Betsy Randle Meets World

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Speaker 1: So you guys, I've discovered a podcast. Is it okay to talk about another podcast on our podcast? Okay? I mean, I mean yeah, there's this amazing podcast that I've become obsessed with, and it makes a perfect companion piece to our podcast. It's called Sixties Songs That Explained the Nineties Wow, And it's this this great music journalist named Rob Harvilla, and he basically every episode he picks one song from the nineties. I mean it's everything you like, you know, top hits from and not only like goes into the you know, the song and the meaning and why it was written, but also the whole history of the band. Um, so you know, it becomes an opportunity like for instance, you know, I knew the song Hey Jealousy by Jin Blossoms. Of course, every great song. I had no idea anything about why that was written or the tragedy of the band. It was the guitarist. Was that the guitarist that wrote it, and the guy who wrote that and their other two hits killed himself. Yes, yes, I mean, I mean, unfortunately, like a lot of things in the music, like the music industry, especially in the nineties, there's a lot of drugs, a lot of depression, a lot of but anyway, you know, for anybody who grew up in the nineties or who was listening to music, and especially because you know we've talked about before or like in relation to our show, it was still like a monoculture, right, So everybody was listening to the same songs, everybody was talking about the same songs, and so it's really interesting to dive into these um the backstories. And he's just a very funny, witty writer. He usually has guests on and they just break out, Like I didn't know anything of Oasis, for instance. It was like one of those things I just completely missed, you like I know the story of the brothers and the history, like I just I knew some of the songs, of course, So like I went and listened to the Wonder Wall episode and it just blew my mind, like the crying the back story. There's a great documentary about Oasis that's out right now, that's like two hours long. It's pretty phenomenal about their rise to fame and then how they broke up. And it was like the brothers don't speak anymore. It was over like clothes. It was Jensen and I were just talking about songs that you don't really know the meaning of, and then you go back and re listen to them and you're like, whoa, that's what that was about. Like remember the song closing time? Of course? Of course? Every okay, right, and that's what you think it's about, right, It's actually about watching the birth of his child. Okay, the baby is out. You can't you don't you you can't stay here, you have to go home. And there's actually no no, you really listen to it. There is a lyric, but it's amazing calculated also because like I love that, Like every couple of years there's just a song about like drinking or bars, and it's like so smart. I'm writing Christmas songs because it's like it's always going to have a place, like exactly five years where you couldn't go to a bar until at two am. They would just play close and be like shots. Remember the song shots? Shots? Oh my god, I'm gonna go on record and say that is in my top ten favorite songs of all time. It is amazing. How dare you? How dare you say it is? The song? It is? It is incredible. I absolutely love it. But it used to be. It was a song that I ran to and that so if you just think about it as being like, you know, it's the right beats per minute to like get you going while you're running. That's one of the reasons I'm exactly that right, Okay, except for those of us who are younger than sorry, exactly that's my seventies running song. I have the Tiger. Thank you, Danielle, if you want to, if you want to do an episode that is like you're talking about, daniel where you discover what it's really about and so disturbing is crash into me but just like a beautiful song help but just like and like you know, I was just the right age sixteen or whatever. But you listened to the six the sixties songs that explained the nineties episodes and they like they don't have to go very deep. You just actually listen to what he has saying it. It's so sexual, but it's a beautiful song. You kind of care, Now do you think this guy on his podcast is sitting there going? So I found the greatest podcast in the world that is a perfect companion's called also Hit Me Baby One More Time. Apparently was a double entendre that also had sexual undertones. I was gonna wear look at my shirt. Yeah, shirt I'm wearing. I'm wearing my Too Much Shirts writer. I have your shirts. I have a shirt for Indie. It's an extra small I hope it fits him. It maybe very stylishly oversized. Well perfect, I have all of your shirts. Yes, of course you're you're you're a beast growing up. I was just called husky, so that will work. Yes, and the husky size. Um, yeah, I'm really excited about it. So I love my Too Much Shirts shirt. It's the only one I've worn. I'm wearing it today. I also got the hold the Plane for Maka shirt, but I haven't worn it yet. But all of you can get your shirts as well at pod Meats World show um dot com. So please go check out the march just very quickly, Danielle. I was in Boston at Comic Con this weekend and there was a plethora of Pod Meats World shirts. They were everywhere. It was awesome. It was so cool to see people out rocking their Pod Meats World shirts. It was great. It was really really cool. I haven't seen one of the wild yet. Oh yeah, I know they're out there, that's and I asked, just for the record, I asked everybody that I met, and there was a number of people, I mean tons of people came up and said they were listening to the podcast. I said, are we ruining your childhood? For you? And every single one, so you know, I had to. I had to. It's like, are we doing anything that's ruining your experience? And they're like, no, it's awesome. We love the inside stuff. Keep it up because this is totally cool. It's enhancing the show. I was like, okay, good, I feel good about that. Okay good if that makes us feel good. I also wanted to give you, guys, just you know, we get thousands of emails and some of them, most of them are really incredible, and we love reading them. Unfortunately, because we get so many of them, it would be impossible for us to write you all back or acknowledge you. But it doesn't mean that we're not reading them, and it doesn't mean that they're not special. So I did just want to give a couple of little shout outs to people, like a shout out to Deanna C who used Boy Meets World as a way to get through her hard childhood, and she saw the show as an escape. I want to give a shout out to Becky Oh, who is a high school teacher who starts her classes every year with the episode Teachers Bet Isn't that Yeah? She says it gets some cringes, but starts some really good conversations too, And she said this year the pod cast recap actually really lines up with her back to school time, so it was perfect. So now they get to listen to both uh and then I thought this story was so amazing. Shout out to Katie H who herself actually works on Righteous Gemstones and she zooms with her childhood best friend every single week. They originally met in study hall and boy meets World in was the thing that bonded them and made them friends. And now so they used to watch the episode together every week and then talk about it. And now thirty years later, they zoom every week to talk about this podcast. Yes, that's awesome, our podcast, about our podcast and their friendship