Coleen Greco:
The Joy Unleashed show empowers and inspires women to reclaim their joy. We provide tools, resources and connections to help you unlock your true potential. Through engaging conversation, expert insights and transformative stories. We create a vibrant and inclusive community where women can break free from the limitations that hold them back. I'm Joyologists, Coleen Greco and it is my honor to be your host. Let's get right into the show.
If you feel like you're stuck, if you feel like you don't quite know your purpose, or maybe you know it, but you just can't find the path toward it. If you're uncomfortable in your own skin and want to finally master self love, then we need to talk. I'm Coleen Greco and I'm your Joyologists. I help women just like you to reclaim the joy they feel is missing in their life through mindset coaching and nutrition coaching. Whether you have weight to lose or simply need to get your gut in check. I've got to work together to retire limiting beliefs. Those are the stories that are keeping you from your purpose. I need you to hear me. Those are the stories that we need to get rid of in order to get you on your path to your purpose. We will work together to get you that life you've always dreamed up. It would be my honor to connect with you, reach out to me via Instagram at @thecoleengreco or email me at coleen@coleengreco.com Let's get you back to the show.
Coleen Greco:
That was a great episode of Sue Costello and I hope you can feel her energy the entire way through you know what happened to her was not okay. And love that she came on. It was so authentic and you know, joy isn't, isn't always, you know, sunshine and rainbows and there are lots of times where, you know, you have to really dig deep to find joy in the midst of a traumatic situation or a struggle, you know, a confrontation or in her case a lawsuit. Right. This lawsuit has been going on for seven years. How does she keep herself going? She stands firmly in her truth. And that's today's Joy Tip of the day really. And you know, we talked about it after the show that it's really about that alignment, making sure that you are always leading with your heart when you trust your gut when you trust your intuition. Everything works out the way it's supposed to be for her. She knows that she was wrong. She knows what happened. And whether it takes you know, seven years, seven more weeks, seven more days. It doesn't matter. She knows her truth and she's going to stick with it for as long as it takes
Coleen Greco
Welcome back to another episode of Joy Unleashed. I'm Coleen Greco your humble host, and Joyologist, and today I am so excited. We have such a special treat for you. We have Sue Costello. She is amazing. She's a comedian. She's a Boston native. It doesn't get any better than that. Welcome to the show. Sue Costello. Happy Happy Monday. Happy Monday. It is not Monday, Friday. Maybe it's Monday when they're watching it.
Sue Costello
We don't you know I have to be like
Coleen Greco
you because this is the thing you know, there are people that will say, well, like you're not like a super cheerleader kind of person. I'm like, that's our joy. So joy is just your inner essence up to and that is that is enough joy
Sue Costello
for everybody like
Coleen Greco
Get away from me. Just dial down the phone I do I go I hear you. I respect it. I don't try to like meet people like he should be like me I described as
you stay at the level of Su that you're comfortable with.
Sue Costello
I love it. People. Tell me to stop all the time. Take it down. tamp it down.
Coleen Greco
I get that in the morning. Doing anything. I love it. Well, you have a natural energy about you. That's great. I get that from my kids and my husband in the morning because I'll wake up an hour or two earlier than them and you're already there like will do us a favor. Just give the audience a brief intro about you know your background and what has us talking about joy today.
Sue Costello
So I grew up in Boston, Boston, the inner city I grew up in like, the times when there was so much going on in Boston. I came to become a teenager during a lot of violence, a lot of bad stuff. So the way the law was infiltrating the neighborhood was drugs. That just created forced busing with one signature. And all the guys, the kids that I had gone to high school with our separate high schools, that high school age, a lot of the boys had been molested by the priests. So that all came together. Somebody said to me, it's like you grew up in an oven so my teenage years were like saying something about that caused me to to do stand up and it's not a good thing. Like now looking back I went to school for theater and, and then when I tried stand up it reminded me of my felt like home to me, which was this volatile, dangerous. Mastery, like I had to master this volatile thing. So in my head at the time, it felt like it took me away from acting and I started doing stand up but looking back, it's a very volatile, like rough thing to do.
Coleen Greco
You know, so I don't know a lot about stand up, except I have serious respect for people that can do it because there's a lot you've got to memorize and you've got to get your timing down and read the room and all that and I do public speaking so I get that part. But, you know, little jokes thrown in there. I'm not I'm not like you know, always on the whole time. But there's there's so much appreciation I have I feel like it was Jimmy Fallon or Adam Sandler that was like, Yeah, you don't you see what I have now. You didn't see me at three o'clock in the morning and some like back alley pub trying to like deliver my routine to three drunk guys in the bar. Right? Like, like what?
Sue Costello
Who wants to do that? I mean, even Jerry Seinfeld said yesterday that he said when he's not Yes, hmm. speech he gave. He said that. He just figured if I can just feed myself. And he goes, I only have one person to feed. He's like a peanut butter and jelly. Or peanut butter and wonderbread that's all I need. And it's like, that's what comics. That's what that's the type of person that's drawn to comedy. So my I grew up in an abusive household too. So all of that combined to my childhood in the neighborhood that teenage years. It just as soon as I stepped on stage to the Senate because also the other thing is when you step on stage, the audience is ready to attack. So it's not like public speaking public speaking, they're not ready to attack. But comedy they are they smell one ounce of vulnerability, but that's how I grew up until one ounce of vulnerability today like so there was something about mastering now when I go on stage, I was like, oh, controlling. But it was bad. It was putting myself in danger to control.
Coleen Greco
Okay, I've asked a couple of questions around that because I'm fascinated. So, you know, you're grown up in a rough scenario, right? Like not the ideal childhood. You had to rewrite it. You would not rewrite it the same. So
Sue Costello
if not, you're not sure about
Coleen Greco
the pieces, right.
Sue Costello
I don't know. I don't know if it really does make you who you are. I mean, I I hate to say that people get so bad and they're like, I would have been fine if that didn't happen. To me. Where my joy comes from. So this is 100% 100%.
Coleen Greco
But I'm curious about though like I'm just saying if you know you have like a menu of options, maybe some of those wouldn't be the ones to choose but I would definitely, do you go into stand up, which you say is like extremely difficult and you know, the audience is ready to attack. I'm curious. Why do you think you put yourself you chose that path,
Sue Costello
whether you choose it I when I got on TV felt like home? Okay, so when something feels like home, it feels good to you. feels familiar. Yeah, my home wasn't good. So, so inside it felt like what I should be doing, but it wasn't what I was doing. I was very it was dangerous as being a woman. It was chaotic. It was late nights. It was people treating you terribly. They don't treat comments with respect. I mean in the sense I was asking my child and by doing stand up I was I was taking control of power, which I could I'm very good at and I'm very good at. I can handle any situation.
Coleen Greco
Did you get any any joy? Anyone?
Sue Costello
Oh, yeah. Because the power satisfaction. And also I am very tiny like I, I, I was just I was putting myself in a game I was using like a thing. defense mechanism. So it was turning I was like using it in a dangerous way instead of in a positive way. And comedy is bad commies very very negative like they've told me a million times but they don't know what to do with my energy. I mean, I can kill a room like nobody's business and then they just kind of the stats that anyone I did read recommend to me to you Brad asked me to Why do you get a tax on money? And it made me feel good. Because I was like, at least somebody sees it. I've never I've always done like i don't i don't know i think it is it's my it's my it's my essence. And so by doing the standard the way I was doing it, I was trying to like cosign in my family and not being too tiny.
Coleen Greco
So there's a lag. I would also think, you know, using comedy as a defense mechanism, like you kind of you kind of shut down somebody's ability to really get in, right because like you've done the self deprecation ahead of time.
Sue Costello
So you might have more like, Mike was like, it wasn't stuff that is a little more like, get up there and pull out to come away to come away, which is how I grew up and when I was a teenager guys, you should check me out and I'd be like, do something over here. Like I didn't even know so yeah, so if you put on a show you literally I was literally putting on itself. I was burying all my pain and then creating this making people feel good. So that was the thing that I did do I take care of other people and mechanisms to not have to look at my own
Coleen Greco
and then you move from stand up to your own show.
Sue Costello
Only woman to ever have their own sitcom like I did and I still don't get amazing what happens is when a call is visible yeah, like I still don't look at myself Presto that would work out. That's the best show. I've ever seen. And I'm like yeah, so what is wrong with the way that we view women? That's not even being that doesn't even get acknowledged. There's something about I mean, you know, all my work right now is about standing up for women in a way that especially financial, the other stuff, I feel like a freshman but so so I have the sitcom that's like the best thing that they've ever seen. My feeling now is what happened was my they hire me because of my connection with the middle class people with my people. But they want to use it as propaganda so they want to use me they want to give me a little bit of money make me think that I'm saying this and then take what connects you to people and use it to sell their propaganda. They don't want me to get calls to
Coleen Greco
understand where it came from, though. Like how did how did how did the opportunity
Sue Costello
even by accident, so I was I moved from Boston to New York, but I knew I always like I'm very self aware. I wasn't emotionally ready to go. So I'm, I've always been very humble. So I moved to New York. I was like I'm not going to just put myself out there just was aware of probably how much pain I was into. So I wasn't ready yet to have that like spotlight on I went to Caroline's I did the challenge so I can't relax. So I was like a middle are up in Boston so you can have an open middle I had mine so I was in middle school in Boston and I like to open mines because I wanted to get really strong as they're always aware of like, unconsciously of like the manipulation of that taking a little bit of you and taking that essence and using Amazon your way. So I really
Sue Costello
I can fault like, hold on to myself. Even when I was doing the stand up I was still trying to
hold on to like, controlling how they saw me how. And so they saw me by accident that show got canceled downtown like one of the big, like alternative shows where all the demand was right. So they came to the to the new talent showcase on from there, they sent the tape to LA and I went had tons of meetings. And that's another thing. So I had all these pitch meetings. I had like 10 a day, and I would kill on every single meeting every single meeting. I didn't know I had no perspective. I didn't know that everybody couldn't do that. So because of my childhood because as I was brought up, it was like I was just feeding myself to the lamp like I was just open to be exploited. So they discover you in this open mic
Coleen Greco
night so I just want to walk people through who maybe aren't as familiar with your story. So you're at this open mic night, they come and see you and they say something here. Like she's the talent that we need, send it to their executives in La La must see something there too, and they bring you out to I don't know just kind of pressure test you and see if you can't they want to see how far yeah, how funny you
Speaker 1
are and they want to come they literally want to bite you. They want to see if you're worth paying for. Like we want to keep it simple. Then how long does what process actually take so you're out there you know, really like interviewing,
Coleen Greco
right?
