Lisa Kudrow: Walking Into Rooms (Re-Release)

31:02Was it in Romania? Peggy Lipton. Yeah. Peggy Lipton. That might've been, I'm thinking Susan Day and the Partridge family, Peggy Lipton and Josie and the Pussycats. Those were the three things that lit my fuse when I was seven years old. No, Peggy Lipton. Was it on the Mod Squad? No, there was, yeah, that was it. Peggy Lipton. But no, that was great that they could do that together. And, yeah, so that turned out to be a Holocaust story that was brutal. I mean, yeah, we all think it's just— Someone else's family. I did anyway. It's like, well, concentration camps. My family wasn't in a concentration camp, so we missed—you know, we avoided that.

31:45And then, no, there were the death squads. There were all kinds of other things. Yeah. And that, you know, that—it makes you appreciate your life. You know, it makes you appreciate their sacrifice. Yeah. No, and also my grandmother, you know, who to me was sort of a tricky person. But when I saw where she came from and I saw, you know, then she goes to New York and she's in like this tenement. And oof, I mean, it was tough. I mean, yeah, it made me just understand not everyone is extraordinary, you know. And you have to allow people their stuff just because they're not extraordinary in overcoming things that people can't really overcome.

32:31It's too much trauma. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I talk sometimes a lot about that kind of stuff on the show because I'm a big believer in therapy and that we, you know, we have to put a, like, not a stop, but, like, it's up to us in our lifetimes to make right the stuff that we've inherited from folks who didn't have the wherewithal or the learning or any of it. It's kind of going back to what you were saying about the schools today is like we've we don't do what we did, you know, two decades ago. Some of that just doesn't fly anymore. Or even a decade ago. Even a decade ago. A decade ago. Five years ago.

33:20Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, I mean, I feel like schools have been really scrutinizing kids way too much. And, you know, oh, they're not paying attention. Let's give them a pill. You know, just. Oh, when I was in the first grade, they pulled me out of class and had my mom come for an emergency session because I couldn't color inside the lines. And that when asked, I said my favorite color was black. And they were like, he is mentally ill. And my mom was like, I'm sorry, what? Yeah. No, they were like, he'll never. I mean, he's got. I couldn't color inside the lines. Could not do it. Favorite color, black.

34:01never going to amount to anything. No, I mean, but see, but that is the influence of certain kinds of therapy. But, you know, there are, to me, the issue is we don't know a lot about how our brains work. We know more than we used to, but, you know, these sort of fad therapy things, making their way into schools is not always great, I don't think, you know. It's like they were like, ooh, black, and he won't color in the lines. he's like depressed or off or something's wrong. Like, no, no, his brain's developing. He likes black right now. Check back in five years. It'll be okay, you know? It's funny, I remember, the other thing we talk about it like is whatever shame you have in this life or anything, that's always something that needs to be rectified.

34:53I always think about that. One of the earliest times I remember feeling so ashamed was in the second grade, they had what had to have been one of the earliest video cameras ever made. And I remember them, they just propped it in the corner and turned it on. And we're always doing our work and I thought, and I can remember vivid like it was yesterday thinking, this is going to be the most boring thing anybody has ever watched. So I would get up and literally like make a cross, like an actor would to go and sharpen my pencil and then come and sit down and write some more. And then I would think, God, this is fucking interminable.

35:35Who's ever going to? And then I'd like get up and go to the chalkboard and figure it. And at the end of the class, they were like, Rob Lowe, can you stay after class, please? We need to talk to you. I was like, yeah. And they're like, you're hyperactive. Oh, why? Because you wouldn't stay if you can stay seated. You are hyperactive. You cannot sit in your seat. And I did not. And I remember thinking vividly, I was doing it on purpose. I was doing it because it was boring. That thing, the camera, it's going to be on. What if you said, I'm your show. I am the show. This is the show. Me getting up, sharpening a pencil.

36:10Come on, man. There were no crosses. That was just dead. Some day people are going to pay me good money to do that. But that's what I, but how crazy, I was literally in the seventh grade, not seventh grade, second grade in Dayton, Ohio. I was thinking like a filmmaker, but didn't even know that I was. Fantastic. And got in so much trouble. That's fantastic. I mean, not fantastic. Sorry. But did your mom, was she worried or did she just go, that's enough facts? Luckily, they didn't, to my knowledge, they didn't like write a letter home or anything. Because you can think of how that could actually go bad, all joking aside.

