benny blanco Isn’t Afraid To Fail (Live)

[MUSIC PLAYING] When you are pioneering anything or introducing new ideas to the culture, you get criticized. You do? Yeah. Did you hear about that? I didn't find the one. I found someone I respected, and we made it the one. In a sort of longing kind of view of love, people understand each other as if by magic. Nothing in itself is addictive, on the one hand. On the other hand, everything could be addictive, if there's an emptiness in that person that needs to be filled. I now know that nobody changes until they change their energy. And when you change your energy, you change your life. I'm Gwyneth Paltrow. This is the Goop podcast, bringing together thought leaders, culture changers, creatives, founders and CEOs, scientists, doctors, healers, and seekers, here to start conversations, because simply asking questions and listening has the power to change the way we see the world. Hello, and welcome to the Goop podcast. I'm Gwyneth Paltrow. I'm so excited for you to join me for a live conversation with Benny Blanco, producer, musician, author, and all around great guy. We talk about so many things, including how he went from playing music in frat houses to producing for stars like Ed Sheeran and making his own hit album, his new book, Fuck Failure, and what he's learned about success and tuning out the noise. And he also gave me some really good ideas about what to do with my Goop Kitchen leftovers. Let's get to my conversation with Benny Blanco. My guest tonight is an extraordinary man. He is a Grammy-nominated multi-platinum artist, record producer, songwriter, actor, and New York Times bestselling author. He's also my fellow foodie. Please welcome Benny Blanco. [APPLAUSE] We have, we saw each other, we'll do it again. We'll do it again. Welcome, welcome. Am I on the microphone? You're on the mic. I don't know if we're double-miked. Wait, oh, we are? I guess. Wait, what were you talking about vitamin C? Oh. I want the free shit with. What are you talking about? Yes, our vitamin C cereal. I'm going to give it to you on your way out. Do you know any time I'm anywhere where there's like a, I don't like this thing. I got to move this a teeny bit. I want to look at you. We're getting professional. OK, so anytime upstairs, there was a bag that said goop on it. And I immediately told my mom, I was like, grab every one of those bags, because I know there's something good in it. I know there's something good. Apparently there's vitamin C cereal. There is, and it's going to transform your whole vibe. Can I take this chair home? Absolutely. Absolutely. All right, great, great, great. I guess I wanted to start a little bit with what we touched on earlier. Benny signed his first record deal when he was 13 years old. And it became sort of the incredible force that he is by the time he was 18. So I would love to hear a little bit about your experience as a songwriter, as a musician. When did you know that you had this gift? And how does one get a record deal at 13 years old? Well, let's go. Do I even need this thing? This is just for looks. This is for looks. You guys can hear me, right? I also talk so loud. OK. When did I know when my mother was so annoyed that any time we went out to any restaurant or anything, I was like, lining up all the glasses and hitting them and playing the drums. And I was just so into music very early on. And back in the day, you used to be able to go into a record store and you could sit down and put the headphones on and test whether you were going to take the song home or the album home. And I would just go with my brother all the time. And I was hypnotized by music. I was bouncing off the walls as a kid. So anything that kept me sedative was a win for everyone. So I think my parents were like, oh, yeah. Keep listening to music. And I was really into it. But I really didn't know what my place was going to be, because my mom, I would take guitar lessons one week. Then the next week it would be like piano lessons, then drum lessons. And I couldn't do anything. I couldn't play anything. I was terrible. And I was like, what are we paying for these lessons for? But the teacher was like, no, there's something special about him. He can put an idea together. And I always was really into the creation of the whole idea. Like I wasn't thinking about strumming a guitar. And I didn't want to play other people's music. I was like, why would I want to do that when I can make my own thing? Did you think or feel in the layers of the music or the construction of the song? Yeah, I always-- since I was a kid-- and I didn't know this until much later-- I thought everybody-- I could see the whole song's completion from the beginning. I could always see it. And I was frustrated. Because when you first start making music, you don't know how to get to the finish line. Like it's very hard. I mean, your kid's make music. It's like when you're seeing someone work it out, it's just like anything. If you're starting a business, if you're becoming a chef. And you know what it's supposed to taste like. But you just don't know ABCD to get there. So it was like frustrating. And then once I figured out how to get there, less frustrating, obsession. And yeah, when-- So how does the record company find you at 13? Well, first, I was doing a lot of stuff locally. And this was like the first wave of, I guess, social media. What year is this? No, back when I was first doing it, no social medias. But how I first really got discovered-- well, my brother was in a fraternity. There was like a guy that went to his college. And he knew someone who was in the music industry. I got into a real studio. And I started making demos. And then there was this guy that worked at Jive Records. And they flew down to my homecoming when I was like 13. And thank god