From “Community” to “Frog and Toad,” Yvette Nicole Brown on the “self-care” of Christmas specials

Yvette Nicole Brown has already had an eventful holiday, and it’s not even Christmas yet. Hours after Salon spoke to her about Christmas specials, she flew to New York for her latest guest co-host stint on “The View,” where she announced on-air her engagement to fellow actor Anthony Davis. Everybody loves romantic holiday news, and this headline thrilled her adult fans.

Christmas episodes are for the child in each of us, and the kids many of us live with. The “Christmas Eve” episode of “Frog and Toad,” in which she voices Rabbit, is made to please both audiences. 

“Christmas Eve” is a story about good intentions, generosity, and neighborly kindness, pivoting around two best friends trying to give each other the perfect gift. Frog (voiced by Nat Faxon) wants to surprise Toad (Kevin Michael Richardson) with a new clock; Toad wants to have Frog’s favorite Christmas rolls ready for him when he returns.  A simple proposition but, predictably, a few side trips get in their way.

As Brown told “Salon Talks” earlier year, Apple TV+’s animated adaptation of Arnold Lobel’s beloved books is part of her desire to speak to all ages. She gives her grown-up followers plenty of content between her appearances on “The View” and her role in “Community,” a show that gifted its viewers with some of TV’s most memorable holiday episodes.

Frog and Toad (Apple TV+)The “Frog and Toad” holiday special shares a message that aligns with her current mode of not delaying joy. 

“I think that the way the world is right now, we need the type of entertainment that the entire family can watch together,” Brown said in our latest Zoom conversation. “That’s the first thing. Second, there are basic themes of kindness and decency, and friendship and love, and the family you make. All of those things are universal themes that ‘Frog and Toad’ gets right. So it’s just amazing to be a part of that.”

Given the other holiday-centric roles in her TV filmography, we talked about what she values in holiday episodes, her decision to step away from the social media platform where she once loudly advocated for justice, and the necessity of holiday viewing binges as “self-care.”

The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.

I feel like “Christmas Eve” has a slight O. Henry, “Gift of the Magi” element to it — another literary reference that hopefully the kids who watch “Frog and Toad” will read someday. Frog goes out into the snow to get a new clock for Toad but can’t because he’s helping all these other people. At home, Toad really wants to treat Frog after his Christmas rolls are knocked on the floor, but he’s so distracted that he can’t stop burning his new batches. These two give of themselves for each other but can’t quite get it right. That seems like a message of prioritizing self-care, but maybe that’s just me.

What I thought about was the wait for something, the idea that Toad is making these rolls – and he loves them, and everyone loves them, and you can have them right now . . . but no, we have to wait.

There’s been a lot of loss in my life with family members, and Matthew Perry — a lot of loss. I don’t think we should wait for anything anymore. I think if there’s something that is delightful to you, or makes you happy, have it now. Eat it now. Watch it now. Go there now. And I know that’s not the full theme of what this special is about. But I think that in every “Frog and Toad” episode, there are also little gems that they kind of peppered throughout that if you pay attention, you can grab something else to put in your pocket to think about. 

Because of the season of life I’m in, those rolls being done and delicious and sitting there and being told, “No, no, it’s not time.” but they’re there and they’re done. And then they’re delicious. And there’s no rule that says you can’t enjoy something wonderful right now. So I don’t know why that line stuck with me, but it really did.

Frog and Toad” (Apple TV+)I think people know you most for your role in “Community,” and that show did some bangin’ Christmas episodes. One of my favorites was “Comparative Religion,” the one that centered around your very religious character Shirley learning that not everyone celebrates the holidays the way she does as a Christian.

You know, it’s so funny. There’s a thing with “Community” fans — I love that you guys know the titles. I won’t say all of us because there are some of the cast members – they have those types of brains like Alison [Brie[ and Gillian [Jacobs] in particular, they can remember who directed an episode . . . and I’m doing good to remember that I was in the show. Like the way my brain is like, did we do the show?

But what I loved about that Christmas episode is it was our first one. Growing up as a sitcom fan, the holiday episodes are always so amazing. And so to think that every year people will get to make put this a part in a part of their rotation — like “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” is in my rotation or “A Charlie Brown Christmas” is in my rotation. 

And what I loved about that episode, is that Shirley does have the capacity to learn even though she seems very rigid and very set in her way. She’s very traditional and overly religious and a lot of things that are just really prickly about her. But she does have the ability to listen to her friends and realize that her antics are detrimental. And she can find another way. Slowly. So that’s what I think that episode shows more than anything. 

What’s your favorite “Community” holiday episode? 

I have to go with the Claymation just because I’m a kid of the ‘70s. And every Christmas episode I ever loved when I was a kid was a Claymation episode. So I’m gonna go with that. There’s also something really sweet about all of them sitting around the TV at the end. And if I remember correctly — it’s been a few years since I’ve seen it — I think you see a mirror image of us looking normal, as if you see us regular along with a mirror image of the Claymation. Or is it the other way around? But I just thought that was so clever. Is it real? Is it not? Who’s dreaming this? You know, there was so much about it that I loved.

