1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:02,800 Speaker 1: This is Alec Baldwin, and you were listening to Here's 2 00:00:02,800 --> 00:00:06,880 Speaker 1: the Thing. A couple of weeks ago, we were at 3 00:00:06,920 --> 00:00:10,760 Speaker 1: the Ace Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. I was joined 4 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:14,720 Speaker 1: by Megan Mollally and Nick Offerman. Malally is best known 5 00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:17,759 Speaker 1: for her role as Karen Walker on Will and Grace. 6 00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:21,720 Speaker 1: Offerman's big break was playing the role of Ron Swanson 7 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:25,320 Speaker 1: on Parks and Recreation, but they also have a life 8 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:29,319 Speaker 1: together off screen. They have been married since two thousand three, 9 00:00:29,880 --> 00:00:32,640 Speaker 1: and as Playboy Magazine wrote a couple of years ago, 10 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:36,400 Speaker 1: their comic chemistry is akin to that of a hyper 11 00:00:36,479 --> 00:00:41,520 Speaker 1: sexualized Jerry Stiller and Anne Mira. Thank you both for coming, 12 00:00:42,240 --> 00:00:45,960 Speaker 1: Thanks for having us. Let me begin by asking that 13 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:48,760 Speaker 1: the two of you also. I'm gonna start with Nick 14 00:00:48,800 --> 00:00:51,680 Speaker 1: because we've gotta go one at a time here, and 15 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:55,600 Speaker 1: that is that. What was the comedy d n A 16 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:57,680 Speaker 1: and your family when you were growing up? Did you 17 00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:00,760 Speaker 1: come from a family of like rip snorton comedy people. 18 00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:04,440 Speaker 1: I wouldn't say rip snorting, but there is a powerful 19 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:08,080 Speaker 1: sense of humor in my family. They're hardworking and humble. 20 00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:11,959 Speaker 1: Their farmers and school teachers and nurses and librarians. Sorry, 21 00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:16,400 Speaker 1: and um, and so there's a real I think it's 22 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:20,160 Speaker 1: the farmer ethos where you have to work. You can't 23 00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:23,640 Speaker 1: be too funny or too dramatic. You just keep working. 24 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:27,160 Speaker 1: But you know all of your year's work might be 25 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:31,240 Speaker 1: wiped out by locusts or storms, so you have to 26 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:33,440 Speaker 1: have a dry sense of humor of like, well, I 27 00:01:34,160 --> 00:01:38,120 Speaker 1: guess we're eating our shoes this year. And I picked 28 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:41,800 Speaker 1: up on that. And were you the funny one in 29 00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:46,120 Speaker 1: your family? Well, that might be over egging the pudding, 30 00:01:46,319 --> 00:01:52,360 Speaker 1: but I uh, I was definitely the showman performer. Yeah. 31 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:55,520 Speaker 1: You mentioned in an interview where you said, like you're hardworking, 32 00:01:55,960 --> 00:01:58,960 Speaker 1: kind of tough, no nonsense family. They viewed you as 33 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:01,920 Speaker 1: like the woofs of the family business. I'm the city 34 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:06,480 Speaker 1: when I walk in the door, it says that I'm 35 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:13,519 Speaker 1: the Milo of my family. Perhaps. And you you that 36 00:02:13,639 --> 00:02:16,840 Speaker 1: you were born in l A but you grew up 37 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:20,800 Speaker 1: in Oklahoma. Yeah, how did that happen? How did that happen? Well, 38 00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:25,560 Speaker 1: my father was a contract player with Paramount in the fifties, 39 00:02:25,639 --> 00:02:28,720 Speaker 1: and so they lived in Los Angeles for a long 40 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:32,079 Speaker 1: time and I was born here and then when uh, 41 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:34,680 Speaker 1: and then they moved back to Oklahoma when I was six, 42 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:37,959 Speaker 1: and I had a little bag packed by the door 43 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:41,000 Speaker 1: of that whole time I was in Oklahoma, just waiting 44 00:02:41,040 --> 00:02:43,919 Speaker 1: to come back to Los Angeles. Although I had a 45 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:48,160 Speaker 1: great upbringing, but I just I knew better. Did he 46 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 1: feel like he didn't want to ring. Did he feel 47 00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:51,640 Speaker 1: like he didn't want to raise his kids in l A? 48 00:02:51,680 --> 00:02:54,680 Speaker 1: That's why he went back to Oklahoma to have a Uh. Yeah, 49 00:02:54,720 --> 00:02:57,239 Speaker 1: his parents had lived in Newport Beach and they both 50 00:02:57,240 --> 00:02:59,640 Speaker 1: passed away in the same year, and he just didn't 51 00:02:59,680 --> 00:03:02,519 Speaker 1: want to be here anymore. And he was very bitter 52 00:03:02,600 --> 00:03:06,519 Speaker 1: about the entertainment industry. And he had grown up in 53 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 1: Oklahoma City and my mom had grown up in Tulsa, 54 00:03:08,919 --> 00:03:11,360 Speaker 1: so he just wanted to get back there. But can 55 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:16,680 Speaker 1: you imagine that being bitter about the entertainment industry. I 56 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:18,919 Speaker 1: wouldn't know what that's like. Yeah, I think he wanted 57 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:22,400 Speaker 1: to be the big fish, you know, and he wanted 58 00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:25,240 Speaker 1: to make it. He really wanted to make it, but 59 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:29,680 Speaker 1: it was really busy drinking alcohol, so it really cut 60 00:03:29,720 --> 00:03:34,160 Speaker 1: into the acting time. Yeah, he was very busy drinking 61 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:36,880 Speaker 1: alcohol and having sex with women who weren't my mother, 62 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:40,000 Speaker 1: So it really took a bite out of the Some 63 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:46,640 Speaker 1: people are able to juggle those persons. Yeah, but he 64 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:56,960 Speaker 1: was more specialist. Yeah. So did he did he act 65 00:03:57,120 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 1: in Oklahoma? Did he revive his careerty become like the 66 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:03,280 Speaker 1: he did Tony Randall of Oklahoma with gaily people? With 67 00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:07,760 Speaker 1: his theatrical my father was. He wore an ascot and 68 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:11,880 Speaker 1: at one point had a yeah in Oklaoma City in 69 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:16,480 Speaker 1: like this early sixties, and had at one point bought 70 00:04:15,760 --> 00:04:21,760 Speaker 1: a fant rolls Roy Roy's Phantom three, uh Gray you 71 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:26,159 Speaker 1: know what you know extravaganza and he would drive that around, 72 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:30,000 Speaker 1: tuning in ascot. So the fact that he was not 73 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:33,000 Speaker 1: way to bang a lot of women and what was that? 74 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:36,400 Speaker 1: He just had a very he was like a gay guy, 75 00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:43,640 Speaker 1: you know. He just had like a very fantastical presentation. Yeah. Yeah, 76 00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:46,000 Speaker 1: my parents had a lot that I learned to sing 77 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:48,240 Speaker 1: because my parents had a lot of Barbera Streis and 78 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:50,440 Speaker 1: Judy Garland records. And I was like, we're my parents 79 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:55,840 Speaker 1: to gay men. What what's happening now? What he did 80 00:04:55,880 --> 00:04:57,800 Speaker 1: he perform in Like I read that he performed at 81 00:04:57,839 --> 00:04:59,800 Speaker 1: Dinner Theater there. He was kind of the only p 82 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:02,320 Speaker 1: something that I knew growing up who had this really 83 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:07,719 Speaker 1: you know, kind of um met a sense of humor 84 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:12,560 Speaker 1: and so I yeah, he could crack my mom and 85 00:05:12,640 --> 00:05:15,680 Speaker 1: I for sure, but we were all so scared of him. 86 00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:21,000 Speaker 1: That was a good combo. Well, know what your families? 