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Wow. Yeah. That's hot.
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Hey, what's going on everybody?
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For First We Feast, I'm Sean Evans and you're watching Hot Ones.
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It's the show with hot questions and even hotter wings.
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And today we're joined by Courteney Cox.
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She's an actress and director you know from gargantuan hits including Friends, Scream, Cougar Town and many more.
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She recently launched her very own home beauty brand called Homecourt.
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So be on the lookout for that.
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And she also stars alongside Greg Kinnear in the new comedy horror series Shining Vale, which is set to premiere on Stars March 6th.
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Courteney Cox, welcome to the show. Thank you.
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I've been following along as you've been sharing your kitchen adventures over the last couple years.
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How are you around spicy food?
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I'm I don't do spicy food until right now. I really don't.
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I don't first I'm really savory.
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I mean I'm really savory.
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No, I love salt, but I'm I don't do spice.
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What are we going to eat it right now? Yep, that's how it goes. It's good. It's some kick. Mhm. Not much to it. That's right. It's really good. Okay.
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So in your latest project, Shining Vale, you play the role of Patricia Phelps, a mother who moves her dysfunctional family away from the chaos of city living in Brooklyn and towards this creepy haunted mansion in the country.
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And showrunner Jeff Astrof recently said in an interview that you called him to tell him, "The script is the only thing that's ever been written for me."
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What was it about the character that gave you such a strong gravitational pull towards the project.
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Okay, first of all, is there something behind me that you're reading cuz who can do that?
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I couldn't tell you that much information about the show ever. That was incredible.
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Oh, well, as an actress, I I I take that as such a compliment. Thank you so much.
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got to be something behind me. Okay. Um she's so layered.
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She's going through a midlife crisis.
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She just had an affair with the handyman and her marriage is not doing great.
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She is at that age where, you know, things change.
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Um she's got a teenage daughter, which that's never easy.
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And uh she's dealing with some mental issues.
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At least her family thinks she is, but she's actually really depressed.
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So, I just it's it's a it's a 30-minute show that I can go from being really sarcastic, depressed, to emotional and crying.
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So, I've never done something that had that many things to play.
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Oh, this one's definitely How many How many are still on the scale?
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I mean, am I Why am I going in for more? Maybe you like it.
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You know, you're selling yourself short on hot sauce.
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Maybe you're just into it. That's too much again. I don't need any more.
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I mean, I will if you need If you're making me, I would, but God, I haven't had a wing in a long time. The wings are good. go. Hidden. Hidden.
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Forgot what you were missing. Mhm. All right, that's good.
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So, recently you launched a home product line, Homecourt, which is a line of soaps, candles, and signature fragrances.
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What would you say is the biggest mistake that hopeless bro dude bachelors like myself make when they go candle shopping?
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I would say just the scents that you guys buy. I mean, it's not okay.
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Um and the vessel, you it really matters.
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If you're going to put something on your table, it has to smell good, but it has to look good.
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And sometimes I'll get candles from people and I'll go I can't even leave it on the table in order I don't care what it smells like.
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So, I did make a candle that is coming out soon and it's really it's the vessel is beautiful.
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You can reuse it if you want as a pencil holder or tea cup or something to wash down your hot spices. All right. I'm a good.
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I don't want to act like I'm so got this down cuz I don't, but I can handle so far. Mhm.
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My lips are getting a little swollen, but that's okay. Mhm.
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Is it true that the party scene at the end of Scream took 21 days to shoot and was such an arduous experience that the crew had shirts made that said I survived scene 118? Oh, god.
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That was the ending in the whole thing. That was intense. Yeah. Um Oh, yeah. And it's hard.
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You do all those stunts and you have blood and it's sticky and Anyway, yes.
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It's It's really hard to do the finales of these.
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It's so intense and I remember being younger doing that and I I was doing all my stunts.
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It was no big deal and I thought I could do it again and I did, but I was paying for it. Yeah.
