For Part 1 of this interview, click HERE.
the cast of Pretty photo credit: Jim Tsui
DARYN: I feel like we’ve seen some nice changes in roles for women in drama and dramedy– some great character roles like The Closer and Nurse Jackie and Weeds, but women in comedy are still either the quirky sidekick or the hot girl. You all work a lot in mainstream media. Are you gals seeing a shift in women in comedy?
STACY MCQUEEN: I do not work in the mainstream media. I live in denial. I keep telling myself, “I’m young, I’m perfect, I’m great in every way,” and someday maybe others will believe it too. I live by the words of my idol RUTH GORDON, “Never give up. And never, under any circumstances, face the facts.”
DEE FREEMAN: Women comedians have been around forever. Lucille Ball, Whoopi Goldberg, Roseanne Barr, Kathy Griffin, Wanda Sykes. I would love to see women featured more on network and cable television as well but the process can be slow.
TERRI SIMMONS: Well, I’ve never been considered quirky enough and certainly not hot enough, so I’m hoping there is a third option in the shift for women in comedy. I do think that thanks to Tina Fey and other smart, funny women, that viewers and audience members are more open to women in comedic roles. My goal in the industry has always been for people to say, “I don’t know what it is about Terri Simmons, but I can’t get enough of her.”
KIRSTEN VANGSNESS: On Criminal Minds I get to be both the quirky and the hot girl – my evidence being that I am the only person on a show with 7 lead characters who flirts with the hottest guy on the show and has a boyfriend and has had a sex scene. All that and I get to wear crazy outfits and be a super genius, so I definitely think its changing.
ALISON QUINN: The only shift in women in comedy is that either you have to make yourself seem slutty, I call it being the Ke$ha of Comedy, or if you are going to be on a mainstream comedy, even on cable, it seems to still be more important that you be good looking or famous, rather than funny. And I think that all started with Friends. Or maybe that’s when it shifted to looks first. I just read recently that Nicole Richie is doing a sitcom on ABC. Why? Is she funny? Is she funnier than all the other actresses out here? It’s still pretty depressing. And I don’t think it’s changed much. I also don’t think it’s shifted much in drama either. All of those women you mention were movie stars before those shows, so it doesn’t seem to really apply to “working women” in Hollywood.
l-r: Kirsten Vangsness, Stacy McQueen photo credit: Steve Silverman
DARYN: One of the things I think is very cool about the digital revolution is what it has done for comedy. Before web series, all of these great comedic actors were performing these fabulous characters but they could only get their show seen by you know, the UCB or Second City audiences for a short run. But now, with the web as a resource, they have the means to get their shows seen whenever and wherever. I feel that’s totally game-changing. What drew all of you to get involved in comedy series on the web?
STACY MCQUEEN: You are absolutely right! Totally game changing. WHAT A GLORIOUS TIME TO BE A CREATIVE TYPE! Gone are the days of waiting around for someone to give you an opportunity to do what you do. I love that now you don’t need anyone’s approval or permission or even money to express yourself. If you’ve got an idea, a camera and a little bit of editing know-how, you can have your own show. My eureka moment came three or four years ago when Oxygen offered me a web series and then changed their minds. They did that TWICE actually! The second time they drew back their offer, I spent about 10 minutes having a pity party, and then it struck me like a thunderbolt. I don’t NEED them to make my own videos! I jumped in blindly and was delighted to realize how creatively fulfilling it was and is. It literally has changed my life and how I view myself. Now the challenge is figuring out how to make a living at it. Oh it will be a grand, GRAND day when that happens!
DEE FREEMAN: Quite simply, it was Steve Silverman’s writing, which I think is pure genius. One day he sent me an email which said, “I wrote this web series and please look at the character of Ribina.” I figured I’d give myself a week to read it because I was busy. I started reading it and I finished it an hour later. I immediately called Steve and said, “When do we start filming?”
TERRI SIMMONS: Steve Silverman called and said, “Hey, I wrote this part for you, and it’s in a webseries I’m doing.” and I said, “Ok,” before I even read the script.
