The Construction Guys

feed the contractors?

luz, drag queens, house, shabbat dinners, life, windows, husband, lose, produce, contractors, sandwich, loose, comedy, adopted, people, laughter, waved, day, selections, funny, love, happiness, laughter, storytelling, Jews, Italian, Bedford NY

Hosts

Debbie Nigro, Luz Michelle, Charlie Ponger

charlie ponger: 00:00

Hey everyone, welcome to the Official Seenagers Charlie ponger. And

Debbie Nigro, Luz Michelle: 00:05

I'm Debbie Nigro. And she is Luz Michelle and we've got some fun going on. With the official teenagers we've, we've come together we have to ramble. Yeah. Now what really is going on in life, you know, they call their comedy and improv. We're like, this is real life has been dealing with contractors, and time stuff to share. But I have to ask you about your name. Because it's been, you know, it's on my mind. I only know you as Luz Luz

Luz Michelle: 00:34

No. I will try. Let me get loose, loose, loose, loose. Laurie, loose. Michelle? How loose actually, I'm very fucking tight.

Debbie Nigro: 00:47

Oh, my god given birth name.

Luz Michelle: 00:50

So for a long time, I Yes, I was going by Luz. And then pandemic happen. I whipped out my birth certificate, my husband reading and he's like, when's the last time you read this? And I'm like, I don't know, like 20 years ago. And he's like, I think your mom's name is Luz and you're Lucilia You're a little late.

Debbie Luz: 01:10

So you're adopted. I'm adopted. Right? Yes. Your birth mother your birth mother? Yeah. You just handed me something you said I don't just vanish. I'm not it's,

Luz Michelle: 01:17

it's I could read the Torah more than I can have a conversation with someone who's Yeah, like my mother, my parents, they dropped the ball on that. Right? Like if you adopt the child from another country, and it's a different speaking country, your child should know how to speak that language

Debbie Nigro: 01:33

or a little bit of history something right? Something but you were adopted by Jewish Pan European, Eastern European Jews. And so you can read the Torah.

Luz Michelle: 01:41

Yeah, Koreans are like that with a Spanish accent.

charlie ponger: 01:45

That's crazy. Yeah, I

Luz Michelle: 01:46

know the prayer over the bread. I know the prayer over the Shabbat candles. Yeah, whatever that is. That's real good. You gotta whip that out. Every now is a good tool to have. Because nobody would expect it right? No, no boy, we

charlie ponger: 01:57

expect you reading the

Luz Michelle: 01:58

Quran to Shabbat dinners, right? Like meeting new parents out here in West Chester. And we'll be on a Friday together. Someone in the house and they never saw you come in Napa. And I'm like, I would love to Matthew. I would love to step in and do this. And they're like, You know what? I'm like, No, it could do a bad grade.

charlie ponger: 02:21

I would see her face in her hand by hand.

Debbie Nigro, Luz Michelle: 02:26

You lose Michelle walk in she's Indian. She looks Native American. She looks native in the native Indian Columbia. She had a shaved head you never saw that coming.

Luz Michelle: 02:37

Right now it always Tara and hemorrhoid surgery always surprise you.

Debbie Nigro, Luz Michelle: 02:43

Is that what you break out it like a Seder dinner?

Luz Michelle: 02:46

What are we thankful for that I survived? How

charlie ponger: 02:51

do you actually do what are you thankful for and all that stuff?

Luz Michelle: 02:54

I do. Yeah, I do like Thanksgiving. I like to everyone go around. Take him in and what are you thankful for? Oh, right. Well, what are you then don't tell him for my parents. What do you think? Oh, four. Oh, boy.

Debbie Nigro, Luz Michelle: 03:04

You know, a comedian Sebastian Maniscalco. Yeah, heart. Yes. Have you ever seen what he does about having been married to a Jewish woman when they go to the Jewish holidays? And they sit him down? Like for two hours? He goes two hours he read

Luz Michelle: 03:18

while on the Shabbat. Yeah, I've been to like real deal Shabbat dinners. And yeah, you wait two hours before you eat.

Debbie Nigro, Luz Michelle: 03:25

Never cut it in the Italian. People walk in and in an Italian holiday ripping off a piece of bread is coming in. Right off the bat. All right. We're talking about contractors today. I had some work done on your house. You want to share? What's going on with you and your husband? I do think that contractors can break up marriages. I do 100%. And my personal opinion,

charlie ponger: 03:45

is that right? Yeah. You mean because of the arguments or the contract? An affair with the wife?

