00:00:00
There was this strange thing that he I think started to make an assumption that Dana might be gay.
00:00:06
>> Yes. >> Because he, you know, >> he was a straight guy and occasionally for comedic purposes a
00:00:13
little flamboyant. And so he decided that Dana might be gay. And Dana at one point in frustration said to me, "Why
00:00:21
don't you tell him you're gay?" And I why should I break, you know, America's sweetheart's heart? and he turned to us
00:00:29
and said very quietly, "This is going to be the biggest show in the history of television." I thought, "Did he talk to
00:00:37
us or >> what is he? >> He'll be lucky if they don't cancel this in the middle of filming this pilot."
00:00:44
>> If you hear someone playing Angry Birds in the audience, that might be >> Yeah, that' be you.
00:00:49
>> I didn't know. So, totally off. Nathan Lane, arguably the greatest performer of his generation
00:01:01
on Broadway and's done a lot of movies. And it was really fun for me because we had worked together on a really
00:01:10
interesting situation comedy. First time in like early 80s together with Mickey Rooney. So, we reminisce about that. So,
00:01:19
I won't give anything away, but we both had very identical memories and it's a really good uh ride.
00:01:25
>> Yeah. For me, hearing about you talk about that old show with Mickey Rooney on this show and then hearing him, the
00:01:32
only other guy that was a witness to all of it and everything synced up exactly what you said
00:01:38
>> was funny. I thought he was very sharp. I thought he I don't know maybe at all,
00:01:44
but >> just funny. >> Super loose. told tight, concise, funny stories and was a good laugher, cracked
00:01:53
me up. And you know, he was, we talked about mouse, I keep calling it mousetrap. It's mouse hunt.
00:01:59
>> Uh and some of his old movies that we all like and he was in the Bird Cage. He
00:02:05
was in like a ton of these. >> Yeah. >> And he has some great funny old stories.
00:02:10
And so >> any >> it was just a it was just >> it was a really good time. And I think
00:02:15
people really laugh along with him. >> Here's Nathan Lane. >> Nathan Lane. >> Oh my god.
00:02:24
>> Oh. Wow. >> Is that a real mustache? Cuz it looks great. >> Oh well. Yes. Yes, it is. I'm I'm old
00:02:33
enough now. I can grow a real mustache. >> You can like >> the other boys. >> You weren't that way in 1971 when we did
00:02:41
that sitcom. 1971. >> I don't know. It's so long ago. It doesn't matter. >> Well, it's been a minute. Hi, fellas.
00:02:50
How are you, >> Nathan? I'm David SP Dana. He knows you. >> I know. Congratulations on your wildly
00:02:57
successful podcast. >> Thank you, buddy. Thanks for doing it. That's very >> That's a relative term, but thank you.
00:03:03
There's three million. >> I know. Yes. Everyone in America has one, but yours is doing very, very well.
00:03:09
>> Thank you. You've checked You've checked the metrics. I like it. The metrics are
00:03:13
doing okay. >> I always look into those things. >> Well, I've seen the numbers on death of
00:03:18
a salesman and you guys are rocking. >> It's quite astounding to all of us that that death of a [ __ ] salesman is SRO
00:03:30
at the Winter Garden Theater. I never would have guessed that. But >> tragedy >> tragedy is big right now. No, tragedy
00:03:40
sadness is all the rage. >> I think I heard you say this, but it's so modern. I mean, there's never more
00:03:47
caparent despair in the history of the world or feeling bad about yourself because wealth is fly on and on, right?
00:03:52
I mean, it's >> Well, yeah. I mean, I I I haven't seen it, but many people who come back do say
00:04:00
that that this particular production feels it feels like they've never seen it before, and it feels so fresh. And
00:04:06
that's all attributable to Joe Mantel, the director, >> and they got and Nathan Lane. You know,
00:04:15
Nathan, >> I'm I'm doing my best. Yes. It's a great Look, it's a great group of actors and
00:04:21
it's um it's something I've wanted to do for a very long time. And and and honestly, you know, when they announced
00:04:29
this um the reaction was sort of why are they doing that again? And why on earth
00:04:34
are they doing it at the Winter Garden, this huge theater where where cats played and Mama Mia?
00:04:42
>> How many times hold? >> Uh I think 1600 >> 15 or 1600. Um and then so when it was
00:04:52
suggested because we were supposed to do it in the fall. Um and Scott Ruden uh >> good old Scott Ruden. old Scott called
00:05:02
me and said, "I think I can get a theater uh for the this spring. Would you be able to do it?" And I said,
00:05:07
"Yeah, which theater?" And he said, "The Winter Garden." And I said, "Oh, are we
00:05:11
doing the musical version because that's a really really big house." And um I'm a
00:05:17
little nervous about, you know, filling that theater. I'm not George Rooney. So it and strangely,
00:05:25
you know, we went I went with the director and just stood on the stage and I thought, "Oh, I I it's not as as huge
00:05:32
as I remembered." And uh >> and then it was just about I think both Joe Mantel and and and Ruden felt that
00:05:41
because of the the scale of this production and the set that it would fit there. And then the thing I didn't
00:05:49
realize is um the sound design which was you know when they they said because of
00:05:56
the size of the theater you'll you will have to wear microphones and and I said okay so if I that means if I speak very
00:06:05
quietly I can still be heard thanks to you and he said yeah and it and and I think that is the the element that that
00:06:13
created the intimacy I feared would be lost and and and so it feels >> cinematic in a way. And there's
00:06:21
something about taking it out of the what what the template for the the design of the show was always this a
00:06:28
skeletal house and these platforms >> and just taking it all of that away. It kind of turns it into Greek tragedy and
00:06:36
and and you see it you see it in a fresh way and you hear things you maybe didn't
00:06:41
>> you used to use the old set of my three sons >> and then remember that show >> I was going to ask you about standing on
00:06:50
the shoulders of giants like how many roles have you felt intimidated by the previous people and inhabited this
00:06:58
character like you had to follow Zero Mel and the producers and you How what's your how do you how do you
00:07:06
get past that? >> It's something you're not unaware of, but you know, ultimately you have to let
00:07:12
go of those things, the ghosts that haunt some of the the production. Um, yeah, got Zero Mastel as an example. Uh,
00:07:20
yeah. I mean, you know, >> well, you can't do do him, you have to do you. size too.
00:07:26
>> You can although in the producers, you know, you have to kind of live up to a
00:07:31
certain size because he was operant even on film and yet >> it was also you believed it. It felt
00:07:41
truthful even though enormous performance. >> Yeah. you had to pay homage to that to
00:07:48
to him and to Gene Wilder in those roles and certain things that you can only you
00:07:54
know you can only scream I want that money >> Nathan is it unusual if I'm naive to say
00:08:06
>> an average theater >> I always think of you as naive >> I'm so naive and I'm adorable but um
00:08:12
because I'm so innocent but >> yeah an average play. Is it a 100 seats? Is it 400? Is it
00:08:21
>> Well, it depends. Uh if you're >> off Broadway, on broad that kind of stuff. >> Off Broadway. They're they're smaller
00:08:26
houses. They're not usually not bigger than four or 500. Uh >> okay. And is no one miked up usually
00:08:32
ever. And this is this is a rare. >> Well, you know, it's you were I mean, at a there was a certain point where it
00:08:38
started to happen. You know, in the days of Ethyl Murman, she didn't need a microphone,
00:08:42
>> right? was really [ __ ] loud. But um then at a certain point they they they although even in her day there would be
00:08:52
I think like floor mics to sort of help. >> Oh okay. >> Um it was really thought of for musicals
00:08:59
and then I think at a certain point people didn't know how to project or be be able to to speak even quietly and
00:09:07
still be heard in a in a big house. And so now everybody wears mics and and Lori
00:09:14
Metaf and I are very old school. So when they said we were gonna have to wear mics, we were we were a little thrown.
