You Might Also Like: Dinner’s on Me with Jesse Tyler Ferguson

Summary

Podcast Summary: Dinner’s on Me with Jesse Tyler Ferguson Featuring Ty Burrell

Episode Title: You Might Also Like: Dinner’s on Me with Jesse Tyler Ferguson
Host: Jesse Tyler Ferguson
Guest: Ty Burrell
Release Date: April 10, 2025

---

Introduction and Reunion

In this heartwarming episode of Dinner’s on Me, host Jesse Tyler Ferguson reunites with his long-time friend and Modern Family co-star, Ty Burrell. Recorded in a charming Airbnb in Sandy, Utah, the episode captures the effortless camaraderie between the two actors as they reminisce about their years on the hit sitcom and share personal anecdotes.

Notable Quote:
Ty Burrell shares a piece of advice laced with humor:

"A great lesson to every young person out there. If the police are chasing you, just leave. Just leave."
(00:14)

Behind the Scenes of Modern Family

Jesse and Ty delve into their experiences working together on Modern Family, highlighting the strong bonds formed with fellow cast members. They reflect on memorable moments, such as navigating the challenges of long-term filming and the unique dynamics they maintained both on and off set.

Notable Quotes:

Jesse praises Ty’s comedic prowess:
"You are probably the funniest person in terms of quantity and quality I’ve ever met. Nobody has more bits that are solid."
(09:20)

Ty fondly recalls their early interactions:
"The moment we met, I was doing that [breathing technique], and by pray tell, I was auditioning for Modern Family."
(24:25)

Life in Utah and Personal Ventures

The conversation shifts to Ty’s life in Utah, where he and his wife Holly have established roots away from the hustle of Los Angeles. Ty discusses his passion for the outdoors, the vibrant community, and his ventures into the restaurant business with Beer Bar. They explore how Utah’s welcoming environment has influenced Ty’s personal and professional life.

Notable Quote:

Ty explains his love for Utah's outdoor lifestyle:
"I genuinely have fallen in love with it. We spend a lot of time outside here."
(15:00)

Adventures and Misadventures

Jesse and Ty share humorous stories from their personal lives, including a memorable kayaking trip in the Grand Canyon with their friend Nolan. Ty recounts Nolan’s adventurous spirit and a tense moment when Nolan got caught in rapids, highlighting the blend of excitement and fear that comes with such adventures.

Notable Quotes:

Ty describes Nolan’s bravery:
"If anybody can do this, it's Nolan."
(19:57)

Reflecting on the kayaking incident:
"He was held down by a hydro system for 16 seconds. He came up, reached his hand up, and pulled himself onto the boat."
(20:22)

Family and Adoption Journey

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to Ty’s heartfelt journey through adoption. He opens up about the emotional rollercoaster he and Holly experienced, from initial disappointments to the joyous news of adopting their child. Jesse empathizes, sharing similar experiences and emphasizing the unpredictable nature of adoption.

Notable Quotes:

Ty on the realities of adoption:
"It's a lot like biological having a kid. There's a lot of ups and downs."
(36:31)

Jesse recounts a poignant moment:
"We had a week off after that episode and met her there and then. This has impacted my career choices a lot."
(37:26)

Memorable Moments and Behind-the-Scenes Insights

The duo reflects on iconic moments from Modern Family, including table reads, character development, and the challenges of multi-camera sitcoms. They share anecdotes about auditions, interactions with other cast members, and the creative process behind the scenes.

Notable Quotes:

Jesse recalls Ty’s initial audition struggles:
"I really flopped the first test... 'he's not funny.'"
(26:34)

Ty discusses the importance of preparation in acting:
"There's no better way to develop, like, real chops, you know, because there's just so many hours of actually performing."
(23:34)

Upcoming Projects and Future Plans

Looking ahead, Jesse and Ty discuss their collaborative projects, including Ty’s innovative venture, Tightrope. This project involves integrating Ty into a vintage 1950s TV show through green screen technology, showcasing his versatility and creative ambitions beyond acting.

Notable Quote:

Ty on the Tightrope project:
"I'm playing the lead character in this pretty poorly made TV show from the 50s... It's all green screen, so I don’t actually have to do it from here."
(45:17)

Closing Remarks and Teasers

As the episode winds down, Jesse humorously navigates through an advertisement segment, blending seamlessly into their natural conversation. They tease the next episode featuring Broadway star Sutton Foster, promising discussions about musical theater and personal challenges.

Notable Quote:

Jesse signs off with enthusiasm:
"This episode of Dinner’s on Me was recorded at an Airbnb in Sandy, Utah. And shout out to Beer Bar for the meal."
(46:49)

---

Conclusion

This episode of Dinner’s on Me offers listeners an intimate look into the lives of two beloved actors beyond their television personas. Through laughter, shared memories, and candid conversations, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Ty Burrell provide a genuine portrayal of friendship, family, and the nuanced journey of life after fame. Whether reminiscing about Modern Family or exploring personal ventures, their dialogue is both entertaining and deeply relatable.

---

Upcoming Episode Teaser:
Next week on Dinner’s on Me, Jesse and Ty will host Broadway icon Sutton Foster. Tune in to explore their mutual love for musical theater, Sutton’s experiences coping with her mother’s mental illness, and much more. Subscribe now to catch the latest episodes early and enjoy an ad-free listening experience.

Transcript

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Hi, it's Jesse today on the show. I mean, he really needs no introduction. He played my brother in law on Modern Family for 11 seasons. It's Phil Dunphy himself. It's Ty Burrell.

[Ty Burrell]

It's a great lesson to every young person out there. If the police are chasing you, just leave. Just leave.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Just leave.

[Ty Burrell]

They give up.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

They do give up.

[Ty Burrell]

They'll give up.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It's best if you have a baby.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah, have a baby.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Feed yourself a baby.

