RuPaul: Ladies and gentlemen joining us in the studio is another legend with so many hit songs, and some Grammy awards too. Throw those in for measure. Right now she's back on Broadway in "Grease!" as Rizzo. Put your hands together for Sheena Easton!
[applause]
Sheena: Thank you. Thank you.
RuPaul: Sheena Easton, oh my god! What's it like living in the shoes of a living legend?
Sheena: You know legend just means you're old. [laughter]. When you have your first, like, two or three hit records they just go "yeah, you know, you're doing good. You're making a name for yourself." When you get past thirty-five then you get into that legend thing. So, I don't know if it's so cool, you know what I'm saying?
RuPaul: Right, right! Now earlier we talked about...we Americans were introduced to you via a, what I called contest but she corrected me-
Sheena: Hush your mouth!
RuPaul: It was actually a documentary that the BBC was doing to follow an upcoming star to see how far they made it or, you explain it to me. What was it?
Sheena: Basically that was it. They wanted to make a documentary about what it takes to launch a new singer. They followed me around for a year and a half and they filmed the making of my first single, yadda yadda all that kind of stuff and put it out. And it was sort of misleading because it was one of those things where they'd see me going into a hairstylist and coming out with a new haircut and they'd go "Ah, some Svengali told her how to cut her hair." And I'm sitting there going 'not too much off the top, not too much off the sides." You know, the usual stuff. And of course they did this whole thing that was really kind of cruel, but amusing for the TV viewers. They had people in the biz kind of, like, review my first record or listen to me sing and go "Nah, she'll never make it" or "She's OK or her voice is just OK. I don't see any future for her."
[laughter]
RuPaul: Oh my god!
Sheena: And then what they did a few years later after I'd had all these hits is they came back and said "well, what do you think now, hmm?" So, it was one of those things that was sort of...docudrama. Half real and half TV.
RuPaul: Well, that was the first time we were introduced to you here in America. Since then you've gone on to beaucoup success...Grammy award winning...and now you're back on Broadway. I know you've done "Man Of La Mancha" but now you're doing Rizzo in "Grease!" on Broadway right now.
Sheena: Yeah. I'm Rizzo De Jour.
[laughter]
RuPaul: Now what are you bringing to Rizzo that no one else has brought to Rizzo?
Sheena: Oh, my fabulously long legs. My, blonde silky hair down to my waist. My 22" waist.
[laughter]
RuPaul: Oooh, get me a ticket right now!
Sheena: I'm just bringing myself to it. That's the only thing you can do with any role that you do. If you're playing in a well known play or a classic you're always going to do something someone else has done. And I think that you just have to focus on the part and focus on what you can bring to it and try and make it as authentic as possible.
Michelle: It's difficult not to be Stockard Channing being Rizzo, you know, or any role. I mean I can't imagine stepping into something like that.
Sheena: Well I was lucky that I hadn't seen the movie version of the film [sic] since it came out, which was like...God when was that, twenty year's ago?
RuPaul: '79? No, '78. Yeah, '78.
Sheena: And I resisted the temptation to watch it
Michelle: Smart!
Sheena: 'Cause I thought if I watch it, I'm just going to rip this woman off! I'm going to sit there and I'm going to copy everything good that she did and I'm going to rip her off!
RuPaul: Hey, why not?!
Sheena: So, I thought I'm not going to do this and anyway you can't because the play is totally different from the movie.
RuPaul: Hey, Michelle, remember when Sheena was Don Johnson's girlfriend on -
Michelle: "Miami Vice", yes!
Sheena: Excuse me, we got married, thank you!
RuPaul: Oh that's right you guys got married!
Sheena: I was more than some cheap chick that he was dating!
Michelle: She was singing on stage and somebody was trying to kill her or something.
Sheena: Yeah, well the problem was that I could only commit to four episodes because I was going off on tour for the 'Lover In Me' album. They wanted me to keep on doing the show because the audience liked us as a couple, they thought we were a good couple. And so in the fourth episode instead of killing me they had me kind of, like, leave to go away. So, I was out promoting the album and they called up and said "you gotta come back and do another show so we can knock you off because we're getting too many letters from people saying 'where's his wife?'"
Michelle: So you guys like met once and got married?
Sheena: Yeah, it was a really original plot, like, he was my bodyguard and we fell in love.
Michelle: Oh, I smell a movie coming out of that.
Freddy: And then you got killed?
Sheena: I got killed after I got to kiss him a lot
Michelle: And wear a beautiful wedding gown.
Sheena: I had a fabulous dress!
Michelle: Don't you remember that was, like, the talk. I remember I was in high school and that was the talk at the time.
Sheena: Excuse me, you were in high school at the time?
Michelle: I was in middle school
Sheena: You have the nerve to say this to my face? Couldn't you at least have made that up and said College or something?
Michelle: I was in Graduate School.
RuPaul: You know what, Michelle? Sheena's going to kick your ass!
Michelle: Fight off those Sugar Walls baby!
RuPaul: OK, we're going to be back with more Sheena Easton in a minute, star of Broadway's "Grease!"
