Clean

A Conversation with Luvh Rakhe

Published Apr 25, 2022, 10:00 AM

Welcome back to our show! The gang is joined by accomplished writer and producer, Luvh Rakhe. You know his work from Dave and It's Always Sunny in Philidelphia. He worked on some of the best shows on New Girl including Sister II, Chicago, House Hunt, and The Story of the 50! Plus Luvh talks about Jess and Julia and how it was a direct response to criticism over the show. If you'd like to ask us a question, please email us at welcometoourshowpodcast@gmail.com. Follow us on Instagram @welcometoourshowpod.

Ring ring ring ring. May I please speak with Zoe. Oh, hello, Lamarne. Let's patch in Hannah. God, I forgot what it was like working with you guys. Hello, and welcome to Welcome to our show. Welcome to I'm Zoe. We have Lamourne and Hannah here and a very very special guest, Love Roquet, one of our amazing um writer producers on the show. And he was there with us from day one, day one, and it and it feels like you haven't left, like you never left. Well he was stalking you, Lamuren. So that was that was that that part of his Have we addres staid already? I'm sorry for my tardiness. We have addressed anything. Ye. Um, Well I want to address two things. Well, while we get while we got you here, well there's an agenda procedure, but all right, you'd like to jump right. I looked at my cameras one day, my security cameras, and uh, this is for the folks at home who don't you know, don't know love love like most people drop stucees from time to time, and I go, I check my security camera one day, Um, this is a real story and I have photos to prove it. I feel like you need so much more context. We will we will go we'll go backwards to to click to clean up the story. But I checked my security cameras. There are porta potties outside of my house, and who is standing there? Now? If I were telling the story, I would try to let the audience know that there are porta potties in front of your house and why and then maybe say like, I have security cameras pointed outside my house and yeah, but that's me. You know, law Rocket is a really good writer. We should probably listen to him story. Yeah, well, he's going to tell the story in a very sitcoming way. I was going to tell it in a very HBO way. That's what I'm doing. Yeah, yeah, but anyways, elevating, it's just dirt, got some f bombs and like the like the nineties era. I'm gonna tell you, Yeah, I'm gonna tell you. What I know is that Lamourn sometimes has people who maybe rent out their house for productions, um next door to him or across the street, neighbors established. In fact, I would say yeah, and that and that when you have a production, there's there there's lots of trucks and things equipment that need to be brought in and um, one of those kinds of trailer trucks. There's no there's no shock value, there's no shock value. Might get to the shock. We need to build well. And one of those things is a porta potty and Love um was working on a show. He was there, Um as a writer producer. I'm assuming and um, you know, overseeing, you know all the words that people are saying. And he had to go to the bathroom. We don't know whether it was one or two. Only Love knows that. I think probably know that because he has the time steps. But yeah, so yeah, what was it number one? You know when to tell me on the production. It also could be a third option where you're just in their hiding from responsibilities. That's true. That yeah, I mean I think that's the place you would trea bad set if if if the porta potties a step up and it's like a refuge from from the set. But but but you know, I listen, I do apologize about dropping the bomb first before I established the setting. Yes, they were filming a TV show, Yes against storytelling, not against me so, but but the folks out there who tuned out immediately left knowing and now we all have to lie in it. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, I mean we could do another intro now if you want, because everyone well our show talking to the best producer right in the whole town. Yeah, yeah, girl questions. Maybe you guys, you guys can't see this, but love is rocking the smooth this mustache that I've seen it is a very smooth, like Bollywood hero level. Thank you. Oh yeah, you're definitely on a Bollywood poster right now, right now with a one eyebrow up and and you're you're you're showing us that you're the romantic lead. Yeah. I don't meet said you're wooing with some dances. I'm just trying to diversify putting out there in Hollywood and just throwing it out there for everybody. An this is a leftover from my gomez Adam's Halloween. It looks great because I was more Titia and I thought I would just keep it going for a little while. He's enjoying it. Yeah, you you are giving me rawle. Julia well, Julia vibes. Yeah, that's what she looked like. That's what I was aiming at. You nailed it. Thank you nailed it. Thank you. Um So you were with us from pretty much the very very beginning, as soon as there were writers hired. I heard your name from our wonderful as Merryweather. I remember her saying that she had gotten this amazing writer, um named Love Rocke who had been on It's what was Sunny in Philadelphia with my brother in law David Hornsby, um um and um so I was, you know, I remember being like, who is this Love Rockue? First of all? Amazing name and m do you remember the first episode that you wrote? Of course? Of course in fact there I think as a as a parting gift, I have to this little painting right here, not painting, framed piece of work. There are two pages from that script that Liz Bretton Dave gave me, um when you know, a graduation gift. So that episode was Bells Bell fantastic episode. The episode I got injured on one of the many yeah, which Lamourn was always injuring himself in unconventional ways and spice things up. That was like one of those um kind of like you know, wear and tear from from practicing bells so much. His wrist. Fun fact. Fun fact both my wrists are still dainty, still very injured. And I would like to say that Bells had something to do with it. I think you've got a case. Think some time to get paid, time to give. Who are you going to sue Love? Sounds like mereborn child? You want another kid? Lam? Sure, yeah, if you you pay, you pay for the kid's cute's very cute's Yeah. It was sharp Love