Side Dish: More with Wendi McLendon-Covey

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Side Dish: More with Wendi McLendon-Covey"

Dinner’s On Me with Jesse Tyler Ferguson
Release Date: March 5, 2026
Guest: Wendi McLendon-Covey
Location: Della Nona (Downtown LA)

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Episode Overview

In this "side dish" episode, Jesse Tyler Ferguson sits down with comedic powerhouse Wendi McLendon-Covey at Della Nona to continue their candid conversation. The chat delves into career beginnings, the quirks of improv versus scripted acting, finding joy and self-worth in performance, and Wendi’s enduring marriage and love of New Orleans. The episode is filled with humor, deep reflection, and stories about family, navigating the entertainment industry, and why self-awareness and humility matter in showbiz.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Roots and Relocation: Long Beach, New York, and Family

• Wendi’s Journey Out West (04:19 – 04:43)
  • Wendi shares she left Albuquerque, NM at 17 for New York, craving a bigger stage and the energy of city life.
  • "I went running from Albuquerque, New Mexico, where I was born, like the minute I had an opportunity." — Wendi (04:22)
• Long Beach Living
  • The group bonds over LA geography inconveniences and the appeal of Long Beach: affordability, the ocean, and a relaxed lifestyle.
  • Jesse jokes about the practicality, "Property taxes are very civil." (05:04)

2. Culinary and Cultural Los Angeles

• Local Eats and Date Spots (05:11 – 05:46)
  • Wendi expresses her love of Mexican food and recommends a local spot, Luna, known for its cucumber jalapeño margaritas.
  • "Target adjacent, so we would have had a Shoppies." — Jesse (05:24)

3. Improv vs. Theater Instincts and Insecurities

• Improv Roots & Modern Family Connections (06:29 – 07:48)
  • Wendi discusses her theater background and contrasts it with Eric Stonestreet's improv fluency.
  • On improv anxiety: "Sometimes I felt like I couldn't necessarily always keep up with him...I have to be as sharp as that to be legitimate. Like, it would kind of make me nervous." — Jesse (07:21)
  • Despite nerves about unscripted moments, the cast found chemistry through different strengths.
• Inner Saboteurs and Performance Nerves
  • Wendi admits to feelings of imposter syndrome in those early days, underlining the pressure actors put on themselves.

4. Theater vs. Television: Passions and Paychecks

• Jesse’s Theater Love (07:57 – 08:43)
  • Talks about his roots and ongoing love of theater and musicals, like “Spelling Bee” and “On the Town.”
  • Admits theater pays little: "I need to make a paycheck because there's no money in theater." — Jesse (08:39)

5. Early Career Hustle and New York Nostalgia

• Transition to NYC and the Reality of 90s New York (08:51 – 11:28)
  • Jesse recalls his audacious move to New York at 17, living in low-income/student housing, and going to school on the Upper West Side.
  • Funny memory: Walking past 90s Times Square porn shops and joking, "I'm just gonna hop in and get a bite to eat." — Jesse (11:20)

6. Marriage, Career Side Hustles & Self-Awareness

• Wendi’s Long Marriage (14:46 – 15:52)
  • Met her husband, Greg, in community college communication class.
  • "We had to demonstrate that we were able to practice active listening..." — Wendi (14:51)
  • They got engaged after just three months, but married three years later due to financial constraints.
• Academic Day Job While Acting (16:13 – 17:40)
  • Wendi worked editing a scholarly social work journal for 12 years—providing stability up to landing "The Goldbergs."
  • On balancing ego: "What I'm doing is not that important compared to what other people are doing. There are people out there really making a difference, and I am a spoiled professor performer." — Wendi (18:08)
• Humor in Self-Awareness
  • Discusses the absurdities of Hollywood and awards campaigns: "When you're talking—did we ever—? I didn't realize that I was like, oh, campaigning. Like, what is this?" — Wendi (19:18)
  • Importance of self-awareness and humility in show business (19:59 – 20:08).

7. Relationship Rhythms and New Orleans

• Date Nights & Vacation Home (22:21 – 24:30)
  • Wendi describes married life, low-maintenance date nights, and a beloved getaway: a tiny condo in New Orleans French Quarter.
  • On the city: "There's just such an energy about it. And every alleyway you turn down, it's like you're gonna run into something crazy. It's just a continual treasure hunt. It’s almost like living in the middle of Disneyland, really." — Wendi (23:29)
• Why New Orleans?
  • The city’s music, food, culture, and vibe left a deep impression post-Covid.

