“It starts from the top,” Swisher explained on the podcast’s own Season 2 premiere episode. “The goal is to make a show that is really relatable… You treat people the way you want to be treated.” Peterpaul says there are many reasons he wanted to have Swisher on his podcast. “To me she embodies kindness,” he exclusively told Parade.com. “Not only does she shine so brightly onscreen in SweetMagnolias and other projects I’ve watched her in, but she makes it a priority to spread joy offscreen. From her positivity on set to her charity work, I think she’s a glowing example of what we need more of in the entertainment industry.” As a major fan of the series, and her other movies and TV projects, Peterpaul says he went into the podcast a bit nervous. “I definitely had some butterflies, but she immediately put me at ease… it was like talking with an old friend," he says. “I’ve done a lot of celebrity interviews and JoAnna is someone who sticks out as being very genuine.” During the interview, Swisher also gave insight into several aspects of Sweet Magnolias, including her deep affection for the show, her co-stars, her former Reba co-star Reba McEntire—plus, how grief and loss have brought her to becoming more present in her life. Keep reading to find out more about what JoAnna Garcia Swisher had to say on The Art of Kindness Podcast.
On why the set of Sweet Magnolias is her happy place:
“I think when your goal is to make a show that’s real and relatable and rooted in kindness if you weren’t that way you’d stick out like a sore thumb. It’s a culture. It’s really a great place to be. It’s a place of just genuine support. Everyone’s very real, which is nice. Everyone’s showing up as who they are, which is a lot easier to experience.”
On her affection for Elliott and Headley:
“They both are so special to me. I adore both of them. There is a lot of trust and love there.”
On what’s actually in the margaritas the best friends frequently share:
“They are really good! It’s like a smoothie—you know—fruit and ice and really yummy. They like to spice it up and they really make it so it’s fun. It’s like, what have we got today?”
On the possibility of a Reba reboot:
“We’d love to do it! Reba is so powerful because she walks the walk. She is so strong even in uncertain moments, and she’s super grateful and gracious and kind…She is really a special human. She was the star of the show, but she never threw her weight around.”
On her website The Happy Place:
“I started this with a specific intention—to be present. It felt unique to share my grief in that space. It really was genuine. The ethos of The Happy Place is that there is joy in even the most difficult moment. There is no silver lining in losing both of my parents in such a short period of time. But I had to figure out navigating grief for myself and my daughters. Having great loss; it deepens you.” Listen to the Art of Kindness With Robert Peterpaul with JoAnna Garcia Swisher For more on Sweet Magnolias, please check out: JoAnna Garcia Swisher Just Told Us Why Season 2 of Sweet Magnolias Will ‘Leave You Gasping’
