1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,480 Speaker 1: Hi, everyone, I'm Kitty Kirk, and this is next question. 2 00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:09,000 Speaker 1: I am super psyched you guys, because my guest today 3 00:00:09,039 --> 00:00:12,240 Speaker 1: is the creator of the show everyone is talking about 4 00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:16,759 Speaker 1: The White Lotus. I'm obsessed. In its second season, the 5 00:00:16,840 --> 00:00:20,480 Speaker 1: series follows a group of wealthy vacationers and the people 6 00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:24,960 Speaker 1: who work at a stunning seaside resort in Sicily. Welcome 7 00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:28,880 Speaker 1: to the White Lotus. I am Valentina, the roysorts manager. 8 00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:33,320 Speaker 1: How is it both right? It was? I mean, I'm 9 00:00:33,360 --> 00:00:36,920 Speaker 1: impressed that you're even here. Why are you impressed? It's 10 00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:41,760 Speaker 1: a long trip from Los Angeles and you're quite old. No, anyway, 11 00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:44,760 Speaker 1: Isabella here, we'll take you up to the account and 12 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:47,400 Speaker 1: bring you to your your beautiful groom and after you 13 00:00:47,479 --> 00:00:55,840 Speaker 1: a glass of prof thank you. Before the luxe world 14 00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:58,720 Speaker 1: of The White Lotus, Mike White spent much of his 15 00:00:58,800 --> 00:01:04,840 Speaker 1: time on The Proof Are creating characters who were two loners, weirdos, 16 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:08,720 Speaker 1: and wanderers in movies like Chuck and Buck, The Year 17 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:11,600 Speaker 1: of the Dog with Molly Shannon, The Good Girl with 18 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:16,640 Speaker 1: Jennifer Anniston, and School of Rock with Jack Black, popular 19 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:19,720 Speaker 1: movies in their own right, but nothing like The Mean 20 00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:25,759 Speaker 1: producing headline driving conspiracy filled chatter surrounding the White lotus. 21 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:30,240 Speaker 1: It seems like it's a new, slightly uncomfortable position for 22 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:33,160 Speaker 1: Mike to be in. I see myself as an underdog 23 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:35,839 Speaker 1: and I and I'm always like that, Like I'm always 24 00:01:35,840 --> 00:01:38,120 Speaker 1: going to see myself as like somebody who has to 25 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 1: prove something. So like, even in success, I still feel 26 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:44,280 Speaker 1: like I don't know, Yeah, I'm not. I don't feel 27 00:01:44,319 --> 00:01:47,240 Speaker 1: like an impostor, but I feel like I'm I don't know, 28 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:50,320 Speaker 1: like you know, I slipped in through the side door 29 00:01:50,440 --> 00:01:54,440 Speaker 1: or something. Today we dive into all of it, the 30 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:58,200 Speaker 1: making of the show, the anatomy of those crazy characters, 31 00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:03,559 Speaker 1: Mike's childhood, and how he really feels about his newfound fame. 32 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:08,760 Speaker 1: So let me just first start by asking what does 33 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:14,200 Speaker 1: it feel like to be Mike White these days? Well? 34 00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:20,320 Speaker 1: What a question? I uh, you know. I we honestly 35 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:24,160 Speaker 1: just finished the final episode. We had a very crazy 36 00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:28,360 Speaker 1: shooting schedule that because of COVID and because of weather 37 00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:31,200 Speaker 1: and Italy and a lot of different reasons, we went 38 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:34,160 Speaker 1: over our shoot and so I thought HBO would give 39 00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:37,399 Speaker 1: us a little break and let us air later than 40 00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:40,200 Speaker 1: what we were expecting, And instead they were like we 41 00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:43,120 Speaker 1: need it when we need it, and so it cut 42 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:45,880 Speaker 1: into our post. So I was editing and finishing the 43 00:02:45,919 --> 00:02:49,280 Speaker 1: show up until like ten days ago. So I've just 44 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:52,359 Speaker 1: been like, I'm I'm living in Hawaii right now for 45 00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:55,200 Speaker 1: tax reasons. There's a good incentive for them to do 46 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:58,480 Speaker 1: the post here, which is great. But I soa I've 47 00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:01,440 Speaker 1: been kind of in a bubble. I'm just been finishing 48 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:06,079 Speaker 1: the show, uh, living on an island, and so yeah, 49 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 1: it's I don't know, I don't I don't know what 50 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:10,920 Speaker 1: it's like to but it, but it doesn't I'm not 51 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:13,520 Speaker 1: getting It's not like I'm it's not like I'm walking 52 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:16,440 Speaker 1: around l A and like getting a high five from 53 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:19,400 Speaker 1: people or anything like that. So it's it's it, but 54 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:22,080 Speaker 1: I'm but I'm excited that it's sentence that that people 55 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:24,840 Speaker 1: are watching the show and liking it, and I'm definitely 56 00:03:24,919 --> 00:03:27,680 Speaker 1: getting that. But it's but it's just pretty I'm still 57 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:30,720 Speaker 1: kind of living on an island and living in a bubble. Well. 58 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:33,359 Speaker 1: Having said that, though, Mike, let's get real. I mean 59 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:36,400 Speaker 1: you are sort of the envy of everyone in Hollywood, 60 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:39,120 Speaker 1: and this is something that you've talked about kind of 61 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:43,920 Speaker 1: willingly in an article you did in in Vulture. You 62 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:47,800 Speaker 1: talked about Hollywood, Who's up, Who's down, kind of how 63 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:51,560 Speaker 1: people are all envious of one another and that you're 64 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:55,760 Speaker 1: uber competitive. So have you been have you said all that, Mike, 65 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:58,440 Speaker 1: have you been able to take a moment and it's 66 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:06,360 Speaker 1: kind of say the bomb? Oh my god, No, no 67 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:10,360 Speaker 1: that's not me, but but yes, I I am. I'm 68 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:13,760 Speaker 1: you know, it's honestly, Katie, I feel like i'm you know, 69 00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:16,400 Speaker 1: I'm fifty two years old, and I've been doing this 70 00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:20,640 Speaker 1: since I was twenty two years old, and so and 71 00:04:20,680 --> 00:04:22,440 Speaker 1: I've had, you know, a lot of things made, and 72 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:25,120 Speaker 1: a lot of things that I thought were successful, but 73 00:04:25,240 --> 00:04:28,159 Speaker 1: not at this yeah, with this kind of reaction. And 74 00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:30,600 Speaker 1: so I just sort of feel like to use the like, 75 00:04:31,040 --> 00:04:34,080 Speaker 1: since I'm in Hawaii, like an analogy that fits here, 76 00:04:34,120 --> 00:04:35,880 Speaker 1: which is like I feel like I'm a surfer who's 77 00:04:35,880 --> 00:04:38,479 Speaker 1: been out in the ocean for a long time and 78 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:42,480 Speaker 1: like I caught a wave. I don't know why this wave, 79 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:45,919 Speaker 1: but like you know, obviously I I'm old enough and 80 00:04:45,960 --> 00:04:49,920 Speaker 1: have had a long enough career to see it as yeah, 81 00:04:49,960 --> 00:04:53,719 Speaker 1: a blessing and but also something that you can't you know, 82 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:57,760 Speaker 1: I I would never try to chase this reaction because 83 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:00,480 Speaker 1: I just it's just it's just you just never know 84 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:03,520 Speaker 1: what's gonna yeah, what people are gonna respond to. So 85 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:07,600 Speaker 1: I'm excited. I'll take your word for it that that's that. 86 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:12,080 Speaker 1: It's it's that, Yeah, I don't know. I'm obviously I'm happy. 87 00:05:12,320 --> 00:05:14,000 Speaker 1: It's like I mean, I I was like at the 88 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:16,200 Speaker 1: age where I was just like can I keep doing? 89 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:18,040 Speaker 1: You know, like it was like maybe the old Gray 90 00:05:18,080 --> 00:05:19,880 Speaker 1: Mary what she used to be, And I'm gonna like 91 00:05:20,080 --> 00:05:21,920 Speaker 1: so like it's nice to have a little like uh, 92 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:25,640 Speaker 1: it's it's it's definitely fun. I'm very excited, but I 93 00:05:26,440 --> 00:05:30,440 Speaker 1: don't know whatever. Well, let's talk about the genesis of 94 00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:34,200 Speaker 1: White lotus um. I was at a party and I 95 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:38,960 Speaker 1: heard from a couple of Hollywood types that HBO had 96 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:42,960 Speaker 1: access to a hotel that was empty in Maui during 97 00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:46,320 Speaker 1: COVID and came to you and said, hey, Mike White, 98 00:05:46,560 --> 00:05:49,640 Speaker 1: can you write a show that takes place in a hotel? 