Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum - ANDREW MCCARTHY: Walking with Sam, Negative Impact of Brat Pack & Balancing Success and Family Relationships

Episode Date: June 27, 2023

Andrew McCarthy (Pretty in Pink, Weekend at Bernie’s) joins us this week to talk all about his New York Times Best Selling book “Walking with Sam” and how he’s learned from tumultuous experien...ces with his own family how important it is to have honest, adult relationships with his children. Andrew goes on to talk about his relationship with the Brat Pack, how the association negatively impacted his career, and what it’s been like reuniting with its members. We also talk about his opinion directing TV, being a cultural touchstone for a generation of people, and his fondness for Weekend at Bernie’s. Thank you to our sponsors: 🧠Qualia Mind: https://neurohacker.com/iou 🪒 Harry's: https://www.harrys.com/inside __________________________________________________ 💖 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/insideofyou 👕 Inside Of You Merch: https://store.insideofyoupodcast.com/ __________________________________________________ Watch or listen to more episodes! 📺 https://www.insideofyoupodcast.com/show __________________________________________________ Follow us online! 📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/insideofyoupodcast/ 🤣 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@insideofyou_podcast 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/insideofyoupodcast/ 🐦 Twitter: https://twitter.com/insideofyoupod 🌐 Website: https://www.insideofyoupodcast.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Starting point is 00:00:00 You're listening to Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum. I took a nap, by the way, right before you got here. Yeah, a little bit. Yeah, I tried to fall asleep. I did for a minute, and then all of a sudden, front door open. Dogs barking. Oh, no. Ryan, here.
Starting point is 00:00:17 Oh. My bad. No, well, I needed to wake up. You said come at four, and I came at four. Thank God you didn't come at three. I know. Actually, I would have rather come at three. Coming in four, there's a lot of traffic coming up this direction.
Starting point is 00:00:29 No, I feel bad. Bad. God makes me feel guilty. Thanks for listening. The last couple of weeks have been really great. We had Eric McCormick and Stephen Weber on the podcast last week, week before James Gunn, which exploded. And it was good to see. It's good to see when the podcast gets out there. I've been getting a lot of calls. And for those of you who haven't listened to the podcast and are here for Andrew McCarthy, stay tuned. But just a few words. We don't talk forever. These are short intros. But, you know, I'm very grateful. If you like the podcast. by the way the podcast um subscribe write a review it truly helps the podcast and uh you know tell someone say hey i heard this podcast so you know it's decent and uh you know i try to bring out a lot out of each each guest whether you know them or you don't know them and uh this episode with andrew mccarthy we talk about walking with sam's new book and i found it fascinating a father and a son walking across Scotland or whatever and really getting personal in depth just into their lives and whatever and it got real it's it's going to get real when you're
Starting point is 00:01:42 doing something like that so and you know I was always a fan of Andrew McCarthy and I also found out he's not that much older than I am I always felt like these guys you know when I was younger were oh my gosh you know he's pretty in pink and he's not that much older than me you know times weird but i'm saying andrews you're not old um hey if you want to follow us ryan tell them the handles at inside of you pod on twitter at inside of you podcast on instagram and facebook haven't said that in a while i know and uh tom welling and i will and christin crook the threesome of smallville will be in montreal montreal july 15th weekend we're doing a small nights we're signing autographs pictures all that's going to be a blast my grandmother just
Starting point is 00:02:27 just had her 95th birthday and i went down there and i organized the whole thing because i'm a control freak and uh you know it was a nice time there was some you know some things that weren't as smooth i won't get into those but uh you know it made me sad that she doesn't she she's 95 of course her memory's not going to be great but i didn't realize it would go that fast and in the last three to six months i showed her a video of the trip after you know um after her big birthday night and uh brought her to tears but then the next morning when i said did you love the video she didn't know what i was talking about and i showed her again like she had seen it the first time so it's pretty bad and so i told my uncle do me a favorite on
Starting point is 00:03:13 her refrigerator just put call mikey with a picture of me and my phone number your grandson and uh he wouldn't put your favorite grandson because his two kids would be upset with that but He did put your grandson. So I got a call from her today. So I think maybe it works. Keep that, you know, it's on her fridge. If she's going to the fridge. That's good.
Starting point is 00:03:36 You know what else? My cousin sent me a picture of the inside of her refrigerator. And it had like insure, you know, for the old people drink. I think other people take that too. But it had a glass of wine covered up with plastic, like saran wrap or whatever. her and it was like she drinks the cheapest shittiest freaking wine and she's preserving it she doesn't like a little bit at a time she doesn't want to waste it okay so anyway um so what else uh the band we just had a concert uh sunspin we're going to be playing those monthly so go to stage it
Starting point is 00:04:16 com or go to sunspin dot com get a ticket we have zooms other stuff you could also get a zoom with me and Rob, my guitarist, and chat with us. The Inside You online store has a lot of cool stuff. This guy, Santiago, where in the hell is? Santiago M? No, Carmen, San Diego. Well, I know that. That's what I was asking you for.
Starting point is 00:04:40 But then when it was the second I said it, I realized that the Santiago is not where the San Diego is, and it was wrong. Yeah. And I regret it now. Yeah, you ruined it. You ruined the moment. Damn. anyway these little busts the smallville busts they're bad ass he made boxes for them get them
Starting point is 00:04:59 there's only four available so if you want those there's also lex luther statues funcos and tons of stuff i want to thank the funco store i went to the funco store in hollywood i did an interview which is coming out soon and i brought a couple friends and they let us shop and get as many funcos as we wanted funco that shit man it was awesome i love funco thank you to everyone there tracy thanks for hooking it all up and uh i got a lot of cool stuff if you haven't been go to the funco store in hollywood boulevard it will blow your mind it's like disney world i don't know there was one it's dude you'll blow your mind i'll take you want to go sure it's great um so thanks there um and a few thank yous to uh the non profits that i work
Starting point is 00:05:44 with food on foot.org for homeless. Echoes of Hope for foster youth, the Veronica McDonald's House, the animal rescue mission. If you want to rescue animals, get a hold of the animal rescue mission on Instagram or whatever ask for Shira. Say I sent you. And all that jazz.
Starting point is 00:06:01 And thanks for listening to Talkville. We're going to be coming back soon with new episodes. Season three, very exciting, Ryan. It's going to be a good season. And thanks mostly to the patrons who support these podcasts because I could not do these podcasts without you. Thanks for the support and the love.
Starting point is 00:06:19 And check out patreon.com slash inside of you or slash talkville and become a patron member today. All right, without further ado, let's get into this. Let's get so much to talk about with Andrew McCarthy. It was a lot of fun. And, you know, we get into it. So let's get inside of Andrew McCarthy. It's my point of view. You're listening to Inside of You.
Starting point is 00:06:44 with Michael Rosenbaum. Inside of you with Michael Rosenbaum was not recorded in front of a live studio audience. It's a great setup. Thanks. I noticed you were looking at it. Now, is that sarcasm? No. No, it's great.
