SmartLess - "Steve Buscemi"

Episode Date: September 1, 2025

We’re hanging out with Steve Buscemi. The Material, how to come through doors, actor/director catnip, and yoga on the weekends. Wasa, bee? It’s SmartLess. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of SmartLess ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.

Okay, guys, we're going to do it. We're going to do one more episode. That's it. This is our last episode. Listeners, this is our final episode ever of Smartless. Right before we do the next one. That's right. But this is it.

This is the last one before the next one. This one. Goodbye until the next one. When does it start? It's going to start right now. So hello. And goodbye. No, hello.

Until the next one. It's an all-new smartless. Until the next one. Smartless. What time is it there? just ate i had a piece of cod and i had some potatoes and some asparagus so cod that's uh that's british that's what they do the fish and chips with right that's right i had a cinnamon roll yeah i'll bet yeah of course that's that's british for american food hey do you um are you just moving dinner earlier

and earlier into the day what's happening well but yeah well i do have it's funny because my day kind of starts now because l.a is just waking up so yeah meanwhile you've done done a full day of rehearsal already yeah yeah and some interviews in the morning and radio like photoshoot but aren't you when you say your day starts what are you doing yeah so after this then i go i'm writing something for something and then what do you i know i don't want to say it so are you trying your hand at screenwriting or writing a play or no i'm just we're kind of talking it out and writing what the characters are the development like the outline and all that stuff okay yeah will does it taste good

God does it sound. Fuck. Sorry. Sorry, I forgot. The gum. We're doing an audio show. I know. Who was the person who said, somebody said to me once,

hey man, can you turn your gum down? That's a good one. It was so good. Sorry, I forgot. And Will, you're just getting started over there. Well, no, actually, you're midday right now. I'm midday. I was up this morning at 545.

Don't need to brag. Isn't that wild? L.A., New York, London. All the same time. What's wild? Tell me what's wild. Different time zones? Talked about how wild.

Let's talk about it. Wait, Sean, no, sorry. What is it? Oh, it's Will. What did you do so, like, since 5.30, you're seven hours into your day. So I woke up this morning. I did my turtle-wirtle-curdle-curdle that used to be a part of with our old buddies.

You're still doing that? I'm still doing it every morning. I love it. And then I did. a hot cold. I did a sauna and then I did a cold plan for a few minutes. Then I went to my morning, my morning meeting. Gathering. Meeting. Very good.

With all my peeps. I had a little coffee, came back, drove able to work, came back, worked out, and now I'm here. Had to quickly something to eat, now I'm here. When did you shower? When did you shower? Oh, fuck, I knew there was something. Yeah. I know. I'm going to do it after because it's just me in this sticky little booth.

No, but you have... I didn't have time. I didn't have time. I literally just finished. I went upstairs. I had some leftover chicken salad. All I'm figuring out from this is that the workout was light. It was not, it was not light. I'll guarantee you that. Well, then why haven't you showered? You weren't a sweaty fucking mess. Of course I didn't have time. I didn't want to be late because we have a great guest. All right. But wait. Yes, go ahead. Oh, no, no, no. Get into it then.

I do have a great guest. I do have a great guest. You guys are going to be really thrilled. And so I mean, our audience already knows because they looked at the thing when they logged on. knows what our audience already knows so as you're hearing going with your hair what's happening that's what happens um and the knees and the hips our our guest today he has built a career out of portraying uh some of the most unique and unforgettable characters in recent cinema i mean he's one of these guys who has alpuccino uh alpuccino uh burt reynolds is still around mccana hay is coming back he literally just said one sentence all better all better i i i think our guest is i think our guest is laughing uh how absurd that is al pacino out of the blue that haven't even named him um he's been nominated for golden

globes he's been the spirit awards here's froston critics awards you oh my god you know him you know him and he's done it all in in television and film some of the great some of the great Boardwalk Empire Steve Bouchemy Get him out here Sopranos Reservoir dogs Steve Boucheré

God you guys wouldn't let me finish for fuck sake You've got to bury You should have started with You can't name his stuff Because once you start naming everything he's done

You're like oh yes You start with some of the voiceover stuff You would have kept us in the dark Well if I'd started with the animated movies You're right One of the greatest voiceover artist Next to Will Arnette

That's right That's saying something Thank you That's saying very little. Monsters University. Yeah, there you go. I know, I know. Right?

What about Igor? Oh, Igor, right, Igor. Come on. We've worked together a lot and never really... Wait, what was eager now? I don't know if I knew Igor. It was an animated film from 17,000 years ago. Okay.

John Cusack. Yeah? Oh. Igor. Jennifer Coolidge, Molly Shannon. Yeah. And Sean, you played... What a cast.

Brian. You were the brain, but you spelled it. No, my name is Brian, right. Boy, if he was the brain, you guys were in trouble. I always challenge myself on that. Steve O'Shea, welcome to Smartless. God, it's good to have you here. This is great.

This is fantastic. I'm such a massive have been like everybody else of what you do, because you do so much different stuff. It's amazing. And so just to have you out here is I've got to say kind of a thrill. I'm thrilled to be here, guys. Thank you so much.

