Living Unapologetically with Sharon Stone

20:59Craig Robinson:And they made you feel special. Yes, and they were so eccentric. Yeah. Because they were this sort of fallen... Royalty. Royalty. Who were, of course, thought they were fantastic. And thought everybody else... Was it sort of gray gardens like? Were they... Not quite as nuts, but not nuts. Yeah. You know, my aunt was a painter and she painted murals on the wall. Wow. And at the same time, my great-grandfather was sitting in the corner with the Maxwell House coffee can as a spittoon. It's like there was art and there was saliva. Right. So you talked about feeling at somewhere in this early age that you were dropped into the wrong place, that you should have been in an urban environment.

21:58I just didn't understand. Yeah, talk about that. Because being that young and understanding that without seeing it, how did you know that you were destined for a different way? Just not quite how to explain the feeling that nothing ever felt familiar. Like other people seem to feel comfortable and at ease. and things to me felt super foreign. Like, why? Why are you doing that? Why do you think that's okay? Why are you accepting that as a fact? Why do you believe that just because someone says that's how it is, that it is how it is? Like, I used to look at the family pictures and think, I don't seem like everybody in this picture.

22:56It just seemed like you're saying that, but I don't believe that. I would disagree with my teacher. I would come in with research to say this is really not true or something would be marked on my test as incorrect. And I would bring in research and say, Who does she sound like?

23:18Craig Robinson:I don't think you're right. Did you do that? Oh, my goodness. I mean, it's just interesting hearing you talk. Now, I never got tested. I don't think I have, you know, I'm not Mensa or anything like that. No, absolutely. Probably not. But who cares? She's not. It's like Craig's like, clearly. Are you my brother? You must be my brother. But one thing, when I hear you talk, it's like this just feeling of knowing a thing about yourself. I like to talk to young people who may have the same feeling about themselves. Right. And I think that women globally face this. Yeah. When you know, and you know you know.

24:06Craig Robinson:Yeah. And then people tell you, I'm not interested in what you know. That's right. That's right. So talk about when you decided to get out of there and start your own life. I was probably as tall as the table, but I didn't pull it off till I was about 15. It's like, when I can drive the seat myself, I'm out of here. I'm weaving now. I'm weaving. But when I was 15, I started to college and I realized they had summer programs. Okay. Which meant I could never have to come home again. Yeah. And you were like, sign me up. I'm like, I'll be studying now. Right. I am so academic, you can't even believe it.

25:02Right, right. I'm the most academic person you've ever met. Watch this.

25:06Craig Robinson:Well, you talk quite eloquently and, you know, sadly about that code of silence and not talking about things and the damage that it causes. I mean, you even talked about how growing up, our generation of mothers and grandmothers didn't even prepare us for life, for sexual health. Is that boy bothering you? Yeah. Is that man bothering you? Get over here. That was the whole extent of the conversation. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And so when you went to college, finally had a boyfriend, a relationship. You talk about how you got pregnant, had to have an abortion because you didn't even - I didn't know I was pregnant.

25:56Craig Robinson:Right, right. Can you talk more about that? Well, imagine you're 17, you're in college. My boyfriend was 23, was an engineer on the railroad, an electrician on the railroad, which was, in our town, a very Tony job, right? It was a super high-paying job. I mean, he had a fancy car, a fancy motorcycle, his own place, a regular employment. And being an electrician on the railroad was like top drawer, right? Yeah. But he didn't have any knowledge or information that I should have some kind of birth control. Mm-hmm. And I had no, like when I tell you I could have been the girl who gave birth in the bathroom stall.

26:50Craig Robinson:I don't mean to laugh, but. No, I laugh. I laugh. Right, right. Because when I tell you no one. Because it was him who noticed that you were, you know, putting on a little. Putting on a little weight. My parents thought I was the freshman 15. Right, right. Like no clue. And when I tell you, no one told me, this is how you have your period. This is what a tampon... Look, they didn't test tampons on human blood until 2026. Wasn't that crazy? They tested female hormones on men because it was more consistent. We didn't do medical research on women OBGYN really until the 2000s. and now we don't want to give women care, OBGYN care, and we want to prosecute women for having a miscarriage.

27:45What kind of arcane bullshit is this? If men got pregnant, you could get an abortion from a vending machine.

27:55Craig Robinson:Exactly.

27:59Craig Robinson:There would be the birth Olympics, you know. Men would film themselves going into labor and honoring their pain. And, you know, there would be trophies given. You know, well done, dude. Bob, you really, you know, you did that without an epidural. Laternity leave would be when you got the bonus. There you go. Right. Hey, what's that over there? You win, win. Yeah, what do you? Craig, Craig. What's that over there? What? Sharon, how did you end up in New York?

