire for you.
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Yes, it is, without a doubt. And I know that you put your own physical self on the line so many times. I mean you've been arrested so many times. There was a little bit of footage of the moment when you were beaten so severely. Oh, my God, that was so grotesque and awful. And what was that recovery like for you?
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Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Can you talk about, just so our listeners understand, Dolores was beaten severely by the police and had to be hospitalized for many weeks, as I understand it. Can you talk about that recovery and your family's response to it and... I'm assuming that that event made you more fearless, I'm assuming?
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That march and rally drew several hundred thousand people to D.C. because we were all afraid the high court, with its then new conservative majority, might, God forbid, overturn Roe v. Wade. Seems almost quaint now, right? Since then, I've marched and protested along with actual professional activists for lots of causes that I believe in.
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But what about when you were in the hospital? Can you talk about that and your kids? Because I know they gathered. Can you talk about the, shall I say, the stability and the comfort that you got from those around you at that time?
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Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Oh, that's so lovely. I love that. Can you talk about your mom and the influence that she had on your family? I mean, I know she opened a hotel and gave temporary shelter to people in need. What was the dynamic like in your family growing up? Because it sounds like she was a very unusual person.
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Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Oh, wow. How amazing. I'm jumping around here a little bit, but people may not know this, Dolores, but the United Farm Workers, which was established in 1962, is that right? That's true. Yeah. It was one of the first unions to recognize women's rights as a core part of its platform. And you really pushed for that.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
You said, and you've said in the past, we will never have peace in the world until feminists take power. That's true. I want you to talk about the power of women specifically and how it differs from the power of men. What do you think our secret sauce is as women?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Remember the huge women's rallies that were held all over the country when Donald Trump was inaugurated in 2017? I think people have kind of forgotten that nearly 5 million people outraged by Trump's misogyny and racism organized marches all over the United States. That was the single biggest protest in the history of the country. The L.A.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
And is your experience as a woman and as a woman in leadership, has your experience differed tremendously? Like when you... For example, when we were setting up this whole situation to talk to you today on the computer via Zoom and microphones and all of that, I noticed that there were, I think, three different women working in your office. And so I'm wondering about what is the –
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
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Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
What's that vibe like for you? Because you've worked with just men, as I have, by the way. And then you've also worked with a lot of women. Do you prefer working just with women? Is that your preference?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
It's funny because in my life, which is what I do is obviously so different from what you do, but I've been in situations where the vast majority of people working on a project are women. And there's a discernible difference. And I want to say that things move smoother. Yeah. more shit gets done more effectively. And there is an ease in place, at least in my experience.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
And I say this with the understanding – I mean, I really have to put it out there. I love my men. I have two boys. And they are feminists, by the way. But that's been my experience. But when we're talking about women and women's rights – I think originally when you were much younger, you were anti-abortion, but you've changed your position. And I know that you're Catholic.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
And I want to talk about how do you square your Catholicism with your shift on abortion and feminism and social political activism? How do you do it?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
protest was the biggest of all with an estimated 750,000 people in the streets of downtown L.A. And that's a real 750,000, not a Trump 750,000. And there was a huge stage built like at an intersection, you know, kind of like a rock and roll concert stage with giant screens and speakers and everything. And I got to get up there and give a big rah-rah speech, which was just so exciting.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
But Dolores, what did Gloria say to you that brought you round to this? Because, I mean, at this, how old were you and how many children did you have at that point when your opinion on this shifted? Do you recall?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
You were just starting out.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Did you ever think of having 12, Dolores, so you'd have an even dozen?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Got it. Got it. But anyway, what is it that Gloria, how did she frame it for you? She probably talked to you about your right to have those children, correct?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Don't go anywhere. We'll be right back with more wisdom from Dolores Huerta after this quick break. This show is sponsored by Midi Health. Staying in touch with your body becomes more important than ever as you get older, especially for women. After 40, hormones shift, energy changes, and what your body needs has evolved over time.
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Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
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Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
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Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
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Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
And I spoke right before they brought Helen Reddy up to sing her hit song, I Am Woman, which has become such an anthem for the feminist movement. I saw her there next to the stage and she looked great, but she seemed a little bit confused because, as you might remember, she was suffering from dementia. And, you know, of course, all these people and lights and noise.
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Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
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Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
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Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
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Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Go to mill.com slash wiser for an exclusive offer. So you were married twice. Mm-hmm. And you had a very wonderful relationship with Richard Chavez, who is Cesar Chavez's brother. It looks like when I was getting ready to talk to you that with your partners, they were all seem to be frustrated with your desire to continue to work. Is that true?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Got it. And so was that hard to extricate yourself from abusive relationships or unhealthy relationships? Was that a struggle for you? It had to have been. How could it not have been, right?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
I mean, that had to be really difficult for her. So she came out to a tremendous ovation, and the band cranked up I Am Woman, and she started to sing it. But pretty soon it was clear that she couldn't remember the words. And, you know, this might have been absolutely tragic, but an amazing thing happened. The crowd started to sing it fast. for her. The crowd just carried her with it.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Yes. Wow. And you continued your activism throughout all those relationships, right?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
How would you say your divorces were healthy? What made them healthy? What characterized them as so healthy?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
All right, good. So you owned it. You owned it. You embraced it proudly. And I think that that's great. There's no shame attached to it. So switching gears a little bit. at the very height of your activism, you had 11 children. Hey, what's the age span there, by the way?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Wow. Yeah. And by the way, what about grandchildren? Do you have a lot of grandchildren?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
That's a blessing to get to the point where you don't know. You have to sit down and get out a calculator to figure out how many grandchildren and great-grandchildren you have.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
That's incredible. How'd you do it? How did you manage having all, like, what were the mechanics? When you woke up in the morning, you had to feed these kids or did you feed them? How did this, how did it work with everything that you had to do? You're on the road and how did it work?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Has that been set up for farm workers to date, to this point?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Was Caesar's wife Helen a good friend of yours?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Really? And what did she enable him to do? Or let me put it this way. What did she do for him in her support?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
So maybe without Helen, there's no Cesar is what it sounds like to me.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
I've talked to a lot of women on this show, actually, who worked, who had careers outside of the home, and who often felt guilty about their mothering of their children because they felt like they weren't or couldn't be as present as they should have been or needed to be. Did you have that feeling or did you not have that feeling? Yeah.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
And when they got to the chorus, it was thousands of women in unison singing, yes, I am wise, but it's wisdom born of pain. Yes, I've paid the price, but look how much I've gained. If I have to, I can do anything. I am strong. strong. I am invincible, invincible. I am woman. And God, we were just, we were so all in tears, of course. And it just, it makes me cry now.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
But Dolores, isn't it interesting to consider, too, that, you know, when men are questioned about their careers, they're not asked questions. It's women who are. And so women carry a lot. And what specific advice could you give to women who are struggling with that balance?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Okay. Write that down, listeners. No doubt about it. Okay, this is absolutely unrelated to all of this, but there was one question I had to ask you because I was blown away by this fact about you. I understand, Dolores, that you have been to Burning Man not once, not twice, not three times, but four times. Is this the case? Okay. You have to tell us about your experience.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
By the way, I've never been to Burning Man. So you have to tell us your experience of going. Would you go for a fifth time?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Do you camp when you go there?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
It was just one of those incredible moments shared by three quarters of a million generous people in LA. I mean, what did it accomplish? It's kind of tough to say, right? I mean, Maybe it was one tiny, tiny step forward, showing women how much power we have, more than we know, when we carry each other forward the way that that crowd carried Helen Reddy.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Okay. I have that to look forward to when I'm 94, Dolores, I guess, right?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
So at the end here, I'd like to ask you a couple of just very quick, easy questions. Well, I don't know if they're easy. But is there something you'd go back and tell yourself when you were 21, Dolores?
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Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Well, it sounds like you did exactly what you're saying to your 21-year-old self. Is there something that you would like me to know about aging, Dolores?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
And is there something that you're looking forward to?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Well, your mouth, God's ears. That's all I have to say. Thank you, Dolores. It was such a divine honor to talk with you. And I feel blessed.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Thank you very much. I hope you have a wonderful day. God bless you. God bless you, too. Peace. Peace. All right, Dolores Huerta at Burning Man. I just love that image. There is so much to tell my mom about from this conversation. I'm going to dial her up on Zoom right now.
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Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Okay, Mommy, we talked with Dolores Huerta today.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Well, I can't wait. I cannot wait to hear about it. I mean, I didn't know that much about her, but I certainly knew about the whole movement. And Chavez is the one whose name seemed to emerge. But, I mean, she just must be extraordinary.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
She's sort of the perfect person for this podcast because more people need to know about her in American history, frankly, her history. Uh-huh. I'm trying to think. There are a few things that I thought you would find interesting. She's Catholic and had 11 children. 11 children. 11 children. Have you ever known anybody with 11 children?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
No, no. The Catholic woman I knew had nine. I think that was, you know, around the corner from us. Yes. And I think there were nine children there. But I've never known—well, anyway, nine is unthinkable.
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Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Nine is incredible. You know what I remember about that family? I remember, you know, my school bus would leave me off a few blocks away, and then I would have to walk back home from the drop-off point. And I remember that it was one day, and it was super, super hot. Yeah.
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Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
And so I thought, and by the way, just for our listeners, I'm really talking about maybe one, two, three blocks, possibly four. And I remember going by their house on the way to our house and thinking I'd never make it because it was so hot and I needed to have something to drink. And so I knocked on their door and either... She or her oldest son, who once babysat us, came to the door.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
And I said, I'm so thirsty. I really need something to drink. And he said, oh, sure. Can I get you some water? And I said, do you have chocolate milk? And in fact, they did because I knew they had chocolate milk in their house. And so me parched.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
But the true professional activists, the organizers, the pros, the Martin Luther Kings, Gloria Steinem, Gandhi— They have to take all of that frustration, righteous anger, energy, and they have to channel that into real change. That takes more than passion and emotion. That takes talent, skill, and most of all, hours and hours and years and years of work. These people are a miracle, I think.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
I was kindly given Chocolate milk by the Catholic family. That's incredible. You're shameless. I mean, shameless. Mommy, chocolate milk is undeniably delicious, whether you're parsed or not. No, no. I was going to say that's beside the point. Oh, boy. Anyway, so back to Dolores. Yes.
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Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
I asked her about being Catholic and being also a feminist and how did that square and what about – because originally she was anti-abortion when she was younger. And then she changed her opinion of it. And I believe it was Gloria Steinem had a huge influence on her regarding that because – Gloria Steinem's point of view was you made a decision. You have autonomy over your own body.
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Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
You decided to have 11 children. That is your choice. And the same choice applies across the board, whatever your choice is. And I think that that was a defining moment for Dolores. And I'm wondering, in your life, have you had opinions that flipped completely like that? Have you had a way of thinking that was changed dramatically?
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Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Well, I think, not in this dramatic way, I hated the idea of abortion. Oh, you did? I did. But I mean, not as a policy sort of thing, but just the idea of it. It just gave me the creeps. And it wasn't until I think that Gloria Steinem began to talk about it as a process of choice. I mean, I would never have stood up against it, but I privately was, I found it abhorrent.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
So this was when you were younger?
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Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Yes. I wasn't schooled to think as much about choice. And so it was only later that I came to think about choice as being an option. And so the idea of That being part of, that you choose your path as you go along. That you have control in that way? Is that what you mean? Yeah. That you have an agency in what happens to you. Yeah, you are an agent of what happens to you.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
And has your understanding of that, was that sort of a slow process that came to you? Or were there specific moments in which you realized you had agency? Or was this just something that happened slowly over time for you?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
I think I realized it through the feminist movement, through hearing the women talk. And just hearing that, and I can remember it was almost like a wake-up call for me. It was like, I've never thought of that. I've never thought of it that way. And I can remember at first I just thought, oh, they're so angry. And then it sort of began to sink into me.
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Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
And I was a real sponge about it then when I opened up to it.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Interesting. Okay, mom. Well, thanks for our conversation about Dolores and changing your mind.
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Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Yes. Thanks for changing my mind. You were part of that process too, you know, just the way you were living your life and your sister's. And so, yeah, you brought me along by your coattails. I thank you and goodbye.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Well, you're welcome. And goodbye. Love you. I'm trying to do leave and I can't. Is there no leave button?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Uh-oh. Mom? Mom, you closed the computer. Again, you didn't push leave. You just closed the... Okay. All right. Well, whatever. I think my mom is off the Zoom. There's more Wiser Than Me with Lemonada Premium on Apple. You can listen to every episode of Season 3 ad-free. Subscribers also get access to exclusive bonus interview excerpts from each episode.
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Subscribe now by clicking on the Wiser Than Me podcast logo in the Apple Podcasts app and then hitting the subscribe button. Make sure you're following Wiser Than Me on social media. We're on Instagram and TikTok at Wiser Than Me, and we're on Facebook at Wiser Than Me Podcast. Wiser Than Me is a production of Lemonada Media, created and hosted by me, Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
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Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
I really do. Without them, it's all darkness. How lucky, how blessed we are then to talk today with Dolores Huerta. I'm Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and this is Wiser Than Me, the podcast where I get schooled by women who are wiser than me. So this morning for breakfast, I had some yogurt with raisins and fruit and a little veggie scramble. It was all incredibly delicious.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
This show is produced by Chrissy Pease, Jamila Zahra Williams, Alex McCohen, and Oja Lopez. Brad Hall is a consulting producer. Rachel Neal is VP of new content, and our SVP of weekly content and production is Steve Nelson. Executive producers are Paula Kaplan, Stephanie Whittles-Wax, Jessica Cordova-Kramer, and me. The show is mixed by Johnny Vince Evans with engineering help from James Sparber.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
And our music was written by Henry Hall, who you can also find on Spotify or wherever you listen to your music. Special thanks to Will Schlegel and, of course, my mother, Judith Bowles. Follow Wiser Than Me wherever you get your podcasts. And if there's a wise old lady in your life, listen up.
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Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
It was also the product of really hard work. Getting food from the farm to the table is actually kind of a miracle, and the conditions of those whose labors accomplish that miracle isn't something that we think about nearly enough. When I had a small child of my own and we were looking for an elementary school for him, we toured a school in Santa Monica.
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Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
And I'll never forget this because when we got to the second grade classroom, they had a big rug with the lyrics, all you need is love on it, and a huge poster on the wall of Cesar Chavez. And my husband and I looked at each other and we said, this is our school. Unfortunately, though, there wasn't a poster of Dolores Huerta, but there sure should have been. Let me back up. It's 1962.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
The space race is heating up. Johnny Carson is the brand new host of The Tonight Show. The Beach Boys have just released Surf and Safari, their first album. But today's guest didn't give a rat's ass about any of that.
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Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
She was thinking about Chicano and Filipino farmworkers and laborers in California working 16-hour days for criminally low pay with no clean water, no toilets, no decent housing, or even the most basic health care. And they're big agricultural company bosses who didn't want to change a thing.
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Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
At just 32 years old, Dolores co-founded the United Farm Workers with Cesar Chavez and became one of the great organizers in American history. From 1965 to 1970, she organized the Grape Strike and Boycott, which started in California and spread all the way across the nation to that supermarket where I was shopping with my mom.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
That boycott was a huge victory for farmworkers, winning them better pay, benefits, and protections, and led to the passage of the Agricultural Labor Relations Act of 1975, establishing the rights of farmworkers to collectively bargain— the first law of its kind in the United States. Dolores has been arrested over 20 times, intimidated, assaulted, and nearly killed by police.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
And still, here she is, undeterred. She still attracts controversy. In fact, not long ago, Arizona and Texas schools both passed policies that omit her life's work from their American history curricula. Are you believing what I'm saying? Cesar Chavez's words about Dolores still ring true.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Her presence made it acceptable for women to join the picket line, encouraging wives and daughters to stand up and be part of the movement. Every story of the great Cesar Chavez should also include his partner, his equal, Dolores Huerta.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
She's the recipient of many deserved honors, including the Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and was the first Latina in history to be inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame. Oh, yes, and of course, she's a mother to 11 children. What can't this woman do? She's a true champion of civil and workers' rights, and we all need to be trumpeting her story.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
I am beyond honored to welcome today a woman who is so much wiser than me, Dolores Huerta. Dolores, welcome, welcome, welcome.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Oh, you're so kind, and this is why you're a leader, because you're empowering all the people around you. So, Dolores, can I ask you a question? Are you comfortable if I ask your real age?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Wow. Okay. That's an accomplishment. How old do you feel?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Why do you feel 65? And also, what's the best part about being your age?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
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Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Yes, and you certainly have done it. I want to know, what does your day look like? What you do just for fun?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
What about dancing? Are you a good dancer?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
No kidding. You know who else does tap dancing is Gloria Steinem. We've talked to her on this show. So maybe you guys should do it. Oh, my God. Can you imagine?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
That would be fun. For real. Who's your favorite? Do you have certain jazz musicians or composers that you love particularly? Yeah.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Yeah, but those are iconic people that you got to meet. My goodness. Where did you meet them? Can you tell us about that?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Did you get a chance to have conversations with?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
And talk about Dizzy Gillespie. So he must have known who you were since you were leading the great boycott. And I'm sure he was probably stunned to meet you, Dolores.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Yeah, exactly. Exactly. There's a picture of you, Dolores, and we're going to put it up on our social media sites. But it's a picture of you during the grape strike in 1965. And you are holding up the huelga. Is that how you say it?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
You're holding that sign up, which of course means strike in Spanish. I think that is such an extraordinary photograph in so many ways. And it's sort of the real life version of Norma Ray. You remember that movie, Dolores? And she was holding up a sign that said union. But in this case, this is real life and it's you. Do you remember this version of yourself in this moment?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Can you recall this moment? Yes.
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Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
That's D-R-I-N-K-G-H-I-A dot com and use code WISER for 20% off. Lemonada Hi there, Wiser Than Me listeners and dear friends. I just quickly wanted to let you know that this episode of our show was actually recorded before the big and consequential election that we just had. And I gotta say, I am...
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Dolores Huerta
Oh, no kidding. Now, this I didn't know. And we had Sally Field on the podcast. And I didn't know this, Dolores. That's so cool. I love that. Can you tell us... Si se puede is the phrase that you originated. Yes. And it became the campaign slogan for President Obama, and we saw him thank you for it when you won the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which is extraordinary.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
Well, hi there. It's me, Julia Louis-Dreyfus. We're back for Season 3 of Wiser Than Me. We've got so much more wisdom to share from the magnificent old ladies featured this season. To celebrate the start of Season 3, we've added some groovy new items to our Wiser Than Me merchandise collection.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
So, speaking of your mom, when you left Puerto Rico, you had a very tight family community back in Puerto Rico, and you came to the United States with your mom when you were five, I believe. Yeah. And it was just the two of you in New York. How did you, in those early days, how did the two of you navigate together? You were a team, correct? Yeah.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
And most of all, in making a lot of money, which is just so thrilling to hear about, again, from another Ivy League-educated white guy who wouldn't know his own privilege if it ran him over, which it did several times. But did it stop him from bloviating? Oh, no, no, it did not. And like I said, you know what?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
Rita's smiling and waving at me, right? Just so our listeners know.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
It's time for a break. There's much more with Rita Moreno when we return. Certainly, you've taken a lot of pictures with your kids and family this year. Holidays, first day of school, vacations, and all those little moments in between. Here's the thing. Even with all those great shots, sharing them with the whole family can be a hassle. It can feel like a lot to manage.
