Janet McNamara: American Idol Auditions, Accounting, and Alumni of 21 Students

Summary

Podcast Summary: Disgraceful with Grace O’Malley

Episode: Janet McNamara: American Idol Auditions, Accounting, and Alumni of 21 Students
Host: Grace O’Malley (as Unwell)
Guest: Janet McNamara
Date: April 16, 2026

---

Main Theme / Purpose

This episode blends comedy and confessional with host Grace O’Malley and guest comedian Janet McNamara dissecting the discomforts, oddities, and self-deprecating humor of chasing creative dreams—especially after leaving a traditional career. Through playful banter and candid admissions, they cover Janet’s transition from an accountant stuck in corporate to a rising comic, the awkwardness of American Idol stardom, what it’s like to grow up at a tiny “neurodivergent” high school, and the ongoing quest for belonging in both work and social spheres.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Janet’s Transition from Accounting to Comedy

• Quitting the Day Job
  • Janet recently left her accounting job, partially prompted by a botched tax deadline and feeling ill-suited to management. She suggested to her boss they “work on this together” before she got fired.

    “I walked in my boss’s office in August and I was like, I don’t think I’m working out. I think you’re gonna fire me. We should, like, work on this together.” (01:29)

  • Her boss wasn’t actually planning to fire her—just thought Janet was “not ideal.”

    “I wasn’t gonna fire you, but you weren’t ideal.” (02:02)

  • Janet describes being better as an “in-the-cubicle” person than a people manager.
• Financial (In)security and Comedy’s Lure
  • Letting go of financial stability was scary, but Janet saved up a year’s salary.

    “It’s such a risk to just give it all up and go at it again… take probably like an 80% pay cut.” (18:05)

2. Awkward Social Encounters and Anxieties

• Star-struck and Social Overthinking
  • Both Janet and Grace recount word-vomiting in front of celebrities (Bob Odenkirk, Seth MacFarlane), then needing to abruptly exit.

  • “He said, ‘I think I’ve seen you. I saw your YouTube.’ And I said, ‘Oh.’ And then… I gotta go home.” (03:19)

  • “I go, I’m trying to play it so cool, Mr. MacFarlane. This is incredible.” (04:50)

  • They joke about social anxiety, extroversion, and feeling like outsiders—even as headliners.

    “I’m extremely socially anxious, but also very extroverted. That’s just like living in your own hell.” (07:10)

• Networking with New York Comics
  • Janet’s therapist advised her to “come up with activities” and reach out to people instead of isolating during comedy trips; both hosts admit to worrying about being annoying to others.

    “You can, like, reach out… you just have to be proactive.” (07:34)

3. High School with 21 Students

• Early Social Dynamics
  • Janet’s private high school had 21 kids, with every student receiving a superlative—hers: “Most likely to marry a Hanson.”

    “Every single kid in my class got a superlative… Mine was most likely to marry a Hanson.” (16:17)

  • She describes the school as “almost like a neurodivergent school,” full of kids that didn’t fit elsewhere.

    “It was a really, like, kids that just didn’t really fit in to, like, regular world.” (14:47)

4. The American Idol Origin Story

• Audition Backstory

  • Janet auditioned for American Idol mostly as an in-character, absurdist comedy stunt—despite lacking singing ability and not knowing lyrics.

    “I don’t know the lyrics to a single song… I probably spent 30–40 hours practicing that song.” (22:03, 26:50)

  • The audition process was grueling (8–9 hours in the rain with thousands of hopefuls), with multiple rounds before reaching judges. She got through on her comedic persona, not talent.

    “I won the American Idol video game… I had practiced.” (26:19)

  • On TV, she was the very first person shown for the entire season.

    “The first of the entire season. The whole season.” (23:12)

  • The judges’ responses:

    “Randy just kind of said, like, no dog.” (29:10)

  • After airing, she experienced brief fame:

    “It was like, 48 hours of being recognized everywhere. And then after that, nobody gives a shit about me.” (32:16)

• Navigating TV Character and Authentic Self

  • The producers and judges wanted to play up her “dyslexic accountant” angle for TV. Janet, worried it might affect her day job as an accountant, tried to resist but gave in.

    “They get it out of you… the first thing Posh Spice said was, ‘It says here you’re a dyslexic accountant—how does that work?’” (31:02)

  • Janet’s coping strategy: Passive-aggressively calling Victoria Beckham “Paula” and “David Beckham’s wife.”

    “I got pissed off… so I purposely started calling her Paula… oh yeah, it’s David Beckham’s wife.” (31:36)

5. Disgraceful Receipts & Personal Overshares

• Janet’s Online Presence & Receipts

  • The hosts review old tweets, Tinder bios, photos, and odd confessions—including Janet’s candidly unfiltered tone.

    “Are you a he or a she? A she. But you have a mustache. Girls can do anything boys can do.” (46:16)

  • Confessions about oversharing, self-doubt, drinking, being an open book on dating apps, and embracing her quirks.
  • Memorable:

    “Realizing it’s not universal to drink your own pee as a kid out of curiosity.” (46:35)

• Therapist Missed Appointment Story

  • Janet’s therapist missed their appointment due to a court date over environmental protest—now fodder for comedy.

    “She missed it because she had a court date… It’s funnier to say she was in jail.” (39:57)

• Boston Irish Catholic Funerals

  • Janet describes her father’s funeral as “one of the funnest nights of my life”—reflecting the bittersweet, communal, darkly comic family legacy.

6. Games: Credit or Debit (Life Audit Edition)

• The hosts play a game auditing life decisions and “disgraceful” behaviors as “Credit” (good move) or “Debit” (bad move), e.g.
  • Texting back a month late? Credit—sometimes you’re not in the mode.

    “I do that all the time. It wasn’t personal.” (56:18)

  • Going on a date for the free meal? Credit—that’s just practical sometimes.
  • Liking a 5-year-old Instagram post? Debit—Janet admits to an awkward incident.
  • Burping at the bar? Debit—because “it just smells.”
  • Texts with mundane updates: Credit—it’s sweet, it shows people are thinking of you.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On social anxiety vs. extroversion:

  “I’m extremely socially anxious, but I’m also very extroverted. That’s just like living in your own hell.” (07:10, Janet)

• On American Idol:

  “I mastered that song. My pitch was perfect. You can’t say my pitch was wrong.” (26:50, Janet)
  “After the show aired… It was 48 hours of being recognized everywhere. Then nobody gives a shit.” (32:16, Janet)

• On leaving the corporate world:

  “They don’t know what to do with someone with a dream.” (19:29, Grace)

• On funerals and Irish-Catholic humor:

  “My dad’s funeral was one of the funnest nights of my life.” (44:52, Janet)

• On awkwardly encountering fame:

  “Before I say something stupid, I walk away.” (05:40, Janet)

• On old superlatives in a 21-person high school:

  “Mine was most likely to marry a Hanson… possible I gave it to myself.” (16:17-16:40, Janet)

• On online confessions:

  “Realizing it’s not universal to drink your own pee as a kid… It’s like smoking a cigarette. They tell you not to do it but you’re curious.” (46:35, Janet)

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Quitting Accounting & Promotion/Firing Story: 01:04–03:20
• Awkward Celebrity Encounters: 03:29–06:35
• Extroversion & Social Anxiety: 07:10–08:05
• High School (“Alumni of 21 Students”): 14:13–16:47
• American Idol Audition: 21:35–34:10 (details about process, character, and fallout)
• Aftermath and Internet Fame: 32:16–33:08
• Therapist/Court Date Story: 39:43–42:39
• Family, Funerals & Irish-Catholic Jokes: 44:07–45:24
• Life Audit ("Credit or Debit" Game): 51:49–58:17
• Final Reflections & Sweet Mundane Messages: 58:22–60:38

---

Tone & Style Notes

• The humor is self-effacing, conversational, and confessional—Janet and Grace riff on mistakes, social foibles, and moments of self-doubt, never taking themselves too seriously.
• Both are candid about mental health, neurodivergence, financial (in)security, and leaning into one’s quirks for comedic—and personal—growth.
• The episode is peppered with Boston/Massachusetts pride, millennial/Gen X nostalgia, and inside-baseball comedy biz anecdotes.

---

Where to Find Janet McNamara

• Instagram: @JanetMcNamara
• YouTube: Search "Janet McNamara"
• Specials: 45-minute special and more on YouTube
• Twitter: “Don’t look up my Twitter. That’s an insane thing to do.” (62:26)

---

Closing Notes

This episode is a candid, laughter-filled exploration of finding your comedic (and personal) voice in unlikely places: from accounting missteps to viral American Idol moments, to the small, strange world of a 21-person high school. Janet’s willingness to embrace the awkward and Grace’s playful interviewing style make it clear that being “disgraceful”—and laughing about it—is exactly what brings joy and connection.

Transcript

[Commercial Announcer]

Support for Unwell comes from Uber Eats. You already know Uber Eats delivers your late night cravings and fave restaurants, but now they're delivering something just as exciting. Sephora. Which means beauty is basically on speed dial. That's right. Your beauty essentials can now show up at your door in as little as 25 minutes and no drama. Everything is the same price as in store. Order Sephora on Uber Eats today and get your glam delivered straight to your door to check app for availability. Delivery fees may apply.

[Janet McNamara]

Ah.

