I Needed David Schwimmer’s Help

Modern Love

The New York Times

Society & Culture, Nyt, Nytimes, Loss, Redemption, Storytelling, New York Times, Love, Essay

4.3 • 9K Ratings

🗓️ 2 August 2023

⏱️ 25 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Samantha Joseph’s childhood was scattered with golden trips to California to visit her Aunt Gail. Aunt Gail was the cool aunt. She worked in Hollywood and befriended actors like Robin Williams, Mayim Bialik and the cast of “Friends.” And yet she was still relatable (she’d get on the floor and play like a kid). One day, those trips to California stopped: Aunt Gail no longer wanted to see Samantha’s family. Samantha was devastated, and several years later, she was devastated again by the news that Aunt Gail had died by suicide. Today, Samantha shares her search for answers following her aunt’s death and how a conversation with David Schwimmer helped her to heal.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Before we start the show, a brief note that today's episode deals with suicide.
0:04.9	If you or someone you know are having thoughts of suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention
0:09.4	Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
0:14.7	That's 1-800-273-TALK.
0:17.7	Love, now, and is your phone on or where does the light of love are stronger than anything?
0:26.0	And I love human work and anything.
0:30.7	There's two eyes.
0:34.5	From The New York Times, I'm Anna Martin.
0:36.6	This is Modern Love.
0:38.9	When the author of today's essay, Samantha Joseph, was growing up, she had one role model.
0:44.2	One person she aspired to be.
0:46.6	One person she thought was the absolute coolest, and that person was her Aunt Gale.
0:52.9	But when Samantha was a teenager, something devastating happened.
0:56.7	Her Aunt Gale died by suicide.
0:59.8	And Samantha would spend most of her life trying to understand why.
1:04.8	Her search for answers took years and led her into all kinds of unexpected situations,
1:10.0	including a nerve-wracking conversation with the actor David Schwimmer.
1:17.7	Samantha Joseph, welcome to Modern Love.
1:20.2	Thank you so much for having me.
1:21.5	So Samantha, you're here to talk about an obsession you had with David Schwimmer, who of course
1:27.1	played Ross on Friends, and in the beginning of your Modern Love essay, you explain why
1:31.8	you're so obsessed with him.
	...

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