JOEL MCHALE— on how 'The Soup’ led to ‘Community’ and career anxiety

Summary

Dinner’s on Me with Jesse Tyler Ferguson
Episode: JOEL MCHALE— on how 'The Soup’ led to ‘Community’ and career anxiety
Release Date: March 11, 2025

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Introduction to Joel McHale

[00:00 - 05:10]
Jesse Tyler Ferguson opens the episode by sharing a humorous anecdote about making lemonade with his sons, Beckett and Sully. This leads into the introduction of his guest, Joel McHale, known for his six seasons on NBC's Community and hosting the Fox comedy Animal Control, which debuted its third season in January. Jesse expresses his admiration for Joel, humorously mentioning a past crush and highlighting Joel's charisma and talent.

Early Career and The Soup

[05:10 - 14:29]
Joel McHale delves into his early career, discussing his time as the host of The Soup—a show where he hilariously dissected pop culture moments. Jesse reminisces about Joel's brave stint hosting the White House Correspondents Dinner and draws parallels between hosting The Soup and roasting powerful figures at the dinner. Joel shares insights into his journey from college to landing his first acting roles, emphasizing his passion for performing since second grade.

Joel McHale [11:07]: "I was trying to get on that show."

Jesse Tyler Ferguson [08:11]: "I have a tiny crush on him. Maybe at one point. Probably no longer. Maybe just a little bit."

Transition to Acting and Community

[14:29 - 26:02]
The conversation shifts to Joel's transition from hosting and stand-up comedy to acting. Joel recounts his auditions, including a memorable experience with Will & Grace, where he exaggerated his height to land a role. He discusses the challenges of maintaining an acting career, the importance of good friends in the industry, and how The Soup served as a stepping stone to more substantial roles like Jeff Winger in Community.

Joel McHale [25:07]: "I auditioned for Will and Grace about three months after I got here, and I lied that I was over six's even I'm six'four."

Experience at White House Correspondents Dinner

[37:17 - 41:18]
Joel shares his experience hosting the White House Correspondents Dinner, highlighting the balance between humor and respect when roasting political figures. He describes the nerve-wracking process of delivering jokes about powerful individuals like Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama while seated beside them. Joel reflects on the unique atmosphere of the event where he felt honored to joke about the President without crossing the line.

Joel McHale [38:03]: "My goal was to offend everybody. And they'll go. They all said, like, you'll see."

Joel McHale [40:05]: "The President Clinton."

Upcoming Community Movie

[28:03 - 34:01]
Jesse brings up rumors about a Community movie, to which Joel confirms that Peacock has secured funding and that scheduling and script finalizations are in progress. Joel teases the plot by stating, "Everybody dies," hinting at the film’s dark yet comedic tone. The anticipation around the movie's development is palpable as both hosts express excitement for fans.

Joel McHale [33:54]: "Everyone dies."

Personal Reflections on Career Anxiety

[42:30 - 47:03]
The discussion turns personal as Joel and Jesse talk about the anxiety that comes with maintaining a dynamic career in the entertainment industry. Joel shares his struggles with anxiety during periods of inactivity, describing moments like roller coaster rides that reminded him of life's joys outside of work. Jesse relates by discussing his own career lull post-Modern Family, despite winning a Tony Award, and the unexpected challenges that followed.

Joel McHale [44:09]: "I have a mild state of panic all the time."

Jesse Tyler Ferguson [45:17]: "I have. I'll always have a career in porn. Oh, I know that."

Conclusion and Future Episodes Preview

[47:03 - End]
Jesse wraps up the conversation by highlighting Joel's impressive portfolio, including hosting Crime Scene Kitchen and House of Villains on Fox and E., respectively. He expresses hope that the podcast provides Joel with a surge of excitement and closes with a teaser for the next episode featuring Gavin Rossdale, the frontman of Bush. Jesse encourages listeners to subscribe to Dinner’s on Me PLUS for early and ad-free access to future episodes.

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Notable Quotes

• Joel McHale [11:07]: "I was trying to get on that show."
• Jesse Tyler Ferguson [08:11]: "I have a tiny crush on him. Maybe at one point. Probably no longer. Maybe just a little bit."
• Joel McHale [25:07]: "I auditioned for Will and Grace about three months after I got here, and I lied that I was over six's even I'm six'four."
• Joel McHale [38:03]: "My goal was to offend everybody. And they'll go. They all said, like, you'll see."
• Joel McHale [33:54]: "Everyone dies."
• Joel McHale [44:09]: "I have a mild state of panic all the time."

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Final Thoughts

This episode of Dinner’s on Me offers an intimate look into Joel McHale's career trajectory, from hosting The Soup to becoming a beloved figure in Community and beyond. The candid discussions about career anxieties and the pressures of maintaining relevance in the entertainment industry provide valuable insights for listeners. Joel's humorous and honest storytelling, coupled with Jesse's engaging hosting, makes this episode a must-listen for fans and those interested in the behind-the-scenes aspects of show business.

Transcript

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

The other day, I was making lemonade with my sons, Beckett and Sully, and Beckett is a little bit of a perfectionist. I'm not sure where he gets that from. It's me. It's definitely me. But he was getting really upset about the seeds falling into the juice, and it was turning into a bit of high drama. Now, listen, there's an easier way to do this. Who knew? Wonderful seedless lemons are a 100% naturally seedless lemon variety. They're juicy, zesty, bright, and everything you love about lemons, minus the See, that's right. No more seeds floating in your lemonade or Diet Coke or getting caught in your teeth when you take a bite of salad. Frankly, that's just a hazard. Wonderful seedless lemons are available nationwide at retailers such as Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Walmart, Kroger, as well as select Costco outlets. Look for wonderful seedless lemons at your local retailer or visit wonderfulseedlesslemons.com to learn more. February is here, which means some of you snowbirds are packing up and heading somewhere warmer. I've been traveling a lot myself. I'm actually scouting some spots for a very special upcoming episode of Dinners on Me. And let's just say Salt Lake City is looking very promising, all thanks to Airbnb. And if you're leaving town for the season, why not let your home do a little work while you're off enjoying the sunshine? With Airbnb's new local co hosting feature, you can have a trusted local take care of everything, guest messages, check ins, even keeping things stylish so you can relax knowing your home and your guests are in good hands. So go ahead, chase that warm weather and let your home do the work for you. Visit Airbnb.com host for more information. Hi, it's Jesse today on the show. You know him from his six seasons on NBC's Community. And most recently, helming the Fox comedy Animal Control, which debuted its third season in January. It's Joel McHale is to offend everybody.

