#172 Mindy Sterling Discusses Frau Farbissina and Founding the Militant Wing of the Salvation Army

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Jeff Dwoskin 0:31

All right, Kathy, thank you so much for that amazing introduction. You got this show go and h i never weekend this week was no exception. Welcome, everybody, to Episode 172 of classic conversations. As always, I'm your host, Jeff Dwoskin. Great to have you back for another classic conversation with the amazing Mindy Sterling. That's right, Mindy Sterling from How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Con man iCarly. The Goldbergs and of course, Frau Harbison from the Austin Powers trilogy, this interview is full of Lies, all lies, so. Apologies. You're gonna love my conversation with Mindy. It's amazing and it's coming up in just a few seconds. And in these few seconds, I do want to harken back to Episode 170 Make sure everyone tuned in to my amazing conversation with comedian Marc chef. A lot of great stories there if you love comedy that one's chock full of comedy stories. Of course we had a bonus episode last week with nuggets from our live show crossing the streams. Hopefully you're taking advantage and binge watching all the great suggestions. But before you get back to doing that, I think it's time for me to share my conversation with Mindy Sterling with you we talk Groundlings career everything you're gonna love it. Ready to begin.

Mindy Sterling 2:05

I answer Monday begin the

Jeff Dwoskin 2:07

countdown

Mindy Sterling 2:08

9876132

Jeff Dwoskin 2:13

All right everyone welcome my next guest you'll love during all three Austin power movies con man drop dead gorgeous iCarly ant farm The Goldbergs please welcome to the show. Mindy Sterling. Hey, how are ya?

Mindy Sterling 2:31

I'm good. So we're not being seen? Correct?

Jeff Dwoskin 2:33

Oh, yeah, this will be like audio. Okay, maybe at one point, I'll do like a five second like little clippy thing.

Mindy Sterling 2:39

Oh, please do I mean, I did put makeup on? Yeah, no, you look right. You look right. Yeah, please.

Jeff Dwoskin 2:46

We both look so good. I just got my hair. Thank you for jumping in on that countdown. I'm like I knew is with your improv background. It would be a natural thing to go there. Mindy. Thanks for hanging with me on my podcast very excited. Mandy, tell me about like, what's your origin story? I know you have a famous father, actor, comedian, Dick Sterling. Was that like part of the origin inspiration? Or like, is it in your family? Like, what got you to LA or California that are being hilarious?

Mindy Sterling 3:22

Well, well, Jeff. So I was, well, there was laughter in my life a lot. And just I love to laugh. And I think make people laugh. But I was also very shy growing up. So I think my mother and father were divorced. And like, I think I was maybe a 12 or something like that. So yeah, I just somehow I thought, Oh, my God, you could you don't have to be yourself. You could be a character. And then you could pretend. And I found that concept really exciting. And so my mother was also a performer. She was a dancer, and for a while, but I was kind of like, wow, this is kind of interesting. Because I am a little I was much more of an introvert. And then my first play that I did was, I think it was like in the sixth grade. And it was it was a musical. And it was and now I'm completely drawing a blank. It was all the Mikado, the Mikado, that's it and the played one of the three little maids and I just I had a blast. I think I just really enjoyed it. And you know, like you find your people in whatever you do if it's, if you're an engineer, you relate to those people and I just kind of related to crazy, silly, nerdy theater people. You know, and I just, I just kind of fell in love with it and got like the bug and needless to say, my dad was was very supportive of me. My mother was very supportive of me. And then I went to like a just a junior college, and I performed doing that because I didn't really want to go away to school. I didn't want any more schooling after I got out of high school, and then I ended up coming to California because it was like, well, once I did my two year, then it was like, Well, what do you want? Do you want to act? Yes, I do. So you're either gonna go to New York, are you ready? Are you gonna go to LA, and I had never been to New York. And LA, I felt was probably a little bit more like Miami, because I was brought up in Miami, you could have a car and you know, wasn't as intimidated. And so I had a boyfriend at the time who we did a show together. We did butterflies are free in college, he wanted to then pursue it as well. So he came out here to LA and I came out probably about, I don't know, maybe a month after him or two months after him or something like that. And kind of that's how I started coming out here and kind of got into doing theater. At what point

Jeff Dwoskin 5:51

did getting into theater kind of pivot into improv. You were in an improv group before the Groundlings, right? Yes, I

Mindy Sterling 5:58

was with the OH MY GOD and join it blank again. Anyway, so yes, I was with another improv group. But I never done improv. So this was just kind of like really interesting for me and exciting. And it was like, Oh, my God, you mean, you could come up with all this stuff yourself. You don't have to memorize anything. You don't have to remember anything. And I think I always had a little bit of a memory problem. Oh, ble connection. That's it. BLE connection. So I did that for a while. And then people fair told me Oh, you're so funny. You should go to the Groundlings. And kind of That's right, then I ended up going there

Jeff Dwoskin 6:31

is the difference between Second City Groundlings, I mean, in terms of where one may have ended up based on where they were in the country?