00:09:20
But you know, it it has turned out to work to our advantage and and be able to be that intimate on stage. It's speed.
00:09:29
>> Yeah. That not have to project it. Yeah. And then if you get infiltrated by movie
00:09:34
and TV stars that come in and try to do a play, they don't understand anything and they have to pretend.
00:09:39
>> Yeah. I don't want to I don't want to beat up on them. >> I do. >> Like you have you have a history of
00:09:47
>> Yeah. Hollywood minute. Let's do >> those. The old Nathan very sore sub. Very sore sub. It's still trifling
00:09:58
around in the >> I thought I thought you would both move past that. >> We are. We We're such
00:10:04
>> They hugged it out. >> We were on teeter totter yesterday. >> Yeah. No, he's great. I saw him at the
00:10:12
50th. I'll see him at the 60th and the 70th of SNL. >> I saw you at the 50th. >> What's that?
00:10:19
>> The one I didn't see was Dana Carve. >> That's right. Dana. >> Oh, I got the date wrong.
00:10:25
>> Crazy. I got the name right. I went there the next week and >> um you just missed it.
00:10:32
>> Oh, Dana. Um maybe just go stand on it. >> It's like a really really good show.
00:10:38
>> So you I don't know where we want to go here, but I there's just about being in
00:10:42
plays is fascinating to me and the sheer volume of them. >> This is the teeny and I used I didn't
00:10:48
get plays till later and I saw >> I know you did tell me how much you hated theater. I I hate it. And I think
00:10:56
I grabbed you by the scruff of your neck when I said that to you. >> Was a little violence involved, but you
00:11:02
we were driving in your car. This is the memory I have. And at one we theater came up because I've spent a lot of time
00:11:10
in it and you said, >> "I don't know. I just hate theater." And I I'm sorry to hear that.
00:11:18
>> Did I know you were in theater at that point? It seems a little rude. remember
00:11:22
then I remember then we go back further. I remember running into you now after you had become you know a big star on
00:11:29
SNL and spending week >> right at the as good as it or all. Yeah. And you were sitting in the corner.
00:11:37
>> I congratulated you on all of this success. >> I said I hate theater. >> And then you looked at me and said are
00:11:43
you still doing plays? >> No. I love it Hollywood minute. Listen to this guy. like I was, you know, running running
00:11:52
scams or something. >> I've become so much nicer. I >> running scams. >> Well, it's the irony is that when we
00:11:59
would do the show with Mickey Rooney, he was right. Like he would introduce us after doing 10 minutes on hating senior
00:12:08
citizens. We should be called more experienced people. And then he got you right because he introduced you as a
00:12:16
generational talent. And then he'd say, "And Dana Garney," you know, and I'd go out and I got it. But
00:12:23
>> but he was right about that. And the the one thing about that experience we had,
00:12:29
it feels like a Broadway show. It literally has all the elements. It leans into Death of a Sail. I mean, sometimes
00:12:37
I think it was a fever dream. And you're the only person >> who experienced some of that th that
00:12:45
stuff that's still with us. It was it as crazy as I or as wonderful or what was >> Well, it was
00:12:53
um I would say you know it started as this uh it was Saul Turtleto and Bernie created this show for Jack Albertson who
00:13:03
in a brilliant career move died and couldn't do the show smart >> and uh they then thought why not Mickey
00:13:11
Rooney who was having a renaissance uh >> sugar babies on Oh, he was >> and and so, you know, he had been in the
00:13:20
show business wilderness for many years doing doing dinner theater, drinking too
00:13:25
much and then had this, you know, big big revival in his career. And so he thought in his spare time while he was
00:13:34
doing eight shows a week of Sugar Babies, well, during the day I'll do a situation comedy.
00:13:40
>> Yes. And and so we were pulled into that. And you know, I I I think he never I he didn't get how brilliantly funny
00:13:49
you were. He was more drawn to me because I seemed more old school to him. And then there was this strange thing
00:13:56
that he I think started to make an assumption that Dana might be gay. >> Yes. >> You know, he was a straight guy and
00:14:06
occasionally for comedic purposes a little flamboyant. And so he decided that Dana might be gay. And Dana at one
00:14:15
point in frustration said to me, "Why don't you tell him you're gay?" And I said, "Why should I break, you know,
00:14:21
America's sweetheart's heart?" >> Yeah. >> By telling me that when this is going to
00:14:26
go no further than 13 episodes. >> Yeah. >> Do you remember this moment though regards this that he put his arm around
00:14:34
you? He looked at me and he said, quote, "I'm just glad we like girls." >> That's right.
00:14:43
>> Direct quote. >> That's what led to that discussion. >> Yeah. >> I was too, you know, it was so strange.
00:14:50
>> It's Thre's company. It's death of a salesman. We'll throw. Do you remember they did what was a what they referred
00:14:58
to as a kind of chemistry pilot, a 15minute pilot that we shot and we were sitting in a green room with him and you
00:15:07
know we had rehearsed and there was not it was it was what it was. Writing was terrible and
00:15:12
>> and we you know I was just glad to be making a little bit of money and we sat
00:15:17
in this room with him and he seemed very calm. We hadn't seen this kind of crazy
00:15:22
side, right? >> And then at one point he turned to the two of us. We were sitting together
00:15:28
opposite him and he turned to us and said very quietly, "This is going to be the biggest show in the history of
00:15:34
television." I thought, "Is he talking to us or what is he? >> He'll be lucky if they don't cancel this
00:15:42
in the middle of filming this [ __ ] pilot." >> So, we didn't say anything and he and he
00:15:48
went on from there and said, We're going to save money and stuff. >> Oh, yeah. And we're going to we're going
00:15:53
to make so much money from this and, you know, lunch boxes and t-shirts and and he went on and on and during our hiatus,
00:16:01
we'll do a stage version of the TV show and make even more money and it started to build and build and it crescendoled
00:16:08
with I'll never forget this. HE SAID, "I CAN TINA TURNER MADE A ZILLION DOLLARS LAST YEAR, BUT JUDY GARLAND DIED A
00:16:17
POPPER. And then there was a knock at the door and a first ad came in and said, "We'll
00:16:23
be ready for you in a few minutes." And he said, "Oh, thanks very much." And nothing had happened. And he hadn't just
00:16:29
done a, you know, Mussolini balcony to the two of us. This is it's >> he did it every day. He had different
00:16:38
entry points. You're walking down the hallway in the morning to rehearse or whatever. Judy Garland never owned a
00:16:45
car. >> YOU KNOW WHY? >> CLOUD GABLE ONLY HAD ONE TESTICLE. Did you know that? >> No, Nikki, I didn't. I He just put his
00:16:56
hands and feet in Gman Gman's Chinese. >> He'll show you. How long has Robert Redford been in the business?
