Fred Rococo

We know you because you played a wonderful character on several seasons of Somebody Somewhere.

The doctor professor, Fred Rococo, Soil inspector and author of a book and now guest on Your Mama's Kitchen.

Thanks so much for being with us.

Nice

[laughs] And a, a big champion in your corner is Bridget Everett still, and you've known her for many years.

She wrote the role of Fred Rococo for you in mind, which I know you're not a fan of self-tapes, so it was good to be offered a role.

Yeah.

Somebody Somewhere on three seasons.

And to me, that's what, that's what, um, means the most to me, especially now with so much anti-trans legislation and hate.

It's like, no, no, no, no.

How could you hate Fred Rococo?

It's a beautiful show, beautiful series full of heart, every single character, and Jeff Hiller won the Emmy.

[laughs]

It's like, you know, what's, what's your story? And, you know, when I did Somebody Somewhere and played Fred Rococo, um, I had a lot of experience with kids that saw the show, and parents that, of trans kids that were like, "You know, you're such a good role model for our kid," and all that kind of stuff.

And, and I felt, you know, at first that the book was for them, um, to show them that it's not just this.

It's not just comedy.

despite what was going.

And that's so human.

And, and I think, like, not to jump too far ahead, but, like, when I'm on stage or when I played Fred Rococo on Somebody Somewhere, it's the heart.

It's the humanity that I always put out first, not, "I'm trans, I'm this, I'm this, I'm this." It's, it's that connection, you know, the same connection that I had in that cafeteria in Rhode Island.

She went back there to find herself and to find her people.

So my character, Fred Rococo,

Which is the perfect name, by the way.

It's the best thing.

So when it came time to do the show, since we've hung out so much, she sees what I have to deal with.

And she wanted to see what she saw in me in the show.

And what I love about Fred Rococo that HBO allowed us to do was I just got to be a character like everybody else.

Yes, it's not about being-

He played one of the big-hearted characters in the HBO series Somebody Somewhere, about a community of friends in Manhattan, Kansas.

His character, Fred Rococo, was a soil scientist and professor, and a trans man with a great sense of humor.

He was also the host of the queer cabaret that was held at the Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, Kansas, under the guise of using the space for choir practice.

In real life, Murray Hill is the persona he created to emcee innumerable drag king, burlesque, and music events, including the first TV drag king competition series called King of Drag.

Not too straight, Terry.

Not too straight.

So Fred Rococo, your character on Somebody Somewhere, was inspired by you, Murray Hill.

Um, what's the difference between the character you portray inspired by you and you?

On tomorrow's show, performer Murray Hill.

He was the real-life inspiration for his character, Fred Rococo, who hosted a semi-secret queer cabaret on HBO's Somebody Somewhere.

He has a new memoir.

I hope you can join us.

It's like, and to me, that's building a bridge and being on the same level.

So when I got somebody somewhere, I think that was the turning point because, you know, I played Fred Rococo, greatest name in TV history.

And, you know, they allowed me to play Fred as a human being with a heart first.

And that matched my mission.