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Get ready, folks, because joining us is the incredibly talented Andrew Rannells! You may know him from his star turns in Broadway hits like “The Book of Mormon” and “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” to his memorable roles on TV shows on “Girls,”  “Big Mouth,” and “The Boys in The Band.” In this episode, we dive into his newly released book, “Uncle of The Year,” a project that holds a special place in his heart. Andrew also shares with us the hilarious and heart-wrenching tale of the worst date he’s ever experienced, which ended up being featured in the New York Times. For two people who can cry on command, we had a very stable and delightful time!

Please note, Funny Cuz It’s True contains mature themes and may not be appropriate for all listeners.

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You can find all show transcripts on the Funny Cuz It’s True page here.

Transcript

SPEAKERS

Elyse Myers, Andrew Rannells

Elyse Myers  00:11

Okay, actually, can you just pretend that you’re listening to a fully complete theme song here, I got really in my head. And I tried to make it perfect. And I couldn’t. So this is going to be the theme song right here. Hello, and welcome to another episode of Funny Cuz It’s True. I’m Elyse Myers. I am so excited to welcome the incredibly talented Andrew Rannells to our show. He is an amazing actor and performer who has starred in many Broadway hits, including Hedwig and the Angry Inch, as well as originating the role of elder Kevin price in the Book of Mormon. He’s given genius performances on shows like girls, the boys in the band in big mouth. In this episode, he talks about the project he’s most proud of in his newly released book uncle of the year. Andrew also shares with us the hilarious and heart wrenching tale of the worst eight he’s ever been on, which ended up being featured in The New York Times for two highly animated people who can cry on command. We had a very stable and delightful conversation. So two things that are funny because they’re true. Number one, fun fact. Andrew Rannells is from Omaha, so we’re instantly best friends, of course. And number two, as you’ll hear in my aggressive verbal encouragement, Andrews take on stage versus screen acting was very informative for me. Alright, let’s get into it. Andrew, oh, my gosh, I have been waiting to talk to you. And like when I saw your name on my calendar, I got so freaking excited.

Andrew Rannells  02:58

I’m so excited to talk. I was just in Omaha for Fourth of July. Okay, so yeah, you’re from Omaha, right. I’m from Omaha. So yeah, so I’ve been spending a lot of time there recently. But um, yeah, it was just there again last week. So I was I was I have lots of Omaha questions for you as well. We have a lot. We have a lot to catch up.

Elyse Myers  03:14

So much to discuss. Yeah, I was gonna say what what do you do when you come back? Is there any place you love to go when you come back to Omaha?

Andrew Rannells  03:20

I mean, it’s mostly centered around eating I don’t know, family but that’s basically you know, wherever, plant so it’s like you know, there’s a runs a trip there’s of course, of course, I have a place in the old market so there’s usually a spaghetti works trip. Johnny’s Cafe, which is like a very old steakhouse I go to we go to my my family’s in South Omaha. So we we go to a lot of restaurants like in that area basically like older.

Elyse Myers  03:52

By the way, that laugh is Andrew seeing the hunger all over my face. My heart everyone listening to this is gonna be like, This is not relevant to me. And I’m like, I don’t even care. This is my favorite. Like, give me all the recommendations. Oh my gosh, I can’t believe you were just here.

Andrew Rannells  04:06

Where did you go to high school in Omaha?

Elyse Myers  04:08

I actually so I’m not from Omaha. I’m from California. And I moved to Omaha move. My husband. So we just traded places you moved. Oh, wow. You’re in LA, right?

Andrew Rannells  04:18

I am in LA right now. Yeah.

Elyse Myers  04:20

Did you experience any culture shock when you moved away from Omaha?

Andrew Rannells  04:23

There was I first moved when I was 19. I moved to New York. So I moved to New York to go to college. So I think I was a little to I don’t want to say dumb, but I was too excited. Yeah, living in New York that I didn’t really let. I didn’t it didn’t really affect me too much. Like I got there. I did. I’m here. I was super excited. I was in school, I just you know was like hit the ground running in New York. And then I was in New York for I only moved out to LA in 2012. So I was in New York for a good long time. I moved there at 97 So I really considered that to be New York to be home and I still do I guess I But yeah, but out here and in LA just making my way making my way.

