Cheryl Hines: Curb Endings, Blazing New Trails & Secret Vices

Hunker in with us and the incredibly talented and hilarious Cheryl Hines, known for her iconic role on 'Curb Your Enthusiasm.' Cheryl opens up about her journey through three marriages (including her fictitious one with Larry David), navigating the political spotlight with her husband Bobby Kennedy Jr., and contemplating her next career moves. With 'Curb' wrapped, her daughter off to college, and her husband running for President, Cheryl discusses how she's juggling it all.

We delve into her secret vices, the blend of comedy and campaign trails, and her new ventures in entertainment and beauty (she has a new beauty company she formed with her daughter called Hines + Young!). Tune in for a mix of heartfelt stories, laughs, and inspiring insights from a true Renaissance woman.

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Follow us on social media @kithoover and @thecoopwithkithoover for behind-the-scenes content, teasers, and updates.

Keep up with Cheryl on Instagram @cherylhines.

This episode was produced by Kit Hoover and Harper McDonald. Our Technical Producer is Christian Brown, and this episode was edited by Christian Brown. Business Development by Casey Ladd.

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Follow The Coop with Kit on Instagram @kithoover and @thecoopwithkithoover

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Transcript

This transcript was generated automatically and reviewed by Harper McDonald. Its accuracy may vary. 
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Kit Hoover:

Welcome to the Coop with Kit. My name is Kit Hoover and I have been lucky enough in my 30 years in this business to interview some of the most iconic badass women out there. We all know that girlfriends give the best advice and they're all coming to the Coop. We're talking career, marriage, kids, sex, aging, all of it. I truly believe we are just hitting our stride. Alright, my chickens. Let's get into it.

Kit Hoover:

I am thrilled to have the incredibly talented Cheryl Hines and the Coop today known for her iconic role on Curb Your Enthusiasm. She has built a tremendous name for herself. Today we're diving deep into her three marriages, one hilarious, fictitious, one with Larry David, and two real ones navigating the political spotlight with her husband, Bobby Kennedy Jr. And how she's thinking about her next move with Curb wrapped, her daughter off to college, and her husband Bobby, running for president. Cheryl's got a lot on her plate and even more on her mind. This lady is a doer, the friend everyone needs, she's endlessly talented and simply hilarious. Alright, my chickens here is Cheryl Hines. 

Hi Cheryl. 

Cheryl Hines:

Hi Kit. Happy to see you. 

Kit Hoover:

I’m so happy to see you.

Cheryl Hines:

Can't really say that I've got my shit together, but you know what? It's together enough. I guess.

Kit Hoover:

First of all, I feel the same way. I haven't gone into the studio, right where we have our team that fluff us. I don't have my fluffer Cheryl. So yeah, put that filter on. I got this new ring light. I'm like, let's roll. Are you a morning person?

Cheryl Hines:

No, no. I would like to be, I mean, I do like the mornings, but not to be productive.

Kit Hoover:

I was actually thinking, I just had one of your besties on Rachel Harris and she was raving about you, which makes me think that you got up early for me on the Coop and the way Rachel was talking about you. I think you're the greatest girlfriend. How would your girlfriends describe you?

Cheryl Hines:

Well, I like to think that I am a loyal, I'm a ride or die. If you call me, you need me. I am there and I'll do it in two seconds. I don't care what it is, but I'm also brutally honest.

Kit Hoover:

That's the best quality.

Cheryl Hines:

Sometimes the truth is hard to hear.

Kit Hoover:

I think we need more people in our life like that.

Cheryl Hines:

Yeah.

Kit Hoover:

But you and I are from the South, right? You grew up in Florida. Are you not a little Bless her heart.

Cheryl Hines:

Oh, bless her heart. I think I'm not, I'm not that warm and fuzzy. I'm not going to say something where you're going to drive home and go, huh, I wonder what that meant.

Kit Hoover:

I really appreciate that and value that. And not only my women friends, but just people. Larry is the ultimate, Larry David, person like that. He tells you exactly what he's feeling, where he is at every moment, maybe to a fault.

Cheryl Hines:

Yeah. That's one of the things that I love about Larry, is that he is going to tell you exactly what it is, what he thinks. And some people get angry or they take it personally or they think he's mad at them or whatever that is, but he's not. He just does not want to have lunch with you.

Kit Hoover:

Or say goodbye when he leaves. Yeah, it's done.

Cheryl Hines:

You're not going to get a goodbye. You might not get a Hello.

Kit Hoover:

Well, I love everything you've got cooking in your life, Cheryl. We've been friends for the past 15 years. One word to describe where you are in your life right now.

Cheryl Hines:

Oh man. One word to describe in my life. Renaissance.

Kit Hoover:

Oh, tell me more.

Cheryl Hines:

Well, it's interesting because as a mom you spend so many years just working so hard to get your little babies grown and you want to make sure they have the right tools in life. You need to make sure they're going to be okay when they're in that apartment by themselves the first night or they, they're going to get through their first heartbreak. You want to just make sure that they're going to be ready for the world. And then when they grow up, suddenly they grow up and you're not making breakfast for them anymore. And oh, you start to feel like, oh, oh, okay, so what does this look like? And then it's also happening at the same time that Curb Your Enthusiasm ended. I mean, Curb Your Enthusiasm was on for I, the first time we did an episode was 1999.

