How would you like to spend every day gabbing with your best friend and getting paid for it? Frances Callier and Angela Shelton, best known for their commentary on CNN, MSN and shows like VH1’s Best Week Ever, have made a name for themselves doing just that as the comedy duo Frangela. We would totally hate them for having the perfect job, but we just can’t stop laughing. Clearly, Frangela knows what makes people tick. Well, we found out what makes Frangela tick when the dynamic divas stopped by Torrid for an interview and a photo shoot.
How did you first discover you were funny?
Angela Shelton: Our number-one goal on stage is to make each other laugh, so it’s fairly surprising that we’ve been able to make a living at it.
Frances Callier: I said to Angela one day that I would love for our friendship to be what we do, and now we get to do that, just talk all day.
Both: And get paid for it!
Did a lot of people try to discourage you? What made you keep going?
FC: My mother told me, “When you’re 35 and you’re sitting on wicker furniture, don’t complain to me!”
Do you ever get competitive with each other?
FC: [Shaking her head] No.
AS: No. Whoever gets [the project], the other one’s going to get all the benefits too. She’s still coming to the set. She’s still going to dinner. You might as well hire both of us because we’re both going to be there.
What’s the coolest thing you’ve done so far?
FC: We’ve done a lot of cool things. We’ve done a pilot for Fox. I love doing the radio show. That’s incredible, getting to talk to people.
AS: We got to talk to Orlando Bloom on the phone last week because we were doing an interview with the head of the Obama campaign. And he was like, “I’m here with Orlando Bloom. Do you want to say hi?” That was hysterical. We couldn’t get it together after that. [Gasping] We just talked to Legolas! We’ve definitely had the opportunity to work with some really cool people.
FC: We went to Disneyland and got the royal treatment. We got to go through all the back lines, all that stuff. That was fun.
AS: Oh! We got to do “No on 8” PSAs [public service announcements].
What are some of the other big issues that are really important to you?
FC: Oh, the economy. We’ve been talking about it for the last year on the radio. We’ve been saying we’re headed toward a depression, and it’s hard because you’re watching 10,000 jobs go.
Did the outcome of the election give you any hope for the economy?
Both: Oh, absolutely!
AS: Yeah. It’s got to be better, right? [Obama’s] already working it.
Where were you on election night?
AS: We stayed home because it was just too emotional. We got invited to several parties, but I didn’t want to be [there]. Those tears were real tears. They weren’t fun tears. My friend was like, “Let’s pop the champagne.” But I was like, are you sure? When I hear it out of McCain’s lips, I’ll be okay. What I expected him to do—and I’m glad he disappointed me in this way because it made me gain some respect for him; that speech he gave was one of his best speeches—but what I expected him to do was fight it. Fight the results, be a pain and drag it out.
At what point did you just lose it and start crying?
AS: Jesse Jackson, for me, crying.
FC: I still couldn’t believe [that Obama won]. I got up at three in the morning to turn the TV back on.
AS: And when [Obama’s] family all walked out, I was like, oh, my god. They’re going to be in the White House. I still can’t believe it.
You’re “pop culture pundits” on Best Week Ever, the Today Show and Dateline, but you mentioned in a recent LA Weekly article that you like to talk about more important issues.
FC: Yes, we do.
AS: You know what? There’s only so much you can say about Britney’s panties. One week—I think it was the week Paris went to jail—we were on what seemed like every media outlet: CNN, MSN, VH1. By Friday of that week, I was like, is she out of jail yet? Because I’m really sick of it. That’s why we love doing our radio show. We started at Second City, and so the prejudice I’ve felt in terms of “can you be funny?” is that people see [Second City] on your resume and automatically think you do sketch comedy and that’s it. People decide that that means something about your performance. That you do big, wacky characters with big wigs, even though that’s not what Second City does. Second City does sociopolitical satire.
Are you worried about your writing being pigeonholed into just comedy?
AS: You know, we like comedy.
FC: We love comedy.
AS: We’ve never sat down and said, “We need to write something serious.” I guess maybe if we tried to. But we’re not a “Tonight, on a very special Frangela…”
And these days, comedy seems more important than ever.
FC: We have a lot of people write to us at our Web site and they say, “Thank you for helping me get through this tough time.” You have no idea that you’re doing that when you’re out there, just kind of talking and making each other laugh, that people are literally going, “Thank you, because I was feeling bad.”
I’ve heard comedy is a tough business for women. Has this been true for you?
AS: When you get into writing and producing, that’s where you see more of that come out. As a performer, I haven’t felt a lot of that “women can’t be funny.” But when you try to be a writer, that’s when I feel some of that come in.
FC: It’s more of a boys’ club.
Do you think that they expect that you’ll only talk about women’s issues?
AS: They seem to want to try and make you. We’ve had entire discussions and meetings where we talk about everything under the sun, except what are so-called “women’s issues,” like relationships, and [the people we’re meeting with] will turn to you and be like, “Oh, a women’s show?”
FC: We try not to be ghetto-ized in that way [either]. Yes, we talk about issues that affect women, that affect African-Americans, but we do a lot of social and political commentary. We talk about the economy. We talk about politics and government and so much more, even things outside of pop culture. That’s not our only [thing].
You talk about a lot of famous people. Have any of your words come back to haunt you?
