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The Last Laugh

Edi Patterson: ‘The Righteous Gemstones’ Breakout Star

The Last Laugh

The Daily Beast

Comedy Interviews, Comedy, Interviews, Tv & Film, Society & Culture, Tv, Movies, Film

4.6661 Ratings

🗓️ 12 March 2025

⏱️ 53 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

There’s a stunning transformation that happens to Edi Patterson when she puts on the aggressively curly haired wig for her character on ‘The Righteous Gemstones.’ “Something different happens to the makeup of my atoms, once I get Judy’s hair on,” Patterson says in this week’s episode. “Because I do really feel like she’s a living person who’s inside of me, and I just get to unleash her and turn it up.” Without the wig, the Groundlings alum is nearly unrecognizable—and her real-life persona is far less unhinged than the sex-crazed evangelical Christian she plays on ‘The Righteous Gemstones,’ which just began its fourth and final season on HBO. Patterson, who also writes for ‘Righteous Gemstones,’ discusses keeping the season premiere’s massive cameo a secret, her alternative casting idea for that episode, getting “weird” with guest star Megan Mullally later in the season, and how Judy and her on-screen siblings—series creator Danny McBride and Adam Devine—have evolved over time. She also looks back on her very brief experience as a writer on ‘Saturday Night Live,’ the shocking line she ad-libbed during her original audition with McBride for their previous show ‘Vice Principals,’ and what it’s really like to improvise opposite Larry David on ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm.’ 


Follow Edi Patterson on Instagram @edipattersonhi

Follow Matt Wilstein on Bluesky @mattwilstein 

Follow The Last Laugh on Instagram @lastlaughpod and Threads @lastlaughpod


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Transcript

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0:00.0

This is The Last Laugh. I'm Matt Wilstein from The Daily Beast, and this week on the show, we have Judy Gemstone herself, Edie Patterson.

0:14.5

Fans of The Righteous Gemstones, which returned for its fourth and final season this past Sunday on HBO, are well aware of just how hilariously deranged Edie's performance on this show is.

0:25.9

But you might be surprised to learn just how different she is

0:28.9

from her deeply disturbed and profane character in real life.

0:32.8

Even before her breakout performance, Unrighteous Gemstones,

0:36.2

I had been a big fan of her work, including

0:38.3

on the Comedy Bang Bang podcast, and in Danny McBride's previous HBO show, Vice Principles,

0:44.2

in which she played his very awkward workplace love interest, Miss Abbott. Before we get into our

0:49.0

interview, which, spoiler alert, does contain a discussion about the truly inspired season 4 premiere of Righteous Gemstones.

0:56.0

Let's listen to a clip from season two of the show, featuring Edie as Judy Gemstone,

1:01.0

with her two siblings, Danny McBride's Jesse, and Adam Devines Kelvin, just to give you a taste of her whole vibe.

1:08.0

Siblings, I have summoned you here today

1:11.6

because Amber and I have won.

1:13.6

Through my powers of persuasion, I have broken Daddy down.

1:16.6

And now the writing is on the wall.

1:19.6

That old man is on his way out, and I am stepping into power.

1:23.6

Y'all back me and I'll give you a good deal.

1:25.6

You'll never lead, of course.

1:28.3

But you will be able to keep your homes, your automobiles, maintain an annual salary, perhaps even a raise.

1:34.3

Oh.

1:35.3

All I ask in return is that you kiss the ring.

1:37.3

What ring?

...

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