Kit Hoover:

Wow.

Cheryl Hines:

Crazy. Wow.

Kit Hoover:

I'm not good at math. Is that like 25 years?

Cheryl Hines:

Something like that? That's 25 years. And I did a lot of other stuff in between, but that was always my number one. So that ended and now I'll see what's next. Also, as you may or may not know, my husband is running for President, Robert Kennedy Jr.

Kit Hoover:

Oh, that little thing.

Cheryl Hines:

That little thing. So that's sort of a beginning in a way that I could not have anticipated, had no idea. But it's interesting, I didn't see this part of my life coming, but some things are winding down, changing, but there's a rebirth happening. So now I'm a mom and the kids are grown and I'm an actress, but Curb is over and my husband's running for president and…

Kit Hoover:

And you might be First Lady. This is exactly what this podcast the Coop is about. It's sort of like the back nine, the next chapter. I mean, I think that we've never felt this vibrant before in our life with a lot of changes going on. What have you learned about yourself during Bobby's candidacy?

Cheryl Hines:

I've learned a lot. I've learned to look at things on a micro level and a macro level. So on a micro level, every day I wake up and I think about my relationship with Bobby, my relationship with my kids, my relationship with my family, and is that all intact? Are we all helping each other? Supporting each other, loving each other. And then I look at the macro. So then I look at the bigger picture. The bigger picture is career. I started this company, Heinz and Young, and also learning to be able to let a lot of things flow through me. So if I see that terrible headline first thing in the morning and it feels like, oh my gosh, this is bad, this is hard. I take a minute and I remind myself that this is a new cycle.

Kit Hoover:

A role you did not prepare for. Yep.

Cheryl Hines:

No, no. The world isn't thinking about it as much as I'm thinking about it. I have to remind myself of that a lot. It would be nice to say, oh, just ignore it all together. But in reality, that's probably not going to happen with me. I need to go ahead and look at it, go ahead and read it and then let it go. Get back into my little micro world is my inner world. 

Kit Hoover:

With the things that really matter, that

Cheryl Hines:

Really matter. And then I can get back out to what's happening out in the world. So I'm learning how to balance that. I'm learning how to, as they always say, accept the things you can't change. 

Kit Hoover:

No, but that's a big one. It's one thing to say it. It's one thing to feel it, especially on the scale that you're dealing with things.

Cheryl Hines:

Yeah, I can't change people. If somebody wants to say something that's completely not true and say it on the news or put it in the paper, I can't control that. That would be hard. And I will spend all of my time and energy that I need in my inner world if I spend it all out there trying to control, oh my gosh, this person posted that. That newscaster said that. That's not true.

Kit Hoover:

Exhausting.

Cheryl Hines:

Yeah, you would be exhausted and you wouldn't have anything left for what, like you're saying, for what really, really matters.

Kit Hoover:

Do you have a safe word when it comes to politics with Bobby? Most people have in sex, they have a safe word. Do you have a safe word? Like lasagna.

Cheryl Hines:

Lasagna. Oh, it's funny because I felt like I did establish a safe word at the beginning of this, but I couldn't tell you what it's,

Kit Hoover:

But I do

Cheryl Hines:

Need to get back to it because I do love that idea. And he had said, if anybody in the family says this word, I'm going to have to go back and look at my text because I think I texted it to everybody. Listen, if I can't remember what it is, I guess we could just start a new one.

Kit Hoover:

Just go with lasagna. I don't know why.

Cheryl Hines:

Lasagna. And then people will be like, when is it ready?

Kit Hoover:

Well, I was thinking about your life, which is so incredible, and let's talk about the three husbands in your life and let's start with your fictitious one. What did you learn about yourself through your fictitious husband, Larry?

Cheryl Hines:

He's a good, funny person who's also serious and smart. And I learned that you can be all of those things at once. I started at the groundlings theater here with improv and sketch comedy and they're really smart, talented people there. Yeah. And we had fun and everybody's doing comedy bits all the time and nobody wants to let somebody else get the last word. They've got something funnier to say and it's just, it's a lot of fun. And with Larry, Larry has a lot of quiet moments. He's not doing comedy bits all the time. It was really good to learn. You can do both at the same time. So I loved, there's sort of a stillness and his comedy sometimes. Sometimes it's broad and crazy, but that's one of the things that I learned about him.

Kit Hoover:

Your real husband, your first real husband, Paul Young. And I love that you guys still have such a great relationship. What did you learn about yourself through that one?

Cheryl Hines:

Paul is still a really good friend of mine and he was so encouraging to me. So I was married to Paul at the very, very beginning of Curb and he's in the business and he produces things and projects I should say. And we would talk about projects and he would say, you should produce that, you should direct this. And I wouldn't have seen that in myself. I wouldn't have thought that I could do it. So he was always the person that could see something in me that I couldn't see in myself, and I really appreciate that about him.

Kit Hoover:

I feel like you navigated that divorce really well. You've got your beautiful daughter that I just love. Is there a key to doing that right Cheryl? It seems like if there is one that you did it very well.

