The Adam Friedland Show (Cumtown) - WILLIAM H. MACY Talks Fargo, Auditions, PTA

Episode Date: November 19, 2025

Go to https://incogni.com/TAFS and use code TAFS for 60% off -- JOIN THE FRIEDLAND FAMILY FOUNDATION / PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAdamFriedlandShow/join -- Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheAdamFriedlandShow -- Buy our merch!: https://theadamfriedland.show/collections/new -- The Adam Friedland Show - Season Two Episode 22 | William H. Macy X: https://x.com/adam_talkshow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theadamfriedlandshow TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@adamfriedlandshowclips YouTube: Subscribe to @TheAdamFriedlandShow here: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheAdamFriedlandShow Subscribe to @TAFSClips here: https://www.youtube.com/@tafsclips -- Chime: https://www.chime.com/TAFS Exclusive $45-off Carver Mat at https://on.auraframes.com/TAFS. Promo Code TAFS Hims: https://www.Hims.com/TAFS -- #adamfriedland #theadamfriedlandshow #williamhmacy

Cold mornings, holiday plays, this is just when I want my wardrobe to be simple. Stuff that looks sharp, feels good, and things I'll actually wear. For me, that's quince. And the bonus, quince pieces make a great gift, too. This season's lineup is simple, but smart and easy with quince. $50 Mongolian cashmere sweaters that feel like everyday luxury and wool coats that are equal parts stylish and durable. Their denim nails the fit and everyday comfort all at a front. fraction of what you'd expect to

pay. By partnering directly with ethical factories and top artisans, Quince cuts out the middleman to deliver premium quality at half the cost. Ooh, half the cost of other high-end brands. So you can give luxury quality pieces without

the luxury price tag. Guys with Christmas around the quarter, my girlfriend has added tuned extra names to my Christmas list this year, her father and brother. And what am getting them? I'm getting them $50 mongolian cashmere sweaters but guys i've never seen a mongolian cashmere sweater for under three hundred and fifty dollars so take advantage of what's clearly uh some sort of glitch on

their website with fifty dollar mongolian cashmere sweaters guys give and get timeless holiday staples that last this season with quince go to quince dot com slash t a f s for free shipping on your order and three hundred sixty five day returns now available in canada too That's quince.com slash T-A-F-S. Free shipping and 365-day returns. Quins.com slash T-A-F-S. I read Fargo. Like this is an American masterpiece.

Yes. I was doing back. No, I was terrified that I wouldn't get it. I was up all night. Everybody I knew in L.A. was there. I probably memorized my entire part. The whole morning. Yeah.

Damn. I found out they were auditioning in New York. I got my Lutheran ass on an air. and I crashed that audition and I said I really want this part. I'm scared you're gonna screw up your movie by not casting me. That was not a good idea what I did. It worked. I don't recommend it. What'd you say? I said you're gonna fuck up your movie if you don't cast me. I think I went farther until Ethan who had a new puppy that I would kill the dog if he didn't cast me. Thank God he laughed. Hello, Adam Friedland Show, oh my Adam Friedland Show, oh, White Adam Friedland Show, I'm going back on the road. I'm going back on the road. It's Adam Friedland. It's Adam Friedland off top. I just have to say I'm going back on the road. It's perhaps an economic, necessity oh god i'm going back on the road folks this year 2026 i will be hitting that next year 2026 i will be hitting a city near you first date seattle washington january 22nd to the 24th five shows get your tickets at emerald city comedy dot com there's also a link in the description

my man over here mr uh mr knows what year it is is going to be there too mr Caleb Pitts, give it up for him. Kayla Pitts, everyone! Also, I'd like to, as always, thank our members for supporting us here on YouTube.com. You make the show possible. Members get access to all of our episodes early, and if you join at the second or third tiers, you get your name in the credits of this fine program. If you'd like to join the Freedland Family Foundation, you could do so by clicking

the join button here on YouTube at the top of the page, or clicking the link in the description below. You can also support us on Patreon if you prefer. The link for that is also in the description. Finally, merch is available. Go to the Adam Freedland. Show to check it out. Shirts, hats, some hoodies. We got the freaking sick at, you want to just, just, yeah. My man got the hoodie over there.

Uh, they're all available right now. Get them before. They're gone. They're flying like hot cakes. My guest this week is Emmy Award-winning actor William H. Macy. I call him Bill, personally. but you probably will, you know him as William. William is known for many roles in film and television,

gritty properties like Fargo and Shameless. Bill, on the other hand, is known by me for roles of some of my favorite films, the tale of Despero. What is this? Despero. Are these movies that he was in? It's a great movies. So we're doing the thing again where Caleb writes it, and then I kind of, I'm not good at reading.

Bill, on the other hand, is known by me for roles, roles in some of my favorite films, like The Tale of Despero or Marmaduke. He's in Marmaduke? The Dog One? That's funny. Okay, see, some enjoy mystery, horror, romance. I like talking animal movies. There's a certain funniness to an animal that speaks English. And to sit across from a veteran of the genre, a man portrayed not only Dr. Don, what? And to sit across from a veteran of the genre, a man who portrayed not only Don Twombly, but also Desperot's father, Lester. What a treat.

Sometimes I can't believe my life. Ladies and gentlemen, William H. Macy. Wow, it's a nice pick. The eyes, too. Phenomen. Give it up for him, guys. And Thomas Isman, Kayla Pitts. I love my team.

Okay. Ladies and gentlemen, our next guest is a legendary American actor. It's a great honor. William H. Macy, everyone. Give it up for guys, boys, a lot of noise. What do you think? 40,000 people. 40,000.

Don't get up. Don't get. Stop, you, stop. You, you're crazy. We really let out the insane asylum with these guys, huh? We're in an empty room. We're going to do, oh, don't, please. An empty room.

Would you say that if you were shooting a picture, picture and you know no I would only say that on your show yeah thank you sir thank you so much for coming on so he's a huge fan he hasn't missed a single episode apparently that's what you were telling me before I think I missed one yeah yeah I think he's missed every episode so this is gonna be it's it's a great honor I've been watching a lot of interviews with you and you know doing I do quite extensive research and you go your bill yeah and I can say bill yes you can that makes me feel famous kind of you know what I mean I'm glad I remember like we're a cheap

date but I'm glad I just want to go into you a little bit but your upbringing and they kind of just work our way out from there like I think you know you grew up you're born in Miami grew up around Atlanta and the Maryland is that correct correct your father was a bomber in World War II he flew a B-17 in World War II he's a pilot he was a pilot did he get shot down no there was no Hogan's heroes situation with him no when the 8th Air Force first went to England they would send over 80 planes and 20 would come back it was just this shy of a suicide mission by the time a dad got there 80 would go over and only 20 would not come back so yeah it

was death-defying man from what I understand the RAF they would do nighttime just like bombing raids and they just bomb indiscriminately but the but the United States Air Force said we can't hit anything yeah we would go surgical and then that was thus it was a lot more dangerous it was a big controversy because in daylight bombing you stood a much bigger chance of getting shot down by the time I got my dad got there the lufa was pretty much blown out of the skies and that was one thing but there was still a lot of flack yeah I mean it would have been fun to be in one of those prank kind of prisoner of war camps where they were like pronging the commandante jokes out of the mazoo that's what they made it look like

hogan's heroes yeah i took my dad to see well um a war movie um that was about b17s and bomber pilots and i said what'd you think and he said that's ludicrous it's ludicrous First of all, you can't talk. You can't take the headsets off and talk. And even with the headsets, you can bet. There were four Rolls-Royce engines with no mufflers on them. I mean, they must say on death. Yeah.

