1 00:00:13,519 --> 00:00:16,879 Speaker 1: Hey, everybody, and Welcome to Life is a gamble. My 2 00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:22,079 guest today is Elizabeth Reischardt, who we talk a lot 3 00:00:22,120 --> 00:00:26,800 on this show about life scambals that don't involve money necessarily, 4 00:00:27,039 --> 00:00:30,600 and so Elizabeth, Welcome to Life is a gamble. 5 00:00:31,239 --> 00:00:34,719 Speaker 2: Thank you. I'm always so thrilled to have a chance 6 00:00:34,719 --> 00:00:36,520 to talk to you, so I'm very excited to be here. 7 00:00:37,399 --> 00:00:40,679 Speaker 1: Well. Thanks. So you have chosen what I kind of 8 00:00:40,719 --> 00:00:46,920 call lottery professions, which are people and I did this myself, 9 00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:49,240 you know, wanting to be an actor, and so you 10 00:00:49,439 --> 00:00:54,039 first wanted to get into dance, and then comedy and 11 00:00:54,159 --> 00:00:58,039 stand up comedy and then writing for television, all of 12 00:00:58,079 --> 00:01:02,560 which are these things where super high risk but can 13 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:07,000 be very high reward, except for maybe dance. I don't 14 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:09,879 think there are any such Charissa's anymore that can actually 15 00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:13,000 make a lot of money being a dancer. But that's 16 00:01:13,040 --> 00:01:14,359 where you started, right. 17 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:19,879 Speaker 2: Yeah, Yeah, you're right, high risk, some reward. Dance leaves 18 00:01:19,879 --> 00:01:22,120 you with a lot of injuries and a lot of 19 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:26,519 mental stuff where you're just always criticizing yourself. But yeah, 20 00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:30,159 I started with dance when I was younger, and I grew. 21 00:01:29,959 --> 00:01:33,200 Speaker 1: Up how old, oh four? Wow? 22 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:36,560 Speaker 2: Yeah. I grew up very, very poor, and so my 23 00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:40,040 mom put me in dance at our church and then 24 00:01:40,079 --> 00:01:44,239 saw I had a talent. And then she was gambling 25 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:48,799 herself because she would put me in classes and get 26 00:01:48,840 --> 00:01:51,400 them to do do you remember layaway where they would 27 00:01:51,439 --> 00:01:55,359 have it? I guess she basically did that with dance studios. 28 00:01:55,760 --> 00:01:58,599 She would have them do payment plans when they didn't 29 00:01:58,599 --> 00:02:00,280 do that for anyone else, and then I would get 30 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:05,000 scholarships to go to summer program. So she really we 31 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:06,760 did not have any money, and she put a lot 32 00:02:06,799 --> 00:02:11,680 of effort into helping me pursue that passion. And then 33 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:14,319 at a certain point I was getting way too many injuries. 34 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:17,199 My mom got sick, and then I made the decision 35 00:02:17,240 --> 00:02:20,080 to leave dance behind, even though I still very much 36 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:23,719 love it and anytime I get tipsy, I'm dancing around 37 00:02:23,719 --> 00:02:24,080 the place. 38 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:28,400 Speaker 1: You know, were you focused on ballet or other forms 39 00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:28,800 of dance? 40 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:35,199 Speaker 2: Mainly ballet? I did everything else. I hated tap. Tap 41 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:38,879 was my enemy. It was too loud. But ballet I 42 00:02:38,879 --> 00:02:41,439 loved it. It was so graceful. I think I fit very 43 00:02:41,439 --> 00:02:45,000 well with it, and it was always away for me 44 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:48,639 to express myself. I was very shy when I was younger, 45 00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:51,280 and so dance was away for me to be vocal 46 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:54,400 when I couldn't really be vocal, which really helped at 47 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:58,159 that time, that adolescent time when you're so angsty. 48 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:01,599 Speaker 1: And was the dream to go to New York and 49 00:03:02,039 --> 00:03:06,400 join ABT or or yeah? Was it so? 50 00:03:06,759 --> 00:03:07,120 Speaker 3: Yeah? 51 00:03:07,199 --> 00:03:10,319 Speaker 1: And at what age did you finally say all right, 52 00:03:10,919 --> 00:03:12,520 my body won't put up with this. 53 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:20,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, I was nineteen. I had a knee injury. I 54 00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:23,039 kept getting my feet were always in points to you, 55 00:03:23,199 --> 00:03:26,039 so I was getting infections from the just the moisture 56 00:03:26,039 --> 00:03:29,039 of always having it in there. But yeah, I remember 57 00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:33,199 I was in a studio by myself, practicing a variation 58 00:03:33,879 --> 00:03:36,479 for an audition coming up, and I looked at myself 59 00:03:36,479 --> 00:03:39,439 in the mirror and I was like, I don't think 60 00:03:39,479 --> 00:03:41,800 I'm ever going to achieve what I want to achieve, 61 00:03:41,840 --> 00:03:44,840 which is to be a prima ballerina. And I made 62 00:03:44,879 --> 00:03:47,479 the choice to go. I don't think. I think I 63 00:03:47,479 --> 00:03:49,400 got to stop. I don't want to be in the core, 64 00:03:49,479 --> 00:03:51,479 I don't want to be in the ensemble. And if 65 00:03:51,479 --> 00:03:53,560 I can't achieve this goal, I think I'm going to 66 00:03:54,159 --> 00:03:56,960 go to something else. So and at the same time, 67 00:03:57,039 --> 00:03:59,800 my mom got sick, so I was like, yeah, I'm 68 00:03:59,840 --> 00:04:02,280 not I went and helped my mom while she was 69 00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:03,199 going through treatment. 70 00:04:03,919 --> 00:04:05,759 Speaker 1: Where were you when this happened. 71 00:04:06,439 --> 00:04:08,680 Speaker 2: I was in Pittsburgh. Yeah. 72 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:12,919 Speaker 1: And was that a I mean for me when I 73 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:15,599 reached that moment where you know, I had spent my 74 00:04:15,759 --> 00:04:18,560 life my life thinking I wanted to be an actor, 75 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:23,360 and when it suddenly occurred to me, oh my god, 76 00:04:23,519 --> 00:04:26,720 I do not want to do this. It was a 77 00:04:26,839 --> 00:04:32,800 real crisis for me to absolutely And is that what 78 00:04:32,920 --> 00:04:33,720 happened with you two? 79 00:04:34,319 --> 00:04:37,680 Speaker 2: Yeah. I had a huge identity crisis. I didn't know 80 00:04:37,959 --> 00:04:40,240 what was up, what was down. I didn't know what 81 00:04:40,319 --> 00:04:42,800 I was going to do next. It was it was 82 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:45,079 very jarring. And you had the same thing with. 83 00:04:45,079 --> 00:04:48,959 Speaker 1: Acting, exactly exactly the same. And it wasn't the acting. 84 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:52,519 I still loved the acting, it was the business of 85 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:56,720 Hollywood and what the way that actors were treated. And 86 00:04:56,879 --> 00:05:00,079 you know, my background was on the stage and it 87 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:04,319 it was completely different than when you were trying to 88 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:07,040 get roles in film and television. 