Rachel Dratch

30:14I remember meeting you, but I didn't meet you. I saw you. So I arrived and you were kind of the junior to my freshman in Chicago, I would say. And I saw you on stage. You were in Lois Kaz, an improv show, very like kind of famous improv show. named after a woman that worked in the office or something. I don't know. Sketch and improv and comedy. It's just like music, right? Like, it's like, oh, go check out this cool band. Like, oh, these two people are singing together. You know, you just were like watching groups and trying to figure out what was good. What did you like? And Lois, the show that you were in was just like, oh, these are the cool, good improvisers.

30:54Go see them. And I remember. So the first time I saw you before we met, I saw you on stage. And I just remember, you know, I think like when you see someone on stage for the first time, it's very, it's a very interesting dynamic. Like you're just like forever looking up to them. Like it feels like, and I just was like, oh, she's so funny. Like just loved being like watching you perform. Like just, and, um, and, you know, subsequently, like we got to know each other in Chicago and I was your understudy for, uh, touring company. for sure yeah so what is touring company for people who don't know it's like your first step to getting into second city and you're not out on the road like for big long times you're just like you're going to indiana for the weekend like that kind of thing yeah and it's just sort of like cutting your teeth and i mean you get paid of minimal sums you're like it's your first like i'm a working actor you know yeah and it's sort of your first step to moving up the little ladder there yeah so we didn't get to tour together because i was only filling in when you were And then Amy struck out and moved to New York and started UCB, which I told you before that I was always just like, what do you guys do?

32:06Like, I didn't know you guys that well, but I was just like, what are they doing? Like, they're on track to, you know, you were already very successful in Chicago or like successful, like known to be good improvisers, whatever. But then like you definitely would have moved up the ranks at Second City, but you guys had this like pioneer spirit of moving here and starting. It's kind of like if the Dratchin Polar rom-com is happening, this is where we kind of separate for a little bit to go find our own. Right. Because I moved to New York. You're on main stage in a very famous show at Second City.

32:41And then you meet Tina Nguyen. Oh, so then Tina joined. Then the next show, then they changed it to Three Men, Three Women, which was like revolutionary. Everyone was like, what? I know. They're like three women together? I know. But then Tina came in for the next show, my second show on main stage called Citizen Gates. And she was, of course, hilarious from the get go. And then we did two shows together. And then I started to get more comfortable up there and like being better at creating characters and all that. And then Tina went off to write for SNL after the second, her second show. And then I stayed there.

33:17How many more years did you stay there? Well, I was four years on the main stage. and it was such a fun job. I mean, it might have been like my favorite job ever. Yeah, like take us back to what it was like a day when you were on the main stage in Chicago. What was that day like? Well, I mean, I remember like you'd sleep really late, much later than I do now. But then you're writing the show. If you're rehearsing, you're writing the show by day. So you're in rehearsal all day. But you never wrote like how we did at SNL where you were like at a typewriter. What a typewriter. Okay. Word processor.

33:52when you were at a I think I got a good one here give me more paper I'm out of paper Schultzy ding okay computer is what they're called now but um but I know like it's not like SNL when you're like oh let's think of something we're in an office it was all on it's feet and like just someone had an idea yeah and you just and then you try it out in front of the audience or the audience would give a suggestion and then a scene would really hit from an audience. Let's try that again, but let's change this. So that's how we wrote the thing. And then eventually, like, the show would be done and it'd be set and then you'd just do the show night after night.

34:33But the show is, like, sketch, like, for those that don't know, like SNL. And then afterwards, you'd improvise every night pretty much. And that's how you get really good at improvising by just night after night after night. Because if I had improvised right now, I'd be like, like, I'd wait, linger in the back line. If you keep doing it like well-oiled machine.

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37:47So talk to us about your honor. You get to SNL what year? 99. Right. Yeah, fall of 99. And I was the only new person that year. Well, the only new actor. Ali was a new writer. But yeah, so you just get like... Who's on the cast when you get in there? And you just said, I just got a little tense. You know, this show comes out on Tuesdays. And to me, I just realized, I was like, oh, this is like a new way to change Tuesdays for me. Because Tuesdays used to be writing night at SNL, where it was like the dread of Tuesdays. Like, oh, no, this is the night where I have to try to get on the show. Because you audition basically every week.

38:28And I haven't written anything yet. And I'm so tired. And I'm going to let the host down. I'm going to let myself down. And now that there's like this show comes out on Tuesdays, I don't know. There's just something like, but yes, I think people are aware of the dread. But what just came up for you? Which particular type of dread? I don't know. I just thought of like walking in there and like picturing the hallway. And I think I thought you were going to like go to the audition. But no, then I'm like right in that hallway. I'm in the hallway, Amy. I'm in the hallway. Stay in the hallway. Stay in the hallway.