8. Family, Comedy Lineage, and Portland Connections

• Her Sister’s Creative Path (26:03 – 30:10)
  • Wendi’s sister is both a family therapist and owner of Portland’s Siren Theater—a hub for weird and wonderful performance.
  • "If you have like, oh, I think I’m gonna do Indonesian shadow puppets. I want to make this my career...Go to Portland. Someone will show up." — Wendi (27:41)
  • Her sister made it onto Portlandia and balances dual full-time jobs.
• Family Humor (30:18 – 31:19)
  • Their mother was a performer—singing and organizing skits at work—which provided a household infused with creativity and encouragement, if mixed feelings about actual showbiz as a career.
  • "But, yeah, it’s her fault. It’s totally her fault." — Wendi (31:19), about inheriting her comedic chops from her mother.

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Notable Quotes

• "My inner saboteur did." — Jesse Tyler Ferguson (07:50), on battling insecurity while performing.
• "Sometimes when I’m doing a play, I’m like, I'm wearing a dead person's hair on my head and speaking loudly in front of strangers as another person. Like, what are we doing?" — Wendi McLendon-Covey (18:20)
• "There are people out there really making a difference, and I am a spoiled professor performer." — Wendi (18:08)
• "You can let your freak flag fly, and nobody bats an eyelash." — Wendi (23:53), about New Orleans

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Memorable Moments & Timestamps

• Wendi describing her performing family and early New York life: 04:22 – 11:28
• Improv vs. theater anxieties and working with Eric Stonestreet: 06:29 – 07:48
• Love of theater and reality of artistic living: 07:57 – 08:43
• Wendi’s academic side job and balancing the ego: 16:13 – 18:08
• Sharing marriage stories, date nights, and falling for New Orleans: 14:46 – 24:30
• Her sister’s wild theater in Portland & Portlandia love: 26:03 – 30:10

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Final Thoughts

This episode is a warm, riotously funny, and often touching conversation about the messiness of creative careers, family support and rivalry, the humility required for Hollywood, and finding balance between grounded life and artistic ambition. Whether you’re craving stories of community theater, bizarre Portland comedy, or the serendipity of finding your place (and people), you’ll find something to savor in this episode with Wendi McLendon-Covey.

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Want more? Listen to the full "Dinner's on Me" episode with Wendi for the main course. Next week, tune in for Dan Bukatinsky's story of queer acceptance and shifting from acting to producing.

Transcript

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

What I love about staying at a home on Airbnb is that feeling of walking into a place that already gets what you need. The thoughtful touches, the little comforts, the sense that someone really prepared for you to be there. I'm about to experience that again on a trip up to wine country with my family in Napa. I booked this beautiful home with all these views over the hills of Napa. But what I really love about the place is that it has this big kitchen so we can have family breakfasts and meals there. And it has enough space for the entire family to spread out. And it just reminded me how much those little details make a place feel special. You walk in and there's fresh coffee on the counter, there's a note with the WI FI password, and the font's big enough that you don't need a magnifying glass to read it. You know, those thoughtful little touches that really make a difference. And it made me think about hosting my own home on Airbnb when I'm away. But the idea of getting my place guest ready with all those thoughtful little touches is a bit, I don't know, overwhelming. That's where Airbnb Co Host Network comes in. You can hire a local co host to help with all those behind the scenes things that make a stay run smoothly. Guest communication, handling check ins, and even design and styling to make your place feel lived in and cozy. So if you have a place that you've been thinking about hosting, I don't know, a guest room, a studio for the garage, even your whole home while you're away, a co host can help you actually pull it off without adding more to your plate. So if your New Year's resolution is to earn a little extra money or, or finally make use of that space, start the easy way with Airbnb's co host network. Starting this podcast was one of those moments where I had absolutely no idea what was going to happen. I mean, I spent my whole career as an actor, and suddenly I'm in front of this microphone and I'm like, okay, I'm gonna host a podcast, invite people to have dinner with me, and hope people care. There's a lot of doubt in those early days. You know, you wonder, is anyone gonna listen? Is this a terr? How am I going to eat all these meals without heartburn every day of my life? But sometimes you just have to take a leap. And it makes a huge difference when you have the right tools and support behind you. Because the logistics of building something can be just as scary. As the creative side. That's why Shopify is such a game changer. Shopify is the commerce platform behind millions of businesses around the world and 10% of all E commerce in the United States. From huge household names to brands that are just getting started, they make it incredibly easy to build a beautiful online store with ready to use templates that match your style. And Shopify has helpful AI tools that can help write product descriptions, help you with marketing, and even enhance your product photos. It's like having an entire team behind you. Plus, Shopify brings everything together in one place from inventory to payments to analytics so you don't have to juggle a dozen different platforms and their award winning 24. 7 support is always there. If you get stuck, it's time to turn those what ifs into with Shopify today. Sign up for your $1 per month trial today at shopify.com Dom that's shopify.com Dom hey, it's Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Here's a little side dish from this week's episode of Dinner's on Me. This week's guest is the hilarious and endlessly talented Wendy McLendon Covey, who you know and love from the Goldberg bridesmaids Reno 911, which happens to be one of my all time favorite comedies. And currently she's on the NBC sitcom St. Denis Medical. She made the long trek from Long beach to downtown LA to meet me at Della Nona. We get into the comedy instincts that apparently run in her family, the backstory to her 30 year marriage and her deep love for her home away from home. New Orleans.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

