This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Robert Peterpaul: Hello, beautiful people. Welcome to The Art of Kindness, where we have compassionate conversations with artists from all areas of the entertainment industry who are using their voice to spread joy and make this big spinning planet in the universe a better place to be. I'm Robert Peterpaul, and I'm so glad you're here.

[0:30] Robert Peterpaul: In the early days of planning this show, when it was just an idea, you know, a little baby kind of bouncing around and giggling in my head, I had a list of dream guests, many of whom I have since ticked off. Well, not ticked off like made mad, you know, not that kind of ticked off or like a tick getting stuck on your skin, kind of like just ticked off the list. You know what I'm saying? I'm so grateful to say that on that original list was today's guest. We would let her be our star anytime. I'm talking about Broadway bombshell Megan Hilty.

[1:35] Robert Peterpaul: Growing up in Washington, Megan Hilty expressed early interest in the arts. She is now one of the most beloved Broadway performers of her time and forever stitched onto the fabric of pop culture thanks to her amazing portrayal of Ivy Lynn in the NBC musical drama Smash, which has a cult following to this day.

[1:56] Robert Peterpaul: Before smashing the TV scene, Hilty started her career on Broadway in A Bubble, playing Glinda in Wicked, Doralee Rhodes in 9 to 5 The Musical, and Brooke Ashton in Noises Off, which earned her a Tony Award nomination. Other stage credits include Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors at the Kennedy Center, Annie Oakley in Annie Gets Your Gun at Encore slash NYC Center, and Lorelei Lee in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes at Encore slash New York City Center.

[2:26] Robert Peterpaul: Megan's numerous screen credits include Sean Saves the World with Sean Hayes, Difficult People, The Good Fight, playing the iconic Patsy Cline in Patsy and Loretta opposite previous A-OK guest Jesse Mueller, and more recently, Lily St. Regis in NBC's Annie Live. Megan not only has a stunning singing voice, but lends her chops to voiceover work from audiobooks to kids' animated favorites on Disney, Nickelodeon, Netflix, Hulu, and Cartoon Network.

[2:56] Robert Peterpaul: Speaking of her voice, she continues to tour her cabaret show, which has been taped for Live from Lincoln Center on PBS and regularly appears with world-renowned orchestras including the NY Pops, Boston Pops, and the National Symphony Orchestra. I'm also really grateful right now I have a pop filter on my microphone.

[3:20] Robert Peterpaul: Megan and I touch on her incredible career moments, really centering in on the kindness she's experienced along the way from icons like Dolly Parton and more. Though we're not promoting anything except for kindness here, I want to note that we recorded this conversation well before the SAG-AFTRA strike was enacted.

[3:39] Robert Peterpaul: If you loved this episode, I'd love for you to please leave us a 5-star review wherever you listen. We just received a lovely 5-star review from Little Moochie. Ooh, what a fun name. Are you a performer? Little Moochie said, "Rob is a class act, and the guests that he pulls in are lovely as they are impressive. Love this podcast and look forward to it each week."

[4:02] Robert Peterpaul: Aw, thank you, Little Moochie. That is so kind of you. These really mean more to me than you know, and if you leave one, I'll try to read it here on the show. Ah, that rhymed. Mean more to me than you know, read them on the show. Ooh, thank you so much again. I've also so loved connecting with you all on social media. It brings me tons of joy. At ArtofKindnessPod and at RobPeterPaul, please come find us, let's be friends, and start a kindness community. Aw, audio hug.

[4:32] Robert Peterpaul: As always, be sure to stick around for your kindness tip of the week after the interview. Now, without further ado, please welcome the marvelous Megan Hilty.

[4:48] Megan Hilty: Hello.

[4:57] Robert Peterpaul: How are you?

[4:59] Megan Hilty: There she is. I'm great. How are you?

[5:01] Robert Peterpaul: Good. Thank you.

[5:03] Megan Hilty: Do you have one of those pop-up audio booth things?

[5:05] Robert Peterpaul: I have. I mean, it's not quite portable. It's quite substantial. It's about 2,000 pounds, but it's a booth that me and my husband were able to build.

