And That's What You REALLY MissedEric Stoltz is known as an actor’s director from his time on Glee… but it wasn’t always that way. Find out what his special rules were and how the different cast members reacted to them including one who uttered the words ”Stoltz what the hell is this?!”
Plus, the BTS of an iconic moment and why the alcohol really was to blame while filming “Blame it on the Alcohol.”
And that's what you really missed with Jenna.
And Kevin an iHeartRadio podcast.
Welcome to and that's where you really miss podcasts. We have an extra very extra very extra very special Guess.
Wow, that was the most special intro thus far, and I think deserved well. It is the one and only Eric Stoltz actor and director extraordinaire. He directed twelve episodes of Glee. By the end of it so much.
So many episodes? Was that the most anybody directed? Maybe maybe fat Track, I don't know, but close close.
Yeah, he's up there for sure, and like we fought for him to keep coming back, not that we had to, but like we'd let it be known that we loved him.
Yeah, anytime Ryan came around, we'd be like, we love Eericiodes and he would kind of be like, why do you love so much? And not that I think he was like had disdain over it, but I think he was just genuinely curious because, like you said, we never did that and the people heard because he was there. He was there for that whole journey and we are better for it. So here, Eric stalts.
Yeah, she's in a suit?
What my friends? Wow?
Oh god, I haven't.
Seen you in over a decade.
My eyes are watering. I have to say. No one has made me feel this way. We talk about how much we love you, and here it is. It's happening right now. I have goosebumps. I'm sweating.
Oh it's good to see you.
It's so good to see you, guys.
Oh my god, oh my god, so much to catch up.
Thank you so much. I know you're busy. Thank you so much for one just like stopping by to chat a little bit.
First of all, who's busy? There's a strike going well, I don't.
Know you know the world everybody else I see.
Yeah, I assume you're busy. You should be busy. I want you to be directing and acting and everything always.
So you're very kind.
I did watch I did watch all of your directing in Madame Sack, which we absolutely love, love love.
So oh I'm so glad.
No, it's wonderful. I always we even started rewatching it.
Wow, it's a lot of watching.
It is a lot of watching, but it's really great. It's really good TV. I think, thank you.
I rewatched the first two seasons of Glee in preparation with this. I had to stop.
What that's a lot of Yeah.
Well I hadn't seen the show. I mean, I you know, when Corey died, I couldn't. Yeah, I just couldn't. And it's been ten years, and I have so many, so many fond memories of it that I wanted to I wanted to catch up with it as much as is Well, I could not do all the ones that I directed because there were just too many.
And he's like, do I need to watch all twelve episodes? You no know?
No, no, so many episodes. Well, it's really good to see you.
Good to see you guys all grown up and beautiful. It's so nice to see.
Oh. Thanks, we're trying trying.
Yeah, we're four adults. We were still assholes like when you met us.
But that's just not true.
Well, we have the wonderful Eric Stilts. Let's talk about all the good things and all the good memories. We talked about you a lot on this podcast because we have so many fond memories. He became one of our favorite directors, if not our favorite director, for many many reasons. But you started as an actor, and I'm just interested. I don't think we ever. I don't know if there was time to ever know when you transition from actor to director or what made you get into directing, and because obviously you are an actor's director, and that's why we loved you so much. So I'm just curious about that transition before we get into the Glee stuff.
Gosh, I got into it in a very roundabout way. I was annoyed at how I was being treated as an actor by people whose job it was to treat me that way. It was sort of spawning. And people are hired to serve you in every way when you're doing a big film anyway, certainly not an independent film, and bringing your clothes and bringing your food and wake you up and take you home and treat you as though you are not quite a human. And I began to bristle with that. So I thought, I love I love the business, and I love what I do. Maybe there's something else that would intrigue me. So a friend of mine, Cameron Crow, was making his very first film, Say Anything Wow. And I had introduced him to my favorite ad Jerry Zizmer, who did Apocalypse Now, among other things, in a podcast. Now he's the one who said with extreme prejudice, and so Cameron hired Jerry, and he also hired Laslo Kovacs, who I'd worked with on Mask. So I realized this, and Polly Platt was the producer who's the genius. And I realized, all these people that I loved are making this film. So I asked Cameron if I could be a PA on it Wow, and he said sure, sure, man. So I was a PA, and I also played a small part and say anything, but I was a PA. And I found that I really enjoyed being on the other side of the camera, and I really enjoyed not caring how I looked, and I really enjoyed watching how the actors interact. I mean, Cameron is fantastic with actors. He's he's touched by genius. And it was a real education. So I paid on a couple more films, and then I started producing some independent films and then on What I had one experience for the director, the director pitched a fit. I'm looking around as if he's in the room with it. Heed me walk off the set and he insulted the crew. And I was producing it. I thought, we can't we can't lose this day. We're losing the light, We're losing the money. So I stepped in and I said, Okay, here's what we're gonna do. We're gonna put the camera over here, We're gonna come over here, and I talked to the actors and at the end of the day, I thought, I really like that, and it never really occurred to me before. So then I started doing some short films and some television, and then I just started direct I started bartering my acting for directing fair enough, which you know, you gotta do what you gotta do.
