This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:09] Grace Aki: Tell me your story.

[0:24] Grace Aki: You guys, welcome back to Tell Me on a Sunday. I'm so glad that you're back. Uh you know what? We are gonna be okay. We are struggling. I originally had something else planned for this uh intro, and it just feels really out of touch to not actually talk about what's going on. But um, regardless, I'm really happy that you've got something nice to listen to. Whether that's this podcast or a sick mix that you made yourself that maybe reminds you of 2004, when things were simple, when we wore low-rise jeans and tried not to talk about the fact that our gut was hanging out. I mean, it was a different time. But here we are. It's 2020. We're trapped inside, not trapped in the closet. I'm so happy that you're joining me once again.

Uh obviously it's been really difficult because of COVID, uh, to crank out the right amount of content and also like to not be tone-deaf to what's going on in the world. Uh, there's a lot of things that are at stake, but there's a lot of things that uh we should be supporting, which is mainly each other, and also knowing the difference in when to reach out and when to leave people the fuck alone. I think that we all have to strike that balance. But uh, today my guest is someone that um I've actually known since I moved to New York. Giuseppe Bausilio is uh one of those kids that is now an adult that uh you may know him from like Newsies, or if you watch like The Next Step. Uh he is just a multi-hyphenate incredible guy, and I'm so lucky that you know from a distance, I was like, this kid has so much funk and so much heart, and I've just gotten to watch him kind of grow in this crazy way in New York City.

And uh, you know him, you love him. I mean, he did Cats, uh, Hello Dolly, uh, Aladdin. Literally, if you spit, he's been in that Broadway theater. If you um he he's just he's great, and he's a nice, nice boy. And I love his mom. So today we're releasing this on Mother's Day because we talk about his mom, and I love her and all of the fearless women that are having to really, really try themselves as parents, as people, as wives, as you know, whatever you want to call it. Um, this Mother's Day hits really differently. And while I'm not, you know, interviewing a mother, um, I'm interviewing the product of a fantastic mother. So today this uh episode is dedicated to Sonia, and we love you. And here he is, Mr. Giuseppe Bausilio.

[3:14] Giuseppe Bausilio: That's my maiden name, bitch. It's not my name anymore. Uh you're fine. I actually have to legally can you sit closer to me, possibly? Um, just because that's mine. Um, okay. So I know, sorry. Um, so here we we have little Giuseppe. I keep calling I'll always call you little Giuseppe. I'll always think that you're like 16 years old. But you're not. Wait, how old are you now?

[3:45] Giuseppe Bausilio: Twenty.

[3:48] Grace Aki: You're such a baby. Um, but you're not, you're like a full-grown man. Um how old were you when you made your first like when you did your first professional production of anything?

[4:00] Giuseppe Bausilio: Uh of anything at all. Uh I was probably four or five. No, professional, like oh my god. Like I was picturing. I was like, yeah, I was four or five when I did like a dinky production of The Three Little Pigs. But I like killed it, so it's the same as you. Um, so it was essentially it was uh Faust. It was an opera in Switzerland at the Royal Theater.

[4:22] Grace Aki: Were you born in Switzerland?

[4:27] Giuseppe Bausilio: Uh I was born and raised in Switzerland, Bern, Switzerland.

[4:32] Grace Aki: Yeah.

[4:32] Giuseppe Bausilio: Um, wow. I was born and raised in Switzerland. Um, yeah, moved here when I was well moved to the States when I was 11. Casual. Um can you tell me a story of like I don't think that you've ever known anything else, actually, besides performing.

[4:49] Giuseppe Bausilio: Not at all. You don't have any.

[4:50] Giuseppe Bausilio: I literally, I mean, I love to do like many a different things. I would like to call myself like a renaissance man of sorts. Just I name a title of app, Renaissance Man. Just be um, no, I just I just know how to do like many a different things.

[5:07] Grace Aki: Okay. But uh well. But not like besides speaking, because I have to say this. I have I have to call this out because it's cool crazy that you can speak how many languages?

[5:19] Giuseppe Bausilio: Six I can speak six, yeah, technically six, but seven with a dialect if you can you name them.

[5:26] Giuseppe Bausilio: Yeah. Uh Portuguese, Italian, French, English, German, Swiss German, and Spanish.

[5:32] Grace Aki: I don't understand. I'm like, I have trouble with English, and then he just taught me some pig Latin, but I'm not good at that car. And then I took Latin in high school, like in ding bat, and I was like, I'm gonna be an attorney and use this. And it's like, no, I cheated off my ex-boyfriend. Uh it's what it not cheated on him, cheated off his test. That's that's that's I cannot relate to you, but I think it's amazing that you can speak that many languages. Have you ever have you used them?

[5:55] Giuseppe Bausilio: Oh yeah, it's the best, actually. No, it's literally the best, especially when people don't know that you speak them languages. Oh, and then they're like talking to someone and you're like, Oh, I think it's yeah, yeah, yeah. Or they're having like a full on fight in another language, and you're like, whoa, this was all about just coffee. Like, it's fine. I feel like actually at the uh I was at the opera uh with my mom one day. Uh that why am I at the opera so much? First of all, the way you said that so casually, I was like, mmm, privilege. Like it's just like you're so cool. Anyways, but you were at the opera with the book.

[6:14] Giuseppe Bausilio: I was at the opera, uh, I think watching Madame Butterfly. Um, and there was this uh very old gentleman, Brazilian gentleman, and his very young um wife, slash probably escort. Um and they were like having a full on fight, and she was just ripping him apart, and she was like gorgeous, but her mouth, the way these words just came out so viscerally at him. Oh it was it was it was awful. Um like this is a scene, but yeah, no, literally, and so I like and so my mom like turned around to me and she was like, Seppy, you're gonna talk to me in German now. I was like, Yes. Good. And so that's what we did for the rest of the episode.

[7:13] Giuseppe Bausilio: You would not give away the humanity.

[7:14] Grace Aki: No, because that was like, yo, because they were literally like, um, oh, you you always like leave me in the hotel when you go out and work and you never leave me with any money to go shopping and oh Lord God. Whoa. Also, the idea that you're watching an opera and listening to an opera is freaking funny. Like just you're like, okay, so I'm taking notes, but all I can think about are the people behind me. Um it's bizarre.

[7:41] Grace Aki: Yeah. Wait, do you so do you go see operas a lot?

[7:45] Giuseppe Bausilio: No.

[7:47] Giuseppe Bausilio: The one time I happened to work in an opera, and the one time I happened to go see an opera.

[7:52] Grace Aki: Got it. Okay, cool, cool, cool, cool. So you mentioned your mom, and I have to talk about your mom for a second, because um, she's gonna listen to this, I hope. Um, Sonia, she it how would you describe your mom?

[8:04] Giuseppe Bausilio: Uh really hardworking. Uh crazy, because we all are artists in our family. We're just insane. Um, and yeah, she's she's probably the hardest working woman I know. She moved from Brazil when she was like 21, 22 with 50 bucks in her pocket and two bags to Switzerland.

[8:26] Grace Aki: Okay, first of all, is that not the beginning of Act Two of Annie? Three bucks, two bags, one me? Like, hello, thank you. Love your work, Sonia.

[8:34] Giuseppe Bausilio: Not the same, but I feel it.

[8:36] Grace Aki: Um, that's amazing. Wow. And she has a ballet studio in New York.

[8:42] Giuseppe Bausilio: Yep, she has a ballet studio.

[8:44] Grace Aki: That's why you are the way you are. You know that, right?

[8:46] Giuseppe Bausilio: Yeah.

