"Gay Ang Lee" (w/ Adam Shankman)

This is an "I Heart" podcast, Guaranteed Human. I'm Munga Shategular and I'm back with a new season of my podcast "Skyline Drive". This time I talk to scientists, biopunks, cormugians, blues owners, super seniors, and go us top cryotherapy lab to try to understand this obsession with living forever and what it means for all of us. And I get into a bit of trouble along the way. I'd say probably start bone smashing. That doesn't work. Make you look more defined. They say it works. I don't know. Get a skyline drive, how to live forever on the "I Heart" radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. I survived nine months in captivity and I've spent my life exploring how other people survive what should have destroyed them. I'm Elizabeth Smart and these are the survivor files. Every week I'm with survivors who live through the unthinkable, abducted, stalked, controlled, and nearly silenced. These are stories about what it takes to make it out alive. Listen to the survivor files with Elizabeth Smart on the "I Heart" radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, this is Hayes Davenport and Sean Clements. We host the podcast, Hollywood Handbook. Each week we talk to someone in show business and try to help them with their careers and see what they have to offer us. Everyone has a good time and no one gets mad at their publicists for letting them do our show. And a great guest like Sarah Sherman, Adam Scott, Danny McBride, Ben Stillert, and a lot of other big shots that wouldn't be where they are without us. Listen to Hollywood Handbook on the "I Heart" radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Look, man. Oh, oh, I see him. Oh, boy. Oh, boy. Look over there. Is that culture? Yes. Yes. Wow. Last cultural feast. Ding dong. Last cultural feast is calling. Ding dong. We are visited once again by the mascot, the king. By a dog, the king ace. He's got a little bit of a new cut and star quality. We were told that when we began the episode, he may make an entrance and look who is here, but he's not the only person here. Oh, there's a gentleman of great, another gentleman of great repute and renowned. Yeah. I think he's gay, ang Lee for the versatility in his work. That's really major. Don't I mean, gay, ang Lee? Yeah. I was going through it. I was like, oh, sure. Big musical, Nicholas Sparks adaptation. Yeah. Fucking airplane-esque drag comedy, like, what can't the man do? I have to say, so the gay thing is to, the gayest thing is to make a Nicholas Sparks movie. Yeah. And speaking of that one, so I remember, this is the way I described my interactions with the film "A Walk to Remember" when I was a kid. Sometimes I would play it just to see how much I could cry. You know, it's like when you're a little gay boy, I don't know if I can say it. I don't know if I can say it. What are tears if you can't see them in the mirror? Dinkook has a great joke about that. What does he say? He has a lot of great jokes. Bring him back. Bring him back. Bring him back. Be K-Lown. Come on. So I like that about Dinkook, he's man enough to admit he's gay and that's rule of culture number 11. So that's why I like Dinkook, man enough to admit he's gay, so suffice pretty gay. God didn't want me to make that joke. So he stopped me right in the middle and made me say Dinkook at my mouth. Can I speak to God? Can I talk about my experience with the walk to November? Go on now. War that DVD out and I've told, I told Manny this. But the commentary, you stay mentioning the commentary. Our guest, Shane West, Manny Morthy, three of them having a blast barely talking about the movie. Just every few minutes going, oh there's Gerald Hannah and a wig and then just going on and on. Oh my God. Wait, walk to remember has one of the great winners, great one in the beginning of the one. We'll just have to just one one take and then in the first one. I have a wish one. I don't remember it. It's been a second. People like cement factory or whatever are just right and then they get that kid. The reason why Shane West white land gets suspended or gets in trouble has to go, right, right, right, right. They're really the inside. The inciting. So not the inciting just to see, yeah, I was a good, but he always said, it's just whatever, whatever, what the fuck. Re-read, save the cat. Push the fuck off. And to stop making us get everything right all the time, this is a podcast that gets a little messy. And to put it in now. It gets a little messy sometimes. Oh, God. Anyway, it's great that our guest is here to talk about the 24th anniversary of walk to remember just kidding. Stop that train is a film that is an experience. I would just go ahead as to say you can't be on enough of an edible to get and watch, to get yourself together, watch this movie. I am in it. I do play the press secretary. I am honored to live in a world where Rupal is the president of the United States and the foodie. Gagwell. Gagwell. Yeah. Stupid fucking name. I get to do all sorts of shenanigans with Rue. We went to the premiere and saw the movie Melissa and I. We screamed. It has so many incredible people in the cast giving great performances. Ju-ju-B and Ginger Man and Jonathan Stars. By the way, we are the number one Ju-ju-B fans. Absolutely. And that was a big reason why they became friends, actually, as close as we were. We were the Ju-ju-B in Pandora. Yes. Oh no, Ju-ju-B in Raven. I'm sorry. We love Pandora. We love Pandora box. Okay. So anyway. We are the Ju-ju-N Raven. But yeah, our guest is the best. Also directed. I don't know. Hair spray. Come on. Fuck. If anything, the culture words this year were was just an Adam Shankman sort of love letter. We had Britney Snow. We were just talking about that. Yeah. Mollon Akram. Mollon Akram. Mollon Akram ages. I'm underrated. I don't care what anyone says. Mandy Moore herself. Yes. And Rupal. I heard the new muse. The new Shankman muse. The new Shankmuse. I hope to be a Shankmuse one day. I'm ready to bring the Shankmuse. Shankman, Ann. So you can hopefully become the Shankmuse by the end of the episode. Yes. Alright. Everyone, please welcome the gay-angly. I'm Shankman. Do you like gay-angly as a title of ep? How about gang-ly? Gang-ly. Gang-ly. Gang-ly. Not gang-ly like a guy. No. Gang-ly. Gang-ly. Gang-ly. Gang-ly. Do they call you that in school? There's a prison. There's a prison. Yeah. That was my prison. What are you? What prison you're asking for? Not enough time. Not enough time. No. Prison? I have nothing to add about prison. I'm not. I'm gonna get into trouble. You just said that. You said that there's a podcast to speak up about prison. There's a podcast to speak up about prison. A podcasting magnificence. You remember that when I met you, you were doing a podcast? I was. We met all of this whole manifestation of coming and being on this podcast voice now is really pretty intense. Okay. For reasons beyond the fact that I am a slave-ish listener. I do not miss. I had to actually, when I heard John Waters say my name, when you guys talked about me with John Waters, I had to pull over and I started crying. No. I couldn't believe it and I, and every time I hear you guys mention one of the things that I've done or one of the people I've worked with, I'm like, "Oh, God, what's going on?" What's going on right now? I love you. That's not so news to you, but it's, it is news to me because I live in a very small world. I live in a very tiny life. I really do. But Matt and I met when I was doing a podcast, RuPaul had me on a podcast. What's the tea? And we shot it in a little hotel room on Robertson in some weird little hotel that does that even exist anymore? I don't know, but I can't remember what it was, but I remember like, I was told to go there to go to this weird hotel. I know from the door they let me in and RuPaul is