[5:19] Megan Hilty: It comes kind of like the fanciest Lego set you could ever imagine, and then you put it together.

[5:27] Robert Peterpaul: That's amazing. I've seen those, and I always want one, and I know that they come in all shapes and sizes, and you can kind of shove them in the corner of your apartment, but I know you do a lot of voiceover, so that makes sense.

[5:37] Megan Hilty: Yes. In our old house, we were able to make a recording studio in our closet, but we moved about a year ago, and there's no such thing as a quiet space in this house, so this was it.

[5:54] Robert Peterpaul: That's so cool. I'm so excited to talk to you today. It's wonderful to meet you.

[5:58] Megan Hilty: Likewise.

[5:59] Robert Peterpaul: I'm such a huge fan of all of your work. I've had the privilege of seeing you perform, and obviously, you're so talented in all that jazz, but I just feel like what I truly admire about you is that you seem to lead with such joy and kindness and really promote that in this business.

[6:14] Megan Hilty: Well, this is very interesting to hear, because you must be hearing good rumors, which is great.

[6:21] Robert Peterpaul: I do. The rumor was very positive.

[6:24] Megan Hilty: Well, that's great. That's excellent.

[6:26] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, you're like a ray of sunshine. I just feel like you make it feel like Christmas every time I see you on screen or on stage.

[6:31] Megan Hilty: Oh, that's a nice compliment. Thank you.

[6:34] Robert Peterpaul: Well, I mean it, and I'm going to do a really long, very complimentary probably bio about you. I won't make you sit here while we record that, because I just feel like maybe you would enjoy it, but I would feel awkward personally, so I'll do that later on.

[6:44] Megan Hilty: I'd probably stop you at midpoint.

[6:47] Robert Peterpaul: We're going, no, please, no, stop, don't say anymore.

[6:50] Megan Hilty: You're like, no, that was 2008, actually. I love that. But before I just keep complimenting you for hours and hours, Megan, I would love to know, and you seem to be pretty good at it, how are you at accepting compliments? Because I'm sure you get a lot of them.

[7:02] Megan Hilty: I've gotten better only out of necessity, because I realized a while ago that by not accepting them or refusing them almost, like, no, that couldn't possibly, it just kind of made people feel uncomfortable. So now I just swallow my uncomfortability and just say thank you.

[7:22] Robert Peterpaul: You did a great job when I was complimenting you. I mean, I'm sure there's a lot going on over here. I'm awkward at moving my hands and flying around, but you just said thank you and smiled, and it was great. But it is a weird thing, and I think it, for me, maybe boils down to how we're taught to accept love and all that kind of deep stuff, because when you get a compliment, which you want, a lot of the time you do an awkward dance of deflecting it or whatever it is. And I just find it fascinating how every person I talk to that's so acclaimed and wonderful, such as yourself, most people cannot accept a compliment or struggle with it.

[7:52] Megan Hilty: So it's weird. I don't know.

[7:54] Megan Hilty: It is. Yeah. I mean, if we really want to get into it, I feel like that has to do with whether or not, I mean, maybe there's a part of it is just, you know, you don't want to seem to, I don't know, like, if you agree too quickly, then maybe it seems like you think real highly of yourself.

[8:16] Robert Peterpaul: I know. It's a fine line.

[8:18] Megan Hilty: Which is a bit, you know, not, sorry, I'm stumbling over my words a little bit because I don't want to say the wrong thing, but also there's a degree of like, if I say thank you, am I agreeing and saying, you know, like that I truly deserve that? And that, I mean, I feel like so many of us, especially in this industry, you know, grapple with that a lot. You know, there's a lot of like, do I truly deserve that? You know, so, but instead I just, I just say thank you.

[8:53] Robert Peterpaul: Well, it is so weird because they're like, be confident, walk into the room confident, but don't be too confident. I mean, there's so many things that you get thrown your way that it just ultimately, I think if you have a good intention and you smile and you're grateful, can't go wrong.

[9:08] Megan Hilty: There you go. Yeah.