and how how we are just keeping them friends. What if they have nothing else in common, what if it's just us, that's it, that's all they've got. Oh, man, that's so funny that isn't it funny? So uh, Welcome to pod Meets World. I'm Daniel Fishel, I'm Strong, and I'm Wilfredell and we are edging closer to our first ever live show as Pod Meats World goes on the road to San Diego at the Magnolia on October How many layers of shirts do you to plan on wearing? Um, not not counting vests or hood So I'm gonna I'm gonna haim for fours. That's impressive. I'm gonna try to outdo you and go for five. Then, oh man, I'm going to be outnumbered. Well, we're going to record a part of the podcast, talk about specific episodes with audience members, perform a scene with one lucky listener, and we will have a special guest plays with squirrels. Yes he will actually be there, but this time I was talking about someone else and v I P packages will get you a meet and greet and a photo and autographs. Tickets are available now at ticketmaster dot com for Pod Meets World at the Magnolia in San Diego, cohone on October two. Don't miss out. It's gonna be yes. I'm bringing this phrase back the cat's pajamas. I am so excited. We are all so excited about today's guest. Uh. She is America's mom. She is one of the most incredible women actors. She's a mom in her own right, She's a wife. She is absolutely wonderful and so please welcome to the podcast. Betsy Randall, Betsy my TV mom. Hi you are How are you even more gorgeous than the last time I saw you? Well, I worked on it this morning. I've lost and I'm getting getting my A D S hair back, my home improvement hair. Oh man, I can't wait to talk to you about your home improvement hair. Yeah. Well it's a big and you know got me this job. Okay, so I'm talking around. Okay, Yes, we're great. Well look beautiful to me. Oh I missed your face gon cry already? Oh man? Okay. So to give everyone a little bit of a I mean, not that she needs really any introduction, but she played Amy Matthews, the matriarch of the house for a hundred and fifty eight episodes of Boy Meets World, the wife of Alan, the mother of Corey, Eric Morgan, and eventually Yea on the milk Bottle Never Up we did. Wait, tell that story, Please tell that story. Okay, I'll interrupt you. Well, the funny thing is is that I'm friends with with the what's her name now, the original Really really you're very close. He's not that close, but I've seen her in place. She's a magnificent actress. Yes she is. So the crafts, not the craft services, but the tech guys that you know, you know, just provided us with a milk cotton with a picture of Lily on there and saying, if you seeing this child, actually shoot with that milk carton on the thing? You know they did, It's just they didn't zero in on it, a little scared to do that. They probably took a shot of it and went, oh my god, I'm so curious if anybody can see it, Oh my gosh, I'm dying. Second or season second or third season? Right? Well? When, yeah, she was, because then Lindsay comes in after what like half the season was in a fourth season after she hadn't come in until like fourth season. Really, is that we went that long with a couple of years? Yeah, yeah, a long time. I thought it was just one season. I thought so too. There that she was there for wee, No, no that she. I think she was there for two seasons, and then I think she was gone after the first season, really, and then I thought he took a season off, and then at least one I think it was fourth. I'm sure. I'm sure there are somebody exactly somebody will pop up Easton, Easton, actually probably those at all details. I have a grandchild who's three turning to four, and I can just picture her at that age, at four, four to five, going I don't feel like doing this. Yeah, I don't want to do this. No, I'm not going to do this, you know, and you go, yeah, yeah, try explaining contracts and work to you know, a four or five year old like m h. God bless Chris Kire, God bless Chris Kier that first couple of a couple of seasons. First Chris Kaire, who is an upcoming guest of Pod Meets World. We're very yes, we're gonna have Chris Cairo on. We're so excited to talk to him. So, Betsy, you were on Home Improvement before you ended up on Boy Meets World. Can you tell us about how you were cast as Amy Matthews and whether or not Home Improvement and your role. There had had a hand in it. It had everything to do with it. Um. Remember I did have big hair. It was this really great big hair. And the first episode I did what I had auditioned to play Tim's wife. Okay, I'm home and proves they're down to three of us. Francis Fisher got cast first, you know, the Francis Fisher to the actress who was married to what was his name, the big director actor. Um. And then she was fired because she didn't know how to be funny as a stint as a backup, you know, she didn't know how to be the straight man. So and that wasn't working with Tim because he was a stand up comedian and so on, so that didn't work. But there were three of us up forward, they they called me back with the last three. So then when it came time when they finally cast Pat Richardson, who was more of this dry delivery and I was much more married Tyler Moorish, you know kind of thing compared comparatively, and so she uh so, So anyway, they just said they brought Deb Barilsky, who was not one of my best friends who caught me this job. Um said, what about Betsy for this best friend Pat, who's a feminist friend who will make fun of Tim for his tools, and I seem to nail that no pun intended, No pun intended. Oh that's right. I didn't even generally no pun into not that clever, but anyway, sure, so I got that part, and it was just such a fantastic episode, one of the funniest ones where Tim, you know, nails glues a piece of wood to his head and and it's just one of the funniest episodes that won all these awards, is the ABC Funniest Episode of the Year or something. So I happen to be featured in that, so that didn't hurt. And then you know, I stayed on and they liked me a lot. Um John Um past Flinn was directing at the time. Disney's watching me, They're already And so then they called me in after two years at at Home Improvement and said, what do you think you want to go for this part? They want to see you, and I went, really, I don't know if I want to leave Home Improvement. I really like it here. You know, I didn't know, and I kind of knew in my bones this was gonna be tricky. For me because I had I wasn't going to be featured, you know that the mom wasn't going to be featured, and there wasn't. It wasn't like Tim and Pat, you know, it wasn't gonna be just the kids and mom, you know, or the husband and mom. So it became a mom thing. But anyway, I competed with about a thousand people. I was told to get you know, at least um to get this, and I kept I went in three times. They weren't sure, and I was like, well, this really builds my confidence. But it was just one of these things where they just wanted me from the beginning. They somehow fell in love with me from Home Improvement and they just went, no, there's nobody better than her, so will go with that. And that's true, although I really, you know, struggled to get my mind's memorize and stuff like that. But do you remember do you remember what the audition scene was? Was it a scene with you and Corey or was it a scene with you? And it was it was you and Corey. It it was a scene with me and Corey and I was sitting on the bed trying to comfort him about something. What was I doing and giving him advice about