The nerd part of my brain is obligated to tell you that episode is called “Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas.”

There you go. I’m telling you! You guys are great at that. I know what you’re talking about, absolutely. But if you asked me to put a gun to my head and said “Tell me the name of that episode,” I’d be dead.

The childlike appeal of marionettes, animation, or even Claymation elements is essential to great Christmas episodes in my opinion. What makes a great Christmas episode for you?

Again, because I’m a child of the ‘70s, you can’t go wrong with a stop-motion animation. Can’t go wrong. But I also think there’s there has to be some sort of perfect song somewhere within it. “Christmas Time Is Here” [by Vince Guaraldi] from the Peanuts? Forget it, man. I don’t care where I am. I can give one solitary glory tear going down my face anytime I hear that because it’s so beautiful. 

There has to be some type of iconic image that stays with you, like the Peanuts Christmas tree with that one little ornament hanging off it, or the leg lamp in “A Christmas Story.” And Heatmiser in “Rudolph’s Shiny New Year.” Things like that stick with you. Even as an adult, I can remember those images.

Do you have any must-see movies or TV episodes that you rewatch each holiday?

You may say this is not a Christmas movie . . .

Honestly? No such thing. Go on.

. . . but it is “While You Were Sleeping” with the fabulous Sandra Bullock. It’s just so beautiful.

If I’m in a silly shenanigans mood, can’t go wrong with “Home Alone.” There’s a great film that was on Netflix two years ago by David E. Talbert and his wife Lynn Talbert, it was a musical: “Jingle Jangle.” It’s got some good songs and it’s such a beautiful story — it’s beautifully shot and well-acted, with Forest Whitaker and Keegan-Michael Key and Anika Noni Rose. Phylicia Rashad is in that, too,

Pretty much any sitcom that I love has a Christmas episode that will grab my heart and throw me down the street. So yeah, I’m going with those. I’m going with those. And you can’t go wrong with “Die Hard.” That’s also a Christmas movie, I don’t care what anybody says.

Look, my favorite Christmas movie is “The Long Kiss Goodnight,” and I think that came out in, like, June. [It was October 1996, actually.]

There you go.

What defines a Christmas movie is malleable. I think people mostly just debate that for the fun of it.

Absolutely.

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I’ve been staying off [X, formerly Twitter] more these days. But when I was there, I always looked for your posts and your voice because you have a great way of responding to people. I’m not big on arguing with strangers, but I understand the value of it.

You gotta get in there. Sometimes you gotta get in there. 

Given your experiences there and the exchanges you had with others, I am curious to hear where you land on the argument of, “Should I leave . . . or should I stay?” Not just there, but on any social media. Do you feel like giving your energy to it is worthwhile?

Sadly I think that [X] is dead, I’m really still there only to retweet DonorsChoose teachers. I go in there maybe two times a week and just retweet all of them. 

Elon Musk killed it, and I think he killed it on purpose. It’s a shell of itself now. So now there’s nothing worth being on [X] ifor but, for me, DonorsChoose. 

I do think there is something worthwhile in fighting the good fight and being on the right side of history and getting into good trouble. So whenever I hand a jerk their hat on [X], I do it for a reason. For one, I want the other jerks watching to know that you can bring it here, but you’re going to find some mess. So that tells all the people that want to pop in, I probably shouldn’t mess with Yvette because the thing people don’t know about me is if it’s a righteous bone, I will keep sticking you for days.

. . . And I only do it when someone is hateful, racist, sexist, misogynistic, homophobic or a complete ass. If you are any of those things, don’t come to me with any nonsense.

If you’re trying to suppress votes, if you’re trying to tell people that there’s anything better than voting for Biden in the next election, I’m coming for you. Because these are existential crises right now. We don’t have Roe v. Wade anymore because of people not voting. We don’t have affirmative action because of people not voting. We don’t have the Voting Rights Act anymore because of people not voting, or thinking it’s not important. Anybody that comes to try to come for our democracy, it’s on. [X] is no longer the place to do that. But I’m still gonna find a way to do that. Because it’s important.

Everything that you’re saying is right and important to consider, especially right now. I also think that since 2016, and long before that, the idea of feeling good at this time of year can have a type of guilt attached to it. Some folks may feel like they shouldn’t be watching feel-good movies to check out.

The way the world is right now, you can’t check out completely. You can’t ever. But you really have to take a break. Grab an hour and a half and go to, what, Langleyville, Vermont, with Sally who just went home for the holidays to take care of her sick aunt and is gonna meet the guy from high school who always liked her — do it. 

Do it because that, to me, is a form of self-care. Finding a way to not be sad or disgusted by what’s happening in our country is an act of a defiant act of self-care. I think since 2016, nothing has been the same. And I am terrified of 2024, and of what’s going to happen in November. So yeah, watch Sally fall in love on the Christmas tree lot on Hallmark. Do it for yourself. Or watch the “Frog and Toad” holiday special!

“Christmas Eve,” the “Frog and Toad” holiday special, is streaming on Apple TV+.