Dinner’s on Me with Jesse Tyler Ferguson - Chelsea Peretti

Episode Date: April 23, 2024

"Brooklyn Nine Nine" star Chelsea Peretti joins the show. Over buttery biscuits and shrimp & grits, Peretti tells me about her foray into directing with her feature film directorial debut "First Time Female Director," why it was scary to leave "Parks & Rec," and how crop-dusting jokes played a role in her early comedy. This episode was recorded at All Day Baby in Silver Lake, CA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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You ever own something that inspired you to up your game? I remember the very first cookbook I ever bought. It was when I was living in New York City. I had a roommate at the time and we had a very tiny kitchen, but I decided I wanted to be a better home cook. So I bought this cookbook from like a secondhand store or something. And that cookbook led to a little bit of a hobby for me.

I enjoyed cooking from home and making meals for myself and my roommate. When I began a family, I began cooking for them and now I have two kids and I love cooking for them and I throw dinner parties and I'm actually now an author of my own cookbook. It's pretty crazy. When we own exceptional things, they inspire us to do exceptional things. The all-new Lexus GX has an exceptional capability that will have you seeing possibilities you never knew existed. Its advanced technology and luxurious interior mean that wherever you go, you'll never go without. Some of its available features include a dynamic sky panorama glass roof and front row massaging seats.

Oh, that's very luxurious. Live up to the all new Lexus GX. Luxury beyond limits. Experience amazing, it's your Lexus dealer. Hi, it's Jesse. Today on the show, you know her as Gina Linetti on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, or most recently for her feature directorial debut with the appropriately titled first-time female director, it's Chelsea Peretti.

Some people's eating doesn't bother me and some people's does. It's like if I feel like the mouth is closed but I can hear the rubbery sounds of swallowing and tongue motion, that is not okay for me. This is Dinners On Me, and I'm your host, Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Chelsea Peretti, she has a multifaceted career that I just admire so much. I truly envy the ability that she has to jump from writer

to actor to standup comedian to director. And she does it all with such confidence and ease, at least that's the way she makes it look. While in the writers in the parks of recreation, she became somewhat famous on Twitter for her very raw observations. And this is when I first became aware of her. A few of my personal favorite tweets of hers.

Here's one. Does everyone keep an if I turned a dead folder on their desktop with potential suspects? Right. Here's another one. One cool thing to do at a restaurant is wipe your blush off with the bread. Of course, I also loved her as the overconfident and slightly delusional Gina Linetti on the hilarious sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine. And I just find it so cool that Chelsea is having this moment right now where she's creating work that is using so much of what she's brilliant at.

Writing, acting, and now directing. She is the savant of all things hilarious and I just absolutely love her. Oh, she's here. I can't believe you record it in a restaurant. I know, does it give you agitator? So much work. I brought Chelsea to All Day Baby

in my old neighborhood of Silver Lake. On a bustling corner of Sunset Boulevard, the red painted facade calls to pass by as like a beacon of delicious comfort food. And just like the name says, it's open all day, baby. They have a delicious fried chicken sandwich. And if you're going for breakfast, you have to have a biscuit. Actually, at any time of the day, you should have a biscuit, which we did.

All Day Baby is one of those places that has such a natural, joyful, and familiar feeling, kind of like my friend Chelsea. Okay, let's get to the conversation. I can't believe you record it in a restaurant. I know. It's like an NPR piece. It's an NPR piece.

It's very like, up the streets of the people. That's my idea of NPR. It's like, there's always like dishes clanking,PR piece. It's very like the streets of the people. That's my idea of NPR. It's like there's always like dishes clanking and like. We met in the cafeteria. Clank, clank, clank, clank, clank. OK, so what's your go to? What did I have last time? I got the big chicken biscuit, which was huge.

Right. I actually, I do love under the kids menu, please don't laugh, the bean lime rice burrito. Hi, how are you? Good, how are you? Good, thank you. Do you guys wanna get started with anything to drink or do you have questions so far?

I would love, well first of all, I need some coffee because I just did Pilates and my body is trying to recover. I'll do like an iced almond milk latte. Yeah, of course. And then I need something like fizzy and yummy. Alka-Seltzer? Do you have any Alka-Seltzer? Yes, please.

Oh, that sounds nice. I'll do that. Sure, I'll try it. And just throw an alka-seltse tablet in there. If you have one. If you have one. What's the least sweet item in the non-alcoholic category? Probably drink this nice. It's like a teacup with green juice. So it's really refreshing.

