Sarah Chalke – on 'Scrubs’ revival and ‘Roseanne’ learnings

Summary

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Dinner’s on Me with Jesse Tyler Ferguson

Guest: Sarah Chalke
Episode: Sarah Chalke – on 'Scrubs’ revival and ‘Roseanne’ learnings
Date: February 17, 2026
Location: Clark Street Diner, Los Angeles

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Main Theme & Purpose

In this episode, host Jesse Tyler Ferguson sits down with actress Sarah Chalke for an open, laughter-filled dinner conversation touching on career-defining roles, the art of ensemble television, and the vulnerability and growth inherent in creative work. The episode delves into Chalke’s upcoming Scrubs revival, her unique experiences as “the second Becky” on Roseanne, and how both worlds shaped her personal and professional journey.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Theater Beginnings and Stage Mishaps

[04:32–08:34]

• Sarah reflects on her limited theater experience post-high school before jumping into a significant stage role. Despite nerves and a sense of being unprepared, she found performing live exhilarating and unpredictable.

  • Sarah: “I had no fucking clue what I was doing... the first night of walking on stage... What if I don’t remember one word?” [05:22]
  • Live performances were filled with unexpected moments, like an understudy missing a cue or a comedic “booger transfer” during a crying scene.
  • The joy and adrenaline of live theater stemmed from its unpredictability and the lack of a safety net:
    • Jesse: “There’s no editor. My favorite part about it is having a performance completely under my jurisdiction.” [06:12]
    • Sarah: “Every night's different. The audience is another character.” [06:01]

2. LA Beginnings & Neighborhood Nostalgia

[12:38–15:03]

• Both reminisce about their first years in LA, particularly the charm and “vibey” appeal of neighborhoods like Beechwood Canyon and Los Feliz.
• Sarah shares a story about moving with her childhood best friend for a six-month sublet that turned into nearly two decades.
  • Sarah: "We decided to come down for six months. We stayed 17 and 19 years respectively." [12:46]

3. The Scrubs Revival—Returning Home

[14:07–15:52, 34:56–43:31]

• Filming in Vancouver: Sarah expresses deep excitement and gratitude that the new Scrubs revival shoots in her hometown.
  • Sarah: “I manifested it... I got to have everybody in my hometown. It was so cool.” [15:17]
• Recreating the Set: They rebuilt the hospital set identically, down to the odd ceiling tiles, on a Vancouver soundstage, inducing chills and a sense of surreal nostalgia.
  • Sarah: “It’s identical… Walking onto these sets... you’re playing the same character with the same people, wearing the same clothes.” [36:13]
  • **Donald Faison described the experience as ‘trippy’.” [35:16]
• Ensemble Chemistry & Aging Into Roles:
  • The cast returns older and more experienced, both in life and as performers, imbuing their characters with new depth:
    • Jesse: “You could tell… you as actors have had so much more life experience… it brings this other level.” [38:10]
  • New “interns” are highlighted for their talent and impressive authenticity:
    • Sarah: “Where are they making these actors nowadays?... They're just comfortable in their own skin.” [39:52]
• Physical Comedy Remains On-Brand: Sarah details inadvertently breaking her finger before the shoot, resulting in a real-life “prophecy” fulfilled about her tendency to get injured—a running on-set joke.
  • Sarah: “You’ll see like my fingers are buddy taped. They're going to CGI out the buddy taping, but I have like a weird lobster claw.” [43:15]
• The Value of Reunions:
  • The cast’s long history brings built-in chemistry and heart to the revival:
    • Sarah: "You can't manufacture history... you just know each other so well. And I think that translates." [41:28]
  • Jesse relates to dreaming of a Modern Family revival, admiring the organic truthfulness he sees in Scrubs’ return.

4. The Roseanne Years—Pressure, Naivety, and Navigating Fame

[19:05–30:03]

• Replacing Becky: Sarah lands the role as Becky Connor at just 16, recounting an unusual audition process (code names, VHS tapes, flying to LA, competing with older actresses).
  • Sarah: “I was 16 from Canada… They put us through hair, in makeup, and they had us all in matching Becky blouses.” [20:22]
• Addressing Cast Changes: Showrunners acknowledged the switch playfully via a Bewitched joke in the show’s tag.
  • Sarah: “The only way they addressed it was in the tag… someone said, ‘I can’t believe they switched that Darren.’” [19:37]
• Coping with Public Reaction:
  • Encountered fans angry about the recasting (“I like the first Becky way better”), but also unique apologies (“I’ve always just wanted to yell at an actor... so I’m sorry.”) [03:20, 24:53]
• Set Tensions:
  • Jesse references writer Danny Zucker’s stories about how high-pressure and tumultuous the Roseanne set could be (writers regularly getting fired, creative tension).
    • Sarah: “Once you see that, you’re a kid, you’re like, oh yeah, that’s something that can happen.” [26:46]
• Bracing for Attention:
  • Navigated fame and press naively, assuming she had to do every interview and press event—leading to absurd situations (battle of the network stars, unexpected fashion shoots).
    • Sarah: “I thought the answer was yes to everything… I didn’t have any frame of reference for it.” [29:56]
• Grateful Carefree Youth:
  • Sarah credits her naivety for being able to step into such a fraught, high-pressure TV role at that age.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Live Theater:
  • “There’s no editor… having a performance completely under my jurisdiction is really exciting.”
    — Jesse [06:12]
  • “Every night's different. The audience is another character.”
    — Sarah [06:01]
• On Being ‘Second Becky’:
  • “I like the first Becky way better. And I was like, okay, yeah, she was fantastic. I agree.”
    — Sarah [03:20, 24:53]
  • “I've always just, like, wanted to yell at an actor, and you were here, and so I’m sorry, and I didn’t mean it.”
    — Fan to Sarah [03:31, 24:53]
• On Manifesting the Scrubs Revival:
  • “I manifested it… I got to have everybody in my hometown. It was so cool.”
    — Sarah [15:17]
  • “It’s like a fever dream… walking onto these sets… you’re playing the same character with the same people.”
    — Sarah [36:13]
• On Returning to Familiar Characters:
  • “You can’t manufacture history… you just know each other so well. And I think that translates.”
    — Sarah [41:28]
• On the Growth of Television Comedy:
  • “Scrubs really changed the landscape… it was such a different tone.”
    — Jesse [31:00]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Theater and Stage Stories – [04:32–08:34]
• Neighborhoods, LA Memories, Start of Scrubs Revival – [12:38–15:52]
• Roseanne Auditions and Experience – [19:05–30:03]
• Reuniting for Scrubs – [31:00–43:31]
• Generational Changes in TV Casts – [39:52–41:28]

