Transcript: Robert De Niro on Good Hang with Amy Poehler

Hello everyone. Welcome to another

episode of Good Hang. This is a very,

very special one. We have Robert Dairo

with us today. Robert Dairo, the king of

New York. I if if if New York was a

person, it would be Robert Dairo. And

you know what Frank Sinatra sang? If you

can make an interview with Robert Dairo,

work here. You can make an interview

work with anybody anywhere.

We we are very very excited that we have

him. We we're going to talk about so

many things. We're going to talk about

Good Fellas. We're going to talk about

um him hosting SNL and what that felt

like. We're going to talk about how much

he paid for his first New York apartment

in rent. And uh we get into it. What a

what a pleasure and a privilege to have

Robert here. And because it is so

special and he is so special, I'm doing

something a little bit different. I'm

gonna ask a few people um to talk well

behind his back and to talk to me about

him um because I I just want I want to

get prepared, you know, like he's such a

good actor. He prepares so well. I want

to do the same. So, we're going to talk

to um Rachel D, my good buddy Rachel D,

who starred with him in the world famous

Debbie Downer at the SNL 50th. We're

gonna talk to Seth Meyers, who is always

an incredible friend and support and who

interviewed um Robert Bob Dairo a couple

of times. And we're gonna talk to Jane

Rosenthal, his longtime producing

partner who started the Tribeca Film

Festival with him, knows him so well,

and is going to give us a question to

ask Robert Dairo. So, let's get started

and see if we can get Dr. Zoom. Droo,

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>> Rachel,

>> hi.

>> Hi, bud.

>> Hold on. Let me plug in my headphones.

>> Oh my god. Headphones. I can't ride the

headphones any longer than they've

already carried me.

>> Look at that.

Gross.

>> Okay. Well,

>> there is

>> that's there. But you know what? Other

than there's

>> now there's another knot.

>> Overall good. Overall counting this as

progress.

Wait, I'm just trying to think if I need

better light.

>> Listeners, Rachel's just adjusting. I

mean, at this point in our lives, why

are we not surrounded by ring lights?

>> I know.

>> You know,

>> yes,

>> that looks good. Also, nice lip.

>> Oh, thank you.

>> I put in an effort for you, Polar

>> with a lip. And that's about it. You get

a lip.

>> You get a lip, babe. Drew Chi and I had

dinner last night. So nice.

>> We did. Yes. Yay. And um I told you that

I was interviewing Robert Dairo and I

needed some help.

>> I'm shy around bigname celebrities and I

don't know I'm just going to say this.

you can use this or not. But Amy, I

always thought you were very good when

we were in ALA, you were very good at

talking about talking with celebrities

when we were standing around like the

host, you know, waiting for the scene or

whatever. And I would be quiet as a

mouse in the background. And so it's

it's good that you're doing this podcast

because you're good at it.

>> Thanks, dude.

>> I'm glad it's not me interviewing Dairo.

That's what I'm saying cuz I'm I just

clam up. But you're one of my close one

of my few close friends that has worked

with him. You

>> Yes, I've worked with Janeiro. You have

shared the screen with Bobby.

Bobby and I have shared the screen. Yes,

that's true.

>> You have you shared the screen and tell

Bobby I say hi, by the way. He's going

to be like, "Oh, no. Um,

Bobby, I'm now I'm committed to calling

Bobby for this." Well, I'm going to call

him Bob because that's what Okay. And

you know, there's nothing worse than

anybody calling somebody by their first

and last name.

>> So, Robert Dairo, what do you think?

>> Right. Right.

>> I am nervous because uh he doesn't seem

to really love to talk that much about

himself. And also, he feels like our

generation's actor. He he really has

been in everything we grew up watching.

And that was and his stuff was always a

little too adult growing up. It was like

his stuff was like the scary movie or

the

>> violent. Yeah.

>> Yes. His stuff was like you felt like an

adult when you got to kind of watch his

stuff.

>> Yes.

>> You got to do some comedy with Bobby.

>> Yeah. Well, you know, I was thinking

about this because not only did I get to

comedy, but he also hosted back when we

were on the show way before. And I what

I was remembering about that is I don't

remember if I got to see with him but I

remember I submitted a scene where I was

doing an impression of him like in front

of him at the table and basically all my

imp well you can't see this if you're

listening but my impression was just

going like this

was just like a face and there's

probably not much

>> listeners to describe it's kind of

>> listeners listeners Rachel is doing an

impeccable impression. It's a great one

cuz you kind of back up, you close your

eyes, and you kind of get your mouth

open like,

>> hey, you know,

>> that's all that's all it was. Anyways,

it didn't make it to air surprisingly.

But um okay, so yes, so I think we, you

know, Paul and I were going to write a

Debbie Downer for the anniversary show

and then like you get the list of like

who's available out of all the stars and

then I think Paul it was like we got

Dairo. like Dairo with Debbie Daughter

was just like such a appealing you know

prospect for us um to imagine him

>> to explain what do you mean by list like

just so people don't know the the SNL

50th what do you mean there was a list

>> like there's a list of like who would be

willing to be in a scene you know for an

anniversary scene so there's a list of

the stars that were going to be there

that would be willing to play in a scene

so um the combo of Robert Dairo having

to deal with Debbie Downer was making us

laugh a lot. So then when we found out

we had him, we were really excited. And

then we got to have him say like he was

just trying to get a drink at the bar

and she's buming him out. And I think

our favorite line was about like her

saying you don't want to use a plastic

straw because um microlastics

are probably taking up residence in your

testies.

And then when he had his like flip out

at me, he's like, I don't want to hear

about the plastic in my balls.

And then he went to throttle me and um

we wrote in that he like goes to

strangle her but then I was in the

rehearsal. I was like you know if you

want to actually strangle me you can. So

then he actually strangled me in the

scene and I was like I'm getting

strangled by Robert Dairo. This is like

no comedy person ever thinks that's

going to happen to them. So that was a

fun thing to experience.

>> I've told you and Paula this but my

favorite part is when he calls you

Deborah. Oh,

>> Deborah Donner.

>> Excuse me, Deborah. Yeah. Um, but I I

kind of go like out of body when I'm

dealing with someone that's like a huge

icon. And I was definitely nervous about

being in a scene with Dairo. Like even

though he was perfectly nice and he was

like giggling and he was willing to be

there and play in this comedy land, of

course, but um but I still get nervous

KNOWING THAT IT'S DIERO. you know,

>> I would say one thing that you two have

in common, Rachel,

>> what could this be?

>> Is that you're both in an extroverted

business, but you're quite shy.

>> Yes, that's true.

>> I think he's shy.

>> Luckily, Jimmy was there to smooth out

all the social edges.

>> Yeah, Jimmy Fallon also in the scene.

He's very good at that. He's really good

at that. Well, I'm gonna bring up Debbie

Downer to him and talk to him about SNL

because I I do think that like there is

this comedic side that we, you know,

we've gotten to see over the years, but

my experience similar to yours is like a

very kind of like fun and nice and quiet

giggly person.

>> Yeah.

>> Okay, Drach, I'm going to go talk to

another person about Bob and try to get

some more info and and get ready for our

interview. So, thanks Ji.

>> All right. Thank you.

>> Woohoo.

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>> Woohoo.

>> Hello,

>> Seth. Are you wearing new glasses?

>> I'm wearing my cheaters.

>> Oh, that's right. You have cheaters now.

>> I think Paul is the first person I ever

heard say cheaters.

>> Seth, you look great.

>> Oh my god. Thank you, Polar.

>> Did you get a facelift or

>> What are you doing?

You always said you wanted me to

announce on the pod

>> because you used to say my face had a

few parts that had a bad hang.

>> You would point to different areas and

say that's a little bit of a bad hang.

>> Mhm. Yeah, that's right.

>> Guess where I'm talking to you from?

>> Martha's Vineyard.

>> My childhood bedroom in in Bedford, New

Hampshire.

>> Wow.

>> What other desk would there would be a

bobblehead of me at the update desk? I

bet your childhood bedroom is similar to

mine, which is my parents have now put

things about me in my childhood bedroom

as if that as if I would like that.

