Transcript: Steve Carell on Good Hang with Amy Poehler

Hello everyone. Welcome to another

episode of Good Hang. We have a comedy

legend on today, a hilarious leading

man, box office giant and um sketch

comedian who I first saw on the stage at

Second City and you know wanted to be

like ever since. Steve Carell joining

us. Steve and I are going to talk about

a lot of things. We're going to talk

about Second City. We're going to talk

about Anchor Man. We're going to talk

about The Office. We're going to talk

about the smooth tones of the baritone

horn. And we are going to talk about his

new HBO show Rooster out now. So, we get

into a lot of fun stuff. And before we

talk to Steve, we talk to someone who

knows Steve so we can speak well behind

his back and get a question from me. And

we are joined by his old second city

buddy, his um old roommate, a person who

was there from the beginning and who is

also another hilarious and famous Steve.

And that Steve is Steven Coar. Hello

Steven Coar. Bonjour.

This episode of Good Hang is presented

by Subaru. Some cars go the extra mile.

Long range Subaru hybrids take that to a

whole new level with up to 597 miles per

tank in the Cross Trek Hybrid, a car

that I've given my family, and up to 581

m per tank in the Forester hybrid,

another car that I also enjoy. Subaru

love goes the extra mile. Visit

subaru.com/hybrid

to learn more. Range based on EPA

estimated combined fuel economy and a

full tank of fuel. Actual mileage and

range may vary.

>> I just want to start by saying, you

know, you were the senior to my freshman

when I arrived at at Second City in

Chicago. And it was you and Amy Sedaris

and um Carell and Paul Danelloo. and you

were all getting ready to go do Exit 57,

which was at the time just the thought

that you could go and be like the

captain on stage and then go have your

own sketch show. It just felt like such

a dream.

>> We had no idea what we were doing. And

we thought that the answer was, "What if

we just worked 24 hours a day? Wouldn't

that make things funnier?" And it made

things weirder because you would fall

into a chemoscychosis.

>> Yeah.

>> And not have any sense. And I go back

and I watch those sketches now. I go,

"Pick up the pace." Oh yeah. How are you

doing?

>> Oh god. Yeah. I I look at our old

sketches and I'm like, you want to go

six minutes on this?

>> You You really got You're going to stay

up all night fighting for cuts? I think

I think it would play a little better if

it was half the time. Was Second City

where you and Steve first met?

>> Yeah. I matter of fact, I was there. I

got I mean, I was I I worked there in

the box office because I didn't have any

>> job. I had gone I'd done a gig overseas.

Um, and then I came back with no money.

I mean, literally, I was sleeping on a

friend's floor. I didn't have a dime. I

I I uh

and and my friend Ann Libra said she was

the box office manager and she said,

"You can answer phones here like two

days a week if you need like basic

cash." So, I started answering phones

and then I found out that you could take

classes for free if you worked there,

even if you're like part-time like I

was. And so I said, "Well, I I mean, I

never imagined that I would be at Second

City because I was I was real improv. I

was I was uh I had done uh you know, IO

improv Olympic and those people talked a

lot of [ __ ] about Second City."

>> Yeah. There was a fun East Coast, West

Coast thing happening

>> 100%. But it was like Lincoln Avenue,

North Wells situation going on. And I

was very much crosscurrens. That's where

we would I did it across Currents

L

>> and um and I was like, "No, man. I do."

And then I went there and I saw the show

and I went, "Oh, everybody here cares

just as much as anybody else. They just

happen to be sold out every night and

there's liquor."

>> I'm like, I kind of like this. And then

I took classes and I didn't know Steve.

Steve had gotten there a year, year and

a half ahead of me, something like that.

he was a little bit ahead of me in that

you might call it process or like kind

of rep system there and uh and I didn't

know him at all. A year later, a year

after I started working there, I was

invited to audition and I auditioned and

I got into the national touring company

which was like a red letter day in my

career. I got into the Turco and I think

I got hired like on a Thursday and then

like on Saturday they said, "Can you go

in at Northwest?" Because there used to

be the theater on the at Northwest and I

went, "Uh, yeah, sure." I I you know, I

learned whatever I needed to learn as

quickly as I could. I went up there and

I met Steve kind of like from backstage

watching him on stage. I met him in

rehearsal. He's so gifted music. You

know how gifted musically he is, right?

I did not I did not know that

>> he if it's made of brass he can play it.

>> You kidding me? I did not know that.

>> He can pick up a tin whistle, a

recorder. He can you he can play he

plays the I I underststudied for Steve

when I was at when I was in Torco. I

finally said like I either going to put

me you're going to let me understudy or

I'm going to leave.

>> And Joy said don't threaten.

I don't respond to threats. I'm like

it's not a threat. I've been here for

four years or almost four years at this

point. I'm like, and I and I love doing

it, but I got to go figure out what else

I can do.

>> I hope this isn't a threat. And so,

literally the next day, they said I I

understudied like etc or something. And

then they said, "Uh, Carell's got to go.

He's got like a Browns chicken

commercial."

>> Yeah, big deal. Something like that.

>> You could live off that for years.

>> Oh [ __ ] man. We were all jealous.

>> Oh, yeah.

>> Wait, he got a bacon bit spot.

And so

he's selling funeral insurance to

children. Jesus, that sounds like a

great gig. And I So anyway, uh they

said, "Could you could you go in for

Carell?" And I said, "He plays the

euphonium. He played the baritone horn,

which is like a little tuba." And he

goes, "He plays the baritone horn in

that. Do I have to play the baritone

horn?" And they said, "Yeah, yeah." I

said, "I don't know how to play the

baritone horn." And they said, "Okay,

we'll ask Adsid to do it."

>> And Scott Adsid. And I said, "No, no,

no. I'll learn it. I'll learn it. When

do I when do I need to go in?" And they

said, "6 days."

>> Wow.

>> And so I And they wouldn't rent me a

horn. I got the horn.

>> It cost like 250 bucks, which is like

what you'd get paid in a month at Second

City, but I had to go in to Main Stage.

And so, uh, I I went to Carell and I

said, "Would you I don't can't read

sheet music. Can you please write out

the fingering for the horn and teach me

an amisher?" You know

>> what's what's an amisher? Oh,

>> that's the

that's the thing that makes the sound in

the horn.

>> And like you can get like three

different octets.

>> I knew I was going to learn a new word

from this interview. I knew you were

going to teach me.

>> Is a great amisher is a great word.

Especially if someone cuts a fart in

front of you. A nice thing to say is you

go, "Oh, nice amisher." You know,

really tight on that amateur. And um

French horn. And so anyway, uh I I was

dating this girl, now my wife, Evie

McGee, in New York, and I was supposed

to go see her that weekend. What did we

do all weekend? We sat in her apartment,

and I I learned Anchors Away, Pretty

Woman, and Taps. Oh, you're hitting

those drums.

>> Wait, no. who is put um listeners, I

don't know if you can hear, but there's

some drums happening in your house. Is

someone playing?

>> That's my son.

>> Oh, that's so cute. Wait, you're talking

about music and your son is starting to

play drums down in the basement.

>> My son is practicing because he's going

into his brother's band. They got a gig

next weekend in Brooklyn and so they're

he's going down there to practice cuz

they their drummers out for the week.

He's subbing in for his brother. Yeah,

>> that's kind of like

>> That's all you want.

>> That is all you want. That's exactly I

was going to say the sound of your son

practicing to sub in for your other son.

That's like a dream.

>> Yeah. I met Carell uh I met Carell at

Northwest

uh back in in 1988.

>> And so when you guys were on the Daily

Show together, it was like Jack

>> and Carby together.

