Pop Geeks’ Flashback Interview: E.G Daily
E.G Daily is a talent whose work I have admired for years. I first saw her when I was a child and I frequently rented “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure”, where she played the role of Dottie, Pee-Wee’s sort of girlfriend. I also frequently watched “Rugrats” in the 90s, where I heard her as the voice of Tommy Pickles. I didn’t get to know her name until the 00s, when my 80s fandom, which was already blooming in the 90s, reached a larger level. It was in the 00s that I heard her song “Say It, Say It”, an energetic dance song with a very cool music video based on Stanley Kubrick’s “Lolita”.
I’d been trying to reach her for years about the possibility of an interview, and we finally connected in March of 2015. Ms. Daily is one of the most versatile talents of our time, and she’s still working to this day. Follow me as we get to know more about Ms. Daily’s past, present and future. The Flashback Interview is here again.
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Johnny: First off, let me say what an honor it is to speak to you. I’ve been a fan of your work for a long time.
E.G: Thanks, Johnny. That’s sweet. Thank you.
Johnny: What were your favorite pop cultural likes growing up, like favorite movies, music and TV?
E.G: I was a big fan of “The Brady Bunch” because I came from a big family. I like “The Monkees”. I was a little young for that, but my brothers and sisters were older. As far as music, I loved Cat Stevens, Carole King, Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, and The Partridge Family.
Johnny: What were your high school days like?
E.G: They were pretty memorable. I was into theater and dance. There were a lot of disco clubs when I was real young, and we’d sneak in with our fake I.Ds. That was during high school. It was all about theater and dance back then, so it was a pretty good time.
Johnny: Speaking of which, according to the IMDB, you made your film debut under your birth name Elizabeth Guttman as an Audition Dancer in the 1978 movie “Disco Fever”. What do you recall about being in that movie?
E.G: You did your homework, Johnny! You did your homework. That’s so funny. From what I remember about that, I think I remember crashing the set and that’s how I ended up getting to be a dancer in “Disco Fever”. I used to make money dancing in discos.
Johnny: One of your first television credits was working on the PBS series “The Righteous Apples” as the character Sandy Burns. The same year that show started, you played Sadie Delaward in the film “Street Music”. Both projects utilized your singing talents. The question is: What did you want to focus on more at the beginning of your career, your acting or your music?
E.G: I honestly think I felt more in touch with the music than I did with the acting. I sort of felt a little bit confused with the acting because I hadn’t really found myself, and I think until you really find yourself that it’s hard to play a bunch of other…Actually, it was easier to play other people, I just wasn’t quite sure who I was yet, but I still felt more comfortable with the music. The music was so easy for me. I didn’t have to rely on someone to cast me or rely on someone to allow me to do the music. I could just do it, whereas with a film, I’d have to get cast. I think I found more freedom in music, and also, I just felt more in touch with music. For me, it was just so easy. Music was just so flowing.
Johnny: In 1982, you starred as Leslie Winslow in the horror movie “One Dark Night”, and later that year as Bambi in the horror spoof “Wacko”. Since both horror and parodies were popular genres in the 80s, which of the two did you like working on more?
E.G: I think that “Wacko” was super fun. I had this make-out session in a car with Joe Don Baker, a funny character actor, and I think I got my head chopped off. They had to create a fake head-chopping off scenario, which I think is kind of fun for effects. It was such a wacky movie. I think that what’s his name was in it. The comedian…
Johnny: Andrew “Dice” Clay.
E.G: Yeah, Andy was in it. That was the first time I met him. That was kind of fun, too. He was just starting to break into his career. I would say “Wacko” was fun and “One Dark Night” was a little more serious for acting. It was a little more like real horror, scary and dangerous, whereas “Wacko” was just goofy and fun. I tend to lean towards goofy and fun.
Johnny: You collaborated with Giorgio Moroder for the first time in 1983 on the soundtrack to “Scarface” with the songs “Shake It Up” and “I’m Hot Tonight”. “Scarface” is still popular more than three decades after its’ release, and its’ soundtrack is one of the reasons why. Did you have a feeling when working on the soundtrack that it would become the cult classic it did?
