This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:08] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Hi everybody, it's me, Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo, your host of Odd Woman Out, a show where we talk to women, artists, and just women in general, about what it is like to be a woman in the entertainment industry and a woman in the world.

[0:21] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: We're talking some crazy stories, some experiences, overcoming insecurities, but we're having a great time while we're doing it.

[0:29] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: So thank you guys so much for tuning in and continuing to show love and support.

[0:34] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: I love you, my odd squad. Stay odd and send a woman in your life a text today and tell her how fierce she is.

[0:43] Samantha Jaret Winokur: Hello, Marissa Jaret Winokur. Welcome to Odd Woman Out.

[0:47] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Thank you for having me.

[0:48] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Oh my god, I'm so happy to have you.

[0:50] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: I like love this show so much. You were on my list when I first created it.

[0:55] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Thank God we met last week because your people were silent.

[0:58] Marissa Jaret Winokur: My people?

[0:59] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: I don't know. I think I had the wrong email.

[1:00] Marissa Jaret Winokur: I think you had the wrong email.

[1:01] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yeah, I think that happens to me a lot. But I'm also wasn't like based out of New York all the time. So it's like if it's one of the in-person ones, it's hard.

[1:09] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Like I keep trying to do Bob the Drag Queen's one, but it's like in person, so we're trying to figure out we're gonna do it when when everybody goes back out to LA.

[1:16] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: I'll do it out in the city.

[1:17] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Yeah, yeah.

[1:17] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: But yeah, shout out. Shout out to the water. So happy to have you in our first ever episode on the couch after a lot of a lot of moving around.

[1:24] Marissa Jaret Winokur: I was wearing a skirt, it didn't look good. So shout out to Alan for the last minute adjustment.

[1:28] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Thanks. Thanks, Alan.

[1:29] Marissa Jaret Winokur: I was wearing a gray skirt. It was wearing the same color skirt as the couch.

[1:32] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: So you were like blending in the couple of things.

[1:33] Marissa Jaret Winokur: We were one with the couch.

[1:34] Marissa Jaret Winokur: I was one with the couch.

[1:36] Marissa Jaret Winokur: And I looked like a couch.

[1:37] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: But that's okay.

[1:38] Marissa Jaret Winokur: No, you didn't. I mean, you look like a Tony Award winner, which you are.

[1:42] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yeah.

[1:42] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Shout out.

[1:43] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Yeah, thank you. Yeah, so the show is called Odd Woman Out. We have so much to talk about. Your career is so wide and amazing. We have so much to say about it.

[1:51] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: But first, I want to start about the woman of it all. And I want to take it back to when you were young, a little girl, and first dreamed of being an actor and an artist. Was there a woman influence in your life?

[2:01] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Um, I mean, like, listen, what Broadway, young Broadway girl doesn't want to be Ethel Merman. That was like really where my like Oh my god, I could I had records because I'm old, so I had records, and my father would get the record, like would go to like tag sales and get me like Broadway records, because that's where that's where uh Broadway records would end up always in someone's tag sale.

[2:23] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I he would get me all the old Broadway shows and I would just listen to Ethel Merman on a loop. Like, and I was like, that's what I want to be. I'm gonna be that. So, like, that was really my inspiration.

[2:35] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Yeah, really was just like, I want to be Ethel Merman. I didn't even like for someone who like I've had a fun TV and film career, but like I didn't dream of that as a child. Like I only wanted to do Broadway.

[2:47] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yeah. Do you still have your records?

[2:49] Marissa Jaret Winokur: I do have all my dad's records. Yeah, when he passed away, I literally made a box of all his records, and they have to like stay inside the house. You can't keep records in a garage. So they're inside like my back closet.

[2:59] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Oh, I love it.

[3:00] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I do have all of them.

[3:02] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: So you've been in this industry for a really long time.

[3:04] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Right, because I'm old.

[3:05] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: No, you're not.

[3:06] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Yeah. You're a young springtime.

[3:08] Marissa Jaret Winokur: No joke. When I was, when we were at the table read for the play, the play I'm working on right now. Uh, so uh the uh Tomaz, I said I got my I said I got my equity card in '94, and I watched their face from across the room go like their face just dropped in a way that I was like, oh my God.

[3:27] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Like, what were they even born in eight in 94? Do you know what I mean?

[3:30] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Like were they?

[3:32] Marissa Jaret Winokur: I don't know. I mean, I don't I can't do the math.

[3:35] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: No, I don't think they were actually.

[3:36] Marissa Jaret Winokur: They weren't born in 94.

[3:37] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: I was born.

[3:38] Marissa Jaret Winokur: You were born.

[3:39] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yeah, I was born.

[3:39] Marissa Jaret Winokur: It makes me feel better, but also like I was a grown-ass woman in 94. Like I had already like graduated high school.

[3:45] Marissa Jaret Winokur: But it was so funny. It was like, yeah, sorry, I was just going on the uh I'm old. Shout out to Tomas.

[3:50] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Oh my god, Tomorrow. They are so fucking funny.

[3:52] Marissa Jaret Winokur: So funny. Um you've been in this industry a long time. So I want you to think about a time that no, don't be sorry. We're here on the couch. We're just two odd women on a couch. You know what I mean?

[3:54] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: I want you to think about a time in the industry where it was like a really woman supporting woman situation. Like maybe when you were still learning the ropes. Was there a woman that sort of like took you under her wing?

[4:12] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Oh, was that was that the question that you wanted me to answer? I was like doing like an inspiration, but you were like, I'm no, I'm gonna be honest.

