Interview With the Boys of <em>Jeffery and Cole Casserole</em>

I got the chance to sit down with Jeffery Self and Cole Escola, the comic geniuses behind the cult Youtube hit, which is now in its second season on the Logo Network.
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After much stalking on Twitter and Facebook, I finally got the chance to sit down with Jeffery Self and Cole Escola, the comic geniuses behind the cult Youtube hit Jeffery and Cole Casserole, which is now in its second season on the Logo Network.

Jeffery and Cole have a fantastically wicked sense of humor, tackling everything from their penchant for wigs and underwear in their show to why Nancy Grace busted into the room of our interview demanding money. From old school television and movie references to poking fun at celebrities and queer culture, these boys know how to bring you in to their crazy world!

Read what has to be one of the most fun and entertaining interviews I've ever done and watch Jeffery and Cole Casserole on The Logo Network on Fridays at midnight and online at www.logoonline.com.

Waymon Hudson: Thanks for sitting down with our readers, guys! How did the cult phenomenon that is Jeffery and Cole Casserole start?

Jeffery Self: We were both in Sydney.

Cole Escola: Workshopping an Opera I had written.

Jeffery Self: Well, don't be so modest, Cole... it was a really impressive opera based on "Murder She Wrote." I was randomly working for the Opera house doing some scenic design work.... which was funny because I had literally no experience in scenic design or design in any way for that matter.

Cole Escola: It really showed. Everyone thought the ocean was a cityscape made out of toy soldiers, but we really hit it off.

Jeffery Self: Yea and we were like, "Let's take what we do and put it on TV"

Cole Escola: Tada. "Jeffery and Cole Casserole."

Jeffery Self: Pssst- just kidding. We met through mutual friends, made some YouTube videos, started doing live shows in NYC, and the nice folks at Logo noticed us and asked us to develop a show. We did.

Cole Escola: But I DID write that opera and Jeffery CAN'T design anything.

Jeffery Self: True.

Waymon: The show is going into its second season on the Logo network. How did that move from online to cable tv come about and has it changed how you approach the show?

Jeffery Self: This season is a lot like how we made last season in that we're still at my dumpy apartment and Cole's still showing up drunk.

Cole Escola: HEY! You're right.

Jeffery Self: But this time around we've got a production company producing it with us and they provide us with really helpful producers and wigs.

Waymon: How do you come up with the sketches in the show? They are all incredibly off the wall and fantastically queer! And are there any that don't make it to see the light of day- ones that maybe go too far?

Cole Escola: There's one about the Iraq war that didn't make it through.

Jeffery Self: And I can't talk about Nancy Grace, but that's more of a personal legal issue.

Cole Escola: Basically Jeffery owes Nancy Grace ten thousand dollars.

Jeffery Self: Twelve but who's counting?

Cole Escola: Nancy Grace is.

Jeffery Self: How do you know?

Cole Escola: She's right here.

Nancy Grace: Hey guys.

Jeffery Self: Oh shit.

Nancy Grace: No no. Don't worry. I just wanted to stop by to tell you not to worry about it.

Jeffery Self: Oh thanks, Nance.

Nancy Grace: I know you'll pay me when you can. How do I get out of here? Oh wait. There's the exit. See ya guys.

Waymon: Beat it, Nancy! There's lots of dressing up in drag and LOTS of sketches where you end up in your underwear. Do you build the sketches around that or is it just a pleasant side effect of the gay nature of your show?

Jeffery Self: We don't build the show around that. We just happen to be two boys who really like wearing wigs and really dislike wearing clothes.

Cole Escola: Oh crap. Nancy left her cell phone here.

Jeffery Self: No, that's mine. Getting back to the sketches, we just make the show we want to make, and it just so happens we're really queer and we're on a queer network.

Waymon: So we have to know- have you two ever dated or are you just friends? Or maybe gay twins separated at birth?

Jeffery Self: We haven't made any decisions about our public relationship.

Cole Escola: Sorry. Are you sure this isn't Nancy Grace's phone? There's a picture of her and her husband as the background.

Jeffery Self: Thats me and my Mom. Anyway, Cole and I happen to just be friends and its pretty much been that since we met...except when we're mad at each other...then we're still friends but it's less fun, y'know?

Waymon: Your references to old movie and Broadway stars belie your ages! Have you both always been fans of old Hollywood?

Jeffery Self: Neither of us had many friends growing up so we spent a large amount of time watching movies and TV shows with our Moms.

Cole Escola: Except when my Dad got mad at my Mom. Then the nights went a little differently.

Jeffery Self: Tell them what happened, Cole.

Cole Escola: Just a lot of domestic abuse and other things no kid should ever see.

Jeffery Self: And he's not talking about season one of "Frasier". Though...did you watch that? Yikes. They found their voice...eventually.

Waymon: What's next for you both?

Cole Escola: Well, I'm gonna go back and watch season one of "Frasier".

Jeffery Self: Cole, I'm telling you...you can start at three and you'll save 23 hours of your life.

Cole Escola: Is it really that bad?

Jeffery Self: Who am I to say something is bad or good?

Cole Escola: You're Jeffery.

Jeffery Self: You're right. Kelsey Grammar started off a little rocky but once he stopped reaching so hard for the joke, it really soared. Plus they brought on Jean Smart and she won an Emmy for a guest appearance.

Cole Escola: I love Jean Smart.

Jeffery Self: I love Jean Smart.

Jeffery Self & Cole Escola: How much do you love Jean Smart? Send us your answers to @jefferyself and @coleescola on Twitter.

And don't forget to check out Jeffery and Cole Casserole on The Logo Network on Fridays at 12am and online at www.logoonline.com!

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