You're good at both, which is crazy. You know, it's hard to be good at one of them, and you just happened to be very good at both things. Makes a lot of sense though, Like people can hear you talk like you're so nice, you're thoughtful, you really care about and that's you know, our experience with you too, is like the care you take in each conversation, each set up with the crew, actors, whoever it is.
All the extras loved you the most because you gave them direction, you gave them intention, you gave them action like that. I think they were startled when a director was talking to them, because that doesn't happen very often on set at least the ones that I've been on, and so I thought I was watching the episode. I think it was Duets, and I was watching it recently, and I was like, there are so many kids in this hallway. This looks like high school. And I was like, Eric directed this, yes, and some.
Of them are kissing. Yes. Yeah. I maybe doing Harry Kiss a lot.
A lot. It was in the world Blame It on.
The alcohol, You guys were.
Just so many memories of you being like, Okay, you're gonna kiss.
I watched Blame It on the Alcohol before this, and I was like, Heather and I are making out the entirety of the song. I was like, Eric starts at it again.
I know my strength would have a field day with that. But it was fun.
It was a lot of fun.
I couldn't complain so much fun with you guys.
When you came into the show. Did you feel prepared for a musical TV show?
I did. I mean, I mean I did, because I grew up doing musical I felt like, you know, I listened to your podcast and I have to agree that I Ryan with Ryan. I felt like I was part of every one of you guys, like I was that part of Ardi part of Dina and that part of Cory, and I felt like I was a theater kid who was also in the orchestra of the band, of the jazz band. I did all the musicals. I think by the time I got to college, I'd done forty two plays and musicals, and some of them with Dante di Loretto.
No way, what that's right.
I grew up with Dante in Santa Barbara, California.
I don't think I knew that.
I don't know if I knew that either.
Oh wow, okay, okay, it's.
True, although although I don't believe Dante is the one that it brought me. Oh No, Dante did bring me to Glee. But I had met Ryan through I was in Shondaland. I was doing Gray's Anatomy's and Private Practice, and there was a fantastic nurse on it named Linda Kleine.
Yes, Harry just talked about her.
Oh my god, just the biggest hoot in the world. And I'd come in and say, good morning, how are you? Said, I was on Booth Weekend with Ryan Murphy. You gotta meet him. You're gonna love this guy. He's doing niptok And I said oh great, okay, yeah, I meet him and Linda set up a meeting no with Ryan, we.
Have to I guess she keeps getting mentioned. She's fantastic. Had a meeting with Ryan.
I had to meet with Ryan, and I remember they walked me in to a large conference room with large chamber, and I was sitting at one end, and then Ryan came in and sat at the other end, and she had looked at me for a while because I think he likes, you know, making people a little uncomfortable, which is fun. And then he kind of went, so, what's your favorite movie? And I immediately like thought, I think, I asked him it from the forties, fifties, sixties, and seventies foreign American. I am, I have these lists in my head of films that I love and Ryan said, minds Network and I said, oh, damn it because Network was one of my favorite movies too. But I can't say it after because then you seem like a sycophantic, you know, right. So, but the meeting went well and he hired me on Nip Tuk, which was difficult show. It was in the the last few years of the show. But I had a decent time and I met Chris Sioffa, who went on to be the DP at Glee and I'll never forget. I was setting up a shot on Nip Tuck and said, I want the camera to sort of drift behind and around on this line, and the crew sort of looked at and Chris came out of me.
Said why, it's a very good impression.
And I said, well, because this is a shift, a dramatic shift in the scene. This is the point where it becomes a little more intimate, and I want the camera to sort of move and help. Finally goes oh okay, And later on I told that story he said, yeah, I was kind of a dick, and I no, no, no, I totally understand it, because when you come on as a guest director, you are literally coming into someone's home having dinner with them, and you can't be saying I don't like this food, bring me something else. You have to sort of say, what have you to offer and how can I help? So I met a lot of the crew from Glee on that, and I came onto your show.