[9:25] Robert Peterpaul: You know, I was thinking a lot about this as we were talking about talking, which thank you so much for being so wonderful in that correspondence. Yeah, I'm sorry. My schedule got really, really crazy there for a bit. Like I was going bonkers not knowing what I was doing. So I know anybody trying to schedule things with me at the same time was probably equally as frustrated.

[9:50] Megan Hilty: No, it's always a dance and you're very gracious and I'm grateful this worked out. But anyway, with kindness.

[9:55] Megan Hilty: But I literally, I literally had to look it up. I had to, because I was like, well, I mean, I know the feeling of kindness, but like, what's like the definition? And it boils down to showing generosity, consideration and support to others. Right. And it's, and hopefully that has nothing to do with, it's in complete disregard to any differences that you have towards that person.

[10:25] Robert Peterpaul: Right. So, yeah, it's those three, those three things, generosity, support and consideration.

[10:32] Megan Hilty: Oh, that's beautiful. Do you have a favorite way that you show kindness to people? I know people talk a lot about love languages, but I guess your kindness language, are you like a gift? I know you love Christmas. In my research that came up quite often. So are you like a gift person? What's your favorite way to show kindness?

[10:48] Megan Hilty: I don't know. I, I do, I try to be mindful that like, not every, that everybody does have a different like love language. And, and so I kind of do a little bit of everything. I try to be really generous and supportive with my words, especially lately. I've just kind of, I've, I've, I've taken this, I don't know if it's a motto or I don't, I don't know what word that it is that I'm looking for. But like, if I'm thinking something nice about someone, I have to tell them, I have to get it out of my brain and into theirs. You know, it's like, it's kind of wasted in my, in my head, you know, so I immediately have to shower that person, you know, with a phone call, a text, an email, something, a message, you know, telling them that they're on my mind and I appreciate them for this or I admire them for that, you know, because if I let too much time pass.

[11:44] Megan Hilty: They'll never hear it. And, and again, what good is it just rattling around in my brain?

[11:50] Robert Peterpaul: You're so right. A lot of people don't take the time that, you know, people pop into our heads throughout the day, but a lot of people don't stop and actually text that person. So I think it's special to do that.

[11:59] Megan Hilty: I try, I try. I also try to like, think of like, what that would mean to me, you know, and I know that just getting love or support, you know, at any point, it's always like, you're never gonna be like, ew, gross. Why would you do that?

[12:14] Robert Peterpaul: Stop supporting me.

[12:15] Megan Hilty: Yeah, stop it. Ew, why would they do that? And I love getting gifts. I'm like, I have to cool it with the gifts. I think I make people uncomfortable with the gifts sometimes.

[12:26] Robert Peterpaul: No, I feel you. I feel like every time I go somewhere, I have to bring something, even if it's just chocolate, or whatever is in my cabinet. They're like, why are you bringing that? I'm like, it's for you.

[12:34] Megan Hilty: Yeah.

[12:35] Robert Peterpaul: I get that. I get that. Yeah. Well, I think, you know, all your answers have been beautiful so far, but as a performer, especially and a Broadway star and a vocalist and a voiceover artist and that angelic voice we all love, you know, and you were very open to talking about this, you even mentioned it earlier with, you know, not getting in your own head and everything. How do you stay kind to yourself? I mean, I'm looking at your beautiful audio booth right now, and I'm in my weird corner, and this is a podcast about kindness, but even this, you know, listeners, I'll let you in that when I'm editing, I'm not...

[13:36] Megan Hilty: It's gonna happen and actually like the messiness of me and my whatever it is that I'm doing makes it real and authentic and means I'm completely like a hundred percent present. You know, like there's no pretense. There's no, it's just me and that's enough and that's gonna I always feel like anything authentic is appreciated and people are able to connect to way better than something that's set up or you know, like almost rehearsed or like too perfect or anything. So I kind of I give myself a lot of grace and I've grown to appreciate my messiness.