36:44It's like the next thing you know, I'm on Ritalin or whatever. Who knows? Right, right, right, right. But I also was aware enough to know that I was misunderstood, which is a whole other podcast. This project literally, I'm going to start another one called Misunderstood because I think a lot of us who end up in this business have multiple stories like that. Where I'm like, no, no, no, no, no. You just don't understand being misunderstood. Yeah. Oh, completely. Always. I thought that was everybody's experience, though. And I think actors, there's different categories of why they want to go into it.

37:25And I think the most common explanation, people like to just like, oh, they just want attention. And there's a whole other thing, which is, no, they just like being other people. Yes. They're just really interested in understanding other people. So they want to inhabit other people so they can understand. The other thing people mistakenly say is, oh, well, they must be really good liars because they're actors. Oh, yeah. No, I can't lie. Me neither because you're a good actor because only bad actors lie on screen. Interesting. Good actors tell the truth on screen. Oh, wow. Yeah. That's good. You are smart.

38:09I mean, I've known that, but yeah. I know. If you think about it, like people, and I get it, you know, to the regular person who's just a fan of movies and TV, they would, why should they ever give the amount of thought to acting that we do? But I can see why they would think that. But as you know, what we do is somebody puts something on paper that has nothing to do with anything. It's a lie. It's made up. Right. And our job is to make it truthful. Yeah. Although these days, a lot of them seem to be transcripts of actual events and things and parts of people's lives, you know? Yeah. What are you watching today?

38:49What's your thing? You have a, like, what's on your queue? Yeah. I know. I'm always asking people that. I've run out of things. I mean, yeah, we sailed through Queen's Gambit because that was just so good. So good. And The Crown. Yep. Oh, I just got a preview of Shonda Rhimes' Bridgerton. Mm-hmm. That's going to be on. I loved it. I'm looking forward to it. I haven't seen it yet. Ah. When do we get the Friends reunion? The famous Friends reunion? Yeah. We're going to shoot that in the spring. Early, early spring. And is it, do we, you know, obviously, is it, what is it? Well, it's not a script.

39:31It's not a reboot or it's not like a scripted thing. We're not portraying our characters. It's us getting together, you know, which, you know, just doesn't happen a lot and has never happened in front of other people since 2004 when we stopped. So, yeah. So it's reminiscing and just catching up and talking. And that's going to be great. I think it'll be great. Is there a moderator? There's no moderator. Should you guys hang? Is it you just having, like, nachos over at Jen's house? Yes, that's it. If I were directing it, I would be like, here's what it is. It's Aniston is making margaritas and nachos.

40:12Yeah. And hijinks ensue. That's sort of what I wanted it to be. Like just we're having dinner and then you intercut with other things and, you know. But, yeah, I don't know. There's different facets to it, you know, and some like already shot packages of things. I don't know fully, to be honest. I really don't. But I pre-shot something for it already. So we're definitely doing it because I already shot a little something. I'm so interested in it. I mean, because the other thing is when you guys first announced it, it was pre-COVID and pre-reunions of absolutely everything that you could. I mean, I've seen Urkel's reunion.

41:01I've seen, you know, what's happening now, I think. reunion. Right. I know I've been in Parks and Rec and West Wing. Oh, right. Yeah, yeah. So, I mean, I'm just saying there's a really high bar now. I'm just saying. I know. You've got to... I know. I mean... Well, we'll see what happens. You know what? You get what you get and you don't... You get what you get. It's the Friends. It's the fucking Beatles. Listen, if the Beatles walked into the room, they could literally just walk into the room and I'd be thrilled. All right. So that, and that's what our show is. We're just walking into rooms. I would, I would, I'm not kidding.

41:37I would be like, oh, oh. Well, I mean, we're walking into a coffee house room. We're walking, I think some sets will be up that we've not been in. I mean, the coffee house I've been in now and then, you know, but. I have a hot take on the coffee house. What's that? It's ugly. Okay. I don't like it. I. Well, that's a very popular opinion. Oh, good. It's not a hot take? No, it's not. I mean, it's not a popular opinion, I don't think. Oh, I see. I find it to look, first of all - I was lying, you see, and I didn't do it well. And you didn't, see, you couldn't do it well. To your point. You're a truth teller.

42:21You are a truth teller. But then again, it's the 90s. Everything was like that. There's a lot of fabric. Yeah. A lot of fabric. Yeah, yeah. Well, look at the apartment with the frame on the door. Now that's like a little too cute. But then it was like, oh, look at that. Yeah. I still think, is it the purple? Is it the walls are purple? The door was purple. Yeah. I don't remember what the wall was. I have a purple. Ah! The purple thing is like, I post-traumatic stress about the friend's purple.