my parents didn't let me do anything stupid. There was all these people trying to do stuff with me when I was younger musically. And my mom, maybe naively or on purpose knowing something was going to happen, never let me do anything stupid when I was younger. And then yeah, I just started getting bigger locally. And when my space hit, so probably in about 2003, maybe, four, five time, I started just writing. Back then, you could write on like a wall. And people would see it. And it would like somehow I got a lot of followers on my space. I honestly don't know how I did it. I was like young. And I had like thousands of followers. And back then, there was a girl named Tila Tequila. She had the most amount-- I'll go. Give it up for Tila. She had the most amount of followers at that time, and that was like 500,000. So that was like unbelievable. And I had like 15,000. And I was like 14. And I don't know how I did it. I just like, I think I was just like writing funny shit and like writing every person I could ever meet and be like, I'll come and like sleep on your floor if you let me work with you. And like one thing led to another, none of my friends believed me. Like nobody believed me. Like you got to the point where I was like, my parents didn't even believe me. I remember like telling my mom I was like, oh, I like, I just worked with Britney Spears. And she was like, no, you didn't. And I was like, all right. Like there was like, but there was nothing. And I remember like after I had my first number one song, I was like, mom, like I did it. And-- Which song is it? This was the first one. There was a few that they-- So like at the same, within a year, I had I kissed a girl by Katy Perry. That you wrote. Yeah, I helped write and produce that one. Hot and cold by Katy Perry, circus by Britney Spears. And then a song called Don't Trust Me by 303. And they all happened within the same year. And I remember sitting with my mom because the way the music business works is you don't make money right away. Like the royalties are like so much further. So I had like all this success, but I had like no money. And I was like, and I was like, mom, like we did it. And she was like, well, what's your backup plan? And I was like, what is the backup plan? And your family always finds like arbitrary things to like say you made it. And I remember I was on like the 12th page of like the New York magazine style section. And my mom was like, you really did make it. And I was like, what are you talking about? It's so interesting to me because you know, you have this interesting duality that I've noticed, right? It's like Benny Blanco is a pseudonym, right? - Yes. - And for many, many years, you were behind the scenes and then I want to ask you about sort of crossing over more into the public eye but is there a reason that you wanted to like what's the reason behind the pseudonym and the you know not releasing your album as you the first time. Okay so first I'm a musician and I was I was an artist okay I'm a young kid I realized like okay I'm like just like I was like a chubby kid from Virginia nobody want I'm not the next M&M that's like what I was like the first thing I realized like you were rapping and I was rapping and then I just not nearly as well and I you know I always tell people I'm like just start do you know so many people are scared to get the ball rolling like they have so many dreams but they're just like how do I how do I do it like it all seems so far away because you're like okay I'm gonna start a business well one of my business cards gonna look like well what's the name gonna be well what you're like thinking about everything except the stuff you have to do and it can be so daunting it's like every part of it and like putting yourself out there is so daunting and I remember saying like I'm just gonna try it so I try doing it and I didn't land exactly where I wanted I'm not the biggest rapper in the world but I landed in a pretty cool fucking spot like my life's pretty cool yeah okay so I I was doing that and I got signed as an artist in a group when I was 18 and we put out an album and we became this like really cool like underground thing that all these people like like you know at our we would be at like our release party and like Jay Z would be like it was it was like so mind blowing to me because I kind of just got thrown into this thing then it was overwhelming and I kind of like didn't want it and I very quickly realized I was like oh I don't want to be I want to be the center of attention with like eight of my friends not the world and like I'm sure most of you guys want to be and I and I like found myself getting into an opportunity where I could like write songs for people and produce songs for people which I didn't even really understand existed I thought like I mean I was so naive when I was a kid and like Brittany Spears was on the radio I thought she was at our radio station singing the song every time and I'm like damn Brittany's really in DC all the time and so I had this opportunity and I fell into it and then I'm like wow I get to do all of my favorite things in the world and I don't have to be the the the person in the spotlight this is like I hit like the jackpot I'm like I I gotta just like not let anybody know what's going on and then I remember I was on tour with Ed Sheeran okay and we were we were making his album divide okay and we were making this amazing album for like two years and we put it out and it was so successful and he's one of my really good friends outside of music and we're on the road after that album it's this was the tour for that album and we were watching Jimmy Ivean and Dr. Dre put out this documentary called The Defiant Ones and I remember we were watching it and we're sitting backstage okay this is Ed's first ever stadium