Sue Costello
We call it interviewing CBS, ABC, Disney all the production networks. Yeah, they all want it. Yep. And what actually ended up happening from there you did get no I got a pilot for so I did my first pilot with CBS pilot and they suit one episodes up, I put it on the air. So my first one was on CBS. And then from that pilot, they didn't. So somebody else had written it. It wasn't something I was casting. And then from that pilot, they didn't pick up the pilot but they saw my acting talent. So now I was in the room telling stories funny now I could use by acting on depression. So now they really know that I'm a Marine. So then they're all fighting over me after that, too. And so then I ended up doing another pilot for CBS. And that pilot didn't get picked up, but from my performance in that pilot, I got to call it Costello was nice show on
Coleen Greco
TV like show
Sue Costello
on Fox and how long that run for
Coleen Greco
babysat eight episodes and before that
Sue Costello
it was supposed to be the best thing that ever they ever saw and now looking back I can see I was in. I was walking to the dressing room. And the Marines were like hanging off men were hanging over the rascals I swear and we used to and I remember feeling like those of men like what what is happening? Now looking back I'm like that is what it was the power that that I was going to have with people. So they like to plant them. Is that what you're
Coleen Greco
saying? No, I'm saying they don't want somebody to have that much power. They want to manage it. They want it
Sue Costello
as a product doing what they want to do. So my my connection with human beings is so when they saw that they were like oh no, we can't let her get that house. Shot eight episodes for aired. And I think we kind of have some ongoing litigation, so feel free investments. Now we've got some now so though that was back then so my first two TV deals and CDs of lessons that I got. So then I took myself out of the game purposely because again I said in the beginning I wasn't ready to go through all that and it was all just pure like faults. It's like exploitation, like eating your soul. And I didn't want to do that I always want to hold on to my talent. I wanted to be a full agency of myself. And as a woman, women can understand that we want to be able to be able to say what we want and what we don't want. And so I stepped out of the game and I wanted to do like voice because I can I can go on students I was and that's why I get a lot of hate to because I can't I mean they just don't like it. And I realized over my career a lot of the men would call me close. Like they'd let me they all of them would have me on the show but I was always in second. Position. Right? So you're just fed up like, wearing me clothes put me in the big screen, but it makes you like we'll keep you right where we want you. So that's all the years I've been able to see what happened with Costco because I didn't want to believe it. I didn't believe in the beginning. I knew the sections do exist and when I was when I came back from Costco and they were having a women's panel at stand up New York, and I went there raise my hand so we have to deal with the sexism. We don't deal with the sexism. We're never gonna get anywhere. No one yelled at me. They didn't want to hear it. And I was like, alright, well, I'm the one that was on the front lines. Okay, so what timeline is this? Like what else probably back in 2000. So that expressos on 1998 and 2000. I went back to what I had seen, and then so I just decided to get it and this is what all my work and I'm not trying to go out and gather a lot of women. I'm just gonna do it. I'm just gonna do it. And then all the women will benefit with this snapping more than once has happened to it, but I'm not trying to organize anything. I'm trying to just do it. I'm trying to break that barrier. And then when everybody was so it took time off and I was like, I'm going to create so much content, so much material that I I'll be undeniable I'll do like the voice. Because I was like Joe Rogan all those guys. I don't put anybody I don't say they shouldn't be doing what they're doing. But I'm like, why can't I do it? Why can't I do the same thing that they're doing? And I've always had like this. My confirmation name is Robert. I've always been like this. I was like why did the boys get well, that's what this show is all about. Right? Helping Women push past societal norms and like, break through those. Those limitations and cities is so insidious, but they're also very, very, very real. Yeah. Oh yeah. microaggressions like, his microaggressions me immigration, macro residences. So I got, so I decided to I think I had this dad asked me to come to China to do a tour in China. They came to me and asked me to do a tour of China. So I said, okay, and I remember I was up here working in Boston, and I was in Florida, the Holy Ghost in LA Boston in Florida. I had to be in China in like August, and this was like, April. And so the guy emailed me and he wanted my passport. And so I wasn't getting home I was away for I was gonna be back home. So I told him I said, Listen, I'm in New York, my passport expires as soon as I get back. I mean I'm in Boston. She was like, get back on again. That was Wednesday, Friday, the guy emails, that guy who I'm gonna who's gonna actually be on the tool? And he says, Sue, I need to ask for it. And I was like, Oh my gosh, this guy's like bullying me. I just told him that I'm not home and I'm like, I can't go to China by myself and have this guy. I can't. That will be my own fault if I went to China. And so this is when the first like when I was like, what, seven years ago when I first started to stick up for myself. And I said I did well, I understand. I knew that people I said, Well, why are you saying that to me? I said I just told you on Wednesday, so we'll be a lot tougher. They said, Well, I I'm trustworthy, at least give him the benefit of the doubt. Because in January next Saturday, I saw was like a Friday, Saturday I was headlining up in somewhere from the North Shore. And I was on my way to the gig and the guy full potential. Because you didn't get the passport, because I spoke up but that's, that's i
i Tell him
Wednesday that I can't have until Monday. He does something that puts me at position. That's impossible. I can't get I just told you. And then because I tell him that please respect me. He takes my home away. That has been my entire career. That's the financial abuse. So I'm supposed to go on tour and timeout all summer that was 1000s and 1000s of dollars. Now he called my tour, and now I can rebook myself. So this has happened so many times over my career. So the financial deception, sexual abuse doesn't happen to me out of my mouth, that they can't get you that way. They'll give you an imposter thing like the less tangible I guess, like, you know, that the things that maybe at the surface feel like they're a little unexplainable, like the
Coleen Greco
sexual abuse is a little bit more
Sue Costello
tentacles like concrete. Yeah, financing that they do to me because I'm my power the way that they control my powers. If I if I don't have money, then I can't really that's how they abused me. So we did that and I'm sitting at my desk I went back to my desk it was like my whole tested bottomed out and I was like, I can't take it anymore. I can't take it. I'm what can I do? And then this voice came to me and said she just go see let's move on. To Les Moonves is the one that gave me my first two tbsps always knew how talented I was always. So I emailed him and at the time he was they were considering him got the God of Hollywood like that's how it was. I should have been in Hollywood 20 years just email, the guy that they call God asked me to meet with him because I have an idea for a new TV show, which is a problem and he was in the press saying that he had an older woman that was an older one, but it was funny when I had a great idea for a TV show. And he would put it on me. So I'm like, okay, so I tell him who knows. Right? He says so hold on to myself. Even when I say to stand up, I was still trying to hold on to like, controlling how they saw me. And so they saw me by accident that show got canceled downtown like one of the big like alternative shows in LA the agents and managers were so they came to the to the new talent show patients on and from there, they sent the tape to LA and I went and had tons of meetings. And that's another thing so I had all these pitch meetings, like I had, like 10 a day. I would kill him every single day, every single week. I didn't know I had no perspective. I didn't know that everybody so because of my childhood because I was brought up it was like I was just leaving myself to the land but I was just open. So the discovery in this open mic nights I just want to walk people through who maybe aren't as
Coleen Greco
familiar with your story. So you're at this open mic night, they come to see you and they say there's something here. Like she's the talent that they need, send it to their executives in LA or something and they bring you out to just kind of pressure test you and see if they want to see how fine yeah, how funny you are and they want to they
Sue Costello
literally want to buy you they want to see if you're worth paying for. We want to keep it simple. Then how long is what process actually takes so you're out there, you know,
Coleen Greco
like interviewing, right?
Sue Costello
We'll call it interviewing, CBS, ABC, Disney all the Prudential holiday they all want it and what actually ended up happening and from there you did get you know, I got a pilot sir. So I did my first pilot with CBS pilot and they shoot one episode. I put it on. So my first one was CBS. And then from that pilot they didn't so somebody else had written it. It wasn't for me I was casting and then from that pilot they didn't pick up the pilot but they saw my acting job so now telling stories funny now he's acting in depression. So now they really know that I'm a moneymaker. So then they're all fighting over me after that, too. And so then I ended up doing another pilot for CBS. And that pilot didn't get performance in that pilot. I got to call it Costello was nice.
Coleen Greco
TV like show
Sue Costello
on Fox. And how long did that run for? Maybe shot
Coleen Greco
eight episodes and before that
Sue Costello
it was supposed to be the best thing that ever they ever saw. I was walking to the dressing room. Marines were like hanging off men were hanging over the last
two and I remember feeling like those are men like what is happening. Now looking back, I'm like that is what it was the
Coleen Greco
power that I was going to have.
Sue Costello
So they think like to make a plan from is that what you're saying? No,
Coleen Greco
I'm saying they don't want somebody to have that much power they want to manage they want it
Sue Costello
as a product doing what they want to do. So my my connection to human beings is you can't make it you can't. So when they saw that they were like, Oh no, we can't let her get that house. So we shot eight episodes for aired.
Coleen Greco
I think we kind of have some ongoing litigation so feel free to discuss. So though don't back
Sue Costello
down so my first two CDs with less than I got. So then I took myself out of the game purposely because again I said in the beginning I wasn't ready to go through all that and it was all just pure like vultures like exploiting your soul. And I didn't want to do that I was wanting to hold on to my talent agency of myself and as a woman women can understand that we want to be able to say what we want. And so I stepped out of the game and I wanted to do like the voice because I can I can go on voice and that's why I get a lot of hate to. I mean, they just don't like it. And I realized over my career a lot of the men would call me close. Like they let me they all have them with me on their show. But I was always in second position. Right? So you're just kind of like, bring me clothes put me in the big screen. But make sure you like we'll keep you right where we want you. So that's how all the years I've been able to see what happened Castellana because I didn't want to believe it. I did believe in in the beginning. I knew that Texas existed when I was when I came back from Costco they were having a woman's panel at stand up New York. And I went there raised my hand so we have to deal with the sexism. Like if we don't deal with the sexism, we're never gonna get anywhere. No one yelled at me they didn't want to hear. And I was like, alright, well I'm the one that was on the frontlines. Okay, so what timeline is this? Like, what? Probably back in 2007 98 2000 I went back to what I had seen, and then so I just decided to get it and this is what all my work. I'm not trying to go out and gather a lot of women. I'm just gonna do it. Yeah, I'm just gonna do it. And then all the women will benefit and so this snapping rollin wants to snap into it, but I'm not trying to organize anything. I'm trying to just do it. I'm trying to break that barrier. And so, I took time off and I was like, I'm gonna take so much content, so much material that I I'll be undeniable. I'll do like the voice. Because I was like Joe Rogan, all those guys. I don't want anybody I don't say they shouldn't be doing what they're doing. And I'm like, why can't I do it? Why can't I do the same thing that they're doing? And I've always been like this. My conservation name was Robert. I've always felt like I was like, Why do the boys get treated?
Everybody knows I'm going to be with them. Everybody's saying oh my god, you're going and he was gone. Oh my God.
You're still not registering my power. So as women they just don't see us, no matter what just jumps in. And so I met with him. And I pitched my TV show. And he won and he told me he's like, I never seen it.
Like you are a lot a lot of And then I went back to him and told him that I would do myself with who told me Don't sign any deal with anybody else.
