Episode 1652 - Cristin Milioti - WTF with Marc Maron Podcast

Summary3 min read

WTF with Marc Maron Podcast: Episode 1652 - Cristin Milioti

Release Date: June 16, 2025
Host: Marc Maron
Guest: Cristin Milioti

1. Introduction and Guest Background

Marc Maron kicks off the episode by expressing his gratitude towards individuals who protested against rising authoritarianism, highlighting the current socio-political climate. He introduces his guest, Cristin Milioti, an acclaimed actress known for her roles in "The Sopranos," "The Wolf of Wall Street," "Palm Springs," "How I Met Your Mother," and "Made for Love." Marc praises Cristin's versatility and the depth she brings to her characters, particularly emphasizing her award-winning performance in "The Penguin."

Notable Quote:

"Cristin was like, holy fuck, force of nature."
— Marc Maron [03:36]

2. The Philosophy of WTF Podcast

Cristin shares her interpretation of the WTF podcast's philosophy, emphasizing themes of perseverance, vulnerability, and personal growth. She articulates how the podcast serves as a mirror for listeners, reflecting the universal struggles of failure, apologies, and the quest for a fulfilling life.

Notable Quote:

"If WTF had its own philosophy of life, it would go more or less like this... but you know what you should do after? Fucking apologize."
— Kristin Milioti [03:36]

3. Personal Reflections on Authoritarianism and Society

Marc delves into his recent experiences in New York, mourning the rise of authoritarianism and praising the resilience of citizens opposing fascist tendencies. This segment sets a somber and introspective tone, reflecting Marc's deep concern for societal changes.

Notable Quote:

"It's a fucking nightmare. An authoritarian clusterfuck."
— Marc Maron [02:30]

4. Cristin Milioti’s Acting Career and Experiences

Cristin recounts her journey in the acting world, highlighting pivotal roles and challenges. She discusses her time on "The Penguin," describing it as a departure from her usual projects but one that showcased her immense talent. The conversation touches upon the emotional toll of acting, particularly in roles that require deep personal investment and vulnerability.

Notable Quote:

"The work is really how I process everything. This conversation... has been about processing it through my work."
— Kristin Milioti [07:00]

5. The Importance of Theater and Community

Both Marc and Cristin emphasize the vital role of theater and performing arts in fostering community and personal growth. They discuss how live performances create a unique bond between performers and audiences, serving as a refuge and a means of expression. Cristin shares her traumatic experiences with bullying and how theater became her sanctuary, illustrating the transformative power of the arts.

Notable Quote:

"I feel like the space that I'm going to be afforded... is an opportunity to start putting stuff together that doesn't rely entirely on my immediate reaction to whatever is happening right now in my life."
— Kristin Milioti [07:45]

6. Reflections on Specific Projects and Roles

The discussion transitions to specific projects, including Cristin's roles in "The Sopranos" and "The Wolf of Wall Street." They delve into the complexities of portraying multifaceted characters and the intersection of personal experiences with professional roles. Marc shares his admiration for Cristin's ability to bring authenticity and depth to her performances.

Notable Quote:

"There's a lot going on inside any of us."
— Kristin Milioti [59:40]

7. The Challenges of the Acting Industry

Cristin opens up about the uncertainties of the acting industry, including the impact of corporate decisions on creative works. She expresses frustration over projects like "Made for Love," which were removed from platforms despite the hard work invested. The conversation highlights the precarious nature of creative professions and the emotional resilience required to navigate them.

Notable Quote:

"It's such a bummer to think that... years of hard work can just be erased."
— Kristin Milioti [75:58]

8. Closing Thoughts and Future Endeavors

As the episode nears its end, Cristin discusses her ongoing and upcoming projects, expressing eagerness to continue her journey in theater and film. Marc reflects on the enduring bond between him and Cristin, appreciating her as a consistent and talented collaborator.

Notable Quote:

"And you work all the time."
— Marc Maron [72:49]

Conclusion

This episode of WTF with Marc Maron offers a profound exploration of Cristin Milioti's career, personal struggles, and the broader implications of societal changes on the arts. Through candid dialogue, both Marc and Cristin provide listeners with insightful reflections on resilience, community, and the transformative power of storytelling.

Additional Information:

Listen to the full episode and access bonus content by subscribing to WTF+.

