- 14 minutes ago
Jonathan Van Ness, Lizzo, Nicole Byer, Padma Lakshmi, and Will Arnett joined The Hollywood Reporter to talk about their respective projects.
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00:00Trolls don't stop nothing over here.
00:02So I'm out there just laughing these hoes up and making my money.
00:06People were tweeting me, they were like, Nicole, you did so well on SNL.
00:09And I was like, I get it, I get it.
00:11Two fat black women cannot exist at the same time.
00:14You're the first person I'm calling Lizzo, and you better pick up.
00:43Welcome to the Hollywood Reporter Roundtables.
00:46I'm Mikey O'Connell, and this is the Reality Roundtable.
00:50And we are going to jump right into it.
00:51When was the last time that you desperately wanted to not be on camera and had to anyways?
00:57And right now is not an acceptable answer.
01:01Mine was like a really long time ago.
01:03It was like in August of 2019.
01:05It was like a long time.
01:07So that's pretty cute.
01:10That's it.
01:10We don't get to know what it was.
01:12Yeah, what happened?
01:13It's like trash.
01:14I talked about it in my book.
01:15My cat fell out of a window and he died, and it was like the worst day of my life.
01:19And I'm HIV positive, and I watched my dad die in the living room.
01:22Like, I've been through some shit, and that was definitely the worst thing that's ever happened to me.
01:25So yeah, then I had to go film the end thing on Queer Eye, where we find someone,
01:30like how they turn out.
01:31And I was like, I just was really bereft.
01:35But other than that, honey, usually I'm really excited to be there.
01:39I love being on camera all the time.
01:41I think I look good most of the time.
01:44But I will say, while filming Watch Out for the Big Girls, there was a moment.
01:49It's on camera.
01:50I had just dropped rumors, and there was a lot of noise on the internet.
01:56I saw some stuff about me, and I remember I came to set, and I was in glam.
02:01And I had my wig cap on and like half my makeup done.
02:04And I just kind of like broke down in the bathroom on set.
02:07And then I went on Instagram Live, and I talked about racism and fatphobia.
02:14And why does that have to be directed towards me all the time when I just want to be a
02:18musician, man?
02:20And I was weeping, like literally weeping.
02:22It's like it doesn't matter how much positive energy you put into the world,
02:27you're still going to have people who have something mean to say about you.
02:36I'm working this hard, my tolerance gets lower, and it gets to me.
02:43And they're like, okay, let's finish your glam so you can go in and do this reality show.
02:49And instead of kind of going in and being like, I hate this, I'm faking it.
02:53I decided to just be open with the girls and tell them like, yeah, I'm going through it right now.
02:58And I'm just so grateful for you.
03:00And you see it actually on the show.
03:03So no, I didn't want to go on camera.
03:05But turning it into something useful and purposeful, I think, is the point.
03:09I mean, on Top Chef, it's not that hard because our show, we feel like the stars are really the
03:16chefs.
03:16So there's a lot of times when it's just that the hours are grueling.
03:21But right now I'm filming Taste the Nation.
03:23And, you know, we had the production set the way we did so I could do it and get out
03:29in time for Top Chef.
03:30And my grandmother died.
03:32I went to India for like three days.
03:34I went to India for 72 hours in February, came back and started filming here.
03:40And we were with Cambodian refugees, these women telling me how, you know, they literally watched their child die in
03:47their arms of starvation as they were trying to flee the Cameroon.
03:50And I was at the temple with them.
03:52And all of a sudden, I heard the monks chant and I started crying my eyes out.
03:57We had started production five days after I got back from cremating my grandma and throwing her ashes in the
04:04Indian Ocean.
04:04And it was surreal. And at that moment, I just thought, God, I really wish the cameras weren't here.
04:10And I rarely say that because it's so much about capturing the moment of some human going through something.
04:18It's really, really intense sometimes.
04:22Yeah, it is about capturing the moment, but it's like we need some moments for ourselves, too.
04:26You know, I don't have anything as dramatic.
04:29Uh, I host a cake show where it's fun.
04:32So like if something devastating has happened in my life, I get to like put on makeup, get on camera
04:38and like make people laugh.
04:40And then that in turn makes me feel better.
04:42So like I feel really lucky that it like getting ready to get on camera then helps me with my
04:48personal life.
04:49But Nicole, as someone who's been a contestant on your show, may I just say, it really is like the
04:54most fun place.
04:55But what happens if like what happens if you like pull a kneecap, honey, doing your gorgeous athletic pole dancing,
05:03honey, you never know.
05:04You might that might happen.
05:05You have to like stand up and do lines and stuff.
05:08But I just want to slow clap for the pole dance.
05:10It's one of my favorite things on Instagram.
05:12You're beautiful.
05:13No, so it's so good.
05:14If you guys don't follow Nicole Byer, it's like, I mean, come for the pole dancing, stay for everything else.
05:20It's level.
05:21And I had to say, I'm sorry, Nicole.
05:22I just I did.
05:23I mean, pull a kneecap.
05:25I like fell off a motorcycle before I did Lego Masters with Will and like I could barely walk.
05:31But again, it was like I got to make people laugh.
05:34So then my leg didn't matter.
05:37Yeah.
05:37Yeah.
05:37You were a trooper.
05:38You were a trooper that day and you came out in a Lego built car, which was, I got to
05:44say, a lot of people wanted to have done that.
05:46And you did it.
05:47You showed up.
05:48I mean, I know the term hero gets thrown around a lot, but that was a case of a real
05:53life hero.
05:55I would say for me, the only time I don't want to be on camera.
05:58I mean, there's nothing less funny than 7 a.m.
06:01That's the I mean, that's the worst.
06:04And when you've got an early call, I mean, you do it, but that's like you're just not firing and
06:11you've got to, you know, feign interest.
06:15Is that too real?
06:18No, not at all.
06:19This is about reality competition.
06:21Is that too real where you the pretend part and everybody thinks I think you all know what I'm talking
06:26about.
06:26And maybe you won't admit it, but I admit it, which is like, oh, my God, tell me more.
06:30And you don't want to hear more.