E.G: Never. It’s the same thing. You don’t think when you do “Valley Girl”, it’s going to be a huge hit. You don’t think when you do “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure”, it’s going to be a huge hit. You just go in and you get cast, like with “Valley Girl”. You just get cast and you’re thinking “Oh, this will be fun”. You just go in for the moment, and then you forget about it, and then slowly but surely, you find out it’s a huge hit. It’s the same with “Rugrats”. I didn’t know that “Rugrats” was going to be a huge hit. You know what I’m saying? It’s a strange phenomenon. I really believe in just doing them and just moving forward, not waiting around for any of it. I just keep moving forward, and then it’s a beautiful, pleasant surprise. You know what I mean?
Johnny: Oh, definitely. Speaking of “Valley Girl”, as you were only a few years removed from being a teenager, how true was the movie to your experiences growing up in California?
E.G: I wasn’t really a Valley Girl. I was a Sunset Strip girl. I didn’t really know the Valley Girl thing that much, so I pretended my character was actually from Malibu. I think there was some truth to it, but again, I was such a rocker from the Strip that I didn’t really know the Valley Girl thing, but I think it was kind of accurate, actually. There are people that actually talk like that from the Valley. It’s pretty funny.
Johnny: I’ve heard rumors that “Valley Girl” will be remade as a musical somewhere down the line. With your musical history, would you be willing to make a cameo or contribute to the soundtrack if the remake ever happens?
E.G: I would love to. I mean, what a ball would that be? The greatest soundtrack ever. I don’t know that much about that, but I would love to. I mean, I’m always down for being on a soundtrack. I’ve done a lot of them. I’m always excited when I get to participate in the soundtracks.
Johnny: Speaking of movies with good soundtracks, in 1984, you played Baby Doll in “Streets Of Fire”. What was your favorite part of working on that movie?
E.G: I think the sets were so unbelievable. There was a set at Universal. It was pretty incredible how they did it. They took a whole street and they darkened it. They made it dark, kind of weird, wet, slick. It was really, really powerful and interesting how they shot that. We also got to go to, I think, Chicago, and shoot, which always makes it fun when you get to go on location. You get to go inside your character in a location where you can really be catapulted further into your character when you’re lost in the environment. I was friends with Diane Lane. I had worked with her in “Ladies And Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains”, so I’d already known her, and it was nice getting to work with her again. She was a doll, and that cast was unbelievable. It was a great cast. I liked my character and my wardrobe. For me, wardrobe is key. For example, right now, I’m just about to shoot the new Rob Zombie film “31”. For me, I can’t wait to get to see what the wardrobe in the film is because it just helps me get right into character.
Johnny: I’ll be asking you about “31” later in the interview, but to get to my next question, the following year, 1985, you played Dottie in “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure”, which was how I first came to know your work as a child, and which is celebrating its’ 30th anniversary this year. What was it like to be part of such a cult classic?
E.G: Well, again, I didn’t know I was going to be part of a cult classic until it became a cult classic, so once that happened, it sort of slips up under you and catches you by surprise. I was sort of like, “Wow, it’s like a huge hit!”. I was part of something that was a huge hit, and it was just a pleasant surprise afterwards. No expectations, super-grateful that I got to be part of such an interesting, cartoony, cult classic, and become friends with Paul (Reubens), who is still a friend of mine. The guy never forgets your birthday. Every birthday, you’ll get this funny little card or text with a funny little anime. He’s just an amazing guy, so just to get to meet him and work together and play a cult character like Dottie with Pee-Wee, it’s pretty incredible. I feel pretty lucky.
Johnny: You had been in the acting game for over 5 years by the time “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure” came out.
E.G: Is that what it was, 5 years? That’s funny. Yeah?
Johnny: On the other hand, the movie was Tim Burton’s first full-length feature after several short films. What do you recall the most about working with him?
E.G: With Tim Burton, I remember that he was very, very, very, specific about what he wanted and his vision, which is why he’s so genius. His movies are very detailed, and he’s very artistic, so he’s on a whole other playing field artistically. You knew, just by his vision and how specific he was, that he was really special. He was very specific with all the details of the film, the sets, the wardrobe, the characters, very, very specific. He is just a genius. He’s an artist, so it was like getting to work with a brilliant artist.