And I know that I told him I want to be like the voice. Are you in charge? I want to be the boss. And then so much went on. Then, somehow they were passing me around somehow. They weren't. It wasn't being clear. I kept trying to walk away. I was like, Alright, I don't need to be. I wasn't dying to do myself with him. I already knew I did everything. I was like, Maybe I saw how much he wanted. But then they kept kind of like lonely almond. I was like, Okay, bye. Like I was like I initially submitted. They like pull you and it's like the mafia. Like you're saying, I don't care then they're pulling you in. Yeah. So they got hurt. Is there a free work you had to do to kind of like protect your show idea before anyway, so that's a good question. So they give me the runaround. Let's quickly do San Fran a week to be financially so that I don't know how valuable micelle is and that's how they push like pull your weight and they do that on a micro level relationship from time to time. You're brilliant, then you're ugly. And I mean, to me like you're like help and I talked about how horrible but there is joy throughout all we could do it and you know, it's all nonsense. All that matters is when
Coleen Greco
I do it doesn't matter. I mean, they tell me like I was
Sue Costello
like your grandma died. I don't care if it's all attacked, it's to knock you down. So anyway, so they told me myself, I ended up needing an IP attorney I say to myself, every time I had that voice, like I was like, I need an IP attorney. I love my teacher. She's like to Allah, she's like, you can't go out with your idea without any protection. They have like boilerplate that just to protect them. So they can say, Oh, we already had this in development. It's such a way for them. But I was already already willing to do it because I was like, alright, they're flying me out there. They get first dibs. They told me that I don't need to sign that. So I'm like, wait a minute. And so the IP attorney said to me not going out there. I'm protected. So I brought my own letter of protection to protect my idea. Enemy meeting with all the top executives in the top brass studio network, Les Moonves set up. And when they asked me to face my show, I took out a letter of protection, and they all stood up, told me all the way out in the lobby, as I was walking out one of the guys grab it on my hand suddenly out of the room
Coleen Greco
Wow digital Boston on because I think I would have I think that's the thing that's what they want me to do because you think about it.
Sue Costello
I'm much more skilled now from doing all my standards and everything I'm like, I know, like 50 levels beyond what they I know. I know how to do and so, okay I thought they stole it no no no no I did. So I know they want you to imagine the attorney said that to punch in the face. I'm like, Okay, tell me how that would look. These executives and I press one of them in the face, who's gonna believe any of that? But that's what they do. They provoke you to act bad so that you will go to that one. And then they get away with stealing your stuff. Trust me, I've been beaten up so many times. And I'm like, I get it. I get it. And so I went out to lobby and and then he came out he tried to shove his contract in my case sign and time to time. I'm not signing it. I'm not signing that fucking thing. And I kind of knew that they still had my idea. But I knew what I was really focusing on is not signing away my idea myself, because that's where I really don't care what anybody does me as long as I don't abandon myself anticipate in my own abuse. I can handle anything. And so I'm gonna have to leave and I did leave and then when I got outside, I remembered that they had IDs. But they never gave it back to you. And then they call me later that day, and they call me right away, but I didn't get it. And then they called me the next day and said, We want you to come. We want you to come back the next day, they said, so I was like, What are they doing? So I prepared myself. I grabbed another coffee. And so when I got into the office, like they were asking before I went into maybe waiting to get all the 10 characters and when I got in, they only had like the top page of my idea, not the other side. It was just a sign the legal side. And then miscellaneous we knew that this even this idea. They only have the top page. Which means if they didn't have my idea attached, they could say, what is it attached to? And I caught them and I pulled out my thing and they had to sign it and then they proceeded to keep trying to like try to pull me and get rid of me. Like we'd like your idea. But we're not sure No, we don't like your idea. But we'd like it, but we're not talking you tell us more. And so I fought all the way because I still had to protect my idea. So, of course the normal question would be like, Why would you go back to them? Because they still had my idea and if I didn't protect that idea, they would have made a show out of it. And I would have had not known that. So I Well, yeah, it's 100,000 questions. So did this eventually turn into a show? turned into a deal? I negotiated my own TV deal. And I negotiated in a way that protected my idea because that's what I was doing. I wasn't worried about I was just worried about them not stealing my idea. So I negotiated a deal. They were trying to sue me and all these other sides. I negotiated the way to protect my idea that I could buy this stuff back to take pass on it. That's unheard of WTA doesn't even let you do that I negotiated that. But they thought they were bigger than me and so they rushed me the video. And the attorney said to me, I said so I was late. I like playing different things. And I said okay, so I get the first payment when I sign this deal. And he goes no actually you get all the money when you send the script. And I wasn't completely aware because they were like trying to mess with my brain. But I got my friend said why are you trying to mess with me with a deal that I just signed? And I said no, no, no I get the time when I signed him. So he got me to 15 cents so quickly. I said we'll do a wash on the deal and he said no and then they sent me an extremely urgent overnight envelope and I'm like, something is not right and so I had no rush to send them I said what the development team was until September and this was July so I was like I'm just gonna wait a second if something doesn't feel right. And I go and I do the WTF podcast my parents WTF podcast. And I talked about how many realizations by telling everything that just what I just told you. Were talking about the need to move in the middle of the meeting. Oh, by the way, when I went to CVS in the fall, that was the day that Harvey Weinstein story. So everybody in Hollywood always oh my god, it was crazy and now pitching my pro woman show to these people that are terrified until then. So then, I did an iMac man podcast and he tells me he's gonna postpone it. And I thought that was weird too. I was like, I thought it was gonna be in June. And then he goes, No, we're gonna postpone it till July 25 26th. And I was like, Alright, and then he said, we're gonna have you on with Jim Gaffigan too, and I was like when they turned into me and Jim Gaffigan. And so on July 26. That podcast dropped, edited out all of my negotiations, and only made it sound like I loved Les Moonves and I was like, I had already done to WTF. So I got to CBS WTF so I trusted him. And it was all edited and I decided because I even said his rock was very aggressive with me when he interviewed me. And I said to his producer, don't edit anything else because my response was because he was aggressive. And he said to me, don't have anything so that night, when it dropped my whole team, my startup days, I just edited this whole thing. They ended anything on my negotiation to anything. And I went back to me he's like, so we didn't edit anything. And I was like, Oh my God, you're gaslighting me. I'm like, I have it right here. Everything I said. And I said, we're in the middle of a woman's we're going about the stuff and you're gaslighting. Oh my god, this is like a separate movement. I'm like, No, this is this is really bad. And so we edited them, and then the next day, so it's the 26th of the next day to 27th. The article dropped that Les Moonves on the sexual assault stuff. And I was in Times Square and my heart dropped. I was like, Oh, my God did WCF just frame it to make it look like I love Les Moonves, right. I knew that they were trying to frame me to say that Trump that happened to me, I knew it. I didn't. I couldn't. I didn't know what it was. I just knew what it meant. And so I went back, I went to the attorney, that TV so I did my deal with in September. And I asked him, I said, Did you know that the story was coming out when he gave me my deal? I would say how could they not? And they started losing their mind and then sent me to the internal investigation and blocking company, which everybody knows I'm going to everybody saying oh my god, you're going to start Oh, my God, you're still not registering my power. So as women, they just don't see us no matter what. They just don't see. And so I met with him, and I picked up my TV show and he was and he told me ever seen in interviewing like you and I left and then I went back. Somebody told him that I would do my show with him. He told me Don't sign any deal with anybody else. And I know that I told him I want to be like the voice. However you want to be boss. So much going on, then, somehow they will pass me around somehow. They weren't. It wasn't being clear. I kept trying to walk away. I was like, Alright, I don't need to be. I wasn't dying to myself like and I already knew I created everything. I was like, I saw how much he wanted. But then they kept kind of like Lonely Island. I was like, Okay, bye. Like I'm just like I can't and this so this is the view system. So they like told you and it's like the mafia.
Sue Costello
When I did quit, couldn't, I didn't know what it was. I just knew what am I. And so I went, I went to the attorney let up so I did my deal with in September. And I asked him I said, Did you know that the story was coming out when he gave me my deal? I would say, how could they not? And they started losing their mind and then sent me to the internal investigation. The block wouldn't let me do my deal block. They never let me honor my deal ever.
Coleen Greco
Like I have so many questions, I can take it so many different directions, but the sermon ever happened that gave you the 15% all the promotion that you have started to do that.
Be like, wow, this is like this is
happening. This is it. It's additive.
Sue Costello
What do you do from there? It wasn't a promotion. It was a way that was in my, what I'm saying about the woman's role. I was talking about what it's like to be a woman. This network was being taken. They were being called out for being sexist. I was like, I was being rational in the reality of what was going on. But he ended it to make it sound like I just loved Les Moonves and took away all my power. One of the lines he took out was that I said, I want to show younger women that as you get all these we took that out and I was like that has nothing to do with it. I'm like, why would we take that out? So I was like, leaving what I already knew I was living that they were taking away my power they were literally ending
Coleen Greco
knowing how much power you have, and like how much experience you have and how good you are like on your own and your energy. Why not just take that to the internet and blow up the internet with like, your trip? Well, that's
Sue Costello
what I was gonna do. No, that's not what I was gonna do. I didn't know that they wouldn't do this. So the reason why I'm not doing that is because I'm in a lawsuit with them right now because they reached my contract. What they were doing was so they need to thing that they did about Les Moonves. They just brought these women forward from the 90s. I don't know whether it happened to them or not, but it was from the 90s to throw the me to movement onto him. So that they could force him to leave the merger. What they were going to do with me because I fit right in the whole thing was they were going to steal my TV show and throw me into the meeting room and make it sound like junk sexual. Thinking that I would just take the money to pay off for the sexual thing.
Coleen Greco
How's that working out?
Sue Costello
Not working out at all because I never watched it lawsuit against them right now. And not only that, I was called into the New York ag office, and it was a security fraud investigation and said asking me about what happened last year. And I'm like, What's something they think is going on here? Because what am I doing in the New York office? federal lawsuit is a breach of a contract. And the other thing is the WGA my union, my contract says on it. I do not get paid or the WGA unless I deliver my script to the head of common studio and tbsps I couldn't get paid and they would not let me deliver it. So when they wouldn't let me deliver it to where I was, and then the WGA they invite me to send it to the guys who committed the fraud with my contact and I'm like, why are they doing it? So my contract says what they need to do. They had committed fraud.
Coleen Greco
So this has been going on I think you said seven years. Yeah. So you're in your opinion that the seven year itch. What? What does the future hold? Well,
Sue Costello
I want to win my case. And then once I've won my case, I'm going to show what they do to win and I still I still have my scratch. So once I win my case, I want to set the table because like you said why don't you just go on the internet because that doesn't solve the problem. Going on the internet has not solved the problem. The problem is the system is set up. doesn't solve the root of the problem until that gets fixed. Nothing's going to change. So I was like oh, I'll fix it. Go after them in their wallet. They never I mean I caught them. They're so mad. That girls in Georgia they're so mad. They're so mad that they think I'm like a dumb one because I have an accent I'm like that was like we're probably my superpower. They kept underestimate you and she was trying to like watch the opposite. She was like an ex DOJ prosecutor and I'm talking about I was like what? They weren't just trying to make me not see what happened. That's all. So when time comes when I win my case, I'm gonna go on to speak very clearly and calmly and show exactly what they do along the way and how it happens.