Elyse Myers  05:05

Cue music.

Andrew Rannells  05:06

Exactly.

Elyse Myers  05:07

how long did it take you to get on Broadway once you moved there?

Andrew Rannells  05:11

A while I mean in in if I had been told at 19 that it would take seven years, I think I would have been a little discouraged. I was like newly ish 26 When I got my first Broadway show, which was hairspray.

Elyse Myers  05:26

What did that feel like to book that? Was it just like, this is everything I’ve ever wanted?

Andrew Rannells  05:31

Yeah, yeah. I mean, yeah, plain and simple. I was like, This is all I ever. This is all I ever dreamed was that I would get to be in the show. Now it came with, you know, a lot had happened sort of leading up to that my dad died. As soon as I got that Broadway show, my boyfriend that I had for a few years broke up with me. Like, right, right when it happened. He was like, I can’t do this, you’re gonna go off? And do you know, you’re gonna go on be on Broadway, and I can’t I can’t do that.

Elyse Myers  06:01

Did he think you were just never going to be successful? And he was like, I’m just gonna write it out?

Andrew Rannells  06:06

I don’t know. I think there was there was a bit you know, and it happens. You know, certainly when two people are in the same industry that there is especially, you know, to men, there was a competitive nature to our relationship. I think even though he was older, we did very different things. It wasn’t like, we weren’t competing for the same parts, really. But But yeah, so that was so it was sort of surrounded, you know, like a lot of good things in life when something good happens, then some other bad things happen, or some sort of balance out the excitement, but for the most part, I would say, yeah, getting that show, being on Broadway was like, all I dreamed it would be it was very, very exciting. And then you start, you know, you start changing the dream a little bit, you start moving the finish line. So then I wanted to be in another Broadway show, and I wanted to be a lead and then I wanted to be I wanted to open a Broadway show. And then I just sort of kept revising what my dream was.

Elyse Myers  07:03

So when you got into your role in hairspray, was there a bit of you that felt let down that the dream had happened and you didn’t know where to go from there?

Andrew Rannells  07:13

No, um, you know, I started in in hairspray as an as in the ensemble, and then I understudied three roles. Okay, so there was always kind of something to chase there was always you know, there was always something to kind of focus on so I quick pretty quickly started going on for those understudy parts and then I realized I was like, Oh, I don’t want to understudy link. Larkin, I want to be link Larkin. Yeah, I want to play that part. And then when I got to do that, when I replaced the actor, I was under studying then it became clear that I was like, okay, the real my real goal now I’ve changed it is I want to open a show on Broadway. And you know, and some of that I don’t know how you feel about it, but some of that sort of revising your your wish list is good, right? It keeps you sharp and it keeps you ambitious, and it keeps you wanting more and and trying harder. And but it can also drive you a little bit nuts. Yeah.

Elyse Myers  08:13

Honestly, I like that Andrews dreams, like slowly grew over time. Because I am a very conservative dreamer. I am like a stair stepper. I’ve always done things a little bit at a time. So it’s really comforting to hear that he is that way to the end goal is always so far away. You never it’s like you never get to celebrate getting to a place that you could have only dreamed of getting a few years ago.

Andrew Rannells  08:35

Yeah. Yeah. So I mean, it’s a real lesson and gratitude, I think is what I’ve learned over the years is like, yes, it’s okay to want more and to sort of hope for more, but you also have to really sort of constantly take stock right of like, what it is you have and what it is you’re grateful for and the opportunities that are right in front of you. So that was something that that did take me a while to figure out and, you know, still still working on that.

Elyse Myers  09:01

When you were in Broadway, in Broadway, on Broadway, on top of Broadway. We’ll never know. Except it’s on Broadway. Did you always also have dreams of acting in movies? Or was it just Broadway?

