Jeremy Miller and Tracey Gold | Episode 11 | TBN
Donate

Jeremy Miller and Tracey Gold | Episode 11

Watch Jeremy Miller and Tracey Gold | Episode 11
One on One with Kirk Cameron
June 21, 2019
24:30

One on One with Kirk Cameron

Closed captions

Jeremy Miller and Tracey Gold | Episode 11

Show timecode
Hide timecode
  • -And I still have to, just tell-- tell me when. I'll come. -Dude!
  • 00:00:02.200 --> 00:00:05.230
  • -H-He shot you down. -I just need to stand back.
  • 00:00:05.240 --> 00:00:07.160
  • -Ah... -And there's a little hard thing
  • 00:00:07.170 --> 00:00:09.240
  • -right in the middle. -Okay. I'm gonna be sick.
  • 00:00:09.250 --> 00:00:11.160
  • Just start taking the heads off.
  • 00:00:11.170 --> 00:00:12.230
  • Oh, God!
  • 00:00:12.240 --> 00:00:14.170
  • 00:00:15.240 --> 00:00:17.180
  • I'm Kirk Cameron. And I get to meet
  • 00:00:17.190 --> 00:00:19.020
  • some pretty amazing people.
  • 00:00:19.030 --> 00:00:21.050
  • These are people who totally inspire me
  • 00:00:21.060 --> 00:00:23.100
  • with their hearts
  • 00:00:23.110 --> 00:00:25.060
  • full of faith, character and courage.
  • 00:00:25.070 --> 00:00:28.040
  • They push their limits, they think outside the box
  • 00:00:28.050 --> 00:00:30.230
  • and bravely use their gifts and talents
  • 00:00:30.240 --> 00:00:32.260
  • to bless others.
  • 00:00:32.270 --> 00:00:34.200
  • And today, we get to spend some time...
  • 00:00:34.210 --> 00:00:36.130
  • 00:00:42.090 --> 00:00:44.000
  • When I was a little kid, I never wanted to be on TV.
  • 00:00:48.210 --> 00:00:51.120
  • I didn't want to grow up and be an actor,
  • 00:00:51.130 --> 00:00:53.080
  • I wanted to become a doctor.
  • 00:00:53.090 --> 00:00:55.100
  • But one day after school, my mom took me to an audition
  • 00:00:55.110 --> 00:00:57.170
  • for a role on a show called Growing Pains.
  • 00:00:57.180 --> 00:00:59.170
  • And, of course, that changed the direction of my whole life.
  • 00:00:59.180 --> 00:01:02.100
  • I worked on that show for almost ten years,
  • 00:01:02.110 --> 00:01:05.000
  • and I made some great friendships,
  • 00:01:05.010 --> 00:01:06.200
  • including with my little brother and sister on the show,
  • 00:01:06.210 --> 00:01:09.160
  • Ben and Carol Seaver,
  • 00:01:09.170 --> 00:01:11.060
  • played by Tracey Gold and Jeremy Miller.
  • 00:01:11.070 --> 00:01:13.250
  • So I invited them over to come hang out, have some breakfast,
  • 00:01:13.260 --> 00:01:16.190
  • and, uh, see how they're doing and talk about the great things
  • 00:01:16.200 --> 00:01:19.060
  • that they're doing in their life.
  • 00:01:19.070 --> 00:01:20.190
  • Hey, you guys.
  • 00:01:20.200 --> 00:01:21.240
  • -Hey, brother. -Come here. How's it going?
  • 00:01:21.250 --> 00:01:24.220
  • Great to see you. Have a seat.
  • 00:01:24.230 --> 00:01:26.200
  • -Hi. -Hi.
  • 00:01:26.210 --> 00:01:28.240
  • -How are you? -Good.
  • 00:01:28.250 --> 00:01:30.080
  • -So great to see you guys. You like it? -Nice.
  • 00:01:30.090 --> 00:01:31.240
  • -What do you think? -Yeah, what a spread. -Nice spread.
  • 00:01:31.250 --> 00:01:33.180
  • -You like this? -Very cool.
  • 00:01:33.190 --> 00:01:34.210
  • I'm very excited about this.
  • 00:01:34.220 --> 00:01:36.080
  • There's sausage, we got turkey.
  • 00:01:36.090 --> 00:01:37.230
  • -Got some fruit and honey. -Look at you, all healthy.
  • 00:01:37.240 --> 00:01:39.250
  • How have you guys been?
  • 00:01:39.260 --> 00:01:41.070
  • -Doing great. -Good. Really good.
  • 00:01:41.080 --> 00:01:42.290
  • Yeah. Family's good. Things are going pretty...
  • 00:01:43.000 --> 00:01:44.210
  • -Ooh. Whoa. -Nice.
  • 00:01:44.220 --> 00:01:46.220
  • -I'm glad you did that and not me. -I can't pour.
  • 00:01:46.230 --> 00:01:48.080
  • -So, yeah, how you doing, man? -It's beautiful back here, Kirk.
  • 00:01:48.090 --> 00:01:49.280
  • I'm doing great. Chelsea's, um, Chelsea's doing great.
  • 00:01:49.290 --> 00:01:52.070
  • The kids are great. You know, Jack's getting married.
  • 00:01:52.080 --> 00:01:54.130
  • -I told you that. Jack's getting married. -Uh-huh. Amazing.
  • 00:01:54.140 --> 00:01:56.040
  • And, uh, Isabella is about to move.
  • 00:01:56.050 --> 00:02:00.020
  • So it's the fir-- the first bird to fly the nest.
  • 00:02:00.030 --> 00:02:01.270
  • -The first. -Oh, that's so scary. -Yeah.
  • 00:02:01.280 --> 00:02:03.220
  • I'm half upset, can't believe that so much time has gone by,
  • 00:02:03.230 --> 00:02:07.030
  • my kids are leaving the nest, and I'm half excited
  • 00:02:07.040 --> 00:02:08.230
  • about being an empty nester.
  • 00:02:08.240 --> 00:02:10.150
  • -(laughs) -'Cause I'm thinking, I get my girlfriend back again.
  • 00:02:10.160 --> 00:02:12.130
  • -Oh, that's nice. -All to myself. -Time together.
  • 00:02:12.140 --> 00:02:13.190
  • -Yep. Mm-hmm. -All to myself.
  • 00:02:13.200 --> 00:02:14.290
  • But also, it's the natural progression of life.
  • 00:02:15.000 --> 00:02:16.110
  • It's, like, what they're supposed to do, I mean...
  • 00:02:16.120 --> 00:02:17.260
  • -Right. -So it's hard on us,
  • 00:02:17.270 --> 00:02:19.150
  • -but that's what you want them to do. -Absolutely.
  • 00:02:19.160 --> 00:02:22.000
  • You don't want them at, you know, 45
  • 00:02:22.010 --> 00:02:23.160
  • -still living at home. Right. -No.
  • 00:02:23.170 --> 00:02:25.040
  • So, it's-it's just what our parents went through and what...
  • 00:02:25.050 --> 00:02:27.200
  • -Mm-hmm. -now we have to go through.
  • 00:02:27.210 --> 00:02:29.070
  • -So, you guys, w-when I think about this... -Mm-hmm.
  • 00:02:29.080 --> 00:02:31.170
  • ...some people, the last time that they saw us all together
  • 00:02:31.180 --> 00:02:34.070
  • was back in the 1980s, and we were Mike, Ben and Carol Seaver,
  • 00:02:34.080 --> 00:02:38.120
  • up to, u-up to some prank or something
  • 00:02:38.130 --> 00:02:40.250
  • with Jason and Maggie.
  • 00:02:40.260 --> 00:02:42.070
  • And now, here we are and we're all grown up.
  • 00:02:42.080 --> 00:02:44.180
  • And now, I'm-I'm, uh...
  • 00:02:44.190 --> 00:02:45.210
  • -Speak for yourself. -(laughs)
  • 00:02:45.220 --> 00:02:47.270
  • I'm married 27 years, and I have six kids.
  • 00:02:47.280 --> 00:02:50.080
  • -How did that happen? -Right?
  • 00:02:50.090 --> 00:02:51.200
  • And you, you're-you're married. You...
  • 00:02:51.210 --> 00:02:53.040
  • Yeah. We-We'll be married 24 years, um, this month.
  • 00:02:53.050 --> 00:02:55.290
  • -24 years. -Yeah, 24 years, and we have four boys.
  • 00:02:56.000 --> 00:02:58.290
  • -Four boys. -That's amazing.
  • 00:02:59.000 --> 00:03:01.020
  • Joanie have been together, it'll be 15 years
  • 00:03:01.030 --> 00:03:03.030
  • -in February, so... -Yeah, and we've been together--
  • 00:03:03.040 --> 00:03:05.180
  • -Roby and I've been together 29. -Right.