42:51That's my take on it. That's what you have post-traumatic stress on? Okay. Well, that and the fact that all the guys had better cars than I did. I'd be like, like I said, going to the gym, grinding my ass out. and there'd be Matt LeBlanc going, what do you think? Well, he's a car guy. Oh, yeah. Right? He's a big car guy. Courtney also knows cars. So your story of them searching your car, did you ever have, because you guys made it in a time of television where it was the gold rush. There was money vomiting out of every sewer pipe in the world. Wow. That's not how it felt. You know, did you ever have them gift you with elaborate gifts?

43:39No, have us. No, they didn't. I mean, we would hear about people getting outrageous gifts. And yeah, one year there was an issue and it was actually like someone wrote about it, you know, and we didn't get anything, I think. Because I think the studio got like, ugh, like this show got, they all got cars. Yes, cars. So should we give them cars? No, you should get planes. And one of our executive producers was like, they have cars, they don't need cars. So then there was nothing. That's a bad producer. He went from, you were about to get cars, that you now got nothing. Well, I mean, we didn't need cars, you know.

44:27And, yeah, I don't know. It was just, because the truth is, you know, yeah, we didn't need anything. So make a donation somewhere, you know. And that's what we would do with the executive producers. It's like, look, we've all done well. So for Christmas, we'll make a donation, you know. Right. Somewhere that you like, you know. But then it was like, well, you know, I like gifts. Like, okay, so we'll get you a gift. Yeah. The stories of that era, I mean, I remember so vividly, there was a show called Providence on NBC. That sounds familiar. The same time it was, she's a great actor, Melina Kennecarides.

45:11Oh, yeah. Right. Yeah. And they got her a Range Rover. Yeah. Providence. Melina Kennecarides. What do you think you're going to get? Jen Aniston and Lisa Kudrow and Friends. Well, that was one person. There were six of us. Oh, that's true. I know. And I say it like, you know, money was tight. No, it wasn't because the show was making them so much. No, no. It was a gusher. It still is. On the same lot, same company, ER. Yeah. Was crushing and they gave every department had a million dollar check. What? Yeah, yeah. They did? Yeah. Who's they? Who? The producers? I think John Wells did. Okay. What I'd heard is he, when they made that next big syndication deal that John gave everybody.

46:00And then, so my eyes are filled with stars with all of this. And it's the West Wing. And we've just, I think at that time, done really well at the Emmys more than anybody ever done. And it was a thing. And you guys were killing it. And John Wells is one of our producers who just give a million dollars to ER. And Melina Kanekaridis has got a Range Rover. And Will and Grace all got Boxster Porsches. Right. That's right. Right. They got Porsches. And I remember John Spencer, God bless him, who's my best friend on the West Wing. They made an announcement that the studio was coming down to give us gifts.

46:40Based on, it was right after the Emmys. And John and I were like, is it a car? What kind of car is it going to be? Or is it a check? This is going to be the great. And we're all in the Roosevelt Room set, waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting for the heads of AOL Time Warner. Because they had just merged and everybody, money was flying and the internet was, it was all great. And in comes the president of the studio. And he says, we're just so proud of what you guys have accomplished. It's not only a hit TV show, but it says something about our country, and it says something about this new company, AOL Time Warner.

47:22Right. And we couldn't be more proud to give you just a small token of our - Wait, can I just, I've got a list in my head. A coffee truck, so you can each get like a latte. Oh my God, you truly - Or a baseball cap, a sweatshirt. See, Kudrow, this is why - There's a list. You are not just a pretty face. Because you are a smart cookie and you know where the bodies are buried. Wait. It's not your first rodeo, is it? No, but what was it? It was a single serving espresso maker. Oh, my God, it was. Yep. For each of you to have. Oh, no, no, no. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Oh, just for everyone to take a turn?

48:02Just for everybody. And then in 10 hours, everyone will have been served an espresso if you like it, if you like espresso. And my favorite part was it was under a sheet with a voila moment. Oh, shit. But that was going to be in your craft service forevermore. Forever. Forever. That is for West Wing to use one at a time. For whatever that show accomplished, I know that it got us an espresso maker. That's great. From the studio.

48:35That's really great. And we'll be right back after this.