28:31Craig's like, I've had it with this conversation. Moving on.

28:34Craig Robinson:Moving on. This is why we don't get help. You know, they're like, well, I'm bored with this conversation. Let's talk about sports. Moving on. I didn't switch to sports. Not yet. Not yet. I was like, we were just getting started, weren't we, Sharon? That's right, ma 'am. Well, I went to New York on this other happy subject when my brother went to prison, Craig. I went to New York because my brother went to Attica in the late 70s, turned to the 80, where the cocaine business started. They started trafficking cocaine into America. And they were trying to get my brother into that business. How did he even wind up being connected with people in the...

29:33This is the part I didn't know and have really tried to not know too much. Got it. Because my brother was in the service when he was very young, 18. Okay. He was in the Air Force and he was in a crew chief, a jet mechanic. and it was Vietnam. Okay. Right? Then he had his car up on a hydraulic at the base. He jumped out of the back of his car and ripped off his finger. It was caught in the trunk latch on his ring, and he ripped off his finger, and he ended up in an amputee ward with the people who had really bad amputations. And these guys were heavily into drugs. They were all sitting out. Self-medicating.

30:19Smoking weed on the porch of this hospital. And then more drugs were coming in. I don't know, but I think that's where it might have started. Okay. Because ultimately, when he started to then get into this cocaine business, I told my boyfriend, if you get into this business, you're not going to be getting into me.

30:41Craig Robinson:It's going to be over. There will be no me involved in this. And he did not get into it. But my brother got very into cocaine. And he was transporting cocaine. My brother was an expert golfer. And he was going around to golf courses as posing as a golf pro. And collecting golf clubs that had drugs in bags and clubs and all this stuff. He was deep in. It was very deep and doing all kinds of things. And it caused, it puts you guys in danger. Well, eventually he was arrested with 15 kilos of cocaine in a hotel room. And the FBI arrested him the day before Christmas on television. And it was a very big deal.

31:33He was over the state line into New York because he had a house in a place called Finley Lake, New York. And it was a nightmare. It was a nightmare for our family. What did that do to your dad, this upstanding, no nonsense? My dad stayed super steady, steady Eddie. And it was incredibly dangerous. Like at a level because people were threatening my brother from a couple of different sides.

32:03Craig Robinson:Because apparently the two sides of where the drugs were coming from and going to were so big that the people who were prosecuting him wanted to break my brother to say one side or the other. And either side would have had him or our family wiped out to the point where my dad and my younger brother were at home and people in full black Kevlar and ski masks came over our front yard with automatic weapons at one point. And my brother and my dad punched out the front of their gun cabinet and started shooting out the kitchen window at whoever these people were that no one ever came to know who they were.

32:52Craig Robinson:And the police didn't get involved. No one came. Nobody came. No one came. My dad and my brother were shooting the shotgun out the kitchen window at these unidentified, just fully rigged out people, which ended that. But my brother ended up being tried getting 15 to life and being sent to Attica. And my mother was like, that's it. You always wanted to go. You can go. It's okay. You can go. You were fleeing. And she said she had seen Merv Griffin on having Eileen Ford as the guest. And she said, we're going to go. And we didn't know where to go. We were such country bumpkins. We went and we were looking in the phone book, where do you go walking the streets?

33:47Craig Robinson:So becoming a model, that wasn't in your sights? Not at all. Wow. Not even a little bit. But my mom thought it's something you could do because I wanted to be a director or an actress. Had you finished college by then? How were you? Yeah. No. And my teachers, particularly my writing teacher, was like, I don't want to sign this. You're going to be an amazing writer. You shouldn't quit. You should not quit. I am really hard-pressed to sign this. And I didn't want to tell him why. I was really trying—we were all trying to sort of keep a lid on it.

34:36Craig Robinson:This episode of IMO is brought to you by our sponsor, Midi Health. I mean, it's literally you wake up dripping in sweat in the middle of the night, unless the room is at a certain temperature. And even when it is, you know, that that's a part of the perimenopausal process. That was probably the first sign for me that what's going on here? You know, why am I waking up with my sheets soaked? and what do I need to do to prevent that? Sleep is a big one with or without hot flashes. Skin and hair changes, vaginal dryness. There's sort of a big picture of things. And about 20 % of women don't actually have severe hot flashes, night sweats, but they all, 100 % of women, go through perimenopause and menopause.

