December 12, 2023 • 48 mins
Rosie's guest this week is the TikTok sensation known only as "Annoyed Lemon."
Scrolling thru, as she does, Rosie happened upon a floating lemon with enlarged eyes and huge lips, with wit and heart just as big. She's been hooked ever since; laughing and commenting with each other throughout the year, it became clear a longer conversation needed to happen!
Remaining anonymous, Annoyed Lemon joins Rosie in a lively fast-paced and funny gabfest about everything under the sun, especially celeb memoirs. Lemon, known for spilling the tea to her followers after reading them, jumps right in with Rosie to share their favorites!Share your voice memos with any questions or comments for Rosie to OnwardRosie@gmail.com
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
Well, hello, everybody, you have found us. It is me
Rosie o'donald, star of the Flintstones. How are you are
you doing? Well? It's Christmas time in the city, very excited,
lots of things going on. I spend a lot of
time online buying gifts to be sent to New York
because that's where I'm doing Christmas with all my children
(00:32):
and family and Jackie and her kids, and I just
I can't wait. I absolutely love Christmas time. I don't
like all the stress of gifts specific for people. You know,
my son, Parker has a new partner and I've yet
to meet her, and so I'm purchasing gifts for her
(00:52):
because she's coming for Christmas and I've never met her,
so I'm hoping that I'm just randomly guessing. Parker told
me she liked the color purple, so trust me, it's
purple everything. And I can't wait. You know, what can
I say? What's happening in the news. Norman Lear? Oh,
what can we say about Norman Lear? Only? He was
(01:15):
just the greatest humanitarian, the greatest television producer writer. He
died at one hundred and one, and I was lucky
enough to know him and to have had dinner with
him and spend some time with him. And he was lovely.
He was so lovely, and his wife lovely. And you know,
(01:39):
what can you say about somebody who sort of changed
everything for the world. I mean, he reframed what you
could or couldn't do on TV while entertaining by introducing
political and social themes to sitcoms. Right before All in
the Family television basically portrayed white family life is happy
(02:00):
and content remember Leave It to Beaver Hazel. TV avoided
raising issues about discrimination, misogyny, homophobia, you know, reality basically.
And in nineteen seventy one, when I was nine years old,
he changed everything. He found a way to hold up
a mirror to society, to make us all laugh and
to see ourselves and our own bigotry and ignorance. I
(02:23):
mean Archie Bunker Heydar read it to the Land the
Fruit and Nuts out, dear. But I just loved him,
I really did. What can I say? He did All
in the Family Sanford and Sons Maud, which was to
in my opinion, one of the greatest sitcombs ever on
next to All the Family, Good Times, The Jeffersons. One
(02:45):
day at a time, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, different strokes,
you could keep going, so many And what an amazing
life he lived. And people for the American Way is
his organization and trying to bring to civics and to
civil society and inspire people to be humanitarians and political activists.
(03:09):
And I am forever in his dead, I think, as
we all are. So God speed to you there, Norman Lear,
good old Norman Lear. I wanted to tell you that
I am on family feud on December thirteenth, and I
thought that it was last night. So my brother Eddie,
who is the oldest and the bossiest, he called and said,
(03:33):
you know, we're on family feud. And I was like,
when he's like tonight, I'm like, are you kidding? He
said no. So I do this whole post about tonight
we're on family feud, complete with photos of viv and
Jackie and my godchild Katie and my niece Alli, you know,
and it's wrong. It wasn't on last night, and Eddie
like called me specifically to tell me, so of course
(03:55):
I made this post. And about four hours later I
get a call from Vivi, who is somewhere with her
friends in college laughing hysterically going mom, you are not
on tonight, and neither am I. We're not on until
December thirteenth. Why don't you fix it? I just felt
(04:15):
like somebody who had no cognitive ability left, I really did.
But we got it done. And you know it's on tomorrow.
So that's the thirteenth. Wednesday, the thirteenth, which is tomorrow,
you can watch me on Family Feud. I believe it's
on ABC. I'm pretty sure, but I'm not positive. But
(04:37):
I'm not going to post about it because frankly, I've
done enough damage. Also, Clay's school picture came in and
they are very adorable and actually looked at the camera,
which is a huge plus, eye contact not being the
favorite thing of theirs. Well, we have a great show
for you today, We really do. My conversation is with
(05:00):
annoyed Lemon. Now you're gonna say, who's annoyed Lemon? Well, TikTok.
About a year ago I stumbled upon annoyed lemon, literally
a lemon floating in space with big eyes, big lips,
and I was immediately hooked. She's opinionated, she's funny, she's
a great reviewer of books and biographies, and specially memoirs. Lemon,
(05:26):
as she said I could call her, has one hundred
and forty thousand followers and talks about everything from everything,
her antics in the world, here being you know, a
mom and having her own quirky Italian mother Mama Lemon
as she calls her. She makes me laugh out loud.
Plus you know, she's a really good person. She really is,
(05:47):
and I had a fun chat with her, and I
hope you enjoy it. Here we go. It's me and
from TikTok, my buddy Annoyed Lemon. Hello, Annoyed Lemon.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Hello. Oh, I am so good. Thank you so much
for having me on.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
First of all, I love your TikTok page. I don't
know what do you call it, your, your account, your
I don't know it now, I don't know. I don't either.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
I don't know what I'm doing.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
What everyone should know is all you get on the
visual is a lemon with eyes and a mouse. Yes, Now,
explain to me how and why you came up with
this idea.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
So I only started it in January of this year,
so it hasn't been long. And it was really because
I wanted to talk about stuff and not have my family.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
See interesting because I used to have a Facebook and
an Instagram personal right forever who doesn't, And I would
talk about stuff and like I would go to a
family function and they'd be like.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Oh, I'm sew on you one Facebook talking about this,
and I'm like, They're like, what do you think you
beast on talking about? And I was like, you know what,
I hate all of you. I don't really, but you know,
and I said, I'm gonna make a Well. What really
sparked it was Prince Harry's memoir came out and I
liked it so much, and.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
There was and you know what, so did I, and
so much.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Controversy around it, and so much on TikTok. People weren't
get they didn't have all the context. And so my
first TikTok was like stitching someone saying it's a celebrity.
I don't know. I stitched somebody who wasn't getting it right,
and I let him know.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
Tell me who.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
Was it, Miss Bethne Frank.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
Well, oh yeah, and she was amazing, say about.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
I was was She was just making fun of the
title and she's like, oh, how what a stupid title?
And I stitched and said it actually he's and called
that since birth, by his father, by his grandmother, the queen,
by even his mother, right, and you know, and then
I got my first TikTok ever and it got all
these views, and so I just continued answering the questions
(08:13):
for people that's in and then that's and that's really
what it was.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
And so is it because you happen to be listening
to the Spare Book because I know you like all
your books on audio. Yes, And I actually read or
listened to the Spare Book because of what you had
been saying about it. So then I'm like, I'm going
to listen to this now I have to tell you
the truth, Lemon, And can I just call you? Yes?
Speaker 2 (08:37):
Please? Thank you?
Speaker 1 (08:38):
Okay, So Lemon, I put on the audio books and
I fall asleep. I can't help myself, Like I'm the
kind of person if I'm reading the book book, I
will stay up really until three or four in the
morning because I can't stop.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
Right.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
But when like Harry with that accent, with this I loved,
you know, and he was talking to me, I was like,
good night, you know. So I had to only listen
to it in the day or in the call.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
Everyone's different, right, I can't do the book. I fall
asleep from the book, no kidding. So I loved hearing
his voice.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
I was like, I thought his voice was so beautiful.
I thought, you know, and I know that when people
write big, fat, thick books like that that are exceptionally
and beautifully written, they normally have someone help. But I
don't care, because everyone does it.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
Yeah, he has a very good ghostwriter. I actually read
an article in the New York Times, his ghostwriter, and
I forget about him right now his name, talking about
his experience being Harry's ghostwriter. And it was a beautiful
article about what it means to be a ghostwriter. And
I appreciated that too, because I never really you never
really hear from the ghostwriters, you know, so yeah, no, ever,
(09:52):
it was nice. And that's so that's what really made
me make a TikTok. And I didn't expect it to
really well. So I started TikTok with those lemon filter
because I didn't want my family just being jerks to me,
because that's you know, they bust me chops all the time.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
I thought it had to do with work, Honestly.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
To work.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
I thought that you were at some job and you
thought that you were going to get in trouble.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
Well, and so you came up with this lemon store
about I did have a part time job. I was
working with a liquor rap at the time. When I started,
it was a friend, so that's part of it too.
And I cursed a lot and.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
Stuff like that.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
And then my husband's the real professional one. Actually, my
husband knows you. And I'm going to try to talk
about this in a way that doesn't expose me.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
Okay, you have it.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
You have a foundation for kids on Broadway.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Right, Yes, for kids in New York City. And one
of the things we do is we teach life lessons
through learning musical theater knowledge.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
Many many years. You have a big gala, I won't
say we're in the city. You did for New York. Yes,
he cooked for it every year. Oh so I don't
think he really met you.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
But when I well, I always go in the kitchen
and thank everybody. I always, yes, you know, walk through
when I do that event.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
You didn't meet him one on one, but he said
when I told him what I was doing, He's like, oh, yeah,
I cooked for hang with her.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
I hang with her once a year. I made her
a fileg so excellent. How long have you been married?
If you don't mind me asking, are these lemon secrets
or can I? Okay?
Speaker 2 (11:35):
Nine years? My daughter's nine, so we got married when
she was three months old.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
Excellent? And other children are just one?
Speaker 2 (11:43):
Just one?
Speaker 1 (11:44):
That's great? And what great is that? Now she's in fourth, fourth,
because my little one is in fifth okay, and next
year starts the middle school out here at six seven
eight terrifying.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Yeah, yes, yeah, already I'm scared about it, to believe. Yeah,
it's a difference.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
They start looking like teenagers right in front of you,
and yeah, you know, know what to do, and all
of a sudden they isolate in their room and we'll
be right back with more lemon after this, you know.
(12:34):
So you are the first person I've ever interviewed that
I have no idea what their name is. I know,
is so weird. It is kind of fun.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
I didn't kind of fun in a way, and then
now it's like a thing. You know. At first, people
wanted to know, why do you hide your feet? You
must be you're Rachel McAdams. You're I get that a lot.
