Original subtitles

Let's hear it for Superstar!

First time at Comic -Con!

We have the stars and producers of Superstar, and I'm going to bring them

right now. So first off, executive producer Jonathan Green.

Right behind him, executive producer Gabe Miller.

And the creator and executive producer of Superstore, Justin Spitzer.

All right, let's now introduce the cast of Superstore. First up, she's an icon,

or in the words of Justine, a total badass bitch.

She plays Sandra on the show, Coleco, kawaii.

I should add, newly minted cast member, Coleco, as well.

Congratulations.

Next up, she can't drive right now because she has bees in her car. She

Cheyenne on the show, Nicole Bloom.

Next up, it's not his attitude. This is just a terrible job. Garrett on the

show, Colton Dunn.

You're all turd people, according to Mateo. It's Nico Santos.

She'd like to meet your mother and shove you back inside of her. Dina thoughts,

Lauren Ash.

Embezzlement is when you put jewels on your jacket. It's Glenn Sturgis, Mark

McKinney.

All right, somebody's ready for

the red carpet.

Jonah Ben Feldman.

And finally, in season four, sit on down, Ben. Come on. Season four, her

tags, she was Roz, Emily, Etta, Denise, Harriet, Louise, Myla, Tara, Gabriella,

Louisa, Nola, Ruby, Sierra, Cindy, Joanna, Yemi, Lucia, Danny, Hope,

Bea, Pooh, Rowena, Adonike, Gloria, Duendina, and Aileen. But we know her as

Sosa, America, Ferreira.

Superstore. Well, hello, gang.

Welcome to Comic -Con.

First time out for Superstore. America, what do you make of

this so far?

Crazy people.

In a good way. In a very good way. I see some cosplayers out there. I see a

couple of these vests out there, especially in the front row.

So, gang, thanks for coming out here. First year at Comic -Con, but there's so

much to talk about as a result because someone loves you.

But as we head into Season 5, let's kind of talk about Season 4 and sort of

everything that went down. And, America, we'll start with you first because this

was obviously a huge season for Amy.

Talk about the decision to make her the manager and sort of put her in this boss

position. How did that change for you and sort of the decision to put her in

that role?

Yeah, it's something that...

Justin and I have been talking about since day one is sort of you know where

it all going for Amy and for me one of the most compelling things about playing

this role having had just come off of playing Betty Suarez on Ugly Betty who

sort of this eternal optimist and you know brought the sunshine wherever she

went I just love that Amy doesn't care if you like her and for

That's so liberating for a female character to sort of walk around and

like, I don't need you to smile at me. Like, I'm just trying to get through the

day. And she started in a place of really just trying to survive.

And a certain cute little panda -looking man came into her life.

Why little? Why did the little happen? I didn't say your name.

You said little. You're assuming I was talking about you. You also did this to

me. Oh, my God.

And all of a sudden, like, ideas of, you know, wanting more from her life

started to pop up. And we talked about, you know, how that would play in. And it

is Jonah who kind of encourages her to start thinking about what else there

would be. But, of course, in Superstore fashion, for her to ask for that.

Step up, and power is going to come with all of the crazy challenges of having

to manage people that she's had these long -time relationships with. It's a

bumpy ride, but nonetheless, I mean, ultimately, she's a little more

than Glenn, I would say. What?

No offense, Mark.

I do a great job. Don't do the voice.

I mean, Mark, this was an adjustment for Glenn as well.

You know, he did it for really good reasons, but nonetheless. Completely

reasons. It was kind of like the only thing I think, it was brilliant to

justify. This is his last kid of 16.

And he wants, and it's his first.

biological child and he's just not going to sacrifice the rest of his time at

the store. And that was really sweet.

And for the producers, what does this allow you in terms of new stories and

opportunities and switching things up in season four?

Well, I mean...

You know, we got to the end of season three, and I think we'd sort of been

remarkably static in terms of characters' lives changing, which I

of part of this world. You know, you work at a store like this forever, year

after year. Amy says in the first episode, you know, yesterday was the

today, and I know that because, or something like that. You guys know.

You wrote it.

Something about days all being the same.

And then I know we felt like we had to end up in season three, and it was like,

enough of that.

Season four is the time of change. It's the time to mix things up and for Amy to

start growing, for all our characters to start growing in different ways.

So we sort of knew that going in.

And, you know, it injects new fuel into the writer's room. All of a sudden you

have whole new dynamics to play with, a whole new series of stories you can

tell. So it's great for us. Right, yeah, we get to see Amy, you know...

a little bit at how hard it can be to be the manager, even though she saw

herself as the most competent person in the store.

It's still not easy when you actually have to be making those calls. But the

flip side of that, too, is really fun to get to see Glenn suddenly just one of

the gang and not the manager anymore and trying really hard to fit in, even

though the rest of them maybe don't see him yet as one of the gang.

And I like, too, that obviously workplace pay is a big red -button issue

now, and you guys hit that head -on. as well.

Amy's doing pretty well for herself right now. We even know how much she's

making. $109 ,000 with a bonus. With a $10 ,000 bonus.