I'm really aghast right now I'm a little That I'm not Al Pacino How lucky are we I'm sorry Sean I was a shot in the dark It was a shot in the dark Steve where do we find you

Where's that beautiful orange room you're in? I'm in the Netflix building in New York Okay Oh hence the red background Yeah Orange Like adjust your

Sort of a soundproof room Yeah either that or the set squid game you're i was going to get to this but we can we can mention it early on you're working on it you got your your netflix show is coming out soon right wednesday uh yes the name of the show it's not coming out that's the name of the name of the name of it's the second season of uh the adams family show when wednesday that's right that's right uh which is which has been a huge success huge huge huge yeah i love the first season and i'm really excited that they cast me in the in the second season i played the new principal of nevermore that's the boarding school that um wednesday attends

ah i see nice well you'd make you great principal i don't know um hey i think i do uh steve uh so we always ask people like how they got started whatever i've always wanted to know what was a young steve bouchemie like when you were a kid were you like seven years old you wanted to be an actor or kind of because i know that you had it you started with a different career professionally before you What was it? Can you walk us through that a little bit? Well, I mean, when I was a kid, you know, like all of us, I watched a lot of TV and it was everything. You know, it was like the Three Stooges, which, Sean, I have, again, I have to say, man, you played.

This was a picture. I can't believe you got to play laughing. Talk about a stooge. This guy was a perfected stooge. Go for casting. Three stooges were big in my house. my house in my apartment in east uh not my apartment in the apartment i lived in in east new york brooklyn uh yeah the little rascals you know yeah shows like that and then but also you know

like the afternoon uh movie that was on at like four o'clock you know like that would show all these gangster films you know so i was a big fan of cagney and bogart and all those films too but did you see yourself doing this because like i like i alluded to you you kind of started in a different career and Jason's not aware of this but but some people are and so when was the moment that you allowed yourself and just walk us through what that career was briefly if you don't mind if it's okay well I mean I was a firefighter in the early 80s wow really yeah but I had been trying to be an actor and actually I tried my hand to stand up so it's not like I you know was a firefighter who then decided to become an actor I was already you know

kind of a flailing stand-up and wannabe actor who had taken the fire department test when I was 18, and they didn't get to my name. My name was on a list, and they called me when I was like, I was 22, I think, when I was called. And then I was like, I'm going nowhere with this showbiz stuff, so I joined the fire department. And you fought fires for four or five years, is that right?

Yeah, I was at Engine 55. Manhattan. It's crazy. In New York? Yeah. In New York. Oh, my goodness. And it should be noted that you also rejoined briefly after 9-11.

Is that true? I heard that. Well, I didn't rejoin. I just, I went down to my old firehouse on Broom Street because I knew that they were there, that they had been at the site, and I couldn't get any information. So on the 12th, I went there, and I brought my turnout gear, my coat and health. helmet and boots and gloves. That's amazing.

And I was brought into the site by another firefighter, and he told me about the guys that were missing in the company, and one was a good friend of mine. And anyway, I went down to the site, and I was able to find my company there. Because they had lost members, they had access to, like, the man. pile that that was you know still wow burning right and and

this is the day out I got to work with them you know for the rest of the week you know this was on a wow man and were these guys who kept kept in touch with and you were they still in the same

no I mean there were some yeah I mean there were some guys that I recognized who I used to work with but by and large it was all new new guys and I didn't know them and but I got to know them during the week and since then i've stayed in touch and now every year on nine 11 um i

attend the uh the breakfast at the firehouse with the families and then there's a mass service and then there's a lunch and there's also bar time in there in their in their sure sure we do do we are they are firefighters yeah so there is a fair amount of uh drinking at tony's bar yeah that's incredible I mean, that's, and Sean, you've, you've supported, so you bought a calendar every year, right? Yeah, I bet. Steve had, I never miss the year.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I do what I can. I do what I can. Steve, how did firefighting find you at a young age? Was your dad involved with any of that stuff? My dad was a sanitation worker. He worked in Brooklyn, and he did that. for 30 years and so he was he just knew the civil service you know like like what like what that job

meant the benefits the whole apparatus that keeps that city moving yeah and you know the pay is good and you get good benefits and he always I mean he knew I wanted to become an actor but he would tell me you know just put in your 20 years and then you can do all the acting you want it doesn't really work that way but but I tried it because meanwhile you're 20 Put in your 20. Just put in your 20, retire at half pay, and then do all the acting you want. He was noticing that you were, you were leaning towards acting. Is that because you were taking classes as a young kid?

Were you doing it at school? I mean, I think he kind of knew it that I had it in me since I was a little kid, because when I was really little, I used to just make up stories and tell jokes. if we were at a cousin's wedding I would like stand up on a table and just do like a stand-up routine I'm sure it was like stupid but I was like

five or six so they and then I talk about this I've talked about this before when I was in fourth grade my teacher Mr. Rickabono he cast me in

a production of the Wizard of Oz I got to play the Cowardly Lion and I thought this is it if I never do anything else after this I was so happy And when I was on stage I just, it was that feeling of Wow, people are enjoying this and they're laughing

And I'm, you know That'd be a good role for you, J.B. Yeah, cowardly lion. Yeah. I could do it. I could do it. He's got the hair for it. Wait, so.

