Transcript of Rachel Dratch

Hi, everyone. Welcome to another episode of Good Hang. I am so excited about this episode. It is the great Rachel Dratch, my friend for almost 30 years and America's favorite. We are going to talk about so much good stuff. We're going to talk about growing up in Massachusetts. We're going to talk about our love for the musical Annie, and we're going to go behind the music and do a deep dive into the world famous clip that kicked this podcast off and that has kept us laughing ever since. So get ready for a great interview. Before we start, we always like to talk to someone who knows our guest, is a fan of our guest, has a question that they want to give me. I'm very excited to talk to Kevin Cahoon today. Kevin is a dear friend of Rachel. He is an incredible actor, musical theater pro. Tony nominated for the great musical Shucked, and you can catch him in a million other things. Kevin is zooming in to get things started. Kevin, hi. This episode is brought to you by Paul Mollet. Some of the best memories you'll ever make are around the dinner table.

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I get to see you on this I know.

I wish we were having margaritas with Dratch.

Hey, listen, wouldn't that be great? That's a good hang right there.

That is for listeners. I've had a few margaritas with Kevin and Dratch over the years, pre-show, post-show, because both of you are on Broadway.

Well, listen, anytime I can hang out with you- How are you? I'm so great. How are you?

Where are we talking to you from?

I am in Texas at my mom's place, rural Texas, outside of Houston. It's a sunny day. We've had four days of torrential rain, and I'm dealing with these wild hogs. I know this is crazy. They're wild, feral hogs that show up in the middle of the night and they tear up your property. They travel in packs of 30. And I've set up alarms all around, and I think they're working. But last night, we had a few come, and the alarms went off in the middle of the night, which there's nothing more terrifying. And I'm good with animals, I grew up with a lot of animals, and I'm fine with animals. Not these animals. Not a fan. It's worth a Google, if anyone wants to Google, Texas wild feral hogs.

Well, I mean, the thing that I was so excited to talk to you about today is that you, like many of us, deeply love our guest, Rachel Ratch.

Beyond.

Tell me how you two first met.

We met doing a musical called Minsky's in LA, written by Charles Strauss and Susan Birkenhead and Bob Martin. It was coming to Broadway, a star-studded cast, and it closed in LA, which is the great showbiz tale. But what you take away from experiences like that are the people, and you usually have one or two from each show. I fell in love with Rach immediately. What's not to fall in love with. And she had told me she had gone to a psychic, that I think you had bought her this psychic reading for her birthday.

That's right. I should talk to her about that because if she's open to it, because her and I both went to the same psychic at the same time when we were both pregnant.

Yes, that's right. And before the show, I would go to her dressing room and we would have a day catch up. What'd you do today? Who'd you see? Where'd you lunch? And she had said, I went to this psychic, and this psychic told me that our show was going to close out of town. And we were like, there They're crazy. That'll never happen. We're moving into the St. James Theater. Well, the psychic was right. But anyway, that was probably 15, 16, 17 years ago, and it has just been the most nourishing, fulfilling, steadfast friendship that I could have ever, ever imagined. And then I've gotten to have new friends like you that I have met through Rach. And you know that they're a good friend when you meet their friends, and those friends become your friends as So it's just been the most rewarding friendship I could have ever imagined.

I hear you. I feel the same. I feel like there's a few friends that, and it's proven to be true now that Rachel and I have been friends for almost 30 years, there's a few people that you know in success and in, quote, failure, in good times and in bad times, they're going to weather that storm with you. And that's not always the case with everyone. Sometimes people are better when things are going badly. They like that. And sometimes people want to hear when you're succeeding, that's when they want to be along for the ride. But Rachael Dratch definitely is there for both if you're lucky enough to have her as your friend.

That is so true. And she's a wonderful gift giver. She never forgets an occasion where she's going to bring you a little something. I did a Broadway show that ran nine months, and she was there opening night. She was there closing night. She was there in between. She came again. She brought friends. It's just she is a cheerleader for those that she loves. She is a champion. She'll go to bat. Life is a little brighter when Rach is around. Cahoon.

Let's talk about Shucked, which is the show you're talking about.

That's true, yes.

I loved you in it and loved that show so much.

You were so dear to come. Of course. So It meant the world to me. And let me tell you what, Amy Poehler, you're one of those friends, because not only did you come to Shucked, I did a production of La Caja in the fall. You came to La Caja fall. You are there. I mean, you're birds of a feather fly together. You guys are just exemplary friends.

Oh, friend. Thank you for saying that. That means a lot. And it's not hard work to go to a really fun show and watch you Before we get to your question, I'm going to talk to Dratch a little bit about her, her Tony Nomme and her show, Pottis, and how... Because I know from being her friend, how positive an experience that was for her. Like, great women that she became really good friends with, a Tony Nomme, a hilarious part. Do you remember that time and what she said about that experience when she was working on that show?

Well, here's the incredible thing, and it's so rare. She got a Tony nomination for her Broadway debut.

Damn.

It ever happens. That is like, remarkable. And I've seen Rachel on stage so many times at the public, Shakespeare in the Park, Manhattan Theater Club. She is always the standout. And when you do a Broadway show, whether you want to admit it or not, there's always a part of you that thinks, maybe, just maybe that childhood dream would come true. That show that I I watched once a year in June, maybe I could be a part of that show. And then when it happens, it's the biggest embrace you could ever imagine from a community that you've always wanted to be a part of. And a lot of people probably know Rachel from television and from film, but her theater career is just as sparkling and just as dynamic and diverse as her impact on TV and film.

She's played so many different types of characters. It's actually a good question. She's played like men and dogs and people and mothers and robots and whatever. She can do it all.

She can do everything. That's why you hire Rachael Tratch.

It's so true.

It's so true. We should all be as versatile as Rachael Tratch.

Okay. So, Kev, what do you think? I mean, I could talk to Dratch and will probably today, forever, about so many things, the past, the present, the future. Anything you think I should ask her today? Yes.

It was hard to pick one question. I have two that I think are sparkly. One is about the theater, because I feel like a lot of people don't realize that Rachel Dratch was a theater kid, and she went to theater camp, and her dream and ambition was to be in plays and in musicals. And then her career took a brilliant detour I would ask her, little Rachel Dratch going to theater camp, what were her three beacons of light in the American theater? A musical, a performer. Who was it that filled her with I want to do that. That's what I want to be when I grow up.

Such a good question.

That was the one question. And then this is something that inspires me about Rachel. She brought us all Debbie Downer, one of the most iconic American comedic characters. When Rachel Dretsch is thinking about feline AIDS and North Korean train accidents and insurrection, What is that catalyst that gets her out of her doom and gloom and brings her back to reality?

That would be another question. Debbie would want me to point out that it is good that you brought up feline AIDS because it is the number one killer of domestic cats.

Well, that's true. Listen, we've talked about feral hogs and feline AIDS. What's next, baby?

Texas, baby. These are such good questions, Kevin. I don't think she knows that I'm talking to you today. I did not tell her. Okay, good. I didn't tell her either.

We had a little kiki yesterday, and I was zipped lips.

Oh, my God. I'm so happy because she's going to be so happy. These are really good questions. I think nobody loves a good question more than Dratch. If you ask her, that's a good question, she's like, That's such a good question.