  • 00:03:05.190 --> 00:03:07.260
  • Amazing. I-I can't believe how fast time goes by.
  • 00:03:07.270 --> 00:03:10.210
  • -You're telling me. -Now wait a minute, I-I saw a video of you recently
  • 00:03:10.220 --> 00:03:14.110
  • that said that you dated-- you said you dated my sister.
  • 00:03:14.120 --> 00:03:16.260
  • -What was that all about? I don't remember that. -Oh, I saw that, too, Jeremy.
  • 00:03:16.270 --> 00:03:19.030
  • -Nobody told me that. -I don't really think--
  • 00:03:19.040 --> 00:03:20.210
  • -I don't think we can quite call it dating... -Wait, you dated,
  • 00:03:20.220 --> 00:03:22.100
  • -you dated my sister Candace? -We-we clarified this.
  • 00:03:22.110 --> 00:03:24.040
  • Yes, yes. We clarified this. There's no dating at that age.
  • 00:03:24.050 --> 00:03:26.120
  • I'm gonna t-- where's my phone? I got to text and verify.
  • 00:03:26.130 --> 00:03:28.030
  • -I-I'm not sure. -She'll verify it. She'll verify it.
  • 00:03:28.040 --> 00:03:30.040
  • -All right. -I think they might have just said they liked each other
  • 00:03:30.050 --> 00:03:32.070
  • -and called it a day. -It was that-- you remember at that time,
  • 00:03:32.080 --> 00:03:34.020
  • -it was that "going together" thing. -"Going with." Yeah.
  • 00:03:34.030 --> 00:03:36.070
  • -You were going together? Yeah. -It was that "going together" thing.
  • 00:03:36.080 --> 00:03:38.000
  • You didn't go anywhere, you just, you know...
  • 00:03:38.010 --> 00:03:39.270
  • -Yeah. I mean, you were a thing, you were a thing. -You're right. I remember that.
  • 00:03:39.280 --> 00:03:41.280
  • -So that-- that was real? -Yeah, that was...
  • 00:03:41.290 --> 00:03:43.200
  • -Why did I never hear about that? She never told me. -That was actually real.
  • 00:03:43.210 --> 00:03:45.120
  • And there was no Instagram back then, so I wouldn't have
  • 00:03:45.130 --> 00:03:47.000
  • -seen it, sort of, in social media. -Exactly. There was nothing...
  • 00:03:47.010 --> 00:03:48.220
  • -I think he was just hanging around. -Again, it was-- all we did--
  • 00:03:48.230 --> 00:03:50.160
  • I mean, you saw the most of it. When we had the wrap parties,
  • 00:03:50.170 --> 00:03:52.280
  • we'd dance together whenever "Careless Whispers"
  • 00:03:52.290 --> 00:03:55.020
  • -was played, or whatever. -(laughter)
  • 00:03:55.030 --> 00:03:56.120
  • -"Careless Whispers!" -You know.
  • 00:03:56.130 --> 00:03:58.150
  • What was that band? What band was that?
  • 00:03:58.160 --> 00:04:00.020
  • -Uh, Wham! That was Wham! -Wham! Okay. -That was Wham!
  • 00:04:00.030 --> 00:04:01.270
  • -Oh, my goodness. -So, you know, that was the extent of it, but yeah.
  • 00:04:01.280 --> 00:04:05.080
  • Apparently, I-- and I didn't remember this,
  • 00:04:05.090 --> 00:04:07.040
  • but this is how Candace remembers it--
  • 00:04:07.050 --> 00:04:08.240
  • apparently, I broke up with her through Melissa.
  • 00:04:08.250 --> 00:04:11.020
  • -(laughs) -So that I could go out with Danica.
  • 00:04:11.030 --> 00:04:13.090
  • -What a jerk. -Yeah, apparently.
  • 00:04:13.100 --> 00:04:14.280
  • -Yeah. -Oh, man.
  • 00:04:14.290 --> 00:04:16.220
  • And it was so awkward, too, because we were on a TV show,
  • 00:04:16.230 --> 00:04:19.040
  • -so if everyone liked somebody, you know? -TRACEY: Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
  • 00:04:19.050 --> 00:04:21.000
  • If it was somebody from another show, or it was something--
  • 00:04:21.010 --> 00:04:22.220
  • -it was like, you know... -Oh, it was a big deal.
  • 00:04:22.230 --> 00:04:24.080
  • -Bop magazine was all over that, so... -Oh, yeah.
  • 00:04:24.090 --> 00:04:26.040
  • -Yeah, yeah, yeah. -Exactly.
  • 00:04:26.050 --> 00:04:27.200
  • I've talked to my sister Candace about this and, you know,
  • 00:04:27.210 --> 00:04:29.200
  • today, kids have a sense of, uh, of...
  • 00:04:29.210 --> 00:04:33.050
  • of extreme pressure when it comes to being teenagers,
  • 00:04:33.060 --> 00:04:36.150
  • because of social media.
  • 00:04:36.160 --> 00:04:38.000
  • You've got pictures and cameras in your face all the time,
  • 00:04:38.010 --> 00:04:40.160
  • and you're, and you're constantly on display
  • 00:04:40.170 --> 00:04:42.020
  • with this perfect life that you want to show to everybody else.
  • 00:04:42.030 --> 00:04:44.060
  • But in our day, we had a version of that
  • 00:04:44.070 --> 00:04:46.120
  • in the fact that we were just in the public eye,
  • 00:04:46.130 --> 00:04:49.060
  • and there were paparazzi cameras on us.
  • 00:04:49.070 --> 00:04:50.210
  • It wasn't Instagram, but it increased a sense
  • 00:04:50.220 --> 00:04:54.010
  • of having to be all that and all, you know, be gr--
  • 00:04:54.020 --> 00:04:58.160
  • look great, always sound great, have the right things to say,
  • 00:04:58.170 --> 00:05:01.180
  • always be funny, and it put the pressure on us,
  • 00:05:01.190 --> 00:05:04.220
  • particularly, that I think a lot of people
  • 00:05:04.230 --> 00:05:06.070
  • don't, don't really understand.
  • 00:05:06.080 --> 00:05:07.270
  • Oh. I mean, I-I-- absolutely.
  • 00:05:07.280 --> 00:05:09.140
  • -As we all know, I felt pressure for sure. -Mm-hmm.
  • 00:05:09.150 --> 00:05:11.140
  • And I do wonder what it would've been like for us
  • 00:05:11.150 --> 00:05:13.290
  • if we had been on TV in this day and age
  • 00:05:14.000 --> 00:05:17.040
  • -with, like, even more pressure. -Yeah. Yeah.
  • 00:05:17.050 --> 00:05:19.150
  • You know? More a-access to us and stuff.
  • 00:05:19.160 --> 00:05:22.170
  • I felt like we kind of could go and hide away a little bit,
  • 00:05:22.180 --> 00:05:26.110
  • -like, when we left the set. -Yeah. Yeah.
  • 00:05:26.120 --> 00:05:28.040
  • We'd go home and we could kind of just, like,
  • 00:05:28.050 --> 00:05:30.040
  • let our guard down, especially 'cause none of us lived,
  • 00:05:30.050 --> 00:05:32.110
  • like, you know, we lived a little further away
  • 00:05:32.120 --> 00:05:34.060
  • -from the studios and stuff like that. -Mm-hmm.
  • 00:05:34.070 --> 00:05:36.040
  • But there was pressure, absolutely.
  • 00:05:36.050 --> 00:05:37.230
  • And we were going through our adolescence
  • 00:05:37.240 --> 00:05:40.040
  • just like everybody else, but we were supposed to go through them
  • 00:05:40.050 --> 00:05:42.210
  • -kind of perfectly. Yeah. -On display. -That's right.
  • 00:05:42.220 --> 00:05:45.000
  • 'Cause we were the Seavers. All of our problems got resolved
  • 00:05:45.010 --> 00:05:46.140
  • -in 30 minutes. -TRACEY: We're supposed to be perfect. Yeah.
  • 00:05:46.150 --> 00:05:48.000
  • -For me, being a girl on TV was a lot of pressure. -Yeah.
  • 00:05:48.010 --> 00:05:51.000
  • And going through-- you know, I was 16
  • 00:05:51.010 --> 00:05:53.200
  • when I got Growing Pains, and...
