“I’m glad the mom jean trend is on its way out. It hasn’t completely left, but that’s one I never understood.”
—Nicolle DuBose, CMO, Playa Bowls
In her monthly “Grab Bag” column, Editor in Chief Laura Michaels asks the tough questions—What superhero power would you most like to have? What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?—to show a side of franchising execs you don’t normally see.
Who would play you in the biopic about your life?
I think Kate Winslet would be a great choice. She’s a great actress, very versatile. And I’m someone who really enjoys accents, and she always digs into that part of her character and really embraces the accent. Of course I love ‘Titanic,’ and I also really loved her in ‘Mare of Easttown.’ People have told me I look like her, which is awesome to hear.
What’s your biggest pet peeve?
Sounds can be a pet peeve of mine. Like when people drink out of bottles with those sports caps and it makes that distinct sound. I did a lot of improv and sketch comedy growing up, and I’m very in tune with observations and sounds. Sometimes I wish I didn’t have that awareness. The clicking of the pen is another one.
What’s something you would seriously stockpile if you found out it wasn’t going to be sold anymore?
Sunscreen. I’m very fair-skinned but I love being in the sun. I just couldn’t live without being able to go out in the sun as much as I want. Neutrogena is my go-to sunscreen.
What’s one trend you wish would disappear?
I’m glad the mom jean trend is on its way out. It hasn’t completely left, but that’s one I never understood. Like, who thought this was a good look?
What fictional character do you think would be most interesting to meet in real life?
I loved Inspector Gadget growing up, and I was fascinated with MacGyver. Just being able to figure things out that not many people would think of. I’d love to be someone so resourceful.
Which time period in history would you want to visit?
I would love to go back to the ‘60s. A big part of that is women being right on the cusp of celebrating achievements. It was such a pivotal time for American. And, certainly for my generation, being able to do the things I’ve done in my career … a lot of that is owed to what happened in the ‘60s.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
TikTok. Of course for my job I’m in tune with social media, but I just think it’s one of the best for entertainment value. It can suck me in. At night, instead of getting on TikTok when I’m settling in for bed, I’ve made a rule for myself that I can only be on it in the living room, the dining room, not in bed because it can be such a time suck.
What superhero power would you most like to have?
I would love to be able to fast forward in time. I’m a curious person, I seek what’s coming up, what’s next. I’m also curious about how do things evolve and what should we appreciate from the past, what should we preserve from the past. So, a little bit of time travel would appeal to my curious nature.
What’s the most useless talent you have?
I can do a lot of accents and I like to play around with that, like if I’m out to dinner with friends. Or in meetings, I tell people they have to read something doing an accent. It actually helps people remember, and it keeps things light-hearted. My go-to is a Thai-American accent. When I did sketch comedy, I modeled a character after a friend’s mom, so that where that came from. I also love Australian and British accents.
Who do you find most interesting to follow on social media?
I enjoy following people that give me a little relief. So comedians, other people who put out funny content. I love Amy Sedaris, who’s just so funny, so quirky.