DISCLAIMER:
The following output was transcribed from our audio recording.
Although the transcription is largely accurate, it may be incomplete or inaccurate due to inaudible passages or transcription errors.
It is posted to aid in understanding the interview but should not be treated as an authoritative record.
Mindy Cohn 00:00
Everyone, Christian and I welcome you back to another episode of Monday's with Monday. Hello, Good day, sir.
Christian Brescia 00:06
Hello, good day. Welcome back everyone and thanks for joining us.
Mindy Cohn 00:10
Today we're gonna have a conversation with actress, soap star entrepreneur and one of my oldest friends not that she's old, but I've literally known her since I was 11 years old tracee Bregman. Tracy was born in Munich, Germany and raised in Great Britain until she was 10. Her father, the very famous composer and record producer buddy Bregman and mom actress Suzanne Lloyd, then relocated to Los Angeles, which is when I met Tracy at Westlake School for Girls until she had to leave to just oh I don't know star in a soap opera Days of Our Lives to play the character that everyone remembers who watches that soap opera Donna Craig, the Daytime Emmy Award winning actress took on double duty by then creating another iconic role. Lauren finnemore on The Young and the Restless, a role she's still in habits. Tracy has also appeared in the films Happy birthday to me concrete jungle and massage inist. Tracy is also a very successful, very, very, very successful entrepreneur. She's launched her own yoga inspired clothing line bountiful Buddha. Sold jewelry on the shopping channel has been a spokesperson ON HSN for the Chabot cosmetics line and most recently selling a Pilates pro chair. Tracy is also very attached to her horses and dogs, inspiring her to create the world paws animal foundation. Currently Tracy's adding another accolade to her list of what she does. She's becoming an author working on a spiritual book and titled The soul pack. This is what I really want to talk to her about. I know nothing about this. She's the mother of two wonderful sons and again, a menagerie of dogs and horses, Tracy's beloved Malibu home burned down in the wildfires of 2018. Nothing left, but the big Buddhist statue. She currently lives with her dogs and horses in Nashville on her brand new farm when she isn't working here in Los Angeles.
Christian Brescia 02:03
Wow. Fascinating. I'm very excited to talk to her. Ladies and gentlemen, let's bring her in Tracy Bregman. Hello. Good to see you. Yeah.
Mindy Cohn 02:15
I mean, this is how busy you are. I literally have to book you as a guest on our podcast. What is the matter with us?
Tracey Bregman 02:22
You know what, we're rectifying that we will definitely be rectify? Yeah,
Mindy Cohn 02:25
yeah. Um, we start each episode, Christian and I kind of came up with 20 questions, I pull five of them randomly, and this way, we just start gabbing which you and I have never had a problem.
Tracey Bregman 02:39
I was gonna say, that's never been a problem. getting us to stop actually.
Mindy Cohn 02:47
That I get into the Bregman vortex. I call it of like, yeah, let's just grab a walker. Let's just get a meal and five hours later. Exactly.
Tracey Bregman 02:55
I love it. Oh, my God. I think I have to go to dinner.
Christian Brescia 03:00
Not a bad thing.
Mindy Cohn 03:01
Yeah, right?! What's your guilty pleasure?
Tracey Bregman 03:05
Probably The Real Housewives of New York. Nice, guilty pleasure. I have to go into a room all by myself. No one finds me. But now it's out.
Mindy Cohn 03:18
I join you in all of that.
Tracey Bregman 03:20
Yes. I do love them.
Mindy Cohn 03:22
Yes. among your friends. What are you best known for?
Tracey Bregman 03:26
Well, they call me 411. To the truth, you needed that. You need anything you call me?
Mindy Cohn 03:34
It's the truth. Yes. Yeah.
Tracey Bregman 03:37
I've known that on the read as well. They call me 411. Wow. Do they on the set to Yes. And then somebody suggested that I was showing my age by calling it 411. I was like, Well, I'm not trying to be 20. Yeah, no, we might have to call you series. I was around when you could call or one one. No.