06:33It's like for me, you would hate me so much on set because like that happens to me like after
06:378 p.m.
06:38But like 7 a.m., I am like, I'm here.
06:42I'm so happy.
06:42It's the morning, but it's like nighttime.
06:44I'm like, oh, my God, my cat's like, what's going on at home?
06:46I just curious about what's going on at home just because it's so fun to be there sometimes.
06:52Who are some of your hosting role models?
06:55You all didn't start out hosting.
06:57You did other things before you got into this.
07:00Ryan Seacrest.
07:01Yeah.
07:02Yeah, the hardest working is the hardest working man showbiz.
07:06Nobody does it better than Ryan Seacrest.
07:09Period.
07:10I would say RuPaul.
07:11RuPaul is like RuPaul is pretty good.
07:14Statuesque nature to the way they host.
07:17And I love that.
07:19When I was little, I watched my mom and I would watch the Carol Burnett show.
07:24And when she came out at the beginning and just talked to the audience,
07:29and I just thought there was something so lovable about that.
07:33I mean, yes, she was talented.
07:35Yes, she was obviously incredibly funny and whatever.
07:39And she had this great cast of players with her.
07:42But, you know, it wasn't that.
07:44That moment was just about, hey, we're all here to have a good time.
07:47And I'm going to show you some amazing people.
07:50And I think that got somewhere in the filing cabinet very deep.
07:55And I never thought about it at all until you just asked this question.
07:58But if there was a hosting, you know, kind of idol or mentor from afar,
08:05I would say I took a lot of lessons from that as an early child.
08:08I didn't know we were allowed to cross genres.
08:11Okay, Bob Barker.
08:15Really good.
08:15I guess if I really had to think about it, growing up, I watched a lot of Maury and Jenny
08:20Jones.
08:21And they both had a really good way of, like, getting the fun or, like,
08:27interesting things out of the people on the show.
08:31Maury and Jenny Jones.
08:33You remember Jenny Jones?
08:35Maury Povich?
08:36Yes, you are not the father.
08:39Is that who you're saying?
08:41Uh-huh.
08:41Maury Povich.
08:42Okay.
08:43Maury Povich.
08:46You're like, you really bring up Maury right now?
08:48Yes.
08:48I love Maury.
08:50No, I'm not saying that.
08:51I just don't know who Jenny Jones is.
08:53Listen, I spent a lot of the 90s in Europe, so.
08:56Oh, my God.
08:56I spent them on my couch watching Jenny Jones.
08:58Ditto.
08:59Ditto.
08:59It's a child, so.
09:00That's a cool.
09:01It's a classic.
09:02So good.
09:03Lizza, what about you?
09:05Oh, me?
09:07I feel like I was a mixture of RuPaul Charles and Tyra Banks.
09:13Come together.
09:15Yeah.
09:16Like, I'm going to echo Nicole.
09:19RuPaul really mastered the art of hosting.
09:24Just being genuine and off the cuff and hilarious and motherly, you know,
09:32and also gets to the business.
09:35And also never turns left or right.
09:39I had an auntie who I was very blessed that had, like, every single episode of the Sonny
09:45and Cher show taped.
09:46So as a small child, I got to, like, that's how I became obsessed with Cher.
09:51And so I feel like I've always wanted to, like, clock the center part.
09:54I've always just really, it's Cher for me.
09:57I thought about Cher, but I've never seen an episode.
10:01Oh, my God.
10:01I have.
10:02I have.
10:03I saw them.
10:04And I used to come home from playing in time to watch them because we lived in a big building
10:08in Queens.
10:10And, yeah, I mean, Cher was definitely a beauty icon.
10:14We can do Sonny and Cher at JVM.
10:17But can we both be Cher?
10:18Yeah, that's the problem.
10:19Yeah, we don't have to be both Cher.
10:21We'll just be Cher and Cher.
10:23Cher was beautiful, but also has a confidence, too.
10:26In the comedy.
10:27And funny.
10:28Yes.
10:28Yeah.
10:29Reality TV has gotten much kinder and seemingly less exploitative in recent years.
10:36But I'm sure there are some people here who are guilty of watching some of the trashier fare,
10:43either now or back in the day.
10:45Any, like, reality guilty pleasures?
10:48Love and hip hop.
10:50Basketball wives.
10:51Let's go.
10:55I wouldn't say that it's trashy, because for me, that was black reality TV show.
11:00And I think in black culture, like, it's just, that was what we had.
11:06It was very exciting.
11:07And they're celebrities.
11:09Like, so I love basketball wives and love hip hop.
11:12That was, it was that for me.
11:14I don't feel guilty about taking any pleasure in anything.
11:18But I, I, I watch stuff like Hoarders.
11:24You should feel a little guilty about it.
11:29Hoarders?
11:30Well, I think, it really, it freaks me out.
11:35You know, because of our long hours on Top Chef, like, every season for a while, I would adopt a
11:39show.
11:40And I found out about the Kardashians, like, 10 years after they, I mean, I knew about them,
11:44but I never actually sat down and watched the show.
11:46Or Hoarders, or, you know, all these, like, forensic files.
11:52That's, that's my jam.
11:53But I like to think Top Chef had something to do with making sure, like, from the start, we were
11:58never trashy.
11:59We've been around for a long time.
12:01You know, like, people grew up with us.
12:04We've been around for 16 years.
12:05And we were never trashy.
12:07And I think that's one of the things that Top Chef has lasted.
12:11You know, like, you know, there was, like, very early on, we just decided we weren't going to berate
12:17people because they were trying to really do a good job.
12:19And I think it's, it's, you know, one of the things that have done well for us to just early
12:24on believe in humanity, you know?
12:27Do you guys know about the show alone?
12:30No.
12:30What's that?
12:31It is so off-brand for me, but it's, like, so addicting.
12:35They take these survivalists.
12:37There's, like, 10 to 13.
12:38And they, like, season one, you can skip because it was all men.
12:40And, like, ugh.
12:41But after that, it was, like, very, like, you know, everybody.
12:43But it's, like, some military people, some, like, off-the-grid survivalists.
12:46And they have to go alone to the middle of nowhere.