And perks if you were paying attention. We'll learn about the perks eventually.

Ben.

I don't think I cringed more on television this season than the

episode.

I had to watch the entire episode with hands over my eyes.

I had to pause it sometimes. I felt so bad for you, but you just kept stepping

in it.

You know, Jonah means so well, but he does, like, just step in it every once

a while. Yeah, and for some reason, that's kind of my wheelhouse. I feel

one of you guys came up to me and you were like, that was, like, some of your

best work.

On the show, and I think I really find a place on this show or any show if I'm

playing a bumbling idiot who's just kind of screwing up left and right.

We'll say about that one, yes, we have Jonah screw up a lot, but that one we

kind of approached as this is Jonah's hero move.

I mean, he's never been more heroic than he's already screwed up a bunch and put

his foot in his mouth, and then...

he does this for Emma that makes him look even worse. I don't think he's ever

had a more heroic moment in this series. Yeah, no, it all came from a really...

great kind of, at times, altruistic place, which is what makes the

super easy to play, because I'm not intentionally trying to mess something

didn't make a... Well, I made a bunch of stupid decisions, but the overall thing

that I was trying to get done was something good, which ultimately leads

just... a million different ways of falling apart.

And to be fair, Jonah has not cut his nipple off on this.

Oh my God, with the nipple.

There's three, there's an admin thing.

Future seasons, perhaps.

Let's talk about Jonah and Amy. There's debate online over what the hashtag cute

couple name is. Is it Samotha or is it Jamie? Have we not decided that yet? So

what's the verdict from the crowd?

Let's hear a clap for Samotha.

And how about Jamie?

Jamie's the easier one, but I feel like Samotha's a little more interesting.

And sounds delicious.

Yeah, it's a food and not a person's name. There's already a Jamie.

out there somewhere.

Exactly. All right, so it's kind of half and half, though, it seems.

So what's next for these crazy two kids? You know, there's hint of marriage.

It seems like maybe there's going to be a debate down the road over children.

I mean, there's going to be a lot more of the sex videos.

The season opens, season five just is 23 minutes of sex.

Except those are all Jonah monologues. Yeah, yeah.

Jonah's the only one involved, yeah.

That's the digital extension.

Don't clap for that. Pun intended.

You know, to Amy and Jonah's relationship, I loved that towards the

season... we kind of got back to some of the original dynamic of Amy and Jonah,

which is ultimately that they're on different sides ideologically about life

morals and values sometimes.

And they'd sort of been moving closer and closer together as they have this

relationship. But this idea about the union that's coming at a time where

finally Amy has some upward mobility in her life, something she never imagined.

brings back that dynamic that was there in the pilot, which is that ultimately

these are two people with very different life circumstances and very different

ways of looking at life. And so I kind of love it when Amy and Jonah hate each

other more than when they like each other. So I'm hoping that I get to hate

more this next season.

There'll be plenty of opportunities, as Jonah just stated. I think he'll be

happy, you know?

Yeah, he was fine. She was happy. She was really happy, I think.

She was okay. She was doing okay.

Well, Ben, what do you think about Jonah's endgame? I mean, obviously, he

has his financial issue.

And, you know, what do the cards hold, do you think, ultimately, for him?

I mean, that's a great question for the guys on this side of the table. But I

think there's still a lot more to learn about Jonah. I think he definitely feels

like he is from a different place than a lot of the other people in this show.

Or, I guess...

I think he comes from some sort of a place of privilege, and we haven't fully

explored that. You seem really comfortable talking about this. I hate

I hate the privilege thing. But that said, I think it's something that we're

probably going to explore a little bit more because Jonah does feel like the

person who didn't necessarily need to be there and is one of the people that

chose it, that recognized this as a family and a place where he finally fits

And so in that regard, I think he is that character.

So hopefully we're going to explore that a little more, where he came from and

what led him to choose this group.

Yeah. Well, for the producers, I mean, there's been no shortage of marriages

babies over the years.

You know, these life moments, is that something that you'll continue or, you

know, that's sort of in the DNA of the show and sort of those big landmark

moments? We're running out of people to get pregnant.

We've done a lot of pregnancies. Working on Garrett, it's taking a little

driving.

Yeah, no, I think they will continue.

It's a, you know, there's a lot of people working at the store and people

always going through. Colton just woke up. He's like, I heard Garrett. You were

just scrolling on your phone, were you not, Justin?

Yeah, yeah.

We'll get to you, Colton. We're good to you. You're talking about Garrett

getting pregnant?

The show's going to change, season five.

That's landmark.

That is landmark.

Well, let's talk about Dina, Lauren. So, yeah.

We got some Dina fans in the house. There's some cosplay out there as well.

Love it. The bird.

The bird.

R .I .P. Anybody dressed as the bird? Dressed as for the bird.

Portobello.

So what...

Do you think she'll ever forgive Garrett, or what do you think of that

relationship moving forward?

Well, I think it's beautiful that she got to get him back in the only way that

would actually hurt him, and burning those shoes.