She will say that. I guarantee you. She will. And I had told Blake Lee, who was on, who's a dear mutual friend of ours, who was on for Dakota. I told him. Five days ago, Amy, I was like, You were so incredible on Amy's podcast. It's so fabulous that you were on there. It is so chic. What a cool thing. I'm so proud of you. And then my phone dinged and it was you. And Cooops. I can't thank you enough.

Are you kidding me? Thank you. Thank you for taking a break from fighting the hogs. If you are eventually eaten by them, just know that our time together was so special to me.

It was, and I cherish every single minute.

All right. I can't wait to see you in New York, friend. I love you so much. I love you. Thank you so much. I'll see you soon. Thank you so much. I'll see you soon. Thank you so much for doing this. This message is brought to you by For the Apple Card, each Apple product, like the iPhone, is thoughtfully designed by skilled designers. The titanium Apple Card is no different. It's laser etched, has no numbers, and earns you daily cash on everything you buy, including 3% back on everything at Apple. Well, apply for Apple Card on your iPhone in minutes. Subject to credit approval, Apple Card is issued by Goldman Sachs Bank USA, Salt Lake City Branch. Terms and more at applecard. Com.

Rachel Dratch is here. Are we starting? Is it a Yeah, and we need to talk about- Wait, what? What do you got? Let me get started here. I'll get this- Rachel is pulling out.

The world famous headphones. You've seen them before.

This is my new trademark, everybody.

This is so weird.

These are going to be in this for the Smithsonian. This is the Academy of TV and Radio. By the way, I didn't tangle this. This is how it came out where I was storing it. This is the- These are the world famous. This is in their natural state. World famous. Rachel Dratch headphones. It was a shot fired, heard around the world. These headphones is where it all began. The chaos beginning. Oh, wait. Now that- Look at that. Now that I'm with Amy, everything's all right. We don't even use these, but I had to bring those up. Oh my God. Dratch- The historical item. Okay.

Of course, Dratch brings a prop. Brings the prop from home. For people that didn't see our first episode of Good Hang Dratch was in the group that was talking about our guest, Tina Faye, and boy did we have a good time.

Oh, my God. That was probably my biggest laugh of the year.

I just watched it again on the way over here, and we're going to get into it today. Of course we are.

People need to hear the behind the music. Where were you? Where were you when you saw the clip?

I owe you money for that clip. I owe you money for that clip. But it really was like it started off the entire vibe of the show. I'm so grateful for it because it started off exactly what I was hoping, which is I was hoping that this would be fun and easy and a laugh. That was the deepest laugh, Dratch. Oh, my gosh.

It was such a good laugh. Imagine your best laugh ever, and then it's recorded for you to watch again. That never happens because you can't plan that.

No, no. Also having Fred and Seth and Zarna there. There's really no better, I would say, partner than Seth when Dratch is Dratching because he's so good at keeping things moving in a way or something?

Yeah. He was making me laugh so much. So hard. He's like, Dratch, we're probably going to cut all this out. And then when I was like, I'm holding everything up. And he's like, No, this is how she wanted to start. He was the perfect foil. The comedy foil.

Also the thing that gets me, which is such an improv and such a good example of what a good listener you are, is that at the very end, you clap, which is what we asked you to do 15 minutes before to get started.

God, that clap. End it with the beginning, people. Comedy 101. Okay. Second prop use of this podcast is trying to swirling her ice drink. Okay.

No, but it is like that. I have to say when I was thinking about what to talk about today, I was like, we have had deep laughs.

We have.

It's like the heart, and you love You love to laugh. And the way Drash has many kinds of laughs. And you have... I know people have done your laugh to you.

Oh, yeah. You go...

Also, when you go into a level two laugh, when you're going down deep, you go... You get very old school.

Oh my gosh. You do. Wait, I just need to say, though, that when that was happening, that I didn't know that was going to be used for on camera, which may- I didn't tell you that. You did not tell me. I looked back at the text and- I'm very sorry. No, I don't mean that. I mean, it was the best thing ever. But I just mean for people wondering, why did she order food? When there was a podcast happening.

We could argue still with all you, why did you?

Well, because I thought it was like a half hour of time. True. Then it came very quickly. Then my dog barked. Then- And your dog's name is? My dog's name is Ruffles, and Ruffles started barking. Anyway, sorry. Go ahead.

Do you remember, I think we talked about it. There was a hilarious, whoever is the TikTokeer who did this, somebody posted, there were many clips of it, and then someone went and looked at your chart.

Yes. My my horoscope, whatever, Zodiac. What did they say? Well, so I'm... What's... Paisies? I didn't know this word. Stellium means all your things are in the same sign, like every single day. But I guess there's one little thing. But this woman, she did my chart on TikTok, and she was laughing really hard. She's like, How is this woman surviving with everything in Psy's? She's like, somehow she's making it work. But I guess there's one thing in Capricorn, and she goes, This Capricorn is holding the whole rest of it all together. It's doing the work of 10,000 men or something.

She called you the Pisces' final boss.

Yes. I have wondered if I... Other people were talking about ADHD, I guess. I have wondered if I have that as an adult. I don't know. I don't know. But if you look at that clip, you're going to be like, Yeah.

I feel like it's like... I mean, we talk about it like the Pisces being a shorthand for... Like, it's in its best... Chaos.

I'm saying. That's what I'm But we're opposite.

We are resistance signs.

Amy's Virgo. By the way, I don't know much about signs, but I just know about this. I don't really either. I just know about this. I don't know.

I do like astrology. I think it's cool. We like astronomy. We like anagram. We like anything that is about personality stuff. But What's fun about talking about Pisces in Virgo is, Pisces are the fish that are floating through life, and Virgo is the virgin setting the rules. I don't know. But I find we do do... I feel like you do definitely have a dream-like approach and an adventurous approach to life.

I would say that, yes.

Yes. I think you are a curious traveler, and you definitely don't I feel shy.

I feel shy.

She got shy. Did you see what happened?

The curious traveler. Wait, wait. I'm trying to be myself.

For people that can't see, it was like a shy cloud came over. But you are shy.

I am shy, yes.

It goes without saying, We've been friends for 30 years. We are often mistaken for being the same person. Or just the other day, we were in a public bathroom and someone was like, I saw your sister in the bathroom. They think we're sisters. But you and I do definitely have... If life was a rom-com, we would be growing up next to each other. Yes.

Walking by each other in the mall, probably.

Talk to people who don't know. Like, early Dratch, where did she grow up? What was her life like?

Early Dratch, grew up in Lexan, Massachusetts. Next town over from Amy, but we didn't know each other. Although, well, we did work in the same ice cream store, which we always have to say, called Chad Wix. If you don't know that, why not even living under a rock? But anyway. But yeah, I grew up in Lexan, and I don't know. I was shy when I was little, but I was always... I mean, I watched SNL when I was in third grade at someone else's house at a sleepover. I think her older brother was watching it, and I was immediately like, What is this? But I definitely was... I don't know about you either. I wasn't like, I'm going to be an actor when I grow up at all. No.

It was just for fun. I didn't even knew that was a job, really.

It was maybe a little dream at the back. When I saw Annie, the musical. I'm like, How are they up there? Where do I get one of those buckets? Annie.

Annie? There should be a documentary about women, our age, and how we were affected by Annie. Yeah.

But then I did school plays, but I definitely was not the queen of the drama club. I just did it for fun.

You did get a superlative, though, and it was.

I did. I got Class Clown. Did you get Class Clown? Or did you guys do those stupid things?

We had Class Clown, but I didn't get it. What?

I'd like to know who did.