[Joel McHale]

They all said, like, you'll see, if you tell a joke about the Republicans, they're not gonna laugh. The Democrats will laugh, but not too hard. And if it's a little bit racy, they're all gonna go, ooh, I don't approve of that.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Joel McHale]

And that's exactly what happened.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

This is Dinner is on Me, and I'm your host, Jesse Tyler Ferguson. All right. One of the most bonkers moments of my career was being invited to the White House Correspondents dinner in Washington D.C. no. If you're unfamiliar, it's a basically prom for politicos, except instead of awkward slow dancing, you get senators trying to network with Chrissy Teigen over crab cakes. It's a wild mix of journalists, politicians and Hollywood stars all crammed into a room where a comedian roasts everyone, including the President of the United States. Now, I was lucky enough to attend a few times back when Modern Family was on, when Obama was in the White House. I witnessed some insane moments, like David Muir and Martha Raddatz casually dining with Heidi Klum or Nancy Pelosi grabbing a glass of wine with Mindy Kaling like they were besties at a book club. But the thing that really blew my mind were the hosts. These comedians had the impossible task of standing on stage and absolutely roasting the most powerful people in the world while those very people politely sipped their Merlot and tried not to look too offended. One of the bravest souls to take on this challenge was Joel McHale. And when I brave, I mean insane. Here he was, a former host of the Soup, a guy whose job it was to disseminate the reality TV of the week. He's suddenly up there making jokes about Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and Donald Trump while they're sitting right there. I'm still not sure how he made it out alive. Now, if you don't remember the Soup, first of all, shame on you. Okay? It was a weekly TV show where Joel hilariously dissected the most ridiculous moments in pop culture. So in a way, I don't know, I guess hosting the White House correspondence dinner wasn't that different. Just swap out the Kardashians for Congress, you know? But honestly, you know, it kind of made sense because his entire career, from the Soup to his cult hit sitcom Community, has always been about sharp, smart, self aware comedy. I mean, he's the guy who can deliver a joke that's both hilarious and clever. You know, sometimes too clever. It makes you feel like you should have studied harder in school. Now, full disclosure, I've been a huge fan of Joel McHale's for a long time. I love the Soup. I loved Community. I love his new show, Animal Control. And okay, fine, yes, I might have a tiny crush on him. Maybe at one point. Probably no longer. Maybe just a little bit. Anyway, it's just he's so tall and funny and handsome and tall. So yes, I was very excited to spend some time with him. That tall, handsome, funny drink of water. Hi, we're over here.

[Joel McHale]

Get it. Get up through this hall how dare you.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I brought Joel McHale to Leona's in Studio City. Leona's is the newest concept from Valley restaurateur Frank Leon. Leona's is Japanese fusion, pulling influence from French and Italian cuisine. And the seafood is really the star. There's octopus and yuzu pepper sauce, yellowtail jalapeno sashimi or the miso cod, to name just a few. What stands out about their dishes is how unique and balanced they are, letting the fish really shine. Now, if you've seen Joel, you might notice the guy hits the gym. So I thought, you know, let's. Let's get him some protein. Plus, introducing a new go to spot to someone who lives around the corner. You know, that's just good hosting. I should add. He biked here. I mean, of course he did. All right, let's get to the conversation. What are you off to after this? You got like a. I thought that.

[Joel McHale]

My son's school was ending at 3:30 and they're like, no, he has no school. It starts at one. This thing he's doing where he's playing.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

What's he doing?

[Joel McHale]

Playing football.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That's what you used to do, right? That's what you used to play football, right?

[Joel McHale]

Yeah. Thanks for bringing that up.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Boys, boys, boys. Boy things. Two boys, right?

[Joel McHale]

Two boys.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

How do I. Yeah.

[Joel McHale]

How old are they?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Four and. Well, four and a half and two.

[Joel McHale]

Enjoy the hugs.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

How old are yours now?

[Joel McHale]

19 and 16.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Whoa.

[Joel McHale]

Yes. They're gigantic human beings.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Jesus.

[Joel McHale]

Yeah, I can pay for a hug.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I can be like, are they looking at colleges and stuff?

[Joel McHale]

One is not. He's very on the spectrum. And he said he's gonna let us know. And we're like, great. I think he's a communist. I think he would be the first to tell you that. He's really leaning that way. And then the other one's, you know, total jock. Yeah, he's starting to think about it. Where'd you go to college?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I went to a performing arts academy in New York called amda. The American Musical and Dramatic Academy.

[Joel McHale]

Yes.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I was an indoor kid, Joel. I didn't do sports.

[Joel McHale]

I can tell by your complexion that you spent a lot. Thank you.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

A lot of time inside.

[Waitstaff]

Menus for you guys. Cocktails, beer and wine on the back.

[Joel McHale]

Thank you.

[Waitstaff]

Are we okay with Studio City's finest or do you guys want sparkling or still water?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I'm fine with tap.

[Joel McHale]

I'm fine with tap, too. Yeah, it's great.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. I went to AMDA and I got a certificate of completion is what you receive. There's no sort of official.

[Joel McHale]

Sounds. Sounds very dirty.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Joel McHale]

Jeez. How many commencement speeches have you been? How many talks have you given there?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Not as many as you'd think. In fact, at one point, they had my headshot on the wall. As someone who was doing.