You drove a bit to get here. Yeah, I mean, I guess you drive a bit to get anywhere because you're in Long Beach.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Like since you were born.

[Interviewer or Host]

Yes.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

I went running from Albuquerque, New Mexico, where I was born, like the minute I had an opportunity.

[Interviewer or Host]

You said I'm 18.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

I said I'm 17. I went to New York when I was 17. Yeah. Got out of there so fast and

[Interviewer or Host]

you went to New York, New York?

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Yeah.

[Interviewer or Host]

Of course you did.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

But I mean, do your parents still live close? Oh my God.

[Interviewer or Host]

It's one of the reasons you never leave.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

I mean, I feel like if I was raised in Long Beach, I might not have left. I mean it sounds lovely. I've been there. My brother used to live in that area.

[Interviewer or Host]

Well, and everything takes hours and hours to get to anyway, even if you live within Los Angeles. So you might as well go down there where it's cheaper.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It's cheaper.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

It's beautiful. You're by the water.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Interviewer or Host]

Property taxes are very civil.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

You're such a California girl.

[Interviewer or Host]

Very civilized.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Yeah, I know, because I was like, well, should we go to Long beach and, like, just explore? What's the restaurants doing like there?

[Interviewer or Host]

Oh, I. I love Mexican food. Like, I can't get enough Mexican food in my body. So I would have probably taken you to Luna.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Okay.

[Interviewer or Host]

Which is around the block practically from my house and Target adjacent, so we would have had a Shoppies.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Nice.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Nice.

[Interviewer or Host]

Go to cvs. You know, all the greats. Very fancy. But I love a. I love a cucumber jalapeno margarita.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Oh, yeah.

[Interviewer or Host]

That's my. My week.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Refreshing and boozy.

[Interviewer or Host]

Yeah.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Yeah, yeah. Okay. Yeah. My brother used to live in that area, and he. He was in the restaurant business. I can't remember the name of the place where he used to work, but it was pretty good.

[Interviewer or Host]

Yeah. Was it in. Was it near the university? Was it near the water?

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

It was near the water.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Yeah.

[Interviewer or Host]

Okay. Yeah. And now he's.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

He's in Chicago.

[Interviewer or Host]

Okay.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Well, that's also a great.

[Interviewer or Host]

Yeah.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Food. Culinary world. Yeah.

[Interviewer or Host]

And just a great city. Oh, my God.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Did you ever live in Chicago?

[Interviewer or Host]

I never did. I've never lived anywhere else.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Okay.

[Interviewer or Host]

I did not go away to college. Like, I. I'm very nerdy when it comes to that, but really cute. I've been to Chicago enough to understand why people absolutely mourn it when they leave. Yeah, it's.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

I mean, the reason is because it's such a. Like, an improviser's, like, destination. Eric Stonestreet lived in Chicago for a while.

[Interviewer or Host]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Did you ever do improv with him?

[Interviewer or Host]

No, I never have. I was a groundling person, but I never. I never did that with. With Eric.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Did you know him at all before you did an episode of Modern Family? Okay. No, no. Eric and I are from. Very different. I'm from the. I'm from. From the theater world.

[Interviewer or Host]

Okay.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

So I, like.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Eric would always laugh at me because, you know, he can do things unrehearsed and, like, really succeed. I'm like, I need to practice.

[Interviewer or Host]

Yeah.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

I, like, practice.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And he would.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

That's just not how he worked. So he would make fun of me, like, when I would want to, like, run things, like, oh, God, we have to run things for Ferguson. But we worked well together.