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Episode Flow & Tone

Conversational, candid, and often irreverent, Jesse and Sarah share a warm chemistry—switching between laughter and reflective moments. The energy is that of old friends reminiscing, with moments of genuine vulnerability and mutual admiration. Sarah’s candor about insecurity and learning curves in both theater and television provides grounding authenticity, while Jesse’s awe for her career pivots gives the listener added perspective.

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For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This episode is a charming, insightful conversation about adapting to change, rediscovering old roles with new wisdom, and the quirks of a life in show business. Sarah’s journey from nervy stage rookie to sitcom stalwart, from Roseanne’s pressure cooker to the joyous homecoming of Scrubs, is filled with honest recollections, behind-the-scenes laughs, and some unexpectedly personal lessons for actors and audiences alike.

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Transcript

[A]

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[B]

You know her from Roseanne. You know her from Scrubs.

[A]

It's Sarah Chalk.

[C]

They, like, yelled at me and they were like, I like the first Becky way better. And I was like, okay, yeah, she was fantastic. I agree. She was great. And then he came back and he was like, hey, I just want to apologize. I've always just like wanted to yell at an actor. And you were here and so I'm sorry.

[A]

This is dinner's on me. And I'm your host, Jesse Tyler Ferguson. So today we're at the Clark Street.

[B]

Diner, which is in the old space once occupied by the 101 Diner, which.

[A]

Was in itself a Hollywood institution.

[B]

It's a place where you would see actors in between auditions or studio executives having tuna melts. It's a really charming space. It was also in the movie Swingers, ironically.

[A]

And the good people over at Clark.

[B]

Street Bakery revived the diner and opened up Clark Street Diner.

[A]

And I thought this would be a.

[B]

Perfect place to bring my friend Sarah because she's about to have her own revival herself. She's putting on Dr. Elliot's scrubs again.

[A]

On the iconic TV show Scrubs.

[B]

So let's get to the conversation.

[C]

Shakespeare in the park must have been amazing. You've done a ton of theater.

[B]

I've done a lot of theater. That's where I started. Did you just do theater?

[C]

So I. Not since drama in high school.

[A]

Drama.

[B]

You're so Canadian.

[C]

I live up there now. It's. I'm drama in high school. And then we were doing Scrubs and I got an audition to. Molly Ringgold was leaving a play in New York and James Lapine had directed it. And it was a four hander. And so an audition came in and I drove downtown and I auditioned for it. Just kind of like on a whim. I didn't think I was gonna get it. I just was like, oh, I want this. This is a cool challenge. And I Auditioned with James. And I got the call that I got it, and I was like, wait, what? I can't. I haven't acted since drama class.

[B]

Wait, this is on Broadway or here in la?

[C]

I had no fucking clue what I was doing. I remember the first night of walking on stage for. I remember that moment like it was yesterday of putting my foot over the threshold and going, what if? What if? What if? I don't remember one word. What if. This is terrible. What if I. I've never done this.

[B]

Like, what if this doesn't work with the Sharks, baby.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

And, like, it was within minutes. So fun. Like, within minutes.

[B]

Isn't it the best?

[C]

It was the best. And I, like, I loved everything about it. I loved the fact that every night's different. The fact that there are factors that. The fact that the audience is another character that you.

[B]

There's no editor.

[C]

There's no editor.

[B]

That's my favorite part about it. Like, someone was trying to play. Like, why do you love theater so much?

[A]

I was like.

[B]

And I love editor. Be like, please, like, edit a performance around, like, what I did.

[C]

You don't get that.

[B]

You don't get that. But having a performance completely under my jurisdiction is really exciting. Like, I get to, like, from point A to point Z, like, give the audience, like, the version of this character that I want to give them without an editor. It's so exciting.

[C]

That's such a good way to look at it, because. Yeah, you don't. There's no. There's no. And there's no safety net of an editor. There's no safety net. Like, A, if you go up on a line, but, B, just the timing of it and the cadence. And that was the thing that was so crazy was, like, one night, one of the actors called in sick and the understudy jumped in. And I hadn't experienced that before, and we hadn't rehearsed with this person. And so I'm literally, like, going, like, you know, he's not kiss. He's supposed to lean over and just, like, kiss me. We're standing right at the edge of the front of the stage, and he's not kissing me. And I'm like, okay. So he's just got. He's got a bit of timing. Like, he's gonna.