I was the second runner up for Most Casual. You don't know this?

Most Casual. It's like, what did that even mean?

I don't know if it's in manner or dress, but didn't even get close to superlives.

Second runner up. Kind of casual. Class Clown. Class Clown. Come on. But then, let's see. I don't know. Then... Oh, and then also, well, my dad was very funny, as you know. Yeah. Paul Dratch. Paul Dratch. And so we just had like, he would like, oh, this is funny. I ran into someone whose dad had gone to high school with my dad, back when I was in high school, we were at the house. And then she said, Oh, my dad said your dad used to always do impressions of the teachers when they left the room and have everyone laughing because he was doing it. No way. Yeah. I just had that. It was in my blood. No, but I mean, it was in the atmosphere. But you did school plays.

I mean, getting class clown, you got to be funny in real- I guess in junior high, I started to pipe up one-liners from the back of the room thing, but much to the chagrin of teachers, I'm sure.

But then when I got to college, then there was an improv group there, and then I was cut. I I didn't even know what improv was back then.

Now, it's more- You're in high school in Lexington, Massachusetts, which a shot heard around the world, we just mentioned. The birthplace of democracy, right next to it was Burling Massachusetts where I was from, and let's be honest, they were not different at all. There was maybe... Right? Oh, my God. Look at Tracey. She just blanched. That was the first time she said it. Well, I was going to say, I exaggerated perfect.

Okay.

I exaggerated perfect.

That's so funny. Okay. We shared them all. We shared them all. I often hung out at the Burlington Mall. We probably passed each other.

We did. I think we did.

At the Brighams or something.

I felt like we had very parallel lives, short, blue-eyed Massachusetts girls who were Good students, but wanted to be funny. And the Lexington, I always used to joke that Lexington is for Parks and Rec fans. Like Parks and Rec fans, Lexington was the Eagleton and Burlington was the Pondi is how it felt. We thought Lexington was where the rich people were. And what did you think of Burlington?

Burlington? Oh, I didn't think about it. No, I'm just kidding. I'm like, How do I get Amy to see? No, first of all, I worked at Caldors, which is across the Burlington line. I crossed town lines to work at Caldors with the Burlington bad girls. Our teams played each other. Our teams played each other on Thanksgiving Day. And so since then, we always call it... Well, now they don't anymore, but we used to call each other up on Thanksgiving. Yeah, we We used to track it, Burlington.

We used to try to trash talk each other on Thanksgiving. And then you go to Datmouth. I went to Datmouth. Ivy League, Rachel. Yes. And very, very... What was your experience there? Did you like it?

Well, great question. I went back in the '80s, and it was very conservative back then, which I didn't even really know what that meant. But it was just like... It took me a while to find my people I had friends at the beginning and everything, but then the general ethos of it, I didn't feel like I really matched with. Then I saw the improv group, some friend of mine from acting class or whatever. I was like, Come check this out. As soon as I saw it, I was like, not like this, but I was like, I feel like I could do this.

We have very similar stories because same thing. I went to Boston College. I was trying to figure out how I fit in. Really?

I didn't know that part of it.

Big sports school and lots of private school kids.

Prep school people, which as much as we joke with Lexie, we didn't have that prep school vibe.

No, we were public school kids.

I was like, What person is that? That was a big vibe there.

I can remember going into people's dorm rooms and being like, How do you know how to get your dorm rooms so ready, so fast?

They're like, I was living in Deerfield. I spent three years at Deerfield, and that's how. But I didn't know that you It felt that way, too. Yeah.

I saw an improv group my freshman year.

My mother's Fleabag.

Yes.

And yours was? Set and done. There's nothing like those improv group names.

Improved names. Our friend Brian Stack, who is a performer at Second City, used to love to talk about good and bad improv names and how they would either be really goofy, like pun-filled, or they would be very serious and pretentious.

I haven't heard this serious.

There was one, and if anyone's listening, and as part of the group, I enjoy your work and I respect your work. But one of them, he said, was called Society's Mirror.

No. Is that real?

Good question. I don't know. There's no way to check. I could look it on my laptop, but... Society's Mir. I think it's out of battery. Okay. Yeah. Okay, so you, did you do...

Were you in Set and done? Then, yeah. Then I got into Set on. And then I was like, Oh, these are the fun people.

But you were a theater kid.

I don't know. I just did... You did plays, right? Did you do plays? But did you go to theater camp? I did go to summer theater camp. Yes. But not like one of those... I'm not saying this to be like... It wasn't like those ones, the real ones. It wasn't like professional kids that were... It was just suburban Boston, whatever. But But yeah, then I... That's where I met our pal Alex. But yeah, I wasn't the star of anything. I wasn't rolling in and then the lead and everything. I started out everything. I started out the chorus, and then you move up a little bit the next year. Yeah, that thing.

Yeah. I think me and you, we didn't really know anyone that were actors or writers growing up, so I just never thought that would be a job. Right, right, right. Did you have an idea as a kid what your job would be?

I mean, every kid in third grade, I wanted to be a marine biologist, like us all, right? But no, they're like... Why do we want to be a marine biologist? What do we think we're going to do there? I don't know. Like, play with dolphins and save the nature. I actually legitimately was like, very in... And still I'm like, a career in saving nature was like something I actually... When I was little. Then as you know, I wanted to be a therapist. But I also... Every time I'd see a movie, I was like, oh, I was just really intrigued, but I had no idea how you ever did that. And I also, to be really not self-deprecating, but it wasn't like I had felt like I had special skill in acting or anything. But I loved crack and jokes and doing- So funny, you didn't say that.

You get class clown, but yet you don't think you're skilled.

Because it's not like, Well, I'm an actor. Not like that, but just like, I like comedy and I like watching it. I had a group of funny friends, too. So we would always... I mean, a legit funny friend. So that was also practice.

You know what Yeah. Okay, so you get to Dartmouth, you graduate. And what was your degree in?

It was drama, and then I minored in psychology. Right. And then... Oh, so my improv group, sophomore summer, we're on campus. We took this little trip because one of the guys from the group was from Chicago. So we went out to Chicago for a week just to check out Second City Improv Olympic and just go to all the little sites there. And then I was like, okay, maybe when I graduate, I'll come back here and try this. And I just wanted to try it more to know that I'd given it a shot. I don't know how you were about this, but all you hear is like, it's so hard. You're never going to make it. That's all you hear. So then I was buying into that. And then I was like, okay, I'm just going to go out and try Chicago, and then I won't make it. And then I'll come back and be a therapist in suburban Boston. But then, I don't know how much she's going to go, but right when I got there, I did not get into classes at Second City. I heard everyone auditions, gets into classes, and then I didn't get into classes.

And then I was like, Oh, what did I do? But then I just stuck it out, and then I took class later. Everything I did, I didn't get the first time around.

Oh, interesting.

You had to... Well, like that. And then like, Touring Company, I auditioned, didn't get in. And then like... Well, SNL, I auditioned two times. But then you get used to that, I guess. I don't know. But anyway. Yeah. So then I eventually got into the classes and then did little theater there and eventually got into the touring company.

You get to Chicago, and do you remember when we first met?

I do. Well, in my memory, we were in the lobby of Second City, and you had just moved there, and you were in the touring company, I guess. I don't know if you were in it yet or just coming around to check it out or something. But anyway, I remember meeting you, and I remember you being really friendly. I would just say, like sunshiny. You don't always remember meeting someone for the first time, but I do remember, at least in my mind, this was the first time. I just remember you were very like you are. You were very friendly and smiley and cute little blondey.