We've had a lot of actors on here, and actors who weren't necessarily regulars but were there a lot and the difficulty of when you're stepping in to do a scene here, a scene there, how hard that is and sort of sounds like when you're coming in to be a guest director, where it's like, yeah, I can't come into the kitchen and tell you how to cook this. What are sort of the places where you can, though, you know, scoot your elbows out and have little freedom to because you every director that came in had a different technique, had a different style, and you threw in shots and you even like threw in some little story moments that weren't even in the script and you managed to get them in there and they were great. How how do you go about sort of finessing that and doing that when you are especially if it's your first or second episode, right.
Well, what a good question, that's it. I always found the best way to work was to and and Glee was kind of wide open. That way is to do it as written and make sure we got it as written, and then come to you and say, hey, why don't you try this, or is there something you want to try or wouldn't it be fun if and then shoot that as well. And then I would watch all the dailies. I would like forty four hours watching dailies and I go through to Kevin sneezed don tape free. I love that and I give it. I remember I would send I think the first episode I sent my editor in post production thirty nine pages of notes on which takes I thought had the best performances. And it probably wasn't the Yeah they hate you or do it a gracious way. I don't think they knew what to make of me, and I I probably should not have done that, and I later apologized to them because it's it is a little rude, but I was so passionate about what you guys were doing and what was what was coming out in the story and the music, and it all came from a good place. It wasn't you know, I'm the director and I know what's best. It was wouldn't it be great?
Right?
You did? I mean, because having been a fan of your acting work for forever and also the first time my family ever was impressed of like who I was working with. My brothers was like you working with Eric Stoltz. Yeah, I was like, this is the first time you showed any interest in gleaning and so coming onto a set knowing that you're working with an actor is very intimidating, especially one that you respect as much as like we all respect you, and you could it was that thing that you just described where we'd get to the last take and you'd be like, we got it already, we're done. Do now whatever you want, or you would like throw in a word or two. And for some reason, that ability to or that permission was so liberating, and we didn't know that was an option. Wait, we can do this trying yes, And really, for somehow, you know, got rid of all of that intimidation because you just wanted to allow us to play, allow everyone to just play. And we trusted you because you spoke to us differently, and the way you ran a set was different and also intimidating, which we should talk about because it was great, but it challenged us in all these wonderful ways. And actually, let's talk about that. You had some rules no sides on set.
Well, Eric showed up in a suit and we were like, who's this guy?
Because Eric was there before, not in a suit, when we were not shooting, and then we shoot and he's in it. Yeah, it's been great.
He's serious, but then our first day on set. I remember no sides on set and we're like, who's this guy?
Who is this?
Who is this guy?
No?
And it was it was driving because as all the other directors that had come in, everybody had some caliber directorial work. Who they know how to approach a TV show that has been on for at least a season or two. Now that you're coming into somebody's health house, but also getting things done with confidence and with you know, making your days most of the time. But you it was like, who's made this guy making all these rules and who does he.
Think he is?
But it was really exciting because it was new for us. It kind of like we were slumped in our chairs and it like made us sit up in our chairs a little bit. And that was exciting to me because it was like somebody who actually cares somebody totally different. There's this absolutely different strategy going on and everybody's eyes are wide open, and it was really exciting. Talked us about, Yeah, tell me about like when that rule came in place.
Well, I don't know if you remember, but I was sort of hanging around your set for a couple episodes before we started do as because I wanted to get the lay of the land. I wanted to sort of see how the crew worked with you, how you worked with the crew, And I introduced myself to each of you, saying, I am your next director. How do you like to work, do you like to rehearse? Do you like to shoot the rehearsal? What is missing? Or what would you like or what did you feel your character needs that hasn't been given to you, that kind of stuff, And so I and I realized you were having a blast on that show, and I thought, I'm gonna have fun too. But I also I've always felt like unless you know the lines, you can't really go off of them, you can't really expand you can't really bring yourself to it because you're struggling to figure out what the lines are, as opposed to I know what my lines are, and I know what my intention is, and I have feelings about this and that it's kind of freeing. So I thought i'd try, and I remember I did that, and literally within an hour, Dante came down from the from the his offices, which I found out later didn't happen that often, and he pulled me aside, said, what are you doing. I said, what do you mean? He said, you take away their sides. What are you doing? And I said, yeah, I did. I think it's I think it'll be good. I think it'll be good for the show. And he says, are you sure, because you know some people are pissed off about it? And I said, just give me a day or two and and we'll see. But uh, and there were some you guys, some of you guys are a little grumpy about it. And I understand because you know, you get you find your ways to work and it's comfortable for you. But I do think that it paid off because then when we got to episodes like Blame It on the Alcohol, which were just chaos and just you know, the improvisational, wacky, you know stuff, you were able to come to play.
