"Laura Linney"

25:54You know, there was this, they did a 25 year like fundraiser thing. And I had, I don't like to watch myself. So as Jason knows. I know, I just don't get it. Why would you treat yourself to it? Oh, please. So I went and saw the, I went and watched it for the first time in 25 years. I think I've maybe only seen it once. And it was so wild. And Jason, I don't know if you feel this way when you look at stuff from a long time ago. But I saw things in myself. Well, I saw things in myself that don't exist anymore. There are parts of me that are just from another time. That because of age or where I was or the relationship I was in or parents and dynamics and all of that's gone.

26:37And then I could also see the things that I recognize that is still there. So it was a wild thing to. Yeah, they're time capsules kind of at that moment in your life. We had Ruffalo on, and he talked really lovingly about sort of how he got the role on You Can Count On Me and his collaboration with Kenneth Lonegren. Does it all still sit fondly for you? Was that as great of an experience as it seemed like it was? It was a very tough shoot. You know, they had like two scents, so we were sitting outside, and then we had to clean out. Finally, I was like, guys, we need a place to sit. Like, I can't sit outside.

27:15I can't change outside. Like, I need a place. And so, and behind the house where we were filming, there was a chicken coop that literally the chickens had left like two days prior. I mean, it was like, you know, chicken shit was like hanging in the cobwebs. And I was like, perfect. So I went in and we cleaned it up and we all sat in the chicken coop. Oh, that's great. You know, so it was very rough and tumble. But, you know, it bonded us all for life. I mean, Mark is literally like my brother. And, you know, Kenny and I are still close. And, you know, all of us are sort of, you know, bonded. And that's the thing about what we get to do.

27:52You know, the connections that you make, Jason Bateman, you know, are deep and meaningful and very, very, you know, significant in your life. That's what it's about. Yeah, and you do develop chosen family along the way. And it's really, it's one of the greatest things. You do end up spending more time with people on set than you do your family at home. When you're working on something, it's 12 hours. What else I love is Truman Show. Let's not forget about Truman Show. I know, Truman Show, you see, there you go. It just keeps going. There's another one. I know it's on and on, but I like this idea, Laura, that you brought up about this, about it being sort of a different life and different parts of you that kind of go away.

28:33I was talking about this recently with somebody. It's an interesting thing as you get older when you start to recognize that. Oh, yeah. When you literally have a history. Yeah. Like, you have a history. You have different periods of your life that you've been through. Not just one, not two, but many. And it is wild to think. Yes, it is. Yes. You know, last night, Scotty and I went down a YouTube rabbit hole about opening songs to old shows from the 70s and 80s and 90s. God, how fabulous. And we did Silver Spoons. We lifted up all your TV. Magic to do. Yeah. Yeah, all those Dukes of Hazzard, like Facts of Life, Dallas, all that.

29:08god i want your life i'd really love to come back as you sean i mean this is how we fill nights we go over but i was watching these openings of these shows and it took me right back to being a kid like you something clicks in your brain whether you're yeah barnaby jones yes all those and and i didn't i didn't remember like the second i saw them i actually had the feeling of a moment like you said of a stage in my life which you don't sit around think about until something triggers it. No. You know? All right. So now you've got, you know, will you tell these ding-dongs about this great super romantic story of you and Mark meeting each other in one of the most magical places in the world?

29:53And I just, she's got two incredible dudes in her life, her son and her husband. All right, you go ahead. So there you are. Okay. So I've been very, very single for five years or so. And I'm invited to the Telluride Film Festival where there are two films screening there. And I think, oh, you know what? I've never taken my mother anywhere. I should take my mother to this. This will be good. I'm just going to fly in, fly out. Terrific. So I bring my mother. The greatest. We go. and, you know, sometimes you're paired with, you know, a liaison who's a little, you know, eccentric. Sometimes those people can be a little, you know, out there.

30:36Sure. And Mark sort of bounded up to us and said, hi, I'm Mark Shower. I'll be taking care of you for the weekend. And I was like, oh, okay. Like a nice person. Okay. And we spent the weekend together. And I can remember we were waiting to go to a screening. and we were waiting for Bill Condon, my director, to come downstairs and join us so that we could leave. And I remember I turned my head and I looked at Mark and I was like, am I attracted to this person? Am I attracted to my handler at the Telluride Film Festival? I was like, calm down. Like how wonderful I was feeling anything at all. He's got the title of handler.