mid-podcast with Adam Shankman and I sat in the room while to wait for them to finish because I was going on after. And yeah. Well, that's crazy. Yeah. But I feel like you had to sit on the bed. I was sitting on the bed while you guys were finishing into like director's chairs or something. And it was, it's an even crazier story though. So the earlier that day, I met RuPaul for the first time because this is, and this is tea. Imagine was doing a reboot of star booty and Matt was attached to, to write it and write it. You're fucking this guy. Pull right now. I literally earlier that day, I brought my, I brought my 12 page treatment in for star booty. I had a meeting with RuPaul because imagine like, picked my treatment that they liked the best. I go, I sit down, I walk in, RuPaul comes in and obviously look statue-esque, gorgeous. This is like, it's RuPaul. And I go, RuPaul, how are you? And RuPaul goes, I don't see how, how that is any of your business. You're business. Classic, realign, classic. Classic, classic. I looked him in the eye and I said, you're right. And I should fuck off. And he goes, and that's when I, because I knew how to talk to him. Yeah. Because of the show. But we like hit it off and he invited me on the podcast. I was nobody. And I walk in and there's you, a director that we have always loved. Oh. Oh. Seriously. Jesus Christ, that makes me sound old but great. Oh stop it. Stop it. - You fucking shut up. - You fucking shut the fuck up. - This has turned combat so quickly. - I knew this is exactly that this is where this was all headed. Of course, but yes, we met them, but then I forgot about you completely. - Yes, 100%. - And you existed in no part of my brain. And then during the pandemic, during lockdown, I had been in a long 13 year relationship that ended about two weeks into lockdown. - Into lockdown, yeah. And I was alone. I had no pod, no bubble, no anything. And so all my relationships were being kept alive both on social media. - Well, not so much on social media, but it was podcasts and zooms. - Yeah, it was podcasts and zooms. And I had this great, I had the greatest Zoom club ever with the greatest people ever, which I don't know, do you know about this weird thing? - Yeah, his, he has like famous game night films. - The Academy Award winning trivia contest thing. - Oh, these people are the hardest core game players. - Do not know about that. It was pretty. - I heard. - And we would get together every week on Friday. We on Zoom, we would have watched a movie, The Oscar winning best pictures starting from the very beginning. - From wings? - From wings. - Wow. And then we, so this is how we occupied ourselves, but what we'd get on the Zoom, we'd do a trivia contest. And whoever was hosting that week, we'd rotate who is the host of that, would ask the trivia questions. And we'd give a prize at the end, which there's a whole other weird story about this. But what started happening, we started showing up on the Zoom in costume as either somebody from or something from the movie. - Fun, incredible. - And the pictures that I have, 'cause we have them all, Melissa and Ben as the box of chocolates from Forest Gump, is one of the craziest things. Wait, Amy Adams for Patton built a Sherman tank out of Amazon boxes, like and things like that. - It was clean, it was all crafty. Everything was just anything we could find around our house. I was the, oh, in terms of environment, I was the portrait, I was the Renoir. - Oh my god. - So I was the only one. - Was anyone the shot? - Oh, but you know, I'm in awe. - It was great. - You guys got all the way up to the '90s? - No, we did them all. We had to add that we kept going after the pandemic. - Oh my god. - 'Cause we liked it so much, including while everybody was in different countries, filming, like Melissa and Ben were in Australia, doing on purpose, right? And then she was doing Ursula at one point. - Stop commanding. - We were all doing it with, you know, we would find our time zones while I was doing disenchanted. I was in Dublin doing it and I was in Dragon's Velma for Chicago, like it was fucking crazy anyway. - Greatest time. - But during that period, I started to realize that I have no gay friends. - No. - Yeah, and I started listening to the actresses. - Yeah, exactly. - Just the woman they were. - I had like, I guess my life had really shrunk into kind of the business and my family and my friends growing up. - And I started listening to you guys and Stradio and keep it, and I one day what had happened is you guys became like my friends because I had no one else. Other than my Zoom friends who were dressed as the hand from Jaws and the same act, you know. (laughing) And that's a good pull too. - And I have this weird thing come over me where I thought, what if I DM these people who I don't know, I don't know if they're gonna know who I am. If not, I'm just gonna say something nice to them because I am so grateful for their company. And so I DMed both of you, I DMed Lewis and I DMed, and I just went like, hi, I'm Adam. I don't know, like I just wanna tell you, thank you so much, you know, I love your pod and it's really helping me during the lockdown. And you guys got back to me. (laughing) - Yeah, it's very, it has to do. - And that's how this started. - Yeah. - And now it's like, and now I'm sitting here. - And then like, I feel like we're always sitting each other up just to like check in and say, hey. - We do, we do, I mean, I've like talked to you, I've like come to you and there's like been boy problems, I've been going to bed. - Oh, I know, I love it. - I'm running into you, turning it on the floor at Hollywood Equinox. This man, if you wanna find him, you might just find him choreographing the next RuPaul's Drag Race mega mix on the floor at Hollywood Equinox. He don't care who's watching. - This is the thing. - That's the, that's the, let's now tease my keep it. (laughing) - You're gonna keep it, you're gonna do it here. - I'm gonna do it here, yeah. - I mean, this is, this is another thing that people, yeah, my keep it just turned into an item. Think so, honey. - I always forget that you, your dance served down. - Oh yeah. - You are, what? - Yeah. - You taught John M. Chew everything he knows. - I, I am so proud of that man who I still think of as a boy. Because like, I remember when he came in for, I remember when he first came into the office. That was a crazy thing. Like, when we were doing, step up to, which was his first movie, was supposed to go straight to video. And he came in and met with us. And I was like, I'd been reading about this guy forever in the trades as being, you know, the next, this and the next that. And he was attached to all these projects. And then he came in to meet with us on this straight to video sequel to "Step Up," which I was like, isn't he too fancy for this? This is crazy. And he came and he said, no, I love dancing. And to be honest, I can't get any of those movies made. And I want to do this. This seems like it would be great for me. - 'Cause it was a dance IP that was gonna get me. And he was really, really into the dancers. He was friends with all the dancers. And so we hired him and I sat there and watched that man blossom. Wow. - Yeah. - And front of me. And then when 3D happened, I was like, you've lost your mind. What is this movie that you're making? - "Step Up" 3D? - Yeah, it's crazy. And I produced all those movies. And but I was so proud of him. And his passion for filmmaking is actually sort of equal, I would say, from a director standpoint, to what Tom Cruise is for acting. - Wow, just this uh, undiscriminating love for it. Like that's perfect. John coming in to be like, I can't even, it's not even about getting the things that he wants made. It's just that he wants to do it because this thing will get made and that is, that is