[4:19] Marissa Jaret Winokur: No, I'm gonna tell you, like, I don't, I didn't find women kinship until I got older. Like, I definitely like as a young performer, it was always just like some gay guy who was like, You're the best, keep going. And I'm like, I love you. And then like that was the person that like I hung out with, right?

[4:38] Marissa Jaret Winokur: And um, I didn't have, I had like, oh, I did have when I was like 20 when I when I got my equity card. I was working um in Greece. It was the first national tour, and Sally Struthers was in Greece with me.

[4:52] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Excuse me, I have a Luke's diner notebook with me today. Oh shout out, shout out to Gilmore Girls, Sally Struthers. Okay, so I ran out of odd woman cards and stuff.

[5:02] Marissa Jaret Winokur: No, I like that. So Sally Struthers was playing Miss Lynch, and it was the show I got my equity card in, and she she did take me. So she was like the first woman that took me under her wing and was like when the rest of the cast was kind of like, well, she's a little annoying because I was so excited to be in the show.

[5:18] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Like, I was like, Oh, I'm in a national brown, I'm gonna get a show jacket. I'm gonna get you know, and then I moved to I was like one of the first to go to the Broadway company. So like I was like, I was super ambitious and super like go get her, but Sally would like room, we would room together because I was like so much younger than everybody, and um, and she really she really took me on her wing and she really took care of me, and she she has been a mentor and an inspiration since ever since.

[5:42] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: What yeah, an iconic mentor, yeah, for sure. Also, I love the excitement because isn't that the point? Like with theater kids, it's exciting, it's fun. I hate when people act like, oh, I'm so cool, like we're doing make believe.

[5:55] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Yeah, and when I would, and then I was in that show for four years. I did Greece for four years. That you know, the the one that you know Rosie O'Donnell started, and then like every it was like the Chicago of its time, like every like celebrity would come through it, and like people would be leaving the show, like, and I'd be like, Oh, did you get a new other job? And they'd be like, No, and I'm like, So you're leaving a Broadway show to go wait tables, and they're like, Yeah, I'm bored.

[6:16] Marissa Jaret Winokur: I'm like, but we're on Broadway! This is Broadway, we got our Broadway show. Like, I was like, I was never gonna leave. I stayed until the doors closed. I was like, I loved it so much.

[6:25] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: I love that. Shout out to Sally.

[6:27] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Yeah. Um, okay, so now I want you to think about a time in the industry or in your life where you've felt like the odd woman out.

[6:34] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Oh, I feel I always feel like the odd woman out. Like I am the odd woman out. Like, I feel like I never fit in. I I grew up in a in a small town in Westchester in Bedford Village, so already I didn't fit in there. It's my it's you know, the land of Martha Stewart and and you know, like um Ralph Lauren, and I'm like a Jersey girl at heart.

[6:54] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Like I was like, I'm like, I should be in Staten Island, and like, but I grew up in like the like the the Martha Stewart town. Polos. And I didn't ever wear that, and I always wore my hair big, and I was like, I mean, like, I was in the 90s and I've like stayed in the 90s, so I really didn't fit in then, yeah, but I never felt like the odd woman out, I just felt like, oh well, I don't fit in here. Like I didn't care. I never wanted to fit in.

[7:18] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: You were just who you were.

[7:19] Marissa Jaret Winokur: And then I moved. And then I went, I lived in New York City, and then I moved to LA in like 98. And I would then was like, oh my God, there's no one like me here in Los Angeles. Like I'm all, but like it worked as like as a brand. Like I got hired, I worked a lot because there was no one like me.

[7:35] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Right. Um, I don't know. I think I always feel a little odd man out.

[7:40] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yeah, but you know why I love you so much? Because it's such a good example of like I'm me and it's gonna work, and I don't have to fit into like this this bubble that people project onto women all the time because it's fake and and dumb standards that aren't real.

[7:57] Marissa Jaret Winokur: So yeah. Shout out. I love that.

[7:59] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Thank you. I mean, like, I wish I looked good in J. Crew clothes. Like that's the dream. Like, I wish like I could be like a preppy, like country club girl. My son would be so much happier because he's such a pre like he plays tennis and golf.

[8:11] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Like he's such, like, he's such a preppy, preppy kid, and I know that like he would like it much better, like if his mom wasn't wearing glitter and red lipstick.

[8:20] Marissa Jaret Winokur: I like, I mean, there's been times where I've literally showed up at something and he'll literally look at me and just be like, You're wearing that? Like to the PTA. Like, he just has no in like if I'm wearing red lipstick, he like ignores me.

[8:31] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yeah. Does he know that you're a literal icon?

[8:35] Marissa Jaret Winokur: I don't know. I don't think he thinks of me as an icon. I don't think. Um, I think he knows that some people think I'm an icon. I'm not sure if he expects those people.

[8:46] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: We have I have a such a great relationship with my son, so it doesn't matter.

[8:49] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Shout out to your son.

[8:50] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yeah. Um, okay, so it's been 23 years since Hairspray opened on Broadway. I want to go back to that time a little bit. When that role came to you, Tracy Turnblad. For those of you who don't know, and if you don't know, why are you watching that? That's crazy.

[9:03] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Yeah. That's shocking. Um, did you know at the time that it was going to be as huge as it was? And all correct me if I'm wrong, change your life.

[9:13] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Yeah, no. No, absolutely not. Um, I was living in LA, and I met, I was the first person. I a lot of people know this story, but I was the first girl to audition for the show.

[9:24] Marissa Jaret Winokur: And I met with Mark Shaman and Scott Whitman at their house, and they, you know, right then were like, You're never gonna play the role. You're the first person to audition, but come do this workshop, you know.

