Steve Carell

27:05I mean, is it like a little death? Is it the closest? It feels like you are. I mean, I'm trying to think, because when you're explaining it, I'm getting this like feeling of what it felt like when it was, when you, I mean, one thing is we weren't usually alone. No. We weren't bombing alone. Yeah. And that's, I can't imagine. Did you ever do standup? Occasionally, like when I would be asked to do small shows and I didn't mind it. I kind of liked it, but I never really like honed a set. I bet you would be, I bet you were great at it. I found it easier or I liked doing it as I was older. When I was younger, I just didn't think I understood.

27:47I had like a lot of respect for the art form and I didn't, and I wanted to be with people. I wanted to perform with people. Me too. So I think that that's what I mean is the bombing with people was like a special joy. I completely. But the one of the many things at Second City, I know it like created lifelong friendships and like, you know, you got your, we all figured out how to like get our 10 ,000 hours on stage and all that stuff. But you met your wife. Yeah. How did you meet Nancy? Well, it's the great, hilarious Nancy. This is going to sound super creepy, but I was teaching class at Second City.

28:19Okay. And she was in my improv character class. Dang. And, uh, and she was hilarious and super smart, beautiful. Like I, I, I have to remember she was a real catch back then because Nancy is so funny. Great. Um, and also beautiful. And I I remember everyone being like, this is not quite fair. It's not quite fair how tall and pretty and funny she is. Like you usually get, you don't get, you can get about one. And she's so nice too. And so nice. Like. And cool. It's cool and nice and sweet to everybody. But you really snagged the babe. Tell me about it. Yeah. And we, so, but I thought she hated my guts because I'd be teaching and talking and I'd look over at her, nothing, like dead eyes, no affect in her face at all.

29:12And I was like, boy, she is not buying any of this. She hates me, hates this class, knows I'm a phony. And it turns out she was just nervous. That's what she told me later. And when she gets nervous, she gets like stone-faced. Yeah, she just doesn't want to show anything. That's a powerful move to do because it really makes the other person work for it. Yeah. Yeah. And she worked across the street. she was a waitress across the street at a bar called The Last Act. Oh, yeah. So after shows or after class, I used to go over and I used to sit at the bar and I'd order a Diet Coke and we'd talk. But it took so long because we both kind of talked around the whole thing forever.

29:59And like finally one day the conversation went something like, you know, if... we're talking about people that we like or like, what's your, who would you go out with? Oh my God. That's such a funny convo to have. And it was all just, just this circuitous, you, you know, someone down the bar is just saying, get to it. Mike, come on. You're annoying everybody. And I think I finally said, you know, if I, if I were going to ask somebody on a date, it'd be somebody like you, like you'd be like that template of somebody that I'd love to go out with. And she's like, you know, if somebody like you asked me out, I would love it.

30:40It would be fantastic. And there was a pause. And I said, do you want to go out? So lame. It was so super uncool. Like, yeah. So we went two doors down to the other bar. You know, like, then that was the beginning of it. And then when you left Chicago, you weren't married yet. No, we were engaged. We got engaged a week before she got SNL. Wow. So, yeah. We went on our honeymoon and came back and moved right to New York for her to start rehearsals.

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33:15So you people know, like, way ahead of its time, Dana Carvey show that you were, you and Colbert and others, Smigel and Conan were all writers on? A bunch of people. Yeah. Incredible cast of writers. And, and you were also in the rep company. Like, did you, you did stuff? Yeah. I mean, I was - Dana calls the sketch of tears. Can we talk about Dana Carvey for a second? Because Dana Carvey was so, it was really important to me. Like he was, you know, you always kind of fall in love with that, that cast that when you're like 13 that you see in SNL and it was Dana and Phil Hartman and Jan Hooks. Dana is so funny.

33:55He is so funny. He is so funny. I don't know if there's anyone funny or alive too. To be in a room with him is incredible. He's just a super funny, incredibly nice guy. I owe him and Smigel everything for that opportunity on that show. Because I was at a point in Chicago, my agent had told me, if something doesn't happen for you soon, it's not going to happen. My agent? Way to build me up. I was feeling very good about myself. Dang, that's harsh. And then, so I moved, I moved to New York. Yeah. And was able to, the next thing I got was Dana Carvey. Yeah. And that really changed everything. Yeah.

