The Three Questions with Andy Richter - Randall Park

Episode Date: April 4, 2023

Randall Park (Fresh Off the Boat, Always Be My Maybe) joins Andy Richter to discuss his “try everything” philosophy, working with the brilliant Ali Wong, his feature directorial debut “Shortcomings,” and much more.

This piece of swag I ever got. This is swag? This is swag. Look at the back. That's amazing. That was when it's a Conan. It says Conan on TV. Yeah, that's amazing.

When the show ended, you know, they said they're sending a the network is sending over a gift to your house. Yeah. Okay. What kind of fleece hoodie, sweatpants are these going to be? Incredible. And it's this box. And when I took the rabbit and saw Rolex, I was like, what the? Yeah. And you know what?

I could see that being worth a lot. So if you want to resell it. I, yeah. You know, I, and I, I told, I think I told him this. Conan, when I left the late night show, it actually, this, and this is a truly painful story. When I left the Conan show, Conan bought me a vintage Rolex that was like a very specific, like a James Bond Rolex. Wait, the James Bond Rolex. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And it was. That's a very special watch. Yes. Inscribed on the back, something, you know, like a nice message, you know, like thanks and Conan. Oh, no. Oh, no. Oh, no. Somebody, we were changing up babysitter house cleaners. Yeah.

And somebody swiped it. No. From my closet with a box of other, I had a couple, three other watches. And because I didn't, I put it in a box in my closet. I didn't look at it very often. You know, I mean, I didn't,

I, in fact, I barely ever, I wore it only in like super special occasions. Yes. And it was two months probably before I noticed it was gone after we fired the religious maniac that I think stole it. Oh my gosh. And it had been two months afterwards. And I just was like, how am I, how am I going to, you know, wait, wait, this was inscribed.

It was, it, it, it had, yeah, it was, it had, it was inscribed. And I actually, at times over the years have looked and seen like, yeah. Has anyone ever found a James Bond Rolex that says to Conan or to Andyy from conan yeah you know with the deepest love i'll never forget your sweet caresses don't ever lose this watch this watch means more to you than our relationship more to me than our relationship oh my god that well you know it's inscribed yeah and um it's kind of one of it's kind of one of, it is one of a kind. Yeah. So, I don't know.

Anybody out there, if you ever run across it, I'll, I don't know, I'll probably give you what you want for it. It may hurt my children's education. Oh, gosh. I'm so sorry to hear that. You know, there is over, because it's been a while. It's just a thing. Exactly. Just thing. Exactly. Just things.

Exactly. And I really do truly believe that. And as I tell the story, it hurts. There's a little bit of a ouch, you know. Yeah. Especially because I'm wearing a nice watch. Yeah. I don't know if we were recording, but I got a very nice watch from TBS when the Conan show ended.

So I'm wearing a nice watch. So in one sense, I do, I feel like I have a watch. Yeah. You know, I'm glad I have this watch. And if I lost this watch, I'd be like, ooh, ouch. Yeah. But it is, it's just stuff. It's just stuff.

It's just stuff. Yeah. I mean, it's a very special stuff. Yeah. What you lost. But, you know, but there again. Gone forever. But I know, I know what time there again. Gone forever. But I know,

I know what time it is. It's 1108. Yeah. And I look at my phone and I'm like, the time on the James Bond Rolex is different. It's different.

It's a different time. I guess it is. It smells, it smells like vodka. Yeah. No, no. I agree with you. You know,

whenever I lose things and I lose things all the time. And yeah, it's that moment of just panic and depression. And then it almost like kind of just puts things in perspective. You know, you just kind of or you have to. You have no choice but to just realize that it's just the thing. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

And also too, and I mean, and you, by the way, this is Randall Park, you know that. I mean, I'm Andy Richter, but I'm talking to Randall Park. I mean, you have had not much and then had a lot. So you know what it's like to have not much. Oh. And it's like, you didn't have a lot of fancy stuff. No. And your life, you know, it probably, there was probably more stress or maybe just a different kind of stress.

But it's like, it's just stuff. It's the same. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. I mean, they say money can bring you happiness at a certain yearly income level. Oh, they have a number? And that yearly income level is not high. Yeah.

You know, it's like enough to just survive. Yeah, yeah. And at that point, it's a free-for-all in terms of where, you know, who's going to be happy, who's going to, you know, where you're going to get your happiness from, you know. And whether that money is going to show, like, all the flaws in your character.

Yes. Because, boy, have I ever, have I seen that, you know, on my path of just like people that make a ton of money and then it's like, oh, wow, the real fucking dick comes out, you know? So unhappy. Yeah. And it's like, you are unhappy. Yeah.

You have so much. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. I always, you know, I'm always, and I think it comes out yearly, like the happiest countries in the world. Yeah. And that, you know, there's some index. And it's always like Denmark.

You know, it's always like where everybody's like, I don't need to make a zillion dollars. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I have a nice little house. And then I even have like a little house by a lake. Yeah, that's right. And I get six months off a year. Yeah. I don't pay off a year. Yeah. I don't pay a cent for healthcare.

Would you say you're happy? Yes. Yeah. Yes. Yeah. At this particular point in my life, I'm very happy, but I'm also very stressed.

I have, you know, it's just like, there's a lot of stuff going on, both personally and professionally. You know, the last few years of's a lot of stuff going on both personally and professionally. You know, the last few years of my life have really kind of been like a not knowing what's going to happen. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whereas five years ago, if you'd asked me, I'd be like, I have a pretty solid picture of what the rest of my life is going to be like. Yeah, yeah.

And that all got shaken up. Yeah. But mostly for the best. How about you? Are you happy? like. Yeah. And then that all got shaken up. Yeah. But mostly for the best. How about you? Are you happy? Yeah. Yeah, I think so. Yeah. Were there times? Are you a naturally happy person or? I don't think so. Oh, really? I don't think so. Yeah life not happy, I think. Yeah. And I think during that period, I just felt like I was a depressed person. Yeah.