Yeah, that's right, that's right.
So was this the first time you've ever done that on a show?
Well? No, no, no, I had done it. I had done a TV movie with mainly kids, I mean Katerina SCARSONI I think it's nineteen and Alison mac And I said, you know, no signs on set MM, because you know you have limited time. I want you guys to come ready to do your best, and I think it's hard to do your best when you're sort.
Of you know, yeah, fair you laid the land for us though. For sure in terms of.
The ripples that's sent through base camp, we got that note we're in hair and makeup.
Yeah, I think nay I came up to me and say, Stills, what the hell is this? Like, she's like right in my face. Also try it.
She doesn't need signe. That's the problem that she photogram. So I don't know what she's all upset about now. But you you made our days. You shot, you know, your takes were shoot the rehearsal to three takes. We got it move on And that was new for us too. A lot of the time we were doing five, six, seven takes of each, you know, a setup and and so there was something like refreshing about it. And you came prepared and all your notes and your binder and everything was printed out, and we always felt like he cared so much. So it raised the bar for us because number one, we really had to know our lines. Number two, number two, we you were giving everything so much focus that when we came onto set, it made us kind of like strap up our boots a little bit and get to work, which in a fun way though, like we still had a lot of fun.
So we oh, you know, I do remember the first couple of days, and particularly I remember Leah and Corey.
Were a little mistrustful and stand offish, and it made me think, you know, I don't know. Well, no, I figured it out. I mean, you guys had been through, like we made a pilot. We're usually famous. Everybody wants something from us, yes, And I remember I was giving a direction like if you're the camera, I was talking to Corey, I'm Corey, and Corey was given the line like, hey, doing this, and I said, it's really Notice the intention is great, but when you go like this and the camera's here, I can't use it. If you limit your range of motion to just this, then I see both eyes and I'm more likely to use the reaction. And they said, oh okay, And then they would try it and they'd say, yeah, that kind of makes sense. So they realized I wasn't just trying to con troll their performance, you know, but yeah, enhance them.
I mean that was sort of the beauty, though, of your communication, is that you would communicate those things to us that had never been communicated to us.
See that's the thing that the thing like, don't tell the actors the truth. Yeah, don't don't let the actors make a decision other than lunch, you know, bring them what they want, infantalize the actors. And I found that, Uh, it didn't sit well with me as an actor. So I always thought, we want to direct, and I'll just tell you the truth, right, here's what we need.
And must must want that.
Yeah, it goes a long way because I remember too, like explaining to people, you know, like at the time Lindsay Lohan was having a rough go of it publicly, right, You had to understand when you're on a set, you are catered to in every possible way. When we're doing a musical number, there are multi people dabbing off our brow from any sweat, we have fans, we have people bringing a site like you know, we have full teams like we don't. We're basically getting lifted and carried onto the set. And so when you get taken away from that, it's you can see how it could be hard for people to adjust to not being in that yeah, all the time. And when you do have somebody on set, who is in charge, Like a director being honest with you, It goes a very long way because that's all you want. It's like, yeah, just tell me we need to do I'm going to do it.
Yeah, that's most people. Most people just want to hear the truth, not and you can all I remember when I was acting, you can just always tell when a director is coming at you with some sort of bullshit, like, you know, wouldn't it be good if you stood up on this word? And my immediate reaction was like backleg No, why that's instinct, you know, as opposed to I would come up you guys, say at some point, you need to get to the door, right, because that's got to be the last shot on scene, because it says you exit and I'm into the next shot. So let's figure out when that is. Show me what feels right to you, and we'll shoot it. So I would figure out how I needed to get in and out of scenes, the transitions from one scene to another, and I would tell you guys, like I'm going to start on the door knob and then pull back and then let's see what happens and we'll cover it. And then the ending has to be you go out shoes office. So you guys were really helpful figuring out the meat of the scene. I had this sort of you know, intros and outros, and you guys had a fair amount of freedom within that.
Speaking of introts, an actress, do you remember, I can't remember what season it was, but you started directing back to back episodes and it was very rare that any director should should have to do that ever, because that's so difficult. You have no time to prep. You're prepping while you're directing, if you're prepping at all. But I remember that happening. Do you remember that?
Nope, it was I must.
It might have been a prom episode, or it might have been a finale. I can't remember. All I remember is you being like, We're just going to do it. We're here, I'm just going to do it. I was like, wait, I do remember.