00:17:05
>> I've been in the business 62 years. It was like three months short of his actual age. You know it was a severe
00:17:13
case of arrested development. I you know he went through you know there was that
00:17:18
period of 1939 to 1941. He was he was the biggest star in Hollywood. >> Dana, have you ever caught yourself
00:17:29
mid-sentence and think, "Wow, maybe I shouldn't have had that extra coffee this morning."
00:17:34
>> Yeah, you have. >> Yeah, >> I have too. But by the time I realized my flossing game was more of an optional
00:17:40
hobby than a routine habit, it's funny how little things in your mouth can make a big difference in how you feel about
00:17:45
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00:17:52
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00:17:57
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00:18:05
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00:18:11
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00:18:17
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00:18:25
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00:18:30
visit smilegeneration.comfly. That's smilegeneration.comfly to learn more about the mouthbody
00:18:38
connection and find a trusted provider near you. And do you remember how we announced that? Do you know the whole
00:18:46
drill of how I announced he was the biggest star in the world with the little effects and things?
00:18:50
>> Go ahead. Let's >> zoom. >> Yeah. I was the number one star in the world. Hear me? Bang
00:18:59
girl. >> So I It wasn't a fever dream. He did that. >> He did pull out a big wad of cash and
00:19:09
say, "Think I can afford lunch?" >> God, I've told people this story. I'm so glad to get
00:19:15
>> conf there's one I hesitate to tell because it's >> right but >> I think I know what it is. Go ahead. The
00:19:24
the one I do remember is he had a stand in this fellow been with him a long time
00:19:29
and he was sitting on a couch and said pull my legs pull my legs he was having some back pain and even though he
00:19:38
standed and not a physical therapist he said okay he started pulling on his legs
00:19:43
and then as his Mickey's assistant was walking by and he looked at him and said forget it you're never going to be tall
00:19:52
>> and then there was in this day. Let's see if I can do a clean this up. This one day we were sitting on the set. I
00:19:59
was and I was sitting on the couch and he was walking around and he saw on the um a table who was a TV guide and on the
00:20:08
cover was the lovely Barbara Mandrel who is very popular the Mandrel sisters and
00:20:14
she >> become very successful on her own and she was on the cover of TV. is, you
00:20:20
know, a very attractive book. >> And Mickey looked at this cover and he picked it up and it was just the two of
00:20:27
us >> and he showed it to me and he said, "Look, it's it's Barbara Mandrel." I said, "Yes, yes it is." He said, "I love
00:20:36
I love Barbara Mandrel." Then he started getting very like a sex voice. I love Barbara Mandrel. Oh god, I love Barb
00:20:44
God, I'd like to [ __ ] Barbara Mantra. My god, I want to [ __ ] Barbara Mandrel. I
00:20:48
want to [ __ ] Barbers. He went on and on. That's a little incantation that might
00:20:54
make Barbara Madril appear for him like and then finally it culminated in I want
00:21:02
to [ __ ] her. I want to [ __ ] her. He said very loudly. Up the brown. He said >> stick stick it in her brown. I think
00:21:11
>> really well about this. >> He wanted it in her brown. Then he said, "You know what I mean?" And I said,
00:21:20
"Unfortunately, Mickey, I do." >> Never heard anal sex referred to in such a childlike and primitive way. And I
00:21:28
hope never to hear it again. And of course, our apologies to Barbara Man. >> Sorry if she's here.
00:21:36
>> All listeners. >> My parents called me that night and said, "How's how's Mickey Rooney?"
00:21:43
I didn't know what to say. But >> he still had a very healthy libido. There you go.
00:21:48
>> I think he cleaned it up for you because you guys were younger, so he didn't want
00:21:51
to >> Yes. Well, you know, he he was also a born again Christian. Not that there's
00:21:56
anything wrong with that, >> but I remember him telling us about how that he he became a born again Christian
00:22:03
because uh an angel had appeared to him. He was in a restaurant and he appeared to him. He was a waiter, but he had long
00:22:10
blonde hair. And he told him that he hoped he would find the Lord and and and and work with him and and and and I
00:22:18
guess told him the specials, but he was very much a believer after that experience. remember all of his ideas
00:22:31
like Mickey Rooney's whatever burgers or every day he had a big idea he'd go off
00:22:38
>> he would John Gu here's two things I don't know if you're aware of Norman Lear in an interview said that he had
00:22:45
offered Mickey Rooney the role of Archie Bunker and he he turned it down but he did do one of the boys and then John the
00:22:55
playwright John told me when he wrote House of Blue Leaves they had offered it to Mickey Rooney and he met with him in
00:23:01
a hotel room and when John said I came in the hotel room and he started doing like the opening monologue from the play
00:23:09
and he thought wow oh he I guess he he's going to do it he loves it so much he's
00:23:13
already learned something and so he then finished and he said wow Mickey that's incredible that you know
00:23:21
all that he said I love your play but I can't do it I'm about to start a a chain
00:23:27
restaurant called Mickey Rooney's corn beef and brew. And get this, we're going to hire little
00:23:35
people to be the waiters, but they'll be dressed as leprechauns. And when they pay a bill, it'll be in a little pot of
00:23:41
gold. >> Oh my god. >> You hear me? >> That pays to Laura Laura. Anyway, yeah, he always had those businesses in mind.
00:23:50
>> One of the craziest ones that I don't remember the exact wording, but I'm going to do a a comedy. See, but
00:23:59
everyone's name is going to be a swear word. So, we're all sitting around. >> What?
00:24:05
>> Yeah. Hello, Mr. [ __ ] How are you, Mrs. [ __ ] >> Swear word. >> No. Every character's name, YOU HEAR ME?
00:24:11
BANG. SWEAR WORD. You remember that, right? >> Phyllis. No, I heard it was he wanted
00:24:16
it. One was to be called Filth and Dirt and it was Donald D would marry Philly. Why? Why should I marry you? You've been
00:24:26
filth for years. >> I don't know if that has a 100 episodes. >> Are we Are we all headed for a lawsuit
00:24:34
now? Because we all >> No, not at all. There There is one very odd thing that I never really figured
00:24:42
out. So, we filmed the eight episodes or what I guess we weren't cancelled. >> We did 13 of them.
00:24:49
>> Oh, okay. So, we It hadn't been cancelled yet. And they asked you from New York. I was in LA to go to
00:24:57
Whitefish, Montana. >> That's right. >> To promote the show. And we ended up on a float five degrees with horses and it
00:25:06
said one of the boys that show had not even aired and we're waving, right? >> That's right. It was freezing.
00:25:14
>> Well, how did that promote the show first of all? >> I don't know. It maybe there was an
00:25:18
affiliate there they were really counting on. I I have no idea, but I do remember. Yes, we went to Whitefish,
00:25:25
Montana. >> What network was this, Jade D? >> Was it Tardico back then? >> That's a good question. I
00:25:33
>> I don't think it could have been. He's too smart for this. I >> We were just with some of the local
00:25:37
people. One thing I remember, we're just at some little I guess a cottail here welcoming us and this guy this guy has a
00:25:44
a fake boob in his hand, like a plastic boob, and he was going around to the women and they were screaming and
00:25:51
scaring them. Did I remember that one correctly? >> I I don't think that happened.
