Las Culturistas: “All Up In The Macabre” (w/ Sarah Paulson)

Podcast: Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers & Bowen Yang
Guest: Sarah Paulson
Release Date: November 12, 2025

Episode Overview

A raucous, smart, and gleefully insider-y discussion of pop culture, “All Up In The Macabre” brings Tony and Emmy Award winner Sarah Paulson into the Culturistas fold. Matt, Bowen, and Sarah cover everything from red carpet glam with Kim Kardashian, the macabre joys and woes of horror, award show psychology, and the irresistible pull of Bravo’s Real Housewives. The episode is rich with industry anecdotes, candid vulnerability, and Paulson’s signature blend of humor and intellect—perfect for culture-heads and aspiring actors alike.

Key Topics & Insights

1. Red Carpet Science with Kim Kardashian & "All’s Fair" (06:34–09:35)

• Sarah reveals the Kim Kardashian effect on red carpets for the new show “All’s Fair,” where Kim has someone scout the carpet in advance, alters lighting, and ensures everyone is lit “better than the Oscars.”
  • Quote: “Kim went and dealt with the lighting, so we were lit all from below and above. Like, the Oscars doesn't have lighting like this.” – Sarah Paulson (07:13)
• The cast’s dynasty-esque character names and Paulson’s own “Carrington Lane”:
  • Quote: “I am your, you know, Esquire villain. Esquire.” – Sarah Paulson (09:55)
• Paulson describes her character as the spurned, “greatest lawyer” out for revenge after being left behind by a breakaway firm of formidable women.

2. The Emotional Macabre: Trauma, Revenge & Acting (10:55–11:31)

• The group muses on abandonment driving both real people and characters.
  • Quote: “Abandonment is. She's a motherfucker… Some people become, like, really desperate for some attention and won't let people go that they should let go.” – Sarah Paulson (11:02)
• Acting as catharsis and self-reflection: “Three desperately desperate, attention seeking freaks.”

3. Early Career, “Desperate Housewives” & Industry Connections (11:33–13:21)

• Paulson shares her casting as Lynette’s sister on Desperate Housewives with help from Felicity Huffman at a Mark Cherry party.
• Segues into love for underrated actors Carrie Preston and Michael Emerson—cultural appreciation, taking a nostalgic look at early 2000s network TV.

4. Halloween, Horror & Awards Slights (13:39–17:30)

• Paulson admits she hates Halloween traditions and pumpkin spice, but “loves candy.” Despite a career in horror, she’s “the biggest scaredy cat”—can’t do the Conjuring movies.
  • Quote: “I'm in a lot of scary shit, but I'm the biggest scaredy cat. I don't watch anything scary.” – Sarah Paulson (14:59)
• Discusses the Academy’s reluctance to recognize horror performances—naming Amy Madigan (Weapons), James McAvoy (Split), Toni Collette (Hereditary), etc.
  • Quote: “These performances are—they're not easy... Why aren't we giving statues to people?” – Sarah Paulson (16:03)
• Oscar buzz and predictions through sites like Gold Derby—acknowledging the changing tides for horror credibility.

5. Acting Process, Real People vs. Camp (31:36–35:45)

• Paulson feels “most free” playing real people (e.g., Marcia Clark, Linda Tripp, Nicole Wallace) because reality gives reliable constraints.
  • Quote: “When you’re playing a real person... all the boundaries have been set, and then I can do whatever I want inside it.”
• For roles based on real footage (e.g., People vs. O.J.), even tiny details like left-handedness and posture become crucial.
• Affirms her deep, enduring nerdiness about Oscars history:
  • Quote: “For me it was the VHS of Oscars greatest moments 1971 to 1991… It was like a tsunami of information.” – Sarah Paulson (33:40)

6. Industry Awards: The Psychology of the Race (40:43–46:33)

• Sarah gets candid about the emotional toll of long Oscar/Emmy/Tony campaigns—discussing pressure, disappointment, and the weird mix of pride and nerves for “front runners.”
  • Quote: “It does make—it's like... you're a horse at a race, and all of a sudden they put, like, a carrot in front of you, and then they just keep moving it further and further away. But, like, you're getting closer and, all of a sudden, you're so hungry.” – Sarah Paulson (44:45)
• Touches on the brutal randomness of award outcomes—Glenn Close, Viola Davis—and the value of supporting categories.
  • Quote: “Supporting actors are the buttress of a building... I just feel like there's a real diminishment... not giving space, room and opportunity.”

7. Nostalgia for Old Hollywood & Pilot Season (68:44–70:15)

• Paulson reminisces about the old glamour of pilot season and the camaraderie (and competition) of seeing the same faces at every audition—contrasted with today’s disconnected, self-taped process.

8. Bravo, Real Housewives & Reality TV’s Surrealism (77:25–84:56)

• Sarah is all-in on the Real Housewives franchises, especially Salt Lake City—analyzing cast member personalities, cast “main character energy,” and mother-daughter drama with characteristic wit.
  • Quote: “There's some part of me that is really fascinated by, you know, the thing you think when you read something and you go, no one would ever do this... [But] there is no end to what people will do or how they will behave.” (83:07)
• The Culturistas and Sarah dissect iconic Bravo moments, relate them to the unpredictability of performance and writing, and celebrate the camp theatricality of the genre.

9. Signature Segment: “I Don’t Think So, Honey” (75:56–88:00)

• Matt: Rails against Jeff Probst for dissing Parvati Shallow’s Survivor track record (76:13–77:14)
• Sarah: Delivers a heartfelt defense of pigeons, rejecting their characterization as “rats with wings,” extolling their intelligence, monogamy, historical importance, and gentleness.
  • Quote: “That pigeon hate must be stopped. I'm calling on the world to stop hating on the pigeon.” – Sarah Paulson (86:59)
• Bowen: Suggests movie theater seats should be priced by location, like Broadway (“common sense!”).
• The group humorously debates pigeon morality and cinematic etiquette.

10. Loving the Craft—And the Final Wisdom (89:53–91:17)

• Sarah pays tribute to unbridled passion for the arts—recounting Cristin Milioti’s Emmy acceptance with the words: “I love acting.”
  • Quote: “Normalize excitement about what you love... what's cool? Being passionate is cool. Loving what you do is cool.”
• Reminds listeners to delight in their crafts and not be shy about their “nerdiness.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You were all up in the macabre. Title of that.” – Matt Rogers (19:18)
• “You certainly couldn't make up Meredith. Their head's, like, over here. Like, why is it on the side? Why is it on the side?” – Sarah Paulson (83:32)
• “That pigeon hate must be stopped.” – Sarah Paulson (86:59)
• “Normalize excitement about what you love... what's cool? Being passionate is cool.” – Sarah Paulson (91:10)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Red Carpet & "All’s Fair": 06:34–09:35
• Acting, Abandonment & Revenge: 10:55–11:31
• Awards Recognition Discourse: 16:03–17:41 & 40:43–46:33
• Horror & Halloween: 13:39–17:30
• VHS Oscar Obsession: 33:40–35:45
• Candid Industry Insights: 43:00–46:33
• Real Housewives Deep Dive: 77:25–84:56
• “I Don’t Think So, Honey” Segments: 75:56–88:00

Episode Tone & Takeaways

This episode glows with meta-insider affection, sincerity, and absurdity. Sarah’s irreverent humor and deep reverence for craft meet the hosts’ pop-culture expertise, making for an episode that’s both hilarious and genuinely insightful about performance, celebrity, and the (sometimes macabre) engine of modern fame. The message is clear: love what you love—without apology, and embrace the weirdness of culture and self alike.