I'm like, okay, sure, I am can you can confirm
I'm nobody nobody, and.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
You're a beautiful young woman who's very smart and very
funny and loves to listen to memoirs. I really do,
and we're going to talk about some memoirs in a minute.
But yeah, so I think I just think that you're
very compelling. And I have to say, it's not easy
to be compelling when you're a lemon with just eyes
(13:19):
and memory. I know, you know what, But I just
do work.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
I talk to people like I talk to my family
or my friends. And I love that I'm talking to
people that I don't know. I'm so much more comfortable
talking to people that I don't know. But I couldn't
do this on my well, I don't even have personal
Facebook anymore because I'm on Facebook. But I couldn't do
what I do on TikTok on my personal Facebook page
(13:43):
to my friends and family. I would be embarrassed. Isn't
that weird?
Speaker 1 (13:46):
That's so funny?
Speaker 2 (13:47):
Yeah, it would be too.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
Although I will say, do you ever see the little
character I do on my thing myrtle? Yes, where I
you know, put on the face thing. Yes, you know,
I feel when I'm doing myrtle that it's not me,
and I can say.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Well, when I do, when I do annoyed lemon, I
feel the same way because I can get sassy or
if I get pissed off or something is silly or whatever,
I might not normally imp Well, No, I still curse
a lot in person, but it's more I do the
same thing, but I am the best at it. My
husband is this is the next. But my mother is
(14:23):
the worst. My mother's mouth. There's one TikTok I made
where I recorded her. My followers, if they hear this,
they'll know which one. And it's hysterical because she is
one hundred percent Italian from Hoboken, New Jersey, right, so,
and I grew up with that, and so when we
go there and visit with her, it's just I have
(14:45):
to be like, MA, like tone it down.
Speaker 1 (14:50):
With the cursing, all the fucking like not just not
just the fuck.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
But it's like, we'll get this twat over here. I'm like, MA,
I know my daughter doesn't even know what that is,
but it's like, oh I can't. Yeah, it's tough. Yeah, yeah,
that's where I get it from.
Speaker 1 (15:08):
She's but I'm not that bid It's funny when my
daughter once we were it was very hard in New
York City to do the drop off. Now, I had
this driver for a while and he was laid a lot,
and he was and so I go to get her
in the car and they shush him away and he
(15:29):
has to go all the way around the block in
New York City and we're standing and it's so late
that the teacher is there. When the car pulled away, apparently,
I said, God, damn it, Jimmy. Yeah, And so then
we're waiting. She's three or four years old, a pre
k or whatever, and the teacher says, who are you
waiting for it? She says, God damn it, I'm waiting
for Jimmy. And I was so horrified. You know, what
(15:54):
are those parent moments when you just I know, I know? Yeah,
can I ask you? Did you you always have a
love of reading or listening to books. When did you
first get into the audiobook memoir scene? So I'm always interested.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
Yeah, I've always loved podcasts and audiobooks. Really, when I
became a mom, doing everything I gotta do while listening
to something, I have to always have the TV on.
Something has to be on. I can't have silence. It's
very unnerving for me. So that's how it started. And
then over COVID was when I just was like every day,
(16:29):
every day listening to a book, finishing a book, listening
to a podcast, And that's where it really started.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
Yeah, and where your choice always were memoirs And was
it always celebrity memoirs or any memoir.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
I first was never a memoir. And then this is
going to sound crazy for me to say it. I
listened to Jessica Simpson's memoir, which came out right as
COVID was happening, I think, or right before February twenty
twenty something like that, and it was so good and
I was shocked, wow wow. And I that's when I
(17:01):
went on my personal Facebook pages, tell my friends and
family like, oh, you got to watch JESSK. Simpsons and
they're like, yeah, well, you know whatever. And then that's
I started, and I do Jessica's on my page because
it really is great. And then when I talk about
it on my TikTok account and other people like, oh,
you know Jessica's memoirs fire that memoir is great too,
And there's all these other people that also are into
(17:23):
memoirs like me, So I guess.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
And did you did you read like the Glass Castle?
Remember that about the mom. It's about a news newswoman
who was driving to a black tie event and in
her limo she looks out and sees her mother in
the trash bend, homeless going through as she's on to them.
My goodness, it's a beautiful It was a beautiful book.
(17:48):
I remember, like, sometimes I read a memoir and I'm
unbelievably connected to the person that I try to make
contact with them through you know, TikTok. Now you can rough,
it's easier. Well, I was a child, you know, and
there was TikTok access. I never would have went to school.
Now it's manned.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
But I read on my page and we talked about it.
I hope I pronounced his name right, Michael Checki as
Alina his memoirs called Your Tables Ready, and it's all
about being a mad or d and coming up in
the food and beverage industry in New York City in
like the biggest and best places where all the celebrities
(18:28):
go or when in the eighties and nineties and early
two thousands, it is one of the best memoirs ever,
and I talked about it, and my followers to this
day will say, that's the best memoir you've gone over.
And then he reached out to me that I don't
even know how he you know, and I was It
really meant a lot to him because he was getting
(18:48):
older in years and he couldn't continue food and beverage
is tough.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
Yeah, sure, yeah, tap on your body.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
And he got to an age where he's like, I
can't do it anymore. And his kids were like, why
don't you write a book, dad? And so he did
and it's fantastic.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
So, well, you'll have to tell me the name of us.
Send that to me.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
Your table's ready, It's called.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
Your table is ready. Okay, Laurie, write that down. I'd
love to read that. I can't get enough of memoirs. Now,
did you? I know you? Did? You? You went through
the Jada Pickett book? What'd you think?
Speaker 4 (19:14):
Well?
Speaker 2 (19:14):
No, I didn't finish it yet.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
Oh you didn't finish it?
Speaker 5 (19:17):
No?
Speaker 2 (19:17):
Did you?
Speaker 1 (19:18):
I started it?
Speaker 2 (19:19):
As I started, I didn't finish you know.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
It was weird. I felt like we wouldn't be friends. Oh,
so it was hard for me to kind of like
I don't know. I couldn't get my way to seeing
it without the frame that I have already around.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
That's really hard. Sometimes there are some that I read
and I'm like, I don't like this person too much,
and I try to keep an unbiased opinion, and when
I go over it on my page, I try to
I'm always respectful. I'm never like this, never. I don't
allow my followers to do that if they don't like something.
But yeah, I know what you mean. Sometimes there's some
(19:56):
you know, I'm not.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
Saying yeah, And it's not like she would want to
be It's not like an insul necessarily. It's just I
felt like I couldn't kind of get in there. I
don't know.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
And that happens sometimes too. And then there's times when
you read one and you're like blown away by and
you and then forever have Like for me Paris Hilton's memoirs.
It came out not that long ago. I will forever
rather respect for her.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
For her, I agree, had I just hung out with her,
and you know, I just told her how how much
respect I have for her, and how honest and intelligent
and and gut wrenchingly personal the book was, and what
it has done to help pops who have been through
(20:45):
that horrific Let's let's kidnap your kids at night than this,
and she throws them in a wilderness program for two years.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
I mean, they don't get to come for Christmas or summer.
Break that whole scene that she just describes, when she
was pulled out of the bed, she thought she was
being kidnapped in the middle of the night, dragged by
her feet, men, by grown men. She screaming, I was
I would I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe it.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
I felt the same way. I thought that was really
Now I saw your annoyed lemon TikTok yesterday about the
barber streiss him forty eight hours listen now? Is that
the longest book you were ever trying to listen to? Yes?
Are now you gonna do it? Gonna three hours in? Okay?
Speaker 2 (21:33):
Yes, I'm gonna shore.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
What do you think? Tell me so far? No? Those
are your notes. You got some strike saying, oh it's great.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
The three hours I've listened to are great. But I'm
nervous because it's a lot, and I don't know how
to break it down for people. I don't you know,
but I will. It's really really good.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:51):
She does a very really great job as just describing
her childhood in Brooklyn when she was young, and the
you know, her mother and her stepfather and and and
the restaurants and the bakeries and play you know, hanging
out on the stoop. And it's really great. I'm enjoying it.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
Yeah, but it's for well, yes, I'm taking it over Christmas.
That's gonna be my thing over Christmas to read.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
Did you get the actual physical book? They say, of
course I did.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
Yes, it's it. It's like two Gideon Bibles, you know,
and one and but I you know, I have adored
her since I was born. Yeah, really yes, And and
I will consume anything that she puts her name to.
Speaker 2 (22:36):
Yeah. So I grew up with, you know, her music.
My mother every Saturday would clean to her music. My
mother would dress like her. I have, you know, I'm
half Italian, half Jewish like most people in the Northeast,
and so I have my whole father's side of the
family loves her. I mean, come on, you know, so
I'm excited to.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
And I don't think there'll ever be another one like that,
you know, I think that. It's so shocking to me
when you realize the younger generation isn't really familiar with
some of the defining performances of her life and career
to have been alive while she was in her prime. Yeah,
(23:20):
like it has been such a gift to me as
an entertainerist, you know, for somebody that you can go, well, well,
there is excellence right there. Yeah, And if you're going
to strive to do this at all, that's the level
of excellence's you know.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
So I don't mind. I'll sit through the forty eight hours, girl,
I don't.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
Mind, all right. Well, as I said, she would put
me to sleep, because I can't listen to a book
I do, I will need it.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
I had to put it on no offense, Barbara. I
speed them up too, because I'm.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
Like, oh, you do you do the double speed?
Speaker 2 (23:51):
Sometimes I do two point zero, which is the fastest
you could go. Really, you know, I just did Matthew
Perry's Oh Oh my.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
God, we were friends, me and Matthew. That was, you know, a.
Speaker 2 (24:06):
Most hard breaking memoir I've ever read.
Speaker 1 (24:08):
Oh, and how brave of him and how important and
how with the reality of his passing, and how wonderful
that he got to do it and define himself. It
was in his own terms, you know, at the.
