Label Queen with Julie Klausner

[00:00:08] Speaker A: Hello, everyone, and welcome to Label Queen. I am your host, James Aguiar, and I'm thrilled to be here. This podcast is really about kind of finding out who you are beyond what people in society say you are. So digging behind the label a little bit and getting to know not only myself, but my guests in a very different way from what you might expect. So thank you for, for listening and joining. I like to start this program with a little bit of, just something that's been on my mind, and I want to talk about rich people. I don't know why other than they're just kind of. You just can't get away from them rich people. So I did not grow up with a lot of money. I was certainly not destitute. I had a very, you know, normal upbringing and, and it was lovely. And I'm not complaining, but I was definitely aware that there were people with more money. So I've been fascinating, fascinated recently by this spate of television shows that celebrates the insanely wealthy and, you know, White Lotus and Sirens and I think it's called the Other Sister and the Gilded Age, to some extent, mirroring that with the outrage of the Bezos Sanchez wedding in Venice. And I think it's really interesting that we welcome these rich, rich, rich, richer than rich people into our lives through television shows that we binge, love, talk about, can't wait for the next one. And then when actual real crazy rich people get married, we hate them and we deride them and we're talking about how horrible they are. And I started to think if any of those people were, or let's use the White Lotus, for example, any of those guests at a White Lotus could easily have been at the Bezos wedding. So my thing now is just sort of like, we are just sort of celebrating rich people, and I just feel like we can't have it both ways. You know, you can't sort of like, oh, well, I like this one because it's on my tv, but this real life one, well, that's scary and bad and a lot of you are going to have a real problem with that. But it's just been on my mind and I don't know, I feel like there's not enough poor people on tv. Maybe that's the problem or maybe I'm missing it. Although there is one show that is interesting that does have a little bit of that, which is Poker Face starring Natasha Lyonne, where I don't know if you've seen this show, but I think it's on Peacock. Anyway, she goes into town and a murder happens. And she has this uncanny sort of lie detector capability where she's able to detect the truth. And it's, it's kind of a cute thing. It's a little Murder She Wrote, a little Colombo. It's got a real 70s vibe, a real throwback vibe. And I don't think she has a lot of money, although she, I mean, she lives in her car and she gets these jobs, random jobs, and state to state and place to place. Someone's not doing their job because they keep hiring this girl girl, and whenever they do a murder happens. So she doesn't have a really good track record. She has an endless supply of cut off jeans and sunglasses. I don't know where she keeps them in the car. But that's, that's kind of a show that's kind of exploring a little bit of the seamier side of life and it's kind of interesting as well. Anyway, so that's my take on, on rich people. And we need more poor people on TV is my point. The next thing I'd like to talk about is my highs and lows. And highs and lows for me are just the things that, like what, did I just see that or did I just hear that? So for me, the low of the week. And by the way, you can just look for these things yourself. Or maybe they, they're in your algorithm already. If you're like me, they just come. So I'm watching either Instagram or TikTok, one of them, and there's a TikTok of a woman getting arrested. Now I have this fascination with, with people getting arrested and sovereign citizens and people trying to avoid arrest. I think it's the most fascinating content out there. Now. Anyway, of course, this happens in Florida and they pull this woman out of the car and she's clearly out of her brain. And the cops, like, you know, can you step out? And she does, which is rare, she gets out of the car and the cop's like, whoa, whoa, whoa, is that a raccoon? And she's like, oh, yeah, yeah, that's my pet. So this woman is living in her car, clearly with a raccoon, which maybe she thinks is a dog, I don't know. But it gets better. The raccoon has her meth pipe in its mouth. This is all caught on video. This is not the rich people. This chick is not going to the White Lotus, but she's living in her car in Florida with her meth and her raccoon. And apparently her raccoon likes meth, too. But I say it because there is a