Christian Brescia 03:58
I mean, it's not like it was the Stone Age. That was
04:01
Yeah, it was not the Jurassic period. Right. When I started my career,
Mindy Cohn 04:09
please. Um, Tracy, when was the last time you cried?
04:14
Probably even yesterday, because I haven't actually even posted it. But my beloved mini donkey taco just passed away. And it was so sad. And so every time I think of him, I'm like, Oh, it's really sad.
04:33
He caught a virus. So that's
Mindy Cohn 04:35
what he was a newer acquisition.
04:37
Well, he came with the arm and we came with Yeah. And he was 12 years old. I did not realize that donkeys lived till 30. Like 38. Yeah. And he was just the sweetest thing. He was the size of Buddha. Just oh my gosh, taller than bird amazing dog. Yeah. who also has 400 lives.
Mindy Cohn 04:57
Thank God. Yes. Thank God. Thank God where Not ready
05:00
for like to put them to the test or assignment? I'm like really?
Mindy Cohn 05:05
Yes, he does. Oh my gosh. What do you splurge, john? Well, this I already know. Oh, what do you think? horses?
05:18
Let's just say this or like that. Or she's like my friesians horseshoes. And by the way, only two of the four hooves to get the shoes are more than I spend on ships and he needs them every six weeks. Well, I have stopped buying shoes because of my horses. I work so the horses have nice things. That's basically what I splurge on.
Mindy Cohn 05:43
So basically everyone in the Bregman household it shoes, it's worth shoes.
05:50
Even my kids, I'm like, No, the horses need shoes. No tennis shoes for you.
05:55
That's right, right. Oh
Mindy Cohn 05:56
my gosh. Um, what is your best habit? And what is your worst habit? And love that question.
06:04
Um, I think my best habit, if you will, is my organization. And I have to keep everything organized. Because I as you know, I have so many moving pieces and so many businesses that you know, I have to constantly change out tour, would that be considered a habit? It's sort of moving to a little tiny OCD. Sure, only because I fermitas keep saying up here. Listen, I'm
Mindy Cohn 06:29
comfort in it. You know, my mother is such and so I find tremendous comfort being around someone like that. Honestly, I do. This is not an insult. This is actually it's commendable.
06:38
I just really like everything to be normal and organized. Normal. what's normal? I meant to keep it normal appear. But I'm kidding myself on that. So my worst habit is I cannot chew gum, because one piece has to turn into 30. I don't know why. It's like a weird addiction. And a girlfriend of mine from one of my birthdays gave me an entire tube of gumballs. That was taller than me. And I was like, Oh, I was thrilled and horrified all at once. Because I knew that that would not last.
Mindy Cohn 07:17
And then you need an orthodontist appointment? Because
07:20
Yeah, where I'm going, you know, luckily, my dentist Dr. Bill Dorfman's one of my best.
Mindy Cohn 07:26
That's right. He stopped you on on the Instagram, on the Instagram. So, you know, I always kind of preface this, I don't always but Christian and I started this because I was pining for my creative friends during this lockdown period of this episode we're experiencing. And so I'm kind of just gonna do a deep dive because Okay, go, I met you. And then you left school, because you just basically created this iconic character on days of our lives. And then oh, I don't know, a few years later, just decided to double down and create another one. And so you have been working since you were a very young person. And yet have one of the things that I kind of just love about you is that you continue to grow and test yourself and push that creative button by acting and other things producing getting into businesses. How do you decide what to get into?
08:25
You know, that's a really great question. Because I think these last years, I started to really trust my gut, or my god voice or my instinct, whatever it is, you want to call it. And it's led me to some very interesting places in the last few years that I never in a million years thought that I would be living in doing businesses in and enjoying the heck out of. So I think I really am following my instinct into anything that comes my way that really hits me where I'm like, Yeah, I want to do that. Yes, I want to get involved with that. And I'm not limiting myself. I'm also in that great period of my life where I've raised four kids, and they're all good. And they're, you know, on their way. Yeah, I worked straight through everything. But because I got to do the soap opera. And because bill Bell said to me, I want you to bring your kids to work, and I want you to feel secure. And because I really felt like I never gave up anything, actually, for my career or for that. I always you know, as a mother for 12 years, I was really, really able to do the mother thing the way I really wanted to do it. So I
Mindy Cohn 09:45
always forget my bad. But how old were your stepchildren when you got married?
