“Gas Me Up, Lil Bro!” (w/ Joanna “JoJo” Levesque)

This episode is supported by FX's Dying for Sex, starring Michelle Williams and Jenny Slate. Inspired by a true story, this series follows Molly, who after receiving a terminal cancer diagnosis, decides to leave her husband and explore the full breadth of her sexual desires.
She gets the courage and support to go on this sex quest from her best friend, Nikki, who stays by her side through it all. FX's Dying for Sex, all episodes streaming 4th on Hulu.
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There. Oh, I see.
Wow. Bowen, look over there.
Wow, is that culture? Yes. Wow.
Las Culturistas. Ding dong.
Las Culturistas calling. Do you see what I chose to do with my hands? I was invited to raise my hands up like Evita in our new space.
I mean, very appropriate. We have a Broadway legend among us today.
Welcome. Welcome.
I went to the wrong one. We're all finding our footing here in what is essentially a new space that really says we're in New York.
We're next to the Port Authority. It doesn't get more New York than this.
It's giving Oliver and Company. It's giving true New York.
Yeah. I would say it's giving true New York.
I've been so happy to be here. In fact, I was telling Bowen off air, characters from the past, characters from the past of the podcast have sort of come back into play.
And you better believe it took me two seconds to guess who it was and I was correct. Yep.
Y'all, Big Bro is back. Last night I met up with Big Bro.
You met up with him? I thought he just like rolled into the chat or something. Big Bro came by.
Big Bro rolled through. No! And I gotta tell you, there was a reason why he's a legendary man on this podcast.
That man. So basically, for those of you who are joining Lost Coach later in life, we went to...
We were in Fire Island a few years ago, and then Matt... I was not there for it.
I got there a couple days late. Matt comes back home from a night out and tells the house of his escapade with someone named Big Bro and how they had something.
They were doing stuff by the river. There's no river on Fire Island.
It was one of those Fire Island nights. I was taken by a man who referred to me as Lil Bro.
And so by transit of property, he had to be referred to as Big Bro. And that was the sort of, let's just say dynamic, when I was taken down by the river, which was really the bay.
Which was the bay. And had pretty incredible sex.
And I have to say, years later, in the year of our Lord, 2024, better. Wow.
Even better. That's always what you want.
Like sometimes it's not a given that it's an upward trajectory. race sometimes.
Wow. Even better.
That's always what you want. Sometimes it's not a given that it's an upward trajectory.
Sometimes you dip and you... It's the worst when you have what we're going to call mythological sex with someone that becomes part of the canon in your life.
You're like, wow, remember that? And then you revisit it later and it's flop. Yeah, that's happened.
It happens every day. It happens every day.

It's actually rule of culture

number 19.

It happens every day.

It happens every day.

Now, I have so many questions.

How did the conversation

sort of strike up again?

He texted.

He said, are you in town?

I said, I sure am.

Saw you at the open.

Saw you high-fiving

Yannick's center at the open.

We actually went to the one.

Yes, let's transition to that out of this like sort of.

We had a great weekend.

Friday we would go see our guest in Moulin Rouge the musical.

Run, Don't Walk at the Al Hirschfeld.

And you know I got us the best seats in the house.

And this actually is a real, it's a real tip to everyone out there.

If you ever can buy tickets to a Broadway musical and the first row of the mezzanine is available, grab those seats.

Because I like to see the whole production. Of course.
And this production is a production. Oh, no.
The mezzanine is giving, you have the titular Mulan on one side on House Left and then you have the elephant. The elephant.
The titular elephant from the love medley on House Right. Wow, I didn't realize so many titular things.
It's a very titular show. And some tits.
Flying around, thankfully. Some beautiful Broadway bodies.
Let me tell you, if you want to see what we refer to as stacked people dancing about. And I'm sorry to objectify our guests this way, but.
Gorgeous. Gorgeous.
Stunning. The sparkling diamond.
Her body tea. Body tea, voice voice tea acting tea acting tea oh my god we

were so we'll bring her into this later but we we fully insulted our guests in a way because we like went to her dressing room and we're like oh my god your acting was so good so grounded and then we left we're like no she's fully been in like storied storied actor aquamarine rv like are you kidding me what are you doing like oh my god your acting was incredible it's because well here's the When you are blessed to be one of the great singers of your generation,

that's sort of- kidding me? What were you doing? Like, oh my God, your acting was incredible. It's because, well, here's the thing.
When you are

blessed to be one of the great singers

of your generation, that's sort of

going to be the thing that, like, the

representation. First of all,

can we just take the representation? And it matters.

But the reputation of

our guest's singing voice,

let's just say it precedes her, because

first of all, go back with me in time.

Oh. I know this is mortifying

her, but, like, this is just how it is.

I remember exactly where and when

I'm going to go. I was in information processing class.
I had an older friend, this girl that I, you ever have a class with someone and they become your friend in just that class because you have nothing else together? Yeah. So I was in information processing, learning how to type on home row.
We all know home row.

Home row was one of the great girls.

DFJ, whatever.

It's on the keyboard.

So I'm learning how to type to get the maximum words per minute.

And I'm next to my new friend, Jasmine.

And she turns to me and she was like, do you know about Jojo?

And I was like, no.

What's going on?

She goes, this girl is the most unbelievable singer.

She's 13. And we were most unbelievable singer.
She's 13.

And I think I was,

we were 13. I think,

well,

you were 13.

I think I was 14.

You're famously a little younger.

Yes.

Seeds for 45 minutes.

Fast forward.

Finally,

we resume.

Anyway,

I'm like,

let me find out.

That's when leave,

get out,

entered the chat.

Of course.

I was on the top level of our cafeteria at Smoky Hill High School. And I saw a picture of her and then I listened to the song.
And I was like, holy fucking shit. I knew growing up, I was like, there's going to be a day when outside of kids programming and kids TV shows, there's going to be someone our exact age who's going to pop the fuck off.
Like I knew this innately as a kid and there she was. You know what I mean? Like that was like the first person.
And it got better because then I got the album and I was obsessed with every track. I, we have to talk about breezy because it gets talked about in the book in a way that's so funny.
I, we must get into it. I can't even believe we're here.
Baby, it's you. We were just saying one of the great songs of all time.
Forget about Too Little Too Late. I'll never forget what people think.
People like sort of like singing it on the cross country bus. Forget about it.
To go to meets and sort of straight guys being like, are you riffing? Maybe I'm like, nah. Nah, I'm not riffing.
And then you were like, do you know how it's just? Forget about disaster the bridge of disaster. And then everything since I mean, we've just been so like enraptured by and impressed by the memoir.
This is over the influence by our guest. And if you are a music fan, especially if you are a millennial music fan, you have to have to read this because it's important.
It fills in so many gaps. It's a great exploration of what the music industry can be like is like just really, really important stuff.
If you're a music lover, a music fan and wants to learn more about like the industry and this amazing artist. Just about how it's made about like what inspires musicians, like the way it's collaborative.
Like this is also grounded in like this beautiful realism. It is also so soulful and devastating, but inspiring and uplifting.
Like it's everything. I have not had this feeling about a memoir.
Say it. Well, hold on.
It was like, oh, this is like a friend reading, like talking to me and telling me about their life. But then not since meeting a Mariah Carey.
I was going to say the same thing. This calls from reading a Mariah Carey.
Yeah. This references that very same feeling.
And also in that way where it's like a very unrelatable story because like who has these experiences besides this individual, but also incredibly relatable in terms of the anxieties, the fears, the self-doubts, the successes, the blaming of self that I think a lot of millennial people go through, especially when you're someone who holds yourself to a very high standard as you should when you are talented, gifted, have a certain way with what you do when you're put on a certain pedestal. I mean, I just cannot say enough.
And this is a great moment. Yes.
And she's currently the sparkling diamond in Moulin Rouge on Broadway. And you got to get the book.
Everyone, please welcome into your ears. Joanna JoJo Levin! Oh my God! I'm on Lost Coats.
I cannot believe it! You fully are on Lost Coats and it's our honor. It's our honor.
You guys, I'm honored. Thank you so much.
That was so cool to hear you talking about the book because it's one thing to write it and now people are going to start reading it and it's just like blowing my mind. So thank you so much for taking the time and saying those nice things about it.
Truly incredible. And like all the way up until the last page, it was just so, so beautiful.
And the way you even wrote about it, like I'm on Waikiki Island in New Zealand right now, typing this, sending it to my editor. And I was just like, there was just this like momentous, like it was on the precipice of something.
I was like, she's about to like share her story. And like, you're someone that we've talked about on the podcast since the beginning.
Many times. Truly.
Well, I said, I've been a fan of yours since I heard you sing a note. And you have that.
You do have that with like people like in our generation, our age. It's like this nostalgia.
And I wonder how that feels as someone who's still like so young. It is weird and dope to hear you guys talk about like the first time you heard about me or heard my music because I remember the first time I heard Britney Spears.
I was like backstage at the Huntington Theater playing Mustard Seed in A Midsummer Night's Dream. And I remember this cooler older girl was like brought in this big boombox or something and played Baby One More Time.
And I'm like, that is fire. What what is that yeah who is that and it's just crazy that people have those like moments with my music yeah and i know it's it maybe is cliche to say that even 20 years into my career that like it's crazy but like i don't know how else to describe it it just is kind of weird yeah that we're all the same age and we were growing up at the same time and i don't know and yes people can be like i grew up listening to your music it definitely makes me feel old and we're not young yes but we're not elders so i don't know it's just it's weird the fact is how long ago that was yeah isn't that isn't that crazy that that's what the fact is that is the Does mid 30s start at 33 or 34? I don't identify as mid 30ss.
How long ago that was. It was wild, yeah.
Isn't that crazy that that's what the fact is? That is the fact. Does mid-30s start at 33 or 34? I don't identify as mid-30s yet.
Okay. Okay, how do you identify? 33, you're like a month younger, December baby? December, yeah.
December 20th? December 20th, 1990. That's right.
I'm okay with identifying as mid-30s. I'm okay with it, I just don't yet.
Wait. I'm okay with it, but I 30s it's giving early 30s it's always mortifying to think like a couple years after you've turned a certain age and you said at the time like oh god I can't believe I'm this age like I remember being 25 and saying it's just such a weird age to turn you know I feel like I'm in the middle of something and someone like truly in their mid to late 30s was like you need to stop saying that and I never at the time being like why it's how I feel now but to all 25 year olds who are saying that you need to stop saying that whenever you are but the thing about you hearing this from people though like I grew up on you I grew up on you like you're just going to keep hearing that as we all get older you know what I mean like this is just like such a huge important a huge, important thread in your career and your story.
It's like, and that's what you build on. Absolutely.
It's amazing to have that. I wouldn't trade it for anything.
I agree with that as hell. Yeah.
I mean, we saw you the other night in Moulin Rouge. And by the way, your performance is so great.
You are the best audience members of all time. We tend to be the best audience members.
I'm going to give us that. We're very engaged and we're very gay.
So we're screaming. We heard, we felt, we loved it.
We were clocking people like there's a scene that takes place on the Champs-Elysees. And everyone's in these fabulous.
Yes, this was a highlight. Isn't that a gorgeous.
That design is so beautiful. Beyond like the story and the music and the performances.
Like there is just so much to be said about like the production design of the show. Sumptuous.
Sumptuous. Sumptuous.
Thank you for that. Maximalist, sumptuous.
All of it. It's so fucking good.
There was just a couple people. I think we told Jay this just people in the back like just we can't even do this there was just there were air kisses from a long distance air kiss to each other to each other so my favorite thing to do is and you're a theater fan so you and like you mentioned in the book like one of the great things is that you can go back to this show and a lot of these maximalist productions and you can just watch one ensemble member the whole time to watch their choices and it's so fun.
So we were dying we were screaming silently to ourselves respectfully in the theater but whenever like these insanely like well coiffed women in that scene would walk up to each other they would truly touch hands like this and they would just go and they would just and that's how other. And I was like, that is everything.
Like the opportunity to just be so dumb. So stupid.
Just like, I love it. I miss it.
I miss it. I want back in the ensemble.
I know, come on. It is so fun.
It's a good vibe, the production. It's a great vibe.
And also, how hot is everybody in the show? The ensemble is unbelievable. The legs on the guys who lift me and stuff, if we could just for a moment.
We gotta talk about that one guy. I feel as though you're talking about Alec who has big, beautiful legs.
He's so fit. He looks like a I don't know, like a Marvel character.
It's like if Prince Eric was thick. That's what I'm going to say about Alec.
If there were biscuits with those thighs. Yeah.
So yeah, when I'm getting lifted all those times for a night, I am in good hands. Yes.
I know they are in the gym just getting them reps in so they can lift my little self. It's great.
The glute bridges were not missed. No, not at all.
So one thing I was concerned about was when you do Descent as the Sparkling Diamond, which you do a couple times, because then you come back as the iconic Kylie Minogue Green Fairy later on. Yes, Kylie Minogue Green Fairy.
Yes. And so I was like, now I hope she's okay with heights.
Because when you book the show, it's like, yeah, of course I'm going to be Satine Amazing. And then they say to you later, well, you're going to have to come down from 100 feet.
Every show. Yeah.
It was so scary the first few times. But I actually saw this show like two years ago when it was the touring production of it.
So it was at the Pantages in LA. I saw it and I was like, oh my God, it's so romantic and sumptuous and just decadent.
And it feels like you're inside a beating heart. I was so into it.
And I saw Satine come down from the ceiling and I was just like, oh, first of all, I'm like, I'll never have a budget like this for my own music. I was like, so I was like, imagine like getting to, you know, be in productions like this.
I was like, I would just, that'd be such a dream that I just kind of put it out into the universe. And then the universe conspired.
And here I am playing Satine. And it was scary the first time coming down from the ceiling.
I definitely took. Are you familiar with propranolol? Oh, sure.
I'm not. Well, she'll calm you down.
Okay. Yeah.
So it's for like heart palpitations. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I get debilitatingly nervous. So I used to like do it, just a cheeky,