And that is my identity, you know. Do you think it was situational or do you think that there was? I think it was, yeah, I think it was situational. And I think it was, and I think it took work. Yeah. Yeah, it took work. Therapy. Therapy, yeah, and awareness and just, you know, being more conscious of the moment, you know, and what's happening right now, as opposed to thinking about something that

hasn't happened yet. Right, right. What you don't have and what you should be doing. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. And I think ever since I've kind of gotten a good hold of that, I've been way happier. Yeah. Yeah. Did you grow up in what you would call a happy house? Was it? I wouldn't. I wouldn't. I wouldn't. I mean, it wasn't like turmoil, you know, but it was, there was a lot of stress, you know, in the house. It was, you know, my parents were just getting by

and, you know, and, you know, at the time as a kid, I thought we were doing great, you know, but in retrospect, you know, I talked to my mom and learn like what she was making every year. And it was like nothing. Yeah. And I couldn't believe it. You know, and my dad, he was always like, you know, he had this job when I was a kid, he worked for this toy company and then toy company moved. They decided to stay and he was just bouncing around different things. Yeah. And then he started a one hour photo store and right before the dawn of the digital age, you know, like the worst timing. And I know it'll do it. Blockbuster. We're open a blockbuster.

it blockbuster. Yeah. Or open a blockbuster. Yeah. And I would, you know, I would go there on weekends and see, I literally saw the world changing through from the perspective of that one hour photo store, you know? Yeah. Oh my God. Yeah. Being a kid working at your parents' struggling family business is something I am very well aware of that I have plenty of experience with. And if you don't know it, you don't know it. It is a kind of like, it's like the first time I ever was in an earthquake and I looked out the window and I saw the street rolling like the ocean. Yeah. The paved street looked like the ocean. And I still question, did I really see that? What was the business? It was building trades. It was my stepfather had a plumbing business and my mother was in the kitchen remodeling and she did contracting contracting too but got it she was doing really really well

for a long time and it was in the chicago suburbs where people were building giant grand mcmansions yeah 30 foot foyers and all kinds of nonsense yeah um and then you know just downturns in the economy she had a builder literally skip the country owing her a ton of money. Oh my God. Yeah. And you're just there and you know, you know, nobody like, no, my mom doesn't show me the books. Yeah. But I know, oh, this is bad. Yeah. As a kid you feel it.

You just feel it. And it feels like the earth is going to fall apart. Yeah. This kind of something that you relied on, like your parents just, you know, being steady and taking care of you. It's like, oh, my God, they could get swallowed up too. Yeah, yeah. I mean, as a kid, I never fully grasped that, you know. Like I would hear them arguing down the hall, you know, and not really know what it was about, you know.

I'd just be in my bed just hearing them arguing and, you know, come not really know what it was about. You know, I'd just be in my bed, just hearing them arguing and, you know, and, you know, come to find out later, it was often about money. You know, it was often about like trying to keep this house and, you know, trying to keep, you know, keep this family intact. And it was, you know, and also the, you know,

immigrants in this new country and, you know, the pressures of having made this move and then like finding it very hard, you know. And I didn't grasp that so much as a kid, you know. But as I got older, I was like, oh my gosh, that's so tough. Yeah. Yeah. Do you think they ever regretted coming here? Do you think they thought like, oh, we should have just stayed in Korea?

My mom. And how old were they when they came here? They were, so my dad, they were in their, I believe, my dad was in his later 20s. And my mom was in her kind of earlier 20s. And they moved here together? No. Oh, okay. Well, they met in Korea.

My dad moved here to San Francisco, lived in San Francisco. This was before my mom. Went back to Korea, met my mom who was in college and came back to LA. And then my mom joined him in LA. Nice.

Like a couple of years later. Yeah. Yeah, after she finished school. And my mom was, she told me not too long ago, maybe a couple years ago, that she was very depressed when she got here. Yeah. Because she didn't speak the language. Yeah.

She didn't, my dad was working all, you know, my dad, I think my dad had kind of sold her on America as this kind of magical place. Yeah. America as this kind of magical place, you know, and she had watched all the movies and seen, you know, uh, she really wanted to come to America because of her vision of this country was just like these movies that she had seen. And did she know, did she know people that had preceded her to Los Angeles? No. Oh, okay. No. Uh, that's the thing. And my dad was the first of his family. And when she got here, my dad lived in this tiny apartment and was working all the time. Was he at least around Korean people? I mean, our neighborhood where I was born and first lived, which is where they lived, it wasn't like a Korean heavy neighborhood. It was like everybody else.

But we'd go to Koreatown and get our food and come back. She could get her fix of people that actually spoke her language. Yeah, yeah. But she was very depressed. She had these two boys and she was in this tiny apartment. And, you know, as a kid, you don't know what's going on exactly, but you feel it, you know, you feel it. And you can feel all those struggles.

And then over the years, I felt it, you know. But I wouldn't say it was like a tough childhood. I mean, they really did everything and they could to give me a semi- tough childhood. I mean, they really, they really did everything and they could to, to, to give me a semi-normal childhood and, and, and it felt pretty normal. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Did, did that create a situation for you where you, where being around people that were so kind of, well, like you said, depressed and stressed that it made you want to make people happy? Because it can go that way. Yeah.

You know, it can also go where like people draw onto themselves, you know, but I think that's a fairly common thing growing up in a sad household. Yeah. Yeah. I think so. I think so for me. And, you know, it wasn't necessarily like, I think because I was born and raised here and my parents were, you know, raised in Korea.

And it wasn't like I was going to make them laugh. It wasn't like that, you know, like my sensibility and the things I love were not the same things they love. But I do remember always like always buying them gifts. And even as a young kid, like, oh, her birthday's coming. I got to make a really special gift for her, you know. Yeah, yeah. And them kind of not being that into it. I remember that, you know.

