Michaela Watkins on our show? Bitch, please (but it’s true). You Might Know Her From Casual, Transparent, Saturday Night Live, In A World…, Brittany Runs a Marathon, Sword of Trust, The Way Back, and The Unicorn. Michaela talked to us about getting to dig her teeth into Valerie on Casual, playing multiple roles in the Transparent universe and how Joey Soloway helped her reconnect to her Jewish roots, and never having a popcorn meeting with Lorne Michaels while at SNL. All that plus Michaels gives us the gift of her original song “top 3 lesbians.” We hope you enjoy! 

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Frankie Drake Mysteries (PBS via CBC) 

The Net tv show WAS on USA but did NOT star Daphne Zuniga 

Shows that aren’t for us: Criminal Minds, CSI, Numbers, Cold Case

X-Files Gillian Anderson v important to Anne

David Duchovny in The Craft: Legacy (2020 remake)

Anne loves Michelle Monaghan’s nose 

Michaela in The Way Back with Ben Affleck

When Michaela was hired for SNL (2008), she was the oldest woman to ever be hired (later on Leslie Jones became the oldest when she was hired at 47).

WGA Writer’s strike 2007- 2008

Michaela’s impressions: Hoda Kotb, Joan Rivers, Julia Louis Dreyfus, Ariana Huffington, Barbara Walters

Was hired with Abby Elliot, but her best bud there was Jason Sudeikis

After her one year on SNL she pitched and sold a show to USA with her writing partner Damon Jones: Benched

Started taking classes at The Groundlings (her comedy home) again after SNL

Stars in the HULU series, Casual (2015-18) directed by Jason Reitman

Frances Conroy played her estranged mother

Lynn Shelton directed a few episodes of Casual and then in the movie, Sword of Trust (2019)

Lynn died last year (and was partnered with Marc Maron at the time)

Sense of community with David Wain, Jessica St. Clair, Ken Marino, Jillian Bell, Rob Corddry, Lake Bell

Did Brittany Runs a Marathon with Jillian Bell

Has worked with Rob Corddry multiple times and so said yes to The Unicorn (CBS Walton Goggins sitcom) 

In 2015, Michaela had 3 big movies: Enough Said (Nicole Holofcener) and In a World (Lake Bell) Afternoon Delight (dir: Joey Soloway)

Played 2 roles in Transparent (one as wife of Bradley Whitford in a flashback to Maura’s camp) and Yetta (in flashbacks as Maura’s mother in Weimar Berlin)

Epigenetics

Joey Soloway has created Jewish community in Los Angeles: East Side Jews

Michaela went on Larry King and seemed charmed by him but never went to his bagel shop

Starred as Ben Affleck’s sister in The Way Back (2020)

“A Dustin Hoffman Kramer vs Kramer moment” 

Bad Therapy has a scene where she slashes a kid’s face with a permanent marker 

Lorne Michaels eats popcorn in meetings

Folks who only lasted one season on SNL: Sarah Silverman, Jenny Slate, Denny Dillon, Damon Wayans, Laurie Metcalf, Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr, Chris Elliot, Joan Cusack, Janeane Garofalo, Rob Riggle

Plays one of Laura Dern’s nemeses Janice on Enlightened (created by Mike White, who starred on one of the best seasons of Survivor {Season 37})

Michaela as Hoda Kotb on SNL

The Great Pottery Throwdown is a ceramics competition (not glass blowing) which isn’t competitive a la The Great British Bake Off

Michaela’s character on SNL, Angie Tempura always says “Bitch, Please” based on Perez Hilton types

Also played a lesbian with Wendi McLendon-Covey on Modern Family

Michaela’s favorite lesbians: Tig Notaro, Hannah Gadsby, Faith Soloway

Pepper Ann might well be a lesbian 

Was Clarissa a lesbian?

Was daughter from Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead a lesbian?

Little Giants and the lesbian vibes of Becky Icebox

Angels in the Outfield (1994), Rookie of the Year (1993), The Mighty Ducks (1992) 

Kathy Ireland is worth $500million

She co-starred in Necessary Roughness