taking all the way back. So how did you connect with Liz Brett Dave? How did they convince you to be on a completely untested, brand new show. Um, well, I mean, you know there there's just kind of the straightforward answer is you know these things are you know, arranged by agents, and they're just like scripts that are like they sent, you know, like someone submits you and they read your script and they're like, all right, we like this guy, we like the script. Let's meet the guy I met there was like a first meeting with one of our other producers, pubven shettyn is awesome. Cleared that bar um and then got through that guy. Yeah he tried but he failed. He's like, here's here's going to be um and uh and then you know I and then I met with Liz bretton Dave. It didn't take very much convincing because they screened the pilot, which I think is it is just one of the great comedy pilots of the last twenty years for sure. I mean it just kind of it's pretty electrifying still, I think, um, and I've gone back to watch it every now and then. It's like, this is just really really good. You kind of get every one. It's really funny, it's about something. So you know, it was a one way convincing. We're kind of like at the end of that, we're both we're all like mutually convinced and just like enjoying each other's company or like you're great, you're great, you're great, um, one of those types of things. And then you know the ride began and why already gave you bells and then yeah, area of expertise, so yeah, how experienced were you at playing the bells? As we know that that it came from experience, very experienced, um, from all of my church. You know, the genesis of that episode was that you know that was gonna be that was like our first like let's constant, let's really like do a winsome story. Um. And the kernel of that one was we want to have like a jest thing that she's really into, and she's like, I want to invite Winston into this because he seems interested in it, but then he like starts to dominate it. Um. And initially that was going to be a much inferior idea. There's going to be like a TV discussion group that Jess was in for a fake version of Downton Abbey called Cramdell Lane. Oh god, I remember this so well. I remember the original version because I remember, yeah, because everyone was obsessed with Downton Abbey at that time, which I still called Downtown Abbey. I think that. I think at the moment we knew that Lamar was going to call it Downtown Abbey, were like, I think we should do something more visual. I know a few Downtown Abbeys. Let me tell you she's downtown and her name is that I got um but yeah, that was what was it called Crandall Lane Lane. There was gonna be a theme song to the tune of Purple Rain. Um uh and uh. But yeah, I don't I don't remember where the bell's detail came from. Um. But you know, somebody wanted to injure Lamourn's risk. Yeah, it was literally instrument. Those things look like the radio pop. It's kind of like a light kettle bell. You know, when you first started, I'll start off as an actor and you you you put your list of skills at the bottom of your resume. Maybe you guys saw my first resume. Handbells definitely was on there, hand bells thinking of those humiliating, repetitive stress puzzles. Um. Yes, And then you did this one that I just I feel like, I feel like, did you write like a favor number in season one? I feel like you wrote like four or five? Is that? Yeah? They were. They just kind of kept circling back to my plate um. And so yeah, I did. I did a bunch in season Is that correct? I did not do that, Okay, but you did the you did the Schmidt's Birthday party though, right, Yes, the Story of the fifty Story of the Fifty. Yeah, yeah, okay did that one Story of the Fifty. I literally just watched and it's so funny, and I remember it morphed a fair amount because we had a lot of stuff thrown at us, like, um, the fog that day we were shooting on a mountaintop. We're supposed to be able to see all of l a lushly decorated mount We could see for miles and and as soon as we like all truck up there with all of our trucks of various kinds, that's been discussed already and we're like, you guys killed. Its beautiful, beautiful location and the set deck is stunning, and I think I believe the theme was Tuscany. Uh yeah, that's right, Tuscany. Yeah. And then for you know, the just just curated party right right right, which is why the sharkuti makes sense when you hear it later, but not when you don't know. I mean, it makes sense of course people serve that at parties. But but it was like it was all themed in because Jess is you know. But then it couldn't be Tuscany because we had a thick marine layer that just rolled in a start like you could barely see like three ft in front of you, let alone like the entire city of l Yes, it suddenly was like, oh, this is a student film. Was I in this episode? I did not recall this one. You're in the episode. But what I just realized is Yeah, I was not in Bells and I was not in the Story of the fifty And I remember being so excited hearing that there was an Indian writer that had been hired for the show. And I feel like every episode that you wrote, we were kept apart apart, there's too many of us by our families. It's a real Romeo Juliet. Yeah. If if it hadn't been for that, you guys might be married at this point. And that's what everyone was talking about on set. That was the crazy thing. The first quote Leanna love would be like they would fall in love and yeah, but I can't read it right around right around, Well maybe after Bells. No, No, then he's going to do a story. Yeah. Another area have expertise for you writing just douchebag jokes NonStop? Is that an easy thing for you? You know? I know, you know, writing for certain characters, some of it comes from inside of you experience, whatever the case may be. Writing for a character like Schmidt in particular, probably TV's favorite douche bag of all time? Is that? Is that something that was easy for you? Is that something that comes from people you know? Yeah? Really easy? Um, you know, I think I don't know. I guess I friends with a lot of douche bags, you know, that was That's one of those terms. I guess people just kind of say bros now or I don't know what they say. That type has certainly been around forever. They don't go away you think they