31:16That's right. That's right. You know, yeah. And I thought, you know, I'm going to be gone in 24 hours. just be happy you're still alive and get out. And, you know, my mother was with me, so there wasn't a whole lot. Now, were you collaborating with her on this? Did you ask her what her take was? Oh, no, no, no. My mother, on the way to the airport, she was, well, Mark, are you involved with anyone? At which point I wanted to fall into the center of the earth. No way. Center of the earth. And he was like, no, actually, I've been single for a bit. She was, oh, how interesting. So I left and we ended up, Mark and I ended up just emailing each other.

31:56I just thank you and I had a great time. And we, emails sort of started to fly. And then he started to get a little nervous. He was like, I don't understand what's going on. And I immediately called. I said, look, I don't know what this is. I have no idea what this is. I don't know if we're friends. I don't know if it's more. The only thing I know is I don't want to let it go. So I don't know what to tell you. And he goes, well, when can we spend some time together? And I said, I'm on a tour, a press tour, when they used to do that. And he goes, well, where are you going to be? I said, I was going to be in Seattle.

32:29I was going to be in Chicago. He's like, I'm from Chicago. When are you in Chicago? Oh, boy. And I was, well, this date. He goes, I'll meet you in Chicago. At which point I got very nervous and very scared and tried to get out of it several times. and I can remember going down the elevator in Chicago to meet him in the lobby, just terrified. Like, what am I doing? What in the world am I doing? Having a date. Jesus God, someone, what is happening? So at this point, you hadn't been on a date in quite some time? Yeah, no, no. So when you say you're scared, is that what you mean? You're like scared, like I don't know how to do a date anymore?

33:06I didn't know this guy. Is he a serial killer? Like, what am I doing? I don't know anything about this guy. He's just flown across the country to come see you. Oh, my God. Is that weird or is it flattering? What is happening? And where did he live in Telluride at that time? Yes. He drove a friend's car, which he had to drop off anyway. He was doing a favor for a friend and he just made it work. Full of bodies. How do you get rid of bodies? You put them in a car and you put it in a swamp. Sure. I know how to get rid of a body. And I got out of the elevator and I turned and I saw him there. And like every fear evaporated.

33:40Oh. I was like, oh, this is going to be fine. Yeah. This is going to be okay. And that was really it. Isn't that amazing how you can just read that in people's faces? Yeah, it was really, yeah. Like there's just a chemical sort of. It's like vibe there, yeah. Yeah, like you're like, oh, oh, okay. This was how many years ago? Oh, my God. 18, 20, 2004. So almost 20 years ago, yeah. Oh, my God. Yeah. And how old is Bennett now? He's 10. Your son. He's 10. Oh, my God. Isn't that wild? I know. So everybody go to film festivals. That's all I have. Telluride is a magic place. It is. Just go, go, go, go, go.

34:19That's a great, you know what? That's a really nice story. Yeah, you didn't have to do any swiping, nothing like that. Although I hear swiping is very nice nowadays. I hear it's easy. I can imagine. Now, Bennett showing any interest in doing what you do at all? No, absolutely not. And refuses to watch anything I've ever done. I mean, I made Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles specifically for him. Because anything else would emotionally damage him and scar him for life. Did he see it? No, won't see it. Refuses. Won't see it. What? Refuses. Does he explain what his problem is? Because my kids do. They're just like, it's just weird, you know?

34:59I think it's bad. And they don't like when something bad happens to me. Like, they can't deal with, like, any sort of pain or even any sort of, like, challenge. Like, running from someone or something like that. A black rabbit, man. What's the matter with you? Yeah. I'm not going to like that. Oh, and I agree with you, Sean. I've seen the pilot. Amazing. And I knew it was going to be good. No, listen. I knew it was going to be good, but I was floored by how great it was. And the thing that's great. Tell us why. Well, Laura. Well, hold on, hold on. No, no, no. I'm not that. I'm not that. I'm not that.

35:31I'm not that. I'm not that. The thing that is amazing when you have a relationship with someone who you've worked with for a long period of time and you watch them grow. and to see Jason turn into this unbelievable director. I mean, always great. But this is a whole other level. And I've said this to him. I mean, it was absolutely, I was undone when I saw it. I was so proud of him. I agree. And I agree. And I want to say this too. I agree with you. We mentioned it before. I don't want to embarrass you, JB. But it's also very confusing to watch somebody, your friend, somebody you love, grow while simultaneously they're shrinking.