My dad had hearing loss from that. And the second thing, of course, in this movie, they thought bombing was not dramatic enough. So they put, you know, interstitiary fighting between the bombardier and the pilot. My father said, oh, my God, that's the stupidest. premise ever. When you were up there, man, you didn't think of anything except getting back alive. I mean, it was just like literally like 10% would come back. At the beginning. At the beginning, yeah. My grandfather was a cartographer in the RAF, actually. And he was stationed

in Italy. And then after he died, I guess the flirt back in the day, instead of like you know, messaging someone on Instagram was a snapshot. It was like a passport-sized photograph, and then the girl would write a note on the back. And he, after he died, my father and I were emptying out his office, and there were stacks of these pictures of Italian women in post-war Italy. They were like, Barney, I've never known a lover like you. And I was like, he was

cleaning up. But, yeah. I mean, I think being in the air, I think was a sexy thing to chicks. Oh, man. One time I was living in Chicago, I grew up in Cumberland, Maryland, so you had to go to Baltimore, Washington airport. And I said, Pop, can you take me? He said, yeah, I'll take you. I said, we should leave it, blah, blah, blah to get there. It's a long drive. And he said, no, I'll take you. I said, yeah, I'm just saying I've got to be there in Albaugh. And he said, no, I'll take you. I said, what are you saying? He said, I'll take you. I said, to Chicago? He said, yeah, I'll take you. And he drove me to Chicago.

We took two days to do it. We hadn't gotten out of the driveway when my dad started telling me about every woman he had ever slept with. How bad was this war? These guys were getting trim left and right. Not in the Pacific, though. Like crazy.

And the second the war was over, it went back to that puritanical thing. But during the war, all bets were off. He's like, I'm not Lutheran. You know, all the way to Chicago. I sat there with my mouth open just listening soaking it up and it was before cell phones if I could have recorded that oh my god oh my word yeah it's nice to know that our you know the older members or our family you know we're cool guys you

know it makes you feel good I'm glad my grandfather yeah his older brother was a gunner in the RAF also stationed in Italy and a friend of his had a he took a shift for a guy and he was shot down by the Nazis of a Crete and he's my father's namesake actually Max Friedland he's like that's that's the one instance of heroism in our entire family tree is that guy but anyway I want to get to you so from what I understand you knew that you wanted to go into acting and dramatic arts fairly young what were like some what were some like films and and like performances and actors that kind of spoke to you when you're

grown up? I did it in high school and I didn't fail, which was new for me. And then I did it in college. And then I finally went to a hippie college in Vermont called Goddard College. And that's where I met David Mamet. Yeah. And he taught me everything I know. Was your mentor, if I understand. My mentor, my pal, and he gave me my career and he taught me everything I know about acting. And he's the smartest guy I've ever met, present company excluded. And I saw the French connection with Gene Hackman. And I thought, if I could ever act like that, that was my goal and remains my goal. How old were you when you saw that?

20s. In your 20s. And you were like, that. Man. Have you ever been in a car chase? I mean, I assume the actors don't drive the cars, but. I haven't. But in that one, this is before they started to crack down on that stuff.

Gene Hackman was driving and I've read, yes, and I've read stories that they owned a bunch of the streets, but not all of them. Oh yeah, and it's also Marseilles, it's in Marseille, right? Which is like a mafia city. No, New York. Well, it's, but it starts off

in Marseille. Yes, it does, but the car chase and the arrests. Yeah, yeah, but those are like, yeah, under the elevated trains, of course, yeah. Yeah. Oh, my God. So those old Gene Hackman? Rest in Peaceboat, yeah. Yeah. I never got to act with him. Dave did a movie with him. He was never bad. I saw him in some stinky movies.

He was never bad. It's true. Yeah, it's really just like, I don't think there's anyone that's, you know, I mean, yourself included, actually. The two of you might be the most, just every time you're on screen, everyone's like, oh, great, like, my pal.

Yeah, it feels that way. Yeah. That's a good thing. When you were studying with David Mamet, like, as you've said, he was your mentor. Like, what specifically were the things and the lessons that he imparted on you that you've taken into your career? Well, it was a hippie college, so there were no grades and no test and no requirements. So we did theater all day and all night sometimes. And there was a class of about 30.

he had gone he graduated from Goddard and he'd gone to New York and he was in what did one year of the neighborhood playhouse and then he came back then so it's the technique is Stanislavski through Meisner roughly and he refined it when I start talking about acting technique I can see the will to live drained from people so just stop me at any time I'm getting a free class right right now, basically. The cameras aren't even on. He, I'm a schizophrenic person who's recreated the Dick Cavitcho set. And basically, I spent all my life savings, and when they run out, I'm not going to be able to talk to the great information.

I'm glad I made it before that happened. Yeah, yeah, hopefully. Anyway, he took the Meisner technique, which is all about the objective, as opposed to the emotions, and he refined it even more. So the lessons that he gave me, He said, it doesn't matter how you feel, it's what you do.

I'm talking about you acting when the light, when the camera's rolling or the curtain is up. It's what you do about it. Don't worry about how you feel about it. He said, he taught us that the most, the founder of the feast is the writer. And that it's not an actor's job to be funny. It's the writer's job to be funny. or dramatic, and that our job was to find a solution to these problems and never give up. So, irrespective of what you're doing, figure out what to do to fix it and let the rest go hang.

He taught us that the audience only wants to know one thing and one thing only, what happens next. That's it. He simplified it. And you know what? It stuck with me for my whole life. He said, as an actor, if anyone ever treat you with disrespect, quit. Leave the room. Don't ever let that happen. And this was back in a time when acting teachers were notoriously vicious, notoriously vicious. Notorious. Like cult leaders, in fact.

Yes, rip your soul out of you. They would convince you that you were, like, molested even if you weren't. They were, like, yeah, I've had friends have horror stories about acting. acting teachers oh god yeah awful awful and I loved him for that because it's true it's true you even talked to a really famous teacher one time we were drinking I ended up standing on the table saying you're a fucking asshole he thought it was his job to rip people down to emotionally just to leave them in tatters and then rebuild them yeah and I said man I'd love to teach you how to teach and

rip you down and destroy your self-esteem so that I could make you a better teacher. Also, you're teaching because you don't know how the fuck to act. What? I mean, kind of. You said it. I didn't. I mean, it's like sometimes when you read a review, like, that's why, like, Roger Ebert made, like, an incredible movie, right?

And I think, like, to some extent, it's, like, if you're talking shit on some other people's, like... You better. You better just be able to do it yourself, you know? Like, Beyond the Valley of the Dolless is an incredible picture. But I will say, Dave Mamet is a magnificent teacher and director, and he knows more about storytelling anybody I've ever met. He couldn't act his way out of a paper bag, and he's the first to say it.

Well, he's a filmmaker, you know? He's a filmmaker. Yeah, yeah, and as, you know, playwright and a screenwriter. I mean, it's so funny to imagine him at a hippie college, though. That's the visual that I'm getting, because he's just like a fucking alpha male, like, Sergeant Major General, you know, and, like, he's surrounded by, like, the dawning of the age of Aquarius. You're not wrong.