[Commercial Announcer]

To hydrate or caffeinate? Why not both? New Sonic Refreshers are the perfect blend of thirst quenching and energy boosting. Made with real fruit and a splash of green tea. Enjoy it sparkling or still in three mouthwatering cool berry, citrus, sweet mango, peach, and bold strawberry passion fruit. The perfect daily sip when you just want a little something. Get all new Sonic refreshers live free. Eat Sonic.

[Janet McNamara]

Janet McNamara. I'll go for disgraceful.

[Podcast Host]

Hell yeah. Welcome in.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

So you just quit your job?

[Janet McNamara]

Just quit my job.

[Podcast Host]

You got a brand new special. Yep. And it is skyrocketing.

[Janet McNamara]

Yes.

[Podcast Host]

That the reason you quit your job?

[Janet McNamara]

I quit my. I quit my job in August.

[Podcast Host]

Okay.

[Janet McNamara]

So in August, I was like, I got promoted. And basically, like, I messed up a really bad tax deadline. Oh, I want to say in, like, March.

[Podcast Host]

That's not good.

[Janet McNamara]

No. And went all the way up to the. All the way up to the top that I up. And basically I was like, I'm gonna get fired. I'm gonna get fired. And I walked in my boss's office in August and I was like, I don't think I'm working out. I think you're gonna fire me. We should, like, work on this together.

[Podcast Host]

We should be on mutual terms.

[Janet McNamara]

That's exactly what I said. I like that.

[Podcast Host]

That's good. Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

And I was like, you know, I like, you know, this. Like, I. I'm struggling with, like, managing people. Like, I liked it when I was just in a cubicle doing my stuff.

[Podcast Host]

Because you were an accountant.

[Janet McNamara]

I'm an accountant.

[Podcast Host]

Yes.

[Janet McNamara]

Oh, I wasn't accountant up until yesterday.

[Podcast Host]

You're like Ben Affleck.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. You've got this.

[Janet McNamara]

But basically she was like, I wasn't gonna fire you, but you weren't ideal is what she said.

[Podcast Host]

Just leave that alone. Then if you're not gonna fire me,

[Janet McNamara]

you don't have to. It was like, negative. Well, she was like. She kind of said, like, I'm surprised because I think you're doing great. And then I Was like, well, I up this. I up this. I did this. This.

[Podcast Host]

Why am telling on myself right now.

[Janet McNamara]

I gave her like 10 examp.

[Podcast Host]

So you should fire me. I don't know why you still have me. I'm trying to be good for you.

[Janet McNamara]

That's exactly what I did.

[Podcast Host]

That's really funny. So it's like I have a problem with, like, authoritative figures. Like, once I, like, I crumble. I crumble. Or I try to kiss ass. Like, one time I went in to go ask for. I think I was going in to ask for a raise, and instead I walked out with nothing. I just. She said, no, absolutely not. And she laughed in my face and I said, okay.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

And I just. I left.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah, I. I walk away. Yeah, I'll Mid conversation. I had this, like, terrible habit where, like, I'll be like, I'm talking too much. I'm like. And I. And I just walk away.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, no, I've done that before too. I'll just. I'll just blabber and just like, oh, this is going on for too much.

[Janet McNamara]

And then we just gotta dip someone, like, kind of famous, like, recently.

[National Debt Relief Advertiser]

Who was it?

[Janet McNamara]

Bob Ober. Check.

[Podcast Host]

Sick. That's awesome.

[Janet McNamara]

I got introduced to him and he was like, I recognize you. I watch your YouTube. And I go, oh, yeah. Oh. And then I said, I gotta go home.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, I have to go home.

[Janet McNamara]

Well, I mean, because I was like, I'm talking too much.

[Podcast Host]

What did you say?

[Janet McNamara]

That's all I said.

[Podcast Host]

That's all you said? That was too much. That crossed the line.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah. He said, I think I've seen you. And I said, you probably have. And then he said, yeah, I saw your YouTube. And I said, oh. And then it was like he was talking to, like, other people. And then I was like, there's too many. Like, I'm just like, here.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. No, trying to get yourself back into a conversation is, like, almost impossible.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

I want to do a sketch about, like, the one person who's, like, really trying to get into the conversation, but they, like, there's nothing else they can say, so they're just kind of like.

[Janet McNamara]

Right. Yeah, it's just like.

[Podcast Host]

There's nothing. You start saying random shit just so you feel apart.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah. And I. I like, I know what that feels like on the other end when there's like, a random new comic that's like, trying to insert themselves and say the funny comment.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

Like, they don't actually belong in the conversation. But also, no, it's not that big of a deal when they're just standing there.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. No, but. Nobody. Nobody gives a.

[Janet McNamara]

Nobody gives a.

[Podcast Host]

But in your own head, you're like, oh, everyone wants to kill me.

[Janet McNamara]

The reality is I was talking to somebody else and Bob came to talk to them. Yeah. So, like, I was. I. I belonged to. I wasn't inserting myself. He came over.

[Podcast Host]

I literally just did the same thing with Seth MacFarland.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

I was talking to somebody that he knows and he came over and he was like all frantic. Cause it was chaotic at the thing we were at. And I just word vomited. And I literally said. I go, I'm trying to play it so cool right now, Mr. McFarland. This is absolutely incredible. He goes, what? I go, I don't know. I'm just. I'm just freaking out. He goes, relax. Then something like that. And I was just like, yeah, no, I just. I'm going to shut up. And he was like, all righty.

[Janet McNamara]

Then you said.

[Podcast Host]

You said, you might want to stop talking to me because I'm about to say something that I don't want to say.

[Janet McNamara]

And then you might want to.

[Podcast Host]

We're not talking.

[Janet McNamara]

That's incredible.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, it was. I was about to tell him that I go to sleep to his voices all the time, you see. Walk his front eggy.

[Janet McNamara]

Like, that's my thing. It's like before I say something stupid, I walk away.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. I just. Like, we're bomb and towel on myself. Like, I might. One of my friends said once that I. I should write a coffee table book of all the weird interactions I've had with other people. And I think I'm going to do that because there is. They started. I ran into. I don't know if you do watch Stranger Things.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

I ran into Joe Keery, who plays like, the cool dude, and he's also in a band. And I ran into him the other day, like on Tuesday, and I go, yo, dude, just want to let you know I'm actually a fan. Went in for a knuckle punch. He was like, all right, word. Yeah, I just. I can't stop putting my foot in my mouth. Yeah, it's pretty brutal. But, you know, it's. I'm laughing about it.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah. It's like, to a degree, I'm just kind of like, yeah, in retrospect, I probably could have hung in there.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. But like, you know, can you. Can you laugh on your way home?

[Janet McNamara]

Exactly.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

It was like I texted like my. My friend group chat and I was like, this is what I just did.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, no, it was like, you do

[Janet McNamara]

that to people all the time. Like, yeah. The amount of headliners that, like, I didn't realize it until I've only just started, like, headlining very recently and being on the road.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

And I didn't realize, like, how you actually do want to hang out with your opener.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

Like, I thought that that was just like a polite thing headliners said.

[Podcast Host]

I think it varies.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

I think it varies for people. I'm trying to chill.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah, you want to chill?

[Podcast Host]

I want to chill for sure.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Like, I'm a. I'm a. I'm a great a chiller. But I understand this. There are some people who are like.

[Janet McNamara]

So for me, I'm like, I'm extremely socially anxious, but I'm also very extroverted.

[Podcast Host]

And that's. That's just like living in your own hell.

[Janet McNamara]

It's. Hell.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

It sucks.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

So it's like with my therapist, it was like the first time I came to New York when I auditioned for the seller. It was like, I basically, like, stayed my hotel room the entire time, and my therapist was like, you need to come up with activities.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. Because you could do stuff by yourself.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah. And she was like, you know people in New York, that too, like,

[Podcast Host]

like, you. You have friends.

[Janet McNamara]

She was like, you can, like, reach out. Like, you don't have to just like, you just have to be proactive and. And do it.

[Podcast Host]

I just worry that I'm bothering people.

[Janet McNamara]

Same.

[Podcast Host]

Like, I just don't. I don't want to say. I don't want to feel annoying.

[Janet McNamara]

Well, that's my thing. I'm like, yeah, that's my thing. It's like, I don't want to, like, overstay.

[Podcast Host]

And that is something I will do.

[Janet McNamara]

Oh, you will?

[Podcast Host]

I will. I'm the last one to leave every party.

[Janet McNamara]

Okay.

[Podcast Host]

I will sleep at your house. I hate when the night is over. I've gotten better in recent months.

[Janet McNamara]

Okay.

[Podcast Host]

Because I haven't been really going out. I'm trying to be good. Trying to be good. I haven't been good in the past. Let's move on. You're home to show off who you are. And Ashley has styles that balance timeless appeal and modern trends to bring your personal look home. The eye catching designs of Ashley's pieces is one thing, but they're also made with features like stain resistant performance fabrics that are incredibly durable, easy to clean, and stain resistant with machine washable cushion covers. So not only do their pieces look great in your home, they function well in your life too. I'll Tell you you gotta check out this Alyssa Court collection that they have. It is so beautiful. It is so timeless. It's an absolute perfect piece for your home. If you're looking to furnish your house, Ashley has you covered. So I gotta tell you, Ashley provides fast, reliable white glove delivery right to your room of choice. Well crafted, affordable and built to stand up to real life how furniture should be. So visit your local Ashley store or head to Ashley.com to find your style.