Speaker 2 (24:20):
Day of his funeral, it was a year ago almost
to that day. I think maybe by that he released
the memoir and I was like, oh jeez, you know,
but it's fantastic. And he did not use a ghostwriter.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
Right, he's a very smart guy too, you know.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
Most of them do which and there's nothing wrong with
that to use one, but he was so talented that
he didn't need one. And it was fantastic.
Speaker 1 (24:47):
Yeah. Really, I've read it as well. I read it.
We started to get to know each other during COVID
because we were in a group chat together and it
lasted all three years and wow, up until you know,
the morning that he died, he posted in our group,
oh jeez, so about ten of us, twelve of us,
you know, yeah, and I just was so so sad,
(25:10):
you know, fifty four and when I sit here at
sixty one and I think, you know, where was I
at fifty four? Did I have Dakota yet? Did I?
Like I was trying to imagine, you know, how long
we get. It's like it's anyone's guest, and life can change.
With a phone call.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
You know, absolutely, But I'm I felt guilty because when
his passing was announced, I said, you know, okay, because
people were people tag me people can you know, on TikTok,
like with something that's relevant to you comes up, and
they were like, oh, can you do his memoir? Can
you do his memoir? And people had been asking me
to do it. I have a list and I try
(25:50):
to keep to it, but sometimes I can't. And so
I said, I came on and said I would do it.
But I did feel really guilty that I didn't get
to do it while he was here. But I'm glad
that I did it at all, because it's fantastic.
Speaker 1 (26:02):
So I do think that he felt loved. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:07):
Yeah, and his parents really amazing, came out with a
beautiful foundation for him.
Speaker 5 (26:11):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (26:12):
Yeah, you know, every big family is complicated. I I
you know, assume it's a given right nobody gets out
on skate. But you know, he had this group of
friends and his best friend is like my sister out here,
Robin Roussanne, and uh, you know, she and he were
like besties and uh, you know, spin hard for her. Yeah,
(26:36):
and yeah, but I just I just you know, it's
just it's sad. It's just sad.
Speaker 2 (26:41):
I think that's the best thing when people ask me.
Sometimes on my page, you'll comment and be like, like,
why do you care about these celebrities? Now on TikTok celebrities,
you're probably one of.
Speaker 1 (26:50):
The very few.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
Yeah, you're one of the very few that they love.
So sometimes I get that comment like who do you like?
Why you care? Why do you worship these people? And girl,
I don't worship them at all. I'm just I love
learning about people and a good story. I love it.
When I was a kid, I was going to when
they used to call me Yenta because like, I love
(27:13):
just knowing everything gossip. I just love it, you know.
And so if somebody has a life well lived and experience,
like please tell me, I want to hear about it.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
So yeah, well you will love the Glass.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
Cast, Okay, good, I wrote it down, so won't be.
Speaker 1 (27:28):
Able to put it to good. It's one of those
kind of books, you know.
Speaker 4 (27:31):
Good.
Speaker 1 (27:32):
Yeah, So on the whole, what do you think of
your TikTok experience? Do you think it's a it's a
thing that's added tremendously to your life. Do you consider
it a job. Do you think of doing content? Are
you in one of those ways you can get paid?
I've never figured out how.
Speaker 2 (27:50):
To do that, but they have. Okay, So I have
days where I'm enthralled in it because something happens right
like unfortunately what happened with Matthew Perry, and then I'm like,
I'm reading his memoir and then I you know, I
read it or listen to it, and then I can't
stop talking about it, and I talk about so that
I have days when that happens. And then I have
days where I'm like, I gotta like push myself because
(28:15):
obviously I don't love social media because I don't even
show my face, so like I'm not interested in like,
oh this will look at me, you know right.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
You know you're not interested in being famous.
Speaker 2 (28:25):
For you now, which is probably stupid like some people
like my husband's like, you know, he wants me to
be more business minded about it, and it's hard for
me because I'm not motivated by that, which or by money,
which sounds like a cop out, but it's so true.
Speaker 1 (28:39):
I just want to.
Speaker 2 (28:40):
Talk to people about, you know whatever. And so there's
days where it seems like a job and I have
to like push through right, and then in between doing memoirs,
I just comment on silly stuff on TikTok or whatever.
And those are the moments that I feel like I
get to know people that follow me because I try
my best to comment as much as I can. You
reply to the comments, because I do have a following
(29:03):
of people. It just seems so silly to me at
times too. I'm almost like, in my real life, nobody
really knows what I do. My husband knows, my mother
kind of knows, though she doesn't understand TikTok. I've told my.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
Brother lucky for you, Lucky for you.
Speaker 2 (29:16):
She'd be commenting, oh God, I told my brother and
he's like, yeah, okay, Like he doesn't really I feel,
and so I feel silly about it sometimes because I
am a lemon on it. So it's like, what the
hell am I doing with this account I do have.
I am part of the Creativity Beta program. I don't
fully understand how it.
Speaker 1 (29:35):
Works, nor do I I don't know. People keep saying,
are you monetizing your TikTok? I'm like, I just learned
how to do a stitch, so I'm not gonna be
monetizing anytime you're don't. I don't understand. You have to
do something and has to be over this amount of
it has to be people have to stay for sixty
seconds or something. And yes, and I don't know.
Speaker 2 (29:57):
You can't do a stitch and you can't do a duet,
which I do them. So those videos you don't make
money on, then you can't do with it. It's a
lot of rules I don't know I have. I haven't
gotten rich. So if it you know, if anybody has
any tips.
Speaker 1 (30:11):
Yeah, kind of.
Speaker 2 (30:12):
So you know, I work part time. There's a Friday, Saturday, Sunday,
I have a daughter, I have a big fat labrador.
So it's like I can't get enthralled in it too much.
Speaker 1 (30:23):
Right, you have real life waiting well.
Speaker 2 (30:25):
And then also when I make content, I make ten
minute long videos multiple parts, and so all I do
is make content on TikTok. I don't do a ton
of scrolling, so that keeps me from getting too wrapped
up in it. And also I think I see a
lot of other creators get a ton of hate. Yeah,
(30:46):
I don't get a ton of hate, and I think
it's because I don't shows.
Speaker 1 (30:50):
I think that No, well, I don't think it's about that.
I think it's because you don't you know, you're not
mean spirited, You're fair in your assessments.
Speaker 2 (30:58):
Well, yeah, sometimes mean if it's nothing about a memoir,
but other stuff. I've had a little couple times if
someone means me like I'll clap back at them. Yeah yeah,
but I can't really do that anymore too many times, Rosie,
because I get a lot of violations.
Speaker 1 (31:16):
Oh yeah, I've gotten some violations.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
Told that, you know, if I get another woman, that's it,
you know, my first every TikTok, I meete, I got
a violation on it.
Speaker 1 (31:27):
Wow, because sometimes it's hard to tell.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
Because I told miss Bethany Frankel that she was wrong
in her assessment of spare and I got a violation
and a block.
Speaker 1 (31:38):
Wow, Now I know zero and that only had eighty
five negative zero. About Bethany Frankel, I never watched the
show when she was on it. The only ones I
saw were the Caroline Manzino in New Jersey. I could
relate to that family. Yeah, but I don't know it
really anything about Bethany Frankel. See and everyone met on
(32:00):
here has a horrible Bethany from eal story because tell
me yours.
Speaker 2 (32:06):
So mine was I think, like I said, it was
my first ever TikTok. I think I even used the
voice over. I didn't even have my normal voices. I
didn't know what I was doing. And I just said,
you know, you're wrong in his making fun of the
title of the book, because he was actually cooled this
right right, I might have said, like, you know, you know, you.
Speaker 1 (32:26):
Don't have an.
Speaker 2 (32:27):
Has to be an asshole about it. The man's heart
out something to that effect. Community guideline violation. Well, first,
the video took off. My first videos got like thirty
thousand views, and I'm like, what in the hell is
this because I'm used to Instagram where nobody sees anything
you do. And then I'm like, well, I don't know
if I like this because this is a lot. It's
(32:48):
a lot of engagement and I was never, you know,
used to that on social media. And then boom, I
get the notice violation harassing and bulling a celebrity, and
I was like, oh my god, what did I do?
Speaker 1 (32:58):
Harassing and bull a celebrity is a special, a special category.
And I thought, well, you know, it's funny when I
report somebody like who's maybe pretending to be me and
getting people to give them money. It's so sad, you know,
and I and I write you know this, this is crazy.
(33:19):
Why you doing this? And people kind of go after them.
Yeah for me, yeah, which is kind of good.
Speaker 2 (33:26):
You know, maybe that is what happens. But all I
know is I got the violation and then I got
a block. So I don't know if it's from the
team that does her stuff or her personally.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
Can I tell you something, any celebrity who tells you
that their team does their TikTok or their Instagram, they're lying, Well, okay,
thank you. I know, the biggest celebrities in the world,
just like you and me, are sitting home doing that.
Speaker 2 (33:52):
That's what everybody saw it.
Speaker 1 (33:55):
But it's the truth.
Speaker 2 (33:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (33:56):
Well, I don't know one person. I think Mark Ruffalo
has because he does so many wonderful causes that he
has someone kind of orchestrated his postings and whatnot, always
because of a cause that he's sporting, right, you know,
I admire him so much, not just as an actor,
but as a man. He's a wonderful, wonderful man.
Speaker 2 (34:18):
Well yeah, so that was you know, and.
Speaker 1 (34:21):
That was your Bethany it didn't go any further than that.
She didn't try to get it. I mean I was
cease and desist or anything.
Speaker 2 (34:27):
People ask me that all the time now because I
wasn't going for anything personal.
Speaker 1 (34:31):
I was just like talking about but what do you
do with like big things like the war and Israel
and Gaza? So what do you do? Do you just ignore?
Or like okay?
Speaker 2 (34:44):
And I tried to come from and whenever I speak
about something on my TikTok and my followers know this,
it's coming from a personal experience place. I'm not just
going to talk out my ass like I know when
I'm talking about like so many people on TikTok do
and they don't know what they're they don't know what
they're talking about half the time. So I'm half Jewish,
half Italian. I wasn't raised Jewish religiously. My father's on
(35:08):
the Jewish side, so I was raised Catholic by my mother.
