Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum - ERIC ROBERTS: The Fear Behind Ego, Life Changing Honesty & Early Career Misconceptions

Episode Date: October 22, 2024

Eric Roberts (Dark Knight, The Pope of Greenwich Village) joins us this week on the heels of the release of his new memoir ‘Runaway Train: or, The Story of My Life So Far’ to share lessons learned... through his decades experience with this industry… from the misconceptions that come early in an actor’s career, to realizing fear is behind ego, to a life changing break by adopting honesty. Eric opens up about his mental health journey and how he’s been able to clear clouds of depression while realizing commonality through therapy. We also talk about his bond with Mickey Rourke, the serendipity of meeting his wife, and being humbled on Dancing with the Stars. Thank you to our sponsors: ❤️ Betterhelp: https://betterhelp.com/inside 🚀 Rocket Money: https://rocketmoney.com/inside 🌟 JCPenney: https://www.jcpenney.com __________________________________________________ 💖 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

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 Get to Toronto's main venues like Budweiser Stage and the new Roger Stadium with Go Transit. Thanks to Go Transit's special online e-ticket fairs, a $10 one-day weekend pass offers unlimited travel on any weekend day or holiday anywhere along the Go Network. And the weekday group passes offer the same weekday travel flexibility across the network, starting at $30 for two people and up to $60 for a group of five. Buy your online go pass ahead of the show at go-transit.com slash tickets. Wendy's most important deal of the day has a fresh lineup. Pick any two breakfast items for $4. New four-piece French toast sticks, bacon or sausage wrap, biscuit or English muffin sandwiches, small hot coffee, and more. Limited time only at participating Wendy's Taxes Extra.
Starting point is 00:00:47 You're listening to Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum, and guess who's here? Yeah, Ryan, Teos. I'm here. Usually here. Your hair's getting long. I know it's been about two months, and that's when I usually have to go cut it. Do you think people find this interesting, this conversation? I hope so. If they don't, then what are they doing here?
Starting point is 00:01:04 Ryan just came with me to New Jersey. We had a convention, and it was the first Smallville convention ever. And you were a hero, man. We've talked about it on Talkville, but people loved you. You signed autographs. You took pictures. I did. It was very cool.
Starting point is 00:01:19 Yeah. It was very cool. Thank you all for doing it. Yeah. I'm glad you came, man. I thought my trip was better because you were there, Ryan. Thanks, man. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:01:28 I had a great time. Thank you. Thank you. If you're enjoying this podcast, please follow us, Ryan, what's the handles? At Inside of you pod on Twitter, at Inside of you podcast on Instagram. That's right. Writing review helps out. And if you want to join Patreon to help us out, it's an amazing little organization. Organization or would you say a community? It's both. It's both. But you can join it and there's a lot of perks and tiers and like one tier is I'll send boxes to you every couple months and notes and there's zooms and blah, blah, blah. And it's a lot of funny.
Starting point is 00:01:58 Most importantly, you're supporting the podcast, which we really need you. Go to Patreon, P-A-T-R-E-O-N, Patreon. Patreon.com slash inside of you and become a member. And I'll send a message back. We need you. And a few other things. My Instagram at the Michael Rosenbaum, the link tree is on there, cameos and all that.
Starting point is 00:02:17 But my new book, The Talented Farter, comes out October 22nd. So please grab a book. I know you're going to like it. It's a sound book. And also Rosie's Puppy Fresh. breath um for your dog's breath is on there too and all that forget anything all the inside of you online store small bill scripts we've got some charity scripts signed by the entire cast they're old school from my collection ryan oh so they go to charity so that's nice yeah very nice
Starting point is 00:02:44 of you yeah well i hope they sell maybe i'll buy them if they don't would that be weird that'd be sort of buy your own scripts to beat the purpose but uh anyway eric roberts is here today Hollywood legend, Hollywood royalty, if you will. You know, we talk about his life. We talk about his addiction. We talk about his anxieties and depression. We talk about everything. He's really open.
Starting point is 00:03:05 He was so cool to talk to. I was a little bit like, you know, sometimes with these Hollywood royalty, kind of go, oh, my God. You know, I Pope Greenwich Village, man. Charlie, they took my thumb, Charlie. I got really excited. He's here. He's here.
Starting point is 00:03:20 So listen and tell me what you think. Thanks for listening And let's get inside of Eric Roberts It's my point of you You're listening to Inside of you With Michael Rosenbaum Inside of You
Starting point is 00:03:36 Inside of you with Michael Rosenbaum Was not recorded In front of a live studio audience I love that you come in here And you're enamored by my place Which is, you know, you're a movie star You've seen a lot of big mansions and stuff But for some reason, you were kind of like, this house is cool.
Starting point is 00:03:55 Yeah, but I'm a movie nerd man. So I'm easily like, oh, wow, that's so cool. I'm that guy. Do you have any, like, props or things that you saved or anything like that? Well, what's happened to me, I did. The past 20 to 25 years, I have been nothing but on the road nine to 11 months of the year. So everything I had, like horses, coin collections, stamp collections, that kind of thing. has all been put away for the time being.
Starting point is 00:04:25 And then I became my grandfather, and I got busy being that. And that is so much fun. And, you know, with the grandchildren and the grandparents, that's something in common. We have a common enemy, the parents. So it's a great relationship. And the oldest grandchild is Georgia. She's five.
Starting point is 00:04:48 And we, she came to dancing with the stars the other night, And so I'm a hero again. I read about that. And I read how it was the most terrified you've ever been doing something. Dude, I got over. I got over audience and camera fear many decades ago. Really? You didn't have any fear by it.
Starting point is 00:05:06 And of all the movies and stuff, you just didn't give a shit. That's what I did for a living. Let's go do it. But dancing with the stars, I'm scared pitless. Like, what are you feeling? Like, you feeling they're going to throw up? No, no. Here's my image.
Starting point is 00:05:20 I would watch that show on occasion. It's my wife's favorite show, and I pass the room and said, I don't watch a little bit of it, blah, blah, and I'm sure I have, out of the 40 million of it was 20 million men are at home doing what I did, saying, that guy can't sing. And so, you know, so, you know, sing, see, even makes me nervous to talk about it. That guy can't dance. So, you know. But you didn't care. You went in saying people are going to make fun, people are going to do this. but I don't give a shit.
Starting point is 00:05:52 Well, sort of, that was in the back of my mind. And the fun of my mind was it's my wife's favorite show. I'm doing this for my wife because I owe her my life, why not give her this? So that's why I said yes to the show. Did she want you to do it? Well, 19 years ago, I may have been, if I was not, you know, the first person, I was one of the first people they offered this show too. And I had one day overlay and schedule with a movie I was in in China called DOA,
Starting point is 00:06:20 not a not a great film but fun to watch but anyway it had one day overlay in the schedule and they wouldn't let me go and i didn't even end up shooting that day oh are you pissed well it was unfortunate but uh so 19 years later they said want to be on the show well of course it's my wife's favorite show i have to do it so that's what's happened and when you said yes she probably was like what you're doing this yeah she was happy she was happy and did she get nervous for you my wife is my fan club dude yes she gets nervous wasn't she a casting director she was the casting she was the casting director yeah she she discovered all kinds of people who are big huge stars george cluny hallie barry she she she she put george in er she did she cast you in something
Starting point is 00:07:07 and then you fell in love no what happened was i flew in from rome to jfk i'm handed a script at jfk you have to read this on the plane they put me on a private mgm grand plane okay cool i get on And I opened my script and then walks just redhead with a script, sits down in front of me, opens up the script as well. Hi, how do you do? How do you do? Blah, blah, blah. We read our script.
