The Ballers

Arden and Julie Anne chat with actors, comedians, and podcast hosts Nicole Byer (Grand Crew, Nailed It, Why Won't Date Me, Girl Code) and Lauren Lapkus (The Wrong Missy, Orange Is The New Black, Threedom) about their careers, their friendship, and how to advocate for yourselves financially. Nicole and Lauren host a podcast together called THE NEWCOMERS.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
D Heaven. Hello, that's need distress. She's hello, and welcome

(00:28):
to another episode of Lady of the Road. My name
is Artur Marine, coming to you from my boogie garage
in Los Angeles, California. You may know me from Insatiable
on Netflix, or Shameless, or Chelsea Lately or my book
little Miss Little Compton. I don't know. Maybe you've never
heard of me at all, and that's fine with me.
Today is my friend of my co host, Miss Julianne Robinson.

(00:51):
And what do people know you from? Ms Yanne? They
know me from a million pilots and most recently Bridget Yes,
the Sexy Duke. Yes. We had a little of a
tech issue, and I feel like coming in these gals
have probably dealt with tech issues before, because when I
say these are the queens of the podcasts on Earth,

(01:15):
like these ladies own your Spotify playlists, they own your
Apple playlist. These are multifaceted guests. Are you so excited
for who we have today? Julia, I am. I'm really excited.
Thank you so so much for making the time, really
really looking for to talk to you. I'm going to
introduce both of them. Our first performer. She's an actor.

(01:35):
She's a stand up she is a host. She has
a podcast host. She is an author. You've seen her
on thirty Rock, Family Guy, Brooklyn nine nine, her stand
up special on Netflix. You've seen her on Girl Code,
her own show called Loosely Exactly Nicole. She is the
host of the most amazing, most fun show ever nailed it,

(01:58):
excuse me and I'm so sorry, excuse me. She received
a Private Time Emmy nomination. Okay, and when I mentioned earlier,
she has a podcast host. Her podcasts are a blast.
She hosts Why Won't You Date Me? Best Friends, Newcomers,
and also ninety Day Bay. Wait, I didn't write that

(02:19):
down properly. I'm such a piece of ship. But she does.
She hosts Newcomers, and she's also the host of a book,
the author of a book, and an advocate for body positivity.
Her book is amazing. If you don't have it, you
should go get it. It's called hashtag Very Fat, Hashtag
Very Brave, The Fat Girl's Guide to being hashtag brave

(02:40):
and not a dejected, melancholy out of the dumping. We've
been fat girl in a big caney. Ladies and gentlemen,
Miss Nicole Buyer Well that was truly the nicest intro
I've ever gotten. Well, I have to say, I know
on your podcast you give nice intros, and I like
to give nice intros, and I wanted to. I'm very

(03:00):
happy to have you with us, very happy, and I
know that Julianne knows you. Is that correct? You guys
know each other. We met and I'm just a huge
fan and we worked on a little development together very
briefly so which it didn't go. But I was super
super happy to have met you and worked with you

(03:21):
on that. So yeah, it was very fun with us.
Today is her co host of the amazing podcast Newcomers.
Were these two gals, If you who don't know it,
It started out neither of them had ever seen any
movie from the Star Wars franchise, and unfortunately, growing up
with an older brother, I have seen every movie. And

(03:43):
I have to say, I think I feel the exact
same way they do. So it doesn't matter what age
you are introduced to it. A like I said, I
feel the same way you guys do. She's one of
my best friends, just full disclosure. I love her. She's
an actress, she's a comedian, she's a writer, she's a
podcast host. You may know her Excuse Me as the
star of Ron Missy or from the Between Two Ferns movie.

(04:05):
You might know her from Orange is the New Black,
Good Girls, Big Bang Theory, Jurassic World Crashing Comedy, Bang Bang.
And she is the podcast host of with special guest
Freedom Raised by TV, her Patreon, and of course with Nicole, Newcomers,
Ladies and Gentlemen. My friend Lauren Lave. Yeah. Now, Julianne

(04:31):
also knows Lauren a lot. You kind of I want
to hear this story because I know I feel like
a jerk that I don't remember at the moment. No, no, don't,
don't at all. It's weird. It's one of those things
that kind of is emblazoned on my memory but obviously
not yours. I think it's a direct you, like, actors
are so much more important to you than you ought

(04:53):
to them because you're like a fleeting president. You're staring
and you're staring at them all day. That's right, Yeah,
that's right. So in this instance, it was a pilot
that I was casting called Hail Mary. Oh yeah, and
I really wanted you to my god, I really wanted
to get that in that she wanted you to get it.
She wanted you to want to get it. And you

(05:16):
came in and you were wearing a ship that was
the exact same color, that didn't wear your shirt. Oh
my god, that's amazing. You're the best. We changed the
background together, so for clarity, Julianne loaned Lauren her shirt.
I wore a blue shirt for the audition, and the

(05:37):
background was blue, so I looked like I was floating
and I didn't have another shirt, and my car was
really far away, and so Julianne generously offered me the
shirt off her own back. I mean truly, it was
like that was amazing and it was so lucky because
I mean, I it saved my ass. I didn't get
the part, but you know, I didn't get it. And
then by the way that some times these things are

(06:00):
out of your hands as the director, Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Casting is such a strange beast because it's like the
creator of the show doesn't even have the final Say,
someone who went to, like, I don't know, a nice
liberal arts school who's an executive who doesn't know comedy
gets to go. No, not the comedian, this pretty woman,
well edit her Sonny and I was like, Okay, I've

(06:23):
had a few parts written for me, which is almost
the kiss of death. I think the executive is like,
you're not going to tell me who to pick, Like, no,
I want this pretty woman with this pretty woman who
is much blander voice, much much less, much less quirky
than this human woman. You're the bland version of her.

(06:44):
Like that's what we want. I mean, I will just
even hearing Julianne say that. I think part of the
reason that actors may not remember the directors is because
I would just speak for myself. I don't know if
Nicole and Lawrence for this way, but we walk and
terrified and there's a wall of people and you don't
know if people are waiting for you or if they
were reading a guest you, if they're like, we already
want We're already so so and so, and we want them.