Mindy Sterling 6:39

Maybe, you know, absolutely, maybe it was just I ended up just being around people. Yeah, out here. It was the Groundlings that was back in, you know, I mean, the early 70s When it started, and if I were in Chicago or somewhere that had Second City, I probably would have ventured over there.

Jeff Dwoskin 6:57

Okay, so talk to me about the Groundlings like, tell me all about that. I want to like how do you start there? How do you like what's the system work? Like? I don't really know much about the improv world because I'm a stand I do stand up comedy. Oh, you

Mindy Sterling 7:09

do? Okay. Oh, which I always admire. I love watching stand up. I love going to see stand up shows. I think that that I'm not a I don't know if I could do stand up and be alone and be responsible for everything. So that's why my friend, Kathy Latvian, who you had on your show, I always like when she has a job. I'm always like, Oh, can I go with you? I get really excited because I love to laugh. But for me, I think when I got to the Groundlings, you usually have to you have to audition to get in. And everybody starts at the basic level, even back then and even now. So but I had been around Tom Maxwell had was running the Groundlings at the time and I had been working out with another group of people and Tom had met me through them and saw my work. And so Bill Stein, Kellner was teaching a class as well. And he and his wife, they riding on shears. And so he was, you know, an amazing instructor and teacher. And so when I decided to come to the Groundlings, I didn't have to audition because I'd already had a lot of training. And Tom Maxwell had seen my work and said, you can just go into intermediate. So I started in intermediate anyway, it's changed since the days that I was there. I think we had like three levels. Now there's like five levels, I think to go through. And but I think it is one of the most structured and really detailed piece of improv that is around. I mean, everybody does something so differently. And that's what I love about improv is everybody has a different work ethic or how what they look for what they work on. And we're very character oriented. We are you know, all about teamwork. And I just, I love the whole atmosphere of it. And so I just got myself so involved in it. And when you're going through the program, you're going through the school your whole life is that I mean, I was married in 87. And doing this and my, my marriage was like, every weekend I was involved in putting things together and doing shows and so it takes a lot out of you. I mean, your commitment is really really strong. And I just to this day just still love it. I love improvising. I love doing the shows, but back then you were always doing it. We're doing mostly sketch comedy do those on Friday and Saturday nights when she got once you got into the company Friday and Saturday nights. And so that was my weekends were taken

Jeff Dwoskin 9:46

up. That sounds fun. I found a clip of you on the Groundlings Facebook page. Oh which one you were excuse me for if I get the name wrong because it was just as best I could hear we Nish Weena shaker Gift Wrap anchor, anchor gift wrapping department Ed Robertson May and Edie McClurg was in the skit. I didn't recognize the other people, but for sure she was in it.

Mindy Sterling 10:10

Oh my God, that's hysterical. Yeah,

Jeff Dwoskin 10:12

it was just funny.

Mindy Sterling 10:14

Oh, it was probably I think it was was it a it was a panel.

Jeff Dwoskin 10:18

There was a bunch of you but don't look. It didn't look recent or anything. i

Mindy Sterling 10:22

Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, that was recent. No, but we think I think we were on a panel and my character. That's what she did. Got it. Yes. Because I think I saw I remember seeing that not too long ago. Yes.

Jeff Dwoskin 10:33

What famous people other famous people that I might recognize the names were sort of in your circle. Oh,

Mindy Sterling 10:39

of course. Well, Edie McClurg Peewee Herman Paul Rubens, Jon Lovitz, Lisa Cujo, Cheri Oteri, lots of people from SNL. I mean, from the Groundlings gone on, you know, to SNL and so forth right now, Mikey day is he was in the Groundlings. It's really very impressive. And even the people that you know, maybe are not like a household name, are phenomenal and work all the time. And it is it really has just interest like second city, it really has created incredible talent from that

Jeff Dwoskin 11:13

side, I'd take a quick break. But I want to thank everyone for their support of the sponsors. When you support the sponsors. You're supporting us here at Classic conversations. And that's how we keep the lights on. And we're back with my amazing conversation with Mindy Sterling. We're about to dive into some of the other amazing talent to come out of the Groundlings and we're back. Oh, yeah, the list is I pulled a list. Chris Catan Chris Parnell, Maya Rudolph Well, forte, Kristen Wiig. And a

Mindy Sterling 11:45

lot of those people. The really cool thing for me, a lot of those people that you had mentioned, or students of mine at some point.

Jeff Dwoskin 11:52

Oh, okay. Which ones were your students?

Mindy Sterling 11:54

Maya Chris Catan. Sheri Oteri. And Kristen. Kristen was I was not a teacher to her. But she babysat my son.