89 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:11,000 Speaker 2: Yeah. And that's my biggest thing with any of the 90 00:05:11,199 --> 00:05:13,600 because I know you and I've dabbled in many different 91 00:05:14,199 --> 00:05:17,519 industries with art and That's my biggest thing is when 92 00:05:18,160 --> 00:05:21,120 you start getting treated a certain way, our politics come 93 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:25,000 into it, favoritism, Like you start with a bunch of 94 00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:28,680 group like with your with people who will you just 95 00:05:28,879 --> 00:05:31,360 have so much passion for the art form, Like I 96 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:33,800 know both you and I have done improv and that 97 00:05:33,959 --> 00:05:35,600 was my biggest thing with improv. I was like, this 98 00:05:35,759 --> 00:05:38,600 is so cool. It's we get to just have fun 99 00:05:38,639 --> 00:05:40,959 and laugh. And then all of a sudden people get 100 00:05:40,959 --> 00:05:44,480 put on teams and then people start being competitive and 101 00:05:44,879 --> 00:05:47,680 not wanting to hang out with certain people, and you're 102 00:05:47,759 --> 00:05:50,399 just like, remember when we were all in college and 103 00:05:50,759 --> 00:05:52,920 hanging out at a pizza's job. Why can't we go 104 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:53,439 back there? 105 00:05:54,439 --> 00:05:57,720 Speaker 1: Yeah? So how did you handle that when the well, 106 00:05:57,879 --> 00:05:59,800 I mean you had a big distraction. I guess if 107 00:05:59,800 --> 00:06:02,439 you're mom was very ill and you were taking care of. 108 00:06:02,399 --> 00:06:06,199 Speaker 2: Her, yeah that period of time, I mean, yeah, so 109 00:06:06,279 --> 00:06:09,439 with the identity crisis that that took over and then 110 00:06:09,879 --> 00:06:11,800 she ended up passing away and that was a whole 111 00:06:11,839 --> 00:06:16,959 nother identity crisis. And you know, I think in big 112 00:06:17,079 --> 00:06:20,160 life moments like that, you either kind of crumble or 113 00:06:20,240 --> 00:06:24,319 you you rise like a phoenix from the ashes. And 114 00:06:24,399 --> 00:06:27,160 me and my siblings were just like, we have to 115 00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:29,240 honor our mom, you know, all the things that she 116 00:06:29,319 --> 00:06:32,480 couldn't do. And she was such an artsy person too, 117 00:06:32,519 --> 00:06:35,480 and she never got to travel. So then I pivoted 118 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:36,800 and I was like, I'm going to move to LA. 119 00:06:36,959 --> 00:06:41,279 I'm going to pursue comedy and writing. And she was 120 00:06:41,319 --> 00:06:44,800 a big She was a big factor in me really 121 00:06:44,920 --> 00:06:48,199 jumping and seeing if the net appeared with that, with 122 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:49,839 that decision, and. 123 00:06:50,879 --> 00:06:53,720 Speaker 1: So you moved to LA And how old were you 124 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:54,360 at that point? 125 00:06:55,160 --> 00:06:58,959 Speaker 2: I was, I think twenty five, twenty four to twenty 126 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:03,480 five because in Betwo Queen my mom being her passing away. 127 00:07:03,879 --> 00:07:07,399 I got my master's in social work when I worked 128 00:07:07,399 --> 00:07:09,680 in that field for a while, and that was a 129 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:12,160 job that brought me to La so I could. I 130 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:16,800 worked overnight graveyard shift at a treatment center in Malibu, 131 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:21,319 and then I would not sleep, wake up, take improv classes, 132 00:07:21,839 --> 00:07:23,319 and then I would sleep in my car for a 133 00:07:23,319 --> 00:07:26,519 little bit, and then I would intern at the comedy places. 134 00:07:26,639 --> 00:07:28,920 It was I don't know how I did that during 135 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:30,839 that time, but it was just go, go, go, go 136 00:07:30,839 --> 00:07:31,759 go constantly. 137 00:07:32,399 --> 00:07:35,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, we're kind of invulnerful when we're young, and she 138 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:37,959 don't realize what we can't do. 139 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 2: Yep. 140 00:07:39,759 --> 00:07:43,439 Speaker 1: And so when you moved to LA did you know anybody? 141 00:07:43,480 --> 00:07:47,120 Did you have any kind of support network out there 142 00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:49,160 at all, or did you just go in blind? 143 00:07:49,800 --> 00:07:52,560 Speaker 2: Great question. My brother he was actually going to film 144 00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:56,639 editing school in Burbank, so I stayed with him for 145 00:07:56,680 --> 00:07:58,800 a little bit. And I did have an old dance 146 00:07:58,879 --> 00:08:01,959 friend and her now husband that I ended up moving 147 00:08:01,959 --> 00:08:04,360 in with in North Hollywood, so they were here, but 148 00:08:04,439 --> 00:08:08,319 it was limited really truly. My community started by going 149 00:08:08,319 --> 00:08:11,279 to improv. I took a ton of classes and that's 150 00:08:11,319 --> 00:08:15,199 where I met some of my best friends still to today. 151 00:08:15,720 --> 00:08:17,959 That yeah, I just hopped around a bunch of improv 152 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:21,199 schools and then collected friends and forced them to be 153 00:08:21,240 --> 00:08:22,040 friends with me too. 154 00:08:22,879 --> 00:08:26,800 Speaker 1: And you were working as a social worker, which yeah, 155 00:08:26,839 --> 00:08:29,839 I think, man, is that a thankless job? And I've 156 00:08:29,839 --> 00:08:33,279 had several friends who did it and the burnout rate 157 00:08:33,480 --> 00:08:35,240 is very high. 158 00:08:35,320 --> 00:08:38,879 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's insane. It's insane. And I had this moment 159 00:08:39,039 --> 00:08:43,120 where I told myself social work is something you can 160 00:08:43,159 --> 00:08:46,679 do at any age, and so I made the decision 161 00:08:47,159 --> 00:08:51,240 that you know, writing and improv and all that stuff, 162 00:08:51,279 --> 00:08:53,240 I had to do it at that point and I 163 00:08:53,240 --> 00:08:55,480 would put social work on the back burner. But I 164 00:08:55,720 --> 00:08:57,799 still today, I'm still going to go back. I have 165 00:08:57,840 --> 00:09:00,799 such a passion for it. Oh yeah. I My passion 166 00:09:00,919 --> 00:09:04,480 is victim of victims of domestic violence and human trafficking, 167 00:09:05,039 --> 00:09:08,240 and I was able to work with that population before 168 00:09:08,440 --> 00:09:11,039 I stopped, and I'm going to go back to it eventually. 169 00:09:11,519 --> 00:09:18,000 And even things like acting, painting, improv those art forms 170 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:21,600 you can use as a tool for therapy, so I 171 00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:24,440 really want to bring that and dance as well. I 172 00:09:24,519 --> 00:09:27,840 was doing dance movement therapy before I stopped. So all 173 00:09:27,840 --> 00:09:29,840 of this stuff that I'm kind of collecting all my 174 00:09:29,960 --> 00:09:32,399 interests I really want to take back to the social 175 00:09:32,440 --> 00:09:34,759 work world eventually, just not yet. 176 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:38,559 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's funny. I told my you know, I had 177 00:09:38,559 --> 00:09:42,679 an acting teacher when I was in college who used 178 00:09:42,720 --> 00:09:45,039 to say to me, it'll take you many years to 179 00:09:45,240 --> 00:09:49,080 grow into your face. And I had no idea, like 180 00:09:49,159 --> 00:09:53,360 what does that mean? And I think, looking back on it, 181 00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:55,279 what it meant is you're never going to get work 182 00:09:55,360 --> 00:10:01,200 until you're old. And when I gave up acting, when 183 00:10:01,639 --> 00:10:04,200 I was fortunate that I had a skill I was 184 00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:08,120 able to use and make earn a living. But once 185 00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:11,120 I moved back to Las Vegas, I thought, you know what, 186 00:10:11,200 --> 00:10:15,840 now I can go back to acting without any of 187 00:10:15,879 --> 00:10:20,639 the worries about not interested in a career or having 188 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:23,039 to make money at it or any of that stuff. 