I'll try that. Sure, thanks. I'm all coffeed up. Where did you get your coffee today? Maru, of course. Yeah. Yeah. I might get the prawns and grits to be honest. Do it. I've had them. They're really good. I mean a biscuit is of course the standard. Why don't we get a biscuit? We'll share it. Okay. Look, look. Wink, wink, share it. Hollywood, share it. Take one bite. Yeah, right. Throw the rest away.

But yeah, I like shrimp and grits. Do shrimp and grits, I might, ooh, they have the breakfast burrito too. Now I wanted to do the kids burrito. That sounds good, I would like to try. It's so random, it's only $7. They're like, get the fuck out. They're like, invest more.

Have some respect for yourself. Okay, I'm going to make a game day decision. Did you do a workout today? Not really, I did a walk tomorrow. Nice. I was really sad you couldn't join me at Pilates. It was very difficult and I liked our first Pilates class that we took together.

I mean, you're unreal and truly a teacher's pet and also glorifying in it. Like, the teacher would be like, Chelsea, if you can direct your eyes toward Jesse and just kind of watch what he's up to, because I was doing it fast and the whole thing of that particular class is super slow. One, exhale, two, three, four.

I'm like, oh my, this is like meditation. I don't have it in me. I like that it's so slow, because I've taken other workout classes where you're on a treadmill and they're like, it's 10, 11, 12, so I'm like at six, like barely making it, so I love, I relish in how slow it is.

It's really hard though. It's so hard. Yeah. Is this causing you stress? No, I don't care. Listen, it's your podcast. Again, I say this is like an MPR field piece. There's a charm to it.

We really are in a restaurant, guys. Okay? We're mixing drinks. But you eat on your podcasts a lot. I've started to. I used to just talk about food and now that I've rebooted my podcast, I'm eating it. Yeah. On there.

I know, I listen to you like really get into a sandwich on my way to a Pilates thing. Let me tell you, that, it was a Langer's sandwich with the sandwich king, Jeff Morrow from the Food Network. That thing was delicious. Oh, look how good this coffee looks. Thank you. It was so good.

The bread was soft, the meat was lean. All the flavors, I mean, it was so good. Sounds like the applaudies. Soft and lean. Yeah. I'm soft. Yeah, so it was so good. But yeah, we started doing some more kind of actual eating.

Have you gotten people, because I'm experiencing this a lot of mine, like I don't even know if I can remember how to say the word because I don't have it. Misophonia. Misophonia, yeah. Yeah. Do you have that yourself? I do. You do? Ironically.

I feel like I just, knowing you, I kind of knew you did. You're like, you're a tank. Yeah. How do you negotiate that knowing that you also have a problem with it? Because you were not shying away from that microphone when I. How do you negotiate that, knowing that you also have a problem with it? Because you were not shying away from that microphone when I was listening to you eat that sandwich.

Yeah, no. I was going for it. I think that I just have to eat when other people are eating. And some people's eating doesn't bother me, and some people's does. It's like, if I feel like the mouth is closed, but I can hear the rubbery sounds of swallowing and tongue motion, that is not okay for me.

And if the mouth is open and I'm hearing smacking, that's not good. That's what really bothers me. Some people are in the sweet spot. I guess I don't mind the rubbery closed mouth sounds. I'm not sure exactly what that is, but like it's a smacking really does bother me. Yeah, smacking is hard.

And some people feels like no one ever told them growing up, like don't smack. Yeah, yeah. I'm trying to do that now as a mom, like, hey, keep your lips together. Same. Oh, look at our drinks. This is festive.

Thank you. Soft girl. Soft girl. Soft girl of Baldy. I'm going to try the prawns and grits. Soft girl. Soft girl. Soft girl, LeBaldi. Thank you. I'm gonna try the prawns and grits, shrimp and grits. I'm going to have, smile. I'm gonna have the kids' burrito.

We're also gonna get a biscuit. Yes, of course. Thank you. I actually don't know how you first got into stand-up. Okay I did improv in college. I started in theater which I did. Let me back up. Yeah please back up. Started in theater. Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa slow down slow down. Sorry I didn't know these interviews were so serious. Hold on. I was born. And how did that make you feel?

In the Bay Area. No, I started doing theater when I was a kid and I did some like actual shows in San Francisco with this theater company. What shows did you do? The American Conservatory Theater. I know the American Conservatory. Yeah.