something. Sitting on the bed and we're in baggy clothes that were all my own clothes. They trussed me like a camper or something. I don't know year and finally they went west with her wardrobe and you know, things like that. But they finally snaresed me up a bit. But did you read with Ben when you screamed like when you screen tested, did you did you read with him? No? Wow? Did you ever read with the original Alan? Matt McCoy? No, Matt was cast out after me. The only people that were cast for sure. It was me and Corey and writer. We were for sures and then you came in, but we changed Matt. We said goodbye to Matt. That was that. But there wasn't a lot of you know, I didn't know enough. When Rusty came in, it was like a whole different experience, Like, I know this guy, he's cute, you know, cute, he's kind of tough, you know, guys, guy kind of thing, you know. I know. We talked about the fact that like Amy and Allen were really set up to be different parents, like you guys were not the stereotypical do we be dorky, but of the joke parents, you guys were cool, and you wore cool clothes, and you had hip taste and music, and like you're relationship with each other was very cool and relaxed. And the way you guys parented was also a different style of parenting than we saw on TV at the time. And I wonder, like that is very much how we see you and Rusty, So we wonder how much of that was really based on them incorporating and writing the characters after who you were as people, rather than, you know, trying to fit somebody else into the mold. You know, you're absolutely right, that's exactly what happened. They I. I just was my being myself. I can be funny, I can be not funny, I can be said, I can pack it personally, I can do all that. But I was always myself. I didn't never feel like I was playing someone else. And that's what they said, just for your wonderful self. And I went, oh God, what's that that. I don't know what that is. So it's easier to be evil. I did a movie where I got to be evil. It was Piece of Cake. The thing was is that I just think that that's very much what have and and Rusty and I had a wonderful chemistry right away. You did, remember we were both studied with the Sandy Meisner. We both had from the same background. I we you know, I was still taking classes and stuff while I was still getting started, and so he was just sort of reassuring to me when we saw what worked, we went, well, this is why we worked because we worked off each other. And I think that's why we worked with you guys, is because we gave you, honestly how whatever you did or said. I'll speak for myself. I think Rusty would call himself more aggressman. I just take everything personally, took to a detriment, but you know what it serves me on camera, I think. So one of my favorite things that we're starting from from, you know, early on, one of my favorite things was you um. I just I love all these stories that pop into your head when you talking to somebody. And we were we were doing the little um and I've we've talked about this on on the show before. We were doing our opening title sequence, and it was kind of getting little pops of everybody, Okay, will you go lie in the bed. Now, hey, look up and smile like you're doing this kind of stuff. And I was watching everyone's watching as we were. You were doing yours, and you're sitting there with Ben and put the band aid on his head, and then you walk away and you do a big smile, and then they yell cut and you walk over me. You're like, that's my please watch our show. Smile and I'll never forget that. You always stuck with me. That's And then the first time we saw it together, we were all somewhere we saw the opening town and you went, yep, there it is my please watch our shows. It is. It's shameless, but we all knew that work. It worked, work, it was perfect. So was that also your first that Like the guys have talked a lot about that first photo shoot being their real first introduction to everybody. Do you remember the first time you met Will and Writer and what your impressions were of all of us as kids, and then the first time you met me, which was significantly later. Yeah, Well, first of all, you were also young. I was just watching the episode of the Santa thing, like, my god, we were also my gosh, how the time flies? Um, Well, I met Ben and writer. Were you coming? Were you at the table? Read? Yeah? Yeah, okay, No, I got cast later there was another Eric that's oh, that's right, that's Harry something very branch. I didn't bond with him. Oh good good. I can't remember that, but I do remember that I met Ben and writer and then his family. So but anyway, that's when I met you guys for the first time in this world, uh, for the first time, and you know, it was sort of amazing fact that kind of overshadowed everything else. I don't read and remember reading the script. Didn't we read the script? I'm sure we did because we all auditioned for the same material, so I sort of had it down, you know. Now. You you obviously would have worked with the kids on home improvement, um, although I'm sure your role wasn't necessarily heavily involved with the kids. So was Boy Mets World your first time working with a bunch of kids? And were you nervous? What? What? Did you have any concerns going into it? No? None. I mean, I'm I'm a mom, I have kids, and you know, there's nothing scary to me about that, just you know, but I had great respect for them. It's just that I wasn't involved in a lot of dialogue with the kids. There was one where I was babysitting and I told him the who won the game and I particularly killed me kind of things like that, but never really you know, hands out with the kids. So I wasn't nervous, no coming into us. Yeah, I wasn't worried. I just you know, I was really taking up one step at a time, just kind of glad I got the job. I cin' sure I was going to get it for the longest time. So you know, so wait, so how long when you know the first time you heard it, boy meats, we're all to the actual table read. How long was the process before you you were reading the script. I feel like it was months or something. I mean, it really took a while because they were auditioning everyone. And they were also auditioning everyone some actors from Chicago. I knew some big names actually to play Rusties parts, so you know, they were really trying to put the right package together. Um. I was told that when we shot the pilot and they do that, you know, I don't know what it's called where they do uh. An estimation of who loves the show the most like the focus, like a test screening kind of thing. Yeah, test screening, and and I scored rather high, Lulie, and I kind of scored it better than that. That's amazing. Okay, I guess I'm gonna keep this job. But then it just you know, became I was just slipped in the background. Of course after that, you know, not not like the same thing. Well, that's actually that leads me to my next question, because we have talked about it a lot that in we are watching today, we're watching episode one ten, so we're ten episodes into the first season, and there have been many very heavy Alan and Corey episodes, lots of deep stuff for them to go into. And we've talked a lot about the fact that it felt like there were some missed opportunities where some of that could have gone to you, where we could have learned more about you and your backstory. And so do you remember feeling like you were getting the short end of the stick as an actor and did you ever talk to Michael about it or the other writers about things you wanted to do or or