JANE LYNCH — on how a Frosted Flakes commercial led to ‘Best in Show’

Summary

Dinner’s on Me with Jesse Tyler Ferguson: Episode Summary featuring Jane Lynch

---

Introduction to the Episode In this engaging episode of Dinner’s on Me with Jesse Tyler Ferguson, host Jesse Tyler Ferguson sits down with the beloved actress and comedian Jane Lynch. The conversation navigates through Jane’s illustrious career, her personal journey, and the profound impact of her roles on both her life and her audience.

---

Jane Lynch’s Career Beginnings Jane Lynch reflects on her early career struggles and pivotal moments that shaped her path in the entertainment industry. Jesse shares a personal anecdote about how a commercial and her performance in Best in Show turned him into a lifelong fan.

• "I saw it again and again and again. Memorizing lines, obsessing over deleted scenes, and idolizing every member of the cast. And then there was Jane Lynch. Now, I'd never seen her before, but as Christy Cummings, she was electric." ([00:46])

The Frosted Flakes Commercial and Best in Show A significant turning point in Jane’s career was her appearance in a Frosted Flakes commercial, which led to her role in Christopher Guest’s acclaimed film Best in Show. Jane discusses the improvisational nature of Guest’s projects and how they allowed actors to explore and expand their craft.

• "I did all that acting school stuff, wrote out the history of the character and made decisions about her... I really learned who she was." ([16:24])

Transition to Mainstream Success: Glee and Modern Family Jane delves into her breakthrough role as Sue Sylvester in Glee, juxtaposed with Jesse’s success in Modern Family. They discuss the simultaneous rise of both shows and how it fostered a unique camaraderie between their careers.

• "I became a fan for life in that moment, tracking her every project like a Heat Seeking Missile." ([01:17])

Friendship and Personal Life with Jesse Tyler Ferguson The conversation shifts to the personal connection between Jesse and Jane. They reminisce about their early days in Hollywood, the development of their friendship, and Jane’s subsequent move to Montecito. Jane shares heartfelt insights into her marriage and life outside the limelight.

• "It's a strange and wonderful thing when someone you idolize turns out to be just as incredible in real life as you'd hope they'd be." ([03:09])

Experiences in Hollywood as a Lesbian Actress Jane opens up about her journey as a lesbian in Hollywood, the challenges she faced, and the importance of representation. She highlights how visibility in media has evolved and the role her characters play in fostering inclusivity.

• "I think that they did a lot of work that kind of gave me subconsciously some kind of security and safety." ([23:47])

Work with Christopher Guest and Improvisation Jane discusses her collaborative experiences with Christopher Guest, emphasizing the balance between improvisation and structured storytelling. She recounts specific scenes from Best in Show and Mighty Wind that showcase her ability to adapt and thrive in spontaneous settings.

• "And she's got an old man that she's married to... I would read like the news, I would pick up a newspaper and I would comment on the newspaper as the character." ([16:24])

Supporting Roles and Collaborations with Other Actors Highlighting her versatility, Jane talks about working alongside industry giants like Meryl Streep in Julie & Julia. She describes the mutual respect and learning experiences gained from such collaborations.

• "I felt like I was working with Queen Elizabeth in the way. I was humbled and careful of my decorum and just kind of that crazy stuff." ([32:53])

Reflections on Representation and Impact on Audiences Both Jesse and Jane emphasize the significance of their roles in shaping societal perceptions and providing relatable narratives for marginalized communities. They discuss the responsibilities that come with representation and the positive feedback from audiences who find solace and inspiration in their work.

• "It felt like you had to sort of make a... It felt like you had to sort of make a statement without having to make a big, splashy moment of it." ([25:22])

Conclusion The episode concludes with heartfelt gratitude between Jesse and Jane, celebrating their friendship and Jane’s enduring influence in the entertainment world. They express optimism for the future of inclusive storytelling and the ongoing journey of personal and professional growth.

• "Thanks for doing this with me." ([44:55])

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Jesse Tyler Ferguson ([00:46]): "I saw it again and again and again. Memorizing lines, obsessing over deleted scenes, and idolizing every member of the cast. And then there was Jane Lynch. Now, I'd never seen her before, but as Christy Cummings, she was electric."

• Jane Lynch ([16:24]): "I did all that acting school stuff, wrote out the history of the character and made decisions about her... I really learned who she was."

• Jane Lynch ([03:09]): "It's a strange and wonderful thing when someone you idolize turns out to be just as incredible in real life as you'd hope they'd be."

• Jane Lynch ([23:47]): "I think that they did a lot of work that kind of gave me subconsciously some kind of security and safety."

• Jane Lynch ([32:53]): "I felt like I was working with Queen Elizabeth in the way. I was humbled and careful of my decorum and just kind of that crazy stuff."

• Jesse Tyler Ferguson ([25:22]): "It felt like you had to sort of make a statement without having to make a big, splashy moment of it."

• Jane Lynch ([44:55]): "Thanks for doing this with me."

---

Final Thoughts This episode serves as a testament to Jane Lynch’s remarkable journey in the entertainment industry, her dedication to authentic performance, and her unwavering commitment to representation. Jesse and Jane’s candid conversation offers listeners a deep dive into the life of an actress who continues to inspire and entertain with grace and humor.

Transcript

[Jane Lynch]

Jesse, get in the car.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Is this a new car? What's going on? This is crazy.

[Jane Lynch]

Well, we're hitting the road today and leaving the la bubble to eat with our guests in Montecito. And I thought, why not arrive in style in the all new Nissan Murano?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I like this. It's so luxurious.

[Jane Lynch]

Let me show you something.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, wait. Does this seat have massagers in it? Oh, my. What is this, a spa?

[Jane Lynch]

Yes. Wait, let me show you something else.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, the lights are changing colors in here. What's going on?

[Jane Lynch]

Yeah, it's a vibe, right? Like what are you feeling color wise? Because, I mean, there's 64 color options.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

There are that many colors?

[Jane Lynch]

Yes.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay. I'm simple blue.