[Interviewer or Host]

Yeah, you guys, obviously. But it is a definitely different way of.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Yeah.

[Interviewer or Host]

I mean, like.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

And he's such a good improviser, and so when he would start that, I'd be like, well, I'm glad that you are here to, like, lead the way, and I will follow you. But sometimes I felt like I couldn't necessarily always keep up with him because he would. He was really good and really fast. I was like, I have to be as sharp as that to, like, you know, be legitimate. Like, it would kind of make me nervous in the beginning of the show. And he would improvise, and I'd be like, oh, God, they're gonna see that I'm not that great.

[Interviewer or Host]

No one would have ever seen said that ever, ever.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Yeah, but my inner saboteur did.

[Interviewer or Host]

Of course. Of course. Now you do musical theater as well.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Listen, I can sing a little bit. I did do musical theater. I've done a few musicals. I did this one about a spelling bee based in Improv called the 25th annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

[Interviewer or Host]

Yes. Okay.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

So that was, you know, a big musical. And then I did. On the Town was my very first show. Leonard Bernstein musical. But those are kind of the only two, like, big musicals I've ever done, and I'm an okay singer.

[Interviewer or Host]

Okay. But do you. Do you wish that you could do more or just do more plays?

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

I'm actually about to go do another play. I love doing theater so much. I would love to do, like, a big musical. I don't know when that will happen, but I love doing theater. But I've been doing a lot of theater recently, and I need to make a paycheck because there's no money in theater. Yeah.

[Interviewer or Host]

Okay, let me go back to you moving to New York at the tender age of 17.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Yeah.

[Interviewer or Host]

Tell me everything about that, because I never. I lived with my parents till I got married, so.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Really?

[Interviewer or Host]

You moved out to New York?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

New York.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

I mean, a big part of it was I was so desperate to get out of New Mexico.

[Interviewer or Host]

Yeah.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

I didn't have an easy time growing up, so I was like, I want to go. Like, first of all, I love. I love Broadway.

[Interviewer or Host]

Yeah.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Like, I would watch the Tony Awards every year. You know, I. I knew I wanted to somehow make a career in that world. And so going to this place was like. I felt like I was like. It was like my North Star. I was like, this is exactly where

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I should be going.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

It is astonishing when I look back on it, that I adjust so effortlessly to that. That lifestyle because it is such a different city than Albuquerque, New Mexico.

[Interviewer or Host]

It's a hustle.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

It's a hustle. I mean, I was in the bubble, the safety of, like, school. Like, I went to a performing arts academy.

[Interviewer or Host]

Okay.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

So I had you Know, roommates and I. I had a. Like, we were in student housing.

[Interviewer or Host]

Okay, so you lived in the dorms and you didn't just, like, take me to the middle of the city and drop me off and I'll figure it out?

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

But yes and no, because the dorms were like. The housing we were in was also. It was part of a regular apartment building, and there were like. It was low income housing. So it was like half student housing, half low income housing. There were some people who were like, you know, shifty and in the elevators when we go down. So I mean, I felt like even in the housing situation was like kind of in the thick of it in New York. But I was on the Upper west side, which is a really great neighborhood. Neighborhood. And I was go to school every day in the Dakota building, which is on 73rd and Broadway. You know, the Dakota. No, wait, not the Dakota, the. The Ansonia building, which is where Bette Midler would do her shows in the spas, in the baths. Yeah.

[Interviewer or Host]

Oh, you just moved right into the fairy tale. Wow.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

I know, I know.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

But this was also 1994, when I

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

think, you know, it was. It was a lot more affordable to live in New York, but also a

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

lot more dangerous too.

[Interviewer or Host]

Yeah. They hadn't turned Times Square into Disneyland.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

And all those, like, you know, the porn shops were. Me and my friends would have this joke where we'd, like, if we're in Times Square together, we walk by like a porn shop, like, or like, you know, when it was like, it was like they would advertise if they have girls behind booths and stuff, right. And we'd always say, I'm just gonna

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

hop in and get a bite to eat.

