February 6, 2025 • 37 mins
He was deliciously evil as Vocal Adrenaline's coach, Dustin Goolsby, on Glee, and he is on the pod!
The super-talented Cheyenne Jackson joins Jenna and Kevin to talk about going toe-to-toe with Mr. Schuester on Glee ... a role he originally auditioned for! The incredible Goolsby storyline that Ryan Murphy pitched him but never happened, the craziest job offer story for American Horror Story involving Ryan and a spin class, and why Lady Gaga freaked him out the first time he met her!
Plus, Cheyenne shares a personal story, revealing that for the first time in eighteen years as a professional actor, he didn't have enough SAG credits to qualify for his health insurance, so he put ego aside and reached out to some friends for help. You won’t believe which actor stepped in to offer him a role on a massive hit show!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
And that's what you really missed with Jenna.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
And Kevin An iHeartRadio podcast.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
Welcome to and That's what you real miss podcast. Kevin,
we have an angel of a person today. We have
Shyanne Jackson. I just like was a huge man. This
was he was like in the generation of like me
when I was coming up in musical theater, in training
(00:29):
in the school, going to see Broadway shows every night.
I had a chance to like student rush a show
or on the weekend, like Cheyenne was in those shows.
Like he was just a household Broadway name at that point.
So to hear that he was coming on Glee, I
was just thrilled.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Thrill. I feel like so many of the guest stars
we had were of that same era, Broadway era, and
like fame and success level that it must have just
been a field day, Yes, like every other week for you.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
Yes, I mean starting with Kristen, I mean you even
had Matt who you obviously became a friend very quickly,
and then you have the Cheyennes and the ms and
I just grof and I just was like, I can't,
I just can't do it anymore. I can't do it anymore.
I would have never known so exciting. But there's just
(01:25):
like they were they they were so formative for me
in my you know, training, and in my dreams, in
following my dreams.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
So and it's so nice to know that they're also
because we spent so much time with them, that they're
good people, all of them. Yeah, it's a really a
testament to you know, people always say like, oh, the
good guy finishes last, not always, not always.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
No, but our good people and our good crew of
people and our Glee family enjoyed this conversation with Cheyenne.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
Oh oh, Chyenne Jackson, voice of an Angel, Face of
an Angel of an Angel, Kevin, thank you.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Shows up whenever we ask. I'm like, heyshi, and can
you come see it this thing?
Speaker 2 (02:12):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (02:13):
Can you go to a podcast? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Yeah, just the nicest And I'll never forget the moment
of hearing you sing live for the first time. I
was just like, okay, yeah, so if that's what people
are doing, I'm gonna go home. And no, it wasn't
you have If people have not heard you sing, I
(02:39):
don't know who they are, but you are just one
of the best singers I've ever heard my entire life,
my goodness. Yes, it's true though we talked about it
all the time, like you're a freak.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
We were so thrilled when you came on the show,
very early on. You were one of the first like
guest stars. And I have to say I had seen
you in Xana Do Right, and I was like, you, guys,
you don't understand you can roller skate and he can zing.
I'm super stoked. I was so excited. We were so
(03:13):
so happy to have you. What can do you remember?
Did you have to audition? Was this a call from Ryan?
How did you get involved with the show.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
I was trying to wrack my brain before this, but
I'm pretty sure that I auditioned for mister Shue. I
think I think I just sent in a tape, like
a tape from New York. And I had been friends
with Matt for oh my god, our whole Broadway careers.
We would we would watch work together and I would
(03:45):
go to like my and then he would go to
like South Pacific or whatever, and so I was super
thrilled for him, honestly when he got it. And then Ryan, Yeah,
it was a call from Ryan. Ryan saw Xana Do
and UH said, oh, I want you to be on
Lee and I have this great idea. He was trying
(04:07):
to figure out what it was going to be or
how he was in and then his initial pitch changed,
as we all know that happens, and so he and
then it morphed, and then I was he was like,
I have this, I have this other part. It's it's
now going to be. You're going to be like this choreographer,
(04:29):
the special choreographer that gets brought on to like, you know,
give everybody this, this this great new stuff. That's great.
And then I came out there and I got sick.
I had oh my god, yeah, I was in my
fitting with uh uh I rick. Yeah, I was so
(04:51):
sick and I'm like, thank I don't usually get it
and and I was so sick, and I was like,
get it together, You're fine.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
But I had a.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
Fever and I was lying on the ground of costume
shop and I was just like, oh, this is not
going to happen. It's not gonna happen. And so they
had to scrap it. And then as somebody else quickly
you know, okay, well there's my glue experience. And then
I guess maybe it was the same season. I think
(05:19):
it was season two. Then I got another call from
Ryan and he's like, Okay, I have a different idea
and you're going to be this like evil coach of
vocal adrenaline. You're going to be like you're gonna go
head to head with Matt. And I was like, this
is this is quite fun.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
Yeah, I do fun.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
I loved it. And then yeah, and so yeah, I
did an audition. But I came in and I remember
it was the second you guys it was. It had
just become a juggernaut and it was like the world
was on fire. And I remember coming to set for
the first time and like, and Leah, who I just
knew a little bit from you guys in Spring Wakening,
(05:58):
she like ran across the parking lot a flying leap,
like a monkey around me, and I was very sweet,
and we're so excited you're here. But I had never
been on a set with that much energy. There was
so much energy around all of you guys that was
(06:18):
like wild wild to just be like a fly on
the wall and watch like all of your little orbits
and the you know.
Speaker 4 (06:29):
The.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
Excitement and the drama and the politics and all the
things that come with like with New fame.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
It was.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
It was wild. Yeah, I had a great I remember
my first big thing. I had this long monologue with
Gwyneth Paltrow, Yes, and it was like one of those
long like you know Jane Lynch monologues, rapid fire it
out and camera moves, and I remember like Gwyneth was
(07:00):
completely off book, perfect, perfect, hit every mark, and I
was like, I need to nail this. But I'm an
over preparer, so I knew that no matter what happened,
I would be fine.
Speaker 5 (07:14):
But I was.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
It was really exciting and she was so good and yeah,
so that was Remember that was my first kind of
big thing.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Crazy like coming to the show that has now just
like reached its peak of popularity and do the scene
with Gwinne Pucho.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
It was total shitting my pants, it was. But you
guys were, Yeah, I couldn't believe how how long the
days were and the musical component, and you guys were
all having to record and then rehearse and then come back.
I remember one night it was one of the times,
one of the times where you all went to regionals
(07:50):
like every every.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Year, every couple of months. It was a competition and
we were.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
I remember where we were. It was like I want
to say, like Long Beach or something. It was far yeah,
and there's like this auditorium and like half the audience
was was background, but then the other half were like
blow up dolls terrifying.
Speaker 5 (08:13):
It was.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
It was so incredible to see you all like do
these numbers over and over and over and over again.
Because you know, I know from my years on Horror Story,
you say, just when you think they have the coverage,
then they're like, now we're going to do a fish
eye lens down right, SU's ear coverage.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Yes, but then every.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Time you had to still give a full performance, and
it was like four in the morning, and I was saying, like,
how is this going to happen? You guys did it.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Over and over and over and over, but watching it back,
I'm like, oh, I'm dead behind the eyes doing this.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
Did you know that you like, weren't going to be
a performer on the show, Like, was you were you
prepared for that? Did you think you were going to
sing and do all these things?