I remember meeting you, but I didn't meet you. Different times. I saw you. I arrived and you were the junior to my freshman in Chicago, I would say. I saw you on stage. You were in Lois Caz, an improv show, very famous improv show named after a woman.

The woman that worked in the office or something.

I don't-Sketch an Improv and Comedy, it's just music, right? It's like, Oh, go check out this cool band. Oh, these two people are singing together. You just were watching groups and trying to figure out what was good, what did you like. Lois, the show that you were in was just like, Oh, these are the cool, good improvisers. Go see them. I remember, so the first time I saw you before we met, I saw you on stage. I just remember, I think when you see someone for the first time, it's a very interesting dynamic. You're just forever looking up to them, it feels like. I just was like, Oh, she's so funny. Just loved watching you perform. Subsequently, we got to know each other in Chicago, and I was your understudy for a touring company.

Touring company, for sure. Touring company.

What is Touring Company for people who don't know?

It's your first step to getting into Second City. And you're not out on the road for big, long times. You're just like, you're going to Indiana for the weekend, that thing. And it's just like cutting your teeth. And I mean, you get paid a minimal sum. So you're like, it's your first, I'm a working actor. And it's your first step to moving up the ladder there. Yeah.

So we didn't get to tour together because I was filling in when you were...

And then Amy struck out and moved to New York and started UCB, which I told you before that I was always just like, What are you guys do? I didn't know you guys that well, but I was just like, What are they doing? They're on track. You were already very successful in Chicago. Or whatever. Ish. Successful, known to be good improvisers, whatever. But then you definitely would have moved up the ranks at Second City, but you guys had this pioneer spirit of moving here and starting on that.

It's like if the Dratch in Polar rom-com is happening, this is where we separate for a little bit to go find our own. Because is I moved to New York, you're on main stage in a very famous show at Second City, and then you meet Tina when?

Then Tina joined then. The next show, then they changed it to three men, three women, which was like, revolutionary. Everyone was like, What? I know.

They were like, three women together?

I know. But then Tina came in for the next show, my second show on main stage called Citizen Gates. She was, of course, hilarious from the get-go. Then we did two shows together. Then I started to get more comfortable up there and being better at creating characters and all that. Then Tina went off to write for SNL after her second show. Then I stayed there. How many more years did you stay there? I was four years on the main stage. It was such a fun job. I mean, it might have been my favorite job ever. Yeah.

Just take us back to what it was like a day when you were on the main stage in Chicago. Oh, my gosh. What was that day like?

Well, I I remember you'd sleep really late, much later than I do now. But then you're writing the show. If you're rehearsing, you're writing the show by day, so you're in rehearsal all day. But you never wrote how we did at SNL, where you were at a typewriter. What a typewriter. Okay.

Board processor? When you were at a... I think I got a good one here.

When you had to... Give me more paper. I'm on a paper, Schultz. Okay. Computer is what they're called now. But But no, it's not like SNL when you're like, Oh, let's think of something. We're in an office. It was all on its feet and just someone had an idea, and then you'd try it out in front of the audience. Or the audience would give a suggestion, and then a scene would really hit from an audience suggestion. They're like, Let's try that again, but let's change this. That's how we wrote the thing. Then eventually, the show would be done and it'd be set, and then you'd just do the show night after night. But the show is sketch, for those that don't know, like SNL. And then afterwards, you'd improvise every night, pretty much. And that's how you get really good at improvising by just night after night after night. Because if I had to improvise right now, I'd be like, I'd wait, linger in the back line. If you keep doing it like a well-oiled machine.

So talk to us about you're on it. You get to SNL what year?

'99. Yeah, fall of '99. I was the only new person that year. Well, the only new actor. Ali was a new writer. But yeah. You just get like...

Who's on the cast when you get in there?

When you just said SNL, I just got a little tense.

You know this show comes out on Tuesdays, and to me, I just realized, I was like, Oh, this is a new way to change Tuesdays for me because Tuesdays used to be writing night at SNL where it was the dread of Tuesdays. Oh, no, this is the night where I have to try to get on the show because you audition basically every week, and I haven't written anything yet, and I'm so tired, and I'm going to let the host down. I'm going to let myself down. Now that this show comes out on Tuesdays, I don't know, there's just something like... But yes, I think people are aware of the dread, but what just came up for you? Which particular type of dread? I don't know.

I just thought of walking in there and I'm picturing the hallway I think I thought you were going to go to the audition, but no, then I'm right in that hallway. I'm in the hallway, Amy. I'm in the hallway.

Stay in the hallway. Stay in the hallway. Stay there. Rachel.

I can feel your feet on the ground. Here comes Lauren down the hallway. Okay. You're there by...

That's hard being the only new cast member.

That was hard. I cannot tell a lie. That was hard because that place is like... Well, I think something When Will Farrell came in, I think, is the year that a whole bunch of new people, they were like, The freshman class. Then you're all in it together. But when you come in, no one's like, Here's how this works in here. You're just like, Hey, guys. Wandering the halls.

It definitely feels like the high school version of your tray in the lunchroom, where do I sit?

Yeah, for sure. Tina was there, so that was good because she I knew how already... She knew the system, obviously. But I had someone to write with because some people come in there and they're great, but if they don't know how to write... Also, the writing for SNL is very different from writing for Second City. Like a scene that killed a Second City, you couldn't get it on SNL because it's just different. At the time, you're like, But this is awesome, and why don't you... But now with more wisdom, I'm like, the theater- Why? Why wouldn't it work? Just because a scene in the theater could take longer to get going. You didn't need to have laugh, laugh, laugh. It's just people in the theater are just into seeing this character do their thing. But at SNL, it had to be like, You need laughs off the bat. We need to know what this is right away. I don't know, just this one thing.

Do you remember the first scene on SNL that you were getting laughs and you thought like, it's working? No.

Gosh. I remember the first... Because I remember the first few times I got on, I wasn't even... I left my body. So I don't remember like, This is going really well. I was just like, I'm on. That thing. Yeah, yeah. Well, the first, very first show, I wasn't in. Like the season premiere, whatever. And you've told all your friends, I'm on us. And everyone's watching it. Your scene gets cut like it does. And then the next week, the same thing happened. The scene got cut. So it was like the third week.

Who was the host? Do you remember?

The one that I got on was... I should know this. Oh, my God. Well, I know the first one was Jerry Seinfeld. Then it was Norm McDonald. And then it was does not compute. Oh, my God. I don't remember.

It's funny. The brain remembers trauma. So you remember the two shows that you were on?

Dana Carvie? I'm going to have to go look.

They're going to do those three guys in a row? What year was it, Dratchy?

It was 1999, third episode.

Okay, this will be a fun game.

Dana Carvie?

Okay, I'm going to have you guess the musical guest because that's always fun, too. Oh, my God.

See?

I don't know this. So 1999. I don't remember anything. No. 1999, SNL hosts. And don't worry, we're going to keep all this in.

Let me tell you one cool thing, though. I just heard that. Wait, let me tell you one cool thing, though. Please. Please. The very first musical guest was David Bowie. And when I was... I've told this before, but when I was getting my photo taken for the very first opening credits, it was on the stage, you in 8H. And David Bowie, it was Thursday, he was rehearsing with the band. So I'm getting my picture taken, and he's right over there singing Rebell Rebell. I mean, I have chills every time I think about that because that was just like, I mean, I don't even have words for the surrealness.