the perfect sort of thing. It's like this, like Matt and I are even talking about this now where we're just like, you know what? Let's, when we take out our stuff, let's just, let's just make sure it gets made. That's the most important thing. - He also has a, he has something so different. Like I could, I can barely say the names in my own movies. Like I can barely, I can't, I don't have my relationship with my own work is very stressful. And where is, his is not. He, he, he really truly loves. - Yeah. - You know, he loves it and he leaves it. - He leaves it, he leaves it. - Sitting, watching, sitting, watching him watch wicked was almost as good as wicked. - He, that man loves wicked and I love it so cool. - It's so cool. - It's really, really something, you know. I was like, I, I'll never like it as much as him. - So to contrast. - It's amazing. - Well, because, okay, so in, so to contrast that, before we got on the mic, you were saying, I was like, I can't wait to see stop that train, June 12th. You're like, I will still never watch my own work and I was about to ask you what was the last thing of yours that you watched? And can I, can you, can you now answer that question? - Yeah. I've seen two of my movies since I made them. - Okay. - One was, and by the way, all the way through. Like, because sometimes like, my movies will be on TV when I have like my TV, my TV just runs in my house and sometimes I'll see something and I'll change the channel. - Yeah, yeah, yeah. - If I see something that I've made. - Yeah. - Bring it on the house, come on, you're near, bring it on the TV. - Bring it down the house, I just put my hand over my mouth and I put it in there because I'm like, "Oh, I was like, I can't, there's something nice." That's actually one of the few movies that I made that I quote. But I don't quote it from, I quote it from my memory of making it. - But not from like a cop. - Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But I can't believe like that movie could never get made today. There is no way. - Like the beautiful time capsule. - And it was, yeah, I mean Steve Martin is running around that club and acting like a rapper at the end with Joan Plowwright smoking in the black club. It's not gonna do me and the, it was crazy. Anyway, Jeannie Smart, like, I mean, you have Steve's wife. I mean, Missy pile, I mean, that is, that is. - Love Missy. - That, another shank muse. - By the way, Missy pile basically steals the movie in her shoes. - Of course, she steals every movie. - Like every movie. - But this, save the two movies that you've seen. - Yeah, the two movies that I've seen was, when I was, I have a, I have no problem talking about this when I was in the news, plenty. When I went to rehab 12 and a half years ago, on New Year's Eve, by the way, there's very few things that are depressing as New Year's Eve in rehab. Yeah, yeah. I was in a lovely rehab, but it was, it's still pretty grim. Of course. And everybody wants, you know, is going like all the things that we can't do, but we're on New Year's Eve. On New Year's Eve. And morning, all the New Year's Eve pasts and all the things which, by the way, nobody remembered any of them. Yeah. It's rehab. Right. And there was about, there was about 12 of us there and at about, at eight, the celebrations were over. Yeah. And because they gave, you know, we had a nice dinner and then whatever. And so we go into the common room and there's a big TV in there and we turned it on and walked. Remember was starting. Oh. And I, and oh, by the way, none of them knew what I did for living. Oh. And I said, so I went, oh, maybe we don't watch this and they're like, no, no, no, we love this movie. And I, that was first time I was like, wait, what? And then which walks our memories and anyway, they're like, no, we love this movie like that. And I said, guys, please end this one girl who was really, really tough who had the top, we're tripping down to the inside of her lip in her and she becomes president. And she was hiding from the law in rehab. That was the point of her father had put there and he was about, he was waiting to smuggle her to Mexico. He was waiting to get her out to smuggle her to Mexico. She says, but first we had to get her nice and clean. So we're in there and she bus and she goes, don't touch that fucking dial. This is my favorite movie. And I was like, okay, so I sat there and then it said Adam Shankman in the credits and people sort of turned and looked at me and I shrugged and then we have nobody said anything and then everybody turned to look at TV and we, I sat and I watched the movie and it was hard for me to watch, but then there was a moment where I sort of dropped in and I was just aware of what it was about and the message. And I started to like pay attention to that part of it and what was going on seen by scene. And afterwards I went like, I think I'm really proud that that's the story I told him that I put that out in the world and I can criticize myself and my work and my, the craft behind it, which was my second movie I didn't know what the fuck I was doing and I can remember like the scene where she's standing on both, you know, in two places at the same time. I was just pouring that to someone. We shot that in 20 minutes, that whole scene and I think because Mandy was a minor and her time was done. And she was about to pumpkin and so we ran into that spot, turned the car lights on and just shot the, I kept going, no, no, no, no, no, turn the camera, no, turn the camera and like that. And that's how that scene happened. It happened in 20 minutes. Indelebels, you know, I've never heard of it. And I always thought that that scene was really, really sweet. It's one of the most romantic things to me that's ever been in a picture. So I feel I felt really good about having made that. I would never watch it again, but I felt good about making it. What was the second, oh, you're bad, let's do you want to keep talking about this. No, it's fine. Because that rehab story is incredible, by the way. I can't believe you didn't say anything beforehand. I didn't know what to say. Of course. Of course. Of course. Of course. I was like, we don't, we like in the therapies there, we did, it's not like we sat around and talked about our jobs. Got it right. So it was. But it was just an already an emotional night because it was new years. Yeah. And you're with all these people. Anarchus did there anyway. It's like I made them celebrate Christmas when they weren't supposed to celebrate Christmas. And I was an anarchist thing you could do. It's true anarchy. And then the other one was somebody I was dating really twisted my arm and said they had never seen hairspray and they wanted to watch it with me. And I just went, I said there's some ground rules. Yeah. Can't talk during it. Yeah. Don't ask me questions during it. Number one. Great rule. Number two. I am, you will see my face twisting, probably because I will be having some reaction because my memory of making that movie is so precious to me and so glorious and it was the absolute best time of my life making it and so then I was like I'm scared of what I'm going to feel about it today. Totally. And I said just please don't ask me questions and then if you want to know something afterwards you're going to have to let me process it because I know that it's a loud movie. It's like there's a lot going on in it. It's stimulating. It's a very stimulating movie. I mean that was the intent. And so we sat and I watched it and it was sometimes painful and then sometimes I was really proud of the kids particularly. And then I was sort of stunned at how little dialogue there is in it. I was like I didn't even remember how little dialogue there is in it. It's almost a song through. It's an honor. It's an honor. It is. It's a very rare phrase in opera. The