show okay so it's 75,000 people and it was at Gillette stadium in Boston you actually you were at one of them I was there I was at that one I was at that show okay well this show changed my life okay look at that wow Jesus can I have an extra boot bag okay okay so I'm sitting there and Ed's about to go on and he's just sitting there and he's saying you know what the hell are you doing with our lives you know look at Jimmy and all these guys they did all this stuff and then they literally call him so he like just there long enough for me to be feel depressed with him and then he goes and he plays a sold out show and I'm sitting there and I'm like what and there's a picture of me and it's like someone took a picture of me right before and I like look so sad and I'm like what am I doing with my life and it was you know at the years I don't know 2016 or something I was so fortunate enough to write all these songs for so many people and you know create my own record label and have my own publishing company and do all these things that are so fulfilling and I I wanted like I was like oh I want to have my record label be better and I was looking and I was like oh well Dr. Dre's label was the best first when he put out his own music as him as the artist maybe that's what I have to do and cut out all the middlemen and then I remember like calling my manager and I was backstage and I was like I think I'm gonna like try to do it and he was like I wanted you to do stuff like that for while so then I remember I go to Ed like hoping because we've written a song the week before demo and I was hoping that he was gonna be like dude don't do that you don't want to do that but he was like you totally should and we made a demo and the first song I ever made was a song called East Side that I did with Halsey and Khalid and I put the song out and honestly I knew that if I made music eventually I'd have like a really big song I didn't I just didn't know what's gonna be my first one so then there was my first song I love that song too I really do I love it it's one of my favorite songs I've ever written it was so cool they got to be mine she was saying I love that song and and I put out my first song and it became really successful but this is it took over a year to become successful and COVID was just happening okay and so the song is like number one and it's I remember it was number one on the radio and like COVID is about to happen and COVID happens and we're inside and I work like so like the first actually the first like two weeks I did nothing I did nothing all I did was eat food every day all day and I was like and I was like we're all gonna die and then and then I worked harder than like I've ever worked in my entire life and I did all these things I got like my health right my head right everything and I went outside for like the first time I was really careful because I was also filming I'd never like acted but my friend made a TV show and I helped him like write stuff for it and he was like you have to play yourself in it so I'm like acting so we weren't allowed to like see any human being so I like would go act come home work on my album then I made a cooking show with my friend I was doing all this stuff and then I remember TikTok had just come out the the platform and my friend said hey you would be so big on this thing and I said what is that isn't that the thing like my girlfriend like dance makes dances for like in the house all day during covid and my friend was like no just come over you're gonna film three videos and it's gonna make you really make all your songs really big I was like all right so my friend came over I filmed three videos and like then and like I like looked and they have like a hundred views and I was like they're not big and then like the next morning he called me and he was like I told you so and I said what do you mean and I looked online and I had five hundred thousand followers the first day and I had like 20 million views and I was like oh okay I guess this works and so I started doing that I put out my second album and it you know I was so fortunate that it became successful and then I walked outside I remember I walked out to get groceries one day and someone said are you Benny Blanco and normally that would be like some nerdy kid like once every like month would come to me like are you anymore I'm gonna be like if I want to song you for me like and then so like this a person came up to me and I was like whoa and I was like oh hi yeah I am and then I went out the next day and then they're like hey are you Benny Blanco and I was like okay and then like I went out like without my mask on and then like all these people recognize me and I was like whoa I was like I don't know how much I like this and then it started getting like more and more to the point where I remember in like 2022-ish maybe 23 I tell my manager I was like I think I'm gonna stop releasing music like I really don't like the way this feels like I just like I get uncomfortable in situations like that and and I was like I don't love the way this feels I think I like this is I like it's too much like notoriety so instead you married so then literally the next week I call my manager and I said okay so I'm dating and then I was like I remember with Selena though we talked about it because it was like I already hated the level I was at and then she was just like look you can always she was like so sweet we're in a car and we like stop we pulled over on the side of the road we were like on top of a mouth like a mountain it was like a movie and she was like you can always like just walk away like I'm giving you the chance right because we we kept our relationship private for like eight months maybe wow it was so hard it was so hard and then one day yeah one day I was like I just want