As a child, Cody Heller watched her mother Randee Heller, who starred as Lucille LaRusso in The Karate Kid, go through the ups and downs of being a working actor. It made Cody want to be involved in the industry, but pushed her toward writing and directing.

Dummy, the semi-autobiographical comedy Heller created in which Anna Kendrick plays Cody, Donal Logue plays her fiancé Dan Harmon and Meredith Hagner plays Harmon’s sex doll, Barbara, who comes to life and forms an unlikely friendship with Cody, was released on Quibi earlier this year.

Heller talks to us about being Michael Bay’s assistant, the friendship she and her father formed with the sex workers at a Nevada brothel and what it’s like releasing a new show during a pandemic on a streaming platform that is being widely derided on social media.

This week’s music:

• Intro – “Giddy Up” by Tahuna Breaks
• Interstitial – “Vishnu Meets Funk” and “Ancient Ritual” by Lucas Perný & Miloslav Kollar
• End – “You’re The Dummy” by Derek Clegg

Find more interviews here:
https://www.hobotrashcan.com/interview-archive/

Hobo Radio is part of the Peak Sloth Podcast Network. Hear more shows at PeakSloth.com.