>> It's a living museum. It's a living

museum.

>> Yeah. Like old press like like an old

Timeout article from 1997 framed.

>> People don't know that the White House

if you sleep in Lincoln's bedroom, it's

a lot of clippings that Lincoln's mom

saved. It's got the old shovel that he

did his homework on. That's basically

all it is.

>> Who made that bobblehead? When was that

made?

>> Um, after you left, we got a lot of our

own merch.

>> I mean, you know, it's after you left.

The fact that there's a literally It

would be great if it had been a

twoperson bobblehead and my mom had just

sawed you out. That was the one time my

mom uh learned how to solder.

>> What are you doing in your childhood

home? I'm doing a um a charity event uh

in Manchester, New Hampshire. And I'm

sure by the time this airs, it will be

too late for anyone to buy tickets, but

if you came, God bless.

>> Seth, and you asked me to ask you this.

You do a lot of charity. Yes.

>> I asked you to leave out the the sort of

the top of that. I am I'm constantly

doing charity. It's a little tiring.

>> Oh, I bet.

>> But um it's worth it. You know, I always

say it's worth it. And um

>> and my good deeds are the wing the wind

beneath my wings. Yeah, it's what it's

what you get out of it. It's not the

people you help.

>> Anytime I'm feeling low, I just think of

all the good things I do.

>> Yeah, I know. And and not the people cuz

you refuse to meet them.

>> Oh, I you know, most of the charities

are for for pets.

>> Mostly they're mostly animal based. I

feel like people can take care of

themselves. People can take care of

themselves. You get in a jam as a

person, get yourself out of the jam.

>> Exactly. You're an animal. You don't

know what you're doing.

>> Much of what's gone wrong for you as an

animal is the fault of people. But I'm

just doing my best to clean it up.

>> Well, you are doing an act of charity

today actually cuz you are getting on

and helping me because I'm going to

speak to Robert Dairo.

>> I'm quite nervous and you've already

done it and I need I need

>> Always nervous. I will say I wish I

could tell you not to be nervous. I've

been nervous every time I've talked to

him.

>> Okay. How many times have you spoken to

him?

>> I think I'm at 20 times in my life

because of his time on SNL.

>> Okay. Sure.

>> I will tell you this. I've never been

able to pull the trigger and call him

Bob.

No,

>> no. I can't bring myself to do it. It

just feels It just feels too familiar

for a legend.

>> So, should I just call him Robert Dairo?

>> Mr. Dairo.

>> Mr. Daener. That seems too much.

>> I did do this once and it was not I did

once call him Danny Dvito and that

>> I cannot recommend enough. You don't do

that.

>> Robert Dairo is like um everybody knows

that name. He's so famous. He's so

famous. I again because uh I'm aware of

how little you guys do. I did a little

research before Dem and I looked back

because he's our second he's the our

second season is the first time he hosts

and so he's about 25 episodes into our

run on SNL. I think he's the first true

legend who hosted the show when we were

there.

>> Yep.

>> And it's very surreal to work with

legends.

And the wonderful thing about when he

showed up and you it never it never

reached the point where I was like,

"Huh, he's just like us." But he lo he

laughed so hard at that table read.

>> Yes.

>> And he laughs just like Robert Dairo.

>> Yes. Yes.

>> It's so much fun how much he laughs like

Robert Dairo. And he laughs. He's an

incredibly generous laugher to the point

where if you early if your sketch was

early and he laughed at it, you might

think you'd written a perfect sketch and

then like 25 sketches in you're

realizing like, oh, he's laughing at

everything.

>> I want to try to get that energy today.

I don't know. I I

>> So, this is for anybody for anybody

about to listen to the interview. If

Bob's not laughing,

>> SETH,

>> LOOK. OKAY. It's maybe it's because he's

so moved by the conversation.

>> Oh, well, I mean, trust me. Hey, a lot

of people think I'm uh I might even say

my best quality is my sense of humor,

but when I did Good Hang, I was just

choked up crying most of the time.

People still ask me if I'm okay.

>> Maybe I'll get Daener to cry.

>> You think?

>> Maybe. You never know.

>> How do you get to cry?

>> We'll see.

>> Tell him you thought Groden carried

Midnight Run.

Looking back, do you agree that Groden's

name should have been first? I

>> just immediately burst into tears.

>> Seth, get serious. I'm about to

interview Robert and I need Okay, you've

done it.

>> Here's something you should know before

you interview Bob and this is a genuine

>> and you did just call him Bob.

>> I'm going to call him Bob to you cuz Bob

gives great answers. Uh there's a lot of

uh important information in his answers.

I think he answers with authenticity.

What he does not give are long answers.

>> Oh no. I'm

>> just telling you like and I think it's

one of the great things about Bob Diro.

When Bob has made his point,

>> he has no need like a lot of us do,

>> you and I. I think we'll overt talk.

>> Yeah.

>> You know what I mean? An interviewer

with us often is wondering when it's

their turn to get a word in. Often when

we're being interviewed, we both see

this, which is just someone going like,

"That's that's enough."

>> Or like this this sometimes when they

point at the watch.

>> Yeah.

>> Um I'm going to guess I'm going to look

into your future and think there's not

going to be a moment where you're going

to be like, "Oh my god, buddy, wrap it

up."

>> Right. Right. Like maybe there'll be

some moments where I go, "And and what

else?"

>> But again, what a thing. I mean, I feel

like the uh the fully realized Robert

Dairo is not he is not he does not need

to hear his voice more than he feels is

necessary.

>> No, I mean, I think it's something

interesting to talk to him about is the

idea of like he seems quite introverted

for such an extroverted job. I mean, he

is like he it feels like his characters

and his work is where he's able to like,

you know, he's spoken about it. He's

quite a shy person. Yeah, it's very and

part of that, you know, shyness is I

think what

allows you and I to be intimidated, but

the reality is he's not, you know, he's

not bored or put off by people. I think

he is just genuinely

uh shy. I know I've told this story and

I apologize if I've told it to you, but

I remember the first uh table read we

did with him. I like ran to get in the

elevator uh to go home on a Wednesday

night and I ran in not realizing he was

the only other person in the elevator

and so then the doors closed and again

it's only it's only you know 17 floors

but it felt like the longest uh because

it was just me and and Robert Dairo and

he was very uh he was complimentary too

about how the day had gone but like in

very in the fewest amount of words you

could be. I mean, it's going to be hard

not to turn into Chris Farley and just

be like, "Dear Hunter, like like that

was so good."

>> That's the problem with interviewing

legends. I, in fact, the first time

Dairo was on my show, he directed a

movie called The Good Sheeperd, uh, with

Angelina Jolie and Matt Damon. I think

he's only directed one or two things,

and I really liked it. It's right up

Seth Sally. It's a CIA movie. And I

remember the first time he was on my

show as a guest, I told him, "Hey, I

really like that movie." And he was

like, "No, thank you." You know, same

thing. And then the next time he was on

my show, I think again from that moment

of not feeling awkward

once again, I was like, "Hey, by the

way, I really liked." And he's like,

"No, I remember." And it had been like

four years. I'm like, "Oh, right." Like

just cuz he's quiet doesn't mean he's

not hearing you.

But I like that he's like, "Yeah, what

are you going to tell me every time I'm

here about a movie I did in 2006?"

>> And I'm like, I don't I got nervous.

>> Well, he Yeah, I'm I'm genuinely

nervous. I don't get, you know, I think

you're similar. I don't I'm not Don't

get that nervous. I I'm sure with your

like you've interviewed so many people.

You probably It's very rare that you

probably get nervous, right?

>> Well, it's always that it's always

somebody who was,

you know, iconic when you were young.

Yes.

>> That idea that not only are you talking

to them, but you're talking to them

because they like they got in a car and

came to where you worked

>> and Yeah. And you look, you turn and

look at them and you're like, "You're

talking to me."

>> Oh, very nice. And now you blown it. Now

you can't use it when he's there.