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Transcript963 lines

[00:02]
Marc Maron
Hey, folks. Today's episode is sponsored by Squarespace. And by now, you know the deal. Squarespace is the best way to showcase your stuff online. Your art, your podcast, your crafts, you. By helping you make a customizable website. Now, using Blueprint AI, build your whole website in just a few steps. Then choose whatever features you want to get the most out of your site. Just like we do with wtfpod.com check out squarespace.com wtf for a free trial. And then use the offer code WTF to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. That's squarespace.com WTF offer code, WTF. All right, let's do this. How are you? What the fuckers? What the fuck, buddies? What the fuck, Nicks? What's happening, Marc? I'm Marc Maron. This is my podcast, wtf. Welcome to it. If you're new here, have a seat. Or don't keep running. Whatever you got to do, whatever you're doing. What are you doing? What are you doing? What are you doing with your life? What is it? Hey. I was in New York for the last few days. I want to thank everybody who got out there in the streets and raged on behalf of the open heart. The open heart, the tolerant, the welcoming, the embracing, the democratic, the persons that see other people as people, and pushed back on this fascist shit show. What a fucking. Not just. It's not even the sad parade of tanks, but it's the force at which the cops and the secret police are operating out there in the streets against people that just want to live. That just want to live free lives. It's a fucking nightmare. An authoritarian clusterfuck. Secret police out there and their black cars. God damn it. Thank you. Thank you, all decent citizens of a once, you know, at least evolving democracy, pushing back on this very authoritarian new America. Thank you. I'm thanking you. I will do my part the best I can. Fuck fascism, right? Am I right? Kristin Milioti is here. I've seen her in a lot of stuff. The Sopranos, the Wolf of Wall Street, Palm Springs. She's also been on the shows How I Met yout Mother and Made for Love, which you can't even find anymore. She won the Critics Choice Award for Best actress in a limited series for her performance in the Penguin. And she's an astounding actress. She's great. I'd never fully noticed her before till I'm watching this fucking show, the Penguin, which is not really the kind of show I would watch, but I got locked in because I wanted to see what Colin Farrell was doing. Then Kristen was like, holy fuck, force of nature. How are you? So she's on the show today, which I find very exciting. It was great to meet her. Also, last week, I talked a bit about an article written by Diana Moskovitz for Defector called There Will Never Be Another WTF with Marc Maron. Now, look, I thought it was a great article, not just because it was about me, because it was well written and her personal experience with this show was moving. And Diana was gracious enough to do a recording of that piece for us. And we played it in full for full Marin subscribers on last Friday's bonus show. But here's a bit of it right now.
[03:37]
Kristin Milioti
If WTF had its own philosophy of life, it would go more or less like this. You will start out young and filled with righteous anger at how unfair the world is. You will try many things and you will probably fail at them. But that's okay. Everyone fails, and everyone is hiding shame. They believe nobody else will understand. Everyone gets at least a few bad breaks, and some more than a few. But if you hang in there, at some point, you will cease to fail. At some point, you will get a lucky break. At some point, you will look around and realize that while this might not be the life you envisioned, it's still a good life and one you can be proud of. You will fuck up. And you know what you should do after? Fucking apologize. And then at some point after that, you will get older and wiser and realize that your apprehension about Sir Ian McKellen was ridiculous.
[04:34]
Marc Maron
You can hear that full recording with a full Marin subscription. Just sign up for that by going to the link in the episode description and you can read the Full piece@Defector.com Couple other bits of business. Look, you know, as we head into the home stretch in the next few months, if you're not following me on Instagram, go ahead and do that. I am toying with the idea and leaning towards continuing doing the weekly updates that I mail out. I believe you can get on that mailing list somewhere@wtfpod.com but people seem to like those. People come up to me and go, are you still going to do the updates? Are you still going to do the dispatches? Sure, why not? Keeps me writing, keeps me engaged. But I was in New York and I had a good trip. I had a very nice trip. And I have to be honest with you, I love doing Jimmy Fallon show. All right? Being a panel guest was such an important part of my Life for so long. When I was coming up, I used to do Conan all the time, and I talked to him when I was in New York. He happened to be up at Sirius, and he was finishing up an interview with Bob Odenkirk, and he said, come on in. Let's knock one out. So I did. But, I mean, just being a guy on panel, like, you know, Richard Lewis or like Jay Leno on Letterman, I just. It was. It was a very important and very thrilling thing for me, and I. And I hardly do it anymore. So, look, I. And I'm not talking about being a guest on a podcast. There is a specific thing. I'm talking about being a guest on the Tonight Show. And look, I know it doesn't mean what it used to, and the media landscape is a scattered shit show, but the context is still what it is, okay? And you go out there, there's a way to do it. Some of it's riffing, some of it's, you know, stuff you prepared. But I'm telling you, man, Jimmy is a good host. I don't know what you think of him. I don't care, really. He's a great audience. He's excited. He doesn't. He likes when you throw him curve balls. And I was out there and we were going at it, and I was riffing a bit, and he's just a good audience of one, and his audience is good. He's. He's fully engaged in the thing, and it just makes it a fucking blast. So I enjoyed that. And you can watch that somewhere, the Fallon appearance. It's out there. And also I was there to screen the documentary. Are we good? And I do have to admit that it was screening on Saturday. That was the day of the protests. And so I was getting ready to go to a theater to watch a movie about me while all you good people who went out into the streets and raged against the machine of fascism with open hearts and tolerance and decency. I was in a room full of people watching a movie about me. And I know some of you are like, well, yeah, that adds up, Mark. But my heart was with you, and it's with you now. And I'll be out at the next one. I promise there will be a next one. But the screening of the documentary, it went very well. It was only the second time I'd seen it in front of an audience. And it was great. I mean, it was really great. It moved me because there's a lot of stuff with Lynn in there. There's a lot of Stuff that really got me squirting out a few tears and feeling the feels again. And when something goes well, it's funny to me, when something goes well, it means it got laughs in the funny places and it got feels in the feely places, and it just really played well. And I want to thank everyone who came out for that. It was a great night. And then after the. After the screening, Tracy Letts, who is my friend, moderated a conversation with me and Steve Finarts, the director. And that was also pretty fucking amazing. I mean, talking to Tracy in any situation is amazing for me. And to be honest with you, I didn't know where he was gonna go with the questions, but he had kind of a totally unique point of view about what the film was about. So the assumption, and it wouldn't be a wrong one, is that it's about processing grief. It is that me processing grief, which includes me trying to figure out how to do comedy about it, right? So Tracy, when he saw it that night, he thought the film was about work. About the work, about the work of an artist. Now, I rarely call myself that, and you guys know that, and I rarely. Rarely see myself that way, I guess. I know I am one, but it seems to be pretentious to call myself one. I've always felt that, you know, throughout my life, I'd rather just go with a comic. But looking at the film as a film about work was helpful to me in reframing my life a little bit, because I'm watching my life unfold in bits and pieces over the course of three years in this film. And my work is really how I process everything. This conversation right now, being part of that, whether it's on the podcast or it's on the stage, my life certainly up to this point, has been about processing it through my work. And the work is kind of my life to the point where I don't really live a full life. I mean, there are other reasons for that, but those are also what I process in the work. The other reasons. The reasons why I don't live a full life. And I just put it all out there, and I just kind of had this weird realization. It's like the reality of my life is a. Is sort of like a panicky farce. And the work that I do gives it definition, and it attempts to make it relatable as I work it out to make it real for me and for the audience and just to put it out there. Does that make sense? But all this sharing of it is a bit depleting. I gotta be honest with you, because the sharing of it is the work. And the work leaves me chronically exposed. And then I have to incorporate that into how I live. It starts eating itself and it stagnates the life I'm living. And I'm running out of time. People, what am I trying to say? The only choice I have after 61 years of being alive is to accept what I've called a life and try to live it differently. If that will bring me some peace, ease up on the panic, the compulsivity, the urgency, the anger, find some space and be who I am now and see where that takes me creatively. I have no idea how to create outside of myself. I am the center and project of the creation. And I just feel like the space that I'm going to be afforded, you know, if I don't fall into a pit of me is an opportunity to start putting stuff together that doesn't rely entirely on my immediate reaction to whatever is happening right now in my life. I do not know if I have the discipline to do other things. I don't have much patience and I don't always think in a fictional realm, but. But I think that's really some of where the next piece of me has to go creatively. Okay, let's bring it back down to Earth. I would say, honestly, on some level, one of the high points, if not the high point of the trip, was going to the Museum of Natural History in New York City with Kit. She'd never been there and I hadn't been there since I was a kid. So when we decided to go, I just, I couldn't. Like, I was like, we're going to see the blue whale. We're going to see the big blue whale. They have this giant life size model of a blue whale hanging from the ceiling and it's spectacular. I remember when I was a kid just waiting to walk into that room. Where's the room with the whale? It's a huge blue whale and we're going through all the dioramas and the, you know, Asian history, African history, you know, Indian history, you know, a little bit of Armenia in there, all the outfits. And then we're going through the animals of Africa, all this stuffed, sad, you know, taxidermed animals. But Kit kept saying, look, it was a different time and they were doing it for research. It was still a little sad. And just all the work, all the work that goes into categorizing and researching and studying and putting everything together, the whole world, its Peoples and its life forms, the years and years of exploration and excavation. It's just. It's all in this museum. And then I started to feel like this is all this work is exactly the kind of work that this fascist culture wants to shut down. That this. This revisionary fucking shit show wants to erase. All this stuff that was so important to define the world we live in and where we come from, and all the different kinds of people and animals is just the stuff that these entitled fucking morons want to disappear. Isn't that weird? I realize that there's an entitlement to stupidity. The entitlement of stupidity requires everyone just to be as stupid as you are, because if everyone isn't, then it's a threat to you. And that is the most fucking malignant type of entitlement there is. The entitlement of ignorance is a fucking human disaster because it requires that everybody shut the fuck up and be just as ignorant as the entitled ignorance. Look, entitlement is annoying on any level, but this aggressive, entitled ignorance and stupidity. Holy fuck. But anyways, I just had a great time at the museum. I mean, looking into that. I think they're called dioramas. The one, Noah Bombeck was affected by it as well. The squid. The giant squid attacking the sperm whale. Because it's all dark in there and it's just one little exhibit, but, man, it's haunting. And that vibe just shatters you when you're a kid. And I got in front of that thing and it was just as fucking terrifying. And it all came back to me. It was. It was great. And then the dinosaur bones. The dinosaur bones. Oh, my God, the big dinosaur bones. Kid's a dinosaur freak. And I'm. You know, you can't not just be. Holy shit. Holy fucking shit. The size of these things just wandering around. Giant fucking lizards and sharks and fish and turtles, all kinds of stuff, pterodactyls. But there's, like three huge halls of dinosaurs. And like, we were walking through one. I'm like, whoa. You know, that's big. That's cool. Holy shit. It's amazing that could fly. And I found myself, you know, just going to myself, like, fuck, where are the Triceratops? Where are the Triceratops? And we go through one big room, and it was. It was. It was awesome. But no Triceratops. Then we get to another room, there's giant other things, skeletons looking around. These are fucking scary and cool. Where's the Triceratops? And then finally, in the third room, boom, boom. Several triceratops heads and bodies, I guess, like. And, you know, I guess, honestly, I am and always have been a Triceratops guy. I don't know, you know, who you are or what your dinosaur was. I think I might have gone through a Stegosaurus period, but very little head. And I like those other ones, the lizards with the big fan on the back. Those are cool. Never been a T. Rex guy, but Pterodactyl a little bit. A little bit. But really, when it comes right down to it, set Triceratops. And then the one with the armor on it, the one that, you know, I guess was the great, great, great, great granddaddy of the Armadillos. But I'm a Triceratops guy. Now you know that about me. Now you know. All right, look, you guys, Kristen Milioti is here and she's great. The full series of the Penguin is streaming on Max. And go watch her other stuff, too. I mean, she's really a terrific actor. And this is me meeting her and talking to her.
[16:55]
Kristin Milioti
Folks.
[16:55]
Marc Maron
Here's the thing about travel. We want it to be easy. Like, for me, I'll try to fly out of Burbank whenever I can, as opposed to go to lax. I deal with one car rental company. The bottom line is, anything I can do to make my trip easier, I'll do. And if you're hosting your place on Airbnb while you're away, now, you can make that super easy for yourself as well. An Airbnb co host can take care of all the details for you. You get a high quality local co host to deal with your home and your guests so you can make some cash while you're away. And you don't have to worry about the listing or managing the reservations. The co host does all of that for you, for you. Then they're available for anything your guests might need while they stay there. So relax, enjoy your time away knowing that a co host is taking care of everything. Make hosting your home easy and make some cash while you're at it. Find a co host@airbnb.com host all right. You play?
[17:58]
Kristin Milioti
I don't play guitar, sadly, no. I wish I did. I've tried. I play piano, but I don't play guitar.
[18:04]
Marc Maron
Are you good at piano?
[18:05]
Kristin Milioti