But I go to I went to all the things,
all my cousins, bot mitzs bar Mitz was Hanikkah's passover
staate ors whatever. So I have more of an understanding
than the average person, right, So I took it from
a place of this is what I know from what
my personal experience. But also that doesn't mean I support
(35:31):
something wholeheartedly one hundred percent. And so I tried to
do both sides. Not both sides, but like just what
I personally feel. It's a mess that I of turmoil
I go through every day. I talk it about it
a little bit. And then I thought, I can't do
this anymore because then you get crazy, wacky comments. And
I just said that said, you know what, I'm not
(35:52):
an expert in this field. All I know is what
I personally, and I watch the ones that are the
experts or that know more than me. I'm not on
here for people to hear my you know, people know,
but that's it. Let's move let me do you know.
That's when I was supposed to do Jada's book, and
that's why I completely.
Speaker 1 (36:08):
So that's what happened. Yes, it's Scott, I couldn't focus.
Yes it was Yes, I can imagine. Well listen, Annoyed Lemon.
I find you delightful. I really enjoy your TikTok, and
I want everybody to go on Annoyed Lemon, follow her
and just enjoy all of her memoir reviews. Which are fantastic,
(36:31):
and all of her little life lessons along the way. Thanks,
including Bethany Frankel you gave her.
Speaker 2 (36:38):
One or Bethany. I really don't hate you, Bethany.
Speaker 1 (36:40):
It's just you know, no, and I don't even really
know you. And I'll read it, write a new one,
write a new one. That's right. I think she has seven.
I'm not sure. Well, you've been great, and thank you
for being here.
Speaker 2 (36:53):
Thank you so much, Rosie.
Speaker 1 (36:55):
I appreciate you did a great job.
Speaker 2 (36:56):
I'm proudy, thank you, thank you, Bye bye.
Speaker 1 (36:59):
Stick around and we'll be back with questions from you
our wonderful listeners. How fabulous is that annoyed Lemon? Smart
(37:28):
and funny? And I want to thank her for doing
my podcast. Okay, we've got two questions, and the first
one is from someone named Nate. Hit it. Nate, Hi, Rosie,
this is Nate. First.
Speaker 5 (37:40):
I just want to say, like everyone, you have had
such an incredible impact on my life. I want to
thank you so so so much. I grew up watching
your show after school. I've always always been drawn to
you and all of the projects that you have been
a part of, and you know, I think it's so
amazing that so many little gay kids like me were
(38:05):
able to see you even when you weren't out to
be able to have you on our screens. There was
something that was clearly a kindred spirit, you know, and
so even before I knew I was gay, I knew
you were safe.
Speaker 1 (38:24):
So thank you for that.
Speaker 5 (38:26):
I also had the privilege of meeting you outside the
Kennedy Center after your performance in The Music Man, which
was amazing, and was able to talk to you at
the stage door, which is so so cool, and you
were just lovely and took time to talk to all
of us, which was so amazing. My question is about
(38:46):
estranged relationships. I've been a strange for my parents for
you know, over a decade, almost eleven or twelve years.
I'm thirty seven, so that's a big chunk of my
adult life. And of course that's been hard on everyone
and sad for a lot of reasons, and at different
times really really hard. But on the whole, I think
(39:07):
it's actually been good for me. I think the distance
was necessary, and I think it helped create healthier, safer
boundaries for me. However, my parents are getting older now
and having health issues, and I'm starting to reevaluate that.
Speaker 1 (39:26):
But it's scary.
Speaker 5 (39:27):
It's scary to think about reopening doors that were so
hard to close and that we're closed for important, necessary reasons.
I have one sister who is older, and she has
remained in touch with our parents, and she's taking care
of them in some ways now, and so I've been
(39:48):
contributing by giving her money. And I feel like that's
a way that I can help and also help my sister,
but still have that boundary for my relationship with my
parents and not wanting to cross that line yet. But
I wonder what advice you might have. I know, you
know you're a parent, but also as a kid, you've experienced,
(40:08):
you know some things that I have too, And so
I just wonder how you would recommend going about this
kind of reevaluating of that estrangement.
Speaker 1 (40:20):
I know it's a.
Speaker 5 (40:21):
Very common thing for people who maybe don't understand to say, listen,
you only get one mom, you only get one dad,
Or when they're gone, you'll feel guilty or you'll wish
that you would have fixed things.
Speaker 1 (40:32):
And you know that is a kind of guilt that.
Speaker 5 (40:36):
You know isn't always true and doesn't always isn't always helpful.
To someone who's gone through a really you know, unhealthy relationship,
and so part of me really does not want to
reopen doors. And in the time we've been apart, my
dad has actually really become a strong Trump supporter and
is very against you know, my queer identity, but also
(41:01):
just all the values I have basically, and so it's
also hard to like reopen something who you know, this
man is someone that I would not want in my life,
otherwise would not be friends with.
Speaker 1 (41:12):
We don't have the same values.
Speaker 5 (41:15):
And yet I do feel this kind of guilt and
I feel pressure from you know, everywhere that I should
be making amends with him. It might be easier with
my mom. They're divorced and so they live separately, but
they're both aging and both having health issues, and so
I feel like it's time to reconsider this relationship. But
(41:36):
it's scary, and so I would love to hear your thoughts.
Thank you for always being a part of my life
and for all you do.
Speaker 1 (41:47):
Thank you you're the sweetest. There's such a beautiful, beautiful message,
and thank you for all the thought and details that
you put in there. You know, I can only talk
about my own experience and and you know, I was
estranged from my dad for boy, I would guess over
(42:07):
twenty years, and when he was sick and dying. You know,
my two older brothers there are five children. My two
older brothers went to see him, and you know then
it went to the funeral, but myself, my sister, and
my younger brother did not. And you know, I will
say that a lot of people told me that I
(42:28):
would regret it, that I would regret it once he passed,
And you know, I didn't regret it. I felt the
same feelings that you are feeling. First of all, when
you said safe, where you needed to get someplace safe.
You know, if you have found a way to safety
after a childhood like ours, you've done an incredible thing
(42:49):
for yourself and for those who you love. You know,
I I don't regret it. Although I sometimes think of
my father now that I'm sixty one. I saw him
one time since my children were born, which was twenty
eight years ago, but he never met my children. He
(43:10):
never saw my children. I kept them separate, and I
don't regret that at all. You know, if your mom
and dad are separate, if you can find any way
in your heart to reach out to your mom, maybe
through a letter, you know, maybe just you know, I'm
thinking of you, and I know it's been a long time,
(43:31):
and I know my sister is there helping, and I've
tried to help in the ways I can, and I
just wanted to touch base and then leave it in
her corner, you know. But you don't have to have
any relationship that doesn't serve you now, because you're a
thirty seven year old adult man, and you sound very
loving and very kind, and you know you're allowed to
(43:54):
take care of yourself. Nate. Thank you for saying that
I was there for you even when I was not out.
You had a sense. And I love that when people
your age come over to me and say, you know,
I didn't even know I was gay, but I knew
there was something about you that I connected to, And
you know, it just makes me so happy, it really does.
And it makes me feel like there was a bigger
(44:16):
purpose to that show and to that job, and you
are the result of that. And I thank you, Nate
for writing me, for coming to see me, and for
being kind afterwards and still now. So happy holidays, my friend.
Do your best and don't beat yourself up, because keep
your life safe and grounded in the reality you've created
(44:40):
for the last decade. And you know some doors are
meant to stay shut. All right. That was heavy, but
that was good. And we got one more coming in.
Who we got this one? I think it's Mary hit
It Mary.
Speaker 4 (44:57):
Hello, Rosie Mary from Ottawa Here. I'm also a sixty
two baby, fourth of five kids, same cultural references, but
without the family drama.
Speaker 2 (45:08):
Anyway.
Speaker 4 (45:08):
I used to listen to your show all the time
and called in many times on the phone line because
I too was adopting a bunch of kids while you were,
and you were my lifeline at that time, and I thank.
Speaker 1 (45:20):
You so much.
Speaker 4 (45:22):
So I just listened to your interview with Angela Tucker
and there was a discussion of kids needing to see
themselves in somebody else. My four children have the same
birth mother, however, they all have different birth fathers, and
none of them could care less if they saw each
other in themselves. I'm wondering if your kids feel the
(45:43):
same way as Angela seemed to feel, and if any
of them have birth siblings, if they've met them, and
if that helped them at all. Thanks for the podcast.
I'm enjoying it.
Speaker 5 (45:54):
A lot.
Speaker 1 (45:55):
Thanks Byte, Thank you Mary, thanks and thanks for listening
to that Angela Tucker interview. So often, as you know,
people who place babies for adoption are in crisis, and
sometimes those crises don't ever get healed, and they remain
consistent even after the twenty years or eighteen years pass.
(46:17):
So I don't think my children feel that way. We've
discussed it a lot, and so I think it's individual
with each child. You know, some of my kids don't
really have very much interest, or they might have looked
up or did an internet search and an email, but
so far that's not now. I have always said I
would be more than happy to help you find your
(46:38):
birth family if you want, at any time when you're
an adult over eighteen, and they know that I'm open
to it. They know that I have volunteered to take
them and wait in the car, and like, I will
do whatever it is that will will soothe or ease
whatever angst they have. But they don't seem to have
very much adoption trauma, so who knows. But read the book.
(47:00):
It's very fascinating, and I hope that you and your
children have a wonderful holiday season and that they know
that love makes a family, not blood, you know, or
not only blood. How about that? Thank you, Mary, Thank
you so much. I love hearing from all of you people,
and it's so hard with the time constraints here that
(47:22):
we're only able to get like one or two in
each episode. But our first show back after the holiday
break will be me answering just your questions and comments
from all of you. We're going to do a whole
hour of that old ones, new ones. How many we
can fit in one show, that's the goal, So send
your voice memos to Onward Rosie at gmail dot com.
(47:42):
But before we have the hiatus, we have one more
fabulous episode with my very close friend of thirty years,
the incredibly talented Sam Harris. Sam was the grand champion
of Star Search and that's where it all started in
nineteen eighty three. Then on to Broadway. We did Grease together,
and he did so many Broadway shows. He's won so
(48:03):
many awards, records and books. He's an amazing author. Just
wrote the screenplay of his latest book that we're going
to talk all about, which I loved, absolutely loved, and
you should get that for the holiday season. So that's
next week with Sam Harris, on onward with Rosie O'Donnell. Hey,
(48:23):
it's still Hanukah, so a happy, healthy and peaceful one
to everybody, especially all those in the mid East. May
peace prevail next year, please God, thank you. Have a wonderful,
wonderful week. We'll see you next time. Peace out.