Starting point is 00:07:04 What are you into? What do you mean? I mean, you're obviously into travel. You're obviously into writing and directing all these other things and acting. But, like, do you have any, like, do you keep things? you keep posters no i was actually more talking about your technical setup not not your not your not your not your freak show no not your freak show that that i didn't even really notice no i was looking more the technical setup that it was good yeah i had somebody come and set this up and i'm always scared
Starting point is 00:07:31 that the uh the camera's gonna just go and i'm like oh shit what camera like okay lumics i got to order this and we got to hook it up i shouldn't worry about that should i write okay thank you um well you got so much going on first of all you your agent or your publicist sent me that the book is now, your new book is in the New York Times bestseller list. And this just happened? Yeah, yesterday, yeah. So that's always... Walking with Sam. Yeah. And that's always a relief. What do you mean it's always a relief? So you've had other books, the memoirs, the Brat was also bestseller? Yeah, yeah. So, which is great. No, no, it's, it's showing because it's like, it is the only way that, you know, the broad way that
Starting point is 00:08:10 people keep score. If you, you know, if you can claim, it's a New York Times or so, then you can claim success. Oh, it's real. Yeah. It's like my dad. It's like, it's an independent movie. Oh, so it's not a real movie. Yeah. Also, when you've been out there shamelessly promoting it like I have, if it doesn't do something, you kind of go, oh, you've been really selling there and they weren't buying. So anyway, it's, it's wonderful and exciting and a relief. My biggest fear is, you know, some people said write a book and I'm like, no one cares about me. I mean, my listeners may be like what I taught, but like, okay, so how many people buy my book of it because i have i have some great i mean great stories starting from childhood to craziness to try you know getting to hollywood and getting mixed up with the wrong crowd and all that
Starting point is 00:08:54 stuff in between living with carrie fisher it would be a chapter and not sexually um but i don't think my fear is like you've been you've been there you are like i mean for god's sake the there are the headphones they're going to wear all right but like you know You've done so much people know who you are. Well, they think they do anyway, yeah. Which is good, you know, that has its pluses and minuses, yeah. I mean, I get on the Today Show or whatever, the Good Morning America to talk about my new book because I was in movies 30 years ago.
Starting point is 00:09:27 You know what I mean? Right. So I have that sort of platform, if you will. So I've, you know, I've become this sort of cultural, you know, touchstone for a generation of people. But normally, like when someone comes on the podcast, they want to promote. something i'm like it's not that i'm like oh fuck all right you know i'm i'm like all right we'll talk about it but that's not really what the podcast is about but this your book is what the podcast is because walking with sam is sort of like a journey with your son right yeah across a country 500 miles
Starting point is 00:10:01 yeah and like when i hear that you open up about your life to your son it's just so foreign to me and so beautiful that, you know, I didn't know anything about my father. In fact, I remember calling him up one time, and he wasn't the kind of guy. I'm sure you're very close. You're very close with your son where you're like, I love you, son. I'm proud of you, that kind of thing. Yeah. Well, you're hesitant.
Starting point is 00:10:26 No, but I'm sure. I hope I don't say that, yes, I am. Yeah. But go on. No. But I just think that I remember I was 20 something, early 20s. and I was just like he always I'd never smoked and never drink and never did drugs it was always very very critical very hard on me and I went to his dentist and I shouldn't have gone to his dentist
Starting point is 00:10:49 because it was this guy out in Long Island was Lawrence Olivier no why what was what was that about no well in Marathon Man he's the dentist you know anyway yes yes yes yes yes I remember the Dustin Hoff is it safe yes is it safe you do a lot of impressions no that was it that's it that's it yeah but i went out to his dentist and he was a good dentist but his dental place was in his house in long island so it was cut fight tooth decay with dr jay and i went in there and he was this kind of what were you thinking that should have been your first clue i had no money and this guy was going to take care of me and uh i was like what was my dad like oh your dad fuck your dad was he was you know did he ever do drugs did he do drugs i think he invented coke i think and all this stuff
Starting point is 00:11:35 came out. And women. And I'm like, what? Whoa. Whoa. And I call my dad. I go, I don't, I don't fucking know you. You've lied to me all these years. She's like, it's like, what do you want to hear? Is this what you want to? What do you want to know? I'll tell you what you want. And I go, do drugs? Yeah, I did a lot of drugs. It got to that point. We're like, yeah, do you have sex with other girls than mom? He was, what are you fucking kidding? Of course. Yes. I'm like, okay. And I just started hammering him with these questions. And he answered them. But I didn't, I still to this day, I don't know my real father. I mean, I know my biological father. You know what I'm talking about. My dad's just very, maybe it's just old school. It's old school where he doesn't want me to
Starting point is 00:12:18 get inside, but I get inside. But I'd like to know more about my father. I'd like to know the real story and the things that he went through. Why? Because when I looked at what your book's about, it made me think, you know, wow, his son, Sam, right? Yeah. Obviously, unless you're walking with somebody else and Sam, that he's really getting to know his dad and really seeing the things that hurt him and the mistakes he made. And like it seems like it was such an honest journey. Just tell me about that.
Starting point is 00:12:49 Well, you're talking about your dad. You know, when I left home at 17 and my relationship, in essence, ended with my dad right then. You know, my dad was a very volatile guy and I was terrified of him. So I left home and we had no real relationship through the rest of his life. I mean, he died, I guess, just like six or seven years ago. And, I mean, I saw him probably a dozen times in all those years. And my dad, when I was young and successful, my dad, when I was first in the movies,
Starting point is 00:13:18 you know, my fortunes were rising as my dad's fortunes were falling emotionally and financially. And so my dad used to come to me for money, which I found. that really twisted me up because I gave it to him. You know, when my dad first, you know, if I don't get, you know, 50K, I'm going to jump off a roof. I'm like, okay, here's 50K. You know what I mean? Until finally that went on for a number of years and then I finally, you know, he said, I'm going to jump off a bridge if I don't get whatever.
Starting point is 00:13:49 And I said, well, you know, you're just like a heroin junkie and I'm not giving any more heroin to jump off the bridge. And that pretty much ended our relationship. And for decades, really. and I think he regretted that later, but I just, it really, that was difficult because what, when I needed, when I was a young kid and being successful in that way that I was when I was in these movies when I was young in my early 20s, I would have, you know, welcomed some kind of backup. And I didn't, I felt like I was being undercut as opposed to being backed up, you know, or supported. Inside of You is brought to you by Quince. I love Quince, Ryan. I've told you this before. I got this awesome $60. cashmere sweater. I wear it religiously. You can get all sorts of amazing, amazing clothing
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Starting point is 00:15:54 Quince. inside of you. Inside of you is brought to you by Rocket Money. I'm going to speak to you about something that's going to help you save money, period. It's Rocket Money. It's a personal finance app that helps find and cancel your unwanted subscriptions, monitors your spending, and helps lower your bills so you can grow your savings. This is just a wonderful app. There's a lot of apps out there that really, you know, you have to do this and pay for and that. But with Rocket money, it's, they're saving you money. You're getting this app to save money. I don't know how many times that I've had these unwanted subscriptions that I thought I canceled or I forgot to, you know,
Starting point is 00:16:35 the free trial ran out, Ryan. I know you did it. That's why you got rocket money. I did. Yeah. And I also talked to a financial advisor recently and I said, I had rocket money and they said, that's good. This will help you keep track of your budget. See? See? It's only, we're only here the pros. We're only trying to give you, you know, things that will help you. So Rocket Money really does that. Rocket Money shows you all your expenses in one place, including subscriptions you forgot about. If you see a subscription you no longer want, Rocket Money will help cancel it. Rocket Money will even try to negotiate lower bills for you. The app automatically scans your bills to find opportunities to save and then goes to work to get
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Starting point is 00:18:02 you with Michael Rosenbaum. Rocket Money. Anyway, when my dad was dying, I went to, my wife said, to her credit, because you need to go see your dad. I was like, oh, you're right. And so I went to my dad is, you know, and he was dying, and we didn't really, you know, we didn't solve anything, but we just dropped it. I dropped it, you know, and I was able to be there with him when he was dying, and that was a, um, a beautiful thing. And I, you know, I, there was love there that remained that hadn't, I hadn't felt. And, you know, all I'd felt was fear and then anger and resentment at him for undermined, not seeing me, you know. And so anyway, so when you talk about your dad like that I didn't know really anything about the one story I heard about my dad once when his mom was
Starting point is 00:18:53 put into an old you know a home convalescent or yeah that kind of you know for an old person and he went and he kind of kidnapped her because he was so upset by her being locked up so he went and he kidnapped her for a day he didn't know he didn't have any plan he just needed to felt some need to act like you know what I mean so he just took her and he went to a motel and they were staying there And his older brother, and my friend, dad's at this point in his, I don't know, 60s or something, 50s. And his older brother came and said, he had this fight with my older brother was there to see this. And his older brother, they stood in a parking lot arguing these two brothers, two grown men. And my dad's older brother slapped him upside the head like you would a young sibling when you're kids.