09:51
I was 22 and they were two and five.
Mindy Cohn 09:53
were so young. And you really
09:56
before you had the boys? Uh huh. So they were eight And 11 when I had Austin, mK 10 and 16 when I had Landon, okay, so and i mean i am so grateful to them every single day because I'm so close with them and you know, to have these four amazing kids has been my the greatest thing that's ever happened in my my life and to be able to do that and now be at a place where I can live in Nashville and I can travel back here and and I can sign on to produce things and direct things and have horse businesses. Airbnb is in and full packs and animal foundations and kind of anything that comes my way that I truly feel inspired by.
Mindy Cohn 10:45
Well, I just looked like to just mere mention the latest thing about you offering this book, I mean, tell me about that, because it's the only thing I really don't know about like anything at all.
10:54
Okay, so the soul pack is something that's coming very, very soon. And it is an interactive journal, with my dear friend, Dale Smith Thomas, who is a motivational speaker that travels all over the world. And I had the great opportunity through our mutual dear friend Todd chrisley, and Julie chrisley, our friends to see her speak, which is how I met her. And first of all, she's drop dead gorgeous. So, you know, at first you're like, oh, wow, Oh, my God. And she has this book called Good morning, gorgeous. And then she gets on stage and blows your mind. So we just started to do the filming for it last week. And we've been dear friends for a couple of years. And we called it off the cuff. I just wanted to throw out things kind of like what we're doing here and see how we reacted to it. And we learned so much about each other. But this new book is a journal, but it is, I believe one of the first interactive ones. So it's going to be very, very interesting. And it's coming on a new platform called Magic. Amazing.
Mindy Cohn 11:58
Amazing. I do have to say I think your best habit, if we can call it a habit. Yeah, this is what I know about you for sure, is that you bring in you conjurer you call in you say yes to some of the most incredible people, I do have to say that about you. You are an amazing friend. But you have amazing friends and business partners. And I mean, it seems like you sort of get this interest and the creme de la creme of that thing comes in,
12:28
I have been so lucky. Thank you for saying that. And thank you, I have been in such gratitude for the extraordinary people who have been attracted to the same things that I've been attracted to. And my partner in the animal Foundation, Don, and Ritter is one of the greatest humans. I mean, during COVID, I left for what I thought was a week to come back and shoot and then go back and get my dog, you know, and my dog and COVID hit and she had to take over my dog. And if you don't follow me on Instagram, my dog Buddha has been diagnosed five years ago with end stage liver disease and given two weeks to live and through pure determination and an extraordinary homeopath and extraordinary vet has lived but in that he is the most high maintenance golden retriever. Like 30 medications to cook for him like you're at the finest restaurants. And he's picky. And the fact that Don and said, I'm there, I'm there for you. And he says she has two stores, a child a husband and cooked for my dog and took care of him through all of COVID until I could actually get out to get him back. And I'll never forget that. Of course, you know,
Mindy Cohn 13:46
Tracy, do you still enjoy working on the soap? Or is it? Is it the bill payer? I mean, I don't mean to call you out, because I know you are have a tremendous fan base that you love and respect. And I know that you love and respect the people you work for. But I mean, is it to fund and fuel these new projects? Or do you still enjoy it?
14:06
I love everybody I work with so much. And COVID has been a wonderful slash hard time. First of all, could we have been happier and more grateful that we got to work during this time?
14:22
You were one of the only ones right? We
14:24
were sort of the poster child. I think everybody was sort of like watching us. How are they doing it? And we've done it extraordinarily well. We've got Yes, we've not had to shut down that. And for me, I have loved everybody so much. I've been there 38 and a half. I can't
Mindy Cohn 14:41
believe that
14:42
their family, their family to me. And what's been the hardest is that we're not allowed to congregate, which as you know the hair and makeup department that's the most fun. It's almost more fun that active
Mindy Cohn 14:54
100% everybody's day.