[Interviewer or Host]

Gonna go say hi to mom, see if I can get my allowance.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

But that was a much different, different place.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Now for a quick break, but don't go away. When we come back, Wendy tells me about the day job she had during a big chunk of her television career. Okay, be right back. So on a recent episode, we had Ted Danson on. And if you know Ted, you know, he's very passionate about protecting the oceans and buying sustainable, wild caught seafood. And after talking to him, it. It really made me think, am I actually being intentional about this myself or am I just hoping for the best at the grocery store? That's one of the reasons I love wild Alaskan company. I cannot recommend this company enough. First, it's 100% wild caught, never farm. So no antibiotics, no GMOs, no additives. Second, their fish is frozen right off the boat, which helps lock in flavor and texture. And third, it's all sustainably sourced from Alaska, supporting responsible fishing practices. Lately, I've been really into their Pacific halibut. It's firm, meaty, great for searing, and the Pacific rockfish, which has this amazing bold flavor and works beautifully in a quick pan fry. And also, there's no risk 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. Thanks to Wild Alaskan Company for sponsoring this episode. I love beautiful landscaping. I love having a beautiful backyard, gorgeous trees, flowers.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

The idea of it's incredible.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And then I actually go to a nursery and I immediately feel overwhelmed. I'm wandering around trying to figure out what works, what won't die in two weeks, how I'm even going to get at home in my car. Especially when I have, hypothetically, two small children who have completely different priorities than plant shopping. That's why I love fast growing trees. It's America's largest and most trusted online nursery, so you can browse thousands of trees and plants right from your couch. They'll recommend plants that actually work for your climate and space. And everything arrives healthy, ready to thrive, backed by their alive and thrive guarantee. It just makes the whole process so much easier. And honestly, listen more enjoyable right now. They have great deals on spring planting essentials, up to half off on select plants. And listeners to our show get 20% off their first purchase when using the code DOM at checkout. That's an additional 20% off. Better plants and better growing at fastgrowingtrees.com using the code DOM at checkout fastgrowingtrees.com code DOM now is the perfect time to plant. Let's grow together. Use code DOM to save today. Offer is valid for a limited time. Terms and conditions may apply. And we're back with more dinners on me.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Where did you meet Greg?

[Interviewer or Host]

In community college.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Oh, my God.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Interviewer or Host]

In an interpersonal communications class. So we had to demonstrate that we were able to practice active listening and language that allows your partner to understand that. That I, you are heard and seen, and I hear you. So we had to rehearse these conversations and we were, we were like the bad kids in the class of, like, this is so Bloody stupid. Although it is. We are excellent communicators. All right.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That's how it started.

[Interviewer or Host]

That's how it started. But, yeah, he walked in, and I was like, I'm going to know him. Didn't realize I would be married to him.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

But did you date for a long time before getting married?

[Interviewer or Host]

We got engaged after three months, but then three years later. Okay, we had no money.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

We had no money. So what did. What was. Did he have a career? Like, what was his.

[Interviewer or Host]

He.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

What was he wanting to do?

[Interviewer or Host]

He was a graphic designer and, like, a techie person. So he never finished his degree, didn't need to.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

He.

[Interviewer or Host]

And started working right away. And so he was. He did that for a long time and then worked at the Air Force as a civilian, writing code and building databases and stuff like that.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

And when did you start? Because you were doing editor work for. Explain this to me.

[Interviewer or Host]

Yeah, So I worked in the social work department.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Okay.

[Interviewer or Host]

And so kind of the feather in the cap of the social work department of Cal State Long beach at the time was this scholarly journal that never had more than 500 subscribers because it was so specific. But that's academia for you. So you. This was essays from people in helping professions like, okay, social work psychology, you know, disaster relief, whatever. They would send in their personal experiences, and we would publish them. So they were like personal experiences, but grounded in theory so that academics could study all this. And when you get a PhD or a master's or whatever, you have to publish a certain amount. So there's all these scholarly journals just like the one I worked at, where people can publish their papers. So that's what this was. It came out four times a year. It was a nice, cushy job, 20 hours a week. They did not care if I came in to the office. I could do it from anywhere. And I did it for 12 years. Wow. Yeah. Yeah.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Up until you got the Goldbergs.

[Interviewer or Host]

Up until I got the Goldbergs.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

That's incredible.

[Interviewer or Host]

And then it was like it was folding anyway, so it kind of dovetailed perfectly with me leaving. But I loved doing it because it was a little bit of security. And it also was like a nice reminder that what I'm doing is not that important compared to what other people are doing. There are people out there really making a difference, and I am a spoiled professor performer.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Although you're giving people a lot of joy when. In a time when they need joy. So there is that.

[Interviewer or Host]

There's.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

But I understand what you're saying. Yeah, I know sometimes it can Be

[Interviewer or Host]

like people who are like on the ground doing.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

I know sometimes when I'm doing a play, I'm like, I'm wearing a dead person's hair on my head and speaking loudly in front of strangers as another person like, what? What are we? What are we doing?