just a touch of a Xanax. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And now,

just a tasteful,

mindful amount.

A mindful of your amount.

Of your portion.

So I don't like,

but then I was like,

oh no,

but what if I want to cry?

It's not going to let me.

You know what I mean?

Right.

So propranolol for the first few shows

kept me right.

Love.

Got me in check.

And now I don't need it anymore.

Oh my God.

Now I'm like,

put me up there,

throw me down.

I don't even need a harness.

Well,

you wrote this in the book

I'm going, put me up there, throw me down. I don't even need a harness.
Well, you wrote this in the book. Like, I think it was your first show with Satine coming down.
You were like, not even the wings, like the ceiling about to come down. And you were like, what would Satine, how would Satine feel in this moment? She'd be like, I've done this hundreds of times.
I love this. People are coming for me.
I need to be in that mindset. Literally people like, I don't even need to try.
Like I would say, spoiler alert, it's like a good like 20-ish minutes into the show before we even see you. And like, I don't know, like the people that we were with, we were just like, oh my God, we're here for JoJo.
Like when she coming out, like Aaron Tveit, everybody, David Harris, we love the whole cast, the whole crew. But we're just like, they really are like- Teasing it.
Teasing it in such a cool way. Like, JoJo's about to pop out and then you popped down.
You came down. Pop out and show up.
And show up. They do the same thing with Nicole in the movie though.
Were you a fan of the movie? Big, massive fan. One of my favorite movies, Baz Luhrmann, I love you and you know it.
He came backstage and he like showed love and I'm like, oh my God, you like's a character such a character yeah i would love to like party with him like i bet that option is available to you hopefully one of these days he just seems yeah like such a character so interesting yeah yeah i remember the first time i ever watched that movie i watched it with my mom we rented it on demand and the first half hour is so batshit. The whole thing is like boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom.
Yeah. But you come to appreciate its level of batshitness.
Oh, yeah. Like when you adjust to it, because what happens is you adjust to it and your senses are so overloaded.
And then it falls into just being them. And their chemistry together just explodes.
And just there's something about her sheer star power and magnitude

and that like that hair color and like the way that she is so committed to it.

I just and then the emotional place that it goes.

I remember what happened was we watched a half hour of it.

My mother was like, I have to tell you, I don't even know what's happening.

She I guess turned it off left for 10 minutes and she had she had probably gone to bed and I was like, let me to tell you, I don't even know what's happening. She, I guess, turned it off, left for 10 minutes and she had probably gone to bed.
And I was like, let me go join this again in process. So it came back and they're in the suite and it's just the two of them.
By the end, I was sobbing. A mess had never been so emotionally connected in my life.
And it all paid off. And the- Ewan McGregor.
Oh, yeah. Oh, come on.
Oh, really pulls at my heartstrings. Yeah.
That like shouty singing he does. I love his singing.
That's so earnest and beautiful. Yeah.
Earnest. Earnest, earnest.
Yeah. The way that Baz, like his cuts and all that stuff, it's very frenetic, I think.
And I love that about Elvis. I love that about The Great Gatsby.
I love that style is just so, so wild. And yeah, the songs, you hadn't seen it before the show? Neither of us.
We had, well, I had tickets to see the original Broadway cast and then COVID. And then COVID happened.
Did you think that the songs would be different? Because the songs are different from the movie. Yes.
Well, I knew that the songs would be different, but I did not. I think the show does a really good job of not telling people, like it's not in the playbill.
Like, you know what I mean? Like, i think it's a very good intention because it's like we should be surprised as an audience about what songs are being sung it's always so funny like when the audience is like oh i see what you're doing there like when aaron turns his head and it's like when i say shut up and dance with me or whatever he looks and winks and they're like the audience is like oh you're gonna go into that song now anyway it's so fun i love that. So there's the number in the movie, which is Nicole sings, one day I'll fly away.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. And that's fully replaced by Katy Perry firework.
Yes! Is that what it's replaced by? I think so. There's a scene where like, you know, she is preparing, I guess, to meet whoever the Duke is, whoever.
And she sings about her desire to, you know, transcend that place and do more. And I guess it's not exactly an emotional one-to-one, but it is like in that same place.
And firework really, it takes you there. It does take you there.
Her Duke was creepy, by the way, like really, really creepy. Right.
He was. And like in our show, he's very sexy.
Very sexy. We were interested in him.
Yes. He is interesting.
He's interesting. He is interesting.
Referring to someone hot as interesting. As interesting.
That's one of my favorite ways. Really not always the case.
Big bro. Maybe I need to ask you off camera.
Come on. Ask whatever you want.
No, no, no. Off camera.
Big bro's mythology on this show. We really don't say much off camera here.
Okay, great. I really enjoyed the way that you talked about this mythical sex with someone because there are people and the way you- Oh, I read the book.
I mean, I have a little sex capade. Yes.
But into the canon of somebody's, I'm like, yo, because there are people who I have mythicized. Yeah, of course.
That is great. I'm just going to start thinking about and speaking about things.
Sometimes, though, that is dangerous to do because certain situations can't really be replicated. Like, I remember that moment was such a...
It was kind of watershed for me that moment to be honest with you because I was thinking back around that trip to Fire Island and, like, we've been back several times and that was really, like, the last... That was the one time I really felt, like, very, like, I very sexually free.
And like I let, cause when you go on a gay vacation like that or to any destination, you know, it's like whatever, like you're supposed to be like debaucherous. Let's say like it's like a Vegas thing or whatever the fuck.
It's like, you can kind of choose your own adventure. And that trip, I remember we were saying we were in our Charizard era.
Yeah, that was this. Sorry, what?izard? Charizard.
We were in our Charizard era. She was a famous dragon Pokemon.
Okay. You didn't want to go up against her.
So we were in our Charizard era on that trip. And the way it was manifesting for me was just being very forward and available.
And I will say in recent trips, I've missed that person. Oh.
I've missed that person.

You can summon that person.

I know, but don't you, don't you.

I know what you know what I'm talking about. It's like, it's like sometimes it's like the access to your, your vitality is, is sometimes not always like I know because you texted me when you listened to the episode last week.

Yeah.