Starting point is 00:07:28 We close them at the same time. So we kind of have to talk. Hi. What are you reading? What are you reading? Who wrote that? Blah, blah, blah, blah. She says, who's your favorite screenwriter?
Starting point is 00:07:40 I said, one guy, David Rayfield, he wrote three days of the condor out of Africa, the way we were, the firm, blah, blah, blah. She goes, oh, I know. He's my father. And I went, wow, that's so cool. Can I have your phone number? And she said, because I want to meet your father. Well, sort of. Can I have your phone number? And she says, I'm in a relationship. I said, I didn't ask to sleep with you. I asked for your phone number. She laughed and gave it to me. Now, here's where the story gets good. So that evening, I go to work. Now, I get through work about 11, 10.30 p.m. So I'm home by 11. And I call this chick I met on a plane because she gave me her number. So I called her. Well, a man with a very deep voice. answers the phone, hello. Answer, drag.
Starting point is 00:08:22 Can I speak to Eliza? Matt, who's calling? Eric, just a minute, please. He's gone for like five full minutes, but I hear something. So I stay on the line. She comes back, blah, blah, blah. We're married, 32 years of our relationship, blah, blah, blah. But here's what happened.
Starting point is 00:08:37 He goes to her telephone call. She goes, who is it? Eric. I don't know when Eric. It sounds like Eric Roberts. Oh, I met him on the plane. She takes the call. Now, because he recognized my voice,
Starting point is 00:08:47 she took the call i would not have called back had she not taking the call i would not be married to her dude i would not have my wife or the life i have so it's just kind of a lucky thing because jeffre dean morgan recognized my voice who because she was not jeffrey dean morgan answered the phone he was her babysitter that's that's Jeffrey dean morgan from walking dead the actor from walking he answered the phone and because he recognized my voice she took the call and i've had her in my life with a 33 years since then who knew Jesus so I owe him a lot now she probably knew did she know your history meaning I mean you have a history obviously your new memoir runaway trained the story of my life so far you talk about addiction all that did she start to learn
Starting point is 00:09:35 about all this stuff or does she have any kind of idea I don't think she's getting into I don't think she knew any of the details now did you give them to her not right away you got married first She has white eyes, though. She's not stupid. In fact, she's the smartest person I ever kissed. Really? Yeah, she is. So you're in love, I could tell.
Starting point is 00:09:56 You're still smitten. Oh, yeah, dude. I still chase my wife. You still chase her around the house? What are we talking about? That's, maybe that's in your book. It's in the book. Now, you, a lot of people probably, I read somewhere where they, people have asked you
Starting point is 00:10:14 write a memoir. They've said, hey, you should do this. And you were like, I'm not fucking doing this, right? Yeah, it's exactly. For 15 years now, I've been, I've getting pressured. And it's always the same thing. Why wouldn't I write a book? You know, what the, what's the F, dude?
Starting point is 00:10:30 So why did you? Well, I finally realized, I mean, I haven't told this, but I thought it was a fad, you know. But I finally realized, people don't know what I am at all. They all think I'm part of who I've. play you know and i play a lot of insanity i play a lot of unfortunates i play a lot of almost you know and and you know it's it's kind of you know and so a lot of people think i am those things now of course i know how to reach for those things but i'm something totally different and um i hope it does you'll come across in the book that i have no extra grind and i'm not pretentious you know what's funny is you
Starting point is 00:11:17 kind of sound like, tell me if I'm wrong right, and you notice, a little Matthew McConaughey, you kind of have a little bit, maybe he has a little bit of you, is what I'm saying. Okay, well, whatever it is. I'm a fan of his. He's a hell of an act. Can you give me an all right, all right, all right? No, I can't do that because that belongs to him. But you could probably do an impression.
Starting point is 00:11:35 Do you do impressions? I do not. You don't do any impressions. Except I love Jack. Well, who doesn't like Jack? Who doesn't like Jack? Have you worked with Jack? No, but Jack.
Starting point is 00:11:47 And I have said, hello. 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 some wonderful app. There's a lot of apps out there that really, you know, you have to do this and pay for and that.
Starting point is 00:12:15 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 the free trial ran at Ryan
Starting point is 00:12:31 I know you did it that's why you got rocket money I did yeah and I also 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 to help of We're only trying to give you, you know, things that will help you.
Starting point is 00:12:48 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 you better deals. They'll even talk to the customer service so you don't have to. Yeah, because I don't want to. Press one now.
Starting point is 00:13:15 You want, oh, get alerts if your bills increase in price, if there's unusual activity in your accounts, if you're close to going over budget. And even when you're doing a good job, Rocket Money's 5 million members have saved a total of $500 million in canceled subscriptions. With members saving up to $740 a year when they use all of the app's premium features, cancel your unwanted subscriptions and reach your financial goals faster with Rocket Money. Download the Rocket Money app and enter my show name. inside of you with Michael Rosenbaum in the survey so they know I sent you. Don't wait. Download the Rocket Money app today and tell them you heard about them from my show inside of you with Michael Rosenbaum. Rocket Money. 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.
Starting point is 00:14:09 you can get all sorts of amazing, amazing clothing for such reasonable prices. Look, cooler temps are rolling in. And as always, Quince is where I'm turning for fall staples that actually last. From cashmere to denim to boots, the quality holds up and the price still blows me away. Quince has the kind of fall staples you'll wear nonstop, like Super Soft, 100% Mongolian cashmere sweaters, starting at just $60. Yeah, I'm going to get you one of those, I think. I like to see you in a cashmere. Maybe a different color, so we don't look like twins.
Starting point is 00:14:44 Their denim is durable and it fits right. And their real leather jackets bring that clean, classic edge without the elevated price tag. And what makes Quince different? They partner directly with ethical factories and skip the middlemen. So you get top tier fabrics and craftsmanship at half the price of similar brands. These guys are for real. They have so much great stuff there that you just have to go to Quince. Q-U-I-N-C-E. I'm telling you, you're going to love this place.
Starting point is 00:15:12 Keep it classic and cool this fall with long-lasting staples from Quince. Go to quince.com slash inside of you for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. That's Q-U-I-N-C-E.com slash inside of you. Free shipping and 365-day returns. Quince.com slash inside of you. is there any actor that you uh what's the biggest actor you've been close friends with close friends with yeah i'm i haven't been friends with anybody except my wife uh friends no it would be sterling hayden really yeah sterling and i were pals we hung we grocery
Starting point is 00:15:58 shop together we smoked a little dope now and then together oh mickey rourke yeah but he's not an old timer he's he's me oh you're thinking like old he's a piece you're thinking exactly like Brando exactly I thought that's what you were asked yeah I guess so I guess so you know I remember watching Pope of Greenwich Village and that scene where you walk in you play Polly and I just remember that is that performance is just it just stays with you like they took my thumb Charlie they took my thumb thank you so much and it's just like and I wonder as an act of myself like how you prepare for something like that like when you're behind the door before Mickey Rourke answers the door, you know, what are you doing to prepare? Because that's like, you're so emotional and so all over the place in a charactery, really cool way. But how do you get into that? How, what is your method? Do you just action go? Or do you really tear up and get ready to, you know? To, to play that kind of character and that kind of situation, you have to go there. You have to be that character in that situation. You have to find whatever it takes to take you to that moment.