[9:32] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Um, and I did that for two years. So, no, there was never a moment that I was like, this is this is it. You know, and also what was interesting was when you're working with someone like Harvey Feierstein, you're like, this is Harvey's show, right?

[9:45] Marissa Jaret Winokur: So, like I was always just felt like I'm lucky to be here, I'm lucky to be in this room. I'm listening, I'm watching Mark Shaman create music and Scott Whitman write lyrics, you know, I'm watching them both do this. And then Harvey Feerstein is just Harvey, and you're like, you're in when you're in the room with an icon, it's hard to feel like what I'm doing is special.

[10:05] Marissa Jaret Winokur: I was just felt like I was just doing my job. Like just stay out of the way, don't mess up. Get off book, yeah. Like, try to get, yeah, exactly. Like, try to get off book, try to like learn your music, don't get sick, just don't get in Harvey's way.

[10:17] Marissa Jaret Winokur: And then like I remember when we were in Seattle, it like hit me. It was like, it took us, it took me a while. I mean, that's a rehearsal process. We're in Seattle, and I remember being like, oh my God, I don't leave the stage. Wait, I don't leave the stage for two and a half hours.

[10:31] Marissa Jaret Winokur: And then it was like, oh, oh, I'm the star of this show. You know what I mean? Like it literally, it took, it didn't hit me. And then I had like a total nervous breakdown. I like made the producers crazy. Cause I was like, oh my god, I don't know if I could do this.

[10:45] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Like, I mean, it literally, like, I was totally like, whatever, this is fun, who cares? Yeah, yeah. And then we're in Seattle, and I was like, Yeah, literally like, and like Margoline's like, you need a clonapin. I'm like, I need a clotta. Like, literally, my she's my my mentor, my icon. She's passed away, but she shout out to her.

[11:03] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Shout out to her and the clonapin because it was real. And the collanopin was iconic. It was very needed. I totally freaked out. Like, I just freaked out.

[11:14] Marissa Jaret Winokur: But opening night, and in our Mama Big Girl Now show, Carrie Butler with Carrie Butler and Laura Bel Bundy, we do this show uh and we kind of reminisce about hairspray, and and we travel with that show. And literally, we'll talk about how, and it like makes you me wanna cry.

[11:32] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Halfway, like at the end of Good Morning Baltimore, in our first out of town show, we got a standing ovation. Like the audience was up, standing ovation after the first number, and we were all like, I think we're what I mean.

[11:46] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Like, so it was like at that moment, again, though, I didn't think it was about me, it was about the show. I didn't know it was going to because it's such an ensemble show. What people don't realize is it's fully such an ensemble show.

[11:58] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Like, I feel like Tracy was just like the train that just kept on chugging, and everybody, it's like, you know, Amber says something funny, Penny says something funny, Tracy keeps the show going. Right, right. Here's the train. You know, Edna, Wilbur.

[12:09] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Yeah, yeah. You know, everyone comes in with funny stuff, and then it's just like, get to the next beat of the show. And it was, I didn't get it. I didn't realize it until I want to say, like, maybe like two months after we opened, I was like, oh, my whole, like, my whole career just changed.

[12:25] Marissa Jaret Winokur: And yeah, and like I had like ABC, I made a deal with ABC. Like I was like, had like a series, you know, it was like all these things that were like happening fast. It happened really fast.

[12:36] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yeah.

[12:36] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Yeah.

[12:37] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: And that's amazing.

[12:38] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Yeah.

[12:39] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: And then you literally won a Tony Award.

[12:41] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Yeah.

[12:41] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: That's crazy.

[12:43] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Sobbing last night watching your Tony speech because just going back to what you just said about like being so excited in Greece and being so excited to be there.

[12:51] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Like I will, I'm like have body tolls right now. Like you, your Tony speech is pure joy.

[12:59] Marissa Jaret Winokur: I'm gonna cry. And it's so beautiful. So were you thinking you were gonna win?

[13:03] Marissa Jaret Winokur: So, you know, it's funny. Like I had I had won the drama desk and I had run the outer critics, and everyone's like, well, that means you're gonna win, right? And then you're like, no, Bernadette Peters is freaking Bernadette Peters and Gypsy and Gypsy.

[13:16] Marissa Jaret Winokur: So like here's the thing Bernadette Peters 100% should have won. Like no, no, no, no, no. I I stand by this. You go back and watch, if you put back to back, you go back, God. I mean, I think that people just wanted Tracy Turnblad to win in the end.

[13:32] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Like, I think they were like, let Tracy win. And I'm telling you, I I think that like, and I'm so grateful for that. But it was it was more, it was less about me against Bernadette. It was more about hairspray, and people wanted it to feel good, and hairspray was like, we were only a year after September 11th.

[13:49] Marissa Jaret Winokur: So hairspray really was just like a joy bomb that people just wanted, and I was like, and in reality, like Tracy was like the first, like now, now there's plus size girls in lots of Broadway shows, and but that was really the first time that the plus size girl got to be the injun. She got to be the lead, she got to represent something that meant more.

[14:10] Marissa Jaret Winokur: So now I I dare everybody go back, YouTube, Tony Award performance, hairspray, Tony Award performance, Mama Rose, Gypsy, Bernadette Peters, and you will die.

[14:25] Marissa Jaret Winokur: She's so good. I remember sitting in the audience and she sing, like, why did I do it? And I'm like, oh my God, she's singing right at me. Like she wasn't, obviously. But she, oh my again, go watch those production, those numbers. I watched Batch of Blackmail. Go watch her, and you're gonna be like, okay, give it to like the ridiculous dancing girl. Okay. And then also, like, I'm like, I think I was a half a step, I was so excited. The Tony's like started, and they were like, they were like basically ran our little video clip. And then I'm like coming out on stage and I'm like, because listen, it was exciting to be nominated. I was just excited to be on the Tony Awards. Like I'm like, I'm on the Tony Awards.