87 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:23,200 Speaker 1: Are your parents both alive at all? Or now? My 88 00:05:23,279 --> 00:05:29,440 Speaker 1: mom is my mom's ninety five? Yeah, she's she's she's 89 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:32,080 Speaker 1: an Oklahoma city in the same house that I grew 90 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:36,000 Speaker 1: up in. Did she get the roles? She know that 91 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:39,360 Speaker 1: had to be sold? I think. But my my dad 92 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:41,360 Speaker 1: never really had like a real job, but he had 93 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:44,920 Speaker 1: money from the family, had some oil money from way 94 00:05:44,920 --> 00:05:48,080 Speaker 1: back when, so he kind of drifted along on that. 95 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:50,919 Speaker 1: But the roles was temporary. Was your dad around to 96 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:54,279 Speaker 1: meet him? Do they know each other? No? Unfortunately my 97 00:05:54,400 --> 00:06:00,640 Speaker 1: dad passed away. But I is totally completely different? Is 98 00:06:00,960 --> 00:06:03,719 Speaker 1: he and Nick? Are? I do think that there's some 99 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:12,200 Speaker 1: crossover because both gay? Um, there's that and wait can 100 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:25,080 Speaker 1: they yeah, ton, it's coming out? Okay? Speaking of gay? 101 00:06:25,240 --> 00:06:28,000 Speaker 1: Can I mention what you said backstage? Backstage, Megan was 102 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:30,240 Speaker 1: staring at my balls when I was sitting down. Can 103 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:32,760 Speaker 1: you see the hole? You see the hole in my past? 104 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:34,640 Speaker 1: I split my pants? Can you see. Okay, I'm gonna 105 00:06:34,640 --> 00:06:38,200 Speaker 1: put the paper, I'm gonna put my notes here. I'll 106 00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:41,640 Speaker 1: read the trousers has been invented that will contain the 107 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:52,280 Speaker 1: testicles of like bald one, they will not be reined in, 108 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:57,480 Speaker 1: they will not be rained in. Nick has taken a 109 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:02,440 Speaker 1: rather festive handkerchief out of his pocket and wraps around 110 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:05,400 Speaker 1: his neck in the form of an ascot, So it's 111 00:07:05,440 --> 00:07:09,840 Speaker 1: more of a crava. So the Offerman's. So the Offerman's 112 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:12,600 Speaker 1: and the and the uh and the Malawley's never met, 113 00:07:12,640 --> 00:07:15,960 Speaker 1: I mean where you got the two families got together well, 114 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:18,520 Speaker 1: and that would have been an interesting thing. Yeah, Megan's 115 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:23,200 Speaker 1: mom came to Minuka, and the families have visited each other. 116 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:28,840 Speaker 1: Uh and and Megan's mom had a wonderful gentleman companion, Mr. 117 00:07:28,960 --> 00:07:32,680 Speaker 1: Nat Smith, and they traveled all over together with them. 118 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:36,360 Speaker 1: And so they came to our little town of Manuka 119 00:07:36,560 --> 00:07:43,320 Speaker 1: for holiday dinners. And then we came to Oklahoma as well. Minuka, Manuka, Manuka, Minuka. 120 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:48,239 Speaker 1: So I'm gonna assume that Manuka people even coming there 121 00:07:48,440 --> 00:07:52,000 Speaker 1: from Oklahomas. I mean, Oklahoma City is paris compared to Minuka, 122 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:56,000 Speaker 1: I'm assuming, and so never even went Chicago is less 123 00:07:56,040 --> 00:07:58,560 Speaker 1: than an hour away, and they never even when it 124 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:04,680 Speaker 1: was like going to Morocco, it felt like we were 125 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:08,280 Speaker 1: in Mayberry Um. When I finally got to Chicago, I 126 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:13,280 Speaker 1: felt like I had traveled from the fifties to present day. 127 00:08:14,720 --> 00:08:18,040 Speaker 1: You you went to Champagne or Banna. I did to 128 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:21,120 Speaker 1: study what I'm proud fighting a line. I to study theaters. 129 00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:25,960 Speaker 1: They yeah, they have actually a quite reputable theater conservatory. 130 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:28,480 Speaker 1: And that's what you wanted from when you were when 131 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:30,320 Speaker 1: you were young, you knew you wanted to study acting. 132 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:33,920 Speaker 1: I was really ignorant. I I knew that I wanted 133 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:36,679 Speaker 1: to perform, and I only is about a junior in 134 00:08:36,760 --> 00:08:38,839 Speaker 1: high school. I found out that you could get paid 135 00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:42,040 Speaker 1: to do plays in Chicago. Like I had heard of Broadway, 136 00:08:42,080 --> 00:08:46,760 Speaker 1: and I had heard of London, but I certainly didn't 137 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:50,720 Speaker 1: think I could get there from Manuka. I was ignorant. 138 00:08:50,760 --> 00:08:53,600 Speaker 1: I didn't do the math that that you watch. You know, 139 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:57,720 Speaker 1: my dad and I loved watching Jackie Gleason and John 140 00:08:57,720 --> 00:09:03,160 Speaker 1: Wayne movies, and I never did the math of impersonating like, oh, 141 00:09:03,400 --> 00:09:06,520 Speaker 1: I can learn to talk like Reverend Jim mcnatowski on 142 00:09:06,600 --> 00:09:10,600 Speaker 1: taxi and then somebody will give me, you know. Instead, 143 00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:15,640 Speaker 1: I just was like, hey, you guys crazy. You would 144 00:09:15,679 --> 00:09:20,800 Speaker 1: have a breakdancing team with his cousin Ryan whatever they 145 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:24,800 Speaker 1: talk and flip flop flip flop was Ryan because he 146 00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:28,320 Speaker 1: did the gymnastics and the popping locker here was TikTok 147 00:09:31,160 --> 00:09:34,880 Speaker 1: fuking crazy guilty, So you realize you wanted to We 148 00:09:34,960 --> 00:09:37,480 Speaker 1: did plays at my high school and it just plays 149 00:09:37,480 --> 00:09:39,400 Speaker 1: in high school. Yeah, I did. How many people were 150 00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:42,959 Speaker 1: in your high school? Like eleven people total? About eight 151 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:45,040 Speaker 1: hundred like you did? Good? Oh, and nine other people 152 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:49,560 Speaker 1: were in the audience. We did um, we did you know, 153 00:09:49,640 --> 00:09:52,959 Speaker 1: the crampy plays that high schools do. We also did musicals, 154 00:09:53,320 --> 00:09:56,240 Speaker 1: and so it was a revelation to discover that you 155 00:09:56,280 --> 00:10:02,439 Speaker 1: could perform theater professionally in as close as Chicago, and 156 00:10:02,600 --> 00:10:05,880 Speaker 1: that these kids were studying that to do this at 157 00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:09,720 Speaker 1: the University of Illinois and I saw I that was 158 00:10:09,760 --> 00:10:13,520 Speaker 1: my first audition, and it was I didn't even know 159 00:10:13,559 --> 00:10:16,359 Speaker 1: what a monologue was like. For one of my monologues, 160 00:10:16,480 --> 00:10:22,760 Speaker 1: I performed a scene of dialogue, played both parts. Yeah, Louis, 161 00:10:23,200 --> 00:10:27,640 Speaker 1: what what exactly like doing both parts? What scene was that? 162 00:10:27,679 --> 00:10:29,720 Speaker 1: What scene did you do to both parts. It was 163 00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:38,920 Speaker 1: a scene from the place steam Bath once again scene 164 00:10:39,040 --> 00:10:45,880 Speaker 1: from the Plague Glory Hole. And yeah, the professors were 165 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:47,840 Speaker 1: you could have done Boys in the Band and played 166 00:10:47,880 --> 00:10:53,680 Speaker 1: all the parts from but they you know, I honestly think, um, 167 00:10:53,840 --> 00:10:58,240 Speaker 1: they took uh sixteen students a year in this conservatory. 