There was one season opener I did. I can't.
It was Purple Piano Project.
Oh three, yeah, three, And it was I was told after as by Leo Bauer or Genius A d that it was my first episode, that it was done in eight days.
What see? This is my point. I've always said we were always scheduled. People ask how many days it takes to shoot an episode, like, well, we were always scheduled for eight days, but never did we ever make that except for.
It was hard too because and I understand it, you know. I remember we were doing one giant tap dance number with Chris Kolfer and everybody, and you know, we would show Ryan the numbers before we shot them, and Ryan came in and he sat down and we did the whole number. And I turned to Ryan, and Ryan said, I hate it. Let's wrap. We're doing it over and I said, oh my god, okay, and Leo Kimelmer said, I don't worry about it. It is what it is, this happens. Yes, we'll do it on another day. Get them back to the shed with Zach and Brooke, and I was I tried not to take it personally, but you can't take anything personally, and you know it's all subjective. But things like that would happen for the better of the show, by the way, you know, most shows didn't have an overlord would come down and say that really works or what are you thinking? No, start from this. I don't care if it costs money, I don't care if it costs time. We wanted to make it the best thing possible.
It did suck too, because we'd have to that would happen, and we like, damn it, we have to go back and do this. But he was unfortunately always right yeah about those things, like damn he was.
Yeah, the really tough part was going back to that bloody cheated shd that that or Zack and Brook where you guys had to rehearse.
Until he moved to the Powerhouse. The Powerhouse that was a magical place. There was I don't remember which season it was, but you we were sitting on this one of the smaller stages. I think we were shooting in the library or we had like a mini cafeteria set up thing. It was like a little like one room thing and you were talking. You're like, I just wish like this character would do this because this is what happens and you but this is how you would think, and you were, you know, verbalizing it, and I was like, damn, how do we get him to be a writer on the show, because like, seeing how much you cared. You were talking to one of the other writers as well, so must have been you know, season three and beyond and there were great ideas. And that started with duets. When you had like Heather show up to to like do the meatball push with her nose. That was like, yeah, breadsticks. And since then.
We're like, yeah, he's got like great ideas for Tina and Artie and Finn and Rachel.
Like could he just write it?
And I remember thinking, because we had done it a couple times for things, we're like we had harry on recently and we talked about how he and I sort of incepted Ryan to get the Michael Jackson songs we wanted, and I remember trying to plot how we could get you. I didn't even know if you were interested in writing. I didn't know if you were a writer. I was like, but we need him in there. I was like, he goes home and is thinking about what these characters are doing in the future, and he's right, and I need him to get some pens and paper and do this for us.
Well, that's very sweet. I know I'm not a writer, and I'm I wasn't interested in it, but I would. In fact, I have a place in New Mexico that has some cows and things, and I remember so clearly walking with a script through the cows and saying to myself, if I was a gay high school cheerleader, how would I feel if I was rejected by my lover and I'd sort of acted out, I mean, with the script in my head. The cows were very entertains, riveted, patient by it. But you know, a grown man's sort of why was a teenage girl cheerleader? How would I deal with this? Which is silly, but I was very invested. I just I love you guys, and I love the stories. And by the way, I heard your podcast on duets, and I have to say that the nudging of the meat ball I remember quite clearly. I had asked Heather, did we bring Heather in?
Yes?
And there was a bit of an uproak because she wasn't in the script and there was nothing written for her, and she'd had a long day or something, I can't remember what, but I said begged, and she brought her in and I did the shot and I came over and she wasn't nudging the meatball. And Kenneth Silverstein, do you remember Kenneth the function manager. He was standing there because he was a little you know, he was kind of in charge of the money in the hours, and he sort of sidled up to me. He said, why don't you have her nudge the meatball? And I said, can I do that? And he said, she's here, and so we had the take where she doesn't nudge the meatball, and then we had her nudge the meatball. Oh, I cut it in And I thanked Kenneth for that because what that did was that opened up a little door for me where I thought, I can try things and I can cut them in and if they don't work, they'll say what the hell are you doing? That's about? But if they if they do work. Like my favorite moment I think of the whole run of Glee, was you Kevin in that pool scene going into the pool in your wheelchair. Was like, you can't do that. He's in a wheelchair. You can't do that.
Like done everything else, So yes we can. Let's we have to talk about this, do you know? Because I'm like terminally online, I'm on Twitter all the time.