[Jane Lynch]

You got it.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh. Oh. Okay. This is very luxurious, very relaxing. We have seat massagers.

[Jane Lynch]

Let's put your seat back.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay, let me go. Oh. Oh, wow. Yeah. Look at this view.

[Jane Lynch]

Just sit back, relax. We're going to be there in no time.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

All right, I'm ready. Are you ready?

[Jane Lynch]

I'm ready.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Montecito, here we come. Woo. Hi, it's Jessie today on the show. You know her from only murders in the building, Glee, and her multitude of roles in Christopher Guest's films. It's Jane Lynch.

[Jennifer]

Sim. Sometimes at night we see guys holding hands, walking down the beach, and they're gay. And I was like, I'm the girl version of that.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

This is dinner's on me. And I'm your host, Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Okay. The year was 2000. I was 24 years old, crammed into a studio apartment deep in Brooklyn. I was juggling three jobs, one for rent, one for food, and one for my metrocard, which was basically a monthly subscription to disappointment. Any spare moment I had, I was auditioning, running across the city in shoes that were probably falling apart. One freezing winter day, between appointments in Manhattan, I ducked into a movie theater just to get warm. The movie I decided to see was best in show, and from the moment it started, I was absolutely hooked. Now, I already loved Christopher Guest's previous film, waiting for Guffman, but best in show, it was an instant classic. I saw it again and again and again. I dragged friends with me every time I saw it. The second that the DVD hit the shelves, I bought it and practically wore it out. Memorizing lines, obsessing over deleted scenes, and idolizing every member of the cast. And then there was Jane Lynch. Now, I'd never seen her before, but as Christy Cummings, she was electric. I became a fan for life in that moment, tracking her every project like a Heat Seeking Missile. Now, flash forward a decade. Modern Family premieres, and my life changes in ways I never could have imagined. Running around to all those auditions in unsensible shoes obviously paid off. The same season that Modern Family started, another show explodes onto the scene. Glee. And right there at the center of it, in all her tracksuit clad, megaphone wielding glory, is Jane lynch as coach Sue Sylvester. I remember watching beaming with pride for this actress I had admired for so long. And then something even wilder happened. Through the swirl of Hollywood events, red carpets and industry parties that came with those early Modern Family years, Jane and I crossed paths. And then we kept crossing paths. And before I knew it, she wasn't just an actress I admired. She was my friend. It's a strange and wonderful thing when someone you idolize turns out to be just as incredible in real life as you'd hope they'd be. Jane was sharp, hilarious, and deeply kind. We just clicked. So when the opportunity came up to take a road trip to Santa Barbara for a meal with Jane, I didn't hesitate for a second. It felt like a full circle moment. The kind of thing that if you told 24 year old me about shivering in that movie theater back in 2000, I would never have believed. But life has a funny way of surprising you. Jane. Thanks for doing this with me.

[Jennifer]

Oh, I'm so thrilled. I love your little old school notepad.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I know, right? I know. Just simple notes.

[Jennifer]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Because we know each other so well. I really don't need it.

[Jennifer]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I brought Jane to Trey Lunae in Montecito now. Well, actually, I should say Jane brought me because it was really her suggestion. She's a regular there. She even has a regular table that she may or may not frequent with none other than Carol Burnett. Funny story. When we were talking to Trey Lunae about hosting this episode, Jane was apparently sipping some coffee on the patio. I mean, she basically lives there. Anyway, Trey Lunae is a celebrity hotspot for a reason. It serves up authentic, simple Italian recipes that let the fresh ingredients really shine through. Like rigatoni with porcini, shiitake and button mushrooms in a light tomato cream sauce. Or fresh sauteed salmon with lemons and cap. Now I'm hungry. Okay, let's get to the conversation. Thanks for having us here in your little hometown.

[Jennifer]

Now this. Yeah, this is Montecito, and this is Trey Luna. And I come here probably at least four times a week.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I love it up here so much. I'm so jealous that you get to live here year round.

[Jennifer]

It's A wonderful place to live.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. Wait, have you lived up here for a While now?

[Jennifer]

About five years.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay. Okay, so that was 2020. What made you want to make that move from. From LA to come up here?

[Jennifer]

Well, Jennifer, my wife and I, one of our first dates, our first weekend way was up here. And I had always said I want to live here when I retire, you know, when I get old. Like cuz everybody here, as you look around, everybody's of a certain age.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

What is your day like up here?

[Jennifer]

Oh gosh, it's really slow and it took me a while. I'm in. I'm in the place now where it feels good and it feels normal. But you know, I. I really have nothing to do except if I go off and work, but I take a walk. I mean, I run into people all the time and say, you walk a lot around here. And I go to the grocery store and get my food for the day. I mean, it's really simple and easy. Then I go to Cafe Luxe and get my non existent coffee anymore because I can't drink coffee because of my argument. I can't. And it's been my big addiction, letting the coffee go. It's almost like when I stopped drinking, it was like I felt I have no reason to live now.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I know.

[Jennifer]

So going through a little bit of that downer.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Have you really completely given it up?

[Jennifer]

Yeah, I have to. I have to. I'm burning on my voice box and my voice has gotten a little lower.

[Unknown]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Jennifer]

So that's basically what I do. I get my groceries for the day and then I go home.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You get your groceries and you deal with the acid reflux?

[Jennifer]

I do. That's all I do.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That's all you do. You're a whole new person up here in Santa Barbara, Montecito area.

[Jennifer]

I am.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Do you now? Just to be clear, you haven't retired even though you're living in.

[Jennifer]

No, but that's the funny thing is that I. When we got up here, we took a weekend up here and Jennifer said, you know, you're almost 60, so this is almost like retirement age. Do you want to look around? And I was like, sure. So we found something, a house. And then the prices went through the roof.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I'm so happy you're up here. You seem really happy up here.

[Jennifer]

And you're welcome. You and Justin and the kids are welcome to come to the. We have a little carriage house. That's so sweet. You have to come visit us.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I love that.

[Jennifer]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

How is marriage? 2.0. Going great.

[Jennifer]

Really, really well.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I'm glad.

