"I think they believe that if they follow all their rules nothin' bad'll happen to them. So when they see someone who's not followin' their rules, and doin' just fine... It makes 'em scared that their rules don't really matter. And when people get scared they get mad." ❤
Beautiful message from an unexpected place. Love to see Amy Sedaris making an appearance too. Such a great friendship to witness. Loved them together in At Home with Amy Sedaris, very glad to get to see more content from their weird little tribe haha.
Conversely, this is exactly why people are unkind or unsympathetic when people experience misfortune - because it is safer to believe that ‘following the rules’ protects you from bad things. Of course it’s nonsense: bad things can happen to everybody, just by chance. It’s sad that victim blaming is baked into the foundations of human psychological defence systems.
The thing about Cole's specials is that they're always unhinged and bizarre and have a real genuine heart to them. I end up invested in the characters 😭 and Cole's performance and writing has that quintessential golden era Hollywood spark that you can't find anywhere else
Someone needs to continue John Waters’ legacy just like Trixie Mattel picked up Divine’s mantle and Randy Rainbow is carrying PeeWee Herman’s torch (& both are so extra!)
I don't know. Part of the genius of his work is how he's had to tell stories without a lot of bells and whistles. The obvious fakery and two-dimensionality of the design is belied by the depth of insight and, above all, the depth of soul in his performance. He's crazy and camp and outrageous but at the core he is a deeply-centred actor.
This is like if Carol Burnett had teamed up with Mae West to steal the Music Man sets to put on Jerri Blank's interpretation of The Harvey Girls in some dirty bathhouse with a huge wig budget. Cole Escola once described himself as not really a drag queen but just a "semi-serious older character actress in a young gay man's body" and I've never come across a more accurate description of what makes him so special. The fact that Amy Sedaris backs him and pops up randomly brings all my favorite people full circle.
I've never seen such naturalistic acting for such a hyperbolic character in such a heightened world as Cole executed for Fifi. That was so fun and endearing.
I wasn't expecting it, but I cried at the end (and I didn't even recognize Amy Sedaris). I know it's...well, it's a thing, but I've been homeless for almost 7 years now, and I haven't been able to get me and my kid securely housed. It's been very difficult, especially on my kid, and the idea that someday I could house my kid how they deserve....all I want is a safe place for us to live, and I've always felt like an outsider and I can relate to those on the fringes of society. So seeing someone like Fifi not let everyone else's judgment stop her from shining, and then she gives up her way of life to give love and home and care to a poor kid she barely knows....She's got her shit right. Fifi is a bright light. I want to have Fifi's verve and grit. Plus, those callbacks to old Hollywood glamour and drama really remind me of when I was younger (I grew up on old films) and in love with people like Greta Garbo in Flesh and the Devil.
No, came here after watching a Ziwe clip where Cole played a character in the fake commercial break skit, but now I’m gonna have to catch up on The Bald and The Beautiful to hear what Katya had to say lol
this has the tenderness of golden age hollywood, the humor of a Mel Brooks Comedy, and the unashamed raunchiness of a Brandon Rogers video. I don't know how you made those things work together, but by God, you did.
Christmas raunch like in “Prancer” when Sam Elliott goes out to get the mail wearing just a Union suit with his massive “package” displaying his religion. Heartfelt like when Dawn Davenport didn’t get her black cha-cha heels for Xmas *...speaking of some “Divine acting” gurl!* _Definitely destined to be a holiday season classic._
The conversation with the kid about rules and how people treat each other was great. Same with when the senator and the cowboy jerk each other off. Altogether an insane and hilarious romp. Gotta love the guest stars, too!
This was wonderful, I’m tearing up thinking about Fifi getting Harper that dress. Seriously, I’m crying now. It was beautiful. Fifi accepts and loves Harper for who Harper is. I’m so glad Harper found a loving home. Thank you, Cole, you are a beautiful person inside and out. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.
This is why I love drag. Who could honestly play that many parts? The quality. The way it harkens back to a simplier time during a time that's fucked at best hehe This frfr warms my heart. Kudos!