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Well, that last scene is 42 minutes just by itself. Like that last location.
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Once you're in the the last place you're going to die or not die in, yeah.
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Is it true that you lobbied for the role of Gale Weathers because you wanted like a nasty character to counter your nice friends image? Yeah.
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Cuz I was so used to play I mean I was on Family Ties and I was sweet Lauren Miller and then I was on Friends, but I had to prove that I can be really Yeah, did like Wes Craven think, "Oh, this is nice Friends.
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Is she going to have the edge for Gale?" Exactly. The edge is a good word. All right, Courteney.
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You ready to move on here to the next wing?
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This is the angry phoenix here in the four spot and you are doing great. You're doing great. I'm okay?
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How is Am I going to make it through this one? Oh, yeah. Okay. You're good. All right. Oh, god. Okay. wing. It is.
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I want to know what's the point.
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I mean I mean seriously, I mean there is some flavor, but do people just enjoy them?
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The the the masochism of it all or Well, it's funny like I've gone to hot sauce expos before in the past.
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And they do look like the parking lot of a Slayer concert kind of, you know?
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Like the people watching it it there is just uh it's amazing.
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A part of the hot sauce subculture I do think is just sort of chasing that like extreme nature of it all.
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Yeah, cuz it sticks with you.
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Subs and you cooking everything from Jamie Oliver's chicken and milk to then serving Laura Dern your recipe for the world's greatest turkey burgers.
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What is an Alabama sushi roll and can you talk me through how to make one?
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So Alabama sushi is um turkey.
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You can get it at Ralph's.
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It's just like honey maple turkey.
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And uh you you put French's mustard, mayonnaise, then you put a little bit of Havarti cheese on it.
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Sometimes I put avocado if I want to go really healthy. I have to have a crunch.
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So I put Fritos, and then you roll it up really nicely, and that's how you eat it. You would love it. I'm already down.
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I'm If you're eating this kind of stuff, I mean I You should see what we have in post.
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I'm going to give camera guy Bill the whole thing.
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He's going to hands in pans this thing, bring it to life, and then you know what?
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I'm going to take that recipe back to my kitchen and try it out myself. should.
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All right, Courtney, are you ready to move on here to the halfway point?
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Okay, my my lips are burning. Just saying. Okay. Los Calientes. That means hot.
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I liked it better than the last one. Yep.
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No, no, I haven't seen the kickback yet, but I like the flavor. But on first impression? Oh, it's really good. Two of my favorites. Wow. Mhm.
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And not to lead the witness, but those are the two we make. Really?
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Um it kind of has a little bit of a sweetness to it.
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Oh, it's starting to burn. Yeah.
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Oh, it's just like I'd like to take that compliment and pull it back a little bit.
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I'm still going to go with that. That doesn't help. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Okay.
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Oh, I can't wait to get to Pucker Butt. All right, Courteney.
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Well, in the meantime, we have a recurring segment on our show called Explain That Gram where we do a deep dive on our guest's Instagram, pull interesting pictures that need more context.
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We'll pull the picture up over here on the monitor.
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You just tell us the bigger story.
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Your Instagram, side note, rocks, by the way. Thank you.
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Okay, my nose is running. That's for sure. All right. Let's see.
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What do you want to know about the Gram?
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So, how big a thrill was it for you to play Tony Danza alongside Ed Sheeran, Brandi Carlile, and Elton John?
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I can't tell you what a thrill that was.
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I I I love Elton John so much.
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And Ed was staying at my house, and he said, "Is it okay if Elton comes over for dinner?" And I was like, "Duh."
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And I directed Brandi's video right on time. So, I knew her.
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She's I'm really comfortable around her. I love her.
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And I've known Ed for years.
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But when he came and he said, "Would you mind doing this thing for Instagram for you know, playing Hold Me Closer Tony Danza?"