[A]

Hello.

[C]

Hi, guys.

[A]

How are you?

[C]

Good, thanks.

[D]

All right, so we got some menus right here.

[B]

You know, you're on a diner when the menu is also the place mad.

[D]

You guys will start with any coffees right away.

[B]

I've had so much Coffee today? I'm going to. I'd love sparkling water.

[C]

Yeah, I love sparkling water. And can I do an Earl Grey tea with a bit of almond milk?

[D]

We have a black tea and almond milk.

[C]

That's mistakes.

[B]

Thank you. So he wasn't kissing you?

[C]

He wasn't kissing me. And I'm like, it's different timing. And right before that, I had to do a crying scene. And anytime I cry, my nose runs. He finally kisses me and he pulls away and I had a giant booger on my face that has now transferred to his face. And I, in that moment, traveling with her, I was like, oh, that's why.

[B]

That's why he wasn't.

[A]

That's why I wasn't.

[B]

Ever since I had a patient.

[C]

So now it's on his face, and we're right at the edge of the stage, and I am mortified. And we run around the stage, we run off. And I was like, oh, my God, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I just. Sometimes when I cry and my nose runs. I did. He's like, yeah. I was waiting, hoping that you'd feel it and move it, and you did. And so there was like. That was like, the best. That wasn't the best part. I felt terrible at the booger. But, like, the best part in that, like, every night was different.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

And they'd be like, okay, tonight we're gonna play Pass the Carrot. And I was like, what's past the carrot? They're like, we're going to pass this tiny carrot between. I was like, I'm not ready for Passing the Carrot.

[B]

I just got here. Just let me do the play. I did. The first time I ever replaced in a play, I was 21 years old, and it was a play called the Most Fabulous Story Ever Told at the Manetalane Theater, which is a very tiny theater. And in the first. The first. I don't know, I'm going to say, like, nine to 11 minutes of the play, my character is nude.

[C]

Nude. Nude.

[B]

Naked. Yeah. You're so 21 years old. Fearless at 21. But this is the crazy thing about to put in when you. The whole cast was. I was the only new person, and everyone was in their regular clothes. Like, they didn't use their. They don't need to rehearse with their costumes because they have done the play.

[C]

Right, right, right. So.

[B]

But also, like, being nude is, in a way, a costume. So at the beginning of the play, there's a scene where I play with my. With another actor on stage and we're both nude in this scene. Day of the Puddin. He's completely, like, wearing clothes that he, like, walked out of his house in. And I am 1000% naked, just doing the play with him. And I'm like, this is strange. This is very strange. And I have to be okay with this. Just 1000% naked. And he's just. He's wearing sneakers and socks and a hat. Just playing the scene with me.

[C]

I actually can't imagine it.

[B]

In fact, I'm looking back, I was like, you should have gotten naked with me.

[C]

Yes, yes.

[B]

How are you?

[D]

I'm good. Did you guys get a chance to figure it out?

[B]

I mean, I. I think I know.

[A]

What I'm gonna do.

[B]

Do you need a moment?

[C]

No, no, no. I can do fast.

[B]

I'm gonna do a patty melt.

[D]

Go for the fatty milk.

[B]

Fatty milk?

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

How would you like it cooked then?

[A]

Medium.

[C]

Yeah, sure.

[D]

And French fries for your side. Or we could do coleslaw.

[B]

I think some coleslaw.

[D]

Okay, Sounds good. And for you, my dear, I would.

[C]

Love the spinach and mushroom omelette.

[D]

Okay. And we're out of mushrooms at the moment. Red peppers?

[C]

Yes.

[D]

Okay.

[C]

I would love red peppers.

[D]

And they come with our hash brown toast. We do a fresh baked sourdough. Wheat, white, rye.

[C]

Sourdough's great. That'd be great. Thanks so much.

[B]

Thank you so much. Oh, my God, there's Rufus Reinwright. Do you love Rufus Wainwright? I want to say hi to him. Do you know who Rufus Wainwright is?

[C]

Say hi to him.

[B]

Of course he's here. I was supposed to have. That's why we're here. We're here for these moments. I'm going to say hi to him before he goes, I was supposed to have dinner with him a few nights ago through a mutual friend of ours. And then it all fell apart. He's like, do you mind if I invite Rufus Wayne? Right? I was like, absolutely. No, I haven't. We used to, like, hang out in the East Village together when he was, like, just coming out with his album, the very first album, and I was like, this guy. Is everything okay?

[C]

Then of course you have to say you already know.

[B]

Yeah, I mean, I do know. I will. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[C]

Do you love doing the podcast? You're so good at it. And what a fun thing, and what an amazing idea to do it like this.

[B]

I think if I was in a studio, just like, I mean, I, I, I actually love being on podcast because there's something about long form conversation. I just feel like so liberating. You don't have to speak in sound bites. You can really like clarify your thoughts and like tell stories that are like meaningful. So I do love that. But I that the fact that we get to do this over a meal and like, I'm such a foodie and I get to travel these incredible places and shine light on these restaurants that I love and try places like this that I've never been to. I've been to it when it was a one on one.

[C]

Yeah. Yeah.

[B]

But you know, it's great. I'm having such a good time with it. Winston, you used to. You didn't wait, you just lived near here. You didn't work here when.

[A]

It was a lot of work.

[C]

I lived. So right when I moved back to la.

[A]

Okay.