And it was a beautiful theater. ACT. ACT, how do you know it? I just, they're a very prestigious regional theater. I was hoping you might say something like that. I do know it. And so, yes, I did A Christmas Carol and A Tale of Two Cities. Dickens, exclusively.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, Dickens girl. I was a real Dickens head back then. But yeah, so I did those. I missed a bunch of elementary school because they were like real shows. And I took classes at the Young Conservatory Theater there where they like had plays commissioned for young people so they didn't have to play adults,

which I thought was cool. This guy, Craig Slate started that program. And then I was fully into theater. And then in college, I didn't like my theater department. The teacher was this hippie she said everything with her eyes closed and Isn't that like so like can you please look at me? Yeah, like I don't know I'm checking out when your eyes are closed Too long

Casey Affleck was actually in my theater class for some reason because I went to a woman's college So I don't know what he was doing. I guess, Oh. I guess Columbia didn't have, cause I went to Barnard, a woman's college across the street from Columbia. So I think he must,

maybe they didn't have a theater department. So he just adopted the women's theater department. Yeah, I guess. And like we were doing Japanese no theater and all these things that I just was like not connected. Wait, but he was truly the only guy in the theater program? I'm pretty sure, yeah. That's crazy.

Okay, continue. Anyway, I didn't like it. So then there was like a club sign up day where all these clubs had tables and my friends were like signing me up for improv, right? And I was like, I don't know or something. Anyway, and so like it was this improv group called Six Milks, which actually, Eben Moss Backrack, who's on The Bear,

he was in my improv group, Six Milks. So we did tons of improv, and I loved it. And then when I was out of college, I started temping, and I met a temp who was a standup. And she was like, you should come do an open mic. And it was definitely not like my life dream who was a standup. And she was like, you should come do an open mic. And it was definitely not like my life dream to be a standup. But I was like, oh, I could write my own material,

which I had done in high school. I had written a play with a couple of friends for credit actually. And that was like a special project. So, and I took a playwriting class with Ellen McLaughlin, who was the angel. Yeah. You know all this.

I know all this. I'm such a theater nerd. Okay, so Ellen McLaughlin was the angel. Angel, angel in America. Yeah. Yeah. You know all this. I know all this. I'm such a theater nerd. Okay, so Ellen McLaughlin was in. She was my playwriting teacher. Wow. And so I had had this writing background, so there was an appeal for standup

getting to write my own material. Because I mean, I wanted to act and I didn't feel confident that there was just gonna be the perfect roll out there for me or something. So there was an appeal to getting to create my own voice and the immediacy of like, OK, there's an open mic. There you go.

You're on. You know, really, it wasn't like I was a lifelong stand up lover like many are. I was more of a theater person who said, oh, I can have some agency and immediacy if I do this. So I did it at the Parkside Lounge, this place, and it was Joey Gay and Damien San Marco, these two dudes that ran the room. And it was just like a bro fest and like they were all friends and stuff. I bombed. I wrote my

material as I was temping. I didn't know how to write a joke really. I was funny with my friends, but writing a joke is a different thing. So I kind of bombed and then the next week I went back and made fun of them and then I did well. Because it was like a little scene. It was a culture. So taking the air out of that helped. And so then I had a good set. But I definitely wasn't someone who was like, the minute I was on stage, I came alive. Like, no, I bombed my first set. How did you muster up the courage to go back? I think I just wanted to win. You know, like I felt like, oh, I didn't do well

and these guys are all like winning and I wanted to go back and at least. Do you remember like kind of what your first jokes were like, what your material was or? I mean, I know that the night I bombed, I did have a joke about crop dusting. Like it was like, it was like office humor because I was temping and like,

that's what I was thinking about I think. The words tingle and my tangle come to mind. I think there was some gross thing. I don't know. I think I was like more sexual. Probably I was younger, you know, I don't know. How old were you at this point? Well, right out of college. I don't know how old that is,

but I sort of was like started. So 39. Yeah, it took me a long time to get through college. Everyone famously, yeah. So yeah, and then I just kind of was off to the races and open mics are very, in a weird way, very communal because you're with your friends, hanging around waiting to do your set for a long time.

And then once you have success, stand up becomes so much more loner-y for a while because you're on the road, you're by yourself. And is that what led you to improv? No, I did improv before that in college. And I did it as a kid as well. I think I took an improv class when I was like in my early teens.

Oh really? Yeah. And there was this great improv group that my mom also took me to see, I forget what the space was, but they would do like very kind of edgy improv and she let me go see it. So I kinda, you know, she introduced me to a lot of different kind of performing options

unbeknownst to her. Cause then when I graduated, I was like, I wanna be a comedian. And she's like, what about a technical writer? Right. Right it's pretty awesome that she exposed you to all that. It is yeah. My parents would take me to the community theater in Albuquerque I mean we didn't have nearly as cool of a scene as you did. Yeah. Was it good or was it like ever kind of cringy in a fun way? I'm sure like looking back upon it it's totally cringy but as a kid as a kid. As a kid, I was totally into it.