[Joel McHale]

Was it like, serious headshot or fun comedy headshot?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No, it was just a serious one. Not one where you're on the phone when you do the commercial shots.

[Joel McHale]

So your headshot was on the wall?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

My headshot was on the wall. And then. And so I knew it was up there for a while. Cause I did get work right out of school. And so they put their alumni that are doing well up on the wall and frame it and blah, blah, blah. And years later, I think when I got Modern Family, they were like, oh, can we. Can we get a headshot for the wall? They had taken me off the wall, like, when I had a little break in my career, and I just. They needed to make room for other people. And so I was missing from the wall. And that's how I found out. I was like, well, you have a headshot of mine? Like, oh, no, no, no. And then they basically had to admit that they removed me.

[Joel McHale]

You got them to admit it.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Well, I mean, it was sort of like I read between the lines, how.

[Joel McHale]

Quickly between that and then them asking you for money.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

They've never asked me for money.

[Joel McHale]

They've never asked you for money?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No, no. My high school does. St. Pius X High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Which, you know, they're not going to be getting any money from me.

[Joel McHale]

Yeah, but the Catholic Church has such a wonderful stance on people. What the.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I give in other ways.

[Joel McHale]

Right. You're an altar boy.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I. No, I was not.

[Joel McHale]

I was.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Were you?

[Joel McHale]

Yes.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Do you have stories?

[Joel McHale]

Yeah. The sex was incredible. Have you been here? This is where you shoot the.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I don't shoot. No. We go to different restaurants every time.

[Joel McHale]

This is awesome. I've never been.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I've never been either. This is. This is exciting for you.

[Joel McHale]

Oh, this is so nice.

[Waitstaff]

Hi, guys. So, real quick, just so you can walk through the menus for yourselves, my recommendations to you are the bottom three appetizers, the bottom three sushi rolls, any of the soup and salads. Great. This little crown right here. Yellowtail over to Albacore All. That's really yummy. And then from the chef selections, our noodles, our branzino, our ribeye, strangely enough, and our paella.

[Joel McHale]

Definitely the octopus.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You want that?

[Joel McHale]

I don't know if you like octopus.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I do.

[Joel McHale]

I love it.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Joel McHale]

Great.

[Waitstaff]

Go ahead and put that in for.

[Joel McHale]

And then. Should we. Should we.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Let's do everything.

[Joel McHale]

Is there anything on here that you're like. You can't walk away without getting this.

[Waitstaff]

Leona's special roll or the yellowtail jalapeno sashimi.

[Joel McHale]

Ooh, yeah. Let's do both of those.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Let's do both of them.

[Joel McHale]

Yeah. All right.

[Waitstaff]

Do that in the octopus.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Could we get some crispy rice and spices as well?

[Joel McHale]

Yes, agreed.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Do you want any sushi?

[Joel McHale]

Yeah, I love it all.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Let's get a few pieces of sushi.

[Joel McHale]

Is. How long ago was the sweet shrimp murdered?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, my God. Murdered?

[Waitstaff]

I'm not certain. I'll have to ask the shit.

[Joel McHale]

I love a sweet shrimp.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Let's do sweet shrimp.

[Joel McHale]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And yellowtail.

[Joel McHale]

Yes. Yep.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And halibut.

[Joel McHale]

Yep.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And that's it. Okay.

[Waitstaff]

I'll leave you with a menu. We can always.

[Joel McHale]

And you have. Do you have flying fish roe?

[Waitstaff]

I can bring you some row.

[Joel McHale]

Great.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Well, how did you get involved in acting? Because you were like a sports guy. You are a jock. You are a jock.

[Joel McHale]

Thank you for saying that. Yeah, I was a good athlete, but not that good. I mean, I was good, but not professional level good. I was good for an actor, but I wasn't like. I wasn't good, like, couldn't ever hang.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Were you, like. Were you one of those jocks that they were like, okay, we gotta get someone to do, like, you know, Little Abner or Bye Bye Birdie. It's like, let's ask the football guys to do it. And then you fell in love with it or how did you.

[Joel McHale]

No, I was already. Way into second grade was my first play. And what was that play? Yes, it was a staged version of the ride It's a Small World at Disneyland.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No, no, that exists.

[Joel McHale]

Haddonfield, New Jersey. That is a real play where they were like, you're from all the different countries and every kid. Because there's so many roles you can dress up.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Wait, was it a lot of white people dressing up as. It was only white people. I was gonna say.

[Joel McHale]

If you go back now, it is maybe more offensive than Breakfast at Tiffany.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Possibly problematic.

[Joel McHale]

I played a snake. I played a cobra that was charmed.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Out of a basket from when you went to Morocco or something.

[Joel McHale]

No, Cincinnati. What are you talking about? Yeah, I think that was from India or Pakistan, perhaps. And then I played a monkey who peeled a. I got that role because I could mime peeling a banana. So that was my big introduction. And my parents Were like, wow, you seem to really enjoy yourself up there. And I was like, I did. And that led to my huge Broadway career. Wait. But I really was like, oh, I'm. I like that. And then in grade school, I just kept doing little things, and I was so bad at school, but it was really good at sports.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Joel McHale]

And I was like. And I remember just thinking, like, I'm gonna try to do this. Sports and act. I want to do acting. I want to do this until the real job police come and take me away. And so that was, like, in seventh grade, I was like, I'm gonna do this.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Was this. Had you already moved to Seattle or where were you at?

[Joel McHale]

Yeah, we were only in New Jersey for two.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay.

[Joel McHale]

Brief years, so I can, you know, claim them. From Philly.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right. Born in Rome, raised in Philly, born.

[Joel McHale]

In Rome, moved to Seattle, moved to New Jersey, moved back to Seattle.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Got it, got it, got it. Seattle has a really good theater scene. They do in a month. Is that what it is? Fifth Avenue Theater? I performed at Fifth Avenue Theater.

[Joel McHale]

You performed there?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I did Hair, the musical Hair.