Well, hello, everybody, you have found us. It is me
Rosie o'donald, star of the Flintstones. How are you are
you doing? Well? It's Christmas time in the city, very excited,
lots of things going on. I spend a lot of
time online buying gifts to be sent to New York
because that's where I'm doing Christmas with all my children
(00:32):
and family and Jackie and her kids, and I just
I can't wait. I absolutely love Christmas time. I don't
like all the stress of gifts specific for people. You know,
my son, Parker has a new partner and I've yet
to meet her, and so I'm purchasing gifts for her
(00:52):
because she's coming for Christmas and I've never met her,
so I'm hoping that I'm just randomly guessing. Parker told
me she liked the color purple, so trust me, it's
purple everything. And I can't wait. You know, what can
I say? What's happening in the news. Norman Lear? Oh,
what can we say about Norman Lear? Only? He was
(01:15):
just the greatest humanitarian, the greatest television producer writer. He
died at one hundred and one, and I was lucky
enough to know him and to have had dinner with
him and spend some time with him. And he was lovely.
He was so lovely, and his wife lovely. And you know,
(01:39):
what can you say about somebody who sort of changed
everything for the world. I mean, he reframed what you
could or couldn't do on TV while entertaining by introducing
political and social themes to sitcoms. Right before All in
the Family television basically portrayed white family life is happy
(02:00):
and content remember Leave It to Beaver Hazel. TV avoided
raising issues about discrimination, misogyny, homophobia, you know, reality basically.
And in nineteen seventy one, when I was nine years old,
he changed everything. He found a way to hold up
a mirror to society, to make us all laugh and
to see ourselves and our own bigotry and ignorance. I
(02:23):
mean Archie Bunker Heydar read it to the Land the
Fruit and Nuts out, dear. But I just loved him,
I really did. What can I say? He did All
in the Family Sanford and Sons Maud, which was to
in my opinion, one of the greatest sitcombs ever on
next to All the Family, Good Times, The Jeffersons. One
(02:45):
day at a time, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, different strokes,
you could keep going, so many And what an amazing
life he lived. And people for the American Way is
his organization and trying to bring to civics and to
civil society and inspire people to be humanitarians and political activists.
(03:09):
And I am forever in his dead, I think, as
we all are. So God speed to you there, Norman Lear,
good old Norman Lear. I wanted to tell you that
I am on family feud on December thirteenth, and I
thought that it was last night. So my brother Eddie,
who is the oldest and the bossiest, he called and said,
(03:33):
you know, we're on family feud. And I was like,
when he's like tonight, I'm like, are you kidding? He
said no. So I do this whole post about tonight
we're on family feud, complete with photos of viv and
Jackie and my godchild Katie and my niece Alli, you know,
and it's wrong. It wasn't on last night, and Eddie
like called me specifically to tell me, so of course
(03:55):
I made this post. And about four hours later I
get a call from Vivi, who is somewhere with her
friends in college laughing hysterically going mom, you are not
on tonight, and neither am I. We're not on until
December thirteenth. Why don't you fix it? I just felt
(04:15):
like somebody who had no cognitive ability left, I really did.
But we got it done. And you know it's on tomorrow.
So that's the thirteenth. Wednesday, the thirteenth, which is tomorrow,
you can watch me on Family Feud. I believe it's
on ABC. I'm pretty sure, but I'm not positive. But
(04:37):
I'm not going to post about it because frankly, I've
done enough damage. Also, Clay's school picture came in and
they are very adorable and actually looked at the camera,
which is a huge plus, eye contact not being the
favorite thing of theirs. Well, we have a great show
for you today, We really do. My conversation is with
(05:00):
annoyed Lemon. Now you're gonna say, who's annoyed Lemon? Well, TikTok.
About a year ago I stumbled upon annoyed lemon, literally
a lemon floating in space with big eyes, big lips,
and I was immediately hooked. She's opinionated, she's funny, she's
a great reviewer of books and biographies, and specially memoirs. Lemon,
(05:26):
as she said I could call her, has one hundred
and forty thousand followers and talks about everything from everything,
her antics in the world, here being you know, a
mom and having her own quirky Italian mother Mama Lemon
as she calls her. She makes me laugh out loud.
Plus you know, she's a really good person. She really is,
(05:47):
and I had a fun chat with her, and I
hope you enjoy it. Here we go. It's me and
from TikTok, my buddy Annoyed Lemon. Hello, Annoyed Lemon.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Hello. Oh, I am so good. Thank you so much
for having me on.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
First of all, I love your TikTok page. I don't
know what do you call it, your, your account, your
I don't know it now, I don't know. I don't either.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
I don't know what I'm doing.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
What everyone should know is all you get on the
visual is a lemon with eyes and a mouse. Yes, Now,
explain to me how and why you came up with
this idea.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
So I only started it in January of this year,
so it hasn't been long. And it was really because
I wanted to talk about stuff and not have my family.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
See interesting because I used to have a Facebook and
an Instagram personal right forever who doesn't, And I would
talk about stuff and like I would go to a
family function and they'd be like.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Oh, I'm sew on you one Facebook talking about this,
and I'm like, They're like, what do you think you
beast on talking about? And I was like, you know what,
I hate all of you. I don't really, but you know,
and I said, I'm gonna make a Well. What really
sparked it was Prince Harry's memoir came out and I
liked it so much, and.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
There was and you know what, so did I, and
so much.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Controversy around it, and so much on TikTok. People weren't
get they didn't have all the context. And so my
first TikTok was like stitching someone saying it's a celebrity.
I don't know. I stitched somebody who wasn't getting it right,
and I let him know.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
Tell me who.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
Was it, Miss Bethne Frank.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
Well, oh yeah, and she was amazing, say about.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
I was was She was just making fun of the
title and she's like, oh, how what a stupid title?
And I stitched and said it actually he's and called
that since birth, by his father, by his grandmother, the queen,
by even his mother, right, and you know, and then
I got my first TikTok ever and it got all
these views, and so I just continued answering the questions
(08:13):
for people that's in and then that's and that's really
what it was.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
And so is it because you happen to be listening
to the Spare Book because I know you like all
your books on audio. Yes, And I actually read or
listened to the Spare Book because of what you had
been saying about it. So then I'm like, I'm going
to listen to this now I have to tell you
the truth, Lemon, And can I just call you? Yes?
Speaker 2 (08:37):
Please? Thank you?
Speaker 1 (08:38):
Okay, So Lemon, I put on the audio books and
I fall asleep. I can't help myself, Like I'm the
kind of person if I'm reading the book book, I
will stay up really until three or four in the
morning because I can't stop.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
Right.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
But when like Harry with that accent, with this I loved,
you know, and he was talking to me, I was like,
good night, you know. So I had to only listen
to it in the day or in the call.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
Everyone's different, right, I can't do the book. I fall
asleep from the book, no kidding. So I loved hearing
his voice.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
I was like, I thought his voice was so beautiful.
I thought, you know, and I know that when people
write big, fat, thick books like that that are exceptionally
and beautifully written, they normally have someone help. But I
don't care, because everyone does it.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
Yeah, he has a very good ghostwriter. I actually read
an article in the New York Times, his ghostwriter, and
I forget about him right now his name, talking about
his experience being Harry's ghostwriter. And it was a beautiful
article about what it means to be a ghostwriter. And
I appreciated that too, because I never really you never
really hear from the ghostwriters, you know, so yeah, no, ever,
(09:52):
it was nice. And that's so that's what really made
me make a TikTok. And I didn't expect it to
really well. So I started TikTok with those lemon filter
because I didn't want my family just being jerks to me,
because that's you know, they bust me chops all the time.
Speaker 1 (10:06):
I thought it had to do with work, Honestly.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
To work.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
I thought that you were at some job and you
thought that you were going to get in trouble.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
Well, and so you came up with this lemon store
about I did have a part time job. I was
working with a liquor rap at the time. When I started,
it was a friend, so that's part of it too.
And I cursed a lot and.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
Stuff like that.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
And then my husband's the real professional one. Actually, my
husband knows you. And I'm going to try to talk
about this in a way that doesn't expose me.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
Okay, you have it.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
You have a foundation for kids on Broadway.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Right, Yes, for kids in New York City. And one
of the things we do is we teach life lessons
through learning musical theater knowledge.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
Many many years. You have a big gala, I won't
say we're in the city. You did for New York. Yes,
he cooked for it every year. Oh so I don't
think he really met you.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
But when I well, I always go in the kitchen
and thank everybody. I always, yes, you know, walk through
when I do that event.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
You didn't meet him one on one, but he said
when I told him what I was doing, He's like, oh, yeah,
I cooked for hang with her.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
I hang with her once a year. I made her
a fileg so excellent. How long have you been married?
If you don't mind me asking, are these lemon secrets
or can I? Okay?
Speaker 2 (11:35):
Nine years? My daughter's nine, so we got married when
she was three months old.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
Excellent? And other children are just one?
Speaker 2 (11:43):
Just one?
Speaker 1 (11:44):
That's great? And what great is that? Now she's in fourth, fourth,
because my little one is in fifth okay, and next
year starts the middle school out here at six seven
eight terrifying.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Yeah, yes, yeah, already I'm scared about it, to believe. Yeah,
it's a difference.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
They start looking like teenagers right in front of you,
and yeah, you know, know what to do, and all
of a sudden they isolate in their room and we'll
be right back with more lemon after this, you know.
(12:34):
So you are the first person I've ever interviewed that
I have no idea what their name is. I know,
is so weird. It is kind of fun.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
I didn't kind of fun in a way, and then
now it's like a thing. You know. At first, people
wanted to know, why do you hide your feet? You
must be you're Rachel McAdams. You're I get that a lot.
I'm like, okay, sure, I am can you can confirm
I'm nobody nobody, and.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
You're a beautiful young woman who's very smart and very
funny and loves to listen to memoirs. I really do,
and we're going to talk about some memoirs in a minute.