34:47That was my first kind of step into something other than Second City. Yeah. I mean, that show, I remember it being this, it felt like an experiment. Yeah. It was. And it felt like it was like you guys got an opportunity to make whatever you wanted with other people's money. And then they noticed you were doing it and they said, stop. They said stop doing that. Well, you heard about the first episode. Did you hear this story? Tell us again. The first scene of the first Dana Carvey show was Dana playing Bill Clinton. And he was sitting at a desk in the Oval Office talking about how he is the nurturing president.

35:30president. And at a certain point he opens his shirt to reveal a prosthetic breast plate, like teats, if you will. And I think he had eight nipples. And they brought, which were rigged to lactate. And so they brought a bunch of puppies and stood them on the desk and the puppies started suckling because he was the nurturing president. Right. And so we started, we were following home improvement.

36:10And they said the ratings went from home improvement and they could chart it. Like at the beginning of this sketch, it just. Like you could hear the drop off. It was so sharp. It was done. It was, the show was over. And that was the first episode, first scene. Oh, God, that's funny. ABC was not, not happy. No. It was. But somebody had to approve that that was the first sketch. Somebody had to. I mean, it was not a surprise. To their credit, ABC allowed it to happen. Yeah, they took some huge swings. And it was fun because like Colbert and I shared an office and we could, and we worked together a lot at Second City.

36:56We were in a bunch of cast together and we come up with an idea and go down to Smigel's office, Robert Smigel, and just pitch something. And he'd say, let's, yeah, let's go. Yeah. And we'd do it on the show that night. I mean, it was the kind of, it was as close to live as you could get without being SNL. Yeah. You really did work on a bunch of like really specific, interesting places. Like The Daily Show is its own system. Yeah. They kept changing with different kind of versions of the same thing. But what was it like? What was that feeling like when you were all there, young, working on that and it being so well received?

37:35It was similar to Second City. Yeah. And I think those are the, I guess those are the kind of environments that I am drawn to. Yeah. That everyone is just in it together. Yeah. And there's a spontaneity to it. And we don't know if it's going to work, but we're going to give it our best shot. There was a lot of improvising on that show? You know, in the field pieces, yes. Yeah. Because you just had, especially early on, they didn't know that we were a comedy show. So we were kind of undercover. Did you ever feel bad when you were tricking people? I did not. I did not like it, especially at first, because I was new and I was kind of following the template.

38:17Yeah. And I never felt good about mocking someone who doesn't deserve it. And so I tried, and I know Colbert, Stephen gave me great advice, which was come up with a character. And that will make it much more palatable. And my character was someone who didn't quite understand, didn't quite get it, but was super serious about everything he was asking. But it was not, the onus was on me to be, I was the idiot. Yes, yes, yes, yes. And to take that off of the people. That's smart. I remember doing one field piece, which were, it was a Klingon speakers convention. and you know you go and obviously the idea is let's make fun of people who meet and learn how to speak Klingon and they were the nicest gentlest I really and I really like these people a lot they were very kind yeah and I thought well what who are they harming no one.

39:30I mean, it's just harmless fun. It's just people enjoy each other's company and have a shared hobby. I mean, how is it any different than a woodworking club or a photography club? It's just, it's what they did. It's where their interests lie. And it made them happy. And I thought, no, it has to be about what an idiot I am. Well, you're really good at that, Steve. You're so good at playing someone who's frustrated by their own lack of understanding. comedically. That's such an interesting way to put it. Just like, just get this right. Why is the world so wrong? It's so, and that energy of that is so funny.

40:15And it's so funny. But Stephen was right. And Stephen, that took a lot of it, a lot of that strain away. Because then it wasn't making fun of people. And there, you know, I just, there's no, I don't like playing pranks in terms of being unkind or trying to make someone look stupid, unless they deserve to look stupid. But more often than not, these people didn't. They were, you know, some of them were just eccentric, but who cares? Like that's, that's the spice of life. And so do you think that Adam McKay, who wrote and directed Anchorman, wrote Brick with you in mind? I don't think so, no. Not at all Because, I mean, we've all seen the audition It's so That character is Chef's kiss That might have been the most fun I've ever had Professionally With those guys One of the things we do every day when we were shooting And it was really My first big It's one of the first things I ever did And I just, I couldn't believe my good fortune I thought this might be it.