second rule of the day that's a good sign. Means we're not thinking about the number. So what was that about it though was it just that like it was your opportunity to direct like I guess what is commonly known as one of the modern great musicals like it's it's an opportunity to take something to this screen. What do you mean me my wanting my director? When you talk about how that was like the peak like that was like a wonderful incredible like magical time making that movie I would imagine it was because it's the opportunity to totally blow out like a great number of musicals. I had never made a movie with dancing really in it. And dancing was my background. I come from theater and choreography and I'm dancer whatever yeah. And so it was sort of strange that it was my fifth movie and that I had made the other four movies without including any big dance and it was sort of notable at least in my head that I that my whole life had been dance up until I started directing and then it was no dance. And then so so this was kind of if I was going to do it it was that I had an emotional connection with it because I when Mark shaman and Scott Whitman were writing it I was I would be at their summer house and I was around while they were writing it I was listening to Jennifer Lewis like sing down while yeah she was singing yeah I was aware of it. I went to the opening night in Seattle when it was out of town try out. Mark and Scott are two of my closest friends and and when and so I had a lot of hair spray in me plus I was a crazy fan of John Waters version and I and and so all of it was a perfect nation of all these things. So when I oh I have a story you're going to like when I when it happened it took a long time for them to actually end up coming to me and they had gone with some other people and then those people didn't work out and some stuff happened and I'd been really hurt because I really wanted to do it and they got I was really really close and then I didn't and it was the first movie I'd really fought for and it was really hard because to my best friends had written it so it was there was it was emotionally fraught yeah and I and when I finally got it I was in this was so crazy I was in Baltimore shooting the first step up which was my best friend Ann Fletcher who directed the first step up it was her first film and I was producing it yep and it was at the first movie I produced anyway I can't even remember anyway so we were there I'm in Baltimore and I get a call saying like it's you we want you to direct hairspray and I sort of took it in and I was like okay and I said can I have John what can somebody get me John Waters email because I want to send him an email that there wasn't really I don't remember doing a lot of texting back then whatever in in the early arts but but we but so somebody sent me John's thing and I wrote him an email and all the emails that was dear Mr. Waters my name is Adam Shankman and I've been hired to direct the new version of the musical of hairspray I hope you don't mind best Adam Shankman and he wrote me back within three minutes and said this is so fabulous where are you and I said well weirdly I'm in Baltimore and this is all over email and he said fabulous can we have lunch tomorrow oh and I froze I was like panic stricken but of course I was like in my freezing my fingers were at least unfrozen enough to write the word yeah and we had lunch the next day and I'm still processing that I'm making the movie and I'm sitting with John Waters, and he's just telling me, "Oh, it's gonna be fabulous with Pavison." And I was like, you know, look, I'm really nervous because there's your version and the fans of your version, and then there's the fans of the musical. And it's a really, like those are really intense fan bases. And they're gonna be, have a bullseye on me, and, or a target on me. And he said, oh fuck everybody, the whole tradition of hairspray, do what you do, you're fabulous, you just do you. - Yeah. - And I really took that in, and then he said, and I believe I'd had a couple glasses of wine 'cause I was very nervous. And he said, do you want to go see where I shot the movie? - Huh! - And I went, yeah. And so we jump in his giant crazy boat of a car at the time, which was convertible, and it was the summer, and he drove me around all the locations where he shot the movie, and then he was like, I wanna see where the real people lived, that I based it on, and I said, yeah, and he took me around to that. And then he said, that's so cool. And then he said, wanna come over to my house? - Wow. - And I was like, yeah. And I had this full day with John, steeped in, you know, the legitimate lore of hairspray, and it all felt very lovely. It was really like a, it was like, he blessed me doing the movie. And so I took it very seriously. And I spent a lot, and I was very, very careful about like choreographing it, and how I was gonna do everything, and I was very, very, I was in that, yeah. - Can I say something about this, that I think kind of tries to connect to all these things together? I think John Waters is a director who does not really care about the outcome. And I think that is a really liberating thing that I don't think I'm trying to work towards. I think because we are in a business that treats accomplishment in a very specific way, you can look at accomplishment either in an outcomes centered way, or in a scale and mastery centered way. And the outcome centered way means that you think, well, if this, depending on whatever outcome, it will determine my worth as a person. And then the sort of skill centered way to think about it is, let me do this so that I can get better at this thing just to see. Which is, that's an oversimplification, right? - It's not really an oversimplification. I think sometimes oversimplifications are just the truth. - Sure. - You know, it's just the basic truth. - Totally, and that is true. - Hey, Bowen, point of order. It feels like nothing is what it says it is anymore. - A point of answer. It's because everything has a catch. - Hey, or it turns out to be something else entirely. - Like a total catfish situation. - Exactly, Bowen. - Except for hotels.com. - Yeah, that one's pretty literal. - Because it's hotels.com, it's in the domain. You go there, you book hotels, hundreds of thousands of them. - And hold up, that's it, that's it. - And when stays are booked as a member, rewards are earned every time. - Every stay? - Every stay, no tracking or managing, just rewards that can be used like cash on future booking. - Which by the way, already feels nicer than most rewards programs, okay? - Yeah, members can also get up to 20% off booking, so savings start right away. - Does that mean no weird restrictions? - And no blackout dates, book what works, what it works. It's actually really fitting of real travel. - So the name is honest, you're saying, and the rewards are two. - Exactly, hotels.com, it's all in the name. - When I was 14 years old, I was kidnapped and health captive for nine months. I survived, and I've spent my life exploring how other people survive what should have destroyed them. I'm Elizabeth Smart, and these are the survivor files. - You just remember this low taunting voice next to my ear saying, shut up, don't say anything. - Every week, I'm with survivors who live through the unthinkable. - I knew if he woke up, without a doubt, he was going to hurt me. - I started feeling that there was someone at the end of my bed, and I just started screaming. - They are abducted, stalked, controlled, and nearly silenced, but these aren't stories about what's taken from them. Their stories about what it takes to make it out alive, listen to the survivor files with Elizabeth Smart on the iHeartRadio app Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. - I'm Munga, shit together, and