Dinner’s on Me with Jesse Tyler Ferguson
Side Dish: More Jeff Hiller (April 23, 2026)
Recorded at: Betty, Manhattan’s Lower East Side
Episode Overview
In this candid, laughter-filled “Side Dish” episode, Jesse Tyler Ferguson sits down with old friend and acclaimed actor Jeff Hiller (Somebody Somewhere, Pluribus, Elsbeth, and upcoming Apple TV’s Widow’s Bay) at Betty on the Lower East Side. Over a laid-back brunch of omelets and baked eggs, Jesse and Jeff reminisce about their early years as New York theater actors, survival jobs, legendary auditions (and rejections), and the ways chance, hustle, and a little color coordination (redheads in green!) shaped their careers. They also get personal about awkward wedding moments, the singular New York “themed restaurant” survival gig, and the serendipity of Jeff’s relationship with legendary playwright Tony Kushner. The episode is brimming with warmth, showbiz absurdity, and the camaraderie of two friends navigating the quirks and joys of their profession.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Early Auditions and Humble Beginnings
- The Target Commercial Fiasco
- Jesse and Jeff share war stories from early commercial auditions, emphasizing how trivial and humiliating they could be.
- Jeff recounts a Target audition requiring actors to wear a red shirt:
“They made us wear red shirts to the audition... Like, they couldn't imagine. Like, they need to see what your skin tone looked next to the color red.” (02:37 - Jeff Hiller)
- The brutal simplicity of commercial casting:
“I remember the casting director saying to me, just act normal. Like, they were mad at me because I was doing too much in this moment.” (03:35 - Jeff Hiller)
- The sense of futility:
“Then you don't get it. Like, what did I do wrong?” (04:06 - Jeff Hiller)
- Commercial Work as a Lifeline
- Both actors note commercials often paid their bills during lean years:
“I made a living from commercials, so I'm so grateful for that.” (04:46 - Danny Burstein)
“Yeah, I mean, for a long time I did as well.” (04:50 - Jeff Hiller)
2. Name Troubles and Behind-the-Scenes Absurdity
- Misguided Character Placeholders
- Jeff tells a tale about a TV character named "Chubby Waitress" whose placeholder name never changed, all the way to call sheets and tape on the dressing room door, exposing industry insensitivity and lack of oversight:
“They just kept forgetting, like, we have to rename this character... It was Chubby Waitress all the way to shooting.” (06:15 - Jeff Hiller)
- Ruth Buzzi's Perspective
- Referencing the comedic legend’s embrace of undesirable typecasting:
“They write ugly girls. I play them. I get to do them. I win.” (07:17 - Ruth Buzzi quoted by Danny Burstein)
- Jeff and guests contrast this with Marlo Thomas’ advocacy for kinder character names.
3. Iconic New York Survival Jobs
- Jekyll and Hyde’s & Themed Restaurant Gigs
- Jeff expresses fascination and admiration for Jesse’s survival job at the haunted-themed Jekyll and Hyde restaurant, where actors doubled as servers and performers:
“The food was, from what I remember not... You don't go for the culinary scene.” (11:44 - Danny Burstein)
“That duality of being a waiter... and a performer... that's quintessential New York survival job.” (12:08 - Jeff Hiller)
- Both agree these jobs forged character and were often actors’ first union gigs:
“I love that you got your union card that way. I mean, it was a loophole.” (12:18 - Jeff Hiller)
4. Union Cards and Creative Entry Points
- Getting In the Back Door
- Voiceover work, commercials, and themed restaurant gigs all played roles in Jeff and Jesse’s union trajectories:
“I got my SAG card doing a voice... of a double-nip gum commercial.” (13:05 - Danny Burstein)
“My Equity card doing theater at the Delacorte… twelve years after I started trying...” (14:08 - Danny Burstein)
5. The Shakespeare in the Park Club
- Memories, Mishaps, and Theater Lore
- They discuss the prestigious but grueling Shakespeare in the Park seasons, with funny anecdotes about stars like Phylicia Rashad falling asleep backstage and even a raccoon’s untimely demise:
“Phylicia Rashad was Titania. And during tech, she fell asleep on the bed... Then later, a raccoon that climbed up on [it] and died.” (14:39 - Danny Burstein)
- Jeff reveals he’s performed there seven times and aspires to play Bottom in Midsummer Night’s Dream (25:22):
6. Weddings, Awkwardness, and Tony Kushner