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
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Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
These were fancy friends, and they have a little balcony thing, so we were sitting outside, and it was a lovely early fall evening. And as this guy is pontificating about his latest trip to Dubai and the rising value of something or other, and I'm just praying that dessert is coming so I can get the hell out of there— I started to notice this really weird smell, right?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
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Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
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Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
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Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
Rita, I read your memoir, and I have to say, it's a page-turner. It's really well written. Your life is just fascinating, and you're able to relay that beautifully in the written word.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
I mean, it's like this awful smell. And it's very close by. And I'm trying to identify it. And then it hits me. Oh, my God, it's dog shit. This motherfucker is not just completely full of shit, he has stepped in shit. Okay? Dog shit. What a tremendous justice this was, but it was an awful stench. So dessert comes, and I hurry through it, and I make an excuse, and we hightail it out of there.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
Well, this is the story I want you to tell, please, because I was lucky to be at the Academy Museum when you were getting the honor recently.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
I know, but our listeners don't know it. So you need to explain, set the stage. You were involved in the Civil Rights Movement. You were there at the March on Washington. And you were right there next to Dr. King, correct?
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
She was his good friend. Was it Mahalia?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
Mahalia Jackson. Mahalia, she was there with him.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
Head over to our merch shop to check out all of our great stuff, like a classic Wiser Than Me baguette tote bag, a kitchen tea towel with my grandma Didi's delicious peanut butter cookie recipe featured on it, and a brand-new, gorgeous, hardcover Wiser Than Me notebook to capture all of this season's bits of wisdom. Start shopping today by visiting wiserthanmeshop.com. Lemonada
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
Is that a story? That is a story. Can you talk about that? At that point, you hadn't heard him give that speech. Can you talk about your personal Rita experience hearing that speech in that moment of time? Can you bring us back to how you felt hearing it?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
I mean, come on. With good reason, you thought this. Yeah. And for the listeners, the Hollywood blacklist was a period of time, largely in the late 40s through the 50s, where the government persecuted people they suspected of being communist sympathizers. So given that, what did you learn about bravery during that period of time? Wow.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
And that dog crap smell follows us into the elevator where I'm telling my husband about how awful this guy was. And then the smell is with me straight out into the street, and it's still lingering as I'm, you know, dotting the I's and crossing the T's of my description of this, let's just say it, asshole. Yeah.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
You know, you've mentioned, actually, that Anita became a role model for you, which I think that's interesting because I've never thought about, like, a character that I played as being a role... Well, of course, I've played a bunch of fuck-ups in my career, but what was it about the character of Anita that you admired?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
Hey, did Chita Rivera also try out for it or how did that work?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
By the way, just so our listeners know, Cheetah played Anita on Broadway. Oh, she was the original Anita. But anyway, I'm interrupting you. You go ahead. Talk about that. You were auditioning for the role.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
And it's not until we are literally stepping into the cab that I realize the dog shit is on my shoe. Yeah. Here endeth the lesson. Judge not that ye yourself be not judged and all of that. But my big takeaway was that when you step in dog crap, you really have to just throw away the shoes. And my other big takeaway is how much I enjoy talking here to the wonderful, wise women on this show.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
You talk in your book a lot about sexual harassment, which you endured at that party. Oh, that awful Hollywood cocktail party. That awful Hollywood cocktail party in which you were sexually harassed. By the host. By the host.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
Can I tell you something? Somebody said something like that to me back in the 80s in Hollywood. And I did the same thing. I giggled. Did you? Yes. I did. I did. I was very young. And just say, why don't you go fuck yourself?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
Yeah. Don't fuck me. Go fuck yourself. Is that what you would do if you could redo that moment? Absolutely.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
Well, except to say that don't you think the whole thing, it's interesting because you giggle because, first of all, it's so shocking. It feels so shameful. And, you know, as women, I think we kind of absorb their shame.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
I mean, it's so refreshing and revitalizing for me, and I hope, dear listener, for you too. So thank God, thank God then, that today we get to talk to someone who is not full of shit, but is full of wit and grace and talent and wisdom, the incomparable Rita Moreno. I'm Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and this is Wiser Than Me, the podcast where I get schooled by women who are wiser than me.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
It's bananas. That's why I giggled. I know. It's bizarre. It's bizarre. Let's take one more quick break. My conversation with Rita Moreno continues in just a moment. You can stay cozy with Cozy Earth. Why go back to your old pilling sheets when you could be slipping into a bed made with Cozy Earth's bamboo sheet set? Cozy Earth is widely lauded for their incredible softness and breathable design.
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
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Go to cozyearth.com slash wiser and use code wiser for an exclusive discount of up to 40% off. If you get a post-purchase survey, say you heard about Cozy Earth on the Wiser Than Me podcast. Hey, Wiser Than Me listeners, it's Julia here with some very exciting news.
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
We have teamed up with Caddis, the California-based maker of high-quality custom eyewear, to bring you exclusive Wiser Than Me reader frames. How cool is that? I personally handpicked the frame, the color, and added a very special phrase engraved right on top. It says, get wise. Isn't that fabulous? So you can feel the wisdom flowing every time you wear them.
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
So head to wisethemeshop.com and check out the Cadiz collection to grab yours now. So in the wonderful PBS documentary about your life, you talk about something which I think is going to really resonate with a lot of women listening to this. When your husband, Leonard, passed away, you were married for 45 years. Yeah. You felt so many things, of course, and you were with him at the end.
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
I know what you're going to ask. Go ahead. Yeah, but you said you felt a sense of relief. And I think that that was an incredibly—talk about brave—brave thing to say. I think it gives voice— To something that is sometimes unspoken. And can you talk about that?
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
You listened. That was part of the pact. That was part of the pact. You know, you said you wanted this. You got it. So you don't have a partner now, right? And so can you talk about finding community? I mean, it's one thing when you're working because that's all built in. You know, you have your community at work. But when you're not working, what's your community?
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
Some actors have a kind of motor, an energy in their performances from role to role that is kind of supernatural. You know what I'm talking about? It's like an inner light that they bring to all their characters. They seem somehow to be totally alive, powerful, and impossibly vibrant. Thank you so much for having me. Totally captivating to me.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
How have you found your community? I know you have – you're a proud mommy and you're a proud grandma.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
She's still a friend. Oh, that's so nice. Her name is Gail. Good old Gail. Everybody needs Gail in their lives. That's right. Yes. Was it hard giving up driving?
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
Of course you do. I can fully understand why that would be hard to give up. And what about things like cognition? I mean, you're searching for words here and there, but it doesn't sound like you're having any serious cognition issues.
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
Is it frustrating to ask for help in those circumstances or not really?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
I'm going to completely shift gears here because there's one aspect of your life that we haven't touched on. And I think that people would benefit to hear from you about this. I know you battled when you were younger, of course, you battled feelings of inadequacy and you attempted suicide.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
I want to know if, do you still struggle with a negative voice in your head, that negative voice from way back when? And do you have advice for people who struggle with a lack of self-worth who are listening to this today?
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
From the bitter comedy of her killer dance number, America, to the unforgettably gorgeous harmony of I Have a Love. Oh, God, I can't even think about it. It's so good. Knockout stuff. And of course, she won an Oscar for it.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
In your life, there's a theme that I'm feeling, and the theme is about power and freedom. And I think, if you agree with me, as you've lived your life, you've felt more power, self-power, and you've gained more freedom. Is that safe to say?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
And if it was compelling to me when I saw it on TV in reruns in the 70s, imagine what it meant to Latino families across this country and its territories as they watched her in a Spanish dubbed version. For them, Rita Moreno wasn't just a star. She was their star. La Nuestra. Her extraordinary career on stage, in the movies, and on TV spans seven decades. She was the first Latina to win an Emmy.
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
No, there's another person who thinks the same, and that's me. I couldn't agree with you more.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
I think for me, it's twofold. I think it speaks to intelligence, which I find intoxicating. Oh, me too. I forgot to mention that. That's so important. So important.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
And it's also just, it's playful and it's joyous. And that's what I want. I want play. I want joy. That's my goal. If there was anything more to get in my life, I just want more joy and more play. Yeah. And so, Rita, speaking of joy, it has been so wonderful to speak with you today. And before we wrap up, I do want to ask you a couple little quick questions. Okay. Okay.
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
Is there something you would go back and tell yourself at 21, Rita? Yeah.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
Is there something you would go back and say yes to?
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
He was. And just so our listeners understand, he was your agent at the time, and he raped you. And I was 16, and he raped me. And he raped you.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
She has two, actually. A Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony, the famous EGOT. At a time when Latin people were especially marginalized in Hollywood, Rita fought and continues to fight for roles that portray Latinas with dignity and depth. To put this into perspective, despite being the largest minority group in the U.S., Latinos still remain underrepresented in the media. Let that sink in for a second.
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
Well, he has to live with himself, that horrible... Demented, awful man. He has to look at himself in the mirror and be who he is. I'm glad you got up and left. I'm glad. He didn't realize what he had said. He really didn't. Of course he was coerced. So, of course, crude. Crude, vulgar, foul, inhumane. Well, good. So you didn't tell him off except that you did. You got up and you left.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
I think in that circumstance, less is more. You're a piece of work. I'm out. Yeah. Wow. That's just incredible, Rita. You really are brave. So now I have one final question for you. Is there something you're looking forward to? Yeah, being 94. Yeah.
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
I don't need them for anything anymore. No, it's fine. You don't have to walk up gobs of stairs.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
And listen, you are a blessing. Except to accept awards. That's right. And I'm sure there'll be plenty more coming your way. You deserve every one of them. Oh, God, no. I don't think there's anything left. I've got a lot of those. But listen, I want to tell you how much I admire you. And you're just a complete and total blessing to the world. Wow. That's lovely. Thank you.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
And also thank you for coming and talking to us on this show. We've got lots of wisdom that you've imparted today, and we're very grateful.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
Bye. How much fun to catch Rita on her birthday. Oh my God, that's a wiser than me first. And obviously she's experienced so much in her life. All right, let's get my mom on the Zoom and see what she has to say about this conversation. Hi, Mommy. Hi, Love. Hi, Lovey Mommy. How are you doing? I'm doing fine. How are you doing? Good.
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
I just spoke with Rita Moreno, who is 93 years old, if you can even believe what I'm telling you. She's incredible. Is she still dancing like crazy? She doesn't dance as much as she did because her knees are kind of shot, as she says. However, she's sharp as a tack. She says she's still searching for nouns and things, but she's still working. She gets out there. I mean, it's quite remarkable.
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
By the way, Mom, when you were in New York in the 60s— Even the late 50s, I guess. Did you see West Side Story on Broadway? I did, yep. You did? Oh, yes. Yes, absolutely. So you saw the original production? The original production, right. Tell me what your, when you saw it, what was your reaction? Do you recall?
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
So you saw Chita Rivera play the role of Anita because she's the one who played it on Broadway, right?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
Oh, what year was it on Broadway? I'm going to guess that it was in the late 50s. I don't know that for sure, but I would guess that because the movie... of West Side Story came out in 1961. Right.
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
If it's bad now, can you imagine the shitshow it must have been like back then? She has channeled that strength into becoming a trailblazer beyond showbiz, too.
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
Yeah. Did West Side Story... Did that impact your impression of sort of the Latin community at that time? Did the show have impact on you from a cultural point of view as you considered the Latin community in New York? It did.
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
Yeah. It was a very powerful work of art.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
Yeah. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Great, Mommy. Well, thank you so much. I'm so happy to talk to you about these little things.
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
She marched for civil rights alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., advocated for her friend Norman Lear's People for the American Way, a progressive advocacy organization, and has consistently worked to empower Puerto Ricans, urging them to vote and hold elected officials accountable. And that energy that I was talking about before, it's still there. The woman is a dynamo when she performs now,
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
You are, mommy. Everybody is crazy about you.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
Yeah, I'm like a therapist who goes, okay, well, I'm afraid our time is up.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
Until next time, dear patient. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
Love you, mommy. Talk to you later. Okay, bye. Bye. And before we go, dear listeners, if you or someone you know is in emotional distress or thinking about suicide, you can call or text 988 to access a trained crisis counselor. There's more Wiser Than Me with Lemonada Premium on Apple. You can listen to every episode of Season 3 ad-free.
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Subscribers also get access to exclusive bonus interview excerpts from each episode. Subscribe now by clicking on the Wiser Than Me podcast logo in the Apple Podcasts app and then hitting the subscribe button. Make sure you're following Wiser Than Me on social media. We're on Instagram and TikTok at Wiser Than Me, and we're on Facebook at Wiser Than Me Podcast.
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Wiser Than Me is a production of Lemonada Media, created and hosted by me, Julia Louis-Dreyfus. This show is produced by Chrissy Pease, Jamila Zahra Williams, Alex McCohen, and Oja Lopez. Brad Hall is a consulting producer. Rachel Neal is VP of new content, and our SVP of weekly content and production is Steve Nelson.
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
Executive producers are Paula Kaplan, Stephanie Whittles-Wax, Jessica Cordova-Kramer, and me. The show is mixed by Johnny Vince Evans with engineering help from James Farber. And our music was written by Henry Hall, who you can also find on Spotify or wherever you listen to your music. Special thanks to Will Schlegel and, of course, my mother, Judith Bowles.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
Follow Wiser Than Me wherever you get your podcasts. And if there's a wise old lady in your life, listen up.
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
Amazing, whether you know her from The Ritz on Broadway or West Side Story, The Electric Company. Hey, you guys! 80 for Brady or her scene-stealing role in One Day at a Time, Rita has managed to keep the same irrepressible charisma she's had since starting Spanish dance lessons in the Bronx at the age of six. There's even, by the way, a tribute Barbie doll of her in her Oscar dress.
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
I am so thrilled to welcome a real star like A mother, a grandmother of two, a true force of nature, and someone who is miles and miles and miles wiser than me, the wonderful Rita Moreno. Welcome, Rita.
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No, you really do. That is such a good response to an intro. I want more money. Wow. Oh, Rita. Okay. Are you comfortable if I ask your real age, Rita? Oh, for sure. Today's my birthday.
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
Just a quick note before we begin. This episode contains discussion of sexual assault, and there is a brief conversation about suicide. If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or contemplating suicide, you can call or text 988 to access a trained crisis counselor.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, dear Rita. Happy birthday to you. Man, Julia, that's the best. The best.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
And what do you think is the best part about being your age here at 93 years old? God, that's cool.
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
Yeah, this is the vibe I'm getting from you. Smart.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
I heard you went on a two-week vacation with your daughter. Yeah. Is that correct? And what was that like? Do you travel with your daughter a lot and talk about sort of when you go on vacation with your daughter, are you planning it? Are you relaxing? What is it all about?
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Yeah, and they smell so good, too.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
Okay, so we got invited to a fancy friend's fancy apartment in New York for dinner, the kind of thing I'm usually actually quite good at getting out of gracefully. But in this case, it actually did sound like a nice group, and I hadn't been around humans for a bit, you know, because I've been working and whatever. And so off we went.
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Yeah. It's such a great present for both of you. And then you get to be together and really connect.
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
Yes, but you're a pain in the ass together, right? Yes. Yes. So it's a great relationship. It's so lucky. That's so beautiful. I love the idea. I've actually given my boys—I have two sons, and I've given them both— Frequently I've given them like experiences as gifts as opposed to more crap to have around the house. What do you mean by experiences? I mean tickets to shows, tickets to games.
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
They're both really into sports. So I get them tickets to go see the Lakers or whatever it happens to be, baseball, go see the Dodgers, stuff like that. They love that kind of thing. But now I'm thinking I'm going to give them trips with me. Absolutely. Yeah, I'm going to do it. Absolutely. So you're obviously very fit. You work out all the time. What's your deal with that?
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
Well, I was there when you accepted recently at the Academy Museum, and they gave you an award.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
Yeah, I was there, and I heard your speech, which I want to talk about, but the— I don't remember you getting help going up the stairs.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
And I got seated next to a gentleman whom I have met before, and I've never really gotten to, but what the heck? I mean, how bad can it be? Uh, bad. Yeah. Okay, so first of all, he starts to butt into conversations from all around the table. The mansplaining gets going pretty fucking quickly, and we learn that apparently he's an expert in everything.
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
I mean, you're obviously... Yes, okay. So then, and what about, if you don't mind, I'm curious to know, do you have like a... Do you have a food thing? Do you watch what you eat? Explain what your food situation is. I try not to. You try not to eat?
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Julia Gets Wise with Rita Moreno
I know, and then I read you used to sit out in the sun and become like a piece of bacon. What the hell? Oh, my God. You haven't had skin cancer issues or anything from that? Never, never, never.
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Well, hello there. It's me, Julia Louis-Dreyfus. I'm so happy to be back with Season 3 of Wiser Than Me. And to celebrate that, I am so excited to share that we have partnered with Lingua Franca, a New York City-based luxury and sustainable clothing brand, to offer our listeners Wiser Than Me-specific hand-embroidered sweaters, sweatshirts, and more. LEMONADA LEMONADA
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But then when things started to click, did you have a feeling of, what's the word I'm looking, well, ambition?
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I ask that question because I've asked a couple of other women that I've spoken to on this podcast about that word ambition because— Well, you have to have the fire in the belly. You do have to have fire in the belly. But sometimes when they say, oh, that woman is ambitious— Oh, well, that could sound terrible.
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You're deeply into the scene, yes, but you're also in your head sort of controlling the scene and then you're also outside of it watching the scene. And when it's a comedy and it's going really well, at least for me, that deep kind of laughter can just bubble up and God damn it, it is impossible for me to stop it. I'd crack up. I'd lose it.
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And did you immediately leap to that? Yeah, I did. You didn't have any feeling of sadness?
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You know, I was thinking about that, too, because of your time at the rehearsal club. Yeah. And that was where you lived when you first went to New York, which was a sort of a boarding house for young women who were trying to make it in show business, right? Yeah. By the way, that in and of itself is an incredible Hollywood show business story, just the fact of that, right?
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I love that idea. Okay, well, if you need the boarding house mother, you're looking at her. Anyway, but I love this story that you told about, and I'll let you tell it, but when you went, you were trying to find an agent. And was it Eddie Voy that you were speaking? Eddie Foy.
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I mean, if you've ever seen any of those blooper reels that they have online from Veep or Seinfeld, my contribution is ruining scene after scene with hysterical laughter. And I have to say, sometimes it's horrendous because you can see the other actors not believing that I have just ruined another take. You can see them getting a tad irritated with me, which I guess is understandable.
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Oh my God, that's not fire in your belly. That's balls.
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And so then tell what you did.
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Yeah, you make your own breaks. You push forward. You push through. Right. That's the most stunning story. And it's a great television show or movie, whatever you want to make it. It really is. More with Carol Burnett after the break.
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Hey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus here. If you listen to me on my Wiser Than Me podcast, you probably already know that I'm an investor and an evangelist for the Mill Food Recycler. There are a lot of reasons to love Mill, but for me, it's all about the impact. Keeping food out of the garbage is one of the most powerful things we can do to help the planet every single day.
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We're talking banana peels, carrot tops, old takeout. When that stuff heads to the landfill, it becomes a huge driver of climate change. If you already compost, great. But of course, there's the smell, the flies, the running to the curb every day with a little leaking compost bag made of cornstarch. That's where Mill comes in. It makes keeping food out of the trash as easy as dropping it in.
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It can handle nearly anything from a turkey carcass to like 20 avocado pits. It works automatically while you sleep. You can keep filling it for weeks and it never, ever smells. Mill makes dry, nutrient-rich grounds that you can use in your garden, add to your compost, feed to your chickens, or Mill can get them back to a small farm for you.