00:25:58
You had one daiquiri too many. >> Sorry to say suddenly that story sounds crazy compared to all the other ones. They're
00:26:07
like that could never happen. >> Oh, a fake boom and waves it around after. >> I'm sure it was White Fish Montana.
00:26:14
>> There weren't a lot of women there. They just had >> Well, they tried to break me on the
00:26:20
snowmobile. Remember they they said to you and I, "Who wants to take a ride on the snowmobile?" And I and I the lake
00:26:27
was frozen over and I think you smartly said, "I don't think so." And then the guy tried to break me. He went off
00:26:32
trails. It was just like he wanted me to kind of say, "No, I want to get off." It
00:26:37
was the weird And then he went across the lake to you guys. He hit he was over 70 miles an hour.
00:26:42
>> Wow. Yeah. It was kind of a a macho test of some. >> Yes. You were on Nathan was on the beach
00:26:50
with a my tie. >> Dana, that's the kind of thing where you say no and then you're scared your
00:26:57
agent's going to hear. I heard you were difficult during the promo and you're like, "No, because I didn't want to get
00:27:02
on a snowmobile and go drown in the lake." >> Yeah, it was it was really cool. The one
00:27:08
of the things that was very cool is you take me to piano bars where you would eventually sing and I you know I was
00:27:14
from the suburbs. I didn't know piano bars in New York and we'd see all these incredible singers and then you would go
00:27:20
up and steal the show. >> Me? Oh, >> not little old me. >> Whoops. >> I do remember you and I coming to seeing
00:27:29
you uh do standup and and uh and then you were always you would joke about the fact that you did this bit but it always
00:27:37
killed which was oldtime c stars movie stars having sex. >> Yes. and orgasming and you knew Jimmy
00:27:46
Stewart having an orgasm. >> Well, then I did a movie after this with Bert Lancaster and Kurt Douglas and then
00:27:54
I I I learned to do them by hanging out with them and then I would make them into lovers. Yeah,
00:28:01
>> of course. >> Was it called Tough Guys? Was that it? >> Yeah, it was called Tough Guys.
00:28:07
>> Tough Guys. There you go. >> Tough Guys. There's a cult film that >> I know there that's what you know
00:28:14
everything is surreal about that one too just hanging out with Bert Lancaster and
00:28:19
Kirk Douglas talking >> imagine yeah >> what's the weirdest thing if you think your blink besides one of the boys one
00:28:27
of your weirdest gigs or a thing you got into in your career you went this ain't
00:28:31
I don't know if this is going to happen >> I I was offered this film called the Nutcracker
00:28:39
in 3D, the untold story. >> Oh. >> And being directed by this Russian director, Andre Konchalopski, who had
00:28:48
long wanted to do the Nutcracker on film. >> And I think he had done a film called uh
00:28:54
was it Runaway Train that had been successful. Anyway, >> oh yeah. >> Anyway, uh I said I read it and it was
00:29:02
the Nutcracker story and there's a in the in the ballet there's a character called Drossel Meyer. In this version,
00:29:09
the character, he's the character who brings the the the the nutcracker and the dollhouse that sets up the whole
00:29:16
thing. Okay. In this case, it was the character was Albert Einstein. So, he wanted me to play Albert
00:29:23
Einstein. And there was a there were there were musical numbers set token with lyrics by Tim Bryce.
00:29:32
>> Uh, okay. I had done the the Lion King. Oh, anyway, um I said no and I kept turning it down and then it was four
00:29:44
weeks in Budapest and I but and then finally it was so much money I said well I guess I'm going to Budapest
00:29:52
>> got to do it >> and that's a that is a lot of money and uh and it was with El Fanning was just a
00:30:00
child actor then and even then you could tell oh this is a gifted child she's like Merrill Street she's so much better
00:30:07
than I am and more much more professional. And uh Richard E. Grant was in it. John Turo and it was it was a
00:30:17
strange version of the Nutcracker where instead of mice they were rats. Okay. And John Duro played the rat king. And
00:30:25
he had this these prosthetics, this sort of rat face. And he had an opening, he had a musical number in which he, you
00:30:33
know, sang about what an evil guy he was. And at the end of it, he had a he had an an electric harpoon and behind
00:30:43
him the CGI water tank with a shark in it. and he harpooned the shark and electrif, you know, and electrocuted the
00:30:51
shark at the finale >> number. That's kind of the world I was in. I was Albert Einstein and I had a song
00:31:01
called Everything's Relative. Okay. >> Did you do a German accent? >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Sure. Sure. I did
00:31:12
that. Yeah. Yeah. >> Anyway, um it was, you know, it was just the craziest thing I've ever been
00:31:18
involved with. >> When does that come out? >> Well, you know, it didn't they didn't release
00:31:24
it for like two years and I thought, great. I I I >> You dodged it. Got the money.
00:31:31
>> One Christmas they said we're opening it. I think it got like zero on Rotten Tomato. Do they have negative numbers on
00:31:41
Latin Jamaican anyway? And for some reason it was like this is Nathan Lane's film and I was
00:31:49
>> they always they always do that a film by Nathan Lane, >> you know, this is don't blame me for
00:31:55
this >> Nathan Lane, >> you know, it was you thought how did he get the financing? Um, you know, there
00:32:02
was like a lot of Russian money. people in people in, you know, black sedans would arrive at midnight with, you know,
00:32:09
bang. >> Yeah. Yeah. So, >> that's that's a good story. I like that one. >> He used he used to talk to you during
00:32:19
the take. He would say he would be he would say I I'd be you know I had a scene with with a little a nutcracker
00:32:27
and I you know I had go over and get it and give it to the he would say now go over to the go to the piano get the get
00:32:35
the nutcracker now open I would say you know I can hear you and if I can hear you talking the sound guy can hear it
00:32:43
and eventually they'll hear this in multiplexes maybe you should talk to me during the tape.
00:32:51
I love it. >> He's giving you notes. >> We'll cut all that out. Yeah. >> Anyway,
00:32:59
>> one thing just real quick I want to uh put in which just I I find very entertaining is you in the Gilded Age.
00:33:07
>> I just love I love the character. >> Oh. Uh yeah. What's his name? >> I I don't know. Just a southern guy, you
00:33:14
know. Southern >> He was a real guy. Um, uh, now I can't think of his name. I'm old.
00:33:21
>> Let's call him Bill. >> Let's call him Bill. Uh, he was a real guy. He was sort of Mrs. Aers's major
00:33:29
goal and and the gatekeeper to high society. And he did they literally made fun of his accent in the papers when he
00:33:36
wrote this book which they sort of we covered in the show where he was ostracized for writing this book
00:33:43
society called society as I have found it. And then it was all about him traveling through Europe and learning,
00:33:51
you know, about cuisine and wines and, you know, especially European etiquette and throwing parties and he cared all
00:33:59
about that stuff and brought that to New York society. And >> yeah, it it was um he was a a strange
00:34:07
little guy who uh you know, yeah, it was it was um a fun role. >> It seems fun to do that. It's coming
00:34:15
back, right? that show the give. >> Yes. Yes. It was renewed for a fourth season. Yes.