You're not wrong. We showed up, the first thing he said is, you got to be on time. If you're not on time, I'll kick you out of the class. And on time means five minutes early. After that, I'll lock the door. And all this, you know, my hair was down to here. I think I was stoned for the first five classes anyway, because it was stone all day anyway. And you're like, hey, President Nixon, man.

Yeah. What? On time, man. What's your problem? Jesus. Chill out. And so you got your starting theater in Chicago with him. Is that correct?

Yeah, my friend Stephen Chactor and me, after graduating from Goddard, we wanted to start a theater company. That's another thing Dave taught us. You can sit by the phone or you can make your own fun. And we decided to make our own fun. So we went to L.A., tried to start a theater there, which is like opening a Sunday school in Beirut. It was just not a good idea. Dave called up and he said, Billy, Stevie, I just wrote this place called Squirrel, says,

come on to Chicago. And he'd just done sexual perversity in Chicago, which was a huge hit. Did it at the Organic Theater. Stuart Gordon directed it. And, yeah, he was the, he was the, sorry about that. He was the, he was the, I saw.

Is that your daughter? Yeah. Does she know the show? She might know the show. I'll bet she does. She knows everything. she'll tell you it's good there was a Paul Simon a Simon and Garfocal concert one time when the phone rang and our Garfunkel said stop and he stopped the band and he said you better get

that it could be important he was a he was a good actor too yes he was I just watched carnal knowledge fabulous what a movie Mike Nichols had you ever work with him before no no no he came out of the theater as well you know you could tell in his... Nichols? Yeah, yeah. Yeah, Second City. Him and Elaine May were just like...

I got to work with Elaine once. She is... The best. Yes. The fucking best. I saw her in a Kenneth Launergan play. Yeah. Probably eight years ago, and it, like, floored me.

She played, like, a matriarch that was, like, early stage dementia. And the whole family was fucking sick and tired of her. And it's just... It breaks you that movie. What was she like to interact with? Pretty crazy. She had written the play.

It was called Mr. Gogol and Mr. Preen at Lincoln Center. And she's a kook. She's an eccentric and delightful and smart as a whip. Indefatigable knowledge of all things theatrical. Yeah. It was something. I found out when she made issues She was one of two women in the director's guild.

Jeez. At the time. I had no idea. I liked Ishtar. Remember how they just skewered? I liked Ishtar. Well, it was because she was spending so much money. The camel.

The camel sunk. Well, you know what I really liked about that movie? It was that they got them to play against type. Totally. Dustin Hoffman's the pimp and Warren Beatty's the Nebush. I know. Genius casting. And they were both great.

Oh, my God. We love them. They're amazing, yeah. You can't, what's the song? You can't get respect if you play an accordion. The songs, I love funny songs, too. You know, that as a through line throughout that movie is hilarious as well. You know, I hate that I have this instinct to do it, but we're really annoying people.

But it's just so funny because every name that comes up, you're just surrounded by Jewish people. It was good for me. One, I was exotic. Yeah, yeah, no, literally. I still had a bit of a southern accent. You're Brazilian, basically. Yeah, right. So they sort of marveled at me.

And every once in a while when we'd read something by A.R. Gurney or something, I had to translate. This is what wasps do. And Dave once described me as being Hebraically challenged. He was on me all the time. He was a wild man. He was like a gambler and like a smoke, a cigar. He had cigars and stuff like that. Yeah.

He's kind of like a, what do you call it? like peck and pa or something. Well, strangely, he's the most courtly and gentlemanly man I've ever met. Really? Yeah, he's really good that way. And a laser-sharp mind. I've seen him on a set greet the extras and introduce himself, and 14 hours later he says good night to them by name.

Oh, he has that like Bill Clinton type of quality. It's like just knows people's, yeah. I mean, man's a genius. You told his story about in Chicago when he was living in the hotel on a podcast that I heard once. And I just thought it was so funny. Hotel Lincoln, yeah? Yeah, yeah. But you were saying that like he would just disappear for weeks on end and you were like he's on another gambling bender.

Well, he put it this in American Buffalo, which was based on his card game, which was uptown at a Kenny's, resale shop and Dave was teach and Kenny was Donnie and I got to meet Kenny and you'd know whether Dave had won or not by his wristwatch if he had his wrist watch he was doing fine if he had no wristwatch we had to get the check did you have some rough customers after him was you like don't pick up the phone today yeah I don't have some like yeah you didn't have some uh guys that tough tough guy thing that he puts on he's a lover

not a fighter although he's been taking jujitsu for a hundred years so I wouldn't want to tackle him I would tackle David Mamet without even saying hello I would take him down you were in a lot of the original productions

of a lot of his and you've been in a lot of pictures he's made but like from there like what was the decision to kind of move to New York and then eventually L.A. and like get get in the business, make movies, be in movies? We were pretty snobby in Chicago. I was there a little less than 10 years.

We started a theater company called the St. Nicholas Theater Company. We were part of that off-loop renaissance, as they called it. Our theater was on Halstead Street. And we were the B's Knees. We started the theater with three solid gold hits. You had to know me to get a ticket. It was, we were sold out. Reality set in shortly after that.

But I think in the back of my mind, I always wanted to make movies. Yeah. But at the time, we thought, I don't need to go to New York. It's a better theater here than in New York. Yeah. It was the same.

I do stand-up, so it was like I started in Washington, D.C. And, like, you started a tertiary scene that at a certain point you have to go to New York. for L.A., if you want to make a career of it. Kind of. Yeah. So, like, you were working for about 10 years prior to, like, I think in the 80s and

early 90s, you were, like, auditioning all the time. You're on the fourth ever episode of Law & Order? I was in the first Law & Order. They aired it as the fourth. I mean, that's an honor. I didn't know that until a couple of years ago, and someone said, you were in the pilot of Law and Order,

which is how actors paid their rent in New York for many years that and Spencer for hire it is that a demoralizing process like going out all the time like you know going to set for a couple days just like being on that treadmill yes yes auditioning is awful if they were a better way I'm sure someone would have thought of it but it's soul-sucking it's really rough of the good things that have happened to me right after My wife and daughters, not having to audition, is really up there. Did that, that happened after Fargo, I would assume?

About a year or two after Fargo. Yeah, because you got the nomination. I don't know. Someone should have told me, just get an Oscar nomination. You can quit auditioning. I should have done it years earlier. Do you know if you're going to win or not when you're the, you don't know? They don't tip you off.

No, no. Did you have, like, a prepared face for, like, if you didn't win? A speech? No, a face. Like, if they say someone else's name, like, you don't want to be like, fuck. Yes, because a couple of guys have. Yeah, yeah. Or women.

What do you do with your face? And the winner is... You pretend you're really happy that they won because... Who won that year? It was Cuba? Cuba Gooding. Oh, that was rough. That was a big year.

I mean, your performance in Fargo, and I want to get into it a little bit, is just like the man is in hell. Like, the man is just in literal hell. It's a genius script. How did you walk us through the auditioning for it? Like, I mean, you'd been on ER at that point for a couple of seasons. So, and, you know, like, you were making a living, you know? You're paying the damn rent. Yeah, I'd moved to LA.