Speaker 1 (09:12):
Yes? I did think I was going to sing, right
of course. Of course, the whole I think the initial
idea was he said, you and aDNA are going to
be together romantically and then you're going to sing. And
I was just like wow because I knew a Dina
from New York and I just it was so and
(09:33):
then it just kind of veered and there were too
many there were so many storylines, and then things kept
getting trimmed, and it was really my first experience of
like a meditation in just like going with the flow, yes,
letting it be. And I remember like some of my
big chunky stuff was cut before we even shot it
(09:54):
one day and I went to and went to Matt
in his trailer and I was like, man, I'm so
bummed because I all this stuff and I worked so
hard on it, and and he was like, it just happens.
It's not personal. It happens to all of us on here.
We all have these great arcs and then they're suddenly like, no,
we're adding a song for whoever, and it just is
(10:16):
not enough time. And it was really good because I
was really I was really butt hurt at first and
I was like, this is just not what I imagined.
But then once I just changed my perspective on it,
it has helped me in every other job since because
because as you know, you have to just kind of
like roll with it and yeah, yeah, I had a
(10:36):
great time on it. And then I can I can
say I'm one of the only you know, singing guest stars.
They didn't sing on Glee.
Speaker 3 (10:43):
It's actually maddening and sad, and I was starting to justice.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
Neil Patrick, Harris, John Stamos, Matt Boehmer, like.
Speaker 4 (10:56):
All of my peers, like.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
I'm the only the bitch here.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
That's why it was, like I think it was at
a Tremor Project thing when I got to hear you
sing yes, I was just like, wait, this is who
we've had. I remember like running back stage to see
you or something afterwards. My mind was because I had
heard from Jenna and everybody, because I was not a
Broadway person, like I didn't know idiot, I had no idea,
(11:26):
And then I just remember looking around being like what
are we doing.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
I remember it as a soundtrack.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
This is the best voice ever on the show that
it's not on the show. Furious, very good. I'm also
just mad at the missed opportunity of you and Aadana
and like Matt doing something together.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
Yes, So I think that's the embarrassment of Riches with
that show. There were so many people that could come
on and do so many things, and sure, I've let
Ryan have it about that over the years.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
We were so lucky that to have you like you were,
I mean, you're just the nicest person, but getting you
terrifying as a local generally coach, which is so funny
because when I didn't know you as well at first,
I was like, he's scary. Yeah, it's like, actually scary you.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
I love to play the bad guy and I never
think of bad guys as bad. And one of the
favorite things that came out of that show is my
friendship with Jane and such a such a delicious person,
and you know, we've done concerts together and kind of
I love that. Yeah. I just love to find the
(12:41):
joy in the badness and and really dig deep and
with the little protege that I brought on.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
Oh yes, Jake Sunshine HoriZone Sunshine Horizon.
Speaker 5 (12:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
But I remember seeing them on like, uh a vocal
show before it, and I was just how serendipitous that
they were able to get them and then come on
and be this.
Speaker 3 (13:07):
Righte and for totally.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
I remember they hadn't ever really acted before and that
was that was fun part about that show. It's just
like you never knew who's going to pop up.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
It's still a very controversial thing because Rachel in the show,
Rachel takes Sunshine to a crack dad. Yeah, Rachel directs
them too for the audition.
Speaker 5 (13:31):
Ye.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
And then you guys got to work. You worked with
like Jane and Steven and Jescelyn is like the League
of Doom. That's so much fun that it's it's just
so funch fun to watch you guys.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
Anytime there was stuff with Jane, it was always amazing.
She just think never misses, no, never misses, positive, grateful
to be there.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
Yes, that's right as a human and then as an actor,
and like if Jane has these men massive tongue twister lines, monologues,
you show up to work and she has it down
and she doesn't bat an eye. You're like, don't laugh
and mess up her take. And also, don't mess up
(14:14):
your one line because it's not nearly as hard.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
As that's harder. Don't you think that's harder when you
if you have a big but your focus the interjections
where you're like, I think.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
You're like nightmare, nightmare of screwing up somebody's monologue and
what you're saying makes no sense.
Speaker 3 (14:36):
Might shid a lot of those too, because there's like
eighteen of us in a room, and sometimes you just
have one line and you don't know what it comes
before or after, and you don't remember what it's about,
and you just your train of thought is not there
because it's not there's no stream of consciousness.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
It's the worst. Those are my favorite ones. And you
literally are like, do I even know English?
Speaker 2 (14:55):
Right?
Speaker 1 (14:57):
I think I know what? And then it's almost just
like a timing thing. I guess I'm going to just
say after that guy says that thing.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Yes, Yes.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
It's the equivalent of like entering White Roman. It's an
existential crisis of like why why am I somebody an actor?
And I don't think this is for me? I can't
even say two words. You got to do some of
those crazy, like any villain on the show. Yeah, got
to say the most insane shit. And it was always
so impressive when any like n I had to do
(15:25):
it a lot, Jane, you Becca had to do it a.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
Lot, Yes, but I never really had to do that.
Is it also just like delicious, you know, delicating to
say these evil because also like Ian would write these rants, yes,
and they were so funny and seemingly disconnected, but because
you're such a good writer, there was some sort of
like flow to it, like how was it learning that?
(15:50):
Performing that?
Speaker 1 (15:51):
I think because I had done thirty Rock and thirty
Rock was similar in that it was it was me
yes with diald and Alec would have these long, long,
long things where he's like lemon your wit and everything
is just like rolling out. But I remember watching him
and learning from him, and so in anytime I would
(16:12):
get a long chunk, I would just learn it so
much to where you you it's not even it's not
even a question if you know your line right. But yeah,
it was Also I think Ian wrote a lot of
my stuff, and I remember one of my lines was like,
oh oh, my hairline is eighty five percent my own,
(16:32):
and I was off the charts. I watched Drida Hamburg
like everything is just like it's.
Speaker 3 (16:38):
T it's forward, but it's also.
Speaker 5 (16:41):
Like what I didn't mean to say that, but it's true, so.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
So so fun I think pretty wrong. Yeah, prepared me
for that.
Speaker 2 (16:49):
But did you You mentioned your friendship with Matt Did
you love getting to be sort of you know, the
villain against Matt. Yes, like that must have been such
a joy to work together.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
It was such a joy and we loved The last
time I was on it was I can't remember the season,
maybe it was just one season. I can't even remember.
But the last episode I did was at like a
state championship, and then that was another one where we
had a big, huge scene that was cut but then
they just truncated it to this little scene at the bar.
(17:22):
But it was right because we got to we just
got to use a lot of our our own real
life rivalry. And we all hate about it because in
real life it was like, you know, him and I
for a lot of different things, and so we just
like leaned into that and everything was just very open
(17:44):
and like, god, we can you know, I can't really
do That's not really my vibe to just go play
the dark.
Speaker 3 (17:52):
Side of Yes. Yes, yeah, you guys are similar in
ways in that leading man type way, but you very fork.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
Yeah, he plays very and then positive.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
Chip chipper yeah, uplift.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
Now you've worked on multiple Ryan Murphy sets. Now after
your experience with Lee, which was the first one, correct, Yeah,
what was it like walking on to another Ryan set.
Did they run the same way. Did you feel like
you had an understanding of how his shows are run
since you had been on one before.
Speaker 2 (18:27):
Were you more impressed by us than Lady Gaga?
Speaker 1 (18:31):
There will be never anything as exciting as that walking
onto that Glease set, I'm telling you how well it
was electricity. It really was fascinating.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
I wish we knew what the hell was going on.
Speaker 1 (18:43):
That's the thing you never know.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
Actually the next thing after that was I was casting.
He cast me in his pilot, this HBO pilot called Open.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
Oh yeah, oh. Because of course, like anytime Ryan started
doing anything else, we would all talk about it, and
we would see people coming with meetings for meetings and things, and.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
Yeah, there was like throttles and it was like the
beginning of you know, his kind of the exploration into
that world. So that didn't end up happening. But then
I saw him at I saw Ryan at Equinox and
he was like, I'm going to take a spin class.