39:03Stay there. Rachel I can sell the office I can feel your feet on the ground here comes Lauren down the hallway um okay um so you're there that's hard being the only new cast member that was hard yeah I can't I cannot tell a lie that was hard because that place is like well I think you know some people like when Will Ferrell came in I think is the year like a whole bunch of new people they were like the freshman class and then you're all like in it together but when you come in new like no one's like you know here's how this works in here so and it's just you're kind of just like hey guys what's you know wandering the halls kind of it definitely feels like the the high school version of like your tray in the lunchroom like where do I sit yeah for sure um I mean Tina was there so that was good because she knew how already she knew the system obviously but like I had someone to write with yeah because some people come in there and they're great but if they if they don't know how to write Also, the writing for SNL is very different from writing for Second City.

40:06Like a scene that killed a Second City, you couldn't get it on SNL because it's just different. And at the time, you're like, but this is awesome. But now with more wisdom. Why? Why wouldn't it work? Just because a scene in the theater could take longer to get going. You didn't need to have like, laugh, laugh, laugh. People in the theater are just into seeing this character kind of do their thing. But at SNL, it had to be like, you need laughs off the bat. We need to know what this is right away. And I don't know, just this one thing. Do you remember the first scene on SNL that you were getting laughs and you thought, like, it's working.

40:41Like, that felt like. No.

40:48Gosh. I don't remember the first, because I remember the first few times I got on, like, I wasn't even, I left my body. So I don't remember, like, this is going really well. I was just like, I'm on. Like, that kind of thing. Yeah, yeah. Well, the very first show, I wasn't in. Like the season premiere or whatever. And you've told all your friends, like, I'm on a set. And everyone's watching. Your scene gets cut like it does. And then the next week, the same thing happened. Scene got cut. So it was like the third week. Who was the host? Do you remember? The one that I got on was, I should know this.

41:22Oh, my God. Well, I know the first one was Jerry Seinfeld. Then it was Norm MacDonald. And then it was, and does not compute. Oh, my God. I don't remember. Well, it's funny. the brain remembers trauma. So you remember the two shows that you were on. Dana Carvey? I'm going to have to go look. They're going to do those three guys in a row? What year was it, Dratchy? It was 1999, third episode. Okay, this will be a fun game. Dana Carvey? Okay, and I'm going to have you guess the musical guest because that's always fun too. Oh my God. See? I don't know this. 1999, I don't remember anything. 1999, SNL, hosts.

41:59And don't worry, we're gonna keep all but let me tell you one cool thing though let me just I just heard that wait let me tell you one cool thing though please please um the very first musical guest was David Bowie and when I was I've told this before but when I was getting my photo taken for like the very first opening credits like it was on the stage you know like in 8-H and David Bowie was it was Thursday he was rehearsing with the band so like I'm getting my picture taken and he's right over there singing Rebel Rebel. I mean, I've chilled every time I think about that because that was just like, I mean, I don't even have words for like the surrealness.

42:42That's a very, to have a soundtrack of that moment for your life and it's David Bowie playing live. It's David Bowie, icon, yeah. So I remember that. Should we tell the Black Crow story? Okay, so one time, so I don't do drugs at all.

43:02so and then one time the Black Crows were the musical guests and um someone on the Instagram came up to me and was like hey do you want

43:13that's my drug offer voice hey do you want um whatever you call it joint not a joint but just like a hit off a joint I see and I was I don't know I've I've tried it a couple times it's never really worked I've never really dug it and then I was like okay sure so I took like one puff off of this black crows am I gonna get sued the black crows pot I took a hit off the black crows pot and my my cousin was visiting me my cousin Zach and um I came back to the table and I was like oh I guess this is like I'm really high right now And I was so embarrassed because, like, it was my little cousin.

44:02And I never, ever, ever get high. And then I came back and I was kind of like, hmm. I don't really remember if I told him or not. Oh, he didn't. He might not even know. I don't even know. But that was my one, like. I remember you telling me you couldn't get up from your chair. Oh, I don't remember that. But it's possible. It's possible. That you were kind of stuck. I was just, like, really, like. Anyway. and that's why I don't do drugs. I mean, no, I'm just not into that feeling, I guess. No, you're not into that feeling. Only if it's from the Black Crows. And then, yes, Chris, Chris Robinson, call me.

44:38Call me.

44:42I just love that that was the particular strand. Also, it wasn't like, it wasn't like I was like partying with the Black Crows. It was like secondhand, made it down to the music guy and I was told it was from the Black Crows. But it's so interesting that you took the hit. I don't know why. I was feeling a little jaunty that night. I don't know. I don't know. No, but drugs is not your thing. It's still not my thing. No, you know, I like a margarita. You will occasionally like a margarita. I know you're much. Or perhaps you like to sail to the Pinot Grigio Islands. Amy and I will occasionally sail to the Pinot Grigios.