>> I can't believe you blew You have one,

by the way. Every interview with Daener,

you get one. You're talking to me and

you use it to

>> Oh my god, what a waste.

>> I already blew it. Before we finish,

Drachie talked about um how fun it was

to do Debbie Downer with uh with Robert

Dairo and um and I do want to talk to

him about comedy because he's done a lot

of it and he's in a new one, Meet the

Par, another Meet the Parents, which is

going to be a big hit. Um I'm sure. But

what did you write when you were when he

was hosting? Do you remember stuff you

wrote for him?

>> You know what I wrote? And I it's I I

did it twice. Uh, and this is a a

wonderful call back. If we were doing a

Herald right now, this would be the last

beat. I did a sketch called Pranksters

where I played a kid on Nickelodeon who

hosted a prank show. And the first time

I did it with Walkan and the second time

I did it with Dairo and the game was

that older gentlemen had recorded their

pranks and their pranks were uh vicious

in nature. And so it would be like a kid

would come on first and his prank would

be like I put a rubber, you know, Katan

would be like, I put a rubber spider in

my teacher's drawer. And then Dairo

would come out and his neighbor borrowed

his lawn mower so he hid in his garage

and then cut him up with a chainsaw.

And the thing I'll remember about it or

the thing I do remember about it is uh

Jim Seniori uh commercial parody

director SNL legend you know again we

filmed the first take and Robert Dero

got covered in you know whatever pudding

type substance was supposed to be blood

I just like they just sprayed him with

it and I remember Jim was like all right

let's clean them up and take it from the

top and I was like and Dairo just looked

at me and said Do we get it? We get it.

And I was like, "Yeah, yeah, we got it."

He goes, "Okay, goodbye." Just like

again, like it was a perfect take. But I

had this moment of like, I don't want to

have written a thing that makes Robert

Dairo take a full shower to shoot a

second take. And again, we just did a a

Lonely Island podcast about the uh party

Mr. Bernard's, which was

>> That's right. That's right.

>> Um what is it? weekend of Bernie's where

he basically like was just happy to play

a corpse.

>> And then the last thing I'll say is we

we we couldn't get Martin Scorsesi uh to

do this, but those glasses do look a

little bit Scorsesi like will you just

and I know this might feel weird, but

we're going to do something to the to

the Zoom where we're going to pretend

that you're Martin Scorsesi for

>> this whole time. Great. Okay. Yeah. Hey

Bob, he's the best. I love working with

him. Oh my god. Ask him about this. Ask

him about that. Bob, he's the best.

Okay.

>> Thank you. That's perfect. We're gonna

put that on a loop.

>> Um, and then I Is this weird? Could you

just cut that up and send it to Lauren

with like an email just like why didn't

you let him do more impressions?

>> Totally. Yes. And you know what? I'll

also send it to Martin Scaresi and be

like,

>> "No, no, no, no, no.

>> Sethly, I miss you before. I know this

is weird, but show us all the inside the

drawers of your childhood bedroom.

>> I'll show you. I'm going to show you.

>> Just show us one thing. Oh, what do we

got? And this is from

>> 82 Champs.

>> That's you.

>> Yeah, flag football.

>> 82 Champs.

>> I think we're forgetting 82. Uh people

were jeans.

>> You're You were playing football.

>> Career- ending injury at 82.

what

>> was 9 years old and uh I think they said

it was uh lady wrists. I can't remember

WHAT

>> All right, Seth, I miss you. I could

talk to you forever. Thank you for

zooming from your childhood bedroom and

thank you for for helping me out with

this because it is a big deal. This is a

big interview and I appreciate your

help. I would love you to start by

saying Seth says hi and if you don't be

very offended

>> be very mad and I'll tell him that you

loved his movie. I'll tell him again and

I'll say he thinks you forgot.

>> I say Seth would love to tell you he

likes something else you've done but

it's really that's just it.

>> Thanks so much for doing this and I'll

let you know how it goes.

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>> Hi, Jane. Amy. Hi.

>> Thank you for doing this. Great to see

you. I mean, I feel like um you do so

much great work for the city, so much

great work for the industry, and so much

great work with Bob. You and and Bob

have worked together for what

30 years longer.

>> 37

almost 38, but who's counting? I mean

there there was a period he was we were

doing so many things together. I

remember him calling me one day and

saying what do you think about exposed

brick? And I said um is that a script

I'm supposed to read actress I'm

supposed to meet? He said no in your

office. I thought we should sand blast

the walls.

>> Exposed brick. A new thriller.

>> Yeah. Exactly. So, we we do this thing

here where we're we we always try to

speak to somebody who knows our guests

to get a little bit of insight before we

talk to them.

And I imagine more than most people, Bob

has a lot projected on him. Um, and uh,

what do people get wrong about him? Um,

what is one of the best things about him

that people don't know?

>> He's funny. He's got lifelong friends.

You can tell us who who somebody is by

how long they keep their friends. And

he's had the same group of friends going

like way back. And he's funny and he

>> loves the good conspiracies theory and

you know,

>> oh, we should get into some of those,

>> you know, and he loves um he loves good

food. Mhm.

>> And it was during Irishman and um we

were premiered at the London Film

Festival and then we were supposed to

stay over and uh he was no let's go to

Paris.

A group of us, you know, let's go to

Paris and we got on a plane. It was

probably like 11:00 at night and there

was some restaurant that he insisted we

go to. Of course, the place was closed,

but they said they were closing or

whatever. And it was like, "Oh, but you

know it's

>> Bob's on his way.

>> Dairo and

>> we're going to keep it open.

>> We're going to keep it open." And okay,

aside from we were jetlagged, you had

like the London Fil. So there we were

sitting in this restaurant because he

had to try, you know, whatever. And it's

like 1 2 in the morning. And

>> And you're kneede in snails at this

point. Yes, exactly. But um but you know

he he loves it. He loves trying new

things.

>> I I I mean that's a you know ever since

the origin of his art like artist

parents like I do feel like he enjoys

he's like an aich like he enjoys

beautiful things and things done well

and people who are good at their jobs

and like in a lot of different mediums

and I know you're the same way too. I

mean that's where Tri the Tribeca Film

Festival now celebrating it 25th year is

exactly that. It's like a a compendium

of talented people who have all

different kinds of points of view and

you're you know using your currency to

support their visions basically. It's

it's really it's really something.

>> Thanks. We try.

>> Is there a question

um you have for him today? something

you'd want to know, big or small,

something that you think he wants to

talk about. Also, what does he not like

to talk about?

>> Uh, he probably doesn't like to talk

about like how did you gain weight, lose

weight?

>> I love it. I love this. Fantastic.

>> You know,

>> you just saved me 25 minutes of

>> Yeah. Uh, you know,

>> I mean, I I feel like Bob doesn't even

really like to talk about acting,

>> you know. He's been

famous for

so long in his so

>> you know how do his kids look at him?

>> Yeah

>> he shows his daughter Helen a lot of

movies they haven't and he goes to

movies with Helen all the time.

>> How old is Helen?

>> Uh 14.

>> So that would be a nice question. What

what what have you and Helen watched

lately that you've liked together?

>> Yes. as opposed to he and Gia who's

three and he goes off about Miss Rachel.

>> Amazing. Maybe we can get Bob to talk

about his favorite Miss Rachel moment.

Um that's a great question like cuz I

because I I would like to know what he's

watching and and responding to and um

because you know if you're a New Yorker,

you know it's about the present moment.

like this city moves fast and it keeps

moving and things change and you have to

stay present and current always.

>> The one thing about Bob that I find so

like amazing if you say if you said to

him okay well on Taxi Driver on A Bronx

Tale on Silver Linings I mean just

almost on any movie like where um you

shot the movie on Sixth Avenue. No, no.

We really shot it on 8th Avenue and it

was the northeast corner and it was this

little deli that's still there. It used

to be a Smilers and now it's a this and

we were on the second floor and he

couldn't go. I mean he goes into such I

mean he has a photographic memory.