Do you want to take a spin class with me?
I was like, okay, sure, so I took it. It
(19:23):
wasn't really my vibe.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
But what is Ryan like in a spin class.
Speaker 1 (19:26):
He he hunkers down and he just like gets it done.
He's like, he's really good at it. He likes to
sit in the back. Yeah, So like he sat in
the back of the spin class and he was We're
huffing and puffing and kind of like, you know, the
spin instructors, they're kind of like giving you life advice,
but they're all like beautiful models. And I remember the.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Guy I done there and he was like, you know,
if life gets you.
Speaker 4 (19:49):
Down, and we're like, oh god, and over the music
shouts to me, I want you to be on American
Horror Story and you're going to be married to Lady Goga.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
What can you say a little louder. I couldn't believe
my ears, and just because I had seen four times
in New York and small before, she'd kind of exploded. Yeah, yeah,
it was. It was just one of those things where
(20:24):
I was like, Wow, this is lucky.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
That is the craziest job offer story I've ever heard.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
It was awesome. And then so I I hadn't really
watched the first few seasons because actually, honestly, I'm not
a huge fan of Gore. Yeah, like horror sometimes Horror
Story was a little too rough for me to watch,
but I was like, let's just get into this. And
my first season I really got into it was the
(20:52):
Freak Show season.
Speaker 3 (20:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (20:54):
I was like, okay, this is I just read the
music and the swampy look. Yeah, I was like, this
is insane. And I was friends with Sarah Paulson from
New York.
Speaker 3 (21:06):
Right.
Speaker 1 (21:08):
So the next season after that was a hotel that
they you know, be with Gaga, and I remember my
first day on set. It was so intimidating. It was
the most because he built a real hotel with the
real you know, elevator, and you didn't even like you
(21:28):
were in the elevator, you were in the hotel. And
I was so nervous about meeting Gaga because I just
wanted to you know, I was really prepared. I knew
what I wanted to do, but I just wanted to
impress her. And I didn't want to come off to eager,
but I didn't come off to aloof but just you know,
(21:49):
the first day of school where I away like I'm
going to be that cool guy in the corner that
that goes out the way. My husband, I was like, Jason,
what do I do? And he's like, just be yourself.
She's gonna she's gonna love you. So I remember somebody said,
you know, Gaga wants to meet you. So I was like, Okay,
I got myself together and I walked in the soundstage
(22:10):
and she was kind of behind the scrim so go
around the corner and she's like fully in costume, lit
cigarette like full, and she was like, will Drake, I
was wondering when we were going to meet you to
kiss it? And I was like, oh, is this pitch
(22:32):
and character right now? Like, am I gonna? Is this
what I have to? Oh my god, this is not
what I planned. So in my mind I was like
and so I like started to do like a weird
bow and like kind of kiss her hand and she's like,
I'm just with you. My name is Stephanie.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
It was like, thank god, thank god.
Speaker 1 (22:54):
It was and continues to be just an incredible see
at her chick. She's just cool. Yeah, And I think
my favorite thing about working with her was her openness.
She told everybody like she was always with Kathy Bates.
She's I remember her saying, and everybody was starstruck because
(23:17):
when you're that kind of famous, you know, and she
goes you, guys, I just I want to do my
best and I'm on the wrong spot. We just move me.
I just want to learn. Yeah, she learned.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
She was.
Speaker 1 (23:32):
She was so good right off the bat. But even
the trajectory from her first episode to the end, I
was like giving you in her life, She's given you nuance.
Speaker 4 (23:40):
It was.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
It was nice.
Speaker 2 (23:43):
Damn.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
So in yeah, Ryan sets are you know, they are adventures.
They are they are three act plays. They are they
are dramatic and beautiful and frightening, and it's kind of
like that's just the vibe and you just kind of
have to roll with it. And yes, four seasons on
(24:08):
that show and wow, yeah I was wow, wild wild.
Speaker 3 (24:13):
Yeah that's crazy.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
But Matt taught you early on don't take a person.
Speaker 1 (24:21):
And that just served me well truly in every every job.
But yeah, yeah, horror story. I I really had to
just get into the the make believe of it all
because I'm a very sensitive person. I'm a cancer. Things
stick to me. At the end of the day. I'm like,
(24:41):
oh my god. I was going home my little babies
at the time, and I was like, ugh, I just
know it's like a massacre and like it's just it's
just make believe.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
Leave it there, you tiny, tiny baby.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
I had to go visit some of the sets so
it could be desensitized to I could watch the show believe.
Oh look there's the rubber suit. All right, it's all just.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
Yeah. You're now going back into well, not back into
where you're in music you're doing. You're touring around a
bit performing. Tell us about your tour, your performances.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
Sure, yeah, really this last ever since? So the last
show I was on I was on a sitcom called
Call Me Kat on Fox. Yes, And when that got canceled,
it was the same day my husband left his company
of a long time. It started something new. So it's
definitely a very scary time for us. And this is
(25:53):
the time where I want to really do the things
that I want to do. I'll always act, I'll always
people will have me, i will always be in great projects.
But my secret and singing will always be there. I
love singing first and foremost. But my dream was to
always be a writer, and I'd always written on my own.
(26:16):
I'd always just written for you know, for therapy. But
I started to really get into it and I started
taking classes and workshops and got into some writing groups.
I've had some great mentors and that's what I've spent
the last year and a half doing. And I got
(26:36):
based on my writing. I got a great lit agent
and I'm pitching stuff now and I think that's going
to be my next frontier. Incredible, and it's so exciting
in a different way because it's very vulnerable because at
all from your gut and your head. But it's also
(27:00):
really exciting because it doesn't have anything to do with
your face or your rod totally how you are on
the day and right whole different practice, but it like
scratches a completely different itch of creativity. It's so fun
and I'm just I'm really really loving it. And then yeah,
music wise, I wanted to kind of bump up that
(27:22):
side as well, and so I with a new a
new agent for concerts called Opus and they they're mostly
a classical company and they but they have some they
have like Patty the Pone and Jessica v Osk and
some some of my contemporaries. But yeah, and that's I'm
(27:42):
hitting the ground running. I'm doing some big stuff writing.
My pieces for concerts are not just like a list
of songs I've done. I've been doing kind of long
form cabaret the beginning, middle, and end, and.
Speaker 3 (27:56):
Wow, just much more satisfying, right for yourself and your
soul and artistic self.
Speaker 1 (28:02):
Yeah, and it's also I love the feeling of having
it be all on me m hm, be like going
out there and knowing like for ninety minutes you bitch
so like, yeah, that is daunting every single time, and
(28:23):
I love it. Slash loathe it. And you talk about
in the white room sometimes she visits and you like
take a little step in the white room and you're like,
I don't even know my name right now. I started,
I started.
Speaker 2 (28:36):
That makes you feel so much better?
Speaker 3 (28:38):
Yes, I started a.
Speaker 1 (28:40):
Wrong song the other day. Something started and I went
into like a weird old timey version of don't get
around much anymore. But I hadn't sung in a decade.
I was like, it's just sad, like I don't even know.
Speaker 3 (28:58):
It's okay though, because you know you're by yourself, so
you're in control. Nobody else is looking at you, and.
Speaker 2 (29:05):
Thank you for sharing that you And Adam Lambert told
me last year he wore me up pride and I
saw my outterwards. He's like I started the last song
and the wrong key. He was like, whoops. It's like,
oh god, it's good to know you're human, both of you.
