Tony Hale: Watching the Bloopers

0:00Should I feel guilty about praying in a jacuzzi? Is that 2LA? Does the man upstairs go, bro? Not at all. Come on.

0:21Hey, everybody. Welcome to Literally. Today, I always love when I get to talk to actors who I just think are studs. and we have the great Tony Hale, one of the, I always hesitate to say one of the funniest because like that's so limiting. Like, oh, that's all he is as a comedy actor. He's not. But that said, he's one of the funniest actors around. Loved him on Arrested Development. Loved him on Veep, obvi, as the kids would say. And let's bring him on and let's just pick him apart today, shall we?

1:02Look at you, Fancy Studio. Oh, look at that. Look at what I got behind me, man. It says my name and everything. Oh, you love that. It's like when you see a parking space with your name on it, it just makes you feel better. Doesn't it? Makes you feel like you're in show business. Okay, you've moved. Yeah, I just moved. From to... So we were... Let me get my head straight. I'm late today. I apologize. I know it's like to be late to a call. I know exactly what... There's nothing more terrifying. So take a deep breath. No one cares. That's true. No one cares. No one cares. My codependency cares though.

1:39My people pleasing cares. My inner child is hurt. Okay. Okay, good. Let's unpack that. Oh, believe me. Stand in fucking line. So yeah, we moved. Okay. So we were in between New York and LA. It's been about 30 years that we've been away from home. And my daughter graduated high school. last year. She's about to go into her sophomore year of college. And for various reasons, we needed to be closer to family. My wife is from Alabama. My parents live in Georgia. And we needed to be closer. So we moved. And my last, gosh, five jobs haven't even been in LA. It's just you kind of travel to them. So it's worked out.

2:24But it's a transition. At this age, transition is always a little trickier. I think about doing it all the time. And particularly because as you point out, nothing shoots in LA. So you could live anywhere. And now with Zoom. Yeah. And, you know, nobody ever wants to have a meeting with anybody in person. Yeah. Ever. I mean, I miss the energy of being in an audition room. I mean, there's a totally different vibe. I mean, obviously there's a different vibe, but you get to know the person a little more. How great were auditions? And you know, my son is a young actor and they don't know anything other than self-tapes.

3:04They don't know anything other. They don't know what it's like to walk in to an audition and you think it's maybe you're on a short list and then you walk into a room and see there's 70 fucking people who look just like you. Or all the kind of indignities and exciting shit that goes on is lost Now it's lost. Never to come back. Yeah. You know what? The self-tape thing is, I don't want that much control. You know? Because you do all these different takes and then I constantly pick myself apart. I'm like, is that the best thing to send them? Should I edit it here? And there's a real kind of haphazard freedom to being in an audition room and you don't have that control as much.

3:47Also, I remember when the very first the beginnings of that were where it was a big negotiation. They want you to go on tape. Yeah. And the agents would be like up in arms and it would be a whole, and you could show it once and then you have to do it. Because the notion was you don't want an audition where maybe you weren't at your best or you were at your best. It's not like you have any control over it in the day. They'd tape you and you wouldn't get to go, hey, I want to do five more of them. Totally, totally. But at least now you have that. But then as a producer or director, whenever I get a self-tape, it doesn't tell me anything because for all I know, this person took eight hours to give me this.

4:33I'm not gonna have eight hours with them on the set. Yeah, yeah. And is it, this is getting way too philosophical, but is it Kierkegaard? Who was it that said like - Or Dick Van Patten. Was it Kierkegaard or Dick Van Patten? It was Dick Van Patten. He was - Somebody was talking about how So the more choices we have, which in today's age equate freedom, like, oh, you've got some choices, you've got this, it actually increases anxiety. Yes. And there's something about having... I mean, look at pictures. So many pictures to choose from on our phone. And all this self-tip, you have that control. It really, you'd think it brings freedom.

5:12It brings the anxiety, I think. It does. it's, the whole business has changed. But let me ask you this. So now you're out of New York and you're living in Alabama, which is, I'm assuming, a much slower pace. Yeah, yeah. Do you feel more free out of the hustle and bustle of New York? You know, it's really nice to be near friends with history. Yeah. That I've grown up with. I didn't grow up in Alabama. I went to college here, but I grew up in Florida. So just to be within a driving distance Tell me where, I knew this. Tell me where you went to college again. I went to Samford University. This is my favorite.