168 00:10:58,520 --> 00:11:01,000 Speaker 1: And I was very affle deck and I think that 169 00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:03,240 Speaker 1: you know, they do a lot of Shakespeare and big 170 00:11:03,320 --> 00:11:05,280 Speaker 1: check off plays, and so you need a couple of 171 00:11:05,280 --> 00:11:10,280 Speaker 1: guys to like carry the coffin or the carry the 172 00:11:10,360 --> 00:11:15,080 Speaker 1: samovar on stage. He was an altar boy. Also, I 173 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:17,599 Speaker 1: was no, wait, what sports did you play? It was 174 00:11:17,679 --> 00:11:22,320 Speaker 1: Central Illinois, so basketball, baseball, and football, but football was 175 00:11:22,400 --> 00:11:26,280 Speaker 1: my best sports. Would you play position? Defensive back? Either 176 00:11:26,400 --> 00:11:33,000 Speaker 1: cornerback or what they called monster back? That was good 177 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:37,839 Speaker 1: at at tackling people? Um, but people. It was a 178 00:11:37,880 --> 00:11:41,600 Speaker 1: little weird, But I had, um, I don't know, I 179 00:11:41,640 --> 00:11:44,880 Speaker 1: had the respect of the team, so they they kind 180 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:48,840 Speaker 1: of thought I was fruity, But I think I was 181 00:11:48,920 --> 00:11:54,760 Speaker 1: tough enough at sports that they were liked. Saturday Afternoon, 182 00:11:55,640 --> 00:11:58,160 Speaker 1: I was in the swing choir. You were gay until 183 00:11:58,200 --> 00:12:03,280 Speaker 1: the kickoff? Were you a superstar athlete there in Oklahoma 184 00:12:03,280 --> 00:12:07,680 Speaker 1: and Oklahoma City. Uh now I was. I wasn't a 185 00:12:07,679 --> 00:12:11,360 Speaker 1: ballet company, though I was a serious ballet dancer for 186 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:13,240 Speaker 1: many years, and I was in a company for five 187 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:17,760 Speaker 1: years and studied at New York City Ballet's School School 188 00:12:17,800 --> 00:12:22,960 Speaker 1: of American Ballet UM. But no, I, on the other hand, 189 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:25,640 Speaker 1: basically came out of the womb in a top hat 190 00:12:25,679 --> 00:12:31,840 Speaker 1: and tapshi. I was developing my skills from birth, Yeah, 191 00:12:32,679 --> 00:12:37,199 Speaker 1: I was. I was literally like in my room trying 192 00:12:37,280 --> 00:12:42,920 Speaker 1: to perfect every possible performing skill imaginable from the age 193 00:12:42,920 --> 00:12:46,360 Speaker 1: of four. Um. Yeah, I don't know why it's I 194 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:48,880 Speaker 1: think it's weird that those kind of things happened. I 195 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:53,880 Speaker 1: think that when kids have a certain predilection, predilection for 196 00:12:54,080 --> 00:12:58,559 Speaker 1: a career. I mean I know so many people who 197 00:12:58,920 --> 00:13:01,120 Speaker 1: who had that. Yeah, when I was a kid, that 198 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:03,720 Speaker 1: we would always torment my mother because like when I 199 00:13:03,760 --> 00:13:06,320 Speaker 1: was a little you know that programming on TV was 200 00:13:06,360 --> 00:13:09,480 Speaker 1: like old Warner Brothers, gangster films, or like the Bowery Boys. 201 00:13:10,080 --> 00:13:12,080 Speaker 1: I don't know if people who remember the Bowery Boys, 202 00:13:12,440 --> 00:13:14,880 Speaker 1: like my whole childhood, we just like shovel that on 203 00:13:14,960 --> 00:13:16,280 Speaker 1: my mother all the time. She'd be like, are you 204 00:13:16,280 --> 00:13:18,720 Speaker 1: boys gonna finish those potatoes. We're like, we're not gonna 205 00:13:18,760 --> 00:13:24,000 Speaker 1: eat the potatoes. See who's asking? See why don't you 206 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:27,240 Speaker 1: know damn potatoes? Get out of here. See my mother 207 00:13:27,240 --> 00:13:31,600 Speaker 1: will be like, oh God, oh God, what's happening. What 208 00:13:31,679 --> 00:13:35,120 Speaker 1: did you watch? I liked the weird stuff like Mary Hartman, 209 00:13:35,160 --> 00:13:39,120 Speaker 1: Mary Hartman, And yeah, that's the fact that they even 210 00:13:39,160 --> 00:13:41,520 Speaker 1: aired that in Oklahoma City kind of blows my mind 211 00:13:41,520 --> 00:13:43,720 Speaker 1: when I think about smoke pot and watched Mary Hartman 212 00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:46,760 Speaker 1: Mary Hartan. I was it was. I was too young, 213 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:51,079 Speaker 1: but I had words. Don't bullshit us? Yeah, no, when 214 00:13:51,080 --> 00:13:53,440 Speaker 1: it first started, I was. I didn't ever smoke pot 215 00:13:53,520 --> 00:13:57,160 Speaker 1: till I was seventeen. I don't think I watched Mary Hartman. Mary. 216 00:13:57,200 --> 00:13:58,760 Speaker 1: I used just to blow a big fat one out 217 00:13:58,760 --> 00:14:02,880 Speaker 1: the window before Mary had I love that show my mom. 218 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:05,040 Speaker 1: My mom used to watch it with me. She totally 219 00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:07,319 Speaker 1: got it. My mom encouraged me in a lot of ways, 220 00:14:07,320 --> 00:14:09,840 Speaker 1: and I knew every song on the radio and all 221 00:14:09,880 --> 00:14:12,360 Speaker 1: that kind of stuff. And my mom always, you know, 222 00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:16,440 Speaker 1: she gave me ballet lessons and encouraged me to be creative. 223 00:14:17,000 --> 00:14:20,520 Speaker 1: Did you smoke a lot of weed there in Minuka? No? 224 00:14:20,760 --> 00:14:25,240 Speaker 1: In fact, no, it was very conservative and the uh 225 00:14:25,360 --> 00:14:31,640 Speaker 1: like the six known pot smokers, were completely alienated, like 226 00:14:31,680 --> 00:14:35,920 Speaker 1: they this this was the eighties, and they like they 227 00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:41,240 Speaker 1: announced their devotion to to marijuana with long hair and 228 00:14:41,320 --> 00:14:47,200 Speaker 1: like rat concert t shirts. It wasn't even something you considered, 229 00:14:47,320 --> 00:14:50,520 Speaker 1: like there was such a taint on it. And then 230 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:58,080 Speaker 1: I got to theater school and and my best friend Joe, 231 00:14:58,400 --> 00:15:02,520 Speaker 1: it took him at the time time, there's a longside tangent. 232 00:15:02,560 --> 00:15:05,200 Speaker 1: I was pretending to be a born again Christian so 233 00:15:05,240 --> 00:15:11,960 Speaker 1: that I could sleep with this particular young lady, And 234 00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:14,360 Speaker 1: so I had to kind of work out of that 235 00:15:15,800 --> 00:15:19,400 Speaker 1: to save face. They would they would they were he was, 236 00:15:19,520 --> 00:15:23,320 Speaker 1: they were both born again supposedly, and then he would 237 00:15:23,360 --> 00:15:26,320 Speaker 1: like get her to like have sex with them, and 238 00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:28,320 Speaker 1: then they would both cry and like get down their 239 00:15:28,360 --> 00:15:31,360 Speaker 1: knees and repent and ask her forgiveness, and then the 240 00:15:31,520 --> 00:15:33,520 Speaker 1: same thing the next night, and just on and on 241 00:15:33,600 --> 00:15:39,240 Speaker 1: every single night, every night born again. She was born 242 00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:45,920 Speaker 1: again and again and again highly recommended. And when did 243 00:15:45,920 --> 00:15:47,600 Speaker 1: you decide you're going to go to to become like 244 00:15:47,640 --> 00:15:49,320 Speaker 1: a pro. You got a college and what happened when 245 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:51,640 Speaker 1: you've done with college? Well, there was a group of us. Uh, 246 00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:54,120 Speaker 1: you know, and I was really bad at acting like 247 00:15:55,000 --> 00:15:57,920 Speaker 1: I was so ignorant. Um that I was trying way 248 00:15:57,920 --> 00:16:02,120 Speaker 1: too hard in a nutshell was my problem. And uh. 249 00:16:02,160 --> 00:16:04,680 Speaker 1: And so all through college I wasn't really getting cast. 250 00:16:05,320 --> 00:16:08,720 Speaker 1: But I endeared myself to this group of of great 251 00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:12,440 Speaker 1: artists because I could build scenery and I could choreograph 252 00:16:12,560 --> 00:16:17,120 Speaker 1: sword fights. Became a a big sword fighter and um. 253 00:16:18,800 --> 00:16:22,360 Speaker 1: And so we formed a theater company called the Defiant 254 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:28,880 Speaker 1: Theater and moved on Moss to Chicago. What's up? That 255 00:16:29,000 --> 00:16:30,520 Speaker 1: was kind of the thing, was like, let's make a 256 00:16:30,560 --> 00:16:33,160 Speaker 1: go of it in Chicago, which is probably the greatest 257 00:16:33,240 --> 00:16:38,640 Speaker 1: theater city in the country. Um. For that reason, it's 258 00:16:39,520 --> 00:16:41,640 Speaker 1: you can. You can. You can make a go of 259 00:16:41,640 --> 00:16:44,920 Speaker 1: it with a storefront theater in a more affordable way 260 00:16:45,240 --> 00:16:48,680 Speaker 1: and your audience there. There's no ulterior motive, there's no Broadway, 261 00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:54,160 Speaker 1: there's no TV business. It's if you're doing Beckett in Chicago, 262 00:16:54,200 --> 00:16:56,360 Speaker 1: it's because you really want to do theater. Why do 263 00:16:56,440 --> 00:16:58,440 Speaker 1: you think that is? To explain to people who don't 264 00:16:58,480 --> 00:17:03,280 Speaker 1: know and count me among them, why is uh, Chicago 265 00:17:03,480 --> 00:17:05,760 Speaker 1: such a fertile ground for theater? I don't know. I 266 00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:09,919 Speaker 1: think it's a combination of not being uh, you know, 267 00:17:10,280 --> 00:17:13,679 Speaker 1: New York, in l A, our places where if you 268 00:17:13,840 --> 00:17:19,240 Speaker 1: if you have a scrap, yeah that's the full of dogs. 269 00:17:19,760 --> 00:17:21,920 Speaker 1: If you if you have just a spark of talent 270 00:17:22,040 --> 00:17:24,800 Speaker 1: or cuteness, in those cities, people are like, hey, we can, 271 00:17:24,840 --> 00:17:26,680 Speaker 1: we can make a lot of money with you quickly. 