[Joel McHale]

You were naked.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I was naked on the Fifth Avenue stage. I remember my dad came to see it.

[Joel McHale]

Oh, no.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I mean, there were so many people in the. You know, the lights go down real low in that scene where they all get naked, so. But, yeah, I was.

[Joel McHale]

I'm proud of you, son. That was.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I don't think so.

[Joel McHale]

You really were.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I think, in that specific performance, flopping around all over. I made my way to. Cause it got very. You know, it's all the hippies running around. I think I just stayed on the back. Like, I made sure I was in the back row that day.

[Joel McHale]

That's pretty great.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Joel McHale]

That. Seattle had a crazily good theater scene in the 80s. And then in the early 90s, some.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Of my favorite drag queens came out of Seattle. Jinx Monsoon is from Portland, but lived in Seattle.

[Joel McHale]

That's not the same.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Listen, I know you. You were a judge on RuPaul's Dragway.

[Joel McHale]

It's all just.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You did RuPaul's Drag Race. I know that you have an appreciation.

[Joel McHale]

I do. I just saw Trixie.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Trixie Mattel?

[Joel McHale]

Yeah. I just saw her perform at this Lisa Vanderpump thing, and I was.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Wait a minute. Okay. You're gonna have to circle back on all that.

[Joel McHale]

It's a. Like a. At a Lisa charity event for rescuing dogs. And, you know, it's Lisa Vanderpump who I really. I am deeply fond of, and her husband.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

How did you meet. How did you meet them?

[Joel McHale]

I had dinner at their house.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

How did that happen?

[Joel McHale]

She had her own show on E.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I'm gonna get to the bottom of this.

[Joel McHale]

Where they invited. Where we're just like, oh, come over and we will.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Wow. I feel like she's here.

[Joel McHale]

See the tiny horses and we'll have a grand old time now. Jill, you like wine And. And it was like a.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Sounds like four hours. The traitors. Ellen. Coming on. The traitors. Okay, go ahead.

[Joel McHale]

How dare you?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

How dare you.

[Joel McHale]

Is that as good as House of Villains? I don't think so. Wait, they have a lot more emm nations. We're up to zero.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

So you.

[Joel McHale]

So Trixie Mattel performed and I was blown away.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, she's great.

[Waitstaff]

All right, friends, Yellowtail jalapenos.

[Joel McHale]

Shimi, you get some photos of that? Yeah. Good.

[Waitstaff]

I have strict construction.

[Joel McHale]

Yes. That RuPaul's Drag Race, I think it was. It's the only thing I'm known for on Tik Tok.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Is it make its round on Tik Tok y.

[Joel McHale]

My 16 year old Billy fucking Drag Race thing came up again. It was my finest moment of performing. Oh, look at that. Okay. Cause I wasn't. I, you know, I was. I have no idea. Yeah. So just like, I'm gonna be as supportive as possible and the way I know how.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, yeah.

[Joel McHale]

Screaming.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

We were screaming. I don't remember your episode.

[Joel McHale]

Oh. I was just like, yeah, get it. I could see that guy's butt. Michelle was highly annoyed. It was. It made me so happy. And I love that Michelle.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I do too.

[Joel McHale]

I love her.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

She's pretty great.

[Joel McHale]

And I was able to get this full circle. Cuz you remember. Maybe not, but the Drag Race, when it started, the dirtiest show on television by a mile.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. Also made for a dollar. I mean, the first season of RuPaul's Drag Race was made for a dollar.

[Joel McHale]

And there was no performing.

[Waitstaff]

So sorry. Friends got crispy rice. I ate two orders.

[Joel McHale]

For you.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Beautiful. Thank you.

[Joel McHale]

Thank you. This is the greatest day of my life. But it was just all glory hole jokes. It was every innuendo, and it was just like RuPaul going like, all right, we're gonna. It's popsicle eating contest. And there was no dance. And we couldn't even show it on the soup because they were like, this is too dirty. I'm like, it's on cable.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Joel McHale]

And then we finally convinced them. And then Ken and I, Ken Zhang, my husband, we presented RuPaul and the whole team their Emmy last Year or the year before. And it was. I was like, look at this. It's all worked out.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. That's awesome.

[Joel McHale]

So cool.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Wait.

[Joel McHale]

This is very good. Crispy rice.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It's very good.

[Joel McHale]

This restaurant is fantastic. We love Leonas.

[Waitstaff]

If you guys do need anything like eel sauce or ponzu or anything like spicy mayo, let me know.

[Joel McHale]

Great.

[Waitstaff]

Want to fly to that kind of stuff?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, sure. Why not?

[Joel McHale]

But, you know, when cable was starting, all these old tiny shows were starting out.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Joel McHale]

And then some of them exploded.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Joel McHale]

I mean, now they. The LA Convention center for DragCon is like.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, I know. It's a.

[Joel McHale]

If you had said, like, I mean, obviously RuPaul is. There's nobody like him and what a rock on tour and all that stuff. But, like, if you would be like, that show is gonna be a phenomenal. This big.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. Now for a quick break, but don't go away. When we come back, Joel talks to me about how he became the host of the Soup, trolling reporters on set and whether or not the community movie rumors are true. Okay, be right back. Elevating your style used to mean breaking the bank. But with Quint, you get high end, versatile pieces of prices you can actually afford. Now you can upgrade your style by snagging killer luxury essentials that sync with your vibe and your wallet. Quince has all the must haves, like Mongolian cashmere sweaters from $50 iconic 100% leather jackets and comfortable pants for every occasion. The best part, all Quint's Items are priced 50 to 80% less than similar brands. By partnering directly with top factories, Quint's cuts out the cost of the middleman and passes his savings on to us. And Quince only works with factories that use safe, ethical and responsible manufacturing practices along with premium fabrics and finishes. I love that. I personally love the activewear, the flowknit breeze performance tees easily transition from working out to running errands. I'm also eyeing the performance button, button down. That would be great for those long travel days. It also has up 40 sun protection, so, you know, that's pretty cool. Indulge in affordable luxury. Go to Quince.com JTF for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. That's Q-U-I-N-C-E.com JTF to get free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com JTF New Year, new you. Wellness is especially top of mind for me this holiday season. After weeks of indulgent meals and late nights I realized my body was begging for a reset and Whole Foods Market is the perfect partner for that. They're your go to for high quality ingredients from organic produce to no antibiotics ever. Meats. Did you know Whole foods bans over 300 questionable ingredients from their foods and 150 from their supplements. Plus they offer over 41,000 organic options. Looking to up your protein game? Grab sustainable wild caught sockeye salmon, organic chicken breasts or their famous rotisserie chicken. Perfect for busy weeknights. And for those taking a dry January refresh with alcohol, free drinks like athletic brewing beer or mingles Paloma cocktail. They're delicious. Save time with meal hacks like salad kits ready to cook veggies and ready to heat soups. All available for pickup or delivery. Terms apply to all sales. Pickup and delivery make Whole Foods Market the home for your wellness routine. And we're back with more dinners on me. Can I ask you about the soup, though? Because that was such, you know, that show.