41:27You know, this might be the one that I just, this might be one and done. And I'm going to enjoy it. Yeah. But what we used to do during, they used to do dailies every day. And watch them? And you'd watch them? Everyone would watch them. Wow. They have a dailies trailer on set. And it was all on film still. So you'd watch from a few days before they developed the film. and you just see selections from a few days earlier. And so we'd have lunch. This was every day. We'd have lunch and then the four of us and other cast members too, and the producers would go into this trailer and we'd all get hot fudge sundaes at catering before we came in.

42:15So we were a real sad eating hot fudge sundaes and watching the dailies. Oh my God. Acting is so hard. I know. I know. I mean, I thought this, is this what it's, is this it? As a little kid, this is what you would dream that acting would be. Yes. Yes. It's what you would dream. And it was just pure joy. Oh, and you would just laugh at what you had done a couple of days before. And most, you know, I'm sure you're the same way. Watching yourself, you're like, nah. But get to somebody else's stuff. Totally. And it's just to watch what everybody else is doing. Because you can't really watch while you're in it, while you're doing it.

42:58But to kind of watch objectively. Yeah, I know what you mean. Like sometimes I've known like, I don't know if I nailed it, but I'm going to be in a funny movie. I don't know if I'm going to be the funny one in the funny movie, but I'm going to be in one. If I cannot be, if I cannot detract from everyone else being funny, that's usually what I feel my job is. Because I feel like when people, you can tell when people want to be the funniest thing and are trying, when it gets sweaty and they're trying super hard. And I don't know how you feel about improv as used in film. I have a strong feeling about it, actually.

43:43Well, because I feel like, especially during that time. So I was in Anchorman. I got cut. You were in the fight, the battle scene. I was in the, no, in the original one, in the original Anchorman, there was a whole other, if you remember that giant. Oh, the alarm clock? The alarm clock. That's right. So there was, I wasn't in the alarm clock, but there are people who have the DVD extras know. there was like a whole other world of like bad guys that got cut out of that movie. I think an hour's worth of material at Maya Rudolph, Chuck D from public enemy, because of course, Kevin Corrigan, they were like the weather underground.

44:27They were this like, you know, feisty group of rebels, you know, trying to upset the city. I don't know how it had to do with you guys, but it was pages and pages and months and months. And I was, I did a scene with them where I was like a bank teller, you know, like a bulletin bank teller or something. But I went and worked for a day. And so I have a picture of me and Chuck D and me and Maya in a great outfit. And we're like, we're going to be an anchor man. And then McKay was like, we're not going to be doing it. There's a whole other movie out there. Well, there was another, like a flashback scene that I don't know if we shot or whether, it's kind of a blur, but the idea was, it's a bit of a brick backstory, origin story, that he was their platoon leader in Vietnam.

45:24And he was like the biggest badass. Oh, wow. And then like, follow me. We're getting this shit done. that kind of thing. And then you cut to now he's, he's their trusty mascot. Yeah. But you don't know what happened in between. It's really funny. It's really funny. But in, in terms of, there was a lot of improv. So during that time, there was a lot of like, and Adam loves to improvise and like, great. And I used to love it because I felt like I, I could do it well, but it also, it did wear me down a little bit. as the years went on. Yeah. No, I see that. Do you feel this way about improv? I do, which is sometimes people are like, it's great, you can improvise.

46:10And I'm like, oh. It's, here's my take on it. Yeah, what's your take? I think it's a great tool, but I don't think it is the, I think it's a means to an end. I don't think it's, let's just do a big improv thing. Yeah. Because, and I think this was true on The Office. The scripts were great on that show. Oh, yeah. Like really strong every episode. And can I ask you a question? Yeah. About Parks and Rec? Yeah. So you led that show for so many years. Did you ever – how did you maintain the dignity of that character? and like how did, how did you, how were you able to center that character all the way through?

