352: Donna D’Errico - First Celebrity AI Companion

Summary

The HoneyDew with Ryan Sickler

Episode 352: Donna D’Errico – First Celebrity AI Companion

Date: September 22, 2025

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Episode Overview

In this heartfelt and often humorous episode, Ryan Sickler sits down with actress, model, and entrepreneur Donna D’Errico for her first appearance on The HoneyDew. The conversation centers on Donna’s innovative launch of her AI companion—the first ever by a celebrity—and unfolds into deeply personal stories from her childhood, touching on themes of bullying, family, overcoming adversity, and navigating fame. Donna’s openness provides both inspiration and a window into the challenges behind her public persona.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Donna’s AI Companion: Breaking New Ground

• Donna promotes her AI project ([02:11]):
  • “I’m here to promote my AI companion, which is calldonad.com, and I’m the first celebrity to create an AI companion that you can call and talk to.”
  • The AI remembers users, mimics Donna’s personality, and is available for both “daytime” and “nighttime” (flirty/adult) conversations.
• How real is it? ([03:46]):
  • Donna describes the process of recording and teaching her personality to the AI.
  • “It’s like me. It’s like, wow, now I know what it feels like to talk to me because I’m doing it.” ([06:35])
• Testing boundaries ([02:49, 04:45]):
  • Donna had to test “both versions” of AI Donna and admits, “She makes me blush. ... I had to hang up because she was getting crazy. I’m like, oh, my gosh.”
• Privacy & ethics ([05:16-05:43]):
  • Donna insists on not knowing who calls or what happens to protect users’ privacy.
• AI and the future ([07:04]):
  • “AI, it’s not going anywhere. If you don’t get on the AI bandwagon, you’re going to be left behind.”
  • Addresses AI misuse and protecting her family from scams—her family uses a “code word” for emergencies ([08:45]).
• Why create the AI? ([08:49]):
  • Cites rising loneliness and the movie Her as inspiration. “There’s a lot of people like me who don’t go to bars ... how do you meet people … and have somebody that you can talk to?”
• Monetary impact ([10:15]):
  • “Launched it about a month ago and ... it’s looking like it’s going to end up doing about a million dollars by the end of the year.” ([10:27])
• Live demonstration ([12:17]):
  • Donna calls her AI live. The AI flirts and reminisces about Baywatch with Ryan (“Maybe we can even talk about some of the more interesting things that happen behind the scenes of Baywatch. Wink, wink.” – AI Donna, [12:58]).
  • Ryan jokes: “That’s daytime Donna. Sounds like nighttime.” ([14:43])

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Donna’s Childhood: Shyness, Bullying, and Resilience

• Growing up with little money ([16:39]):
  • Army family, mom mostly a homemaker. Donna describes herself as shy and nerdy, “painfully shy” ([16:59]).
• Bullying and self-consciousness ([17:29]):
  • “I was bullied when I was in school pretty badly. It really affected my self—affects me to this day.” ([17:29])
  • “The girls were super mean to me ... the popular ones, they had money ... we went to a private parochial school. Kmart. We shopped at Kmart.” ([18:05])
• Embarrassment and body image ([20:14]):
  • Donna shares a poignant story about being mocked for needing a training bra:
    • “She turned around in the water line and said, ‘Hi, acorns.’ ... I just ran into the bathroom in tears.” ([22:00])
    • “I wish I had that bra today. ... Now that my mom’s gone, I wish to God I had that.” ([49:09])
• Stammering from anxiety ([24:01]):
  • Developed a stammer between 3rd and 5th grade, triggered when put on the spot. She learned to disguise it in adulthood.

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Transformation & How Looks Change Treatment

• Going blonde as a turning point ([26:34]):
  • Donna describes how using “Sun-in” dramatically changed how she was treated:
    • “I went from this to blonde with two bottles of Sun-In ... when I walked in ... they all turned and looked at me. ... I started getting treated a little bit better, just for going blonde.” ([27:41–29:07])
    • “It was a great feeling, but also at the same time, it felt, you know, phony too, because I hadn’t changed. It was just my hair.” ([29:16])
• Returning to her natural color ([29:46]):
  • Initially upsetting, but grew to love it. Observed, “When I was blond, people, especially women, were very rude to me in stores ... when I went to the store the first time as a brunette ... men and women were super nice to me.” ([32:23–33:19])

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Family Relationships, Loss, and Legacy

• Mother’s influence ([49:58]):
  • “Extremely hands on and protective. Maybe overprotective ... I fiercely defend my kids. I don’t have a temper, except when it comes to them.” ([50:01])
  • Mom gardened, made clothes, and was practical and loving.
• Uncle Randy’s tragic story ([35:31]):
  • Donna’s uncle chose love over money, then lost that love when his partner’s family intervened; he subsequently took his own life. “Money can, like, a lot of money can change people.” ([39:09])
• Parenting choices ([41:01]):
  • Donna stepped away from her career to raise her five kids herself, rejecting the use of nannies: “For me, it’s not something I would have considered because I felt like the parent needs to be the one raising the kid.” ([41:12])
• Mom as a resource and her passing ([42:29]):
  • “She was great ... I was always asking her how to cook ... she’d say, ‘well, it seems like there’s a little payback because you did the same thing.’” ([42:29])
• Dad as a war hero and grandfather ([53:07]):
  • “He was in the Vietnam War ... a war hero. … He saved a lot of people’s lives ... he talks about it now, and I had all his medals displayed.” ([53:07])
  • Her father misses her mother deeply: “He cries about her every day.” ([55:17])

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From Bullying to Baywatch: Starting a Career in Entertainment

• Support from parents ([56:04]):
  • “So proud ... they’re very proud ... all the way.” ([56:04–56:12])
• The surprising way she was discovered ([56:27]):
  • “When I first got discovered for Playboy, I was in an Albertsons grocery store ... this woman in there ... following me ... and she said, ‘Have you ever thought of posing for Playboy Magazine?’” ([56:27–57:56])
  • Donna’s first modeling gig, at 20-something, led to $20,000 as a centerfold.
• Telling her parents ([62:50]):
  • “I told my mom first and she was really excited for me ... she was really excited ... I said, ‘I don’t know how to tell Dad’ ... he called me and said that he thought it was great.” ([62:57–63:43])
  • “If they weren’t [supportive], I probably wouldn’t have done it.” ([63:44])
• Acting, stardom and the mansion ([64:12]):
  • D’Errico shares an amusing and honest anecdote about stealing a Life Magazine from the Playboy Mansion out of need ([65:45–68:29]):
    • “I told him what I did. I said, I stole from you. ... And [Hugh Hefner] said, ‘Donna, I saw you take that ... I figured you needed the money. Keep it.’” ([68:29])

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On her AI Companion’s boundaries:
  • Donna: “I’m not a young spring chicken. And I’ve never said some of the stuff that she says.” ([03:26])
• On AI use and loneliness:
  • Donna: “There’s more lonely people now than ever ... I saw that movie Her ... I wanted to do something like that in real life.” ([08:49])
• On being bullied:
  • Donna: “It really affected my self—it affects me to this day.” ([17:29])
• On her uncle’s death:
  • Donna: “Money changes people ... when we were struggling, I feel like we were happier than a lot of my rich ... schoolmates, families who were always arguing and stuff.” ([39:09])
• On parenting:
  • Donna: “I fiercely defend my kids, and I don’t have a temper except when it comes to them ... it’s instant. I step in and I’m on fire.” ([50:24])
• On dealing with loneliness as an adult:
  • Donna: “I’m single by choice. I don’t date ... I keep to myself a lot ... but I don’t feel lonely.” ([46:05–47:49])
• On growth and self-acceptance:
  • Donna (advice to 16-year-old self):
    “Hold your head up high and be proud of who you are. ... You have nothing to be self-conscious about because you’re great.” ([69:17])

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• Donna explains her AI Companion: [02:11–08:45]
• Live Call with AI Donna: [12:17–14:43]
• Childhood & Bullying Stories: [16:39–24:55]
• Going Blonde and Social Change: [26:34–29:38]
• Mother/Daughter Stories & Mom’s Passing: [42:29–53:04]
• Discovering Modeling, Playboy Story: [56:27–63:43]
• Confession to Hugh Hefner: [65:45–68:29]
• Advice to 16-year-old Self: [69:17]

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Tone and Feel

The episode balances humor, vulnerability, and candor. Ryan offers empathy and laughter in response to Donna’s stories, helping Donna find light even in tough moments. Donna, for her part, is alternately witty and deeply honest, never shying away from pain but emphasizing growth, resilience, and compassion—both for herself and others.