And I had enough juice that I was working all the time, guest stars and that kind of thing. Yeah. And so how did you know that this, because from what I understand, like, you kind of pushed it. Real hard. Yeah, yeah. Dave Mamet taught me everything I know. I think I'm pretty good at reading scripts. And here's what I do, and I suggest it.

I try to read them in one sitting. I kind of skip over the stage directions because they're nonsense. They don't help you. And if you can see the film in your mind's eye, you can read it if you skip the stage directions, you can pretty much read it and the length of time the film will be. When you see it in your mind's eye,

it's pretty easy to decide which are the good ones and which are the bad ones. So I'm pretty good at reading scripts and I read Fargo. And you're like, this is an American masterpiece. Yes, I was doing backflip. No, I was terrified that I wouldn't get it.

It was perfect for me. I knew how to do the thing when I turned the last page. I knew exactly how to do it. it. So they called me in to read for the detective role and they said, that's real good. You want to read Jerry Lundergard? And I said, yeah. And I went out in the hall and I read it, came back in. They said, that's real good. You want to work on it and come tomorrow? And I said, absolutely. I was up all night. Everybody I knew in L.A. was there. I probably memorized my entire

part. The whole morning. Yeah. And I auditioned again. They said, that's real good. And then I found out they were auditioning in New York So I I got my Lutheran ass on an airplane And I crashed that audition And I said, I really want this part I'm scared you're gonna screw up your movie

By not casting me That's Mammett That's like don't be afraid of these pussies Yeah That's like that day It seems like what he taught you to do Is act but also just like Just like

This is all bullshit It's just like if you want something, go for it. Yes, that was not a good idea what I did. It worked. I don't recommend it. What did you do? Don't do that. What did you say?

I said, you're going to fuck up your movie if you don't cast me. I think I went farther until Ethan, who had a new puppy, that I would kill the dog if he didn't cast me. Thank God he laughed. Last Christmas, I gave you my heart. But this Christmas, I'm redeeming myself with aura frames. guys our grandparents are getting up there in age I'm sorry to break it to you

but they're fucking old and what they want mostly is to remember anything in fact but but more specifically to remember the good times the times when they stormed the beaches in Normandy when they put the flower

in the barrel of Hitler's gun and he shot himself of course your grandfather wants to remember the good times the time when when he was throwing flowers. So instead of getting a picture of one of these things, you can get him an aura frame

where he could see all these things, the memories of his life, like when him and Samuel L. Jackson had bananas. And you could have all these photos in one with an aura frame. Just download the aura app and connect to Wi-Fi, keep adding from anywhere, any time, and add a message before it arrives. Straight from your phone all year long, every frame comes packaged in a premium gift box with no price tag.

Don't wait, wait the holidays with Aura Frames. And for a limited time, visit AuraFrams.com to get $45 off, ORA's best-selling Carver Matt Frames. Name number one by wirecutter by using promo code T-A-F-S at checkout. That's A-U-R-A-F-A-F-S. This exclusive Black Friday CyberMud, CyberMud, day deal is their best of the year. So order now before it ends. Support the show by mentioning us at checkout. Terms and conditions apply. Hair loss isn't just about hair. It's about how you feel when you look in the mirror. Hymns helps you take back that confidence with access to simple personalized care that fits

your life. Hymns offers convenient access to a range of prescription hair loss treatments with ingredients that work, including chews, oral medications, serums, and sprays. Dr. Trusted clinically proven ingredients like Phenestoride and Monoxidil can stop further hair loss and regrow hair in as little as three to six months. You shouldn't have to go out of your way to feel like yourself. Hymns brings expert care straight to you with 100% online access to personalized treatment plans that put your goals first. No hidden fees, no surprise cost, just real personalized care on your schedule. Think of Hymns as a digital front door that gets you back to your old self with simple 100% online access to trusted treatments for real health concerns all in one place.

So for simple online access to personalize affordable care, for hair loss, ed, weight loss, and more, visit hymns.com slash tafs. That's hymns.com slash tafs for your free online visit hymns.com slash tafs. Individual results may vary based on studies of topical and oral monoxidil and finesteride. Featured products include compound drug products, which which the FDA does not approve or verify for safety effectiveness or quality. Prescription required. See website for full details, restrictions, and important safety information.

Ah! Cold mornings, holiday plans, this is just when I want my wardrobe to be simple. Stuff that looks sharp, feels good, and things I'll actually wear. For me, that's Quince. And the bonus, Quince pieces make a great gift, too. This season's lineup is simple, but smart and easy with, Quince, $50 Mongolian cashmere sweaters that feel like everyday luxury and wool coats that are equal parts stylish

and durable. Their denim nails the fit and everyday comfort all at a fraction of what you'd expect to pay. By partnering directly with ethical factories and top artisans, Quince cuts out the middleman to deliver premium quality at half the cost. Ooh, half the cost of other high-end brands. So you can give luxury quality pieces without the luxury price tag. Guys, with Christmas around the quarter, my girlfriend has added two extra names to my Christmas list this year, her father and brother.

And what am I getting them? I'm getting them $50, Mongolian cashmere sweaters. But guys, I've never seen a Mongolian cashmere sweater for under $350. So take advantage of what's clearly some sort of glitch on their website with $50 mongolian cashmere sweaters. Guys, give and get timeless holiday staples that last this season with Quince. Go to quince.com slash T-A-F-S for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too.

That's quince.com slash T-A-F-S. Free shipping and 365-day returns. Quins.com slash T-A-F-S. the way, Ethan Cohen has a show at the Atlantic Theater Company, which I'm part of. It's called Let's Love. Run. Don't Walk. It's the funniest thing. It's magnificent. They're geniuses. They're geniuses. And Ethan is a stunning writer. It's so freaking funny. They are the best. I mean, when I saw a serious man, I know I know you're not in it, but I went into a three-month depression. Yes.

Because it's about just how, it's just beyond how bullshit life is, it's about how bullshit being Jewish is. And I just, for, my dad also went into a three month depression. The two of us were, I called him, I was like, I'm still fucking thinking about that movie. They, you're really good at getting under your skin. It's not about the emotions about what you do, right? You said that before. So it's not a matter of like drilling into some past trauma, what it is is just approaching

the word for what the assignment is right I that's a good way of putting it that's our assignment yeah so so is that how you went into the undergarde obviously there's a dialect aspect of it too yeah there's like Minnesota nice which you were like fucking perfect that not very nice but I I come from the school I'm not saying you don't have to do some research if you're going to play a doctor you got to learn how to do that all that stuff if it's an accent you have to study if it's if there's some physicalization you've got to memorize that but that's those are externals they're not acting the acting is looking at each other and deciding

what I'm going to do about what you just said and making that decision it's improvisatory you're beautiful it's got to be improvisatory same words I also believe I don't believe in ad living I say learn the script. Of course, when Dave Mamet writes the script, nobody has to be told to learn it exactly. Actors love his script so much. They hold themselves to a higher standard than Dave does. I've never heard him bark at someone about paraphrasing.

Loving a line. As a matter of fact, I've heard him saying, well, you keep saying that I must have wrote it wrong. Really? So he's not precious at all. Not at all. That's very interesting. Isn't it?

Yeah, yeah. So going for Pargo, like you had that Oscar not, what does it feel like sitting there at the Academy Awards? Are you, you want to win? It seems like, dear God, you want to win. You want to fucking win. Do you have to go to a party afterwards? Don't have to.