[C]

I commuted when I did Roseanne and then when I was like ready to like move here. Moved here. I said to my best friend since I was five years old, my best friend since I was five, she got to film school and wanted to produce and I wanted to act. And a friend of ours had a six month sublet like in Beechwood Canyon right there. And so we decided to come down for six months and we stayed 17 and 19 years respectively.

[B]

This is such a great area to like, like have your first like moments in la.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

It's so vibey. Thank you so much.

[C]

Thank you. Oh, that looks so good.

[B]

That looks so good.

[D]

And your patty.

[A]

Thank you.

[B]

Thank you so much.

[D]

Any other hot sauce that you might need?

[B]

Yeah, I'll get some hot sauce. I don't want chula for me it too.

[C]

Thanks.

[B]

It's such a vibe area. I used to live in Los Feliz. That's not too far away. But like that's my gsons. It's just like down the street. Yeah, I used to come here all the time and like hang out with friends who were visiting. Felt like such a vibey. It was featured in the movie Swingers. So like that's kind of what made it big. Yeah, no, I. So I definitely. I love that it's sort of been resurrected by Clark Street. Thank you so much.

[C]

I was Los Feliz after Beach one. It was a feel.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I feel like I used to run into you in Los Feliz occasionally.

[C]

Yeah, Los Feliz was great.

[B]

It's great. Where do you shoot scrubs?

[C]

You're not going to believe this. This is the craziest thing that's happened to me in my lifetime. But so a couple of years ago I was like, I just so I I lived here 17 years. I moved back to Vancouver, where I'm from.

[B]

Yeah, send me that decade ago.

[C]

And so I did a drama up there and I loved it. It was a great experience. But I was dying of cancer in the show and I had to cry like six times a day towards the end. At the end of that, I was like, I want to do a comedy like Scrubs. That felt like Scrubs shooting in Vancouver. Like, that's what I want to do. And then we started talking about the reboot and the revival of the revival of Scrubs. And then about a year and a half ago, it started to get real. And then about a year ago, I got a call that they were like, the studio wants to shoot it in Vancouver, but nobody wants to go up there. So, like, don't get excited. It's not going to happen. And I was like, oh, my God. The emotions that are running through my body in this moment, are you kidding me? They want to shoot it here in my home. And so then it was six months of going back and forth, Louisiana, Vancouver, Louisiana, Vancouver. And I remember where I was driving in my car when I got the call. They're shooting Vancouver. No. So we just shot the first season in Vancouver, which is my hometown, which.

[B]

Like, that's so cool.

[C]

It was incred. Like, they don't shoot comedies up there.

[B]

For the most part.

[C]

There's like a couple of that shot up there and it was a dream. I can't even articulate in words what it was like. Like, I got to have everybody in my hometown. And it was so cool. We did nine episodes because mid season replacement, and it was. It was everything. But the fact that it was like, it would have been. I mean, it would have been. It was an amazing experience. I would love doing it anywhere. But the fact that it was there was so, so lucky and so cool. I manifested it.

[B]

That's incredible. Yeah, that's awesome.

[A]

Now for a quick break, but don't go away. When we come back, Sarah tells me about her experience sharing the role of Becky on the iconic 90s sitcom Roseanne and all that came with that. Okay, be right back. Okay, I have a confession to make. Seafood used to really stress me out. Not because I'm gay. No, no, Let me explain. I just never was sure I was gonna cook it correctly, you know? Is it reliably sourced? It just always felt complicated, like I was gonna overcook it or undercook it or mess it up. That's why I love Wild Alaskan Company. And they make it ridiculously. Easy to get high quality wild caught seafood delivered straight to my door. And the difference in taste is immediate. This is the kind of fish that actually makes you excited to cook. What sold me is how simple and trustworthy it is. Their seafood is 100% wild caught. It's never farmed, so there are no antibiotics, no GMOs, no additives, just clean real fish. It's frozen right off the boat, which means it keeps all that flavor and those nutrients, especially omega 3s, and it's all sustainably source from Alaska so you feel good about what you're eating and where it comes from. And there's no pressure here. If you're not completely satisfied with your first box, Wild Alaskan company will give you a full refund, no questions asked. Not all fish are the same. Get seafood you can Trust. Go to wildalaskan.com JTF for $35 off your first box of premium wild caught seafood. That's wildalaskan.com Jtf for $35 off your first order. And thanks to Wild Alaskan Company for sponsoring this episode. You know those moments where your brain suddenly goes wait a minute, wait a minute, did I lock the door? Or you're already out to dinner and you think wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute, did I turn off the stove? Or worse, you come home and you're like wait a minute, wait a minute. Something just feels off. Yeah, those are the moments where your heart drops and suddenly every second counts. That's what ADT understands. Feeling safe at home isn't a luxury, it's foundational. It's the thing that lets you actually rel, relax, be present and live your life without that low level worry humming in the background. ADT offers customizable home security systems installed by professionals so you feel protected from the start. They're backed by 247 monitoring and the most company operated monitoring centers in the industry. And their technology helps verify alarms so first responders can be sent faster than with unverified alarms. I also love that with the ADT app you can check in on your home from virtually anywhere. Whether you're traveling, working late or just lying in bed second guessing yourself, you can see what's going on and actually rest easy. ADT makes sure your home is your haven. Not another thing to worry about when every second counts. Count on ADT. Visit ADT.com to learn more. And we're back with more dinners on me.

