"We're Gonna Dance" (w/ Lady Gaga)

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Speaker 1 Hey, everybody, it's Matt here, and I just wanted to remind you that the new podcast from Liz Feldman and Jesse Klein, Here to Make Friends, is coming out on Friday, March 14th.

Speaker 1 You gotta check it out. We love Liz, we love Jesse, and we know you're gonna love the pod.
Here to make friends, Friday, March 14th.

Speaker 1 Look, Matt.

Speaker 1 Oh, I see. My eye.
Oh, my. Oh, and look over there.
Wow, is that culture? Yes, goodness. Wow.
Las culturistas.

Speaker 1 Ding-dong. Las Culturistas calling.

Speaker 1 It's tough to be speechless on a day when you have to record a podcast because the art form requires you talk.

Speaker 1 It feels unfair. Like, I don't want to be at work right now because I'm very much like transcending existence, like physical space.
Right.

Speaker 1 It's all really kind of led up to this. Honestly, Bo, maybe this has to be the series finale of the series.
This is the last episode of Lost Culture. Thank you all so much for the nine years.

Speaker 1 All all these years. It had to end this way.

Speaker 1 We'll always remember us this way. Always remember us this way.
And you started off the show saying speechless, too. You're really weak.

Speaker 1 We have to say you're rattling them off.

Speaker 1 Third, let's see. Art Pop.
There we go.

Speaker 1 We nailed it. We nailed it.
This is, why don't you say how you feel? I mean,

Speaker 1 this is one of the most important people to me. One of the most, I said this at the Radio City show for SNL 50, my favorite artist in the world.

Speaker 1 I left my body. Well, we'll talk about this.
I left my body because if you said hi and then you turn around and go, wait, Cher's on stage. Yeah.

Speaker 1 Hearing that you guys watch Cher together was a huge moment for me, even. Yeah.
For everybody.

Speaker 1 But I mean, we're just so happy she's here. The album mayhem might be out already.
Oh, it's out depending on when this comes out. So you have to have grace.

Speaker 1 everybody because we've listened to the album one and a half times where we were brought to a secure location where we were basically told, okay, we're going to listen to this.

Speaker 1 And if we want to go back, we can listen to parts. Yeah.
It was a bunker. It was like where they keep all the designated survivors in case of like the desire fallout.

Speaker 1 Where the mayhem designated survivors.

Speaker 1 But it is perfect. We were ecstatic listening to it.
And as you all know, at this point, it's brilliant. We think it's our guest's best work, which is saying something and a half.
She's singing a lot.

Speaker 1 She's a 14-time Grammy Grammy winner. Academy Award winner.
Grammy Award winner. So many more accolades on top of that.
Everyone, please welcome into your ears. Lady Gaga.

Speaker 1 Thank you so much. I am so, so happy to be here.
This is the joy of our lives.

Speaker 1 I know it's the joy of mine. I was so excited to see you both.
And I just want to say also congratulations to both of you.

Speaker 1 You are doing such amazing things. It's amazing to watch.
Seriously, you've had an amazing year.

Speaker 1 And I'm just like really excited to be here. You're also wearing a Joanne-era t-shirt.

Speaker 1 Are you killing me?

Speaker 1 I feel like I've only ever like dry cleaned this shirt because I want to preserve it.

Speaker 1 I don't think I dry cleaned anything during Joanne.

Speaker 1 You still got the Bud Light on you. Not even the hats.
Not even the hats? No. No, those are being sold at auction in like 20 years.

Speaker 1 You have to tell Gaga about your Joanne tour experience. Oh, okay.
So

Speaker 1 you played MetLife here. Yes.

Speaker 1 It was pouring rain. I don't know if you remember.

Speaker 1 I love a rain show. I love a rain show too.
So Diana Ross.

Speaker 1 I was,

Speaker 1 oh, because I remember you said at the show, it's free production. Yes, exactly.
You don't pay for the rain. You don't pay for the rain.
No.

Speaker 1 And the rain kind of follows you because I feel like Mary the Knight, it was the same thing too. The video for that, it was like.
Oh, yes. That was, I was, I can't believe that I got away with that.

Speaker 1 We were exploding cars. You had a roof of the building.
Production value. And it was raining.
And they were like, you know, we have to stop production because it's raining.

Speaker 1 the cameras and i said roll the camera

Speaker 1 let's go we're gonna miss it you had a vivo interview this is a throwback to vivo and you were just in an amazing affair you had sunglasses on you're telling this anecdote about mary the night and at one point you just pull your glasses down and go we got free rain it's a big deal

Speaker 1 well because you know when you're putting a music video together there's so many things you want to do i mean and everything is you know adds to the budget and i'm trying to like weigh what thing is more important than the other.

Speaker 1 And we, that wasn't actually supposed to be a rain scene at all, but then it happened

Speaker 1 like rain on fire. Come on, come on,

Speaker 1 too much, too much like Universal Studios-esque things happening.

Speaker 1 Yes, it was exciting, and then naturally, I thought it would be a good idea to hang upside down from the sunroof of the car, the trans, yeah, the trans am. The trans am.

Speaker 1 Yeah, that was a gorgeous trans am. Thank you.
I was sick as a dog. He was so that City Field show.

Speaker 1 No, I said, What did I say MetLife? I said, I meant City Field. Okay, but I agreed to MetLife.

Speaker 1 We've also seen you there. Well, but I, you know, I, when I play shows, like, I get so tired on the road that, like, sometimes I forget the venue for which tour.
Of course. Yeah.

Speaker 1 You know, I would imagine it's like one of those schedules where it's like, you don't want this to happen, but you could yell out Barcelona and you're in Brussels. No, we can't do that.

Speaker 1 That would be horrible.

Speaker 1 That is not good. Like, no, no.
We've seen you. Gosh, we've been lucky to see you in multiple venues now because it's City Field, MetLife.

Speaker 1 We saw one of the shows with Tony at Radio city radio city the last show we were there what you know it's so funny at the snl 50 concert the other night i was nervous to do dick in a box yeah because like i feel like you know if you're a comedian being asked to do who's on first is probably like really like you know so end to be dick in a box is a classic of course so i was like oh my god why did i agree to do this and then i was you know walking through the theater and I remembered that I had been the last time I'd been there was with Tony and I was like you know Tony would have just said, don't be nervous.

Speaker 1 Or if you are nervous, it's because you care and I do care. Absolutely.
Okay, but a comedian doing who's on first is like, you, it's like, it's like you singing La Vian Rose or something on film.

Speaker 1 It's like, I feel like you've inhabited all of these classics for your entire life. I feel like you were playing rock mononoff at four, whatever the fuck.
Like you've been doing this your whole life.

Speaker 1 I have been. I have been.
And it's, it's, but I love so much being a part of entertainment, like in like the truest sense.

Speaker 1 I don't, I don't mean any more than the thrill of the good old-fashioned hard work with other actors, other musicians, stage designers, costume makers, makeup artists, wig makers, the lighting.

Speaker 1 And like backstage at SNL 50 was insane.

Speaker 1 We were all like getting ready to go on and then like, you know, a human squid would walk by.

Speaker 1 Like then the B-52s would be there. And then, you know, someone would be getting their, you know, wig wig thrown on.

Speaker 1 And it was just, I don't know, I think that that's my favorite part of show business, right? Is the show of it all. The show of it all.

Speaker 1 Because something about that concert, which we talked to Kevin Mazer, who, by the way, photographer. Yes.
If you want to hear something? Yes. My mom's boyfriend from high school.

Speaker 1 Can you believe? Oh, that's some piping hot tea.

Speaker 1 I'm from Long Island. He took my mom to prom.

Speaker 1 And every time I see him now, mad, he comes over like he's just, he's, he's, he's the guy. He's the guy.

Speaker 1 But y'all, Reader's Katie's Puppets, Finals, Kyle's, Kevin Mazer, the like live event photographer.

Speaker 1 I've known him for so long. Like, can I ask your mom his name? Katrina.
I'm so, you know, when I see him, I feel like, so I heard about Katrina. Yeah.
I was going to love it. Katrina Kilarina.

Speaker 1 She had an iconic high school name. That's sweet.

Speaker 1 But I was checking with him on Sunday. I was like, oh my God, Friday.
Like, what was that about? I go, you're, you, you go to all of these things, Kevin. Where does that rank among your nights?

Speaker 1 And he was like, that is one of the top three events I've ever done.

Speaker 1 It was one of the greatest nights in entertainment.

Speaker 1 And I heard it took two years to plan. Yeah.
And I felt really emotional. I like couldn't figure out exactly what I wanted to say on stage.

Speaker 1 I ultimately decided to shout out Mark Ronson and the Roots because Mark and I wrote Shallow together and The Roots were playing it with me and I loved them so much.

Speaker 1 And I was, I almost said, like, and thank you to Lauren and SNL because like, thanks for giving me a shot. on the show years ago because like SNL also helps break artists and it's a huge deal.

Speaker 1 I don't know if people, I mean, I know that people know this, but I don't know that they know how much it means to the artist when we get booked for the show. Yeah.

Speaker 1 I mean, to this day, when I got called to do

Speaker 1 double duty in a couple of weeks, full panic tears. Oh,

Speaker 1 yeah. So, so happy, so elated.
I couldn't be more proud. It was the thing that I wanted to do the most

Speaker 1 to promote my record and to just make people happy. Yeah, it's going to happen.
We're recording this before SNL. Yes.
We're coming right off of the celebration of the 50th.

Speaker 1 But I mean, when they told me that they booked you for double duty,

Speaker 1 you're going to be incredible. Scream I scrumped.
I just

Speaker 1 scream I scrumped. I was so excited.

Speaker 1 To me, like I say to people, I'm in the business of making people smile. And that is 100% how I feel about SNL.
It's just that it is, it is a night devoted to making people laugh at home.

Speaker 1 And I'm all about it. But you literally embodied and captured that in the last time you hosted, which was that like jazzy applause cover.
I still watch. It's like a pitch perfect.