plotline in Poker Face where there's an alligator that basically ODs on meth. So correlation. I'm just saying. So that's my low. Although some would say it's a high. Although I can't stop watching it. So look for it. Just. What should we Google? Meth, car, raccoon, pipe arrest. That'll do it. My high of the week. And I guess I'm on a documentary jag, but the documentary called My Mom Jane, which Mariska Hargitay wrote and directed about her mother, Jane Mansfield. Now, I remember knowing that Jayne Mansfield was Mariska's mother, but I always thought it was very strange because they didn't seem. She never seemed to embrace that part of her life or kind of celebrate it. I mean, as a stylist, I would be like, oh, let's, you know, let's paint you up like Jane, like your mom. Let's do a photo shoot like that. And she never did anything like that. And she's been on, what is it, Law and Order for, I don't know, 37,000 years. Great career, great woman, a great actress. And she finally did a documentary about her life growing up knowing Jayne Mansfield was her mother. Now, she. Mansfield died when she was three years old in a car crash that Mariska was in. Her name was Maria at that point, or that's what they called her. And Jayne Mansfield tragically passed away. Her brothers were in the backseat, and the. The ambulances came and everybody took her away. And one of the brothers woke up in the ambulance and said, where's Maria? And all of the first responders were like, who's Maria? And he's like, my sister. So they hadn't even seen her. She was just in the backseat, kind of like had fallen under, I guess, a seat in the Impact. So they went back and saved her. So that could have been a very different story. However, my point is this is a really, really beautiful documentary. Incredibly filmed, incredibly paced. It actually feels like you're watching a movie versus a real life story. It is so perfectly expressed and spelled out, and from start to finish, it kind of does all the things that good film or theater should do. It keeps you on the edge of your seat, and there's a lot of things that happen within the story, some surprises, some things we've known. The thing that my takeaway from it is, like, as a Hollywood story, as tragic as it. The beginning was for Mariska, her brothers and sister seem very Grounded. They seem like really normal people. A really loving family. Quite, quite normal. Even though they grew up in a pink house with a heart shaped pool and a mother who was a huge sex symbol. So I was reading recently that she did put it in a film in a theater for theatrical release for a week, which means it can be nominated for an Academy Award. And I think, and I trust that this will go the distance for the Academy Awards for best documentary. It is beautiful. Stunning, stunning. So thank you, Mariska. And if you're. If I haven't seen it, watch it. My mom, Jane. Okay, now it is time to introduce my guest. Okay. I have to give a little bit of background. I adore this person. I adore this woman. She wrote, produced, starred in one of my favorite shows of just how I found her. And I just have been following her on Instagram and I'm not a stalker, but I really just love her, as you'll see. I ask her, I say we probably would have been boyfriend and girlfriend in high school. We have very similar sensibilities and very similar references that I think helped shape us for better or worse. She is an American writer. She's a comedian, she's an actress, she's a producer. She created, wrote and starred in my favorite show, Difficult People. She was a head writer for Billy on the street and the co executive producer. And her writing credits include snl, Mulaney, Best week Ever Schmigadoon. She has her own podcast. How was your week with the fabulous my guest, Julie Klausner. Julie, thank you, thank you, thank you for doing this. [00:09:55] Speaker B: Thank you for having me. I'm delighted to be here. [00:09:58] Speaker A: Well, first of all, it says a lot about you. We don't know each other. I love what you do. I reached out and you said yes, of course. I feel like that's part of who you are, why you are and why you attract just probably what is the best people in the business and around you and amazing projects, by the way. [00:10:22] Speaker B: Thank you. Thank you so much. Well, listen, I'm always delighted to be considered fashionable in any way. So when I whenever. It's so flattering to be included in the world of style because you know me, I'm all substance. And by that I mean actually got the stuff Demi Moore was injecting. Ah, yes. Pretty good. [00:10:46] Speaker A: And that yellow coat, right? All right. So I wanted to jump in because we actually