99 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:54,839 Speaker 1: Is that how it started? It? Kind of? It definitely 100 00:05:54,920 --> 00:05:58,000 Speaker 1: was like they need they had a lot of projects 101 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:00,119 Speaker 1: that had fallen apart because of COVID, and so they 102 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:02,080 Speaker 1: just they knew why I was kind of fast and 103 00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:04,240 Speaker 1: that like I was good with dialogue, and that like 104 00:06:04,320 --> 00:06:06,120 Speaker 1: maybe a show that was very that I could write 105 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:08,919 Speaker 1: a show in a bubble that was like that would 106 00:06:08,960 --> 00:06:12,280 Speaker 1: maybe be immune from some of the COVID uh issues 107 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 1: that they had come upon. And so so they asked 108 00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:16,960 Speaker 1: me to do it, like can you come up with 109 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:20,000 Speaker 1: a bubble show? But they didn't have a I was like, 110 00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:22,640 Speaker 1: it was my idea to do it in a hotel. 111 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:25,159 Speaker 1: And I I was like, and I'm you know, I 112 00:06:25,240 --> 00:06:27,560 Speaker 1: have a place in Kuaie and I'm like, and I 113 00:06:27,640 --> 00:06:29,960 Speaker 1: knew that there were all these hotels that were just 114 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:32,520 Speaker 1: yeah defunct and they were just head shut down because 115 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:34,400 Speaker 1: of COVID, And I was like, we could grab one 116 00:06:34,440 --> 00:06:36,920 Speaker 1: of those hotels in bed in Hawaii. But they didn't 117 00:06:36,960 --> 00:06:38,720 Speaker 1: even really want us to go to Hawaii because that 118 00:06:38,760 --> 00:06:43,760 Speaker 1: was already to um treacherous potential issues with COVID. They 119 00:06:43,800 --> 00:06:45,640 Speaker 1: wanted us like they probably would have been having even 120 00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:48,839 Speaker 1: found like a hotel and like Lancaster, like you know 121 00:06:48,880 --> 00:06:51,280 Speaker 1: across the street from Casey Boys's house or something, right, 122 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:54,200 Speaker 1: So like so yeah, I just um uh, so yeah, 123 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:56,040 Speaker 1: I had to push for Hawaii. But yeah, it was 124 00:06:56,120 --> 00:06:58,839 Speaker 1: kind of a mix a mix of that, and tell 125 00:06:58,880 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 1: me a little bit about how you were inspired to 126 00:07:01,760 --> 00:07:05,479 Speaker 1: write really both seasons, but let's start with the first. 127 00:07:05,520 --> 00:07:08,120 Speaker 1: I mean, when you sit down to write this, Mike, 128 00:07:09,160 --> 00:07:11,840 Speaker 1: what were you trying to accomplish? I know that's kind 129 00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:14,400 Speaker 1: of a big broad question, but I'm just curious. You've 130 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:19,080 Speaker 1: got a blank screen, a blank computer screen, and you 131 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:24,280 Speaker 1: decide I want to show class differences. I wanted to 132 00:07:24,280 --> 00:07:27,480 Speaker 1: show really interesting characters. I think one of the things, 133 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:30,480 Speaker 1: I one of many things I love about this show 134 00:07:30,560 --> 00:07:35,440 Speaker 1: is it feels very current. You know, sometimes things get 135 00:07:35,480 --> 00:07:38,400 Speaker 1: made and they come out a couple of years later 136 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:41,760 Speaker 1: or even a year later, and they don't feel oh 137 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:45,240 Speaker 1: karent or of the moment. And I think White Load 138 00:07:45,320 --> 00:07:51,120 Speaker 1: has felt so tuned into current sensibilities. So just talk 139 00:07:51,200 --> 00:07:53,520 Speaker 1: to me a little bit about your thought process when 140 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:57,560 Speaker 1: you put a finger to keyboard. Are you talking about 141 00:07:57,560 --> 00:08:00,200 Speaker 1: like the like the first season? Yeah, sure, and we'll 142 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:02,640 Speaker 1: talk about the second. Yeah. The first season it was 143 00:08:02,840 --> 00:08:06,480 Speaker 1: I I you know, I've spent a lot of time 144 00:08:06,480 --> 00:08:10,040 Speaker 1: in Hawaii, so you know, some of and a lot 145 00:08:10,040 --> 00:08:14,760 Speaker 1: of the in Hawaii, there's definitely like two classes. There's 146 00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:18,040 Speaker 1: the you know, the tourists and the moneyed people who 147 00:08:18,160 --> 00:08:21,440 Speaker 1: come and like you know, have their vacations here. And 148 00:08:21,480 --> 00:08:24,360 Speaker 1: then there's the service class of people who you know, 149 00:08:24,440 --> 00:08:26,600 Speaker 1: can be at any you know, some of them are 150 00:08:26,760 --> 00:08:30,840 Speaker 1: do very well financially, but they're all servicing these tourists, 151 00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:33,440 Speaker 1: and so you you know, if you hear long enough, 152 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:37,080 Speaker 1: you get like this. You know, the I obviously know 153 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:39,240 Speaker 1: the tourist side of it because I've been there, and 154 00:08:39,280 --> 00:08:40,800 Speaker 1: I you know, it's like and a lot of my 155 00:08:40,840 --> 00:08:42,840 Speaker 1: friends who visit, you know, so I get that part 156 00:08:42,840 --> 00:08:45,400 Speaker 1: of it, but they also you know, the service side 157 00:08:45,400 --> 00:08:47,520 Speaker 1: of it. And I just felt like, you know, there's 158 00:08:47,520 --> 00:08:50,440 Speaker 1: something about doing you know, because obviously Hotel or like 159 00:08:50,520 --> 00:08:53,440 Speaker 1: Fantasy Island, you think Love Vote, Like there's like there's 160 00:08:53,480 --> 00:08:55,959 Speaker 1: like a history of these kind of shows in this 161 00:08:56,200 --> 00:08:59,719 Speaker 1: kind of you know, trying to genre exactly, but to 162 00:08:59,840 --> 00:09:03,040 Speaker 1: do something that is a little bit more well observed, 163 00:09:03,160 --> 00:09:05,080 Speaker 1: and that kind of gets it. You know. I just 164 00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:09,320 Speaker 1: thought it was like an interesting about how money, who 165 00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:13,160 Speaker 1: has the money impacts relationships both obviously from the server 166 00:09:13,520 --> 00:09:16,120 Speaker 1: and the you know, customer, but also you know, the 167 00:09:16,280 --> 00:09:18,640 Speaker 1: husband and the wife and the father and the child 168 00:09:18,720 --> 00:09:22,160 Speaker 1: and and and so it just felt like maybe as 169 00:09:22,160 --> 00:09:24,679 Speaker 1: a theme that seemed rich, and so that was kind 170 00:09:24,679 --> 00:09:27,000 Speaker 1: of initial impulse because I was like, we're gonna be 171 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:29,640 Speaker 1: in a hotel. You know, nobody can leave. It's kind 172 00:09:29,640 --> 00:09:31,920 Speaker 1: of has to be a crucible everyone, you know, And 173 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:34,440 Speaker 1: so yeah, it kind of built out from there. And 174 00:09:34,440 --> 00:09:37,199 Speaker 1: then it was just like years of maybe years of 175 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:40,120 Speaker 1: too much being online and like Twitter speak and like 176 00:09:40,160 --> 00:09:41,720 Speaker 1: it was just like I was like, like I would 177 00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:44,320 Speaker 1: just started freestyling as far as just like trying to 178 00:09:44,360 --> 00:09:46,120 Speaker 1: get at some of the I don't know the kind 179 00:09:46,160 --> 00:09:49,760 Speaker 1: of contemporary language and stuff like that. It seems to 180 00:09:49,760 --> 00:09:55,280 Speaker 1: me you're almost like a an anthropologist kind of discovering 181 00:09:55,559 --> 00:10:00,080 Speaker 1: and exposing human behavior. And I when I watch I 182 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:03,400 Speaker 1: wonder how much of this did Mike learn from being 183 00:10:03,440 --> 00:10:07,880 Speaker 1: on reality shows how people act? Because obviously you were 184 00:10:07,880 --> 00:10:11,360 Speaker 1: in Survivor. On Survivor, I understand you're a good friend 185 00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:14,480 Speaker 1: of Jeff Probes. Do you love reality television? You were 186 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:18,520 Speaker 1: on the Amazing Race with your dad. So did some 187 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:22,840 Speaker 1: of those experience help inform your writing for White Lotus? 