I literally start, I want to say a half a step too high because I was just, and I've done the show for a year. There was no excuse. I am excited. Then the audience starts clapping, but when you're at Radio City, the audience is clapping, and it's like, when I tell you, like the echo. So then I think I went off B. Thankfully, Matt Morrison came in, got me back on B. No, you'll go watch them back to back. And then you go watch Bernadette Peters singing her like Rose's turn, and you're like, I'm so embarrassed. Like I was mortified. But and then I like sat there being like, oh, there's no way. And and my husband, who's my husband now, he was my boyfriend then, and my best friend Kathy Trion, who has since passed away, who was one of Bernadette's understudies, and sitting next to me, which is we never even thought about that back then.

Like one of Bernadette Peters's understudies went with me to the Tony's, and we didn't think that that was weird. That's weird. And Matt Morrison, I bought them a ticket because Matt didn't have a ticket up front, you know. So they all sat so the four of us sat together, and when Bernadette Peters sang, we were like, Well, this is fun. This has been a really fun night. And like, wow, I got to see Bernadette that close. That's how we all, like, honestly, that's how I felt. So then when I did win, I was genuinely shocked, didn't have my speech. So my speech was perfect. Genuinely, everything I said was off the cuff from the heart. I I like forgot to thank Eric Vitro, who like was my voice teacher, who literally came when I had I mean, oh my God, I had cancer during the rehearsal period.

So he would come to the hospital and help me warm up because I was like, I'm doing hairspray. Like hairspray was like the light at the end of the tunnel. And I'm like, I didn't even thank Eric Vitro because I was so only thanked the people that were sitting in my eye line. You know, didn't I didn't think Jack O'Brien, our director, you know what I mean? Like, you know what I mean? Like, I didn't, I was like, only, and then I was just like feeling so overwhelmed by like just all of it that it was literally like one of those just no plans straight from the heart. Like my sister was there. I was so happy my brothers and my parents were both still alive, and they were both there. And you know, it was and my the man who is now my husband, you know what I mean?

He was there. So like it was pretty awesome. It was a perfect speech. Thank you. And you know what you said, like everybody wanted Tracy to win. And so I think it was such an important moment for women who could see themselves. Yes. And girl, that was you. It was just it was perfect. Congratulations, and thank you. Thank you, as somebody who grew up looking up to you, being like, oh, there's space for all of us. Yeah, I think that that was the biggest thing for me during that show, was like I didn't go into it to become a role model. Like, let me tell you, nobody wants to go like sit down in an like their first TV interviews. I remember it was like, I want to say it was like Good Morning America, I think was one of our first ones.

And the first thing they were like is like, so what's it like to be a plus size role model? And I was like, oh my God. Oh my God, they just called me fat. Like, do you know what I mean? Like, yeah. And and and like plus size wasn't look, there was no influencers. There was no like space like where people were like, feel good about who you are. It's a very different team. Like, wait, what is happening right now? Right. So it took me, it was a hard, it was a hard process for me to go through too, because I was like, oh my God, wait a second. I have like, because like as much as like confident, I like people literally an interviewer. Oh my God, the morning I won my Tony, I was getting interviewed, and the person interviewing me said to me, Well, where did you get all your confidence from?

And I was like, What? What? What kind of a question? Where did you get your confidence from? Because I'm not allowed to have it. I'm not pretty enough to be confident. I literally just sat there staring, like you're so like in the route of being like, oh, I don't know. I'm just like, but I was like, and I remember thinking, not comparing myself to Reese Witherspoon, but you know, growing up loving Reese Witherspoon. I remember thinking, like, no one's ever asked her, like, where do you get your confidence from? But like all of us, like, where does she get her confidence? Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, we've all had to find our confidence. It doesn't matter, skinny, pretty, like, so it was just such a it was a weird roller coaster ride for me to go through and come out the other side because I didn't go in being Tracy.

Like Tracy Turnblatt was confident. Marissa, I was playing a character. Yeah. And I was figuring it out. Cause I was like, I never grew up thinking I wasn't enough. Right. Like I never grew up. Until people started saying it to you. I exactly. Until I was actually doing a hairspray and being told, well, what's it like now that you're different? And I was like, I'm different. I was like, huh? I'm just, I love theater. Like I hate her. Yeah, which was such a weird. And it was always like these like really big people asking me these like really innate questions. Like I I definitely think, and at the same time, um, Mia Vardolis was doing my big fat creek wedding. So the two of us were like always doing like, like we were back to back.

Like she'd be coming to do yeah this show right after me. You know what I mean? And we and we had done an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm together. So we like knew each other, and we were kind of like, this is crazy, right? Like, and it was it was a different time. I'm so happy that that that's that's been it's not been completely rectified. No, but I but I know that no interview would or would ask me now, well, what's it like? How did you get your confidence? And I'm like, How did you, dude? How did you get your confidence? Oh, I know how you got your confidence. Like, yeah, it's silly. And it just goes back to like it's so dumb. And that's why also why I started this show, because it's like there is this bubble that a lot of people in the industry think women should fit in.

