Retta’s Outgrown the ‘Treat Yo Self’ Shopping Mindset

Actor-comedian says she’s ‘leaned in to life experiences’ instead

Linda Childers,

AARP

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Published October 03, 2024

AARP (HGTV)

On the hit NBC show Parks and Recreation, actor-comedian Retta’s character, Donna Meagle, introduced Treat Yo Self Day, a fictitious holiday that encourages people to buy themselves anything they want, just because they want to. Over the years, Retta, 54, admits her own concept of treating herself has evolved. “I allow myself to indulge in experiences as opposed to products,” says Retta, who has also appeared in the NBC series Good Girls and the Netflix movie Hit Man. She’s currently hosting HGTV’s Ugliest House in America and its new spin-off, Scariest House in America, which premieres Oct. 4, and she tells AARP how she made the decision to pursue acting instead of going to medical school, the advice she gives aspiring actors and the top three design mistakes she’s learned after touring all those houses for six seasons.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What was it like to film your new show, Scariest House in America?

It was an experience. When they first asked me to do the Scariest House series, I thought it was going to be about people who dress up their homes for Halloween. I didn’t realize it would be scary because of stairs that weren’t built right, or a former jail inhabited by bats, or that one house with all the death traps. I don’t like scary movies, and I’m a bit spooked by every creak and critter, so that part wasn’t fun for me.

Retta looking at brick wall of building; frightened look on her face

Retta hosts the new HGTV series "Scariest House in America," premiering Oct. 4.

HGTV

Do you believe in the supernatural? And did you have any ghostly experiences on set?

I do believe in the supernatural, but I didn’t have any experiences while filming. I’ve heard that battery drains are common at haunted houses, and the crew said their camera batteries would drain very quickly in two of the locations. While the crew was shooting behind-the-scenes footage, they had to change the batteries in their cameras around five times, where normally they would need to be changed maybe twice a day.

Season 6 of Ugliest House in America is returning in 2025. What are the top three design lessons you’ve learned from the show?

Well, carpeting in a bathroom is an absolute no. Take your time when trying to do decor. Don’t rush, because you end up getting stuff that you aren’t in love with, and then you’re mad and want to replace it. And I would say don’t do concrete floors — your knees will regret it.

You were a premed major at Duke University, and you have a degree in sociology. How did you make the transition to acting and comedy?

I always did acting in high school and college. I did plays and musicals, and have always enjoyed it and had an affinity for it. When I graduated from college and was working at Glaxo Pharmaceuticals, it was the first time I’d lived alone. And you know you have time to think about what you want to do. And I was, like, “You know what? I can give acting a try.” I have the time; I can put off medical school. So that’s what I did. There was nothing holding me to North Carolina, which is where I lived before moving to Los Angeles. So I said, “I’ll go and try it,” and I got lucky enough to stay.

What’s something you’d like to accomplish that you haven’t done yet?

I shot a pilot last year, and I was an executive producer on that. I’m an executive producer on Ugliest House in America as well. I think it’s my obsessive-compulsive nature to want to have more to do. I really enjoyed the production side of it, and I want to do more of that. I want to have a hand in the unseen workings of shows that I do.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve given to others?

The advice that I give, with regard to making it in Hollywood is: You just have to believe. Don’t doubt that it’s going to happen. It may not happen on your schedule, but it’s going to happen. I think it makes the process easier if, in the back of your mind, you know it’s going to happen, so then you’re not worried about it happening anymore — you’re just working on the timeline.

Are you doing anything different in your 50s to stay healthy?

I guess I’m just a little more aware of the things I do. I have two new knees, so I’m grateful for being able to do things that I took for granted before. Nothing new, other than wishing I had done the knee replacement surgery sooner.

Retta, Aziz Ansari and Nick Offerman sitting on exercise balls in a still from Parks and Recreation

Retta, with "Parks and Recreation" co-stars Aziz Ansari and Nick Offerman, played Donna Meagle on the hit NBC comedy.

Greg Gayne/NBC/Courtesy Everett Collection

What’s your take on aging in the entertainment industry?

Personally, I think I don’t have the anxiety for work that I used to have. I think when you’re first starting out, you have such a fear that it’s never going to happen again — you’re never going to get another job — that you spend a lot of your time worrying about the next gig. I feel like now, when you get downtime, enjoy it, because there’s going to come a point where you’re barely getting any sleep, and going to have long, long days on set, and you’re going to wish you were able to sleep till 10 a.m. Maybe I don’t have the anxiety about work that I used to because I’m working. If I didn’t have a job, it would probably be a little different.

How has your outlook changed as you’ve gotten older?

I’ve leaned in to life experiences, as opposed to shopping, which I was very into once I started making money. I was all about the handbags and clothes and all that. And now I like to spend time with friends and family. I just had my parents and my nephews here for a week, and my goal was to [make sure they had] a good time. I enjoy participating in joy with my friends and family.

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Linda Childers has written for a number of media outlets including Costco Connection, O, U.S. News and World Report, The Washington Post and Woman’s Day. She lives in California with her family and rescue dog.

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