But did you? No. You drove home. You only go to the party when you win. You only go home when you win. And then it's a great party. Yeah, yeah. When you lose, the world is out of sync.

And then you get home and you take off your monkey suit, And there's your speech, which is so much better than any speech that was given that. This is a great speech. But it's also best supporting. So you've got to wrap it up fast because it's the beginning of the show. That's the one where they start playing the music. Yeah. And in the speech, you have a guy that you deliberately don't think, right?

No. Well, I would. If I was mad at someone, I would just forget to say their name. And you know who you are. I have no idea what I'll say. I think, and I hope you get to. to go to the Academy Board sometime as a nominee, but I'll tell you, it's overwhelming. There's no time to think of clever stuff.

Maybe. If you're one of those guys, it's, if you're Meryl Streep, and this is your 40th trip, but I was, I was a live wire. I was, oh my God. I was cavalier about it on the way in, too, because I was directing a play here, and it's that whole Chicago attitude. I thought, you know, I got a play to do. Fuck the Academy Awards.

So, you know, so I didn't do much of a campaign. Woody would never go, apparently. I know a lot of people that won't go, especially people that have gone. It's kind of a smaller move. Yeah, I think you get old enough and you think I've done it. I gave it the office. I don't need to do this anymore. The Oscars, I don't know.

The Emmys, I don't know. But there's a bunch of awards out there. and sometimes you get exhausted. Yeah, I have to go to the SAG East. Yeah, it's in a tent. Yeah, the food is cold. On the other hand, if you can hold it lightly, that's where you get to meet all your pals.

It's fabulous. It's a fun night. I've been to the Emmys a lot of times. You have two. I got two. And there were all of us, you know, for about three or four years, we'd see this, all of us. And modern,

Family. Shameless and modern family was always there. Do you talk shit to them? No, quite the opposite. When we would lose, both tables would get up and we're all toasting each other while somebody else is walking up there. We're going, yeah. When did you meet Paul Thomas Anderson? How did that come to pass? They sent me boogie nights. And the script they sent me was even more.

racy. I thought it was being punked. And I called my agent. I said, no, this is legit. It's got to have an R rating. That's in the contract. And then I, when I got back to town, I was working someplace. I went to see his film Hard Eight. And I thought, I'll read the newspaper for this guy. Was he 25? Yes. It's a fabulous film. Jesus Christ. And that, him doing boogie nights. I'm. And that, him doing boogie nights. I'm. And I've told the story a lot and I think Paul's okay with it, but I went there ready to put the full court press on him, how I saw the through line, the way I was going to play it. But you thought you were auditioning.

And I said, hey, nice to meet you and Paul started talking and he didn't stop for seven minutes and he talked me all the way through the film, the way he was going to shoot it, and at a point I realized, oh my God, he's auditioning. He's also not me. He's 28. He's 28. He's the,

I'm the guy who's going to make this decision and I remember going tell me more. You're an Academy Award nominated actor. I know, but nothing.

He's a 28-year-olds. Fargo was out a year and a half before I started feeling the love. The love, yeah. Well, speaking of Flood Blonde's, I mean, the thing is, your character kind of

sets the insanity of that movie and like the end of your character's arc just sets the movie explodes, right? Yes, yes. And it's the centerpiece kind of of the rise and the fall. I like Barry Lyndon also, and they're both rise

and fall movies. They're about a Nimrod who nature pushes upwards and then begins to believe in their own genius, and then nature slaps them down. That's well put. But you famously, you steal the show a couple times.

You have a couple lines in that movie that are just... I know what you're talking about. Okay, the first is we missed the cum shot. Okay, so that scene is so intense, right? I know. And there's no dialogue, and everyone's gasping. Yeah. And you break the tension.

I mean, you, that is, it's so funny for that reason. What do you say? We missed the cum shot. Like, he came inside of her. Should we go to stock footage? Yeah. And everyone's stunned by the size of his. member, I think, and Bert played that thing, you know. He was trying to pretend he was in charge,

but he had had a bomb go off in his face, too, you know, and he said, no, yeah. That line, and then, of course, the famous flubbed line. So I... It was a mistake, correct? Yeah, the wife is down in the driveway, getting laid by all these guys, and Ricky Jay did this speech with me. Legend. And I said, do you mind my wife is down there with an ass and her cock? I can't concentrate right now. And he said, sorry, sorry, sorry. And Paul came and said, you said, ass and her cock.

And I said, I did? Sorry, sorry. And he said, let's go again. So we did the scene again, and he said, you said ass and our cock again. I said, no, no, I didn't. Were you fucking with it? No. I said, no, I didn't.

It was just a brainworm. Yeah, brain fart. I said, no, I didn't. He said, check the tape. And he said, let's just go again. Turns out I did it the second time, and the third time I did it correctly. And Paul, and this is why he's Paul Thomas Anderson, he decided there was some wisdom. There was some truth in the real.

reason that I said said it wrong. You were losing your mind. Yeah, yeah. I mean, it's such an amazing story. I mean, how does a set work, right? Like, in a production that's so, I mean, does, you've been a character actor for a lot of your career, right? And in particular, like, PTA's movies are so ensemble-y.

They're like Robert Altman's kind of movie, so there's so much chaos going on on camera. Like, how, A, is the set chaos? Like, how does one control that? Like, how does a filmmaker control that? And then you as an actor, do you're kind of, like on a football team, if I had to assume. You're like the nose tackle.

Everyone has like a specialized kind of assignment. Like, how do a group of 11 people become one thing? That's what's glorious about this business. It's everyone thinks Hollywood it's one thing. There are a bunch of liberal blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And it's not, as you well know. It's eclectic. It's a hodgepodge of people. And when you get all those people of all different backgrounds and political bents and race and creed and outlooks and ages, and they're all pulling in one direction, it's moving. They're all pulling in one direction

for art, for a piece of art. It's really moving. What happens if just one guy just fucking sucks? If you've got a good director and good producer, they'll straighten him or her up. If you don't, you suffer through it.

It's got a fucking... One person can really cause a lot of trouble. You famously said that before, I think. You said something about I want to find that it's a major block for you is that worrying about the potential for someone else? I think you're pretty sure you're talking about

Travolta and Wildhawks. No, I'm joking. I'm joking. He was fabulous. I'm joking. I'm joking. Oh, okay. Okay. No, I think what you're referring to is when I did Shameless, that TV show, it ran 11 seasons, and I

finally got my 10,000 hours, if you know the phrase. Malcolm Gladwell thing. And one of the things that I learned, which I wish to God I could have learned earlier, was to do my job and let everybody do their job. I'm pretty sure I was a jerk at the beginning of my career. I thought I knew more than everybody else, and I took responsibility and worried about stuff

that was not in my purview at all. And it causes chaos. when someone does that. Is there like a key grip or a best boy that you'd like to apologize to? No, probably more directors and actors. And so

what would you say if John Travolta was here about your behavior towards him on the set of wildhawks? You're stirring up the pot, aren't you? I'm just teasing. I will tell you this about John Travolta, and this is unknown. There is a hierarchy on the set,

and the number one on the call sheet has a responsibility. I mean, we need no ghost from the grave to tell us that shit flows downhill. So if you've got a bad producer, you know, a mean disrespectful producer or a mean disrespectful director or a mean disrespectful number one in the call sheet, everyone's going to suffer. And the converse is true. If those guys are great, or people, men or women, are respectful and kind and create a set that is safe, nobody will act up. Yeah.