272 00:17:27,119 --> 00:17:30,280 Speaker 1: In Chicago, you don't have that ulterior motive, Like the 273 00:17:30,320 --> 00:17:33,560 Speaker 1: top paid theater performers there are not doing that great, 274 00:17:33,640 --> 00:17:36,159 Speaker 1: so it's not it's for passion and you're not chasing 275 00:17:36,200 --> 00:17:39,120 Speaker 1: fame and fortune. And you also just have that Midwestern 276 00:17:39,160 --> 00:17:42,720 Speaker 1: work ethic. Um, Chicago theater is a lot closer to 277 00:17:42,760 --> 00:17:47,320 Speaker 1: farming than the coastal. I did a lot of theater 278 00:17:47,359 --> 00:17:51,440 Speaker 1: in Chicago also, but before Nick and because I'm older, 279 00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:56,919 Speaker 1: she wents to Northwestern. Ye, and then I did theater 280 00:17:56,960 --> 00:18:00,159 Speaker 1: there for like six years. And um that's where I 281 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:04,479 Speaker 1: learned everything. Because I didn't study acting at Northwestern, so 282 00:18:05,880 --> 00:18:09,239 Speaker 1: um mostly English and art history and UM. But I 283 00:18:09,280 --> 00:18:12,680 Speaker 1: did a lot of theater while I was in school. 284 00:18:13,160 --> 00:18:16,520 Speaker 1: It was right when steppin Wolf was really hitting. I 285 00:18:16,560 --> 00:18:20,440 Speaker 1: got cast in a professional show while I was still 286 00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:24,000 Speaker 1: in school at Northwestern, and Um, I was just starting 287 00:18:24,040 --> 00:18:28,760 Speaker 1: my junior year and I had gone back to school 288 00:18:28,760 --> 00:18:30,320 Speaker 1: for two weeks and I was doing eight shows a 289 00:18:30,320 --> 00:18:33,440 Speaker 1: week at you know, and um, I went in to 290 00:18:33,560 --> 00:18:35,440 Speaker 1: talk to the dean and I said, this is really hard, 291 00:18:35,480 --> 00:18:39,320 Speaker 1: and she said drop out. I said, all right, don't 292 00:18:39,320 --> 00:18:42,920 Speaker 1: mind if I do, and so I did. And then 293 00:18:43,119 --> 00:18:47,000 Speaker 1: I got some calls. When I was doing Chicago Theater 294 00:18:47,119 --> 00:18:52,520 Speaker 1: for some reason, I I tested for the lead in 295 00:18:52,840 --> 00:18:57,159 Speaker 1: Risky Business spoiler alert. I didn't get it, um, but 296 00:18:57,280 --> 00:18:59,520 Speaker 1: I was flown out here for two weeks. It was 297 00:18:59,560 --> 00:19:02,359 Speaker 1: a really big deal and for me at the time. 298 00:19:02,480 --> 00:19:06,000 Speaker 1: And uh then I had a lot of agents, like 299 00:19:06,440 --> 00:19:09,439 Speaker 1: you know, big agents, Hollywood agents calling me in my 300 00:19:09,560 --> 00:19:12,959 Speaker 1: little apartment in Chicago, and I was flown out for 301 00:19:13,080 --> 00:19:16,240 Speaker 1: like two or three other movies didn't get them. And 302 00:19:16,280 --> 00:19:23,240 Speaker 1: then I moved out here finally in six six yeah, 303 00:19:23,240 --> 00:19:26,040 Speaker 1: five six, I don't know. And so I already so 304 00:19:26,119 --> 00:19:28,400 Speaker 1: I had an agent right away, so it made it easier. 305 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:31,560 Speaker 1: I always was able to support I was very lucky. 306 00:19:31,600 --> 00:19:34,879 Speaker 1: I was always able to support myself. I never had, 307 00:19:35,480 --> 00:19:39,440 Speaker 1: you know, a civy job, you know, which is kind 308 00:19:39,440 --> 00:19:41,560 Speaker 1: of bad and kind of good. What's the first thing 309 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:43,200 Speaker 1: you did, they really clicked for you, where you really 310 00:19:44,160 --> 00:19:47,639 Speaker 1: started to get you on that path where you you 311 00:19:47,640 --> 00:19:49,639 Speaker 1: know you're gonna work. I mean, I remember exactly. I 312 00:19:49,640 --> 00:19:51,720 Speaker 1: did this movie called She's Having a Baby with Kevin 313 00:19:51,760 --> 00:19:55,040 Speaker 1: Bacon years ago, no place, but I just mentioned it 314 00:19:55,040 --> 00:19:57,199 Speaker 1: because there were these two women who were the casting agents. 315 00:19:57,200 --> 00:19:58,960 Speaker 1: And once I got cast in that movie and I 316 00:19:59,040 --> 00:20:02,720 Speaker 1: was on their radar, everything changed after that. Well, I 317 00:20:02,760 --> 00:20:05,320 Speaker 1: was lucky if I worked, you know, I was able 318 00:20:05,359 --> 00:20:07,680 Speaker 1: to work here and there, and I got a pilot. 319 00:20:08,280 --> 00:20:10,879 Speaker 1: Most pilot seasons, I got a pilot or I you know, 320 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:14,240 Speaker 1: do episodic, but I never got any shows that really 321 00:20:14,359 --> 00:20:17,920 Speaker 1: hit for more than thirteen episodes. But then I got 322 00:20:18,040 --> 00:20:21,960 Speaker 1: cast in a Broadway revival of Greece. And I was 323 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:24,000 Speaker 1: doing Greece and somebody said, oh, they're going to do 324 00:20:24,040 --> 00:20:26,360 Speaker 1: a revival of How to Succeed in Business without really 325 00:20:26,400 --> 00:20:29,160 Speaker 1: trying with Matthew Broadwert, and you're perfect for the female lead. 326 00:20:30,040 --> 00:20:31,719 Speaker 1: And I didn't know the show at all, and I 327 00:20:31,760 --> 00:20:33,960 Speaker 1: rented the movie and it took me like three days 328 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:35,520 Speaker 1: to watch it. I thought it was kind of boring, 329 00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:38,000 Speaker 1: and anyway, I ended up auditioning for it and I 330 00:20:38,040 --> 00:20:41,560 Speaker 1: got it, and then we started before we went to Broadway, 331 00:20:41,560 --> 00:20:43,720 Speaker 1: we did it out here in Lajoya and there was 332 00:20:43,760 --> 00:20:46,760 Speaker 1: this guy who we still know, who worked for the 333 00:20:46,800 --> 00:20:49,360 Speaker 1: Hollywood Reporter at the time, and he wrote this review 334 00:20:49,640 --> 00:20:52,879 Speaker 1: and most of the review was about me, which was crazy. 335 00:20:53,040 --> 00:20:55,080 Speaker 1: And that really was the thing that kind of that 336 00:20:55,160 --> 00:20:58,520 Speaker 1: was my first really big break. Yeah, and what about 337 00:20:58,560 --> 00:21:01,040 Speaker 1: you when you you came out here? When I did 338 00:21:01,080 --> 00:21:04,680 Speaker 1: about four years in Chicago with my company, and things 339 00:21:04,680 --> 00:21:08,480 Speaker 1: started to go well. I became better at acting, started 340 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:13,320 Speaker 1: getting you know, good roles, and I had a year 341 00:21:13,359 --> 00:21:17,800 Speaker 1: in where the whole year I had just the best 342 00:21:17,840 --> 00:21:20,680 Speaker 1: possible shows. I felt like it was my dream year. 343 00:21:21,520 --> 00:21:24,040 Speaker 1: And I had a tooth. I had a hole in 344 00:21:24,119 --> 00:21:26,159 Speaker 1: one of my molders that I could fit a pepper 345 00:21:26,200 --> 00:21:32,159 Speaker 1: corn in, which was convenient um on long hikes. But 346 00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:36,199 Speaker 1: it dawned on me I was twenty six. I was like, 347 00:21:36,240 --> 00:21:39,120 Speaker 1: I'm at some point I'm gonna need to like see 348 00:21:39,119 --> 00:21:42,959 Speaker 1: a dentist. And I've heard about the like SAG medical 349 00:21:43,040 --> 00:21:45,760 Speaker 1: insurance and things like this, and so I had a 350 00:21:45,760 --> 00:21:48,360 Speaker 1: couple of little jobs out here that brought me out. 351 00:21:48,440 --> 00:21:51,840 Speaker 1: It was very dubious. I mean, I was playing a 352 00:21:51,880 --> 00:21:57,400 Speaker 1: bad guy in a weird cartoon thing on Nickelodeon. The 353 00:21:57,440 --> 00:22:01,280 Speaker 1: producers were like, we can fly you out, but it's 354 00:22:01,359 --> 00:22:09,119 Speaker 1: you know, it's on you Go Airlines and it's a subcoach. Um. 355 00:22:09,160 --> 00:22:13,560 Speaker 1: I landed at L A X and I coming from Chicago. 356 00:22:14,119 --> 00:22:16,600 Speaker 1: I just thought I would take the C T A 357 00:22:18,640 --> 00:22:22,280 Speaker 1: to Hollywood, and I ended up finding a bus. I 358 00:22:22,359 --> 00:22:26,320 Speaker 1: knew that Sunset turned into Caesar Chavez, so I took 359 00:22:26,320 --> 00:22:29,040 Speaker 1: a bus to down to like right here, and then 360 00:22:29,119 --> 00:22:35,080 Speaker 1: walked to the Sunset Gower and I was like, man, 361 00:22:35,119 --> 00:22:37,920 Speaker 1: I isn't it crazy? The ship? We didn't we had 362 00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:40,720 Speaker 1: no money. How we survived and you love it? And 363 00:22:41,040 --> 00:22:42,880 Speaker 1: I loved it and I didn't love it at all. 364 00:22:44,720 --> 00:22:47,960 Speaker 1: I couldn't wait to make money. And when did things 365 00:22:48,040 --> 00:22:51,120 Speaker 1: When did things change for you? And did you want 366 00:22:51,160 --> 00:22:53,680 Speaker 1: them to? Because you sound like somebody who you're you 367 00:22:53,920 --> 00:22:55,960 Speaker 1: weren't maybe quite sure that was the goal was to 368 00:22:56,040 --> 00:22:58,200 Speaker 1: make it or was it? Well? I wanted yeah, I 369 00:22:58,240 --> 00:23:01,600 Speaker 1: always wanted to be, you know, to perform good writing. 