1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:02,840 Speaker 1: Taking a walk. When we did the first one and 2 00:00:02,880 --> 00:00:07,720 Speaker 1: the second one, all the dialogue is improvised, and that's 3 00:00:07,720 --> 00:00:11,319 Speaker 1: comfortable for us. We enjoy doing that. I mean, you know, 4 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:13,520 Speaker 1: people said, oh my god, the first film you made 5 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:16,200 Speaker 1: and it was no script and it was improv I said, yeah, 6 00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:19,360 Speaker 1: because that's my training, and that's the training of the 7 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:22,640 Speaker 1: guys that I'm working with. We're all that's what we do. 8 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:25,240 Speaker 1: It's like, like I say, it's like jazz musicians. You 9 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:27,200 Speaker 1: pick up a bass, you pick up the sacks, a 10 00:00:27,240 --> 00:00:30,480 Speaker 1: guy plays piano, somebody's playing drums, and you just fall 11 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:31,680 Speaker 1: in and start doing it. 12 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:33,720 Speaker 2: What do you get when you take one of Hollywood's 13 00:00:33,720 --> 00:00:38,839 Speaker 2: most beloved storytellers, mix in a legendary mockumentary band, and 14 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 2: crank the volume all the way up to eleven. You 15 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:47,479 Speaker 2: get today's guest. I'm buzz Night, and I'm joined by director, actor, 16 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:52,360 Speaker 2: and comedy icon Rob Reiner, the man who brought us 17 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:56,200 Speaker 2: this is Spinal Tap, a film that not only changed 18 00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:58,680 Speaker 2: the way we laugh at rock and roll, but also 19 00:00:58,760 --> 00:01:02,720 Speaker 2: invented its own play and pop culture. Now Rob is 20 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:05,720 Speaker 2: back with a brand new chapter a Spinal Tap, and 21 00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:08,520 Speaker 2: we're going to be looking at the past, the parody, 22 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:12,960 Speaker 2: the power chords that are still reverberating four decades later, 23 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:16,559 Speaker 2: and as if a new spinal Tap isn't enough, Rob 24 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:19,640 Speaker 2: has a new book about the Spinal Tap adventures, a 25 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:24,200 Speaker 2: fine line between stupid and clever. Let's step into the 26 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:30,000 Speaker 2: world where satire meets rock and everything, absolutely everything still 27 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:37,880 Speaker 2: goes to eleven. Next, I'm taking a walk, Taking a Walk, 28 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 2: Rob Reyder, Welcome to the Taking a Walk Podcast. 29 00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:42,560 Speaker 1: Thanks for having me. 30 00:01:43,640 --> 00:01:48,640 Speaker 2: So your life, you know, intersects everybody, so before we 31 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:51,560 Speaker 2: dig into spinal Tap to the end continues, I have 32 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:54,280 Speaker 2: to ask you if you could take a walk with 33 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:57,160 Speaker 2: someone living or dead, who would it be and where 34 00:01:57,200 --> 00:02:00,000 Speaker 2: would you take a walk with him? 35 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 1: That's a great question. You know. I think about my 36 00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:08,840 Speaker 1: dad all the time, and he's you know, he's in 37 00:02:08,960 --> 00:02:15,560 Speaker 1: my head at every move I make. And there's a 38 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:19,000 Speaker 1: story that they tell I don't remember it because I 39 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:22,240 Speaker 1: was little. I think I was eight years old, and 40 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:25,680 Speaker 1: I went up to that Mike folks and I said, 41 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:29,600 Speaker 1: you know, I want to change my name. And they thought, oh, 42 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:33,360 Speaker 1: this poor kid, he's worried about, you know, being Carl 43 00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:36,799 Speaker 1: Reiner's son, and you know, living in the shadow and 44 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:39,600 Speaker 1: you know, living up to and all that. And they said, well, 45 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 1: what do you want to change your name to? And 46 00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:46,680 Speaker 1: I said Carl because I loved him so much and 47 00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:48,960 Speaker 1: I wanted to be just like him, and I looked 48 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:51,360 Speaker 1: up to him. So I think I would take a 49 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:52,840 Speaker 1: walk with him if I could. 50 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:55,960 Speaker 2: Ah, that'd be incredible. Now what did he think of 51 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:56,760 Speaker 2: spinal tap? 52 00:02:57,240 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 1: He loved it. He loved it. I mean, you know, 53 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:04,360 Speaker 1: listen he you know, he was on the show of Shows, 54 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 1: said Caesar during the fifties and they did satire they 55 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:12,119 Speaker 1: may you know, they were doing satire of movies and television, 56 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:14,720 Speaker 1: and one of the things they did was the satire 57 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:18,080 Speaker 1: of a rock and roll act called the Three Haircuts, 58 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:20,240 Speaker 1: and there would be he had these big, you know, 59 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:24,040 Speaker 1: kind of pompadour hair dues, and so he was always 60 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:28,000 Speaker 1: into that kind of stuff. And you know, we this 61 00:03:28,040 --> 00:03:32,600 Speaker 1: is a long time ago, and I've said before, but 62 00:03:32,639 --> 00:03:36,800 Speaker 1: we you know, he was on television before we owned 63 00:03:36,800 --> 00:03:41,120 Speaker 1: a television and actually bought one so we could watch 64 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:43,880 Speaker 1: him on television. Anyway, he loved satire, I mean, he 65 00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:46,320 Speaker 1: you know, if you listen to the stuff he did 66 00:03:46,400 --> 00:03:48,640 Speaker 1: with the mel Brooks and the Two thousand year old 67 00:03:48,680 --> 00:03:50,680 Speaker 1: man and a lot of the stuff saying, I know 68 00:03:50,720 --> 00:03:54,160 Speaker 1: he loved, he loved Spinal Tapp, and he was very, 69 