Remember how scared you were of those burning shoes?

You mean of the actual special effects?

Yeah. Yes.

That was a real fire.

It was a real fire, and I just remember Colton, who's always impossibly cool

under all circumstances, was like, How close do we really need to be, though?

Could I be another foot back?

Why are we so close to the flames?

It was amazing to watch. Anyway, I mean, I don't know, obviously, what the

gentleman at the end of the table had planned, but I don't think she would

necessarily forgive him very easily. I mean, it was her entire life that's now

literally flown the coop.

Don't pardon the pun.

So, yeah, I think that obviously there's a lot of rage. And how hot she is in

season five, I mean, we'll figure it out. Is she 101?

Is she 76, like beautiful San Diego, California? Who knows?

Who knows?

Thanks, Marker.

Very nice, very nice. Well, Colton, on the flip side, for Garrett, he ended up,

I mean, he's always been sort of the surly and has this contentious

with a lot of the folks there, but they really soured on him because of that

once that was revealed.

Well, yes,

and they should have.

You know, murdering birds and then sleeping with the person.

Those birds you just murdered. The same night.

The same night is not cool.

It's cold. It's pretty cold.

Hashtag not cool.

But, you know, the thing is that their relationship has always been

So, you know, I feel like love can defeat everything.

So, you know, I don't think that spark's gone between Garrett and Dina.

I mean, there's a chemistry there. There's some sort of spark that I see.

There's definitely a spark in his shoes.

And certainly, you know, sitting on the couch post -coital, Dina just chowing on

a sandwich.

Oh, yeah. We've never felt it more.

Yeah. You know, Mark directed that episode, and he let me do a take where

good two minutes, I just ate the sandwich in silence.

Yeah.

First of all, it was a delicious sandwich. Second of all, I thought that

great bit.

It was a great bit. It was a good bit. Will that be on the DVD, or do we get

outtake at some point of the sandwich?

What's that?

It's streaming on Hulu. It's streaming on Hulu.

Yeah, it's on its own web series now, Dina's Food.

I like it. I like it. Yeah.

Yeah, directing, a number of you have directed. America, of course, as well.

Ben, you've directed in the past episodes. Mark, talk a little bit about

It's always sort of fun to be behind the camera and direct your co -stars and

yell demands at them.

What was the outcome this season of directing these episodes?

America, what was it like for you?

Yeah, for me, I didn't think I could...

be more in awe of this group of people but when you get behind the camera and

and watch this cast bring an already incredible you're so grateful that the

script is so funny and it's really hard to screw it up so you're so grateful for

that but then you think it's your job as a director to make it work and with

this cast it's your job to just sit back and not mess it up and to get it's such

an incredible joy to get to sit back and watch every single one of these cast

members just Kill it. Like, everybody's such a pro. Everyone is so funny. And

when I'm behind the camera, I get to laugh as much as I want without ruining

the takes, which is what I do every time I'm in front of camera. So it just

feels like such a privilege to get to sit back and watch how these amazing

talents think and craft and make something funny and then funnier again.

just when you think it can't get funnier.

you do another take and it's amazing.

There was kind of a moment at the end of America's first episode and then

subsequently the other ones where we're a pretty bitty group of people. We do a

lot of bits. It's a lot of joking around.

No, nothing earnest whatsoever.

And at the end of your first episode, you came up to everybody and you were

like, no jokes, no anything. It was just like, hey, I just want to tell you, you

were so great. It was just a joy to direct you. And I thought, wow, that was

first time America and I ever had a real conversation.

But I can't believe she knows my name.

It's Ben, right? This one's Ben. She keeps calling you Jonah. She's been

me Jonah.

By the way, that's actually not a joke. America calls all of us by our character

names. That's not true.

Somebody back me up. I did that one time. It was twice.

It was twice. No, I... It was twice.

No, it wasn't. It was season one. She said, does anybody ever call you Dinah?

And I said, well, my name's Lauren, not Dina.

So I don't know.

It was earlier.

committed to my character. It's true. It's true. But anyway, I remember

like, what a, what a, what a grateful and genuine and earnest moment from,

her. And then when I directed it, all of that made sense because you sit back

and you watch these people go and they're, I mean, there's like some of

greatest improvers ever doing these incredible magical things on the camera

was pointing behind you.

And you're just blown away at how easy your job then becomes as a director

because these people, they've got it.

Well, Mark, when you direct, do you do it in Glenn's voice or do you have to go

back and forth?

Because I would love to see that.

That is a brilliant idea.

Why didn't I do that?

Next season.

Yeah, next season.

Well, I'll make the season now. I'll do it any time you want. I had so much fun.

I had so much fun directing this.

Mark's directing is all about the shoes, right?

You were in the right shoes for the job.

I asked the crew, who, by the way, save our butts when we're directing, and they

said, oh, you've got to get these really great shoes. This is what you wear

because the floors in these studios are cement and they'll throw at your back.

And then, so I got these shoes. And when you put your feet in them, it's like

walking around in fresh French bread.

It was so nice.