[Ty Burrell]

Have a baby and leave.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

This is Dinner's on, and I'm your host, Jesse Tyler Ferguson. I've been lucky enough to witness some truly unforgettable moments. Let's see. Okay. I was there for the birth of my sons. I should definitely start there. Unforgettable moment. I sat beside Audra McDonald as she belted Les Miserables during carpool karaoke. That was amazing. I met President Obama in the Oval Office. Truly incredible. And I watched Ty Burrell turn Phil Dunphy into a sitcom legend. For 11 years, Ty and I played in laws on Modern Family. The entire cast of that show shares a rare, unshakable bond. And like any real family, my relationships with each of them are very unique. My dynamic with Ty, it's a mix of close friend, younger brother. Though it's anyone's guess which of us is the mature one and co conspirator. We slip effortlessly into our default mode, which is buddy comedy and taking things seriously. No, that's nearly impossible. For this episode of Dinners on Me, we switched things up a little bit. Instead of our guests coming to us, we went to them specifically. We hopped on a plane to Utah to track down my friend Ty. Now, I had about eight hours on the ground before I had to turn right back around and catch another flight. So efficiency was key here. The obvious solution? An Airbnb. And not just any Airbnb. This place was straight out of a cozy winter dream. A crackling fireplace, snow falling outside, the whole ski cabin fantasy. I might need to come back here just to live my best apres ski life, minus the skiing. But back to business. We're setting up. The clock is ticking, and we've got a meal to eat and a podcast to record. Oh, here's calling me. Hello? Hi. Hi.

[Ty Burrell]

I think I'm here.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay. Okay. It's not gonna look like a soundstage or anything. I'm gonna pop out.

[Ty Burrell]

Okay.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I'm gonna pop out and wave to you. No sound stage, no soundstage. It's just an Airbnb.

[Ty Burrell]

No green screen.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No green screen. Hair and makeup's. Waiting for you. Wait one second. We ordered in from Ty's Restaurant Beer Bar in Salt Lake City. His brother Duncan, who you'll hear off mic, graciously brought us a smorgasbord of goodies. For us, the spot is known for its bratwurst and fries, but it has tons of other great things like sandwiches and burgers and salads. Ty has done something really cool here in Salt Lake City and Park City with his partners, which include his brother Duncan and his wife Holly. He revitalized bars and restaurants that really mean something to the community. From the historic Cotton Bottom Inn, which is an apres ski favorite, to Bar X, which harkens back to Prohibition. So it felt special to come to his neck of the woods and try some delicious bites from his Spot Beer Bar. Also, I should note, anytime you hear us say Julie, Eric, Nolan, Aubrey, Sarah, Arielle, etcetera, We're obviously talking about our Modern Family castmates. Sorry, we don't use last names, but we should start referring to each other by our full name, I think. Okay, let's get to our conversation with Ty Burrell. I miss you so much. When was the last time we saw each other? It was, I think, when we did that. The SAG Awards last year.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah. Yeah, it was one of those.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Ty Burrell]

But, yeah, the SAG Awards were hilarious. That was so funny. We were so bad. I know.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That's awesome.

[Ty Burrell]

Such a shit show. They haven't lost a step, right? Oh, my God. But in a weird way, you know, in that, like, meta way that. That can be even better.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Ty Burrell]

Like, that was so. I laughed so hard being there with all the people that I loved and just. And just screwing the pooch completely.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It wasn't that bad. No, it wasn't that bad.

[Ty Burrell]

But actually, weirdly, it just immediately became one of my favorite memories.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, same.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I mean, we had been trying to get you also. We had had a few reunions before. This was the first time that all six of us had been together, I think, since the show had. The six adults have been together since the show ended.

[Ty Burrell]

Right.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

We had that one big reunion that.

[Ty Burrell]

I couldn't make it to that hilariously.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Well, I died, famously. You died?

[Ty Burrell]

Remember how I died?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

The Internet decided you had died.

[Ty Burrell]

Do you remember when I died?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

My favorite part of this, though, was that we had all planned it, and he's like, I think I'm gonna be able to comment together.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah, yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And then you're like, oh, you know what? I forgot I have surgery.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah. But it actually added so you know, after. After that whole thing, I. You know, everybody in the cast was telling me that, you know, apparently I'd passed. But the only photos I had of me missing that were me in hospital from the surgery.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It was so funny. It was very. When we look back on that, we're like. Because we brought a photo of you to sort of include you in all the family pictures. And we're like, well, yeah, it just sort of looked like we're having a memorial for you. But I think the joke was that that photo was one of your least favorite press photos you had ever taken.

[Ty Burrell]

You're basically punishing me for missing. Which I deserved. Which I deserved. It was the photo of me in the headphones doing the rock.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

The rock and roll heavy metal sign.

[Ty Burrell]

Rock and roll heavy metal sign. I'm only in my early 80s, but that. That was the first real lesson we got in pr.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. Like, if you do something, it will end up in the photo that is in Times Square.

[Ty Burrell]

That you have to editorialize beforehand. Like, not after the fact.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I have the same thing.

[Ty Burrell]

The same thing.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I actually got my picture changed. So Phil was the obviously cool dad. So he had headphones and was doing the rock and roll, obviously. Obviously. Haley had her cell phone that she was busy on.

[Ty Burrell]

Right.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Sarah was putting on lipstick. And me and Eric, because there was a line cream puff.

[Ty Burrell]

They're like, well, they're gay.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

They're gay. And we had a line about cream puffs in the pilot. So it was us holding a cream puff and me on probably, like, maybe, like, the last shot of a series that we were taking. Decided to do a really insane face of, like, isn't this wild? I'm a wacky gay man. And that's the photo that they chose and used on all these posters. And it ended up in Times Square.

[Ty Burrell]

I stood in Times Square and looked up at your cream puff face.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

But then I actually was successful in getting them to change it.

[Ty Burrell]

Yes. I learned a lot of lessons.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I said, let's just. Can we find any photo anywhere it could be of me in seventh grade that we can, like, where my face is just calm, Just a nice, like, loose smile.