[National Debt Relief Advertiser]

Confronting high credit card debt can feel scary. But the good news is if you owe $10,000 or more in credit card debt, financial relief options are now available. National Debt Relief is currently offering debt relief designed to reduce what you owe. Fast tracking your way to being debt free. If you qualify for debt relief, you may be able to pay back significantly less than what you owe and save thousands of dollars. Imagine only paying one low monthly program payment you can afford and saving money as you become debt free. National debt relief has already helped bring debt relief to over 550,000 US consumers, earning thousands of five star reviews and an A rating with the Better Business Bureau. You're stronger than your credit card debt. Take the first step and visit nationaldebtrelief.com to see what debt relief you qualify for. That's nationaldebtrelief.com I'm gonna do a little icebreaker with you.

[Janet McNamara]

Okay.

[Podcast Host]

And so I'm gonna say something and then I want you to tell me what comes to your mind when I say this thing.

[Janet McNamara]

Got it.

[Podcast Host]

Free Wave Athletic Brewing Company flavor.

[Janet McNamara]

Oh, Free Wave, which used to be called something else. I forget what it used to be called, but it's called Free Wave now. It's pink.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, no shit.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

This is your favorite flavor.

[Janet McNamara]

Oh, by far, yes. It's a life changing flavor.

[Podcast Host]

I, I, no, I know this. You know that.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah, you do. Research.

[Podcast Host]

Beantown Comedy Vault.

[Janet McNamara]

Just the first thing that comes to mind. Closed like 20 years ago. He's dead. Oh, great guy. He was like, oh, father figure to me. Oh yeah. Dick Daugherty. A lot of people like have a lot of contention with him. He was very, very good to me.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, isn't it, it's not crazy when you, when you, you have a good vibe with someone but everybody else doesn't with them.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. You like, he had his issues.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

You know what I mean? But like I was like, he was like 20 years sober. I was like newly working on getting sober. So like he was like a mentor to me in a lot of ways that, you know, I saw he wasn't a perfect guy.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

And, like, I. I can see where people are coming from.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, yeah, totally.

[Janet McNamara]

But, like, to me, he was always, like. He always had a soft spot for me. He was always very good to me.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, what a guy.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

What about. What about Hanson?

[Janet McNamara]

Love him? No, not. I loved him for a long time. They also became. They're a whole story. But they came. It's called Hanson Gate. And it was a bunch of fans, like, kind of turned on them around, like, the Black Lives Matter movement.

[Podcast Host]

Okay.

[Janet McNamara]

The youngest one, it came out that he had some, like, racist things.

[Podcast Host]

That's too bad. This is. This was a band.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah, it was a bit 90s band. Oh, you were born in 98. Yeah, the album came out in 97. April 12, 1997.

[Podcast Host]

Nearly in the womb. My mom was listening to hip hop, though.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah. But, yeah, they were a 90s band that I was, like, really into. I've been to over 30 concerts.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, no. And they ended up being.

[Janet McNamara]

And they ended up, like, introvertedly racist. They're like. The middle one is, like, really good. And then, you know, they're like. They were homeschooled. They're from Tulsa, Oklahoma.

[Podcast Host]

Oh.

[Janet McNamara]

Like, to a degree. It's like, like. And it's like just.

[Podcast Host]

That whole sentence sucks.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah. I'm sorry. And their fan base is, like. It's a little culty.

[Podcast Host]

Okay.

[Janet McNamara]

And that.

[Podcast Host]

Were you in, Nicole?

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

All right.

[Janet McNamara]

It was like, one of those things that, like, they came out when I was, like, 15. I remember, like, their first album was like. It was like that, like, it was the first, like, music. It was the first album I ever bought. It's like the first music that ever, like, spoke to me. And it was like. It was, like, big to me. And then. Yeah. And then I just kind of, like, outgrew them.

[Podcast Host]

And they honestly have outgrown themselves.

[Janet McNamara]

They've outgrown themselves and, like, um. Yeah, I'm gonna get hate. The Hanson community is gonna blast me.

[Podcast Host]

I'll blast.

[Janet McNamara]

For saying their most recent albums were not very good.

[Podcast Host]

I didn't like any of them.

[Janet McNamara]

I don't know any. You know who they are. You know that song, what's this? They played it non stop on the radio in 1997 and then never played it again.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, so they won Hit Wonder kind of thing.

[Janet McNamara]

They technically had other top 10, but this was their only.

[Podcast Host]

I just. I hate when I don't have people on. On that. I'm sorry. That's stupid. I'm sorry. What's It's T. Sullivan Mechanical.

[Janet McNamara]

Jesus. Did you look at my, like, LinkedIn? Whoa. That was like, my. My.

[Podcast Host]

Do a deep dive over here.

[Janet McNamara]

My second job out of college. My first job out of college, I was, like, a residential counselor at, like, a group home.

[Podcast Host]

Randolph, Massachusetts.

[Janet McNamara]

That's where I grew up. Randolph, Massachusetts.

[Podcast Host]

Hell, yeah. That's in and around my neck of the woods, too. We. Before we started recording, we. We were talking about the movie theater in Randolph. It was so classy. It's gone now. Just found out.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah. It was the first good movie theater ever.

[Podcast Host]

It really was. It was so sick. It was luxury. It was so big.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah, it was sick. Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Well, that's. What. What was. What were you like in high school?

[Janet McNamara]

I went to, like. It's weird. I was. I went to a high school. There's 21 kids in my high school. I. I went to a private school. It was like, almost Archie's. No, I went to. It was Woodward. It was way smaller than Archie's. It was in Quincy center, and it was like, almost like an alternative. Like. I would almost call it, like, a neurodivergent school. Even though they didn't tell us we were neurodivergent. Oh, God. It was like. It was. It was a really, like, kids that just didn't really fit in to, like, regular world.

[Podcast Host]

Okay.

[Janet McNamara]

And so it's like, I was popular in high school, and I was, like, a jock in high school. But, like, my friend. Every time I tell, like, my friend Laura that I was popular in high school, she was like, there was 21 kitchen class.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. I mean, I don't know you that well, so I'm holding in what I want to say.

[Janet McNamara]

You can hold it.

[Podcast Host]

I'll hold it.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah. You don't have to hold it. I don't. I don't actually care.

[Podcast Host]

No. That's pretty classic, though. Like, you're. You. You're not only. You're the jock, you're the prom queen. You're.

[Janet McNamara]

Exactly.

[Podcast Host]

You could be all things all wrapped into one.

[Janet McNamara]

Because there's 21 kids. I was class president.

[Podcast Host]

Like, class clown.

[Janet McNamara]

Exactly.

[Podcast Host]

Sweeped all of the superlatives.

[Janet McNamara]

Exactly. But it was like every single one, every single kid in my class got a superlative. Wow. Wow.

[Podcast Host]

It's inclusive.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah. Because if you would literally, like, leave out, like, five kids if you didn't.

[Podcast Host]

Ah. So they had to come up with, like, real niche ones. I feel like.

[Janet McNamara]

Oh, yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Like. Oh. Most likely to go bald.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

It's like, just making up.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah. Yeah. There was, like. There Was like, probably going to be the most successful. And then there was smartest. Like, same thing.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, that's literally the same thing. Like, we're now we're reaching.

[Janet McNamara]

Exactly. So, like, some of them were like, I was obviously on the Y book committee as well. Oh, hell yeah. Like, you kind of like, get involved with everything.

[Podcast Host]

You can't. You can't not. They're hounding you. They're like, we need people to sign up. And I'm looking right at you.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah, well, I wasn't. I wasn't actually on the Y book committee, but I like, hung out and gave, like, I gave some of the superlatives, like, of the people that, like, we can't think of something for this.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, hell yeah. Yeah. Was it. What was yours?

[Janet McNamara]

Mine was most likely to marry a Hanson.

[Podcast Host]

Really?

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah, that was my superlative. Like, which obviously. Yeah, the band, they obviously couldn't think of something for me.

[Podcast Host]

It really, really. You were rocking with it.

[Janet McNamara]

They could have given me a lot of things.

[Podcast Host]

Most likely to Mary Hansen.

[Janet McNamara]

It's possible that I gave it to myself. Like, it's possible they asked me and I gave it to myself. Yeah. I don't.

[Podcast Host]

I feel like you might have gave that to yourself.

[Janet McNamara]

I know I was in the conversation when we were coming up with superlatives, so I may have given it to myself.

[Podcast Host]

Okay. All right.

[Janet McNamara]

I probably fought for both athletic and they gave it to somebody else.

[Podcast Host]

Like, nah.

[Janet McNamara]

And they're like, yeah.

[Podcast Host]

I mean, I. I say it probably once an episode. I lost class clown to someone who dropped out. So, yeah, that's it is what it is sometimes, you know.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

I got a question here. In 2025, you said on an interview that you were managing in accounting. Now, what's the time frame of your special coming out to you working in finance?

[Janet McNamara]

August. I put in my notice. I said, I'm not going to quit. You're going to have to fire me because I want unemployment. But no harm, no foul.

[Podcast Host]

It's all cool if it works out the way I want it.

