Political Comedy with Chelsea Devantez
TOPICS DISCUSSED
We talk to Chelsea Devantez about political comedy and its future.
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EPISODE RESOURCES
Sarah and Beth live at the Abbey in Orlando for The Politics of the Most Magical Place on Earth: Wednesday, April 5, 2023, at 7 pm
TRANSCRIPT
Sarah [00:00:07] This is Sarah Stewart Holland.
Beth [00:00:08] And this is Beth Silvers.
Sarah [00:00:10] Thank you for joining us for Pantsuit Politics.
Beth [00:00:25] Thank you so much for joining us today at Pantsuit Politics. We have a very special episode for you. We are delighted to welcome our friend Chelsea Devantez to the show. Chelsea hosts the excellent podcast Celebrity Book Club, where she discusses celebrity memoirs. She has spent much of her career writing political comedy, including for The Problem with Jon Stewart. And today she's going to talk with us about the state of political comedy, where she thinks it's going and what is not working anymore.
Sarah [00:00:51] Before we get started, we have a very exciting announcement. If you're listeners of the show last year, you know that we were both late arrivals to the brilliance that is HBO's show Succession. We've caught up after the Season three finale last spring. And season four starts at the end of March. And you guys, we're going to be doing real time episode recaps on our premium channels. Beth I'm an only child, okay? TV was my sibling and I've waited my whole life to be able to have some sort of professional platform in which I can talk about TV like this. I could not be more excited.
Beth [00:01:23] I think it's going to be so fun, especially because Succession is clearly going in a very political direction for its final season. So, it's perfect for our audience. We know we're going to have great discussions with all of you and can't wait.
Sarah [00:01:35] So it will be for our $15 a month level Patrons and everyone subscribed on Apple Podcasts subscriptions. You can get more info about how to become a premium member in our shownotes.
Beth [00:01:44] Up next, the one and only Chelsea Devantez talks with us about political comedy.
Sarah [00:01:57] Chelsea.
Chelsea Devantez [00:01:58] Hello. My dear, dear friends.
Sarah [00:02:00] Oh, my God we're so glad you're here.
Chelsea Devantez [00:02:01] I wish we were all at a Wynonna Judd concert or Brandi Carlile concert, but this zoom is second best.
Sarah [00:02:08] Almost as good. One day. One day we're going to be at Brandi's compound hanging out.
Chelsea Devantez [00:02:12] I feel it. We'll put that out there for us.
Sarah [00:02:14] Yeah, we'll manifest that. I was thinking about how I wanted to kick off this conversation about political humor. And I love that joke that when people make fun of Jerry Seinfeld, which who I believe to be of comedic importance. I'm not trying to bust on them, they're always like, "So what about Pop-Tarts?" And I kind of want to be like, "So what about political humor, Chelsea?"
Chelsea Devantez [00:02:33] So, what's the deal with political humor?
Sarah [00:02:36] What's the deal?
Chelsea Devantez [00:02:36] Yeah, I'm really curious your take, but I have been having a feeling for a long time, which is that political humor has not caught up to where the people are at. They are still doing the political humor of pre-Trump, even a little before then. Like at some point, it was really Jon Stewart on The Daily Show when he took it over. The Daily Show was just pop culture, news bits, and it was very lighthearted. In Jon's tenor, he had heavily point of view-driven comedy. And he also was sampling actual footage from places people did not watch. People were not watching C-SPAN, they were not watching congressional hearings. He was taking footage. And Fox News. You don't watch Fox News. And using this footage and it was so potent. It was so funny. It was how many people got their news. It's how people started caring and getting invested in politics. And it was so revelatory for the time. And now times have shifted and people are still doing a comedy that I think fits a better political landscape.
Sarah [00:03:44] Yeah, they're still doing the let's take this piece of footage and make fun of it.
Chelsea Devantez [00:03:49] Yeah. Or really just that like the component of satire. And this is the thing where it's like some dude at work might be like, "Oh, you look ugly today." You're like, "Oh, that hurt my feelings." He's like, "What, it's a joke." And jokes, the funny thing about them is that there's an actual science and formula to them. And so, it has to have a few things in order to actually be a joke. And with satire, it's all about heightening and it's about heightening to give power to the underdog. So, you're making a punch line out of the person with power. If you're ever like, "It's a joke, doing satire," and you're making fun of like a protected class, that's actually not satire. But with Trump, in order to satirize your opinions and make fun of those clips, you have to go so far. You already went so far. And it actually makes satire a little bit impossible at times. You can't really satirize Trump because how do you satirize someone who has a sound clip saying grab them by the pussy? Like, what would I have to say out of my mouth to exaggerate that?
Sarah [00:04:50] How do you exaggerate something that's so already exaggerated?
Chelsea Devantez [00:04:53] Yeah. Now I'm doing some crazy humor if I am satirizing that. And so I think it's a struggle in many ways because of the actual content of politics right now.
Beth [00:05:04] Yeah, I think the only funny Trump thing is a straight up impression. And how much of that can you handle? I think James Austin Johnson has done the best Trump that I've seen.
Chelsea Devantez [00:05:14] Yeah.
Beth [00:05:14] And is funny now because Trump isn't in my TV every day, or on my phone, or in the headlines every day. So, when he pops in with that impression now, it's okay. I like what you said about The Daily Show. It was like taking us to a place where we weren't. And I think that you're right. The problem is we are there all the time now. So, where can humor take us that we aren't?
Chelsea Devantez [00:05:34] All the time. Exactly.
Beth [00:05:34] And that's hard.
Sarah [00:05:35] We also had that moment with Sarah Cooper where she did something. She took it and turned it just a little bit. I mean, I was obsessed with her. I thought those were so funny because to watch her with his voice coming out of her mouth was something we weren't used to. So, it was like not exaggerating that. But she found ,a way to do that that I thought was pretty interesting.
Chelsea Devantez [00:05:58] Well, I think what you just said, it kind of explains the joke exactly, which is like revealing an unexpected truth. And the truth was that seeing his words come through a black woman's mouth, gave people the awareness of just how crazy what he was saying.
Sarah [00:06:14] Yes.
Chelsea Devantez [00:06:14] Because we have we, you know, to be a white man affords you a lot of what's the word?
Sarah [00:06:22] Power?
Chelsea Devantez [00:06:23] Power? You know where it was, just like we were so used to it and seen it coming out of out of someone's mouth who we would never let get away with those things, I think was revelatory. That said, that concept also didn't really extend beyond his own clips. And it wasn't really that wasn't like a point of view comedy, you know, that was more parody. And so so I do agree that like, that really gave us a moment in comedy. But I think it's that thing of like, we have to go some we have to comedians have to take us somewhere different now and that are same tools that used to be very popular, I don't think are working anymore. And I don't feel like people are accepting that.