Yeah. And yes, it's better, but it's not gone. No. And we're still working on it, and and we have to talk about it. And to so somebody, hopefully, a young girl is listening and they're like, Oh, I'm perfect just the way I am. Yeah, no, 100%. And I think it was interesting when I when I did hairspray, people that would meet me at the stage door, you know, of course, there was always the like cute chubby girl or oh, you know, overweight guy. But then there was also like the like six foot two girl who was like, Oh my god, you make me feel like I am can do anything. And I was like, Oh, oh honey, you're gonna be fine, you're a model. You know what I mean? Like she was literally a model, but but my husband, we talk about that girl all the time because she was like so like she was awkward and gawky, but like we were like, you're you're gonna turn on okay, like you're gonna be fine.

But she felt like it was like John Waters always talked about how Tracy Turnblad was like, he said, like in high school, the overweight girl is a minor a different minority. It's like the most like being an overweight girl was one of the harder minorities, right? So like that's what Tracy So Tracy really represented all of that. And now being in my 50s, I look back and I'm like, oh my gosh, like how much that it changed me, but like also like I see how much has changed in 20 years. Yeah, but also I'm like, oof, there's so much. There's so much still. I mean, right, like, yeah. 100%. I mean, there's so much, I mean, people are really skinny now. And you know what? I'm kind of loving it for them.

So like I'm not even mad at it, but I'm like, that's great. Like, I'm like, well, it was funny. When when everybody started doing the shots, you know, I love the shots. When everyone started talking about the shots, I said to my friends who were like my overweight friends that started the shots. I was like, just so you know, when overweight people start doing the shots, skinny people are gonna also want to do the shots because everybody wants to lose 10 pounds, right? And I'm like, people, I'm like, it's like my my thing with spanks. Like people are always like, well, skinny people don't need spanks. I'm like, yes, they do. Because they want to look 10 pounds together too. Like so, I'm also like uh an equal, an equal opportunist.

I think that everybody, I think everybody should, if they want to lose 10 pounds, lose 10 pounds. If you want to wear spanks, wear spanks. Like, you know what I mean? Look, I'd be on that shot if I could. I haven't I can't, my thyroid's fucked. Oh, I know, damn. The shot. The shots. No, don't. I'm showing this is comedy, guys. This is a comedy. Clearly, look at me. We're doing a bit. There's no shots. We're doing a bit. Yeah, we're doing a bit. No shots. It's a fire debate, guys. It's funny. Get with the program. Um, okay, so you're also a literal reality TV star. Yeah, that's fun too. But I get but again. But here's a she does it all. I do do it all because I say I say yes to every job, every single job.

I say yes to. You know what I do? I say yes to every job so that I can do the jobs that I really want to do. You know, like there's some jobs that you're like, you do some jobs you do for the money, sometimes some jobs you do for the connections, and sometimes you you do a job for your heart, right? Like I'm doing a play right now, and this is literally my heart. Like the play that I'm doing right now in Playwrights Kill is literally why I did theater, right? Like, why I do theater, I'm with a bunch of theater people, I'm doing a play. It feels like I'm like part of Broadway community. It's like everything that like why, like little Marissa is totally psyched, right? You know, but like to get to do plays, to get to do like I came and did Bat Boy at City Center, but like so exciting.

But like, you know what I mean? Like, doing that is like taking care of the person that like, and I only just started doing this. So like I really dropped out of theater for I want to say 15 years because I to Hollywood and I did TV and film, and and and also people weren't asking me to do theater. Like it wasn't like it wasn't like I was like turning down theater. You know, there was some offers, but it didn't work out or whatever, but it wasn't like knock knock knock, come do this play. If you want to do this musical, that's that was my old tiny. I got a cigar, and I want you to come do this new musical for me. Like nobody was doing that. You know, like I did, you know, kinky boots at the Hollywood Bowl, and I would do things that were fun, again, because I love to do it.

Yeah, but I think it was like a few years ago when I started working with Laura and Carrie again when we started doing it. So that's like January 23, I think it was. January 24. January 24. Mama, I'm a big girl. Mama I'm a big girl now. Oh, see you with town near you. We tour with it. Go to our website. We will be in a city near you. But I started doing that with them just for be with my girlfriends and have fun. And it literally jump started me going, like, oh, I'm wasting my life. Like TV and film and reality TV does not take care of 10-year old Marissa. And like I've been ignoring her for a really long time. So I know. Marissa, thank God you finally got the okay. I love the story of like Carrie and Laura.

I know that's hitting you up. They I know Carrie was on the show as well, and she told that story. I'm like, was her phone off for a year? Okay, I never got the video. Or also, by the way, I also still take clonapins. So I might have taken a glanopin and went to sleep and didn't, you know, see the message. No, they sent me that message, a video message, which I wouldn't have even believed I had had they not been able to show it to me years later. But the minute they did, the minute I they we got back talking about it, we put the sh yes. It was like set, it was like seven months later. I was really busy. Listen, we're busy. I like to pretend that I missed it, but like, guys, I was busy. I was working, I didn't have time to do a musical theater show with them.

I hey, they called me. Laura called me up, was like, hey Marissa, I got an idea for you with her cigar. Laura's like, honestly, that is Laura. Laura's like, I got tap shoes, I got a baton, I'm ready to go. We got Carrie singing Disney music. Let's go. And I'm like, I got Carrie singing. Oh my god, we got Carrie singing Disney. I get to sing Ethel Merman. I'm like, I'm like doing all my dreams in this show. But but because of that show, it reminded me. It's like what we wanted, like what your first question, like when I was a little girl, what did I want to do? And I was like, not doing it. Yeah. I was not doing it, which happens too when you become a mom. I'm gonna blame this all on my son right now.