Andrew Rannells  09:17

It was just Broadway. And it was at the time. You know, it was hard for me to get auditions for TV stuff. Even though there’s a lot of television that’s filmed in New York City. I wasn’t getting seen for things they weren’t you know, they, you know, I kind of thought like, well, I’m in a Broadway show. So maybe, you know, I could be on Law and Order next. But that’s not how it worked.

Elyse Myers  09:39

I would assume that’s how it works.

Andrew Rannells  09:42

They were like, nah, it wasn’t until I was in the Book of Mormon. And the Book of Mormon became sort of not only a big hit in New York, but then also people from Los Angeles knew about it and we’re talking about it and Trey Parker and Matt Stone who wrote it, you know, who had had, you know, this massive, massive, you know, success Some films and television like they, they brought a lot of attention to the show. So it wasn’t really until after that, that I started getting opportunities on television and in films.

Elyse Myers  10:11

How are they different Broadway versus acting on a set?

Andrew Rannells  10:16

Right as I was about to leave the Book of Mormon, well sort of around then when I was I was going to Los Angeles to film a pilot of a television show with Ryan Murphy. And I met Laura Linney who Laura Linney. I was like, I’m such a huge fan of and I’ve since forced a friendship with her.

Elyse Myers  10:31

But he’s like my number one doppelganger. Every time someone sees me, they’re like, You look like Laura Linney like Not right now, obviously, like, garbage. But like when I get dressed. When I get dressed, they’re like, Do you know who Laura Linney is? So I looked around, I’m like, Oh, my God, we look very much like That’s so crazy.

Andrew Rannells  10:48

You really do and she’s she’s fantastic. Obviously a fantastic actor. But I’m just also a really amazing human and very, has always been very kind to me. But I asked her I was like, so I’m about to go do this thing. And I had been working on television. Don’t get me wrong. I had done I had done a whole season of girls at this point. But I was still, but I was still doing the Book of Mormon at night. Anyway, Laura, Laura’s assessment of the difference between stage work and in film work was this. And it is true. She was like when you’re in the theater, and it’s supposed to snow, you pretend that it’s snowing. And on film, they just make it snow. And it’s really true. Like when I got to LA and all of a sudden, like all of the faucets on the set work. I know that sounds really simple. But like there was running water and all of the light, like it was like, oh, all of this is real. And usually, like on stage, it’s like there’s a level of disbelief that you have to like, it’s you know, something that you you work with, you work within those parameters, and then you’re working on a lot of TV and film. It’s like, they just make everything happen for you. And you’re like, oh, okay,

Elyse Myers  11:57

Did you find that you had to like pair your acting down because of that?

Andrew Rannells  12:04

Very much. Yeah, I the first day that I worked on girls. It was a scene just between Lena Dunham and I and Lena was was directing the episode. You know, I had gotten the part and I had auditioned for the part and gotten the part. And so I knew that they wanted me there. But I had never spoken dialogue in front of a camera before. So I was very like, on that level. So I was really nervous. And I asked her after a couple takes I was like, Can I see what it looks like? Which is kind of a big no, no.

Elyse Myers  12:34

Or in my case, you can just you know, invite your husband to set and have him secretly record the playback. I don’t know.

Andrew Rannells  12:40

You don’t do that. And she very graciously was like, Yeah, you can you can see it. So we watched a couple takes of it and I just quickly I was like, Okay, I don’t need to make I’m naturally very animated. And I look like a precious moment. Like I like my face is kind of like large and so I so I’m very sorry, I very quickly learned I was like okay, dial, dial it down, dial it down, Rannells.

Elyse Myers  13:08

I really like. It’s funny. I’m the opposite. I’m very an expressive person. But I feel like I am expressing any emoting more than I am I have basically one and it’s just like, I that that are like, I look angry. And anytime I have to deliver something they have, like, I just get so many directions thrown at me and I’m like, that’s exactly what I’m doing. And they’re like your face did not change at all. I’m like, I think that that’s impossible and you’re lying to me because clearly I did two different things.

Andrew Rannells  13:42

Yeah, it’s it’s a real it can be very eye opening when you’re like you think you look I mean everybody I suppose experiences this that like you think you look cool you look one way and then you see that you see the photos later and you’re like oh, that’s not at all what I was feeling. That’s not it at all.