will, and then they won't like a bad penny, They're just like like shark teeth, there's just the old ones fall out and that there's just a million new ones right there. There's a new social climber with vocabulary full of like shortened words. I think, I think, honestly like a lot of like it's always sunny type of maybe not specifically the jokes, but like that aggressive point of view, uh relent itself to Schmidt jokes. Yeah, and there's just like a fun like it too Schmidt too, you know. And then also you know, Max just like grabs such a hold of that character. You could it was just very clear what a Schmidt joke would be. Yeah, it's funny. I like, I remember being there were certain I think it was like season two where I got the feeling that the writers were really tired, because sometimes I would get jokes and I'd be like this is clearly a Schmitt joke. And then I remember calling up Listen being like, um, you met this first Schmitt right, and she was like, oh, I mean yeah maybe, And I was like, yeah, that's a Schmitt joke. Like there would be like it's so clear what a Schmitt joke is. You know, Liz, you're having me mispronounced potpourri. That's for those out there who don't know what potpourri is. It can all It can sometimes be used as an air freshener in bathrooms, supporta potties, things that we're just calling it back. Well you know what we're speaking about. Ive never seen anyone put potpouri in a in a porta potty, but really, Poopouri? Have you heard of poopoury? This episode is brought to Poopouri because I might have to get them to sponsor the show and just have lamour and only do Yeah, the Girl Podcast sponsored lad Yeah. But look, there's a reason why I bring that up because you know on that episode there, um I had yeah, but yeah, but love has nothing to do. But we're gonna bring it back up. I can memories. It stirs in me. Yes, there was a memory that that that I wanted to ask if you remember you hear about this didn't travel back to the writer's room. Well, that's actually I believe was season two, and I don't think I was season one, season one Christmas episode the Houses. Yeah, Candy Kane Lane, Candy Kane Lane, so on Candy Cane Lane Lamar had an accident and incident, an incident. That's why I was wondering if you had heard it. But I'm glad the writers. I guess nobody talked, no one went no one went back and want it's okay, love? Can you honestly get off the subject? Bro? Like explosive, I'm hearing some kind of love Lauren had a or something. Zoe. We've been asking you this whole episode to stop talking about porta potties, infernal injuries, injuries. Love. I had to go really really bad, that's all I was just And I thought me and you were brothers in in that and was like, not set didn't write the episode of like nine years ago. You heard the story of what I had to poop bad on set Like this is how we're using our time. Oh hey, I've been dying to ask you did you hear about when love you gotta stop, man, you gotta stop you making me blues moving on. No, I think the confidentiality of the set protected you until now now everyone knows, and that's that's what I appreciated about New Girl Welcome. We have spoke to Mammoth and he was saying, how or we told him? So you told him right that I had heard that Mammoth was like like really like good at um writing jazz lines. Was there a character that you felt like you were really like that, like you're just like that's like super easy for me, Like I'm really good at writing, like you know, Winston or CC or Jazz or Schmidt or Nick. Was there somebody or do you feel like you're more of like all around? Uh? I think it was all around, all around her type. Yeah, and I enjoyed them all. I mean, I think it's no secret that we like didn't really figure out Winston until later. Interesting, So you know, I think I think we're kind of like I first you were like, he's really good at stuff, and then when you is that he's so good at everything that it's irritated, and then you're like, oh no, actually he's just the nerd who love puzzles. Yeah, that's yeah, that's what it took to you know, sometimes you've got to start a couple of fires and see which one goes. And I became your favorite to write for it. That's amazing, absolutely absolutely, thank you. So many avenues to pursue. So you were with us from the beginning to the end. You took a break, though, right, you went off and did another show for a second. Yeah, yeah, I took it. I took I didn't do season four. Um, and then I wasn't a part of the last season either. And then I guess also at the beginning of season two, I was very intermittent presence. You were on you were on It's So Sunny Too at the same time, right, so because there they were on like a different schedule because they were like a cable show, so you you were able to do both. But um, but yeah, we we missed you a little bit in there. And then where did you go to season four? Season four? I I was I'm trying to think of the most distinct way to tell this story, but basically I know where you went. We I was I had created a show with the Sunny Guys or Tracy Morgan, Oh oh yeah, and um, but but you know that's when his accident happened. Oh my gosh. So it was you know, very very sad and just an awful accident. And then one of the less important outcomes of that was you know that that show was kind of put on ice for a little while, um, but then eventually resurrected under different people or different network and it's it's the show The Last o G which is still on Love Tracy Morgan. So I get why you left us, and it's always sunny. People are absolutely amazing, So I understand, but we missed you. I came running and we came back, came back. We were like and we came we were like open arms. Yeah. I noticed that when you left, our ratings kept from dropping. Yeah weird. Our ratings dropped and they were like, we need more love. We need this guy who likes to write for all of them, Yeah, this master of all trades. Do you have a standout episode for you that was the most challenging to write? Uh? Yeah, I think I think it was. I think it was also the best us just Jess and Julia. Oh, I love that episode. That one was. I can't wait to talk about that episode. Let's talk about it. I mean, that was that that was inspired by like real stuff that was going on at the time. Yes, kind of go ahead, sorry, no, no, you go ahead. You go ahead