AS: [If] you do something wrong, then everybody says something, including your own mama. I think we may not have gotten on The View because we said Sherri Shepherd was stupid. If you Google us, I think the first or second thing that comes up is us ranting about how stupid she is.
Are you starting to get recognized more?
FC: Yeah.
AS: Oh, yeah. We were on a plane when our Dateline [appearance] about celebrity meltdowns was on NBC.
FC: In the middle seats, in coach, and my TV didn’t work.
AS: The guy next to Frances was asleep, so I was like, “Turn on his TV!” So we were sharing my headset, and he wakes up while we’re watching his TV and we’re on the screen. He looks at his TV and he looks at us. He reaches up to turn off his TV, and I was like, no, I don’t think so! [She flashes a threatening look.] I think if you’re currently on TV [while you’re on the plane], you should get to move into first class.
FC: Thank you!
Do a lot of people try to hug you?
FC: Yeah. People like to pet us [petting her upper arm]. It’s so funny. We’ll go to The Grove and people will be like, “Hey! How you doing?” [opens her arms for a hug]
AS: And we’ll be like, you don’t actually know me. We have a friend on Best Week Ever who says the only time she gets recognized is when she’s with us. Because there are two of us, we’re just more unique.
All right. Digging for dirt, who do you think is Hollywood’s best dresser?
AS: I’m going to say, as a couple, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett.
FC: Ooh, this is hard.
AS: I like the way Mary-Kate Olsen dresses.
FC: Oh, no! Girl!
AS: I do.
FC: [Frowns and shakes her head] It’s vampish.
AS: I like that. The kinda tawdry, vampy thing. You know who I love? I love Julia Roberts. I’m in love with her.
Maybe if you talk about who you don’t like? Who’s the worst?
AS: Mischa Barton is going through some issues.
FC: Yeah.
AS: Cody Diablo, I don’t know what is wrong with her.
FC: Who do I like? You know, Beyonce is always great. She’s always beautiful. She’s always gorgeous. Classy and beautiful. I would say I like Scarlett Johansson. You know who else always looks adorable? Natalie Portman.
AS: I’ve always loved Natalie Portman.
FC: I like Will.i.am. I like Justin Timberlake.
What do you think is the worst of the current fashion trends?
FC: I would say you have to have the body to wear some high-waisted pants. Okay?
AS: I’m sick of the tiny sleeves. Can we get a sleeve? That’s why I like these outfits [Torrid] has picked out. I want a sleeve.
FC: I like the bolero jacket.
AS: You know what we don’t like? The sundress and the Ugg boots. Especially when I see you out on Sunset [Boulevard] trying to get into a club, looking like you’re freezing. That makes no sense to me.
What’s a great trend that should be brought back?
FC: I saw Samantha Ronson in a pair of combat boots. It made me long for my high school days.
A trend that should never see the light of day again, but probably will be brought back?
AS: Leather fringe. I think leather fringe, outside of Sonny and Cher, should be avoided.
FC: I’m opposed to moccasins. They came back. The ’80s came back and I like some of it.
AS: I’m not a fan of leg warmers.
FC: Yeah, but I like the skinny jean. The thin ties. I like the aesthetic coming back, but just don’t bring back too much of the neon.
Worst fashion faux pas in your opinion?
FC: One of my big things, I was telling my husband the other day, I hate when people mix fabrics that shouldn’t go together. Like when someone’s got on silk and wool. That irks me to no end. [For me, the] biggest fashion faux pas is [not having] on decent shoes. Take care of your shoes. When your shoes get ratty, throw ’em out!
AS: What do I hate?
FC: You really do hate when people don’t dress correctly for their body types.
AS: I feel like, you know what? Everybody’s body is beautiful. Find what works for you. Don’t put on the outfit your girlfriend has.
FC: Because she’s six sizes smaller than you.
For a lot of women, it’s about hiding and tucking, not necessarily looking better.
AS: That’s exactly what I would say. Comfortable clothing doesn’t mean it’s sloppy, doesn’t mean it’s sweats. It just means that you’re comfortable in it. I think that’s attractive. Something you’re not comfortable in, it shows.
FC: You always feel sorry for the woman who’s tugging and pulling at her [outfit] the whole night.
AS: They do make attractive clothing in larger sizes [gesturing to her Torrid outfit].
Don’t you find that, no matter what size she is, every woman has body-image issues?
AS: I don’t think there’s anyone who says, “I think I’m perfect.”
FC: It’s like, if you have curly hair, you want straight hair.
Tell me about your personal style.
FC: I like to be comfortable, but I want to be able to walk out of the house and, if I need to go to a meeting, I could go to a meeting.
AS: Or go to have drinks or dinner. Be prepared for what happens during the day.
FC: Being actors, you might get a call in the car saying, “We need you to go to this audition 45 minutes away.”
Do you pay more attention to your style now that you’re in the spotlight and the paparazzi are watching you?
AS: We’ve begged them to take our picture and they wouldn’t do it. One guy took it out of pity. We were like, hello! You’re missing an opportunity. It’s not like we’re models. I would say Frances has a much better personal style than me. She’s very put together.
OK, you’re ready for your close-ups, but, before you go, what’s next for Frangela?
FS: We’re hoping to get our own comedy special. We’re going to be doing a lot more shows on the road and getting our own weekly radio show.
We'll definitely be listening.