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 1: you know, very complimentary me. He even actually said because 70 00:03:58,040 --> 00:03:59,640 Speaker 1: I was always trying to live up to him, and 71 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:01,920 Speaker 1: I never thought I could do it, and I don't 72 00:04:01,960 --> 00:04:04,280 Speaker 1: know that I have or I still do. But he 73 00:04:04,480 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 1: told me at one point, he says, you're a better 74 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:10,320 Speaker 1: director than I am, and I thought, wow, that's that's 75 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:12,920 Speaker 1: pretty cool for him to say that. And I remember 76 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:16,400 Speaker 1: there was one year, the year that Spinal Tap came out, 77 00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:20,599 Speaker 1: in nineteen eighty four, he had done a movie called 78 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:25,280 Speaker 1: All of Me with Steve Martin, and you know, they 79 00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:27,559 Speaker 1: have these top ten lists at the end of every 80 00:04:27,839 --> 00:04:30,920 Speaker 1: year they put the you know, top ten films and 81 00:04:31,279 --> 00:04:34,239 Speaker 1: Spinal Tap and you know this is Spinal Tap and 82 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:36,680 Speaker 1: All of Me were on a ton of lists together, 83 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:40,040 Speaker 1: and I thought, wow, that's amazing. I don't think there's 84 00:04:40,120 --> 00:04:42,760 Speaker 1: ever been in the history of the movie business that 85 00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:45,360 Speaker 1: a father and son have had two films that they've 86 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:47,919 Speaker 1: directed that were in the top ten so and I 87 00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:50,880 Speaker 1: don't think it's ever happened. So I was very proud. 88 00:04:50,560 --> 00:04:56,080 Speaker 2: Of that outstanding So bands evolve over time, they get 89 00:04:56,120 --> 00:05:00,680 Speaker 2: more mature, they find new creative outlets. So if I 90 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:05,080 Speaker 2: was speaking to this guy, what was his name, Marty 91 00:05:05,360 --> 00:05:06,080 Speaker 2: de BURGHI. 92 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:09,880 Speaker 1: Marty de Berghi. Yeah, he was the director of the 93 00:05:09,880 --> 00:05:12,720 Speaker 1: first film and the second one, the new one, The 94 00:05:13,200 --> 00:05:15,240 Speaker 1: End Continues. He directed that as well. 95 00:05:15,800 --> 00:05:19,799 Speaker 2: What would he say about this band's evolution over time? 96 00:05:20,640 --> 00:05:22,600 Speaker 1: Well, I think you know, first of all, Marty's a 97 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:27,159 Speaker 1: huge fan of Sminal Tap. I mean, he goes way 98 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:30,000 Speaker 1: back to when he first saw them in Branwi's village, 99 00:05:30,040 --> 00:05:34,200 Speaker 1: and you know, he was like, couldn't be more thrilled 100 00:05:34,839 --> 00:05:37,560 Speaker 1: to be able to get the chance to document this. 101 00:05:37,839 --> 00:05:40,320 Speaker 1: At the time was supposed to be their final tour. 102 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:43,760 Speaker 1: Turns out that, you know, they have life after that, 103 00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:50,240 Speaker 1: and Marty was very hopeful that it would trigger a 104 00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:54,320 Speaker 1: bigger film career for him, that he would get a 105 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:57,880 Speaker 1: chance to make a studio movie, and in fact he did. 106 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:02,000 Speaker 1: He got to do was a It was a sequel 107 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:06,159 Speaker 1: to a film that won a lot of Oscars, was 108 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:11,000 Speaker 1: with Meryl Streep and Dustin Hoffmann. It was called Kramer 109 00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:14,840 Speaker 1: Versus Cramer, and Marty did the sequel, which was Kramer 110 00:06:14,920 --> 00:06:21,039 Speaker 1: Versus Kramer versus Godzilla didn't do too well. No, no, 111 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:26,320 Speaker 1: it bombed, it bombed, so oh my god. You know, 112 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:30,760 Speaker 1: he's been floundering since then, and he got the opportunity 113 00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:32,479 Speaker 1: to do the new one, and he was like thrilled, 114 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:33,160 Speaker 1: beyond belief. 115 00:06:34,640 --> 00:06:37,880 Speaker 2: Do you think when he evaluates though the band's growth 116 00:06:37,880 --> 00:06:41,320 Speaker 2: as artists, that he's seen them grow as artists. 117 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:45,960 Speaker 1: I think the beauty of a spinal tap is that 118 00:06:47,160 --> 00:06:50,240 Speaker 1: they have not grown at all. They have not grown 119 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:56,680 Speaker 1: emotionally or musically, and I think that's that's their charm. 120 00:06:57,120 --> 00:07:01,039 Speaker 1: Now they have grown age wise, and they are quite 121 00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:04,560 Speaker 1: a bit older. But if you look around, you know, 122 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:08,800 Speaker 1: you see, you see, you know, Paul McCartney's still out 123 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:12,600 Speaker 1: there doing it, rolling stones, Mick Jagger's still running around 124 00:07:12,640 --> 00:07:15,680 Speaker 1: the stage in his eighties. Uh. You know, these bands 125 00:07:15,720 --> 00:07:17,520 Speaker 1: want to keep going. I want to keep going. And 126 00:07:17,560 --> 00:07:20,960 Speaker 1: as a matter of fact, in the second film, Derek Small's, 127 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:24,120 Speaker 1: their bass player, wrote, I had an idea for a 128 00:07:24,120 --> 00:07:27,120 Speaker 1: song called Rocking in the Urn, which is all about 129 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:31,720 Speaker 1: what happens in the afterlife. And his contention was that 130 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:35,480 Speaker 1: you're still rocking, you know, wherever you are, you're still 131 00:07:35,480 --> 00:07:36,240 Speaker 1: playing music. 132 00:07:37,560 --> 00:07:41,000 Speaker 2: I love the book A fine line between clever and 133 00:07:41,240 --> 00:07:42,760 Speaker 2: stupid and. 134 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:47,200 Speaker 1: Between stupid and clever. Actually the line was from the 135 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:50,320 Speaker 1: first film. Uh you know they that that that was 136 00:07:50,320 --> 00:07:52,280 Speaker 1: the line was my favorite line in the first film 137 00:07:52,480 --> 00:07:55,200 Speaker 1: was a there's a fine line between stupid and clever. 138 00:07:56,160 --> 00:07:58,600 Speaker 2: I love the various takes from the artist. I don't 139 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:02,520 Speaker 2: want to give away, but I do want to less 140 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:03,800 Speaker 2: if with your permission. 