370 00:23:01,680 --> 00:23:03,760 Speaker 1: I mean that's what kind of like. I really thought 371 00:23:03,800 --> 00:23:07,159 Speaker 1: I was gonna be a theater guy and I and 372 00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:12,439 Speaker 1: I became one. But it uh there's there was something lacking, 373 00:23:12,520 --> 00:23:15,719 Speaker 1: Like all my friends in my theater company didn't have 374 00:23:16,560 --> 00:23:19,440 Speaker 1: They sort of lost their fire and they all dropped 375 00:23:19,440 --> 00:23:23,520 Speaker 1: away and got jobs and had kids, and so I was. 376 00:23:23,680 --> 00:23:26,280 Speaker 1: I was trying to find my place, and and I 377 00:23:26,320 --> 00:23:28,919 Speaker 1: moved here, and I was kind of lost for a 378 00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:32,000 Speaker 1: couple of years, and I finally said, I don't know 379 00:23:32,040 --> 00:23:35,000 Speaker 1: what the funk I'm doing. I I, uh don't understand 380 00:23:35,000 --> 00:23:37,080 Speaker 1: this business. I don't like it. I quit going to 381 00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:42,240 Speaker 1: like commercial auditions and instead committed those hours to carpentry work. 382 00:23:43,200 --> 00:23:46,280 Speaker 1: And finally I said, I just need to do a play. Uh, 383 00:23:46,720 --> 00:23:50,000 Speaker 1: that's that's what I do. And I told everybody I 384 00:23:50,080 --> 00:23:53,720 Speaker 1: knew and some friends again. Casting directors say, say, are 385 00:23:53,720 --> 00:23:56,280 Speaker 1: the reason we're all sitting here. I mean, these two 386 00:23:56,320 --> 00:23:59,719 Speaker 1: great ladies that championed me said hey, our friends are 387 00:23:59,720 --> 00:24:02,800 Speaker 1: doing a play. And Megan was the lead in the 388 00:24:02,880 --> 00:24:06,199 Speaker 1: play and it saved my life. I mean that. And 389 00:24:06,200 --> 00:24:09,160 Speaker 1: that's where you met. Yeah, that's where we was. Yeah, 390 00:24:09,200 --> 00:24:12,160 Speaker 1: I was in two thousand and it was a theater 391 00:24:12,280 --> 00:24:17,119 Speaker 1: company on the East Side, and he was sleeping on 392 00:24:17,119 --> 00:24:23,080 Speaker 1: a couch in someone's basement. Quite a catch. I've been 393 00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:31,600 Speaker 1: looking for somebody just like him ahead a yeah, a 394 00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:34,959 Speaker 1: pair of gold overalls that he he wrote all of 395 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:38,120 Speaker 1: his notes on, like people's phone numbers and stuff because 396 00:24:38,160 --> 00:24:45,840 Speaker 1: apparently no paper. So I'll watch out. Come on over 397 00:24:45,880 --> 00:24:47,840 Speaker 1: to my place and take a shower. You smell like 398 00:24:47,920 --> 00:24:50,000 Speaker 1: you could use one. Didn't have a bathroom, Now have 399 00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:53,399 Speaker 1: a bathroom. But what was the play? You had a 400 00:24:53,440 --> 00:24:57,879 Speaker 1: pail chuck Me's the Berlin Circle? What was it about? 401 00:24:57,920 --> 00:25:01,400 Speaker 1: What did you play? Uh? Meg? And played Pamela Harriman. 402 00:25:02,119 --> 00:25:07,080 Speaker 1: It's sort of a comedy modernization of Caucasian chalk Circle, 403 00:25:07,320 --> 00:25:12,119 Speaker 1: and it's like a deconstruction of mother Courage. Basically, I 404 00:25:12,160 --> 00:25:15,560 Speaker 1: played an East German soldier who did a lot of 405 00:25:15,600 --> 00:25:24,160 Speaker 1: breakdancing named Werner heine Um and he shaved his head 406 00:25:24,280 --> 00:25:29,040 Speaker 1: for it, and he had um a big mustache, shades 407 00:25:29,080 --> 00:25:32,679 Speaker 1: of things to and he was about forty pounds heavier. 408 00:25:37,160 --> 00:25:42,679 Speaker 1: So meeting Megan and miraculously having her accept me into 409 00:25:42,840 --> 00:25:50,000 Speaker 1: her body, um after a period of four months, that's 410 00:25:50,320 --> 00:25:53,960 Speaker 1: that's one four months, So that's extreme. It was crazy. 411 00:25:54,119 --> 00:25:57,400 Speaker 1: I I had all kinds of it really was very 412 00:25:57,440 --> 00:26:02,520 Speaker 1: well orchestrated. At first, we couldn't do we couldn't even 413 00:26:02,560 --> 00:26:04,480 Speaker 1: it wasn't even a possibility. We weren't going to date. 414 00:26:04,560 --> 00:26:10,280 Speaker 1: Nothing was gonna happen. Yeah. Then then we then we kissed. 415 00:26:10,440 --> 00:26:12,560 Speaker 1: That was that was. He got in my car one 416 00:26:12,640 --> 00:26:14,879 Speaker 1: night and I was like, get out. And then a 417 00:26:14,960 --> 00:26:17,680 Speaker 1: couple of weeks later, you know, there's a little making out, 418 00:26:17,880 --> 00:26:21,240 Speaker 1: and then I wouldn't even let him come over to 419 00:26:21,280 --> 00:26:24,080 Speaker 1: my house. Then finally he could come over to the house, 420 00:26:24,160 --> 00:26:26,080 Speaker 1: but he couldn't come in. He could just drop me 421 00:26:26,119 --> 00:26:28,800 Speaker 1: off for you know, or we could stand outside in 422 00:26:28,840 --> 00:26:31,440 Speaker 1: the yard, but he couldn't come in. Then he could 423 00:26:31,440 --> 00:26:33,480 Speaker 1: come in, but only the living room, and then he 424 00:26:33,520 --> 00:26:41,000 Speaker 1: had to go. Then he could come in and I 425 00:26:41,040 --> 00:26:43,399 Speaker 1: don't know. Then he could sleep on the couch, but 426 00:26:43,440 --> 00:26:46,200 Speaker 1: I would sleep in the bedroom. Then he could sleep 427 00:26:46,240 --> 00:26:49,399 Speaker 1: in the bed, but he couldn't have sex. Then finally sex. 428 00:26:49,440 --> 00:26:51,200 Speaker 1: I don't know why. I guess I had just been 429 00:26:51,280 --> 00:26:54,040 Speaker 1: burned so many times. I was going to be goddamned 430 00:26:54,040 --> 00:26:55,960 Speaker 1: if it was going to happen again. I was just 431 00:26:55,960 --> 00:27:00,560 Speaker 1: gonna making really really sure. Wow, So did you feel 432 00:27:00,560 --> 00:27:04,000 Speaker 1: about that? Nick? Four months of I would just what 433 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:07,359 Speaker 1: door I'm behind whatever she was playing there, I would 434 00:27:07,359 --> 00:27:10,960 Speaker 1: have you know, I mean, I would have done four years, 435 00:27:11,040 --> 00:27:18,320 Speaker 1: Like I knew, I knew it was I knew it 436 00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:23,320 Speaker 1: was it, and so I was like this, I had 437 00:27:23,359 --> 00:27:27,040 Speaker 1: that confidence, and I think I was just so skeptical 438 00:27:27,080 --> 00:27:30,200 Speaker 1: about everything, and I'd been heard, and I just didn't 439 00:27:30,200 --> 00:27:32,280 Speaker 1: want to I just didn't want to take any chances. 440 00:27:39,000 --> 00:27:42,640 Speaker 1: The four months paid off for Megan Molalley and Nick Offerman. 441 00:27:43,040 --> 00:27:46,720 Speaker 1: They've been married since two thousand three. They described themselves 442 00:27:46,800 --> 00:27:50,200 Speaker 1: as simple, boring people and say one of the reasons 443 00:27:50,240 --> 00:27:52,800 Speaker 1: they've lasted is that they like to go home and 444 00:27:52,840 --> 00:27:56,119 Speaker 1: read books and do jigsaw puzzles and play cards to 445 00:27:56,240 --> 00:28:00,200 Speaker 1: protect themselves from the craziness of the business. To year 446 00:28:00,280 --> 00:28:04,000 Speaker 1: from another family pair, take a listen to my conversation 447 00:28:04,040 --> 00:28:07,919 Speaker 1: with writer Erica Young and her daughter Molly Young Fast. 448 00:28:08,480 --> 00:28:11,359 Speaker 1: What did you learn about marriage from your parents? Mom? 449 00:28:11,400 --> 00:28:14,359 Speaker 1: Can I answer that question honestly? Of course, honestly is 450 00:28:14,400 --> 00:28:17,800 Speaker 1: the only way. Well. I would say, have you seen 451 00:28:17,840 --> 00:28:21,920 Speaker 1: Kramer versus Kramer? That was my general impression of marriage 452 00:28:21,960 --> 00:28:25,800 Speaker 1: from my upbringing. But you know, my mom had some good, 453 00:28:26,240 --> 00:28:30,960 Speaker 1: useful suggestions, but ultimately I sort of had to find 454 00:28:31,000 --> 00:28:33,920 Speaker 1: my own way, though she did eventually marry a really 455 00:28:33,960 --> 00:28:36,040 Speaker 1: great guy and they've been married for twenty one years. 456 00:28:36,440 --> 00:28:53,959 Speaker 1: Take a listen at Here's the Thing dot org. This 457 00:28:54,040 --> 00:28:56,960 Speaker 1: is Alec Baldwin and you were listening to Here's the Thing. 458 00:28:57,640 --> 00:29:01,280 Speaker 1: My guests today are actors Nick From and Megan mollally. 459 00:29:01,800 --> 00:29:05,000 Speaker 1: They joined me live on stage at the Ace Hotel 460 00:29:05,400 --> 00:29:09,920 Speaker 1: in downtown Los Angeles. Megan mollally had already done a 461 00:29:09,960 --> 00:29:12,760 Speaker 1: couple of seasons of Will and Grace when she met Nick. 462 00:29:13,240 --> 00:29:16,200 Speaker 1: Nick told me that as a cast spouse, he was 463 00:29:16,240 --> 00:29:18,600 Speaker 1: what he calls the main mascot on the set of 464 00:29:18,600 --> 00:29:21,560 Speaker 1: Will and Grace, and in that role he learned a lot. 465 00:29:22,120 --> 00:29:25,920 Speaker 1: So it was the most incredible education in wonderland to 466 00:29:26,120 --> 00:29:28,200 Speaker 1: be there and watch them make every episode of that 467 00:29:28,240 --> 00:29:32,160 Speaker 1: show for the last six seasons. And I was just 468 00:29:32,200 --> 00:29:34,400 Speaker 1: happy as a clam. And I also had my wood shop, 469 00:29:34,680 --> 00:29:39,440 Speaker 1: like I was living the dream. And so when Parts 470 00:29:39,440 --> 00:29:44,120 Speaker 1: and Wreck came around, that was that was when thank 471 00:29:44,200 --> 00:29:51,400 Speaker 1: you that that took it up an unexpected seventeen notches 472 00:29:51,600 --> 00:29:55,520 Speaker 1: where I was like, oh ship, It was so crazy. 