Starting point is 00:19:38 And I knew, in that intimate, my brother told me that story. I was like, oh, I instantly forgave my dad so much because that's what. where he came from, and that's all he knew. You know, like you were saying, old school. They're a different generation of whatever, you know. But anyway, so I didn't want that with my son to bring it back to kind of your question. I didn't, I wanted, you know, my son to, that's the last thing I want. That's probably the biggest regret of my life in a certain way.
Starting point is 00:20:02 It couldn't have been other with my father, but I really regretted that lack there. And I've always felt that lack. You know, when my kids, I always say, I want to be like a backstop and a little Little League. So I'm like, you go out in the world and when you turn around, I'm going to be here, but you go out there. And, you know, whenever I turned around when I was young, I just felt somebody poaching me or trying to stab me in the back, not there to sort of go. You know what I mean? And it's fine. It's just the way life was and it was fun and it helped me in many ways to be, you know, resilient, whatever. I didn't even really notice it until years later when I've
Starting point is 00:20:36 begun, you know, enough therapy. And it was fine. And I don't mind it, although I just don't want my kids to have that. I'm sure I'll screw them up in other ways, but, you know, I wanted them to always know that, like, their dad's right there behind them. And so, anyway, that's why I asked my son. That's, yeah, that's incredible. And you say that, um, you weren't really affected, you were resilient. You were obviously later on, you went, you got therapy and all that's positive about it. I mean, what I'm, right. No, but I mean, and also, I, you know, it does those things. You know, you can either choose to view these things as something terrible that happened and you're a victim of this person.
Starting point is 00:21:12 They're easy to blame. Or it's like, dude, this is what your life is. And there are many people have, you know, and like, okay, so it's forced you to do this and that and that and adjust in certain ways. And it's, you know, I'm all good with that. Right. You know, I think. But what about validation?
Starting point is 00:21:26 Did you ever feel like you needed validation? But I don't think family. He validated. My dad loved me and he was proud of me. You know, he used to stop people on the street. And I had people stop me on the street when I was much younger and go, I met your dad. I'm like, yeah? Yeah, I was crossing the street and waiting in the red light and he said, he just said,
Starting point is 00:21:46 hey, do you know Andrew McCarthy? And he's not my son. And so, like, my dad used to sort of weird, you know, if they were the right demo, he would stop them, you know. And which I found very sad in a certain way. I did. That broke my heart for him. I was just, it really made me sad. I was first humiliated by it and angered by it when I was young and then it made me very
Starting point is 00:22:05 sad for him later. But, I mean, I know my dad was proud of me and, you know, all that stuff. but in his way yeah you know it's weird because i sometimes people ask me this question and then i'll go huh and the question is do you think your parents love you and they're so trying to be in your life a little bit more because you've had success because you have because you have maybe a little money because you have and so did you ever have to deal with that where there's like your father's you say he disappeared, but then when you started having the success, he would see people in the street, he'd say, that's my son, he was all this, did you think, okay, but what if I wasn't successful?
Starting point is 00:22:46 Did that ever haunt you? Like, is he doing it because he really? Well, I think success, my public success, Young, really harmed my relationships in my family, very much so. I was not the star of the family growing up. You know what I mean? My brother, I have three brothers, two older, one younger, and my oldest brother was like, smart and you know the other one was the jock and I was like the sensitive kid or something but I was not the star of the family you know and when I became one in a public way at 21 22 years old that sort of blew up my household and or my you know my parents got divorced around that time anyway so they were going through their own thing but it sort of blew up my relationships with my brother
Starting point is 00:23:28 my brothers because they're still in their mid-20s trying to figure out who they are and suddenly their little brother is like some movie star and you know what I mean that was I think that was difficult for them to, uh, navigate. And so I found the opposite with success in my family. And so it kind of made me because of my temperament just sort of flee that and go, oh, this isn't a safe place. I'm, I'm a loaner a bit anyway. So I, I kind of, the combination of of that and with feeling slightly poached by them made me, uh, just flee. You know, and I've had a lot, I had a lot of people asked me for money and things when I was young and family members and I, and you know, invariably you give it to them at the beginning until you realize that
Starting point is 00:24:13 people, whoever you give money to, hate you for it. Because you're basically saying, I'll do for you what I see you can't do for yourself. And people hate you for that. And so everyone who I tried to help financially resented me for it. So I stopped, you know, doing that. I still enable. I still do it. I'm much better at it now.
Starting point is 00:24:34 it angers me that I do it my actual my business so why do you do it um because I don't want to feel guilty when they die uh-huh that doesn't add up you know that that that that math that math it's two and two is like five I want to say that hey I really did everything I could and I was really a good brother or a good son or a good whatever and but it gets to a point where it's like can't you cut it off and still say you did that because you did that for so long it's like when does it end and you you came to a point where you cut it off with your dad um i haven't had my father doesn't need money but like someone in my family they do and they but they don't they have always sort of you know been the victim they've always sort of like you know i need this i can't do
Starting point is 00:25:25 this they're married they have it doesn't make sense but i keep helping out because i do love them and I want them to be happy and I want them to be destitute and maybe there's an ego thing maybe there's sort of like oh if I let that happen and then all of a sudden oh they can't afford
Starting point is 00:25:41 then all of a sudden the town where I grew up and all they're like oh you're your family you have money why aren't you helping them maybe there's that sort of like I care about what other people think
Starting point is 00:25:52 well of course but also you know therapy for me Andrew this is therapy for me so it's like big shot too for you know I give you money so I'm you know I'm empowered I have power over you now.
Starting point is 00:26:03 I don't want it. I really don't. I don't want to have that power. I just want them to be happy and do whatever they can to make ends meet and do the things that I think are simple, simple steps into doing that because, you know, I have friends that, you know, I know that if I didn't have a job, I would go get a job. If I didn't have money, I would go figure out how to make money. These are certain things that were ingrained in me that I always knew.
Starting point is 00:26:30 And it's easy to save now when you're, doing well but I know that and a lot of people are like that they're like hey I'll go I'll work at McDonald's I'll work at wherever I'll but maybe there's pride in whatever and they don't want to do that for sure when my dad was wanting money I always said I'd be I'd be proud of your dad if you were a bag person in the checkout you know at the supermarket but you know easy for me to say yeah that's true and it was that that would have been the truth but it wasn't he wasn't been able to do that and I get that yeah I get that I wouldn't want to be bagging in the supermarket either hey you're that guy from mannequin what
Starting point is 00:27:05 are you doing putting my groceries you know what i mean so i get that um lastly about that because i don't want to talk there's so much to talk about but uh you know i mean this is sort of the center this is the kind of what i want to i mean the book is i can't wait to read this book because i feel like i need it i need to read this book as you can tell when i'm telling you these stories what didn't you tell your son like what things were you like i'm not going there with you Well, that's an interesting thing because there was one day, that's one of the things I still wrangle with with my kids because I don't need to be their buddy or their pal. I want to be their father. But I want to have an adult relationship with them. And since I didn't have one with my father, I'd have no real template for that, which is one of the reasons we walked across Spain together. I thought because I did it 25 years earlier and it was a profound thing for me. So I wanted to sort of thought it might be helpful in rewriting my son and I's dynamic. but I've totally then just forgot your question. No, it was just like the things that you didn't say to your son.