Debbie Nigro, Luz Michelle: 03:50

No, you're not going into a dark level? Talking about decisions.

charlie ponger: 03:54

There you go.

Luz Michelle: 03:57

Keeping it above the waist.

Debbie Nigro, Luz Michelle: 04:01

Above the waves got? Well, yeah.

04:03

You put a contract in between two married people. And the contract is going to tell the husband everything he wants to hear like everything my husband was visualizing to happen like God was like, yeah, yeah, my husband's like, all right. All right. And I'm like, wait a minute. Wait a minute.

Luz Michelle: 04:19

There's a budget. We gotta make decisions. There's color schemes.

charlie ponger: 04:22

Wait, yeah, that's funny. And then what happened?

Luz Michelle: 04:26

What happened is telling you in a nutshell.

04:32

Pretty much we got all the work is in the house right? Again, a lot of work done inside and out like everything. I have not had this many men in my house in a very long time. I had the same amount last week. In and Out coming through the doors. A woman like that right? Hey, my husband just throws out the red carpet for them. You know, right away he loves to be a people pleaser. I love it about him but it also gets under my skin. You know like that. What was it now offering coffee and

Luz Michelle: 04:57

whatever you want to you. Were here for you Need something you want something please let us know. Let my wife know. And I'm like what? Don't let no I'm good I'm I'm stepping out for this. This is your project this is your love affair like you don't ask me for nothing. What do you want? You want a lot of food I'll give you I'll give you all that but I'm not here to help you

charlie ponger: 05:22

are you guys making them lunch and stuff like that?

Luz Michelle: 05:24

Oh my god we did the other day. The other day, we had them come down and one guy was like, Oh, is it okay if I grab a sandwich? I'm like yeah, I'll look it up a place for you to order something in my business account make your sandwich

Debbie Nigro, Luz Michelle: 05:36

you can make him a SAM Oh come on. You don't do that. This is going to be every day

Luz Michelle: 05:39

I got no it this was a one day job short. This is week making lunch every day. But I didn't because I love when people feel good. So the other guy I was like, fine. I was like, What would you like? I have turkey him What do you want? So he's like I'd love a turkey sandwich. So you know what I gave him a good deal my pickles ruble

Debbie Nigro, Luz Michelle: 05:59

line over the top you all have the Italians we waved them in like on a tarmac with a plane with two big submarines for the first day Come on ladies. I'm you smoke right because they know they're gonna eat and feel good. They're gonna show up applause Oh biggest problem with contractors is everything's going nice nice like a relationship you think you get in you probably get them get married. It's all good. And then he goes check.

charlie ponger: 06:21

Yeah. Yeah, go but if they know they're got food at the house,

Luz Michelle: 06:25

right to come back one wants to feel good. Right. And that's the main thing. I do my best to keep a positive vibe. I check in of course check him in them. The thing is, it's three different projects happening at 112 sandwiches. I mean, anybody sandwiches Charlie? Day one that's it from here on out you're on your own I gave a list I gave I looked up Italian place his Chinese places to spend all of it Indian food and I gave them a list it's all the place you're gonna want it from don't they bring their own food? Some do some don't? Yeah, because they'll order for the crew which is very nice. Oh, they order for the crew and the audit for the crane

charlie ponger: 06:59

one guys were working here years ago. Right? They were here every Saturday. Where errors days? Yeah, but I'd make him lunch every single time. See that's that's how I lost just what I lost out of that. I lost my leverage.

Luz Michelle: 07:15

You do? I'm sorry. Charlie's favorite word. But once you put that out that's a you're buzzing in the personal Town Hall, so use the paper tackle watching TV. mopping the floor. If you have to

Debbie Nigro, Luz Michelle: 07:34

watch an episode on Netflix

charlie ponger: 07:37

bah bah when they go hey, you can eat the rest of that

Luz Michelle: 07:40

right there to comfort sitting on the couch.

Debbie Nigro, Luz Michelle: 07:43

What's the most fun thing that you're redoing at your house like that you're excited about the windows see things that you take for granted when those Yeah, right route to getting on with Windows what's going on?

