DISCLAIMER:
The following output was transcribed from our audio recording.
Although the transcription is largely accurate, it may be incomplete or inaccurate due to inaudible passages or transcription errors.
It is posted to aid in understanding the interview but should not be treated as an authoritative record.
Christian Brescia 00:02
Hey everybody, welcome back to another episode of Monday's with Mindy. Hello, Mindy.
Mindy Cohn 00:06
Hello, Christian. I adore you. So yeah, our conversation today is with editor, author and television host Dave Holmes, who you have worked with before. Many times. Yeah, yeah. Dave began his hosting career at MTV in 2001. And after leaving the music network, he hosted a variety of shows for CBS VH one, FX which is when you are working with him. That's right, the History Channel Bravo, Comedy Central and numerous other networks. his memoir published in 2016 party of one was named one of NPR best books of that year. He currently hosts the podcast, Homo philia, and troubled waters, as well as his sketch comedy game show, the Friday 40, of which I've had the pleasure of being a guest at the dynasty typewriter in Hollywood. He's been an editor at large at Esquire magazine since 2015, and is a noted blogger and on air personality on the Sirius XM music channel
Christian Brescia 01:07
I'm very excited to introduce him. He's a very hardworking guy and always was a pleasure to work with, so I'm excited to share him with our guests. Ladies and gentlemen, Dave Holmes.
Mindy Cohn 01:17
Hey, whoa, hello, sir.
Dave Holmes 01:22
Happy to be here. So happy. Thank you so much for having me.
Mindy Cohn 01:24
Of course. Oh my gosh, we're both tickled.
Christian Brescia 01:27
Oh, good. Yeah, yes. Thank you for saying yes. Oh, my God.
Mindy Cohn 01:31
We started each episode Christian and I came up with 20 questions. I pulled five. And we just start gabbing. Really, okay.
Dave Holmes 01:38
That's just how it goes. See what you get on with it. Okay. And like a cookie jar. Is that a cookie jar?
Mindy Cohn 01:43
It's this is one of Johnny Adler's ceramic cookie jars, canisters. I love it. They just a jar of secrets plug for Jonathan Adler.
Dave Holmes 01:54
Okay, I love that. He's Johnny Adler.
Mindy Cohn 01:56
Well, yeah, some of us yeah. Anyway. Dave, this was gonna be a question later on, but let's do it. Now. What's the last thing you binge on?
Dave Holmes 02:07
Like binge ala binge watch, like binge watching or redefining. It could be binge or just general binge eating.
Mindy Cohn 02:15
I will take any answer.
Christian Brescia 02:17
What comes to mind?
Dave Holmes 02:19
Wow, well, let's see. Watching hacks. Oh, watch hacks pretty much in like two sittings. Yeah. And I'm not gonna have the discipline to wait to watch all of the White Lotus at once. I'm like, I'm watching. I didn't watch this last episode, Greg. Well, yeah, it's
Mindy Cohn 02:39
same. Yeah, it's Mike White. Hello.
Dave Holmes 02:42
It's Mike White. It's Jennifer Coolidge. It's, it's everything. It's everything that you need. It's Connie Britton. But see, but then Okay, so now I'm home alone. My, my boyfriend is visiting his family in North Carolina. And so I'm just home alone for five days. And so I'm just eating and drinking. Like, I mean, the act is not a thing I can't do when he's here. But there is something about just like the prayers. Yes, I'm gonna get the burger bland from McCall's. I'm going to make a giant burger. I'm going to house an entire bottle of wine on my own. I'm just gonna put on a record and get into it. So sorry about the singing last night neighbors.
Mindy Cohn 03:27
We are catching you binge in the binge in the mid bench. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I'm not mad. I'm not mad at that. That's not a bad place to be. No, it's a healthy place to be. I think also, it's incredibly intimate. So thank you. Oh, you're so welcome. Um, do you have a hidden talent or something you do that would surprise people? Isn't it talent? I don't think I do know, I think you're out there with all of your talent.
Christian Brescia 03:53
I think your talents are all that do.