189 00:10:23,159 --> 00:10:25,320 You know, I could just do it for the joy 190 00:10:25,360 --> 00:10:28,000 of it. And it sounds like you're thinking about that 191 00:10:28,080 --> 00:10:30,480 in terms of social work in the same way that 192 00:10:30,559 --> 00:10:32,879 you will be able to go back to it at 193 00:10:32,919 --> 00:10:33,399 some time. 194 00:10:34,159 --> 00:10:37,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, And isn't that so freeing when I mean, both 195 00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:39,879 of us, I know, can put ourselves back into that 196 00:10:39,960 --> 00:10:44,039 mindset because I also acted in LA and commercial work 197 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:47,759 and I was fed up with it too. But it's 198 00:10:47,840 --> 00:10:50,039 so freeing when you're like, I'm just going to use 199 00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:54,240 for fun. I don't care about the getting the right 200 00:10:54,360 --> 00:10:58,519 agent or yeah, trying to get that lead role, being 201 00:10:58,600 --> 00:11:00,759 like the hot commodity in LA. It's nice when you're 202 00:11:00,759 --> 00:11:02,960 just like, I want to do a play just for fine, 203 00:11:03,639 --> 00:11:05,759 just for fine, So freeing. I love it. 204 00:11:06,399 --> 00:11:08,639 Speaker 1: Have you will get into writing in a minute, But 205 00:11:08,679 --> 00:11:10,559 have you written any plays? 206 00:11:10,759 --> 00:11:16,039 Speaker 2: Yeah? I actually took a really great play writing class 207 00:11:16,080 --> 00:11:19,559 in Los Angeles last year when I wrote my first play, 208 00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:23,679 and it was such a fun experience. And my teacher, 209 00:11:23,799 --> 00:11:28,519 Bernardo Cubria, who's also a working writer, started as a 210 00:11:28,559 --> 00:11:30,960 playwright and now works in TV, and I think just 211 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:34,159 sold a movie. But he was one of those dead 212 00:11:34,159 --> 00:11:36,799 poet society teachers that was like hop on your desk, 213 00:11:36,879 --> 00:11:39,960 and it really made me think about writing in a 214 00:11:39,960 --> 00:11:42,919 whole different way and like we're saying, like the art 215 00:11:43,120 --> 00:11:45,960 form should be fun. So, yeah, I wrote my first play, 216 00:11:46,120 --> 00:11:47,679 and I think you've written place too, right. 217 00:11:48,039 --> 00:11:50,919 Speaker 1: I wrote one, and you know, all the writing that 218 00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:55,320 I've done has been basically because I had to. I 219 00:11:55,399 --> 00:11:57,320 wasn't doing it for the joy of it. I was 220 00:11:57,360 --> 00:12:00,440 doing it in the case of the play, which was 221 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:03,679 the first thing that I wrote, other than sort of 222 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:08,759 you know, short piece kind of things that were anyway, 223 00:12:09,360 --> 00:12:12,320 when I got to LA I realized that I was, 224 00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:15,279 you know, getting into some plays, but I realized I 225 00:12:15,360 --> 00:12:19,120 was not getting the kind of roles that would get 226 00:12:19,159 --> 00:12:22,639 me noticed by anybody. And so I thought, the only 227 00:12:22,639 --> 00:12:25,720 way I'm going to be able to get noticed I 228 00:12:25,759 --> 00:12:29,879 have a role that because my type was not a 229 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:33,639 type that you know, leading man type, even though I 230 00:12:33,639 --> 00:12:38,279 looked very much like George Clooney. But so I thought, okay, 231 00:12:38,480 --> 00:12:41,759 I need to write a play for myself. Yeah, and 232 00:12:41,799 --> 00:12:44,720 that can showcase my talents as an actor. 233 00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:48,679 Speaker 2: And what were what was the what was the type 234 00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:51,639 that you really were trying to showcase? Like what would 235 00:12:51,639 --> 00:12:54,000 you describe that like for a log line for that 236 00:12:54,000 --> 00:12:55,720 that character or type that you were trying. 237 00:12:55,600 --> 00:12:59,559 Speaker 1: To for nowadays, you would call that character of the 238 00:12:59,600 --> 00:13:05,080 gay name friend, right, I mean, and I wasn't playing 239 00:13:05,120 --> 00:13:09,399 someone gay, but it was. I mean, that's the kind 240 00:13:09,440 --> 00:13:12,639 of type I was. I was the best friend, you know, 241 00:13:12,960 --> 00:13:16,080 the kind of either nerdy guy or weirdo guy that 242 00:13:16,279 --> 00:13:18,879 was the friend of either the girl or the guy 243 00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:20,159 or whatever. Yeah. 244 00:13:20,279 --> 00:13:25,639 Speaker 2: The George Costanza George Castanza, which is my favorite. Yeah 245 00:13:25,679 --> 00:13:28,759 there you go, yes, SA character on TV. Yeah yeah, 246 00:13:28,799 --> 00:13:29,240 yeah yeah. 247 00:13:30,240 --> 00:13:34,480 Speaker 1: So yeah. Anyway, so I wrote the play and what 248 00:13:34,720 --> 00:13:37,360 was funny was, you know, one of the reasons I 249 00:13:37,399 --> 00:13:41,039 did it was to try to get an agent. And 250 00:13:41,159 --> 00:13:43,360 after one of the performance as a guy approached me 251 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:45,279 and he was an agent, and he said, hey, I'd 252 00:13:45,320 --> 00:13:48,000 like to represent you, and I was like, great, that's 253 00:13:48,039 --> 00:13:51,120 exactly why I did this, And he said, so, the 254 00:13:51,159 --> 00:13:53,679 first thing I'd like you to do is write a 255 00:13:53,720 --> 00:13:58,679 specscript for any sitcom on TV. And I was like, whoa, no, no, no, no, 256 00:13:58,759 --> 00:14:01,120 that's not why I'm I'm looking for a nitchin as 257 00:14:01,159 --> 00:14:04,080 an actor. And he's like, yeah, well, I'm not really 258 00:14:04,159 --> 00:14:07,000 interested in that. I'm interested in you as a writer. 259 00:14:07,679 --> 00:14:10,039 And so he agreed to take me on as an 260 00:14:10,039 --> 00:14:12,799 actor if he could also take me on as a writer. 261 00:14:12,919 --> 00:14:16,360 But then I didn't do any more writing until I 262 00:14:16,519 --> 00:14:19,840 was offered my first directing job. But I had to 263 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:21,759 write the script in order to direct it. 264 00:14:21,840 --> 00:14:24,600 Speaker 2: So yeah, and do you think that that like him 265 00:14:24,639 --> 00:14:29,159 pushing you to consider yourself more of a writer as well? 266 00:14:29,440 --> 00:14:32,360 Do you think that that led to your directing career 267 00:14:32,399 --> 00:14:35,279 without him, without him saying like I want you as 268 00:14:35,320 --> 00:14:37,159 an actor and writer, do you think you would have 269 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:40,200 pursued directing? Still? 270 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:44,039 Speaker 1: You know, the two things were totally separate. The directing 271 00:14:44,360 --> 00:14:49,080 came about as really a fluke. You know. I hit 272 00:14:49,200 --> 00:14:52,720 the that wall where I realized I didn't want to 273 00:14:52,759 --> 00:14:56,080 be an actor in Hollywood and I didn't know what 274 00:14:56,159 --> 00:15:01,600 to do. And I had a friend who was going 275 00:15:01,639 --> 00:15:03,879 to make a movie. He had put together like sixty 276 00:15:03,919 --> 00:15:06,159 thousand dollars. He was going to make a little movie. 277 00:15:06,799 --> 00:15:09,759 He asked me to help. I said, of course. And 278 00:15:09,879 --> 00:15:13,840 I was basically doing what you would call the production manager, 279 00:15:13,960 --> 00:15:16,759 although it was on a very small, very low budget film. 280 00:15:17,440 --> 00:15:21,320 And from there he formed a partnership with somebody and 281 00:15:21,879 --> 00:15:26,159 started a film company and started making these low budget 282 00:15:26,200 --> 00:15:29,960 movies that they were cranking out. And I was basically 283 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:32,879 the production manager on all these early films, and they 284 00:15:33,759 --> 00:15:36,879 started to it started to be too much for him. 285 00:15:37,159 --> 00:15:39,480 He was doing all the writing and directing, and his 286 00:15:39,559 --> 00:15:43,480 partner was doing all of the shooting and editing. 287 00:15:43,840 --> 00:15:45,720 Speaker 2: And only two people. That's crazy. 