There's certain things he doesn't

remember, but he is like why he calls me

sometimes. He'll like call me and then

say, "Do you have anything you needed to

did you needed to tell me?" And I'm

like, "No, you called me." "Oh, when I

remember, I'll call you back." I mean,

it's but he's, you know, he can pretty

much tell you where things were shot up

to

the the exact corner and what was on it

and what's on it now.

>> Oh, that's fantastic to know. That's

really helpful. Um, these are great

questions and and and thank you for

helping me prep for this interview.

>> I'm huge fan of yours and huge respect.

So, thank you.

>> Thanks so much, Jane. Great talking to

you and I hope I see you soon.

>> Thanks. Bye

>> bye.

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>> I I have to say I know you don't love

interviews. Thank you for doing this.

I'm already worried that nobody told you

that you were doing this today.

>> Well, I looked on my schedule. I said,

"Oh, God." I

>> So, but I'm fine.

>> You were like, "How can we get out of

this?"

>> No. No, because we're going to talk, but

I know like you're, you know, you've

described yourself as kind of a shy

person at times, and I don't think you

like to talk very much.

>> Sometimes I don't. Yeah.

>> Well,

>> I I I know. What's What's the What's the

point?

>> Okay. Well, I'm going to I'm going to

ask you a favor.

>> Oh. To talk a little more.

>> Just a little bit more. I get paid by

the word. If I don't get I got you. If I

don't meet my word count by the end of

this interview, I'm screwed.

>> I I I think it's really interesting that

you've described yourself as a shy

person and a shy kid because I think

there's a lot of introverted people in

this business and I don't think people

always assume that about people that are

actors. Would you consider yourself an

introverted person?

>> In some ways I am. Yeah, some ways I am.

Uh okay depending talk more depending on

the situ

at least 10.

>> Okay let me have to know I have to come

up with something.

>> We need at least 10 more words every

sentence. Okay.

>> Uh I have to fill the quote out.

>> Okay. Were you a shy kid? I would I was

quiet at sometime but when I would have

to speak up I would but and I think

being an actor it allows you I always

used to say this and still say allows

you to be other characters that you

>> would normally not know at all or this

way it gives you a little taste of what

they would be like and that experience

would be like and so without having

really to pay a price

>> uh though you're aware of the price

whatever that character his price is you

know

>> you know when I'm around people who are

quiet cuz there is a difference between

quiet and shy.

>> Yeah.

>> When I'm around people that are quiet, I

mean I notice that a lot is projected on

them and then also I feel like a

responsibility to keep talking,

>> right?

>> Does that happen to you a lot?

>> You mean with me?

>> Yeah.

>> Yeah. I don't mind that.

>> I bet

>> cuz you talk and I can just sit and

listen.

>> I have friends who like like to talk a

lot and we get along real well. Well,

we're going to get along great because

there's going to be a point in this

interview where people are going to be

listening to it and being like, Amy,

please be quiet. But but I as preparing

for today and you know, we're talking

about we're in New York City, you know,

you're celebrating 25 years at Tribeca

Film Festival, I feel like there's no

other person that personifies the city

more than you. Um, it's like you if if

the city was a person, it would be you.

And I'm sure you've been told that, but

it really is true. There is a directness

and a sense of the present moment in

you. There's a um you know, New Yorkers

are not necessarily overtly friendly,

but they're secretly kind, which

>> I'd say. Yeah.

>> Yeah. And there's a uh a like a ambition

and drive that's that's you've had

throughout your entire career

and your history of being in New York.

Like, you know, I'm always fascinated by

kids that grew up in New York. It just

seems like a fairy tale. What were what

was it like? What was your neighborhood

like? What was it like when you were a

young person? Could you describe it to

me?

>> Well, I grew I grew up in the village

and um

uh you know it was

I I then I had I hung out in Little

Italy for years with and that's how I

know Marty Scorsese and Marty was hung

out with his other friends on another

street and I hung up with my friends.

What street were you on and what street

was he on?

>> He was on around Prince and M. I

remember and and Elizabeth and where

where you lived and I was on Ken May and

Malberry or Broom sometimes in Malberry.

>> Well, I mean I it's really amazing you

grew up with two artist parents like you

know what you had both your parents were

artists. Your mom was a poet and a

painter. Your dad was a painter. Like

you were around

>> and a poet too.

>> And a poet too. You were around art all

the time. Yeah.

>> And I know art's still really important

to you when you were growing up in New

York. Do you remember that art scene?

Like did you ever meet Warh Hall?

>> No.

>> You never went to the factory?

>> No.

>> You ever see like a f I mean I mean in

New York you always see somebody walking

past you. Do you ever did you ever meet

a famous artist during that time in the

50s and 60s or

>> No, I wasn't too much really into art.

It was cuz my father and mother, you

know, I' he take me to a gallery that he

that that he was owed money

by um uh from and um and that was it. I

mean, it wasn't uh

>> Yeah.

>> I mean, I know when I moved to New York,

I saw Lou Reed walk down the street and

I remember thinking, "Okay, I'm in the

city."

>> Was there somebody that you used to see

in the city and be like, "That's a

that's like a quintessential New

Yorker." No, when I was a kid, I saw uh

Alan Arin.

>> Yeah.

>> Once. I think Allan was from He was from

New York, I'm sure. I'm not sure where,

but maybe it was Long Island, but he's a

New Yorker in spirit.

>> He has my favorite line in Glengary,

Glenn Ross in the film when he says, uh,

shoes, boots. Yes. You know that line?

>> No. I mean,

>> yeah. Well, I guess I guess I know

Mammoth better than you is what we're

finding out. I mean, I I saw the

original production with Bobby Dval and

um

John Savage and forgetting who else.

>> Oh, John Savage. Incredible.

>> Um you and I do have one thing in

common, which is I think our first prof

uh semi-professional productions of

something was uh was from a similar

show. You were the lion, the cowardly

lion in Wizard of Oz. Yeah. In fourth

grade

>> when I was 10. Yeah. Maybe. Yeah.

>> Okay. and I was Dorothy around that time

and my

>> and I'd like to know what you brought to

the role of the lion.

>> I don't know. I I I liked it.

>> I I I uh said my lines and um and that

was the part I was given.

>> Okay. Okay. It's a funny part.

>> Yeah, it was good.

>> It's a good song.

>> Yeah.

>> Did you sing too?

>> I don't know. I didn't No, that part I

didn't do.

>> I It was It's been so long. I was 10.

Yeah. The last question in that in that

time frame that I wanted to ask you is

it felt like you knew from a very early

age what you wanted to do.

>> Yeah. And all in all I did. I I was sort

of drifting in that direction or

gravitating in that direction.

>> And and do you find as you get older I

know I do that like that's one of the

things you wish wish for anybody

especially your children is just do

whatever you want to do. Just know what

you want to do.

>> Know what you want to do and do it and

do it as well as you can.

>> Yeah. Totally. you know, and if you

really like it, you'll you'll try to do

it as well as you can.

>> You started out doing in the very early

in your early films like a lot of

comedy. Can you do a couple like

>> Well, I did Greetings, Hi Mom with the

Palmer,

>> and then um another comedy we did was

The Untouchables years later.

>> You know, a little thing about the

Untouchables.

>> Yeah.

>> Do you know what I'm going to say? Maybe

not. I don't think he worked with you

actually, but there's a gentleman in the

untouchables, this guy named Dell Close,

who says the titular line in the movie,

he says, "You think you're untouchable,

don't you?"

>> Dell Close.

>> And I think he his scene is with Elliot

Ness with um Cosner and um and uh he was

a Chicago actor.

>> Yes.

>> And he he formed an improv theater

>> um that I studied at in Chicago.

>> You from Chicago? Well, I grew up in

Boston and then I moved to Chicago after

I graduated college

>> and studied at Second City and he had

this like kind of new theater called at

the time it was called Improv Olympic.

It was an improvisational theater and

Dell's kind of one of his like brush

with greatness claim to fame is he's in

the untouchables.

>> Okay.

>> Great movie.

>> Yeah. And I I enjoy doing it.

I am. So there's Viola Spolan and Paul

S. But that's ahead that's ahead of you

though.