Sarah [00:06:59] And since we're talking about satire, I don't know when this came out, but remember and I know it's where we all hate Malcolm Gladwell now I'm I'm I'm hip on that take.
Chelsea Devantez [00:07:07] We've reached the tipping point.
Sarah [00:07:10] We've reached the tipping point. We don't like Malcolm Gladwell anymore. But remember he did that episode about satire where it's like you poll people and both sides of the aisle were taking something from the satire that made themself feel better. And I did think that was kind of interesting, an interesting way to think about satire. And I think that happens a lot on Saturday Night Live. Everybody is getting something to sort of glom onto and make fun of. And I thought, I wonder how much this is working on comedians, like am I? Because I think the other thing that happened in the Trump era in particular was this sense of like, am I making it worse? Like, well, Jimmy Fallon ever lived down, ruffling his hair? I don't know. Probably not. Like, you know, am I humanizing me by using comedy? Am I am I making something less impactful or less important, not downplaying the oppression or the seriousness of this issue? And, you know, in this way, because he was you couldn't satire because he was so over the top. I opened up a lot of interesting conversations, I think, about satire and political humor and what are we doing here and are we making it worse or are we making it better?
Chelsea Devantez [00:08:08] Yeah, I mean, I particularly don't probably because I am a comedian, so this is where I come from, but I don't ever buy into the, 'did we make it worse?' arguments, only because I think. Here's the thing like ruffling his hair isn't actually a joke like so, so him giving Trump a platform, we could definitely argue like it was it did it make it worse to give Trump a platform like. Yes, bringing him on SNL? Did they give him a platform? Yes. Did making him a constant part of the news cycle, no matter if it was CNN or FOX or whatever news, it was constant free press. Did that make it worse? Yes. When it comes to making jokes, I don't think again, like unless the jokes are making a protected class or someone who already suffers like the punch line, those power dynamics are so clear. But like making jokes about Trump, I think only bring awareness, which is different than a platform, which is different than putting Trump on your show to me. Right? And I know there's been a lot of arguments, too, of like, oh, did you know, like political satire? And we have just so many shows came from it, like, you know, Full Frontal with Sam B And why am I not naming the ten others? You know, it's like Jordan Klepper had a show.
Beth [00:09:22] John Oliver.
Chelsea Devantez [00:09:23] John Oliver and all these shows, and there was an argument to be made of like, Oh, these shows brought us Trump Like, that is that is such a straw man's argument, you know, to me, like it just that to me, that's such a false equivalency. If anything like those shows pointed out how how it still wasn't enough for so many people to be aware of what they were doing and still vote for them and let them into power. And I think the truth is that they those shows felt like we could save ourselves and that progressives were going to save us and that progressives had the power. And the truth is that we didn't.
Sarah [00:10:00] Yeah.
Chelsea Devantez [00:10:00] You know, maybe that's where it's at fault.
Sarah [00:10:02] It felt to me like at a certain point when The Daily Show started, there were genuine moments of discomfort, which I think is when comedy shines. It's when you're laughing and you're but you're laughing because you're like, Oh shit. Like, oh, no. Like, that's the genius. And to a certain at a certain point, even on The Daily Show itself, it just became like there was no discomfort. It was a lot of patting ourselves on the back. Aren't we so smart? Aren't we so progressive? Aren't we so in on the joke? And it's like, I don't want to be in on the joke. I want the joke to work on me. That's what good comedy does. And I think those that ecosystem of comedy shows, not always, not every episode, but sometimes there's a sense of like you're in on the joke instead of letting the joke work on you.
Chelsea Devantez [00:10:48] Interesting. I mean, I, I again, heavily biased, but I, I think I think a lot of people started doing political comedy and political satire who didn't always have something to say, something deeply, deeply personal to say. And our best satirists have like, like really strong opinions and really strong beliefs for justice. And it comes through in their comedy. Jon, to me, is like one of the most incredible political thinkers, and he genuinely, genuinely, genuinely cares. And that show was always saying something. And I do believe if you look back like you will see like there was always like genuine messages and beliefs and, and a sense of justice and trying to get people to do the right thing. I do think that when we go into the larger ecosystem, sometimes people are just popping off a joke. You know, we're popping off our president joke or popping off or a congressional joke. And to me, that's where a lot of the hollow like, you know, we're all in on the joke where you know, you can kind of get the patterns of the jokes. Or or worse to me is this like genre of comedy that came about. That's like learning comedy where basically it's like it's a TED talk with with the same pattern of jokes every 40 seconds. And we're learning and we're lightly laughing. That to me, is not comedy, you know. And yet it was branded as such and told to people, this is political comedy. It was not. It was a Wikipedia article with some screaming.
Beth [00:12:20] I love that. That's so true. I'm wondering, how much do you think format is driving the way people are approaching this? Because when The Daily Show first came out, I watched it from the beginning to the end all at one time. And now I know that even the late night comics, you have people like my parents who watch them beginning to end every night are also aware that what they're mostly trying to do is make a clip that gets shared everywhere. And I wonder, especially as a writer, how you think about that and if you think that has driven some of where the political comedy shows have gone?
Chelsea Devantez [00:12:54] That's a really great question. I mean, I, I think in this world, all my friends are comedians. It has been so long since the viral political comedy, like late night show clip has come across my feed I mean, like and this is my world it's not really I just I think I think it's possibly the format is driving it that way. I also I just really think we're not meeting people where they are in the moment, which also means how they take in content. And like if you're aiming for the content that's online, a clip from a TV show almost never is going to translate as well as an off the cuff Tik-tok can live on its own, you know? And if you're watching a television show, it should be meeting that particular format, too. So I think format has a huge piece of it. I also think, you know, the way we taking content is affecting it a lot. And the thing I will point out and again, yes, I'm obviously a Jon stan, but did you see...
Sarah [00:13:53] We are in our forties. Obviously we are Jon Stans.
Sarah [00:13:56] Like hello.
Beth [00:13:58] I love The Daily Show I would watch every night.
Chelsea Devantez [00:14:00] Absolutely.
Beth [00:14:01] And I left it when he stopped hosting it. Honestly. I mean, there was something powerful about his personality and demeanor that that I feel like we all grew along with, during his tenure there.
Chelsea Devantez [00:14:13] But again, like he and Trevor, I think what's so interesting to me about Comedy Central in the decision makers is that they they could not see again, like comedy has not to be a total loser. And I and I don't come at comedy with being like, oh, formula is like, that's not how I think of it. But if we're analyzing it, then I can go there and, and they it's like they didn't even realize how wildly different the two comedians were even down to. And I'm not talking about like, like where they come from or how they grew up. I'm talking about joke styles. And Jon is a point of view driven comedian. Trevor Noah is more of a parody impressions like his stand up comedy before The Daily Show was not political satire. And so he brought us a different Daily show that a lot of people, you know, really loved. But it wasn't a continuation of the same show.