And then, so when my character went, in the episode I directed, that's when

Glenn stops being a manager and he becomes an employee. I begged for these

for wardrobe, and so now I have about 20 pairs of them.

Nice.

The perks of directing. The perks, yeah. Well, let's, Nico, let's talk about the

season finale.

Woo!

Why, what happened?

Did something happen to Mateo?

That, I was telling these folks beforehand, I teared up at that finale,

final moment, you know, seeing you in that ice mobile going away from

Ice mobile makes it sound a little.

Yeah. As I said it, I was like, that sounded way too cute.

It is not cute at all.

But nonetheless, it was stunning. It was heartbreaking. It was such a dramatic.

end to the season.

Talk about that and how personal this was for you in doing this storyline.

It's extremely personal. I'm an immigrant. I'm from the Philippines.

I moved to... Hi,

my Filipinos in the house.

There's so many of you out there. My God.

My boo, hey.

No, but I'm from the Philippines. I moved to this country when I was 16.

I think any immigrant who comes to this country also knows somebody who is

undocumented.

So doing this storyline, members of my own family were undocumented at some

point in their lives.

So doing this storyline was very, I don't know, it was very personal. It was

very touching. It was very triggering.

I remember reading the script at the table read.

I mean, Justin had told me that's where the finale was going to go.

And when we read the finale at the table read,

I was kind of just like taken aback, and I closed the script, and I looked over,

and Lauren and America were just like a puddle. And Nicole.

Yeah. I have the picture. Yeah.

It was really hard.

And then when we filmed it, filming the episode was also very, very hard. That

scene where Mateo was in the van, and I was being carted away, and I could just

see my entire Cloud9 family just sort of like in shock looking at me.

But I remember doing a few takes where they had me say, It's going to be all

right. I'm going to be okay.

People were just sobbing.

It was a really tough week to film.

I bet.

The question is now, where do we go from here?

Obviously, you guys can't give away too much, but this is clearly going to be to

be continued in season five.

Well, I'm here, so that's a good sign.

I mean, that's more of a question for... Mateo is still on the show.

This season, the last few seasons, we've been exploring life as an undocumented

person, and this will give us a little more... We'll be exploring what it's

going through the deportation process and kind of... You can drag out for a

while. The reality of it is it doesn't happen...

Right away, there's a lot of uncertainty, but you're living with this

to go about your daily life.

You could drag out approximately three to four seasons.

Yeah.

Thankfully, I can pull off orange, so that's pretty fun.

Dark.

But I do like the fact that you're not going to just sort of clean it up after

couple of episodes. You guys have always been very sort of meticulous in

showcasing these true stories and not afraid to walk into politics, social

issues, and things like that, but not be preachy about it. You're very sort of

balanced on it as well. Talk a little bit about that and how that's such a

hallmark of Superstore.

Yeah, I think...

It comes from wanting it to be interesting for us.

I think it's kind of boring to write preachy stuff, and it's boring to watch

as well.

So we realize that we've become known for doing some of these social issue

shows, but we've always limited ourselves.

Not every episode, not every other episode deals with something.

And when we do deal with it, we don't say we have to explore all sides of it,

but we don't...

pick a side to teach a lesson. We never want to teach a lesson.

That's like Saturday morning or after school stuff.

The more you know.

So it just comes from a place of what's real. What would these characters face?

They would occasionally face what happens when your boyfriend or

dumps you or someone you know dies or you get a raise and sometimes you're

dealing with much more serious issues.

And when we do deal with it, it's just being sparing. It's introducing the

and then it's having fun with it, having lots of different people have different

attitudes about it, going for the comedy, not going for something that's

important. Because the moment you try to be funny and important at the same

time, I think one of them has to give.

But you hope you can do both by concentrating on the comedy and having

going on in the background.

Well, the other thing that you guys do effortlessly is representation.

This is a cast that is, yeah.

Shout out to representation on this cast.

Without, you know, you don't like, you know, again, you're not looking for

accolades. It's just natural because this is naturally America.

So, and America.

So, no pun intended.

But, you know, nonetheless, that's, you know, I think something that people

really appreciate about this show as well is this looks like the United

This is what a superstore would look like anywhere in America. And I can't

really truthfully claim all that much credit for it.

You're always aware of race and gender when you cast something, but really this

is just, for each part, the best actor that came in for each part.

And that's about as much thought as we put into it, and it lucked out.

Well, and I think that the fact that our cast is so diverse is what allows

us to do the stories that we do. You can't tell stories.

about deportation if you have a cast of 10 people who are exactly the same. You

need diversity, and that diversity of our cast is the opportunity to throw any

kind of issue at this gang and know that everyone's going to be reacting to it

from a different point of view, from a different life experience. And so the

fact that this show began with...

This type of diversity embedded in it the DNA of multiple perspectives and an

America that was multidimensional.

And so I think that it isn't in spite of the diversity. It's because of the

diversity that we're allowed to do what the show does really, really well.

Excellent. Shout out. Yeah.

Let's head on over to Nicole now, get some Cheyenne.