I love Cole's writing so much. Just the most random, absurd lines that catch me off guard and have me dying lol. But the heartfelt material is also just as strong and it's a great balance. The cast is fantastic. Cole, as always, is a chameleon, taking on so many different characters and making them unique. But they're equally matched by all the other actors who know EXACTLY how to handle the material, including some of Cole's regular collaborators (Amy Sedaris, Ike Ufomadu, Jo Firestone, Erin Markey). And of course, gotta mention Gavin Berman who is just fantastic and so cute lol. That kid is gonna go far. Love the music, set design, and establishing shots through paintings. Brings everything together and makes the production feel bigger than it is. The details are appreciated. Wow, just an amazing pilot all around. You and everyone involved knocked it out of the park, and I thank you for sharing it on CZcams for everyone to see freely.
That scene with Fifi and Tom is giving “All that Heaven Allows”! Douglas Sirk magic. A lil Fassbinder too, this was a total treat. Cole is the holiday gift that keeps giving!!
I truly cannot stop watching this. OBSESSED. The whole story invites you to join the queer community both within and without the picture. Love radiates from it. 10/10.
I came here from the Bald and the Beautiful pod, and thank God I did. This was so incredible, from the emotional storyline to the perfectly interwoven comedy. It was amazing. Thank you, Cole and everyone involved! Please keep up the amazing work. You and your cast are so talented!!!!
I literally just stood up from my toilet to pay a well deserved standing ovation (no joke) eyes on the screen from the beginning to the end I don’t think I’ve ever watched anything on CZcams uninterrupted,so completely transported where the cart board set cut outs that at the beginning made it hard to get into the fantasy without even noticing they fade into reality by their incredible performance and come on! that shot when the sheriff opens the door to reveal that much beauty surrounded by cotton candy ugh! An emblem of the golden era of cinema form the past perfectly captured it’s beauty and essence How very dare you?
What a wonderful production. I was just watching some At Home with Amy, and wondered who played Chassie. And now, here we are. Fun characters, great writing with a folksy feel. Loved it❤
Holy cow! What a coincidence that this popped up, because I was just re-watching all of my favorite sketches that Cole has done. I just randomly started watching this on my phone, and was completely blown away by it! What an amazing cast, and as always Cole does amazing as the leading Lady. What a beautiful, Bizzarre, ingenious combination of wild queer underground filmmaking and heartwarming cheesiness that you’d see at ur grandparents house at 3 am. Cole is a master of their craft. There is truly no one else like them in the business. This is awesome! I think I’m going to watch this every Christmas season.
Cole you are a very talented treasure ❤️❤️❤️ Want to share with you that your narrator Justin Vivian Bond and I graduated from highschool together and were in our senior class play , Our Town, they were the narrator , I was Simon Stimpson 😊
"I think they believe that if they follow all their rules nothin' bad'll happen to them. So when they see someone who's not followin' their rules, and doin' just fine... It makes 'em scared that their rules don't really matter. And when people get scared they get mad." ❤
Beautiful message from an unexpected place. Love to see Amy Sedaris making an appearance too. Such a great friendship to witness. Loved them together in At Home with Amy Sedaris, very glad to get to see more content from their weird little tribe haha.
Dude just described conservative republicans
This hit hard 💜 Unexpected after laughing so much. Bravo!
Conversely, this is exactly why people are unkind or unsympathetic when people experience misfortune - because it is safer to believe that ‘following the rules’ protects you from bad things. Of course it’s nonsense: bad things can happen to everybody, just by chance.
It’s sad that victim blaming is baked into the foundations of human psychological defence systems.
That really is true
The thing about Cole's specials is that they're always unhinged and bizarre and have a real genuine heart to them. I end up invested in the characters 😭 and Cole's performance and writing has that quintessential golden era Hollywood spark that you can't find anywhere else
Well said and well put !
The facial expressions and voice from Cole were soooo spot on golden age. Very impressive tbh
I want an entire six seasons about Fifi
@@ahoytherekaty I agree! This should be a series. And I hope the young actor grows up as it unfolds, à la Boyhood.
Ooh girl that glamour shot was everything
Right? That pink, toile babushka/head-wrap slayed!
Someone needs to give Cole some money so we can keep getting more like this. 🎉
ong
I heartily concur !
Someone needs to continue John Waters’ legacy just like Trixie Mattel picked up Divine’s mantle and Randy Rainbow is carrying PeeWee Herman’s torch (& both are so extra!)