Speaker 1 It is everything the monologue should be. Thank you.
And it sets the tone for the show.

Speaker 1 It introduces, not that you need an introduction, especially at that time or now, but it's like that was the perfect way to build confidence for the audience that the show was going to be great.

Speaker 1 It was like such a privilege to do that. And I'm a theater kid from New York.
So doing the SNL monologue is a big deal. It is a huge deal.

Speaker 1 And, you know i just i don't i don't know that i ever imagined that i would end up doing that i think i had a lot more confidence that i would you know just be a songwriter singer producer for as long as possible but i i didn't know that i would get embraced in that way and it's and that's what's cool about you know hosting and doing musical guests too is being the host the monologue the monologue is separate from being an actor in the skip absolutely and then that's also separate from being the artist on stage as a musical guest.

Speaker 1 So it's like, I get to kind of do all the things that I love. Yeah.

Speaker 1 I'm just thinking about how like you talk about what an amazing moment that is as an artist to be asked to do that show and even in star is born it's almost like an emotional like moment in the film when allie is told you're doing snl it's like that and getting a grammy nomination are both moments for that character in that movie yes did anything

Speaker 1 from that experience influence the decision to do shallow on SNL 50 because you have so many songs you could have done but you chose shallow well first of all one of the reasons that that was included in a star is born is because a lot of Astar is Born was inspired by my real life.

Speaker 1 And I worked really, really close with Bradley and Eric on making sure that like the story of these two musicians felt real.

Speaker 1 And so that kind of feeling around SNL and around a Grammy is that's just like how it actually felt. Truly important to you.
And so that's reflected in that.

Speaker 1 And Shallow to me is the song I wish I had done on SNL.

Speaker 1 And when Andy and I started talking about doing Dick in a Box, he came to me and he he said, I have this idea that we started off and you start with shallow and I started and it's like, doesn't sound good.

Speaker 1 And then you say, you know, and we did the whole thing. And when I watched

Speaker 1 the rehearsal, I was like, oh, like, but now maybe they kind of, but they might want to hear it.

Speaker 1 Because we started and it doesn't go. So I thought it, I thought it would be a chance to do that.
And also to kind of put some of my best work forward on a show that deserves your best work.

Speaker 1 You know what I mean? Like to me, when I see artists perform on SNL, like we all try to put our best foot forward.

Speaker 1 And so yeah, I just, I wanted it to be like a heartwarming moment, hopefully for people at home too.

Speaker 1 I mean, I do like lots of different things. You know, I'm also into the dark arts and the poetry of pop music.

Speaker 1 And Shallow is very different than a lot of the music I've done in my career, but it's an important song to me because it helped me to connect with people that otherwise maybe didn't know if they could connect with someone like me.

Speaker 1 Like maybe they didn't relate to me as much or maybe they didn't know someone like me in high school.

Speaker 1 So, you know, shallow is an important song to me for that reason. And it just felt like the right one to do.

Speaker 1 I remember the chromatica ball, like that, which was such a party, but we went with like 15 of our friends. And when you started shallow, we all were like checking in with each other.

Speaker 1 Like, this is really happening. Like, we're hearing shallow.
It is like a high point of culture. 60,000 people at MetLife, a hush fell.
You know what I mean? Like you could hear a pin drop.

Speaker 1 You know, it was just one of those sublime moments. And I, I think I remember like looking up at the crowd, just being like, God, I was shooting a movie in Charlotte.
I flew back for that show.

Speaker 1 I was like, I'm not missing God. No, I'm never.
Like, it was just a culmination of like

Speaker 1 that era, which was like kind of was a glorious era that got kind of messed up by the pandemic.

Speaker 1 And like, it just felt like this victory lap and this like culmination of like what everybody wanted to celebrate together with you. Thank you.
It was a really special tour to me. Um, I hadn't seen my

Speaker 1 fans really on tour since I had to stop the Join World Tour.

Speaker 1 And I was like really not well during that time. And it totally broke my heart to have to cancel.
And

Speaker 1 that was the second tour that that happened on.

Speaker 1 So I was a little bit nervous about going out for Chromatica. I was like, am I going to be able to do it?

Speaker 1 Am I going to be in pain when I'm on stage? What's it going to be like? And

Speaker 1 it was amazing.

Speaker 1 I had the the best time also my amazing partner michael was with me he came with me the entire tour we were together during the prep for the tour we lived in leeds while we put the tour which is like very funny having a brutalist stage in the middle of leads with that music

Speaker 1 that was incredible

Speaker 1 thank you but it was you know it was special and healing and i think in a way it kind of set me up for this next time yeah yeah i gotta say just hearing you talk about being

Speaker 1 in service of the idea of entertainment. I think it means to me, what I hear is that like

Speaker 1 for a while, I always thought about you as like someone who is perpetually being a student to the concept of fame.

Speaker 1 But I think what it's very quickly become, and like even sooner than I realized, was you are a student of entertainment. And it's not the same thing, obviously.
You know what I mean? Yeah, thank you.

Speaker 1 I mean, I think you're right about earlier. Earlier in my career, I was a student of fame and I was fascinated with it.
And it was a part of my art. And I studied it.

Speaker 1 I was like really, really fascinated with Andy Warhol.

Speaker 1 And I tried to sort of take the spirit of Warhol into my pop shows, like even like the choices of, you know, the music with the lighting and a, you know, a piss yellow wig that would have been one of, you know, his screen prints.

Speaker 1 Like it was all about this idea that anyone could become a star if they studied how.

Speaker 1 The thing that I didn't know what would happen was my fans. Like I didn't know who they would be.
I didn't know how it would make me feel. I also did not anticipate, but I'm so glad that I did

Speaker 1 hear the stories of people all over the world. I mean, I would stop outside my hotel rooms and I would talk to fans.
I would invite fans backstage after the shows.

Speaker 1 I would play demos for fans years before I released music and be like, what do you think of this? Let's talk about it. What's your home life like?

Speaker 1 And they would tell me about their lives. And so I've grown up.
It's almost been two decades in the public. It's definitely been two decades for me as a recording artist.

Speaker 1 But I kind of grew up and I changed. I was a student of fame, but I ultimately decided that the reason I want to do this is to make people happy with art.

Speaker 1 And then, like, now, I mean, I don't know if my fans really know this about me now, but I warm up my voice twice a day

Speaker 1 and I practice piano every day. And I am like working harder than ever in the dance studio.
So I like keep my chops. Yeah.
Because to me, that hard work is what my fans deserve.

Speaker 1 And also it's to me, that's like the privilege of being an artist is that you, you get to work on your craft. And I want to be able to say that I'm getting better at it, not that I've done it already.

Speaker 1 And that's that. You know what? We have to talk, though, about your vocals on this new album.
Like

Speaker 1 we listen to it, like we said.

Speaker 1 I turned to Bobby. I was like, how do you do it?

Speaker 1 it is it is so olympic what you do with your voice and i would imagine you said you're warming up twice a day i would imagine your vocal warm-ups are what like a half hour long

Speaker 1 so you're really in the pocket on this like the rock vocals that are not easy to do the passion with which you sing when you're recording and you're putting songs like these together do you go back and back and back vocally or how can you do that yes i actually poor poor andrew and circuit in the studio studio and gestoffelstein when we were doing vocals i would sometimes do like 50 takes wow and they were very you know supportive and it was fine but the reason is because when i'm writing music i i'm sometimes imagining someone else is singing it of course yeah because it helps me to kind of embody the the spirit of a superstar.

Speaker 1 Because I didn't like always feel very confident as a kid and that stayed with me my whole life.

Speaker 1 So during the writing process, like when I wrote Born This Way, I was actually thinking about Witty Houston. Wow.
And so I love that you knew that.

Speaker 1 No, but I, so I was thinking always about different people. But then when I, when I get there to sing it, I'm like, okay, I could sing this in a lot of different ways.
How should I sing it?

Speaker 1 So take one, I do it one way. Take two, I do it another way.
By take eight, I've sunk into it differently. Take 16, I go, I'm going to try something completely different.
Scratch it all.

Speaker 1 And so I think what you are hearing on this album is that I was actually pretty,

Speaker 1 pretty bossy, actually, in the studio about, about getting

Speaker 1 the best possible vocal and also pushing myself to do things that I've never done on a record before. I don't think I sound on this album like I sound on anyone.

Speaker 1 So many vocal discoveries on this and so many, this is crazy to say because you're always so many different characters in your music, which you're speaking to, but so many more than ever and new characters that we're hearing.

Speaker 1 yes and which character is going to tell that story yeah and why yes yeah i mean i remember there was this very early early interview of yours where it was for v magazine it was like you were in like mario tostino made you get all like tanned and

Speaker 1 you know it was a very like tostino look and it was incredible but i think it was someone i think it was um John Norris at Fuse who was asking you about like, or you brought up faith no more.

Speaker 1 And I was like,

Speaker 1 okay,

Speaker 1 this is not what I expected Gaga to like love and like zero in on. This is like the real musical taste that she has.

Speaker 1 And then it would shift to like, oh, but then this bitch knows the great American songbook, like the bag of her hand. And then it's like, wait, and then she also like,

Speaker 1 she's like the classically trained pianist and she like fucking knows like all of these. I'm sorry, I didn't not mean to call you a bitch.
I'm sorry. Please.

Speaker 1 No, you said this bitch color.

Speaker 1 You know what I mean? You know know what I'm saying? No.

Speaker 1 I don't go from New York or Paula. I know, I know.
I know. But it's like, wait, hold on.

Speaker 1 My soul just love my body. This bitch knows.
This bitch knows the great American song. Yes, I do.
Yes, I do. Thank you.
Period.

Speaker 1 And like, I just think the characters are not so much characters as they are.

Speaker 1 the knowledge and this and being the student of music of entertainment like you embody all these things and so I think with mayhem I think with this album it's like Bobby was saying that this is probably the most authentically you album you've ever put out That makes me think, well, then there's something to Gaga being an amalgamation of all these different things and these genres and these studied, detailed musical exercises, I guess.