He does have the main. Who was, was mom or dad somebody who was outgoing and sort of a, who was who was leading for you at that moment? Like, who was your North Star? Was it mom or dad? dad you know i in in their own ways both i mean my mom was the one when we were young who used

to take us to the movies and and and see musicals and and and and then when i was a teenager you know a little bit even younger my my dad would take us to the movies and we'd see things like across a hundred tenth street and cotton comes to harlem and movies i just shouldn't have been seeing like that you know and but but it was great yeah And my dad, he had a good friend growing up in East New York named Peter Miller, who became an actor. And he went to the neighborhood playhouse, and he was in movies with Cassavetes, and he was in Robert Altman's first film, The Delinquents. And then he, you know, but he did it for a few years, and then he left, and he became an investment banker.

So by the time I, you know, was old enough to talk to him, he had left acting, but I still, you know, it was like, oh, Uncle Pete, and he lives in California, and I was like, someday I'm going to make it to California, and Uncle Pete's going to show me the ropes. Right. And so there was that, you know, so there was that. But really, you know, in junior high and high school, I didn't do any theater. I kind of became a jock and did sports. What were you playing? I played soccer and I, a little bit of track, but wrestling was my, you know, big sport that I really loved. And then it wasn't until my senior year that I started to, like, do the plays in high school.

And I had another great teacher, Lynn Lappin. He was the English teacher, but he started the first acting class. And so I got to be in Fiddler on the roof and, you know, and just, it was really fun. That's cool. What was that first trip out to L.A. like? Was there one? Yeah, I... So Uncle Pete and Charlene, his wife, they lived in Van Nuys.

Yeah. Beautiful out there. So I stayed with them, but I didn't have a car. I didn't have a car, and he would go off to work, and I'd just be like, I want to see L.A. I didn't know, but I didn't know how to do it. like 115 degrees with no trees. So no car in Van Nuys.

So you just started hooping it and enjoying, you know, the fruits of Woodman Avenue and Woodman Sherman Way. But I think it was on that trip because I had done a film called Parting Glances in New York and I went out to L.A. to try and meet casting people. And my friend Kathy Kinney, who was in that, who was in that, who was. in that film she was taking meetings and she would just bring me along

like she would pick me up and bring me along to these meetings and some people were okay like oh you brought a friend but he's really good actor you know you should see him too but mostly I think they were like who is this guy like why did you bring him

yeah that rarely goes down well they're like oh you well of course let's meet your friend and then so those first few experiences were they were you kind of freestyling or Were you coming with a certain amount of training that you were leaning on? No, I had no. I had no idea what I was doing.

Really, I just did not know. I remember when I first got a manager and I was going out on meetings and the feedback that he was getting was, you know, he's kind of so deadpan and he's like, he doesn't seem like he wants to be here. he just like is so quiet and like so it's good

so then I went to I remember the first time I met Bonnie Timmerman you know big casting agent I went in and I went in smiling and the first thing she said to me

was what are you smiling for well now I don't know what to do like right she thought I was like laughing at something I was like no I was told to smile so I'm sorry come in there looking crazy that's funny

and we will be right back and now back to the show so you kind of figure it out though like you do you do a bunch of different parts I mean you do sort of like eight ten movies maybe before reservoir dogs and you do a bunch of

varying degree bigger bigger roles and etc what was but that must have been kind of a seminal moment if I'm guessing right. And talk a little bit about how that came into your world and what it was like first meeting Quentin Tarantino. So the script came to me from one of my early agents, Nancy Green,

who has since passed away. But she was really great. And I have to back up the story because like a year before that, or maybe six months before that, she convinced me to go on an audition for, it was a Neil Simon in comedy and I don't remember I don't even remember what film it was for but I

really didn't want to go and she said no just go you can meet the casting director Ronnie Eskoll and just you know I want okay I went and there were other actors there and they put us in like a group scene we were improvising and it

was fun and then but you know I left and I didn't get the you know whatever part that I was auditioning for and uh forgot about about it and then i got the script for reservoir dogs from nancy and i loved it and um and i for the i didn't you know the first time i met quentin was on the phone and hearing his voice i was just shocked because i thought i was going to be talking to like an ex-convict who was like in his 50s or something and instead it was like hey man thanks for reading my script thanks a bunch i'm really

excited. And I was like, wait, is this, are you Quentin Tarantino? Yeah, yeah, man. You know, I was like, it just didn't match up. And, but he was so excited and so, and so enthused. And I auditioned for it twice. And then I did the workshop for it in Sundance. And it was Quentin and I, and this is, I guess, typical Quentin fashion. He tells me I got the part of Mr. Pink as we were in the bathroom we're in the bathroom together and he said oh by the way I cast you as Mr. Pink