how you wanted your character to be involved more. I appreciate you asking that, because yes, that was very hard for me, really hard. And I'm the only girl of three boys growing up, so I'm used to that, but not to be um. But I did feel, to be honest with you, Michael is a boy and the writers were all boys at first, and they didn't know what to do with Mom. Mom was not you know, just Mom was sort of still in the background, serving them, but not necessarily the driving force. Um. They eventually they started giving me more episodes where it became a little bit more likely, you know, like when you tried to run away from home and we had you know, Juliet there was terrified because my aunt she was so afraid of the audience. And I'm going, this makes me look really good anyway. I mean, I was like, get my hair really good if she's going to be there. But that's just a side story. But really it just at first it was just really hard for me. I didn't know what to do about it. And at one point there was some of the humor, some of this stuff just didn't I didn't get it sometimes, I you know, I didn't that's not that's that funny. Oh just throw it away, throw it away. So it just sort of became ins and I went in and out of UM being present in the way that I wanted to be. At first, I was much more present, I had much more of a voice, and I was acting, and you know, there was much more between Rusty and me. Over the years, as you guys got older, it was more fun to have see you guys being your geeky selves out there in the world, you know. So it was wonderful. I mean, I had such good relationships with all of you that I wasn't bothered by that. I just didn't think that the guys knew what to do with me and UM, and it was intimidating. So there were times when I, you know, felt intimidated or quiet, and I did talk to Michael at one point when I I think it was UM like, I didn't really like it that we ran into you at the hotel and I didn't. I thought it was weird the PM episode, Yeah, yeah, And I thought, Um, I wouldn't approve of you getting married. So yeah, I never I still I still don't. Yeah, that's strong. People have strong opinions about that one, uh, left and right. Yeah, And I just felt like they, you know, trivialized my experience of it until I went, no, you know, I've got a lot to say. And the one that you repeat that is so funny when I confront um Mr Feeney across the street and say I don't approve you know, and that kind of thing. Well, yeah, I mean I remember. One of the things we we've addressed on this show a number of times is the fact that, especially at the beginning, they didn't they were they didn't know kind of the tone of the show for everybody, so they were trying different pairs and at the beginning, I mean, we see this in this episode that we're going to talk about later, you know, are are the one ten that we've been talking about. This is where then it was kind of like Eric and Amy got a little bit of screen time together, which this was the first time I think that ever had actually happened, and it was a great scene. But that also led to as the show, you know, kind of progressed, You and I had some fun storylines together, like you know, when when Amy's coming to school with Eric, and and so they kind of saw something there a little bit. I think from this episode they saw a little kind of like, oh, this is an interesting pair if you did Eric and amy Um, and we had some fun stuff as the show progressed, I thought we did. I think so because you were older too, and because writer and Corey had each other in a way, and then Alan was always giving advice and tell anyone everyone what to do. So I watched that scene yesterday and we're standing at the door with Lily in the bathroom, and I went, oh my god, we look alike. We do like we both have the same humor. We were rolling our eyes and doing these things like what do we were mirroring? I thought, it isn't that interesting? And I, you know, I forgot that. That was you were very easy. All of you were easy. Can I just established that because you know, I had such a love affair with all of you. But but you and I Eric immediately took off. And remember back your parents said, you know, watch out for him. I said, I told your parents I would watch out for you. I'm sure, I'm sure. Well I think I was. Also I'm the Aaron's age. Yeah, I was the same age as your son. So it was you kind of instantly were like, okay, so that's I got you. Yeah, that was very very simple, friendlier than he nice, nice, but it was as you were, Betsy, how old were your kids when boy Me's World started? So you had kids at homes? A teenager still at home? Yeah, I had Aaron at home and he was junior when I started. Let's see what you're with it we started. He if he was my age, he would have been a junior going into a senior year of high school. Yeah, he was not. He underplayed the fact that all his friends, what dude, Mom goes, no, No, she's not, alright, don't say that. I mean, he hated that. I was like, that's going back to amy, you know, being a little bit in the background and not having as much meaty stuff to chew on as as Rusty did. As Alan, we have got to give you so, like, just so many props because we have talked about it in every single episode. How and writer made a really good point one day where he said, you know, we're now rewatching the show as adults, and so we are now recognizing things on the show that when we were kids we never paid attention to. And this is with absolutely no disrespect. A lot of that was then the stuff that the adults were doing. We weren't paying attention to what the storylines were that we're going on with the adults, and what the nuances were and how the layers were filling in. We were just thinking about where is the where is the hard laugh coming? And and those were the things we focused on. Child you were That's true. We were very Aty much taught to that that was where the Yeah, that that's where the good was. But what we have all recognized in rewatching the show is how incredible the moments are that you and Rusty give, even when you were only in two scenes, or even when you only have a few lines, the way you're under exactly exactly, that's the proof of it. That's exactly the proof of it. The way like, for example, your performance and Grandma was a rolling stone where you are making the muffins in the kitchen and Corey comes down and says, hey, where's Grandma? And you give the tiniest little look and you say, hey, let's make some muffins. And with just the smallest look, the audience knows something bigger is going on. She knows what it is. She's trying to protect him. And the fact that you were able to get it across and and just the amount of warmth and and like you are such a you were perfect, you are a you were absolutely flawless. And so watching you has been watching you has truly been one of the joys for me of doing this podcast a hugely well. We also thought they hugely dropped the ball in that episode that it would have been a perfect time for her for it to be your mother, Amy's mom and not Malan's mom. It would have just added an entire new layer to the thing, given your character more do um and it was just just wasn't done. So, I mean, it was what it was. But that was something we brought up, was like, why that was a perfect opportunity right there, like it was and it was remember these are boys writing this, Yeah, this is this is Michael's life. There's a lot of it is Michael's experience with moms and Gramazon so on. And so I mean, I can't I'm not going to blame I'm not blaming that has something to do