The least you can do, mom. Yeah, like I'd save up like five dollars to get my dad this thing. And, you know, and he'd be like, why did you spend that money? You know, like, yeah. And it was like constant rejection. Oh, boy. Well, that's good training. Oh, perfect training. Perfect training. Wow. When did you start wanting to be in show business? I mean, and also, too, you're, you know, you're in line for an EGOT.

You know, you were in bands. You could draw, you know. I don't even have an E yet. I don't even have an E yet. But show business wasn't even a thought. I mean, not until, really until after college. Oh, really? Yeah.

Wow. I mean, in college, I kind of discovered it. Yeah. But in terms of pursuing it professionally, it wasn't like a thought until after college. So like in high school, what were you thinking you'd do with your life? In high school, I was a, you know, I really, it's stereotypical, but I really excelled in like math and like sciences and things like that, you know. And I felt. Was there an emphasis? Were your parents like really put an emphasis on that?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Forget poetry. Follow calculus. Yeah, yeah. They were very, you know, very much. It's that doctor lawyer kind of path, you know. Yeah. I feel like I'm painting my parents as these really tough.

I mean, they're very lovely. Sweet, sweet people. I know, but it's what I want to hear. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's what I draw out of people. Yes, yes, know. But it's what I want to hear. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's what I draw out of people. Yes, yes, yeah. I don't care that you love them. Tell me how they sucked.

You just want the trauma. Yeah, yeah. Mmm, yummy, yummy. I'm like the Hannibal Lecter. That's right. Of small-time trauma. Mmm, delicious. Yeah, no, it wasn't until, I mean, when I was growing up, you know, me, me and my group of friends, we'd make like videos and, you know, one of them, there was always the friend with the rich parents who had the camera and, you know, we, we would like shoot things.

And a nice house to shoot in. do all that sort of thing. But, and then in college, I was writing a lot. You know, a teacher had encouraged me to like, think about writing. That's like something that, you know, I could see some promise there. And I was like, oh my gosh, any sort of validation, I'll go in that direction, you know? And so I started writing and eventually

with some friends formed this theater company. And that was my first time performing. And so that was like when I was in college, that was at UCLA. That was Lapu the coyote that cares. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That was the theater company. How does that, where does that come from? So at UCLA, they have this charity called UniCamp and we all, every summer go, you know, go into the mountains and, and we're basically camp counselors for these kids. Oh, okay.

Yeah. And we all had camp names and it was just kind of a combination of our camp names. Oh, just inside jokes? Yeah, yeah, yeah. An inside joke sort of thing. And then- So it's not a sex thing? Well, that too.

Oh, okay. That too. It was both. Because, yeah, inside sex joke. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Got it. Sure. The inside, that too. Oh, okay. That too. It was both. Because, yeah. Inside sex joke. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Got it. Yeah. Sure.

The inside, you know. I got it. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I got it. It's the woods. Penis inside. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's the woods.

There's a coyote. Yeah. Two and two make hello. Yeah, exactly. We did that regularly. But, yeah, yeah, yeah. So that kind of planted the seed and then planted the seed. But it wasn't until after I graduated that I was like, oh, I love this.

It's something I want to do for a living. And is that a hard sell back at home? Or at this point, are you independent enough that you're kind of like, eh, sorry, folks. It was a hard sell. It was a hard sell. It was a hard sell. You know, I think that as much as I hate, you know, to admit it, so much I think of my kind of motivation is to kind of make them proud, you know, and to justify this big sacrifice that they made, you know, coming to this country. And, yeah, it was tough. It was tough because, you know, my folks, they cared about me and they didn't want me to suffer. And, you know, and here I was like excited about this path that like

guaranteed suffering. Yeah, but, you know, yeah, but I mean, they're suffering because your one hour photo goes out of business and then they're suffering because, you know, commercial and the shows that you're doing with your friends don't make you any money. And yeah, yeah, yeah. So it is. Yeah. I mean, cause I was in the same kind of boat when I started doing improv stuff and they're kind of like, Oh, oh, okay. And nobody, I mean, I was very, I wouldn't say encouraged, but everybody kind of just, oh, all right. You know, whatever you want to do. Um, I mean, there was some trepidation and it would sneak out a little bit, but there wasn't like, what are you doing that for? Like, yeah. And I often wonder if like if your parents didn't create in you an engine.

Yeah. You know, towards making the most of yourself that sometimes I feel like nobody ever really like let me know they were disappointed that I wasn't achieving. So I'm like, yeah, achievement. Yeah, you know, whatever. Yeah, yeah, achievement, you know, whatever. Yeah. Yeah. And I just, I, sometimes I almost wish I have that asshole dad in the back of my head going like, you know, you're a bum, you know, whereas it was always kind of like, well, whatever you want to do, you know, we trust you. So, and it makes me wonder about my own parenting. Sure. Sure. Like, am I supposed to be a bigger dick to these kids?

sure like am I supposed to be a bigger dick to these kids am I am me am I being nice and respecting their wishes is that really bad I don't know yeah you know I I will say this my parents did like they they never they never discouraged and they encouraged me to try different things they always did you know yeah so I tried everything, you know? I played little league and I was no athlete, you know? Oh, really? Yeah, yeah, I did everything. And art and the art classes and, you know, and they valued that. It was just when it came to like choosing to do this

for a living, like really. Right, right. Really, you know, like you're gonna make it, you know? Like, and not because they thought I was, you know, not talented, they just, you know, like you're going to make it, you know, like, and not because they thought I was, you know, not talented. They just, if anything, they understood that it's so hard. Right. Right. Yeah. And this statistically, it's just. And also who knows how it works?

Yeah. You know, no idea. Everybody, when they do this, I mean, unless they're a nepo baby, is coming in and going like, wait, what's? Yeah. You're like, what's a grip? What's a gaffer? You know? Yeah. So, yeah, I don't blame them, you know?

