Episode summary
Ted Danson speaks with Katey Sagal about their new Apple comedy project with Elizabeth Banks, describing it as a “rowdy” ensemble show set in a retirement village. Danson outlines a scene premise in which their characters are discovered in a steam room, while both talk about portraying older characters as self-directed adults rather than stereotypes. They also discuss ageing, self-confidence as performers, and how insecurity can coexist with public success.
Sagal spends significant time on her musical background, recalling early professional work as a “singing waitress” at a Santa Monica restaurant and later session and backing-vocal work. She talks about grief and family history, including losing her mother at 20 and her father at 25/26, and connects those experiences to what she calls an underlying sadness that she says she has learned to sit with rather than flee.
The conversation turns to sobriety and spirituality: Sagal credits a spiritually based 12-step programme with helping her live with less fear and describes her ongoing involvement in recovery community. She also discusses parenting adult children and resisting the impulse to project anxieties onto them.
Sagal describes creating “Chorus Harmonia”, an 11-singer choir project developed into a staged performance piece in Hollywood, intended to foster hope and community. She says proceeds were donated to Wounded Warriors and CHIRLA.