Starting point is 00:17:08 of impact of reality, time, space, feeling, understanding, misunderstanding, whatever it is, that moment of its, when you draw it into my thumb, and you know it's true. So the audience knows it's true. It hurts so bad. Like, you just believe your pain. You believe every. I mean, that was just an extraordinary performance. And I always remember that I've seen a lot of your work.
Starting point is 00:17:33 I'm always impressed. But, like, you really go for it. You really just go for it. Like you don't, it's like some actors watch themselves and go, oh, this will look cool or I think this, but I feel like you just do something going, I don't care how it looks, this is how I'm feeling, how I'm going to do it. Well, I would hope it's not that completely subjective. And then this is how I would do it. This is how where I'm at in this person would do it. It's not Eric. Eric is not, is not, you know, the baby Paulie was. Polly is a huge baby. But, you know, Pauli is a huge baby. But, you know, Paul, Polly wants to be a gangster. Polly is not a gangster. Right, right.
Starting point is 00:18:13 But as much as he wants to be, he wants to be a stud. Yeah. Polly is not a stud. I mean, he wants to be a lot of things he's not. Right. And that's what I wanted to play. And, you know, Mickey's character is all the things Pauly wants to be. Right. He looks up to him.
Starting point is 00:18:30 That's a dichotomy. And that's what I wanted to play, as opposed to how it was kind of written is polly was just a lesser version with mistakes of Charlie that's not as much fun as being completely opposite and you kind of worked with the director and said here's what i want to bring to it and well i was offered that role in january of that year and they said pick apart polly or charlie i was given another book and the script i was up in hartford doing doing doing glass menagerie because Tennessee Williams had just died. So everybody was doing a Tennessee Williams play.
Starting point is 00:19:08 I was up there doing a glass finagerie. And got the script in the book, you pick a part, Polly or Charlie. So I read both a couple of times. And I picked Polly because I saw, if I can play them like I want to play them, I want to play Polly. And the way I want to play him is a mom's boy.
Starting point is 00:19:23 He wants to be a tough guy. I'm not an idiot trying to be a tough guy. And Koch and Kirk William both said, we're hiring you because it's you. you do what you want i said okay thanks guys and that was january so i had february march april may june july and august and i lost 30 pounds and i purr my hair and i learned my script and i should have ready to rock and we had a week of rehearsal it's in the book we had a week of rehearsal and me and mick and the director at the third rehearsal the director asked me to stay after and talk to him i said sure man
Starting point is 00:19:57 what's up why are you so skinny as if it was something wrong with that I said, I want to be a walking spaz attack. He goes, huh, okay. Why did you premiere here? I said, same thing. Walking spas attack. He goes, walking spas attack. He goes, what the fuck is a walking spas attack?
Starting point is 00:20:17 I see, you know, John Belushi, only skinny. He goes, no, no, no. This guy's a tough thug. He's stupid. He's an idiot. He walks into walls. But he's a thug. I said, now that's how he's written.
Starting point is 00:20:28 I know. But I told the producers, both of them, six, seven months ago, I said, I was playing a completely different. My take on it is blah, blah, blah. That's why the weight, that's why the perm, that's why, that's why the accent, that's why the emphasis, that's why. And he tried to talk you out of it. He didn't want to try to talk me out of it. He asked me to resign.
Starting point is 00:20:48 He tried to make you quit. I said, yeah, I said, well, let me think about it. Now, I got to be honest. Jesus. I was going nowhere. I had owned this part for eight months now. I'm going nowhere, at least seven. I'm going nowhere.
Starting point is 00:21:01 I own this guy and it's good. I know it's good. I'm going nowhere, but I tell him, he wants me to resign because we have a difference of opinion. I say, well, let me think about it. I grew up to Mickey's room. Knock, knock, knock, knock. What's happening, Mace? I said, dude, the director asked me to resign. What? So he called the producers, Koch and Kirkwood, who told him I could do what I wanted because they hired me for me. And we told them, and they said they'd take it. care of it. And they did. They're brought in Stuart Rosenberg who directed a great movie. A great film. The other guy, you know, just just went away. So he tried to get you to resign and ultimately he got axed. He got the axed. But thank God, because Stuart Rosenberg was great for all of us. And he went with what you were doing, he enhanced. He said, hey, yes, do this. Try this. You just smiled. He gave me the thought. thumbs up go roberts go okay did you feel like you were killing it while you were acting do you ever feel like the crew's behind you like they're looking at you like fuck this guy's good well i tell you how
Starting point is 00:22:12 i tell you i tell you i tell you the greatest feeling in the world besides the standing ovation on broadway which i've had is this when you do a scene it's very emotional and you end it with charley they took my thumb and the and the crew applauds then you know you hit it you know you hit The crew is so vital. They know. They're everything. They know more than anybody. They're your audience.
Starting point is 00:22:39 They're your peeps. Were you popular in high school? With a certain group, yeah. Half jocks, half artists. Because your parents were actors, so to speak, right? Sort of, yeah. A mom made a couple of movies. After I got famous, mom started teaching, you know, to use a Robert's name.
Starting point is 00:22:59 Right. even though she'd already had another marriage had another name but she went back to roberts and um um um dad you and died young he was shy of his 44th birthday you know when he died in like 77 right exactly December 3rd 77 the old man died and uh was that hard for you well yeah because he was my support system about you know leaving and going and staying and doing it you know because what what atlanta kid was going to move to new york with no not not knowing anybody find an apartment in flatbush brooklyn new york on his own for 160 bucks a month get a job as a delivery boy probably making 220 a month and uh you know and survived and i did to the point where i got
Starting point is 00:23:50 successful enough that you know i could be my baby sister's out come on babies the water's fine and uh and it was cool Were you pretty close with your sisters, like Julia Roberts, obviously, were you as a young, as a young kid? Sure. I mean, you were 12 years older than her, right? Yeah, I taught him how, I taught him both had to read, write, and swim. So they looked up to their big brother. Oh, yeah, I'm a hero.
Starting point is 00:24:13 You're a fucking hero. How old were you when your dad passed? 21. I mean, that's got to be tough because he didn't get to see the big part of your success, right? And he only missed it by a month. I auditioned for King of the Gypsies the first time in January. January, I had the role by Valentine's Day and I was shooting by spring. Was it emotional? Like when you got all the accolades and you felt like this was your
Starting point is 00:24:37 break that, you know, your dad wasn't there? Well, I wanted to share with him because everybody expects you're an instant billionaire and you have access to anything in the world and you're king of the world and they all have their hands out. And you kind of have to, because you can't act like you don't see it, but you can't put anything in their hands. because you don't have what they think you have. So it's kind of a catch-22. Yeah. And you just have to put your head down and go.
Starting point is 00:25:06 And it's unfortunate. But you find out who your friends are. It's such a cliche thing to say, but you do. It really is. It's so important to find that group that doesn't bring you down, lifts you up, believes in you, you can trust. And that's so hard to find, especially, I mean, it's cliche, but like in Hollywood. But I always say, like, I have the best group of friends that just are very,
Starting point is 00:25:28 normal people that just aren't about all that other stuff and that's you know and I was hanging out with the wrong crowd when I first got here and doing stuff and doing movies and gotten some drugs and gotten to some you know the drinking and all that but when you find that group that actually you feel like you're cared about like someone cares about you I think that is is vital to your success and your well-being because you could just fall apart and go the other way and you see it all the time sure I mean I'm sure that's what happened to you right it's To some degree. See, I was such a practicing drug addict that I alienated a lot of people. And a lot of the casualties are my family. And, you know, but, you know, currently we like each other. We, we respect each other. You text each other. Like even Julie, you text each other now. You're cool. Everything's changed. Not on a daily basis. But on, but on.
