Growing up in Manhattan, Kansas, Bridget Everett dreamed of something more like Manhattan, New York. She made the move in 1997 and developed a bold, raunchy, and comedic cabaret act while paying her rent by waiting tables. Over the years, Everett appeared in Sex and the City and opened for Amy Schumer, but her career took off when, at 52, she became the inspiration for and star of Max’s Somebody Somewhere, now in its third and final season, about a singer who returns to her hometown—Manhattan, Kansas—after her sister’s death. Grappling with loss, her character, Sam, connects with an unlikely group of outsiders while she rebuilds her life. As the immensely charming show returns for a new season, Everett shares the nighttime routine that fuels her.
When do you start getting ready for bed?
As soon as I can—I put on my pajamas around five o’clock. I wear J. Crew striped pajama bottoms and tank tops from Girlfriend Collective. They have a built-in bra, so I can go out on my terrace without scaring my neighbors with my boobs going everywhere. But I just sleep in my underwear.
Take us through your nighttime skin-care routine.
It may not look like I put a lot of love and care into my routine, but, you know, I’m not getting any younger. I use StriVectin’s Intensive Eye Concentrate for Wrinkles and the Kiehl’s Avocado Eye Cream. During the daytime it’s the Dr. Barbara Sturm Super Anti-Aging Serum, and at night I do the Night Serum. I also use their Brightening Face Cream, which they’re sadly discontinuing. But that’s probably for the best—it’s expensive, and I really shouldn’t be paying that kind of money for skin care when I go out without sunscreen. Don’t tell my doctor.
do you take anything to fall asleep?
About an hour before bedtime, I take magnesium glycinate. Then my dog and I sit and stare at the walls until the eyes get heavy.
do you watch TV? listen to podcasts? doomscroll?
I just finished watching Chimp Crazy, which I loved, but usually it’s a lot of Nate & Jeremiah by Design. Tonight it’s going to be Will & Harper. People say it kind of fucks you up, but I like to get fucked up before I go to bed. I don’t want to be laughing too much—I want to cry.
how does all this change when you’re shooting?
I make my own ginger juice. I’ll sometimes drink about 16 ounces of that a day to avoid getting sick. That’s why you know you can’t fuck with me—I can drink 16 ounces of straight ginger juice and not bat an eye.
How do you decompress?
I don’t really get to decompress because of my dog. When I come home, she wants to play; but it’s good, because she helps me remember that it’s not all about me.
Are you particular about your sleep conditions?
Yes … very. I like my room to be nice and chilly, between 66 and 68 degrees. I have a $75 pillow, which feels like a lot, but you spend half your life lying in bed, if you’re lucky. I must have some sort of anxiety that I’m working out while I’m asleep, because I sometimes chew on my sheets at night. I love bamboo sheets, because I run hot and they’re very cooling. And I’ve got double blackout blinds and all kinds of contraptions: the eyes covered up, the ears plugged—just everything I can.
Do you use a sound machine?
When I’m shooting I do. I live in New York City, so I usually sleep with the sounds of the night. I’ve been sleeping upstate a lot lately, and when I’m there I keep the windows open and hope a coyote doesn’t crawl through the window and snatch me up. I sleep so well up there.
are you finicky about your mattress?
I have a WinkBeds mattress, and it’s totally changed the game for me. I’m a bigger woman, so I want something firm, and this one has great edge support.
surely you have a bizarre nighttime habit …
Other than chewing through my sheets and getting up to pee about seven times? No, that’s it. I pop up to make sure my dog is still breathing and that I haven’t rolled over and crushed her.
What is your all-time favorite place to sleep?
Well, right now I’m living the WinkBeds life, and I’m really happy. But once I get a WinkBeds upstate, that’ll be it—that’s gonna be my favorite spot.
What’s the best night’s sleep you’ve ever had?
Recently, upstate, I slept for eight hours uninterrupted. I woke up and I was like, Wow, this is what most people must feel like every day.
Jeanne Malle is an Assistant Editor at AIR MAIl look