141 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:04,440 Speaker 1: Sure. 142 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:09,920 Speaker 2: Look at how Don Henley weighs in on the spinal 143 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:14,200 Speaker 2: Tap drummer STU as we would call it, and he 144 00:08:14,280 --> 00:08:18,360 Speaker 2: says being a drummer alive as a victory I haven't exploded. 145 00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:22,320 Speaker 1: I mean he he's one of the few drummers that 146 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:26,120 Speaker 1: has survived. I mean we you know, spinal tap went through. 147 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:30,120 Speaker 1: I think it was eleven or twelve drummers. I'm not sure, 148 00:08:30,360 --> 00:08:33,480 Speaker 1: twelve I think. And they actually have to have an 149 00:08:33,480 --> 00:08:36,679 Speaker 1: audition to, you know, find a new drummer because the 150 00:08:36,800 --> 00:08:43,440 Speaker 1: last drummer they had, Skippy Scuffleton, died from sneezing. He 151 00:08:43,480 --> 00:08:46,200 Speaker 1: had a sneezing fit and he couldn't stop sneezing and 152 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:49,640 Speaker 1: he sneezed himself to death. And you know, so they 153 00:08:49,679 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 1: have to find a new drummer and they put out, 154 00:08:52,160 --> 00:08:53,960 Speaker 1: you know, a wide net. They're trying to, you know, 155 00:08:54,080 --> 00:08:56,960 Speaker 1: see if there's anybody would come in and and fill 156 00:08:57,000 --> 00:09:00,560 Speaker 1: the bill. And they go to Questlove know it was 157 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:04,080 Speaker 1: Jimmy Fallon's drummer and Eat from the Roots. They go 158 00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:07,240 Speaker 1: to Chad Smith from the Red Hot Jelly Peppers, and 159 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:11,079 Speaker 1: I also go to Lars Alert from Metallica, and they 160 00:09:11,120 --> 00:09:15,160 Speaker 1: all they turn them down because none of them want 161 00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:19,439 Speaker 1: to die. They all would rather survive than than play 162 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:21,760 Speaker 1: rock and roll. So they all turn them down and 163 00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:24,200 Speaker 1: they have to hold auditions and they wind up with 164 00:09:24,240 --> 00:09:26,520 Speaker 1: a new drummer who will see whether or not that 165 00:09:26,760 --> 00:09:28,160 Speaker 1: drummer survives. 166 00:09:29,240 --> 00:09:34,040 Speaker 2: It did go to a friend of ours, Ed Begley Jr. 167 00:09:34,440 --> 00:09:36,880 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, yeah, I know you have some history with 168 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:41,800 Speaker 2: him as John Stumpy John Shumpy Peeps. 169 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:44,480 Speaker 1: He was there drummer when they were the Thamesmen and 170 00:09:44,520 --> 00:09:47,280 Speaker 1: they had their first moderate hit called give Me Some 171 00:09:47,360 --> 00:09:53,000 Speaker 1: Money and we show that. It's interesting. But Ed just 172 00:09:53,240 --> 00:09:57,360 Speaker 1: did a little part in a film and a short 173 00:09:57,400 --> 00:10:01,160 Speaker 1: film that my daughter wrote me oat and directed and 174 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:06,160 Speaker 1: acted in and so it was funny. Romy was trying 175 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:08,840 Speaker 1: to figure out what he should wear, and they did 176 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:11,600 Speaker 1: a FaceTime and they looked in his closet and she said, 177 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:14,520 Speaker 1: I want that sweater. There was a specific sweater and 178 00:10:14,800 --> 00:10:17,440 Speaker 1: Ed said, oh, that's my favorite sweater. I love that. 179 00:10:17,520 --> 00:10:19,760 Speaker 1: I've had it for over fifty years and it was 180 00:10:19,880 --> 00:10:24,960 Speaker 1: knitted for him by Annette O'Toole, who was married to 181 00:10:25,559 --> 00:10:29,360 Speaker 1: Michael McKeon. So you know they had so when we 182 00:10:29,440 --> 00:10:32,800 Speaker 1: all got together, then Anette and Romi they bond over 183 00:10:32,880 --> 00:10:35,160 Speaker 1: knitting because Romi loves to knit too. 184 00:10:36,200 --> 00:10:39,800 Speaker 2: So I asked that. I said, if if if Stumpy 185 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:42,840 Speaker 2: had been interviewed by Rob Reiner, what do you think 186 00:10:42,880 --> 00:10:46,200 Speaker 2: the conversation would be like? And he said, and I quote, 187 00:10:46,960 --> 00:10:49,680 Speaker 2: I knew that was one dangerous hoe. I never thought 188 00:10:49,720 --> 00:10:55,439 Speaker 2: it would end like this. And I asked him too, 189 00:10:55,440 --> 00:10:57,400 Speaker 2: I said, so what do you think of the masters 190 00:10:57,440 --> 00:11:01,800 Speaker 2: of tap these days? And he says, as for the 191 00:11:01,840 --> 00:11:04,720 Speaker 2: masters of Tap, I'm laying low, as I owe each 192 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:06,959 Speaker 2: of them a great deal of money, But if they're 193 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:10,199 Speaker 2: willing to forgive and forget, I'm available for grip work 194 00:11:10,280 --> 00:11:13,160 Speaker 2: or craft service. And he says, for the record, doing 195 00:11:13,240 --> 00:11:16,240 Speaker 2: craft service on their next project is a sincere offer. 196 00:11:16,360 --> 00:11:20,200 Speaker 2: Grip work is a euphemism that's probably frowned upon by. 197 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:25,520 Speaker 1: Hr these days, and Ed is so funny, you know, 198 00:11:25,640 --> 00:11:27,880 Speaker 1: we're talking about him, and I'm going to show you 199 00:11:27,960 --> 00:11:30,160 Speaker 1: something that might show you. Because we're on a podcast, 200 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:32,679 Speaker 1: you can't see it. But I have a book here 201 00:11:32,800 --> 00:11:34,720 Speaker 1: that Ed wrote, and it's sitting right there on my 202 00:11:34,840 --> 00:11:37,760 Speaker 1: desk that you know, and it's sitting there right there, 203 00:11:38,200 --> 00:11:38,640 Speaker 1: Ed's book. 204 00:11:39,400 --> 00:11:40,600 Speaker 2: He's the best for sure. 205 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:41,200 Speaker 1: Yep. 206 00:11:41,559 --> 00:11:46,120 Speaker 2: So, as a master of directing people and giving them space, 207 00:11:46,679 --> 00:11:50,920 Speaker 2: can you describe the joy of collaboration in this process 208 00:11:51,120 --> 00:11:52,720 Speaker 2: for the new Spinal Tap? 209 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:56,720 Speaker 1: Well, to me, that's the most fun for us is 210 00:11:56,760 --> 00:12:00,360 Speaker 1: that we had, first of all, a sequel. It's like 211 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:02,880 Speaker 1: forty one years after the first one, so I mean 212 00:12:02,920 --> 00:12:05,680 Speaker 1: there's time has gone by and we you know, we've 213 00:12:05,679 --> 00:12:09,120 Speaker 1: worked together in different iterations, you know, over the years, 214 00:12:09,400 --> 00:12:12,040 Speaker 1: but we hadn't really worked in like fifteen in the 215 00:12:12,120 --> 00:12:15,920 Speaker 1: last fifteen years, none of us. But the minute we 216 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:18,080 Speaker 1: got back together, it's like old friends, you