I don't know. Part of the genius of his work is how he's had to tell stories without a lot of bells and whistles. The obvious fakery and two-dimensionality of the design is belied by the depth of insight and, above all, the depth of soul in his performance. He's crazy and camp and outrageous but at the core he is a deeply-centred actor.
This is like if Carol Burnett had teamed up with Mae West to steal the Music Man sets to put on Jerri Blank's interpretation of The Harvey Girls in some dirty bathhouse with a huge wig budget. Cole Escola once described himself as not really a drag queen but just a "semi-serious older character actress in a young gay man's body" and I've never come across a more accurate description of what makes him so special. The fact that Amy Sedaris backs him and pops up randomly brings all my favorite people full circle.
Wonderfully said and wonderfully well put !!
why is this free.....
why am I tearing up!
I've never seen such naturalistic acting for such a hyperbolic character in such a heightened world as Cole executed for Fifi. That was so fun and endearing.
As always, an amazing work of art from Cole Escola. Strange, heart-warming, madcap, and magical from start to finish.
As I do when I take off my hat, you make a good point !
John Waters would be SO proud, Cole.
He’s not dead 😭😭😭
@@joreed6313 I didn’t say he was
I concur!
Incredible. Unfelchingly incredible.
Wait a sec
We are so lucky to have this on CZcams. Once in a generation talent
Watching this during Christmas Eve would be a yearly event for me and my husband.
I wasn't expecting it, but I cried at the end (and I didn't even recognize Amy Sedaris).
I know it's...well, it's a thing, but I've been homeless for almost 7 years now, and I haven't been able to get me and my kid securely housed. It's been very difficult, especially on my kid, and the idea that someday I could house my kid how they deserve....all I want is a safe place for us to live, and I've always felt like an outsider and I can relate to those on the fringes of society. So seeing someone like Fifi not let everyone else's judgment stop her from shining, and then she gives up her way of life to give love and home and care to a poor kid she barely knows....She's got her shit right. Fifi is a bright light. I want to have Fifi's verve and grit.
Plus, those callbacks to old Hollywood glamour and drama really remind me of when I was younger (I grew up on old films) and in love with people like Greta Garbo in Flesh and the Devil.
And when the world needed him the most, he reappeared.
Yes indeed !
I love how I was like “Let me check this out to see what it’s about” and now I’ve watched the whole thing cause it’s so damn funny.
me too
I had work to do! 😭
I’ve watched it 3x thus far and each time I’ve picked up something new!
I’m here because the NYT just gave Cole’s “Oh, Mary” such a rave review. Commence rabbit hole😊
Welcome to the fan club. You’re gonna love it here.
You are in for a treat. Cole is amazing. I don’t think I’ve seen a single thing with them in it that wasn’t top tier.
Who else is here because of Katya’s glowing review??
Me!
Absolutely here b/c of Katya and she’s 💯, this is giving early John Waters vibes (especially Desperate Living & Female Trouble!)
🙋♀️
No, came here after watching a Ziwe clip where Cole played a character in the fake commercial break skit, but now I’m gonna have to catch up on The Bald and The Beautiful to hear what Katya had to say lol
Yep!
this has the tenderness of golden age hollywood, the humor of a Mel Brooks Comedy, and the unashamed raunchiness of a Brandon Rogers video. I don't know how you made those things work together, but by God, you did.
Yes !
I wasn't prepared for how emotionally invested I would get. Absolute perfection.
perfect blend of heartfelt and raunchy. a new favorite christmas movie. cole, your acting is divine.
I certainly have a notion to second THAT emotion !
Christmas raunch like in “Prancer” when Sam Elliott goes out to get the mail wearing just a Union suit with his massive “package” displaying his religion. Heartfelt like when Dawn Davenport didn’t get her black cha-cha heels for Xmas
*...speaking of some “Divine acting” gurl!*
_Definitely destined to be a holiday season classic._
The conversation with the kid about rules and how people treat each other was great. Same with when the senator and the cowboy jerk each other off. Altogether an insane and hilarious romp. Gotta love the guest stars, too!