That's a very... That's a very... Yeah. To have a soundtrack of that moment for your life, and it's David Bowie playing life.

It's David Bowie, Icon, yeah. So I remember that. Should we tell the Black Crow story? Okay, so one time... I don't do drugs at all. So, at that one time, the Black Crows were the musical guests, and someone on the Instagram came out to me and was like, Hey, do you want... That's my drug off her voice. Hey, do you want whatever you call it. A joint? Not a joint, but just a hit off a joint. I see. I don't know. I have tried it a couple of times. It's never really worked. I've never really dug it. Then I was like, Okay, sure. I took one puff off of this Black Crow's... Am I going to get sued? The black crow's pot I took a hit off the Black Crow's pot. You took a hit off the Black Crow's pot. I took a hit off the Black Crow's pot, and my cousin was visiting me, my cousin Zack, and I came back to the table and I was like, Oh, I guess I'm really high right now. I was so embarrassed because it was my little cousin. I never, ever, ever get high. Then I came back and I was like, I don't really remember if I told him or not.

He didn't. He might not even know. I don't even know. But that was my one.

I remember you telling me you couldn't get up from your chair.

Oh, I don't remember that. But it's possible.

That you were stuck.

I was just like, really? Anyway, and that's why I don't do drugs. I mean, you know. No, I'm just not into that feeling, I guess. No, you're not into that feeling. Only if it's from the Black Crowes. And then, yes, Chris, Chris Robinson, call me.

I just love that that was the particular strand.

It wasn't like I was parting with the Black Crows. It was like, second-hand made it down to the music guy, and I was told it was from the Black Crow.

But it's so interesting that you took the hit that you had used.

I don't. I don't know why. I don't know why. I was feeling a little jaunty that night. I don't know. I don't know.

No, but drugs is not your thing. Never has been your thing. It's so not my thing.

No. I like a margarita.

You will occasionally like a I knew you would. Or perhaps you like to sail to the Pinot Grigio Islands.

Or Pinot Grigio Islands. Amy and I will occasionally sail to the Pinot Grigios.

We'll text each other and say, Shall we take a trip?

To the to the Greggios. Yeah. Yeah.

And then when you were at SNL, I feel like we got... I was thinking today about all the stuff we got to do together, and we got to do a lot of dumb- So fun.

So fun stuff. Oh, my gosh.

I was thinking it was like, I mean, in many ways, I wish we had... I wish we had more time together when I was more experienced there because I was new and stressed. And you were, again, the junior to my senior. I felt like I loosened up more and figured out how to just have more fun as I got older there. But we did get to do some fun stuff together.

Well, first of all, you were in the original Debbie Downer, and that was so fun. I mean, just to be laughing there with you.

Well, you bring this up, and I ask this question to people on this podcast, and I truly feel like it is because of Debbie Downer that I asked this question. Again, I owe you a lot of money. Thank you for building this podcast with me. But Debbie Downer, I've said it many times before, was and is the thing that I go to, also maybe now, replaced by the clip.

The clip. The clip.

The clip of this podcast.

I watch the clip a lot of times. I just wanted to clarify. I don't go watch my work. I don't go watch a movie I did because I just like to have it in my head. But that, it's like I said, it was seeing your biggest crack up. I have to laugh every time I watch it. Me No.

And Debbie Downer was like that for me during very dark times because it was the combination of us all having fun, you, your... The way in which you were physically trying to hold it together, the way the laugh was like something you were trying to hold in, combined with the zooming- The zooming. And the sound effect.

And we've watched it so many times. Emily Spivey knows every single... She's like, This is the part where your lip starts quivering. Because there's one part where at the very beginning, I'm going,. Then there's the part where something falls backstage. I look away. My eyes dart over there. We know every single moment. It is.

It's like the Zapruder film, frame by frame. It proves... It just got me... It's such a serotonin boost. Before we move on, talk to us about who did you write Debbie Downer with and how did it start?

The The origin of the- Yes, the origin of. Oh, okay.

People will want to know.

Well, it really started because I went on a vacation by myself. So it had been suggested to me by a therapist. And I often leave that detail out. But since I'm on this one-on-one Amy interview... No, I said it once or twice, but usually I leave that part out for the masses. But no, not like this. This number one podcast, Masses. But no, she kept saying, take a trip by yourself. I was like, why? I don't want to do that. I could go with friends. I just took it as doctor's orders. I'm doing this. I self-propelled myself to the jungles of Costa Rica. No, but I wanted to pick somewhere that it wasn't going to be like, Honeyooners. I wanted to pick somewhere that was just, I don't know, somewhere remote, I guess. It was very remote. It was in the Osa Peninsula. You had to take the big plane, then you take the smaller plane, then you take the two-hour Jeep drive. I mean, I was going deep out of society.

Each time there They were like... It was like, Barbara Partia 1. Well, no.

I picked this. It was like this Ecolodge thing. I went there, and then it was just like... So there was these commun... It wasn't a lot of people there, and it was actually really cool. I did meet really cool people. I met these two sisters that they were older, but they're my age right now. I mean, the age I'm now. And they were like... They told me the rudimentary fundamentals of what is later known as The Secret. Did I tell you?

When I was on this trip- People should know Dratch knew The Secret before anyone knew The Secret.

And I learned it from the jungles of Costa Rica, from two white ladies that were from Colorado. But anyway, so they They were just weird because you're chatting. And I got to say, hats off to the suggestion because I never would have talked to strangers if I was with a friend. Right. So I'm having this conversation, and these women were telling me about basically what's the law of attraction, I guess. But they put it like, if you think on positive things, positive. And if you're if you're focusing on lack, you'll attract lack, basically. But then it almost the whole thing got sealed because then we were on this... We could do nature walks or whatever. And we were on this walk on the beach with the little... It wasn't a group. It was whoever's here and wants to go on this thing. And this woman was saying there were these beautiful birds overhead these scarlet macaws, and it was way up in the sky. And this woman goes, I want a feather to bring home for my daughter. And I swear, 20 seconds later from way, way up high, this feather starts to just go, It falls down.

We all see it like, and it lands right at her feet. Amy doesn't believe in any of this stuff. I do. That's cool. Okay, no, that's cool.

I believe in manifesting.

That was cool, though. So then I was just like, Sold. I'll join your cult. No. But then, okay, this isn't anything about Debbie Downer. This is just other stuff on that trip. But anyway, then the Debbie Downer story is that when later, it was sitting at dinner, like you're with Rando's, that are there. And people just making chit chat. And someone said, Where are you from? And I said, New York. And then they said, Oh, were you there for 9/11? And it was three years after 9/11. It wasn't like it just happened. It was... And then I was like, Yeah. And then it's just like in Debbie Down, you had to get the conversation back because it was like, Vacation times. And then about a week later, after I got home, I was out listening to some band, which isn't something I usually do. But I think that's interesting because doing something you don't usually do, and then your brain is like, I don't know, you're not on your usual channels, I guess. But then I just had that idea of this based on that. A Debbie Donner popped into my head. Yes. And then, which this is just talking creativity.

I found at SNL, you couldn't just go in there and like, okay, let's think of a scene. It had to be moments like that. And to me, that only happened once or twice a year, which is why you might sit there at home and be like, Why isn't there SNL, man? But it's like thinking of really original characters that hit on something. It's not something you can steer the ship on. To me, it has to vibe out with you.