>> That is ahead that ahead of you. Um you

know Dell Close used to talk about

Nicholls and May.

>> Yeah.

>> And that and that like Second City being

formed and back then there was a I don't

know if you ever were invol like there

was a big kind of controversy about

whether or not improvisation was its own

art form or tool a means to an end. Did

you ever do improv when you were

>> Well, improv in movies and with the

PAMA, you know, and Greetings and Hi,

Mom. You kind of

>> um and other movies here and there or

you have the the script, but you can go

off it. As long as you make the points

and and don't get off on a tangent and

and and stay in the right direction,

>> it's okay.

>> Do you like to like get it as scripted

first and then improvise? I know

directors like to

>> Well, I mean, some directors will tell

you to improvise, give you the situation

and tell you to improvise. Um,

I worked with a director who

would um we'd sit down in a camper and

go over what was written.

>> Yeah.

>> And then he'd say, "What do you think

about this?" And it was kind of loose.

He opened it up and it worked out.

>> Yeah. I I feel that way about improv.

Sometimes it's exciting to be allowed to

do it and other times it feels like this

is a little too loose.

>> Yeah. Yeah. You got You don't The one

thing I I don't like seeing is a movie

that goes off in a direction and the the

maybe the director likes what they're

doing and but they let it go too far too

long. It goes off on another tangent and

you forget why you're what the situation

is. And that's important.

>> Or like everybody's speaking the same

way.

>> Yeah. Exactly. Yeah.

>> Yeah. I I I I we used to make a joke

when we were when we were doing this TV

show that I was in, parks and

recreation. We used to make a joke like,

"Do you want us to do a take that's

longer and less funny?"

>> Right.

>> We'll give you that.

>> Yeah.

Speaking of of your work, Mean Streets,

Deer Hunter, Good Fellas, The Godfather

Too, Raging Bull, Taxi Driver, Cape

Fear, Wag the Dog, The King of Comedy,

Analyze This

Silver Linings Playbook, Meet the

No questions, just great job.

>> Thanks.

>> I just want to ask you,

>> you're very nice.

>> Well, I have a hot take. You're the best

actor of our generation. Um, but but I I

think there's just like so much to talk

about in all those films and I know they

they're like, you know, so many of them

are different parts of your life. Do you

watch your old films ever?

>> No, but I I've always been wanting to

watch all the movies I did from the

latest one all the way down or the other

way, the the earliest ones. Just go

through them all. It takes it's it's

it's more e it's eas easier said than

done.

>> That would be like your own festival.

>> Yeah. I just, you know, I'd make

comments and somebody said, "Well, you

know, well, a writer, a friend said, you

know, I'll I'll write."

>> Oh, that's a great idea.

>> I wasn't sure. But there's no downside

to doing that.

>> So, just knowing I wanted to get a a

sense of what I've done, where I, you

know, and where I could go, what's

missing in that that I can make a choice

of something different. That's

interesting to look at your body of work

and and also to like visit old friends I

imagine what it must be like.

>> Yeah. Yeah. Can I ask you about so I

won't get deep about because again we we

don't have the time but

>> uh and we want to talk about what the

present stuff that you're doing but can

I ask you about one specific scene in

one specific movie?

>> Yeah.

>> Okay. So good fellas uh you know a lot

of people's you know top five favorite

movies. It has stood the test of time.

Incredible. Um, incredible cast,

incredible performance by you and so

many people in that film. There's just

that wonderful scene with you and

Lorraine Braco where Lorraine is playing

the wife of Ray Leotaa and she's kind of

worried that he's fallen out of favor

with the rest of the organization,

>> right? And um you uh Jimmy, you kind of

play like his patriarchal

what would you say? Like

>> yeah, you know way like his his mentor.

>> Yeah. But kind of his mentor. Yeah.

>> And there's a scene where she comes to

try to get some help from you and you

ask her to walk down an alley to go get

some Dior clothes that you have for her

and there's a it's just it's a perfect

example of real tension.

>> Yeah. Can you tell me what you remember

about shooting the scene that day? I

think it's a perfect scene.

>> Well, the thing that I was concerned

about is just that as Marty was I

remember. It's just that you don't know

what he really is doing. Is he setting

her up or not? And so it's just make it

as which happens in life too in that

way. You know, same thing. God, it's

okay. You know, just be very casual and

God knows what'll happen to you. Could

could be nothing. It could be something.

>> Did you make a decision as an actor to

know what you thought was going to

happen?

>> I I think I thought more that something

would happen

>> and that but I my main thing is to make

to act as if everything is good. You

know, just go in. You know,

>> it's such an incredible lesson in how to

create suspense and tension and also to

remind people that people don't often

telegraph what they're going to do.

>> No, not at all.

>> I mean, you never telegraph Bob.

>> Can I call you Bob? YES,

>> I should have started that, you know.

But you I mean never there's never we

never ever see you ever doing that even

you're never indicating. It's just and

it's one of the millions of examples of

that I think in that scene. Well, it's

important to not, you know, indicating

and acting is indicating and and so you

say to an actor who's you just watched a

scene or something, not in a negative

critical way, but you you can't you

don't indicate or you you are

indicating. So, it's better not to, you

know, in life people don't do that. They

just do. They're very good actors,

people in life and and it's life and

it's it's real and and the way you

behave it could be um life

dependent.

>> For me, it was a great example of a

woman's intuition.

She has an intuition there that's very

strong.

>> Yeah.

>> That she listens to

>> that saves her life.

>> Yeah. Exactly.

>> And then she comes home and says, "I

don't know." And she's she's starting to

kind of gaslight herself a little bit

like, "I don't know. Oh, I just got

scared. You know,

>> it's and it's I think a beautiful

journey for that for her character of

>> like

>> what's real?

>> Y

>> um

>> when you do a scene like that, you What

is What is Martin Scorsese's like? How

do you know you got it? What does he

say?

>> I can't remember. It's been a while. But

I think Marty, you know, basically said,

you know, you're going to go, she wants

to go in. You want him go her to go in

there. you're going to and I forget

what's set up, but the whole thing is to

show the ambiguity. We don't know.

>> We don't know. We see it very possibly

something could happen, but at the same

time, it couldn't. So, that's part of

the whole

um

reason the scene is done, or one piece

of it.

>> Do you like when a director says, "We

got it."

>> I don't I I I don't I I don't hear it

too much. We got it.

>> Really?

>> Uh well, is this okay, it's good or this

or that? They go, "It's okay.

>> We got it." Well, you could say we got

it, I guess, but depends on the on the

scene and what it is. And

>> you like when they say like, "It's good.

It's

>> We're good. We're good. It's good.

>> We're good. We're good." Yeah. But but

low key.

>> Yeah. Yeah. I mean, just

>> And you know, you know that say Marty uh

Marty says he got we happy. We're we

talk we got this piece, we got that,

he'll say, "Yep, yep. We're good." Yeah.

Yeah. It's okay.

>> Yeah. Yeah.

And that happens in a second and like

you just mumble that to each other. Are

you suspicious of people that are like

>> I guess I'm projecting but I'm a little

suspicious sometime when people are too

like I don't know when they're

flattering me.

>> Sure. Well, you don't It's funny.

I don't mind the um

uh when a director or or somebody tries

to tell you very good or certain types

of that's good. It tastes good. And um

because it's like I when I was I did the

the last tycoon with Andy Kazan and we

we came out of a looping uh stage and he

said you know that was great cuz he was

like you know that was really you just

got to I said well thanks I feel good

even though I'm not sure you really

meant it but I'm happy you he said he

got he he got a little offended he

thought I didn't believe I said no no I

said the effort is the most important

thing you know it's like telling your

child when when they do something they

show you something. Isn't that nice?

That's great. You know, oh boy, I'm so

proud of you. You know, it's it's real.

You believe it. It is.

>> That's right. It's true. I I know what

you mean. And it's a fine line, though.

It's a fine line in that moment. Um, but

as a director, you must also feel the

urge sometimes to take over if

somebody's not a strong captain.