because I want to hear from your well. I mean, you know, the show was a big breakout hit, but there was like a lot of conversation about like where what the Jess character meant for feminism and so um, you know, like we usually I think it's my best practice to not read too much about like what people are saying about a show, but it was kind of unignorable, and we were like, let's take this head on. Yeah, and we don't. I mean, I think a lot of the criticism was like ended up kind of being directed at me personally, Zoe, you know, and it was kind of interesting because I think it actually that episode allowed like us as a show to make a very good point, which is something I've kind of like always been saying. It's like why do you care what I like? You know, Like, why do you care if I like, you know, to craft or you know that I like things that are traditionally associated like with you know, like I'm not saying that girls should like pink and purple and sparkles. But just because I like something like that means nothing in terms of like, you know, you know who I am, you know, as a you know, it doesn't mean that I can't be a feminist. Why why I be strong and like those things? Just like this is the I like irock, I rock a lot of polka dots, right, Yes, exactly was given and I loved how you guys tackled it because it was it was it kind of because the Julia character is a great character, and she's totally cool and awesome, and then you know the fact that Julia kind of misunderstands Jess, and that Jess has the opportunity to, in a very articulate way, say you know her piece. I thought that was just such a great and it was such a great way that it was you know done too. It was just yeah, and if you were I mean, that was an episode that I co wrote with Liz, and Liz was very fired up about about the whole thing, which was fantastic, and I honestly, I think like what you're talking about is definitely one of the core elements of the episode. But I think the reason that it landed is that it was in the story that was it was really like, you know, you always wanted a show. It's great for you don't have to have it, but it's great for a show to have some kind of thesis statement of like here's what I here's what I see in the world. This is so you know, Liz's thesis statement with New Girl was always about like here's how I see modern generals, um. And I think what was really cool about that episode was that, like that conversation about feminism was a part of a story where um, the characters were all kind of posturing and dealing with like the demands of traditional general gender roles, um and struggling with that. So Julia, who was you know, a lawyer and kind of thought of herself as a certain uh you know, was okay in addition to kind of um have being a judgment about a certain style of clothing or presentation or whatever, also had like a kind of a spill over a judgment that she hadn't thought about about emotionality, and so she was very guarded and she was like, you know, like Nick, you know, Nick says too, just um, yeah, we don't you know, we don't want to do the labels thing. And just kind of with her emotional intelligence consume through that and then turns out to be right, especially when anyway, I feel like I'm getting like a little I want to hear that. No, no, no, it's so good because I don't remember it well, you know, Jess and Julia had if you if you watch it again, it's like the characters all have like the scope of the episode. I can't believe it's all like jammed into one episode. It feels like a movie because well more and that was like you're leave that was your Shelby episode. I believe that was the beginning of that was it? Really? Do think? So the Shelby Cally Hawk wonderful Cally Hawk. Yeah, this is where this is like you know, Winston was like, you know, too cocky with her and and has to kind of be brought down a peg. But I but I think that was the same episode, which is kind of like that's a lot of story a lot in twenty one minutes. Second, is that also the Ribbon Hat episode? Yeah? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, good of having your girls back. Well, that's that's kind of like I think what was really like the legs on that episode that you know, like Julia was like a a kind of person who was kind of you know, suspicious of a certain way of carrying yourself as a woman, but also had these liabilities and kind of you know, she didn't have female friendships and maybe had you know, some suspicion about that. And it was great that just like not only in a you know, could we could like show her having great female friendships, you know, supportive and kind of really engaging with each other. And that was like enticing and inviting to Juliana. Like the best best moment for me for that episode is after like the big confrontation to ingested Julia at the courthouse, that Julia comes to apologize to just um and then sees that she's with her girlfriends and feels like, oh that might be like hostile energy and then justice like no commit And I was like that was and that was written by Kim Rosenstock that scene, Um, and it was great. Yeah Kim is it's not great, another great writer that we had on on the show. Um. Yeah, I really love that episode. What a what a definitely mini movie there. There are a lot of episodes on New Girl that I would call like many movies. Um, and that is definitely one of them. Well, you know, I also think that like we I think, you know, in the initial sort of like what are we doing? Were where I think, you know, we kind of everyone burned themselves out running at that high gear for so long. But you kind of make some unconventional choices that that do that are that expect more of the audience. Like if you talk about like the introduction of the Julia character, she was introduced in a way that you never would have done in latter seasons. You you just kind of dropped the audience into the fact that, like Nick has been dating someone and has not brought her around, and that's the first, that's the first that the audience even hears about her. I thought I'd missed a scene, Like I thought I'd missed a scene when I watched that episode. I like the way it happened, Yeah, because it's kind of like, oh, they have this thing established. And also I think I think Jake already knew Lizzy, so they kind of had a rapport that felt familiar