Starting point is 00:26:28 occasion sure and that was all from just coming clean in a sense right all just what it is yeah it's what it is everything has its time in place and if you don't pretend everything's going to fall in place as long as you're honest with yourself yeah like like like like you know yeah it's an overusing abused words that almost has no meaning but honesty is so precious in your relationship with your wife in relation with your manager and with yourself with yourself honesty's it's such an overused word that has no real meaning it has no emotional meaning anymore but honesty is so emotional and so visceral yeah right good man it is it's more like you can just breathe knowing you're like being honest it's so you know in one expression it'd be that it'd be a sigh that would be
Starting point is 00:27:23 honesty just yeah you know inside of you is brought to you by rocket money if you want to save money then listen to me because i use this ryan uses 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 you're 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 will even try to negotiate lowering your bills for you the app automatically scans your bills to find opportunities to save and then goes to work to get you better deals they'll even talk to customer service thank god so you don't have to um i don't know how
Starting point is 00:28:10 many times we talk about this but like you know you got it and they helped you in so many ways and with these subscriptions that you think are like oh it's a one month subscription for free and then you pay, well, we forget. We want to watch a show on some streamer, and then we forget, and now we owe $200 by the end of the year. They're there to make sure those things don't happen, and they will save you money. You know, Rocket Money's 5 million members have saved a total of $500 million in canceled subscriptions with members saving up to $740 a year when they use all of the app's premium features. Get alerts if your bills increase in price, if there's unusual activity in your accounts if you're close to going over budget and even when you're doing a good job.
Starting point is 00:28:54 How doesn't everybody have Rocket Money? It's insane. Cancel your unwanted subscriptions and reach your financial goals faster with Rocket Money. Download the Rocket Money app and enter my show name inside of you with Michael Rosenbaum in the survey so they know that I sent you. Don't wait. Download the Rocket Money app today and tell them you heard about them from my show. Now it's time for a J.C. Penny, Make It Count Moment. This week's Make It Count moment is sponsored by J.C. Penny. In a world where things change as fast as the seasons, J.C. Penny is there to help make fashion count for everybody and everybody. The moment we wanted to make sure counted to you was Eric Roberts, realizing the commonality among many of us, that comes with self-loathing and how at the end of the day fear lives behind ego. I've been in therapy probably, if you add it all, probably a decade, probably three years ago.
Starting point is 00:29:49 Did that help? Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. I realized how common I am. Common. And, yeah, and also. Common in the sense that everybody has anxiety, so you realize, hey, I got it too. And the self-loathing issue that we all go through at certain ages. And they come and go. yeah i've been there but we all have it in common i'm sure you've worked with some pretty big egos
Starting point is 00:30:15 you know the thing about egos you have to understand ego comes ego when it's presented comes from fear and once you know that you just accept what it is you don't judge it as it's behavior so you can let it go you can see some ego go that guy or that woman you have to if you don't you're going to make it your problem look we all make mistakes in life we all do things we're not proud of But it's all about growth. And I think that's what this interview really was about growth. You have to learn to love yourself no matter what. And we're human.
Starting point is 00:30:52 We make mistakes. You've got to move on and accept. Thanks again to J.C. Penny. The fall destination for the latest trends, budget-friendly fashion, and beauty products. Shop J.C. Penny in store or online. J.C. Penny. Make it count. A lot of actors always have to be doing something.
Starting point is 00:31:13 They always have to be working. There's so many actors that are like this movie to this movie to this movie. And you've done over 700. You have 700 credits or more, which is like, I don't even know how you have time. There's an explanation for all. Let me give it to you straight. Give it to me straight. Be honest.
Starting point is 00:31:28 So I was a movie star. You know, I made one to four movies a year, you know, like movie stars do. I was paid well. I was not rich, but I was comfortable. it was nice and then they took film we all didn't know what was going to happen okay we have
Starting point is 00:31:49 digital it's not attractive a lot of the middle-aged ladies are retiring mm-hmm okay we all was okay everybody became a studio who owned a camera and they started calling me direct in about 1990 I don't know 6, 7, 8
Starting point is 00:32:05 I don't know my wife comes to me and goes she's also my manager by the way and she comes to me, it's all in-house. She comes to me and says, Eric, you are getting 30 to 50 offers every day from all over the world. Do you want to pursue this? I said, sure. I thought the last couple of months, maybe a couple of years, it'll taper because everybody's just, you know, oh, I can make an opera. I'm a studio. But that was 30 years ago. And since then, I can be on a different set every single day. I'm on a set, like, three or four days at a time.
Starting point is 00:32:43 But it's just, it's a dream come true because my wife asked me in 1992, she says to me, if you could do anything every day here, what would it be? I said, I'd be on a set. She goes, well, that's not going to happen. Anyway, blah, blah, blah. Well, it can happen now. And it's really neat. And it also taught me we have these young, wonderful people making movies who are going to make
Starting point is 00:33:06 them with or without me. And they offer me roles. I never get offered otherwise. and I go make them happy and play them. And it's fun, dude. I have a great lot. You like it a lot more than doing like big studio movies all the time. There is no difference.
Starting point is 00:33:21 Everybody says one of the other. There's still on set. You're still making art. You're still doing it. It's like TV or film. There's no difference, dude. It's the same job. I have the same job in the same way.
Starting point is 00:33:31 Yeah. And I love my job. So you're saying if somebody wants you, it's easy to get a hold of, your wife to say if the offer's right if you like the project we're not unapproachable is the point yes is what i'm asking sure you're not no and it's all on the internet it's all there to be seen all there to be found so you work when you want to work hopefully is it's almost every day i'm that lucky yeah as an actor and you love it dude how easy is it for you to learn lines well if it's an overnight turnaround, I ask for cue cards, and I have a guy who makes them.
Starting point is 00:34:12 So it's like bang, bang, bang, bang, and done. So you just have cue cards? It's not a problem. You don't have even worry about it. If it's an overnight thing. But it's not an overnight thing, I like learning lines because it gives me freedom. Right. And it's just more fun to know your words.
Starting point is 00:34:25 Have you ever used an earwig? You know, yeah, I've been recommended that. I've been told Johnny Depp used this earwig for five years, Eric. And you got, I'm like, Robert Downey Jr. apparently. Apparently so. But I can't do it because. while somebody's talking to me, I'm hearing my line in my ear. It's like, you know, it overlaps.
Starting point is 00:34:43 It's kind of... Yeah, it takes me out of character. It takes me out of focus because I'm trying to... Oh, yeah, right. Listen and act at the same time. Exactly, and I can't do that. As I're with a card. Across the street, I have a card.