Speaker 3 (29:22):
Yes, exactly, exactly, so human.
Speaker 1 (29:25):
I get scared every time. And I had a mentor
told me, uh, shy if you if you're not scared,
I means you need to get the out.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
But it seems like you chase that though. You're you
just writing classes and teaching yourself how to write, and
you're going into that, which is frightening, I'm sure, and
so like the constant search for like what scares me next? Yes,
maybe because the feeling of getting through that is incredible, right,
like if you overcome you step out of the white
(29:58):
room and get through that show, you're like, damn, I
just did that.
Speaker 1 (30:01):
Yeah, it feels so powerful. And I keep it really lean.
It's just it's just me and a small little band,
sometimes just me and a piano. I don't travel with.
Speaker 2 (30:11):
Wow, and even scarier.
Speaker 1 (30:13):
I just love it. I love me in a suitcase
and like my brain and my voice. I'm like, here
we go. That's really it just makes me feel powerful
and as a kid, not feeling powerful and feeling scared,
you know, A big queer kid from northern Idaho. I
was constantly just like, oh, I don't belong now I'm wrong.
Now I just feel all of my big gay power.
Speaker 2 (30:37):
Yeah, that's fear. Like feels your power. It's like go
through the fear, yep to it. Amazing.
Speaker 3 (30:45):
It's so strange the end way the industry is shifting,
and the way the world has shifted. What we've all
been through in the last ten fifteen years, what we've accomplished,
what we've seen, and now like hearing you these new
ventures of just doing exactly what you want, how you
want to do it, and like you know, you get
(31:07):
you have your family, You're like, that's priority, right, So
then how am I spending my time when I'm away
from them? How do I choose that time?
Speaker 1 (31:14):
That's right? I think it's so I always just to
get vulnerable for a second. I it's very difficult for
me to connect to people. I've always been very introverted
and very shy. I married somebody who is not. Just say,
we'll be in the checkout of Gelson's and he's like
(31:36):
talking to the lady about her like fibroids and how
much she pays for Jesus chick. But he's taught me.
I say, I want to connect more, and he's like,
then you have to go first, go first, and then people.
And so that's what I do on stage. I allow
myself to be vulnerable, like here's a vulnerable story I
(31:59):
haven't said. Last year, for the first time in eighteen
years as a professional actor, I didn't make enough. I
wasn't on enough TV shows to get my SAG insurance.
I did two indies and I did a guest spot yep,
but it wasn't enough. And so I was like one
(32:20):
gig short yep, it's never happened. And I have two
kids and you know I mean. So I was like, okay,
I need to I need to do something crazy here.
So I was just calling all my friends in power positions,
like is there anything you can do? I called Kathy Bates,
who on Horror Story I had the pleasure being murdered
by her three times rest and with Matt Locke and stuff.
(32:46):
I was like, is there do you have anything for me?
I have sidebar real quick. I love Peloton and I
take all the Peloton classes.
Speaker 2 (32:55):
And class it's got good places.
Speaker 1 (32:58):
Yes, but one of the one of the instructors her
favorite motto is no ego amigo. Yeah, I love it,
and that's how I like to be. And so keeping
that in mind, when I said, Kathy, is there anything
on Mattlock, She's like, it's all we are all Katy,
(33:18):
you know, we're full, but I will check. And she
called me back in fifteen minutes, She's like, Okay, there's
there's a part on our final season. You only have
three lines and you don't have a name. You're a detective.
Speaker 5 (33:32):
And I was like, yes, no ego amigo, yeah, yes,
I will do that.
Speaker 1 (33:40):
And I had so much fun.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
Yes, and I was.
Speaker 5 (33:42):
A detective and I was like, well, I think there's
a look over here and.
Speaker 1 (33:47):
I and I took it just as seriously as when
I was doing a monologue with Gwyneth Paltrow. Yes, I
love that, and that bumped me up over and that
got me insurance for the next year. I think, like,
you got us. That's how life is. I'm a actor
and I you know, will be. But you know, in April,
(34:09):
if you check out Matt Locke, I'm going to walk
on fort five.
Speaker 3 (34:12):
I can't wait to see that. I can't wait to
see that.
Speaker 2 (34:15):
What a good lesson, though, I love that. I love
that there's good people out there that's helped somebody out.
That's great.
Speaker 3 (34:22):
Go we go. We don't want to take up any
more of your busy, busy life. You're so you're so kind,
always showing up for good causes and things, to lend
your voice and lend your instrument and your kind human person.
And we just adore you. I really just think the
world of you, so thank you so so much. And
(34:43):
it's an injustice. Bickley didn't get to hear you say, yeah.
Speaker 2 (34:46):
I'll never get over it.
Speaker 3 (34:47):
Please, I'm sorry. We have We have a question that
we ask everybody that I forgot to ask you. What
is the feeling that Glee leaves you with?
Speaker 1 (34:57):
Nostalgia?
Speaker 3 (34:59):
Mm hmm. Nobody said that one yet. That's a good one.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
Just it is nostalgia because, as you said, Kevin, like
you didn't when you were on it, you didn't kind
of even know because it was you were all just
in it. But now looking back that meant so much
to the world, all of you and and what you
all created. Yeah, it's very nostalgic. When I think for
my kid, my kids are going to see it soon.
(35:23):
I was thinking, like how old. Are they there'll be
nine Ober.
Speaker 6 (35:28):
Yeah, for sure, Yeah, definitely they're going to be like
this didn't age well, you guys, it was the two
different time capsule, time capsule different times that we look at.
Speaker 2 (35:42):
Thank you so much, thank you so so much to
see and whatever you write, that's right.
Speaker 3 (35:51):
Can't wait to see it.
Speaker 2 (35:52):
Yeah, thank you, sweet man, Thank you so much for
taking the time. So good to see you.
Speaker 1 (35:57):
So welcome by guys.
Speaker 3 (35:59):
Bye bye. I really I really love him. I remember
being such a big fan of his and then he
came on the show and you know, our time like
working with him was kind of brief. He did a
ton of other you know, he had a bunch of
different storylines that didn't really include us, And I remember
he reached out to me and he was promoting his
(36:19):
singing album at the time, and he's like, hey, I
wouldn't like, would you mind like promote him? Like would
I mind Chyenne Jackson d m me.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
Yeah, I'm like all my info about Hyanne was from
you because you were so excited and so mind you
that if you were excited, like okay, I need to
really potentially.
Speaker 3 (36:35):
God, he's so wildly talented and he's so and he
is not what is this saying?
Speaker 2 (36:43):
No ego ego, no.
Speaker 3 (36:47):
No. I was going to say, he's not a sore
to the eye.
Speaker 2 (36:51):
He's a beautiful man. Yes, he's.
Speaker 3 (36:55):
And just like the nicest person, like a good soul
who was like, where, you're.
Speaker 2 (37:01):
So beautiful as a kind as they are talented, And
it's infuriating.
Speaker 3 (37:08):
It really is. They're just so great.
Speaker 2 (37:10):
And they're like that all the time. It's like graf
like you think you're going to like catch them when
they're not.
Speaker 3 (37:15):
So certainly something has to be off here, right, we're
not getting the whole story, and then you get the
whole st.
Speaker 2 (37:21):
The whole story. They're good at everything and being a
good person.
Speaker 3 (37:27):
That's Glee and that's all of our wonderful guest stars.
So thank you shann for taking the time.
Speaker 2 (37:31):
And also just taught us so many life lessons.
Speaker 3 (37:34):
Just now I feel, yeah, I feel like a better
person just because I like, he just came on.
Speaker 2 (37:41):
Wow, what a man. Thank you, Sanne.
