Holiday Magic with Judy Greer: Inside The Best Christmas Pageant Ever!

In this special episode, Jen and Amy get a visit from a Hollywood darling we’ve loved in countless films and shows like The Descendants, Archer, 27 Dresses, Arrested Development and 13 Going on 30 to talk about her newest project based on the beloved children’s book, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever! Actress Judy Greer talks about what it’s like to collaborate on such a treasured holiday story that she somehow missed out on as a kid but was lucky enough to discover when she was cast for the role. She sets the scene for what it was like to film the movie last fall in wintry Winnipeg with a cast full of kids on set and also takes a moment to share some highlights from earlier in her career.

Also in this episode: 

• Amy and Jen talk about their mixed feelings toward pageants and public performances. As you might guess, one of them loves them, one hates them.
• In our GenXcellence segment, Jen and Amy recount their first movie-without-parents experiences.
• And we Rant or Rave about decorating the house at Christmastime.

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Thought-provoking Quotes: 

“I directed so many programs with my sisters and my girl cousins, and my parents were very, very mediocre audience members. If you’re going to have four kids, guess what you get to do? You’re going to sit on the brown corduroy couch and watch our shitty programs. That’s part of the deal. We practiced for six hours. I had choreography. At one point, I gave Lindsay an umbrella that she had to open at just the right lyric in the song and the bitch could not do it and it was so upsetting.” – Jen Hatmaker 

“I think what’s so beautiful about this story is that it’s about unity, and compassion, and empathy. And it’s about being welcoming.” – Judy Greer

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

48 Hours movie (1982) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083511/

Film Rating Guide - https://www.motionpictures.org/film-ratings/

Top Gun movie (1986) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092099/

The Shining movie (1980) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081505/

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema - https://drafthouse.com/austin

37th Street Austin Light Display - https://www.instagram.com/37thstreetlights/

Arrested Development - https://www.netflix.com/title/70140358

13 Going on 30 movie (2004) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0337563/

The Descendants movie (2011) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1033575/

I Don’t Know What You Know Me From: Confessions of a Co-Star by Judy Greer - https://amzn.to/4hiDC0y

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: A Christmas Holiday Book for Kids by Barbara Robinson - https://amzn.to/3YzrNfh

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever movie (2024) - https://bestchristmaspageantever.movie/

Archer - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1486217/

Citizen Ruth movie (1996) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115906/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

Dallas Jenkins - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0420817/?ref_=tt_ov_ ...