>> That's right. You were, by the way, that

viral clip, I'm sure you've seen on your

phone of you guys reacting to the

incredible ad for the Dana Carvey root

beer variety special hour is so

>> I don't want to die. For people that

don't know, that show that you wrote on

was incredible and so ahead of its time,

but there's a really funny moment where

both you and Steve are shown an ad from

that time where you are following a very

special episode of Home Improvement. And

in it, Jonathan Taylor Thomas'

character, I believe, thinks he is going

to die. He thinks he's ill or sick and

he says like it's very sweet and him and

Tim Allen are having a moment and he

says, "I don't want to die, Dad." And

then the next voiceover is

>> and the Mug Root Beard Dana Carvey show

tonight on ABC.

>> So funny. It's so And watching you and

Steve laugh is so funny. It's so it's

and to me that's like I I I don't know

how to explain it other than the joy of

that to me sums up what it feels like

to have funny friends and get to make

things with them.

>> The joy of failure.

>> Yes.

>> Was something that I I said early on at

at at Second City that I realized, oh, I

think I should do this for the rest of

my life, meaning comedy. because I I was

kind of fighting whether I was going to

do drama or comedy because I was doing

straight theater in Chicago at the same

time and I but we'd laugh so hard when

we or someone else on stage would fail

but the other person on stage who was

failing would also laugh and I went if

this if it can be this joyful

in failure and there's also another joy

in success then I'd be dumb not to

pursue this for the rest of my life.

>> That's so beautifully said that it is

joyful in failure. That is beautifully

said. That's exactly

>> also it's almost like because there's so

much empathy for what's happened to the

person who's eating it.

>> But but if you know just to extrapolate

on that even more, there has to be a

belief that you'll be okay.

>> I know you asked to uh for me to think

of uh like uh what I would want to ask

her.

>> Yeah. What what would you want to ask

Steve? Thank you. The amazing thing

about Steve is

um his ability to do anything

>> is I know a lot of talented people but I

don't know many people he can do almost

anything and and first of all I mean I

remember one of my really early

impressions of Steve is wow he can make

anything funny. Yeah,

>> he can make any moment very full, not

funny, but funny, but also very full,

>> very full of presence and energy and

what we would call tensiveness like like

the a scenic tension.

>> And I see that same ability like I I

marveled that ability and also how he

would never [ __ ] around. He was always

very professional. And I remember

looking at him backstage at Second City

and going, "Why is he so good?" And I

came up to this conclusion and I wrote

it down on a piece of paper with a

calligraphic pen and I taped it on the

back of my little locker area to remind

myself and it just said work

>> cuz what I saw at Steve was that he

worked really hard.

>> Yeah.

>> And he never phoned it in. And I'm

curious what his process is like when he

does drama or what people would perceive

as drama and versus comedy or what

people would perceive as comedy. And the

reason why I say perceive is is it all

the same to him?

>> Yeah.

>> But with a different character intention

or with a different energy intention or

is he really just approaching in a

totally different way? He's like, "Well,

that's, you know, that's sketch or

that's something incredibly broad like

Anchorman or or you know, Dinner for

Schmucks or now I'm doing Fox Catcher."

Like,

>> yeah. Does he do it does he do it in a

different way? Because I admire him so

much in both directions. Same. and

>> and and as far as I know, he's never

talked about his process, so I don't I

mean, I've I've never seen him do it, so

I don't and I've worked with him since

1988. I mean, we roommed together

practically for 10 years, and I don't

know what it is.

>> That's a great question. And um uh I

mean, you're really good at really good

at this. You should you should try to

make this your job asking questions.

>> Are there any are any of these jobs

left? Are there No. Okay.

>> Nope.

>> Podcast it is. Well, um I thank you so

much for this time.

>> What a pleasure. Thanks so much.

>> And and um do we know what song your son

is playing down in the basement before

we go? Do you know? Is it an original?

>> He's either playing Bosan Nova

>> or he's playing Deep Space 9,

>> which uh which has one of my favorite

lyrics uh in any of his songs, which is

your your heads in Deep Space 9. I'm not

taking you to family Thanksgiving.

Vape vape clouds destroyed your mind.

I'm not taking you to family

Thanksgiving, which is

>> love.

>> Really tells a story.

>> It's like you're a Swifty with your own

children. Like you're just trying to

break down all the lyrics.

>> I got everything.

>> I I mean, I think Steve's going to be so

happy that we talked because and we

could talk about your relationship a lot

today and I hope we do because it's very

special.

>> Fact that I'm associated with him that

people still come up to me and say Steve

Carell. Like they'll still get the name

wrong.

>> Yeah, sure. Sure.

>> I just love it.

>> I feel that way about like I I feel like

you and Steve have a little bit of what

with Tina and I have which is we're just

like people put us together all the time

and I couldn't be happier about it.

>> Sure.

>> Yeah.

>> I still someday I'll do something.

Someday I'll do something with him

again. Ask him what he's doing cuz tell

him I need a gig.

>> Okay, great. Yeah, we'll we'll let

Carell pick your next gig.

>> Okay, perfect.

>> All right. All right. Thank you so much.

>> Have a great conversation.

>> So nice talking to you and seeing you.

Okay, take care. Bye.

This episode is brought to you by All

State. Checking All State first could

save you hundreds on car insurance.

That's smart. Not checking the meaning

of a word all the kids say before using

it yourself. Not smart. Not sleigh

worthy. Yeah, checking first is smart.

So check All State first for a quote

that could save you hundreds. You're in

good hands with All State. Potential

savings vary subject to terms,

conditions, and availability. All State

North American Insurance Company and

affiliates Northbrook Illinois.

Woohoo!

>> This episode is brought to you by Ultima

Replenisher. Health is all about

balance. A salad with fries, Pilates,

then pancakes. You know, those small

daily choices that make you feel good.

And the same idea applies to hydration.

With all six essential electrolytes,

Ultima provides balanced hydration that

fits right into your day without the

junk. I'm talking no sugar, calories, or

carbs. And it's not loaded with salt.

Shop Ultima on Amazon or in store at

Target and Whole Foods Market.

>> Thank you for doing this,

>> Mike. Thanks for having me.

>> Steve Carella is here. Um, and Steve, I

feel like you always feel the way you

feel about somebody like based kind of

on the first time you see them. Like,

you know, you just get like imprinted

with when you first meet them. And I

first met you when you were on stage. I

never really knew you in Chicago. I just

watched you perform and you were the

senior when I arrived with my bags like

being like am I going to try to do this

you know business like what is this and

you guys were like the cool seniors.

>> Well we also you hear about the people

who they've just hired too and you're

one of those people that stuck out

immediately. You know people were

talking about you super early on and you

always kind of keep tabs like well who's

who's next? who are the, you know, who

are the

>> up andr. Yeah. Yeah.

>> And you were, you were definitely one of

those people.

>> You were in the very like you were in

that class of people that number one

were crushing it on stage and then also

went on to do things like you had jobs.

You got hired, you made money, you got

commercials.

>> That was always so exciting to to meet.

You remember Ken Campbell?

>> Yeah, sure. So Ken Campbell was the

first one of of like our group to kind

of step out and got he got a he got a

show called Herman's Head. Oh yeah.

Where they were all

>> Some could say Inside a precursor to

Inside Out.

>> That's right. Yeah. Exactly. He was the

first person to have a job. And it was

astounding. Yeah.

>> Like, oh my, he's really doing it.

>> Yeah. He's really going to get paid to

do it.

>> He's getting paid. And he's in Hollywood

and he's a big shot.

>> He's going to have insurance,

everything. I remember coming out and

visiting him and we were doing a little

I don't know some some weird little

theater show like one night and he and

his wife were there just to watch and I

remember he ordered steak and I thought,

"Oh man, that guy is he's got it made.