Speaker 3 (37:44):
Thank you san that's what you really missed.
Speaker 2 (37:49):
Thanks for listening and follow us on Instagram at and
that's what you really miss pod. Make sure to write
us a review and leave us five stars, see you
next time.
And that's what you really missed with Jenna.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
And Kevin An iHeartRadio podcast.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
Welcome to and That's what you real miss podcast. Kevin,
we have an angel of a person today. We have
Shyanne Jackson. I just like was a huge man. This
was he was like in the generation of like me
when I was coming up in musical theater, in training
(00:29):
in the school, going to see Broadway shows every night.
I had a chance to like student rush a show
or on the weekend, like Cheyenne was in those shows.
Like he was just a household Broadway name at that point.
So to hear that he was coming on Glee, I
was just thrilled.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Thrill. I feel like so many of the guest stars
we had were of that same era, Broadway era, and
like fame and success level that it must have just
been a field day, Yes, like every other week for you.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
Yes, I mean starting with Kristen, I mean you even
had Matt who you obviously became a friend very quickly,
and then you have the Cheyennes and the ms and
I just grof and I just was like, I can't,
I just can't do it anymore. I can't do it anymore.
I would have never known so exciting. But there's just
(01:25):
like they were they they were so formative for me
in my you know, training, and in my dreams, in
following my dreams.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
So and it's so nice to know that they're also
because we spent so much time with them, that they're
good people, all of them. Yeah, it's a really a
testament to you know, people always say like, oh, the
good guy finishes last, not always, not always.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
No, but our good people and our good crew of
people and our Glee family enjoyed this conversation with Cheyenne.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
Oh oh, Chyenne Jackson, voice of an Angel, Face of
an Angel of an Angel, Kevin, thank you.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Shows up whenever we ask. I'm like, heyshi, and can
you come see it this thing?
Speaker 2 (02:12):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (02:13):
Can you go to a podcast? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Yeah, just the nicest And I'll never forget the moment
of hearing you sing live for the first time. I
was just like, okay, yeah, so if that's what people
are doing, I'm gonna go home. And no, it wasn't
you have If people have not heard you sing, I
(02:39):
don't know who they are, but you are just one
of the best singers I've ever heard my entire life,
my goodness. Yes, it's true though we talked about it
all the time, like you're a freak.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
We were so thrilled when you came on the show,
very early on. You were one of the first like
guest stars. And I have to say I had seen
you in Xana Do Right, and I was like, you, guys,
you don't understand you can roller skate and he can zing.
I'm super stoked. I was so excited. We were so
(03:13):
so happy to have you. What can do you remember?
Did you have to audition? Was this a call from Ryan?
How did you get involved with the show.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
I was trying to wrack my brain before this, but
I'm pretty sure that I auditioned for mister Shue. I
think I think I just sent in a tape, like
a tape from New York. And I had been friends
with Matt for oh my god, our whole Broadway careers.
We would we would watch work together and I would
(03:45):
go to like my and then he would go to
like South Pacific or whatever, and so I was super
thrilled for him, honestly when he got it. And then Ryan, Yeah,
it was a call from Ryan. Ryan saw Xana Do
and UH said, oh, I want you to be on
Lee and I have this great idea. He was trying
(04:07):
to figure out what it was going to be or
how he was in and then his initial pitch changed,
as we all know that happens, and so he and
then it morphed, and then I was he was like,
I have this, I have this other part. It's it's
now going to be. You're going to be like this choreographer,
(04:29):
the special choreographer that gets brought on to like, you know,
give everybody this, this this great new stuff. That's great.
And then I came out there and I got sick.
I had oh my god, yeah, I was in my
fitting with uh uh I rick. Yeah, I was so
(04:51):
sick and I'm like, thank I don't usually get it
and and I was so sick, and I was like,
get it together, You're fine.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
But I had a.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
Fever and I was lying on the ground of costume
shop and I was just like, oh, this is not
going to happen. It's not gonna happen. And so they
had to scrap it. And then as somebody else quickly
you know, okay, well there's my glue experience. And then
I guess maybe it was the same season. I think
(05:19):
it was season two. Then I got another call from
Ryan and he's like, Okay, I have a different idea
and you're going to be this like evil coach of
vocal adrenaline. You're going to be like you're gonna go
head to head with Matt. And I was like, this
is this is quite fun.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
Yeah, I do fun.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
I loved it. And then yeah, and so yeah, I
did an audition. But I came in and I remember
it was the second you guys it was. It had
just become a juggernaut and it was like the world
was on fire. And I remember coming to set for
the first time and like, and Leah, who I just
knew a little bit from you guys in Spring Wakening,
(05:58):
she like ran across the parking lot a flying leap,
like a monkey around me, and I was very sweet,
and we're so excited you're here. But I had never
been on a set with that much energy. There was
so much energy around all of you guys that was
(06:18):
like wild wild to just be like a fly on
the wall and watch like all of your little orbits
and the you know.
Speaker 4 (06:29):
The.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
Excitement and the drama and the politics and all the
things that come with like with New fame.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
It was.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
It was wild. Yeah, I had a great I remember
my first big thing. I had this long monologue with
Gwyneth Paltrow, Yes, and it was like one of those
long like you know Jane Lynch monologues, rapid fire it
out and camera moves, and I remember like Gwyneth was
(07:00):
completely off book, perfect, perfect, hit every mark, and I
was like, I need to nail this. But I'm an
over preparer, so I knew that no matter what happened,
I would be fine.
Speaker 5 (07:14):
But I was.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
It was really exciting and she was so good and yeah,
so that was Remember that was my first kind of
big thing.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Crazy like coming to the show that has now just
like reached its peak of popularity and do the scene
with Gwinne Pucho.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
It was total shitting my pants, it was. But you
guys were, Yeah, I couldn't believe how how long the
days were and the musical component, and you guys were
all having to record and then rehearse and then come back.
I remember one night it was one of the times,
one of the times where you all went to regionals
(07:50):
like every every.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Year, every couple of months. It was a competition and
we were.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
I remember where we were. It was like I want
to say, like Long Beach or something. It was far yeah,
and there's like this auditorium and like half the audience
was was background, but then the other half were like
blow up dolls terrifying.
Speaker 5 (08:13):
It was.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
It was so incredible to see you all like do
these numbers over and over and over and over again.
Because you know, I know from my years on Horror Story,
you say, just when you think they have the coverage,
then they're like, now we're going to do a fish
eye lens down right, SU's ear coverage.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Yes, but then every.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Time you had to still give a full performance, and
it was like four in the morning, and I was saying, like,
how is this going to happen? You guys did it.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Over and over and over and over, but watching it back,
I'm like, oh, I'm dead behind the eyes doing this.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
Did you know that you like, weren't going to be
a performer on the show, Like, was you were you
prepared for that? Did you think you were going to
sing and do all these things?
Speaker 1 (09:12):
Yes? I did think I was going to sing, right
of course. Of course, the whole I think the initial
idea was he said, you and aDNA are going to
be together romantically and then you're going to sing. And
I was just like wow because I knew a Dina
from New York and I just it was so and
(09:33):
then it just kind of veered and there were too
many there were so many storylines, and then things kept
getting trimmed, and it was really my first experience of
like a meditation in just like going with the flow, yes,
letting it be. And I remember like some of my
big chunky stuff was cut before we even shot it
(09:54):
one day and I went to and went to Matt
in his trailer and I was like, man, I'm so
bummed because I all this stuff and I worked so
hard on it, and and he was like, it just happens.
It's not personal. It happens to all of us on here.
