This is a chat transcript.
Actress & author Amy Sedaris joined us here Monday November 26 @ 11 a.m. CT / 12 noon ET for a live chat!
She’ll kick off this highly social season by answering your questions and sharing her own entertaining tips.
More about Amy
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Julia Schrenkler
Interactive Producer
Minnesota Public Radio
American Public Media
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Comments: 93
Amy, if during a social or family gathering one person is becoming obviously intoxicated, what are some fun party tips to best exploit this situation?
Diana, your question is on deck!
Hope you can be here, Frick. I added the link to the Facebook feature in the article...
Great question Chris, and you're in line.
There's still time, John!
Pass that coffee, Frick. I made the same mistake.
Having made the mistake of leaving one of your articles in plain view, my imaginary girl friend now wants to meet your imaginary boy friend. Any suggestions on how I should handle this?
Great question, Betsy, and you're in the queue.
We're getting close to the chat going live, so don't wait too long the chive.
Amy replies:
I simply say "We can't talk about this right now" or "I can't talk about this right now." I guess that's the way I'd get out of it. I hate that though, when you're with someone and they're really aggressive. Then again... who does like that?
Amy repliec:
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I would just keep giving them more and more!
No. I guess I would just be all over that person and tell them they have to slow down.
Amy replied:
It's not going to happen. That's just a queer idea. It's not going to happen.
Amy replied: Uhm .... God, I never know when that stuff is coming out. I'm getting ready to do a movie right now and I'm writing a TV show - but I had to stop because of the writing strike.... so that had to be put on hold.
I have a big craft fair coming up December 8th in New York City. You think I would know about movies and TV but I'm always last to know!
Amy replied: [with conviction] Absolutely. Exactly.
Amy replied:
I always give Dusty like a pear, as in the fruit.
Speaking of crafts, Ms. Sedaris: Is your pal David Rakoff a Crafty Beaver? If so, is his beaver craftier than yours?
Amy replied:
Uhm No David Rakoff is not a crafty beaver but he is extremely crafty.
You recently enjoyed rave reviews for your performance as Paulie The Penis in The Puberty Pals production of "What The Heck Is Happening To My Genitals." Is it a coincidence that Paulie the Penis sounds remarkably like your impression of the Rooster?
Amy replied:
Yeah, no. I was imitating the rooster with Ross Perot. I mixed my brother Paul with Ross Perot.
Ms. Sedaris, When is it okay to regift?
Amy replied:
I regift a lot but I _always_ say I'm regifting. Sometimes its pretty obvious when someone regifts, because the feeling isn't there. You'll open something and think "Wait a minute, they didn't have me in mind at all." So I think its okay to regift as long as you say you are.
hospitality question: i woke up this morning and my in laws had done all the dishes but put them back in the wrong cupboards! Very inconsiderate. Is there a way to pay them back for confusing my kitchen?
Amy replied:
(laughs) Uhmmmmm hmmmm I'll skip that. Oh. You could put glass in their slippers.
Is it appropriate to hang a Meat Loaf Wreath™ on one's door for the holidays, even if you're Jewish?
Amy replied:
(laughs) Yes. Definitely. Just undercook it a little bit. Do you know how nasty that would be?!
Every time I've used glitter for a craft, I keep finding bits of it months later. It won't go away. I think I still have the remnants in my hair from my 3rd grade art project and I'm now 42. Is there ANY way of getting rid of glitter permanently, or should I just accept the fact that it's there to stay?
Amy replied:
The best way to get it is Scotch Tape. Its a good way to get it out of your house. I don't know about the hair, but around the house its very good to pick up glitter with Scotch Tape.
How did you get the part in the new (upcoming) Dolly Parton video? Was it just offered to you?
Amy replied:
Yes. They asked me if I would be in it and I said, "Yes!" right away. I got to work with a monkey and I got to work with Dolly Parton.
It's that time of year when Christmas carolers may very well be knocking on your door to treat you to their entertaining musical talents. But what exactly is the etiquette when it comes to Christmas carolers knocking on your door? What should you do and what shouldn't you do?
Amy replied:
I think you should open the door and listen to them. Just don't lock eyes with any of them! We never did. Don't lock eyes with ANY of them. And I don't think you should tip them.
Jessica Seinfeld likes to hide healthy food in junk food snacks, deceiving innocent brownie-munching children into ingesting spinach or swindling chocolate pudding-lovers with a stealth avocado. What less-than-appetizing foods have you baked into your wonderful desserts, and do you plan on plagiarizing a cookbook on the subject?
Amy replied:
I like to hide duck fat in food. Duck Fat is good but chicken bullion is also good. A lot of vegetarians say they like to eat at taco bell, but those places all use meat in their producsts. Like KFC, I mean, what do you think is in the gravy? But yes, duck fat and chick bullion are great treats to sneak in.
Hospitality Question: Can you recommend an appropriate Pithy Hostess Comment with which to pish-posh away the embarrassment visited upon you when your two female miniature Dobermans engage in a nauseating display of lesbianic humpery during the Soup Course?
Amy replied: Pass!
i spent most of my time this weekend organizing my crafty room. now i have to get rid of some items in reserve. do you have some artsy ideas for old birthday cards, used barbeque skewers, or wine corks?
Amy replied:
Well, yeah, no. I don't throw anything out because I think I'll need it for a prop. You can bring it to a Salvation Army or thrift shop. I can think of a million things to do with the items you mentioned, but if you give them away someone else will find them.
I am having vegetarian friends for a holiday dinner. Do I alter the entire menu or just have one or two dishes for them?
