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Naomi Ekperigin and comedian Jacqueline Novak discuss their personal experiences with depression.

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How To Weep In Public is hosted by comedian Jacqueline Novak, author of How to Weep in Public, Feeble Offerings on Depression From One Who Knows, for a chat about being a depresso. These friends engage in a frank, non-precious, laugh out loud funny exploration of feelings.

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Transcript
00:00Naomi.
00:01Jacqueline.
00:02What a joy to have you here.
00:04This is the most magical moment.
00:06I mean, have we ever sat in a room and talked alone?
00:10I don't think so.
00:11I've thought about it.
00:12Yeah, me too.
00:13I've tried to orchestrate it.
00:14But you are often very busy.
00:16Am I? No.
00:18It's hard to get me out sometimes.
00:19And that's a real holdover from the depression.
00:21I hear you, sister.
00:22I hear you, sister.
00:40I find out with depression, when I'm in that true state, things that normally you kind
00:45of can do on like an autopilot or something, right?
00:48You know, healthy-ish people or whatever can sort of slip into walking and then they're
00:52just doing it.
00:54They just start, just lace up their sleeves.
00:56They're riding around on a horse that is their own walking.
01:00Yep, their legs are a horse.
01:00You know, it's just going.
01:02You know what I mean?
01:02I just, okay?
01:03I see it in them.
01:04I can tell they're not even conscious of the limbs, you know, pushing one forward and
01:08propel, propel, propel.
01:10But when I'm hideously depressed, I'm very conscious of that.
01:13I like to take a lot of stops.
01:14Yep.
01:15And stoops.
01:16Well, see, my deal is though, when I am not feeling it, where am I going?
01:22Okay, what is this like walking for walking's sake?
01:25I can't do it.
01:26Exactly.
01:27I'm like, wait, so you want me to just, because I had a therapist who would always say like,
01:31get up, take a walk, just go around the block.
01:35And I'm just like, where am I going?
01:36I hate that.
01:37Because isn't depression that feeling of futility in life?
01:40So then to get up and walk with no destination is futility manifest.
01:44Yes.
01:44When I'm like really depressed, my brain is just like Harlem in the 80s.
01:48Oh my God, that's so interesting you say that.
01:49Like, do not go alone.
01:50You need to call somebody right now.
01:53Don't turn a corner.
01:54Yes.
01:55Darkness is in every alleyway.
01:59Well, you know, you have cats.
02:01Squee and Prembley.
02:03Thank you so much for remembering.
02:05And then you also have Mabel and Promo.
02:07I've often thought, and I know you've experienced this with Squee and Prembley.
02:14Okay, but if your life was nothing more than caring for them, that would be a life.
02:20I would be doing God's work.
02:22Yes, that would be alone.
02:25Animals are not a sideshow act.
02:27Okay, animals alone.
02:29You are taking care of, you are keeping a life safe and healthy and happy.
02:34And it almost makes me want to have an actual human child.
02:36No.
02:37Well, I don't really.
02:38But sometimes I think, well, if this career doesn't happen.
02:41If your career doesn't happen?
02:43What if I just make a baby?
02:45And then if I keep it alive, I've won.
02:48You think?
02:49I would have been successful if I keep it alive.
02:51Really?
02:52To 21.
02:53I'm not convinced that's enough.
02:54I mean, look, I do not think that I could necessarily keep one alive.
02:58You know what I mean?
02:59Well, exactly.
02:59I know, I know.
03:01And I think I would, you know, people always say like you have kids and you make it work.
03:04But I don't think, I could see myself being like, and here's the thing.
03:08I wouldn't even be drunk or on a drug.
03:10It would still be like, literally like mommy needs to lay down.
03:13It's all about food.
03:14Go like feed yourself.
03:15It's all about food.
03:16And then the kid tries to make some Kraft macaroni and cheese.
03:19And the whole house burns down.
03:21Yeah, I've seen this play out.
03:22Yeah.
03:22I feel like that would be all because I couldn't get up.
03:25I want mommy.
03:25You know, mommy I wanted to make you happy.
03:28Okay.
03:29I'm gonna make a smiley face pancake for mommy.
03:32And then, and then, and then, and then, and then, and then, and then, and then, and then, and then.
03:36Yeah.
03:36Don't wanna make mommy and then.
03:37Yeah.
03:42Do you think that in a fire, okay?
03:44And you're most depressed?
03:45Yeah.
03:46That scent of fire, okay?
03:48Scent of fire, scent of smoke.
03:50Scent of fire.
03:50Do you immediately hop up?
03:53Are you immediately activated or, or is there a, let's like make sure it's my apartment that's burning?
03:59Actually, no.
04:00I smell it and I actually do immediately hop up.
04:02See, that's, that's good.
04:02I'll tell you why.
04:03Survival lives in you.
04:04It does.
04:05I will hop up, but you know what I'm also gonna do?
04:07I gotta get those cat children in a carrier.
04:09And we gotta get out.
04:10Which is hard.
04:11Well, I just think, you know, smoke inhalation's too painful a way to go.
04:14Is it?
04:15Of course.
04:16It's better than burning though.
04:17Oh, of course.
04:18Okay, what if you couldn't get out but you had an oxygen intake?
04:21See what I'm saying?
04:22Uh-huh.
04:22I mean, I know oxygen burns, but let's say perfectly.
04:24Right, but what you want is first to pass out due to smoke inhalation.
04:27And then let the flames take you.
04:30Okay.
04:31Because, because, burning.
04:34Okay?
04:35Yeah, no way.
04:36No way.
04:37I mean, and knowing my luck, I'd live.
04:38What about on a mistake?
04:38What about on a mistake?
04:41Do you find that personhood becomes a question?
04:44When depressed, sort of, you know.
04:46Like, am I real?
04:46I can't leave.
04:48It's interesting.
04:48I consider myself, when I'm feeling in my most down, I am a waste of space.
04:53Mmm.
04:54I'm a waste of space.
04:54I'm a waste of resources.
04:56Oh my God.
04:57You go eco.
04:58I do!
04:59I'm like, Jesus!
05:00Someone else take the oxygen.
05:02Someone else take it.
05:03What am I doing right now?
05:05But you know?
05:06It's not like I, you know, as a creative person, it's like, you're like, I need to recharge.
05:10I need to refill the well.
05:12That's not what I'm doing.
05:15That's a big, you know, whole chapter in The Artist's Way is about literally reaching
05:18well.
05:19Yeah, I've read it.
05:20Yeah, I'm sure you have.
05:24I hate tools.
05:26You know what I mean?
05:27I mean, like, I hate, like, that metaphor, like, we know what it means.
05:31You know what I mean?
05:31Yeah.
05:31And we know what they mean.
05:32Okay?
05:33There's something really annoying about it.
05:34Like, do you really want, like, I don't know, there's something unappealing about, like,
05:38well, you're, you know, you're developing tools.
05:40Tools, like, oh, tools.
05:43I know.
05:43Do you have the tools?
05:45Do you have your, are you, no, here's what I mean, are you using your tools?
05:47Oh my God.
05:48Because you already have them, but are you using them?
05:51Are you using your tools?
05:51And it's also like, I don't already have them.
05:53You mean the one thing you suggested last week that was annoying?
05:56Yeah.
05:56That I haven't done since you suggested it?
05:59No.
05:59Alright.
06:00Love you.
06:02Love you.
06:03Lylas.
06:04Lylas.
06:09This has been How To Weep In Public.
06:11You need to subscribe.
06:12You need to watch more episodes.
06:14You need to get your head right.
06:17Thank you guys.
06:18Thanks for watching.
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