But when you become a mom, you have to stay home, you have to take care of your kid. You give up a lot, you know. You have to crew. Oh god, I wanted to so bad. I really do. Oh god, I re I did, I did have a time where I I got really skinny. We'll find a photo, and I straightened my hair, and I was like, I'm gonna just be like every other mom. No, we're not stopping. I have a heart out, but I want to keep talking to you. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We're gonna keep it. We're fine. I'm in a good mood now. I'm in a much better mood. Yeah. I came in hot. So did I, though. You came in real cranky. I came in real cranky. We should do a show together. I feel like you're like my favorite person to everyone. Okay, great.

Let's do it. Okay, great. We'll do it. We'll talk. Where are you located? Uh Calvin. Yes, both. I'm everywhere. So I'll fly. I'm like, I'm literally like, I'm able to do that's how I'm able to do theater again. Let's get keep that back out there. I I am a local hire for theater. Hello. Once they found that out, now I keep doing theater. Is anyone listening? Is anyone listening? I have a local hire. I have Delta Miles. You know what I'm gonna say? What's really funny? Okay, great. You can come to LA. I can come to New York. But I okay, so I'm a local hire. I was locally hired by somebody to do something, and then somebody else in that same company was like, Oh, we can't hire Marissa because she's not a local hire.

Y'all talk to each other. I have a local higher in New York. I have a house. I'm fancy. I even have a home here. Shit. And not, yeah, I know, right? I love that. Um. Okay, so you did the rally reality TV. You were on the talk, talk show host. Guys, I did I forgot about the talk. Oh. You said reality TV. I was like big brother, dancing with the stars. Dancing with the stars, also I love the stars. Some of the interviews when you were like, I'm representing the American woman. Oh, I was Tracy Turnblad on Dancing with the Stars. Thank God for you. I literally was. Okay, so season six. I was the first, I was the first woman on that show that was overweight.

[28:36] Marissa Jaret Winokur: There were girls that were overweight, but that was because they were pregnant trying to lose their baby weight. That doesn't, that's not the same. It's different. No, no, no. It's it's their body journey and they were dancing and losing weight, but they were skinny before they had a baby, and then they got skinny again. I was never skinny. I never got skinny. Well, I got skinny that one time. That one time. And people didn't recognize me, and I looked like uh like an executive because I wore J. Crew and I wore button-up shirts. I looked ridiculous. It was when he was in kindergarten and I like totally fit in with the moms one year. And then the glitter came back. And then and then I know, and then I was on Melissa and Joey.

This is no joke. I was on the show Melissa and Joey, and I played Joey Lawrence's sister, and Faith Prince was my mom, and Doris Roberts was my grandma. Okay. So we were that family. Yeah. And they were like, and I had because I was so skinny, I lost my boobs. And so I wore this massive padded bra and these like crazy tight jeans, and I was like a jersey girl because I was Joey Lawrence's sister. And I literally looked in the mirror and was like, oh, hello. And I was like, I'm back. And then I got crazy padded bras. I got like crazy big hair again. I was like, oh, this is who I'm meant to. Like, I was like, what are you doing? You're invisible. Like you, I changed myself so much to try to be something that I wasn't. And then I gained all the way back because I was like, fuck this shit.

I was like, I look great. You know what I mean? And I was like, and I like, and I'm actually like physically, I'm more who it's who I'm meant to be. It's who I'm meant to be. And you're just comfortable with who you are. Yes. And you don't care about it. Because I'm always on a diet, guys. Like I'm not like I'm always on a fucking diet. It's not like I'm like, oh my God, I love myself so much, I'm gonna do it. No, no, no. I always want to lose 10 pounds. But I'm also like, but this is what I'm wearing, and this is how I feel, and this is what I look like today. Same. And that also is why I started this show. Yeah. Because I'm saying it and preaching it, but do I believe it all the time? No. But you don't have to believe it all the time.

Working on it. Yes. But it's so important to be like, I changed three times today, and it's so important to be like, you know what? Fuck it. My stomach is in my pan. You know, like my fupa is out, and that's my body. And I have a healthy body, and I have a shape. My blood work is good. I mean, listen, you get to an age where you're just like, oh my God, is my blood work good? Do I have good blood pressure? Like, okay, God. You know what? I'm doing great. Yes. Yeah, my cholesterol's fine. I'm doing great. My A C1, is that even what it is? My like blood sugar AYC is good. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's under 5.7. Like, I don't have free diabetes. Like, I'm doing great. We're doing great. I'm killing it.

You know, you hit an age where you go to the doctor, and I'm at that age now where I used to go to the doctor, and they'd be like, oh, you want to lose a little weight. Maybe we should try losing a little weight. Maybe we should lose a little weight. Then you hit 50, and they're just like, you're killing it. You look great. Look how healthy you are. I'm like, yeah. You're like fierce. I've been waiting for this my whole life. So you can look forward to that. Thank you.

[31:22] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Um I love how you do it all, right? We don't have time to talk about it all because you have to get to work.

[31:29] Marissa Jaret Winokur: No, the talk was really fun. Sorry, I cut you off there. The talk I was season one of one of the talk show hosts of the original The Talk. I love Julie Chen. She's my favorite human on the planet. That when they started to do Big Brother, they I was like one of the first, I was probably one of the first celebrity for celebrity, you know, Big Brother season one. They called because Julie knew I had watched Big Brother day one. So she knew I was like, it's important to say yes to everything because you made that connection and then she knew about you. So then you got Big Brother first to ever win. And I want all that money. Shout out. It wasn't for charity. That's what Tomas has asked. Tom's was like, Did you have to get that money to charity? I'm like, no. I got to keep it. And I'm gonna put my son through college with that money. Shout out.

[32:13] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Shout out. I want to quickly talk about Bat Boy.