Starting point is 00:28:09 Oh, yeah. So one day, Sam said, we're about halfway through the walk. And Sam just turned to me and goes, how are you, dad? And he was asking me, you know, and I don't recall him ever asking me that before. You know, he was asking wanting to know. And I was at that time, at that moment, in those previous minutes, I've been, you know, fretting about money. been worrying about work, been, you know, thinking stuff about my wife, thinking, you know, in a worrisome, fretful mode.
Starting point is 00:28:39 And I said to him, I'm good, said me, I'm good. And it was a real missed opportunity to sort of share who I am with my kid, particularly since I'm saying that's what I wanted to do for him to see me more, you know. But, you know, I remember when I was young, I had, this has never left me. My mother at times would, she'd have problems with my dad, and she would be very upset. And I would come in and she would say, oh, the child should never see their mother cry. And I'm like, no, mom, tell me, you know, because I wanted to be close to my mom naturally. And she was suffering, so I would go into her.
Starting point is 00:29:11 And she would tell me stuff that, you know, it was emotionally what was happening to her at the time. But I interpreted with my young ears as sort of settled fact of that this is what she felt. When that was just a transitory mood. But I took that and took that deep as this is what she believes. And there's a big difference, you know. And so, and as a young person, I wasn't able to separate those two, particularly when it's your mom doing that. So I've often, I've said, oh, I don't want to do that with my kids. And yet, how am I going to, you know, if I want him to share with me, himself with me, I have to do that too.
Starting point is 00:29:46 I have to model that and or meet him there or lead him there. So I still find that a challenging thing at times to do. Yeah. Did you, is that in the book where you didn't say it. You talk about not saying it. Yeah, that is in the book. Yeah, we talk about what was going on. You know, because it was such an odd moment, too, because it caught me so off guard.
Starting point is 00:30:05 And I was so in a space of, and the kids know everything, you know, they see right through everything. You know, I was such in a space of worry in that moment where I wasn't often on the trip. But in that, for whatever reason, that morning, I was in that space, you know, where we can get. And but to not share that with them, even to just say, you know, it'll pass. It's no big deal. But I'm just really worried about money. I just, you know, because money is that, you know, blah, blah. and talk to him about it. Like, you know, it was a missed opportunity on my part.
Starting point is 00:30:35 Is that something you would talk about with anybody? Or not anybody, but with, yeah, with any person. Only me. Only me. Well, it is an interesting thing about how, you know, people often, and it's in writing, too, you know, people often, I read that Edward R. Murrow, the newscaster, told a stranger on the plane next to him he had cancer. And he'd never told any of his family at that point. You know what I mean? There's something about telling strangers things that's interesting. It's like when you write, I'll often write things. that my 16-year-old daughter asked me something about my past, and Sam said to her, if you want to know dad, you should read his books. Because I'll write things, and it's very true. That goes to what we were just talking about. And also, you know, I'll be much more forthcoming on a page
Starting point is 00:31:20 than I will be generally in life with people even people I love. And I always think, and I'm not the only one, lots of people talk about how that's the case. And I think that's really interesting how we do that. and why we do that and that's why they say write what you know right yeah i guess so and just write the truth right because you write the truth right you know i remember writing the first book i didn't i was right you know and it was a travel memoir but it really was about intimacy and i remember writing a paragraph going oh my god this can never be in the book and i'm typing away and this can
Starting point is 00:31:48 never never there's no way i'm embarrassed this is like way too revealing yeah and then i finish and i finish and i read it and i go well that's there's no chapter without that paragraph that's the whole thing and you know because all you're trying to do is you know they're just feelings you know everybody's got them and you're just trying to create a connection with the reader so that they're nodding their head where they sit alone in their bed at night they with you and they're nodding their head and kind of go yeah that's how I feel that's how I feel and then you've then you got something yeah have you ever like are you one of those like I had never heard my dad cry until he lost his daughter my half sister who passed away a few years ago and talk about shell shocked talk about um and it was
Starting point is 00:32:34 sort of expected throughout the years she had the trisomy chromosonal thing going on for years and she was she was always in the hospital i mean she lived in the hospital chosen's hospital and you know he was dealing with this a lot of time and then when she passed i called him and i i couldn't even understand him it was like a different human being i've never heard that kind of cry. He was so hurt. And I just didn't know what even to do. I was emotional. I was, I just said, I love you. I'm here for you. And it was, it was heartbreaking. It was heartbreaking. It's not something I think you want to see your father. There's some people who are, oh, my daddy's always crying. Oh, he's everything. He watches this. He cries. I think that's one of the greatest things we can do
Starting point is 00:33:19 for our kids is show them our frailty. You know what I mean? And we don't want to do that as dads. of course, we're strong or this or that when we got it sorted out. But I think, you know, there's a moment on the walk when we were walking and I tripped and I fell and I almost crashed into this thing that would have really been a problem. And I hit hard and I normally jump, bounce right back up if I fall because I'm so embarrassed that I just, oh, no, I'm fine, fine, you know, but I didn't bounce back up and I just fell out and it's a much lighter thing than what you're talking about, obviously. But the metaphor of it's the same is I hit the ground and I stayed there and my son was
Starting point is 00:33:52 shocked at this because I never I'm pretty agile in that you know and so and he helped me and I realized just let him help you let him help you it's important for him to see that part of me you know what I mean and that's one of the things I have to teach is like you know like my mom now is is not you know she's getting to mention she's suffering and like you got to go help them and that's anyway and so that's part of life that's part of the cycle of what happens and so you know so yeah for you to say that's important thing for your dad for you to get to experience that with your dad you know what i mean that it's not just the other way it's you know it's not it's a two-way street which you know it takes being wanting that too yeah you know it's weird it's like um with me he knows i have a podcast
Starting point is 00:34:44 but he doesn't know what i talk about how i really open up and i'm probably he probably would be you know he'd probably be pissed off sometimes of i'm you know talking about it but like i don't talk about him like i just talk about my you know my feelings would have you know life and um he doesn't know that i mean i think he knows i went to therapy and but it's almost like he doesn't want to talk about that stuff he doesn't go to therapy never what i remember when he lost there i said you need to go to therapy he's like why you think anybody knows it i'm going through i go yes i do i think people lose their whole families on planes i think there people lose their daughters and their sons and their everything it's people there this happens to a lot of people unfortunately and if you talk to people
Starting point is 00:35:29 and sit in a circle with some people he's no no i'm not doing that i'm not doing that he doesn't want to do that he doesn't want to he doesn't want to and he never will that's just what it is but so i never feel like i can talk about any of that stuff because it's just it's there's no reason to it'd just be like oh okay yeah yeah sorry to hear that anyway had the met's doing it's doing you know that that's you know i used to dismiss all that kind of sport jargon but it's a certain intimacy that comes with that and if that's the way people can funnel it then so be it you know yeah and it's also generational i think to some degree sure but it's also not there are guys that are like that you know i mean and you know did you ever think growing up did you have a confidence
Starting point is 00:36:15 to you were you popular that all of a sudden you'd be this icon who was doing these major motion pictures part of the brat pack which to me is one of it's probably the coolest thing that could ever happen to someone i'm sorry there's only six people that could say they're part of the brad pack i think right sure i'm just saying inside of you is brought to you by rocket money if you want to save money then listen to me because uh i use this ryan uses this so many people use rocket money it's a personal finance app that helps find and cancel your unwanted subscriptions crazy right how cool is that monitors your spending and helps lower your bills so you can grow your savings and you know what's great it works it really works ryan rocket money
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Starting point is 00:38:54 Take a spin on the slots, challenge yourself at the tables, or join a live dealer game to feel the thrill of real-time action, all from the comfort of your own devices. Why settle for less when you can go for the gold at Golden Nugget Online Casino? Gambling Problem Call connects Ontario 1866-531-260-19 and over. President in Ontario. Eligibility restrictions apply. See golden nuggetcassino.com for details. Please play responsibly. Did you ever imagine like, I'm going to be famous one day? No. You know, I was, no, I was not a wildly confident kid at all in any kind of way. No, I just sort of when all that happened, it was head spinning. And, you know, but you forget now the Brat Pack is this wonderfully iconic term spoken with affection and reverend.