Elyse Myers  14:01

Not at all the same level but I was doing a music video with Meghan Trainor and it was like it’s like a Christmas acapella made you look and everyone got to pick their own Christmas outfits. And I was like, you know, I’m so out of my element. I’m with actual celebrities sitting here and I feel so out of place that I’m going to pick the goofiest thing so that I can kind of hide behind that, you know, okay, and I picked this like Christmas tree onesie thing, but it had hoods. So the hood was like the top of the Christmas tree and they just kept having to cut because the little it just kept coming over my eyes. And finally they were like you need to change your outfit because you think that you look Christmassy and you and you just look like you’re like trying to hide and this is not working out. And so I was like okay, that was like the first realization like I am not transiting on camera the way that I think I am and I cannot hide behind things. I have to really either commit to like being in this or leave because this doesn’t. This halfway does not work at all.

Andrew Rannells  15:00

So what did you end up putting on? Then? Where do you think I ate another option for you to.

Elyse Myers  15:04

I think I changed out and just put like a regular Christmas sweater correction. I actually just took the hood off. So I was still a Christmas tree. But I was the only person that knew that. And I was very scared. I felt very exposed. Because it’s acapella, too. So when I was like singing with like, just, it was just very scary. And I ended up working out great. And it sounded amazing. And I just looked like everybody else on set, which I should have just started with that. But yeah, I just I felt like I needed to hide. And I didn’t know if like when you were on set, if you felt any of that, like if you wanted to blend in more, or if you felt very comfortable kind of right away.

Andrew Rannells  15:39

It’s pretty exposing. I mean, I was so lucky that that first scene was with Lena. And it was just the two of us sitting at a bar talking. Yeah, so she and I didn’t know her at all. But we hit it off right away when we started. And she just made me feel very much at ease. And we were improvising a lot and we got to sort of play around with it. And Judd Apatow was also on set that day, he was the executive producer, and Jenny Connor, who’s the, you know, the showrunner. They all just sort of, you know, allowed me some space to kind of relax into. And so by the end of the day, when we finished, I can’t say that I felt competent about what I did, but I at least felt I wasn’t nervous. Yeah. And so much is out of your control. You know, like on stage I and any actor, you know, who’s performing in front of the audience, for better or for worse, you’re in control of what you’re putting out there. There is no editor there is no, like, if you mess up. That’s on you. Yeah, but in this case, like, and especially because we were improvising so much it was any I didn’t know, I didn’t know what they were gonna pick. That’s why I never thought about that. So I was like, Well, you might as well just throw out a wide net, we’ll see how it goes. And then somebody else controls your performance, and pieces that all together. And so it’s not, you don’t get to decide what the final take is.

Elyse Myers  16:58

I would not have ever thought about that comparison between being on a stage and knowing like, it’s a pretty black and white, I nailed that, or I didn’t versus Yeah, or I did it. Versus like a cutting room floor of like, I can only do so much. And relying on the eyes of the editors and everybody else for it to pass through.

Andrew Rannells  17:17

It was a hard lesson because then like, you know, going back and watching episodes of or you know, anything that I’ve done and be like, I wish they would have used that other one, or I’m sure that I’m sure there was another take.

Elyse Myers  17:28

Sometimes when I need to take and I want them to use that take I will like passively aggressively say out loud, like, wow, that was a really good one. That one felt really good. I think that was for sure. The one and then I just hope that that sticks in their subconscious when they’re picking the takes later.

Andrew Rannells  17:44

I mean, it works both ways. I mean, sometimes you look much better than you deserve.

Elyse Myers  17:48

You’re like I’m amazing.

Andrew Rannells  17:50

I’m really good at this. And then other times you’re like, I wish that I had you know, they had picked something different. So yeah, but at the end of the day, I mean, so you can only you know, you just have to put out you know, your your best every time. Yeah, that’s kind of it.

Elyse Myers  18:06

Was that show girls, specifically a lot of improv or was that just the first episode?