And you said, because she goes, when you said I need access to my penis to feel like Matt Rogers, she goes, well, yes. Which is an SSRI journey.
Yes. We're all SSRI girlies.
I'm no longer. You're no longer Grace.
I'm no longer. And that is cool for me.
Yes. But I loved it at the time yeah but I'm glad to not be on it

anymore personally

of course

but you said you were

a situational girly

that's what my therapist said

yeah

she was like

I think it's situational depression

but yeah

was Prozac for a long time

and then I'm like

do I need to be on

should I be on this forever

yeah

or can I explore like

natural things

can I explore

what happens when I work out

consistently

yeah

and I actually try to take

you know like

prioritize those things

yeah

and it was

it was very good for me

Thank you. things? Can I explore what happens when I work out consistently? And I actually try to take, you know, like prioritize those things.
And it was, it was very good for me. What's your journey now? Are you, are you vegan? Like every day? Okay.
Got it. I just had a chicken finger.
Oh, I don't think good. Yes.
Honey mustard, baby. So good.
So I'm not vegan, but I, I love to like cook plant-based. I've been vegan before for a relationship actually I think is like really why I was vegan at the time but then I was like oh I feel really good and it's hot like if you're vegan together and you're like eating watermelon and making each other food and like being naked and hot it was just a moment I know and yeah so no I just I call myself aitarian.
Flexitarian. Would it be nice to have in someone you were with if they could do the vegan thing with you again? Just like a new person or something.
I really enjoy the freedom of like when I go overseas to eat the cuisine of where I'm at. And in Rome, if you will.
So I don't really desire to be vegan right now. Great.
Great. You know, are you with someone now? I'm sorry.
I'm, this is like my roundabout way of being like, are you, are you dating anybody? I am not dating anyone seriously, but I am outside. Out there.
I'm outside. And it's so weird.
I never thought that I would be on a dating app, but I'm on Ryan. Yeah.
I, yeah, I read that. Have y'all seen me? Oh, okay.
I haven't seen any women, but I see some women. If you go to the map.
Yeah, if you go to the map. Jojo and I use the map.
So we'll run into Juliana 33. Juliana 33, not mid-30s.
Not yet mid-30s. Still early.
Still early. Not identifying as mid-30s yet.
It's a really good. Maybe that's good.
I'm going to change my. It's a really good.
Raya. And so when you're dating now is the intent.
Because in the book, you also talk about like the many intense relationships that you've had. Oh, many.
What are you calling me? Many, many lovers. No, but I would say that, you know.
I've had a lot of intense relationships. You know what I'm saying? Yes.
And so, you know, the words love addict are even used.

Right.

Love addicted. And I have to say, I identified with a lot of what you said.
Yeah. And lately, I've also been on the journey of like, I'm going on dates and it's to spend time with another person.
And is that where you're at now? And have you adjusted to that in a way where you can leave the day and not overthink? Woo. Yeah.
I think that's the beauty of learning how to just go on dates. Yeah.
Like what you said. And also like, not just because I've jumped into relationships where I've been like, this is good.
I'm just going to go with this. And I've been a serial, you know, two years, three years, one thing after the next, never really free falling, always having my hand on the next monkey bar man, if you will, you know what I'm saying? Like the next thing and always having that security and comfort of the next person.
So since I ended my engagement, like almost two years ago now, I've been allowing myself to or practicing free-falling and being alone.

And last year when I was in Moulin Rouge, after I got into the swing of the show, I went on a few dates with men that I would have never met just in the wild of life and the circles that I run in and stuff. because it's mostly like singers and artists and performers and stuff like that.
So I was saying like swiping no on anybody that was an artist. And just I was like, I went out with a neurosurgeon.
I think I said this in the book and like a teacher and an executive. And but the truth is, is that I just do like artists.
It's very hard not to. It's one less thing to explain about yourself.
Yeah. And I just like the way music affects me and how I love it and how I like to like, you know, I grew up like harmonizing with my parents and like singing with them in the car and stuff.
And I think there's something very comforting about that. But I question, is the comfort a good thing or is it something that I should, if it's familiar, should I go try to, you know, look for something else? So a long-winded way of answering your question is, have I figured out how to not overthink it? I try to have a full enough life to where I'm like, sewing into my friendships, feeling good about my career, the work I'm doing, like being able to look myself in the mirror and be like, I'm proud you you're you're a nice person you're doing a good job so then i'm just like i'm a catch and you know i just want to see if i like this person you know what i mean that's what i'm trying to well we try to sometimes say well you were the first person that said this but and i i literally adopted it immediately but it was if i'm spending time with you it's a big deal the serious where did you that I think I just you made it up you might have to write books but it really is a big deal yeah it is isn't it and like especially now for you where you are feeling this like not ease because it's never easy to lead a Broadway show but it's like you are feeling this like like that is a stable center an anchor of your life but you're you're now able to like you were telling us earlier like have a night out like once a week yeah you know like that is a stable center and anchor of your life.
But you're, you're now able to like, you were telling us earlier, like have a night out like once a week, you know, like that is protected time though. Yes.
You know what I mean? It is precious. So if I'm going to go out with somebody, a fucking stranger.
I know. A lot, you know, loose.
I don't know how these guys are. Yeah.
Yeah. Then it's like, it needs feel substantial or like there's it's there's something of something there.
So, yeah. And I've never really had that type of stability of like showing up to the same job ever.
So that is cool to know that I'm going to the same theater. I'm going to see the same people since I was young.
And I love the flexibility and the change and all that. But I think there was something in my spirit that was like, it'd be cool to be planted for a few months.
Well, you were saying how the last time you did Moulin Rouge, there was a moment when you went back to LA and how you were kind of nervous about this stability or the structure kind of just kind of being put on

pause for a little bit, right? Like your life back in LA was just like catching up to you again and like hitting you in one like big moment. And I wonder now, like now that you're back and now that you're in the city, like what is, is there some intention now about like staying here a little longer, whether or not it has to do with the show? Cause you do love it, right? I love it.
I love it.

Yeah.

And Connie's outside.

I know.

Yeah.

My aunt. whether or not it has to do with the show.
Yeah. Because you do love it, right? I love it.
I love it. Yeah.
And. And Connie's outside.
I know, yeah. My Aunt Connie and my cousin's girlfriend, Billy, we're from South of Boston and they just like, they'll drive in.
So I get to see my family more often. I was in LA for 14 years and I didn't realize how far I actually was.
Like, obviously it's 3,000 miles away, whatever. But like, it just made me into a weirder person.
Like I am weird, but like it made me into a certain, I'm just good on LA right now. I think I've spent enough time.
Yeah, okay. Being back on the East Coast feels right in my spirit.
I think I need it. I need to remind myself of like this gritty little bitch that I am.
Like, I like how weird things happen here. I like the chance meetings that you might run into somebody on the street.
And I like all the walking. And I like taking the subway.
And I like the community that I feel here. And yeah, I dig it.
So I think I'm going to explore some more neighborhoods and see what feels like the right fit for me. Come to Brooklyn.
I was going to say, what about Brooklyn for you? What about like Carol Gardens? Okay. I did look at a place in Carol Gardens.
It was like a five story walk up. And I'm like, I don't know if I can do that.
No, that's tough. Yeah.
That's probably going to be a no for me. Yeah.
But maybe you can tell me some like cool spots. I'm trying to put Matt in touch with my, my gal, my broker.
But the iconic Ronnie Rose. The iconic Ronnie Rose.
Her second mention in a row. Wow, really? You just throw in business? Ronnie Rose is like another mythological herctor that looms large, but in the world of real estate, not exactly the sense.
Ronnie Rose is my real estate big bro. She really gave me the business.
But anyway, I'm feeling, okay, so. But that's a long commute.
Not really. You know what? Here's the thing.
Oh, but to the Hirschfeld. Yeah, but like, I'm not going to move into the Hirschfeld.
So like, I don't know how long, you know. Yes, exactly.
Just like six more weeks there. But if, yeah, if I'm going to want to be a part of that world a little bit more than, I don't know, to get to midtown.
I think you are so where you belong on Broadway and I love it so much. I mean, I just think it makes sense.

I'm just having fun.

Because you really are great.

And I mean, like, you really are.

Gas me up, little bro.

I shoot a load to the sky.

That's the title of that.

That's another thing that happened.

Gas me up, little bro.

Gas me up, little bro.

Period.

Period.

Okay, so I don't know if you've been outside lately, but I gotta tell you, spring is springing and it's giving me that travel itch like it always do. I got big plans this spring and summer.
Bone and I are doing some stuff together. We actually just got back from Europe.
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I'm talking snuggling with loved ones. I'm talking cuddling with the pets people.
I'm talking, you know, busy morning you want to hide from your kids or, you know, just unwinding after everything. I know that the bed is a sacred spot for me.
I'm a big fan of bed rotting, sorry, after a long day. And I just love chilling with my Brooklinen sheets.
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I just can see you in so many roles.

I can see you just doing a play.

Like, I mean, like.

Great.

Yeah, because it would be so nice to not have to think about singing.

Do you know what I mean, you guys?

Yes.

It'd be so cute to be able to, like, go out and have a cocktail and then, like, do the show the next day.

Not me.

Couldn't be me.

You know what, though?

I remember, like, I saw Idina Menzel in a play.

We did.

Oh, yeah.

What was that?

It was Face Valley or something. Whatever.
It was something. She's doing another one.
She has a new one coming out soon. Oh great.
Is it a musical or is it a play? Because I saw her in a play and I was like, this is Idina famously of singing. Yes, yes, yes.
And just to see her in a play, I was like, you know, if you get connected to this part of town, like they'll think of you for all sorts of things. And I have to imagine that like, well, obviously like you're doing things outside of Moulin Rouge that are like exciting.
But I do want to ask like, just in terms of recorded music, like you talk about the song Porcelain at the end of the book. Yeah.
Is that something that we're going to be hearing? Yes, I'm putting out new music soon. You are.
So I think we're going to lead with Porcelain, which is really cool. And I'm just so nervous because I just haven't put out music in a long time.
And- What's years i think so it feels like it's been 33 years it feels like i've never put out music before actually it's so weird but yeah i'm really excited just to rip the band-aid off and just put stuff out like new era there's so much dope music out there and i just want to play i just want to be you know just have fun we were saying the other day you're really into the sab album so good I feel like you guys speak to each other you really do she is so funny and cute and horny and I'm obsessed I love her she can map out a riff yes totally she is really like is she underrated as a vocalist 100% in fact this is Tisthera there was this video of her like just messing around with this Jasmine Sullivan song. Yes.
Oh, I've seen. And SZA commented like, I did not know you had it like this.
And a lot of us felt that way. Wow.
Do you know Eric Vitro? I don't think so. The vocal coach.
He's Ariana's vocal coach. Oh, great.
I feel like, I don't know if he went over to the UK. Like he's been a part of her life for a long time.
But he's also, he works with Sabrina. I work with him from time to time to time he's great he's in LA if you guys ever need someone

amazing

I feel like

all three of you

that you just mentioned

like I hear a ton of Ariana

like

in like

all three of you guys' stuff

like I thought

Sabrina's album

was just

like not only

was it incredibly

well performed

and well written

but it's just

it's like a fusion

of those two things

there's just a lot

of personality

it feels like getting

to know someone better

yeah

and I think that

on your last two

outputs too, like sometimes when I was reading the book, I was like, man, this has to be a really difficult thing to have such a complicated relationship with things other people truly love. Yeah.
It makes me feel really bad. No, no, no.
Because I, I completely identify with that. Do you? course.
I've been like, well, it means something to people and so therefore it is valid and important and it's something that you should honor as someone who made it but also and I'm just talking about like little four minute sketches. You know what I mean? Yeah, sure.
Let's say iceberg. Like sketches that you hate? It's not even hate.
It's just like when someone just a thing when someone just when you know someone will just shout across the street like iceberg and I'm like Aquamarine yeah is that what they it's happened does Aquamarine happen what happened yeah I'm the girl from Aquamarine period you're so good in that though oh well thank you so much you really are but please tell me more about well no it's just I really and what Matt's getting at is like it's a constant renegotiation internally where you're like and it lands like the pendulum finally like stays at aren't we so lucky to be doing what we do? But like I think you are so honest and vulnerable about how difficult a lot of these songs that you put out were because it was being dictated by all these other people. Yeah.
And that makes me feel a lot of ways. It makes me feel like a little embarrassed because, but not to where I'm like, you know, hanging my head down, you know, like it's just shameful.
Yeah. I don't feel ashamed about it because I understand now like why I made decisions all throughout my life.
Like even that I'm like where I hurt people or wherever but like as it goes with that like it kind of just makes me really excited when I see artists that are just I believe they really are fighting for their vision that takes a lot of courage I think it also takes a lot of support yeah from other people around them whether it's their management or, you know, just even family and friends and stuff who like really see and want to help them pull that off, I think.