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But it's actually Hold Me Closer Young Tony Danza, which Lisa Kudrow made very clear after Look at my Look, we're hugging.
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I mean, you can't get better than that.
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But he was sitting next to me, and I was so nervous.
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I just learned the song about 20 minutes before he came over.
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My piano teacher I was like, "Come over now."
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And then he laughed and saw Elton on the way out.
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We're not practicing anything.
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Um anyway, so I was playing and he was holding my arm, and I was going to get to that part where you go "Dan dan dan dan dan."
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And I thought, "I'll never be able to do this.
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I can't even move my arm, and I just want to stay like this." And I'm so scared.
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He was the nicest person. So nice.
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And this is like why this segment exists.
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You have a lasting memory from dinner with Michael Jordan.
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It's like a royalty over here. Right? He's such a great guy.
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I just remember this was so many years ago.
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This is early on my cram experience. Um I just uh I met him. I forgot where we were.
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And he was wearing that beautiful blue suit. And he just was great.
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He was really personable.
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And I I I think you can see those eyes.
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I was looking at him kind of just in awe.
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I mean, I love his I was a big Bulls fan. Well, you know what? I'm from Chicago.
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So big uh big Jordan fan on this side, you know. Yeah.
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And uh yeah, you're from Evanston.
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I And your last name was Evan. So crazy. It's in your town.
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You're on the Wikipedia car over here or something.
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I'm not the only one researching today. Yeah, that's right.
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All right, Courtney, are you ready to move on here to the back half?
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You're doing great, by the way. Good.
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This is the Queen Majesty Coco Ghost.
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I will say I think it was um Dawson is the one who got my lips burning and keeping them feeling this way. Yeah.
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Well, in the back half here, there'll be a whole different cast of characters bringing their own Okay.
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their own games to the party. You ready? Uh-huh. Okay. Ooh.
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Oh, yeah, that catches up. Okay.
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Yep, I feel that one for sure.
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I'm kind of excited that I can actually go to a restaurant and if they say "You want hot sauce?"
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I'm going to say, "Yeah."
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An eye-opening and awakening experience here today.
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So in the past, we've talked to guests about juggling being an actor and director simultaneously.
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But then you've also done things like finance films, like just before I go.
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And I'm just curious, what do you learn about making a movie when you're also the one cutting the check to bring it to life?
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When you do pay for a movie, which is really dumb, it's nice cuz no one can tell you what to do.
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So, you're only making your own mistakes, and that's feels better to me than make I mean than people making mistakes for me. Um but I love directing.
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I love When I directed Cougar Town, I did about 10 episodes. I just love it. I'm very visual.
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What's the best lesson you learned about scoring from Gus Van Sant? Oh, right.
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God, that was cool that I got to How did you know? Wow.
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Um yeah, I sent him the film, and he was really nice, and he gave me advice.
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I think he even said something like, "Try to tie in the tone of the movie because a lot of times you want to play against the tone of the film, and uh and by doing a different kind of score.
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Um I'm just watching you.
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You might be uh Is it hotter for you than it is for me? Woah. You know what? Um it might be.
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You know, I think people think cuz I've done this so much that I'm just like some sort of like I'm impervious to hot sauce, right?
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Like I can't be stopped with hot sauce.
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But my lips burn the same way. burning right now? Okay, good.
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I put put my legs on one put my legs on put my pants on one leg at a time. You can't talk either. Okay. 13 minutes. Okay. I like the one Oh. Yeah. Oh.
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I like the I was going to say I like the way it starts off a little sweet. Yeah.
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It has that barbecue sort of vibe to it, like a good barbecue sauce.
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And then afterwards, right? Yeah.
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It kicks into a whole 'nother gear. It really does.
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But it's kind of good and yet I hate it. Let's see. Going in. Salute. Yeah.
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That one's got some kick.
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Do you feel like Misfits of Science and then your role as a telekinetic teenager, do you feel like that's maybe been overlooked by the superhero enthusiasm that swept over Hollywood over the last 15 years? Oh my god.