I don't know. Yes. You have to be... To your point, you have to keep the channel open and find the muse and let it find you. It just can't be turned out. Exactly. And then what did you do?

Then I took it to Paula Pell, who we wrote with often and is hilarious. Everyone knows Paula now because I love Paula's out there more in front of the camera. But anyway, and then on writing night, we were trying to write it. We set it in an office, and it just wasn't really flowing. It just wasn't really jiving. And then we were like, maybe we need to put her somewhere really happy. So then we thought of Disney World, of course, happiest place on Earth. And then while we were writing it, of course, Paula was cracking me up with these one-liners and everything. And then we started just going like, just for ourselves. And then we were like, what if we put that in the scene with the actual trombone sound? So then for Readthrough, we had, I don't remember if we had the live person or someone just had done it, but then it do like, it killed. But then you never know because sometimes something can kill at the table. And then when we were in dress rehearsal, Jimmy and Horacio were laughing. And I was thinking, you guys, I feel like this could work.

Keep it together, guys. And then on air, I just flubbed one of the lines. And then I don't even know. I guess I was so nervous. Sure. And then we all started laughing.

But thankfully, you just like the good Pisces fish. You went along for the... It's so joyous watching it because it is just the calm... It's like what real live TV is supposed to feel like. It just felt like a special moment in time. And also I mean, you are such a good performer that you are able to do it and enjoy doing it at the same time. It was like just... It's very... Sometimes when people are stressed, it's stressful to watch. It's not good to watch.

That's how I feel. Yeah.

But you don't seem stressed in that moment.

Well, I love watching performers. I feel like I've had so much time now that I'm older to think of what makes a good comedian, everything like that. I love watching people. You can tell that underneath it, they're also laughing inside. I mean, better to keep it inside. But I mean... I feel like you have that. I was just talking about you... I forget in what context, but You are always like, you can see the joy of performing. There's two levels happening. There's what you're performing and then this joyful underbubbling that's also happening. Steve Carell just popped into my mind as someone that you can see the fun happening behind it. Will Farrell is another one. Will Farrell. Oh, my gosh.

The misschivist dance underneath it where they're having fun. Circling all the way back to Debbie Downer and all the way back to the question that I asked my guests, this brings up the person that I spoke to earlier before this podcast. Oh. So, we always like to talk well behind people's backs. I talked to the great Kevin Cahoon about you today. You did? Oh, my God.

I was wondering who my person was going to be.

Because I want him to lead us into Broadway, which we're going to next. Okay. This Fergo has a plan. Okay? I'm taking you there, babe. I'm taking you there. I got notes. Okay. I'm aware of the time.

I'm aware of the time. Oh, okay. I could hang all day. No, I'm just kidding.

But I talked to Kevin, and he had a couple of really good questions for you. One was, and it's a similar question to what we ask on the podcast is, when you're feeling When Rachel is feeling that Debbie Downer feeling, what do you do to get yourself up out of it? That's a question we ask here, which is, what do you watch, listen to? When you've got der blues, as we like to call it, how do you get up out of it? What makes you laugh? For me, it is a lot of Debbie Downer and clips. I mean, it is a lot of you, Rachel.

That's so nice.

It is you. You really get me out of the dumps. You really do. You're like an elevator that helps me get up out of there. Uh-oh.

Tears.

Tears? But you really get your shooting way up. That's so sweet. And it's because of the laughter.

You do that for me.

Is there anything else that you like to go to to just like...

The bottom of a tequila bottle. The worm. I go to the worm. The worm. I eat the worm. I eat the worm.

That was such an '80s thing.

She ate the worm. I know. I know. Now, there's no worms anymore. No, these are worms. Let's see. I forgot that you asked this. That's okay. I feel like I don't have healthy... I'm serious. I mean, honestly, the real thing is meeting with friends out in New York. That's my honest answer. Yes, you like to socialize. The Margs Nights and meeting with my lady friends. Because I I feel like I have this great group, various groups of people, but they're all fun. I love a friend who is really fun and sees the joy in life and can laugh through the foibles and all that, but also has the side that's the amateur psychologist, that we can help each other out. If you show up to a friend and you don't have to be anything other than what you're feeling, because there's certain friends where you can just do that. You can come in and you be like, I'm not going to be bringing my A game. And that's fine. I like not having to exert extra energy to pretend I'm somewhere I'm not. I hope that I'm not for other people, too.

That's exactly how I described you, by the way, to Kevin. Exactly that. Which is you are a friend in good times, in bad, in sunny weather, in stormy weather, and you just can always show up as the version of yourself. That's exactly how I I've just described you.

Well, that's what I like in others, too. This isn't a joy thing. This is more like a mind set thing. Like a settle your mind. I like doing those word puzzles in the York Times. That's my ritual as I do all those because it makes me forget all the... You can't be emotional when you're trying to think of the word.

Well, I would say as a person that has now known you for 30 years, has vacationed with you, has our kids are friends. We are in a lot of different ways in life together. That those quiet, puzzly moments is a dratch recharge.

Yeah, that is a recharge.

Because you are a very interesting combo of introvert-extrovert. You are very extroverted, and especially on stage, but your every day, you definitely need quiet time.

I guess so.

Would you say no? I don't know.

I think I used to need less of it. I think now I'm a little more like, I just need the The recharge moment. Yeah.

Okay. Kevin also had a question, too, that leads us into Broadway. Okay. You were in an incredible show called POTUS. Tell us about that experience, what it was like working with those women, and what it was like being nominated.

Well, I mean, it was a lot like the mindset of... It was this comedy with all women. I just got called up to do this show with Susan Stroman, who I had done a few readings for. The part was very much like the clown in the show. So I got to see a lot of physical, just make up your own bits and all this stuff. And it felt very much like being back at Second City in the best way. And also I love Just... I mean, the theater schedule is no joke, as any Broadway person will tell you. But because you have to sign your life well. You're not going on the weekends, all that stuff. But the thing that I love about theater, it's just you in the audience. There's no one saying, We think this should go this way. Of course, there's a director in developing this part. But once you're up and running, it's just that feeling, that connection of you in the audience. And that was like, he harkens back to Second City. Like, Oh, how long am I holding this lap? Or, Oh, if I do this little tiny thing, it gets love.

I love all that stuff. It was just very freeing and fun.

You loved the women you did it with. Yeah.

You guys became really good friends. It was a very disparate group that was all meshed really well together.

Where were you when you got Tony nom for your Broadway debut?

Well, the nominations come out in the morning and you can just watch it online. I was just like, Okay, I'll check this out. And then they said my name, and then your phone starts going off. I mean, that was something like, as a comedian, like, comedy often doesn't get award stuff. But all that to say, I didn't expect... Getting nominated was never anything that I thought would be happening. Because when you're in comedy, you I just don't really think like that.

But the Tonys are an exception, I think. The Tonys often do give it up for good comedic performances.

Yeah, that's true.

I think they really are like, they really respect the craft.

They do. The craft, yes.

Kevin had a question about you being like, young Rachel. What were some theater performers, some musical, some shows that... I think his question was, what are the top three pieces of that you really inspired you when you were young. You know, maybe scratch some little sparkly- Well, I guess, as mentioned, Annie. Can we just for one second talk more about Annie? Because Annie, so many female parts, so many parts for girls.

Right.

That alone, a lot of shows just don't have a lot of parts. It's like there was... Rachel and I were both in Once Upon A Mattress.