Speaker 1 But like, that's who you are because I couldn't boil you down to one thing and I'm sure you couldn't either. No, I mean, I am definitely all of these things.
And that's what mayhem is.

Speaker 1 It's a celebration of all of that. And, you know, it's so funny as you're talking about this too.
I'm like thinking about this moment where Michael was in the studio every day.

Speaker 1 Michael executive produced the record with me. And there was at one point I was like

Speaker 1 really into this electrogrunge sound, like on Perfect Celebrity. Perfect Celebrity.
It's like whole. It's like

Speaker 1 garbage. So I'm like, I'm like, okay, we're going to make the whole album like this and I'm going to change everything.

Speaker 1 And he was like, no, you are not. You can't do that.

Speaker 1 But he was right because I am all of the different genres, all of the different approaches, all the different processes.

Speaker 1 That's why it ultimately is mayhem is because if you're stepping really far back, it like doesn't make sense. But when you put it all together, it's me.
And I appreciate you seeing that in me.

Speaker 1 I feel like since the beginning of my career, there was always some type of criticism coming from somewhere of like, but who are you? Right. You know, and like, what is Lady Gaga?

Speaker 1 And can you explain it to me? And what's your style?

Speaker 1 And, you know, you know, what's what genre really is it what should I call you what should I call you like what's your what are we supposed to feel what do you really like yeah you know and I think that first of all I was terrified to make a pop record again and I decided to do it and I felt very supported in doing it by Michael by my family by you know everyone around me but feeling like people think you're chaotic is there's something there was a joy in that for a while but there was also like a pain in that too.

Speaker 1 Was that where the fear was coming from? Yeah, well, it's like, especially as a woman, people are like, you're, you're chaos.

Speaker 1 Like, it's kind of like part of me is like, uh-huh, you know, and then the other part of me is like, but what, like, what do you mean by that? Right. And like, dismissive.

Speaker 1 It's kind of like, um, you're a mess.

Speaker 1 And like, you're a mess because I can't figure out how to organize you. Right.

Speaker 1 And I don't know how to think about you. And I think what I want my fans to know is like, that's other people's problem.
That's not your problem. You can be the whole you.

Speaker 1 And that was, that was a part of this record. And

Speaker 1 I felt excited as a female producer too, like just doing whatever I wanted when I wanted to in the way that I heard it.

Speaker 1 And I'm so happy, like, even before we started that you brought up Killa because it's like my favorite record.

Speaker 1 Yeah, it's amazing. Thank you.

Speaker 1 No, you don't even know. We are going to lose.
We've heard it twice and we've been like grabbing onto that in our brain. Like, this whole album, let's talk about the album.

Speaker 1 Like, it's like face-melty, brain-scratchy, heart-screamy pop dance with this theme of mortality throughout. The KK.
Yes.

Speaker 1 And I wanted to, I know you've said before, like, you listen to a horror, you watch a horror movie every night before you go to bed.

Speaker 1 I don't know if you're in that zone now, but the theme of death and like dancing in the face of it is obviously all over this.

Speaker 1 What I've always wanted to ask you, though, is how much much are you laughing while you're creating?

Speaker 1 Like, how much is joy and humor and laughter a part of your creative process when you're making music? It's all of it.

Speaker 1 It is, there's a lot of humor on Killa, especially. What a

Speaker 1 funny record. Yes, right? What a funny record.
I'm like not that confident. The person that wrote that record is confident.

Speaker 1 But I would say also, though, that it's like the process is a little bit manic because I also get really serious and I know I can be difficult to work with because like I'm a very warm-hearted person, but when I'm like songwriting, I get like you want what you want.

Speaker 1 I'm like, I'm trying to listen to what I'm hearing and get it out as fast as possible. But then maybe I'll, you know, yeah, the lyric, I'm a killer, and boy, you're gonna die tonight.

Speaker 1 And like, right, and then that's funny, and then that comes out. But then I get serious again because I'm trying to figure out if the guitar lick is right.

Speaker 1 And I'm like, no, it's not that one, it's this one. Do it again.
Like, it's kind of a, yeah, it's the process is chaotic. And I'm not also a very linear thinker.
I'm very tangential. Love it.

Speaker 1 And sometimes if I can't get one part of the song right,

Speaker 1 I will need to stay on it for three days. Gotcha.
Like a bass line or a guitar riff. And then other times I will move on from it and go, I'll go like, no, no, let's go to the pre-chorus now.

Speaker 1 You know, it's sort of, it's a very non-linear process. And

Speaker 1 I love it. And I love it.

Speaker 1 I'm so like, also appreciative that my partner, like he, you know, the first few years that we were together, I wasn't in the studio.

Speaker 1 And when he saw me start to make music, he was like, oh my God, I've like, I've never seen you happier than when you're making music. And that, and that was, I felt very seen by that.

Speaker 1 And I think why it is so important to me is when you grow up in the public eye, as you know, there's things that people grow to like about you, but there's things that they don't know about you.

Speaker 1 Like they don't know the you that's like maybe deep in reflection at home working on something. They know the outward facing you.
So it feels really nice to be seen by someone for the thing that,

Speaker 1 the thing that you do alone that makes you special. That's your gift, right? Like the thing the world doesn't see.

Speaker 1 Yeah. I mean, I think you even alluded to this in the Oscar acceptance where you were just like, this is hard work.

Speaker 1 There are sacrifices that need to be made to get to this point. Like the reason I'm on this stage is because I worked so hard.

Speaker 1 And that is the essential thing about you, Lady Gaga, is that you're like,

Speaker 1 I can't believe you're here. I love being here.
I love, but I love also community.

Speaker 1 So like being with you and talking with you and bonding over music is like, this is the thing I probably miss the most. from my time before I became famous.

Speaker 1 I did an interview downtown last week and I picked the location and I was like, we got to go to this bar that I used to write music at. And we did the interview there.

Speaker 1 And I like cried during the interview talking about all my friends down there. And

Speaker 1 welcome to the Johnsons. Nice.
And I went to like, there was a lot of bars down there that we went to, but that was just one of them. And I used to go there during the day.

Speaker 1 Like, I'd go at like one o'clock

Speaker 1 and like order a, you know, Pap's blue ribbon and a shot of whiskey and a napkin. But living around artists, being around

Speaker 1 writers, songwriters, comedians, photographers, actors, musicians, go-go dancers, club promoters. You know, we were all like,

Speaker 1 we were all like our own little group and we supported each other. And it was actually really hard to go to Hollywood and

Speaker 1 do what I was doing there because it was just not like New York at all. But I know

Speaker 1 you know about New York. And so this is actually hugely like a deep,

Speaker 1 a deep joy for me to be here because we get to, I get to like do the thing that made like it's part of who I am, right? It's like talking about it all.

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Ah.

Speaker 1 Two questions. What are you doing doing right now? And why aren't you on a Virgin Voyages Caribbean cruise? Well, obviously, you were listening to us.
Smart use of your time. True.

Speaker 1 But you could also be on a Virgin Voyages Caribbean cruise at the same time. That's just brilliant time management.
Very true. This gives me an idea.
Let's do a quick cruise quiz. Ready?

Speaker 1 First, cruise dining. Do you prefer a buffet or a curated dining experience with access to 20 distinct restaurants? Curated dining.
Next. Okay, good choice.
That's what Virgin Voyages offers.

Speaker 1 Second question. Would you rather have an overstuffed itinerary or the freedom to explore stunning?

Speaker 1 Oh, I want the freedom to explore stunning Caribbean destinations. Again, I think I see where this quiz is going.
Virgin Voyages is amazing. Yeah, absolutely.
The cruises are kid-free.

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Kids are awesome, but sometimes it's nice to be kid-free.

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Wi-Fi, soda, top-tier entertainment, over 20 restaurants, and even group fitness classes.

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And you know what? I deserve luxury.

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Speaker 1 Yes, there's always something happening on board. From wellness-focused sailings to epic holiday voyages, live music, DJs, themed parties, and more.
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Speaker 1 Virgin even has their own private beach club in Biveny. And their adding stops in 2025 and 2026.
Yeah, like Aruba, St. Lucia, and Curaçao.
But it's not all go, go, go.

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Private terrace, ocean views, and their signature red hammock just waiting for you to swing.

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Speaker 1 Book now at virginvoyages.com or contact your travel advisor. That's virginvoyages.com.
Okay, so you know how the world is a chaotic, swirling ball of total stress right now?

Speaker 1 Well, we have a new Hulu show from Ryan Murphy that will give you the much-needed break from reality. And whether you know it or not, you are already completely obsessed.

Speaker 1 It's called All's Fair, and Ms. Kardashian plays Allura Grant, the most in-demand divorce attorney in Los Angeles.
Get it?

Speaker 1 It's All's Fair, as in All's Fair in Love and War, and she's a divorce attorney. Love it.
Now let's talk ensemble because Allura does not go it alone.

Speaker 1 She breaks off from a crusty male-dominated law firm to start her own legal coven with some absolute forces of nature. Naomi Watts, Nisi Nash-Betts, Tayana Taylor, and Glenn Close.

Speaker 1 Yeah, hello, Glenn Close.

Speaker 1 And of course, you need a villain, so say hello to Sarah Paulson as the nemesis. And these ladies are brilliant, complicated, fearless, and when they all come together, nothing can stop them.

Speaker 1 I'm talking about the lawyers on the show and the actresses playing them, by the way. But hey, if you're thinking this will be all courtroom drama and no drama drama, relax.

Speaker 1 Allura, that's Kim's character, has plenty of twists and turns in her personal life. Her professional life crashes into her personal one and uh-oh.
So how does this super lawyer fix her own mess?

Speaker 1 With a little help from her besties, of course. So this series has it all.

Speaker 1 Scandalous secrets, high-stakes courtroom drama, more shifting alliances than Kim's other shows, some OMG twists and friendships that rise above it all.

