Latest / Call Her Tatty / Inside the Life of a Jewish Modern Orthodox Woman in Showbiz

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Inside the Life of a Jewish Modern Orthodox Woman in Showbiz · Call Her Tatty

0:00
Shut up prices.
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Yes.
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Tell us up in Tish.
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I knew I really wanted to say that.
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All the iconic Christmas songs were all written by Jews.
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F*** went out with her daughter.
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Oh, that's so good.
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Theater is about energy, right?
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The exchange of energy between the audience and the actors.
0:16
Over my dead body.
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A sea similar, welcome to Caller Tati.
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Hi, she was welcome to a brand new episode of Caller Tati.
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Today I have an amazing guest all the way from the UK.
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She is a lyricist, a screenwriter.
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She has so much experience in the theater world.
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And her whole story is just mind blowing.
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I want to introduce today's guest,
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A sea similar, welcome to Caller Tati.
0:50
Thank you. I'm really really excited to be here because I just you are just so sassy and I love you
0:56
Oh, thank you. Well, I'm so happy. You're in Miami and this was not like something we actually planned
1:04
This was so like on a whim last night. I was talking to Zoli and I'm like
1:09
I think I actually just really want to just do the podcast with SD ASAP
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Very few women like you exist, which is orthodox, cool, hot, talented, and I'm like I need to have SC on the podcast
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You are really excited to be here. Thank you so much. So SC I don't want to talk for you. I want you to tell everyone
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What you do exactly and how you got there. Oh my God. Okay, so I'm a playwright. I'm also a lyricist. I specialize in musical theater and I also
1:55
Dramaturge musicals and I also help to promote and platform positive Jewish stories
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Eat a four Jewish creatives who also write plays and musicals
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So that's why and I'm taking a PhD in the mechanics of comedy and musical theater performance
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So I'm going to love my PhD. Yeah, no one should have this much fun doing academia
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When you see a show right and you'll go to a show and you'll be like oh that really didn't work
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Everyone always blames the writer and I'm like no you don't just blame the writer
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There's a lot more people to blame
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There's the producer because there's audience expectation. How do you market it?
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Um, which venue you're going to put it in the audience demographic
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There's the director. Are they leaving in beats for humor?
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Um, there's the if it's a musical there's the composer. There's the underscoring. There's the actors
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There's so much that goes into it
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But it's also not just for musical comedies
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It's also regular
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Musicals in the sense that if they take themselves too seriously
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Then there there's a problem with that there's a relationship
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Between comedy and payfoss and that is really what my research explores and I just love it
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Like love it
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Now that you're working on your PhD. Yes
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Where does your position fall in the midst of
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creating
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A show so you said that there are producers involved
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Yeah, you're right. So do you go to the auditions? Do you oh for my shows that I oh
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Well a writer has to say but if they end of the day the person who's paying is really
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You know has the final say but obviously the author the author has to say in everything. Yeah
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And also when I write I usually do know who I'm writing for
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You know, so I have an idea with the character. Yeah, I have the character in mind. Yeah
4:04
Okay, there must be a story behind how you got into this industry
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You mean my villain origin story correct. Yeah
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So how do I get I mean I always love theater always and
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Even I was young. I was always writing all of the shows. I found a show I wrote for my high school
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Bostora
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So sure I had I was 16 years old and it was really funny. I was like oh, I was pretty good back then
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And I always I always was something I always loved um I took a second
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undergrad in literature, but as I got older you know after my kids were already got bigger
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And then I took a master's in writing musical theater like as a lark and when I was there every they were
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Everyone was like oh my god, you're really good. I'm like thank you so much
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so
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And I was I know I like I'm good at it and I know it shouldn't be as easy to me as it as it is
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I was a speech writer for over 25 years. I think that stood me in good stead in that each speech is like a mini production in itself
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You know, so beginning middle and you're writing in somebody else's voice and
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And it also did a lot of parody lyrics
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So that's a lot of experience. So yeah, so different areas I guess in writing and then you just
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You're just doing what you just love to do can I tell you something karma? I am so jealous of myself
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I really am
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I feel like I would say something like that
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I like so love it so much like I get so excited my idea of a vacation is a log cabin
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Okay, okay surrounded by barbed wire
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food delivered by drone
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And and just being able to write with no one bothering me
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That's very peaceful the dream hashtag goals
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I feel like you can do that. Yeah, I can do it
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Yeah
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So you're originally from New York. Yes
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From Muncie
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Up the hill if anyone knows I don't know there's there's like a dare in the old Muncie there was up the hill
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You're either from up the hill or down the hill. Okay. It's all the way up the hill. Okay
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Which is like the more modern all the more modern. Okay. Yeah, so like short sleeves
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Oh, yeah
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How has the transition from New York to
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London maybe shift your perspective on theater? Is there any difference?