[B]

I do want to talk a little bit about Roseanne. Even though I talked about it, AD Nauseam. But literally, I know you've probably told your story every time you see Dr. In front of someone, but it is fascinating that, you know, you went into, like, the number one show in America to replace an actor. And, like, there was no, like, I don't remember, like, any sort of. They didn't try to, like, cover that up. It was like, oh, this person's gonna be. Just be a played by a new person. Three seasons. Four seasons into the show.

[C]

6.

[B]

Six seasons into the show, Seasons in.

[C]

Yeah, and it was the. Yeah, they did it. The only way they addressed it was in the tag. They would always do those amazing, like, creative tags at the end. And so in the tag, they had us all watching an episode of Bewitched, and someone said, I can't believe they switched that, Darren. And then I said, like, I think the second one was much better or something like that. And that was the only way that it was addressed. But it was. Yeah, it was crazy. It was at a time when, like, I was in grade 11, which is Canadian for 11th grade, for anyone listening who doesn't know that. And I got this audition, and I just, like. Like, put a VHS tape in the mail.

[A]

Really?

[C]

To the casting director.

[B]

I mean, do you think the breakdown was, like, the actress should sort of.

[C]

Look somewhat like Becky from Roseanne. They were keeping it under wraps. They said it was for a new show filming in 1994. And so it was a scene, and the names Becky and Mark had literally been whited out. And they put, like, Jessica and Ben or something.

[B]

Oh, really?

[C]

And so the guy I was reading the scene with who came in as a favor was like, this is a scene from Roseanne. I've seen this episode. Okay. I guess they're keeping this other show under wraps, and they're just using these sides. So I didn't even know it was what it was for. And then the next audition came, and I knew what it was for. And then the next audition came, and it was basically, they were like, we're gonna fly you down to audition with Glenn Quinn, who played Mark, Becky's husband. And there were seven of us with me and six other women. And they were all 21, moved to LA, living in LA. Actresses. And I was, like, 16 from Canada. And they put us kind of through this, by the way.

[B]

They were all terrified because they flew you down. I know that. I know that for a fact. That happened to me when I did the class. I was the only one that got flown in. And all the other actors were like, if they flew you in.

[C]

You're the threat. Oh, that's so interesting. I did not know that. I didn't know anything at the time.

[B]

I literally hadn't worked Me either.

[C]

So I knew nothing. And they put us through hair, in makeup, and they had us all in matching Becky blouses. And then they had us on the stage, and they had four cameras and they were calling out numbers. They had a laughter track for the audience, and they were kind of putting all the elements in to see if you could keep your focus. But the whole scene was making out with Glenn Quinn. And I was 16, and he was 24 and Irish and gorgeous. And I just remember, like, going, like, how am I gonna remember one line? Like, he was like, baby, baby, come here. And I'm like, get a job at the gas station. He's like, come here. I'm like, get a job at the gas station. And that was the scene. And so we do the scene. And he said, we'll let you know in seven days. And on the seventh day, they said, fly back tomorrow. We're going to put you with four. Four other. Down to four of you. And you're going to audition with Roseanne. And the audition was, like, on the infamous couch.

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[C]

The quilt. We're sitting there. And I just remember her turning to me. Roseanne turned to me and said, how old are you? And I said, I'm 16. And she said, how old are you? Actually, I was like, it would never have occurred to me to lie about my age. Like, I didn't even know that was the thing. And I was like, I'm 16.

[B]

She thought you were a legal adult. Like, lying about like, I'm a kid.

[C]

And because everyone else was 21 and auditioning and because Sarah and Lisi had both wanted to go to college, I think they were concerned that I was the wild card that would maybe take the job and go to college where all the other girls already doing this, right? And so Tom Arnold called me at my house and was like, what about college? And I knew. I knew why I was calling. I was like, yeah, no. No college. No college for me. And even though I knew I would go eventually, but I would never. This was an opportunity. I would go to college after. I would do whatever. So I get the call, I get the job. I go to a party that night. I tell a couple people. And it sounded like the weirdest. Like, it was before streaming. There was, like, 10 shows on TV. It was the number one show on TV. And it was like, literally saying, oh, I'm Gonna go and be that person who already has the job on the sixth season of this number one show. It sounded insane. It spread around our school really quickly. And then on Monday, I got a call from the roseanne show saying, we're getting cold feet about switching Becky, and we don't know if we're gonna do it. If we do, it will be you, but we're gonna put you on fold for four months, and we're gonna give you $10,000, which was all of the money in the world because I was 16 for doing nothing.

[B]

But.

[C]

For doing nothing. But I was like, but also my ass grass at high school. Like, I will be if they don't do this. I'm gonna be the crazy person who came in and said, I'm gonna do that job.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[C]

And so I had to wait for four months to find out. And then they called and they were like, yeah, yeah, we're gonna do it. Come down.

[B]

I mean, it was risky, though, you know, I mean, that's, like, really jumping into the deep. And, like, you know, you obviously, with, like, scrubs, you know, create something together.

[A]

You.

[B]

You create it in a bubble for a little while, Then you bring it out to the world. Like, people make opinions about it. The critics decide whether or not they like it. And, like, this is whole thing, like, maybe it's not a hit right away and it becomes a hit. I mean, you were jumping into the deep end of literally the number one show in america. And I mean, I imagine there must have been, like. And then obviously, the. The.

[C]

The.

[B]

The. The Internet wasn't anywhere. I mean, like, people's opinions didn't float as freely as they do now.

[A]

Right.

[B]

You know, but I can imagine that there were people who had very strong opinions about someone you could invest in with these people, can you imagine if they, like, replaced Jennifer aniston six years in her friends? Like, there would be an uproar. I mean, was there.