03:54
I think that's the thing is that I do every everything I know how to do I figured out how to do as a john dies. Yeah, yeah. You can't have that hidden talent in this economy. Everything's got to be capitalized upon. Everything's got to be monetized.
Mindy Cohn 04:08
That's right. I'm late to the game, but I'm trying to learn from the best.
04:13
Okay. I will say I am teaching myself piano during lockdown. And it's like it's still it's not it's I won't play out yet. Okay, but
Mindy Cohn 04:24
I got myself a little meal or a Play Doh or what are you doing?
04:27
No, neither. I'm doing a thing called a Lumi l u m II. It is a keyboard here I'll show how
Mindy Cohn 04:33
I might have.
04:34
It's not a full piano. It's like 22 keys or something. And you put it you hook it up to your tablet or whatever. Here we go. Okay.
Christian Brescia 04:45
It's like almost like a mini, almost a mini piano keyboard.
04:49
It's like a mini keyboard. And it's also a little like, like Guitar Hero but more practical because it really is a keyboard. So they show you hand position. They show you scales and then like no Come down this sort of from the top of your tablet to the bottom, and you get the keys as they light up and you just sort of get better at playing things. And then bit by bit of gamifying it it. Yeah, it tricks you into reading music and telling eighth notes from quarter notes and all that kind of thing. It's, it's pretty cool. Wow,
Mindy Cohn 05:17
okay, well, Bravo, it's on my bucket list. Cloris Leachman played piano beautifully and used to play at least two hours a day and she said, when I am older, which she got. She said at some point, you can't watch enough TV and the newspaper only last you so long. And she goes in this way. I will always have something to entertain myself and I have never forgotten that.
05:39
I love that. That is very good. And by the way, I have seen Cloris Leachman play two of hearts by Stacey Q. To help Tootie get ready for the audition. So I guess I am familiar with her piano.
Mindy Cohn 05:55
Her piano skills especially in regard to Stacey Q, which I'm sure is second tonight noted audition song shows her rage. Sorry. It's a memory that sticks out to you seated ever. What's your favorite place to travel to?
06:13
Dublin? Ireland? Okay, okay, quick. Yeah, it's my favorite place on Earth. I kind of want to move there. I had the opportunity to work there a couple years ago, for for a few weeks, I was writing on a pilot. And and I just always have loved it. It's like whenever I have time off, it's a place where I like to like I like to travel around Ireland and but I love the city of Dublin. It's everything you want from a city, but it's also really friendly. And you know what they say about like meeting people in pubs and striking up conversation is true. The real thing, and it's a real thing. And I have I have a nice group of friends there. And yeah,
Mindy Cohn 06:51
Dave? Yes, the one vacation trip to cancel during COVID I have Aer Lingus credit after I to cancel my trip to Ireland I had never been for when last August. Okay, but you got the credit. It's on my top five.
Christian Brescia 07:07
Yeah, you got the credit when it's happening. Do
Mindy Cohn 07:09
I hate it? I gotta go. That is so insane. It's it's heaven. Let's we'll coordinate. I'm serious. Because who I was going to go with cannot go anymore because they are working for the next three and a half years. I'm sorry. No, it's it is absolutely. And I was gonna go by myself which, unlike our mutual friend, I read white, I'm not really all that keen to travel by myself. I will if I need that little coordinate. I'd love that. That's amazing. That's amazing. A good time. What do your friends think is your best asset for free from your friends?
07:47
I think I mean, I hope, like a sense of humor or my like, sensibility or like viewpoint on things. Sure. Um, I think I'm able to, like help people talk through things kind of, or see see them in different ways or whatever. But one thing that I heard recently, which is a legitimate shock to me, is that someone who knows me really well thinks I like work too hard, which is like I do do a lot of things. But I also take a lot of naps. You know what I mean? I think I still hold on to that, like Catholic II thing of like, because I don't put on a tie and show up in an office and clock in and clock out and all that kind of thing that I'm like, kind of you know effing around. When I'm not I mean, I am I am working. I do work a lot.