288 00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:48,679 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, yeah. And I mean our crews in the 289 00:15:48,720 --> 00:15:52,960 beginning were you know, ten twelve people. And anyway, they 290 00:15:52,960 --> 00:15:56,000 got to the ninth film and he said, you know, 291 00:15:56,120 --> 00:16:00,320 do you want to direct? And I was like, yeah, yeah, 292 00:16:00,399 --> 00:16:03,879 I would, you know, and and and that's kind of 293 00:16:03,879 --> 00:16:05,759 how that happened. So it had nothing to do with 294 00:16:05,799 --> 00:16:08,679 my agent, who never really did anything for me. 295 00:16:09,360 --> 00:16:11,879 Speaker 2: Yeah, oh my gosh, they never do. But you know, 296 00:16:11,879 --> 00:16:13,639 I'm going to be a big nerd right now and 297 00:16:13,679 --> 00:16:16,600 go back to improv. And yes, and I think that 298 00:16:16,600 --> 00:16:20,799 that's something that again you and I both share, not 299 00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:24,240 having an experience with something someone offering it to us 300 00:16:24,240 --> 00:16:27,320 and us going yeah, I'll do that and then internally 301 00:16:27,360 --> 00:16:29,960 being like maybe a little scared, but I'll figure it 302 00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:32,320 out as I go, or I'll do a bunch of research. 303 00:16:32,759 --> 00:16:35,000 And a lot of people I think they let fear 304 00:16:35,799 --> 00:16:40,039 stop them from saying yes. And you, if you say yes, 305 00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:44,360 your life can skyrocket in totally different, wonderful directions. So 306 00:16:44,360 --> 00:16:46,159 I'm glad we both have that yes and skill. 307 00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:47,879 Speaker 1: Life is a gamble. 308 00:16:48,399 --> 00:16:50,759 Speaker 2: There is right there there, it is there. 309 00:16:50,960 --> 00:16:53,919 Speaker 1: Takes a risk. Okay, So I want to get back 310 00:16:53,960 --> 00:16:57,320 to comedy. So you're done with dance, you're working as 311 00:16:57,320 --> 00:17:02,559 a social work, you're taking improv classes. But the like, 312 00:17:03,159 --> 00:17:06,519 the the goal wasn't I'm going to be I'm going 313 00:17:06,599 --> 00:17:09,599 to make my living doing improv. So the thought was 314 00:17:09,839 --> 00:17:13,720 I can parlay improv into doing stand up comedy. 315 00:17:14,440 --> 00:17:16,920 Speaker 2: I mean, that's a great that's a great question. I 316 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:19,839 think when I was heavy into improv, I was just 317 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:23,599 so happy, like I got out of my shell. I 318 00:17:23,680 --> 00:17:25,799 was so quiet and shy. Pulled me out of my 319 00:17:25,799 --> 00:17:28,680 shell and I was just having a blast. You don't 320 00:17:28,680 --> 00:17:31,839 get opportunities like that a lot as an adult, where 321 00:17:31,880 --> 00:17:34,039 you get to just play and have fun with your 322 00:17:34,079 --> 00:17:37,200 friends and laugh. And I know that something you say 323 00:17:37,200 --> 00:17:40,400 a lot about your gambling days and being in a 324 00:17:40,480 --> 00:17:42,839 hotel room with your friends and just laughing even though 325 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:44,960 you can, and sleeping on the floor even though you 326 00:17:44,960 --> 00:17:47,599 have separate rooms. It just it had that feel of 327 00:17:47,640 --> 00:17:50,440 just like so much joy. So at the time, I 328 00:17:50,440 --> 00:17:53,559 think I just really wanted to be an improv performer. 329 00:17:53,599 --> 00:17:56,640 I wanted to get on teams and travel, and at 330 00:17:56,640 --> 00:17:58,920 the time I wasn't really trying to do any stand up. 331 00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:03,200 But what improv did for me was I started to 332 00:18:03,240 --> 00:18:06,519 write sketches, and I started I wrote a one woman show, 333 00:18:07,240 --> 00:18:11,440 and then I remembered how much I loved writing. I 334 00:18:11,720 --> 00:18:13,799 loved writing as a kid, but I think I told 335 00:18:13,839 --> 00:18:16,599 you I had this terrible teacher who was too critical 336 00:18:16,640 --> 00:18:18,279 in elementary school. 337 00:18:17,960 --> 00:18:20,319 Speaker 1: All the grades. 338 00:18:20,720 --> 00:18:24,039 Speaker 2: They're too young to be critical, but I they kind 339 00:18:24,079 --> 00:18:26,640 of like maybe a little scared to write. And so 340 00:18:27,319 --> 00:18:30,160 comedy opened up that door again. I started to write, 341 00:18:30,200 --> 00:18:33,160 and then I realized, like, oh, I think I want 342 00:18:33,279 --> 00:18:36,119 be in a writer's room. I think the sketch writing 343 00:18:36,160 --> 00:18:40,000 and this collaboration I'm experiencing on these sketch teams is 344 00:18:40,079 --> 00:18:42,440 so fun. I didn't want to go back to school 345 00:18:42,480 --> 00:18:44,039 for it. I did not want to work at an 346 00:18:44,079 --> 00:18:47,960 agency because I had heard horror stories of agents throwing 347 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:51,400 staplers at insurance heads. I didn't want to experience that. 348 00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:54,079 And so then I just started to tell all of 349 00:18:54,119 --> 00:18:57,000 my improv friends, if you hear of an assistant job 350 00:18:57,039 --> 00:18:58,680 in a writer's room, let me know. And I just 351 00:18:58,839 --> 00:19:02,480 repeated it over and over and over, which again, if 352 00:19:02,480 --> 00:19:04,519 people don't know what you're looking for, they can't help you. 353 00:19:05,359 --> 00:19:08,000 So then I had a friend that was leaving her 354 00:19:08,039 --> 00:19:11,680 job at Shondaland to go to Clowns School, and she 355 00:19:11,759 --> 00:19:13,920 got me an interview with that writer. Him and I 356 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:16,759 hit it off, and then I got my first writing 357 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:19,599 assistant job, which was for the show and Mintique Anna 358 00:19:20,119 --> 00:19:22,559 and I think I told you this. Shonda Rhimes herself 359 00:19:22,599 --> 00:19:25,000 was show running it, and so I was. I got 360 00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:29,000 a masterclass in writing and how to give notes and 361 00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:32,160 how to collaborate in a writer's room. But to answer 362 00:19:32,200 --> 00:19:34,559 your question, because I can be a little word vomity, 363 00:19:35,480 --> 00:19:38,160 improv helped me realize I wanted to be a writer. 364 00:19:38,759 --> 00:19:42,680 Speaker 1: Gotcha, Yeah, you know. The writing that I have enjoyed 365 00:19:42,880 --> 00:19:47,319 has always been writing with a partner, never writing alone. 366 00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:51,279 And I've always been sort of a team player. I 367 00:19:51,319 --> 00:19:54,720 you know, for my gambling career, I worked always with 368 00:19:54,759 --> 00:19:58,599 at least one partner and often more. And the same 369 00:19:58,640 --> 00:20:02,880 thing in the in writing and anything in my life. 370 00:20:03,279 --> 00:20:06,680 You know, I want to be working with other people. Yeah, same, 371 00:20:07,799 --> 00:20:10,079 Where did the stand up comedy come in? 372 00:20:11,279 --> 00:20:16,480 Speaker 2: So when I was doing improv, I got I sometimes 373 00:20:16,480 --> 00:20:19,599 got a little to do improv. You have to get 374 00:20:19,599 --> 00:20:22,599 your crew together. You have to make sure everyone's there. 375 00:20:23,119 --> 00:20:25,920 Schedules are so hard to line up. And then I 376 00:20:25,960 --> 00:20:28,680 did my one woman show and I had so many 377 00:20:28,720 --> 00:20:30,240 people come up to me and say you should do 378 00:20:30,319 --> 00:20:33,279 stand up, and so then I started to do stand 379 00:20:33,359 --> 00:20:35,799 up because you can just go to open mics on 380 00:20:35,839 --> 00:20:38,799 your own. You don't need to schedule with anyone, although 381 00:20:38,799 --> 00:20:41,079 I did. You and I are the same. I love 382 00:20:41,160 --> 00:20:44,319 having a bud. My friend Carmen would go to open 383 00:20:44,359 --> 00:20:46,440 mics with me until she moved to New York for 384 00:20:46,599 --> 00:20:49,480 another job and left me. But yeah, I just had 385 00:20:49,519 --> 00:20:52,160 so many people say you'd be really good at stand up, 386 00:20:52,680 --> 00:20:55,079 and so I started to do it, and I really 387 00:20:55,119 --> 00:20:57,960 loved it. The only reason I stopped was the grind. 