Jeff Dwoskin 12:04

I babysat your son babysat my son. She

Mindy Sterling 12:06

wasn't in the Groundlings yet. She babysat my son though, when I was working. We fell in love with her and my son loved her. And so yeah, but there is like incredible talent that goes through these places. And it is it's so exciting. When you see somebody and you go see a show or you get to perform with so many are like, Oh my God, you're like amazing, hysterical.

Jeff Dwoskin 12:28

I mean, you must get such Narcos like seeing like Maya Ruda. I mean, we just I just watched her new show on apple plus we just looped Yeah, we just, yes.

Mindy Sterling 12:37

loved her. She was so special and so wonderful. And I just remember going oh, God, I don't even know if you know how great you are. And she's, you know, when we're when we're all moving to in that level, and we're showing the signs of just really, really amazing talent, but you're young, and you're still working through stuff. And I just remember and loving her though going. This girl has got it? Yeah. Oh, yeah.

Jeff Dwoskin 13:03

The ground line. This is where you met Mike Meyers?

Mindy Sterling 13:07

Yes. I met him. I was doing we were doing a show on Thursday nights is called cooking with gas. So they bring people, alumni people and current members and Sunday company people to do the show. And he was a guest. And Julia Sweeney had robbed him because they weren't together on SNL. I was like, Oh, my God, oh, my god, like Myers we got, I was just in awe. And he thought it was really funny. And really, like, he always makes fun of me. He says, I don't know anything about anything. And that's what makes me so wonderful, because I just make it up and commit to it. But I really don't have a bag of tricks at all. And he and then I remember he was doing show he wanted to try to do something that rallies he wanted to see if it would work and I think it was like Austin Powers. I don't think it was Dr. Evil was in that I think he was doing Austin Powers. There are a couple of us he asked to play and help him help develop it. So I remember doing that. And then when the Austin Powers was going to go, I know that he and Jay Roach really wanted me to audition. Because, you know, nobody knew who I was. So I had to audition. And I was so nervous and yet so thrilled to have that opportunity, that chance and got it in the group of people that were so far above me. I was like, oh my god, I get to work with all these people.

Jeff Dwoskin 14:26

When Mike Myers was workshopping at the Groundlings awesome power. He's already this is already the height of his Wayne's World and Saturday Night Live fame. Okay, so I could see where that would be. Kind of cool. So when he's you say he's workshopping? He just he's just playing the Austin Powers character. You guys don't make

Mindy Sterling 14:45

it. Remember? Again. I don't know if I wonder if he has it on video somewhere somewhere because I would love to see what we did and how we created it. I just knew that he wanted some improvisers to play along with him and stuff. And it was you know, I mean, my God, it was such an honor her to do that she didn't really know where it was gonna go or how things were gonna happen. And it was me it was Patrick Bristow, who also had a part in it. I think the first one, and then it was Steve Hibbert, who ended up being one of the writers punch up writers. So he really surrounded himself with people that he he felt comfortable with. And that worked well with him and was like, awesome.

Jeff Dwoskin 15:22

That's really cool. So is the whole idea of workshopping isn't just try to figure out the characters see what the audience naturally reacts to or doesn't react to build on that. Absolutely. Yeah. How long is the process of the workshopping? Like, did he do it? Like over the course of weeks, or? Oh, no, it was I think it was one show. Oh, just one time he came out. Yeah, I

Mindy Sterling 15:42

think it was a one time thing. He just put it together some ideas. And I remembered that Jay Roach was in the audience. So I think pretty sure so yeah, he I guess he was just trying something out in the show format. And I you know, unfortunately, I am not someone that has a great memory. Because Wouldn't that be amazing? If I remembered every detail of that? I should ask like the other two people that I did it with? Yeah, to see if they remember stuff. Because if it was certainly a while ago,

Jeff Dwoskin 16:11

Andy, what if you weren't there that day? If it was only a one time What if What if

Mindy Sterling 16:15

I'm like completely making this up? And it sounds great. Coming out of my mouth, but I am so wrong.

Jeff Dwoskin 16:22

What if you were like I got a thing that day and then you're like, oh, Mike Myers was here yesterday. You miss Mike Myers. Oh, too bad.

Mindy Sterling 16:30

I know. Yes. Yes. Yes. Are that yeah, you just never know.

Jeff Dwoskin 16:33

You gotta show up. That's lesson there. Hi, what was the audition process like so? Yeah, they know now you're funny. Mike Myers is digging Yeah. Julia Sweeney's doc. And yeah, everyone's everything's pro Mandy. Yes. Pro Mindy. So what was the audition process? Like? Did you go in for file? Or like, was it just kind of like, hey, just, here's some things just start workshopping an audition. Like as at work?