[Jennifer]

Yeah. When you said 2.0, I was thinking, oh. Cause I forgot I had been married before. But it's great. She's one of the happiest peaceful people I've ever met in my life. And we're both very independent. Very independent. Like, if we hadn't found each other, we would for sure be single. It's just really perfect for both of us.

[Unknown]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You've always been, I think, fairly independent, from what I understand.

[Jennifer]

Yeah. I like to do things on my own.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I remember one of the first times I saw you in person was right after I moved to Los Angeles. Just speaking of coffee shops and your love of coffee. And I drove by Kings Road, of course. I remember being so excited because I was such a huge fan of yours and I was too nervous to say hello to you, which I don't know if it's because I just found you intimidating and tall, which you are, at least one of those things. But I was so pleased when we finally became friends when you were doing Glee and I was doing Modern Family. Because those two shows started at the same time. And, you know, they were both such hot shows at the time.

[Jennifer]

Yeah, it was a heady period of time for us, wasn't it? Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, it was crazy. And I mean, I had already known you, you knew your work was so impressed upon me just with the Christopher Guest stuff you'd done and 40 old virgin. But it seemed with Glee, like it was a whole other level of notoriety that you were getting. And, like, people were so excited about you in that show and obviously, you know, awards attention. And for me, it was just, you know, that was such a big deal for me at that moment, too. And I feel like it was Glee in Modern Family, like the two hot, buzzy shows, the two comedies that people were really talking about.

[Jennifer]

Right. It was rare fight air, for sure.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Absolutely. And I really loved getting to know so many people that, you know, your co workers and. But mostly you. It's like it was such a treat to get to know you as a person.

[Jennifer]

Same here.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And that's where our friendship sort of began.

[Jennifer]

Yeah, exactly. Yeah. I remember the last time we worked together, which we didn't share the screen, was that it was in Vancouver.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yes.

[Jennifer]

And I moved out of that hotel. Oh, I didn't tell you.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No, you told me you moved out.

[Jennifer]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

But, yeah, that was where we were shooting Ivy and Bean.

[Jennifer]

That's right. Yeah. But I remember we went out to a vegan restaurant and I've just got to let you know, I'm a carnivore now.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, really? Okay, so this is so interesting. No, we didn't go to a vegan restaurant. But you ordered vegan. Yeah, because I took you to a place that I loved. You're like, I can't eat any of this stuff because I'm.

[Jennifer]

Did I say it like that? God.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Well, I don't know. Might have been, probably.

[Jennifer]

Oh, you know, I might have that vegan arrogance. I think I kind of tried that on for a while. I can't eat any of this.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You can't eat any of this?

[Jennifer]

Animals were slaughtered for this.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No, I don't think you said that. Well, maybe, But I do remember specifically. This really is. And I was so excited to eat with you again. Cause I was like, the last time, it was so funny is you were like, not only can I not eat meat, but I don't want anything spicy.

[Jennifer]

And do you remember this girl?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Do you remember? So you ordered. They had basically buffalo wing cauliflower, which.

[Jennifer]

Is made out of cauliflower.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right, right, right, right. But with. You didn't want the spice on it. You didn't want the sauce.

[Jennifer]

I'm so boring.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Well, this is.

[Jennifer]

Was my company that boring?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I hope not. Good Lord. But. So you ordered this basically steamed broth, cauliflower, and I had my meal. And then the waiter. Do you remember this? The waiter came by, the table was like, how was your meal? And you hadn't eaten very much of it. And you're like, well, it was kind of bland. And he was, like, so apologetic. And you're like, no, I mean, it's my fault. I ordered boiled cauliflower. And, like, I think they, like, didn't charge us for it or something.

[Jennifer]

The Canadians are so nice. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But when you were doing Funny Girl, I don't know if I ever told you this, but I really desperately wanted to send a head of cauliflower to your theater as an opening night gift. How are you?

[Jennifer]

Good. How are you, honey? Dr. Luna, nice to see you.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Jane's a regular.

[Jennifer]

I am. And you know what I want?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

What do you usually get?

[Jennifer]

I get the tagliata. It's delicious. You don't have to get it, but you can certainly have bites of mine.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I'm so impressed. I was really like, what is she gonna order? What else do you love here? What are you known for?

[Jennifer]

Jane, go ahead. No, no, let him take.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It's not your question.

[Jennifer]

No, it's not. I'm sorry, I'm so the interviewee.

[Unknown]

Oh, well, we.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I will say one of the fastest. Okay. Tomorrow. If you're okay with everything or there is something. I'm okay with everything.

[Jennifer]

The cashew pepe cacio pepe is really good. Oh, that's Jen's favorite.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I'm gonna do that. Yeah, I'm gonna do a catch up. Could I do a little salad on the side? And to drink, I would love something effervescent. If you have something like sparkling that's non alcoholic or even a lemonade. Yeah, that's great.

[Jennifer]

Oh, sparkling Pellegrino. Thank you. Which is not great for my gerd.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

But yeah, I was gonna say.

[Jennifer]

Yeah. You know what? Make it flat.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No.

[Jennifer]

Yeah. I'm sorry. I'm always boring when I go out with you.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You always disappoint me.

[Jennifer]

I'm so sorry.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I'll do sparkling and just there you go crazy.

[Jennifer]

Yeah, right.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And did you ask for bread? Did you want bread?

[Jennifer]

Oh, I don't want bread. Do you want bread?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I don't want bread.

[Jennifer]

We're Hollywood actors. We don't eat.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No, we don't do that. Listen, even though we're upstate, right?

[Jennifer]

Upstate.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

We're upstate LA or California.

[Jennifer]

Jennifer were talking about this. I said, I think I, I saw somewhere. It said Santa Barbara and the Central California coast. I think we're in center central California.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

We might be.

[Jennifer]

So I'm not a SoCal gal anymore. No, you aren't that rhymed though.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It's SoCal gal. Get a tramp stamp that says SoCal gal and then you got people above it that says former. I love that you live up here. I love that you have gotten away from la. I assume you go back a lot. Like how often do you have to go back in the city? Rarely.