Luz Michelle: 07:54

So we got all new windows because we had the type of windows we learned after a beautiful demonstration of Heartland lamp and a cold lamp in our window. Everything was coming through. So if you stood by our windows in the house and it was winter, you felt the breeze it's as if you were outside bird they might as well been right on my shoulder like you hear and feel and the heat coming in like harsh like harsh, harsh. Now with new windows, it's almost to Silent via Yeah, it's amazing. Now it's a whole new quality of life.

charlie ponger: 08:28

I like it when she throws her voice.

Debbie Nigro, Luz Michelle: 08:30

Yes. Lovely. Charlize keeping his draft out with things that was

Luz Michelle: 08:36

moving. We're gonna post a picture moving carpets. They're moving.

Debbie Nigro, Luz Michelle: 08:41

They're actually carpets that are going to kill you. But you seem to think you're fine. And you're not okay. I'm just tipping you off.

charlie ponger: 08:49

I'm fine because I used to ski so my balance. That was

Luz Michelle: 08:53

his response. When I tell them you got to be careful. You can champion like I used to skate. Okay. All right. To gymnastics. I got

charlie ponger: 09:04

Mad River Glen every weekend.

Debbie Nigro, Luz Michelle: 09:07

So I found a construction joke. It's kind of cute. Nice. Yeah. Why did the general contractor insist on hiring a drag queen to install the houses front door? Why? Because a drag queen always know how to make an entrance.

Luz Michelle: 09:21

That snapped.

charlie ponger: 09:23

You could fit right in with drag queens.

Debbie Nigro, Luz Michelle: 09:25

I told you I was mistaken. Right? Yeah. Yeah, it's great. One time. Long time ago. There's this place after hours bar New York City. Lot of

charlie ponger: 09:32

physical. Was it called Don't tell Mama's

Debbie Nigro, Luz Michelle: 09:35

No. Stairs?

Luz Michelle: 09:37

No. I didn't know Don't tell my gut. One of my girlfriends. Alice chan just produced the show in Atlanta.

charlie ponger: 09:42

Don't tell Mom Don't tell mom. It's unbelievable place drag queens

Debbie Nigro, Luz Michelle: 09:45

are the most amazing, amazing, amazing artists when it comes to transforming themselves and confidence through the roof and the app. I mean, they're much better looking than I'll ever be. I have seen some drag queens out in Las Vegas. Honestly, there was some I'm beyond beautiful Rue Paul. Yeah, Boo Paul's character and terrific, gorgeous. But I mean, so like you couldn't like you would jealous? Yeah, the only thing I wasn't jealous of is that they were like six, three

Luz Michelle: 10:15

bigger feet. I make up the vise on them. Oh yeah, they know it all. And I'll do a little insert I actually produce so every year in the summer, Lewis, Barrow, Bedford, and Pine Ridge come together and we produce pride in the park. So for the past two years, we've been producing a comedy show called queer larious. That's que la que we're gonna do it again. This year, we're bringing it 2023 We're bringing it in a little bit. A little bit more down. We're gonna bring it to a nightclub in the area. Yeah, we've been doing it at. Well, I

charlie ponger: 10:47

know. You're not gonna bring it to. Or you're not going

Luz Michelle: 10:52

we're not going there. But yeah, that chip is sound. Yeah, but yeah, we are hard headed comedy, which is my company. We are looking for a new venue to produce comedy and bring the community together for the gift of laughter Okay, shout

Debbie Nigro, Luz Michelle: 11:04

out, shout out. Maybe somebody listening? Well, yes, come to the sold out

Luz Michelle: 11:07

show every single SKU good for you, man.

Debbie Nigro, Luz Michelle: 11:11

So lose is our wonderful new addition to the show. Because she makes us laugh. We make her laugh. We feel good together. It's like she's our like, I don't know, like, younger relative or it's

Luz Michelle: 11:21

made my life better. Hey, lose when you said something interesting.

Debbie Nigro, Luz Michelle: 11:25

I want to connect. Connect. Yeah. She just said something that I think matters to what we're doing here. She said, we've made her life better. laughter makes everybody's life. And all we're trying to do here is put a little light in the dark of the world and have a little fun about, you know, where we are in life. That is inevitable. That could drag you down. Yeah. Not to a split level can't do that anymore. But it couldn't drag you down. And we're just trying to lift people and when somebody says to any one of us, I felt better after listening. You made me laugh. I mean, come on. Isn't that what life's about?