00:34:21
>> I did that asked me to do that kind of voice on a animated show with Tina Fay
00:34:25
and I just I just kind of took it from Daniel Craig and I was why >> well you know it was a little more
00:34:36
cartoony literally. >> Yeah. Yeah. He he leans into it for >> you. Nathan, was the mouse hunt with uh
00:34:43
was walking in that? >> Yes, he was. I I fought to get him in it. They didn't want to they because he
00:34:49
was too expensive. And I said, "Oh, but it was Gorb Verbinsk's first film and >> and I said, you know, you got to get
00:34:58
Christopher Walkin to play Exterminator." I said, "If I open the door and Christopher Walkin is standing
00:35:04
there, that's a huge laugh." >> It's a laugh. and uh fi and I said, "Give him some of what you're going to
00:35:10
give me. Pay him out of that. I don't care. Just ask Christopher Walkin." And they they finally worked it out. I mean,
00:35:17
he only had to work for like a week or something. And they they paid him whatever his his fee was and and he was
00:35:23
hilarious and brilliant. >> I told Dana he he worked with me on something after that. We covered his
00:35:31
fee. And uh there's some actors that you call to do something and they go they don't even
00:35:39
need to read it. They're like here's the days. Tell me the days. How much can you
00:35:43
smash it into >> and then here's the fee. So anyway, we all love walking. He's a superstar. So,
00:35:49
but in one I've told Dana this, but I don't really do a good walking. But in one, it's funny and it's a good
00:35:54
>> one of the breaks. We're in a house, but we're coming out of the house and it's
00:35:58
night. So, it's dark in the house while we're all standing there. and I don't know him well. We've worked a few days
00:36:04
and we're waiting for action. They're like, "Camera problem hold." So, we're just in the dark. Then he goes, "David,
00:36:10
do you ever work with a act actor dog?" And I go, "An actor dog? Uh, well, there's one in this actually." Yeah. Um,
00:36:18
and I'm trying to think like it's a normal conversation. I go, "Yeah." And he goes, "They're good. They know they
00:36:22
know things, you know." And I go, "Yeah." And then it's paused. And he goes, "Hey, you ever worked with an
00:36:28
acticat?" And I I go, "I don't I don't think so. I don't do that many movies, but
00:36:35
>> yeah." And he goes, "They're not good. They don't they don't do anything, you
00:36:39
know, like they the trainer yells at them and they don't do anything, but if they yell hard, they'll jump, but any
00:36:45
cat does that." And I go, "Yeah, that's a good point." You know, and then uh I don't know if it's over yet. Then he
00:36:51
goes, "David, you ever worked with an act mouse?" That's why I want to know about mouse
00:36:59
trap because I go I don't even know what he's talking about. I go oh wait mousetrap or yeah mouse hunt. He goes
00:37:04
>> mouse hunt. Yeah. >> Yeah. He goes >> they're smart. I go oh they are. And he
00:37:09
goes >> you tell it to go up take a beat and then keep running and they they do it.
00:37:15
They know. And I go >> well >> I don't Well, I think they're animated but okay. >> What was he like on your on your
00:37:21
>> Oh, he was great. He was great. knows Chris is so sweet and he's just, you know, he's in his own world and he but
00:37:30
he plays it so, you know, he because he's so serious. It's it's just wildly funny.
00:37:36
>> Yeah. Yeah. >> And he No, he was I do remember the mice. They they some of those m those
00:37:43
mice were literally bred and trained just for that film. >> I love it. I love that it's true. there
00:37:50
was a mouse that was good at running or jumping. It's unbelievable. >> Give me your fastest mouse for this.
00:37:57
>> Yeah. And so when we had to be chasing if it wasn't CGI and it was a kind of primitive form of CGI back then. And it
00:38:06
was also like an a huge animatronic mouse that I think Stan Winston built that for like close-ups and things. But
00:38:14
but u they would have a guy the trainer would be there with a with a hair dryer.
00:38:19
And so when he was ready to go >> BTS >> turn on and you can imagine being a mouse and this contraption behind you
00:38:29
blowing hot air at you. Of course you would run. >> Yeah. You get the [ __ ] out.
00:38:33
>> He did. They would run. But >> smart. They would run. >> The mice were very sweet of
00:38:40
>> Was it really hard? Like was Matthew Broadick who was in that way? a a wonderful British uh comedian named Lee
00:38:48
Evans. He's comedian actor. He might you might remember he he was in a film his first film in America was called Funny
00:38:56
Bones. This movie he did with Jerry Lewis. He's he's extraordinary in it. >> I know the name
00:39:02
>> and I so we that's how we became friends was doing doing that film together. And
00:39:07
then later I I worked with him in we opened the producers in London and he played Matthew's role. He played Leo
00:39:14
Blue >> and he's just brilliant. Brilliant. He sells out Wembley Stadium when he was
00:39:20
doing >> No, no, we all do. We all do. Um but um I've never been over there. But uh it's
00:39:28
big. If you're on mouse hunt and is it and you're seeing all these salesman there next season
00:39:39
at the World Cup at Shay Stadium. >> Yeah. I like. So if there's real mice on mouse, there's probably a couple handful
00:39:47
of pros. Um, does it take extra long or did you get into that movie and you go, I don't know what this is going to be
00:39:53
like or because it turned out to be a pretty big hit. thing >> it was the it was right after I had done
00:39:59
the bird cage and okay and and I thought perhaps you know I because of the success of that I it might lead to other
00:40:06
films >> and I was offered two >> I was offered two >> one was um uh Mr. Magcoo >> and I met with the director and uh I
00:40:19
said so Mr. and it was a great deal of money and I said Mr. Magoo. So I said, "Am I in prosthetics or the bald head?"
00:40:27
And I'm and I can't see. And he said, "No, we're not doing any of that. This is a whole new Magoo." And I was like,
00:40:34
"Really? That's that's really all it is. He's a little old man who can't." >> Yeah.
00:40:39
>> I can remember Jim Bakus did, you know, >> Yeah. that whole thing walking into
00:40:46
walls or talking to hats thinking >> creating havoc behind >> a bit of a wispy premise anyway on the
00:40:51
cartoon. We're not going to do any of that. Then I Well, then it's not Mr. Magoo. I don't know.
00:40:56
>> Something else guy. >> Yeah, it could be anything. Um, so and the other film I was offered was was um
00:41:04
Mouse Hunt and they said the guy who's directing it, you uh he directed the Budweiser Frogs commercials.
00:41:11
>> Yeah. >> And I said, "Well, okay." So, not well. >> Was it Joe Dante or some one of those
00:41:18
commercial guys? >> Uh, no. It was Gore Verbinsky. >> Oh, I'm sorry you said that.
00:41:22
>> It was his first big film. It was one of the earliest films for DreamWorks. >> And I met with him and he was, you know,
00:41:29
he was really smart and a lovely guy. And, you know, he talked about um he would reference Roman Palansky's The
00:41:37
Tenant and I would say, "Yeah, that's a good movie, but you know, we're doing a film where we're chasing a mouse
00:41:45
for two hours. The Tom and Jerry cartoon with Laurel and Hardy. >> Yeah. >> As as Tom.