And I just, I always felt kind of alone, like when I was trying to fight for something. So then I, because I was going through stuff in my personal life or family life, and I

had like been in this wicked long lawsuit and I just had no more resources energetically

or financially or anything. I just like felt so backed into a corner.
So I'm like embarrassed that I like did songs that I didn't love, but I understood why I trusted, you know, executives that were like, this is going to be a hit. And I was like, I just think I'm supposed to have more hits.
So I'm just going to do what you tell me to do. Cause everyone's telling me you're supposed to be this or blah, blah, blah.
So, but I'm sure you can understand the confusion. They happened to be right the first time.
So for leave, get out in the book, you discuss how you first heard Leave Get Out even as a 12-year-old.

And you're like, this doesn't feel like me.

And I don't get it.

And then you record it.

You put your thing on it.

And it literally immediately pops off.

So then it becomes a core belief these people do know best.

Core belief.

And it was no longer those people that were telling me.

It was just other people that filled that place.

So I was like, oh, even though it's not like Barry and Vincent,

you know, making these calls,

it is other people who also have had success in that area.

And because it's a core belief,

they, whoever they are, know better than me.

And then those songs that I compromised on,

it just never popped off like the promise was. So I'm like, so then you just feel silly.
Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Totally.
But it's kind of a blessing in disguise because to sing over and over and over again songs that you just really don't feel like you. Like if they're not big hits, you like don't have to sing them.
Sure. Right, right, right, right.
Totally fine. Totally.
Yeah. Like Creature of Habit, for example, which I like don't care for that song.
i'm so glad that i don't have to sing that i'm a creature what the fuck you're singing the words i'm a creature i'm a creature and i just did mass singer i'm like honestly i want to take myself off of this planet right now this is insanity but that was the recommendation we talk about climbing cringe mountain i feel like the way you wrote about your time on The Masked Singer was, I think, kind of beautiful and sort of really holistic, too. Because you're just like, this is obviously, like, not where I thought I was going to end up.
Not what I thought I was going to be doing. But you've, like, crossed that fire and that crucible.
And, like, you can literally do anything. Like, no one can tell you shit.
doing it it was during it was 2020 or 2021 so i was like very much about getting a check as well sure get the check and get out the house i really enjoyed that yeah so yeah so it was cool i got to sing songs that i wouldn't have like i sang how am i supposed to live without you michael bolton major major by the way your cover of can't fight This Feeling from Lisa Frankenstein, which came out this February. Zelda Williams, director of it all.
Come on, Zelda. That movie, cult classic.
Instant. Cult classic.
It really, like that song, you gave that song. Yeah.
You really did. Thank you.
You gave every song. Well, thank you.
I mean, one thing that i think was a really fun thing when

it happened and also it's really interesting to look back now that like taylor has her taylor's versions of stuff is you re-recording your first two albums and releasing them in 2018 and i do remember being so excited when when they came out because i was like because they weren't available for streaming and i was such i i think i i didn't know where my my 2004 actual Jojo's compact disc was

nor would I know

how to play it now

but for streaming and I was such a I think I didn't know where my 2004 actual JoJo compact disc was in order when I know how to play it now but when you did that and by the way Doug Krantz actually has a gift when he takes photos for me when I'm doing my show sometimes he's really great and he gave me as a gift those two vinyls wow so I have them I have them in LA. The 2018 vinyls? Yes.
I love. And so, but what's great about the re-recording of that, and like I was really happy to see that you write this in the book, is that when you finally got to re-record those things and you have those little bittersweet moments of reconnecting with, you know, what it felt like to record them the first time, it almost feels like you can speak to and perform them in a way that you actually understand those emotions.
Right. And in a way, it's like- Well, those grown-ass songs.
They're new songs. Yeah, and they are new songs.
They were grown-ass songs because you had a grown-ass voice. The way you do me? What am I talking about? How to touch a girl? I mean, how to touch her heart, but like, I don't know.
So, you know, a lot of- But how to touch a girl, I mean, like, it's really meaningful that it's like a song that you wrote and it's like such a beautiful it's like Aretha like this girl's in love with you era that was the inspo it's so good that was the inspo but even singing like keep on keeping on which was like the song that I wrote by myself at 12 years old for my first album I was like really touched by thinking about my little prepubescent self, walking around the apartment complex and like writing those lyrics and then to re-sing them. It was, I just, even in just writing this book in totality, I realized how very little I had actually taken the time to try to remember because I didn't want to.
Wow. That's really interesting.
I didn't give myself the time or space to appreciate how unbelievable my life is. It has been the things that I've

accomplished, the things I've overcome the, to me, it feels like against the odds that I'm

still alive sometimes. Do you know what I mean? And so I'm like, take the time and be like,

even the wisdom that I had at 12 years old to like want to encourage myself and others. And

I wish. sometimes.
Do you know what I mean? And so I'm like, take the time and be like, even the wisdom that I had at 12 years old to like want to encourage myself and others and keep on keeping on. Like that's precious.
I'm like, oh my God, little Joe. And that she was speaking to you 20 years later.
Yes. She was still telling me to keep on keeping on.
I'm like, what is happening? It was cool. But that's interesting to hear you say that like you weren't sure what the capacity for your own memory was because like the detail is very granular and very specific in this book.
And I wonder if that must have been, and I'm sure it was like a very intense process of just like picking out these details of just like, even like you talking about like how long this hallway in this Vegas hotel was. I was just like, yeah, that's so specific.
Like that's dark memory but you're like but just even in the book you're like these Vegas hotel hallways are fucking long that is very visceral that detail is very visceral because you can feel it so like I imagine it was really deep kind of excavating of like the details of those really intense moments yeah I mean I have been at therapy for a long time now. So I have thought about some of the pain points in my life because I've wanted to work through them and try to learn something or grow from them.
But like that moment in Vegas, for example, that is a hinge point in my life where it's also my mom's story. And I wanted to be really thoughtful and sensitive about the way that I told things that were her story and that are pain points for her too.
But I realized how much I had protected other people to where it was like too much for me to bear. Yeah.
And like I can see that room, that Vegas hallway, because that was a moment that I'll never forget. Yeah.
You know, I can see the letter that my mom wrote me and I can see it strewn, you know,

all. see that room, that Vegas hallway, because that was a moment that I'll never forget.
You know, I can see the letter that my mom wrote me and I can see it strewn, you know, all the things that are in the book and that happened and that I didn't know if I was ever going to share that my family knows and things like that. And it's not from a place of wanting to call anybody out or anything like that.
Like, trust me, I felt a lot of, I wrestled with it. But the story that I tell in this book and what my experience has been is about redemption and evolution.
And people can change if they want to. And that by sharing it all, no one can use anything against you.
No one can like, you know what I mean? There's nothing to be ashamed of. That's beautiful.
And the theme that kind of rang for me in reading this was like from the beginning, from your first appearance on Kids Say the Darnest Things, which I, which I loved as a kid too. So sweet.
But it's like from your first moments being on camera, it's like you were talking to a very complicated adult. And then I think the theme of this story for you is that like your whole life and your career has been about like being affected by these very complicated individuals and that you by the end of it have the grace to forgive a lot of them and to complete them as people in the way that you talk and write about them I think that is like the story story of Jojo to me.
Like, oh my God, thank you for saying it. Like, yeah, I really appreciate it because I had a lot of, I did have fear about, um, anybody feeling upset or like I put them out there.
I look, I don't paint myself in like the, the rosiest, you know, light. I'm not a victim, nor am I a villain.
I I've been all things yeah a lot of people have been that in my life too yeah so it's not like anyone can read this book and be like wow she really went out of her way to make it seem like everyone was the bad guy good because that's not how I look at it that's not how I look at my life in fact I think one of my favorite parts of this book is when you literally just tee it up by being like, I don't even know how to say this. I'm just going to say it.
I cheated on someone. This awesome person.
This incredible person. Yeah.
And I think that that was actually one of the things that, of course, like if you're on your like moral high horse or whatever, like which people, of course, undoubtedly may be, you might not see yourself in it. But I think that like all I know is this idea that I know this is the wrong thing to do, but the urge inside me, whatever, you paint that really, really vividly.
This compulsion. saboteoteur compulsion inside, which I think, you know, in the way that I think about addiction, addiction can be to stimulation, to love, to substances, to getting outside yourself, to chaos.
I've flirted with all of that. You know what I mean? And I think that I was in such pain.
There was such confusion and chaos in my life that it's as if I needed to poison this like one thing because I felt unworthy. It's like I wanted to test maybe subconsciously how much it's just there's no excuse.
Yeah. But looking back, I can and through therapy, I'm just like, why? Why? Right.
You know what I mean? Yeah. Yeah.
The excuses is the human condition. Right.
You know, it's like that's what it is. It's like it's irrational.
It's selfish. But also it's informed by like, and this is me.
I'm not putting blame on these people, but I think it's a product of you being on the receiving end of a lot of adults and people who are there to protect you, who made you feel maybe unprotected at times. I felt very alone.
So here's the thing, people. We're actually transitioning into spring right now.
And here's my question to you. How are you making your bed? Yes, I said bed.
I know you're excited. A space that works for everything.
I'm talking snuggling with loved ones. I'm talking cuddling with the pets people.
I'm talking, you know, busy morning you want to hide from your kids or, you know, just unwinding after everything. I know that the bed is a sacred spot for me.
I'm a big fan of bed rotting, sorry, after a long day. And I just love chilling with my Brooklinen sheets.
You know it feels good on the whole bod. And it relaxes me.
You know, I get into my little mental state where I'm like, okay, I'm zen. I'm cool.
I'm absolutely covered in Brooklinen. Brooklinen has everything you need for a refresh.
High quality comforters, cotton throw blankets, and more. Brooklinen's super high quality products have been tested and awarded by experts, including good housekeeping, GQ, wire cutter, and more.
Brooklinen sheets are tried and true with over 200,000 five-star reviews and millions of happy customers. And Brooklinen's customizable bundles make it easy to refresh your bed and bathroom, putting everything you need in one place.
Shop award winners and fan faves in-store or online at brooklinen.com. That's B-R-O-O-K-L-I-N-E-N dot com.
Get 15% off your first order today. This episode is supported by FX's Dying for Sex, starring Michelle Williams and Jenny Slate.
Inspired by a true story, this series follows Molly, who after receiving a terminal cancer diagnosis, decides to leave her husband and explore the full breadth of her sexual desires. She gets the courage and support to go on this sex quest from her best friend, Nikki, who stays by her side through it all.
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That's Z-O-L-A.com. You know who looms very large in this book who I wanted to ask you about is Aaliyah.
Like from the very beginning, it feels like there's this moment where you go into Barry Hankerson, who was her uncle and who was the founder of Blackground. And he obviously is a complicated figure in the book and at large.
But there was a moment where you sing for him and it was your first time meeting him. And there's a moment where he says he literally saw her spirit and her spirit told him that you were the one to invest in insane insane i texted him when i when i got to that part insane but but that in many ways it's insane because it's like you believe that he believed it but also you also think this is a manipulation yeah totally because there's probably no no more especially when that person is literally literally at that point like a specter, like they're not there.
And her image is so brandished and utilized for this thing that is like, you know, of the past, but also will always feel contemporary. It's like she is an ideal that can never really be reached.
Unbelievable. And in the years since she's passed, I feel like the things that have come out about R.
Kelly, the things that have come out about a lot of people around her. I want to know what your relationship to her is today.
She's an icon. There's no one.
She has inspired all the girls, myself included. But everyone was putting out music around her time