So I asked the fans to send some questions in, and one question that

bringing up is, is it time for Cheyenne to go on an apology tour?

For what?

She's done nothing wrong, right?

I don't think so.

Where is Cheyenne going?

Where would you like to see her go?

Well, she's tried out a lot of different career paths, I think. She likes to

work with her hands. She's slightly artistic.

She hasn't been particularly good at any of them, so it'd be nice if maybe she

was good at one thing, but obviously she can't leave the superstore, so yeah,

I'm not too sure. I do hear that I'm going to have a big birthday party this

season, so that should be exciting.

All right.

Yeah.

I don't know how much I'm allowed to talk about it. Oh, maybe I wasn't

to say that. I don't know.

Spoilers! Cheyenne has a birthday.

She was born.

Wait, can we get confirmation about whether or not Cheyenne is having a

party this season? Is she having a birthday?

Where did you hear this, Nicole? She will continue to age this season. That

would be funny. She gets that face app and she's the only one who

doesn't age.

All right, let's go to Calico, the new cast member.

Calico, so much went on with Sandra this season. First off, she got her voice.

She's the AOC now of the stores.

Thank you for that, and yes.

She rose to the occasion.

You know, she gets pushed into the corner sometimes, but I feel like she's

to turn it around for her advantage, maybe not realizing it was a

for someone else. And I'm sure she's going to be part of the team that tries

help get our boy Mateo back.

Baby boy.

Plus she got Jerry.

Boom. I got Jerry.

Now, from what I understand, that was improvised, the whole proposal.

Yeah, I found out when I actually watched the episode that that was kept.

Justin just came up to us. It wasn't in the script.

And he came up to us while we were shooting and was like, why don't we do

where Jerry proposes?

And I should say, at the end of season three, we had Jerry propose to Sandra

then cut it.

And then it wasn't a script, and then just on set, I was like, okay, try one

where you just ask to marry.

And then they were like, every year you're just going to cut this proposal,

aren't you?

So at that point, I'm like, well, no, now I'm going to keep it in.

And on the flip side, Carol, I think, finally got her comeuppance.

Has Sandra sort of...

Definitely won in that battle, in that love triangle.

Yeah, but you can't keep Carol down.

I mean, she is a formidable nemesis.

She's the nemesis I deserve, I believe.

She's always vaping. She's always vaping in the corner somewhere. Her strawberry

vape. Plotting, plotting that next plan.

Trying to get my man.

We're going to open the floor for questions in a second, so start lining

going to do a lightning round now with some of the other questions that fans

sent me earlier today. First off, someone asked, will there be a musical

episode?

We have asked for this. We have begged for this.

Since season one, we've asked for this. Since filming the pilot.

Since filming the pilot.

And I remember I said season four, not believing that we'd ever actually get

there.

So what's the word?

Yeah, no, definitely.

I don't know how to write music. What do you do? We sing so much between takes

that it feels like it would be a disservice not to share it with people.

They could just piece together all the blooper reels of a theme between takes.

Actually, as we were lining up to come in, I heard Mark sing in the America's

Funniest Home Videos theme song. So that's real. That happened.

A question that I know a lot of people ask, you've probably answered it before,

but I think some people here would want to know is where do the names on Amy's

name tag come from? How are those decided? I know a lot of people who

campaign to get their names on those name tags. Who decides that?

Generally, it's the writer of the particular episode who gets to pick the

Every once in a while, there's someone, you know, a cast member has a special

request they want to put on the name tag.

Every now and then, when we've had a glass of wine or two, promise a fan in

audience that we'll use their name.

And we did. I did. And I ended up using her name. It was Dwydina.

He was Filipino.

I hope Dwight... Is she here?

No, she was... Yes, we travel in packs. Dwight Dena, are you here? Ladies and

gentlemen, Dwight Dena!

And also, just for the record, like, so many people tweet every week,

why does Amy have a different name tag every episode?

Every week, somebody asks.

And every week, we say, go back to the pilot.

And so once and for all, here at Comic -Con, I just want to say, Amy doesn't

wear her name on her name tag because she doesn't like strangers using her

like they know her.

Case closed.

One question that a number of people ask is, what happened to the dog that Glenn

bought for Amy?

It's a very specific question, but nonetheless.

He's at home with the child Amy had that you've never seen.

Here in a can of dog food, right?

The two of them have a web -only series.

There's also, by the way, because another question that people ask a lot

customer interstitials, which I love, partly because the music choices are

always like bad late 90s songs or 80s songs.

But if you go online, there's an interstitial, 17 minutes of every

interstitial, just like a jump cut, if that's your thing.

You can go online and watch it. It's pretty incredible.

People have so much time. I also got contacted.

I got contacted on Twitter by pop icon Tiffany because she was like, I heard

that I Think You're Alone Now was used on the show. And I was like, yes, it

Tiffany. And Tiffany was like, pay up.

No,

then she told me she didn't write the song so she doesn't get any residuals.

It's a boring story, but still, Tiffany.

This has been Behind the Music with Lauren Ash.

And one more question, then we'll go to the audience.