It just, they set the tone. And John is great at that. He's always number one in the call sheet. Yeah. And he just sets the tone of kindness and respect on the set. Being on the set, like a set like Boogie Nights, it feels like he's always number one in the call sheet. it looks like when you're watching the movie like these guys are having a blast even when the cameras weren't rolling it had it was it like summer camp or something like

that there was a lot of joking and a lot of humor on that set because Paul is he loves making movies it shows yeah he's got a huge knowledge of every movie ever made and he loves actors so he was delighted every second of the day. Even when we were chasing the sun or it was a tough scene. Like that first scene, we rehearsed that thing forever. The tracking shot. Yes. And that makes producers very nervous because it's 3 o'clock in the afternoon

and you haven't rolled a piece of film yet. But then when you do, the whole scene's done. Bert Reynolds was, he was like a, he was a crumptu. on set like notoriously I made a joke one time he said mentioned Smoky and the bandit and I'm I said something snarky and everyone thought he's gonna deck you what did you say what was the joke I'm sorry he said we were trying to decide how to do something and he said well snow in Smoky and the Bandit I did blah blah blah blah blah blah and I said something to the effect of well we know how that turned

out and everyone goes I laughed immediately going yeah aren't I funny I was just making that was hyperbole but Paul said you came close to getting decked apparently Mark Wahlberg also says it's the one movie he regrets because he's very Catholic yeah a movie about your penis being enormous yeah what an idiot if I was a movie called the biggest penis of all time yeah And I'm like, oh, I really regret that. No, no, it's, it's like, oh, so embarrassing that movie about the biggest people. I watched Magnolia within the last year, and I lost a parent.

I hadn't seen this since I'd lost a parent. And my understanding is that Paul wrote it after his father passed away. But that movie that was devastating after losing a parent. you played Donnie the Quiz Kid Yes And that character is also Just in the vein of You were kind of on a run of like just these

Tragic Men characters But that performance of yours is just It's brutal Thank you so much It's a man reaching out for love I know I have a lot of love I just don't know where to play Oh The braces

Getting braces Getting braces to impress a hunger that just doesn't even know you're alive. Oh, my God. I have to see that. I haven't seen it in a long time. I want to see that again. My daughters just saw it.

It devastates you. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it's a phenomenal movie. What was it like working with PCA the second time around? A joy. So many people from Boogie Nights had come on for the second one. So we knew each other.

I mean, making a movie is like a pickup baseball team. It's scary, and you get there and most people have this experience. You know, when you begin the, if you've got a big role, when you begin the second or third day or the second week, you go, oh, now I know how to do this. I understand this. If only we could go back and start again. So when it's people you know, there's an ease about it. head start. I'm a big believer

in rehearsal. Was there someone in that crew that felt like top of the class? Was Phil Hoffman like, working with him, were you like, this is I mean, this is the greatest actor in the world? I think we all knew he was the best of us.

What was it like just in the flesh, washing him work? Like, what did he do with the words on the page that were just like, how did he? Was it magic? Or, like, It was a bit magical. First of all, all I knew about him was boogie nights, you know,

eating the pencil and hugging himself and so implosive. The boompole where he's like basically ejaculating in his own pants is one of the funny. I miss that part. Well, that's right after we missed the cum shot. That's right before we missed the cum shot. Yeah, yeah. He makes it look so natural. you have to sort of remind yourself,

this is Phil. This is the same guy that did that other thing. He was magnificent. I think I really I really fell in love with him after Magnolia when I saw him do these other roles.

I mean, talk about being a chameleon. And he didn't change his appearance that much. He was just a different guy in the same skin. It was almost as if you had never seen him before but he looked exactly the same yep he had he's a complicated man all those characters live within him yeah obviously we found out do you get a better performance when you're like with someone like that i think so i think so i mean if you want longevity in this

business you can't count on that but boy it's a you know a right Rising tide lifts all boats, and when the leads in the thing are just killing it, and simple and honest, and so in your face, so, when they look at you, you're being looked at, it's powerful, it's powerful medicine. You're just seeing, like, him go 99 yards with the ball. Yeah, every time. Yeah, and you're like, I better block for this guy. Today's episode is sponsored by Incogni. Incogni helps to wipe your personal data from the internet and protect your privacy. Folks, I'm not alone in saying this, but we've all had our data breached.

I've been breached numerous times on the PlayStation Network, supermarket, club card. You get breached. How many emails have you guys gotten saying that? I think I've gotten maybe 100, and I've never done anything about it until I got this great service in Cogny, which assists you in wiping your personal data in the event of a data breach. Thousands of companies are collecting and trading your personal data without you knowing it. You have the right to request data brokers to delete this information they have about you. It would take yours to do this manually. Incogni does the messy work for you.

Incogni reaches out to data brokers on your behalf requesting your personal data removal and dealing with their objections. And oftentimes these data companies hold your most personal information, like your full name, your home address, your social security. So get an extra level of protection with Incogni's custom removals feature in the Unlimited Plan and Family Unlimited Plan. You can point to any people search site

or any other website where your information is visible and one of their privacy ages will take care of the rest for you. I'll give you guys an example. A couple weeks ago, I don't know if you guys saw in the news, there was a massive data breach of Discord service. I bet a lot of you bastards are on that, and they are now, These data brokers are now privy to your emails, your text, your call, everything.

For any of you, for instance, who have used Discord, your personal information could be in the hands of data brokers, and Incogni could be used to get that information removed. You know, it's a real problem. Employers, landlords, and random strangers can access your personal details without your consent. So use code TAFS at incogny.com slash TAFS to get an exclusive 60. percent off. That's code TAFS at incognite.com slash TAFS to get an exclusive 60% off. Claim your 60% off and get your personal data off the market, boys. Chime, underscends that every dollar counts. And that's why when you set up direct deposit

through Chime, you get access to fee-free features like free overdraft coverage, getting paid up to two days early with direct deposits, and more. Learn more at Chime. com slash t a f s chyme is banking done right open a checking account with no monthly fees or no maintenance fees get paid up to two days early when you set up direct deposit with qualifying direct deposits you're eligible for free overdraft of up to 200 on debit card purchases and cash withdrawals to date chime has spotted members over 30 billion dollars open a checking account with no monthly fees and no maintenance fees not to mention access to 47,000 fee-free ATM more than the top three national banks combined.

I remember days where I was $180 over drafted, $190 over drafted, even $199 over drafted. And I shouted at God. I said, why can't someone give me a $200 fee-free overdraft protection? And I cursed God. I shouted at them. I said, why can't anyone just bring me a goddamn $200 fee-free overdraft protection? So work on your financial goals through CHIME today.

Open an account in two minutes at chime.com slash T-AFS. That's chime.com slash T-AFS. Chime feels like progress. Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. Bank, bank, card provided by the Bank or Stride Bank N.A. Members FDIC spot-me eligibility requirements and overdraft limits apply. Timing depends on submission of payment file. Fees apply at out-of-network ATMs.

Bank ranking and number of ATMs, according to U.S. News and World Report 2023. Chime checking account required. You want to hear a great story? Yes. It became clear that Shameless was going to run for a while. I think about the fourth or fifth season, we were selling like hotcakes.