[14:23] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, well, it's even if you look at, you know, social media is its own weird wild wonderful and awful world at the same time. There's a lot going on there, but the posts where people are just very authentic and not filtered and putting something people can relate to out there are the ones that are getting shared and that people want to see. So I think that's kind of just boils down to what you just said in this world, you know, which is that you got to lead with authenticity, which is so hard starting out as an artist, you know, right out of the gate. I guess growing up in Washington to start, you know, I know you wanted to study opera and then you kind of carved out your own beautiful path as you were growing.

But you know, coming into this business with Wicked, which is such a mega hit and I think I saw you, I think you were my Glinda actually, my first one. I know I saw you as Glinda, but I think you were my first one. Anyway, I've seen it too many times. Shut up. Anyway, you know, coming into that as a young artist, did you grapple with that like being authentic but also trying not to people please and then battling that imposter syndrome? I mean, what did you have that at all starting out?

[15:23] Megan Hilty: Oh, yeah. I mean that was everything starting out. I mean I went into the Broadway production nine months after it opened, so it was already this monster hit and there were there was a level of expectation that I had never like ever dealt with before. I was a baby. I was right out of college and I thought that by starting out especially as a standby and a replacement that that meant that I was supposed to just kind of replicate, you know, who I was standing by for who had come before me, you know, all of those things. And I mean imposter syndrome aside, I mean that's just kind of a given almost in everything but certainly with that job, I just kept waiting for somebody to tap me on the shoulder and be like, excuse me, who let you into the Gershwin theater? Like can you please gather your things and leave?

[16:18] Robert Peterpaul: But happen that bubble and fly away, yeah.

[16:23] Megan Hilty: But I mean that whole job, I really feel like one of the main purposes of that job coming into my life was to learn how to be okay with what I brought to the table because there was a point about a month into rehearsals where it was like, well, I cannot do this like Kristen. I cannot do this like Jennifer Laura Thompson. I just can't, you know? And the stage manager said as much too and she said, you know, you just need to stop watching the show because you can't do their show. But I was so terrified because I knew, you know, I went out the stage door every day, I heard what everybody was saying and the comparisons even early on, you know? Now I can't even imagine what the Glindas and Elphabas go through.

I can't even like with the comparisons and the things online and stuff like that like that. I don't even know if I could deal with it today. But even back then I came to a point where I was like, yeah, I might disappoint some people because they might be expecting Kristen Chenoweth, you know, but I am NOT Kristen Chenoweth. I am NOT Jennifer Laura Thompson. I am me and what I bring to this role is enough and that was really scary. And luckily I was in the show for four and a half years and so I had all that time to come to terms with it and it helped me going forward doing things like Nine to Five where it wasn't Kristen Chenoweth. It was Dolly Parton that I, you know, both legends and icons, but it's like now and now I'm doing it in front of Dolly Parton every day, you know? But because I'd had those years in Wicked coming to terms with the fact that like, yeah, I'm not this person, but what I have is enough, it really helped with everything that came afterward.

[18:10] Robert Peterpaul: Wow, that's really powerful and I think that's very relatable for people no matter what industry you're in or even if you're just entering a new relationship with someone where they recently left somebody out like you're not that person. You're yourself and accepting that can be really hard in a business where you see a breakdown and you're trying to peg. I mean first of all, sometimes breakdowns are like be bright but sad they have such contrasting weird things that you're never gonna figure it out. Anyway, so yeah, just be yourself honestly, it's the thing we learn when we're kids and you know, it's interesting to me is that which who cares if it's interesting to me? I'm just gonna say anyway, I feel like Glinda that was kind of her journey, right?

She was someone who wanted to be popular and well-liked but then in the end her art kind of is coming to who she is and seeing the power of kindness and love and I think it can be hard in this business like we were talking about before to not just lead with confidence. I mean you're taught to always just kind of get insular and protect yourself and get out there and keep booking it and going and going but sometimes I think people forget the lesson along the way which is just seeing others and being kind. Do you feel like that's something you struggle with at all too like as you rose to fame?

[19:28] Megan Hilty: I mean, I know you have this wonderful reputation and I'm not trying to see if you've ever been mean to anybody, but you know just finding that balance of not just always putting yourself in your career first.

[19:43] Robert Peterpaul: Can we narrow down the question a little bit more?