to go outside so and I remember we did it like our first date where we were like okay we're gonna test the water waters, we wore these disguises, and we went to the Santa Monica pier, because we wanted to go on the Ferris wheel and stuff, and we were wearing these disguises, and we were so patrified of people catching us, that we bought, like, we're on the way, and we bought clothes from Target or Walmart, so we didn't have any of our own clothes on either. And we made it through the whole day without doing it. And then the next day, she was like, I can't do this anymore, we got to go public. So you know, it strikes me, your book is called Fuck Failure. And how are you writing, what is your thesis on failure when all you do is succeed? That's exactly my point, okay. So look, PSA, okay, first of all, I don't know if anyone you guys are like doing exactly what you want, or you still have things you want to do, I assume you still have things you want to do, because I wake up every day, and there's still so many things I want to do. I'm so content, but like, there's so many things I'm like, fuck, like, I wish, so many things I'm scared to even say out loud in front of people, because, you know, you don't want to be embarrassed by your peers, by your friends, by yourself, like, sometimes even like, looking in the mirror, you're like, fuck, should I say it? And like, when you're about to like, deep dive in and do something that makes you feel a little bit uncomfortable, and those are the best ideas, nobody's, nobody's making like the idea that's changing their life where you're just like, oh, yeah, of course, like PSA kick. No, you're like doing something that's getting you out of your comfort zone that you're so scared of. And I want to tell you guys that I feel, every day, I feel, I feel so often, but Michael Jordan's the best basketball player, probably of all time, obviously, like, LeBronje, I'm just using this as an analogy, I'm so glad I'm in a goop room and not with like, sports hands. Michael Jordan's like, the best player, but he took the, I think he has like, the most amount of shots ever from anyone. That might totally be wrong, but I think it's right. And for this, it's definitely right. So you're not remembering all the shots, Michael Jordan missed. No, you're remembering him being the best basketball player of all time. Nobody's walking up to the street next to me and being like, hey, man, remember that one song you did that fucking suck? No, they're like, people will come up to me in the street and be like, you made every song in the world. And it's like, I've been fortunate enough to make a lot of songs, but I've made so many bricks and so many stinky shits of songs and so many things in my life. My fail that so many times. And I always look at it where it's like, okay, the only way you're going to make it is if you have full amnesia to failure, like, I can fail and then the next morning be like, what failure? And then like, just like, I'm like, fail how? I'm an example, like, in your daily life now. What would be something I fail at, like, it can be anything, it can be like failing like a friend where I'm like, oh, why did I say that thing? Like, that was so stupid. And it's like, and usually when you say that to your friend, you're like, I'm so sorry. I said that thing yesterday. They're like, what are you talking about? That's just like our own insecurities. But I'll, but like, yeah, something as simple as that or like something where I'm like, oh, why did, why did I put this song out like that? Or it's like, oh, why did I let this happen in the rollout? Why didn't I do? And I remember it enough to learn from it the next time to be like, okay, here's the adjustment I'm going to make. Like, it's like engulfing. I know that when you're like, when you're golfing one, like, minor adjustment can change like your whole swing. I don't ask me why I know that, but I heard it. And I feel the same way like in things that you're trying to create and do. And I never think that any dream is like stupid. Like I'll do anything, anything that comes to my mind. If it keeps coming to my mind over and over again, I have to pursue it. I just have to do it. And I'm not afraid to, to fail. Like, yeah, there's like tons of things. Okay. First of all, as a musician, I'd say 95% of the music I make in a year never sees the light of day, never, ever, ever, does not see the light of day. Most of the things, I mean, you were married to a musician. You, I'm sure you've seen this many times. Most of the things I do will never see the light of day. I'm just making aimlessly. No. Cold place just hits, hits, hits. No. Well, fuck me. Um, no. So it's like everything, everything I do, I'm just aimlessly throwing things at the wall, trying that something's going to stick, and I know it will stick eventually. And it's like if I'm making like a cookbook, like it's like, I didn't, I didn't know I would ever be able to make a cookbook. I love your cookbook, by the way. Thank you. And like, you were a big, you were a super big inspiration on making my cookbook. I remember the first, like, I got your cookbook and I was like, I was like, it's good. I could make a cookbook. She's not a professional chef. Like she's like, and I was like, and I remember tasting the recipes. And I was like, these are so good if I like work and do stuff that's like approachable, and I know I have like good taste in things. And I know that it was like, it was a very important moment. I swear to God, it was a very important moment in my life. I still have the same one from when I was like, first learning how to cook and it has like all the little ear marks in it and like, restains all over it. And no, I'm serious. It was still the one with the white cover. And I still remember using that to help me be like, okay, well, I