(07:07):
It's a wall of like the terrors inside your own head. Okay,
let me tell you about casting in England. Great right,
because I came over from the UK and I was
used to the British way of doing things and I
came here and I was like what, I couldn't believe it.
Um So in England actors come in and they sit

(07:29):
down and you say, we like cup of tea and
they say, oh yes, please, thank you, and then you
have a bit of a chat. It's what you've been
up to. Well, I've been doing this and you know
really well, you know, now that you're here, how do
you fancy, you know, we could just do a little
read together with you? And they and they go oh
yes absolutely, as if it's a surprise. My mouth is,

(07:51):
that's when are we all moving to England? Your guy,
I want to read the thing? Oh yeah, get a shot.
And then and then they're like, yeah, okay, well do
you know what, Let's do it again and let's try
it this way. Do you mind if we record it?
Okayord it? Okay? And then so with Bridgeta. And it

(08:15):
was the weirdest thing because I was over there with
my American execs who used to the American style of
doing things. I mean, do you want to or anybody
just trying to explain the American system, which was such
a shock to me. I mean, basically, there's like a
line of people on a couch who looked just like you,
unless you're late and you arrived to the different ethnic audition,

(08:37):
So then you're the only black person amongst a lot
of Asian women and you're like yes, and then they
bring you into a room and you're really, really far away.
This is if you've made it. This is like a
final round. There's like fifteen to twenty people staring at
you and looking like they're just wondering when their lunch
order is gonna ride, and they're barely paying attention. They're

(08:59):
sort of chatting amongst themselves. You're sitting on the opposite
side of the room. They'll get your name wrong to
be like this is art and Matt Marock like whatever,
and then they're like, do you have any questions? And
then you don't know if it's a trick if you're
supposed to ask a question. I never know if I'm
supposed to ask a question, I always just say what
did other people ask you? Oh? See, I usually say

(09:22):
I think it'll be clear if I have questions after
I do it the first time, so you can tell
me that you like. I don't think I do, but
you tell me if that's so funny, you'll let me
know if I have question. I do have a version
of that, but I feel like yours is more baller.
I'll say, why don't I show you what I prepared?
And then you can tweak me, Like if it doesn't

(09:44):
will right, you're going to adjust. But I feel like
yours has more confident. I'm just like, whateveryone else do.
I don't want to be different. But I think that's
a good tactic two, because then you're doing like crowdsourcing.
You're like, what's already been discussed? Like sometimes like if
it's before a test, they'll be like, well, they really
laughed when you say this joke this way, So say

(10:06):
the joke this way and you get like secrets out
of them. That's good. Right, do you guys have Do
you have your main people that you go up against?
Who is your number one person? Who does always come
down to you? And who does it always come down
to I don't know if there's one person like that,
but I do tend to see a lot of the
same people. But some of them I don't even know

(10:28):
their name. I just see them every time, and we've
never really gotten to know each other. But I always like, oh, hey,
it's you. But like I feel like there are people
where they book it and they probably didn't have to
audition who are like they're they're more famous, and it's like, oh,
it's always that person. They always get it, and like,
you know, good for them. It doesn't question Julianne because

(10:51):
oftentimes you'll it feels like you're at top dance. We're
all there, we've learned, our lines, were sweating and we're
showing up. But there there was ever any intention of
casting any of us that are there. They're just trying
to get like a backup because in case their number one,
number two and number three say no. I didn't have
that experience with this audition. That was like a pilot
and I went, you know, it's the Fox lot, super

(11:13):
far away. It's really annoying you to walk a million miles.
You're like sweating by this good time where they make
you walk a full mile, Yes, they make you park
at the mall. Is a I truly I like timed
it or looked at sweating and degrading. You arrived like
ashamed and what we did. But I got there and

(11:35):
it was like I had worked really hard on it
and then there's like twenty people and we each one
in for one second, like it was like everyone was
coming out so fast like, how is it possibly even
read it that fast? And then Jenna Elsman got it.
I was like, well she didn't show up there, you know,
so this was all just sus just doing this. Like
there was one where it was like I really wanted

(11:56):
it and it was like this whole monologue and you know,
and like the guy just gave it to his wife,
you know what I mean. You're like, well, you're married
to her. It seemed like she had a good chance
to start to finish off that story about Bridgeton in England.
I was there with American execs but doing the English
style and that did not that was stressful. Oh they

(12:16):
wanted to go. But it all turned out well in
the end. You guys cast it so well. Thank you.
Everyone was amazed. But also what a nice wait, Like
what a nice room to walk in, Yes, you have
time to like relax before you read it sounds so nice.
And honestly, the fact that you're the person who gave
me your shirt says a lot, because that's not normal either,

(12:40):
like that won't even try to help you. They'd go,
shouldn't bring any more shirts, and then it would just
be like, well, you know, like it was super nice
how could she possibly have guests that we'd have a
blue background. You know, I think I would always do it,
but I was really rooting for you. That's really nice.
Thank you. He's another anecdote. So I just came over

(13:02):
from England and I was used to that style of thing,
and I would all the exacts would hate me because
people would come in and I'd be like, how are you?
How is your journey? And I talked to them and
like the five of us all lined up and they're like,
I hate you. And I remember this one exact whose
name I won't say out loud anyway, he was texting

(13:24):
while somebody was working and the woman just turned on
him and gave him ship. She was like, how dare
you text? And he was like yes, good. Did she
get the part? No, no, of course you did it.
But that's the thing. It's like, yeah, you take that risk,
and then it's like you won't get it. But it
was worth it to tell that guy off. But the

(13:45):
sheer fact that like somebody did that, God bless us, lady, right,
I would love to do that. I had one lady
who wouldn't look up from her computer and I was like,
I said, are you sure, you don't want to look
at me? And she looked up and went back to
her computer, and okay, and I believe Queen Latifa got
the part right exactly. But that's it's so degrading. It's
so degrading whatever. I don't get apart. It's very funny

(14:06):
to watch it because I get to go, did it
stay black? Did they go with another ethnicity? Total did
a white lady just get it? It's right. It is
weird when you're when you're watching and then you see
and yeah, I can see how that would be enraging, Like, Okay,
they acted like they were going to do one thing,
and then they cast another white lady, a quirky white lady,

(14:26):
though it's never just like a regular white lady. It's
a quirky one. You're right, because it's so weird that
like secondary characters are side characters are either an ethnicity
quirky or like a differently able disabled or something. That's
part of my experience with being quirky is that the
room that I walk into is like, okay, so it's
any type of person who's not just be tested for together. Yes,

(14:49):
but I don't remember what it was bemer being there
and you got called, you got a job. While this
was the this was the worst thing ever for everyone
else because we were all sitting there about the tests.
And Nicole was there and she's like she gets a
phone call and she's like, oh I did oh okay,
um all right guy, and then she's like, I'm leaving.
I actually got another job. And I was like, you

(15:09):
as the most magical thing to have ever happened. I
was so happy I didn't have to tell me so
nervous about testing because I walked in. Amber Riley was there,
So it's me Amber Riley, Raven Goodwin, Michelle Bau, Dulcie Sloane, Yeah,
Divine Joy, Randolph. Those are my type. Either one will
get the part over me, which is fine because they're
also talented, so it's like great, but uh yeah, Amber