[Janet McNamara]

And then they never fired me.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

So then to say. So my special came out. I want to say January 16th. And then it started, like, doing well. And then at the beginning of February, I was like, okay, we're going to start having. There's going to be a deadline for this, like, last day thing.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. We're going to have to put squash

[Janet McNamara]

on cuz, like, part of it. It's so scary to like, go from like a good. Like, it's the first time, the last like four years has been the first time I've ever been financially secure.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. And then it's, it's such a risk to just, to just give it off and go. Go at it again.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah. And take probably like an 80 pay cut.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. Which is incredibly scary.

[Janet McNamara]

But some of it was like I saved like a year salary. Yeah. Or like a year's take home salary. Like I like did the stuff that

[Podcast Host]

you need to do when you're buying an engagement ring.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah, exactly.

[Podcast Host]

Is it a year salary?

[Janet McNamara]

I think it's three months pay. Yeah, I think it's three months pay.

[Podcast Host]

I think, I think prices won't gone up. I've been seeing some of these ranks lately. It's out of control. It's out of control.

[Janet McNamara]

Out of control. But some of them are fake and they lie.

[Podcast Host]

That's true too. They're like, they're like, what's it called? Like made in a lab.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah, yeah. Or, or yeah, people lie about how much money they make or like what their lifestyle is all the time.

[Podcast Host]

Oh yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

Like that, that's like a. I, I've

[Podcast Host]

been running with influencers for years now. These people are out of their minds.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah. So it's like my boss knew like when I put in my notice in August, I was like, you know, do you know I do like stand up comedy. Like I'm going to try to pursue that. And she was like, yeah, I know you do open mics. And I was like, yeah, yeah, I do, I do do open mics.

[Podcast Host]

Yes, I do that and then some.

[Janet McNamara]

But like also like, you know, I'm working on like I've been doing it 15 years.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

And so it's like they don't really have a sense of where I am and what I'm.

[Podcast Host]

They don't know what to do with someone with a dream. No, like, or a passion. They just, it's unheard of. So they're like, oh, you. This is. Oh, don't tell me about your passion.

[Janet McNamara]

This is really dumb. But like I can be very passionate about like. Oh yeah, I could talk about it for two hours.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

100. So like it is like they get it. Like they're passionate about like they could talk about billing and.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

Hard costs and soft costs and interest rates and you could be passionate about it. It's just, it's a, it's a different thing to be passionate about, I guess. Like writing something personal, a dream. A dream of like more taking a risk and doing something else and having this like side project that nobody really Knows about. I think there's definitely people in my office that still don't know. I guess it was like a big thing when I put in my notice in August where like, where people were like, did you know Jen to stand up comedy.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, the whispers. It's like, it's like being in a 21 person high school again. Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

And like, I don't know if people like. I've always been very careful until part of things blowing up in January is that I've been very careful. Like, I didn't post anything about mental health. I didn't post. There was a lot of things that I didn't post.

[Podcast Host]

Which is too bad that you have to like live that double life.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah. Because it's like, you look, it's legal.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

But also they don't even know they're discriminating.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

You know?

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Then you're seen as the wackadoodle.

[Janet McNamara]

Exactly.

[Podcast Host]

But you're like, no, I'm doing my professional thing and don't make me sound crazy.

[Janet McNamara]

Exactly. And I think about how they're gonna talk about me when I leave and I think about, oh shit. Like all this stuff makes sense. She was autistic.

[Podcast Host]

Like, ah, fuck. You got one guy, let's call him Roger. He's just like, ah, I should have been nicer.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

I mean that's, that's crazy. To live a beautiful life. That's.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah. It was, it was a, it was, it was a world.

[Podcast Host]

Now my question to you is, what inspired you to wait in the lengthy line for American Idol.

[Janet McNamara]

American Idol and bust out pocket full

[Podcast Host]

of sunshine like that.

[Janet McNamara]

That's, that's my origin story.

[Podcast Host]

Hell yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

That was like. I know, it's like. So it was like I notoriously, my entire family this terrible. I don't know. I listen to probably 12 hours of music a day because I have an eight hour day job. Trains, whatnot, car rides. I don't know the lyrics to a single song.

[Podcast Host]

Not one.

[Janet McNamara]

No. I listened to Justin Bieber's Swag album more than 300 times and it came out in November. It came out in November and on my Spotify playlist, I, I listened to it like three or 400 times. I was like the.001%. I can't tell you a single. Justin Beer Bieber.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

I couldn't tell you a single lyric.

[Podcast Host]

That's crazy. Wow.

[Janet McNamara]

I have like my musical ability. And so like the thing with that American is I like. So it was like we had this like American Idol video game that like we practice and, like, I was terrible at it.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

And I didn't even.

[Podcast Host]

They show you playing it.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

And I didn't really even like playing it because I was so bad at it. And then I like, my friends, I've always been like, you. Like, this was like, back when American Idol was like, the biggest thing on TV.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

Before YouTube. Before.

[Podcast Host]

It was huge.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah, it was huge. And everyone's like, you should, like, audition for American Idol. You should audition for American Idol. Like, it would like. And you didn't just audition.

[Podcast Host]

You were the first one they showed. First one of the team for the Boston episode.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

That's crazy.

[Janet McNamara]

The first of the entire season.

[Podcast Host]

Of the whole season.

[Janet McNamara]

The whole season.

[Podcast Host]

Holy.

[Janet McNamara]

It was the first season that Paula had left. So it was the first season they had new judges. Wow. And basically it was like, I told my friend, like, I didn't have the balls to, like, pick out an outfit. So I was like, if you buy me an outfit, like, I promise I'll wear whatever you pick out. Like, and I was like, you can't give it to me until, like, the morning of on our way. So, like, on, like, you know, we woke up at five in the morning. Well, first of all, you have to go the day before sign up.

[Podcast Host]

So you have to drive all the

[Janet McNamara]

way to Foxborough, like, an hour and a half.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, that's where it was, Foxborough.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah, it was in Fox. It was at Charlotte stadium.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, no.

[Janet McNamara]

So you have to sign up the day before and then at 5 in the morning, you have to show up. And it was like, raining in line. And it was like. I want to say we waited like eight or nine hours.

[Podcast Host]

Jesus Christ.

[Janet McNamara]

There was probably 10, 000 people.

[Podcast Host]

That's crazy.

[Janet McNamara]

And I'm surrounded by all these people who. It's like their dream. And I'm talking shit. Like, yeah, I'm in. Like, yeah, where's Paul? I'm just like, yeah, it's a dream. Like, I. Like, this could be, like, life changing.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. And you're just talking out of your ass to everybody.

[Janet McNamara]

Talking out of my ass.

[Podcast Host]

Like, yeah, this is. I've always wanted this. This has been my whole life.

[Janet McNamara]

Yep. Like, I've worked so hard and. Exactly. And I made sure, like, there's a lot of scenes where, like, the entire audience, like, sings and people are just unbelievably talented.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

Un. Like, the amount of talent, like, it was just like, if it wasn't for the rain, it was entertaining because, like, people just burst out. Like, it was the talent level was. And I made sure I didn't open my mouth.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, yeah. I'm a voice. Rest.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah. And then it's like, you go up, and it's like groups of four, and it's basically like. It's like this.

[Podcast Host]

Who shines the most?

[Janet McNamara]

Giant cattle call. And there's a group of four. You get, like, five seconds. And it's like groups of four in, like, a line. Five seconds. You get maybe five seconds in a group of four. So it's like. But it's like group of four, five seconds each, and then move on. Next group of four or five seconds. It's, like, unbelievably fast. How long. How fast it moves. So I saw somebody, like, three steps ahead of me, like, sing badly. And it's like, producers. It's not real judges.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

This is like the cattle call.

[Podcast Host]

There's no Randy Jackson.

[Janet McNamara]

No. And the. The producers started laughing, and then they were like, oh, it's really funny. But, like, we really want people who are, like, like, good singers.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

Like, we really want people. And so she moved on. And I was like, I. I can't. Like, I gotta, like. And, like, part of it was like, I waited in line for eight hours in the rain. I was like, I'm gonna go balls out.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

And I remember I sang Celine Dion, My Heart. Like, I. I sang it loud, and I. I hit that note. Then my friend heard it from the other part of the stadium. And these people that, like, I'd spent all day with telling, like. Like, telling their hopes and dreams. Like, I heard them laughing at me, and I just stayed in character. And the producer said, what was that?

[Podcast Host]

That's my dream.

[Janet McNamara]

And I said, that was Celine Dion's. My Heart will Go on blank stage, stone cold. That was Celine Dion. Go on. And they said, do you think you're good? And I said, yeah. And they said, why? And it just. Out of my ass. I came out with, I won the American Idol video game. And, like, I had practiced.

[Podcast Host]

I won the American Idol video game. And. And I. And I did it a thousand times over till I won.

[Janet McNamara]

And. Yeah, that's exactly. Well, like, all. Also, it was like, I knew I. Like. Like, I said, I don't know the lyrics to any songs.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

So I probably spent really tricky. I probably spent 30 to 40 hours, like, practicing that song. And, like, I did win. Like, I mastered that song. Like, I. I got, like, four yeses on that song. Like, I mastered that song. So, like, you can't say my pitch was wrong.

[Podcast Host]

You Can't.