can start cooking. And then eventually, if I cook enough, somehow something will happen. I don't know how it's going to happen. At first, I wanted to open a restaurant and then it moved to this thing and that thing. And then I started having dinners at my house. And randomly, there was like a New York Times article that got published that was talking about these dinners that I had at my house. And then the lady who became my book agent called called me and came to my house, flew out, came to my house, took a 20 minute meeting with me walking in high heels. And I was like, okay, you're hired. For sure, you're hired. You walked in high heels for 20 minutes. And I knew she was a fighter and then she got me a cookbook deal and then I made a cookbook. And then when I was making the cookbook, I was like, nobody's going to buy this thing. Well, first in my head, I was like, everyone's going to get this thing. But really, I was like, nobody's going to buy this thing. But I like, faked the funk until it happened and then I was like, holy shit. And then before I knew it, I'm like a New York Times bestseller. And like if I didn't like, just chase that thing, it would have never happened. If I would have quieted that voice in my head, like I just urge everyone just like that voice in the back of your head is there for reason and you should chase it and you should try it. And even if it becomes like a hobby that becomes like a lifelong cool thing or it becomes some sort of thing that lives over there that like you touch on. It's a real approach. I mean, it's like you've got a real, no, it's so graciousness about your pursuit of these things. It's just so important. Like I had to talk with my mom one time. I said, like, well, why didn't you keep painting? Why didn't you keep modeling? And she was like, well, nobody ever told me to do that. And I didn't think that that was what you did. So I got a job here and I did this. And I can't let that happen for me and I can't let that happen for me. Children, I can't let that happen for anyone I come in contact with. So every single person, I do whatever the fuck you want and everybody saying is hating's free. So people are going to fucking hate all day long and fuck them. Where do you think this, this incredible appetite you have to pursue all of these different things? Is there, how do you do that? Do you prioritize? Do you just sort of catch an instinct and follow it? I mean, because you're, I mean, you have a book coming out. You've got your amazing podcast, which I was a guest on. It was very hilarious. Oh, was I not supposed to say anything? You could say anything you want. I don't care. Okay. Fuck you. See? But how do you, how do you do all of these things? I mean, it's kind of extraordinary. Well, I know I'm going to die one day. Okay? Yeah. I know you're going to die. I know we're all going to die. Okay. How's that for said? Um, but, when am I going to sit there and wait for that day? But I know if I go to bed at night and I know I did everything I could do to have like the sickest day possible. And sometimes the sickest day possible is sitting in my underwear and like eating ice cream all day. But some days, it's going out trying to like start a business, trying to do this, trying to do that. But end of the day, if I'm doing what I love every day, and some days you're not doing what you love, some days it's like the worst thing in the world, you know, and we're doing things we hate. But if we're constantly pushing ourselves to try to do the best thing that we can do, like that's a day of living. Like I want to laugh in a day. I'd like to cry. I have joy of sadness of like I want to have like full, I'm a very emotional person. I want to have full range of emotions. And I think taking my life into my own hands and and I'm not like one of these kids who like came from like a billion dollar family and like was able to like I worked fucking hard. I worked so hard. I know what it is to start from the bottom and I know what it is to be at the at the top of a profession. And that's why I made this book because when I was younger, I didn't know I didn't come from an area where like everyone was like, I couldn't just like phone up someone and be in New York. like an LA and I grew up in Virginia. Like there wasn't a bustling like Hollywood scene there. And but I just use sheer, like sheer will will get you so far in life because so many people, so many people are just like not gonna put in the effort. Like they're just not gonna do it because either they're programmed to do it or they're scared or they're embarrassed or they're, you know, there's so many failure. The reason we don't wanna fail is because we're scared to let ourselves down, let others down and if you just like throw that out and just be like, yeah, I'm gonna fail, I'm gonna feel so much. It's so freeing, it's so freeing and not caring. What like other people? Like I don't give a shit what like some person in Wyoming wrote on like my Instagram that what I did sat like, okay, cool. Awesome, like I've never taken the time out of my day to be like, hey you suck. Like it's like, what are we wasting our time on? But I care about like taking that energy that like I'm wasting, I'm like hating on someone like, you know, we compare ourselves to people so much and like social media and all these things have made it so hard for people that even take those risks even more. So much easier but also so much harder. I was talking about this the other day my friend was like, my friend was sitting there with me. I was like, why is my daughter say today is the worst, is the hardest time for a woman to live? And he was like, I don't understand it. And I said, I said, of course you don't understand it. You're like a bald man. You're a bald white man. I said, I said, of course it's hard