(15:32):
Riley was there and I was like, oh okay, so
like we're up against each other. And then there was
like Lauren and then another quirky white lady with brown hair,
and I was like, oh, I guess they're against each other.
And then there was a chubby white lady and another
chubby white lady. I think we're an Asian lady and
I was like, well, how are they against each other?
It was I remember which one it was. Now that
was so weird. That was so weird as a quirky

(15:55):
white lady. When I was a redheaded, quirky white lady
with a redhead off, so I was like the so
like that was easier to get the quirky white lady rolls.
And then when mad TV made me blond, it got confusing.
It's like, well, how can you be a quirky white
lady and you're you know, it's confusing. I went from
being the quirky white lady to being because it's not

(16:16):
I'm not the leading lady. I went to become the stalker.
So I would like sleep with the mail lead like
the something of Isla Fish, or it's like with red hair,
he're the quirky white lady. With blonde hair, you're the
oops at a wedding and then like she won't stop calling.
And that's why he was a stalker of Jeremy's sister
and suburgatory. When I met Julianne, Jeremy said, so oh my,

(16:38):
when growing up, I really enjoyed him, even though he
was so rude and clueless. I just that's the man
for me, is it? Or We're gonna take a quick
break and will be right back and we're back. Well,
what I like hearing about all this and just what
I wanted to talk to you guys about with podcast sting,

(17:00):
Like I feel like when we're acting as freelancers, it's
hard because you're not part of like a team, you know,
And I feel for me, I have found doing podcasts
helped create sort of a community, you know, and I
know both of you have such thriving podcast careers. I
would love to know how you guys hooked up and
how you met like and decided to do your podcast together.

(17:22):
Just to start with, Yeah, well, we knew each other
for years through UCB, the up Right Citizens Brigade theater
that we performed at forever until COVID stopped everything fun
from ever happening. But we both were doing podcasts separately
and having having success with our own shows. And then
I had actually thought like, oh, I kind of feel
like it could be successful to watch all the Star

(17:44):
Wars movies and do a podcast about this because I've
never seen them and everyone Star Wars is so popular.
But I was like, I don't want to watch the
movies and then I had talked about them. I was like,
I don't do any of the work associated with that,
so that's something bad. Um. But I talked about it
on my podcast and then someone tweeted at us. This
was how simple it was. Really. Someone tweeted us like,

(18:04):
Nicole's never seen it either, you should do it together.
And then we were like tweeting like should we do it?
And then two h podcast networks tweeted back, and then
then we got offers and then we did it, so
which is, by the way, like that sounds so insane,
but we already had shows on those networks. It wasn't
like we didn't know those people and they're like we'll
give you anything like that. It was established relationships. But
it all came through Twitter and then we ended up

(18:26):
doing it and it was torture and you know, we
really Yeah, we watched all of Star Wars for the
first season, and I think we wanted to kill some
first Star Wars movie. Both of us were like, you
came in for our recording and you're like I was like,
maybe we shouldn't do this anymore. Midway through the movie
and I was like, Lauren, I felt the same way.
It's there's so much sand. We were talking a little

(18:50):
before we started the show, like your very first podcast,
I know from Lauren it feels like you, I know
you did. I don't know if it was your first one,
but with special guests, you got to do all these
different characters on it, and like, do you think that
opened up being able to do the character special on Netflix?
Do you think like do you think doing podcast is
like in doing what you love just for the fun
of doing it has opened up your world in other ways? Totally.

(19:13):
I I started my show, I think it was in
and it was kind of in that zone where people
still didn't really care about podcasts and didn't really know
exactly what they were how to download them. But but
it was like it was really free and exciting for
me because it was a way for me to do
improv on like a platform where first of all, is
more lasting than doing an improv show, and then I

(19:34):
could reach a much larger audience because I you know,
I was getting acting work, but my acting work didn't
always reflect my sense of humor, and so to be
able to say like, oh, this is what my sense
of humor is. So if you want to know more
about me and get to know me as a comedian.
Since I can't go on stage and do this alone
and I can't tour the country doing improv, like this
is a way to kind of just show what I do.

(19:55):
And so I think it opened a lot of doors
without you know, intending to. But I got out of
voiceover work from that and from doing my characters on
my show, and then yeah, led to getting a Netflix special.
I think that was all connected to the work I
was doing with podcasts, because I was getting attention as
a comedian separate of being a part of a show
or a movie, and so that really changed a lot

(20:16):
for me. It was really awesome. Jilian and I are
big fans of like building your own boat, of like,
if you want to show what you can do, just
take your phone or like whatever, build your own boat.
And then also like do what you love and what's
unique to you in any area. Doesn't have to be
a performer and anything that you love, but that if
you polish over here, it shines over there. If you're
in the zone and you're sharing what makes you happy,
that the world sees it and responds to it. And Nicole,

(20:38):
you're you're so charming and you're such an open book
and you're so lovable. So when your your first podcast
was why won't you Date Me? If? John Gabriel, we
were like at the airport. I think, like, I don't
remember where I was flying to. It was a gig
or something. I don't know where he was flying to,
but I it was very early in the morning, and
I was like Gabriel and he was like buyer and

(20:59):
I was like hi. And then we were talking and
he said, why don't you have a podcast? And I said,
I don't really know how to do one. I'm not
good at improvising on a podcast. I'm very good at
doing it on stage because like the physicality of moving
around helps me remember things, but when I'm sitting like,
that's just not a skill I have. And he's like,

(21:20):
it doesn't have to be improv you can just talk
and people will like it. And I was like, oh.
So then he goes, why don't you just talk about
people you fucked? And I was like, and it's fascinating,
by the way, especially because the first like batch of
episodes were about most people I knew, and I was like,
I love this show. It's like great gossips. It's how

(21:42):
odd and is always saying to me, it's like, um,
I'm like, odd, I don't know enough. I haven't done
enough homework. Sounds such a like a great student about
I need to know everything, and she's like, it's gonna
be fine. Just talk. It's gonna be fine. People will
be interested. I'm saying, that's the beauty of a podcast
is that if you show up in your present and
you're authentic, it's like improv. You don't get ahead of

(22:03):
it and you just have a conversation. Like that's more
magical than scripting out. You know, you sort of set
your course and then it naturally happened. I admire how
much of an open book you are. I wish I
had more of that because he really laid all out there.
Is that hard? It's not hard. In the beginning, everything
I was talking about and the people I was talking

(22:24):
to things had happened. Like Dan Lippert, we talked about
how we hooked up. That had happened maybe like a
year or two before I started the podcast, and I
didn't quite tell him all of it, but he was like, Okay, yeah,
this is what I thought was gonna the questions you
were going to ask, and I was like, okay, thank you.
I was blown away by that, honestly, because it's so
rare that you actually get to have get some answers