Sarah [00:15:02] Right.
Chelsea Devantez [00:15:03] And I think they tried to pretend it was.
Sarah [00:15:05] And I think what's so interesting when people have conversations about political comedy that like so we sent you that piece in The Wall Street Journal that was like, why aren't people making fun of Joe Biden? Is it because, like people are so they interview Dana Carvey, which I guess that's that we can start with that. We start that choice.
Chelsea Devantez [00:15:20] That yeah, it's like this is this is your hot go you to? And like Dana Carvey genius like I guess meet the moment you're in 2023 like.
Sarah [00:15:29] And I just thought, okay, I agree with you to a certain extent. Like, I agree that there that people are going a little easy on Joe Biden when he is rife for comedy. And I thought, but the idea that like political comedy is not out there ignores Hannah Gadsby, ignores Jared Carmichael, ignores Bo Burnham. Those are political shows like they are.
Chelsea Devantez [00:15:50] You know, interesting you say that because I don't think either those three would ever define as political comedian.
Sarah [00:15:55] Oh, I don't. Think they would either.
Chelsea Devantez [00:15:56] I think I guess my point, though, of like, you're fine. You're looking for comedians in someplace new. The comedians who are not political comedians are the ones who are doing it. You know what I'm saying? And the political comedians are not.
Beth [00:16:06] It's not news driven, Right? It's it's political, but it's not newsy.
Chelsea Devantez [00:16:10] It's point of view driven.
Sarah [00:16:11] It's 2023. This is politics. That's the point. Right? The point is, in the year of our Lord, 2023, everything is political. So the idea that you have political comedians where as like the personalist political on steroids in 2023. Right? And I think so when people are out there innovating and they're pushing, I mean, there are some they are making political points. Not partisan points. Not partisan points, right?
Chelsea Devantez [00:16:36] Yeah.
Sarah [00:16:37] But points about how we are living in society together. What that means. Like.
Chelsea Devantez [00:16:42] That's a great point.
Sarah [00:16:43] Come on. I mean, and I just think about like Bo Burnham has my 11 year old singing that the FBI killed Martin Luther King. Like, what? What is happening?
Chelsea Devantez [00:16:54] Yeah.
Sarah [00:16:55] Like. It's wild.
Chelsea Devantez [00:16:56] I think. Yeah. That's such a beautiful point. It's like but we really, you know, political comedy, it's like someone's in kind of a suit or a blazer. You know, they're talking straight to camera and they're they're kind of going off of the news of the day and then hit in their take. And Bo Burnham's over here is like playing a piano, doing a light show and revealing he was in a set the whole time. And then he's outside, you know, like. Yeah. And I totally agree that that like politics have become everything.
Sarah [00:17:21] Mhm.
Chelsea Devantez [00:17:21] And so it's like the comedians who are just making fun of what's going on in our life are the ones who are taking us to places that matter.
Sarah [00:17:28] Well, and you just think about if you look back at the history, I feel like the history of political comedy are those moments when somebody stood up and pushed it into a new realm and said, Oh, no, no, I'm saying something political, too. I'm saying it and I'm making you laugh, but I'm saying it in a new way, in a different way. I'm not going to just sit up there. Even when I was reading that article and they were talking about that record about the Kennedys that sold like 12.5 million copies, which is bananas. But it's like that's because they were doing something new. Like that was new. It doesn't seem new to us now when we've been making fun of politicians in their families for decades. But it was new then.
Chelsea Devantez [00:18:01] Yeah, I totally agree. And I and the thing I was going to that comes to mind with my my Jon fandom is this season of The Problem with Jon Stewart Season 2, they had an episode on gender. And Jon sat down with a Senator and just interviewed her about her beliefs and why she was pushing this bill to make it so that gender affirming care was not available in her state. And because he is such a political thinker and he has all these qualities to him, but at the end of the day, he's always a comedian. He was able to say things that everyone wants to say and everyone wants to see said. And the clip went viral and it went viral as this is what good journalism is. I was like, That's so funny. This is comedy. Yeah, this is comedy. But comedy is truth. Comedy makes you laugh at like the truth and what's real. And he was able to get more at the truth than a journalist because he was just saying, I think he ended the interview by saying like, Well, I hope you fail extravagantly and hope you perish. Like, have a great day. You know, And I do think that, like, those are the things we're looking for and like they are being done on his show. It's just on Apple and not everyone has access.
Sarah [00:19:16] Yeah, well, it's it's so interesting because to be a comedian involves so much vulnerability and and I mean, I know that sounds fawny, but bravery and I kind of believe that. And I'm not saying like, every standup comic is bright, but to a certain extent, if you ask people how they feel about staying up in front of a crowd, and I'll stand up in front of a crowd and make really vulnerable jokes, well then, yeah, it is a very it's an incredible act.
Chelsea Devantez [00:19:40] They're all so brave. I mean, even if they're not making vulnerable jokes, even if their entire act is an impression of a duck, you're brave.
Sarah [00:19:46] Well, and I just thought, like, when you love, like, I would give anything to, like, take that legislator to examine what we're doing here and have, like, Jared Carmichael do that interview and then Bo Burnham do that interview. And then Hannah Gadsby do that interview, like, wouldn't that be so interesting to just watch how they take those pieces apart and engage with that woman and like, make the choices? I think that would be I will watch that all day long. I think it would be so fascinating.
Chelsea Devantez [00:20:10] I, I'm a maybe on that because Jon has 30 years now of of following this in and out and he knows he when he goes in for an interview, he is so fully prepared that when she sits there and says, well, you know gender affirming care makes children want to kill themselves, he can cite all of these studies that makes that untrue and say, tell me what study? And she can't. You do have to be able to I think for good political comedy, you do have to know politics really, really well.
Sarah [00:20:45] And who's sitting across from you.
Chelsea Devantez [00:20:47] Yeah. And who's sitting across, I mean, like, yeah, it's always funny when the comedian knows more than the legislator.
Beth [00:20:54] I wonder where you think political comedy can go next? I'm sort of sad that we don't have that sort of heyday Daily Show vibe going in lots of places right now, because I do think that humor lights up our brains differently. And it brought so many people into that learning space when it was lighthearted learning, not just a TED talk with some little jokes, as you said, but like when it was lighthearted learning. I feel like people got something really important from it. And yeah, and now we desperately need to be able to laugh a little bit about our politics and it's just become so challenging to find spaces where it feels okay to laugh about them. So I wonder where you think we can go from here? Can you fix this is what I'm asking you Chelsea?
Sarah [00:21:40] You don't have anything else going on. You should have time.