48:48and then before we go i want to hear about space force i'm obsessed with the actual space force i didn't know it was such a thing i didn't know it was a real thing when i shot it like the idiot actually saw like the state of the union where president trump said something about space force and i like texted steve and and steve carell and greg daniels wait there it's a real thing. They're like not even responding. And then, yeah, right. Yes, it is. Did you see this week that they revealed the motto of the Space Force? No, what? Yeah, this week. Oh, Guardians. Wait, it's not. Yes. So I guess in the Navy, well, you'd be an aviator if you were in the air force right soldier if you're the um army um if you're in the space force you're a guardian you're a guardian right isn't that from um well i immediately i texted disturbing i i texted chris pratt and i was like um you're a guardian you're a guardian that's established you are the guardian of the galaxy oh guardians of galaxy but then also i thought um god damn you know the hulu it's really big.

50:05The show that I can't watch. Handmaid's Tale. Oh, oh yeah. Like the bad people are the guardians. That's not good. Well, they're like the guards at the gate at Warner Brothers. They don't know. They are the guardians that make sure I'm not leaving with a, with a lamp or anything. By the way, that's not true. I love the guards. Every guards at the gate, they're always a Mr. Lowe. Makes me feel like I'm in show business. It's the last vestige, by the way, of what it was like to be Clark Gable. Yeah. Truly. Right, right, right. No, they're really nice. They are nice. They were always nice. And I think then after, you know, that happened a couple of times and then I mentioned it on a talk show, then it kept happening just because I think they got a kick out of me mentioned, but it was really funny.

50:50And I did love because, you know, I don't know about you, but the first time like people know who you are and you're financially secure, you know, in that moment, right? And there's a little bit of like, uh-oh, what's the other shoe that's going to drop? I don't know if you have that, but I do. And so when they would stop me, I'm like, I'll take it. I'll take it. Thank you. Thank you. Yes. You just put me back on my spot. Thank you. That's great. Yeah. You talk about it as the other shoe to drop. I'm always like, what is that light at the down the train tracks oh that's the oncoming train that's that's sort of why that makes me laugh so hard it's terrifying yes when i when i'm when i don't have a head full of therapy i'll wake up in the morning a bit yeah that light looks like a lot like a train to me and then when i'm in like while my head's on straight it's like no no that's actually a light on the set that you're working on you lucky fucking bastard right it's all okay it's all gonna be okay wait and you can cut this or do whatever you want i loved the grinder what happened what happened i loved it you were hilarious fred's everyone fred savage Fantastic.

52:17Every human in that show was great. I loved it. I don't know what happened. I am so glad because you have tremendous, and I'm not saying this because you just paid the show a great compliment. I trust your taste implicitly. And that I made a Grindr fan out of you means a lot to me. I love that show. I loved it. It's my favorite. In fact, when it was canceled, I was like, I'm done with comedy. I'll never do. I don't blame you. I'm never going to have a better fit. I'm never going to have a better group of people. I'm never going to have a show that I'm more proud of or funnier. It was every moment of it was perfect for me.

52:58Yeah, it was so good. Folks, if you're out there and you haven't seen The Grinder, I don't even know. I think it's probably on Hulu would be my guess or iTunes. But goddamn, I love that show so much. It's so funny. It's ridiculous and funny. It was so good. I don't that that's what made me go. Yeah, yeah, I'm done. Like the networks. I can't I can't do it because they won't they won't use their eyes and ears. All they're looking at is a spreadsheet. And I know that this business doesn't have time like they did back, you know, for Seinfeld and Cheers when, you know, Brandon Tartikoff would just wait for it to find its audience because he knew it was good, right?

53:46I know they can't do that anymore, maybe, is why. They can't wait, but I'm out. I had the same reaction. But I will say this, though. I had to remember that when they sent me the script, and it was so funny and so inside baseball in a great way and so eviscerating of network television that I thought I couldn't believe that they were going to make it. So I came from a place that I can't believe we got to do 22 of them on network television because you talk about biting the hand that feeds you. No, we nod it off. That's their only way they can survive though. They can't be too precious. I don't think that's why.

54:37No, that's not why. Well, that isn't why they can't cancel. They just didn't believe in it. It truly wasn't their taste. I mean, and I knew we had a problem when they were so excited. I got the phone call from the higher-ups, and they were so excited that the Grindr was going to share the night with John Stamos' grandfathered. Okay. And I was like, oh, we're fucked. Yeah, those were different times. Because that show, it's just not the same audience. Our audience is the Parks and Rec audience. Right. Wasn't there a transition at the network around then? No, it was the same group. Wow. Because I thought they were just starting to try something new.

