How To Fail With Elizabeth Day

ON EMBARRASSING MOMENTS… With Dan Levy and Phoebe Waller-Bridge

Nov 3, 2025
In this entertaining chat, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the genius behind Fleabag, shares a hilarious story about an embarrassing encounter with Meryl Streep featuring an unfortunate apple crumble mishap. Meanwhile, Schitt's Creek star Dan Levy recounts a cringe-worthy childhood moment when he dropped a birthday cake, leading to a hilarious yet humbling reaction. Both guests delve into how these moments shaped their careers and perspectives, reminding us all that embarrassment can spark creativity and laughter.
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ANECDOTE

Apple Crumble With Meryl Streep

  • Phoebe Waller-Bridge tried to impress Meryl Streep on The Iron Lady set and made her laugh during a break.
  • Later she flung an apple crumble into her costume when Meryl approached, causing an awkward moment.
ANECDOTE

Cake Drop Childhood Humiliation

  • Dan Levy brought a birthday cake to school and tripped, dropping it onto his shoes in front of the class.
  • In a panic he started eating the cake off his shoes, a memory he calls a formative humiliation.
INSIGHT

Hiding Self Feels Exhausting

  • Dan Levy reflects that hiding your true self at school feels exhausting and alienating.
  • He links later creative choices to reversing that early experience and seeking warmth in comedy.
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