anyway, you know, maybe they'd work together, they you know, just knew each other and and so like I felt like that the scene, the first scene you see them together in the in the story of the fifty Um. They you know, they feel like they they're people, have been on a few dates and there they have a rapport. And I think what was also great about that drop into UM was that it made you feel like how Winston and Jess and everybody else must have felt, which is like, wait a minute, I know these people intimately. I watched this show. I know these character rs and like, who's that right? And you got you all the same feeling as the other characters when they're just like why don't you bringing her around? You embarrassed us, Like why didn't I know about this name? Yeah? And he was like yeah. But it's also I think it's more real for the audience. You know, like, look like there is a presentational style to TV and especially half our TV, and you're kind of like, you know, that sort of stuff is rare on network sitcoms, but you know that was such a different era ten years ago, you know, UM, And I think some of the audiences therefore to like, yeah, we're like willing to be a little more immersed and we appreciate it when the story is like giving me credit and trying to feel real instead of just being like, hey, here's the information you need to understand the episode. Ready. Yeah, I prefer to see you know, even in a sitcom, you have to like, you know, lay out some exposition. But the more creative you can be in giving the exposition is the better. And and also the less the better. And I definitely think that there was a real effort me to kind of avoid like those like very conventional ways of like giving people details backstory. Yeah, speaking of non conventional ways to tell stories. You're working on a show now called Dave Love, Dave Love Dave Chelan. That is that is you, guys, don't already watch it. Do yourself a favor. Run don't walk. Don't I mean you don't have to run. That can get pretty dangerous. You can make it run to you do it runs here, I mean it's streaming everywhere. Fingers on the remote stream it stream it gets Use those yeah, use those Nintendo fingers. Nintendo still exists. Can we just talk about this for one second, because it was the way you knew we were on a huge sound stage. There's so many people, so many corners, but you always knew if Love was on set because he's got the most easily identifiable laugh. Yeah you've ever heard, and you would always hear it, And for me, it was always like the best of failing, because you're like, come up here, it's a jolly and delightful laugh. Or if the lights are off and you're watching one of those conjuring type films, can also be considered Yeah, sorry, we're talking about that. It cannot be muffled. I gotta say like, I loved it when takes were ruined because of laughing, because I'm like, this means we got something going on here. You know. I remember the first season seeing the boom shaking and looking over on our boom operator was laughing so hard they could barely keep the boom still. Um, well, let's let's let's yeah, let's talk about Dave for a second. Yeah, let's talk about Dave. We we love the show to talk about Dave. How did you find your way to Dave? You know, it's the same old, same old, boring story. Um that you know. My agent was like, do you know about Little Dicky? And I was like, I know, I'm old now, and he's like, let me let me tell you. Um And you know, um, Dave bird a k little Dicky has been kind of making videos like just these insanely viral, super funny but like great music also videos for several years and and so it's like, wow, yeah, I definitely got to meet this guy. And so you know, we started making the show, and I think the big surprise on Dave was just like the level of emotionality. I mean, I you know, you just the first season to show you just really you have a pilot, you know, which tells you a lot, but but then you have a lot to figure out and you don't always know, like you know what whenever. I mean, you guys all know this, Like you know, when you like go to pitch a show, you like pretend like you like have the whole thing. I've got it, but I'm not gonna tell you here's what's gonna happen. It's going to end. And then you know, everyone talks about like when your show actually if you you know, I don't even know if they make pilots these days or just straight to series, which seems even more daunting. But then you're like, all right, I have to actually do this now, um, and you don't know, you have to feel it out. Um. Always straight to series with me yea with Lam it's different than the well yeah, green light, green light Morris, that's what they call them. Go go go. Thanks, thanks for saying. They just have a bank account ready that's just full of money for Lauren. Real gold, real gold, yeah, real gold. What is that? It's full, it's actually full. It's not a bank account. It's like screws holding up gold coin swimming pool. Yeah yeah, Lamurn is holding an award. I don't know what it is, but it's definitely real good. It's the Rose Door Award for Comedy for Unintentional Comedy for Woke for Um, which is also one with you get your WHO subscriptions. Get it in order, guys. Make sure don't let it lapse. Make sure it's up to date so you can watch all of Woke and all of Dave because there's some people who are talented behind these shows. I have to just share with you love because I don't know if we've ever talked about it since it happened. One of my favorite love moments on set also goes to show why representation matters on set. But they were we were shooting the episode where Schmidt has broken his penis and he's coming to meet my grandmother. And we were just like hanging out at video village kicking it and we're like, who did you get to play with the grandmother? And they were still like we're still looking. We're still looking anyway, and I'll never forget it was. I think it was Liz sitting there with a bunch of people. Do you remember this, and they were like, oh, yeah, we should. We just found someone. Um, she's super great, She's gonna be great. She's flying out here from New York. Her name is mad Madder Matt And both you and I in Unison went, you're not going to say mother, Joffrey are There's no way you can't have bother Joffrey And we both had these meltdowns and had to like fully deep