35:27I always say that what we do about perimenopause and menopause, Yes, it makes women feel better in the moment. It helps us navigate our days, but it also impacts our long-term health. Like there's very real changes. Because what we do in these decades, what we do in our 40s, 50s, and 60s really dictates what our 70s, 80s, and hopefully 90s look like. And I think it's really critical. And that's really why I helped found Midi and why we treat all these women at MidiHealth. Midi Health is a telehealth clinic made for women. And we really were founded to really meet the huge care gap for women in perimenopause and menopause, which means we can help guide women through the hormone conversation.

36:12So you can go to our website, which is joinmidi.com. That's joinmidi.com. And really the website helps you navigate. You can book an appointment right there and you start your journey there. This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance, a company committed to helping people move forward and live fully. When I first became a homeowner, I was just absolutely wracked with nerves. We waited until we saved up every single penny for that down payment. We weren't taking any chances. And today's homebuyers are dealing with even bigger challenges than we had back in the day. The market is unpredictable.

36:52There are housing affordability issues and a lack of straightforward education during the home buying journey is keeping many first time buyers on the sidelines. That's why Progressive created the UpPayment, a down payment assistance program for eligible first time home buyers. Now, in its second year, the UpPayment program is offering up to$13 ,500 each to at least 200 eligible applicants with amounts tailored to individual needs. It's all part of Progressive's mission to open more doors for future homeowners. And they offer educational resources and helpful guides, too. Learn more about UpPayment and Progressive's commitment to first-time homebuyers at progressive.com slash openthehouse, where homebuyers can discover more about housing challenges and access resources and support to empower them in their housing journey.

37:51For adults with obesity or with excess weight and weight-related medical problems, it's time to find out about Foundeo or Fraglipron. Foundeo is a once-daily prescription GLP-1 medicine used with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity to help adults with obesity or some adults with overweight who also have weight-related medical problems to lose excess body weight and keep the weight off. Foundeo should not be used with other GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines. It is not known if Foundeo is safe and effective for use in children. Don't take Fondeo if you're allergic to it or if you or someone in your family had medullary, thyroid cancer, or multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2.

38:39Stop and call your doctor right away if you have an allergic reaction, a lump or swelling in your neck, or severe stomach pain. Serious side effects may include inflamed pancreas and gallbladder problems. Tell your doctor if you experience vision changes, if you're nursing, pregnant, planned to be, or taking birth control pills, and before scheduled procedures with anesthesia. Taking Foundeo with an insulin or sulfonylurea may cause low blood sugar. Side effects include diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting, which can cause dehydration and may cause kidney problems. Once daily, Foundeo is available by prescription only in 0.8 milligram, 2.5 milligram, 5.5 milligram, 9 milligram, 14.5 milligram, and 17.2 milligram tablets.

39:30Learn more at foundeo.lily.com or call 1-800-LILY-RX. Now is perfect to talk to your doctor about Foundeo.

39:46Craig Robinson:So what does that feel like as a kid? You know, you're walking away. First of all, you're smart enough to know all of this. I was being threatened too. You're aware. But your whole life is turned upside down. You know, your dreams of who you could be, you know, where you were headed with writing and art and all those things, you know, you had to sort of walk away from that and start doing a career, you know, that was not your choosing. Did you feel resentful? Were you afraid? Well, I went with$50. I had$50 and a suitcase. You know, I lived in a fourth or fifth floor walk-up on Elizabeth and Houston, which then had a Texaco station across the street.

40:40You know, it was, we're talking extreme poverty.

40:48No, I was so excited and so thrilled. And I was just gonna make it. Whatever, I was just gonna make it. I mean, I bought roller skates at a used thrift store because I couldn't afford cabs or subways. And I roller skated top to bottom of New York so that I could get to your phone booth for change that people would leave and collected leftover dimes, nickels and quarters. Every phone booth. I hit every phone booth to collect change. and found a lot of change. And sometimes I went with my roommate and I would distract the... I'm embarrassed about it now. But I would distract the cashier while my roommate stole food to eat.

41:57I'm ashamed. No.

42:00Craig Robinson:Don't be ashamed. Oh my gosh. Please don't be ashamed. I distracted the cashier. You were surviving. So that we can steal food to eat. Yeah. You were surviving. You were surviving. I mean, my God. I mean, but this is. It's a big part of why I give back. Yeah. I want to give back way more than they took. Yeah. Yeah. Because I'm embarrassed and ashamed that I stole what I did. My gosh. I stole to eat. Well, and it's also, that's a hard thing, you know, because that was a. No, that's a lot to say in front of you. Oh, my gosh. Because I admire you so much. Oh my God, no. Sharon, I mean, I am, we are both on this journey of survival, sort of getting where you were the context and what you had to do to just keep it going because you also came to New York with a pretty freaking amazing work ethic, you know?