We were. Amy had the lead, and I had the boring part. But we weren't in the same production. We weren't in the same production. Both of our schools, I was in the sixth grade production. Oh, this is funny, though. And Amy was in the high school? Yes. Were you senior? Yes. And Amy, if you know Once Upon a Mattress, Amy played Winifred, the Princess, the Clown.

The Clown? Yeah. Carol Burnet originated on Broadway.

And I played this character, Lady Larkin, who's the boring part. But let me also say this, that because it was in sixth grade, the only comedic hook that Lady Larkin has is that she's pregnant, and so they're in a hurry to married because they're in the castle. So they need Winifred to get married. But in sixth grade, they take out the pregnancy, of course.

So I had nothing to play.

There's no there, there. I'm just a lady in waiting. What am I going to play here? And I wasn't pregnant. And by the way, I don't even think I knew that the original characters, but they changed the lyrics because the real lyrics were, In a little while, you and I will be one, two, three, four. Like kids. And they just like, You and I will be together. That's what they changed it to.

And you're like, I got nothing to play here.

I got nothing to play. Okay, Annie. Okay, Annie, of course.

Also orphans. Orphans.

One other I think is with Annie, everyone's your age. Like, literally, you're 10 and they're 10. She's like, How do I get in this? That thing, right?

Also, a dog. A Dog.

A Dog. We love a dog.

We love a dog.

Did you have the Oh, my God.

I knew every single song. I wanted to play every part, and I loved it so much. Okay, so Annie was one.

Okay, so Annie. Then also, well, of course, this is probably the same, too. Like, Gildo Radner, Carol Burnet, Lily Tomlin. Yes.

I mean, just those. And they were on stage. They were also- I mean, I only saw them...

When I was really little, my parents watched Laffin. And I remember Lily Tomlin being Edith Anne in the giant chair. And that's the truth. Sorry. And then, Carol Burnet, of course. Yes. And oftentimes, we get asked till we're blue in the face about women in comedy, right? I just think growing up seeing them, you're not thinking like, Oh, these are women in comedy. You're just like, This person's really funny, and they're being really brash and bold, and they're not afraid to look weird. And here she is with the curtains as a dress and just like, she's like the center of it all. And Gildo Radner making all her faces and everything. So I just think you're just seeing that and you're not delineating. I mean, the first season of us and all that cast, I did watch John Blicz, Steve Martin. That's why when Steve Martin hosted us and I was like, oh my God, Steve. I still have that when I see Steve Martin, I'm like, when I'm hanging out with Steve Martin, no, that never happened.

Not true.

I've seen it. But anyway, I think seeing them was an influence, but not knowing it at the time, of course.

Fame.

Fame. Which, of course, we all had played that on the piano. Well, you can play the piano. No, but I was plunking it out, but out here on my own. When I'm down and feeling blue. Everyone wants to hear this. I close my eyes so I can be with you.

And then what was the third one? And then I would say hair. Hair.

Hair.

I don't think enough people are talking about hair these days. No. The musical.

No.

Hair was so big.

Oh, yeah.

Like the music and the...

I think the movie. The movie. Because that was the first... I mean, I just remember... Excuse me. That had major tragedy in it and sadness. But also, yes, I remember seeing that, the Lexie in a movie theater.

Must have been nice. Must have been filled with diamonds. It was nice.

We had plusheets. We ate gold. We ate gold-covered popcorn.

Each sheet had a chandelier.

At your own baller. We ate golden popcorn and we drank champagne.

We showed our movies on the side of a barn.

Side of the mall.

Side of the dress barn. At the mall. That's where we showed our movies.

The dress barn. Oh, my God. No, but I remember hair was like emotional, but also just the music. So good.

So good. Anyway, I think They should do a new production of hair, but there's no parts in it for us. It's all new, while young. There's going to be some old lady who tells the kids to quiet down.

Get out of my lawn. No, not... Quiet down. No, not... Get off the... Get out of the park. I'm walking my dog.

You should cut your hair.

That could be us.

Yeah, that could be us. Or a businesswoman who comes in and goes, Listen, people, this this bunch of hippies could really make us some money. They go, Get out of here, lady. That's what I would play. That does. A New Yorker who comes in to ruin the vibe. Right. But you have played so many different things on… You have played like… You played a man. You played a… We We love a Marco Polo because we are women of a certain age. We love to Marco Polo each other. You were Marco Poloing me one time having a mustache.

A mustache?

In a production of… Was it Anything Goes? No, you were pulling guys Guys and Dolls.

Guys and Dolls. You played a gentleman. Yes, I played a dude. Yes.

But you played a lot of different things on stage.

I have, yes. Well, I mean, as have you. But we are the makers of Mary. We are but clowns. For your pleasure. We are here.

We don't win Oscars, but we shall make you laugh. No, we are here but to be the fool. We are a bunch of fuls. Dratch and I always say, if we were back in those times, we would definitely be not only gestures, but we'd be the... Oh, we'd be the maids.

We'd be the maids.

Yeah.

We'd be the maids at the bottom of the castle.

We'd be the scullery maids at like...

Scrubbing thing. I think that's the role that I think I'm born to play is like some... Because I would love to do... I'm going to put this out there. A Broadway thing like a really... The secret. Doing the secret. Like a really, really funny Broadway thing. And maybe I'm playing this person.

Scrubbing.

This is my aspiration.

I just want to scrub.

I just want to scrub. I just want to scrub on Broadway. I want to scrub my way to a Tony. You're listening? You listen, you big muckety mucks.

I had the Jonas Brothers on and we were singing Les Mis, and they were like, You would be really good in Master of the House. I was like, I know. I'm ever since I was 20 years old, I'd be the old lady in Master of the House.

By the way, you can cut this. We will. But I got to... I made the mistake of auditioning for Les Mis on Broadway for that part. I'm like, You know I can't sing, right? They're like, Just go in. Then I even went to a voice lesson. Sure. But that part is like, You really have to sing. You really.

It's an incredible part. An incredible female actress have played it. Incredible singers. It's definitely the most comedic part of the name is.

Yeah, but you have to have a good voice, which I just realized when I was in front of these people in the room. Just like... I mean, because they didn't just give me the Master of the House song. There's another song that's very complicated. I just like... I skulked out. I will stick to making Mary without song if it please you. If it please the king. I shouldn't be singing for the king again. Does it please the king for me to not sing? Yes.

Coty West is like, How do you like your potatoes?

We could do a duo. We could do a... We could do like... We could play maids together.

By the way, that would be a very funny idea for a show is upstairs, downstairs. It's just been called Downstairs.

And it's Just us. It's just us.

We're just washing clothes.

And we have dirt on our faces for sure. 100%. We'll be having groups this morning.

Okay, and the last thing I just wanted to talk about because we talked about it a little bit, is your woo-oo-ness. Yes. Because we're going to talk about your podcast, your great podcast, Woo-Woo.

And Amy was a guest on it. Absolutely. One of my favorite episodes. You need to listen to Amy on woo-oo, my podcast.

There's so many great stories on there. And You are very open to psychic experiences. You are not judgmental in any way. I would say that.

Oh, that I'm not judgmental? No, you're not. Okay, yeah.

I would say you are also a little bit psychic. You have that channel open, speaking of channels. What is that woo-woo world?