No, I don't at all. I don't. And, you know, my mom worked at UCLA for like 30 plus years. She worked in the accounting department for the students stored at UCLA. So she worked with a lot of younger folks, students. And a lot of them were, you know, working there, but pursuing a career, a showbiz career, you know. So they would come to my mom and show her their headshots and their reels and stuff, just really excited. And they were all like these beautiful people, you know?

And so my mom, you know, would see these people who were just like, they look like movie stars, you know, working in this accounting department. And they were like, and in her head, it was like, if they can't make it, you know, how are you going to, I was a shy kid too. So it was like, it didn't make any sense. Yeah. You know? And so I don't, I don't blame her. Yeah. I don't blame her. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, how did you feel about it? How did you feel about, how did you overcome the fear of, oh shit, this isn't going to work? Uh, you know, at a certain point I just loved it so much because I was always doing it, you know, but it was always a hobby or for fun, you know, at a certain point I just loved it so much because I was always doing it, you know, but it was always a hobby or for fun, you know, and I just loved it so much. And I, and I had worked

enough office jobs to know that I didn't love that so much. So, so in my head, it was like, as long as I could do it, uh, and scrape by, I'll be happy. Right. As long as I keep my expectations low and just, you know, do all these things that I love and work a, you know, a job during the day. Yeah. Like, I could do that.

I could do that for the rest of my life, you know, because I loved it that much. Are you a big goals person? Are you like, I have to achieve this particular thing? Or are you just kind of like, as long as I'm doing okay and having a good time? Yeah, I think I'm both.

You know, it depends on what period of my life it is, you know? Yeah, yeah. Which one do you think you become as you get older? I still think both. Oh, really? I still think both. Yeah, but I don't like, I think when I was younger, it was like goal. What are the steps I should take to get there?

Yeah. Okay. I'll just, and I'll just focus on that next step. You know, now it's like goal. We'll see if it happens. That's right. Right. Yeah.

I'll keep it in the back of my head, but I'm not going to dwell on it too much. Yeah. You know, yeah. Did you, I mean, when you were, because you did so much different stuff. I mean, you know, like I say, you worked as a graphic artist. Yeah, yeah. And then you had a band too. You were in a band.

Was it rap? It was like a hip hop band. It was like a hip hop band. Wow. And I mean, how does, you know, is it just all kind of like, let's try it kind of stuff? Yeah, yeah, it was, you know, and I think it's kind of rooted in that, that, you know, my parents kind of like try everything, do everything, you know, as a hobby, you know. Right, right. And so I was doing kind of everything as a hobby, you know.

And just things that I loved, I just, I'm going to try it, you know. And things that I don't love, sports, I'm not going to try it anymore. Because I tried it and it's not, you know. It's not for you. It doesn't bring, it only brings me sadness. If you had found more success in music, would you prefer that? Or is that just, was it just kind of a lark? Yeah, it was kind of a lark.

It was kind of a lark. Although I was thinking about this the other day. I think I was listening to your podcast. Oh, wow. Yeah, and I think maybe it was with Vanessa Bayer. Oh, internships. The subject of internships, I think, came up. Yeah. Internships. The subject of internships, I think, came up. And it made me immediately remember that I interned at the House of Blues for a period.

Oh, wow. When you were at UCLA? Yeah, tail end of UCLA. And I totally forgot about that. But I did. And they had this record label they were starting. And I interned there. And I was like, why did I do that?

record label they were starting and I interned there and I was like, why did I do that? At the time, I must have thought that I was, you know, I had an interest in maybe working in the music business or something, but, and it just came to, it just hit me. And I was like, that was so weird. I totally forgot about that. Did you get to see free shows at least? I did. Oh, see, there you go. I did. Well, that was something. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, that was something. Yeah. And you got a master's degree too, didn't you? Well, I did the master's program at UCLA. Oh, okay. Yeah, yeah. I never turned in my thesis.

I ended up, I think at that point I was like. Working? Yeah, yeah. And I was like, I don't. I don't need to write papers anymore. Yeah. Yeah. And I knew that I didn't want a career in academia at that point.

So I was like, but yeah, I did the program. Yeah. Was there, was there a point at which you felt like, okay, like I don't have to work at Starbucks or, you know, I'm going to, I can stop waiting tables or whatever. Yeah. Well, well, you know, there, there were, there were periods of that and then I would have to wait tables again. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So was it like commercial jobs? Yeah. I don't think they pay as much anymore, but yeah, there was plenty of time. I knew so many people who'd be like, you know, I booked

an IHOP commercial. I don't have to work for nine months. Yeah. I mean, there was a lot of that. There was a stretch where I was doing a ton of commercials and then, you know a lot of that. There was a stretch where I was doing a ton of commercials. And then, you know, commercials is weird. It's just like, I guess it's an energy thing.

You know, you just kind of book one, you just end up booking more. And then one day the energy's gone, you know. I had this, it was voiceovers when I was in New York. All of a sudden, I was getting, I mean, I was national campaigns of like reach toothbrushes and KFC and going in three times a week to say, you know, a three-piece and a biscuit for $2.89. A three-piece and a biscuit for $3.89, depending on the region. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And yeah, and then all of a sudden, it just stops, you know? Yeah, yeah, yeah. And yeah, and then all of a sudden, it just stops, you know? What do you think happens to make it drop off like that? Do they just... You mean when it kind of disappears? Yeah, yeah. At least from your perspective. Well, you know, I did stand up for a time too. And there was one thing that would happen

where, you know, you have a joke that, that, that consistently works for you on stage and, and, and, you know, you close with the big one or, you know, whatever, and you're doing that. And then one day the joke just stops working, you know? And I, I never quite understood why it's like,, I don't know, the magic of when you initially kind of found it and put it on its pedestal. It's just lost its luster, you know? Yeah. So it's in the telling of it, you think, maybe? I think so.