[Joel McHale]

You notice how I brought it up?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Well, and I'm glad you did because I completely forgot that you're on that. Just kidding.

[Joel McHale]

What?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Just kidding. No, I mean, when you started doing Community, I was like, look at this guy from the Soup. He's really made it.

[Joel McHale]

See, that was.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

But I mean, the structure of that was so. It hadn't really been. I remember like, there was those shows, like, Best Week Ever. And there was like, it was like a lot of talking heads. And I remember like, oh, if I could just get an episode of Best week Ever, that'd be really fun to do.

[Joel McHale]

I was trying to get on that show.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I was trying to get on that show. And then Talk Soup. Or not Talk Soup. The Soup was Talk Soup, a show.

[Joel McHale]

Yes. With different Greg Kinnear.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, wow.

[Joel McHale]

So Greg Kinnear started that in 1991 on E. Which was barely a network, which had no commercials because they couldn't sell any commercials. So all the commercial breaks would be promotions for like new E shows. They were just making up like wild on with Brooke Burke or something. Like when I was. When offered it, which was a lengthy audition process. So it was called the what the Awards for real name, Terrible name. And they. And then that got switched six months later after the new president came in and was like, what the fuck is the. What? The awards switched to the Soup. And we opened it up to every, like, celebrity news and any. Any show other than, like funny talk shows. And then it just slowly but surely got more popular. It was never, you know, it was never a massive. It was Always kind of a cult hit.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, totally.

[Joel McHale]

And then, you know, the Internet came along and streamers, and it all just faded away. And ironically, I'm back on E. House of Villains, season two.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Full circles. Right before you did the soup, you talked about commercials and stuff, but you were also doing, I think, a lot. Were you doing, like, guest spots on TV shows? Like, were you finding.

[Joel McHale]

Not. I did. I got very lucky.

[Waitstaff]

Sweet.

[Joel McHale]

There's that sweet shrimp.

[Waitstaff]

Sweet shrimp from Canada. Canada came this morning, so.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh. For a while. Oh, I'm sweet.

[Joel McHale]

Oh, hey.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, sorry, Siri.

[Joel McHale]

Ah, I got very lucky. I auditioned for Will and Grace about three months after I got here, and I lied that I was over six'seven I'm six'four But they wanted someone enormous, so I went and bought heeled boots at the Skechers outlet on Van Nuys and did the audition. Tracy Lilienfield, who you met, and she was so nice. Man, I lied.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

They're like, how tall?

[Joel McHale]

I was like, six, eight through like, a miracle. I got it. It was, like, three lines, but it was still like, holy. I'm on one of the. This is one of the biggest shows on the planet.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Joel McHale]

And. And then I got an agent out of that, and then they dropped me a year later because I couldn't book anything, and I. That's that. And then I had this good friend, still friends with him, director named Sandy Smolin, who would throw me into things. I mean, like, I'm directing Diagnosis Murder. Can you get murdered? Yes. And so he really, like, he kept the credits slowly coming. I still couldn't get a legitimate agent, which is a terrible name. All right.

[Waitstaff]

Leona's special role.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, nice. That's beautiful.

[Joel McHale]

Look at that shit.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Look how beautiful.

[Joel McHale]

Beautiful. So and then I was like, how do I get the lead role auditions? And then I realized you had to be popular or popular on some list that they had.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right.

[Joel McHale]

And the Soup did that. Yeah, because I had a lot of actor friends that were like, oh, I would never do the Soup, because that's a whole other.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Well, yeah, I mean, I wanted to ask you about that because I. You know, I think there was sort of a. I don't think that it exists anymore. No, it's gone, like, a stigma around people hosting things.

[Joel McHale]

Yes.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You know, I did. They did a reboot of Extreme Makeover Home Edition on. On hgtv, and I hosted that, but I was really nervous about saying yes to it. But I have, like, my friend Liz Banks was hosting Press yous Luck, and I saw, like, Will Arnett was hosting some. I think maybe a Lego show.

[Joel McHale]

Ellen was hosting, Dwayne Johnson was hosting, and Jamie Foxx was hosting. Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Joel McHale]

Oh, yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, my goodness.

[Waitstaff]

Enjoy. Fun.

[Joel McHale]

Would you eat the lemon? Should you dare, or do you just eat the roe off?

[Waitstaff]

Oh, you know, have at, my friend. I would eat the roe off and just use, like, the juice, you know? Yeah, you got it.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Just use the juice.

[Joel McHale]

This is my favorite part.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

The heads.

[Joel McHale]

Yep.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I'm gonna let you have mine too.

[Joel McHale]

What's wrong? What's going on? See, this is.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, your head. Oh.

[Joel McHale]

Oh, God.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Is it great?

[Joel McHale]

Mm. Like potato chips.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I don't love the heads, but I'm gonna try it.

[Joel McHale]

Put it in a little.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I don't like the eyes.