(22:46):
from like a weird situation you had with somebody or
like a random thing. We were like, oh, what happened
after that? Like why didn't we ever do it again?
Or why didn't we talk again? Or whatever? Like it was.
It's very bold to like get those answers and and
really gratifying, I'm sure, And it's funny when people are
not funny but truly interesting. When people say it to
your face, it's kind of wild. Like Will Hines. I
was like, so why didn't we Dan? And He's like
I didn't feel a spark And I was like, oh,

(23:09):
it didn't hurt my feelings. But I was like, okay,
that's hard. Yeah, you gotta be willing to you gotta
be willing to hear the really answer. Well, Nicole, I
know we only have a limited time with you. Juliete
and I sort of created this and we also selfishly
use it for our own self help and like look
for guidance and tips. One thing that frustrates me and
I feel like people are talking more and more openly
about it, but just advocating for myself as a woman

(23:31):
in business and talking about money, like for people that
are not actors. The way you get your salary is
you sort of whatever was your last one was, that's
your quote, and then like it sort of goes up.
And I remember, like I had done three series, like
six pilots, I'd probably tested thirty times, and like each
time it goes up. And I had a male friend

(23:53):
test for something and I found out that his quote
he had zero credit, was higher than what I with making. Yeah,
it's fucking nuts. You. I always ask, I ask how
much every other person is making? Well this, I've been
so inspired by you saying this. I haven't actually done
it yet, but I have always thought, oh my god,
I need to ask that because I feel like that's

(24:13):
the thing you have been trickling down inspiring both of us.
So talk to us about what you do. So you
you're about to go in for a job, yes, are
you able to get the information of what everyone's making?
If I am Sam number five, I don't mind. If
I'm like so far down, they're not using me that much.
I don't make it like a fuss about it. So
for listeners at home, so say it's The Good Wife.

(24:35):
Number one would be Julianna Marghalie's number two might be
Christine Baranski, so like it's sort of going down. But
if I'm Christine Baranski, I will ask how much number
one is making, and if there's such a huge difference,
I will probably pass on it. I passed on from
that where they weren't paying me my quote and they

(24:58):
wanted to hold me exclusive to the show and it
was just a pilot and I was number like seven
and it was a seven tenth, so I was in
seven of the ten episodes, and I was like, oh man,
this seems like such a cool project. I would love
to be in it. The network is great. I cannot
take under my quote. I cannot be you know, no,

(25:19):
like you're gonna hold me. And even if you hold me,
say the show gets made, it's just at the pilot,
so it's everything is a what if. But then I
wouldn't be able to audition for things that were like
another what if, or like things that were going and
getting offers on that and they didn't want to let
me guess are they were just truly trying to hold
me to like keep with the plot was do you
know what I mean to like not let it out

(25:39):
that I was only in some of it? Did They
circle back with more No, so they had their best
and final and they're like and then they threw out,
we're gonna go with our second choice, and I said, well,
you know, bravo to her. I hope she enjoys it.
And the third time they came around, they were like,
we're not going to give you your quote. You can
do anything you want, we will not keep you a
series regular. It's still seven ten. And I was like, okay,
for a day of work, that's fine, and then the

(26:01):
what ifs, we'll figure that out later. But I was like,
you can't pay me less and then not give me
opportunities to make more money elsewhere. And that's strictly because
one of my first jobs. So okay, girl could, I'll
just say it because I said it on the show,
So Girl Could didn't pay super well, but it was
an opportunity. And that's what people tell you in the
beginning of your career. There's no money, but what a

(26:24):
huge opportunity, which earlier in your career is like, okay,
I'll take the opportunity over money. But like when you're
three or four years into your career, like that's not okay.
You cannot keep saying that to people. You cannot expect
them to work for nothing and not make a living.
I think that the more you do stuff, you go
I think MTVS got some money. Yes, I'm pretty sure

(26:45):
they could find it if I you know what I mean.
Like so then it's like you start to see like, well,
this doesn't make sense, so you would pay me under
a thousand dollars to do this thing or whatever when
I know that's just that you have money and you're
giving me to people. But in the second season of
that show, they were like, how has been on TV? Change?
And I was like, it hasn't changed much. I'm still babysitting.
And they heared that and I was like, this is

(27:08):
the second season of a TV show and I'm still nannying,
and you funny, this is me going pay me more. So,
like when I tour, when I started making money, I
started asking some male comedians who have been at places
I've been before, like what was your minimum guarantee? Just
to make sure that I was making the same minimum.

(27:30):
And now when I do shows or a festival, my
agent knows to be like, here's what everyone else is making,
you're making the most, or you're making under what this
person is making. And then I make a choice like,
oh do I want to get paid less? Nine times
out of ten Now, I'm very lucky to be able
to say no to things. But like, okay, say someone asked,
Like someone offers you ten dollars, but you know everyone
else is making twenty dollars, ask for the twenty and

(27:54):
they'll usually give you the twenty dollars. If not, you
will probably settle on like seventeen, which is more than ten.
Never never take an opening offer because they're low balling you.
That's when an opening offer is too many people just
go oh okay, but like just mostly as women, women
have to go no, I'm not taking your bullshit. Like

(28:16):
I think it was Michelle Williams who got paid scale
did you read Shoots? But Mark Wahlberg is a racist
man with an assault an attempt at murder on his record,
got paid like I don't know, millions of dollars or
a million dollars or something, And it's like that's sick
that's so gross. So just you have to ask for more.
I admire that you naturally just new to know that

(28:39):
it's okay to advocate for yourself. Like did you learn
that growing up? Where did you see that? My mother
was the loudest woman on the planet. So she was
just very loud, very in charge of her own self worth.
And I think that trickled down to me. And I
don't know, it was just like, you know, you read
about these men and huge deal and you're like, how

(29:01):
come you don't see as many women in these big deals?
And then I cannot remember who said it to me,
but they were like the best piece of life advice
I can give you is always asked for more money
and if you don't get it, another door will open.
And that's it's been true. I love it. I love
hearing about this. You know, I'm a little older than you.
And like there was something like just be happy to

(29:21):
be here, you know what I mean, like twist, it's
all the twists, like place someone like, But here's the thing.
If you're at the same table or in the same
like at the same table read of somebody, it's not
be happy you're at the table. You're at the same
table with him. So obviously you have equal or more
talent than that person. So it's like, once you're invited
to the table, it's like, we'll pay me to be

(29:43):
at this table. Yes, And I think there's something too
about like for me coming from like I think it's
maybe a Midwestern mentality or something where you're like, that's
a lot of money. That's more than a teacher makes
or something then and go, well, it doesn't really matter
what it is relative to anything else. It's the people
next to me. And so it's it's a hard mentality
to switch into two because you still go, well, that
is a lot of money. But if I find out