[Ty Burrell]

I was very impressed with that, that you got that changed.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

What I leaned into and what I was like. I was like, listen, I'm playing a gay character on network television. I'm really proud of this relationship that they have. It's a committed couple. We're meeting them in the first scenes of, you know, like, they're adopting a child. Like, can we just pick the photo? Where I don't look like I'm doing a cliche like.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah. I just wish there was something culturally inappropriate about the headphones that I could have used. I had nothing but just my own.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It was just my own fault and ever. And after that, that photo shoot, anytime we'd walk in and we'd see a table of props, we'd all be like.

[Ty Burrell]

No, no, no, no.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

We're not using any of the props.

[Ty Burrell]

I think there was a time there when photographers didn't love us, and I don't think we were mean about it.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No.

[Ty Burrell]

But we were just like, no. No props.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Ty Burrell]

No, thank you. No.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

But we had a whole.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah. They didn't know our baggage.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, man. Yeah. Yeah. First of all, people have been dying to have you on this podcast.

[Ty Burrell]

Oh, my gosh.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I've been. You're like. This is like. You're, like on my 92nd person that I found in this podcast.

[Ty Burrell]

Well, I. In preparation, I listened to our mutual friend Josh Gad's episode, which was fantastic.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Ty Burrell]

And I listened. I'm in the middle of Eds. Eds is great, which is amazing. And I just have to say, you are so good. You're so well suited for this. Thank you. Really, this is, like, right in your wheelhouse. I'm so happy for you.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I'm having fun with it.

[Ty Burrell]

Are you?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. It's a nice thing to be doing. Yeah.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah. But really, like, you're such a naturally curious person, and for people listening, if you don't know. I mean, you know how funny Jesse is, but he is. He is probably the funniest person in terms of quantity and quality I've ever met. Nobody has more bits that are solid.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No, but you are one of the cast members, obviously. People get so excited about having the Modern Family people on, but I think. Because you also don't do a lot of press when you don't have to. I mean, why would you. And, you know, you're not on social media and, like, you know, you have a private life, which is great. You live out here in Utah, which is why I didn't. You would have come to me. But I wanted to come to you.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah, I would have, for sure. This is. I mean, you want to feed my narcissism? Just come. Come all the way to Utah to do a podcast and eat food from.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Your restaurant right now.

[Ty Burrell]

Speaking of food, Duncan, I think it might be.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Might be brother Duncan. It's a family affair.

[Ty Burrell]

My brother's bringing us food this morning just because he's A nice person.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

He is a good person. I can't wait to see him. From Beer Bar. From beer bar, yeah.

[Ty Burrell]

Yes.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

So wait, let's talk about that for a little. Well, first of all, I just want to finish my thought. Just say that I'm so happy you're doing this, because so many people have been really jonesing for you to be on this.

[Ty Burrell]

I am happy to do anything with you, friend.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Thanks, man.

[Ty Burrell]

Really, truly. Ooh, Ooh, that's my brother.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I think the wieners are here.

[Ty Burrell]

Right on cue.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Sauerkraut's here.

[Ty Burrell]

Speak of the devil. Hi, bruh.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

We.

[Ty Burrell]

A few months ago, led by Dunk and Rich and the other owner, we decided that brats were. You know, we've kind of been doing them for a long time, so let's really, like, step up our game. And so we Turkey. We did something much more sophisticated, and we started making sandwiches.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, and how did you think of this? So between two breads.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah. So now we're doing different ingredients between bread. You know, before. Let me just be clear. Before, it was brought worse between bread.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Between bread.

[Ty Burrell]

And then we were like, no, let's do something much more exciting.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

This is genius. People might steal this idea.

[Ty Burrell]

Right?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

So this is. Which one is this?

[Ty Burrell]

That's the.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

The turkey. Yeah, the turkey. Turkey. And that's pastrami. And then we got the French dip.

[Ty Burrell]

French dip.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Is that one. I brought this closer. Okay. All right.

[Ty Burrell]

All right.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, my God. All these swusses.

[Ty Burrell]

Cheers, pal.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Cheers.

[Ty Burrell]

Good to see you.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

So good to see you.

[Ty Burrell]

Under absolutely normal circumstances.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Absolutely 100% normal. So there's Bar X and beer.

[Ty Burrell]

Bar.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Bar X came first.

[Ty Burrell]

Bar X came first.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

What was Bar X before? It was a functioning bar, and then it was closed for a while.

[Ty Burrell]

Right? Yeah. Really the credit there goes to one of our owners, Jeff Bernard, who kind of started this accidental brand that we've stumbled into of, like, finding places that are a little bit run down or on their last legs in some cases, and sort of, you know, trying to restore the spirit of them and, you know, bring some newness to it, but also just sort of like, kind of keep an institution going a little bit. A local institution.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And beer bar came afterwards, which I've eaten at before I've gone in. I have been inside.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah, you've been here before. You came up. You came up a couple of times.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, we've been a few times.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah, I was.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Well, I know one time I stayed with you, and then another time we stayed in a hotel. Okay. This French dip is Incredible.

[Ty Burrell]

That's really good, huh?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That's awesome.

[Ty Burrell]

You're supposed to play it down.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No lean ingroup. Thank you. Thank you. I don't remember. This is so good. But it is interesting that, like, I mean, you've always been, you know, a family man. Your family's been very important to you, which I think is why, I mean, from my understanding, when you talk about Utah, when we were doing Modern Family, it just felt for you a very comfortable place to sort of get away. You know, obviously you had a place in Los Angeles because you spent so much time there, but it was really important for you to raise a family here in Utah and be near your in laws and your family. And I mean, I was a tad envious of just the fact that you got to sort of separate work and, you know, your family life a little bit. Talk to me a little bit about just like, why you chose to sort of make this your home and.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah. So Holly's from here. That was a big part of it. I did some of my first theater at Utah Shakes, which is in southern Utah, and I just. I fell in love with it. But this is before I met Holly.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

When you say shakes, what do you mean? Like, like Shakespeare?