>> He's rolling it.

>> Sitting in the restaurant ordering steak

watching the show."

Well, speaking of steak and speaking of

restaurants, before I go any further, I

need to point out you're the first guest

that technically my father booked for

me.

>> Bill Polar,

>> they Let's tell the story. What

happened?

>> Nicest people. So, back in back in

Massachusetts,

>> we'll see how this story goes.

>> We

>> You have issu clearly you have issues

with

>> Well, you were in my mom.

>> I don't want to dig. I don't want to

open a can of worms. when all I know is

I got a phone call saying, "Good news.

We saw Steve Carell at a restaurant and

we told him that he should be on your on

your show." So, we think we've booked

him is what my parents said. I was like,

"My dad." And I was like, "What did you

say?"

>> That's exactly No, he's you know Amy

does a podcast. Like, I know.

>> Well, let's set the scene. You're in

Massachusetts at a nice restaurant. a

nice restaurant out in the BBS like we

were or something like that. Gib

>> Gibbit Hill Farms Hill Farms

>> out in Grten, Mass.

>> Like it was and nowhere near where we

live either. We just I was meeting my

brother out there.

>> My parents were out there. They were

with their friends Tom and Sue.

>> Lovely lovely forsome. Um they

introduced themselves and and we got to

they were very charming. Lovely. Um, and

I know that surprises you and

and and your you know, your dad brought

up your podcast and your mom said, "You

should be on." And I was like, "I've

never been asked to be on."

>> You were like, "I think I have to be

asked.

>> I I'm not going to just throw my hat in

like, hey, hey, I want to be on."

>> Did they get awkward? And they were

like, "Ooh, there must they

must be a reason why

>> they retreated. They were like, "Forget

it."

>> Oh, no. No. Well, maybe she doesn't have

a puck. I don't remember what she did.

Maybe. No, no, that's not right. It was

somebody else we were thinking that had

a pug. Um, they were so nice. Yeah. So,

I think maybe that planted the seed.

>> I mean, I I forget that you're a Boston

boy.

>> Yeah. I grew up in Actton.

>> I know. And why do I mean, you don't

seem very Boston to me.

>> How so? Well, well, you're polite

>> and thoughtful and considerate.

>> There's a different

>> I will say politeness registers

differently in Massachusetts.

>> That's true.

>> When you go back and people recognize

you, do you have a different experience

than you do here or in New York?

>> I I mean I I I am not I love Boston. I

love where I'm from. I love the

directness. I love the Yes. like the

real

>> loyal like just really really good

honest people. But there is a definite

um how would you say to it

>> there is a bruskness and honestly I'm

going to say it. There's just like a

you're not better than me quality about

Boston.

>> Exactly it

>> that I love but it's sometimes tough to

be on the receiving end. If you

>> if you know if you can anticipate that.

Yeah.

>> It's actually very charming.

>> Very true.

>> Um and you just kind of take it at face

value because

>> I remember going back and you know shop

around. I was in the supermarket.

>> One guy came up to me and said, "Hey

Steve,

I know you. That thing you did was good.

Don't get cocky.

>> It's all that love you. Don't get cocky.

>> Oh yeah. Don't

>> Don't You're one of us.

>> Yeah.

>> Don't embarrass us.

>> Don't you dare grow or change.

>> Mostly change.

>> Yeah. Where did you go to college?

>> Dennis University.

>> Yeah. And then how did you get Ohio? And

then how did you find out about Second

City?

>> Touring company.

>> Came through Ohio State University and

we bought tickets and right then and

there

>> I thought that's was funny. Nancy and I

were just talking about this exact

thing. Yeah.

>> That the touring company seemed like,

and she saw a touring company, too. It

seemed like the most fun job to have.

>> Yeah.

>> Of any job I could even imagine.

>> Yeah.

>> And you, you know, you roll into a

college town. You do all of these great

sketches that are bulletproof because

they've been tried and true and have

been at Second City for years and years

and they always work. Yeah.

>> So, you feel like

>> just you're on top of the world. You're

go It's not even your material. you're

just going out and performing someone

else's stuff and it's uh making people

laugh and it just I thought that's it.

That's what I want to do.

>> When you were in college, did you you

were thinking about being an actor?

>> I I was a history major.

>> Ah, that makes sense.

>> So, I was not allowing myself to kind of

consider that seriously

>> because you probably didn't know a lot

of people who were actors growing up who

had that job. Yeah.

>> No, it didn't seem I mean, in

Massachusetts, I mean,

>> you're neck of the woods, too. It just

doesn't seem like it's like it's a real

It didn't seem like a real job.

>> Exactly. It's like I'll either be that

or an astronaut, you know? It didn't

seem like a plausible final destination

in terms of a career. So, I always I

thought maybe history, maybe law school,

something

>> something that sounded something that

sounded good to my parents. Honestly, I

really wanted to after all they invested

in me and my education, my brothers. I

>> I just felt like I owed them something.

They could like when when when you're

older, they could go up to someone in a

restaurant and say, "You should join my

son's law school."

>> They could bother someone in a

restaurant.

>> Never got a chance to say that.

>> And so then you're in Dennis, you see

the touring company, you think, I'm

going to go to Chicago.

>> Two friends of mine from Dennis, uh,

after we graduated, they gave me a call

randomly and said, we're moving. We're

going to Chicago.

>> Wow. And I don't think I would have had

the guts to do it myself, just by

myself. But we're getting a place. We're

going to start an educational theater

company which will help pay some of the

bills and we'll get jobs and we will

pursue careers as actors. And that's

then I was in

>> What year was that? Then you arrived

>> 85.

>> And you just were living in a cheap Do

you remember the rent of your first

apartment?

>> $600 split three ways, all utilities

included.

Fantastic.

>> What was your job then? What were you

doing?

>> I waited tables at Hoola Hands.

>> Oh, yeah.

>> Yeah, that was a hot spot. Huland.

>> Hulands on division.

>> Yeah, that's I mean it was so fun back

then.

>> It was

>> to be in that city. That city felt like

it was I don't know, maybe just cuz I

was young when I was there, but it felt

like it was something was crackling and

happening. I mean, when you think back

about those Chicago times,

what comes up for you? I mean I mean

it's such youthful, exuberant,

enthusiastic times, but what what what

feelings and thoughts come up for you?

>> I think well like all of the things we

learned in class at Second City, having

that freedom to fail

>> uh

>> and there were very few constraints in

terms of what you could try.

>> Yeah. And and at Second City itself, it

was the same thing like being on stage

every night and working it out and

figuring, you know, you that that

audience is such a great barometer and

>> and if if you're not doing it well or

right, they'll tell you.

>> You'll feel it. And it was so much fun.

>> So much fun. And and also, you know, I

think about it now as you're talking

about it is I think sometimes when I

think back at sketch and improv, I kind

of like I don't know. I think like, oh,

I wasn't working material like a standup

or something, but that's not true. We

really had to, we had different

audiences every night, rowdy audiences

expecting stuff from us.

>> Yeah.

>> And like you had to learn how to kind of

be hung out to dry a little bit on stage

and be okay with it.

>> Did you embrace that?

>> I We used to challenge each other.

>> Okay.

to embracing the awfulness of the scene

and like challenging each other not to

leave because it's so easy if

something's if something's failing you

just want to bail like during an improv

scene.

>> Oh yeah.

>> But it was sort of a badge of honor.

Uh-uh. We're we're going to drive this

into the ground.

>> It's an exquisite feeling to look at

your partner and be like we're bombing.

We're and we're and let's hold hands

>> and let's let's do this together. And

sometimes you'd be able to pull it out

of a nose dive and other a lot of times

it just the lights just slowly

slowly faded.

>> Well, what do you like about it? I know

what you mean. What is the What is the

thing about it?