dive into what in like a legend of a woman she is. And I remember like being emotional and like I could not believe that she was going to come and play this role. This woman is going to have a masterclass in six years ago. Cookie, you don't understand, like Queen DOULI a child. I was like, what is happening? And then I dawned on me and I remember looking at you was like I'm going to meet this woman that I have known and loved my whole life from Afar, and I have to sit at a table with her and talk about a broken dick. See that's the thing. That's the thing. There's always a catch. There's always at It's like they're like, we're gonna get your hero here, and you know, yeah, you can ask her questions about, you know, whatever you want, but once the cameras rolling, you're gonna have to talk to her about a proven day. And I remember feeling so you know, when you're like in and out of your body at the same time, like I was in the scene, but I'm also like, you're am sitting with mother Joffrey. This is amazing, And I remember, I guess that's where Schmidt's character learns that um being emotional like turns him on. And it's very painful because he's in a cast. So we had to make these noises of excruciating pain of realizing he was in love. And it's Max And I'll never forget I was so in and out of the scene. I'm looking at her and I have this insane will the beast next to me making these crazy sounds in front of this woman that I'm trying to be respectful within our culture, especially to be like, she's this woman I just want to you know, I'm trying to like hold myself to this high regard. Anyway, it was one of those I remember laughing so hard because I was so uncomfortable and nervous and he was so funny that I cried all my makeup off, all my lashes off. I crawled under the table to try to compose myself during the scene. And we always want to give a quick bio of mad Their Jeoffrey so that everybody to enlighten anybody who doesn't know her her. She's a legend. She's a legend. She's double double threat. I'm sure she has many other threats, but she's at like a world class level with two things. She's an actor, but as Hannah was saying, she's also like the Julia child of Indian cooking. Especially it's like most recognizable ambassador to the Western world. So you know, even like the certainly I don't know when when she started, but certainly like as early is the eighties, was kind of like here's Indian cooking, and I want to bring it to to the West. And an iconic film star. I mean, she's just absolutely she's incredible. And her daughter, Zecchina Geoffrey, it's also as incredible actress. And there wasn't you know, there's not a lot of us out there that we're kind of breaking through. There's a lot of us out there. But but it was a huge moment. And I just remember you and I locking eyes and like you getting it and then that it was just like a really great moment for me. I don't know, but my parents were there for that scene. They had they had come to visit oh my, and so they're excited. They were so excited. But this exact same and like the exact same feelings you're talking about. It was just like, you know, how I paid my bills? Like this is let me, let me set the scene for you. What do you need to know in order to understand this scene? His dick broke broke his dick from violent sex. I mean, you guys are familiar with this, right thing, right the thing everybody knows about this, and you're having to get a huge direction in this scene. Yeah, it's gonna be gonna make a lot of noises. And the noises are going to interrupt a lovely scene. Yeah, that was where my parents like as soon as as soon as they started shooting, they both were like did their personalities like so perfectly to a tiem. My mom was like, immediately starts pitching lines and he's like, what I think Schmidt said like this, and then my dad shushes her and demonstrates like a knowledge of coverage that I had no idea he knew. He was like, it's not sci started right, just not shoots turned right now. Scy sterned later and m and then Kim Rosenstock was there, who had just started, like you know, still pretty early in her and she was like, oh, like that's coverage. Tell me more, that's amazing writer directors in your blood. Yeah, I was typing in mother Jeoffrey because I was going to give a profound explanation of who she was. However, yeah, well I missed too long. Well yeah I misspelled her name, and then uh seriously, Lanister came up mother of Joffrey and I and then you went down at Wikipedia hole WI we were all talking about to wow, so there's dragged Yeah. Yeah, I'm a big Game of Thrones fans, so you know I'm glad you brought that mother of Joffrey. Yea, oh my goodness, Olcole speaking of unruly children love since you were there from day one almost to the very end. No, just the evolution of the show. I mean, very few people get to it on something for you know, years and years and years and watch this show kind of grow. Um, I don't know, talk to us a little bit about that, Just a little bit about watching the show, the story, the characters. Yeah, you always have like a couple of engines in the show that I mean, that's like a clinical way of talking about it, but like a basic tension, you know. Um. And I think with our show and other kind of friends type shows, like one of them is just like what you know, like how you know, how are where are these characters gonna end up? And how are they going to kind of transition? How are they going to make the transition from like friend life to family life. It's kind of like the basic journey and certainly is the journey that we took our characters on. UM. So that was like really gratify. I mean, I don't know about you guys, but I think like between us and like I don't know, like Brooklyn nine nine. I don't know if we're going to see any more like two episode shows go for that long, right, um So, and I think that there's something that's like very immersive about it at you know again, I always like reach for these like ted talk type words, and all I mean is that, like you know, the audiences has really like loves the characters and feels like they know them and they're they're real and you have just spent so much time with them so you can kind of you just get really invested in that journey and then you have like a couple of little sign posts long the way, Like I thought