It was like a community of people that, because I wasn't super popular in grade school and there was no theater program and I went to Catholic school. Me neither, high five. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, my whole theory, of course,

is people who are popular in elementary school are usually losers later. Right, well, yeah. Yeah. Right, well yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, definitely when I went to my senior reunion, I was like, okay, the tables have turned. Yeah, well it's weird, as a parent now, you really see there's like incredible pressure to be normal, to like soothe your parents' fears

that you're not normal or something. And I'm like, wait, I don't like normie people ever. So why would I put that pressure on my child? Like, you know, I just kind of am trying to just be chill about everything and just be like, he's find his own path. Like elementary school suck. I didn't like it.

I was lonely. I didn't find my people until like eighth grade. And then I had so much fun. Eight find my people until like eighth grade. Same. And then I had so much fun. Eighth grade and high school and college. I had so much fun socially. Yeah, I mean, I really didn't find my people until I moved to New York really.

But yeah, same. I mean, it's one of those things that, as a kid you want so much to blend in. And for me, I wanted to blend in just because I was bullied and I didn't want to like stick out in any way possible. And then it's interesting because as an actor or anyone who's in the entertainment industry, what you want to do is stand out and all those things that you kind of

presented about yourself are the things that make you special. And then ironically, you still get bullied online. Yeah, true. No matter what you do. It's so true. So it's full circle, kind of. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm still sort of smarting off the fact

that you presumed I have misophonia. I totally just assumed. I really did, I did, yeah. You just seem like you're wired for it, you know? Yeah, just irritable. Now for a quick break, but don't go away. When we come back, Chelsea tells me about getting her big break from comedian Sarah Silverman and why it was terrifying to quit Parks and Recreation. Okay, be right back.

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plus 20% off your next box while your subscription is active. And we're back with more Dinners on Me. You said Sarah Silverman, you like sort of cried to her for like your big break, right? Yes, yeah. I was in New York. I had a breakup. I was very much like crying on my couch with my two roommates. So then I had this interview to write for the Sarah Silverman program. And there's a shirtless guy just like really dancing on the corner, full of tattoos, just gigging out with his little ear pods in. He's going to be here for a really long time because this light is famously long. Oh, it just changed.

Yeah, he is. He's clapping. He's got a perky little butt. Isn't it funny imagining being like that comfortable in space? I wish. Look him go. There he is.

He should be shirtless though, you know? Yeah, he's earned it. He has, good for him. We're treading lightly on objectifying a person. We're treading, we might have have just stepped right up to the line. Just fully done it. So yeah, so I had like a, I don't know, I guess was it Zoom then? It wasn't, I don't know what it was.

But it was a video interview from New York with Sarah and Dan Sterling, who was her showrunner. And it went well and then I got the job. And I was like literally dancing And it went well, and then I got the job. And I was literally dancing in the street when I found out I got the job. And then I put all my stuff in a duffel bag and was late for my flight and had to put the duffel bag in storage and take a cab back to New York.

It was very anticlimactic. But, because there was so much traffic to JFK. You missed your flight? Yeah, they were like, I was like, I got there to the minute. They're like, you have to get here 30 minutes before. And I think I was like one minute off and they wouldn't let me check my bag.

I'm kind of hung up on the fact that you were able to pack everything up into a duffel bag. I know. I must have left some stuff. I'm sure I thought I was coming back, but then I never did. Thank you, wow. Thank you. That looks delicious.

That does. Wow. But then I never did. Thank you, wow. Thank you. That looks delicious. That does. Wow. Yes. Okay, okay, look at how. Look at that. Three sauces. That's my kind of morning. Three sauces.

A three sauce morning. It's a three sauce morning. Those little shrimp heads. Was this the first time you moved to LA then? Yeah. Wow. Okay. So you thought you were just coming for a little while?

Yeah. And then I just instantly loved it. So was this your first writer's room? Yeah. I mean, I know enough about writer's room culture. I've never been in one myself. Really? But you know, just from being on a sitcom for 11 years, and what was the writer's room culture. I've never been in one myself. Really? But you know, just from being on a sitcom for 11 years

and what was the writer's room mean? Cause I hear it's pretty cutthroat. Well, let me say this. I hear for women and I hate to like separate women when it comes to like writers and comedians, but like I hear that it can be, it's kind of like a male dominated world. Yeah, but you know-

But I think what it was Sarah, she probably made sure it wasn't. Well, it's just so funny because nothing could be more cutthroat than stand up in New York. Right. So I think a writer's room was never gonna feel as intense as that. Right.