with it. I'm gonna have to watch an episode which one was that grand was a rolling stone. It's the one that Rue McClanahan and and you are just unbelievable in it. You have a you have a whole scene where you you talk about how long you've known her and uh, you just you deliver a message with like no shame in your voice, no judgment. It's really it's truly beautiful. Go back and rewatch it and and appreciate you as much as we appreciate you. Um. And in this episode, the one ten, the Christmas episode, I thought your jokey, laughing, sarcastic. It made me feel seen as a mother because a lot of the mothers I know are you know if this had really happened to their child, would find it impossible to laugh at it. It would be this is traumatized my child. I'm going to speak to a manager and you know it would have been. And you obviously were very concerned about her and you want her to be okay. But also the absurdity of the situation is not lost on you. And the way you come home and tell the story to Rusty and explain it and start laughing, and then the way you and Will at the door are laughing, it is just more of your genius. How much of this episode and your performance in it of laughing through some of that stuff was just you? And how much of it do you think was scripted. Oh it was totally me, I told me, And it was totally Rusty. And the thing was that the reason we went to that was that immediately I'm going, you know, we're acting like like I go, what am I doing? And what am I wearing? Anyway, you know, I was like, that's boxy thing. But anyway, I go, oh, God, that's bigger than life. And then Rusty says, I didn't understand what this meant, And I said, here's what happened. But I think what you had was. Rusty starts laughing, and then I can't help but see the humor in it there because we're on the same page. And we're baby boomers. Okay, baby booms were born in nineteen fifty. Baby boomers are hip and cool to the end. You know, we really are, don't. We have a lot more going on for us than our parents generation in terms of relating to the dramas of the children. I mean, I I thought it was perfectly natural to laugh, you know, even though it learned it was totally That's what I would have done myself. It's great. And do do you and Rusty both still wear clogs? It's a it's a fair question. Fair question. God, I stopped wearing clogs. They were bothering my toes, but he lived in those things. I just wear flip clops now I got one of the time. I can't do anything. I don't know why. It's so salient to me that you guys both always wore clogs. It was the cutest thing because I I wondered, did did one of you come to set wearing them? And then the other person said, I'm also going to get a pair of those, or did you both just naturally were of those when you met. Well, there was a fan of earth shoes at a certain point when we were hippies. And so when you know young parents or whatever, and you all have these shoes where you're the back is lower than the top front, and different kinds of shoes that are good for your back, we're standing on your feet a lot. And the clogs I had were right for that. So it gave me a little height. It was a little taller than I really am. Like that made my legs better. But really we just both wore these clogs, and it was not planned. It just was part of our age group. I just thank you to tell you the truth. It was very Yeah, what was your relationship with Rusty? Like Rusty said that you guys were pretty close and that the four of you with your spouses went to dinner rather often. What tell us a little bit about your relationship. Oh, it was wonderful. Um. I miss him a lot because I don't get to see him much anymore. Um, but this, uh, this is just an easy thing. We went mountain biking together and we you know, I suddenly we were mountain biking. I kid believe I was mountain biking, but we were. And I had places to go, and he he even moved where I moved because he liked the mountains where we lived. And remember when we had the cast party at the house in Montendo and that big house. We finally moved out of that house, but he bought a house over there too, And then, you know, their kids got older. His he just had one baby at the time, and so he was behind me in terms of my kids were you know, like I said, your age. So it was it was an easy thing. We still our friends. We don't see each other very much, which I miss. Um. It was awkward in a way almost when we came back for Girl Meets World because he was directing, and I was just sort of I'm not sure where could fit in. It was kind of weird. So that that was just more recently where I just got I don't know where, you know, what our friendships like anymore. Um, but we adored I adored him. I thought he was so sexy and so fun and such a good actor. And when he got you know, when he got bossy with me, I just looked at him like, don't go there. You know, most of the time we were on the same page because we worked off each other and they wrote us writing, so they're all that flirtatious stuff was really there. I mean, that's what you do as an actor. You play off the person you're in love with, and it works and it really shows. And everybody when I do these cameos, they all just think, you guys were really in love, right, did you date? You know? We never had an affair? No, sorry, you know, oh you know, we didn't do that well the thing. But again, if we're talking about pairing up, I mean, the parents are the only set pair when the show starts, so it's like, if there's not chemistry between that pair, that's not going to be a I mean again. Matt McCoy have seen him in a number of things. Is a fine actor. I've seen him and he's done a ton of things for years and years and years. But you and Rusty the second year on screen in the pilot episode, I mean the second you see them, boom, couple like you just know right there. It's that you had that instantly the couple feel, um, yeah, did you have at least you might not have had an affair, but did you at least have a little bit of a crush on Rusty. I'm just a huge crush, but not like out of control. It wasn't like do I dare you know? It was never like that. It was just had such fun chemistry. There was one time where we had to really kiss and rock Corey's videoing. We've seen the episode. Yes, so the the writers okay are watching this go down and he says, now, come on, you got you know our director Kimes like me, do you have to really kiss her? Because you know, instead of just this little thing. So I'm kind a thing of ice cream in my lap and he starts to kiss me and the ice cream stays oh the bowl, we're saying, because we're sharing ice cream. It's like, huh what And then we get caught and they come in and they're laughing their pants up, going we need to get the ice creams, and they were all all the girls were so envying me to kids, trusting us like that, and it was really great. I'll never forget. It was like, and it's usually it's embarrassing if you have to kill it's a stranger, you know, or I think they had to do it before, We've all had to do it. But this this was embarrassing. But once we got into it, it was like, well, this is what it would be like. I don't know, it just was fun. It's just a fun story when I spilled the ice cream. Kind of kind of a general question and because so much of like rewatching the show for us and talking about our experience has been you know, just realizing how little experience the three of us had walking onto the set of Boy Meets Word, like, we have nothing really to compare it to. So I'm wondering, how did the set compare to other sets, or or how