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Well, I mean, I always love British theater
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I remember
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Seeing little me in London when I was 16 years old. I mean, oh this is amazing. I want to do this and it's yeah
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Did you get any back? I don't think I actually answered your question
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I think you're gonna have to scrub that
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because
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I did not answer the question and I do that a lot by the way. That's fine. Like don't answer
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I want you to see what's on your mind. Yeah, yeah, first thing. Yeah, yeah, that was that was a shonda
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I'm trying to use as many Yiddish words as I can because I know that it's okay here the safe space safe space are Yiddish words. Yes. Yeah
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So what was the question again? The question I had yeah
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I don't even have it written now. It just came to me. That's why I asked it. That's a cool. What
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The transition from going from New York to London
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How how has that translated? I guess in your work in your theater work going from New York. I'm really British
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You're really British. Yes. Don't listen to how I sound because
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I'm really British. So I've been there 37 years. Yeah, that's a long time like I dream in British
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It's so fascinating to me that I'm just this is totally off a whim. Yeah, but actually no, it's not your kids
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I'll have a British accent. They do. Yeah, how does that happen? It's just so random. I don't know
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But in my brain I also have a British accent. I noticed that a lot of people not from London
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Who move there? Yeah, their kids all have an accent. I know. How does that happen? Is that just school? Well it's school
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And then I guess my husband's that's why I married him right
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I married him because of his accent and he still has the accent and that's we're still together. It's good. Yeah. It's good
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That's the glue. That's the glue. That's the glue. What was the biggest culture shock for you when I when I first when you first moved to London
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When I the funny thing is is that it England people say things like
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Shop or you're lying and I was like no, I'm not I couldn't understand why they would say that now
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You know, so it's just my lexicon
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So just like the language just the the language and the way they said things
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I didn't understand that that was all those years ago, but
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You know, like I said, I'm totally British. I do use the same words like
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A jumper instead of oh, I I have to instead of saying like it's sweater leather. Yeah
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I have to I have to say because they don't understand what I'm talking about. Oh the worst is this is a
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My son when he was growing up, you know
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Had loads of friends over and I said
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He had chocolate. He was eating chocolate and I go you know you on his nice
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Pants and I go you're gonna get it all over your pants and his friends started laughing
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It's trousers because if you say pants is underwear. Oh, so it's like is it the equivalent of me saying you're gonna get it on your underwear
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Right, it was very much because it's English, but it's not really yeah, yeah, and they used to say things
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Like get in the bath and the kids would say it's not bath is ball, and I say whatever it is get it
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Don't care. Just get it get in the walk to the walk to
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I can't even imitate it. That's bad. I could imitate like come garing because no, I'm some garing, but I can't imitate
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Did you ever want to be an actress yourself never
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So much so that I don't even introduce my own shows the director introduces not interested
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Do not want to do it. What's your favorite show you've ever
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Written that I've written? Well every show I write is like my favorite at the moment, you know
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But they're all like your kids so you can't really choose the favorite
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But they're you enjoy them at the time. So I mean, I guess
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Smother which is my show that's coming up for
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2026 and
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Very excited about that one that one at the moment is making me laugh the most so yeah
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That's my favorite. Do you want to tell everyone what it's about? I do
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It's about a Jewish mother who comes back to life to make sure her daughter gets married
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Because as we all know death is no match for a Jewish mother
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And it's like the tagline is every daughter's dream every daughter's nightmare
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Yeah, I saw that and I was thinking that is definitely going to be it's so funny
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It's so funny, but it's also heartwarming
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It's cuz like I make my daughter's crazy my mom makes me crazy. It's beautiful. It's a circle of life
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Did you find any culture shock?
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Being in orthodox woman getting into theater and having I guess just
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Every single kind of person in that industry because you have so many different types of people from so many different types of backgrounds
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Yeah, how how was that?
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I guess transition
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getting into
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That world especially I don't know if there are any other orthodox women
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in your industry
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Well, I know there is one
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um
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There is one other I don't wait scrub that
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No, it's just me. It's just yeah
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Scrub that yeah, do you like that?
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No, I feel like I you know, it's like one thing oh gosh
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I sort of feel
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In a way that I'm not in any world
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Because like in the from world. Look what is she doing? She's like out there
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With everybody else and everybody else is like oh my gosh. She's like a rebson
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Do you know I mean so you're actually like the opposite of your yes, so like I'm never
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Yes, so I know I did not tell people that I was you know that I kept job as her kosher
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I just didn't say I said to everybody
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You know don't call me between friday and monday because I have a whole load of kids
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And then when I went out to dinner
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I would always bring a poting bar and say I'm on a meal replacement diet and everyone's like oh you want to die?
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And then I had a Jewish producer and she said to me she said you know you have to come out
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This is crazy
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So when I came out of the closet and I told everyone that I was not just Jew but a very jui jui jiu
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The first thing they said to me was can we come friday night dinner and that was jiu non jiu
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They all said it to me and I want you to know I've had them all for dinner and it has been the most fun
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Thing in the whole world. I've heard you're friday night dinner. Yeah, they're like yeah, they're epic
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Do you give them a theme?
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Well, I do you know what that's very interesting to say that because I do
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friday nights, but because I'm hutsla arats I keep two days
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So I do it. I so do thanksgiving on set Thursday night do it like a friday night is true hug
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Cue yeah, we have the turkey, but we also have to date a couple and we had you know, so we it's everything is
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That's a good balance. Yeah, it's beautiful
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I want to get into the Shaduchin conversation only because I know you
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Don't talk about it. I really don't want to talk about it
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Because there are a lot of viewers watching fine. I'll talk about it feel valid date
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But I also want to hear your thoughts because you're a bright woman
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And they were involved in the Shaduch world. I was I was for my sins
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Um, I was very involved in the Shaduch worlds, which I don't even want to talk about but
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Yeah, I
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Let's talk about it
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Why is the Shaduch crisis and we're going to talk about it. Okay, so Shaduch crisis. Yeah, so it's up in tish
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Right, I knew I really wanted to say that and it because it's a safe space
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So yeah, why is there a Shaduch crisis? I think this is my personal opinion. Please don't give me hate
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I think since the advent of bulletproof machetes there has been a Shaduch crisis
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Because
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Boys look hygienic at weddings and and girls look gorgeous
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And they can never see each other and meet organically and I think that's like a
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It's a problem and then you know, so you have to arrange for them to meet in another way
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Have ever made a Shaduch
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Well, I was involved in an agency that made that was involved in like hundreds of Shaduch
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So that was pretty good
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But then it comes to a point where it's
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Genic
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So if there's one way to solve the Shaduch crisis, you're saying that they should be
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Mixed eating for the singles for the singles not the married people. Oh, that I don't care about
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Because it doesn't make sense
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That's true, too, but then again they go out into the lobby and the lobby is squashed and they're rubbing up against each other's
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You know
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I don't know how well that works out, but I do think that it would be a good idea to have you for the single at least with singles, you know, give them a chance
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Delano you wanted to cut in so now is your time to cut in
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Oh
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Well, I don't know if we want to mention
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I
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Probably not I have no idea where you're talking
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Went out with her daughter
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But
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Can't do that to me. I have an image. She's sharing now. I have an image. She's married. She is married
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She's married to the best guy. It's his birthday today. We love him. What'd you do for his birthday?