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But you kind of have to live with Mill to really get it, and that's why they offer a risk-free trial. Go to mill.com slash wiser for an exclusive offer. Maybe your mom's always wanted to learn how to paint or write that novel or finally perfect her sourdough game. This Mother's Day, help her get started with Masterclass. Our parents taught us so much.
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There's one scene, though... on Seinfeld where the great, and I do mean the great, Jerry Stiller, who played George's father, of course, he and I are having a kind of a confrontation, and he says, what the hell does that mean? And the way he said it, I just lost it.
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Plus, every new membership comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. This Mother's Day, give your mom something inspiring to dive into. Our Wiser Than Me listeners always get great discounts on Masterclass of at least 15% off any annual membership at masterclass.com slash wiser. See Masterclass's latest deal at least 15% off at masterclass.com slash wiser. Masterclass.com slash wiser.
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This show is sponsored by Midi Health. Staying in touch with your body becomes more important than ever as you get older, especially for women. After 40, hormones shift, energy changes, and what your body needs has evolved over time. Paying attention to how you feel, how you move, and how you respond to stress can make a huge difference.
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So, of course, while this hormonal transition is a fact of life, it doesn't mean you have to accept these symptoms as just another part of aging. Get help with MidiHealth. Their clinicians are menopause experts equipped to support you with safe, effective, FDA-approved medications as well as supplements, lifestyle coaching, and preventative health guidance. I'll see you next time.
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Hi there, listeners. Just a quick note before we get back to the show. I want to tell you real quick about my new movie called You Hurt My Feelings. It's a little comedy about the little white lies we tell to the people we love the most. And it's a little comedy about the little white lies we tell to the people we love the most.
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I play a writer who discovers that her longtime adoring husband, who said he loved her latest book, actually hates her latest book. Can you imagine that mindfuck? It was so superb to work again with Nicole Holofcener, who is the writer and director. The entire cast is truly unbelievable. I'm so proud of the damn thing. You Hurt My Feelings. It's out now in theaters everywhere.
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I hope you go check it out. So you had many mentors in your career. Yes. Lucille Ball. Right. Gary Moore. Who else? Who else am I? Those are the two main ones, right?
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And if you don't mind, tell me what Gary Moore, what were the big takeaways? What were the, if there were in fact pieces of advice they gave you or they modeled for you?
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You got that right.
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And, you know, that camaraderie, which is really you're talking about generosity and camaraderie, was really evident as, you know, to lowly me, audience member, watching you as a young girl and as a teenager watching your show. It was so evident to me that it was fun. Yeah. Right.
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Thank you. That's exactly right.
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Come on. Okay, let's go. Let's go. I mean, I never got through it. We did like a million takes. There was never one in which I didn't weep with laughter or at the very least I was, you know, whimpering uncontrollably. I had to turn my head away from camera. I was digging fingernails into my palms. I never got it together. I can't tell you how much fun that was. It's just inexpressible.
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Please don't. Right. Tell about Harvey Korman and that moment when you had to let him have it. Do you mind telling that story?
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You inhabit the character.
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No, of course.
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Rare circumstance. Yeah. But let's talk about you as a boss. Yeah. Because you say you avoided confrontation, right? And I'm interested in that. And maybe it's, I don't know, maybe it's generational. I'm not sure.
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But, Carol, did you—like, for example, if there was material that needed punching up or— No, I know exactly where you're going with this. How did this get managed?
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No, but I would argue that that approach that you developed for yourself was certainly a more kind approach, but maybe even a better approach because it really... You are demanding creativity without demanding it. You're locking arms with these guys and saying, we're on the same team. Can you help me out?
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And it really only happens when things are singing, you know? It's the expression of joy at being on a team that is hitting every fucking shot. That's really the best part, the team part. I'm not a religious person, but if there's a heaven, please let it be that. Please, please. Total, deep, uncontrollable laughter with a great team, with great friends.
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But I think, I mean, I guess it's a kind of, you took her advice, as it were, and you interpreted it for yourself. And I think that's a great lesson. I'm so glad to hear that your thoughtful approach to making a better show, you know, because it's not always perfect. That first pass at a script is often in need of a lot of work, right? Exactly.
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By the way, you know, they shot – it's either Renmar or Raleigh Studios where they shot the I Love Lucy. One of those two, I can't remember which one it is because they're both R words. But anyway, that's where we shot the first four episodes of Seinfeld, which I was always just – Oh, wow. Yeah, exactly. It was really cool to be in the same space.
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Can you, I know I'm asking a lot of questions about your career, but I do have one other question to ask you. And that's about when you first did Carnegie Hall with Julie Andrews, how did that happen? How did that show come to pass?
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Why? Because the beer truck guys recognized you?
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It's a fantastic show. I was watching it, and I was watching the intro number that you do, We Belong Together, which I love that number. By the way, the dress that you're wearing and she's wearing, of course, I'm watching this in black and white, but I have never in my life seen such beautiful gowns. Gorgeous. But let me tell you what I was struck by.
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As I sit here right now, I am so grateful to think that there is gonna be another time, maybe even today, when I am laughing so hard that I can't control it. Because, you know, Jesus, that's just, that's what it's all about. How wonderful, how delightful, how right it is then that for the last episode of this season of Wiser Than Me, today, I get to talk to Carol Burnett.
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so the lyrics in we belong together, you, you, you open the, you're so London. Yes. I'm so San Antonio. Yeah. Right. Yeah. And you say, you open, you start the sketch just sort of before the song, you say, I don't belong here. I don't belong here. And then off you go and you're seeing the song and then you come to, we belong together, together. Yeah. And, and,
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The word belong is a word that's – it stuck with me because then when you sang your last song for the final episode of The Carol Burnett Show and you changed the lyric and you sang – I'm so glad we had this time together. Just to have a laugh or sing a song seems we just get started. But that time you sang, because you make me feel like I belong.
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And I thought, oh, how... It's funny that you would come up with that. Well, it was a nice... That's great. But it was such a... And it's sort of, I think you offered us an insight into your love of what you do and to the feeling that I think we share in performance, which is a feeling of acceptance and belonging.
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And you tapped into that. And aren't we lucky? Oh, yes.
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Never. No, because it could have been otherwise. Absolutely, yeah. And you had all three of your children during the Carol Burnett show? Is that correct? I had the first two before we started. And then you had your last daughter during the run of the show. Right.
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Yeah, it's because a mother was at the helm, if you don't mind my saying.
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Summers off, right.
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Were you able to go home and leave work behind you?
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I bet you won that bet. Because of theater. Yes. Yes. Yes. And then the show ended after 11 seasons, and you called that. Yeah. Endings are hard. They are. Talk about that.
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No, I had the same experience both with Seinfeld, with V. Yes. But talk about how... Actually, I'm really interested to hear this because you've had people in your life, dear people in your life, pass, and you've had shows end. I'm not likening one with the other, but it is another kind of ending, right? Yeah. So how do you, as somebody who's weathered a lot of that, how do you manage endings?
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But it's a stone cold miracle.
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Right. Yeah. I wanted to thank you, actually, because when your daughter, Carrie, was suffering from addiction, and you spoke so openly and honestly about that. And I had a sister who passed. Oh, no, I'm sorry. Yeah, very tragically. But I appreciate your honesty and your forthrightness about that issue, because there can be shame associated with it, and addiction is a bear. as you know.
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So I just wanted to thank you.
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Hi, I'm Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and this is Wiser Than Me, the podcast where I get schooled by women who are wiser than me. Okay, this is it. Today, I am talking to Carol Burnett. So I'm already crying. It's true. I love you so much. There's just absolutely nobody like Carol. Nobody.
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And you had the glorious experience of working on the play.
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With her. It was her idea. Please.
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Yeah, and rain features in all of your stories I'm going to mention.
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Thank you so much for having me. Rosetta Stone's been around for 30 years, and honestly, it's the go-to for learning a new language. Millions of people use it, and they've got 25 languages to choose from, like Spanish, French, Italian, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, you name it.
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Plus, you can use it whenever on your phone or your computer. So whether you've got five minutes waiting for coffee or a whole hour to dive in, it's easy to fit into your day. Don't wait. Unlock your language learning potential now. Wiser Than Me listeners can grab Rosetta Stone's lifetime membership for 50% off. That's unlimited access to 25 language courses for life.
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And if you get a post-purchase survey, tell them you heard about Cozy Earth from Wiser Than Me. Sanctuary awaits at Cozy Earth. Vacation season is almost here, and it might be time to take a hard look at your travel essentials. That suitcase with the wobbly wheels? The overstuffed tote that barely zips? This year, upgrade your travel with Quince. Quince has
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There is no way to even measure what she has meant to television comedy, much less what she has meant to women in television comedy, and much less what she has meant to me in television comedy. Side note, everything. Everything.
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It has everything you need for a smarter, more stylish trip like lightweight European linen from $30, washable silk tops, and soft, breathable lounge sets that keep you comfy from the airport to arrival. And when it comes to travel accessories, Quince is really hitting it out of the park.
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Their carry-ons and sleek weekender bags are thoughtfully designed and crafted with premium materials, so you get both durability and style. No more wrestling with zippers or praying your handle survives baggage claim. What's even cooler is that Quince partners directly with Top Factories and cuts out the middleman, bringing you premium pieces at 50 to 80% less than similar brands.
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Plus, every item is made with ethical, responsible production practices and elevated finishes that last season after season. For your next trip, treat yourself to the luxe upgrades you deserve from Quince. Go to quince.com slash wiser for 365-day returns plus free shipping on your order. That's q-u-i-n-c-e dot com slash wiser to get free shipping and 365-day returns. quince.com slash wiser.
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What's one easy thing we can do for the planet every day? We can stop putting food in the garbage. We're talking banana peels, carrot tops, old takeout. When that stuff heads to the landfill, it becomes a huge driver of climate change. So we compost, right? But then there's the smell, the flies, the running to the curb every day with a little leaking compost bag made of cornstarch.
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Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Carol Burnett
This is why I'm an investor and an evangelist for the Mill Food Recycler. It makes keeping food out of the trash as easy as dropping it in. It can handle nearly anything from a turkey carcass to like 20 avocado pits. It works automatically while you sleep. You can keep filling it for weeks, and it never, ever smells.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Carol Burnett
Mill makes dry, nutrient-rich grounds that you can use in your garden, add to your compost, feed to your chickens, or Mill can get them back to a small farm for you. But you kind of have to live with Mill to really get it, and that's why they offer a risk-free trial. Go to mill.com slash wiser for an exclusive offer.
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She's done it all from starring on Broadway nearly seven decades ago in Once Upon a Mattress to her seminal variety show, The Carol Burnett Show, that was a mega super hit. I've got to get my shit together. I'm falling apart. That was...
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Carol, can you talk about your idea of beauty and how it's changed or not as you've gotten older and your approach to yourself and how you feel physically as you've gotten older? What has that journey been like?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Carol Burnett
You weren't. No, you weren't, Carol. You weren't. I know you say this about yourself, but anyway, carry on.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Carol Burnett
Good for you. That's a great response. That's not a very kind thing to say.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Carol Burnett
But how do you feel now?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Carol Burnett
No, you don't. And you're physically very fit. Do you exercise?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Carol Burnett
Yeah. Right.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Carol Burnett
Because you were always, I mean, the fact of it.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Of course. Of course. It's so much fun. But what about the work before you do that? I mean, in other words, did you exercise as a younger person?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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And what about cognition? Because you're obviously... I mean, give me a break. You're so completely and totally with it. I mean, if you told me you were 35, I'd buy it. No, for real. So what do you attribute that to?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Carol Burnett
But, I mean, do you do anything else to keep your, I mean, are you a reader?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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It was a mega super hit for 11 years on CBS and made her a household name to great dramatic performances, to the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to a billion Emmys, a Tony, a Grammy, writing a ton of books and bringing untold joy and laughter to millions and millions of people. She has a fascinating, heroic personal story that she's been brave enough to share.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Now, not to get too deep into the weeds on Wordle, but I also play it every day. I love it so much. I do, too.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Oh, goodness. She's a friend of mine, too.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Oh, my God. I'd like to get in on that wordle game. Okay. I'm going to give you myself one number. Okay. So do you always use crate as your opening word? That was my question.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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I know. I used adieu for a long time. Now I'm into arise. Oh. I don't know. It's done me well, except today I got carrot and five, not two.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Well, you know, we can edit all of this crap out. But I mean, back to you, if I may. So as it happens, I've spoken to many different women doing this podcast here who have had three marriages. You're one of those people as well, but you are in the fine company of Isabel Allende, Jane Fonda, and Darlene Love. Oh, wow. So what's the trick? What is it about the third marriage? How did this...
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Oh, that's nice. How do you keep the romance alive? Is that easy?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Carol Burnett
Oh, God. So I'm trying to think, what else do I need to talk to you about? I mean, I just love you so much, I can barely...
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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I see. Yeah, you wouldn't be where you are. Yeah. So I think I know the answer to this question, but is there something you would go back and say yes to?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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She's just one of the most well-known, most beloved performers in the history of entertainment. And man, is she wiser than me. I'm so lucky to say welcome, Carol. Oh, honey. And I love you.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Okay. So this has come up in another interview with Jane Fonda.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Carol Burnett
Yes. She said exactly the same thing.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Carol Burnett
Yes. Can you believe it? It comes with age. It comes with age, and it's such a good answer. Yeah. No. No. There's no I'm sorry after it.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Let me ask you this. Is there something you want me to know about aging?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Carol Burnett
I wasn't fishing for a compliment. I really, really mean that. Is there something you would like me to know as I'm... You know, Jane Fonda... talks about her life in three acts, the first, the second, and the third act, right? She's 85. Yeah. And when she entered her third act, she decided to do a life review and really think about what the intention of her third act would be.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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But here's the remarkable thing. Here you are, wonderful, beloved Carol Burnett, and you are... are entering your fourth act. And so I wonder if you could, I wonder what your intention is as you enter this next decade. If you have one, if you don't, that's fine.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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That is good. Yeah. That's really nice. And, well, I don't know what to say except thank you.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Carol Burnett
Oh, Carol, thank you.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Carol Burnett
Thank you. That means totally everything coming from you. And I really, honestly, what you have done with your life has informed my life more than I can articulate in this conversation. Oh, thank you. So, thank you, Carol. Love you. Love you, too. Thank you for being here. Thank you. Complete? Yay!
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Carol Burnett
So for our listeners on Wiser Than Me, normally after we have these remarkable conversations, I call my mom and I tell her about the conversations. But we thought for this final episode, we'd have my mom... listening in like a fly on the wall to the conversation with Carol. So I don't have to recap. We can just download how stunned we are by the magical quality of Carol Burnett.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Carol Burnett
I know. What an incredible... And to have you do that and to be there with you, I have a picture of you and me and Norman Lear together. And it's so cherished. It's such a cherished treasure. Oh, yes. So, Carol, are you comfortable if I say your real age? Of course, yes. And so what is your real age?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Is that how you feel, mom?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Yeah, she's a dear person. I mean, in terms of her energy, Mom, and her mentation, her physicality, I mean, she's like you, frankly. I mean, she's completely with it.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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I love that. What a God. I mean, shit, I need a drink. I'm exhausted or bedtime.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Carol Burnett
Yeah. I loved it too. Okay. Mommy. Love you tons. Love you. Love you. Love you tons.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Bye. Okay. Bye. Bye. Goodbye. Love you, mommy. Love you. Love you. Love you. Bye. Bye. There's more Wiser Than Me with Lemonada Premium. Subscribers get exclusive access to bonus content. Subscribe now in Apple Podcasts. Wiser Than Me is a production of Lemonada Media, created and hosted by me, Julia Louis-Dreyfus. The show is produced by Chrissy Pease, Alex McCohen, and Oja Lopez.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Brad Hall is a consulting producer. Our senior editor is Tracy Clayton. Rachel Neal is our senior director of new content, and our VP of weekly production is Steve Nelson. Executive producers are Stephanie Whittles-Wax, Jessica Cordova-Kramer, Paula Kaplan, and me.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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The show is mixed by Kat Yor and Johnny Vince Evans, and music by Henry Hall, who you can also find on Spotify or wherever you listen to your music. Special thanks to Charlotte Cohen Sunderland, Will Schlegel, and of course, my mom, Judith Bowles.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Well, we've had a great run, dear listeners, and because this is our last episode of the season and because it takes a lot of people to make a show like this, I wanted to peel back the curtain and quickly thank all of the many wise women who helped make this podcast possible. Our rock star marketing team includes Lizzie Breyer Bowman, Sahar Baharlou,
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Rose Dennis, Amber Girardi-Robinson, Lina Martinez, S.K. Satterwhite, and Vanessa Ullman. Thanks to our friends in business development, Don Gunderson-Taylor and CeCe Dong-Grin. And of course, nothing is possible without the folks in operations and finance. Thank you to Jen Brandon, Val Bodurtha, and Ali Pinnell. And a very special shout out to Rochelle Green and Jackie Danziger.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Follow Wiser Than Me wherever you get your podcasts. And hey, if there's an old lady in your life, listen up.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Carol Burnett
What has surprised you the most about getting older?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Carol Burnett
Yeah, I know what you mean. I feel the same.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Carol Burnett
Oh, come on. Do you remember that? No, I don't remember that. No, I remember the movie, and I remember your incredible parody.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Carol Burnett
How much fun is it to laugh? I think laughing is just the greatest little gift from the gods. I don't know if you have this, but I have certain people in my life that I laugh so hard with that I cry. There is nothing better. And, you know, I mean, it's not like you can exactly wake up and say, I'm going to laugh my ass off uncontrollably today. You know, the kind of deep soul rocking laughter.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Well, maybe there's something about being in show business. Well, maybe there's something. Actually, I want to ask you this question. Do you think there's anything about making people laugh and laughing yourself? I think so. I do, too. I wanted to ask you this. Can you describe what it feels like to you to get a laugh, Carol? What is that feeling?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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You know, I'm jumping all over the place, but it seems to me I made a list somewhere in this. I have paper. I'm surrounded by papers because I had the great pleasure of studying up on Carol Burnett, which is hardly an assignment. And many kindnesses have been bestowed upon you, or let us say you have been open to receive them.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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And I'm very struck by that, looking at your life, starting from your nanny, whom I can tell I would have loved her. But I think about your nanny and going to see all these wonderful movies that you saw. Right. Do you mind telling the story about Joel McRae? Because my mother... I loved Joel McRae, the most handsome man ever.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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You can't plan it. It kind of sneaks up on you. And it can be very surprising. Yeah. You know, the laughing at a funeral kind of laughing, you know, you're not allowed to laugh, makes it worse. It's a mysterious and it's a truly wonderful thing. As a performer, there's this weird sense playing a comic scene sometimes. It's like you're several people all at once.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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It's starting to happen.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Carol Burnett
Did she ever find anybody good that you met?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Oh, gosh. I just think that is so charming. Yeah. Lucky you to have her. Did you—I'm sure she did. Did you always know you'd make it, Carol? Did she think you would, and did you always know it? Did you feel it in your bones?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
She's a therapist. She's a well-known therapist. I know, I know. And she's a fantastic.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
Are you not smart enough?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
I think people are desperate for it. Desperate for it.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
And agreement. One of the reasons I always say one of my podcast pivot works is because I'm connecting with a man who I disagree with in a way that's kind. And we disagree a lot. And people are desperate for that. They're desperate.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
No, it's an important story. Years ago, you know what your podcast reminds me of? Spalding Gray did a show at the Kennedy Center many years ago where he brought people from the audience and just interviewed them just randomly. And it was brilliant because he said everyone's story is interesting if you just talk to them.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
And it was, you know, he had his own troubles, as you know, how his life ended. But it was the most riveting conversations I've ever seen because... And that's what you're talking about here.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
So speaking of connection, let's talk about Tuesday, dealing with existentialism and grief. Just to let people know, this is not a comedy, but it is funny in many ways. It's actually very funny. Giant Julie Louise Dreyfuss is my favorite. Julie Louise Dreyfuss. You handle your tallness really well, but also, and smallness. You didn't like smallness much.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
But you going through the grass as a tiny thing was...