[Ty Burrell]

Sorry.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, sorry. Yeah.

[Ty Burrell]

What a. What a inside baseball dumb thing to say.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Will Shakes.

[Ty Burrell]

Will Shakes, Billy Shakes, the Shakespeare Festival. And I fell in love with it. And. And then when we. When Holly and I got together, it's all. It had always been in the back of our mind to live here at some point. You know, I mean, to be 100% honest, I don't think we really thought it through when we did it because it's, you know, it's impacted work in a. In a serious way. Because any job that I would take means leaving home.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right.

[Ty Burrell]

I've sort of become, I mean, outdoorsy for lack of a better term. And I become.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I have always known you to be like, the poster child for outdoorsy.

[Ty Burrell]

Well, but I think early on it was sort of like cosplay.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay.

[Ty Burrell]

Like, I was a little bit. Like, really? A little bit? Yeah. Like, even though we grew up in the woods of Oregon, I wasn't really like, super out Dorsey. But I think eventually I just. I did it enough that I. I genuinely have fallen in love with it. So we. We spend a lot of time outside here. And also Salt Lake is just. It's just a welcoming place. I mean, it's growing like crazy.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Ty Burrell]

So, you know, you have to kind of. I think everybody who's been here for a long time is A little, you know, curious and concerned about how the growth is going.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, yeah. And I'm sure, you know, raising a family here must be such a, you know, there's so much to do and there's just, it's. I feel like there's just a wholesome and part of it because it's such a. You know, the Mormon culture is so relevant here. But like, I think it's. It's just a very wholesome, family oriented place.

[Ty Burrell]

And it is, it is. That's one of the real strengths of the LDS culture up here is they have figured out every possible family entertainment thing. I mean, when our kids were younger, there's just an endless amount of stuff to do. And like you said, it's all kind of like, it's all super dialed in and a lot of it is connected to nature and it's really cool.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

So I know you're not Mormon yourself.

[Ty Burrell]

But you've been embraced by my in laws are LDs, and they are some of the most.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

They really are.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah. You know them.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Justin was reminding me, you know, speaking about being an outdoors person, how a few years ago, you and Holly very generously invited us to do a backpack packing camping trip tour thing in the Grand Canyon. And it's something that, you know, you have to sign up for years in advance. All these spots fill up very quickly. And you had two spots available.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah, yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And Justin was like, oh, 100, 100%. We absolutely have to do that. And I was sort of surprised. I was like, oh, Justin, that's not what I thought you would say. Yes. Okay, let's do it. That sounds right. I used to camp when I was a kid in Albuquerque. I haven't done it recently, but I was like, yeah, you know, Ty and Holly are doing it. And, you know, I consider you an outdoorsman even though some of your stuff was very performative. I remember one Christmas you like got like a. One of those axes from like Huckaberry or something. It was like a beautiful axe with.

[Ty Burrell]

That was in full cosplay.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Ty Burrell]

Where I was just like, if I buy enough of this stuff and dress up, eventually I'll be.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It's like you have like a compass, but it's really like, you know, gold plated, it's brass and you know, it's like. And it like syncs to your Apple Watch or whatever.

[Ty Burrell]

Read me like a cheap.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, I know. So anyway, I was like, I feel safe going to the Grand Canyon with Ty and Holly. They're really going to know how to do this. And at one point I was like, justin, just let me gather a little bit more information from Ty about what this is. And I was like, what's, like the shower situation? Yeah, the shower situation is called the river.

[Ty Burrell]

It's the river.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It's the river. Which is extremely cold. Yeah. So, you know, sometimes people just don't shower for the week.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah, it was hardcore. Interestingly, Holly ended up being way more into it than I was. Even, like, she got super into it. I got really scared about the rapids.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

The rapids. The rapids. Well, you're. It's.

[Ty Burrell]

I'm a wimp.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, you are. I didn't want to say. I wasn't going to use that word. But you're. You're gentle.

[Ty Burrell]

I'm gentle.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You're a gentle little flower.

[Ty Burrell]

I'm a gentle little flower. Press me between two panes of glass. Yeah. So, like, as the rapids got more intense and then, like, the last day, I think were these really, like, hardcore, you know, legendary rapids. And she was the one who fired.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Into screaming into the wild. Didn't Nolan join you?

[Ty Burrell]

Nolan was there. Oh, my God, That. Have you heard those stories?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

He's told me some of them.

[Ty Burrell]

I wonder if this is a good place for those stories, Nolan. For listeners who don't know, Nolan is just a really intrepid person. He is really adventurous. He loves a challenge. We start out, and he, not having kayaked before in his life that I know of, decided to kayak the Grand Canyon, which, by the way, Nolan is somebody who could do that. Like, it was not like, what are you thinking? I was like, yeah. I mean, if. No. If anybody can do this, it's Nolan. And I think it was the first day he went under. He got tipped, and he can correct me if I'm wrong here, and got out relatively quickly and got back in and wanted to continue doing it. So he'd already been in the water.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Cold.

[Ty Burrell]

Cold weather, you know, like, not quite hypothermic, but very close.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. By the way, also your bathtub, if you're wanting to cleanse yourself.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah. Also your bathtub. Yeah, yeah. Just. Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Just so you know.

[Ty Burrell]

And then a little bit later in the day, he tipped and went under and was under for this doesn't sound like a long time, but I think he was under for, like, 16 seconds.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That's scary.

[Ty Burrell]

He was held. Being held down by a hydro, you know, whatever that is, a hydraulic system for 16 seconds. And he came up, you know, I could see him start to kind of come up and reach his hand up and pull him onto the boat, and he was white as a ghost. He still wanted to get back on.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Incredible.

[Ty Burrell]

That's. No.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I would have been like, that's. That's it for me.