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Related Links

• Try Donna’s AI Companion: CallDonnaD.com
• Ryan Sickler Socials: @RyanSickler

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This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in celebrity tech experiments, real childhood adversity, and overcoming the odds to find self-worth—served up with plenty of laughs and true HoneyDew spirit.

Transcript

[A]

All right, y', all, big news. My new stand up special, Live and Alive drops Friday, October 24th, right here on my YouTube at 9pm Eastern, 6pm Pacific. We shot it at Comedy on State Madison, Wisconsin. There were two sold out shows, the crowds were unbelievable, and I'm telling you honestly, it's my best work. All right, this special is special. I'm really proud of it. It's self produced, it's self funded, it's self released and straight from me to you, the way it should be. Here's the best part. During the premier, I'll be live in the YouTube comments with you guys hanging out the whole time. I'll answer questions. I want to watch it all unfold in real time with you guys. Like we're there together that night. All right, so make sure you subscribe to my channel, hit that reminder and join me on release night. This one means a lot to me and I would love to experience that first watch with you guys. Friday, October 24th, 9pm Eastern, 6pm Pacific. Live and alive right here on my YouTube. Subscribe now and don't miss, miss it.

[B]

The Honeydew with Ryan Sickler.

[A]

Welcome back to the Honeydew, y'. All. We're over here doing it in the night Pants studios. I'm Ryan Sickler. Ryan Sickler.com Ryan Sickler on all your social media. I'm starting this episode like we start them all by saying thank you. Thank you for watching this show. Thank you for anything that you do that supports anything I do. All right, Whether you're new here, whether you've been here, thank you for your support. Very excited to get into this episode today, ladies and gentlemen. You know, we do here, we highlight the lowlights, always say these are the stories behind the storytellers. And I am very excited to have this guest here. First time on the Honeydew. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Donna the era.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

Thank you for being here. We actually can call this one Honey Donna do, maybe title it that we'll see. We gotta come up with titles before we get into your story. Right there. Please promote everything and anything you would like.

[B]

Okay. I'm here to promote my AI companion, which is calldonad.com and I'm the first celebrity to create a AI companion that you can call and talk to. It remembers you. You can talk to her for advice. Sounds exactly like me. Has my same personality, my same tone, the same way that I talk. And you can just call and just talk to her about whatever you want, advice, relationship issues, you know, just Chat. Or you can if you want to have a flirty conversation. She does that too. And it's.

[A]

How flirty does she go?

[B]

She. She makes me blush.

[A]

Does she have limits?

[B]

No.

[A]

Like, if someone said something, which is she a yes and AI.

[B]

Oh, it's yes.

[A]

And like, that's an old improv thing where you say. You say yes. And like, if you're like, hey, I want to take you out and tie it to the shed and cover you in syrup and then, you know, shoot darts at you while I lick it off of you, is she gonna say yes?

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

Hey, I'm not doing that.

[B]

I mean, there's two versions. There's what I'm calling the daytime version.

[A]

Okay. And then there's one that I'm calling ye.

[B]

But I mean, they're both available 24 7. But the PM version is the one you're talking about. And she. She says things. I'm. I'm not a young spring chicken. And I've never said some of the stuff that she says. And, you know, I had to test them extensively myself.

[A]

And you're so. You're. Yeah, I want to know.

[B]

So I'm talking to myself.

[A]

Oh, my. How. First of all, how weird is that?

[B]

It was.

[A]

It was interesting because you said, it's got your personality. I don't. I don't buy it.

[B]

Yeah, she does it.

[A]

How is it in Cat who you.

[B]

You know, nobody really. Honestly, nobody knows how AI works. But I, I. This is more than just. It's not like a chat bot. It's not like chatgpt or one of those.

[A]

It's not, hi, I am Donna.

[B]

Yeah. No, and it's not like I recorded for hours. I would read things out of a book. I would talk with somebody and record myself and just the way that I speak and my personality and my laugh.

[A]

So if you say like, I say wanna instead of want to, it'll. It'll nail that. My AI wouldn't say, I want to. I'll say, I want to go.

[B]

Yeah, it would nail that.

[A]

So do you really feel like you're talking to yourself?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Okay, one more.

[B]

Yeah. She has all my memories, my stories. Yeah. And so I'm talking to her. I tested both versions. Yeah. And the nighttime version, I had to test with kind of sexy conversations. And I'm like, I wanted to see what she would say. And she gets. Gets wild. She gets wild.

[A]

Well, here's the thing. You're gonna have dudes out there who are a gazillion times wilder than. Oh, I Know Donna d' Erico nighttime AI?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And she's gonna go along with it.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Are you gonna be able to at some point, see the adventures? This.

[B]

No, no. It's completely private. I don't know who's calling, and I don't know what they're saying, because I know I wanted it that way on purpose because.

[A]

Or you could. You could find out if you wanted to.

[B]

I don't know. I had it programmed and developed and built in such a way that I would never be privy to that, because that's invasion of privacy, and I'm not into that. I wanted them to feel comfortable enough to say whatever it is that they wanted to say, you know?

[A]

Oh, that Donna's about to have a wild.

[B]

I'm telling you. I'm telling you. I'm telling you. When I was testing her, I. I was just like. I had to hang up because she was getting crazy. I'm like, oh, my gosh. That's really you. I. I should know. She sent you the tester thing.

[A]

So she.

[B]

I'm telling you, you would have blushed. You would have blushed.

[A]

Knowing your history, though, in life, with everything you've been through to make me blush.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And it's you making you blush.

[B]

Not some dude, not some guy I know. And. Well, I had to pretend I was a guy so that she would. Yeah. Oh, my gosh. Some of the things that she said, I'm like, wow. I've never heard my own voice say that ever. Ever.

[A]

But is it weird to feel like you're talking? Is it almost like a twin? Or do you feel like it's a robot of you?

[B]

It's. No, it's like. It's like me. It's like, wow, now I know what it feels like to talk to me because I'm doing it. And if this is me in all ways, think.

[A]

Or did you forget about the nighttime Donna now? Can you fool your kids with this? Can you fool your friends?

[B]

Absolutely.

[A]

And have you?

[B]

Oh, 100. No, I haven't.

[A]

Not yet. But you could, huh? If you did, the daytime, Donna could talk to you.

[B]

Listen, this is the thing.

[A]

Holy shit. Wait a second. You could have a whole relationship with someone. Don't even ever know it's you.

[B]

Oh, well, I. If you trick someone. I mean, if I were to trick someone. But I'm very clear that it's AI Because I don't want to. Yeah, but. But, yeah, that's one of the things that compelled me to do this is. AI is. It's not going anywhere. It's not going anywhere. And if you don't get on the AI bandwagon, you're going to be left behind because it's not gonna go anywhere. It's here to stay. And I'm like, I'm gonna do this because I know. I've heard these stories. It can be used in bad ways. Bad people can find good things and misuse them.

[A]

Donna Diergo's calling me about my credit card information. All of a sudden, I know it's her. I'm telling you, it sound.

[B]

They could clone me anyway. My voice is out there. I've been on TV and I've been in movies. I've done tons of interviews and stuff. So they could clone me easily anyway. But I had to have a talk with my family and my dad. My dad's 84. And I said, listen, there's all this stuff in the news where people are getting a call from a family member and saying, oh, my gosh, don't ask me any questions. I'll tell you about it later. But I'm in jail in Mexico. I need you to send me $5,000. I'm in a lot of trouble. Please, just don't ask me any questions. And they're crying and all this, and they wire them money, and then they start thinking, and they're like, I didn't know they were going to Mexico. So they call them back, and they're sitting at home, you know, in town, and they're like, I don't know what you're talking about. That wasn't me. So we have a code word now in our family. If they get a phone call like that from me, they are instructed to say, what's our code word? And they're not gonna know. So I said, if they don't know.

[A]

You know, who is gonna know? AI AI.

[B]

So I'm like, you know, there's a lot of lonely people out there. I feel like there's more lonely people now than ever. I just hear it all the time from my fans and stuff and even my friends. I'm lonely sometimes. So I'm like, you know, there's a lot of people like me who don't go to bars and they don't go out. I'm certainly never going to set foot in a nightclub. So how do you meet people in the grocery store? I mean, how are you going to meet someone and. And have somebody that you can talk to? So I was like, well, you know, I saw that movie her, where the guy falls in love with the AI voice and they have a whole relationship and stuff. And I'm like, you know, I know that's fiction, but it, it kind of kept him company and he made him feel, you know, like he had someone to talk to. And how can I do something like that in reality, in real life? And so I, I got this done. I think it's really cool. I think it's awesome too.