45:17We'll text each other and say, shall we take a trip? To the Grigios. Yeah. Yeah.

45:27And then when you were at SNL, like, I feel like we got it. I was thinking today about all the stuff we got to do together and we got to do a lot of dumb. So fun. So fun stuff. Oh my gosh. And, but, you know, and I was thinking, it was like, I mean, in many ways, I wish we had, I wish we had more time together when I was more experienced there because I was new and kind of stressed. and you were the, again, the junior to my senior. And I felt like I loosened up more and figured out how to like just have more fun as I got older there. But we did get to do some fun stuff together. First of all, you were in the original Debbie Downer and that was so fun.

46:09I mean, just to be laughing there with you. Well, you bring this up and, you know, I ask this question to people on this podcast and I truly feel like it is because of Debbie Downer that I asked this question. Again, I owe you a lot of money. Thank you for building this podcast with me. But Debbie Downer, I've said it many times before, was and is the thing that I go to. Also, maybe now replaced by the clip. The clip. The clip of this podcast. I watch the clip a lot of times. And I just want to clarify, I don't go like watch my work. Like I don't go watch like a movie I did because I just like to have it in my head.

46:45But that, it's like I said, it was like seeing your biggest crack up. yes and just like i i have to laugh every time i watch it too and debbie downer was like that for me during very dark times because it was the combination of us all having fun you you're like the way in which you are physically trying to hold it together like the way like the laugh was like um something you were trying to hold in combined with the zoom in and the sound effect and we've watched it so many times like Emily Spivey knows every single she's like this is the part where your lip starts quivering because there's one part where at the very beginning I'm going get get get get get and then there's the part where something falls backstage I look away my eyes start over there like we know every single moment it's like the Zapruder film like frame by frame and it proves it just it got me it's such a serotonin boost before we move on.

47:47Talk to us about the who did you write Debbie Downer with and how did it start? Like the origin of the... Yes, the origin of people will want to know. Well, it really started because I went on a vacation by myself. That had been suggested to me by a therapist. And I often leave that detail out. But since I'm on this one-on-one Amy interview no, I said it like once or twice but usually I leave that part out for the masses but um no uh not like this this number one podcast masses um but no she was she just like she kept saying like take a trip by yourself and I was like why like I don't want to do that I can go with friends like I don't want and I just kind of took it as like doctor's orders like I just sort of like I'm doing this and I like self-propelled myself to the jungles of Costa Rica

48:45no but I wanted to pick somewhere that it wasn't going to be like honeymooners and like I wanted to pick somewhere that was like just like I don't know somewhere kind of remote I guess so it was like very remote it was in the Osa Peninsula you had to take like the big plane then you take the smaller plane then you take the two hour jeep drive I mean I was going deep out of society and each time they were like it was like Barbara Potty one. Well, no. So I picked this. It was like this eco lodge thing. So I went there and and then it was just like a it was so there was like these commune. It wasn't like a lot of people there.

49:20And it was actually really cool. Like I did meet really cool people. And I met these two sisters that like they were older, but they're like my age right now. But I mean, the age I'm now. And they were sort of like they sort of told me like the rudimentary fundamentals of what is later known as the secret. Like, did I tell you this? When I was on this trip. People should know, Drotch knew the secret before anyone knew the secret. And I learned it from the jungles of Costa Rica, from two white ladies that were from Colorado. But anyway, so they were just weird, you know, because you're like chatting.

49:55And I got to say, like, hats off to the suggestion, because I never would have talked to strangers if I was with friends. Right. You know? Right. So I'm like having this conversation, and these women were telling me about like, you know, basically like what's the law of attraction, I guess. But they put it like, you know, if you think on positive things, positive. And if you're focusing on lack, you'll attract lack, basically. But then it almost like the whole thing got like sealed because then we were on this like, you know, you could do like nature walks or whatever. And we're on this like walk on the beach like with the little like, it wasn't like a group.

50:28It was like whoever's here and wants to do all this thing. And this woman was saying like there were these like beautiful birds overhead, these like scarlet macaws. and like way up in the sky and this woman goes, I want a feather to bring home for my daughter. And I swear, like 20 seconds later from like way, way up high, this feather starts to just go bloop, bloop, bloop, like falls down. We all like kind of see it like and it lands like right at her feet. Whoa. Amy doesn't believe in any of this stuff. I do. That's cool. That's cool. That's cool. But I believe in manifesting. That was cool though.