I'm decent, but I'm. But actually, probably not anymore because I'm so out of practice. But there was a time in my life where I was decent.
[18:12]
Marc Maron
Does it come right back to you?
[18:14]
Kristin Milioti
No, because I don't. I can't read music.
[18:18]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[18:19]
Kristin Milioti
So it's Like, I really have to sit with it for a while, but then sometimes it. Sometimes it. It comes back. I had to, like, perform at a fundraiser a couple years ago, and I had to, like, play in front of a giant room of people, and I was so terrified. And I practiced for, like, two weeks, and it came back.
[18:39]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[18:39]
Kristin Milioti
And then I actually felt so. I was like, oh, I could live at a piano. I just. It took me a second.
[18:45]
Marc Maron
Doesn't it feel good to play and sing?
[18:48]
Kristin Milioti
It's the best feeling on earth.
[18:49]
Marc Maron
I know.
[18:49]
Kristin Milioti
It's my number one favorite thing.
[18:51]
Marc Maron
Isn't that weird that it wasn't necessarily what you pursued?
[18:55]
Kristin Milioti
I know. Well, in a way, like, a little bit. I mean, I was in this show for a long time. This is like when I think I was just about to go do it when we were at Sundance together.
[19:05]
Marc Maron
I'm so mad I didn't remember that.
[19:08]
Kristin Milioti
You shouldn't be mad. I was really. It was, like, such a whirlwind. It was like, totally.
[19:11]
Marc Maron
What did you play in Sweep Walk with me?
[19:12]
Kristin Milioti
His sister.
[19:14]
Marc Maron
Wow.
[19:15]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. Two people you've never seen look less related.
[19:19]
Marc Maron
That's not true. His sister kind of looks like you.
[19:22]
Kristin Milioti
Oh, really? Looks like.
[19:23]
Marc Maron
I'm sorry.
[19:24]
Kristin Milioti
And he's, like, blue.
[19:24]
Marc Maron
His sister is like that Gina. Like, I remember her. I remember her from back in the day, but, yeah, she definitely looks Italian.
[19:32]
Kristin Milioti
Wow.
[19:32]
Marc Maron
He does not.
[19:33]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah, he doesn't.
[19:34]
Marc Maron
So, okay, you played the sister, and we were in Sundance.
[19:36]
Kristin Milioti
Yes. And then right after that, I did this show for a year.
[19:42]
Marc Maron
Was that the one with the music guy?
[19:45]
Kristin Milioti
Yes.
[19:46]
Marc Maron
Was that great?
[19:47]
Kristin Milioti
It was great.
[19:47]
Marc Maron
Once.
[19:48]
Kristin Milioti
Once. Yeah.
[19:49]
Marc Maron
And you had to sing and do.
[19:50]
Kristin Milioti
Stuff every night and play piano.
[19:52]
Marc Maron
Wow.
[19:52]
Kristin Milioti
It was great.
[19:53]
Marc Maron
Yeah. I mean, I play guitar, and I don't. I never sought to do it professionally.
[19:57]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[19:58]
Marc Maron
So, like, what I usually say is that means my guitars aren't sort of vessels of broken dreams.
[20:03]
Kristin Milioti
Oh, my God.
[20:04]
Marc Maron
They're just. They're something I like doing.
[20:07]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. I actually. When I was practicing for that thing, I was just talking about that fundraiser or whatever, I was reminded when I had to play every day and sing and practice this song, I was like, oh, my God. This makes me 500 times of a better. A better person.
[20:22]
Marc Maron
Yeah. Oh, really?
[20:23]
Kristin Milioti
Like, why aren't I doing this every day?
[20:26]
Marc Maron
Because it opens you up, right?
[20:27]
Kristin Milioti
It opens you up.
[20:27]
Marc Maron
There's a weird vulnerability to music that, you know, I mean, it took me years to be confident, to sing in front of people.
[20:33]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[20:34]
Marc Maron
But just to do it, like, I can't do it without getting emotional. For the first few times that I did it. Yeah, I'd cry.
[20:40]
Kristin Milioti
Oh, my God. Because it is the most open you can be with someone.
[20:44]
Marc Maron
It's true, right?
[20:45]
Kristin Milioti
It is. And I feel that way about, like. I get really emotional with harmonizing. Cause I think it's like the most beautiful thing I know that can happen with someone else. I mean, there's many. You know what I mean? Like, in music. And like, it's just. Do you know that song, the Hammond song by the Roaches?
[21:03]
Marc Maron
Oh, I don't know. Maybe if you sing it, it's like.
[21:08]
Kristin Milioti
No, it's these sisters from New Jersey. And it's this incredible song. But it's like a really.
[21:13]
Marc Maron
I remember the Roaches.
[21:14]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. It's a really good, difficult, like, five part harmony. It's really dissonant. And a really good friend of mine, she did a concert at Joe's Pub a couple years ago. And five of us got up and sang it. And I thought I was gonna. Absolutely. I was so emotional and it was so beautiful. And even, like, when we were rehearsing it at my apartment, like, I just was. I just. My joy level was so markedly.
[21:39]
Marc Maron
Yeah, it's crazy because it is sort of a way of communicating and connecting without any pretense, really. And it just happened. Like, I can't even watch musicals. Cause I just cry for no reason.
[21:51]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah, I love musicals. And I think that, like, when they're good, there is nothing like. Do you know west side Story pretty decently? Like, you know, there's these two songs in that Something's Coming and Maria. Like, when he first falls in love with Maria. And he's like, singing those huge notes as he walks the streets at night. And I was like, oh, that's what it's like to fall in love. Like, you get cracked open.
[22:13]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[22:14]
Kristin Milioti
And it's so. And the way, like, the orchestra swells. I don't know, I just. Yeah. To sing with someone is so intimate.
[22:20]
Marc Maron
Yeah. It's crazy. I feel like I should do it more. But I try to avoid too much joy.
[22:27]
Kristin Milioti
Cool.
[22:29]
Marc Maron
I don't know why.
[22:30]
Kristin Milioti
Who needs it?
[22:31]
Marc Maron
Well, you kind of need it. But I feel like on stage, you know, the vulnerability and that feeling is sort of has a context. But just moving through life like that, it feels a little too open.
[22:45]
Kristin Milioti
Too open. Okay, gotcha. I like it, you know? Well, I. I do concerts from time to time in New York. And I do sometimes, like, I'm So.
[22:54]
Marc Maron
Like, what kind of concerts?
[22:56]
Kristin Milioti
I'll do like, covers of Stuff. And it'll just be me in a band and I'm on the piano. Yeah, I love doing it. I don't do it enough. Cause they're really hard to put together.
[23:05]
Marc Maron
What covers do you do?
[23:07]
Kristin Milioti
Oh, all my girls, like Fiona Apple.
[23:09]
Marc Maron
Oh, really?
[23:10]
Kristin Milioti
Fiona Apple. Phoebe Bridgers. I wouldn't touch Joani. I would be too afraid.
[23:15]
Marc Maron
It's a lot going on with Joanie.
[23:16]
Kristin Milioti
There's a lot going on with Joanie. And I would just be. I actually also probably wouldn't get through it.
[23:20]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[23:20]
Kristin Milioti
I don't think I would start to just fall apart, really. I think so.
[23:24]
Marc Maron
I had an experience where I was playing a very long Bob Dylan song before I really had that much confidence.
[23:29]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[23:30]
Marc Maron
And it's a horrible thing to be on stage without the confidence to get through.
[23:34]
Kristin Milioti
Oh yeah.
[23:34]
Marc Maron
Because part of you wants to shut down and just kind of like detach from what's happening. And it was like about two thirds of the way through the song and I was just sort of like, there's so much more of this song left.
[23:45]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. And then you're.
[23:46]
Marc Maron
I said that out loud.
[23:47]
Kristin Milioti
Oh my God. But then I love when I say, you know. Yeah. If I'm like watching someone perform, I really like. Cause I really. It feels. I like the intimacy also of like, of being there. It's so of that moment. And I really like appreciate when someone is like, whoa, I'm going through it up here.
[24:10]
Marc Maron
Yeah. It adds to it.
[24:11]
Kristin Milioti
I did a show at Largo once and I was so excited because I'm a huge fan of Apple fan.
[24:19]
Marc Maron
And I like John Cornet. The new Apple. The new Argo or the old one on Fairfax. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
[24:25]
Kristin Milioti
And this was like right before the pandemic. And I, you know, really like, am aware of its lore and. Because I'm not. I don't live in la. Like, it. It. I. I love her song Largo. And I like know the sound of that piano so well. And I did one of my concerts there and like 30 people showed up.
[24:41]
Marc Maron
Uh huh.
[24:44]
Kristin Milioti
I was like, oh my God. Oh God. And then like in real time, I just like kind of came unraveled. Like as I tried to do this.
[24:53]
Marc Maron
Show that honors Fiona.
[24:56]
Kristin Milioti
Sure. Well, like, I mean, yeah, you could.
[24:59]
Marc Maron
Do a whole career unraveled.
[25:00]
Kristin Milioti
It just unraveled. And like, was so. And then I made the decision in the moment. I was like, I'm gonna engage with this. I think a couple times at the piano I was like, I'm sorry, I'm really struggling up here. And Then. But it was like echoing through that giant stage.
[25:12]
Marc Maron
Yeah. Yeah.
[25:13]
Kristin Milioti
It was so humiliating. Yeah, it was. Or you know what? I don't wanna use the word humiliating. It was. It was humbling to be like, wow, no one showed up. And I opened. I like, ripped open my chest. And I thought it was gonna get them to my side. And it just alienated them further.
[25:28]
Marc Maron
Seriously?
[25:29]
Kristin Milioti
Yes.
[25:30]
Marc Maron
Are you sure about that? It's hard to read 30 in a big room.
[25:33]
Kristin Milioti
It's hard to read 30 in a big room.
[25:34]
Marc Maron
Cause they're already like, wow, we're the only ones here.
[25:37]
Kristin Milioti
I know. And everyone was like, it's raining. That's why. And I was like, these suckers.
[25:41]
Marc Maron
The excuses for why a show's not. Why a room's not filled up.
[25:44]
Kristin Milioti
You know what? Like, a couple friends had come, and afterward, they were so sweet, but they were like, how you doing? Do you know what I mean? You're like, oh, no. Oh, don't ask me that.
[25:56]
Marc Maron
Not good job. You were great. You okay?
[26:00]
Kristin Milioti
Feeling okay? Yeah. It's just that when they drop that voice so that no one else in the lobby can hear. Well, not that there was anyone there, but.
[26:09]
Marc Maron
Did people know you to be doing that kind of stuff?
[26:12]
Kristin Milioti
Not out here, I don't. Well, I mean, in New York, I do shows at Joe's Pub and I've done them for years. And now it has like a built in crowd and audience and I think. Yeah, I really.
[26:24]
Marc Maron
Oh, did you go in all excited to the Largo? Yeah.
[26:27]
Kristin Milioti
Who did? Of course I did. Oh, my God. I was doing soundcheck at the piano and I was like, wow, this is crazy as a piano. This is the best. And then they came back right at like five minutes, and they were like, look, no one's here. And I was like, oh, my. Oh, my God. And they were like, so what we've done is we've sort of moved everybody to the front two rows. And I was like, that doesn't help anymore. Oh, boy. And they were like, we can't hold the box office anymore. Like, it's 10 minutes later.
[26:54]
Marc Maron
Was it just you?
[26:55]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[26:56]
Marc Maron
No band.
[26:56]
Kristin Milioti
I had a guitar player with me.
[26:57]
Marc Maron
Oh. But I mean, on some level you can find unity with the other. You know, with the guitar player.
[27:03]
Kristin Milioti
Yes. And he was so sweet that I did. I mean, I just. I remember just crumbling at that piano.
[27:09]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[27:09]
Kristin Milioti
Oh, my God. Yeah. It's actually. It's like one of those things that I think about. It actually makes my entire body get hot. And, like, so embarrassing, isn't it crazy.
[27:19]
Marc Maron
Recalling bombs.
[27:20]
Kristin Milioti
Yes. Yeah. It's terrible.
[27:21]
Marc Maron
It's the.
[27:22]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. And I have a. I have a filing cabinet full of them.
[27:25]
Marc Maron
What do you mean?
[27:26]
Kristin Milioti
Of bombs?
[27:26]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[27:27]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. Just like being alive.
[27:28]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[27:28]
Kristin Milioti
Over the times, of the moments in your life. Yeah. Just like a shameful filing cabinet.
[27:35]
Marc Maron
Wow. In your head.
[27:36]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. I mean, yeah, sure.
[27:38]
Marc Maron
Yeah. I try to go there at least once a day.
[27:40]
Kristin Milioti
I really try to not to. But it's those things that come up at, like, 2 in the morning where you're like, oh, yeah. Remember five years ago when.
[27:47]
Marc Maron
Yeah. But in comedy. Oh, my God.
[27:50]
Kristin Milioti
Well, I don't know how you.
[27:51]
Marc Maron
The bombing is. You know, there's. You know, it's a weird thing about that.
[27:55]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[27:56]
Marc Maron
Yeah. Because at some point, it never feels. It always is terrible.
[28:00]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[28:01]
Marc Maron
You know, it happens less as you get older.
[28:03]
Kristin Milioti
Right.
[28:04]
Marc Maron
But at some point, you have to factor it into part of the job.
[28:08]
Kristin Milioti
Yes. But it's still what I've. You know, like, I've done a lot of really bad theater.
[28:13]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[28:14]
Kristin Milioti
Like, a lot where you can hear the seats flip up because people are leaving that. Or, like. And. But at the end of the day, like, it wasn't my. It wasn't like, I was up there talking about myself.
[28:29]
Marc Maron
Right.
[28:29]
Kristin Milioti
So, like, with standup, I really am like, how do you do? It was. It was humiliating enough. I was in a play once where I was, like, in a babushka with a little shovel at the end, like, reading a letter and in, like, a spotlight and I had to, like, dodge gunfire. And, like, it was so embarrassing. And I would. That's when the seats would start, like, flapping up. But I was at least, like, well, I. I mean, maybe I'm doing such a terrible job, but I'm not here being like. So I'm originally from New Jersey. Like, you know what I mean?
[28:56]
Marc Maron
Yeah. I'm not being.
[28:56]
Kristin Milioti
I don't know how you do it. I'm not me.
[28:58]
Marc Maron
But there is that moment of realization where, like, the same thing with that long Bob Dylan song. Even if you're in character, you're like, woof.
[29:08]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. Woof, woof. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[29:11]
Marc Maron
When's this gonna be over? As I've gotten older, what happens now when I'm bombing is that. And it doesn't. It's not. It really doesn't happen. I can, you know, get something out of the moment, usually, that'll save me. But there is a point. It usually happens pretty quickly in a short set where you just know the audience isn't gonna go all the way yeah. So there's gonna be this level and depending on that level. Like, I remember I was at the Comedy Cellar and I hadn't been there in a long time, and I was feeling pretty confident. But I know that room's difficult in general, really. And what happens was, you know, you've got the tools to kind of survive it. But when it's not going well for me, I just feel this way. Sweat starting to happen, like, on the back of my neck.
[29:57]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. It feels sometimes like a hot helmet that's coming over the back.
[30:00]
Marc Maron
Yeah. And you're just sort of like, well, that's happening.
[30:02]
Kristin Milioti
Yep.
[30:02]
Marc Maron
And like, however I'm hiding it, just being here, my body is reacting.
[30:07]
Kristin Milioti