I'm giving this one because I just love this question, and Lauren, you'll like

it too.

Can we give Dina a spicy -ass love interest in season five?

Yes.

Yeah, guys, I know. Listen, I talk about this all the time.

I've gone into the writer's room and written things on the board like, Dina

covered in chihuahua puppies, or Dina has three -way with... Greased

you know.

Yeah, I mean, I'm ready. And listen, I feel like Supernatural is ending. Those

boys need work, you know what I mean? Oh, boy.

Here we go with the Supernatural thing.

I'm pandering. I'm pandering to the crowd.

That's the phrase that pays.

They know.

All right, well, I want to spin off with Empty Cool Cloud. And with that, let's

go to the audience questions.

First up.

what's up hello all you hi hi

Superstore is such a funny show and it's generally very lighthearted. Did you

ever think that you would get to a point where you would have such a serious

storyline? And is it hard to flip between the comedy and the drama? And

this is for all the cast members and anyone who wants to answer.

And you're talking about Garrett getting his shoes burned?

Oh, the ice mobile. The ice mobile.

You know, initially, I mean, like, I think the first time we tackled a more

dramatic subject, at least for Mateo's character, was the breakup with Jeff.

I remember being so nervous tackling that episode.

America directed that episode.

And I just felt so thankful that you were sort of behind the wheel because I

just like...

I felt really supported.

But I was like, I am a comedian. I don't know how I'm going to pull this off.

Because it was like, I don't know, like having to do comedy all the time and

then switch to like crying your eyes out, having your heart stopped was a

difficult thing to do.

But I don't know. We have an amazing team of writers, amazing team of actors

work with that you just feel supported at every turn. So it's easy.

But then we ended that episode with you walking through Devastated and Jonah.

coming up and punching you out.

And even after I take Mateo away, Nicole turns to Ice and asks them if they want

to take their ice cream.

The person in the pool is like... Was it Ice's ice cream or your ice cream? It's

my ice cream.

If you wanted to take your ice cream. That was an ad -lib, I think, wasn't it?

That was improvised.

Well, the thing that Cole mentioned about the shoes, I often wonder what the

value of all those shoes were, that bird.

I mean, that's like priceless. Yeah, not as much as the lives of those birds.

Meh.

Meh.

I don't know about birds, y 'all. But less than the Mickey Mantle rookie card

and Superman comic number one that we so recklessly threw out.

That's got to kill a lot of people in this room. Those were real. I can't

believe they let us do that.

You blew your budget for the next three years. Well, thank you so much for your

question. Next up, please.

Hello. Oops, this is wild. Hi.

Are the customer transitions that we see when they're doing random weird things

like holding blood in their hand?

weird things. Are they things that you guys have seen when you're shopping at a

superstore or things that maybe you've done while you're at a superstore?

Some of them, especially early on, were things that we'd seen or I guess maybe

done. I hope not. I don't know.

And then as time goes on, we kind of ran out of those and we just try to kind of

think of new ones.

I've told this story once before, but America once...

sent me, texted me something she saw in a Target or a Walmart or something.

It was like some people doing their taxes in an aisle or something.

And she was like, this would be a great interstitial. And I was like, oh yeah,

that'd be funny. And then I thought for a second, I was like, wait, who took

this photo?

And she's like, I did.

I was like, so some random people went into Target and then America Ferrera is

taking their picture.

It's been such...

screwing with their minds if they had happened to see it. So sometimes the

chimes in with great ideas, too.

I usually have my phone at the ready when I'm at a superstore, and I've

Justin a lot of times, and they never make it in.

Maybe one day.

What's funny is there's probably photos of people taking pictures of you,

America, taking photos of someone else, too.

Cool. Thank you. Thank you so much. Next up, please.

Thank you.

Is that Brian?

Yeah. Cool.

My question's for the cast.

With a show premise that's really simple, just a bunch of people in a

every day, what drew you to the material to take the role?

I remember when I first read the script and then spoke to Justin on the phone, I

was like, I really like the script.

It feels like there's a lot there. Like, what do you see for the show? And he

said, it's a show about people who work in a store and things happen.

And they have every episode.

Every episode he has made good on that promise.

And it was just, Justin always had this confidence about the

characters. I think that what was so clear from the first time I read the

was that these...

characters were were really well defined and drawn out people and that who they

had cast in these characters were had such a strong point of view and such a

know such a presence and from day one the strength of those characters and

dynamics with one another has really

taken the show in so many different directions but ultimately at the end of

day whatever we're talking about it's those dynamics that I think people are

really watching for you know to see what happens when you know Cheyenne and

Garrett get stuck together for a day what happens when it's Mateo and Glenn

happens with Jonah and Dina and I remember watching the pilot we made and

first thought was like I just want to see more of these people together so I

know Justin should speak to this but When I read the script, it was the

of those characters and the strength of the actors that had been cast to

interpret those characters.

And before Justin speaks, I'd like to talk.

Just because it's been a little while.

For me, to your point, the confidence, not just in the characters, but the

writing in general is so confident. These writers take, they write every...