5:53Do you ever tell people, yeah, I went to Samford, and they go, oh, Stanford. Ooh, no, no, no, it's Sam with an M, unfortunately. They actually have a t-shirt at the school that's Sam, not Stan. That's amazing. That's a t-shirt. At the college. That's amazing. Probably the most popular one. But it's just to have that driving distance to people that I have history with and to see family. That's really nice. And you're right. Here's the thing. This sounds so simple, but just the fact you go somewhere and you know you're going to have a parking space, that kind of lowers the anxiety. Because in New York and LA, there's always that question of like, where am I going to park?

6:31Is there good parking? That's always a part of your brain you're thinking about. How about, and will I be robbed after I've parked? Let's add that. Let's get real. Yeah, totally. Got to lock it up, all that kind of stuff. and we live in Birmingham. That's where we live and it's just such a great food scene. A lot going on and yeah, we've been here since September. And do you go to Bama games and stuff like that? I haven't been to a Bama game yet. What? But you've been, is it obviously you've been? Yes. No? Oh yeah, I've been to a Bama game. Well, I grew up in Florida so we would go to a lot of FSU games.

7:08Right, okay. Have I been to a Bama game? I'm sure I've been to it. Yes, actually I did because when they came to the Rose Bowl, in uh la i went um i definitely went to that one i i they're playing the dogs this year apparently yeah yeah yeah in georgia and i've been thinking about going because i've never gone oh and first of all it's a faith down here i mean oh i know i'm aware religion and tailgating is that's i gotta be honest that's the part that i get the most excited about just that amount of food and just around you You can just go from tent to tent. I love that stuff. Tailgating is such a great tradition.

7:50It's the most, and I'm always blown away at the various places I go. I go, oh, no, no, this is how you tailgate. Like the bar continues to get, they do it pretty great in Kansas City. Oh, yeah. But you know what? I don't even think they do it in LA. That's not true. They do it at SC games. But I don't think the Rams do it. Is it not? It's just weird the way some places really, really do it and others don't. But some places like here in Mississippi or Kansas, I mean, it's full restaurants outside. I mean, they set it up big time. Really fun. Really, really fun. But we love it. I mean, it's definitely, at this age, finding friends is...

8:36I mean, just that kind of... It's always tricky when you can... You know, we're set in our ways. We loved our time in LA. Loved it. We loved our house. And change in general as you get older is not as easy as when you're in your 20s and 30s. You married, like me, a makeup artist. I did. I did. Miss Martell Hale. We're smart. She's the best. She was on SNL for about seven years doing makeup. Oh my God. She's a real stud. Yeah, she really loved it. And I mean, they only have a commercial break too. No, what they do, People are, I think, unaware of what the technical people have to do on SNL and what they can do.

9:16They can change you into an old man in 45 seconds or a Martian. Yeah. And they got all the, I mean, the bald cap is already under the hair. And that's a fake. I think this is right. Like what looks like their real hair is actually, it's a wig because there's a bald cap needing to be underneath it. Which takes too long. And so you can take a wig off quicker than you put a bald cap on. Yeah, yeah, yeah. She loved that energy, really got close to the people. And then when I booked Arrested Development, it was 10 days before we got married. And I was like, sweetheart, I think we're moving to LA. And so she made a big sacrifice to come with me.

9:55No kidding. Yeah. But she loved it. She loved her time there. I think it's so helpful to have a partner. It has been for me, my wife. We've been married 35 years now. And it's a long time. And I know a big part of it is she understands the rhythms and the life and the foibles of what we do. Yeah. And without being an actress. No aspersion on actresses. Yeah. Yeah. But two unadulterated narcissistic babies in a marriage is probably one, two minutes. Attention, attention, attention. That is one thing down here. I mean, we love it, but it's, when you're in LA or even New York, people understand the chaos of the lifestyle.