[Ty Burrell]

No. I said, no, no more. I got to. I got to play dad. I got to play TV dad. I was like, you're done. You're done. But that was probably the most dad moment. I got to be with Nolan.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Incredible.

[Ty Burrell]

I mean, that's so Nolan.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Ty Burrell]

Oh, he's awesome.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I'm so glad that he was able to go on that with you. He speaks of it often, actually.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah, it was awesome. It was awesome.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I mean, I. I certainly understand. I am very close with Aubrey. I've got to see several of her school plays. You know, my Beckett, My son is a little older than. Than Aubrey was when she started. So I look at him like, I can't believe I've known.

[Ty Burrell]

Right.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Her since he was. Since she was around his age, which is.

[Ty Burrell]

Was. Was. How old was she?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I think she was four, and Becca's still four and a half.

[Ty Burrell]

Whoa.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I mean, I know you stood close with, obviously all of us, but what is it like for you to see Sarah and Ariel and Nolan?

[Ty Burrell]

It's awesome. It's awesome. I just love all three of them so much. I don't get to see them very much. It's a lot.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You don't get to see any of us very much.

[Ty Burrell]

No, I don't.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Because you live on a lake with just coordinates as your address.

[Ty Burrell]

It's true. It's true. I have no excuses. But, you know, a lot of.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

There are times, by the way, I've called you, and you're like, oh, I've been off the grid for the past 10 days. That's.

[Ty Burrell]

Spring through fall is kind of like. That is kind of the normal. But it's a lot of, like, birthday communications, you know, that kind of thing where we check in around, you know, significant dates and stuff. But I adore all three of them, and when I get a chance to be with them, I love it. I think the world of them. You know, they're all three so different and just such awesome people and just easy company. I'm sure it's the same with Aubrey, Right? Like, you kind of, like, from afar, I'm, you know, just rooting for them. Yeah. In a semi parental way.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah. From far afar.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. It's so far. Very far away by a lake.

[Ty Burrell]

Aubrey's really into theater, right.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

She's not only really into theater, but she's really good.

[Ty Burrell]

I believe it.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

She's really good in a way that, like, I thought she was good on the show, but there's something about. And it's kind of the same reason why I love theater and probably some of the same reasons you love it. It's just that preparation time. You get with it, and you get to really. I don't want to sound pretentious, but peel back the layers of the onion. But you really know what you're doing, and it's not like you rehearse something for five minutes and then you're shooting it, and it's just like you barely know what you're doing. I just really see Aubrey blossoming in such a beautiful way with that type of work, and I think that she's got so much potential. I think she's really, really good.

[Ty Burrell]

That's awesome. There's also no better way to develop, like, real chops, you know, because there's just so many hours of actually performing, like, what we're doing on the show or what a lot of, like, young actors are doing when they're making something is often like six lines in a scene, and you do it seven times. You do your prep.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Ty Burrell]

You know, you do your prep, and then you do it, like, seven takes and you're done.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And that whole time, you're just like. Especially you. You were always really good with your lines. But if you were wanting to talk to Ty during a scene, it's not possible because you were holed away, looking at a corner, like, literally facing a corner, running your lines hand to forehead, like, looking like you were about to have.

[Ty Burrell]

Blinking like crazy.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Blinking like crazy. Which is your tell when you're focused or stressed.

[Ty Burrell]

Stressed. Or excited.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Or excited.

[Ty Burrell]

But. But if I'm, like, trying to memorize, it's just a blink. It's like a breeze is coming from the eyelashes, just like. In fact, that dates back to the moment we met. The moment we met, I was doing that. And by pray tell, I was auditioning for Modern Family, and I was standing in the corner facing the corner, creating a breeze with my eyelashes, doing, going over my lines, and you came up and tapped me on the shoulder, and I think it was. You said, hey, I think we're both friends with Josh.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That's right. Josh Gad.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And, yeah, I remember I said, I think we're both friends with Josh Gad. And, you know, we knew of each other, but that was the first time we were meeting, and you were very, very nervous because this is not your first time coming in and testing for the part in front of the studio.

[Ty Burrell]

But also, I was so struck by how relaxed you were.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

What was I doing? Do you remember?

[Ty Burrell]

You were just, just, just being a human.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I was reading the New York Times.

[Ty Burrell]

Were you?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I was. I was like doing the New York Times crossword puzzle or reading like the style section or something. I do remember.

[Ty Burrell]

Was it self conscious or was it really, like. I just. I really genuinely am not nervous.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I wasn't nervous. It wasn't like a. I was nervous. I had anxiety around it, but I. I was coming at it from a different place. I. You had been going in.

[Ty Burrell]

You already kind of had the role.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I don't know if that's true, but I was being very. It was a very encouraging process up to that point. You did not have the same experience. I mean, I know you've talked about it before, but, like, it took a lot of fighting to get that part now, like, I don't think anyone would. Can imagine anyone else doing it, but it's just sort of a testament to how crazy this business is. Like, you can have so many people rooting for you. You could have the people who wrote the show rooting for you. You could have the casting director rooting for you. And it takes one person, you know, who's saying, I'm not quite sure to pump the brakes on that.

[Ty Burrell]

Totally. So, yeah, so I really flopped the first test, like, just so tight and stiff and nervous. Second one, when I saw you, was a little bit better, but once again, thumbs down.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And then do you remember what feedback you got? Or did you get feedback?

[Ty Burrell]

Or was it just he's not funny?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, wow.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah, he's not funny. Yeah. So pretty straightforward.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I don't know if that's feedback. I think that's just someone. Yeah.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah, he's not funny. And some people still feel that way.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Well, Holly, after, you know, you've been doing a bed for about 10 minutes, also thinks you're not too funny. But, you know.

[Ty Burrell]

Then we went and filmed.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right.

[Ty Burrell]

Filmed it in Steve Levitan's yard with Sarah Hyland. With Sarah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And Jason Miner was being tested for it.