share something that I didn't even really know until I was sort of going through Instagram with you. It is a fascination and you're sort of almost Like a scholar of this. Of The Raquel Welch 1970 Special. What is it about that? How did you find it? And then I'll tell you my story. [00:11:10] Speaker B: I can't wait to hear your introduction to this, this cornerstone of Cadden. I was introduced to the Gospel of Raquel when I worked at the Museum of Television and Radio, now known as the Paley Center. I graduated from, from nyu. That was my first job out of school. I was in the curatorial department. And I met this amazing guy named Arthur Smith. And he said, you have to see this. So we sat down and we watched it. And I've never been the same. I cannot recommend this special enough. Now you're going to find it on YouTube. Don't watch that one because it's not in a very good resolution. What you're going to do is spend the $12 to get it on eBay or whatever, like the DVD. And, and you should have a DVD player at this point. Come on, let's, let's all succumb to physical media. And, and to see her in all of her herness against these expensive backdrops. I mean, they really flew her around the world. It's such an expensive production and it's worth every penny because you see Raquel, all teeth, hair, legs, boobs, like, just complete, you know, cisgender female drag queen, just a total goddess, shaking it in, like, these exotic locations, these fabulous Mackie outfits. And some of them are not so fabulous, but that's fabulous too. Doing covers of all the hits and weird skits with Bob Hope and John Wayne and Tom Jones. It is just ecstasy. I, I mean, if I were a religious person, that would be my religion. [00:12:47] Speaker A: All right, so here's the weird thing, because you found it at the Paley center, which is like, you know, it's basically a museum, right? [00:12:55] Speaker B: Yes, it is. [00:12:56] Speaker A: I found it. I was working at Bergdorf Goodman. I was doing the Windows. I walked by this, this girl who was an executive assistant. We did not know each other. And she looked at me and she says, you need this. And she passed me a dvd. I mean, a vhs. And I was like, what is it? She's like, watch it and give it back to me. I mean, it was like contraband in those days. [00:13:19] Speaker B: It's like the substance, or like death becomes her. When someone is just like, here's his number. [00:13:24] Speaker A: Watch this. Give it back to me. You cannot share it. [00:13:27] Speaker B: No. [00:13:28] Speaker A: If you get caught, you have no idea where this came from. It'll self destruct in five minutes. All right, so I watched it shitty quality and like you. Change. Change, yeah. If I wasn't gay enough, I became gayer. [00:13:43] Speaker B: It will. I should have said that originally. I guess it was just assumed, so. [00:13:48] Speaker A: It came out in 1970. I'm younger than you, so I was four years old. It came out before you were born. [00:13:54] Speaker B: What else? [00:13:54] Speaker A: Raquel, thank you, thank you, thank you for shaping who we are today. [00:13:59] Speaker B: I have one of her wigs. It wasn't on her head, but she had a line of wigs. She and Ava Gabor made expensive wigs. They were wigs. I am proud to own one. The appearance I saw Raquel live was during an introduction of Myra Breckenridge at Lincoln center, moderated by Simon Doonan. You mentioned Windows, and that's another one that is really eye exploding. But especially. You're going to get everything you never knew you needed in your veins. [00:14:31] Speaker A: Doesn't she play a man in that? Isn't she, like, a transition, the trans person? [00:14:37] Speaker B: It's. It's very confusing. Reid is involved. It's a. It's a phenomenal flop. Mae west refused to be in any shots with her, which I think is like, diva. That's just full queen. The empress. Empress behavior. [00:14:51] Speaker A: And Mae west was, like, 85 when she made this. And she was up there. [00:14:55] Speaker B: She was up there. And you know what? If I'm so lucky as to be working at that age, I don't want. [00:15:00] Speaker A: To be in the same shot as. [00:15:01] Speaker B: Anyone who looks like Raquel Welch at any age. [00:15:04] Speaker A: All right, so fast forward. You're a theater girl, so I had this thing where I would never. I thought it was illegal almost, to walk out of a Broadway production. The only time I ever. You're gonna. [00:15:17] Speaker B: You're gonna out. I'm excited. [00:15:19] Speaker A: I walked out of Raquel Welch and Victor Victoria. [00:15:22] Speaker B: She was bad, huh? [00:15:24] Speaker A: Not only was she bad, but, you know, it's all about, you know, trying