388 00:20:58,000 --> 00:21:00,880 I didn't want to be up at one am doing shows. 389 00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:04,359 I was tired. I was so tired. But again it's 390 00:21:04,400 --> 00:21:06,960 something I'll go back to at some point too, because 391 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:08,519 I love it. It was so fun. 392 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:13,000 Speaker 1: You know, it seems like here in Las Vegas there 393 00:21:13,039 --> 00:21:16,079 is an open night open mic every single night of 394 00:21:16,119 --> 00:21:17,000 the week. Somewhere. 395 00:21:17,400 --> 00:21:18,599 Speaker 2: Oh absolutely that. 396 00:21:18,680 --> 00:21:22,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, no, I assume La is the same way, yeah. 397 00:21:21,920 --> 00:21:25,200 Speaker 2: And different, like there's some that start at five pm 398 00:21:25,279 --> 00:21:27,960 all the way to but you know, as you know, 399 00:21:28,039 --> 00:21:30,839 Los Angeles is a driving city, and so you would 400 00:21:30,839 --> 00:21:33,480 have one open mic and have to drive twenty minutes 401 00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:36,200 to the next open mic. And it was that was 402 00:21:36,240 --> 00:21:38,640 the other part of the grind late nights, but also 403 00:21:39,160 --> 00:21:41,599 having to be in your car. But in New York 404 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:44,720 you just hop on the train. It's so much easier. Yeah. 405 00:21:45,240 --> 00:21:49,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, So you get into the writer's room as an 406 00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:51,960 assistant to one of the writers on what was the 407 00:21:52,039 --> 00:21:52,759 name of the show. 408 00:21:52,599 --> 00:21:57,200 Speaker 2: Again, inventing Anna. It's about that grifter who stole a 409 00:21:57,240 --> 00:22:00,880 lot of money from banks and hotels and. 410 00:22:00,359 --> 00:22:04,039 Speaker 1: Oh, based on the true story, yes, yeah, yeah, yeah. 411 00:22:03,960 --> 00:22:08,839 Speaker 3: Yeah yeah yeah and Adelie yeah an adelv yeah yeah 412 00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:13,519 yeah yeah yeah yeah okay, and and so then was 413 00:22:13,559 --> 00:22:17,640 there was that a grind until you actually got into 414 00:22:17,799 --> 00:22:22,200 a room as as a writer as opposed to an assistant. 415 00:22:22,519 --> 00:22:26,160 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, it was. I've I feel like the common 416 00:22:26,160 --> 00:22:28,440 theme of all the things I've done are it is 417 00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:31,880 a grind and the path I took from assistant to writer. 418 00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:34,480 I'm sure you know this too from being in LA 419 00:22:35,240 --> 00:22:38,680 that is so rare. One percent of people go from 420 00:22:38,720 --> 00:22:42,440 assistant to writer. It is a hard It's hard to 421 00:22:42,440 --> 00:22:46,680 find an assistant job. It is almost impossible nowadays. It's 422 00:22:46,720 --> 00:22:49,799 something that is word of mouth. No one posted posts 423 00:22:49,799 --> 00:22:53,279 it on any job listing or anything. But yeah, I 424 00:22:54,039 --> 00:22:56,720 had to work really, really really hard. I had to 425 00:22:56,960 --> 00:23:02,160 kind of be available around the had to I had 426 00:23:02,160 --> 00:23:05,039 to always like read scripts and have notes ready and 427 00:23:05,079 --> 00:23:09,279 have like feedback ready for my boss. And even when 428 00:23:09,279 --> 00:23:11,319 you're in a bad mood, you have to like put 429 00:23:11,359 --> 00:23:11,880 on a face. 430 00:23:11,960 --> 00:23:12,200 Speaker 3: You know. 431 00:23:12,319 --> 00:23:16,759 Speaker 2: It's because the industry is a lot of do when 432 00:23:16,759 --> 00:23:21,079 people are hiring an assistant, are you talented? Like kay? 433 00:23:21,160 --> 00:23:23,759 Can you write? And also a big one is do 434 00:23:24,240 --> 00:23:26,319 will I be able to hang out with you for 435 00:23:26,559 --> 00:23:29,440 the entire week? Are you someone that I'll mesh with? 436 00:23:29,559 --> 00:23:32,160 And so you never want to be a debbie downer 437 00:23:32,319 --> 00:23:35,200 or you know, it's hard because everyone has bad days, 438 00:23:35,240 --> 00:23:38,200 but I really had to kind of hide how much 439 00:23:38,319 --> 00:23:41,440 it was affecting me. All of the grind in the work. 440 00:23:41,519 --> 00:23:43,480 It was tough. It was really tough. 441 00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:46,519 Speaker 1: You weren't still trying to work another job at the 442 00:23:46,559 --> 00:23:48,319 same time right once you were. 443 00:23:48,599 --> 00:23:52,880 Speaker 2: No. I was lucky because my brother had a thriving 444 00:23:53,640 --> 00:23:56,279 mobile game business at the time, so I was able 445 00:23:56,359 --> 00:23:59,880 to work for him a little bit because assistant jobs 446 00:24:00,079 --> 00:24:02,359 pay nothing, but I was able to work for him, 447 00:24:02,559 --> 00:24:04,920 and the assistant job and working for your brother is 448 00:24:04,960 --> 00:24:07,640 a lot easier than yeah, having a full time a 449 00:24:07,680 --> 00:24:11,400 full time gig for a company. So yeah, I did. 450 00:24:11,440 --> 00:24:13,319 I didn't have to. I didn't have to do the 451 00:24:13,359 --> 00:24:15,240 whole graveyard shift thing that I was doing when I 452 00:24:15,279 --> 00:24:18,680 first moved to La Think. God, yeah, I don't know. 453 00:24:18,720 --> 00:24:20,480 If i'd made I would have made it out. 454 00:24:20,839 --> 00:24:25,119 Speaker 1: So what was your first shot then of actually writing something? 455 00:24:25,240 --> 00:24:27,960 I mean, you don't just immediately get hired as a writer. 456 00:24:28,839 --> 00:24:32,240 You they ask you to do a script, right or something. 457 00:24:32,920 --> 00:24:38,759 Speaker 2: Yeah, So Shondaland is really great about nurturing talent for 458 00:24:38,799 --> 00:24:42,359 assistant So one of the first steps you have at 459 00:24:42,359 --> 00:24:46,319 Shondaland is once you're a writer's assistant. You're allowed to 460 00:24:46,400 --> 00:24:48,960 pitch in the room. Now, you're not supposed to pitch 461 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:51,240 too much. You can't pitch more than the writers. You 462 00:24:51,279 --> 00:24:54,960 can't overtalk. It's like being at a party and being 463 00:24:54,960 --> 00:24:57,920 in a circle and one person is like monopolizing the conversation. 464 00:24:58,680 --> 00:25:00,839 That's a no, no, you can't ever do that. So 465 00:25:00,920 --> 00:25:03,319 you have to find your time and you know, be 466 00:25:03,359 --> 00:25:07,039 a problem solver, find a pitch that if the writers 467 00:25:07,039 --> 00:25:09,880 are like, like, how, you know, how do we get 468 00:25:09,880 --> 00:25:13,079 this character this on this yacht because they're all the 469 00:25:13,079 --> 00:25:14,839 way in Kentucky and we got to get them to 470 00:25:14,880 --> 00:25:17,400 this to the ocean, how like? And then you're the 471 00:25:17,400 --> 00:25:20,400 person that's like, hey, just hop them on an airplane, 472 00:25:20,440 --> 00:25:22,160 fly them to the you know, you just have to 473 00:25:22,200 --> 00:25:25,640 find a solution. And then everyone's like, oh my gosh, amazing, 474 00:25:25,680 --> 00:25:28,160 why didn't we think of that? And then you look 475 00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:31,279 like a hero. So you start with pitching a little bit. 476 00:25:31,839 --> 00:25:36,880 And then at shondaland sometimes they'll assign scenes scene work 477 00:25:36,960 --> 00:25:40,200 to the assistant. Not every assistant, but if you're the 478 00:25:40,200 --> 00:25:43,319 writer's assistant, and that's the way that they can read 479 00:25:43,359 --> 00:25:46,680 your work, give you notes. Sometimes a couple of things 480 00:25:46,799 --> 00:25:49,640 might stay on the screen when it finally gets there, 481 00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:53,240 which is very cool. And then when I was I 482 00:25:53,279 --> 00:25:56,960 went from writer's assistant to researcher because Shondaland is another 483 00:25:57,240 --> 00:25:59,920 like Aaron Sorkin, a couple of these production cup to 484 00:26:00,079 --> 00:26:03,359 you have a researcher on the show, and so on Bridgerton, 485 00:26:03,440 --> 00:26:06,079 I was a researcher and that's when I was allowed 486 00:26:06,119 --> 00:26:08,759 to write an episode with one of the writers. And 487 00:26:09,359 --> 00:26:12,960 that was an amazing experience and one that when you're 488 00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:16,759 finally able to do it, you either love it or 489 00:26:16,799 --> 00:26:19,079 you hate it, and luckily I loved it. You know, 490 00:26:19,119 --> 00:26:20,960 you have to have these experiences to know if you 491 00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:23,680 actually want to pursue the career. But I was able 492 00:26:23,720 --> 00:26:26,200 to run the room, be in charge of like what 493 00:26:26,319 --> 00:26:30,079 went on the board. It was so exciting and so fun. 494 00:26:30,680 --> 00:26:33,720 Speaker 1: Wait, so that was just for the one episode that 495 00:26:33,759 --> 00:26:34,839 you were co writing. 