I'm back for the new season of the podcast Skyline Drive. This time, I'm diving into a rabbit hole of peptides, organoids, blood boys, blue zones, and brain replacement to try to understand what this longevity obsession is all about, and what it really means to live forever for all of us. I learned about some rad science. - I can make a brain for you, and then we can test what draw is the best for your brain, as opposed to his brain. - Here are some hard truths. - I would expect Indians to age faster, but I did not expect it to be almost a four to five-year acceleration. - And get myself into a world of trouble. - I'd say probably start bone smashing. - That doesn't work. - Make you look more defined. - They say it works. I don't know. - Listen to Skyline Drive, how to live forever on the iHeartRadio app Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. - On the new podcast, Solita, we share the messy reality of traveling alone as a woman. - I can wait four hours for the next bus, or this random dude is offering me a ride on his motorcycle. I choose option B. - I'm Julie Piñero, and I travel by myself because it's a rare space where I can say yes, without asking anyone else first. - I'm on a mission to reclaim the word solita, trading the pity for possibility. - Every time I tried to be alone, I kept meeting people, and they were like, you smiled at us, not a lot of people smile around here. - It's when you're alone, that you're most receptive to the world as it is, and not the lies you're sold about it. It can be a time where you push your limits, change your mind, or wake up to a new version of yourself. So whether you're a solo travel veteran, or you're too nervous to book your first trip, I hope you listen to Solita on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. - Hey, this is A's Davenport. - And Sean Clements. - We host the podcast, Hollywood Handbook, on the Big Money Players Network. - Our show is extremely accessible to first-time listeners. Each week, we talk to someone in show business, aka The Biz, and try to help them with their careers and see what they have to offer us. Everyone has a good time, and no one gets mad at their publicists for letting them do our show. - We've had a lot of great guests like Sarah Sherman, not that great. - Actually, can you help me shape this? - Yeah. - How about we flip it on his head? - No. - Okay, how about we flip the screen? Okay. - No. - How, what is the surprise one, then? Well, actually, you think as the straight man, is actually the one who's acting weird. - Adam Scott, love. - This entire time, you've been expecting Adam Sandler to come to visit the show. - I would never let go of that. - I have, I would never set expectations for something like that. - It sounds like if the universe allows for something like that to happen. - I'm open to it. - I'm always going to accept, you know. - Danny McBride, fine. - Yeah, it's all this fragile masculinity, exuding. I could smell it walking on the hallway to be honest with you. - I was like, smell that. - I was like, is that what you need? - Nope, it's fragile masculinity. - Ben stiller, no. - I think there's a lot of times out of context, people don't get it, or even know what a circle is. You know what I mean? Like, girl, I go like-- - It's so stupid. - Everyone's so dumb, it's for you. - And fake. - Right, fake and also not interested, or just like, oh, I've got my life, I don't care about your life. - And a lot of other big shots that wouldn't be where they are without us. - Oh, and by the way, Will Ferrell told us personally he loves the show, and he wants to be a guest on every episode, but he's just so busy. Listen to Hollywood Handbook on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. - And I feel like John Waters is someone who, I feel like, had this incredible development as a director where he evolved so seamlessly from one thing into the next, even though it's such a wide breadth of work, like-- - Most dang, very him. - Exactly, and I feel like, as you probably heard in his interview with us, it's like, he was just like, yeah, whatever, like, the trance aided it, whatever. You, I think, I would imagine that you, while you have a hard time watching your own work, I think it's because you are watching it from a skills, even though you're thinking about the outcomes, your, you know, your hair spot was a huge success. Well, many of your movies are huge successes, and I hope the same is true for stop that train, but I feel like you should look back on your work, or just, I don't know, talk about it with us, or with friends or fans, whatever, in terms of you sort of furthering your skill as a director. - Well, that's actually how, thank you, that's very kind, and that's how I feel, first of all, it feels really nice just sitting with my friends and talking. - Yeah, no, no, no. - But the, I feel very strongly that I haven't gotten good enough of what I do, and like, I have so far to go. - You should know what he's feeling like. - And I feel like that, I have so many stories in me, and I have, but it has nothing to do with having, like, some drum to beat. It's just like, there's just a lot, there's a lot to do. And yes, I can get on a set and I definitely know how it works and I know What I do well Which is actually get us through a day and I was going to say that was that was a lot of my experience on stop battery Because you can imagine part of its charm. Yes, the fact that it is very low budget. Yeah, you know what I mean What was it 22 days? 19 19 wow Wow went to like with about approximately 7,000 cast members And you know like a lot of considerations that obviously most the vast majority of the cast is getting into full drag It's right. You know what I mean like many Locations quote unquote lots going on and it could it really honestly when we were shooting it like you were just like Yeah, great. This is great and you were just so confident in moving on I remember I turned to you and I was like you you feel you feel good and he was like I wouldn't move on if I didn't Yeah, and I was like you're right. I shouldn't have even fucking asked and I actually felt like a dipshit for asking Because I'm like of course he knows No move on understand you have a feeling your valid like my thing is I just like I just want it But it's probably the same thing right? It's like you want to do a good job You want to make sure that you made the use of that time But I just like really respect a director that knows exactly what he wants gets it and confidently moves on that is leadership Well, thank you. That's kind. But you were also everybody who was doing it ended up exceeding what was like what was on the page was really good Which is why you all did it? Yeah Connor and Christine. They went to a gritting attish and I went back and did the commencement speech and that whole department is so proud of them Oh, that was so happy that they got to have that opportunity Well everybody they they did such a great job and everybody Most people when they were trying to improv would end up being like yeah, you know It's not as good as the script and so they everybody did it and then brought whatever they brought into it and it elevated it and so Most things I didn't have to do much because everybody was swimming in the same direction Mm-hmm And and and and everybody knew what the drill was and how fast we were gonna go and you know people People are starting to bring up the our study camp shot You know around the around the oval. They're like how many times you do that? I was like 17 and 17. We did it 17 times still a low number So low really I was the choreographer on boogie nights and I think we did that opening shot of boogie nights like 11 times I mean, it was like an hour and a half reset. I don't know. I'd have to call There is one really fun Warner of a tracking