to be a man, I guess. She has a thing. But her boobs were so big that strapped down. Yeah, but you can't strap those down. [00:15:33] Speaker B: You can try. You can have fun trying. [00:15:36] Speaker A: You can have fun trying. [00:15:37] Speaker B: Anyway, so nyu, Langone, Radiology was there with the paddles. I think it was like, look, you don't. You could skip your. You could skip your mammoth this year. Was that when she took over for Liza? Because I have seen footage of Liza in the role. You know, back in the day, you have to check your PO Box because you were drafted and you'd have to. You'd have to do Chicago. [00:15:59] Speaker A: Yes. [00:16:01] Speaker B: You walked out at Least during intermission. [00:16:03] Speaker A: I hope I did. And, and I had never done that before. But then it gave me this freedom of out of Broadway shows, which is a really freaky thing to do. But it's so decadent. The tickets are expensive. You know, everybody's working really hard. And you know what, honey? Sometimes it just. [00:16:18] Speaker B: I do what you guys do. [00:16:21] Speaker A: All right, so the next thing I wanted to ask you about before we get to some other things is Pee Wee Herman and the Pee Wee Herman documentary. So, first of all, what does Pee Wee mean to you? And then I want to ask you what you thought of the documentary. [00:16:34] Speaker B: I cried through that whole documentary. I thought it was so beautiful. And I thought it was a portrait of someone so utterly relatable in his flawedness. That was my flawedness, like so much of where I was able to come into my own voice wise as a creative person was accepting the unacceptable things about me, which were that I was too difficult, cranky, bitter things that I think toxic positivity tries to make you push down. I really loved how jealous he was, how, how ambitious he was, how frustrated he was. I, I, I was heartbroken at to remain closeted. But I also related to the raw ambition of being that kind of unsheathed nerve in your 20s, where you kind of want to do everything and you're so hungry for visual art and other people and comedy and music and toys and everything. And I remember it being transmitted so purely when I grew up watching him and loving him so much, because it wasn't just his sensibility, it was this aesthetic. Right. Like, it was so visually attuned to the other things that I was later obsessed with. The B52 delight to some extent in that, like, early 90s period, that story, unique on Broadway that was tremendously shaping those, like new wave neon, not quite fluorescent, you know, sort of reminiscent of like early 70s, but with like this kind of new wave quote, queer playfulness that wasn't childlike as much as it was just sort of like a secret language, like an accent that only you and your, like, twin can hear. So I just went bananas over that in depth exploration of this person who is so tragically no longer with us, but also this queer Jewish legend who had such a language artistically where he could do an album, he could do a live show, he could do a television show, he could do an adult show or a children's show, it didn't matter because it's all him. And I love artists like that who are just so all encompassing. [00:18:46] Speaker A: Yeah, I think for me, rewatching and watching the documentary is it brought up all of those early days where it really was sort of born out of punk rock using like the punk artist and the posters and that kind of wink, wink, nod, nod, and how naughty and wrong it all was. But then when I really thought about it, I thought there's not many actors or characters that are contemporary that are so specifically that you think of like Buster Keaton or, you know what I mean, those people that sort of like, well, he was a little tramp, or it's a character that he committed to that people thought he was. And I can understand how it becomes a little bit of a cage. And to your point of not coming out, he came out and went back in, like at a weird time when you could do something like that. [00:19:41] Speaker B: That's gotta be so tough. I mean, the only thing he had in his favor because the monoculture really worked against him was, I guess, not having the Internet. But at the same time you're like, could that have made it worse? I don't know. I really don't. But what a, what a brutal time to be kind of half in, half out and also half in, half out with your Persona slash real, real self. Right. And you did have this, these phenomenon of people doing characters sort of all the time, being on all the time. You have Judy Tenuta and like Elvira and even like Joan Rivers to some extent was always sort of in character and people kind of