[Jennifer]

Yeah, I rarely go back to the city. I go to New York. I go to New York.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Jennifer]

Everything I've done in the last like three or four years has been in New York. Do you have you worked in LA a lot in Vancouver?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Not since Modern Family finished. Yeah. Yeah, very little. I'm going to Toronto to do some work. I'm going to London. I'm going to New York. Yeah.

[Jennifer]

Oh, I wish I was going to London. I am going to London.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Why are you going to London?

[Jennifer]

I'm going to. I'm not working. But over the summer, Jennifer and I did this two years ago. We go to Oxford University and we take a summer school class.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I was gonna say, do you take.

[Jennifer]

A class for three Weeks. And we stay in the dorm and we have a class. We do it through Berkeley. Cause that's where Jennifer went to school.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay.

[Jennifer]

So it's all of these people. And we're like the youngest ones, really. And they teach you in the Oxford way, which is you sit at a conference table. The teacher, and they call the teacher the tutorial sits at the front. And we discuss.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

In a powdered wig.

[Jennifer]

In a powdered wig, yes. And make sure it's really hot.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

We all smell bad.

[Jennifer]

And we discuss like, mine was Shakespeare. So we talked.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That's what you studied?

[Jennifer]

Yeah, that's what I studied.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Shane, this is incredible. This is my dream.

[Jennifer]

Five plays. Yeah, you totally love it. With a wonderful teacher. I mean, the love of learning in this program is just.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It's a three week thing.

[Jennifer]

It's a three week thing.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I want to do this. What are you studying? This.

[Jennifer]

I'm studying Shakespeare. Same group again, different plays. I don't know what they are yet. And it's basically the same group. So I got in early to make sure because that class closes up really fast.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Have you always loved Shakespeare?

[Jennifer]

Yes. Yes.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I didn't know that about you since.

[Jennifer]

I started working on it in undergrad.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Interesting. I know that you were a big fan of theater.

[Jennifer]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

But I feel like I was hearing. I must have listened to this on a podcast that you were. You got scared of theater very quickly. Was it that you.

[Jennifer]

Oh, yeah. In. When I was a kid. When I was a freshman in high school, I got cast out of one act that was based on the Princess and the Peace Story.

[Unknown]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Jennifer]

And it was called the Ugly Duckling. And I auditioned for the King. I don't know why, but I did. I got tons of laughs in the audition. And they like, we're gonna cast her. Starting kind of this pattern of me doing roles that originally written for men. So at the first rehearsal, I sat down on my throne and I did the same thing I did at the audition. And no one laughed in rehearsal. Yeah. And I quit. I didn't tell myself, that's why I quit. But that's why I quit. I told myself after one rehearsal, one rehearsal. I said, I got so scared. I said, I want to be on the tennis team instead. And then I went back because I couldn't stay away. And I worked on the crew for that play.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Did you watch the person who was playing the canyon? Were you jealous?

[Jennifer]

Yeah, more. More heartbroken for myself.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I mean, how much? And when I first became a fan of yours, it was through the Christopher Guest films.

[Jennifer]

Oh yes.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

The first one I saw of his was Waiting for Guffman. Which you weren't in.

[Jennifer]

No, that was the first one I saw too.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Jennifer]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

But his second film was Best in Show. And you are absolutely brilliant at it. You and Jennifer Coolidge.

[Jennifer]

Thank you.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And you could tell that it's being improvised. You could tell that this is not scripted. But at the same time everything seems so planned out and everything seems to work so cohesively together. How complicated is it to bring so many brilliant improvisers together and have everyone be on the same page? What did Christopher give you as far as like direction, backstory and stuff?

[Jennifer]

Yeah, well, the first thing he does is he says, I'm gonna do another movie and here's your character.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay.

[Jennifer]

And so he gives us a little bit of our backstory. We're lovers and she's got an old man that she's married to. And so then like for me, what I would do is I would write out, I mean, I did all that acting school stuff, wrote out the history of the character and made decisions about her. I went so far as like, I would read like the news, I would pick up a newspaper and I would comment on the newspaper as the character. And that's how I like really learned who she was. And then Jennifer and I got ahold of each other and we were both very nervous because we were both first timers. But we had talked so much and our stories and we had a lot of fun doing it. We would walk through Stanley park and say, what if I say hahaha. So we kind of planned out what our interactions would be.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right.

[Jennifer]

But then doing Mighty Wind, we worked so hard on the long and hard on the music that when Michael, John, Michael Higgins and I are doing our first scene together, I have no idea what he's going to say. And he's my husband, like how we met.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

He's a brilliant improviser.

[Jennifer]

Oh my God, he's the best.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

He's so funny.

[Jennifer]

He's brilliant on about 150 different levels too. I mean, so he tells his story, I tell my story and he's hearing mine for the first time. And what's really funny, at one point he thinks I'm about to say, and I met the man who would change my life. And he kind of sits up and I go, burt Wiseman, the pornographer. And then you see his spine kind of crumble.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It's so good. I was actually just, I was rewatching that, that clip on YouTube this morning. You play this former porn star who's now part of this, the singing group.

[Jennifer]

Almost like Sing for Jesus singing group. Yeah, they're very.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It's so funny. You tend to play these like you play a seductress. So you do it quite well. You did it in the 40 year old virgin, like aggressively coming on to Steve Carell. And you kind of did it in Best in Show as well. You know, sort of like the sides to Jennifer Coolidge, you know, like, I'm a disciplinarian.

[Jennifer]

Yeah, right. Dynamite. Thank you for laughing at that. I remember coming up, I'm gonna say dynamite.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And then for your consideration, you were also so great. And those three Christopher Guest films for me are just such iconic, so different. Everyone in those ensembles gets to play such a wide variety of different types of people. And for me, it's like your career really took a big turn after that.

[Jennifer]

It did, yes, absolutely. Before that, I had been doing guest spots on things and the occasional pilot where you get your hopes up and then they're dashed and then you just go up and continue doing your thing. And I did a lot of voiceover and really enjoying where I was for the most part. And although I always wanted more, I wanted something bigger. I kind of didn't expect it.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right.