[19:48] Megan Hilty: Yeah, I think there's just a lot of like are you asking if I've ever been mean to people? No, are you like what? Yes. Yes. Let me count the ways. You know, I think I'm just wondering I guess at the bottom of it all is finding the way to be kind to people with balancing getting ahead in your career because I mean I've read a lot of books about how kindness is actually more powerful than the people that are being cutthroat sharks and getting ahead even though that gets fast results overall. It's the people that maintain these relationships and are kind. So does that make sense?

[20:06] Megan Hilty: I mean, I think I and I the best example of that was watching Dolly Parton work during all the workshops in the, you know, out-of-town tryouts and everything we did for Nine to Five. Watching how she treated people, that was one of the greatest lessons of my life was watching how she dealt with people while she was conducting business because she does a lot of business. She gets a lot of things done, but she also in the meantime has this way where she at no point is she not completely respectful and considerate and supportive of all the people that she's dealing with. You know, even if she's just talking to you about the weather, she has a way of making you feel like you are the only important person in the galaxy and that is so powerful and it's something that I'm constantly trying to remind myself because I am, I'm no Dolly Parton, you know, but I try to be and I find myself constantly asking myself how she would behave in certain situations, you know, we have different.

Um, it's a little different but what would Dolly do? Yes, and because she's the gold stamp, the gold standard. Yeah. So yeah, that's my like that's my what do they call it? Your true north standard the, you know, your North Star. You're did that's the she's the goal.

[21:45] Robert Peterpaul: Oh, yeah me too. And I feel like I probably subconsciously made this podcast to try and get to Dolly because she is the definition of kindness, you know, and I'm glad you brought her up. I wanted to ask you about her. I was almost wondering too. Do you have a, it sounds like overall this is just the way she was, but do you have a story about an act of kindness you saw her give while working on Nine to Five, which you somehow honor Dolly but brought yourself to it in such a beautiful way? I'm such a huge fan of your performance in that show. I mean any Dolly story really would be wonderful, even though you kind of just showed so much.

[22:10] Megan Hilty: Yeah, she's just she's truly wonderful. I mean one of she's the first word that comes to mind is how generous she is, you know? Like she's Dolly Parton. She didn't need to be there all the time. She was and when we opened in Los Angeles for out-of-town tryout she was backstage all the time and the set would break down all the time and when our set broke down it stopped the show. Yeah, and so instead of just letting the, you know, the curtain be down and the audience, you know, be left to their own devices, she would grab a guitar and she'd go in front of that curtain and she'd do a sing-along. Like she didn't have to do that, you know? Like she didn't even have to be there, you know? But that's how invested she is in people in the projects that she's working on.

You know, she's generous and kind and supportive and just shows up. Even just talking about it makes me so happy and I, you know, you could the proof is in the pudding. I mean it recently was revived in London I think and been on tour and she's still there making videos doing promos for it. So, you know, you can see that it's obvious that she's like that and I love that story.

[23:38] Robert Peterpaul: You know, I guess moving away from Dolly. I would love to know for you as you look at your career, do you feel like there's an act of kindness that somebody did to you that changed your trajectory or kind of set you on the path that you ultimately went on? I'm hoping there was a lot of them but any?

[23:54] Megan Hilty: Oh, yeah. I mean there were a lot but the the biggest of the first real big one was the night that I made my Broadway debut in Wicked. I was a standby and so I had a couple hours notice and I ran to the theater and I was freaking out. I was sitting in Jennifer Laura Thompson's dressing room, you know, just freaking out and Idina came in because this is how long ago this was this was I guess many years ago now. Wow, almost almost 19 years ago. I went to that show. It's so crazy and I was sitting in Jen's dressing room and Idina came in and she was like, is there anything you want to go over anything you want to talk about? And I was freaking out. I was like, you know, and um, and she's clearly saw that and she said, you know what?