Chelsea Devantez [00:21:44] I wish I had the answer. If I did, maybe I would go start up a network. I do think there's great political comedy happening still. I love what Jon is doing. I see a direction where what field correspondents used to do on The Daily Show were there like in the field and like talking to people. So kind of like the pattern of that is ask questions that will ironically show how wrong the person you're talking to is. And those have been very funny, I think going out into the field, not with that comedic angle anymore, but to actually capture the reality of what's happening and then come in with a joke almost like reality, I don't want to see like reality TV. I do think those lighthearted jokes don't hurt anymore because no one cares. Like me making a video, being like, Can you believe all these anti-vaxxers don't believe in the vaccine, but they do believe in getting chickenpox shots. And you'd be like, Yeah, man, we know. You know what I mean? Or if I was like, Oh my God, move. This guy who is so anti pedophile is actually a pedophile himself. You'd be like, Yeah, yeah. Uh huh, we know. So those little quips, those little lighthearted jokes as little tiny takeaways I don't see personally, I don't see what the point of them is anymore. I think we need a comedian who has something really deep to say and someone who has solutions. I actually think that's the area we have not gone to. Where are comedic solutions? Because simply pointing out the problem I think is extremely depressing right now. Yeah, I think we'll come around. There'll be a day when point out the problem again is like revelatory and we can all laugh at it and that's new to us. But I think right now we need someone to point out something we haven't seen before and and a way forward that actually seems possible. Otherwise it all seems like a waste of our time. It's like sign another petition comedy, you know what I mean?
Sarah [00:23:28] Yeah.
Chelsea Devantez [00:23:29] What do you guys want to see?
Sarah [00:23:30] I mean, I think when comedy is firing on all cylinders, like when a comedian is doing that, the solution is there because the solution is we're all in this together. This is a human problem, right? Like and we are that connecting us together is really part of the solution. Right? I saw one of those man on the streets, one of the best ones I've seen in a long time because they do get a little played out. It was a woman and she was walking around and interviewing men about like reproductive. Like biology. Like how many holes do women have, you know? Yeah. Some of them are like, one of this guy was, like, standing next to his girlfriend. Who was an OBGYN and getting them so wrong. But it didn't feel like, again, just one more like, way like, oh, you know, isn't this terrible? Like, it felt like these guys aren't the problem. They're just a way for us to all see the problem more clearly. We're not mad at them individually, you know what I mean? Like, this isn't about like, shaming this guy on the street who encountered our microphone. This is about showing how like, revealing, revealing...
Chelsea Devantez [00:24:39] How little is taught about women. Yeah, I mean, listen, because I am a comedian. I am, as far as you can go on the jaded spectrum, like as far as far as you could be over it. Like, that's where I live because it's my job. But for me, I'm even still like, we know, like, how do it how do we get our rights back? Like.
Beth [00:24:58] Yeah.
Sarah [00:24:59] And that's what she said. She was like, vote like your rights depend on it because they need to know what you have...
Chelsea Devantez [00:25:04] But that doesn't always work. Yeah, like, like I. I think maybe I need, like, a season of un gerrymandering enough so that a vote would matter through jokes like that. I think that's where I'm at. Where it's sort of like, yeah, we know dudes don't know anything about women at all, but that dude didn't vote to take away Roe v Wade,.
Sarah [00:25:25] Right. Right. He was like, on his jolly way through Central Park.
Chelsea Devantez [00:25:29] Yeah. I mean, I know this is this is not the point. And but I am finding the most life changing comedy happening in formats that are not tell like not your classic political comedy television shows. I've seen it happen in podcasts. I've seen it happen in narrative half hour comedies, like if you watch Abbott Elementary, like it's just a really funny show. But hidden inside every show is a politically minded joke that that should pop your awareness a little more to the forefront. I think that's where a lot of great work is happening.
Beth [00:26:01] So we just talked with Megan Garber from The Atlantic about her new cover story: We Already Live In The Metaverse and she writes and that piece about how after the Uvalde shooting, people were reaching out to Quinta Brunson to be like, Can you write an Abbott Elementary show about a school shooting? And she was like, I can't even ask if you all are okay. You clearly are not like this. No, no.
Chelsea Devantez [00:26:25] Yeah.
Beth [00:26:26] But Megan's piece says, Of course people ask for that. Entertainment is how we make meaning, and we have accelerated our reliance on entertainment to help us make meaning significantly over the past few years.
Chelsea Devantez [00:26:39] Yeah.
Beth [00:26:40] We are writing dramas about how politicians handled COVID before we're out of COVID. Like, we're just we need it more and more and more because this is the only way that our brains can cope with all of the things that we're aware of. And so I see the struggle. I love SNL and I really see this struggle with SNL because you can tell they know what they're doing is important, but it's too important. The weight of it is too much. And so I think sometimes it just it can't work because it's it's that ask to Abbott Elementary, take this take this thing that is too much for all of us and help me process it and also make me laugh at the same time. I just don't know if that's that's fair. When you haven't had any lapse in time when the comedians are still processing too.
Sarah [00:27:23] Yeah, I'm not looking a solution. I really am not looking to comedians for solutions. I think what they do is hard enough and important enough to to connect us, to bring that vulnerability, to bring that that transcendent moment where you are laughing and going, Oh, shit. That's enough, that's enough.
Chelsea Devantez [00:27:41] Yeah. I mean, it's interesting because I am the one who said solutions, and I think I'm just like begging for it personally. But it's also like if you really think of a comedian, we are the ones who, like, don't have top sheets on our mattresses at 30. Do you know what I mean? Like, we live off of old pizza, We sleep with the worst of the worst, and we generally have an intense amount of failures that keep leading us to make jokes. So to go to them for solutions and like you said, Beth, like it's like they write that show in a week, you know, and so. And one of those nights on Tuesday, they stay up all night long. It's like a long SNL tradition, which, you know, very tough. So to hear the news and you as a human have to take in the news. And also you're going to process it and come back out with something of heft, but also hilarious that it's a really big task. And I do think it takes a really huge toll on your mental health. And I can even just speak about my own mental health. I mean, when I left The Opposition with Jordan Klepper, that was a show that really specifically was satirizing the alt right. So like you're Alex Jones, you're like, it was it wasn't just Fox News, it was like all those alt right spin offs. And so you take in a lot of the content just to make jokes about it, right? So it's it's a lot of your day is like listening to these things before you can write about the. So when I left The Opposition, I went to pack up my New York sublet because I was moving to L.A. and I found that I owned three crank radios. Ladies and gentlemen, I had bought them because it had the paranoia and the doomsday preppers had seeped into my bloodstream. I mean, that's how they that's why, like, Fox News is just constantly running those ads for, like, old coins and catheters, because you end up buying them, you know? So I looked at me and I said, oh, my God, I, I have been I have this has gotten into me in such a bad way. I gave away two of the crank radios. I kept one. You never know. You guys, I kept one.