Starting point is 00:39:44 for this moment in pop culture, and for a certain generation, you know, I and other members of Bratbach are the avatar of their youth, you know, and so it's looked at with these rose-colored memories, because that's the moment in life when people are just cusping life when they're 20, 21, when they're, you know, the life is a blank slate to be written upon, and it's get out of the way, world, here I come, and it's just a thrilling, exciting moment, and I represent that, and other actors do, too, represent that to a certain demographic of a certain generation, but that was not the case that the brat pack when it came out the term was coined in 1985 in a new york magazine article by a guy who was writing an article on amelio estavis and took turned off to him
Starting point is 00:40:26 and didn't like him and was jealous of him i'd say because he was also a young journalist and so he wrote this scathing article about all these young actors and called him the brat pack wasn't canby was it no it wasn't a guy named david blum um vincent cammy he's another he was another he was another But anyway, so it was a really negative pejorative thing, and we fucking hated it. And we thought, hey, who wants to be called a brat, who wants to be in a pack? It did. It adversely affected our careers because we were now perceived. Yeah, we were now perceived as this.
Starting point is 00:40:57 You know, all you ever want in life is to be seen, right? See me. See who I am. That's what your whole thing is about. This is who I am. See me. And in the instant the Brad Pack label came out, it was like, a something we were 180, you know, it's turned hard and we remember the brat pack and I was unseen for like that's and that it's
Starting point is 00:41:18 taken you know me decades and centuries to have that go 180 degrees to embrace it as this beautiful thing which it is now but we forget that it wasn't at the beginning and um you know we had I was like you know Martin Scrazazie's not going to call up anybody in the brat pack you know and he never did so I mean but so it's been a long journey and I know for for me and for I know the other people as well to sort of pivot through that to now where, you know, where it's landed for me, which is that, that it's sort of this beautiful thing to represent that for that generation of people. But that wasn't the case. And it was largely just that notion of I felt unseen suddenly. Here I was just starting life, just
Starting point is 00:42:01 starting my career. Okay, here I come. And then bam, no, you're labeled, you're pigeonholed in this thing. And this is what you are. From one article. One, which is amazing, you know, in our culture now with every all the different things it was one article one week in new yorkman and within days the countries because it's such a good phrase you know brat pack boom yeah i mean you don't forget it's there it's indelible and you know and it was also a cultural shift to happening when young youth took over rebellious well no but just youth took i mean the movies were not about kids up to that point really and then they discovered in the early 80s my god these kids go to the movies five six seven times grownups go once let's make movies for kids and we were right there
Starting point is 00:42:41 the right place at the right time, you know? And so then John Hughes comes along and says, oh, wait, young kids' emotions should be taken seriously. And, you know, because nobody's, when you're 17, 18, you fall in love for the first time. You are the first person to ever be in love, right? And so, and that first heartbreak is the first heartbreak ever. And is the magnitude of it, and John Hughes knew that and honored that. And so kids saw that and went, that's me, you know, and that's why generation, the next generation, those women have shown their daughters and their daughter looking at that movie and pretty in pink and going to hair dues you're funny but that's me you know yeah and so that's why they live on in that way and to sort of you know for me to come
Starting point is 00:43:20 to represent that's a beautiful thing but i always kind of not always i never looked at it like that no but now i hear you i'm like of course did you that's so interesting it's like yeah you he didn't realize the impact it had on you guys it sounds so cool now and to everybody on the outside looking in i want to be the brat pack but i could i could see how it was just sort of like fuck I'm more than that. Yeah, or I'm other than that. I am more than, you know, that's, yeah. And for someone like me, I was very much, you know, a solitary personal loaner a bit.
Starting point is 00:43:52 So to be slumped in with all these guys, who I liked fine, but I didn't know them. I don't think everyone out socially with any of them ever, you know. Really? So you never, you were on these movies, on these huge movies. Well, I lived to New York and so I would just, whatever. Does you get close with anybody? Yeah, I mean, I liked them. I mean, no.
Starting point is 00:44:07 But you never said, hey, let's hang out. No. article yesterday that came out, or the other day, about Emilio Estevez, you hadn't seen him in 30 years. Yeah, I didn't see any of them. I made a documentary recently about this because I wrote a book a few years ago about my time, my life then, because I was like, it was a rock. I'd never looked under. And so I decided to look under it. And I'm like, that's how I came to the position that I sort of was just talking about, how I've come to realize what a beautiful thing it is and what I'm blessed in that way, really, truly. But I didn't feel that way. And so I thought, okay, I had
Starting point is 00:44:40 a size that was a seismic event in my life the brat pack what was it like for everyone else because i know it was for them too because we were in the same boat we were members of a club we didn't have to join and we have we can just look at each other and kind of go hey dude and we just know and so i went back and talked to everybody who merely hadn't seen 30 years rob hadn't seen 30 years to me you know any ali she didn't see any of them and to just get their take on it and it was really interesting yeah i just do you think um if you look back do you think that they were probably like he's doing his own thing he's too good for us
Starting point is 00:45:12 while we're all partying and get together they're into their own thing you know what I mean everyone's so self-centered no one's thinking about anybody else you know but I also was you know I was so afraid really then that always
Starting point is 00:45:24 then that manifested as a sort of aloofness when I was just afraid you know so yeah and so yes and I was always baffled by people thinking oh you're so you're arrogant you're aloof and I'm like really I'm just so fucking scared here you know so
Starting point is 00:45:38 So I always felt sort of unseen in that regard, you know. Was there anybody that you could recall on set that you worked with where you're like, female that you were like, gosh, you know, I should have stayed in touch with her. I should have asked her out or I should have, you know, I should have like I was really attracted to this person and I just dropped the ball there. I didn't take a chance. Well, I was better at it with women than I was with just friendship because, you know, women then you can, you know, you're thinking in your 20s, you're thinking sex.
Starting point is 00:46:07 So that gives a little more motivation than friendship. You know, so Emilio. Emilio, Demi, you know, so with that regard, you know, I sort of went for things a little more than I might have if it was just friendship involved. Did you always love acting or was it something that you were good at, you were getting roles, you were doing it? Because I know you do Broadway, right? I did, yeah. You did Broadway. So you obviously loved theater.