Cheryl Hines:

Well, listen, there's no right or wrong, but I think what really helped us was we could see that it wasn't working and that was very painful and difficult. But I think because when we saw it, we really talked to each other and it wasn't easy. And I'm not saying everything was smooth, of course, but we didn't let it get to a place where we just couldn't stand each other. I'm going to say things to hurt you because I'm in pain, so I want you to be in pain. We never went to that place and we never said horrible things to each other because I think sometimes it's really hard to come back from words that somebody has.

Kit Hoover:

Oh yeah, they have meaning they pack a punch.

Cheryl Hines:

Yeah, they pack a punch. And we didn't do that, but even we were at some point where we're still wearing our wedding rings, even though we had both agreed we should divorce, but neither one of us wanted to take it off.

Kit Hoover:

Oh, that's sweet.

Cheryl Hines:

Because we didn't want to hurt the other person's feelings. And once you take it off, then your friends and everybody can see, oh, oh, what's happening? Because it's a long process. Oh yeah. It's like first you say it and then there was a whole legal,

Kit Hoover:

How long did it take you from when you guys decided it to when it was official?

Cheryl Hines:

Probably about nine months.

Kit Hoover:

Wow. So how old were you when that happened? And were you scared because you guys were together so long and knew each other and had a beautiful relationship? Were you scared to get back out there?

Cheryl Hines:

I don't know if scared was a word, but I was definitely, it's surprising because suddenly you're, how old was I? I don't know. I was in my forties and I'm like, what is happening? Somebody's asking me on a date and this is weird. And oh my gosh, now I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to wear on a date with somebody. Oh, I barely know. It's very strange. But what I was going to say Kit is when we were going through the divorce, we both looked at each other and we said, I didn't want to take off by ring because I didn't want you to feel badly that you saw me with that by ring. So we both took 'em off together at

Kit Hoover:

The same time.

Cheryl Hines:

At the same time.

Kit Hoover:

That's so beautiful.

Cheryl Hines:

It was really beautiful. And we both said, out of everyone in the world, I'm glad that you're my ex-husband. And he said, I'm glad you're my ex-wife.

Kit Hoover:

You consciously uncoupled, you did the Gwyneth Paltrow thing before it was a thing. They're really, I wish more relationships when they expire for whatever reason. You could see it as a beautiful moment, right. As opposed to something. And clearly that worked out great for you guys. Alright, enter Bobby. I know Larry introduced y'all. Tell me the story.

Cheryl Hines:

Larry and I went to a Waterkeeper ski fundraiser.

Kit Hoover:

And you don't ski or you didn't ski at the time?

Cheryl Hines:

I skied but not well, I'm not a good skier. I'm from Florida. Come on. So Larry and I were just going to go, just show up, support and then leave. And when we got there, Bobby was hosting it, it was in the middle of the day and everybody was skiing and Bobby says, sit down, sit down. What's your shoe size? And then all of a sudden Larry and I are in skis, we've got a jacket on, we're all going up to the ski lift and I think it was B and Larry and Bobby and Ed Begley Jr. But we all got the ski lift together and I was thinking, I don't know what is happening. Why am I skiing and how am I going to get off the ski lift once we get there? And this was so long ago, people didn't even wear helmets. I didn't even have a knit cap

Kit Hoover:

On, not even a beanie.

Cheryl Hines:

And Bobby said, you need a hat? And I said, well, this is going to have to be it. And he took off his beanie and gave it to me and I said, well now what are you going to wear? He said, I'll be okay. Don't worry about me. And I believed him. So I said, okay. And I look over and of course Larry David's wearing his beanie and he's like, no, if you've taken that, I'm going to take mine off then that's wrong.

Kit Hoover:

Was there sparks immediately, were you even thinking that, oh my gosh, I could see this relationship or where was your head at the time? No,

Cheryl Hines:

No, there weren't sparks immediately. I just thought that gesture was very kind and I thought, wow, I don't meet a lot of people like this, but really nice to meet you. And after that we remained, I don't even want to say friends because acquaintances, because I never saw him. I mean, we lived across the country and he had his own life going. I had my own life going. And I would see him about once a year because I would go to a Waterkeeper event and he would speak at the event and it was, he's such a beautiful speaker and so inspiring and so smart. So that went on for years. He was just an acquaintance. And then

Kit Hoover:

What shifted? when was the shift?

Cheryl Hines:

Well, the shift happened when I was going through my divorce with Paul. And like I said, it takes a while. By the time you actually announced that you're getting divorced, there's a lot of separating that's already started happening. And then legally, I think in California anyway, you file and then there's a six months waiting period before it becomes final. And I had read in the paper that Bobby was also going through a divorce and I thought, oh, that's interesting. When I see him at this,

Kit Hoover:

We have something to talk about that's really bonding. Not for the faint of heart.

Cheryl Hines:

No. And nobody wants to hear about it. Yes, unless they're going through it, then it's very interesting. If they're not going through a divorce, it's not interesting and it's real downer.

Kit Hoover:

Is Bobby romantic? I feel like he would be really romantic with you. Very thoughtful.