>> I don't know. I think it's I guess just

throwing everything off of you. like

throwing all of all of the worry, all of

the concern

>> of this isn't working and getting into

your head about why isn't it working? We

have to make it work. Everybody gets

sweaty. Everybody everybody starts

trying too hard. But sometimes when you

can just allow it to kind of wash over

you,

>> the things that you might find are

really interesting and embracing. like a

little death.

Is it the closest to It feels like you

are I mean I'm trying to think cuz I

when you're explaining it I'm getting

this like feeling of what it felt like

when it was when you I mean one thing is

we weren't usually alone.

>> No,

>> we weren't bombing alone.

>> And that's I I can't imagine. Did you

ever do standup?

>> I occasionally like when I would be

asked to do small shows and I didn't

mind it. I kind of liked it, but I never

really like honed a set.

>> I bet you would be I bet you were great

at it.

>> I I I found it easier or I liked doing

it as I was older. When I was younger, I

just didn't think I understood. I had

like a lot of respect for the art form

and I didn't and I wanted to be with

people. I wanted to perform with people.

>> So, I think that that's what I mean is

the bombing with people was like a

special joy. I completely

>> but the one of the many things that

Second City I know it like created

lifelong friendships

>> and like you know you got your we all

figured out how to like get our 10,000

hours on stage and all that stuff but

you met your wife.

>> Yeah.

>> How did you meet Nancy Wallace the great

hilarious Nancy?

>> This is going to sound super creepy.

>> But I was teaching class at Second City.

>> Okay.

>> And she was in my improv character

class.

>> Dang. And uh and she was hilarious

and super smart,

>> beautiful. Like I I

>> I have to remember she was a real catch

back then cuz Nancy is so funny.

>> Um and also beautiful. And I remember

everyone being like, "This is not quite

fair.

>> It's not quite fair how tall and pretty

and funny she is." Like you usually get

you don't get you get about one. So nice

to

>> like and cool and nice and sweet to

everybody.

>> But you really snagged the babe.

>> Tell me about it. And we So, but I

thought she hated my guts because I'd be

teaching and talking and I'd look over

at her dead nothing. Like dead eyes, no

affect her face at all. And I was like,

"Boy, she is not buying any of this. She

hates me. Hates this class.

>> Knows I'm a phony." And

uh and it turns out she was just

nervous.

>> That's what she told me later.

>> And when she gets nervous, she gets like

stonefaced.

>> Yeah. She just doesn't want to show

anything.

>> That's a powerful move to do because it

really makes the other person work for

it.

>> Yeah.

>> Yeah.

>> And she worked across the street. Um she

was a a waitress across the street at a

bar called The Last Act. Oh, yeah. So

after shows or after class, I used to go

over and I used to sit at the bar and

I'd order a Diet Coke and we'd talk, but

it took

so long because we both kind of talked

around the whole thing forever

and never like finally one day the

conversation went something like,

>> you know, if we're talking about people

that we like or like what what's your

who would you go out with.

>> Oh my god, that's such a funny combo.

>> And it was all just just this ciruitous

it you know someone down the bar is just

saying get to it like come on you're

annoying everybody. And I think I

finally said you know if I were I if I

were going to ask somebody on a date be

somebody like you like you'd be like

that template of somebody that I'd love

to go out with. And she's like you know

somebody like you asked me out that

would I would love it. It would be

fantastic. And there was a pause and I

said, "Do you want to go in?"

>> So, it was so super uncool. Like, yeah,

we went So, we went two doors down to

the other bar, you know, like then that

that was the beginning of it.

>> And then you went when you left Chicago

were you you weren't married yet.

>> No, we were engaged. We got engaged a

week before she got SNL.

>> Wow. So yeah, we went on our honeymoon

and came back and moved right to New

York for her to start rehearsals.

>> So you you people know like the way

ahead of its time Dana Carvey show that

you were you and Cobear and others

Smeiggel and Conan were all writers on

>> a bunch of people. Yeah. an incredible

cast of writers and and you were also in

the rep company like did you you did

stuff?

>> Yeah.

>> And I mean I I was

>> Dana call us the sketch of tears.

>> Can we talk about Dana Carvey for a

second because Dana Carvey was so was

really important to me.

>> Like he was you know you always kind of

fall in love with that that that cast

that when you're like 13 that you see in

SNL and it was Dana and Phil Hartman and

Jan Hooks. Like Dana is so funny. He is

so funny.

>> He is so funny.

>> I don't know if there's anyone funnier

alive, too. Like, to to be in a room

with him

>> is incredible. He's just a super funny,

incredibly nice guy. Like, I owe him

>> and Smiggle everything for that

opportunity on that show cuz I was I was

at a point in Chicago, my agent had told

me, "If something doesn't happen for you

soon, it's not going to happen."

my agent.

Way to build me up. I was feeling very

good about myself.

>> Dang it. Then

>> so I move I I moved to New York.

>> Yeah.

>> Um and was able to the next thing I got

was

>> Dana Carvey.

>> Yeah.

>> And it it that really changed

everything. That was my first kind of

step into something

um other than Second City.

>> Yeah. I mean that show I remember it

being this it felt like an experiment.

>> Yeah.

>> It felt like it was like you guys got an

opportunity to make whatever you wanted

with other people's money and then they

noticed you were doing it and they said

stop. They said stop doing that.

>> Well, you heard about the first episode.

Did you hear this story?

>> Tell tell us again.

>> The first scene of the first Dana Carvey

show was Dana playing Bill Clinton and

he was sitting at a desk in the Oval

Office talking about how he is the

nurturing pres president and at a

certain point he opens his shirt to

reveal uh a prosthetic

breast platit.

And I think he had eight nipples.

>> Yes.

>> And they brought

>> which which had real milk

>> which were rigged to lactate.

>> Right.

>> And so they brought a bunch of puppies

and stood them on the desk and the

puppies started suckling

>> because he was the nurturing president,

>> right? And so we started we we were

following home improvement

and

and

they said the ratings went from home

improvement and they could chart it like

at the beginning of this sketch. It just

it

>> like you could hear the drop off. It was

so

>> it was it was done. It was the show was

over and that was the first episode,

first scene and god

>> at that point

>> ABC was not not happy.

>> No,

>> it was uh

>> but somebody had to approve that that

was the first sketch. Somebody had to

>> I mean it was not a surprise to her

credit ABC allowed it to happen. Um,

yeah, they they took some huge swings

and it was fun because like Colbear and

I shared an office and we could and and

we worked together a lot at Second City.

We were in a bunch of casts together and

we come up with an idea and go down to

Smiggel's office, Robert Smiggel, and

just pitch something

>> and he'd say, "Let's Yeah, let's go."

Yeah.

>> And would do it on the show that night.

I mean, it was the kind of it was as

close to live as you could get without

being SNL.

>> Yeah. You really did work on a bunch of

like

really specific interesting

places. Like the Daily Show was is its

own system that kept changing with

different kind of versions of the same

thing. But what was it like? What was

that feeling like when you were all

there young working on that and it being

so wellreceived?

>> It was similar to Second City. Yeah. I

and and I I think those are the

>> I guess those are the kind of

environments that I am drawn to.

>> Yeah.

>> That everyone is just in it together.

>> Yeah.

>> And there's a spontaneity to it and and

we don't know if it's going to work, but

we're going to give it our best shot.

>> It was a lot of improvising on that

show.

>> Um you know, in the field pieces. Yes.

>> Uh because you just had, especially

early on, they didn't know that we were

a comedy show. So So we were kind of

undercover. Did you ever feel bad when

you were tricking people?

>> I I did not I did not like it at f

especially at first because

>> I was new and I was kind of following

the template.