55:26Like, I don't know. I just feel like, you know, and then they also canceled Last Man on Earth. Yes, that was the same. We had a, that was a really great run. Don't, I mean, that was such a great show. You know what they do though? You know what the thinking is? The thinking, and I'm sure you do know this, is look, The Grinder did not get great ratings. It did not. And neither did Last Man's Day. We did, it did not. But what it was, was the new normal. I'm the king of new normal. I'm always on these shows that get the new rating. that people are like, oh my God, it's gone down to a point seven.

56:05Oh, it's a disaster. It's down to a point seven. And guess what? That's the rating now for the next five years. And then they're dying for a point seven. The next year, they would die for a point seven. When they canceled The Grinder, they never had another show ever that did that number. Right. I know. By the way, do you remember what Friends did, just to blow my mind? Do you remember? No. What those ratings were like? No, like 23. A 23. Right, 23. They're a static with a one. I know. A static. I know. Well, I know. No, I do know. I know that. I do. And by the way, our 23 was always like, well, I mean, yeah, it's not cheers.

56:51It's not mash. It's a 23. But, you know, that's how it is now. So don't worry. Don't worry. When do you go back to do more Space Force? Well, they're going to shoot in May. So I'll see if I'm needed. Because I'm not like a regular. Right, right, right, right. You come in. You have the best job in the world. You just kind of come in when they want you or when you can do it. It's great. That's right. That's right. Yeah. Yeah. So that's May. So it'll be right before probably, you know, able to get a vaccine. that's how I look at everything and I just went to London to shoot something and I was a wreck before going because I can't help but take like a few steps back and just go wait if five years from now I just imagine we're saying wait a minute I'm sorry you flew to London weeks before vaccines were available but that's when you went like the height of the pandemic huh you're like doubling down.

57:55You're like, I'm going to do it at its most dangerous. Right. But that's not me. I'm the one who's like, you're doing what? You're the biggest idiot ever. So I was now the biggest idiot ever. So it just made me a wreck, but I did it. It was okay. I'm back. I think danger is your brand, Kudrow. I think when I think of you, I think, but I don't know. I'm Lisa Kudrow. Danger is my brand. I guess I am kind of very brave, but, um, yeah, I, but it's not, that's not what I look for. Um, Kudrow, one, one last question for you. Taft high school. Yeah. What about it? That's where I went. Cheryl Burkoff.

58:33Yeah. No, that's my wife. She went to Taft. How is that? I, we've spent time together, but she's younger than me, right? She is, no, I think she's two years older than you. But you would have been there at the same time. I mean, you know, you weren't really allowed to mix with the upperclassmen so much. You got to break out that yearbook and look for Cheryl Burkhoff. Oh, my God. The Taft High School, give our wonderful listeners some of the alumni of Taft. There's Robin Wright. She did? Yeah, well, I have it right here. And if I have it here, it has to be true. Listen to this. This is the sound of a prepared host.

59:17Okay. Papers. Papers have been printed out. Yeah. Robin Wright, Ice Cube. Huh? Easy E. Wow. And Cheryl Burkoff. Oh, my God. Future wife of Roblo. Wow. Look at that. Dave Kauz. Really? Yeah. He's the horn. The saxophone. Saxophone. Player, yeah. Dave Cause was one of the people I observed to play the saxophone on St. Elmo's Fire. You're kidding. Mm-hmm. Oh, my God. Well, I've known him since elementary school. Really? Yes. Did you know any of the Toto guys? What? No. Why would I? What do you mean? Because they were all from that sort of Tarzana, Taft High School. Oh, my God. But they're older than I am.

1:00:12Did you know the Van Patens? No. What the hell? Were you in a cloister? No, I do know. I do know. Well, I mean, I'm younger, but I, right? The Van Patens were like the Kennedys of the Valley. Yes. Well, yeah. No, I know that. But I grew up with John Levitz. That's my brother's best friend. John was our first guest. I heard it. It was hilarious. Did you hear it? I did. I listened to it. He is hilarious. He's truly hilarious and truly, and I mean this with all love, and I would say to him, out of his mind. Yeah, yeah. But always has been. Always. Always hilarious. I mean, he hasn't changed. You know, he's the same.