[8:47] Grace Aki: Like it, like, you're so fucking good. Like, you're good on your own. Like, you, you know, you you work on your technique and you know your body so well at this point, but like seeing her work with her students and her work with like my husband and like you, it's just like she knows her shit. Like, it's it's amazing to watch. But like, I love how often you're probably the person I see the most in Times Square. Even if I don't say hi to you, I like I will pass you so much that I'm like, he's on his way to work. Like, I know he's on his way to work, or I see you with the dog, or I see you with your mom. So often that cute freaking dog.

[9:22] Giuseppe Bausilio: Um, because you lived in Times Square for like a hot minute.

[9:24] Giuseppe Bausilio: Yeah, I lived there for seven years. I lived right on 48th and 8th at the Ritz Plaza from the time I was like 14 till I was 19.

[9:34] Grace Aki: You were living in the hotel.

[9:35] Giuseppe Bausilio: Not the Ritz Carlton.

[9:37] Grace Aki: Okay, okay, but the Ritz Plaza. Very I I can see the but you so you would say that like your hub is Hell's Kitchen.

[9:46] Giuseppe Bausilio: That's that's literally what I know. Do you have like a Hell's Kitchen story where you're like, this is my home?

[9:51] Giuseppe Bausilio: Um honestly, I know every crack kid on the street when I walk past them and they know me. It's pretty great.

[9:58] Grace Aki: You're like that, this is my community.

[10:01] Giuseppe Bausilio: I'm literally like, like 43rd and 8th. Yeah, like that was where the ballet school used to be. Yes. And literally that corner now they're doing like construction and they're tearing down that whole building. That's why we had to move.

[10:13] Giuseppe Bausilio: Oh, fair, fair, fair. But now it's become like even worse. I'll be walking into like Carve on 40, 40, what is it? They have two locations, right? And so I know the owner, I know their son, like their son, their c everybody who works there, and I'm like, yo, how's Fawat, man? How's he doing? He's doing good. Yeah, he's married now, back in, you know, I don't know where where they're from.

[10:32] Grace Aki: Well, cause I feel like a lot of people, like, especially like us, like, we have this like southern upbringing of like small town. I have my understanding of what a community is. Everyone that comes to New York, if they're not born here has an understanding of what their little community is even if you lived in a big city your community is literally the like the biggest city like it's the hub of the world which is crazy like your your understanding of life is like within yeah the the Broadway community and like the Hell's Kitchen area.

[11:07] Giuseppe Bausilio: Yeah I can't I just I can't remember and what's crazy also is like I well whenever I work uh at any theater um and I I'll just like walk past other theaters and I'll like say hi to the stage door guys and the stage door ladies and I'll be like what's up y'all how you doing here's you know here's some donuts it's nice yeah so it's like literally your your idea of apartment hopping is when you jump from show to show yeah that's your version of gypsy housing um which by the way we're not using that word in a negative way no no no no I'm not I'm not checking you I just mean like I just want to clarify that I've whatever anyways damn like I'm gonna fuck um can you tell me a story about your Broadway debut because I think people always love to hear about Broadway debut.

[11:07] Giuseppe Bausilio: Oh my god um yeah I was 14 um I was doing Billy Elliot uh it was really cool I I don't think I remember much from that experience um I think I blocked a lot of it out.

[12:16] Grace Aki: Wow.

[12:16] Giuseppe Bausilio: It was it was just like it was just so much.

[12:19] Giuseppe Bausilio: It was so much at such a young age. It was like I I remember a lot of pieces, but literally some some people will like bring up a crazy story. I'll be like, I I don't remember that at all.

[12:30] Grace Aki: Wow. That's insane.

[12:32] Giuseppe Bausilio: Well, because when you're young, everything's just happening to you.

[12:35] Grace Aki: Right.

[12:35] Giuseppe Bausilio: You're not like, oh, let me journal this, or like let me record it. By the way, we didn't have the same phones we have now.

[12:41] Grace Aki: So there's no Instagram story archive of the day that you did this.

[12:45] Giuseppe Bausilio: Right.

[12:45] Grace Aki: So you probably have better stories from your family about what you were doing than you do in your brain.

[12:51] Giuseppe Bausilio: Yeah. I don't really have a great like Broadway debut story. I just have like a funny crazy, um, also relating back to like languages, English mix-up story.

[13:02] Giuseppe Bausilio: Uh, I was in rehearsal in Chicago. I think this might have been my like first rehearsal before I had my debut in Chicago. This is like my major company rehearsal. So everyone just had like the speech, they gathered everyone around, they're like, Alright, who's playing what role? Everybody say their name, blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. Julian Webb, uh yeah, Julian Webber turns around to me and he's like, Alright, Seppy, you ready? And I say, Yes, put it in me.

[13:31] Giuseppe Bausilio: And the whole company bursts out laughing. I mean, there was no stopping. This is laughed for a solid five minutes, and I was just standing there like what? What happened? And finally, like five years later, someone came up to me and he was like, Yo, I remember when this happened, and I was like, No.

[13:54] Giuseppe Bausilio: Oh man. I did remember. But at the time, I didn't know English, so I didn't know what messed up, but when they brought it up five years later, you knew.

[14:04] Grace Aki: I know. What were you trying to say?

[14:06] Giuseppe Bausilio: Put me on? Like, let's go. I was just trying to say, like, yeah. I mean, that is also means let's go. Just so like we're wear.

[14:18] Grace Aki: Yeah, uh, feel free to use that anecdote anytime you're on a date. Just be like, hey God. Remember that one time I was 14? Honestly, full disclosure, it's the best thing you could possibly do.

[14:32] Giuseppe Bausilio: Um because you jump from show to show all the time. Like, I no offense, but I never feel bad for you. And I never I love you so much, but I've never been like, I hope just stuff he's okay. Because literally, I'll just turn my head and I'll be like, oh, he's in a different playbell, good for him. So but that that's it's a testament to like how hard you work. You're fantastic, you're great to work with, you're sweet guy.

[15:00] Grace Aki: Um can you tell me a story? Cause I don't know if this has ever happened to you, but can you tell me a story of when like you've gone from one show to the next and you're like, I just learned this, or like I'm having to learn something new, but this is still in my body from the last thing I did? Like you jump from thing to thing. Can you tell me a story of like having to learn something new all the time?

[15:23] Giuseppe Bausilio: Absolutely. Yeah. Uh I've I have a couple of those. Um even just last week.

[15:28] Grace Aki: Okay.

[15:29] Giuseppe Bausilio: Actually, three days ago.

[15:30] Grace Aki: Okay.

[15:30] Giuseppe Bausilio: It was later uh just jumping from like let's say the Hamilton Company in Chicago to the Hamilton company on Broadway. There's like so many major like details that are just so different, and so there's that you've starting to like yeah, so like there's like little details that are like from here, nope, hand turns down, palms down, you know what I mean? Like whatever the detail is. Um, but yeah, that's just you know, rehearsals and continuity and whatnot.

[15:54] Grace Aki: But what's um a crazy story that I have is uh I was in Billy Elliot uh again. I was moving from the touring company to Broadway. Finally, yeah, about to make my Broadway debut. I'm in rehearsal for three days. The the company uh the touring company just got settled in Denver, Colorado. Actually, they were in Denver, Colorado, about to move to Dallas.

[16:19] Giuseppe Bausilio: Oh every Billy got sick. One had bronchitis, the other had like uh uh foot or knee issue to where they like had to be off, and the other guy was like getting over a cold slash getting another one. It's kinda sick, but it's fine.

[16:40] Grace Aki: Um that guy, we don't talk about that.

