But, before sitting down to tune into the annual canine competition (airing Thursday at 12 p.m on NBC), Philipps will be taking to the streets of New York City for a performance in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with her Girls5eva co-stars—Renée Elise Goldsberry, Paula Pell and Sara Bareilles. Continue reading to find out what Philipps had to say about the girl group’s appearance in the parade, plus more on her love for the National Dog Show!
How did you get involved with the National Dog Show?
Well, I personally am obsessed with the National Dog Show, presented by Purina. I’ve watched it for years. This year is the 20th anniversary. We have a little dog now named Gina and I’m so excited to be able to watch the show this year with Gina and try to see if she’ll do any of the moves for me. She won’t. She won’t. She can’t. She won’t trot in a circle. There’s no way. But, you know, since she joined our family, she’s just brought us so much joy and love and I feel like the National Dog Show [has] sort of become like a Thanksgiving tradition like the parade. You know, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and then the dog show. It’s just like that’s Thanksgiving, and then you eat turkey. And I don’t watch football, so to me, it’s parade and dog show.
Is watching the National Dog Show a tradition in your household?
Oh my god, 100 percent and even long before I had a dog. When I was in my 20s, I lived with my best friend Emily and we loved the National Dog Show so much that we went to an expo once, like a National Dog Show Expo, like in the middle of the summer. Do you know what I mean? We were fans of the National Dog Show [laughs], so it really is like, you know one thing that I feel like I’m able to say with confidence is that when I talk about things like this and letting people know like how amazing the Dog Show is going to be this year for the 20th anniversary and that NBC and Purina are introducing the National Dog Show Jr. this year, which is so exciting, streaming on Peacock, but it’s really stuff that I’m like very interested in and I can’t wait to watch myself.
I can tell you’re a very passionate fan!
[Laughs] I just love it! It’s like the most fun tradition because it’s sort of like you kind of don’t know what’s going on. Like as just a person watching it. You know what I mean? You don’t know what they’re being graded on really. They all look amazing. And it’s calming and soothing to me. And then you get to see just like a bunch of adorable dogs trotting around. I don’t know! I just love it. And they’re introducing a new breed this year. I don’t know if you heard it, but everybody is excited. Yeah, the biewer terrier.
Okay, I’ll have to keep an eye out for that one.
I don’t even know what it is!
I’m going to have to Google because I don’t know what that dog looks like!
Me neither! Me neither.
Are [your kids] Birdie and Cricket into the National Dog Show, too?
Oh, yeah. I have kids that are very much and especially after the last two years now, like these kids are on devices. Like all the time. The dog show will be on and they also probably will be on whatever device, you know, streaming on Twitch too. Like I can’t. I don’t even know what they’re doing at this point. But yes, they do. Cricket loves the dogs as much as I do.
What are some other family Thanksgiving traditions that you guys will be partaking in this Thursday?
Well, the parade was one of them. Waffles and the parade, but since I’m gonna be in the parade this year, someone else is gonna have to make waffles for the kids, I guess. I’m kidding. I don’t know. I need to talk to them still. They were on the fence about whether they wanted to go or not because well, it’s gonna be freezing. You know? It’s gonna be cold.
Right, but how often is your mom in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?!
Right, but as my mother said, which is so funny because my mom has loved the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade since she was a little girl. And so I was like, ‘Mom, you gotta come to see me in the parade.’ And my mom was like, ‘I feel like I’ll have a better view on TV.’ And I was like, ‘Okay, well, that’s probably true. I guess.’ So I think my kids kind of feel the same way. Like they won’t be cold and they’ll be able to just watch from the coziness of their own home.
Did you ever think you’d be performing in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?
No! I don’t know. I remember a million years ago when I was on the TV show, Freaks and Geeks, in its first year on NBC, they last minute flew Linda Cardellini and John Francis Daley to New York to be on the float. And I was like, ‘Oh my God, that’s incredible. It’s so cool. I thought it was like the coolest thing that had ever happened.’ And so I remember like at the time thinking, ‘Maybe I’ll get a TV show someday and I’ll get to be in the parade.’ I mean how many years ago was that now? A really long time ago. So I feel like I had kind of let that one go. And here we are.
You manifested it! Are you performing as your Girls5eva characters on the float?
You know what, I have to tell you Alexandra, this is a great question you’re asking and one that we’ve asked, but we don’t have an answer to yet. So, I have a feeling that it’s gonna be, it’s like sort of a hybrid, I think. I don’t know. It’s confusing because it’s not like when they do the Broadway show things at the parade. You know what I mean? Like it will very clearly say Busy Philipps, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Paula Pell and Sara Bareilles. It’s not gonna have our characters’ names, but we are singing Girls5eva so I don’t know. I can’t decide. I’m probably going to wear pink just to play it safe. It could go either way. I can either be Busy or Summer.
So, you aren’t singing a holiday song on the float?
No, we’re not. We’re not singing a holiday song. Wait, am I allowed to tell you anything? I don’t know. I’m just very excited!
I’m so excited to watch you perform…Obviously, it’s Thanksgiving week. Have to ask, what are you thankful for this year?
I’m thankful for little Gina, our dog, because she does like I said bring us so much joy…I’m thankful for my family and my friends and I’m very thankful for good health.
I think we all are after these last two years.
Truly, right. That’s been put in such perspective for us. For everybody, I think. Anyway, so yeah, I’m thankful for all of those things. Next, everything you need to know about the 2021 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade! Note: The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will be televised 9 am ET through noon ET on NBC. The 2021 National Dog Show will be televised on Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, Nov. 25) in a two-hour broadcast that starts at noon ET. The National Dog Show Junior will then stream on Peacock at 2 p.m. ET.