know, you 217 00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:21,160 Speaker 1: pick up right where you left off. And Chris Guests 218 00:12:21,280 --> 00:12:24,000 Speaker 1: used to call it schnadling, which is this byplay back 219 00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:26,960 Speaker 1: and forth that you do, and we fell right back 220 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:29,920 Speaker 1: into it. It's like you know, jazz musicians that just 221 00:12:30,480 --> 00:12:33,960 Speaker 1: know how each other moves, and we all can you know, 222 00:12:34,040 --> 00:12:37,160 Speaker 1: schnadle with each other, and they fell back right into 223 00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:41,440 Speaker 1: their musical connection and it was fun. That was the 224 00:12:41,480 --> 00:12:44,120 Speaker 1: most fun is to be able to, you know, do 225 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:46,920 Speaker 1: ship with people who are on the same level as 226 00:12:46,960 --> 00:12:50,079 Speaker 1: you are and have the same frames of reference and 227 00:12:51,240 --> 00:12:53,600 Speaker 1: know how to lay out, know when to come in. 228 00:12:53,800 --> 00:12:54,319 Speaker 1: All of that. 229 00:12:54,880 --> 00:12:56,840 Speaker 2: It's effortless, isn't it. 230 00:12:56,840 --> 00:13:00,520 Speaker 1: It is it is. And when we did the first 231 00:13:00,520 --> 00:13:04,320 Speaker 1: one and the second one, all the dialogue is improvised, 232 00:13:05,200 --> 00:13:08,320 Speaker 1: and that's comfortable for us. We enjoy doing that. I mean, 233 00:13:09,200 --> 00:13:11,280 Speaker 1: you know, people said, oh my god, the first film 234 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:13,520 Speaker 1: you made and it was no script and it was improvise. 235 00:13:13,679 --> 00:13:16,800 Speaker 1: I said, yeah, because that's my training, and that's the 236 00:13:16,840 --> 00:13:20,199 Speaker 1: training of the guys I'm working with. We're all that's 237 00:13:20,240 --> 00:13:22,000 Speaker 1: what we do. It's like, like I say, it's like 238 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:24,720 Speaker 1: jazz musicians. You pick up a bass, you pick up 239 00:13:24,760 --> 00:13:27,720 Speaker 1: the sacks, a guy plays piano, somebody's playing drums, and 240 00:13:27,760 --> 00:13:30,360 Speaker 1: you just fall in and start doing it. And it 241 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:32,560 Speaker 1: was to me it was a lot easier to do 242 00:13:32,640 --> 00:13:35,040 Speaker 1: that than to do a scripted film where I had 243 00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:38,240 Speaker 1: to figure out camera angles and you know, is this 244 00:13:38,760 --> 00:13:43,120 Speaker 1: tracking is the continuity and all that stuff. This was 245 00:13:43,200 --> 00:13:43,840 Speaker 1: easy for me. 246 00:13:44,880 --> 00:13:47,959 Speaker 2: Do you remember the first point in your life that 247 00:13:48,120 --> 00:13:49,680 Speaker 2: music had an impact on you? 248 00:13:50,320 --> 00:13:53,320 Speaker 1: Oh? Yeah, yeah, No, I mean I'm the first. I'm 249 00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:56,200 Speaker 1: the first generation that grew up on rock and roll, 250 00:13:56,800 --> 00:14:00,880 Speaker 1: and that was in the fifties, and you know it. 251 00:14:00,880 --> 00:14:07,160 Speaker 1: It's why it exploded, because young people connected immediately, going 252 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:09,160 Speaker 1: back to Bill Haley and the comments or any of them, 253 00:14:09,320 --> 00:14:14,120 Speaker 1: but little Richard, Chuck Berry, you know, Fast Domina, I 254 00:14:14,120 --> 00:14:16,240 Speaker 1: don't you know, the Everly Brothers. I don't care who 255 00:14:16,679 --> 00:14:20,840 Speaker 1: you listen, Jerry Lee Lewis, all these people spoke to 256 00:14:20,920 --> 00:14:23,760 Speaker 1: us and we loved. I had stacks and stacks of 257 00:14:24,160 --> 00:14:28,480 Speaker 1: forty five's records that you played, and I right, like 258 00:14:28,560 --> 00:14:30,520 Speaker 1: in diner, I could tell you what was on the 259 00:14:30,560 --> 00:14:34,440 Speaker 1: flip side of a song, you know, And so that 260 00:14:34,440 --> 00:14:36,560 Speaker 1: that was the stuff that got to me right. And 261 00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:40,080 Speaker 1: then of course in the sixties there was another real 262 00:14:40,160 --> 00:14:45,320 Speaker 1: explosion that happened in Great Britain and also in the 263 00:14:45,360 --> 00:14:48,640 Speaker 1: West Coast and San Francisco and in Los Angeles, and 264 00:14:48,680 --> 00:14:51,600 Speaker 1: I was part of that scene too, So I you know, 265 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:55,360 Speaker 1: I grew up on this stuff. And there's been a 266 00:14:55,360 --> 00:14:58,920 Speaker 1: lot of cross pollination between the improv world and the 267 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:01,600 Speaker 1: rock world. And that's why people said, well, how could 268 00:15:01,640 --> 00:15:05,359 Speaker 1: you be so aware of what happens to rock musicians 269 00:15:05,360 --> 00:15:08,160 Speaker 1: and tour because first of all, those guys are musicians, 270 00:15:08,200 --> 00:15:11,480 Speaker 1: they've been on tours and stuff. But I hung out 271 00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:14,080 Speaker 1: with these people. I hung out with Janice Joplin, I 272 00:15:14,160 --> 00:15:17,040 Speaker 1: hung out with Mama cass Elliott. You know, these are 273 00:15:17,080 --> 00:15:20,600 Speaker 1: the people that you know, David Crosby from Crosby, Silson Nash, 274 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:22,440 Speaker 1: and these are the people that we hung out with 275 00:15:22,560 --> 00:15:26,160 Speaker 1: and t it was just natural. Janice Choplin would come 276 00:15:26,200 --> 00:15:28,560 Speaker 1: on stage a number of times when I was working 277 00:15:28,600 --> 00:15:31,560 Speaker 1: at The Committee, which is an improv group from San Francisco. 278 00:15:31,640 --> 00:15:35,360 Speaker 1: So this was part of our world and and I'll 279 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:38,320 Speaker 1: you know, I you know, to me, that was that's 280 00:15:38,400 --> 00:15:41,240 Speaker 1: my background, you know, first generation to grow up on 281 00:15:41,280 --> 00:15:42,920 Speaker 1: television and rock and roll. 282 00:15:43,480 --> 00:15:45,680 Speaker 3: We'll be right back with more of the Taken a 283 00:15:45,720 --> 00:15:53,920 Speaker 3: Walk Podcast. Welcome back to the Taking a Walk Podcast. 284 00:15:55,120 --> 00:15:58,200 Speaker 2: Do you mind if we share favorite protests the songs? 285 00:15:58,800 --> 00:15:59,080 Speaker 1: Sure? 286 00:16:01,160 --> 00:16:04,320 Speaker 2: Mine is the version of Blowing in the Wind by 287 00:16:04,400 --> 00:16:05,120 Speaker 2: Jim Nabors. 288 00:16:06,560 --> 00:16:11,840 Speaker 1: Oh my god, they're talking about an episode that I 289 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:17,120 Speaker 1: did of Gomer Pyle where I sang Blowing in the 290 00:16:17,120 --> 00:16:20,520 Speaker 1: Wind with Lee French who was also in the committee, 291 00:16:20,520 --> 00:16:23,360 Speaker 1: and Chris Ross who was also in the committee. The 292 00:16:23,400 --> 00:16:27,880 Speaker 1: three of us as hippies were singing Blowing in the 293 00:16:27,880 --> 00:16:32,440 Speaker 1: Wind with It's one of my my proudest moments in television. 294 00:16:32,880 --> 00:16:36,000 Speaker 2: All right, I'm cheating. That was not my favorite protest song, 295 00:16:36,240 --> 00:16:37,840 Speaker 2: I know, I know what was it? 296 00:16:37,880 --> 00:16:38,080 Speaker 1: Though? 