But I think there's just something. I think there is something in the telling that's very, you know, like no one would know other than like, not even yourself, but something about the energy behind the telling just diminishes a little. And, but I don't know. I think it's just a thing, you know, it's just like an energy thing. And that's why like out of nowhere sometimes like things get slow. You know, even in what we do, it's like things get slow. Yeah. And then they pick up again.

Yeah. You know, yeah, yeah. Hopefully. Knock on wood, they pick up again. So it's like, yeah, no, it'll happen again. I can't imagine things ever being slow for you. I mean, and I'm not saying this because- Well, things are very weird right now.

True. You know. But I think mostly about when you came and did a guest star in Fresh Off the Boat. It was our last episode. It was, yeah. Of the show. It was a lot of fun. And I could tell it was a very fun,

fun atmosphere. Well, I mean, but you know, what do I know? But I was also, I mean, you're so great and I was,

you know, happy to be there with you, but it did. And in fact, I don't know if you remember, but it was the second to last take. Yeah.

I said, I'm going to say goodbye to everyone. I said, I'm going to say goodbye to everyone right now because the minute they call rap, I'm going to say goodbye to everyone. I said, I'm going to say goodbye to everyone right now because the minute they call wrap, I'm leaving.

Because I felt like I was hanging blinds in the room where everyone's going to turn off grandma's machine, you know, and euthanize her. I was just like, it's going to get real sad here real quick. And I don't know anything. So I better get out of here. You should have stayed and just hugged everyone and cried with us. Actually, you know what? I think Paul Rudd did that. That's right. On the French finale. I don't have the presence of mind that Paul Rudd does for the future anecdotes that I could be

telling. But I will say I was so, I just marveled at how good you were as a performer. I was like, gosh, Andy is, he's such a pro. It's like, he's so amazing. Yeah. Yeah. That's, it's really, really nice to hear. Cause you know, cause it's, especially with acting for me, you know, that's what I set out to do. I set out to basically become like a comedic character actor. And then I became a talk show sidekick, which, you know, that. OK, you know, I mean, people throughout my life have always been like, is it OK to say sidekick? I'm like, yeah, of course. What the hell else are you going to call it?

But it wasn't what I set out. I didn't set out to be me. I didn't set out to be me. I didn't set out to interview people. I didn't set out to, you know, go do remote pieces at the Miss America pageant. And so when I go back to do acting, usually I feel rusty because I'm not, it's not like I'm at home doing scene work. Right, right. And it takes me a few days to get back into it. But I do, I love doing it so much. Yeah, yeah. And I just, and it's just, I'm not, actually,

I don't care that much about the stage. Yeah. I just like, I went to film school. I love making movies. I love being part of a film crew. Yeah. And to be able to, like there's, acting in a movie is so, it's such a balance of control and not control.

That's what I was going to say, too, about what you were doing on that episode. It was, like, so precise, but it was also loose at the same time and alive, you know. But at the same time, just so kind of, you were just so precise. And it was really thrilling to watch. I was like, yeah. Sean, could you have people compliment me more when they come in to do this podcast, please? Because that's about the nicest thing anybody said in here. Well, thank you so much.

Yeah, of course. I mean, I really, I love doing it. And I, you know, and I've been lucky enough to do it a lot. Yeah. And it's just fun. It's just so much fun. And it's so, you know. Yeah.

Yeah. It's the, it's the, the work is like in the not working. It's like in the in between. That's like the, that's the, you know. Was that show mostly a happy process for you over those years? I mean, cause I mean, everything becomes your life and everything, you know, every minute has 60 seconds to it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It was, I mean, I, it was just the greatest blessing for me, like in, in so many ways. It was also, you know,

here in LA and, you know, for, it's so rare to work inA., you know, like, and I was, this is my home. This is where I was born and raised and currently live. So, and, you know, with a young kid, it was really nice to be able to come home every day. Yeah. Yeah. No, I had the same thing with the Conan show for all those years. It's, you don't even, even the people that you know that are working and that are, are blessed in that sense, they don't see their kids, you know, except maybe Monday morning and maybe

Saturday morning. That's, you know. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I'm working a job right now that's, that's shooting in LA and I just feel so lucky because for the past, I don't know, I feel like since fresh off the boat, I haven't worked in LA. It's been, everything's been in Vancouver or, you know, Atlanta or London or, you know, like, uh, so it's just really nice. How do you manage that? I mean, first of all, you just have one kid or two kids? One kid. One kid. And how old is your child? 10.

10. 10. Yeah. And do they, a daughter, right? Daughter, yeah. Does she come with you or does she stay home? Well, she's in school. Okay. So, a daughter, right? Daughter, yeah. Does she come with you or does she stay home? Well, she's in school. So what? You're in showbiz.

So, you know, we work it out. I try to come home whenever I can. You know, if I'm not shooting, if I have, even if I'm shooting Friday and the next Monday, I'll, you know, I try to come home that weekend. And then they'll come out, you know, for a period. Yeah. Yeah. And yeah, we just kind of work it out, but try to be as home as often as possible. Do you do okay on your own when you're there?

Or is it a, is it a, because I never liked it. Yeah. Yeah. I always would. I mean, there's, you get to the hotel room and you think like oh hooray my own space and then within like four hours I'm like

I'm lonely where is everybody yeah yeah I mean it's both it is like it is great to be able to be in a city a different city and just have time to explore. And it's like, oh gosh, no other job.

It's fun. No other job. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. And especially when you got, you know, depending on the job, you might work Wednesday and Friday. Totally. And then the rest of the time you're like, oh, what do I do? Go to the museum.

Exactly. Yeah. the time you're like, well, what do we do? Yeah, yeah. And also the opportunity to,

you know, because I'm, I'm, I'm normally not like, you know, I was a shy kid. I'm normally not the type of person

to just be social with like, just, you know, make friends super easy, you know, but it kind of,

this job kind of forces you to do that a little bit. You know, and I'm so glad for it. Yeah. Yeah. You make movie pals too, I find. Yeah, totally. Yeah, where it's like, you'll be really close pal with somebody while you're working on the movie in Baton Rouge.