Mindy Sterling 17:01

Yeah, it was, there was a script. And I auditioned, was sitting across the table from Jay Roach, the director, and Mike wasn't in the room. The scene that I was doing was from the first film and it was you know, about the Lucky Charms, you know, and you these little candies? And, you know, it's it's surreal, but the kids don't know, because this lady can read the script. And then he goes, Oh, my God, okay, I just want you to improvise now. So I got to improvise, and play with that. And he had, you know, laughing and smiling and didn't have that. And in my mind, I'm thinking, Oh, my God, I hope I got the German accent, or at least something like it. And I was so worried that I wasn't going to sound German because she's German. And and I'm, you know, as actors, we're so hard on ourselves. We're so hard on ourselves. I don't know, as a stand up if you're as hard on yourself as I get after an audition because I'm always like, Oh, I sucked. I sucked. I was horrible in the back. When I left. I was just, you know, I don't know. I don't know. And I wish I remembered how long it took until you found out because you don't know the minute leave.

Jeff Dwoskin 18:08

Right? They probably do maybe in there. And there

Mindy Sterling 18:11

and I'm I'm sure because I didn't really have I wasn't someone that it didn't have a status and I know they were looking for other they were looking at other women for frown. I don't know who they were. But I remember walking out of the office and scenes of some woman really beautiful woman. Maybe she wasn't maybe she wasn't up for frown. Maybe she was that for somebody else. But anyway,

Jeff Dwoskin 18:33

Vanessa Kensington or miss Kensington?

Mindy Sterling 18:36

Something? Yes, you're right. You're right. And so yeah, so you don't know anything you leave. And you're like, Okay, I gotta let it go. Let it go, go. And I just remember getting the call. And just like, Oh, my God, oh my god. But it was like getting the script, the finalized script and reading it and laughing out loud laughing out loud, which you don't normally do. And when you're alone, and going oh my god, this is so funny. And thinking again, oh my god, I'm this is this could change my life.

Jeff Dwoskin 19:07

And again, that's an exciting moment, isn't it? But more

Mindy Sterling 19:10

importantly, I got to play with Mike. How fun is that? So much fun, because I never want it to change anything. You know, when people ask a lot, you know, how much improv did you guys do? In the end? It was like no, not a lot because what was written was so funny and we just played with it. So I might have, you know, said something. I mean, the yelling literally just said the script. It said she yells out that's how I yell. Mensa. Yeah, well, you know, and with with a little bit of an accent and that turned out to be very workable for me.

Jeff Dwoskin 19:44

And is so funny, and I mean Frow far Besana, founder of the militant wing of the Salvation Army, but Mike is great. And Mike my mic is Mikey Is he just gray grading characters, like your character and hit well his character of course, but like Scott evil many me number two, you know, I'm ANSYS sighs

Mindy Sterling 20:12

mine, he's, uh, you know, there's that there's genius, there's people that have a genius brain and love what they've created. And it just works. And because he wanted to do these parodies off of the, you know, the bond things, it just, he just found that whatever combination with these characters to really work and the fact that, you know, he loves playing characters himself, and he loves, you know, with the prosthetics and all of that. I mean, I don't know if you've seen this other show that he did not too long ago, but he plays all these different characters in it. He's

Jeff Dwoskin 20:50

the Illuminati. He's just about halfway through, like a master

Mindy Sterling 20:53

at this. And he's so funny. And they all are so distinctly different. And he never complained about putting things these things on, and then how long it would take and it just was remarkable to me,

Jeff Dwoskin 21:07

Well, you shouldn't complain. He wrote it I now

Mindy Sterling 21:10

but you know, you don't realize, oh, it's gonna take me six hours for this and you know, put all this stuff and he would just relax. And it's, it's, you know, it's a lot.

Jeff Dwoskin 21:20

I'm sure after cat that he had some idea that Dr. Evil will take some time. So you must, what was your favorite thing to yell? I think bringing the fan bots is one of my pay, right?

Mindy Sterling 21:32

Oh, yeah. I mean, anytime that I yelled, globe, lower the globe via the laser. You know, anytime I yelled, I just loved it.

Jeff Dwoskin 21:41

Do you just yell like, when you're out, like what you do?

Mindy Sterling 21:45

Well, what my favorite thing to do is when my son was little, and I'll still do it, she's older. So she's kind of barks like every now and then. Okay. But I would you know, I pick him up from school, and I would get into the garage, and I'd stop the car, and I just go with, and I love that I can still do that. So yeah, so that's that you'll get that out of me every now and then.

Jeff Dwoskin 22:09

I would think if you're out if for some reason somebody doesn't recognize you. It's like a superpower. You could just pull out that voice. Yes. And there's no other they'd be like, holy crap.

Mindy Sterling 22:19

Yes. I mean, people will. People ask me to do that. And like at a comic con or something, and I don't want to make a big thing. So I can do in a quiet one, you know, no one. So I can you know, it's just that the way I do it. I guess that that makes everybody laugh.