47:04Because I think it's very easy for, you know, when writers turn over, when staffs turn over, sometimes new writers are more fans of the show and are kind of writing to the most obvious elements of a character as opposed to, you know, people who were like the creators of the actual, the writers who created the character. So how did, did you feel like you protected your character going through? That's a good question. I feel like the short answer is Mike Schur, who really was the best captain and just kept everyone's characters very sacred and safe and really paid attention to what we would and wouldn't say.

47:47I think we started off like a little... really wacky and we had to adjust on the fly. So we did some like early adjusting on that show and then locked in after that. But I know what you mean. Like there would be times where I would have to say like, I don't know if, I don't know if this is too far. I don't know, but not a lot. I feel like everyone was in flow there. Everyone really got it. But it's funny that you bring up that exact thing because Parks and Recreation came after the office and there's really only two people that I've been told I am a poor man's version of. And one of them is you, which I take that as high compliment.

48:36But like we came - I would take that as a huge insult. We were all, you know, Parks and Rec had the worst launch ever. Everyone was like, this is not the office. We don't like this. I just remember being like, and we're like, you're not Steve and you're not, we don't like it. And I remember being like, oh, I think I just dissociated and was just like, well. Our pilot, you heard about our pilot. I know. And I want to talk to you about. Our pilot was the lowest testing pilot in the history, I think, of NBC. People really hated it. Like not just kind of. They actively hated it. They actively hated this show.

49:18And I don't quite know how it got legs after that. Well, I remember the moment. So Mike Schur, who was writing, was running Update. And I wasn't doing Update then, but I was just a cast member on SNL. And we were watching the British office like everyone else and loving it. And I remember they were going to make the American version. And everyone was like, this is a terrible idea. This is a terrible idea. No one can be as good as Ricky Gervais. No one can do that show. And then we heard it was you. And we were like, oh, oh, whoever's making the show wants it to be funny. You know, like it was this thing of like, oh, that's a very, very good choice.

49:58Well, Greg Daniels is a great producer. And he's also kind of, he's very adept at putting together casts. Yeah. Like the alchemy and the chemistry between those people. Yeah. And we all got along so well. Yeah. We all bonded instantly and we all felt like we were a part of a team. There was no, there were no hierarchy at all in that cast. So I attribute that to him. Yeah.

50:32But, you know, I'm a poor man's Ricky Gervais. But you never watched the... I didn't. And never have watched the UK. No. Even now. No, I've watched all of his other shows, but I've never watched The Office. I know what you mean. I don't know if I would have wanted to watch either. I just would have felt too stressed about. I watched like a minute of one of the show of him and he was so good. Yeah. And so specific and so funny. I thought if I watch a second more, I'm just going to go on an audition with that. I won't be able to even imagine it a different way. And I mean, are you like me? I mean, I don't enjoy comedy.

51:08No, no. I never have. Especially with me. And comedy that's done well? No. No. Pass. Yeah. So you went in not knowing, you're not watching the - No. Yeah. And it, well, it's funny that you guys all heard, oh, oh, the, you know, they're doing an American version and everyone had the same reaction. And I remember Rudd pulled me aside and was like, don't do it, man. Don't audition. I'm sure. Don't audition. It is like, there is no, there's no way. Yeah. Everyone was like, don't even touch this. Don't touch this. Ten foot pole. And did you have like a major premise or theme about Michael's arc? Like if you would, to sum it up, would you say, what was like, what was his, what was kind of his simple mission statement as a character?

52:02Early on, this was like a dream come true for him to be in a documentary. Yeah. And be able to not only be in charge of all of these people, but to have the ability to perform and be watched and be loved. I think so much of who he is was about being loved. Yes, so good. I wouldn't even say respect. I think he just wanted to be loved. and the last like a year before I knew I was going to leave I talked to Greg about like what potentially the the last arc for him would be and I did want there to be a sense of of growth for him that I said one one thing I'm going to pitch is that the last day is not the last day like everyone thinks that they're going to have a party for him.

53:09But he leaves the day before because he doesn't need it. He wants to say goodbye on his own terms, and he's sort of beyond being celebrated that way. And that I thought would be an interesting way for him to go out. The Office is a show that people watch when they're stressed, when they're sad. Parks and Rec is exactly the same way. I'm sure you had this happen too. Like during the pandemic, everybody rewatched those shows. They went back to it. Like you have provided and everyone in that show has provided this like feeling of safety and security in a time when people are very, very anxious and they return over and over again.