shot that Ru and I do with a bunch of the extras in the oval office. Yes, and I remember when I when you Said the script I that was I've read it that scene and I was like, oh this is gonna be legitimately really because there Remind me of airplane. Yeah, it's a bone and I went to go see the naked gun in theaters Actually, I saw it two days in a row because I am so craving movies like this with high-doked density It's a very this is a very high joke. Every every every scene is like a game that it's playing and I joke like Austin powers You know what I mean where you can kind of boil it down to like every scene is like a sketch in need Yeah, no logic out the window and it's all of that. It's that's what it's design is and so You guys were great at it. What I mean the fun part for me sitting in the audience and watching people watch the movie and that scene Is there laughing through so much of it? Yeah, they miss all the jokes. Yeah, it's like there and so they're going to be compelled to watch it again And I think it's gonna be like really well first of all I have to say I I don't it you never really know because Like algorithmically the bubble of it all like you don't know if just the people that I remember I thought bros was gonna make a hundred million the first weekend I never know and I'm always like a little surprise sometimes when something is either a hit or not so Successful, but it feels really good. I just had the gayest moment ever well where I was listening to you Gay The shoes are you Well, let me say something this will be called an FYC shoe I Like that things aren't as like box office or maybe they still are and I'm just choosing to ignore it But it's like it seems like the outcome of The box office gross like determining the worth of something. I'm just like we we never bought into that dude dude Back room making 81 million dollars this weekend. It's like Look the outsized there's something for me Particularly because of what I do obviously which is sad to me that that you know there are a Third of the comedies being released then there are of the horror now When I my favorite words to say when I produce the Oscars Yes, I did a tribute to horror yes in there and the academy was actually they were not please of course with that Because they felt a little I think at the time it felt like low to them in some way and we were not that at that point They were not hoarding younger viewers Mm-hmm And I remember also like during that thing I they were not thrilled that I brought out all of the It was the year that John Hughes died, and I brought out all the cast members from the John Hughes movies No, it was like well, you're pulling him out of the in Memoriam and you're making a thing about him and and and there was the and I was like He is the reason why half this room is doing what they do So everybody needs to just pump breaks. Yeah And we got to see them all standing on stage together But you're saying like horror like has this new appreciation like they're it's appreciated in value, right? It's appreciated in value and you don't need stars You don't need stars so you don't need stars to sell at the concept sell themselves. Yep, and And you have imagery matched with a score yeah, and music that can do like a very very desired dopamine hit by the audiences And the dopamine hits that you get in comedy generally because comedies are much softer now They used to be much more outrageous much more than I mean when you go back to the early Mel Brooks and you go back to the airplanes and you do all that You were yet in open means because you could not believe what the fuck was coming out of this map. Yeah, it was more shocked It was so much that so you could get that same kind of feeling and we're so numbed out now Yeah, that when we have these movies that are giving us the promise of those dopamine hits Then that's going to be when you don't have star salaries to do my thesis was that like Comedy is undervalued right now. It is in a way in a literal sense of like It is a very necessary thing that people are not appreciating in the way that I feel like they should which is that Comedy is inherently optimistic and that is in short supply that makes it soft that makes it soft But I think with movies like naked gun remake and with stop that train now It's like this is actually hugely important in the same way that you go to a horror movie to the you go to the theater for a horror movie To scream and be surprised with an audience and have this communal experience. Yeah, like Matt and I loved going to naked gun and laughing along with the naughty with a roomful of people because I was like and then we were a little stone But I was like, oh this feels so foreign. Well, so by the way, we were in a fight that day And we we actually were actually reaching the apex of the conflict as we were going up the escalators at Alamo Drafthouse to see the movie and then we watched it and it did help it helped and we and we were like we have to put our feelings aside We're about to watch naked gun and then it was like we were left we were laughing. We loved it so much The whole thing is like it's relief. It's really and I and I this is why I'm saying like yes, I think like People don't want to make risk, but also people are it's it's it's they're just too afraid to because comedy is like There's a hit percentage with it, right? Like it's yeah, and then so there's risk in making it in terms of making the movie And maybe the most of the things are funny exactly and I feel like because you can't like plan for what's exactly gonna happen audience wise It's the first to go that's why stop that train actually is is why I jumped at it so much is because stop that trains Brand of humor is universal. Yeah, it's like it's slapstick. Yeah, it's it's it's it's smart stupid you can laugh with it's smart You can laugh with it new to it Wait three seconds Forget about that joke and you're gonna like the next one. Yeah, which is why the comparison to horror is interesting Because in a horror film, it's like a screamer scare can can be spaced out pretty far. Yeah, right? It's like you don't like you are thinking comedies and like a laughs per minute way unless it's like a very Heavily plotted out comedy sure if it's a plot heavy comedy. I mean look scary movies coming out. Yeah June 5th and June 12th for them to be two yeah of those movies just a week apart is I think a big victory Yeah, it's like it's there's a there's a good joke density there. Yes. Yes, and so I feel I feel good about being a part of it that I've never, as- queer coded is all my movies are because I'm the one who made them. I, you know, this is for sure. This is straight down the. Thank you for casting Shane West. Yeah. Little gave me was so happy about that. Yeah. I mean, you want to know the funny. I just recently think I just recently found their chemistry read. Oh, by the way, one of the thing one of the biggest compliments I'll give about that movie, the incredible chemistry they found together. Yes. And what was in her first film? No, she had made. She was playing a stock type there. She was leading. Yeah. Yeah. She was she was playing in a weird way, like the bitchy version of her candy of her pop star. And that probably wasn't easy. So like, oh, there's many more. She's going to play like the mean girl who's and she's blonde. She's going to pick on Anne with her brown curly hair, et cetera. Yeah. But then to see her just all that vulnerability and all of that kindness and goodness that is so inherent in her. Besides the chemistry read. Okay. So the studio wanted Jessica Simpson. So they wanted. They wanted Jessica Simpson because they wanted her. Well, it was a, it was a very look. That was a low budget. Oh, she was also super Christian. And she was very Christian famously. Yeah. And Andrew Lloyd Webber. This