188 00:10:22,960 --> 00:10:25,679 Speaker 1: Am I getting too weird on these questions? No? Not 189 00:10:25,720 --> 00:10:28,080 Speaker 1: at all. I I mean I actually what I loved 190 00:10:28,120 --> 00:10:30,320 Speaker 1: when I when I you know, because I was obviously 191 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:33,679 Speaker 1: a writer before the big reality boom, which I think 192 00:10:33,720 --> 00:10:38,160 Speaker 1: started like in two thousand ish. Um. And then uh 193 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:40,800 Speaker 1: but like you know, you show like Survivor came along 194 00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:44,920 Speaker 1: and you were like, wow, it was showing people, you know, 195 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:47,920 Speaker 1: one minute they would be very irritating or very petty, 196 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:50,559 Speaker 1: and then the next minute they would be very um, 197 00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:53,440 Speaker 1: vulnerable and your heart goes out to them, and then 198 00:10:53,480 --> 00:10:55,599 Speaker 1: they could be courageous, and I don't know, it was 199 00:10:55,640 --> 00:10:58,320 Speaker 1: just like you would see these these I mean because 200 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:01,640 Speaker 1: they were people. It was like fully dimensional humans. And 201 00:11:01,720 --> 00:11:06,720 Speaker 1: even though maybe the format could be formula, uh, there 202 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:08,800 Speaker 1: was something I just as a writer, I was like, 203 00:11:08,840 --> 00:11:11,640 Speaker 1: this is this is you know, this this makes you 204 00:11:11,679 --> 00:11:13,920 Speaker 1: want to raise your game as far as like when 205 00:11:13,920 --> 00:11:17,800 Speaker 1: you are creating characters that people are watching, because it 206 00:11:17,880 --> 00:11:20,320 Speaker 1: felt like they were always surprising and you were you know, 207 00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:25,120 Speaker 1: you just you There wasn't some internal integrity obviously, but 208 00:11:25,160 --> 00:11:27,480 Speaker 1: there was also all of these colors and so it 209 00:11:27,840 --> 00:11:31,120 Speaker 1: I've always wanted to try to write characters that could match, 210 00:11:31,440 --> 00:11:34,240 Speaker 1: you know, some of the great you know, personalities that 211 00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:36,679 Speaker 1: you see in reality TV. So yeah, I do think 212 00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:38,760 Speaker 1: that's a that's a part of it. And I just 213 00:11:38,800 --> 00:11:42,199 Speaker 1: think when I was very young, starting very early, I 214 00:11:42,240 --> 00:11:46,200 Speaker 1: was I was always um, you know, I had Sam 215 00:11:46,280 --> 00:11:50,880 Speaker 1: Shepherd's mother was my second grade teacher, and she loved 216 00:11:50,880 --> 00:11:53,160 Speaker 1: her son and I loved her, and so it was 217 00:11:53,200 --> 00:11:56,040 Speaker 1: the first time that I realized, oh, people were play rights. 218 00:11:56,400 --> 00:11:59,080 Speaker 1: So very early on I was writing little plays and so, like, 219 00:11:59,080 --> 00:12:02,680 Speaker 1: I've always listened, and I've always been interested in how 220 00:12:02,760 --> 00:12:05,960 Speaker 1: people talk, because I've always thought about things in terms 221 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:09,520 Speaker 1: of dialogue, and then also how what they say about 222 00:12:09,559 --> 00:12:12,920 Speaker 1: themselves doesn't always necessarily match what they think and doesn't 223 00:12:12,920 --> 00:12:15,680 Speaker 1: always match what they are going to do, and so 224 00:12:15,920 --> 00:12:19,200 Speaker 1: that's always been interesting to me, and so I've always 225 00:12:19,240 --> 00:12:22,080 Speaker 1: been kind of an observer of of that. I guess 226 00:12:22,440 --> 00:12:25,160 Speaker 1: I think your childhood, though, in addition to being taught 227 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:28,120 Speaker 1: by Sam Shepherd's mother in second grade, which is a 228 00:12:28,160 --> 00:12:32,600 Speaker 1: cool little fact at Trivia fact Um, you grew up 229 00:12:32,600 --> 00:12:37,000 Speaker 1: in an evangelical household in Pasadena, and yet you were 230 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:42,640 Speaker 1: always skeptical about religion. What was your childhood like, Mike, Well, 231 00:12:42,640 --> 00:12:45,360 Speaker 1: my parents were very loving and I loved. I had 232 00:12:45,400 --> 00:12:50,719 Speaker 1: a very nurturing, positive, um nuclear family. My dad was 233 00:12:50,800 --> 00:12:53,680 Speaker 1: a minister, and we were part of a bigger, kind 234 00:12:53,679 --> 00:12:58,280 Speaker 1: of more evangelical religious community, and it was there that 235 00:12:58,320 --> 00:13:01,800 Speaker 1: community where it was death really felt. I always felt 236 00:13:01,840 --> 00:13:04,880 Speaker 1: a little alien. I never really drunk the kool aid, 237 00:13:04,920 --> 00:13:09,000 Speaker 1: as they say, and I I always yeah, it was 238 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:11,680 Speaker 1: there where you I think that I, you know, some 239 00:13:11,840 --> 00:13:15,800 Speaker 1: of the you know, part of drama is is yeah, 240 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:20,320 Speaker 1: getting past then, you know, the facade and trying to 241 00:13:20,360 --> 00:13:23,160 Speaker 1: see what people really do and what people really are like, 242 00:13:23,640 --> 00:13:26,760 Speaker 1: but beyond what they say they do. And I think 243 00:13:26,760 --> 00:13:28,920 Speaker 1: there's a lot of hypocrisy and a lot of those 244 00:13:29,160 --> 00:13:33,720 Speaker 1: smaller evangelical communities about you know, certainly around sex and 245 00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:37,480 Speaker 1: around how people you know, think about you know, what 246 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:41,560 Speaker 1: the motivations for behavior are and stuff, and so I 247 00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:44,120 Speaker 1: I have so it always I always felt like I 248 00:13:44,160 --> 00:13:45,560 Speaker 1: was like I always wanted to know. I was like, 249 00:13:45,600 --> 00:13:47,720 Speaker 1: what's the what's the real you know, like I've always 250 00:13:47,720 --> 00:13:51,679 Speaker 1: been like, yeah, interested in like what really how what 251 00:13:51,720 --> 00:13:55,120 Speaker 1: people do and how that that's sometimes not really in 252 00:13:55,160 --> 00:13:57,960 Speaker 1: line with how they present themselves. I think that shows 253 00:13:58,040 --> 00:13:59,920 Speaker 1: up in a lot of your work, Mike. I was 254 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:06,199 Speaker 1: rewatching Brad's status, and I think that was very effective 255 00:14:06,240 --> 00:14:10,520 Speaker 1: in terms of this inner turmoil brad a k ah 256 00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:15,840 Speaker 1: Ben Stiller is experiencing, comparing him his station in life 257 00:14:15,920 --> 00:14:20,520 Speaker 1: to all of his college friends who were doing much better. 258 00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:26,120 Speaker 1: And I think that external internal conflict is something it 259 00:14:26,200 --> 00:14:29,720 Speaker 1: seems to me that you you go back to. And 260 00:14:30,240 --> 00:14:34,080 Speaker 1: I read that when you were eleven, your dad came 261 00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:37,800 Speaker 1: out to your family. He was a minister, as you mentioned, 262 00:14:37,800 --> 00:14:40,480 Speaker 1: but also a gross writer for people like Jerry Fallwell 263 00:14:40,560 --> 00:14:43,920 Speaker 1: and Tammy Baker, and you once said finding out about 264 00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:48,720 Speaker 1: your dad's sexuality is quote the key to everything I write. 265 00:14:49,200 --> 00:14:51,880 Speaker 1: How so well just in the sense of what I 266 00:14:51,920 --> 00:14:55,320 Speaker 1: was just talking about, which is, you know, uh, it's 267 00:14:55,320 --> 00:14:59,360 Speaker 1: a big run to be pulled from under you where 268 00:14:59,520 --> 00:15:02,120 Speaker 1: you know, you've think your family is this thing, and 269 00:15:02,160 --> 00:15:04,600 Speaker 1: your dad is this thing, and he's a minister, and 270 00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:07,760 Speaker 1: then you realize there's this other, whole other side, which 271 00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:12,200 Speaker 1: isn't necessarily a dark side, it's just a truth. And 272 00:15:12,400 --> 00:15:15,720 Speaker 1: the truth is in contradiction to what he's supposed to 273 00:15:15,760 --> 00:15:19,480 Speaker 1: be in the world. And and so I think, you know, 274 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:24,880 Speaker 1: exploring that and and and and I think that that, yeah, 275 00:15:24,920 --> 00:15:27,680 Speaker 1: that just just to me, it just you know, obviously 276 00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:31,960 Speaker 1: it hit home in a literal way, just that you know, 277 00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:35,840 Speaker 1: we are more complicated than we present ourselves, and that 278 00:15:35,920 --> 00:15:38,480 Speaker 1: we put are certain face to our community, and that 279 00:15:38,480 --> 00:15:42,600 Speaker 1: that maybe in drama and showing some of that. Obviously 280 00:15:42,600 --> 00:15:44,880 Speaker 1: there's a titillation part of it, but then there's like 281 00:15:45,320 --> 00:15:48,600 Speaker 1: maybe some kind of solace to know that, like everybody 282 00:15:48,640 --> 00:15:51,600 Speaker 1: is grappling with this, like that the person that we 283 00:15:51,640 --> 00:15:53,760 Speaker 1: want to be and the person that the world wants 284 00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:56,640 Speaker 1: us to be, we're not always that and that's okay 285 00:15:56,680 --> 00:15:59,880 Speaker 1: and that's human and and that kind of thing. You 286 00:16:00,040 --> 00:16:03,880 Speaker 1: went to Wesleyan, I know, and you said you finally 287 00:16:03,920 --> 00:16:08,480 Speaker 1: found your people there. So how did Wesleyan affect you, 288 00:16:08,760 --> 00:16:12,680 Speaker 1: not only as a person but as a writer. Well, 289 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:16,280 Speaker 1: I I was in a kind of more homogeneous community 290 00:16:17,160 --> 00:16:21,480 Speaker 1: growing up in high school, you know, and grade school, 291 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:24,840 Speaker 1: and so going to Wesleyan, you know, it was a 292 00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:29,400 Speaker 1: very open minded liberal community in general, and also just 293 00:16:29,800 --> 00:16:32,960 Speaker 1: these kids were so sophisticated. It was like I was 294 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:34,920 Speaker 1: just like I just felt like I was like like 295 00:16:35,000 --> 00:16:36,600 Speaker 1: behind the curve, you know. I was kind of a 296 00:16:36,640 --> 00:16:38,360 Speaker 1: self taught. I mean, I was just I mean I 297 00:16:38,400 --> 00:16:40,120 Speaker 1: went to a good school, but it was like as 298 00:16:40,120 --> 00:16:42,160 Speaker 1: far as culture and stuff, I was just I was, 299 00:16:42,280 --> 00:16:45,920 Speaker 1: you know, I like, I had my own like subscription 300 00:16:45,960 --> 00:16:48,480 Speaker 1: to the New Yorker for I was, I was just 301 00:16:48,520 --> 00:16:50,760 Speaker 1: trying to find my way through the culture. And so, 302 00:16:50,880 --> 00:16:52,360 Speaker 1: like I would, I went to Wesley and all these 303 00:16:52,360 --> 00:16:53,720 Speaker 1: you know, a lot of I mean, it was a 304 00:16:53,720 --> 00:16:56,080 Speaker 1: lot of New York Jewish kids who are like very 305 00:16:56,200 --> 00:16:59,440 Speaker 1: like fully baked and fully like you know, you know, 306 00:16:59,600 --> 00:17:03,560 Speaker 1: like new fancy people. And I was just like I 307 00:17:03,640 --> 00:17:05,720 Speaker 1: kind of was just I felt like a rube. But 308 00:17:05,840 --> 00:17:09,920 Speaker 1: I got but I was so enamored by the yeah, 309 00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:13,080 Speaker 1: the whole vibe there and and still to this day, 310 00:17:13,119 --> 00:17:16,360 Speaker 1: a lot of those kids I met there are are 311 00:17:16,480 --> 00:17:20,440 Speaker 1: my my friend group. And when you when you graduated 312 00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:23,520 Speaker 1: from Wesleyan, were you really interested in play writing or 313 00:17:23,720 --> 00:17:28,360 Speaker 1: just writing in general? Well, I wanted to be a playwright. 