53:51What does that feel like when people tell you that? I've provided a public service, really. And in that way, I think I'm more than an actor. Uh-oh. You got cocky. You got cocky You got cocky Don't get cocky Don't get cocky No, but it's true But it's true It's nice Like we fell in love with the journey of Michael We really, really We do, we love him And I will say like what your What the office did for me And watching it with my kids Is like exactly The way in which they enjoyed And learned this feeling Of what the kids would call like cringe But the sparkly weird feeling of like, oh no, like tension and a little bit of stress about what is Michael going to do and say, and how is he going to do it?

54:40And then watching him swing and miss over and over again while still being loved is like, they just love, they didn't know how to put that into words, but they loved that. They love that about him. It's such a, I mean, congrats on a great show. I don't know what else to say. I have no question here. You know, what did you say to Pam at the airport. Tell us what you said to Pam. I leaned in. I went, just to make it look like I was saying something. You did? You didn't? No. No, you did. No, we had, we had a very, a very emotional moment. I love that moment. Such a good moment. Okay. So we, we do something on the show where we talk to people who know our guests and who are friends of our guests to get a question to ask and we talk well behind their back.

55:27And so we talked to Stephen Colbert today. Oh my gosh. I know. He was in his living room. It looked like a study. I was so psyched to talk to him because like you, Stephen, you both were, you know, I kind of only got to know you later. I didn't know you in Chicago. And you were both these examples of like, you know, aspirational performers who I wanted to be in any way like. And Stephen talked a lot about those early times with the two of you and what it was like to watch you on stage. And he talks about like how you can do almost anything, you know, like that you have this ability to be really, really big and really small.

56:08And you can have these characters that are really shallow and really deep. He told us that you can play any instrument, which I did not know, that you're like very good at brass instruments. Is that a lie? It's pretty amazing, isn't it? Did you learn? Did you take lessons? I took lessons. Like, what was your instrument of choice? Baritone horn. Oh, dang. I know, right? You were like ladies. I don't... You were like ladies? I've got a baritone one. I play the baritone horn in the marching band. Why'd you pick the baritone horn? I love the tone. I want to know what it sounds like. It's sometimes...

56:47It's also called a euphonium. It's basically a small tuba. I know. Sexy. I play the small tuba and

57:00yeah and I also play the fife would you like to go on a second date the fife do you like that the fife yeah sorry I can't I gotta get commercials off of my YouTube YouTube if you can find a way to okay here we go yeah somewhere between a trombone tuba and a French horn Oh, Tony is a trombone teacher. I'm telling you, this podcast is going to elevate baritone horn play like never before. I love Tony. Here we go.

57:41Right. Euphonium or baritone horn. Right. Well, it's quite a large instrument. Yeah. You hold it like this. And I had the bell that went out like this. And did you play in the band? I played in the band. I played in the jazz band. I played. Yeah, I played it. I played it at Second City. Stephen Colbert had to learn how to play the baritone horn because he was my understudy. Yes. He mentioned that he had to understudy and he had to learn the baritone horn in like six days. Unbelievable. And he did. Talk about somebody who can do anything. Like, I mean, I played the baritone horn since I was in fourth grade.

58:21He learned it in six days. So, yeah. And he told me that he also taught me a word. I've completely forgotten it. it's a word that describes when you make the sound of the, do you remember the name of the word? Embouchure? Yes. Embouchure. He said, you taught him an embouchure. What was it like working with Stephen? And what do you remember about meeting him for the first time? Wow. I, I, I just think, I, you know, I think about him a lot, to be honest. I just, I have, I'm in awe of him. He's so smart. He's so funny. He is someone who can literally do anything. He's, he can sing. He's a great writer.

59:10One of the funniest people I know. And a wonderful father and husband, like just like one of these straight arrow. Yeah. I would trust him with my life kind of guys. and we got a lot working with him you know when you work well you and Tina when you know someone can finish your sentence I mentioned that to him that like there's a feeling as we get older when people knew us when that feels really like beyond special and valuable it's like you just have been through a lot with someone and when you've met them at the beginning of what eventually will be like the best thing about your life other than your family and your partners is, is like, you just, they knew, they knew you when you were struggling, like in that you just, they, they have a part of your life in them and you and theirs.