and since then like she is the one she's the prototype and an amazing actress and all-around performer she was about to go on and do the matrix series i think right like she was and she had just done queen of the damned and you know romeo must die and all these things like unbelievable. I feel so much for her because

of, I know some of her family in dealing with Black Ground, that label was founded for her

because Barry had taken her to every other label and they said, she's too young. We don't want to

deal with it, blah, blah, blah. Then he was also managing R.
Kelly at the time and he put them

together to work together. The rest is history in many ways.
And she was not protected. She was a child and she acted grown and looked grown.
It was singing grown music and everything. They did make her look very grown.
Yeah. And there was this whole mystery and amazing thing surrounding her.
Her aura was larger than life and the marketing and the music and just everything was perfect. But now that I'm an adult, I'm like, she was not protected.
And matter of fact, I know a lot of things that I'll never say. And it's just crazy.
All the stuff that's come out with R. Kelly, thank God.
Because I heard so many stories. It really was the industry's biggest secret.
And there were people around that facilitated that. And you can, you know, through, without me needing to say it, know who facilitated that.
And, you know, it's just there's no way around it. It's disgusting.
It's really rough. And I feel like your connection to her is even kind of projected onto the way that like Black Round sort of withheld both of your work for so long, you know? Yeah.
So every label has to do a deal with the digital streaming platforms like that was going on when kind of the the digital streaming revolution was happening and everything was changing and people were streaming music as opposed to like buying and stuff so every label no matter how big or small needed to do individual deals all the dsps my former label that alia was on as well and and Tony Braxton and Timbaland and stuff they did not

do deal they just didn't get to it or they just like you know they just made interesting business choices that I'll never understand ridiculous like I just don't get it yeah so my stuff was not available on streaming neither was Aaliyah's her fans were going crazy online my fans were going crazy online. And I was like, if I can do something about my own history, legacy being snuffed out, I need to try to do something.
And so then I rerecorded my old music. There was no real precedent for that.
I never had seen that be done before. So we just went for it.
And then a couple of years later, they got to doing a deal with you know, a deal with it. And then it, then it just looked like I just wanted to rerecord my music, but it was out of necessity.
Yeah. And I could tell even then I was like, this must be a thing of like, there must be something fucked up going on.
And the fact that you were doing that was like both, I'm sure empowering for you, but also you have to know so empowering and fun for your fans. Yes.
Yes. Because I'm telling you like.
I hope so. Oh God, yeah.
Just to, first of all, to even have access to it was huge. And the second of all is just like, I know you talk a lot in the book about like your relationship to your singing voice now versus then and how there is a lot of anxiety around just the way the human voice changes for both.
Every seven years they say. Really? Have you heard of that? I've heard of this.
You're entirely cellularly replaced every seven years. But I think seven is vocal.
None of us are scientists. The chemist over here.
No, no, no. He is pretty close to a scientist.
No, no, no. That's not true.
But yes, like the way you write about it in the book is so honest too,

because you're like, because now I'm sure you love the way your timbre,

but it's like, I'm sure with the changes as you age, it's like.

It was weird to accept.

Of course.

Yeah.

Because I mean, my first album, I hadn't got my period.

Like I wasn't.

It wasn't a woman's voice.

Quite literally.

Yeah. Not a girl.
I was a girl. And not yet a woman.
Yeah. So, yeah, it was weird because I'm like, Oh my God, people are always going to compare my voice to a prepubescent voice.
And now I just don't care. I'm just too old for that.
I'm just too grown. I will say like something about the first two albums not being on streaming.
And, but then the 2018 albums being right Like there was like a little under. Well, they weirdly then put the albums on stream.
Exactly, that's what I'm saying. So then I looked silly.
So it made you look like. Yeah, but whatever.
I think I've just stayed with the 2018 releases and I just prefer those versions. Honest dead ass.
Really? Conviction down. Conviction down.
Conviction down. I'm like, we're listening to Baby It's You 2018.
I don't, it's just it's better a little richer well let's just say i think it's just better than the fact that you still like baby it's you i do it's huge for us because we can't i don't dislike too little too late or leave get out or anything first of all i get what you're saying but like you don't really talk shit about too little too late no because, because I wanted that. I love Too Little Too Late.
That was my shit. It was sent to my sidekick messenger or whatever.
The demo from her last name, Cunningham. She's super dope.
And then Billy Steinberg and Josh Alexander. And it was sent to me and I was like, I knew that if I could get this song, that that should be my next single.
Too Little Too Late was everything. Everything.
I just have to shout out, not that kind of girl. Oh, period.
Better than the original. So much better.
Yeah. First of all, the way you tore up SWV week.
Week. Like as a 12 year old.
Are you kidding me? You had absolutely no right. And I was not surprised that the girls were reaching out.
Because that had to be, who from that time was like a singer, singer that reached back out that you were especially gagged. It had to be a ton of people.
What? Like around that time when you get introduced as like- Oh, like Brandy. Yeah.
Yeah. I mean, that was like blowing my mind.
Shaka Khan. I remember like, I mean, oh, Whitney Houston.
I mean, sent me flowers to Madison Square to Madison Square Garden you're kidding no when I was performing at like a jingle ball or something her and her daughter rest in peace to both of them Bobby Christina they sent me flowers and I'll never forget that moment that is the ultimate validation as a singer it really is actually I don't need anything else period truly but like there are so many wonderful moments in the book too where you just talk about these like moments and these interactions with all these singers like Destiny's Child and even like going to Taylor's house with Selena and how she was like keeping up with the lawsuit and so many things. Victoria Monet.
I love the Victoria Monet piece because we just saw, we're our Victoria fans. Speaking of Big Bro, I think that she may have made an appearance last night sonically.
I have texted her this. I was like, I have had some of the best dalliances of my life to her music.
Oh yeah. I really have.
I got this feeling for you. Yeah, you did.
It's your motherfucking moment. Show me what you got.
That and Ariana Positions were big fuck albums for me. Well, Victoria was all over Positions, right? Oh, yeah.
Yeah, yeah. No, I mean, look, her hand on all contemporary R&B pop music is monumental.
And we saw her at Coachella. She killed it.
Of course. That was the live show.
She's a force. I could not be happier for her.
No one deserves it more. And she's a mother.
I know. I'm just in awe.
Just to see like by the industry standards, like someone quote unquote older or like up in years. No, it's fire.
she's amazing mid-30s looking better than anyone in the world yep and it's just it's the aesthetic is so you can just tell it's someone who has you know for better or worse i'm sure coming up it felt like when is it going to be my turn but now that it's like she can have this fully realized like visual like sonic you know emotional identity and what she's doing that feels really satisfying that's the exact word that i'd use to describe it it's satisfying because of all the thoughtfulness the attention to detail she spared no expense she put everything into this I love Jaguar one and two. I'm just so here for everything that she does.

Like I trust her as an artist so much. And she's such a beautiful person.
And I know so many people that are in her orbit. And I've known her a little bit throughout the years.
And she's just, it's so cool to see her. I was with your former castmates, Liz Gillies and Frankie Grande during those Grammys.

We were at Ari's, whatever, name drop.

But watching her win, like Ari burst into tears.

Yeah.

Like when Victoria won the Grammy,

it was just like everyone, Liz and Frankie,

just everyone was just like this.

They were just turning to me being like,

you have no idea.

No idea.

This girl deserves it more than anybody.

So yeah, so when we,

she was on the fifth Harmony tour that I was on too.

And just to see how humble she was

Thank you. no idea.
No idea. This girl deserves it more than anybody.
So yeah. So when we, she was on the fifth Harmony tour that I was on too.
And just to see how humble she was, she was grateful for the opportunity, just kind of doing her thing. I think she had written for them or was working with them and, and I'll never forget, you know, just heard how she just had a fan on her, just like a fan blowing her hair.
And she learned how to do all the things behind the scenes.

And it's just truly the best story ever.

I mean, as we're talking about her, like, it just makes me excited for porcelain and for everything that's coming with you. Because Sagittarius, Sun, Aquarius, Moon.

Yes.

And that made sense to me.

Capricorn?

Sag.

Sag.