10:51They understand the freelance component that, you know, there's maybe months when you're not working and you're hunting for work and you're, you know, you're kind of back and forth. You're trying to You're making a schedule where you don't have a schedule. And then when you work, you're gone for maybe three months. By the way, making a schedule when you don't have a schedule, that's my fucking favorite. Give me your... I'm kind of doing that now. Give me your making a schedule when you don't have a schedule. Give me your best day. I love it. Give it to me. All right. So, for instance, I just came back from promoting this movie I'm doing.

11:22And so, I get... Well, let's promote it. Promote it right now. What's the movie you're doing? It's a movie called Sketch. and guys this movie is so dear to me it took us eight years to get made what it's such a beautiful film we could describe it like inside out meets jurassic park because it's this fun a little bit scary adventure movie about processing feelings and my daughter's drawings come to life and it's just so well done seth worley directed it and wrote it and i'm really proud of it so it's out in theaters now that's the plug but i was just i just got home and so it was you know chaos, chaos, and then got home.

11:58And then you're like, all right, it's a Thursday. Of course, today I've completely forgot this because I forgot to put it on my calendar. But usually I'll wake up. I'll have, honestly, I'll have like a devotional time. I'll write in my journal and read a devotional. Okay. This is great. I love this. Okay. Same. Start with the prayer. Got to start with the prayer. Let me ask you this. If this is too personal, you can tell me. No, please. I always am a big fan of getting on my knees, giving it up, getting on my knees, but I don't always. Should I feel guilty about that? No, you shouldn't. Should I feel guilty about praying in a jacuzzi?

12:35Is that too LA? Does the man upstairs go, bro? Not at all. Come on. Not at all. Because it's like, it's all just communication. He's just happy you're meeting with him. Okay, good. So like, I hit him up driving into the studio today. Oh. In the car. I'm like, I don't have to be like in a church with like all going on like incense and shit. Do I? No. I mean, but the way I relate it to it is kind of dear friends. Would they care if I called them from a car? Would they care if I called them from a jacuzzi? Right. Not at all. They're just, we're just happy to be talking. Right. Okay, good. You've assuaged my guilt.

13:17And I'm not even Catholic. And I have a guilt. Where'd that come from? I don't know.

13:37so you do the devotional you write in the journal i write in the journal i have not but that's the one i have not been able to crack you know what i did though dude which i i started this i was doing a job in italy of all places for six months and i was by myself and my family was back here and I was like, you know what? This is such... I've never been to Rome when I was there and I was like, I'm going to just start writing this stuff down. And it's the same thing where once I started doing it, I really started to look forward to it. And then speaking of prayer, and then I would make my journals kind of into a prayer, like its own discussion with God.

14:14And this is what's cool. I started that two years ago. So now what I do is when I journal, I look at the same day from each year prior. Oh, wow. I read what was going on 23, what was going on 24. And it's so cool, not to sound super spiritual, but it's so cool how God speaks to me through things I was going through then and what I wrote down to today. And then I'll jot them down again. And it's really healing, really healing. I'm so envious that you do that. My mother, who passed away years ago, journaled every day, every day of her life, probably starting in 1967 until her death in 2005. And so when she passed, we found all these journals.

15:05You could literally just pick one up from any year and go, I remember when I was eight years old and we went on that weird trip. What the fuck was that all about? And you kind of try to find it. And like, it is the, it is the, be careful what you wish for. Yeah. Wormhole of all time. I mean, so just know that at some point, maybe, you know, in the, in hopefully in the long, long future, some, maybe your, your, your daughter will be like, oh my God, my dad was fucking insane. I gotta be honest. I told my buddy Dusty and I've told my wife this, if anything would happen to me, burn the journals. I want them burnt.

15:38Right. And, uh, yes. Can I just say, uh, as, as a reader of said journals? Yes. Oh, yeah. Just because I'm very honest in my journals and it is a communication with God. I'm very honest with God. I scream at God. I cry. I cuss. I do. I'm very honest about when I fall and all that kind of stuff. And I don't know if I want those. I mean, not that anybody would maybe want them to read them, but I don't know if I want, I'd rather them just kind of go away. Okay. Have you ever asked for a sign? um yeah show of show of good faith let's call it that sure and i don't think there's anything yeah i it's funny because there's a lot of um in the faith community that can that can kind of be seen as like oh you know because faith is faith it's you're you're you're seeing what you know you're believing in what you can't see right but also i feel like god many times is like hey i know you can't see me.