1:00:09Yes. And that's what it feels like with the two of you. Well, it, for me too, I, to, to, to learn at the same time and to be going through. And I'm sure, you know, certainly you and Tina experienced that and others to have that, as you were saying, like those sort of formative years when you don't really know what you're doing, but you're having fun and you're all having fun together and you're trusting each other. And I think that's one of the great things about Second City was just learning how to trust other people. And, and I just, I just trust him. And I, as a person, as a performer, he's just fun.

1:00:52He's a, I, I, I can't wait to see what his next thing is because. Well, we were talking about it and we think you should decide. What his next thing is? Yes. Well, I'm always pitching the two of us doing a play. I love that. That's a great idea. I'd love to do a play with him. I think it would be, or anything, honestly. That's a great idea. I would do anything with him. His question for you, because of course it was, was very thoughtful and interesting, which was, you know, he was saying like, I've known Steve for so long, but I don't really know his process. We've never really talked about it in terms of like, is there a difference between when you're doing something dramatic and doing something comedic?

1:01:35Do you think about it differently? Do you approach it differently? I'll preface this by saying whenever I hear an actor start to talk about their process. I know. And we're going to cut the answer. A character doesn't know if they're in a comedy or a drama. Mm-hmm. They're just living their life. Right. And so if funny things happen around this character, then the movie or the show is a comedy. But if it's tragic or scary or whatever, it leans towards drama. Sometimes it's a mixture of both. But I think if you can tell a character knows they're in a comedy, it's intrinsically less funny. Yes. Like I look at somebody like Alan Arkin or Peter Sellers, and they always seem very true to their characters.

1:02:22Yes. They were never, like you couldn't tell whether Alan Arkin was doing something intensely dramatic or something crazily funny. Yes. It was the same, like, not the same kind of, not the same acting. He played different characters, but he was equally committed to both of them and never letting on. He was never winking. Like, I'm in a comedy. Yeah. Here we go. Yeah. Watch this joke. Yeah. You're going to laugh. Do you ever sense actors sometimes waiting for the laugh in a movie? In a movie. They're like, looking around like. Like a punchline. Like, wait a second. Also, the other thing that makes me so stressed out and sweaty is in real life when people say, like, I'm funny.

1:03:09And I'm like, oof. I don't know. I don't know. If you've got to say it out loud. I don't know. Have you ever had an executive? I had an executive once say, listen, I know comedy. Okay. Like, all right. I know it. I know it. I know it. I've studied it. Okay. It's such a subjective thing. And reverse it, right? Like if I went up to like a, you know, like if I went up to Meryl and I was like, I'm pretty dramatic. Like reverse it. Be like, I'm pretty good at being pretty sad. I'm pretty deep. I'm pretty, I can get pretty sad. And people will buy it. I think when I cry, I'm going to make other people cry.

1:03:52So I've cried. A lot of my friends have seen me cry.

1:04:01But Steve, I mean, I'm going to glaze you for a second. Beautiful boy, fox catcher, the patient. You're so good. That series was so incredible. I loved you in four seasons. I loved that series and I look forward for season two and your ghost, obviously, haunting the set. I don't know. I just think I should be in background. I think I should just deep background. and I just like trying to, but like almost, almost inscrutable. Like you can't, yeah. You can't tell if it's me or not. Yeah. But, but I love what she said about the two of you working together. Cause I do think that you both have similar qualities.

1:04:42You, you work really hard. You're very professional and you're shyer than people would think both of you. Yeah. Well, we talked about that. Like we worked together before and it took us 15 years after that to become friends. Because it is true. I'm very, I think closed off is the word you're looking for. I'm not shy. I'm just impenetrable. But are you? I'm pretty shy, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I guess I bet people think you're going to be the life of the party. Oh, no. Yeah. Do you remember coming to my house for the... I loved your house. But tell that story. So, Nancy and I had a dinner party for the Oscars one year.