Coleen Greco
Though you do a lot of coaching I want to make sure
Sue Costello
they never let me automobile ever
People know that so they can connect with your viewers your email Sue at Sue costello.com. So this is like just started doing
the coaching and it's turning out to turn out really well I do a lot of it to stand up but I also do it to business doesn't matter who it is what I realized the other day, what I'm what I'm able to do is I'm able to work with somebody, have them tell me their life or tell me what's going on. And I'm able to like siphon out all the trauma. Show them what's good and then they build their life on what's good. Joey ologists
Unknown Speaker
so I can have
Sue Costello
something about this but there's something about the allowing the level of pain to happen. That brings the joy. Feeling from the pain. Like I always say say like don't get better, don't get better. Don't get better. I mean, that's as simple as
Coleen Greco
that can relate to that. I mean, I talked a lot about I think I shared with you that younger son who's 10 attempted suicide, and that was obviously a really horrific time in our lives. But I can look back at that time now with gratitude because of all the amazing things. That and how, how he's thriving committee just got inducted into the National Honor Society, right like he's doing great. He still can't clean his room. I just want to make sure that that is abundantly clear. But yeah, it's no big deal, right? Like nobody's heard nobody's dying. But, you know, being able to illustrate where the greatness is amidst all of the trauma or the drama or whatever it is. is really powerful and you can have joy against trauma. That's how it was to find the joy in the moment was when was the moment joyful? That there is joy all around and connected and that's what it sounds like you're doing right and that reminded me of my, my
Sue Costello
brother in law's father died. The kids are in the weight room, they were lit up. And they were kind of like on their phone off putting all the doubts are coming in. And they were like, Hi, I'm sorry. And like, my nephew was like, come off as not talking. And I'm like, well, nobody talks to the kids because everything's in pain, I understand. But I took the kids and I brought them out in the car. And as we were walking up the lines of the wave, my little nephew was like saying hi to everybody. And that was revealing that it was in line. And then when we sat in the car we have like a dance party picnic or something. My intent was it's already bad enough. Yeah, this is already like a loss for them to handle. I don't want to compound that and make it that much that tries to dig out events in memory that will be so bad. So there everybody always says something funny is always really informative, tragic. Like that's why I do what I do. My comedy is all about how tragic it is. That is my comedy, like the absurdity of I mean, like, courageous, I get like I was on stage in, in Cambridge, and this woman was talking about how her mother died and she didn't know that her father wasn't her father. And I was I couldn't stop laughing because the call did not tell you Dawn and make her find that aren't and then I was like, Oh, this is destiny. It's like, don't give a narrative. Do
Unknown Speaker
you like I'd still absurd to me.
Sue Costello
I've never understood that level of like, anger and hatred I get. A lot of it is nonsense to me. But I understand that. But because I make it less heavy. It helps people realize, oh, maybe it doesn't have to do like you're either going to go down the rabbit hole or you're going to stay a little bit. And that's the most important thing I want to say though, is that it's only when I abandoned myself. They're like yep, well, that's your body's way of telling you.
Coleen Greco
You're out of alignment. You're absolutely right. Yep, well I'm what I'm thinking and
Sue Costello
hurting myself. I'm throwing myself into a business. It doesn't matter who it is. What I realized the other day, and what I'm what I'm able to do, as I'm able to work with somebody, have them tell me their life or tell me what's going on. And I'm able to like psych it out all the trauma, show them what's good. And then they know their life. Yeah. Joey ologists
Coleen Greco
so I do have this vision as well. So where do I
Sue Costello
come in all this? Here's something I'm not the only one to say this. But there's something about the pain, allowing the level of pain to happen. That brings the joy
Unknown Speaker
moving from the pain, like I
Sue Costello
always say say like don't get better, don't get better, don't get better. I mean, that's as simple as I can.
Coleen Greco
relate to that. I mean, I talked a lot about the younger son versus 10 attempted suicide and that was obviously a really horrific time in our lives. But I can look back at that time now with gratitude, because of all the amazing things that have come. And how how this thriving community just got inducted into the National Honor Society, right like he's doing great. He still can't clean his room. I just want to make sure that that is abundantly clear. But
Sue Costello
yeah, it's no big deal, right? Like nobody's heard of allowing. That's why in my lawsuit, I'm like, I don't care what happens in the end I know I already want but
lol oh one If
that's what happened to me and I know I already but I'm never gonna lose because I wouldn't do it I'm never gonna lose the right but I never ever ever ever rolling over it never been because we've already won.
Yep, love it. I want to make sure people also know to subscribe to our YouTube channel which is Costello one so boss like the boss Fitzy is
TV lol oh one well, what would they find that they're gonna find? I'm gonna do my CTV show during the pandemic. I did this CTV on Facebook. I didn't know so you asked me about the Internet. The reason why I didn't do it too big is because I didn't want them to come after me. I don't want to go after the runway and I'm willing to get them ready so that when the time comes, we'll be alright. So I had this thing called CTV that I was just going to Facebook during the pandemic and I would talk about I would predict what was happening I would do essentially what I do like coast to coast. I would look at the world and I would find all the good and then I would say this is going to happen and then it would happen and everybody still comes to me and they're like sue you sent to some some TV. I had a journalist say to me, Sue, I have Ivy League people do a pressure test on what's going to happen to sit in society and you're just sitting on your floor saying so I've always been like this but the Catholic people they can't they can't imagine what the waiter they see what I did. I did my own washing them representing myself. I wrote I did my own contract. I have my TV show. Like I say this is what it took. But people
Coleen Greco
never gave up and that's what matters and people need to understand that but you know, so long as you don't give up on yourself and they want you to give up on yourself.
Sue Costello
Don't be 14 give up on yourself. They want you to go that's why they think I'm stupid. Why me? Why do I have a federal lawsuit I'm like why are you loving me? I'm like, nothing. I'm like
Coleen Greco
no, I'm just gonna say this has been an awesome, awesome discussion. And I first want to make sure I thank you for your authenticity. You don't have to be here. You don't have to share but you are helping and inspiring other women just by staring. Probably killing yourself more and more and more. The more that we talk about it as they were talking about testifying. There's something about saying it allowed me to really buckle down and I'm surprised at how much of my life I've kept secrets
Sue Costello
so what happens is it takes two to tango. I never got that because I always I don't want to be a victim ever. And I'm like I like it myself. I think it's that I've I've kept the secrets. And abusers want me to do that so that they can keep abusing people because they want they just want to dump the guilt and they're saying so that they can use it. So I'm participating in a piece of people as I'm doing it. That's another reason why I have my lawsuit because they've heard so many women that if I don't do this, I'm gonna listen. They're actually forcing me. I would never do I never heard women ever in my whole life and I'm like, so if I do that, I'm allowing them to force me to do this. I'm not doing
Coleen Greco
and it's a hugely complex but also pretty simple scenario and for people listening, you know, I want you to draw the parallel to what Taylor Swift she said. That's what she was. Saying. Right? So Taylor Swift, very clearly did all the work. But obviously, you know, some advisement business somewhere along the line and all of her music was stolen and she had to rerecord it all and she came back and she was like, I'll do that and I'll do it better and it'll all be mine and now she was a billionaire was many, many, many, many, many zeros.
Sue Costello
They don't want to send the money they don't. They want to take my show. And they did the same thing. Essentially they did. Take my idea named after me what they call the money.
Coleen Greco
What the phrase that helped me get through that whole situation with my son is travel is your transportation and that means you got to hang on during the time you don't know how long it's going to be. You know, exactly know why you're going through, you know what's leading you to a bigger, better, more beautiful place. It's it's really hard to see that when you're in the middle of it.
Sue Costello
That's the thing. Every time I get an attorney to help me with my show, they will foaming at the mouth. They want it all the money. I'm like, I must have something on my end and I learned it lawsuits and one of my clients that didn't know a whole lot of the story. So this sounds like everybody's trying to get your money until you get your money on average
and I'm gonna get my money, so to speak to you the same way on the internet because I'm going to take the money that they owe me and I'm going to become the competition
Unknown Speaker
that I love going down right now is going
Sue Costello
down there. They can't sell that company. They're going down a lot of words as you as we
Unknown Speaker
wrap today. So I'm
Coleen Greco
filled with gratitude and amazement that you're willing to share all that. What are some parting thoughts you might want to leave women with better? You know, maybe they're not dealing exactly with what you're dealing with. But conceptually they probably are and speak out of feeling like they just stay small and speak up, speak up and
Sue Costello
to speak up. Do it consciously and know you're going to get hit? Not necessarily. But no, this is what happened. Let me just say this very clearly to everybody. This is what happens when you say no the first time the person that's trying to do something bad. All the same goes back on them. So they were already doing it. If you went along with it, then they don't have to be on the same. So when you say no auditing was back on that, and you think that that would make the change? No, it makes it worse. They want that double chain to go back on you. So he spent third time saying no, it's not the first time. It's not the second time. It's the third time because you have to make it through all those times for them to see that you're that you're not fumbling around them. You're serious and and now what happens is they get lost.
Coleen Greco
Better. I love it to thank you so much for being here today. I appreciate the candor and honesty and your energy. I'm so glad you brought it because like I can't help it this is
Unknown Speaker
who I am I'm liking
Sue Costello
that's where I want to do my emails. I went down there the other day, I was like getting all my information. I'm like, No, I'm gonna send you a Washington email. I'm like, it's like
they can't. They're not gonna be able to hurt me. I'm gonna go girl. I love it. Allowing that's it my lawsuit. I don't care what happens in the end. I know I already won. But I'm never going to lose because I didn't do it. I'm
never going to lose. But I never ever ever, ever run over. I'm never going to lose because you've already won
go go.
Coleen Greco
That’s our latest episode of Joy Unleashed be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel so you never miss an episode.
Coleen Greco
It was a great episode of Sue Costello and I hope you can feel her energy the entire way through you know what happened to her was not okay. And love that she came on. It was so authentic and you know, joy isn't, isn't always, you know, sunshine and rainbows and there are lots of times where, you know, you have to really dig deep to find joy in the midst of a traumatic situation or a struggle, you know, a confrontation or in her case a lawsuit. Right. This lawsuit has been going on for seven years. How does she keep herself going? She stands firmly in her truth. And that's today's Joy Tip of the day really. And you know, we talked about it after the show that it's really about that alignment, making sure that you are always leading with your heart when you trust your gut when you trust your intuition. Everything works out the way it's supposed to be for her. She knows that she was wrong. She knows what happened. And whether it takes you know, seven years, seven more weeks, seven more days. It doesn't matter. She knows her truth and she's going to stick with it for as long as it takes.
Coleen Greco:
Thank you for tuning in to Joy Unleashed. As always, it's my honor to be your host and Joyologist Coleen Greco. Follow me @thecoleengreco on Instagram for daily motivation and inspiration. And don't forget to leave my show a review on Apple podcasts. Until next time, sisters.