36:13Yes. That has been... Total atrophy. Yes. That has been a real... I'm playing a drug at it, you know? I saw JB at the pool at his house two days ago. I came over two days in a row. How'd you see him? And he was at... The light must have been hitting him directly. Now, speaking of directing, Laura came in heroically and agreed to direct episode three and episode four of Black Rabbit. I can't wait to see that, Laura. And she crushed this so hard. She was— Well, we haven't seen it yet. No, no, no. I was there for every single day. And I've seen the dailies. I've seen the stills, et cetera, et cetera.

36:55But, you know, I knew she was going to be an incredible leader on set as far as just like this culture of friendliness and kindness and support and all that stuff. Like the crew just freaking loved her as did the cast. I'm sure. But her comfort with this added responsibility, like as actors, not to belittle acting at all, but actors simply are kind of insulated from, you know, like almost three quarters of the process because things need to be decided on and set up and assets need to be put into motion and et cetera. Then the actors come in and do their magical thing. She took on all of that, had only done it once before on Ozark, directed one of our best episodes ever.

37:38Yes, I agree. And her place is about three blocks from our studio. And I said, hey, it's real close. It's not terrible stuff. There's a good crew. There's a good cast. We would love to have you. Will you please consider it? And it would have been so easy for her to say no. So much free time if she said no. Let me ask you this, and you don't have to pat yourself on the back, but isn't it a gift to have been an actor and then a director? Without a doubt. And also, but I really, I can't emphasize enough how I would never have done this unless Jason really pushed me to do it. Ever. I had no desire to do it.

38:17None. I would say, I didn't want to be one of those, like, you know, idiot directors who you're saddled with who didn't know what they were doing. I didn't want to be one of those people. You're looking at JB. Why are you looking at this? He was just staring right at me. And then, and also, I didn't want to jeopardize my relationship with Jason. Yeah. I mean, that's another thing. Yeah, but that horse left the barn on Ozark. He did such an incredible job on that episode. I know, but still, you know, it's, I don't think of myself as a director at all. I think of myself as an actress who's directed a few things now.

38:50But, you know, I don't know, as I've said to Jason, like, I don't know how to thank him for that. How do you thank someone for giving you a whole other sort of way to? You do it all the time. But what about, now, do you see, I'm going to get you, I've talked to you casually about this, now I'm going to get you on record. What part of your life going forward do you see directing being in? Like, what's our ratio going forward? I mean, as you talked a little bit earlier about how the roles, you kind of implied this, so the roles get better and better the older we get because they're more complicated, they're more nuanced, you're drawing on more from yourself.

39:26So acting, I'm sure, won't slow down. But there is time to do the directing as well. Did you get enough of a challenge and satisfaction from it to make it a bigger part of your life? You know, I think I will go with it the way I have gone with the other stuff, which is if it comes my way or if there's something I find or if there's something I want to do, then I'll do it. But will you tell your people to look? I think they will look. Okay, all right. I think they're going to look. Good. What has it done for you as an actor? how has directing this much now changed? Has it changed the way? But yeah, but no, but do you think it's going to change the way that you approach the work now, that you approach material?

40:09Not to get into process, but just like when you're reading material, do you look at it through a different set of eyes a little bit? You know, I'll have to see because the Ozark, which I did, was such a sort of a blip and sort of my head was spinning the whole time. And, you know, I just didn't know what had happened. And then this one was so intense in the best way and so all-consuming. Literally, we finished on Thursday. I just got out of bed this morning. Yeah. I mean, it took me like three days to, you know. Really? The fatigue, it's a whole other level of fatigue. Look how wiped out her dog still is.

40:47Exactly. You know, so I'll be really curious to see what it does. Hopefully it will make me a better actress. I mean, that's the hope. Did it take more out of you than doing a one-woman show, eight shows a week? Are you kidding? Absolutely. I didn't have to deal with any people. I didn't have to deal with anybody. It was just me. I only had to deal with my own horrible stuff. But I didn't have to deal with 200 people. And 4 ,000 questions. Yeah. You don't have to reveal any names, any things. What's the thing that you find difficult in any working relationship? something that gets you, first of all, that you won't stand for, or second, that really kind of rubs you the wrong way and you look out for it to avoid.