Jeff Dwoskin 22:36

It's so funny. It's so funny. I tell you did one spider shag a Gold member? And then most recently, maybe from Detroit, you revisited the character for the Superbowl. Yes.

Mindy Sterling 22:47

That was the highlight. Yeah, one of the big highlights of my life. That was very, very exciting. And to go to New York, and to be a part of that was very, very cool.

Jeff Dwoskin 23:02

We won't get into if there will be a fourth one or not, because I'm sure who knows.

Mindy Sterling 23:05

Everybody asks and you know, and Mike said to me, he wants to do one when we were there. And I was like, Yes, please. And I am just you know, you never know a call come tomorrow or in two years. But I would love that. I would love to do that before I die.

Jeff Dwoskin 23:23

Well, then I hope for it to Hi, this is something that I found hard to hire to do. Hi, this is something that I found. I found fascinating. I bet we've been together for a million.

Mindy Sterling 23:40

Okay, okay. Okay. No, no, this is crazy. This is Jeff. This is very crazy. And I'm sorry to have to tell you know, me watch there. There is another Mindy Sterling.

Jeff Dwoskin 23:50

That is the worst thing ever.

Mindy Sterling 23:53

This happens every now and then. I've gotten checks from her. I swear to God, you know for her. i Yeah, it's she is a she was a singer songwriter, and that she wrote that and so Nope, never did that. Never.

Jeff Dwoskin 24:07

Alright, well, I'll take hating Johnny Mathis off my list. It's funny because I'm like, Oh, do I just bring it up? Or do I just go right into the song, sing it. Sorry to interrupt my amazing conversation with Mindy Sterling. But we have to take a quick break. And we're back with Mindy Sterling about to continue to eat crow for thinking she sang the theme song to family ties. And we're back. Of course I go right into the song and the different mate. Well, it's tied in I think it's on your Wikipedia page or something.

Mindy Sterling 24:38

I know it I can't get it off. Oh,

Jeff Dwoskin 24:40

I will. Let's talk about a movie that I'm 98% sure it was you dropped dead. dropped. Yes. Yes.

Mindy Sterling 24:49

I love that drop dead

Jeff Dwoskin 24:50

gorgeous is I don't want to say it's one of the most underrated movies but I think it's one of the best movies that people don't talk about enough.

Mindy Sterling 24:58

Thank you, Jeff. I totally agree with you. I loved that movie. I love doing that. That was like another one of those dream things that as a student of mine, she wrote it. And I remember going to the audition and going, oh my god, please just give this to me. Please, please, please, I want to do this so bad and then not realizing the stars that were in it. And where they you know, and, and what has become of them. Now, it's a star studded little film.

Jeff Dwoskin 25:24

It's an insanely star. Film. And let me just say for your student is I didn't stream the movie. I just rewatched it. I didn't stream it. I own it. I own Yes. Okay. Thank you. I watched you. This is one of those movies. I like my wife and I would just watch whenever we just wanted to laugh. It was like something we'd watch all the time. It was a big deal, because I thought Hulu finally put it on there.

Mindy Sterling 25:52

I'll tell you what, Jeff, they it was you couldn't find it anywhere for the longest time. And I did a podcast for someone who's incredible with older stuff. And he said, you know that it is you can't find it anywhere. And I guess maybe all that talk or whatever. Then they finally bring it out. But oh, no, you could not find it anywhere. Other than go to get a you know, a VHS but yeah,

Jeff Dwoskin 26:17

I don't know if it's still I thought it was a big deal that it will came out on Hulu, but I didn't see it on Hulu. Maybe it was on HBO or one of the other ones but Oh really? I

Mindy Sterling 26:24

want to say I thought it was on Hulu. So you don't think it's still on Hulu.

Jeff Dwoskin 26:27

I tried to look it up. That's the first place. That is so

Mindy Sterling 26:30

so sad. Well, how is that all about?

Jeff Dwoskin 26:33

Let's not cause a riot. Let's just we'll double check. That gorgeous. You mentioned the cast. Well, yeah, you did this after Austin Powers, right? Yes. Okay. So this has Kirstie Alley. Oh, I don't agree with her politics and we won't get into that. But there is no one funnier than funny Kirstie Alley. When she's chairs. This, her other sitcom? She did. She is one of the

Mindy Sterling 27:00

funny lady. Yeah, no, she was very funny. She was very nice to me. Because again, here's one of those films were like, Okay, well, I didn't really know anyone in the know. And then, you know, working with her and then Allison Janney

Jeff Dwoskin 27:14

Allison Janney is this is easily one of her best parts and no one talks

Mindy Sterling 27:18

about I totally agree. Totally agree with you. Ellen

Jeff Dwoskin 27:22

Barkin. Yeah. Brittany Murphy. All right. Rest in peace. I know. I left her. Denise Richards Yep. Kirsten Dunst sheets like the star little Amy Adams and Amy Adams and almost unrecognizable. Amy Adams. That's how young she is.