Sarah [00:29:38] My Eagle Scout husband endorses that choice Chelsea.
Chelsea Devantez [00:29:41] Thank you. And so, so. So it is it can be very intense on your mental health to take it in and then to turn around to make it funny, especially with everything we just went through in the last four years. I had a lot of mental health crises in the middle of doing my job that I had to learn how to make a part of my process to like, have to have a cry and then write the jokes.
Sarah [00:30:06] Yeah. And you can see that burden. I mean, again, on SNL, I think I sound like a Jared Carmichael stan. When he came out after the Will Smith, Chris Rock thing and it was like, I'm not I'm not doing that with you guys right now. Like, that's not what I'm here for.
Chelsea Devantez [00:30:19] Yeah.
Sarah [00:30:20] That's not what I'm here to do.
Chelsea Devantez [00:30:21] Just fearless. Fearless. If you saw him host the Golden Globes, which I'm sure will be the last time he ever does. He's fearless. He's fearless. He really just. And he. He's not afraid to call out what is considered, like, impolite or taboo.
Sarah [00:30:36] And that takes enormous toll. Enormous toll.
Chelsea Devantez [00:30:39] Enormous toll. Yeah. It can also take a toll on your career and your finances and all of it.
Sarah [00:30:44] I love it.
Beth [00:30:44] Yeah. You ask what we want in comedy, and I'm not sure that I totally know, but I do love that good comedy always calls me to insert introspection. And I think that's enough. Like, I think that I have gotten burned out on some political humor because it does feel so much like it's calling me to just feel awesome because I'm not them. I'm not those people who are hilariously dumb or uninformed or cult like or whatever. And I don't want that. I want the comedy that says, You, ma'am, are also a lot of contradictions, and complicated and irrational. And, you know, take a look at you. That's what I love from comedy.
Sarah [00:31:25] It's it is so true. It's so true. And when it is done well, when you just feel like you are like those moments when you watch something that was so brilliant and so live and so raw and just so many moving parts and it all comes together and you're like, What just happened? Like it is such a high, it's a high to watch it. I can't fathom what it's like to do it, you know?
Chelsea Devantez [00:31:46] Yeah, yeah.
Sarah [00:31:47] To be like. And I mean, like, I remember I have the poster behind me. I remember the first time I watched Ali Wong's special on Netflix in the middle of raising a young kid. I can cry about it. It was so impactful on me to feel like, Oh my gosh, somebody sees what I'm going through and sees like the ridiculousness and the humor and the, you know, the politics of it all. Like her shows are political. Like, don't tell me those aren't shows aren't political. Yeah, I believe like it. It just I mean, I literally I loved it so much I could cry about how much that show meant to me.
Chelsea Devantez [00:32:17] Yeah, I can see it in your eyes. I would just like, listen, as a comedian, that's not my special, but I'm like, wow, the power of comedy. But I think what's really getting me about what you're saying, Sarah, is like, you are looking at politics the way like social, political, like Ali Wong would never be considered a political comedian. But you're right. Calling for maternity leave, a very political act and just existing as a pregnant woman on stage. Asian-American. That's a political act.
Sarah [00:32:45] Oh, my God. The thing she was saying with that big O pregnant belly, I felt like this revolution I witnessed.
Chelsea Devantez [00:32:52] It is. And I do think that's the political comedy we want right now in that it is nothing like our traditional political comedy.
Sarah [00:33:00] Yeah.
Chelsea Devantez [00:33:00] You know, like where we're talking about life and raising kids and what you need to live in life and making jokes about it. And that is a political call for maternity leave versus the sort of monologue that you can you believe how ridiculous it is? Because we can believe and Beth, what you were saying about introspection is like, I love that you want the joke on you. You don't even worry like I'm ready to do the work. I think that makes you a good person. I think a lot of people are like, I'm good laughing at others, but I, I do think that even if you just want to laugh at others again, introspection, the act of it is is you you've been shown something new. You got to think about it. You're got to go in words and think about it. And I don't think we're being shown something new. We're being shown that things are terrible and we're divided and things are dumb and we're like we know and we and you do have to go further than that right now.
Sarah [00:33:50] And you know, the to call back here because that's what comedians do. I know enough.
Chelsea Devantez [00:33:54] Oh, hell, yeah. Oh, hell yeah.
Sarah [00:33:55] To Jon Stewart. And who else I think who's the master at it, especially on The Late Show is. Stephen Colbert. And that's because they both have such enormous empathy. You feel it? It's dripping out of them. Like, you feel that sense of like, I'm not just showing this to you. I care. I want it to be different. Like, I am invested in this and in all of you. Like you feel it from both of them. You felt it all through The Daily Show. You feel it with Stephen Colbert. Like, I think that's why Beth's parents watch his show from beginning to end.
Chelsea Devantez [00:34:23] I think Colbert can go a lot further.
Sarah [00:34:26] Mmmmm.
Chelsea Devantez [00:34:26] I really do. And I and I really think that especially with like, women's rights, I think there's a lot further to go to get to those, like, searingly hilarious point of view based topics. I do think like, yes, comedy brings us all together, but also like we're pretty divided right now and we don't belong together always. You know what I mean? And so to do comedy that can apply to everyone sometimes means you're watering down your point of view. I mean, I can't even talk about Prince Harry without getting a comment being like, how dare you do this to Princess Kate? You know, And if I'm like, well, Princess Kate... you get something like, how dare you, do Harry and Meghan? It's like, politics is a million times worse.
Sarah [00:35:10] Oh my gosh. I was wondering what your DMs were like as you were going through that.
Chelsea Devantez [00:35:13] You know what? It's so funny to me because I was like, Oh, sure, you know, I'll cover Prince Harry's, but it's not normally what you do on the podcast. And then I did it and I forgot that like it would bring in people I don't want to listen to my podcast.
Sarah [00:35:25] They are not cookies.
Chelsea Devantez [00:35:26] Like, get out of here. I got my first two bad reviews from covering Prince Harry's memoir and not being loyal to the monarchy.
Sarah [00:35:35] You're an American.
Chelsea Devantez [00:35:38] I know. Yes, but apparently I should have seen that, you know, this is all Prince Harry's words and the queen and Princess Kate. Yeah, it's very funny.
Beth [00:35:46] Well, you got to wear your bad reviews like a badge of honor. You know, somebody who has a thing to say always. That's a good transition, though, because we were hoping you'd stick around for outside of politics. And we really wanted to talk to you about your wedding.
Chelsea Devantez [00:35:58] Oh, my gosh. Thrilled. Thrilled. It was three months ago. I wish I could go back. I would talk about it for every day if I could.