The Joy Unleashed show empowers and inspires women to reclaim their joy. We provide tools, resources and connections to help you unlock your true potential. Through engaging conversation, expert insights and transformative stories. We create a vibrant and inclusive community where women can break free from the limitations that hold them back. I'm Joyologists, Coleen Greco and it is my honor to be your host. Let's get right into the show.
If you feel like you're stuck, if you feel like you don't quite know your purpose, or maybe you know it, but you just can't find the path toward it. If you're uncomfortable in your own skin and want to finally master self love, then we need to talk. I'm Coleen Greco and I'm your Joyologists. I help women just like you to reclaim the joy they feel is missing in their life through mindset coaching and nutrition coaching. Whether you have weight to lose or simply need to get your gut in check. I've got to work together to retire limiting beliefs. Those are the stories that are keeping you from your purpose. I need you to hear me. Those are the stories that we need to get rid of in order to get you on your path to your purpose. We will work together to get you that life you've always dreamed up. It would be my honor to connect with you, reach out to me via Instagram at @thecoleengreco or email me at coleen@coleengreco.com Let's get you back to the show.
Coleen Greco:
That was a great episode of Sue Costello and I hope you can feel her energy the entire way through you know what happened to her was not okay. And love that she came on. It was so authentic and you know, joy isn't, isn't always, you know, sunshine and rainbows and there are lots of times where, you know, you have to really dig deep to find joy in the midst of a traumatic situation or a struggle, you know, a confrontation or in her case a lawsuit. Right. This lawsuit has been going on for seven years. How does she keep herself going? She stands firmly in her truth. And that's today's Joy Tip of the day really. And you know, we talked about it after the show that it's really about that alignment, making sure that you are always leading with your heart when you trust your gut when you trust your intuition. Everything works out the way it's supposed to be for her. She knows that she was wrong. She knows what happened. And whether it takes you know, seven years, seven more weeks, seven more days. It doesn't matter. She knows her truth and she's going to stick with it for as long as it takes
Coleen Greco
Welcome back to another episode of Joy Unleashed. I'm Coleen Greco your humble host, and Joyologist, and today I am so excited. We have such a special treat for you. We have Sue Costello. She is amazing. She's a comedian. She's a Boston native. It doesn't get any better than that. Welcome to the show. Sue Costello. Happy Happy Monday. Happy Monday. It is not Monday, Friday. Maybe it's Monday when they're watching it.
Sue Costello
We don't you know I have to be like
Coleen Greco
you because this is the thing you know, there are people that will say, well, like you're not like a super cheerleader kind of person. I'm like, that's our joy. So joy is just your inner essence up to and that is that is enough joy
Sue Costello
for everybody like
Coleen Greco
Get away from me. Just dial down the phone I do I go I hear you. I respect it. I don't try to like meet people like he should be like me I described as
you stay at the level of Su that you're comfortable with.
Sue Costello
I love it. People. Tell me to stop all the time. Take it down. tamp it down.
Coleen Greco
I get that in the morning. Doing anything. I love it. Well, you have a natural energy about you. That's great. I get that from my kids and my husband in the morning because I'll wake up an hour or two earlier than them and you're already there like will do us a favor. Just give the audience a brief intro about you know your background and what has us talking about joy today.
Sue Costello
So I grew up in Boston, Boston, the inner city I grew up in like, the times when there was so much going on in Boston. I came to become a teenager during a lot of violence, a lot of bad stuff. So the way the law was infiltrating the neighborhood was drugs. That just created forced busing with one signature. And all the guys, the kids that I had gone to high school with our separate high schools, that high school age, a lot of the boys had been molested by the priests. So that all came together. Somebody said to me, it's like you grew up in an oven so my teenage years were like saying something about that caused me to to do stand up and it's not a good thing. Like now looking back I went to school for theater and, and then when I tried stand up it reminded me of my felt like home to me, which was this volatile, dangerous. Mastery, like I had to master this volatile thing. So in my head at the time, it felt like it took me away from acting and I started doing stand up but looking back, it's a very volatile, like rough thing to do.
Coleen Greco
You know, so I don't know a lot about stand up, except I have serious respect for people that can do it because there's a lot you've got to memorize and you've got to get your timing down and read the room and all that and I do public speaking so I get that part. But, you know, little jokes thrown in there. I'm not I'm not like you know, always on the whole time. But there's there's so much appreciation I have I feel like it was Jimmy Fallon or Adam Sandler that was like, Yeah, you don't you see what I have now. You didn't see me at three o'clock in the morning and some like back alley pub trying to like deliver my routine to three drunk guys in the bar. Right? Like, like what?
Sue Costello
Who wants to do that? I mean, even Jerry Seinfeld said yesterday that he said when he's not Yes, hmm. speech he gave. He said that. He just figured if I can just feed myself. And he goes, I only have one person to feed. He's like a peanut butter and jelly. Or peanut butter and wonderbread that's all I need. And it's like, that's what comics. That's what that's the type of person that's drawn to comedy. So my I grew up in an abusive household too. So all of that combined to my childhood in the neighborhood that teenage years. It just as soon as I stepped on stage to the Senate because also the other thing is when you step on stage, the audience is ready to attack. So it's not like public speaking public speaking, they're not ready to attack. But comedy they are they smell one ounce of vulnerability, but that's how I grew up until one ounce of vulnerability today like so there was something about mastering now when I go on stage, I was like, oh, controlling. But it was bad. It was putting myself in danger to control.
Coleen Greco
Okay, I've asked a couple of questions around that because I'm fascinated. So, you know, you're grown up in a rough scenario, right? Like not the ideal childhood. You had to rewrite it. You would not rewrite it the same. So
Sue Costello
if not, you're not sure about
Coleen Greco
the pieces, right.
Sue Costello
I don't know. I don't know if it really does make you who you are. I mean, I I hate to say that people get so bad and they're like, I would have been fine if that didn't happen. To me. Where my joy comes from. So this is 100% 100%.
Coleen Greco
But I'm curious about though like I'm just saying if you know you have like a menu of options, maybe some of those wouldn't be the ones to choose but I would definitely, do you go into stand up, which you say is like extremely difficult and you know, the audience is ready to attack. I'm curious. Why do you think you put yourself you chose that path,
Sue Costello
whether you choose it I when I got on TV felt like home? Okay, so when something feels like home, it feels good to you. feels familiar. Yeah, my home wasn't good. So, so inside it felt like what I should be doing, but it wasn't what I was doing. I was very it was dangerous as being a woman. It was chaotic. It was late nights. It was people treating you terribly. They don't treat comments with respect. I mean in the sense I was asking my child and by doing stand up I was I was taking control of power, which I could I'm very good at and I'm very good at. I can handle any situation.
Coleen Greco
Did you get any any joy? Anyone?
Sue Costello
Oh, yeah. Because the power satisfaction. And also I am very tiny like I, I, I was just I was putting myself in a game I was using like a thing. defense mechanism. So it was turning I was like using it in a dangerous way instead of in a positive way. And comedy is bad commies very very negative like they've told me a million times but they don't know what to do with my energy. I mean, I can kill a room like nobody's business and then they just kind of the stats that anyone I did read recommend to me to you Brad asked me to Why do you get a tax on money? And it made me feel good. Because I was like, at least somebody sees it. I've never I've always done like i don't i don't know i think it is it's my it's my it's my essence. And so by doing the standard the way I was doing it, I was trying to like cosign in my family and not being too tiny.
Coleen Greco
So there's a lag. I would also think, you know, using comedy as a defense mechanism, like you kind of you kind of shut down somebody's ability to really get in, right because like you've done the self deprecation ahead of time.
Sue Costello
So you might have more like, Mike was like, it wasn't stuff that is a little more like, get up there and pull out to come away to come away, which is how I grew up and when I was a teenager guys, you should check me out and I'd be like, do something over here. Like I didn't even know so yeah, so if you put on a show you literally I was literally putting on itself. I was burying all my pain and then creating this making people feel good. So that was the thing that I did do I take care of other people and mechanisms to not have to look at my own
Coleen Greco
and then you move from stand up to your own show.
Sue Costello
Only woman to ever have their own sitcom like I did and I still don't get amazing what happens is when a call is visible yeah, like I still don't look at myself Presto that would work out. That's the best show. I've ever seen. And I'm like yeah, so what is wrong with the way that we view women? That's not even being that doesn't even get acknowledged. There's something about I mean, you know, all my work right now is about standing up for women in a way that especially financial, the other stuff, I feel like a freshman but so so I have the sitcom that's like the best thing that they've ever seen. My feeling now is what happened was my they hire me because of my connection with the middle class people with my people. But they want to use it as propaganda so they want to use me they want to give me a little bit of money make me think that I'm saying this and then take what connects you to people and use it to sell their propaganda. They don't want me to get calls to
Coleen Greco
understand where it came from, though. Like how did how did how did the opportunity
Sue Costello
even by accident, so I was I moved from Boston to New York, but I knew I always like I'm very self aware. I wasn't emotionally ready to go. So I'm, I've always been very humble. So I moved to New York. I was like I'm not going to just put myself out there just was aware of probably how much pain I was into. So I wasn't ready yet to have that like spotlight on I went to Caroline's I did the challenge so I can't relax. So I was like a middle are up in Boston so you can have an open middle I had mine so I was in middle school in Boston and I like to open mines because I wanted to get really strong as they're always aware of like, unconsciously of like the manipulation of that taking a little bit of you and taking that essence and using Amazon your way. So I really
Sue Costello
I can fault like, hold on to myself. Even when I was doing the stand up I was still trying to
hold on to like, controlling how they saw me how. And so they saw me by accident that show got canceled downtown like one of the big, like alternative shows where all the demand was right. So they came to the to the new talent showcase on from there, they sent the tape to LA and I went had tons of meetings. And that's another thing. So I had all these pitch meetings. I had like 10 a day, and I would kill on every single meeting every single meeting. I didn't know I had no perspective. I didn't know that everybody couldn't do that. So because of my childhood because as I was brought up, it was like I was just feeding myself to the lamp like I was just open to be exploited. So they discover you in this open mic
Coleen Greco
night so I just want to walk people through who maybe aren't as familiar with your story. So you're at this open mic night, they come and see you and they say something here. Like she's the talent that we need, send it to their executives in La La must see something there too, and they bring you out to I don't know just kind of pressure test you and see if you can't they want to see how far yeah, how funny you
Speaker 1
are and they want to come they literally want to bite you. They want to see if you're worth paying for. Like we want to keep it simple. Then how long does what process actually take so you're out there you know, really like interviewing,
Coleen Greco
right?