>> Yeah.

>> And I never felt good about mocking

someone who doesn't deserve it. Uh

>> and

so I I I tried and I know Colbear

Stephen gave me great advice which was

come up with a character. Mhm.

>> Um, and that will make it much more

palatable. And my character was

someone who didn't quite understand,

didn't quite get it.

>> Um, but was super serious about

everything he was asking.

>> Uh, but it was not the the onus was on

me to be I was I was the idiot.

>> Yes.

>> And to take the to take that off of the

people. I remember doing one field piece

which were

>> um it was a cling on speakers convention

>> and

you know you go and obviously the idea

is let's make fun of people who meet and

learn how to speak Klingon and they were

the nicest

gentlest

I I really and I really like these

people a lot they were very kind

>> and I thought well what who Who are they

harming? No one. I mean, it's

>> it's just harmless fun. It's just people

enjoy each other's company and have a

shared hobby. I mean, how is it any

different than a woodworking club or a

photography club? It's just it's what

they did. It's what it's where their

interests lie and it made them happy.

>> And I thought, no, it has to it has to

be about what an idiot I am.

>> Well, you're really good at that, Steve.

You're so good at playing someone who's

frustrated by their own lack of

understanding

comedically.

>> That's such an interesting way to put

it.

>> Just like go just get this right. It's

so

>> why is the world so wrong?

>> It's so and that energy of that is so

funny and so funny. But but Steven was

right and Stephen um that that took a

lot of it a lot of that uh strain away

because then it then it wasn't making

fun of people and there you know I just

>> there's no I don't like playing pranks

in terms of being unkind or trying to

make

>> someone look stupid unless they deserve

to look stupid but

>> more often than not these people didn't

they were you know some of them were

>> justent Ric, but who car? Like that's

>> that's the spice of life.

>> And so do you think that Adam Mccay, who

wrote and directed Anchor Man, wrote

Brick with you in mind?

>> I don't think so. No, not at all. Not at

all.

>> Because I mean, we've all seen the the

audition. It's so that character is

>> Oh,

>> chef's kiss.

>> That might have been the most fun I've

ever had professionally like with those

guys.

Well, one of the things we do every day

when we were shooting and it was really

like my first big it's one of one of the

first things I ever did. Um, and I just

I couldn't believe my good fortune. I

thought this might be it. You know, this

might be the one that I just this might

be one and done and I I'm gonna I'm I'm

going to enjoy it.

>> Yeah. But what we used to do during uh

they used to do dailies every day

>> and watch them and you'd watch

>> everyone would watch them. They'd have a

a dailies trailer on set

>> and it was all on film still. So you'd

watch from a few days before they

developed the film and you just see

selections from a few days earlier. And

so we'd have lunch. This was every day.

We'd have lunch and then the four of us

and and other cast members too and the

producers would go into this trailer and

we'd all get hot fudge sundaes

at at catering before we came in. So

that eating hot fudge sundas and

watching the dailies.

>> Oh my god. Acting is so hard.

>> I I know. I know. I mean I thought this

is this what is is this it?

a kid. As a little kid, this is what you

would dream that acting would be.

>> Yes. It's what you would dream.

>> Um, and it was just pure joy.

>> And you would just laugh at what you had

done a couple days before.

>> Yes. And most, you know, and I'm sure

you're the same way, watching yourself,

you're like,

>> but get to somebody else's stuff.

>> Totally.

>> And it's just to watch what everybody

else is doing

>> cuz you can't really watch while you're

in it, while you're doing it. But to

kind of watch objectively

>> Yeah. I know what you mean. Like

sometimes I've known like I don't know

if I nailed it, but I'm going to be in a

funny movie. I don't know if I Yeah. I

don't know if I'm going to be the funny

one in the funny movie, but I'm going to

but I'm going to be in one.

>> If I If I can not be if I can not

detract from everyone else being funny.

That's usually

>> what I feel my job is. If I

>> Because I feel like when people You can

tell when people want to be the funniest

thing. Yeah.

>> And are when it gets sweaty and they're

trying super hard

>> and

>> I don't know how you feel about improv

as used in film.

>> I have a strong feeling about it

actually. Well, cuz I I feel like

especially during that time. So I was in

Anchor Man. I got cut.

>> You were in the fight the battle scene.

>> I was in the um

>> No, in the original one. In the original

Anchor Man, there was a whole other If

you remember that giant

>> the alarm clock.

>> The alarm clock.

>> That's right.

>> So, there was I wasn't in the alarm

clock, but there people who have the DVD

extras know there was like a whole other

world of like bad guys that got cut out

of that movie. I think an hour's worth

of material. Maya Rudolph, Chuck D from

Public Enemy because of course Kevin

Corrian, they were like the weather

underground. They were this like, you

know, um feisty group of rebels, you

know, uh trying to upset the city. And I

don't know how it had to do with you

guys, but it was pages and pages and

months and months. And I was I did a

scene with them where I was like a bank

teller, you know, like a bulletin bank

teller or something. But I went and

worked for a day and so I have a picture

of me and Chuck D and me and Maya in a

great outfit and we're like we're going

to be an anchor man. And then McKay was

like we're not going to be doing it.

>> I don't I

>> there's a whole movie out there. Well,

there was another like a flashback scene

that I don't know if we shot or whe it's

it's it's kind of a blur, but the idea

was there's it's it's a bit of a brick

uh backstory, origin story that he was

their platoon leader

>> in in Vietnam

and he was like the biggest badass.

>> Oh, wow.

And then like follow me, we're getting

this [ __ ] done. That kind of thing.

And and and then you cut to now

>> he's he's their trusty mascot.

>> Yeah.

>> But you don't know what happened in

between.

>> Really funny. That's really funny. Um,

but in in terms of there was a lot of

improv that went

>> during that time there was a lot of like

and Adam loves to improvise and and like

and I used to love it cuz I felt like I

I could do it well but it also it it did

wear me down a little bit as the years

went on.

>> Yeah. No, I I

>> Do you feel this way about improv? I do

which is sometimes people are like it's

great you can improvise and I'm like oh

>> it's

here I here's my take on what's your

take. I I think it's I think it's a

great tool,

>> but I don't think it is the the I think

it's a means to an end.

>> I don't think it's let's just do a big

improv thing.

>> Yeah.

>> Because

and and I think this was true on The

Office.

>> The scripts were great on that show.

Like really strong every every episode.

And can I ask you a question? Yeah.

About parks and wreck.

>> Yeah. So you you know you led that show

for so many years.

Did you ever what how did you maintain

the uh the dignity of that character and

like how did how did you how were you

able to center that character all the

way through? Because I think it's very

easy for, you know, when writers turn

over, when staffs turn over, sometimes

new writers are more fans of the show

and are kind of writing to the most

obvious elements of a character as

opposed to, you know, people who are

like the creators of the actual the

writers who created the character. Um,

so how did did you feel like you

protected your character going through?

>> That's a good question. I feel like the

the short answer is Mike Sher, who

really was the best captain and just

kept everyone's characters very sacred

and safe and really paid attention to

what we would and wouldn't say. Um, I

think we started off

like a little

wacky and we had to adjust on the fly.

So, we did some like early adjusting on

that show and then locked in after that.

Um, but I know what you mean. Like there

would be times where I would have to say

like I don't know if I don't know if

this is too far. I don't know. But not a

lot. I feel like everyone was in flow

there. Everyone really got it. But it's

funny that you bring up that exact thing

because parks and recreation came after

the office and there's really only

two people that I've been told I am a

poor man's version of. And one of them

is you, which

I take I take that as high compliment.

And but like we came

>> I would take that as a huge insult.