297 00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:42,320 Speaker 2: Mine was by phil Oaks and it was called Here's 298 00:16:42,480 --> 00:16:44,359 Speaker 2: to the State of Richard Nixon. 299 00:16:44,320 --> 00:16:47,760 Speaker 1: Right right. Phillips did some great protest songs, you know, 300 00:16:47,840 --> 00:16:50,080 Speaker 1: Country Jne, the Fish, I have won two? Three? Forward? Are 301 00:16:50,080 --> 00:16:53,000 Speaker 1: we fighting for? You know, don't give a damn? Next 302 00:16:53,080 --> 00:16:58,280 Speaker 1: up Vietnam. And you know one of my favorites is 303 00:16:58,480 --> 00:17:01,200 Speaker 1: for what It's Worth, which is, you know, the Buffalo 304 00:17:01,280 --> 00:17:05,000 Speaker 1: Springfield does something happening here? What it is and exactly clear? 305 00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:08,040 Speaker 1: That was to me is like an anthem. 306 00:17:09,160 --> 00:17:12,840 Speaker 2: So were there new challenges in directing a monumentary in 307 00:17:13,080 --> 00:17:18,320 Speaker 2: today's comedy and media landscape versus back in the eighties. 308 00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:21,560 Speaker 1: Well, it's different. I mean, you know, I used the 309 00:17:21,640 --> 00:17:24,679 Speaker 1: sixteen millimeter camera. I had one sixteen millimeter camera and 310 00:17:24,680 --> 00:17:27,240 Speaker 1: that's all I had. Now I'm used, you know, with 311 00:17:27,359 --> 00:17:30,240 Speaker 1: the you know, I've had a couple of digital cameras 312 00:17:30,640 --> 00:17:32,880 Speaker 1: and so, you know, I had a lot of more 313 00:17:32,960 --> 00:17:37,800 Speaker 1: coverage that I could get, and I try to not 314 00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:42,880 Speaker 1: mirror what I'm you know, we set a certain standard 315 00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:47,000 Speaker 1: of documentary type entertainment and you see it in parks 316 00:17:47,000 --> 00:17:50,320 Speaker 1: and rec and have a elementary the office. Even Ricky 317 00:17:50,320 --> 00:17:53,560 Speaker 1: Gervai talks about how he took from Spinal Tap and 318 00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:57,359 Speaker 1: created the Office with that kind of documentary field. But 319 00:17:57,480 --> 00:18:02,160 Speaker 1: it is evolved, it's evolved with all these supposedly reality shows, 320 00:18:02,160 --> 00:18:05,160 Speaker 1: they're not reality at all. I would argue that Spinal 321 00:18:05,200 --> 00:18:08,439 Speaker 1: Tap is more reality than some of these reality shows. 322 00:18:08,760 --> 00:18:14,040 Speaker 1: So there's a tendency to try to mirror how they 323 00:18:14,160 --> 00:18:18,639 Speaker 1: do these documentary things now. But my gut feeling was 324 00:18:18,680 --> 00:18:23,560 Speaker 1: to Marty is not very much like Spinal Tap not 325 00:18:23,640 --> 00:18:26,440 Speaker 1: making a lot of growth. I'm thinking that Marty didn't 326 00:18:26,480 --> 00:18:28,720 Speaker 1: grow all that much either, and so I try to 327 00:18:28,800 --> 00:18:30,800 Speaker 1: keep it sort of in the vein of what he 328 00:18:30,840 --> 00:18:31,640 Speaker 1: did the first time. 329 00:18:32,640 --> 00:18:36,640 Speaker 2: What is so incredible is so many of the storylines 330 00:18:36,800 --> 00:18:40,879 Speaker 2: when you really dig into them, in you know, Spinal Tap, 331 00:18:41,040 --> 00:18:44,560 Speaker 2: are actually you know, true to life. Extensions of the 332 00:18:44,640 --> 00:18:45,719 Speaker 2: rock and roll world. 333 00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:48,240 Speaker 1: Yes, I mean that was the That was the thing 334 00:18:48,280 --> 00:18:52,000 Speaker 1: that people were so stunned by. You know. There were 335 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:55,080 Speaker 1: things that we took from experiences we had, There were 336 00:18:55,119 --> 00:18:59,679 Speaker 1: things we took from articles from the newspaper. One of 337 00:18:59,720 --> 00:19:03,359 Speaker 1: the things we had was an original the original, not 338 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:05,600 Speaker 1: the original, but the one of the keyboard players we 339 00:19:05,680 --> 00:19:08,600 Speaker 1: have is a guy named Johnson Claire, which we had 340 00:19:08,720 --> 00:19:11,879 Speaker 1: in this twenty minute demo reel that I put together 341 00:19:11,920 --> 00:19:15,800 Speaker 1: to try to sell the film, and he had to 342 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:18,840 Speaker 1: make a choice we were going to start shooting the 343 00:19:18,840 --> 00:19:22,160 Speaker 1: film or he was gonna he got a real gig 344 00:19:22,200 --> 00:19:28,120 Speaker 1: with a group called They were doing an album called 345 00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:33,280 Speaker 1: Obama Knock and it was Oh God, I can't Oh 346 00:19:33,560 --> 00:19:35,720 Speaker 1: you're ya Heap. That was the name of the band 347 00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:39,359 Speaker 1: 'orya Heap. And he went and show. He said, that's 348 00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:41,520 Speaker 1: a real gig. So he went and did that. But 349 00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:44,280 Speaker 1: during the tour he came back and talked to us 350 00:19:44,320 --> 00:19:48,360 Speaker 1: one time about this weird booking they got in a 351 00:19:48,400 --> 00:19:51,520 Speaker 1: military base, and so he said, oh great, we'll put 352 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:54,080 Speaker 1: that right in the film. So anything that would that 353 00:19:54,240 --> 00:19:58,680 Speaker 1: seemed interesting. Getting lost backstage was something that happened to Tom 354 00:19:58,320 --> 00:20:02,399 Speaker 1: Petty and the Heartbreakers. The whole idea of the backstage rider, 355 00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:05,960 Speaker 1: what's provided backstage. That's something we took out of an 356 00:20:06,040 --> 00:20:10,200 Speaker 1: article we read in Rolling Stone about Van Halen called 357 00:20:10,240 --> 00:20:13,240 Speaker 1: the Endless Party. And in their case they said no 358 00:20:13,359 --> 00:20:15,560 Speaker 1: brown m and ms. They didn't want any brown m 359 00:20:15,640 --> 00:20:18,239 Speaker 1: and ms backstage. So we had that whole thing. So 360 00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:21,679 Speaker 1: we took from what we were presented with. 361 00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:25,280 Speaker 2: And you went out and did some research on bands 362 00:20:25,320 --> 00:20:29,800 Speaker 2: such as Judas Priest. I think the other one was 363 00:20:29,920 --> 00:20:30,880 Speaker 2: Saxon and. 364 00:20:31,640 --> 00:20:35,159 Speaker 1: Ye Harry spent some time with Saxon. We Wall went 365 00:20:35,240 --> 00:20:38,560 Speaker 1: to a concert with Judas Priest. The guys also went 366 00:20:38,600 --> 00:20:41,960 Speaker 1: and saw a C d C and another concert, and 367 00:20:42,040 --> 00:20:43,880 Speaker 1: we just took from what we I mean, the one 368 00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:46,160 Speaker 1: thing that I got from, you know, going to see 369 00:20:46,240 --> 00:20:48,760 Speaker 1: Judas Priest is I thought I was having a heart attack. 370 00:20:49,119 --> 00:20:54,240 Speaker 1: The sound was so loud and intense, and the drum 371 00:20:54,280 --> 00:20:56,720 Speaker 1: and the bass were so heavy that it would like 372 00:20:56,920 --> 00:20:59,879 Speaker 1: it was pounding on my chest. So I thought, okay, 373 00:21:00,119 --> 00:21:03,879 Speaker 1: that's the that you know, England's loudest band, Spinal. 