[Jennifer]

And so when the Christopher Guest thing started happening, that was.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And you had to meet Christopher guests.

[Jennifer]

I did an audition for a commercial and went to the callback for it for Carlos Frosted Flakes and he was the director. So I walked in and there he is. And I knew him from Waiting for Guffman. So I was kind of like, oh.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, because he's also in ed, so it's fine.

[Jennifer]

So I knew who he was.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And it's just such a great film.

[Jennifer]

It's just full of beautiful things. Someone retweeted the scene of Parker Posey where she's out in the middle of winter in Ohio with coat on, barbecuing one chicken thigh.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It's just beige. Yeah, yeah. It's so good.

[Jennifer]

Smoking cigarettes.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Always have the dq.

[Jennifer]

I always have the dq. Coming up with a fat, flake free, sugar free blizzard.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, yeah. Oh, so good.

[Jennifer]

Just so brilliant.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, yeah.

[Jennifer]

So, yes, Those movies definitely, yeah. Took me up to a new level that was heretofore unexperienced for me.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

When did you move to LA?

[Jennifer]

In 91. I was in Chicago up until then and we did a show called the Real Live Brady Bunch.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yes, I know about this.

[Jennifer]

Yes. Which was the Brady Bunch with Andy Richter. Right, yeah, with Andy Richter. He was Mike and I was Carol. So we did it at the Village Gate in New York, and then we did it at the Westwood Playhouse, now the Geffen Playhouse. And so we all basically stayed in la.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

So the Brady Bunch was kind of what brought you back to la.

[Jennifer]

Yes. Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And that was a huge hit. I wasn't in LA at that time, but I remember reading about it, hearing about it.

[Jennifer]

You were just a kid.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I was a BB.

[Jennifer]

Yeah. Would have been 1990. 91.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No, I was starting high school.

[Jennifer]

Yeah.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Jennifer]

And where did you grow up? What time?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Albuquerque.

[Jennifer]

Oh, I didn't.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I don't know why. My voice just did that.

[Jennifer]

Well, I just.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

My gird kicked in. Albuquerque, New Mexico. Yeah.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Jennifer]

Wow. How did you not burn the shit out of your skin?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, it's a terrible place to raise a redhead.

[Jennifer]

All redheaded in their families, like, fair.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Skin, but I was the real redhead.

[Jennifer]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

My sister started strawberry blondish, but, yeah, it was a lot. When you were growing up, did you know that you were gay as a.

[Jennifer]

Kid or did you have those feelings around 12?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, same here.

[Jennifer]

Yeah. When I heard, a friend of mine, she was going on vacation in Florida. I forget where, but I guess there were gay guys there. She said, we'll see in Florida. In Florida.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, my word.

[Jennifer]

She said sometimes at night we see guys holding hands, walking down the beach, and they're gay. And I was like, I'm the girl version of that. And it felt like I had a disease. Like I have that.

[Unknown]

Yeah, yeah.

[Jennifer]

Because they didn't say it with any affection about him, you know, these gay guys, you know, holding hands.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

What? I assume Chicago at that time probably wasn't the easiest place.

[Jennifer]

Well, I was in a suburb, so I think Chicago, you know, Chicago always had gay neighborhoods, like any big city. And so when I finally got to the city, you know, it was teeming with the gays, and so was the theater world, and it wasn't a. It wasn't a big deal.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Jennifer]

You know.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, I mean, definitely. I mean, that's one of the reasons I love theater so much, is because I felt really at home in that community.

[Jennifer]

It didn't matter one way or another.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It did not matter at all. When I did my first TV show, which was the Class, I played a straight guy on it and had this really sweet relationship with Heather Golden Hirsch on the show. You know, I was very much out to my cast, I thought. I remember we were doing upfronts in Canada for the show, and Andrea Anders, who was in the show with me, she said, do you have a girlfriend? And I was like, no. I kind of said it like, no. And her next thought was. She goes, oh, my God, are you a virgin? I was like, andrea, no, I'm gay. She was so shocked. I was like, oh, my God, am I really passing as a straight person? But I remember feeling like there wasn't a lot of pressure for me to come out as gay, especially that time until Modern Family really happened.

[Jennifer]

And you're playing a gay man and.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I'm playing a gay man. Was there. How was it for you when you came to la?

[Jennifer]

Well, you know, I played a gay woman in the Christopher Guest film.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yes, I did.

[Jennifer]

And I didn't have a single thought of it.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Jennifer]

Like, oh, will I have to come out? Will people know I'm gay? I was like, I got the best job in the world. So I didn't really think about it at that point. I mean, I hadn't come out to my parents. I was about 30, so I waited a long. But once.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

How did your parents react?

[Jennifer]

Great.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, that's incredible.

[Jennifer]

I think it would have been different when I was 18, but they were just great. And it was. In fact, we kind of jumped into a new relationship because I had kind of separated myself because of this and was kind of felt alone, and I didn't think that they would love me anymore. I know. And so once that broke, that fever broke. I don't remember, like, even pausing. Not that it came out, said, hey, I'm gay, but, yeah, I don't remember it feeling like a big deal. And a lot of that has to do with the fact that right as I was starting to come on the scene in Hollywood, Ellen and Melissa Etheridge and K D Lang, they had all come out and they had all kind of lived to tell the tale.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Jennifer]

So I think that they did a lot of work that kind of gave me subconsciously some kind of security and safety.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, I think absolutely. When that was all happening, it sort of felt like if you don't come out on the COVID of a magazine, is it really coming out? Right. If a tree falls in the woods, no one hears it. But. So it felt like you had to sort of make a. And at that time, it was like Neil Patrick Harris and T.R. knight, Zachary Quinto, Matt Bomer, But a lot of these people, it's sort of the same way. I feel like I came out in that. It just. I continued to live my life as I lived it, and then that information seeped out in ways and it didn't feel like I had to make a big, splashy moment of it.

[Jennifer]

All right. And don't you think too that because you played a gay man.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yes.