Sue Costello
We call it interviewing CBS, ABC, Disney all the production networks. Yeah, they all want it. Yep. And what actually ended up happening from there you did get no I got a pilot for so I did my first pilot with CBS pilot and they suit one episodes up, I put it on the air. So my first one was on CBS. And then from that pilot, they didn't. So somebody else had written it. It wasn't something I was casting. And then from that pilot, they didn't pick up the pilot but they saw my acting talent. So now I was in the room telling stories funny now I could use by acting on depression. So now they really know that I'm a Marine. So then they're all fighting over me after that, too. And so then I ended up doing another pilot for CBS. And that pilot didn't get picked up, but from my performance in that pilot, I got to call it Costello was nice show on
Coleen Greco
TV like show
Sue Costello
on Fox and how long that run for
Coleen Greco
babysat eight episodes and before that
Sue Costello
it was supposed to be the best thing that ever they ever saw and now looking back I can see I was in. I was walking to the dressing room. And the Marines were like hanging off men were hanging over the rascals I swear and we used to and I remember feeling like those of men like what what is happening? Now looking back I'm like that is what it was the power that that I was going to have with people. So they like to plant them. Is that what you're
Coleen Greco
saying? No, I'm saying they don't want somebody to have that much power. They want to manage it. They want it
Sue Costello
as a product doing what they want to do. So my my connection with human beings is so when they saw that they were like oh no, we can't let her get that house. Shot eight episodes for aired. And I think we kind of have some ongoing litigation, so feel free investments. Now we've got some now so though that was back then so my first two TV deals and CDs of lessons that I got. So then I took myself out of the game purposely because again I said in the beginning I wasn't ready to go through all that and it was all just pure like faults. It's like exploitation, like eating your soul. And I didn't want to do that I always want to hold on to my talent. I wanted to be a full agency of myself. And as a woman, women can understand that we want to be able to be able to say what we want and what we don't want. And so I stepped out of the game and I wanted to do like voice because I can I can go on students I was and that's why I get a lot of hate to because I can't I mean they just don't like it. And I realized over my career a lot of the men would call me close. Like they'd let me they all of them would have me on the show but I was always in second. Position. Right? So you're just fed up like, wearing me clothes put me in the big screen, but it makes you like we'll keep you right where we want you. So that's all the years I've been able to see what happened with Costco because I didn't want to believe it. I didn't believe in the beginning. I knew the sections do exist and when I was when I came back from Costco and they were having a women's panel at stand up New York, and I went there raise my hand so we have to deal with the sexism. We don't deal with the sexism. We're never gonna get anywhere. No one yelled at me. They didn't want to hear it. And I was like, alright, well, I'm the one that was on the front lines. Okay, so what timeline is this? Like what else probably back in 2000. So that expressos on 1998 and 2000. I went back to what I had seen, and then so I just decided to get it and this is what all my work and I'm not trying to go out and gather a lot of women. I'm just gonna do it. I'm just gonna do it. And then all the women will benefit with this snapping more than once has happened to it, but I'm not trying to organize anything. I'm trying to just do it. I'm trying to break that barrier. And then when everybody was so it took time off and I was like, I'm going to create so much content, so much material that I I'll be undeniable I'll do like the voice. Because I was like Joe Rogan all those guys. I don't put anybody I don't say they shouldn't be doing what they're doing. But I'm like, why can't I do it? Why can't I do the same thing that they're doing? And I've always had like this. My confirmation name is Robert. I've always been like this. I was like why did the boys get well, that's what this show is all about. Right? Helping Women push past societal norms and like, break through those. Those limitations and cities is so insidious, but they're also very, very, very real. Yeah. Oh yeah. microaggressions like, his microaggressions me immigration, macro residences. So I got, so I decided to I think I had this dad asked me to come to China to do a tour in China. They came to me and asked me to do a tour of China. So I said, okay, and I remember I was up here working in Boston, and I was in Florida, the Holy Ghost in LA Boston in Florida. I had to be in China in like August, and this was like, April. And so the guy emailed me and he wanted my passport. And so I wasn't getting home I was away for I was gonna be back home. So I told him I said, Listen, I'm in New York, my passport expires as soon as I get back. I mean I'm in Boston. She was like, get back on again. That was Wednesday, Friday, the guy emails, that guy who I'm gonna who's gonna actually be on the tool? And he says, Sue, I need to ask for it. And I was like, Oh my gosh, this guy's like bullying me. I just told him that I'm not home and I'm like, I can't go to China by myself and have this guy. I can't. That will be my own fault if I went to China. And so this is when the first like when I was like, what, seven years ago when I first started to stick up for myself. And I said I did well, I understand. I knew that people I said, Well, why are you saying that to me? I said I just told you on Wednesday, so we'll be a lot tougher. They said, Well, I I'm trustworthy, at least give him the benefit of the doubt. Because in January next Saturday, I saw was like a Friday, Saturday I was headlining up in somewhere from the North Shore. And I was on my way to the gig and the guy full potential. Because you didn't get the passport, because I spoke up but that's, that's i
i Tell him
Wednesday that I can't have until Monday. He does something that puts me at position. That's impossible. I can't get I just told you. And then because I tell him that please respect me. He takes my home away. That has been my entire career. That's the financial abuse. So I'm supposed to go on tour and timeout all summer that was 1000s and 1000s of dollars. Now he called my tour, and now I can rebook myself. So this has happened so many times over my career. So the financial deception, sexual abuse doesn't happen to me out of my mouth, that they can't get you that way. They'll give you an imposter thing like the less tangible I guess, like, you know, that the things that maybe at the surface feel like they're a little unexplainable, like the
Coleen Greco
sexual abuse is a little bit more
Sue Costello
tentacles like concrete. Yeah, financing that they do to me because I'm my power the way that they control my powers. If I if I don't have money, then I can't really that's how they abused me. So we did that and I'm sitting at my desk I went back to my desk it was like my whole tested bottomed out and I was like, I can't take it anymore. I can't take it. I'm what can I do? And then this voice came to me and said she just go see let's move on. To Les Moonves is the one that gave me my first two tbsps always knew how talented I was always. So I emailed him and at the time he was they were considering him got the God of Hollywood like that's how it was. I should have been in Hollywood 20 years just email, the guy that they call God asked me to meet with him because I have an idea for a new TV show, which is a problem and he was in the press saying that he had an older woman that was an older one, but it was funny when I had a great idea for a TV show. And he would put it on me. So I'm like, okay, so I tell him who knows. Right? He says so hold on to myself. Even when I say to stand up, I was still trying to hold on to like, controlling how they saw me. And so they saw me by accident that show got canceled downtown like one of the big like alternative shows in LA the agents and managers were so they came to the to the new talent show patients on and from there, they sent the tape to LA and I went and had tons of meetings. And that's another thing so I had all these pitch meetings, like I had, like 10 a day. I would kill him every single day, every single week. I didn't know I had no perspective. I didn't know that everybody so because of my childhood because I was brought up it was like I was just leaving myself to the land but I was just open. So the discovery in this open mic nights I just want to walk people through who maybe aren't as
Coleen Greco
familiar with your story. So you're at this open mic night, they come to see you and they say there's something here. Like she's the talent that they need, send it to their executives in LA or something and they bring you out to just kind of pressure test you and see if they want to see how fine yeah, how funny you are and they want to they
Sue Costello
literally want to buy you they want to see if you're worth paying for. We want to keep it simple. Then how long is what process actually takes so you're out there, you know,
Coleen Greco
like interviewing, right?
Sue Costello
We'll call it interviewing, CBS, ABC, Disney all the Prudential holiday they all want it and what actually ended up happening and from there you did get you know, I got a pilot sir. So I did my first pilot with CBS pilot and they shoot one episode. I put it on. So my first one was CBS. And then from that pilot they didn't so somebody else had written it. It wasn't for me I was casting and then from that pilot they didn't pick up the pilot but they saw my acting job so now telling stories funny now he's acting in depression. So now they really know that I'm a moneymaker. So then they're all fighting over me after that, too. And so then I ended up doing another pilot for CBS. And that pilot didn't get performance in that pilot. I got to call it Costello was nice.
Coleen Greco
TV like show
Sue Costello
on Fox. And how long did that run for? Maybe shot
Coleen Greco
eight episodes and before that
Sue Costello
it was supposed to be the best thing that ever they ever saw. I was walking to the dressing room. Marines were like hanging off men were hanging over the last
two and I remember feeling like those are men like what is happening. Now looking back, I'm like that is what it was the
Coleen Greco
power that I was going to have.
Sue Costello
So they think like to make a plan from is that what you're saying? No,
Coleen Greco
I'm saying they don't want somebody to have that much power they want to manage they want it
Sue Costello
as a product doing what they want to do. So my my connection to human beings is you can't make it you can't. So when they saw that they were like, Oh no, we can't let her get that house. So we shot eight episodes for aired.
Coleen Greco
I think we kind of have some ongoing litigation so feel free to discuss. So though don't back
Sue Costello
down so my first two CDs with less than I got. So then I took myself out of the game purposely because again I said in the beginning I wasn't ready to go through all that and it was all just pure like vultures like exploiting your soul. And I didn't want to do that I was wanting to hold on to my talent agency of myself and as a woman women can understand that we want to be able to say what we want. And so I stepped out of the game and I wanted to do like the voice because I can I can go on voice and that's why I get a lot of hate to. I mean, they just don't like it. And I realized over my career a lot of the men would call me close. Like they let me they all have them with me on their show. But I was always in second position. Right? So you're just kind of like, bring me clothes put me in the big screen. But make sure you like we'll keep you right where we want you. So that's how all the years I've been able to see what happened Castellana because I didn't want to believe it. I did believe in in the beginning. I knew that Texas existed when I was when I came back from Costco they were having a woman's panel at stand up New York. And I went there raised my hand so we have to deal with the sexism. Like if we don't deal with the sexism, we're never gonna get anywhere. No one yelled at me they didn't want to hear. And I was like, alright, well I'm the one that was on the frontlines. Okay, so what timeline is this? Like, what? Probably back in 2007 98 2000 I went back to what I had seen, and then so I just decided to get it and this is what all my work. I'm not trying to go out and gather a lot of women. I'm just gonna do it. Yeah, I'm just gonna do it. And then all the women will benefit and so this snapping rollin wants to snap into it, but I'm not trying to organize anything. I'm trying to just do it. I'm trying to break that barrier. And so, I took time off and I was like, I'm gonna take so much content, so much material that I I'll be undeniable. I'll do like the voice. Because I was like Joe Rogan, all those guys. I don't want anybody I don't say they shouldn't be doing what they're doing. And I'm like, why can't I do it? Why can't I do the same thing that they're doing? And I've always been like this. My conservation name was Robert. I've always felt like I was like, Why do the boys get treated?
Everybody knows I'm going to be with them. Everybody's saying oh my god, you're going and he was gone. Oh my God.
You're still not registering my power. So as women they just don't see us, no matter what just jumps in. And so I met with him. And I pitched my TV show. And he won and he told me he's like, I never seen it.
Like you are a lot a lot of And then I went back to him and told him that I would do myself with who told me Don't sign any deal with anybody else.