00:41:54
>> So Ratatouille could run. >> But it was a very >> That's what people say. >> Very dark comedy. It we made it like
00:42:02
Cohen brothers film for children. >> So it was uh but we I had a great time doing it and you know and it was sort of
00:42:11
the beginning of his his film directing. So, only murders in the building. Didn't
00:42:18
you get an award for that? I thought you >> I did. I did after seven. >> This is all your your hardware. All your
00:42:27
hardware. >> Oh, my hardware. Oh, Jesus. Um, someone flipped you that. >> No, I actually studied it and wrote it
00:42:35
down. >> Oh my god. >> Yeah. You're It's like a Star Trek when they would announce, you know, William
00:42:39
Shatner is on trial and they say this award, this award that you're like that. Three Tony Awards, seven Drama Desk
00:42:46
Awards, a Lawrence Olivier Award, three Emmy. Okay, we get it. Screen Actors, you know. So anyway,
00:42:53
>> I uh Yes, I had been nominated like seven times and then finally won for Only Murders in the Building.
00:43:00
>> Yeah, >> nice. But it was weird because it was um you know this was in the comedy category
00:43:07
and where most of these I was nominated for drama for the good wife once but this was for all for comedy and then it
00:43:15
really wasn't a I mean there was a little bit of humor but my character was a rather dark guy and uh so it was
00:43:22
surprising but very very nice. It's such it was a you know there to work with Steve and Marty and Selena was fabulous.
00:43:31
That would be fun. >> I I have a question about uh your early career. >> Sure. >> It
00:43:38
>> before one of the boys or >> Yeah. A singing telegram performer. Now, >> right,
00:43:43
>> if you I have I know a joke about this, but you must know it because you're a
00:43:48
singing telegram performer. But early on, I heard a joke where the guy comes to the door and knocks and the and the
00:43:58
guy said or the woman says, "Oh, it's a telegram. Is it a singing telegram?" And
00:44:03
he says, "No, it's not. It's just a telegram." And she said, "Oh, could you sing it? I've never had a singing
00:44:08
telegram." >> No. >> Do you know this? >> And he goes, he goes, "Oh, your sister
00:44:14
Rose is dead. She died in bed. She was really great, but she was 88." Oh, your sister Rose is dead. And she goes,
00:44:22
"Thanks." >> Yeah. I had >> You must have told that every day back then. >> No, >> no, no, I did not tell that joke. No, it
00:44:33
was >> really a secret singing audition for you. >> It was, you know, my years as a
00:44:38
struggling New York actor. It was one of the many uh you know, uh jobs to survive. Um, and and uh they give you a
00:44:47
I remember they gave you like a very cheap sad tuxedo and like a felt top hat which I tried not to wear. But you know
00:44:57
the thing about singing telegrams is nobody wants them. I mean, you would have go to business offices and people
00:45:06
are in the middle of works or, you know, doing, you know, accounting or whatever
00:45:10
it is. This guy, >> this sad tuxedo would show up >> yada yada >> and, you know, and so you rarely got a
00:45:19
tip because they were just embarrassed >> and and um I remember the one of the one
00:45:25
time I got a tip was from I Sam Watston was having a birthday party. And I and he you could I went in and I had to sing
00:45:35
to Sam Wat and he was so kind then looked at me and could knew I was a struggling actor and and he gave me a
00:45:44
very big tip and I so I'll always remember how how generous he was. >> That's nice. I do want to say one thing
00:45:51
because when I said I hate plays, I've fallen in love with the theater as a senior person. Yes, I saw the fairy man
00:45:59
>> uh in London. Yeah. >> And I want to ask you a question when you do so many shows, but the show I saw
00:46:06
seemed extra extra in the pocket special connected with the audience, but I I wasn't sure if this was like an extra
00:46:13
just one of those nights where it all and the lead actor after they came out for all their bows, he turned around and
00:46:20
he kind of in a happily way just leaped up in the air as he walked off. >> Do you have a range of emotions when you
00:46:27
come off? And there's sometimes do you leap up in the air >> and how high do you
00:46:34
>> not not with the same verb you >> ever >> um you know there I mean it that's very
00:46:41
true is that it's not every night is magical some nights it's more technical and or you know you there like in this
00:46:51
particular play death of a salesman it is extraordinary it's a kind of silence that you only hear in the theater where
00:46:58
people are are so riveted to what's going on to the story, the characters and their dilemas and but um you know
00:47:07
you can tell if the you know suddenly if there's phones going off or you hear talk back to you like it's a television
00:47:14
screen or something >> but um those nights when you do connect and that's what it what it is. I mean
00:47:21
that's yeah >> it's the last bastion of the human connection in telling a story is that
00:47:26
you're there and we're there doing it for you >> and when it does when you do connect it
00:47:31
is it is very uh fulfilling and rewarding and you do feel oh something special happened tonight
00:47:37
>> and people are are you start crying right at the end of super emotional uh death of a salesman. Well, it is very
00:47:46
Yeah, it's very big. It's a huge confrontation at the end with with my son played by this brilliant actor Chris
00:47:52
Abbott. And uh it's very very emot it's intensely sad just reading about it today where the son says, you know,
00:48:00
we're kind of regular. We're mediocre people. We're not going to go anywhere. I mean, there's there's so many themes
00:48:06
in this thing that that are >> heartwrenching. Well, yeah, it's still as sadly relevant as it was in 1949.
00:48:14
um you know it's >> or more so the one thing I do think about theater when I think about AI and
00:48:19
digital actors and digital everything the last thing they'll get >> is robots doing live theater
00:48:27
>> doing that's true >> then they could do 12 shows a week >> make 10,000 Nathan Lane robots and go
00:48:35
global >> four shows a day yeah it could they will walk through it >> I'm sure someone is thinking about it
00:48:41
>> do you go crazy with repetitioners There are some you don't bother you and some
00:48:46
do. Sometimes it's actually work. >> Uh ye yes you you know I don't think people were meant to do like for example
00:48:56
this play eight times a week. It's you know the history of this play you know Lee Jay Cobb who originated this role in
00:49:04
49. >> He lost his voice after three months and he wanted out. He wanted a two week
00:49:09
vacation and they said you can't Lee. we we're a big hit. But he got he left the
00:49:15
play as soon as possible. Um Dustin Hoffman started off with in his revival doing eight a week and then reduced it
00:49:23
to six. Um Danny was a good friend of mine who he was hospitalized for exhaustion when he was doing eight a
00:49:31
week and they reduced it to seven. It's just it's a really difficult thing to go
00:49:37
through to put your mind and body through uh that many times a week. It's it's all based on, you know, years ago
00:49:44
some producer said, "We'll do eight. We'll do eight a week. Two on Wednesday and Saturday."
00:49:49
>> Boy, we'll really cash in. And and you know, some plays, this one in particular
00:49:55
is it's a really >> emotional for you, too. I mean, you can't just walk through it. You get into
00:49:59
it. I'm sure everybody >> Oh, no. I get you, you get depressed. I mean, we're all the the the four LMANs
00:50:06
in this production. Lori Metaf, Chris Abd, and Ben Hollers. We gather in my dressing room beforehand as sort of a
00:50:12
ritual and we just talk about what's going on and all four of us are like I would I would pay any amount of money to
00:50:18
not have to go through this tonight. >> It's like going to be sad. Let's go be sad.