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You should see my I really thought this is going to be a be a big post for the gram.
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I did this thing with this picture we're all in our costume Misfits of Science and I was telekinetic and there was the guy who was really tall and then there's Dean Paul Martin was oh he was just trying to help us.
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He was like this professor or whatever but then there was the guy who had electric thing and he ran faster than the speed of light or anyway I did a little thing where I was like I'm surprised Marvel didn't pick this one.
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No one thought it was funny but me but um Did you have to raise my mic cuz I feel like I'm yelling? Oh. You know what?
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I Do we Do we touch these? Probably not.
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These just kind of stay in a in a nice position.
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Yeah, like if if the equilibrium's off and if the world's moving it's probably more because of the hot sauces. Yeah.
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And speaking of are you ready to move on to the next one?
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This is The Bomb Beyond Insanity. Okay. The bomb. All right. Did you make this one?
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You can say whatever you want about it. I'm sorry. No. No, it's not horrible. It's just just hot. Yeah.
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There's no flavor free after.
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No, there's no redeeming quality.
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There's no culinary quality. Just pure heat. Yeah, that's just heat.
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And then it just doesn't stop. Mhm. This is gross. It burns. That's the worst. Sorry to bomb.
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I mean, maybe it's great for some. Wow. Wow. That's hot.
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[ __ ] I can't wait to get the puck out of my butt.
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Did you have a favorite or most memorable cameo from a Monica love interest between Tom Selleck, George Clooney, Jon Favreau, and Jean-Claude Van Damme? It's quite a roster. Oh. Okay.
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The tears just an a reflection. Okay.
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Um Well, Tom Selleck was the nicest. And he was the tallest.
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Jon Favreau is the best director.
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He wasn't directing then.
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How would you quantify the impact of shooting in front of a live the heat. I'm actually crying. I know. I know.
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And I'm right here with you.
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I'm right here with you, Courteney. All right.
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How would you quantify the impact of shooting in front of a live studio audience?
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You know, I read I saw an interview with executive producer Kevin Bright where he talked about how writers, like if a joke didn't hit in the live studio audience, writers would workshop and rewrite the rewrite the rewrite the joke in real time. Me too. I'm right here with you. I'm right here with you.
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Um Yeah, these these writers were so incredible that when we were taping the show, the reason why Friday nights would take so There was no high voice like "Oh, that was good."
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or there was no "It's okay." It had to be the best.
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And that was what made the show so good.
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Our writers were so incredible. Oh. Okay. I'm sorry. No, it's all right. It's good.
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Put an ASMR effect on it. Oh, yeah. Okay.
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I'm going to put this back, but it's mine. Yeah.
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Don't think it's even this one. Sure.
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Whatever happens over there is staying over here. Okay. Ah.
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I just don't know how my lips going to get hotter. We'll find out.
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All right, pucker up, but let's do this. Are you doing it? Yeah. Extra mean green. Okay.
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Who can feel anything after the bomb? Right.
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I think that if there's anything that's nice about the bomb, is it just leaves scorched earth throughout your mouth.
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And then all of a sudden Oh god, this one gets you back in the throat.
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That one has some tricks. Yeah.
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I'm just my I'm in such pain.
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It doesn't matter what's happening now. you know what?
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I might as well eat the bowl in the bottom. There we go. There we go. Great. I mean, why not? [ __ ] it. Going in. [ __ ] it.
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I mean, I'm going to have to live in the woods now. I just like that.
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So, I was I was really tickled to hear that you and Ed Sheeran, you're close friends, and that you even let him crash at your Malibu pad while he was doing his album Multiply.
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How would you rate him as a house guest?
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Like you didn't let him bring Benny Blanco over, did you? I know.
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I do know Benny Blanco, but I know he I don't know if Benny ever came to the house.