Let's just go out there and make this show our own, you know? And it's such a simple, it sounds so simple and it sounds like yeah, of course, why wouldn't she say that? But in reality, she had just run won her Tony for this and even if she hadn't won a Tony or even been nominated or anything like that, she could have come in there and said hey at this point I need you to be standing here. I need you to say this like this. I need we need to go through this and blah blah blah and you need to do this a certain way, you know? And she would have been completely within her right to do so, but instead she gave me this incredible gift and that was to just breathe and play with her and it was a night I will never forget because of that.

It was so incredibly generous of her to create something new with me, you know, within the concept, of course, it's the same script, it's the same but like different people bring something different to it and she did not shy away from that. She let me do my thing and we figured it out together and by the end it felt like we'd done something completely new.

[25:44] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, and I'll just I'll just never forget that and I was kind of try to pay that forward any chance I can.

[25:50] Megan Hilty: I love that because when our minds are spinning, it's really so those simple statements that hit home for you and with you paying it forward, you know you going on to then be Glinda full-time and working on the show. I think I read for maybe four years on and off in different places and different productions, you know? And then of course Nine to Five and all these other wonderful things you've done. How do you pay it forward? I mean, do you are you cognizant of the things?

[26:13] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[26:43] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[27:03] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[27:23] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[27:43] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[28:03] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[28:23] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[28:43] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[29:03] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[29:23] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[29:43] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[30:03] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[30:23] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[30:43] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[31:03] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[31:23] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[31:43] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[32:03] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[32:23] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[32:43] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[33:03] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[33:23] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[33:43] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[34:03] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[34:23] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[34:43] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[35:03] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[35:23] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[35:43] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[36:03] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[36:23] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[36:43] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[37:03] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[37:23] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[37:43] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[38:03] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[38:23] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[38:43] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[39:03] Robert Peterpaul: What do you do to lead with grace when you are that principal character and there's all these people looking up to you?

[39:19] Robert Peterpaul: But if you pick and choose the most important places, then people actually listen to you, you know what I mean? Know when to have the conversation instead of just, you know, all the time or whenever it pops in your head. It's like, well, maybe think that through a little bit more before approaching.

[39:40] Megan Hilty: Yeah, it's like you don't need to be the uncle at the Christmas party that's always shouting the same thing every year that nobody wants to listen to anymore.

[39:46] Megan Hilty: And as you said earlier, that may get the quickest amount of attention, you know, the quickest type of attention. But like, over time, nobody wants to work with that person. Nobody wants to do anything for that person.

[40:01] Robert Peterpaul: Don't worry. I think you've just confirmed my thought that we're all just big babies walking around. And I think

[40:06] Megan Hilty: Yeah, all of us are.

[40:06] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, I know. I'm always hungry, crying. No, it's fine. I would love to, if we have time, play a surprise game really quick. It's not much of a game. It's really not. I shouldn't call it a game because people's eyes do bulge out of their head. People leave the Zoom. It's called the Compliment Game because I didn't compliment you enough already. Everyone's beautiful in their own way. It's the Compliment Game. I'm the A-OK. It's the Compliment Game. Basically, don't worry, it's not from me again. I did reach out to someone in your life for a loving statement about you. And I'm going to read it to you. And then you have to guess who said it.

[40:48] Megan Hilty: And then I'm gonna cry. Why are you trying to make me cry?

[40:51] Robert Peterpaul: This is a good one. You know, the emotions bring the listeners. What can I say? No, I will give you hints. I mean, you can ask me yes or no questions. I know some things that are public. I don't know too much. What do I even know? But we'll say you get like three guesses because people freak out if there's no rules. I don't know. There are no rules. Anyway, OK, I'm going to read it to you. OK, OK. Oh, it's really sweet. At some point, I will stop being surprised by how thoughtful and generous Megan is. Her plate is always full with her family and jobs. And yet somehow she always finds the time to celebrate the people in her life. She always finds the time to send the most thoughtful messages and gifts and reminders of her love and care and investment in a relationship. I can see her and I being friends until we're old and gray. She's just an extraordinary person.

[41:41] Megan Hilty: Oh, snap. Now, I know a lot of people probably feel that way about you. So I can give you some very nice. Yeah. See, what's going to be really telling is my answers, like who I think it is. That sounds like either Stephanie Black or Eden Espinoza.