[16:42] Giuseppe Bausilio: We don't know which ones those are. Thomas was a fuck up.

[16:45] Grace Aki: Right.

[16:45] Giuseppe Bausilio: No, no, no, yeah. No, but uh, so they had they literally after three days of rehearsal, intense rehearsal, they were like, Alright, great. So forget everything you just learned. Uh we're gonna send you back out on the tour so that we have extra coverage, and hopefully in two weeks, you can come back.

[17:04] Grace Aki: Oh, how old were you?

[17:06] Giuseppe Bausilio: I was like 13.

[17:07] Grace Aki: Oh my gosh.

[17:08] Giuseppe Bausilio: Like you're like, oh, alright, great. And they literally gave me the call during rehearsal.

[17:15] Grace Aki: Wow.

[17:16] Giuseppe Bausilio: Alright. Cool, someone just erased everything. I think people don't realize, because even now, just you saying that like Chicago and uh New York were different about Hamilton, people don't realize that there is a difference in the tour and a Broadway company.

[17:30] Grace Aki: Massive difference.

[17:31] Giuseppe Bausilio: Especially, especially in Billy Elliot, because the touring company didn't have any of the groundwork like coming up. So on Broadway, we had the like house, the house structure, whatnot came out of the ground and just came like all the way up. Uh on tour, they brought everything out from the sides.

[17:46] Grace Aki: Right, because they had to be able to move it, right?

[17:48] Giuseppe Bausilio: Yeah, on Broadway, I had to had literally a 15-second window to get from stage left all the way downstairs into my bed, change clothes, like a fit, like a literally a 15-second window. It was insane.

[18:00] Grace Aki: And then we're coming up.

[18:03] Giuseppe Bausilio: Wow.

[18:04] Grace Aki: Yeah.

[18:04] Giuseppe Bausilio: It's bizarre. Because I think that people go, well, if it's on tour, it's not as good as Broadway. First of all, go off on. That's not true. Um, but the difference is the shows also, the shows also aren't gonna make the mistake of casting people who aren't gonna represent the show well.

[18:20] Grace Aki: Right.

[18:20] Giuseppe Bausilio: Most of the time, hopefully.

[18:22] Grace Aki: Yeah.

[18:23] Giuseppe Bausilio: You know.

[18:24] Grace Aki: No, no, no, I get it.

[18:25] Giuseppe Bausilio: Yeah, yeah. Everyone has their own right.

[18:28] Grace Aki: Even touring companies can sometimes be better than long-running Broadway companies because shit gets tired.

[18:34] Giuseppe Bausilio: It's that, it's also like, what if someone who's absolutely incredible? Like Christy Altimore, I saw her in Spring Awakening on the tour.

[18:42] Grace Aki: And I was like, this girl is gonna be.

[18:45] Giuseppe Bausilio: And like it was years before I saw her on Broadway, and then I was like, Yeah, you are always fantastic. Like, it's not just because you're seeing a tour doesn't mean you're seeing a lesser version of a thing.

[18:55] Grace Aki: Exactly.

[18:55] Giuseppe Bausilio: So like, should um, like really just shit on everyone today.

[19:00] Grace Aki: It's I don't know what I just had like a cup of broth that's very spicy.

[19:04] Giuseppe Bausilio: I got the spicy Nona.

[19:05] Grace Aki: Maybe I'm spicy Nona. Name of Spicy Nona.

[19:08] Giuseppe Bausilio: Uh brought to you by Brodo. It's my favorite place in the world.

[19:11] Grace Aki: Um, tell me. Also, did you put your broth in a coffee cup?

[19:15] Giuseppe Bausilio: Okay, first of all, let me explain to you who what Brodo it is.

[19:17] Grace Aki: Oh, okay, alright, alright.

[19:19] Giuseppe Bausilio: Because you need to know you deserve to know. It's for the I'm doing this for the people. Um, so Brodo is a broth place in the West Village. They just, as I heard, uh, while I was in there, they've added a fifth location. First of all, didn't even know they had two.

[19:32] Grace Aki: Okay, Brodo, glow up.

[19:33] Giuseppe Bausilio: Anyways, I've been going there for years. They make broth and they put all these like funky ingredients in it, and you you take it to go. So it's literally like you're holding coffee, but really, it's just spicy, delicious broth.

[19:47] Grace Aki: And I like it because I also look like a cool person. Like I don't drink coffee, so I'm always very self-conscious of the fact that I'm always like slurping a water bottle or something. Like everyone's like with their coffee cup, like pinky out, like hand folded over the thing.

[20:00] Giuseppe Bausilio: This is how freaking like bizarre I am. I'm just like, I wish I were a cool person with a coffee cup. And then when I was like, oh, I can have broth in my head and no one will know. God, brought to you by Brodo.

[20:13] Grace Aki: Um That's amazing. Well, now everyone knows your secret.

[20:15] Giuseppe Bausilio: They know my secret, and also, but I But also you don't know. Full disclosure, I own equity in the company, so that's what this is about.

[20:23] Grace Aki: Um, I love them so much. Hashtag Brodo.

[20:26] Giuseppe Bausilio: Hashtag Brodo.

[20:27] Grace Aki: Fuck, we talked about Brodo too long. Damon cut all of this.

[20:31] Giuseppe Bausilio: I gotta take a second and tell y'all about my personal training coaches, Steve and Rachel Payne at House of Pain. I've been doing their workout programs, let's say three years, and they shape bodies.

[20:42] Grace Aki: And yes, they prepare people to compete in bodybuilding shows, which some of it's your jam, it's not my jam.

[20:48] Giuseppe Bausilio: What I love about them is that they understand the look that I want. Tone, fit, something that's sustainable for my lifestyle. They create a custom individual plan that includes my workouts, my cardio, and my nutrition.

[21:00] Grace Aki: I do their online program, but when I'm in Atlanta, I do one-on-one training with them at their facility, and it kicks my ass.

[21:07] Giuseppe Bausilio: They FaceTime me whenever I have questions, alter my plan when needed, and no matter what stage you want to step on, competition, career, lifestyle, a red carpet, wedding, whatever it is. House of Pain Personal Training is the most personal training you can get.

[21:22] Grace Aki: Visit their website, Train with Pain, T-R-A-I-N with P-A-Y-N-E.com for more details.

[21:30] Giuseppe Bausilio: Um, can you tell me a story? Because even though we hate telling these stories, I think that we find catharsis in them. Can you tell me a story of when you thought you'd get something and didn't?

[21:40] Giuseppe Bausilio: Oh thousands of times.

[21:43] Grace Aki: Oh my god.

[21:44] Giuseppe Bausilio: I think any actor can can attest to this. Cause you you show up to an audition, you're so ready, you're killing it, you prepared, you did all the work. And then nothing.

[21:56] Grace Aki: Yeah.

[21:57] Giuseppe Bausilio: And I think that's just like there's nothing you can do about that. You know what I mean? It's it it there's so many factors that go into into casting like an actor or anything for that matter.

[22:09] Grace Aki: Um like nothing to do with you.

[22:11] Giuseppe Bausilio: Right, right. I mean, sometimes, you know, you show up and you don't have anything prepared, and you just like it it happens.

[22:19] Grace Aki: It absolutely happens.

[22:21] Giuseppe Bausilio: Um you try not to let it happen, but it happens.

[22:24] Grace Aki: Yeah.

[22:24] Giuseppe Bausilio: Um yeah. You know.

[22:28] Grace Aki: So do you have a time where that happened and you were like, oh I thought, but I thought this was my thing.

[22:36] Giuseppe Bausilio: Yes.