Johnny: Also in 1985, you played yourself in “Better Off Dead” and sang two songs on the movie’s soundtrack, those two being “One Way Love” and “A Little Luck”. 1985 was the same year your album “Wild Child” came out, so was “Better Off Dead” an audition for the A&M label or did you view it as just another acting gig?
E.G: No. It was completely separate. It was just a random phone call saying “We want her to be the singer”. Savage Steve Holland was the director, and I did “Eek! The Cat” with him in animation. It was separate, and the album I had done over a period of time in Germany, New York and L.A. Everything was separate. Each of those things were not tied together.
Johnny: I feel that “Wild Child” was a very underrated album, and I particularly loved the song “Say It, Say It”.
E.G: Thank you.
Johnny: I thought the music video for that song was very creative in paying homage to Stanley Kubrick’s “Lolita”.
E.G: Thank you.
Johnny: Was that your idea or the record label’s?
E.G: It was the director of the music video. I believe his name is Dominic Sena. It was the director’s concept. He took the song and he ran with the concept. I was amused, so I didn’t intercept that much at that point. Later on in life, I started coming up with concepts myself for directing along with the directors, but at the time, I was so grateful I got to work with a great director. He came up with the whole concept, which I just thought was so great. That was another thing. We didn’t know it was going to be a number 1 dance hit all over the world, and become such a hit. That was also such a surprise. Lots of surprises.
Johnny: Just a quick question about the music video: I know that you were the Sue Lyon role, and Louisa Moritz was in the Shelley Winters role. Who was playing the James Mason role?
E.G: Oh, I can’t remember his name now. He’s a great actor. I’ve seen him recently on things, but I can’t remember his name. I’m sorry. I just remember Louisa, but I can’t remember his name. We’ve got to Google that.
Johnny: One more question related to “Say It, Say It”: You performed the song as a musical guest on Season 11 of “Saturday Night Live”. During the performance, you danced with Jon Lovitz. It’s a fun and energetic performance that, unfortunately, much like 99.9% of musical performances and sketches with copyrighted music from Season 6 onwards, cannot be found in the heavily edited online prints of SNL. What was it like to be performing on “Saturday Night Live” during what many consider to be one of the show’s roughest seasons, and have you ever thought about trying to get the rights to put the performance on your official YouTube channel?
E.G: It’s not out there? Are you sure? I mean, I think I remember seeing it somewhere.
Johnny: It was up on YouTube for a while, but NBC’s copyright lawyers took it down.
E.G: I didn’t know that. Oh, wow! I didn’t know that it was taken down. I remember that someone had sent it to me, and I was really happy to see it. It was really exciting. It was a big deal at the time for me. Right around that period, “Say It, Say It” had gone to number one. I did “American Bandstand” and I got to do “Saturday Night Live”. Things were happening so quickly that it was such a whirlwind. I don’t think I really absorbed how monumental it was until after I did it. Once I did it, I was like “Oh my God, I was on ‘Saturday Night Live’ as a live musical performer with Jon Lovitz on a huge show”. It wasn’t until afterwards that I fathomed how huge it was.
Johnny: It was definitely great, and I only wish that Lorne Michaels could get over his fear of payment and allow the musical performances to be seen because that was a great one.
E.G: I didn’t really know that was going on.
Johnny: I mean, there are a few sketches with copyrighted music that are included in the online prints, like “Buckwheat Sings” or “More Cowbell”, but that’s only because they achieved memetic status outside of the show. The bulk of the others aren’t included, and the musical performances from Season 6 onwards, they’re gone.
E.G: Wow, I can’t believe that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOy8RSH5DGQ
Johnny: On a lighter note, also in 1985, you contributed the song “Waiting” to the soundtrack of John Hughes’ “The Breakfast Club”. Six years later, you played Hailey in the Hughes-written movie “Dutch”. Did John Hughes remember you from the “Breakfast Club” soundtrack while working on “Dutch”?