[42:02] Robert Peterpaul: You nailed it. It's Stephanie J. Black. Yeah, it's Stephanie J. Black, who is a gift. Wow. That sounds like her. It sounds like literally I could play. She's quite generous, too, with her words. So that makes sense. I should have. I should have listened to it over and over again because she sent it to me as a voice note and it was so melodic and beautiful. And then I'm like, at some point, I will be surrounded. Yeah, she's wonderful. She was on here recently. And, you know, she just loves you. And obviously, the work you did in nine to five still lives on. I mean, they do it locally everywhere. These kids are bringing it to life and looking up to you. And what have you learned about kindness and love from her or just what do you love about working with her? I mean, she's.

[42:53] Megan Hilty: Oh, gosh. Oh, like, I mean, so much. She's she's another one of those gems that just understands that you need to meet people where they are like they're she she's so wonderful at celebrating you for whoever and whatever you are and what you bring to the table is not only enough, but it's glorious, you know. Yeah, I'll always cherish my friendship with her. And and the thing about Steph is that like when when she does something like when she loves you, when she is supportive of you, when she she is all in, you know, there is nothing she doesn't tiptoe around things like she you have her full love and support and and kindness and her generosity, man. I mean, when you yeah, she's just she's always there with a kind word, a thoughtful gift, like basically everything she just said about me, it all it out right back on to her. You know, I think she thinks you're what was it a cupcake? I heard an awesome episode of you talking to her and her podcast.

[43:53] Megan Hilty: People call me all kinds of like baked goods. I get cannoli. I get cupcake. You know, that's not a bad thing. No, no, no. Yeah, there's nothing bad except the calories, maybe about what's your favorite big good while we're here. I mean, a cookie. I'll take a cookie any day or carrot cake or coconut cake, chocolate cake. Oh, I mean, like, yeah, there's so many. Yeah, I'm let me see if I can grab it from here. It's the Jolly Brownies. Yes. Yeah. Me and my daughter found them in the grocery store. She was like, Mom, we need all of these. Did you buy them? They're delicious. Yes. I spent like fifty dollars on the collection. It got delivered to my wife was like, you have issues. And I'm like, whatever. We went to Dollywood and we like fell in love with Dolly all over.

[44:41] Robert Peterpaul: I haven't been yet. I need to go.

[44:46] Megan Hilty: Yeah. Oh, with your family. It's so magical. Yeah. Yeah. Well, that's a good choice. Cookies, smackeries. You've been there.

[44:52] Robert Peterpaul: Of course. Yeah. They're the best. And they used to let you send boxes to your Broadway cast like your favorite Broadway cast. You think they might still do it. But I think people were like, I'm getting cavities and this is like I need to fit in my costumes like crazy.

[45:10] Megan Hilty: Yeah. Yeah. Speaking of getting cavities, I'm probably bringing like too much weird sweetness. So I'm going to let you go very soon. But that was a weird transition. I would love if we could just end our time together by you sharing a tangible kindness or wellness tip that you would like for listeners to incorporate into their day. So like a tangible action that you think people can do to kind of just spread joy. It could be in the arts or just in general to spread joy. Yeah. To themselves, to the world. An example, I guess, would be a lot of people have said this, actually just smiling at someone when you walk by them on the street or actually talking to the cashier at the grocery store and not just looking down.

Do you know what I just recently I mean, it'd be great if I just put their phones down. But more realistically, I just I recently started like at the beginning of my day. I'm not I'm not like journaling or anything, but I do have like a notebook that I write down what I need to do every day and stuff like that because I need to write things down. And I wake up a little bit earlier than everybody else. And I sit down and I write down three affirmations and my intention for the day. And and I write down three people or things that I'm grateful for. And that it sounds like, oh, God, that's homework. It's a lot of stuff. It doesn't take long. Doesn't take long. But like taking that like five minutes out of the beginning of your day to just to kind of focus your mind on gratitude and empowerment and kindness and self-love has made a difference for me. Yeah. I don't know if that would work for everyone, but it's yeah, it's it's been helpful.