[commercial break]
RuPaul: We're talking with Sheena Easton in our studio and I've made a special, special request to hear my favorite Sheena Easton song. Now this is actually a song written by Prince and everyone knows it, I'm wondering, God Sheena this song must follow you for the rest of your life. When he told you you would be singing a song called "Sugar Walls" what was your first reaction?
Sheena: You know that isn't how it happened. I was recording that album and he had seen me, I was doing the "Tonight Show." And I was on the "Tonight Show" singing some kind of ballad, I can't remember what it was. I think it was "Almost Over You" or some kind of ballad. And I was working with his engineer at the time, he was working on both projects. And anyway, long story short the next day the engineer comes in with this big 24 track cassette. "Prince wrote this for you do you want to sing it?" And I was like, "Yeah, Yeah." And I recorded it on Superbowl Sunday.
RuPaul: All right, well we're going to hear it right now. Sheena Easton, "Sugar Walls" right here on the new KTU!
["Sugar Walls" plays]
Freddy: She is ripped!
RuPaul: We're having lots of fun with Sheena Easton. We just heard her song "Sugar Walls" by Prince. Now you did another song, you did a lot of songs with Prince but most notably "U Got the Look." Love that song! Love that song so much!
Sheena: Honey, that song could be your theme song, you know that! That's why you like it!
RuPaul: Yeah, well, you know. I tell you it's the only song to get all dolled up and dance around in front of the mirror for. And you look gorgeous in that video, just gorgeous.
Michelle: Every video
Sheena: Thank you
RuPaul: Do you ever see Prince any more, do you talk to him?
Sheena: I haven't talked to him in a while. He's actually about to be a dad real soon.
RuPaul: That's right!
Michelle: November, I think she's due
RuPaul: Mayte, yes. Also, that reminds me of your Bally's fitness ads where you'd be doing the stairmaster, mind you, in pumps! Looooved it!
Sheena: In high heels, yes
Freddy: We were lusting your stomach!
Michelle: Didn't you have a fringe mini skirt?
Sheena: Yeah, and I refused to sweat! Whenever I worked up a sweat I'd yell "Cut! Cut! I will not be seen sweating!"
[laughter]
Freddy: Her stomach was like a washboard, I mean all the guys...she was like...still is!
RuPaul: Yeah, now do you still have the 7 minute abs workout thing?
Sheena: Yup
RuPaul: Now how can you order that?
Sheena: I don't think you can order it, actually, I think the company like sold out of them it was just such a fast seller!
Michelle: Remember she had that line, maybe she should say it. You could bounce a-
Sheena: [in Rizzo accent] Quarter off my stomach!
[laughter]
Freddy: Anybody got change for a dollar?
Sheena: [in Rizzo accent] You could bounce some loose pocket change from one of my body parts!
[laughter]
RuPaul: That's right, Sheena Easton, actress, that's right! Now Sheena is on Broadway in "Grease!" playing Rizzo.
Sheena: [in Rizzo accent] I sure am!
RuPaul and Michelle: [whispering] Rizzo is PG. she's PG, don't tell anyone, she's PG!
Sheena: [in Rizzo accent] Good news really travels fast!
[laughter]
Freddy: Now Ru, she's also going to be the voice of Sasha.
Sheena: Oh, I was the voice of Sasha and still am.
RuPaul: What's this?
Sheena: I do cartoons. And this is from "All Dogs Go To Heaven 2" I did the movie and now our TV show version of it's coming out.
Michelle: So you're an Irish Setter now.
Sheena: [in Irish accent] Aye, that's right!
[laughter]
RuPaul: Now tell me what is the difference between an Irish accent and your accent with is Scottish?
Sheena: You can understand me!
[laughter]
RuPaul: Well, because I know that the Scottish accent is more sing-songy and the Irish accent is more -
Sheena: Well, you know actually it depends on which part of Ireland and Scotland you come from. There's like a lilting Scottish accent and a lilting Irish and then there's the flat Scottish and Irish. They're really very similar. And, a lot of people...I've done quite a few acting things where one of them I had to play an Irish character. And some people think "well if you're Scottish you can do Irish!" And I actually had to work at getting the Irish accent right.
RuPaul: Oh boy. We're talking with Sheena Easton. Sheena is on Broadway in "Grease!" as Rizzo. The latest album is "My Cherie" and of course you can pick up the...my thing is "The Singles Collection - The World of Sheena Easton." I've got all your records and tapes and workout tapes and what have you.
Michelle: And you can bounce a quarter off her stomach
RuPaul: I just love me some Sheena Easton. Listen, thanks for stopping by. You're welcome anytime.
Sheena: Thank you, I had a blast
RuPaul: Take care of those babies, is it Luke and Skylar?
Sheena: It's Jake and Skylar
RuPaul: Jake and Skylar. Take good care of your babies
Sheena: Thank you
RuPaul: And stop by anytime you like. Sheena Easton everybody!
[applause]
Sheena: Thank you!
RuPaul: Thank YOU Sheena. We'll stop by and see you in "Grease!" on Broadway
Michelle: Betty Rizzo! She's PG
RuPaul: Can't wait.