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Las Culturistas · September 16, 2026 · 1h 28m

The Show Must Go OFF (w/ Laura Benanti)

Laura Benanti joins hosts Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang for a conversation that touches on performing, backstage etiquette when a friend's show is awful, her Italian family traditions like "Tita Papa" (the Italian Santa Claus who sleeps with your wife), how she broke her neck onstage, experiencing Sleep No More with a terrified Patti LuPone, the impact of the Into the Woods PBS pro-shot, hosting the Jimmy Awards, and comedic embarrassment. They also discuss what it means to be Italian by love, vacating, and realizing your vagina may not be the portal to greatness. It's a mix of theater gossip, personal anecdotes, and cultural commentary.

This summary was generated from show notes and public descriptions, not from a full transcript review. Details may contain inaccuracies.

Preview

Tita Papa: The Italian Santa Claus Who Sleeps With Your Wife
Laura Benanti shares the story of Tita Papa, an Italian Santa Claus figure who, according to her family lore, sleeps with your wife.
Breaking Her Neck Onstage
Laura Benanti recounts the time she literally broke her neck while performing onstage.

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