51:06So then I was just like, sold. I'll join your cult. No, but then, okay, this isn't anything about Debbie Donner. This is just other stuff on that trip. But anyway, but then the Debbie Donner story is that when later, it was like sitting at dinner like you're with randos that are there, and people just making chit-chat. And someone said like, where are you from? And I said New York. And then they said like, oh, were you there for 9-11? And it was like three years after 9-11. it wasn't like it just happened it was kind of and then I was kind of like uh yeah and then like it's kind of like just like in Debbie Down you had to like get the conversation back because it was like vacation times right and then like about a week later after I got home I was like out listening to some band which isn't something I usually do but I think that's kind of interesting because like doing something you don't usually do and then your brain is kind of like I don't know you're not on your usual channels I guess but then I just had that idea of this kind of based on that like a Debbie Downer popped into my head and then which this is kind of just talking creativity I found at SNL you couldn't just go in there and like okay let's think of a scene it had to be moments like that and to me that only happened once or twice a year which is why you might sit there at home and be like why isn't there SNL man but it's like thinking of really original characters that kind of like hit on something it's not something you can like steer the ship on like to me like it has to like vibe out with you I don't know yes you have to be like to your point you have to like keep the channel open and be like find the muse and like let it find you it just can't be like churned out exactly and then what did you do?

52:55then I took it to Paula Pell who we wrote with often and is hilarious and everyone knows Paula now because I love Paula's like out there more in front of the camera. But anyway, and then we were on writing night. We were trying to write it. We set it in an office, and it just kind of wasn't really flowing. It just wasn't really jiving. And then we were like, maybe we need to put her somewhere really happy. So then we thought of Disney World, of course, happiest place on earth. And then while we were writing it, like, of course, Paula was cracking me up with these one-liners and everything. And then we started just going like, like, just for ourselves.

53:28And then we're like, what if we put that in the scene with the actual trombone sound? So then for read through, we had, I don't remember if we had like the live person or someone just had done it. But then at read through, like it killed. But then you never know because sometimes something can kill at the table. And then when we were in dress rehearsal, Jimmy and Horatio were kind of laughing. And I was thinking like, you guys, like, I feel like this could work. Like, keep it together, guys. And then like on air, I just flubbed one of the lines. And then I don't even know. I guess I was like so nervous.

53:58Sure. And then we all started laughing. But thankfully you just like, like the good Pisces fish, like you just like, you went along for the, like it was, it's so joyous watching it because it is just the, it's like what real live TV is supposed to feel like. Like it just felt like a special moment in time. And also, I mean, you are such a good performer that you were able to do it and enjoy doing it at the same time. Sometimes when people are stressed, it's stressful to watch. Yes. It's not good to watch. That's how I feel. But you don't seem stressed in that moment. Well, I love watching performers.

54:46I feel like I've had so much time now that I'm older to think of, what makes a good comedian and everything like that? I love watching people. like you can tell that underneath it they're also like laughing inside like I mean better to keep it inside but I mean like like yeah and I feel like you have that like I was just talking about you um I forget like in what context but like you are always like you can see the joy of performing like there's two levels happening there's like what you're performing and then this sort of joyful like under bubbling that's also happening like I just like Steve Carell just popped into my mind as like someone that like you can see the fun happening.

55:26Will Ferrell is another one. Will Ferrell, oh my gosh. Like the mischievous like dance underneath it where they're having fun. Circling all the way back to Debbie Downer and all the way back to the question that I ask my guests, this brings up the person that I spoke to earlier before this podcast. Oh. So, you know, we always like to talk well behind people's backs. I talked to the great Kevin Cahoon about you today. You did? Oh my God. I was wondering who my person was going to be. And because I want him to lead us into Broadway, which we're going to next. Oh, okay, okay, yeah. This Virgo has a plan, okay?

56:00And I'm taking you there, babe. I'm taking you there. I got notes. Okay, I'm aware of the time. I'm aware of the time. I could hang all day. No, I'm just kidding. But I talked to Kevin, and he had a couple really good questions for you. And one was, and it's a similar question to what we ask on the podcast. is like if like when you're feeling that when Rachel is feeling like that Debbie Downer feeling what do you do to get yourself up out of it and that's a question we ask here which is what do you watch listen to how when when you've got your blues as we like to call it how do you get up out of it what makes you laugh you know for me it is it is a lot of Debbie Downer and clips I mean it is a lot of you Rachel that's so nice it is you like you really get me out of the dumps.

56:49You really do. You're like an elevator that helps me get up out of there. Uh-oh. Tears? Tears? But you really get your shoo-me way up and it's because of the laughter. You do that for me.

57:08Is there anything else that, like, you like to go to to just, like... The bottom of a tequila bottle. The worm! The worm! I eat the worm I eat the worm that was such an 80s thing like she ate the worm I know now there's no worms anymore no there's no worms let's see I forgot that you asked this and like that's okay I feel like I don't have like healthy I'm serious I mean honestly the real thing that elevates me is like meeting like meeting with friends out in New York like that's like that's my honest answer yes you like to socialize the Margs nights and um and like meeting with my lady friends.