Andrew Rannells  18:12

It was a lot of improv. Yeah, I mean, the scripts were so brilliant, that there wasn’t often need to do anything, but I think there was there was always sort of the the flexibility of saying like, well, if it doesn’t, if it doesn’t feel right coming out of your mouth, if there’s if you want to say it in a slightly different way, or, you know, rearrange some things just to make it more like your character. Like, that’s fine. There was always room to sort of do that. Lina and I, I think I got maybe a longer leash sometimes with her in scenes, just because we we really like to do that together. We like to sort of, you know, improvise and riff off of each other. And everyone in that cast was was very good at doing that. So I think we all we all got to sort of play you know, and that’s not every every show, you know, not every show does that.

Elyse Myers  19:02

Yeah, I was gonna say did you like did you ever get into a scenario after that show where you were like, This is the norm and then you tried to improv and they were like No, thank you.

Andrew Rannells  19:14

No Yeah, you learn pretty quickly like on a set that you know whether or not that’s going to be acceptable or not. Especially if you’re like guest starring on something and you’re like there’s just not your guest. I mean, that’s literally you’re in someone else’s on someone else’s set in someone else’s show. So you really do have to just follow their lead also

Elyse Myers  19:34

I’ve heard like if you you can’t improv plot you have to improv character because like the plot is set and so you can’t do that.

Andrew Rannells  19:42

That’s a perfect way to say it. Yeah, you can’t, don’t be changed in that.

Elyse Myers  19:45

Okay, time for a quick break when we come back and your tells me whether or not he can cry on demand. Earlier you said that you’re like very emotive, can you make yourself cry on command for shows and stuff? I’m not asking you to that right now. But is that in you? Yeah. Yeah. I love that. Anytime someone can. I’m like saying but not because I’m an actor, because I’m just like, I’m a crier.

Andrew Rannells  22:26

It’s the same. It’s the same thing. I really, if you’re yes, if you’re a person, I think naturally Yeah, if you’re a person who sort of can access that pretty quickly. And you can like, you feel things like that. Yeah, if like there’s a camera in your face, or, I mean, the nice thing about doing it on stage, if you’ve got like a ramp up to do it, right, you’re doing the whole show. I did a show many years ago called falsettos on Broadway. And it was it’s a really beautiful musical. But it’s also a really sad musical. And I never struggled getting to that point at the end of having to be really emotional, because you’ve got two hours to back you up.

Elyse Myers  23:02

I never thought about that. At this point, you could just title the episode. I never thought about that. Because I’ve said it about seven times up until this point,

Andrew Rannells  23:10

One camera sometimes Yeah, it’s it’s tricky to sort of, but if the writing is good, and it’s warranted, I mean, the the worst thing you can do to an actor and a script is to say like, they cry. Like he cried. It’s like, it’s like telling somebody, like, be sexy, be funny. It’s like, well, I can’t I’ve can’t just.

Elyse Myers  23:34

That’s the worst. Oh, that makes me want to be funny. Anytime I go anywhere, and they’re like that. I’m like, technically on paper, like, I’m a comedian. So they’re like, just be funny, you know, like, you just take this moment. And I’m like, that could mean that. I never thought about the different there’s so many differences. I like it. This is such an enlightening conversation because I have performed on stage a little bit. I’ve acted a little bit but not enough to really know the difference because both of them just felt like I blacked out. So I was so nervous. And like, it’s it’s so fascinating to hear, like, you go through the journey of the emotion when you’re onstage because it’s completely an order. But then filming a show. It’s chopped up and rearranged. You know, first filming schedules, and you have to bring yourself to that place immediately. Is that hard? Like how do you prepare for that kind of on camera work?