But yeah, no, her room was very small and very, it was a different time. It was a crazy room. Well, you've talked about that. I have? Yeah, I think so. Yeah, I mean, like it was, you know, like there was stuff that probably wouldn't fly today.

Right, right. It was very silly. It was cool to see like, you know, there's so many different ways to have your own show, you know, like she was definitely in the writer's room saying things in her voice and that was very helpful, but also a lot of work for her. It was not, I would not say that was a cutthroat

scary experience, it was pretty fun. That's good, yeah. Yeah, then I bounced around a different writing jobs and when I was at Parks and Rec, I was kind of like writing there for a while and we were having like three meals a day together, which I would always say I never did with my family. It was very intense socially, very fun, lots of really silly debates with very smart people

about just ridiculous things. But I started at a certain point going, okay, if I just keep writing, I'm just gonna be writing. And I wanted to continue to perform. And it was very hard to do stand up with that schedule being very late nights a lot of times and stuff. And so I left that job and then, well, it was kind of a big deal.

I remember when you left it. Because at this time also, just to back up a little bit, I mean, you are one of the first people that I remember sort of embracing the internet and what that can do for you, for your career. Yeah. Back to when you were doing your web series. Was it the All My Exes?

All My Exes, right, right. That went viral. You kind of embraced going viral before a lot of other people did, I I think well, yeah But also like this was when Twitter was beginning and like, you know, obviously Twitter is a writers medium Yeah, and you know, I remember I that's when I started following you It's because you were you were just very funny and very intuitive on Twitter And I that's how I first became aware of you

Yeah when you were in the writers room at Parks and Recreation. Because a lot of our writers, like Danny Zucker on Modern Family, also was sort of getting a lot of traction from his, thank you, yeah I'm good. Great, thank you. He was getting a lot of traction from his presence on Twitter. He was, yeah. But that was like the first time that I remember,

that's the first time I became aware of you. And so when you left Parks and Recreation, I remember it was, even though you'd never been in front of the camera, had you? Had you ever done? I did a little thing on there too, yeah. But to leave a job is a big deal. It was.

I was having a conversation with someone, I think it's one of the writers, and I was saying something about performing, or something, well they're like, well you're a writer. And I was kind of like, wait, I want to perform and I don't want to commit to being a writer exclusively. And I felt like if I kept staying there, it was just going to happen because the pay is good and the job is respected. And, you know, I mean, I'm sure you experienced this as well. It's like LA is such a stressful place to live and people are like, so what are

you up to? You know, it's just like a constant drum beat. You're only as good as your last stand up show or your last project or whatever. And there was something so soothing about being like, I write for Parks and Rec or I'm on Brooklyn Nine-Nine. And now there's like this panic of like, I need a defining identity. But I think that it was like scary to step away from it.

But I also- Did you have something to fall back on at that time? No. Or were you just- No, I just really was like, well, I had done, I think I had done one standup special and I'm like, okay, I'll keep doing standup and all this and that.

And then Mike and Dan were starting this new show, Brooklyn Nine-Nine. And so then they asked me to come in for that. And I- Did you audition for it? I did. I auditioned to be a cop and I think the network didn't see me as a cop.

So then they wrote a part that wasn't in it initially, which was this, you know, receptionist and- Gina. Gina Linetti. Which sounds a lot like- Chelsea Peretti. Oh, yeah. And now still like on TikTok or different social media, people are like,

you're just like Gina. And I'm like, I saw that in some of the comments of your comedy. I'm like, who came first? Yeah. Come on. But it is weird because like when you're talking about Twitter's heyday, I'm like, I really miss that. It was just like a special time in a way because there was so many

funny people on there and you would be cracking up to stuff all day long. And then I think we entered into this really polarized charged energy where suddenly it slowly morphed into everyone making statements about social cause every crisis, every social cause, everything that could ever happen across the globe on any given day, you're supposed to comment on, like it's like a press conference. And then it stopped being fun

and started being more stressful to go on Twitter. And like once, you know, What's-his-face took over, it just really was really like kind of the nail on the coffin. You know, I mean, he, he was, What's-his-face took over, it just really was really like kind of the nail on the coffin, you know? I mean, it's funny because he was like the great white hope when he came about and it's like, he's making electric cars, yay! And then it's like he just became more and more crazy and weird. And so, and now it's like, I hate the Instagram algorithm. Like I feel like I used to be so good at using these platforms to my own benefit,

and now they're impenetrable. It's literally people are feeding a robot. Have you stepped away from that a little bit? Well, no, because I've been promoting my movie, and I've restarted my podcast, and I still am addicted to it all. But I do feel there was a heyday, and we're not in it anymore. I agree with that to it all. But I do feel there was a heyday and we're not in it anymore.