374 00:21:03,560 --> 00:21:07,920 Speaker 2: Pet breaking the Low, Breaking the Low. Yeah, that's oh 375 00:21:07,960 --> 00:21:13,000 Speaker 2: my god. Now did some artists when the first spinal 376 00:21:13,080 --> 00:21:16,600 Speaker 2: Tap came out. They did not get the joke. Is 377 00:21:16,600 --> 00:21:17,800 Speaker 2: that correct, that's true? 378 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:21,160 Speaker 1: Uh, you know Ozzy, Ozzy Osbourne, God Rest his soul. 379 00:21:21,280 --> 00:21:23,639 Speaker 1: I mean, he was a little bit upset. He said, 380 00:21:23,960 --> 00:21:26,600 Speaker 1: this is not nice. They're they're making fun of us. 381 00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:30,119 Speaker 1: I mean, the you know, what are they doing, you know? 382 00:21:30,440 --> 00:21:34,560 Speaker 1: And Axel Rose, I mean, we got a story from Slash, 383 00:21:34,600 --> 00:21:37,280 Speaker 1: you know, played with guns and roses and he said. 384 00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:40,320 Speaker 1: Axel Rose was very upset because he thought, that's not 385 00:21:40,680 --> 00:21:43,760 Speaker 1: that's not the way we are. We have real music 386 00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:47,399 Speaker 1: and we're you know, we real were important. We should 387 00:21:47,560 --> 00:21:50,000 Speaker 1: you know, we shouldn't be talking of And I think 388 00:21:50,560 --> 00:21:54,800 Speaker 1: old Steven Tyler also from Aerosmith didn't like what we did. 389 00:21:54,840 --> 00:21:57,359 Speaker 1: But I think over the years they've come to understand it. 390 00:21:57,440 --> 00:22:00,119 Speaker 1: You know, it was fun. And like I said, we 391 00:22:00,160 --> 00:22:01,960 Speaker 1: grew up on rock and roll. We all love rock 392 00:22:01,960 --> 00:22:06,160 Speaker 1: and roll, and we're all satirists. So it's you try 393 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:09,800 Speaker 1: to find the way that you can blend satire with 394 00:22:10,280 --> 00:22:12,359 Speaker 1: you know, and make make fun of the thing that 395 00:22:12,400 --> 00:22:12,800 Speaker 1: you love. 396 00:22:13,880 --> 00:22:16,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, Spinal TAP's always been about, you know, a poking 397 00:22:16,600 --> 00:22:23,520 Speaker 2: fun at fame and excess. What does the rock mockumentary 398 00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:25,840 Speaker 2: say about celebrity culture. 399 00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:32,120 Speaker 1: Now, well, I mean, you know, because of social media 400 00:22:32,800 --> 00:22:35,360 Speaker 1: and you know, TikTok and Instagram and all that stuff, 401 00:22:35,560 --> 00:22:38,880 Speaker 1: everybody's a star. I mean, everybody wants to be a star, 402 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:42,320 Speaker 1: and they put themselves out there in some kind of 403 00:22:43,320 --> 00:22:48,840 Speaker 1: semi documentary form and some realistic cinema verite style to 404 00:22:48,840 --> 00:22:51,160 Speaker 1: connect with people. That's what they try to do. It 405 00:22:51,320 --> 00:22:53,679 Speaker 1: is one of the best ways to connect because it 406 00:22:53,800 --> 00:22:56,520 Speaker 1: feels real. It feels like you're you know, you're really 407 00:22:56,680 --> 00:22:59,960 Speaker 1: experiencing something and everybody's doing it. You know. I remember 408 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:04,960 Speaker 1: we're seeing a documentary years ago called We Live in Public. 409 00:23:05,040 --> 00:23:08,560 Speaker 1: I don't know if you ever saw that, but it's 410 00:23:08,840 --> 00:23:16,480 Speaker 1: it was done by the guy who initially created before Facebook, 411 00:23:16,560 --> 00:23:20,639 Speaker 1: there was what was it called. It was called MySpace, 412 00:23:20,920 --> 00:23:26,480 Speaker 1: MySpace MySpace. He had created MySpace, and he talked he had, 413 00:23:26,600 --> 00:23:29,960 Speaker 1: you know, left that world, and he was talking. He says, 414 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:35,440 Speaker 1: everybody says, you know, like you know, Marshall McCluin. You know, 415 00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:38,800 Speaker 1: everybody wants their fifteen minutes of fame. But we've come 416 00:23:38,880 --> 00:23:41,600 Speaker 1: to a point where everybody wants their fifteen minutes of 417 00:23:41,640 --> 00:23:46,439 Speaker 1: fame every day. You know, That's what we've evolved to. 418 00:23:46,720 --> 00:23:51,240 Speaker 1: And I think, you know, it's it's this documentary style 419 00:23:51,480 --> 00:23:55,040 Speaker 1: that lets us in on supposedly who we are, but 420 00:23:55,080 --> 00:23:57,960 Speaker 1: you never you don't really get to know who people are. 421 00:23:59,119 --> 00:24:03,480 Speaker 2: Are you fascinating? Did how cult movies like Spinal Tap 422 00:24:04,040 --> 00:24:07,080 Speaker 2: ultimately turned into not only cult movies. 423 00:24:06,720 --> 00:24:12,200 Speaker 1: But into classics. It's shocking to me. It's stunning because 424 00:24:12,320 --> 00:24:15,359 Speaker 1: when we first came out, nobody people didn't get it. 425 00:24:15,400 --> 00:24:17,200 Speaker 1: They didn't know what we were doing. It's a classic 426 00:24:17,640 --> 00:24:21,200 Speaker 1: line you hear from the theater. You know, satires were 427 00:24:21,240 --> 00:24:24,760 Speaker 1: closes on Saturday night and we have just almost closed. 428 00:24:24,800 --> 00:24:27,000 Speaker 1: People thought it was a real band. They thought, why 429 00:24:27,040 --> 00:24:29,240 Speaker 1: would I make a movie about a band nobody's ever 430 00:24:29,320 --> 00:24:31,679 Speaker 1: heard of? And why wouldn't I do something about the 431 00:24:31,760 --> 00:24:34,359 Speaker 1: rolling stones of the Beatles or something. So they didn't 432 00:24:34,400 --> 00:24:36,840 Speaker 1: get it, and it took many, many years. I think 433 00:24:36,840 --> 00:24:39,639 Speaker 1: it was the you know, it was home entertainment, It 434 00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:43,239 Speaker 1: was the videotapes and CDs, and people started, you know, 435 00:24:43,320 --> 00:24:45,840 Speaker 1: catching wind of it. And then over the years, over 436 00:24:45,920 --> 00:24:50,960 Speaker 1: many years, it became this thing where the Library of 437 00:24:50,960 --> 00:24:54,280 Speaker 1: Congress puts it in the National Film Registry, and and 438 00:24:54,440 --> 00:24:57,280 Speaker 1: you know, it's in the Oxford English Dictionary goes to 439 00:24:57,359 --> 00:25:00,080 Speaker 1: eleven and all this stuff becomes part of the culture. 440 00:25:00,400 --> 00:25:03,000 Speaker 1: And there's no way in a million years that you'd 441 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:06,080 Speaker 1: think that you'd have this kind of impact. There's just 442 00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:08,680 Speaker 1: no way. You're just making a film that you think 443 00:25:08,800 --> 00:25:11,200 Speaker 1: is funny and you know, you think we'll have a 444 00:25:11,400 --> 00:25:14,119 Speaker 1: few laughs and maybe somebody will like it. There's no 445 00:25:14,200 --> 00:25:16,440 Speaker 1: way you think it's going to be what it turned 446 00:25:16,440 --> 00:25:18,960 Speaker 1: out to be. What are your some of. 447 00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:22,600 Speaker 2: Your favorite cult classics? 