Andrew Rannells  24:28

Yeah, and it’s a horrible feeling when you you know, it’s like now is the time to do it. And maybe it’s not there. So sometimes you have to manufacture like, like I’ve certainly been in positions where I’m like, Well, I can’t quite I can’t quite get there in this second and especially sometimes on film sets where like, you know, you’ve got a bunch of people around you you know, the clock is ticking. You’ve got it the lighting has taken a long time to set up like there’s a lot of other pieces around you that are are is equally important as to what you’re trying trying to do. And when they say go and it’s not there, it’s a horrible, horrible feeling. So like, over the years, I’ve learned, like, You got to have some things in your back pocket that can get you there some like, things to remember and some things to think about. And it feels a little emotionally manipulative, because like to yourself that like, yeah, here I am, like, thinking about something really awful. That’s either happened to me or something that could happen, you know, that could happen to me that it’s getting me to this place, and your body doesn’t know the difference.

Elyse Myers  25:35

Okay, so as it turns out, I’ve been preparing for this my entire life, because I do this on a daily basis without anyone even asking you to.

Andrew Rannells  25:42

So making your like, I would have to remind myself sometimes after falsettos, like, you’re okay, everything’s okay. Like you, you just spent 45 minutes crying and being very sad. But when that curtain comes down, like you’ve got it, you got to shake it off. That’s crazy. Because your body thinks that something is wrong.

Elyse Myers  26:04

Yeah, it’s so fascinating. to hear your journey. And I’m curious, what are you most proud of, as you talk about all this as you think back on your career so far, like.

Andrew Rannells  26:13

I mean, I’m really proud of, of getting to write I’m really very proud of my my first book, and very proud of this, this book that just came out in May, called uncle of the year, I have always kept a journal, but I would write essays sort of for myself in sort of turn, you know, personal stories into these essays just kind of for me, and I didn’t really share them with anyone, it was just normally something that I did. So then, when the opportunity came about to actually get to write and to get to share it, and to publish, you know, work that I had done, that was something very unexpected, and I did not see, I did not see that in my future. And the fact that I’ve gotten to do it is like, yeah, it’s really I think it I think it in many ways is the thing that I’m most proud of, because it’s it’s just super, super unexpected. And it’s been, you know, luckily met with, with a lot of support and a lot of a lot of love. And it feels because there is no character. It is just like stories from my life and the things that I’m sharing about my past and my present. And that’s, um, obviously super vulnerable.

Elyse Myers  27:29

I was gonna ask, is this feel more vulnerable than acting? Yeah, it was

Andrew Rannells  27:34

You know, it still is scary. You know, before this book came out, I was like, well, there’s a lot of information, personal information in this book that I don’t know how it’s going to be received. And I don’t know how people are going to react. And I was so pleasantly surprised with the first book. And I was hoping that that would be the same case with this book. And luckily, it has been but yeah, it’s putting yourself out there. You know, it puts you in a very vulnerable position.

Elyse Myers  28:02

All right, time for one more break, and then we’ll hear more about Andrew’s books. Do you remember what it was like the first day that your your first book was live for people to kind of buy and read? Do you remember that day or what that felt like?

Andrew Rannells  30:13

I had, I had a little bit of a warm up. And the first essay that I wrote was published in Modern Love and the New York Times. And it was a super personal story about the night my dad died about how he the night that he he had a heart attack, and he and he died. But he was in a coma for a few days before he died. But while that was happening in Omaha, Nebraska, I was on a pretty awful first date with a guy and ended up like food had sex with them was like, I don’t know if I should have done that. Like, it was like wrestling with all of these things in my head of like, I didn’t really want to do that. Why did I do that? Like, it just felt like that was the thing to do. And as I’m sort of thinking about this, and this man is still in my apartment, I look at my phone, and I have all of these messages being like dad’s in a coma? No. So I then had to, like, figure out what do I What is my next step here? What am I how do I how do I get to Omaha? How do I get this naked man out of my apartment?

Elyse Myers  31:18

There’s so many levels to this. I’m not laughing at the situation. You know it, my body is in shock.

Andrew Rannells  31:23

It’s very, it was funny. And you know, bless him. That man was like, wanted to help. He want he was like, well, let’s know, let’s get you a plane ticket. I’m coming with you. Pack. He was he was doing all of the nice things. But he was doing it while fully naked. No. And I was like, I have to get you out of here.