E.G: I don’t think so. I think I was kind of an artist where I was known as a singer to some people and an actress to some people. I really think things came together for me more when I was on “The Voice” recently, and I popped out the voice of Tommy, and I mentioned that I was in “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure” as Dottie, and that I was a singer. All together in that one moment on “The Voice”, the Summer before this last, I felt like everyone was like “Oh my God, she’s the woman from that and she’s the woman from that and she’s the woman from ‘Friends’ and she’s the woman on that soundtrack”, which was kind of fun for me.
Johnny: To jump back to the 80s, in 1987, you sang “Mind Over Matter” on the soundtrack to “Summer School”, and also did a music video for the song where you interacted with several of the film’s cast members. Had you auditioned for the movie before you were asked to contribute to the soundtrack?
E.G: No. I was simply looked at as the singer in that movie. There I was, multiple personalities, and in that particular container, I was looked at as just the singer. I didn’t get asked to be in the movie at all. I was just asked as the singer for that one, and I got to work with Michael Jay on that song, “Mind Over Matter”, which was another top hit. It was one of my dance hits. What was really ironic is that I’m working with Michael Jay today on a new dance EP, which is going to be a big surprise. We’re working on that.
Johnny: In 1989, you released your second album “Lace Around The Wound”. There were fewer dance songs on that album, and more pop-rock songs. You sound great in multiple genres, but what led you to make the leap to a more rock-oriented sound?
E.G: I think my voice lends itself to that. I started off originally with the rock. I mean, people knew me in a band called Slave back in the Coconut Teaser days. Back before my album came out, I was actually doing metal and heavy rock, and I think my voice always lent to that. I played guitar. I wrote songs that were written on guitar and I think it sort of leaned that way. The dancing sort of just happened because I was put together with Jellybean Benitez one day at a party. My manager was like, “Oh, you should meet Jellybean. He’s a great producer. He works with Madonna”. The next thing I know, I was cutting tracks with Jellybean, and it must have been meant to be because we had a number one dance hit all over the world. My career just took off that way. I think that’s what happens sometimes. You don’t know what is going to be the thing that launches you. I think you need to be open to what flows. That just flew, and I think I was kind of leaning back in to some of my roots when I did “Lace Around The Wound”. It was also very autobiographical. I was writing a lot of stuff based on what I was going through. That’s why now, as a real homage to my dance music, I’m doing this dance EP with Michael Jay again, which is going to be so much fun for the dance crowd fans that I’ve had over the years. It’s going to be a blast just to go back there.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rttu4TOOQno
Johnny: That sounds fantastic, and now we jump to the 90s, which is when you gained a new career as a voice-over artist. Do you prefer live-action or animation, or do you like both of them equally?
E.G: I really enjoy all of them. I mean, live-action’s amusing because you get to get lost in your body and character. Animation is amusing because you don’t have to rely on your body or your face as a character. You just use your voice and you’re not limited by any physical stuff, whereas in live-action, you get to use your body and wardrobe. For instance, in this Rob Zombie movie I’m doing, “31”, the character’s very edgy, and I get to get lost in the physical character. I get to mess my hair a little bit and bleach it up a little more for the character. I just get to get in the body of that character, and that’s a pretty incredible experience.
Johnny: Many of our readers who love 90s pop culture will recognize you as the voice of Tommy on “Rugrats”. What do you think it is that made that show such a landmark for Millenials?
E.G: What does Millenials mean?
Johnny: People who were born from the mid-80s onwards, and who were children in the 90s.
E.G: It’s funny because now there are new kids who like it because of the reruns. It’s been decades with “Rugrats”. I think they were doing an animation that hadn’t been done. They were celebrating Kwanzaa, Passover, Hannukah. They were embracing real family issues. Parents loved it because the jokes went right over the kids’ heads, and to the parents, so they got to enjoy a cartoon with their kids that actually spoke to them as well as parents and grandparents. The kids loved it because it was just so well-written and well-directed. It was such a detailed, finessed piece of art by the creators, Klasky-Csupo, and the actual directors. It was just so detailed. There wasn’t anything that was done haphazardly with that show. They paid so much attention to every detail that you could see why it was such a big hit. It was so good because they really put the care into “Rugrats”, and that’s what made it such a powerful show with great detail. It was really cared for.