Yes. I mean, a lot of times when you've done a play for a long time, and actually it's kind of the part. It's one of the. I love doing theater. I really am, like, kind of jonesing to get back to the show.
[30:18]
Marc Maron
It's been a while, right?
[30:18]
Kristin Milioti
It's been a while. And I really. I love it so, so much. But when you do a show, like, over and over, you can. Sometime you learn, like, who's. When it's with you. There were so many times where especially like, once was like a two and a half hour play.
[30:32]
Marc Maron
But that's all. That's a lot of music.
[30:34]
Kristin Milioti
It's a lot of music. But, like, you could feel within the first 20 minutes, you'd be like, oof.
[30:38]
Marc Maron
Really?
[30:39]
Kristin Milioti
They're not on this ride. And then it's like, well, we're here for the next two hours.
[30:43]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[30:44]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. I mean, rarely. That show was so sort of, like, universally beloved. But there were definitely performances.
[30:50]
Marc Maron
But, you know, sometimes it's not because they're not on the ride. It's just.
[30:53]
Kristin Milioti
That's true, too.
[30:53]
Marc Maron
They're just. They're just. They're in it.
[30:56]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[30:56]
Marc Maron
But they're not giving you what you need.
[30:58]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[30:58]
Marc Maron
And that's a fundamental misunderstanding on their part.
[31:03]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[31:03]
Marc Maron
Didn't you know to meet the performer's needs.
[31:06]
Kristin Milioti
Exactly.
[31:07]
Marc Maron
What do you think this is?
[31:08]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[31:08]
Marc Maron
These people have been trying their whole life to be loved.
[31:11]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. So. So get on it together.
[31:14]
Marc Maron
Yeah. Do your part as a fucking audience.
[31:16]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah, but I do. But I also kind of like, I feel like that's the fun challenge of those, like, long runs. I mean, that was like a. I did that for a year, which I don't. I don't know if I could do that again. That was over 500 performances. And it was like.
[31:29]
Marc Maron
But to be locked into the same Thing. I mean, even as a comic, I mean, you got the same bits, but you're always. It's fluid.
[31:35]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[31:36]
Marc Maron
You know, you can just add. I can add stuff in, I can change it up, I can make decisions.
[31:40]
Kristin Milioti
I don't add anything.
[31:42]
Marc Maron
Just start riffing.
[31:43]
Kristin Milioti
Just start vamping. Yeah. No, but like, I. I do remember that, like toward the end, because you do it so many times. Like there were times where I experienced this like, incredible feeling of like, I knew the words so well and I knew the music so well that I could like let go. And it felt like.
[32:01]
Marc Maron
Oh, yeah.
[32:02]
Kristin Milioti
Actually I was like, whoa, this is so like. It's just kind of like moving through me.
[32:07]
Marc Maron
Hyper present.
[32:08]
Kristin Milioti
Cool. Yeah.
[32:09]
Marc Maron
Oh, that's good.
[32:09]
Kristin Milioti
And then other days I'd be like, I don't know what my next line is. And I hate this. This is not very professional. But like the times that I've been on stage and someone has forgotten a line. Yeah, there's nothing funnier.
[32:19]
Marc Maron
Yeah, that's gotta be the best.
[32:20]
Kristin Milioti
So you're just like.
[32:21]
Marc Maron
They're looking at you. Terrified.
[32:22]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. And you're just like, oh, like the veil has been lifted. And now I just want to giggle because this is crazy.
[32:28]
Marc Maron
Do you laugh?
[32:29]
Kristin Milioti
Yes.
[32:30]
Marc Maron
Yeah. And have you laughed in like really heavy plays?
[32:35]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah, I laughed once. One time actually. Not to just keep talking about once. I just like, I did so many performances.
[32:41]
Marc Maron
It's a whole life.
[32:42]
Kristin Milioti
It's a whole life.
[32:43]
Marc Maron
It's a year and a half or something.
[32:44]
Kristin Milioti
But there was like a scene where one of the guys in the show, he like rips these like, like warm up pants off and he's in these like little shorts and it was like St. Patrick's Day or something. And he wore these. This like weird green underwear. And just because you're so not used to something like that happening. Yeah. And he did it and I laughed so hard. We had to stop the show.
[33:03]
Marc Maron
Really?
[33:03]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. And every. And then it was like that thing where like everyone was like, ha, ha, ha, that's funny. And then it became like ridiculous. Stop it.
[33:09]
Marc Maron
Yeah. Couldn't stop it.
[33:11]
Kristin Milioti
I couldn't stop it.
[33:12]
Marc Maron
But it. Did it bring the audience back around?
[33:14]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. I mean, but I think they were. They were already in it. I think. I don't remember. But yeah, I mean, it's. I'm like always this close.
[33:22]
Marc Maron
Yeah. It's weird. You know, I think that that that connects you. The audience likes the vulnerability of. The immediacy of it. But then like they, you know, you kind of fuck their head up. They're like, why can't we have more of that? Like, there's so much crowd work going on with comedy now. Like people talking, the audience, it's like, you're ruining it.
[33:40]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[33:41]
Marc Maron
We have to have some separation.
[33:42]
Kristin Milioti
Yes.
[33:42]
Marc Maron
You can't, they can't be part of everything.
[33:44]
Kristin Milioti
I know.
[33:45]
Marc Maron
Because then you're just beholden to their, like, silly.
[33:47]
Kristin Milioti
It would make, that would make me very nervous.
[33:49]
Marc Maron
What, that crowd work.
[33:51]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[33:52]
Marc Maron
Well, it's, I can do it. But then it's like once you do that, then they're like, it's about us and you.
[33:56]
Kristin Milioti
Sure. And you're like, no, it's me.
[33:58]
Marc Maron
That's right. Exactly. I prepared stuff.
[34:00]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[34:01]
Marc Maron
So, yeah. So like, when did you start? Wait. Cherry Hill, New Jersey? That's where you're from? Yeah, that's. But that's like Philly.
[34:09]
Kristin Milioti
Philly almost. Yeah.
[34:11]
Marc Maron
Yeah. Because I, I, my people are from northern Jersey.
[34:14]
Kristin Milioti
Oh, really? Where?
[34:15]
Marc Maron
Like beer near, I guess. What's the big city around there? Wayne.
[34:19]
Kristin Milioti
Wayne.
[34:20]
Marc Maron
Pompton Lakes.
[34:21]
Kristin Milioti
I don't know.
[34:22]
Marc Maron
Bergen County.
[34:22]
Kristin Milioti
Bergen County.
[34:23]
Marc Maron
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But that's a whole different New Jersey. It seems like there's different jerseys.
[34:27]
Kristin Milioti
There's a lot of, There's Philly Jersey. Philly Jersey.
[34:30]
Marc Maron
Beach Jersey.
[34:30]
Kristin Milioti
Yep.
[34:31]
Marc Maron
And then up there in the, like north rural Jersey.
[34:34]
Kristin Milioti
Yes. I grew up in Philly Jersey, but then my whole family is from Atlantic City. So it's, I grew up like beach Jersey and then Philly.
[34:43]
Marc Maron
Yeah. A lot of my people were from Asbury.
[34:45]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[34:45]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[34:45]
Kristin Milioti
Of Asbury.
[34:46]
Marc Maron
Yeah. So you were going to Atlantic City when you were a kid?
[34:50]
Kristin Milioti
I was going to like Ocean City, Margate around there, which is also like, so different now. Everything got like raised and made into mansions and I haven't been back.
[34:58]
Marc Maron
Isn't that weird? It's so weird because I remember Asbury park in Atlantic City just being garbage. Just like before. It was just a beat up, kind of like Boardwalk.
[35:08]
Kristin Milioti
It was really beat up.
[35:09]
Marc Maron
Yeah. And there wasn't like, there was no real activity there. Just these old ghosts of buildings, which I loved.
[35:15]
Kristin Milioti
Like, Ocean City had this like little amusement park that was so dangerous.
[35:19]
Marc Maron
So did Asbury have a little one.
[35:21]
Kristin Milioti
And we would go all the time. And it was so like, you know, it was truly like being inside of a Springsteen song or something. And I loved it. Sure.
[35:28]
Marc Maron
Yeah. Yeah. And those rides, it's like I went out to Coney island to ride the Cyclone once and it's just like, it's the worst roller coaster in the world.
[35:37]
Kristin Milioti
I went there last summer with someone. And you did? Yeah, Yeah. A friend of mine. We were like, let's, like, have a night at Coney Island. And I. The Cyclone was closed because there had just been a thunderstorm. And we got on this ride called the Tickler, which is, like, already upsetting.
[35:50]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[35:50]
Kristin Milioti
And I got so scared, I screamed myself. Horse.
[35:54]
Marc Maron
Really?
[35:54]
Kristin Milioti
Because I just was like, I.
[35:55]
Marc Maron
But you're afraid the ride's gonna break.
[35:57]
Kristin Milioti
I thought the ride was gonna break. And the Tickler really tries to, like, almost slam you into a pole. And I just kept screaming, I don't trust this. And I really, truly terrified myself out of a voice.
[36:06]
Marc Maron
Isn't that wild?
[36:07]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. And I was like, I don't know if I can.
[36:08]
Marc Maron
It's not controlled terror like some of these newer rides where you're like, yeah, it's pretty well built.
[36:13]
Kristin Milioti
You know, I like a ride in theory because I'm like, wow, this is the closest I'll get to flying.
[36:18]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[36:19]
Kristin Milioti
But, like, I don't. Can't at all. What if we. A screw?
[36:22]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[36:22]
Kristin Milioti
Well, I don't want to go like that.
[36:24]
Marc Maron
I get. No, It's. It's such a rarefied way to go. It's like. It's such a. You just win the stupid lottery. How the can you die on a ride?
[36:33]
Kristin Milioti
I know.
[36:34]
Marc Maron
I get that on planes now because, like, I just assume that all the controllers have been fired.
[36:38]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah, I know. I'm. I'm. I'm a terrible flyer anyway. But, yes, as of late, it's been very difficult to just picture one guy.
[36:44]
Marc Maron
In the tower going, I can't do this myself, I think.
[36:46]
Kristin Milioti
Exactly. Yeah.
[36:48]
Marc Maron
The ride sings. I just went on a ride recently because I decided that, like, I had a wife once who was into roller coasters, so I'd go on them, and somehow I'd forgotten that I never liked them. And I went on a ride. We were doing some bad guys. Press and Rockwell wanted to go on one of the rides at Universal.
[37:11]
Kristin Milioti
And it was.
[37:12]
Marc Maron
The little roller coaster one. It was. What the hell was it?
[37:14]
Kristin Milioti
I've never been there.
[37:15]
Marc Maron
It was a very short ride, and it was. Now it's a mummy ride. It's the mummy thing, like the movie? Yeah. And it happens in the dark niche. Like this. Well, yeah. Well, that's what Universal was. And it's. It's. But, like, I got so nauseous.
[37:28]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[37:28]
Marc Maron
I'm like, what the fuck is the thrill of this? I was fucked up for the whole day.
[37:31]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah, I know.
[37:32]
Marc Maron
Queasy.
[37:33]
Kristin Milioti
I. A million years ago, when I was 18, I worked at Hersheypark for a summer.
[37:38]
Marc Maron
You did?
[37:38]
Kristin Milioti
And I was a singer slash dancer. Dancer in real light quotes. Yeah. And one of the things that they, like, it was. It was a horrible summer, but one of the things they offered as, like, a perk was that you would have one day where you could come and ride all the rides for free. And I think I came on my one day off and was like, gotta get these rides in.
[37:57]
Marc Maron
Yeah, yeah.
[37:57]
Kristin Milioti
And got so sick.
[37:59]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[37:59]
Kristin Milioti
Because I like it. And I was 18. Like, I should have been able to, but I got, like. My neck got hurt. I was so nauseous. I was exhausted. I got, like, slammed around all day. Yeah.
[38:08]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[38:09]
Kristin Milioti
Like, the heat while chocolate is getting pumped through the vents. Like, it's disgusting.
[38:13]
Marc Maron
Oh, my God.
[38:14]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[38:14]
Marc Maron
So that was your first show business gig?
[38:17]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah, that was my. One of my first show business gigs. It was right after. After my freshman year of college. We all, like a bunch of us, like, went and it was like a big open audition for, like, cruise ships and amusement parks. And all my friends got. Got it. And I didn't.
[38:32]
Marc Maron
On the ships.
[38:32]
Kristin Milioti
On the ships and in Hershey Park.
[38:34]
Marc Maron
So you didn't get the.
[38:34]
Kristin Milioti
I didn't get it. And I went home devastated. I was like, wow.
[38:38]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[38:38]
Kristin Milioti
And then someone broke their ankle and they called at Hershey.
[38:42]
Marc Maron
What's better than the cruise ships? Can you be on a boat?
[38:45]
Kristin Milioti
You can.
[38:45]
Marc Maron
No. But, like, don't you get nauseous?
[38:47]
Kristin Milioti
Oh, me? Yeah. Well, I would never get on a cruise. Cruises freak me out because, like, it's all.
[38:53]
Marc Maron
You're out in the water.
[38:54]
Kristin Milioti
It's just a giant bathroom.
[38:55]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[38:55]
Kristin Milioti
Isn't it?
[38:56]
Marc Maron
Sure.
[38:56]
Kristin Milioti
Don't we know that now?
[38:57]
Marc Maron
Well, yeah, it's not. It's. It doesn't feel safe. Doesn't feel safe on the bacterial level.
[39:02]
Kristin Milioti
And I also kind of. Since Titanic, I'm like, we shouldn't be doing this.
[39:05]
Marc Maron
Have you seen some of those boats where you're like, how does that even. Like, they're hot. They're literally hotels.
[39:10]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[39:10]
Marc Maron
Yeah. No, I. I went on way too anxious. I went on one with my. For my grandmother's birthday at some point in my life, and I was a grownup, and it was just. You just walk around and eat.
[39:19]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah, I don't. Yeah.
[39:21]
Marc Maron
But. But I get nauseous on boats, too.
[39:22]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[39:23]
Marc Maron
Immediately.
[39:23]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[39:24]
Marc Maron
Oh, you're lucky. But you felt like you needed to go get nauseous on rides at least once. It was better than every day on a boat.
[39:30]
Kristin Milioti
Oh, my God. I wouldn't have done it. Yeah.
[39:31]
Marc Maron
So how did you come from, like, a big Italian clan?
[39:34]
Kristin Milioti
No, no. We're just, like, Americans in New Jersey.
[39:38]
Marc Maron
Oh, no.
[39:39]
Kristin Milioti
You just not. No. Feast of the whatever.
[39:41]
Marc Maron
Fishing?
[39:41]
Kristin Milioti
Like. No, it would just be. No. I mean, you know that my dad's side is. My grandfather was Italian.
[39:48]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[39:50]
Kristin Milioti
And then.
[39:50]
Marc Maron
Oh, so you're not all Italian.
[39:51]
Kristin Milioti
No.
[39:52]
Marc Maron
What's the other part?
[39:53]
Kristin Milioti
Belgian.
[39:54]
Marc Maron
That's interesting.
[39:55]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. And then my mom is, like, Irish and Czech, but I. You know. Yeah. So it's like a real.
[40:01]
Marc Maron
Yeah. But you got enough Italian in you to do the Italian thing.
[40:04]
Kristin Milioti
Well, sure. It's pretty strong for you.
