Michael Urie - “Shrinking" & Making Big Choices | The Daily Show

What this episode is about

Michael Urie reflects on his busy year, discussing his Emmy nomination for "Shrinking," his role in "Richard II," and the ups and downs of life, including the recent loss of pets. He also shares insights into his breakout role in "Ugly Betty," revealing that his character was originally intended for just one episode but became a fan favorite.

Key takeaways

• In a world of highs and lows, humor is the lifebuoy that keeps us afloat.
• Bad news: Grad school often teaches restraint. Good news: Bold choices can lead to surprising success!
• From one-episode wonders to breakout stars: sometimes, the best roles come with a side of reckless ambition.
• Exploring mental health on-screen can break taboos—let's make therapy the new action hero narrative.
• In a post-pandemic world, sharing feelings is the ultimate plot twist that everyone's now ready for.

Who speaks in this episode?

• Michael Urie (Guest) · 10 min speaking

What is discussed, and when

1. 0:00 – 3:00: Michael Urie, Shrinking, Vanessa Williams, Benjamin Ryan
2. 3:00 – 6:00: Shrinking, Harrison Ford, Jason Segel, Vanessa Williams
3. 6:00 – 9:00: Shrinking, Season 3, Harrison Ford, Kinnerton – Charlie
4. 9:00 – 12:00: Harrison Ford, Season 3, Vanessa Williams
5. 12:00 – 13:59: Season 3, Apple TV, Giuliard

Notable quotes from "Michael Urie - “Shrinking" & Making Big Choices | The Daily Show"

• Always put me right behind Vanessa, when we would come into a room or whatever. I thought it would be really funny if I just sort of physically did her. So like if she tossed…

  about Vanessa Williams · at 2:20

• Oh, and now you're starring in Shrinking. I love this show so much. I feel like this show has really met the moment. It just feels like a nice warm hug when we all need it so desperately.

  about Shrinking · at 4:03

• Played by Jason Seagull, the amazing Jason Seagull, his family, his neighbors, his workmates. I play his best friend. We've been best friends since college.

  about Michael Urie · at 5:03

• Greatest quality is that he knows it takes a village and he's got the greatest village. So, he leans on Jimmy and Paul and Derek as dads. He leans on Liz as a mom. He leans on Gabby, Jessica's character, as a shrink.

  about Kinnerton – Charlie · at 6:59

• Know but he's a really good actor and I've learned so much from working with him. He knows the camera so well. He he like all is always talking to the camera department. Where is this? Is this a.

  about Harrison Ford · at 10:26

• IT'S so cool. It's so nice to know that like there's more obviously and especially it's right before the premiere we get to find out and everyone gets to know. So.

  about Apple TV · at 11:34

• That is the most Giuliard thing you have ever said, by the way. This guy clearly graduated from Giuliard.

  about Giuliard · at 12:35

• Watch this next season. I'm so happy for you. Thank you for being here. Such a delight. Season TV premieres January 28th on Apple TV. Michael Yuri.

  about Season 3 · at 13:36

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

• Michael Urie — Person · Main guest · 2 mentions · first at 0:18
  Interview subject discussing his career highlights (Ugly Betty, Shrinking) and current/next season work, plus personal life references (partner Ryan).
• Harrison Ford — Person · Referenced co-star · 4 mentions · first at 5:21
  Mentioned as a key cast member of Shrinking and as a notable presence on set; discussion centers on his persona, acting craft, and interactions with cast.
• Vanessa Williams — Person · Referenced co-star / career catalyst · 3 mentions · first at 1:38
  Discussed in the Ugly Betty story as Urie's boss on the show; credited with empowering him and helping his role expand beyond the pilot.
• Jason Segel — Person · Referenced co-star · 1 mention · first at 5:07
  Mentioned as the actor playing Jimmy on Shrinking and as a prior guest; used to frame discussion about working with Harrison Ford.
  So, it's about this therapist who's grieving the loss of his wife. when we meet these characters, it's been a year since the death of Tia. And all of us had a connection to her, some,.
• Kinnerton – Charlie — Person · Referenced fictional character · 1 mention · first at 7:04
  Mentioned as Brian's husband in Shrinking; provides context for Brian's family life and parenting storyline.
• Benjamin Ryan — Person · Referenced personal relation (partner of guest) · 1 mention · first at 1:19
  Identified as Michael Urie's partner; used as a personal-life aside explaining why Urie works a lot and noting Ryan is present offstage.
  Yeah. Yeah. It's It's great to not be home when you live with someone like Ryan, my partner. He's amazing. He's in the green room.
• Devon Kawoka — Person · Referenced actor (supporting) · 1 mention · first at 7:17
  Identified as the actor who plays Charlie (Brian's husband) on Shrinking, supporting discussion of Brian's home life.
  And he knows that he can't do it himself. He also has an amazing husband in Charlie, played by Devon Kawoka, who is so wonderful. And so he's his best quality is even though he puts himself first all the time, his.