42:57Craig Robinson:I mean, that was always, that was always what I loved. It's like your dad had you out selling pots and pans door to door when you were a little kid. I mean, everybody always had to work. Mowing lawns, washing cars. So you go to New York, young, brilliant, and having that hustle mentality, understanding that I've got to survive. I got to make it. You know, you're leaving a threat to your life back. You know, you couldn't go home. You know, your parents didn't want you to go home. And here you are, a kid in New York, starting out in the modeling career, you know, it's like, yeah, this is how people get desperate and how bad things happen to good people.

43:44Craig Robinson:It happens every day. You know, it happens to people of all races and all backgrounds. And people, I think it's important for you to tell the story of who you had to be. And when I work with girls - There isn't shame in it, you know? And again, you were lucky enough that you were pretty. I was well so lucky. And that you were white. So lucky. You know? Because my first job, I got$5 ,000. There you go. You want to talk about that? And what did that feel like? You go from - Oh my God. Getting change out of the phone booth to— And I started, I got$5 ,000 a day. Yeah. I got signed by Eileen Ford into what's called special bookings, which was what became supermodels.

44:40Craig Robinson:Yeah. What Cindy and Cindy Crawford and Naomi and all those girls were the next generation, and they were supermodels. Oh, my God. And I started making$5 ,000 a day. And that's how you wound up going to Europe. Yeah. And were you able to develop a career out there? I developed a career and an Italian boyfriend. That's always good. Yes. That's fun. That was really fun. That's a good payoff. Oh, yeah. You're still my dearest friend. Yeah. That's nice. So when did you go out to Hollywood? Or when did you get into movies? And how did all of that take place? I would go to these open castings on my roller skates.

45:24Craig Robinson:Were you still? Were you in New York? Yes. You were in New York. Okay. And I met an extra casting guy named Ricardo Bertoni. And he's the guy who discovered Sly. Oh, okay. He had read Rocky. And he was like, this is the greatest script. This guy has got to get this movie made. He really believed in Sly. And he was banging around trying to get Rocky made, right? And he's like, I know this guy, this Sylvester Stallone, you know. And he's like, you two are going to make it, you know. Wow. And he called me and said there was a casting for extras for this Woody Allen movie, and I should skate over.

46:09That his name was Julia Taylor was casting this thing. they come over to me and they say, look, you're not going to make with us what you'd make modeling, but Woody and Gordon think that you really have it. They think you have what it takes to make it in film. And they'd like to offer you a couple more weeks on the film, but you won't make the same. They want to know if you're interested. You bet. You bet I am. They're like, they're going to expand your part if you want to stay. I'm like, I want to stay. So they start expanding the part. And then I have this scene where I'm on the train and they want me to blow him a kiss.

46:53And so I do this thing and I kiss against the window and I do the thing and Woody comes up to the window and he goes, no, I want you to do it like you're really kissing me.

47:05Craig Robinson:Oh God. And I'm like - That line is not aging well. It didn't. It didn't. But at the time, I was like, okay. Okay. Sure. Right. And so that stayed in the movie. And then I got to keep staying. And I did two more movies with Woody. How were you feeling like you were developing as a young woman? I'd go up for jobs and I wasn't getting them. I was always like one of two or three, but not the winner. And finally, I knew this guy. That was sort of in our friend group, but he was the guy that never wanted to pay the bill. He was like the one where the bill would come and he'd be like, my part is$4 and 32 cents.

47:50Craig Robinson:Yeah, we all know that guy. You know that guy, right? And one day he said to me, I know the acting teacher you should go to. I said, oh, do you? And he said, let me tell you this. If he doesn't change your life, I will pay for your acting lessons. and I was like, you, you will pay my acting lessons. He goes, I will pay. I'm like, you don't pay your own lunch. You'll pay my acting lessons. He goes, I will. I'll pay for them. I'm like, I want it in writing. He's like, I will, I'll pay. I'm like, I'll go. And I went to this guy and I took some private lessons from him and I did the class. And then finally one day he was like, you graduated.

48:42There's no more for you. And I was like, but I'm not good and I didn't get it. I don't want you to overwork it. Because you were an overworker. I'm sure you can't relate to this, but the extra trying, the working too hard, the studying too much for a test. It probably doesn't ring any bells.