can't know the real you because you have those boundaries in place. It gets really complicated when you know your sexuality is connected to something that you cannot and, you know, probably should not hide. [00:20:30] Speaker A: Well, here. I mean, the end of the story. Another influence on both of us. I mean, not just us, but millions of people around the world. And it's so interesting. I feel like if we knew each other in school, we would have been boyfriend and girlfriend. [00:20:42] Speaker B: Yes, we would have. Lovely prom. [00:20:45] Speaker A: Lovely prom. I would pick out your earrings, the whole nine. [00:20:48] Speaker B: Thank God. [00:20:49] Speaker A: The next thing I want to talk about, and I know I'm bouncing around a little bit, but I also didn't know you were a writer on one of my favorite shows, which I can get into my frustration and anger about it is schmigadoon. So you are a theater girl. You clearly love Broadway and musicals. And to me that was such a funny, sharp, hilarious, not even a send up, you know what I mean? It really was just a All love, all love, all love, right. So I talked to a friend of mine who's a real Theater girl, like, real, but goes to everything. [00:21:25] Speaker B: Advanced level. I don't want no. [00:21:26] Speaker A: Like, you know, I was like, have you seen Schmigadoon? She's like, I won't watch that. [00:21:31] Speaker B: And I was like, why? [00:21:32] Speaker A: It's too on the nose for me. And I'm like, isn't that the fucking point? Why are we so weird about a genre that, you know, we're protective because. [00:21:42] Speaker B: We were all bullied. It was like a secret thing that we had for ourselves. It was. It was like we kept it in a little box. So whenever people were like, I've seen that box, you're like, are you gonna take my box away? [00:21:52] Speaker A: Don't take my box. It's so true. And you. And I love theater, but that show, and you wrote the episode of Bells and Whistles, was it ever nominated for an Emmy Award at all? [00:22:03] Speaker B: I believe the first season was. And I don't remember the category, but I actually like the second season the most. That, to me, I think it was so exciting. And then the third season, which is the lost season, and hopefully it will one day see the light of day. But we wrote, in a whole, you know, the full season, all the Cinco wrote all the songs, we had all the scripts. And the third season was took place during, like, the 80s and 90s musicals, which are the weirdest because there's such a mixed bag. And Starlight Express during aids and, oh, my God, the holes, and all the Cameron Macintosh stuff. So that was a real challenge, and I was so proud of those. So hopefully they'll see the light of day one day. But I loved working on that. That was just pure joy. [00:22:52] Speaker A: Yeah. And I have to say, Jane Krakowski in that courtroom scene, if you haven't seen it, just watch that clip. It deserves everything. [00:23:01] Speaker B: Yeah, incredible. I mean, all you need to do is. It's like you just need to challenge her, and she lights up. I mean, to me, Jane Krakowski, and I don't say this lightly, is like Madeline Kahn. I feel like she is as funny, gorgeous, talented. She could do it all. The only thing you need to do, make sure that you're bringing to the table is enough of a challenge for you. Get that spark in her eye, because she will kill it whatever you give her. So that was just pure pleasure to watch her just completely explode with excellence in that episode. [00:23:36] Speaker A: Well, great job. And it's one of my favorites. And people, if you haven't seen it, please watch it. It's really fantastic. [00:23:42] Speaker B: Thank you. [00:23:42] Speaker A: So I want to go back now to where I probably found you, which was difficult, people. [00:23:48] Speaker B: Thank you. [00:23:50] Speaker A: Three seasons, 28 episodes. You created, wrote every episode and starred in. And before we go on about the show, I just want to list the guests because it is extraordinary and this is not everybody, by the way. So I'm just gonna name drop and go really quickly. Starring Billy Eichner and Julie guest stars Nathan Lane, John Mulaney, Andrea Martin, Gabor Sibita, Fred Armisen, Stockard fucking Channing, Tina Fey, Jackie Hoffman, Lucy Liu, Kola Scola, John Cho, Amy Sedaris, Kathie Lee Gifford. Okay, gotta get her in there. Megan Hilty, Shakina. A trans truther. I mean, come on. Mark Consuelos as a gay man. I mean, this cast is outrageous. Oh, wait, and I'm forgetting somebody, because I actually reached out to her. [00:24:42] Speaker B: Did you? [00:24:43] Speaker A: Shannon DeVito. [00:24:45] Speaker B: She's terrific. She's the