1:05:36That was so fun. And I had a few couples over. And it was really fun. It was fun to have everybody over. But that's very unlike us. Like, we don't... I don't know. we're not, I think we're more social now that we're getting older, I guess. Time's running out. I have to solidify some of these friendships. But, so the Oscars, and we had a very nice dinner, and we taped it. We put it, you know, we were taping the Oscars. Yeah, we ate first, like, civilized, and then we were going to be like, let's go skip through the commercials. And then we're going to go in, and we'll watch, and we can fast forward through the awards that we like.

1:06:17And we looked at the tape and we hadn't added the extension and Oscars always go long. So like the big awards. We missed. We completely missed. Yeah. And we were frantic. Like, I think somebody got online. We just started announcing like who won the awards. Kind of acting it out. My memory of that time and feeling was that it was really fun. Like, so I can only imagine the stress of like, oh shit, we didn't record the Oscars. But also, I mean. That was just fun. That was so fun. But, but yeah, I think that people probably assume that you're going to be kind of crazy. Yeah. I'm pretty, yeah. Yeah.

1:07:03I'm not, I'm not out there. Know who, know who I really envy, envy, I admire is Will. Yeah. Like he just owns it. Will Ferrell. Like he'll show, yeah, Will Ferrell. He'll show up at a Kings game. He was wearing a ref's uniform the other day, just sitting in his seat. He came as his character from Elf year before last and was just smoking a cigarette and drinking a beer. But he just kind of owns it. I know. And people love it. And I'm way too introverted to do that. Yeah. I won one time and I would never do this, but I thought I'm just going to do it. I was in Beverly Hills. I was driving around and a tour bus went by and I thought I'm going to, I'm going to do it.

1:07:59I'm going to wave. And I went, Hey, everybody, not a person. They were like knowledge. They were like, what? Who's that? And I shrank into this little ball, like last time I'm ever doing anything. They were like, what have you been in? And you were like, oh, I'm the one. I used to start listing your resume. Oh, man. I was like, why did I even do that? Yeah. It was certainly no gift to anybody. Oh, God. That was like, no. Oh, God. Oh, God. I mean, that is what I love about you, Steve, is like, I feel like, well, for many things. One is that I feel like you're just such an incredible actor, performer, and collaborative person to work with.

1:08:46And I do look forward to being in the play that you and Steven do together. Yes. How about Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Want to do it? Yes. All right. Two things, though. I like to go to bed early, and I don't want to do as many performances as they make you do. I think about our times when, like, the hardest part of our day was at the end of our day when we would do our shows. and it was like in jeans shuffling out there. Be like, can we get a word to get started? Like a bunch of lazy motherfuckers. Shout a few things out. Shout it, just shout it out. Where do we work? Where do the two of us work?

1:09:23What's our relationship? What's my first line? What's my last line? And what are some of the lines in between? But you have been killed off on a couple of shows. Morning show you were killed off. Morning show. Morning show. The Patient. The Patient. The Last Three Shows. The Last Three Shows I've been killed off. What's going on? People love to see me killed off.

1:09:49It's a thing. Yeah. Now, your new show, you're not. No. Okay, let's talk about Rooster. Yet.

1:09:58Season one, so far so good. Okay, it just came out on HBO. Yeah. What is it about? It's about my character, Greg, is a writer, not unlike Carl Hiaasen, whose daughter is a professor at a prestigious East Coast university. I go to that university to just do a reading. And in order, my daughter kind of gets into some trouble. And the president of the university, this is a long-winded version. president of the university asks if I'll stay on as a resident, you know, a writer in residence. And so I become the writer in residence at this college that my daughter, and so my, it really changes the dynamic between me and my daughter.

1:10:50And it's like you stepping into this like academic world. Yeah. I like to see you as a professor. I like that a lot. Yeah. It's fun. Yeah. I bet. I think it's really, and the cast is stacked. Such a good, good group. What's it like doing another show with, like, how does it feel? Really, it was great. Yeah. It was, it had that sense of freedom. Yeah. And that sense of anything can happen at any time. We can try stuff. Everybody's a great improviser. People, you know, talking before about improvising in character, on point. Everybody's so good at that. So great. It's very well written and funny.