Cheryl Hines:

Well, it depends on what your idea of romance is. I mean he's very thoughtful. He's not one on physical gifts. But I do remember one time when I was in New York with him and he sent me a message to meet him at this certain dock on the Hudson River and be there at three 30 or I was like, alright, James Bond, I will. And so I show up and he has a boat, like a little power boat. Well, first we had to get in a little dinghy, which is not romantic at all.

Kit Hoover:

If you're getting a dingy to go to a bigger boat, I think that's a winning combination right there.

Cheryl Hines:

But you know how these dinghies are, they don't smell great and they're wet and I'm like, okay, I don't even know what I'm getting into. But we go to the dingy, we get on a little powerboat and he gives me a ride by the Statue of Liberty. The night is falling and it was just so beautiful.

Kit Hoover:

And you guys have done such a good job, Cheryl, with blended families. I think I read that you said your family is somewhere between VEEP meets modern family. I love sort of that collaboration, any words of wisdom on how to do that sort of seamlessly? I feel like that's something a lot of our listeners can take away from. What can you share?

Cheryl Hines:

I think the best advice I could give anyone, once again, kit, it kind of comes back to letting it all flow through you. Yes. So there might be times when your step kids are upset, they might be upset about something big or something little. Try not to take it personally, don't hold on to it, let it flow through you and then let it go. And your own kids. So you have these people that are going through really difficult times and sometimes you get distracted because you feel like, oh well, but how do they feel about me? And it's like, you know what? They don't need to articulate how they feel about you right now.

Kit Hoover:

Totally. I was lucky enough to meet your daughter Kat, and I just want to share with our listeners how great it was to see the two of you together. I always measured my success by how my three children are doing. And you have raised a wonderful, wonderful, independent, smart, gorgeous daughter. Did you always want to be a mom?

Cheryl Hines:

For a long time I thought I did want to be a mom. And then if I'm being perfectly honest, when I moved out to LA and my acting career was going nowhere, I didn't even have an agent. And when I was 30, I didn't have a career. I was living in a one bedroom rent controlled apartment in LA and I thought, oh boy, I think I need to make a choice here. Do I let my life veer off in a different direction or do I hunker down in this one bedroom apartment and just say, I'm not going to burden other people with my fight to try to make it in this business? I thought I can't even take care of a cat. You know what I mean? I don't have enough money for anything. So the thought of kids just felt like, oh, maybe someday. And it was never that cut and dry to me where it's like, oh, by 35 I have to have two kids.

Kit Hoover:

I want to get into your career path. I think it's just extraordinary and very inspiring. Did you always kind of know it would end up like this? I think you have to have a certain belief in yourself. You're like, you know what? I've made it from Florida. I'm out here, I'm at Groundlings. I love what I'm doing. Was there a feeling inside of you or was it just blind faith?

Cheryl Hines:

I felt like this is definitely what I was born to do. And also there was a time, like I said, when I was 30 and I'm not really getting anywhere, but I wrote a play. I would be in student films and I did theater. And to me I found joy and happiness from that. So I really made a choice to find the happiness in the accomplishments that I was able to do the things that I could control.

Kit Hoover:

You were more focused on your craft and doing what you love. So regardless of what happened, but Curb hit. Oh my god. I tell you the funniest thing, we just had Ted Danson on the show, Cheryl, and he was so funny. He said, oh my gosh. Kit Larry called us in Mary Buron and me and said, Hey, look at this pilot that I just shot. We want you guys on it. And Ted's like, we looked around, we're like, this thing's awful. We didn't get it, we didn't know what it was. So take me in… you land the role and what was going through your mind? Because the concept is so unique.

Cheryl Hines:

There's no script. It was all improvised. So I never read a script. I had no idea what this show was. I mean it started out as one hour special where Larry decided to go back and do standup to do a one hour special on HBO. And then the punchline was he never actually did his one hour standup. But that was the sort of mockumentary when I saw the first episode, I remember even the first day of shooting the first episode, I was driving home thinking, oh, I'm not sure. Well this is a show because it didn't look like any other sitcom I'd seen.

Kit Hoover:

Well, you show up, okay, and what happens? Does Larry say, here's this scenario, I'm going to come in the house and this, how is it laid out for you?

Cheryl Hines:

Sometimes he would say, you don't really need to know anything. And then we'd start rolling and then he's eating an apple. I remember our first scene that we shot, he was eating an apple in the kitchen and he was telling me about his pants tent, how his pants kind of bunch up. And one of his friends thought he..

Kit Hoover:

Got excited.

Cheryl Hines:

Got excited, and then he says, oh, this apple is mealy. I said, well, we'll throw it away then get a different apple. He's like, yeah, but so mealy. I’m like, yeah, don't worry about it. Just get a different apple. And it was so that's why I always said I would drive home and go, what just happened is this show about mealy apples?

Kit Hoover:

How would you prepare then for work that day? Would you just sort of send to yourself back to where we're talking about let things go and just be like, okay, I'm just going to show up. And it's clearly one of your great gifts with improv and sketch comedy, but would you just show up and sort of take a deep breath and be like, here we go.