16:34It's okay to at least ask for it, whether it happens or not. And... Oh, I have no shame about that. I'm like, bro, I believe. Okay, I'm in. Sure. Yeah. So we've figured that out. Now, I want to know every once in a while, let me know you're around. Totally. And many times it's hard to even describe. But even like, for instance, this is what I... I wish I could show you parts of my journal, but what I do in these journals is I have an orange highlighter. And if it's something that I believe God is really showing me from a previous year or something that is really strong, I'll connect them to the previous year.

17:15And those are all over the places. And to me, those are just little waves and just, you know, shoulder, just hugs from God. That's like, I'm with you, man. I got, you know. Early in my relationship, up in my spiritual journey, I was, I have to put it in some context. So I was probably very newly sober. So this is 35 plus years ago. Single, I believe singles, maybe dating my wife, but like it's maybe not going great or my career is kind of like blah. Yeah. And I remember having days where I'd be depressed and I remember driving up to the dog park because that's where you want to go and meditate is the dog park.

18:10Yeah. Or maybe get laid. I don't know. I'm going to be really honest here. There might have been a little bit of both going on. Both can be very spiritual. I'm telling you. and I was like I know that you're out there but I feel alone and I know I've got a lot to live for but it just doesn't feel like it and I know I'm really blessed but it just doesn't feel like it if you could just give me some kind of sign this is by this I'm not exaggerating one one iota of this story I'm about to tell and I'm sitting on a park bench dogs are running around I know I have a lot to live for but I just don't see it.

18:51If you could just give me a sign. And out of the corner of my eye, as I say that, I see a Jeep drive into the parking lot. And it's one of those like actors, like you immediately know. It's like an actor, you know? It's like a Jeep that nobody should fucking be driving in LA. Do you know what I mean? Other than a cool guy. Yeah, yeah. And I look up, sure enough, it's like, you know, the leather jacket, the fucking bandana, the bone structure. He had an earring on. and I'm like, yeah, there's, there's cool guy actor. And I, he's fucking just yoked. Yeah. And for whatever reason, he's caught my eye and he gets out of the Jeep and he has no legs.

19:35And I'm like, oh, wow. Yeah. Got it. Thank you. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. I mean, insane, right? I mean, you're like, that is what it is. Yeah. And the thing is, to that point, it was so, it's impactful to me to hear that. It's impactful for you to experience that. But other people might hear that and be like, well, that can mean anything, yada, yada. But that's where it goes so individual to you and God, where it's like, it was such an impression on you. And there are times when I'll be driving or something and I'll just start crying, you know, because I feel just the hug of God around me or something, you know, and it's like, and somebody else might explain that away and that's okay.

20:23But from my experience, that is a real connection point with him at that time. It is, I do feel like it is about, um, so I once heard this one that the burning bush, if you weren't receptive to it, like you would have walked past the bush on fire because it was very common to have like brush fires. Yeah, sure. Sure. So it's all about like, you need to be open to it and looking for it, or it will seem like unnoticeable and or coincidences. Yeah. And there's also something, I mean, to that point, you know, miracles are talked about a lot. You know, it's like, oh, a miracle from God or something, or that's a supernatural experience.

21:06many times I think we're just missing. We are so used to the miracles that are happening every day so that we put them into a different compartment. A baby coming out of a woman's body is crazy. That is so wild. But we're so used to it with, you know, little baby showers and toys and all this kind of stuff. No, that's crazy. That is a miracle happening right in front of our eyes that we've just gotten accustomed to. You know? Yeah. No, it's... You're right. You're right. Let's talk about really important shit, though. Enough about God. Let's talk about really important shit. Let's talk about the Carol Burnett show.