I went out what what oh really? He says yeah and he says yeah and it wasn't really based on your audition you know he said but Ronnie Eskill showed me

a tape of when you audition for that Neil's Simon movie but that was a comedy like what did you see in me that you thought he goes well because you had on like a vintage shirt and your hair was slicked back

and you look like a criminal and that was just how I dressed that was just me just rolling out of bed yeah no way and so thank God I went on that audition you know yeah

yeah that's cool isn't that amazing how those things kind of worked like that you just never know it is and was that was that would you

would you say that that film or any of the films around that started to solidify for you what you what you were confident in doing and I guess the question is at what point did you start to really kind of just dig into your style quote unquote or or what your confidence was you know what I have is going

to work what I have is going to take me into something that I can make a living and also can be creatively fulfilled like when did you get that feeling of I've got what I what I think it takes and I and I like that they're hiring me for this type of thing I mean, that film, Reservoir Dogs, had a lot to do with opening doors for sure. And it did a lot for my confidence, just being cast. Being cast in a movie with Harvey Keitel and having scenes with Harvey was, you know, that was like a dream. I never thought that that would be possible. And then getting to meet, you know, and work with actors like Tim Roth and Michael Mattson, who we sadly lost.

and meeting Eddie Bunker, who was an ex-convict and wrote the movie straight time that was based on his book and runaway train. And so it was just exciting to be with these people and Chris Penn and the whole cast. So just having done the movie was a huge confidence boost. And then, you know, Quentin did us all a big favor by that credit sequence of having us, you know, walk in the parking lot

and our names were underneath our faces, like as we're walking. Because before that, it was like, who's this guy? Who's, you know, like if my name was mentioned, you know, you couldn't put a face to the name. Sure. Now, at least people could. And I had something to show, you know, like if I was up for something and they wanted to see what I did, that was the film.

Yeah. And so that opened doors. But I, you know, as far as what my style is or anything, I'm, I never know, you know, I feel like I've done so many different kinds of things. And depending on like who I meet, you know, like on the street if I get recognized, I never know what they, you know, is it from a Coen Brothers, is it from Tarantino or is it from Adam? Yeah. Sandler, you know, so some people only kind of know me in that comedic vein and other people know me. from other things. Well, that's a tribute to your career.

Like, I mean, you're able to do so many different things so well. It must be, you must have a great number of choices in front of you at times. And how do you decide which way you're going to go? Is it based on the people involved? Is it based on the kind of character, that being maybe different than the last one you just played? How are you making your decisions? I guess it's different each time. Sometimes it's just such a wonderful script

and if it's an independent film and it's a young filmmaker that's starting to come up and I love doing that type of work. Oh, wow. And then other times it is, you know, it's the people who are involved. But it really is the material. I mean, I try and go for the material first.

The script as a whole or your particular character? As a whole. I mean, it used to be, there was a time when I would read a script and they'd say what character and I would just flip the pages to see when the character would be killed. I swear it was a script that.

Oh, I made it to page 39. Okay. I think I'll do it. Would it be like where the character was killed or would it also be like where the character can really score? Would you look at that and go like, oh, this is a good scene?

This is, you know what I mean? Oh, well, yeah. It was a, yeah. I mean, there's that stuff where, like, if it's a good dramatic part or there was like a good scene but but yeah mainly i would either get i would either get beat up or i would be chasing somebody with a knife or and then eventually get get killed and um yeah it went that way for a while you and and sir we touched on it and jason you just said too you did so many different not just so many different characters but so many

different kinds of you know a size of films you've done these huge Hollywood films, and you've done these really small. In fact, you made the seminal independent film Living in Oblivion with our mutual friend, Tom DeChillo, which is about making an independent film, which is one of my favorites. And then you just said that you like working with young up-and-coming directors.

Is it that you like the feeling of being part of that vibe of somebody who's just finding their way and exploring? Is that exciting to you? Is that what it is? Yeah, yeah. love that you know um and i'm so like happy that i was you know part of quentin's first film you know like he you know that was i think really exciting for all of us uh to see somebody like him

um and he had such confidence in what he was doing that that's what i think blew all of us away that he um it was such a clear point of you so that that kind of energy is is contagious you know It just makes you feel good about being in this business, yeah. Yeah, you know, and not knowing you very well, Steve, is like, I get a sense from you that you're, and you correct me if I'm wrong, you're filled with gratitude and appreciation for working in where you are in life as an actor. Like, I can't ever see you being a problem on any set ever, or having an issue. Like, there's certain, you know, there's many, many types of actors,

and a lot of them can't wait to share all of their ideas and their back and come to set. you know there's those types and then there's other types that are just like yes I've studied my role I have a few ideas but you're in charge like where do you fall I think yeah I think I fall into

I mean I I've worked with so many different directors and I like to see what their style is and how I can be accommodating and since I've been directing I'm even more so because now I know what directors go through

A lot of the times they're just trying to make the day, right? Just like, and you don't want to be like... Yeah, we talk with Jason about it all the time because I always ask Jason about the difference between being on either side. So, and you have that too now. Yeah, I mean, you know, it's like, well, why would I come through this door? Like, don't you think I should, it's like not, okay, where do you want me to come through? Okay, good.

