Show notes
Peeno Noir is Expanding! Actor Tituss Burgess’s real wine company Pinot Noir, inspired by his Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’s character viral music video, will unveil a new wine for Pride Week and a rosé. Whether your celebrating the LGBTQ or can’t get enough of the nimble actor and deliriously delightful singer, you’ll feel better about splurging on Pinot Noir after seeing how Burgess does in a blind taste test. Catie Lazarus, host of Employee of the Month, wanted to see if the 37 years old, Georgia native really knows his wine. A consummate performer, Burgess was game. His honesty and humility, as much as his humor, makes their interview a must listen.
“Sometimes on Broadway, you have an inflated budget to do what is essentially a community theater production,” Burgess explains with refreshing candor. Without missing a beat, he flashes a mischievous grin. As he acknowledges the bad and the ugly about working in theater, he never forgets the good. Burgess points out how intoxicating Broadway and television, at their best, can be as he tips his proverbial hat to the legendary Patti LuPone and fellow actor Jon Hamm, who are seated in the audience at Joe’s Pub, and will also be individually interviewed and honored on Employee of the Month’s season finale. Their interviews were recorded live at Joe’s Pub and will roll out over the next three weeks on Employee of the Month’s podcast.
A performer herself, Lazarus talks to Burgess about the nitty-gritty of auditioning, and the two confess to being late for their 30 Rock auditions. For Burgess, tardiness, he says, worked in his favor, but it’s really his talent which led Tina Fey took a risk in casting a relatively unknown bit player in a recurring role as D’Fwan in 30 Rock. Burgess batted it out of the park, but she may have developed a role for him in the break out comedy hit on Netflix because he is clearly also a joy to be around. He also displayed depth, as he spoke openly about the role faith and spirituality play and the challenges of homophobia growing up as a gay, black, devout Christian.
It’s not just Lazarus and the audience who are having fun, as Burgess thanks Lazarus and says, “this is one the greatest night of my life.” Check out her upcoming interviews with Jon Hamm and Patti LuPone, the latter of which features Burgess and LuPone singing impromptu Meadowlark, composed by Stephen Schwartz, to hear why.
Join Slate Plus to unlock full, ad-free access to Employee of the Month and the rest of your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe directly from the Employee of the Month show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or visit slate.com/employeeplus to get access wherever you listen.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
Stay Connected
