Eden Sher: Red Carpet Slayer!
You know that moment when you're watching a red carpet pre-show, screaming at the TV in hopes the inane interviewer will ditch the pre-canned patter and ask your infinitely more interesting question? Well, that happened last night at The American Music Awards when The Middle star Eden Sher co-hosted the official pre-show at ABC.com.
She not only embraced an outside the box line of questioning, but actually let her emotions shine through (maaaaybe a wee bit too much with Miss. Swift) and declared herself to be Of The People, For The People and By The People as her chats with Taylor Swift, Christina Aguilera and Carly Rae Jepsen have already eclipsed most performances in views online.
I caught up with Eden (my new spirit animal) the morning after her debut as a red carpet commentator to talk about the experience, The Middle and why she is ready for her close-up, Mr. Cohen!
TheInsider.com: Did you have fun last night?
Eden Sher: I had such an amazing time. I feel like I'm still recovering from it. Did you see my little freakout with Taylor Swift?
Insider.com: I think everyone's seen it by now!
Eden: I don't know if you realize, but the interview directly after that was with Ryan Seacrest and our segment producer thought I might want to sit it out because I was openly sobbing. I kept it sort of together on camera, but as soon as she left the platform, I lost it.
Insider.com: Let's break it down. What happened?
Eden: The reason I immediately got so emotional is because her music is so evocative for me. In the most positive way, I was unsettled by Taylor Swift. Look, I know this is not proper decorum for a host slash interviewer, but I am so not that. I am an actress, a Taylor Swift enthusiast and maybe that wasn't proper behavior, but I had such a good time. I didn't want to offend anyone, but I couldn't help myself. Taylor Swift needed to know that's how I felt.
Insider.com: Are you kidding? I loved it. You shouldn't be apologizing. That's how most fans would act, and it was nice to see someone in that position who actually cared about the person they were interviewing!
Eden: I hope so. I mean, she was so nice and gracious. I hope she wasn't creeped out or scared.
Insider.com: Not only were you a fan, but you unmasked yourself as a superfan of the highest order by calling Taylor, "Slayor Gift from God" and Carly Rae Jepsen, "Slayly Slay Slaysen."
Eden: OK, this is like common vernacular amongst me and my friends. I was doing it as a joke in rehearsals, but couldn't tell if the producers or Lance [Bass] thought it was funny and I should do it for real, or if they just thought it was just funny in rehearsals. No one told me either way, so I just spoke my id. That's what I call people, it's a total compliment, and I’m gonna do it. You Slay? You're a slayer.
Insider.com: As if that wasn't good enough, you then went on to ask Christina Aguilera if LOTUS actually stood for Legend Of The United States. I mean, I died.
Eden: I'm glad you brought this up, because one of my best friends is really big in the Twitter gay community – that's what he calls it – and told me that if there was a forum of Twitter Gay Questions, this was the question that had to be asked of Christina. I wanted to know too. I mean, it has to stand for that, right?
Insider.com: And then she didn't really answer it. Did you want to press her harder for an answer?
Eden: I know ... like, I thought her reaction was funny because at least she didn't completely ignore me; she just giggled. I didn't want to push it and I could tell Lance wanted to finish off the interview on a really professional note, but if I had my druthers, I would have been like, "No, but seriously. Is that what it stands for? Come on. It is, right?"
Insider.com: May I ask, in person, what color was Christina Aguilera?
Eden: She was a delightful shade of dusty orange.
Insider.com: Bless her heart. I love that Christina just doesn't give a f*ck any more!
Eden: Oh, the bank keeps calling because all her checks are bouncing because there are no f*cks in her account.
Insider.com: I have to thank you for last night. I feel like you spoke for the spirit of the Collective American Gay on that carpet.
Eden: Wait. I think that's the best compliment I've ever gotten about my hosting abilities. I had the best time doing that. The highlight was clearly a Swift moment. Like, watching her step onto the platform was probably a highlight. That's when the real tears started flowing. I actually wanted to be composed. I know it didn't seem like it, but but I did [laughs]. The tears that flowed from my face as she stepped towards me was definitely a highlight.
Insider.com: Do you remember meeting her?
Eden: I mean ... I've seen it in pictures. I sort of saw white. I can get the memory back if I try hard enough. I haven't showered yet, and I always thought it was so cliche and stupid when people were like, "I'm never washing this hand again." But I sort of understand that on a new level right now.
Insider.com: Out of everyone, who smelled the best on the red carpet?
Eden: Kerry Washington. She smelled how I imagine the Gates of Heaven would smell as I walk into my personal paradise.
Insider.com: Can we expect to see you on the red carpet pre-show again next year?
Eden: Oh! After the carpet wrapped, I went down to get my stuff and saw the producer of the event. I just wanted to thank him, and he was in a big meeting, totally stopped and shouted, "Eden Sher, ladies and gentleman! Please tell me you will do this again next year!" So … I'll be back! Yay!
Insider.com: In the meantime, we have The Middle to bask in, which is such an amazing show but flies under the radar. Is that a positive thing sine it allows you to make the show you want to make without the meddling?
Eden: That's absolutely it. We get really good ratings but I feel like I've retained a lot of my anonymity. It hasn't been this explosion of press. We're not being bombarded by all these factors, people mostly leave us alone, so I get to be this character who I love and get to have my life. It's like, You do you, boo. I'm so happy you enjoy it because not everyone watches it, so I always feel a little special when I meet someone who watches and appreciates it.
Insider.com: Big fan -- and now, I'm going to need someone to greenlight an Eden Sher reality show.
Eden: Wait, did you know I already have my pitch prepared for Bravo? I have my best friend, I have my peripheral gay, I have my bro-y but sensitive music producer who doesn't really want to produce me, I have my other gay best friend who is also a music producer and will have conflict with the bro-y music producer and then I have my mom and my two brothers who hate reality TV. I would be there running my businesses. [laughs] After The Middle, I want to keep acting, but I will also open a production company and I think the reality show will document the start of my franchise.
Insider.com: Does that mean you've practiced your Real Housewives-style intro?
Eden: Oh my god! Yes! I do! I've thought about that so many times! It's gotta be in the vain of, "Don't hate me because I'm a feminist [hair twirl]." Something like that. I think if you can't admit you've thought about your own Real Housewives intro, you're living a lie.
The Middle airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on ABC.
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