49:01Craig Robinson:These guys here, they are sick of my preparation. You see all these cards. Of what you have to have done so I feel ready. Exactly. Yeah, that you never even use. Uh-huh, yeah. Well, oh, no, I use everything. Yeah, but they don't see you using it, so it doesn't make sense. That's right. Right.

49:22So, I sit into this scene, and I'm playing the Jack Lemmon part. Mm-hmm. And I sit into this scene, and suddenly I'm seeing this person across the table in the scene like,

49:41and this person talks and I'm like I think so and suddenly it's like I'm moving them around on a chessboard like I'm moving them through this labyrinth to where I want them to go and it's almost effortless in this very weird way right I'm doing this scene and we finished the scene and the room is like you could hear a pin drop. And I look at my teacher and he's like this. Yeah. And he looks around at the class like this. And he looks at me and he goes, what have we learned? And I said that I am enough.

50:31and he looks around and he goes wow you've graduated class dismissed wow two weeks later I got basic instinct wow

50:43Craig Robinson:what did that feel like for you that process of getting to that point of I'm enough and what work were you doing to unpack what did you unpack in that process I stopped being assigned yeah The female role. I was done jumping through hoops, proving my value, proving my worth. No, that's absolutely fascinating. And as somebody outside of Hollywood, like most of our listeners are, you get to that point where you're like, I'm not needy anymore. Right. I'm doing my thing. I feel good. I have the power. the sort of totally called basic instinct casino. And then all of a sudden, crickets. Well, I thought about this and I was given a lot of time to think about it.

51:39Like how come crickets? Yeah. How come crickets? Right. How come you could be so good in one of the better movies of ever? Ever, yeah, of all time. Where's your next possibly Oscar contender part? Why not? Yeah. I'm afraid I do not have the answers. I do not have the answers to that. But I do understand that I did something that wasn't done before and hasn't been done again. that I went into the boys club and changed the dynamic. Bob De Niro said to me specifically, look, my part, Sharon, is a reactive character. Everything about my character depends on you. I must know that you are going to give it to me if we hire you.

52:50Because if you don't, I am fucked and the movie's fucked. You have to promise me. And I said, of course. But you have to understand that if I did it to you in the audition. Wait, hold on, hold on. Are you telling me this is casino? I'm telling the listeners. This is casino. And if I didn't do it, I said, if I did it in the audition, you wouldn't like me and you wouldn't hire me. And my behavior would seem so outrageous that you might think I'm crazy. I'm afraid to do it in the audition process. That's crazy. I just don't know what line to walk in the audition process. And he said, okay, I can see that.

53:36And he said, okay, so there's one more step. You have to come in. You have to get approved by Frank, by the guy, the real guy, the guy he was playing. It was contractually obligated that the guy, the real husband, had to approve who played my character. And I said, I can do that. And he said, you really got to do it. And I said, you can really count on me. And so they brought him to California into a very, very small suite. And the part that I was brought into had a very small L-shaped sofa. And he was sitting in the small part of the L, this man. And De Niro and Scorsese were standing in the corner beyond him when I entered the room.

54:35And I came as the character, completely as the character. I came in an extremely inappropriate dress with my hair in a ponytail up here in a big bow, with a dress that had like almost flower thing on the bust, a sundress. See me. Yes. and really fitted sundress, like just a full-on hustler, as a hustler. And I opened the door and didn't really come in. I stood at the door like, I'm here. You're lucky to see me, right? And I waited for the man to ask me to come in, not them. And he was sitting on the couch with his legs spread very far apart as those kind of men do, right? where they sit like that, like big.

55:36And he took a pack of cigarettes out from his inside pocket and was hitting them on his hand. And I walked over and said, you got one for me? And he went, yeah. And he took one out of his pocket and handed it to me. And I leaned over and put my hands on his thighs like this and leaned in and said, light me up, put it in my mouth and said, light me up like that and leaned into his face. And he lit my cigarette and I saw Bob and Marty look at each other like,

56:13Craig Robinson:what? Who is she? Who is this? It's like, where's Sharon? What's going on? Like, and then I took only one hand off his leg, left the other one on his thigh and turned around and sat down next to him and kept my hand on his thigh. And I was like, the hustle is on. Right, really? I am. I'm here to get what I need, what I want. I am the hustler that married him. Wow. And I am going to hustle him till he marries me into this part. Wow. And I sat down and had a smoke with him and then told him how terrific it was to meet him and got up and left and never spoke to Bob or Marty. Oh, wow. Yes. Like they weren't even there.

56:57Nice. Like they weren't even there.

