Jeffrey Tambor: "There were three consultants from the transgender community. They would come to my hotel, and they once came and we went out on our first field trip. We went out dancing to a [transgender] club in North Hollywood – And we went dancing, and I remember walking through the hotel, and I thought I was going to die, basically.
JT: "Because I was so scared. Because I was way out of my element. I felt somebody was going to say something, or do something –"
RG: "Were you in costume when you did that?"
JT: "Oh yes, I’m sorry, I didn’t tell you the whole story. Yes! I was in wig, and I was totally en femme, and I remember we couldn’t get our car. They couldn’t find our car. I stood there forever at the valet station. These were important things to me. I went shopping as Maura, and then I remember sitting outside next to civilians, and I was just scared. And I went, “Do not ever forget this moment.”
RG: "How did others react to you?"
JT: "There was one person who walked by me at the market and sort of smiled and shook their head, which I thought was very odd."
RG: "Do you think they recognized you? Like, “Hey, what’s up with Jeffrey Tambor?”"
JT: "I don’t know. My daughter came — my 7-year-old daughter — came to the studio on the day her Daddy was going to get a mani-pedi, and I thought was a singular father moment for me in my life. And I prepped her at home by saying, “Hmm, uh, erm, uh…” showing pictures, “Uh, erm, ah…” I couldn’t find the words. And finally she goes, “Daddy, Daddy I get it. Your character is more comfortable being a woman.”"
RG: "So you raised some sensitive children."
JT: "No, no. Let me correct you. And I like what you said, but I have children. And children have not learned hatred."