[46:56] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah, that's a great way to start the day. And even if it only works for you one time and you have a wild brain like me who bought a positivity journal that literally asks you every morning those questions that you just had and you do it for two days and then you forget if it helps you one day at least, you know, it's yeah, it's something that works for you. And I think that's really great. Would you be open to maybe sharing like your favorite affirmation or something that listeners you think, oh, you know what I read?

[47:23] Megan Hilty: So Maya Angelou has like the best. I hope I can quote this correctly. This is I'm paraphrasing here. So I apologize. But it's OK. The one that I read this morning, I wrote down this morning was your crown has already been bought and paid for. It is now your job to wear it proudly.

[47:44] Robert Peterpaul: Oh, right. I love that. Isn't that great? Yeah. Treat yourself like royalty. But my favorite one of hers, my absolute favorite of hers, and I think ever it's something that I remind myself of constantly and I have it framed on my wall is that people will forget what you said. They will forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel. And that I try to remember that every single day. It's like, yeah, my words and my actions are important. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. But like people will ultimately remember if I made them feel important, included, supported or if I've made them feel the opposite. And I'd like I'd like for the the first ones I'd like for people to walk away with a good feeling instead of, you know, the opposite.

[48:37] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah. I mean, I like how your voice is kind of deep when you say the opposite. I'm like, do you do voiceover? No, because I think people are a lot smarter than sometimes we give them credit for. And if you're saying one thing, they can they can read and see the signs that you're looking over their shoulder or whatever it is. You know what I mean? So I love that one, too. And you made me feel wonderful. And I'm so grateful that we had this time together. You're such a special person. And I thank you so much.

[49:04] Megan Hilty: Oh, of course. Thank you for the gift of your time and just being such a great person for people to look up to in this industry, because you truly are a cupcake.

[49:14] Robert Peterpaul: Should I leave it there?

[49:14] Megan Hilty: Yeah. Oh, yeah. Cookie, cupcake, cannoli. I'm all of them.

[49:19] Robert Peterpaul: Yeah. I guess I'm going to go eat now because now I'm hungry, Megan. Thanks a lot. No, but I really appreciate it. And I'll keep you posted when this comes out. I think everyone's going to love it and be inspired. Thank you so much.

[49:28] Megan Hilty: Thank you. Have a great rest of your day. I'm really bad at leaving zoom. So I'll just end it because I won't do the pain of me and it. Bye.

[49:45] Robert Peterpaul: And now it's time for your kindness tip of the week. Thank you so much again, Megan. I want to shout out my lovely intern, my kind turn Carly, who has been doing the most incredible work with us here on the production side. She started compiling a list of kindness tips because she knows that I've been through a lot of them. And sometimes I sit here and I wonder what I can say except be kind to one another. I was looking at her incredible list just now. And on it, she had quite a fascinating one, which is to learn more about somebody else's passion. Now, I think before on here, we have discussed taking an interest in someone's passion and championing their dream. But I think this is a bit different.

I think that this tip really centers on actually putting yourself in that person's shoes. For instance, and I'm not preaching or perfect at this by any means, but my brother, Will. Hey, Will. Love you. Who is amazing in his own right, has a lot of really specific and cool interests. I wish I was that cool and just had a million things that I love to do. One of them is marine life and animals. So every time he comes to visit, I make sure whether he wants to or not, I hope he wants to, that we stop at the aquarium. I got a membership at the aquarium. Hey, shout out Maritime Aquarium. We love you. You've got such amazing exhibits going on. And it's so fun to see him run around there in his element.

We stop at the octopus. We see the seals. We see the sharks, even though I get a little scared and I play the Jaws music on my phone. It's truly a special place to be with him. And I think that's mostly due to the fact that he lights up around this marine life. And so stopping at each tank and reading the fun facts or talking to a staff member at the aquarium with him, it's extra special because I think he feels supported. And I know for me, when someone comes to see my show, it's amazing. But when we go to dinner after and they actually ask me insightful questions about the process and really take an interest in not only what I do, but just learning more. There's something so kind and special about that. So stay curious, friends. And until next time, please remember, everything is going to be A-OK.