Johnny: On a similar note, another character that our 90s pop culture buffs know you for is Buttercup from “The Powerpuff Girls”. Did Craig McCracken want you for that role, or did you have to audition for it?
E.G: I had to audition for it. We didn’t know Craig, and it seemed like he was only 16 or 17 years old when we met him to do the pilot. I didn’t know him. He just looked like this young guy doing this cartoon. It was interesting. Me and Tara (Strong) and Cathy Cavadini were all like, “He’s so young”. Nothing happened with that pilot for years, and then years later, I don’t know if it was 5 years or how many years, but we got a phone call saying, “Remember that thing you auditioned for, ‘The Powerpuff Girls’? Well, they’re going to pick it up”. We’re like, “What? All these years later?”, and the next thing you know, we were doing “Powerpuff Girls”, and it was another hit.
Johnny: One of the most memorable shorts from “The Powerpuff Girls” was “Meet The Beat-Alls”, which, of course, was loaded with references to The Beatles. Had any of The Beatles who were alive at the time seen the episode, and did they speak to you about it?
E.G: At the time, no. We were just excited. That episode was super-fun, but no, we didn’t connect at that time. We just went in, did our “Powerpuff Girls” and took off.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mPJ-xszSWI
Johnny: I know that Ringo did come in for the “Powerpuff Girls” special last year.
E.G: Yeah. We had a lot of cool people come in.
Johnny: Another one of your voice-over roles was as Baby Mumble in “Happy Feet”, which won the Best Animated Feature Oscar in 2007. You also provided voice-over work for the sequel. Were you considered for the roles of any adult characters, or was it primarily the young characters you were assigned to?
E.G: I did the kids, mostly. Sometimes I’ll do pick-ups or little additional characters as a lady or this or that. I don’t remember what I did on “Happy Feet”. I think I did one of the sexy little penguins, not older, but teenage or young-woman age range, but you always end up doing some little characters in addition to your roles. I couldn’t tell you specifically. I did so many kids’ voices during that. For the last “Happy Feet” movie, I basically was in Australia with Robin Williams and Elijah (Wood), doing all three of the lead characters at the same time. I was doing the voice reference guide for all those characters at the same time. I might do an adult character here or there if they need it, but I was doing a lot on that particular one already.
Johnny: You mention Robin Williams. What was he like to work with on those movies?
E.G: He was such a blast. He was such a genius artist, and he was lovely. We spent a lot of time there, all of us. He chartered a yacht for us, and we went around Australia in a lovely yacht. It was just a dreamy day with the cast and the director, and at the time, he was with his fiancee. It was lovely, and he was just a gentle guy. You could see that he needed to get space because he couldn’t just not be so animated. It was hard for him. We would go to dinner. After we’d work, that’s when I saw him calm down, and be very relaxed, and not have to be a character or a voice or funny. I sort of tried deliberately, when I was with him and we’d all be out at dinner with Elijah and his fiancee Susan at the time, tried to stay very calm, because I wanted him to feel like he was safe and calm and he didn’t have to do anything. He was enough. I felt such an intensity with him on the set that it was hard for him not to do his thing.
Johnny: On a lighter note, going back to live-action, you played Candy in “The Devil’s Rejects”. I thought it was a wonderful throwback to the exploitation movies of the 70s. Since you came of age in the 70s, what was it like to revisit that decade for the movie?
E.G: I’m a huge fan of that. The 70s are coming back again on this new Rob Zombie movie, and I’m just so excited. I’m all about that going to a different time period. I just love it. It’s so much fun. The wardrobe, again, for “The Devil’s Rejects” was such a blast for me. I was wearing baby doll nighties and strange go-go boots, and I can’t wait to do it again in “31”. It’s exciting. I love period pieces, any kind. 70s, 60s, earlier, I just love it.
Johnny: Speaking of “31”, can you give us any details on your character and the movie, or is it still under wraps right now?
E.G: I signed an NDA, so I can’t talk much about it, but what I can say is that the character’s name is Sex-Head, and she’s pretty insane. It’s pretty crazy. There’s stuff on the Internet that’s out there, but I’m not allowed to say much because of the NDA, so I’ll just say that I get to be crazy.