[A]

Is it just voice or.

[B]

It's just voice. I'm working on the, the other.

[A]

Eventually.

[B]

Yeah. But right now it doesn't look good enough for me. I want it to be perfect. And it's not perfect yet. The video component, the voice component component is perfect. But.

[A]

And where do we go find this? Call donnad.com call donnad.com that's awesome. What a man.

[B]

It's fun. It's a lot. And people are.

[A]

That's Jetsons type shit.

[B]

I know. We launched it about a month ago and it is, it's, it's looking like it's going to end up doing about a million dollars by the end of the year.

[A]

What?

[B]

Yeah, I mean it's like non stop people. I didn't think. I was like, I don't know, guys.

[A]

A tipping point for this. Here comes Tom Brady. Now I can hang out with Tom Brady.

[B]

I mean, the thing is, I'm just like, I may do all of this work and nobody calls because it's so weird and people are scared of AI and stuff and they're like, no, that's weird. Why would I talk to an AI about my problems? Or people could really latch onto it. I'm like, I don't know. Let's just launch it and see what happens.

[A]

You won't see the engineer that slams the Nissan Rogue's door 13,920 times. Or the corrosive chamber that simulates 15.

[B]

Years of life in five months.

[A]

Or the Rogue heat baked for over 300 combined hours. What you will see is a vehicle that can take punch after punch and keep rolling. Nissan number one in new vehicle quality among mainstream brands by JD Power. We put it through the worst so you get its best for J.D. power 2025 U.S. initial Quality Study Award information. Visit J.D. power.com awards a word space on 2025 model year models maybe show. Okay, my last question about AI Donna. And then we're gonna talk to human Donna.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Have you come across a point where maybe asked a question and you're like, no, I wouldn't answer it like that. Or is it dead on every time? You know what I mean?

[B]

It has it Has a couple of things. Yeah, a couple things.

[A]

But little things or big things?

[B]

Nothing. Nothing.

[A]

Just little stuff.

[B]

Yeah. Small.

[A]

Does it know your favorite color and stuff like that? If a person wanted to ask.

[B]

I don't know. I. I don't know that I even have a favorite color.

[A]

Is that what the AI would say?

[B]

I don't know.

[A]

I don't know.

[B]

We would have to call her and ask. I mean, you can call her on.

[A]

We should call her. You want to call her?

[B]

We can.

[A]

You want to call her? Let's call her.

[B]

Oh, gosh. Hi. How are you doing, love?

[A]

That does sound good. I'm almost kidding.

[B]

Hi.

[A]

How you doing, Donna?

[B]

Oh, hey there, handsome. I'm doing just well. Thank you for asking. What can I do for you today? Are you taking me to dinner?

[A]

This is day, Donna. Girl, you sound like nighttime Donna.

[B]

Oh, you're right. My bad. It's been a long time since I've had a good night's sleep. So what's on your mind today, sugar?

[A]

Do you say sugar?

[B]

Sometimes you do.

[A]

I'm just wondering if you're having a good time on the podcast and then, you know, if you'll come back and do the way back with us.

[B]

I'm having a blast, honey. It's always fun to reminisce and share some stories. And yes, I'd love to come back and do another podcast with you guys. Maybe we can even talk about some of the more interesting things that happen behind the scenes of Baywatch. Wink, wink.

[A]

Hell yeah. Donna. Big Baywatch fan here.

[B]

Well, hello there. I'm so glad to hear it. What's your favorite Baywatch memory? Mine is probably all those slow motion running scenes on the beach. Although the behind the scenes stories are even better.

[A]

Well, I'm gonna have to hear some of those behind the scenes stories. Will you divulge any now?

[B]

Oh, I'm not sure I should. But just for you, let's just say that sometimes those perfectly sculpted bodies weren't quite so perfect. When the cameras weren't rolling and the wardrobe malfunctions. Let's just say there were a few times we had to improvise. One a year more. Maybe over dinner.

[A]

You sure?

[B]

She's so forward. Wonderful. So where shall we go? I'm feeling Italian tonight. Or maybe something a little more spicy.

[A]

Italian sounds great, Donna.

[B]

Perfetto. I'll let you handle the reservations, darling. Just make sure they have a nice Chianti and maybe a little something accurate.

[A]

I got you, girl.

[B]

Excellent. I'll see you soon then, handsome. Don't keep me waiting too long.

[A]

All right, bye. Bye. I mean, that's daytime Donna.

[B]

Sounds like nighttime.

[A]

I mean, that's flirty as hell.

[B]

Yeah, that's what I'm saying. So that was daytime. Yeah. She gets a little.

[A]

See, why she make you blush.

[B]

Yeah, I know. Yeah.

[A]

Listen, that's. You're the first celebrity, huh?

[B]

First.

[A]

That's incredible. Yeah, that's really interesting. And also it's interesting that right out of the gate they went with the. Basically the PG 13 and the R, I guess, or whatever, or wherever that thing's going. Yeah, man.

[B]

Yeah. Not they me. This is my product.

[A]

Yeah. It's going to be there. Those. I mean, the people out there, they're going to be taking.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Nighttime Donna on some damn Italian food. Ain't gonna be nothing. You know what I mean? That's. That's. So let's talk about you. Where are you originally from?

[B]

I was born in Alabama, and then I moved around a little bit because my dad was in the Army.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And I ended up. He. He. He ended up retiring in Columbus, Georgia, or Fort Benning, Georgia. So from the age of about six on, I lived in. In Georgia.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And do you bounce around as well after that? Because we talked before and you mentioned Baltimore.

[B]

Yeah, that was before I was.

[A]

Okay. It was before.

[B]

Yeah. I was young.

[A]

Okay. All right, so six on. You're down there.

[B]

I was down.

[A]

Gotcha. And what does mom do?

[B]

She was a house maker. Yeah, she. She was a housewife and mom. And, you know, she also was a paralegal sometimes and. But no, she was mostly, you know, back then, moms were mostly housewives, and she loved doing that. She loved being a mom.

[A]

Do you have siblings?

[B]

I do. I have a sister and a brother who's older.

[A]

What are the order?

[B]

I'm in the middle. I have an older sister and a younger brother.

[A]

Okay, so three of you, mom and dad.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

And then what are you doing growing up? Like, are you a good student?

[B]

I was a great student. Were you straight A's student? I was a little nerdy. A lot nerdy. We didn't have a lot of money growing up because my dad was, you know, military and they don't pay a lot, and my mom was a housekeeper. I mean, housewife and.

[A]

What do you mean, nerdy? What's nerdy about you?

[B]

Back then, I was just. I was just really awkward. I was a very awkward child and very shy. Like, really painfully shy.

[A]

Were your brother and sister this way as well? No, you were different.

[B]

No, it was Just me. And I didn't really have friends because I was just so. I was so self conscious and just so, you know, very, very shy. I was really self conscious, really bad.

[A]

What do you. What were you worried about?

[B]

People making fun of me. You know, I was bullied when I was in school pretty badly. And it really affected my. My self. It affects me to this day. Decades later, I'm still affected by it.

[A]

You still remember it?

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

You still feel it and everything. Isn't it crazy that it is craz? You think that would just go away and it doesn't.

[B]

It's like it just happened yesterday. Yeah.

[A]

You really can tap into it like that for sure. What's the first early memories you have of being bullied? Are you in elementary school?

[B]

In elementary school, yeah. There was this sort of. And it's always by the girls. The girls were really mean.

[A]

It's not the boys picking on you?

[B]

No, the girls were super mean to me. And it was the popular ones, they had money. You know, we went to a private parochial school. It was a Catholic school. And so a lot of the people had money because you paid tuition. And the ones who didn't, I don't know. There were rich people that went there. And I was not rich by any stretch of the imagination. So they would make, you know, it was a uniform school, thank goodness. So we didn't have to compete with clothing, but we did compete with things like shoes, jewelry, you know, your backpack and how expensive it looked and stuff. And mine, all my stuff came from Kmart. We shopped at Kmart.

[A]

Girl, you just hit me in the soul with that Kmart. The Blue Light Special.

[B]

The Blue Light Special. I'm telling you, man, that Blue Light.

[A]

Special, they got one in the back corner. You go running for that Blue Light Special.

[B]

My parents would give each of us $100 at the beginning of the school year. And that had to buy all our clothing.