>> Well, I don't like to be in that

situation, right? I don't put myself If

I'm in, I'm in with the director.

maybe certain things, but I but I trust

them and they trust me and I'm not going

to

>> mess with them and play games, you know.

>> We we we have an objective

>> to achieve and we're there working

together. We don't want to waste time,

you know, with any nonsense. And the

other thing in the many years of the

incredible work that you've done again,

which we could talk about forever, what

what are some skills that you had to

learn for parts that you still like that

you still maintain or retain?

>> Well, I I practice a lot with um uh the

saxophone in in um New York, New York.

And but I never kept it up and I I

regretted that

>> cuz I did work very hard on I did

everything phonetically.

>> Yeah. Um, but it's it's the skill that

that you can't take away. I mean, that's

real.

>> So, I just wish I made it something that

I would practice

>> even a half an hour every day to keep

>> I feel that way about like instruments.

I can't It's so embarrassing. I can't

play an Can you play any other

instruments?

>> No.

I wanted to play the piano, but it's one

thing to want to play it. It's another

thing to do it.

>> I know. The piano feels like an

instrument. When you sit down at it, you

think I'll be able to play this. Yeah.

>> And then you can't.

>> No. I I I wish. And my my mother tried

to make me take piano lessons when I was

five and I had no interest in I

>> It was drudgery, you know. That's I wish

I was

>> I wasn't um smart about it.

>> Yeah, I do regret not being able to play

an instrument. Well, there's there's

still time, Bob.

>> There is. There is.

>> Okay. And then do you ever use Tik Tok?

Cuz I want to show you something.

>> Do you know what a thirst trap is? No.

>> Okay. So, it's basically like hot

pictures of people.

>> Uhhuh.

>> But Tik Tok loves you and they make

videos of you of you of of um you in

different movies.

>> And can I show you one?

>> Yeah. Yeah.

>> Yeah. It's going to make you feel great.

>> Oh, good.

>> It I mean I feel like these are these

are to make people feel good and this

one is specifically for you. But look at

this. It's usually sexy music.

Look,

>> these are young pictures of you

>> and young kids making this.

>> He's doing it. Yeah. Wow.

>> Look. Look at you.

>> Yeah.

>> Oh, yeah.

>> Listeners, Bob is staring at this as if

Look.

>> Yeah.

>> I don't know. I guess just good job at

being so handsome.

>> Oh, well, thanks.

>> Um, let's talk about some comedy stuff

because we met, I think, uh, for the

first time or at least in my mind for

the first time, although

I'm sure in various early times when I

moved to New York, I probably, you know,

followed you down the street without you

knowing. But, uh, at SNL

>> Yeah.

>> 2002,

>> um, you've hosted three times.

>> Yes. You obviously have done it more

than once because you liked it. What do

you like about doing it?

>> What I like about it is that it's so

fast. You can't It doesn't give you time

to think. Yeah.

>> And you you got to change get into

different costumes, this and that. Boom,

boom, boom, boom. They've got the cards

for you. It's so fast if you you know,

you you you can not worry about failing,

if you will, whatever that means, and

just have fun with it.

>> Yeah. Um, I have a real uh uh image

stuck in my mind of Donna, the woman who

um pulls you around and changes you.

>> Yeah. Right. Is she still there?

>> Yeah.

>> Oh, wow.

>> She's incredible.

>> She's kind of the one that should write

the book. She knows she's seen everybody

naked.

>> Exactly.

>> And she um I I remember uh us doing a it

was I it was my second year. I started

in 2000. That that that show after 911

was my first SNL.

>> Oh, wow. And um you hosted I think first

in 2002.

Um you were being pulled by Donna um

while you're dressed as um Sig Freed I

think from Sig Freed and Roy.

>> Oh okay. God.

>> Do you remember that?

>> No. But

should look at those.

>> Better not to look back. Yeah. Probably

not.

>> Maybe when you go back over the over

your cannon of work just keep that up.

Um, and one thing I'll say is like, you

know, you are a person that people like

to do impressions of. Is that weird?

>> No, I mean it's kind of flattering. Alec

Baldwin does really good impressions.

>> A great impression of you. And I and and

I and the one that he he did a he did he

was on uh I forget what talk show he was

on and he was saying commenting on the

Godfather reunion with me and Al and

Bobby Duval and Francis and Talia Sh and

and Jimmy Khan everybody and and and he

said did you see that and he said you

know they're talking to Dairo and Al

they talk he's just making the way he

makes fun of of you is just hysterical

You know how we're all mumbling. You

don't know what the hell we He can't

understand what we're saying.

>> Well, you have what what what I love

about what I love about you, Bob, is

when you're laughing and when you're

upset, it looks like the same face.

>> Okay.

>> It's kind of you you you're a quiet

laugher.

>> No.

>> Right. Would you say?

>> Yeah. Yeah. I mean, sometimes if it's I

I would have a more

>> a more uh boisterous laugh. Depends.

>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Okay. We're

almost done. We're We We're at 40. We're

at 45.

>> I like you. I like to know how long

things are going to take. So, we're

almost done. Okay. So, here we go.

>> Um I feel like a lot of uh a lot of your

career has been defined by lasting

partnerships, people that you've met and

continue to work with. Then I think it's

it is a sign often of um like somebody's

character that they maintain friendships

and partnerships throughout their life.

>> You talked a little bit about Martin

Scorsesei and the ways that you guys

have you know it's really something that

you grew up around the corner from each

other. Mean streets was based on people

that you knew.

>> Yeah.

>> What um what is it like to have a friend

in this business for this long? I think

it's it it's great that and and I would

always say it's kind of amazing that

Marty and I were aware of each other. We

had a mutual friend who passed away but

he was may rest in peace. He was I did a

movie called Alto Knights and I he Marty

and I did this uh well he there's a

documentary about him. It was in Lincoln

Center. when they wrote the script, Nick

Blegi wrote this. I said, "How do you

know about this place called the Alto

Knights?" Uh, he said, "Well, I I I you

know, I was a crime reporter down there

and a reporter and I knew this that

social club was." I said, "That's a

place I used to hang out in when I was a

kid."

>> And so, my friend, one of my friends,

Butch, he he remembered things that I

had forgotten what went on there and

stuff like that. So, it was interesting.

And they were terrific in the movie. So,

that was a nice thing. Nick. Uh I I

would love to meet Nick. Uh and and I

would have loved to have met Nora.

>> Yeah.

>> Yeah. Um uh Merryill Street.

>> Merryill. Yes.

>> You know, she claims that you're not

very good at charades. Do you?

>> Yes, I know. I heard that. Yeah. I I

probably am not.

>> So,

>> you don't you

think we did it somewhere and I I was

not inspired and that's that's my fault.

>> Well, you can try try harder next time.

>> I will. I will.

>> Where did you meet her for the first

time? Did you saw her on stage,

>> Merryill? I went with Mike Shimino to um

and it's funny cuz I went to the Devil

Wears Prada thing and we had at Lincoln

Center and they had the tent right

across from where I I saw her do uh the

cherry or I think it was with Raul Julia

>> and uh Mike Shamino and I went because

we was for that part thinking of her for

the for the deer hunter.

>> So that's the first time I don't even

know if we went backstage. I'm not sure,

but she, you know, she had it.

>> You have worked together a lot in many

different ways. What What What's so

wonderful about working with her?

>> Merryill's a a a

great actress and so skilled and smart

and just terrific and very funny and

great uh sense of humor and and uh he's

just a wonderful person.

>> Yeah. Yeah. Um Ben Stiller, you're back

with Ben again. You've done a quite a

few features with him.

>> Yeah.

>> Um, does he still run all the time? Does

he run every day still?

>> He He's in good shape. I

>> He says he runs a lot.

>> I guess he does. I don't know.

>> I see him run to and from the set. No,

I'm kidding. I

>> But I I He does something.

>> You guys are very very funny together.

What What What's been your What's been

your experience of working? Ben, he has

a way of when you when he reacts to what

you say, which is kind of a funny line.