00:50:24
>> Well, >> what's what's more exhausting when you because I thought it was interesting
00:50:28
when you guys were doing the producers you and Matthew and you had some me or you New York Times or something and all
00:50:34
you guys talked about was this. It wasn't about the It was just about physically trying to survive it.
00:50:41
>> So are you more exhausted with the emotionality of Death of a Salesman or we're a lot of you know which or they
00:50:47
equal exhaustion? >> Well, in musicals, as I've always said, are a young man's game. But it was we
00:50:55
were um here's what I my mistake with the producers was that I didn't protect myself. I wasn't I wasn't safe about my
00:51:04
voice. I I was trying to live up to zero male. So I'm yelling and screaming and carrying on and singing and dancing and
00:51:12
and doing big comedy. And then after about six or seven months I was my voice was shot and and I really had to you
00:51:20
know deal with that and and and and so I you know on something now at this stage of
00:51:28
my life you know I don't do anything you know I just I go and I do the show and then I come home and go to sleep there's
00:51:35
no going out >> you know in the old days you go out with friends for drinks >> well maybe sardies
00:51:44
And I'm like, >> I don't know. >> Hearing David quietly say things, but >> I know that's the whole podcast. That's
00:51:52
all I do. >> Especially when I know nothing. I'm like, plays. Oh my god. >> Look, it's just it's it's a rigorous
00:52:03
schedule whether it's a musical or at a very emotional play. >> We do standup. It's the same. I mean,
00:52:08
we're doing an hour hour and 10 and >> it's not the same because you're doing a lot more. Well, and I I've had practice
00:52:15
doing I mean, I've done Angels in America, which is two plays. That's seven and a half hours. I've done Iceman
00:52:22
Cometh, you know, which is five hours. So, this at three is a breeze. And com comparatively,
00:52:28
>> three, that's a chunk. But it it uh it does and it does there's wear and tear
00:52:34
on the psyche if you're you know you have to kind of stay in this mindset and it's it's it's difficult. It it is
00:52:43
difficult. I mean, it's but the other side of this and nobody wants to hear actors complain about about being in a
00:52:49
hit, but it's the other side of it is when people come back and and and literally are weeping or fall into your
00:52:57
arms weeping or just saying it's the best version of this I've ever seen or and and you see you can hear them. You
00:53:04
hear them you hear them the silence and then you hear people weeping out there and it's it's you feel like I've done
00:53:11
something meaningful. uh you know for for folks and it's cathartic for them and on on some level it's cathartic but
00:53:20
you know I you you do start to look to the closing date and think how many more >> as much as I love the play and I do love
00:53:28
the play it's a it is it is a and it's a real test but >> do you do you follow do you like you're
00:53:37
so successful you're not exactly Willie Lman but you must have had periods in your life that you draw on or something
00:53:42
right to build the character and inhabit it yourself, you know. >> Well, it's it's a guy whose whole idea
00:53:50
of success and his selfworth is built on the opinion of others, which is a recipe
00:53:57
for disaster. Never good. But it's a lot of people. >> And certainly as an actor, as a
00:54:02
comedian, we all know that, you know, we we we have that we deal with that the opinion of others. and he's everything
00:54:10
for him is about being wellliked and all you have to do is go on Facebook to see
00:54:15
how many people are looking for likes, >> right? >> Um so it's his misguided view of of the
00:54:22
American dream which he firmly believes and and drills into his his two boys. Um, it's, you know, it's kind of he's
00:54:32
he's a mass of contradictions and insecurities and and yet he's optimistic. even though he's suicidal
00:54:42
and depressed, he still thinks he's going to win, which is what drives the play and this character and I think is
00:54:48
what makes him interesting and and why people empathize with him ultimately even though he's he's not the finest, as
00:54:56
his wife says in the play, he's not the finest character that ever lived, but he's a human being and something
00:55:02
terrible is happening to him. And so you you certainly call upon well I you know
00:55:08
it's those you know process talking about process is it's just horrifying to me. It's it's personal. You know, you
00:55:17
you certainly draw upon things from your your own life and and and to to things that are either emotionally triggering
00:55:24
or things you've been through where that are, you know, you whenever you begin, you look at how am I like this man and
00:55:32
how am I not like him and how do I find those things? And again, people don't want to feel
00:55:38
sorry for us, but show business is kind of in general, I call it an emotionally violent sport.
00:55:48
>> Extreme extreme emotional. Yeah. >> Yeah. If you're in this shitbox film and then you're just publicly humiliated,
00:55:55
most people don't have to, you know, and so um yeah, it wouldn't be that big of a
00:56:00
leap to But um when when when is it ending? Yeah. I want I want I want to put on my calendar when you get a rest.
00:56:08
>> Yeah. You know, it's it is uh like when you have a day off, uh it's like, "Oh,
00:56:14
this is nice. This I don't have to think about getting in that car and suicide today." Um yeah, it's it's it's you
00:56:25
look, these are these are the actor issues. These are things we talk about amongst ourselves.
00:56:31
>> Oh, yeah. No, we don't need specifics. just yeah, we're not going to air this.
00:56:36
>> I'm also incredibly grateful, you know, grateful that this which took a very this has been in the works for a very
00:56:43
long time and that it finally happened. It's that that it happened is a miracle and and the fact that it's so successful
00:56:51
is beyond what I ever dreamed of and and so I'm you know I I I I feel all of that
00:56:58
as well. But it, you know, I'm 70. So there is, there are days when you think, oh, how many more do I have to do? But
00:57:06
each one you can only think the the the way out of that is I can only think about the show I'm about to do. If you
00:57:14
start to think about we got two tomorrow, you'll need >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. For sure. For sure.
00:57:19
And I assume that when you're in the moment like in any other thing with Lori or what whoever you might in a moment
00:57:26
surprise yourself a little bit with the way you deliver a line and then they'll sort of surprise you just these nuances
00:57:33
I assume also keep it alive some nights. Oh, yeah. With these these are people all at the top of their game. And so
00:57:41
with Lori, it's all I mean, we've known each other for 40 years. So I she always
00:57:46
it always to me it it's like it seems like she's making it up sometimes. She's just so uh uh spontaneous and real and
00:57:53
it's Yes, that does happen. And the play takes you places you don't expect to go
00:58:01
and and uh you think, "Wow, where did that come from?" There was one day in the last couple of weeks where I I was
00:58:07
re, you know, where you're really in it, you know, and you just, you know, it's you lose yourself in it because it's so
00:58:15
powerful and the and the, you know, the the words are are just, you know, these these there are scenes in this that I
00:58:22
wanted to do my whole life and and so >> wow, >> it's uh I mean, I saw it when I was 10
00:58:28
years old. It was a a CBS special presentation of the play. >> Mh. So 1966 and and it was Lee Jay Cobb
00:58:37
and Mildred Dunick, the original stars doing it. And I remember then being affected by it. Even at 10, I was upset
00:58:44
for this salesman. >> Sure. >> And then a year later, my father, my own father essentially committed suicide. He
00:58:51
drank himself to death. He sort of announced that he was going to do that and then he did. And I always kind of
00:58:57
connected it to Willie Lman to this, you know, this this man who kills himself and he Willie kills himself um because
00:59:06
he he wants to leave something to his son, this $20,000 insurance policy and and it's the one thing he can give him
00:59:14
and it's the one what what allows him to finally go through with suicide. >> Brutal.