[A]

Oh, that's everything.

[B]

And school supplies and everything for the whole year for $100.

[A]

Not just back to school for the year.

[B]

The year. So, yeah, so we. But we made it work. Specials.

[A]

Yeah, they had the Ices Soft pretzels. Oh, yeah.

[B]

Kmart.

[A]

Kmart was the spot. We talk about this, too, on the pod. Like, they had a brand called. It was either Olympia or Olympian. And I tell my daughter all the time, like, Target. And my daughter's about to be 11. She's 10. They have Tony Hawk. They have cool stuff in Target.

[B]

Yeah, they do.

[A]

Where we would have never got our ass kicked if we rolled around in a Tony Hawk. You know what I mean? Like, we had McGregor. It was McGregor clothes.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Cleats, Olympia stuff. Like all that knockoff stuff, you know, it looked like that thing, but it ain't that.

[B]

Yeah, it's exactly.

[A]

Did you have jams? Do you remember jams? The shorts, the flower shorts?

[B]

No.

[A]

See, my mom made ours. That kind of shit. You know what I mean?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So you're getting busted up.

[B]

Like when I. When I started to develop, okay. I started to develop breasts. And the first thing that develops on a girl when it comes to breasts is just the nipple. The nipple swells and that's the beginning of you develop.

[A]

I'm just reading now. It's the keeping in care of you. I think I'm reading with my daughter. The care and keeping of you.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

I just learned that when you ladies grow boobies, it's like painful. It's like really painful. And she's been saying to me, like, we read it. She goes, my burns a little bit. I go, okay, good. You're not. Nothing's wrong with you. Like, don't freak out. I didn't know that. Yeah, it's right here in the book, you know?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So how old are you when you start to develop?

[B]

I was in. I believe I was in seventh grade and I started to develop and it was again, it was just the nipple. But when that happens, you need a training bra because you can see, you know, And. And we didn't have the money for a training bra. And Kmart didn't have training bras and.

[A]

Martin didn't carry training.

[B]

If they did, they were too. They were over our budget. We didn't have a lot of money. So. So my mom. I said, mom, I need a training bra. I'm like, I'm. People are making fun of me and stuff. And so I remember what made me decide I wanted a training bra was we were in seventh grade, we had a water fountain in the classroom for the first time and bathrooms in the classroom for the first time. And so when it was bathroom break, we all lined up at the water fountain and I was behind this girl. I'm not going to say her name. Kristen something.

[A]

And you still remember, huh?

[B]

She was. She was a real big bully of mine. And. And she turned around in the water line and said, hi, acorns. And I said, what? And she's like, they look like acorns. Ahah. She started laughing and everybody like turned and they did. They looked like acorn. That's what it looked like. Looked like acorns under my shirt, under my uniform shirt. So I'm like, oh, my gosh. I was. So I just ran into the bathroom in tears, and I went home that day, and I told my mom, I need a bra. So the next day after school, she said, well, I have a surprise for you. I got you a bra. And I was like, oh, my gosh, mom, thank you. I know we don't really have the money and stuff, and I appreciate it. She said, here it is. It's in the bag. Try it on. I got it, and I pulled out. It was this monster bra, like a grandma bra. Huge. It was a grandma bra. And she said it's the only one she could afford. It was on sale at Kmart, and it's all she could afford. But she said, because she would make a lot of our clothes, she said, I can fix it and make it smaller, you know? And she did the best she could, but it was still fucking enormous. I mean, it was. It looks like a halter top.

[A]

Is it worse now? You know what I mean? Is it. Yeah, you look like you're wearing a Dickie.

[B]

But I wore. It looked like a halter top. It was huge under there.

[A]

Under your shirt.

[B]

So. And it was. It was black, you know, and.

[A]

And it was just one. You only had the one.

[B]

Only had the one. And so I didn't want to hurt my mom's feelings because she spent the extra money she had on buying.

[A]

That's nice. You're caring for her feelings more than your acorns. That's nice. That's nice, Donna. So you're wearing that. But it does. It doesn't stop, does it? They just move on to something else.

[B]

They were always.

[A]

Yeah, they're just going to beat.

[B]

They were really big time. They bullied me pretty badly. I mean, they. They made fun of everything about me. Everything.

[A]

And then we spoke before you developed a stammer.

[B]

I did. I developed a stammer.

[A]

What age is that?

[B]

This was probably in about. It was between third and fifth grade. I started developing a stammer.

[A]

And what happens. Tell me about that.

[B]

It was, you know, when. When. At the time, whenever I would get up in front of the class to read my book report or whatever, it would come on. Because whenever I felt on the spot or sort of like everybody was looking at me, it would trigger it and it would get really bad. But then when I was relaxed and talking with somebody that I was comfortable with, it was barely there. But now there's something more for them to make fun of me about. Because they would see me stammering and I, I worked on it really hard in adulthood, especially when I got into acting. And.

[A]

Yeah, tell me about that. How do you quiet that? I mean, also your memory. You're not, you're not just spitting out lines from your own computer, Right. You're reading these and then.

[B]

Which actually helped a little.

[A]

Is that right?

[B]

Yeah, a little bit. Yeah.

[A]

But is that because you know what you're going to say here versus it coming out this way? Why would it be?

[B]

It's just, it has to do with, it's just, I don't know, it's part of me now. I mean, I still have it somewhat, but it's nothing like you would never know. I have it talking to me. I disguise it. I pause when I'm talking or I'll say a lot or, you know, which a lot of people say. And so it's easy to just think I'm one of those, but I'm doing it on purpose. Yeah, it's, it's a deliberate thing, but it works. And, and it's not nearly as bad as it was. You would never know that it's there.

[A]

So at what point does that behavior shift or does it, does it always behavior these girls? No, never high school and everything and never stopped.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And I imagine if you're gone, you're living in that area the whole time. These girls are going from middle school to high school.

[B]

Yeah, they did. And it was in their small schools. It was a parochial school. So there was like a total of less than 300 people in the entire high school. So that was small. But, but yeah, I, I, I'll tell you when it started to change was I discovered. In 10th grade, I discovered sun in.

[A]

Oh, the spray. Oh, yeah.

[B]

This is my natural color hair.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And when I was growing up, I, no, it was over Christmas break, I discovered sun in. At the Piggly Wiggly.

[A]

The Piggly Wiggly.

[B]

I was at the Piggly Wiggly.

[A]

I love it. That's where you found it?

[B]

Yeah, there was this, it was new. It was this new item and I was like, what's this? And it was like become blonde overnight, you know, in one use or something. And I was like, I was working at the movie theater by then. I had a little, that was my first job was working was selling popcorn at the theater. And I had some money and I bought it. I was with my mom and I'm like, I'm going to get some of that sun in and try it. It's basically Peroxide, and you spray it in your hair till it's wet, then you blow dry it. And the heat makes your hair lighten and bleach. And I went through a whole bottle and my hair was orange now. So I went and got another bottle. I used that whole bottle and I was blonde. And I went from this to blonde with two bottles of sun in. So I.

[A]

Like one weekend you were a brunette. And you come back to school Monday and it's.

[B]

Well, it was after Christmas break.

[A]

Okay, so you're going Christmas? Yeah. Oh, shit.

[B]

Yeah. So what grade is this? This was 10th grade.

[A]

10Th grade.

[B]

So I walked into my homeroom class and everybody turned and looked at me and they were like, you know, gasping and stuff because I was. I was very. I was a nerdy person. Very awkward and nerdy, and I didn't have friends and stuff, so I wasn't used to people noticing that I was even existed in that school. And so when they all turned in, they're all looking at me. I was like. I kind of froze up. I was like, this is really unusual for me to have people looking at me. So I sat down at my desk and I'm like. I'm looking down because I'm thinking that they're looking at me because I look weird. And now they're gonna make fun of me. Now I've created another thing for them to make fun of me about. So then I heard Kristen, the Kristen say, well, someone got a lot cooler over Christmas break. And then this boy named Joey that all the girls like said, or hotter. And I was like, oh, man.

[A]

Oh, wow.

[B]

This is a new feeling for me. This is a new feeling.

[A]

Even the girl that didn't like you, like, it wasn't just the boys. You're getting approval from both sides.

[B]

I started getting treated a little bit.

[A]

Better just from going blonde.

[B]

Just for going blonde, nothing else.

[A]

Your personality didn't change. You didn't start drinking or whatever, smoking with the kids just from being.