-
A Moment with Tony Kushner as Wedding Officiant
- Jesse shares the surreal experience of having Tony Kushner officiate his wedding, with both divorced parents in the room:
“It was just the four of us sort of like, behind this door, waiting to go in... My mom says to me, I know she meant it in the best way: ‘You getting into character, Jess?’” (18:17 - Jesse Tyler Ferguson)
-
The Story of Meeting Tony Kushner
- Through director George Wolfe and a memorable Thanksgiving among theater royalty:
“I remember sitting... next to Tony Kushner, and just... he was so lovely and... supportive of my career.” (19:54 - Jesse Tyler Ferguson)
- Tony Kushner even got ordained for their wedding:
“He said yes. And he got ordained for us.” (20:47 - Jesse Tyler Ferguson)
-
Full Circle: Officiating Others’ Weddings
- Jesse was tapped to officiate Modern Family co-star Sarah Hyland’s wedding after Ty Burrell dropped out last minute:
“She called me, like, two weeks before the wedding... I called Ty Burrell and I was like, tell me what you've written so far because I gotta fast track this thing.” (21:32 - Jesse Tyler Ferguson)
7. Being a “Red-haired” Actor: Luck, Typecasting, and Perseverance
- Landing Representation Due to Appearance
- Jeff’s first manager candidly told him:
“I only signed me because I had red hair. He really told me that.” (23:32 - Jeff Hiller)
- Frequently submitted for roles he didn’t think suited him, like dancers in “West Side Story.”
8. Legacy, Imposter Syndrome, and Gratitude
- The Full-Circle Career Path
- Both recount moments of gratitude and disbelief at finding themselves among childhood idols and legendary peers, with Jeff noting:
“No credits on my resume, you know, I really felt like I was faking it. I mean, but it happened.” (25:05 - Jeff Hiller)
- Despite “making it,” doubts and a sense of being an outsider occasionally persist.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “I gasped. And we put a redhead in green. Listen, I don’t know Julianne Moore at all. I’m sorry to be Julie.”
— Jeff Hiller (03:24)
- “They made us wear red shirts to the audition. Like, they couldn't imagine... I was like, my God, this is humiliating. I'm not even doing anything.”
— Jeff Hiller (02:37–03:57)
- “They write ugly girls. I play them. I get to do them. I win.”
— Ruth Buzzi via Danny Burstein (07:17)
- “That duality of being a waiter, serving you food while also performing... that's quintessential New York survival job.”
— Jeff Hiller (12:08)
- “My Equity card doing theater at the Delacorte... twelve years after I started trying...”
— Danny Burstein (14:08)
- “It was just the four of us... My mom says to me... ‘You getting into character, Jess?’”
— Jesse Tyler Ferguson (18:17)
- “He [Tony Kushner] said yes. And he got ordained for us.”
— Jesse Tyler Ferguson (20:47)
- “I only accepted you because you have red hair.”
— Jeff Hiller’s first manager (23:32)
- “No credits on my resume... I really felt like I was faking it. I mean, but it happened.”
— Jeff Hiller (25:05)
Important Timestamps
- 02:37 — Jeff Hiller’s Target commercial audition story (and color theory for actors)
- 06:15 — How “Chubby Waitress” made it all the way to production
- 11:06 — Jekyll & Hyde’s: the themed NYC survival job and getting an Equity card
- 14:08 — Performing Shakespeare in the Park; raccoon mishap, changes backstage
- 16:28 — Jesse recalls the “awkward” pre-wedding huddle with Tony Kushner and divorced parents
- 18:17 — Jesse’s mom: “You getting into character, Jess?” before his wedding
- 19:54 — Meeting Tony Kushner through George Wolfe, Thanksgiving in a brownstone
- 20:47 — Kushner officiates Jesse’s wedding, gets ordained
- 21:32 — Jesse’s last-minute officiant rescue for Sarah Hyland’s wedding
- 23:32 — Jeff’s first manager: “I only accepted you because you have red hair”
- 25:05 — Imposter syndrome: “No credits on my resume... I really felt like I was faking it.”
Tone and Atmosphere
The episode is lighthearted, peppered with industry in-jokes and friendly teasing but punctuated with genuine moments of vulnerability, reflection, and gratitude. Jesse and Jeff’s rapport is warm and authentic—a testament to their long friendship and parallel paths through the strange, exhilarating world of show business.
For more storytelling and behind-the-scenes stories, check out the main episode on "Dinner's on Me" and stay tuned for next week's conversation with Shoshana Bean.