Cheryl Hines:

Yes, because it was all about listening because it was improvised. The only thing you could do is listen and respond to what someone just said to you. So I would take a moment to think about what is Cheryl David's point of view because I was improvising from Cheryl David's point of view and also understanding what the show is. So the show is is that the more you can call out what makes Larry a jerk the better because then he can defend himself on why he did it. And then that's what's funny is like it was just the name tag. Just put it on your jacket. Everyone else is doing it. Well, it's a suede, a suede jacket. I'm this going to ruin my jacket. Stop. Nobody cares about your jacket. I care about my jacket. And that's the whole day.

Kit Hoover:

Did you ever go too far with anything where he was like, Cheryl, we're not going there. 

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Kit Hoover:

Did you ever go too far with anything where he was like, Cheryl, we're not going there?

Cheryl Hines:

Well there was, okay. There was only one time that I remember in a seed where Larry was like, Uhuh and it was Bob Einstein who played Marty Funkhouser. Of course we were improvising a scene and it was me and Bob and Larry and Bob was so crazy and he would say, yeah, Cheryl and I just got back from our trip together and Larry's like what Bob said. Yeah, yeah. Cheryl and I have, we went on a trip and things are really taking off. Larry's like, Bob, what are you doing? This can't be part of a storyline. You're trying to change the whole trajectory of Curb right now. 

Kit Hoover:

Bob, reel it in. Reel it in. But Q Ted Danson. The funniest part is when you took up with Ted, I feel like fans got so confused and honestly a lot of people think you are really married since your real name. Cheryl too. Larry David, and then Q Ted Danton. Did that get funny for you guys? I know y'all are all friends.

Cheryl Hines:

Well, I think by the time Ted and I got together on Curb, people were understanding more that this…

Kit Hoover:

Crazy universe.

Cheryl Hines:

But it's confusing because it really is Ted Danson and it really is Larry David. And if I had gotten married to Larry David in real life, my name would be Cheryl David. So it's a little confusing at times. 

Kit Hoover:

I saw the end of Curb. The little speech you gave was so wonderful and heartfelt. And Larry, he did not know how to handle it. Cheryl, he literally, the way he turned and did, I love the way he walks off.

Cheryl Hines:

First of all, we didn't even know anybody. We had no idea somebody was filming this.

Kit Hoover:

It was beautiful.

Cheryl Hines:

But yeah, it was the very last moment of Curb. Everybody's just sitting there. We wanted a sound stage in a plane. And yeah, they yell cut and people sort of get up and Larry just gets up and starts bee lining out off the set. And then so Richard said something and then I said something and it was really sweet to see Larry because yeah, he didn't want to speak. He didn't even want to make eye contact with anybody.

Kit Hoover:

No, he would barely look at you. He was so sweet. I thought he was getting emotional when, and you just saying, I love you and what the whole show, you would've been successful anyway, but really changed your course of where you were going. By the way, is that a picture of him behind you with a pipe? I love that picture behind you, Cheryl. Yes. What did he write on this picture? 

Cheryl Hines:

When I got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, I asked Larry if he would sign a picture to me. And so this is the picture.

Kit Hoover:

For our listeners. It's Larry with a really bad stash. This is great.In a turtleneck. And what did he write to you?

Cheryl Hines:

He wrote Sarcastically “To Cheryl. Congrats on your well deserved star on the walk of fame. What an honor.” Larry

Kit Hoover:

Mocking the whole thing.

Cheryl Hines:

Yes. And it's a picture of him in a turtleneck, which I've never seen him wear in life with a pipe and a penciled on mustache.

Kit Hoover:

So Cheryl, how are you when you work and then when you don't work? For me, that's been a struggle throughout the years. I like a routine and going somewhere, I know Curb took that big hiatus. So how are you when that happens?

Cheryl Hines:

Yeah, I need to work same. It actually drives my daughter a little crazy. I'm finding out because she says, she's always like, you are so busy. I said, well, there's a lot to do. I'm not good at just hanging out. I can for a few days, but like I said, I started this company with my daughter Kat. It's called Heinz and Young. I've

Kit Hoover:

Got it right here.

Cheryl Hines:

And so we do candles and beautiful body creams and lotions.

Kit Hoover:

Yes.

Cheryl Hines:

So that keeps me very busy. And then as far as my career goes, it's interesting because we'll see what's next. I am talking to a few very important people.

Kit Hoover:

Oh, can we share anything?

Cheryl Hines:

We can't share anything now. But I will say this too. I mean I'm saying this to you, Kit, I'm acting like it's just you and me talking and nobody can hear us.

Kit Hoover:

Totally.

Cheryl Hines:

But I've been taking a lot of notes during this campaign experience. Oh, I like where this is going,

Kit Hoover:

Cheryl.

Cheryl Hines:

So I've been taking a lot of notes that, like I said, it's a fascinating experience because not only the politics of it all, like, oh, I am from in the inside looking out, I'm in the hurricane, but also he's been running for a year and a lot of things happen in your life in a year. Oh yeah. And people go through a lot in a year and

Kit Hoover:

I think this show writes itself. Cheryl, what's the craziest thing that's happened to you on the campaign trail that you can share?

Cheryl Hines:

I'm trying to think. All of it feels like a Veep episode, like I said.

Kit Hoover:

Totally.