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Um, I got him gorgeous
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Backpack because for work. Yeah
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Well the biggest problem and Shaduch him is a shotgun him. I agree
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When you ask a shotgun. Yeah
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You know, what is a girl like you want fat? It's not opinions
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Yeah, so when a shotgun says oh, she's open-minded
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She's middle of the road
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I want facts like I want her like she wears this she goes this like that makes a lot of thing
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I think but then again, it's not
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If that's not the shotgun's job really sorry, that's really not the job the job of the shotgun is to suggest it
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But if you're asking a shotgun
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Yeah, yeah, well then she I mean then you say I want somebody who dresses like this who doesn't wear this or where is this
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And then it's their job to give that to you, but it's also your job to verify that it's true
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Right
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I guess it's like you can't really blame the shotgun
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Even though you can't a lot. I think you can
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But yeah
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Not so much office. Yeah, the shotgun knows, but she's like a free to say that is that
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I don't really know where he's out in my friend now maybe he changed. I don't want you
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Yeah, no, the highest yeah, that's the highest for the shotgun. Yeah, no that's bad bad shotgun
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naughty shatrin big shatrin. Yeah, that's not good
18:59
Well, you crack to Miami a lot. Yes, I do
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Specifically, Brickle
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Yes, you can come in here for like before the bad was in the evening
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They're not even on the beach were all or everyone goes you come to Brickle
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I like it that it's not where everyone goes. I love it. And I think
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I am in the first place
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So
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The husband goes to the far east like a lot and he loves the mandarin oriental
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Because he goes to all their hotels wherever he is
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So they opened up a hotel here, so he was like yeah, and he loved it for years and now they smashed it down
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They start. I don't think they started yet. Well, they you can't go in there. Right. Yeah, so it's same same effect for me
19:41
What are some projects you're working on now? Okay, so I'm dramaturging. I have something in my eye. Oh, that is drive me in a I'm dramaturging a
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Um, can you oh my god. There is something in my eye
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Where
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Your lashes for no, I always have my lashes part of my brain. I don't see anything look look down look up
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Is it hair? I don't see
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Okay, well, thank you so sorry
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Do we need the clapper thing again? No, we're good
20:20
Okay, you were saying what was I saying? I know it was really interesting. Can you just rewind a little? No, we can't rewind
20:31
Wait, oh, I was asking you specifically briefly come to Brickle a lot. Yeah, love it
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The man in our cell was not demolished yet, and then you got something in your eye, and then I got something my
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sorry
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Why specifically Miami because my parents I know it's nine and a half hours
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It's far it's really far because my parents are living La Vita, Loca and Boca
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Like all good Jews they moved from New York to Boca
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So got to visit the parents so we come to
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When I say me and then when you guys gonna. I don't know. You know what we're we're
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Yeah, yeah, I'm gonna call you look for properties
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Yeah, can I talk about that tattoo story for my daughter cuz it's really funny absolutely. Okay
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So back to my show smother which I love by the way, I'm very excited and I hope everybody comes to see it smother
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Badadish mother comes back to life to make sure our daughter gets married
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So
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It the idea came to me because we had gone out to eat like the whole family and it was like it was I remember it was in
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Jerusalem it was at Angelica and we has like huge massive table
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Across the table one I hear one of my daughters going, you know
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I think I want to get a tattoo just over here and I go
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From the other end of the table I hear this out of the whole
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All of the chaos of everybody talking and I go scream over my dead body
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And then she
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Connolly looks over and goes okay. I'll wait
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And I thought oh no, I screamed back and if you think I'm not gonna come back and want you
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And then it was like they and that's where the idea came from
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Wow, yeah, your daughter was the inspiration. Yes, she was. Yes, you know that you will haunt her
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I am both of them. I have two daughters. I will haunt both of them for it to read. Yeah, movie eternity. Yeah
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Have you ever worked with somebody and you're like I'm never working with them again
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You don't have to give a name
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Yes
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We know the reason
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No, okay
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Sorry, no, because then everybody know
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So it must be very specific is there it's a thing yeah, it's a whole thing. Yeah, it's a whole thing
23:01
Is there a difference in audiences
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between
23:07
American comedy and British comedy do you see like there's a big distinction between the two
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That is a really good question
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I think in America people are more willing to laugh and then in England
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It's sort of they sitting with their arms folded and until they've relaxed enough and you've proven to them
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That you can make them laugh and then the laugh
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So it's harder to please I think so I think so yeah, but I'd like that challenge accepted. Yeah
23:39
Do American just find like the dumbest things funny compared to British people? Well, so I
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You did the funny thing is that I haven't put on show here. So I don't know. Yeah, you've written things
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I've written things, but I've never seen them go over here. Yeah, yeah, yeah, so that's yeah, but
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Oh, I know what you were asking me by the way. What was I remembered?