[22:37] Grace Aki: Do you feel comfortable telling me?

[22:39] Giuseppe Bausilio: I I guess, um.

[22:44] Grace Aki: Oh, yeah.

[22:46] Giuseppe Bausilio: Super simple thing. I walked in for um What was his name? Uh associate director for news new season.

[22:53] Grace Aki: Richie.

[22:54] Giuseppe Bausilio: Richie.

[22:54] Grace Aki: Uh Ricky Hines.

[22:56] Giuseppe Bausilio: Ricky, yeah, there we go. Ricky Hines. I wonderful dude, amazing. I this was like when I was like 18, probably.

[23:03] Grace Aki: I walked in for Saturday night fever at the Bonquit.

[23:06] Giuseppe Bausilio: Like directing and choreographing. And I walked in and I was like, I got this in the bag. It's a dance call. You know, I'm feeling confident. It's Saturday Night Fever. I'm gonna walk up in here with the fever.

[23:18] Grace Aki: And I didn't hear anything.

[23:20] Giuseppe Bausilio: Oh after the actually, no, worse. I got cut after the first run. I was like, ah, cool.

[23:29] Grace Aki: Yeah.

[23:29] Giuseppe Bausilio: Thanks, Ricky.

[23:31] Grace Aki: Yeah. Shout out.

[23:33] Giuseppe Bausilio: Shout out to Richard J. Hines.

[23:35] Grace Aki: Right.

[23:35] Giuseppe Bausilio: Um I you know, but it's it's so funny because yeah, you are like really freaking good and you can do all the things, but sometimes it's like, oh, I you know, I wasn't warmed up, or I wasn't um, I wasn't right for this, or I didn't partner well, or whatever it is.

[23:50] Grace Aki: Like it doesn't have to be like I suck, you know.

[23:54] Giuseppe Bausilio: Um, but no, I it's okay. And you sort of I mean, you you also sort of can like tell usually you can sort of tell like in the room if you're if you're doing well or not.

[24:05] Grace Aki: Like there is like general rules as an actor, I guess.

[24:09] Giuseppe Bausilio: You know, you walk in and if they make you do it like two or more times, usually that means they're interested.

[24:09] Grace Aki: If they make you just do it once, yeah, and they say thank you, either you're a legend, or you got cut.

[24:23] Giuseppe Bausilio: Yeah, so it's either or, but usually you can like kind of tell if they're like, alright, so you know, let's try it this way this time, and then they make it do it a third time, and then they make you do it a fourth time, and they're like, Alright, so cool, it was really nice of me, you know.

[24:34] Grace Aki: And you're like, uh, alright.

[24:36] Giuseppe Bausilio: Nice.

[24:37] Grace Aki: Nice, yeah.

[24:37] Giuseppe Bausilio: I feel like the best casting directors like want to get the most out of it. Like, they've called you in. They already, you know, it's like, okay, well, can I see them do it this way, this way? Okay, you know what? Maybe that's not for them at all, but I at least saw them do it all the ways that I wanted to see it.

[24:53] Grace Aki: Right.

[24:53] Giuseppe Bausilio: When people don't even take the time to do that, I'm just like, what are you doing in this business? Like, why are you doing this at all?

[24:59] Grace Aki: Um what's crazy, I think, is that it it's most of the times when you absolutely hated an audition or you think it went horribly wrong.

[24:59] Giuseppe Bausilio: Most of the times you sort of nailed it.

[25:12] Grace Aki: You like got it, and you're like, oh, wait, that's that's crazy.

[25:16] Giuseppe Bausilio: Or like situational. I'm talking specifically about uh this one audition I walked into for Dead Man Down, which I ended up getting.

[25:23] Grace Aki: It was a movie with Colin Farrell and I forget the lady's name.

[25:27] Giuseppe Bausilio: Whoops.

[25:28] Grace Aki: Um, anyway.

[25:29] Giuseppe Bausilio: Another woman.

[25:30] Grace Aki: Another woman.

[25:30] Giuseppe Bausilio: Yeah. It was it was really uh it was a cool experience though.

[25:34] Grace Aki: Um I walked into the casting room and I shook the reader's hand who brought me into the room, and then I went over to cat shake the casting director's hand, and she's like, I don't shake hands, sit down.

[25:44] Giuseppe Bausilio: Oh I damn near shat my pants in that moment.

[25:50] Grace Aki: I was like, Oh, I'm done.

[25:53] Giuseppe Bausilio: Yeah, but then she made me do it four times, and literally the next day I got a call on my birthday, and I was like, yo, this is awesome.

[26:01] Grace Aki: That's really cool.

[26:01] Giuseppe Bausilio: So wait, you filmed this.

[26:03] Grace Aki: Yeah, I ended up filming it.

[26:04] Giuseppe Bausilio: I mean, it was like I was literally on screen for like two seconds.

[26:06] Grace Aki: I was the lead teenager in sunglasses.

[26:11] Giuseppe Bausilio: I like told the girl who to put a bag over her head so we would hook up with her because she was so ugly and like had a scars on her face.

[26:19] Grace Aki: The way you're describing this is not selling me on this movie, and it's horrifying me, but I will watch it.

[26:24] Giuseppe Bausilio: So that's really funny.

[26:27] Grace Aki: I love that though, because like, yeah, sometimes people just don't want to be touched, and it freaks us very like um kind, uh like affectionate people to be like, oh, they hated me.

[26:37] Giuseppe Bausilio: And it's like, no, maybe they're just sick.

[26:39] Grace Aki: Like maybe they just don't want to touch me right now.

[26:42] Giuseppe Bausilio: Yeah. It's fine.

[26:43] Grace Aki: Um actually, just to elaborate on that, I was reading this uh body language book, the definitive, the definitive book on body language.

[26:50] Giuseppe Bausilio: And it was talking about how like even just geographically different people have so much like different proximity.

[26:57] Grace Aki: Like um what do you call it? Proximity distance management, whatever you want to play.

[27:01] Giuseppe Bausilio: No, it is proximity, yeah.

[27:02] Grace Aki: So it's like farmer, like people in like farmer land, they're like way far away and they'll wave at you, and that's plenty.

[27:07] Giuseppe Bausilio: You know what I mean?

[27:08] Grace Aki: Right.

[27:08] Giuseppe Bausilio: In Italy, they're up in your face and touching you and grabbing you, and they're like, Oh my god, come here, what are you you know like it's just different?

[27:15] Grace Aki: It is so if an Italian meets an American farmer.

[27:19] Giuseppe Bausilio: Two people that you know what, Starcross lovers, write the musical, write the musical.

[27:23] Grace Aki: You choreograph, I will uh watch the reading and I will clap you off.

[27:28] Giuseppe Bausilio: Um It's Aida.

[27:31] Grace Aki: That's how it's Aida.

[27:33] Giuseppe Bausilio: Damn, shut the fuck up with Aida. I swear to God, they announced that they're gonna do the fucking revival, and he's like, okay, so like Aida, and I'm like, oh, you're so into Aida now? Bullshit.

[27:43] Grace Aki: Bullshit, you're so into Aida.

[27:45] Giuseppe Bausilio: You're a liar. Um, I've never heard it. I've heard like clips, and I heard Sherry Bernays Scott is fantastic, but at the same time, I don't know Heather Hedley the way you know Heather Hedley because she was on the radio, and I digress. Anyways, can't wait to see you in Aida is what I'm trying to do. It's gonna be great. You're gonna wait to play Aida. I'm going to play Aida. Aida is gonna be a good one. Coming to Broadway, 2021. 2021. I don't know if that's true, but you know what? I think Adam Pascal could still come back. So can you tell me a story of a time where you were like, well, you kind of did just now, but I want to hear another one of when you were like, I'm not getting this. Like, I there's no way that I'm getting this. And then you got it, and then you were like, Oh, I have to do this.