Speaker 1 And of course, everything is going to look amazing. It's got some unapologetic glam, a work hard, play-harder lifestyle.
Every scene just sparkles. Everybody makes compromises in their lives.

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Just stop. And never settle for anything less than fabulous when it comes to your next streaming obsession.
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Speaker 1 Now streaming on Hulu and on Hulu on Disney Plus for bundle subscribers. Terms apply.
Drama guaranteed.

Speaker 1 We'll talk about your current community, which is like Watt, Circuit, Gestaffelstein, which by the way, Killa, when I see Killa featuring Gestaffelstein, I'm like, well, I think I have an expectation of what the song is.

Speaker 1 Did not

Speaker 1 totally blown away. Didn't he flip the script on everyone?

Speaker 1 Yeah, thank you. Thank you.
Gestaffelstein is very, very talented. He's very specific.
I won't give away any of his secrets of how he works, but I loved working on that record with him.

Speaker 1 And it's so funny. Every time we talk to each other, we always go like, oh, man, I love this song.
Oh, man, this song. It's very special.

Speaker 1 It's an industrial funk song. Yeah.
The only live instrument on it is the guitar. It's the guitar.
I was going to ask you everything by electronics. That's right.
That's right.

Speaker 1 It's just really, it's so different for me. And I think there's areas of mayhem that are the tip of the iceberg of where I might even go next.

Speaker 1 You know, like that's, that was some of the joy of making the album was going like, oh, no, I'm not done with this. Right.
You know, now I have to take this further.

Speaker 1 Talk about sequencing this one because I feel like that was its own process.

Speaker 1 Sequencing the album was, I mean, Michael was like worried about me. He was like, Are you okay? And I said, No, like, I just kept listening to the songs in every conceivable order.
Right.

Speaker 1 Oh, yeah, lots of permutations. Because there's, there's versions.
It's, it's, you know, do you do it by BPM?

Speaker 1 That's like the most, to me, the most obvious first version is like for it to feel like one night at a club. Right.

Speaker 1 And then there's the other version where it's like, okay, but do you do it based on the story? And like, is there a story that I'm telling here, which there is.

Speaker 1 So I, I, I did kind of a mixture of both of those things.

Speaker 1 Um, and the album kind of starts starts out with like the devil on your shoulder whispering to you, like, would you like to make some bad decisions tonight? Right. Because like, I'll help you.
Yeah.

Speaker 1 Like, I can fix this feeling that you're having. And by the end of the album, you know, you've gone through joy, you've gone through partying, you've gone through anger.

Speaker 1 I mean, Perfect Celebrity is maybe the most angry song I've ever made. Yeah.

Speaker 1 Then Vanish Into You is a song about wanting to disappear into someone.

Speaker 1 It's a happy love song, but it's also dark. We're happy just to be alive.

Speaker 1 And then Killa keeps the party going, but it's that moment at the party when you're like a little numbed out.

Speaker 1 The end? We love it. Your outros.

Speaker 1 Yeah, the outros are incredible. Thank you.
Thank you. I am a very big fan of the outros too.
We actually had

Speaker 1 a thought to release the outros like two days before the album, but I don't think I'm going to do it. Yeah, what's the hesitation? Yeah, just because I feel like when you hear them as an actual outro,

Speaker 1 it's like, then it's an outro. But if I give it, then it's a snippet.
But then it's a snippet and then it kind of is decontextualized from the actual work. Yeah.

Speaker 1 I mean, Killa, you really experience that outro because of the beginning. Right.
Like it, you kind of need the beginning. Cinderella's got to walk up the stairs before the class.

Speaker 1 Before she can leave in a hurry. Yeah, that's right.

Speaker 1 The other song that I feel like was like we listened to several times and the build on this one is just amazing, but it's so different for you, we feel, is how bad do you want me?

Speaker 1 we love how bad you want me oh my god i like put that on the album no we're so happy you did because it's like throwbacky for you because it's it's very pop it really very much is like a total hyper pop song but i was like i hear like a high school girl singing this with her ripped up like you're you're how bad do you want like yeah like it just it feels you know what i mean like we can we can see and hear the character in this like Tell us about that song.

Speaker 1 Okay, so very funny story is I, Michael and I started that song at home, but I had, I started it first and he heard me singing it and he walks in from the kitchen and he goes, is that about me?

Speaker 1 And I was like, no.

Speaker 1 And then he came on in and we started to like finish it together.

Speaker 1 And, you know, that song embodies a feeling that I've had probably my whole life, which is that I always felt archetyped as the bad girl. And it's why the lyric is kind of funny.

Speaker 1 You like my hair and my ripped up jeans. You like the, it's like, that's like so stereotypical.
Like the girl with ripped jeans is bad, right? It's so, it's so kind of silly and humorous.

Speaker 1 So, but, but I've always felt this kind of like,

Speaker 1 I don't know, shame that I'm, I've always been at war with this feeling that if I am, you know, interested in someone, that like they're actually longing for a good girl,

Speaker 1 but they're stuck with me.

Speaker 1 And I'm who they really want. But like, we're in this like three-way relationship and there is no actual other good girl.

Speaker 1 But the good girl is like in their head and they're, and they're kind of comparing me the whole time. That girl that you like ain't real.

Speaker 1 How bad do you want me for real? Yeah, exactly. Oh my God.
You

Speaker 1 love it. No, I'm telling you, we've been like just texting it to each other.
Like,

Speaker 1 how bad do you want me for real? Yeah. The good girl in your dreams is mad you're loving me.
I know you wish that she was me. How bad do you want me?

Speaker 1 So yeah, and it, I like, I, it's so funny too, because it's a fun pop song but i cried when i wrote it like was like my favorite kind of song emotional pop like i have a i have a um i have some voice recordings of it somewhere that i have like from the original that yeah maybe i'll just drop those one at some point that's that's the tease

Speaker 1 but i also was also not sure if i should put that on the record and Michael was like, you have to. Like, your fans are going to love that song.
What was the hesitation around that?

Speaker 1 I just, I don't know. Sometimes when things are really super pop, I get like, I don't know, I get a weird reaction.
Yeah. Where do you think that comes from? I don't know.

Speaker 1 I felt this way about just dance. Thank God I didn't listen to myself then.
Yeah. Yeah.
Because I was going to, I was going to ask, is it about the prior work?

Speaker 1 But I think there's something about this current team around mayhem between Watton Circuit and Paris.

Speaker 1 It's like, these are all people who understand what came before, but are facing and have a vision for the future for them. Yes.

Speaker 1 I mean, Andrew, what was great about working with him is he also plays a lot of different instruments. And I know how to write on all those different instruments.

Speaker 1 So if I, if we were in the studio, I would just be like, okay, like play the guitar this way, do the bass line this way, and then we would do it over and over and we would riff back and forth.

Speaker 1 Circuit is an amazing musician also. He's also like the fastest producer programmer that I've ever seen ever.
He's wildly fast. He also does amazing analog synth work.

Speaker 1 We had like every iconic analog synth possible in the studio.

Speaker 1 Andrew also had a mechanic there that was working on the synths to kind of like bring out the low end in certain areas and like sort of like tailor the instruments to be unique for the album.

Speaker 1 And Gestoffelstein, I will share nothing. Okay.

Speaker 1 The man is a mystery and I'm going to

Speaker 1 be that way. He shall remain.
Yeah. Yeah.

Speaker 1 Also, Die with a Smile at the end of the album, it's this beautiful moment of like, first of all, the first line being, I just woke up from a dream really kind of works after what's happened.

Speaker 1 And then it does feel like a beautiful cinematic like credits role. well it's nice a waltz too which i love thank you i you know as a personal choice

Speaker 1 i really wanted the mayhem to end oh

Speaker 1 that's beautiful you know what i mean like because blade of grass is a beautiful song but you don't get the feeling that the mayhem is over no

Speaker 1 blade of grass is a song about saying i'm going to spend the rest of my life with you but i just want you to know that now that you've asked me to spend the rest of my life with you all i can think about is how hard it was to get here Wow.

Speaker 1 So, I did make the decision that I wanted there to be a message of hope on the record

Speaker 1 because I, and like, I don't, I feel nervous about speaking about mental health issues at this stage of my life. I think only because I talked about them so much for so many years.

Speaker 1 And I'm so passionate about mental health and people getting help, but I'm also like, I like deal with my own sort of

Speaker 1 nerves about

Speaker 1 people only talking about me in that way. Right.

Speaker 1 Like, I don't want to be defined by that time in my life.

Speaker 1 But I will say that like having personal mayhem and like struggling mentally, that is a very particular kind of chaos that I hope that people who do struggle, like hear this record and then know that there's peace at the end of it.

Speaker 1 Yeah. And that it can get better because it truly got better for me.
And I just really wanted that to be a part of it. And also in working with Bruno, who like 100%

Speaker 1 collaborated with me,

Speaker 1 like head to head, musician to musician.

Speaker 1 And I'm usually the only woman in the room when I'm making music. And to be treated with that kind of respect really meant a lot to me.

Speaker 1 And it felt, it felt like, it felt like the, the only way to put a period on the end of the album, if that makes sense. Like that I, and, and also that

Speaker 1 I'm sure you've heard the phrase reheating your nachos yeah right

Speaker 1 I had never heard that and I was like what is this it's running random

Speaker 1 by storm

Speaker 1 yeah it is but but I have to say like

Speaker 1 there's something beautiful in it because

Speaker 1 I think being a female artist there was always pressure on me. What is she going to do next? How is she going to reinvent herself? How is she going to change?

Speaker 1 Well, you know, she's going to do the same thing forever. And then I would reinvent myself and I would change and they'd be like, we wish she was like, you know, she used to be.
Right.

Speaker 1 And I think what I realized making this album is there is a sound and a style and a

Speaker 1 way of creating music that I did come up with. And I'm owning it on this album.

Speaker 1 And it's, it's, to me, I did it in a new way. And I also

Speaker 1 took myself to musical places that I've never been to before. And I was a student of music.
But I think it's okay for anyone to own their own inventions and be like, this is me.