41:31Yeah. I think it's always hard when people have a preconceived notion of what something is supposed to be. Yeah. And then you come and you see something very different or you see something way beyond that. Mm-hmm. And that is always a painful negotiation for everybody. And I understand from the other point of view like why that would be hard. I totally, totally get it. And we were very lucky on this one, you know, how amazing all these writers were and all of that stuff. But I've seen that from the acting standpoint as well. I've really seen it more as an actress. Like people don't see what, I can just see things very clearly sometimes.

42:09And it's, I turn to these people and go, but you wrote this. I'm just doing what you wrote. Like whether you are aware of it or not, you wrote this. Right, right, right. we'll be right back

42:27and now back to the show now you've been Jason's on screen wife for many years yes lucky me lucky you what is it what's something about Jason Bateman that people might not know who you'd like to divorce him about if we were going to have a divorce what would it be over What is something that Jason Doug does that's kind of unique that you've noticed about him, like a quirk? Here's one thing that I think why our friendship is so, you know, fulfilling for me, at least, and why working is so good is that we work completely differently. Sure. I mean, we come from totally different cultures, completely different.

43:14And I love watching him work. It's just kind of amazing. And it can only, that sort of work can only happen. And now I believe as well, the directing is benefiting from this as well, from someone who's been doing it as long as Jason's been doing it. I mean, it's in his bones in a way that it will never be with most people. He's just, you know, had the time with it. Well, he's only got bones left now. It's true. He needs several cheeseburgers. He's a walking back. No, it's really, it's quite something. But this is probably what would lead to our divorce. It's too much work. It's a workaholic. Amanda and I talk about it all the time.

43:48She doesn't tell me not to, but she's just like, she's asking me this morning too. We were talking about this other thing. She's like, well, is that, if you were to direct that, is that all consuming? I was like, it always is. It's always consuming. You know? I know. But that's why we love it. Can we get Amanda on here at some point too, do you think? Talk about a deal with stuff to make. And now we're working our way. Into reality. We're working our way towards your real wife. Into having Amanda on be amazing. I'm the stand in. We'll go around the circle. Next one will be either your current partner, Will, or an ex or something like that.

44:25Sean, you as well. We'll all take turns. It'll just be sort of just like a rotating bloodbath, you know? Yeah. Well, you sort of test the waters with me. I'm sort of, you know, as close as you'll get at this point. Laura, what do you do to zone out after you've been working 14 hours and you're done directing something like that or a big play or something? I go to bed. Yeah. I mean, honestly, there's not a whole lot that happens. What are you going to do this week? You finished directing that show last week, and now this week is your recuperate. Are you going to yoga? Are you going to Pilates? Are you going to the gym?

44:58No, I'm staring at a wall. You're staring at the wall. I'm going to stare at a wall. I'm going to be really quiet. Really quiet. Right, your quiet activity is reading, watching bad reality TV. Occasionally, yes, guilty. You reading anything good right now? What are you reading right now? Anything good? I just picked up, oh God, what's it called? I won't leave you. Do not leave me. I forgot. But I was reading vigorously until Black Rabbit happened. Yeah, yeah. And then it all fell apart. And then you're going to start editing next week, right? Yeah, yeah. Yeah. But Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is one of the things I read last year, which I just still am floored by.

45:40Really? Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. It's wonderful. Fiction? It's a wonder fiction, yeah. Huh. Spectacular, yeah. Is it a thriller? No, it's about three friends who make video games. It's a world I know nothing about, don't care about, and boy, this book is glorious. It's so beautiful. It's just, it's beautiful. I don't know, are the options available? I think they're already, I'm sure they're already taken. Also, The Librarianist is really good. I've heard that one. Patrick DeWitt. Yes, I heard that one. Very, very good. Yeah. So you can join my book club. I'll send you some recommendations.

46:16I've just been reading this. I'm reading this biography. It's 20 years old. I'm not de Kooning right now. That is just absolutely fascinating. Oh, yeah. What's that mean? Willem. On the painter, Willem de Kooning. Bill de Kooning. There's a Sylvia Plath biography that everybody loves. I'm going to write that down, too. Laura, if you weren't an actor or director, what do you think you would do? You had to do. not where you would have possibly hit a left fork instead of a right fork early on but like today if you had to pick a different career what do you think you're best suited for right now like would you write books would you teach at Juilliard I think medicine medicine yeah really I love medicine too like a doctor or something yeah yeah do you love medical stuff and like I I can't get enough of it.