56:59Craig Robinson:Wow. Oh, man. This is great. Wow. We just got to give even the description of that audition. It's just like, damn, girl. I was like, you want to know if I can play the part? It's like, take that. You're hired. I am the part. I am fucking enough. I came in to hustle you and pick you up. Wow. I did not come in to get the part. I came in to hustle you for a cigarette in an afternoon.

57:36It's wild to think about how much harder it was to start a business 20 years ago. Just figuring out what to do, how to do it, or whom to ask for help could be a challenge in itself. Now you've got all this information at your fingertips. And even the platform you use to build your business can help guide you along the way. Shopify is basically your home base for starting and growing a business online. And now Shopify has Sidekick, which is like having an AI business expert built right in. It can help you analyze sales, update products, create promotions, generate reports, all behind the scenes stuff that needs to happen to keep the business moving.

58:17That means less time worrying about whether everything is running correctly and more time thinking about what you want to make, what you want to drop next, and how you keep growing. Take advantage of the fact that this is the easiest time to start your business in history. Head over to shopify.com slash IMO and do something that millions of people wish they could have done. This episode of IMO is brought to you by Cologuard, a non-invasive colon cancer screening test. There are certain things in life you keep meaning to get around to. And for me, health screenings always ended up on that list.

58:55But I was surprised to learn that colon cancer is on the rise. It's now the number one cancer killer for people under 50 in the U.S. The good news is it's also one of the most preventable cancers, which is why getting screened matters. I've actually done the Cologuard test myself, and what surprised me the most was how straightforward it was. The kit comes right to your house. There's no prep. nothing invasive, and I was able to complete it in about 15 minutes. Then I simply mailed it back and my results were provided 10 days later. I was impressed to learn that the Cologuard Plus test detects 95 % of colon cancers.

59:37That's similar to a colonoscopy as seen in a separate study. I know a lot of people put off screening because they think it has to involve a colonoscopy. But if you're 45 or older and at average risk, don't keep waiting. There's a simple way to screen. The Cologuard test could make a real difference and timely screening is key to better outcomes when it comes to colon cancer. Talk to your healthcare provider about screening for colon cancer with Cologuard or request it online today at Cologuard.com where they have an easy telehealth option, prescription only. Cologuard products are intended to screen adults 45 and older at average risk for colorectal cancer.

1:00:22Do not use if you have had a personal history of colorectal cancer or polyps, have inflammatory bowel disease, a family history of colorectal cancer or certain hereditary syndromes, or a positive result from another colon cancer screening method within that test recommended screening interval. Cologuard results should be interpreted with caution as false positives and false negatives do occur. Available by prescription only. Summer may be close to ending, but I'm still spending quite a bit of time on my feet, walking around, traveling, trying to squeeze every last bit out of this nice weather.

1:01:02So I appreciate anything that makes all of that a little more comfortable. Bombas is my go-to for socks. They're soft and cushioned where you need it. but still airy and sweat wicking so your feet aren't begging you to call it a day before you are. I also think it's really cool how they make socks for a whole range of sports, too. I grabbed a four-pack of the all-sport ankle socks, which are perfect for everyday puttering around and maybe squeezing in the gym if need be. Bombas has the basics covered, too, with super soft, breathable underwear and T-shirts. Plus, for every item you purchase, an essential clothing item is donated to someone facing housing insecurity.

1:01:45One purchased equals one donated, with over 200 million donations and counting. Head over to Bombas.com slash IMO and use code IMO for 20 % off your first purchase. That's B-O-M-B-A-S dot com slash IMO. Code IMO at checkout. I've learned this firsthand from writing a book. Starting something is exciting. You're full of momentum and ideas. The harder part is sticking with it months later when the novelty wears off. That's true for writing, and it's true for making lasting health changes too. Or really, any changes for that matter. Noom is a health and wellness app that combines GLP-1 medication with behavioral support to help people lose weight, and more importantly, build habits that help them keep it off.

1:02:33With Noom, medication can be delivered right to your door in as little as seven days. But their support doesn't stop there. Along with the medication, Noom provides psychology-based lessons, food tracking, personalized coaching, and practical tools that help you make healthier decisions day after day. The Noom GLP-1 program starts at$39 and is delivered to your door in as little as seven days. Start your GLP One journey today at Noom.com. That's N-O-O-M.com. Noom. Lose for keeps. Initial one-month subscription from$39 plus tax and$99 plus tax per month thereafter. Cost of medications not included.

1:03:19Final pricing depends upon program selection.