Speaker 1 And I'm the creator of me.

Speaker 1 And a lot of female artists, we know this, that people say, well, that record was successful because of this producer, or that this thing was successful because of this product. That's how unfair.

Speaker 1 And it's not fair to women to do that.

Speaker 1 Women are creators as well. We are the creators of our lives.
And it's our vision. And, you know, we weren't made.

Speaker 1 We made ourselves.

Speaker 1 I think out of all your albums, this one stands as like a true artistic statement for you. It is you're you're painting with every color on the palette, you know?

Speaker 1 It's like, I don't think you should ever, well, first of all, I don't think you will ever be defined by any of the mental health conversation. It's only been helpful to people.

Speaker 1 You, you have literally.

Speaker 1 You've saved my life. I would listen to Mary the Night in very dark times.
I still do. Oh my God, Tuesday night writing it at SNL.
Sometimes I'll just, I'll hit that track.

Speaker 1 I got to marry the fucking night because it's 4 a.m. And I got to, I have a sketch to finish.
You know what I mean? I do.

Speaker 1 Like it's, I completely understand this relationship you have with the people, the way people talk about your life and what you've gone through.

Speaker 1 It is only enriching what the work is. Truly.
Thank you.

Speaker 1 Thanks for sharing that. I'm so sorry that you go through those times.
I think it's, you know, it's like something I have to work through.

Speaker 1 Because it really was true that for a while, and I don't know if you can relate to this in any way, but it's sometimes when you get to that place,

Speaker 1 talking about it is the healthiest thing for you.

Speaker 1 And like you have to get it out. And if you don't get it out, you're just living in silence about it.
And it's like this secret that is making you feel more sick.

Speaker 1 So, yeah, I'm, you know, I'm a work in progress. It's like, I'm just, you know, I'm not an authority on anything really.
I just am a person and I love making people happy.

Speaker 1 And I hope that people will put on mayhem start to finish and just have a good time because it's ultimately meant to be a celebration of you.

Speaker 1 But I think I did make it for those that feel like maybe they don't always know how to make sense of themselves. And I'm saying, like, that's cool.
It's okay.

Speaker 1 You don't have to make perfect sense of it. That's what the sequencing is about in the end.
That's probably why you landed on this order of songs because that's the statement. That's right.

Speaker 1 Two questions. What are you doing right now? And why aren't you on a Virgin Voyages Caribbean cruise? Well, obviously, you're listening to us.
Smart use of your time. True.

Speaker 1 But you could also be on a Virgin Voyages Caribbean cruise at the same time. That's just brilliant time management.
Very true. This gives me an idea.
Let's do a quick cruise quiz. Ready?

Speaker 1 First, cruise dining. Do you prefer a buffet or a curated dining experience with access to 20 distinct restaurants? Curated dining.
Next. Okay, good choice.
That's what Virgin Voyages offers.

Speaker 1 Second question. Would you rather have an overstuffed itinerary or the freedom to explore stunning?

Speaker 1 Oh, I want the freedom to explore stunning Caribbean destinations. Again, I think I see where this quiz is going.
Virgin Voyages is amazing. Yeah, absolutely.
The cruises are kid-free.

Speaker 1 From sunrise yoga to late-night cocktails, every moment is made for grown-up fun. Nothing against kids.
Kids are awesome, but sometimes it's nice to be kid-free.

Speaker 1 And there's so much included value, over $1,000. dollars.
Right. Over $1,000 of awesomeness all included.
Wi-Fi, soda, top-tier entertainment, over 20 restaurants, and even group fitness classes.

Speaker 1 No hidden fees, no surprise charges. Virgin Voyages gives you the kind of luxury you actually deserve.
And you know what? I deserve luxury.

Speaker 2 You do, and me too.

Speaker 1 Yes, there's always something happening on board. From wellness-focused sailings to epic holiday voyages, live music, DJs, themed parties, and more.
Boredom doesn't board the ship.

Speaker 1 And there are so many amazing stops. You leave from Miami and sail to places like Grand Cayman, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic.

Speaker 1 Virgin even has their own private beach club in Biveny. And they're adding stops in 2025 and 2026.
Yeah, like Aruba, St. Lucia, and Curaçao.
That's not all go, go, go.

Speaker 1 Right, you can totally go into relaxation mode, too. Your cabin is a full-on sanctuary.
Private terrace, ocean views, and their signature red hammock just waiting for you to swing.

Speaker 1 Oh, and did I mention Virgin Voyages is launching a new ship, the Brilliant Lady? Brilliant name, by the way. She's bigger, bolder, and packed with even more Virgin Wow Factor.

Speaker 1 Book now at virginvoyages.com or contact your travel advisor. That's virginvoyages.com.
Okay, so you know how the world is a chaotic, swirling ball of total stress right now?

Speaker 1 Well, we have a new Hulu show from Ryan Murphy that will give you the much-needed break from reality. And whether you know it or not, you are already completely obsessed.

Speaker 1 It's called All's Fair, and Ms. Kardashian plays Allura Grant, the most in-demand divorce attorney in Los Angeles.
Get it?

Speaker 1 It's All's Fair, as in All's Fair in Love and War, and she's a divorce attorney. Love it.
Now let's talk ensemble because Allura does not go it alone.

Speaker 1 She breaks off from a crusty male-dominated law firm to start her own legal coven with some absolute forces of nature. Naomi Watts, Nisi Nash Betts, Tayana Taylor, and Glenn Close.

Speaker 1 Yeah, hello, Glenn Close. And of course you need a villain, so say hello to Sarah Paulson as the nemesis.

Speaker 1 And these ladies are brilliant, complicated, fearless, and when they all come together, nothing can stop them. I'm talking about the lawyers on the show and the actresses playing them, by the way.

Speaker 1 But hey, if you're thinking this will be all courtroom drama and no drama drama, relax. Allura, that's Kim's character, has plenty of twists and turns in her personal life.

Speaker 1 Her professional life crashes into her personal one, and uh-oh. So, how does this super lawyer fix her own mess? With a little help from her besties, of course.

Speaker 1 So, this series has it all: scandalous secrets, high-stakes courtroom drama, more shifting alliances than Kim's other shows, some OMG twists, and friendships that rise above it all.

Speaker 1 And of course, everything is gonna look amazing. It's got some unapologetic glam, a work-hard, play-harder lifestyle.
Every scene just sparkles. Everybody makes compromises in their lives.

Speaker 1 Lame men, underpaying jobs. Well, stop.
Just stop. And never settle for anything less than fabulous when it comes to your next streaming obsession.
All's fair.

Speaker 1 Now streaming on Hulu and on Hulu on Disney Plus for bundle subscribers. Terms apply.
Drama guaranteed. Okay, so you want your master's degree.
You know you can earn it. But life gets busy.

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Speaker 1 Well, we have the central question of our podcast that we ask everybody that we're going to ask of you, Lady Gaga, which is what was the culture that made you say culture was for me?

Speaker 1 This can be anything from a film you saw that moved you in a certain direction, a song, an artist, something environmental. If you could think, I became

Speaker 1 something close to Lady Gaga, if not full-on Lady Gaga in this moment.

Speaker 1 I have a few different ones, I feel like. We love that.
I think the one that is the most important to me is I had gay friends in high school, and I didn't have a lot of friends in high school.

Speaker 1 And I went to an all-girls school, which means that when school was over, I used to walk like eight blocks away to the boys' school and they weren't out yet,

Speaker 1 but we were friends, and we would do the musicals together. And I found my people.

Speaker 1 And then later in my career, when I started performing out and I had LGBTQ

Speaker 1 fans,

Speaker 1 I was like, oh, that was, this is the community that loved me when I was a child. And this is the community that I'm meant to be a part of now.

Speaker 1 And so I don't think I would be Lady Gaga without the queer community. Wow.
You're such an important friend in the life of a gay person when you are that person. You know what I mean?

Speaker 1 Like that's like such a silly way to sequence those words, sequencing.

Speaker 1 But I'll just never forget my safe spaces when I wasn't out, when I was in high school, when I felt like I could talk about my influences, talk about the music I wanted to talk about, you know, like telling all the boys in my school that I liked limp biscuit and all love to them, but I wanted to talk about Christina Aguilera.

Speaker 1 And then finding the girls and being like, don't you love the last track, Obvious on the self-titled? You know what I mean? Like, it's just like. Being able to share a language and share a humor.

Speaker 1 And you have grown into such a maximum version of that. And it was, I mean, jumping around,

Speaker 1 we just have to say it was so beautiful. And thank you so much for saying what you said

Speaker 1 on the Grammys. Oh, that was for speaking to our community and speaking to the trans community and people that need it the most.
That was my absolute privilege.

Speaker 1 And I promised myself that if I won a Grammy that night, I was going to say something that was in support of something that is so, so important, which is to be protective and loving to a community that is experiencing violence.

Speaker 1 Yep. It's my privilege to be a part of this community.
And it's the language that we speak to each other. And it's also like, thank you for teaching me so much about the world.

Speaker 1 I couldn't be the person that I am without the stories of all of the people that I've met and the authenticity and the realness.

Speaker 1 Like, I have so many gay friends that like just share with me their truth and that's a real gift. Like, how many people do you meet that don't do that? Right.
Everybody. Right.

Speaker 1 And it's like that can be also not a great way to move through the world. So, you know, to me, this is my privilege to be a part of it.
And I know I wouldn't be the same. And,

Speaker 1 you know, I think like Born This Way for me was, it's like easily my favorite album that I, that I ever created.

Speaker 1 And what's interesting is the second answer to the question that you asked me, if I could think of another culture, it would be that culture of friends on the Lower East Side.

Speaker 1 And Born This Way was a mixture of the inspiration of the queer community, my love of the queer community, as well as like this like techno rock, electro rock, underground New York metal scene that I was a part of.

Speaker 1 So,

Speaker 1 you know, all of those things, like that blender is like truly what makes me me. And it still is.