Companies & orgs

• Apple TV — Company · Platform · 1 mention · first at 13:40
  The platform where 'Shrinking' is hosted and promoted, crucial for the show's distribution.

Concepts & topics

• Giuliard — Concept · Referenced institution · 2 mentions · first at 3:58
  Mentioned in the context of the guest's background and education, adding depth to their professional story.

Places & events

• Season 3 — Event · Key update · 3 mentions · first at 6:27
  The upcoming release of Season 3 is a significant point of discussion, highlighting new developments in the show.

Media & podcasts

• Shrinking — Media · Main topic · 3 mentions · first at 0:26
  The show is the primary focus of the discussion, with details about its themes, cast, and upcoming seasons.

Full transcript with timestamps

0:00 Oh, I'm so happy you're here. Thank you. Me, too. It's so nice to be here. Oh, I'm such a huge fan of your work.

0:07 Thank you. And uh Oh, crap. Ditto. Crap. What a world we're living in, right? Oh, God. You're just a bright light. Thank you for being here.

0:17 Thank you. You had quite the year last year. It was a crazy year. Crazy year. You appeared in Omary.

0:23 Yeah. You were nominated for an Emmy for Shrinking. Yeah. And you starred in Richard II.

0:30 Yes. Yes. I also lost a dog and a cat. Oh, I'm so sorry. Sometimes it was a murder suicide.

0:38 God, just Oh, no. I was um No. And nothing the deaths had nothing to do with each other.

0:48 Oh, Michael Yuri. Everyone, I think we can wrap it up now. I think we got it. That was You can't You can't top that joke.

0:56 Oh my god. was like some real highs and some real lows, but uh yeah, kind of a crazy year.

1:01 You are such a busy man. Here's my my big question is uh which loved one are you actively avoiding in your life

1:08 that work all the time. I'm just working nonstop. Yeah. Yeah. It's It's great to not be home when you live with someone like Ryan, my partner. He's amazing. He's in the green room.

1:20 I met him. He really is amazing. I know you're lying. He's the best. Um, most of us fell in love with you from Ugly Betty.

1:28 Oh. Uh, you were such a standout in that show. Thank you. I just heard recently that originally your character was only supposed to be in one episode. Yeah.

1:37 Is that true? Yeah. So, I played Vanessa Williams assistant on the show. We worked at a fashion magazine and she the idea was that she was such a tyrant of a boss that every episode she'd have a new assistant. Like they they always quit or got fired. And so I wasn't I was only in the pilot and I knew that and and you know I was a co-star. I was not a you know

2:00 wow series regular or anything. And um and and so because I think because I was also really young and I think because I thought there was no chance of moving forward with this I just tried anything. I would do anything and made a lot of big choices. And um one of them was I thought it would be really because they always put me right behind Vanessa, you know, when we would come into a room or whatever. I thought it would be really funny if I just sort of physically did her. So like if she tossed her hair, I would toss my hair. As she sat down slowly, I would sit down slowly. And she had no idea I was doing that because I was behind her. And someone told her I was doing that. Someone went up and was like, they were like, "Hey, V, you know what that queen's doing behind you?" And she was like, "What? What?" And and then she came over to me and she was like, "Hey, I hear you're doing me behind me."

2:55 And I was like, "Um, and I was like, I'm going to get fired." And uh I said, "Yeah, sorry. I thought it would be funny if I kind of physically emulated you behind you. And she said, "That's great. What else can I do that you can do?"

3:14 And she immediately like gave me all of this agency and I'm pitching her ideas and she's like, "Stand closer. You'll be in the shot." I didn't know where the cameras were, you know, and they put me in the cast photo by the end of the pilot.

3:27 Oh, y Yeah. It was so special. So special. She's amazing. But she's the greatest.

3:35 Oh, that makes me love her even more. And you for take it's just also such a great thing to remember. Take big swings, make big choices, like take advantage. And it totally paid off.

3:44 Yeah, cuz they told us, you know, when I was getting out of drama school, they were like, they were like, nobody ever gets a series regular job off of a guest star. So when you go do a guest star, just do a guest star. Don't don't try don't swing for the fences. It'll never work. It'll never happen. It did.