473 00:29:55,560 --> 00:29:58,560 Speaker 1: We have so many parallels because we both moved to 474 00:29:58,720 --> 00:30:02,200 Speaker 1: Los Angeles. Well both had a Chicago theater period and 475 00:30:02,200 --> 00:30:04,400 Speaker 1: then we moved to Los Angeles when we were twenty six, 476 00:30:05,080 --> 00:30:07,760 Speaker 1: and then we both got I got Casting, Will and 477 00:30:07,760 --> 00:30:09,760 Speaker 1: Grace when I was thirty nine and you got Parks 478 00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:11,960 Speaker 1: and Wreck when you were thirty nine. Right, so we 479 00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:14,120 Speaker 1: have so many weird parallels, and he had watched me 480 00:30:14,200 --> 00:30:16,680 Speaker 1: go through all of that, so he kind of knew 481 00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:20,600 Speaker 1: what to expect. You were able to kind of Yeah, 482 00:30:20,600 --> 00:30:22,920 Speaker 1: it was kind of satisfying for me to see him 483 00:30:22,960 --> 00:30:26,120 Speaker 1: like encounter some of the things that I had dealt 484 00:30:26,160 --> 00:30:29,640 Speaker 1: with because he thought that I was being why he 485 00:30:29,680 --> 00:30:31,440 Speaker 1: thought I was being a baby, And then he went 486 00:30:31,440 --> 00:30:32,840 Speaker 1: through them and he was like, I don't like it, 487 00:30:32,880 --> 00:30:38,120 Speaker 1: And I was like, see, I don't like the color 488 00:30:38,160 --> 00:30:42,560 Speaker 1: they painted my dressing room. But but but for example, 489 00:30:42,640 --> 00:30:45,080 Speaker 1: what like, what's something you were able to guide him about. Well, 490 00:30:45,360 --> 00:30:49,320 Speaker 1: one the one that is so valuable to me. Early 491 00:30:49,400 --> 00:30:52,440 Speaker 1: on in our relationship, we were in New York and 492 00:30:52,880 --> 00:30:55,320 Speaker 1: Megan was going to do Letterman and we were running 493 00:30:55,480 --> 00:30:58,239 Speaker 1: ten minutes late, you know, to get to Letterman, and 494 00:30:58,280 --> 00:31:01,120 Speaker 1: I was sweating bullets and I was new to the 495 00:31:01,120 --> 00:31:03,600 Speaker 1: whole thing, and I was like, what the fuck is 496 00:31:03,920 --> 00:31:06,040 Speaker 1: what's going on? How can you we'd be late for Dave? 497 00:31:06,080 --> 00:31:08,320 Speaker 1: What's the matter with you. And we get there and 498 00:31:08,360 --> 00:31:12,360 Speaker 1: there's some people outside that want Megan's autograph, and she 499 00:31:12,600 --> 00:31:17,280 Speaker 1: stops to sign the autographs. So we're like Jesus and 500 00:31:17,560 --> 00:31:21,240 Speaker 1: we'll get inside. And I said, are you crazy? We're 501 00:31:21,320 --> 00:31:23,920 Speaker 1: late to Letterman And she said, I if it wasn't 502 00:31:23,960 --> 00:31:26,200 Speaker 1: for the people who want my autograph, I wouldn't be 503 00:31:26,240 --> 00:31:30,520 Speaker 1: on Letterman. Ah. And now when did you get to 504 00:31:30,640 --> 00:31:32,360 Speaker 1: I mean, I don't want to be campy about it, 505 00:31:32,360 --> 00:31:34,200 Speaker 1: but when did you get the big phone call when 506 00:31:34,240 --> 00:31:35,640 Speaker 1: you knew you were going to go do the big show? 507 00:31:36,720 --> 00:31:38,280 Speaker 1: That's Will and Grace? But yeah, Will and Grace. But 508 00:31:38,280 --> 00:31:42,760 Speaker 1: I'm talking about not how to succeed. I got a 509 00:31:42,760 --> 00:31:47,960 Speaker 1: lot more plus just I'm just saying whatever, stick around. Miss. 510 00:31:54,360 --> 00:31:56,360 Speaker 1: I loved by the way how he didn't mention parks 511 00:31:56,360 --> 00:31:58,280 Speaker 1: and he kind of laid back. It was then I 512 00:31:58,320 --> 00:32:03,280 Speaker 1: got up with this thing called bucks. And are you 513 00:32:03,320 --> 00:32:06,880 Speaker 1: talking about the first time? Will and Grace? Are this upcoming? 514 00:32:06,880 --> 00:32:15,040 Speaker 1: Well and Grace? Well, miss fancy pants, I was talking 515 00:32:15,080 --> 00:32:16,920 Speaker 1: about the first round of Will and Grace. Don't you 516 00:32:16,960 --> 00:32:20,160 Speaker 1: guys want Alec to come on Will and Grace this time? 517 00:32:20,240 --> 00:32:25,440 Speaker 1: Hand One of the greatest lines I ever had on 518 00:32:25,480 --> 00:32:27,240 Speaker 1: Will and Grace. We did the live show when I 519 00:32:27,240 --> 00:32:29,120 Speaker 1: had ice cream in a bag. You always gonna have 520 00:32:29,120 --> 00:32:30,920 Speaker 1: ice cream with you, and you wouldn't let me into 521 00:32:31,080 --> 00:32:33,760 Speaker 1: your apartment hint In made me wait four months. Yeah, 522 00:32:34,320 --> 00:32:36,920 Speaker 1: and I got the ice cream and uh, I'm standing 523 00:32:36,920 --> 00:32:38,840 Speaker 1: there and I say good night to you, and Eric 524 00:32:38,920 --> 00:32:44,560 Speaker 1: McCormick says, your package is dripping. I said, what can 525 00:32:44,600 --> 00:32:48,080 Speaker 1: I say? I like her. That was like the most 526 00:32:48,160 --> 00:32:52,240 Speaker 1: ridiculous line I've ever been asked to say a television 527 00:32:52,240 --> 00:32:54,000 Speaker 1: show in my entire life. But when you got the call, 528 00:32:54,080 --> 00:32:55,880 Speaker 1: how did that happen? Were you? How did you get 529 00:32:55,880 --> 00:32:58,760 Speaker 1: that job? Well, Jim Burrows always call that lightning in 530 00:32:58,760 --> 00:33:03,080 Speaker 1: a bottle. I had moved out there five and I 531 00:33:03,120 --> 00:33:08,040 Speaker 1: had auditioned for shows every year pilot season, and um, 532 00:33:08,080 --> 00:33:11,080 Speaker 1: I usually booked a pilot. I was. I was lucky. 533 00:33:11,120 --> 00:33:13,080 Speaker 1: But then I kind of got burned out. And so 534 00:33:13,240 --> 00:33:17,240 Speaker 1: around nines seven, I was in the parking lot of 535 00:33:17,240 --> 00:33:19,400 Speaker 1: a bed Bath and Beyond and I got on a 536 00:33:19,400 --> 00:33:23,600 Speaker 1: pay phone with my agent and I said, Bob Gersh, 537 00:33:23,720 --> 00:33:28,240 Speaker 1: I am not doing anymore. I'm not auditioning for anymore sitcoms. 538 00:33:28,240 --> 00:33:32,880 Speaker 1: It wasn't It's not meant to be obviously, and he said, yeah, okay, 539 00:33:33,000 --> 00:33:35,400 Speaker 1: I think you are auditioning for sitcoms and I said, well, 540 00:33:35,440 --> 00:33:37,040 Speaker 1: I'm not. And then I had to pay my rent, 541 00:33:37,600 --> 00:33:40,440 Speaker 1: so I was like, okay, I'm auditioning for sitcom. So 542 00:33:40,480 --> 00:33:43,480 Speaker 1: I auditioned for Will and Grace for the role of 543 00:33:43,520 --> 00:33:48,040 Speaker 1: Grace and they were like no, thanks, and I went home. 544 00:33:48,440 --> 00:33:50,400 Speaker 1: A couple of weeks later, I got this call, they 545 00:33:50,400 --> 00:33:52,000 Speaker 1: want you audition for Will and Grace and I said, 546 00:33:52,040 --> 00:33:54,400 Speaker 1: I already did, dumbouse and they said no for this 547 00:33:54,520 --> 00:33:58,240 Speaker 1: other part. And I said, there's not another woman in it, 548 00:33:58,280 --> 00:33:59,880 Speaker 1: and they were like, yeah, there's and they sent me 549 00:33:59,880 --> 00:34:02,960 Speaker 1: the script and I read it and I thought, oh, 550 00:34:03,120 --> 00:34:05,080 Speaker 1: this is boring because it wasn't written the way that 551 00:34:05,160 --> 00:34:08,600 Speaker 1: it ended up being. So I went in and I 552 00:34:08,640 --> 00:34:10,680 Speaker 1: auditioned and then they wanted me to come to the 553 00:34:10,719 --> 00:34:14,120 Speaker 1: network and I was the only person and UM, so boring, sorry, 554 00:34:14,239 --> 00:34:19,719 Speaker 1: and uh so we are, okay, thank you, thanks for 555 00:34:19,800 --> 00:34:22,399 Speaker 1: the I needed that well push. I was the day 556 00:34:22,440 --> 00:34:24,400 Speaker 1: of the network and I didn't know whether it was 557 00:34:24,400 --> 00:34:26,279 Speaker 1: going to go or not, and I finally decided I 558 00:34:26,320 --> 00:34:28,400 Speaker 1: would go, and I went and I got the part 559 00:34:28,600 --> 00:34:32,120 Speaker 1: and then we went and we had our first read 560 00:34:32,160 --> 00:34:35,880 Speaker 1: through informally before the big table read, and I was like, M. 561 00:34:36,640 --> 00:34:41,239 Speaker 1: And then we had the big table read and I 562 00:34:41,280 --> 00:34:47,240 Speaker 1: was like And then we shot the pilot. And well 563 00:34:47,360 --> 00:34:49,319 Speaker 1: before we shot the pilot, we were sitting there and 564 00:34:49,440 --> 00:34:54,640 Speaker 1: Don all Meyer, who was a big friend of O. J's, 565 00:34:55,440 --> 00:35:01,000 Speaker 1: a be network executive at NBC, came over to us, 566 00:35:01,040 --> 00:35:03,040 Speaker 1: which is unheard of at that time for a network 567 00:35:03,120 --> 00:35:06,960 Speaker 1: executive to come over to the horrible shitty actors, you know. 568 00:35:07,560 --> 00:35:11,000 Speaker 1: And this was when Deborah Messi used to smoke cigarettes 569 00:35:11,000 --> 00:35:12,400 Speaker 1: and she had a cigarette and he said, do you 570 00:35:12,440 --> 00:35:14,040 Speaker 1: need a lie and she said yes, and he pulled 571 00:35:14,040 --> 00:35:17,319 Speaker 1: out this gold Cardier lighter, this really glamorous lighter, and 572 00:35:17,360 --> 00:35:19,440 Speaker 1: he gave attorneys and she lit her cigarette and went 573 00:35:19,480 --> 00:35:20,960 Speaker 1: to hand it back and he said keep it. And 574 00:35:21,000 --> 00:35:25,879 Speaker 1: we were like, oh, we're getting picked up. I'm buying 575 00:35:25,920 --> 00:35:32,879 Speaker 1: a ranger over. So so we did the pilot and 576 00:35:33,120 --> 00:35:35,680 Speaker 1: I don't even know why, but like it was mostly 577 00:35:35,719 --> 00:35:39,799 Speaker 1: Sean Hayes, Like the audience just fucking flipped over him. 578 00:35:39,840 --> 00:35:41,680 Speaker 1: And he had never he was twenty seven, he had 579 00:35:41,760 --> 00:35:46,520 Speaker 1: never done anything, never been on a television show, and 580 00:35:46,560 --> 00:35:49,400 Speaker 1: there was just an instant response, and then I thought, 581 00:35:50,080 --> 00:35:52,960 Speaker 1: all right, And then about the tenth episode in it 582 00:35:53,120 --> 00:35:56,319 Speaker 1: started getting really coming together and I thought this could 583 00:35:56,320 --> 00:35:59,280 Speaker 1: be really really good. Well, what's interesting when I watched 584 00:35:59,320 --> 00:36:02,600 Speaker 1: the show. When I came on the show, I decided 585 00:36:02,600 --> 00:36:06,160 Speaker 1: to watch a whole kind of uh bin of the 586 00:36:06,200 --> 00:36:09,520 Speaker 1: shows and your show. Like when I did a sitcom, 587 00:36:10,160 --> 00:36:12,600 Speaker 1: you really don't get it until a few episodes in, 588 00:36:12,640 --> 00:36:15,759 Speaker 1: Like your kind of your first season is nothing at 589 00:36:15,800 --> 00:36:17,799 Speaker 1: all like your character in the thirds. You're really kind 590 00:36:17,800 --> 00:36:21,440 Speaker 1: of short, taking more chances, taking more things on on yourself. 