is the tea that we got. Andrew Webber was interested in her for Christine and Phantom. And they wanted to use walk to remember to kind of audition that. And crazy, crazy man. And so, and so I, and so we had lunch. And that was it's own thing with her and her dad. And they were lovely. And the Warner Brothers. Yeah. The Warner Brothers cafeteria. But I was driving home. And on the radio, a little voice came over the radio, singing a little song called I Want to Be With You. My favorite song. And it had just all that breathiness to it. And I went, I went, God, that voice. That's like, that would be like how I pictured Jamie singing. And then I went and I looked up what the album cover looked like. Do you remember what the white with her like blowing out? That's her. That's Jamie. I went, oh my God, please God, let her be able to act. Please God, let her be well. And this is what happened. So I met with her. She came to lunch at the IV for a meeting with me, holding her copy of Walk to Remember. The book, the book when she was 16, I get 15 16. And we, our first day of shooting was her 17th birthday. I don't remember. And she, she came and she was so mandy. Like what you get now is like just the more mature version of what it was, but that, that sweetness, that innocence, that little laugh, that, the big doe, I think that was all there then. And I just was like, I, and my head the whole time, I was like, God, please let her be able to act. Please let her be able to act. And so I read her and she was good. And then I had her do the chemistry read with Shane, who was pretty popular on his TV show at that time. And I will tell you this, neither of them were particularly good in the reading, in terms, like they didn't have their characters down. Sure. But the way they listened to each other and the chemistry they had, I was like, I can't teach that. I can't direct that. So that became them. And it was, that's how that went down. Okay, Adam Shankman, it's time to ask you the question. Okay, what is the culture that made you say culture is for me? It's funny because all roads lead back to both culture and also being gay. Yes. And I really, I really fought between two subjects because they were both very impactful for me. But I would say the culture that made me, no, culture was for me would have to be seeing the sound of music for the first time. And why I say that also relates to my, because I was very, very young, the movie was made, like they used to re-release movies very quickly back then into the theaters. Like I was born in 1964. And which I believe is when it was made and or came out. And so I think I was probably about three or four, when I saw it for the first time, because my parents were really into playing musical. My mom loved them. And, and they exposed me to musical, I was very drawn to it very early. Yeah. And some inappropriate stuff, by the way, like Chicago and, and, but you know, the sexual stuff all flew over my hand, whatever. I was really into just looking at the costumes. And, and listening to music and watching the women, watching a need to put on her nylons during a need is going to get a kick. And, and I are putting on perfume. And, anyway, so I saw that, that opening shot with those flutes and coming down and finding Julie Andrews spinning in a circle skirt on the top of that mountain, I think my head fell off its bottom. Like I, or like I suddenly was born. Yeah. And then to track this story of this person who has so much good and so much love in her, who is also naughty and kind of a rule breaker. And then lives this insane fantasy life in wealth, surrounded, never giving up being who she is. And then gets the fallen in love with by this stud. And finding love. And all that, I was just like, I, this, I want that. Yeah. This is me. I am this. This is everything I dream of in my entire life. It was like every even at that age, all of it was fulfilled. And that's how old I was when I saw it. And I have an unfortunately good memory for fortune for us. Well, I have got plenty to go around. And that to me was everything because it also tethers into gay, to the gay. And I had sort of, and what's interesting about it. I want to talk about the cultural significance of sound of music, if you'd like. But also it tethers into what I had pre told you about, which is, you know, which is that that kind of fantasist living and my relating to Maria and wanting to be Maria. And to have that experience was I started to say to my parents, like I want to be a girl, I want to be a girl. And 1967, my 68, my parents were my mom and dad were 22 and 23 when I was born. And it was not okay. And they were very concerned about me. And they wanted to know the best way to parent me. And they're very liberal. My parents are very liberal. And they were, so they sought some help. And there was a, a program at UCLA for kids with gender dysmorphia. And so they talked to the doctor and they felt like he said, I can help him. And, you know, we'll, we'll figure this out. And they were, and my mom drove me to these, so I'd see him twice a week privately. And then twice, all right, twice a month privately and twice a month studied with a group. And what my mother sitting in the thing didn't know is she had inadvertently put me in conversion therapy at four years old. And what that man did and said was so could, can, will never be undone. I will be fighting with that inner narrative of what, like I'm bad, like my existence is bad. And I was told in, you know, in so many words that if I was, if I said I was a, if I said I wanted to be a girl or any of these things, which had to do with fabric and like a prince charming taking care of me, that my parents would discard me. I would perish. I would starve. I'd have no friends. I'd never know any love. I was four years old. And this man said it to me over and over and over again. And in different ways. And the way my mother describes what was happening was at a certain point she started to get very concerned because she said she saw my light go out. And I stopped being the singing, dancing happy kid that you see at Equinox. And that I was becoming quiet. And one day I just said to her, I don't want to go back and see Dr. Green. And she was like, no problem. And they took me out. and when did it stop how far in yeah, I don't know I want to text my mom but like you know at least six months I mean so so you were that young yeah when you were able to vocalize like and and the real and what I want to be very clear about was I wanted to be a girl I did not feel like a girl it was I was not trained I think everyone understands I said the same I said the same I said the same thing you know I want to put a towel in in my the back of me so that I can feel like I had long hair I wanted to be Tina yeah I was about I was about dress up and and it was about but it really was a lot about like wanting to be taken care of and protected of course it's the difference between you know this is a an oversimplification another one it's the difference between drag and and being and and feeling like you are in the wrong body yes but yes so of course and yet and how does you're like is my mom having gone through a similar thing at a very different age for a much shorter amount of time like my parents now are still like we are so sorry that we put you my parents feel like it's the most harm they've ever done they cannot they cannot cope with it in some ways I mean we've come to I they didn't they were lied to yes they were lied to and it wasn't because they didn't love you there was because they were trying it was because they were trying to figure out the best way to make their beloved baby son feel safe and okay and unfortunately they were lied to and put me in the hands of a monster and who and the worst thing that I realized when I had to obviously a ton of