12:48And whoever makes it the longest gets $1 million.
12:51It is so addicting.
12:52$1 million?
12:53This one lady got a, uh, I almost said that for her.
12:56I'm so sorry, but she got a fishing hook stuck in her hand.
12:59And then tried to put mud on it.
13:01Because she was like, oh, mud draws it out.
13:03It literally almost turned into gangrene.
13:04And she had to, like, she had, like, she got, like, just qualified on, like, you know, medical evac...
13:08Because there's, like, medical evacuation studies.
13:10It's really good.
13:11You got a guy who ate the fucking squirrel and cried.
13:14Yeah.
13:15Yeah.
13:15Or this other lady, she killed, she killed this, like, like a beaver or something.
13:19But it, like, it's, like, liver was, like, had this disease.
13:22But, Padma, you would have hated this.
13:23She cooked it anyway.
13:24She said, F it.
13:25There's no food out here.
13:26She cooked up that spotty liver.
13:28And she, no, she got really, really sick.
13:32And then when you win, if, so, like, is there, like, a runner-up prize?
13:36Are you doing wilderness and hope to win?
13:38They just win, like, extreme weight loss and, like, possible long-term injury
13:41because of, like, what they put their bodies through.
13:45Yeah.
13:46Yeah.
13:46Not, I would never, could never.
13:47But it is entertaining to see.
13:49Will, coming up as an actor, did you imagine that you'd be able to host a Lego competition
13:56and have it be this additive thing to your career?
13:58Or did you, did you get to a place where you're like, no, I could do this?
14:04I, I was, no, I didn't really think that I could do it.
14:07It's, it's super hard.
14:08It takes a lot of work and, and stamina.
14:11And I, I'm like, day one, I was like, hats off to people who do this and have been doing
14:17it a long time.
14:18It's, it takes a lot of hard work and concentration and, and a whole team of people
14:22who are doing it really well.
14:24And, um, but it's, uh, but it's also fun.
14:28I think that you guys will maybe agree with me when, when it, when it's fun and
14:33when you, when the people who are on it are, are having a good time or they feel a sense
14:36of accomplishment or feel good, that feels good in a really real way.
14:40Um, so that part of it was a surprise and, and very gratifying.
14:45And it's also really nice when you do it and you hear people who talk about, you know,
14:50we watch it together as a family or whatever, that feels really good as well.
14:53When you, uh, when you get that sense that it brings people together and is having a positive
14:59impact that feel that's something that I hadn't really considered.
15:03Nicole, you're also an actor.
15:06I I'm wondering, have you found that, uh, hosting nailed it and, and wipe out has, has helped you
15:14get acting jobs or do you feel like there's a stigma to being a part of like the reality infrastructure?
15:20I don't think there's a stigma anymore.
15:22I feel like, uh, people have stopped pigeonholing people.
15:26So like you can host, you can act, you can, uh, you know, do music.
15:31You could just like kind of do everything.
15:33Um, I will say it is nice.
15:35Sometimes casting directors will be like, my kid fucking loves you.
15:39So that's why we don't know if you're like actually right for the part, but like,
15:43we're calling you in anyway.
15:44And then I've never gotten a part that way, but I've gotten like a different part.
15:48Cause the casting director read me for one part and they were like, well,
15:52actually let's put her in this one.
15:53So honestly, I love that kids like me.
15:57They're getting me, you know, some jobs.
15:59It's nice.
16:01Is nailed it like a low key kids show where this is low key kids love nailed it.
16:07Like genuinely love it.
16:10My daughter, Christian and I watch it and I love that.
16:13And she turned me onto it.
16:15So, and we watch Lizzo show too.
16:17We love your show.
16:20And I was so happy to see, recognize some of those dancers,
16:23uh, when you were on SNL.
16:25Yep.
16:25All four of them.
16:26I needed dancers.
16:28That's why I started the show.
16:29My favorite part is, who's that one fierce girl who like, you were like,
16:33you're so good.
16:35You're bypassing this competition.
16:36And like, now you're like that, like that part gave me, like it fully made me cry.
16:40I had like pinky to like collarbone chills.
16:43Like it was no, like, I mean, like, cause like Sundays when my husband and I watch TV together,
16:47like he makes fun of me.
16:48Cause I'll just be like,
16:50I just like could not.
16:52It was, I love it.
16:53I was Crystal.
16:54And yeah, Crystal was on SNL.
16:56Crystal's been dancing with me ever since.
16:58People have been fully dehydrated watching the show.
17:01Cause you cry at least three times an episode.
17:05That's queer eye too though.
17:06I'll be crying.
17:07I did Instagram stories.
17:09I'm like, like shivering.
17:13Oh, that's so sweet.
17:14Thank you so much for saying that.
17:15You've all worked on, uh, shows with a lot of different kinds of participants.
17:20Um, what's a sort of universal quality that you've identified in people that makes them
17:25not just good at being themselves, but good at being themselves on TV?
17:29Hmm.
17:31Hmm.
17:31That's a good question.
17:32Or bad on TV.
17:34I think people who are trying really hard to be funny, like someone once said to them,
17:40you know what?
17:41You could do comedy.
17:42And I was like, can you, you live in Dayton, Ohio, and you've never been on a stage.
17:45And then like, uh, they're just like trying really hard and they kind of a wall up and
17:50you can't talk to them.
17:52Cause they're trying to just do bits or whatever at you.
17:55I like people who are really genuine and you can find the comedy and like the silly
18:01like choice that they made, as opposed to them coming in with an idea of what the show
18:06is going to be.
18:06Cause it's like, it's reality.
18:08Like, you don't, you, you could go into life with an idea of what life is, but like
18:12shit's going to happen and things are going to change.
18:15So I like people who roll with the punches.
18:17Mm-hmm.
18:18I think people do smell bullshit a mile away, especially on social media and in reality TV.
18:24And like, you don't need to be the funniest, coolest, most doing it person.
18:30You got to be the most genuine to cut through, I think, and to read through on camera.