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So excited. Oh my god, you don't understand and for me to remember something is a big deal
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Thank you hush
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I'm forgiving key keys to the rooms in my brain. Okay
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It was you asked me what am I doing now? This interesting and I was gonna tell you and then I got some hair in my eye
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Got it. Okay. Okay. There we go. What are you doing now? So I am writing a musical based on an award-winning film called the
24:34
Five Wives and Lives of Melvin Fefferberg
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I am the lyricist and I'm working with the filmmaker
24:42
on the Damien Samuels and it is so funny
24:46
It's about this guy at I have this thing with dating and he get dumped at the altar and he goes a he gets from
24:55
Home shopping network. He gets this time machine and they say you want to even notice you're wearing it
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And it's this huge hat with like bells and whistles. He goes to a speeding event and every
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Woman's hands he shakes. He sees this future with her
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We are having such a laugh writing. I can't even tell you it's such joy
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And I'm just the lyricist on it and it is the most fun musical theater is such a collaborative art form
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And all when you you're in this room with these genius filmmakers and they're just so funny and it just makes you
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Funny or we're we're we're we're not laugh. It's not laugh. Okay. It's joy pure joy
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I'm doing that. I'm also dramaturging a Christmas musical. Oh, yes
25:45
Based on a film in America was called Angel in the House in England
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It was called Foster with Richard E. Grant and with
25:55
Tony Collette and the filmmaker Jonathan Newman is making into a fantastic
26:01
Fantastic musical and I'm dramaturging it. So that's really exciting
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We just had a reading of it in London. So with like industry reading super exciting that and I hope that's going to be on
26:14
I'm hoping that it's going to be on some time before Christmas. I'm really hoping is it weird for you to be
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writing
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When the musical is based on Christmas and it's obviously not something you I love this question
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Because if there wasn't for us Jews, there wouldn't be Christmas the way you know it
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Look at that. Look at it because you know Irving Berlin wrote by Christmas and redefined Christmas music until then it was all like Jesus music
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and now
26:49
And then he made it nostalgic and all about family and
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And and all that kind of thing and all the iconic Christmas songs were all written by Jews
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And if you look into it with this is really interesting if you look into it
27:05
You'll see that the ones that touch you the most are all about nostalgia
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They're all this yearning for probably this perfect Christmas that never was
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You know knowing what I know about people's families
27:17
but
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You it's all interesting because these are immigrants children of Jewish immigrants
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and
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If you want to take it a step further you could say that it's they all they did was tap into
27:32
um their desire for the Alteheim
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That nostalgia for the Alteheim and if you want to go a step even to make it even more high-mesh
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To
27:43
To go further you could take that that that is the yearning of the Jew for the base of Miktosh
27:52
Aha, this is very deep. So I had a producer
27:56
uh two producers
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Joe Benjamin Clive Generic came to me and my
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Composer you've all have been he's Israeli and they asked us to write a
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Christmas musical about why all the Jews
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write the you know write uh
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The Christmas songs called Oive in a manger
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They own that the rights to that and we
28:23
wrote a Christmas song which is actually on Spotify and YouTube
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And it's called Christmas in our hearts and what I tried to do was I tried to tap into that same yearning
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That Jewish yearning for the Alteheim and
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Write it is if it was like an old-fashioned
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uh
28:43
Christmas song that was written in the 1940s or the 50s
28:47
Wow, yeah, it's so fascinating because you would think that a Jewish writer would might they would want to like write something about
28:55
Hanukkah
28:56
Pesach
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But they kind of dominate
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Well because it's you know what it is it's our yearning to be connected
29:03
If you think Johnny Marx wrote
29:06
In Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer what is the what is the story of Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer?
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He's this reindeer everyone makes fun of him because of his nose and
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But what to Santa do Santa says you're the nose lights up and everyone makes fun of him because you know what that's useful
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We're gonna take you we're gonna put him in the front
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And we're gonna put you in the front and everyone stop bullying him because he's you know now he's useful and that way
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Santa can see in the dark
29:31
That is the Jewish yearning to pass and to be like and and and not only to be useful
29:39
Even though they have the not to change their noses
29:43
but to
29:44
Be accepted for who they are so fascinating and never heard of this. Yeah, I literally never heard of this. It's really interesting
29:53
I want to
29:55
Get into the flip side of this
29:58
Which is you see Jews
30:01
producing Christmas songs and I mean a lot of Jews are in the movie industry
30:08
We see a lot of movies and TV shows based on
30:13
You know Jewish funny things like you're so not invited to my bot mitzvah with Adam Salon
30:17
He was a producer of that movie you have
30:21
Um nobody wants this
30:23
Um, I think on Netflix. Who knew Netflix on um with the young hot rabbi who wanted to marry a shakza
30:30
But you don't see Jewish theater
30:34
I know I know you see a lot of Jewish references and yeah like I vee and mazel tov and let's I am but you don't see
30:46
stories
30:48
Yeah, like Jewish based stories. You don't see positive ones. You see there's a lot of
30:54
There's a lot of I've listened Holocaust theaters really really important
30:58
Because you know, it's important to tell our stories and all of that
31:02
But you don't see a lot of like
31:05
Seinfeldish curb your enthusiasm stories in
31:09
In the theater and I would like to
31:13
I'd like to change that
31:14
I would like to ask other writers to start please write something funny and and let people connect to us
31:21
Through theater. Do you think that that's on purpose because maybe producers don't think enough people will come to see it?