1:00:58He's fantastic. No, he's like a brother. I mean, he'd call to talk to my brother and I'd be screaming at him because he would do a bit. And I just didn't want to, you know, I'm like six years younger. I was the youngest. So it's like, John. Don't be quiet. It's like, hello. Hello. This is John. I'm like, God damn it, David. John's on the phone. Can you imagine him at like, how old would he have been then? Thirteen. No. Fourteen. Oh, I don't even want to imagine it. My brother told the funniest story. They all went to a dance, and I think it was in junior high school or something. John had been sent to go to Harvard school, you know, like Harvard-Westlake.

1:01:39It was just Harvard, remember, all boys? Yep, boys school. So he went with them to this dance because they were in public school. He went with them, and John was just sort of like sitting on the side, and they went over and went, John, it doesn't look like you're having fun. Are you having fun? And he went, and it doesn't look like you're having a good time. And John went, nonsense. I'm having a wonderful time. I feel like dancing and got up and started dancing. He's like 14. So he was that guy. Hilarious. It was a bit hilarious. Speaking of bits, I have to ask you this because I'm obsessed with Saturday Night Live.

1:02:17You auditioned for Saturday Night Live. Was that fun? Was it good? What was that like for you? It was just a show. And I don't know that it was a real audition. They came to the Groundlings and I think they were looking at Julia Sweeney. That's who they were focused on. But Lorraine Newman said, look at Kudrow. So I love Lorraine Newman anyway. Yes. But, you know, forever just because of that. And so, but they were there for Julia Sweeney, for real. And my stuff wasn't, I don't think it was Saturday Night Live material. You know, it was barely Groundling stuff, but I liked what I did. I remember I went with Lorraine once to the Groundlings.

1:02:59And we were looking at this guy named Will Ferrell. Uh-huh. This guy named. Yeah. I think I voted him into the Groundlings. That is pretty amazing. Voting him like, yeah, yeah, he's really good. Yeah. The Groundlings is an amazing, just what an amazing legacy to be a part of. Yeah, Lovett sent me there. When I said, okay, I'm going to act now, done with college, take a break from biology, and I'm going to pursue acting. He was like, great, go to the groundlings. That's where I learned the most. I got to tell you something, Kudrow. I mean this sincerely. If your journey to where you got, if I had to pick it for anybody, this is what I would do.

1:03:41I'd be like, biology, be a smarty pants. Then, you know, the creative comes up and you can't stop it. And then you go and you learn it, the groundlings. You don't go to some naval gazing. That's what I was afraid of. serious acting school. You don't do that. You go, you go and you learn to listen and you learn to react and you learn to be honest and you learn to be funny. Yeah. Did you do one of those acting classes? Like they're like cults, you know? Oh, I, I'm aware I did. I did one of them with, um, uh, he is no longer with us. He was great named Roy London. And he was, Yep. And Roy London was right when Brad Pitt started happening.

1:04:27Pitt was working with Roy London and Geena Davis at her height, right in that sort of, I want to say, early 1990s. And he also, Roy London, had just worked with an actor, I think his name was Kurt Boltz. Great actor. Great character actor. And he was in Reservoir Dogs and he played the guy who gets shot at the very beginning. Yeah, I never saw it. It's too violent and scary for me. It's so violent. I mean, I haven't seen most things. He gets shot at the beginning of Reservoir Dogs, Roy London's student. Shot dead and is in almost every frame of the movie lying there as a dead body. Oh, right. Okay.

1:05:04And he was like, Roy was like, you're not dead. You are an actor. You're a living person. How can you possibly act a dead body? How could you do that? You've never been dead. You don't know what it's like to be dead. You are alive, so it is incumbent upon you to be alive in this movie. So he played the dead body alive in the entire Reservoir Day. How confidently, does it sound like I'm on pot right now? Does it sound like this is like a dope? What if you played it as if you were alive? But that's all really true. That was his ethos. I know, but I don't understand. Play it like you're alive. So scratch an itch, take a deep breath, cough if you need to.

1:05:46if you fart, excuse yourself. Like, I don't understand. I. How you, what, that's what, just be alive. I think it's just as simple as not playing, not quote unquote playing dead. I'm dead now. What does that mean? Like if someone pounds a table, you go, oh, scared the shit out of me. You can't, that won't work in the park. I mean. No, because you're acting, you have to act like, so he's playing, he's playing dead. That's what it is. is if you're playing dead, then you play dead. Uh-huh, right, well, okay. So the first instinct that you had as an actor? Yeah, you're not learning that at the Groundlings.