But yeah, so I think I just think that you're
very compelling. And I have to say, it's not easy
to be compelling when you're a lemon with just eyes
(13:19):
and memory. I know, you know what, But I just
do work.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
I talk to people like I talk to my family
or my friends. And I love that I'm talking to
people that I don't know. I'm so much more comfortable
talking to people that I don't know. But I couldn't
do this on my well, I don't even have personal
Facebook anymore because I'm on Facebook. But I couldn't do
what I do on TikTok on my personal Facebook page
(13:43):
to my friends and family. I would be embarrassed. Isn't
that weird?
Speaker 1 (13:46):
That's so funny?
Speaker 2 (13:47):
Yeah, it would be too.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
Although I will say, do you ever see the little
character I do on my thing myrtle? Yes, where I
you know, put on the face thing. Yes, you know,
I feel when I'm doing myrtle that it's not me,
and I can say.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Well, when I do, when I do annoyed lemon, I
feel the same way because I can get sassy or
if I get pissed off or something is silly or whatever,
I might not normally imp Well, No, I still curse
a lot in person, but it's more I do the
same thing, but I am the best at it. My
husband is this is the next. But my mother is
(14:23):
the worst. My mother's mouth. There's one TikTok I made
where I recorded her. My followers, if they hear this,
they'll know which one. And it's hysterical because she is
one hundred percent Italian from Hoboken, New Jersey, right, so,
and I grew up with that, and so when we
go there and visit with her, it's just I have
(14:45):
to be like, MA, like tone it down.
Speaker 1 (14:50):
With the cursing, all the fucking like not just not
just the fuck.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
But it's like, we'll get this twat over here. I'm like, MA,
I know my daughter doesn't even know what that is,
but it's like, oh I can't. Yeah, it's tough. Yeah, yeah,
that's where I get it from.
Speaker 1 (15:08):
She's but I'm not that bid It's funny when my
daughter once we were it was very hard in New
York City to do the drop off. Now, I had
this driver for a while and he was laid a lot,
and he was and so I go to get her
in the car and they shush him away and he
(15:29):
has to go all the way around the block in
New York City and we're standing and it's so late
that the teacher is there. When the car pulled away, apparently,
I said, God, damn it, Jimmy. Yeah, And so then
we're waiting. She's three or four years old, a pre
k or whatever, and the teacher says, who are you
waiting for it? She says, God damn it, I'm waiting
for Jimmy. And I was so horrified. You know, what
(15:54):
are those parent moments when you just I know, I know? Yeah,
can I ask you? Did you you always have a
love of reading or listening to books. When did you
first get into the audiobook memoir scene? So I'm always interested.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
Yeah, I've always loved podcasts and audiobooks. Really, when I
became a mom, doing everything I gotta do while listening
to something, I have to always have the TV on.
Something has to be on. I can't have silence. It's
very unnerving for me. So that's how it started. And
then over COVID was when I just was like every day,
(16:29):
every day listening to a book, finishing a book, listening
to a podcast, And that's where it really started.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
Yeah, and where your choice always were memoirs And was
it always celebrity memoirs or any memoir.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
I first was never a memoir. And then this is
going to sound crazy for me to say it. I
listened to Jessica Simpson's memoir, which came out right as
COVID was happening, I think, or right before February twenty
twenty something like that, and it was so good and
I was shocked, wow wow. And I that's when I
(17:01):
went on my personal Facebook pages, tell my friends and
family like, oh, you got to watch JESSK. Simpsons and
they're like, yeah, well, you know whatever. And then that's
I started, and I do Jessica's on my page because
it really is great. And then when I talk about
it on my TikTok account and other people like, oh,
you know Jessica's memoirs fire that memoir is great too,
And there's all these other people that also are into
(17:23):
memoirs like me, So I guess.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
And did you did you read like the Glass Castle?
Remember that about the mom. It's about a news newswoman
who was driving to a black tie event and in
her limo she looks out and sees her mother in
the trash bend, homeless going through as she's on to them.
My goodness, it's a beautiful It was a beautiful book.
(17:48):
I remember, like, sometimes I read a memoir and I'm
unbelievably connected to the person that I try to make
contact with them through you know, TikTok. Now you can rough,
it's easier. Well, I was a child, you know, and
there was TikTok access. I never would have went to school.
Now it's manned.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
But I read on my page and we talked about it.
I hope I pronounced his name right, Michael Checki as
Alina his memoirs called Your Tables Ready, and it's all
about being a mad or d and coming up in
the food and beverage industry in New York City in
like the biggest and best places where all the celebrities
(18:28):
go or when in the eighties and nineties and early
two thousands, it is one of the best memoirs ever,
and I talked about it, and my followers to this
day will say, that's the best memoir you've gone over.
And then he reached out to me that I don't
even know how he you know, and I was It
really meant a lot to him because he was getting
(18:48):
older in years and he couldn't continue food and beverage
is tough.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
Yeah, sure, yeah, tap on your body.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
And he got to an age where he's like, I
can't do it anymore. And his kids were like, why
don't you write a book, dad? And so he did
and it's fantastic.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
So, well, you'll have to tell me the name of us.
Send that to me.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
Your table's ready, It's called.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
Your table is ready. Okay, Laurie, write that down. I'd
love to read that. I can't get enough of memoirs. Now,
did you? I know you? Did? You? You went through
the Jada Pickett book? What'd you think?
Speaker 4 (19:14):
Well?
Speaker 2 (19:14):
No, I didn't finish it yet.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
Oh you didn't finish it?
Speaker 5 (19:17):
No?
Speaker 2 (19:17):
Did you?
Speaker 1 (19:18):
I started it?
Speaker 2 (19:19):
As I started, I didn't finish you know.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
It was weird. I felt like we wouldn't be friends. Oh,
so it was hard for me to kind of like
I don't know. I couldn't get my way to seeing
it without the frame that I have already around.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
That's really hard. Sometimes there are some that I read
and I'm like, I don't like this person too much,
and I try to keep an unbiased opinion, and when
I go over it on my page, I try to
I'm always respectful. I'm never like this, never. I don't
allow my followers to do that if they don't like something.
But yeah, I know what you mean. Sometimes there's some
(19:56):
you know, I'm not.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
Saying yeah, And it's not like she would want to
be It's not like an insul necessarily. It's just I
felt like I couldn't kind of get in there. I
don't know.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
And that happens sometimes too. And then there's times when
you read one and you're like blown away by and
you and then forever have Like for me Paris Hilton's memoirs.
It came out not that long ago. I will forever
rather respect for her.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
For her, I agree, had I just hung out with her,
and you know, I just told her how how much
respect I have for her, and how honest and intelligent
and and gut wrenchingly personal the book was, and what
it has done to help pops who have been through
(20:45):
that horrific Let's let's kidnap your kids at night than this,
and she throws them in a wilderness program for two years.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
I mean, they don't get to come for Christmas or summer.
Break that whole scene that she just describes, when she
was pulled out of the bed, she thought she was
being kidnapped in the middle of the night, dragged by
her feet, men, by grown men. She screaming, I was
I would I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe it.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
I felt the same way. I thought that was really
Now I saw your annoyed lemon TikTok yesterday about the
barber streiss him forty eight hours listen now? Is that
the longest book you were ever trying to listen to? Yes?
Are now you gonna do it? Gonna three hours in? Okay?
Speaker 2 (21:33):
Yes, I'm gonna shore.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
What do you think? Tell me so far? No? Those
are your notes. You got some strike saying, oh it's great.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
The three hours I've listened to are great. But I'm
nervous because it's a lot, and I don't know how
to break it down for people. I don't you know,
but I will. It's really really good.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:51):
She does a very really great job as just describing
her childhood in Brooklyn when she was young, and the
you know, her mother and her stepfather and and and
the restaurants and the bakeries and play you know, hanging
out on the stoop. And it's really great. I'm enjoying it.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
Yeah, but it's for well, yes, I'm taking it over Christmas.
That's gonna be my thing over Christmas to read.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
Did you get the actual physical book? They say, of
course I did.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
Yes, it's it. It's like two Gideon Bibles, you know,
and one and but I you know, I have adored
her since I was born. Yeah, really yes, And and
I will consume anything that she puts her name to.
Speaker 2 (22:36):
Yeah. So I grew up with, you know, her music.
My mother every Saturday would clean to her music. My
mother would dress like her. I have, you know, I'm
half Italian, half Jewish like most people in the Northeast,
and so I have my whole father's side of the
family loves her. I mean, come on, you know, so
I'm excited to.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
And I don't think there'll ever be another one like that,
you know, I think that. It's so shocking to me
when you realize the younger generation isn't really familiar with
some of the defining performances of her life and career
to have been alive while she was in her prime. Yeah,
(23:20):
like it has been such a gift to me as
an entertainerist, you know, for somebody that you can go, well, well,
there is excellence right there. Yeah, And if you're going
to strive to do this at all, that's the level
of excellence's you know.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
So I don't mind. I'll sit through the forty eight hours, girl,
I don't.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
Mind, all right. Well, as I said, she would put
me to sleep, because I can't listen to a book
I do, I will need it.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
I had to put it on no offense, Barbara. I
speed them up too, because I'm.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
Like, oh, you do you do the double speed?
Speaker 2 (23:51):
Sometimes I do two point zero, which is the fastest
you could go. Really, you know, I just did Matthew
Perry's Oh Oh my.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
God, we were friends, me and Matthew. That was, you know, a.
Speaker 2 (24:06):
Most hard breaking memoir I've ever read.
Speaker 1 (24:08):
Oh, and how brave of him and how important and
how with the reality of his passing, and how wonderful
that he got to do it and define himself. It
was in his own terms, you know, at the.
Speaker 2 (24:20):
Day of his funeral, it was a year ago almost
to that day. I think maybe by that he released
the memoir and I was like, oh jeez, you know,
but it's fantastic. And he did not use a ghostwriter.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
Right, he's a very smart guy too, you know.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
Most of them do which and there's nothing wrong with
that to use one, but he was so talented that
he didn't need one. And it was fantastic.
Speaker 1 (24:47):
Yeah. Really, I've read it as well. I read it.