  • 00:05:53.210 --> 00:05:56.000
  • By the time-- probably I was, like, a year later, I think
  • 00:05:56.010 --> 00:05:58.020
  • I had, like, gained a little bit of weight, and there was just
  • 00:05:58.030 --> 00:06:00.110
  • a lot of pressure to be-- look a certain way,
  • 00:06:00.120 --> 00:06:02.270
  • be a certain way, and, you know, eventually led
  • 00:06:02.280 --> 00:06:06.150
  • to my eating disorder, but...
  • 00:06:06.160 --> 00:06:08.120
  • For me, it caused a lot of insecurity.
  • 00:06:08.130 --> 00:06:10.120
  • And then, they would bring in-- best of Hollywood, you know?
  • 00:06:10.130 --> 00:06:13.120
  • The most beautiful, the... you know,
  • 00:06:13.130 --> 00:06:15.210
  • and you're just sitting there, you're like, "Oh, my God."
  • 00:06:15.220 --> 00:06:17.110
  • They're just, like, one's prettier after another
  • 00:06:17.120 --> 00:06:19.220
  • that would come through the, the Growing Pains set.
  • 00:06:19.230 --> 00:06:22.050
  • And so as, you know, when you're 16, there--
  • 00:06:22.060 --> 00:06:24.210
  • it breeds a little insecurity.
  • 00:06:24.220 --> 00:06:26.120
  • So, I remember just feeling a sense of "who,
  • 00:06:26.130 --> 00:06:28.280
  • who can I really trust?"
  • 00:06:28.290 --> 00:06:30.200
  • Here I'm this guy on TV, and everybody thinks they know you.
  • 00:06:30.210 --> 00:06:33.060
  • -Yep. -But they don't know you.
  • 00:06:33.070 --> 00:06:34.240
  • Mm-hmm. Well, even by sixth grade, I mean...
  • 00:06:34.250 --> 00:06:37.040
  • (stammers) Sixth grade, what-- that's 12 years old?
  • 00:06:37.050 --> 00:06:39.160
  • I had already started kind of testing friends occasionally
  • 00:06:39.170 --> 00:06:43.020
  • by telling them the show had gotten canceled
  • 00:06:43.030 --> 00:06:45.150
  • -and seeing their response. -Wow.
  • 00:06:45.160 --> 00:06:46.260
  • -Did they keep talking to me? -Really?
  • 00:06:46.270 --> 00:06:48.060
  • And that's at 12, I was already doing that
  • 00:06:48.070 --> 00:06:50.030
  • -to kind of judge where I stood with... -Well...
  • 00:06:50.040 --> 00:06:51.210
  • -Just to figure out who your real friends are. -Yeah, so...
  • 00:06:51.220 --> 00:06:53.140
  • Uh, when I, when I started dating Roby, I remember--
  • 00:06:53.150 --> 00:06:56.240
  • 'cause my dad's an agent, also, it's like... all, like--
  • 00:06:56.250 --> 00:07:00.160
  • you know, any guy that y-you date is like, "Ugh,
  • 00:07:00.170 --> 00:07:02.030
  • are they an actor? Do they want to be an actor?"
  • 00:07:02.040 --> 00:07:04.120
  • -Yeah. Right, flaky. This isn't gonna last. -Like, what-- right?
  • 00:07:04.130 --> 00:07:06.060
  • -And he didn't, which was awesome, so... -Yeah.
  • 00:07:06.070 --> 00:07:08.160
  • But it was, like, all of that kind of stuff,
  • 00:07:08.170 --> 00:07:10.230
  • I always, like, questioned anyone's motivation.
  • 00:07:10.240 --> 00:07:15.050
  • Right. Do they want to know you for who you are?
  • 00:07:15.060 --> 00:07:17.100
  • -For who I am? Yes. -Or for what you can bring to them?
  • 00:07:17.110 --> 00:07:19.050
  • -Yes. Yep. -Right.
  • 00:07:19.060 --> 00:07:20.200
  • So, uh, what did, what did-- what have you learned,
  • 00:07:20.210 --> 00:07:23.090
  • and what advice would you give to young girls today
  • 00:07:23.100 --> 00:07:25.040
  • who are wrestling with the same stuff?
  • 00:07:25.050 --> 00:07:26.250
  • It's hard to live in this society
  • 00:07:26.260 --> 00:07:28.100
  • -and not have insecurities. -Yeah.
  • 00:07:28.110 --> 00:07:30.060
  • But I think that you have to just keep them in check.
  • 00:07:30.070 --> 00:07:32.200
  • The way that-that society is built, you know,
  • 00:07:32.210 --> 00:07:36.190
  • it feeds into our insecurities, but I don't let them
  • 00:07:36.200 --> 00:07:39.090
  • get the better of me just because I went down
  • 00:07:39.100 --> 00:07:40.280
  • such a slippery road.
  • 00:07:40.290 --> 00:07:42.090
  • My eating disorder, like, just stopped everything
  • 00:07:42.100 --> 00:07:44.140
  • that I loved in my life, so I had to, like, choose.
  • 00:07:44.150 --> 00:07:49.090
  • Like, like, do I want all these things I love in my life,
  • 00:07:49.100 --> 00:07:52.090
  • or do I want this eating disorder that's really no longer
  • 00:07:52.100 --> 00:07:55.130
  • fulfilling any kind of purpose for me?
  • 00:07:55.140 --> 00:07:57.080
  • All it's doing is keeping me isolated.
  • 00:07:57.090 --> 00:07:59.110
  • And what I realized was, at my lowest weight,
  • 00:07:59.120 --> 00:08:02.030
  • i-it didn't make me any happier than I was when I was,
  • 00:08:02.040 --> 00:08:04.280
  • you know, Carol Seaver and, you know...
  • 00:08:04.290 --> 00:08:07.250
  • -I was able to-to sort of realize there's a balance. -Yeah.
  • 00:08:07.260 --> 00:08:10.220
  • And, you know, nobody's gonna really talk too much about,
  • 00:08:10.230 --> 00:08:14.020
  • you know, how much you weighed when you died.
  • 00:08:14.030 --> 00:08:15.270
  • It's gonna be the quality of life that you lived.
  • 00:08:15.280 --> 00:08:17.280
  • It just sounds so funny even when you say that.
  • 00:08:17.290 --> 00:08:19.140
  • -Like, of course nobody's gonna talk about that. -Of course.
  • 00:08:19.150 --> 00:08:21.080
  • Yet it's so important to us, especially when we're teenagers.
  • 00:08:21.090 --> 00:08:23.290
  • -Jeremy, talk for a minute about the specific pressures -Yes.
  • 00:08:24.000 --> 00:08:26.080
  • you were feeling, and the challenges that you had
  • 00:08:26.090 --> 00:08:28.000
  • to work through during the show.
  • 00:08:28.010 --> 00:08:29.080
  • Th
  • 00:08:31.140 --> 00:08:31.150
  • The
  • 00:08:31.150 --> 00:08:31.160
  • The in
  • 00:08:31.160 --> 00:08:31.170
  • The inse
  • 00:08:31.170 --> 00:08:31.180
  • The insecu
  • 00:08:31.180 --> 00:08:31.190
  • The insecuri
  • 00:08:31.190 --> 00:08:31.200
  • The insecuriti
  • 00:08:31.200 --> 00:08:31.210
  • The insecurities
  • 00:08:31.210 --> 00:08:31.220
  • The insecurities
  • 00:08:31.220 --> 00:08:31.230
  • The insecurities we
  • 00:08:31.230 --> 00:08:31.240
  • The insecurities were
  • 00:08:31.240 --> 00:08:31.250
  • The insecurities were r
  • 00:08:31.250 --> 00:08:31.260
  • The insecurities were rea
  • 00:08:31.260 --> 00:08:31.270
  • The insecurities were reall
  • 00:08:31.270 --> 00:08:31.280
  • The insecurities were really
  • 00:08:31.280 --> 00:08:31.290
  • The insecurities were really bi
  • 00:08:31.290 --> 00:08:32.000
  • The insecurities were really big
  • 00:08:32.000 --> 00:08:32.010
  • The insecurities were really big fo
  • 00:08:32.010 --> 00:08:32.020
  • The insecurities were really big for
  • 00:08:32.020 --> 00:08:32.030
  • The insecurities were really big for me
  • 00:08:32.030 --> 00:08:32.040
  • The insecurities were really big for me.
  • 00:08:32.040 --> 00:08:32.240
  • And, um...
  • 00:08:32.250 --> 00:08:35.030
  • having to...
  • 00:08:35.040 --> 00:08:37.220
  • be "on" all the time. That's what I called it,
  • 00:08:37.230 --> 00:08:40.080
  • -was always having to be on. -Yeah.
  • 00:08:40.090 --> 00:08:42.060
  • You know, always having to act...
  • 00:08:42.070 --> 00:08:44.190
  • more adult, carry myself more... professionally.