1:03:27Craig Robinson:so you won the uh award in that audition yeah so it was just like so i think that i think i know what the outcome will be at the end of this oscar season i mean they i think they were a little bit like that i when i just came continually came unfurled on set i think they were all kind of There were days when I saw Bob talking to Marty going, did you see that? Did you see that? And Marty would go, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's happening. You want to be like, now do you have something to play off of? Well, you know, he's the greatest living actor. There was no, it's all the only person. But you were also going toe to toe.

1:04:15Well, when I met my acting teacher and he said, what is it you really want to do? I said, I want to be able to sit down opposite Robert De Niro and hold my own. That was it. That was my dream. That was my goal. I never dreamed it would be in a Scorsese movie. But, you know, Bob's the greatest actor alive. That was it. I mean, it was my dream. And the fact that I did it, I think, again, a woman.

1:04:43Craig Robinson:Yeah. I think that's outside of the code. And do you think you were punished for that? You know... And that's my word, so... You know, there is no punishment that could take away the fact that I got to work with The Greatest Living Actor, with The Greatest Living Director, in one of the greatest screenplays by Nick Pelleggi. Yeah. because you can say and do whatever you want. I've already died once. It doesn't matter. It's going to be there long beyond us. So it doesn't really matter because it is. It just is. Well said. And people will say to me, you know, you need to do this because people don't take you seriously.

1:05:35And I think, you know what? What do you need from me to be taken seriously? The problem is you, not my seriousness. I'm as serious as it can get. Take it or don't take it. I don't really, do I care? No. Do you want to punish me, like me, love me, hate me, talk about me, don't like me? Honestly, you maybe find this relatable. It's not about me.

1:06:00Craig Robinson:There you go. There's that wisdom that you started out with. It's just not about me. There's that wisdom. It's about the fact that I did something that you hadn't seen a woman do before more than once. And it threw you for a loop. It's throwing you. You're just not used to it. Now, talking about, you know, we talk about our parents all the time. We talk about parenting all the time. How did becoming a parent change the way you related to your career? I'm such a lucky mommy. Well, I always wanted to adopt kids. I remember 14 realizing I wanted to adopt kids and starting to research how. And I have three boys.

1:06:49Two of them are biological brothers a year apart. When you adopt children, you have to be prepared that there's always going to be something. And it is going to be the greatest thing that ever happened to you if you dig in and do it. Whatever it takes, the therapy, the whatever that you go through as a family is going to be the most growth, wisdom, freedom, liberation. And developing as a parent is so expansive because truly we don't know anything about parenting when we have kids. No, we don't. And I've been able to say to my kids, look, I've never been a parent before. That's right. I don't know what this.

1:07:45Craig Robinson:I'm just trying some stuff on. Yeah, I don't know this right here. I never even heard of this before. So your recovery process from your stroke, you know, because we are running out of time, the learning that you talk about from that process is beautiful. You know, your relationship to Buddhism, your embracing of understanding death. You know, it's such a good question. While I was able to get my mom a lot of therapy and different people to talk to, she died with her shame intact.

1:08:35and because of that and because she and my sister had at one point really encouraged me to write my book and said, oh, when you write it, we'll all go and Oprah together and we'll all talk about it. And then when I wrote it, they were like, we can't believe you did that, right? How could you do that? Because the idea of it and then the actuality of it.

1:09:02Craig Robinson:Are two very different things. Very different things. Especially when there hasn't been healing in work. Well, you know, she died at my house a year ago in March. And when I was alone with her, she would wildly confess so much of what had happened to her. Things she had never told anyone. and much of it that I don't think that would be fair to tell the world. And I'd seen it in many places, but it's harder to recognize when it's you, that the person the person is meanest to is the person they feel the safest with. Right? And at a certain point, I had to realize, oh my God, that person is me. That's me.

1:09:57And she's not going to die unless I leave. I have to leave. I have to go away. So many people have a difficult time in our culture embracing death and what it means.

1:10:17Craig Robinson:And it seems like your experiences have given you some really unique tools. It's a beautiful thing. Yeah. I've seen it a lot of times.

1:10:33And I think my mom's was the hardest one I've seen.

1:10:39Craig Robinson:Yeah. But usually it's a beautiful thing. And I see people really enjoying it. And I can say, I don't think we should be afraid of death at all. not even a little bit. I think we should feel like it's a warm bath of goodness. Well, I think that's a good note. Yeah, that's a happy note. That's what I want to be. I want to be the happy death person. That's how I want you to remember me. Let's just stick with that. We can do some good. We can do some good because we have a listener question where we can help some folks out so we don't have to end on the happy, happy death. All right. Who's our listener question?