Because it made sense to me just because you have this thing in the book where you're like I was always told I was like left of center that you always have these experimental ideas and that's like that's the Aquarius I think and then I'm also like I think you're one of those people where it's like like Charlie popping off recently it's like oh no the industry had to catch up to that you know what I mean I feel that way with you oh well thank you I feel that way with you where it's like now that we're in this like really experimental place with music and with R&B and with pop and dance and all these other things it's like you're gonna meet that moment you know what I mean? I'm so inspired by everything that I see and the people that you just named even though I've been doing this a long time it really fills me with a lot of energy to see, to see that. And to keep believing for myself too, that like, if you are true to your artistic vision, you are clear about it, like build it and they will come and the right people will come and it can take time.
But you know, just to keep that faith is, yeah. It's a long game.
It's a long game. And we're talking about the culture.
I think it's time to ask Jojo the question.

Yes.

I mean, it is.

I'm just like sitting here like,

and I'm just thinking about like all the times you were like,

all I wanted to do was do my vision and they stopped me.

And I was just thinking like about how authenticity is what people are truly responding to right now.

And there's, it's such a great time.

Like no one can tell you or anyone now that like,

oh, R&B isn't what's in. That's not the way we should take pop it has to be pop rock it has to be pop dance or whatever we're in such an eclectic time yeah what is a genre even that's what i'm saying is it's like it feels like a really ripe time and like speaking of time we'll go back in it and we'll ask you the question joanna levesque what what is the culture that made you say culture was for you? Okay, I hope I understand this question correctly.
It's okay that you don't. It's sort of a good question like that.
I'm going to give you my interpretation. Yeah.
Divas Live. Thank you for saying these words.
Divas Live. If they have, they haven't said it today.
Okay, I know that's right. That was everything for me.
Seeing like Mariah and Shania and Shaka and Celine and Whitney and all of these women. They used to do it every year.
I was like, why did they stop? They have to do it again. For me, that was everything for me.
It made me feel so alive. And I was like, oh, I want like a little bit of this one and this one and this one.
One day I want to be like that. Talk about genres all coming together.
I mean, they represented everybody. I didn't even think I knew who Shania was.
It's like Bonnie Raitt there. Like, you know, it's just, yeah, so cool.
And I feel like now would be a great time to bring that back. I think they did something.
I did like a Divas Live Christmas thing a few years ago. And that was, that was sick sick but really the heyday was in the late 90s yeah that's when i was a little cherub yes sitting and putting in my vhs tape taping it and watching it back over and over again yes yeah oh that was the that was truly the moment i remember it was like the first one they ever did mariah came out first and she she did, I think, My All and then Make It Happen.
If you believe in yourself. And you know I saw it on your playlist for the album.
Make it happen. For the book, I mean.
Like, Make It Happen was on your. You be knowing.
You be looking. I don't know how many times I have to tell you I'm a fan.
I love you. I love you back.
I've loved you from jump. Like, I mean, like, but I get, and also calling back to her book.
She talks about, you know, she has such a relationship with that song because it was truly a documentation of where she was at, like hitting the pavement. And you know that that's why she included it that night.
She said, what, not more than three short years ago, I was abandoned and alone. Abandoned and alone without a penny to my name.
So very young and so afraid. So afraid.
I took the shoes. I kept the shoes upon my feet.
Sometimes I couldn't even eat. I often cried myself to sleep, so I had to keep on going.
Never knowing if I could take it, if I could make it through the night. Through the night.
Come on, she is preaching. And then at the end, she is wailing.
Yeah. It's about the end.
Don't come back. Don't come back.
Don't come back. Yeah.
I think like all the instruments, it's just like the drum. It's just percussion.
But like every. Roaring.
Roaring. She's just roaring.
It's because she is preaching. Woo.
She is preaching. Me as like a six-year-old girl was like just, I don't know why I needed that injected into my veins in that way.
But yeah. But Divas Live was like giving you a fucking buffet.
Yep. You know what I mean? That's what we need to bring back.
It's like get all of them on the same stage. And you want to know what too? It created iconic moments in the culture.
Selena and Aretha. Such as Selena and Aretha doing their sing-off at the end, which I know is controversial amongst the girls.
Like Mariah, like, you you know, feels some way about it, I think. But, like...
Who won that, though? Was it Selene? I don't think we can confidently say there was a winner. I hear you.
But, like, wasn't one of them kind of, like, just unaffected by it? Some were playing into it. I think Selene was just in playful mode.
Okay. Which, like, I love her so much.
Of course. Her playfulness.ayfulness.
But then you could see some other ladies were

in reverent mode. Like Mariah

truly was in

reverent mode. She was like, you don't

go up to Aretha and challenge.

And that's how I feel. Right.

But Celine, I think, maybe because

Celine maybe culturally didn't

come up in a place of like... Well, she's Canadian.

Right. And Sting's like a

different genre, I guess you

could say. But I think

it was just funny to hear about

I don't know. come up in a place of like...
Well, she's Canadian. Right.
And sings like a different genre, I guess you could say. And then like, so, but I think like, it was just funny to hear about later, like, that Mariah felt like that that was like disrespectful.
Like, just let Aretha, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Let her have the moment. She is the queen of Celcius.
She is why we're here. In fact, they built that night around her.
Right, period. They had to turn all the ACs off.
This is an iconic thing. Did you know about this? No.
She will not sing with air conditioning. And so the air conditioning was turned off.
I mean, good for- And it was very hot. Good for the courts.
And now you can see in the- Why everyone's- In the footage of the night, everyone has their playbills going like this, like as if it was church. If you want another memoir to read, it was written by Dave Ritz, and he her over years and it's Aretha's memoir.
It is so good. Really interesting.
I had no idea what her childhood was like and her father was a creep, a famous pastor, mad creepy, but really amazing, especially if you guys love Aretha. Were you like researching a lot of other- I was reading a lot of memoirs in the past couple of years when I was thinking about writing one.
I'm like, let me just get this all in my brain so I can see what happens. You must have read Mariah's.
Yes. Love.
It's truly. I mean, and her audio book is really what it's all about.
Oh God. Are you doing yours? Of course you are.
Of course. Yes.
And we better hear you sing. I still don't know if legally they were able to clear with the publishing.
I just cracked my hand on here.

Want to hear some more?

Iconic.

Ooh, nice.

ASMR.

Satisfaction.

Very satisfying.

So yeah,

I hope that they were able to get clearance because I did sing the,

the words and the stuff.

So we'll see.

Oh,

we hope so.

That would be good.

I mean,

did you have emotional moments reading it?

Was there parts that were very difficult to get through?

Yeah.

So I,

I did it over a course of like five days. It was like five

hours a day for five days. Yeah, that's a lot.

It was cool. It was cool.
I'm glad

I couldn't have let it go down with

anybody else reading it. That would have been so weird.
I have a

pretty nice speaking voice. I felt like I could do it.

We love hearing your voice.

In any capacity.

So in terms of like

the Divas Live of it all, we have to know

if there's five

today. It's really hard.

That's the thing is there has to be, I guess it's like you have to build it around Beyonce. Right.
You have to build it around Beyonce. Ariana.
Yes, certainly. Beyonce, Ariana.
Adele? Yeah. Maybe? Adele.
I always put Kelly out there. Kelly Clarkson.
Kelly can sing there's only one left I know now I need a country person oh we might Carrie I suppose it's Carrie she certainly can sing like a motherfucker yes she can in those legs yeah oh I have a Barry's trainer who I literally have to stop working out every time because he goes after this you're gonna be looking like Carrie Underwood and it's just the gayest exiled to Kyle K. I mean, Kyle K.
Kyle K. Kyle K.
Kyle K. Kyle K.
Kyle K. Kyle K.
Kyle K. Kyle K.
Kyle K. Kyle K.
Kyle K. Kyle K.
Kyle K. Kyle K.
Kyle K. He used to be on.
Kyle K. Kyle K.
Kyle K. Kyle K.
Kyle K. Kyle K.
Kyle K. Kyle K.
Kyle K. Kyle K.
Kyle K. Kyle K.
Kyle K. Kyle K.
Kyle K. Kyle K.
Kyle K. Kyle K.
Kyle K. Kyle K.
Kyle K. Kyle K.
Kyle K. Kyle K.
Kyle K. Kyle K.
Kyle K. Kyle K.
Kyle K. Kyle K.
Kyle K. Kyle K.
Kyle K. Kyle K.
Kyle K. Kyle K.
Kyle K. Kyle K.
Kyle K. Kyle K.
Kyle K. Kyle K.
Kyle K. Kyle K.
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Doesn are so gay. It's the best because no one gets it.

How do you not?

Doesn't everybody know

that she's the best legs

I've ever seen?

Is that like Factotum?

She really shows them off

on the album covers.

Those games?

Okay, she could be

in Divas Live.

You just cast that

like in two seconds.

I mean,

you starting with Beyonce

and then me following up

with Ari and then Adele. I mean, from there.
We haven't even said the words. Jennifer Hudson, though.
Jennifer Hudson, yes. You know who also, I mean, Miss Renee Rapp.
We love Renee. Oh, love Renee.
Kills it. There's so many.
There's just so many. And isn't that amazing? It's just like.
It's a good time. It's a really good time.
For talented girls, yeah. Like, also, like, you have Tinashe on Good to Know.
Yeah! Come on, Tinashe! Watching her moment now. I really feel like that's the song of the summer.
Oh, yeah. Nasty? Yeah.
But I know it's a controversial topic of what is the song of the summer. People, this year it's harder than ever.
It's hard. We had a really good summer.
I mean, espresso, for me, it's between espresso and...

Nasty.

I think we have to give it to espresso

just because of the ubiquity

and the fact that it announced

Sabrina Carpenter in this way

that it feels like we're never going back.

Now we're in a world where Sabrina is in it.

Yeah.

Right.

And it feels like espresso was the moment.

Espresso, nasty, good luck, babe.

Good luck, babe.

Birds of a feather.

Yeah.

Like, I mean, it was a great summer. Great summer.
there's a groundswell happening in music right now and like there's room for everything and like fuck like i i don't know like it's exciting yeah and like it's just really exciting me that you're putting up when do you think we'll get it i think really soon you think you want to clear moulin rouge and then maybe put it out or you want to like- That's what I'm thinking. Let her cook.
Give myself a little, yeah, let her cook a little bit. Let her cook.
Yeah, you know. But yeah, I've been sitting on this song for a little bit and just wanting to like make sure I got my business in order so it can come out and do the thing.
And I'm eager. Are you, is it indie now? Like are just still on your- Clover? Clover? Clover? Yeah, it's on Clover.
I have a little

distro situation. It's

cool. It's different.
I respect so

much how Tinashe has

rolled it out when you're bringing on people

and you're doing it independent, but

it's not for the faint of heart. It's actually

a lot to learn from doing it independent.

I want to pick your brain

after this, actually. Yeah, please do.