Starting point is 00:34:58 I glance at the card. I'm like, I go to say... You know, it's just... Yeah, and it's saying my line. And it's a piece of cake. And you have a guy who does the cards for you. Hey, I need these. write these down we're doing this tomorrow yeah and you go and nobody would ever know out of the
Starting point is 00:35:13 many hundreds of movies i've done i use cue cards probably to overestimate maybe 40 times okay nobody ever knows who cares i know and i i would use them i wish that was the thing i've used them on all the stop by my doctor movies which are my favorites i love making those movies and uh those movies are so famous overseas it's so much fun to go oh the doctor the doctor he's such a crazy person too i love it do you uh have you been through depression bouts of depression or anxiety and things like that in your life of course but to like bring it up as a line i've been through depression is to invite all kinds of weird misunderstandings but yeah and depression is is a is a cloud and know and you have to learn how to clear it because we talk about this on this show i mean a lot of
Starting point is 00:36:10 people because we talk about mental well-being and facing adversity and this and that and it helps you'd be surprised by how many people it helps that are listening and it's like you know hearing from someone like you and what you did about it like you know well i tell you um back in the day uh i only smoked and dope and it got me through all kinds of anxieties but then i met my wife who is allergic to marijuana, allergic. How is that positive? I mean, she sneezes and coughs and gets a red nose. She's allergic to marijuana.
Starting point is 00:36:43 So I'd be smoking to open the car with her when you first meant. She's like, God, but yeah, yeah. And I realized, and then you find out from a doctor, she has actually allergic to marijuana. It took care of it. It was a great filter. But then as I grew older and grew more married and grew more, actually more in love with my wife after we were married.
Starting point is 00:37:08 And it happens about every three years. I fall in love with my wife again. But I learned to help myself without external ingredients. What do you do? Well, I breathe. I walk. I read. I walk a lot.
Starting point is 00:37:32 Just with your thoughts. You just kind of walk your thoughts out. And I have a great property. It's a triple lot, a little house, a guest house, a garage, and a pool. And we have a little, I have a coy pond. You invite me over so we can hang out? Yeah, sure. That'd be awesome.
Starting point is 00:37:46 Yeah. We should do that. It's a great property to smoke dope on. I'll do it. Although your weed is probably old school, Hollywood weed will get me all fucked up. No, my school is called cheap Mexican because I don't want to get fucked up. I just want to get happy. That's it? Yeah.
Starting point is 00:38:01 Yeah. Because some people are like, oh, this is nothing. I go, all right. And I'm just like going, oh, my God, I want to jump off a roof. I got to talk my way so. The weed now can be called narcotics. I agree with you. Our weed was weed.
Starting point is 00:38:15 Yeah, I know. I take these pot taffies. There are these little taffies this girl makes for me. And there's the stronger ones and the just chill ones. But overall, it's just like, you know, at the end of a long day, I go downstairs and I take a taffy and I just feel good. I'm not all over the place. I'm not nervous, freaking out. I'm just chilling.
Starting point is 00:38:37 I'm all for that stuff. And I've always been all for that stuff, except when you have children undervoting age. Oh, you have grandchildren under voting age. And it's just you feel you have to always stay somewhat responsible. Yeah. And edibles do not leave you somewhat responsible, as we know. That might be right. But, so you walk, you, you ever go to therapy?
Starting point is 00:39:07 I've been in therapy, probably, if you add it all, probably a decade, probably three years ago. Did that help? Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. I realized how common I am. Common. And, yeah, and also.
Starting point is 00:39:24 Common in the sense that everybody has anxiety. So you realize, hey, I got it too. And the self-loathing issue. that we all go through at certain ages and they come and go yeah i've been there but we all have it in common yeah how do you get rid of that i mean do you just you just got to work it out talk it at and like you said be honest well whatever works for you is what you go after and you have to find what works for you and what works for me is a cup of coffee in the morning and my wife's company i love that woman's mind like i love that woman's body
Starting point is 00:40:00 you never hear people talk about how much they love their wife especially at an older age it's like you know like how you're still after 17 years of being married excuse me 17 how many 27 32 32 years and you're still feeling this i could tell by the way you talk about her look at you you're smiling you're giddy um what is it about her that you just feel this way she comforts you doesn't she well she's the kindest with the sexual orientation that i've ever known about and she's also so intelligent that you can't fuck with her brains and i just love that about it because she can't fuck with mine a little bit because she's smarter than me and I know that but no I'm I'm just
Starting point is 00:41:03 crazy about my wife she's who I spend the most time with we work together I mean she's my manager and does she travel with you ever she stopped doing that about five years ago she starts waving goodbye have a good trip do you miss it oh yeah you'd rather her be with you yeah I would but I also know that selfish I what I do like is I have more more more room for my luggage and that's that's handy and I have a room in the closet. Come on. No, it's a thing.
Starting point is 00:41:32 But, but, you know. Hey, who's the biggest ego you've ever worked with? Or you don't have to say if you don't want to. But I'm sure you've worked with some pretty big egos. You know, the thing about egos, you have to understand ego comes, ego when it's presented, comes from fear. And once you know that, you just accept what it is. You don't judge it as its behavior.
Starting point is 00:41:54 So you can let it go. You could see some ego and go, that guy or that woman. You have to. If you don't, you're going to make it your problem. Did you ever have an ego? Sure, a little bit now and then. Sure. But I check myself.
Starting point is 00:42:09 And, yeah. And I also don't like another people, so I don't want to give them what I don't like. Yeah. The people still come up for your autograph a lot? Yeah. How do you feel about that? I love it. You do?
Starting point is 00:42:23 I mean, well, here's. You know, some people don't want to be bothered. They're like, I don't know. I'm at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Garden in London. Lawrence Olivier is doing a long day journey at the Old Vic. We chew straws. My roommate wins. He goes to invite Lawrence Olivier to our senior plays.
Starting point is 00:42:39 Okay, that's silly, but he does it. He comes back. Hey, Jesse, him to come to our senior. Yes, I saw him, I could not speak. Couldn't have speak to him. He comes down. He has great presence. He passes me by.
Starting point is 00:42:50 I couldn't speak. Okay, I'll do it. So next time I go down there, I wait outside the rest of the room door. He walks out. He walks towards me. He takes a left-hand turn. I go to Lord Olivier. He stops, turns around, yes.
Starting point is 00:43:05 On behalf of my class, I like to him about blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, some bullshit, bullshit, bullshit. He puts his arm around me, walks me to his Bentley, where Joan Plowwright is standing by the door with his driver. His wife, Jim. Yes. And he said, Joan, Eric, Eric, Eric, Joan. Love your name. Eric's a lovely name. Now, I can't attend your senior plays.
Starting point is 00:43:26 So sorry, I'm on stage every evening. of course. Love the invitation. And he was nice to me. He took maybe 15 seconds, but he was nice to me. And I became a hero at school. So from that day to this day, I will give you a minute. Especially if you know who I am and why I am. And it was all from that moment of how gracious he was. Lawrence Olivier was nice to a teenage kid he did not know who is hassling him. Doesn't that something? I know. Yeah, that was a really good impression.
Starting point is 00:44:05 Yeah, you said you don't do impressions. I never forgot it, man. And so I will always give it back. That's awesome. Yeah, well, thanks to him. Do you ever go to conventions, autograph signings? Sure. They're fun.
