Marc Preston sits down with actor, comedian and former model Rosalee Mayeux from "Magnum, P.I." and "Model Mom" to discuss her career, and personal stories.

Rosalee opens up about her unconventional path, starting as a teenager from a small town in Louisiana who found herself working as a high-fashion model for Eileen Ford in Paris and New York. She shares vivid memories of the modeling world in the 1980s, the stark reality behind the glamour, and how a chance opportunity led her to acting. Her natural knack for comedy eventually pushed her into commercials and television, bringing her face-to-face with legends like Carol Burnett, Lee Grant, and Tom Selleck.

After a sudden and life-altering cancer diagnosis forced her to pivot from a promising directing career with Quentin Tarantino’s production house, Rosalee leaned on her resilient spirit and close circle of friends to survive. That journey ultimately steered her toward stand-up comedy, where she found her truest voice. We talk about the grueling but rewarding realities of the comedy stage, the nuances of crowd work, and why being unapologetically yourself is the ultimate punchline.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

[00:11:48] | Parallel parking a 22-foot Cadillac and getting a standing ovation in Beverly Hills

[00:17:45] | Navigating the wild, rarefied world of high-fashion modeling in 1980s Europe

[00:19:00] | Listening to the news of Ronald Reagan being shot from the bowels of a Parisian restaurant

[00:20:18] | Eileen Ford's blunt advice on marriage and what it meant for a modeling career

[00:29:26] | The power of an unscripted moment and earning a standing ovation from Lee Grant

[00:30:53] | Flubbing a line with Tom Selleck and Carol Burnett on the set of Magnum, P.I.

[00:36:22] | Pitching a blind commercial script to Quentin Tarantino's A Band Apart

[00:37:35] | Surviving a terminal cancer diagnosis with the help of a kickass support system

[00:41:13] | Why improvisational comedy requires immense education and real-world intelligence

[00:55:03] | The Seven Questions: Southern comfort food, jazz legends, and advice to her younger self