3:58 Giuliard, you're wrong. You're wrong. You're wrong about everything, Julard. Oh, and now you're starring in Shrinking. I love this show so much. I feel like this show has really met the moment. It just feels like a nice warm hug when we all need it so desperately.

4:15 It's so funny. It's laugh out loud funny. It's emotionally resonant. The show isn't afraid to explore really challenging topics like mental health and grief, uh, single parenting, living with illness. For for those who haven't seen the show, tell us what it's about. It's about this guy Brian who's really handsome.

4:34 Obviously, it's about, by the way, that's a very Brian thing to say. So, uh, it's about this therapist who's grieving the loss of his wife. Uh, when we meet these characters, it's been a year since the death of Tia. And all of us had a connection to her, uh, some, you know, married daughter, um, best friends, and we're trying to pick up the pieces. And um so it's it's it's kind of a hangout show about this guy Jimmy played by Jason Seagull, the amazing Jason Seagull, his family, his neighbors, his workmates. I play his best friend. We've been best friends since college.

5:12 And um and their therapists. So So Jason Seagull, Jessica Williams of the Daily Show. AND

5:19 UM OUR GIRL YEAH. And Harrison Ford, who you may have heard of, are um therapists. Yes. And so every, you know, every episode we're dealing with mental health. Um, our own their patients, theirs, and um, and it it feels like it came out, you know, it came around at a really good time. It came out sort of at the end of the pandemic, and we all were kind of given permission to talk about our mental health during the pandemic, I think, and and it the taboos were sort of

5:50 going away about around that. And uh and and so here's, you know, not just not just a show about mental health, but we have like an action hero talking about his feelings,

6:01 right? And you know, Jason Seagull, who's like a bro talking about his feelings. Um, and I I I hear from so many people on the street or uh on social media like straight guys who tell tell me and that's new for me

6:18 and like go go on that are that that it mean how much it means to them how much the show means to them. Uh that's that's really and so now here we come. Season 3 is out tomorrow and

6:31 and thank you. It feels like we need a hug again. I know it feels like we could use a hug. desperately do. We desperately do. Your character Brian uh has a baby this season.

6:45 What kind of father do you think Brian is going to be? Brian, don't hold back. Brian is Well, Brian himself is a baby. Um so, so he's going to have to learn to be an adult and but the I think his greatest quality is that he knows it takes a village and he's got the greatest village. So, he leans on Jimmy and Paul and Derek as dads. He leans on Liz as a mom. He leans on uh Gabby, Jessica's character, as a shrink.

7:15 Um, and he knows that he he can't do it himself. He also has an amazing husband in Charlie, played by Devon Kawoka,

7:22 who uh is so wonderful. And so he's his best quality is even though he he he puts himself first all the time, his best quality is knowing that he's going to need all these people around him.

7:34 Yes. I I love I heard that you had a fan come up to you and diagnose your character.

7:38 Oh, yes. Yes. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Somebody came up to me. This is Somebody came up.

7:44 By the way, I have to say before for those who haven't seen it, his character is so lovable and hilarious and funny. steals all the scenes. But but also

7:54 she came up and she was like she was like I'm a I'm a shrink and I love shrinking which is a great compliment.

8:00 She was like and I love your character. He's such a narcissist. And I was like is he? I had no idea.

8:10 And then you went back to Bill Lawrence who created the show. You were like is he a narcissist?

8:13 I was like am I playing a narcissist? And they're like oh yeah oh yeah. And then I was like, "Have I been doing it right all this time?" And then I went to my therapist and I was like,

8:23 "Am I a narcissist?" And she said, she said, "Nobody who asks is actually a narcissist."

8:30 I asked my therapist the same thing. Yeah, we're same. Oh my god, that's so funny. Um, you So when when Jason Seagull was here last

8:38 Yeah. he was talking about working with Harrison Ford and said that Harrison Ford gave him a compliment about his dick. What? True story. He did say that on this show. What is the nicest thing that Harrison Ford ever said about you?

8:56 Great butthole. Oh, yeah. I was hoping you'd come through with that. He's going to be so happy when he goes back and watches it.

9:08 Mom, dad. Um, uh, no, that obviously that didn't happen. Um uh he he well he does it he you know he's withholding. Harrison Ford is is is generally a withholding person

9:23 but when he every once in a while he will ask me something about myself every now and again.

9:30 Every now and again. And and it's and and I because he's withhold, you know, he's developed this this really like hilarious canankerous persona. Yeah. That we see in interviews and and and and and it's really funny and and like he has everyone on set in stitches because he's so cranky,

9:50 but it's not real. And we all know it's not real. He loves working. He loves being with us. He loves this character. And um and you know he will give us when you get a smile it's just like it melts your entire

10:05 Oh I bet. And um and he uh I think I think for like he will always ask me about theater.