  • 00:08:44.200 --> 00:08:48.010
  • -Mm. -All that stuff, um...
  • 00:08:48.020 --> 00:08:49.220
  • Most of my being on TV,
  • 00:08:49.230 --> 00:08:52.050
  • you know, was 12 and under, 13 and under.
  • 00:08:52.060 --> 00:08:54.170
  • -Mm-hmm. -You guys were more teen,
  • 00:08:54.180 --> 00:08:56.030
  • you had a little more input in what you were doing.
  • 00:08:56.040 --> 00:08:58.120
  • I had a...
  • 00:08:58.130 --> 00:08:59.260
  • step-idiot who, you know,
  • 00:08:59.270 --> 00:09:02.060
  • basically tried to control everything, who had...
  • 00:09:02.070 --> 00:09:04.150
  • Yeah, you had a rough experience, I mean,
  • 00:09:04.160 --> 00:09:06.120
  • -Kirk and I came from... -I had some issues I was dealing with.
  • 00:09:06.130 --> 00:09:08.110
  • ...from, you know, I think we were lucky
  • 00:09:08.120 --> 00:09:10.040
  • that the stability with our families
  • 00:09:10.050 --> 00:09:12.030
  • -really were helpful. -Helped us a lot.
  • 00:09:12.040 --> 00:09:13.200
  • -Yeah, he was... -And you had a little bit more instability.
  • 00:09:13.210 --> 00:09:15.280
  • ...a little more, uh, he was more conducive
  • 00:09:15.290 --> 00:09:18.030
  • -to the insecurity; he added a lot to that as well. -Right.
  • 00:09:18.040 --> 00:09:21.040
  • -Mm. -So I, you know,
  • 00:09:21.050 --> 00:09:23.150
  • I ended up dealing with it with alcohol.
  • 00:09:23.160 --> 00:09:25.050
  • -I mean, I did what a lot of people do. -Yep.
  • 00:09:25.060 --> 00:09:27.100
  • I-I ran to an addiction. I just wanted to blot it out.
  • 00:09:27.110 --> 00:09:30.070
  • I didn't want to deal with it.
  • 00:09:30.080 --> 00:09:31.250
  • Um... I, you know,
  • 00:09:31.260 --> 00:09:33.090
  • because of a lot of the stuff on the show,
  • 00:09:33.100 --> 00:09:37.010
  • my stepfather, all that, I-I developed
  • 00:09:37.020 --> 00:09:39.110
  • a really strong social anxiety disorder.
  • 00:09:39.120 --> 00:09:41.260
  • Um, to the point where I was just absolutely crippled
  • 00:09:41.270 --> 00:09:44.040
  • trying to go out of the house a lot of times.
  • 00:09:44.050 --> 00:09:46.000
  • And the way I dealt with that was alcohol.
  • 00:09:46.010 --> 00:09:47.250
  • -Oh, I didn't know you couldn't go out of the house. -Yeah, it's--
  • 00:09:47.260 --> 00:09:50.090
  • -That you had anxiety. Wow. -There was a period there, where...
  • 00:09:50.100 --> 00:09:52.080
  • And you know what I love is that you're at the point now,
  • 00:09:52.090 --> 00:09:56.200
  • and-and you are at the point now, publicly,
  • 00:09:56.210 --> 00:09:59.080
  • where you guys are helping others through the things
  • 00:09:59.090 --> 00:10:01.280
  • that you've gone through to be able to bring comfort
  • 00:10:01.290 --> 00:10:03.240
  • -and inspiration and help... -That's something that...
  • 00:10:03.250 --> 00:10:05.190
  • ...to people who are dealing with the same thoughts.
  • 00:10:05.200 --> 00:10:07.110
  • Joanie and I have always, uh, you know,
  • 00:10:07.120 --> 00:10:10.030
  • Joanie's had a hard life as well.
  • 00:10:10.040 --> 00:10:11.240
  • And her and I both find a lot of purpose
  • 00:10:11.250 --> 00:10:14.060
  • in taking the really screwed up things
  • 00:10:14.070 --> 00:10:16.120
  • -that we've gone through... -Yep.
  • 00:10:16.130 --> 00:10:17.200
  • -...and utilizing them to help others. -Yep.
  • 00:10:17.210 --> 00:10:19.280
  • And both her and I really feel that that is...
  • 00:10:19.290 --> 00:10:22.190
  • why we go through those things,
  • 00:10:22.200 --> 00:10:24.150
  • -is so that we can learn... -How great is that?
  • 00:10:24.160 --> 00:10:26.270
  • -'Cause, Jeremey, I could... -...and be able to help someone else.
  • 00:10:26.280 --> 00:10:29.250
  • You can speak to those people from experience
  • 00:10:29.260 --> 00:10:32.250
  • -with authority in a way that I never could. -Mm-hmm.
  • 00:10:32.260 --> 00:10:35.100
  • Or Tracey never could, because we haven't been through it.
  • 00:10:35.110 --> 00:10:38.040
  • Like, and it's so great you have that perspective. I love it.
  • 00:10:38.050 --> 00:10:40.050
  • It makes an amazing difference, it really does.
  • 00:10:40.060 --> 00:10:42.050
  • -And I'm sure Trace knows this in talking to people... -Well, for-for me...
  • 00:10:42.060 --> 00:10:44.250
  • ...who have eating, have dealt with eating disorders as well.
  • 00:10:44.260 --> 00:10:47.190
  • Mine was because it happened so publicly.
  • 00:10:47.200 --> 00:10:50.010
  • -I was on the show when I got sick. -Yeah.
  • 00:10:50.020 --> 00:10:52.140
  • And I had to leave the show.
  • 00:10:52.150 --> 00:10:54.170
  • And so, for me, having been so professional
  • 00:10:54.180 --> 00:10:56.250
  • and been ingrained in my brain since I was a child,
  • 00:10:56.260 --> 00:10:59.090
  • like, you don't miss a line, you don't miss--
  • 00:10:59.100 --> 00:11:01.020
  • you be the first to show up, last to leave.
  • 00:11:01.030 --> 00:11:03.010
  • You do whatever, I just-- I was always trying to please.
  • 00:11:03.020 --> 00:11:06.030
  • -And so, for me to have to leave the show and... -Yeah.
  • 00:11:06.040 --> 00:11:08.130
  • ...because I was sick was just the worst.
  • 00:11:08.140 --> 00:11:10.090
  • And then, it became public.
  • 00:11:10.100 --> 00:11:11.290
  • And I remember there was a moment where People magazine
  • 00:11:12.000 --> 00:11:14.030
  • called and they were like, "We want to do an article on her."
  • 00:11:14.040 --> 00:11:16.150
  • And I'm like, I-- it was the week I had left the show.
  • 00:11:16.160 --> 00:11:19.010
  • And I was still trying to find, like, a doctor to go to.
  • 00:11:19.020 --> 00:11:21.190
  • I'm like, I-I can't do an interview.
  • 00:11:21.200 --> 00:11:23.230
  • I'm just trying to friggin' save my life right here.
  • 00:11:23.240 --> 00:11:25.250
  • I can't speak to anything, I don't know...
  • 00:11:25.260 --> 00:11:27.050
  • That-That's part of the problem.
  • 00:11:27.060 --> 00:11:28.180
  • -Is that everybody is like... -Yeah. -Mm-hmm.
  • 00:11:28.190 --> 00:11:30.030
  • But then what happened was that they said,
  • 00:11:30.040 --> 00:11:31.190
  • "Don't worry about it. We're gonna-- we're still gonna
  • 00:11:31.200 --> 00:11:33.070
  • "do the article, go ahead on the article without her.
  • 00:11:33.080 --> 00:11:35.040
  • We'll just interview her-- other people about her."
  • 00:11:35.050 --> 00:11:37.290
  • And I-I had a moment, I think it was a part of my healing,
  • 00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:41.180
  • was the start of it at least,
  • 00:11:41.190 --> 00:11:43.190
  • was, "No, no, no, no, no. I-I want my voice to be heard."
  • 00:11:43.200 --> 00:11:46.250
  • -Mm-hmm. -I don't want anyone speaking for me.
  • 00:11:46.260 --> 00:11:48.150
  • -Right. -I'll tell my story.
  • 00:11:48.160 --> 00:11:50.110
  • And so, I did the article, and it ended up being
  • 00:11:50.120 --> 00:11:52.120
  • -the cover of People magazine. -Mm.
  • 00:11:52.130 --> 00:11:54.210
  • And it was the beginning of me
  • 00:11:54.220 --> 00:11:56.100
  • kind of being the spokesperson for, you know,
  • 00:11:56.110 --> 00:11:59.020
  • eating disorders, anorexia, um...