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
I felt the borrowers all over again anyway but it's about death literally in the form of a talking macaw I believe that's the bird I have not seen a movie like this in I think for some reason the John Malkovich movie was the last one it reminded me of of the feelings I had during it it's obviously a fantasy it's surreal in many ways it feels you know like a Garcia Marquez book or something like that can you talk a little bit what attracted you and the reason for taking it on
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
Of the bird.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
Yeah, it's interesting. It's like in Lord of the Rings. Because he was there. In that conversation you had at the table, it was like the actor is sitting there with you. Correct. That's what I thought. That's what I figured. Amazing, amazing performance, by the way, and disturbing at the same time, but also very funny, but very funny bird.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
But in the movie, a mother and daughter basically having a conversation with death and about death together. You've been through a cancer treatment. You're a parent. I've had a stroke. My dad died. Talk about what you draw to understand about the depths of grief. Because in this case, you're dealing with someone else's death or impending death.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
Yes. Not being there. Not being there. I mean, you know, it's interesting when I heard the description of it, I almost didn't want to watch it because I have kids and the idea of, I just, I, you know what I mean? It's one of those things that I was thinking the other day, right before I watched it, I'm like, Totally. I have so many kids, I've upped my chances of being upset. You know what I mean?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
Like, I don't know why it popped into my brain, but one of the things, the grief of knowing you're going to lose someone. Now, we know that with older people, but it's harder. Your character Zora tries to avoid her daughter. selling off bits and pieces of their beautiful things.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
And then you go to the other extreme, which is barbecuing and trying to eat death, literally, being forced by death to confront it. Can you talk a little bit about that, a little more about the parent-child bond? Because your character's at the center of that, and your child is kind of, Zora's really the child in the relationship in a weird way.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
One of the things that's striking is not knowing the pain her daughter is in, not being aware of the pain until she can hear her as having eaten death. So she has this hearing.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
Yeah, it's like a death doula in a weird way.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
Hi everyone from New York Magazine and the Vox Media Podcast Network. This is On with Kara Swisher and I'm Kara Swisher. We've had a slew of power women on On and today we're keeping up that streak. Comedian and actor Julie Louis-Dreyfus. She's obviously a comedy legend. I'm an enormous fan. She's won 11 MAs, a record of eight she got for playing some of TV's most iconic female characters.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
Well, what's interesting about it is she becomes joyful when she's doing death, right? That night of putting people at rest. The people screaming in the background, and you don't get to see a lot of it except for a couple of scenes, was very funny, even though it wasn't funny. Do you know what I mean? Like, ah! And the bird, bang, bang, bang. I was in hysterics with that.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
I was like, oh, that's what would happen if death went away. Death took a holiday, right? Speaking of which. But she gets joyful by doing death. Would you like to have that power? Would you ever? Fuck no. Are you kidding me? Really? I kind of would. You would? Kara, really? Yeah, because it's kind. It's a kindness. That macaw isn't cruel. That macaw is kind. Yeah. That's too much for me to bear.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
Yeah? The pain.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
I pass on that job opportunity in real life. All right. Okay. All right. Well, you can do the life part. They're linked together. So one of the things, I have just one more question about the movie, and then I want to talk a little bit about your longer career. But you finished this movie three years ago, as I said. Looking back, does the idea of come on, woman still resonate with you?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
Well, actually it's a get up woman. Get up woman. Excuse me. Get up woman. Sorry.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
on three different sitcoms, Elaine Bennis in Seinfeld, Christine Campbell in The New Adventures of Old Christine, and, of course, Vice President Selina Meyer in Veep. I don't know which one I like the most. I like all the characters. I suspect Selina's my favorite character because she's real, actually. I've met people like her. But my kids like Seinfeld. I love Seinfeld.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
It stays fresh even today, and she's probably my favorite character on that show besides Selina. uh jerry stiller and her scene if you haven't seen it it's on youtube of her and uh jerry stiller cracking each other up is one of the finest bits of comedy i've ever seen she's been honored with the mark twain prize for american humor and the national medal of arts she is a national treasure obviously
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
I want to talk a little bit about your career in comedy. You made a joke at the Mark Twain Award in 2018 about being a dramatic actress. That was part of the bit. Damn you, Peter Hall. What a mistake. But it would be hard not to finish up with a legacy as a comedic actress. We met at the award show where you won the Webby Podcast of the Year for Wiser Than Me.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
But in your long television career, you've won 11 Emmys. You're one of the few actors who has played not one, but three iconic television characters. Elaine Bennis, Christine Campbell and Vice President Selina Meyer. How do you look at each character now? And to me, what this is just me and you could have a different take. I'm just an audience member.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
They have a common is a need to be in the boys club. Am I getting that wrong? And all kidding aside, would have been easier to be Portia.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
I'm not going to wade you into the Seinfeld controversy because I think that has nothing to do with you, but I'd love to know what you think is funny now. Everyone seems to have a theory, obviously. But what do you think is funny right at this moment we're in? Yeah. That question's funny. I think there's a lot of talk about how comics can't be funny now. I think that's not true.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
I think comics are funnier than ever. No, that's bullshit. I think that's bullshit. Physical comedy and intellectual comedy and political comedy I think has never been more interesting because there's so much to do. Well, yes, it's a ripe time.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
Yeah. So one of the things, Elaine is known, for example, with the physical moves, although the dry retorts or the shoves or the dance, but also the retorts. And Selena, to me, is all feral facial expressions and wicked verbal cuts. Is it harder to do physical or intellectual comedy?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
And now she's winning awards for her new podcast, Wiser Than Me, where she gets life lessons from women over 70. Jane Fonda, Fran Lebowitz, Gloria Steinem, Patti Smith, Anne Lamott, who I also recently spoke to. They've talked about what they've learned and how they've coped with the hard stuff, including death and grief, which is also the focus of Julia's latest film, Tuesday.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
Absolutely. I have a couple more questions. Seinfeld in particular, for example, which I think you'll probably be best known for, even though I preferred Veep. I love Seinfeld, too. But it's having this renaissance on Netflix. A lot of young people are watching the show. My son was like, have you heard of Seinfeld? I'm like, yeah.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
Why do you think it holds up and that younger generations are connecting?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
Is there a show, if you had to introduce someone to it, that you would show them first? There's obviously the famous ones, not that there's anything wrong with that, Master of Your Own Domain. Is there any show you would say, look at this one? Hmm.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
Oh, really? The Briss. That's hilarious. And the double dipping. There's so many. The Subway episode. But one of the things that's interesting is Netflix probably paid more than $500 million for the Seinfeld rights for five years. The contract started in 2021. Did you see any of that money? Not one cent. Okay. How do you feel about that? Fantastic. I would love you to go on about that.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
Alana Glazier, who was pretty critical about streaming services. What's your take? You're going into AI next for free, just so you know, but go ahead.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
And so fittingly, our question this week comes from psychotherapist and host of Where Should I Begin podcast, Esther Perel. I'm excited to talk to her and I think you'll be excited to hear from her. Hi. Hi, Cara. How are you doing? Thank you so much for doing this. I appreciate it.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
Yeah. Even though you're a network note, according to Jerry Seinfeld, that was very funny. Yeah, that was funny. That was fantastic. But in 2020, you signed an overall deal with Apple TV Plus to develop new products as executive producer and actor. You've been producer on many of your shows. What does that mean exactly?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
And how does the deal differ from the ones you've cut over the past three decades? Well,
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
So what do you do now? Do you go bring your projects, your production company?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
You don't even? No.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
Yeah. You're not going to Reese Witherspoon it, for instance.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
May I ask what you're doing next?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
Well, you've got a success story. I just finished a Marvel movie. Yeah, my son wants to know why you're in the Marvel movies. You turn into a villain from what he tells me.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
I don't know. So let me ask just two more, three more questions very quick. Politics. You're a moderator at the 2020 Democratic Convention, which is some very good jokes that some of which apparently they cut. You can comment on that if you'd like.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
Yeah, so what are you doing this go-round? There's a campaign happening. I don't know if you know that. There's a campaign happening, presidential. Oh, really? And who's running, Kara? It's a rerun. Oh, I've seen that. Not like this. Not like this. It could be worse. It could be worse. I don't know. Could it be worse? Yeah. Yes.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
I just interviewed Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez last week, and she was like, I'll be arrested, as if it was like Tuesday, speaking of Tuesday. Yeah, and she quite meant it. But do you want to get involved in politics?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
It's a lifeline, I think, to saving democracy. Absolutely. So I have two more questions at the end. I want to go back to Tuesday and Weiser. In the end of the film, there's a question of whether heaven or God or the afterlife exists or not. And the bird says something amazing.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
The movie was astonishing, I have to say. You were fantastic in it.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
What do you think of that? What's your echo? Besides an Oscar, obviously, and the Oscar goes to?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
And I love anything about death, so I'm very excited about it.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
Yeah, I just gave that answer to someone. They were surprised. I was like, that's the only thing. Why would you be surprised?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
It's interesting, but not meaningful. You're right. The last question. You start every episode of your podcast with a story about your life. I think you should continue to do that. I know you're private, but I think it resonates with people. It resonates with me, certainly. Are you writing a memoir? No, I'm not. If you did, what would the title be?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
But first, I want to talk about the podcast, your podcasting empire. Hardly. You're doing really well. You just wrapped up the second season of Wiser Than Me, which you interview women over 70. A lot of celebrities have podcasts these days, obviously. A lot of them are different from yours. For example, I think Smart List is basically a buddy comedy.
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Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
Okay. All right. I think you should. I just pulled that out of my ass. I like it. I like it. I like it. I like it. Anyway, thank you so much for doing this. I appreciate it. And I do hope you do win the Oscar.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
Might be nice. You're so nice.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
Thank you so much. Thank you. On with Kara Swisher is produced by Christian Castro Rossell, Kateri Yochum, Jolie Myers, and Megan Burney. Special thanks to Kate Gallagher, Andrea Lopez Cruzado, and Kate Furby. Our engineers are Rick Kwan and Fernando Arruda. And our theme music is by Trackademics. If you're already following the show, go ahead and do the Elaine Bennis dance.
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Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
If not, get up, woman and man. Go wherever you listen to podcasts. Search for On with Kara Swisher and hit follow. Thanks for listening to On with Kara Swisher from New York Magazine, the Vox Media Podcast Network, and us. We'll be back on Thursday with more.
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Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
Talk about how you decided to do this and the way you conceived of it.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
A labor of love and passion. It's been very popular. It's very high up on the rankings. Were you surprised by that?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
How do you look at the podcast medium as a way to do that? You know, a lot of people get in and they get out of it pretty quickly because it's hard. It's a marathon. It's a real marathon. And some make money, some don't, but it can be very lucrative. I've had a really good run in that regard. But how do you look at it as a medium to communicate this?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
Because there's lots of ways you could have done this. You could have had a talk show, television. Yeah, I know.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
Right, so a conversation. You know, this sort of my dinner with Andre kind of vibe to it. How do you pick the subjects and the approach? Like what does your goal say with Jane Fonda? You talk to her about ambition.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
That kind of thing. Yeah. So you talked about being radicalized by these women or more radicalized by these women. I think that was the quote. Who have you been most influenced by and what surprised you in the interviews, which you didn't expect? I don't know. Isabel Allende is a crack up. I don't know what.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
So come on, let's listen to them. Let's listen to them. Come on, woman. We'll get to your movie in a minute. Come on, woman. That was the best end line, I have to say. One of the things that I think the reason it works, this is a lot about you and you, how it changes your thinking, whether it's about the movie industry, women's rights, becoming more political.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
Have these conversations changed you yourself, given you're looking for, you know, wisdom, you know, wiser than me, or is that wisdom being put to use in your own life?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
Right. You realize you don't have that much time for regret anymore, so it's okay. It's fine if you let them out. But you also call your mom and talk to her about them. Oh, yeah. Yeah. How does that go?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
Yeah. Would you bring her on? I don't believe you have, correct? I think that would be – I'm waiting for that one, honestly. You are? That's something I'm considering, I suppose.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
I've had my son and my brother on and stuff like that. They've been some of the most popular ones, which is interesting. Really? Especially my son. He's very wise for a young person. But I would love to hear your mom and her thoughts on it. I think it would be really good because she's a character in your podcast. I mean, podcasts are about characters.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
In any case, we got a question this week from someone who's a fan of your podcast, psychotherapist Esther Perel, host of the podcast, Where Should I Begin? I don't know if you listen to it. It's fantastic. And you'll hear her question for you.
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Presenting: Julia interviewed — On with Kara Swisher
It's okay.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Hey, listeners, it's me, Julia. LEMONADA LEMONADA So I'm not good at technical things. If it's digital, I can't do it. Or really, I won't do it. I mean, I'm sure I'm missing out on a lot of stuff, but in the end, who really gives a shit? I get by just fine, thanks. Except for one thing, music. I love to listen to music. It's one of the three or four things I enjoy most in life.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Oh, my goodness. Do you still have that ring?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Yes. Dying to see what that ring looks like.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
But it's so meaningful. And the story behind it, because what he did was you made food for him, but then he kept the Tupperware and he didn't return it. And that kind of bugged you, right?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Well, I understand that. It makes sense. It's kind of rude not to give it back.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
And look, I certainly don't want to be the, well, back in my day kind of person. especially on a show about how older women make such valuable contributions right now. But now it's all Spotify and Apple Music, and that's great when I've got my phone in my pocket and my ear things in. But what about when I want to dance around my kitchen?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Did you enjoy collaborating with him in particular as an artist? Was it sort of an elevated experience, Patty?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Isn't that fascinating? I mean, he was an artist. He was a true artist. Oh, boy. Here comes the ring. Here comes the ring. Oh, my gosh. Oh, it's beautiful. It's a diamond ring, and it looks like it has crosses on it, right? Yes. Like four different crosses. And it looks like it's pave diamond, right? Yes.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
It's heavy, but you know, it's beautiful. And Patty, I have to tell you something. I think you can get away with wearing that. I don't think that looks too manly on your hand at all.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Well, you could have it sized, Patty. I'm just telling you. I'm in favor of you wearing that ring. I love it.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
That is beautiful. And I love that story about Prince too. And I also, I also, I understand that you travel. I mean, you're such a cook and you love to cook so much. You travel with spices. What are the spices you travel with? You must have very specific ones.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
What is washing dishes, you know, without Ray Charles blaring or Parliament Funkadelic when you're making the bed? OK, I can't make that happen. And we have what the rest of my family claims is a very straightforward system that is utter and complete bullshit. But here I am, they say, with every song ever recorded.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
And so if you're going to a farmer's market and you're, I'm kind of going off topic here, but I'm so interested to know. Go ahead. When you're going to a farmer's market like that in whatever town you're in, I'm assuming you're kind of maybe making things up as you go along because you don't know what you're going to come across at the farmer's market, right?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
I love that. I love that. I wish you lived close to me because I have a huge Serrano chili plant right now. It has a lot of chilies on it. And I don't need to eat a lot of those. I would be so happy to send them your way. Well, send them to me. Whenever. We'll get them. It's time to take a quick break. We'll be back with Patti LaBelle in just a few moments. Hey, Prime members.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Did you know you can listen to Wiser Than Me ad-free on Amazon Music? Download the Amazon Music app today to start listening ad-free. This episode of Wiser Than Me is supported by Boehringer Ingelheim, the maker of NexGuard Plus, Afoxyloner, Moxodectin, and Pyrantel chewable tablets. Would you do anything for your dog? Of course you would.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Whether you're planning a dog birthday party or finding the perfect sweater-booty combo to keep your pup warm, prioritizing your furry friend's happiness is always the wise thing to do. And although every person's dog care style is different, there's one thing everyone can agree on— that your dog's well-being is always a top priority.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
And one super simple way to prioritize their well-being is with NextGuard Plus Chews, which provide them with next-level protection from parasites. NextGuard Plus Chews provide one-and-done monthly protection that kills fleas and ticks and prevents heartworm disease. And the big plus here is that it also treats and controls roundworms and hookworms.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
It's a whole lot of protection packed into a delicious beef-flavored soft chew. So why not make that monthly dosing easy and enjoyable? One more important note. Use NexGuard Plus with caution in dogs with a history of seizures or neurologic disorders. Dogs should be tested for existing heartworm infection prior to starting a preventive. Stay wise with next-level protection for your dog.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
And remember, the next time you're at the vet, ask about NexGuard Plus Chews. Maybe your mom's always wanted to learn how to paint or write that novel or finally perfect her sourdough game. This Mother's Day, help her get started with Masterclass. Our parents taught us so much.
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Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Now they can learn from people they've always admired, like Jane Goodall on The Natural World, Diane von Furstenberg on Style and Confidence, and over 200 more leaders, artists, and innovators at the top of their fields. Whether you're gifting masterclass to your mom or treating yourself, it's a thoughtful way to invest in personal growth.
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Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
And I think there are like 100 million songs on Spotify or something all right there at my fingertips. And how often do I listen to music in my own home? If I'm alone, never. Seriously, I'm not kidding you. Never. And what a giant loss that is. Our house used to be filled with music. I remember making cassette tapes of playlists when our kids were born.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
With a membership, you get unlimited access to classes across cooking, writing, design, leadership, photography, and more. For just $10 a month, build annually. That's every single instructor, anytime, anywhere. anywhere. And it actually works. Did you know that 88% of members say Masterclass has had a positive impact on their lives?
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Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Plus, every new membership comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. This Mother's Day, give your mom something inspiring to dive into. Our Wiser Than Me listeners always get great discounts on Masterclass of at least 15% off any annual membership at masterclass.com slash wiser. See Masterclass's latest deal at least 15% off at masterclass.com slash wiser. Masterclass.com slash wiser.
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Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Hey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus here. If you listen to me on my Wiser Than Me podcast, you probably already know that I'm an investor and an evangelist for the Mill Food Recycler. There are a lot of reasons to love Mill, but for me, it's all about the impact. Keeping food out of the garbage is one of the most powerful things we can do to help the planet every single day.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
We're talking banana peels, carrot tops, old takeout. When that stuff heads to the landfill, it becomes a huge driver of climate change. If you already compost, great. But of course, there's the smell, the flies, the running to the curb every day with a little leaking compost bag made of cornstarch. That's where Mill comes in. It makes keeping food out of the trash as easy as dropping it in.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
It can handle nearly anything from a turkey carcass to like 20 avocado pits. It works automatically while you sleep. You can keep filling it for weeks and it never, ever smells. Mill makes dry, nutrient-rich grounds that you can use in your garden, add to your compost, feed to your chickens, or Mill can get them back to a small farm for you.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
But you kind of have to live with Mill to really get it, and that's why they offer a risk-free trial. Go to mill.com slash wiser for an exclusive offer. You may know the cute Aflac duck, but did you know Aflac is a leader in supplemental insurance?