[Ty Burrell]

Who was. Yes, exactly. And we got to improvise and, you know, do a more like single camera audition for it.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right.

[Ty Burrell]

And that one worked.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

But, yeah, it's amazing the hoops you have to jump through. I always find it.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Wildly fascinating that that's how it's.

[Ty Burrell]

Have you ever had one that you had to, like, fight?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Never. Never. No, no, I'm sure. I'm sure. I Have you never tested with Julie then?

[Ty Burrell]

No, no. I met her first. One of the table reads.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay.

[Ty Burrell]

I met her. Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I remember this table. I think it was the same table read.

[Ty Burrell]

We all know she's very pregnant.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

She's very pregnant. She was nine months pregnant.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I think this is a table read where we all met for the first time. Then it was like a pre table read before reading the script for the network, before shooting the pilot. And Chris and Steve, our creators, brought us into Our creators, the people who birthed us.

[Ty Burrell]

Chris and Jesus.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Chris and Jesus and Steve brought us into a room, and that was the first time we met. So that was the first time we met Julie.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I mean, that could have gone so many different ways.

[Ty Burrell]

I mean, she's just so gregarious. Luckily, you know, I mean, she's a very welcoming person. You know, I was nervous for those table reads because I'd been fired from table reads before. A lot of people don't know that, but table reads aren't really, like, done deal.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No.

[Ty Burrell]

People get cut from table reads a lot. Yeah, a lot.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yes.

[Ty Burrell]

Like, at a shocking rate.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No, I know.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah. So those table reads, I was really nervous.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Or they'll shoot the pilot and decide, oh, we want to reshoot this with a whole other actor. Yeah. No, you're not guaranteed the job when you're given the job.

[Ty Burrell]

No, it's like, you need to be, like, two or three episodes in.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

In fact, I don't know if you know this, but Eric Stonestreet, when we were doing. When we did that very first table read for the network, and remember, we were at a big conference room at the Disney Studios, and it was a room that we never did a table reading in again. Like, we did it at Disney Studios. And Eric, he was convinced, like, he had some laughs. He just didn't get and bond. And he was convinced he was being fired.

[Ty Burrell]

Wow.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And right after we finished that table read, they pulled Eric and I into the hallway to take a photo of us because they needed to have a template to paint the mural that Mitch and Cam paint over Lily's bed. Oh, yeah. And basically, they were gonna, like, impose our faces onto this mural. And Eric took these pictures in a panic. Like, in his eyes, you could just see, like, I don't know whether taking this picture, I'm gonna be fired anyways. And so, of course, he wasn't fired. But what we love so much and every time we looked at that mural was Eric was like, the eyes are terrified in season five. I don't Know how long that mural stayed up for the show? Cause at one point they painted over. He's like, those are the eyes of an actor who thinks he's being fired. But that those eyes are attached to, like, angelic Sam as an angelic angel in the sky. I just. The eyes of Mitchell are just like steely confidence. I nailed it.

[Ty Burrell]

That was the table read. I don't know if you remember this, when I walked in very confidently and said, I rented an apartment nearby so that I didn't have to drive to work. And you guys all had to tell me that we weren't filming there.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I don't remember that.

[Ty Burrell]

I rented a place right near by abc. And I was like, well, guess who's not. Guess who doesn't have to drive to work? And they were like, we're filming at Fox.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That is so funny.

[Ty Burrell]

I went from like a 10 minute walk to the longest commute in the entire town.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Well, then. Okay, well, I just wanted to talk about this for a while because you did get. You ended up moving very close to the studio. And, you know, I mean, as the show went on, like, one thing you always notice if the show's successful is the cars that you drive onto the lot get a little nicer. Yeah. You know, I then had a Prius, you know, as before, I had like a little mini coupe. And you kind of went the opposite way. And you purchased a renovated VW Bug.

[Ty Burrell]

I did, yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Which was incredible, by the way.

[Ty Burrell]

I love that car. I still have it.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You do?

[Ty Burrell]

I do.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That dark green car.

[Ty Burrell]

It's. Now, I'll show you pictures later, but I'm in the middle of getting it painted.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, nice.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah, I bought it from a gentleman in Louisiana. So it came on a flatbed truck. And they pull it off the truck. We're in Culver City.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Ty Burrell]

You know, kind of not huge blocks. Pulled it off the truck and I'm like, I got to take it for a spin. Frankie, our daughter is probably, you know, nine months old.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Ty Burrell]

Ten months old. It's there. And I go, I gotta drive it. So I get in it and I drive around the block and I notice that the transmission, I mean, I. You don't know when you're buying something like this what kind of condition it's in.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Sure.

[Ty Burrell]

I noticed transmission's a little loose, but, you know, I'm kind of finding the gears and stuff, and I, I'm. I get around. And Holly, Holly loves to drive stick shift. So she was like, I. I want to. I want to give it a Shot. And I also was kind of coaxing her, like, you gotta just. Just try it. Like, we. We have a vintage car. I mean, the thing hums. Yeah, the way the sting humps. So she hands me Frankie, and I'm holding Frankie, and she gets in the car and it's sort of haltingly going down the street, and I see her turn right in between there and the. And basically like another hundred yards. The transmission is now like, it's worse, it's looser. And. And she's having a hard time getting it into first gear. Anyway, cut to about a minute later, I see her kind of like jerking around the corner little by little, followed by a police officer. And she pulls the car not all the way off the street about just the front wheels are into the driveway of where we're at. And she gets out and she leaves. And she knew there was a police officer there. And I was like, honey, she's running from the law. I'm holding a baby. And the. The cop was like, where's she going? And I was like, I don't know. I don't know.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

She was so mad.

[Ty Burrell]

She was so mad at me. And she was like, this is not my problem. And he was sort of like, this isn't how the law works. It's a great lesson to every young person out there. If the police are chasing you, just leave. Just leave.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Just leave. Chase your name and move to a lake with unknown coordinates.