314 00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:31,760 Speaker 1: I wanted to be Sam Shepherd. I went from California 315 00:17:31,840 --> 00:17:34,119 Speaker 1: to Yeah, to Wesley and and I was like I 316 00:17:34,160 --> 00:17:37,000 Speaker 1: didn't have socks and I didn't realize how cold it 317 00:17:37,080 --> 00:17:39,800 Speaker 1: was back East. I was like, this is too cold 318 00:17:39,840 --> 00:17:41,720 Speaker 1: for me. Like I so I was like, I was like, 319 00:17:42,200 --> 00:17:44,440 Speaker 1: my plan was to go to New York was starting playwright. 320 00:17:44,480 --> 00:17:46,320 Speaker 1: But I was like, I don't know if I could 321 00:17:46,359 --> 00:17:49,040 Speaker 1: handle this weather, I was like, so, I like kind 322 00:17:49,040 --> 00:17:50,880 Speaker 1: of I fell into the wrong crowd and came back 323 00:17:50,880 --> 00:17:55,399 Speaker 1: to l A I was started writing for for movies 324 00:17:55,440 --> 00:18:00,399 Speaker 1: and TV. After the break, Let's go to Sicily Bowie. 325 00:18:10,480 --> 00:18:12,879 Speaker 1: When you look back at your quote unquote body of 326 00:18:12,880 --> 00:18:17,879 Speaker 1: work like White, do you notice any kind of thread 327 00:18:18,160 --> 00:18:20,840 Speaker 1: that connects a lot of these stories when you think 328 00:18:20,840 --> 00:18:27,800 Speaker 1: about it, Um, I don't know, me I have a thread, 329 00:18:27,840 --> 00:18:30,840 Speaker 1: I don't know, and they're I mean, it's an idiosyncratic 330 00:18:31,440 --> 00:18:34,600 Speaker 1: body of work and I and I'm proud. I like 331 00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:37,560 Speaker 1: I one thing that I always was like, I'm not 332 00:18:37,600 --> 00:18:40,760 Speaker 1: going to take myself so seriously that I miss out 333 00:18:40,800 --> 00:18:44,399 Speaker 1: on anything like and That's how That's why I did Survivor. 334 00:18:44,600 --> 00:18:47,639 Speaker 1: That's why I did amazing Race. It's why I've taken 335 00:18:47,760 --> 00:18:49,800 Speaker 1: jobs that I don't know. It's like, you know, like 336 00:18:49,920 --> 00:18:54,160 Speaker 1: I always thought that I I mean, if now now 337 00:18:54,200 --> 00:18:56,680 Speaker 1: I do sound like whatever, I just you know, it's 338 00:18:56,680 --> 00:18:59,480 Speaker 1: like I always thought I was talented. I always felt 339 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:01,480 Speaker 1: like I had some in the offer. I always felt 340 00:19:01,520 --> 00:19:03,760 Speaker 1: like I was, you know, like I like you said 341 00:19:03,760 --> 00:19:06,159 Speaker 1: I was. You know, I've said I'm competitive, like I 342 00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:09,240 Speaker 1: would see peers who like, you know, caught the wave 343 00:19:09,840 --> 00:19:12,560 Speaker 1: and got a lot of like attention and success, and 344 00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:14,800 Speaker 1: I was like, I could do that. I'm better, I'm 345 00:19:14,840 --> 00:19:17,320 Speaker 1: I'm as good or better than those people. And and 346 00:19:17,320 --> 00:19:19,600 Speaker 1: you know, of course that's the that's the that's the 347 00:19:19,720 --> 00:19:23,840 Speaker 1: gumption that you need to get through Hollywood by like 348 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:26,760 Speaker 1: and so um so. But at the same time, I 349 00:19:26,800 --> 00:19:29,439 Speaker 1: was just like, I'm not gonna be I met people 350 00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:33,879 Speaker 1: early on who had careers that I admired, and a 351 00:19:33,880 --> 00:19:36,199 Speaker 1: lot of them seem miserable or they seem like they 352 00:19:36,280 --> 00:19:40,439 Speaker 1: were really um in a um you know, protective of 353 00:19:40,520 --> 00:19:43,720 Speaker 1: their you know, like they I don't know, they that 354 00:19:43,800 --> 00:19:46,600 Speaker 1: in order to be serious taken seriously, they had to 355 00:19:46,800 --> 00:19:50,840 Speaker 1: kind of have a serious vibe. And it's like we're 356 00:19:50,880 --> 00:19:53,359 Speaker 1: in the we're in the we're in the you know. 357 00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:56,479 Speaker 1: I I think our work is meaningful, but like we 358 00:19:56,520 --> 00:19:58,440 Speaker 1: are in the in the sort of we're in the 359 00:19:58,520 --> 00:20:00,720 Speaker 1: kids section in a sense, know what I mean. We're 360 00:20:00,760 --> 00:20:03,840 Speaker 1: not we're not you know, we're not hearing cancer. Yeah, 361 00:20:03,880 --> 00:20:06,880 Speaker 1: we're not hearing cancer or not in the policy we're 362 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:09,359 Speaker 1: not policy wants. We're not It's like we are you know, 363 00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:12,119 Speaker 1: we're in the we're in the entertainment section, you know 364 00:20:12,119 --> 00:20:14,159 Speaker 1: what I mean. So it's like and so I just 365 00:20:14,320 --> 00:20:16,680 Speaker 1: was like, I just don't I want to. I want 366 00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:19,840 Speaker 1: to be successful and I want people to think I'm talented, 367 00:20:20,040 --> 00:20:22,880 Speaker 1: but I also I want to I want to live 368 00:20:22,920 --> 00:20:25,520 Speaker 1: a life that I look back on and the life 369 00:20:25,560 --> 00:20:28,359 Speaker 1: itself was cool and then and the things I did 370 00:20:28,720 --> 00:20:31,359 Speaker 1: were cool, and it's not just my work. So so 371 00:20:31,520 --> 00:20:33,439 Speaker 1: like I look at those all those different things and 372 00:20:33,440 --> 00:20:36,280 Speaker 1: that it's like it's it's an eclectic it's like it's 373 00:20:36,359 --> 00:20:40,360 Speaker 1: kind of a hot mess, like a bunch of credits, 374 00:20:40,400 --> 00:20:42,359 Speaker 1: but I each one of them. I like I got 375 00:20:43,080 --> 00:20:45,800 Speaker 1: different things out of and and and yeah, I had 376 00:20:46,119 --> 00:20:49,560 Speaker 1: served different purposes for me. But right now you are 377 00:20:49,600 --> 00:20:53,720 Speaker 1: in a very different position, like because I'm sure everyone 378 00:20:53,760 --> 00:20:56,240 Speaker 1: in Hollywood is saying that Mike White he can write 379 00:20:56,280 --> 00:20:58,520 Speaker 1: his own ticket. Now he can kind of do whatever 380 00:20:58,560 --> 00:21:04,240 Speaker 1: he wants, which I think makes you a little uncomfortable. Well, 381 00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:07,920 Speaker 1: I don't know. I feel like this is like it's 382 00:21:07,920 --> 00:21:10,520 Speaker 1: like I'm waking up in Hawaiians like Haiti Kurt is 383 00:21:10,560 --> 00:21:14,600 Speaker 1: here to tell you everything has changed. Everything is I 384 00:21:15,160 --> 00:21:20,159 Speaker 1: feel like your therapist, Like no, well, I I appreciate 385 00:21:20,200 --> 00:21:23,080 Speaker 1: you saying that, and I and I, you know, I 386 00:21:23,119 --> 00:21:26,280 Speaker 1: actually feel like I if that's true. I feel like 387 00:21:26,280 --> 00:21:30,320 Speaker 1: I feel like I'm like somebody who's been ready to 388 00:21:30,600 --> 00:21:33,760 Speaker 1: be at bat for a long time. And I've done it, 389 00:21:34,080 --> 00:21:36,280 Speaker 1: you know, like you know, and I've I've done things. 390 00:21:36,359 --> 00:21:38,600 Speaker 1: I'm proud of it. But like I've it's always been 391 00:21:38,640 --> 00:21:42,080 Speaker 1: swimming upstream to get the financing, to get the actor, 392 00:21:42,119 --> 00:21:43,800 Speaker 1: to get the thing to the you know, like it's 393 00:21:43,880 --> 00:21:46,119 Speaker 1: it's and that's part of the fun, I guess, but 394 00:21:46,160 --> 00:21:49,000 Speaker 1: it's also part it's there's wear and tear. So it's like, 395 00:21:49,040 --> 00:21:51,800 Speaker 1: if it's an easier road to do the things I 396 00:21:51,800 --> 00:21:55,359 Speaker 1: want to do, I'm ready to do more and I 397 00:21:55,400 --> 00:21:57,639 Speaker 1: have more to say, and I, you know, like and 398 00:21:57,680 --> 00:22:01,080 Speaker 1: it's and and this was hard. It took a lot 399 00:22:01,080 --> 00:22:03,520 Speaker 1: out of me, especially this last season. But this is 400 00:22:03,520 --> 00:22:07,000 Speaker 1: what I've always wanted to do and and and and 401 00:22:07,080 --> 00:22:09,760 Speaker 1: so I'm grateful that I have the opportunity to do it. 402 00:22:10,119 --> 00:22:13,120 Speaker 1: Are you having fun, Mike? I am having fun. I'm 403 00:22:13,119 --> 00:22:16,000 Speaker 1: having fun talking to you. I'm hearing why I'm you know, 404 00:22:16,119 --> 00:22:20,040 Speaker 1: I've gotten through the season and everyone's you know, chatting up, 405 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:23,920 Speaker 1: so that's fun. But I also I need to reboot 406 00:22:23,960 --> 00:22:26,040 Speaker 1: a little bit. I don't have a lot of gas 407 00:22:26,080 --> 00:22:28,400 Speaker 1: in the tank, so I need to figure out how 408 00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:35,040 Speaker 1: to whatever unplug and refresh or something. Let's talk about 409 00:22:35,080 --> 00:22:38,960 Speaker 1: this current season of White Lotus, because I'm worried, Mike, 410 00:22:39,040 --> 00:22:42,480 Speaker 1: I'm worried about the characters. I'm White. I'm really worried. 411 00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:47,840 Speaker 1: I'm I'm really worried. I'm worried about Porscha. I'm really 412 00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:53,920 Speaker 1: worried about Tanya. I'm worried about is it Albie? I mean, 413 00:22:54,280 --> 00:23:00,360 Speaker 1: I'm worried about everyone. What are you doing to us? Mike? Well, 414 00:23:00,400 --> 00:23:02,720 Speaker 1: the fun thing about Yeah, what I'd like about this 415 00:23:02,800 --> 00:23:04,959 Speaker 1: format is that, like I like, I kind of like 416 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:09,040 Speaker 1: a slow simmer, you know, so it's it's fun. Well, 417 00:23:09,520 --> 00:23:13,000 Speaker 1: you know, I think the pleasure of this one, and 418 00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:17,240 Speaker 1: certainly this season and last season two, I think is like, 419 00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:20,880 Speaker 1: you know, you hope you create very credible characters, and 420 00:23:20,920 --> 00:23:23,800 Speaker 1: you create a situation that like you're like it passes 421 00:23:23,880 --> 00:23:28,040 Speaker 1: the bullish ship detector to some degree and that and 422 00:23:28,080 --> 00:23:31,800 Speaker 1: then and then just start to like cook up the gap, 423 00:23:31,880 --> 00:23:35,280 Speaker 1: you know, like turn up the heat just so it's like, 424 00:23:35,400 --> 00:23:36,920 Speaker 1: you know, it's like almost like when you're on the 425 00:23:37,359 --> 00:23:39,520 Speaker 1: yeah roller coaster and you're like chi chi ch and 426 00:23:39,520 --> 00:23:41,200 Speaker 1: you're like going up and you're like this is gonna 427 00:23:41,280 --> 00:23:44,600 Speaker 1: go really far down, like we are really going chick. 