We all have these great arcs and then they're suddenly like, no,
we're adding a song for whoever, and it just is
(10:16):
not enough time. And it was really good because I
was really I was really butt hurt at first and
I was like, this is just not what I imagined.
But then once I just changed my perspective on it,
it has helped me in every other job since because
because as you know, you have to just kind of
like roll with it and yeah, yeah, I had a
(10:36):
great time on it. And then I can I can
say I'm one of the only you know, singing guest stars.
They didn't sing on Glee.
Speaker 3 (10:43):
It's actually maddening and sad, and I was starting to justice.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
Neil Patrick, Harris, John Stamos, Matt Boehmer, like.
Speaker 4 (10:56):
All of my peers, like.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
I'm the only the bitch here.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
That's why it was, like I think it was at
a Tremor Project thing when I got to hear you
sing yes, I was just like, wait, this is who
we've had. I remember like running back stage to see
you or something afterwards. My mind was because I had
heard from Jenna and everybody, because I was not a
Broadway person, like I didn't know idiot, I had no idea,
(11:26):
And then I just remember looking around being like what
are we doing.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
I remember it as a soundtrack.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
This is the best voice ever on the show that
it's not on the show. Furious, very good. I'm also
just mad at the missed opportunity of you and Aadana
and like Matt doing something together.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
Yes, So I think that's the embarrassment of Riches with
that show. There were so many people that could come
on and do so many things, and sure, I've let
Ryan have it about that over the years.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
We were so lucky that to have you like you were,
I mean, you're just the nicest person, but getting you
terrifying as a local generally coach, which is so funny
because when I didn't know you as well at first,
I was like, he's scary. Yeah, it's like, actually scary you.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
I love to play the bad guy and I never
think of bad guys as bad. And one of the
favorite things that came out of that show is my
friendship with Jane and such a such a delicious person,
and you know, we've done concerts together and kind of
I love that. Yeah. I just love to find the
(12:41):
joy in the badness and and really dig deep and
with the little protege that I brought on.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
Oh yes, Jake Sunshine HoriZone Sunshine Horizon.
Speaker 5 (12:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
But I remember seeing them on like, uh a vocal
show before it, and I was just how serendipitous that
they were able to get them and then come on
and be this.
Speaker 3 (13:07):
Righte and for totally.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
I remember they hadn't ever really acted before and that
was that was fun part about that show. It's just
like you never knew who's going to pop up.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
It's still a very controversial thing because Rachel in the show,
Rachel takes Sunshine to a crack dad. Yeah, Rachel directs
them too for the audition.
Speaker 5 (13:31):
Ye.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
And then you guys got to work. You worked with
like Jane and Steven and Jescelyn is like the League
of Doom. That's so much fun that it's it's just
so funch fun to watch you guys.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
Anytime there was stuff with Jane, it was always amazing.
She just think never misses, no, never misses, positive, grateful
to be there.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
Yes, that's right as a human and then as an actor,
and like if Jane has these men massive tongue twister lines, monologues,
you show up to work and she has it down
and she doesn't bat an eye. You're like, don't laugh
and mess up her take. And also, don't mess up
(14:14):
your one line because it's not nearly as hard.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
As that's harder. Don't you think that's harder when you
if you have a big but your focus the interjections
where you're like, I think.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
You're like nightmare, nightmare of screwing up somebody's monologue and
what you're saying makes no sense.
Speaker 3 (14:36):
Might shid a lot of those too, because there's like
eighteen of us in a room, and sometimes you just
have one line and you don't know what it comes
before or after, and you don't remember what it's about,
and you just your train of thought is not there
because it's not there's no stream of consciousness.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
It's the worst. Those are my favorite ones. And you
literally are like, do I even know English?
Speaker 2 (14:55):
Right?
Speaker 1 (14:57):
I think I know what? And then it's almost just
like a timing thing. I guess I'm going to just
say after that guy says that thing.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Yes, Yes.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
It's the equivalent of like entering White Roman. It's an
existential crisis of like why why am I somebody an actor?
And I don't think this is for me? I can't
even say two words. You got to do some of
those crazy, like any villain on the show. Yeah, got
to say the most insane shit. And it was always
so impressive when any like n I had to do
(15:25):
it a lot, Jane, you Becca had to do it a.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
Lot, Yes, but I never really had to do that.
Is it also just like delicious, you know, delicating to
say these evil because also like Ian would write these rants, yes,
and they were so funny and seemingly disconnected, but because
you're such a good writer, there was some sort of
like flow to it, like how was it learning that?
(15:50):
Performing that?
Speaker 1 (15:51):
I think because I had done thirty Rock and thirty
Rock was similar in that it was it was me
yes with diald and Alec would have these long, long,
long things where he's like lemon your wit and everything
is just like rolling out. But I remember watching him
and learning from him, and so in anytime I would
(16:12):
get a long chunk, I would just learn it so
much to where you you it's not even it's not
even a question if you know your line right. But yeah,
it was Also I think Ian wrote a lot of
my stuff, and I remember one of my lines was like,
oh oh, my hairline is eighty five percent my own,
(16:32):
and I was off the charts. I watched Drida Hamburg
like everything is just like it's.
Speaker 3 (16:38):
T it's forward, but it's also.
Speaker 5 (16:41):
Like what I didn't mean to say that, but it's true, so.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
So so fun I think pretty wrong. Yeah, prepared me
for that.
Speaker 2 (16:49):
But did you You mentioned your friendship with Matt Did
you love getting to be sort of you know, the
villain against Matt. Yes, like that must have been such
a joy to work together.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
It was such a joy and we loved The last
time I was on it was I can't remember the season,
maybe it was just one season. I can't even remember.
But the last episode I did was at like a
state championship, and then that was another one where we
had a big, huge scene that was cut but then
they just truncated it to this little scene at the bar.
(17:22):
But it was right because we got to we just
got to use a lot of our our own real
life rivalry. And we all hate about it because in
real life it was like, you know, him and I
for a lot of different things, and so we just
like leaned into that and everything was just very open
(17:44):
and like, god, we can you know, I can't really
do That's not really my vibe to just go play
the dark.
Speaker 3 (17:52):
Side of Yes. Yes, yeah, you guys are similar in
ways in that leading man type way, but you very fork.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
Yeah, he plays very and then positive.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
Chip chipper yeah, uplift.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
Now you've worked on multiple Ryan Murphy sets. Now after
your experience with Lee, which was the first one, correct, Yeah,
what was it like walking on to another Ryan set.
Did they run the same way. Did you feel like
you had an understanding of how his shows are run
since you had been on one before.
Speaker 2 (18:27):
Were you more impressed by us than Lady Gaga?
Speaker 1 (18:31):
There will be never anything as exciting as that walking
onto that Glease set, I'm telling you how well it
was electricity. It really was fascinating.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
I wish we knew what the hell was going on.
Speaker 1 (18:43):
That's the thing you never know.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
Actually the next thing after that was I was casting.
He cast me in his pilot, this HBO pilot called Open.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
Oh yeah, oh. Because of course, like anytime Ryan started
doing anything else, we would all talk about it, and
we would see people coming with meetings for meetings and things, and.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
Yeah, there was like throttles and it was like the
beginning of you know, his kind of the exploration into
that world. So that didn't end up happening. But then
I saw him at I saw Ryan at Equinox and
he was like, I'm going to take a spin class.
Do you want to take a spin class with me?
I was like, okay, sure, so I took it. It
(19:23):
wasn't really my vibe.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
But what is Ryan like in a spin class.
Speaker 1 (19:26):
He he hunkers down and he just like gets it done.