  • 00:11:59.030 --> 00:12:01.240
  • and which I would-- I never would have thought
  • 00:12:01.250 --> 00:12:03.150
  • -or... that I would go down that road. -Oh, of course not.
  • 00:12:03.160 --> 00:12:05.170
  • But really, I'm so... I mean, I-I feel so happy
  • 00:12:05.180 --> 00:12:09.130
  • that I, that-that I did, you know?
  • 00:12:09.140 --> 00:12:11.280
  • Because it was such a negative experience in my life,
  • 00:12:11.290 --> 00:12:14.060
  • but to turn it around and be able to help people.
  • 00:12:14.070 --> 00:12:16.120
  • -I mean... save lives. -Well, I'll tell you...
  • 00:12:16.130 --> 00:12:18.270
  • -I mean... -Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
  • 00:12:18.280 --> 00:12:20.170
  • When I first got sober, um, I was ashamed.
  • 00:12:20.180 --> 00:12:23.060
  • Like a lot of people are when they're dealing with addiction.
  • 00:12:23.070 --> 00:12:25.010
  • I really was.
  • 00:12:25.020 --> 00:12:26.160
  • And when I started trying to get sober,
  • 00:12:26.170 --> 00:12:29.080
  • I didn't want anybody to know.
  • 00:12:29.090 --> 00:12:30.230
  • I mean, I was very, very secretive about it.
  • 00:12:30.240 --> 00:12:32.270
  • I-I was just... I used different names
  • 00:12:32.280 --> 00:12:35.010
  • when I went to meetings or did different things like that.
  • 00:12:35.020 --> 00:12:37.140
  • And, um...
  • 00:12:37.150 --> 00:12:39.200
  • I actually got sold out to the National Enquirer
  • 00:12:39.210 --> 00:12:42.210
  • by my first, uh, sponsor.
  • 00:12:42.220 --> 00:12:44.250
  • -Oh, God. -And, um...
  • 00:12:44.260 --> 00:12:47.090
  • that sent me on another bender for quite a while
  • 00:12:47.100 --> 00:12:49.290
  • -because I just didn't trust anybody in recovery. -Right.
  • 00:12:50.000 --> 00:12:52.220
  • -You'd just be betrayed again. -Just completely betrayed again.
  • 00:12:52.230 --> 00:12:54.280
  • Um... National Enquirer never ran with it, thankfully.
  • 00:12:54.290 --> 00:12:58.190
  • Um, but they called and let me know
  • 00:12:58.200 --> 00:13:01.140
  • that they wanted to do a story on my alcoholism,
  • 00:13:01.150 --> 00:13:03.130
  • -and it just absolutely shattered me for a while. -Wow.
  • 00:13:03.140 --> 00:13:05.280
  • It took a while till I was actually ready to get sober
  • 00:13:05.290 --> 00:13:09.060
  • a few years later, when I realized that,
  • 00:13:09.070 --> 00:13:11.080
  • -you know, I wanted to talk about it. -Yeah.
  • 00:13:11.090 --> 00:13:13.070
  • I wanted to... shout it from the mountaintop
  • 00:13:13.080 --> 00:13:15.180
  • -if I could help just one person, you know. -Yeah. That's right.
  • 00:13:15.190 --> 00:13:18.190
  • And I've actually had that experience multiple times now.
  • 00:13:18.200 --> 00:13:22.020
  • Um, when I got to go do an episode of Dr. Oz,
  • 00:13:22.030 --> 00:13:25.120
  • -just going to sit and talk about my recovery... -Yep, yep.
  • 00:13:25.130 --> 00:13:27.200
  • ...he brought on a girl who I'm now friends with--
  • 00:13:27.210 --> 00:13:29.270
  • Joanie's really good friends with her--
  • 00:13:29.280 --> 00:13:31.220
  • from Philadelphia, who saw my story.
  • 00:13:31.230 --> 00:13:34.110
  • And I actually inspired her to go to rehab
  • 00:13:34.120 --> 00:13:37.030
  • and get sober, and she's now running a rehab center.
  • 00:13:37.040 --> 00:13:39.260
  • -She's got three kids. -KIRK: Oh.
  • 00:13:39.270 --> 00:13:41.110
  • -She's been sober for four years. -How great is that?
  • 00:13:41.120 --> 00:13:43.260
  • And... I got to be a part of that.
  • 00:13:43.270 --> 00:13:46.260
  • -And... I have... -That's-that's beautiful.
  • 00:13:46.270 --> 00:13:48.100
  • ...numerous stories like that that I've been blessed
  • 00:13:48.110 --> 00:13:50.150
  • to be a part of and...
  • 00:13:50.160 --> 00:13:52.040
  • just being able to share that created that ripple.
  • 00:13:52.050 --> 00:13:55.010
  • So, Tracey, if you could
  • 00:13:55.020 --> 00:13:57.160
  • go back in time...
  • 00:13:57.170 --> 00:13:59.150
  • and you could speak to the 16-year-old Tracey
  • 00:13:59.160 --> 00:14:03.150
  • when you were in the middle of Growing Pains,
  • 00:14:03.160 --> 00:14:06.270
  • what advice would you give her?
  • 00:14:06.280 --> 00:14:08.190
  • Don't be so hard on yourself.
  • 00:14:08.200 --> 00:14:10.170
  • Like, don't be so hard on yourself.
  • 00:14:10.180 --> 00:14:12.240
  • And don't, don't-- like, love yourself a little bit more.
  • 00:14:12.250 --> 00:14:15.270
  • Appreciate that, like, you're good enough.
  • 00:14:15.280 --> 00:14:18.160
  • And the funny thing is, I think, you know what I--
  • 00:14:18.170 --> 00:14:20.270
  • 'Cause one of the things I thought about was,
  • 00:14:20.280 --> 00:14:22.130
  • would I tell 16-year-old Tracey to appreciate this moment
  • 00:14:22.140 --> 00:14:24.280
  • 'cause it's so incredible?
  • 00:14:24.290 --> 00:14:26.160
  • -But I think I always appreciated where we were... -Mm-hmm.
  • 00:14:26.170 --> 00:14:29.090
  • -...when we did Growing Pains. -Mm.
  • 00:14:29.100 --> 00:14:30.270
  • Even back then, I had an understanding of, like,
  • 00:14:30.280 --> 00:14:33.140
  • -this is special and this is cool what we're doing. -Yeah. Mm-hmm.
  • 00:14:33.150 --> 00:14:36.260
  • I dealt with a lot of fear, with that anxiety,
  • 00:14:36.270 --> 00:14:39.260
  • with just never knowing what was going on
  • 00:14:39.270 --> 00:14:41.170
  • and I was afraid of everything.
  • 00:14:41.180 --> 00:14:43.020
  • I missed out on a lot of great things in my life,
  • 00:14:43.030 --> 00:14:45.230
  • -letting fear just dominate me. -Hmm.
  • 00:14:45.240 --> 00:14:48.110
  • I would, I would tell him, "Don't be afraid."
  • 00:14:48.120 --> 00:14:50.120
  • You know what's most obvious to me,
  • 00:14:50.130 --> 00:14:52.040
  • just listening to you guys, is that what--
  • 00:14:52.050 --> 00:14:54.150
  • your perspective is all about other people.
  • 00:14:54.160 --> 00:14:56.030
  • You're talking about other people, helping other people,
  • 00:14:56.040 --> 00:14:58.040
  • and that is where that sense of fulfillment and that--
  • 00:14:58.050 --> 00:15:01.080
  • just that great feeling comes from.
  • 00:15:01.090 --> 00:15:04.100
  • Um, talk-talk to me about what-what your,
  • 00:15:04.110 --> 00:15:06.120
  • what your passions are today.
  • 00:15:06.130 --> 00:15:07.260
  • I have been busy raising my kids.
  • 00:15:07.270 --> 00:15:09.290
  • I have four boys and they are my passion.
  • 00:15:10.000 --> 00:15:12.010
  • -I mean, seriously. -Totally.
  • 00:15:12.020 --> 00:15:13.280
  • -It's like... That is a full-time job. -Mm-hmm.
  • 00:15:13.290 --> 00:15:16.090
  • -Four boys. -Raising good people.
  • 00:15:16.100 --> 00:15:17.190
  • Four boys, you know.
  • 00:15:17.200 --> 00:15:19.100
  • And I-I've literally been lucky enough
  • 00:15:19.110 --> 00:15:21.000
  • where I've had the principal, you know, say,
  • 00:15:21.010 --> 00:15:22.260
  • -"You should write a book on how to raise, raise boys." -Yeah.
  • 00:15:22.270 --> 00:15:25.000
  • -So I-I've been busy doing... -Not bragging or anything.