Mindy Cohn 08:32
I have to say for a writer and an editor. You have to be a self motivator. I would assume you do. You do. That is a skill I admire greatly because I am not
08:41
Thanks. Yeah, I Well, I have to be otherwise I'll lose my house. So sorry that that helps. But also I am I do know that I'm lucky enough to get to do what I like to do. And so so I do try to keep a lot on Yeah, like, at any given time. But because I can like like after we finish talking, there's a good chance I'll take a 20 minute nap. And it's nothing. It's not you guys. It's just it's that time, but because of that fact,
Mindy Cohn 09:05
I don't mind that I might exhaust you, Dave Holmes. No, no, no, no, no, it's
09:08
not. It's just my cycle. But because like, you know, my dad never got to like, you know, take off his tie and like, lay down or I feel like, I'm whatever. I feel like I don't work hard, but I know that they do. So there's that there. Is that
Mindy Cohn 09:24
okay? I'm even not even a friend. I'm a periphery. And I know that you work hard. So okay. Not that you needed that. Good. Thanks. If you could ask anyone alive or dead anything? Who would it be? And what the be the question? Oh, boy.
09:42
I can ask anyone a lot of dead. One question. Okay. Um, I don't want to take it to this. Well, I won't, but I'm going to I'm going to
Mindy Cohn 09:52
just in the moment we won't hold you to it.
09:54
Okay. I don't know which early president or founding father or what but I think I would maybe Be like, bring a newspaper, maybe bring my my iPad or something and just kind of like swipe through a show of stories. And just Is this what you had in mind? Just is this like? Do we make you proud? Is this what you had in mind? Because I feel like no, I love
Christian Brescia 10:17
this idea.
Mindy Cohn 10:17
Major now.
10:20
And maybe if I get them, you know, worked up enough, we can work on some new guiding principles
Christian Brescia 10:26
makes a really good thing to say.
Mindy Cohn 10:28
I love that. I've never thought of that no one I've ever asked that question to has mentioned that. And what's so amazing is I'm going to steal that because I bet they wouldn't have ideas that have not occurred to us.
10:39
Yes. And I think that they would clarify certain things about like, what well regulated militia means and right.
Christian Brescia 10:48
I didn't mean that. What we should do
10:51
if you suddenly have access to weapons, yeah, whatever. Yeah, yeah.
Mindy Cohn 10:56
Yeah, I concur. That's so very
Christian Brescia 10:58
good, spontaneous. Thanks. I mean, he asked me to name a founding father, I won't be able to, but that's my idea.
Mindy Cohn 11:05
So I'm not to do a Saturday Night Live sketch, but yet you do have 10 jobs. So um, having said that, um, what do you define as your creative process? Do you have one do you write every day do you do you do something with regularity?
11:22
I have started mapping have more visit definitely nap appointment, I do not miss I have had to during lockdown, develop a daily practice, where in the time before, I was always writing something, and I was always, you know, recording things and was always, you know, appearing here and there and hosting things and whatever. And I had like, a million balls in the air. And I was great. Because a thing that I learned just before lockdown, from many, many hours of actual psychological testing, is that I have a very strong case of ADHD. And oh, yeah, which I always back in my mind kind of low key knew but didn't have. I didn't want to just like, go on medication without knowing for sure. And so I so I did it properly. I did it properly in like 2018. And I was like, Well, okay, what I suspected, I now know, I got to do something about it. And then I didn't do anything for a year and a half because I got distracted. So I So then once lockdown happened, and all the meetings and all the generals and auditions and drives to here and errands to there. And whatever actions, what are all of the distractions went away, and I was just me looking at the blank page in my office all day long. It was like, Okay, I really have to address this because I'm like, I could fill my day with just like little things. And then at the end of the day, I'm tired, but I've done nothing. I've done anything. So anyway, so I did go on medication. And I have been working to like create a schedule and a way to do a list and work through it. And I've had to be much more organized in order to get things done. So that's still a struggle, but it is something that I'm doing now. So that was a long answer. Oh, yes. No. Yeah, I do. Yeah, I do wake up at a certain time now. And I come in and I do some journaling. And then I you know, go
Mindy Cohn 13:14
do what is inspiring you or who is inspiring you right now currently, that would be the same thing as right now Monday currently, right now I'm currently
13:23
Oh, no, don't be such a Debbie. Sorry. I am. I mean, aside from this, you know, tinkling on a piano that I sort of do. I don't play music. So like, really good writers exhaust me because I'm like, Oh, never, you know, can't get there. Like they're doing what I do, but so much better. And I can't do it. So that just makes me discouraging.