best. [00:24:47] Speaker A: All right, so I asked Shannon, I said you were coming on the podcast, and I'm stealing this from Amy Poehler. [00:24:52] Speaker B: Okay. [00:24:52] Speaker A: I asked her to ask you a question. [00:24:54] Speaker B: Oh. [00:24:56] Speaker A: And her question to you. This is from Shannon DeVito. [00:24:59] Speaker B: Okay. [00:25:00] Speaker A: If you could live in a television show. Oh, I love that. Which one would you live in besides difficult people? [00:25:07] Speaker B: Probably AB Fab. [00:25:09] Speaker A: I mean, such a great answer. [00:25:11] Speaker B: 90S Lacroix. Like, everything about that show seemed just exotic enough and just familiar enough that it completely. I mean, that was a huge influence on Difficult People for me was the two hander of these best friends that you don't really care what situation they're in. You just want to see how they react to it. [00:25:32] Speaker A: Right. Well, I think that's such a brilliant answer. And I love that. I mean, you sort of like, I'm skirting around fashion because I live in it. But I know that, you know, for you to say that answer is so telling. But also, there were messy people. [00:25:49] Speaker B: Exactly. [00:25:50] Speaker A: The interesting thing about difficult people is it's you and Billy who are difficult. But the truth is, every single person in that cast is really difficult. [00:26:03] Speaker B: Absolutely. And the world itself is difficult. It's a difficult world. Everybody's fucking pain in the ass. How do you expect us to not be cranky? [00:26:11] Speaker A: I mean, and all the things, you know, that you got right about New York, that rat that blow up, rap Strikey. I mean, and just the list goes on and on. So it's on for three seasons, produced by Amy Poehler. So how did the concept happen, first of all? And secondly, do you think that show could be made today? [00:26:33] Speaker B: It absolutely could not be made today. There are very Few shows that could be made today, unfortunately. Hopefully that will change. But I am so grateful to have gotten it on. I'm. It slipped through the cracks. I mean, my God, when I think about what we got away with, I have to, you know, be in my gratitude, because it's pretty remarkable that I got to do three seasons of the exact show I wanted to do. And boy, oh, boy, were we lucky. I had an idea for a show where, you know, sort of like the Ab Fab Friendship. And combined with my enthusiasm for Curb youb Enthusiasm, I thought it'd be fun to play a character that was sort of unapologetic and constantly, you know, stepping in it, but like a woman, right? So I thought that might be fun. And I said to Billy. Cause I was writing for him on the Billy on the street at the time. I said, you know, I have this idea for a show, and we play best friends. And he's like, yeah, sure. So I wrote it as a script, just as a spec, and I showed it to Amy, and she said, this seems like a good idea. Let's go around and pitch it. And we got to pitch it. And then we, you know, ended up making a pilot. And one thing led to another. But Hulu was also very nascent. Like, it had just sort of started. So we really were just like, right time, right place. So lucky. I'm so, so grateful it got on the air. I have absolutely no idea how it happened. The guest stars, to some extent, were like, my attempt to keep it on the air just be like, look, Julianne Moore, everybody. [00:27:58] Speaker A: I didn't even. I didn't even remember that. I mean, she's. [00:28:00] Speaker B: Julianne Moore is in the finale of season two. There's. She works in an office with only redheads. We only cast other red redheaded actors in that scene. She's a goddess, and I pray to her every night. [00:28:11] Speaker A: Love, love, love. Sandra Bernhardt, who I also didn't mention. It's a great, great part. [00:28:14] Speaker B: Oh, we have the best guest stars in the biz. It was like, you know, I don't know how. I don't know, like, how secretive we were about. Like, this will help us keep this on the air. [00:28:24] Speaker A: But there's. For me, there's a sort of direct link. And you could tell me if I'm right or wrong or just maybe it's a compliment. I don't know or not. But for me, I put it on the same level as Strangers with Candy. Comeback. A comeback. [00:28:37] Speaker B: You're speaking my language. [00:28:39] Speaker A: 30 Rock. [00:28:40] Speaker B: Amazing. [00:28:41] Speaker A: But when I First watched it in the beginning, I was like, oh, they're like mean Will and Grace. You know what I mean? Like, that was my sort of just quick, you know, I like that. Like, really awful Will. Like, if Will and Grace were horrible, which a lot of people think they