591 00:36:21,560 --> 00:36:23,879 Speaker 1: I didn't do that high voice at the beginning because 592 00:36:23,920 --> 00:36:26,880 Speaker 1: I thought they would definitely fire fire. Yeah, and so 593 00:36:26,920 --> 00:36:29,040 Speaker 1: it kind of like every episode gets a little bit 594 00:36:29,080 --> 00:36:32,600 Speaker 1: a little bit, a little bit, a little bit higher. Yeah. 595 00:36:33,040 --> 00:36:35,160 Speaker 1: That's amazing because there you and I have such similarity 596 00:36:35,200 --> 00:36:37,600 Speaker 1: because I have auditioned to play Kenneth on thirty Rock 597 00:36:37,680 --> 00:36:45,200 Speaker 1: first and I didn't get the tar and I went home, 598 00:36:46,120 --> 00:36:51,360 Speaker 1: and then they wrote another part for me to play. Crazily, 599 00:36:51,440 --> 00:36:59,360 Speaker 1: Jack McBriar was almost Ron Swanson, No, just kidding, but 600 00:36:59,440 --> 00:37:02,480 Speaker 1: he's not a very beast like you and me and 601 00:37:02,600 --> 00:37:04,840 Speaker 1: I talked backstage about how we're men of a certain 602 00:37:04,920 --> 00:37:06,600 Speaker 1: kind of a code, a certain kind of d n 603 00:37:06,680 --> 00:37:16,560 Speaker 1: A god bless you, and I come on, put your 604 00:37:16,560 --> 00:37:20,440 Speaker 1: money where your mouth is. They didn't pay enough preticket 605 00:37:20,480 --> 00:37:23,880 Speaker 1: for us to do that. I'm afraid. Now. How did 606 00:37:23,880 --> 00:37:27,120 Speaker 1: the parks andrec thing happen? For you? Well? In contact you? 607 00:37:27,160 --> 00:37:31,080 Speaker 1: How does that play out? I auditioned Um a bunch 608 00:37:31,160 --> 00:37:36,040 Speaker 1: for the show The Office, Um, and I loved that 609 00:37:36,120 --> 00:37:39,279 Speaker 1: show and the sense of humor. And I had known 610 00:37:39,400 --> 00:37:42,400 Speaker 1: Rain Wilson actually for a long time because we always 611 00:37:42,760 --> 00:37:45,560 Speaker 1: auditioned against each other for like the weird Guy in 612 00:37:45,600 --> 00:37:52,719 Speaker 1: the Basement for real, for real, and and Rain was 613 00:37:52,760 --> 00:37:54,680 Speaker 1: scoring these victories. He had a great part on a 614 00:37:54,719 --> 00:37:57,399 Speaker 1: six ft under and then he got Um and then 615 00:37:57,400 --> 00:37:59,680 Speaker 1: he got The Office. And Megan and I loved watching 616 00:37:59,680 --> 00:38:02,880 Speaker 1: the off this and when Dwight would have a great episode, 617 00:38:04,000 --> 00:38:05,600 Speaker 1: it would end and I would say, you know, if 618 00:38:05,600 --> 00:38:07,560 Speaker 1: I'm ever gonna make it, it's gonna be on a 619 00:38:07,600 --> 00:38:12,160 Speaker 1: show like this with a part like Dwight shroot. And 620 00:38:12,920 --> 00:38:16,320 Speaker 1: so I had I had auditioned for them like there 621 00:38:16,320 --> 00:38:18,680 Speaker 1: there was a fundness, but I was never able to 622 00:38:18,719 --> 00:38:23,000 Speaker 1: do anything on their show. A few years later, one 623 00:38:23,040 --> 00:38:27,320 Speaker 1: of their main writers Mike Scher, who also played Mos. Shoot, 624 00:38:29,520 --> 00:38:34,719 Speaker 1: that's some of the best Easter eggs. Uh, he's so funny. 625 00:38:35,120 --> 00:38:37,640 Speaker 1: So he and Greg Daniels created Parts and Wreck, and 626 00:38:37,680 --> 00:38:40,160 Speaker 1: Mike had remembered me. He had he had written my 627 00:38:40,239 --> 00:38:42,360 Speaker 1: name on a post it and put it on his monitor, 628 00:38:42,800 --> 00:38:45,239 Speaker 1: and years later, when they said we're gonna make Parts 629 00:38:45,280 --> 00:38:47,160 Speaker 1: and Wreck, he said, I want this guy on on 630 00:38:47,239 --> 00:38:51,440 Speaker 1: my post it on the program. They originally read me 631 00:38:52,040 --> 00:38:55,960 Speaker 1: for a role that was a romantic interest for Rashida 632 00:38:56,400 --> 00:39:00,000 Speaker 1: and everyone. We were all getting along great. Everyone's like, yeah, 633 00:39:00,200 --> 00:39:02,840 Speaker 1: this is great. And they turned it into NBC and 634 00:39:02,880 --> 00:39:07,239 Speaker 1: they literally said, you said someone like Aaron Eckhart and 635 00:39:07,960 --> 00:39:13,759 Speaker 1: you fucking hand us Nick Offerman. Wow, no, thank you. 636 00:39:14,880 --> 00:39:16,880 Speaker 1: So my part, Ron Swanson, was supposed to be an 637 00:39:16,920 --> 00:39:23,600 Speaker 1: older guy, but they, bless them, obstinately said all right, 638 00:39:23,719 --> 00:39:25,719 Speaker 1: we want Nick on the show. We're gonna make him 639 00:39:26,040 --> 00:39:31,600 Speaker 1: Leslie's boss. And it took months. NBC was like, hmm, 640 00:39:31,760 --> 00:39:37,160 Speaker 1: let's audition several hundred other people just to be sure. 641 00:39:37,239 --> 00:39:40,799 Speaker 1: Let's go on a world tour. Yeah, every guy I've 642 00:39:40,840 --> 00:39:44,800 Speaker 1: ever met read for Ron Swanson, Um, except Jack McBriar. 643 00:39:45,280 --> 00:39:49,640 Speaker 1: And so finally, uh, finally, finally, after five months, Uh, 644 00:39:50,320 --> 00:39:53,440 Speaker 1: they had me in one last time, put me on tape, 645 00:39:53,560 --> 00:40:00,680 Speaker 1: turned it in and I got the job, and my Mike, Sure, 646 00:40:00,760 --> 00:40:04,279 Speaker 1: my boss called me. I had inured myself. You learned early. 647 00:40:04,560 --> 00:40:07,919 Speaker 1: If you're lucky enough to test for shows, you learn 648 00:40:08,040 --> 00:40:10,320 Speaker 1: quickly how painful it is because when you test for 649 00:40:10,360 --> 00:40:12,640 Speaker 1: the network, they have it figured out, so you have 650 00:40:12,680 --> 00:40:16,600 Speaker 1: to negotiate beforehand, so that you can't negotiate once they 651 00:40:16,600 --> 00:40:19,840 Speaker 1: want you. You can't say, okay, I want extra money. 652 00:40:19,880 --> 00:40:22,879 Speaker 1: So when you go into the audition, they put your 653 00:40:22,880 --> 00:40:25,520 Speaker 1: contract in front of you and it says this. It's like, 654 00:40:25,719 --> 00:40:28,000 Speaker 1: all right, if you get this job, you will get 655 00:40:28,680 --> 00:40:32,920 Speaker 1: thirty thousand dollars a week for many weeks, and you 656 00:40:32,960 --> 00:40:34,960 Speaker 1: know you've taken the bus to get there, and you're 657 00:40:35,000 --> 00:40:39,879 Speaker 1: just like, God, she's as scritch, Please you can cut 658 00:40:39,920 --> 00:40:43,160 Speaker 1: that at half if you want, you know, cool, And 659 00:40:43,239 --> 00:40:46,239 Speaker 1: so then you're so crushed when you never get it, 660 00:40:46,440 --> 00:40:49,120 Speaker 1: And so you learn to not get emotionally involved and 661 00:40:49,120 --> 00:40:52,120 Speaker 1: you're like, yeah, I know this doesn't mean anything. And 662 00:40:52,320 --> 00:40:54,200 Speaker 1: I had done that for many years. So when I 663 00:40:54,520 --> 00:40:59,879 Speaker 1: actually got the job, I just started sobbing, and I said, 664 00:41:00,280 --> 00:41:03,320 Speaker 1: Mike please keep talking to me, but I'm gonna openly 665 00:41:03,400 --> 00:41:07,920 Speaker 1: sob remember about fifteen minutes it was it was that 666 00:41:08,160 --> 00:41:12,040 Speaker 1: was one of the greatest days of my life. I 667 00:41:12,040 --> 00:41:15,480 Speaker 1: mean it really was such got the job on approximate, 668 00:41:15,480 --> 00:41:17,840 Speaker 1: really was going to get it. It just took so 669 00:41:18,000 --> 00:41:21,360 Speaker 1: damn long. Now we're going to be at a time. 670 00:41:21,719 --> 00:41:24,160 Speaker 1: But I just want to ask you, like, what's entertainment 671 00:41:24,200 --> 00:41:26,880 Speaker 1: in your life now? Like, do you go to the movies? 672 00:41:26,960 --> 00:41:28,840 Speaker 1: Do you watch a lot of streaming TV? Do you 673 00:41:29,040 --> 00:41:31,280 Speaker 1: watch your Because I read what you guys an evening 674 00:41:31,280 --> 00:41:34,800 Speaker 1: for you was what piece puzzle in an audiobook we 675 00:41:35,000 --> 00:41:37,680 Speaker 1: do on a table that you built Missing the Bachelor 676 00:41:37,719 --> 00:41:40,919 Speaker 1: to be here tonight three hour episodes. So I'm just saying, 677 00:41:40,920 --> 00:41:43,359 Speaker 1: that's a really big deal for us. I'm sorry, big 678 00:41:43,400 --> 00:41:46,440 Speaker 1: sacrifice that is. That is our bag, Like, that's our 679 00:41:46,480 --> 00:41:50,680 Speaker 1: ultimate escape, is doing puzzles while listening to audio. Yeahs. 680 00:41:50,760 --> 00:41:54,959 Speaker 1: Anybody who doubts that we personally actually put every piece 681 00:41:55,000 --> 00:42:00,520 Speaker 1: of that puzzle together, fuck you someone someone did it. 682 00:42:01,040 --> 00:42:03,800 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, she's ready to play Karen again. You want 683 00:42:03,920 --> 00:42:06,960 Speaker 1: to see like a time lapse video of us doing 684 00:42:07,000 --> 00:42:08,560 Speaker 1: it because they don't believe that we do it. Or 685 00:42:08,600 --> 00:42:11,200 Speaker 1: they just want to jerk off to us doing a puzzle. 