How in the past like two years, the gift of me being pushed into the wheelchair has become such a viral thing. I get asked about it more than anything. People bring it up to me all the time. I get sent it on Twitter several times a week, or on TikTok or on Instagram, and when it happened. I remember when it aired, like I was really excited for it personally, but you know, it happened, the episode aired, whatever, we moved on, and then all of a sudden, there's been this like re emergence of this one little clip and I'm like, yes, finally, because I remember, like you said, you know, if we do everything as scripted, and we did, and then you walk up to me because everyone was sort of talking if I remember this correctly, and you can, but I think we were all sort of joking about it the entire time, like I need to get in the pool. While in the pool, and I remember like Leah and All was like shouting like push this, yeah, just get him in the pool. And then you came up to me and like whisper to me, Hey, so like we got it, We're done. I want to do one more. How are you with being pushed into the pool. I was like, push my ass in the pool, please, and not no ear in years did I ever think it actually get cut in? Like I didn't think it would make the edit, and I think we ended up doing it twice or something. But I was so happy because also, if any director was going to be like, yeah, let's try it, it would have been you. And it's become such a random Is that how that happened? Is my memory correct?
Your memory is correct. I think the idea happened on the day and it didn't make any sense because everyone was diving in and you would just sort of roll by and it looks kind of weak. And then I remember I pitched it to the team. You always got to pitch it sort of your AD and your DP, and they all said, oh hell no, right, no, you got to get a stuntman. You don't have permission. What Ifrian doesn't like it. I mean all these reasons, I said, those are all really good reasons. But I just think it'll be good. And I had sort of a I had done a movie in a wheelchair. I think I told you this my worth together. I did a sun Dance film called The Water Dance with Helen Hunt and I was playing a quad and one of the fellows who wrote and directed that, Neil Jimenez, who sadly just died, was in a chair. The whole time, and so I stayed in my chair the whole time, and he would give me these books like he Won't get far on foot, and these really sort of darkly funny, weird takes on being in a wheelchair. And he said, we just hate it when anyone pities us or tries to take the chair. I mean, he would taught me through it. And so I thought, this is something that already can do. It's like a giant finger to the world. Yeah, And it makes total sense because it's it's not it's not a pitying thing. It's a joyful, crazy act that a teenager would do.
I also that reminds me that he came up to me and you're like, they don't want to do that. He told me that, But you're like, I told I think it was Andrew, and you're like, I'm going to have Andrew's day on you.
And Andrew will get it. Andrew would definitely get it.
Oh, I got you a partner in crime.
Yeah, because I was like, if we have one take, like, I need to throw my body into this water.
And you know what, it was kind of foolish because you could have hurt yourself. You could have heard yourself that wheelchair could have snapped your neck. You don't know, and it is always better to plan things and discuss it with stunt coordinators and the official But every once in a while, you just got to say, hey.
What the hell is it pretty safe? Like I was going into the water. There wasn't a lot of risk in that one, Like it was true.
That's true. But now that I have back then, I was just a director saying how can we make this episode sing? Now I've sort of been producing shows, and I think if you did that to me, that's kind of a liable You're opening yourself up to a lot of a lot of questions. So but I would enlist you guys. You guys would do anything, which is fantastic I mean.
For you specifically for you.
Yeah, well, I think you do anything because you were enormously talented and at that point free enough to say, why don't we try that? Why don't we?
Yeah?
Why not?
Yeah?
It is a great place to approach acting.
When you came on the beginning of season two for Duets, we were probably pretty well behaved, yeah, mostly, And then when blaming on the alcohol your next episode, I think, right, was that your next episode? Yes, how was that? I remember because that episode was written sort of as a telling off of us in real life, because we got caught coming back from lunch a little under the influence, some of us more than others. And so when we did that episode, you were very adamant, obviously about nobody actually drink. We're not going method, and you taught us this technique of you know, spinning around in circles adah and then and then.
Start trying to stand still.
Yes, which was great, But I don't know if I do know that not everybody followed that, you know, how was that experience comparatively?
It's interesting because I felt like in watching the season two h for me, I felt like I was being tested, maybe unintentionally because you never know how the scripts are written. But I mean, Duet's was obviously an intimate, sort of relational about you know, Kurt rejected, Arty is rejected. It's about love that isn't working out. And there were two guest stars and they each had a line. You know, I think the librarian went shush to to do you and Mike, and there was Jonathan Wolf in the cafeteria where Santana comes in and says she's just using you already. Everyone slept with her, hey you hey kid, and this guy turns around, Jonath Wilma says, oh, yeah, I slept with her. Those are the only two guest stars. So I think, you know, I was the new director. I thought, okay, Duet's was probably the easiest production wise episode. Let's try the new guy out on that. And then when we had a good time and it worked, they might have said, oh, let's give him the most crazy, anarchic, chaotic episode, depending on the alcohol and see what happens. And luckily, I mean Ian had written all three of these, so I was I was triple blessed with that. And you guys were maniacs, main alcohol maniacs, maniacs.