[28:28] Giuseppe Bausilio: Oh man. Um, yeah, that was, I mean, that was like the biggest I'm not getting this moment. Um, I don't know. I don't, yeah, I don't I don't really um I've been pretty good at judging if I got it or not. Wow. Um, because this has been your job since you were a kid. Yeah. This is like something that you full like you know this game. But it's also I I I only learned this pretty late after like after the start of my career, I think. Um I was I'm 18 is pretty young, but when you've been doing it for seven years, you would expect to know. Yeah. Um it the fact that the second you walk in that room, when you walk out, there's nothing you can do. And that would eat me alive when I was younger. It would literally eat me alive.

I would walk in and I would walk out, and I'd be like contacting my agent all the time, and I'd be like, So, have you heard anything? Is it something? You know? And you know, it just doesn't work out like that. You gotta walk in and walk out and completely forget it ever happened. And you and actually, uh Ben Fankhauser told me something incredible that I will cherish to this day every the as long as I live. He said, just that auditioning is your job. If you get a job from auditions, that's a bonus on your paycheck. I after that, my whole world changed. I was able to just walk in and like, you know, do what I had to do and then walk out and be like, great, on to the next one. Let's go.

[30:07] Grace Aki: Awww. Yeah. Yeah, it it kind of helps you kind of have close to the show. So thanks, Ben. I appreciate you, bro. He is dude. He is good at singing. He should do that all the time. She's really never stopped singing. That's unbelievable. I think that I was physically, emotionally, and maybe menstrually changed when he poor guy's head. And when he does, I'm like, you, sir. Change the game. I don't know what it is. But like I would just replay that clip over and over and over again. And because there were all these like weird uh newsy videos like from Playbill. Do you remember those?

[30:42] Giuseppe Bausilio: I yep. They were good. I'm on there.

[30:43] Grace Aki: Stop. Okay, really?

[30:45] Giuseppe Bausilio: For me? Okay, well, we will roll that tape on this for sure. I am I I think I'm on there because they did they did a a version of like all the covers who covered Davy and who sang that. And I just remember myself being like during the show, just like freaking out. I also I went on for Davy one time.

[31:02] Grace Aki: Wait, did you really?

[31:03] Giuseppe Bausilio: I went on once. And it was the best experience of my life. It was super fun, except for at the end. I literally. Um okay. Jack and Kelly are kiss uh Jack and Jack and Kelly. Wait, wait a minute. Oh, uh I Catherine. Thank you. Wow. Hey, were you in your Was I? I don't know anymore. You need a cutty. Um no, Jack and Catherine. Um they they are kissing at the end of the show and are making out, and the line that breaks there was vamping underneath the music, the line that breaks them up is hey Jack, so you in or you out? And they're making out, and I'm standing there, and everyone's starting to look at me. And I'm looking around, and I'm like, what? Oh! Hey Jack! Um, you you in or you you wow. This Davy likes to watch. Mm-hmm. This Davy in the corner being like, yeah, yeah, yeah, you can't. I think the show went over like by a minute that day.

[32:08] Giuseppe Bausilio: I actually was like in the audience for a couple of because it was at the end of the run, was when Damon was in it. So I I got to see a couple of, I know, like, yeah, you guys were both like killing it, but there was that. Do you remember this story? Because I I can't tell it as well as probably someone that was on stage, but I was in the audience for the beginning of the show. Well, the whole show, but it was the part where um Elmer he had a funny line. He messed up. Do you know what he's saying? This was so stinking cute, and also Corey caught Saving the Day. I'll never forget meeting him because he was absolutely crushed.

[32:43] Giuseppe Bausilio: I know! Okay, so like can you tell the story?

[32:46] Grace Aki: Yeah, um, I don't remember exactly what he said. What I do remember though is after he said what he said, it was during the curled coffee, right before that. So then, yeah, yeah, yeah. What is it what's the do you remember the line? Okay, Damon, come in come in the play. Thank you, please do. Producer Damon is sitting in on this whole sesh because he loves just that the emotionally and physically. Um yeah, yeah, he's also just got home. Um, can you tell the story quickly?

[33:11] Giuseppe Bausilio: Yes, so we were it's the nuns come up and they've already sang their stuff, and they're like, Elmer, when are we gonna see you and sell you inside the church? And also, thanks for that quick broke. Like, hello. Beautiful. And Evan Catherine's back just didn't remember his line at all. Cohen brothers, Evan Kasperzak just stood there. God bless him. The line is actually, he goes, I don't know, sister, but it's bound to rain sooner or later. And as in it's bound to rain sooner or later. That's when I'll come inside the church. I just want to be clear about what's happening. And Evan goes. Like open mouth just looks up at these women. And then says, That's a good question. And the whole audience at this point.

Just and we're not. Because Elmer's like arm someone's arm is wrapped around Corey, and Corey is standing there, dead-ass center being like, the show is closing, my life's in shambles. I don't know. He's not really thinking that, but he's just like, he just loses it. Yeah. And everyone on stage, I remember everyone turning around so quickly. Everyone's now just backs to the audience, and they're just like giggling up and down, shoulders, just shimmy shape shoulders going up and down. Yeah. It was so funny. God damn. I loved, I love seeing you guys do that show to the end. Because I think that there's a lot of like Broadway fans that see the last uh I was gonna say the last episode, the last, like, you know, installment of a show when it's on the end of its run, and they think it they talk about how special it is, and then I was like, okay, like weird flex.

Like, you guys have a lot of feelings, and then I went, and then I was like, oh, I get it. Like, there's something so beautiful about seeing like you guys were such a family family, like, even if you all aren't weren't best friends or like really, really, really close on stage, and like the friend it just looked like so much fun, and everybody was having a good time, and it was just like, oh, this is nice to see. It was a very positive first experience to watch me be with somebody that was in that show, but also to experience um from like just coming to New York, and then everything after that. I was like, Oh, I wish they were all like that.

[35:27] Giuseppe Bausilio: Yeah, like I wish they were all like that kind of fam. Yeah, and I think that was also I mean, part of the appeal of the show, it was just like you know, such camaraderie, and it was such a like beautiful story being told of like the underdog winning, and everyone loves a story like that. But also, like the fact that the fan base knew the names of the ensemble members, and I'm talking like their character names, single, like race, buttons, and I was like, how does that happen? That doesn't happen in other shows. Like, what was your when you were driving the train in Hello Dolly, what was your character name? Did you make one up?

[36:02] Grace Aki: I I made one up. I think my name was like Maxwell.

[36:07] Giuseppe Bausilio: Imagine if Maxwell had a trading card. Yeah, like that's what newsies were. Right. Literally, that's exactly what it was. I remember there was like an app, because I was full disclosure, I actually can tell you this because I don't really talk to any of the other ones. I was like very into newsies, like as a like a fan girl person, not to the extent that I think that other people were like, I didn't have a tumbler, like chillax, but but for the record, Damon is making a beautiful face. I'm not okay, okay, but I did like it. So when he was like, I'm gonna audition, I was like, okay. I was like, okay, sure, like you're you're not like them. Like they're good. Like Fane Jasmine's them, like you wish.

And when he got it, I was like, oh shit, he's like really good at dancing. Um, so when he got it, I got to go to the twins. I don't know if you were there, I don't think you were at the Taco Tony night, and it was the night of the Tonies. What year was this? Like 2014, I think.