[C]

I feel like, you know, I think there was for sure a lot of opinions. I remember, like, a couple specific events. Like, one time I was at. I went to university, and I end up going. I end up starting part way through and just kind of, like, whatever classes I would miss, I would miss, ones I would go to. And I remember being at a freedom tibet rally and someone coming up to me, and I just kind of like, it started. I just made some new friends, and I'm sitting with them, and they, like, yelled at me, and they were like, I like the first Becky way better. And I was like, okay, yeah, she was fantastic. I agree. She was great. And then he came back and he was like, hey, I just want to apologize. I've always just, like, wanted to yell at an actor, and you were here, and so I'm sorry, and I didn't mean it. And I was like, oh, thank you for clarifying. But I think the only reason that I was able to actually even go and do the job was because I was so naive, and I didn't actually get it. I mean, I got it a little bit. I didn't really get it in the same way that I would now in terms of, like, potentially the pressure cooker that that situation was. I think I didn't fully comprehend. I think it's the only reason I was actually able to even go and audition and be in that room and be present and have a conversation with them. I. I feel like now even. I feel like.

[B]

Right, right, right, right.

[C]

I think I just was pretty young and naive to what that was.

[B]

Do you think it prepared you at all for? I mean, that was a pressure cooker, if there ever was one. I mean, I'm really good friends with Danny Zucker, who wrote on Modern Family, and he wrote on just Roseanne, and, I mean, he told me, he's like, that was a tough set. I mean, that was a pressure cooker. I mean, there was a lot of tension between Roseanne and the writers.

[A]

And, like, it was.

[C]

It was.

[B]

It was insane.

[C]

Yeah, writers got fired. It was, like, in groups. Yeah, it was. It was a pressure cooker. And. And because it was like. I mean, I'd done tiny projects in Vancouver, like, really small things, like answered the phone in a movie of the week and been like, mom phone. But, like, very small thing. I haven't really done much. And it was, you know. Yeah. Roseanne would. Yeah. Came in one day and fire writers. That was. Once you see that you're a kid, you're like, oh, yeah, something that can happen, you know, And. Yeah.

[A]

Great.

[B]

Thank you so much.

[C]

Like my friend Miriam, I didn't understand all of it. Everything was new, like, even the press, like, doing press for it. Like, I came down and I think a lot of that cast was super private, Kept their private lives private and was. I think I came down there, like, great. Going to be doing some press. So I thought the answer was yes to everything. So I didn't understand that, like, some things you might say no to. So if they asked me to do something, I just showed up. And so, like, one time, I remember there was, like, a Saturday and it was battle of the network stars, and it was superstar American gladiators. And they gave us these tiny hot pants, these tiny bra tops, and you're like, there's, like, the gladiators, like, at the top of a water volcano shooting water down with you. And it's like, me, Mario Lopez, Tina yuthers. They put all these people from these shows. And I got there, and there was no one of the rest of the roseanne cast. And I was like, where's my group? And I was like, oh, first of.

[B]

All, I forgot about that whole era of tv.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

That is a throwback right there. Battle the network stars, where you were dressed as gladiators.

[C]

Yes. And so. And the actual gladiators are, like, doing the. These basically, like, sort of challenges, and then you're kind of thrown in. In teams. So things like that, where I'd be, like, 17. I would get there and be like, where's the rest of the cast? Or like, I did an interview. I remember my first interview was free entertainment weekly. And, like, I sat down and did the interview, and I was in grade 12 at this point, and I talked about, like, what I love to do when hanging out with my friends and hiking and all these things. I was like, doors. And then they did the photo shoot. And I didn't understand that the photo shoot is, like a fashion photo shoot, and it has nothing to do with the interview. So I felt like, why are. Like, the clothes were just getting smaller and smaller until I was in, like, hot pants, platform heels, a tiny little situation, like, so much makeup. And then they're handing me a cat, and I'm holding this kitten, and now they're like, now pout. And I'm literally, like, sitting there holding the kitten, pouting, wearing. Very little tear comes down my cheek. The photographer's like, are you okay? And I was like, I don't think I am. What's going on for you? And I was like, well, I just don't understand, like, how now I look back. And I was like, it was actually a really cool fashion shoot. Like, it was really interesting and well done and artistic and. And at the time, I was, like.

[B]

Taking photos to support the interview you'd give it.

[C]

Well, I just. All I could visualize was my friends in Canada going like, what? What are you doing?

[B]

I know.

[C]

And so I didn't have any frame of reference for it.

[A]

Now for a quick break, but don't go away. When we return, we get into the scrubs revival, and Sarah tells me what it felt like to Reunite with cast members Zach Braff and Donald Faison. Okay, be right back.

[E]

I'm Tara Palmieri. I'm an investigative reporter and I've spent a lot of my career reporting on the worst of the worst. I'm the new host of Broken Jeffrey Epstein. But forget Epstein. He's dead. This season isn't about him. It's about the people who are still alive. The victim seeking justice and his co conspiracy conspirators and enablers who are trying to hide. Listen to Broken Jeffrey Epstein wherever you get your podcasts.

[A]

And we're back with more dinners on me.