Like, I could figure out my own motivation, like, if you want me to do this. And it's only when something really doesn't feel. feel right like if I can't find my way around like organically why I'm doing something or if the blocking feels off yeah then I'll say something but but generally yeah I just like to show up and and kind of do it yeah right as a director do you as a director have you had those moments where you've had to say just come through the fucking door man yeah right why the door because it's the only door that we have right and you need to come into the scene so we need you in here to do the scene. Right, that's right. Have you had those moments? I really can't think of anybody who was like that way with me and, you know, I've, I mean,

I've had moments, but I, and, you know, being an actor, I always like to see what the actor will come up with, you know. If I have time to, like, rehearse something properly, which you don't always, I like to see what the actors do naturally and then try and, you know, and then block the scene. Sometimes you don't have that luxury, you know. You just want to get in there and say, okay, the actors aren't here yet. Let's see if we can get them to be, you know, this one here, this one here, and then we can shoot it. Right, so you're like, we're already set up for this.

So this is how it's going to go. But, J.B., have you ever had that where you've had to kind of like just go, fucking just to do it, yeah. I mean, a thousand times because I, I, I, yeah, because I, I, personally, I'm such a fan of what the camera can do to help the audience understand what the scene is about. So oftentimes I'll have a huge. plan already worked out about what the coverage is going to be and that's that means that people have to be in certain spots and so i'll try to encourage the actors to make a friend of that blocking but if they if they don't if they aren't comfortable with it i can pivot for sure but uh steve uh with all the the the incredible set experience that you have and and the number of fantastic directors that you've

worked with. It's interesting to me to hear you say that you are that you gravitate towards new directors at times because it seems like you would you'd often be in a situation where you know, that director might be drowning in the the unforeseen complications of any day and you might get frustrated with like, oh my God, this is, you know, it's frustrating for you to have been on so many sets that work so well to then be sort of extending your patience and your experience to help out a young director. I find that just so generous of you. And is it taxing? But I don't really find the frustration that I do sometimes feel with the person who is directing. I sometimes, I've just been on so many sets over the years. I get frustrated with maybe like,

why did they bring me in this early? Or why are they shooting this first? It's the first A.D. you're yelling at. Why are they, you know? And so, and especially on, you know, boardwalk empire was the first time I had played a character like, you know, repeatedly. And for however many seasons that we did, five,

and towards the end, I think I did start to, you know, be the guy that wouldn't, you know, like they'd call me to set. And I would just go, all right, I'm just going to sit here for another 10 minutes until they really need me. But then that kind of like... Yeah. Then they're like, well, he's not coming out. So now they would call me even earlier.

You know, like the next time. It just, yeah, it just... Yeah. But I love doing that show, yeah. Well, that must... Then you must really... You must love... Well, you tell me, do you love directing?

I'll bet you do. In theory. It makes me the most anxious... Like, when I direct, I get so anxious that it's... I'm beside myself. And I don't do it or not. I just feel like I'm, you know, I'm insecure.

I'm not really, I don't really know what I'm doing. I don't know about camera stuff. See, that's my weakness is that I'll come on set and I'll say, you know what I'm, and I'll say the DP, I'm thinking, how about if we do this and the DP will say, oh, well, you know, the light's coming in this way and this is, and I would go, oh, yeah, right, right. Right, okay, yeah, yeah, you're right. And now I just go talk to the actor, look to the DP and go, what do we do? Like, what do we do? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And I find eight out of ten directors work like that.

Don't you find that? A lot of directors would just sort of punt all the camera stuff to the DP and the operator, and then they go and they work with the actors, which is a great way to do it as well. There's so many different ways to do it. Yeah, there are, but I get so jealous of directors when they say to the DP, so what do you think, a 40? You didn't think of 35? And I'm like, what are they talking?

Like, why don't I know this? Whatever you're doing, you're doing it just right. Yeah, you're keep going. Of all the genres you've done, is there any genre, well, is there a genre that you haven't done that you want to do or is there a genre that you have done and that you will never do again? Yeah, yeah.

I mean, I really haven't done horror. I've done, like, a little bit. There's some TV shows back. in the day like Tales from the Crypt and there was a show called monsters and um but i've never done like a horror movie and but i don't know if i could i don't i i'm pretty squeamish and i don't like prosthetic makeup like i've done that in the past like um and like sitting in the chair for five hours sitting in the chair yeah yeah but your your your ability to uh to ground violence is awesome i just love watching you uh deal with with the um the unsettling unpredictability of

violence coming on someone that is just normal uh there's a bit eccentric but like living in our world like you you just ground violence very well to a point where oh my god that that's really shocking because it seems like it's really happening to someone in our real world. I mean, I, you know, Fargo's top three films I've ever seen in my life. I've seen it more than any other film. It's so good.

And just, just your way, just, not only just the, the violence that you're, that you deal with in that film, but even just your, your line of work in that film too, you know, that there's a, there's a grounded sense of, here's a guy who's, you know, dealing with, you know, the underbelly of society, but he's not super comfortable with it, but

you know, he's just, he's got to make a living and here we go. It's kind of matter of fact almost. It's so exciting to follow somebody like you through an eccentric storyline, because you just ground it all. You know who we are. I love that.