[Jennifer]

That people just assumed you were. Because I think that might be as I'm thinking of it right now here at this table at Trey Luna, that the fact that I kind of came on the scene, if you will, as a gay woman in a movie, that maybe people thought. Just thought I was.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

But then the next time you were like, I'm a porn star who loves getting like, she's the only one who does certain things that other women won't do. So us for a loop. Yeah. You know, it's. I definitely really respect people who came out before me and paved the way and I think made things easier. But, you know, I think it's. It's always interesting for someone like me who's more of a character actor and someone like Matt Bomer who's like, you know, this leading man and gorgeous kind of, you know, and it's like, it's strange that those. That coming out is two totally different experiences for us just because of the way that the industry looks at him.

[Jennifer]

And I think that we're. It's almost like we should go back to the old Hollywood ways where everybody wants to. It's about our personalities. They want to know too much. Everybody wants to get behind the curtain and see how things are done.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Jennifer]

There's like a celebrity obsession and that I think is starting to go away.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No, agreed. Yeah, for sure. Now for a quick break. I actually need to run to the car really quick and put some money in the meter. Speaking of my car, I have to say I was already in a great mood today since I knew I was going to be having this chat with Jane Lynch. But I arrived so relaxed and re energized. Coming up the coast in the all new Nissan Murano. We were so excited to partner with Nissan because they're a brand that understands that sometimes the greatest rush comes from not rushing at all. And that's something I really care about. And one of the reasons why I wanted to start dinners on me in the first place. I wanted to be able to create an opportunity to simply be with another person purely for the sake of enjoying good food and good conversation. So thanks again to Nissan for sponsoring this episode of Dinner's on Me and for reminding us to take a moment and breathe. Learn about the all new nissan [e-mail] Panoramic moonroof, ambient lighting and massaging leather. Appointed seats are optional features. And now let's get back to our conversation with Jane Lynch. How much did you love working with Scott Ellis doing Maisel? Marvelous. Mrs. Maisel.

[Jennifer]

Great, great, great. I loved doing that show.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It was a great show. I loved it so much.

[Jennifer]

Soup to nuts. Acting, writing, the people, the costumes.

[Unknown]

Yeah, yeah.

[Jennifer]

The background people were lovely and great actors too. You know, they knew being a background actor is an art because if it's not good, you notice. You notice. And it can destroy what you're doing.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

There's some. I saw it on YouTube or TikTok. There was. I guess there's some background actor on an episode of Modern Family who. So funny. I love it so much. Who's at a table in the background. And I guess they were probably given instruction to like, you know, have a conversation, like, make it look natural. But she's not sitting at a table with anyone. But she must have was like, well, I guess that's what they told me to do. She's talking to thin air right behind me. Like, it's right off my, like my left shoulder. And it's me having a scene with, I don't know, Claire or whatever. And then there's this person behind me talking to an empty chair a lot. And it's one of my favorite things. I'm like, I want to find this girl and give her a special award for.

[Jennifer]

She was doing what they were doing. She was taking direction.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. If you don't want that, you got to be more specific. You said make conversation.

[Jennifer]

Exactly.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You didn't have to say it was with a person.

[Jennifer]

Right.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Anyway, speaking of background actors, I was looking and it's like you are basically an annual invite to the enemies. Like almost. I think it's something. 15 nominations. Basically every year you're nominated for something. Guest star, usually guest star or host or something.

[Jennifer]

Yeah, yeah, that's right.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I know. You won for Hollywood Game Night. Hollywood Game Night, which I was a contestant on.

[Jennifer]

I know. You were great.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

The episode that I shot was with John Legend, Chrissy Teigen, Jane Krakowski and Zachary Quinto. You were so great at that. And that's a whole art in itself.

[Jennifer]

It is, yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

To really be on your toes and to be working, especially when you're working with people who are actually competing to win real money for their families.

[Jennifer]

There's a level of there's no effing around and there's standards in practice because where there is money. So you definitely have to. Doing Hollywood Game Night was kind of like boot camp for Hosting a game show. Yeah. Because Hollywood Game Night was so challenging.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right. Also you were developing the blueprint for Hollywood Game Night. Like that was a new show.

[Jennifer]

Yeah. Five games every episode. Celebrities, which. Social anxiety. Hello.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Because every week you're like kind of have to be the one to make all these people feel comfortable. On top of doing her own job.

[Jennifer]

Exactly, exactly. And understand. I mean, everything's in the teleprompter. But you got to understand the game. Like we would do two or three days of just me working on the games before we started shooting. And you know, it became an easy thing to do and it was always enjoyable. But when Weakest Link came along, I mean, I'm standing behind a podium and with these really, you know, they know how to pick people really.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It also had been. It had been done.

[Jennifer]

It had been done. It's basically the same people. We had done Hollywood Game Night, which logistically was just all over the place. So you take those people and put them on Weakest Link and it's a much simpler game. And so we just flow like a well oiled machine. It's an absolute delight. And I love trivia, especially the Weakest Link is. So one of the first episodes we did, we literally had a rocket scientist who had like five degrees from like Stanford, Oxford. Really smart guy. And his questions were. The first one was about the Kardashians. Oh, he didn't know. And then somebody else got like a science question and he's like, we're topic. Yeah. And then one was about a breakfast cereal. You know what breakfast cereal says? It's great. Or something like that. And he said, you're like, I know that one called Cocoa.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I was in the commercial.

[Jennifer]

Let's go back to 1992. Roll the tape, please. And so he got booted off in the first or the second round, which was just.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I thought even the greats fall hard.

[Jennifer]

They do.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Jennifer]

They go all over the place. Quite a range.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Can we talk about Julia and Julia for a little bit?

[Jennifer]

Oh, yeah, sure.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You were so fabulous in that.

[Jennifer]

She's from here. Julia Child.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I did know that.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Jennifer]

She lived out her life here.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Such a great film. Meryl Streep. You played her sister. Yeah, I've gotten to meet Meryl a few times. I've never worked with her. You've gotten to work with her a few times now. What is that like?

[Jennifer]

Well, I didn't work with her on Only Murders in the Building.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You did.