18:35Um, that's what I, I mean, I've only done one reality show at this point, but the girls
18:41were all the girls that we chose and the girls who were successful were the ones who were extremely
18:47vulnerable and completely opened up and we're ready for whatever, you know, we were going to
18:52throw at them and their story kind of shines through.
18:55When you're open, you and your story shine through.
18:57When you're closed and trying to play a character, you don't win that way.
19:02Lizzo, I'm glad you mentioned that this was your first show because you do have a deal at
19:05Amazon and I'm wondering what else do you want to do with that?
19:09And what did you learn in this experience that you sort of want to apply to TV down the line?
19:13Well, the one thing that I already knew, but what this show did was a confirmation
19:18is seeing, um, how revolutionary and how touching watch out for the big girls was,
19:24was because you just didn't hear stories from women like this.
19:28You don't see women like this be successful on television in this way.
19:33It was so, it happens all the time cameras just aren't on, on them pointing at it.
19:38So I learned that I need to continue sharing the stories that I think deserve to be told and put
19:46on platforms and pedestals and amplified and to keep following my heart.
19:52Cause there's so many people's stories.
19:54I'm like, this is incredible.
19:55And you never see anything like this.
19:57And I think whether it's reality TV or if it goes into music somehow or documentary
20:03somehow, I'm going to continue to just tell the stories that I feel like are under told.
20:10Will, I'm going to go a little left field with this one, but Murderville for your co-stars might
20:18as well be reality TV because like the amount of improv and they don't really know what's going on.
20:24Can you talk to me about sort of like blurring the lines with, with genres and being playful
20:28in television now and the shows that you create?
20:30Yeah, there is a sort of, I bet you to a certain degree, having been part of Lego helped me
20:37when
20:37we were doing Murderville because you, these guys will tell you, you know, being out there
20:43and doing it on the fly, you have an idea where you want to go, but you know, hosting a
20:48reality
20:48competition show is improvising and, um, and then sort of taking that idea and then having a,
20:56having a sort of a scripted show to the extent that we have a story that we want to tell.
21:00But then bringing on guests who have no idea what they're doing, uh, is exciting to me because
21:07there's an element of immediacy, you know, having, you know, Marshawn Lynch is, he's actually a great
21:13actor. He'd never done anything like this before, but the fact that he said yes and had the guts to
21:17go like, yeah, I'll try that. And then he comes out and he's totally open and he does it. You
21:21know,
21:21Conan knows what he's doing. Obviously he's done that kind of stuff before. Kumail, uh, was just
21:26unbelievable because he was just so open. And that was the kind of the, the, that was,
21:31that was the thing that every character, every person who agreed to do it, Sharon Stone,
21:35anybody, they were all like, yes. And they were open. And then we're just in that moment,
21:40we're just discovering in, and it's really fun. And it's like a high wire act and, um,
21:47it's fucking crazy and who knows what's going to happen. There's a scene, um, Ken John comes on and
21:53Ken's so funny, but again, like he's kind of nervous and he doesn't know what's happening.
21:58And all of a sudden we, we get him changed in a, in a, um, his cost is wardrobe. And
22:03I'm wearing,
22:03we're both wearing these stupid wardrobe pants and matching yellow shirts. And he's like, what are
22:08we doing? I'm like, hold up, here we go. And then they go in action and we pull the curtain
22:12back and
22:13he and I run out and we're on the stage of a shark tank like show. And then I go,
22:18this is, I go,
22:19this is our new product. Go ahead, Ken. And then he has to sell. And there's just a block of
22:23ice.
22:24And he looks at me like, what? And now he's got to sell this thing. He has no idea what
22:28he's doing.
22:29That's reality. You know? So it is a genre blurring concept in that way.
22:35That sounds so fun. Will, why didn't you call me?
22:40You can watch it. It's on Netflix. It's super fun. It just came out.
22:46It's crazy. Wait till you see, Marshawn is like a comedy, uh, savant. He's unbelievable, man.
22:53And we're about, he's so funny. We're gonna, we're about to do some more stuff with Marshawn.
22:57I love the guy. He's just like in it, like in the moment. Yeah. So sick.
23:03Padma, you just finished your 17th season of Top Chef. And I, I'm wondering,
23:07what would your advice be to yourself circa 2006? You probably had no idea what she was signing up for.
23:15I, 18th actually. Damn.
23:1918th. Oh, I could tell you immediately that it was like not the right number. Like I could tell
23:24immediately. Mikey, you got to fire your researcher. Is it you? Do you have to fire yourself?
23:31You went on camera. Mikey, do it right now on camera.
23:34I'm sorry. Sorry. It doesn't matter. 17, 18. It does matter. Of course it matters.
23:39Because you could, your, your hosting self could vote. Like in 18, you know what I'm saying?
23:44Like 18 is different than 17. Nicole is devastated by this.
23:47He's a big number. She's devastated. Mikey.
23:50I mean, I had no idea. He's so disappointed in Mikey.
23:54Cultural phenomenon. I said yes to Top Chef. I had pitched another show
23:59to Bravo and, and they thought that was too highbrow, but they wanted to do something in food
24:04and they were developing Top Chef and they asked me if I would come on. And I was publishing a
24:09cookbook
24:09at the time. And I said, yeah, sure. It'll probably give my cookbook a little boost. You know, I,
24:15I really didn't think much about it, but, um, anyway, I, you know, I'm very thankful for Top Chef.
24:22It's, um, really more than giving me and my daughter a really nice quality of life,
24:28which it has done, you know, it also funds my writing. And the most, the thing I'm most proud
24:35of with Top Chef is that we have changed the way a whole generation of society thinks about food.