[Janet McNamara]

You can't. My pitch was perfect. And then you do, like. They, like. You fill out forms and stuff.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

And they call you back, like, two months. They, like, send you a text message that's like, be here tomorrow. And you show up tomorrow, and there's like, another three or 400 people, and they whittle that down. Oh, and then. Well, you do, like, two auditions. That's where they film, like, a lot of that. Like, they film, like, a lot of that stuff that day. Like, a lot of that, like, backstage stuff is that day. And you do, like, one audition, and they cut, like, almost everybody in, like, this first audition, which was, like, a little camcorder with, like, three producers. And then if you pass that, you go into another audition that was the set of American Idol, except it was all producers.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, so they're warming you up.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah. And you do it as if you're doing it on the show, and you either get a golden ticket or you don't.

[Podcast Host]

There then and there then.

[Janet McNamara]

But it's producers. It's fake.

[Podcast Host]

Okay.

[Janet McNamara]

So it's like. It's like their B footage.

[Podcast Host]

Got it.

[Janet McNamara]

So, like. But if you don't get a golden ticket, it means you don't pass to the real judges into the filming.

[Podcast Host]

So you could potentially get a golden ticket two times.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah. Every. Everybody who passes to Hollywood got a golden ticket twice.

[Podcast Host]

That's crazy.

[Janet McNamara]

So I. I did the audition for the producers, and obviously I got the golden ticket to, like, do it the next day for Simon and all those guys.

[Podcast Host]

Who were. Who were the guys?

[Janet McNamara]

It was Simon Cowl. Pot Posh Spice.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

David Beckham's wife.

[Podcast Host]

Yep.

[Janet McNamara]

And Cara Dero. She's actually a really big deal on music. She's, like, written, like, a lot of songs, but, like, nobody's ever heard of her because she's, like, behind the scenes. And then Randy Jackson.

[Podcast Host]

Hell, yeah. What did. What did Randy have to say to you?

[Janet McNamara]

Randy just kind of said, like, no dog.

[Podcast Host]

No dog.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah. Yeah. He basically said it's a no. Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

It's nice to hear the classic coming out of his mouth, though, you know?

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah, I. I think I got, like, a. It's a no for me. Oh, no. He said something like. Yeah, I. It's hard because it's like, it was such a longer. The actual. Like, I. I want to say what they showed on TV was, like a minute and a half, two minutes. But I was. I was up there for, like, seven or eight minutes. Like, they got a lot of footage,

[Podcast Host]

and that goes that that feels like forever.

[Janet McNamara]

Because, like, a lot of it. And I'll say this, now that I don't have a job, I'm dyslexic.

[Podcast Host]

Okay.

[Janet McNamara]

And I had told them, like. Because, like, you do all. Like, you're doing all day of interviews and, like, they help you be in character.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah. Like, it's like doing improv with a really good scene partner.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

And they help you be in character. And, like, I had, like. And I did the whole. Like, the two stories that were gonna have for me were like, she's like this crazy person that has this corporate job. They don't know. And then the other side was going to be the American Idol video game. And I was freaking out because I was like, if I have dyslexic on my, like, oh, yeah. Thing as an accountant.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

And, like, this was like, brand new in my career. I was like an accounts payable clerk. Like, I wasn't. Like, this was before. Like, now it doesn't matter.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

Because it's all automated and I just have to. I just had to understand the overall numbers.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

But at the time, accounts payable, like, you have to know the difference between these.

[Podcast Host]

I don't know if this is.

[Janet McNamara]

This is.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, I. I just. As an employer, I. This isn't my own thought, but as an employer, you probably don't want a dyslexic person on your payroll. Yeah. I'm just gonna say it.

[Janet McNamara]

No, you don't.

[Podcast Host]

It doesn't sound good.

[Janet McNamara]

It doesn't sound great at all. You.

[Podcast Host]

So.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah, but they did to me what you did to me, which was like, they got. They get it out of you.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

You know what I mean? Like, they get it out, and it's like you willingly gave it to him.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

So it was like. But, like, that was the first thing that Posh by said. What? And it cut where she was like. She was like, it says here you're a dyslexic accountant. How does that work? And I immediately was like, huh, I

[Podcast Host]

don't like this anymore. Can we actually call it.

[Janet McNamara]

And then that's why I called her David Beckham's wife is because, like, I got pissed off. So, like, I, like, I, like, purposely started calling her Paula.

[Podcast Host]

Shut up. Paula.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah, I purposely, like, because, like, the. Her calling me dyslexic pissed me off. So, like, I started calling her Paula. And then they were like, do you not know who this is? And I was like, oh, yeah, it's David Beckham's wife. That is classic.

[Podcast Host]

That Is so good.

[Janet McNamara]

And like, that. Yeah, that would. And, you know, she. Thinking back, it's like, I took it really personal, but she was just doing what was written on the page.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

Like, it wasn't. It wasn't like.

[Podcast Host]

But you. But you are a person.

[Janet McNamara]

I am a person.

[Podcast Host]

You also have to remember that you are also in character, too.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

So there's like, the. They're like, we understand you're doing a character, so aren't you with us on this?

[Janet McNamara]

It's like, the Internet doesn't get that. The Internet doesn't know it's a character.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

So it's like, after the show aired, I was like. It was like, people would come up to me on the. It was like 48 hours of, like, being recognized everywhere. And then after that, nobody gives a. About me.

[Podcast Host]

It's. It's nice. It's a nice little taste.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah. But it was like. It got depressing because it's like, it get. It's like, super overwhelming, but also addictive. It's like, yeah, your phone. And then once it goes away, you don't have that dopamine hit. And I couldn't stop talking about myself. I was just talking about myself constantly. And I. Constantly. But, like, people would come up to me on the train. I'd be like, I thought you were really good. You should have gotten. Yes.

[Podcast Host]

I can picture it, too. Especially in Boston.

[Janet McNamara]

Oh, honey.

[Podcast Host]

You.

[Janet McNamara]

You. You know. Yeah. They just didn't understand you. Yeah. They just didn't get it. I see it.

[Podcast Host]

You want to do the church? We'll do the church together.

[Janet McNamara]

And they'd be like, do you want to sing right now? You should sing right now. And like, they were just. Sing for me. It was just like, they were openly mocking me.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

And I'm like, I'm not that stupid.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

I'm not a. Like, how do you not see that? That was a like. Because, like. And they don't actually have bad people anymore. Yeah. All the bad people are either acting or, like, severely autistic.

[Podcast Host]

I just think they should let it rip again. Yeah, I think they should let it rip. I would watch again if they had crazy people.

[Janet McNamara]

But honestly, like, it's like, what's the point of having crazy people? Because you could just turn on YouTube and you could see all these crazy people.

[Podcast Host]

I don't know. I did. There was something. There was a spark in it for me. Like, Pants on the Ground guy.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

He's a classic.

[Janet McNamara]

He was.

[Podcast Host]

He was the week after Pants on the Ground, looking like a fool with your pants on the ground. Get your gold in the mouth, hat turned sideways, pants at the ground.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah, See, you know lyrics.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, I. I'm a fan. I'm a fan of the crazies. I think it was. It was always fun.

[Janet McNamara]

Crazy's a great.

[Podcast Host]

It makes for great tv. It's also unexpected because it would go like, one good, another good, and then a crazy. Yeah, I don't want to watch this show.

[Janet McNamara]

Oh, you want to know what's great too? So I was not only, like, I was the second person that they fail. They put all the crazies at the beginning, like, on the filming. They want all the crazies out of the way. So, like, like, I was. I kind of like. Because you spend all day with these, like, you kind of like. Because some of the. Some of the interviews you see, and you kind of have a sense of like, is it crazy? Yeah, it was like legit and like. Oh, like the order that they put us in, it was like, like the holding room to go into the judges was like insane asylum. It's padded. It was like 15 crazy.

[Podcast Host]

It's like, all right, just get in there. Go, go get it.

[Janet McNamara]

And they just wanted us all out of the way. And then they had like, the actual legitimately, like, talented people.

[Podcast Host]

And that's in a gold porcelain room somewhere down the hall.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, that's crazy.

[Janet McNamara]

But, yeah, it was a trippy and it was like, you know, it. Spirit. I just had so much fun auditioning.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, yeah. And you're doing it alone. You have to talk to everybody you're with. Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

So my friend Nina came with me.

[Podcast Host]

Shout out, Nina.

[Janet McNamara]

Shout out, Nina. And she came with me to the initial one and then she came with me. She was with me the entire time. And I remember, like, I got so into character doing, you know, because I did like, I. I stood in line for eight hours and then I did like eight hours of interviews.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

And they were gassing me up. They. They never told me I was good at singing, but they did tell me, like, we think you're going to be a star. Like, we think you're great. Like, they. They did gas me up. And I remember before I went in the interview, my friend Nina was like, janet, I'm cuz the only thing I do. I didn't want to flip out. I didn't want to, like, be like. I didn't want to, like, pretend to, like, have a flip out because I didn't want to actually jeopardize, like, my livelihood.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. For sure.

[Janet McNamara]

And my friend Nina was like, I'm telling you, I. I just need to tell you, you're not going to get a golden ticket. She's like, I don't want you to be surprised. She was like, I absolutely promised. Because at one point during the day, I was like, I think I'm pretty

[Podcast Host]

locked for a ticket.

[Janet McNamara]

I was like, think this is good. Like, I actually think I have a shot. And, you know, I was like, I'm telling you, you can't sing.