686 00:42:13,719 --> 00:42:17,600 Speaker 1: Very astute one of the other than you streaming live 687 00:42:17,719 --> 00:42:21,360 Speaker 1: for people to jerk off to your puzzle making. What 688 00:42:21,520 --> 00:42:23,319 Speaker 1: is entertainment in near your household? What do you like 689 00:42:23,360 --> 00:42:25,480 Speaker 1: to do? Theater? Film, music? What do you went to? 690 00:42:25,719 --> 00:42:31,720 Speaker 1: Megan's the entertainment director. Um, we we watch pay watch 691 00:42:33,239 --> 00:42:38,000 Speaker 1: is uh literally yeah. We both love reading. But we 692 00:42:38,080 --> 00:42:43,720 Speaker 1: also we watch a great variety of independent films, um, 693 00:42:43,800 --> 00:42:47,359 Speaker 1: foreign films, comedies, and we watched a lot of you know, 694 00:42:49,280 --> 00:42:55,120 Speaker 1: cable and streaming shows. But we do watch the entire 695 00:42:55,400 --> 00:43:00,560 Speaker 1: entire Bachelor franchise and survivor Into the Bachelor? You into 696 00:43:00,640 --> 00:43:08,479 Speaker 1: you into that? The Battle? Yeah? Oh um, yeah, because 697 00:43:08,480 --> 00:43:10,960 Speaker 1: I wach that show once. It was very degrading. They're 698 00:43:11,040 --> 00:43:13,759 Speaker 1: like begging the guy to marry them, and I'm like, 699 00:43:13,920 --> 00:43:15,839 Speaker 1: you know, the guy's a douche. What are you begging 700 00:43:15,880 --> 00:43:18,600 Speaker 1: them to marry you for? Not all the time, but 701 00:43:18,640 --> 00:43:22,880 Speaker 1: some of the time. Now, last question, Megan's math that 702 00:43:22,960 --> 00:43:25,680 Speaker 1: I cast aspersions on her favorite show. Oh, I don't know, 703 00:43:25,760 --> 00:43:28,839 Speaker 1: I don't mind. What's for you? Is there a play 704 00:43:28,920 --> 00:43:30,359 Speaker 1: in your future? You want to get back on stage 705 00:43:30,360 --> 00:43:35,640 Speaker 1: anytime soon? We both love working on stage. Uh. The 706 00:43:36,080 --> 00:43:40,839 Speaker 1: last year I did Confederacy of Dunce's in Boston and 707 00:43:41,040 --> 00:43:44,840 Speaker 1: UH and it was a huge hit. It broke sales 708 00:43:44,880 --> 00:43:49,920 Speaker 1: records for the theater. The New York UH community informed 709 00:43:50,000 --> 00:43:54,040 Speaker 1: us we were not invited at the time. Why do 710 00:43:54,040 --> 00:43:57,400 Speaker 1: you think that is? I don't know, that's way above 711 00:43:57,440 --> 00:44:00,319 Speaker 1: my pay grade. Um, we were hoping to do it 712 00:44:00,320 --> 00:44:03,960 Speaker 1: in New York and then maybe London. UM. Beyond that, 713 00:44:04,040 --> 00:44:06,400 Speaker 1: I don't know. I mean, a couple of plays just 714 00:44:06,480 --> 00:44:08,839 Speaker 1: came my way that were long commitments, and I had 715 00:44:08,920 --> 00:44:11,720 Speaker 1: to say no to them, and it was heartbreaking because 716 00:44:11,760 --> 00:44:16,080 Speaker 1: they were super juice. Aside a new play, is there 717 00:44:16,120 --> 00:44:19,760 Speaker 1: a is there a classic revival role you're dying to play? Um? 718 00:44:20,320 --> 00:44:23,440 Speaker 1: I mean I love a lot of different genres, but 719 00:44:24,120 --> 00:44:26,719 Speaker 1: I think you and I should do ben Hecks the 720 00:44:26,760 --> 00:44:30,279 Speaker 1: Front Page at some point the York. Yeah, we're a 721 00:44:30,280 --> 00:44:36,719 Speaker 1: little late to that one. My friend, Well, there's always Cleveland. UM. 722 00:44:36,760 --> 00:44:41,719 Speaker 1: I love Martin McDonough's plays. Uh there, but I mean 723 00:44:42,320 --> 00:44:45,040 Speaker 1: I could go all night I love. I was in 724 00:44:45,120 --> 00:44:48,919 Speaker 1: Chicago when Tracy Lets started writing plays. Uh. In fact, 725 00:44:49,040 --> 00:44:51,520 Speaker 1: his first play, Killer Joe, I was one of the 726 00:44:51,640 --> 00:44:55,520 Speaker 1: scenic carpenters on and so I I really love his 727 00:44:55,600 --> 00:44:58,160 Speaker 1: work and I admire him a lot. But when you 728 00:44:58,200 --> 00:45:01,480 Speaker 1: do play, when you're a guy like I love Williams, 729 00:45:01,480 --> 00:45:03,319 Speaker 1: and you track that as you get older, and you go, well, 730 00:45:03,320 --> 00:45:07,360 Speaker 1: I'm Chance and I'm Stanley, and I'm Thow and I'm Brick, 731 00:45:07,719 --> 00:45:10,279 Speaker 1: and there's a big leap to Shannon and then your 732 00:45:10,280 --> 00:45:14,279 Speaker 1: big daddy and maybe the doctor in the Indus street 733 00:45:14,280 --> 00:45:18,520 Speaker 1: Car who cards s blanch Off to the nuthouse. But but, but, 734 00:45:18,520 --> 00:45:20,160 Speaker 1: but I'm not just saying this to be polite, because 735 00:45:20,200 --> 00:45:23,319 Speaker 1: every actor of a certain age is has their eye 736 00:45:23,320 --> 00:45:27,560 Speaker 1: on Shannon. And in that play, you'd be great as 737 00:45:27,560 --> 00:45:31,040 Speaker 1: Shannon is Iguana. You should do the Iguana you should 738 00:45:31,080 --> 00:45:34,960 Speaker 1: do You would be fantastic as Shannon. Now you what 739 00:45:35,000 --> 00:45:39,040 Speaker 1: about you on stage? Well, miss set preising my famous 740 00:45:39,120 --> 00:45:43,359 Speaker 1: TV role? Anytime in your schedule, I've done well. I've 741 00:45:43,400 --> 00:45:46,400 Speaker 1: done three musicals on Broadway and one play on Broadway, 742 00:45:46,440 --> 00:45:49,319 Speaker 1: and then we did something off Broadway together, and then 743 00:45:49,360 --> 00:45:53,239 Speaker 1: I got to do in I did um, I got 744 00:45:53,239 --> 00:45:58,120 Speaker 1: to do Guys and Dolls with Nathan Lane, um Carneie Hall. 745 00:45:59,040 --> 00:46:01,520 Speaker 1: So that's doesn't just a lot better than that and 746 00:46:01,600 --> 00:46:05,520 Speaker 1: that role. You know Adelaide. We're both like twenty five 747 00:46:05,600 --> 00:46:07,680 Speaker 1: years too old for it, but it doesn't matter because 748 00:46:07,840 --> 00:46:11,120 Speaker 1: we're both the same. So I would like to do 749 00:46:11,200 --> 00:46:14,080 Speaker 1: that on Broadway with with Nathan Um. But I just 750 00:46:14,120 --> 00:46:17,399 Speaker 1: did another play with with him and Matthew Broderick called 751 00:46:17,400 --> 00:46:20,880 Speaker 1: It's only a play. And then there's a new musical. 752 00:46:21,400 --> 00:46:24,680 Speaker 1: There's a couple There are a couple of musicals like 753 00:46:24,840 --> 00:46:30,160 Speaker 1: maybe um you know Gypsy or Um Sweeney Todd that 754 00:46:30,160 --> 00:46:32,520 Speaker 1: that I could do. But there's a new musical by 755 00:46:32,520 --> 00:46:35,279 Speaker 1: the people who did Urine Town that I'm that I 756 00:46:35,320 --> 00:46:37,879 Speaker 1: did a reading of in New York, that I really 757 00:46:37,920 --> 00:46:43,879 Speaker 1: want to do. It's really funny and wrong. But I mean, 758 00:46:43,960 --> 00:46:48,080 Speaker 1: doing eight shows a week on Broadway is is kind 759 00:46:48,120 --> 00:46:51,840 Speaker 1: of hard. It is tough. I remember I would do 760 00:46:51,960 --> 00:46:55,120 Speaker 1: I Heckt in MacArthur. I did Uh twenty century with 761 00:46:55,160 --> 00:46:57,759 Speaker 1: Anne Hash And when you do too on Wednesday, that's 762 00:46:57,800 --> 00:47:00,279 Speaker 1: one thing. But when you get to Saturday and see 763 00:47:00,280 --> 00:47:02,719 Speaker 1: you have the flu and you're doing two shows and 764 00:47:02,719 --> 00:47:05,880 Speaker 1: it said it's it shows number six and seven. I 765 00:47:05,920 --> 00:47:07,879 Speaker 1: remember we would do the Mattinee and I would lay 766 00:47:07,880 --> 00:47:10,560 Speaker 1: on my couch in my my bed in my dress room, 767 00:47:10,760 --> 00:47:12,840 Speaker 1: and I'd say, I hope that Robber has come and 768 00:47:12,920 --> 00:47:16,480 Speaker 1: rob the box office and then come up to my 769 00:47:16,560 --> 00:47:18,440 Speaker 1: room and shoot me on my bed and kill me 770 00:47:19,239 --> 00:47:21,239 Speaker 1: because I can't go out and do this fucking play 771 00:47:21,320 --> 00:47:23,840 Speaker 1: one more time. So I'm so tired and I'm in 772 00:47:23,880 --> 00:47:26,560 Speaker 1: so much pain. And you know that when you're performing, 773 00:47:26,600 --> 00:47:28,799 Speaker 1: you'll do anything to get you know, the show must 774 00:47:28,840 --> 00:47:30,560 Speaker 1: go on. So like they come up to you and say, 775 00:47:30,600 --> 00:47:34,399 Speaker 1: we're gonna shoot some uh some gasoline in your ass 776 00:47:34,520 --> 00:47:36,680 Speaker 1: to get you to go, and you're gonna take the 777 00:47:36,680 --> 00:47:38,480 Speaker 1: shot of gasoline in the ask to get out. And 778 00:47:38,520 --> 00:47:40,840 Speaker 1: you always have to give it your all. It's the 779 00:47:40,920 --> 00:47:43,600 Speaker 1: thing for people like us, you know, you can't. I've 780 00:47:43,640 --> 00:47:46,400 Speaker 1: I've worked with people I won't name any names, but 781 00:47:46,440 --> 00:47:50,520 Speaker 1: I've worked with people who will sort of, um, you know, 782 00:47:51,040 --> 00:47:59,600 Speaker 1: just phone it in, even god damn it cats out 783 00:47:59,640 --> 00:48:02,840 Speaker 1: of the bed. Well, let me just say that, and 784 00:48:02,920 --> 00:48:05,359 Speaker 1: I'm not being a hokey here. Let me just say 785 00:48:05,400 --> 00:48:08,959 Speaker 1: that whatever you do, everyone here will be watching because 786 00:48:09,000 --> 00:48:13,440 Speaker 1: the two of you are so loved and admired and 787 00:48:13,560 --> 00:48:17,319 Speaker 1: respected by your audience, and deservedly so, because you're both 788 00:48:17,360 --> 00:48:20,000 Speaker 1: so unique and so original, which is which is not 789 00:48:20,120 --> 00:48:23,000 Speaker 1: easy to find in this business anymore. And as two 790 00:48:23,040 --> 00:48:25,960 Speaker 1: of the great originals in show business, thank you so 791 00:48:26,040 --> 00:48:31,759 Speaker 1: much for coming and being thanks for having us. Thank you. 792 00:48:41,520 --> 00:48:45,000 Speaker 1: This week's show was recorded live at the Ace Hotel 793 00:48:45,320 --> 00:48:50,640 Speaker 1: in downtown Los Angeles, thanks to KPCC Southern California Public 794 00:48:50,719 --> 00:48:55,720 Speaker 1: Radio Alex Cohen, John Cone, Tony Federico, and Melissa La Case. 795 00:48:56,200 --> 00:48:59,080 Speaker 1: This is Alec Baldwin and you're listening to Here's the 796 00:48:59,160 --> 00:49:04,560 Speaker 1: Thing FOURT