Well, thank you. And that film was yeah, that was another seminal one for me because I had, you know, worked with the Cohen Brothers, a few times before that, but then in that film, they really gave me a part that was throughout the film, and I loved it. And I loved that character, you know, kind of, yeah, you know, thinking he's, you know, smarter than he really is, but, you know, but he had a certain kind of confidence, you know, that you're funny, you know. Well, especially as the way you interrelate with your, with your,

your cohort there, Peter Stromar, yeah. Stromar, yeah. I just love that sort of, uh, I just love that sort of alpha-beta thing you guys had going where you're just you're the smartest guy in the world when it's just the two of you guys you know and then you get thrown out amongst the other characters and you're in trouble I just yeah you with a bloody face

getting angry at everybody around you just made me pee in my pants how many how many films did you do with the Cohen brother because you I mean yeah you mentioned it you've worked with them before you worked with them you did Big Lobowski was after that was after Fargo yeah yeah which is weird I always think of it as being before

No, that was their follow-up to Fargo, which was kind of amazing because they had finally, like, broken into the mainstream because Fargo was nominated, right? Right, right. So now, like, everybody was seeing this film and we're starting to really, you know, get to know the Coen brothers in a mainstream way. And then they follow up with this film that I remember when it came out. People really didn't know what to make of it. It took a good five years for people to, like, catch on. Could it have a bigger cult following? I don't know if a film could have a bigger cult following than Big Lobowski.

Yeah. We'll be right back. And now, back to the show. And now, actors are lucky enough if you're in one-hit anything. One-hit play, TV, show. And you've had all of these things that you've been a part of that are, like, hit after hit after hit like it's kind of extraordinary do you are you able to allow yourself to appreciate that and and be like i'm kind of proud of like i'm proud of what i've done i mean of course

you are you don't have to say it out loud but but or are you one of the people that kind of deflect say it out loud i mean or can you absorb that because it's very rare for somebody to be in that many hit hit things yeah i mean i'm very proud of it and i feel very grateful for it and at the same time I feel like I haven't been in you know like I've I've never done like a Marvel movie I've never done like I haven't done you know I'm popcorn things yeah yeah I mean I did you know like I like Armageddon and Con Air were my two like like big movies that I did in the 90s but I really haven't done stuff like that so much since yeah but I'm I don't care I mean I'm very happy with yeah that's kind of what I'm saying yeah you lend you lend you lend so

much credibility and artistic rigor to those films like that was a that was a very nice thing you did for those couple of films um and i'll bet you could do that a ton more if you wanted to um i bet marvel would have you in a second um yeah yeah but you are you're just such actor and director you know catnip uh yeah i i i hope you're as proud as you deserve to be about you know the the position that you hold in this community is so well earned Steve well thank you coming from you and all you guys

it just means so much to me because I really you've got some pretty memorable deaths on screen yeah that's true do you have a favorite is there a favorite Steve Bouchard matter of dying? I do think my

favorite was in the Big Lobowski just literally being scared to death yeah it made no sense like when i read the script i was like i think i'm going to make it through this one i think you know and it's like what he's he's dead you know yeah um you also that's so good have you also mentioned um that you improvised in that in that in that audition that quentin saw you in

in i'm sure you've improvised a lot of movies and i know you know we you've had the opportunity of working with so many great writers who've written and you've mentioned so many great pieces of material but has there ever been an improvised line I've always wanted to know like is there something in a movie somewhere that you're like

proud of that you that you improvised and that made it in the movie and you're like oh yeah yeah well actually in Armageddon I mean Michael Bay let us you know

improvise a lot you know like you know I mean we would we would do the scene but then um the one thing I remember when I was sitting on

the nuclear weapon and I just and I said so I was like no nukes no nukes that was just from me and it made it into the movie God that movie was so huge that it was such a massive hit

yeah oh my God so Steve what it with again with all of the stuff that you've done and all the directors that you've worked with and the parts that you've played aside from Marvel is there something that you that you hope to

to do sometime soon and that can be as an actor or as a director you know are you looking to maybe direct one of those

one of those big sort of popcorn big pieces of business things or or act in one of those you know I've never really had a plan for you know and and I've been you know I mean we all get to ask

like what's your dream role and or if you know Or to work with somebody, a director. Or to work with somebody, and I get superstitious about, well, I've never worked with so-and-so, and I feel like if I say it out loud, you know. Although, sometimes you say it out loud and it happened. That's true. Because they get to hear it.

What about theater? Have you, I apologize for not knowing, but if you don't take Sean, and apologize for taking Sean's question, but go ahead, Jason. Sean will have the follow-up about anything funny that happened on stage. But do you enjoy doing that, or does it take too much? time off of your availability yeah you know i mean i used to do in the 80s when i lived in these village which was like an amazing place and time to live i had a um a partner mark boone junior who you guys may know um he was uh he's you know he's done a lot of great work he was and

a lot of people know him from sons of anarchy he played the character of bobby oh yeah yeah i know mark did you didn't you work with boon yeah i did i did i did work with boon yeah i did i did Yeah. Yeah, he did Flaket. He did our show Flakeet. Yes, yes, yes. He's terrific. God, what a great actor.