00:59:20
>> Um the feelood comedy of the year says the New York Post. That's the thing about this play and and
00:59:28
I remember Denny once said to me, you know, it's not a funny play and I wear the big big shoes. Um,
00:59:37
>> death in the title. >> There is there is humor in this play and Miller actually wrote about it and said
00:59:43
how important he thought it was because he said people don't think about that because it ends so tragically, but it's
00:59:51
very deliberate. There is humor in this play and when he wrote it, he would laugh at the things that Willie would
00:59:56
say, the his exaggerations and and and contradictions and and certainly Lori has found humor
01:00:05
and I knew she would it would not be a sentimental performance, but she has found the the humor in in Linda Lman.
01:00:12
>> It helps to keep it moving, keeps you alive. >> Yeah. And it draws people in, you know.
01:00:18
Uh, just real quick, you hosted SNL in 97. If you want to touch on that, will you go back or
01:00:23
>> I was the one the one-time? >> Yes, club. >> I don't I don't think you got a jacket
01:00:29
for that. >> You get a sweater vest for vest. >> They should give someone a one-time club
01:00:36
jacket during their monologue knowing they're not coming. >> No, I've done three. You've done how
01:00:40
many, David? >> Two. >> Two. And you've done one. So, we're this. We're five right here. Six. Yeah.
01:00:47
It's we could get a a jacket, >> you get a sleeve and I get >> Yeah. No, that was uh you know
01:00:57
>> 97. What were you promoting? Do you know >> what was I promoting? Um I don't I
01:01:05
>> 97 I believe. Yeah. >> You usually go on when a movie pops on or something. >> Yes. I I not I don't quite remember. I
01:01:13
No. No. Do you remember enjoying it or being scared or just exhilarated or >> it's there's I think as many people have
01:01:21
said it's a singular experience but I I mean I am used to live theater and but it's it's like nothing I've ever done
01:01:30
and and yes it was I mean look I got to do sketches with Sher O Terry and Will Ferrell.
01:01:37
>> Oh great great time. >> You know it was uh it was >> you don't get bored with that
01:01:41
performance because it's over before you know it. You're like, "Okay, now I now I
01:01:44
have it. Now I can do it." And it's like, "Oh, it's done." >> No, I I you know, I loved it. I loved
01:01:49
it. >> Yes. Yes. And then after at the afterparty, I do remember sitting with Lauren and he said, "You're you're good
01:01:57
at this." And uh and uh Oh, I said, "Thank you." And he said, "Well, you make you'll do it again." And then I
01:02:04
never did it again. >> Um you'll you'll do it again. Uh Marcy, write down the Do you have I mean,
01:02:11
you've Oh, Lauren Michaels just won a Tony. How about that? >> I saw that for um forune
01:02:24
>> we worked very hard and the thing is >> on TV. >> Yes, it was on Apple. >> Yeah. Now it's a Broadway show. It's
01:02:31
>> a different cast. >> And then they did it on They just did it on Broadway. >> Not with the same cast though.
01:02:37
>> No, not with the same. Oh >> ripoff. Yeah. >> Um, no. A whole new cast and and it's uh
01:02:46
Yeah, it's >> Mega Dune by Niscoco musical. >> Yeah. >> Uh, I thought they were crackers.
01:02:53
>> There he was. What? He said he was funny. He when he accepted he said I'm not going to attempt in front of YouTube
01:03:00
an impression, but he said it's been a long night. And he said, "And sometimes all you need is some singing, some
01:03:08
dancing, and >> and a few jokes." >> And a few And a few good jokes. Yeah. >> Yeah.
01:03:14
>> That's what Lauren said. >> Yeah. >> That's good. He's not there to milk it out. He's not going to go too long and
01:03:19
play it off like a fool. >> He's done pretty well. You know, that guy. >> Yes, he has.
01:03:26
>> Yeah. You have just one last question. So, you've got this. Go ahead. >> Were you in that documentary about him?
01:03:34
is one. Dana's in it. >> Yeah, Dana's in it. And you were off to the side just >> No, mine was a hard pass.
01:03:41
>> No, I uh No, I um >> I don't think we did a bunch during the 50th. I didn't do that.
01:03:46
>> A lot of >> I was in They just had me in a room where I live up on a farm and I did I
01:03:52
talked about they did a whole documentary on the cowbell sketch with Walkan. >> Oh, right.
01:03:57
>> Whole documentary light these days. and then Lauren and Lauren Lauren's movie
01:04:02
and now it's making and you know right. >> Yeah. So >> anyway, Nathan Lane's been our guest.
01:04:09
>> Congratulations. I I think it's very cool that you got to do this. >> Well, I Me, too. I can't thank you
01:04:16
enough. It was It's a pleasure and it's because it's been so long since I' I've seen you. So,
01:04:21
>> well, I'm mentally healthier. you you I knew that you were incapable of becoming
01:04:28
hey you know I'm Nathan Lane >> that's you never were going to get like >> altered by your success
01:04:37
>> uhhuh >> and and a new guy shows up the guy I knew in ' 81 was not capable of going
01:04:43
hey you know guess what >> don't you seem like exactly the same I mean you've grown as a person but the
01:04:50
core of you is Not. >> But I can see it's really gone to your head. >> Yes, Bane is unsufferable. But I feel
01:05:00
like if Mickey Rooney knew he was working with >> unsufferable. He went to state school.
01:05:05
>> What did I say? Unsufferable. >> Unsuff. It's not a word. >> Home. Homeschooled in Arizona. Worse.
01:05:12
Uh, okay. Uh, Nathan, by the way, you cracked me up a lot. It's great to talk to you. Uh, so much fun to have you. Um,
01:05:20
and I I learned a lot. I learned a lot about the >> Well, if you're if you're in New York,
01:05:26
uh, we're there till August 9th. >> If you hear someone playing Angry Birds in the audience, that might be that you
01:05:34
>> I didn't know. So, totally off. >> All right, listen. If you're enjoying the fly on the wall, of course,
01:05:47
hopefully you are. Click follow. We don't want to be desperate, but obviously smash that goddang button on
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01:06:00
>> Whoops. >> And maybe even share an episode with a friend. If you're watching this episode
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on YouTube, please subscribe. Dana, what do you think? >> I'm going to tell you this right now.
01:06:09
Hear me now. Believe me later. Fly in the Wall, believe it or not, is presented by Odyssey and executive
01:06:17
produced by, hold for it, Dana Carvey and David Spade, or David Spade and Dana Carvey. We don't write this stuff,
01:06:24
Heather Santoro, Greg Holtzman, and Leah Reese Dennis. The show is edited by Evan
01:06:31
Cox with production support from Phil Sweet Tech. Talent production and booking by Sophia Leapor.