Sarah [00:36:14] Can I just wax poetic here a moment about you? Chelsea has somehow managed through her Instagram stories, which is one of my favorite places on the Internet, and my husband's favorite places on the Internet. And we don't share a lot of favorite places on the Internet. There's not a lot of crossover. He likes pocket knives and everyday carries. This is not a there are not places we do understand. I'm saying he was like, remind her I'm a cookie. Don't tell her I'm a cookie. I'm like, out. She knows. Okay.
Chelsea Devantez [00:36:39] So I'm so honored.
Sarah [00:36:41] To have this space and to single handedly wrestle weddings back from this industrial complex to single handedly make them fun and engaging and lovely again. Like, you have accomplished something for humanity the way you and you invited us all along on this. And still we're out here. We spent lots on Bennifer's wedding cups, and I'm not even mad about it. I'm not. We're still in it with the cup. I'm fine. Let's stay in it with the cupss. I don't know how you did that. I don't know how you did that, because there have been a lot of money spent on making weddings soulless and consumptive and terrible. And you. And I guess we should probably give some credit to your husband how he single handedly just wrestled it back.
Chelsea Devantez [00:37:30] Oh, my gosh. Thank you so much. That was absolutely so nice. And I it's it's really I'm I'm also happy to hear you say that because, you know, I'm writing this book and I was writing the chapter about the wedding. And I yeah, I'm definitely, like, uncomfortable and embarrassed about how much the Internet was a beautiful part of my wedding process. And I was like, That is such a gross sentence. So I was planning it was such a there were so many people who were weighing in on Instagram that it was actually like a huge part of it and something that I actually kind of missed because it was like so lovely having these conversations and like just disrupting, disrupting the industry. It was so fun. And it really like Instagram is a big part of my wedding, which is, you know, not the most not something you envision as a statement.
Sarah [00:38:21] They don't understand what you're talking about. Not like in this like Pinterest way. She had the thing about y'all, her wedding, the things that you had a stand in for you and you see are so people you could enjoy the wedding and people could get pictures taken with you. Oh.
Chelsea Devantez [00:38:34] Yeah. They're big, big versions of us. Them. Thank you. I mean, I had so much fun and I think and and I'm so happy that other people had fun. I think the the key thing, which I never could have planned, was that I did not grow up and in a traditional way. I don't come from a traditional family, and neither does Yasir. And I truly had no idea what was waiting for me when I went to plan a wedding. Like I just didn't know and like, obviously, like I was like, oh, like dresses party like, of course, of course. I want that, you know, even like, let's have a wedding. And the first time I went to try on wedding dresses, I went into the store with my friends. So here's the thing. I was like, I know I'm going to have a drag queen dress designer make my dress. I just knew it. I knew I was going to get married and gold. I'd known that all my life, right? So I set that up and then I was like, you know, it'd be kind of fine to try on a white dress just for fun with my friends. Just I can have the moment, right? So I make this appointment for my friends. I Googled in L.A. 'Most expensive wedding dress store'. Because I'm here to have fun. I'm not here to buy a dress right? On the phone, she's like, What's your she's like, What's your wedding dress budget? I said, $1 million. $1 million. She was like, How? And I was like, $1 million. Like, I was just like, Let's go. We walk into the dress store. She was like, What are you looking for? And I was like, Bit, give me your biggest dress. And she looks at me like, pretty confused. And I'm looking around the store and I'm like, I guess they only sell, like, slits in the front and like, all the dresses are in back. Like, I just really don't understand it. So anyways, cut to this woman bringing me slips that were $12,000 each and and not meant to go over a butt or boobs or anyone who resembles a woman, you know. And so we're just like, I'm just stretching on these, like, little fairy, these little, little fairy gowns and walking out to my friends being like, Oh my God. And she was like, Did you did you Google the designer before going? I was like no, I just kind of just kind of thought every wedding dress or has a bevy of wedding dresses. And so I was just so confused. I was like, Oh, I guess I have some things to learn. And and I went to the next appointment and the woman was like, Close your eyes, you know, close your eyes. And I want you to point to the dress that speaks to you most because the first one you try on at the appointment is it's a big deal. So close your eyes. I close my eyes. I point to the dress I want. And she goes, No, not that one. I said, Okay? She put me in like the hideous, the most hideous dresses I've ever seen. And then finally, when I found one, I like I said, can I try on a veil? And she said, Is this the one? And I was like, I don't know. And she was like, Why are you going to cry? Do you feel like crying? I was like, I don't think so. She's like, And this isn't the one. And we only bring a veil if it's the one. And I was like, Give me the fucking veil right now. Right now you give me a veil. It was so, so after that I was sort of like, I don't think I understand what's going on with weddings. And I started posting all the dresses I tried on and complaining about how much they were.
Sarah [00:41:24] This is like, I like how you're relating these to dress shopping experiences. Very normal. Can you tell the people how many wedding dresses you tried on?
Chelsea Devantez [00:41:32] Yes, I well, you know, I can't because I lost count, but over 120 for sure. And I purchased two and returned them and and, you know, returning a wedding dress, I really don't recommend it. They made it. I was at Kleinfeld. They made me sign a bunch of paperwork. They were like, Listen, ma'am, the moment you sign this paper, this is your dress. I was like, For sure. For sure. And I walked out and I was like, Those dresses are ugly. I like what I said. And I was like, Please give me my money. And they were like, never! Yeah, I was I it was. So I also see this like I am from a line of DIY. Do it yourself trash queens. Okay? You know, I mean, like, we're going to the store, we're coming home, we're redoing all the curtains, our house with the tablecloth. Like this is where I'm from. And so I, even though I'm a TV writer, like I fully have money now, I was so offended. Was so offended by the price of these dresses because, like, my mom's a seamstress, like, I know how much tulle costs. I know that this is our cheapest fabric, you know? And so I wanted a wedding dress where you'd be like, Oh, my God, you most beautiful woman I've ever seen. And then I would like, lean forward and, like, whisper the price. Like, it was like a Maximista commercial, you know? And you'd be like, what? Like, I know. Can you believe it's $5? And so I wanted a deal, but I also wanted a nice dress. And that was a really impossible search because I just couldn't respect myself if I paid $6,000 for a slip.
Sarah [00:42:52] I mean, I remember back in the day, Beth did you get the advice? I mean, I've been married almost 20 years. I was a child bride. And I remember they would tell you like...
Chelsea Devantez [00:43:00] It is wild hearing you say 20 years and looking at your face.
Sarah [00:43:02] 20 years. Remember, they would tell us, like call the venue, but don't tell them it's for a wedding.
Beth [00:43:07] Yeah. Do you remember that advice? Because it's so much more expensive.
Chelsea Devantez [00:43:10] Yes, Yes. They're scamming you. They're always scamming.
Beth [00:43:15] Did you, how did You conceptualize your wedding for yourself? Did you think of it as an art project? Were you doing satire with the dresses? Like how did you think about this as you got into it?