Johnny: Sounds good. Although you haven’t done that many horror movies, I’d say you’ve done enough to qualify as a scream princess, if not a scream queen. Similar to my question about “One Dark Night” and “Wacko”, what is it about horror movies that you find appealing?
E.G: Well, I like going to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal. I just find it to be so funny. Some of them are really scary for me, but I just find something about that funny, and it brings out the kid in you, the creep factor, and you get to be a little goofy. It’s fun. It creates excitement and anticipation. It’s kind of fun, which is why people really like horror films or Halloween Horror Nights. It’s like being tickled. Horror is like, you never known when it’s going to tickle you or jump out at you, so I get a kick out of doing the horror films, plus the fans are so loyal on the horror films. I have a couple of conventions coming up. Go on my website. I’ve announced the ones that I’m doing that are coming up. They can come to meet me. It’s fun. The fans really get into it. It’s just a really fun medium.
Johnny: Definitely. Moving back to music, when I heard that you were going to be on “The Voice”, I thought it was as a coach or even a judge. I never would’ve thought that with decades of musical experience at your back that you would be a competitor again. Did the folks at “The Voice” know about your musical career in the 80s and 90s before you went on?
E.G: Of course they know everything. They research everything about everyone that goes on that show, but, see, to them, it wasn’t about what I’d done, who I was, it was about had I had a record deal currently and have I been out there currently making music happen. It was for myself independently, but I wasn’t out there in any big label capacity since the 80s. I released my own stuff because I’m an artist and I constantly make music. It didn’t matter who I was, or what I looked like, or what my name was. What mattered was what my voice was when their chairs were turned. You know what I’m saying?
Johnny: I understand now.
E.G: It wasn’t about then. It was about currently what my voice was as a singer, and it didn’t make it where I couldn’t go on that show. I actually didn’t set myself up to audition. A woman friend of mine got me the audition. I thought the same thing, “They’re not going to have me on that show. I’m already established. They’re not going to do that.”, but they said because I hadn’t been around on a large capacity music label, they said I definitely qualify. “She’s not on a label. She’s not signed with anyone. She’s free. She sings”. It’s kind of fun.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lZdRdcLVgU
Johnny: If they asked you to come back to “The Voice”, but this time as a coach, would you accept the offer?
E.G: Oh, heck yeah, that’s an amazing show to be part of. It’s amazing. The crew is amazing, the production, the producers, the tribe of people that work on “The Voice” is so powerful and so lovely. It’s like a wild ride. They get emotional with you. You get so close with them. It’s an incredible experience, one of the best I’ve ever had in my career.
Johnny: Another musical question: In 2011, you released the song “Wait”. To me, it sounded a little like a song Rob Zombie might have produced.
E.G: I just shared that video with him to see if he was interested in using the song in any capacity for the movie, but the music is going to be all 70s, so he can’t use it, but it very much sounds like that. It’ll get used in some other movie, some soundtrack somewhere. It was just me being a crazy artist again, just expanding myself.
Johnny: Well, that answers my question. I was actually going to ask you if you had asked him about contributing music to “31”.
E.G: The movie is 70s, so I think he’s going to go that route. I’m sure if he needed something from me, he knows that I sing. He would call me if he needed me to do a cover or something, but I don’t think it’s going to go that route necessarily. We’ll see.
Johnny: Well, I definitely think a collaboration with the both of you would kick ass.
E.G: Oh my God. Thank you, yeah. He’s so fun, and Sheri’s a doll. It’s going to be a good time.
Johnny: Now for a bigger question: What would you say has been the biggest change in the entertainment industry between the 1980s and 2015?
E.G: Well, the music business, for one. It’s not like it used to be when I did a play and I got a record deal because I sang live. It’s kind of not like that anymore. Now it’s like fend for yourself, get it up on iTunes. It’s very different. I don’t quite know what to make of it. Besides that, plastic surgery, a lot of people look kind of the same with it. It’s been very helpful for some people, and some look strange. That’s another thing that changed. There’s a lot more animal awareness now, more animal rescues. People are expanding in that capacity, which I really appreciate. I did an animal fundraiser here at my house yesterday for the Wildlife Waystation. It was amazing.