(30:05):
that this person next to me is making triple that,
then I feel that it doesn't make sense. It doesn't
make sense. Also, whenever I think about, yes, this is
more than what a teacher makes, you have to remember
that network makes so much money on commercials. They make
money on the reruns. So like also another point is
like get points on the back end. Like I cannot

(30:25):
remember his name, but he played the singing voices. Simba.
Disney offered him two million dollars up front. He said, no,
I want to take whatever the lower amount is and
I want a point on the back end or two
points or something like that. So he's still getting money
more than two million dollars over the course of however
long lying King has been around. So it's also like

(30:45):
you can't take the more money up front if you
want to play a long game with like say a
Disney or you know, Marvel. I think is a part
of Disney. I don't know, like big tent pole things.
It's like they'll offer you a ship ton of money,
but you have to think about why you're they offering
me a ship on the money. Right this business really
you have to think about every fucking factor and it's
kind of exhausting but also fun. Yes, one thing I

(31:10):
know about Lauren, but I see you with Nicole Like Lauren,
I remember traveling with her and her saying, I want
to be the leading lady. I want to be the lead.
I want to be the love interest. I want to
be like the main person. I want to be the
I want to be number one on the call sheet.
And I feel like when Nicole like that vibe comes
through to like, yeah, I want my own show. I
don't want to just be the quirky friend. Yeah, it's

(31:32):
because all different types of people are the leading ladies
of their lives. Like Lauren, you're married, you have a
beautiful life, Like you're like so weird that someone wouldn't
fall in love with me. It's like it's happened a
couple of times, bitch, like, yeah, we're having a I
had a manager once that was like, well, art and
they want somebody sexy, And I remember going, you may

(31:54):
not want to have sex with men. Believe it or not,
people over time have I wanted to, like I fired
it after no, but it's so true, it is, and
it's I think also part of that is that you
have to be have the confidence to go, I'm I'm
gonna audition for the thing that might it might not
go to me, it might go to this hot person
or whatever, but like maybe I can show them that
being funny would be valuable to this And sometimes that

(32:17):
happens and sometimes it doesn't. But it's it's all about
that confidence in yourself to like just saying like like
what you're saying, and like putting yourself in the ring
and not taking yourself out before you even get a chance. Yeah,
I'll ask like I'll see deadline articles. Deadlines are like
fun little newsletter of who's getting what job. Like. I'll
go through deadlines sometimes and I'll ask my manager to
talk to producers about me for a role that they

(32:38):
would never think of me for. And a couple of
times I've gotten to go in. I've yet to know
I've gotten one job that way. But it is funny
when they're like, we never thought of Nicole like that.
It's like, why because she sucks someone on the show, Like,
you've seen fat women with children? How do you think
they got the children like they fuck? It's so wild

(32:59):
as a rector coming into this conversation, such a fundamental
change of thinking is required, I think because there's the
whole system built around what you're talking about. I mean,
I know, having fought that system from the inside, trying
to fight the system. It's really really, it's really tough
to do. I remember when we cast John Chow in

(33:21):
Selfie and they wanted a white British guy, you know,
an upper class British guy. And I was like, so
John Cho is funny, handsome and you know, charming. What's
wrong with John Cho? And they'd be like, well, well,
And it went on and on and on, and I
just started see seeing more people saying, so about John Cho,

(33:41):
What is it exactly about John Cho that isn't really
resonating for this part with you? And I mean, I'm
super proud eventually, and he was fantastic in the part
and he got the part. But it is a really
fundamental like people have to think through the system. It's
like in a script you have to do note if
a character isn't white. For a casting director, look for

(34:03):
someone who's not white real quick. I had a producers
session for Selfie, Thank you. I think I did too. Hi,
Okay you did. Helen Rachel got it. Yeah, Divine Joy
Randolph got this. But I like, I walked into the
into the producer session and there was another person in
the room and I was like, oh, who are you?

(34:24):
You know, just being a cute little self and the
person was like, oh, I wrote the script. And I went, oh,
isn't that a fun little job? And I think immediately
they were like, she will not get this part. She
fully belittled me and it did not go well and
I did not get although you know, I I think
I didn't finish my story at the top that I
was talking about where my husband auditioned. We tested for

(34:44):
a show and that the guys putting it together are
guys that we know who value comedy, and we did
our best. We got through multiple rounds and then they
just cast like too hot Canadian models and just like
the show just wasn't funny at all. It was like
and I also remember being told, okay, there, I want
you to come back, but they want you to do
your hair. Go get your hair done, like so it's
like you have to try to fit into this box

(35:07):
of this idea of a hot person, like get a
blow out and do yeah. And it's like, all right,
I'll do all this stuff, but like you know, it's
more about the essence of a person honestly then my hair.
You can picture my hair being done better, Like I mean,
who cares? But they can't. My last audition was for
like a barista part and everyone had an apron and
I didn't walked in the room. The casting darger said, well,

(35:29):
where's your apron to be a barista? And I was like,
can't they just imagine it? She's like the director's gonna
think you don't care, and I was like, actually I don't.
I drove all the way to Santa Monica for this,
but called my agency and was like, please don't send
me out for commercials anymore like driving, I don't know.
It was like an hour in traffic for someone to
be like, you don't care like I do. Obviously I care.

(35:52):
I would not have done all of this. Show the
funk up here. I had a bad commercial audition and
I had this, and I remember my friend at that
point was like my asked one and my friend said again,
in any business out there, like if this is going
to mentally take you out of the game so you're
messed up for your main job, Like if dealing with
this is going to knock you down, like you know,
if there's another way for you to earn money, like

(36:12):
do not do things that are going to take you
out at the knees like that are going to make
you feel bad. That was when I was like, all right,
I'm going to figure out ways to earn cash. Yeah, okay,
I'm gonna ask a question this for you. Okay, what
advice would you now give to your young self? Oh

(36:33):
my goodness, this is a hard question. And Lauren with
coming on to you. Yes, Lauren, I'm already thinking I'm
gonna use Nicole's time to think of an answer, and
I'm going to say, I guess until I think of
an answer, I guess. How young are we talking? You know, whatever?
Whatever you like? Seventeen, yeah, seventeen. Okay. I think I

(36:55):
would tell my younger self that, like, the weird quirks
you don't like about yourself make you special, so maybe
you embrace them now so you don't have to spend
your early twenties searching for reasons to like yourself. That's
a seems a little grim and it'sund like I hated
myself that I relate to that too. Okay, yeah, I

(37:16):
think mine I want to steal yours, so I'll say
that too to my herself. But I think also just
like trusting my instincts more and like partly with relationships
and partly with friendships. And I think I always was
really like career minded, so I feel like my I

(37:38):
would just look at my younger self and think like, well,
you kind of did that part right, but then like
the other parts, I feel like I could have had
better trust in myself to like, you know, surround myself
with the right people. What do you like to do
for fun before we leave you. Oh also this like
last year I learned, I was like, oh, who fucking cares?
If I'm good at these things I enjoy one. I