Yeah. But anyway, can you give us some,

if you had to describe the new music in three words.

Flirting with pop is three words.

Perfect.

Flirting with pop.

Flirting with pop is still an R&B girly.

Some delicious little hooks.

Oh yeah.

But there's nothing like pop R&B music.

There's nothing like it.

It's why I loved you so much.

Yeah.

It hits you.

I just love people who really fucking mean what they're singing.

And pop music is not trash.

Pop music actually is very powerful because it gets in people's ears.

And when you have a meaningful demure meaning. Like, what is it called? Mindful? If we have a mindful singer doing pop music, that's why Sabrina, Olivia Rodrigo, that's why these girls are killing it so.
I totally agree. Because they mean what they're singing.
Yeah, imagine that. And they feel it.
Yeah. Imagine that.
And they're songwriters. Yes.
And they are, whether they're writing it themselves or collaborating, doesn't matter. These are their stories and that's why they connect.
Yeah. And there's no way to, like, whatever labels they're signed to are so lucky to have them.
Yes. Because you can't fabricate that.
No, you cannot. They are real.
They are authentic, these girls. Chapel too.
I think. Yeah, 100%.
Chapel Rowan is a beast. Beast.
Like, that bridge on Good Luck Babe, we haven't seen a bridge like that since disaster. Guys, I'm going to be honest with you.
This is embarrassing, but like I am not deep into the chapel canon. I don't know the world.
Just wait. Yeah.
I need to give it time. Sure, sure.
Take it at your pace. You're going to like that album.
I'm going to dive in tomorrow when I'm at the theater. I'm going to listen.
I'm going to think of you both. Let us know what you think.
Because there's real writing on

there and she's got a beautiful voice. I remember

so we were just talking

the other day about like when I first went to

go see her at the Fonda and she

had this unbelievable voice and her

energy on stage. The way I described

it was like Annie Lennox meets Kesha.

Like this like

super like

conceptual like weird

drag persona that's like

Thank you. it was like Annie Lennox meets Kesha.
Like this like super like conceptual, like weird drag persona. That's like very fun forward.
But this voice from like someplace else. Yeah.
Like channeling something where I feel like you were channeling something. I feel like I'm pitching to her.
You're like this. Like you're at the boardroom.
The CEO. Well, my pinstripe pants are evocative.

It's giving exact.

It's giving exact.

You're like,

I'm sold on her.

You don't need to finish.

No, no, no.

I'm doing it tomorrow.

This may make or break her.

I have to ask you about Iceland.

You wrote about going to Iceland.

I went to work there

and one of my favorite experiences

of my life.

Really?

Where did you?

We did not go to Blue Lagoon.

You went to Blue Lagoon,

which was iconic.

Yeah.

I went to Sky Lagoon.

Okay.

I was looking at that one too.

Really good.

If you go again,

I just think what a beautiful place.

Didn't it feel like Mars?

Yeah.

You feel like you're on another planet.

The nature is like so unbelievable.

Like that's where they shot like interstellar and stuff.

It's like,

where can we go in the world that makes it seem like another planet?

Underrated film,

by the way.

Really underrated film. Yeah.
Anyway. That's a good edible on your day off watch.
Do you still fuck with weed? No, it scares me right now. It scares you right now.
It's not the season for me, for us. I get you.
For marijuana. Totally.
See, and we were just talking about how we both need to take a step back because we're actually our proper stoners. But the thing is- I wish I could be.
I know. Sometimes though, like just sitting in front of Interstellar, like it really was.
And that's a movie I sob. Oh my God.
What movie makes you cry the hardest? Interstellar, I definitely cried for that too. Arrival.
Have you seen that one? No, I haven't seen that. You feel like I haven't seen that.
First of all, Amy Adams is that girl and no one, no one can ever say anything to me because she's deserved an Oscar several times Arrival is her best performance it's just it's so beautiful when you really get to what it's about like it's one of those movies that's like is it about space too? so it's an alien movie it's an alien encounter movie she plays someone who is like a linguistics professor who they bring in to communicate with these aliens who they don't know what the aliens want. And they speak in a circular...
Oh, I already have chills. I don't know why that's moving to me.
So you find out that their concept of time is very different, and that speaks to a situation that she goes through, and it is an absolutely beautiful message. And it is one of the great films that we've...
Deneville Neuve, who did the Dune films, directed it. Yeah.
Visually very beautiful. Very brand new in terms of like...
A sci-fi story. Yeah, like just the way that the creatures are designed.
Like I thought it was... So you do get to see the creatures? You do.
You intimately see them. Intimately see them? Yes.
Like a big bro, little bro situation?

They made me shoot a load to heaven. Like the video producer doesn't know me.
And so I feel like he just understood who I was in a moment. And that's sort of, that's going to be.
He just grabbed the arm. I tend to make straight men very giggly when they realize my candor.
Hello. Hello.
So here's the thing, people. We're actually transitioning into spring right now.
And here's my question to you. How are you making your bed? Yes, I said bed.
I know you're excited. A space that works for everything.
I'm talking snuggling with loved ones. I'm talking cuddling with the pets people.
I'm talking, you know, busy morning you want to hide from your kids or, you know, just unwinding after everything. I know that the bed is a sacred spot for me.
I'm a big fan of bed rotting. Sorry.
After a long day and I just love chilling with my brook linen sheets. You know it feels good on the whole bod,

and it relaxes me. You know, I get into my little mental state where I'm like, okay, I'm zen, I'm cool, I'm absolutely covered in Brooklinen.
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This episode is supported by

FX's Dying for Sex, starring

Michelle Williams and Jenny Slate.

Inspired by a true story, this series follows

Molly, who after receiving a terminal

cancer diagnosis, decides to leave

her husband and explore the full breadth

of her sexual desires. She gets the courage and support to go on this sex quest from her best friend, Nikki, who stays by her side through it all.
FX is dying for sex. All episodes streaming April 4th on Hulu.
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So which ones of the boys in Moulin Rouge do you think should date us? I love this question. Do you really? Yeah.
Oh my God. Are you both single? We're both single.
Do you want me to fuck you up? No. By the way, can we give it up for this cover? This cover's really good.
It came in the mail. I took it out of the envelope.
I was like, I gasped. Be honest.
Not gasped. I gasped.
You were probably sent a bunch of photos from the shoot. When you saw this, you were like, that's her.
Let me be honest with you i did this shoot myself in london we did a whole other shoot it was just me and ronaldo who who does social stuff he's he's worked on he's been on my team for a long time we love you ronaldo ronaldo and it was just me him and the photographer in london i did a whole other shoot with my book company hated hated it and just went back to this shoot and was like sorry guys i know you just paid for this whole thing but like look at this picture I like this one this is a beautiful fucking photo I've never looked better let's do that see and also you talk a lot in the book about like you know the way that you have been packaged and the photos that they've chosen and stuff like that oh I just felt so stupid yeah but like you know what that is empowering because you're like I'm going to tell my story I'm also going to pick the fucking photo. Yeah, it just had to be that.
Yeah. Come on.
Come on. Been doing this too long.
To say, you know, we're over the influence. I just love it.
I love it so much. Might it be time for I don't think so, honey? I think it's time for I don't think so, honey.
Okay, so we've arrived at that part of the episode where we take 60 seconds to rant against something in culture that is bothering us a little bit. Now, today I'm not going to be so cultural.
I'm going to talk about something a little personal. And I feel like this episode I've been very bodily, and that's not going to stop.
Bodily? Bodily? I've been bodily in terms of my vocabulary. I've been talking about Big Bro and what he sort of makes my body do.
I'm going to talk about what's another thing that's happening with my body. Uh oh.
Can't wait. Coming out a different end.
No, stop. This is Matt Rogers I Don't Think So Honey's time starts now.
I don't think so, honey. Why is my one foot all of a sudden bigger than my other foot? This is crazy.
I swear to God if someone can explain to me what is happening, please. The other night we were at a wedding I wore some nice shoes.
I have these nice boots and I put one foot in one shoe, another foot in another shoe and I realize the one shoe doesn't fit. Cut to about three weeks ago, we're with our stylist getting ready for a thing we're doing.
And I put my foot in one of the shoes and it's the same thing. So now it's not even discriminating.

It's just this pair of shoes.

Like maybe something happened to these leather boots.

No, it's my foot.

Is it the fact that I'm on a treadmill a lot?

What is happening to my one foot?

Stop it!

This is about my feet.

All you foot freaks out there are probably flipping out.

We can talk.

I'm not against it. Not throw it.
Anyway, why is my one foot bigger than the other? Suddenly, I don't think so honey. That's one minute.
Does anyone know, is it an every seven years thing? It might be actually. Do you know the answer to this? Why just one? So there is, I'm not a doctor and I'm not a scientist.
You're not? Then shut up. I do believe that one side of your body is bigger than the other.
It's like when women are like my one tit. And I do have that.
You have one bigger tit than the other? I've got one bigger tit. I need to explore and see which one is bigger.
I guess it makes sense. It makes, and I'm literally, as I'm talking right now, I'm realizing my one foot just feels bigger.
I also think, you know what I think I have? So every single morning when I wake up, the back, like above my heel feels sore. And when I get up, I'm like, when I walk, I'm like, ooh, ooh, I think I have Achilles tendonitis.
I think I have that too. Yeah.
Yeah, my freaking Achilles thing is Achilles tendon. It feels tender,

right? And sore. Tender.

And when I was feeling the one, especially on the right,

I was like, is there a little bit of a bump here? Do we need

inserts for our shoes? Is that where we're at

in our mid-30s? Mid-30s.

That's what's happening. And suddenly you're identifying

as mid-30s. All it took me was the length of the answer.