428 00:23:44,960 --> 00:23:48,840 Speaker 1: So yeah, And I think the finale hopefully will satisfy 429 00:23:49,880 --> 00:23:52,960 Speaker 1: the Catharsis And I mean, yeah, there's gonna be a 430 00:23:53,040 --> 00:23:56,639 Speaker 1: lot of there's gonna be a lot of gnashing of 431 00:23:57,000 --> 00:24:00,879 Speaker 1: teeth and it's yes, but but yeah, you should be worried. 432 00:24:02,560 --> 00:24:05,159 Speaker 1: I keep thinking about that story of the woman that 433 00:24:05,400 --> 00:24:09,800 Speaker 1: fell that they threw off the mountain. I also keep 434 00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:15,760 Speaker 1: worrying about the the wife of the the cheesy finance 435 00:24:15,800 --> 00:24:20,479 Speaker 1: guy saying, Oh, you're gonna die here. They're gonna have 436 00:24:20,560 --> 00:24:24,439 Speaker 1: to drag you out of this place. I keep thinking, oh, 437 00:24:24,480 --> 00:24:28,200 Speaker 1: what does that mean? I have my right to pick 438 00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:30,959 Speaker 1: up on some of these things. I mean, well, some 439 00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:34,520 Speaker 1: of them are intentional to build the for the finale, 440 00:24:34,600 --> 00:24:38,160 Speaker 1: and some are a little bit mrrects so that people think, yeah, 441 00:24:38,520 --> 00:24:40,280 Speaker 1: you want to You want people to like feel like 442 00:24:40,320 --> 00:24:43,040 Speaker 1: they're you know, Miss Marple and they've got the clues, 443 00:24:43,119 --> 00:24:47,359 Speaker 1: but you need extra clues. You know, it's not so 444 00:24:47,400 --> 00:24:50,359 Speaker 1: obvious what happens. But I think people I think even 445 00:24:50,400 --> 00:24:54,720 Speaker 1: if you guess you're gonna be surprised, but just how 446 00:24:54,760 --> 00:24:58,720 Speaker 1: it all falls apart um. I love the way you 447 00:24:58,880 --> 00:25:02,800 Speaker 1: use art interchangeably. First of all, obviously you're obsessed with 448 00:25:02,880 --> 00:25:05,320 Speaker 1: kind of those water shots, which I really liked to 449 00:25:05,840 --> 00:25:09,439 Speaker 1: but I love the I love the painting, the artifacts, 450 00:25:09,480 --> 00:25:14,879 Speaker 1: the architecture, the shots of the porcelain head, of that 451 00:25:15,040 --> 00:25:18,639 Speaker 1: same porcelain head guy that you keep going back to 452 00:25:18,880 --> 00:25:22,320 Speaker 1: again and again. Tell me your thought process about using 453 00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:25,800 Speaker 1: that as a way to propel the story forward or 454 00:25:25,920 --> 00:25:29,120 Speaker 1: to foreshadow things, or to echo what might be going 455 00:25:29,200 --> 00:25:34,119 Speaker 1: on at the time. Can you tell like that very intimly. Yeah, 456 00:25:34,160 --> 00:25:36,520 Speaker 1: that's awesome. Yeah, well the tested him where I was 457 00:25:36,560 --> 00:25:38,800 Speaker 1: when I got there, I was like, because they're everywhere 458 00:25:38,800 --> 00:25:42,840 Speaker 1: in sicily those heads and the story behind it has 459 00:25:42,880 --> 00:25:45,560 Speaker 1: to and the reason for the whole season was because 460 00:25:45,640 --> 00:25:48,159 Speaker 1: these heads. I was like, because I would go around like, 461 00:25:48,160 --> 00:25:51,159 Speaker 1: these heads are everywhere, and it was about adultery and 462 00:25:51,320 --> 00:25:54,600 Speaker 1: violence and sexual jealousy, and I was like that just 463 00:25:54,880 --> 00:25:56,760 Speaker 1: I had a different idea for the second season. I 464 00:25:56,760 --> 00:25:59,320 Speaker 1: was like, no, we've got to do an operatic like 465 00:25:59,440 --> 00:26:03,679 Speaker 1: itally in sexual jealousy storyline, I mean, and it's like 466 00:26:03,720 --> 00:26:06,919 Speaker 1: that's that's what people want to see anyway. But also 467 00:26:07,320 --> 00:26:09,800 Speaker 1: this is the part of my job that people should 468 00:26:09,800 --> 00:26:12,239 Speaker 1: be jealous of, which is I go to Sicily. I'm 469 00:26:12,280 --> 00:26:15,320 Speaker 1: telling them I'm doing white Lotus. All of the rich 470 00:26:16,080 --> 00:26:20,120 Speaker 1: like Sicilians who have these pilazzos are willing to let 471 00:26:20,160 --> 00:26:23,359 Speaker 1: me come in and like snoop around their house. I 472 00:26:23,359 --> 00:26:25,399 Speaker 1: got to see all these and so like two of 473 00:26:25,440 --> 00:26:27,800 Speaker 1: them ended up in the show. But like you walk 474 00:26:27,840 --> 00:26:30,080 Speaker 1: around and you have no idea that behind this, like 475 00:26:30,880 --> 00:26:35,280 Speaker 1: you know, edifice is like this incredible polazzo that they're 476 00:26:35,280 --> 00:26:37,280 Speaker 1: all there. A lot of them are hidden, It's like 477 00:26:37,720 --> 00:26:40,000 Speaker 1: and then to be able to like get access to 478 00:26:40,040 --> 00:26:41,679 Speaker 1: those and see them, and I was like, well we 479 00:26:41,720 --> 00:26:43,959 Speaker 1: gotta Like so when we would get into these places, 480 00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:45,760 Speaker 1: I was like, we gotta shoot. We gotta just like 481 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:48,680 Speaker 1: fire hose this down, Like we gotta get every piece 482 00:26:48,680 --> 00:26:51,240 Speaker 1: of art on the walls, like we gotta do push 483 00:26:51,280 --> 00:26:54,040 Speaker 1: ins on all of the you know. So for someone 484 00:26:54,080 --> 00:26:57,240 Speaker 1: who like you know, likes interior, you know whatever, like 485 00:26:57,400 --> 00:27:01,720 Speaker 1: these kind of like classic Max the List, eclectic, like 486 00:27:01,840 --> 00:27:04,399 Speaker 1: you know, like rich, you know, Palazza is like I 487 00:27:04,440 --> 00:27:06,000 Speaker 1: was just like I was in heaven. So I just 488 00:27:06,200 --> 00:27:07,719 Speaker 1: felt like I had to make the most of it. 489 00:27:08,119 --> 00:27:10,600 Speaker 1: And I mean it must have been an extraordinary place 490 00:27:10,720 --> 00:27:13,520 Speaker 1: to film. And is that a real hotel? Was that 491 00:27:13,880 --> 00:27:17,840 Speaker 1: hotel vacant as well? Or tell me about the location. 492 00:27:18,040 --> 00:27:20,439 Speaker 1: I want to go to that hotel? Yeah you should. 493 00:27:20,560 --> 00:27:23,840 Speaker 1: It's it's the Sandamnico Palace, which is like a very 494 00:27:23,880 --> 00:27:27,440 Speaker 1: historical um. It was originally a convent and thenn turned 495 00:27:27,440 --> 00:27:29,240 Speaker 1: into a hotel, but it's been a hotel for quite 496 00:27:29,240 --> 00:27:31,560 Speaker 1: a lot a long time, and Lave and Turo was 497 00:27:31,640 --> 00:27:35,919 Speaker 1: shot there. It's like it's it's a it's amazing because obviously, 498 00:27:36,320 --> 00:27:37,800 Speaker 1: you know, I got we we looked at a lot 499 00:27:37,840 --> 00:27:40,000 Speaker 1: of different hotels and it's just like, first the convent 500 00:27:40,119 --> 00:27:42,679 Speaker 1: part of it just gives it this added kind of 501 00:27:42,840 --> 00:27:46,240 Speaker 1: you know vibe, and then you know, you see these 502 00:27:46,359 --> 00:27:50,280 Speaker 1: terraced hills with all these different you know villas, you 503 00:27:50,320 --> 00:27:53,400 Speaker 1: know that are so classic and European, and and then 504 00:27:53,480 --> 00:27:56,280 Speaker 1: you have the Greek theater on one side, and then 505 00:27:56,320 --> 00:27:58,880 Speaker 1: the Ionian Sea in front, and then the mount now 506 00:27:58,880 --> 00:28:02,080 Speaker 1: which is literally you know, belching smoke half the time. 507 00:28:02,160 --> 00:28:04,440 Speaker 1: And he was like, this is if we're going to 508 00:28:04,480 --> 00:28:06,359 Speaker 1: go to Europe, this is what you go for you 509 00:28:06,400 --> 00:28:09,080 Speaker 1: go for these views. So it's definitely I I highly 510 00:28:09,119 --> 00:28:14,200 Speaker 1: recommend Tarmina and Sicily itself. It's it's like you really 511 00:28:14,280 --> 00:28:17,159 Speaker 1: can't spend enough time there. It's like as each you know, 512 00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:19,080 Speaker 1: it was just after a few days it was like 513 00:28:19,880 --> 00:28:21,679 Speaker 1: I was like, Okay, we've done the sightseeing, but like 514 00:28:21,720 --> 00:28:24,040 Speaker 1: it's just like then there's just this like vibe over 515 00:28:24,080 --> 00:28:28,320 Speaker 1: time that just really seduces you. Did you find Luccia 516 00:28:28,440 --> 00:28:34,760 Speaker 1: and Mia in Sicily? No, we we found them in Rome. Uh. 517 00:28:34,880 --> 00:28:38,920 Speaker 1: Simona who plays Lucia is actually from Naples and um 518 00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:41,400 Speaker 1: MIA's from Rome. But we had a great set of 519 00:28:42,040 --> 00:28:46,800 Speaker 1: casting directors from Italy who brought us a lot of options. 