Say my character Jack, he'll go,

"Uh-huh." Oh, yeah. He has a way of

commenting on what you just said, saying

that it's not too smart, a little

stupid, but uh-huh. I'm giving you the

respect, but he has a way of commenting

on it. So, there's three different

things, four different things going on

at once in his reaction. And he's very

funny.

>> Yeah. the the status between the two of

you is just such funny

>> comedic fodder and you um you join him

again in um in your new film

fucker-in-law with Ariana Grande who was

in here who was a delight. What did you

think of working with her?

>> Ariana was terrific. Yeah, nice nice

young lady. Terrific. Yeah, a real pro.

>> Perfect for it.

>> And um Jane Rosenthal. Jane. Well, Jane

and I worked together for 37 38 years

and uh we had a thing last night at um

uh the Chanel party and we did a tribute

to her for all the

>> congratulations on that 25 years at the

Tribeca Film Festival. Amazing like

>> way to amplify new voices and to use

your currency. I mean it's, you know, um

it's it's really I mean I I was speaking

to Jane earlier and um we were saying

it's wild how everything is now 25 years

ago. 35 I mean it's like

>> I know

>> it's been a really it's been a really

really I mean it always is an intense

period in New York, but the past 25

years have been something else.

>> Yeah, they have.

>> Um so before we get into that and J and

Jane had a question for you. I I got

very quick. Um, this is this is speed

round. Hot takes.

>> Okay.

>> Okay. It can be slow round.

>> Okay.

>> But um NYC hot takes.

>> Do you remember the cost of rent of your

first apartment?

>> I think it was uh $75.

>> Where was it?

>> An Irving Place.

>> Was it a studio? One bedroom.

>> Walk up. One bedroom.

>> One bedroom. 75 bucks.

>> It might have not even been a

onebedroom. Might have been one room

that you put a bed in there.

>> Favorite New York museum. uh the

Metropolitan and the M and the Museum of

Modern Art.

>> Do you have any art that you any um

paintings you go back to like that? Like

are your like you know

>> No, I don't. But my my mother or father

might have something in the Museum of

Modern I think. I'm not 100% sure

>> really but you don't know.

>> I know. Jane would be I was but I think

Yeah.

>> Momma, if you're listening.

>> Yeah. And well

>> sushi order. What do you order? What's

your favorite? Well, I always they

always say black card, but black card is

good. No boo.

>> No boo. Uh, and uh, pizza order. What do

you get when you get a slice?

>> As long as it's a good piece of pizza

place. I'm

>> What kind of pizza do you like?

>> Pepperoni or something.

>> Pepperoni. Okay. Um, New York

restaurant. Best New York restaurant

that you don't own because you own a

few.

>> And one that I said I don't want to say

because I I I don't want to give it away

if

>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You don't want to blow

up the spot as the kids say.

>> Yeah.

>> Which you would know if you were on

TikTok. Um, when you get into taxis, do

people quote

>> taxi driver here and there? Very little.

But I don't get in cabs. But maybe once

in a while or at Uber or something.

>> Yeah. Yeah. But you don't get in cabs.

Yeah. Yeah.

>> In the street too anymore.

>> Yeah. And when you walk down the street,

you like to walk in the city. Everybody

does.

>> You've you've spoken about how like

there's, you know, the best thing about

the city is you can just be blending in

and part of it. Nobody bothers you.

Nobody cares. People have peripheral

vision and if they see somebody

physically like me. Uh I'm older and

stuff. I look like an older guy, you

know. So they're not

>> on Tik Tok. Huh?

>> Not on Tik Tok.

>> But they're not going to they're not

going to look at you. Their peripheral

vision doesn't make them interested in

looking at you anyway. So I just walk

and nobody I get not not recognized

much.

>> When do you listen any music when you

walk? Do you are you a podcast person? I

like to listen to uh music in the car. I

ride around a lot in the car cuz I have

to go here and there and then I read the

paper and listen to music.

>> I listen to oldies. Well, oldies certain

oldies from the 70s.

>> Best era for music.

>> Yeah. I mean, that's there's a station I

listen to on Sirius.

>> That 70s and 80s like

>> Yeah. It's got music that I used to

always hear and listen all the time. Uh

uh it was it was almost unconscious, you

know, used so much brought back so many

memories and as it does now is channel

16, the blend it's called.

>> I know exactly what that channel is.

It's great.

>> Yeah.

>> Yeah. It's the music that we like had

our lives to. Yeah.

>> Um and then last question is um we spoke

to we always try to talk to somebody who

knows our guest. we get like, you know,

we kind of talk well behind their back.

And Jane and I were talking earlier

today. And um we were talking about the

festival and talking about you two and

your long history together. And um you

know, she just

I thanked her as I would like to thank

you for, you know, the the film

festival.

It it started at a time when the city

was was really hurting. Um, and and that

coincided with for myself personally

starting SNL, it was like, okay, being

on a live sketch variety show during a

time when New York was really um had,

you know, had just um suffered um

through 911 and it was like the city

really needed and you know, you and Jane

and so many other New Yorkers stepped up

for the city during that time and I know

a lot of people were grateful for it.

And I asked Jane uh to ask you a

question. Um and she had a sweet one

which was what what have you and Helen,

your 14-year-old scene recently that is

is um

>> she you know I trying to tell her that

we should look at movies. She looks at

things like Stranger Things which got me

into it into

>> I saw a movie called Housemaid.

>> Yeah,

>> it was good. Yeah. I saw another movie

um that she you know I'm walking by her

while she's watching and I I say that's

not bad that that movie and there's

something in just walking by I get a

sense of the film then I see but I I

don't like to look at those so I wind up

looking at because she wants to look at

them I'd rather find classics that she

could look at or movies um

>> did you show her anything that she liked

because it's I have teenagers it's hard

to get them to like what you No, it's

it's hard. It's hard.

>> Yeah.

>> Uh and she does very little on the uh

you know on on her iPhone at this point,

keeping that very uh

>> under wraps as much as I can. And so but

um

>> but

>> yeah, that's the

>> But Helen introduced you to Stranger

Things.

>> Uh yeah.

>> Yeah. And you like that?

>> Oh yeah, it was good.

>> That was good. Right.

>> We went to see the play too, the

musical. Yeah,

>> it was good.

>> Um okay. And so is there anything for

your last my last question with you? Um,

and by the way, congratulations on

Fauler-law coming out. Big new comedy

movie that we need right now. And and I

I just want to say as we wrap, um, you

know, I I I I just personally want to

thank you for like doing what you do and

speaking out in the way that you do

about where we are in the world. There's

a lot of people um that are asked to

speak truth to power and they're

usually,

you know, members of the like the

margins. There are people that are

>> young, don't really have as much um

currency or a footing as other people.

It's often people of color. It's often

women. And to see a person like

yourself, the age that you are and the

status that you are, it reminds me of

the best way I can describe it is when

it's like if someone's giving a terrible

speech at a wedding and they're ruining

the wedding.

>> Yeah.

>> And the wedding is America and

>> and there's another adult who says like,

"We don't talk like that. That's not how

you're supposed to treat people. This is

insane."

>> Yeah. It makes everybody feel very safe

and so I've seen you do it over and over

again and I really appreciate it.

>> Thank you.

>> Yeah, it means a lot to a lot of people

cuz you're standing up for a lot of

people who don't have the power to do

that. So, thank you, Bob. And thanks for

doing it over and over again. And this

is going to be a real switcheroo because

I can't believe I just made you cry. I

feel incredible right now. Hold on. We

got to get you your tissues.

>> Thanks.

We got good hang tissues for you, Bob.

But it it's true. It's true. It is. You

know, there's not a lot of men who uh in

your position who do that and uh white

men of a certain age, like who who

frankly, you know, have a ton of power

and don't use that responsibility in a

way that they could. So, thank you.

>> Yeah, of course. that I don't it's so

upsetting to see what's happening in

this country and it's so crazy.

>> Yeah.

>> It's not like it's I mean in a way

that's better that it's so blatant

because this will happen again and

people and and this guy will influence

people and they'll come up and they'll

say, "Well, I can do it this way or that

way." And we have to always be on guard

with with uh what's happening now.