Starting point is 00:44:17 They are fun. I do those, too. And you like just get people that ever get emotional with you? Yeah, I've seen people cry. And what do you do? You pat him on the back. and you smile so gay we all go through it yeah sure um what do you where do you see yourself do you want to just keep doing what you're doing you love what you're doing you love where you are at this point
Starting point is 00:44:40 like if you say five years from now you want to still be doing what you're doing well i don't have an image anymore because what happened was i i went from i now into my third generation of the moviegoers or even home movie watchers i'm in my third generation especially with best of the best where where a dad has told his son and the son is told his son and they all watch your best of the best parts one and two and and and it makes you feel a little bit like an institution for the right reasons and I like it and and and and um since I know what it means to me to admire somebody to be admired I'm so proud of it I'm just so proud of it that you can admire me for what I do. Thank you. I can't believe what a nice
Starting point is 00:45:34 guy you all. Oh, I thought, no, I thought you'd have like an ego or something. You always have these thoughts of like, oh, it's Eric Roberts. He's been on. He's Hollywood. He's old Hollywood. He's going to, you know, he's going to be like, what am I fucking doing here? I ask another question. Well, I have an ego in that I believe in myself, but then I do something crazy, like dancing with the stars. It's the most humbling experience I've ever gone through in that audiences don't bother me not even a little bit but I walk on that floor with
Starting point is 00:46:04 Britt and I What pops in my brain is 40 million people are home watching this show 18 million of them are men And they're doing what I used to do When I walked through the room with my wife And she's watching the show And I walk through and I stop and eat my frozen yogurt
Starting point is 00:46:21 Watching over her shoulder going I can't dance And then you think they're doing that with you Of course they are. Of course they are. And I know that. And it makes me feel very unprepared. You know?
Starting point is 00:46:37 I mean, but you haven't been dancing your whole life. Not even a little bit. That's what it's called dancing with the stars. I mean, you're still dancing with you, but you're dancing with people who know what the hell they're doing. Britt can dance. Right? Brit can dance. She can obviously dance.
Starting point is 00:46:51 Yeah. But I think you're doing a great job. Well, thank you. You know what it is? You look like you're having fun. And I think that's the most. important people know you're having fun and then they don't look at you like you're scared shitless even though you are I am but you know the audience is very kind to you
Starting point is 00:47:04 there and they they they scream your name and they and they and they and they and they flash and somatic cameras at you and and and they're just sweetie pies yeah and it's just fun to be there you can get protein at home or a protein latte at Tim's no powders no blenders no shakers starting at 17 grams per medium Tim's new protein lattes, protein without all the work, at participating restaurants in Canada. When I found out my friend got a great deal
Starting point is 00:47:35 on a wool coat from winners, I started wondering. Is every fabulous item I see from winners? Like that woman over there with the designer jeans. Are those from winners? Ooh, are those beautiful gold earrings? Did she pay full price? Or that leather tote?
Starting point is 00:47:51 Or that cashmere sweater? Or those knee-high boots? That dress, that jacket, those shoes. Is anyone paying full price for anything? Stop wondering. Start winning. Winners, find fabulous for less. What is the toughest time in your life, you'd say?
Starting point is 00:48:09 If you have to think back of like, this was the toughest period. Probably the loss of relationship with my daughter. And that's in the book. That's in the book. And I'm sure that's a big chapter. Well, the problem is it should be. the problem is it's indefinable so i'll let you be the judge of that so you can't really because he's even looking at you now i see a pain no there's not a pain there's a um
Starting point is 00:48:45 a sadness for the most likely misunderstandings we'll all have forever because we're human Yeah And I started accepting that about myself With the birth of my grandchildren Especially the five-year-old She was first and she was a girl And so, you know, very vulnerable to me
Starting point is 00:49:16 And took a liking to me at two, two and a half In a very strong way And named my wife Fama and we're all very close and that and she also
Starting point is 00:49:36 looks like Emma really it's just same same coloring and so it reminds me of what I didn't have right so that might be the most painful personally yeah might be
Starting point is 00:49:53 well it's all in the book it's in the book i'm sure that was incredibly hard to write too that's probably the hardest thing to write to write it at all was the hardest thing to write that book was the hardest thing to write that book was hard to write and i didn't want to write it did you ever feel like giving up halfway through or at times every single page and what what kept you going my wife said it's hard because you're staying honest and i let that be my fuel yeah yeah that's tough man that's tough but kudos to you i mean a lot of people won't do that you know they won't be honest they'll write something because they'll say oh well write what people want to hear i can't take credit
Starting point is 00:50:33 i mean if i left my own devices are totally alone it would not be an honest book right so i can't take total credit for that what do you think your most cherished role is not by people or audiences but by you like that's the role that i just loved the most playing well there's probably half a dozen of those because I made a lot of movies. Yeah. So there's been periods of my life in relationships with directors or relationship with the writer
Starting point is 00:50:58 and it's different every time. But it would be my first movie, King of the Gypsies. Yeah. It would be my smallest good movie, Paul's Case. It would be my best, the best docudrama ever made, Star 80. Star 80. It would be the best twist of a character
Starting point is 00:51:18 ever done successfully, the Pokerganage Village. it would be runaway train because I changed that character and they allowed it and it worked and it'd be love as a gun that I made with my wife and Kelly Presson and it would be purgatory that I made with Sam Shepard those are the films that I would show anybody any day of the week now I want you to narrow it down to two well for what reasons and I will uh all right first reason the one that the biggest break gypsies yeah gypsies so the the biggest breaks the biggest change of my life it would be gypsies and uh star aiding and runaway trainer neck and neck because people think i got nominated for star 80 even though i didn't yeah yeah do you think pope was probably the biggest character sure yeah you know a character that just was larger than life well he was bigger than life he was is there movies that you wish could be deleted forever
Starting point is 00:52:21 uh a couple yeah yeah i'm a leave nameless i have a couple too and i haven't done near as many movies as you you ever feel like you walk through something and later regretted it like you should have given more of a shit well i made a big a big bad move one day um i was on a tv series on intermittent character but was important to the series that i existed as a character and they gave me a rewrite and i didn't pay the kind of attention to it i should have and arrived on sit and realized oh this rewrite's a page and a half long with no other cues except my own words oops i guess i should oh action learn this sometime and i didn't know it and that was tough and that was tough they have not had me back so that's how that worked uh
Starting point is 00:53:17 how did you feel about doing righteous gemstones that was my favorite job I've ever had in the history. Do you work with Danny McBride? Yeah. Dude, I think, honestly, he's the, him and Kristen Wigger, the funniest people on the planet. On the planet. On the planet. I mean, what was it like?
Starting point is 00:53:34 Well, now that we've lost Jonathan and Robin, you're right. Yeah, well, of course, of course. But what would you, what would you say? How would you describe working? Did you work with Goodman, too? Yeah, every day. So what would you say that experience was like for you? Was it, were you kind of nervous at all?
Starting point is 00:53:50 nervous no in love yes artistically overlapping romantically in love because we could do it together let's do it what a feeling i mean that's you know you're going to walk on a set with a guy who's going to hit it just like you're going to hit it and you're going to hit it together did you improvise sometimes but not not a lot because you know the words were that good i mean you didn't have to you didn't want to I love that do you know a lot of actors compare themselves to other actors
Starting point is 00:54:24 did you ever go through a stage you're like I could do that he's got this career and then finally because comparing yourself as what is what's the quote I don't know what it is but there's a quote
Starting point is 00:54:34 about comparing yourself to other people and it's like you know it's not a good thing to carry it's not a good thing to do well I've always been too pompous for that because I've been a good actor since I'm eight
Starting point is 00:54:44 I've been acting since I'm four but I've been a good actor since I'm eight I've been a great actor since I'm 14, and I know that, and I can do it. And if I can do it, you give me the first to know, I'm going to say, I can't do this one. But, you know, like, to arrive on a set with John was to go to heaven. John and I were going to hit it, and we both knew each other were dependable for each other. And he was kind.