520 00:28:46,840 --> 00:28:51,000 Speaker 1: And those those two and Sabrina and Patria Tory who 521 00:28:51,040 --> 00:28:53,680 Speaker 1: plays the manager, they're all they were all incredible and 522 00:28:53,800 --> 00:28:56,640 Speaker 1: so fun to work with. Yeah, they were fun to watch, 523 00:28:56,760 --> 00:28:59,360 Speaker 1: I'll tell you that. And I know that you have 524 00:28:59,480 --> 00:29:03,120 Speaker 1: said that the show satirizes wealthy, white privilege, and you've 525 00:29:03,120 --> 00:29:05,840 Speaker 1: said that your intention was to quote unquote poke the Bear, 526 00:29:06,240 --> 00:29:10,320 Speaker 1: but through a humanist perspective. So help us out with that, Mike, 527 00:29:10,360 --> 00:29:14,560 Speaker 1: what did you mean, um, well, poke the Bear? I 528 00:29:14,600 --> 00:29:18,880 Speaker 1: don't you know obviously you're I'm satirizing privilege, but you know, 529 00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:22,200 Speaker 1: especially with the first season, I also was poking the 530 00:29:22,280 --> 00:29:24,480 Speaker 1: bear as far as some of the I don't know, 531 00:29:24,640 --> 00:29:28,440 Speaker 1: like I wanted to give voice to both you know, 532 00:29:29,320 --> 00:29:34,040 Speaker 1: the critiques of of the patriarchy and all of these 533 00:29:34,080 --> 00:29:37,000 Speaker 1: things that you know, we we are discussing, you know, 534 00:29:37,080 --> 00:29:40,320 Speaker 1: and have been discussing with fervor the last couple of years, 535 00:29:40,360 --> 00:29:43,840 Speaker 1: but also give voice to the people that are you know, 536 00:29:43,880 --> 00:29:46,360 Speaker 1: it's like, you know, I haven't hearing you know, like 537 00:29:46,360 --> 00:29:48,680 Speaker 1: like some of the conversations that I'm hearing that people 538 00:29:48,680 --> 00:29:52,120 Speaker 1: don't want to say in public but like behind closed doors, 539 00:29:52,640 --> 00:29:56,000 Speaker 1: and try to you know, like not you know, make 540 00:29:56,040 --> 00:29:59,080 Speaker 1: it so it you're kind of walking the line where okay, 541 00:29:59,120 --> 00:30:01,840 Speaker 1: well that's sort of is a fair point, and then like, 542 00:30:01,880 --> 00:30:04,400 Speaker 1: oh yeah, but you're saying that because this is you know, 543 00:30:04,480 --> 00:30:06,840 Speaker 1: you're you're defending, you know, you're on your heels, So 544 00:30:07,000 --> 00:30:10,000 Speaker 1: like trying to make it so it's not so such 545 00:30:10,040 --> 00:30:15,960 Speaker 1: a simple, predigested conversation and and and have those conversations 546 00:30:16,040 --> 00:30:22,200 Speaker 1: be um lively and like you know, multi layered, multi 547 00:30:22,240 --> 00:30:25,800 Speaker 1: layered enough that like people feel like, oh they're they're 548 00:30:25,800 --> 00:30:28,800 Speaker 1: being seen and then and it's still challenged and so 549 00:30:29,120 --> 00:30:31,800 Speaker 1: and that was that was what I was trying to do. 550 00:30:31,880 --> 00:30:35,280 Speaker 1: And you know, like and and the fact that like 551 00:30:35,800 --> 00:30:38,480 Speaker 1: people on both sides of some of these arguments, like 552 00:30:38,600 --> 00:30:41,920 Speaker 1: champion the show or also like hated the show, made 553 00:30:41,920 --> 00:30:44,280 Speaker 1: me feel like I did my job. Yeah, so you're 554 00:30:44,360 --> 00:30:48,440 Speaker 1: you're really showing some of those tricky conversations that people 555 00:30:48,520 --> 00:30:51,520 Speaker 1: do have behind closed doors. And I think that that's 556 00:30:51,560 --> 00:30:55,040 Speaker 1: what contributes, Mike to the realness of the show and 557 00:30:55,080 --> 00:30:59,920 Speaker 1: the dialogue that you know, you feel like this is 558 00:31:00,040 --> 00:31:02,600 Speaker 1: what people really are talking about, and that you're not 559 00:31:02,720 --> 00:31:09,160 Speaker 1: following some kind of prescriptive dialogue to be on the 560 00:31:09,280 --> 00:31:13,480 Speaker 1: right side of any issue. Yeah, because I don't even 561 00:31:13,560 --> 00:31:16,440 Speaker 1: I don't even It's like, ultimately, it's like, I don't 562 00:31:16,440 --> 00:31:19,400 Speaker 1: think it's the dramatist job too. It's I don't think 563 00:31:19,400 --> 00:31:23,520 Speaker 1: it's it's a message conveying machine. If I was trying 564 00:31:23,520 --> 00:31:26,360 Speaker 1: to make a message, then I would be communicating in 565 00:31:26,360 --> 00:31:29,840 Speaker 1: a different medium or a different kind of Uh. It's 566 00:31:29,840 --> 00:31:32,520 Speaker 1: really about giving voice of the different people who exist 567 00:31:32,600 --> 00:31:34,520 Speaker 1: in our world and try, you know, and do my 568 00:31:34,560 --> 00:31:37,520 Speaker 1: best to to make it feel like it's a you know, 569 00:31:37,840 --> 00:31:42,640 Speaker 1: a dimensional conversation after the break, why Mike spends so 570 00:31:42,760 --> 00:31:59,520 Speaker 1: much time in the gray areas of human behavior. I 571 00:31:59,600 --> 00:32:02,640 Speaker 1: know that lot of people have taken note that your characters, 572 00:32:02,840 --> 00:32:07,760 Speaker 1: so many of them are just unlikable or complicated, or 573 00:32:08,280 --> 00:32:10,600 Speaker 1: there are certain things you like in certain things you 574 00:32:10,760 --> 00:32:13,760 Speaker 1: really don't like, so you feel conflicted. And I feel 575 00:32:13,880 --> 00:32:17,480 Speaker 1: very conflicted about Tanya. I really disliked her at the 576 00:32:17,680 --> 00:32:22,000 Speaker 1: end of last season, and now I don't dislike her. 577 00:32:22,040 --> 00:32:26,160 Speaker 1: I feel sorry for her because she's quite competitive pathetic, 578 00:32:26,200 --> 00:32:31,400 Speaker 1: but she's also sort of lovable too. Yeah, well, I 579 00:32:31,720 --> 00:32:36,880 Speaker 1: I mean yeah, I mean well, Jennifer Coolidge is lovable period, 580 00:32:37,160 --> 00:32:41,880 Speaker 1: and and so she brings the loveability for sure. But yeah, 581 00:32:41,880 --> 00:32:44,920 Speaker 1: I do think it's like I, especially the first season, 582 00:32:45,720 --> 00:32:49,239 Speaker 1: you know, I wanted there to be two tracks, which is, 583 00:32:49,440 --> 00:32:52,080 Speaker 1: you know, her as the underdog who's looking for love 584 00:32:52,200 --> 00:32:55,120 Speaker 1: and dealing with the fact that her mom died and 585 00:32:55,240 --> 00:32:57,560 Speaker 1: you know the pain of that, and so on one 586 00:32:57,600 --> 00:32:59,920 Speaker 1: side you're rooting for her, and then there's this other 587 00:33:00,040 --> 00:33:03,840 Speaker 1: story where she's kind of dangling this carrot over this 588 00:33:04,080 --> 00:33:09,720 Speaker 1: other woman's you know, and future and making her feel 589 00:33:09,760 --> 00:33:12,040 Speaker 1: like there's hope for something and then she's kind of 590 00:33:12,040 --> 00:33:14,920 Speaker 1: a flake. And that just seems very true to life 591 00:33:14,960 --> 00:33:17,720 Speaker 1: to for me to some of these women that I've 592 00:33:17,760 --> 00:33:20,400 Speaker 1: met and or you know man or too about just 593 00:33:20,440 --> 00:33:23,120 Speaker 1: like where you know, they see themselves as a victim 594 00:33:23,160 --> 00:33:26,560 Speaker 1: in some sense and and the savior or savior or 595 00:33:26,640 --> 00:33:29,240 Speaker 1: savior yeah, and and they don't see how that they 596 00:33:29,280 --> 00:33:33,160 Speaker 1: can also be victimizing and that they that they yeah, 597 00:33:33,200 --> 00:33:36,400 Speaker 1: that they they have agency and that they are yeah, 598 00:33:36,440 --> 00:33:39,520 Speaker 1: that that they are somehow blowing it. Let let me 599 00:33:39,560 --> 00:33:42,080 Speaker 1: ask you about some of the other characters in kind 600 00:33:42,120 --> 00:33:47,440 Speaker 1: of a rapid fire way. We talked about Mia and Lucia, 601 00:33:48,120 --> 00:33:52,360 Speaker 1: and we talked about Valentina. Um. Let's talk about Porsche 602 00:33:52,600 --> 00:33:56,000 Speaker 1: and I love this discussion online about Porsche's clothes. Have 603 00:33:56,160 --> 00:34:00,440 Speaker 1: you seen this, Mike, that she dresses like good gen 604 00:34:00,560 --> 00:34:04,480 Speaker 1: Z Threat Store, Like nothing really goes together, like it 605 00:34:04,560 --> 00:34:07,120 Speaker 1: doesn't look good or not. I mean, what do you 606 00:34:07,160 --> 00:34:10,600 Speaker 1: think of all that? It's so funny. Well, a lot 607 00:34:10,600 --> 00:34:13,920 Speaker 1: of the credit goes to um, I mean that was 608 00:34:13,960 --> 00:34:17,879 Speaker 1: her character on the page, But Hailey Lou Richardson, who's 609 00:34:17,920 --> 00:34:21,000 Speaker 1: the actress, and then Alex Bavert, who is our costum designer, 610 00:34:21,440 --> 00:34:24,960 Speaker 1: you know, are the true geniuses behind her looks. And 611 00:34:25,120 --> 00:34:30,320 Speaker 1: you know, I'm I'm a little bit like women's fashion 612 00:34:30,440 --> 00:34:33,560 Speaker 1: is not my um go too, but I but I 613 00:34:33,600 --> 00:34:36,799 Speaker 1: but I did weigh in. I did weigh in. I approved, 614 00:34:37,360 --> 00:34:41,080 Speaker 1: I supervised, but I uh but um yeah, I just 615 00:34:41,120 --> 00:34:44,080 Speaker 1: think that you know, to me, Porscha is somebody who 616 00:34:44,160 --> 00:34:46,120 Speaker 1: I see this a lot, and this was something that 617 00:34:46,160 --> 00:34:49,040 Speaker 1: I feel like online I think is the thing that 618 00:34:49,120 --> 00:34:52,080 Speaker 1: I I find interesting is that there's a lot of 619 00:34:52,080 --> 00:34:55,400 Speaker 1: people who are like rich, you know, like bad bad 620 00:34:55,520 --> 00:34:58,000 Speaker 1: rich people. Rich people are terrible, you know, like it's 621 00:34:58,040 --> 00:35:00,400 Speaker 1: this like this kind of like you know that that 622 00:35:00,560 --> 00:35:02,480 Speaker 1: I that I'm allowed to make the show as long 623 00:35:02,520 --> 00:35:04,680 Speaker 1: as I show how bad rich people are. That the 624 00:35:04,719 --> 00:35:06,759 Speaker 1: moral of the story is that rich people are better something. 625 00:35:07,080 --> 00:35:11,160 Speaker 1: And it's like and and and obviously you know there 626 00:35:11,280 --> 00:35:13,960 Speaker 1: is there's truth to that, like a lot of rich 627 00:35:14,040 --> 00:35:16,239 Speaker 1: people are fighting up the world and so like I 628 00:35:16,360 --> 00:35:19,480 Speaker 1: you know, but but I also you know you and 629 00:35:19,520 --> 00:35:23,440 Speaker 1: so like I guess Porsche was like a vehicle to 630 00:35:23,560 --> 00:35:27,560 Speaker 1: explore how she sees in Tanya all of these bad 631 00:35:27,760 --> 00:35:30,040 Speaker 1: character traits and that she you know, if and if 632 00:35:30,080 --> 00:35:33,080 Speaker 1: she had what Tanya had, she would have her life together, 633 00:35:33,120 --> 00:35:35,480 Speaker 1: and she would be she you know, like she would 634 00:35:35,520 --> 00:35:38,160 Speaker 1: be She wouldn't do it better than Tanya. But you 635 00:35:38,239 --> 00:35:41,960 Speaker 1: see how in her own way she's she is kind 636 00:35:41,960 --> 00:35:44,240 Speaker 1: of lost in the In a similar way, she's actually 637 00:35:44,400 --> 00:35:47,759 Speaker 1: kind of a mini me to Tanya and a fat 638 00:35:47,800 --> 00:35:51,120 Speaker 1: Tanya tells, Porsche, you remind me a lot of myself 639 00:35:51,160 --> 00:35:54,160 Speaker 1: when I was younger. But I also think Porsche is 640 00:35:54,320 --> 00:35:58,120 Speaker 1: very gen Z and that she's sort of a little 641 00:35:58,160 --> 00:36:02,480 Speaker 1: bit lost and just doesn't know what she wants to do. 642 00:36:02,719 --> 00:36:05,720 Speaker 1: She doesn't really have any goals. She's trying to figure 643 00:36:05,719 --> 00:36:08,480 Speaker 1: it out. Did that I mean, do you know young 644 00:36:08,560 --> 00:36:13,520 Speaker 1: people like that that kind of helped shape that character? Yeah, 645 00:36:13,560 --> 00:36:15,520 Speaker 1: I do think. I mean again, I don't want to 646 00:36:15,560 --> 00:36:19,200 Speaker 1: get crucified, but I do think I've noticed in this 647 00:36:19,280 --> 00:36:24,560 Speaker 1: younger generation a desire to try on identities and and 648 00:36:24,560 --> 00:36:27,279 Speaker 1: and feel like there's something like, like, I don't know, 649 00:36:27,360 --> 00:36:33,080 Speaker 1: courageous about about identity as a way to express yourself 650 00:36:33,120 --> 00:36:35,880 Speaker 1: through whatever, like through the way you talk about yourself 651 00:36:35,960 --> 00:36:38,200 Speaker 1: or the clothes you wear or whatever. But like, ultimately 652 00:36:38,200 --> 00:36:41,160 Speaker 1: it is very label gazing, and it adds to I 653 00:36:41,239 --> 00:36:46,680 Speaker 1: think adds to um malaise. I think it actually it 654 00:36:46,719 --> 00:36:50,200 Speaker 1: makes your It's like the more you start like yeah, 655 00:36:50,480 --> 00:36:54,840 Speaker 1: like talking about yourself and thinking about yourself along these lines, 656 00:36:54,960 --> 00:36:58,520 Speaker 1: it actually just exacerbates the problem that you're trying to solve. 