496 00:26:35,559 --> 00:26:37,119 Speaker 2: Yes, yeah, so that was season four. 497 00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:39,319 Speaker 1: Okay, So I didn't realize there was a whole room 498 00:26:39,519 --> 00:26:42,039 for each individual episode. 499 00:26:42,599 --> 00:26:45,480 Speaker 2: I mean, well, what was your question? 500 00:26:46,119 --> 00:26:50,960 Speaker 1: Well yeah, so yeah, explain So first of all, on Bridgerton. So, 501 00:26:51,400 --> 00:26:54,079 for any of the listeners who don't know, Bridgerton is 502 00:26:54,119 --> 00:26:59,440 a period drama and So first let's start with what 503 00:26:59,519 --> 00:27:01,319 did the research involved? 504 00:27:02,000 --> 00:27:02,119 Speaker 2: Oh? 505 00:27:02,240 --> 00:27:06,200 Speaker 1: Sure, like what can we would this be anachronistic if 506 00:27:06,279 --> 00:27:08,200 we did this? Is that kind of stuff? 507 00:27:08,599 --> 00:27:11,720 Speaker 2: Or yeah, yeah pretty much that. I mean I came 508 00:27:11,759 --> 00:27:14,160 on season three, so a lot of the initial research 509 00:27:14,240 --> 00:27:17,960 had been done, so my job was very easy. But yeah, 510 00:27:18,119 --> 00:27:20,839 it's if the writers are like one episode, we had 511 00:27:20,880 --> 00:27:23,799 a hot air balloon and they were like, did hot 512 00:27:23,880 --> 00:27:27,279 air balloons exist? What? How did they look different than today? 513 00:27:27,920 --> 00:27:31,519 Or like when when people went swimming during that period, 514 00:27:31,680 --> 00:27:34,759 like what were their swimsuits looked like? Like what did 515 00:27:34,799 --> 00:27:36,880 they wear in the water. So it's a lot of 516 00:27:37,000 --> 00:27:39,000 like they come up with ideas for the episode, and 517 00:27:39,079 --> 00:27:41,720 then it's like did this exist? Can we put this in? 518 00:27:42,160 --> 00:27:44,759 Is there some kind of wiggle room where we can 519 00:27:44,839 --> 00:27:48,160 make it realistic even though it kind of didn't exist yet? 520 00:27:48,359 --> 00:27:50,960 So yeah, a lot of the research is, hey, we 521 00:27:51,160 --> 00:27:54,480 this cool idea. Can you go see if if it exists? 522 00:27:55,200 --> 00:27:58,920 Speaker 1: Got it? And so okay, so now they give you 523 00:27:59,400 --> 00:28:02,640 an assign that you're going to co write an episode. 524 00:28:03,680 --> 00:28:07,519 What happens at that point, Well, first I cried. I 525 00:28:07,640 --> 00:28:09,559 went home and I cried and I called all my 526 00:28:09,640 --> 00:28:15,400 friends and then for that, I was episoder. So in general, 527 00:28:15,519 --> 00:28:18,920 the writer's room, you get together and you're blue sky 528 00:28:19,119 --> 00:28:21,920 what they call blue sky, which is everyone's kind of 529 00:28:22,039 --> 00:28:26,200 like throwing spaghetti at the wall pie in the sky ideas. 530 00:28:26,359 --> 00:28:29,279 We talk about the season that just happened, We talk 531 00:28:29,279 --> 00:28:32,160 about where all the characters ended, and then we we 532 00:28:32,319 --> 00:28:34,720 kind of like dream like, what would we want this 533 00:28:34,880 --> 00:28:37,680 character to do? What are some arcs that like we 534 00:28:37,839 --> 00:28:40,839 really want to see them pursue this season? So you 535 00:28:40,920 --> 00:28:43,200 come up with a ton of ideas, and then the 536 00:28:43,279 --> 00:28:47,319 showrunner narrows it down and we have go through each episodes. 537 00:28:47,359 --> 00:28:51,200 We've eight episodes, and we go there's usually the lead 538 00:28:51,279 --> 00:28:54,359 couple that is the rom Commas based on, and so 539 00:28:54,640 --> 00:28:58,119 we talk about their a story from the first episode 540 00:28:58,160 --> 00:29:02,279 to the last episode, and we as a group decide 541 00:29:02,559 --> 00:29:04,759 where the story is going to fall in each of 542 00:29:04,880 --> 00:29:08,759 those episodes. And so by the time I'm writing my episode, 543 00:29:09,200 --> 00:29:12,480 I kind of already know the tent poles, the beginning, middle, 544 00:29:12,480 --> 00:29:14,920 and end of what's going to happen. But then our 545 00:29:15,079 --> 00:29:18,759 job when it's our episode. They've done one, two, three, 546 00:29:18,799 --> 00:29:22,519 and four, those writers are off writing the episode. It's 547 00:29:22,599 --> 00:29:23,079 our turn. 548 00:29:23,759 --> 00:29:26,200 Speaker 2: We show up with the outline of filling in all 549 00:29:26,240 --> 00:29:28,440 the gaps that we haven't talked about as a group, 550 00:29:28,880 --> 00:29:31,519 and then that gets the writer, other writers give notes 551 00:29:31,559 --> 00:29:34,400 on it, it gets approved, and then at a certain 552 00:29:34,440 --> 00:29:37,000 point then we go off to script and write it 553 00:29:37,079 --> 00:29:39,039 and then bring it back to the room for notes. 554 00:29:39,559 --> 00:29:42,920 So it's it's it's pretty basic. But the best part 555 00:29:43,440 --> 00:29:46,359 is the collaboration at the beginning, where it's like, where 556 00:29:46,480 --> 00:29:50,160 can this season go and what's what cool crazy ideas 557 00:29:50,200 --> 00:29:50,880 can we come up with? 558 00:29:52,839 --> 00:29:57,759 Speaker 1: And and so are you now on staff or was 559 00:29:57,799 --> 00:30:01,160 that like a one off or what what happened at 560 00:30:01,200 --> 00:30:01,799 that then? 561 00:30:02,599 --> 00:30:05,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, so that was that was when I was an assistant, 562 00:30:05,799 --> 00:30:08,000 and then I was asked to be on staff the 563 00:30:08,160 --> 00:30:11,720 next season, which they're filming right now, and then I 564 00:30:12,079 --> 00:30:15,400 will go back to the next season after they're done. 565 00:30:15,400 --> 00:30:18,920 They're done filming in I think we're starting in August 566 00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:22,720 or September. Maybe not, still up in the air, but yeah, 567 00:30:22,759 --> 00:30:25,920 so technically now I'm on staff and I can breathe 568 00:30:25,920 --> 00:30:28,319 a little bit. The hard work is done and I 569 00:30:28,400 --> 00:30:30,839 can finally just sit back and breathe. 570 00:30:32,400 --> 00:30:35,720 Speaker 1: So for writers, I know, the big issue of the 571 00:30:35,839 --> 00:30:39,759 day that has many people very worried is the whole 572 00:30:39,880 --> 00:30:45,359 AI thing and how is that affecting you guys. 573 00:30:46,480 --> 00:30:50,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's a great question. I mean everyone, I don't 574 00:30:50,480 --> 00:30:55,640 know one writer that is pro AI. Yeah, I'm sure 575 00:30:55,680 --> 00:30:58,720 they exist, just like the people during the strike that 576 00:30:59,079 --> 00:31:02,440 you know, jobs and they're not supposed to take. But 577 00:31:03,160 --> 00:31:06,559 we've had conversations about it in the room about like 578 00:31:06,759 --> 00:31:09,359 do people use it to brainstorm or not? And for 579 00:31:09,440 --> 00:31:11,559 the most part, I think all of us are just 580 00:31:11,720 --> 00:31:15,039 avoiding it. And then you know, the Writer's Guild, there's 581 00:31:15,119 --> 00:31:18,160 a lot of committees with writers that are much more 582 00:31:18,240 --> 00:31:23,119 involved and smarter than I that are yeah, fighting really 583 00:31:23,240 --> 00:31:25,400 like making sure they're on top of the legislation and 584 00:31:25,720 --> 00:31:29,319 making sure it's not infiltrating our industry too much. But 585 00:31:29,599 --> 00:31:30,680 we're you know, we're trying. 