We started to get to know each other during COVID
because we were in a group chat together and it
lasted all three years and wow, up until you know,
the morning that he died, he posted in our group,
oh jeez, so about ten of us, twelve of us,
you know, yeah, and I just was so so sad,
(25:10):
you know, fifty four and when I sit here at
sixty one and I think, you know, where was I
at fifty four? Did I have Dakota yet? Did I?
Like I was trying to imagine, you know, how long
we get. It's like it's anyone's guest, and life can change.
With a phone call.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
You know, absolutely, But I'm I felt guilty because when
his passing was announced, I said, you know, okay, because
people were people tag me people can you know, on TikTok,
like with something that's relevant to you comes up, and
they were like, oh, can you do his memoir? Can
you do his memoir? And people had been asking me
to do it. I have a list and I try
(25:50):
to keep to it, but sometimes I can't. And so
I said, I came on and said I would do it.
But I did feel really guilty that I didn't get
to do it while he was here. But I'm glad
that I did it at all, because it's fantastic.
Speaker 1 (26:02):
So I do think that he felt loved. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:07):
Yeah, and his parents really amazing, came out with a
beautiful foundation for him.
Speaker 5 (26:11):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (26:12):
Yeah, you know, every big family is complicated. I I
you know, assume it's a given right nobody gets out
on skate. But you know, he had this group of
friends and his best friend is like my sister out here,
Robin Roussanne, and uh, you know, she and he were
like besties and uh, you know, spin hard for her. Yeah,
(26:36):
and yeah, but I just I just you know, it's
just it's sad. It's just sad.
Speaker 2 (26:41):
I think that's the best thing when people ask me.
Sometimes on my page, you'll comment and be like, like,
why do you care about these celebrities? Now on TikTok celebrities,
you're probably one of.
Speaker 1 (26:50):
The very few.
Speaker 2 (26:52):
Yeah, you're one of the very few that they love.
So sometimes I get that comment like who do you like?
Why you care? Why do you worship these people? And girl,
I don't worship them at all. I'm just I love
learning about people and a good story. I love it.
When I was a kid, I was going to when
they used to call me Yenta because like, I love
(27:13):
just knowing everything gossip. I just love it, you know.
And so if somebody has a life well lived and experience,
like please tell me, I want to hear about it.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
So yeah, well you will love the Glass.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
Cast, Okay, good, I wrote it down, so won't be.
Speaker 1 (27:28):
Able to put it to good. It's one of those
kind of books, you know.
Speaker 4 (27:31):
Good.
Speaker 1 (27:32):
Yeah, So on the whole, what do you think of
your TikTok experience? Do you think it's a it's a
thing that's added tremendously to your life. Do you consider
it a job. Do you think of doing content? Are
you in one of those ways you can get paid?
I've never figured out how.
Speaker 2 (27:50):
To do that, but they have. Okay, So I have
days where I'm enthralled in it because something happens right
like unfortunately what happened with Matthew Perry, and then I'm like,
I'm reading his memoir and then I you know, I
read it or listen to it, and then I can't
stop talking about it, and I talk about so that
I have days when that happens. And then I have
days where I'm like, I gotta like push myself because
(28:15):
obviously I don't love social media because I don't even
show my face, so like I'm not interested in like,
oh this will look at me, you know right.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
You know you're not interested in being famous.
Speaker 2 (28:25):
For you now, which is probably stupid like some people
like my husband's like, you know, he wants me to
be more business minded about it, and it's hard for
me because I'm not motivated by that, which or by money,
which sounds like a cop out, but it's so true.
Speaker 1 (28:39):
I just want to.
Speaker 2 (28:40):
Talk to people about, you know whatever. And so there's
days where it seems like a job and I have
to like push through right, and then in between doing memoirs,
I just comment on silly stuff on TikTok or whatever.
And those are the moments that I feel like I
get to know people that follow me because I try
my best to comment as much as I can. You
reply to the comments, because I do have a following
(29:03):
of people. It just seems so silly to me at
times too. I'm almost like, in my real life, nobody
really knows what I do. My husband knows, my mother
kind of knows, though she doesn't understand TikTok. I've told my.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
Brother lucky for you, Lucky for you.
Speaker 2 (29:16):
She'd be commenting, oh God, I told my brother and
he's like, yeah, okay, Like he doesn't really I feel,
and so I feel silly about it sometimes because I
am a lemon on it. So it's like, what the
hell am I doing with this account I do have.
I am part of the Creativity Beta program. I don't
fully understand how it.
Speaker 1 (29:35):
Works, nor do I I don't know. People keep saying,
are you monetizing your TikTok? I'm like, I just learned
how to do a stitch, so I'm not gonna be
monetizing anytime you're don't. I don't understand. You have to
do something and has to be over this amount of
it has to be people have to stay for sixty
seconds or something. And yes, and I don't know.
Speaker 2 (29:57):
You can't do a stitch and you can't do a duet,
which I do them. So those videos you don't make
money on, then you can't do with it. It's a
lot of rules I don't know I have. I haven't
gotten rich. So if it you know, if anybody has
any tips.
Speaker 1 (30:11):
Yeah, kind of.
Speaker 2 (30:12):
So you know, I work part time. There's a Friday, Saturday, Sunday,
I have a daughter, I have a big fat labrador.
So it's like I can't get enthralled in it too much.
Speaker 1 (30:23):
Right, you have real life waiting well.
Speaker 2 (30:25):
And then also when I make content, I make ten
minute long videos multiple parts, and so all I do
is make content on TikTok. I don't do a ton
of scrolling, so that keeps me from getting too wrapped
up in it. And also I think I see a
lot of other creators get a ton of hate. Yeah,
(30:46):
I don't get a ton of hate, and I think
it's because I don't shows.
Speaker 1 (30:50):
I think that No, well, I don't think it's about that.
I think it's because you don't you know, you're not
mean spirited, You're fair in your assessments.
Speaker 2 (30:58):
Well, yeah, sometimes mean if it's nothing about a memoir,
but other stuff. I've had a little couple times if
someone means me like I'll clap back at them. Yeah yeah,
but I can't really do that anymore too many times, Rosie,
because I get a lot of violations.
Speaker 1 (31:16):
Oh yeah, I've gotten some violations.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
Told that, you know, if I get another woman, that's it,
you know, my first every TikTok, I meete, I got
a violation on it.
Speaker 1 (31:27):
Wow, because sometimes it's hard to tell.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
Because I told miss Bethany Frankel that she was wrong
in her assessment of spare and I got a violation
and a block.
Speaker 1 (31:38):
Wow, Now I know zero and that only had eighty
five negative zero. About Bethany Frankel, I never watched the
show when she was on it. The only ones I
saw were the Caroline Manzino in New Jersey. I could
relate to that family. Yeah, but I don't know it
really anything about Bethany Frankel. See and everyone met on
(32:00):
here has a horrible Bethany from eal story because tell
me yours.
Speaker 2 (32:06):
So mine was I think, like I said, it was
my first ever TikTok. I think I even used the
voice over. I didn't even have my normal voices. I
didn't know what I was doing. And I just said,
you know, you're wrong in his making fun of the
title of the book, because he was actually cooled this
right right, I might have said, like, you know, you know, you.
Speaker 1 (32:26):
Don't have an.
Speaker 2 (32:27):
Has to be an asshole about it. The man's heart
out something to that effect. Community guideline violation. Well, first,
the video took off. My first videos got like thirty
thousand views, and I'm like, what in the hell is
this because I'm used to Instagram where nobody sees anything
you do. And then I'm like, well, I don't know
if I like this because this is a lot. It's
(32:48):
a lot of engagement and I was never, you know,
used to that on social media. And then boom, I
get the notice violation harassing and bulling a celebrity, and
I was like, oh my god, what did I do?
Speaker 1 (32:58):
Harassing and bull a celebrity is a special, a special category.
And I thought, well, you know, it's funny when I
report somebody like who's maybe pretending to be me and
getting people to give them money. It's so sad, you know,
and I and I write you know this, this is crazy.
(33:19):
Why you doing this? And people kind of go after them.
Yeah for me, yeah, which is kind of good.
Speaker 2 (33:26):
You know, maybe that is what happens. But all I
know is I got the violation and then I got
a block. So I don't know if it's from the
team that does her stuff or her personally.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
Can I tell you something, any celebrity who tells you
that their team does their TikTok or their Instagram, they're lying, Well, okay,
thank you. I know, the biggest celebrities in the world,
just like you and me, are sitting home doing that.
Speaker 2 (33:52):
That's what everybody saw it.
Speaker 1 (33:55):
But it's the truth.
Speaker 2 (33:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (33:56):
Well, I don't know one person. I think Mark Ruffalo
has because he does so many wonderful causes that he
has someone kind of orchestrated his postings and whatnot, always
because of a cause that he's sporting, right, you know,
I admire him so much, not just as an actor,
but as a man. He's a wonderful, wonderful man.
Speaker 2 (34:18):
Well yeah, so that was you know, and.
Speaker 1 (34:21):
That was your Bethany it didn't go any further than that.
She didn't try to get it. I mean I was
cease and desist or anything.
Speaker 2 (34:27):
People ask me that all the time now because I
wasn't going for anything personal.
Speaker 1 (34:31):
I was just like talking about but what do you
do with like big things like the war and Israel
and Gaza? So what do you do? Do you just ignore?
Or like okay?
Speaker 2 (34:44):
And I tried to come from and whenever I speak
about something on my TikTok and my followers know this,
it's coming from a personal experience place. I'm not just
going to talk out my ass like I know when
I'm talking about like so many people on TikTok do
and they don't know what they're they don't know what
they're talking about half the time. So I'm half Jewish,
half Italian. I wasn't raised Jewish religiously. My father's on
(35:08):
the Jewish side, so I was raised Catholic by my mother.
But I go to I went to all the things,
all my cousins, bot mitzs bar Mitz was Hanikkah's passover
staate ors whatever. So I have more of an understanding
than the average person, right, So I took it from
a place of this is what I know from what
my personal experience. But also that doesn't mean I support
(35:31):
something wholeheartedly one hundred percent. And so I tried to
do both sides. Not both sides, but like just what
I personally feel. It's a mess that I of turmoil
I go through every day. I talk it about it
a little bit. And then I thought, I can't do
this anymore because then you get crazy, wacky comments. And
I just said that said, you know what, I'm not
(35:52):
an expert in this field. All I know is what
I personally, and I watch the ones that are the
experts or that know more than me. I'm not on
here for people to hear my you know, people know,
but that's it. Let's move let me do you know.
