Rhea Perlman Confronts First-Ever Karaoke on Lena Dunham’s Too Much Podcast
When Rhea Perlman risked her reputation by attempting karaoke for the first time on Lena Dunham’s Too Much podcast, she admitted it was scarier than any sitcom script she’d ever tackled. The veteran actress, best known for her Emmy-winning turn as Carla on Cheers, sat down with Dunham on June 15 to tackle a set list that included an ’80s power ballad and a surprise modern pop hit. According to the New York Post, Perlman’s eyes widened the moment she saw the microphone, and Variety noted that she gently pushed it away before finally crooning into it.
Perlman has spent decades perfecting her comic timing, but belting out a tune on the spot was uncharted territory. “I honestly thought I’d choke,” she confessed, recalling how her legs felt like jelly when the first chord hit. Lena Dunham, known for her unfiltered curiosity, teased Perlman with a choice between performing a duet or reading fan mail. Perlman chose the karaoke route, proving that sometimes the least expected challenge yields the biggest laughs.
The Too Much episode opened with Dunham and Perlman trading tales of Hollywood oddities and behind-the-scenes confessions. Perlman revealed that she once accidentally fainted on set during a particularly intense scene, a story that had Dunham clutching her grown-up daughter Gus in mock horror. The conversation flowed into rapid-fire questions where Perlman declared that her proudest moment was watching her children graduate, while her most embarrassing was mistaking a stranger’s car for hers and knocking on a perfect stranger’s door in pajamas.
But the karaoke segment stole the show. Perlman tackled Pat Benatar’s “Love Is a Battlefield” before pivoting to Billie Eilish’s “Ocean Eyes.” Fans listening on Spotify’s Too Much feed were quick to flood social media with praise. One tweet read, “Rhea Perlman just reinvented karaoke fear for us all.” Another fan joked that she should quit acting and start a tribute band.
As the show wrapped up, Dunham teased upcoming guests, hinting at an exposé on a surprise sitcom alum and a deep dive into the world of viral cooking hacks. Perlman, meanwhile, walked away from the mic with a grin and a newfound respect for anyone who attempts public singing after age 30. Her parting advice to listeners? “Always warm up, and never trust a microphone you haven’t tested.”
Perlman’s first karaoke outing may not land her on the Billboard charts, but it certainly gave fans a fresh side of the screen legend. What to watch next on Too Much: whether the next guest will top a Carla-inspired performance, and if Lena Dunham has any other secret challenges up her sleeve. Tune in next time for more unfiltered confessions and unexpected showdowns.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and New York Post, Variety
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