47:10Yeah, no, I do. I do like it. I like to know people's issues, how they got it, what the cure was. And I weirdly know things. Like, how do I know what a pericardium is? Why do I know that? But I could see you working with people in maybe medicine and maybe teaching, maybe doing something. You have such a, and I'm going to say that you have such a kind smile. Yeah. And you really do. I will. It's true. But all the way through Ozark, every weekend almost, she would be flying off to give some sort, because of her show, The Big C, which was centered around cancer. Yes? Yes. She would give these speeches to, correct me, Laura, patients, doctors, medical institutions, recovery homes, et cetera.

47:58She'd just deliver these speeches about the will to live and the joy of life or how to deal with grief, et cetera. You'd write these things and you'd fly across the country with your weekends off to talk to these people and buoy them. I just, that's like angel. I love that show. And I sort of use it also as a way for arts advocacy, which is just to talk about the arts as much as I can, anywhere I can, as long as I can, because it's so important. Like Sean, she's not sitting at home making Sloppy Joes and figuring out what TV's theme track. Who loses then? Sean and Scotty, you're talking about farts advocacy.

48:36Am I right? We can hit these two guys. But I just think it's like you're going to cut lines upstairs after you're done with all this angel work. I don't know. Where does it come from? Mom, dad? I don't know. I think I like people. I think I, you know, and I love the arts. I love the arts. I think like more than just like a selfish thing. I think it's unbelievably important for culture and society. I couldn't agree more. I couldn't. It is so undervalued. It's unbelievably medicinal. You cannot, there is no wasted time when you're engaged with the arts. It will make everything better. I mean, it's just - I so agree.

49:14At a time when the brain is growing too. So like with the work that you do at Juilliard too, when kids are, I mean, they're not toddlers anymore. They're young adults. But I imagine that work for you is super fulfilling. Remind me what your role is currently there at Juilliard. What do you do there? What do you do? Tell Tracy in Wisconsin what you're doing there at Juilliard and what Juilliard is for Tracy. Juilliard is a arts conservatory school, which is sort of one of the leading schools in the country that teaches music, opera, dance, drama. There are four departments. At Lincoln Center? Right across the street from Lincoln Center is the Juilliard School.

49:52It's there. It has a long, illustrious history. I somehow, by the grace of God, got in there. And, you know, people will ask, like, what was your big break? and for me it was getting into that school hands down hands down so i was there for four years and about 15 to 18 years ago they called and asked me to give the uh the the commencement speech which i did and they also invited me to join the board of the school which i did i was the only i think there were only two artists on the board at that time and i've been on it now for a long time and I'm now vice chair for a limited period of time. That's so cool.

50:30So I'm very involved there and seeing what institutions like Juilliard, what they do, how they do it, why they do it, and the challenges that are facing young artists today. Yeah. And also I try to, when I have the time, I try to mentor the outgoing class. I will go in and talk to students. I'll take them out to lunch. shell, you know, and sometimes I can do it and sometimes I can't. What is the biggest challenge, Laura, for, you know, a young aspiring actress today? What do you think that biggest challenge is? Money. Yeah. Money. Right. Yeah. I mean, it's impossible. I mean, and which is why Juilliard's making such a concerted effort to go tuition free, you know, and why a lot of schools are, because we train these artists at this very, very high level.

51:18They leave and then they can't support themselves and then they drop out and we lose them. Right. Do you, do you spend a, do you spend a lot of time raising money or working with people or working with groups to try to raise money for the school? Are you guys dealing with high net worth individuals, all these people that you need, these patrons as it were, who some of them, I mean, I'm sure some of that's tough, but you need that, right? You need to have these people in order to keep it running. Yes. The angel people. Yes. And then you need the small donations as well. You need people just involved.

51:49You need people who just, to care about the arts. Open your pocketbook for once. No, Jason. I just did a whole new winter wardrobe. It's thin right now. No, no. Listen. Okay. He lost a lot of weight. He needs a new clothes. He just got back from Paris. Yeah. He goes. Speaking of books and stuff, tell me something you've seen that you love recently. A TV show, a movie. Wait, before we leave the Juilliard thing, let me just, And speaking of angel people, so Laura just continues to blow my mind. So we have this young actor on the show. His name is Robert Elijah Coleman. He was going to Juilliard.