1:11:36Yeah. I love it. I really love it. Congrats on that. It's great. It's going to be my parents' favorite show. I hope to run into them at that restaurant. Well, I was hoping actually, would you mind if we just FaceTime them? Oh my gosh. Do you mind? No. Because I told them that we were interviewing you and my mom texted back, okay, it was the Gibbet Hill Grill. Yeah. In Groton, Mass. Yeah. Now, when I called my dad before, when I texted my dad and said, where did you see Steve Carell? He didn't answer me back. And mom said he was at the gym. Let's see if we can get a hold of him. Hi, mama. I've got Steve Carell here.

1:12:18Oh my God. How are you? How are you? How was your meal? It was very nice. I believe I had the stuffed scrawl. Scrawl. Now, Scrod is a Boston fan. We were talking about how Steve doesn't seem like he's from Boston. He doesn't have any kind of accent. But neither do you, Mom. Oh, don't even make fun of me. I know you're going to ask me this.

1:12:45How mad is Dad going to be that he didn't answer the phone? He's at the gym. You know he's right here. Oh, Bill's right here. Steve, do you mind? Of course. Steve Carell's on the phone here. Sit up, Steve Carell.

1:13:02are you just lounging on the couch lounging on the uh recliner he's in his recliner what time is it there hi pop look who you secured for me yes uh do i get any uh benefit from that like a fine fine fine yes fine this thing You know what? Are you, when you go out to restaurants now, are you just going to be like scoping for people for the show? You'd be interested to know what I said after you left. I said, his wife is beautiful. Weird. Weird. Thanks, Dad. Yeah. What's that about?

1:13:49Hey, Mrs. Polar, that's not right. That's weird. Don't let your husband talk. That's gross. I'm filing for divorce now that I think.

1:14:04Well, thanks you guys for the assist. We had a great interview. And dad, I owe you a couple bucks. Bye. So Steve, thank you for being with my parents. And before I finish, I got to ask you my most important question, which I almost forgot to ask you, which is, what is making you laugh these days? What are you watching, reading? Who's making you laugh? What do you like? Nancy and I just started, we're late to it, but just started watching The Righteous Gemstone. Ugh. And that first season was such a joy. Loved it. Danny is incredible. But can we talk about Edie for a second? Mm-hmm. Edie Patterson on that show.

1:14:52I'd never seen her before. Oh my God. She's so funny. So, see, that's when you start, when you see someone that just comes out of the blue. Yeah. And unexpected and like a completely different approach to a character. So unique and specific. Yeah. I know. Oh, and talk about like improvising in character. She, like everything she's saying is tumbling out of her mouth, it seems like. Yeah. I don't know how much is written or improvised, but it looks like a lot is improvised, but I don't know. But everything is kind of tumbling out of her mouth, but it's never, ever a false note. She's just staying in that.

1:15:38Yeah. All those characters are nuts. Yeah. I really like it. That is an amazing cast. John Goodman. I love John Goodman. I do too. Adam Devine. Yeah. It's really good. I, I, and it's one of those, I just, it just kind of slipped by. Like it didn't, um, it was under, under our radar and on a whim, we just said, you know, I've heard good things and started watching it. Let me call my parents and see what they think. Okay. Let's see. Thank you, Steve. Thank you for doing this. Thank you, Steve Carell. Well, thank you for talking to my parents. You know, for this Polar Plunge, I just want to reiterate how grateful and lucky I am to be a Boston girl.

1:16:28You know, me and Steve are Boston kids who made it big. And it is really nice always to feel like you are part of a community. And that's what being from Boston feels like. So don't come at me, Boston, if I said one thing that made you mad. All right. Let it roll off your shoulders. All right. Because you're still the best. Number one. Don't forget. Boston forever. Go Sox. OK, thanks for listening. And we'll catch you next time on Good Hang. Bye. You've been listening to Good Hang. The executive producers for this show are Bill Simmons, Jenna Weiss-Berman, and me, Amy Poehler. The show is produced by The Ringer and Paper Kite.

1:17:12For The Ringer, production by Jack Wilson, Kat Spillane, Kaya McMullen, and Alea Zanaris. For Paper Kite, production by Sam Green, Joel Lovell, and Jenna Weiss-Berman. Original music by Amy Miles.

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