1:06:28No. I love the stories where some like great actor, someone says, yeah, I mean, I'm just like, I've been working myself up. I've been trying to like clog up my ears and it's like, right, you know, it's pretend, right? That's what acting, you're pretending something. Well, that's, I mean, it's been attributed to many people, but I think it's probably Dustin Hoffman and Olivier. Yeah. My dear boy, why don't you just try acting? Yes. But then on the other side of it, I've been on so many sets where either as a director or a producer, I'll finally go up to somebody and go, stop acting. Stop acting.

1:07:10Yeah. Right? Yeah. You say that to people? Yeah. I mean. How fun. I can't wait to work with you. Stop acting. Only as a measure of last resort. Right. Right. And inevitably you see it with young actors. Their eyes, they just go, oh my God, thank you. They go like, oh, because they want to do great. And they've been working on the scene. Yeah. No, my favorite note, my two favorite notes are either a line reading or, yeah, you could do better. Those are my two favorite notes. I'm not kidding. Just have more fun with it. Yeah, that, then I don't know what to do. Just have more fun with it. More fun.

1:07:59It's like, what do you mean fun? I don't know. I look like I'm having fun you. I don't understand that. I'm very literal. I'm very literal. It's like fun? Well, what do you mean? Yeah. Yeah. Another one is, okay, that was great. So good. Just, just great. Okay. Let's just do one more. What? I, yeah. Just to make sure we have it. Like, what do you mean? It's all digital. Why wouldn't you have it? Like, it's not like, you know, like a hair got in the anything. Yeah, I know. Whenever there's that, when you hear the phrase, that was perfect. Let's just do one more. you know you're in very bad hands.

1:08:35Right. Well, that's when I say, great, so I'll just do whatever I want. Since you have that and it's perfect, I'll just do whatever I want. Well, that's the fun thing we did on Parks and Recreation. We did, which obviously is not, you know, Harold Pinter, but we would do what was scripted multiple, multiple times, and then we would do what we call the fun run, and we could literally do whatever we wanted. Anything and everything didn't have to even be the scene. I mean, usually it was because we're professionals. We're not total idiots. But we would do anything we wanted. And sometimes it made it into the show.

1:09:12That was a blast. That's fun. Oh, that is fun. Ask Greg Daniels. Listen, when you go back to Space Force, you say to Greg Daniels, I'm only coming back if you allow me to do what you allowed all those other people to do on your other show, Parks and Recreation. And I want to do a fun run with Carell and everybody. No, but they did allow that. Oh, they did? Oh, my God. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I loved doing it. It was really fun. Yeah. People ask me about, do awards mean anything? Right. And look, I would be, I'm the first to, I got, there's Screen Actors Guild Award right above my head right now.

1:09:52So I'm like, look, I'm not one of those, oh, they mean nothing. Look, I'd like, they're fun. They're great. They're fun. I mean, come on. Who doesn't want to win an award? That said, all you need to know is that Steve Carell never won an Emmy for The Office. That's all you need to know about awards. Wow. Who was winning? For seven straight seasons, seven years in a row, there was someone funnier than Steve Carell on television? Well, I don't know. Maybe. There wasn't. Well, no, but I mean, what else was there? Alec Baldwin? Well, in fairness, Alec Baldwin, who is a genius. Yes, Alec Baldwin is that his character on 30 Rock deserves to win every Emmy that ever was, and he did.

1:10:34But, you know, the other folks want – but Steve – what? It's like after The Grinder, I was like, I'm done with comedy. I remember seeing Steve at the – the office was over, and it was the last year, and he was nominated and, of course, didn't win. And I hugged him and said, you will never have to come back here again. Well, I mean, by the way, the only good thing about winning is that you get to not be in your seat. Oh, yes. And you can do other things there because that's hard. But being nominated is a big deal, especially now. There's like thousands of people who could potentially be nominated.

1:11:09So, you know, to me, that's a very big deal. But you're right. It's nuts that Steve Carell ever won an Emmy because he's so funny. I mean, he's just inarguably one of the funniest. Well, that character is, are you kidding, Michael Scott? Are you kidding me? I know, I know, I know. I'm not sure I understand. That's why I'm like, well, then who else was there? Well, I know Jim Parsons won one year. I know John Cryer won one year. And I think Alec won all the other years, I think. You know, the Emmys for a long time had this thing that was like a thank you to film actors who were doing television.

1:11:53Yeah, I think you can also watch any award show, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to glean the sort of agenda of the body that's voting. You're like, oh. So in those years, the agenda was, we thank film actors. I feel like there was. How many times did you win an Emmy? Never. Been nominated, never won. Wow. Never did. I know you did. I won once. I think I was there for it. Yeah. Pretty sure. Yeah. It's fun. Did you have fun? Was it like? Well, that was the only year we all weren't there. You all weren't there? I was the only one from friends there. So it was a little lonely. That's lonely.