[Ty Burrell]

Just leave. They give up.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

They do give up.

[Ty Burrell]

They'll give up.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It's best if you have a baby.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah, have a baby.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Get yourself a baby.

[Ty Burrell]

Have a baby and leave. And then leave that baby.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Now for a quick break from my very special episode with my Modern Family co star, the one and only Ty Burrell. It has been way too long since we've caught up, but every time we do, it's like no time has passed. And what better way to reconnect than over some incredible takeout from his very own restaurant beer bar. It's great food, good conversation. Honestly, it's the perfect rest recipe. Speaking of gathering with close friends, that's exactly why I love Airbnb. Whether you're traveling for work, planning a little getaway, or just looking for a space to bring people together, airbnb has something for everyone. Cozy apartments, stunning homes, or even a chic chalet like the one I'm currently recording from. Oh, did I mention there's a hot tub? There's a hot tub. And if you have a space to share, hosting on Airbnb is Easier than ever. Especially with their new local co hosting feature. You can have a trusted local handle the details, guest messages, check ins, even styling so that you can focus on, well, you know, dinner with friends. So whether you're looking for a place to stay or thinking about sharing your own, check out Airbnb.com because the best trips start with the perfect place to stay. And also maybe some really good takeout. Okay. And we're back with more dinners on me. I will say I was always a little jealous that you and Julie started your families as early as you did because.

[Ty Burrell]

Well, it's funny you say early because I was 40. 41, but.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, but, you know, you in. In the midst of having a study job.

[Ty Burrell]

Yes, yes.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And having a place to go and knowing you had a paycheck, you became a dad very quickly. I mean, the process. I know you and Holly adopted, and there was a process where you, you know, it was a stop and go process for a while and kind of a heartbreaking one at the beginning as well. You know, there was a lot of disappointment. And I remember sitting with you and Holly, we were filming the episode in Hawaii, but you were like, well, I think, you know, it's been a lot of disappointment and heartbreak, and we're just gonna, like, wait and see. We're gonna take a break from it. We're stepping back from it.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And literally, maybe the next day or a few days later, there was word that there was a baby that you could.

[Ty Burrell]

There was a baby that was in need.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah. And you jumped on it, and it happened literally overnight after a lot of heartbreak.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah. Well, it's funny because I think there's a lot of misconceptions, obviously, about, you know, adoption, but one of them is that. Is that it's sort of tidy in that way, but it's a lot like biological, having a kid. Biologically, you know, that it's just. It's. There's a lot of ups and downs and chapters and, you know, a lot of that. And that one was unbelievably abrupt.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Ty Burrell]

I think we had 36 hours.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And you were. Were you in Hawaii when you got the news? We were filming.

[Ty Burrell]

We flew home.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay.

[Ty Burrell]

Holly flew straight to Utah. We were filming. So I. I actually stayed and then went to Utah. I think we had a week off after that episode and met her there and then. And this has impacted my career choices a lot. About. Do you remember this? About five weeks into that, I took a job. I took a film in Louisiana, and it was the worst decision of My life. I left Holly to try to take care of that baby. And I was gone for five weeks, and I regretted it from the minute I left.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Ty, do you remember when I went to go visit you in New York and you were in a hotel? I think it was for upfronts, like, yeah, we were all there, and I went to your room, so it's like we were going to go travel to whatever we're going to together. And you were getting ready, and Holly was there. I remember this. And your phone was ringing, and I didn't hear it. And you. First of all, you didn't hear it, but it was like an old. It was like your cell phone was ringing. And then when you finally did hear it, you went to the hotel phone and picked it up and were like, hello? And Holly was just like, ty, Ty.

[Ty Burrell]

She's thinking, I'm doing a bit.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, you don't have great hearing. Is it still bad?

[Ty Burrell]

I have. I wish I knew the brand, because I would absolutely plug them at no cost. I have hearing aids now.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, really?

[Ty Burrell]

That are so far up my hearing, my canal. They're, like, in my brain. Yeah, but they are awesome. They're incredible. They really, like. I don't know the brand, but they're just called Way up the canal.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

WayUpTheCanal.com. i mean, I'm glad you're hearing better now, but it's not as funny now.

[Ty Burrell]

That I can hear it.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It's not as funny. I mean, one of my favorite stories is when you and Holly were getting a massage, a couple's massage together. And, you know, they already whisper in those circumstances, and you can't hear to begin with.

[Ty Burrell]

We're. It's the first and last couples massage we ever had. We're laying down, you know, they've got the, like. And then, you know, massage. What's that? Holly's. Is the pressure good enough for you? Yeah, it is. Thank you. What's that, Holly, you can turn over now. For an hour and 20 minutes, Holly was, like, just tense. Yeah. She. Oh, my God.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It's so funny. I love it so much.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah. She was not happy.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, never again. Really, really funny. How. How has.

[Ty Burrell]

What else? What else?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I do want to know. I mean, I know some of this myself, but I feel like people find this so interesting, is what I've been talking about with all the people from Modern Family who we've had on, but just that transitional period of coming off before you got Modern Family, they were both back to you and out of practice, which were two Sitcoms, I think, had a lot of promise and people were really thinking that these were gonna hit big. They had huge stars. Chris Lloyd was involved with both of them off, of course. Huge hits like Cheers and stuff. The first one was Stalker Channing and.

[Ty Burrell]

Henry Winkler and Chris Gorham.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Right. Great cast. And then the next one was Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton.

[Ty Burrell]

Fred.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Fred Willard.

[Ty Burrell]

Josh.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Josh Gad.

[Ty Burrell]

Great cast.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And both of those, you know, didn't go.

[Ty Burrell]

I mean, all I ever wanted was a sitcom I knew that was sort of like what I truly loved. After having done it a little bit, it was like, this is what I love. I like the life around it.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And specifically those multi camera sitcoms where you get a. Perform in front of a live audience.