[40:07]
Marc Maron
You can be cast as Italian.
[40:08]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah, I can. Although, you know, I've never been to Greece before. And recently I've, like, had a couple of interactions with people who are like. I know a lot of miliadis in Greece. You're Greek.
[40:20]
Marc Maron
Really?
[40:21]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[40:21]
Marc Maron
You never did the 23 in me thing?
[40:23]
Kristin Milioti
I don't. I feel like. Is it. I don't know why. It's like, when people are like, you gonna get your dog's DNA tested? I'm like, no, he's a dog.
[40:30]
Marc Maron
Yeah. Well. Yeah, but you're not a dog.
[40:31]
Kristin Milioti
I know. You're. I'm like.
[40:32]
Marc Maron
You're curious. A dog's not walking around going like, who am I? What is my. Yeah.
[40:38]
Kristin Milioti
I don't know. There's something about it where I'm like.
[40:40]
Marc Maron
Leave it a mystery.
[40:42]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[40:42]
Marc Maron
Yeah. I was hoping for some Viking, but I think I just got Jew.000. Just 99.9% Ashkenazi.
[40:51]
Kristin Milioti
Maybe I'll do it.
[40:52]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[40:52]
Kristin Milioti
But.
[40:52]
Marc Maron
Well, I think they went bankrupt. You're gonna have to try to get yourself on that finding your roots show.
[40:56]
Kristin Milioti
I would love to be on that show. That show's so emotional.
[40:59]
Marc Maron
Yeah. I did it.
[40:59]
Kristin Milioti
You did?
[41:00]
Marc Maron
Yeah. It's crazy.
[41:01]
Kristin Milioti
Did you cry?
[41:02]
Marc Maron
No, I didn't cry that much because, like, most of my stuff there was. You know, there was some lunatic great. Great grandfather.
[41:10]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[41:11]
Marc Maron
Who made the news a lot. Where he. Where he lived down in the Carolinas for being. I was able to track my dad's bipolar to that guy. And then. And then on the other side, they just went. He said he went back as many generations as they could or. Or more than they'd ever been able to. Into, like, Russia.
[41:31]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[41:31]
Marc Maron
To track my patriarch or. I think it was the. My dad's father's line.
[41:37]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[41:37]
Marc Maron
And. Yeah. I mean, how emotional is it? Like, he was a tailor.
[41:41]
Kristin Milioti
Yes. I know. I think about this. You know, there are I have so many moments in my life that I'm just overwhelmed by that I'm able to do this. Or just those crazy career moments where you're working with someone who you have grown up admiring or something, and you're just like, whoa, this life is like, what a miracle. And, yeah, sometimes I'll be like, and my grandparents escaped war and we're in the depression, and it's. How were we? It's incredible.
[42:14]
Marc Maron
Well, that's a nice way to frame it that, like, somehow or another, like, how did I get here from there? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, the struggles were different.
[42:24]
Kristin Milioti
Totally. But, like, I have an apartment that I got with being. Playing make believe.
[42:29]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[42:30]
Kristin Milioti
It's incredible.
[42:30]
Marc Maron
So that's gratitude there.
[42:32]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. And, like, you know, it's just.
[42:34]
Marc Maron
Yeah, that's good. It's good that if you. Do you live in that or is that something you have to kind of make yourself do?
[42:41]
Kristin Milioti
Um, depends. I wouldn't say. I'd say that it. Sometimes I do have to really be like. Like, hey, but if that's not because of. I think that's just because of being alive. And it's like. Especially right now, you look around the world and you're like, it's fucking worst. It's the worst. And why does someone get this life? And why does someone get this life? Sure, there's no rhyme or reason, and it's devastating.
[43:05]
Marc Maron
Yeah, totally. But then you have to lean into. But I'm telling stories, and I'm.
[43:12]
Kristin Milioti
But I'm telling stories for a giant conglomerate.
[43:14]
Marc Maron
Yeah. But it makes people happy in the moment.
[43:17]
Kristin Milioti
Yes. And I do think that, like, you know, I don't know.
[43:21]
Marc Maron
It's like, I always think about that.
[43:23]
Kristin Milioti
I get incredible joy from, like, when I go see concerts and when I go see, you know, certain plays, and certainly when I watch movies as well. And so I do think that there is, like. And especially, like, growing up, songs and movies were what helped me figure out how I was feeling about certain things.
[43:43]
Marc Maron
Well, yeah. I've never leaned on it more in my life than right now in this sort of political and cultural moment. The need for. Especially if it's great to be engaged with a story that reveals humanity or passion. Yeah. And all that stuff, it. It does feed you a certain human thing that you're not gonna get from the world right now.
[44:10]
Kristin Milioti
Well, I think it reminds me of. And this is actually, like, what you're talking about with music and singing with someone, like, not to put too. I don't know. Like, when I hear a certain Song or if I see something and it reminds me that, like, humanity is good. Like, just in the same things. When, like, my interactions with my loved ones, I'm like, oh, right. Human beings can be, like, real, really good. Because I think when I look at what's happening, I'm like, what are we? We're just always evil.
[44:34]
Marc Maron
Well, they can go bad.
[44:36]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah, I know, but why? But so many go bad.
[44:38]
Marc Maron
Yeah. Because their brains have been fucked by their phones. And this never ending, you know, pummeling of propaganda that's exploiting their misery and empowering them to be horrible.
[44:52]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[44:53]
Marc Maron
Yeah, There you go. We figured it out.
[44:55]
Kristin Milioti
Figure it out finally.
[44:56]
Marc Maron
But that's the thing about theater, because I always wrestle with that, this idea that theater is vital to the community and all that kind of stuff. Because it's so insulated now. I mean, you got these Broadway shows that become kind of a ride at the amusement park.
[45:12]
Kristin Milioti
Oh, for sure.
[45:13]
Marc Maron
But challenging plays and plays that really explore humanity and character. I mean, it's not like they get necessarily huge audiences all over, but there is that thing that we're talking about that the vulnerability and the connection with a group of people that is essentially human and happening in front of them. It really is powerful.
[45:32]
Kristin Milioti
It is.
[45:33]
Marc Maron
And I think it does change people to a degree, or at least re. Engage them with what's important in life.
[45:38]
Kristin Milioti
It plucks you out of your isolation.
[45:40]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[45:40]
Kristin Milioti
It just, like, asks you to be together.
[45:43]
Marc Maron
That's right.
[45:43]
Kristin Milioti
Engage with something.
[45:44]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[45:45]
Kristin Milioti
And it's like. It's incredible.
[45:46]
Marc Maron
Yeah. And it's. I think it's pretty noble work. When I was touring this last standup show before I shot the. The special, you know, because I'm pretty lefty and, like, my audience knows who I am. And there was this real feeling that it was community service. It was important to get all these isolated, frightened people in term and feeling powerless into one room so that they could at least feel seen and part of something.
[46:10]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. And have some, like, relief, too, in, like, having that and then being able to laugh.
[46:14]
Marc Maron
Yeah. It's such a drag that all we can do now is, like, give people relief.
[46:18]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah, I know.
[46:19]
Marc Maron
Do you know what I mean? It used to be proactive, like some part of, like, an evolved progression towards something better. Now it's just sort of like, oh, this still exists. Thank God.
[46:29]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah, I know.
[46:30]
Marc Maron
God damn it. What are we gonna do? Let's fix it.
[46:32]
Kristin Milioti
Can we fix it here? I think we can fix it by the end of this.
[46:34]
Marc Maron
So you have siblings?
[46:35]
Kristin Milioti
I have a younger brother.
[46:36]
Marc Maron
Just two of you?
[46:37]
Kristin Milioti
Just two of us.
[46:39]
Marc Maron
What business was your family in?
[46:41]
Kristin Milioti
My mom is a banker, and my dad does like IT stuff like programming for a law firm. He'll make sure that all their programs are talking to each other and up and running. And my brother's a musician. He's a brilliant bassist.
[46:57]
Marc Maron
Oh, bass.
[46:58]
Kristin Milioti
Bass.
[46:58]
Marc Maron
Those guys are important.
[46:59]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah, they are. They really hold it down.
[47:02]
Marc Maron
Yeah. The quiet bass guy. The rhythm section's very important. Why the lunatics jump around.
[47:07]
Kristin Milioti
But he's not quiet. He's one of the funniest people I've ever met.
[47:10]
Marc Maron
On base, though, like, you gotta kind of, like.
[47:12]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[47:12]
Marc Maron
Be. You've got. You're the backbone of the whole thing.
[47:15]
Kristin Milioti
Oh, right. You're not, like, shredding.
[47:17]
Marc Maron
Yeah, there's some shredders.
[47:18]
Kristin Milioti
He does. I mean, he does.
[47:19]
Marc Maron
He can do it.
[47:20]
Kristin Milioti
He does like a. Like a.
[47:20]
Marc Maron
Is he in a combo or a band?
[47:22]
Kristin Milioti
He's in a band. Yeah.
[47:23]
Marc Maron
Yeah, yeah. Are they doing all right?
[47:25]
Kristin Milioti
They're doing really good.
[47:26]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[47:26]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. Crickets and cicadas sort of around, like, Philly and New Jersey and. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[47:31]
Marc Maron
And it's all original stuff.
[47:33]
Kristin Milioti
Some of its covers and then some of it's original.
[47:36]
Marc Maron
They got records out?
[47:38]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[47:38]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[47:39]
Kristin Milioti
I think. Yeah.
[47:40]
Marc Maron
Good.
[47:40]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[47:41]
Marc Maron
And so when do you start doing this. This ridiculous job that we do?
[47:46]
Kristin Milioti
When did I start. I started, like. I mean, I knew I wanted to be, like. When was my first, like, professional.
[47:52]
Marc Maron
No, I mean, like, when did you get the bug?
[47:54]
Kristin Milioti
Oh, I got the bug early.
[47:56]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[47:56]
Kristin Milioti
Just because I loved. I love movies and I love, like, singing and I love. So I was, like, one of those kids, and I watched a lot of movies with my dad that, like, weren't for kids.
[48:09]
Marc Maron
Yeah. Good parenting.
[48:11]
Kristin Milioti
Good parenting. Yeah. Like, a lot of Coen Brothers films. Like, a lot of Tarantino.
[48:15]
Marc Maron
Well, that's a little. Yeah. Like.
[48:16]
Kristin Milioti
But, like, you know, when I'm, like, 8.
[48:18]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[48:18]
Kristin Milioti
Oh, yeah.
[48:18]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[48:19]
Kristin Milioti
And, like, we kind of watched what he wanted to watch, and we also watched. He, like, showed me the Third man and Key Largo and, like, I had, like, this, like, really vast.
[48:28]
Marc Maron
The Third Man.
[48:29]
Kristin Milioti
Third man is so good.
[48:30]
Marc Maron
When they're up on that Ferris wheel.
[48:31]
Kristin Milioti
Oh, my God. I just saw it again recently. It was like, they played it at the Metrograph in New York. Have you been there?
[48:38]
Marc Maron
I haven't. Well, I think I have on the Lower east side.
[48:41]
Kristin Milioti
And I had never seen it on the big screen, obviously, and I was so.
[48:44]
Marc Maron
It's so good.
[48:45]
Kristin Milioti
It's a perfect film. And so, like, I just. So we would watch all these movies together and then I was also, you know, like, I loved Kids in the hall and I loved, like, I just kind of watched what my dad watched.
[48:56]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[48:57]
Kristin Milioti
And I knew that I wanted to be in that inside of it. It's like a song or a movie. I just was like, what do I have to do to be near that? But when I was nine, I went for Halloween as a stressed out director. I thought I was gonna direct.
[49:15]
Marc Maron
That's pretty high minded for a nine year old too.
[49:17]
Kristin Milioti
None of the other kids knew. They were like, you look like our dads.
[49:22]
Marc Maron
What were the props for the stressed dance director?
[49:24]
Kristin Milioti
I think jeans and a base. And I wore glasses as a kid, and so I had glasses and then I tied like a flannel shirt tied around my waist and a script. And I just like walked around being like, oh, God, what are we gonna do?
[49:35]
Marc Maron
That's pretty creative.
[49:36]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[49:37]
Marc Maron
Yeah. Redirecting the other animals in costumes.
[49:40]
Kristin Milioti
Not that day. But I did also try to direct other kids in like sketches and stuff. Oh, yeah, yeah. But I didn't know that I necessarily, like, wanted to be an actor, I think, till, you know, like, I did it in high school. And I think around then I started to really be like, oh, I want to see if I can do this.
[49:59]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[49:59]
Kristin Milioti
Because I love this so much.
[50:01]
Marc Maron
Yeah. And so you started. Now I can't. I keep thinking about the third man and that, that moment where, you know, where Harry's obviously toast. He's caught.
[50:11]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[50:11]
Marc Maron
And all of a sudden he becomes this frightened, feral human just running through those sewers or whatever.
[50:17]
Kristin Milioti
And there's like all that incredible, like, shadow work.
[50:19]
Marc Maron
And it's just like, it was so great to see that character scramble.
[50:23]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. It's incredible.
[50:25]
Marc Maron
Yeah. I mean, we need more of that now. I know we want to send all those people scrambling those grift. It's a pretty relevant movie to the Personality suite.
[50:33]
Kristin Milioti
I also, I remember watching it and thinking, this is such a weirder movie than I remember.
[50:38]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[50:38]
Kristin Milioti
Like it's actually. Cause, you know, I mean, I love all those old movies, but they've been like, they've been homage has been paid to them so many times and you sort of like get swept up in them. And I was like, ooh, the. This is such a spiky, strange, wacky movie.
[50:52]
Marc Maron
And like the story itself and all that weird zither music.
[50:58]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah, it's the best. It's so beautiful.
[51:00]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[51:00]
Kristin Milioti
So, yeah. So I, I, you know, I'm just, I'm Very grateful that he was showing me stuff like that.
[51:06]
Marc Maron
Yeah. And so in high school, you're doing what, musicals?
[51:08]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. You do musicals?
[51:09]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[51:09]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[51:10]
Marc Maron
And you're belting it out.
[51:11]
Kristin Milioti
You're belting it out.
[51:12]
Marc Maron
But were you running around doing auditions for commercials and stuff? Did you any.
[51:16]
Kristin Milioti
No, I. I was in a commercial when I was little that was like a local access commercial.
[51:20]
Marc Maron
That's a pretty exciting day, wasn't it?
[51:22]
Kristin Milioti
I hated it. Hated it. I was like, seven, maybe. It was for toilet seat protectors, so.
[51:29]
Marc Maron
Wow.