Luz Michelle: 12:03

Like that one kid in the room that gets what the teachers saying? Right? Right. Yeah, I

Debbie Nigro, Luz Michelle: 12:07

love that kid.

Luz Michelle: 12:08

I did a show last night in the Bronx. And the comedian went after me. She was a beautiful Indian woman. And at the end of the show, a younger college student came up to her was also Indian. And he thanked her. He's like, I've never heard anyone talk about our culture in that kind of way. As a female comedian, he was just like, thank you. He's like, thank you so much. Yeah, I rocked it. I was like that one person that said, you're gonna keep going another 20 years.

Debbie Nigro, Luz Michelle: 12:33

could change your life?

charlie ponger: 12:34

Yeah, we've, we've had people say, you know that they actually posted it. The thank you so much. You know, I was in a tough spot and

Debbie Nigro, Luz Michelle: 12:43

having a laugh. Yeah, I'd

Luz Michelle: 12:45

say yeah, it'll save you laugh. Laughter will I feel like that's what got me mentally through the pandemic was I didn't stop laughing. You gotta Hey, thing in life, though.

Debbie Nigro, Luz Michelle: 12:54

That'd be cancer. Exactly. I show up at Memorial Sloan Kettering. I go, Hey, I'm here for the modeling modeling assignment.

charlie ponger: 13:02

I could just see you

Debbie Nigro, Luz Michelle: 13:06

know, it was all the girls checking me and all the people it was packed with. Unfortunately, people have cancer. But yeah, I just come up. They'd look at me like not stumped. Like, when we say this one. I just do it every time I go for the modeling assignment. So finally, yeah, the last day I checked in I go hey, and the for that modeling is I'm gonna go fine. Fine. You got the job. You got the job. Girl could die waiting around for that kind of accolade. You know what I'm saying?

Luz Michelle: 13:30

It's great. You need that? Because it's such a tense atmosphere.

charlie ponger: 13:33

Got a break. You got to cut right through with a knife.

Debbie Nigro, Luz Michelle: 13:38

Yeah, this is a little whiskey. A lot of the drinking thing with the chemo that doesn't go on certain days after a good I would aspire to my glass of wine day. I knew like 10 days I could have that glass of wine.

charlie ponger: 13:51

Hey, loose. Do they ever get your first name wrong when you're getting introduced? onstage?

Luz Michelle: 13:57

Oh, yeah, yeah, last so much now because I make sure you know I'm a mom I got across those keys and that those if you talk to him first, I just tell him my name is Luz Michelle, like you're not going to lose. And I just say a confident like lose like don't go up there and be like, welcome to the stage loose. Michelle Mellon would name their kid loose and that's always my I like because I call him out. Yeah, you know, and I call him out on stage in front of everybody Are you do good? Match. I tell him anyways lose. Like you're not gonna lose. And he's like, welcome to the stage loose. Michelle. Oh, like now. Now. That's good.

Debbie Nigro, Luz Michelle: 14:33

leave anything out about the contractors any last minute contracting advice to the listening audience?

Luz Michelle: 14:38

Man, come on. crushy T's dot your i's and know what you're doing. Your husband take full control. It will bring out the worst.

charlie ponger: 14:50

What about being getting too close? Right. You don't want to be friends?

Luz Michelle: 14:54

No, no. We're gonna we're gonna get along. We're gonna beat each other line for a minute

Debbie Nigro, Luz Michelle: 14:59

and I say do Don't listen to anything they say. Get as much food as possible. As much beer and water as possible. They'll walk up and show up and finish the job. But I will

charlie ponger: 15:09

tell this to the homeowners. Yeah, pick your selections early. Right. You have selections, your window selections your entire age. Have you believed that as soon as possible because of the delay that lag time of

Luz Michelle: 15:23

the month, your month? Could be

charlie ponger: 15:24

13 weeks? You get that refrigerator

Debbie Nigro, Luz Michelle: 15:29

in the Panama Canal. So

charlie ponger: 15:31

you see I know this ship because I was in construction. All right,

Debbie Nigro, Luz Michelle: 15:34

Eric, I want to say nothing.

Luz Michelle: 15:36

Look like forget him back.

charlie ponger: 15:39

That's it. All right, you guys. Thanks so much for listening. We are the official scene agers never too late. Now then. 123