[37:08] Giuseppe Bausilio: Um, and we were at their houses, and I had been following David Jacob Guzman for like years on Instagram because of newsies and all these things, and I was like, I've got to unfollow them so that they don't know that I've been following them. Like that's a thing, it doesn't exist, by the way. Like, no one, no one can backlog when you liked their photo in 2012. Like, no one can do that unless, and if you do, you're weird and stop. Just um So then I unfollowed everyone that was at that party so that I could then follow as if I just organically met them. Congratulations on like because I was so self-conscious of being like they're gonna know that I like this shit. Like that they're gonna smell it on me. I'm a fancy, and then um, and then it was totally fine, and they were all really sweet.

[37:57] Grace Aki: Um, but yeah, I had to conceal conceal that for sure. Um, so you can you tell me a story of doing a show with somebody that you didn't expect to absolutely adore. Like, cause I you just did Hello Dolly with like Bet Midler. You've done all these shows with certain people. Is that who you're gonna say?

[38:19] Giuseppe Bausilio: Speaking of, not uh I mean Bet Midler, she was phenomenal and fantastic also as a human being, and and I literally brought her um it was the first we had just moved into our house here in Jersey, and it was the first time I had like a garden to play with, and so I decided to plant a bunch of stuff, and I have a pretty green thumb. Um, and I grew a bunch of cherry tomatoes, and I brought her a little box of cherry tomatoes, and the next day she brought back a huge bag with just like groceries filled from her farm upstate. Just like she had she had a uh a cantaloupe in there, she had like eggplants, just like a bunch of stuff, just like so good, and they were so rich. It was like it was awesome.

[39:00] Grace Aki: So you're telling me she has a farm?

[39:01] Giuseppe Bausilio: She has a full-on farm. Upstate New York, like a farm. Has a farm. Right. Okay. Oh no, that's her next one. Uh, but the person I I was like, wow, you are wonderful was David Hyde Pierce.

[39:18] Grace Aki: Really?

[39:19] Giuseppe Bausilio: Literally one durfold, like such a kind human being. He'll still like text me sometimes on my birthday and be like, Happy birthday, Giuseppe, thinking about you, you know. And I'm like, wow, this man, this man literally showed up for my birth for my surprise birthday party. David Hyde Pierce. My mom organized this whole thing, just like reached out to one of the ensemble cast members and was like, hey, can you get like some people to like come to the ballet studio after the show? Right. And a lot of people showed up, and I was like, this is so nice. And David Hyde Pierce shows up and like gave me a hundred dollar bill and was like, Happy birthday, Giuseppe. And I was like, what? Like he did not have a big thing.

[39:58] Grace Aki: Yeah, Dollar Friday. He'd throw in a hundred dollar bill.

[40:00] Giuseppe Bausilio: Actually, can you tell what Dollar Friday is?

[40:02] Grace Aki: Yeah, absolutely.

[40:02] Giuseppe Bausilio: So Dollar Friday, uh sometimes also referred to as Dollar Sunday, depending on the day. Um, they everyone in the theater puts in like a dollar or however much money you want into a bucket, but you write your name on a bucket. Some people do it with like tickets. I like the dollar version, like the writing on the dollar just because it feels so real. Yeah, it's fun. And so at intermission, uh, one of the stage managers usually will just like reach in and grab one of the dollars out, and you win the whole bucket if it's your dollar. So that's dollar Friday slash Sunday.

[40:38] Grace Aki: That's fun.

[40:38] Giuseppe Bausilio: Yeah. Have you ever won?

[40:40] Grace Aki: I I won second place once, and it was awesome. It was like $70. I was like, Okay.

[40:46] Giuseppe Bausilio: Yeah.

[40:47] Grace Aki: That's a lot.

[40:49] Giuseppe Bausilio: That's a lot. And then I won uh this bag, actually, my Hamilton bag.

[40:54] Grace Aki: Oh that as well.

[40:55] Giuseppe Bausilio: They were the they just had like extra merch, and they were like, we're auctioning, not auctioning, we're uh raffling these off.

[41:02] Grace Aki: Yeah.

[41:02] Giuseppe Bausilio: Like, great.

[41:03] Grace Aki: That's nice.

[41:04] Giuseppe Bausilio: Do you have like I mean you can't really name favorites because you're like still in this world and you're young and like you know what I mean? Like it's not your career's not over unless you want it to be, in which case I can ruin it very fast. Um can you tell me a story of um like one of your favorite experiences working with like a director, choreographer, whatever?

[41:26] Giuseppe Bausilio: Yo, working with Andy Blankenbuehler was dope. I'm not gonna lie, like that was so cool. And he was like, he was just a really cool dude. Um as a human, he's just like, and he gets this like look in his eye when he's like creating or thinking about something, and everyone, like the whole room just goes quiet, and he's just like looking into space in front of him, and you can just tell that he's like seeing everything play out in front of him, like he can see it in his mind, like what he wants to do and like who he wants to place where, and he'll just like stand there for a second, and he'll be like all right.

[42:02] Giuseppe Bausilio: This is what we're gonna do, blah blah and just like get it all done. I'm like, yo, it's incredible. And also, like him as a human, he's just so kind, and his family's beautiful too. God damn, they're beautiful. Just the whole family. Um that's really so did you get to work with him when you were doing Chicago uh Hamilton?

[42:20] Grace Aki: Uh no.

[42:22] Giuseppe Bausilio: I don't think it during Cats.

[42:24] Grace Aki: Oh, it was during Cats.

[42:25] Giuseppe Bausilio: Yeah, but he showed up. I mean, she showed up during Hamilton. Just to be clear, you guys, Giuseppe was not in the film Cats.

[42:31] Grace Aki: No.

[42:31] Giuseppe Bausilio: He was not in that film. You were in the Broadway revival of Cats.

[42:36] Grace Aki: Yeah. Which how long how long was that on Broadway?

[42:39] Giuseppe Bausilio: It was Damn, it was only on Broadway for like a year and a half. Which is crazy to me because like the first time it was on Broadway was so so so so long. It was in the Neil Simon, right?

[42:48] Grace Aki: Yes.

[42:49] Giuseppe Bausilio: Yeah. Um, because I remember when they were putting up the um the marquee for like Mean Girls and stuff. It was across from you.

[42:55] Grace Aki: I absolutely freak out when it comes to singing harmonies. I hear someone sing a different note than me, and I assume I'm wrong. I've always looked for a better way to train my ear and give myself more confidence in my harmony singing ability. Now I get to tell you about my new go-to app, Harmony Helper.

[43:11] Giuseppe Bausilio: Playbill features writer Ruthie Fireberg calls Harmony Helper a lifesaver for auditioning actors. Broadway con star and Harmony Helper artistic advisor, Rob McClure has called the app a game changer for the musical theater industry.

[43:23] Grace Aki: Harmony Helper will help you develop the skills to harmonize using the newest tech available. With Harmony Helper, I can literally scan a sheet of music with the camera on my phone, and the app does some kind of witchcraft and maps out the harmony parts.

[43:35] Giuseppe Bausilio: It converts each line of music to audio, allows you to control the playback volume for custom control over your learning process. And then this this is the crazy part.

[43:43] Grace Aki: It provides real-time feedback to let you know if you're singing your part correctly. Take the rehearsal room into your own hands with Harmony Helper. Download it in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

[43:54] Giuseppe Bausilio: How what's your longest stint doing a show?

[43:58] Grace Aki: Uh Hamilton.

[43:58] Giuseppe Bausilio: Right now is is that's been what uh almost two years now.

