Dreams do come true! This week we are joined by Abby McEnany. You Might Know Her From our favorite show of the last few years, Work in Progress. We chatted with Abby about her beginnings in the Chicago improv community, how she turned her one-woman show into a hit Showtime series, and how she got the likes of Julia Sweeney (SNL), “Weird Al” Yankovic, and writer-director Lilly Wachowski (The Matrix series) on board. Abby gave us all her secrets from the set from playing a version of yourself to casting folks as your imaginary family to why almonds are the worst nut, and whether or not she ever watched our “all time favorite show” The L Word.

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Discussed this week:

Chris Pratt is playing Italian American icon, Mario 

Super Mario Bros movie with John Leguizamo and Bob Hoskins

Joanna Cassidy told us Bob Hoskins was a member of the mob (YMKHFEp #88)

Samantha Mathis was Princess Peach/Daisy in Super Mario Bros (YMKHF Ep #1) 

Kathryn Hahn does she really need to be cast as another Jewish woman (Joan Rivers)?

Beanie Feldstein cast as Fanny Brice in the Broadway revival of of Funny Girl  

(thank god not Lauren Ambrose who was previously buzzed about for a revival years ago)

Behind the Table: The View podcast that we are LOVING

Sunny and Ana were diagnosed with COVID moments before Kamala Harris came onstage Joy Behar does NOT know what is happening

The Tonys were 4 hours and you had to change channels in between

Work in Progress on Showtime is a great show, go watch it

Lilly Wachowski who wrote and directed The Matrix and Bound with her sister Lana is an executive producer for Work in Progress

Abby worked a lot at Improv Olympic (IO), and the legendary theatre closed during the pandemic but has new buyers and will apparently reopen

Showtime positioned Work in Progress opposite The L Word: Generation Q

Abby met Leisha Hailey and Kate Moennig at a Showtime event

Abby loves Kate in Ray Donovan (where she also plays a lesbian)

Kristy McNichol as Buddy in Family and Little Darlings with Tatum O’Neal (Abby said she fucked Matt Damon but it was actually Matt Dillon)

Jack Klugman was Herbie in the OBC of Gypsy

Bionic Woman

Julia Sweeney and her Saturday Night Live character Pat, plays a huge part of Work in Progress. 

Weird Al plays Julia Sweeney’s husband in the Work in Progress universe 

Kate James and Samantha Irby write for Work in Progress 

Abby loves Miller Lite (Josh Adler get the coveralls)

Big Chicks in Chicago is a great queer bar in Chicago

Anne loves Mr Peanut

We love Bound 

Fave queer women: Eleanor Roosevelt, Rachel Maddow, and Alison Bechdel

Bechel’s new book: The Secret to Super Human Strength

“Ring of Keys” is the lesbian anthem from the musical adaptation of Bechdel’s masterpiece, Fun Home

Vincent d’Onofriob of Law & Order: Criminal Intent  is Abby’s one true love

Vincent advised Brooke Smith to make the studio give her a credit card to buy food to gain weight for Silence of the Lambs. As heard on our ep of YMKHF with Brooke Smith (Ep# 85)

Teaser for next week’s guest: 

Abby is in Work in Progress with Julia Sweeney

Who starred in It’s Pat with Kathy Najimy

Who was in Sister Act 1&2 with former YMKHF guest, Wendy Makkena

Who was in Serving in Silence: the Margarethe Cammermyer Story with Judy Davis

Who was in Celebrity with Allison Janney

Who was in The West Wing with next week’s guest