>> We were, you know, Parks and Wreck had

the worst launch ever. Everyone was

like, "This is not The Office. We don't

like this." I just remember being like,

and we're like, "You're not Steve and

you're not. We don't like it." And I

remember being like, "Oh, I think I just

dissociated and was just like, well,

>> but our our pilot, you heard about our

pilot?"

>> I know. And I want to talk.

>> Our pilot was the lowest testing pilot

in the history, I think, of NBC. It it

people people really hated it. Like, not

just just kind of

>> they actively hated it.

>> They actively hated this show. And I

don't

>> quite know how it got legs after that.

Well, I I I I remember the moment. So,

Mike Sher, who was writing was running

Update, and I wasn't doing Update then,

but I was just a cast member on SNL, and

we were watching the British Office like

everyone else and loving it. And I

remember they were going to make the

American version, and everyone was like,

"This is a terrible idea. This terrible

idea. No one no one can be as good as

Ricky Jervis. No one can do that show."

And then we heard it was you and we were

like, "Oh, oh, whoever's making the show

wants it to be funny." You know, like it

was this thing of like, "Oh, that's a

very, very good choice."

>> Well, Greg Daniels is was a is a great

producer. And

>> he's also kind of uh he's very adept at

putting together casts.

>> Yeah.

>> Like the the alchemy and the chemistry

between those people

>> and we all got along

>> so well. Yeah,

>> we're we all bonded instantly and we all

felt like we were a part of a team.

There was no there were no hierarchy at

all in that cast.

>> So I I attribute that to him.

>> Yeah.

>> Um but the

you know I'm a poor man's Ricky Jerves.

>> But you never watched the

>> I didn't

>> and never have watched the UK.

>> No,

>> even now.

>> No, I've watched all of his other shows,

but I've never watched

>> I know what you mean. I don't know if I

would have wanted to watch either. I

just would have felt too stressed about

>> I watched like a minute

>> Yeah.

>> of one of the show of him

>> and he was so good.

>> Yeah.

>> And so specific and so funny. I thought

if I watch a second more I'm just going

to go on an audition with that. I I

won't be able to even imagine it a

different way.

>> And I mean, are you like me? I mean, I

don't enjoy comedy.

>> No. No.

>> I never. Especially with me

>> and comedy that's done well.

>> No.

>> No.

>> Pass.

>> Yeah. So, you went in not knowing not

watching the Yeah.

>> And it Well, it's funny that you guys

all heard, oh, oh, the, you know,

they're doing an American version and

everyone had the same reaction. And I

remember RD

>> RD pulled me aside was like, don't do

it, man. Don't don't audition. Don't

audition. It is like there is no there's

no way.

>> Yeah. Everyone was like don't even touch

this. Don't touch this

>> 10 foot pole.

>> And did you have like a a major

premise or theme about Michael's arc?

Like if you would to sum it up, would

you say what was like what was his

what was kind of his simple mission

statement as a character? Um, early on

this this was like a dream come true for

him to be in a documentary.

>> Yeah.

>> And be be able to not only

>> uh be in charge of all of these people,

but to

>> have the ability to perform and

>> Right.

>> and be watched and and be loved, right?

>> It's I think so much of of who he

>> who he is was was about being loved.

just being

>> so good.

>> I wouldn't even say respect. I think I

think he just wanted to be loved. Um,

>> and the last like a year before I knew I

was going to leave, I talked to Greg

about like what potentially the the last

arc for him would be. And I did want

there to be a sense of of growth for

him. Yeah. That

>> uh I said one one thing I'm going to

pitch is that the last day

is not the last day. Like

>> everyone thinks that they're going to

have a they're going to have a party for

him.

>> Um but he leaves the day before

>> because he doesn't

>> he doesn't need it. He doesn't he wants

to say goodbye on his own terms and he's

sort of beyond being celebrated that way

and he's that's that's I that I thought

would be

an interesting way for him to go out.

>> The Office is a show that people watch

when they're stressed when they're sad.

>> Wreck is exactly the same.

>> And during I'm sure you had this happen

too like during the pandemic everybody

rewatched those shows they went back to

it.

you have provided and and everyone on

that show has provided this like feeling

of safety and security in a time when

people are very very anxious and they

return over and over again. Like what

does that feel like when people tell you

that?

>> I've provided a public service. Really?

I And in that way, I think I'm more than

an actor.

>> Uhoh. You got cocky.

>> You got cocky.

>> You got cocky. Don't get cocky.

>> Don't get cocky. No, but it's true. But

it's true.

>> It is. It's nice

>> like we we fell in love with the journey

of Michael. We really really we do we

love him. And I will say like what your

um what your what the office did for me

and watching it with my kids is like

exactly the way in which they enjoyed

and learned this feeling of what the

kids would call like cringe.

>> But the sparkly weird feeling of like oh

no like tension and a little bit of

stress about what is Michael going to do

and say and how is he going to do it?

And then watching him swing and miss

over and over again while still being

loved is like they just they didn't know

how to put that into words, but they

loved that. They loved that about him.

It's such a

>> I mean, congrats on a great show. I

don't know what else to say. I have no

question here, you know. What did you

say to Pam at the airport?

>> Tell us what you said to Pam.

>> I leaned in. I went

just to make it look like I was saying

something.

>> You did? You didn't? No. No, you did.

>> No, we had we had a very a very

emotional shared moment.

>> I love that moment. Such a good moment.

Okay. So, we we do something on the show

where we talk to people who know our

guests and who are um friends of our

guests to get a question to ask them.

And we talk well behind their back. And

so, we talked to Steven Coar today.

>> Oh my gosh.

>> I know. He was in his living room. It

looked like a or study. Mhm.

>> I was so psyched to talk to him because

like you, Stephen, you both were, you

know, I kind of only got to know you

later. I didn't know you in Chicago and

you were both these examples of like,

you know, aspirational performers who I

wanted to be in any way like and Stephen

talked a lot about those early times,

the two of you and and what it was like

to watch you on stage and and he talks

about like how you can do almost

anything, you know, like that you have

this ability to be really really big and

really small and you can have these

characters that are really shallow and

really deep. He told us that you can

play any instrument, which I did not

know. That you're like very good at

brass instruments.

>> Is that a lie?

>> It's pretty amazing, isn't it?

>> Did you learn Did you take lessons?

>> I took lessons.

>> Like what was your what was your

instrument of choice?

>> Baritone horn.

>> Oh, dang.

>> I know, right?

>> You were like, "Ladies,

>> I don't."

>> You were like You were like, "Ladies,

I've got a baritone horn."

I uh I play the baritone horn in the

marching.

>> Why Why did you pick the baritone horn?

>> I love the tone.

>> I want to know what it sounds like. If

>> it's sometimes I It's It's also called a

euphonium.

>> It's basically a small tuba. I know.

Sexy.

>> Baron.

>> I play the small tuba.

>> And

yeah.

>> And I also play the

>> Would you like to go on a second?

>> Do you like that?

>> The F.

>> Yeah. Check this out.

>> Um, sorry. I can't I got to get

commercials off of my YouTube.

>> This is my dash cam.

>> YouTube, if you can find a way to Okay,

here we go.

>> Yeah, somewhere between a trombone tuba

and a French horn.

>> Well, I'm the trombone teacher.

>> Oh, Tony is a trump trombone teacher.

>> Horn here is

this podcast is going to elevate

baritone horn players like never before.

>> I love Tony. Here we go.

Mhm.

>> Right.

>> Young player start on euphonium. You

probably need

>> euphonium or baritone horn.

>> Well, and it's a quite a large

instrument.

>> Yeah. You hold it like this.

>> Yeah.

>> And I had the bell that went out like

this. And

>> did you play in the band?

>> So I played in the band. I played in the

jazz band. I played Yeah. I played it I

played it at Second City. Steven Colbear

had to learn how to play the baritone

horn because he was my understudy.