Yeah, yeah. And then, you know, and then you don't see them, and it's like, you know. And then you bump into them on the street, and it's great. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. it's great. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. It's great. Can't you tell my wife? You made that fantastic movie

with Ali Wong. Oh, yeah. I forget the name of it. What do you call it? Always Be My Babe. Always Be My, yeah, yeah. And you guys

were in groups together too. Like how, tell me about that relationship because she's so funny. Oh my gosh, she's so funny. Yeah. Was she intimidatingly funny to you early on? Like was it like, oh my God, she's so GD funny. Yeah, well, you know,

so that college theater company we talked about, she was a member of that company. Oh, wow. Okay. Yeah. After I had graduated, she, like right after I graduated, she had joined. And it was through mutual friends connected to that company that we met and became friends. And at a certain point, I started doing stand-up out here. And she started doing stand-up kind of at the same time. Yeah.

In San Francisco. Because she moved to San Francisco at that point. And, you know, I was doing open mics here. And then I would fly up there. And, you know, she'd be like, come over. We'll do some of the rooms out here in San Francisco. And I'd go out there. And she was already like a star.

Like months into it like she had a following you know and and and a lay of the land like you know she could perform anywhere you know she was just so so uh uh funny and so just naturally i don't know it it was her identity yeah early on whereas with me it was like something I was trying. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. No, I fully relate. Because that's, I've tried stand-up.

Yeah. And I just, it's like, oh. Yeah, yeah. Okay, yeah. It's like, yeah, this is fun, but. Yeah. You know. Yeah, totally.

I mean, I did it for, I don't know, five, six years. Oh, really? And I thought for a period, like, oh, this is me. This is what I love to do. But no, it wasn't me. It wasn't me. I'd see other folks like Ali, and I was, I can't do that. Yeah.

Yeah. Your wife is an actress too. Yeah. Does that cause weirdness, you know, two people two people in this i mean or is it just because there's the there's the opportunity for understanding but then there's also the opportunity for like knowing too much about what you know like i know what this is about and you know no not at all even competitiveness yeah i mean i think it's the best. Yeah, like, at least for us. Yeah.

You know, because- Did you meet in a showbiz- We met in an audition room. Oh, wow. Yeah. Wow. Yeah, it's very LA actor. But-

And you got her phone number off of the sheet, the sign-in sheet. That's right. That's right. Stalked her for a while. Yeah, yeah. No. But, yeah, I don't know the sign-in sheet and stalked her for a while. Yeah, yeah. No, but yeah, I don't know the way, I think the way we go about it is,

and it's not something we actually sat down and talked about like, okay, how are we going to navigate this as two actors who are married? It's just kind of naturally, you know, we don't, it's not a huge part of our daily life. You know, we go home, you know, we't it's not a huge part of our daily life you know we go home you know we're a family we have a kid and we you know we don't talk about acting all the time you know we'll help each other with auditions here and there but it's not it's not a big part of our lives yeah yeah is she from here she's's from Central Valley, California.

But do you guys, do you feel like you have kind of a similar experience? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Pretty similar. Yeah, yeah. Similar backgrounds. Yeah. Yeah. Family kind of dynamics. Yeah. Yeah. Did you guys date long before you got married? Dynamics. Yeah. Yeah. Did you guys date long before you got married?

No. Gosh, we, I'd say five months into it, we got engaged. Yeah. Yeah. How old were you at this time? I was in my, gosh, later 30s, mid 30s. Okay. Mid to later 30s. Yeah.

Five months into it, got engaged. Like eight months later, got married.s. Yeah. Five months into it, got engaged. Like eight months later, got married. Wow. Yeah. Had you been close to getting married any time before that?

No. Wow. No, never. You just knew. Just knew. Yeah. You see, I'm engaged

and it was a few months before. Yeah. I was just like, okay. And I mean, it's, you know. Were you, like,

did you want to, because you were married. I was married for, okay. And I mean, it's, you know. Were you, like, did you want to, because you've been, you were married. I was married for 25 years, yeah. Did you want to get married again? Yeah, I, yes, absolutely. Yeah. I like being married. Yeah. I'm, I mean, I don't, I mean, I, you know, I got divorced, but I feel like I'm pretty good.

Like, I'm a pretty good husband and dad, you know, I got divorced, but I feel like I'm pretty good. Like I'm a pretty good husband and dad, you know, and I believe in it. Yeah, yeah. I believe in it. And when people are like, there's a lot of stuff in life that, you know, people are like, well, why do you need a piece of paper? And I'm like, I don't know. Generations of people before me decided, hey, how about this thing? generations of people before me decided, hey, how about this thing? And there must be some logic to it because our society is founded on it almost. So, yeah. And I mean, and it does, it is meaningful when you go as two people to the state and say, we are joined and you make an agreement with the

state. It, I don't know what it lends weight to it i don't think it's absolutely necessary but for me i i like it and i and i wasn't gonna get i you know i wasn't gonna get married just for the sake of getting married either um because you know there's plenty of times where i thought like especially i mean especially after being married for 25 years i i remember oh i it's, I was going to say I saw a tweet. I realized, oh, it's my tweet. It's where I said like, and this was like, I don't know. This is like in 2011 or something.

I said something like, you know, one good thing about divorce is you get to have your own apartment. And then after I got divorced, and it was awful. You know, it was the worst thing I've ever been through. But there was a point at the other end where I'm kind of like, hey, I've got my own apartment now, you know. I've got my own space. You know, I stay up whenever I want, you know. I mean, you do it for a reason. Right, right.