That's when I was supposed to do Jada's book, and
that's why I completely.
Speaker 1 (36:08):
So that's what happened. Yes, it's Scott, I couldn't focus.
Yes it was Yes, I can imagine. Well listen, Annoyed Lemon.
I find you delightful. I really enjoy your TikTok, and
I want everybody to go on Annoyed Lemon, follow her
and just enjoy all of her memoir reviews. Which are fantastic,
(36:31):
and all of her little life lessons along the way. Thanks,
including Bethany Frankel you gave her.
Speaker 2 (36:38):
One or Bethany. I really don't hate you, Bethany.
Speaker 1 (36:40):
It's just you know, no, and I don't even really
know you. And I'll read it, write a new one,
write a new one. That's right. I think she has seven.
I'm not sure. Well, you've been great, and thank you
for being here.
Speaker 2 (36:53):
Thank you so much, Rosie.
Speaker 1 (36:55):
I appreciate you did a great job.
Speaker 2 (36:56):
I'm proudy, thank you, thank you, Bye bye.
Speaker 1 (36:59):
Stick around and we'll be back with questions from you
our wonderful listeners. How fabulous is that annoyed Lemon? Smart
(37:28):
and funny? And I want to thank her for doing
my podcast. Okay, we've got two questions, and the first
one is from someone named Nate. Hit it. Nate, Hi, Rosie,
this is Nate. First.
Speaker 5 (37:40):
I just want to say, like everyone, you have had
such an incredible impact on my life. I want to
thank you so so so much. I grew up watching
your show after school. I've always always been drawn to
you and all of the projects that you have been
a part of, and you know, I think it's so
amazing that so many little gay kids like me were
(38:05):
able to see you even when you weren't out to
be able to have you on our screens. There was
something that was clearly a kindred spirit, you know, and
so even before I knew I was gay, I knew
you were safe.
Speaker 1 (38:24):
So thank you for that.
Speaker 5 (38:26):
I also had the privilege of meeting you outside the
Kennedy Center after your performance in The Music Man, which
was amazing, and was able to talk to you at
the stage door, which is so so cool, and you
were just lovely and took time to talk to all
of us, which was so amazing. My question is about
(38:46):
estranged relationships. I've been a strange for my parents for
you know, over a decade, almost eleven or twelve years.
I'm thirty seven, so that's a big chunk of my
adult life. And of course that's been hard on everyone
and sad for a lot of reasons, and at different
times really really hard. But on the whole, I think
(39:07):
it's actually been good for me. I think the distance
was necessary, and I think it helped create healthier, safer
boundaries for me. However, my parents are getting older now
and having health issues, and I'm starting to reevaluate that.
Speaker 1 (39:26):
But it's scary.
Speaker 5 (39:27):
It's scary to think about reopening doors that were so
hard to close and that we're closed for important, necessary reasons.
I have one sister who is older, and she has
remained in touch with our parents, and she's taking care
of them in some ways now, and so I've been
(39:48):
contributing by giving her money. And I feel like that's
a way that I can help and also help my sister,
but still have that boundary for my relationship with my
parents and not wanting to cross that line yet. But
I wonder what advice you might have. I know, you
know you're a parent, but also as a kid, you've experienced,
(40:08):
you know some things that I have too, And so
I just wonder how you would recommend going about this
kind of reevaluating of that estrangement.
Speaker 1 (40:20):
I know it's a.
Speaker 5 (40:21):
Very common thing for people who maybe don't understand to say, listen,
you only get one mom, you only get one dad,
Or when they're gone, you'll feel guilty or you'll wish
that you would have fixed things.
Speaker 1 (40:32):
And you know that is a kind of guilt that.
Speaker 5 (40:36):
You know isn't always true and doesn't always isn't always helpful.
To someone who's gone through a really you know, unhealthy relationship,
and so part of me really does not want to
reopen doors. And in the time we've been apart, my
dad has actually really become a strong Trump supporter and
is very against you know, my queer identity, but also
(41:01):
just all the values I have basically, and so it's
also hard to like reopen something who you know, this
man is someone that I would not want in my life,
otherwise would not be friends with.
Speaker 1 (41:12):
We don't have the same values.
Speaker 5 (41:15):
And yet I do feel this kind of guilt and
I feel pressure from you know, everywhere that I should
be making amends with him. It might be easier with
my mom. They're divorced and so they live separately, but
they're both aging and both having health issues, and so
I feel like it's time to reconsider this relationship. But
(41:36):
it's scary, and so I would love to hear your thoughts.
Thank you for always being a part of my life
and for all you do.
Speaker 1 (41:47):
Thank you you're the sweetest. There's such a beautiful, beautiful message,
and thank you for all the thought and details that
you put in there. You know, I can only talk
about my own experience and and you know, I was
estranged from my dad for boy, I would guess over
(42:07):
twenty years, and when he was sick and dying. You know,
my two older brothers there are five children. My two
older brothers went to see him, and you know then
it went to the funeral, but myself, my sister, and
my younger brother did not. And you know, I will
say that a lot of people told me that I
(42:28):
would regret it, that I would regret it once he passed,
And you know, I didn't regret it. I felt the
same feelings that you are feeling. First of all, when
you said safe, where you needed to get someplace safe.
You know, if you have found a way to safety
after a childhood like ours, you've done an incredible thing
(42:49):
for yourself and for those who you love. You know,
I I don't regret it. Although I sometimes think of
my father now that I'm sixty one. I saw him
one time since my children were born, which was twenty
eight years ago, but he never met my children. He
(43:10):
never saw my children. I kept them separate, and I
don't regret that at all. You know, if your mom
and dad are separate, if you can find any way
in your heart to reach out to your mom, maybe
through a letter, you know, maybe just you know, I'm
thinking of you, and I know it's been a long time,
(43:31):
and I know my sister is there helping, and I've
tried to help in the ways I can, and I
just wanted to touch base and then leave it in
her corner, you know. But you don't have to have
any relationship that doesn't serve you now, because you're a
thirty seven year old adult man, and you sound very
loving and very kind, and you know you're allowed to
(43:54):
take care of yourself. Nate. Thank you for saying that
I was there for you even when I was not out.
You had a sense. And I love that when people
your age come over to me and say, you know,
I didn't even know I was gay, but I knew
there was something about you that I connected to, And
you know, it just makes me so happy, it really does.
And it makes me feel like there was a bigger
(44:16):
purpose to that show and to that job, and you
are the result of that. And I thank you, Nate
for writing me, for coming to see me, and for
being kind afterwards and still now. So happy holidays, my friend.
Do your best and don't beat yourself up, because keep
your life safe and grounded in the reality you've created
(44:40):
for the last decade. And you know some doors are
meant to stay shut. All right. That was heavy, but
that was good. And we got one more coming in.
Who we got this one? I think it's Mary hit
It Mary.
Speaker 4 (44:57):
Hello, Rosie Mary from Ottawa Here. I'm also a sixty
two baby, fourth of five kids, same cultural references, but
without the family drama.
Speaker 2 (45:08):
Anyway.
Speaker 4 (45:08):
I used to listen to your show all the time
and called in many times on the phone line because
I too was adopting a bunch of kids while you were,
and you were my lifeline at that time, and I thank.
Speaker 1 (45:20):
You so much.
Speaker 4 (45:22):
So I just listened to your interview with Angela Tucker
and there was a discussion of kids needing to see
themselves in somebody else. My four children have the same
birth mother, however, they all have different birth fathers, and
none of them could care less if they saw each
other in themselves. I'm wondering if your kids feel the
(45:43):
same way as Angela seemed to feel, and if any
of them have birth siblings, if they've met them, and
if that helped them at all. Thanks for the podcast.
I'm enjoying it.
Speaker 5 (45:54):
A lot.
Speaker 1 (45:55):
Thanks Byte, Thank you Mary, thanks and thanks for listening
to that Angela Tucker interview. So often, as you know,
people who place babies for adoption are in crisis, and
sometimes those crises don't ever get healed, and they remain
consistent even after the twenty years or eighteen years pass.
(46:17):
So I don't think my children feel that way. We've
discussed it a lot, and so I think it's individual
with each child. You know, some of my kids don't
really have very much interest, or they might have looked
up or did an internet search and an email, but
so far that's not now. I have always said I
would be more than happy to help you find your
(46:38):
birth family if you want, at any time when you're
an adult over eighteen, and they know that I'm open
to it. They know that I have volunteered to take
them and wait in the car, and like, I will
do whatever it is that will will soothe or ease
whatever angst they have. But they don't seem to have
very much adoption trauma, so who knows. But read the book.
(47:00):
It's very fascinating, and I hope that you and your
children have a wonderful holiday season and that they know
that love makes a family, not blood, you know, or
not only blood. How about that? Thank you, Mary, Thank
you so much. I love hearing from all of you people,
and it's so hard with the time constraints here that
(47:22):
we're only able to get like one or two in
each episode. But our first show back after the holiday
break will be me answering just your questions and comments
from all of you. We're going to do a whole
hour of that old ones, new ones. How many we
can fit in one show, that's the goal, So send
your voice memos to Onward Rosie at gmail dot com.
(47:42):
But before we have the hiatus, we have one more
fabulous episode with my very close friend of thirty years,
the incredibly talented Sam Harris. Sam was the grand champion
of Star Search and that's where it all started in
nineteen eighty three. Then on to Broadway. We did Grease together,
and he did so many Broadway shows. He's won so
(48:03):
many awards, records and books. He's an amazing author. Just
wrote the screenplay of his latest book that we're going
to talk all about, which I loved, absolutely loved, and
you should get that for the holiday season. So that's
next week with Sam Harris, on onward with Rosie O'Donnell. Hey,
(48:23):
it's still Hanukah, so a happy, healthy and peaceful one
to everybody, especially all those in the mid East. May
peace prevail next year, please God, thank you. Have a wonderful,
wonderful week. We'll see you next time. Peace out.
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