Cheryl Hines:

I think there's something very, very funny about security detail always with you. 

Kit Hoover:

It’s weird.

Cheryl Hines:

And we call my mom Crackling Rosie. Her name is Rosemary, and we were at an event and one of the security texted, what should I do with Crackling?

Kit Hoover:

Cue Crackling. That could be the safe word. Yeah, that could be the safe word too. My producer

Cheryl Hines:

Oh that could be the safe word.

Kit Hoover:

Good one. Harper. By the way, we got to come up with your secret service name at work. They always said mine would be Little Beast like…. Little beast is on the move. And I was like, oh,

Cheryl Hines:

I like that.

Kit Hoover:

Do we?

Cheryl Hines:

Well, mine is Number Two at this point. Which I think I remember Michelle Obama saying because it's always like Number Two is on the move. It's like, okay, can it be something better? Can you say the queen or something queen? And they're like, yes, we can say whatever you'd like, but I don't think it's going to stick. 

Kit Hoover:

Oh that's good. Cheryl, when I'm thinking about your work ethic, it made me reflect on the little bit that I know about your childhood, which is not a lot, but is that where all of this came from? I want to hear a little bit about how you grew up. I know you paid for yourself to go to college.

Cheryl Hines:

Yeah, I think it did come from that came from my mom, especially crackling Rosie. Crackling Rosie. She was always, she had four kids and she was working full time and making dinner and doing the laundry. I don't know how she did it. She really taught me that if you want something, you better get it yourself.

Kit Hoover:

Work for it. 

Cheryl Hines:

You better earn it yourself and you can do that and still be kind to people and think about other people. My first job I think I got when I was 15 and I never stopped working since. Yeah, I learned that if you take a job, it's a big responsibility. And even if you're just washing dishes, which I've also done.

Kit Hoover:

Same.

Cheryl Hines:

It's important to someone. I've done it all. I've waitressed and bartended and I was an operator on a 900 chat line back in the eighties.

Kit Hoover:

What were we answering? What kind of calls? 

Cheryl Hines:

Don't know if you remember these days, but there was a day when you could pay 99 cents a minute and go on a party chat line and talk to,

Kit Hoover:

Was it sexual?

Cheryl Hines:

Well, not ours, although people liked to try to get to a sexual place and it was my job to cut them off if they did start having phone sex.

Kit Hoover:

Did you use a different voice? Did you go more southern? Did you lower your voice? Did you have a funny party voice? 

Cheryl Hines:

No, but my name was Cookie. All the monitors had their own names. It was Squigy and Destiny and everybody, even the callers had their own names. Hey, this is Mercedes, can I talk to Eminem? God, hey. And Eminem was like, Hey, it's Eminem from Detroit. Can we talk on a private line? And then I would say, I can put you guys on a private line, but you cannot have phone sex. 

Kit Hoover:

Oh My Gosh, this is hysterical.

Cheryl Hines:

And that was like an overnight shift. I was going to school. I could do that some nights and then I could also bartend and I had a good time.

Kit Hoover:

What is Crackling Rosie, your cute mom and your siblings? Think about where you are right now. Cheryl, I'm not even talking about just with the campaign trail, just in life that you've carved out this unbelievable career and niche and friends for yourself.

Cheryl Hines:

We have moments where we'll be doing something. We'll all be going to a Golden Globes party. And my brother, who only wears shorts,

Kit Hoover:

I love him already.

Cheryl Hines:

You would love him. He is fantastic. I'll make him wear a suit and we'll be dressed up and we'll be looking around the room and there're stars and celebrities and everybody's dressed up and drinking fancy drinks and saying fancy things and we'll look at each other and go, okay, look at you. That's getting a star on the W of fame. Yeah, my three husbands were there, Larry, Paul and Bobby. And they all sat right next to each other, which was interesting, my family. But everybody was there. We have these moments that are just, whoa, I can't believe it. I can't believe it. And then next week we'll all be in central Florida sitting on the back porch, swatting mosquitoes while we drink a Coors Light or something.

Kit Hoover:

You have this ability where I feel like everybody that's around you, they just get happy. Cheryl, you're so full of gratitude and I love the no BS thing about you. Okay, let's play a little game, my friend. Are you ready?

Cheryl Hines:

Yeah.

Kit Hoover:

The game's called Let's Get Random. Okay, what's your favorite Vice?

Cheryl Hines:

Oh God. Well, it's, it's Nicorette.

Kit Hoover:

The gum.

Cheryl Hines:

Yeah. I've never been a smoker and I will never smoke, but for some reason I'm very drawn to Nicorette.

Kit Hoover:

What? I've never heard anybody that just chews the Nicorette gum.

Cheryl Hines:

No, it doesn't make sense, but for some reason it makes me feel like I'm getting away with something. I'm doing something I should be doing and I don't know. It's a ridiculous vice.

Kit Hoover:

That's outstanding. In your new show.

Cheryl Hines:

In my new show. That's got to be a part of it.

Kit Hoover:

Maybe it's never referenced, right? She just pops the Nicorette gum and like…

Cheryl Hines:

No, but Kit. So when I was on the trail with Bobby, I said, can we stop at this drug store? And one of the security goes in with me and I was like, Ugh. Oh, now he's going to have to watch me buy Nicorette.