14:56
Yeah, right, exactly. And that was the start and that was our relationships. So we have to be in our own dressing rooms. And we're very respectful because we get to do this, right? We're not a lot of us get to do this. So we are not going to mess up. If they say you stay in your dressing room and no one comes in, that's where we die. You wear this certain mask, this is how you act. This is the protocol. That's what we're doing right now. Because a lot of people rely on us, you know, it's not just in front of the cameras, everybody, it's the entire production. They rely on us to pay their bills, as well, as well, as much fun. We love to do what we do. Let's get to brass tacks, you know, everybody needs to pay their bills, but to be able to go to work and do what I do every day and be with my extraordinary cast crew and production. Oh my god. Hmm. You know what it's like? It's like your own island, and in a way. Mm
Mindy Cohn 15:47
hmm. And has production have they kind of rallied around this new life that you've created for yourself in national? I mean, I know there's other actors who fly in from Canada or what, wherever they're from. So I know, it's not logistical nightmare for anybody. But have they embraced this new? Well, I'm one of four now that flies from Nashville,
16:06
and nearly three of us got stuck in the snowstorm. And of course, it never snows like fat. black guys. I mean, it was I just felt so badly for production. I mean, in all the years and all these years, I've missed two shows, because I got the chicken pox when I was 26. I mean, besides having children. Yes. I got a week off for having Austin in four weeks for having landed. That was my return. But I made actually missing an episode was when I was 26. I missed two episodes because of chickenpox. So for me to miss, like, two or three episodes for a snowstorm. I was like major Oh my god. Yes. Oh, my and I tried to get to the airport on top of it. And hit dice and I went I believe you. Yeah, I was like, you know, pick up good luck. Do not do this and be safe. Yeah.
Mindy Cohn 17:00
100%. What have you been bingeing on? That's noteworthy What have you been mad for? Anything?
17:07
Yes, there are some that well, first of all, last Tango in Halifax. Hello. Oh, yes. My call out. BBC television, BBC,
Mindy Cohn 17:17
but it was on PBS. PBS. You okay.
17:20
Yeah. Love, love, love that. You know, loved bridgerton loved fleabag sex education, especially the first season hilarious. Let's see I because I binge on a lot of things I haven't been as, Oh my god, you know what I'm watching now. so fascinating. Couples Therapy. Have you
Mindy Cohn 17:46
ever heard about it? Every single season? Oh, my God, can you believe this? So I am so fascinated by this psychologist.
17:55
He's really something. Yes. So amazing. But let me ask you a question. Yeah. How does it make you?
Mindy Cohn 18:01
Those who are listening? It's on Showtime. I think this is now the third or fourth season.
18:06
Yeah, how I just discovered this. I don't know. But I you know, my thing is, I love perception. I love perception. I love to know about an event and how everybody reacts to it, I think is incredible.
Mindy Cohn 18:20
He has the same place. And yes, everybody's got a different view of it.
18:23
Hmm, exactly. And I love to understand people's perception. So for me to have be kind of a fly on the wall. And, of course, thinking, you know, my feelings about these couples, you know, I can't believe I can't express them. You know, and tell people I should be calling you out loud. I'm
Mindy Cohn 18:41
that horrible person that if I was in a movie theater, I'd be told to shut it.
18:45
Right. Exactly. I'd be doing the same thing. But yeah, I absolutely. How is that making you feel about even another relationship? Because I'm like, ah, wow. Yeah. I remember that.
Mindy Cohn 18:57
Yeah. Well, yeah. She ready. I'm ready. You ready? I'm ready. Yes, you are ready. I would like one now. Please think okay. Ah,
19:06
I'll be working on that thing.
Mindy Cohn 19:09
Like, yeah,
19:10
yeah, I'm not here yet. And I don't drink.
Mindy Cohn 19:14
We'll move to Nashville if he should be there. Oh, there's
19:17
some good Catholics there.
Mindy Cohn 19:19
Yeah, I'm thinking that Yeah. And sing. I'm just putting it out there songwriters love the song. what or who is inspiring you right now?