Mindy Sterling 27:39

I know I'm telling you. It was you know, you look back at and and go, Oh my god, I was working with these incredible people. And it we had the most fun. We were in Minnesota. And you know, we all had a kind of toxic debt. And because all the young girls that they got, they were from Minnesota. That's where they were. So Amy Adams was that's where she was. And it was, oh God, it was just amazing.

Jeff Dwoskin 28:05

Mount rose, Minnesota, the American teen Princess pageant. Yes, it is one of the funniest parody movies and look at anyone who goes and digs it up and watches it. It isn't PC at all. And it is a perfect example of a non PC movie, how to do it hilarious and right. Because it's always making fun of itself. And it knows that it's a parody of itself. It is by far equal opportunity offender and one of the funniest things ever.

Mindy Sterling 28:34

I totally agree. You know, when I go to when I do comic cons and stuff, somebody comes up to me and goes, because I have my pictures out. They go, Oh my god, I just have to tell you, this was my favorite bubble. And it's so excited, because it's totally one of my favorites as well. So, so well done.

Jeff Dwoskin 28:51

It's a mockumentary. So it's a it's done in that style to like,

Mindy Sterling 28:55

and and it just helps you know, okay, so you remember the girl? She was just kind of the the nerdy one with the judges. Yeah, yeah,

Jeff Dwoskin 29:05

she wrote it. Oh, really? Yeah. Oh, wow. She wrote it. Oh, that's awesome. That's awesome. We'll SAS I was in it. He probably doesn't talk much about that are all paid for one watch. But he's hilarious. He's there and Loudermilk He's great. He's that Matt Malloy is the creek Yeah. Oh, God. Oh, that is so fun. And Sam McMurray Oh my god. It's just like every buddy in this movie is is somebody or became someone after it's so Oh, you know who else is in it? The girl who ended up being Ross's like student girlfriend?

Mindy Sterling 29:38

Yes. Yes. She was the one. She was the one she had like she was dying yourself.

Jeff Dwoskin 29:43

Yeah, yeah, it was very hard. Yeah, it was horrible.

Mindy Sterling 29:46

It's okay. Oh my god. What's it matter?

Jeff Dwoskin 29:49

Hazel want me to interview him for a little bit?

Mindy Sterling 29:51

Lash. I don't know if she has to go the bathroom or she's just she's just older and so she's kind of she gets a little senile.

Jeff Dwoskin 30:00

Are those supporting people from France? You were in France. You were in the one with Barry and Mindy's wedding. The wedding planner.

Mindy Sterling 30:07

Yeah, I was a little blonde girl and I just came out and was like, All right, everyone get in line once. Come on.

Jeff Dwoskin 30:13

So were you able to reconnect with Lisa, Cujo then Did you know her from the girl?

Mindy Sterling 30:18

Yes, yes. No, Lisa and I were friends. We were in the Groundlings together. She was a student. So no, she's She's adorable. We sweet.

Jeff Dwoskin 30:27

Probably one of the few people that can say they were on friends and Joey. Hi,

Mindy Sterling 30:31

now isn't that weird? Yes, yes. Yes.

Jeff Dwoskin 30:35

I'll tell you my wife and I we are like, insane. Friends fans. And when I say that my wife is and I love her very much. I just go along. That's so sweet. But it's as much of a disaster as that show ended up being just from being canceled so fast. And rewatching the entire friend series 50,000 times there was probably no one better to bet a new series on than the Joey character but so it's

Mindy Sterling 31:01

one he's done several. He's done very well. Friends.

Jeff Dwoskin 31:04

Oh, yeah. Matt LeBlanc is awesome. He's done. Good. He's isn't good. i Let's talk. I got another one for you that I like con man.

Mindy Sterling 31:12

Yes. Yes. I love Conan man. I loved it so much. I loved working with Alan. I just had the best time he created the best character for me. And all I asked him was Can I please just wear different wigs in every episode?

Jeff Dwoskin 31:30

Your character is hilarious. And that's

Mindy Sterling 31:32

crazy. She's crazy. I love playing just off off beat women who just are have a little too much confidence in themselves. And should

Jeff Dwoskin 31:45

that's a funny whole thing on ComiCon nature. I love that a lot of stuff. A lot of guest stars on that too. They must people must have loved working with Alan and you and oh, yeah, yeah, totally. What do you call that kind of show? Because those are like 12 minute episodes. Where was that even?

Mindy Sterling 32:01

I know, it was really bizarre. I was like this new thing. I don't know. They just you know, they was trying something different. And I just feel like we were not given the chance to really show where this could go. And, you know, they were I think there was somebody at the top of the rank who ended up leaving and you know, things just shifted and it just is just a shame.

