One Pod at a Time | Valerie Bertinelli | Mackenzie Phillips | One Day at a Time

Getting Naked: The Podcast

Valerie Bertinelli welcomes her longtime friend and co-star Mackenzie Phillips to 'Getting Naked' for a heartfelt conversation spanning five

Key takeaways

• Friendship can endure despite long periods of separation when rooted in deep history and mutual care.
• Growing up in the spotlight without support systems led to emotional vulnerability and identity struggles.

Main topics

• Longstanding friendship between Valerie Bertinelli and Mackenzie Phillips
• Hollywood childhood and growing up in the spotlight

Notable quotes

"I was probably crying on your shoulder about some guy that fucked me over. That one."

"It wasn't that you didn't want to hang around with me anymore because it made you look bad. But I was just, it was devastating to be around me."

Conclusion

The episode concludes with a powerful testament to the resilience of true friendship,

Transcript preview

Speaker 1 (0:00) Hi, thanks for tuning in to Getting Naked, the podcast. I have such a treat for you, such a treat. This is the woman that you guys have been begging me to have on my podcast. And believe me, I've been begging her to be on my podcast. And she's been wanting to be here. And finally, the stars have aligned. She's here. So stay tuned for our lovely discussion. In fact, we had such a great discussion. We're breaking it into two parts because we could go on probably for a third part. But stay tuned for our little discussion with Mackenzie Phillips. Speaker 1 (0:42) I have a really fun recipe for you today. You saw how easy that was. Look at all that flavor we packed into chicken breasts. Love the flavor of maple syrup, especially for these kind of muffins. I Speaker 2 (0:52) see all of your comments. I swear I do. You are wondering, where's my shell? Speaker 1 (0:57) This is so dang delicious. Smells divine. That's a jalapeno popper. Oh my God. That's so good. Yes, I'm back and I am cooking for all of you. All right, Sophie, what are we reheating today? Welcome to Now Val's Cooking. Guess what we're gonna make right now. We're Speaker 2 (1:11) live. Hi, everybody. How are you? You have to go to Valerie's Speaker 1 (1:14) Place. That's where you can see our book group, this podcast. That's where you can go for all the cooking that you want to see. Oh, yes. I've missed cooking for you. I'm glad I finally Speaker 2 (1:25) get to do it again. I'm dancing. That's how good it is. So Speaker 1 (1:27) head to Valerie'sPlace.com and go ahead and sign up. You guys are the original members, and I can't thank you enough. It's happy time. Speaker 1 (1:38) Hi, everybody, and welcome to Getting Naked, the podcast. Before we get into today's episode, just a quick reminder to stay tuned for the full reveal. That is a special segment for Valerie's Place members. And if you want to be able to access the full reveal, get early access to the podcast, then head on over to Valerie'sPlace.com and sign right up. Okay. This is a very special day because this is without... Any doubt, no one even comes close to the number one requested podcast guest for this show. You guys have been telling me since the very first show, and believe me, we have been working on it, and so has she. Our schedules are what they are, and she's finally here. The most beautiful woman that I've known since I was a 15-year-old girl. She is, I've never had a sister, but this comes damn close. This is... my sister, Mackenzie Phillips. Speaker 1 (2:35) Hi. Are you trying to make Speaker 2 (2:36) me? Speaker 1 (2:36) I love you. Are Speaker 2 (2:38) you Speaker 1 (2:38) trying to make Speaker 2 (2:38) me? Speaker 1 (2:38) No. Oh, my God. We have been through, I guess we'll get into some of them. So much shit through the 50 some odd years that we've known each other. But I am so happy that you're here. I'm so happy to be Speaker 2 (2:52) here. I know that you're Speaker 1 (2:52) an open book. The last time we saw each other was Speaker 2 (2:55) how Speaker 1 (2:55) many years ago? Was it two? Speaker 2 (2:57) Was it two? You came and picked me up and we went to Norman's birthday party. We Speaker 1 (3:01) carpooled. Speaker 2 (3:01) We carpooled. We Speaker 1 (3:02) carpooled. That was fun, by the way. Speaker 2 (3:05) It was really fun. It was. Because I love Speaker 1 (3:07) your house. It is the cutest. And we live not far from each other. Speaker 2 (3:12) It's the only Spanish bungalow left on my block. The only original house. Exactly. But there's a huge addition on the back. It's a huge lot with the pool and all that stuff. But if you look at it from the front, all you see is this tiny little Spanish bungalow. Thank you. I love your home. I was so excited when you were like, okay, I'm going to come and pick you up. And then it was like, oh, Valerie and I are in the car together. Speaker 1 (3:38) Which we hadn't done in 50 years. Yeah. When we used to, like, hang out all the time in the 70s. Yeah. Like, all the time. I was at your house. You were at my house. We would go to camping together. Yep. I Speaker 2 (3:51) remember when we went camping. Yep. I was like, wait, where do I plug in my blow dryer? Speaker 1 (3:56) That's true. Yes. We went to Leo Carrillo. My dad set up a tent. It was a whole family. Yeah. Speaker 2 (4:01) And when I think of going camping, which Speaker 1 (4:05) isn't often, but I think— No, I go camping. I'm at a Motel 6. That's camping for me now. Yeah, Speaker 2 (4:11) exactly. What about glamping? Would you glamp? Speaker 1 (4:13) Winnebago's? Well, no. Glamping is like a special tent with air conditioners Speaker 2 (4:17) and Persian rugs on the floor. A nice Speaker 1 (4:20) private bathroom. Yes. For my skin care. Speaker 2 (4:23) Yes. All Speaker 1 (4:23) right. Maybe. Speaker 2 (4:25) Yes. Speaker 1 (4:25) Okay. But Speaker 2 (4:26) whenever I think of, like, I see something about camping, I immediately think of that time we went camping. It was fun. It was really fun. It was a lot of fun. So what I was saying was, so Valerie's coming to pick me up. I get in the car, and I'm like, the door closes. I'm like, we are alone. Speaker 1 (4:44) For the first time in a long time. For Speaker 2 (4:45) the first time in decades. Speaker 1 (4:47) And Speaker 2 (4:47) we were both like, there were so many things we had to tell each other. I remember Speaker 1 (4:52) everything we talked about because we talked about everything and anything. Everything and anything. I Speaker 2 (4:55) was probably Speaker 1 (4:55) crying on your shoulder about some guy that fucked me over. That one. Speaker 2 (4:58) That one. And Speaker 1 (5:01) I was probably Speaker 2 (5:02) laughing because I haven't been dating in many, many years. And I'm like, good Lord, girl. And then I remember thinking. Oh, crap, we're there. Speaker 1 (5:13) Yeah. Can't we just keep driving around for a while? Yeah, Speaker 2 (5:16) because Speaker 1 (5:16) then the party was so crowded, and we didn't get a chance to talk, and they pulled us all in these directions. Speaker 2 (5:22) But you finally got on the carpet with me. You weren't going to do it. Speaker 1 (5:25) I wasn't? No. Speaker 2 (5:26) You said, I'll do the interview with you, just you and me. I Speaker 1 (5:29) didn't want to do it. Yeah, I hate red carpets. I hate them. So uncomfortable. Speaker 2 (5:33) I Speaker 1 (5:34) know it sounds so silly to people that... Like, oh, please, you had such a beautiful, blessed life. Yes, I know that I've had a beautiful, blessed life. It's also really uncomfortable to sit there and stand and turn and, like, have people scream your name. And then inevitably they always use a picture where you look funky. Exactly. And you have no control over it. There's Speaker 2 (5:54) a lot of pressure. Yeah. You know, and you have to think Speaker 1 (5:56) of, well, Speaker 2 (5:56) how... Worst thing is like, how does my body look? Where should I put my purse? Am I smiling too Speaker 1 (6:02) big? Yeah. Do I look afraid? Yeah. Usually those are the worst smiles on me where the smile looks fake and my eyes are like fear. Speaker 2 (6:09) And then they go, Mackenzie, over here. And you're like, what? Yeah. And that's the picture that they use. Oh, God. Yeah. I don't do those. Speaker 1 (6:15) No. I avoid them at all costs. But you Speaker 2 (6:18) came on the carpet with me. You did that. And I was like, Val's on the carpet with me. Speaker 1 (6:25) We're on the carpet Speaker 2 (6:26) together. Speaker 1 (6:27) I think we were supporting each other. We were. Speaker 2 (6:29) Big time. Yeah. But Speaker 1 (6:31) we've always been doing that in our odd little way that we have with one another. Yes. Because we were super tight for a long time. And then we didn't talk for a very long time. Speaker 1 (6:44) That's Speaker 2 (6:45) nobody's Speaker 1 (6:45) fault. Speaker 2 (6:46) Well. Why are Speaker 1 (6:47) you all of a sudden taking. No, I'm Speaker 2 (6:49) like, I'm taking this on for a minute. Let me take it on for a minute because we were doing, you know, and then I started deteriorating and deteriorating. And it wasn't that you didn't want to hang around with me anymore because it made you look bad. But I was just, it was devastating to be around me. Speaker 1 (7:06) It was hard, but a big. Speaker 1 (7:11) A huge part of guilt in my life, or it may be even crossed over into shame, is I wasn't supportive to you during that. I didn't really quite know what you were going through. Right. And as much time as we hung out with one another, we never really quite got super deep. Right. With one another. We Speaker 2 (7:32) didn't. We were just like, ha, ha, ha. We're teenagers. Yeah, we're teenagers Speaker 1 (7:34) and we're having fun in a very bizarre, crazy business where we had a hit show and everybody was focusing their attention on us. Everywhere, it was like Tiger Speaker 2 (7:44) Beat. Val and Mac, America's Sweethearts, a day with Val and Mac. We would do those competition shows together. Yeah, the Battle of the Network Stars. Speaker 2 (7:56) I mean, but then, Val, you know, it took me a long time to get well, right? And I remember, I've talked about this in another interview before, and I remember driving over cold water, driving past where you and Ed lived, and I would call, and I said, Val, you don't have to call me back. I just want you to know, I have six months today. And then... I would call you back driving by and I'd go, I have nine months today. And then I called you and I said, you don't have to call me back, but I have a year today. And then you called me back. You did. Do you remember this? It's okay. I Speaker 1 (8:44) remember it like it was yesterday. Speaker 2 (8:47) I knew, I didn't want to put any pressure on you to call me, but I wanted you to know that I was on the path and that it was meaningful. Speaker 2 (9:00) To me, for you to know. Speaker 1 (9:03) Thank you. What was challenging about all of that, and I've been very upfront with my drug use. Ed's been upfront about his. And I was in so much fear. Speaker 1 (9:24) What was the fear? What was the... Ed and I went through some amazing struggles, some amazing, beautiful, wonderful times and some amazing struggles. So I don't... I'm mad at myself for not picking up the first time. Speaker 2 (9:39) Maybe... Speaker 1 (9:40) But I wasn't... I was also hiding and being an urban hermit and didn't want anybody to know what was going on in my life. Speaker 2 (9:47) Maybe you weren't supposed to. Maybe... Actually, you obviously weren't supposed to because it played out