And I know that I told him I want to be like the voice. Are you in charge? I want to be the boss. And then so much went on. Then, somehow they were passing me around somehow. They weren't. It wasn't being clear. I kept trying to walk away. I was like, Alright, I don't need to be. I wasn't dying to do myself with him. I already knew I did everything. I was like, Maybe I saw how much he wanted. But then they kept kind of like lonely almond. I was like, Okay, bye. Like I was like I initially submitted. They like pull you and it's like the mafia. Like you're saying, I don't care then they're pulling you in. Yeah. So they got hurt. Is there a free work you had to do to kind of like protect your show idea before anyway, so that's a good question. So they give me the runaround. Let's quickly do San Fran a week to be financially so that I don't know how valuable micelle is and that's how they push like pull your weight and they do that on a micro level relationship from time to time. You're brilliant, then you're ugly. And I mean, to me like you're like help and I talked about how horrible but there is joy throughout all we could do it and you know, it's all nonsense. All that matters is when
Coleen Greco
I do it doesn't matter. I mean, they tell me like I was
Sue Costello
like your grandma died. I don't care if it's all attacked, it's to knock you down. So anyway, so they told me myself, I ended up needing an IP attorney I say to myself, every time I had that voice, like I was like, I need an IP attorney. I love my teacher. She's like to Allah, she's like, you can't go out with your idea without any protection. They have like boilerplate that just to protect them. So they can say, Oh, we already had this in development. It's such a way for them. But I was already already willing to do it because I was like, alright, they're flying me out there. They get first dibs. They told me that I don't need to sign that. So I'm like, wait a minute. And so the IP attorney said to me not going out there. I'm protected. So I brought my own letter of protection to protect my idea. Enemy meeting with all the top executives in the top brass studio network, Les Moonves set up. And when they asked me to face my show, I took out a letter of protection, and they all stood up, told me all the way out in the lobby, as I was walking out one of the guys grab it on my hand suddenly out of the room
Coleen Greco
Wow digital Boston on because I think I would have I think that's the thing that's what they want me to do because you think about it.
Sue Costello
I'm much more skilled now from doing all my standards and everything I'm like, I know, like 50 levels beyond what they I know. I know how to do and so, okay I thought they stole it no no no no I did. So I know they want you to imagine the attorney said that to punch in the face. I'm like, Okay, tell me how that would look. These executives and I press one of them in the face, who's gonna believe any of that? But that's what they do. They provoke you to act bad so that you will go to that one. And then they get away with stealing your stuff. Trust me, I've been beaten up so many times. And I'm like, I get it. I get it. And so I went out to lobby and and then he came out he tried to shove his contract in my case sign and time to time. I'm not signing it. I'm not signing that fucking thing. And I kind of knew that they still had my idea. But I knew what I was really focusing on is not signing away my idea myself, because that's where I really don't care what anybody does me as long as I don't abandon myself anticipate in my own abuse. I can handle anything. And so I'm gonna have to leave and I did leave and then when I got outside, I remembered that they had IDs. But they never gave it back to you. And then they call me later that day, and they call me right away, but I didn't get it. And then they called me the next day and said, We want you to come. We want you to come back the next day, they said, so I was like, What are they doing? So I prepared myself. I grabbed another coffee. And so when I got into the office, like they were asking before I went into maybe waiting to get all the 10 characters and when I got in, they only had like the top page of my idea, not the other side. It was just a sign the legal side. And then miscellaneous we knew that this even this idea. They only have the top page. Which means if they didn't have my idea attached, they could say, what is it attached to? And I caught them and I pulled out my thing and they had to sign it and then they proceeded to keep trying to like try to pull me and get rid of me. Like we'd like your idea. But we're not sure No, we don't like your idea. But we'd like it, but we're not talking you tell us more. And so I fought all the way because I still had to protect my idea. So, of course the normal question would be like, Why would you go back to them? Because they still had my idea and if I didn't protect that idea, they would have made a show out of it. And I would have had not known that. So I Well, yeah, it's 100,000 questions. So did this eventually turn into a show? turned into a deal? I negotiated my own TV deal. And I negotiated in a way that protected my idea because that's what I was doing. I wasn't worried about I was just worried about them not stealing my idea. So I negotiated a deal. They were trying to sue me and all these other sides. I negotiated the way to protect my idea that I could buy this stuff back to take pass on it. That's unheard of WTA doesn't even let you do that I negotiated that. But they thought they were bigger than me and so they rushed me the video. And the attorney said to me, I said so I was late. I like playing different things. And I said okay, so I get the first payment when I sign this deal. And he goes no actually you get all the money when you send the script. And I wasn't completely aware because they were like trying to mess with my brain. But I got my friend said why are you trying to mess with me with a deal that I just signed? And I said no, no, no I get the time when I signed him. So he got me to 15 cents so quickly. I said we'll do a wash on the deal and he said no and then they sent me an extremely urgent overnight envelope and I'm like, something is not right and so I had no rush to send them I said what the development team was until September and this was July so I was like I'm just gonna wait a second if something doesn't feel right. And I go and I do the WTF podcast my parents WTF podcast. And I talked about how many realizations by telling everything that just what I just told you. Were talking about the need to move in the middle of the meeting. Oh, by the way, when I went to CVS in the fall, that was the day that Harvey Weinstein story. So everybody in Hollywood always oh my god, it was crazy and now pitching my pro woman show to these people that are terrified until then. So then, I did an iMac man podcast and he tells me he's gonna postpone it. And I thought that was weird too. I was like, I thought it was gonna be in June. And then he goes, No, we're gonna postpone it till July 25 26th. And I was like, Alright, and then he said, we're gonna have you on with Jim Gaffigan too, and I was like when they turned into me and Jim Gaffigan. And so on July 26. That podcast dropped, edited out all of my negotiations, and only made it sound like I loved Les Moonves and I was like, I had already done to WTF. So I got to CBS WTF so I trusted him. And it was all edited and I decided because I even said his rock was very aggressive with me when he interviewed me. And I said to his producer, don't edit anything else because my response was because he was aggressive. And he said to me, don't have anything so that night, when it dropped my whole team, my startup days, I just edited this whole thing. They ended anything on my negotiation to anything. And I went back to me he's like, so we didn't edit anything. And I was like, Oh my God, you're gaslighting me. I'm like, I have it right here. Everything I said. And I said, we're in the middle of a woman's we're going about the stuff and you're gaslighting. Oh my god, this is like a separate movement. I'm like, No, this is this is really bad. And so we edited them, and then the next day, so it's the 26th of the next day to 27th. The article dropped that Les Moonves on the sexual assault stuff. And I was in Times Square and my heart dropped. I was like, Oh, my God did WCF just frame it to make it look like I love Les Moonves, right. I knew that they were trying to frame me to say that Trump that happened to me, I knew it. I didn't. I couldn't. I didn't know what it was. I just knew what it meant. And so I went back, I went to the attorney, that TV so I did my deal with in September. And I asked him, I said, Did you know that the story was coming out when he gave me my deal? I would say how could they not? And they started losing their mind and then sent me to the internal investigation and blocking company, which everybody knows I'm going to everybody saying oh my god, you're going to start Oh, my God, you're still not registering my power. So as women, they just don't see us no matter what. They just don't see. And so I met with him, and I picked up my TV show and he was and he told me ever seen in interviewing like you and I left and then I went back. Somebody told him that I would do my show with him. He told me Don't sign any deal with anybody else. And I know that I told him I want to be like the voice. However you want to be boss. So much going on, then, somehow they will pass me around somehow. They weren't. It wasn't being clear. I kept trying to walk away. I was like, Alright, I don't need to be. I wasn't dying to myself like and I already knew I created everything. I was like, I saw how much he wanted. But then they kept kind of like Lonely Island. I was like, Okay, bye. Like I'm just like I can't and this so this is the view system. So they like told you and it's like the mafia.
Sue Costello
When I did quit, couldn't, I didn't know what it was. I just knew what am I. And so I went, I went to the attorney let up so I did my deal with in September. And I asked him I said, Did you know that the story was coming out when he gave me my deal? I would say, how could they not? And they started losing their mind and then sent me to the internal investigation. The block wouldn't let me do my deal block. They never let me honor my deal ever.
Coleen Greco
Like I have so many questions, I can take it so many different directions, but the sermon ever happened that gave you the 15% all the promotion that you have started to do that.
Be like, wow, this is like this is
happening. This is it. It's additive.
Sue Costello
What do you do from there? It wasn't a promotion. It was a way that was in my, what I'm saying about the woman's role. I was talking about what it's like to be a woman. This network was being taken. They were being called out for being sexist. I was like, I was being rational in the reality of what was going on. But he ended it to make it sound like I just loved Les Moonves and took away all my power. One of the lines he took out was that I said, I want to show younger women that as you get all these we took that out and I was like that has nothing to do with it. I'm like, why would we take that out? So I was like, leaving what I already knew I was living that they were taking away my power they were literally ending
Coleen Greco
knowing how much power you have, and like how much experience you have and how good you are like on your own and your energy. Why not just take that to the internet and blow up the internet with like, your trip? Well, that's
Sue Costello
what I was gonna do. No, that's not what I was gonna do. I didn't know that they wouldn't do this. So the reason why I'm not doing that is because I'm in a lawsuit with them right now because they reached my contract. What they were doing was so they need to thing that they did about Les Moonves. They just brought these women forward from the 90s. I don't know whether it happened to them or not, but it was from the 90s to throw the me to movement onto him. So that they could force him to leave the merger. What they were going to do with me because I fit right in the whole thing was they were going to steal my TV show and throw me into the meeting room and make it sound like junk sexual. Thinking that I would just take the money to pay off for the sexual thing.
Coleen Greco
How's that working out?
Sue Costello
Not working out at all because I never watched it lawsuit against them right now. And not only that, I was called into the New York ag office, and it was a security fraud investigation and said asking me about what happened last year. And I'm like, What's something they think is going on here? Because what am I doing in the New York office? federal lawsuit is a breach of a contract. And the other thing is the WGA my union, my contract says on it. I do not get paid or the WGA unless I deliver my script to the head of common studio and tbsps I couldn't get paid and they would not let me deliver it. So when they wouldn't let me deliver it to where I was, and then the WGA they invite me to send it to the guys who committed the fraud with my contact and I'm like, why are they doing it? So my contract says what they need to do. They had committed fraud.
Coleen Greco
So this has been going on I think you said seven years. Yeah. So you're in your opinion that the seven year itch. What? What does the future hold? Well,
Sue Costello
I want to win my case. And then once I've won my case, I'm going to show what they do to win and I still I still have my scratch. So once I win my case, I want to set the table because like you said why don't you just go on the internet because that doesn't solve the problem. Going on the internet has not solved the problem. The problem is the system is set up. doesn't solve the root of the problem until that gets fixed. Nothing's going to change. So I was like oh, I'll fix it. Go after them in their wallet. They never I mean I caught them. They're so mad. That girls in Georgia they're so mad. They're so mad that they think I'm like a dumb one because I have an accent I'm like that was like we're probably my superpower. They kept underestimate you and she was trying to like watch the opposite. She was like an ex DOJ prosecutor and I'm talking about I was like what? They weren't just trying to make me not see what happened. That's all. So when time comes when I win my case, I'm gonna go on to speak very clearly and calmly and show exactly what they do along the way and how it happens.