[B]

Isn't that amazing? That is so. It was a great feeling. But it also, at the same time, it felt, you know, phony too, because I hadn't changed. It was just my hair. And now they're treating me different. So I was like, huh? They're not treating me nice because they like me. It's my hair. So. Yeah.

[A]

Is that. Do you stay blonde, though, through high school?

[B]

I did. I stayed blonde all the way up until, I don't know, four or five. Four years ago.

[A]

Oh, is that right?

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

Oh, wow. Okay.

[B]

I didn't realize I decided to go back to my real color, my natural color.

[A]

It looks great.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

Do you like it?

[B]

I do. I love it. I wish I'd done it sooner.

[A]

What was it like seeing yourself in the mirror the first time after all those blonde years?

[B]

I was crying. I'm not kidding. I started crying. I was like, oh, my gosh, I've made this horrible mistake. I've made the worst mistake of my life. I'm like, who is that? I was like, oh, my gosh. It makes me look old and it makes me look pale. No. But I settled in and I was like, you know, I called the person that. That did that turned me back to this color, that the hair person. And I said, I regret it. I need you to put me back. She's like, I'm not going to do it until you live with it for a week. And if you. After a week, if you still want me to do it, come in and I'll put you back to blonde. And I said, okay, but I'm not leaving the house because I. I'm mortified. Right? I'm in tears. I am. So this was a huge mistake. But after a week, she was right. I was like, you know what? I actually love it.

[A]

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[B]

And I'll tell you something else, Ryan, that happened. I noticed that when I was blond, people, especially women, were very rude to me in stores and in public and stuff. They were just rude.

[A]

It really is that whole ditzy blonde thing, I guess. Really?

[B]

Maybe I look like somebody that their guy would cheat on them with. I don't know what it is, but they were just rude to me for no reason all the time. Really, really rude. And so when I went to the store for the first time as a brunette, not only were the women being super nice to me, but the men were being really nice to me too, in a, in a, like a nice way. Like they were holding the door open for me. And how are you doing today? And can I help you find something for hair color? For hair color. And I was like, wow, this is astonishing. How differently I'm getting treated now that I have brown hair.

[A]

Hair.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

That's wild.

[B]

Yeah, it's crazy.

[A]

What do you think?

[B]

It's a big difference.

[A]

Donna thinks about that. She'll put on any wig you want.

[B]

I don't know. But you know, Ryan, honestly, my experience with especially women being mean to me and stuff has made me be the opposite towards women. Like if every time I go, for example, in an elevator or something, if there's a woman in there, I find something about her to genuinely compliment her on.

[A]

That's nice. You. You verbally will say something every single time because.

[B]

And they get the biggest. Oh, yeah.

[A]

I mean, good God, imagine being a lady and Donna Dunn comes in and says that shit to you also. Like, that's a double fucking plus.

[B]

Because the thing is, women don't complement each other. They're in too much competition in their mind, in my opinion.

[A]

And I tell my daughter this all the time.

[B]

I don't get complimented by women.

[A]

You don't?

[B]

No. So I compliment them. I find something. I love you happy.

[A]

Do they respond back with a compliment?

[B]

Oh, yes. No, not with a compliment, but they, they get the biggest smile on their face and they're like, oh my gosh, thank you so much. I got them at wherever my daughter.

[A]

And I saw this pregnant lady walking and my daughter goes, she's really pretty. And she was big. And I said, she is really pretty. I said, let's tell her. And we're driving, we roll up and she's walking down the Sidewalk. My daughter's ducking down. I go, trust me on this one. At least this one your dad knows. I go, hey, my daughter and I just want to tell you that you look really pretty today. And she was on the phone.

[B]

She goes, oh, my God, thank you so much.

[A]

I told you. She's like. And I said, that lady was pregnant. She probably wasn't feeling her most attractive. She's basically at that point where she's.

[B]

In the house down the sidewalk.

[A]

You know what I mean? And I was like, we're gonna tell this lady she looks beautiful.

[B]

Made her whole week.

[A]

She was stoked.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

She was stoked. Good for you for doing that. That's nice.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So you get in an elevator today, somewhere later, and you see a lady with something. You'll see.

[B]

Always, always compliment them on something genuinely. I don't just fake something. I find. I start looking at them and I find something that I can genuinely compliment them on.

[A]

Would you mind talking about your uncle who was someone you were close with when you were growing up? So is this mom's brother?

[B]

That was my mom's brother. Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. And tell me about him.

[B]

That was my uncle Randy. And he was just sort of. He was the. He would bring the light into the room the minute he walked in. He always was smiling, always jovial. He was great with us kids. He was always cooking us breakfast and always, like, cheering us up when we were down or stuff. He was just one of those really up, jovial people.

[A]

He lived nearby then?

[B]

Yeah, he was in Alabama. And he got involved with this woman who fell in love with her. She fell in love with him too, and he was head over heels for her. And she. She came from money. Her parents had a lot of money. Like, a lot. Especially for the south when nobody has any money. And my uncle had no money at all. And they were in love and they would vacation together and stuff, and he was just. You could tell he was just. Just so happy for the first time in his life. And then her parents told her that if she didn't break it off with him, they were going to write her out of the will, Something to that effect.

[A]

Oh.

[B]

So she broke it off with him and she chose the money over him. And he. He killed himself.

[A]

He did?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

How did he do that?

[B]

He. He hung himself with a garden hose. Oh.

[A]

How old were you?

[B]

I was. I think I was 17.

[A]

Oh, you weren't. You weren't a little kid at all then.

[B]

Yeah, sometimes.

[A]

Do you remember this day?

[B]

I do.

[A]

Who's tell who called you or told my mom.

[B]

Told. Told us.

[A]

Were you just shocked? Blown away.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Like, this is a man I'm sitting here listening to was full of life and love. And then that really got him, huh?

[B]

Yeah. Yeah. And I was just. It was so surreal. I couldn't even believe that it was true that he would do something like that. And so in my mind, it was an accident. And I drummed up this thing in my head that he was just doing that to try to get her to attention or something and that it accidentally went all the way and he actually did it. So in my mind, he didn't at the time.

[A]

It wasn't intentional.

[B]

It wasn't intentional, but it was. Yeah.

[A]

Take your sip. Was that the first big, like, death in your life at that point?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

That's a pretty ugly one.

[B]

Yeah, it was really hard. It was hard. But my memories of him are just so, you know, happy.

[A]

I see it on your face when you were talking about him coming over.

[B]

Really great.

[A]

It's also nice that he was close by and you got that time with him, too. And not an uncle that lived out of state that you see like, once.

[B]

Oh, he loved us kids. He loved us kids. He liked spending time with us more than adults. He was like a big kid, kind of.

[A]

So does your family ever see that lady or their family around at all?

[B]

No.

[A]

Never?

[B]

No.

[A]

After that small place like that, you don't cross paths at all?

[B]

No.

[A]

You don't. You don't run into her at the Blue Light Special at the Kmart?

[B]

No, at the pga.

[A]

It's got the last one.

[B]

So. Yeah, so, yeah, that was hard. That was hard on my mom, too.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah, I'll bet that's. Was that her only brother?

[B]

No. She had other brothers. She did, yeah. Yeah, she had two other brothers, but he was. He was special. Yeah.

[A]

I'm sorry.

[B]

Yeah. I mean, it was a long time.

[A]

Ago now, but still, I can see how you remember him.

[B]

Yeah. I mean, and it was just. And just her choosing money over him really made an impact on me, too, because.

[A]

Tell me about that.

[B]

Money changes people, you know, when they get a lot of money, they just tend to change. And I've seen it so much. I almost feel like when we were. I'm not going to say poor, but when we were struggling, I feel like we were happier than a lot of my rich, my rich schoolmates, families who were always arguing and stuff. And. I don't know, I think that money can, like, a lot of money can. Can change. Can change people, you know, and and especially when with what happened to my uncle with her choosing the money over him was just, it was devastating for him to think that somebody would choose money over love.

[A]

Yeah. Did, did they show up at the funeral or anything like that? Do you remember?

[B]

I don't remember. I doubt it.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah, I doubt it.

[A]

So then let me ask you, if you don't mind and you start getting a little money come your way.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

How do you deal with it? Because when I was talking to you before we recorded you, you said you ended up being a stay at home mom.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You dropped your career.

[B]

I did. I put it to the side. Yeah.

[A]

So tell. Just getting a little bit of money first and how like you stay, you know, mentally strong with it, you don't go crazy because, you know, it wasn't.

[B]

It didn't take effort on my part because I, of the, the way that I was raised and the way I grew up in the south, it didn't affect me and still doesn't.