657 00:36:59,000 --> 00:37:02,320 Speaker 1: So like I think a little bit of Porsche comes 658 00:37:02,360 --> 00:37:04,160 Speaker 1: through and that I mean, I I you know, like 659 00:37:04,520 --> 00:37:06,960 Speaker 1: I don't want to think that I'm totally you know, 660 00:37:07,000 --> 00:37:08,759 Speaker 1: but like she's just like I want this and I 661 00:37:08,760 --> 00:37:11,200 Speaker 1: don't know if I just want to have filled and 662 00:37:11,239 --> 00:37:14,200 Speaker 1: it's like, you know, it's just there's just something about 663 00:37:14,239 --> 00:37:17,759 Speaker 1: that that's just yeah, it's maybe it's yeah, maybe it's 664 00:37:17,800 --> 00:37:20,440 Speaker 1: ages of maybe I'm just like I've become the person 665 00:37:20,520 --> 00:37:22,640 Speaker 1: that makes you. But like I just when I was younger, 666 00:37:22,640 --> 00:37:24,399 Speaker 1: it was just like it's to me, I still feel 667 00:37:24,440 --> 00:37:28,120 Speaker 1: like it's like you mean to like move outside of yourself, 668 00:37:28,200 --> 00:37:31,399 Speaker 1: to like find courage and move outside of your own 669 00:37:31,480 --> 00:37:35,360 Speaker 1: you know, it's like your own navel gazing to really 670 00:37:35,400 --> 00:37:38,200 Speaker 1: then fully developed. You know. It's like if you're just 671 00:37:38,280 --> 00:37:42,200 Speaker 1: always looking inside and doing selfies and then calling yourself 672 00:37:42,239 --> 00:37:45,640 Speaker 1: a different thing, and it's all about the closure where 673 00:37:45,680 --> 00:37:47,640 Speaker 1: you know, it's like that that just feels like that's um, 674 00:37:48,000 --> 00:37:51,400 Speaker 1: that's going to be a dead End Road. So that's Porsche. 675 00:37:52,000 --> 00:37:57,160 Speaker 1: And what about the foursome of Harper, Ethan, Cameron, and Daphne. 676 00:37:57,200 --> 00:37:59,319 Speaker 1: I have to say, I think Oprey Plaza is my 677 00:37:59,400 --> 00:38:03,520 Speaker 1: favorite character in the whole show. I like her perpetual 678 00:38:03,600 --> 00:38:06,400 Speaker 1: state of on we that is now kind of morphed 679 00:38:06,440 --> 00:38:10,120 Speaker 1: into something else all together. And I love what you're 680 00:38:10,160 --> 00:38:16,280 Speaker 1: doing about jealousy with Ethan and uh and and Harper. 681 00:38:17,040 --> 00:38:21,239 Speaker 1: So tell me a little bit about Harper's character. Well, 682 00:38:21,320 --> 00:38:24,239 Speaker 1: I I Aubrey is a friend of mine and I 683 00:38:24,239 --> 00:38:25,920 Speaker 1: wanted to get her in the show, So a little 684 00:38:25,920 --> 00:38:29,120 Speaker 1: bit of it started with just like trying you know, 685 00:38:29,239 --> 00:38:32,640 Speaker 1: Aubrey is a very complicated, interesting person and and but 686 00:38:32,760 --> 00:38:34,759 Speaker 1: she's kind of known for this sort of dead like 687 00:38:35,160 --> 00:38:37,080 Speaker 1: the way she comes in at the beginning is kind 688 00:38:37,080 --> 00:38:39,680 Speaker 1: of like maybe the way people see her or what 689 00:38:39,840 --> 00:38:42,760 Speaker 1: thing they think that she's gonna be if she joins 690 00:38:42,800 --> 00:38:46,919 Speaker 1: the white lotus world, but then start to show these 691 00:38:46,960 --> 00:38:49,920 Speaker 1: other kind of more vulnerable sides and that her toughness 692 00:38:50,000 --> 00:38:53,440 Speaker 1: is a little bit of a front and and um, 693 00:38:53,480 --> 00:38:55,759 Speaker 1: but I liked, you know, like what I was trying 694 00:38:55,800 --> 00:38:58,440 Speaker 1: to do with that whole storyline is, you know, it 695 00:38:58,480 --> 00:39:01,120 Speaker 1: has to do with it kind of what Brad status 696 00:39:01,200 --> 00:39:05,400 Speaker 1: was as far as status, but like with secondly, like 697 00:39:05,920 --> 00:39:09,919 Speaker 1: whether we're always comparing ourselves in our relationship to other 698 00:39:09,960 --> 00:39:12,520 Speaker 1: people's relationships and what they have and what they it 699 00:39:12,560 --> 00:39:14,479 Speaker 1: seems like they you know, like what they do better, 700 00:39:14,640 --> 00:39:18,239 Speaker 1: what they do worse? And how how um? And I 701 00:39:18,320 --> 00:39:20,240 Speaker 1: was kind of playing a little bit at the beginning 702 00:39:20,239 --> 00:39:23,320 Speaker 1: where it's like you think, Okay, here's atar like NPR 703 00:39:23,440 --> 00:39:26,520 Speaker 1: listening like you know, liberal, like you know, like these 704 00:39:26,560 --> 00:39:28,279 Speaker 1: are the good guys that are gonna relate to. And 705 00:39:28,320 --> 00:39:30,799 Speaker 1: then this other couple they're so vacuous and you know, 706 00:39:30,840 --> 00:39:32,879 Speaker 1: it's like but then kind of playing a little bit 707 00:39:32,920 --> 00:39:36,719 Speaker 1: with which is maybe that other couple is like dysfunctional 708 00:39:36,760 --> 00:39:39,200 Speaker 1: and crazy. It's like, well they seem to be having 709 00:39:39,239 --> 00:39:42,200 Speaker 1: more fun, like you know, like that that that maybe 710 00:39:42,480 --> 00:39:44,839 Speaker 1: you know, like maybe it's not as as simple as 711 00:39:44,920 --> 00:39:47,520 Speaker 1: all of that. And and I don't want to give 712 00:39:47,560 --> 00:39:49,920 Speaker 1: away the ending, but yeah, how it all, How it 713 00:39:49,960 --> 00:39:53,040 Speaker 1: all lands is kind of a little bit of insight 714 00:39:53,120 --> 00:39:59,040 Speaker 1: into what I'm trying to I'm not saying, but like, yeah, 715 00:39:59,080 --> 00:40:02,360 Speaker 1: try to reveal something a little bit more unexpected. I 716 00:40:02,360 --> 00:40:04,200 Speaker 1: guess it also seems to be a bit of a 717 00:40:04,239 --> 00:40:10,360 Speaker 1: commentary on tech and finance bros. Mm hmm, yeah, Well 718 00:40:10,440 --> 00:40:17,359 Speaker 1: I just think new money, new money status um competition um, 719 00:40:17,400 --> 00:40:20,960 Speaker 1: that weird sort of dance you play when you're financially 720 00:40:21,080 --> 00:40:24,480 Speaker 1: dependent on someone, which it seems like Cameron is sort 721 00:40:24,520 --> 00:40:29,000 Speaker 1: of uh needs Ethan because he's made a boatload of 722 00:40:29,000 --> 00:40:33,799 Speaker 1: money in tech, right, there's something weird about that dynamic. Well, 723 00:40:33,840 --> 00:40:37,240 Speaker 1: I definitely I as a got a guy, I've been 724 00:40:37,480 --> 00:40:41,600 Speaker 1: privy to lots of conversations over the years. I live 725 00:40:41,719 --> 00:40:44,239 Speaker 1: like next to Brentwood, so there's just like you know, 726 00:40:44,320 --> 00:40:48,560 Speaker 1: the Brentwood country Mark where like lawyers and finance people 727 00:40:48,719 --> 00:40:51,440 Speaker 1: and whatever like people in our my industry or whatever, 728 00:40:51,480 --> 00:40:55,120 Speaker 1: and how they how their buddies. But like even in 729 00:40:55,200 --> 00:40:59,319 Speaker 1: the in every conversation, you just sense this peacocking and 730 00:40:59,360 --> 00:41:01,800 Speaker 1: like they're trying to figure out like where they stand 731 00:41:01,800 --> 00:41:03,600 Speaker 1: as far as who's making them more money, you know, 732 00:41:03,640 --> 00:41:07,080 Speaker 1: who makes like where Yeah, it's uh and so that's 733 00:41:07,120 --> 00:41:11,400 Speaker 1: always very funny to me because I I whatever and 734 00:41:11,400 --> 00:41:14,520 Speaker 1: it's yeah, so yeah, I was kind of playing with 735 00:41:14,640 --> 00:41:16,759 Speaker 1: like yeah, they're friends, but like are they friends? Like 736 00:41:16,960 --> 00:41:20,520 Speaker 1: what are they? Like? Like the competition is so heavy 737 00:41:20,560 --> 00:41:22,840 Speaker 1: that it's just like can they ever really be friends? 738 00:41:22,920 --> 00:41:27,400 Speaker 1: You know? Yeah, I find that whole sort of forsome fascinating, 739 00:41:27,800 --> 00:41:31,120 Speaker 1: and I love f Murray Abraham, which I mean, by 740 00:41:31,160 --> 00:41:33,359 Speaker 1: the way, what a what a feather in your cap 741 00:41:33,520 --> 00:41:36,839 Speaker 1: to get him to be in White Lotus. And then 742 00:41:36,960 --> 00:41:42,319 Speaker 1: you've got from the Sopranos, You've got Michael Imperial. Imperial 743 00:41:42,719 --> 00:41:47,319 Speaker 1: can help me with that, Michael Imperioli. Yeah, and who 744 00:41:47,360 --> 00:41:50,640 Speaker 1: plays his son. And then you have Adam DeMarco who 745 00:41:50,640 --> 00:41:55,480 Speaker 1: plays Albi. Uh so you have these three generations of 746 00:41:55,520 --> 00:42:01,520 Speaker 1: Italian Americans. Yeah, so yeah. Uh well, first of all, yes, 747 00:42:02,040 --> 00:42:07,600 Speaker 1: Murray and Michael are I'm huge I was huge fans 748 00:42:07,640 --> 00:42:12,040 Speaker 1: of prior and then working with them even more so. Uh, 749 00:42:12,160 --> 00:42:15,200 Speaker 1: Murray is like, you know, he's I think he's eighty 750 00:42:15,200 --> 00:42:18,960 Speaker 1: two years old, and he's so still like enamored with 751 00:42:19,040 --> 00:42:24,520 Speaker 1: the process and acting and storytelling and it's inspiring. And 752 00:42:24,560 --> 00:42:27,640 Speaker 1: Michael is one of the most He's in the pantheon 753 00:42:27,680 --> 00:42:32,200 Speaker 1: of like the easiest, most like generous actors I've ever 754 00:42:32,239 --> 00:42:34,600 Speaker 1: worked with. So like, those two are incredible. And then 755 00:42:34,680 --> 00:42:36,799 Speaker 1: of course Adam to Mark was one of the sweetest kids, 756 00:42:36,840 --> 00:42:39,719 Speaker 1: so like they were a great group, but like contextually 757 00:42:39,760 --> 00:42:42,520 Speaker 1: as far as the ideas of that, I just feel like, 758 00:42:42,960 --> 00:42:44,680 Speaker 1: you know, I wanted you know, it's kind of getting 759 00:42:44,680 --> 00:42:48,719 Speaker 1: into male sexuality and desire and male role, you know, 760 00:42:48,800 --> 00:42:51,759 Speaker 1: the role like you know, men's roles and when it 761 00:42:51,800 --> 00:42:54,560 Speaker 1: comes to romance and how they deal with the women, 762 00:42:54,680 --> 00:43:00,120 Speaker 1: and and just voicing the different um generational attitudes in 763 00:43:00,160 --> 00:43:04,319 Speaker 1: a kind of classic way. Uh, and and how they're 764 00:43:04,360 --> 00:43:07,440 Speaker 1: all kind of even though they're all sort of negotiating 765 00:43:07,719 --> 00:43:12,480 Speaker 1: with the new ways of talking about relationships and sex 766 00:43:12,520 --> 00:43:16,719 Speaker 1: and um uh and the interactions with women, that they're 767 00:43:16,760 --> 00:43:21,400 Speaker 1: all kind of trapped in a certain sense. To Derek, 768 00:43:21,560 --> 00:43:24,680 Speaker 1: who works on this podcast, who's one of the producers, 769 00:43:25,080 --> 00:43:28,759 Speaker 1: talked about how this season portrays a