>> What do you say to people who feel very

hopeless cuz that hope hopelessness

sometimes paralyzes people.

>> I I understand that. But uh you have to

fight. You have to fight because if you

don't fight,

>> you're not going to get anything.

>> Yeah.

>> You're not going to and you have to

fight. You have to join people. I just I

use this example Jason Crowe saying um

that the courage is is contagious.

>> Uh and and uh you know the other thing

can the negative feelings can be

contagious too but why not have courage

and be contagious and stand up and they

might find out it's not so difficult and

and people will stop the nonsense that

they're doing. Uh it's it's just

out of control. Well, it is it when

people like you uh do that, it makes it

easier for other people to do it. So,

thank you.

>> I hope.

>> And then

>> and I don't like to use the word hope.

>> I know, but we keep using I mean,

whatever, you know. I I

>> um And what are you watching these days

to make you laugh when you're feeling

really

>> Well, oh, another one is Modern Family.

I watch

>> my daughter put me on. It's very funny.

>> Very funny. And a just a good one to

watch. There's a million of them.

>> It's great.

>> And you can just crank through them.

>> Yeah. Yeah. They're very funny, likable

people. It's well cast. Really good.

>> Yeah. Yeah. Um Yeah. I think that comedy

right now, and I know you've talked

about it, but like when things get

particularly stressful in the world,

people want to watch that

>> Sure.

>> rupture and repair and that way that

people are getting along and they just

need some kind of self soothing and

>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah,

>> I texted the SNL ladies, Maya and and

Paula Pel and Rachel and Tina to because

I knew we were talking today and I was

like, "Do you have any questions for

Bob?" And they were all saying they were

they have a really fond memory of when

we were doing the read through you just

laughing a lot.

>> Me? Oh, yeah. No,

>> ging a lot.

>> I love SNL. I think it's so I always

when I see movies I say that there's a

great skit from this or some political

situation. This is a great one that SNL

will do. You know,

>> when you were growing up, what did you

what was comedy like? What kind of

comedy were you watching in your house?

What did you like? Who' you like?

>> Well, in in uh when I was a kid, it was

Abbott Castello, the uh the Three

Stooges, um Laurel and Hardy. Um, and

there was a theater called The Laugh

Movie on 42nd Street

>> and had only comedies and and I would go

or maybe they'd have a Frankenstein

movie or something like that or

Frankenstein meets Sabin Castello or

something.

>> Um, but I'd go there every weekend,

every Saturday,

>> take the subway.

>> It's There's nothing like watching a

comedy in a theater.

>> Yeah.

>> Yeah. Do you remember when SNL

premiered?

>> Yes.

>> It was I think it was a show with Rob

Reiner. Was it Rob?

>> George Carlin I think was the first

>> it was one of the few way

>> one of the early ones was Rob. Yeah.

>> He did a he did a thing where

um he was playing like an a Wayne Newton

type character or something and he kept

singing and singing and singing and

singing and it was going on and on and

on. I'm saying this is this is good

because he's not you know he's not

stopping when you'd expect him to. He's

just going on and on. I thought that was

great. I I liked I said, "Oh,

>> did you feel like at the time you were

like sensing this was like a show for

you? I mean, it really was your

generation's like anti-establishment."

>> Yeah. Um I I'm curious. You and Lauren

are both like examples of longtime New

Yorkers who've been working for a very

long time and been successful and famous

for a very long time. What do you uh

what do you uh what do you take from

like working with him and and and

>> I think he's great, Lauren. I think uh

and I use him as an example of someone

who had the show going all these decades

>> and is able to do it.

>> Yeah.

>> Compared to what goes on with the clown

show with uh Trump and all that, you

know, he doesn't know what he's doing

>> and it's uh it's just a a a good example

of leadership. Yeah, I I agree. And it

was kind of on display on the SNL 50th.

>> Yeah.

>> Which was a very special evening that

you got to be a part of.

>> Yeah.

>> And for people that didn't see, what did

you get to do on the SNL 50th show?

>> What did I do?

>> Yeah.

>> I did the thing uh with Debbie Downer.

Do you

>> Which was fun.

>> Was it fun?

>> Yeah. Yeah.

>> So, what can you explain to people what

what do you remember doing in the

sketch? What was your what was your

motivation? What was your character?

>> Well, the mo the most important thing to

me was not not to, you know, even though

I can laugh in rehearsal and enjoy your

kick out of it when you do it, you got

to do it straight.

>> Yeah.

>> You have to really uh commit to it.

>> Yeah.

>> That's all. Don't do any indicating.

They're just

>> straight on what you're supposed to do

with that person as if it was a real

situation.

>> And that's how I looked at it. I I spoke

to the writer Paula Pel and she said it

was like her dream for you to get upset

at that character

>> and to call her Deborah. Deborah Downer.

You said look Deborah.

>> Yeah.

>> And I think you strang I think you fake

strangled her.

>> Yes. Yes. I did.

>> Rachel Bratch.

>> Yeah. She she was great.

May she rest in peace.

>> Yeah. I mean that was so that was that

was so I mean that character really

makes me laugh because to your point

people like that make me really angry.

>> Yeah.

>> And to be like hey cut the

>> Yeah

it was a it's a good good skit.

>> Um should we end by just quickly

watching you and Debbie Downer?

>> Okay.

>> Okay then we're done. Bob, thanks for

doing this.

>> We got through it.

>> Did you hear it, folks? We got through

it.

And that's what I want my guests to

feel.

>> Okay.

>> It wasn't bad. It's good.

>> Wait a minute. That's a great review. It

wasn't bad.

>> Yes. Good.

>> I'm surprised you want a straw.

>> What's that?

>> Micro plastic. At this point, we're all

walking landfills.

All done. They've already taken up

residence in your testies.

>> Debra,

>> Deborah,

>> I'm going to talk now and you're going

to shut it.

>> I do not appreciate this conversation. I

don't want to talk about plastic in my

balls. I want to laugh and feel joy and

have a sliver of hope for three goddamn

hours of my life. That's all I want. I

came here tonight to get a little frigin

break from my room right now, which is

like living on the road in a in a full

diaper.

>> Diapers are a leading culprit in the

micro plastic saga.

>> Here comes the strangle.

>> Step up. Fall out. It's not working.

It's not working. She thinks he's

helping. Okay.

Speaking of

>> very much enjoy that,

>> Bob. Thanks for your time today.

>> Thank you.

>> I really really appreciate it.

>> Thank you.

>> Thank you, Bob, um, for coming on. What

an interesting conversation. It's really

something else. I just wanted to take

this moment for our Polar Plunge to just

basically uh I don't know just speak to

the past version of me because moving to

New York City in 1996 being an actor if

you had told me

30 years later that I would have a

podcast. I would say what's a podcast?

Um, and then if you told me you're going

to interview Robert Dairo, and you're

going to be talking to him about acting,

and you're going to be

talking about SNL, a show that you will

you will have been on. Um, it's just

nuts. And, you know, New York City

remains my favorite city in the world.

I've lived here for 30 years. Um,

sometimes in LA, but let's not talk

about it. And um I just have to say um I

the fact that I get to be here that I

feel like I know the city and that I get

to talk to people who represent how much

the city means to me is really something

else. So my plunge today is plunging

back into the time machine and telling

my younger self to hang on because good

things are ahead. So hope you can all do

that too. Thank you so much for joining

us and see you soon. Bye.

You've been listening to Good Hang. The

executive producers for this show are

Bill Simmons, Jenna Weiss Berman, and

me, Amy Polar. The show is produced by

The Ringer and Paperkite. For The

Ringer, production by Jack Wilson, Cat

Spalain, Kaia McMullen, Alia Xanerys,

Bridget Gearlings, Paige Garberini, Bell

Roman, and Drew Vanstein Bergen. For

Paperkite, production by Sam Green, Joel

Levelvel, and Jenna Weiss Berman.

Original music by Amy Miles.

cuz I'm really good at