Starting point is 00:46:36 I did, yeah. No, I wanted to. That's what I thought. I would be was a theater actor. It never occurred to me. I'd be in the movies, you know. I mean, when I was 15 years old, I was cut from the high school basketball team and I, my mother said, try out for the school play. And I'm like, I don't want to be in the play. I want to be the point guard, you know, so, but I did. And I was cast as the artful Dodger and Oliver. And when I walked out on stage at 15, you know, my life changed. It was like Tennessee
Starting point is 00:46:58 Williams, the playwright has a line up talking about love. He says, it's as if a room that had always been half in shadow is suddenly in the light. And that's how I felt. The minute I walked on and said, I went, oh my God, there I am. There I am. And I knew it was important because I told no one. You know, I knew it was like a little flame flicker that it lit and if anybody could have walked by and blown it out. You know what I mean? Like when I told, eventually told my father, I wanted to be an actor and go to college for acting, he said, no son of mine's going to be a fucking Thespian, you know, and, you know, so maybe I was right not to bring it up earlier. But by that point, I knew what I was doing. I didn't care what anybody said and I was going to go
Starting point is 00:47:36 do it i had no idea how i had the wonderful gift of youth which is you don't know things are impossible so that's so true yeah and so then you know it happened for me very quickly although it doesn't feel quick at the time when you're young and stuff but you know what is i was just talking about this about ambition and it's like i remember being in college and like getting castes in the lead cast in the lead roles and you know the the all the heads of the department are like you're ready you need to go to York and this guy, this actor, Leo Bermister, who came into town and we all gave monologues and he took me aside and said, you got it. You have what it takes. You need to do this. It's in your heart, blah. And all the confidence then was just, I was like, I let's go. And I didn't, I remember
Starting point is 00:48:19 people like, you know the percentage. There's no percentage of actors. Here's the thing. I didn't ever think for a second that I wasn't going to beat the odds. I know that what I'm doing is gonna make it i swear to god i thought that and what happens is life happens and you start to do things and if you don't have this solid foundation like i said and everything's sort of you need to be validated you're great eventually it comes a time where you're like um i felt like fear got in the way and ambition kind of took the side took took a step aside i felt like i don't i never have that ambition like i had that energy that just like I'm going for it. I felt like that has been sort of lost. If not lost, it's, you know,
Starting point is 00:49:08 there's remnants, but it's sort of, uh, it's not like it was. Do you feel like that happened with you at all? Sure. And once you experience failure, then you can't forget that. And failure goes, you go, whoa, okay. So then there's doubt. And then that doubt creeps in fears and all those anxieties and all those kind of things. For sure. For sure. Yeah. I mean, did you, has that happened? Like, were you confident on sets when you were acting? Were you, were you enjoying it? Were you loving being on set and acting in, I love being on sets. Actually, I do love being on set.
Starting point is 00:49:40 I, you know, I direct a lot of TV now, and I always say the TV. Orange is the new black. Yeah, and I said, you know, directing is stressful, but acting creates anxiety. You know what I mean? Yeah. And I find acting, you know, so, but I love being on a set. I, you know, I sort of was most at home on a set in many ways. And I've been on sets for my.
Starting point is 00:50:01 since I'm 18 years old and so I understand that world. I'm like I'm never bored on a set. People talk about boring now. I'm never bored on it. Wow. I find it just very interesting. Yeah, is it weird directing someone like some of you probably are friends with
Starting point is 00:50:17 back in the day like James Spader and Blacklist? No, I mean, you know, James is such a wonderful and peculiar guy anyway. I mean, he's, that's all, he's his own beast, but and I just know him so long I have a shorthand with him, so it's nice. But no, I've ever acted neuroses there is so it's easy for me to talk to actors yeah because i just understand what they're doing so yeah do you ever get uh have you ever worked with someone where you're like i cannot stand working
Starting point is 00:50:44 with this person yeah i hate it i have to get out of here i don't want to do it uh i'm not comfortable i don't i'm not my craft isn't coming through because i'm thinking too much now or whatever no sure i've had i'm from acting and directing you say sure there are people just like oh my you know I'm directing somebody. I'm like, this guy's terrible. How much money is he making every week? You know what I mean? And you have to make him look good. Yeah, and that's your job. So, you know, so yeah, of course. I mean, TV directing, that's a whole other topic, but it's ultimately not a very satisfying job. Why is that? Well, you're servicing someone TV is a writer's medium, right? You know, so you're servicing someone else's
Starting point is 00:51:19 vision. And so if you're going to work that hard ultimately, it's great. Like, I always call TV directing like going to director gym. Like this week you're doing chess. Next week you're doing arms because it's like shooting in different styles, different kind of. And so that's all very interesting. But ultimately, unless you're doing your own thing, it's not very satisfying. And they'll just get someone else to do it. Once a TV shows up and running, it's just, you know, you're making the sausage. And shows can happen without a director very easily.
Starting point is 00:51:46 You have a good DP and the actors don't listen to you anyway. And so they're, you know, it directs itself. And there are many examples. I mean, of people that have no idea how to direct it or directing TV. TV shows. And you notice, you know, you'll watch a show and you'll kind of go, that one was really good. It had its flow to it. And that's the direct, you know, because TV directing really what you have is transitions, you know, because every TV show is going to end up in a close up, you know. But, you know, so there are certain things you have. And if you can talk
Starting point is 00:52:13 to an actor, that's helpful. But ultimately, I don't find it utterly satisfying, rewarding work. Right. I remember, ever wonder how dark the world can really get? Well, we dive into the twisted, the terrifying, and the true source. stories behind some of the world's most chilling crimes. Hi, I'm Ben. And I'm Nicole. Together we host Wicked and Grim, a true crime podcast that unpacks real-life horrors one case at a time.
Starting point is 00:52:39 With deep research, dark storytelling, and the occasional drink to take the edge off, we're here to explore the Wicked and Reveal the Grim. We are Wicked and Grim. Follow and listen on your favorite podcast platform. Greg Beeman worked on Smallville with me. and he used to he would shoot this oneer and I go hey are you going to coverage now he goes no it's a winner I'm like okay uh he's why are you doing what don't they get mad like yeah they want close-ups and this and that and I'm like but now I'm not giving them that choice this is this is what
Starting point is 00:53:13 I want to do and it tells the story and now they don't have an option they're not going to cut into the close up because they can't and I thought they don't ask him back well he did for some reason he had so much balls and cared about the show yeah if you're telling you said Fuck it. I'm doing it. Yeah. No, it's great. Yeah, I agree. What's the, if you have to look back of the one one movie that you're most proud of. Oh. I know, that's hard.
Starting point is 00:53:36 I don't know. Proud. I don't know what proud means. Less than zero? That was a terrible experience. I did not enjoy that at all. Well, I was in a bad place in my life. Everyone was. The script was a mess. I didn't think that was a successful movie. And then we had to reshoot so much of it because it was right in the middle of Nancy Reagan, just say no era suddenly. and, you know, we had scenes with flushing cocaine down the toilet because the studio executives realized, oh, this movie is being made about our kids. No, we can't have the, you know, and there's not a word of the book and the movie and stuff. So, you know, that movie particularly didn't, you know,
Starting point is 00:54:08 I thought Bobby Downey was great, but he was also, you know, a little too close to home for him in that moment and time. So what, he wasn't that easy because he was going through all that stuff. Well, he was lovely, but he was just going through whatever he was going through. He's always been a very sweet guy, you know. So, but no, that movie, I didn't. fight. I have to say I have great affection for Weekend at Bernie's. I think somehow Weekend of Bernie holds on. Yeah, he's great. Johnny's a great guy. It's great. And you guys looks like he's so much fun in the movie. I remember when it came out. It was just so hilarious and so original. Yeah, no, I think it's great. When's the last time you've seen it?