Speaker 1 And I, I think this is an important time for us all to be real with each other and ask for what we need from each other.

Speaker 1 Well, something about that night where you won the Grammy with Bruno that was so impactful because I was just watching at home kind of just, because a couple of hours had gone by in the show already.

Speaker 1 And I was just like, I guess no one's really addressing what's going on in like a real

Speaker 1 important way. And you were, you broke the seal on that.
And then the immediate response from the audience and from people at home was, thank God you said something. I'm so grateful.

Speaker 1 Because

Speaker 1 I will always think about the way you handled the rumors and the way you even talked about it with Anderson Cooper, which was like, would that be such a bad thing?

Speaker 1 Like the fact that you were even talking about this recently where you're like, you had to decide whether or not you would quote unquote fix the rumor, but how would that make someone feel if they were trans?

Speaker 1 And why would you inject more shame into that situation?

Speaker 1 Because I think there was some turning point in Lady Gaga as an artist who was studying fame, because that's a moment where I don't know, we experience this on such a smaller scale than you, obviously, but it's like, there's nothing more frustrating than someone saying something about you that isn't true.

Speaker 1 Right. And you you don't have the opportunity to address it or you're not, and all you want to say is that's not true.

Speaker 1 But for you to flip that on its head and be like, if it were true, who fucking cares? Yeah. It's huge.
Yeah.

Speaker 1 Well, I think that was probably the most responsible I ever felt for like the words that were going to come out of my mouth at that point. Like I really kind of did understand that the way that I

Speaker 1 would react to that would, I thought be meaningful.

Speaker 1 But to be frank, I didn't think about it for very long. It had better.
No, but seriously, it was outrageous to me that it's also kind of a weird thing. Like, so how do you feel about these rumors?

Speaker 1 I'm like, What are we talking? Like, what are we talking about? These are people's lives. These are people's real lives.

Speaker 1 And that's what makes me so upset about it today: is when I see when I see people peering down at others and making it making it like socially acceptable to peer down and to to say that the trans community should

Speaker 1 be treated this way is is wrong. It is wrong.
It's violent. It is everything I hate.
It is everything I hate. Just go after the most vulnerable people.
Yes.

Speaker 1 That's why community is so important though, because had you not been exposed to community and had you not like had this understanding of people's humanity, someone may have been put in that situation as like a pop star that's being rocketed to fame and like, you know, aggressively trying to be defined by this thing that the media is like, you know, inherently saying is like some negative thing.

Speaker 1 But because you had that exposure to community and because you knew the reality that these are people's lives, you were able to be in that position and be so gorgeous and responsible. And that's why

Speaker 1 it's important.

Speaker 1 The blessing is when I was accepted by the queer community, that was the gift to me because then I I get to learn and I get to experience and have real relationships that change my insides.

Speaker 1 And sometimes, you know, people ask, you know, how can I do this better? Can you explain this to me? Like, people want to learn more.

Speaker 1 And I, you know, I always have the desire to say, like, be friends with more people in the queer community. Like, that's the best, the best way to learn is to just be a part of the world.

Speaker 1 And it's quite easy. We're all pretty friendly.
That's right.

Speaker 1 The best.

Speaker 1 I mean,

Speaker 1 you are such an important part of that conception for people because I think I had come out of the closet again when Born This Way came out because went to conversion therapy, obviously didn't want work, did not work out.

Speaker 1 I didn't know that. Yeah, yeah.
And so Matt had come out in college. So we've known each other since college.
Matt had come out around the same time. We were both doing comedy.

Speaker 1 He was in the sketch group. I was in the improv group.
Born This Way came out the same, the single came out the same week as this college comedy festival. We would drive from NYU

Speaker 1 to Skidmore.

Speaker 1 And we were just blasting that song for 48 straight hours, being wasted, just like in some like tool shed and

Speaker 1 grungy, grungy.

Speaker 1 And he felt emboldened to come out that weekend. That's really special.
That's really, really special.

Speaker 1 You're so important to a huge swath of people who only want the best things for you and for each other.

Speaker 1 And if there is community in this world, it is fully embodied in that sector, but also those people need leadership. And you've always been that leader culturally, artistically,

Speaker 1 in so many ways. You have always been that person.

Speaker 1 I appreciate you saying that, but you know what?

Speaker 1 More than being a leader, I just want to do my part.

Speaker 1 And like, I really believe that like we can all do our small part. And then when we all do our small part, it like makes a big part.
And

Speaker 1 I believe that we will continue to show,

Speaker 1 show people that are filled with hatred and ignorance that they should be looking up to the queer community and following and learning about love, learning about grace, learning about kindness.

Speaker 1 I really believe that. And I'm not giving up.
No. No.
No, no, no. And we know, and neither are we.
And it's

Speaker 1 it's so interesting that the answer that you gave to the question was almost like the very simple, beautiful answer that felt like was coming out in the results of the election and everything is people were just saying one word, community,

Speaker 1 look around you, water the flowers, build those connections, maybe find new connections. That's right.
Community, that is really what it's all about, an exposure to the humanity of everybody.

Speaker 1 That's right. And I know that it feels important for me to say too that yes, I say these things publicly, but like it's actually even more important to me that I live them in my life.
Right.

Speaker 1 Like, that, that is the work. Yeah.
Yeah. The category is dance or die.

Speaker 1 It's really the only way forward is to just, is to be joyous and to celebrate each other in that way.

Speaker 1 Because, like, I think Abrakadabra is like, my interpretation of it is it is this duel between it's death or love. It's the only alternative.
There's really only one option in that video.

Speaker 1 Like,

Speaker 1 really. Like, she, she announces the category, but like, you kind of know, like, no, we're going to dance.
We're going to, we can't easy choice for me. Yeah, we're going to dance.

Speaker 1 Speaking of dance, okay, so we'll be at Coachella. I'm going weekend one.
Bowen has to work. He's going to go weekend two.
I think I may go again.

Speaker 1 Is there,

Speaker 1 because we're listening to the album and we're like, oh my God, in the desert, this is going to be insane. Could you drink some water? And

Speaker 1 we will be saving.

Speaker 1 Yes. So, how long have you been thinking about that performance?

Speaker 1 All All night, every night since I said yes.

Speaker 1 And also,

Speaker 1 you know, before then, I mean, I didn't really get a chance to do Coachella the way I wanted to.

Speaker 1 You were

Speaker 1 quite filled in.

Speaker 1 You know, it was great. It was actually great for A Star Is Born too, because Coachella agreed to let us use the stage

Speaker 1 the movie. As you know, making movies in production, like having, you know, places to film is.
a positive thing. It was great for the film.
Yeah. I had like three days to get ready for it.
Oh, my God.

Speaker 1 Which is absurd. Yeah, it's not fair.
But for this, I'm just putting everything that I have into it and I'm really excited.

Speaker 1 I mean, I do, I, but I don't want to give anything away because I truly want it to be like big, a big surprise.

Speaker 1 I feel like I have heard you say in recent interviews that you have been moving in the direction of something slightly more stripped down because there was a time in your, in your career where, you know, the set pieces would be like unmanageably big.

Speaker 1 You know what I mean? And now you are thinking in terms of sustainability and in terms of like I do. Yeah.
I do think a lot more now about like not wasting and not overproducing things.

Speaker 1 Cause when I was younger, I used to get like so nervous that we would like run out of props, you know, or run out or costumes would get ruined or something wouldn't work well.

Speaker 1 So we would have a backup. But now,

Speaker 1 you know, I have an archive with a lot of like costumes from all my previous tours and TV shows. And so now I try to reuse those and repurpose them.

Speaker 1 And in the Abracadabra video, we did some of that as well as like the white cape that I'm wearing. Wedding dresses? It was all vintage wedding dresses.
Oh, that's so cool. Yeah.

Speaker 1 So, you know, I'm trying to, yeah, I'm changing. I don't think you need the overproduction, obviously, which is what you're saying.

Speaker 1 It's like people will just be fucking gagged to see you in any kind of

Speaker 1 stage picture.

Speaker 1 You know, well, the thing about the radio studio show with Tony Bennett, it's like we were with our friend Studio, and we just, the three of us kept saying, she just always knows her stage picture.

Speaker 1 Thank you. But you know, I do, I do believe when it comes to stage performance, and this is probably has to do more with me like loving theater so much too, is that

Speaker 1 you can do a lot with like a black box theater and a spotlight. And like, it's how it's lit.
It's your pose. It's the way that you say the first line.

Speaker 1 You know, more adornment and more money doesn't necessarily mean better. Certainly.
You know, it's, it's like how you think about it and how you you bring it to.

Speaker 1 I think simplicity is actually like very, very powerful. But that also is not indicative necessarily of what Coachella will be.
So I sure

Speaker 1 query on hot ones actually about like performing at the slipper room way back when, which is crazy.

Speaker 1 Because we've done shows there. We've done shows there.

Speaker 1 And like, I was just thinking to myself when you were talking about that, some of my most formative, memorable, like theatrical experiences have been in rooms with like seven or eight other people watching someone create fantasy

Speaker 1 when you shouldn't be able to. But yet it is the, it is like lighting choices, the way things sound in rooms like that.
That's right. It's the stage.
Yeah.

Speaker 1 It's like the magic of the stage that that, because when you do things like, I mean, there are clubs where people perform, right, like in the room, like on the floor. Right.

Speaker 1 But to me, the context changes on a stage, you know, you know,

Speaker 1 it's elevated and you know, like, I'm going to see a show and there's going to, something's going to try to move me. Yeah.

Speaker 1 And I do find in New York, actually, at some of those downtown clubs, that like, there is immense talent. Yes.
Immense talent. And it's so much fun.

Speaker 1 And I, and I've always like also been so in awe of the drag shows in New York. Oh, the best.
It is unreal. And I've been watching some of the recreations on TikTok of the video.

Speaker 1 And it's just like, it's, I mean, mind glowing. Oh, it's Jan.
Jan did it with, yeah, the next day after the video. Yeah, I mean, how? They just, I mean, they just did all that.
They bore it all.