And Felicity, my wife, said, what are you going to do next season? What are you going to work on next season? I said, what do you mean? She said, well, you've got this lab. You get to act every day. You get to act all this stuff. Do you have a gold, something you want to work on?

I married very well. And I said, good God, you're right. I hadn't thought about it. And it sounds trite and it sounds mundane. But one of the foundations of acting is to really look and really listen. Yeah. And to a certain extent, really talk, really talk to someone. And to react to what someone else is.

No, you can let that go. You can let that go. You can let that go. Okay. Write that down. But to really look and really listen. decided in that next season I would really look and really listen and it turns out that's not something you can make a decision and then for the next 10 episodes or 12

episodes you'll do it you have to remind yourself before every single not only seen every take you got to remind yourself because everything is trying to push your attention back on yourself everything and this is what happened I would do, we would do a take and I would go, God, Tim, Bill, really look and really listen. So we'd do the second take, and I would really look at my fellow actor. And nine times out of ten, they would go, I'm sorry, you've got a cut. I have no idea what my line is. Sorry, I just went up on my lines. You're getting in their heads.

They saw me really looking at them, and they went, what's going on? Really? Yeah. So did they have to account for that or did they... I don't think they ever knew. It's because I was really looking at them rather than actor looking at them. Right. As a guy.

As a guy. As the guy. As the guy. No, as me. As you. Yeah. That's the difference. There is no character.

This is another tenet of this thing. I like this. This makes a whole lot more sense than this like, yeah, when you were three, you pissed yourself and that you have to bring this into your scene where you're playing. some sort of Marvel superhero it doesn't make any sense it's like I don't think it's possible it's so cultish I know for me when everybody gets quiet and the camera starts rolling I've got all I can do yeah to get the lines out properly and to really look at someone and improvise with them throw them a curb ball see what they do figure out what I'm going to do based on that I can't think of another thing to do

So the idea of bringing forth, the time Sparky got run over, I can't do that. Or even if you do it before the scene, it's gone. You're like a guy going to the office, and you're doing your job, and you're focusing on your fucking job. Yeah, it's a craft. Yeah. It's really a craft.

If you do it well enough, it's an art, but ain't everything. Yeah. Character, that the idea of character is a trick we play on the audience as a magician would, and the audience, yes trick me again yeah that's I think that that is like an articulation of that's why acting that I that is like the most down-to-earth articulation of the craft that I think I've ever heard of a performer get that's why Atlantic Theatre Company which has a school they call it practical aesthetics yeah with

the emphasis being on practical is it annoying to work with a guy that's just like fully method and he's like and you're like eating lunch with him and you're like come on dude I have this is one of the things I learned and stop it we're not actually ninjas okay yeah right we're playing ninjas that we're adults wearing wearing costumes president Lincoln it's for you who was like that like that is there is there anyone in particular that was like that oh sure it's it's yeah it's a story that they want to be the character. Brando is like that, right?

Nah, I don't know. Off stage? I'm not sure. I've never heard that. He's the best. He's the best. Who's been your hero throughout your career? In theory, Meryl Streep could be bad, but she's never been bad yet. She can do anything. I'd love to work with her if she's listening. The aforementioned Jane Hackman, a genius actor. Never saw him be bad. There's a whole bunch of men. You guys are good. So, acting's gotten better.

I mean, it was just 75 years ago when, to show that you were upset, you went like this. That's not that long ago that that was acting. And look where we are now. There's a movie I really like with you that, like, I don't know if anyone remembers, especially not these boys. They were born after 9-11. You were? Yeah.

That's crazy. Anyway. My hemorrhoid just acted up when he said... You gave him a hemorrhoys. No, he's had it, but it just hurt when he said... Why'd you hurt his... his meheroy? The cooler. Fabulous.

What a good movie. Fabulous. You kind of returned kind of to your broken man. And I'll tell you, they sent me the cooler, and I thought, nope, if I do this, I'm just going to be Jerry Lendergarde for the rest of my life, the hapless loser. I don't want to play that role. Because in real life, you're one of the coolest guys that ever remember. met. I think so too. Maybe they named

it that to trick you and to think it's a cool guy. Yeah. Yeah. That's a movie about a cool guy. God bless Ed Pressman who I'm pretty sure I had that right was the producer. He wouldn't take no for an answer. And the director, they just pounded me and

I'm glad I did it. And you guys should see it. If not for me, for Maria Bellow. She is just stunning. It's a really touching love story there. Yeah, like, it's a movie about a casino who hires a guy who's such a loser that his looserdom actually, like, kind of radiates towards the guy at the table. The casino has hired me. If someone's at Blackjack and winning all the time, just bring him out, and he has to go sit down.

He has to go sit there and have a drink, and then the guy starts losing. there's a scene of a guy throwing craps and he's winning every time and I just walk by in my ill-fitting suit slumped by and I just put my hand on the table and I walk away and as soon as I walk away you hear

oh well you're 75 now I'm 75 you look fucking great oh thanks how'd you do it no drinking no smoking I own a distillery.

I don't own the whole thing. Woody Creek distillers. Nope, I love to drink. You love to drink? Why do you look so good? Beats me. I think I can thank mom and dad. And every woman I've ever gone out with exercise like crazy.

So I did it too. And Felicity is no exception. And then about 22 years, 24 years ago, 22 years ago, 22 years ago, We hired a trainer in LA and we've had the same trainer for 22 years and I'm still working with her. So I work out. You work out. I work out and I gave up meat maybe 10 years ago. Uh huh.

And I'm cutting back on the drinking because it's hard on you. Oh, I was going to say after this we hear. I know it's... Oh, okay. It's like a... What time is it? It's noon. 12 o'clock somewhere, dude.

It's 12 o'clock. It is literally probably 12 o'clock right now. Personally, like, I, once you're engaged with your work, I feel this way right now. Like, I don't really ever want to stop doing, like, working. I hear you. You know? And, like, so what motivates you, like, looking ahead,

like, future challenges? Like, you know, you've directed, of course. You've written. But, like, what's, like, what is, you know, what are you searching for? Or are you content, like, just drinking in Colorado? When I took off some time, it turns out I'm not good at that. I need some sort of creative challenge.

It's the way I've always challenged myself in my life, and I think I need that. Turns out I'm not as rich as I thought it was, too. What did she do? Who? your wife she bought a boat no no no she makes more money

no I do no I just I like I like to live large and you do I do I do what like what you're

ostentatious gentleman no but we have we still have a house in L.A. and one in in Woody Creek and that's expensive

and I I like not looking at the check I don't know how much money I have yeah it's a great they'll call me when I'm out I've got two daughters and you know I'd love to make sure that they can do anything

in their lives that they want to I agree with Warren Buffett I want to give them enough money they can do anything they want to but not enough to do nothing right I have a friend who's a billionaire son who just he just reads that Carl Oven

Nowscarred book and smoke cigarettes he just has nothing to do he just smokes cigarettes and reads my struggle by Carl Oven Nowscarge. It's really like he's got great Nick's tickets To answer your question though I do want to I still like acting

and I feel like I recently got pretty good at it you know I put down a lot of baggage that I carry around yeah I think I can do it it and there's always an alter-cocker in any in any films so I think there's work for me do I want to carry a film do you want to Paris Texas yeah yeah I did a one called happy Texas have you ever seen great movie the gay the gay the guys on

the lamb and they they're they have to act like gay guys and then you're the sheriff and I'm the sheriff right and you're gay yeah and I fall in level of one. What do you make of like the shift in the industry? So obviously you're on a television series for 11 years, right? It seems like there's been a shift towards that medium. Yeah, TVs where it's streaming. Do you miss the movies?