[B]

I assume like going into the survival Scrubs must have felt because you have experienced like a reunion in swords, like with the Conners, like coming back with a group of people that you haven't seen in a while, sort of picking up where you left off. I mean, but I mean Scrubs got to feel. First of all, it's such a. It really came about like that was such a iconic moment in television comedy. I feel like it changed the landscape in so many ways. There weren't a lot of like single camera shows. It changed the way we looked at comedy. I think, you know, it was like, it was really like the big hits were all multi camera shows. This came in and it's such a different tone. People loved it. Obviously you all became huge stars when that show was on. And listen, first of all, it felt so different to be a part of that show, having been a part of something like Rose, which was also a huge hit. But you really jumped into the deep end with that show. So like start with a cast and be able to like build a character from the ground up. Not like put on someone other characters pants and literally someone other someone else's name. But to like create a character from the ground up and have such an incredible run with it. And I think about this a lot of times in the modern pin, like I would love in of terms 10, 15 years to go back and revisit these characters. I get so happy. Oh God, yeah. I get so happy for people like you and Jack and Donald who get to come back to these characters after some time away. It just must feel like such a gift. But also, I mean it must be trippy. I mean you're totally different people now. You have families and kids and you're emotionally in different places in your lives and yet you're coming back to this character that feels so familiar. I don't know.

[A]

Speak on that.

[B]

It's like.

[C]

Well, you like exactly what you said about coming in and getting to develop a character from the ground up, like, that was my. My first time in my life, in my career getting to do that. And I was. My whole 20s were on that show. Like, I was 24 to 32 for the run. And I feel like it was the time when I learned everything about comedy and timing and how to tell a joke and because Bill Lawrence, who created it, like, he would come up every single rehearsal for the entire eight years, because we filmed in this whole abandoned hospital valley. And so it wasn't like, you know, like, right now we're shooting Scrubs in Vancouver. The writers rooms in LA was the show that I worked on where we got the closest with all the writers, because we'd hang out at lunch, we'd go down to the writers room. You got to know them all super well. And so Bill would come up before every rehearsal and he would say, okay, try this. Do it like that. Here's a few alts for that joke. Try those, I think. Try delivering it like this. And it was like. It was like being at school, like, for comedy every day with Bill, who is so crazy talented. And so to get to do that and, like, I don't know what your take on this with Modern Family is, but for me, with Scrubs, like, I loved. I loved the opportunity to work on the same show with the same people playing the same character for a run.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Like, there's something so uniquely special. Special about that, as opposed to, like, new job, new environment. Like, there's something great about that, too. But I loved. I really loved it. And it was like that lightning in a bottle where you love the character and the script and the storyline and the people and all of it. And we got to do it for a big chunk of time. And so, like, to do that once in your life feels really lucky.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

And when I heard we were going to do it again, I was like, yeah, absolutely. I'm on board. And then it was like, when you say trippy, it's kind of the. It's exactly how Donald explained it yesterday. It was the word he used. They said, give it in one word. And he said trippy. Because they rebuilt the whole old hall. Like, we could have just shot in any hospital set.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

An old hospital in Vancouver, whatever. They rebuilt the entire hospital to a T. And we all thought. When we heard, I was so pumped because, like, that was such a cool idea. We thought, we'll get, like, 60% of the way there. It's identical, like, admissions. The exact, like, the weird, like, Octagon. Ceiling tiles, storage somewhere.

[B]

Or was it they.

[C]

You know, it was an old hospital that they actually tore down and built apartments or condos.

[B]

So you never shot that hospital was never recreated out of stage?

[C]

Never.

[B]

This is the first time.

[C]

It's the first time, and they built it identical. So, like, when you're used to being like, oh, if I open that door, I'm going to step out onto Riverside Drive. And instead, it's like you're stepping out onto a sound stage and it's 30,000 square feet of sets that they built in these sound stages in Vancouver. And, like, it was such a trip because you're walking onto these sets that, like, you walked onto the. For the first time 25 years ago, and you're playing the same character with the same people wearing the same clothes.

[B]

It's kind of like a fever dream.

[C]

It is. It totally was. Like, I had chills when I walked on the first time. I. Goosebumps. I was like, this is crazy. And it was immediately, immediately so fun. Like when you, as, you know, like, have a character that just lives in you. Like, you can. You just read it and you're like, oh, that cadence. Yeah, that's. You just do it. And it was just, you know, the only tweak was, like, we wanted to figure out a way to bring it into 2026, because obviously comedy shifted now and it's different. And the first seasons of Scrubs were more grounded. As we went on, they started to get like, yeah, I mean, obviously we still have the fantasies and we go off in those, but anything that's happening in real time is more grounded and real. So that was kind of the one thing when we're doing the pilot back in October of this iteration was figuring out, like, okay, you're still your character, but we got kind of broad sometimes, so how do we bring it grounded? And how would it be if it was. Was just, like, totally real? And so we kind of did it a few different ways to find our way back in, but. But, yeah, it was super. It was super special, and I highly recommend it. I think you guys should do it. I think, you know, you take a break, you take the time, and then coming back to it, like, actually just feels like putting on your slippers.

[B]

Yeah, I feel like it's too soon, but I. I do dream of it coming back in some iteration. I just saw Julie and Sophia last night for dinner. Julie says hi, by the way.

[C]

Say hi back.

[B]

Yeah, she loves you. You kids went to school together, right?

[C]

Yeah, at the very, very Beginning right before I moved to Canada, we're in kindergarten. Three quarters way through kindergarten, we left and moved to Canada.

[B]

I can only imagine that it's. I, I guess what I'll say is.

[A]

Like, I got to watch.

[B]

I got to watch the first few episodes and I, I can see what you're talking about. Like, you're different people.

[C]

You're.

[B]

You're 15 years older than you were, and you're just. You're all. You could tell. You, You. You as actors have had so much more life experience and like, things have happened to you and. And it brings us, like, other level to your characters. So just like, it's, it's. It's really like you have. I mean, you fast forwarded and like, you're like, what are these people doing now?