21:52I read that you were a huge Carol Burnett fan. Yeah, I am. You know she's my neighbor. Wait. Do you live... In Montecito. Oh, you live near Julia. Of course. Yes. I mean, Julia and Brad are like, Julia and Brad and Montecito are like, people say that I'm the mayor. I'm like, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. But they're like the big feet, like Bigfoot. Is there a plural of Bigfoot? Bigfoots? Bigfoots. Bigfeets. Like Bigfoots. You get sightings. You get sightings. Because I've lived in Montecito 30 years. Oh, wow. At least. And I've never seen Julia. And I've seen Brad paddleboarding.

22:44Yeah, that tracks. That tracks. She has a beautiful home. And we would go, when my wife and I went out there a couple times, she always takes us to that farmer's market. Yes. And it's just so quaint. It's a lovely life. Anyway, she was telling me also that Carol lives out there. And Carol's one of those. I've met her twice. And I had the same experience that I had with Catherine O 'Hara, where I don't... I'm talking, but I'm just watching myself talk. Yeah. I'm not fully in my skin. I call that the bewitched effect. Yeah. Remember in Bewitched where they'd sit up in the corner of the room looking down and...

23:26Yes. Yes, exactly. And I'm such, obviously, a fan, but it's not even the fandom. It's the enmeshment in my life growing up and seeing her and Tim and Harvey, you know, and them just making each other laugh. I have watched Carol Burnett bloopers more times than I like to admit. But, you know, when they do that, they all fall off the couch during Mama's Family because Mama said something. I mean, it's in the dentist chair with Tim Conway and Harvey and he's numbing his body. And Carol just, I mean, just the joy and not just the show when she's talking to the audience. Talking to the audience part is insane.

24:08It's insane. And it's so... You'd never do that today. Never. Never do that today and never show as many bloopers, which I think is a mistake. because bloopers to me is like just an abandoned joy, just like completely off the rails. But when she was talking to the audience, her, how organic she was, how authentic she was, kind and the surprises that happened, you know, when she would, there would be a connection in the audience from someone from her history. I mean, it was just so fun to watch. It's amazing that the powers that be, such as they were, would let that happen. Yeah. Today, they'd be like, you're not talking to the audience.

24:52Nobody cares. They would think nobody cares. And yet here we are decades after that show's been on the air, not only talking about the show, but talking about that part of the show. That part of the show. The only people that really do that now are stand-ups. You don't see that kind of, just kind of conversation, not necessarily trying to make jokes, but just conversation. You don't see that happen. And I'm not kidding. Every time that song, I'm so glad we had this time together. It's like an immediate heart tug. Yeah. So precious. It's an ear tug. It is an ear tug. Exactly. It's an ear tug. Oh, I love her.

25:31And her story just is so powerful. She was on Julia's podcast. And if you haven't listened to that one, and it's very good on her show, Wiser Than Me. Carol would be wiser than any of us. Anybody. And she's so humble. Oh. Yeah. I mean, you're her neighbor. When she... I would see her at the same restaurant. And whenever I walk in and she gets up to hug me, I feel like I literally... I want to start crying. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, we've all had really interesting histories. I've had an interesting history. And when someone like that becomes a maternal figure, she receives that because so many people come up to her and probably want to hug her or just lay all of their wounds at her feet.

26:19Yeah, right. But she really was that kind of constant presence. When I would see her, I'd be like, oh, man, it's comforting. The other thing I think about, sort of hilarious thing, is, you know, on SNL, Lorne always had a thing about, like, he didn't want the actors to break. He hated it. And he would literally say, we're not making the fucking Carol Burnett show. Why, though? Why? Because I'm one that has seen the SNL bloopers more times than I'd like to, you know. You know why, Tony? You know why, Tony? Tony, Tony, Tony, here's the thing. It's lazy. It's a lazy laugh. Oh, no, it's not. It's freedom.

27:07It's freedom. I'm telling you, there's a sketch with Sean Hayes and Jimmy Fallon and Will Ferrell at the fashion. You know, the thing with Jimmy is he has made a career out of it, frankly. And it's beneath him. Oh, I bet, I bet Lauren. I bet Lauren gets alone in his little private room, watches a series of bloopers, just feeds on them like a monster. I mean, look, the Californians, when Fred first does, what are you doing here? And Bill Hader, I mean, it's kind of irresistible. It's irresistible. There's another one with him and Armisen, Hader and Armisen, they're doormen. And it's around Christmas time.