[Jennifer]

But I saw her. But in doing Julie Julia, this is all me. This is not her. I felt like I was working with Queen Elizabeth in the way. I was humbled and careful of my decorum and just kind of that crazy stuff.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It's like meeting the president.

[Jennifer]

But there is something about her that is very regal.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Jennifer]

And so Nora Ephron, who directed the movie, wanted me to come a day early. Me too.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That's also pretty incredible.

[Jennifer]

Yeah. So I went a day early to watch. She said, I want you to see the world that Meryl has created. You know how she's playing her? And I got to see her do a scene with Stanley Tucci, and she went through the gamut of the emotion, and then she was crying, and I was like, oh, okay, good. I mean, I kind of worked on it that way. Kind of big and ooh. Because they were known for being. They loved each other, but effusive and everything was.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

My goodness.

[Jennifer]

This is so. You know, when we did the first take of the scene where I get off the train and she greets me and she came running for me, and I opened my arms, and it was just a wonderful way to start this experience with her, actually. Meet our characters meeting. And you're an instant love. And you're an instant adoration, you know, through the vehicles of these characters. And it made it so much easier for you.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It's so interesting that you said that, like, there was, I don't know, a sense of, like, reverence around her. Because when I watched that film, you two just look like you're. You've had a lifetime together.

[Jennifer]

Yeah. Thank you. I'm so glad.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It's just there's so much love between you two, and such a comfort level and, like, unspoken language. It's really great. Now, you know, Meryl's not a tall person, and you are.

[Jennifer]

Right.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And they were both, you know. I know.

[Jennifer]

Julia was six two.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Jennifer]

And the sister, she was six four. Sister. And so with Meryl, they had her on platforms, like, Herman Munster platforms.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Jennifer]

And for some reason, optically, whatever the fabric of her dress was, they took that fabric and they covered the shoe with it, even though it wasn't a long. I don't know how it worked, but it did something that caused, like, an optical illusion. Yeah. That caused you not to see that she was wearing funky shoes.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, that's so interesting.

[Jennifer]

Isn't that something? Yeah. And then they dug a little ditch for Stanley. At one point, I was gonna say.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Did they dig a trench for you?

[Jennifer]

Yeah, they did. For not for me. I got to be at my full glory. But they, like, they, they lifted her up, right? Yeah. They like put her on higher ground, if you will.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh my God. I love that because I think she's.

[Jennifer]

Like five, four or five, six or something.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I love like the whole structure was created around her height.

[Jennifer]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You talked a little bit about playing the king and the princess and the pea and it started off your trajectory of playing men.

[Jennifer]

Men's roles.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Men's roles. Yeah. Our roles that were written for men that they've maybe restart. I know the role in 40 year old version was originally written for a man.

[Jennifer]

Yep.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You know, Sue Sylvester certainly had a massive masculine quality to her.

[Jennifer]

Yes.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Disciplinarian. I also love that even though you are playing a woman in Only Murders in the Building, you play Steve Martin.

[Jennifer]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

She's basically stunt double.

[Jennifer]

If we were to. Yeah. You know, I think Saz is. People would call her trans today. I don't think she operates as a woman.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Jennifer]

Except she has a very tender heart. But men can have tender hearts too. Yeah. I never, I didn't feel like I was playing a woman.

[Unknown]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Jennifer]

I was playing his stunt double. That's my whole life was about him.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Jennifer]

And protecting him. He was my, he was the, my, my raison d'etre for everything.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Jennifer]

So I was a guy.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Jennifer]

Hung out with the guys.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Jennifer]

Drank at the guys. Went to the. How about the, the bar that they created that all the stunt people go to called concussions.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. It's so good. It's so good. So good. I was reading somewhere that you're talking about Sue Sylvester. It was such a great part. I mean, first of all, I want to talk about the sort of genesis of that part because from what I understand, Ryan Murphy wrote it for you or created that part for you. Felt like Glee needed a villain. And do you know, kind of what the show was before for you, before your character was involved with it?

[Jennifer]

I don't, I don't know what it was, but it was Kevin Reilly, who was running Fox at the time, said we need a villain. And from what I understand, I don't know if this is true. Ryan said her name will be Sue Sylvester and she will be played by Jane lynch. Which, you know, flatters me to no end. I didn't know him that well, but Ian Brennan, I love Ian. Yeah. Isn't he the best?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

He's great.

[Jennifer]

He actually created Sue.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yes.

[Jennifer]

The contours of sue. And he wrote almost all of my lines. So it's a kind of an Ian Brennan.

[Unknown]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I feel like I read somewhere that you said if sue was around today, she would definitely be maga.

[Jennifer]

Oh, absolutely. Now, wait a minute. I don't know that I said that. Let me think. If I think.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Don't you think she would. Do you think she would.

[Jennifer]

I think she's got more integrity.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

She's definitely conservative.

[Jennifer]

She's mean.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

She's mean.

[Jennifer]

She's cruel. But it. She has. Because she's a television character. No one can be totally mean on television and go from week to week. She had a heart.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yes, she.

[Jennifer]

And it was that cruelty was covering a really tender soul that had a Down syndrome sister. And her best friend at school was a Down syndrome student. And even when the. When the chips were down for the gay kid, she stood up for him, but I don't think she'd be maga. She might have started out and, you know, got a few good licks in before her conscience bothered her.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. I mean, you know, being a kid who went through high school, you know, queer. As did I, and I certainly felt a great deal of. No, no, no, no, no. I didn't talk about it. No. I certainly felt a great deal of pride doing Modern Family and representing a gay couple on television. Something for kids to look toward and be like, oh, I can have that.

[Jennifer]

Yes.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That was very important for me. You know, what I did love so much about Glee and what I continue to love so much about Ryan Murphy is he really is such an advocate for representation. And, you know, the stories about these gay kids in this high school were such an integral part of what Glee was. You know, it was a group of outsiders, but also many of them were queer kids. And, you know, he's also. Obviously, he's mentioned these down syndrome characters that he's. He brought into Glee. And also he's done such great work, you know, with Pose and the trans community. I love the way he's constantly looking out for where we can find representation. But what did it mean for you to be playing such an integral part in that story kind of as an adversary to these kids? I mean, you did say that she stands up for the gay kids, and that's the spot for them.