I agree with that, for sure. Also, I mean, when you talk about that sort of that shift, I think there was also a sense of humor and a sense of levity that we sacrificed with all that. And I know there's things I probably have said on Twitter that wouldn't age well. Yeah. And you know.

But this is the whole thing everyone pretends that today's yardstick was 10 years ago's yardstick and we have to all play into pretending that. It's stupid. Culture evolves and people change and it's a good thing to be able to change. It's a good thing to go, oh, does this hurt someone's feelings? Oh, maybe I shouldn't say this word that throughout the 90s everyone said, you know, or whatever. And I'm like, you know,

when people started getting canceled for stuff, like sometimes I'm like, yeah, this person's a piece of shit and they're like fucking people's lives up and it's satisfying. And I think sometimes you go, hmm, like should someone's whole life be torn apart for X, Y, or Z? Like there's grades of it.

In fact, like everyone I run into in LA is canceled to some degree. Have you experienced that? Like they're like, Y, or Z. Like, there's grades of it. In fact, like everyone I run into in LA is canceled to some degree. Have you experienced that? Like, they're like, hey, and you're shaking their hand, going, what did you do? I can't remember. Yeah, you did something that I'm not supposed to like. Well, I have so many friends that talk about,

oh, well, you know, back four years ago when I was canceled, and it's just like a part of their history. Yeah. And you know, then you move out of that. Yeah, I mean, there you move out of that Yeah, you I mean there's there's major shades of cancellation and it's kind of like I think I always growing up my dad was a criminal defense attorney and I always believed in people being able to

progress or people being able to have redemption or people growing or people learning and What I think has become sort of scary about cancel culture is the black and white thinking. And across the board, I think the black and white thinking that a lot of people are doing now is so polarized. And to me, my fear is that we'll ultimately just benefit fascists and right-wing people, because they're the ones who want everyone

super black and white thinking, super polarized. So I've had a whole evolution where at first I'm like, good, me too, these fucking assholes and blah, blah, blah. And now I'm kind of like, I'm more contemplative about it all because, you know, I don't believe in the death penalty. And so what does that mean then? I mean, like, okay, someone could kill someone

and I don't believe they should be killed. So I don't know. No, there's definitely, there's nuance to everything. And I agree with you that, you know, people should be allowed redemption if- And you have murderers in your family. I do. I saw you finding your roots. That's right, that's right saw you're finding your roots.

That's right. That was finding your roots, right? Who do you think you are? Yeah. Oh, who do you think you are? Cause I think I watched it on a flight and I was just cracking up. I know, I think you contacted me afterwards.

You have my, like kind of recently in my family too, like my, it's my great grandfather. Might've, you know, murdered a few people, who knows? Yeah. And it just, it seemed like it was one of those ones where it just kept being more and more bad information. That's right. I know. He was buried with the murder weapon. Yeah, yeah it just, it seemed like it was one of those ones where it just kept being more and more bad information. Mm-hmm, that's right, I know. Like he was buried with a murder weapon.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, okay. You know, it's like, weirdly, it's like, of course you're not responsible, but it's like, this is your bloodline. 98 years ago. 98 years ago, yeah, yeah, yeah. Anyway. Yeah, no, but.

I mean, I know I have a lot of anxiety around just sort of, I think, perception of me, and I get sort of like the optics around like what I do and what I say, and you know, there's always so much nuance to everything, and I suffer from a lot of anxiety about that, and I've really been trying to let myself off the hook, and a lot of that has been that I've stepped away

from social media, I'm not on X or Twitter or whatever it is, and you know And I just reserve my more nuanced thinking for people who I trust. Yes, and this is the thing that I also don't like about the black and white thinking, is that I think everyone does that. So then everyone's front-facing remarks are these fucking pandering, simplistic,

what everyone wants to hear hashtags. And then in private conversations, everyone has nuance. And it's like, so then this is not real. And so why, you know, I just, I don't know. And it's also a thing with comedy though, I feel like it's really important. I mean, the comedy that I love, I'll just speak for myself, is the stuff that goes right up to the line and you know, it makes you nervous.

I find that stuff to be the most exciting. What are some of your favorite comedy films? Favorite comedy films? I think it's like, I think it's like, is this stuff that goes right up to the line. Yeah. And you know, it makes you nervous. I find that stuff to be the most exciting. What are some of your favorite comedy films? Favorite comedy films? Well, this does not step up right up to the line, but Clue. Oh, I haven't seen, I don't think I've seen Clue.