We used to write and perform our own, like, short sketches and some plays. And that was, you know, I think I never felt more creative as when I was doing that, you know, working with him. And then working with other, I worked a little bit with the Worcester Group, another, another playwright director, on Jezarin and I did a lot of that stuff then and then when I sort of transitioned into film I just felt like I was spoiled by like

all the great people and fun that I had doing that in the 80s it was hard for me to make a transition and say like they want me to do what how many how many shows a week? I think the eight shows a week thing is like the dumbest thing in the world yeah it's brutal

and then I was just yeah I guess I just sort of kept myself open, you know, for like film and TV stuff. The last play that I did was over 20 years ago, but it was amazing. It was Simon McBurney directed it, and it was

Arturo Owee and Al Pacino played Arturo Owee. They had an amazing cast, and it was a, yeah, it was a star-studied cast. And you were supposed to do something with Oscar Isaac, right, around the pandemic? We were going to do, yeah, we were going to do, I

It was three sisters, yeah. Oh, three sisters, right, right. And the pandemic... That was going to be the original title of our podcast. Yeah. It was taken. It was taken. The pandemic, put that on hold, and then it just kind of fell apart.

I've tried to do some things over the years, but it just never worked out. So we mentioned that, you know, how much you work, and again, like, how many roles you've done it, and it's, you know, obviously, you're busy a lot. where you just you work a lot you must I don't know if it feels like you work a lot but you do yeah no it does yeah so what what is what do you do are you East Coast base or you West Coast base most of the time I'm East Coast yeah East Coast yeah East Coast New York yeah and then what's a what's a day what's if you're not on set you're not working on something what's an average day for Steve Bouchemy you wake up and you have a you're a coffee tea matcha what are you definitely coffee, black coffee in the morning and just read like, you know, the times or whatever news feed is on my phone and do that and then...

I don't do, you know, like I do yoga. We do yoga on the weekends. Nice. For a little while I was working out, but I'm not, yeah, I... But are you walking around? Are you going to lunch? You're going to read books? You're going to museums? Are you watching reality TV?

No, I don't watch reality TV. I mean, I catch up on shows and movies and I like doing that, and I like hanging out with friends and visiting my mom, who's 92 now, and she lives now like a block away from me. But it's a pretty sort of, you know, uneventful life that I lead. Sounds pretty good.

No, but that sounds like a power down. Like you need to have kind of like quiet time where you kind of do nothing a little bit. What's your drink of choice? my wine yeah oh wine red white rose red wine red wine red wine red wine there you go all right yes it's pretty classic it's good to know hey well i have to ask you this yeah please do you remember when we were both nominated for uh 30 rock yeah yeah do you remember we were sitting next to each other at the emmys that happened like before the creative emmy yeah the creative emys because we were both

nominated for 30 Rock. And we were sitting next to each other, and so was Tim Conway. Oh, wow. Wait a second. Do you remember this? And we didn't say a word to each other. I think we were both kind of like nervous to talk to each other.

I was nervous to talk to you. Well, I was nervous to talk to you, and I had just, I had, right before that, I had introduced myself to Betty White, who was there. And as I was walking away from her, I heard her say to a friend, who was that? Then I was like, all right, I'm not going to say. say hi to anybody. And we sat there. And so when they got to our category,

it's Tim Conway. I mean, we're up, you know, I think we both knew. Before they announced his name, he ran up on stage. Which I thought was such a brilliant move. Because win or lose, it was great. It was so, you know. He did that. You know, it's funny.

Steve, I do remember that. That's so crazy. I totally blanked on that. Did he end up winning? He did win. He did win. Of course you. He did win.

But what he had done was, if you remember, in the 70s, he originated that bit that they kind of, they tried to copy years later for actress in a comedy. He originated the bit in 1975. I know it was that year because his year Chevy Chase was nominated for S&L. So it was like 75, 76. And they started listing off the nominees. And they go, Best Supporting After an Academy. Tim Connolly, and he walked up. And then each nominee walked up as if they had won.

That's really good. Just when they do the list of nominees and then they stood there and then Chevy Chase ended up winning. But they were all standing on stage. So I love that he years later extended that bit. And of course I remember that. It was so fucking crazy. And then when he took us, like he kind of like bowed and then pretended that he stabbed himself with the award and like kind of walked off holding his heart. I mean, was there anybody funnier than Tim Kahn?

No, I know. It was just, yeah, I was so excited to meet him. He, he one time, I saw a bit one time where he and Harvey Querman, Harvey Corman gets announced, he either won or was announced to come to the stage. And Tim Conn, he was wearing tails. And Tim Conway went and jumped on his tails and literally rode his coattails down the aisle. It was just working on so many different levels. Oh, God.

Love it. 30 Rock. 30 Rock. I know, I missed that show. Yeah, that was so much fun to work on. So your new show is coming out next. Well, whatever it is. I should know this.

This is my obligation. August 6, August 6, which is my son's birthday. So now I really remember. It's one of my son's birthdays. And then so what do we got in store for the rest of the summer, Steve? What are we looking to? Well, right now I'm working with Adam Sandler. is producing a movie.

He's producing two movies that his daughters are in. So Sonny is in one film that I'm doing called Don't Say Good Luck. And Sadie is doing a film called Roommates. And last night was the premiere for Happy Gilmore Two. Happy Gilmore, too. I'm in that as well. And that was so much fun seeing, you know, that film. And we watched it again.

Like I watched the first one in the afternoon yesterday, just so I would be up on all the references, and they did it. It was just so satisfying and so funny, yeah. I'm sure, and I think that people maybe, and you can testify to this, and we all can, there's almost not a nicer guy or better dude in the world than Adam Sandler.