Mindy Cohn 13:43
So it is not aspirational to it is discouraging.
13:46
Some things are aspirational. There are a handful of writers that I like grew up reading who were aspirational. But now like when I see somebody do a really good essay, I'm like, yep, I should have done that. And but they did it better. So for me it's music I'm really into there's a singer songwriter by the name of Frank Turner, who I think is great. riches really like inspiring and emotional. I love him. I really liked the new john mayer record a lot.
Mindy Cohn 14:10
I like what he learned the second guest to say that really yeah,
14:15
it's it's fun record. And the graphic design all around it puts you in a very nice happy five kind of a place which I love. I like when when there's you know, when they go the extra mile and Scott miler, he is an extra modeler. He is he works hard. He's a workhorse. Yeah, but yeah, that's, um, yeah, like very good musicians. Because I don't know how to express myself that way. inspire me to do what I know how to do. Well, you know,
Mindy Cohn 14:42
great. Well, yeah, I like that. So did where you grew up, or who you grew up with help you develop your aesthetic or your writing style or the desire to write or was it and typical, I really spend a lot of time trying to do anything else other than what I'm doing now.
15:00
Cuz I didn't see anybody doing it. Yeah, I didn't grow up. I grew up in St. Louis. Right. And as a matter of fact, okay, so my grammar school after sixth grade became an all girls school. Oh, and Julie piekarski went there. Oh my gosh, she was in high school when I was in like second grade. first season effects the wife Sue, and she, it was like a big deal because she was going to be on TV. And she went to our school, and it was like, that was
Mindy Cohn 15:28
also a mouseketeer.
15:29
So she was thrown mouseketeer Oh, yeah. So yeah, she was a big deal in St. Louis. But other than literally, Julie piekarski. There was nobody who was like in the arts in any way, right. So I didn't see a way forward at all. And the things that I like to write about and read about seemed frivolous to me. So So I studied psychology in college. And then I went into advertising. And I really tried to turn myself into a practical person, and it didn't take. And so I took a couple years in New York to like, pull it together, wait tables, do shows, just try to figure out what I was doing while I was young. And I didn't have to think about anything more than myself. Major. Yeah, yeah. And during that time, the MTV job happened. And then one thing led to another, and I'm still still doing whatever it is that I do, which I always find hard to put in a couple words what I do, but yeah, no, nobody did. So I started, there were certain writers who I loved who had kind of a weird sensibility, like a queer sensibility. And I loved them. And I started writing more, I started writing more really just to be able to finish a sentence. I'm in like, an Irish Catholic family. And we're all Whatever. I'm the youngest. And so you know, to writing is a way that I can't get talked over. So that is why I kind of took to it.
Mindy Cohn 16:42
Yeah. And have you ever had any Inklings to go quote, unquote, back home? I have it. I mean, I love my family. Yeah, I'm going back next week to see them and they're all still back there.
16:53
Yeah, they're all still back there. But you know what I like, I see my nieces and nephews. Now I have like, teenage nieces and nephews from like, 16, up to 30. And the teenage ones now are living exactly the way that I was in the 80s. You know, they dressed the same. Yeah. They like traveling packs in the same way. You don't go to a mall anymore, but they do whatever the current version of that is. Yes. And I don't think that they see anything other than what my brothers do, which are very practical, right, you know, job chairs. And yeah, so I, you know, I'm going back next week to see I see my sweet mother for the first time in a year and a half.