Jeff Dwoskin 32:23

Yeah, there was I think two seasons. I think I've seen the first one I started the second one. It's a really a lot of fun. It's a really a lot of fun. Yeah. And then, while I was digging around, I found a short film called goldfish. That was really kind of funny that I love these like 12 minute things.

Mindy Sterling 32:42

That's what it was. Wasn't that with Wendy? Wendy McLendon Covey.

Jeff Dwoskin 32:46

Yes, you did it with Wendy from WHO? Now? You're Goldberg's? Yeah. Yeah. That was fun. And then there were you know what it was it was on the iCarly page was an iCarly page I clicked on too. And there was a weird picture. When I say weird. It wasn't iCarly so I look at it. And it's like Mindy Sterling goldfish is short, you know? I ah, then I found it on YouTube.

Mindy Sterling 33:10

You find it's what's so fabulous. You do find the weirdest things that we've done, you know, early on, and the looks that I've had and through the years and I'm like, oh my god, what was I thinking? What was I thinking of you like that?

Jeff Dwoskin 33:23

You've done a bunch of Robot Chicken. Is that fine then with?

Mindy Sterling 33:26

Yes. Oh, I'd see. I love stuff. That is That is my buddy. We can we stay connected? He's so smart and odd and funny. And I just went when I went I went to New York to do the commercial. We hung out together. It was great.

Jeff Dwoskin 33:43

That's awesome. And then you were in the Grinch. Yes. Jim Carrey fun to hang out with or

Mindy Sterling 33:50

Well, I mean, no, because he was I think he was we hit a lot riding on him and he had just come come off of that movie, replayed the comedic comedian, coffin, man on the moon. And I think he was just exhausted and so that now he's got to wear you know, all of these prosthetics and outfit and I think he was uncomfortable. So he really wasn't playful, like I thought he would be. He just was there to do his work. What I loved about the film was all the other people that I got to work with. Because you know, we had this like little group of, of whose Whoville and they were so you, you just you know, became really friendly with them and hung out with them. They were wonderful. And Vern was in that too for Troy.

Jeff Dwoskin 34:36

Yeah, part of my toy collection. I have a mini me.

Mindy Sterling 34:39

Oh my god. Yes. Really?

Jeff Dwoskin 34:42

It's not like a little action figure. I mean, it's like the doll doll. Yeah, it's like

Mindy Sterling 34:46

yeah, I have one too. Yeah. There.

Jeff Dwoskin 34:49

Yeah. Your one you know actually no, I'm so

Mindy Sterling 34:53

I never have I never had me and Robert Wagner. We never had A action figure made us they made everyone else. I mean, everyone else meaning Mike, right? Joy

Jeff Dwoskin 35:09

never been us. That is a disgrace.

Mindy Sterling 35:12

No, it's amazing, right. It's pretty, pretty nasty. Talk to

Jeff Dwoskin 35:15

me about The Goldbergs. I know you're maybe gonna do even more with The Goldbergs.

Mindy Sterling 35:21

Yeah, yeah. They're on their 10th season. And I in fact, I start working on it on Friday. So we're we're back and I love working with the cast and love Wendy. She's just the real deal. Hard worker and just a funniest and the sweetest person ever. So I mean, I'm happy to have a job and going back and, and playing with this crazy group of people.

Jeff Dwoskin 35:45

The Goldbergs is one of those shows that I watched a couple episodes because I knew I was going to talk to you. So I wanted to kind of get a vibe for your character and all that kind of stuff, but I haven't watched it and then I watched it and the one I watched first was we didn't start the fire, which I think is your first episode in Season Five. Oh,

Mindy Sterling 36:03

is it okay is a friend just

Jeff Dwoskin 36:05

a Hanukkah? Hanukkah?

Mindy Sterling 36:07

Oh, God. Oh, yes. Yes, yes. All right.

Jeff Dwoskin 36:09

And so I'm like, Oh, my God, this is hard. 80s and this Jewish? How have I not watched the show?

Mindy Sterling 36:19

I know. Oh, Jeff. It is there's such great writers. It's so silly and funny. And I am so proud of them to to keep going for a tennis season. I mean, it's just doesn't happen that much anymore. You know, there's a list of shows that have done very well in the in the years past. And now it this is one of them. And it's I do I have to say it's the cast. It's Wendy, because it comes from her. And the writers are incredible.

Jeff Dwoskin 36:50

It looks amazing. And everyone's always told me to watch her. Watch her watch it so Oh, I'm so glad that you did and that you actually liked it. Yeah. And now that we're best friends, I feel like I have to dive

Mindy Sterling 37:01

please do because then you can write back to me go great episode Mindy.