[32:16] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Okay. Because I was such a Bat Boy crazy girl. Did you come to this Bat Boy?

[32:21] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Five times.

[32:22] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Wasn't it so good? It was amazing. Okay, listen. So good. I don't care about every single you did you not love, did you not love my my southern blonde hair boobs? I had egg bundy. I loved it. I love that character. I love Alex Timbers.

[32:43] Marissa Jaret Winokur: I love Alex Timbers as well. I love him so much. I would when he when I got the when I got the offer to do Bat Boy, and I've never worked for him, I never, I mean, I maybe met him like at something. Yeah, yeah. I was like, I couldn't believe I was getting that offer. Do you know what I mean? Like and I know that that like that sounds crazy to people outside of the business to understand, but like even people, even people with Tony Awards are really like, I was speechless when when Alex, when I was like Alex Timbers wants me in a show, and I was so excited, and I was shooting a movie for Netflix. I was shooting um a dog's purpose. It's a dog's Christmas purpose movie with like Dennis Quaid. I mean, it's a crazy, crazy cast in Vancouver.

So I was like, how do I do both? Because I was like, and everybody have to. Everybody in my life was like, go shoot your movie, Marissa. You're being a fool. I'm like, no, I'm doing Bat Boy and working with Alex Dimmerus. Like, I was like, I have to. I have to.

[33:39] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: And thank God you did.

[33:40] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Oh my God. It was it was perfect. It was perfect. If anybody's listening, can we please bring Bat Boy back? And I know I've just said this with Carrie. I'm not trying to turn this podcasting back.

[33:50] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: No, no, no.

[33:51] Marissa Jaret Winokur: I listen, guys. But I am. I've never bought merch for my own things. I bought Bat by Merch. I bought the hoodie. I bought the cap. I bought the cap the hoodie. Even the little thing that I have the friendship bracelets. Friendship bracelets. I loved it. I love it so much. I want it to come back so bad. I'm never gonna give up on the hope that it will.

[34:07] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Neither.

[34:07] Marissa Jaret Winokur: And the good news is my part I won't age out of, so it's fine. Like I'm I already am playing someone older. I had children. Andrew was my child and he was literally like 40. So I'm like, you know, we can keep going, right? I mean actually I don't know how old Andrew is. I but I don't know how to do it. I know that my children were not my like could not have been my children, but I did not care. Um I'm The beauty of theater, baby. And and for me, as someone who's watched Carrie Butler in 12 Broadway shows and as many off-pro a hundred off-Broadway shows. Nothing was if you didn't it like you missed a theory theater experience if you did not see Carrie Butler in Bat Boy. Like Carrie Butler and Bat Boy took it took my breath away.

It was like it wasn't, it wasn't like anything I'd ever seen her do, but then it was all the best things she's ever done. And she needs this needs to come back. It needs to happen for her. I will be, I will stand on stage cheering her. I will stand off stage cheering her.

[35:03] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Same.

[35:04] Marissa Jaret Winokur: I love it. I loved it so I loved it. It made me go like, my whole family will tell you that's like what I was like, oh, I I'm back. I'm doing Broadway. Like, life is like give it, I'm back in. I love it. Bring it back.

[35:19] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yeah. Bring it back, people.

[35:20] Marissa Jaret Winokur: It was crazy. Um, okay, so tell us real quick about when playwrights kill, why everybody needs to run to Boston, give us some deeds.

[35:26] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Well, first of all. First of all, no, I didn't even know there was like a train that got there. Like the I'm using the Acela. Let's do a little like um commercial for the Acela. Um it's like only stops in two stops, and you're there in like 30 seconds. And the bar car is there and it's stocked with good sandwiches. Yeah, and Tomas told me about a car that is a silent car with tables. I told him I will not be sitting in that car. Cause then I will ruin that car for everyone. The silent car once on accident, it's terrible. Well, like here's the thing. I would on theory wanna be in the silent car, but the joke was like if Tomas was in the silent car and I was in the silent car. That wouldn't happen.

So he's gonna go to the, they're going to the to the um silent car and I'm not. Tomas, I think so. Well, he wants they want the table. They want the table. There's tables there's I think you should tell Tomas there's tables in all the tables. Honestly, they need to bring their bike. There's a whole situation.

[36:15] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Yeah. Okay. I understand. This play is fantastic. The cast is insane. I mean, the cast is called. The cast is insane. Like, I'm literally watching Beth Level and like Kevin Chamberlain, I'm literally watching Matt Doyle. Like, everyone is crazy. Agreed. This cast is crazy. Like, and and there's only six people in the cast. So, like, and there's not a lemon in the bunch. Actually, I'm the lemon in the bunch. No, sure. No, I am the lemon. Oh, no, no, no. Trust me. I'm gonna tell you, the play is about what's fun about this play is it's it's about theater. So, like, if you love, like obviously you love theater, you it's like I said, it's like kind of like the studio, but for for theater, right?

But like, I'm totally stressed out this whole week during the show because like everything that's happening in this show is like happening. Like, I'm like, if I forget my lines, I'm like, oh god, this is there this is like the show. Like when she forgets her lines, and now I'm the one asking for lines, or like I'm like, you know what I mean? Like your method, like I'm very method. No, I'm not method. I'm I'm not the actress. I'm just the stage manager. So I shouldn't be forgetting my lines. Like it's like I'm like, and I like come in and I just am watching. I'm such an observer in this project. I mean, this show is so funny, and it's got so much heart that you wouldn't expect. Like, that's where it like even I didn't expect it.