Mindy Cohn 17:31
Oh, my gosh, and yay,
17:33
yay. So we'll see. We'll see what has changed, if anything in the last year?
Mindy Cohn 17:37
Yeah. Well, I'm sure nothing because we have all been underclass. I'll say the lucky ones of us who've been under glass and not had been negatively affected. Yeah. Typically affected. I'll say, yeah. By this. Yeah. Totally. We're frozen in Amber. Totally. I just feel like the cake dish just came off like the top and it's like, Oh, all right, here we go. But it's also going back on kind of, you know, yeah. No, do I know what you mean? Yes. And I, what's interesting is I feel at this time, and probably because I actually got up and out and went back to New York and traveled a little in hopes of going back to work, which is now keeps getting pushed and pushed and pushed. Fingers crossed in October. But at that point, If, for some reason this feels like it's happening again, it does I feel it viscerally. Much more. So yeah, and it sad for me this time, the beginning of the pandemic, I have to say Christian and I both felt this way. I think we're introverts and used to spending a lot of time alone anyway, knowing we had food and water and gasoline and financially where we were okay, thank goodness. That wasn't really a hardship those first few months for me. I'm just talking for me, sir. This feels very different. This feels like Well, we're all headed down some difficult times here, friends.
18:56
Exactly. Exactly. Yeah. I don't understand why we can't get it through our heads that if we do the halfway. Yeah, we will never be more than halfway to normal. Right?
Mindy Cohn 19:08
Well, unfortunately, we seem to be the only country and other countries Believe me proud American, but other countries seem to have other issues. But not this one where this has become such a political issue instead of a health issue. And I'm so bummed it's the biggest bummer is my kind way of saying it. And I wish we would get over ourselves. By the way, both sides. Yes, somehow rebrand. So that one can have the bandwidth that this is a health issue. Period. Full stop.
19:35
That's it. Yeah. We have turned caution into a thing in the culture wars. You know what I mean? Yeah, like masks and vaccine.
Mindy Cohn 19:45
I have never heard it put that way. That's probably what I mean. Like, it's like,
19:48
these are simple things. These are simple things. We know. It's like washing hands somehow has not fallen into it, but it's like, it's like we're arguing about washing hands and tuck across. And it's like, Don't wash your hands. Right. You know, what's going on?
Mindy Cohn 20:06
It is appear bafflement. I mean, to me. I mean, really I can't even you know, I'm I'm one of those people in my friends lives and I'm very grateful I was raised this way to really be curious and interested in other sides and hearing everything. Yeah, I can't seem to get there on this. Yeah, I just don't comprehend the issue
Christian Brescia 20:26
soon, especially because we have so many facts on our side. I mean, we all know that polio didn't go away because of herd immunity. polio went away because we all got vaccinated against it, you know?
Mindy Cohn 20:35
Yeah. You know, it's just so hard. I'm with you, brother on that one. Yeah.
20:38
And if you want to go if you're like traveling somewhere, if you want to go on safari or something, I don't remember anyone doing that and being like, well, because I vote this way. I'm not going to get a malaria shot or whatever. You don't do that then. So. Now, yeah, yeah,
Mindy Cohn 20:59
that's what I don't want to get religious. I pray for it. I meditate on it that I hope people just somehow get rid of some of the group stupid that has gone on and yeah, you know, sort of get back to
21:10
the facts collect for the collective good. I'm not optimistic, but I'm hoping for, you know, okay. But I don't, what I'm seeing does not give me a lot of optimism, but you just never
Mindy Cohn 21:24
know, things can change, things can change. I happen to be a terminal optimist. And so I always just think the best is yet to come in. And some miraculous person or thing will deliver the message the way they need to hear it, or we need to hear it and right. Yeah, I won't be well in the land. Oh, God, from your lips to God's ears. Yeah. And and a trip on air Lingus?
Christian Brescia 21:45
Yes. Boo. It's a good airline, too. It is a good airline.
Mindy Cohn 21:50
I'm very excited. I mean, no kinds of IRA shows you opened up a door. I'm just so good. He opens up the door, kiddo. Good.