were, but not. [00:28:58] Speaker B: Not as much as they could be. [00:29:00] Speaker A: Not as much as they could be. So for me, it's that kind of humor that not only is good when it comes out, it gets better and better. So I'm wondering what the sort of legacy has been for it and has it found a new audience and what's your relationship to it? [00:29:18] Speaker B: Now I'm waiting for the kids to demand a reboot. I'm ready. I'm ready to go whenever I get the call because it's all about recycling, right? Listen, the Comeback and Strangers with Candy are like my. You know, like, they're like stars in the sky for me. They're everything I could ever aspire for. So that's the ultimate compliment. And Strangers with Candy was also something that, you know, three seasons, just total perfection. Cult show. People who love it are obsessed with it. It shaped their personalities. Like, that was really a goal going into this. And also, you know, Strangers was. To me, that was just kind of like everything I wanted to do. When I first saw that show, it just blew my mind. I thought, wow, they're writing a show and they get to be in it, and it's got this sensibility and it's so funny. And who is that woman? She's so insane. I love her so much. So that's just an incredible compliment. [00:30:05] Speaker A: Well, my favorite thing is when I actually meet a Jerry Blank. They're kind of everywhere, so. So, yeah, I get it. Thank you for that. Because it really is, you know, it's one of those things that, again, if you haven't watched it, please watch it. I actually just paid for it. Again, I don't know if you're getting any of. [00:30:25] Speaker B: Oh, no. It all makes a difference. Every little bit helps if it folds or if it jingles. [00:30:31] Speaker A: All right, so I want to bring us up to date now. Let's see. You just signed a deal with Sony. A first look deal. Yes, I've been working with Sony Television, so that's exciting. And tell me what kind of projects, if you can. Wait, wait. Sorry, I have to go back. [00:30:49] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. [00:30:50] Speaker A: If you do reboot difficult people, please make it as bad as. And just like that about that show. [00:30:57] Speaker B: Is that whenever I talk to someone, they're like, it's getting weirder. I didn't think it could, but it's. [00:31:01] Speaker A: Getting crazier, which makes it better. Anyway, anyway, yeah, I've only heard that. [00:31:06] Speaker B: People seem to be entertained by it. I mean, I think that the. The headline is just, like, not boring and you're fine. It's just like the attention economy. Right. [00:31:14] Speaker A: I didn't watch. [00:31:16] Speaker B: Exactly. I am developing television for Sony and I'm hopefully going to take it out and sell it. It's been like a crazy couple years, so God willing, a year from now, you'll be hearing about something that I got on the air. And I'm just so grateful that anyone's paying me to do anything these days. So that's my Sony deal. God bless the people at Sony is the big picture. [00:31:38] Speaker A: I love it. I love it. We also share a love for dogs, and I know the charity pause is really important to you, so after we're done, I'm going to donate in Europe because you just had a birthday, so I'm going to donate some money to that. [00:31:52] Speaker B: Thank you. That's so nice of you. And I just want to say Paws New York, which is P A W S N Y, is such a great charity. They. They help keep people with their animals and if they are struggling financially or if they are struggling physically, and they help them with walking the dogs and making sure they have enough food and healthcare. And we just don't want people separated from their pets when they're in a vulnerable situation. So I just think what the work they do is so important, and that bond between a human and an animal is just, you know, if, you know. [00:32:25] Speaker A: Yeah. And I do. And I. And by the way, difficult people have two of the cutest bassets. Do you have bassets? Was that your dog of choice? [00:32:32] Speaker B: I love bassets, but I keep cats because I don't leave the house more than I absolutely have to. But I love basset. Hounds are my favorite dog. And I'm still in touch with. We lost one of them. But I do stay in touch with, like, there were actually four dogs altogether. And I have other basset friends that I follow on social media. And I'm in the basset community. I'm an ally. I'm an ally. [00:32:59] Speaker A: I'm sure. I'm sure. [00:33:00] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:33:01] Speaker A: Well, Julie, thank you for doing this. [00:33:03] Speaker B: Thank you. [00:33:04] Speaker A: It really means