Chelsea Devantez [00:43:26] I was definitely not doing satire with the dresses. I really wanted to find a wedding dress. Oh, because once I tried on a white wedding dress, I then I got bit by the bug and I wanted a second dress to change it too. So that's why I ended up trying on all those wedding dresses. But you know what? I think what happened is that so Yasir and I, we had to. I had to move to New York City for the jobs to do a job, and he was coming with me. And so we had to find a venue early. So we like book these venue appointments, even though the wedding wasn't for like two years away because we're going to be gone for a year. And so we went to the first venue and we were like, Yeah, seems good. Seems like a room that you stand in, you know? Great. And his mom was like, Please, please, just see three, just see three, just see three of them. And then you can choose. And as we were walking through the second one, we're like, We're exhausted. Let's just go with that first one, and then we finally make it to the third one. And we had this idea where we were like, How funny would it be if we hired stand ins who looked vaguely like us and put them under a sign that said, Take a selfie with Yasir and Chelsea. And we we did. We ended up giving a speech where I guess we said, Come find us in the back room. We want we want to take pictures with you guys. So they would walk back and be surprised. But that was like one of the first things we came up with. We were we were just laughing so hard, really crying. And the other thing that happened early on is that Yasir brought me a compilation of this old gospel song called Father Stretch, but it's like it was like it has drumbeats in it and like a full like horn section. And he was like, I think you should walk down the aisle when the drums hit to this song and all the lights should go out and there should just be a spotlight on you. This was like the and I was like, Oh my God. What? He's like, like a like a princess. And so he said this and that. So that was where the whole wedding came from. We're like, Oh, we know there needs to be lighting cues because we're not going to have to have pitch black room or need a spotlight. We need a venue that like has things like that. We want a choir, we want a band. We always knew we wanted that and then we wanted these stand ins. And then the whole wedding kind of came together around that. And then at some point in the process, I was like, I can't. Maybe we should have flowers on the table. Like, I don't know what else?
Sarah [00:45:32] Oh the centerpiece journey.
Chelsea Devantez [00:45:33] Sarah knows this, the centerpiece journey killed me. And Yasir said to me, I don't want a single flower at this wedding. I said, I said, How important is this to you? He said, a 10. And and our visual esthetic was lights and fog. And every time we told it to people, I would watch the disappointment cross their face as they just were so disgusted in what we had chosen. But then when you saw when you got there and saw photos is actually like really beautiful and like, yeah, the only flowers were my bouquet. And then we threw 300 flowers out at our crowd unsuspectingly at the start.
Sarah [00:46:06] Now you have to tell them about the billboard. The billboard is my favorite.
Chelsea Devantez [00:46:09] My gosh. So we get to our venue and there's like a low like it's a it's a full size highway billboard, but it's like maybe 20 feet lower. I don't know, feet, but it was a little bit too low. So it was like really in the cocktail space. And because we were touring in the middle of COVID, you know, as we're about to move. I think they were really desperate to to book an engagement and they were like, We can cover that billboard for you. Yeah, whatever you want, whatever you want. And I was like, Oh, okay, cool. So then two years later, I'm like, Hey, how do we cover that billboard? And they were like, What are you what are you talking about, ma'am? And we, you know, we didn't we weren't going to put up like Chelsea and Yasis's wedding. And so we put up a picture of our mom and we said, I don't think Yasir would let me say ass. So it was like maybe a very large, I wanted to say big ass wedding. He's had a very large wedding by the request of our mothers, and then we photoshopped our moms together and they said, No, we'll have a photo shoot. Thank you. So they got hey, they got glam, they got a photographer, they wore white and they. But now we have these, like, beautiful pictures of our moms. And so when you got to the venue, it truly I was starstruck by our own choice because when you pulled up, there was this giant billboard of our like joyous moms. And it like, set the tone for everything. And so I think the other thing, too and like, listen, did someone reach out to me and say, do you want to host a wedding show where you deconstruct weddings? And did I say, yes? Yes, I did. So yeah, I want to talk about this forever. But I think for me, going to weddings was always a burden. Like, was it a burden for you guys? Like, I was always like, I don't have money for this time, for this. I can't take off work like they were. Weddings were burdens. And so I really set out to make a wedding experience. Like, for me, it was not my special little day Like, it. It was. But I was like, This is your special little day. I just don't want it to be a burden for you. And so I also was trying to make it a good experience.
Sarah [00:48:05] I mean, it sounds like I went to your wedding, but I didn't. That's how much you've invited.
Chelsea Devantez [00:48:08] You were all lovely and supportive in my wedding day. You helped quite a bit.
Sarah [00:48:13] I was in it because I never stop thinking about wedding. My Instagram like suggestions is still stinkin wedding dresses and I've been married for 20 years.
Chelsea Devantez [00:48:20] It'll be that way for. Oh, my God, Beth, you gave me the cake idea. Will you share your cake?
Beth [00:48:24] Well, so I didn't want flowers centerpieces either. Mostly because Chad and I paid for our wedding, and...
Chelsea Devantez [00:48:30] Yeah, we did too.
Beth [00:48:31] ...that's really expensive. And we didn't like them enough to justify the expense. And so we worked with this baker, and she made cakes for every table and every layer of each cake had different flavors. And so all of the cakes at the tables were different, and it got people up and like roaming around to find the kind of cake that they wanted. It was cute. It was really fun. Yeah
Chelsea Devantez [00:48:54] And it's gorgeous. Economical.
Sarah [00:48:56] I was not at Beth's wedding either, but I would have sampled I would not have stopped until Beth knows, until I sampled every single layer at every single table, because it was the best part of weddings.
Chelsea Devantez [00:49:04] Yes.
Beth [00:49:06] They were so good.
Chelsea Devantez [00:49:07] That was the best centerpiece idea I think I got. And I got a lot of great ones. But the cake one, I feel like that should be like on my bill, but they should have been on my billboard. So let people know you can do it at your wedding.
Beth [00:49:18] Oh see. This was my version of wanting a wedding to not be a burden because I had that exact same thought process. So my version was my bridesmaids can pick out their own black dresses. Just whatever black dress you want to wear is great so you can wear it again. We're going to have a cocktail hour before the ceremony so no one's hungry because I've been in so many weddings where I've been starving and I didn't want anybody hungry. I did not think about like fog and lighting and billboards. So I just feel like I didn't push it far enough. But I was in that line of thought with you.
Chelsea Devantez [00:49:46] Yeah. Yeah. No, but I think that I think when you have that line of thinking, you know, it's always like a nice wedding. It's so funny to be like, Oh, it's your special day. It's like, Well, you have asked everyone else to come. Like, we should think about it for them as well.
Sarah [00:49:59] I always want to feel like I know the people better when I leave.
Chelsea Devantez [00:50:02] Yes.