for her. And I was rattling off all the things and it does make things so much harder like to, you know, be scared to fail and shit. Like it's so scary to put yourself out there. But if you do, you have nothing to lose. Don't have anything to lose. Like just do it. I know it's so scary to start doing it. But like once you jump off it, like you never turn back. And I do think going back to what you were saying about the young girl or the woman saying it was hard in this era. I do think that I'm trying to have, you know, where when I grew up it was like you could like make out with Leonardo DiCaprio in a bar and no one would not, that didn't happen in my life. But like in 1990, whatever, you could, you know, there was so much privacy. There were no phones, obviously, there were no cameras. And I do think, and I see with my daughter and my kids' friends, you know, the ruthlessness and the hate that's out there and on the internet. And that if you're still, if the permeability is there, it must be really brutal to be growing up in this age. But you know, you've done this thing where you kind of like turned it on its head. And I feel I look up to you so much in the way that you have mastery over this social media stuff. You've got to tell me, like, is that strategic? Is it, are you just kind of doing what you think is fun and funny, are you? And what is the purpose of it? Is it marketing? Is it, you know, album sales? Well, I think I just don't care. First of all, I don't care. I don't care. Like, you know who I-- you know what I care? I care if my friends were to write me a thing that was like, hey, like, ooh, that post was bad. I'd be like, what? But if it's like somebody who's never met me, it's like, you know nothing about it. I can't take anything you say seriously because you're never even met me. So that's instantly out the window. So it's like, OK, next. And then I think I was-- I think my mom did an incredible job raising you and giving me some-- Where is she? She's in the audience right now. She's so cool. Raise your hand. There she is. Right there. Yeah, I think being raised with, like, a feminine energy, I think made me like way more sensitive to certain things that, like, I shouldn't-- I'm, like, a little bit overly sensitive to stuff like that. But I think it gave me a unique perspective on, like, how to navigate life and how to navigate relation. Not just, like, female, like-- Was your dad not around? My parents divorced when I was pretty young. And I lived with my mom. And they were at, like, the most, like, formed it. It was, like, right before I'm, like, going through puberty. And then, like, so I'm, like, having to, like, ask my mom all these questions. And-- Am I also supposed to be this time? Yeah, I'm, like, mom, what's going on? You know? And no, and, you know, I was-- and I think at that time, my mom was also just, like, struggling, trying to, like, you know, trying to start a new relationship. She worked in a different state. Like, it was, like, she-- you know, it was hard. And I felt like it helped me grow up a lot. And so she gave me so much confidence. So, like, first, I, like, got a lot of confidence. And then also, when I spent, you know, 15 years behind the scenes watching all these artists go through the rise of social media and, like, watching it tear them down and, like, watching, like, some of my friends that are female artists, like, like, have to take their internet off their phone because there was, like, a picture of them at the beach when they were, like, bending over and, like, being on, like, the side of it now, like, with, you know, really living with the person, you know? Yeah. And I live with-- I live with my wife. I, uh, no. But I, you know, seeing, you know, she's under so much, like, nitpicking it, all kind. Everything she does, if she-- you know, and everything we do. And it's, like, so there's no time. We don't have time to have that be a concern in our life. It's, like, there's no-- But how do you keep it out? Because, right, we're all human. And, you know, I mean, at this point, I'm pretty impervious, but even still sometimes. I don't read anything. I'm not, like, a person, like, I'm, like, I'm trying to be present, like, when I'm with my friends, like, I'm, like, we're, like, having a fun time. I'm not, like, looking at what's happening. I don't even know which one, this is page six, still a thing. I'm not, like, looking at page six. But when something does happen, like, well, like, a few weeks ago, I was, like, I forgot. I was, like, on the phone with my publicist for something. And then, like, it got brought up. It was, like, it was, like-- oh, yeah, you guys are getting a divorce. And then, all costly, not-- I'll be like, babe, I'm sorry. We're a divorce. And I'll be like, and I'll be like, well, that's what it says online. We have to be divorcing. No, so we're, like, so, like, we'll make a joke if we do come across something. But no, for, like, mine. Yeah, and you guys use social sometimes to, like, post-- Yeah, yeah, it's, like, it's hilarious. Like, it's, I mean, she's my best friend. So we're just, like, everything's, you know? And when I go online and I, like, post stuff online, I'm like, yeah, it's like, OK, I'm going to put out a cookbook. What's a cool way to promote it? Well, I love cooking. Why don't I, like, all those people I know were all, like, scrolling, looking at, like, food Instagrams. I'm like, why don't I go and cook with all my favorite people? So then I decided to do that. And I started doing that, I guess, before everyone started doing it. I just was doing it because I was like, well, I'm putting out a cookbook. I love cooking. These people cook, they put out videos. I don't want to do a video where I'm, like, doing a dance routine. I'm not going to do that. And I'm, like, so how can I be myself? So you're never going to see me do something on social media that's not myself. Like, I can't not be myself. And that's also, like, anyone doing stuff, trying to put yourself out there, like, be yourself. Everyone else has taken, like, just, like, you're you. And if people don't like you for you, fuck them. [LAUGHS] How do you get these ideas for these cooking videos? For example, what do I do? You took a leftover bag of in and out, cheeseburgers, and you made it into quesadillas. Yeah, that was great. And when you ate it, it looked like it was really good. It was delicious. My-- You got a spicy pepper out of the protein. