Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Listen Again: Julia Gets Wise with Bonnie Raitt
Sun, 29 Dec 2024
In celebration of the recent Kennedy Center Honors where Julia helped honor Bonnie Raitt for her music and advocacy, we wanted to share Bonnie’s episode from Season 2 of Wiser Than Me. Today on Wiser Than Me, Julia sits down with 74-year-old music legend and Grammy Award winner Bonnie Raitt. Bonnie talks to Julia about performing live, the experience of external vs. internal validation, and managing grief. Julia also gets Bonnie thinking about her songwriting in a whole new light. Crying, laughing, raging -- this episode has everything. Plus, Julia discusses the deep emotions tied to meeting your heroes with her 90-year-old mom, Judy. Follow Wiser Than Me on Instagram and TikTok @wiserthanme and on Facebook at facebook.com/wiserthanmepodcast. Keep up with Bonnie Raitt @bonnieraittofficial on Instagram and TikTok and @officialbonnieraitt on Facebook. Find out more about other shows on our network at @lemonadamedia on all social platforms. Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium. Wiser Than Me is sponsored by ZOE. Visit ZOE.com to find out what ZOE Membership could do for you and use the exclusive code WISER10 to get 10% off membership. For exclusive discount codes and more information about our sponsors, visit https://lemonadamedia.com/sponsors/. For additional resources, information, and a transcript of the episode, visit lemonadamedia.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Full Episode
Hi, Wiser Than Me listeners. It's Julia. The recent fires in Los Angeles have devastated many of our city's communities, destroying homes and leaving so many without jobs or a safety net. The nonprofit agency One Voice has been serving families in crisis within the Los Angeles community for over 40 years.
They have launched the Fire Relief Fund to help workers who have been displaced by the fire regain stability. The Fire Relief Fund provides targeted financial aid for essentials like rent, utilities, and food, as well as connecting people affected by the fire with job opportunities. All of the funds go directly to people in need, ensuring fast and effective relief. Here's how you can help.
You can donate to the Fire Relief Fund, start a personal fundraiser under the One Voice campaign, or submit job opportunities to help those impacted by the fire get back to work. Every contribution makes a difference. So visit onevoice-la.org to get involved. Thank you so much.
For me, music, well, listening to music is both an escape from what's going on and a way to feel what's going on more intensely. You know, always has been. When I was little, I loved the Beatles. Little kids love the Beatles. I especially loved Ringo. Ringo was my favorite because he had that big nose. You know, that's irresistible. And I had a John Lennon doll, too, that somebody gave to me.
Of course, I was only five years old, so I didn't know they were geniuses. And I love the Monkees, partly because they're cute and funny. But Last Train to Clarksville is pretty fucking good, truth be told. My grandma Dee Dee gave me a Monkees record. Somebody must have told her to do that because I think she was more Benny Goodman than Mickey Dolenz. And of course, crushes are tied to music.
I mean, I've already talked on this show about Bobby Sherman. But how about James Taylor? Oh Lord Jesus, James Taylor on the cover of the album, Sweet Baby James. I just looked at it and I fell so deeply in love all over again. And I have to say, side note, there was this guy that worked at a woman's clothing boutique that was really funky and cool called The Elephant Trunk.
And it was in Mount Kisco, New York. And I used to go into that store every Practically on a daily basis when I was visiting my dad because that man was there and he looked so much like James Taylor and I would just look at him. And I can look at him right now in my mind's eye and I'm leaving my husband for that man because he was so fucking gorgeous. Anyway. I'm talking about music.
It's very, very evocative. Holy Christ. And I think the most important musical discovery for me was around middle school when I fell in love with rhythm and blues, soul music, and funk. I started to go to concerts in Washington, D.C. with my best friend, Carlene. We saw the Commodores, saw Sly and the Family Stone, Parliament Funkadelic. We love to funk, you funkenstein. Your funk is the best.
And it was the best. I still can't get enough of that music. And then a couple of years out of high school, I got to be on Saturday Night Live and I got to see all these artists up close when they were the musical guests on the show. And we got some great ones like Queen and The Clash and Randy Newman and that band Squeeze. Excuse me. Does anyone remember Squeeze? They were so great.
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