Speaker 1 No, but also the lacing is perfect on the corset and then the hat. And like, I saw people making like the spiked hat out of plastic and then hands brain painting it cranberry.
Cranberry.

Speaker 1 I mean, when you came to Drag Race and did that workshop with them, that was just taking it the extra mile. And I think that telegraphed to everyone that it is about the details.

Speaker 1 It is, I mean, like that, that is such a, of course, it's about so much more than that, but the details do matter. You were so detailed in the way that you walked through with those queens.

Speaker 1 I mean, I loved being a part of Drag Race. That was so much fun and also a privilege.
I loved it so much. I mean, I think that I have like.

Speaker 1 Just the ultimate respect for drag as an art form. I also think drag very often does it so much better than we do it on red carpets, honestly.
Like, I think it's just on another level.

Speaker 1 Yeah. How much of what you do do you think of as drag?

Speaker 1 I mean,

Speaker 1 that's interesting. I probably wouldn't use that word just because I do feel like it's a very specific art form that I don't like do, but there is to me also a drag element in what I'm doing.

Speaker 1 But I don't think that you know, wigs and makeup and costumes always mean drag. Like I think like it is a very beloved and specific art form and,

Speaker 1 but not no. Not no, certainly not no.
But certainly not no.

Speaker 1 It's kind of like sometimes people will, you know, you know, ask me that.

Speaker 1 And I just like, it's hard to say yes because I would never want to like take away from someone that's devoted their life to it. Sure.
You're coming from a place of respect for what they do. Exactly.

Speaker 1 That's my sort of rationale whenever someone's like, what would your drag name be? I'm like, I don't know because

Speaker 1 I've not thought that far because, and I honestly think it's because I love the form so much that I'm like I don't want to insert myself in that without earning my chops without like that's right well if I was gonna do it I would have to like step it up in a big way right so there you go

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Speaker 1 To speak on another art form, because we went to NYU here. You did a semester semester at CAP 21.
Yes. So we had a bunch of friends in CAP21.
We were there.

Speaker 1 And that was like legendary that you had graced that studio for even a second. Is there still a part of you that would do musical theater in like a

Speaker 1 mainstream sense? Like, would you go and do Broadway? And if so, is there a role? I think so. Yes.
I think I would love to write a musical. Well, of course.
I think that a new one. Yeah, a new one.

Speaker 1 Yeah. Yeah.
I think that, I mean, that would give me the ultimate joy of like crafting all the music and

Speaker 1 working with amazing writers on developing the story and the script and then, you know, the stage design and the costumes. Yeah.
And like, maybe I'd be in it too.

Speaker 1 But, you know, just like the idea of writing one, that sounds really, I mean, that's, I mean. Come on.
The Cindy Lauper bag.

Speaker 1 Because all my albums basically want to be musical.

Speaker 1 Yeah. You're in the pocket already.
So why not?

Speaker 1 Okay. We're going to close things off with, I don't think so, honey.
This is where we take one minute each to rail against something. I'm trying to think if there's anything else I want to ask you.

Speaker 1 Oh, I know, I know, I know. I have one more thing.
Okay. Okay.
So, you, you talk about when you do films, yeah, your commitment to that.

Speaker 1 And like, your, I don't know if you have you described yourself as method, yes. No problem.
That sounds like something I would say. Yeah.

Speaker 1 Embarrassingly remembering, yes. No, but I want to know because your performances are so brilliant.
I mean, doing Stars. I saw Stars five times opening weekend.
Thank you. I love House of Gucci.

Speaker 1 I mean, like, I wonder, have you approached acting now in a way that you can feel is sustainable?

Speaker 1 Or how do you feel when you are approaching a role now in terms of what you've learned and what you've done? Because you've done such incredible stuff. I think, thank you.

Speaker 1 I think that I love making films. Yeah.
I love being an actor. It's been a privilege working with such amazing actors and actresses in like every film that I've been a part of.

Speaker 1 I learned a lot working with Joaquin, actually. It was a very, very enriching experience.

Speaker 1 I would say I don't know that it's acting.

Speaker 1 You're really feeling it when you're doing it and it's real. So

Speaker 1 I would say the thing I've learned the most is like to put yourself fully in the moment and to really be in it, you know, as if it was real life and that it is a performance, but that it's not

Speaker 1 pretend. Right.
You know, know, I was actually working with, it's really sorry to put it as momentum. I was working with my niece on something related to Wicked.
Oh, okay. She sings.

Speaker 1 And I was talking to her about,

Speaker 1 you know, thinking of a moment in her life where it made her want

Speaker 1 to cry because she felt so changed. inside.

Speaker 1 And what I want to say about acting is it's not far from singing, you know, that you have to go to a place where

Speaker 1 you're really truly connecting to what you're saying.

Speaker 1 And it's not just about the words on their own. It's about like the human being behind it.
Right.

Speaker 1 But when you when you play characters that go through so like such harrowing stuff. Yeah.
Yeah.

Speaker 1 Do you think that going forward, like I don't know if you have anything on the books or whatever, but would you ever do, because you love comedy so much, like does the lightness appeal to you in terms of that artist?

Speaker 1 It does. It actually does.
Michael's always like, can you please

Speaker 1 instead of absolutely punishing yourself? Yes, I would love to do a more lighthearted film.

Speaker 1 I would. But I, you know, I love the dark stuff too.
That's me. I don't feel like that.
Yeah, that is.

Speaker 1 Mayhem. It's mayhem.
Yeah, it's mayhem.

Speaker 1 I'm like, I'm like a pretty soft person that adores intensity. So I don't really know where that comes from.

Speaker 1 I always thought it was funny when I was making this album because like I would, you know, I'm like, I'm at home, like making breakfast for me and Michael and then go to the studio and I'm like like kind of soft spoken and like just being myself.

Speaker 1 And then like the music was so hard. And it's like, it doesn't really make a lot of sense.
But, you know, I guess that's the way that I deal with myself. It's like the way I deal with my anger.

Speaker 1 It's the way that I deal with my intense feelings. Yeah.
Got it. God.

Speaker 1 We just love you at all.

Speaker 1 And you're like, oh, it's just anyway.

Speaker 1 This is amazing having you here, but we're going to do our silly little segment now. I don't think so, honey.
And I guess I'll start it out. I do have something.

Speaker 1 Last night, I sort of was like, I had nervous energy. So I was like, I want to take myself on a YouTube wormhole that I've never experienced before.
I want a new educational experience. And I got one.

Speaker 1 I'm excited to learn. This is Matt Rogers.
I don't think so honey's time starts now. I don't think so honey people don't respect elephants.
You don't understand how complicated their communication is.

Speaker 1 This is a fact. Elephants can communicate from miles away with each other without seeing each other.
They speak, and it is speaking, at a decibel that is so low. Do you understand?

Speaker 1 I don't think, so, honey, you understand.

Speaker 1 It can't be heard by the human ear, but they are always speaking. Elephants have processes they go through for their grief.
They honor their dead.

Speaker 1 They will walk in succession and grieve. And there is different ways of communicating.
They're in a matriarchal society. People don't know that.
And get this. It's not just mom.

Speaker 1 It's mom and all her friends raising a child community aunties it's the aunties it's the friends they will mimic what it is to feed a child even if they're not feeding it just to give the child comfort elephants are unbelievable

Speaker 1 they are not just gorgeous and think about their trunks that is amazing can you do something like that i don't think so honey that's one minute

Speaker 1 you gotta get on my level when it comes to youtube at this point i've never been so connected to the animal world and you know sometimes i fear animals yes you do. Just the wild ones.

Speaker 1 But the elephants are important. But these elephants, have you ever really gotten into elephant culture? I'm dead over that rant.

Speaker 1 That was

Speaker 1 no. Have you been to Africa to see them? Yes.

Speaker 1 You're very lucky. You're very lucky.
Oh my God. No, I'm just that was amazing.
Thank you so much. I just wanted to give them their shine because, and I actually almost came in here today.

Speaker 1 I, you know, I changed my outfit six times, gaga, and landed in a white polo, but I was going to wear a red sweatshirt with a panda on it. Oh, and I just, because they're my next target.

Speaker 1 I need, I was like, I need to find out what's happening with them. There's a lot.
There's a lot. Oh my God.
And by the way, elephants, when they say they never forget, they really don't.

Speaker 1 And that's why it's so important to keep them safe because when they are attacked or they have a family member attacked, the trauma lives in them forever. Oh my God.

Speaker 1 And they remember it and they won't go places where they've experienced it. It is so sad, but it's, but the knowledge will embolden us to protect them.
Thank you for your service to the elephants.

Speaker 1 That was beautiful. I just care for them so much.
And they're so tender and emotional. Absolutely.
Yeah.

Speaker 1 Okay.

Speaker 1 So, with that, Bo and Yang, do you have an I Don't Think So honey?

Speaker 1 Okay, wonderful to hear. I love when that is true.
This is Boen Yang's. I don't think so, honey.
His times were now. I don't think so, honey.
Hot ones. You made Lady Gaga cry.

Speaker 1 And you're going to give this woman Dabom? I've had it. I had the privilege, quote unquote, of tasting Dabom.
And it is battery acid, rancid stuff. Just kidding, Sean Evans.
We love you.

Speaker 1 Love everybody at First Being Feast.

Speaker 1 One of the funnest things I've done personally, you were a champ.

Speaker 1 It was, it did not feel right to make you suffer in that way while you were trying to talk about the album, while you were trying to talk about your career.

Speaker 1 I can't, we need to put respect on Lady Gaga's time in her promotional bag because she needs, you can't be making this woman tromp on plant-based wings.

Speaker 1 I think 15 seconds to

Speaker 1 do it off camera. Just say,

Speaker 1 Sean, how about this? Say, before we recorded, we had Lady Gaga try these wings. Five seconds.

Speaker 1 We're not going to put the indignity of her sweating and crying and, you know, chugging down milk on film for you. That's not for some things are too precious.
And that's one of them.