Max made a really great point when and the it was like kind of a last second idea for the Schmidt and CC wedding that the douchebag jar be broken uh during the wedding ceremony and um and he was like in a way that I don't I'm not trying to cast his versions on Max, and he is so surprised at such a pointed observation from him. It was just like it's the strength of the observation. He was just like, well, this is the end of the Schmidt character story. Like that was like you know, the douchebag jars, like what you see in the pilot, like this is this character's issue. He like has a heart of gold, but you know, for whatever reasons and you know, his own journey that has been on, can't control it. And when he finally conquers that, like that's the end of his story. Um, And you know, I mean I think that there's still there was still little bit more story to be told for Schmidt. But that's also true, Like that was like the you know, the main journey that that character was on, and when you end that, you end that that journey, and you know, you try to come up with other ones. Um. And you know there's been like overlapping ones in his story. With his own family obviously is a source of of that as well. But I just I was just really impressed. Uh and and this kind of dumb struck by by that observation. It's really true. So it was like great to see. And then you know, like with with Jess, I would be curious to know how you feel about this Zoe. Um of like Jesse's career stories, I feel like, uh that that would be one that I kind of want back a little bit because I think we fell prey to this like very American idea of like, oh, you've got to climb the ladder, and somehow that resulted in like just like wanting to be an administrator. And it was a little bit like you, I thought, we kind of like got up a tree on that because it's like, is that that exciting, like, you know, visually comedically. Um, I don't know, what do you think about that? That's interesting. I hadn't actually thought of I hadn't actually thought of it that way. I mean, I felt it more as a comment on Jess still trying to find herself in in a professional setting, that like that she's kind of constantly searching. She's like like a middle school teacher, then she teaches adults, and then she's you know, an administrator, and she kind of like switches around a lot. Um. I kind of took it more from that perspective. And then I did like the contrast, you know, um, because Jess is such a teacher, um. And then you know, um, I did like the contrast of her kind of being a little out of place as a principal. Um that that she's kind of like a kid in a lot of ways, and and what happens when you have this character that's kind of a you know a bit you know, it's very young at heart and then they're having to do a very grown up job. But you know, I I could see that, um but but from my perspective, I didn't. It didn't bother me. I thought it was just like you know, those those shifts you know, where she's looking for a job, like those those kind of those kind of moments you know, or those kind of like parks were really great and um, you know kind of created a lot of good episodes too, just like where she's just in between jobs and totally totally and I think, like, you know, the show obviously is tethered to the idea of like is it is just going to find happiness? You know? Um, And so that's definitely like, you know, like finding that satisfaction in that part of your life is part of it. Um. But you know that was fun to tell, like a sprawling story about you know, where you just spend so much years with this character and like and you know, get to that happy ending and then I think with you know, like I think I think was I think that was kind of ultimately the I don't know that's kind of like ultimately the journey for all the care characters and probably for like every character ever, especially like in Half hour TV, And it's like something that's like you know when you're like when you try to pitch it, they're like, what's the exciting, crazy thing that that it's about, And it's like I can kind of do that's like song and dance of like, yeah, it's about this and and definitely like this show was like through through Liz's lens, and that's what was like exciting and interesting about it. But ultimately the concept of what the characters are pursuing is I mean, it's universal, but it sounds been out to say they're pursuing happiness. But you know, like that it's it's in the specifics of the execution and like are like you know you're gonna blush, but like our absolutely brilliant cast like just bringing these characters to life, um, in like such specific ways, and like that's what you're going for and are amazing writers. Well there were a lot, so you know, but but um, you know, it's like it's when you say it on paper, it sounds so stupid and obvious. Um, but sometimes that's life. It's interesting too, I feel like because we did it very kind words. There's something too I felt at least was that because we had so much time with the characters, and you know, all the writers were in the same age group ish as the cast was and the producers, and again we spent so much time together that it was everybody kind of went from like dating and then having families and organically as was happening on the show, was also happy in ing in our real lives. And there was that really like those nice moments and yeah, of art imitating life. And that must have felt cool to as a writer, to be like I can naturally and authentically write about this. Yeah, and Finkland Barrel like we've been waiting, thank you somebody having baby on the show? Um wait said the more do you want to set up our our last question that we ask, Yes, indeed I do. Um so love. This is a little segment of our show which we call Nick's Box, um um. And this is the part of the show where we crawl into the back of Nick's closet and pull out memories that the cast and crew of New Girl have kept hidden for years. So love. Rocky what's your favorite memory from your time working on New Girl? And please do not say the time I had the bubble guts and we don't remember, you don't remember about it. I mean I think I think the thing that I've already said on the record is not even a memory of mine, could not be my favorite memory. Man. I mean there's just so much, um you know, I mean New Girl is