Chelsea Handler is known for her brutal honesty about fame and celebrity — and very few things are off-limits when it comes to her comedy.
In her latest Netflix special The Feeling, one of the standout moments is about an encounter she had with former President George W. Bush.
Handler, who is friends with his daughters, Barbara Bush and Jenna Bush Hager, recalled how she met their famous father for the first time — “so stoned.” In an interview with Yahoo Entertainment, Handler said the tale was not dressed up for TV.
“I was on four edibles,” she said. “And I told him I was on four edibles! No, it was not embellished.”
Handler was invited to play pickleball with the Bushes at their home in Kennebunkport, Maine. The comedian, who is an outspoken Democrat, was nervous she might say something politically inappropriate to the former Republican president, so she relied on drugs to take the edge off.
“I don’t want to be seen with your father, I can’t trust myself in the company of your father. I have outbursts,” Handler said in the special. “And I’m as surprised as the next person when they happen, OK? I don’t know when I’m going to go off on someone, and when I do, I’m also scared for that person.”
Handler took four edibles (40 milligrams of THC, to be exact) and went over with her family to Kennebunkport. Although Barbara said her father would be getting a massage, Handler was surprised when he introduced himself to her on the pickleball court. Former President Bush ended up taking her around the house to show her some of his paintings, and she confessed to being on drugs. They ended up taking a selfie.
Although she takes some light-hearted political swipes, Handler said neither Barbara nor Jenna cared about the story being retold for a wider audience.
“They were at my show, they saw this show at the Beacon Theatre [in New York City] before I filmed it. So if they had any objections, that was their time to say, but they loved it,” the Dear Chelsea podcast host told Yahoo. “They were at my birthday party recently in New York. I love those girls, and no, they understand that, you know, it’s all in good fun. I mean, I’m not really saying anything too disparaging about anybody. So that helps.”
In The Feeling, Handler reminisces about how she publicly shot her shot with former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. After bluntly expressing her interest in the politician while on The View in 2020, Handler claimed Cuomo got her phone number and texted her days later.
The two had some flirty text exchanges before she was “ghosted” by the politician. Handler told this story in her seventh book, I’ll Have What She’s Having, which was released last month. When asked if he’s reached out to her since the press tour, Handler said he has not.
“I have not heard from him,” she confirmed, noting that it was probably for the best. In 2021, Cuomo resigned after multiple women accused him of sexual harassment.
Handler, whose former boyfriends include 50 Cent (“He’ll always be my favorite ex”) and the comedian Jo Koy, has not been afraid to go after who she wants. But right now, all she wants is a “quiet” personal life.
“I don’t want to be with a famous person,” she said, when asked if there’s any star who piques her interest. “No, I need quiet time. I don’t need my life to be any louder than it is.”
Handler’s personal life got a little loud when photos of her leaving Vanity Fair’s Oscars party with Ralph Fiennes went viral. While there’s nothing romantic going on there, she genuinely found the headlines amusing.
“It’s pretty funny. I mean, I don’t hate it. I don’t, it just makes me smile. It just kind of makes me laugh. All of the interest in that, you know?” Handler said. “It’s not like I’m this ultra-private person that’s like ‘No, you can’t write about me.’ You know what I mean? I don’t take myself so seriously that I get upset about that stuff.”
Handler turned 50 on Feb. 25 and feels like she’s on “solid ground” in a new decade.
“I’m kind of in the phase of injecting optimism and positivity and laughter and joyfulness. Understanding what my role is and trying to use that to inspire people, to make them happy, to make them forget about things for a little bit,” Handler said. “As I turned 50, I feel very rooted in who I am. So it’s very easy for me to share all of those things with people.”
Chelsea Handler: The Feeling is now streaming on Netflix.
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