Kit Hoover:

Correct. Look over there, Sal. I'm just going to be nothing to see here.

Cheryl Hines:

I just felt the disappointment, but also like, Hey, this is between us. 

Kit Hoover:

That’s great. What is in your bedside drawer?

Cheryl Hines:

Listen, I wish I opened my bedside drawer and it was just like a few meaningful trinkets, but the truth is there are some weird wires that go to some sort of phones or mechanical devices that I'm sure I need, but I don't know what they go to, but I don't want to throw 'em away. There's a facial mask that I always think I'm going to put on one of those that you put on and leave on your face, but you can only kind of do when no one else is around. I've got one of those, it's probably getting pretty old. And then I have a lot of half used just weird little travel bottles of stuff that I'm like, well, there's still stuff in there. I better keep it.

Kit Hoover:

By the way, my mom steals all of this. So we'll go to a hotel and let's just say it happens to be a nice hotel. I'll get in the shower and it's empty. She'll steal 'em while we're still in the room and in a bag and I'm like, mom, we can still use them. And then I guarantee you, I'll get you a fresh one to pack your bag with. So we'll go away. There'll be no soap, no tiny bottles, nothing. I'm like, mom, we call her Bug. I'm like, Bug. Wait till we leave. I promise you we will get that. Okay, wait, here we go. What do you do to unwind?

Cheryl Hines:

I talk to my best friend Rachel. It's funny because we can talk for hours on the phone, love her. And my niece, Kaylee is here with me and she will, Rachel will come over, we'll talk for a long time. She'll leave and then Rachel will call me 20 minutes later and Kaylee will say, what?

Kit Hoover:

You just

Cheryl Hines:

Talked, what do you possibly have to talk about? I was like, oh, nothing and everything. 

Kit Hoover:

Isn’t that the best? That's why I wanted to start off with the Rachel thing. When you're lucky enough to have those people in your life that it's just a constant, the conversation never ends,

Cheryl Hines:

It's just No, it never ends. You don't have to have anything to say. No. And sometimes it's just like, oh, okay, I'm walking in the room. Oh, look at this. Oh my candle. I still have some candle left on that. That could probably burn for another two, two hours.

Kit Hoover:

Totally. At least three more hours. Funniest Halloween costume you've ever worn. I feel like you got a good one with this.

Cheryl Hines:

I don't know if it was the funniest, but this was the most fun. When I was living in West Hollywood, I was young and single. My friends and I decided to go as Girl Scouts and we made, you know how you have badges as a Girl scout, you have little patches. So we spent time making up our own patches and we had a heartbreak patch and a tequila shot patch and anything that might be a conversation starter with someone of the opposite sex.

Kit Hoover:

Oh, I like it. Did it work? How did the brownie troop go over?

Cheryl Hines:

Oh my God. I met the cutest guy that night. He was so cut. He looked like Robert De Niro and he did a great Robert De Niro and that was his costume. He just wore regular clothes and when you asked him why didn't he dress up, he'd go do a De Niro. It was like, oh, I fell in love. Although I had just broken up with this guy that I was really in love with and in the night ended with tears me just saying, I just don't know. I'm ready to be even hanging out with someone new. He's like elderly. I never heard from him again. That was back in the days of answering machines when you're…

Kit Hoover:

The best.

Cheryl Hines:

And then I would call and I would, Hey, hey, it is Cheryl. I know things got off track the other night, but I really, listen, I'm over Whatever we were talking about.

Kit Hoover:

Forget those tears. That was not a thing.

Cheryl Hines:

Never. I never heard back. So some point I stopped leaving messages. It's like, okay, come on.

Kit Hoover:

The worst is you can't edit it, right? I mean there's been, once you're leaving that message and you're in it, you're like, I got to wrap it up. I got to wrap it up. And then you keep going. Oh my God. Weirdest thing in your purse right now.

Cheryl Hines:

Besides the Nicorette.

Kit Hoover:

You're right. I don't think you can top that one. I think that might be… 

Cheryl Hines:

The weirdest thing in my purse. I mean, I don't go anywhere without a toothbrush.

Kit Hoover:

In your purse.

Cheryl Hines:

Yes.

Kit Hoover:

With toothpaste or just the

Cheryl Hines:

Toothbrush? No, I have toothpaste too. 

Kit Hoover:

Do you have the little pick things that a lot of them I do.

Cheryl Hines:

I have those too.

Kit Hoover:

You have very nice teeth. Have you always been into your teeth? I'm being very serious.

Cheryl Hines:

Yes, because my teeth are so big, I have no choice. But two, I better really take care of 'em because that's one of the first things that people notice about me and I'm just like, okay, I guess this is what I need to do.

Kit Hoover:

Okay, fill in this blank. Aging is what?

Cheryl Hines:

Oh, aging is a combination of being solid in knowing who you are and why you're here and being surprised that it takes you longer to get up out of a chair. All the little things that you took for granted where you're like, oh, okay. Oh, okay. Right, because you're not 30 and that's okay. Totally. Okay. And it's also, it's nice to know what to worry about and what not to worry about.