586 00:31:31,559 --> 00:31:36,079 Speaker 1: So another thing is, now, I've been away from Hollywood 587 00:31:36,119 --> 00:31:38,559 for quite a while now, but if you're a writer 588 00:31:38,759 --> 00:31:44,519 on the network show you know, CBS, NBC, ABC, you 589 00:31:44,680 --> 00:31:46,559 basically if you've got a few years of that, you 590 00:31:46,640 --> 00:31:51,799 could be set for life. And streaming was nowhere close. 591 00:31:51,960 --> 00:31:56,559 I mean, it was pretty pretty bad, and I know 592 00:31:56,799 --> 00:31:59,920 the Writer's Guild has been fighting that for a long 593 00:32:00,039 --> 00:32:05,279 long time and now streaming is actually bigger than the networks, 594 00:32:05,440 --> 00:32:08,400 but the pay is still nowhere close, am I right? 595 00:32:09,240 --> 00:32:13,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, it's getting a little bit better. And with 596 00:32:13,559 --> 00:32:17,240 the current the strike that just happened, it finally got 597 00:32:17,359 --> 00:32:21,279 approved that streaming you'd get residuals, because for a long 598 00:32:21,400 --> 00:32:24,559 time you'd work on a Netflix show or HBO or 599 00:32:24,640 --> 00:32:28,319 something and you wouldn't get any residuals. So it was 600 00:32:28,359 --> 00:32:30,440 like the PAYI wasn't as good. And then you also 601 00:32:30,799 --> 00:32:34,160 there wasn't like any kind of paycheck in the future 602 00:32:34,279 --> 00:32:36,720 as your episodes were being watched by millions of people. 603 00:32:37,920 --> 00:32:39,960 Network I don't know if it's as good as it was. 604 00:32:40,400 --> 00:32:42,400 That's something that like I feel like I got to 605 00:32:42,480 --> 00:32:45,119 educate myself a little bit better about because for such 606 00:32:45,119 --> 00:32:47,119 a long time, I was like, I just really want 607 00:32:47,160 --> 00:32:48,839 to get the job. And now you know, you have 608 00:32:49,000 --> 00:32:51,640 to be more aware of like what the pay structures are. 609 00:32:52,160 --> 00:32:55,079 But yeah, yeah, in the beginning, you just exactly you 610 00:32:55,119 --> 00:32:59,319 don't care what the money is. You just want the job. Yeah, exactly, exactly, 611 00:32:59,480 --> 00:33:01,839 but it is you know, you have to inform your 612 00:33:02,319 --> 00:33:05,000 but but I'll tell you, the dreaming has gotten better. 613 00:33:05,119 --> 00:33:08,640 But there's a lot of room for growth. But you know, 614 00:33:08,839 --> 00:33:11,160 as you know, a lot of those companies they penny 615 00:33:11,240 --> 00:33:15,599 pinch and they they want the cheapest, the cheapest route 616 00:33:15,720 --> 00:33:19,359 and the cheapest writer. And that's unfortunate. But that's that's 617 00:33:19,400 --> 00:33:22,119 a tale as old as time. You know, big companies 618 00:33:22,200 --> 00:33:24,839 they just that's that's their goal is to save money. 619 00:33:25,640 --> 00:33:29,039 Speaker 1: Yeah, and while at the same time they waste so 620 00:33:29,200 --> 00:33:31,359 much money and it's ridiculous. 621 00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:32,200 Speaker 3: Yeah. 622 00:33:32,279 --> 00:33:34,319 Speaker 2: Oh, I've got thoughts on that that I won't say 623 00:33:34,359 --> 00:33:36,640 on the podcast, but I'll tell you off the podcast. 624 00:33:36,680 --> 00:33:39,480 I've got many thoughts, many things I've seen of a 625 00:33:39,559 --> 00:33:40,200 lot of waste. 626 00:33:40,359 --> 00:33:44,000 Speaker 1: But you know, I you know, I had I had 627 00:33:44,000 --> 00:33:47,480 a friend that I used to work with in film 628 00:33:47,839 --> 00:33:53,359 and his dad was a producer of you know, big 629 00:33:53,480 --> 00:33:56,759 shows back in this early in the seventies, you know, 630 00:33:57,400 --> 00:34:00,519 shows that we all would have watched when we kids 631 00:34:00,640 --> 00:34:04,079 or whatever. And he said, you know, whenever my mom 632 00:34:04,240 --> 00:34:07,960 wanted to remodel the house, he would just arrange for 633 00:34:08,679 --> 00:34:11,480 scenes to be shot in our house and then he 634 00:34:11,519 --> 00:34:15,320 would direct the art department how to remodel them house. 635 00:34:15,960 --> 00:34:20,639 Speaker 2: Now that's an advantage player move if I've ever heard of. Yeah, 636 00:34:21,039 --> 00:34:21,960 that's really smart. 637 00:34:22,920 --> 00:34:28,519 Speaker 1: So so you have these long hiatus. Do writers take 638 00:34:28,719 --> 00:34:32,559 other shows that are when their main show is off 639 00:34:33,000 --> 00:34:33,760 on hiatus? 640 00:34:34,400 --> 00:34:37,239 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, yeah, I mean right now. The industry is 641 00:34:37,360 --> 00:34:40,960 tough and jobs are far and few between. But that's 642 00:34:41,000 --> 00:34:44,840 why networking is so important in the injury, because you'll 643 00:34:44,880 --> 00:34:49,360 often hear about jobs through through your friends and through 644 00:34:49,440 --> 00:34:53,239 people you've worked with. Even like I'm a lower level writer, 645 00:34:53,519 --> 00:34:56,800 even higher level writers, their agent will say, hey, this 646 00:34:57,119 --> 00:34:59,760 this room is about to start. Do you know anyone 647 00:35:00,039 --> 00:35:02,920 in the room that can can vouch for you? So 648 00:35:03,440 --> 00:35:06,719 it's like, like we said, agents and managers, they don't 649 00:35:06,760 --> 00:35:08,920 do a ton. They do some stuff, but it is 650 00:35:09,079 --> 00:35:11,639 really like who you know? So yeah, some of the 651 00:35:11,719 --> 00:35:14,880 writers in my room, they hopped on some other stuff. 652 00:35:15,039 --> 00:35:18,000 The there was a legally Blonde TV show that happened, 653 00:35:18,480 --> 00:35:21,960 and my friend worked on that. But for me, when 654 00:35:22,000 --> 00:35:25,519 I got my I I had worked so hard. I 655 00:35:25,599 --> 00:35:27,920 was so burnt out that I kind of was like 656 00:35:28,039 --> 00:35:30,199 I don't want to I mean, yes, I want to 657 00:35:30,400 --> 00:35:33,079 work and I want other jobs, but I really was like, 658 00:35:33,239 --> 00:35:35,360 I think I'm gonna take a big break. I needed it. 659 00:35:35,440 --> 00:35:38,440 I was so burnt out, so burnt out, it was 660 00:35:38,559 --> 00:35:42,079 so like it drains you because even when I was 661 00:35:42,079 --> 00:35:45,519 an assistant, I hopped on other shows as a writer's assistant. 662 00:35:45,599 --> 00:35:48,639 I worked on the show Physical, there was a reboot 663 00:35:48,679 --> 00:35:51,880 of The L Word I helped on, and it's just 664 00:35:52,440 --> 00:35:55,480 you just go, go, go constantly. But yeah, right now, 665 00:35:55,519 --> 00:35:57,840 the industry is a bit hard. Yeah, get hard. 666 00:35:58,360 --> 00:36:01,360 Speaker 1: And the agents and managers base only want you when 667 00:36:01,719 --> 00:36:05,039 you don't need them anymore. Oh yeah no, I mean 668 00:36:05,119 --> 00:36:08,000 maybe they could negotiate you a better contract or something, 669 00:36:08,079 --> 00:36:12,320 but basically in my experience was I already got the job. 670 00:36:13,320 --> 00:36:15,480 Now they want to Now they want to represent me, 671 00:36:15,679 --> 00:36:17,679 so they can just take their peace, you know what 672 00:36:17,760 --> 00:36:22,320 I mean. Yeah, so yeah, it was a really awful 673 00:36:22,400 --> 00:36:23,400 part of the business. 674 00:36:24,119 --> 00:36:24,960 Speaker 3: Oh it is. 675 00:36:25,199 --> 00:36:28,000 Speaker 2: But you know, one of my friends, I've learned so 676 00:36:28,119 --> 00:36:31,159 much from her. She was an assistant as well, but 677 00:36:31,320 --> 00:36:34,000 she was an assistant before me, so she's always one 678 00:36:34,039 --> 00:36:36,679 step ahead, and I was able to kind of see, like, 679 00:36:36,960 --> 00:36:38,679 how is she doing it? What can I learn from? 680 00:36:39,159 --> 00:36:43,320 And when she got staffed, she got reps and she said, hey, 681 00:36:43,400 --> 00:36:45,519 I got I got staffed on my own. You're not 682 00:36:45,679 --> 00:36:48,199 getting any of this money. And the reps were like yeah, okay, 683 00:36:48,440 --> 00:36:50,519 Like we'll wait till the next job you get. But 684 00:36:50,639 --> 00:36:53,440 I was like wow, old yeah. And some people again 685 00:36:53,519 --> 00:36:56,760 we go back, going back to like operating by fear 686 00:36:57,000 --> 00:36:58,880 of just like I need a rep, so I'll give 687 00:36:58,920 --> 00:37:01,159 them anything or all. You know, I'm going to prove 688 00:37:01,199 --> 00:37:04,199 to them that I'm worthy. I had this cool friend 689 00:37:04,280 --> 00:37:06,320 that was like, I'm worthy, and you're not getting any 690 00:37:06,320 --> 00:37:08,360 of this money I worked for, and I will if 691 00:37:08,400 --> 00:37:10,599 you find me something, you can have a piece of it. 692 00:37:11,239 --> 00:37:14,000 But that's another thing about networking is you learn from 693 00:37:14,000 --> 00:37:17,920 each other. Yeah yeah, yeah, huge, huge part of it. Huge. 694 00:37:18,840 --> 00:37:19,039 Speaker 3: Yeah. 695 00:37:19,880 --> 00:37:25,079 Speaker 1: My sort of general operating principles when I'm trying to 696 00:37:25,639 --> 00:37:28,760 learn something is first go read everything I can on it, 697 00:37:28,920 --> 00:37:31,920 and then go find people who are already very good 698 00:37:32,000 --> 00:37:35,320 at it and try to learn as much from them 699 00:37:35,480 --> 00:37:36,800 as they will allow. 