Elyse Myers  31:47

Number one, let’s put some clothes on you my friend. Yeah. Number two,

Andrew Rannells  31:51

Please put on some pants. And please leave. We don’t I mean, but it was a very strange situation, and that we had just done this very personal thing together. But we didn’t really know each other. And then here we are sharing this extraordinary, huge life changing event. And we still don’t really know each other, but like there’s this intimacy that had just occurred that like, it was very strange. So I wrote that. And it was it was met with with a lot of positive comments. And then there were that, you know, it’s the New York Times it’s a huge readership. Sure. And the comments really, like went off the rails to the point where like, they had to, like, cut off the comments that were good and bad. Yeah, well, I mean, the good, the good ones were good. But the bad ones were there was a lot of people who had problems with like me being gay, that was a big one. Like, just the next was like, how I behave towards the man like that. I was, how could you be so mean to him? That was a big one. A lot of people didn’t think they should have published it. They were like, you’re just you just published this because he’s on television. Like he’s on girls. And that’s the only reason you published it. Like, it ran the gamut. So I was by the time the book came out, like a year later, I was ready. I was like, Okay, this is going to be rough.

Elyse Myers  33:12

Did that shake your confidence?

Andrew Rannells  33:15

It kind of made me more determined, I think, because I got through it. I like got through all those comments got through all of the sort of, you know, negative side of it. And ultimately, the positive response really outweighed the negative response. So I was like, I’m just gonna stick to that. So by the time the book came out, I had learned to not take it personally. And also to not read the comments.

Elyse Myers  33:41

You’re smarter than I am. I’m, like a glutton for pain. So I read one bad comment and like I knew it. confirming everything in me I feel about myself and you’re like, it’s making me stronger. And I’m like, why?

Andrew Rannells  33:55

No, I can’t read the comments. I can’t read the comments.

Elyse Myers  33:58

Oh, yeah. I shouldn’t read the comments. I do, but I shouldn’t but, speaking of there’s a campaign to get you on Tik Tok. I told everyone that I’ve made it like my personal mission. Me. Yeah, it’s Gutenberg. Right. That’s the show. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. I saw you and Josh on promo for it. And it was a he was on his Tiktok. And everyone was like, trying to get you on the app. And I was like, Guys, I’m talking to him next week. It’s my personal mission. Everyone’s like, so if you want to be on Tik Tok, there’s a whole world waiting for you just ready.

Andrew Rannells  34:32

I think I think Well, thank you for that. I think Josh Gad will be my Tiktok guide.

Elyse Myers  34:39

That’s fine. That’s great.

Andrew Rannells  34:41

I think when we get into rehearsals, which happens very quickly, he’s gonna He’s gonna help me because I never I feel so out of touch with that. And I know that’s not new technology. I know that tick tock has been around for a long time.

Elyse Myers  34:55

It’s relatively new. The content which you post on that app is so different than other platform. So it’s intimidating. I totally get it. It is.

Andrew Rannells  35:03

Yeah. But I’m sure Josh will will strong army into joining tic toc at some point.

Elyse Myers  35:09

I’m alright with applying some peer pressure here. I think it’s working, hearing about the essays you write in your book. It’s so fascinating. I’m writing a book with short stories and essays. And, and I wanted to ask you all those questions because it’s like, it’s, I share so much about my life that sometimes I feel like there is no veil. So people come up to me on the street, they talk to me, and they’re talking to me about personal stories of my life, not a character I’ve played. It’s terrifying. It’s, it’s beautiful. And I love that I get to do it. But it’s also very scary. And so it is very vulnerable. Talking about yourself so intimately to strangers, sometimes it’s just like with you, and your book, and uncle of the year is a short stories, essay book as well, right? Yes. Did it feel because you had that experience? Like with the first one that you’re like, you knew kind of where to find that line? Or you felt more comfortable sharing more like, what was that like doing it the second time around?

Andrew Rannells  36:01

If it’s not my story, I don’t tell, you know, there’s a lot of stories about my nieces and nephews about my boyfriend’s kids that like, we’re just not my stories to tell Italy. So you do have to kind of always keep yourself in check, especially writing, when I wrote a couple essays about like, you know, past relationships, and, and even sort of involving, you know, ex boyfriends and things like that. I was like, Well, how do you do that?