  • 00:15:25.010 --> 00:15:26.240
  • -Uh, totally bragging. Totally bragging. -You should. Absolutely.
  • 00:15:26.250 --> 00:15:28.200
  • Bragging rights right here.
  • 00:15:28.210 --> 00:15:30.030
  • But the-- but what you just said, you said,
  • 00:15:30.040 --> 00:15:31.180
  • "raising good people." We need more of those in the world.
  • 00:15:31.190 --> 00:15:33.200
  • -Absolutely. -Absolutely.
  • 00:15:33.210 --> 00:15:35.050
  • -Good men. -And I can't think of anything more important
  • 00:15:35.060 --> 00:15:37.250
  • than raising the next generation,
  • 00:15:37.260 --> 00:15:39.080
  • 'cause we're handing the place over to them in 30 years.
  • 00:15:39.090 --> 00:15:42.010
  • Well, I felt that huge responsibility
  • 00:15:42.020 --> 00:15:43.260
  • when I became a mom, I'm like, I'm--
  • 00:15:43.270 --> 00:15:45.250
  • Especially raising boys.
  • 00:15:45.260 --> 00:15:47.240
  • -I'm like, I'm raising men. -That's right.
  • 00:15:47.250 --> 00:15:49.290
  • -And I want them to be good people... -That's right.
  • 00:15:50.000 --> 00:15:51.240
  • ...and I want them to be respectful.
  • 00:15:51.250 --> 00:15:53.070
  • And I want them to treat women... good, you know?
  • 00:15:53.080 --> 00:15:56.050
  • I mean, and people. I mean...
  • 00:15:56.060 --> 00:15:58.020
  • So yeah, so I've been busy. That's my passion.
  • 00:15:58.030 --> 00:16:00.080
  • It's not one that I'm actively working on right now,
  • 00:16:00.090 --> 00:16:02.260
  • although it's one that's been close to my heart.
  • 00:16:02.270 --> 00:16:05.130
  • Um, I do community work and more grassroots work
  • 00:16:05.140 --> 00:16:07.270
  • with it, but homeless outreach and stuff like that
  • 00:16:07.280 --> 00:16:10.110
  • -has always been a very big deal, um, to me. -Hmm. Hmm.
  • 00:16:10.120 --> 00:16:13.000
  • Getting to work with that stuff back in the '80s and '90s.
  • 00:16:13.010 --> 00:16:16.040
  • And it's just always been close to my heart.
  • 00:16:16.050 --> 00:16:18.140
  • I've had family members who have had to, you know,
  • 00:16:18.150 --> 00:16:20.270
  • who have been on the streets at different times.
  • 00:16:20.280 --> 00:16:22.240
  • When the economy crashed, you know, I was c-car surfing
  • 00:16:22.250 --> 00:16:25.240
  • and couch surfing for a while, had lost our place.
  • 00:16:25.250 --> 00:16:28.030
  • I mean, that's-- it's something that affects a lot of people.
  • 00:16:28.040 --> 00:16:30.150
  • We were never on the streets, but, you know,
  • 00:16:30.160 --> 00:16:33.120
  • I've had a lot of friends and a lot of people
  • 00:16:33.130 --> 00:16:35.080
  • -who've had to go through that. -Yeah. Yeah.
  • 00:16:35.090 --> 00:16:36.220
  • And a lot of friends, a lot of people I've known through
  • 00:16:36.230 --> 00:16:38.280
  • addiction and recovery have had to go through that as well.
  • 00:16:38.290 --> 00:16:41.230
  • And that's just something that means a lot to me.
  • 00:16:41.240 --> 00:16:43.270
  • I'm trying to put together a cooking show right now
  • 00:16:43.280 --> 00:16:45.270
  • that we did a pilot for, where we would actually be...
  • 00:16:45.280 --> 00:16:48.030
  • -You're, you're a great chef. -Thank you.
  • 00:16:48.040 --> 00:16:49.250
  • -I've had you at the house several times. -Thank you.
  • 00:16:49.260 --> 00:16:51.170
  • -He's never cooked for me. -That chicken dish you do with the...
  • 00:16:51.180 --> 00:16:53.220
  • with, like, the root beer can or the-- (stammers)
  • 00:16:53.230 --> 00:16:55.120
  • -That was awesome. -Thank you, man. And I still have to.
  • 00:16:55.130 --> 00:16:57.180
  • -Just tell me-- tell me when, I'll come. -Dude!
  • 00:16:57.190 --> 00:16:59.220
  • -(laughs) -Tell me when.
  • 00:16:59.230 --> 00:17:01.140
  • -It's a standing invitation. -No, both of you come to dinner
  • 00:17:01.150 --> 00:17:03.160
  • -with Chef Jeremy at my house. -Oh, I'm-I'm into it. Yeah.
  • 00:17:03.170 --> 00:17:05.270
  • -I'm game. Absolutely. -You're ready?
  • 00:17:05.280 --> 00:17:07.120
  • All right. Come on. Follow me.
  • 00:17:07.130 --> 00:17:08.220
  • 00:17:11.260 --> 00:17:11.270
  • 00:17:11.270 --> 00:17:11.280
  • 00:17:11.280 --> 00:17:13.220
  • All right, Jeremy, or should I call you Wolfgang Puck?
  • 00:17:18.290 --> 00:17:22.050
  • -(laughs) -You are-- you-you are in charge, sir.
  • 00:17:22.060 --> 00:17:25.100
  • Uh, you know, you cooked at our house one time for the kids.
  • 00:17:25.110 --> 00:17:27.140
  • But, Tracey, Jeremy's never cooked for you?
  • 00:17:27.150 --> 00:17:28.240
  • He's never cooked for me.
  • 00:17:28.250 --> 00:17:30.110
  • -I've never gotten the chance. -This is a very important day.
  • 00:17:30.120 --> 00:17:32.050
  • So, so how about we're the sous-chefs...
  • 00:17:32.060 --> 00:17:33.200
  • -Love it. -...and, Jeremy, you-you tell us what to do.
  • 00:17:33.210 --> 00:17:35.180
  • -That works for me. -I want to see you at work.
  • 00:17:35.190 --> 00:17:37.060
  • -Work your magic. -Oh, that works-- this is beautiful.
  • 00:17:37.070 --> 00:17:38.190
  • I love it, I love it. Okay. So, we're gonna do...
  • 00:17:38.200 --> 00:17:40.290
  • Wait, are those shrimp alive?
  • 00:17:41.000 --> 00:17:42.080
  • No, no. Not alive, but they do have the heads.
  • 00:17:42.090 --> 00:17:43.280
  • -But they have more stuff on them than I, uh... -I see feet
  • 00:17:43.290 --> 00:17:45.180
  • -and-and lots of tentacles... -Yep, they have the,
  • 00:17:45.190 --> 00:17:47.090
  • -the head and the shrimp... -...and antennas.
  • 00:17:47.100 --> 00:17:48.270
  • -Ah! -Nice. -JEREMY: What we're gonna do...
  • 00:17:48.280 --> 00:17:50.240
  • My shrimp don't look like that when I cook them.
  • 00:17:50.250 --> 00:17:52.280
  • We got to take the heads off, and then I'm gonna peel them.
  • 00:17:52.290 --> 00:17:55.070
  • So, all you do is twist the head off.
  • 00:17:55.080 --> 00:17:57.030
  • Wait, you're gonna give Tracey the job of slicing?
  • 00:17:57.040 --> 00:17:58.220
  • -No, I'm gonna give Tr-- No, no, no. -No, I'm not doing it.
  • 00:17:58.230 --> 00:18:00.220
  • -I hope this is not my job. -Oh, my good-- I'm-I'm thinking,
  • 00:18:00.230 --> 00:18:02.110
  • -we need to call the ambulance right now. -Yeah. Right now.
  • 00:18:02.120 --> 00:18:04.160
  • I was gonna see if Trace would be willing
  • 00:18:04.170 --> 00:18:05.290
  • to take a few heads off. Let's see if, uh...
  • 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:07.150
  • -No. -No?
  • 00:18:07.160 --> 00:18:08.190
  • Since Trace won't do it, will you start?
  • 00:18:08.200 --> 00:18:10.260
  • -Yes. Watch this. -All right.
  • 00:18:10.270 --> 00:18:12.110
  • -Just start taking the heads off... -Okay, see...
  • 00:18:12.120 --> 00:18:14.130
  • -...and setting them here. -TRACEY: Yeah, sorry, Jeremy.
  • 00:18:14.140 --> 00:18:16.040
  • -I would like to have shrimp again in my lifetime. -That's right.
  • 00:18:16.050 --> 00:18:18.170
  • Tracey, this is the way that you actually need to do it.