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Um Ed is a is a good house guest, but There's some after effects with Ed and me. I pucker up, but Okay.
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Um Ed does like to talk to Alexa at the house.
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Um, and he uh, likes to order get masks just randomly Amazon and I'll get a get mask. I must have eight.
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But, um, Ed is really funny and he's a great guy.
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I hate this milk so much. But, you know what?
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Any port in a storm, you know? Mhm.
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I mean, for my coffee I use uh, this is like half and half.
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Although, they did say cuz I did some research what should you do? Of course you did.
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I'm not I'm not even married like But, um, you eat butter or salt or a like a lot of saturated fat.
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Well, if you say Courteney Cox, then it's the truth. Mhm. What are you doing?
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I saw Ed's He didn't just do a dab. He dunked it. Oh, he did. Okay.
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The last I'm not going to really take that word dab seriously. Yeah, that was good. That's good right there. going to dunk it.
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I'm just going to dab it. Just dab it.
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That's all That's you know, it's right there. That's all we say. bird. Okay. Hold on.
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I've got to wipe my nose. Okay. All right. Cheers. Cheers, Courteney.
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What is that on the Scoville scale? 2 million.
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I was out to dinner and I um, preparing myself for this.
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I just tried this hot sauce that was on the table and I said, "Oh, I got this."
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And I said to my friend, "What is this?"
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He goes, "Let me check the Scoville scale." It was 2,000. I was so excited.
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probably had some crystal or like some Frank's RedHot or something like this.
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No, it wasn't even that spicy. But look at you today. Yeah.
21:15
Taking down the gauntlet and you know what?
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The good news here, no more wings to go.
21:19
I do want to close things out with a somewhat prosaic question, but I am really interested in how you think about the continued and historic success of the Friends franchise.
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Like Dom, our producer for example, she has an almost sacred relationship with the show.
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She can quote every single episode.
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She goes to trivia nights.
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She had the best birthday of her life at the Friends experience.
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And even one time after somebody in our crew got married, she changed the last name to everybody on our closing credits, which was like a tip to that one after Vegas Friends episode.
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Why do you think the show has continued to bank so much cultural currency even as it approaches two decades of being off air?
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Um The reason why I think it's gone on and on and on is because humor is humor.
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And when you're in your 30s and you're going through life and the characters are so distinct from each other, I think that everyone can experience that part of their life.
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I just think the writing was so incredible and the chemistry is incredible.
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And every now and then there's like a little pepper that gets swallowed and you know what? Reminds you, yeah.
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Um It just I think they're all the characters are relatable in some way.
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You're either a you know, a flighty person or you're a sarcastic person or a neat freak.
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No matter who you are, you find someone you can relate to.
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And look at you, Courteney Cox, taking on the wings of death, didn't have much confidence in yourself going in, but absolutely You the gauntlet.
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And now there's nothing left to do but roll out the red carpet for you.
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This camera, this camera, this camera, let the people know what you have going on in your life.
23:08
Um okay, so I just had a show come out called Shining Vale. It's on Stars.
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Uh it's really good and it's scary and funny.
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Um I have a a product line called Homecourt, which is essentially beauty products for the home.
23:20
They smell incredible and they really work. Okay, that's it, guys. Great job. Thank you.
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Are you happy you did it now that you're on the other side? again. I for sure I loved it.
23:40
That's what I'm talking about. fun, too.
23:41
And you can actually like just cry if you have to.
23:51
For the first time ever, hot sauce for kids.
23:53
That's right, hot sauce for kids.
23:57
I'd like to introduce you to Hot Ones Jr. The Green.
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This sauce is a super tasty flavor clash of green apple, sweet banana, warm jalapeño.
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Lets kids sort of experience the Hot Ones tradition, but at the foothills of Mount Scoville. Heatnoss. com, Heatnoss.
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com to get your hands on the green Hot Ones Jr. before anyone else.
24:20
It's super tasty and it's a hot sauce for kids.