KIRSTEN VANGSNESS: I would do anything for Steve Silverman. He’s what drew me. It’s called “The Silverman Effect.”
ALISON QUINN: Steve. And I hope it’s game changing, but I’m not so sure it is. There’s a lot more content on the web, and it has a bigger potential for an audience than say a live stage show, but a lot of it is just not funny or poorly produced. Not Pretty though. Pretty is amazing! I had watched Season One because of Steve and Stacy, and I loved it, so I was grateful to be asked to play Ginger. But on the average, most of the stuff I’ve seen, like other web series, has been pretty underwhelming.
Last touches on Stacy McQueen's makeup Photo Credit: Steve Silverman
DARYN: One of my favorite comments about the show was by Destini of Indie Intertube, which is that the show is “the gayest non-gay show.” I just love that! Stacy, how long does it take to get into hair and makeup?
STACY MCQUEEN: I would say that makeup takes about an hour, hair another hour. Shout-out to my friend Penny Peyrot! And then a half hour to put on the spanks, wrap my boobs, tights, tutus and then the child size dress… I was laid up with a cast, so Silverman bought a couple of my dresses. He just shrugged when I pointed out that they were kid’s costumes. One of the reasons I wear a cape with the clown outfit is because it didn’t zip up.
DARYN: Let’s talk interactivity. The big difference between online shows and television shows is the interactivity. How involved are you in the facebook/twitter world, and if you have twitter handles, please share!
STACY MCQUEEN: I love Facebook, and think it’s a great marketing tool, great way to get the word out for sure… And yet, I think it can sometimes give you this false sense of “well, I’ve done my part and that’s that….” Ya know? I just recently realized that I was depending 100 percent on Facebook for promoting Pretty. That just aint right. In order to grow an audience – you have to keep coming up with new ways to promote outside your social circle. Yes, I’m learning twitter – I still don’t get it and post a tweet like every two months. @mcqueendom is my handle, but I am still figuring out how utilize the internet to grow our numbers.
DEE FREEMAN: I’m not involved with Twitter yet but I am on Facebook.
TERRI SIMMONS: Well, I’m on facebook but I don’t really know how to use it very well. I don’t do Twitter because I’m not a good Tweeter. I like to ride on the “edge of being cool” and keep myself behind the times.
KIRSTEN VANGSNESS: I’m here and there with it @vangsness
ALISON QUINN: I’m on Facebook. I can’t wrap my head around Twitter. I don’t know. I’m getting pretty sick of Facebook, but it is a good way to let everyone know that a new episode of Pretty is premiering on Monday. Again though, I think you have to be choosy. If I get show invitations or reminders from someone every day, or they talk about their auditions or what a “hard day it was on set” all of the time, then I defriend them. So I think too much of a “business” presence on Facebook can actually have a negative effect.
Terri Simmons photo credit: Jim Tsui
DARYN: OK, the big question, there are still a few episodes left in Season 2. What is in store?!
STACY MCQUEEN: Annette gets rhinoplasty and develops an expensive crack habit.
TERRI SIMMONS: I would not hesitate in telling you every last detail of what’s going to happen in Season 2, but I honestly don’t remember a thing. I do recall it was very hot while we were shooting and I was sweating a lot. And I almost forgot to put on underwear before my scene with…wait. Nevermind.
ALISON QUINN: You have to ask Steve. I am too scared of him to answer any of these questions. And I am just a plain lady actress so I have to take what I can get.
DARYN: And of course, everybody’s wondering what Joan Van Ark is playing! Can you tease?
STACY MCQUEEN: Yes, I could tell you but then I’d have to kill you… and you seem like such a nice person.
DEE FREEMAN: I wish somebody would tell me! When I asked Steve, he just smiled mysteriously and said, “You’ll see.” That’s not an answer Steve.
TERRI SIMMONS: Yes, I can tease you all day long, but not about Joan Van Ark. Whoops, there’s my Parker Kensington-Parker coming out again.
ALISON QUINN: You are right. Everyone is wondering. Including me. Cause I don’t know either.
Watch episode 2 of Season 2 below.