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Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Well, Aflac is here to help with something most people don't think about until they're in the middle of it, the gap between what health insurance covers versus what it doesn't. AFLAC offers supplemental insurance that can help you with expenses health insurance doesn't cover. Because even with good health insurance, if you get sick or injured, you can still be left with out-of-pocket expenses.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
AFLAC can help with the part that may not be covered, which can hit your wallet when life already feels overwhelming. AFLAC pays cash that can be used to help with anything you choose in your time of need. That could be towards medical bills like co-pays or prescriptions or even everyday expenses to help keep life going while you focus on getting better.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
And that's really what it's about, helping provide peace of mind, knowing that if something happens, you're not alone. AFLAC is here, and they can help provide a financial safety net. Get help with expenses health insurance doesn't cover. Visit Aflac.com to learn more. So you grew up as the second youngest of five children, correct? Yes. And as I said before, you were very shy.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Oh, my God, music for nap time, music for waking up. Just music, music. Our house was full of music. And it made such an imprint on our boys. For example, our son Henry, he started playing guitar in middle school. And when he was in high school, he was in a jazz band. So at Christmas, the school would have a holiday concert and the jazz band played a song or two. So fantastic.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
But now, now look at you. You have this huge social life. Yes. When did you grow out of that?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
So you feel the energy from the audience.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Mm-hmm. I love that you take the energy and it kind of lifts you up. It's like arms outstretched to you. And I think that's phenomenal.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
So, Patti, going back to your musical beginnings, your older brother introduced you to jazz, right?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
And then I'm jumping ahead here, but then you got to know Nina Simone personally, didn't you?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
And these were always instrumentals, right? But at this concert, at the end, they bring out a microphone. And our Henry, in his little suit and tie, steps up to the microphone and he says, this is tenderness. by Paul Simon. Okay, look, we had no idea this was going to happen. He hadn't said anything, nothing. So the band plays that first chord. Do you know that song?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
So you had three sisters. What was the dynamic like between you and your sisters when you were growing up? Oh, God.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Maybe you got a sense of fashion from her because actually your outfits when you were with LaBelle, those outfits were completely ahead of their time, don't you think?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
They really were. I mean, you really kind of—I mean, I think I even heard you say, we were Lady Gaga before there was Lady Gaga, the way you would come out and present yourselves, right?
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Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Yes, of course. Yes. In your memoir, you talk about having low self-esteem as a child, which we discussed. And you didn't consider yourself beautiful, which I find astounding, by the way, because you are truly a beauty.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
If this is quiet, I mean, honestly, I cannot. I think you look spectacular. You could go to the Academy Awards looking the way you do right now. Thank you, honey. What do you mean that you learned it lately? You said, I've learned lately that what you look like doesn't really matter.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
What can I do? And Henry starts to sing his version of that song. And it was shocking. I mean, we knew he could sing. He was in a good rock band. But this? What? We'd never heard him do this. It was like a complete transformation. It was transporting. And it came out of nowhere. It's like a movie. We were so astonished. And girls were, whoo! They're all screaming.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Yeah, it can be exhausting, right? It is exhausting. And you have this musical instrument, and that blessing is the one that, I mean, let's face it. That's my life, yeah. That's your life. The music is my life. That is your life.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
When you were with the Bluebells, the group was you, Sarah Dash, Nona Hendricks, and Cindy Bird's song, and then Cindy left, right? Cindy left to go with the Supremes. To join the Supremes in 1967. Uh-huh. At the time that that happened, did that shake your confidence?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Yeah, it's just the way she went about it maybe was a mistake on her part.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Have you had conversations with her subsequently and come to a peaceful place? I've had conversations with her and Diana.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
That's a done deal. That's finished now. You started going to therapy, I think you did, around the time that Cindy left the group. Is that right?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Oh, after the group broke up.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Yeah, I get it. I mean, I think endings are very difficult. They can be really difficult for me, too. I mean, not that I had a fabulous girl group, but, you know, when jobs end, particularly longstanding jobs, that can be a ground shift, can't it? It's scary. It's scary. It's scary. It's totally scary.
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Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Yeah, but also, it's sort of like, who am I without that, you know? It's so many things.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Yeah. Yeah. Smart. There's much more with Patti LaBelle after this break. Don't go anywhere. This show is sponsored by Midi Health. Staying in touch with your body becomes more important than ever as you get older, especially for women. After 40, hormones shift, energy changes, and what your body needs has evolved over time.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
And Henry's voice was like sailing up higher and higher because he has this gorgeous tenor voice. And his dad and I looked at each other and we knew without a doubt that this guy was going to be a singer, a musician. And of course, that's exactly what he is. In fact, he writes the music for this podcast. Do yourself a favor and listen to him on Spotify, if you can figure out how to work it.
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Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Paying attention to how you feel, how you move, and how you respond to stress can make a huge difference. So, of course, while this hormonal transition is a fact of life, it doesn't mean you have to accept these symptoms as just another part of aging. Get help with MidiHealth.
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Their clinicians are menopause experts equipped to support you with safe, effective, FDA-approved medications as well as supplements, lifestyle coaching, and preventative health guidance. You'll come out of the experience feeling heard and with a plan to start feeling better.
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Listening to your body, both the big signals and the subtle ones, helps you stay connected and in control of your health at every stage. But tuning in isn't always easy, and that's why support matters. MidiHealth offers convenient, accessible care through telehealth visits and 24-7 messaging, plus all of their services are covered by insurance. You deserve to feel great.
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Book your virtual visit today at joinmidi.com. That's joinmidi.com. When the temperature creeps up, does your wardrobe start to feel a little repetitive? You know the drill, the trusty tank, the go-to shorts. It works, but maybe it's time for a little something more without having to try too hard. That is why you have to give Quince a try.
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Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
They've got these amazing 100% European linen shorts and dresses, and seriously, you won't believe the price, starting at just $30. And the quality? It's the real deal. Think luxe swimwear that actually makes you feel good and Italian leather platform sandals that are as comfy as they are stylish.
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Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Comparing them to those high-end brands, the vibe and the quality are totally there, but the price tag is so much friendlier. Imagine those easy, breezy linen pieces for your next get-together with friends or those chic sandals for a wander around town. Quince just makes it simple to feel a bit more put together easily.
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Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
And it's good to know they're all about doing things the right way, working with responsible factories and using beautiful premium fabrics. Treat your closet to a little summer glow-up with Quince. Go to quince.com slash wiser for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. That's q-u-i-n-c-e dot com slash wiser to get free shipping and 365-day returns. quince.com slash wiser
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Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Thank you so much for having me. Rosetta Stone's been around for 30 years, and honestly, it's the go-to for learning a new language. Millions of people use it, and they've got 25 languages to choose from, like Spanish, French, Italian, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, you name it.
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Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Learn to order a delicious coffee in French, ask for directions in Cantonese, or simply how to better pronounce words in a language you already know. What's cool is that they don't rely on English translations. You just dive in and start picking things up naturally, kind of like how you learned your first language. It starts simple, then builds up to full-on conversations, and it actually sticks.
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Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Plus, you can use it whenever, on your phone or your computer. So whether you've got five minutes waiting for coffee or a whole hour to dive in, it's easy to fit into your day. Don't wait. Unlock your language learning potential now. Wiser Than Me listeners can grab Rosetta Stone's lifetime membership for 50% off. That's unlimited access to 25 language courses for life.
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Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Because seriously, he is just unusually good. And I say that as a music critic, not as his mother. And God damn it, I want to hear my own son's music on Spotify loud in my kitchen, which, okay, so this brings me back to my technical infirmities. Henry had a live show a couple of nights ago at a great venue here in Los Angeles called Zebulon. I bought tickets online.
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Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Visit rosettastone.com slash wiser to get started and claim your 50% off today. Don't miss out. Go to rosettastone.com slash wiser and start learning today. What's one easy thing we can do for the planet every day? We can stop putting food in the garbage. We're talking banana peels, carrot tops, old takeout. When that stuff heads to the landfill, it becomes a huge driver of climate change.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
So we compost, right? But then there's the smell, the flies, the running to the curb every day with a little leaking compost bag made of cornstarch. This is why I'm an investor and an evangelist for the Mill Food Recycler. It makes keeping food out of the trash as easy as dropping it in. It can handle nearly anything from a turkey carcass to like 20 avocado pits.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
It works automatically while you sleep. You can keep filling it for weeks, and it never, ever smells. Mill makes dry, nutrient-rich grounds that you can use in your garden, add to your compost, feed to your chickens, or Mill can get them back to a small farm for you. But you kind of have to live with Mill to really get it, and that's why they offer a risk-free trial.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Go to mill.com slash wiser for an exclusive offer. So, Patti, what was it like earlier in your career touring in the South? Because, I mean, on one hand, you're building up this fan base and a name for yourself. But on the other hand, it's the height of Jim Crow. Yeah, it was bad.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Yeah, I bet. Really quickly.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
And it must have just, you must have formed a bond with those women like no other, right?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
And when we got to Zebulon, I brought the tickets up on my phone and I tried to get up the QR thing or whatever the fuck it is, and I can't do it. And, of course, there are people behind us in the line, and the show's coming up, and I don't want to hold up the line. And the nice kid at the box office offers to help me. Ma'am, he says. Oh, God.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Right. Right. Wow. God, I mean, you've nurtured relationships with so many artists like Jennifer Hudson and Fantasia. God, I love Fantasia. And Mariah Carey. And you said that you didn't want them to make the same mistakes you made. What are some of the important lessons that you've learned in your life that you shared with them? Wow.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
And you've always been very, I mean, you've had an incredible eye for spotting talent, right? Like Luther Vandross, by the way. Oh, yes. And Elton John.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
And then did he launch his own career after that?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Yeah, of course. And I'm so struck by your generosity. Who modeled all this generosity for you? Who was generous with you the way you are so generous with others?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Hey, listen, when the Nightbirds came out in 1974, right? And that was the first huge, big hit album for you guys. And the lead single was Lady Marmalade. You know, I have to tell you something. That is such a formative tune, I mean, as it is for millions of people. But I was 13 when that song came out, and I couldn't believe that song. It was so... Yeah.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
And I see this very handsome young door guy watching this, and he's smiling. He's laughing a little bit at me, and I'm thinking, oh, come on. What? I'm that lady? I'm the one who can't figure out her own telephone? Please. The world has passed me by. God damn. But then the scanner went beep and we went in and the show started.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
And I used to sing that and you could sing it because it was in French so you could kind of get away with it. And I just remember feeling so kind of like, what's the word, like a rebel singing that tune loud in my house. You know what I mean? Along with you guys. Did you know it was going to be a hit?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Yeah, it's a great song. It's incredible. LaBelle did the Gay Bathhouse Circuit, right? Oh, yes. Yeah, and also the first black group to play Metropolitan Opera House. Yes, yes. Which is incredible. I saw that poster. I just thought that poster for that show is so beautiful. It's bananas.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
I said, what the hell is this? I hope you didn't put it in your mouth and try to chew it.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Right. I don't think so. But, I mean, you have been so accepting of the gay community from way back in the day, and maybe at a time when it was not as widely acceptable to be gay, right? But you were. You were.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Of course. Yeah, without question. And I think I have a gay following, too, by the way. I bet you do. I don't know how to make that determination. I'm being told that I do.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
And in 30 seconds, none of that mattered because the music was not just good, it was spectacular. And there I was doing one of the three or four things I love the most, listening to great music. And really, everything else fell away. Nothing else mattered. I was completely lost in it. Looking at my Henry on stage, I could see the direct line between his high school jazz band and this night.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
So we have that in common, and I'm grateful for it. Patty, I learned this fact about you that just blew me away. So here you are at the top of your game, but in your 40s, you used to say farewell to your fans after every show because you really believed you would not live beyond 50, right?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Yes, I did. And your friend Claudette, too, who passed away young. Right. Patty, can you talk about living with that fear at the time of your mammoth success? Because they bump up against each other, don't they? The feeling of... I'm not going to make it, but you've made it at the same time as an artist.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
But is that when you turned 50, I think?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
But you had a lot of anxiety about it, and then all of a sudden it seems like that anxiety just— It left. It left.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Yes, it did. Maybe it was just the marker of getting past a certain age. Yeah. I lost my sister, actually, and she was 44, if you can believe it.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
I know. Yeah. That's why I was so struck by that in your life. What did she pass from? She was just really ill. Oh. Yeah. Sorry. So, yeah, really tragic. But it is, it so upends your life because it's not the way the world is supposed to work. No, it's not. It's not the order of things. And that's why it's hard to kind of, well, that's why you're frightened.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Yeah. It's natural because it doesn't feel...
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Um, thank you. I'm sorry for you too. Thank you. I'm sorry for you too. Um, and I, you've been very open about, uh, when your sister Jackie passed away and you've come to terms with what, do you mind talking about that right now? Well, she wanted me to prepare her lunch.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
No, but you've forgiven yourself for that, and she knows that you love her. Doesn't she, Patty? Mm-hmm. Yes, she knew it.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Yeah. But you just think about things you didn't do. Right. But isn't that always the case? When you lose people you love, there are, you know— Things that you said you could have done. Yeah, of course. Believe me. And I say the same thing, believe me, with my own sister. But at the end of the day, you were a— At the end of the day, I realized that she was my love, yes.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
No, that's okay. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry. No.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
And I was completely happy. Because really, is there anything better than the simple pleasure of a good singer singing a good song? Especially a singer you love with all your heart. So how wonderful then that today we are talking to the great Patti LaBelle. I'm Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and this is Wiser Than Me, the podcast where I get schooled by women who are wiser than me.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
And now you feel, I believe, I hope that you have peace about it. I do. About that. Yeah.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Yeah, it catches you. It's like being hit from behind or something. Yeah, I understand that.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Well, Patty, is there something that you would go back and tell yourself at age 21? Yes.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Is there something you would go back and say yes to? That's a good question. That I could think of? No. Really? No. No. You've said yes to everything you wanted to say yes to.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Yes. Is there something you're looking forward to? More life. Yeah, I was going to say graduating to 81, perhaps? Graduating. Yeah, my graduation, 81. Your graduation in May, because you're a Gemini, correct? Uh-huh, May 24th. Nice. Is there something that you would like to tell me about aging, Patty? Just don't be afraid of it.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
So don't be afraid of life. Yeah, and that seems like a really lived thing for you, Patty. I mean, you are actually scared to turn certain ages, and you aren't anymore. It's good advice. Is there something you wish that you'd spent less time on, Patty? No.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
But I call that a perfect life. A nice life that you don't regret. You know, not a lot of people can say that, Patti LaBelle.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Yeah. Oh, my God. It's been such a delight to talk with you. You are just the most wonderful human being.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Oh, wow. Wow, what a life Patti LaBelle has lived. Okay, let's get my mom on the Zoom. Can't wait to talk to her about this conversation. Hi, Mommy.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
I have to turn your audio on. Yeah. What's the problem? I've got Garrison Keillor on, and I can't turn him off. On your phone?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Okay, so it's just playing. You don't know why?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Do you want to just turn your phone off?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Garrison Keillor, once again, ruining the podcast. Okay, all gone. Nice. I love it. Hi, Mommy. Hi, hi. So guess what? Today we talked to Patti LaBelle. Yes. The wonderful Patti LaBelle. And remember, she had that big hit back in 1974. It was called Lady Marmalade, but the tune was, Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir? Do you remember that? Oh, I do remember that. Yes, yes, yes.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
And I used to sing that all the time because it was so naughty, of course. And I thought I was like, You know, pushing the edge of the envelope.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Yeah, I was. Will you sleep with me tonight? I mean, that was very dirty. Were there any dirty songs? Well, not like that, but what was considered dirty when you were growing up?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
When I was in junior high, it was, we must, we must, we must increase our bust. The bigger, the better, the tighter, the sweater, the boys depend on us.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Well, it's such an unfortunate rhyme on every level. Exactly, exactly. I hope we haven't brought it back into popularity by mentioning it on the show. I'm so sorry about that. I know, I am too. I have huge regrets.
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Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Yes. She just turned 80 this past year. And her son, through her surprise party with everybody she's ever worked with in her entire life, showed up to this party in New York. And it was a very, very big deal. But... It reminds me of when... Mommy, remember when I had the surprise party and you told me about it?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't bring it up to make you feel bad. It's fine. It's a great family lore story.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
You said you... I think what was going to happen was Brad was going to take me away somewhere, if I'm remembering this correctly. And you and Daddy had come to take care of the kids while we were going to go somewhere. And we were about to leave, and you said something like, well, see you in Santa Barbara later. Like that.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Well, I mean, I knew something was going to happen, but I didn't know what the extent of it was.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Yeah, exactly. I didn't know what it was going to unfold to be. So I was obviously surprised by that. And it was such a joyful occasion. It didn't really matter at all. And this all reminds me very much of Patti LaBelle, in fact, because she's somebody who's gone through a lot, but she's really, really happy in her life. She's very at ease with who she is.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
So I think she was definitely happy to be celebrated, as she should be. That thing of having a party, celebrating your life, and you get to sort of sit back and look at it and assuming you're happy or relatively, not even just happy happy, just reasonably happy with where you are, that's a lot to be celebrated.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
I know it was an incredible honor to be able to talk to her. No doubt. All right, mommy. Well, so long. Oh, there's the front door. I have to go, mommy. I've got the gate guys here to fix the gate. Oh, okay. Good, good, good. Well, I love you and I'll see you soon. Okay. I love you. Love you. Thank you for talking with us. So happy to be here. Bye, mommy. Love you.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
There's more Wiser Than Me with Lemonada Premium on Apple. You can listen to every episode of Season 3 ad-free. Subscribers also get access to exclusive bonus interview excerpts from each episode. Subscribe now by clicking on the Wiser Than Me podcast logo in the Apple Podcasts app and then hitting the subscribe button. Make sure you're following Wiser Than Me on social media.
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Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
In 1954, a very shy 10-year-old girl walked up to Beulah Baptist Church in West Philadelphia for the first time. So shy, in fact, that until that day, her mother had to convince her to go outside and play with other kids by paying her a quarter each time. But in that church... things started to change for her. Under the guidance of Ms.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
We're on Instagram and TikTok at Wiser Than Me, and we're on Facebook at Wiser Than Me Podcast. Wiser Than Me is a production of Lemonada Media, created and hosted by me, Julia Louis-Dreyfus. This show is produced by Chrissy Pease, Jamila Zahra Williams, Alex McCohen, and Oja Lopez. Brad Hall is a consulting producer.
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Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Rachel Neal is VP of new content, and our SVP of weekly content and production is Steve Nelson. Executive producers are Paula Kaplan, Stephanie Whittles-Wax, Jessica Cordova-Kramer, and me. The show is mixed by Johnny Vince Evans with engineering help from James Sparber. And our music was written by Henry Hall, who you can also find on Spotify or wherever you listen to your music.
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Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Special thanks to Will Schlegel and, of course, my mother, Judith Bowles. Follow Wiser Than Me wherever you get your podcasts. And if there's a wise old lady in your life, listen up.