[Interviewer or Host]

What are we doing?

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Ty Burrell. Sometimes he and I would get the giggle.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

We would just catch our eyes.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

It'd be like a little glint behind our eyes. And what that glint said was like, what are we doing with our lives? And it was always like during a ridiculous scene where we just had something dumb to say. And that glint was like, we are grown men. What are we doing? And it tickled us so much.

[Interviewer or Host]

I love that you said that. I love that you said that because that shows, like, you are very self aware of how lucky we are, you know, And I have that feeling when I'm at some dumb thing being interviewed on, you know, like, all the Emmy campaigning is so stupid.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Yes.

[Interviewer or Host]

And when you're talking, by the way, did we ever.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Like, I didn't realize that I was like, oh, campaigning. Like, what is this?

[Interviewer or Host]

Oh, yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Just if you did something that people liked, you got an award.

[Interviewer or Host]

Yeah. And that is absolutely.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

You have to do a lot more. Yeah.

[Interviewer or Host]

You really have to go out and beg.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Yeah.

[Interviewer or Host]

And spend a lot of money. So when. Whenever, you know, I'm on a panel of something about.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Yes.

[Interviewer or Host]

Well, what's your process, honey? I get up and I do my thing that I don't know. Yeah. Ask someone who lived through hurricane Katrina.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Interviewer or Host]

I'm just some dipshit that, you know how to found some confidence somewhere. And, you know, I don't know. It's very interesting.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

I think it's very important in this industry to have a self awareness and to not take yourself too seriously. 100%.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Now for a quick break, but don't go away. When we come back, Wendy and I talk about our shared love for the show Portlandia. And she tells me all about her sister's side hustle as the owner of a comedy theater. Okay, be right back. Okay. Be honest. You know that thing you've been saying you're gonna do for years? I'm gonna start therapy. I'm gonna look into therapy. I'm gonna emotionally process that later. Yeah, yeah, same. For the longest time, I kept putting it off because every time I googled therapist near me, I'd end up 40 tabs deep comparing credentials like I'm buying a refrigerator and somehow more anxious than when I started that's why I love growtherapy. They make finding a therapist feel human and doable. Whether it's your first time in therapy or your 50th, grow makes it easier to find someone who fits you. They connect you with thousands of licensed therapists across the US offering virtual and in person sessions, including nights and weekends. You can search by what really matters to you. Insurance, specialty, availability, and get started in as little as two days. And if something comes up, you can Cancel up to 24 hours in advance at no cost, no subscriptions, no long term commitments. You just pay per session therapy. That fits real life. And honestly, I'm such a big believer in therapy. It has helped me become a better partner, a better father, a better friend, and on, well, on most days, a calmer human being. Whatever challenges you're facing, GrowTherapy is here to help grow accepts over 100 insurance plans, including Medicaid in some states. Sessions average about $21 with insurance and some pay as little as $0. Visit growththerapy.comdom to get started. That's growththerapy.comdom availability and coverage vary by state and insurance plan. And we're back with more dinners on me.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

You do date nights? Occasionally. Often.

[Interviewer or Host]

Occasionally. Okay, well, I don't want to.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

You guys have been married for 500 years.

[Interviewer or Host]

30 years. 30 years in August. So listen, we're in a good little rhythm there and we love being at home, okay? But. But sometimes. Come on, we gotta get out of the house. This is pathetic. Yeah, yeah, we have to. And we were supposed to go to New Orleans this weekend. We have the tiniest place in the French Quarter. How nice to go this weekend. And we had to cancel that. So it's like, no, come on. Meemaw and Peepaw need to have some face time.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Good.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

I'm glad you're doing that.

[Interviewer or Host]

But that when we go to when Nola, it's like, all right, this is us. Just us. Our 7,000 cats are not here. No one's asking for our attention. Yeah, it's pretty cool.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

When did. Why did you decide to get a place in New Orleans?

[Interviewer or Host]

You know what? I went there right when the world was opening back up again after co. After co. And I thought, oh, my God, have I lived here in another life? I. I'm walking streets.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Reason. I hear it's incredible.

[Interviewer or Host]

It is incredible, but it's the vibe.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Yeah.

[Interviewer or Host]

Like, I can tell you places to go, but it's just the vibe of being there and looking at everybody around you. And there's just like my. My Hair stands on end. When I'm outside in New Orleans, like, there's just such an energy about it. And every alleyway you turn down, it's like you're gonna run into Is something crazy.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Yeah.