Jordan was like, we should watch Clue. I'm opening this biscuit, smells like pure butter. It smells so good. It does, yeah. You should dip it in salsa. Don't micromanage my experience. Yeah, they don't even put butter with it. As I dip it in salsa.

What are some of yours? My favorite comedy is Rushmore. I love Party Girl, Guffman, all these Parker Posey movies. Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, Bad Santa, Holy Grail. Yeah, yeah. But I think especially with Monty Python, for example, a great example, they went right up to the line and at least where they were at that point

when they were created and your face is just in pure bliss. It's fucking biscuit, oh shit. I know, I think it's a tough line to toe when you're specifically writing comedy and performing comedy to, I mean, even with your film, first time female director, I feel like you go right up to the line at times.

Did you watch it really? I did, yeah. Chewing biscuit, hold please. Now for a quick break, but don't go away. When we come back, Chelsea talks about being the OG podcaster. She started her podcast, Call Chelsea, in 2012, which was like what? That's 30 years ago, right? Something like that? No, yes.

Oh, and we mentioned her husband in passing without naming him. Her husband is filmmaker Jordan Peele. Okay, be right back. Hey, let's talk about retirement for a sec. To me, it feels like it's getting harder for people to reach their goals for their future. We hear about inflation, rate hikes, the changing market, are we even saving enough?

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I'm tired of that. Damn, damn, damn. But yeah, I mean, I think that there is a feeling a little bit that there's some sort of potential resurgence of comedy coming. I do think a lot of people are sort of sick of how measured everything has become. And so many award-winning comedies are not even funny and don't have jokes in them. And I think people are just a little bit like, you know, I came up watching, you know, Jim Carrey movies, Mike Myers, you know, it's like Martin Lawrence,

like people who are doing humongous swings. And it was so silly and it was so fun. And sure, there were issues at times with some of those things, but I think that things come in waves and people want to laugh again. You know, you're married to a writer and a performer. Do you guys bounce ideas off of each other? We do.

Yeah, we do. We talk about stuff. Even in first time female director, you go up to the line with race stuff, which I think is interesting. I was kind of looking at the blind spots of white feminism, so I do think that I'm familiar with that. I was writing what I know, which is,

there's definitely been times where I have blinders on and I'm just not thinking about race in any way, and I'm like, oh, yeah, that's completely a blind spot or a privilege that I'm just not aware of and thinking of as quote unquote normal, you know, or whatever. And so, you know, over the years, like I've had more reflection about those blind spots and you know, they can be funny and they can be humiliating.

And Zosia, who is in the film and I think does such a great job kind of threading her character through the whole thing. I thought she really made that whole storyline work so well. Right she's the box office manager who also is writing a play. Right. Which ends up being the sold out hit. Yeah, Standing O, well received, but also sort of ridiculous. Yes. I kind of wanted to point out that the whole world

we're all in is ridiculous. And you know. You ended up getting a pretty stacked cast. I know Amy Poehler's company. Paper Kay. Produced and she stars in it as your therapist, which is fucking hilarious. Your unhinged therapist.

I love Amy as a dirt bag, you know? Cause I wrote for Parks and Rec where she was just so altruistic and overachieving. And it's just for me so fun to see her in a role where she's a mess and kind of mean and needy. So good. It's an amazing cast and I did like have so much fun laughing. And was it like being a chicken with your head cut off?

Absolutely. But also I kind of was surprised by like, okay, I have a lot of opinions on things people are asking me, you know? I learned so much and, you know, there's a lot I would do differently I think but also I'm really proud of the tone and so many of the lines I just had my my screening at Vidiots and it was so fun. I know I was invited and I wish I could have come.

What happened? Like John Mulaney just texted me so sorry I didn't make it I go what happened? But listen I mean I get't make it. I go, what happened? What happened? Yeah. But listen, I mean, I get it. It's like. I live in Encino now. It's so hard. With two kids. Yeah, no. It's hard to be like, sorry kids,

you don't get to be with your parent tonight when going to an LA. But I was so happy you invited me. Function. But yeah, anyway, it was really fun. It was fun hearing the laughs and it was a great night. And it was like kind of the first time I could watch it and be like, okay, yeah.

I see my strengths. I see what I think my voice is, what I think my potential is and all that. Well, it's really fantastic. You can watch it on Roku. I'm really proud of you. I think it was really great. Thank you.