the world. [00:33:06] Speaker B: Oh, I appreciate you having me on. And I have a quick question about Bergdorf Goodman before I go. [00:33:10] Speaker A: Yes, yes, yes. [00:33:11] Speaker B: I don't know if you know this, but I am banned and I got a letter in the Mail. [00:33:14] Speaker A: Spit. Take. [00:33:15] Speaker B: Okay. I read this letter from Neiman Marcus direct. Apparently, I am. Let me read this to you. It is in our mutual best interest to immediately terminate our online business relationship. I am no longer allowed to shop online at Neiman Marcus or at Bergdorf Goodman. Can you do something about this? [00:33:38] Speaker A: First of all, that's how I'm gonna break up with everybody. Going forward, it's in our best interest. [00:33:44] Speaker B: Set, by the way, I'm like, you've ruined my life. [00:33:48] Speaker A: It's in our mutual interest to stop fucking. Basically, like, that's how I'm gonna break. [00:33:53] Speaker B: Up with everybody in my life. I have never. [00:33:58] Speaker A: Here's the thing. Can I help you? Let's see what I can do and we'll follow up. But I have to know why you got banned. [00:34:06] Speaker B: I said I returned too much stuff, but I didn't. I don't. Do you know what happened? What, two. Was it two years ago? Yes. Two years ago. I went to Billy's premiere. I went to the premiere of Bros. And I ordered a bunch of dresses. It was a big ticket purchase, and I ended up going with a bespoke tuxedo. And I returned the dresses. That's. That's a big ticket item. Since then, I have ordered two things from them and I've returned two things. That last thing must have set off their, you know, whatever alert, because there was some issue with the post office that they finally got it back, and then they turned it back to me and they said, there's deodorant stains on it. I said, I don't wear deodorant, which I know is kind of gross. Whatever. Whatever happened, they put a note. They put a red X scarlet letter. I get this thing in the mail. [00:34:57] Speaker A: That is funny. [00:34:59] Speaker B: I said, listen to me. What's going on? This surely must be a computer glitch. They said, Ms. Klausner, there was a meeting with human beings in a room, and we discussed this. And I said, you all discussed me. You're telling me this last dress I sent back to you in May, under $1,000. You don't have an accountant on staff. And I know that you're not doing well. I know retail is not doing great. I know the department store, which is my other religion, is not in its best place. You can't figure out, accounting wise, how to expense a less than $1,000 dress. That's on you. That's not me. They said, madam. They said, miss. They said, ma. They probably said ma'. Am. Said ma'. Am. There is no appeal. I Said, no appeal. This is like having the judge sentence me without even having me present the case or knowing I was on trial. I said, if you want, you can send an email. I sent the most beautiful email. I said, I remember shopping at Neiman Marcus with my mother. I remember looking at the windows at Bergdorf Goodman on Christmas. How could you do this to me? I would never have done what I did if I'd known. These were no response. My question to you is, can you fix this and can you fix me? [00:36:14] Speaker A: Here's what we're gonna do, my dear. I am going to call the president of Bergdorf Goodman, who I do know, and I'm gonna see what we can do about this, because I'm about to say, listen, there's gonna be four people listening to this podcast, and it's gonna just blow up. So you better fix it. Fix this for my friend Julie. [00:36:33] Speaker B: Appreciate it from the bottom of my heart. They said, Ms. Clouser, you could still come to the stores. I said, where's the closest? [00:36:40] Speaker A: Even Marcus you can look, but you can't touch. [00:36:45] Speaker B: This is like in those movies where they would cut up a woman's credit card in front of her. I feel like that happened in every other movie in the 80s. And I thought to myself, this is anti Semitic. [00:36:54] Speaker A: I love that somebody had to actually write that. Maybe it's a form letter, but. [00:36:57] Speaker B: But, you know, it's not. Let me see if there's any details in here. During a recent review of your records. [00:37:03] Speaker A: We need Judge Judy on this. [00:37:05] Speaker B: I am still gagged. Google gagged. [00:37:12] Speaker A: All right, we're gonna fix this for you. And when we do, I'm going to your first premiere for your first project for summer. [00:37:19] Speaker B: I can't wait. You can dress me. [00:37:21] Speaker A: I love that. [00:37:22] Speaker B: Thank you. It was such a pleasure. Thank you so much for having me. It.