[Ty Burrell]

Yes. And because your lifestyle is so great and the work is so great, that's all I wanted. And after those failures, I was kind of like. I mean, there was a moment when Dunk and I had a. We were thinking about making T shirts for a living.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Mistrax.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah. But, yeah, I was. I got gun shy. And then. And then to end up with the ultimate version.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Ty Burrell]

Which really was like a job that cannot be replicated, where you really like the material, you like the people you work with, and the schedule was unbelievable. Yeah, but you had done. You didn't. You'd done other sitcoms, right?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I did Abraham Higginbotham, who was one of the rides on Modern Family. I had done his show the year before, and it was the first show canceled of that season.

[Ty Burrell]

Okay.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

So.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah, so you'd had the same experience.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

But to go from, you know, the first show canceled in 2008 to the show that won the Emmy in 2009 was quite the rise, if I must say so myself. Not because of me, but what luck, you know, Truly. I remember specifically that last season being so emotional. Like, I just every step of the way, it felt like a new flagpole of like, okay, that's the last time we're gonna be doing that. That's last time we're doing that.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah, me too.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

What were your. What was that last year like for you?

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah, same, same. I think. Yeah, it's just it. It's. It was such a dream, such a daydream of a show that it was hard to, like, it was hard to make sense of what a perfect job it was. And as it got closer to the end, it started to become clearer that, like, you know, this is just. This just doesn't happen. Yeah. So I think, you know, as time went, got closer you started to really, like, spend more of your downtime on set with the crew and with everybody just kind of chatting. And then I think that last scene of the. Of the show was very much, you know, it was pretty meta.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Ty Burrell]

Because it was really just us saying goodbye, I think. I don't think anybody was really in character or anything. Didn't feel like. It just felt like.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No. And like our loved ones had come to the set. Justin was there, Holly was there.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah. Yeah. It was amazing. I mean, you have to make peace, too, that those jobs don't really exist. It was sort of like the last one, in some ways.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Ty Burrell]

In some ways it was like the. Maybe the last show that people watched. I don't know. This is. Maybe I'm wrong, but.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No, it's making. If it's set on a podcast, it's true.

[Ty Burrell]

Oh, great. I don't need to Google this, right?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No, no, no, no, no.

[Ty Burrell]

I'm just saying, great, great, great.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It's on the record.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah. So it's the greatest show of all time.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Some would agree.

[Ty Burrell]

And nobody's ever watched more of a television show.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Some would agree.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah, I've totally.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No, but it was. It was. I think it was the last of.

[Ty Burrell]

Oh, yeah, that's what I was saying. Like, it. Yeah, it felt a little bit like that, too. Like an era.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, for sure. I completely agree with that. Brian Kranster, when he was on, he was talking about the show that you two are working on together.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah, we're. We're getting closer to that, actually. We had to. There's some challenges because it's all. It's called Tightrope. It's all on green screen. And it's this bonkers idea that Brian had about putting me into an old TV show. Did he explain this?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yes, a little bit.

[Ty Burrell]

But tell me a version of it. Yeah. I'm playing the lead character in this pretty poorly made TV show from the 50s. The show is called Tightrope. And they're just putting me into the actual show.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Ty Burrell]

And then changing my dialogue. Everybody else's dialogue stays the same and my dialogue's the same. But it's great to do from here because it's all green screen, so I don't actually have to do it from here. Either do it here or be gone for a week or something. To shoot the whole season.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Do they. Is like, if the director will come to you. Right.

[Ty Burrell]

That. Or I don't.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Or you just put up a green sheet in your bedroom and wear green clothes. And wear green clothes.

[Ty Burrell]

But, yeah, it's really. It's such a fun. We shot a little bit of it. Just sort of like a proof of concept.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Have you seen the way it looks?

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah, I think it looks great.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That's exciting.

[Ty Burrell]

I think it looks great.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, I think we're super excited about it. When he was talking.

[Ty Burrell]

Yeah, Yeah, I think it's going to be fun. I think we're angling for this spring, so.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, I'm really excited for that. I am so happy that this worked out.

[Ty Burrell]

Me, too. Me, too.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I feel like we've really achieved something here. We've traveled to you.

[Ty Burrell]

I can't believe you did. I love you for it.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Talked about your beautiful restaurants.

[Ty Burrell]

Oh, man, you're.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I got to see you.

[Ty Burrell]

I got to see you, my friend. I love you.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It's snowing out.

[Ty Burrell]

I know.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

So we are gonna do a quick photo shoot in this hot tub out here.

[Ty Burrell]

Great. Let's do it. Let's do it fully clothed.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I love you so much.

[Ty Burrell]

I love you, too.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And you know what? Dinner's on you.

[Ty Burrell]

Hey, Dinner's on you new podcast.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, hey.

[Ty Burrell]

Mine now. It's mine now. Hey, you.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Thought you had a podcast guest. What? I'm the captain of this podcast now. This episode of Dinner's on Me was recorded at an Airbnb in Sandy, Utah. And shout out to beer bar for the meal. Next week on Dinners On Me, we have Broadway icon Sutton Foster. We'll get into our mutual geeky love of musical theater, coping with her mom's mental illness and how it impacted her and so much more. And if you don't want to wait until next week to listen, you can download that episode right now by subscribing to Dinners on Me. Plus, as a subscriber, not only do you get access to new episodes one week early, you'll also be able to listen completely ad free. Just click try free at the top of the Dinners on Me show page on Apple Podcasts to start your free trial today. Dinners on Me is a production of Sony Music Entertainment and a kid named Beckett Productions. It's hosted by me, Jesse Tyler Ferguson. It's executive produced by me and Jonathan Hirsch. Our showrunner is Joanna Clay. Our associate producer is Alyssa Midcalf. Sam Behr engineered this episode, Hans Dale. She composed our theme music. Our head of production is Sammy Allison. Special thanks to Tameka Balance Kolasny and Justin Makita. I'm Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Join me next week.