Jeff Dwoskin 37:08

You do a lot of voiceover work to write like many Orizaba grew and despicable you're in that whole franchise? Maybe not the first one. But then they've said oh, why don't we have Mindy in this? And then

Mindy Sterling 37:18

Yes, right. Yes. Sometimes it's just little things here and there. Look, I love doing voiceover I would love to do more voiceover I think that it's like one of the best jobs because you can still create and still act and have so much fun. You don't have to memorize anything. You're just in that moment. And it's you know, it really is wonderful, fun, creative, easy job. And when I say easy, I mean, you don't have to dress up. You don't have to worry about how you look, you don't you know, you come in with your coffee, and you perform.

Jeff Dwoskin 37:49

That's awesome. The last thing I wanted to ask you about was The Larry Sanders Show. Oh, my God, did

Mindy Sterling 37:55

you see me in that?

Jeff Dwoskin 37:56

I love that show. It's one of my favorite shows. When

Mindy Sterling 37:59

I was a little blonde again, with crazy round glasses that I'll tell you how I got that very shortly. His girlfriend had taken a class at the Groundlings. And she said, Oh my god, Mindy, you're so funny. I have to introduce you, Gary. And I went Oh, all right. She says he's doing this show live about anyway. So I met with him. And he's like, Well, I don't really have anything specific. But you know, I make you one of the writers. Okay, so I did just a couple of episodes where I was just one of the writers and then and then they didn't use me anymore. That was really cool. That's awesome. I love Gary Shandling. I just am such a fan. And so it was very cool that I was given that opportunity to play. Even if it was just a short while.

Jeff Dwoskin 38:44

Hey, sometimes the best thing is burn bright Boom.

Mindy Sterling 38:48

That's really baffling. So yeah, well,

Jeff Dwoskin 38:51

I appreciate you kind of hanging with me and letting me ask so many questions about your illustrious career. It's so awesome.

Mindy Sterling 38:59

Well, I'm thrilled to be asked, and thank you for putting up with me and my dog, I probably need to take out and have her maybe maybe not. I don't know. But thank you. You're just a doll. And if there's anybody that you that you want to talk to you that maybe I know, let me know.

Jeff Dwoskin 39:16

Cool. I don't know, you know, but you know that typically, Mike Myers, you know, will Farrell, whoever.

Mindy Sterling 39:24

We don't have to end our relationship here. And now we can still have a nice relationship.

Jeff Dwoskin 39:28

I look forward to that. But thank you so much. I really, really appreciate it.

Mindy Sterling 39:33

Oh, Jeff, thank you. You. You are a doll and thank you for being so sweet. And being such a fan. And yeah, we're friends for life. Friends for life. Thank you. Bye, Jack.

Jeff Dwoskin 39:44

Hi. All right. How fun was Mindy Sterling? I had such a good time talking to Mindy so fun. So fun. And yes, I could have edited out my faux pa with the family ties theme song but I loved it. It's a rare interview pre prep mishap. I figured why not leave it for posterity. So anyway, it was fun. So much cool stuff. Check out drop dead gorgeous The Goldbergs. I'm assuming you've already seen all the Austin Powers movies. If not, go watch them again or check them out for the first time. Mindy is brilliant in them. Well, now with the interview over it can only mean one thing and that's right. It's time for another trending hashtag from the family of hashtags. It hashtag round up, download the free always free hashtag roundup app play along with us on Twitter at hashtag Roundup, grab the app at the Google Play Store or iTunes App Store. It's free, always free doesn't cost a penny tweet along with us and one day one of your tweets may show up on a future episode of Classic conversations, fame and fortune awaits you. This episode's hashtag is #SpySongsAndBands obviously inspired by Mendes performance and the Austin power James Bond parody movies hashtag spy songs and bands the ultimate mash up of songs bands and spy stuff brought to us by musical hashtags Oh weekly Game On hashtag round up. Tweet your own #SpySongsAndBands tag us at Jeff Dwoskin show on Twitter. I'll show you some Twitter love in the meantime, for inspiration. Here are some #SpySongsAndBands tweets I kissed a spy and I like the monitoring Lane doo doo doo doo. I'm not gonna try and saying this bond on the run. Maxwell Smart silver hammer came down upon Black Eyed spies twist and shaken not stirred. Come on baby now twist and shaken Bond girls on film every Rosenberg has its thorns working 99 to five What a way to make a living agent 99 No one did it. Find that hit me with your best laser shot. I just want a frickin laser. Nothing compares to cue The Man from UNCLE cracker Remington Steely Dan and our final h#SpySongsAndBands tweet the Austin Powers of the Oh, those are some great #SpySongsAndBands tweets. You'll find them all retweeted at Jeff Dwoskin show on Twitter, show him some Twitter love. keep tweeting. And maybe one day one of your tweets will show up on a future episode. But in the meantime, with the hashtag game over where the interview over can only mean one thing. Oh, my goodness, Episode 172 has come to an end. Where does the time go? Well, I think my special guest, Mindy Sterling. And of course I want to thank all of you for coming back week after week after week. It means the world to me, and I'll see you next time.

CTS Announcer 42:58

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Transcribed by https://otter.ai