Yeah, Yeah. And but it's also to once, you know, I mean, you know, you live with a family, you live with a wife and the kids and, you know, and but yeah, I thought, oh, yeah, maybe I could probably handle this. You know, I mean, the kids come visit, you know, I'm not pining away and alone. So did you eventually come to love it? Yes. Yeah. Yes. And I remember, uh, shortly after the breakup, I talking to my sister and just be, you know, in absolute despair. And my sister had been divorced and, and she said, she said, you know, and like, she said, you'll eventually come to kind of appreciate being on your own and sort of having, you know, these new opportunities. And she said, you know, it'll take probably three or four years. And I was like, what? I don't have that kind of time. Maybe three or four months, sure.

But three or four years? And she was right. She was right. She was right. It took about three or four years to kind of become the, and I still, you know, there's still changes that I'm going through from that. It just can't happen. But, you know, but to become kind of the new version of me, yeah, it took a while. Yeah.

Yeah. But I don't recommend divorce. Let me just tell you that. So don't leave here, go home and say, honey, I'm doing the Andy Richter method. But then you found someone new. I did. I did. Yeah.

And I mean, and there were just as an ease and, you know, you just undeniable kind of urge to, you know, put ourselves in front of the television until the grave, you know, that, that kind of thing. Yeah. You know, that, that, that word ease, it's so, I was just talking to somebody else about, uh, they, they're, uh, they're engaged and, uh, they were, they use that word ease. Like, and it's such a, not a, not, it's not a romantic word, but it is like, so it, you know,

like, absolutely. Yeah. It is. There's no, I don't, I don't think about how I'm being. Yeah.

I don't think about how I'm behaving. Yeah. I just am. I feel like you. I'm as close to me as I, as I am when I'm alone or, you know, or like with my kids or whatever, you know, I'm just me. And you get to share that. Yeah when I'm alone. Or like with my kids or whatever.

You know, I'm just me. And you get to share that. Yeah. And you have, you know, somebody like this awesome friend that, you know, lets you have sex with them. Yeah. It's the best kind of awesome friend.

Well, we're getting close to the end here. You're doing all kinds. You're doing like of awesome friends. Well, we're getting close to the end here. You're doing all kinds, you're doing like, I want to ask about this because I love just the idea

of like getting to do like superhero movies. Yeah, yeah. Like how, what is that? But I'm not a superhero. I know, I know. You're a very human doctor

in it. But I mean, but do you at least get to be around kind of the CGI-ish kind of stuff? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Is it fun or is it just because you're looking at green screen mostly, right? It's so fun. Is it?

Yeah. I mean, every job is so fun. Yeah, yeah. In this business, you know, like. I mean, when the microphones turn off, we can tell which one's on. Yeah. Yeah. I'll tell you.

I will tell you. About half of them suck. Not that fun. Yeah. Ooh. Uh, but, but those in particular,

they're, you know, they're different. Yeah. And they're, uh, uh, but they're just as like fun and magical and,

you know, and wild. And it's like, really, you're going to turn this into something like, this is like crazy, you know? Are you, it's like really you're gonna turn this into something like this is like crazy you know are you

it's a the new Aquaman movie Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom yeah are you done with that now or oh okay

yeah I think there might yeah I think I think we're done and where was where'd you shoot that one we shot that in London in London

yeah yeah that's a nice part too isn't it yeah oh god yeah London was great my first time there fly your first class incredible I shot that in London. In London? Yeah. Yeah. That's a nice part too, isn't it? Yeah. Oh, God. Yeah. London was great.

My first time there. Fly your first class. Incredible. Nice hotel. Yeah. You get a per diem. So even the mini bar, you're not really paying for. No.

Oh. No, it was great. Yeah. It was really great. I mean, it was tough being away. Yeah. That far. Because I couldn't come home every weekend. But- Did they come see you for a little bit? Oh, that's nice. They did, which was tough being away that far because I couldn't come home every weekend.

Did they come see you for a little bit? Oh, that's nice. Which was great. But yeah, it was awesome. It was that whole team. It was just so fun. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Well, what do you want to do with the rest of your life? I don't know. You know, just keep having fun. You know, I just directed a movie. Oh, that's right. It was a short, right? It wasn't a short, but it was called Shortcomings.

Oh, Shortcomings, that's what it was. And it was at Sundance, and that was amazing. I have reading comprehension problems. But, you know, it was such a great experience that a part of me definitely wants to do another one. Did you write it? I didn't. You didn't?

I didn't. But it's based on a graphic novel that I loved since the day it came out. How did it all come to be from like scratch? It was this graphic novel that I had read when it came out in 2007 called Shortcomings. Are you a big graphic novel reader? Yeah, I like graphic novels. Cool. 2007 called Shortcomings.

Are you a big graphic novel reader? Yeah, I like graphic novels. Cool. But this one in particular, I was very obsessed with. And there was this lead character, Asian American, curmudgeonly, complicated, very flawed. And I remember reading this character thinking, oh my gosh, I would love to play this character one day. But I was also just obsessed with all the characters. And 15 years later, nothing had been done with that book.

And I know they had tried to do, you know, make things out of it, but it just always fell apart. And did you know that just like by hearsay? I didn't know that until later. Oh, I see, I see, okay. Yeah, and then I found out the book was optioned. They were meeting with directors and I was like, I got to throw my hat in the ring.

Like I never directed a feature, but this story, like I've kind of envisioned it as a movie for so long. And so I threw my hat in the ring and I ended up getting it. Wow. Yeah. And, and it was such a great experience. Did you, like, do you think you won them over, like, just in meetings or?

No, you know, I really, really did have a vision for it. Oh, great. Yeah. And I really kind of worked on this pitch, articulating that vision as clearly as possible. And I think that's what, you know, that's what got it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. What is the story, uh, of the book? It's, it's, it's, it's, it's very much like a walk and talk, hanging out in diners, restaurants, you know, talking about relationships, arguing,

you know, uh, uh, breaking up, getting back together. You know, it's that kind of movie. It's that kind of graphic novel. There's no parapsychological, you know, phenomenon. No, it's not Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Right, right. Yeah, it's very just a simple kind of story that happens to have these Asian American characters. And that's what I loved about it.