448 00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:25,399 Speaker 1: Well, I there's a lot that I mean, I like 449 00:25:25,480 --> 00:25:29,439 Speaker 1: a lot of you know, give me the give me 450 00:25:29,480 --> 00:25:31,879 Speaker 1: what you consider a cult classic and I'll tell you 451 00:25:31,880 --> 00:25:33,880 Speaker 1: because to me, if I like a film, I don't 452 00:25:33,920 --> 00:25:35,800 Speaker 1: think of it as cult classic. You know, I'm just 453 00:25:35,960 --> 00:25:38,600 Speaker 1: like I like a film. But what would you consider 454 00:25:38,640 --> 00:25:41,120 Speaker 1: a cult classic. I know you say Rocky Horror Show 455 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:43,120 Speaker 1: and stuff like I'm not a big Rocky Horror Show fan. 456 00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:46,800 Speaker 1: But give me another example of a cult classic and 457 00:25:46,840 --> 00:25:48,760 Speaker 1: I'll tell you if I I'll mention. 458 00:25:48,640 --> 00:25:51,280 Speaker 2: It because you referred to it earlier. Diner. 459 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:54,680 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, I know. I love Diner. And it's funny 460 00:25:54,680 --> 00:25:58,560 Speaker 1: because Diner and Spinalfap came out the same year, and 461 00:25:58,640 --> 00:26:02,040 Speaker 1: I remember being on a plane with Barry Levinson is 462 00:26:02,080 --> 00:26:05,840 Speaker 1: a good friend, and we were talking about these films 463 00:26:05,840 --> 00:26:08,120 Speaker 1: that we had made and we were trying to get, 464 00:26:08,160 --> 00:26:11,440 Speaker 1: you know, get somebody to promote it and all this stuff, 465 00:26:11,840 --> 00:26:15,080 Speaker 1: and we had no idea that you know, to him, 466 00:26:15,119 --> 00:26:18,679 Speaker 1: it was a very personal film about growing up in Baltimore. 467 00:26:18,760 --> 00:26:22,000 Speaker 1: To me, it was this personal thing of this integration 468 00:26:22,119 --> 00:26:26,040 Speaker 1: between rock and roll and improvisation. So it was just 469 00:26:26,080 --> 00:26:28,720 Speaker 1: things that we thought, I like this. I don't know 470 00:26:28,720 --> 00:26:31,800 Speaker 1: if anybody else will like it, but yeah, Diner's great. 471 00:26:31,840 --> 00:26:34,360 Speaker 1: I love Diner. So I know. 472 00:26:34,440 --> 00:26:39,119 Speaker 2: The theaters are important to you as a creator. The 473 00:26:39,160 --> 00:26:43,320 Speaker 2: fact that you know this COVID kind of obviously knocked 474 00:26:43,320 --> 00:26:47,359 Speaker 2: everybody off kilter. It knocked that business off. It's kilter. 475 00:26:48,280 --> 00:26:51,840 Speaker 2: Talk to those listening about for you, as a creator, 476 00:26:52,080 --> 00:26:55,199 Speaker 2: as an artist, how important it is to go to 477 00:26:55,200 --> 00:26:58,679 Speaker 2: the theater and see any movie, this movie in particular. 478 00:26:58,760 --> 00:27:02,360 Speaker 1: Well, I think that you know, when you're looking at 479 00:27:02,480 --> 00:27:08,159 Speaker 1: comedies or horror movies, horror thrillers, those you want to 480 00:27:08,200 --> 00:27:13,679 Speaker 1: share with people because it intensifies the experience. There's nothing 481 00:27:13,760 --> 00:27:16,560 Speaker 1: better than being with a group of people and laughing 482 00:27:16,600 --> 00:27:19,000 Speaker 1: at something. And that's infectious, and the same thing with 483 00:27:19,119 --> 00:27:21,399 Speaker 1: a with a you know, thriller or a horror movie. 484 00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:25,680 Speaker 1: You can't experience that at home. People watch it at home, 485 00:27:26,280 --> 00:27:28,840 Speaker 1: they put it on pause, they go to the bathroom, 486 00:27:28,880 --> 00:27:30,840 Speaker 1: they go get something to eat, and it's not that 487 00:27:30,920 --> 00:27:33,840 Speaker 1: same experience. I can tell you something that it really 488 00:27:33,920 --> 00:27:36,840 Speaker 1: bugs me, and that is when I was doing All 489 00:27:36,880 --> 00:27:38,679 Speaker 1: in the Family. This is back in the you know, 490 00:27:38,720 --> 00:27:40,639 Speaker 1: in the seventies. And by the way, a lot of 491 00:27:40,640 --> 00:27:42,480 Speaker 1: young people never even heard of All the Family. They 492 00:27:42,480 --> 00:27:45,440 Speaker 1: don't even know what it is. But for those who don't, 493 00:27:45,520 --> 00:27:47,840 Speaker 1: it was the number one show in America for five 494 00:27:47,920 --> 00:27:52,240 Speaker 1: years straight. Every single week was number one, and we 495 00:27:52,240 --> 00:27:54,879 Speaker 1: were a country of about two hundred million at the time, 496 00:27:55,560 --> 00:27:59,960 Speaker 1: and every single week, forty to forty five million piece 497 00:28:00,000 --> 00:28:04,080 Speaker 1: people watched the show. And they watched it at the 498 00:28:04,160 --> 00:28:08,200 Speaker 1: same time. They had to because there was no DVR, 499 00:28:08,280 --> 00:28:11,520 Speaker 1: there was no TVO, there was no video cassettes. You 500 00:28:11,600 --> 00:28:14,600 Speaker 1: had to watch it when it was on. That meant 501 00:28:14,600 --> 00:28:18,119 Speaker 1: that there was forty to forty five million people having 502 00:28:18,160 --> 00:28:21,560 Speaker 1: a shared experience and being able to talk about it. 503 00:28:21,640 --> 00:28:24,960 Speaker 1: And it had an impact on the way people you know, 504 00:28:25,520 --> 00:28:28,399 Speaker 1: have viewed it and the way they talked about it. Now, 505 00:28:28,680 --> 00:28:32,240 Speaker 1: we're a country of about three hundred and forty million people, 506 00:28:33,200 --> 00:28:35,920 Speaker 1: and if you have a show that's seen by ten 507 00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:40,160 Speaker 1: million people, that's considered a big hit, and they don't 508 00:28:40,200 --> 00:28:43,200 Speaker 1: even watch it at the same time they're streaming it. 509 00:28:43,280 --> 00:28:46,440 Speaker 1: They're watching I don't tell me what happened. I didn't 510 00:28:46,480 --> 00:28:50,360 Speaker 1: see that episode yet. I'm still on season two, whatever 511 00:28:50,400 --> 00:28:55,240 Speaker 1: it is, And so you don't have that communal, shared experience. 512 00:28:55,560 --> 00:28:58,400 Speaker 1: I think that's important. It's important for theater, and it's 513 00:28:58,400 --> 00:29:02,600 Speaker 1: important for for movies to have that. And you're right, 514 00:29:02,880 --> 00:29:06,600 Speaker 1: COVID had a big impact on it, and so did streaming. 515 00:29:06,760 --> 00:29:10,320 Speaker 1: Streaming has had a tremendous impact on it. So, you know, 516 00:29:10,360 --> 00:29:12,920 Speaker 1: I'm hoping people will have it. They'll enjoy it. I 517 00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:15,480 Speaker 1: know they'll have a better experience and they'll enjoy it 518 00:29:15,520 --> 00:29:17,320 Speaker 1: if they go that they go to the theater. 519 00:29:18,200 --> 00:29:20,840 Speaker 2: So two more questions, Rob. First of all, how do 520 00:29:20,920 --> 00:29:25,360 Speaker 2: you want fans, both longtime followers and new audiences to 521 00:29:25,520 --> 00:29:27,600 Speaker 2: walk away after seeing the sequel. 