19:29
That is a really good question. I know this sounds very interesting or silly. But my dog Buddha because of his, what he's gone through health wise, no matter what he goes through. And people ask me all the time how he is and it's good days and bad days. That dog gets up every single day, no matter how he feels. And he is just my inspiration to get through absolutely everything and anything and I know that you know I'm inspired by my mom, who is going to be turning 89. And it's just Suzanne right below her, and she's watches over my barn and I get a detailed as to everything that's going on.
Mindy Cohn 20:16
So I didn't know this. But Has she moved to the farm? She's here. Yeah, time.
20:21
Suzanne's on the farm.
Mindy Cohn 20:23
Oh my gosh,
20:25
she decided tastic I turned to her. And I said, so you want to go on an adventure is like you want to move to Nashville with me. And, you know, I'm back and forth all the time. I'm in LA for a month I was in Nashville per month. But normally it's a little bit more two and two or three. Right? And, and she's just incredible. She takes care of it.
Mindy Cohn 20:49
And she's thriving out there. Like she loves it. Yeah,
20:51
I mean, you know, I think it's been hard because of COVID that, in her mind, she wanted to go back. She wanted to take classes and she wanted to go to the gym, and she wanted to do all these things. And I think it's been hard for her because she hasn't been able to kind of get her pod as she thought she was and it's been a year and she will absolutely.
Mindy Cohn 21:09
Yeah, I didn't know that. Oh, that's fantastic.
21:12
But I had two and a half years sort of before her. So I have my pod there.
Mindy Cohn 21:17
Yeah. Well, you have a pod wherever you go. I try in. First of all, you go into any restaurant and you sit down. I mean, she either know someone or someone will come up to her. I mean, any where. And this is not a new phenomenon. It's amazing. That is that thing I was talking to you about of just like people gravitate towards you. I've seen it in action for decades. I don't mean to sound like forever, but
21:45
it was each other a long time. We
Mindy Cohn 21:47
are on time, but I it is a I've never seen anyone else have that. Really is what I'm saying. Yeah. And I you know, I hang out with very dynamic, amazing people. You have that on top of anybody else. It's amazing. Yeah. charisma, energy, something that is just people who are like people heat seeking missile.
22:11
My manager says the same thing. It's very funny.
22:15
Oh, my god, no one says that.
Mindy Cohn 22:16
Yeah, for sure. So talk to me about what aspirations are in there right now for you like where is your, what you want to do? There's a lot
22:27
that I still have to do, always. And those things are all in the works. But somebody suggested that I direct. And to be honest with you, I never thought about it. I never ever thought about it. And so I've been shadowing Ajay kellgren. Wonderful director. And I'll probably direct my first thing this year, at the end of this year.
Mindy Cohn 22:53
I'm so excited for you.
22:54
So I've been, you know, learning everything I can. And luckily, I have a dear, dear friend who's an amazing film editor. So hopefully, she'll come in and be my editor. And we'll see. So that's that's kind of my new thing. And Christian,
Mindy Cohn 23:08
what do you think I'm going to do right now?
Christian Brescia 23:11
What do I think you're gonna do right now? Yeah. I'm asked to be directed by Ms. Bregman.
Mindy Cohn 23:18
I mean, does he know me? Or does he know me? I will just blatantly solicit you like I know, all of my guests. Like, if there's an opening, she puts herself in there. Are you
23:29
kidding me? It would be my divine pleasure. And I would be like, over the moon, if you would do a project.
Mindy Cohn 23:37
Thank you. And yes, and I really did just want to see if Christian was just like, yep,
23:42
yep. Yep. Yep, absolutely. Especially,
Christian Brescia 23:45
I mean, Tracy directly, like, that's an opportunity of a lifetime in and of itself.
23:49
Yeah, be fine. And it may only happen. Well, I
Mindy Cohn 23:51
actually think just in what we talked about in your personality traits. And what you are you are a director. You're an amazing producer that we already know. But you Thank you. I understand why someone suggested that to you. That makes perfect sense to me. Yeah.