>> Yes. He mentioned that he had to

understudy and he had to learn the

baritone horn in like six days.

>> Unbelievable. And he did.

>> Talk about somebody who can do anything.

Like

>> I I mean I played the baritone horn

since I was in fourth grade. He learned

it in six days. So yeah.

>> And he told me that you he he also

taught me a word. I've completely

forgotten it. It's a word on that

describes when you make the sound of the

VV the V. Do you remember the name of

the word?

>> Amisher.

>> Yes. Amisher.

He said he you taught him an amisher.

>> Um, what was it like working with

Stephen? And and what do you remember

about meeting him for the first time?

And

>> um, wow. I I I just think I you know I

think about him a lot to be honest. I I

just I have I'm in awe of him. He's so

smart. He's so funny. He He is someone

who can literally do anything. He's He

can sing. He He's a great writer. Uh one

of the funniest people I know and a a

wonderful father and husband. Like

>> just like one of these straight arrow

>> Yeah.

>> I would trust him with my life kind of

guys. Um,

and we got a lot

working with him. You know, when you

work, well, you and Tina when you know

someone can finish her sentence.

>> I I I mentioned that to him that like

there's a feeling as we get older when

people knew us when that feels really

like beyond special and valuable. It's

like you just have been through a lot

with someone.

>> Yeah. And when you've met them at the

beginning of what eventually will be

like the best thing about your life

other than your family.

>> Yeah.

>> And your um partners is is like you're

just they knew they knew you when you

were struggling like and that you just

they they have a part of your life in

them and you and theirs.

>> Yes.

>> And that's what it feels like with the

two of you.

>> Well, it for me too. I I and to to to

learn at the same time.

>> Yeah.

>> And to be going through and I'm sure you

know

>> certainly you and Tina experienced that

and others

>> to have that

>> as you were saying like

>> those sort of formative years when you

don't really know what you're doing,

>> but you're having fun and you're all

having fun together and you're trusting

each other. And I think that's one of

the great things about Second City was

just learning how to trust other people.

>> And um and I just I just trust him. And

I as a person, as a performer, um he's

just fun. He's a

I I I can't wait to see what his next

thing is because

>> Well, we were talking about it and we

think you should decide

>> what his next thing is.

>> Yes.

Well, I'm always pitching the two of us

doing a play.

>> I love that. That's a great idea.

>> I'd love to do a play with him. I think

it would be or or anything. Honestly, I

would

>> That's a great idea.

>> Do anything with him.

>> His question for you, because of course

it was was very thoughtful and

interesting, which was, you know, he was

saying like, I' I've known Steve for so

long, but I don't really know his

process. We've never really talked about

it in terms of like is there a

difference between when you're doing

something dramatic and doing something

comedic? Do you think about it

differently? Do you approach it

differently?

>> I'll preface this by saying whenever I

hear an actor start to talk about their

>> and we're going to cut the answer.

>> A character doesn't know if they're in a

comedy or a drama.

>> Mhm.

>> They're just living their life,

>> right?

>> And so if funny things happen around

this character, then the movie or the

show is a comedy. But if it's tragic or

or scary or whatever, it's it leans

towards drama. Sometimes it's a mixture

of both. But

>> but I I think if if you can tell a

character knows they're in a comedy,

it's intrinsically less funny.

>> Yes.

>> Like I look I like somebody like Alan

Arkin

>> or Peter Sers

>> and

they always seem very true to their

characters. They were never like you

couldn't tell whether Alan Arin was

doing something

>> intensely dramatic or something crazily

funny.

>> It was the same like

>> not the same kind of not the same

acting. He'd play different characters

>> but he was equally committed to both of

them and never letting on. He was never

winking like I'm in a comedy.

>> Yeah.

>> Here we go. Watch this joke. You're

going to laugh.

Do you ever sense actors sometimes

waiting for the waiting for the laugh in

a movie?

>> They're like look around like

>> like they like like a punchline like

wait a second where

>> the also the other thing that makes me

so stressed out and like sweaty is in

real life when people say like I'm funny

and I'm like oof

I don't know. I don't know if you got to

say it out loud. I don't know.

>> Have you ever had an executive I

I had an executive once say, "Listen, I

know comedy."

>> Okay?

>> Like,

>> I know it.

>> I know it.

>> I know it. I've studied it. Okay?

>> It's such a subjective thing.

>> And and and reverse it, right? Like if

you if I went up to like a you know,

like if I went up to Merrill and I was

like, "I'm pretty dramatic."

>> Like reverse it. Be like, "I'm pretty

good at being pretty sad.

>> Pretty deep.

>> I'm pretty I can get pretty sad. and

people will buy it.

>> I think when I cry, I'm going to make

other people cry.

>> So, so

>> I've cried something to

>> a lot of my friends have seen me cry.

>> But Steve, I I mean, I'm going to glaze

you for a second. Beautiful boy. Fox

catcher. The patient.

You're so good at that. That that series

was so incredible. I loved you in four

seasons. I loved that series and I look

forward for season two and your ghost

obviously haunting the set. I don't

know.

>> Um but

>> I just think I should be in background.

>> I think I should just

>> just

see background and I just like turn

>> but like almost

inscrutable like you can't Yeah.

>> You can't tell if it's me or not.

>> Yeah. But but I love what she said about

the two of you working together because

I do think that you both have similar

qualities. You you work really hard.

You're very professional and you're

shyer than people would think. Both of

you.

>> Yeah. Well, I we talked about that like

we worked together before and it took us

15 years after that to become friends

>> because it is true. I'm I'm very

>> I think closed off is what the word

you're looking

I'm not shy. I'm just impenetrable. And

>> I But um But are you?

>> I I'm pretty shy. Yeah.

>> Yeah.

>> Yeah.

>> Well, I guess but I I I bet people think

like you're going to be the life of the

party.

>> Oh, no.

>> Yeah.

>> Do you remember coming to my house for

the

>> I loved your house, but but tell that

story.

So Nancy and I had a dinner party uh for

the Oscars one year.

>> That was so fun.

>> And had a had a few couples over and uh

it was really fun. It was fun to have

everybody over.

>> But that's that's very unlike us. Like

we don't I don't know. We're not I think

we're more social now. I' that we're

getting older. I guess time's running

out.

Have to solidify some of these

friendships.

But um so the Oscars and we had very

nice dinner and we taped it. We put it

you know we were taping the Oscars

>> and

>> yeah we ate first like civilized and

then we were going to be like let's go

>> we're going to sit down and then we're

going to go in and we'll watch and we

can fast forward through the awards that

we like and we looked at the the tape

and we hadn't add added the extension

and Oscars always go long. So like the

big awards we missed

>> we completely missed.

>> Yeah.

>> And we were frantic like

I think somebody got online we just

started announcing like who won the

awards

kind of acting it out.

>> I my my memory of that time and feeling

was that it was really fun. Like so I

can only imagine the stress of like oh

[ __ ] we didn't record the Oscars but

also

>> I mean

>> that was just fun. That was So fun. But

but yeah, I think that people probably

assume that you're going to be kind of

crazy.

>> Yeah, I'm pretty Yeah, I'm Yeah, I'm not

I'm not out there. You know who You know

who I really envy envy I admire is uh

Will.

>> Yeah.

>> Like he just owns it.

>> Will Pharaoh

>> like he'll show Yeah. Will Frell. He he

he'll show up at a a Kings game. He was

wearing a ref's uniform the other day,

just sitting in his seat.

>> He came as as uh his character from Elf

year before last and was just smoking a

cigarette and drinking a beer.

>> But he just he just kind of owns it.

>> I know.