[44:03] Grace Aki: Wow.

[44:03] Giuseppe Bausilio: Yeah, you just not the same track though, right?

[44:05] Grace Aki: Uh Billy Elliott, I no, Billy Elliot stayed for two and a half years.

[44:09] Giuseppe Bausilio: Not the same track, no. I was uh Samuel Sieber in Chicago and then now I'm uh Charles Lee on Broadway.

[44:16] Grace Aki: Do you have like a Hamilton story where you like hurt yourself or might have hurt someone else or like just I I mean endless stories.

[44:25] Giuseppe Bausilio: Endless stories. From every Broadway show.

[44:27] Grace Aki: Oh yeah damn at Cats someone ran into my cavity and broke their nose got a free nose job from it um at Hamilton uh I I mean I got a labral tear myself in my shoulder um from you know just working and then other people just like yeah it's I mean it's it's not it's not an easy business.

[44:51] Giuseppe Bausilio: Like you show up and you have to show up and show out eight shows a week.

[44:55] Grace Aki: Yeah.

[44:56] Giuseppe Bausilio: It's not you you show up once or you like sitting behind a desk and you get carpal tunnel. No. This is like you miss a flip you break your head.

[45:03] Grace Aki: Yeah.

[45:04] Giuseppe Bausilio: You know constant thinking about like okay I can't do this to my body because then I won't be able to do it tomorrow.

[45:09] Grace Aki: Right and it's live theater it's live theater.

[45:11] Giuseppe Bausilio: We this is crazy. I think the news reported on this at one point uh Bette Midler uh someone called I guess someone called an yeah someone called the set Q wrong and essentially the house underneath was like turning and then the set on top came down and so it just hit like right on top and Bette Midler was in the house that was like turning and she just like heard everything crash on top of her and just like started running off stage and she like fell on the stage and it was just like a whole debacle and it was like I was literally two feet away from her.

[45:43] Grace Aki: It was insane.

[45:45] Giuseppe Bausilio: Uh but you know it's live theater and that's literally a quote that I can take from Bette Midler on stage during the show. Not scripted.

[46:01] Grace Aki: Yeah.

[46:02] Giuseppe Bausilio: I feel like they really kinda love that stuff.

[46:04] Grace Aki: Yeah they love that and and and she's just like slap theater folks you know the crowd rops and it's insane.

[46:11] Giuseppe Bausilio: Uh yeah but you know people people get hurt all the time and and shit happens.

[46:18] Grace Aki: Yeah you just gotta take care of yourself.

[46:20] Giuseppe Bausilio: Yeah you gotta take care of yourself you gotta warm up you gotta cool down you gotta be an adult you know you gotta you gotta be conscious you can't just show up to the theater expecting not to get hurt.

[46:30] Grace Aki: These are not things by the way that I think you because I and I didn't go but correct me if I'm wrong Damon like I don't think that that's something that because I didn't go but from what I understand it's not something that they teach at musical theater school is like literally what you were just saying of like you physically cannot exert like when you you know when you do your class showcase or you do you know six shows of something and then you're like I did it.

[46:58] Giuseppe Bausilio: You know there's something so different of like if this is your job you are doing this maybe for a thousand performances for some people.

[47:05] Grace Aki: So like it's it's actually really interesting you should bring that up because um I've had this conversation with my parents before and my parents both come from the ballet world um and they were both like professional ballet dancers, and now they're both ballet teachers.

[47:17] Giuseppe Bausilio: But they'll be calling me sometimes, and they'll be like, Seppi, it's 12 o'clock. Why are you still asleep?

[47:22] Grace Aki: And I'm like, Well because I'm tired and I wanted to sleep.

[47:31] Giuseppe Bausilio: And then I'm gonna go do my stuff.

[47:33] Grace Aki: And they're like, Oh, why you know, why aren't you like doing this or why aren't you doing that?

[47:38] Giuseppe Bausilio: And I'm like, I I'm doing eight shows a week.

[47:41] Grace Aki: Yeah.

[47:42] Giuseppe Bausilio: What you guys were used to, and what I think the ballet world is used to is like doing 30 shows.

[47:48] Grace Aki: Like that's a pack of shows that they do, and then they have like two to three months off and not doing anything except for taking class, taking care of their body, you know, doing all that, rehearsing for a new show, whatnot.

[47:58] Giuseppe Bausilio: But this is like you're consistently doing the same exact movement eight shows a week.

[48:05] Grace Aki: You sleep on one side consistently, you're gonna get like a neck issue.

[48:10] Giuseppe Bausilio: Well, that's why one side of my face is not as droopy as the other.

[48:13] Grace Aki: And famously, I stand on my left side and photographs.

[48:16] Giuseppe Bausilio: If you notice, like this side looks courageous at the end. This side is like lower and sadder, and perhaps should get work done.

[48:23] Grace Aki: But like, anyways, yeah, I like my face is like mirror mirror on this side, and so I'll stand on the other.

[48:28] Giuseppe Bausilio: So I what I'm trying to say is that we're the same, and I think we're entirely the same.

[48:32] Grace Aki: Yeah, is that when I stand on the left side of a photograph, when you do eight shows a week, it's the same thing.

[48:37] Giuseppe Bausilio: Absolutely the same thing.

[48:38] Grace Aki: Um, but okay, so like, and again, not to say that I do exactly what you do, but I just did my play for like I think five performances, and I called Damon afterwards, and I was like, I'm emotionally exhausted because I wasn't dancing in it, but it's like me talking for an hour.

[48:54] Giuseppe Bausilio: It's like a very, it's a monologue, it's very emotional and and funny and all this stuff.

[49:00] Grace Aki: And I was like, it was really hard to do it back to back to back.

[49:05] Giuseppe Bausilio: I had two show days.

[49:05] Grace Aki: Like, like I was like, I was freaking out because I had two shows in a day, and he goes, You know, that's like what I do.

[49:11] Giuseppe Bausilio: Right, and it's it's it it is so hard because you're like mentally trying to like prepare yourself before, and then you have to cool down after the show and you have to like wind down.

[49:20] Grace Aki: Oh yeah.

[49:21] Giuseppe Bausilio: Which for me takes a few hours.

[49:23] Grace Aki: And people always want to see you, and then they want to like take pictures with you, and then you gotta sign autographs.

[49:27] Giuseppe Bausilio: That's part of your job.

[49:28] Grace Aki: You know, so nice feel bad because like people are just literally standing outside for like 30 minutes waiting in the freezing rain or cold or whatnot.

[49:37] Giuseppe Bausilio: And and you know, myself, I'm upstairs, like taking my time, taking a shower and trying to wind down, stretching out, rolling out, and then I walk out the stage door and I'm like, Oh shit, I'm so sorry.

[49:50] Grace Aki: Yeah, you know, but no, but you don't have to be sorry, and I think that that's something that like people that stage door need to understand.

[49:56] Giuseppe Bausilio: It's like it's okay, you're taking care of yourself.

[49:58] Grace Aki: That's literally like part of your job.

[50:00] Giuseppe Bausilio: So, like, respect it.

[50:01] Grace Aki: I get that you have to wait and you've paid a lot of money to see it, but it's gonna be fine.

[50:05] Giuseppe Bausilio: Like, they still care about you.

[50:07] Grace Aki: You're not an asshole for taking a shower, you know.

[50:09] Giuseppe Bausilio: Um, but yeah, so uh it's just it's so much.

[50:13] Grace Aki: Yeah.

[50:14] Giuseppe Bausilio: I'm exhausted from so hard.