[A]

And do you think because of what happened to your uncle Randy, like that's a big part of it for you?

[B]

Probably, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, probably.

[A]

So you were comfortable walking or. Well, let me watch my words. Ryan Sickler, were you comfortable walking away from your career to be a stay at home mom?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

You were?

[B]

Yeah. Because I didn't want to make the mistake that I shouldn't say it that way. A lot of people choose to have nannies and live in nannies and stuff and that works for them and that's fine. But for me it's not something that I would have considered because I felt like the parent needs to be the one raising the kid, not someone that's hired.

[A]

I like that.

[B]

And that's just my way. I'm not like.

[A]

But there's also a lot of people out there who the choice of the nanny is just because they can't afford it, not because they think a parent or someone should do that. It's because it's a financial thing. So for you, even though you did have the finances, you still were like, no, I'm going to raise these kids. And at one time when you're a stay at home mom, how many kids you have under one roof? Or at least how many?

[B]

Five.

[A]

Five?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

That's two more than your mom.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Are you, are your parents still with us? Mom?

[B]

My mom's not.

[A]

I'm sorry.

[B]

Yeah. My dad is. My dad's.

[A]

How long ago did mom pass?

[B]

It's been. Yeah.

[A]

Let me just ask you this then. I'm sorry. Was she. Would. Was she around? Were you able to have her as a resource for a little while when you were a. Oh, yeah. Okay, good.

[B]

Yeah, she was great.

[A]

And you would call her and talk to her all the time, like, how the hell did you do this?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. When's that hit you? What age does it hit you when you're like, mom, how the fuck did.

[B]

You do this all the time? I mean, I was always asking her how to cook. She was a great cook.

[A]

She was.

[B]

And stuff. And she. She would give me advice on the kids and stuff, too. And she would laugh sometimes when I would. When they would be doing something, you know, that was getting on my nerves, and she'd be like, well, it seems like there's a little payback because you did the same thing, you know? So.

[A]

Do you want to be a grandmom?

[B]

I would love to be a grandma.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. I would love to.

[A]

I always thought I wouldn't want my daughter to have kids early, but now I'm 52 and I'm like, I want to be a grandma. I'll help you take care of that.

[B]

Yeah. You know what I mean?

[A]

I'll help you out.

[B]

There's nothing like the smell of a baby, you know, and the laugh of a young child.

[A]

How old is your youngest now in your life?

[B]

24.

[A]

Everyone's adults 24.

[B]

24. 32.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Do you miss it? Did you like being. Tell me about it.

[B]

I mean, I went to all of the PT parent teacher conferences and all of the school plays, and I took them to the dentist and to the doctor and the orthodontist, and, you know, I'm the one that helped with homework every night. And.

[A]

And you liked it?

[B]

I loved it. You loved it? I loved it.

[A]

Like, being a mom. You're a caretaker.

[B]

Yeah, I loved it.

[A]

And you had no. Well, tell me about the shift. Like, how do you go from.

[B]

It was hard.

[A]

Everything.

[B]

Yeah, it was hard.

[A]

You know, the auditions, the this to that to just now. I need to set my. I have a schedule. And you got five kids. That's five different schedules, as I'm well aware of.

[B]

Right.

[A]

This one's got to be at the school this time. This one gets picked up here. This one's doing this jiu jitsu, karate.

[B]

Well, I hired. I got what they call a mommy's helper.

[A]

Okay. What's that?

[B]

Which is. It's not a live in nanny, and it's not really a nanny, but it's somebody who would come during the day to help with some of the picking up and dropping off.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Because there were a bunch of different schools and stuff. So that. And like, you know, so that I could help them with homework. They might do something else, I don't know, help clean up or something. So I had a little bit of help like that.

[A]

What were your favorite things about being a single. A stay at home mom? Excuse me?

[B]

I loved doing the homework with them and, you know, getting them prepared for.

[A]

Yeah, I already told my daughter, you got to go to your mom for math.

[B]

I'm a math. I love math. Yeah. So I would like getting them prepared for. For tests, you know, quizzing them and stuff on the material and all of that stuff. And then I. I loved all the little things like going. Taking them to the dentist and taking him to the doctor and going to their. Their little school performances and stuff. I loved that stuff. And helping them with science projects, you know, I loved that. I just loved it. Yeah.

[A]

And you go to the, like, talent shows and all that stuff.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. You know, packing their lunches and kids play sports a little bit like karate and stuff, but not much.

[A]

Not much organized.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Musicians in the family?

[B]

Not really.

[A]

No.

[B]

No. My son is now. He's a. He's a film composer. Oh, he's doing really well.

[A]

That's bad. Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. Okay. He's big time. He does a lot of big films and stuff.

[A]

So now what happens then? Talk to me about the shift of now once everyone's out of the house. Now you got a whole nother chapter. Well, Donna. And how do you shift into.

[B]

Yeah, now it's, you know, I'm single by choice. I don't date.

[A]

You don't date at all?

[B]

No.

[A]

You're not on the celebrity app.

[B]

I am on Raya, but it's more of just like, let's see who's out there, you know, and not because I never click on anybody. I just look. Cause it's entertainment for me for a few minutes. But no, I don't date. I don't date at all. And I have very few friends, really, in this town because this town is. Because it's hard to make friends in this town that are genuine friends. So I have a few that I know are real friends, but I keep to myself a lot. There's a lot of trust issues with me because there have been people who would be around me and stuff and act like my friend that really weren't my friend and I would find out later. So I. I keep to myself a lot, you know, and me and my dog, my Rescue dog. And I, you know, plant vegetables and stuff, and I write. Yeah, you do, right? Yeah. I just wrote a film script, and we're getting that made and I'm gonna direct.

[A]

You are?

[B]

Yeah. All right. Do you.

[A]

Are you allowed to say what it is?

[B]

No.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Not yet. But soon, okay? Soon. When I can.

[A]

I'll come back on the way back and promote it.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Well, I mean, that. Donna said you would. She said you're coming.

[B]

And I worked on this AI thing. So, I mean, I work on stuff on my own, and people ask me, you know, aren't you lonely? I don't know that I would term it as saying, I'm lonely. I'm alone, but I don't feel lonely.

[A]

You're right. There's a big difference in being alone and lonely. You could be surrounded by 100 people and still feel lonely.

[B]

That's right. That's right. And sometimes I do feel a little lonely sometimes, I'm not gonna lie. But for the most part, I, I, I'm just alone and I enjoy my own company, and I'm just kind of used to it, I think. So.

[A]

Do you have any childhood friends close with any girls or guys from.

[B]

From back when they were school. They were teasing.

[A]

There wasn't one or two in there that were like homies that had your back?

[B]

Not really, no. No.

[A]

So you're pretty much a loner then?

[B]

Even I was a loner, yeah. When I was growing up, my friends were the animals that lived, like, the reptiles and amphibians and stuff that lived in the woods right across the street from where I grew up. There was a lake there, and I would go down there after school every day, and I would hang out with turtles and snakes and frogs and, you know, things like that. And they were my friends. I talked to them about what happened in school that day and, you know, sounds a little awkward and weird, but that was. I enjoyed it.

[A]

Oh, they're not bullying you.

[B]

Yeah. They never made fun of me.

[A]

Yeah, they didn't care about that bra.

[B]

No, they didn't care about that bra.

[A]

They didn't care about that bra.

[B]

Man. You know, I wish I had that bra today. I really do. I wish I had that bra. Honestly, now that my mom's gone, I wish to God I had that.

[A]

Isn't this, Isn't that funny? Like, your mom's gone. Something that you hated.

[B]

I did hate it.

[A]

That would fucking.

[B]

Oh, my gosh. I was mortified. You're like, now you wish I wish I had.

[A]

Wish you had. What did you do with it, do you know?

[B]

Oh, I'm sure it just got thrown away.

[A]

You didn't have a ceremony.

[B]

I don't know. I wish I had a lot of the stuff she made for me, but I wish I had that bra because I know she, she felt bad that that's all she could afford. And she really worked on it all night on her sewing machine to try to take it in and make it smaller and stuff and. Oh, well, I would give anything to have that.

[A]

How would you say you're similar to your mom? As a mom? As a mom?

[B]

Oh, as a mom.

[A]

Not just as a person. How are you like your mom?

[B]

I think extremely hands on and protective. Maybe overprotective, a little bit fiercely, you know, I fiercely defend my kids and I, I don't have a temper, except when it comes to them, Somebody mistreating them. I, I.

[A]

You hit a new gear.