Speaker 1 And that's one minute. Bon Yang said, fuck your show.
Change the format so that we can do. No, but you were amazing.
You were incredible on it. Oh my God.
What was the process of? life?

Speaker 1 What? No, you, you're still in, you're still absorbing that. I know.
I can't.

Speaker 1 These are like, this is amazing.

Speaker 1 No. Yes.

Speaker 1 It's, it's special. You blown away by I don't think so, honey, is so funny.

Speaker 1 You're going to be great. You're going to be great.
Just, it's not harder than hot ones. Okay.

Speaker 1 I mean, but hot ones, was it a good experience? Yes. Yeah.

Speaker 1 I had a great time. I'm just kidding.
It was spicy. It It was spicy.

Speaker 1 And you do spicy. I do.
I do do spicy. Yeah.
I mean, what I thought was funny was that I did like seven and they were sort of fine. And then eight out of nowhere.
Yeah, Debane out of nowhere kills me.

Speaker 1 I was like,

Speaker 1 what a sneak attack, though. Like, at least let me know at four and six.
Totally. This is going to get bad.
Had you not seen the show? No, of course I had.

Speaker 1 I just, like, I don't know if I'd seen like, you know, 30 episodes. Right.
But watching from home, you're like, oh, like, I guess it's a linear. I thought it would be.

Speaker 1 I kept laughing at myself because I was like, it's like not actually a contest. It's not a contest.
No, it's not.

Speaker 1 I'm like, am I winning?

Speaker 1 If you get to the end, you win. And you won.
You do win. You won.
Yeah. I love that you totally forgot.
You were so in the heat of the moment, literally, that you forgot to promote the album.

Speaker 1 You were like, oh, yeah, you got it to the end. You were like, oh, that was fun.
What am I here to do? That was amazing. That was one of my favorite episodes.

Speaker 1 And I, again, purely in jest, that is one of the favorite, my favorite things I've ever done. He's got to do it.
I'll do it one day. You got to do it.
I'm manifesting it. It's going to happen.

Speaker 1 But he really, we're doing the verses. We're doing verses.
Matt and I are going to do the one where you face. That is a game of contest where you face off against each other.
But he's going to win.

Speaker 1 What I think is so sweet is that he mirrors you. Is that he'll drink if you drink?

Speaker 1 He eats the wings the same time that you do. I think that's lovely.
I mean, he was really nice. He's so nice.
I think he was really nice.

Speaker 1 Yeah, he was so sweet. And I just, I was expecting more spicy.
Yeah. Until

Speaker 1 I was praying for it to stop. Until you were praying.
Yeah. Absolutely.
Well, anyway, I just had to take them to task. And

Speaker 1 it's now time for yours if you'd like to do one. You're going to do one.
I'm so afraid this is going to backfire. No, it's not.
You just say, I don't think so, honey. Then the thing.

Speaker 1 And then you just kind of let it go. Let it go.
One minute goes by fast. This is Lady Gaga's.
I don't think so, honey. That sentence.
And her time starts now.

Speaker 1 Basically, I don't think so, honey, that you guys are putting me on the spot to do this. I don't think so.

Speaker 1 I don't like to rant. I hate ranting.
I hate confronting people. You're right.
Super uncomfortable. I right now am shaking.

Speaker 1 Seriously, I like what would love to just go on stage and sing and change my outfits and pick my wigs and write songs and make albums and go on tours. But I do not want to rant about anything.

Speaker 1 It is so scary to me. I feel scared.
I want to cry. No, please don't cry.

Speaker 1 I love you both so much, but I don't think so. That you're putting me on the spot.
I can't, I'm just going to do whatever you say, whatever you ask me to do it.

Speaker 1 When you tell me to do things, it makes me want to cry. It makes me insane.
We shouldn't have done that. We shouldn't have done that.
I I love you so much, and also, I don't think so.

Speaker 1 Don't you ever put me on the spot ever again, but I love doing this.

Speaker 1 Thank you so much for having me here, but please, please, please don't make me get angry about anything in public. Oh, and that's one minute.
Lady Gabba, honestly, so sorry.

Speaker 1 Hot ones, you should have gotten rid of your hot sauce. Lost coach, we should have not done all of things.

Speaker 1 I mean, we have to, we're the show's done. We're, we're, we're, this is the last episode ever.
This is it. How can we beat this?

Speaker 1 Is that funny? Yes. Are you kidding me? I said, you have to ask.
Gaga, you're back.

Speaker 1 Did you break in a sweat? I, yes.

Speaker 1 You know what? I like to plan. I know.
I'm such a control freak. I like to plan everything.
I like to know everything. Where is the team? They were told about Adam Thinksto honey.

Speaker 1 I know, and I panicked then and now.

Speaker 1 We're so sorry, but you look

Speaker 1 at a real level. You crushed it.
So there you go. You know, all the best Adam Thinksto honeys have been the one that kind of drags us.

Speaker 1 tinafe tafe dragged us yeah truly the people who come after us tend to succeed so well done thank you very well done i think i got like my voice got very high and loud you're warmed up now have you already done no you haven't done your varmarian

Speaker 1 even on days when you don't perform you do your warm-up yes yeah it's fun right yeah yeah it's nice it's grounding and then and like then sometimes yeah okay i can't give too much away i can't give too much away I'm in like the danger zone with Coachello where like it's going to start slipping soon.

Speaker 1 Totally. Cause it's, it's, it's getting closer.
It's happening. You're seeing the visuals.

Speaker 1 We cannot fucking wait. I'm so excited to see you both coming.
We're coming.

Speaker 1 We will take care of you. Oh, no, no, no, no.
I'm coming weekend too. He's coming weekend too.
But I will go again because I have to be there with him to watch it.

Speaker 1 I'm not missing this for the fucking world. So literally what it was was we had, well, I had tickets for the first weekend and he was like, I'll just come Sunday and on the odds.

Speaker 1 Because I'm working, because I'm working on Saturday.

Speaker 1 On the odds that she's performing on Sunday night, I'll just come. The Friday announcement, we love it.
You're going to kick off the weekend so incredibly well.

Speaker 1 But I was like, okay, now I'll go back the second weekend so that I get to go. Thank you.

Speaker 1 Mayhem is at March 7th. That's right.
Two days after my birthday. By the way, this kicked off Pisces season in the best way.
Oh, yeah. It's February 19th.
Deep in the feels.

Speaker 1 This is really, really good stuff. Yeah.
Thank you so much for coming on. Thank you so much for having me.
I loved this so much. I love you both so much.
Thanks for being so kind to me.

Speaker 1 And it was such a nice hang, too. It was.
It really was. Yeah.
I hope that we can do it again without microphones. Oh, yeah.
We'll get rid of these things. I love that.

Speaker 1 We do end every episode with a song. Killer.
I'm a killer.

Speaker 1 Oh, you're going to die tonight.

Speaker 1 Killer, killer, killer, killer.

Speaker 1 Oh, my God. Listen to me.
Bye.

Speaker 1 Lost Culture Reaches is the production by Will Farrell's Big Money Players and iHeart Radio Podcasts. Created and hosted by Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang.

Speaker 1 Executive produced by Anna Hosnier and And produced by Becca Ramos. Edited and mixed by Doug Boehm and Monique Board.
And our music is by Henry Komersky.

Speaker 1 Want to tackle one of America's most epic off-road adventures?

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Speaker 1 By equipping the 2025 Ford Bronco Badlands with Google's new Street View camera, while the Expedition Tremor and Ranger Lariat carry the team and tools that made it all possible.

Speaker 1 So So challenge yourself. See what you're capable of.
Let your Ford handle the rest. Find the Trans-America Trail on Google Maps and hit the off-road.
Ready? Set forward. I'm stressed.

Speaker 1 I got invited to a Friendsgiving and now there's the big question of what to bring. Well, just bring a bottle of Casamigos.
Oh, Casamigos, of course.

Speaker 1 Nothing brings people together like a batch of Casamigos margaritas. A Casamigos margarita really is the perfect cocktail.
Plus, Casamigos goes with everything. Turkey, stuffing, mac and cheese.

Speaker 1 Oh, I was thinking more cranberry juice or ginger beer, but that works too. Well, you know, the iconic rule of culture number 743.
Anything goes with my Casamigos.

Speaker 1 This Friendsgiving, you know what everyone will be grateful for? Casamigos? I was going to say you and Casamigos. Oh,

Speaker 1 let's keep it in that order. Please drink responsibly.
Imported by Casamigo Spirits Company, White Plains, New York. Casamigo Stequila, 40% alcohol by volume.

Speaker 1 There's pressure systems moving in Bo in the form of cuffing season.

Speaker 1 Potential heavy clouds of nostalgia around the necks, windstorms from a current situationship, and light drivels of you up, techs, are incoming.

Speaker 1 It's the chill in the air that brings about this behavior.

Speaker 1 In the midst of cuffing season, there's one place where the microclimate is clear communication, radical honesty, and open-mindedness, and that's Fields.

Speaker 1 It's a connections app that asks you to show up and articulate your desires as clearly as you understand them now. And if you don't understand them, say that.

Speaker 1 The field community is made up of so many different kinds of people ranging in experience, interests, and desires. Here you can have the space to change, to be honest, and to always be curious.

Speaker 1 Wondering what that looks like? Here's a snapshot of Field. There's no fast swipe culture.
Sometimes attraction takes time.

Speaker 1 Here, you don't have to make a split decision in order to see another person. Skip profiles, go back, and take the time you need to decide if you really like someone.
You can expand your curiosity.

Speaker 1 There are over 20 sexuality and gender identities listed on Field. In this space, you can explore who you are since judgment.
And there's no pretending.

Speaker 1 There's no need to write your profile like a job application and pretend to be what someone else wants. Within the field community, the cultural norm is to be radically honest.

Speaker 1 It helps you find exactly what you're seeking. That's F-E-E-L-D.
Download Field on the App Store or Google Play.

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Speaker 1 This is an iHeart podcast.