24:42We really have, you know, it's a professional chef's competition. And I love when I'm hailing
24:49a cab in New York and little girls come up to me and they say, oh, I had a sleepover
24:54and I had an,
24:55you know, quick fire challenge in my sleepover, or we, I know what an Emily's Boosh is. I didn't
25:00know what an Emily's Boosh was until I was in my mid twenties, you know, and these kids know,
25:06and, and I think we really, you know, and Top Chef is in 60 countries. And so I travel and
25:13I get
25:13stopped in South Africa, wherever I am, like people from all over the world, I'm dubbed in some,
25:19and, you know, and others I'm subtitled, but so it has been, you know, just the great pleasure of my
25:26life to have had some little part in the education of a whole culture on food. I mean, I think
25:34that's
25:34what Top Chef's real legacy will be, you know, and it has done so in an elegant way that's evolved
25:41with
25:41the times and gotten better and better. We like to go to different cities to really explore. People
25:47don't realize how regional food is and especially food in this country. And, you know, it's been
25:54great also to go and embed myself in these cultures for six weeks at a time and really get to
26:00know. So
26:00I had no idea. I thought like I would do Top Chef, it would help my cookbook, and then I
26:06would go on my
26:06merry way. Like I really didn't know that it would, it would turn into this thing at all.
26:13What does amuse bouche?
26:17An amuse bouche is something that amuses your bouche. So it's a little bite. It's just one
26:24bite that the chef gifts you at the beginning of your meal that tells you everything you need to know
26:30about her and her tastes. And it's a little like teaser to amuse you, to amuse your mouth,
26:40your bouche. I feel like they did that on British Bake Off. And I knew I heard that word before,
26:43honey. And yes, yes. Obsessed. You heard it here first. You heard it there first,
26:49but then later on I heard it. Yes. I'm interested in this pitch for a show that was too highbrow
26:55for
26:55Bravo. Have any of you pitched shows in any genre that the studio or network was just like,
27:02I don't think so. Of course, but no one has ever said that was too highbrow.
27:09They're like, Nicole, I don't know. It's not gonna work. I get it.
27:13I had it. We were gonna do a show. I tried to get Netflix to do a show about these
27:16law partners in
27:18Utah who both had like 14 kids. And then one of them leaves the guy for his best friend. And
27:24she
27:25takes all 14 kids and goes with the other 14 kids. And then he's murdered and he's got to solve
27:30the
27:30kid. And then he's left with, it's crazy. But, um, and they were like, what?
27:39I think that's funny. It's really funny. Actually, Nicole, you would like it.
27:43Yeah. 28 kids. Yeah. 28 kids. She's like, I'm leaving you with, and I'm taking all 14 kids,
27:49which by the way, thank you.
27:53Jonathan, I feel like Queer Eye opened up a lot for you about yourself and, and your career.
28:02Can you talk a little bit about how participating in the show sort of clarified things for you?
28:08Yeah. I mean, I think before Queer Eye was like Gay of Thrones. That's where I got to meet Nicole.
28:12And so I think doing Gay of Thrones was the first time that I realized that I loved being on
28:16camera
28:16and that I had something to say, and that there was an ability for me to write and be funny
28:20on cue
28:21and realize that there was more to me than just like doing people's hair all day, which like I love
28:26doing people's hair all day, but there was more. And that was my first kind of clue. Um, but I
28:30think
28:31if anything, I think being on Queer Eye has only made things, um, like less clear for me,
28:35like my life has changed a lot, but I think as you gain this public, um, persona, you, or at
28:41least
28:41for myself, I'm so much more aware of like more people and what more people are going through.
28:46And I think whether it's, um, talking openly about my HIV status or surviving abuse or whatever
28:52it is that I've been open about it, like on one hand, I'm really happy for my life and my
28:57career and
28:57what's happened. But then I'm also like, how can I get more people into a space of like thriving and
29:02healing and not feeling so stigmatized by these issues? Um, cause then when you do talk about it,
29:07you're very quickly reminded, like how much people don't understand and how much they kind of don't
29:11want to understand, which can be kind of daunting. But I think for me, what is really clear is that
29:16like, ultimately my job on this world is to spread compassion by modeling joy and curiosity.
29:21That's really what my like mission statement is in life is. And so what I get to do on Queer
29:26Eye is
29:27such a gift and it's the first Queer Eye like changed my life and it brought my family so much
29:31closer.
29:31I love the original Fab Five so much. They were, they meant so much to me. So to be in
29:36a place now
29:36in my life where I get to do that for other people is beyond my wildest dreams. And I'm just
29:42so happy
29:42that I'm here. And you're in Austin right now. And, and Padma, you just filmed the 18th season of Top
29:49Chef
29:49in Houston. I mean, there are states like Texas that are enacting legislation that, uh, I suspect doesn't
29:57align with your values. And I'm wondering, looking at these trends in the country going forward,
30:04how does that impact where you want to be working and also the stories that you want to tell?
30:10It was hard, you know, it was hard to film in Texas. I still get a lot of comments on
30:17my Instagram,
30:17like how could you go there and stuff, but there are a lot of people in Texas, you know, and
30:24I have felt different ways about this over time, but I don't think that you can penalize
30:32all the people of the state because of its legislators. And I, you know, we,
30:39the city of Houston is a really diverse place. I've, you know, filmed there, uh, with both shows and
30:46the way that I dealt with it personally is just, there was a huge march going on while we were
30:52filming and I wanted to participate in it on behalf of, you know, the ACLU and Planned Parenthood and
30:59Bravo was very supportive and they actually had, you know, given us the day off and Tom and Gail went
31:07with
31:07me and I spoke at the rally. And so, you know, I think there it's hard, it's hard to penalize
31:15the
31:15whole state. I feel like instead I'd rather be there and listen to people on the ground, you know, or
31:21make a donation to abortion, you know, funds network of abortion funds or whatever the issue is. I think the
31:30problem is that we've stopped talking to each other. This is, you know, I'm speaking personally.