Coleen Greco
Though you do a lot of coaching I want to make sure
Sue Costello
they never let me automobile ever
People know that so they can connect with your viewers your email Sue at Sue costello.com. So this is like just started doing
the coaching and it's turning out to turn out really well I do a lot of it to stand up but I also do it to business doesn't matter who it is what I realized the other day, what I'm what I'm able to do is I'm able to work with somebody, have them tell me their life or tell me what's going on. And I'm able to like siphon out all the trauma. Show them what's good and then they build their life on what's good. Joey ologists
Unknown Speaker
so I can have
Sue Costello
something about this but there's something about the allowing the level of pain to happen. That brings the joy. Feeling from the pain. Like I always say say like don't get better, don't get better. Don't get better. I mean, that's as simple as
Coleen Greco
that can relate to that. I mean, I talked a lot about I think I shared with you that younger son who's 10 attempted suicide, and that was obviously a really horrific time in our lives. But I can look back at that time now with gratitude because of all the amazing things. That and how, how he's thriving committee just got inducted into the National Honor Society, right like he's doing great. He still can't clean his room. I just want to make sure that that is abundantly clear. But yeah, it's no big deal, right? Like nobody's heard nobody's dying. But, you know, being able to illustrate where the greatness is amidst all of the trauma or the drama or whatever it is. is really powerful and you can have joy against trauma. That's how it was to find the joy in the moment was when was the moment joyful? That there is joy all around and connected and that's what it sounds like you're doing right and that reminded me of my, my
Sue Costello
brother in law's father died. The kids are in the weight room, they were lit up. And they were kind of like on their phone off putting all the doubts are coming in. And they were like, Hi, I'm sorry. And like, my nephew was like, come off as not talking. And I'm like, well, nobody talks to the kids because everything's in pain, I understand. But I took the kids and I brought them out in the car. And as we were walking up the lines of the wave, my little nephew was like saying hi to everybody. And that was revealing that it was in line. And then when we sat in the car we have like a dance party picnic or something. My intent was it's already bad enough. Yeah, this is already like a loss for them to handle. I don't want to compound that and make it that much that tries to dig out events in memory that will be so bad. So there everybody always says something funny is always really informative, tragic. Like that's why I do what I do. My comedy is all about how tragic it is. That is my comedy, like the absurdity of I mean, like, courageous, I get like I was on stage in, in Cambridge, and this woman was talking about how her mother died and she didn't know that her father wasn't her father. And I was I couldn't stop laughing because the call did not tell you Dawn and make her find that aren't and then I was like, Oh, this is destiny. It's like, don't give a narrative. Do
Unknown Speaker
you like I'd still absurd to me.
Sue Costello
I've never understood that level of like, anger and hatred I get. A lot of it is nonsense to me. But I understand that. But because I make it less heavy. It helps people realize, oh, maybe it doesn't have to do like you're either going to go down the rabbit hole or you're going to stay a little bit. And that's the most important thing I want to say though, is that it's only when I abandoned myself. They're like yep, well, that's your body's way of telling you.
Coleen Greco
You're out of alignment. You're absolutely right. Yep, well I'm what I'm thinking and
Sue Costello
hurting myself. I'm throwing myself into a business. It doesn't matter who it is. What I realized the other day, and what I'm what I'm able to do, as I'm able to work with somebody, have them tell me their life or tell me what's going on. And I'm able to like psych it out all the trauma, show them what's good. And then they know their life. Yeah. Joey ologists
Coleen Greco
so I do have this vision as well. So where do I
Sue Costello
come in all this? Here's something I'm not the only one to say this. But there's something about the pain, allowing the level of pain to happen. That brings the joy
Unknown Speaker
moving from the pain, like I
Sue Costello
always say say like don't get better, don't get better, don't get better. I mean, that's as simple as I can.
Coleen Greco
relate to that. I mean, I talked a lot about the younger son versus 10 attempted suicide and that was obviously a really horrific time in our lives. But I can look back at that time now with gratitude, because of all the amazing things that have come. And how how this thriving community just got inducted into the National Honor Society, right like he's doing great. He still can't clean his room. I just want to make sure that that is abundantly clear. But
Sue Costello
yeah, it's no big deal, right? Like nobody's heard of allowing. That's why in my lawsuit, I'm like, I don't care what happens in the end I know I already want but
lol oh one If
that's what happened to me and I know I already but I'm never gonna lose because I wouldn't do it I'm never gonna lose the right but I never ever ever ever rolling over it never been because we've already won.
Yep, love it. I want to make sure people also know to subscribe to our YouTube channel which is Costello one so boss like the boss Fitzy is
TV lol oh one well, what would they find that they're gonna find? I'm gonna do my CTV show during the pandemic. I did this CTV on Facebook. I didn't know so you asked me about the Internet. The reason why I didn't do it too big is because I didn't want them to come after me. I don't want to go after the runway and I'm willing to get them ready so that when the time comes, we'll be alright. So I had this thing called CTV that I was just going to Facebook during the pandemic and I would talk about I would predict what was happening I would do essentially what I do like coast to coast. I would look at the world and I would find all the good and then I would say this is going to happen and then it would happen and everybody still comes to me and they're like sue you sent to some some TV. I had a journalist say to me, Sue, I have Ivy League people do a pressure test on what's going to happen to sit in society and you're just sitting on your floor saying so I've always been like this but the Catholic people they can't they can't imagine what the waiter they see what I did. I did my own washing them representing myself. I wrote I did my own contract. I have my TV show. Like I say this is what it took. But people
Coleen Greco
never gave up and that's what matters and people need to understand that but you know, so long as you don't give up on yourself and they want you to give up on yourself.
Sue Costello
Don't be 14 give up on yourself. They want you to go that's why they think I'm stupid. Why me? Why do I have a federal lawsuit I'm like why are you loving me? I'm like, nothing. I'm like
Coleen Greco
no, I'm just gonna say this has been an awesome, awesome discussion. And I first want to make sure I thank you for your authenticity. You don't have to be here. You don't have to share but you are helping and inspiring other women just by staring. Probably killing yourself more and more and more. The more that we talk about it as they were talking about testifying. There's something about saying it allowed me to really buckle down and I'm surprised at how much of my life I've kept secrets
Sue Costello
so what happens is it takes two to tango. I never got that because I always I don't want to be a victim ever. And I'm like I like it myself. I think it's that I've I've kept the secrets. And abusers want me to do that so that they can keep abusing people because they want they just want to dump the guilt and they're saying so that they can use it. So I'm participating in a piece of people as I'm doing it. That's another reason why I have my lawsuit because they've heard so many women that if I don't do this, I'm gonna listen. They're actually forcing me. I would never do I never heard women ever in my whole life and I'm like, so if I do that, I'm allowing them to force me to do this. I'm not doing
Coleen Greco
and it's a hugely complex but also pretty simple scenario and for people listening, you know, I want you to draw the parallel to what Taylor Swift she said. That's what she was. Saying. Right? So Taylor Swift, very clearly did all the work. But obviously, you know, some advisement business somewhere along the line and all of her music was stolen and she had to rerecord it all and she came back and she was like, I'll do that and I'll do it better and it'll all be mine and now she was a billionaire was many, many, many, many, many zeros.
Sue Costello
They don't want to send the money they don't. They want to take my show. And they did the same thing. Essentially they did. Take my idea named after me what they call the money.
Coleen Greco
What the phrase that helped me get through that whole situation with my son is travel is your transportation and that means you got to hang on during the time you don't know how long it's going to be. You know, exactly know why you're going through, you know what's leading you to a bigger, better, more beautiful place. It's it's really hard to see that when you're in the middle of it.
Sue Costello
That's the thing. Every time I get an attorney to help me with my show, they will foaming at the mouth. They want it all the money. I'm like, I must have something on my end and I learned it lawsuits and one of my clients that didn't know a whole lot of the story. So this sounds like everybody's trying to get your money until you get your money on average
and I'm gonna get my money, so to speak to you the same way on the internet because I'm going to take the money that they owe me and I'm going to become the competition
Unknown Speaker
that I love going down right now is going
Sue Costello
down there. They can't sell that company. They're going down a lot of words as you as we
Unknown Speaker
wrap today. So I'm
Coleen Greco
filled with gratitude and amazement that you're willing to share all that. What are some parting thoughts you might want to leave women with better? You know, maybe they're not dealing exactly with what you're dealing with. But conceptually they probably are and speak out of feeling like they just stay small and speak up, speak up and
Sue Costello
to speak up. Do it consciously and know you're going to get hit? Not necessarily. But no, this is what happened. Let me just say this very clearly to everybody. This is what happens when you say no the first time the person that's trying to do something bad. All the same goes back on them. So they were already doing it. If you went along with it, then they don't have to be on the same. So when you say no auditing was back on that, and you think that that would make the change? No, it makes it worse. They want that double chain to go back on you. So he spent third time saying no, it's not the first time. It's not the second time. It's the third time because you have to make it through all those times for them to see that you're that you're not fumbling around them. You're serious and and now what happens is they get lost.
Coleen Greco
Better. I love it to thank you so much for being here today. I appreciate the candor and honesty and your energy. I'm so glad you brought it because like I can't help it this is
Unknown Speaker
who I am I'm liking
Sue Costello
that's where I want to do my emails. I went down there the other day, I was like getting all my information. I'm like, No, I'm gonna send you a Washington email. I'm like, it's like
they can't. They're not gonna be able to hurt me. I'm gonna go girl. I love it. Allowing that's it my lawsuit. I don't care what happens in the end. I know I already won. But I'm never going to lose because I didn't do it. I'm
never going to lose. But I never ever ever, ever run over. I'm never going to lose because you've already won
go go.
Coleen Greco
That’s our latest episode of Joy Unleashed be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel so you never miss an episode.
Coleen Greco
It was a great episode of Sue Costello and I hope you can feel her energy the entire way through you know what happened to her was not okay. And love that she came on. It was so authentic and you know, joy isn't, isn't always, you know, sunshine and rainbows and there are lots of times where, you know, you have to really dig deep to find joy in the midst of a traumatic situation or a struggle, you know, a confrontation or in her case a lawsuit. Right. This lawsuit has been going on for seven years. How does she keep herself going? She stands firmly in her truth. And that's today's Joy Tip of the day really. And you know, we talked about it after the show that it's really about that alignment, making sure that you are always leading with your heart when you trust your gut when you trust your intuition. Everything works out the way it's supposed to be for her. She knows that she was wrong. She knows what happened. And whether it takes you know, seven years, seven more weeks, seven more days. It doesn't matter. She knows her truth and she's going to stick with it for as long as it takes.
Coleen Greco:
Thank you for tuning in to Joy Unleashed. As always, it's my honor to be your host and Joyologist Coleen Greco. Follow me @thecoleengreco on Instagram for daily motivation and inspiration. And don't forget to leave my show a review on Apple podcasts. Until next time, sisters.