[Interviewer or Host]

And it's. It's just a continual treasure hunt. It's almost like living in the middle of Disneyland, really. You walk out in the morning and there are. You've been you. You know exactly what I'm talking about. There's bands playing all day, there's live music all day. You can let your freak flag fly and nobody bats an eyelash. The history, the music, the culture, the food. It's one of my favorite places.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

And the first time you went was

[Interviewer or Host]

after Covid, just a couple years ago. Really? So then I thought, huh, I'm gonna take Greg. Greg needs to go. And we went. It was 110 degrees, but we had the best time. We had to change our clothes constantly because we were just dripping sweat. And then when we got home, my sister said, hey, my friend is selling a condo in New Orleans if you guys want to check it out. And we thought, yeah, I guess we need to. So we got back on a plane and, like, so after me only being there twice and Greg only going once, we were like, yes, this is where we want to have a vacation home. I love that just resonated so much with us.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

And I. I mean, you know, when you think vacation, I was like, somewhere, like, you know, on an island somewhere. Or like. Like Montecito. I love that you've. Because I love going to New York. I love New York so much.

[Interviewer or Host]

I love New York.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

And I like the energy of it. I want a city with energy. Yeah. You know, I don't want to just, like. I love a vacation where I, like,

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

lay on the beach.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

But, like.

[Interviewer or Host]

But we're albinos.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, exactly.

[Interviewer or Host]

We can't lay on the beach for longer than five minutes. And then it's boring.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Not today.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Melanoma.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I'm.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

You know, it's. It's true.

[Interviewer or Host]

I mean, not today.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Every three months I'm in.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

The dermatologist. He's scanning my body and burning things off. And, you know, it's just like, we gotta.

[Interviewer or Host]

You really. Every three months.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Raised in New Mexico.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

So, yeah.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Son really got me when I was younger, so I'm paying a bit of a price now.

[Interviewer or Host]

Interesting. Yeah, my family, they were all water skiers, so they dragged us out to roast in the sun.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

California girl.

[Interviewer or Host]

Yeah.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

What does your sister do?

[Interviewer or Host]

So my. My sister is a family therapist, but she Owns a comedy theater in Portland, Oregon, called the Siren Theater. And she does very well with it. So she has two full time jobs and loves it.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Did you ever feel pressure growing up because did she have what your parents would have considered a real job?

[Interviewer or Host]

Yes.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Interviewer or Host]

Yeah. And she, you know, she has a master's. Very scholarly and very independent. So, like, where I was always afraid to leave home, my sister, like you, was like, I'm out of here.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Yeah.

[Interviewer or Host]

You know, I'm. I'm leaving and I'm not coming back. So she has built such a great life up in Portland. I love that. It's a great city. It is just a great city and a good city for the arts.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Yeah.

[Interviewer or Host]

Because people will show up for whatever weird thing you want to do.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

And it's a weird city too.

[Interviewer or Host]

It is a weird city. So did you watch Portlandia when I was on.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

I love Portlandia.

[Interviewer or Host]

One of the. I mean, better than SNL for me, Fred Armisen and Kerry Brownstein on Portlandia. Geniuses. Bookshop owners. Exactly.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

The lesbian bookshop owners. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Interviewer or Host]

I watched that show over and over

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

because so honestly, it's like I feel the same way about that as I feel with three. No, 901. I like those, like, weird, quirky improv shows where, like, it's just these wackadoo characters.

[Interviewer or Host]

I mean, that was such a brilliant show. I'm.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Yeah.

[Interviewer or Host]

I'm so sad that it's not on anymore, but that's exactly. There are no lies detected in that show.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Yeah.

[Interviewer or Host]

But yeah, if you have, like, oh, I think I'm gonna do Indonesian shadow puppets. I want to make this my career. Yeah. Go to Portland. Someone will show up. Yeah, someone will show up.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Yeah.

[Interviewer or Host]

And you know, and be very happy.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Has a comedy theater.

[Interviewer or Host]

Comedy theater that she basically started so she could put her own stuff up.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Comedy theater. Do you mean, like, it's like a place for stand ups or like a.

[Interviewer or Host]

You can do stand up there. You can do. I mean, the stage is small, but it is.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Is.