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I had a little pepper. My mother would love you, because leftovers are her favorite thing in the world. Where do you-- I was raised by the leftover. My mother is the Michael Jordan of leftovers. We are-- if there's leftovers, they are-- if they start on Monday, there are-- there's some mutation of what it once was on Friday. Like, it's like, yeah, like, my mom, I grew up in a leftovers home. And I can usually-- I like judge people. It's the one time I like really. If the food is finished, read a restaurant. And there's like, no one's taking the leftovers. I'm like, and then I'm like, what box is that up? It's like, we're taking whatever is not nailed down. Even my mom surprised me. I'm like, mom, come on. You can't take-- there's one bite. She's like, I can wrap, put it on this. And so leftovers are in our house a lot. My wife has the diet of like-- like, if your child is having like a five-year-old birthday party, that's like her death row meal. So she's like-- She's like-- Like, yeah, like burgers in front, like whatever, whatever you is bad for your diet. She is doing it somehow having like a glass skin. And I'm like, how, what is this is not a good proof? - I know, I know. No, I won't tell you. The one healthy thing I can get her to eat is good. I also, my friend, my friend was on the front, I was on FaceTime with a friend and he said, what are you doing? Well, I'm doing this like a Goop podcast. And he's like, Goop Kitchen Podcast? - Like, he doesn't know anything. He doesn't even know you have anything to do with Goop. He's like, Goop Kitchen Podcast. And I said, yeah. And he goes, are you gonna be with the owner? And I said, yeah. And he goes, tell him, he's like young. He's like, tell him that the pizza fucking slaps. That's what he said. And then I was like, I was like, okay. And then he was like, it's the best pizza I've ever had. He was like, I don't even care. If it's healthy, it's the best pizza I've ever tasted. I will tell you, it is some of my favorite pizza and I only want New York pizza. It is some of my favorite pizza. I know, I don't even wanna know. Don't start posting like the calories and stuff because I know it's not too healthy, but it's healthy enough. That's all I wanna know. - Okay. - It's healthy enough. It's funny because I always, I'll quiz, I'll quiz Brad. And I'll be like, okay. - Okay, it works out at the gym with my husband. - Yeah, I work out with her husband and he's like, looks so much better than me. It's crazy. Like, and he always takes a shower because he has like a meeting after. And like, right before he's taking the shower, whole like, maybe he'll just have like a towel around his like thing. And he's got like, this guy's got like a 40 pack. He looks insane. He looks like the Hulk. And I'm like, and I'll say like, what, what did you eat? Like, and I'm just like, oh, if I eat exactly what he eats, I'll look like him. And I'm like, what did you eat? He's like, I've been working out for like 30 years. And I'm like, okay. And I'm like, but really, what's healthy at Goop? And he'll like, tell me like the healthiest thing. And I'm like, okay, I'm ordering that. But Selena, what she will do is she'll get the Chinese chicken salad. And she really doesn't like fruits or vegetables. So she eats everything on top of the salad. And then she leaves the lettuce. And then I'm like the little rabbit that comes by and eats the leftovers. What are you gonna make out of those leftovers? The lettuce, there's none. There can't be leftovers. The only, actually, know what I did. One time, I will tell you. And if you ever put this on your menu, I'll sue you. Okay. I had the pizza and me like other people. Yeah, sometimes I leave the pizza out all night. Sometimes I do. And it still tastes delicious the next day. And I don't care what animal it says. I don't care. Left a cheese pizza out the other day. And I was eating healthy the next day. So I was like, okay, I got to eat healthy. I was making my salad. And I took a slice of the pizza. And I cut it up and I put it in the oven. And then I turned it into like these little croutons. So I like, I took a slice of pizza. I had a huge salad. Then I just had this like little naughty section. And I had this, and it was just like, and it was just like every bite. There was like a little teeny bit of, I was like, it was like, it was like just enough. It was just enough. I want to eat healthy, but I want just enough shit to make me feel like I want it to be just bad enough. And I feel like that's what Goop is. It's delicious. You feel so good about yourself after you eat it. You're like, I ate all my stuff. But it's like just enough bad. Like there's just enough, like I'm like, it's the flavor. Yeah, like the sauce tastes like a little too good. Like so, I'm stoked on Goop. Thank you. OK, I can't believe it, but we're out of time. So I'm going to ask you. We are. Can you leave that? We're talking about Goop for 30 minutes. It's good for the Goop podcast. I know. All right, you got another question. They're just rapid fire. Oh, shit. OK. OK, ready? First thing you do when you wake up. Poop immediately. Immediately. I don't