  • 00:18:18.180 --> 00:18:20.080
  • -You need to take the head off like this. -Oh, God.
  • 00:18:20.090 --> 00:18:23.000
  • -That's the way to do it. -That works.
  • 00:18:23.010 --> 00:18:25.060
  • You know, you know one of the funnest things we like to do,
  • 00:18:25.070 --> 00:18:26.270
  • uh, with the kids-- and we did this
  • 00:18:26.280 --> 00:18:28.070
  • especially when they were little--
  • 00:18:28.080 --> 00:18:29.120
  • is we would have our own version of Chopped.
  • 00:18:29.130 --> 00:18:31.090
  • -Oh, nice. -Where we would get all these ingredients out there,
  • 00:18:31.100 --> 00:18:33.240
  • and tell all the kids they had to-- they'd team up.
  • 00:18:33.250 --> 00:18:35.060
  • -TRACEY: Yep. -And it was like, "Okay,
  • 00:18:35.070 --> 00:18:36.120
  • you guys just make me and Mom something."
  • 00:18:36.130 --> 00:18:37.210
  • So they'd have an appetizer, a main course
  • 00:18:37.220 --> 00:18:38.260
  • and a dessert. -TRACEY: That's great.
  • 00:18:38.270 --> 00:18:40.110
  • KIRK: And we just got to sit back and just sample...
  • 00:18:40.120 --> 00:18:41.250
  • -JEREMY: Oh, that's so cool. -TRACEY: Good?
  • 00:18:41.260 --> 00:18:43.050
  • KIRK: It was so good.
  • 00:18:43.060 --> 00:18:44.220
  • Sometimes, I-I've seen some sushi places that put these
  • 00:18:44.230 --> 00:18:47.020
  • -on your plate, and they're still alive. -That's insane.
  • 00:18:47.030 --> 00:18:49.120
  • -Yeah. They-They're still alive. -So, and people eat them alive?
  • 00:18:49.130 --> 00:18:51.150
  • They eat-- well, they kind of peel them,
  • 00:18:51.160 --> 00:18:53.160
  • and they cut the head off, but it's so fresh
  • 00:18:53.170 --> 00:18:56.230
  • that the nerves are still moving,
  • 00:18:56.240 --> 00:18:58.130
  • -so it's... -Have you done that?
  • 00:18:58.140 --> 00:18:59.230
  • -No, I'm not eating that. No. -Are you kidding?
  • 00:18:59.240 --> 00:19:02.030
  • There is a place, I don't know which country it is,
  • 00:19:02.040 --> 00:19:04.240
  • where they eat the octopus live, and it fights.
  • 00:19:04.250 --> 00:19:08.060
  • And I think it's just so cruel, it's wrong.
  • 00:19:08.070 --> 00:19:10.070
  • -But, hey, to each their own. -Oh, yeah.
  • 00:19:10.080 --> 00:19:12.100
  • But I am not kidding. They eat it headfirst,
  • 00:19:12.110 --> 00:19:13.200
  • -and the tentacles are... -I'm more a calamari type.
  • 00:19:13.210 --> 00:19:15.130
  • -They're wrapping, they're wrapping around their head... -The tentacles
  • 00:19:15.140 --> 00:19:17.030
  • -are around your ears-- right. -...as they're trying to eat it.
  • 00:19:17.040 --> 00:19:19.120
  • It's just wrong.
  • 00:19:19.130 --> 00:19:20.190
  • That's one of the things with traveling,
  • 00:19:20.200 --> 00:19:22.020
  • especially going to countries like China and stuff like that,
  • 00:19:22.030 --> 00:19:25.200
  • you kind of adjust what you're willing to...
  • 00:19:25.210 --> 00:19:29.190
  • -Try? -...try, and experiment with.
  • 00:19:29.200 --> 00:19:32.130
  • All right, so what we're gonna do--
  • 00:19:32.140 --> 00:19:33.160
  • this is called pearling the rice.
  • 00:19:33.170 --> 00:19:35.070
  • -All right. -This is a key, a key step for risotto.
  • 00:19:35.080 --> 00:19:37.280
  • So w-what does it mean to "pearl" the rice?
  • 00:19:37.290 --> 00:19:40.010
  • What we're gonna do is we're gonna add the rice
  • 00:19:40.020 --> 00:19:42.210
  • and pearling is just stirring it and toasting it a little bit.
  • 00:19:42.220 --> 00:19:45.180
  • -Need me to pour while you stir? -No, we can just...
  • 00:19:45.190 --> 00:19:47.120
  • -No? All right. -...get in there. I'm just trying to make sure we have...
  • 00:19:47.130 --> 00:19:49.040
  • Look at this, the sous, the sous-chef is trying
  • 00:19:49.050 --> 00:19:51.050
  • -to take over. I just need... -I know.
  • 00:19:51.060 --> 00:19:52.140
  • -He shot you down. -I just need to stand back.
  • 00:19:52.150 --> 00:19:54.140
  • JEREMY: This is called pearling. And what you're doing
  • 00:19:54.150 --> 00:19:55.290
  • is you're toasting the rice a little bit,
  • 00:19:56.000 --> 00:19:57.210
  • but as you'll see, the rice is starting to absorb that fat.
  • 00:19:57.220 --> 00:20:01.210
  • -Yeah. -And what you'll see is when it gets right where you want it,
  • 00:20:01.220 --> 00:20:04.230
  • there will be a nice translucent coating around
  • 00:20:04.240 --> 00:20:07.120
  • each piece of rice, and just a little center
  • 00:20:07.130 --> 00:20:09.070
  • -that you can see is still white, and... -And it looks like a pearl.
  • 00:20:09.080 --> 00:20:11.230
  • -And it looks a little like a pearl. -Hence, "pearling."
  • 00:20:11.240 --> 00:20:13.200
  • -So you see how it's... not quite there yet. But... -Yeah,
  • 00:20:13.210 --> 00:20:15.020
  • that's looking really good. And that smell.
  • 00:20:15.030 --> 00:20:16.130
  • Have you ever worked in a restaurant, Jeremy?
  • 00:20:16.140 --> 00:20:18.010
  • Only in my grandma's, back when I was a kid.
  • 00:20:18.020 --> 00:20:19.270
  • -Okay, so not-- yeah, as a job. -Otherwise, I've been doing catering,
  • 00:20:19.280 --> 00:20:21.250
  • -and I've, uh, apprenticed in a couple. -Yeah.
  • 00:20:21.260 --> 00:20:24.060
  • I did two restaurants when I was back in China,
  • 00:20:24.070 --> 00:20:26.020
  • about ten years ago.
  • 00:20:26.030 --> 00:20:27.270
  • Have you ever cooked, like, animals
  • 00:20:27.280 --> 00:20:29.230
  • that we don't cook here in the United States, or...?
  • 00:20:29.240 --> 00:20:32.080
  • I've eaten sea cucumber,
  • 00:20:32.090 --> 00:20:33.120
  • which is those, uh, weird little...
  • 00:20:33.130 --> 00:20:35.020
  • TRACEY: Oh, I know, they look like sponges. Yeah.
  • 00:20:35.030 --> 00:20:36.180
  • JEREMY: Yeah, look like sp-- kind of like
  • 00:20:36.190 --> 00:20:38.090
  • spongey little things you see at the aquarium.
  • 00:20:38.100 --> 00:20:40.170
  • And you ate a thousand-year-old egg.
  • 00:20:40.180 --> 00:20:41.270
  • -Thousand-year-old egg. -Oh, that's right.
  • 00:20:41.280 --> 00:20:43.170
  • -Was it, was it cooked? -Pickled. Yeah--
  • 00:20:43.180 --> 00:20:45.030
  • no, no, no. It's just, it's because
  • 00:20:45.040 --> 00:20:46.130
  • it's been preserved,
  • 00:20:46.140 --> 00:20:48.100
  • it actually turns this translucent brown.
  • 00:20:48.110 --> 00:20:51.050
  • It looks delicious.
  • 00:20:51.060 --> 00:20:53.030
  • -Yeah. Send one over to me. -It actually...
  • 00:20:53.040 --> 00:20:55.030
  • It actually is not bad.
  • 00:20:55.040 --> 00:20:56.230
  • It wasn't something I would choose, but...
  • 00:20:56.240 --> 00:20:58.130
  • You'd never have it again, right?
  • 00:20:58.140 --> 00:20:59.180
  • Did it smell awful?
  • 00:20:59.190 --> 00:21:00.290
  • No. It actually didn't have much of a sm...
  • 00:21:01.000 --> 00:21:03.060
  • -I mean, I expected it to really smell... -Wow,
  • 00:21:03.070 --> 00:21:05.020
  • 'cause a rotten egg's about the worst smell you could ever...