1:12:41But I was really happy. Really happy. I mean, I just had my baby and I was like, well, I can't ask for, you know, I feel like I already won. Yeah. You know, there's so much. There's an abundance of riches so now. I think you should take the Emmy to the set of Space Force and say, hey, Steve, you know what this is? Miami's broken, by the way. How do you? Oh, yeah, they're flimsy as fuck. The ball fell off. Yes. And so now that winged person is kind of holding it. It's a really bad design. I could get it fixed, I guess. Where would you do that? I don't know. there's a lot of trophy stores, right?

1:13:22Where they would do something like that. That's a good point. A trophy store. I mean, we'll do metal work. Today's podcast of literally in which Lisa Kudrow and Rob Lowe discuss first world problems, like getting their Emmys fixed. Yes. There's nothing. We're nothing, if not relatable, you and I. Well, and I like that. I mean, I like that. We're of the people. Miami is broken. and I will get it fixed. I did see, I did once see Tatum O 'Neill's Oscar. Oh, wow. In the salad days and it had mold on it. Oh. And that was depressing. Look at that. Wow. Why? I wonder how on earth it got moldy. Green.

1:14:08Whatever the greens, mold, it'd be mold, right? Green was - Fungus. Right, but growing on, well, okay. In the little, you know, in the legs and the buttocks. Oh, you really examined it. Okay. It was an Oscar. Hell yeah, I was like a 20-year-old young actor. What goes on in the butt of Oscar? Let's see. I mean. What's in that crack? Is there a crack? There is a crack. What's growing in that crack? That was your experience. Oh. That's what you were examining the Oscar. Like, oh, look, there's a butt and it's got a crack. I mean, it's like more defined than a Ken doll. My God. What is the genitalia of this?

1:14:48mold is that mold or is it just happy to see me devin's got his look going devin's got his raw oh that rob low thought bubble like my mother this is what dinners were like with me as a kid devin you're my you've become my mother sort of entertained but also kind of humiliated and like projecting shame on me You've become my mother. And it's great. Or just going, all right, what do I cut? I was going, yeah, this is going out. This for sure is not going to be in the podcast. Oh, that whole history lesson with the Hessians and the blah, blah, blah. The Hessians, who cares about that? That's out. People only want to know about Phoebe shit on this show.

1:15:29Just get to the Phoebe shit. I know. Did he say Phoebe? Where's the clickbait? No, she didn't fall for that. Phoebe clickbait. What do we got going on here? This is just so fun, Cooter. I know. I'm going to. We could talk all day. Well, you have a hard out that you missed 20 minutes ago. I know. See what I was like, when somebody told me, I said, I will not. I was like, I went like Tom Cruise, crazy ballistic. I was like, I will not give a hard out to Lisa Kudrow. Do you know what I live with? I'm on the phone with podcasters and advertisers. There will not be a hard out. Or whatever that word is.

1:16:14Advertisers. That's pretty good, by the way. Advertisers. Advertisers. I'm upset. And I'm having a stroke. A stroke.

1:16:25That's clickbait. Clickbait. Rob Lowe has a stroke. All right. Lisa, God bless. So good to talk to you. You too. Let's find an excuse to do something again one of these days. Okay. In your producerial hat, be thinking, and I will be as well. Sounds fun. Love you. Love you too. Bye. Bye. Cheryl. That was so fun. God, I could have talked to her forever. I hope I didn't talk to her for too long. You guys weren't bored, right? Because I wasn't. I was just talking and yapping because she's just so damn delish. She really is. Lisa Kudrow, delish. Anyway, thanks for listening. And by the way, y 'all, don't forget to give us a review.

1:17:10Throw me a bone, would you? Over on wherever the hell you can review this damn thing. Because apparently it means something. This is what they tell me? I'm new to this. I know nothing. I'm just trying to put on a show. But thanks for listening. And I hope you love Ms. Kudrow as much as I did. You have been listening to Literally with Rob Lowe. Produced and engineered by me, Devin Torrey Bryant. executive produced by Rob Lowe for Low Profile Adam Sachs and Jeff Ross at Team Coco and Colin Anderson and Chris Bannon at Stitcher the supervising producer is Aaron Blair talent producer Jennifer Samples please rate and review this show on Apple Podcasts and remember to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher or wherever you get your podcasts