57:51That's like, because like, I feel like I have this great group, various groups of people, but they're all like fun. But then like, I love a friend who is really fun and like sees the joy in life and like can laugh through like the foibles and all that, but also has the side that's like, you know, the amateur psychologist, like, you know, that we can help each other out. And if you're, if you like, Like I like if you show up to a friend and you don't have to be anything other than what you're feeling. Because like there's certain friends where you can just do that. You can come in and you'd be like, you know, I'm not going to be bringing my A game.

58:27And like that's fine. And I like not having to exert extra energy to pretend I'm like somewhere I'm not. And I hope that like I'm not for other people too. But that's exactly how I described you, by the way, to Kevin. exactly that which is you are a friend like in good times and bad in sunny weather and stormy weather and you just can always show up as the version of yourself that's exactly how I described you well that's what I like in others too so yeah um this isn't like a joy thing this is more like a like mind set thing no like a settle your mind like I like doing those word puzzles in the New York Times.

59:07Like I like that's my like my like ritual as I do all those because it sort of makes me like forget all that. You can't be like emotional when you're trying to think of the word. Well, I would say as a person that has now known you for 30 years, has vacationed with you, has, you know, our kids are friends, like we are in a lot of different ways in life together, that those kind of like quiet, puzzly moments is a drach recharge. Yeah, that is a recharge. Yeah. Because you are a very interesting combo of introvert-extrovert. Like, you are very extroverted, and especially on stage, but your everyday, like, you definitely need quiet time.

59:44I guess so. Would you say no? Yeah, I don't know. I think I used to need less of it. I think now I'm a little more like, I just need, like, the recharge moment. Yeah. Okay, Kevin also had a question, too, that leads us into Broadway. Okay. And you were in an incredible show called POTUS. tell us about that experience what it was like working with those women and what it was like being nominated um well I mean it was a lot like it the mindset of it was so it was this comedy with all women and um I just got like called up to do this show with Susan Stroman who I had done a few readings for and um the part was very much like the clown in the show so I got to do a lot of like physical just like make up your own bits and all this stuff and it felt very much like being back at second city like in the best way and also i love like just i mean the theater schedule is no joke as any broadway person will tell you but um because you know you have to kind of like sign your life well like you're not going out on the weekends all that stuff but um the thing that i love about theater it's just you in the audience like there's no one saying like um we think this should go this way or like of course there's a director in developing this part but once you're up and running it's just like that feeling that connection of you in the audience like and that was like harkens back to second city like oh how long am i holding this slap or oh if i do this little tiny thing it gets left like you don't even i love all that stuff so um it was just very freeing and fun yeah and and you loved the women you did it with yeah yeah you guys became a very disparate group that was all like meshed really well together yeah it was where were you when you got your Tony nom for your Broadway debut?

1:01:25Well, you know, the nominations come out, like, in the morning, and you can just, like, watch it online. I was just like, okay, I'll check this out, you know? And then, like, they said my name, and then, you know, your phone starts going off the hook. I mean, that was something, like, you know, as a comedian, like, comedy often doesn't get, like, award stuff. But all that to say, like, I didn't expect, like, getting nominated was never anything that I thought would be happening. Because when you're in comedy, you just don't really think like that. But the Tonys are an exception, I think. The Tonys often do give it up for good comedic performances.

1:01:59Yeah, that's true, yeah. I think they really are, like, they really respect the craft. They do. The craft, yes. So Kevin had a question about you being, like, young Rachel. Like, what were some theater performers, some musicals, some shows that, like, I think his question was like, what are the top three pieces of theater that you like really inspired you when you were young? You know, like maybe scratch some little sparkly. Well, I guess as mentioned, Annie. Can we just for one second talk more about Annie? Because Annie, so many female parts, so many parts for girls. Right. Like that alone, like a lot of shows just don't have a lot of parts.

1:02:44It's like there was, Rachel and I were both in Once Upon a Mattress. We were. Amy had the lead and I had the boring part. But we weren't in the same production. We weren't in the same production. Both of our schools. I was in the sixth grade production. Oh, this is funny though. And Amy was in the high school? Yes, high school. Were you a senior? Yeah. And Amy, if you know Once Upon a Mattress, Amy played Winifred, the princess. The clown. The clown. Yeah. Carol Burnett originated in Broadway. And I played this character, Lady Larkin, who's the boring part. But let me also say this, that because it was in sixth grade, The only comedic hook that Lady Larkin has is that she's pregnant.

1:03:20And so they're in a hurry to get married because they're in the castle. So they need Winifred to get married. But in sixth grade, they take out the pregnancy, of course. So I had nothing to play. There's no there there. I'm just a lady in waiting. What am I going to play here? By the way, I don't even think I knew that the original characters. But they changed the lyrics because the real lyrics were, In a little while, you and I will be one, two, three, four, like kids. And they're just like, you and I will be together. That's what they change it to. And you're like, I got nothing to play. I got nothing to play.