Who doesn’t love a “Belle Watling” closeup. Beautiful 🙌❤️
Oh, good call! I couldn’t exactly place the look until you said it. czcams.com/video/9Kdi_V-D6Mg/video.html
I gasp’d
Somewhere out there, Ona Munson is smiling.
thankful for the girls who can felch without puking ❤
I could bathe in anything made by Cole Escola. So bizarre and hilarious and earnestly sweet at the same time. What a joy. Never stop making these.
Indubitably !!
This was wonderful, I’m tearing up thinking about Fifi getting Harper that dress. Seriously, I’m crying now. It was beautiful. Fifi accepts and loves Harper for who Harper is. I’m so glad Harper found a loving home. Thank you, Cole, you are a beautiful person inside and out. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.
It’s the gossamer, pink toile, babushka-veil for me!
I choose to believe this masterpiece is in the same universe as Pee Pee Manor.
Trying to decide which I like best! Must watch both productions again. And again, and again,...
Including my favorite Christmas carol “in the bleak midwinter”. This was a delight.
Thank you, Katya, for introducing this heart wrenching, weird, perfect film to me
Thank you CZcams algorithm for bringing this to me. It’s fantastic.
The part where Fifi explains to the kid about "people's rules" is so touching and endearing. And well acted.
This is why I love drag. Who could honestly play that many parts? The quality. The way it harkens back to a simplier time during a time that's fucked at best hehe This frfr warms my heart. Kudos!
I just saw "Oh Mary!" and needed more Cole Escola. This is such a fix, I love it
I’m so jealous! I hope that show comes to L.A.
What a pleasant surprise 😁 Thanks for the recommendation Katya 😋
What a brilliantly wacky, saucy and heartfelt masterpiece!
Yes, Katya brought me here
Cole Escola, international treasure.
Wow! That was exceptional on every level. From the story, to the acting, and the costumes. I hope you do more.
Me too !
I love Cole's writing so much. Just the most random, absurd lines that catch me off guard and have me dying lol. But the heartfelt material is also just as strong and it's a great balance.
The cast is fantastic. Cole, as always, is a chameleon, taking on so many different characters and making them unique. But they're equally matched by all the other actors who know EXACTLY how to handle the material, including some of Cole's regular collaborators (Amy Sedaris, Ike Ufomadu, Jo Firestone, Erin Markey). And of course, gotta mention Gavin Berman who is just fantastic and so cute lol. That kid is gonna go far.
Love the music, set design, and establishing shots through paintings. Brings everything together and makes the production feel bigger than it is. The details are appreciated.
Wow, just an amazing pilot all around. You and everyone involved knocked it out of the park, and I thank you for sharing it on CZcams for everyone to see freely.
**train whistle**
“Was that… your pussy?”
“No! I WISH…”
😂😂😂😂
You speak the truth, Kemo Sabe !!
Katya, is that you?
Can't believe they did a new series of Deadwood
Stuff like this makes me want to join my local theater so bad
The monologue at 25:14 is poignant, yet timeless. And somehow universally relatable. Way to go, Cole.
Totally agree ❤
Indeed !
This is an American masterpiece.
And jesus wept... with tears of laughter!
“There’s no swordfish in it”
What the.......what did I just stumble across?!?!?!? I LOVE IT!! WHAT IS THISSSS?!?! 😂
Best Christmas Movie EVER!
This was just so beautiful. I think I'll watch it every Christmas.💜❤🧡💛💚💙🤎🖤🤍💗💗
Cole is made for this kind of production. This should have already brought a flood of offers from streamers.
Love Love Loe the Viacom ending, very nostalgic of 70 and 80s classic TV
That scene with Fifi and Tom is giving “All that Heaven Allows”! Douglas Sirk magic. A lil Fassbinder too, this was a total treat. Cole is the holiday gift that keeps giving!!
I truly cannot stop watching this. OBSESSED. The whole story invites you to join the queer community both within and without the picture. Love radiates from it. 10/10.
If there's anything you need, anything at all - you can always, always figure it out 😂
I came back to this video just to watch 20:25 again. STUNNING
Nothing better than people still making weird, touching art.
Thank God! *>Whew
I came here from the Bald and the Beautiful pod, and thank God I did. This was so incredible, from the emotional storyline to the perfectly interwoven comedy. It was amazing. Thank you, Cole and everyone involved! Please keep up the amazing work. You and your cast are so talented!!!!