(38:00):
might be good or I might be bad forever, but
I like doing it. So Like I love pole dancing,
I am very mediocre at it. You are getting so no,
you're you're good and you're getting so much better. Like
it's amazing to see. If you go to Nicole's Instagram,
like you can see that you just get better and
better and better, Like it's so awesome, and your confidence
not as so. Did the Factor class No, because s

(38:21):
Factor is a weird cult. You have got to watch
this documentary on Netflix called I Think It's Stripped Down
Stand Up It is. There's a scene where they're in
a class. These women are crying and then the leader,
the teacher, was like, I want you to sexy crawl
towards me. So she's sexy crawls towards her as she's
crying about how her husband had cheated on her at

(38:42):
one time. And I was like, this is not what
Paul Dancing's my nightmare. I go to the studio called
lescius Naven and North Hollywood I constantly try to promote
them because I want them to stay open. But they
have zoom classes. If you're interested, you don't have to
have a poll. The floor classes as well, like yoga
stretching classes. That's how I learned how to do full split.
Oh my god, it's not as hard as you think,

(39:04):
and it didn't take that long. That was my initial
pandemic goal and I gave up after three days. So
it's hard. Well, you have to just work on it
literally every day, and you get like half an inch
lower every day. So it's a very slow process. But
I like Lush's Maven specifically because it's just like it's

(39:24):
pull dancing. It's like, do you want to be sexy,
do you want to be strong? Pick a lane and
that's your lane, and then the teachers are like no
one was ever like hey, fatty, we don't think you
could do that, And everyone's just like, well, here's an
adjustment for something that you might not be able to do.
So like that was very instrumental into being like, oh
I can be a little athletic. You don't have a
thin person who just runs. Roller skating is the same,

(39:46):
like any shape or size person can do that and
now I'm learning how to sew because you can sit
and do that. Oh, I made a bag and a
very bad dress quote because don't need a pattern and
it's literally you can just strip strips and like, it's
really fun. Maybe I'll quilt. I could show you the

(40:07):
bit like the fundamental. I mean, if I could do it,
you could do it. Okay, But I want to make clothes.
Here's the thing. They don't make fun things for the
fat ladies, you know, sometimes they do. But I've been
buying two things and I want to put them together. Yes, okay,
that's more fun. That's more fun. That has a better
end goal. Nicole, thank you so much for your time.
It has been such a joy just watching your work.

(40:29):
We didn't get to talk about nailed it, but I
have to say your joy shined through, like your essence
shined through. It's infectious. It's of service to people. Thank you.
Lauren did an episode in midway through. I was like,
did they tell you it's going to be a ten
hour day? She was like, yes, it's fine. And I
was like, are you okay? Do you hate it? She's
like no, it's fun. I was like okay, and I

(40:50):
don't know what. I was like, she's in my house
and I have to make sure she's doing okay. It's
like it's a job. Oh no, it was great. You're
the dynamic with your co host. This is amazing too.
It's so he's so wonderful. Well, I taught him how
to tell a joke, and he, oh, man, I think
it's maybe the favorite of the most favorite thing that's

(41:11):
ever been taught to him, because now he understands a setup,
punch and a button. And then sometimes his buttons aren't
quite buttons, they're just statements. And then he'll say it
and we'll go huh, and he's like, Nicole, that was
a joke. That's so cute. Will you tell Julian and
your theory on a joke set up? Because she likes
when people tell her how educational advice. Well, this is

(41:36):
from the comedy Bible, I think written by Julie Gold.
But you have your premise, which is your shut your
shut up, you're set up, and then you have the
actual joke what you think is funny. And then she's like,
you have your like mix where you juxtapose it to
something that you normally wouldn't juxtapose it to h and
then you have your button at the end that finishes
the joke. Can you give an example, an example? Boy? Oh,

(42:00):
wait here, I have a joke. So the premises my
grandpa's mean, and then the joke is my grandpa said
to me, and this has like a good juxtaposition. So
he was like, Nicole, did you vote for Obama's reelection?
I said no because I thought he would win. And
my grandpa said, Nicole, what if all the people got
together to vote, voted to cut all the heads off

(42:22):
the fat people, and you didn't vote, you'd have no head.
And that's true but also so mean. Yes, yes, good,
well that's you know what. That's great. I'm gonna go
and I'm gonna try and be funny. I'm gonna try.
Now you've told me. I'm gonna give it a go.
Maybe next time I'll tell a joke. Okay, Nicole, Thank

(42:45):
you so much, Nicole. By our ladies and gentlemen, Bye bye,
thank you. We're gonna take a quick break. We'll be
right back, and we're back. I did tour is a
stand up for a long time, and I and like,
just even hearing Nicole, I always feel like I never
learned the rules like that, you know what I mean,

(43:06):
Like I never took a class. I didn't learn. Like
when I hear that, I think, oh I wish I
like that would make stand up so much, well, it
makes it make total sense. Like I can picture. I
can't think of specific joke examples, but I do love
watching stand up, but I can picture like, okay, so
that would be like you know, Chris Rock sets up
the promise, he tells you the thing, and then he's like,
that's like if this was like this, and then you're like, oh, whoa,

(43:27):
that's crazy, and then put it all together and like
it totally makes sense. But stand up makes me so nervous.
I tried it once when I was like twenty, and
I freaked out. Yeah, I did it like a at
a cafe and like I truly just like abandoned ship
like halfway through and started doing a character and then honestly,
I just have never tried again. But it's so hard.
But I will say that podcasting I think has helped

(43:49):
me find my own voice in the way that stand
up might have done for me. That like I used
to think I could not do anything as myself and
I was only comfortable being a character, and that's why
I started my podcast just being characters. But then over
time I branched out into doing podcasts as myself, and
then I kind of figured out, like, oh, I think
they can just be funny just talking. But it was

(44:11):
like a learned thing to kind of feel comfortable in
that arena because it's it's a whole different ballgame. Well
it sounds like it gave you ownership that just being
who you are is interesting enough. Yeah, And that was
something I really struggled with when I started improv because
I started in high school and every one of my
classes was in their twenties, and I was like, I'm
boring because I'm in high school, Like they don't want
to hear anything I have to say, And so that

(44:32):
was kind of in the back of my head with
a lot of my stuff I think, and then like
you're saying, like I grew into that sort of seeing like, oh,
I think everyone has something interesting to add. Julian Lauren
and I both did the same improv place in Chicago
when we were teenagers. Like, but Lauren is younger than me,
and I was curious because when I was there and
I loved it. I mean it was an amazing time,