wide variety of 770 00:43:28,800 --> 00:43:32,880 Speaker 1: sexual relationships and entanglements and you were just talking about sex, 771 00:43:33,200 --> 00:43:38,280 Speaker 1: just as the opening title sequence portrays uh increasing debauchery 772 00:43:38,280 --> 00:43:41,520 Speaker 1: in the art as the rollicking theme song plays, the 773 00:43:41,560 --> 00:43:44,840 Speaker 1: show itself feels like it's revealing more and more about 774 00:43:44,880 --> 00:43:49,120 Speaker 1: the ways that humans experience their sexuality or suppress it 775 00:43:49,520 --> 00:43:54,320 Speaker 1: or given to it or both. Even these are Derek's observations, 776 00:43:54,320 --> 00:43:57,560 Speaker 1: and I'm curious what you think of that, and sort 777 00:43:57,600 --> 00:44:02,440 Speaker 1: of how you were trying to portray different just different 778 00:44:02,520 --> 00:44:06,640 Speaker 1: kinds of relationships, and for example, you portray sex workers, 779 00:44:07,560 --> 00:44:10,879 Speaker 1: you know, Lucia and Me a very differently than kind 780 00:44:10,920 --> 00:44:17,200 Speaker 1: of what we normally see in TV, books or movies. Well, I, 781 00:44:17,320 --> 00:44:20,080 Speaker 1: you know, with the title sequence, I basically said, you know, 782 00:44:20,160 --> 00:44:23,359 Speaker 1: it should start with these kind of pretty you know, 783 00:44:23,440 --> 00:44:27,200 Speaker 1: like like you're going into a palazzo and the beautiful walls, 784 00:44:27,320 --> 00:44:30,360 Speaker 1: and then you start seeing little things in the corners 785 00:44:30,400 --> 00:44:34,960 Speaker 1: and you realize there's this kind of mischievous or even 786 00:44:35,239 --> 00:44:39,560 Speaker 1: kind of creeper pervy like sexual things that are happening 787 00:44:39,760 --> 00:44:42,799 Speaker 1: in the margins. And then by the end of the 788 00:44:42,840 --> 00:44:46,240 Speaker 1: credit sequence, it's almost like a Bosch painting of like 789 00:44:46,440 --> 00:44:50,240 Speaker 1: just you know in the and where you know, the 790 00:44:50,320 --> 00:44:53,960 Speaker 1: carnality of it and in the desire of it is 791 00:44:53,960 --> 00:44:56,279 Speaker 1: is like front and center. And I felt like that 792 00:44:56,360 --> 00:44:58,920 Speaker 1: with the season two, which is like you start off 793 00:44:58,920 --> 00:45:01,440 Speaker 1: and it's like you a little bit of these repressed 794 00:45:01,480 --> 00:45:05,000 Speaker 1: people trying to like you know, figure out, like you know, 795 00:45:05,280 --> 00:45:08,359 Speaker 1: how to have a good vacation, and that like being 796 00:45:08,400 --> 00:45:11,160 Speaker 1: in the in the in sight to of Sicily and 797 00:45:11,760 --> 00:45:14,279 Speaker 1: in this kind of a little crucible that like the 798 00:45:14,320 --> 00:45:17,359 Speaker 1: desire and you start seeing desire and everyone and it's yeah, 799 00:45:17,400 --> 00:45:20,000 Speaker 1: it becomes a very horny show. And I just felt 800 00:45:20,000 --> 00:45:21,640 Speaker 1: like it was like especially like you know, like and 801 00:45:21,680 --> 00:45:25,520 Speaker 1: as far as like yeah, I mean and I yeah, 802 00:45:26,040 --> 00:45:27,760 Speaker 1: you know, I I don't. I don't think I'll always 803 00:45:28,280 --> 00:45:30,880 Speaker 1: write stories like this. It is not certainly my wheelhouse 804 00:45:30,960 --> 00:45:34,200 Speaker 1: like directing scenes of like intimacy between people and like 805 00:45:34,239 --> 00:45:36,440 Speaker 1: getting people nude and stuff. It's just like I was like, 806 00:45:37,040 --> 00:45:39,200 Speaker 1: you know, like I was like, this is not something 807 00:45:39,239 --> 00:45:43,840 Speaker 1: that I was like, whatever you guys want to do, 808 00:45:43,920 --> 00:45:47,319 Speaker 1: like what's thankfully you know, when you hire actors that 809 00:45:47,400 --> 00:45:50,880 Speaker 1: are exhibitionists, they're often less inhibited than I am, so 810 00:45:50,960 --> 00:45:52,600 Speaker 1: like they're like you want me to take my top off? 811 00:45:53,040 --> 00:45:57,120 Speaker 1: Uh yeah, sure if that's good, You sure that's okay? Yeah, 812 00:45:57,239 --> 00:46:00,840 Speaker 1: So like so yeah, so that was but I and I, um, 813 00:46:00,880 --> 00:46:03,000 Speaker 1: but I do feel like it was like it's fun 814 00:46:03,040 --> 00:46:05,520 Speaker 1: to show I actually think it's fun to show women 815 00:46:05,640 --> 00:46:08,640 Speaker 1: horny horny women, because I feel like that sometimes is 816 00:46:08,719 --> 00:46:11,120 Speaker 1: something that like, you know, a lot of times in 817 00:46:11,120 --> 00:46:16,680 Speaker 1: in in drama, it's like they're either victimized or virginal 818 00:46:16,960 --> 00:46:18,520 Speaker 1: or like I don't know, it's there or is it 819 00:46:18,680 --> 00:46:21,360 Speaker 1: or or it's like this kind of like you know, um, 820 00:46:22,400 --> 00:46:24,520 Speaker 1: like they'll talk it's like sex in the city. It's 821 00:46:24,520 --> 00:46:27,160 Speaker 1: like it's it's very like talky, but like you know 822 00:46:27,280 --> 00:46:30,719 Speaker 1: where you're actually feeling the desire and feeling the um 823 00:46:30,920 --> 00:46:33,200 Speaker 1: you know. It's like and you know, to me, that 824 00:46:33,400 --> 00:46:38,480 Speaker 1: just feels true to life in a way. I guess 825 00:46:38,719 --> 00:46:40,680 Speaker 1: I don't know how else to put it, but anyway, 826 00:46:40,760 --> 00:46:43,239 Speaker 1: so um so yeah, So I just thought it was like, 827 00:46:43,320 --> 00:46:46,080 Speaker 1: let's do sex, let's just go all in and and 828 00:46:46,239 --> 00:46:48,400 Speaker 1: that was kind of the I was like, if we're 829 00:46:48,400 --> 00:46:49,880 Speaker 1: gonna go all in, it's like by the end, you 830 00:46:49,920 --> 00:46:52,480 Speaker 1: just want to feel like, yeah, the animal in them, 831 00:46:52,600 --> 00:46:57,560 Speaker 1: in each of these um human characters. So this is 832 00:46:57,600 --> 00:47:00,000 Speaker 1: the big question. Is there going to be a white 833 00:47:00,000 --> 00:47:03,719 Speaker 1: it is three? Is there going to be a third season? Yes, 834 00:47:03,800 --> 00:47:07,520 Speaker 1: they picked us up for a third season, and yeah 835 00:47:07,680 --> 00:47:11,880 Speaker 1: where Mike, where, Well, I want to go to Asia, 836 00:47:12,360 --> 00:47:14,319 Speaker 1: That's what I think. Look, I mean it feels like, 837 00:47:14,480 --> 00:47:17,680 Speaker 1: you know, you started like America, then you do Europe. 838 00:47:17,840 --> 00:47:19,719 Speaker 1: It feels like the next one would be I don't know, 839 00:47:19,760 --> 00:47:21,840 Speaker 1: I don't know why that feels that. It's just like 840 00:47:21,880 --> 00:47:24,320 Speaker 1: I'm trying to think like like, yeah, where does Katie 841 00:47:24,360 --> 00:47:27,319 Speaker 1: current go on vacation? Where you tell me? Actually, I 842 00:47:27,400 --> 00:47:29,759 Speaker 1: you know what. I ran into you once on vacation 843 00:47:30,239 --> 00:47:33,640 Speaker 1: where I was in Yeah, I was in Berlin, staying 844 00:47:33,680 --> 00:47:37,040 Speaker 1: at a classic old hotel in the middle Berlin, and 845 00:47:37,040 --> 00:47:39,080 Speaker 1: I forget the name of it, and you were staying 846 00:47:39,080 --> 00:47:41,840 Speaker 1: there at the same time with I ran into you. 847 00:47:41,920 --> 00:47:43,880 Speaker 1: I ran I think we were like there the same 848 00:47:43,960 --> 00:47:46,640 Speaker 1: days or whatever, because I ran into you. You were 849 00:47:46,800 --> 00:47:49,160 Speaker 1: very friendly all you seem like you're having a good time. 850 00:47:49,360 --> 00:47:53,919 Speaker 1: I was with my husband, who still good great, and yeah, 851 00:47:53,920 --> 00:47:55,560 Speaker 1: you guys. I don't know if you were there for 852 00:47:55,640 --> 00:47:58,080 Speaker 1: work or vacation or whatever, but you were. We were 853 00:47:58,120 --> 00:48:01,319 Speaker 1: there for vacation. And you know, Mike husband John is 854 00:48:01,360 --> 00:48:05,840 Speaker 1: a huge Survivor nut. I mean, he has seen every season. 855 00:48:06,160 --> 00:48:10,520 Speaker 1: He finds it fascinating, so he loves you from Survivor. 856 00:48:11,200 --> 00:48:13,399 Speaker 1: That's cool. I think it was prior to me during 857 00:48:13,440 --> 00:48:17,560 Speaker 1: Survivor you were it might I think it was what 858 00:48:17,960 --> 00:48:21,880 Speaker 1: didn't I got married in so it was probably it 859 00:48:21,920 --> 00:48:25,040 Speaker 1: was like after that it was like, yeah it was 860 00:48:26,160 --> 00:48:32,120 Speaker 1: sixteen maybe, yeah, I did survive Okay, Well now here 861 00:48:33,480 --> 00:48:35,759 Speaker 1: you seemed very um, Yeah, you seem like you had 862 00:48:36,040 --> 00:48:40,960 Speaker 1: happy energy. I liked I liked you from just the vibe. 863 00:48:41,640 --> 00:48:45,120 Speaker 1: That's so nice? Well is I don't want to spoil 864 00:48:45,200 --> 00:48:47,520 Speaker 1: the finale, but do you think we'll see Tanya in 865 00:48:47,560 --> 00:48:51,839 Speaker 1: the third season? I love well, I love, I love 866 00:48:51,880 --> 00:48:55,360 Speaker 1: writing Tanya and I love I love We're going to Jennifer, 867 00:48:55,520 --> 00:48:59,879 Speaker 1: So definitely could be. You can't tell me. If you tell, 868 00:49:00,000 --> 00:49:03,120 Speaker 1: do you, you'd have to kill me, right, Mike, Well, 869 00:49:03,480 --> 00:49:07,360 Speaker 1: what do you mean you want? Well, you never know. 870 00:49:08,120 --> 00:49:13,319 Speaker 1: Could be I'm not telling you, you know, I don't 871 00:49:13,320 --> 00:49:17,240 Speaker 1: want to ruin it. A huge thank you to my guests, 872 00:49:17,320 --> 00:49:20,120 Speaker 1: Mike White. I imagine you're all tuning in this Sunday, 873 00:49:20,160 --> 00:49:23,759 Speaker 1: December eleven for the finale to find out who makes 874 00:49:23,800 --> 00:49:27,600 Speaker 1: it out of the White Lotus alive. If not, whenever 875 00:49:27,640 --> 00:49:33,960 Speaker 1: you're listening to this, Happy Benjene. Next Question with Katie 876 00:49:34,000 --> 00:49:36,520 Speaker 1: Kirk is a production of I Heart Media and Katie 877 00:49:36,560 --> 00:49:41,240 Speaker 1: Kurk Media. The executive producers Army Katie Kuric and Courtney Litz. 878 00:49:41,600 --> 00:49:46,400 Speaker 1: The supervising producer is Lauren Hansen. Associate producers Derek Clements 879 00:49:46,560 --> 00:49:50,279 Speaker 1: and Adriana Fasio. The show is edited and mixed by 880 00:49:50,360 --> 00:49:54,080 Speaker 1: Derrick Clements. For more information about today's episode, or to 881 00:49:54,120 --> 00:49:56,680 Speaker 1: sign up for my morning newsletter, Wake Up Paul, go 882 00:49:56,800 --> 00:49:59,440 Speaker 1: to Katie Couric dot com. You can also find me 883 00:49:59,440 --> 00:50:03,160 Speaker 1: at Katie correct on Instagram and all my social media channels. 884 00:50:03,560 --> 00:50:06,560 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from I Heart Radio, visit the I 885 00:50:06,680 --> 00:50:10,279 Speaker 1: Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to 886 00:50:10,320 --> 00:50:11,320 Speaker 1: your favorite shows.