[50:18] Grace Aki: Um that's a Josh Layman quote uh from when he did my little vlog thing.

[50:23] Giuseppe Bausilio: Okay, so we've reached the end of the show where we play short story, and I know, I know your face.

[50:30] Grace Aki: Every time I say this, people go, oh, I don't know, it's a game.

[50:33] Giuseppe Bausilio: It's not.

[50:33] Grace Aki: Um it's kind of like a improvised thing where I will shout out a word to you and you will have two minutes to tell me a story that reminded you of whatever I said.

[50:44] Giuseppe Bausilio: So I could say green, and you could literally be like, okay, so when I was growing up, da-da-da-da-da.

[50:49] Grace Aki: The green grass. You don't have to, you don't even have to say the word green, you don't have to like do any of that.

[50:55] Giuseppe Bausilio: It's just kind of like a fun two-minute yeah.

[50:58] Grace Aki: Beautiful.

[50:58] Giuseppe Bausilio: And then you'll give me a word.

[50:59] Grace Aki: So I can go first, or you two whole minutes.

[50:59] Giuseppe Bausilio: Two whole minutes.

[51:04] Grace Aki: Yeah.

[51:04] Giuseppe Bausilio: Alright.

[51:05] Grace Aki: Okay.

[51:06] Giuseppe Bausilio: Do you want you want to go first?

[51:08] Grace Aki: Yeah.

[51:08] Giuseppe Bausilio: For sure.

[51:10] Grace Aki: Okay. Um, actually, your word is green.

[51:14] Giuseppe Bausilio: Damn.

[51:14] Grace Aki: Green.

[51:15] Giuseppe Bausilio: Um.

[51:18] Giuseppe Bausilio: This is a bit harder than I expected. Actually, um, I was a kid, uh at one point, of course.

[51:26] Giuseppe Bausilio: And I went, I was on a field trip with my whole class in Switzerland.

[51:31] Giuseppe Bausilio: Um, and I was like nine years old, maybe. I went all the way to the top of a mountain, and I don't remember the name of the mountain, but it was so stunning because everything around me looked like a painting, and you just had the grass, which is green.

[51:50] Giuseppe Bausilio: Thank you. You had the grass and you had the cows on the grass, and they were eating. It was, it was just like it was so stunning, like the whole atmosphere of it.

[51:58] Giuseppe Bausilio: The sky was like clear blue sky, it was sunny. Just seeing everything like that was absolutely amazing and insane. And I love Switzerland, and it's beautiful.

[52:07] Grace Aki: Oh, you did it!

[52:09] Giuseppe Bausilio: Yay!

[52:10] Grace Aki: Yeah, um, that's beautiful. I really like that. Um, okay, so do you have a word in mind for me?

[52:17] Giuseppe Bausilio: Grace.

[52:17] Grace Aki: Uh-huh.

[52:18] Giuseppe Bausilio: Your word is hoops.

[52:20] Grace Aki: Whoops.

[52:21] Giuseppe Bausilio: Okay, so famously, I cannot play basketball.

[52:23] Grace Aki: Okay, so I there's a video of me playing basketball. I was trying really, really hard to like, oh my god, daddy problems.

[52:31] Giuseppe Bausilio: Um, just really wanted him to love me, and he was the basketball coach.

[52:34] Grace Aki: And so he was, I know, it was like middle uh I think I was in elementary school, and there is no shit.

[52:40] Giuseppe Bausilio: You look at me now, and you're like, even imagining me with a basketball is fucking funny because you're like, oh, so you think you're space jammed, cute, cue, cute.

[52:47] Grace Aki: No, no, no.

[52:48] Giuseppe Bausilio: I literally, my best friend Molly was like an amazing like athlete, and we're like seven years old, and we're playing this basketball game, and I'm gonna physically do this for you and describe it at the same time because you deserve to see this.

[53:00] Grace Aki: Um I have the ball, and a girl looks at me in the middle of this game, and I'm like, oh my god, I have the ball, it's a big deal.

[53:06] Giuseppe Bausilio: I know, I know.

[53:07] Grace Aki: I'm like dribble dribble draveling, because I'm so short, and everybody's so much bigger than me, even at seven.

[53:12] Giuseppe Bausilio: And I grab the ball and I start like, do you know the office episode where Stanley's dribbling the ball and he's like pushing the other people away?

[53:20] Grace Aki: Like the saddest last pick of whatever the sport is.

[53:25] Giuseppe Bausilio: Just hitting with the palms of the hands.

[53:26] Grace Aki: Truly, but I'm like, I'm dribbling two hands directly in front of me, like I'm having a baby.

[53:31] Giuseppe Bausilio: And I'm literally like trying so hard, and I'm like pushing and pushing and pushing it, and then she goes, Hey, I'll give you a dollar if you give me that ball.

[53:38] Grace Aki: And I am a true capitalist, and I was like, oh, for sure, this is the best business plan I've heard in years.

[53:42] Giuseppe Bausilio: I'm seven years old.

[53:43] Grace Aki: And I throw her the ball, they score.

[53:46] Giuseppe Bausilio: Is it scoring?

[53:47] Grace Aki: I don't know.

[53:47] Giuseppe Bausilio: She makes a basket hoop, and then she wins the game, and my dad looks at me so sad as he goes, Why would you pass?

[54:05] Giuseppe Bausilio: And he was like, You let me down.

[54:06] Grace Aki: The other team, this is by the way, church league bullshit reckling.

[54:06] Grace Aki: Um, and that's you know, where I get a lot of it.

[54:08] Giuseppe Bausilio: He's dead now, so it's whatever.

[54:09] Giuseppe Bausilio: And I was like, I had the championship in the palm of my hands.

[54:09] Grace Aki: But how much time do I have?

[54:10] Giuseppe Bausilio: Okay.

[54:11] Grace Aki: Um, and that's the end of my story.

[54:12] Grace Aki: Like, I was literally so stressed about it.

[54:12] Giuseppe Bausilio: Hoops.

[54:13] Grace Aki: Amazing.

[54:13] Giuseppe Bausilio: Oops.

[54:17] Grace Aki: Oh god.

[54:18] Giuseppe Bausilio: Well, thank you so much, Giuseppe, for coming.

[54:20] Grace Aki: Absolutely.

[54:21] Giuseppe Bausilio: You're fantastic.

[54:22] Grace Aki: I I will always root for you every time you book a show.

[54:26] Giuseppe Bausilio: We we try to at least just be there because you're so good at what you do.

[54:31] Grace Aki: And whatever you do next, tell tell the world what you want to do next.

[54:35] Giuseppe Bausilio: Oh man, uh I wanna I wanna direct and cinematography and you know all that.

[54:40] Grace Aki: You want to create.

[54:41] Giuseppe Bausilio: I want I'm I'm ready to create, and I think this is like a thing that I've been um starting to figure out since I was turned like 19, 20. I was like, what is my passion? What do I want to do?

[54:52] Grace Aki: Um yeah, so you know.

[54:52] Giuseppe Bausilio: So you're gonna do that.

[54:56] Grace Aki: That's what I'm hoping.

[54:56] Giuseppe Bausilio: So we're gonna link everybody to all your stuff so that they can passionately follow all your stuff.

[55:01] Grace Aki: Hip hit them up, but don't don't be weird.

[55:03] Giuseppe Bausilio: Don't yeah, I mean, you know, don't do it, don't put it in me.

[55:03] Grace Aki: Don't put it in me.

[55:11] Giuseppe Bausilio: And one time.

[55:14] Grace Aki: There's more to the story.

[55:17] Giuseppe Bausilio: The kind of story we need right now is for you.