[51:30]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[51:31]
Marc Maron
High end.
[51:31]
Kristin Milioti
My high end. Thank you. And I just remember. I remember little bits and pieces of it. And then I think at the end of the day, I said to my parents, I was like, this was torture. I don't ever want to do this again.
[51:41]
Marc Maron
Well, that. I mean, it's weird because that's a lot of what makes, you know, film and TV acting horrible.
[51:47]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[51:48]
Marc Maron
It's just that you don't have any control.
[51:50]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[51:50]
Marc Maron
And it was you waiting around.
[51:51]
Kristin Milioti
Oh, my God. I think I said, like, one line and it was truly like, you know, I mean, like a. Yeah, like a local access. Like, really, like, low budget. And then I played sports for a long time and really loved that, and then got into theater again. It's sort of in middle school because I was really bullied and made fun of a lot. And the kids that were really.
[52:15]
Marc Maron
What were they bullying?
[52:16]
Kristin Milioti
I had, like, a shaved head and I looked. I just got endlessly roughed up, so.
[52:25]
Marc Maron
But you were a rebel. You were a.
[52:28]
Kristin Milioti
No, I was like, a little goof.
[52:30]
Marc Maron
But you shaved your head for weeks.
[52:31]
Kristin Milioti
I shaved my head. Cause there was a girl at camp who shaved her head, but she was, like, older and could rock it. And then I was like, I'm gonna do this. But I had, like, a mustache and a buzz cut and was a goof. And like, showed up to the first day of middle school wearing a T shirt that said Don't Mess with Texas that I'd, like, seen at a Goodwill or something. And I just was like, what's up, everybody? And they just immediately threw me into.
[52:55]
Marc Maron
A locker for the whole time.
[52:56]
Kristin Milioti
The whole time. It was awful. I didn't speak to anyone. I was this really, like, animated kid. And I just didn't shut down.
[53:04]
Marc Maron
Oh, my God.
[53:04]
Kristin Milioti
Completely.
[53:05]
Marc Maron
They crushed your spirit.
[53:06]
Kristin Milioti
Crushed it. And the kids that were. And it was like a, you know, a long, many, many months of just sort of.
[53:11]
Marc Maron
Didn't you find any other weirdos?
[53:13]
Kristin Milioti
The theater kids eventually, like, truly, like, one of them approached me in the hall and was like, hey, do you want to, like, come to this, like, activity? And I, like, no one had spoken to me. I remember it felt like it was like. Yeah, it was like water in a desert. Like, I'd gotten so used to. The only person who, like, for that period of time who would engage with me was, like, one of these teachers who was so kind to me. Cause she just saw, like, she'd ask me to stay after class, and she'd be like, what do you like to do? And, like, it was so clear that I was just like.
[53:44]
Marc Maron
But you knew you wanted to be different. I mean, there was a certain intentionality to it.
[53:48]
Kristin Milioti
Well. Cause I'd done it because I'd gone to this summer camp that was like, a bunch of misfits. And I'd felt so alive. This is where the girl shaved her head.
[53:56]
Marc Maron
Yeah. Was this, like. What was that? The angle of the camp? Was it an art camp or something?
[54:00]
Kristin Milioti
It was like, arts, but you could still play soccer. It was kind of just really hippie.
[54:03]
Marc Maron
Right.
[54:04]
Kristin Milioti
And so I, like, came. I was just like, it was the best summer of my life.
[54:07]
Marc Maron
So you knew that there were weirdos out there that could be their own people.
[54:11]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. And I felt, like, popular for the first time. I was only ever popular at camp. And then I think I came home with that confidence back to Jerry Hill. And then just got. Cause I was like, yeah, I just had these, like. And by the way, because when you're little, like, time is. I think I'd been at camp for three weeks, and I was like, I'm a new person. Like, I am. I am the king. I am like. And then I shaved my head. I came. I showed up with, like, a magnetic nose ring. Like, I was. So I was rocking my mustache.
[54:37]
Marc Maron
Yeah, you put yourself out there.
[54:39]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. Just brutalized.
[54:40]
Marc Maron
What's the mustache thing?
[54:42]
Kristin Milioti
Just genetic, I guess, Just being like.
[54:45]
Marc Maron
But you really made it stand out, I think.
[54:47]
Kristin Milioti
I didn't know about it. I remember that year, a boy looking at it, and I suddenly was like, what's he looking at? And then I walked into the bathroom, and I was like, oh, my God. Like, I didn't know I had that. And I didn't know. I remember that with. I mean, God, that age is so terrible.
[55:03]
Marc Maron
I was wearing what, like, 13 or 14?
[55:05]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah, I was, like, 12 or 13. And I remember, like, I wore shorts, and I saw someone, like, staring at my legs, and I was like, what's going on? Like, what's on my leg? And then I, like, saw that I Had, like, hair on my legs, and I was like. Oh. Like, it was like.
[55:20]
Marc Maron
And then. Yeah. Then sort of the beat down begins.
[55:23]
Kristin Milioti
The beat down begins.
[55:24]
Marc Maron
From the inside, too.
[55:25]
Kristin Milioti
From the inside too.
[55:25]
Marc Maron
So, like, the worst.
[55:26]
Kristin Milioti
So that's so really, like these kids who were so sweet to me. Yeah, kind of. And then I started doing these plays in middle school, and I was like, wait, I love this. This is, like.
[55:36]
Marc Maron
It gets you out.
[55:37]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah, it gets me out. And also, I was somewhere where I could, like, you know, I mean, not to. I could escape.
[55:42]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[55:43]
Kristin Milioti
I could, like, be someone else. And I think that, at that time was a relief.
[55:46]
Marc Maron
And also, just the community of theater kids.
[55:49]
Kristin Milioti
Oh, my God.
[55:50]
Marc Maron
That, you know, that they. Cause they all are bound by this. You know, we're kind of weirdos and.
[55:55]
Kristin Milioti
Unique and we have big feelings, and, like, we're just trying different stuff.
[55:59]
Marc Maron
Thank God for the school theater.
[56:02]
Kristin Milioti
Saved me, you know, because I was really, like. It was terrible. I feel so much for anyone who goes through that, but, like, you know, to be that lonely and to be, like, that bullied, it was horrible. And, like, your parents don't know how to help you.
[56:17]
Marc Maron
Yeah. It's so heartbreaking because there's just going to be more and more of it now as they ditch these programs and make.
[56:22]
Kristin Milioti
I know. Yeah. I've thought so much about that.
[56:24]
Marc Maron
Like, that LGBTQ kids feel that it's going to be, like, a.
[56:27]
Kristin Milioti
And that program saved my life.
[56:29]
Marc Maron
Yeah. Because people are unique.
[56:31]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[56:32]
Marc Maron
And then individual spirit is. Is special.
[56:36]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[56:36]
Marc Maron
And now it's just. They're just kind of crushing everybody to kind of abide by.
[56:41]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[56:41]
Marc Maron
Which was always there.
[56:43]
Kristin Milioti
Totally.
[56:43]
Marc Maron
At least you had a refuge.
[56:44]
Kristin Milioti
You had a refuge. Yeah. And. And, like, you know, how incredible that. Yeah. I went to this, like, giant public middle school in New Jersey, but that they, like, set aside money for us to put on, like, some dinky little play. And then they let me write a play, too. And then I got to, like, act in that and cast people. And I really was like, whoa. Like, I never want to leave. This is the safest place on Earth.
[57:06]
Marc Maron
What was the play about?
[57:08]
Kristin Milioti
The play was about an actress in her 80s who has come back to the theater where she made her debut. And she goes. She's like, all her ghosts are haunting her. And she's like, I've lived a terrible life. I didn't.
[57:23]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[57:23]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. And then we took it to a.
[57:24]
Marc Maron
That's pretty heavy for eighth grader.
[57:27]
Kristin Milioti
Eighth grader. And then we took it to this, like, little theater competition, and I Remember, the judges afterward were like, honey, have you ever seen Sunset Boulevard? And I was like, I don't know what that. I know. Because I hadn't. I was like, no. And they were like, it. It feels like you copied it. And then I, like, went out in the parking lot and cried. No, I bought. I mean, it's even worse than crying. I bought a pack of candy cigarettes.
[57:46]
Marc Maron
Yeah. And just ate them.
[57:47]
Kristin Milioti
Just ate them. But, like, pretended to smoke them.
[57:50]
Marc Maron
Oh, okay.
[57:51]
Kristin Milioti
But then, like, would chew on them because I was just like, oh, fuck. They don't get it.
[57:54]
Marc Maron
Yeah, yeah. They're just coming down on you from all sides. Here are the grownups who are supposed to just appreciate your creativity. They call you. You ripped it off. A hack. Did you watch Sunset Boulevard?
[58:08]
Kristin Milioti
I've still never seen the movie. But I just saw the show.
[58:11]
Marc Maron
How was that?
[58:11]
Kristin Milioti
Loved it.
[58:12]
Marc Maron
You never saw the movie?
[58:13]
Kristin Milioti
I've still never seen it.
[58:13]
Marc Maron
Oh, you got to see that movie.
[58:14]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah, I know.
[58:15]
Marc Maron
That's right up there with the Third Man.
[58:16]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah, I know. It somehow didn't make it into our.
[58:20]
Marc Maron
It's a crazy movie.
[58:21]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah, yeah. Okay.
[58:23]
Marc Maron
Gotta watch it. Yeah. This, you know, it opens up with a voiceover of a guy dead in a pool.
[58:30]
Kristin Milioti
I'm in.
[58:31]
Marc Maron
Yeah. So after that, in high school, you felt confident.
[58:34]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. And then high school, I was like, really? You know, I was in bands a lot. I was like. Yeah. I was the singer for the jazz band and we did battle the bands. Like, I was, like, in. And I. So I found, like, musician kids, too, and. And then theater kids, and I did a lot of plays and. Yeah. Just felt.
[58:50]
Marc Maron
God. So you really had chops by the time you got out of high school?
[58:53]
Kristin Milioti
I don't know if I'd say they were chops.
[58:55]
Marc Maron
Well, no, but you did a lot of stuff.
[58:56]
Kristin Milioti
I did a lot of stuff.
[58:57]
Marc Maron
I mean, at least you had, you know, confidence in self expression or. Or in that world.
[59:03]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. And I. And I knew that I.
[59:04]
Marc Maron
You don't seem that troubled.
[59:08]
Kristin Milioti
Cool.
[59:10]
Marc Maron
You're really good at this, huh? Because, like, you know, I watched a lot of your stuff and I'm like, no, she's. She's gonna be a lunatic.
[59:22]
Kristin Milioti
You really thought that?
[59:23]
Marc Maron
Not a lunatic. I have to be careful about how I throw around the word crazy.
[59:28]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[59:28]
Marc Maron
But I did sense after seeing a couple roles that there's probably a lot going on in there.
[59:34]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. I mean, there's a lot going on inside any of us.
[59:40]
Marc Maron
Yeah, sure. Yeah. You can rationalize it however you want. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You're not special at all.
[59:47]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[59:48]
Marc Maron
Okay. Yeah, but so what do you do after high school? You're just like, I'm doing it.
[59:54]
Kristin Milioti
I went to NYU and was miserable.
[59:58]
Marc Maron
Why were you miserable there?
[60:00]
Kristin Milioti
I think. Yeah. I've wanted to live in New York my whole life. I have, like, been obsessed with New York. All growing up. I was like, I just have to get to New York.
[60:07]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[60:07]
Kristin Milioti
And I think I just wasn't ready to be in college, like, and especially in McDonald.
[60:13]
Marc Maron
Away from home, you mean?
[60:14]
Kristin Milioti
I think I just wasn't too much. It was like too much. And then I was in this program, I was taking out student loans, so I knew I was going into debt. And I was only getting to act like five minutes a week. And so. And I was like living in New York City and like, you know, I think I just kind of. I was really unhappy there. And so then I dropped out like halfway through my sophomore year. Right after the Hershey park summer.
[60:36]
Marc Maron
Oh, boy, two hits.
[60:40]
Kristin Milioti
The hits keep coming show. But I do remember like we did, you know, whenever we would do like scene classes in college, I do remember being like, oh, I just want to be doing this like all the time.
[60:53]
Marc Maron
Yeah. And also you're all full of the juice, you know, you're all worked up and you're probably delivering some pretty intense scene study business.
[61:03]
Kristin Milioti
I don't remember. I know that we did Chekov and I'd never read Chekhov before and I loved it. I was like, oh my God, a bunch of Russian people sitting around being like, what's the point? Yeah, sign me up. I loved it.
[61:16]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[61:16]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. And I loved too, you know, like, I love singing so much, but I don't. I also think that like when I was there and it was like a different time too, and I think they were trying to help. They were trying to help you be. Be employed.
[61:28]
Marc Maron
Right.
[61:29]
Kristin Milioti
And so when I would sing, they would be like, you know, your voice isn't for musicals. It's like low and it's, you know, it's like singer song is with these grown ups. I know. But this, I, you know, I look back on this and like, I don't know if I would drop out of school now. It took being like a ballsy 18 year old or 19 year old to be like, what?
[61:50]
Marc Maron
Yeah, fuck you guys.
[61:51]
Kristin Milioti
Fuck you.
[61:51]
Marc Maron
And then, so what do you do? You're just in New York.
[61:53]
Kristin Milioti
I was just in New York and right before I dropped out, an agent came to this. Like, I was in this like Black Box theater production of a show based on The Sorrows of Young Werther. Do you know that?
[62:06]
Marc Maron
No.
[62:07]
Kristin Milioti
Goethe. Goethe. It sounds all sounds good.
[62:09]
Marc Maron
Yeah, Goethe.
[62:10]
Kristin Milioti
It feels lame to be like. It's pronounced Goethe.
[62:13]
Marc Maron
The Guy who Loves Faust.
[62:15]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. But I played like this drug addled pop star who has like a complete nervous breakdown and is like. But like, was a Disney kid and this woman saw me in it and she was like, I'm gonna send you on two auditions and see how you do.
[62:30]
Marc Maron
Really?
[62:30]
Kristin Milioti
And I got one of them.
[62:31]
Marc Maron
Oh, that's so the Black Box theater. So you know what it's like to perform for 10 people?
[62:35]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah.
[62:37]
Marc Maron
So the Largo thing was just. She thought you were beyond that.
[62:40]
Kristin Milioti
Except we sold out those. That Black Box theater in college. Yeah.
[62:43]
Marc Maron
And it was still 30 people and it was still. Yeah, but it was sold out.
[62:46]
Kristin Milioti
But it was sold out.
[62:47]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[62:47]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[62:47]
Marc Maron
So she. She saw something.
[62:49]
Kristin Milioti
She just was. Yeah, she was like, we're gonna just see how this.
[62:51]
Marc Maron
And what'd you. What'd you get?
[62:53]
Kristin Milioti
I got the Sopranos.
[62:55]
Marc Maron
Oh, yeah. I watched you in that.
[62:57]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. I'm a baby.
[62:59]
Marc Maron
Yeah. Kind of emaciated.
[63:02]
Kristin Milioti