Starting point is 00:54:40 And have you watched it with any of the, uh, with your kid? Well, I can shamelessly tell you that I was in a hotel about a month ago. And I flipped on the TV and I went into the bathroom as I turned and I heard started hearing this voice. I'm like, what is that? And I went back in. And it was me in Weekend at Bernice, and I watched like the last, it was the boat scene of chasing the Dan. So I watched like the last 20 minutes of the movie. Did you smile? Dude, I don't know when I was smiling.
Starting point is 00:55:03 I was sitting there, reciting the lines back to the TV alone in my hotel room. And I can't remember ever watching a movie of mine like that, ever. And it was so, and I thought it was absolutely hysterical. I thought it was great. I think every, I guarantee I'd put everything I have on it that every actor has set back by themselves and watched something of themselves and just had a smile or a moment. Oh, yeah. But, you know, for decades, I could never watch any of my movies, ever.
Starting point is 00:55:27 But I was so, it was either incredibly narcissistic or healthy when I was watching and laughing at myself thinking how funny I was. I love that. Is there a song from any of those, do you hate hearing those songs when they come up? No, they're great. I mean, I hear that. Like OMD? Now OMD.
Starting point is 00:55:43 Yeah, yeah, yeah. And that, from Pretty and Pink that song. Right. And then the one I hear seemed to hear in the supermarket or wherever all the time is the mannequin one. Nothing's going to stop us now. They used it on the sky. Skeleton Twins with Kristen Wigg and everything.
Starting point is 00:55:56 You don't want to hear that song? No, I mean, I just thought we always have such a cheesy song, but people love it. And what song I heard recently, I hadn't heard in years was the same, almost fire, you know, Man in Motion Song, which is just such a cringe, you know, as my son would say. I could feel the new room. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And it's, that's just so of a moment, you know. Some of those songs have really endured and, like, become part of the popular cultural canon, you know.
Starting point is 00:56:21 But that one, I think, is just such, like, of that moment. moment that it just brings you right back. Yeah, and there was the other one. Oh, the psychedelic furs. Yeah, yeah. I love them. I still go see them. Isn't she?
Starting point is 00:56:33 Yeah, no, I thought that was terrific. Yeah. They have a lot of great songs, actually. In fact, they're going to be in Florida, and I just told my uncle, he has got to go see them. They're really fun in concert. They've got like six or seven songs. People that just think it's like pretty and pink and stuff, but they have more than that. You've been sober since...
Starting point is 00:56:48 2002, July 3, 2002. Yeah, so 20 years, 30 years. Do you ever miss it? Have you ever thought about it? I'm going to have a drink. I can do this. I can have one drink. Well, I certainly never think that. I mean, I think once you're, you know, a pickle, you can't ever become a cucumber again. And I see my obsessive and compulsive, addictive qualities in other aspects of my life. But no, you know, I mean, do I miss it? No. I mean, I've so much because of it. Yes, because I stopped drinking and doing drugs, my life is infinitely better. But actually the it itself, having. being sort of afflicted, if you want to use that word, or blessed with alcoholism has, it is the foundation from which everything brings forward. So I'm grateful, yes, to have stopped drinking and been in recovery, but I'm grateful for it
Starting point is 00:57:39 itself because it is, you know, what's that old Greek line, the crack vase last longest in a certain way. Everything comes from that nugget of, you know, and it was a terrible several years and it, you know, I let it ruin my career, you know, all sorts of. things and but and i heard people that i loved but it i look back on it and i carry it every day is like that what a blessing it is to not just recovery yes of course but that it itself that i am an uncle it was a huge blessing is it was there one they always say when you hit rock bottom i had a situation where i was like this is this is the moment where you stop was there that or was there just kind of a progression and you're like i got it just this has got to stop well i luckily didn't
Starting point is 00:58:21 have, I wasn't able to function. So I couldn't pretend that it wasn't utterly consuming my entire life. So, but I did have a moment. Yeah, I had a moment when I was in a hotel. I came out to LA to do, I don't know if I know what for it to do, but I was at the peninsula hotel because I was in a grandiose phase of blowing money, you know, so I'd expend lots of money so people wouldn't think there was something wrong. You know what I? So I was in there. And I remember being up all night, having emptied my mini bar and I just hear, I heard a voice say, Andrew, you do whatever you want. I'm tired. And it freaked me out. I literally was looking under the couch and under the, like, who just said that? And, you know, and that just cut through to me. And I made a call that then, and I
Starting point is 00:59:07 went and got help. So it was just sort of a moment. You know, one of the few things I've had in my life, gifts I've been able to recognize moments when they happened to me. When I first started acting in 15, when that moment we talked about, and that was another one where I just sort of recognized that. And I said, now. You know, the call for help can come in a whisper. Wow, that's incredible that you heard that, or subconsciously you heard that, or whatever it was, it forced. I did hear that, and I, you know, and I consider myself very blessed in that. I, you know, it was lifted from me.
Starting point is 00:59:37 It was just lifted from me. And I consider, you know, some kind of grace happened to me. And I'm not a religious person in any way, but I do have feel some kind of, because I have proof of it in my life. There's no reason why I should at all. There's no reason why I shouldn't still be drink or be dead by now, certainly, if I drank the way I did. You know, there's no, and so I just think grace happened in my life, whatever that means.
Starting point is 01:00:02 I don't even know what that means. And it's my obligation to sort of honor that. Yeah. You're so open and honest, man. This is, I mean, like, I just, it's awesome. It's freaking awesome. Thank you for doing that. This is called shit talking with Andrew McCarthy.
Starting point is 01:00:16 This is fast. Rapid fire. It's the end. It's my top tier. They're awesome. Thanks for supporting the show at patreon.com slash inside of you and they're and you can just rapid fire. If you feel like answering it like a little longer, feel free.
Starting point is 01:00:27 You don't have to be like, uh, yes. Kelly asks, what's your favorite scene to film on the set of St. Almost Fire? Bongos. Bongos. Bongos. Which I thought actually, when it was finished, I thought, well, I just ruined my career. So what you thought?
Starting point is 01:00:43 Well, it's what I said to the DP. And I said, boy, that just, that was a career ender. And he said, I think that was a career maker son. And, yeah, he was right. Kathy, Joe, what's one of your favorite memories of working with John Hughes? He used to show up, because he didn't direct it. Everyone thinks he directed. He used to show up around lunchtime.
Starting point is 01:01:01 He'd sashet him with a little boombox and he'd play us little snippets of music and said, what you think of that. What do you think? And that he was creating the soundtrack and who was listening to what we were saying. Because that's what Hughes did. He paid the on, not only on screen in real life. He honored, like, he respected kids. Super Sam, what drew you to the role of the resident,
Starting point is 01:01:19 Watching your character struggle to balance with his addiction while also needing the drugs to perform his job was incredible. I just, it was fun to act again. They asked me, and I said, oh, I haven't acted in ages. Let's do that. It would be fun. Scary? No, not at all.
Starting point is 01:01:32 It felt like, you know, there's the joke about two fish swimming in the ocean, and one passes the other and says, ain't the water fine today? And the other says, what water? I mean, that's what felt like for me. It just felt like breathing to me. Going back to it, I really enjoyed it. Jessica B, of all the TV shows you've directed,
Starting point is 01:01:47 which one was your favorite and why? I love doing Orange's New Black at the beginning because it was very exciting time. You know, it was like they were inventing, you know, Netflix was, they were the company that mailed you DVDs. And you know what I mean? And they're making the show and like when they said it was going to be streaming, I went, okay, cool, what channels that on? You know, I couldn't grasp that. And then when they told me it was going to be, they were going to put them all on in one night, I remember sitting in the producer's office when I heard that. And I said, well, that's the stupidest idea I ever heard.