31:37And so, you know, even with Taste the Nation, I felt like I wasn't creating the show for people who
31:43thought like me. I was creating the show for people in red states who were maybe not that familiar with
31:50the neighbors that lived even across the street, you know, because they look different or had a last name
31:54that was different or their color of their skin was different. And so I think it's better to engage
32:02respectfully than disengage. We are all dependent on each other. I mean, that's one thing COVID taught
32:07us. It doesn't matter how much you isolate yourself. You are part of humankind. So it's, you know,
32:13not to get too lofty or corny about it, but I really do believe that. I believe it's better to
32:19keep the
32:19dialogue open as much as possible. I also think that there's like, I get asked about this a lot
32:26being like on a show like Queer Eye, but I think if you look since 2016, like hate crimes have
32:31risen
32:32every single year in the United States against queer LGBTQIA plus people. And so I think too often
32:38we have this ask of like, do you think that representation is increasing? Do you think that it's
32:43getting better? And it's like, I guess, but like, who really cares that? I mean, representation is
32:48important. And also what's the correlation between representation and legislation? Is it that when
32:54representation is better, we get like more protective legislation? No. And in fact, as we've had more
32:59representation, more restrictive, like anti-women, anti-LGBTQIA plus, anti-choice, anti-freedom of
33:06speech laws keep happening. So I think it's okay for us to celebrate representation, but we need to stop
33:12conflating representation with like quality of life and how our work on TV changes people's like day-to-day
33:19lives. Representation is absolutely so important, but I think that we need to do a better job of kind
33:24of explaining like context and where representation doesn't really necessarily make people's lives
33:30better day-to-day. Yeah. It will if there's more representation in Congress. It will. But that's
33:37the correlation between like representation and legislation that isn't happening. And that's what
33:42I worry about. It is happening. It's happening slowly. It's not happening enough, but it is, you know,
33:49there are a lot of people that are getting elected and more will run, hopefully. It is harder to say
33:55that
33:55though is like for two queer people living in like Alabama, for instance, who's like parents are being
34:00felonized, you know, for seeking gender affirming health care. It gets harder. So like federally, yes,
34:06but for queer marginalized people living in states like Arkansas, like Alabama, like Texas, the change
34:13isn't happening fast enough. And so I just think we need to just be more aware of like the difference
34:18between
34:19representation and legislation and being really clear with folks that like we need more action on
34:24legislation and education around what people's voting habits create in people's lives. Lizzo,
34:30you talked about your Instagram live that was caught on your show. I know you've taken a break from
34:38social media before. What are your rules for engagement right now? Knowing that it's like a
34:45great outlet and a great opportunity, but sometimes it lets like awful stuff in.
34:52Coming off of that conversation, because that's a heavy, very real ass topic, by the way, just wanted to
35:02insert that. And because it's like, yeah, this TV show is not going to save the world. And it's
35:14culture changes a little quicker than the infrastructure of, you know,
35:20the laws in this country. And when I've changed, you know, 10 big black girls lives on TV,
35:31what about all of the hundreds of thousands, millions of big black girls in America who don't
35:36have opportunities, who get talked about, dogged out, drug through the mud, who don't get the
35:45opportunities, who will never be able to live their dreams. I think about them all the time,
35:51because I was one of them. And knowing that my TV show can't help everyone,
35:59it hurts, you know, and it sucks. And I wish it could. And my biggest thing always is like,
36:07what do you say to people who are struggling right now, who, you know, see these laws? It's like,
36:12it's hard to say anything to them, because their experience is, there's nothing I can do to change
36:19their experience, their lives are happening right now. And a lot of people who are transitioning,
36:27time is important, you know. So, um, I feel you JV and like, I wish that we could reflect Congress,
36:37like I wish Padma, our shows and the people who are making these statements outside and culture
36:43could be making the laws, or at least we're having some sort of impact on the people who are making
36:50the
36:50laws. I wish that they could watch, you know, our shows and be inspired and say, these people need
36:57protecting. So, and that's my job. My job is to protect the people, but far too often we see that
37:05it's quite the opposite. So I wanted to just touch on that as well, because it's something that I've
37:11thought about and, and, um, but there is a silver lining. Um, there's a cast member on Watch Out for
37:18the
37:18Big Girls named Jayla, who is trans woman, and she was able to live authentically as herself and
37:24her experience has inspired people. Um, and I think that as long as people are inspired,
37:31they'll continue to seek their personal freedom. And I think the more free we are, the more we can
37:37fight. Um, it sucks that we have to fight, but this is just where we're at. And also Liz, I
37:44wasn't
37:44like trying to like, cause our work is so important and like representation is so important. I wasn't
37:48trying to say that it wasn't cause our work is, I just, it's like when people say, you know,
37:52to Padma, like how could you film in Texas or to like when people, I just wish people like who
37:57followed us and like people, like consumers of entertainment understood that like what we do
38:02is important and we should be like following this, like the city council and like the student,
38:07like the school boards, like you should be knowing what they wore last week. And if they went to the
38:12meeting, just as much as you know, like what we are. So just understanding that it's two different
38:15things and they do influence each other, but one doesn't necessarily mean that like the other is
38:19going to get better. Right. Meaning that they're different. And Padma is absolutely right as well.
38:25Like, you know, there are people, especially in those states where the legislation is getting
38:30more and more regressive. Um, the people there are needed more, you know, which is why I went to
38:38South by Southwest. They're like, you know, I heard people were protesting going to South by Southwest.
38:42And I'm like, I understand that, but the people there are experiencing this. They're not happy with
38:48it. These, the people who are passing these laws are not the people in the streets who are experiencing
38:53everyday life, you know? So, um, you're absolutely right. Like they need to hear it. It's nice to be
38:59on the ground, you know, connecting with those people in real time. Cause that's where they need it the most.
39:04I mean, that's what we have to do. We have to get really like active, like, you know, there's an
39:10election
39:11coming up in Texas. Mm hmm. So get the person out who keeps signing these terrible laws into
39:18effect. Mm hmm. Amen. Mikey, I had, um, reality show. I had watch out for the big girls. I dropped
39:28my
39:28shapewear. Thank you. I dropped a single. I announced my album and I did SNL all within two weeks. So
39:38I had to
39:39come back on the social media, even as much as I wanted to be like to social media, there were
39:46a
39:46lots of things that I was excited about and proud of and needed to share. It was bigger than me
39:51at
39:52this point. It was about all of the girls who told their stories on watch out for the big girls.
39:57I'm
39:57like, I got to get on a tweet about this and post about this Instagram, about it, tick tock about
40:01it.
40:01All the people who've been working on Yeti and now all the people whose bodies are liberated by
40:07wearing Yeti. Like, I needed to go on and kind of tell the world about what I've been working on.