Starting point is 00:55:14 Yeah, he was like me. He was like, ready to work. we're so happy oh man I would love to work with Danny McBride and John Goodman That's cool man That's really cool
Starting point is 00:55:27 This is called shit talking with Eric Roberts These are my top tier patrons I get to ask questions Join patreon.com slash inside of you And support the podcast Here we go, you're ready This is I don't mean I don't get off issue
Starting point is 00:55:40 But this coffee's unbelievable That is Dunkin' Donuts coffee So you bought it You didn't make it You know what? I'm going to give you a box. I have extra boxes. Oh, you have a pot? You made Dunkin' Donuts coffee here. Yeah, they have the pods. Do you have the curigs? Or do you make the real coffee?
Starting point is 00:55:55 Yes. My wife does both. Well, I have the curigs. I'm going to give you a little box. Okay, I'll take it. See if it works. Thank you, dude. Because it's unbelievable coffee. Well, and I'm a snobot coffee. I'm like, I'm going to slap it. It is pretty good. Right? It's pretty tasty. I'm going to have a sit right. Yeah. Yeah, it is.
Starting point is 00:56:11 Hmm. All right. Here are the questions. These are easy questions. Okay. You got through the tough part. Nico Piss says, what's your favorite comfort food? Pizza. You love pizza. Yeah. How did you prepare to play the part of the reverend yet controversial William Faulkner and what
Starting point is 00:56:26 attracted him to the role? Well, my first love affair as a young reader, pre-puberty, was William Faulkner. And so I grow up. I become a movie actor and they say, play William Faulkner. I'm going to say no. I can't say no because he used his words. So you kind of can't argue with the fact of the writing. You can't say, no, I don't want to say that.
Starting point is 00:56:52 That's what he said. So you kind of stuck with it. Now, I had done biographies before, and they're frightening. And he was very hard because of his accent. I know southern accents, but there are five to seven southern accents, all depending on how you cut him up. And he had one of those savannah accents. And it was tough.
Starting point is 00:57:12 And he was also a drunk. but he didn't act drunk so I had that issue too so it was very difficult it was a lot of fun it was a dream come true and that I felt complimented that I was offered that part
Starting point is 00:57:27 and that's cool it's cool when people just like follow your career and know everything you've done they just like they love you and they love you to the end it's neat man it is neat flirtatious B what's your favorite genre to act in and why
Starting point is 00:57:43 I've got two, and that would be in Western America pre-Civil War or Eastern America pre-depression. Wow. Those are specific. Yeah. Because of the clothes and because of the attitude and because of the wealth of the lack of. And don't you feel like when you put on those sort of costumes, you just jump into it. it yes you're like you feel like it's like you're young again you're acting you're like playing a general or playing a whatever you know a soldier yeah that's pretty cool uh by the way what about horror because you see all these horror posters around you like horror if it's if it's scare me yeah it's got to scare me though and i get easily disappointed i didn't scare me easily disappointed what's your favorite horror movie well because the reaction had on me it's too it'd be the tingler
Starting point is 00:58:42 it with Peter Lorry or Wolfman with a junior, a Lundtaining Jr. John Laney, John, yeah, Laney. Yeah, because of the effects. To the point where Wolfman, I bought a model and my dad and I put it together and we painted it. I couldn't sleep with it in the room because, oh my God, it's Wolfman. That's old school. Yeah, dude.
Starting point is 00:59:04 I mean, what was that? Was that the 50s? It was probably made in the late 50s. I saw it in the early 60s, probably 62, 3 or 4. And it scared you. Oh, to death. Are you kidding? I couldn't sleep with a model in my room.
Starting point is 00:59:18 I love it. Stephanie and Evan, who I love. How much fun was it to reunite with Mickey's work on Spun after working together on Greenwich Village? There's a story about that. It was great fun. I love Mickey. And we love each other, I think. But they offered me that part.
Starting point is 00:59:35 And the director said, I like her body. I'd like you to be shirtless. And I'm going to have a bunch of girls around you. I said, you know what? that's been done let's go the other way and i'll be gay and have me have a boy and he said okay so that's what happened and and uh mick was cool with it and um we killed it me and me and meck again you still talk to mick probably every 10 or 12 days for something stupid just did you see this or whatever yeah nothing but something Melissa m what was it like
Starting point is 01:00:11 like filming the movie The Immortals. Got any stories to tell? It was real fun. Chris Rock was not a monster of fame yet and was probably the most fun guy to work with on that movie was Chris because he was, he improvised a lot of his stuff and it was a lot of fun.
Starting point is 01:00:31 And we just all fell in love with him and he wasn't famous yet, but he was cool. Yeah. We loved it. What about the expendables? Working with Stallone and all those guys. I was like voice camp, dude. my boys count
Starting point is 01:00:42 I worked with Stallone a couple times and it was I don't think people realize how funny he actually He's funny and smart dude Yeah People think he's Rocky
Starting point is 01:00:52 He is not He's funny He wrote Rocky He's funny and smart He said that to me On set he is I go Sly you're fucking funny
Starting point is 01:01:01 He's like A lot of people always think I'm serious You know I like to laugh I like to joke around That's him I mean
Starting point is 01:01:10 he was he was great uh i i guarantee he has a side to him though that you don't want to cross he's got one of those things where he's like yeah he's fun he's like yeah and then there's that have you ever seen that have you ever seen that we're like hey get the fuck over what are we doing i plead the fifth i plead but he's like he's like nice nice nice and if something's not right he's like he what the fuck like anybody else but hearing it is sly i would tell you a great Sly story real quick. So we're making the specialist. And I'm off one night and he's working and it's a night shoot and he's got a scene outside. And I say to my wife, let's sneak up like we're part of the crowd. Just watch. I'd love to do that. So we do. Nobody recognizes me.
Starting point is 01:01:54 It's all cool. We're hitting. Suddenly, Sly like he knew how he had the whole time goes, hey, Eric, hey Eric, we don't have a scene together this fucking movie. In front of the crowd and everybody. I'm like, yeah, I guess not. I'm going to write one. I'll write it tonight. We'll shoot it tomorrow. I think he's showing off for the crowd. I just think it's kind of stupid. But, okay, whatever. Thanks, Sly. You know, blah, blah. Anyway, he wrote the scene that night and we shot the next
Starting point is 01:02:17 day and it's a great scene. It's a seat on the street when I put a knife in his eye. And so Sly's that kind of Yeah. Wait, he just, the night, he goes, we don't have a scene there. Like, I'm going to write something the night and we're going to film it tomorrow. You're like, yeah, whatever. Exactly. And he does it. And it happened.
Starting point is 01:02:32 That's the kind of, I mean, I will always love him for that. Did he call you for this role? Or they just called you and offered it to you. It was an offer. I think he might have something to do with it. It's a sly movie. Do you get only offers? Do you ever audition?
Starting point is 01:02:47 I audition every day. What do you mean you audition every day? I audition every day. The great thing about auditioning now is you get to do at-home auditions. And a lot of my bosses are much younger than me. They're younger than my daughter. And so they don't know who I am except through their mothers. Or they saw an old movie.
Starting point is 01:03:06 when they were young, and they don't know who I am. So they say, well, Eric audition. And Eric says yes, because Eric understands. And Eric is production friendly. So, yeah. And it also gets it out of the way because I love to audition. It's an at-home audition. So I can do it 35 times if I need to.
Starting point is 01:03:24 And you have your wife to help you. And I have my wife as my director, dude. Jesus. I mean, you've done so. I mean, Gray's Anatomy, too, you did. What about Celebrity Island with Bear Grills? That was fun, dude. I love Bear Grills.