  • 00:21:05.030 --> 00:21:06.290
  • -It is, yeah. -...smell. -That's the thing, though,
  • 00:21:07.000 --> 00:21:08.090
  • because of what they preserve it in, it doesn't rot.
  • 00:21:08.100 --> 00:21:10.250
  • -So... -What do they preserve it in?
  • 00:21:10.260 --> 00:21:12.100
  • -Form... formaldehyde? -It's mixed with, like, lye,
  • 00:21:12.110 --> 00:21:13.190
  • -and other stuff-- I have no idea. -Yeah.
  • 00:21:13.200 --> 00:21:15.280
  • -All I know is it's edible, it didn't kill me... -Well...
  • 00:21:15.290 --> 00:21:18.080
  • -...and I didn't, you know, lose my lunch, so... -Well, how long ago was this?
  • 00:21:18.090 --> 00:21:20.280
  • This-this was, what, a couple weeks ago?
  • 00:21:20.290 --> 00:21:22.220
  • -You're not in the clear yet. -(laughter)
  • 00:21:22.230 --> 00:21:24.060
  • That's-- I was gonna say, that's not that long ago.
  • 00:21:24.070 --> 00:21:26.070
  • No...
  • 00:21:26.080 --> 00:21:27.180
  • Last time I was in China, and they were having us, uh,
  • 00:21:27.190 --> 00:21:31.040
  • having us cook, they actually brought me out
  • 00:21:31.050 --> 00:21:34.210
  • fermented, I think it was fish eyes.
  • 00:21:34.220 --> 00:21:37.060
  • -I don't know if you've ever eaten an eyeball... -I've never eaten-- no.
  • 00:21:37.070 --> 00:21:39.200
  • I-I figure it's got to be
  • 00:21:39.210 --> 00:21:41.020
  • a-a little-- the texture, a bit like grapes.
  • 00:21:41.030 --> 00:21:43.020
  • It's a little gelatinous, and there's a little hard thing
  • 00:21:43.030 --> 00:21:45.260
  • -right in the middle. -Okay, I'm gonna be sick.
  • 00:21:45.270 --> 00:21:47.230
  • -(laughter) -We got her, finally.
  • 00:21:47.240 --> 00:21:51.040
  • I thought the fish head-- or the shrimp heads might do it.
  • 00:21:51.050 --> 00:21:53.230
  • -This is good... -No, the shrimp heads are freaking me out.
  • 00:21:53.240 --> 00:21:55.160
  • -It's kind of frothing. -Oh, oh. Hmm.
  • 00:21:55.170 --> 00:21:57.280
  • (laughs)
  • 00:21:57.290 --> 00:21:59.130
  • KIRK: I can see the, uh, the antennas are sort of like moving.
  • 00:21:59.140 --> 00:22:02.120
  • So now we have shrimpy water.
  • 00:22:02.130 --> 00:22:05.030
  • Oh, wait, so now you have to add more water?
  • 00:22:05.040 --> 00:22:06.210
  • -Just a little bit. -Why do you do that?
  • 00:22:06.220 --> 00:22:08.290
  • It thins out the flavor a little, and also,
  • 00:22:09.000 --> 00:22:10.260
  • it didn't look like we had quite enough.
  • 00:22:10.270 --> 00:22:12.160
  • Risotto takes a lot of liquid.
  • 00:22:12.170 --> 00:22:15.010
  • Usually about four times as much liquid as you have rice.
  • 00:22:15.020 --> 00:22:18.220
  • Let's see if it spreads.
  • 00:22:20.230 --> 00:22:22.200
  • Oh. Thank you, Jeremy.
  • 00:22:22.210 --> 00:22:25.060
  • -KIRK: Try that. -TRACEY: Am I-- should I try it?
  • 00:22:25.070 --> 00:22:26.220
  • JEREMY: Please. Don't wait for us.
  • 00:22:26.230 --> 00:22:28.280
  • -Can I try some of this? -Oh, that's delicious, Jeremy--
  • 00:22:31.070 --> 00:22:32.260
  • yeah, try it.
  • 00:22:32.270 --> 00:22:34.060
  • -Nice. -Seriously, Jeremy, this is great.
  • 00:22:34.070 --> 00:22:36.110
  • -JEREMY: Thank you, bud. -TRACEY: Well, this is a thing.
  • 00:22:36.120 --> 00:22:38.060
  • I'm so glad that I finally got to taste your cooking.
  • 00:22:38.070 --> 00:22:40.220
  • -So I get the... I get the seal of approval? -Cheers.
  • 00:22:40.230 --> 00:22:42.200
  • Cheers.
  • 00:22:42.210 --> 00:22:44.000
  • -Fire shrimp, risotto... -Mm.
  • 00:22:44.010 --> 00:22:46.210
  • -Nice job, Jeremy. Knocked it out of the park. -Done.
  • 00:22:46.220 --> 00:22:49.080
  • Seriously, I will score so many husband points with my wife
  • 00:22:49.090 --> 00:22:51.250
  • -if I make... -Yeah, you got to make this for Chelsea.
  • 00:22:51.260 --> 00:22:53.200
  • ...if I make this for dinner.
  • 00:22:53.210 --> 00:22:54.260
  • Jeremy, you're improving my marriage as we speak.
  • 00:22:54.270 --> 00:22:57.020
  • My pleasure, brother.
  • 00:22:57.030 --> 00:22:58.260
  • How-how do people find out about you?
  • 00:22:58.270 --> 00:23:00.280
  • They can actually just find me on my, um, on my Facebook page.
  • 00:23:00.290 --> 00:23:03.280
  • I have a business page for my cooking and my chef stuff.
  • 00:23:03.290 --> 00:23:06.230
  • So-so they can find you at JeremyJMiller on Facebook?
  • 00:23:06.240 --> 00:23:09.220
  • Yep. And they can schedule an appointment to set up
  • 00:23:09.230 --> 00:23:11.290
  • a consultation so we can talk about what type of cooking
  • 00:23:12.000 --> 00:23:14.170
  • they might want to do, what style.
  • 00:23:14.180 --> 00:23:16.170
  • It's four to five dishes over three hours.
  • 00:23:16.180 --> 00:23:18.090
  • -Yeah. -They get to eat the meal, but...
  • 00:23:18.100 --> 00:23:19.190
  • I just teach them the history of the dish
  • 00:23:19.200 --> 00:23:21.000
  • and where it comes from, and teach them how to make it.
  • 00:23:21.010 --> 00:23:23.090
  • Mmm. Jeremy, thank you.
  • 00:23:23.100 --> 00:23:26.190
  • This is awesome.
  • 00:23:26.200 --> 00:23:28.180
  • -It really is, Jeremy. -I mean, we got cooking lessons,
  • 00:23:28.190 --> 00:23:30.190
  • we got a great, got a great lunch,
  • 00:23:30.200 --> 00:23:32.210
  • -and, uh... -My pleasure, guys.
  • 00:23:32.220 --> 00:23:34.220
  • -Well, thanks. This was awesome. -Thanks for having me.
  • 00:23:34.230 --> 00:23:36.160
  • -I'm glad I got to do it. -Thank you, Jeremy.
  • 00:23:36.170 --> 00:23:38.010
  • -Only took 30 years. -(laughs)
  • 00:23:38.020 --> 00:23:41.140
  • I-I saw a video of you recently
  • 00:23:55.140 --> 00:23:58.160
  • that said that you dated-- you said you dated my sister.
  • 00:23:58.170 --> 00:24:01.010
  • -What was that all about? I don't remember that. -Oh, I saw that, too, Jeremy.
  • 00:24:01.020 --> 00:24:03.040
  • -Nobody told me that. -I don't really think--
  • 00:24:03.050 --> 00:24:04.220
  • -I don't think we can quite call it dating... -Wait, you dated,
  • 00:24:04.230 --> 00:24:06.150
  • -you dated my sister Candace? -We-we clarified this.
  • 00:24:06.160 --> 00:24:08.090
  • Yes, yes. We clarified this. There's no dating at that age.
  • 00:24:08.100 --> 00:24:10.180
  • I'm gonna t-- where's my phone? I got to text and verify.
  • 00:24:10.190 --> 00:24:12.080
  • -I-I'm not sure. -She'll verify it. She'll verify it.
  • 00:24:12.090 --> 00:24:14.090
  • -All right. -I think they might have just said they liked each other
  • 00:24:14.100 --> 00:24:16.120
  • -and called it a day. -It was that-- you remember at that time,
  • 00:24:16.130 --> 00:24:18.070
  • -it was that "going together" thing. -"Going with." Yeah.
  • 00:24:18.080 --> 00:24:20.120