[Joel McHale]

You're not gonna know.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, I've got hungry eyes here.

[Joel McHale]

We'll go.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, I'm really getting a lot of soy on here.

[Joel McHale]

It's crunchy. It's crunchy. It's. It's a little hot. It's all hot. It's, like, warm. But it's good, right? Whole thing in your mouth.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Impressive. It's really hot, but I'd say it is good.

[Joel McHale]

I have had them while they're still twitching.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No, Japan.

[Joel McHale]

No, not the heads. The bodies.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No. Did you. When Community came to you, you were on the Soup, and they'd seen you, and what was that audition process like?

[Joel McHale]

Dan Harmon's girlfriend liked the Soup. She saw the show, and she saw the Soup, and she was like, hey, I think that's your Jeff Winger character. And they brought me in and I read the script, and it was one of the only times that I was like, this is incredible.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It was such a good show.

[Joel McHale]

It was so airtight. And the network. And we've talked about this. I didn't. But Michael Rosenbaum is who the network wanted.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, really?

[Joel McHale]

And Dan wanted me. I think it was a very close. It was so close, and then, like, Rosenbaum was so cool and supportive because.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Joel McHale]

I mean, you know, like, when you get these shows, you have no idea.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right.

[Joel McHale]

And I'd been on a couple of pilots that I was like, uh, oh, I thought this was my big break. And then they would just. But, you know, Community, that's how it ended up.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Did you feel like there was a shift in, like, the way people perceived you? Because, you know, coming off of something like the Soup and then having such. I mean, it was such a great show, such an incredible ensemble. So well written. You know, it became such a cult classic as well.

[Joel McHale]

Yes.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I mean, it was, like the cool show to, like. I was just watching an episode of it last.

[Joel McHale]

We were wanting, like, just an eighth of your ratings. That's all we wanted.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And I've been on the other side of it where you do something that, like, no one's watching, but everyone seem. Everyone who is watching is loving. Yeah, that's tricky, too.

[Joel McHale]

We were going to be canceled every season.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Joel McHale]

But. But at the same time, we knew we were making something really good. Yeah, we were canceled and then picked up by Yahoo. Screen. And then we canceled that entire streamer. Yes, but it was you guys. Us and Glee came out in the same year.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Same year. I remember that.

[Joel McHale]

And the mushroom cloud of, like, the white hot attention that you guys and Glee were getting. And then we were all like, we're gonna do a pillow fight for an entire episode. We were all so envious of the. I was like, they got fucking George Clooney. George Clooney is on fucking Modern Family.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

He just did a promo.

[Joel McHale]

We had a George Clooney lookalike, literally.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I did a sitcom called the Class, and it came out the same year as 30 Rock. And I remember feeling the same thing. Like, although 30 Rock had a rough start, I think too, people had to find it. But I remember just feeling like, oh, I wish I had the excitement that there was around 30 Rock. Although I don't know if they had the same viewership.

[Joel McHale]

Class was one season.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

One season, 19 episodes. Yeah.

[Joel McHale]

Yeah. That would be like three seasons on a streamer now.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. Truly. I know. We told our story. We told the story we wanted to tell.

[Joel McHale]

It was like, Fargo.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It was like, middle end, new cast, new fight, it's fine. And the new cast was the Big Bang Theory. That's literally the show that replaced us. Well, yeah, yeah. No, but I understand what you're saying about, you know, being in a season where there's other, you know, other big things happening. But I guess I can only say from my perspective, it just felt like it was such a. Had a cool factor that I think I was also envious of. I remember seeing an event, Nicole Brown, and like, talking to her about an episode specifically, and she was looking at me. She's like, oh, you. You really watched it? I was like, yeah, I really like the show. I really am. I'm a fan of it.

[Joel McHale]

Funny. The only time. Well, I've been an asshole many times, but I would always call out reporters and they'd be like, such a great show. It's just so amazing. And it would be one thing if we were on a red carpet and they were just out there like, here's this guy from this thing. Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Joel McHale]

But it was like, if you come to set, if you're sitting on our set.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. You should have, like, done some research.

[Joel McHale]

You should know what show this is.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right.

[Joel McHale]

You should know it. And they'll be like. I was like, what's your favorite episode? It's happened so many times. And they're like, all of them. I was like, no, no. What episodes do you like? Oh, the paintballs. And I'd be like, what's my character's name? And they were like, yeah. And so I've had reporters come back and just like, you really got me. And I was like, yeah, I probably should just enjoy the promotion and not call people out.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You couldn't help yourself.

[Joel McHale]

Modern Family was pretty damn cool.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Thanks, bud.

[Joel McHale]

And, you know, it wasn't. It was very unusual in that everybody liked it. And I say it was unusual people liked a show. I'm not saying that.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Joel McHale]

Like, Euphoria is probably not the show that the family gathers around.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right.

[Joel McHale]

And there's something for everybody. That show was.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. Well, now, let me ask you this, because I keep hearing about a community film.

[Joel McHale]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Is that a thing?

[Joel McHale]

Peacock has given us the money. Oh, great. That's when everyone's like, is that gonna happen? I was like, well, we got the money, which is one of the harder things to do, and everyone's in. So that's the other. It's really coming down to schedules, and a script was written, so all that is real. And I know that we've been talking about it for literally years, but it's. It will happen. And there's just, you know, it's just getting those schedules together.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. Have you read the script?

[Joel McHale]

I have.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You've read a script? Okay.

[Joel McHale]

Yeah. I'm not gonna tell you anything about it. I'll just say.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

But it exists.

[Joel McHale]

Everybody dies.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You think it's good? Everyone dies. Perfect.

[Joel McHale]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I don't want to tell you. No spoilers. Just everyone dies.