Every week I read something in a script where I'm like, that's not going to

actually make it to air. Like, that's cool now, but there's no way. We'll cut

that. All the way up to ice.

Like, there's just been so many things.

And the very first, when I read the pilot, and I had just been on an NBC

that got canceled halfway through, and there was no way I was going to be,

on a sitcom on NBC or anywhere. And I read, and my agent was like, you should

read this script because it's going to change your mind. And honestly, it was

Beau that sealed the deal for me.

Because I was reading.

The script was great. Everything was great. And I was like, what is the, I

like a sign. Something just needs to be like, and like Bo to propose to

Cheyenne, but to rap and then jump up on the table and go, everybody get on the

fucking floor. This is a robbery.

And I was like.

This guy, this is amazing.

I can't believe I'm doing this show. So it was really, that was, I don't think I

ever told you, but there was Bo screaming the F word, and I was like, I

know. And if I could just, you know, much like those two, you know, the

and the characters was so intoxicating. But also, we get paid, baby.

That's what drew me to it.

I was broke.

Aren't you a writer on another show?

Yeah, man, I've spent that money, fool.

All on shoes.

All on shoes.

Thank you so much for your question. Next up, please.

Hi. We're big, huge fans of the show and for you, Lauren.

And my husband's name is Elias, too, so I'm wondering if you can say one of our

favorite lines, Elias, wash your hands with soap.

Elias, wash your hands with soap? Was that the line? Yeah. Yeah.

Elias, wash your hands with soap.

Very good.

Boom.

All right, next up.

Hey, guys, I love the show, and I love the way that your comedy is reflecting

reality.

And, you know, you touched upon, you know, Jonah's privilege or even the

health care and immigration.

I wonder if we're going to find out in next season about Marcus's homelessness.

Yeah, that's right.

Well, Marcus lives in the store.

He's homeless.

He's been making $109 ,000 a year.

$134 ,000.

Excuse me, yes.

Yeah. Great question. No, but we are going to see a lot of Marcus this coming

season, right? Definitely a lot of Marcus this season. We are following up

his homeless situation. We don't want to reveal exactly how, but yes, that is

something we're touching on this season.

Maybe it came related to stamping poop down the drain. Maybe he lost a deposit

on an apartment.

That and you guys are not going to pixelate his penis this season, which I

is bold for NBC. Thank you, NBC.

What's up?

Well, we got some Nico cosplay.

Amazing.

Yes.

Yes.

This is, oh, my God.

Girl, I posted you on my Insta story. Love you, girl.

I love you.

I've yet to like it.

So on point. I know. I love it. You win this panel. You win this panel. What's

your question?

Thank you. Of course.

My question is for sis.

Yeah. Okay.

My immediate family, they're back in the Philippines, and so are a lot of my

friends, and they're huge fans of yours.

They're asking if you have any plans, travel plans to the Philippines anytime

soon or next year.

They're waiting for you.

They want me to go back and visit?

Yes.

I would love to. You know, I moved here when I was 16, and when I filmed Crazy

Rich Asians,

When I filmed that movie two years ago, that was the first time I was back in

the Philippines in like 21 years.

And it was so incredible to be back. It was such an emotional homecoming.

And I was really like just...

I don't know why I waited that long.

Well, I know, because I was broke, and I couldn't afford to go back home.

But now that I've been back, I do want to go back home and visit and go back to

the motherland, because it was an amazing experience.

And I miss it. I want to go back for Christmas.

Christmas in the Philippines is amazing, and I want to go back.

Yes.

Don't deport him, please.

Bye.

Thank you so much.

Okay, thanks. Bye.

So cute.

Next question.

Hi. As you guys have become televised faces for a lot of serious social

immigration, unionization, things that aren't easy to discuss, have you had to

do a lot of homework to be able to discuss these things if questions come

Yeah, we do. We take that seriously.

We have different people come into the room to talk to us about this

organization, Define America, which has been so helpful in terms of a lot of the

immigration stuff.

We've had representatives from our Walmart come in to talk about their

unionizing efforts.

We take the research part seriously.

And the unionizing is still going to be a part of next season too, right? I

mean, that's an ongoing topic.

Yeah, we'll see.

We'll see the employees continue that push, and it'll become, you know, we'll

see how Amy also deals with that, being very sympathetic, but also being

management now. It'll create some conflicts for her.

Yeah.

I just want to say, thank you for your question. I just want to say, like, as

I'm watching, like, the range of who watches this show and who loves this

It's so moving to me that we've created a television show where so many

different kinds of people feel like they're invited into the conversation.

And I think that's a testament to our writers who ultimately make

it funny. And at the end of the day, that is always their goal, is to make

laugh and entertain you as much as possible. But I think one of the most...

beautiful byproducts of what this show is doing is creating a space where

can believe different things and have different opinions and not agree with

other, but still coexist and treat each other with a basic decency.

And I think that, like, that to me, the success of that is reflected most

in our fans and how diverse our fanship is. And so I

just wanted to...