52:31He got cast in this show. He was working on a day, this is a month ago, when Juilliard graduation was happening. He had done his four years at Juilliard. It's incredible to graduate from Juilliard. But he was scheduled to work. on that day. Partly my fault, I was directing, but Laura was prepping her episodes coming in, so she was around the set. And what she decided to do as a big shot at Juilliard was to grab his diploma, grab his cap and gown, write this long speech, an incredible speech that one would receive if they were lucky enough to be at their ceremony when they're graduating, but he couldn't because he had to be sitting on set.

53:14She asked me if she could stop production for about five or ten minutes, bring in a cake, do the whole thing, gather the whole crew, and she delivered the speech, and she put on the graduation music and everything. This kid, the greatest guy, was so bowled over, as was the whole crew and cast, and she presented him with his diploma and full graduation ceremony right there on set after four years of Juilliard. That is amazing. It's like, who has that idea? That is really, really, really sweet. That is incredible. You know, there are moments in your life. There are big moments that need to be recognized.

53:51And, you know, Eli had been through, I know what it is to go through Juilliard. I know what it is to graduate from that school, to feel like you've, you know, you've done something, and now, oh God, what's going to happen now? And you've done it with an ensemble of people. And it killed me that he was not going to be with his class that day. And he didn't tell anybody on set. He had not mentioned it to anybody that he was missing his graduation. Yeah, I knew. So I went to him, I'm like, are you okay about this? and he was so good-natured about it. He was so happy to be there. He was like, I'm fine, I'm fine.

54:19And I just sort of couldn't stand it. And Jason was kind enough to let me sort of hijack the set for a bit. So it was fun. It was really fun. The performance of being at a graduation doesn't come close to doing the thing that you graduated for. Right, to get the job. Yeah, absolutely. And it didn't matter that they had to move that day, that he had to shoot that day because Jason had a golf game on the other day. That doesn't matter. It doesn't even come up. It doesn't even come up. We'll work it out, Eli. That doesn't even come up. Because he's got a tee time with his buddies. Now, Sean, what was your question that was a good one?

54:56I'm just going to see. I'm always interested in what people are watching recently that you liked or any recommendations, documentaries, movies. Alone. Alone. I've been watching Alone. Me too. Jason loves that. I love Alone. Can I just say one more thing? I want to talk about Alone. Before we get out of the Juilliard stuff, What can people do to support the arts wherever they live? Wherever anybody's live. What would be a really important thing that people who listen to our podcast could do to try to help young people get involved in the arts? Oh, I know. Vote for the Democratic ticket. Well, apart from that.

55:29What could people do? Honestly, Laura. Go. I mean, I think Sean. I just thought that was a really good suggestion. I don't know what's going on at the house. Sean's got that update on his iOS where he does double thumbs up. It's fireworks. You know, I think it's go. Find something in your community that is there. Go with your family. Have a communal experience and go. Yeah, just buy a ticket. Get off your phone. And see what happens. Yeah. You know, here's a big name dropping moment. But Edward Albee said to me one time. He was, I know. Pick it up. He said, listen to Bach for 10 minutes every morning.

56:10He says, it organizes the mind. Wow. And he's right. And so when I give these speeches around the country, I tell people, like, try it for two weeks. See what happens. Just 10 minutes. And Jason, you know, because you love classical music. You know, that it does, it permeates your being and it realigns you in a way. Music does. I mean, Sean, you know this as well. You know, it's a powerful thing, the arts. And I think it's the most underused resource we have, or one of them, in this country. And it makes me crazy that our government has never really leaned into that. Yeah. Except now our surgeon general is using it for mental health.

56:53Yeah. You know, he's encouraging people to get involved. Yeah, I was going to say, there's probably a lot less violence in the world. I know that's a crazy thing to say. It's not. Like if more people were exposed to the arts. Absolutely. And graduation rates skyrocket if a kid is involved in the arts. It's just skyrockets. And there's always something somewhere. And you don't have to be good at it. You don't have to be an artist yourself. You don't have to be exposed to it. Willie's talking about starting to paint. He's going to start painting a bit. I can do stick figures. I mean, that's way beyond.

57:24We're not expecting more than that from Willie. I'm not going to be showing anything. it's gonna be yes you will for this Christmas I want that's all I want from you is a shitty painting it's gonna be really it's gonna be really shitty I'm excited about it I was just thinking about it this morning actually I can't wait to see some of it but I think it's like you know grab someone you love or grab someone you like and go and have an experience and just see see what happens I grabbed somebody I liked at the stop and shop but I didn't know them you're gonna find out what happens when this case is adjudicated check out the Daily Mail So wait, so let's get to, you were talking about Alone.