[Joel McHale]

Everyone dies.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Now for a quick break, but don't go away. When we come back, Joel tells me his mindset going into the White House Correspondents Dinner, and we both get vulnerable about what it feels like to have a lull in your career after a hit show. Okay. Be right back. This episode of Dinners on Me is brought to you by Nissan. These days, it feels like the world and our lives are moving at hyperspeed. I mean, that's why I love doing this podcast. It's a chance to slow down, to truly connect with another human being and to enjoy the feeling of actually being in the present moment. On that note, I am very excited that Dinners On Me is partnering with Nissan because Nissan understands that sometimes the greatest rush comes from not rushing at all. And with the all new Nissan Murano, you can enjoy an unapologetic refuge amidst the daily hustle and bustle of life. The Nissan Murano is not just a vehicle, it's a space where you can take a beat to catch your breath and re energize to be in the present moment. And trust me, this is the moment you'll want to be in and drive in. The Nissan Murano features an elevated modern interior design and a bold new exterior look. Plus, the expansive panoramic moonroof adds tons of natural light to the roomy cabin with massaging leather appointed seats to help melt away the tension of the day and ambient mood lighting with 64 color options to set the vibe just right. What's not to love? 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 more about the all new nissan [e-mail] Panoramic moonroof, ambient lighting and massaging leather appointed seats are optional Features.

[Joel McHale]

MSNBC presents a new original podcast hosted by Jen Psaki. Each week she and her guests explore how the Democratic Party is facing this political moment and where it's headed next.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

There's probably both messaging and policy issues, but as you look to kind of where the Democratic Party is, do you think it's more a messaging issue, more a policy issue?

[Joel McHale]

The Blueprint with Jen Psaki. New episodes drop every Monday. Listen now.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And we're back with more dinners on Meme. Wait, I have to talk to you about the first thing I want to talk about before.

[Joel McHale]

We've been talking for like an hour.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

We have been. And I want to be respectful of your time. You have a hard out at one. That's what everyone always says, the hard out. And then it's always fine. But I know you've talked about it a little bit. What I feel is probably the hardest job is being the comic at the White House Correspondent's dinner. I remember cause I was in the room, I was there that you did it. And so I went to rewatch it last night and there's actually a reaction shot of me. Like they went to me. It was really more Wolf Blitzer but I was like right behind him. So like I consider it my reaction shot but I was laughing. You can go back and look at the tape.

[Joel McHale]

Yeah. There's things that I say then that I'm like, oh, I can say that now.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Let's talk about this. Cause you have to really go up to the line to make an impact in the room. But at the same time, you're making fun of the people who are running our country and poking at some of the most powerful people.

[Joel McHale]

Is this good for sound?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That's a fun sound.

[Joel McHale]

I was never more nervous.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Was it an immediate. Yes.

[Joel McHale]

It couldn't have been. Yes. Faster.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

First of all, there were some moves. Incredible, incredible jokes. The one about Hillary Clinton was gold, about if we elect her as president, we don't have to pay her as much. It would save the. Because she's a woman. Yeah. Yeah. Save the country 30%. Yeah. I mean, that's gold.

[Joel McHale]

Yeah. That was a good joke.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It was a good joke.

[Joel McHale]

But my goal was to offend everybody. And they'll. They'll go. They all said, like, you'll see. If you tell a joke about the Republicans, they'll be. They're not gonna laugh. The Democrats will laugh, but not too hard. And if it's a little bit racy, they're all gonna go, ooh, I. I don't approve of that.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Joel McHale]

And so that's exactly what happened.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Had you been to the correspondence dinner as a guest before, or was that the first time you've been in that room?

[Joel McHale]

I saw Ferguson do it during Bush's years.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Joel McHale]

When it was like, 2006, 2007.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Joel McHale]

We're sitting near Pamela Anderson. My dad was like, pamela Anderson's here. And. Yeah, it's crazy. And that was pretty exciting.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Joel McHale]

But I never have been more nervous. Never have been that so nervous since.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Joel McHale]

It was like I burned out the wire in my brain for nerves.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I mean, it's one thing to like. Like, I. I just. I got to be in conversation with Bill Clinton about his recent memoir.

[Joel McHale]

Who?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

The President Clinton.

[Joel McHale]

Oh.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And I was terrified about that, but I wasn't also having to make fun of him while he's sitting right there. I mean, that's sort of like what the job requires. It's a roast, and, you know, it's Obama and his. And. And. And the first lady, and it's just. It's. I've. Every time I go. Because I've been. I've been lucky enough to go, you know, three or four times, and every time I'm like, God, that person up there is a superhero.

[Joel McHale]

You stood on stage not trying to Put your. Lord, that's.

[Waitstaff]

So this is our banana congari.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It's.

[Waitstaff]

It's basically bananas foster in a puff pastry.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Jesus.

[Waitstaff]

So I'm gonna steal this stuff from you. Unless you wanna add.

[Joel McHale]

Yeah, steal it away. I'll just take this last tentacle. Mm. Mm. What am I saying? Enough rehearsal. I think you'd be okay.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, gosh, I don't know.

[Joel McHale]

Anyway, I remember working out that morning, just being like, I cannot believe, like, you're sitting there talking to Michelle Obama for an hour.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, yeah.

[Joel McHale]

Getting ready to tell these people.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Well, that's the other thing is, like, you're sat next to them through the whole dinner. You go right from, like, having casual conversation with the president and first lady to.

[Joel McHale]

Well, and then the president. And Obama was good at it.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

He was really good at it.

[Joel McHale]

He's always good at it, you know, And Trump ended it. And if that guy can't take a joke and it's like, he's so funny, I'm like, well, you can't take a joke. And that's what I think showed, like, such great power in our country that you could go up and make fun of the leader and then be like. And I remember Obama going like, that was a good, good one. And I was like. I remember doing an interview with, I don't know, like, a Romanian reporter, and he was like, oh, if we did that, we'd be swinging a hammer for. We'd be breaking up rocks in a prison yard for the rest of our lives. And I was like, oh, yeah, that really does show how cool we are.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Joel McHale]

And anyway, so he ended it, and it obviously hasn't really come back in the. In the way that I hope it comes back someday eventually. Yeah, it's such a.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You might need some space from it after this next presidency, but. Yeah.