24:04
Yeah. Hopefully the network that suggested it will let me do it for their network will say, well, Chelsea,
Mindy Cohn 24:12
I have full confidence. So you are immersed in Nashville. I mean, you are that was the place to go that you didn't really need it.
24:20
I never, in a million years, thought that I would live anywhere else buy out. But LA. And Mother Nature had other thoughts for me, as it's so interesting to think that if certain events had not happened, I mean, I already had a place in Nashville before. We're talking about the Woolsey fire before that, but I always thought that that would just be a place maybe down the road one day. I never thought Oh, we're here and I'm doing it. Oh my god. I never in a million years and now I have 17 horses on my property and many dogs A sheep that does not like me. Oh my God, this sheep does not like me. I've never had an animal like literally give me the hook and go you're just not my cup of tea. You're not not a fan. He's not a fan. I
Mindy Cohn 25:14
know you and you'll you're determined, I'm sure.
25:17
Yeah, I'm determined whether
Mindy Cohn 25:18
it takes this animals its whole life. It will.
25:24
It will love you. It was the
25:25
last.
25:27
People like me.
Christian Brescia 25:31
haircut
25:32
is one of the sheets that actually the hair comes off. Yes. I didn't say Am I not supposed to do something to the cheap? Maybe it's pissed because I didn't do the right thing. You know? I don't know from that
Christian Brescia 25:42
because it's supposed to be a big bonding thing. So
25:44
yeah, I don't know from a sheet.
Mindy Cohn 25:45
I can just say because, you know, they're not related at all, but they're similar in that at the goat farm. Yeah, there are few they're rare who just don't like people and because usually they're very people friendly. Yeah, but so you just Yeah. Do you want to hear this
26:02
fact? That goats are not I mean, they're good for mowing the lawn but they're very uneven. sheep are perfect for mowing a lawn because they eat very evenly. This is what I think when you when you have acres and acres and you look oh my god who's gonna mow that? Yeah, you got to get a sheep. You got to get
Mindy Cohn 26:21
out we are farmer john is our sheep. He does it. We die. We don't let the gods do it. I
26:25
have Andrea. I get it.
Mindy Cohn 26:29
I'm sure farmer john appreciates being glitchy. Oh my god. I'm gonna hear about that.
26:32
Yeah, I got a guy who Mo's to
Mindy Cohn 26:37
have I got a mower
Christian Brescia 26:38
or one one.
26:40
I have my own mower and a bush hog. Things you never thought I'd be talking about. That's right. And I know the difference of what needs to be Bulldog and what needs to be mowed. upset. Hey, that
Mindy Cohn 26:51
girl is a farmer. Oh my gosh, Tracy Bragman. You are a marvel. And I adore you. Thank you so much for being on this episode of Monday's with Mindy.
27:03
I had the best time ever.
Mindy Cohn 27:05
Oh my god, I'm just so much better for seeing your face. You know that I mean that from the bottom of my heart.
27:10
And maybe you honey I'm coming to stock
Mindy Cohn 27:13
a fantastic I'm here.
27:15
Love you. Ladies gentlemen. It
Christian Brescia 27:17
is our pleasure once again Tracy Bregman. This episode of Monday's with Mindy is brought to you in part by our sponsors. The cocktail party love Mary and Beekman. 1802 tired of cooking? Love fans who are d'oeuvres but don't have any idea how to prepare. Look no further. The cocktail party love Mary is here for 15 years New York's cater to the stars and our pal Mary Giuliani has served her deliciously whimsical hors d'oeuvres to the best names in art, fashion and entertainment. Now she's put them all in an adorable little box to send from her heart to your home. as Mary says all you have to do is turn on your oven, pour yourself a drink and enjoy more time with your guests. She'll take care of the rest. Mary juliani.com or Mondays with monday.com for more information and to order yours today. Beekman 1802 was a clean and cruelty free beauty company founded on a goat farm in upstate New York we craft a range of products from goat milk soaps and body care to clean and clinically proven skincare all safe for sensitive skin. Visit Beekman. 18 Oh two.com are Mondays with monday.com and discover why more than a million neighbors have joined our community