Starting point is 01:02:15 And, you know, I was right again. And it just changed the way, you know, we tell stories now. So that early on was very exciting. Nathan Jay, we kind of answered this. Is James Spader an intimidating person to work with? No, James is delicious. If you don't know what you're doing, he'll eat your life. But that's true.
Starting point is 01:02:31 So many talented people, you know, they don't suffer fools. I was on the set, we were laughing. And one guy came up and said, well, what were you guys like back in the day? And James just looked at him and said, we're exactly the same, only now we're more so. And I'm like, yeah, I don't know what the fuck that means. But yeah, that's right. That's amazing. Stone Age, last question, did you get to keep any props from Weekend of Bernie's one of your all-time
Starting point is 01:02:57 favors? Or have you ever kept any props? I did. When I was young, I used to keep props. A few, one thing from each show. But I don't remember anything I have from Bernie. Oh, man. This has been awesome.
Starting point is 01:03:07 Walking with Sam is out. It will be out. It is out. Yeah. It is out. May 9th that came out. Yeah. So this is best time.
Starting point is 01:03:17 New York Times bestseller list. Yeah. You know I care about it because I talked about it because it's so I want to learn things and how you deal with family members. And I just think it's a beautiful journey and I can't wait to read this. Just what I've read about it and the interviews and things like that. And what you've told me, I just, it's a must read. You got to do it.
Starting point is 01:03:37 And also you have the, the Brat Pack documentary. Yeah, that'll be late fall probably. Late fall. You directed that? Yeah. Okay, that's late fall. So I'm definitely, you know that's going to be a success. You know everybody in their mother wants to watch that.
Starting point is 01:03:52 Well, of a certain generation, I think it has certain, you know, immediate appeal, and we'll see. What else do you want to do? What else do you want to direct more? Do you want to write more? Are there more books to come? I'm writing, I'm supposed to be writing a pilot for Sony, but, you know, once the strikes over, we'll get to that. But, so, you know, I, yeah, I'm just, I just like to, you know, make stuff.
Starting point is 01:04:13 So I just keep making stuff. What about last, this is it, what about today, in today's world, when you look back in the movies and the time and the movies that were being made, the blockbusters, even the Star Wars and all these things, when you look at the geography now of the movies that are being made, do you like what's happening? Do you think it's too much? Are there too many streaming platforms? Do you get lost and like, what the hell is going on? Do you, is there, there's just so many options. like this menu that it just never ends. No, I think it's all kind of fantastic, you know. I mean, I think there's so many different rabbit holes for people to fall down.
Starting point is 01:04:54 You know, when I was, the thing about the Brat Pack to go back there, there was only, it was a very unified youth culture. There was one thing. So everyone knew the Brat Pack. That's why every one of that. Now there are a million little things. So there isn't that kind of unified thing. But I think it's fantastic now all the different stuff that's going on in different avenues. And, you know, the first thing I ever heard when I came into show business was, oh, it's so hard now, it's so hard. You should have been here a few years ago and I've got tours. Oh, now it's so. And all I've ever heard is how hard it is. And anybody that says that to me, I just go, okay, thanks, Sharon. I'm not at all interested
Starting point is 01:05:24 in hearing anything you have to say. You know what I mean? Don't tell me how hard it is. It's just like, it's always been hard. No, but it's always been harder. It'll always be hard. You know, go, go do your thing and like, shut up. You know what I mean? Yeah, that's the perfect would end. Do your thing and shut up. Thanks for being on here. This was awesome. Thank you. Thank you. That was great. what can you say can't say much other than great guest yeah great guest uh i was a little nervous because he's you know he's an icon it's like an 80s icon that i you know but he's done so much you know he's directing he's writing books he's he's just doing it and i love that people are
Starting point is 01:06:01 following their passion and uh it doesn't matter what you've done it's a matter of like what you're doing for yourself you know what i mean you could you could be a big star and all that stuff but that if that's all you got if you don't have something on the side the past the passion Ryan you have something on the side a passion on the side of this yeah no this is it passion of the christ this is it no do you have what you play guitar i play guitar i'm in several sports records now dodge ball kick dodge ball kick ball soccer oh you're doing it softball yeah those are passions those are fun yeah they are fun yeah yeah i enjoy them it's nice to get out keep doing them uh big shout out to the top tier patrons thanks for listening thanks to andrew mccarthy for coming
Starting point is 01:06:49 on the podcast brother and uh these are the top tier patrons patreon dot com slash inside of you these are the guys that give a lot and i shout out their names every episode and they get packages and youtube lives and many more awesome things perks inside of you uh patreon com slash inside here we go shoutouts uh nancy d lea oh no i i lea lea k this time what lea k it's not it's got to be lea s because she i think she messaged me about that lea ass lea stubs unless she got married we need you no she's already married all right two kids again little lisa remember her she's awesome you kiko you kiko still with us you kicko i miss you
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Starting point is 01:08:10 It's a D-B-U. W is correct. Leanne. P. Can't forget, Leanne, P. Maya. P. Maddie.
Starting point is 01:08:20 S. Correct. Belinda. N. Dave. H. E. No, you were right.
Starting point is 01:08:27 Okay. Oh, Michael. It's Dave. I love Dave. It's only Dave, isn't it? Dave's a really good guy. He's got. very subtle way of speaking, and I like him a lot.
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Starting point is 01:08:49 D. I miss Betsy. I always say that. Angel. M. Rianan. C. Corey.
Starting point is 01:08:55 L. D. F. Corey. It sounds like Corey. Corey. C. K.
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Starting point is 01:09:06 Michelle. A. A is correct. Jeremy. Irons. C. Jeremy C. Bogan. Brandy.
Starting point is 01:09:17 That's a stretch. Brandy. Brandy D. Correct. You have a Vore. Joey. C. M.
Starting point is 01:09:27 Eugene and. Leah. Corey. L. Heather. H. Heather. Remember, I always say this.
Starting point is 01:09:34 actress Heather L correct Jake actor from State Farm Jake his father was Gary B Angela B F Mel C C S Caroline Mell C was one of the spice girls Caroline Caroline R and then just remember after R comes S so Christine S Caroline R Christine S Eric H Shane H Shane S Eric H Shane are Andrew M. Tim L. Oracle. Amanda R. Gen B. Kevin E. Stephanie K. Jarrell. Jammin J. Leanne J. Luna R. Mike F. Stone H. Brian L. Brian L. Aaron R. Kendall L. Meredith I. Caracy. Jessica B. Michael F. Marisol P. Andrew M. Estevan G. C. C. L. Caly J. Brian A. Ashley F. Marion Louise L. Romeo the band. Veronica Q. Frank B. Gen T. and Nikki. i couldn't do this without you guys thank you so much for the support and love i just message back everybody by the way who just joined patron i do it uh hopefully every month and i message you guys so there you go that's it um thanks for listening another great episode next week if you thought
Starting point is 01:10:50 this was great i did um from the hollywood hills in california i am michael rozenbaum i'm ryan tex from hollow california give a wave we love you guys thank you be good to yourself i'll see you next week Hi, I'm Joe Sallsee. I host of the Stacking Benjamin's podcast. Today, we're going to talk about what if you came across $50,000. What would you do? Put it into a tax advantage retirement account. The mortgage. That's what we do. Make a down payment on a home. Something nice. Buying a vehicle. A separate bucket for this edition that we're adding. $50,000. I'll buy a new podcast. You'll buy new friends. And we're done. Thanks for playing everybody. We're out of here. Stacky Benjamin's follow and listen on your favorite platform.

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