40:13Social media don't stop nothing over here. Trolls don't stop nothing over here. So I'm out there just
40:21laughing these hoes up and making my money. It make me money, honey.
40:24If you could turn the camera on anyone in pop culture right now, and this goes for all of you,
40:34who would you choose and why?
40:36Sorry, I'm going to talk again because JV had made an incredible point. Turn it on the politicians.
40:42Turn it on them. Like, I say this all the time, like, cancel culture is this massive thing that
40:51we have turned into this, like, machine. Cancel politicians. You know, turn the spotlight on them
40:58and the ones who are passing shitty laws and the ones who are hurting people. Turn the spotlight on
41:04them. Cancel them. Call them out. Put them on reality TV and see how they live their day-to-day
41:08life. You know, we're not judging them people enough. We're judging people over here that don't
41:13really have an effect on our lives. Judge them. I want to see a reality show about what them
41:18motherfuckers do on a day-to-day. Yeah, I would have loved to see what the conversation was behind
41:24Nancy Pelosi wearing Kenty cloth. You know, like, what was that conversation? That was probably
41:31interesting and entertaining. What was that day like? I would have loved to have seen that. It's like,
41:38do you think that's a good idea? Nancy's like, yes, let's put it on and we'll kneel. Like, I want
41:42to see
41:45I want to talk about dream collaborators. Whose, whose incoming call would make you absolutely lose
41:51your mind? I mean, I'll say it. Lizzo, you. Yeah, I was thinking that too. So much. People were
41:58tweeting at me. They were like, Nicole, you did so well on SNL. And I was like, I get it.
42:02I get it.
42:03Two fat black women cannot exist at the same time. But honestly, I love your work and would love to
42:09do
42:09anything with you. Yes, girl. If you're really thirsty that I like now have you on the line,
42:15and I'm like, hey Lizzo, want to be my friend? If like, if anyone needs like, even if you need
42:19like an assistant hairdresser for like, even any of the backup people, like if you need me to come
42:23like lay on a puddle for you to like walk, I just, if you just want to have me around
42:27for any, I just,
42:28I'm here for that, like very major. Just like, let me and Jonathan into your life, please.
42:33Yeah, I just was, I was, I did think it. I did. Oh my God. Yeah. How will that? He
42:38doesn't even
42:39want me on his show. Murder. I do. I do. I was going to say before they jumped in, I
42:44was going to
42:44say that I could listen to you Lizzo talk for an hour. I was captivated. I'm serious by what you
42:52were
42:52saying. I honestly, I loved everything that you said, and I could hear more of it. And I love your
42:58spirit. You're, I think you're awesome. So I would, I would love for you to come and do
43:03Murderville. Are you kidding me? You're the person, you're the first person I'm calling Lizzo,
43:08and you better pick up. My manager's over there. I'm like, you heard him. Okay.
43:13There's a compliment for you, Will. On several occasions while you were answering,
43:17you were really shivering my timbers, like the tonality of your speaking voice. It is just like,
43:22Oh, like, well, yes. How do you, like, you were like, just, yeah.
43:28You never noticed how deep your voice was. Oh my God.
43:33Nobody pays it. Nobody pays enough attention to me. I was really deep hiding you.
43:37Thank you. Lizzo, I will cook you anything you want, anytime, anywhere.
43:41I won't, but you can talk to me.
43:45We like each other, Mikey, clearly. Very incestuous group here.
43:50Will, you really do have a voice that's sort of like made for hosting.
43:55Oh, I have a face made for radio. Is that what you were going to say?
43:58Yeah. I get it. It's okay.
44:02No, the face is cute too, honey. I'll give you more compliments.
44:06I'll always take compliments. Somebody said to me recently, like,
44:09Oh, you only like being around people who like you. I'm like, yeah, right.
44:14Who wants to be around people who don't like them? What are you talking about? Like, yeah,
44:17that just makes sense. I do need to just get out one more thing.
44:20Shout out for Nicole's cut out in the background.
44:22Also shout out to all of your glam squads Lizzo.
44:25You just look absolutely stunning on this Sunday morning.
44:28So do you, Padma. So do you, Nicole.
44:30Will you always look gorgeous? Like, get out of here.
44:31But can I just say our glam teams and I was my own glam team today.
44:34Well, you look fabulous. I like the fuchsia.
44:37That is the color of the season. The waves are on point.
44:40I love the center part. Mikey. I like the blue.
44:44Oh, thank you. Me too. Me too. Me too.
44:49They didn't powder me today though. So I'm a little upset.
44:52Huey skin is in, honey. I'm glad you guys can't smell my hair
44:55because it smells like a lot of fried food right now. We were up all night.
44:59It's giving that good texture though. So it's fine.
45:01It really is. I've got a lot of dry shampoo.
45:04Wait, what kind of food? I'm so hungry. Talk about the food more.
45:10A lot of powdered sugar. A lot of crispy, crunchy, cheesy, oozy, gooey stuff.
45:17That's what I want. Where are you right now?
45:20I'm in Dearborn, Michigan. It's Ramadan. There's like 80% of Dearborn, Michigan is all Arab.
45:27And they're from 22 different countries. And I've been learning how to make all these Arab desserts
45:31and baklava and like this thing called kanafa. And I just, it's been intense.
45:38I'm like on a weird sugar high. So you're in Michigan. You're eating deep fried sweet stuff.
45:44Have you had an elephant ear? No, not yet. I've just been eating Arab food. What's an elephant ear?
45:50It's like, I, no one else knows what this is. It's like a deep fried like dough and it's like
45:55big
45:55like this and it's just covered in like sugar and cinnamon. It sounds delicious. I'm very hungry now.
46:04Me too. I'm so hungry. Is it time for brunch yet?
46:07No, it's time for brunch. It's 935, but I guess I could drink.
46:12Tell me the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to you that made it to air.
46:17I'll call myself out. It's fine. When we were shooting that first episode, like pre-pandemic,
46:22it was like March of 2020. I just got back from Australia. I was on tour. And I was like,
46:26what are the chances that we're going to like have a closeup of my foot? Like the beauty expert,
46:30none. So I wore this little like open toe heel with just like bunion aplenty, just like dry foot
46:37bunion. Just like my foot was not cute. And then of course, like there were these like slow motion
46:42get out of the car shots, but I thought they were wide, but really they were close up on our
46:45foot.