522 00:29:28,520 --> 00:29:30,920 Speaker 1: I want them to say, I had a great time, 523 00:29:31,080 --> 00:29:35,160 Speaker 1: and here's it's something interesting. We screened both. You know, 524 00:29:35,400 --> 00:29:39,600 Speaker 1: we screened the sequel for an audience recruited, you know, 525 00:29:39,680 --> 00:29:43,440 Speaker 1: people regularly. Half the audience had seen the first film, 526 00:29:43,840 --> 00:29:46,760 Speaker 1: the other half had never seen the first film, and 527 00:29:46,800 --> 00:29:50,080 Speaker 1: the reaction was exactly the same. The cards came back 528 00:29:50,120 --> 00:29:54,440 Speaker 1: and said exactly, they enjoyed it equally. And so hopefully 529 00:29:54,640 --> 00:29:57,800 Speaker 1: I'm making a film that stands on its own, even 530 00:29:57,800 --> 00:29:59,480 Speaker 1: if you haven't seen the first one. If you have 531 00:29:59,560 --> 00:30:02,840 Speaker 1: seen the there are some references you'll get that you 532 00:30:02,880 --> 00:30:06,240 Speaker 1: wouldn't get if you didn't. But I want, I feel 533 00:30:06,280 --> 00:30:09,840 Speaker 1: obligated to put something out there that's a piece of 534 00:30:10,000 --> 00:30:12,800 Speaker 1: entertainment that stands on its own. I read this book 535 00:30:13,000 --> 00:30:17,400 Speaker 1: by Frank Capra many years ago, where you know, in 536 00:30:17,440 --> 00:30:19,520 Speaker 1: the days when that's when you went, you went to 537 00:30:19,560 --> 00:30:23,640 Speaker 1: the theater, and he said, you're asking people to pay 538 00:30:23,840 --> 00:30:30,320 Speaker 1: money to sit in a darkened room with strangers, and 539 00:30:30,400 --> 00:30:34,960 Speaker 1: you're asking them to pay attention for two hours. You 540 00:30:35,040 --> 00:30:37,600 Speaker 1: better have something to show them. And so I'm hoping 541 00:30:37,600 --> 00:30:40,560 Speaker 1: that people come away saying, yeah, I had a great experience. 542 00:30:40,640 --> 00:30:42,520 Speaker 1: I liked the first one, I liked the second one, 543 00:30:42,760 --> 00:30:44,840 Speaker 1: and if you hadn't seen the first one, you'll still 544 00:30:44,920 --> 00:30:45,640 Speaker 1: like the second one. 545 00:30:46,880 --> 00:30:51,240 Speaker 2: So inclosing, beyond spinal Tap, are there stories you're excited 546 00:30:51,280 --> 00:30:54,200 Speaker 2: about additionally that you're working on now that you can share. 547 00:30:54,600 --> 00:30:58,320 Speaker 1: I have one story that I've been playing around with. 548 00:30:59,200 --> 00:31:02,080 Speaker 1: It's going to sound crazy, but I've been playing around 549 00:31:02,120 --> 00:31:07,400 Speaker 1: with it for over fifty years, about fifty five years 550 00:31:07,400 --> 00:31:09,520 Speaker 1: as it is, because it came out of a sketch 551 00:31:09,960 --> 00:31:12,200 Speaker 1: that I worked on when I was writing for the 552 00:31:12,240 --> 00:31:15,920 Speaker 1: Smothers Brothers. This was back in the sixties and sixty 553 00:31:15,920 --> 00:31:19,120 Speaker 1: eight sixty nine and I was writing. Steve Martin was 554 00:31:19,160 --> 00:31:23,920 Speaker 1: a writing partner with me. We were together and Carl Gottlieb, 555 00:31:23,920 --> 00:31:27,120 Speaker 1: who wrote Jaws. We wrote this sketch was a Christmas 556 00:31:27,160 --> 00:31:31,320 Speaker 1: sketch and Tom and Dick's mothers and brother they came 557 00:31:31,360 --> 00:31:33,480 Speaker 1: out and they said, you know, they say he's falling 558 00:31:33,480 --> 00:31:37,200 Speaker 1: in love. Is wonderful, wonderful. So they say, who are they? 559 00:31:37,280 --> 00:31:39,800 Speaker 1: Who are these people that say these things? They say this? 560 00:31:39,880 --> 00:31:42,320 Speaker 1: They said. So we had a thing where it was 561 00:31:42,360 --> 00:31:44,680 Speaker 1: an office and on the office door it said us 562 00:31:45,240 --> 00:31:47,240 Speaker 1: and you'll walk. You know, you go in there and 563 00:31:47,280 --> 00:31:52,360 Speaker 1: there's Tom and Dickett typewriters, manual typewriters typing out look 564 00:31:52,400 --> 00:31:54,640 Speaker 1: before you leap, and he rips it out. He goes 565 00:31:54,680 --> 00:31:57,720 Speaker 1: ding dingy hits a bell, you know, a messenger comes in. 566 00:31:57,760 --> 00:32:00,959 Speaker 1: He says, take it down. Hayes makes ding ding ding, 567 00:32:01,120 --> 00:32:04,720 Speaker 1: take it down. Absence makes the heart grow reader a 568 00:32:04,840 --> 00:32:07,720 Speaker 1: fonder fonder. Yeah, they take it down and they keep, 569 00:32:07,880 --> 00:32:11,760 Speaker 1: you know, giving it to the messenger. And then he says, 570 00:32:13,680 --> 00:32:16,120 Speaker 1: do unto others as you would have them doing to you. 571 00:32:16,560 --> 00:32:18,400 Speaker 1: And he starts to hit the bell, and the other 572 00:32:18,440 --> 00:32:21,600 Speaker 1: guy stops him and says, no, what He says, what 573 00:32:21,640 --> 00:32:23,960 Speaker 1: are you doing? Says we can't send that down? He 574 00:32:24,000 --> 00:32:26,360 Speaker 1: says why not? He says, remember the last guy we 575 00:32:26,400 --> 00:32:29,560 Speaker 1: sent that down with, Remember what happened to him. They're 576 00:32:29,600 --> 00:32:31,680 Speaker 1: not ready for it yet. And that was the end 577 00:32:31,720 --> 00:32:35,080 Speaker 1: of the sketch. And I always thought, what if there 578 00:32:35,200 --> 00:32:38,320 Speaker 1: was some kind of modern in this modern world that 579 00:32:39,080 --> 00:32:42,160 Speaker 1: message came down? What would happen? What would happen? And 580 00:32:42,200 --> 00:32:44,680 Speaker 1: so this is the basis of something I've been working 581 00:32:44,680 --> 00:32:46,800 Speaker 1: on for a while. I haven't gotten a script that 582 00:32:46,840 --> 00:32:49,240 Speaker 1: I like, But the trick is to find a way 583 00:32:49,280 --> 00:32:54,160 Speaker 1: to do it that's uh, that's real, that has humor 584 00:32:54,200 --> 00:32:59,000 Speaker 1: in it and also is emotional and has this philosophical 585 00:32:59,040 --> 00:33:00,800 Speaker 1: thing to it. So I'm gonna see if I can 586 00:33:00,840 --> 00:33:01,680 Speaker 1: pull that one off. 587 00:33:02,160 --> 00:33:04,280 Speaker 2: Well, if I'm fortunate enough to talk to you again, 588 00:33:04,360 --> 00:33:06,960 Speaker 2: I'll ask you about the famous fart choke that you 589 00:33:07,000 --> 00:33:07,720 Speaker 2: guys created. 590 00:33:07,800 --> 00:33:09,959 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, No, we were the first one. We were 591 00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:12,280 Speaker 1: the first one. Steve Martin and I wrote a sketch 592 00:33:12,400 --> 00:33:16,040 Speaker 1: for the Smothers Brothers where Pat Paulson, who was an 593 00:33:16,240 --> 00:33:19,640 Speaker 1: actor on the show, was he was the president of 594 00:33:19,680 --> 00:33:23,480 Speaker 1: the Acme Novelty Company, and he was demonstrating all these 595 00:33:23,480 --> 00:33:27,400 Speaker 1: little gadgets and gimmicks, and you know, there was you know, 596 00:33:27,440 --> 00:33:31,280 Speaker 1: the pucker gum and the dribbled glass and the thing 597 00:33:31,320 --> 00:33:34,040 Speaker 1: where your finger gets stuck in the thing. And then 598 00:33:34,080 --> 00:33:36,480 Speaker 1: at one point he sits down and you hear a 599 00:33:36,520 --> 00:33:40,800 Speaker 1: big like this, and he goes, oh gee, they slipped 600 00:33:40,840 --> 00:33:43,520 Speaker 1: a whoopee cushion in under me when I wasn't looking. 601 00:33:43,800 --> 00:33:46,320 Speaker 1: And he gets up and there was no whoopee cushion there. 602 00:33:46,720 --> 00:33:49,240 Speaker 1: So it was the you know, we're very proud of 603 00:33:49,240 --> 00:33:51,480 Speaker 1: the fact that we wrote the first fart joke that 604 00:33:51,560 --> 00:33:53,200 Speaker 1: was ever on national television. 605 00:33:53,840 --> 00:33:57,200 Speaker 2: See the movie, Get the book. I'm grateful beyond belief, 606 00:33:57,360 --> 00:33:59,560 Speaker 2: Rob Reiner to speak with you on taking a walk. 607 00:34:00,040 --> 00:34:01,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, thank you so much for having me. 608 00:34:02,960 --> 00:34:05,400 Speaker 3: Thanks for listening to this episode of the Taking a 609 00:34:05,440 --> 00:34:09,360 Speaker 3: Walk podcast. Share this and other episodes with your friends 610 00:34:09,440 --> 00:34:12,920 Speaker 3: and follow us so you never miss an episode. Taking 611 00:34:12,960 --> 00:34:16,839 Speaker 3: a Walk is available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 612 00:34:17,080 --> 00:34:19,359 Speaker 3: and wherever you get your podcasts.