10:14 A because he knows I do a lot of theater. I'm like during every break I go and do theater.

10:18 You back on Broadway. Tell me everything. and and it just means the world like that he's

10:24 that he you know wants to know but he's a really good actor and I've learned so much from working with him. He knows the camera so so well. He he he he like all is always talking to the camera the camera department. Where is this? Is this a cowboy? Is this you know he's always like checking in with them and and I'm always like I mean Vanessa Williams told me where the camera was 20 years ago and I still don't know. I still don't really know it. I'm like, "Oh, yeah. I should know this."

10:53 Yeah. Where are you? You're not supposed to look in it. No, he's doing it all wrong.

10:57 Cuz I'm in the theater. I'm cheating to every camera. You know, whenever there's a camera, I'm like, you know, whatever whatever the angle is, I'm I'm looking at it. And he's so good about that

11:07 and treats every scene like it's new, you know, like he doesn't rest on his laurels ever.

11:13 I love hearing that. I love it. Makes me love and respect him even more. Um, so Season three pre premieres tomorrow. Yeah.

11:22 And we also found out just a some news a little bit ago. There's gonna be a season four.

11:27 Yes. Congratulations. Yeah. We just got picked up. Thank you. JUST GOT PICKED UP.

11:31 SO COOL. IT'S SO EXCITING. IT'S so cool. It's so nice to know that like there's more obviously and especially it's right before the the premiere we get to find out and and everyone gets to know. So

11:44 I'm thrilled to hear. I cannot wait to watch. Do you have any expectations for Brian? Where would you like to see Brian go next season?

11:52 Well, it's so interesting because I don't know like how old the baby will be like like

11:57 how far they skip ahead. Yeah. Like how far are we going to skip ahead? Are we going to pick right up? Does that mean we get new babies? Because I really imprinted on the baby actors we had.

12:05 Oh yes. like they would bring these B because they were like little babies and and they bring these babies in and I I really I I would like really look into their eye because it's like it's just it's a just a baby like they they're not they're not acting they're just babying and and it's such a great thing for an actor to like have you know like that thing won't tell me a lie. This thing won't This thing will be what? It's sort of like,

12:32 you know, like this is a a mug. You know, that is the most Giuliard thing you have ever said, by the way. This guy clearly graduated from Giuliard.

12:42 Every time there was a scene with a baby, they would be like, "Do you want the baby in the crib so we can shoot it out and you can, you know, then focus on the scene?" And I was like, "No, give me the baby. I want to hold the baby. I'm better with the baby.

12:51 Smell the baby. I want to smell the baby. I want the baby to poop on me." Yeah.

12:54 Um, committed. That's real commitment. But we we had a break once in shooting where we didn't see the baby for like 6 weeks and when they brought them back, it was the same babies. They were totally different. This is the thing about babies.

13:05 Yeah. Tell them tell them the thing about babies. The thing about babies is they change all the time.

13:10 They grow. They grow. They get bigger. They get bigger. Their faces change. I was like, "Is this Wait a minute. Is this Ellie Ora?"

13:17 Yeah. Did you bring me an imposttor baby? And they're like, "No, that's her now. She's that. That's how big she is."

13:21 Yeah. They grow. They develop. And then one day they turn on you and they treat you like THEY TREAT YOU LIKE and they stop thinking you're cool.

13:30 I'm just kidding. My son never thought I was cool. I'm so excited for you. I cannot wait to watch this next season. I'm so happy for you. Thank you for being here. Such a delight. Season TV premieres January 28th on Apple TV. Michael Yuri.

Questions about this episode

Who speaks in "Michael Urie - “Shrinking" & Making Big Choices | The Daily Show"?

Michael Urie (Guest).

What is "Michael Urie - “Shrinking" & Making Big Choices | The Daily Show" about?

Michael Urie reflects on his busy year, discussing his Emmy nomination for "Shrinking," his role in "Richard II," and the ups and downs of life, including the recent loss of pets. He also shares insights into his breakout role in "Ugly Betty," revealing that his character was originally intended for just one episode but became a fan favorite.

What is mentioned in this The Daily Show episode?

11 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Shrinking, Michael Urie, Season 3, Harrison Ford, Vanessa Williams, Jason Segel. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "Michael Urie - “Shrinking" & Making Big Choices | The Daily Show"?

The episode runs 14 min; the transcript is about 2,718 words in 70 timestamped sections.

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