31:28
I do think said I think that's an issue. Yeah, I think also because let's say
31:34
To get funding if you're gonna promote Jews in a positive way
31:38
In England at least you're not gonna get arts funding, you know, if you have a little bit of uh
31:44
You know someone's going on the religion off the religion and there's like oh this drama for that then oh, yeah
31:50
Here here's the money
31:52
Fiddler on the roof though did very well and I feel like even
31:56
Tilted doing amazing. It's doing amazing now at the barbican. It's an incredible. What do you think
32:04
What aspect of Fiddler on the moon? Do you think made it such a
32:10
blockbuster
32:12
Amazing
32:13
Well, it wasn't made a movie and yeah
32:17
I'm wrong, and it's like it's iconic because it's
32:21
The wonderful thing about the way it's written is that it's so universal
32:27
There's a story and please if I get it wrong somebody
32:32
Either correct me or forget about it
32:35
um
32:37
A Japanese ambassador said to I think did he said to one of the writers Sheldon Hardock? I think
32:42
He said I don't understand why
32:45
Fiddler on the roof is so uh popular in America. It's such a Japanese story really because it's that story of family
32:54
It transcends borders and the more specific something is the more universal it is and it's it's so wonderful
33:01
But it's ultimately a tragic story. It's hilariously funny and uplifting until it's not so I put it in the same
33:10
genre as uh, I believe it or not as holocaust
33:13
uh really little g because it
33:17
It's it yeah because it's a tragic story
33:21
Do you think it takes time after a war or some big world event
33:31
For comedy to be written about it
33:34
Oh my gosh
33:36
So you have um when the producers came out mil Brooks
33:41
God bless him
33:42
Oh when the producers came out it was very, you know, that's making fun of uh of
33:48
Of Hitler
33:49
They're the main song in that is springtime for Hitler
33:52
Which is hilarious, but that came out I sometime in the 60s. It was very close to world war two
33:58
so
33:59
people had a hard time
34:02
Like laughing at that right and now actually the producers is on it in London and it is just it's just the best
34:09
Because it also you know takes the Nazis down a peg and it's just it's just so funny
34:15
like i feel like
34:17
You almost have to wait like for not a generation to pass, but you need
34:23
The next generation to be born
34:26
To make light of certain things. Yeah. Yeah, so it's because i don't think yeah
34:31
I don't think my grandparents would have laughed that certain
34:34
Hitler jokes
34:36
Yeah, yeah, I mean our generation like well laugh about it because we just I guess we're like not desensitized
34:43
We just didn't live with that mentality on the other hand like the reason that i'm so funny
34:50
Is that my mom's a survivor? So that was her currency right that was they they managed the
34:58
They survived because they just were laughing the whole time and everything they just find everything funny
35:05
So it was the gallows humor
35:07
Yeah, give them a subtle reminder
35:09
Yeah, exactly
35:11
You have to write a musical or write something that you felt like was either too raunchy or
35:17
Too risque and you just scrapped it and you kind of want to bring it back
35:21
Somebody's asked me to write something and I know I could just do it because it's like based on ancient Greek
35:29
It's really really raunchy ancient Greek story and uh
35:35
And yeah, I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. We'll see. You just don't want your name on that. Maybe you can be anonymous. We can do it
35:44
Okay, so I wrote something and I don't know if yeah
35:52
I
35:54
Because it's about it's it's a one woman
35:57
Play which I would like for a drag queen to do about megan markle
36:00
Okay
36:03
Really it's called um with love me again instead of me
36:10
Okay, and then tagline is ever after happy oh
36:20
That sounds funny, so yeah, but I don't know. It's like a little bit mean-spirited so I might not be able to put my name to it
36:26
Why is that mean-spirited
36:29
Because you have to be
36:31
Okay, oh, I want to talk to that AI. Oh
36:35
Oh
36:38
Estee
36:40
Are living in this AI world and I feel like every week that passes. There's a new
36:46
Freaking app a new thing now. We have Sora. We can make videos about people and I have to try that by the way
36:53
It's kind of freaky. I have to try it. I don't like it
36:56
I'm gonna try it. It is the creepiest thing and I saw it. It was a trend, but I like it was so real
37:02
AI is taking over the world. It is every week. We have a new app. We have a new update
37:08
Chatchy PT has this update and then we get this new app Sora
37:14
it just there's a lot and
37:17
I'm sure you've used Chatchy PT to help you with either with either like coming up with like ideas or help write a script
37:25
Had to re-free something like like my heart just rose. I don't you don't
37:31
Girl you're missing out
37:33
Like for my PhD
37:35
I will only use it to see if if my referencing because the referencing is such a pain in the neck
37:40
I use Chicago referencing and to make sure that I have like because every like
37:45
Dot in comma, you know, you can get it's
37:49
Right. Yeah, so I use that
37:52
Chatchy PT, but I would never use it for anything for me because I feel like it's not pure and I feel like people can read it look
37:59
Theater is about energy, right? The exchange of energy between the audience and the actors. Okay, so
38:07
If you're gonna put something that's generated by a non-human
38:11
You're gonna read that energy. That's how I feel. I want to tell you a quick little story about that
38:17
Okay, I can tell you from experience
38:20
Yeah, you're looking for a certain energy and you can't even find it in yourself
38:24
Chatchy PT will find it in its little system sponsoring the podcast
38:29
No, but Zoli was writing something to somebody and it was just
38:35
He was not very happy and I said ask Chatchy PT to make it meaner
38:42
Let's write the letter and then
38:45
Zoli put this letter in and he says make it meaner
38:51
And oh my god, we did that like 15 times
38:55
It was the meanest thing. I was offended. I was the meanest thing. I have ever read and then I'm so excited to use that
39:03
If you want to get a point across
39:06
You put that in Chatchy PT. I'm so excited. I'm so excited
39:10
Joseph the reason why I'm bringing AI in Chatchy PT is because