700 00:37:37,719 --> 00:37:38,719 Speaker 2: Oh. Absolutely. 701 00:37:38,960 --> 00:37:39,400 Speaker 3: In La. 702 00:37:39,840 --> 00:37:41,960 Speaker 2: A lot of my friends joke and call me the 703 00:37:42,400 --> 00:37:44,480 coffee Queen because I'll just ask people to go to 704 00:37:44,559 --> 00:37:48,400 coffee to ask some questions and I basically what you're saying, 705 00:37:48,480 --> 00:37:51,960 it's like I don't know everything, Like, yeah, can I 706 00:37:52,119 --> 00:37:52,840 ask for advice? 707 00:37:53,760 --> 00:37:54,480 Speaker 1: Yep, yep. 708 00:37:55,159 --> 00:37:55,360 Speaker 3: Yeah. 709 00:37:55,519 --> 00:37:59,920 Speaker 1: My attitude was always I'm always willing to take the meeting. 710 00:38:00,440 --> 00:38:03,440 I will go have a meeting with anybody, and ninety 711 00:38:03,519 --> 00:38:05,320 nine percent of them turn into nothing. 712 00:38:05,480 --> 00:38:08,800 Speaker 2: But you just never know what you know, Yeah, and 713 00:38:08,920 --> 00:38:12,440 sometimes it's just a really fun conversation. I think the 714 00:38:12,519 --> 00:38:15,440 way I treat networking is never what could you do 715 00:38:15,599 --> 00:38:18,119 for me? I've always like really prided myself in that 716 00:38:18,280 --> 00:38:20,079 of because it's happened to me. I've been at a 717 00:38:20,159 --> 00:38:23,360 party where I'm talking to someone and then they realize 718 00:38:23,440 --> 00:38:25,800 I can't I don't have a cool job, or I 719 00:38:25,840 --> 00:38:28,400 couldn't do anything for them, and then they look over 720 00:38:28,519 --> 00:38:33,280 my head to scare, oh, oh that's a chip on 721 00:38:33,320 --> 00:38:35,480 my shoulder. And I remember being like, I'll never do 722 00:38:35,679 --> 00:38:39,159 that to anybody. But the way I network, and it 723 00:38:39,239 --> 00:38:42,199 sounds like you're the same way is I go in 724 00:38:42,400 --> 00:38:46,320 like wanting to make a friend and having a great conversation, yeah, 725 00:38:46,440 --> 00:38:49,239 and yeah, maybe it doesn't lead to anything. And then 726 00:38:49,280 --> 00:38:54,239 now with the writing, I really want to demystify the industry, 727 00:38:54,280 --> 00:38:57,480 and so I told myself that if anyone ever asks 728 00:38:57,559 --> 00:39:00,119 me to coffee to pick my brain about it, I 729 00:39:00,199 --> 00:39:02,800 always say yes. I had a girl find me on 730 00:39:02,920 --> 00:39:05,800 LinkedIn and she was like, you've worked on all these 731 00:39:05,840 --> 00:39:09,239 shows as a writer's assistant, can I take you to coffee? 732 00:39:09,880 --> 00:39:12,760 Which when you're a writer, it's you never let anyone 733 00:39:12,800 --> 00:39:15,719 get you coffee. You always get the person who doesn't 734 00:39:15,760 --> 00:39:18,400 have the job coffee. It's a it's a nice thing 735 00:39:18,400 --> 00:39:20,280 where it's like, oh, I have I've have this, like 736 00:39:20,400 --> 00:39:22,840 a I have this cool job and I can afford it. 737 00:39:22,960 --> 00:39:25,039 Let me buy you coffee even though you've offered it 738 00:39:25,119 --> 00:39:27,920 to me. But yeah, I will, even at this podcast, 739 00:39:27,960 --> 00:39:29,800 if people want to reach out to me, I will 740 00:39:29,840 --> 00:39:33,599 always take that meeting and and give them any information. 741 00:39:33,719 --> 00:39:37,320 Speaker 1: I have perfect segue. So if people want to get 742 00:39:37,360 --> 00:39:39,639 a hold of you, what is the best way. 743 00:39:41,239 --> 00:39:44,639 Speaker 2: My email? My email's good or my my instagram is 744 00:39:44,920 --> 00:39:48,400 at Liz Reichel, which is l I z R e 745 00:39:48,559 --> 00:39:51,719 I c h E l T. Or my email is 746 00:39:52,320 --> 00:39:55,360 very similar, it's e R E I c h E 747 00:39:55,519 --> 00:39:58,960 l T twenty three at gmail dot com. Sometimes I'm 748 00:39:59,360 --> 00:40:03,079 bad at respons quickly, but I always respond. I always 749 00:40:03,119 --> 00:40:03,800 write to respond. 750 00:40:04,639 --> 00:40:08,679 Speaker 1: Okay, great, And just any advice for those want to 751 00:40:08,760 --> 00:40:11,320 be writers out there before we go. 752 00:40:12,039 --> 00:40:16,400 Speaker 2: Oh, of course, write a lot. People can't take that 753 00:40:16,519 --> 00:40:19,199 away from you. Try to write as much as you can. 754 00:40:19,519 --> 00:40:22,880 If people try to, you know, say that your perspective 755 00:40:23,000 --> 00:40:25,480 or your point of view is wrong. They're wrong. So right, 756 00:40:25,599 --> 00:40:27,360 the things you want to write, the genres you want 757 00:40:27,360 --> 00:40:30,840 to write, and really find a network of people that 758 00:40:31,000 --> 00:40:34,760 you can have writer meetings with, like where you can 759 00:40:34,840 --> 00:40:38,119 share work, people you can vent with, people you can 760 00:40:38,679 --> 00:40:41,000 go go watch a movie with and analyze it with. 761 00:40:41,519 --> 00:40:44,679 So write a lot and find a community. Great. 762 00:40:44,840 --> 00:40:47,079 Speaker 1: Well, there's a question I ask all my guests before 763 00:40:47,119 --> 00:40:51,199 we leave, and that is favorite restaurant in Las Vegas 764 00:40:51,320 --> 00:40:52,599 that is not in a case. 765 00:40:53,119 --> 00:40:56,159 Speaker 2: Oh my gosh, that's hard because my brain just went 766 00:40:56,239 --> 00:41:01,280 to a Malfie in Caesar's because I'm obsessed with it. Okay, okay, okay, 767 00:41:01,360 --> 00:41:05,039 you might have to edit out this pause. Where have 768 00:41:05,199 --> 00:41:08,039 I been? Oh, you know, there's a lot of really 769 00:41:08,119 --> 00:41:12,679 good Hawaiian barbecue here. I think there's one called Mobetta's, 770 00:41:13,079 --> 00:41:15,760 and I order a lot from it. It is cheap, 771 00:41:15,960 --> 00:41:22,159 it's so good. The chicken. Yeah, it's any Hawaiian barbecue, 772 00:41:22,159 --> 00:41:23,480 but that one I ordered from a lot? 773 00:41:24,239 --> 00:41:29,480 Speaker 1: Uh huh, Okay, I will This question is completely selfish 774 00:41:29,519 --> 00:41:32,519 because I'm always looking for new places to go eat. 775 00:41:32,679 --> 00:41:35,079 Speaker 2: So oh, and and the pizza place that you and 776 00:41:35,159 --> 00:41:37,800 I went to that was a recommendation. I forget the 777 00:41:37,880 --> 00:41:38,239 name of it. 778 00:41:38,440 --> 00:41:40,639 Speaker 1: That's oh, a more taste of Chicago. 779 00:41:41,440 --> 00:41:44,400 Speaker 2: No, not that it was. Wasn't it something zero? It 780 00:41:44,519 --> 00:41:45,320 was in Chinatown? 781 00:41:46,159 --> 00:41:48,719 Speaker 1: Oh oh yes, yes, yes that yeah, I think it 782 00:41:48,840 --> 00:41:49,800 was called Pizza zero. 783 00:41:50,559 --> 00:41:54,559 Speaker 2: Yeah, that thing from a friend of ours recommended it. 784 00:41:54,719 --> 00:41:56,960 But that pizza place was so great. Yeah. And then 785 00:41:57,280 --> 00:41:59,760 Mobeta is if you want Hawaiian barbecue, it's very good. 786 00:42:00,480 --> 00:42:00,679 Speaker 3: Yeah. 787 00:42:01,039 --> 00:42:02,840 Speaker 1: All right, Well, I'm going to thank you for doing 788 00:42:02,920 --> 00:42:06,000 this and and that's it. Any final thoughts. 789 00:42:06,519 --> 00:42:09,039 Speaker 2: This was so fun, Thank you for having me on it. 790 00:42:09,199 --> 00:42:11,239 And everyone should listen to this podcast. 791 00:42:12,880 --> 00:42:15,920 Speaker 1: Well if they heard you say that, they already are 792 00:42:16,119 --> 00:42:19,480 so exactly in that case, recommended to a friend. 793 00:42:19,679 --> 00:42:23,519 Speaker 2: The recommend it to a friend. Even your dentist, your therapist, 794 00:42:23,639 --> 00:42:24,679 recommended to somebody. 795 00:42:25,480 --> 00:42:28,360 Speaker 1: There you go, all right, we'll see you next time, everybody. 796 00:42:29,840 --> 00:42:34,440 Speaker 2: Free audio post production by alphonic dot Com.