1:04:01So what? Okay, so Annie. Okay, Annie, of course. Also orphans. Orphans. One other thing is, with Annie, everyone's like your age. Like literally, if you're 10 and they're 10, you're like, how do I get in this? like that kind of thing right and and also a dog a dog we love a dog did you have the album oh my god yeah i knew every single song yeah i wanted to play every part and i loved it so much okay so annie okay so annie um then also well of course this is probably the same too um like gilda radner carol burnett lily tomlin yes i mean just those and they were on stage like they were they were also I mean I only saw them obviously like I saw them like I mean when I was really little my parents watched Laugh-In and I remember Lily Tomlin being Edith Ann in the giant chair and that's the truth that sorry and then Carol Burnett of course yes and like often times we get asked till we're blue in the face about women in comedy right and like I just think growing up seeing them you're not thinking like oh these are women in comedy you're just like this person's really funny and they're being really brash and bold and they're you know not afraid to look weird and here she is with the curtains as a dress and just like you know she's like the center of it all and um like you know gilda radner making all her faces and everything like yeah so i just think you're just seeing that and you're not delineating you know and then like I mean the first season of SNL that cast like I did watch like you know John Belushi Steve Martin that's why like when Steve Martin hosted SNL it's like oh my god Steve Martin like I still have that when I'm when I see Steve Martin I'm like when I'm hanging out with Steve Martin no that never happens not true I've seen it but anyway I think like seeing them was an influence but not knowing it at the time of course Fame Fame which of course we all had played that on the piano out here on my own no but I was like plunking it out but out here on my own when I'm down and feeling blue everyone wants to hear this I close my eyes so I can be with you and then what was the third one and then I would say hair hair hair I don't think enough people are talking about hair these days the musical no hair hair was so big oh yeah like the music and the I think like the movie the movie cause that was the first like I mean I just remember like excuse me that had like major like tragedy in it and sadness and but also like yes I remember seeing that the Lexington movie theater and um must have been nice it was nice we had plushies We ate gold.

1:07:03We ate gold-covered popcorn. Each dude had a chandelier at your own baller. We ate golden popcorn, and we drank champagne. We showed our movies on the side of a barn. The side of the mall. The side of the dress barn. At the mall. That's where we showed our movies. The dress barn. Oh, my God. No, but I remember hair was, like, emotional, but also just the music. So good. So good. And yeah, anyway, I think they should do a new production of Hair. But there's no parts in it for us. It's all new, vile, young. There's going to be some old lady who tells the kids to quiet down. Get out of my lawn. Quiet down.

1:07:51Get out of the park. I'm walking my dog. You should cut your hair. That could be us. Yeah, that could be us. or like a business woman who comes in and goes, listen, people. Yeah. This bunch of hippies could really make us some money. And they go, get out of here, lady. That's what I would put. A New Yorker who comes in to ruin the vibe. Right. But you have played so many different things on, on, on. Like you have played like, you played a man. You played a, you were, we love a Marco Polo because we are women of a certain age. We love to Marco Polo each other. you were Marco Poloing me one time having a mustache a mustache?

1:08:32in a production of was it Anything Goes? no you were playing Guys and Dolls I played a dude yes but you've played a lot of different things on stage well I mean as have you but we are the makers of Mary

1:08:56we are but clowns for your pleasure we don't win Oscars but we shall make you laugh we are here but to be the fool we are but fools Drach and I always say if we were back in those times we would definitely be not only the jesters but we'd be the maids we'd be the maids we'd be the maids at the bottom of the castle Scullery made it like that. Scrubbing thing. I think that's the role that I think I'm born to play. Is like some. Because I would love to do. I'm going to put this out there. A Broadway thing. The secret. I'm doing the secret. Like a really, really funny Broadway thing. And maybe I'm playing this person.

1:09:40Scrubbing. This is my aspiration. I just want to scrub. Scrub on Broadway. Yeah. I want to scrub my way to a Tony. You listening? you listen you big muckety mucks I had the Jonas Brothers on and we were singing Les Mis and they were like you would be really good in Master of the House I was like I know ever since I was 20 years old I'd be the old lady in Master of the House by the way you can cut this but I got to audition I made the mistake of auditioning for Les Mis on Broadway for that part and I'm like you know I can't sing right and they're like just go in and then I like I even went to like a voice lesson sure but like that part is like you really have to sing you really and it's an incredible part an incredible female actress have played it incredible singers but it and it's definitely the most comedic part of the name is but you have to have a good voice yes which I like just realized when I was in front of these people in the room just like I mean because they they didn't just give me the master of the house song there's another song that's like very complicated yeah and I just like like I skulked out.