>> And people love it. And I'm I'm way too

introverted to do that.

>> Yeah.

>> I one one time

and I would never do this, but I thought

I'm just going to do it. I was in

Beverly Hills. I was driving around and

a tour bus went by and I thought, "I'm

gonna I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna wave."

And I went, "Hey everybody, not a

person."

>> I acknowledged. They were like, "What?

Who's that?" And I I shrank into this

little ball like, "Last time I'm ever

doing anything."

>> They were like, "What have you been in?"

And you were like, "Um, what?" Can you

just start listing your resume?

>> Oh man, I was like, why did I even do

that? Like,

>> it was certainly no gift to anybody.

That was like,

>> no.

>> Oh, God. Oh, God. I I mean, I you're you

I mean, that is what I love about you,

Steve, is like I feel like

>> Well, for many things. One is that I

feel like you're just such a incredible

actor, performer, and and and

collaborative person to work with. And

and I do look forward to being in the

play that you and Steven do together.

>> Yes.

>> Um

>> how about Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf?

>> Want to do it?

>> Yes.

>> All right.

>> Two things though. I like to go to bed

early and I don't want to do as many

performances as they make you do. I

think about our times when like the

hardest part of our day was at the end

of our day when we would do our shows

and it was like in jeans shuffling out

there being like, "Can we get a word to

get started?" Like bunch of lazy

[ __ ] Shout a few things out.

Shout it to shout it out.

>> Where do we work? Where do the two of us

work?

>> What's our relationship? What's my first

line? What's my last line?

And what are some of the lines in

between?

>> But you have been killed off on a couple

shows. Morning show, you were killed

off.

>> Morning show,

The Patient.

>> The last three shows.

>> The last three shows.

>> The last three shows have been killed.

>> What's going on? I People love to see me

killed off.

>> It's a thing.

>> Yeah. Now, your new show, you're not roo

Okay, let's talk about Rooster

>> yet.

>> Season one. So far, so good.

>> Okay. It just came out. It just came out

on HBO.

>> Yeah.

>> What is it about? is about

my my character Greg is a writer not

unlike uh Carl Hyasin whose daughter is

a professor at a prestigious East Coast

university. I go to that university to

just do uh reading and

in order my my daughter kind of gets

into some trouble

>> and the president of the university this

is a long-winded version president of

the university asked if I'll stay on as

a resident you know a writer in

residence

>> and so I become the writer in residence

at this college that my daughter do and

so my it it really changes the dynamic

between

uh me and my daughter

>> and It's like you stepping into this

like academic world. I'd like to see you

as a professor. I like that a lot.

>> Yeah, it's fun. I I think it's really

And the cast is stacked. Such a good

good group.

>> What's it like doing another show with

like how does it feel?

>> Really?

It was great. Yeah.

>> It was

>> It had that sense of freedom.

>> Yeah.

>> And that sense of anything can happen at

any time. we can try stuff. Um,

everybody's

a great improviser. People, you know,

talking before about improvising

>> in character on point.

>> Everybody's so good at that.

>> So great.

>> Um, it's it's very well written and

funny.

>> I I love it. I I I really love it.

>> Congrats on that. It's great. It's going

to be my parents favorite show.

>> I hope to run into them at that

restaurant.

>> Well, I was hoping actually. Would you

Would you mind if we just FaceTime them

quick?

>> Oh my gosh.

Do you mind?

>> No.

>> Cuz I told them that we were

interviewing you

>> and my mom texted back. Okay. It was the

Gibbit Hill Grill.

>> Yeah.

>> In Grten, Mass.

>> Yeah.

>> Now, when I called my dad before

when I texted my dad and said, "Where

did you see Steve Carl?" He didn't

answer me back. And mom said he was at

the gym.

Let's Let's see if we can get a hold of

him.

>> Hi, Mama. I've got I've got Steve Carell

here.

>> Oh my god. How are you?

>> How are you?

>> How was How was your meal?

>> It was very nice. I believe I had the

stuff scra.

Now scrod is a Boston.

>> We were talking about how Steve doesn't

seem like he's from Boston. He doesn't

have any kind of accent, but neither do

you Mom.

>> Oh, don't even make fun of me. I know

you're going to ask me to say the cop.

How mad is dad going to be that he

didn't answer the phone? He's at the

gym.

>> No, he's right here. He's

>> Oh, Bill's right here. Steve, do you

mind?

>> Of course.

>> Steve Carell's on the phone here. Sit

up. Steve Carell.

>> Hey,

>> are you just lounging on the couch?

>> Lounging on the uh recliner.

>> He's in his recliner. What time is it

there?

>> Hi, Pop. Look who you secured for me.

>> Yes. Uh, do I get any uh benefit from

that?

>> Like a what do you call it?

>> Finders fee.

>> Yeah, finders fee.

>> Boston.

>> You know what? Are you you when you go

out to restaurants now, are you just

going to be like scoping for people for

the show?

>> Uh, you'd be interested to know what I

said after you left.

>> I said his wife is beautiful.

>> Weird. Weird. Thanks, Dad.

>> Yeah. What's that about?

>> That's not weird.

>> Someone is gross.

>> Hey, Mrs. Polar, that's not right.

That's weird. Don't let your husband

talk. That's

>> That's gross.

>> I'm I'm filing for divorce now that I

think about it.

>> Well, thanks you guys for the assist. We

had a great interview. And Dad, I owe

you a couple bucks. Bye.

So, Steve, thank you for being with my

parents. And before I before I finish, I

got to ask you my most important

question, which I almost forgot to ask

you, which is, what is making you laugh

these days?

>> What What are What are you watching,

reading? Who's making you laugh? What do

you like?

>> I Nancy and I just started We're late to

it, but just started watching uh The

Righteous Gemstone.

And that first season was

such a joy. Loved it.

>> Danny,

>> incredible. But can we talk about um

Edie for a second?

>> Mhm.

>> Edie Patterson on that show.

>> I'd never seen her before.

>> Oh my god, she's so funny. So, see

that's when when you start when you see

someone that just comes out of the blue.

>> Yeah.

>> And

unexpected and like a completely

different approach to

>> Yeah.

>> a character. Um, so unique

>> and specific. Yeah,

>> I know. And talk about like improvising

in character. Mhm.

>> She never like everything she's saying

is tumbling out of her mouth. It seems

like

>> I don't know how much is written or

improvised, but it looks like a lot is

improvised, but I don't know. But

everything is kind of tumbling out of

her mouth, but it's never ever a false

note. She's just staying in that. All

those characters are nuts.

>> Yeah, I really like it.

>> That is an amazing cast. John Goodman. I

love John Goodman.

>> I do too.

>> Adam Divine.

>> Yeah, it's really good. I I and it's one

of those I

just it just kind of

slipped by like it it didn't um was

under

>> under our radar and on a whim we just

said you know I've heard good things and

started watching it.

>> Let me call my parents and see what they

think.

>> Okay, let's see.

>> Thank you, Steve. Thank you for doing

this.

>> Thank you, Steve Carell. Um, thank you

for talking to my parents. Um, you know,

for this Polar Plunge, I just want to

reiterate how grateful and lucky I am to

uh be a Boston girl. You know, me and

Steve are Boston kids who made it big.

And um it is really nice always to feel

like you were part of a community and

that's what being from Boston feels

like. So, um, don't come at me, Boston,

if I said one thing that made you mad.

All right? Let it roll off your

shoulders. All right? Cuz you're still

the best. Number one, don't forget. Um,

Boston forever. Uh, go socks.

Okay. Thanks for listening and uh we'll

catch you next time on Good Hang. 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, and Aia Xenerys.

For Paperkite production by Sam Green,

Joel Levelvel, and Jenna Weiss Berman.

Original music by Amy Miles.