39:15
Even if you're not using it. Yeah, there are people using oh oh
39:19
Okay, then okay
39:21
So I know those people because I sit in the audience and I can recognize it right away
39:27
Especially a musical theater
39:28
So they use it for their lyrics and they think that me I'm not gonna notice
39:32
I notice so they have their rhyming is just so perfunctory. It's nothing exciting. It's not
39:39
Anything creative. Okay fine. That's bad enough. But then in a musical theater song you have to have the song
39:46
Has to move the plot forward. It doesn't it stays in the same place
39:51
It also has to be character specific
39:53
So let's say if a character talks in a certain way you've got to have the lyrics got to reflect that you can't have the character suddenly
40:01
Singing in a different voice than
40:03
It's like me as a speechwriter writing a speech with somebody in a totally different voice in the one that they use
40:09
They you can't do that and also Chatchy PT puts
40:13
Every metaphor that is known to mankind in one song a human would never do that
40:20
So I know right away if somebody's done it
40:23
I've been to shows and I've been like oh my god
40:26
They have used AI for this and they just think they're gonna put the pull the rule rule over my eyes and I really
40:32
Don't you think AI will advance
40:36
Yeah, but at point where like they can carry a whole musical through it
40:41
I'm very interested to see the song. I'm very interested to see this also their sense of humor
40:46
I try listen. I tried to use AI to see if they can come up with anything funny the sense you but it's just it's just not there
40:53
It's just not there
40:55
Well, it could be mean so that could be useful. Mean is really interesting. I like me. Mean is very interesting
41:01
That I'm gonna try because it's like when you ask for like the extra jazz. Yeah, it knows how to do that
41:09
Know this but you have to be very careful. I want you to
41:13
You know anybody who's watching this has to know
41:16
Always even though they say that it costs millions to say please and thank you to the chat gbt
41:22
You have to say please and thank you. Why you have to be nice to your chat gbt
41:26
Why because when AI takes over the world they will remember
41:32
Who was nice to them? Well, Zoli you heard it here. Zoli's chat gbt is so mean to me
41:39
I have my own account now because it's not so mean. I'd be nervous like
41:43
I was putting a brisket in the oven before you untip and I was trying to figure out like the temperature and the time
41:49
Yeah, I want to because every time I make a brisket I scoot up somehow and it gets tough and whatever
41:55
So I'm like, okay, I have a 2.5 pound brisket. I don't want to make a fancy recipe. Yeah, so what do I do? So give me like
42:03
His his chat gbt gave me this like oh
42:06
You want to just take the easy way
42:09
Oh, you're you know, it has attitude, you know, your ancestors are rolling in their graves like literally that's sort of response
42:16
And I was like are you kidding me right now? And I was like goodbye. I went to my chat gbt
42:21
Because mine is not as advanced and I don't pay for premium. He pays for premium
42:26
Yeah, some of this guy. Yeah, and I'm like just just make a
42:31
Simple brisket. Okay, here it is. It's all I wanted to call that attitude. I said for the attitude
42:37
But I think it's yeah, but I think I think that attitude gives that brisket a little extra something something
42:41
It makes me feel like crap like spicy every time I use this account. Oh
42:47
I'm not AI. I am human. I make you feel like crap sometimes, but that's just part of marriage. I'm sorry
42:55
Sometimes it's it's tough love sweetie
42:57
It's yes, I sharpened married a while she's a married a while, but she looks nice and taunt and young and fresh. Thank you
43:07
Thank you, and as soon as we put some pictures on air when you said you live in in London for thirty seven years
43:13
You look like you move there one what you are three
43:17
And this is why I love you
43:19
well
43:21
First we need to know your marriage secrets because my marriage secrets. Yes, I told you I know you're not so cute
43:30
You come on vacation
43:32
To Miami either with or without your kids you come to school. You're like on vacation mode. You're just like you're just safe
43:37
Miami is great. Yeah, well, you know, I told you listen. I married him for his accent. So I mean that still has it
43:44
So there you go. I'm not gonna lie listening to a British accent. That's the secret
43:48
Like did you lock the door in the middle of the night?
43:51
It's like oh darling your your food is delicious
43:55
It's crumptious
44:02
Whatever works
44:04
What do you think is besides for communications? Everyone says communications key blah blah blah
44:08
No, I don't think communication is no one I think is the one I know every success in a marriage. Yeah
44:14
Comprehension
44:18
Comprehension
44:19
Comprehension right yeah, because I could be talking to a wall and I'm communicating but nothing going through no
44:26
True true true and I also don't understand why everybody has to be like people go out and they all I well
44:34
They don't have the things in common. I mean I've been married for 37 years
44:38
He
44:40
Doesn't like theater
44:42
I don't
44:45
And I don't like tack as much as Oli does yeah
44:49
And every morning I wake up. I swear to God how we got to see this new out on my computer
44:54
Myself in that
44:56
With a new map every day at the amount of tick talks and reals I get you know what I say
45:03
When people are married and they talk consistently throughout the day at the end of the day when they're having dinner
45:09
And then they over what are they talking about honestly? I don't know so I don't know
45:15
Tell me everything when you're off your phone exactly
45:19
Yes, when we can have a conversation yes
45:22
And then we can watch tick talks before you fall asleep because it takes 30 seconds from default
45:25
That's that's beautiful that you even do that. I think it's a great. Yeah, that is yeah
45:31
That has become like the standard for a lot of married couples. Yeah, so like just go through tick talk and then someone passes out in the first few minutes
45:38
That's usually solely
45:40
So you're getting a lot of airtime on this. I like it. I like it
45:47
and
45:51
Yeah, what is your well we said comprehension, but what is your one piece of advice on the dating world?