[Jennifer]

She was an adversary in a comical way. Like, nobody really disliked or was afraid of Sue. Yeah, the audience. I mean, sometimes the kids were. And they should be, you know, but, you know, she wasn't Hannibal Lecter.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You know, I certainly was so taken by it. And it was one of those shows, even though I was doing something at the time, that felt like, oh, this is a cool thing to be a Part of I was, I felt it was such a special time to be a part of that TV season because Glee was around too. And I just kept thinking 13 year old Jesse would have been so lucky to have a show like this on TV.

[Jennifer]

That's how I felt. The 13 year old Jane, if she had Glee.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Jennifer]

Oh my God, I would have been. And I'm sure you two obsessed with it. Just seeing kids your age going through stuff and then singing a song and people having your back, that was the big thing about Glee that was so, I think, emotionally compelling for kids is, you know, the halls of McKinley High is like a metaphor for life. You know, you get a Slurpee in the face, you get thrown into the lockers, but when you're in that choir room, everybody's got your back.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Jennifer]

And I think that, that it's so funny. We're in such a cruel. We're back into like an even, like we're uber cruel now.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Jennifer]

You know, society has been given permission to be mean and not care about each other. And I think it's just going to explode into a golden age of caring about each other.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, it's a crazy time for sure. Yeah. But you know, I love that, you know, entertainment can be that thing to remind you of, like. Oh yeah, we can, we can be kinder to one another and it's something that's.

[Jennifer]

It was such a simple little show and your show too was very real and you got on each other's nerves. But at the end of the day.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You were a. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I don't. Have you ever, I don't know if you've ever told me how you and Jennifer met. How what you and Jennifer met?

[Jennifer]

We met in 2001 at a gay event at a gala. You know, like the Century City Hotel. You know that room?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. Was it like an HRC event or something?

[Jennifer]

Right? Something like that. Yeah. With the round tables.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Uh huh, yeah.

[Jennifer]

Paddles. Yeah, exactly. For the auction gala, we were at the same table and I thought she was adorable at first. I was like, oh, she's not even gay. She looked like a straight little housewife. She actually had just been a straight housewife. Oh yeah. She had been married and. Yeah. So we started dating and we dated for about two years and we stayed friends. You know, we're not monsters, we're nice people. We were sharing a dog and we both went on to do other things. She went to Berkeley at the age of 50 and got two degrees and I got married and got divorced. And Glee Happened. And so it's about 2014. And she came back and I said, well, why don't you. She said, I don't know if I'm coming to LA or not. And I said, well, why don't you just, you know, stay with me and figure it out? So she did, and she never left.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Really?

[Jennifer]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Wow.

[Jennifer]

Yeah. So we're just, you know, real easy, real, real honest, you know, really, really wonderful relationship.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I'm so happy for you.

[Jennifer]

Yeah, me too.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Well, you are married, right?

[Jennifer]

Yeah, we got married here in 2020, actually, in Santa Barbara.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Where did you. What did you do?

[Jennifer]

At the courthouse, which is so sweet. Have you ever seen the courthouse in Santa Barbara?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Very cute.

[Jennifer]

And her son, he's 32. He lives with us, Harry, and he's a real sweetheart. And he read the vows or he was the officiant.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, that's.

[Jennifer]

He got his. What is that? The Universal Life Church?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That's right. So easy to get, by the way.

[Jennifer]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You literally go to like, I want to marry someone dot com.

[Jennifer]

I know. It comes back and they go, dear Reverend L. That's right.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That's right. I had to get one for Sarah Hyland. I married Sarah Hyland and her husband Wells. It was supposed to be Ty Burrell, actually. And then last minute, he couldn't travel in from Salt Lake City. And so with, like, over. It was like two weeks before the wedding. Sarah was like, can you. Would you be able to do this? Of course. You have to say yes. I was already gonna go. It's like, I couldn't say, like, oh, I couldn't lie and make you out of town. I'm literally going to the wedding. So she's like, instead of just coming to the wedding, will you actually marry us? And so I got my license.

[Jennifer]

And you had to write out the script? Did Ty have the script written out?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I said, can you fast track this for me and just, like, let me know what maybe you were gonna say and maybe I can use some of your jokes because he's incredibly funny. And so I stole some of his jokes, but I also took my own. My own ceremony from when I got married to Justin and used some pieces of that as well. It's just stuff that I love that was written for that ceremony, so it was a group effort, but yeah.

[Jennifer]

Oh, that's so nice. Oh, how lovely.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It was nice.

[Jennifer]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Thanks for doing this with me.

[Jennifer]

Oh, my pleasure.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Thanks for bringing me to one of your hot spots.

[Jennifer]

Yeah, sure.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Thank you again to Nissan for sponsoring this special episode of Dinners On Me. Learn more about the all new nissan [e-mail] this episode of Dinners On Me was recorded at Trey Lune in Montecito, California. Next week on Dinners On Me, you know him as Pacey from Dawson's Creek and more recently as Dr. Max Bankman. On Ryan Murphy's medical drama Doctor Odyssey, it's Joshua Jackson. We'll talk about being a teen heartthrob, dealing with imposter syndrome and rebuilding his life after a major loss. And if you don't want to wait until next week to listen, you can download that episode right now by subscribing to Dinners On Me. Plus, as a subscriber, not only do you get access to new episodes one week early, you'll also be able to listen completely ad free. Just click Try Free at the top of the Dinners On Me show page on Apple Podcasts to start your free trial today. Dinners On Me is a production of Sony Music Entertainment and a kid named Beckett Productions. It's hosted by me, Jesse Tyler Ferguson. It's executive produced by me and Jonathan Hirsch. Our showrunner is Joanna Clay. Our associate producer is Alyssa Midcalf. Sam Behr engineered this episode, Hansdale. She composed our theme music. Our head of production is Sammy Allison. Special thanks to Tameka Balance Kolasny and Justin Makita. I'm Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Join me next week.