Oh, and also, I mean, how's your podcast going? First of all, what was it like starting a podcast in 2012 and like no one else had one? Again, like amazing. Like I do feel like I just was like so early to it. You really are, yeah. I didn't have any ads. This guy, Dustin, just was like this emo kid

who moved here from I forget where, that's the name of his town. And we were just going, making this thing with no ads, no corporate entity involved, no mandate of, like we didn't even do it on a regular basis. Was it a call-in show back then as well? Yes. And so, I like the call-in thing

because it kind of puts me on my toes as like the call-in thing because it kind of puts me on my toes, as the Brits would say. And it kind of gives me this fight or flight reaction that I think brings comedy, that thing you're talking about of being on the edge of, is this good or bad? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And so yeah, I had so much fun doing it. And I would change it up all the time.

One would be just like a robot talking the whole podcast and one would be, you know, a guest and another one would be like a weird field piece when I was doing standup on the road or something. Anyway, and then being back, it's like now it's like there's, well, first of all, there was a huge boom and I kind of came back at the end of that boom. You know, like I think-

What's interesting is you stopped right at the pandemic. Right, 2020? I mean, my kid was three. His attention span was one second. I didn't feel like I could do anything. I was literally creating arts and crafts and science projects and activities on like literally five minute intervals for like.

I just feel like that was a boom for so many other people like that. We're like, what else can I do? Yeah, if I had new kids, I would have been podcasting my ass off. I mean, that's where Smart List started, I think, you know, Armchair Expert. So that was the boom.

And I was in total like, psychotic situation. I'm gonna check out. Yeah. And then once the boom is dying off, I'm like, I'm back. I kick open the door. I'm like, is it a little more peaceful now?

I'm back. And do you think, I'm like, is it a little more peaceful now? I'm back. And do you think, I know you left Brooklyn Nine-Nine early as well, you sort of have this habit of like, having a great job and then be like, no more, no more. Well, let's just back up here. Let's just back up. That wasn't entirely like me just being like,

bye everyone, there was a lot going on. Their show was, you know, moving from network to this, to that, and I can't really get into it all. But it wasn't me just being like, peace everyone. Right, right, right, right. But do you think that, would you ever want to go back and do another TV show that you weren't like necessarily a writer on?

I would, yeah. I mean, I think it's just- Because first of all, you were fucking hilarious on that show. Thank you. You were so wonderful. And I know there was people who were very sad when you left. Yeah, as was I. I mean, you know, it was an amazing job

and it was an amazing group of people. Yeah, I mean, I think for me, first of all, I never say never to anything because I think life shifts constantly in inexplicable ways. And I think if there was the right TV show, yeah, I would do it. And I also think TV has changed a lot.

I mean, one of the things about Brooklyn that was wild for me, having come from stand up, where I was a bit more of a lone wolf, was just 23 episodes a year. What was Modern Family? 24, between 20 and 24, yeah, it's a lot. You have to one up me by one episode. 23 is a weird number.

24, yeah. That's a weird number. An even number for sure, yeah. But it's a lot, you know, you have like three months off. And it's a breakneck pace and all that. So anyway, but yeah, I mean, I think it's like, as all things are, it's just was, I mean, I was it's like, as all things are, it was, it's just was, I mean, I was like, I remember just being shocked

by how many people you're around every day, you know? And then going into the pandemic, I'm like, I miss being around all these people every day. You know, it's like, I don't know, it's been a wild ride, but yeah, who knows what happens next, we'll see. Well, I think you're amazing and I would, I'm ready and willing to do anything with you. We'll see. Well, I think you're amazing and I'm ready and willing to do anything

with you. Really? Wow. Don't forget you said that. Don't cut this from the pot. Don't cut that line. Next week on Dinner's On Me, you might know her from one of her many performances she's played on Ryan Murphy shows. Everyone from an insane journalist in American Horror Story Asylum to Marcia Clark in The People Versus OJ, American Crime Story. It's Sarah Paulson. We talk all about her incredible performance in the play Appropriate, running now on Broadway. We also talk what it's like to play real people on TV and we hear how much she absolutely loves artichokes. And if you don't want to wait until next week to listen, you can download that episode right now by subscribing to Dinners on Me Plus. As a subscriber, not only do you get access to new

episodes one week early, you'll also be able to listen completely ad-free. Just click Try Free at the top of the Dinners on Me show page on Apple Podcasts to search your free trial today. Dinners On Me is a production of Sony Music Entertainment and a kid named Beckett Productions. It's hosted by me, Jesse Tyler Ferguson. It's executive produced by me and Jonathan Hirsch. Our showrunner is Joanna Clay. Our associate producer is Angela Vang.

Sam Baer engineered this episode. Hans-Dyl She composed our theme music. Our head of production is Sammy Allison. Special thanks to Tamika Balanz-Kalasny and Justin Makita. I'm Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Join me next week.