Yes, emaciated.
[63:03]
Marc Maron
Was that required or was that a choice?
[63:06]
Kristin Milioti
It was not a choice. I was just very emaciated during that time.
[63:09]
Marc Maron
Uh huh.
[63:09]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[63:10]
Marc Maron
What a great thing to be on that set.
[63:12]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah, it was really overwhelming. And Steve Buscemi directed it and I was. Because I'd. You know, I watched so many movies of his growing up. Like we'd seen Living in Oblivion, Trees Lounge, like my dad. Those had all been on the list. Every Coen Brothers film, obviously. So I knew I was so overwhelmed.
[63:31]
Marc Maron
But he's such a sweet guy.
[63:32]
Kristin Milioti
The sweetest. The sweetest guy.
[63:34]
Marc Maron
Yeah, dude. So kind, really categorically sweet guy.
[63:37]
Kristin Milioti
And then like after that, I didn't. I couldn't get work for like a year and a half or something. And I.
[63:42]
Marc Maron
What were you doing?
[63:44]
Kristin Milioti
I was a dog walker and I worked in a cafe and Steve Buscemi would come into the cafe every now and then and be like, how's it going? And I'd be like, not good. Like, I got on it. I can't. I don't know. And he was always so sweet and was just like, all right, we'll keep going. And like, I just kind of did odd jobs for a while, so. Yeah.
[64:02]
Marc Maron
And then what happens? Do you get like, what starts the run?
[64:06]
Kristin Milioti
I started to get off Broadway plays and they all kind of like came in. A big sort of like, run of them.
[64:15]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[64:16]
Kristin Milioti
And then. And so I was Doing, like, you know, and that is where I feel like I really learned a lot. And so I was doing stuff at New York Theatre Workshop and Lincoln center and Playwrights Horizons.
[64:27]
Marc Maron
It's so rare now to actually have a foundation in theater.
[64:32]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. I'm so blessed.
[64:36]
Marc Maron
It makes sense, because I don't know that I necessarily would have noticed you. And for some reason, I just. I'm not even a comic book person.
[64:46]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[64:47]
Marc Maron
And I'm watching the Penguin.
[64:48]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[64:48]
Marc Maron
Because you're kind of like, you know, let's see what Colin Farrell did with his. This get up.
[64:53]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[64:54]
Marc Maron
And. And I kind of got locked in.
[64:56]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[64:56]
Marc Maron
And then when you come on, I'm like, who the is this person? But that is such a, like, theatrical role.
[65:03]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah, it is.
[65:04]
Marc Maron
That whole world is like a theater.
[65:06]
Kristin Milioti
It is. Would you. I. And I. I also have been such a massive Batman fan my whole life, in particular, because it's so theatrical.
[65:18]
Marc Maron
Oh, yeah.
[65:19]
Kristin Milioti
It's because no one has a superpower.
[65:20]
Marc Maron
It's truly gothic.
[65:21]
Kristin Milioti
It's gothic. Colin and I would talk about all the time that it felt like an opera. Everything is so heightened. And it's like an opera about hurt people.
[65:29]
Marc Maron
Well, that's why. What's his name? Why am I spacing his name? The Tim Burton Batman's the best.
[65:36]
Kristin Milioti
Oh, my God. It's so. And that line of, like, high camp, but also, like, you know, you're devastated for them.
[65:45]
Marc Maron
Sure.
[65:46]
Kristin Milioti
They're devastating.
[65:47]
Marc Maron
Yeah. And Batman, that character in and of itself is like, you know, totally a tragic.
[65:52]
Kristin Milioti
So tragic. And there's such a fine line between him and his villains.
[65:55]
Marc Maron
It's very hard to beat Danny DeVito's penguin.
[65:58]
Kristin Milioti
It's a great performance. It's fucking crazy, but I'm partial to my guy.
[66:02]
Marc Maron
Well, it's a whole different thing.
[66:03]
Kristin Milioti
It's a whole different thing because, you.
[66:05]
Marc Maron
Know, you guys are playing in sort of a reality frame, whereas that was not, you know, that was all heightened.
[66:11]
Kristin Milioti
Very heightened.
[66:12]
Marc Maron
You know, the decision to make these people people was kind of great.
[66:17]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[66:17]
Marc Maron
Because it gets you in.
[66:19]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. And then it kind of like. I think our showrunner, Lauren Franck, she's so. So brilliant. I can't say enough about her. She really is like. It's like some of the best writing I've ever gotten to. And she. Yeah, I think she. The way in which she, like, humanizes them, then they're allowed to sort of go nuts.
[66:39]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[66:39]
Kristin Milioti
Cause you're like, I get it.
[66:41]
Marc Maron
But it happens within a frame of. You know, there's a point of reference for all of it. In sort of crime, you know, movies and dramas and so with all the backstories and stuff, you know, it subverts the bigness of it.
[66:57]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[66:58]
Marc Maron
You know, because. And you're allowed to do that, and it makes sense.
[67:01]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[67:01]
Marc Maron
But it. It does feel like it's still rooted in something familiar.
[67:05]
Kristin Milioti
Yes. Well, because there are so many moments, like, you know, I don't know. Did you watch the whole thing?
[67:10]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[67:10]
Kristin Milioti
There I. There's like a. When I. Not to, like, spoil anything, but when I'm in that gown with the gas mask.
[67:16]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[67:16]
Kristin Milioti
Like, that's. No one would do that in life. And yet it was like.
[67:20]
Marc Maron
Sure.
[67:21]
Kristin Milioti
It's. You do believe it in this realm. Real thing. Even though it's so operatic.
[67:25]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[67:26]
Kristin Milioti
I mean, it was. Yeah.
[67:27]
Marc Maron
But it's like it, It. But any sort of. Even a procedural gets ridiculous.
[67:32]
Kristin Milioti
Yes.
[67:32]
Marc Maron
But, you know, you've just been trained to kind of, like. All right, well, I guess I couldn't have seen this coming.
[67:37]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. Right.
[67:38]
Marc Maron
And. Yeah. It's okay.
[67:41]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[67:41]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[67:42]
Kristin Milioti
I, I, I loved it so much. I love.
[67:44]
Marc Maron
No, it's good. It seems like a role where, you know, you could sort of, like, engage, you know, all the possibilities of what you do outside of singing.
[67:53]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[67:53]
Marc Maron
It felt like you could have sounded that maybe. I don't think Joker 2 did that. Well, I wouldn't make the whole thing a musical, but.
[68:01]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. I don't know how Sofia would ever.
[68:03]
Marc Maron
Not unless you changed the whole thing.
[68:05]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. But I did really feel like I got to use a bunch of different parts, and that was incredible.
[68:14]
Marc Maron
To be all fucked up and crazy and institutionalized.
[68:17]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. And then also just, like, turn into a creature. I mean, I just.
[68:21]
Marc Maron
Well, yeah. And be able to sort of see that kind of brewing that, that moment where, you know, it's. It's an interesting moment in these kind. Even when I'm rewatching succession, that whatever drives Kendall to make the decision.
[68:32]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. To.
[68:33]
Marc Maron
To take over.
[68:34]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[68:35]
Marc Maron
But you, you know, you're fundamentally kind of evil. Well, maybe not.
[68:41]
Kristin Milioti
Depends on this is what I like about it. Depends.
[68:43]
Marc Maron
Yeah. I mean, not totally evil, but. Ruthless.
[68:46]
Kristin Milioti
Ruthless.
[68:46]
Marc Maron
Yes. But. Yeah. I thought it was kind of. Kind of great. I really liked the whole thing. Then I watched Palm Springs.
[68:57]
Kristin Milioti
Oh, yeah. I loved that.
[68:58]
Marc Maron
It's a weird movie, right?
[68:59]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah, I loved it.
[69:01]
Marc Maron
It's a good device.
[69:02]
Kristin Milioti
It's a good device. I also, like. I got to watch that movie at Sundance right before the world shut down, and I got to be in this audience of 400 people and no one knew the twist. That it's a time loop movie.
[69:15]
Marc Maron
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
[69:16]
Kristin Milioti
And it was. I will never forget that. Cause the whole audience gasped, like when they figured out what it was.
[69:22]
Marc Maron
And then they're like at about a third of the way through, you know, the other part of you waking up is revealed. And then it becomes kind of the challenge of engaging in life and, you know, owning yourself and all that stuff.
[69:35]
Kristin Milioti
I know. I always thought it was like a real. I mean, I know it was. It's like a time loop rom com. But I also was like, it's also like an existential comedy.
[69:43]
Marc Maron
Totally. And then I watched the 30 rock.
[69:45]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[69:46]
Marc Maron
Which was hilarious because I'm a standard favorites.
[69:49]
Kristin Milioti
One of my favorites.
[69:49]
Marc Maron
You wanna hear something funny?
[69:50]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[69:51]
Marc Maron
You know. Cause I just did this show with Silverman. With Sarah.
[69:54]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[69:55]
Marc Maron
And I'm like, you know, I told her I was interviewing you and she's like, oh, I love her.
[69:58]
Kristin Milioti
And I'm like, oh, my God.
[70:00]
Marc Maron
Yeah. And then.
[70:01]
Kristin Milioti
Sweet.
[70:01]
Marc Maron
And then I love her too. It was like, did you see that 30 rock? And she's like, no, But I heard.
[70:07]
Kristin Milioti
About it because, yes, I have heard about this. Yes. Okay. And I'm like, what?
[70:12]
Marc Maron
And I didn't even put it together. I'm such an idiot that people thought you were. You're being some version of her. I didn't see that though.
[70:18]
Kristin Milioti
I didn't either. You know, I thought it was so first of all, that was like one of my favorite things I've ever heard.
[70:24]
Marc Maron
It was so funny because, like, you know, you can do comedy and that's rare in and of itself. So you really got to kind of.
[70:32]
Kristin Milioti
Do that thing and I got to go for it. And, you know, I always thought that that episode was such a skewering of what is so commonplace now of like this sexy baby. I mean, that voice is everywhere. It's in everything.
[70:45]
Marc Maron
Right. But it's weird because I told Sarah, I said, it's more like Phylicia Michaels, who was this? She was a comic that literally did that. Well, she kind of talks like that anyways.
[70:55]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[70:55]
Marc Maron
But it was. She was a comic that. I'm friends with her, but she was one of the few comics that appeared in Playboy and she used to do that thing and it was really kind of always sexy and a little dirty. I didn't even see Sarah at all in it.
[71:09]
Kristin Milioti
No. And I always thought too, that it just was more about. I mean, that's also what I love about that show is like the butt of the joke. Always Ends up being Liz Lemon, that, like, here she is, trying to be, like, the feminist extraordinaire. And because someone comes in, in a little crop top, talking like a sexy baby, she actually also begins to be like, well, you're not funny.
[71:26]
Marc Maron
Yeah, right.
[71:27]
Kristin Milioti
And, you know.
[71:28]
Marc Maron
Well, no, I didn't know what the twist was gonna be. Cause I didn't watch the show.
[71:32]
Kristin Milioti
It's a great twist.
[71:33]
Marc Maron
Yeah, it's funny.
[71:34]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. I loved that job so much. I also was, like, a really massive 30 Rock fan. I watched it every week. And I remember, like, pretending to not know. Like, when I got there, I'd, like, had a bunch of wig tests or something. And then they. They took me around being like. And then this is Jack Donaghy's office, which I, like, knew intimately from watching so many episodes. And I was like, oh, wow. Whose office? Like, I really wanted to downplay that. I was, like, obsessed with it.
[72:01]
Marc Maron
Well, you get to do, like, it's interesting to be an actress who, you know, has the opportunity to play all these different parts and not be pigeonholed in a thing.
[72:10]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. Thank you.
[72:11]
Marc Maron
Does that frustrate you?
[72:13]
Kristin Milioti
No.
[72:13]
Marc Maron
Okay, good.
[72:14]
Kristin Milioti
I'm like. That's why. I mean, you know, I try as best as I can, like, you know, And I don't. I mean, you know, you don't really have as much control. You have no control, actually, as an actor. As an actor. But I really do try.
[72:26]
Marc Maron
Unless you really don't give a fuck and you're willing to.
[72:28]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah, right. Exactly. Unless you're Daniel Day Lewis and you're out there cobbling shoes, being like, eh, I'll do it when I want to. But, like, I've really tried to the best of my ability to do as many different types of things as I can and not get pigeonholed.
[72:48]
Marc Maron
And you work all the time.
[72:49]
Kristin Milioti
I do. Thank you.
[72:51]
Marc Maron
That's good, right?
[72:52]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah, I do.
[72:55]
Marc Maron
So when you're on a set with, like, even in that part you had in Wolf of Wall street, that's gotta be, like, so exciting.
[73:04]
Kristin Milioti
So exciting. I mean, it's so exciting. You know, I wish a lot of times, like. Cause I am. I'm so excited. And, like, the. Like, we were talking about earlier, like, the miracle of being able to do this is never lost on me. But a lot of times, the way I begin on a job is, like, racked with anxiety. Yeah, of course, like, cannot, like, I. There's like. That's actually a really good example of, like, I look back on that experience and I'm like, wow. I wish you'd just taken it in a little bit more.
[73:33]
Marc Maron
Right.
[73:33]
Kristin Milioti
I was so scared.
[73:34]
Marc Maron
You get so focused on what you're gonna do.
[73:36]
Kristin Milioti
Yes. And, like, so. And if it's gonna be. Yeah. If I'm gonna be the weak link, if I'm gonna disappoint, if I'm gonna, like, Duff this opportunity, I'm sitting there, you know, working with artists who I grew up admiring, you know, is an understatement. And, like, I just remember. I remember so much fear around that job, which is such a bummer. It makes sense, too. Cause I was like, you know, in my 20s and was like, yeah, it's scary.
[74:01]
Marc Maron
And it was a. It was a good role. It wasn't nothing.
[74:03]
Kristin Milioti
No.
[74:03]
Marc Maron
You know, I got.
[74:04]
Kristin Milioti
I get in there.
[74:05]
Marc Maron
Yeah. Yeah. I think I love that movie. Like, I don't think that it's one of those weird movies that doesn't get enough. Like, I think people misunderstood it.
[74:13]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah, right. Yeah. I think they thought it was a celebration.
[74:16]
Marc Maron
No.
[74:16]
Kristin Milioti
And it's not.
[74:17]
Marc Maron
It's a satire.
[74:18]
Kristin Milioti
It's a satire and it's a comedy. Yeah, totally.
[74:21]
Marc Maron
There's just such. There's such funny shit in that movie.
[74:24]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[74:24]
Marc Maron
Like, not just the. You know, when he's on lewds and do that hell thing, but every time, like, as the movie went on, they would cut to the room full of brokers.
[74:33]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[74:33]
Marc Maron
It got more crazy. And at some point, they're literally. There's a guy doing a backflip.