[Podcast Host]

That's your friend. That's your real friend.

[Janet McNamara]

My real friend was like, I'm telling. I just need to prepare you. It's not gonna go well.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, well, you need a friend like that to just, like, kind of brace you for. Because you could. I mean, your head was getting too big.

[Janet McNamara]

It was.

[Podcast Host]

And you had. You hadn't even got that first yellow. No, that's crazy.

[Janet McNamara]

No, I got the first yellow.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, you did.

[Janet McNamara]

I didn't get the second yellow because the first yellow is a fake yellow.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, yes.

[Janet McNamara]

First golden. Yeah, the. The second one is like the real thing. And she was just like, I'm telling you, you can't. I promise, you can't say it's just not gonna happen. I promise you, this is not gonna.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, that's classic.

[National Debt Relief Advertiser]

Do you have $10,000 or more in credit card debt? Maybe you're even barely getting by making minimum payments? With credit card debt hitting record highs, National Debt Relief offers real debt relief solutions for people struggling to keep up. These options may reduce a large portion of credit card debt for those who qualify. You don't need to declare bankruptcy, and you may be able to pay back less than you owe, regardless of your credit. National Debt Relief has already reduced the credit card debt for more than 550,000 consumers. So don't wait if you owe 10, 20, or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in credit card debt, you can now take advantage of this financial debt relief as the cost of living increases. To find out how much you could save, visit nationaldebtrelief.com that's nationaldebtrelief.com Close your eyes.

Listen to Monday.com feel the sensation of an AI work platform so flexible and intuitive, it feels like it was built just for you. Now open your eyes, go to Monday.com, start for free, and finally breathe.

[Podcast Host]

I. Speaking of classics, we got a couple classics. We play a little game here called Disgraceful Receipts where we go back and we. We look at some. Some. Some of your online history. Oh, no. And I'm just gonna have you.

[Janet McNamara]

Did you go into Boston comedy?

[Podcast Host]

Let's see what we got here. This one says Update. I myself 2020 back on track.

[Janet McNamara]

Oh, that was an issue like, pre covered. I think a lot of people had.

[Podcast Host]

A lot. A lot of people.

[Janet McNamara]

A lot of people were shooting themselves.

[Podcast Host]

A lot of people were.

[Janet McNamara]

According to my psychiatrist, a lot of people were shooting themselves. I think.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, I think you were in the majority there.

[Janet McNamara]

So a lot of, like, at the beginning of COVID A lot of people themselves. And I was. I myself, like, close to like, three months.

[Podcast Host]

Three months at a time?

[Janet McNamara]

No, three months. Like, every.

[Podcast Host]

Every three months.

[Janet McNamara]

Every two to three days for three months.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, Jesus hates Christ.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah, Like, a lot of, like, if I wasn't working for. And what ended up happening was I was taking magnesium. I'm supposed to be taking magnesium, glycine or something for sleep. And I just, like, I was like, I was at the pharmacy and I was like, whatever. It's the same thing.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

And like. And thank God I was working from home because I just kept myself. Good God, that would have. It was brutal. And like, my psychiatrist, like, finally after, like, the fourth time, I was like, I keep myself. She was like, okay, now we're gonna like, I need you. Like, let's go through all your medications. Like, show me the bottles.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

And she was like, oh, you're. She didn't call me a.

[Podcast Host]

But she was like, my God. And there it is. So did you. Is that the same psychiatrist that left you hanging?

[Janet McNamara]

I would. Did. Tell me about the psych. The one that got arrested. Yeah, she's my current. So she's my current therapist.

[Podcast Host]

The one who got arrested.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Okay.

[Janet McNamara]

Like, that's kind of like, that's not 100. Like, so she got arrested. She did miss an appointment. She missed it because she had a court date.

[Podcast Host]

Okay.

[Janet McNamara]

And the court date went long. And like, you know how with court, like, they can't have a phone. You can't have a phone. So, like, it her up. So that's what she missed it. It's just funnier to say she was in jail.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, totally. Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

100. And it, like, it was like. It was too many words to explain that she had a court date. So, like, she did. Like, Like, I remember it was like, she did. Obviously. I googled her and. But, like, she had told me, like, hey, I have an appointment on Monday. Like, I can either like, cancel it, like, at like 11am yeah. Or we could cancel it now and reschedule. It's up to you. And I was Like, I'm flexible.

[Podcast Host]

I'll be fine.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah. So, like, I showed up at, like, our 2 o' clock appointment time or whatever, and she no showed. And then I, like, thought I, like, missed an email or something. And then she emailed me and I guess, like, it's like a big deal. I didn't. It's a big deal for a therapist to, like, miss an appointment.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

So, like, she emailed me, being like I was in court.

[Podcast Host]

Okay.

[Janet McNamara]

And, like. And, like, they, like, locked up my.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

And like, I'm sorry. I up. And, like, I immediately googled her and wrote a joke.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. I mean, you have to, you can't,

[Janet McNamara]

you can't, you can't, you can't find. And then I was like, I, I don't want to go. Like, I change the details because I don't want people to figure out who my therapist is. But it was like, this is a video of her. Like, she looks crazy.

[Podcast Host]

That's pretty good.

[Janet McNamara]

She's like, she's like chained up. Like, like. And I was like. But like, she's so good at her job.

[Podcast Host]

I mean, that's like shrinking.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Have you seen that?

[Janet McNamara]

No.

[Podcast Host]

It's, it's literally about, it's about therapists and how.

[Janet McNamara]

Oh, yeah, yeah.

[Podcast Host]

But they're going in, telling people what to do with their lives.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah. I don't think she's, like, up, like, I think it's like, you know, she's passionate about the environment.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. It was an environmental thing. Right.

[Janet McNamara]

It was environmental protests and, like, I don't, like, I think that, like, it's just, you know, her thing that, like, she's passionate about. Yeah, I'm passionate about a lot of things. And, like, I actually do think she's, like, a sane person. I think it's just like. And like, my best friend is a therapist, and she was like, yeah, all therapists have, like, a secret half life.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, of course. Because they're also normal people.

[Janet McNamara]

They're normal people. So, like, she's allowed to, like, do that. Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

She's allowed to get a little crazy every once in a while to stand up for.

[Janet McNamara]

Exactly.

[Podcast Host]

Warming, for sure.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah, exactly. Like, she's doing the Lord's work. Honestly, it's like, it's pretty badass.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, you should. I wish you would have told me. I would have came.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah, exactly. Yeah. It, like, it's. Honestly, it's like, it's like, respect.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. For real.

[Janet McNamara]

So it's like. Yeah. So she. Yeah, I kind of like, I didn't. I, I, I, I Wrote it as if she left me hanging.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

But like, it was like a legit. Like she was in court. She didn't. She didn't know they were going to take other phones. Like, I doubt she's been arrested.

[Podcast Host]

Sweet.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah. What you say?

[Podcast Host]

The real way of it. It's sweet.

[Janet McNamara]

It's not funny. Yeah, like she. Yeah, exactly. It's not funny.

[Podcast Host]

There's nothing funny there.

[Janet McNamara]

Exactly.

[Podcast Host]

You got to make it funny.

[Janet McNamara]

You have to make it fun. You have to make them look crazy.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, everyone's crazy. And I'm perfect.

[Janet McNamara]

And honestly, like, she's an anonymous person that nobody will ever know who she is. Hopefully there's a lot of environmental protests out there.

[Podcast Host]

Okay, we've got this picture. What's going on here?

[Janet McNamara]

Oh, yeah, that was. I believe that's my brother. No, that's at a bar. I think that's my brother in the background. I was skinny, so that was probably around, I want to say 20. 20. Nah, 20, like 16. Yeah. It wasn't a good time.

[Podcast Host]

No, no. I mean, look at all the cash. Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah. I have like $4

[Podcast Host]

glasses.

[Janet McNamara]

Come on now. No, I. I wasn't around.

[Podcast Host]

Good time to me.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah, it was.

[Podcast Host]

That actually looks like a funeral.

[Janet McNamara]

I actually. You know what I think it was? This was my dad's funeral.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, sorry for your loss.

[Janet McNamara]

That's. This is my dad's funeral.

[Podcast Host]

I just. I was taking.

[Janet McNamara]

This is in Quincy. Yeah, there's Fox and the Hounding Quincy. This is my dad's room.

[Podcast Host]

I'm going there on.

[Janet McNamara]

On Saturday. Oh, yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Good for you. Friend's bridal brunch.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah, that's. That's where all. It's right next to the Queen.

[Podcast Host]

Every function, it's like I. I knew that place for.

[Janet McNamara]

By the way, they're so easy to. Yeah. You called it. You like, that looks like a funeral. No, that was Fox and Hound.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, definitely like gambling because you have money out and then you're wearing like, your best blacks.

[Janet McNamara]

Exactly. Yeah. That was. Yeah, that was my dad's funeral. And of course, like, I. I was probably faced.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

No.

[Podcast Host]

Well, I have a joke about how Boston Irish Catholic funerals are a blast. They actually.

[Janet McNamara]

My dad's funeral was one of the funnest nights of my life.

[Podcast Host]

Literally. My grandma's funeral. We literally ripped it up. Yeah, it was like, so much fun.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Like.

[Janet McNamara]

So actually the day my dad died was one of the funnest nights of my life.