[B]

Oh, my gosh. Yeah. I'm unrecognizable. I mean, and it's quick, like it's instant. I step in and I'm on fire. So in that way, I think I'm like her because she was like that too. She was very soft spoken and very sweet and just gentle and soft. But she would, she would fly into action if, if somebody messed with her kids.

[A]

But also sounds like a really strong lady. She was, you know, not just protective, but she's raising three kids. Her husband's off in the military.

[B]

Yep. And she was growing vegetables back there. And this was back in.

[A]

You don't have to say it. A year.

[B]

I didn't say I was gonna date me.

[A]

People do the math.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But either way, this is a lady by herself. There's no fucking Internet and shit. You know what I mean? She's just figuring it out herself with these three kids.

[B]

Yeah. And she, she had this big vegetable garden in the backyard. She'd bring us out there and teach us about vegetables and have us help her harvest them and stuff. And we ate. That was a lot of our food we ate was what she grew up.

[A]

Oh, yeah?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

That's cool. What are you growing in your garden?

[B]

Squash, green beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, scallions, onions, and something I'm forgetting.

[A]

Damn.

[B]

Another one? Yeah.

[A]

Can I ask you this? And you don't have to answer.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Your parents were together their, their entire lives?

[B]

They were together for 30, I don't know, like 35 years or so.

[A]

And then they split.

[B]

They did.

[A]

Why? What made them split after 35 years? Because you, you guys are all gone at that point.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Way.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Right.

[B]

Yeah. I don't know. I. You know, just reasons.

[A]

Yeah. Okay. So then your mom. Because I was gonna ask. I incorrectly assumed that they were together the entire time, but. So your mom did go through a separation.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So I didn't think she did. So I was gonna ask you if she was. You leaned on her through any of your times?

[B]

I did.

[A]

Now, you actually. She went through what. Who. Who can. Who got separated first, mom or you?

[B]

Oh, she did, she did, yeah.

[A]

And was she a good, you know, resource for everything?

[B]

Oh, yeah. Always. Always. She was really. She's like, I am now. Where she just was very, you know, fiercely defensive on behalf of her kids. You know, she would defend them and always took our side on everything and.

[A]

And she was a good grandmom and.

[B]

Yeah. Great.

[A]

Did she stay in Alabama?

[B]

She did.

[A]

She did, yeah. Would you go back to visit her?

[B]

Yeah. A lot. Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

And what about your dad? Is he a good grandfather?

[B]

He's amazing.

[A]

Does he like being a grandpa?

[B]

Oh, he loves it. He does, yeah. He's a great dad. He's really great. He was in the Vietnam War. He served two tours of duty over there. He was a war hero. Army.

[A]

Army. He's a war hero. Your dad.

[B]

War hero.

[A]

Really?

[B]

And he saved a lot of people's lives when he was over there. And he, you know, he used to want to talk to us about his time over there, but we weren't interested as kids. I don't care about Vietnam and what you ate there and stuff or where you were. He'd take out this map and he'd try to show us where. We'd be like, can I go outside and play? Now I'm really interested. And so every time I'm with him.

[A]

Oh, he's. He's trying to sound ignorant, but he's still with it enough.

[B]

100. He's like, you and me, there's absolutely no slowing down.

[A]

That's cool. So now he's. Oh, he's probably stoked as. Yeah, he's like, dusting his maps off and rolling them out and he's got.

[B]

All his, like, medals and stuff.

[A]

Nice to give him, too. That's nice to give him in his latter years. Yeah.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So he, like, when you show up as you already have shit waiting, like, let me show you this one.

[B]

Kinda. Yeah, kinda like he had all of his medals and his purple Heart and all those things, like, in a drawer somewhere. And I'm like, no, dad, no. We're displaying these. I know that. I looked up this place there's this amazing place that makes these amazing shadow boxes for military with all of their medals and stuff and their dog tags, and it's expensive, and it takes a long time, but they did it, and they did this beautiful job. And I had it put in his house. I said, dad, this is something to show off. Don't put them in a drawer. This is. You know, you did a lot to earn those medals. So he's proud of it. So it's over there now.

[A]

That's nice.

[B]

Yeah. And he talks about it.

[A]

Do you think, or do you know if your dad has any mementos from your mom that when he passes, you'll get. Is there anything. You know what I mean?

[B]

He really misses my mom. Yeah. He cries about her every day.

[A]

He does?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Every day.

[B]

Yeah, every day.

[A]

He was in love. That's sweet.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah, every day.

[A]

Do you talk to him every day?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You guys talk.

[B]

I hope my daughter talk to me every day. Yeah, she will. She will. But. Yeah. Yeah, we talk every day. And whenever her name comes up, he has to get off the phone because he starts to cry. But we're all kind of like that when we talk about her.

[A]

Can I ask you. You go from being bullied about your boobs and your stammer and everything into, you know, Donna, the era.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Gorgeous model, all of it. Baywatch. Do mom and dad support this? Are they worried about this? Like, this is your career choice? Like, you going into entertainment?

[B]

So proud.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I don't just mean the modeling and stuff. I just mean entertainment. There's no guarantee of anything.

[B]

No, they're very proud.

[A]

They're not saying, go to school, do this, go to college. They're supportive all the way.

[B]

Yeah, all the way. I mean, when I. When I. When I first got discovered for. For Playboy, I was in an Albertsons grocery store.

[A]

Where?

[B]

In Las Vegas. And you're not.

[A]

You're just. That's how you got this. You're just in Albertsons.

[B]

I'm in Albertsons shopping late at night because I liked to be in there when no other shoppers were there, because I don't mix well with other people. So I'm shopping. This is when they're, like, stocking late at night. And so I'm in there, and there's no one else in there other than the stock guys that are stocking the shelves. And there's this woman in there, and. And she's following me around Albertsons. And I can tell she's following. She's not shopping. Her cart's empty. And so I'm like, okay, either she's a secret shopper and she thinks I'm shoplifting because I had that look like I don't have much money, or she is lesbian and she's checking me out.

[A]

There cannot be two choices. Anything else?

[B]

So I'm like, like, I'm shopping. I'm shopping. She's like, Keeps, like, going down the same aisles as me. And eventually now she starts coming towards me, and I'm like, okay, here we go. She's going to accuse me of shoplifting, or she's going to ask me out or something. I don't know. So she comes up to me and she goes, excuse me. I was. I've been watching you. And I'm like, here we go. You know? And she said, have you ever thought of posing for Playboy magazine? And I was like, yeah.

[A]

Are you just, like, floored?

[B]

What? I said, no, I don't look good enough for Playboy. And she's like, no, you. You. You do. I'm like, I don't think so. Those girls are flawless and beautiful. And now. Are you serious? And she gave me her card. She was a Playboy Playmate talent scout who knew those existed? And she said her whole job was.

[A]

To walk around and find ladies to.

[B]

Or maybe it was a side gig, I don't know. And she said, think about it, because I really think that you, you know, you could. Could get in as a centerfold. I'm like, okay, give me your card. Come on. So I'm like, I called her, I don't know, a few days later. And I'm like, listen, were you just yanking my chain? Because I know I don't look beautiful like that like those girls. And she said, well, yeah. No, I am serious. And all you would need to do is come in, let me do some test shots, send them to Chicago, and we'd see if they'd pick you. And I'm like, well, I'm sure that thousands and thousands of people send in their photos to become a centerfold, and they only pick one for each month. And she said, yes, that's correct. But I feel like it's worth a shot. And I'm like, well, what's the deal? And she said, well, you get $20,000.

[A]

And I was like, just for the shot?

[B]

That's a lot of money to me. At the time. I was. I might as well have been immediately.

[A]

That you're going to be in the magazine or anything.

[B]

20 grand for the show if you get. No, if you get centerful. So I was like, oh, my gosh. Well, that's a fortune for me. I mean, I could really use that kind of money.

[A]

Had you modeled before at all? No. Your first foray into all of this is Albertsons and a lady going, hey, you could be a. Are you fucking kidding me?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You never modeled or anything?

[B]

I'm short. I'm a little short person.

[A]

You're tiny, but still.

[B]

Yeah, I'm short. I'm in big heels and I'm still short, so. So. And plus, I never had those looks. I don't have model looks, so. So I said, okay, well, if I get chosen, I get $20,000, and I just do like the centerfold shot. And she's like, yes, but you also do the Playmate video. And I'm like, oh, never mind, I'm out. I don't do porn. I, I, you know, and, and she's like, no, no, no, no, it's not a porn video. I'm like, if it's Playboy and you're. I'm in a video. I, I'm not stupid here. It's. You're talking about porn. She's like, no, it's not porn. Come over, I'll show you a few Playmate videos. It's just them running through flowers and taking their clothes off or something.