Christian Brescia 21:57
I will say Dave, last time I was on air Lingus, they had an I don't know if this is normal, because I've only I've only been to Ireland to fly through Ireland, if that makes sense. Like going into other countries now that it's I tend to go through it. But the last time I very distinctly remember, they had a limit, like a liquor limit, like an alcohol limit to the passengers on air, Lingus, he didn't matter how long the flight was, you could not order more than four drinks period. And I was like, I suppose the Irish are known to you know, have a little fun. But like, literally, it was, I think it was like a 14 hour flight that I was coming back to LA it's unacceptable. You can't have any more drinks. And I was like, wait, wait, wait, what
Mindy Cohn 22:36
am I I'm like, Yes. I mean, hi. I've been there. Yeah. Friends and family. Have you know who for a very long time.
Christian Brescia 22:44
I was just sitting working on my computer just wanting a little drink. But oh my gosh, yes. So that was a that made me laugh. And I was like, excellent airline. They keep it really buttoned up,
22:52
I guess. Wow. Yeah. I don't remember that. And I am certain that I would have come up against that limit, at
Christian Brescia 23:00
some point. put it to the test and see if it's still. Yeah, yeah.
Mindy Cohn 23:04
What are you writing about right now?
23:06
I just turned in a piece about a documentary that premieres on July 23, on HBO about Woodstock. 99. Yeah, I interviewed the director and and, and so and I'm also in that because I was at Woodstock. 99. Because that was like, peak MTV time for me. Yes. It's a traumatic memory, but it's a very good documentary. Yes. So yeah, just turn that in. And right now I am doing an investigative podcast. The first time I've done something like this, okay. Okay. And I'm up to my eyeballs writing scripts for it, because I've interviewed a ton of people. And so I'm stringing those together into scripts now. And it just Yes. finished the script for episode eight of this show. That's coming out in October. Nice. Bravo. called called waiting for impact. It is. Let me see if I can do a quick summary of it. Okay, so the video for Motown Philly by Boys to Men to remember. This is, of course, so it's it's the East Coast family reunion, right? So there's a photographer and she's getting pictures of Boys to Men, and Bell Biv DeVoe and another bad creation. And she's got like the old timey like steampunky camera has been the big thing. Yeah. And so and everyone does a little pose, and it says what their name is, and whatever. And then during the bridge of the song against an all black background, there are five guys in white shirts and ties, and they're in a semicircle, and it says Southern impact, and they pointed the camera like this. And that's the only thing they ever did. So well, as far as I knew at the beginning of this, that was all they ever did. Okay, I've always wanted to know what happened to Sudden Impact. And so I told Karen kill Gareth. The idea a couple years ago, as she was starting, she in Georgia harden Stark of my favorite murder. Were starting their own podcast network, and I told them their idea and they were like, do it do it? Yes. So yes, so I'm doing this like 10 episode. podcasts about it that is the story is wild. It goes to a lot of places that you will not expect.
Mindy Cohn 25:06
Oh my god, fabulous.
25:07
And I tracked down a lot of other early 90s faces who you remember who existed before the internet so we don't talk about them anymore. I love with so yeah, it's been it's been a labor of 90s love.
Mindy Cohn 25:22
That's fine My gosh. Fantastic. Congratulations. Thank you. Thank you my friend for being on this episode of Monday's with Mandy. Mindy Chris Yeah, it has been a pleasure. Truly has stayed Monday bearable. You are darling. And I just am such a fan of your work always have been
Christian Brescia 25:42
always. Likewise. Likewise. A pleasure talking pleasure to have you. It's nice to hear your voice be talking to you and not giving you orders about what I need you to do for a script. So I'm
25:52
so glad that I'm not telling you that big momma's house too is only on FX this Monday at 730. I need you to do that. I'll put the little more on please. See, I'm very tired. From a nap. You need to nap you need nap. Okay, ladies and gentlemen, we're gonna let them off to a snap. One more time. Dave Holmes.
Christian Brescia 26:12
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