Starting point is 01:03:37 Yeah. Was that hard? Yeah, it was a drag. It was like 30 days long of no food. You wanted to get out of there. I did, but it was only because of hunger. I mean, I was dying. And I can be held responsible for my behavior.
Starting point is 01:03:51 I don't think it was too bad, but I was out of my mind. What do you mean? No. When you don't eat, you get a little bit like lighthead and you get a little bit, you start I was stupid. I'll say that. I was stupid. Really?
Starting point is 01:04:04 Oh, yeah. Dude, I lost my mind a little bit. I think everybody, if you don't eat for 30 days. I mean, I didn't get emotional, but I got, I got, you know, mindless. Yeah, sure. It's hard. I love that. I love that you're still in love.
Starting point is 01:04:18 I love that you still love what you do. I love that you wrote a memoir. Well, all bullshit aside, I got the best job on the planet, dude. On the planet. And they get to see the planet. I get to meet really cool people. Cruise are almost always the coolest peeps on the planet. Always.
Starting point is 01:04:35 Actors come and go. But crews, crews are always the same. You're right. And they're always likable. They're always approachable. They're always fucking funny. Always the hardest working people.
Starting point is 01:04:44 They're always overworked. Yeah. And, and I always love being around them. Yeah, me too. I love eating with crew. Me too. I do.
Starting point is 01:04:53 This has been an absolute joy. This really has. Thanks, dude. You're a great guy. You're so open. And memoir, your memoir runaway train is out now. It's out now.
Starting point is 01:05:05 You need to get it because you've got to hear more of these stories. I just wish that I had done dancing with the stars before I wrote the book so it could be a chapter in the book because it's been a great chapter. Maybe it's your next book. Maybe that's how it'll start the next book if this book sells. We'll see. Pick up where you left off. Oh, no.
Starting point is 01:05:23 Yeah, I love it. This is great. I should have a Pope of Greenwich Village poster, but there's no, it's not horror. Although your thumb gets cut off, so it's sort of horror. Thanks for being here. Anytime. It was awesome. With Amex Platinum,
Starting point is 01:05:41 access to exclusive Amex pre-sale tickets can score you a spot trackside. So being a fan for life turns into the trip of a lifetime. That's the powerful backing of Amex. Pre-sale tickets for future events subject to availability and varied by race. Turns and conditions apply.
Starting point is 01:05:55 Learn more at amex.ca. This episode is brought to you by Defender. With its 626 horsepower twin turbo V8 engine, the defender, Octa, is taking on the Dakar rally. The ultimate off-road challenge. Learn more at landrover.ca. Great guy, huh? I love a good old Hollywood story.
Starting point is 01:06:19 Oh, man. I love him. I love the stories. I love the... I just love how he's kind of found his way. He's in love. Because there's a lot of ups and downs in his life. that's what it's all about that's called it's called life it's not just all good there's a lot of
Starting point is 01:06:35 you know yeah i mean shit hits the fan sometimes ryan has shit hit the fan in your life just thus far i mean little pieces here and there sure little shits of the fan little shits in the fan my life's hit the fan shit's hit the fan a few times yeah and um but it's it's probably gonna get you know the older you get you start to lose your parents you start to lose your friends you start to it gets tougher and tougher but you i think you build a sort of what's the word armor yeah shit armor well you kind of like learn to deal with things it's important i have a friend who doesn't know how to deal with anything if something happened to her parents or something happened to her cat she would lose her mind and and i'm serious about that like she doesn't know how
Starting point is 01:07:16 it's almost like she's still like a 10 year old little girl she doesn't have the maturity so she's like um she doesn't know how to deal with it and i tell her you got to talk to a therapist you got to learn to accept things that happen and grieve and it's okay but like when you're like I couldn't I can't deal with it I can't be alive if my parents aren't alive I'm like uh people parents have been dying for thousands of years and you know they get they get through it I mean it's only only thousands of years though it was only been that long the parents have been dying Well, how many years? Thousands.
Starting point is 01:07:59 Millennia. Is that also thousands? That's also thousands. Yeah. We are very smart. Hannah, thousands of years? At least five. At least five thousand years.
Starting point is 01:08:10 That's a lot. I don't know. I didn't know where I am on the timeline of the life. Anyway, right now we are going to hear about our top tier patrons. We're going to hear their names because that's one of the perks you get of being a patron and go to patreon. dot com slash inside of you become a patron and there's a great community so many people become friends and travel together and go to cons together and see me and whatever but uh here are the top tiers that give the most and we'll read their names it's very exciting i love these people
Starting point is 01:08:42 nancy d thanks for the pictures little lisa you rock you kiko jill ebrien h nico p rob l jason W, Sophie M. Rosh, she, Jennifer, N, Stacey, L. Jamal F, Janelle B. Mike, L. Dun, Suprema, 99 more, Santiago M. Maddie S. Kendrick F, Belinda, N. Dave. Dave, Dave, Hull. Hello, Dave. Brad D., Ray Harada. And you know, a lot of these folks I saw in New Jersey, and it was awesome to put a face to the names that I read off every week. So, continue on. I also put a face of the names, and I'm sorry if I forgot. Yeah, well, we always, it's not. We'll have to get reminded. minded. So remind me. Tap of the T. Tom N. Talia M. Betsy D. Riann. C. Corey K. Dev Nexon, Michelle, A. Jeremy C. Mr. Melsky. Is that a new one?
Starting point is 01:09:34 I don't recognize that one. No, that's new. Mr. Melsky. Try up on the list, Mr. Melsky. Eugene and Leah, the salty ham. Mel S. Eric H. Oracle, Amanda R. William K. William K. Kevin E. J. J.M. J.N.J. L.N.J.R. and Mike F. J. J. J. How about an announcement? to the Senate, Charlene A, Marion Louise L. How about a movie announcer, Romeo, the band, Frank B, Gen T, April R, Randy, S, Claudia, Rachel D, Jen, Carolina girl, Nick W, Stephanie and Evan, known as. Stefan. Charlene A, Don G, Jenny B, 716, E, NG, Tracy, Keith B, Heather and Greg, we love, along with everyone else. It's something I don't love everyone else. So when you stop and you say you love someone, I hope other people don't think I don't love that.
Starting point is 01:10:21 No. Okay. L.A. Elizabeth L. Ben B. Jammin. PRC. Sultan, Ingrid C. Christina S.
Starting point is 01:10:29 Brandon C. Mrs. Lex L. L. Dave T. Dave T. Dave T. gave a lot. As a patron, he's really,
Starting point is 01:10:39 thank you. That is our podcast for the day. I hope you enjoyed it. And I hope you'll visit us next week and keep supporting podcasts. Ryan, always a pleasure. I mean, thanks for having me. Yeah. next week right sometimes i don't feel like i have a choice but yeah yeah you have a choice do i
Starting point is 01:10:55 well if you didn't show up then i'd be in trouble well i mean i could figure it out i know how to do things we've been through that yeah yeah but it's kind of a drag but i like being here so that's you do i do well that's the first time you said that really yeah oh i'm glad you're here and i'm glad you feel that way thanks all right guys well from the hollywood hills in hollwood california i'm michael rozenbaum i'm ryan tears i'm here too a little wave to the camera all right we love you guys and most importantly be good to yourself i'll see you next week hi i'm jose all see hi 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
Starting point is 01:11:36 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. Stacking Benjamin's follow and listen on your favorite platform.

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.