(44:54):
but same like people would stay to your face, women
aren't funny and stuff like that. Like and I think
also being a teenager and everybody was like an older man,
like at least mid twenty. They all seemed like there
were fifty, Like when you're when you're fifteen or not fifteen.
I was seventeen eighteen, and then everyone's like thirty. You're like, okay,
so you're a grown up. Yeah. I remember Neil Flynn

(45:16):
was thirty. Neil Flynn was there and he was thirty
and he felt like such an adult man. It's so weird.
How did you get through so young? Well, at the
time in high school, I auditioned for every single play
at my school and just never got into any of
them except for the one variety show every year that
was put on like written by students and performed. I
didn't get into anything either, So I had to start
writing my own plays because I couldn't get I couldn't

(45:38):
get cast. Oh my god, I couldn't an audition for
Shakespeare and musicals and all these things and everyone. It
just was a mess. But my there was one teacher
who saw potential with me, like being funny, he was like,
you should go to improv classes. I think you would
like that. And he told me, don't do the second
city classes because at your age you have to take
the team class. If you go to Improv Olympic, you

(45:58):
can take the adult class and that's just you know,
that'll just scoot you along faster. And the training there
was so good though, I mean, like, yeah, that was amazing,
and I was so excited for anybody to like believe
in me and give me a morsel of something that
I signed up and I was so nervous, and I
would take the train every Saturday into the city and
take my class and like be so nervous the whole

(46:19):
way there and then the way back to be like
dissecting the entire class like everything I said and did.
And it was a really exciting time. And after class,
you everyone go to the bar and get beers, and
like I just couldn't even get in, so I'd be
like by everyone, I had a fake idea so I
could do it. Oh my god. But you were young
enough that maybe you didn't have to deal with getting
hit on by everybody, like I've never been hit on before.

(46:40):
That I always got a boyfriend, and that was one
of the I think that was sort of a safety net,
like I had like my high school boyfriend, and then
into college and then like there was a period where
it was kind of like I think I could hook
up with anyone here, and then that's like an amazing
leap to go from being like a high school or
who's like, oh no, one like a boys whatever, like

(47:00):
this is the worst time, you know, I'm just like,
I'm like disgusting, and then like being a community of
comedians who were all like you're hot because you're funny,
which is like so awesome. That was the first time
I felt like a desire. I mean, like it was
good and bad. I I was like, I'm a weirdo.
I don't make sense to don't even nobody wants to.
And then it was almost too much because I felt
like I wanted people to think I was funny and

(47:23):
not like I felt a little bit like chum in
the seat, Like there's something about being like a teenage girl. Yeah,
and it's also scary, like I think, especially back in
the day with improv, it was often skewed towards like
women playing specific types of roles like being like a
slutty stripper or like a you know, dumb wife or whatever,

(47:43):
like they kind of put you into a category. So
it was really fun to break out of that and
just like I'll never be that. I'm never going to
play that part. I refuse. But then you like kind
of like de sexualize yourself in a way that's like
probably a defense mechanism towards all of that and like
protecting yourself from all these you know, put ptentially led
you as people. And Amy Polar was saying, like I
so Lauren sent me this podcast Amy Polar was on.

(48:06):
She was, oh my god, that was so interesting because
she went through the same program and had the same experience.
So Julianne when she started directing, somebody gave her the
advice to wear large clothes to hear more authoritative, and
Amy would wear sort of large clothes to sort of
de sexualize so there's no boobs. Like, yeah, I remember
I did sometimes where I would like take a risk,

(48:26):
like fashion wise, and I wore like a skirt with
like leggings or something on stage and then one of
the guys in my team got on the floor and
looked at my skirt which you couldn't seen anything, but
it was still like, Okay, well this is why you can't.
This is why I don't do this, you know. And
then it sucks because you can't just wear the thing
you wanted to wear the look cute. So then suddenly
you're like, I will literally only wear hoodies and jeans
and this is my look now, and uh, you know,

(48:48):
you just lean into that. I can't even imagine what
it's like to not even think about. And again, I
think the times have changed, but like to have been
able to just put on a T shirt and jeans
and or whatever where whatever you want, where like if
you wanted to wear a dress, or if you wanted
like having to sort of disguise any sexuality or like.
That was the first place my gender and my sexuality

(49:10):
became like an issue, not for me, but for like
it seemed to affect other people in a way that
I just wanted to do comedy and it seemed to
be something I had to try to disguise. It's really
interesting when I hear this, you just think, gosh, it's
an endless It's an endless, endless cycle, isn't it? And

(49:31):
will things change? Will they change because we spoke to
Joan Jet, and Joan Jet was talking about these issues,
and I mean, what when was Joan doing the runaway
early eighties and like and you and you think of
her as just being so badass like and everything they
were doing like oh my god, coolest, couldn't give a
ship types And then to think that they were dealing

(49:52):
with that stuff too, it's just like that's bizarre. I
would think women face it everywhere too. You know. I
have a friend who worked in an office and like
three years go, her married boss pulled her in and
told her not to wear her white jeans. Like I
think they were like too excite, you know what I mean,
It's like her jeans are not that's your problem. This
is your problem. Like she's in the office, this is

(50:13):
your problem, and so gross. I think it's getting better
now because it has to, and you can put people
on blast like so easily now that I think, and
which I think is a good thing. With the accountability
of the internet is kind of good in that sense
that if a theater, you know, did something that was
disrespectful as a whole or something or like, you know,
on that level, you can just put it on Twitter

(50:34):
and then there will be a conversation about that and
hopefully some change will happen. Well, even watching the young
lady that worked for Cuomo, like there was an interview
I saw, I was just so impressed by her articulation
of like I didn't do this, like his actions did
that well. And then you think about like Monica Lewinsky,
like if if that was framed that way at the time,
the way everyone would have talked about it would be

(50:56):
so different. And I think about her so much now,
and we follow each other on Twitter, which I feel
like it's the smallest world thing, like we want to
interview her, we love her. My god, I can d
m her or something. I don't know if she'd ever
see it, but I think about her so much with
just what she went through, and that like the way
we talk about this stuff now is so different. That

(51:16):
people just mocked her mercilessly for this thing that is
so not her fault. It's like it's just seems so
differently now. It's interesting, like even you know, I talked
about this in another podcast, but like I went to
HR once and how terrifying it was and how I
wanted to protect the person and then like you don't
want to rock the boat. You want to seem okay,

(51:36):
you want to be a good sport. But it's like no,
like this is not okay, this was completely inappropriate. I
didn't do this. I was just at work, like I
was just doing my job and I didn't ask for this,
and this an inappropriate thing landed in my lap. And
I feel like it's a good thing that the world
is changing that people know. I mean, at least the
company I worked at, they took it seriously. Yeah, it's

(51:56):
scary to have to report, that's the thing. It's like,
this is tim is built that you're scared to speak
up about that when like it's not on you at all.
Julianne Lauren, Do you have any further questions for Lauren?
And know it's been so nice. It's just things like you, um,
like we had that moment and so you've meant so much.