See, I differ. You know, everybody, this monster, he, I just, you got everybody fooled. I mean, he is the nicest man. He's the sweetest guy. On top of being so funny and everything's so talented, he's such a good dude. You really are.

And he's so smart. So smart. I've worked with him since Airheads, right? Like, that was the first thing that we did to him. Oh, my gosh, that's right. And then he, you know, he was talking to us on set about how he wanted to, like, do his own film. And Robert Simons, who was,

one of the producers on Airheads, you know, took him up on it and produced Billy Madison. And Adam asked me to do like a small thing in that. And it was so much fun. But to watch Adam over the years, because his friends used to show up on set, you know, and just hang out. And then each movie I've done with them, I notice, oh, those friends are now in the movies. Those friends are his writers. Those friends are his producers. Yeah.

And he's so, not only is he loyal to them, but that's what I mean by smart. He knows what brings out the best in him, and he knows that they will bring, you know, like gold. And so, and he makes movies that he wants to see. You know, I don't think Adam ever makes something that he's trying to, you know, find an audience for. It's stuff that he really, like, wants, that he wants to see, that he thinks is funny. Yeah, he really does. He champions people and also, like you. He's so diverse and can do, he has so many different gears.

Oh, yeah. It's unbelievable. I was so happy for him that when he started doing dramatic roles, and I was so pissed off at myself that I hadn't, like, you know, like written something dramatic for him, you know, first, you know, because I could see it in him. And I used to tell him that. What was it first?

He's an amazing musician. Yeah, Punch Drunk Club was the first one, I think, that really kind of, you know, where people started to see him. in a different light. And then, of course, I mean, uncut gems. I mean, come on. Yeah, forget it. Incredible.

Yeah. Yeah. Well, Steve, what an absolute delight. I'm sorry that we never, that you and I didn't speak to each other at the Emmys and all those. We did exchange a few words. We didn't really go deep, but we were both losers. We were just losers that night. And, uh, but it's what a thrill to have you, man.

It just honestly, just such an absolute thrill. I'm so excited to have met you, Steve. Thank you so much. This is such an honor for me to be with you guys. And Wednesday, Wednesday on Netflix, August 6th, we'll look forward to it season two of Wednesday. Steve, just sending you lots of love and all the best of luck and continued success.

You're just the greatest. Thank you. And sending love and all the success to you guys too. Thank you. I love what you do. So thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you.

Enjoy the rest of your summer. Thank you. The great Steve Buscemi. Thank you, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye. How about that guy? Talking about a guy who's done at all. Yeah. Yeah, that was, I'm still a little kind of in shock there.

I know. That's a guy I'm just like such a enormous fan of his. And I just, for some reason, he just seems like a guy. I always thought I would never, ever be able to meet. You know, it's just like one of those guys that like zero circles I know or that I'm in. He just lives like in a cool zone. Yeah, he's not out there fucking cutting ribbons at markets and permits. and premieres and shit like that.

Like, he's just like... Cutting rare. If I got lucky enough to baby be in a project with him, but, you know, what are the odds? Wait, are you spending time with a lot of ribbon cutters? Oh, yeah. I bring my own scissors, you know, I don't... My germaphobe, so...

He is good, Willie, when you announced him on, when you were revealing, and Jason guessed it, I was like, right away, and I was like, oh, yeah. And he came on, it's one of those people, like Jay just saying, you're like, oh, my God, it would be so cool to hang out. with him and oh we're hanging out with them like i know i know i know i know it's just a thrill what a fucking talent and talk about yeah what he lends each project and you know he's in the cast list i agree oh okay so they're not fucking around on this film raises all boats right i didn't yeah and i didn't know he

did stand up like you know like i you should have some of your stand up oh i have some oh do you oh oh oh yeah oh oh yeah oh yeah you want anything you're workshopping yeah do i what did this what did the sushi say to the bee. Huh. Give me a second here. Oh, Shane. Wasabi. That you really got cheap.

Oh, because, you know, there's a lot in there that is close to my heart. You know? Right. The mock, bro talk. Right. And the pun. And the underused sushi mustard, you know. Right.

I just don't think gets a fair shake in this world. And then bees, of course. You know, they're my arched men, nemesis. Bees. Bees? Do you want one more? Do you want one more? Of course we do.

Okay. What does an Irishman call 66% of a piece of poo? Huh. Oh, that's two-thirds of something. Two-thirds. That's right. Oh, that's good. There we go.

Nice, J.B. Yeah, thanks. Two-thirds. Well, that's like a combination. That's like a hybrid of a... Here we go. What's the opposite of a hybrid? I can't even think of it.

Gas burning? No, that would be a hybrid. That would be a... Bibrate? No. Not at all. No. No.

What are you fucking talking about? Just like a hybrid joke of two... Well, how about... Maybe you were going towards like, you know, You know, you know, you got those airplanes with the jets and then the other planes that don't have the jets. Oh, that's good. Those are like, bye, bye, brain, bye, bye, bye, bye. Smartless.

Smartless. Smartless is 100% organic. by Rob Armjarf, Bennett Barbico, and Michael Grant Terry. Smart less.