Reflect that back as I'm watching you guys love on us. So thank you. Thank

All right.

Next up.

Wow. Well, first of all, I just wanted to say I am such a huge Dina fan.

I mean, rip the birds. I'm sorry.

Thank you.

Well, I was always wondering why cloud nine and not cloud 10.

I think that's a great question because, you know, what's higher than Cloud 9?

The answer is Cloud 10.

Always kind of been the elephant in the room.

Honestly, I considered that when I was working on this, coming up with the

title. I was like, that would be a funny thing. It was going to be, or no, Cloud

8, One Step Shy of Heaven was going to be for a little while.

What's that?

Life could have been all different. All these shirts would have been different.

And I kind of thought, like, the company is the straight man of the show. What's

just a realistic, not super funny, just believable name that the company would

have. So I went right for the low -hanging fruit.

Tell them what the original name of the show was. The Greatest Love Story Ever

Told.

That's not a joke. That was the original title of Superstore.

Not a joke.

And NBC said no.

They at first said yes, and then a bunch of romantic comedies, as Ben has

attested to, failed that year. And then they called and were like, what if you

just called it Superstore?

But see, that was a great question because he said he considered naming it

10, so you're right on the money. There you go.

There you go. Thank you.

You're welcome.

One of the amazing things about Superstore as well is how you guys make

space look so much bigger than it actually is. I mean, it's astounding how

shoot that.

And one of the cool things, if you live in L .A. and you drive down Bar and Path

Universal, you can actually look through the fence and see the Cloud 9.

So when I have friends in town, I'll actually drive by, hey, it's Cloud 9,

they're impressed for a second, and they're like, when's lunch?

We have a next up. Production designer Michael Gallenberg is responsible for a

lot of that.

There's mirrors above at the top of all the walls. So it looks like the store

just keeps continuing.

All the shelves are on wheels so that we can create new aisles. So he did an

amazing job in giving us the ability to – Yeah, it looks great. It looks great.

Next up.

Hi. I love the entire calf, but as a fellow native Hawaiian, my favorite is

Kaliko.

Mahalo, bro. Mahalo.

Aloha, girl.

So now normally – I only see Native Hawaiians on crime procedurals like

Five -0 or Magnum P .I.

I've been trying to get on that show, man. I can't get on. I know. Exactly.

I want to go home, but oh well.

Happy here. Very happy here.

Continue. Sorry.

I have to say mahalo for putting a Native Hawaiian on a comedy.

My question is, how did that happen? How did you get a Native Hawaiian character

on a comedy show set in the Midwest?

That's a really good question.

I don't think that, it wasn't written specifically, obviously, for any

ethnicity.

All it said was sad sack plain Jane.

And I was like, what time do I show up? I'm ready.

And it wasn't revealed that I was Hawaiian until I think season three.

So, I mean, obviously, this.

My last name wasn't revealed until season three. So I just think that the

writers and the producers are just open to people and characters. And I happen

to be Hawaiian and they incorporate that in the story.

And I'm proud to be on this show and proud to be Hawaiian.

And nice to meet you.

Back at you. Mahalo.

Yeah,

just best person for the part. Go!

Oh, hi.

Oh, yes, I am!

My question is for Nicole.

I'm a big fan of that scene with you and Marcus when you do that tattoo.

And it's terrible.

Are we going to see more Cheyenne tattoos in the future? And what was that

filming like?

Yeah, I hope so.

They had a real tattoo artist on set that day to show me how to make it look.

Convincing, I guess. I think I pulled it off.

Yeah, I was actually inspired. I kind of want to get my own tattoo kit, maybe

try. I'm good at art, actually, so I think maybe it could work.

Volunteers, do you want a tattoo? Hit me up. Send me a DM. Yeah, I'll do a big

hat in the back.

Yeah, we'll see.

That's for the next panel. We have time for one final question.

So who's got it?

Go ahead. Okay.

It's for Colton about your shoes.

Yeah.

So my husband and I play a game when we watch it, and we kind of name what shoes

you're wearing.

Did it make you as sad as it made me when I seen them all lit up in front of

you, besides being scared?

It made me very sad.

I really enjoyed wearing the shoes, so it was very sad to see them all burn.

And now I have to wear the same shoes every episode.

But one of the fun things that we do with fan interactions is before each

episode of shooting, I would post two pictures of pairs of shoes, and I let

people who follow me on Instagram vote on which shoes I would wear that

So it was that, but I still have all the pictures on my Instagram, so you can go

check it out.

And before we leave... I can't believe how much time we've spent on shoes. But

before we finish, I also do want to say...

Very exciting. I want everyone to give a big round of applause to Ben Feldman

for becoming the spokesman for the Twister board game.

And he's wearing the shirt for the game tonight.

So everybody go out and get Twister the game.

Support Ben Feldman.

When did you lock that joke down? How long has that joke been sitting there?

He's been holding onto that for so long. I actually paid her to come up and ask

me the last question.

Well, it wouldn't be a Superstore panel without a burn at the very end.

Season 5 of Superstore premieres on NBC September 26th.

Superstore!