Yeah. I miss them. Me too. Remember when they were about people? They're still about people. Sometimes they're just trying to engage with some of them. Oh, the movies. The movies.

Yeah, it seems that. They want to, comic books are the only thing that they can guarantee. But there's a shift. It's recent, last couple of years. I've done a lot of indies, and sometimes they just forewall them and put them in theaters, but they're a bunch of them I've been involved with where they're going into theaters, and I think they might succeed. I've got this one that's coming out any minute.

Train dreams? No, Soul on Fire. Okay. I think they're going to put it in a thousand theaters. Who made it? It was an indie. It was an indie. Behind the, I think they might have sold it, but I don't know who they sold it to.

Saudi Arabia. I'm off to St. Louis next week for the opening, and I'll find out a lot more lovely film. What is it about? It's a true story about. This guy who as a child was burned over 90% of his body, 92% he should have died, but he didn't. And I played Jack Buck, the Cardinals announcer? Cardinals announcer. And Joe Buck's dad?

Yep. I met Joe. And I did a look alike with Jack, you know, that white hair, I did that. And it was really weird. When I met the family, I was on set. first time they saw me and here I am dressed and looking like their father but they were very cool about that's your second announcer role right the sea biscuit you're the tic-tok your tic-tok yeah you're the the guy with the sound effects I know that's a great role

Gary Ross you're talking a mile a minute in that movie yes I um I practiced it so I could do it really fast and I did about three takes and Gary said great it's great it's great what if you do one really fast And that was the fastest you go? What are you talking about? That's as fast as my tongue can work. So you got hooked on methamphetamine on that set? No, it's before that.

I should have started my meth habit earlier. Yeah, yeah. You directed a sex road trip comedy with Alexandra Dadaria and Kate Upton. All right. Enough said. No, it was, you know, it's about two women in their, Early to mid-20s who are having a crisis. So who better to direct it than a 70-year-old man?

Yeah, I bet it was. Were you in pajamas the entire time? I should have been. Were you in a bathroom? They did great, and it's got moments in it. But I did not do that script justice as a director. I've done three of them. Maybe were you eyes up here, maybe.

I threw my hat in the ring, by the way. I threw my hat in the ring to direct another one, so I haven't learned my lesson. Are the boobs going to be even bigger? Were there boobs in that? Oh, what a professional, ladies are gentlemen. What a professional. They were stunning women, boy. Everywhere we went, it was like Moses parting the sea.

Crickets would stop chirping when they came on set. Birds were so fine. looking and really delightful both women we had a good amount of fun on that thing what happened I want to talk about your two projects that are coming up you're an Edgar Wright's new picture the running man which I understand is a Stephen King adaptation he wrote the book and there was the Schwarzenegger version of it and for this one they went back to the book and it's big we shot it in London I I've got two scenes.

It's like a most dangerous game kind of thing? Yeah. Yeah. It's a dystopian future. The government, which looks like a studio. It's more television than government. Runs everything, and there's this game. They choose a guy as the running man.

He starts going. If he can stay alive for a certain amount of time, they give him a million dollars. but anyone can kill him oh anyone oh wow it's like the game Mafia yeah

yeah and you happen to be best friends with Arnold Schwarzenegger no I got that one wrong so now that you're working out do you think you could go toe to toe

with Arnold yeah maybe maybe enter a couple of competitions maybe I would do it if it was he and I. Just the two of you? Just the two of these. He's amazing. I love him so much.

My father and I, one of the biggest categories of pictures that I grew up watching were just the neck snap genre, the genre where the guy just kills someone by snapping their neck. So I've seen pretty much every Segal, John Clavent, Dam, you know, And they make it look so easy. They just walk up and go, and that's it. That could be a good goal for you moving forward. You know, at 75, you haven't done one next nap.

No. Yeah, yeah. Or have you ever said secure the perimeter? Nope. Lock it down. No. What's your favorite line you've ever delivered in any movie? It's not mine.

It's Mamet, who went insane. I did Air Force One, and I say, Let me save him. He's the president for God's sake. Dave still quotes that to me. No, it's just even your delivery makes it funny. He's the president for God's sake. That movie is awesome.

This is, this is while Harrison's on the back of the plane going like this. The president is hanging off the back of the back of the Let me save him. It's the president. Well, we should talk about training. dreams yes yeah I love westerns I'd love to do a western but they're all just to coin a phrase horseshit because all the westerns that come out now are based on

Western movies John Ford movies and the real West the best ever is best it's it's fascinating the shootout at the okay corral you ready for this two guys got shot got killed yeah four guys five guys got shot and that lives in lore they've written poems and songs written movies about them that's the biggest shootout in the West I read a a Western script the other day there's 14 bodies on page 3 just blamming away it's like Hong Kong action and I've shot off my mouth a lot about it but I think all this bullshit untruthful gunplay and violence and movies is hurting us as a culture

Because kids see it and, you know, this whole thing we used to say, hey, don't blame, I'm just the messenger. This is what America's like. That's not what America's like. It's horseshit. And it really offends me. I just think, tell the truth about it. Just tell the truth.

And that's kind of what the new picture that you're in with Joel Edgerton. Yes. Yeah, it's about. It couldn't be quieter and simpler. What I understand is your character is kind of like a, like, like a poet and a philosopher and kind of like... It's based on a novella.

It's very quiet. I've read the book, the Dennis Johnson book. Yeah. I read it because it was short. This is pretty close. I read it on vacation. This is pretty close. He's an amazing writer.

And they got his voice in this thing. And... He's a lot, right? Joel is great in it. And everybody... It's quiet. It's so moving. We were in Toronto.

Were you in Toronto or you just saw that thing? I heard you, I heard something where you spoke about it. We watched the thing. I hadn't seen it completed. I had seen a cut. And I'm watching it in the big theater with a lot of people. And I was a mess. I was weeping like a baby.

And then they go, okay, time to get up on stage now. Yeah. And I was still really shaking. Was that the first time you'd seen it? Finished. Yeah, finished it. And it's different when you see it with a bunch of people as we. In a theater?

Yeah. theaters man yeah especially with comedy like seeing an audience laugh at it at a joke especially if you made something and you that you've you like deliberately done a cut like an edit like it just it feels so satisfying it feels more satisfying than doing stand-up for me it's like seeing an audience interact with something you've yeah totally you're watching from the side you're not watching from from the stage you can't really with the lights you can't really see I mean you know that from the theater well the way I put it is I've written a bunch of

stuff and a lot almost all of it has humor in it and when you sit at your typewriter that's how far right back I go and you write a joke and it goes from there to a producer who steps on it and then it goes to a director and then it goes to production designer then it goes to the actors and if that joke is still funny after all those people have handled it that's a good joke that's the highest high I've ever had in this business. Getting a pop feels good. Oh, getting a pop feels good.

We missed the cum shot. Yes. Guys, thank you for your time. Thanks. We've made, Spacey. I've loved this. You've loved it? Yeah, you could do this professionally.

This was a great fun... I do. I do, actually. Oh, you do? Yeah, I do. Oh, sorry. Oh, no, yeah. Thank you. BOR.