what was the community of writers and actors, what was the vibe? I mean, how was it different than Home Improvement? Was it better? Was it more relaxed or different theater companies that you had been a part of, Like in general, what was Boy Meats World like as a set. Well, I hadn't been in l A that long. I've been flown out for a pilot and that's what got us out there, but um for something else. But it was very similar. The whole thing is very similar. It's it's a way they do it, you know, It's it's commonplace the way things are handled. Um. I didn't noticed a big change except for that here I was paying full, paid full, you know, it's not just you know, I wasn't just a guest star, and I felt a responsibility about it. I got to stay in Tim Allen's room when we first shot at and things like that. But in terms of the process, um, did we did we start right at Disney or was that? Was it right at Disney and then we went to mt M after that? It was the first two years at Disney, the next two years at KATL, the third two years at Radford, and then the last year back at Disney. Right. You know, it's funny that the Redford stands out more than anything else for me to kind of it was a great lot. It was such a great lot, that was and we were rolling by that time, and Generous was loosening your temper across the sett I remember, and Seinfeld was right. I mean, we were right next to Seinfeld and we shot like our opening title sequence on the Seinfeld New York Street, Third Rock from the Sun, Third Rock was right next to us, and it was awesome. That was a really cool set to be on you, which was great for you guys when you were older and you were kind of, you know, strutting your steps, super hip. Yeah, we're super cool. Yeah. You all had those fancy cars and I was still driving my hunt. In fact, I said to you Will what why is it was? I think it was you. I said, why do you have this? Why were you had you had? I'm driving this Honda Civic, you know. And you said, I don't know why. Well, I have two kids in college, you know. Maybe, but things trickled off a little more most of it. I was like, I'm nineteen and selfish. That's why I have miss I kind have cared less, you know. It wasn't my kind. Now I have a very important question for you, Betsy. Are you team sideyard or team backyard? Do you know what I'm talking about? Okay, So the little yard that you guys share with pheeny, do you think that yard is the side yard of the Matthews house or is it the backyard of the Matthews house. Well, it looks like a side yard. Oh oh, excuse me, she said, looks side so tidy, and there's a you know, the porch just sort of stops there. You don't know what's beyond there. Um, I would imagine it's a side yard and then it goes around to the front. M M. Interesting. I never thought this before. This is the first time anyway, So let me let me lob something at you. What about the fact that the front door is directly opposite the back door that leads to change your mind? She said, She's just thinking about it. We're trying to present both sides. Well, couldn't be that the front door is on the other side and that's the front yard that takes you to the side. I don't know. I just don't think it's the back yard. All right. Well, I'm sorry, congratulations you've drafted Betsy to your team. I am not. It's not a team. It is just it's it's I don't I think we can all agree. It's a strangely designed home. I think it may be a corner lots. Hey, maybe we're both right. Maybe we're both right. There's not enough compromise in the world anymore. Maybe we're both right, Daniel, listen, I'm totally fine with both of us being right. It also it is also team it makes no sense. Like every every political argument I've ever had with it's like everybody's wrong or everybody's right. You're always very strong about something, and Will You're always like no, no, no, everybody's an idiot, or everybody every exactly you know what it is? I think it's that it's I had two older brothers that did they get along great now, but didn't always get along. So I was the one who was like, hey, you know what, maybe you're both right, we're both wrong, we're both wrong. Maybe it's all shades of gray and there is no one answer to anything. How often are you still me and now? Will? What is it? Are you still recognized all the time for being? Wow? And I love it. I people come up and thank me all the time for being the example of a perfect mom and wife and family and how they raised they were raised. I say, well, I did raise you, and they go, yes, you didn't. They really feel that. I mean, I watched Father Knows Fast, I watched, I watched all these things, but I never felt like Donna Reed didn't raise me. I didn't feel like that. My mother was pretty wonderful. But and I also had three brothers and we all sang. And I came from a family that wasn't stereotypical in the sense that we weren't always dependent on the TV to define ourselves. That's what I'm gonna say. Dad was scary. Dad was scary. I would have liked my dead to be more like Rusty. I think that better. Well, you really were like it, just I mean, you were a perfect mother. I think the way the character was written had a little bit to do with it, but it it wasn't even of them. A lot of credits, it wasn't even them, though. It's so much of it is who you are. And yeah, you're so grounding. Thank you. That is very very sweet to hear. And actually I feel that I was. And when I watched it, I go, you know, I don't like that outfit, but you know, good, I look like I'm acting, you know, a little bit. You know, at first, you're kind of trying to find your like that you humor thing you're trying to over do, you do it out a little bit too big, but overall, um, I just I think that when you asked me if I talked to Michael about feeling left out or underappreciated or underwritten, and I did go to about that, but it was not until the very end. It wasn't until after we did the scene where I come to class and and I think Michael wasn't there or something, and we did it without him, and I thought, well, this is finally they're kind of giving me something to talk about, and so I went to Michael. I think it was during the time where I didn't approve of running into you at the hotel or something. I felt I don't feel like people my friend said, gee, you don't have a lot to do, or you know, I don't have a lot to say, you know, at different times over the years, and I said, you know, that's kinding to bother me. So I went to Michael about it, and he said, I said, I don't think people take what I feel or think seriously enough. I think the woman's voice here is not being heard. But it took me years to get the courage up to do that. And he said, everyone loves you, and I said, well, that's nice, that's great, but I'm not you know, I'm not sure you're really getting I think that that altered his thinking a little bit about how things were done after that, But it wasn't until really years later where I watched something that we were doing and I went, you know, well that beat in this. I'm not as bad in this as I thought, you know, just because I didn't have a lot to do, you know, I underestimated. And I went bed and he said, you were wonderful. You made it happen. You did. It's just that he didn't want to take responsibility and the fact that the woman didn't have a voice in the same way that by then I should have had. Yeah. So I did address it, but it was a little too late to you know, yeah, which is strange because every time there was something where Amy had more to do, it was great. It. I mean it really was. It was. I can't