[Podcast Host]

Really.

[Janet McNamara]

And then this because, like, my cousins came over with like beer and like.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. And Then you start looking at all the pictures and you're laughing about the memories. It's actually kind of sweet.

[Janet McNamara]

And it's like all the, like, like, things he did are now we say it.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

Like, all this, like, that. I'm like, I've been in therapy for years because of this.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

Like, it's now funny.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, it is kind of funny. And, like, I feel like I. Like a part of my joke is like, the truth comes out.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

So, like, a lot of my family was running with the mob, and I had no idea. Oh, yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

Oh, yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. And I'm just like. My whole thing is, like, I would have respected them, like, a little bit more if I knew that they were in the mob. You know what I mean? Like, if I, if I. I don't know, would have got more money at Christmas time, probably. Okay, this next one is. I'm an accountant and a comedian. I'm also more than that. Oh,

[Janet McNamara]

this was, like, my Twitter that I think is. I thought was deleted. Oh, that still exists. I thought I deleted my Twitter.

[Podcast Host]

Okay, we've got. Kid says, are you a he or a she? You say a she. Kid says, but you have a mustache. You said, girls can do anything boys can do with the picture.

[Janet McNamara]

I stand by that.

[Podcast Host]

That rocks.

[Janet McNamara]

I stand by that. I. I didn't realize that, that. Yeah, I didn't. I didn't realize I was leaving. Still exists. Yeah, I forgot about that one. I remember when that happened, and I was like, yeah, that was a good connect. It was like my stepfather's son little

[Podcast Host]

realizing it's not universal to drink your own pee as a kid. Out of curiosity, this is something you did.

[Janet McNamara]

That is something I did. Wow. Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Wow.

[Janet McNamara]

It's very warm. Very.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, I mean, that's what they say.

[Janet McNamara]

It's like smoking a cigarette. It's like. They tell you not to do it.

[Podcast Host]

Yes. Smoking cigarettes and piss. It's like the same thing.

[Janet McNamara]

It's like they tell you not to do it. They tell you it's disgusting, but it's just. You're so curious. All right. Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

All right.

[Janet McNamara]

I, I, I was. I was probably, like, six. I was only, like, 18.

[Podcast Host]

A dating profile.

[Janet McNamara]

Oh, God.

[Podcast Host]

I'm gonna have you read this one.

[Janet McNamara]

Oh, this is not the one that I thought you were gonna post another one. No, this. Yeah, the. I, I have, like, a couple. I had, like, a thing with, like, dating profiles for a while, but this is my Tinder profile when I was, like, 35. I probably won't put out for at least A month.

[Podcast Host]

I love that.

[Janet McNamara]

Hashtag blame Zoloft. Spoiler. Yeah, I think that's.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

Must. Must to read the Wall Street Journal and preferably the New York Times. Yeah. I used to read the Wall Street Journal in the New York Times every day, which I haven't. I don't do anymore.

[Podcast Host]

You gotta get the paper delivered.

[Janet McNamara]

Huh?

[Podcast Host]

You get the paper delivered.

[Janet McNamara]

I, like, get too involved.

[Podcast Host]

Okay.

[Janet McNamara]

And I lose my mind. Oh, because, like, you. You can't, like, escape. Yeah. It's like you, like, think that, like, if I get involved in politics, I can make a change.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

And then there's nothing you can really do. Yeah. And it makes you, like, crazy. Yeah. It made me, like, out of my mind. I have two cats. I try to. I try to steal most conversations. To them that's still true. I don't drink a smoke. I'm about 40 pounds heavier than I am in my picks. Classic. I didn't get a lot of people interested.

[Podcast Host]

What the fuck? I feel like being the most straight up you ever could. Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

I like board games and playing cards. I'm a terrible speller. And bad grammar when I text next. I'm just under 5 8. I don't care if you're short.

[Podcast Host]

That's so solid.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah, I think that's solid.

[Podcast Host]

That's so solid. Yeah, that's everything. Everyone's wondering. We're just gonna get right to it.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah. No, yeah, I stand by that.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, we got a party bus picture. Okay.

[Janet McNamara]

Oh, look how skinny I am. What's this?

[Podcast Host]

When. What's going on here?

[Janet McNamara]

That. I don't know. I think that was my friend Nina's birthday.

[Podcast Host]

She's a real. She's a real rider.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

She's a real dog.

[Janet McNamara]

She's real. Ride or die.

[Podcast Host]

Hell, yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

It could. That could have been. No, that's not like a. I don't even know if that's a party bus. That. It's definitely not an MBTA bus, but it. It looks like it's one of those, like, college buses. Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

I've never seen anything like this.

[Janet McNamara]

It's definitely. It's too ghetto to be like. Well, I shouldn't say ghetto, but it's too, like. It's too not like. Like, it doesn't look like a party bus to me.

[Podcast Host]

I know there's no lights or anything.

[Janet McNamara]

I think it's like. You know those like. Like buses that you take from college and everybody's, like, drunk. No, I. Oh, yeah. I don't know anything about that. I went to school in, like, upstate New York. So, like, they like bus dust places. So, like, they didn't want us.

[Podcast Host]

That's better than Boston busing.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah, they didn't want us to drink and drive. So, like, I think that's one of those, like, college buses where it was like I was drunk, just having a blast. Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

That's awesome.

[Janet McNamara]

God, I can't believe all this is still on the Internet.

[Podcast Host]

I'm about to take a giant. That's a lot of bowel movements on the Twitter. And then we've got this blurry ass picture. What's going on? This is American Idol.

[Janet McNamara]

That's the American Idol audition.

[Podcast Host]

No.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah, that's the one at Gillette Stadium. Yeah, that's the one at Gillette Stadium. Like, that's like the cattle call. So this, this went all the way around. Oh, no. Like,

[Podcast Host]

that's wild.

[Janet McNamara]

So see how it's like. Yeah, you. You go in like groups of four. Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Everyone's jazzed.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

You can tell.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah, that's. That's the American Idol audition.

[Podcast Host]

That's awesome.

[National Debt Relief Advertiser]

Confronting high credit card debt can feel scary. But the good news is, if you owe $10,000 or more in credit card debt, financial relief options are now available. National debt relief is currently offering debt relief designed to reduce what you owe. Fast tracking your way to being deb. If you qualify for debt relief, you may be able to pay back significantly less than what you owe and save thousands of dollars. Imagine only paying one low monthly program payment you can afford and saving money as you become debt free. National debt relief has already helped bring debt relief to over 550,000 US consumers, earning thousands of five star reviews and an A rating with the Better Business Bureau. You're stronger than your credit card debt. Take the first step and visit NationalDebtRelief.com to see what debt relief you qualify for. That's NationalDebtRelief.com this is a Monday.com ad.

[Monday.com Advertiser]

The same Monday.com designed for every team. The same Monday.com with built in AI scaling your work from day one. The same Monday.com with an easy and intuitive setup. Go to Monday.com and try it for free.

[Podcast Host]

We got one more game here. It is called credit or debit. Ooh, my sister in your came up with it. I. Let me know. Let me know if it makes sense. Okay, I'm gonna read out different scenarios. Your job is to decide. Debit, bad decision. You'll regret this. It's annoying behavior or credit, Good decision. Stand by it.

[Janet McNamara]

And debit is an increase in cash. So that's good. Okay, that's what I thought. It's the other way. So debit is bad. So we're thinking bank. So debit is bad. Credit is good. Yes. Okay. Debit is bad. Credit is good. Okay.

[Podcast Host]

What's better?

[Janet McNamara]

It depends if it's a liability or an asset. It doesn't matter.

[Podcast Host]

Okay. Okay. So based on your answers, I will ask you to explain why you chose credit or debit to the scenario. Basically, having you audit people's life decisions. Ooh.

[Janet McNamara]

Okay, this is fun.

[Podcast Host]

We're gonna use your old job and your new job combined all together as one. All right, so debit, bad decision. Credit, good. Sure. Texting an uncle your mom is fighting with.

[Janet McNamara]

I think that's fine. Okay. Yeah, you could do that.

[Podcast Host]

I'm liking someone's Instagram post from five years ago.

[Janet McNamara]

I recently did that. I did that. That Nick's comedy. Stop.

[Podcast Host]

I like it.

[Janet McNamara]

He, like, we got in, like, a DM fight, and then I like it, like, resurfaced that. He rebooked that Nazi.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, God.

[Janet McNamara]

And I, like, went back to, like, look at our DM fight. And I, like, accidentally liked

[Podcast Host]

just reminiscing.

[Janet McNamara]

And then he was like. And then he, like, called me out, like, on, like, the Facebook fight we were in. That was, like, fight on Facebook. But you didn't. Oh, yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, you did.

[Janet McNamara]

You didn't see my. Yeah, you didn't get into Boston Comedy Part two. Yeah, this was, like, three weeks ago. Damn.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, you missed a good. On Facebook.

[Janet McNamara]

But basically, he, like, called me out for, like, liking his. He was like, you talk here, but you like me.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, my God. It was such a. Clearly. A. Clearly an accident here.

[Janet McNamara]

God damn it. But, yeah, I think it. It's. It's cringy, but whatever.

[Podcast Host]

It.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah, you can like it. Something Five years ago.

[Podcast Host]

What about texting an unsaved number? I miss you, baby.