1:10:54I will stick to making Mary without song if it please you. If it please the king. I can't be singing for the king again. for me to not sing? Yes. Kati was just like, how do you like your potatoes? We could do a duo. A duo. We could do a, we could do like, we could play maids together. By the way, that would be a very funny idea for a show is like, you know upstairs downstairs it's just called downstairs and it's just us yeah and we're just washing clothes and we have dirt on our faces for sure we've been having grooves this morning okay and the last thing i just wanted to talk about because we talked about it a little bit is your woo-woo-ness because we're going to talk about your podcast your great podcast woo-woo And Amy was a guest on it.

1:11:47Absolutely. One of my favorite episodes. You need to listen to Amy on Woo Woo, my podcast. There's so many great stories on there. And you are very open to psychic experiences. You are not judgmental in any way, I would say that. Oh, that I'm not judgmental? No, you're not. Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah. And you have, I would say you are also a little bit psychic. And like you have that channel open, speaking of channels. What is that Woo Woo world? So I started this podcast called Woo Woo. and like I'm not I always say like I'm not really woo woo because I don't like I don't live my life like I gotta ask my psychic I don't have a psychic but but anyway I was feeling the need to say I know but I was feeling the need to say like I'm not like super woo but then I started doing this and it's making me definitely making me more woo woo with the stories I'm hearing but the reason I thought of doing is because I just had sort of collected these stories from friends over the years and I was like oh these stories are really cool would you come on and tell this so that's kind of how it started.

1:12:44And then you came on, which was really fun. And you're not like a huge woo-woo believer, but you're not like totally shut down. No, of course. But Amy came on and talked about the Enneagram, which she lives her life by. I mean, for those who care, Rachel is an Enneagram nine, if you haven't noticed. Yeah. The ultimate nine. The ultimate nine. Peacekeeper. Peacemaker. But yeah, so I guess, what else do I say about it? Well, I was going to say that there's a couple woo-woo things that have happened with us. I feel like a little tiny woo-woo. Most of my woo-woo things have happened with you. And we were pregnant at the same time.

1:13:18Our sons are close in age. And I'm happy to say like real friends, which is so great. And I can remember a very like hot summer where you and I were waddling around the city, like both really pregnant. And you can tell from our height, like we didn't, we carried out front. You know, there's not a lot of, so I just remember us being like going to movies. like watching movies so hot out and going to a psychic to talk about um our our our kids and you brought me to this really cool psychic um who um you know like just you just have introduced me to a lot of just like give this version of life a try I guess is the best way to say it yes it's kind of like why not believe yes that that thing was not a coincidence i don't know yes um i think once you're it's almost like what we're saying about the writing sketches i think once you're kind of open to it then you start to see things like you just i don't know i don't want to say like you get messages or whatever but i just think the more open you are the more woo you might become do you think that like that has anything happened lately that has felt a little like in the woo-woo world for you?

1:14:40Well, first of all, as Amy said with the pregnancy thing, that a psychic told me that I was going to have a kid when I was 43 and I wasn't even with anybody. And then that happened. So that was my first little, like, this is really strange. And you write about it really well in your memoir. A Girl Walks Into a Bar. And let's see, I don't know, something lately? I'd just like to hear your, like, is there any vibe you're getting right now? Like, what's the vibe of this room The vibe of this room is great. It's good? Okay. Any ghosts in this room? Outside this room, not good. Things are not good once you leave this room.

1:15:18The vibes are not good.

1:15:23It is so true. But this room is a good hang, and it's fun and bright and cheery. But you— Just like you. But I feel like you do that. I mean, like, you're really fast at being like, this isn't a good vibe. This isn't a good hang. That's true. This isn't a good, like, you're really good at reading people fast or experience rooms or people. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You're like, I don't like that. I don't get a good feeling from that. Yeah, and I started to, like, again, older, I get, like, listen to that. Like, if you get that feeling of, like, eh, like, you're allowed to not hang there or whatever. I don't know.

1:15:58And last question, are you afraid of zombies? Would you, in a zombie movie, how would you? This is my new question. I'm just thinking about it right now, but maybe I'll ask people. moving forward because drat you're always inspiring me i might just freeze is that what you're about i think you're about to say well i was gonna say it kind of gets into like conflict styles oh gosh yeah but it is sometimes i think i think with conflict i freeze which isn't always the bad choice you don't like you're not fanning i just noticed it about myself though so if zombies were coming i guess i'd freeze you'd turn into a statue yes and you'd hope that they went but we can't end on this no no we can't we can't we're gonna cut this we can't end on the zombie box what let's sing the song from chadwick's oh okay the chant so chadwick's was an ice cream place that drach and i worked at not at the same time at the same time but i have to say probably the highest percentage of snl people from any ice cream place probably two yeah and um it was a purple building okay i'm gonna put i'm gonna do a lip balm break before we sing do you want do you need any No, I think I'm okay.