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Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Harriet Chapman, her choir director, gospel songs began to fill her head. The solos came, standing ovations started to roll in, people saying, that girl sure can sing. Ms. Harriet told our guest, never stop singing. Whatever you do, don't stop. And guess what? Patti LaBelle is not stopping.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
You could right now go see Patti LaBelle perform live where you'd hear her sing incredible hits like the original Lady Marmalade, On My Own, and New Attitude. What you can expect at a Patti LaBelle show is drama, shoes flying, and a damn good time. That personality on stage, that big voice, and 18 studio albums have rightfully earned her the title of the godmother of soul.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Beyond music, she's an accomplished entrepreneur, actress, and a New York Times bestselling author of several incredible cookbooks. She has transformed her culinary talent into a multimillion-dollar empire with her brand, Good Life, which includes her viral sweet potato pies. Mastering one craft is challenging enough, but my God, Patti LaBelle has mastered many.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
In 2023, she was named one of Forbes Magazine's 50 over 50. She's a Grammy winner, an NAACP Image Award winner, a GLAAD Media Award recipient, and an inductee into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Yet the accolades she has received are not for her alone. A core part of who Patti is involves helping others. And I can't wait to talk about that. Thank you so much for having me.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
She is taking what she has learned and is helping others succeed. A positive force, force, all caps, in a troubled and so often negative time. And that is why I am deeply thrilled to be talking today to an icon, a mother, a grandmother, and entrepreneur who is so much wiser than me, Patti LaBelle. Patti, you're giving me goosebumps. Just talking about this is giving me goosebumps, for real. Yeah.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
It's a delight. Thank you. Thank you. So, Patti, are you comfortable if I ask your real age? I'm 80. You're 80. 80 and happy.
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Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Oh, boy, is that something. I was going to ask you what's the best part about being your age, but you just answered it. I mean, I love the idea of thinking of aging as graduating. That's so cool because it implies what you've learned. It implies an education, doesn't it?
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Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
And now here you are. And I have to say for our listeners, looking positively exquisite. Patty's wearing this gorgeous white top with multiple strands of pearls. And honestly, short bob haircut, you look divine. Thank you. Thank you, Julia. So this year you celebrated your 80th birthday, and I understand your son, Zuri, surprised you. And you said you're really hard to surprise.
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Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
I can't believe the pictures I saw from your party. That was a crazy party. I need to know details about it. How did you know, like, what to wear? How did he get you there without you knowing? Yeah.
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Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
When I was in high school and college, we had a record player. A record player, remember those? Oh, my God. The hours and hours that I would listen to music. Slap Stevie Wonder's talking book on the turntable, place the needle on the record, music comes out of the speakers. Nothing to it. And then records died. Fine. Whatever. Stick the Stevie Wonder CD in the thing, press play. I could do that.
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Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Oh, that's so good. I love it. You tour eight to 11 months out of the year. Is that still the case?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
So can you just talk about the realities of keeping your voice in shape? What is your routine?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
Stop it. Don't you drink tea or anything? Do you warm up?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Patti LaBelle
That is so cool. You've had so many wonderful and deep friendships with people that we know, you know, as icons like Prince and Mick Jagger and Nina Simone. And one through line through all of this is that you have – In addition to knowing them as artists and being with them as artists, you've cooked meals for them.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Are you supposed to wish people a happy Earth Day? I'm not sure. But to celebrate, I'm going to be talking about a big climate problem on behalf of our food waste fighting sponsor, Mill. It's an issue that I care a lot about, so please do stick around for the ads. Lemonada.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Well, it's interesting you say that about telling stories because I will tell you that I snorkel, but I did go diving once. And I, unlike you, Sylvia, was filled with fear. And I had an instructor there. and I saw nothing on this dive except the ass of my instructor. I was on him. I was as close to him. He probably thought I was coming on to him because I was so close to him the entire time.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
I was terrified. So I'm not cut out for the actual diving, but I have the utmost respect, of course, for you and for those who dive and for you in particular. Don't go anywhere. There's more with Sylvia Earle after this quick little break. So today is Earth Day, and it has me thinking about the planet a little more than usual.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Actually, hardly the shadows. The climate disaster. It may feel existential right now, but, you know, truthfully, the climate crisis is not something that is on the way. It's actually something that is very much here right now. There's a metric that scientists use to determine the role of the climate emergency and fire risk.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Everyone I know from coast to coast is impacted by climate change in some way. I know I certainly am. The hard part is that it can feel like there isn't anything we can do about it. Or... Maybe it's just that there are too many things we're supposed to do to help. We're supposed to drive an electric car. We need to go vegan. We need to reuse plastic bags or take shorter showers.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
We need to stop having birthday parties with balloons. Balloons are especially bad. I Well, instead, maybe we should triage the situation. I mean, we can only do one thing at a time, so what can we start with? What's one easy thing we can do to help the planet right now? You ready? We can stop putting food in the garbage. I'm not joking.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
We're talking banana peels, carrot tops, old leftovers, eggshells, and coffee grounds and chicken bones. Because here's the not very fun facts. Food waste is the most common material in landfills. And most of it comes from our own homes, not from big ag or fast food.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
The clencher, all of this food generates huge amounts of methane, which is like a greenhouse gas on steroids, 80 times more potent than CO2. I mean, the carbon footprint of U.S. food waste is more than that of the airline industry, if you can even believe that.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
And while there may be even bigger climate problems, food waste seems to be the most pointless because it's a problem every one of us could help solve every day from our own homes. Regular listeners to Wiser Than Me might have heard me say before that I'm an investor and kind of evangelist for the Mill Food Recycler.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
And this is technically an ad for Mill, but today on Earth Day, Mill wants me to tell you something different. You don't need a Mill Food Recycler to stop wasting food. Seriously, there are so many ways to start keeping food out of the trash in any kitchen on any budget. Like, for example, you can buy only what you need. You can use a curbside organics bin if you have one.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
If you're a total badass, you can start a compost pile or a worm bin, whatever the hell that is. Granted, if you want to make all of that totally effortless and odorless and kind of magical, you might really want the mill food recycler, but I'm going to get into that later. The big, bold headline today is super straightforward. Please, please keep food out of the trash by any means necessary.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
And if we can all do this one easy, good thing, maybe we can worry about the other 10,000 things tomorrow. I want to talk about that record-making dive I mentioned earlier when I introduced you. When you walked untethered 1,250 feet down on the ocean floor, my God, what does it mean to walk on the ocean floor untethered? Sylvia, what does that actually mean?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
This metric considered a set of factors like temperature, humidity, wind speed, and precipitation to estimate that the fire that burned down the Pacific Palisades and Altadena in Los Angeles was 35% more likely thanks to climate change. So, yeah, the climate crisis helped burn down my house, and I take that very personally.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
How long did you do it for? How long were you walking like that in that suit?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
For those two and a half hours, what were you thinking about? Was it like a meditation? No. Did time fly by?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
And what was the most mundane thought when you were down there breaking, by the way, a world record? What were you thinking, Sylvia? Really? Yeah.
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Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Did you have lights on you? Were you illuminating the area or no?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
One of the times that you lived underwater was in the 70s on the Tektite II, right? With a crew of all women. And I'm curious about what that experience was like, being in the company of only women. Was there a distinction that you can identify?
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Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
I know it's hard, of course, but now is not the moment to turn our attention away from championing the environment. Here's an example from right here in Santa Barbara, where I am right now.
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Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Yeah, women find a way to work it out, don't they? Are you in touch with any of those women today?
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Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
A decade ago, a decrepit pipeline in the Santa Barbara Channel exploded and spilled more than 400,000 gallons of oil into the Pacific Ocean, closing fisheries, upending lives, killing sea life, and threatening a vital ocean ecosystem that is already under immense stress. It was one of the biggest oil spills in California history.
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Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
That's so wonderful, that bond. What an opportunity. How did you make room in your life for... Because you were on the road all the time working passionately, doing this extraordinary exploration, this critical exploration. Can you talk about the balancing act? You've been married three times, I think.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Well, except to say you had relationships at work for X amount of time, but you did have kids who are still your kids. So can you talk about that, how you managed that balancing act with kids at home?
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Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
But what about the kids? How did you do that?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Yeah, right. That's so fantastic.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
So let's talk about conservation. I mean, we have been talking about it, but further about it. In 2018, you said you thought we had five years to get this right, to get this on track. Now, of course, it's been six years. Do you think we're fucked, Sylvia? Have we done it to ourselves?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
And now an oil company called Sable is trying to restart this same corroded, failed pipeline without environmental review or public comment. Sable's project has been issued a cease and desist order by state government agencies, but shockingly, the company simply ignores that order and keeps working.
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Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
And what the task ahead is, it's quite clear, isn't it?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
My conversation with Sylvia Earle continues in just a moment. Stay tuned. So I already spent a whole ad spot telling you about the massive problem of food waste, and I told you about how you can do something about it right now, and you don't really need a mill food recycler. Well, now I'm going to tell you why you might want to mill food recycler in a pretty profound way.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
I know so many people who gave up on their compost pail because they opened that thing one day and they found mold or even those little wriggling, you know, those horrible, I don't know what they are, but they're disgusting. And there's always going to be a smell.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
And then once a day you're running to the curb with a little leaking compost bag made of cornstarch before it goes nuclear on your carpet or whatever. No matter how easy preventing food waste was, dropping food in the trash was easier. Human beings are going to go for the easy thing when we're tired, and many of us are just exhausted. Mill says preventing food waste is one easy thing you can do.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
With Mill, keeping food out of the trash is as easy as dropping food in the trash. It looks like a tall kitchen trash can, kind of. It also looks kind of like an iPhone or like a futuristic obelisk or a Scandinavian minimalist sculpture. But you can treat it just like a trash can. You can drop in your food scraps, almost anything from a turkey carcass to like 20 avocado pits.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
But, but, citizens in Southern California know how important our coast is, and we're not going to let them get away with it, not without a genuine fight. It's very hard to keep all the battles we need to fight right now straight. Every institution we hold sacred, everything dear seems to be threatened. And just like you, I am so exhausted, oh my God, and I am sickened by the whole thing.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Mill works automatically overnight. You don't even have to press a button. You can keep filling it for weeks and weeks, and it never, ever smells, really. So in that way, it's even easier than using the trash. It turns all of that stuff into what Mill calls food grounds, which are dry, compact, and even kind of pleasant. You can drop them in your curbside compost if you have it.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
You can mix them into your compost pile or your garden soil if you have either of those. And even if you have none of the above, Mill can actually pick up your grounds and get them to a small farm for you. That's what we do with ours. So, any reason you have for still putting food in the trash, Mill has an answer for it. It's the ultimate excuse killer.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
It makes doing the right thing and doing the easy thing the same thing. I mean, it's this little every night, overnight miracle. In the morning, I can't help peeking in there just to see how I changed all that food waste into a resource. Because I'm the one who decided to keep food out of the garbage, Mill just made it all easier, cleaner, and a little more magical.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
But no matter how much I talk about it, you kind of have to live with Mill to really get it. They totally know this. So they offer a risk-free trial, no strings attached. Go to mill.com slash wiser for an exclusive offer and let them know I sent you. And even if you do exactly none of that, I hope you will still try it and keep food out of landfills in any way that you can.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
So usually, Sylvia, we end our conversations with a couple of sort of quickie questions. Is there something that you would go back and tell yourself at 21 with the knowledge that you have now?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
And have that understanding. Yeah.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
There'd be cleaner everything.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Yeah. Lucky us. Lucky us. And what are you looking forward to, Sylvia?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
So I'm trying to pick my fights. I'm thinking globally, and I am acting locally, like battling this awful Sable oil pipeline plan. If you want, you can join me in that fight by donating at environmentaldefensecenter.org. There's a link in the show notes, and we'll also have it on the Wiser Than Me Instagram website. Or you can find a fight of your own right where you live.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Sylvia, I think your wisdom is unsurpassed and urgent and so critical for everyone to absorb.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Are you going to go diving later today?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
I love it. Well, have a safe dive. Have a beautiful dive.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
I would be waiting for you on board with a cup of coffee for when you came back up.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Okay. I will say that if I have an opportunity to go diving with you, I can't even clear my ears. I've never been able to do that. I mean, you are talking to a novice. Novice. But I'm enthusiastic. So maybe one day. Maybe one day we'll have the opportunity, and that would be a good day for me.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Thank you for talking to me today. I'm really grateful to you. And I do hope our paths cross again.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
OK, thanks, Sylvia. Go, Sylvia, go. Do it, do it, do it. OK, well, while Sylvia goes diving, I'm going to call up my mom and I'm going to tell her all about this conversation. Let's get her on the Zoom. Hi, Mommy. Hi, Sweet. Mother, I have to tell you something. I just finished speaking with Sylvia Earle, Dr. Sylvia Earle, and I want to tell you something.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
In the Wiser Than Me episode you're about to hear, I mention my house, a beautiful, perfect old Spanish revival home that was built in the 1920s where we raised our two boys and lived happily ever after for 31 years. A few weeks later, that very house and everything in it all burned down in the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Our conversation, guess where she was when I was talking to her?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
On a boat in the Gulf of Mexico in the middle of shooting a documentary for National Geographic. In her bathing suit, she had already been on a dive. And as soon as we ended, she was going back onto another dive.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
There are great, great rewards in fighting for something noble like the future of the planet, of a lake, of a river, a mountain, or the mighty ocean from which our gooey ancestors crawled and evolved into the beautiful, flawed humans that we are today. And that's why it's kind of perfect that on Earth Day, we have one of the greatest ocean activist scientists who ever lived as our guest.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Yeah. She's been diving since she was 16 years old. And no, she's not stopped. I've never seen anything quite like it. And it was an extraordinary conversation because she's talking to me in her bathing suit, wearing her sunglasses, hair is wet. You know, she's like poised to go right back in the water again. And she is, have you ever been diving, mom, in your life?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Well, she talked about her first experience of like she was talking about it as if she was, you know, going through a secret door into another world, which is exactly what it's like. There's so much of the earth is covered in ocean and there's so much about the ocean that's unexplored. And of course, she's been at the forefront of that exploration. She is an explorer. She's an aquanaut.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Three children and grandchildren, and she's gone deep sea diving with her grandsons. I think she said she'd been on a submersible with her grandsons.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Well, you're a grandmother. You can take my kids down a poetry rabbit hole. Why not?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
No, but I think you have already. Remember when Henry took a Mary Oliver poem and he set it to music? Remember that?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
That's right. For your 90th birthday, they did their toast and they took Measure for Measure, your poem, And they said it to music. And I'm going to post that poem to our Wiser Than Me Instagram so people can read it, Mama.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
All right, good. Well, we've I think we've done enough here, I suspect.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Yeah. And so is crate and crane. Those are also good wordle words.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
I have to say I love wordle so much.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
When I have that experience, what I do is I walk away from it completely. But I don't walk away for days. I just walk away for a couple hours. Then I come back to it and my mind can be clear.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
I have that with spelling bee too. But I will say I feel very driven to do it because I find it's just satisfying.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
A woman who must have gills by now. She has spent so much time submerged in the sea. A powerfully brilliant explorer, scientist, and environmental advocate, and someone who is oh so much wiser than me, Dr. Sylvia Earle. I'm Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and this is Wiser Than Me, the podcast where I get schooled by women who are wiser than me.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Okay. Well, I love you. Love you. Love you. Love you. And now we can say goodbye. Okay. Love you.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Bye. Bye. There's more Wiser Than Me with Lemonada Premium on Apple. You can listen to every episode of Season 3 ad-free. Subscribers also get access to exclusive bonus interview excerpts from each episode. Subscribe now by clicking on the Wiser Than Me podcast logo in the Apple Podcasts app and then hitting the subscribe button. Make sure you're following Wiser Than Me on social media.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
We're on Instagram and TikTok at Wiser Than Me, and we're on Facebook at Wiser Than Me Podcast. Wiser Than Me is a production of Lemonada Media, created and hosted by me, Julia Louis-Dreyfus. This show is produced by Chrissy Pease, Jamila Zahra Williams, Alex McCohen, and Oja Lopez. Brad Hall is a consulting producer.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Rachel Neal is VP of new content, and our SVP of weekly content and production is Steve Nelson. Executive producers are Paula Kaplan, Stephanie Whittles-Wax, Jessica Cordova-Kramer, and me. The show is mixed by Johnny Vince Evans with engineering help from James Sparber. And our music was written by Henry Hall, who you can also find on Spotify or wherever you listen to your music.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Special thanks to Will Schlegel and, of course, my mother, Judith Bowles. Follow Wiser Than Me wherever you get your podcasts. And if there's a wise old lady in your life, listen up.
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Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Before the 1950s, ocean exploration was a lot like space travel, wildly dangerous and experimental. The gear looked like something straight out of a Jules Verne novel. It really did. Back then, oxygen regulators would notoriously malfunction, meeting a life-or-death struggle to reach the surface.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Divers faced constant risks from decompression sickness to the near impossibility of communicating with the surface. They had to rely on pure instinct and experience. It makes you wonder, with all that danger, what kind of person would go down there anyway? It would have to be a true explorer, someone whose drive to discover the unknown was stronger than their fear of what could happen.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Someone just like our guest, Sylvia Earle. Sylvia is a world-renowned marine biologist, activist, and oceanographer who has spent over 7,000 hours underwater. 7,000 hours. For context, that is almost 10 entire months. She has led over 100 expeditions. She's written more than 200 publications on the wonders of the ocean. She's a pioneer in American diving.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Sylvia descended 1,250 feet to walk untethered on the ocean floor and became the first human, man or woman, to ever venture so deep in this way. At the core of all of her scientific work, Sylvia has been delivering a powerful message. She is asking, begging us, in fact, to see the ocean as a place we are intricately connected to. She should know.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
She's been diving for over 50 years and has witnessed firsthand the changes in our oceans, the grave effects of overfishing, pollution, and climate change. And she's still diving at the age of, well, we're going to ask her her age.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Dr. John McCosker, head of San Francisco's Steinhardt Aquarium and someone who has worked with Sylvia for many years, said, I think Sylvia may have mellowed a bit in recent years and thank goodness because her magnetism and dynamism are almost impossible to keep up with. Sylvia in her most enthusiastic state is just too hot to handle. And that's exactly how we like her here on Wiser Than Me.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
She is the president and chairman of Mission Blue, a critical organization and global coalition that inspires public awareness, access, and support for a worldwide network of marine protected areas.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
She is the winner of the Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication, a TED Prize, and has been inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame and recognized by the Library of Congress as a living legend. She's a mother... an aquanaut, and a woman who is infinitely wiser than me, Sylvia Earle. Dr. Sylvia Earle, I should say. Welcome, Sylvia.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Thank you so much. Speaking of being on board, as I'm looking at you here on our Zoom for our listeners, you're on a boat, Sylvia.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
We lost everything, all of our family photos and treasures, every memento from my career. I mean, just everything. It's an unspeakable personal tragedy. But truthfully, in the end, we do count ourselves lucky. Our family is safe, thank God. We have a place to stay. We have some insurance. We have the resources to weather this storm, and God knows not everybody does have that.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Yes, I know, indeed. And you spent a lot of your youth in that area. I do need to start our podcast by asking you how old you are. if you're willing to say.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Do you want to say your age?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Oh, God. Okay. I'm not good at math, but that means you're 89. Yep. Okay. So I want to ask you, what is the best part about being your age right now? And also, how old do you feel? I mean, I think I know the answer to that, but I would be so curious to know really.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Yeah, that's incredibly wise. By the way, we had the lucky chance many, many years ago to meet here at my house. I don't know if you remember this, but you came and spoke. You may not remember because it was probably... I do remember. Yeah, it was for Heal the Bay. Yeah.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
It was an event for Heal the Bay in Los Angeles, a wonderful local organization that is dedicated to protecting the Bay in Santa Monica and, you know, up and down the coast here of Los Angeles County. And I'm a big believer in local and grassroots environmental movements, as I'm sure you are too, Sylvia. Yeah. So it was really an honor to have you in the house.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
And we raised a lot of money that night for that organization. So I thank you again for that.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Oh, that's right. Of course. Yes. We're both associated with the Natural Resources Defense Council. And they, of course, do wonderful work as defenders of our planet in the courts. So back to sort of the more... sort of almost silly questions that I want to ask you. You are such a get up and go person. I want to know, I'm assuming you're like a morning person.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Are you somebody who rises early and sort of gets going? What's your deal in the morning? I want to know.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
So you want it all. You want it all, Sylvia.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Yes, without question. I just need my seven to eight hours of sleep. And if I get that, I'm set. I'm done. I can't remember where I read this, but I heard that you don't like working out per se, exercise for the sake of exercise. I'm assuming that the physical activity that you get is with your diving and being in the water. Am I correct to say that?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Can you take us back and just tell us about your very first dive and the experience of your first dive and how it hooked you?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
It's like going through a secret door. Yeah, Narnia. Narnia, yeah. There you go. For real, right? For real. What do you wish people, the average person, knew about the ocean?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
This wildfire happened about two weeks before Inauguration Day. And since that day, it has been a metaphorical wildfire. We have been overwhelmed with a chaotic frontal attack on everything from science to the economy to immigrants to democracy itself. It is just completely nuts. It's so nuts that we're barely even talking about maybe the biggest danger lurking in the shadows.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Well, then let me ask you this, because like for the people who are listening to this, you know, it feels, I mean, I know we have the chance, but it's a daunting task. Doesn't mean it can't be done, of course. But what can we say to our listeners? What can an individual do? What are actions individuals can take in their own lives towards this goal that you're discussing?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Gets Wise with Sylvia Earle
Are there actions they can take?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Hi, Wiser Than Me listeners. It's Julia. The recent fires in Los Angeles have devastated many of our city's communities, destroying homes and leaving so many without jobs or a safety net. The nonprofit agency One Voice has been serving families in crisis within the Los Angeles community for over 40 years.