46:46So the very first shot of Queer Eye season six is just like my crusty dry bunion big toe. And
46:54my heels
46:54are just giving you like Hardee's Carl's Jr. Biscuit. And I just, and it's only fleeting,
46:59but like when I saw that I literally like the blood like left my face and I was like,
47:02I can never, I'm on my feet. But you know, it's fine. I'm a human. I'm also like a figure
47:06skating gymnast who like, you know, we don't have great feet. Right. And as long as this is looking
47:10good, fine. Okay. Fine. Okay. That's mine. Yeah. It's all vanity stuff. Right. Mine is just sweat.
47:16Like it was so hot in the middle of August when we did watch out for the big girls. And
47:23I just have so
47:24many moments where you just see sweat under my titties. Like they sweat and I don't really wear
47:29bras like that. You know what I'm saying? Free the girls. Sweat there, sweat everywhere. I didn't
47:35care though. Cause I was like, it's not about that. Like, let's get gritty.
47:39Under titty sweat is not talked about enough. It's it's, you don't even realize it's there to
47:45you. Like take a picture, look in the mirror and you're like, God damn. Yeah. It'll get you.
47:49Well, that was supposed to be the focus of my last question, but instead I will ask you,
47:54uh, under titty sweat. Yeah. What's the, what's the most thankless job you've had in the entertainment
48:00industry? I'm going to start with Will. Oh God. What? Start with somebody else. Uh,
48:06I've had so many, honestly, I don't know. I did, I did a couple episodes of the Sopranos
48:12years ago and, um, I didn't really do anything. And I was just like this husband of this FBI agent.
48:23And, um, I went in and I had to read for David chase and it was, they had, they were
48:28like, I get
48:29there, it was in Queens and they say, well, you got one line. So one line I got, I thought
48:34it was just me.
48:35I know. He just wants to hear you say a line. So I said, okay, well, this is gonna be
48:39weird.
48:40Anyway, I go in and I sit down with George, I'm walking the casting director and David chase. And
48:45it's like, what am I going to do to make this? So I just, she goes, you ready? I go,
48:48yeah. And I just go
48:50line. As if I'd gone up in my one line and he ended up laughing and I got the part.
48:56So that was
48:58it was thankless, but also I felt vindicated that I made him laugh in the moment.
49:03Definitely. Uh, let's see. Thankless. I, one of my first jobs was a Nestle commercial
49:09that I had to fly to Romania to shoot. It was for Israeli Nestle. And in the audition,
49:16the casting director was like, I want you to be as black as possible. And if you're too black,
49:20I'll bring you back. And I was like, Hmm, white lady, what you mean by that? Um,
49:26but I ended up getting the part, went to Romania and they would hoist me up because I was a
49:33fairy,
49:33so I had to fly around. And that man was like, we found the biggest man here in Romania.
49:39Still not as big as you, but I don't think you'll fall. And, uh,
49:44it was the wildest two days of my life and they would hoist me up and then decide what they
49:50wanted
49:51me to do. So then I had vertigo for a little bit because I was just like a pinata, just
49:55like
49:55swinging there in this big poofy dress. Um, it still lives on YouTube. Um, not my finest work,
50:02but you know, she got a $5,000 buyout and she was 25. So I paid my rent for a
50:08little bit.
50:08I'm ready for the memoir, Nicole. I'm ready for the memoir. And then that story needs to be in
50:13what economy. I don't really have, I was thankful for every job I got. Honestly,
50:20I was so thankful that I got my foot in the door. Even I did this beer commercial and it
50:26was
50:27humiliating. And like, I just had to bend down and like bop this guy on the head. And
50:32I was there all day out in the sun for like 12 hours. And I think I,
50:37I, somebody finally brought me like a little drugstore umbrella that I could stand under.
50:43And, you know, but I went home and I went home at the time and I, yes, I was also
50:47in my twenties.
50:47And I was like, I did a commercial today. You know, I was, I was still excited about it.
50:54Lizzo, have you had a thankless job? I feel like you've just been so ascendant.
50:59What can I say? Um, I actually have a lot to say. I, I think, um, so here's the thing,
51:05I wear a lot of hats. Um, I've worn a lot of hats since the beginning, uh, when I was
51:12like in
51:13rock bands and touring, I was my own tour manager. I was driving the car. I was, you know, getting
51:20the cash at the end of the day, selling my merch, singing back up for the guy we were opening
51:24up for.
51:24I just did a lot. You know, I was my own crafty making chip salads at the gas station. Um,
51:32and I
51:33think that that spirit I've carried into, you know, who I am now in my career now. So there's a
51:39lot of
51:39things that you see that you didn't know I was a part of, like, I'm a part of the editing
51:44process,
51:44especially on watch out for the big girls. Like my edit notes are so insane that I like was with
51:50the editor and being like, and then cut here and then overlap there. And then this should be that.
51:54And then this looks weird. And the pool is a weird color. We had to change that. And the type,
51:58the font right there isn't right. I'm so hands on with everything that a, I have a lot of respect
52:04for the people who do those jobs. Like really, like, you know, the editors and the people, the
52:10people who do the coloring and the sound mixing. I had so many sound notes and I'm like,
52:15they don't get the thank you, you know, that they deserve because I do it with them. And I don't
52:23but I think the biggest thank you is the success of the show and how good it is. Like when
52:29you see
52:29it and you're like, wow, this is great reality TV. That's the thank you. Um, but you don't hear it
52:36enough. And those people don't hear it enough. Yeah. It takes a village. There's 10 other people on
52:40the zoom right now and we can't see them. Thank you. People. Thank you. Awesome. Uh,
52:48well, thank you guys for doing this. This has been fantastic. I really appreciate it. Uh,
52:53thank you for watching the Hollywood Reporter Roundtable with these reality stars. I'm doing a
52:59selfie. Everyone smile. Okay. Bye. Bye everybody. Thank you. Call me. I will. I will. Don't worry. Bye all. Bye.
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