1:17:03So it was a purple building. It was a purple building. Old timey ice cream. You had to wear a styrofoam barbershop quartet hat. We often had a kazoo. We often had a kazoo. And I feel like we were both attracted to the drama and the showmanship. Not drama, the showmanship of Chadwick's. Because when it was someone's birthday, you got a free Sunday. And they did not check. So people came in a lot with birthday Sundays. But then there was a little birthday chant that you did. And it went something like this. Ladies and gentlemen, we're happy to have you here at Chadwick's today. But we're especially happy to have Amy.

1:17:41Because she came here to celebrate her birthday. So with the sound of the drum, please join in singing Amy a loud, embarrassing happy birthday. Then they would order a giant ice cream and it was called... The Belly Buster. And it was carried out by? Two men holding a stretcher thing with a big bowl in the middle of it that had, and then this was a separate thing. If you ordered the Belly Buster, there was an announcement for the Belly Buster. And it went? And it went something like this. Ladies and gentlemen, we're happy to have you here at Chadwick's today to introduce you to the Belly Buster.

1:18:23Ten scoops of ice cream, five different toppings, mounds and mounds of whipped cream, cherries, and nuts, Chadwick's own belly buster. And then we'd do like drum drum. Wee-ga-wee-ga, a-woo-ga, a-woo-ga. And then the two guys would come up, the thing in the structure, like pretending to struggle under its weight. And then it would land at the table. And if you ate, rumor had it, the lore was that if you ate the belly buster by yourself, you got it for free. That's right. Do you remember that? Yep. And there used to be like teen boys. Vomiting. Vomiting. and drinking the ice cream juice in an attempt to get it done in time.

1:18:59Yeah, the vomit was separate from the ice cream juice. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, the teen boys were trying to get it done and I don't think I ever saw it happen. I don't think I did either. Lore, but Lore says it happened. And now Chadwick's no longer exists. No, it's just in a landfill filled with ghosts. Rachel's been going to talk about it. For my podcast. The ghost of Chadwick's. But that's a good ending. That's a good ending. That is, okay. Love you, Drew Cheek. Love you. This was fun. So fun. Thanks for doing it, buddy. And thank you again. I really do owe you a lot, always, in my life and on this show.

1:19:34So come back anytime and bring your headphones always. Hold on. We're going to wrap it up. Okay, there. Well, now they're all clean. We still can't get them on. This isn't a good ending. Okay. It is still hard for you to get them on, though. Okay. Here we go. We can't get them on. We can't get them on. What the? Oh, here we go.

1:19:58Nailed it. Dratch out. Thank you, Dratch. You are the best. My baby Drooch, my little Ray Ray. Thank you for coming on. And, you know, we talked a lot about a lot of things, you know, the idea that, you know, life can be a series of interesting and unexplainable events. and it can be really woo-woo if you let it. And so as part of this polar plunge, I do want to just remind everyone to check out Rachel Dratch's podcast, Woo Woo. Her and her co-host Irene, they listen to people's interesting, ghosty, spooky stories. They get into those chills that you get when something weird or unexplainable happens.

1:20:47And so check out that podcast. I have gone on the podcast and I have said that I've never seen a ghost and I'd like to keep it that way. So I'm fine with that. But if you have seen a ghost, contact WooWoo and not me. Okay. But good for you. And it's not a competition, but I'm glad I didn't. Okay. Thanks for listening. Bye. You've been listening to Good Hang. The executive producers for this show are Bill Simmons, Jenna Weiss-Berman, and me, Amy Poehler. The show is produced by The Ringer and Paper Kite. For The Ringer, production by Jack Wilson, Kat Spillane, Kaya McMullen, and Alea Zanaris. For Paper Kite, production by Sam Green, Joel Lovell, and Jenna Weiss-Berman.

1:21:34Original music by Amy Miles. All I ever wanted was a really good hand. Looks like the back-to-school list is back. You mean the list that comes with its own list. No teddy bears this year, no purple anything, no whatever we found last week. Which is why we're shopping at Walmart. Walmart? Glitter headphones to match your backpack, check. K-pop Demon Hunter's notebooks, check. And all the boring stuff that's somehow not boring. Oh, check out these folders and crayons starting at just 25 cents. Check, check. Okay, this is so my vibe. And check. Who knew? This back to school, check out the whole list for less at Walmart.

1:22:08Prices vary by location. Hey babes, it's Paris Hilton. So I was checking my points balance in the Hilton Honors app the other day. And yeah, I've got about a billion, which feels excessive, even for me. Just kidding. You can never have too many Hilton Honors points. And I want to do something iconic this summer. So I'm giving away all my Paris points. Just find somewhere you've always wanted to stay. Then go to my socials or Hilton's and tell me about it. Just make sure you're a Hilton Honors member and I might be sending you Paris points. Because when you want points that make your summer even hotter, it matters where you stay.