He's like, he's really good at it. He likes to
sit in the back. Yeah, So like he sat in
the back of the spin class and he was We're
huffing and puffing and kind of like, you know, the
spin instructors, they're kind of like giving you life advice,
but they're all like beautiful models. And I remember the.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Guy I done there and he was like, you know,
if life gets you.
Speaker 4 (19:49):
Down, and we're like, oh god, and over the music
shouts to me, I want you to be on American
Horror Story and you're going to be married to Lady Goga.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
What can you say a little louder. I couldn't believe
my ears, and just because I had seen four times
in New York and small before, she'd kind of exploded. Yeah, yeah,
it was. It was just one of those things where
(20:24):
I was like, Wow, this is lucky.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
That is the craziest job offer story I've ever heard.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
It was awesome. And then so I I hadn't really
watched the first few seasons because actually, honestly, I'm not
a huge fan of Gore. Yeah, like horror sometimes Horror
Story was a little too rough for me to watch,
but I was like, let's just get into this. And
my first season I really got into it was the
(20:52):
Freak Show season.
Speaker 3 (20:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (20:54):
I was like, okay, this is I just read the
music and the swampy look. Yeah, I was like, this
is insane. And I was friends with Sarah Paulson from
New York.
Speaker 3 (21:06):
Right.
Speaker 1 (21:08):
So the next season after that was a hotel that
they you know, be with Gaga, and I remember my
first day on set. It was so intimidating. It was
the most because he built a real hotel with the
real you know, elevator, and you didn't even like you
(21:28):
were in the elevator, you were in the hotel. And
I was so nervous about meeting Gaga because I just
wanted to you know, I was really prepared. I knew
what I wanted to do, but I just wanted to
impress her. And I didn't want to come off to eager,
but I didn't come off to aloof but just you know,
(21:49):
the first day of school where I away like I'm
going to be that cool guy in the corner that
that goes out the way. My husband, I was like, Jason,
what do I do? And he's like, just be yourself.
She's gonna she's gonna love you. So I remember somebody said,
you know, Gaga wants to meet you. So I was like, Okay,
I got myself together and I walked in the soundstage
(22:10):
and she was kind of behind the scrim so go
around the corner and she's like fully in costume, lit
cigarette like full, and she was like, will Drake, I
was wondering when we were going to meet you to
kiss it? And I was like, oh, is this pitch
(22:32):
and character right now? Like, am I gonna? Is this
what I have to? Oh my god, this is not
what I planned. So in my mind I was like
and so I like started to do like a weird
bow and like kind of kiss her hand and she's like,
I'm just with you. My name is Stephanie.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
It was like, thank god, thank god.
Speaker 1 (22:54):
It was and continues to be just an incredible see
at her chick. She's just cool. Yeah, And I think
my favorite thing about working with her was her openness.
She told everybody like she was always with Kathy Bates.
She's I remember her saying, and everybody was starstruck because
(23:17):
when you're that kind of famous, you know, and she
goes you, guys, I just I want to do my
best and I'm on the wrong spot. We just move me.
I just want to learn. Yeah, she learned.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
She was.
Speaker 1 (23:32):
She was so good right off the bat. But even
the trajectory from her first episode to the end, I
was like giving you in her life, She's given you nuance.
Speaker 4 (23:40):
It was.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
It was nice.
Speaker 2 (23:43):
Damn.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
So in yeah, Ryan sets are you know, they are adventures.
They are they are three act plays. They are they
are dramatic and beautiful and frightening, and it's kind of
like that's just the vibe and you just kind of
have to roll with it. And yes, four seasons on
(24:08):
that show and wow, yeah I was wow, wild wild.
Speaker 3 (24:13):
Yeah that's crazy.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
But Matt taught you early on don't take a person.
Speaker 1 (24:21):
And that just served me well truly in every every job.
But yeah, yeah, horror story. I I really had to
just get into the the make believe of it all
because I'm a very sensitive person. I'm a cancer. Things
stick to me. At the end of the day. I'm like,
(24:41):
oh my god. I was going home my little babies
at the time, and I was like, ugh, I just
know it's like a massacre and like it's just it's
just make believe.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
Leave it there, you tiny, tiny baby.
Speaker 2 (24:56):
I had to go visit some of the sets so
it could be desensitized to I could watch the show believe.
Oh look there's the rubber suit. All right, it's all just.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
Yeah. You're now going back into well, not back into
where you're in music you're doing. You're touring around a
bit performing. Tell us about your tour, your performances.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
Sure, yeah, really this last ever since? So the last
show I was on I was on a sitcom called
Call Me Kat on Fox. Yes, And when that got canceled,
it was the same day my husband left his company
of a long time. It started something new. So it's
definitely a very scary time for us. And this is
(25:53):
the time where I want to really do the things
that I want to do. I'll always act, I'll always
people will have me, i will always be in great projects.
But my secret and singing will always be there. I
love singing first and foremost. But my dream was to
always be a writer, and I'd always written on my own.
(26:16):
I'd always just written for you know, for therapy. But
I started to really get into it and I started
taking classes and workshops and got into some writing groups.
I've had some great mentors and that's what I've spent
the last year and a half doing. And I got
(26:36):
based on my writing. I got a great lit agent
and I'm pitching stuff now and I think that's going
to be my next frontier. Incredible, and it's so exciting
in a different way because it's very vulnerable because at
all from your gut and your head. But it's also
(27:00):
really exciting because it doesn't have anything to do with
your face or your rod totally how you are on
the day and right whole different practice, but it like
scratches a completely different itch of creativity. It's so fun
and I'm just I'm really really loving it. And then yeah,
music wise, I wanted to kind of bump up that
(27:22):
side as well, and so I with a new a
new agent for concerts called Opus and they they're mostly
a classical company and they but they have some they
have like Patty the Pone and Jessica v Osk and
some some of my contemporaries. But yeah, and that's I'm
(27:42):
hitting the ground running. I'm doing some big stuff writing.
My pieces for concerts are not just like a list
of songs I've done. I've been doing kind of long
form cabaret the beginning, middle, and end, and.
Speaker 3 (27:56):
Wow, just much more satisfying, right for yourself and your
soul and artistic self.
Speaker 1 (28:02):
Yeah, and it's also I love the feeling of having
it be all on me m hm, be like going
out there and knowing like for ninety minutes you bitch
so like, yeah, that is daunting every single time, and
(28:23):
I love it. Slash loathe it. And you talk about
in the white room sometimes she visits and you like
take a little step in the white room and you're like,
I don't even know my name right now. I started,
I started.
Speaker 2 (28:36):
That makes you feel so much better?
Speaker 3 (28:38):
Yes, I started a.
Speaker 1 (28:40):
Wrong song the other day. Something started and I went
into like a weird old timey version of don't get
around much anymore. But I hadn't sung in a decade.
I was like, it's just sad, like I don't even know.
Speaker 3 (28:58):
It's okay though, because you know you're by yourself, so
you're in control. Nobody else is looking at you, and.
Speaker 2 (29:05):
Thank you for sharing that you And Adam Lambert told
me last year he wore me up pride and I
saw my outterwards. He's like I started the last song
and the wrong key. He was like, whoops. It's like,
oh god, it's good to know you're human, both of you.
Speaker 3 (29:22):
Yes, exactly, exactly, so human.
Speaker 1 (29:25):
I get scared every time. And I had a mentor
told me, uh, shy if you if you're not scared,
I means you need to get the out.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
But it seems like you chase that though. You're you
just writing classes and teaching yourself how to write, and
you're going into that, which is frightening, I'm sure, and
so like the constant search for like what scares me next? Yes,
maybe because the feeling of getting through that is incredible, right,
like if you overcome you step out of the white
(29:58):
room and get through that show, you're like, damn, I
just did that.