45:57
Because you know you're in the show. Okay. Yeah, my piece of advice is don't go for somebody who has the same
46:03
You know, you don't need a harousel. Look at me speaking of Jewish
46:08
Um, you don't need a harousel. You need a life partner. You don't need somebody who shares your every a friend
46:14
You don't it shares your every interest. I mean, I go to the ed friends, you know in edibur
46:19
They have a french festival 3000 shows every summer
46:23
My husband lost his show privileges
46:25
Does it bother us? No
46:27
Because he was falling asleep in the shows you don't understand if there's three people in the audience and a third of the audience is sleeping
46:34
It's not good. So I said no shows for you, but he understands that he says can I still come up to ed and broke
46:40
You just said you may come up because may I walk around the town? I said yes, but not knew the shows
46:46
I think it's good for couples to have separate interests
46:49
I don't see why they that's a problem when you see people that they have to every has to tick every single box
46:55
You don't eat that that's a life as long as they're interested in each other
46:59
That's the only interesting one hundred percent
47:05
For shizzles
47:10
We're going to talk about AI. We're just going to continue it. Oh, but hey
47:14
Um, we're going to talk about AI and we're going to talk about feelings
47:18
Okay, because I've been in a couple of industries where it's easy to separate
47:26
Personal from professional, but if feel like in theater
47:31
You put your personality and yourself in your work. So that is technically personal
47:40
Right
47:41
This is very interesting because most writers will say yes
47:47
Me, I mean, of course you write what you know because otherwise I can't write what I don't know
47:53
Unless I'm using chat GPT, but
47:56
Um
47:57
But for me because I come from the discipline of being a speech writer
48:01
I don't find that my my ego myself is not in my work. It exists separate of myself
48:08
Which so if somebody she's very interesting you wrote and says this is shit
48:12
Yeah, I don't you know nothing really not not only that I love notes
48:17
You know constructive notes. Yeah, someone says something is shit. It's like okay
48:21
But it doesn't bother me really doesn't bother me
48:25
That's good. I know it's so cool. Do you feel like that's like a quality that you have super power? Okay
48:30
That is my superpower because like you know my age to tell me a joke on
48:36
How many writers does it take to change a light bulb answer none writers won't change anything and that's not me
48:44
I love notes. I live for notes because I know that the work which exists outside of me
48:51
Will become better
48:53
Do you have any tips for anybody who was thinking of taking their career in the same direction which you did?
49:02
I
49:03
Like if somebody wants to be a writer and you know, it's terrible to say but you know
49:10
I'm I'm in a privileged position because I'm a kept woman
49:15
Thank you Shmaia that's the husband because
49:19
It's it's very hard to make bread and butter yeah out of out of theater, you know that so you can't expect to have like but as
49:28
As I was suggested if it's something that you're really really passionate about and you can afford to be your friend
49:35
Then do it it's it's the biggest joy the most wonderful thing that anybody can do just express themselves through writing is there
49:44
Love besides besides for the money aspect which I think many writer positions have that issue yeah
49:54
Is there any other piece of advice? Yes, I have a piece of advice work on your craft
49:58
I'm it's so fed up with people. Yeah, I wrote a musical and they're like every
50:03
It Tom dick and Harry thinks that they can write a musical the if you don't understand the craft
50:09
then
50:11
What are you doing you're just putting stuff out there that's that's not good
50:16
Sorry, I take it very personally only because I try to work so
50:20
hard at it
50:21
And I and I can tell right away when they have it and also
50:25
Theater is such a different discipline and it just genre than any other type so you have
50:31
um, let's say I always use an example
50:35
Emerald Fennel won a
50:36
Asker for promising a woman which is an amazing piece of
50:42
cinema right and and she wanted deservedly
50:46
She also wrote Cinderella for Andrew Lloyd Webber. I say no
50:50
well, yes
50:52
It's a different it's a different beast and you have to understand yeah when you adapt one for the other
50:58
You have to understand the needs of
51:01
You know like a play is a play is different than a musical and uh
51:06
You know playwrights if they're going to make the things into them is they have to understand the needs and wants of a musical
51:12
Can you define
51:15
The difference between a lyricist and just a songwriter oh
51:21
Definitely okay, so a lyricist for musical theater like I said is the song has got to be
51:26
Character specific. It's got to move the platformward which a regular song doesn't do the rhyming is different
51:34
Because a rhyming in uh the rhyming in a songwriting is not just half rhymes it's
51:44
It they're happy if this sort of the the syllables are similar
51:49
Whereas in musical theater
51:52
If you know something is well crafted if it's perfect rhyming
51:58
You know and also if it's surprising
52:01
If it's something that you wouldn't normally think of you know, it sometime was a genius at this an absolute genius master
52:08
Do you ever have to
52:10
Collaborate with a choreographer or other people like that's at a later stage that's after they get it so far
52:21
I haven't gotten to a stage where I need a choreographer, but when
52:25
And
52:26
Yeah, I mean you you know with the with the director for sure
52:30
You mean you sit down with the director and the director that's the whole thing about the collaborative aspect of any part of theater
52:37
But especially musical theater
52:39
The director will tell you what their vision is and I look at it as it's so exciting to see your work through somebody else's eyes
52:47
And the ideas they have for it. I welcome it. I love it. It's it's so exciting
52:53
Do you have any advice for someone who wants to be an actor in
52:59
theater
53:00
Yeah, your perspective. Yeah, from my perspective you want to be an actor in theater
53:05
It's too late start when you're young because you've got to be trained from you've got it train train train go to the best schools for it
53:14
You're competing against people who are
53:17
so
53:19
Well honed and especially in England
53:22