Elyse Myers  36:28

And you’re the trickiest. That’s the trickiest area X is.

Andrew Rannells  36:33

You want to share your version of events, but you have to make it very clear that it is your version of events. Yeah. So I’m not speaking on behalf of, you know, anyone that I dated. Yeah, this is just this is how I recall. I mean, you know, and the most fun when you get to the legal pass of your book, at least, it’s like, it’s terrified and so scared. It’s really wild, because then they start pulling out things that you’re like, Oh, I didn’t even think about that, like, interest in I didn’t think about that one. And you’ve got like, you know, a few lawyers going through your book and being like, this person, what was the last time you talked to this person? Where are they right now? Is it true that you were tear with them? Is that like, and you have to really think about, like, if they didn’t want to be named, or they don’t want to be involved? How do you go about that? How do you best protect yourself and protect them? So that like, you can tell, still tell the story and still be honest, in terms of storytelling? Legally. There’s, there’s like a handful of things you have to change, right? It’s like timeline, physical description, name. Obviously, timeline is a good one to like, if you say if you just change the years a little bit or you change, or you change the season that something like that can often be I’m not giving legal advice by advice.

Elyse Myers  37:55

No, this is legal advice. I’m taking it as strict. You’re my lawyer. For legal reasons, I would just like to clarify that Andrew Rannells is not my lawyer.

Andrew Rannells  38:04

Like things that I had to learn along the way that I was like, okay, so if you change, you know, a physical description, if you change the name, if we change the timeline, a little bit changed, like maybe the city where it took place, like, just like a handful of things that then you still get to the heart of the story, but like the details are, then if somebody really wanted to do a deep dive and try to track someone down, it would be harder.

Elyse Myers  38:28

Time is really throwing me because that’s where all my problems have come is the time. That’s where that’s like, the biggest way people find the people I’m talking about is short because I’m like, what year was seventh grade? Like, I’m an idiot, and I’m like, why does this keep happening to me? Okay, that makes a lot of sense. Thank you. You’re I’m just anytime someone’s like, who’s your lawyer? I’m gonna just be like, just call Andrew. Again, not my lawyer.

Andrew Rannells  38:54

Andrew Rannells is. He’s doesn’t have a degree, but he’s watched a lot of television.

Elyse Myers  39:00

He has written books.

Andrew Rannells  39:02

He can guide you on that one.

Elyse Myers  39:04

This one’s my favorite. Oh my god, I was so good to meet you. Yes, we should connect and go to one of your million like spots that you eat.

Andrew Rannells  39:16

I’ll drag you all over Omaha. Yeah, please. Lots. I have lots of questions for your husband as well.

Elyse Myers  39:23

He’s ready. Perfect. Okay, well, thank you, Andrew. Have the best day and I’ll talk to you soon.

Andrew Rannells  39:28

Thank you.

Elyse Myers  39:31

Okay, that’s it for this week’s episode. Thank you so much for listening. Make sure you check out Andrews newest book, uncle of the year. And if you like this show, give us a rating and review. It helps other people find us. All right. We’ll be back next week with more Funny Cuz It’s True. There’s more Funny Cuz It’s True with Lemonada Premium. Get access to all of Lemonada’s Premium content, including my five questions with Andrew Rannells coming out this Friday. Subscribe now and Apple podcasts. Funny Cuz It’s True is a Lemonada Media and Powderkeg production. The show is produced by Claire Jones, Zoe Dennis and […], our associate producer is Tiffany Buoy. Rachel Neil is our senior director of new content and our VP of weekly production is Steve Nelson. Executive Producers are Stephanie Wittels Wachs, Jessica Cordova Kramer, Paul Feig, Laura Fisher, […] and me Elyse Myers. The show is mixed by Johnny Evans, additional help from Noah Smith and Ivan Kuraev. Our theme song music was written by me and scored by Xander Singh. Follow Funny Cuz It’s True wherever you get your podcast or listed ad free on Amazon music with your prime membership.