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Of course, I was only five years old, so I didn't know they were geniuses. And I love the Monkees, partly because they're cute and funny. But Last Train to Clarksville is pretty fucking good, truth be told. My grandma Dee Dee gave me a Monkees record. Somebody must have told her to do that because I think she was more Benny Goodman than Mickey Dolenz. And of course, crushes are tied to music.
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Well, that is just fascinating. And I think that that – well, there are two things I need to say. One is I think even in my own life as a performer, obviously I don't do what you do, but when I perform, there is a – it's like a hit of something. And it's very – And... Intoxicating, right? It's intoxicating. And I love it. I love it. But it isn't who I am either.
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I mean, it is who I am, but it's not... The whole thing at all. And, you know, when I walk into a room, people expect me just to be funny. Yep. And I'm not – I mean, I have a funny bone. I have a sense of humor. But I'm not like, you know – Shecky Green going off. You know what I'm saying? I'm not. But that thing, I know what you're talking about.
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They bump up against each other when you're a performer, right? They really do. I completely get that. The other thing I just wanted to mention is because you mentioned The Wizard of Oz, which is like top five movie for me of all time. I agree. And it's an incredible... Every time I watch that movie, I die. I cry so hard. It's so beautiful.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Have you ever heard Judy Garland's... There was a scene in the movie that they cut in which she sings somewhere over the rainbow when she's being held in the castle by the witch. And evidently... But listen, Bonnie, seriously, you've got to find it because you'll start crying. It is so gut-wrenching because she can barely get through it. She's weeping so much.
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And they decided to cut it because it was too sad. But if you hear it, you will hear what a magnificent... performer she is, which you already knew, of course, but it is an elevated performance of that tune. So do me a favor and look for that, okay?
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Do you feel pressure to create? Do you feel frustration when you're not creating?
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I mean, I've already talked on this show about Bobby Sherman. But how about James Taylor? Oh Lord Jesus, James Taylor on the cover of the album, Sweet Baby James. I just looked at it and I fell so deeply in love all over again. And I have to say, side note, there was this guy that worked at a woman's clothing boutique that was really funky and cool called The Elephant Trunk.
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You really? So you're not sitting around noodling on the guitar or the piano at home?
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No way, really?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Bonnie Raitt
My son is a musician, and he's always noodling and writing. I mean, he's young, of course. And he wanted me to ask you, how written out beforehand are your solos? Are they fully improvised on the day or notated beforehand?
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So you took piano, I think you said, for five years when you were little?
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Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Bonnie Raitt
Good memory. And I took piano for two years, and then I quit when my piano teacher hit me, if you can believe it. Are you serious?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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But anyway, so that was the end of my piano lessons. But you wanted to play like rock tunes and stuff of the day.
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And it was in Mount Kisco, New York. And I used to go into that store every Practically on a daily basis when I was visiting my dad because that man was there and he looked so much like James Taylor and I would just look at him. And I can look at him right now in my mind's eye and I'm leaving my husband for that man because he was so fucking gorgeous. Anyway. I'm talking about music.
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And let me ask you something. How do you know when a song is the right fit for you? Does it hit you in the gut right away?
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And you know right away. You know right away. That's so interesting because I have the, I mean, just like reading a script, for example, if you know, you know. It's a gut feeling. It's like, oh, I have to do this is the feeling. I have to do this.
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Well, I'll tell you, interestingly, first of all, what's so uncanny is that you mentioned that because your voice, if I close my eyes, your voice sounds a lot like Nicole Holofcener's voice, who's the director and writer. But when I sat down with Nicole before she'd even written the script and she said,
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She told me the premise being that a woman who's a writer who relies on her husband, they're madly in love with one another for his support. And when he says he likes something, obviously he likes something of hers. And then she only finds out that the film is about her finding out that he's been lying to her about her work and he actually hates it. Yeah.
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It's so profound. Isn't it? Oh, my God.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Bonnie Raitt
We have to take a really quick break. My conversation with Bonnie Raitt continues in just a bit. This show is sponsored by Midi Health. Since you're listening to Wiser Than Me, you know there are great things that come with age, wisdom, experience, and knowledge, to name just a few.
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The good news is these don't have to be a part of your life. For so long, women accepted these symptoms as just what happens as they get older. But no more. Middie clinicians are menopause experts equipped to support you with safe, effective, FDA-approved medications, as well as supplements, lifestyle coaching, and preventative health guidance.
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You'll come out of the experience feeling heard and with a plan to start feeling better. See you next time. Bye-bye. You deserve to feel great. Book your virtual visit today at joinmidi.com. That's joinmidi.com. Hotels are fine if you want the same beige walls and weird 90s generic art everywhere you go. But with Airbnb, no two stays are alike. It's not just a place to sleep.
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It's very, very evocative. Holy Christ. And I think the most important musical discovery for me was around middle school when I fell in love with rhythm and blues, soul music, and funk. I started to go to concerts in Washington, D.C. with my best friend, Carlene. We saw the Commodores, saw Sly and the Family Stone, Parliament Funkadelic. We love to funk, you funkenstein. Your funk is the best.
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When you shop online at dell.com slash deals, you'll have access to state-of-the-art technology to match your forward-thinking spirit and free shipping on everything. Anniversary savings await you for a limited time only at dell.com slash deals. That's dell.com slash deals. Now, your record company, your label is called Red Wing, right? Yes. First of all, why is it called Red Wing?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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I love everything about it. Oh, thank you. And as a matter of fact, you'll get a kick out of this. I'm doing a Marvel movie. You are? Yeah. But listen to this. I'm wearing hair with a streak in it in the front.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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So just wear that when you... Oh, I've been kissed by an angel. Can I tell you something, Bonnie? I'm going to use that line in the movie. Can I use it? Good.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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I'm going to totally use it.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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And it was the best. I still can't get enough of that music. And then a couple of years out of high school, I got to be on Saturday Night Live and I got to see all these artists up close when they were the musical guests on the show. And we got some great ones like Queen and The Clash and Randy Newman and that band Squeeze. Excuse me. Does anyone remember Squeeze? They were so great.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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You know, I think hospice workers are the most – admirable the most tender my dad passed away with hospice workers and i had the same experience although now having heard this about the window i should have opened the window but i know his uh his spirit definitely found a way out of the house anyway um I mean, we're all over the place, which is good.
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That means we're... Oh, we were talking about my record company. Oh, yeah. So wait a minute. So obviously songwriting, generally speaking, is a male-dominated field. And I think... Isn't it? Is it not?
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Well, you would know better than I. I thought it was.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Bonnie Raitt
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But I think that- Well, but like when you're writing a song, Bonnie, is it important to you to write a song through a female lens? I mean- No, I don't even think about that.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Oh, please, just like that is incredible. I mean, I was just re-listening to that yesterday and then this morning, and every time I hear it, I cry. I lay my head upon his chest. I was with my boy again.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Just saying those names takes me right back. But to top them all, one week, who is the host and the musical guest? Stevie Wonder. Yeah, Stevie Wonder. And he shows up, and of course, he's exactly what you want him to be. He's funny, he's charming, he's singing all the time, and he's a genius. I mean, of course, I mean, come on, he's Stevie Wonder.
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I understand. Well, I mean, it's your experience as a woman, so that's why you don't think about it consciously, I would imagine. But, I mean, also I wanted to mention, too, that your cover of— Baby Mine. Oh, I love that one. So I have to say that when I was listening to that on repeat, when I had my first son, and by the way, produced by Don was, Don and Gemma are good friends of ours.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Oh, My God. Speaking of which, do you know we met on Letterman?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Oh, my God. Me too. And I have a picture I just have to show you. Here it is. I mean, I know our listeners can't see it. How do I get this big? Here. Can you see? How do I do this?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Yeah, well, fuck them. We're not... I mean, we're doing what we want to do. We can talk about anything we want. What was it like being on the road all the time with men? Was it great? Did you love it?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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All of the above?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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So there's this meeting in the executive producer's room with all the actors and the writers and everybody with Stevie Wonder to pitch sketches or something. I don't really exactly remember, but I was late. Okay. Oh, God. So I get there and they're like 25 people crammed into the room. And I'm very embarrassed to be late, of course.
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Did you get pushback on that from anybody?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Wait a minute, wait a minute. You couldn't stand it?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Can you listen back to your music or you can't? Is it hard for you to listen? I mean, you're talking about your first album in the early days, but is it hard for you to listen back?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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I don't like it, I gotta tell you, Bonnie. I don't like it.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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I really don't. I'm very... I mean, there are a few exceptions, but I'm pretty judgy about it. And I just watch mistakes. I see mistakes I'm making. Oh. No, it's true, I do, which is, you know, but I mean, I like certain things. There are certain bits and bobs I can watch, but for the most part, I would say I just sort of wince.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Oh, please. You see the results and you look like you're just trying to go to the bathroom or something. You look like such a dumbass. I know.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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And it's funny you say that because somebody posted something of me on Instagram or somewhere and it was... Anyway, it was some red carpet event. And I had gotten it in my head that I smile too much on the red carpet. I'm right with you where you're going with this. And so I'm standing there and I'm sort of looking over my shoulder and sort of like a slightly open mouth and I'm not smiling.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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And I look like I'm comatose in the picture.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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So I kind of sneak into the room and Stevie Wonder from across the room says, well, there she is, my pretty baby. Okay. And everybody looks over and I'm blushing, of course, because I'm caught being late, but mostly because Stevie Wonder just called me pretty. And then I thought, wait, what? How did he know it was me? The guy is blind. How did he know it was me?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Let me explain to you something. When you have that guitar on, nobody holds a guitar like you. Nobody has swagger like you do. It is incredible. So under no circumstances are you allowed to do a head game on yourself about holding that guitar. I will not permit it.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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But I mean, your voice has changed as you've gotten older. It's gotten a little bit deeper, is it? I guess.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Why would you do that? No, keep going. Never stop. Never stop. Actually, I'm circling back to something because I really did want to ask you. All these fabulous people in blues, women in particular, and Sippy Wallace. And I know you talk about her like she was your grandmother. I do need to know what, because she was like a wise old lady for you, correct?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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So what kind of, if you recall, what kind of wisdom did she impart to you? What did you learn from her?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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But, you know, first of all, that's so funny because you're sort of describing her and her way of being sort of bemused and it sounds like relaxed. It's kind of how you're describing yourself right now to a certain extent, right?
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And it turns out he loves to make jokes about his blindness, probably because he's never let it hold him back in any way. I mean, he kept pitching sketches where he was driving cars and heavy machinery. And there was a controversial sketch where he plays tennis against Joe Piscopo and actually got into the show. Anyway... Just so many memories are tied to songs and artists.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Talk about that. I mean, how did you manage that situation?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Or did you stand pretty firm or sort of a combo? Probably a combo, I would think. Isn't that human?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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You know, just one or two notes and everything floods back. The crush, the breakup, the sadness, the joy, the adventure, you know, the life. Music is the fastest way to get me to feel something here in my body and not in my head. I mean, even, honestly, even Christmas carols. God damn it, sometimes I get so choked up, I can barely sing along. It's power.
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Incredible. Stay put. My conversation with Bonnie Raitt continues in just a moment. All right, the holidays are over, and now you're staring down January and February. For a lot of people, that means cozying up, staying in, and sipping on warm drinks like tea and hot chocolate. And if you want to level up that comfort, Cozy Earth has you covered.
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Music has real power, a direct connection through your ears to your heart, to your emotions, your soul. I really do believe music might be the best part of being human. That's something to consider. And then there's an artist that I haven't mentioned, and I haven't mentioned her on purpose. I was saving her for last. She's that important to me. I have goosebumps as I'm saying this.
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Acorns Advisors LLC, an SEC-registered investment advisor. View important disclosures at acorns.com slash wiser. Wiser Than Me Season 3 is available ad-free when you subscribe to Lemonada Premium. You'll also get access to exclusive interview excerpts from each episode. Subscribe now in the Apple Podcast app.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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So I want to talk a little bit about the relationship between art and pain, especially in music, you know, because there's this mythology around the sort of the out-of-control lifestyle and the – and, and pain and then, and elevated artistry as a result of that.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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And I mean, you've talked about confronting this about when you were talking about getting sober on your, your sobriety journey, were you afraid that when you got sober, that it would be harder to make music or to perform? Or were you, did you have confidence about that?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Her music, how she writes, how she sings, how she plays guitar, how she plays slide guitar. If I could, boy, I'd want to do it just the way she does. Today, we're talking to Bonnie Raitt. Hi, I'm Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and this is Wiser Than Me, the podcast where I get schooled by women who are wiser than me.
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It's like what—like you said, the wizard says— You had it all along.
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That makes me happy to hear. We were talking about it earlier with your dad in hospice. Grief is obviously a subject that comes up a lot on this show because, you know, we have women who have lived a long time, therefore they've lost important people in their lives. Has music helped you process your grief?
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I mean, that's your default position. That's where you are. And I like that you use the word holy because I think your music is holy.
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I do. I totally receive it with open arms. And what a dream. What a dream.
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Um, tell me, I'm going to just take this moment to ask a couple of very quick questions that I like to ask the ladies when we're talking on the show. Um, Is there something you go back and tell yourself at 21? Oh, wow. Try to pick...
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What are you looking forward to, Bonnie? Oh, gosh.
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Well, I'm a basket case now. I am too.
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All right, so even though I love music, it's kind of hard to get me out of the house to listen to people live for some reason. I don't know. But today's guest is one artist I never miss. One time I saw her outdoors in San Francisco. It was August. And so, of course, it was freezing. And she was playing, I remember, with James Taylor. And my husband said, how is she going to play? It's too cold.
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You, too. Bye.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Oh, my God, I love her. Oh, I'm like lying on the floor. Oh, Bonnie Raitt, wow. Okay, I got to get my mom on Zoom so I can tell her all about this. Hi, Mama. You look so nice with your red lipstick. Oh, I put some red lipstick on. What do you think of it?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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I'll tell you when it's bad. It's bad when the lipstick's out of bounds. As soon as the lipstick goes out of bounds, that's a big red flag. Pull over and get that fixed.
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Yes, it looks perfect. Okay, good. Wait, put your mouth closer to the screen. Let me see. Oh yeah, mom, it's good.
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Yeah, it's very good. All right, well, that's all we have time for today.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
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Okay, so I just had a very lengthy conversation with Bonnie Raitt, who is a hero of mine. And I have to tell you that I started the intro and I could feel that I was just going to lose it. I knew I was going to start crying from the second I started to talk to her. And I felt that way through the entire interview.
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And I actually did cry a number of times talking about her and her music and what she's meant to me. But it was so... Mom, can we talk about trying not to cry? Have you... Have you ever been in a position where you were trying not to cry and you couldn't get your shit together and you did and it was like bad?
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I'm not saying it was bad that I was crying talking to her, but that it was awkward or anything like that?
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Did she respond? Was it awkward? Or was she happy to receive that? Or what would you recall?
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Well, her music has been a part of my life from being a teenager forward. And she is an unusual person. singer and songwriter in that she's a woman and she plays blues guitar, like nobody's business. Um, and she sings soulfully her, her, her style of music, uh, speaks to me. I, you know, you know how you have certain styles that you love. I love her style of, of musicianship.
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And she's very, she's just a remarkable person. And, and, we were talking about the holiness of her music, and I think her music is holy. So it was just, it was really intense and just incredibly heartwarming, and I love her to death.
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And she came out and she actually said, oh, God, it's fucking freezing. And she got somebody to give her a pair of gloves that have half the finger cut out. So she was basically playing in mittens, and it didn't matter. She played so beautifully. And afterwards, I wanted to go and say hi to her, but I couldn't stop crying. So it was just too embarrassing.
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I know. Exactly. Exactly. Well, mommy, I'm going to talk to you again later, very soon, as a matter of fact, because I'm coming to visit you, but thanks for talking now. I love you.
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There's more Wiser Than Me with Lemonada Premium. Subscribers get exclusive access to bonus content from each episode of the show. Subscribe now in Apple Podcasts. Make sure you're following Wiser Than Me on social media. We're on Instagram and TikTok at Wiser Than Me. And we're on Facebook at Wiser Than Me Podcast.
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Wiser Than Me is a production of Lemonada Media, created and hosted by me, Julia Louis-Dreyfus. This show is produced by Chrissy Pease, Jamila Zahra Williams, Alex McCohen, and Oja Lopez. Brad Hall is a consulting producer. Rachel Neal is VP of New Content, and our SVP of Weekly Content and Production is Steve Nelson.
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Executive producers are Paula Kaplan, Stephanie Whittles-Wax, Jessica Cordova-Kramer, and me. The show is mixed by Johnny Vince Evans with engineering help from James Farber. And our music was written by Henry Hall, who you can also find on Spotify or wherever you listen to your music. Special thanks to Will Schlegel and, of course, my mother, Judith Bowles.
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Follow Wiser Than Me wherever you get your podcasts. And if there's a wise old lady in your life, listen up.
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I've seen her over and over, and yet she still makes me cry to songs I've heard her sing a thousand times. She is the one singer who I kind of feel like she's mine. Yeah. Do you know what I mean? I have my own relationship with her music that makes me feel like more than just another fan. And of course, there are thousands, hundreds of thousands of her fans who feel exactly the same way.
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You can donate to the Fire Relief Fund, start a personal fundraiser under the One Voice campaign, or submit job opportunities to help those impacted by the fire get back to work. Every contribution makes a difference. So visit onevoice-la.org to get involved. Thank you so much.