But I loved it.
I loved it. I just kept shooting, and the ones that were drunk or drinking, I said, well, let's just keep shooting. Do it again, let's go back, We'll keep shooting and get a real close on his face. And it was, you know, like the crew was sort of at that party.
Too, yes, and that so that's my favorite episode. Has always been my favorite episode. It is because because it's so different, like we're never going to go to a house party. It really was teens being teens outside of school.
For them, it's such a mixed message to the adults are getting drunk absolutely so they may want to. They may have wanted to have taught you a lesson, but the lesson was like this weird double edged sword, like it's fun, but you shouldn't do it, but we do it, but don't right.
And we talked to about how like we never really got to improv that much on the show. Oh but yeah with you, and I remember that was probably like the most like you said, chaotic thing, because I remember us having a pow wow, I think sort of in the middle that day, like okay, what is everybody's thing? Like what are because we had talked about with the writers about the different drunk types and who would be funny to see in each type of thing, and you really like encouraged us to just really go for it and play and like set up these things on the day as we're in rehearsal, like what if you guys were over here and what if you guys said this, what does that look like? And having the freedom in that situation to really just be pure maniacs. I think probably why it's my That's probably why it's my favorite episode because we felt like we were also at a party the entire day and sitting there.
And by the way, you would do anything like what if Heather did a backflip and then you did blow on her belly? Just like what I don't think the blow made the final but no, Heather, the back flip, like, what is happening over there? Get away real quick? Yeah?
The daily from that, but the must be nuts nuts?
Oh they are.
I watched them all.
Guess you did.
Do you have a favorite episode that you directed?
Well, you know, like I said, I only watched the first couple of seasons, so I didn't. I didn't get how dare you? But I'd say, you know, I would say I did love prom just because you know a musical number that ends in people puking. Oh no, that was that was blaming on the alcohol. Prom. Oh prom was the one that entited dance.
With the prom Queen dancing, hurt dancing, Queen dancing Queen right, that was park. I loved them jar Parks.
Did you just multiple proms? I feel like, yeah, you got. I think like how Brad Beeker got stuck with all the competitions.
You got got practical dances, Yeah, it was that Heather pro Dinosaurs.
I got that. Yeah, weird.
Those were so much fun, fun because Eric, Yeah, you made them really fun.
And I think I rented a pale blue prompt suit.
Yes, you did one of them.
Yes, I remember that because the crew and one of them a crew dressed up too, like everybody problem Joey Patrick.
Yeah, Andrew, Yes, everybody got dressed up.
It was a you know, it was a problem.
It was a prom and it was that show as hard as it was to do overall, as hard as it was to do, and as much of a strain as it was on everybody, particularly you guys. I mean at that point, I think you had just gotten back from touring in between seasons, so you were wiped out starting a season, which is insane, right, But there really was a feeling like we just loved what we were doing, you know, and and all your your characters. It meant a lot. I mean, I went to high school at a time in the seventies where one of my best friends, Scotti Durnovich, just gayer than you can imagine. In the seventies before it was cool, and I remember we were walking outside the gym at school or something, and I was a tiny, loud and obnoxious kid and some jocks walked by and said, hey, fag and they like punched it. And I remember like that feeling of oh my god, and he was like, it's okay, it happens. I was shocked, because, you know, we would do plays together in the theater world, the music world. We love everybody. It's like the Dyscapellian church. You know, hey, you're straight a woman, you're a man, what are you? Who cares?
We love it.
And to have seen that happen growing up in a school situation, and then to come around and be able to work with you guys on a show that is probably the most inclusive, open, helpful show for kids who are struggling to perhaps come out in a place that is not welcoming or caring or loving, it meant something, you know, and it was. It sounds ridiculous to say important, but I think the fact of it mattered. And I should love those curtain bird scenes too, because of the best Father's sons and Michael Mathews, Michael, Chris Colper. Truly, Mike was a beast and Chris, you know, Chris was a guy. I think I owe an apology to Chris because I felt like my job as a director was to sort of connect with each of you and get you guys to try stuff that I thought you might have in you. And that's a bit egotistical, and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. And I tried some things with Chris and I remember him looking at me like what no, And I'm just said, come on, man, let's just try it. And I was insistent, and I didn't need to be because his instincts were oh my god, oh my god, that man's instincts or that boy at the time. And I don't think I used a single take of me directing him. It was always go back to Chris's first couple of takes, go back to what he how he saw it, because he was touched.