1:11:29So this is Agnes. Dear Michelle and Craig, I'm 50 years old and recently had a major health event. I had a close call with a cancer diagnosis. And since then, I have had a major shift in my outlook on life. Once I was out of the danger zone, I quit my job, retired early, and now I'm traveling the world. My children and loved ones are worried about me, Especially with me leaving a job I've had for over 20 years My son calls me careless And my marriage is straining Especially as my husband now feels He's bearing the burden of our family's finances How do I help them understand That this is the real me And that I'm trying to live my life to its fullest This is from Agnes from Vermont Well Agnes First of all I would like to say to you Congratulations on your Recovery

1:12:18Craig Robinson:Um

1:12:22And I would also like to say it's not your responsibility to give your family understanding. It is your family's responsibility to get their own understanding. Hear, hear. It is your responsibility to get your understanding for yourself. And if your responsibility makes it uncomfortable for your family to participate in your life, that'll be their decision. The only understanding that is your responsibility is for you to understand that you may lose their regular participation in your journey, that there will be consequences to the decisions that you're making, and that you will have to bear the consequences of these decisions.

1:13:06You can't make them understand something that's so foreign to them because they haven't shared this defining experience that you have. And people who take their life for granted can be very judgy. It sounds like your other vocation, as matter how wonderful it may have been, is something you thrived in and were good at. But now you're really good at something that is bigger. What you have to recognize, Agnes, and when you go to France, you'll be Agnes, is that you will find yourself having new names, new associates, and you'll be new and that'll be exciting. What you will miss, what you will lose, what will hurt is the familiarity of those four corners.

1:14:09You'll be able to visit them, but you won't be able to stay. Wow.

1:14:15Craig Robinson:I mean, I just, my, the analogy I use and have often used when you are growing is like that, a climb up Mount Everest. Yes. You know, and then like everybody starts out at base camp excited about the climb, right? Everybody wants to get to the top because it sounds exciting, right? But then you start the climb and people come to the climb with different skills and abilities. Like some people didn't train, you know? Some people get altitude sickness. They don't even know that they're not ready for the climb, right? But then you start climbing and you hit the first summit and some people fall off, you know, and you can't stay with them if you want to get to the top because there's something for you at the top.

1:15:04Craig Robinson:Exactly. That means you've got to leave somebody at that first summit and you go to the next summit. The same thing happens. Well, and the other thing that you can do when you get to the top is look for ways to help those who didn't make it. Now, they may not get to the top, right? But they can get further than they would have. Well, you can say, go over there. Take that path. Oh, don't go there. You'll fall off. Yeah. But there are people who, A, won't listen. Right. And there are people who will be mad at you. That's right. For not hauling them up. For not pushing them. That's right. For not yanking them.

1:15:42For not carrying their bags.

1:15:44Craig Robinson:And that may be what Agnes will have to go through with her family. You know, it may not be a total leave behind, but she can only do what she can to help them understand where and why she's going in the direction that she's going. Right. She's taken a bite out of life. Yeah. Yeah. You know, in my world, I have survived being like a Marilyn Monroe, right? Or something. These women before me did not survive it. Right? That's right. I have great admiration for them. Yeah. But they weren't allowed to survive it. Right. I was not allowed to survive it, and I did. Wow. That's very powerful. I think that's a mic drop response to a listener question right there.

1:16:38Craig Robinson:Sharon Stone. To quote the master, Obama out. I love you. Thank you so much. I could listen to you forever. Oh, my God. You did not disappoint. Yes. Well, look who's talking. You are, you know, you're one of one.

1:17:17Your body is always changing, and those changes can feel like a lot to navigate alone. Weight that won't budge, skin that starts to show signs of change, hair loss, mood swings. MidiHealth gets it because Midi was built for exactly this, by women, for women. Their clinicians specialize in the hormonal shifts that occur throughout your life. So you're not getting generic care, you're getting expertise for exactly where you are. Midi is the trusted virtual care clinic for women's health with specialists trained to treat everything from weight changes to skincare, sleep, mood, and hormonal health.

1:17:55They listen, they dig into root causes, and they build you a personalized care plan with treatments that fit your needs. You shouldn't have to keep guessing. And with Midi, you won't. Midi visits are available in every state and covered by most insurance plans. So expert care that actually sees you is more accessible than you think. Book your first virtual visit today at joinmidi.com. That's joinmidi.com. Results may vary. Medications prescribed only if clinically appropriate based on a consultation with a clinician. Insurance coverage varies. Check with your plan for coverage.