Sarah [00:50:03] I want to feel like I understand you guys better when I leave. If I could have been anybody's wedding, we could have subbed in somebody else. That's why I come.
Chelsea Devantez [00:50:10] That's. I think that is what I wish. You know, when I went to go be like, what are weddings? I guess? I don't know. I wish that was like a more available piece of advice. And like, I think the other thing with ours, the first thing, one of the first things we decided to was that our dress code was try and outdo us.
Sarah [00:50:26] I love that so much.
Chelsea Devantez [00:50:28] And I think it also really works because knowing us and knowing how crazy we dress like that, you sort of got it, you know. And so that to me though, also it's like then then you get to like dress up and put on a like a halo or feathered cape or like a little cane or like a bird.
Sarah [00:50:47] They showed up. Your guests.
Chelsea Devantez [00:50:47] They showed out, they showed out.
Sarah [00:50:49] They took that instruction to heart.
Chelsea Devantez [00:50:51] Yes. Yes. They knew we meant business.
Sarah [00:50:54] Oh so good. So good. I mean, I want a full length feature message immediately. I was like, You keep going. Do people want to know more? And I finally was like, There's not enough Chelsea. Like, just keep the steady flow. Go ahead and do a renewal in like five years. We'll all be in there for that. Like, just there's not enough ever. So just keep going..
Chelsea Devantez [00:51:12] You know, it's so funny because I definitely was like, all I want. I mean, I have more to I have more to say, But because we've seen those brides online who was like, You guys, so these are our pajamas andn these our champagne glasses? And you're like, okay, we get it, we get it, we get it. I, like, can't let myself become one of those. But like, if given the chance, like I will throw another wedding every day.
Sarah [00:51:32] Do it. Do it
Beth [00:51:33] It was joyous to be one of your Instagram followers through this process because you allowed it to be fun.
Sarah [00:51:39] Yep.
Beth [00:51:40] And like and you just kind of gave us all permission to, like, make celebrations our own, to, like, take the loose framework of a wedding and then really do you into it. And I love that.
Chelsea Devantez [00:51:52] Man. Thank you.
Sarah [00:51:52] And without distracting from what you were there to do, it's really beautiful. What you were there to do is special and beautiful.
Beth [00:51:59] And worthy of the party.
Chelsea Devantez [00:52:01] Around it to actually get married. Yeah. Yeah. And you know what I will say? Like, I thank you so much for saying that. And Instagram really gave back to me. I mean, the people in my DMs truly helped us plan this wedding, and that's the thing too. So Yasir was shooting a movie until nine days of the wedding. So I really took the wedding over. And what? Was thrilled because, like, I was not like, Where are you? I was like, I've got it. Like, me and my bridesmaids and my Instagram DMs, like, we're going to do this thing. And people had like the most incredible ideas and insights. And like all the brides in my DMs who had been brides before, were like, Go to the max. Like, no regrets like you guys do. You like. Do not like. Like the spirit of their mother in laws' were speaking through them as they said compromise for no one. And I really took it to heart. And he and I were like, we spent the whole honeymoon talking about our wedding. And, you know, when we started the wedding, prices were like, we don't need a fucking videographer. Like, I don't need a video of my dumb wedding, right? We ended the process being like, Where's the video? We want to watch it every day. Every day. The best day of our lives.
Sarah [00:53:07] Well, and kudos to him because he still came up with his surprise wardrobe change, which...
Chelsea Devantez [00:53:13] This man! I said, Yasir. So I changed. I changed dresses three times. People, this is the thing. where I didn't compromise. People were like, Oh, if you spend so much time changing, you're going to miss the party. Lies. I can do quick changes. I'm a performer. Y'all talk to me out of two extra dresses and I feel bad for all of us. But I changed three times and I was like, Yasir, I'm going to change your mind. Like, do you want to change? He's like, Oh, no, I'm not going to change this man. His sibling is a barber. And Britney shaved his head.
Sarah [00:53:38] Oh my God. Your face.
Chelsea Devantez [00:53:39] In between the ceremony, the reception. Yeah. And then he put on a wig. So we came out with, like, him wearing his normal hair, and then he did a wig reveal. During our first dance, he had change suits. And then I looked over and he came out in a full head to toe camo gear, was someone who wasn't going to change. I loved it. And the next morning when we woke up in our suite, I turned to look at him and he has this, like, plastic digital mask on and like, there's little hearts like blinking where the eyes and the mouth are. And I just hear him say, Oh, I meant to wear this. So he really showed out. He really showed out.
Beth [00:54:19] Oh, that's perfect. Chelsea, thank you so much for spending time with us. It is always a delight.
Chelsea Devantez [00:54:25] Thank you for letting me discuss comedy and weddings. I truly I feel I feel such a deep friendship with you guys, even though we haven't met. And I will say, doing that little Apple spotlight, podcasting, I think the best benefit was supposed to be that it brought more people to my podcast, but the biggest benefit was meeting you guys. So thank you so much.
Beth [00:54:41] Totally neutral. It was a good excuse that you were on your honeymoon when we went to see went to see Wynona Judd.
Sarah [00:54:48] Oh my god..
Beth [00:54:48] But we we can't have another situation like that. You see what I'm saying? Like, if there's another opportunity, we have to make it happen.
Chelsea Devantez [00:54:54] Yeah. Yeah. I can't wait. I can't wait.
Beth [00:55:04] Thank you so much to Chelsea for joining us today. We would love to hear from all of you about what's funny, what's not funny. Do you like those TED Talks disguised as humor? What does it for you? Don't forget to head to our shownotes and learn how to become a premium member so that you can join that conversation with other listeners, and so you do not miss out on our Succession discussions beginning at the end of March. We'll be back in your ears on Friday. Until then, everybody have the best week available to you.
[00:55:44] Pantsuit Politics is produced by Studio D Podcast Production. Alise Napp is our managing director. Sarah Maggie Penton is our community engagement manager. Dante Lima is the composer and performer of our theme music. Beth Our show is listener-supported. Special thanks to our executive producers. Executive Producers Martha Bronitsky. Ali Edwards. Janice Elliott. Sarah Greenup. Julie Haller. Helen Handley. Tiffany Hasler. Emily Holladay. Katie Johnson. Katina Zuganelis Kasling. Barry Kaufman. Molly Kohrs. Katherine Vollmer. Laurie LaDow. Lily McClure. Linda Daniel. Emily Neesley. Tawni Peterson. Tracey Puthoff. Sarah Ralph. Jeremy Sequoia. Katie Stigers. Karin True. Onica Ulveling. Nick and Alysa Villeli. Amy Whited. Emily Helen Olson. Lee Chaix McDonough. Morgan McHugh.
Beth Jeff Davis. Melinda Johnston. Michelle Wood. Joshua Allen. Nichole Berklas. Paula Bremer and Tim Miller.