Yeah, not unbelievable, undoubtedly so, and the two of them together like just yeah fire. Michael Malley, Michae O'Malley. He was always like a like a parent said to us. He always gave words of advice. He always loved to be nice to everybody. Be nice to everybody, Be be kind to the people you work with. No, they're learn their names, and it really it hit. He's like invest in real estate, don't blow your money. Just a really smart guy with the best tickbits of advice for new, young successful actors that I never ever.
Forgot, like on an acting and getting to watch him like rehearse the scene. Yeah, was also like you Eric, Yeah, thought deeply came in prepared. I had ideas, wanted to really make sure every emotional beat was going to be hit. And yeah, like a.
Racehorse he was. He was ready to and he was so good. Oh my god, And I'm glad to hear that he gave that advice to you guys, because I will never forget. I think it was season four or five Mark and I think it was cored and I think it was Corey came up to me in between setups, so we were waiting around and said, hey, man, you got any No, they didn't start with the advice. They said, it's my birthday. One of them was having a birthday. It's my birthday next month. Hey, stults, what do you think I should do for my birthday? Do you think I should rent a plane with for fifty my friends would fly to Vegas for the weekend, or do you think we should rent a yacht and do this and that, and they were all happy and excited, like what did we do with our money in our fame? And I looked at them and I was I was in drunky mood. I thought, I said, you want my honest answer, here's what you should do. You should take that money and get in therapy and buy a house, a small house that you can keep forever, because it's not always going to be like this. And I remember they looked at me like I shot their dog looked at me like, oh, stones down, getting it away from him. But it is good advice.
Home therapy and homes.
Very those were the three wrong guys to be talking.
To you, that's right at that point time.
Mark, Corey and.
Yeah, there was no talking about that.
No, No, they definitely probably Vegas. What before we let you go? Which is so sad. What feeling does Glee leave you with?
Well, I tell you I watched. When I got to duets, I wept. I wept because you were all so so beautiful and talented and and it was such a lovely experience. And then I wept for Nya and Corey m and even Mark. You know, Mark was yeah, a piece of work and he wasn't easy.
But yeah, yeah, it's a sort of a sad loveliness that I look at that that time because I so loved you guys.
I just you know, I cherished being able to get get there with you and do what I did. Yeah, I mean, I haven't watched the rest of the seasons.
Yeah, there really were.
The feeling I can say I can speak for all of us is very mutual. We felt that from you. We're still obsessed with you. Yeah, you're not going to get rid of us that easily.
Ok.
Yeah, well, thanks for taking your time to prepare for this podcast number one. Refresh your memory, always prepared, hang out with us, share your feelings. Yeah, Like I just echo Kevin, like anytime you were coming on, we knew we saw stilts on the roster and be like, oh, like a breath, like a sigh relief and such a joy and always just kind of like picked us up and back out of our choir slump. So thank you.
It is true. And I don't know if you knew that where you know, we could get into the the rut of the process of the exhaustion of it all, and there absolutely was an injection of you know, positivity, and absolutely picked us back up and injected us with some energy.
That's right.
No, I'm glad, I'm glad. I mean, look, you guys didn't really need any help with the energy department.
I could now, I mean I do now.
We all grow older. But at that point, literally like you had toured all summer and you were making another twenty two episodes and you were partying in the on the weekends. It was you guys. Correct, You guys are living the dream we were.
We really did.
Yeah we did.
I wonder I don't want to leave my house over.
Yeah we did it all.
I didn't.
Yeah, I did it.
No need truly, we've done it. We've seen it all.
No fomo.
Well, thanks Eric. We we love you and adore you.
Thank you, I love you right there.
Thanks for spending so much time with us, and so good to.
See you you too.
He hasn't changed a bit. I mean he's I'm sure he's evolved, but he hasn't changed at all.
No, in all the great ways, he's the same and just wonderful, caring and so prepared.
Always so prepared, more prepared than we are for this podcast.
Yeah, so you know, going forward, when you're rewatching the show with us, just pay attention to who's directing and you'll see it's a little more loose around the edges with us. I think when Stultz is directing, that's right, that's totally great and a great way.
Well, thanks Stoltz for coming on. We really if you couldn't tell by the episode, you guys, we really loved Erek being one of our directors. And that's that's this week's episode.
So that's what you really missed.
See you next week.
Thanks for listening, and follow us on Instagram at and that's what you really miss pod. Make sure to write us a review and leave us five stars. See you next time.