58:02You love Alone, like JB. Yeah, brand new season just started. I watched it because of him as well. Yeah, yeah. I know, it's intense, isn't it? I mean, I love the guys who go in, this is early in the first few seasons, the really tough guys who are absolutely gonna crush it and they're gone in two hours. Yeah, I know. They hear like a rustle in the weeds and they're like, I'm tapping out, I'm tapping out, I'm tapping out. And I think that would be me. I wouldn't last for two seconds I'd tap out before they land the helicopter Celebrity alone would be hilarious I'd be tapping out when I'm connecting flights in Minneapolis I would hang up on my manager on the phone call the request the great Aline Kashishian would get the hang up I love the places they build for themselves you know those huts it's like they took Naked and Afraid and kind of just heightened it a little bit.

58:57Yeah. And I also love these poor people filming themselves at the same time. I know. That's all part of it. I like it when they build a great house. There was a guy once in one of those seasons up in the Northwest Territories in Canada and he built this stone house with moss and stuff. You're like, yeah, yeah. Moss. Who knew moss was so important? And then they got to rip it down when they leave. They do that little time lapse thing when it all goes away. It's like, no. Laura, we're over. We're over time. you will be compensated checks in the mail we love you I love you most I'm a massive massive fan I've always been truly I love all three of you and I've been lucky enough to work with two of you and Sean we're due so we'll make that figure that out and thanks JB I love you I'll see you in a few days say hi to Mark and Bennett I sure will and go feed your dog loved the family will do I'm gonna wake him up okay bye bye Laura Thank you.

59:55Bye. Well, that was lovely. It was painful for me. It was a lot of love to receive. I'm not good at that, but thank you. But you're doing better. You're doing better.

1:00:09She's, you know, I love if you could pick a second wife, she would be it. Well, imagine if it wasn't her. I mean, it was her for a reason, you know? You guys really connected, and I can't imagine anybody else playing that part. I still remember the day. She was the first person I went to on Ozark. I took her out to breakfast at this restaurant in the bottom of this hotel I was staying in in New York. It was their scouting, I think. And we share a manager, Aline Kishishan, and I said to Aline, I said, do you think Laura would ever consider doing a show again? And she's like, we should just talk to her.

1:00:49And I met her at that restaurant and just pitched her for an hour and a half and was really nervous about even the possibility of her saying yes or no. It was such a big swing because I knew by having her on the show, not only would she be an incredible actor on it, but what she would sort of signal to the audience and to the community in the business about what the show is and what the show isn't. like she's just such a great recruiter of high quality people and and a declaration of of sort of the the quality we're kind of shooting for um and it was just such a gift that she said yes i did the show would never would have happened without her ever yeah i mean i can't imagine i can't imagine anybody else doing that part yeah yeah so lucky um and what a great guest yeah she's i've always been such a massive fan like she's an actor's actor and uh she really is And you look at her body, and it just goes on and on and on and on and on, IMDb.

1:01:52Yeah. It's crazy. I love that she was here. And by the way, long time coming. Yes, exactly. Yeah, that was, I mean, I remember talking to her. When we first got started, we were still doing Ozark, right? Yeah. Oh, God, yeah. Yeah, right at the end. Oh, that's right. Yeah, during COVID. I mean, for a year. Right. Yeah. Yeah, I remember talking to her. Yeah. I remember her sort of just looking at me like, I could just sense she was kind of looking at me like, you're doing what? Yeah. Every week you're what? Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. And then, yeah, then she started to say, well, you know, some people are talking to me that apparently they've listened to your podcast or something.

1:02:30People are liking it. I'm like, you've got to come on. You've got to come on. And she was like, yeah. Well, it's nice to know. Here we go. It is nice to know. Oh, here it comes. Oh, now you're just telling us. This is the guy who when you merge on a free. I heard a drop by or something like that. Is that what it was going to be? You know, Sean is just a terrible merger on the freeway. He either comes in doing 120 miles an hour or doing 30 miles an hour. Everyone's got to slam on the brakes. Go ahead. Zip her in. No, I just thought it's nice that she said hi to directing, but she definitely didn't say, hi to acting.

1:03:06Christ. Christ. Oh, fuck, man. You're the worst. Fucking fuck, dude. Holy shit. That is rough. Bye. We might have to put you on a hiatus. You can't initiate for a... Biatus. Smart. Less.

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