drink caffeine, so I guess I have no idea. I don't know. It happens immediately within 15 seconds. OK. I guess I'm healthy from Goop. Very. Last thing you Googled. I don't know where my phone is. Is my phone-- will you pass it? OK, while you're passing it. OK. OK, we're about to look. Goop is just when you put it in the top of the bar. Yeah. OK. Wow, that phone case is really on brand in this wonderful way. The last thing I actually Googled-- because I was in a debate with someone-- is most satiating foods. And I was right. What were they? Like healthy and satiating. They say a potato is the healthy-- first of all, potatoes were getting painted in the '90s. They were telling us they were bad for you. Potatoes are the best thing for you. It's better. It's the best carbohydrate you can have in the world. Look it up when you get home. Is there one artist that you have not produced that you would like to produce? No, I'm just like when they come, they come. I like to let things happen naturally. I guess like if you was alive, prints, but then I wouldn't even want to work with them because I don't want to be the guy that made the shitty print song. So yeah. OK. And what is Selena's best quality? She's got too many. Can I say a few? Yes. Her ability to no matter what make me feel better in any situation. She's truly a rock star at making me. And I think we are this to each other. There's no competition. I've been dating people before where there's a competition. And it's like, what? We're not in the-- we're the same team. We're not racing against each other. And she makes me feel like I can do anything in the world. She makes me feel like anything is possible. And she's like-- and if I can't do it, she's going to help me get there and vice versa. That's like one thing that's amazing. Another thing is that she truly-- and I've said this about people before in my life, but hers is so different. She truly has, I think, one of the kindest hearts out of any human being. I don't think she's ever meant to do-- of course, she's probably done something wrong a bunch of times, but she's never meant. I don't think there's ever been a malicious bone in her body. And I think her ability to listen to people, like, show we were out the other day. OK, we're sitting there. And there's two times. We were out. And she walked into a convenience store, just like a bodega. And this girl was there. And she lost her mind. And Selena took out her actual rare beauty products that from her purse. And the girl was like, oh, we don't have that much money. And I always try to get on the mailing list, but I don't have any followers. And Selena took out all of her current makeup, gave it to the girl, sat there and talked to her, got her information. Now she's on the gifting as if she was a big influencer. So she did that another time. We're at a bowling alley. And this old lady comes up, like a grandma. And she's crying. And she's just like, you are such an important role in my family's life. And she brings over her daughter. And then her daughter's crying. And she's saying, you are so important to me growing up. Then she brings over her daughter. And she's crying. So it's the generation. And she sat and she talked with these people for so long. And we had to leave. We really had to leave. And she's like, she will stop the world to make somebody feel good. That's beautiful. A lot of people don't do that. A lot of people would never think. She's always thinking, how can I make someone else's day better? And I try to live that way as well. So it's like for to be with someone who does that. And just like, yeah, just to see her heart. Just like, I mean, I could ramble all day about her. She's like truly my soulmate. I love it. So sweet. Is that-- are we done? We're done. You guys see that we've gone over. What's that mean? That means that the clock is going up and sitting down. Please leave this stage, Ben. I'm Benny. Benny, thank you so, so much for joining me today. It's been such an absolute pleasure to be with you. And I think Selena deserves you as much as you deserve her. And I mean, your career couldn't have happened to a nicer, a better person, really. Before we stop, can I do one thing? Yeah. OK, give me that thing. You just ask me. Give me that. OK. What's the first thing you do when you wake? I want to know-- don't we want to know a little bit? What's the first thing you do when you wake up? Take the timer. Take off my mouth tape. Your mouth tape? Every night. No. That's crazy. OK. What's the last thing you googled? I don't have my phone, but probably, you know, I'm sort of clotting a lot of food stuff, recipe stuff. Like, if I were to do this at 425 instead of 375, what would the outcome be about? OK, and now I'm going to another one on a list. OK. [BLANK_AUDIO] What would you order at 2 a.m.? And it can't be Goop 'cause Goop's not open at 2 a. - True. - I would order probably, I mean, what is open at 2 a.m.? - You don't even know. You'd probably go downstairs and like, make a frittata and make a video. It somehow look beautiful doing it. Like I always wonder, I'm like, is she getting like made up before these every time? Do you have like some sort of filter on it? - Are you kidding me? - Yeah, you look so good. And then you're like make it like every day or like you're like working so hard and making all these videos and it like lets, I'm like, damn, I'm like can we come over and be Brad's friends and like sit over there? - Definitely. - Okay, thank you. - Thank you. - That was amazing. You're amazing. (audience applauds) - Yeah, thank you, everyone. (upbeat music) - Thanks for tuning in. I hope you'll listen, follow, rate, and review all of our episodes which are available for free on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Odyssey, or wherever you get your podcasts. [BLANK_AUDIO]