Kit Hoover:

Goes back to what you were saying about letting things go. Age is a gift. It's going to happen to all of us if we're lucky to have it. Yeah, I always say I want to come sliding into home base, a little banged up, but a big old smile on my face. Just do the best I can. Yeah. I don't know why I just went all southern for you right there, Cheryl. 

Cheryl Hines:

Hey, you did get Southern.

Kit Hoover:

The Georgia in me came out.

Cheryl Hines:

My wisdom, my wisdom's all over the place.

Kit Hoover:

Well, I am so happy you spent the morning with us. We end everything in the coop, Cheryl, with what makes you happy?

Cheryl Hines:

The people I surround myself with make me happy and I'm very particular about who I surround myself with. But when I can stop myself in the middle of the day and say I don't want to be anywhere else right now with anyone else, I know that I'm happy.

Kit Hoover:

It goes back to your Renaissance moment where you are. If you've got that, Cheryl, you've got everything.

Cheryl Hines:

We'll see.

Kit Hoover:

We'll see

Cheryl Hines:

One day at a time Kit.

Kit Hoover:

Well Cheryl, I just adore you. I'm so happy that we're friends and I'd love anytime we get to hang together. So thank you so much with everything you've got going on for taking time to come on The Coop.

Cheryl Hines:

Thank you Kit. I loved it. I love you.

Kit Hoover:

I love you. And by the way, I might try a little Nicorette gum. I'll text you how it goes.

Cheryl Hines:

Yeah, please do. You've got to text me. Okay. Alright. Thanks Kit.

Kit Hoover:

Thanks. Sweet. Okay, have a great day. Bye guys. 

Oh my goodness. How much do I love Cheryl Hines? I want to bring my producer Harper McDonald in here. What did you think? We were so excited about this interview.

Harper McDonald:

She so thoughtful with

Kit Hoover:

Every question.

Harper McDonald:

She thinks so deeply about everything you asked and then gets just loosey loose at the end. She is hilarious.

Kit Hoover:

What about her word renaissance?

Harper McDonald:

Oh, it's perfect. She talked about the three elements of her life that are changing with her daughter in college and curb ending and obviously the trail.

Kit Hoover:

The trail. How neat that she..

Harper McDonald:

Number two guarded. Number two, her nickname.

Kit Hoover:

I love that. But you and I were talking before we started this, we're such a fan of hers and what a moment in her life and the fact, first of all, that she would come on with us and the way she's so present with everybody I think is so cool with her daughter, with her friends, with her career with her husband. What about her relationship? How great it is with her first husband? That was so inspiring.

Harper McDonald:

It felt like that was the thing that propelled her to be able to go be everything she's been able to do and now become giving her the license to, you can do this, you should do this. And she wouldn't even think about that for herself.

Kit Hoover:

And they didn't take off the rings until they did it together.

Harper McDonald:

Yeah, that was really incredible. I've never heard that before.

Kit Hoover:

I've never heard that before.

Harper McDonald:

Mutual respect, which carried forward for their modern blended family on Veep. I can't wait for her show.

Kit Hoover:

The new show guys, you picked that up when she teased that. This is going to be incredible,

Harper McDonald:

Her taking notes. It's going to be unbelievable. Larry David is for sure going to have a cameo.

Kit Hoover:

Larry David has to maybe continue to be, maybe he's the one on the campaign trail. Maybe he's the Bobby. I loved every part of this. Harper and I are now going to go get a giant pack of Nicorette gum. Oh my God

Harper McDonald:

I've never tried it, have you?

Kit Hoover:

No.

Harper McDonald:

I don't even know what that would do to me. 

Kit Hoover:

Do you have to go behind the counter to get it or is it just in the aisle?

Harper McDonald:

No, I think you've got to get the guy. It's like lottery tickets and Nicorette. You got to ask the guy and you got to show your id.

Kit Hoover:

Oh, our afternoon is shaping it up nicely. By the way, this is the first Coop podcast we did in the morning when I've had my coffee. How would you rate me Harper?

Harper McDonald:

Girl, you are on in the morning. It is working for you. It's working for you. And also the one thing that we didn't get to talk too much about is Heinz and Young, the incredible company that she's built with her daughter. With her daughter. So we'll promote all that in the show notes and make sure you guys know where to find their stuff.

Kit Hoover:

Yeah, check that down. And Harper and I love that because Harper's daughter and my daughters, it's kind of a dream to be able to do something with them when you think. And so the fact that she's doing it is quite awesome.

Harper McDonald:

That's beautiful.

Kit Hoover:

Alright, I hope y'all like that. Have a great rest of your day. And thanks again, Cheryl. Boy do we love you. 

END CREDITS

Thank you for joining us, my Chickens. If you like this episode, please give us a five star rating, drop in a great review and tag us at the coop with Kit Hoover as well. You can follow us on social media at the coop with Kit Hoover for behind the scenes content and updates. We will see you next time in the coop. And remember, as my mom bug always says, life is not a dress rehearsal. Make it count. Today's episode was produced by me, kit Hoover and Harper McDonald. Our technical producer is Christian Brown, and today's episode was edited by Christian Brown, business Development by Casey Lad. And a special thank you to all of our sponsors.