I started this podcast called Woo-woo. I always say, I'm not really woo-woo because I don't live my life like, I got to ask my psychic guy. I don't know. Have a second. But anyway, I was filled in need to say... Nothing wrong with that. I know, but I was filled in need to say, I'm not super woo, but then I started doing this, and it's definitely making me more woo with the stories I'm hearing. But the reason I thought of doing it is because I just had collected these stories from friends over the years, and I was like, Oh, these stories are really cool. Would you come on and tell this? So that's how it started. And then you came on, which was really fun. And you're not a huge woo believer, but you're not totally shut down. No, of course. But Amy came on and talked about the Enneagram, which she lives her life by.

I mean, for those who care, Rachel is in any of your nine if you haven't noticed.

Yeah. The ultimate nine. The ultimate nine.

Peacekeeper, peacemaker.

But yeah, so I guess what else What did I say about it?

Well, I was going to say that there's a couple of woo-woo things that have happened with us. I feel like a little tiny woo. Most of my woo-woo things have happened with you. We were pregnant at the same time. Our sons are close in age, and I'm happy to say real friends, which is so great. I can remember a very hot summer where you and I were waddling around the city, both really pregnant. You can tell from our height, we carried out front. There's not a lot of... I just remember us being going to movies, watching movies, so hot out, and going to a psychic to talk about our kids. You brought me to this really cool psychic who... You just have introduced me to a lot of... Just give this version of life a try, I guess, is the best way to say it.

Yeah. Oh, yes. It's like, why not believe that that thing was not a coincidence? I don't know. Yes. I think once you're... It's almost like what we're saying about the writing sketches. I think once you're open to it, then you start to see things. I don't know. I don't want to say you get messages or whatever, but I just think the more open you are, the more woo- woo you might become.

But do you think that has anything happened lately that has felt a little in the woo- woo world for you?

Well, first of all, as Amy said with the pregnancy thing, that a psychic told me that I was going to have a kid when I was 43, and I wasn't even with anybody. Yeah, that's a cool story. And then that happened. So that was my first little like, This is really strange.

You write about it really well in your memoir. Thank you.

A Girl Walks In Your Bar. Let's see. I don't know. Something lately?

I just like to hear your... Is there any vibe you're getting right now? What's the vibe of this This is a podcast.

The vibe of this room is great. It's good? Okay.

Any ghosts?

Any ghosts in this room? Outside this room? Not good. Things are not good once you leave this room.

The vibes are not good. It's so true.

But this room is a good hang, and it's fun and bright and cheery. But I feel like you do that.

I feel like you're really fast at being like, This isn't a good vibe. This isn't a good hang.

That's true.

This isn't a You're really good at reading people fast or experience rooms or people. You're like, I don't like that. I don't get a good feeling from that.

Yeah. I start to, again, older, I get listened to that. If you get that feeling of you're allowed to not hang there or whatever, I don't know.

Last question, are you afraid of zombies? In a zombie movie, how would you? This is my new question. I'm just thinking about it right now, but maybe I'll ask people moving forward because Drac, you're always inspiring me.

I might just freeze. Is that what you're about? I think you're about to say.

Well, I was going to say it gets into conflict styles.

Oh, gosh. Yeah. But it is... Sometimes I think with conflict, I freeze.

Which isn't always This is a bad choice. You're not fanning the flame.

I just noticed it about myself, though. So if zombies were coming, I guess I'd freeze.

You'd turn into a statue. Yes. And you'd hope that they went by you.

But we can't end on this. No, we can't. We can't end on this. We're going to cut this.

We can't end on zombie about. Okay, well, you know what? Let's sing the song from Chadwick's.

Oh, okay. The chant?

So Chadwick's was an ice cream place that Dratch and I worked at.

Not at the same time.

Not at the same time. But I have to say probably the highest percentage of SNL from any ice cream place. Probably.

Two. It was a Purple building.

Okay, I'm going to do a lip bomb break before we sing. Do you need any?

No, I think I'm okay.

So it was a Purple building.

It was a Purple building. Old tiny ice cream. You had to wear a styrofoam barbershop quartet hat.

We often had a kazoo.

We often had a kazoo. I feel like we were both attracted to the drama and the showmanship. Not drama, the showmanship of Chadwick's because when it was someone's birthday, you got a free Sunday, and and they did not check. So people came in a lot with birthday Sundays. That's right. With birthday Sundays. But then there was a little birthday chant that you did. And it went something like this. Ladies and gentlemen, we're happy to have you here at Chadwick's today, but we're especially happy to have Amy because she came here to celebrate her birthday. So with the sound of the drum, please join in singing Amy, a loud, embarrassing, Happy Then they would order a giant ice cream, and it was called The Belly Buster.

It was carried out by two men holding a stretcher thing with a big bowl in the middle of it that had...

This was a separate thing. If you ordered the Belly Buster, there was an announcement for the Belly Buster. And it went? And it went something like this. Ladies and gentlemen, we're happy to have you here at Chad Wings today to introduce you to the Belly Buster. Ten scoops of ice cream, five different toppings, mounds and mounds of whip, cherries and nuts, Chadwick's own Belly Buster. And then we'd do like, Jum Jum, and then the two guys would come up, the thing in the Which are like, pretending to struggle under its weight. And then it would land at the table. And if you ate, the rumor had it, the lure was that if you ate the Belly Buster by yourself, you got it for free.

That's right. Do you remember that? Yeah. And there used to be like, teen boys Vomiting. Vomiting. Vomiting. Vomiting. And drinking the ice cream juice in an attempt to get it done in time.

The vomit was separate from the ice cream juice. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, yeah. The teen boys were trying to get it done. I don't think I ever saw it happen. I don't think I did either. Laura, but Laura says it happen?

Now Chadwick's no longer exists.

No, it's just in a landfill filled with ghosts.

I'm going to interview for my podcast. The Ghost of Chadwick's.

But that's a good ending. That's a good ending. That is. Okay.

Okay.

Love you, Drew.

She love you. This was fun.

So fun. Thanks for doing it, buddy. And thank you again. I really do owe you a lot always in my life and on this show. So come back anytime and bring your headphones always.

Hold on.

We're going to wrap it up.

Okay, there. Well, now they're all clean.

We still can't get them on.

This isn't a good ending. Okay.

It is still hard for you to get them on, though. Okay. Here we go.

I can't get What the? Oh, here we go.

Nailed it.

Dratch out.

Thank you, Dratch. You are the best. My baby Druch, my little Ray Ray. Thank you for coming on. We talked a lot about a lot of things, the idea that life can be a series of interesting and unexplainable events, and it can be really woo- woo if you let it. And so as part of this Polar Plunge, I do want to just remind everyone to check out Rachel Dratch's podcast, Woo-woo. Her and her co-host, Irene, they listen to people's interesting ghosty, spooky stories. They get into those chills that you get when something weird or unexplainable happens. And so check out that podcast. I have gone on the podcast and I have said, that I've never seen a ghost, and I'd like to keep it that way. So I'm fine with that. But if you have seen a ghost, contact wooWoo and not me. Okay? But good for you. And it's not a competition, but I'm glad I didn't. Okay, thanks for listening. Bye. You've been listening to Good Hang. The executive producers for this show are Bill Simmons, Jenna Weis-Burman, and me, Amy Poler. The show is produced by The Ringer and Paperkite. For The Ringer, production by Jack Wilson, Kat Spalane, Kaya MacMillan, and Elea Zanaris.

For Paperkite, production by Sam Green, Joel Lovelle, and Jenna Weis-Burman. Original music by Amy Miles. All I ever want to I ever wanted was a really good hang.