Amy replied:
I would have options. I always do have enough for a vegetarian, but I also cook knowing that there might be vegetarians coming. I make sure there's enough for them. If they're vegan or micro whatever its called, they should eat ahead of time.
How does Ms. Sedaris feel about dressing up the family pets in Christmas costumes?
Amy replied
They're adorable! Nothing's more adorable when you want to humanize your pets even more. But no animal I've had has ever let me come close to dressing them. So instead I have a small closet with a stage, it's a little dress shop where I can hang up the outfits, but I could, never in a million years get one on them. But they're there for them in case they change their mind.
We found you a lovely Fake Holiday Food Display on eBay, which includes hand-painted and "hand-sculpted" turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, carrots-and-peas and dessert, all in a Real TV Dinner Tray measuring 10" in length. We know you won't purchase fake food online, but if we bid on this for you, could we come over and pretend to eat it with you?
Amy replied
Oh no, that's not going to happen. Can you imagine that? Talk about trying to get people to leave ...
What are your favorite dishes and cocktails to serve for the holidays (Christmas dinner and parties, new year's)?
Amy replied:
That's a huge question. As far as adrink goes, I come up with a little holiday cocktail for when people come over I just make one up. It's never consistent. I just like to come up with a different holiday drink! Like this Thanksgiving I had champagne and put a little elder flower in it.
For Christmas I serve beef tenderloin, and on Thanksgiving Turkey. And I always make some kind of Greek food, like Spanokopita, because it's vegetarian and it impresses people...because it has Filo!
We had a bunch of relatives over for Thanksgiving, many of whom will be returning for Christmas this year. I like my family - most of them are pretty cool - but my uncle's kids are freakin' miserable. They're 8 and 10, and if they're not running around the house breaking stuff, they're doing everything in their power to annoy me. Short of duct-taping them to a steam pipe in the basement, how do I tactfully let my uncle know that I hate his kids?
Amy replied:
Well I don't think you can tell him you hate his kids. You have to find a way to not spend so much time around them. You have to give them a task for something they can do "Here, go do this." amd avoid them as much as possible. You can't tell him you hate his kids.
Take something in pill form, or if you feel uncomfortable, give them something in pill form.
What would go down on record as your biggest holiday debacle?
Amy replied:
Maybe a Thanksgiving a couple of years ago because I didn't do much pre-planning. it's always bad when you don't do any pre-planning.
Amy, do you scrapbook as well?
Amy Replies:
No I don't scrapbook at all.
Do you ever think about being a mega-corporation, or having your own line of products / tv show / radio show / empire?
Amy replied:
I like doing it on my level, not cause I have to but because I like it. I like hte hands on approach. The products are never quite what you had in your head, and I like the individuality and imperfections of things made by hand. I'd love to be able to have a line but I would have to do all the work. I don't want to be that lady right now, I wouldn't like to be a Martha Stewart.
The Mrs. and I avoided our families for Thanksgiving and ended up making Pastitsio instead of the traditional TG meal, and we're not even Greek. It was very tasty. We're afraid that we might be turning Greek. Are there any early warning signs we should be aware of?
Amy replies:
When you're food starts rotting in your refrigerator, that's a big red flag.
Do you have any tips on attending the company Christmas party? Do's and Dont's?
Amy replied:
Uhm god! I've never been to an office Christmas party. The last one I saw was in "The Apartment" with Jack Lemon. I guess... just don't drink too much because you might regret it... you might go home with someone you shouldn't!
That's the answer I guess... I've never had an office job. You have to face those people every day!
Have you ever made a traditional English Plum Pudding (Christmas Pudding)? How did it turn out?
Amy replies:
No, but my brother's boyfriend Hugh does and it's really terrific. Someone just told me Whole Foods has a really wonderful one in their frozen section. The person who told me is from Yorkshire so I trust them.
Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Amy replied:
Hot Chocolate. It used to be egg nog but now ... Hot Chocolate.
Colored lights on tree/house or white?
Amy Replied
I like colored, assorted colors. If it's, like, a red-white-and blue go America theme, eew.
Amy, how is David (Letterman) as a holiday entertainer?
New York is a great place to spend the holidays. What is your favorite part about holiday time in NYC?
Amy replied:
Ohhhhhhhh! That everything is VERY festive. Everyone does their store fronts, and I like that aspect of it. They go all overboard!
Besides this situation, do get contacted by friends/relatives/people you don't know all that well for entertaining tips often?
Amy replies:
No, not really, if I put myself out there and thats what it's about, then yeah for sure. But not out of the blue that much.
We would like to have a live Christmas tree, one that we can plant after the holidays. What is the best way to do this?
Amy wrote:
I'd never know. I don't think they'd last. People say they do, but when we were younger my dad would try to do that and they would just die right away. You could... you could try it. It's better than just chopping one down, right?
-Julia
Amy, how is David (Letterman) as a holiday entertainer?
Amy replied:
I don't know how he is as a holiday entertainer. I have no idea.
How do you decorate your apartment for Christmas?
Amy replies:
Well this year I'm only putting up my little tinsel tree with felt ornaments in my room. But I do usually put Christmassy things out, this year just the tree in the bedroom.
What's your position on warthogs?
Amy replied:
I - I don't have a position on warthogs. No position.
It was great fun to have Amy Sedaris here on Gather. Thanks Amy!
Amy replied:
Thanks you guys!
Sorry all, Amy has left the speakerphone
Note that this chat was actually a suggestion from a Gather member. If you have suggestions for chat guests, please don't hesitate to share them.
-Julia
Interactive Producer
Minnesota Public Radio
American Public Media
Thanks to you too, John Philipp. It was fun!