[A]

Like this.

[B]

They're still these same people that we loved watching on tv, but, like, there's all this life experience that they bring with them and, you know, I don't want to spoil anything, but, like, things have happened and to these characters and.

[A]

Things have happened in your lives, and.

[B]

It'S just, I don't know, it's really lovely and I just.

[A]

I.

[B]

It felt very. I don't know, I felt very organic as the only word I could think of when I, When I watched it. It just felt really. It felt very truthful, like, exactly like what it should be. Are you pleased with, like, what you've.

[C]

Seen or, you know, I obviously, like, going into it, you're like, what's the. What's this new one going to be? And where are they going to find a jumping in point? And when I read the script, I was like, oh, yes, this is so smart. Like, the way they chose to drop everybody in, like, without spoiling anything. I just thought it was such a smart jumping off point for, like, a ripe ground for comedy and drama. And then obviously, like, the three of us being like, it was really important to Bill that we're all like, really good teachers now. Like, all Donald and Zach and I have all become like, illegitimately good doctors and like, really care and are really good leaders. And then that leaves room for like the new interns to come in and be like, you know, the new kind of like, fish out of water. And they're all so good, they are so talented.

[B]

Where are they making these actors nowadays? What water are they drinking?

[C]

What water? Like, they come in so, so talented and equally nice as human beings, which has been the coolest part. And they all, like, hang out and love each other. When you're shooting on Location. You're. You're just. It lends itself to that. Like, they'll all become super close, but they're also. What struck me was how comfortable in their own skin they all are. They're all so unique and so comfortable.

[B]

Where did they learn that? I did not have that at all.

[C]

Where did they get that?

[B]

Spent maybe the time I think I did. But looking back upon myself, I'm like, nope.

[C]

Yeah, exactly. Exactly the time you feel like, yeah, I got this. But then back and be like, I don't got this.

[A]

No.

[C]

Yeah. And they just are so confident and. And. But they're humble. Like, they're so grateful and for the experience, but they're so. They're just comfortable in their own skin, which has been so cool to. To watch. But anyways, to answer your question, am I happy with where it landed? Like, I. I think it was cool. You know, you think about a revival and if people would come back, like, just. Nobody's phoning it in. Everybody's like, I want this to be the best it can possibly be. And trying so hard, hard to do everything that they can to make it great. And, like. And I think, as you guys will have if you decide you want to do a revival of Modern Family, like, there's something that is. You can't actually just make up that when you've had that many years together. Like, you just. It's a. You can't every. You know, you go on to a new set and you hope you have chemistry, but you can't manufacture history. And that's.

[A]

Right.

[C]

That just exists. And so, like, everybody just knows each other so well. And I think that translates. Like, you know, we came onto the first day, and everybody, like, everyone's making fun of each other, but in the best way, because you just know all of each other's quirks. Like, I am my character. I thought maybe that would be something that would have changed this many years in that I would know where my body is in space, but I don't. And so we meet all the new kids, and Zach's like, okay, so Chalky's gonna injure, like, every day, something's breaking. She's gonna break something, some body part, like, and she's gonna come in, and the day is gonna start with, like, you're not gonna believe what happened, and it's gonna be real, and you're not gonna believe that it's every day. If it's every day. And so the next day before shooting, and I running down to meet a bunch of the cast for brunch. And I, I break my finger and I go to brunch and I don't want to like worry like every. Like I haven't had an X ray yet, but I know it's broken. So I'm like, I'm not going to say anything, just going to get through brunch and then I'll go. And my sleeve like comes down and Zach's like, why are you bleeding from your arm? And I was like, oh yeah, I just, I was, I was just hiking and I fell. And while I'm telling the story at brunch, the server walks by with a tray of so many drinks and so much food and trips and all over my lap. So I'm telling the story of my broken finger while I sitting in a giant puddle. I have so much food on my lap. And everybody was like, nothing changed. Prophecy came true at all. The prophecy came true. And so I went to set the first day of the like finger splint. I'm like, I broke my finger. And so they're trying to like figure out how to like. Like it's an Easter egg. For anyone watching the first few episodes, you'll see like my fingers are buddy taped. So they're going to CGI out the buddy taping. But like I have like a weird lobster claw.

[B]

Like these fingers are taped together.

[C]

You can see it. It's like why you really did break it. So that's just like one example. And I won't bore you with all of them, but like of the fact that, yeah, nothing has changed. I hope you guys do it. Cuz it is super unique to get to come back and do something. Like how many years has been since you guys wrapped?

[A]

Well now almost six.

[C]

Six. So like maybe another like maybe five or ten.

[B]

I mean, Sophia keeps joking. She's like, we're not gonna have head for very much longer. We need to do it sooner than later.

[C]

I'm like, sophia, so dark.

[B]

Sophia, so dark. But he's, I mean he's like, he's really great. Last time I saw him I was like, he's not going anywhere. He looks great. We have a few more years. Thank you for doing this.

[C]

Thank you for having me.

[A]

This episode of Dinner's on Me was recorded at Clark Street Diner in Los Angeles, California. Next week on Dinner's on Me. You know her from the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Melrose Place, and more recently from the newest season of the Traitors, it's Lisa Rinna. We'll get into her iconic soap days her reality TV reign and what drew her to the ultimate mind game, the Traitors. Plus, she has a new memoir coming out, so I got a lot of questions for her. 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, 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.