I find that the training is incredible. They go to these these drama school since they're young and
53:28
And they're incredibly talented. So if you want to break into the business
53:32
You've got to be trained
53:34
So when should people start putting their kids in drama school? They they have to start young and also they should be triple threats
53:43
They should be able to play an instrument. They should be able to you know
53:48
Be able to move and dance as well because
53:52
you know
53:54
You're competing in the actor musos now are really in high demand as our actors who can sing and dance
54:02
Right kind of got to be a triple threat. You've got to be a triple threat. I
54:07
Do not envy any actors because they work so hard if you want anything done
54:14
Higher musical theater actor because they're they've been disciplined
54:19
So much there's their work ethic is so finely tuned. They're amazing
54:25
Yeah, I love them all. I want to talk about how I love using Yiddish words with my non you're just speaking people
54:32
Which is everybody I
54:34
actually have had
54:37
Instances actually had one today where I got on a phone with a client and Sadie was on the phone and I don't know if Sadie caught on to this
54:43
But I said I get my it. Oh, did you read and the guy sounds I'm getting my it and Sadie's like what I'm like nothing
54:51
um
54:53
It's interesting. I'll like
54:56
Say
54:57
Certain things like mom-ish in middle of a meeting and everyone in the meetings like the teen
55:03
I kind of let it go like
55:05
whatever
55:08
but
55:10
You love throwing out Yiddish words. I love it. I like yeah, I like everyone around me to speak like I do
55:17
So I'll say things like
55:20
Yeah, I got niche niche and they go what does that mean? I'm like yeah, yeah, no, no
55:23
They're like oh, I like so I like to hear it from them further on you know
55:28
Well in theater, I feel like they throw out Yiddish words all the time
55:31
Yeah, but they throw out like the same slap and you know the ones that everyone knows
55:36
They love when I say talk of stuff and tish they go crazy. They love that why because it's just so it's such an evocative saying
55:45
You know, you don't hear it every day. It's true. So they say it
55:49
There's always those few words that you always hear you always hear Shixah
55:53
Yeah, Shixah
55:55
Shlap. Oh, hey, oh, hey
55:59
No, there's a few you know what show really did well
56:02
Which one show on Netflix very crust show
56:06
But Zillie and I let's give it a plug. Yeah, give it a big mouth
56:10
Give it a plug you got a plug
56:12
Nick crow. I expect some royalties
56:15
Um have you heard of the show I told you about the show
56:18
Yeah, that's how you I told you
56:23
Like some other guy's ears perk up. I'm like. It's a very prosto show
56:28
It's a
56:29
It was it was it was the brother-in-law
56:33
Anyways, um, so it's called big mouth. It's on Netflix. Yeah, haven't you yet? Yeah, seasons. We still have to
56:41
It is the funniest most inappropriate show. It's about it's a cartoon type show
56:47
um
56:48
And the show is basically about children going through puberty
56:54
So they have their hormone monsters and it's just very funny the thing that makes Zillie and I laugh the most is the Jewish
57:03
humor
57:05
Behind one of the characters his name is Andrew
57:10
Glauberman. It's just it's a terrible last name. Yeah, um, but it just sounds Jewish
57:16
um, and
57:18
I'm not gonna give away all the details on on all of you know the personalities behind that
57:24
that character, but they keep
57:28
Like reiterating, you know, Jewish references and and and like there's one part where the grandfather died
57:35
There's my Zeydie died and and like not my grandfather, my Zeydie
57:40
um, and they're just like so many Jewish references and I found it like really funny
57:47
I mean just just because it's like
57:49
They had to stick a Jewish character in it because like
57:56
The nuances of like that Jewish character
58:01
But but I always find it interesting that shows which aren't necessarily a Jewish show
58:06
Yeah, they love sticking in like the Jewish references the Jewish character
58:10
Why why is it that people find that so funny because funny? I mean
58:14
The dish is like the funny even as you say like I'm for a clement
58:18
hilarious, you know, it's so funny. Do we we don't get offended by it? I think we find it funny
58:23
I think it's hilarious, especially when they say it to us do not do is people find it funny too
58:28
Yeah, but why? Because it just like we now
58:32
Don't stick homage people in things like we do with like Jewish people. Amish people are not funny
58:39
Jewish people are funny
58:42
We're funny the world sound funny the the consonants everything about Yiddish is funny
58:48
Just hilarious, but something really we had I have this don'tish friend. He is so fabulous
58:54
And every rush of Shana he wishes me instead of
58:59
um
59:00
Lashonatova
59:01
Matuka he wishes me a hokuna madada
59:07
That's great because it all sounds the same day it does sound the same
59:13
I see do you have anything else that you want to share with our viewers any piece of advice
59:20
Advise I don't know any any personal professional
59:26
Something you want to leave off. Oh, yeah, I have to tell you I waited a long time to do what I'm doing like till my kids grew up and everything
59:34
and
59:35
just
59:37
It brings me so much joy and I wish that everyone could be
59:41
Have so much joy in their lives would to be so excited to wake up in the morning and work
59:48
That's a blessing to have it's fantastic like I said jellis himself
59:52
Okay, well, I see it was so nice
59:56
Having you on top of here and I'm so happy we we we made this happen. Yeah, you too. Thank you so much for asking me
1:00:06
SD how can people see your shows?
1:00:10
How can they well give me the plug? Okay plug is I'm on Instagram
1:00:16
SD similar E ST E ST I M L E R I'm on Instagram look me up because that's where I'm gonna have all my
1:00:24
You know news about my shows and everything and you have your website and I have my website
1:00:30
SD similar dot com and
1:00:34
And yeah, so watch this space. I'm very excited for your for your new
1:00:40
Your new
1:00:42
Thank you at my that's a play and I have a musical afterwards called strings attached originally
1:00:48
It was called jubilical cord and everyone said that's disgusting
1:00:52
So I had to change the title two strings attached
1:00:56
Okay, I like jubilical cord. I is yeah, but I'm gonna start selling. It's I couldn't sell
1:01:03
Okay, well, I see thank you so much. Thank you. And
1:01:08
Yeah
1:01:10
We'll see you next time guys