And I had read the script, and I was like, I didn't know what it was like. And then by like we're like in week two of rehearsal, and I'm like, oh my god, this is like such a beautiful play. Yeah, it's such a beautiful play. And Noah's doing a fantastic job directing it, and Matt script is incredible. The script is incredible. I mean, that's what got like why I read the script and was like, oh my god, I want to be a part of this. You know.

[37:46] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Um, so no, it's been it's been a really I'm I'm very excited to get on a stage. Yeah, but also like you have like if you're seeing this before we before we're in Boston, like it's totally worth the cella. The Acela. And also if you look at just the Amtrak, if you go on off hours and you're on a budget, it can be very cheap. Can it? Yeah. I thought the Osama was kind of cheap. Sometimes I go to Providence for like 70 bucks around China. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. I saw that's one of the stomps. I'm getting on in Stanford. Yes, that's where I'm getting from Connecticut.

[38:23] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Oh, I think I oh I'm directing a mutant a new musical called Radium Girls, and it's uh uh a musical, and we're actually gonna, I think we're gonna do a little workshop easy thing in Noraluck just to get like just like a read, you know, just to like get us go, like get us working on it.

[38:38] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Like shout out to directing also, guys. We are out of time, sadly. She's gotta go to rehearsal, but you have to come back because I love to talk more.

[38:46] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yes. Before you go.

[38:47] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Sorry, I talk way too much for podcasts.

[38:50] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Hello, this was my favorite episode ever. Don't tell any of my other odd ones.

[38:54] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Yeah, okay. Before you go to rehearsal for this super fun play. By the way, I I don't know the script at all. I just was there at the press day. And if I if the play is as funny as the press day was, like S Mine, it is. I could not stop laughing. My face hurts so bad. So you guys have to go.

[39:10] Marissa Jaret Winokur: No, the play is really like I wouldn't listen. I I do like anytime I'm involved in theater, it's because I like have to do it. I love it. I have to do it. So like this one I like was like, I have to do this. I love this. I'm so excited to be a part of this.

[39:25] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yeah.

[39:26] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Yeah. Okay, before you go, can you please give some advice to any of our odd women listening in our odd squad or odd people who might be feeling they're like they're not fitting in the bubble or their insecurities are in the way or wondering where they got their confidence.

[39:42] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yeah. What is your advice to those people and women listening?

[39:48] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Well, I would hate, I hate to say this as you're listening to a podcast, but the doom scrolling will actually take you out. Like it takes, and I want to give you the knowledge of the doom scrolling and comparing myself to other people. Like, I if I'm doing that, like I know you're doing that, you know. So like it's really hard. And also like anything I'm putting out on social media is like well crafted. I know what I'm putting out. I'm not like, you're not seeing a real day in the life. Like, even driving here today, I was like, well, if I if I run into a tree, maybe I don't have to go to I maybe shouldn't. I didn't learn that monologue yet. Like, I'm just letting you know. Not if I run into a couple of things.

Well, I never want to get hurt, but like I always think like if it just a little bit of a bum. Then that's a good reason that I didn't learn my monologue yet. I'm just saying, what I'm saying is everybody looks like their lives are perfect, but like they aren't. And like everybody's an odd man out. Everybody feels like they don't fit in. Some people just fake it better. So like, I don't know, diet coke, some caffeine. I love diet. Yeah, stay off the klanapin. I'm not, I was not trying to um start a new campaign on that. But I Kalanapin. I know. I did, I wasn't trying to say Klana. Don't do the Klonapin, don't do the drugs. But I do feel like you're not like there's in a room of a hundred people, only two people feel good about themselves. So, like, maybe we can try to be one of those two people. Right? But we're not gonna. So just try to like figure out how to make you happy that day.

[41:21] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yeah.

[41:22] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Day to day, man.

[41:23] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Man.

[41:24] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Right?

[41:24] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yes.

[41:25] Marissa Jaret Winokur: I sign off on all of that.

[41:26] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yeah.

[41:27] Marissa Jaret Winokur: And if you're wearing a skirt and you don't like the way it looks, put on pants. That's what I did. And you gotta just go with the flow.

[41:30] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yeah.

[41:31] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Marissa, this was so much fun. I'm so sad to say bye, but bye.

[41:38] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Are we leaving them with don't do the shots or the glanapin? Is that what I'm leaving people with?

[41:41] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: If you need the shots and the glanapin, yeah.

[41:45] Marissa Jaret Winokur: I mean, I need the glanapin.

[41:46] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Yeah, if you need the kalanapin, do the bad for glanopin.

[41:49] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Yeah, if you need the shot, do the shots. Sometimes I get Botox in my forehead.

[41:54] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Oh my god, I want to I want to do my 11s.

[41:56] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Oh, I have a great spot.

[41:57] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: I just need to do the 11.

[41:58] Marissa Jaret Winokur: I have a great spot. But they tell you if you only do the 11s, then you have to do other.

[42:03] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: They won't let you just do one spot.

[42:06] Marissa Jaret Winokur: I know.

[42:06] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Well, we'll talk about it.

[42:07] Marissa Jaret Winokur: You gotta go to my spot.

[42:08] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: I just want the 11s.

[42:09] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Shout out to Grace Medical Aesthetics on the Upper East.

[42:12] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: I look angry.

[42:13] Marissa Jaret Winokur: Yeah, you look beautiful.

[42:14] Samantha Dawn Tuozzolo: Hello, my Odd Squad. It's me again, Samantha Dawn Tootslow. Thank you guys so much for tuning in to this episode, this literal iconic episode. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and follow to the show. Tell somebody else to take a listen. Uh, we are odd woman show on Instagram and TikTok. And you can follow me also if you want at Sammy Toots. I love you, my odd squad.