I think lots of viewers came from “The B&B” podcast, this material is brilliant asf.
Holy shit Cole. Incredible.
I love how straight this is played. So much funnier than when actors laugh at their own jokes. Brilliant.
I’ve always wondered what the back story of Yankee Candles was. Thanks!
I did NOT expect this to make me cry wtf
It feels like that one muppet christmas where they are all snowed - in. Maybe i'll show it to my family
Cole is a gem. I have been a fan of his for over a decade now. He deserves all that is coming his way.
Omg 7 mins in and already a Justin Vivian Bond and an Amy Sedaris cameo 👏👏
Edit: that was brilliant! Fifi was wonderful and the reverend sent me 😂
I could cry! The gangs all here! Amy, Conner, Aidy, Cole, Cole, Cole and Cole, Cole and Cole and Cole. 💕
Also loved the met gala look.
I literally just stood up from my toilet to pay a well deserved standing ovation (no joke) eyes on the screen from the beginning to the end I don’t think I’ve ever watched anything on CZcams uninterrupted,so completely transported where the cart board set cut outs that at the beginning made it hard to get into the fantasy without even noticing they fade into reality by their incredible performance and come on!
that shot when the sheriff opens the door to reveal that much beauty surrounded by cotton candy ugh! An emblem of the golden era of cinema form the past perfectly captured it’s beauty and essence
How very dare you?
What I would not give to see a second episode!!!!
Absolutely heartwarming & brilliant! ❤️
The cameos😭😊❤️❤️❤️❤️
What a wonderful production. I was just watching some At Home with Amy, and wondered who played Chassie. And now, here we are. Fun characters, great writing with a folksy feel. Loved it❤
The best holiday film I've seen in years honestly not a joke in the slightest.
This owns
Honestly just found my new favorite Christmas film❤
There’s something about a content creator that makes content longer than 15mins that I truly appreciate
This made me tear up all the way, heartwarming indeed, thank you ❤🩹 And that entrance in a cloud of pink was absolutely breathtaking! 💫
Holy cow! What a coincidence that this popped up, because I was just re-watching all of my favorite sketches that Cole has done. I just randomly started watching this on my phone, and was completely blown away by it! What an amazing cast, and as always Cole does amazing as the leading Lady. What a beautiful, Bizzarre, ingenious combination of wild queer underground filmmaking and heartwarming cheesiness that you’d see at ur grandparents house at 3 am. Cole is a master of their craft. There is truly no one else like them in the business. This is awesome! I think I’m going to watch this every Christmas season.
I was not expecting Aidy Bryant to show up in this
This was awesome. Super funny, heart felt, and well done. ❤ Thank you. 🎉
What a great Thanksgiving day treat. Sweeter than pumpkin pie.
Total masterpiece dude, this is now Christmas tradition.
So much talent!! Cole plays so many different characters and plays them well!!
Laughed harder than I have in a long time at “no, I wish”
Thank God.
Oh I love it love it love it! Bravo! Bravo!
cole, never stop making art !
"These diamonds are making my breasts itch. Have them arrested!" is absolute perfection. Our Home only improved from there
This is going on my list of annual christmas movies to watch
this is probably the best xmas movie since the muppet christmas carol
Cole you are a very talented treasure ❤️❤️❤️
Want to share with you that your narrator Justin Vivian Bond and I graduated from highschool together and were in our senior class play , Our Town, they were the narrator , I was Simon Stimpson 😊
I know it because Katya and Trixie talked about it on podcast and I love it so so much. It really broadens your perspective. Love from Poland
*Mmm, kielbasa.*
Very funny and surprisingly compelling. New Christmas favourite.
This was hilarious and unexpectedly moving. I hope the world falls in love with Cole. I have.
“Once you drown that’s pretty much it” 😂
What a lovely surprise this morning. Thank you ❤
A theater kid's dream, this is.
this is scrumptious, beginning to end
I NEED MORE EPISODES IMMEDIATELY!
p.s. i heard about this on Trixie and Katya's podcast today and am SO GLAD they talked about it! ❤
That was perfect. I could watch 100 more episodes.
Brilliance captured on film
It’s so absurd and heartfelt. Genius.
Why am I crying? This is so good.