Because we're saying words like Achilles

tendonitis and

insoles. I think y'all need to go to the podiatrist.
No, that's T. You know what I mean? That is T.
Foot T. Foot T.
I wish my foot was T. My foot is not T.
My body's been kind of T lately. My foot is not T.
Your body is T. Stop.
Well, just tell any one of those absolutely stacked dancers. Stacked.
Actually, to be honest with you, sometimes I'm like, I liked them all. Okay.
The one you talked about. But also sometimes I'm like, if a guy like that was interested in me, I don't even know if I would know what to do with him.
No, I know. I'm sure I would figure it out.
But like, wow. Like I used to say like, my ideal would be with a Broadway dancer.
And that still holds true. It still holds true, but it's like, it's like a little intimidating.
These men are. Let them lead.
They know what they're doing. You know what I mean? Let them lead.
You hear that? Let them lead. Let them lead.
It's actually real culture number 19. Let them lead.
They know what they're doing. Re-Broadway dancers.
So that's, if anyone out there can tell me why my one foot is suddenly bigger than the other and wasn't always that'll be amazing and yes i checked the sizing of the shoe and they were the same size it's not the shoe it's not the shoe you say laurent you continue to do wonderful work a shoe i was gifted to not buy oh my god that wasn't a wealth flex but so what if it was what if it was i'm sorry um okay ready'm ready. This will be Bo and Yang's I don't think so, honey.
And if I can find my stopwatch, his time will stop now. Wait.
Oh, there it is. Sometimes I get confused and I go to the calculator one instead of the clock one.
They're similar. Oh, that's an I don't think so, honey, right there.
Design flaw. Apple, are you listening? Okay.
This is Bo and Yang's I don't think so, honey. His time starts now.
I don't think so, honey honey Why is women's tennis Best out of three And men's tennis Best out of five I just learned that This weekend after Going to the open That doesn't make Any sense to me I want to see the women Play a little longer If anything But if we're striving For gender parity Then I think we might as well Just make up the same rules Everything else is the same Why could the number Of sets be the same cannot believe what I was seeing. I was seeing Pagula go against Swiatek.
Swiatek? Okay. That was a thrilling game and then that ended much too soon.
And then I guess I had to see Mr. Sinner go up against what's his face? Taylor Fritz.
Not Taylor Fritz. At the quarterfinal it was someone else.
But I was just like I think I would have preferred to watch the women play longer. I'm a new team.
I get it now. I lost so much time in my life not standing tennis.
And now I finally do. Sports are back, y'all.
I mean, this Olympics really lit a fire under my ass. Now I'm like, I'm putting it on every day.
I'm doing little chores around the house. I'm putting the game on.
That's what I meant. This is our big sports year.
Putting the game on. Putting the game on.
I love to see it for you. And I want to put the game on too.
Yes. When I saw Challengers, that's when I...
First of all, round of applause. So good.
So hot. So hot.
Loved it. But then I started taking tennis lessons because I'm like, I want a tennis bay.
I think that's a sexy thing. I did watch none of the US Open.

That's okay.

Nor did I go.

It's not okay.

And it needs to change next year.

I didn't watch any either

except when we went

to the men's final

and I didn't even know

who Taylor Fritz was

until we were there.

Who is Taylor Fritz?

He in fact competed

in the final of the US Men's Open.

I've been thinking about this

all night long.

Okay, this is really good.

Okay, so this is Joe's I don't think so, honeyanna jojo livesque her time starts now i don't think so honey why do you say i don't know if either of you say it like this important when did people start doing it like that is this a kardashian speak and like the slowing down and the everything up also do i speak like this now Like people speaking like they're from this region that doesn't exist or like, you know what I mean? It's like it no longer. And I think it's because of, I think it's LA, not LA's fault, but it is probably keeping up with the Kardashians fault, right? The slow speak, the, and I'm sorry if I don't, I don't know who speaks this way, but I started seeing it.
It reminds me of like the demure and stuff like that, but like important. Yes.
When did we start breaking words apart like this? It's beautiful. I like it.
It makes me feel good and a little ASMR-y and tingly. 15 seconds.
But what inspired us to speak this way? Yes. And also like, it's interesting when I have to ask people like, where are you from? Because you just sound like a Kardashian.
Right. You know what I going to fill up these last three seconds? Do I sound like this too? Am I aware of what I sound like? Anyway.
That's one minute. You are, you've really pinpointed something that has bothered me so much.
And this is why it's a great, I don't think so, honey, because I've never said it out loud. There are people who be like, important.
Important. Yeah.
They will hit all the, and sometimes I'm like, I don't know. Is it like an accent? Is there just like, is there a regionalism where I don't want to like, be like, why are you saying it like that? But it's enough people now where I'm like, what's happening? Yeah.
It's a trend, I think. Can you both, can you both say the word as you would say it? Important.
Important. Okay.
And I don't think that's correct.

I think that is correct.

First of all, they're going to be like,

not a mass hole in a Long Island nerd taught us how to talk.

Important.

Important.

It's important.

Important.

You know, I've been called out because I say picture,

like picture.

A picture.

And I say remember like member.

How do you say museum?

Do I say it weird? That was insane. You actually say it in the chicest way.
Museum. Museum.
Museum. Museum.
Like it's Shazam's cousin. Museum.
How do you say it? Museum. Museum.
But that's just me. Museum.
Museum. Shazam.
How do you say the thing above a house? A roof. Okay.
But my granddad used to say a rough. Rough.
But I say room. I say room.
A rum. Yeah, I say I'm going to my room.
I'm going to my room. This room.
How do you say the video game character that wears a red hat? Mario? Thank you. Mario.
Mario. He's Mario.
Yeah, you would. Yeah, but I'm Long Island.
I am. Like, that's the thing.
It's like if I ever ever get a little angry or a little drunk, he comes out. Yeah, my Boston self comes out.
And it's like, I've lived in LA a long time. But when I get drunk or angry, it's coming out.
You absolutely said Wicked earlier. Yeah.
And you weren't talking about the November 2024 film. Are you excited? Oh, my God, am I excited.
Have you seen that on Broadway? No. I saw it in the West End maybe years ago so I have seen it you just saw it in the West End a couple years ago so funny I'm sorry funny because they really dig it because they speak in British accents in that show right it's so funny just like just the difference is so popular it's like oh yeah sure that works I love it I love it you know.
I love it. So the Wicked trailers have come out and I want to say, and I'm just saying it, the best Wicked trailer yet is the Italian Wicked trailer.
You told me this the other night. I gotta watch it.
I don't know why internationally trailers are different than domestic trailers, but for some reason they will send out different versions of different cuts of entire trailers, I guess to market the film differently. I think my opinion, and I don't know this, American audiences don't want to know that it's a musical.
Well, America is we are the studios don't like to tell people that it's a musical because they believe if audiences know something is a musical, they won't come.

So a lot of times they try to make the movie look like a Marvel movie or like, you know. They tried to hide that the Mean Girls reboot was a musical.
Yes, they did try to hide it. I had no awareness until like later.
Yeah. And then it was full on, which is in fact the reason it existed is because there was the musical on Broadway and then it was this.
But they what they will do, I think, or what they're're doing with the wicked trailer is I think they assume that maybe a lot of people in America know the story and so they're just building it around big set pieces and like trying to capitalize on the fact that this is a story about two women who support each other whereas like the Italian trailer kind of tells the story a little bit more about the fact that they are actually at odds throughout most of it because you know what I mean like I think there's something more international happening with the way they're trying to get the story across and then the American trailer in my opinion is more capitalizing on look at how beautiful this looks these are the stars you know everyone gets a little moment. Whereas like the other trailer is like, this is the narrative that you'll be seeing unfold.
So interesting. Depending on what I guess people need to decide if they're going to buy a ticket, which I don't know what's in dispute.
It's wicked. Like, do you speak Italian? Or how do you know like what's being narrated as far as the trailer? Or you just know from the way they're pie piecing it together subtitles are amazing things subtitles wow it's actually roller coaster number 100 subtitles are an amazing thing i'm 150 years old i'm not familiar with you but do you no but if you're 150 then do you ever like when you're watching tv do you do the subtitles because because i my vision is impaired because i'm in my mid-30s so i need the help i can what a journey we've been on this episode.
The whole bridge that I crossed to accept. When you said you wouldn't accept it and now you've identified as elderly.
Now I'm in full acceptance, yeah. Come in, the water's warm.
This episode has aged you. It really has.
But in a beautiful way. Thank you.
You've told your story. A fine one.
Not just here on the episode, but in this amazing book. September 17th, Over the Influence.
Wow. What a moment.
This is really, you did such an amazing job. And what I will say is I know you didn't use a ghostwriter, which had to be scary.
I was scared. And a lot, but I will say what an amazing choice because you know this came from you.
And in that way, it's a real page turner because you, there's no pretense and there's no dilly dallying and there's no obviously there's editing but there's no editing you know what I'm saying is it's like this is this is feels like what happened and I just really fucking respect you even more than I already did because of how beautifully you told this and I thank you for it thank you for gassing me up this whole episode, you guys. I am about to go out and take over the world.
I love y'all. Thank you.
They call us to... What do they call us? Molly Pills.
Molly Pills. They call you Molly Pills? No, no, no.
We're just trying to give ourselves a tagline. I was trying to deflect the compliment and I ended up being silly.
But the fact is, we fucking... We love you.
We adore you. I adore you.
I'm honored to be sitting on this burnt orange... Velvet.
Velvet. Look, it's not the set of Moulin Rouge, okay? Guys, I'm the fucking last cult.
I am so excited. Oh my God.
We love you so much. We simply through your door and the fact is we end every episode with a song.

It's just

a little too wrong. A little too

wrong. And I can't wait.

You know

I'm a bad day to say.

You know it's just a little too late.

Yeah!

We did it!

We sure did.

That was the best. Lost Culture Aces is a production by Will Ferrell's Big Money Players and iHeartRadio Podcast.
Created and hosted by Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang. Executive produced by Anna Hosnier and Hansani.
Produced by Becca Ramos. Edited and mixed by Doug Bame and Monique Laborde.
And our music is by Henry Kaberski. This episode is supported by FX's Dying for Sex, starring Michelle Williams and Jenny Slate.
Inspired by a true story, this series follows Molly, who after receiving a terminal cancer diagnosis, decides to leave her husband and explore the full breadth of her sexual desires. She gets the courage and support to go on this sex quest from her best friend, Nikki, who stays by her side through it all.
FX is dying for sex. All episodes streaming April 4th on Hulu.
Spring cleaning? Sure, if we have to. But we're way more into spring streaming.
Finding something to watch shouldn't feel like a chore. So we let Xfinity's entertainment experts do all the heavy lifting.
They drop handpicked TV, movie, and music recommendations right into your social feed. New premieres, returning series, exclusive interviews, the top music playlist for My Heart Radio, and all the must-watch moments.
It's giving flowers and finales, fresh air and fresh entertainment. So take a break from those clean talk videos.
Follow Xfinity on Instagram and TikTok for the best spring streaming picks.

We've all done it. You see a headline but don't have time to read the whole story

or there's so much news

you're not sure what is worth your time.

I'm Kolbie Echowitz, co-host of

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podcast from The Washington Post.

Post Reports brings you what's relevant and

revealing. Breaking stories, politics,

wellness, culture. Each

episode goes beyond a headline for the context

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Thank you. Post Reports brings you what's relevant and revealing.
Breaking stories, politics, wellness, culture.

Each episode goes beyond a headline for the context you need.