Yeah, yeah. Because those were the movies that I loved, you know, these kind of broken people, you know, trying to work things out, you know. Yeah. It was very exciting. So, yeah, we made it, got into Sundance. Nice.

Yeah, it's green there. It went great. Oh, good. And we sold it and it's going to come out. Oh, great. That's awesome. That's awesome. Is it going to be in theaters?

Is it like a theater streaming kind of tube for one kind of thing? Yeah, the deal is for a theatrical release. Okay. Yeah. And then it'll end up on streaming. That's when I'll probably see it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You're not even going to see it.

It's fine. Well, you know, I mean, I'm not wearing a mask now, but going and sitting in a movie theater still does feel like I don't have eight days to be sick, you know, or not sick. Really? Still? Yeah, yeah. Oh, my gosh. In a movie theater, it's still, in a movie theater and on a plane.

Those are the two places where I feel like, yeah, you know. Because at this point, I'm not worried about dying. Yeah, totally. I mean, I just, it's like eight or nine days of solitude, which I just was spouting off about. But, you know, this is not the kind or the time. I only go to matinees. Oh, really? Yeah.

You really? Yeah. I love those anyway. They're the best. There's no one there. Yeah. And the magical thing of going into a theater in the daytime and coming out at night. The best. Oh. It's the best. There's no one there. Yeah. And the magical thing of going into a theater in the daytime and coming out at night. The best.

Oh. It's the best. It's like the whole world has changed. Or coming out and it's day. Like, I love that. Yeah, yeah. That's true, too. Yeah.

Things to do. Having to adjust. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. I highly recommend matinee. Yes. Yeah, yeah. How did you find directing?

I loved it. You loved it? Yeah. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. How did you find directing? How did, I mean. I loved it. You loved it? I loved it. It was. Was it nerve wracking at first or did you just kind of take it step by step? I was very nervous going before we began because I felt like, oh, this is, you know, it's going to take a lot of time. It's going to, you know, and I have never done this before.

So I really worked on preparation like to the point where like i was so prepared that by the time we got into it i felt very confident oh good yeah yeah yeah and i felt great and it was so fun yeah working with the actors where it was just so thrilling and and and even post and editing is just so fun yeah yeah yeah yeah so i'm eager to i'm looking forward to seeing just so fun yeah yeah yeah yeah so i'm eager to i'm looking forward to seeing it it sounds great yeah yeah yeah and i'm i i'm i want to get the book too because i've never i i mean i used to be a lot more into graphic novels and underground comics but just as time has gone on and so i don't keep up with them but yeah that sounds

up my alley so yeah yeah yeah i think you'll like Yeah, thank you. And what else do we got? Oh, you're voicing a dog in the upcoming Will Ferrell movie, Strays. That's right. Yeah. Nice. The voice of a dog. Voice of a work. I've been the voice of a dog about eight times.

I don't know what it is. Yeah, yeah. I'm very excited about that one. Yeah, that's cartoon voices are the best. Oh, so much fun. Yeah, yeah. It's actually live action dogs. Oh, so much fun. Yeah, yeah. It's actually live action dogs. Oh, wow.

Yeah. Is there lip flap? Yeah. Oh, there is? Wow. Yeah. That's great. It's live action dogs.

Love it. Yeah. So it's, yeah, it's fun. Yeah, because like I say, I've done all versions of talking dogs where it's just the shot of a dog sitting and, you know, they get a dog that just sits and then it's just like voiceover of his, you know, crazy thoughts. Um, but then also I've done ones with the moving, yeah, the moving mouth. So, yeah. Yeah. It's fun. Um, what do you want people to take away from your story? Gosh, that's a, well, you know, I try and it's's what have you learned is the thing. It's kind of, you know. I don't know.

All right, how about young person comes to you and says, you know, I admire you. What's your advice? Like, what have you, you know. Okay. Yeah. Okay. My advice to the young person, try different things. A bunch of different things. When you find one that you really love, keep doing it. And just keep doing it. And

if it ever feels like you don't love it, then stop doing it and find something else that you love. But, but if you keep loving it, then, uh, uh, then, then that might be your thing. And that might be a, uh, a bit of who you are. And, uh, uh, and then, you know, then no matter what, whether people give you the opportunity to do that or not, you're going to find ways to do it. Yeah. You know, whether they pay you or not, you'll, you'll, you'll do it because you love it and you'll be fulfilled by it and it'll bring you happiness. And, and, uh, so just keep, keep looking for that thing. Yeah. Yeah.

I, I, and I, what I like about that too, is that it doesn't necessarily have to be work related. No. You know, it doesn't. Yeah. It could be, yeah. Anything. Anything. Yeah., anything. Yeah. It could be, yeah, anything. Anything, yeah. All right.

Well, Randall, thank you so much. Thank you. It's been really a joy. It's been a joy. Yeah. It's always so great just seeing you over the years. Thank you. And you've always been just so kind.

It's an act. Yeah, I know. I know. But I appreciate the act. Yeah. Thank you. Before you leave here, I'm going to put a cigar out in your hand. Oh, wow. Yeah, yeah. Okay. All right. That's called a Richter. He gave me the Richter.

All right. Well, thank all of you out there for listening. I'll be back next week with another one of these. And again, thanks, Randall. Thank you. All right. The Three Questions with Andy Richter is a Team Cocoa production. It is produced by Sean Daugherty and engineered by Rob Schulte. Additional engineering support by Eduardo Perez and Joanna Samuel. Executive produced by Joanna Solitaroff, Adam Sachs, and Jeff Ross. Talent booking by Paula Davis and Gina Batista with additional booking support from Maddie Ogden. Research by Alyssa Graw.

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