[74:38]
Kristin Milioti
It just gets, like, crazy. Like a bacchanal.
[74:40]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[74:41]
Kristin Milioti
I thought it was such a. A statement on, like, the illness of that world.
[74:45]
Marc Maron
Yeah, I thought it was. I thought it was.
[74:47]
Kristin Milioti
But, you know, it's similar to, like. You know, I've heard. Or maybe I just, like, read something about how American Psycho is, like, really hitting with, like, a younger generation of men. And you're like.
[74:57]
Marc Maron
For the wrong reasons.
[74:57]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. And you're like, what. How do you watch that and think like. Yeah.
[75:01]
Marc Maron
Well, now we live in a culture of sort of shameless kind of lawlessness in that it's not about being a good person. It's about getting away with whatever you can.
[75:14]
Kristin Milioti
I know. That's such a bummer.
[75:16]
Marc Maron
Yeah. So what happens now? Are you picked up? Are you doing another penguin?
[75:21]
Kristin Milioti
We don't know.
[75:21]
Marc Maron
You really don't know yet?
[75:23]
Kristin Milioti
I really don't know. I know.
[75:25]
Marc Maron
That's crazy.
[75:26]
Kristin Milioti
I know. I know. We don't know.
[75:29]
Marc Maron
Yeah. But are you doing other stuff?
[75:31]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah, I'm doing. I just shot a pilot that we're waiting to hear about for who? Fx.
[75:40]
Marc Maron
Oh, yeah, what's that?
[75:42]
Kristin Milioti
It's like a. It's by Will Arbery, who's this brilliant playwright. And it's. I don't know how to describe it. It's like sort of a. It's about this. These seven sisters. It's like a.
[75:53]
Marc Maron
That's a lot. I tried to watch Made for Love, but you can't even find it anymore.
[75:58]
Kristin Milioti
Isn't that.
[75:59]
Marc Maron
It's so fucked up.
[75:59]
Kristin Milioti
It's so fucked up. It's so fucked up.
[76:03]
Marc Maron
How does that happen?
[76:04]
Kristin Milioti
That happened because we were a tax write off.
[76:08]
Marc Maron
So you did it for Max?
[76:10]
Kristin Milioti
Yes, did it for Max.
[76:11]
Marc Maron
And then it was on Amazon for a minute.
[76:14]
Kristin Milioti
I don't even know if it was. Maybe it was. I don't know. I just know that, like, they've ripped it off the platform because it's like. Yeah. Part of that massive tax write off that was like, when they ripped Warner Brothers. Yes. When they ripped, like, Westworld off and all this. And it's such a bummer because, you know, that was three years of our lives. So many people worked so hard on that. I also think there are so many parts of that show that have become, like, eerily prescient because, you know, it was a lot about, like, the tech world. You know, I was married to this, like, very Elon Musk third character, and it was all about, like, this sort of, I don't know, people in this world of, like, advanced technology being utterly unable to communicate with each other and, like, just wanting intimacy so bad and making it worse and worse and worse and worse. And then I was, you know, Ray Romano and I played father and daughter, and I thought it was this, like, really special. And. And they're estranged on the show and they really don't get along. And it was like, such an interesting. I just loved that relationship. And I love Ray.
[77:20]
Marc Maron
Yeah, Ray's become a pretty good actor.
[77:23]
Kristin Milioti
He's so good.
[77:24]
Marc Maron
Yeah. I mean, I've known Ray before. He was. He was a comic.
[77:29]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. Adored him and adored working with him.
[77:33]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[77:33]
Kristin Milioti
And, like, we did do a lot of really, like, you know, like, intimate and sad stuff about, like, a father and daughter who, like, can't.
[77:43]
Marc Maron
That's so crazy. You can't even buy it.
[77:46]
Kristin Milioti
You can't even buy it. It's just sitting in a vault somewhere. And I'm also like. Well, it's like on a USB stick somewhere. Probably, like, just put it up. And it's such a bummer to think that, you know, I mean, it's also like, a lot of what came up during the strikes and everything that, like, people's hard work, years of hard work can just be.
[78:05]
Marc Maron
And it's crazy that with everything being out there, you can generally find it somewhere. I mean, I did a show for four seasons. I don't even know where it is. You know, it showed up because different corporate entities get involved with studios, and then you don't know who's got it and who is selling it.
[78:22]
Kristin Milioti
Totally.
[78:22]
Marc Maron
But I think it ended up on. You can get it on itunes. You can at least buy it.
[78:26]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah. You can't even buy this.
[78:28]
Marc Maron
That's crazy. And there's no recourse for that.
[78:30]
Kristin Milioti
I. You know, I've really. Every time I've, like, I've talked to a couple people just, like, through work at Warner Brothers, but then also, like, Paramount is who made it. And so I've also. I know a couple people at Paramount, and every now and then I'll be like, hey, guys, what's going on with this? Like, where is it?
[78:47]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[78:47]
Kristin Milioti
And I think there's just, like, no one really knows. It feels like it's fucking nuts, which is also really nuts. And it was such a. Like, it was such a weird show, and it was, you know, I don't know.
[78:59]
Marc Maron
It's too bad.
[79:00]
Kristin Milioti
I know. I hope that in some way it gets released on the signs. Yeah. Like, I would hope that, like, I don't know, it ends up on Netflix or it ends up somewhere where it can just be seen for a little while, because we worked really hard on it, and I think it has, like, a lot of interesting stuff to say about tech.
[79:15]
Marc Maron
Is there any sort of momentum to try to get it out there? I mean, like, talk to your lawyer.
[79:22]
Kristin Milioti
I don't have a lawyer. Lawyer.
[79:23]
Marc Maron
Oh, okay. You just have an agent.
[79:28]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[79:28]
Marc Maron
Okay.
[79:28]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah, just an agent.
[79:29]
Marc Maron
It's a weird thing about what they get away with, you know, like, it.
[79:33]
Kristin Milioti
Also never really found its fault. Like, it. You know, we didn't have a following in the way that, like, a succession does or something.
[79:39]
Marc Maron
Yeah. But that seems like the. A thing that Netflix would at least take a try on.
[79:43]
Kristin Milioti
Totally.
[79:43]
Marc Maron
And that they could find another life.
[79:44]
Kristin Milioti
For it or just, like, slap it up there, see what happens.
[79:47]
Marc Maron
Because it's one thing if you do something and it doesn't, you know, it doesn't do well at the theaters or whatever, eventually someone will pick it up somewhere.
[79:53]
Kristin Milioti
Somewhere. And it's also. It's like eight episodes. They're 25 minutes. Like, it's not it's only eight episodes. I think so per season.
[80:00]
Marc Maron
Oh, how many seasons?
[80:00]
Kristin Milioti
We did two.
[80:01]
Marc Maron
Okay.
[80:02]
Kristin Milioti
Maybe it's 10. They're short.
[80:04]
Marc Maron
But it did have some following.
[80:05]
Kristin Milioti
Oh, for sure. People really liked it, but it never. I mean, like, it never became like a.
[80:11]
Marc Maron
That hardly happens with anything.
[80:12]
Kristin Milioti
I know. It hardly happens with anything. But I mean, I guess, I mean, in terms of, like, you know, of. Of any type of movement to like.
[80:20]
Marc Maron
Yeah, yeah. Well, that. That happened with me and Betty and Glow.
[80:23]
Kristin Milioti
I mean, they didn't do that last show.
[80:24]
Marc Maron
They didn't do the last season.
[80:25]
Kristin Milioti
I remember.
[80:26]
Marc Maron
And people are still kind of like, it's a handful of people, but they're kind of like, how could we not know what happened?
[80:31]
Kristin Milioti
I know.
[80:32]
Marc Maron
Yeah.
[80:32]
Kristin Milioti
And it's like left on such an open ended.
[80:34]
Marc Maron
I know. And there's nothing you can do about it.
[80:36]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah, I know.
[80:38]
Marc Maron
What are you gonna do?
[80:38]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah, I loved that show.
[80:40]
Marc Maron
It was a good show.
[80:41]
Kristin Milioti
It was a great show.
[80:42]
Marc Maron
It was a lot of fun.
[80:43]
Kristin Milioti
So wonderful on it. My God.
[80:44]
Marc Maron
Oh, that's nice.
[80:45]
Kristin Milioti
I mean, you know, she's one of my favorites.
[80:47]
Marc Maron
Who? Yeah, yeah, she's great.
[80:49]
Kristin Milioti
Incredible.
[80:49]
Marc Maron
Yeah. It was so interesting to kind of work with her and Allison.
[80:55]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[80:55]
Marc Maron
Because this was so good. Oh, she's great. But they're such different actresses in how they approach things.
[81:02]
Kristin Milioti
Oh, okay. Yeah.
[81:03]
Marc Maron
Because, like, Betty, you know, Allison came up in movie and television. Right. So she came up in la, so there's really a difference. I never saw it so clearly between, like, New York theater, you know, kind of trained people, and then LA kind of acting business people, or how they approach it with film and TV being the thing always.
[81:25]
Kristin Milioti
Right.
[81:26]
Marc Maron
As opposed to, you know, coming up through Black Box Theater and all that.
[81:29]
Kristin Milioti
Other stuff, which is how Betty and I met too, was doing a play.
[81:32]
Marc Maron
Really?
[81:32]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[81:32]
Marc Maron
And Betty's like, you don't know what she's gonna do.
[81:35]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah, I know.
[81:37]
Marc Maron
Like, you know, every. Every scene you're like. You do a take and you're like, well, I don't know. It's coming.
[81:41]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah.
[81:41]
Marc Maron
This one. Yeah, yeah.
[81:43]
Kristin Milioti
We played British schoolgirls together in a play.
[81:46]
Marc Maron
Oh, yeah.
[81:46]
Kristin Milioti
So if you can imagine the two of us being like, oh, right, what are you doing later? Like, it was like a lot of that. It was like, that's funny. Just.
[81:53]
Marc Maron
Yeah, she's great.
[81:54]
Kristin Milioti
She's the best.
[81:55]
Marc Maron
Do you guys are. You hang out? Oh, that's nice.
[81:57]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah, she's one of my dearest.
[81:59]
Marc Maron
I'll tell her I talk to you. So how are you gonna get back on stage.
[82:04]
Kristin Milioti
I guess I'm just gonna. I don't know. I was gonna make a stupid joke about hoisting myself up. Yeah, I don't know. I'm really.
[82:10]
Marc Maron
Do you get pitched at stuff?
[82:11]
Kristin Milioti
Yeah, for sure, definitely. And there's stuff that I'm, you know.
[82:17]
Marc Maron
It'S a long commitment for something that I guess part of the. You have to factor into it is that if it's a new play and then you gotta go through the previews and then you gotta run and you.
[82:28]
Kristin Milioti
Have to, I think, really love it. Like, I think, or, you know, I don't know. But I'm really. I really am looking to get back because I just. I miss it. And whenever I go see a play, I have that feeling of like, oh, I wanna get up there.
[82:44]
Marc Maron
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[82:44]
Kristin Milioti
Like a little kid or something.
[82:46]
Marc Maron
Yeah. And it's, you know, every night it happens in real time. It's not waiting around.
[82:50]
Kristin Milioti
And it's been a minute since I've done one and I'm like, you do get really rusty. I mean, you know what it's like to perform live.
[82:57]
Marc Maron
And so when you don't have that muscle for being in front of an.
[82:59]
Kristin Milioti
Audience, I'm also like, oh God, it's. It's getting up there. I haven't done one in like, I think like seven years.
[83:05]
Marc Maron
Well, that comes back. It probably comes back easier than piano.
[83:08]
Kristin Milioti
I don't know about that. I've. I've spent more time on a piano bench.
[83:11]
Marc Maron
Yeah, yeah. No, but I mean like being. It's really just about being in front of an audience. I mean, I don't know about memorizing.
[83:17]
Kristin Milioti
You're not talking about like 10,000 hours of something.
[83:19]
Marc Maron
Yeah, no, I just mean that like once you've done once you have, you've already put in that 10,000 hours for theater. That even if you get away from it, even with stand up, what gets not even laxed. It's just that to have that constant thing open to a live audience, like if you don't do that for a while, you kind of get. But when you get up there, it kind of, you know, because, you know, you kind of need it.
[83:46]
Kristin Milioti
I know you feel it. I know.
[83:48]
Marc Maron
Yeah. Well, it's good talking to you.
[83:49]
Kristin Milioti
It's so nice to talk to you.
[83:56]
Marc Maron
She's great, man. Awesome. Again. You can watch the Penguin on Max. Hang out for a minute, folks. Support for today's episode comes from Square. Your all in one business partner, making your day to day easier. Square brings together everything you need to run your business and get paid. And it's all in one simple platform. Platform so you can stay organized and up to date. There's a bunch of businesses in my area who use Square. Ugly Mug Coffee House, Geo's Bakery and Cafe Deluca's Deli Ideology Coffee. That's just a handful of them. But whatever your business is, you can start using Square for payments today. Square Hardware looks sleek and doesn't feel intrusive to you or your customers. And the software is straightforward and intuitive. You don't need special training. You can just set it up and start taking payments quickly. Square keeps up so you don't have to slow down. Get everything you need to run and grow your business without any long term commitments. And why wait? Right now you can get up to $200 off square hardware at square.com go wtf. That's sq u a r e dot com. Go slash. Run your business smarter with Square. Get started today. Hey, as I mentioned before, you can hear Diana Moskovitz read her piece There will never be another WTF with Marc Maron. With a full Marin subscription. You can listen to it on last Friday's bonus show with Brendan and Chris. It almost made me feel like being caught by a detective. I bet. That's exactly what I was thinking. I was thinking of the end of, of the usual suspects. Yes, like she figured it all out. She late. She picked up every clue. Oh, I was totally the snowman. I was like, I gave you all the clues and yes, she got them all. How do you feel? Like, how do you feel being seen? That was the most humbling and emotional takeaway from it for me was I was like, man, it wasn't hidden. Like I, I was okay with it being hidden. Right. As an inside joke, something only for you. But it was validating to me that if someone was astute enough and was paying attention in the way and, and as she was as devoted to the show as a part of her life as she was, she was able to pick all that stuff up and look, you know, the guests are important and the show is about humanity and people and I loved her way of putting it. It's like this is the story of a guy trying to get his together. And that's exactly how I've always seen it. But like I always had in the back thought of my head. I was like, well this thing works because, you know, whatever growth you want to talk about with Mark, one of the things he never really had to grow about was his relationship with me. Yeah, he has been an above board, excellent partner from the day we started working together and it never changed. He is, it is the most consistent thing in the 16 years of this show is the way we have worked together. And that's not a lie. That is not exaggeration. That is not like in any way me trying to look at something. In hindsight, that has been the way it's been since the start. And it's just like, I can't believe somebody else got that. To sign up for the full Marin, go to the link in the episode description or go to wtfpod.com and click on WTF Plus. And a reminder before we go, this podcast is hosted by acast. All right, Saomer Lives Monkey and La Fonda Cat Angels Everywhere.