wait to get to some of the later episodes. Again. I keep going back to that one where you and I had to share, going to like you were going back to college and you were reading about I'll never forget that the episode where you come in and you read about like your first um physical experience, like your first sexual experience, and you're reading it to Eric's class in college and it's Eric going, oh god, my mommy's talking about and it was just it was so fun and there was something sometimes you you connect characters that shouldn't work very well together and they just worked great. And you know, they did that with Eric and Feeni at one point, but I thought Eric and Amy were that same way where it was like when they kind of hooked us up. Um, the characters really meshed well together. So I can't wait to kind of get to those episodes. I'm gonna go back and watch that's what we're doing, and that's the plan. You're doing this, you guys. This is so fun. Thank you. Thank you for coming up with the idea for us to do this. Yeah, this is amazing, Betsy, for you to come up with this. You did. You came up with the idea and it was after can in two thousand and eighteen, So thank you. Um, Betsy, do you have any favorite like behind the scenes story their memories you'd like to share. No, you hated all of it. It can go from home improvement. Sure, So I I have to think for a minute. Asked me something else and it will come to me because I think someone like a behind this scenes stuff. But the ice cream story is great. Yeah, okay, let me ask you another question. What was your first impression of Bill Daniels and how did your relationship with Bill evolve over the years? Good question. I was awestruck because I'd seen him do um seventeen seventy six on Broadway, So I mean I was already Plus I loved him and what it was at Saint Elsewhere when I loved him and everything, and so I felt an immediate affinity to his theatricality, his musical experience. So we we actually hit it off pretty darn well. I was a little intimidated because he had strong opinions about things, but um, overall we hit it off pretty well. We liked each other. Yeah, it's nice. One other thing we want to talk about, which we haven't addressed yet, is you are, were, and are still a phenomenal singer, incredible musician. Yeah, so, how it was cool. In this episode two, they brought in the piano. I bet you that was because of you. I'm sure. Yeah, I remember backstage, you and band especially always singing musical It's always talking about musicals. Yeah, you were such a Were you still singing as you were doing? Boy? I mean were you going out and doing You were doing cabaret stuff too? Were in my club acts? Yeah? I did two club acts my cycle one I liked the best, but yeah, I did too, And I went to was the cinegrell was the second one on at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. Because we went. You invited all of us and we invited you all to the one. And I don't know if it was the second one the first one, but anyway, yeah, that's what that's who I am. So what came first? Singing or acting? Well? I started singing at birth, you know, I mean my family, and I say this proudly. I have incredible set of pipes. We inherited my father's voice, and I can sing opera and I can sing show tunes, and I just you know, had an instrument that saved me when I had went through geeky times. At least I had that, you know. So I think it's part of my identity, and so in a way when I work as an actress now that I think of it, especially with this, there's a musicality to me about it. It wouldn't be surprising if he went, oh, she can single the you know, just the way I talk and you know, stuff like that. But no singing is was my whole life, and my singing growing up being the only girl and the youngest of three boys. Um, they were all saying in too, so we had a lot to do together. But when often during the growing up stages, I was just in the backseat singing away to myself all the time. And now our granddaughter was visiting from Sweden this couple of weeks ago that Aaron and his family moved to Sweden. I don't know if I told you that, which you know, freaked me out, but anyway, they came to visit for four weeks and she's now this tree going on four and she's in love with this new character that from TV. It's not Lion King, but it's this Mahunta or whenever. Her name is Mahoya Marianna. And she sits back there in the carsy just all ourself, and and I went, that's what I did, and I kept myself company. I kept myself company by my voice just singing was away for me to know I was there. So sure, still not so sure, but I just miss it. What do you think Amy and Allen would be doing now? What do you think now thirty years after we first met them? What do you think your relationship would be like? And what do you think you'd be up to now? Well, I think it would probably be rather similar to the way we are in real life. Um, I think because we're both very outdoorsy. Um, we'd probably buy a camper and get one of you know, maybe the new Uh what it's with an s sprinter van. It's a S S word, it's sprint what the sprinter van? No, it's it's like one word like spanks, except not spending. But it's like that. I'll think of it. And it's just you know, to haul that around and just go everywhere within the mountains, go fishing, the um, traveling and touring and so on. And um, I don't see us, Allen and Amy, of having a ton of money, but we'd saved up a bit of retirement money. We could do that and you know, have a good time together. Luckily, luckily, spanks aren't that expensive, so the two of you could easily fit and expensive. This is the thing about getting older. I'm seventy two and it's like are you You do not look so I want to where can? Where can? All of our listeners are going to want to know where they can see you now, where they can find you in You did an amazing movie called Painter that was a total departure from the Amy Matthews character. Why don't you tell us a little bit about that? And then also where we can find you? Now? Well, um, right now I'm here, not right this minute thing, you know. So I auditioned occasionally for stuff and doing these self papings, which you know, I'm never quite sure I'm doing very well, but um I do that. But the Painter. But Painter was the surprise that can came to me. And I was shocked that it came out so well. I didn't know what that was a low budget movie, but I'm so proud of it because, um they just made a big to do. When I had after it premiered, I was on the radio. The radio is all over the country going was it really hard for you to break away from Amy mac throughs to this, I said, not at all. It was not hard at all. It's this was easy. This was so simply clear. I mean, as an actor, if you know what you want, you just go for it. And you don't even you're not look, you're not concerned about anything else. It's just I had a mission and I get a crushed on this boy. And I didn't have a real big crusion, not like with Rusty. But he wasn't yet even younger than my son. And I had to kiss him and to sit in the bed and lenore and kiss him and home sunda right. But other than that, you know, really it was I'm very proud of painter. If you haven't seen it, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. But it was such that when we did the screening, John was staying next to me and we were done and everybody was going, oh my god, we're all gladding and everything like that. And John said, uh, I'm a little afraid to drive home with you. That's how well well I scared him. And my brother said, oh, we saw