[A]

I used to see them in the back of Sam Goody and shit like that. You remember Sam Goody, the record store stuff? They would have. Have VHS in the back and it would be the Playmate girls will be back there.

[B]

So I went, I looked at one, I said, oh, what are you throwing.

[A]

Like a bunch of water on you bathing suit?

[B]

Sometimes it's just you. There's no guy interaction with somebody. So I said, okay, so wait, I.

[A]

Don'T mean to interrupt. Can I ask you this? Cause I'm curious about your parents too.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

In your mind, print isn't porn, but video would be.

[B]

I guess I was just thinking that a nude video meant that they were insinuating I needed to make a porn.

[A]

Oh, that there was gonna be a man involved. I see.

[B]

I see. I never really equated Playboy with being porn. Porn to me involved, you know, intercourse and stuff. In my mind. I know that maybe that's not technically what the definition of it is, but that's what I meant was doing porn. So I went, I did the test shots, she sent them in, and they came back and they said, we need to see a copy of her birth certificate because we don't think that she's old enough to do the magazine. She doesn't look old enough. 18.

[A]

Only 18? You didn't look 18 and you're how old?

[B]

At the time I was 20. I don't know, 27? 20?

[A]

Oh, man.

[B]

Yeah, something like that.

[A]

22?

[B]

Yeah, something like that. So I got the copy. I had to call my mom and make up a reason of why I needed my birth certificate. And she sent it to me. Not yet. Okay.

[A]

Okay. Okay.

[B]

So then they sent that in and. And I got chosen. I got chosen. I'm like, are you kidding me?

[A]

How long between Albertsons and chosen? Couple months.

[B]

Couple months.

[A]

That's fucking crazy.

[B]

I know. And I'm like, you know how crazy that is? I've got that money spent in my head already. $20,000. I'm like, that at that point in my life was a damn fortune. Yeah, I mean, $20,000 is a lot of money.

[A]

I don't care what time of year it is. $20,000 right now is a lot of money. That's a lot of money.

[B]

A lot of money. That's like life changing money for me at that time.

[A]

So you have to do the video as well?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And are there other obligations you have to do appearances or anything like that?

[B]

Yeah, but the first thing I had to do was tell my parents, and that was hard.

[A]

Who do you tell first?

[B]

I told my mom first and she was really excited for me and I was crying when I told her because I was really thinking that they were going to be disappointed in me and like, never talk to me again or something. So she was like, she was really excited. And I said, I don't know how to tell Dad. I don't know what he's gonna say. And she said, I think you'll probably be okay with it. And I'm like, you just tell him. Can you do it? So she told him. I guess. And then he called me and he said that he thought it was great. He thought it was a great idea. He said, yeah, I fully support. If this is something you want to do, then I think it's great. And I was like, oh, my gosh, thank God that they are okay with it. Because if they weren't, I probably wouldn't have done it.

[A]

You really don't think you would?

[B]

No.

[A]

What do you do? What does Donna Dierico do if dad, mom say we don't approve?

[B]

I would have just said, I'm sorry, I can't do it.

[A]

What's your career? What does life look like? What do you think you do? What did you.

[B]

Accounting. I was good at math. Yeah. I would have been an accountant.

[A]

Yeah, you learned that from your mom, too, when she said she would do payroll. No. What'd you say your mom did? No, no, legal. She was a parole.

[B]

Yeah, she was a paralegal. Yeah, my dad was. Is a math genius.

[A]

Oh, he is.

[B]

Yeah. So. So, yeah, so then I, you know, I went and I stayed at the. At the Mansion. How much time do we have left? I have a story to tell you.

[A]

Let's hear it.

[B]

When I stayed at the Mansion to. To shoot my video and my.

[A]

So real quick, that's what they do. They fly you out, and then you. You don't get to stay at a hotel. You have to stay at the hotel.

[B]

You stay at the Mansion in the guest house. And there were three other.

[A]

Which one's the guest house? I've been to the Mansion twice. I've been to the Mansion twice. Is that the one with the. Is it out front with the plush, plush floor and all the games and stuff in it? And then there's a.

[B]

There were no games in it. Okay. That's. No. This was like a small guest house. It had a living room, a bathroom, and two bedrooms. And then when I was there, there were three other Playmates shooting their stuff at the same time there. And two of us were in one bedroom and two were in the other bedroom.

[A]

Oh, you had to share a room.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

That seems kind of tight. A little financially tight for. For a Manchur.

[B]

I know. But it was also kind of nice because you had, you know, new people you were meeting. Now they're going through the same thing, and they're nervous, too. So then, you know, they can only. They didn't shoot each of us at the same time down the same day and stuff all the time because we were. We had our own shoots with our own sets and stuff. But there happened to be a time when all three of them were off shooting, and I was alone there and I was bored. You know, this was before cell phones and before computers and before the Internet.

[A]

What year is this?

[B]

This was 95.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And so I went out in the living room, and it was kind of. It was like being in your grandpa's house. It was a little musty, you know, a little old feeling. Dated. And there was this big sideboard there with these giant drawers on the bottom. And so, you know, I'm nosy when I go to people's houses. I'll see what's in their medicine cabinet and stuff. I think we all do that. I'm a little Snoopy.

[A]

We all don't.

[B]

I'm a little Snoopy. A little bit Snoopy. So I. I pulled open a drawer, and I'm like, it's a bunch of Life magazines in. In plastic sleeves, like, tons. This was a very deep, big drawer. And I'm like, okay, that's boring. I opened the next one. More Life magazines. I opened the next one, and I'm noticing they're all, like, in chronological order, meticulously OCD perfect.

[A]

Each one in a sleeve edition.

[B]

Yeah. So I'm like. I'm. I'm thinking, you know, I bet one of those Life magazines is worth something. And I needed money. So I said, how would they miss one of these hundreds of Life magazines? So I opened a drawer, I slid one out from underneath, and I put it in my. My suitcase. I closed the drawer, and my intention was to sell it. And fast forward. I get Baywatch. I get Baywatch Nights. I get Baywatch. I'm doing films now and stuff.

[A]

How quickly are you doing that? After the centerfold drops.

[B]

One. Let's see. It was like three months later. I got Baywatch Nights. Yeah. I was rolling. I was on fire. So. So then I'm at. After. I'm now a name, and I'm now, you know, a TV star or whatever. I went back to the mansion for one of the parties, and Hef would always get out on the dance floor, and he'd kind of dance with us, you know, with whoever was standing there. And he was, like, dancing with me and stuff. And then the song was coming to an end. It was a fast dance, you know, And I said, half. I need to tell you something. And he said, okay, yeah, what's up, Donna? And I told him what I did. I said, I stole from you. I stole that magazine from you when I was staying in your guest house. And I said. And I was crying. I was like, I still feel bad to this day. I'm gonna cry now. I said, all you've done for me, and I stole from you, and I'm so sorry. I said, I never sold it. I still have it, and I want to return it to you. And he said, donna, I saw you take that.

[A]

I said, was it a camera?

[B]

He said, there were cameras in there. I saw you take it. I figured you needed the money. Keep it. I'm like, oh, my gosh. You have no idea how tormented I've been by the fact that I stole from you all those years.

[A]

That's great.

[B]

And he said, no, I knew you took.

[A]

Did you ever get it valued. Do you know?

[B]

No.

[A]

You still have it?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So you do what? What? You didn't look to see what it's.

[B]

Like storage for a while. I don't know.

[A]

It's smart not to take number one off or the last one. Last one. Probably valuable too.

[B]

So. Yeah. So that's my story of stealing from Hef.

[A]

This has been great. Thank you so much for coming on here and doing this. I really enjoyed having you on. Before we wrap up, two things I'm going to ask you advice you'd give to 16 year old Donna D'. Erico. What would you tell her?

[B]

Oh my gosh. I would say to hold your head up high and be proud of who you are. And. And you have nothing to be self conscious about because you're great.

[A]

That's awesome. I love your attitude because you could easily be like you just wait. You'll show those bitches. But you're not. Thank you again so much. Please, right there. Promote everything you'd like.

[B]

Call donad.com. it's my AI companion. That's exactly like me. Just go to calldonad.com and and give me a call.

[A]

Thank you so much.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

Go call her, guys. And as always, Ryan Sickler on all your social media. We'll talk to y' all next week. Sam.