Speaker 1 (30:01):
Yeah, it feels so powerful. And I keep it really lean.
It's just it's just me and a small little band,
sometimes just me and a piano. I don't travel with.
Speaker 2 (30:11):
Wow, and even scarier.
Speaker 1 (30:13):
I just love it. I love me in a suitcase
and like my brain and my voice. I'm like, here
we go. That's really it just makes me feel powerful
and as a kid, not feeling powerful and feeling scared,
you know, A big queer kid from northern Idaho. I
was constantly just like, oh, I don't belong now I'm wrong.
Now I just feel all of my big gay power.
Speaker 2 (30:37):
Yeah, that's fear. Like feels your power. It's like go
through the fear, yep to it. Amazing.
Speaker 3 (30:45):
It's so strange the end way the industry is shifting,
and the way the world has shifted. What we've all
been through in the last ten fifteen years, what we've accomplished,
what we've seen, and now like hearing you these new
ventures of just doing exactly what you want, how you
want to do it, and like you know, you get
(31:07):
you have your family, You're like, that's priority, right, So
then how am I spending my time when I'm away
from them? How do I choose that time?
Speaker 1 (31:14):
That's right? I think it's so I always just to
get vulnerable for a second. I it's very difficult for
me to connect to people. I've always been very introverted
and very shy. I married somebody who is not. Just say,
we'll be in the checkout of Gelson's and he's like
(31:36):
talking to the lady about her like fibroids and how
much she pays for Jesus chick. But he's taught me.
I say, I want to connect more, and he's like,
then you have to go first, go first, and then people.
And so that's what I do on stage. I allow
myself to be vulnerable, like here's a vulnerable story I
(31:59):
haven't said. Last year, for the first time in eighteen
years as a professional actor, I didn't make enough. I
wasn't on enough TV shows to get my SAG insurance.
I did two indies and I did a guest spot yep,
but it wasn't enough. And so I was like one
(32:20):
gig short yep, it's never happened. And I have two
kids and you know I mean. So I was like, okay,
I need to I need to do something crazy here.
So I was just calling all my friends in power positions,
like is there anything you can do? I called Kathy Bates,
who on Horror Story I had the pleasure being murdered
by her three times rest and with Matt Locke and stuff.
(32:46):
I was like, is there do you have anything for me?
I have sidebar real quick. I love Peloton and I
take all the Peloton classes.
Speaker 2 (32:55):
And class it's got good places.
Speaker 1 (32:58):
Yes, but one of the one of the instructors her
favorite motto is no ego amigo. Yeah, I love it,
and that's how I like to be. And so keeping
that in mind, when I said, Kathy, is there anything
on Mattlock, She's like, it's all we are all Katy,
(33:18):
you know, we're full, but I will check. And she
called me back in fifteen minutes, She's like, Okay, there's
there's a part on our final season. You only have
three lines and you don't have a name. You're a detective.
Speaker 5 (33:32):
And I was like, yes, no ego amigo, yeah, yes,
I will do that.
Speaker 1 (33:40):
And I had so much fun.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
Yes, and I was.
Speaker 5 (33:42):
A detective and I was like, well, I think there's
a look over here and.
Speaker 1 (33:47):
I and I took it just as seriously as when
I was doing a monologue with Gwyneth Paltrow. Yes, I
love that, and that bumped me up over and that
got me insurance for the next year. I think, like,
you got us. That's how life is. I'm a actor
and I you know, will be. But you know, in April,
(34:09):
if you check out Matt Locke, I'm going to walk
on fort five.
Speaker 3 (34:12):
I can't wait to see that. I can't wait to
see that.
Speaker 2 (34:15):
What a good lesson, though, I love that. I love
that there's good people out there that's helped somebody out.
That's great.
Speaker 3 (34:22):
Go we go. We don't want to take up any
more of your busy, busy life. You're so you're so kind,
always showing up for good causes and things, to lend
your voice and lend your instrument and your kind human person.
And we just adore you. I really just think the
world of you, so thank you so so much. And
(34:43):
it's an injustice. Bickley didn't get to hear you say, yeah.
Speaker 2 (34:46):
I'll never get over it.
Speaker 3 (34:47):
Please, I'm sorry. We have We have a question that
we ask everybody that I forgot to ask you. What
is the feeling that Glee leaves you with?
Speaker 1 (34:57):
Nostalgia?
Speaker 3 (34:59):
Mm hmm. Nobody said that one yet. That's a good one.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
Just it is nostalgia because, as you said, Kevin, like
you didn't when you were on it, you didn't kind
of even know because it was you were all just
in it. But now looking back that meant so much
to the world, all of you and and what you
all created. Yeah, it's very nostalgic. When I think for
my kid, my kids are going to see it soon.
(35:23):
I was thinking, like how old. Are they there'll be
nine Ober.
Speaker 6 (35:28):
Yeah, for sure, Yeah, definitely they're going to be like
this didn't age well, you guys, it was the two
different time capsule, time capsule different times that we look at.
Speaker 2 (35:42):
Thank you so much, thank you so so much to
see and whatever you write, that's right.
Speaker 3 (35:51):
Can't wait to see it.
Speaker 2 (35:52):
Yeah, thank you, sweet man, Thank you so much for
taking the time. So good to see you.
Speaker 1 (35:57):
So welcome by guys.
Speaker 3 (35:59):
Bye bye. I really I really love him. I remember
being such a big fan of his and then he
came on the show and you know, our time like
working with him was kind of brief. He did a
ton of other you know, he had a bunch of
different storylines that didn't really include us, And I remember
he reached out to me and he was promoting his
(36:19):
singing album at the time, and he's like, hey, I
wouldn't like, would you mind like promote him? Like would
I mind Chyenne Jackson d m me.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
Yeah, I'm like all my info about Hyanne was from
you because you were so excited and so mind you
that if you were excited, like okay, I need to
really potentially.
Speaker 3 (36:35):
God, he's so wildly talented and he's so and he
is not what is this saying?
Speaker 2 (36:43):
No ego ego, no.
Speaker 3 (36:47):
No. I was going to say, he's not a sore
to the eye.
Speaker 2 (36:51):
He's a beautiful man. Yes, he's.
Speaker 3 (36:55):
And just like the nicest person, like a good soul
who was like, where, you're.
Speaker 2 (37:01):
So beautiful as a kind as they are talented, And
it's infuriating.
Speaker 3 (37:08):
It really is. They're just so great.
Speaker 2 (37:10):
And they're like that all the time. It's like graf
like you think you're going to like catch them when
they're not.
Speaker 3 (37:15):
So certainly something has to be off here, right, we're
not getting the whole story, and then you get the
whole st.
Speaker 2 (37:21):
The whole story. They're good at everything and being a
good person.
Speaker 3 (37:27):
That's Glee and that's all of our wonderful guest stars.
So thank you shann for taking the time.
Speaker 2 (37:31):
And also just taught us so many life lessons.
Speaker 3 (37:34):
Just now I feel, yeah, I feel like a better
person just because I like, he just came on.
Speaker 2 (37:41):
Wow, what a man. Thank you, Sanne.
Speaker 3 (37:44):
Thank you san that's what you really missed.
Speaker 2 (37:49):
Thanks for listening and follow us on Instagram at and
that's what you really miss pod. Make sure to write
us a review and leave us five stars, see you
next time.
Host
Jenna Ushkowitz
Popular Podcasts
40s and Free Agents: NFL Draft Season
Daniel Jeremiah of Move the Sticks and Gregg Rosenthal of NFL Daily join forces to break down every team's needs this offseason.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Bobby Bones Show
Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.