like working on the show was such an all encompassing thing. Um, you know, you like that's you know, like some of my closest friends are you know, the writers on that show to this day. Um. So it's like there's like life memories, there's like professional memories and like you know, like there was like and there's like there's memories of like insane hardship like that, like the Jesse and Julia episode, which I think is like our best episode. I had to stay at the office from like Monday morning to Wednesday afternoon. I literally did not go home for four my god. Um. And at one point was that the week before was that after Table Read? And then or was that while we were shooting it? No, that was that was the table week. So like it was you know the table the table read was Tuesday, and you know we had to push the table to Wednesday. But like, you know, we're like I remember, like Monday night, like you know, Finkl and Baron Lizzen already been habitually sleeping at the office. We had some very hard working raiders who were who were sleeping in the office because they were too tired to drive home. I know. I mean, especially now the way that people are talking about, you know, what level of hard work is required to make TV. It looks a lot different, but you know it's just like you have this like sense of mission and so literally like that Monday night, I was like, well, I like I don't know. It was the Tuesday where you know, we had kind of like finally assembled, like you know, Liz send in like her part of the story, and we like put the whole thing together, and there was like a little bit of time off. Um, but it was like from like five pm to eight pm, and we're like at the Fox lot, and I like lived on the East Side, so it's like I can't I would love to go home and take a shower, um, but I can't. So I guess I will just take a shower at the Fox gym and go to the Gap at the Century City mall and like buy new underwear in socks and like as I was get a burrito. As I was heading out, I was like, does anyone want anything from the Gap and think it was like, can you get me some jeans? I was like, I was the fake offer. I don't like really purchase. I thought maybe could sucks, but it's really hard to buy Eugene, what's your size? Yeah? And so I bought thinkle some jeans at the Gap with my time off. So that was a memory. Um. I just feel like I just feel like on that break, the errands, the clothes shopping, you could have went home, could have gone, could just in the car, think about make it back on time you go? They have a glass of water turned back in the car. Yeah, Like if that makes sense? Man needed some fresh and I wouldn't. I would have done it if I could. I wasn't like, let me like look at option carefully. I was like, I'm hoping that there's a way that makes sense. And I was like it it just doesn't. Um. But you know there were there were you know, a table read that I really loved was parking spot that was really really fun. And it also was like, you know, when so you have these bullets like the douchebag jar, you have all of this romantic tension between Nick and Jess and when you and you want to fire those bullets carefully, but you got to fire them at some point. So we fired that one and then you're nervous because you're like, what, like what do we have when we don't have that tension anymore. So it was like really gratifying that, you know that that episode was clicking um. And that was another one that we kind of like wrote by the seat of our pants, and then there were other like you know, when I wasn't there for the last season, I thought, I was like I just love I love the finale so much, and I was like watching it as like an audience member, and it was so perfect. I mean, I just I really it was like, you know, like to take like the true American motif and like translate that into like all these characters like having a family life still all being together. What more do you want? Oh my god? Yeah? Perfect? Yeah, you're a joy and a delight, as are you and a love and a dad? Yeah? Are you going to hang out with circling back that that house that we shut in was where we had so many COVID shutdowns as fall and we had so we will never never go back to that house. It's like a hazmat situation. Oh yeah, yeah, as a shooting in a crack house. Come on, get your budget higher. For the record, Lamaren lives in a very nice home. Yeah, but the house across the street not so much. This side, Orange's got a nice amount of curb space, so we can park all sorts of quarter right in front of his house and he has all sorts of cameras to watch you. The bad part about this whole liscenario we can just drop it because you guys keep talking about it and stupid, but they bring it. They bring these pamp these like forms to fill out, you know, and say hey, can we shoot in front of your house? And I'm thinking, okay, I have a nice house. Yeah, you guys can use my like that part if you want to. I'm not asking for any money. Great, and some neighbors asked for money. I said no, it's just fine, just shoot your show and you put the goddamn Porter parties in front of my house. I was so offended. And upset. You got to teach people how to treat you little more. I know I want that, guy, Cash. We love you. Thank you so much for coming and sharing all your incredible memories. It was so fun. Bestranda. Yes, they're the best. Man, You're the best. Please come back another time we can talk some more and more specifics about some alright man, alright, thanks love. You've been listening to Welcome to Our Show, a New Girl recap podcast. Welcome to Our Show is a production of I Hurt Radio, hosted by Zoey Deschanelle, little More and Morris and Hanna s Amone. Our executive producers Joel Monique. Our engineer and editor is Daniel Goodman. The Welcome to Our Show theme song was written by zoe Deschanel, performed and produced by Zoey Deschanel and Pierre de Reader. Follow us on Instagram and Welcome to Our Show pot. If you have a question you'd like us to answer, you can email us at Welcome to Our Show podcast at gmail dot com. Don't forget to rate, subscribe and share far and wide. Thanks for listening. We'll hear you next week.

The Mess Around with Hannah and Lamorne

Go behind the scenes of Apartment 4D with the crew who called it home for seven incredible seasons.  
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