Johnny: Yeah, I saw some pictures of that on Facebook.
E.G: Yeah, it was a beautiful event. We had some beautiful animals. They’re an amazing organization. The Wildlife Waystation and Last Chance For Animals are 2 big ones I support. The Internet has changed everything. That’s monumental. It’s very different now with the Internet, social media, Twitter, Facebook and cell phones. Cell phones, they’re amazing, and you can do anything on them, but at the same time, they are taking away from the quality of our lives, I think, and they’re very distracting. It’s hard to pay attention when your phone’s beeping, so I have a love/loathe thing with them. I appreciate them, but I just think you have to be really strong and put them away sometimes, so you can be present and enjoy the moment.
Johnny: Definitely. To flashback again, I think you looked great in the 80s, and you still do so now, but many people look back on the fashions and hairstyles of the 80s with a mixture of mockery and shame. Why do you think that is?
E.G: Well, it’s always like that. Mullets were goofy, but at the time, mullets were hip. Those tend to be just funny, you know. My kids make fun of me with pictures of my high-waisted pants on back in the day, and now they’re wearing high-waisted pants, so it has its’ moments. It has its’ shifts where it goes from being silly to where they’re doing it, so I think it’s pretty funny. It’s awesome. Changes, styles, fashions, it’s cool it’s coming back.
Johnny: I definitely think you had a great sense of style back then.
E.G: Oh, thanks!
Johnny: Speaking of the 80s fashions, do you still have the bolero hats you wore in the videos for “Is Anybody Home?” and “Mind Over Matter”?
E.G: I think I do. I might have given one to my friend Lou, who has been a huge friend and a fan. He’s turned into a friend, but he was such a huge fan and supporter of me, and I think I gave him a couple of my classic things. I sent them over his way. He has the hugest collection of E.G Daily paraphenelia you’ve ever seen. It’s crazy, so I gave him some stuff of mine, but I have some of that stuff. I think I have that hat.
Johnny: Yeah, I definitely think you wore it well.
E.G: Thanks. I like hats.
Johnny: As a busy singer and actress, what is your idea of the perfect day off?
E.G: Having friends over, little dinner parties. Sometimes I make soup for everybody. I make a giant pot of yummy, organic, vegetarian soup. Everybody loves it. I always get people coming over for it. I’m a family home person. I like my animals, and I like my friends and my family and my children and my ex-husband. We have a really nice little family here, so I tend to homebody stuff, or go to the movies. I love The Grove in L.A. It’s just so lovely. I love taking hikes. I love the ocean and sunny days. I’m a nature person, so anything around nature I like to do.
Johnny: This leads me to my final question. This is the one I end every interview with, and it’s this: If you could go back to your youth with the knowedge that you have now, would you do anything differently?
E.G: I think I would’ve tried to learn to speak up more. I think when I was young, I was more worried about how I looked as opposed to how I felt, and I think today, I’m more concerned about how I feel and how I make others feel. I think that’s the only change I would make, but that happens and that’s why you grow up. You start to learn to prioritize differently.
Johnny: Well, that does it for my questions. Once again, I have to say it was an honor to speak to you. I can still recall renting “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure”, and then watching it on the local CW affiliate, back when it was WPIX, New York’s Movie Station. It was really a fun movie and you were one of the reasons why it was such a great movie, and to get to speak to you about not only that, but so many other aspects of your career has been…
E.G: Thank you so much.
Johnny: I’m the one who should be thanking you. I know how busy you can get, and to speak to you has been a blast.
E.G: Thank you so much. Well, you did some awesome research and great questions, so I appreciate that.
Johnny: Thanks.
E.G: Thank you so much.
Johnny: You’re very welcome, Ms. Daily.
E.G: Alright. Have a beautiful day.
Johnny: Likewise. See you later.
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I would like to thank Ms. Daily for taking time out of her busy schedule to do an interview with me. For more on what Ms. Daily is doing right now, her official website is http://egdaily.com/.
Ms. Daily is also on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/eg.daily
Who will I Flashback with next? Stay tuned.