[Janet McNamara]

No, no, that. Well, now, because most of the time, people just assume it's spam.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

Like, it's some sort of. Like, I don't think that's actually creepy anymore because I just delete that. Yeah, that's like. I don't think five years ago that would, like, who could this possibly.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. And you try to reverse phone number search, but it's still under their parents.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

You can't actually find out.

[Janet McNamara]

Exactly. That's the type of. That, like, people go on deep dives about five years ago, but now anything that's, like, generic.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. People just get rid of throwing it away.

[Janet McNamara]

So I think it's Fine. Now it's not even.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, I'm going on a date for a free meal.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah, like, that's how my mom, like, my mom did it. Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever.

[Podcast Host]

Did the whole family get to come?

[Janet McNamara]

There's been times like my mom used to bring home, like, leftovers, but like, I don't know, I feel like now dating, it's like guys are so like, like aggressive to like, like not wanting girls to do that. That they like, first date is always like, oh, yeah. You know what I mean? Like, a lot of times guys are like, I haven't dated in 10 years.

[Podcast Host]

I've never dated. Yeah, I've been on three dates. It's.

[Janet McNamara]

It's way better not to.

[Podcast Host]

And every time I, I said, no, no, I got this. I did not have it. I did not have it at all. But I wanted.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah, but I, I feel like when I was dating was like, guys were so sensitive about that concept of like girls just going out with them for the free. And it was always like, short guys. Yeah. Like good looking.

[Podcast Host]

Which you said you're open to.

[Janet McNamara]

I'm open to short guys. I'm good with short guys. It's that they have this like, they almost like, I shouldn't like, it's like the good looking guys were always the ones that were like, oh, no, I'll pay. Because they were so secure.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure.

[Janet McNamara]

It was like an insecurity thing that they were like, you're just using me for the free meal and you'll never call me again.

[Podcast Host]

Short man complex. We all know one.

[Janet McNamara]

And like, honestly, I could care less. People, I should. I never really.

[Podcast Host]

I don't give a. Until you start doing the whole Napoleon. Yeah, I can't, I can't do it. All right, up next, we've got texting back a month later saying, sorry, I just saw this because you didn't feel like responding when you saw it the first time.

[Janet McNamara]

Oh, because I feel like I didn't. I do that all the time. Yeah, that's like a. I just, it wasn't personal. It was just like, I wasn't in the mode.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. Like, I was told one time that it's embarrassing to text back right away and it's fucked the way I text up for the rest of time.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah, I got over that. But like, when it came to like dating, it was always like a thing of like, you can't. You have to like, let them. And then now I'm kind of like, I like, time for this. I switched my mind frame to Like, I'm just going to have my cards on the table and whatever.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

Like, if I like somebody, I'm gonna say I like them.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

If I don't like somebody, I'm just gonna be. I'm just gonna not respond. But I'm not. I'm not gonna play this. Like. Like, generally, it's the only time I wouldn't text somebody back right away is if I just wasn't in a mode.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

And then it got buried. But, like, I don't play that. Like, I'm just gonna, like, leave you on the fritz.

[Podcast Host]

I just. I don't understand it. Let's just. Let's just cut the.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah. Just don't be my friend or. Be my friend.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah. Right. Letting out a giant burp at the bar.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah. I don't, I don't know if that's. It just smells.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah.

[Janet McNamara]

That's the issue with it.

[Podcast Host]

It's smelly.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

It smells bad.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

What about choosing a bar?

[Janet McNamara]

Oh, I'm supposed to say debit. A credit debit.

[Podcast Host]

Well, we're almost done with the game.

[Janet McNamara]

Nor, you did a great job.

[Podcast Host]

Thank you. You did. Thank you. Asking what is happening in a movie when it started five minutes ago.

[Janet McNamara]

Oh, I do that every time.

[Podcast Host]

Really? My mom does that. Fucking drives me nuts.

[Janet McNamara]

I don't. I don't watch movies.

[Podcast Host]

I know.

[Janet McNamara]

No, I haven't. I probably haven't watched. I have a joke about it, but I probably haven't watched a movie in seven or eight years, maybe 10.

[Podcast Host]

What made you stop?

[Janet McNamara]

I just, like, it's a commitment. Yeah. Yeah. I'm a commitment phobe.

[Podcast Host]

Okay, and then this last question now, we could do it for the last one. Debit or credit?

[Janet McNamara]

Okay, we'll do it.

[Podcast Host]

Getting a text from a friend that explains mundane things about their day, et cetera. Just clean my windows.

[Janet McNamara]

Credit.

[Podcast Host]

Credit.

[Janet McNamara]

I'll take that.

[Podcast Host]

That's good. It's nice to know that you. You care.

[Janet McNamara]

My mom sends me voicemails like that.

[Podcast Host]

Like, is she doing voicemail? Voicemails.

[Janet McNamara]

Voice. If I had my phone, I'd give you one of my mom's voice. Hi, honey. Just got home. Went to get gas. Gas is $2.99.

[Podcast Host]

It's a lot of detail. Saw a bird. It flew this time. Usually it just stays in the tree. It just goes on and on and on.

[Janet McNamara]

Then I went and I fed the birds.

[Podcast Host]

I'm like, I got a new bird feeder. Thinking of you. Yeah, there it is.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah. Yeah, I, I get. Yeah, I get that. I, I. Yeah. So I don't. I don't mind those mundane. I've been getting those from my mom since. Oh, yeah, college.

[Podcast Host]

I know. It is really sweet because she's thinking of you.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

That's all that matters.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

And she's. And she probably misses you. That's why she's calling.

[Janet McNamara]

And honestly, now, that just gives you the, like.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, the transcript.

[Janet McNamara]

You don't have to listen.

[Podcast Host]

Nice and easy. Oh, my God. It's classic. Yeah, I. That's. That. That's kind of been a game changer.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah.

[Podcast Host]

Being able to just read what people are saying. You don't have to call them back. It's huge.

[Janet McNamara]

I'm like. Yeah, you just tell me about your day. I remember the day before, the day my dad died. This is probably a sad story, but the day my dad died, I woke up. I woke up in the morning. My dad had called me at like, we had gone skiing the day before. And then I got a call at like 9am the next morning. And looking back, it was the death call. Oh, it was the call to say he died. And I saw my phone, looked at it, so. And I went and I said out loud, I screamed. I said, dad calling to say I love you.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, my God. Oh, that's Ola.

[Janet McNamara]

And then I woke up like three hours later to like nine missed calls.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, God.

[Janet McNamara]

And then that's how I found out he died. But, like, that's the. The. It. It wasn't. Like, I felt terrible for a while thinking, like, the last time I could have talked to him was that call, but it was actually the hospital.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, okay. Okay.

[Janet McNamara]

It was fine.

[Podcast Host]

It was.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah, it was. It was the hospital telling me he died.

[Podcast Host]

Oh, so you got three more hours of pure bliss.

[Janet McNamara]

Exactly.

[Podcast Host]

Okay. Perfect.

[Janet McNamara]

Y.

[Podcast Host]

So, yeah, yeah, the.

[Janet McNamara]

But the death call was. I. I remember Squeak. I was furious.

[Podcast Host]

Dad loved me so much.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah, I forgot about that. Damn.

[Podcast Host]

That's. That's gonna be a pretty brutal thing

[Janet McNamara]

to end on the story of how I found out my dad died.

[Podcast Host]

Jesus Christ. Well, we do do a segment here where you can just shout out just about anybody, rapid fire style. I'll go first. Shout out to Chuck E. Cheese. I don't know if I've ever shouted out Chuck E. Cheese, but I have before. That's a little weird that I did it twice. Shout out to anyone that wears long sleeves in the summertime I see you, I hear you and you probably got some scars to your beautiful girl Shout out to Lana Del Rey she's gotten through a lot of times with me together, but she doesn't know that. And also shout out to Harriet Tubman.

[Janet McNamara]

Good. Yeah, yeah. Shout out to Obama for sticking in there. And. Yeah, yeah, he's, he's a Netflix. He's a producer now. He's doing what he can. He's setting boundaries. I think he's doing a good job. Shout out to. Yeah. Shout out to the city of Somerville for staying up on street cleaning.

[Podcast Host]

Thank God.

[Janet McNamara]

Thank God.

[Podcast Host]

Thank God.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah, I'm. Yeah, I'm glad we didn't get to that.

[Podcast Host]

Yeah, that would have been.

[Janet McNamara]

Yeah. So we're doing great.

[Podcast Host]

We're doing good. Yeah, we're doing good. And then where can everyone find you and all that jazz?

[Janet McNamara]

My Instagram is Janet McNamara. You could just search YouTube. Janet McNamara and my 45 minute special and my don't tell is going to be on there. And don't look up my Twitter. That's an insane thing to do.

[Podcast Host]

It doesn't exist. It does not exist.

[Janet McNamara]

By the time this comes out, that won't exist. I didn't know that was still. I'm here to help.

[Monday.com Advertiser]

This is a Monday.com ad. The same Monday.com helping people worldwide, getting work done faster and better. The samemonday.com designed for every team and every industry. The samemonday.com with built in AI scaling your work from day one. The samemonday.com that your team will actually love. Using the samemonday.com with an easy and intuitive setup. Go to Monday.com and try it for free. Yes, the same Monday.com.