[Interviewer or Host]

I've seen them do Dirty Dancing. No. Yeah, they did a parody of Dirty Dancing that made me laugh so hard, Jesse, that I thought I would swallow my own face. I couldn't believe how funny this damn thing was. They do a lot of sketch there.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Okay.

[Interviewer or Host]

But they also bring in other people and like. Do you know Pamela Day Bar?

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

I don't know who that is.

[Interviewer or Host]

She wrote a book called I'm with the Band. She's like the original groupie. Rock groupie. She went there and gave like a lecture or whatever, people. It's a great place to try stuff because it's small.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Yeah.

[Interviewer or Host]

So, yeah, there's a lot of good drag in Portland, so I don't think they. Oh, do they do bingo there? Sometimes. Sometimes I think they do drag bingo, sometimes as like, a fundraiser.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Yeah.

[Interviewer or Host]

But again, people in Portland, they want to be entertained. They're ready to give you that love.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Have you ever done anything there?

[Interviewer or Host]

I haven't.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Has she asked you?

[Interviewer or Host]

She's. She's asked me. And then again, she likes to do things just by the seat of her pants. And I'm like, I don't know if I can just do that.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Yeah, yeah.

[Interviewer or Host]

I need rehearsal. I need rehearsal for that. I am an improviser, but, like, I don't want to go and take a shit on my sister's stage. You know what I mean? But I'm so impressed with her. She's really, really funny. And how did she get started? She saw me having success and she's like, excuse me, I'm way funnier than you.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Is she funny?

[Interviewer or Host]

Oh, yeah. And drive as a bone. And she was on Portlandia once. She. Yeah, in like, the first episode. So she's got an agent. She.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, she asked.

[Interviewer or Host]

Yeah, she. Yeah. And again, is a therapist.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Right, right, right.

[Interviewer or Host]

So it's nuts. She. She's a worker bee.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

I love that.

[Interviewer or Host]

I don't know how she does.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Were your parents.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Are.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Are your parents funny?

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Like, where did the. The humor come from?

[Interviewer or Host]

So my mom was always a professional performer, but always just at church.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Okay, but she a performer at church. What is like.

[Interviewer or Host]

So she was. She would sing in several choirs. She played the piano. They would do plays.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Not comedy driven performer.

[Interviewer or Host]

Not necessarily. But then she started doing skits at work. She worked at McDonnell Douglas and then Boeing.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Okay.

[Interviewer or Host]

So she and all her little friends would, like, get together on the weekend and throw these luncheons for all the workers. And they. I mean, I'd walk. I'd come home and walk into some. A house full of people laughing their asses off at God knows what, you know, all full of inside office jokes. But my mom was always, you know, making us costumes. She knew we were. We like to put on shows and stuff, so she encouraged it.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

She did.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

But then when it. When it. When it was time to make it a career, she's like, wait, wait, wait.

[Interviewer or Host]

I don't know. Hold up. Yeah, please don't.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

That's so incredible.

[Interviewer or Host]

Please don't. But, yeah, it's her fault. It's totally her fault.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Well, I'm just so grateful that you know. I love that your sister's so funny, too. I, like, wanted. I don't know anything about her, but I feel like I want to see you two together.

[Interviewer or Host]

She is a stitch. I'm so. I'm so proud of her.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That was a little side dish for my conversation with Wendy McLendon Covey. If you haven't heard our full conversation yet, make sure to check it out on Dinners On Me. This episode of Dinners On Me was recorded at Della nona in downtown LA's Arts District. Next week on Dinners On Me. You know him from Scandal and the Comeback, which is now back for a third season, it's Dan Bukatinsky. We'll talk about queer acceptance and his journey from acting to producing alongside Lisa Kudrow and coming back after a decade for the final season of the Comeback. Dinners on Me is a production of Sony Music Entertainment and a kid named Beckett Productions. It's hosted by me, Jesse Ty Ferguson. It's executive produced by me and Jonathan Hirsch. Our showrunner is Joanna Clay. Our associate producer is Alyssa Metcalfe. 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.

[Interviewer or Host]

Are you dreaming of the perfect prom? But there's just one thing holding you back. Speak English, Mom. Welcome to Ethnosync Ethnic Modification. What is this place?

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

We help you reach your true potential.

[Interviewer or Host]

How are you feeling? It's good to be Hawaii.

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

Hey, new girl.

[Interviewer or Host]

Hey. Look at what you've done to yourself. For a new plant to grow, the

[Wendy McLendon-Covey]

seed has to die.

[Interviewer or Host]

Slanted. Rated R Only in theaters March 13th. Side effects may occur.