mom, and there we saw this. We know that side of you. I went, yeah, my kids know that side. That's pretty mean, but I was also in love and it's really nice way to play both things. I didn't judge myself, but you don't judge your character. So as far as I was concerned, I was just it by just playing. It's like doing Amanda and glass managery that I did at the Taper and I was in heaven because I was doing Tennessee Williams and I was playing a banda and glass Man I drink. And you never judge your character, you, I mean, he wrote so well, I didn't have any issues of how to do it. It's because I just thought this. I as far as I'm concerned, I'm right. I know everything. And in a way I think I use that same thing in Boy Musical too. I think that on a much less dramatic level, there's a certain thing that just says, I know it's best and you'll just have to come around. That sounds a lot like will very similar, very similar. Yes, it doesn't mean I don't want to please people. I do. It's a terrible thing, but I want to be liked. But when it comes right down to it to my husband and people, I just pretty much sure that I'm the right one. Yeah. Yeah, Well Betsy, thank you so much for coming on the pod with us today, and I hope that you know how loved and appreciated you are by every fan of boy It's World, but especially the three of us here on this podcast, and we hope that you feel like you are given more shine on this podcast, certainly than you were and maybe some of the earlier seasons or any of the seasons of Boy Meat's World, because you are just so appreciative. We are so appreciative of you, and you are so appreciated. So um, thank you for coming on and letting us chat with you. We love you, Betty, This is honor. I adore you all, I miss you, and I wish we could see each other more often. So keep me, keep me in touch. Yes we will, and you so much. We love you. Thank you, Okay, I love you, Betsy. Bye, Darling Bye. Oh gosh made Betsy cry. She just so cried at the end. What happened. I don't know my first TV mom though, she's my first TV mom ever. That's the coolest thing. And she was because my my parents were both lawyers, so they stayed in Connecticut. Obviously when I came out and did boy and Betsy jumped right into that, like I got you, I got and my mom did say to her, like, can you watch out for him? And she did and it was that And I would go to dinner at their house and I got to know her kids really really well, and um, she's an amazing woman. She's absolutely an amazing woman. So I love is And like, it's totally beyond the purview of this podcast, so we can't really go into it. But I like when she throws out, like, you know, when I would did Tennessee Williams at the Park Taper Forum, I'm like, what, Like, you know, they think it's It's the same thing with Bill Daniels obviously, and Rusty. It's like when Rusty's like I was with Mine Troop in Scotland, I just wanted like episode. Yeah. It's just that that these were great actors. You know, they were professional actors in a way that we couldn't be because we were so young, you know, we sort of showed up and we were kind of figuring out what it means to be an actor in the process of the world, whereas these were full on professional actors who had dedicated their entire lives to this perform. Yeah, we totally took for granted, right, not recognize. We were just sort of like, this is fun and this is easy. And I'm just now now that their age when they when they started our show, I can see how much life experience they were bringing and how much more life experience they were having. And I just love the craft of acting. I just think it's so fascinating and I love talking they especially the way they did it was I feel like that's you know, everyone's always saying like why is every every huge movie star and everything, every huge television star they're all British, they're all Australian, they're all and it's because they still study the craft, whereas we in America great approach to act American did. American school of acting is completely broken. It is completely because there isn't one. It's pick up your phone and become an Instagra m star and then get a television show. That's I mean, there there are exceptions, of course, there are there are exceptions, but for the most part, the reason why everybody's British and Australians because they still study the craft of acting. So it's it's still an art form that is one that needs to be delved into and strip yourself away and built on and that nobody wants to you know, nobody wants to do that on this side of the pond anymore. Um, and they all did. That's what. So so when you actually get to talk to them, they're talking about how they were there were Meisner students, and you know, Bill, Bill never told us that he was a child actor when we were there with him. He's working with child actors and because he's like, we don't need to get into that be an actor, and it was just it was it's nuts too now because you're right where I'm older now, I think than everybody but Bill was when they did Boy And so to look back on that and go like, I still haven't studied the craft of acting the way I should have. You know, it's like what the Yeah, it's a whole different thing. What can you do? Well? This was really fun. I love these little reunions we get to do. They bring me, like, truly so much joy. So when we finished season one of this podcast three years from now, we know we just I really, I really think it's important for us to have like our own reunion where we just invite everybody who's been a guest on the show. I'll host it at my house. I have it in my backyard. But I just like, not only do I want to have a casual, non recorded conversation with everybody, I also want everybody to see each other again, like like Leon or so, when was the last time he talked to Betsy or It's like it would be so. I mean I obviously at least not living in California anymore. But we fly him out and get Seriously, like, I just want to have a reunion, Like I don't want to get everybody in the same room because it's just so would be so nice to see. We've got time. We're on episode ten now, we've gotten until like episode one or twenty two. We've got a little bit of time. But let's plan it. Let's pick a date and start sending out invitations so that Lee can fly out with his family and we can actually do it. But I think that's really important. Yeah, that's awesome. I love that. We'll take a picture and post it on our Agram. Good thank you all for joining us. This has been pod Meats World. You can follow us at pod Meats World Show on Instagram and please continue to send us your emails at pod Meats World Show at gmail dot com. And as I mentioned, don't forget you March March. You can get your own too Much shirt shirt like I'm wearing now on pod Meats World show dot com. And uh next next episode. Later this week we are going to be recapping episode number one ten Um I'm original. Yes, Santa's Little Helper, Thank you very much. It originally aired December tenth three. Looking forward to that, so join us for that episode. See you all later. We love you all. Pod dismissed. Pod Meats World is an I heart podcast producing hosted by Daniel Fisher, Wilford L and right Or Strong. Executive producers Jensen Carpet and Amy Sugarman. Executive in charge of production, Daniel Romo, producer and editor Tara suit Batch, producer Lorraine Rez Engineering Boy meets World super fan Easton Allen. Our theme song is by Kyle Morton of Typhoon. Follow us on Instagram at pod Meets World Show or email us at pod Meets World Show at gmail dot com