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And oh my God, the way she plays guitar. Oh, she is such a distinct, singular artist. Whether she's playing blues or soul or rock and roll, covering something or playing one of her perfect original songs, she kills it. You know it's her instantly. She got her first guitar when she was eight or nine and discovered she had real talent on it at a Quaker summer camp in upstate New York.
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Cut to decades later, B.B. King called her the best slide player working today. I mean, come on. She's just all red hair and no bullshit, right? I'm so crazy about her tough, don't fuck with me, get it done attitude, all while being indisputably hot. She's navigated the music business for more than five decades, always on her own terms, and that's an industry notorious for its misogyny.
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When she started her own record label, she hired a team of four superstar women so that they would be the ones calling the shots. Yep, our guest today is the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer with 18 studio albums under her belt, who's been nominated for 30 Grammy Awards and won 13 of them, including Song of the Year, which she just won last year. The woman is a living legend.
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ranking on the Rolling Stones list of the greatest singers and the list of the greatest guitarists of all time, and she's absolutely the top of my list in both. And I haven't even mentioned her social activism, her political power, her devotion to original blues artists, and her extraordinary personal journey.
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About that. So let's welcome a woman who is so much wiser than me, Bonnie Raitt. Hi, Bonnie. Hey, how are you?
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Don't be shaking. I'm shaking.
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I'm already crying because I love you so much. Oh. I do.
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And I'm just so happy. I'm very touched. I'm verklempt myself. Well, anyway, thank you for being here today.
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Let me start by asking the requisite question. Are you comfortable if I ask you your age?
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But are the parts getting, I mean, you still do what you want to do physically?
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For me, music, well, listening to music is both an escape from what's going on and a way to feel what's going on more intensely. You know, always has been. When I was little, I loved the Beatles. Little kids love the Beatles. I especially loved Ringo. Ringo was my favorite because he had that big nose. You know, that's irresistible. And I had a John Lennon doll, too, that somebody gave to me.
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So it sounds like you've found a way of being more sanguine about either certain things that maybe used to bother you and now you can let them go. And if they really bother you and they deserve attention, you handle it, you know, sort of maybe without apology, by the way.
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I've heard you differentiate before between capital B Bonnie and lowercase b Bonnie. Can you explain the difference between, I mean, I have a feeling I know what you mean, but will you tell us what you mean between those two types of Bonnie?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Well, hello there. It's me, Julia Louis-Dreyfus. I'm so happy to be back with Season 3 of Wiser Than Me. And to celebrate that, I am so excited to share that we have partnered with Lingua Franca, a New York City-based luxury and sustainable clothing brand, to offer our listeners Wiser Than Me-specific hand-embroidered sweaters, sweatshirts, and more. LEMONADA LEMONADA Hello there. It's Julia.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
And then she said, okay, take them out. And I inhaled them. And we had to go to the emergency room. But it was totally worth it because I got the last.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
I mean, my parents were divorced, and I went back and forth between the two homes. But I was really raised by my mom and stepfather. But this was back when divorce was like, it wasn't a dime a dozen. And it was whispered.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Well, I went to SNL very young. I was 21, and I was there for three years. And I didn't really succeed in any kind of way there, except to say I learned by not succeeding. And I learned what I didn't want. I didn't want a tense work environment. I didn't want to be unhappy. And I thought to myself, well...
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
If I can't find work that's happy making, like the work I was doing in Chicago in theater, I don't think I'm going to do this because it's not right for me.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
That's right, because my final year on SNL, Larry David was the writer there for one year. He was deeply miserable there. He was more miserable than you. And I was deeply miserable, and so we connected through our misery. And then a couple of years later, I heard from him about this show he was working on that was called The Seinfeld Chronicles.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
And the rest is history.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
It's like... Endorphins you can taste.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
I would say that sharing a laugh with someone is like another kind of language. It's a very, God, it's just a great way to live life.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Well, first of all, playing a role that's both comedic and dramatic is where I live.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Because that's life.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Exactly. I wouldn't... describe one as being harder than the other. You know, I have to, I really enjoy doing dramatic work that has sort of maybe a comedic shell over it. Finding those roles can sometimes be a challenge, but when I find them, I dive in head first. Yeah, that's great. Yeah.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Tell me about your recent movie, Tuesday. It's sort of an adult fairy tale. The story centers around a mother and a daughter, and the daughter's quite ill. And so it has a lot of... It's pathos to it, but it's magical. But it's completely fanciful. So I think people might really enjoy it. I hope you'll like it. Oh, sure, I will.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Head on over to Be My Guest with Ina Garten wherever you get your podcasts to hear some other guests who RSVP'd yes too. But before doing that, let's listen to my episode with Ina.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Well, getting employed. There was a period of time where I was... After SNL, it was about a one, two-year period, three-year period in which I was really pounding pavement. I nabbed a pilot, which is the first episode of a TV series, but then it didn't go to series. The other challenge for me in my career has been the juggling act.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Because while I was making Seinfeld, for example, I gave birth to both of my children. super challenging, but also fabulous because I was becoming very famous At this time. Yeah. And it really kept all of that in perspective.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Yeah, well, let's see. The first go-round, yes, I stood behind things, I carried boxes, et cetera. By the time I was pregnant the second time, nobody cared and we just kept, it was like it wasn't happening. We just sort of, I walked in, I was out to here and no one said anything. Yeah.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Yeah. She's in a position of power, but she's not quite there yet.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
And so, you know, you think you've made it. No, you didn't. And nobody cares. Right. Isn't that amazing? So I thought that there was so much to be, so much material could be mined from that position.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
And the answer's always no. It was just the most exhilarating experience because there was a lot of improvisation and a lot of goofing around that got folded into the show. And it was all caps fun.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
The big takeaway for me is that all of the women, including yourself, there's a common thread. And the common thread is complete comfort in their own skin. Isn't that interesting?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
And Jane Fonda said, it's so hard to be young.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
I was screaming. Yeah. The universe. It was so crazy.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
I will say that in the second season of the show in which you are in, we have another technical snafu.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
And I'm sure you handled it the same way. Well, anyway, let's just say the audience gets another taste of behind the scenes.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Yeah. My father was an art collector and he amassed quite a collection. Describe his art collection because it's wild, right? He was a sort of a mentor to a lot of the artists whose work he collected and was very interested in the sort of the outsider art world. He got to know people like Giacometti and Dubuffet and people like that. My father was French, French and American both.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
And so anyway, he just and my father, I think of him as sort of he was a hoarder, but a hoarder of really nice things, whatever that is.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
What he did with it was, yes, he's set up his collection in such a way. And he has bequeathed the entire collection to the Harlem Children's Zone. It's the most magnificent school. And so the whole idea is to raise the awareness about the collection. We are slowly selling it down to benefit the Harlem Children's Zone.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
My father passed in 2016, and since he's passed, we have been, in fact, doing exactly that. Fabulous. Yeah.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
It's like endorphins you can taste.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
This show is sponsored by Midi Health. Staying in touch with your body becomes more important than ever as you get older, especially for women. After 40, hormones shift, energy changes, and what your body needs has evolved over time. Paying attention to how you feel, how you move, and how you respond to stress can make a huge difference.
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Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
So, of course, while this hormonal transition is a fact of life, it doesn't mean you have to accept these symptoms as just another part of aging. Get help with MidiHealth. Their clinicians are menopause experts equipped to support you with safe, effective, FDA-approved medications as well as supplements, lifestyle coaching, and preventative health guidance. Thank you so much for having me.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Don't make me laugh. You're ruining my cake.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
You deserve to feel great. Book your virtual visit today at joinmidi.com. That's joinmidi.com. Thank you so much for having me. Rosetta Stone's been around for 30 years, and honestly, it's the go-to for learning a new language. Millions of people use it, and they've got 25 languages to choose from, like Spanish, French, Italian, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, you name it.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Learn to order a delicious coffee in French, ask for directions in Cantonese, or simply how to better pronounce words in a language you already know. What's cool is that they don't rely on English translations. You just dive in and start picking things up naturally, kind of like how you learned your first language. It starts simple, then builds up to full-on conversations, and it actually sticks.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Plus, you can use it whenever, on your phone or your computer. So whether you've got five minutes waiting for coffee or a whole hour to dive in, it's easy to fit into your day. Don't wait. Unlock your language learning potential now. Wiser Than Me listeners can grab Rosetta Stone's lifetime membership for 50% off. That's unlimited access to 25 language courses for life.
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Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Visit rosettastone.com slash wiser to get started and claim your 50% off today. Don't miss out. Go to rosettastone.com slash wiser and start learning today. What's one easy thing we can do for the planet every day? We can stop putting food in the garbage. We're talking banana peels, carrot tops, old takeout. When that stuff heads to the landfill, it becomes a huge driver of climate change.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
So we compost, right? But then there's the smell, the flies, the running to the curb every day with a little leaking compost bag made of cornstarch. This is why I'm an investor and an evangelist for the Mill Food Recycler. It makes keeping food out of the trash as easy as dropping it in. It can handle nearly anything from a turkey carcass to like 20 avocado pits.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
It works automatically while you sleep. You can keep filling it for weeks, and it never, ever smells. Mill makes dry, nutrient-rich grounds that you can use in your garden, add to your compost, feed to your chickens, or Mill can get them back to a small farm for you. But you kind of have to live with Mill to really get it, and that's why they offer a risk-free trial.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Go to mill.com slash wiser for an exclusive offer. Springtime colors, buttery soft fabrics, everyday luxury, Cozy Earth is here to help you transform your home into a sanctuary with premium bedding, towels, pajamas, and loungewear designed for comfort and calm.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
From breathable sheets that help you sleep cooler to ultra soft fabric that won't pill, every Cozy Earth product is crafted with care and made to last. Cozy spaces support your mental well-being by helping you relax, unwind, and feel safe. Creating a home sanctuary is more than comfort. It's essential self-care.
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Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Cozy Earth believes your 5 to 9 after work should be the most relaxing part of your day. Whether you're winding down at night or easing into your morning, Cozy Earth's durable, temperature-regulating fabrics create the kind of comfort you'll actually look forward to.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
And with a 100-night sleep trial and a 10-year warranty on all bedding, it's a risk-free way to bring more ease and softness into your life. Luxury shouldn't be out of reach. Visit CozyEarth.com and use my exclusive code, WISER, for up to 40% off Cozy Earth's best-selling sheets, towels, pajamas, and more. You won't regret it. That's CozyEarth.com, code WISER.
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Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
And if you get a post-purchase survey, tell them you heard about Cozy Earth from Wiser Than Me. Sanctuary awaits at Cozy Earth. And we're back. I'm Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and I'm with Ina Garten in her kitchen, and she's evidently going to show me how to do something.
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Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
You're in charge. I'm in charge.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Oh, yes, yes, yes.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Or flour, for that matter, right?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
What does it mean, lighten it?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Poor dear. Okay.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Yeah, when I was like three. For real. Really? You haven't been back since? The story goes that my mom took me down to the Hamptons. I was at the beach. She was talking to a friend. She looked over. I was butt naked running around and talking to everybody. I'd taken all my clothes off. And this was, you know, 1964.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Adorable, naked little girl running around. Yeah, that was me.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
What's your technique for this moment? I do the sides. First. First, and then the top.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
I'm not a... I mean, I certainly appreciate cake decorating, but usually when I'm making a cake, like if I make my son's orange cake, I decorate it with mandarin oranges on top. I love that. Yeah. So you know what it is.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
It just tells you what it is.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
It's also a tasty thing to eat.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
And then if it's a carrot cake, often I'll just really have really crumbly pecans and just put that on the top.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Yeah, which is in the cake. Exactly.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
What about you? Is there anything else you do?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
What about flowers? You ever put flowers, actual flowers on a cake?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Icing the cake.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Well, I'm going to tell you.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Okay. I think I have to have a heavier hand with it.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Oh, sure. But I'd also like to learn this. Okay. Yeah. Okay. Well, that's easy peasy.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
That's what this is.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
You're doing okay. You're doing okay. I'm not doing okay. I'm not doing okay. So up and down and then stop. Lift the bag.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Oh, I see. Now you got it.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Oh. Oh, I see.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
So you really lift it, right?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Don't make me laugh. You're ruining my cake.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
That is so clever.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Still my beating heart.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Cheers. Cheers. Here we go.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Let's see what we think.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
First of all, the cake part is off the chain. Don't you think? And the frosting is yummy to the 10th power. Yeah. I can't talk to you. I've got to eat this. Oh, my God. We need a picture of this. Does anybody have a camera?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Okay, I am so excited because I'm in the Hamptons and I've been invited to Ina Carton's house to help her make a chocolate cake. She needs my help, guys. She needs my help. Alrighty. So how much are they asking for this place? What if she isn't here? Wouldn't that be hilarious? Are you guys punking me? Did she not show? Is this not Ina's house?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
I swear to God, if this is some sort of joke, it's funny. Ina?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Okay, well, I'm cooking in here no matter whose house it is.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Ina? Ina? Julia! Ina!
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Come on in. Oh, my goodness.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
So wait a minute. Before anything happens, I brought you something. You brought me something? I did.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Can't wait to eat this. We planted our first blood orange tree. Yes, and this is the fruit from the very first season.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Oh, you did give me the bigger piece.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Yeah. In what way?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Well, it's not a performance. I mean, I know it is, but it doesn't feel like one at all. And... Also, you know, we do the podcast over Zoom. And so there's something kind of relaxed about it as a result. One of them we did in person for a variety of reasons when we talked to Carol Burnett. But other than that, everybody's on Zoom.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
And I think just because you get to be in your own house, you don't have to put on hair and makeup. Even though this is how we look normally. I always look like this. I get out of bed like this. Oh, absolutely. I mic myself first thing in the morning. That's great. But anyway, so it sort of engenders a kind of intimacy in conversation, which is what we're going for.
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Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Yeah, that's what I'm trying to do.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Yeah. Although I agree with that. But the thing is, too, is that when you're playing a role, you're actually also connected. You're connecting with the other characters. Yeah. It's a different kind of.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
As you know, we love Ina Garten here at Wiser Than Me. I mean, I love her. You love her. I mean, who doesn't love her? Face it. Who does not love Ina Garten? And did you know that Ina's got a podcast now?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
But there has to be an authenticity in place as well. As a matter of fact. But anyway, so now wait a minute. What is this?
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
I didn't really succeed in any kind of way there, except to say I learned by not succeeding. Wisecracks.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
That's fantastic. This episode of Wiser Than Me is supported by Boehringer Ingelheim, the maker of NexGuard Plus, Afoxyloner, Moxodectin, and Pyrantel chewable tablets. Would you do anything for your dog? Of course you would.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Whether you're planning a dog birthday party or finding the perfect sweater-booty combo to keep your pup warm, prioritizing your furry friend's happiness is always the wise thing to do. And although every person's dog care style is different, there's one thing everyone can agree on, that your dog's well-being is always a top priority.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
And one super simple way to prioritize their well-being is with NexGuard Plus Choose, which provide them with next-level protection from parasites. NexGuard Plus chews provide one-and-done monthly protection that kills fleas and ticks and prevents heartworm disease. And the big plus here is that it also treats and controls roundworms and hookworms.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
It's a whole lot of protection packed into a delicious beef-flavored soft chew. So why not make that monthly dosing easy and enjoyable? One more important note. Use NexGuard Plus with caution in dogs with a history of seizures or neurologic disorders. Dogs should be tested for existing heartworm infection prior to starting a preventive. Stay wise with NexLevel protection for your dog.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
And remember, the next time you're at the vet, ask about NexGuard Plus Choose. Hey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus here. If you listen to me on my Wiser Than Me podcast, you probably already know that I'm an investor and an evangelist for the Mill Food Recycler. There are a lot of reasons to love Mill, but for me, it's all about the impact.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
It's appropriately named Be My Guest with Ina Garten because on each episode, a friend of hers RSVPs to go out to her house in the Hamptons for a day to cook and hang out in her gorgeous kitchen and home. And in some of the episodes, there's a surprise visit from her lovely husband, Jeffrey, too. And And I had the thrill of being invited this season.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Keeping food out of the garbage is one of the most powerful things we can do to help the planet every single day. We're talking banana peels, carrot tops, old takeout. When that stuff heads to the landfill, it becomes a huge driver of climate change. If you already compost, great.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
But of course, there's the smell, the flies, the running to the curb every day with a little leaking compost bag made of cornstarch. That's where Mill comes in. It makes keeping food out of the trash as easy as dropping it in. It can handle nearly anything, from a turkey carcass to like 20 avocado pits. It works automatically while you sleep.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
You can keep filling it for weeks, and it never, ever smells. Mill makes dry, nutrient-rich grounds that you can use in your garden, add to your compost, feed to your chickens, or Mill can get them back to a small farm for you. But you kind of have to live with Mill to really get it, and that's why they offer a risk-free trial. Go to mill.com slash wiser for an exclusive offer.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Maybe your mom's always wanted to learn how to paint or write that novel or finally perfect her sourdough game. This Mother's Day, help her get started with Masterclass. Our parents taught us so much.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Now they can learn from people they've always admired, like Jane Goodall on The Natural World, Diane von Furstenberg on Style and Confidence, and over 200 more leaders, artists, and innovators at the top of their fields. Whether you're gifting masterclass to your mom or treating yourself, it's a thoughtful way to invest in personal growth.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
With a membership, you get unlimited access to classes across cooking, writing, design, leadership, photography, and more. For just $10 a month, build annually. That's every single instructor, anytime, anywhere. and it actually works. Did you know that 88% of members say Masterclass has had a positive impact on their lives? Plus, every new membership comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
This Mother's Day, give your mom something inspiring to dive into. Our Wiser Than Me listeners always get great discounts on Masterclass of at least 15% off any annual membership at masterclass.com slash wiser. See Masterclass's latest deal at least 15% off at masterclass.com slash wiser. Masterclass.com slash wiser.
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Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
You may know the cute Aflac duck, but did you know Aflac is a leader in supplemental insurance? Well, Aflac is here to help with something most people don't think about until they're in the middle of it, the gap between what health insurance covers versus what it doesn't. AFLAC offers supplemental insurance that can help you with expenses health insurance doesn't cover.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Because even with good health insurance, if you get sick or injured, you can still be left with out-of-pocket expenses. AFLAC can help with the part that may not be covered, which can hit your wallet when life already feels overwhelming. AFLAC pays cash that can be used to help with anything you choose in your time of need.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
That could be towards medical bills like co-pays or prescriptions or even everyday expenses to help keep life going while you focus on getting better. And that's really what it's about, helping provide peace of mind, knowing that if something happens, you're not alone. AFLAC is here, and they can help provide a financial safety net. Get help with expenses health insurance doesn't cover.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
Visit Aflac.com to learn more.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
I think it's in my DNA. It was certainly in the culture of our family, you know. Who was funny? My mother was funny. My grandmother was funny. My dad was very funny. Do you remember making them laugh when you were young? What'd you do? When I was really little, I was trying to make my mom laugh and I stuck raisins up my nose. And she laughed just like that. It's so funny.
Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Presenting: Julia on Be My Guest with Ina Garten
And we're going to play it for you in just a second. But I really I have to tell you, it was such a delightful day for real. There was no fake in it. It was just like total bliss being with her. And now I know how to frost a cake correctly. And I know what kind of kitchen countertops I'm going to get for my kitchen. So win-win. Doesn't get better than that.