(52:19):
You have been so much to me, and I didn't
realize that. So I'm very happy that I was able
to put the face to that experience now because that's hilarious.
And I was like watching you know, Jurassic World, and
I'm like, yeah, yeah, I've met her. And it's so
just lovely to be able to talk to you and
get to know you. And it's just how I asked

(52:40):
Julianne one thing, and because I felt like I cut
her off a little bit because I felt like we
were about to lose Nicole earlier. Like I found it's
so interesting the money talk, like if there was anything
that you had experienced before we go? Do you find
out what other people make? Like how have you learned
how to advocate for yourself? I did go through something
when I first came over, for because you earn a

(53:01):
lot more in the US than in the UK. There's
no secret about that, I think, and I felt guilty
and I had this kind of life coach and I
would talk to her and I'd be like, I don't
know what I can do to justify this money, Like
I need to work harder, I need to be better.
I mean, that's a that was something that I always

(53:22):
felt and always still do feel, is that I'm, you know,
not doing enough and not working hard enough. But I
particularly felt it in relation to money when I first
came over, because it was just so much more and
coming from a background where there wasn't it's a bit
like you, Lauren, where there wasn't that much to begin with,
and then to be earning this multiple of what I

(53:44):
was earning. And I was a theater director until quite recently,
and again that was you know, poverty level wages in
the UK, and it was just a lot of guilt
around it, a lot of guilt. That's so interesting. I
feel like that's encourage me. I'm around, but it feels
like a very female perspective like that we feel like, oh,
I shouldn't take it, or there's some things right. It

(54:05):
was that it was like, no, can I earn less?
I would actually be like, is there a way that
I don't have to earn this much? And I know
that seems crazy, but it's absolutely solidly true. No, it
makes sense, I think, And I think that's something that
like I feel like I've gotten with what Nicole was saying,
like over time, just thinking like you just don't want
to take the initial offer even though when you see

(54:27):
that you go, oh that's a lot, that's a good
that's a good paycheck or whatever to go these companies
are making money off of you, and the guys are
the guys are making it too, Yeah, the guys and
the other actors and other people are making more money
because of whatever they've negotiated or whatever. It's also just like, hey,
my face or my name is going to be associated
with this thing forever, and this company is going to

(54:49):
keep making money off of this thing forever, and in
a number that I can't even fathom. So if I
just want like a little more right now, like that
should be granted. But it is like a whole ment,
whole gymnastics routine to like get through, Like is it
okay to ask for more? I'm I been greedied? They think, Oh,
what are they saying on their side? Or it's all
just a lot? Was it complicated just when you had kids, Julianne,

(55:11):
just like deciding to be the primary breadwinner, Like was
that a complicated thing in the household or for me?
Um No, it was kind of an obvious thing when
we came over here is just what happened. But I
mean what I should have been thinking, of course, was well,
I need to earn lots of money because I have
two kids that they're going to need to go to

(55:32):
college one day. But I didn't. That logic escaped me.
So I wish I'd have had Nicole as a kind
of a coach. Nicole could be the coach for all
of us out there, ladies. Fully regret that because honestly,
I was directing Gray's Anatomy and it was a perfectly
standard rate that I was being paid. It was no

(55:55):
more or no less than anybody else. But I was
going through these agonies of guilt. And you know, Gray's
Enough to Me is still on Netflix and it's still
making money, right right, yeah, right, you know, I feel
like it's the final taboo of things that people talk
about and and particularly think women, and they say women
make you know, I'm going to get it wrong. But
like cents on the dollar or whatever, like in any

(56:18):
kind of job, the way, just even just talking about it,
even with your girlfriends, of learning, like it's okay to
ask for more, it's okay to find out, its okay
to do research. You're not begging to be at the party,
like just to know your own worth. I mean, look,
the gas bill needs to be paid, the electricity needs
to be paid. I've done lots of things just for money.
Like I see a lesson in Nicole for myself. Oh, definitely, definitely,

(56:41):
And I think working with Nicole has been great for
that reason and many reasons, but that lesson has really
rubbed off on me. But even with like our negotiating
our podcast deal, like I feel like we both are
confident because of what she said about how she just
asked what they make and what people are doing to
just go, oh, we have more, you know, like there's
always a little more. There's everywhere everywhere because these are companies.

(57:03):
It's not it's not I'm asking my friend to give
me more money. It's like I'm asking this business to
just give me more. But it feels like I think
you can get in your head about it because you're
like dealing with a person who works for that company
and what they might think about it or whatever. But
it's like I'm not taking it from anyone. I'm taking
it from this gigantic conglomeration that has so much, and

(57:24):
like who cares? So we should all be getting at everyone,
like everyone should get more from companies. Companies are bullshit. Well, Lauren,
I just start of respect you, and I respect your
work ethic, I respect your dreaming big, I respect you
always say just do it, Like the Nike slogan that
my motto, I made it up you made it up.
She made up the nikely slogan. But that you're that

(57:45):
you work really hard, you're brave, you throw the spaghetti
at the wall like I know. You're smart, you save
your pennies. And you also are a generous person. You
bring your friends up with you and I'm so grateful
for you in my life. What would you like to promote? Ms? Lauren?
I would like to promote my podcasts Newcomers and Freedom
And I have a Patreon. If you go to patreon
dot com slash Lauren Labkiss. I do improv and watch

(58:08):
alongs to movies. There you can sync me up with
the movie. It's like a commentary. And then um, watch
The Wrong Missy. And I'm back on Good Girls on NBC,
which is season four is just started, so check it out.
And if you have not seen her in the Wrong
Missy truly, I mean I was already a fan. But
a star is born if you watch her in the
Wrong Missy, A star is born. Julianne, what is your Instagram?

(58:30):
Oh my god, I don't know. Oh, you just throw
this at me. You told me to my instagram, which
is Lauren Lapkiss. There you go. It's something like Julie
Anne Robinson director or something like that. I'm at Art
and Marine M y R I N. And you can
also email us anything at Lady Road Podcast at gmail

(58:51):
dot com. My book Little Miss Little Compton is available
worldwide and the book is so funny and so it's funny.
Up and try and uh. You can listen to Will
You Accept This Rose if you're a fan of The Bachelor,
Lauren is on that sometime. Julianne, Lauren, what a delight.

(59:12):
Thank you so much for being here. This was really
inspiring and I feel like I learned lessons that I'm
going to take from this. So I'm so excited that
I got to do this. And I can't wait to
hear your other episodes because you've had such amazing people.
It's going to be so great. Thank you, Lauren. All Right,
goodbye you guys, goodbye. Thank you so much