[Joel McHale]

Wait, when's the election? Is it next year? I did buy his fragrances and a couple of Bibles, so I'm excited.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Who's Trump's?

[Joel McHale]

Oh, Trump Bible. He has new fragrances, and he does not have fragrances. Just got. Literally, got released just a few days ago.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I'm looking this up. Are you kidding me?

[Joel McHale]

Yeah, they're actually pretty good.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No. Are they?

[Joel McHale]

Yeah. I like frankincense. I like. It's a lot like Calvin Klein's Obsession.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Shut up. By the way, did you realize we were exo. At animal hospital?

[Joel McHale]

Oh, I've been to that animal hospital.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Have you?

[Joel McHale]

Multiple times.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Really?

[Joel McHale]

Yes.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

So by the time this comes out.

[Joel McHale]

Animal control.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That's right. I was gonna say Animal Control will be in its third season. Yes, but you have so many other things that you are spinning right now. You're hosting Crime Scene Kitchen on Fox. Right. And then.

[Joel McHale]

And yeah, House of Villains on E.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Back on E. And then you have Animal Control. I mean, you seem to be like such a workhorse. I mean, it seems like you're always. Even when you're doing Community, you were still for a few years doing the Soup as well.

[Joel McHale]

I mean, is there until the end of.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Do you ever feel anxious having to keep all these, you know, balls in the air or is there anxiety around when you're not working like this?

[Joel McHale]

Yes, it's when I'm not working.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay.

[Joel McHale]

Like we had the entire family over for Thanksgiving. The most relaxed I was is when we went to Magic Mountain and I got on the roller coasters and I was like, just. I was, I burst out crying at the end of one of the roller coasters because I was so happy.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, my God, I was so like this.

[Joel McHale]

I forgot how fun this is. And I was like 53 year old man going, like, I was so happy, happy. And yeah, I never got rid of the actor thing. Like, you're never gonna work again. That always.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I mean, I, I don't have that. I haven't let go of that either.

[Joel McHale]

Yeah, everyone goes adhd and I, I think, I know that a lot of people say that, but I really, I don't. I cannot focus for very long and so I like jumping on those lily pads as fast as I can. Yeah, I love performing. I love that stuff. I still to this day get excited. I was like, someone's paying me to do this. I can't believe it. I just saw this amazing video about Dick Van Dyke, that lead singer, what's his name? Chris Martin.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, Chris Martin. Yeah.

[Joel McHale]

And it was. Yeah. Spike Lee and Mary Wigmore made this little video about him being like 99.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Joel McHale]

Talking and he's still like dancing and is that incredible?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Do you want that? I mean.

[Joel McHale]

Yeah, that sounds. I want to drop dead on stage. Not this year, not anytime soon, but.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You know, relatives, do what you love doing. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Joel McHale]

How about you?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I do. I mean, I'm. I have had a bit of a lull after Modern Family ended and just obviously there was a pandemic. But then coming back out of that, I got to do some theater. But I. And I. Well, this is the thing I won. I won a Tony Award when I came. There you are, there you are. But I thought like when, that, when I got a Tony, I was like, oh, this is like, all right, get ready. Get ready. Like, the offers are coming in. And, you know, it wasn't. It wasn't that at all. And I got really anxious. I was like, well. And it was. I had to check myself. I was like, you know, what was I really expecting? And, you know, I shouldn't be expecting accolades to lead to future work. I've never been in that mindset before. Like, why now that I've actually won one, should I expect that to happen?

[Joel McHale]

Wait, Modern family ended in 2019.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No.

[Joel McHale]

2020.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Joel McHale]

Pandemic hits. Nothing's happening.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Nothing's happened. Are you gonna poke holes in my story?

[Joel McHale]

Yeah. Then you get this theater job.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Joel McHale]

Where you win a Tony. And now you're like, no. Lol.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That was a while ago. Years ago.

[Joel McHale]

A ton of.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Two years ago. Two years ago.

[Joel McHale]

Okay.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It's not that I haven't done. I've done things.

[Joel McHale]

You know, we have the similar. Like, I count a lull as a weekend, and so I'm like, oh, fuck, I think it's over.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

There are stretches where it's really scary, and it's like, oh, I don't know about what's coming up next. And. But I have.

[Joel McHale]

Right. But you're. Now I've late.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay.

[Joel McHale]

You're mid-40s.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I'll be 50 this year.

[Joel McHale]

That. That. So that's. You know, there's just. You get into this category now where it's just. Or this thing. You're like, you're gonna work forever if you want. It may not be exactly the thing.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I mean, I have. I'll always have a career in porn. Oh, I know that.

[Joel McHale]

I don't know about that. I've heard. I've just heard that, you know, you're.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Always late to set shrinkage as you get older.

[Joel McHale]

It's just a very specific. Like, the ginger world that's always gonna have. Always gonna be popular. But I am in a mild state of panic all the time.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Joel McHale]

Because I. I'm the sick come. I'm like, you're doing well. Look, you've got multiple cars. You've got a lawn. You got a pool, Joel. And then I'm like. Then I'm constantly like, oh, that'll be the last thing I'll ever do. It'll never happen again. I got to sell it all. And my wife is like, you're nuts.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Well, I hope this podcast gets you some, you know, a surge of excitement. Thanks for doing this, buddy.

[Joel McHale]

Oh, we're not done.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, I will.

[Joel McHale]

Wait. Do you have. You have to pay for this.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No. Dinner's on me. Yeah, dinner's on me. Unless dinner's on you. This episode of Dinner's On Me was recorded at Leona's in Studio City, California. Next week on Dinners On Me, you know him as the frontman of Bush. It's Gavin Rossdale. We'll get into a very random and intimate thing we have in common. His love of food and how that translates into an exciting new project and how he looks back at the 90s grunge. 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 Baer engineered this episode. Hans Dale, 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.