therapy and all of that that I realized that happened was because I think to myself you know that ended at a certain point why is this still haunting me and I realized it's because I made his voice mine yes that's exactly it I was going to say I made his voice mine but I was too young to know any different and it became like this life narrative where it's all been about like pleasing and shame and this and that and the next thing and I and and and not feeling safe a lot of the time and that's why set is so important to me because I feel so safe at work I know exactly what I'm supposed to be doing there I feel appreciated I feel you know you get me offset I'm a fucking disaster I don't know how to walk around in the world like a normal person it was after I was until you think you can dance and I was for that period of time kind of like TV famous yeah on air it was like an on air personality and people would come up to I was like you want to know you want to be set up for a drug and alcohol problem that shit sets you up for a drug and alcohol problem that happened to me when I was a kid and and it was the only way I could cope and so anyway all that is to say yes there are my my parents are will never be able to express their on the other hand when they then outed me when I was graduating high school because like I had girlfriends and I like I was like yeah they were like just we want you to know X Y Z they took me on separate trips they were divorced at that point and they took me on separate trips and basically told me that they either knew or felt good about me gay which was the worst possible thing that they could have said to me yeah we know I wasn't out to me exactly so I was like what the fuck is happening and I would be like I am not and there is this and they're like well just in case and then my mom sending me books called now that we know and I'm like I'm like oh my god now that we know I'm like I'm losing my mind because coming out took me so long yeah and I was like every time I would say one of my friends I like I'm like I'm gay and they'd be like yeah like this is new like and I was like what how does everybody know this thing that I'm so frustrating when I was so we're using so much energy to convince everyone but I was so lucky to come out into love yeah you know what I mean that that I know is a blessing that not everybody gets but the thing that happened when I was young will never fucking go away and it drives me crazy yeah it will never go away but you've already done the work yeah just to like name it externalize it is not a part of you it's bouncing around but it's it's as long as you can be like that softer green yeah that's what he's dad he he lived a sad life where he was causing harm at the end and yes what he was gay well that I would imagine that's yeah that that was like my you know there was some talk about him like my suspecting that like my parents felt like he hit on my dad kind of thing like of course my dad was hot when he was so yeah anyway lucky I think that having to do with the sound of music it all it's it's first of all thank you for sharing that and I think that unfortunately a lot of times like it's those things that bring us into the light which also makes us kind of expose ourselves and sometimes it happens a little earlier than we're ready or you know we sort of you know we become bigger more expressive versions of ourselves when and then all of a sudden we've revealed too much and the world is mean and the world is mean and and it's very interesting because during this sort of press run for stop that train I'm constantly being asked what pride means to me because we're coming out into they pride and and you know as silly as a question that I mean because it's so like I don't know you want the Wikipedia do you want that way what are you what are we talking about you know for me the gratitude that I have and need to express more rather than the complaint because we actually live in a place where being us is legal and even though they want to take away rights and stuff like a lot of them these days it's still legal and we're allowed to exist whereas there's places in this earth where people are stone to death and that are jailed for being simply who they are right and so to not acknowledge that we get to have that as we fight for ourselves right now which we have to it felt strange to and then to see that there was like some talk about reversing the conversion ban yeah I was like what the fuck like that that is I have first hand experiences do you and they're now trying to frame it or they're trying to make us believe that actually limiting conversion therapy would be limiting like I guess like speech and I guess like some sort of like religious practice you know what I mean because it's like it's almost as if saying no you can't pray the gay away is like anti-god right when meanwhile we're just stating a fact you are not able to pray the gay away it's not sacrilegious it's just truth well it's also you're trying to inflict your beliefs on someone else which is like and and make somebody else's truth and reality yours uh involuntarily that's what that's what that's what and and to say that it's a parents to say I mean uh to if a child expressed it like it is expressed themselves that the parents are upset with what they have in front of them their child uh you know to potentially put them in extraordinary mental and emotional dress and harm to make them more how they would like them to be is patty wrong while these people are saying it's to protect the children it's like this it's it's tail as old as time yeah it's like it's parody on the Simpsons at this point yeah you're like what about the children woman it's like well that that's what that's what you know that's the that's been the best um way to camping do you know Simpsons oh yeah yeah yeah yeah the children no the children but you are the children but you are endangering the children it's crazy how dissonant that that whole thing which brings us back to the sound of music when the Nazis and the children by the way you know that I did make a movie with a Nazi subplot that has the sound of music which is the pacifier which is which is my first Britney snow film and their max the area has a plot where Vin Diesel discover he's dyed his hair blonde bleached his hair blonde and finds a swastika arm band in his dressing room and thinks that the kid is a Nazi and follows him to one of his meetings where he meets up in an alley with other blonde guys wearing Nazi arm bands and then when he follows him in they're just rehearsing a production of sound of music perfect perfect so I got to make the Disney movie with the Nazi subplot although I would say I guess Batman's in broomsticks has a nice war you know time thing going on in there too yeah sure but it's not Nazis it's epic but it's beautiful thing You're talking about it, it's not a music this way where it's like, you can, your surrogate is Maria and it's the children, right? Like as a kid, you're like, I just wanna be one of the Von Trapp kids, but then as you grow up, you're like, oh right, I identify with her because she's good at heart, but she's misunderstood, and she just needs to find the right place. - And that's how I continue to feel. - Yes, you know, which is fine. Like, it's, I'm not mad at who I am and how I am. I'm like, it's the way I'm in it, and I've had like a frickin' amazing life. I've had opportunities and experiences that when I lay it out, I can't even fathom that person. And yet, here I am, and all I wanna do is just get another job and work, you know? - Of course, we identify with this completely, and I also just wanna say, I feel compelled to say, and I know you're like, why does this kid keep talking about the DVD commentary of a walk to remember? - You know what happened, 'cause of that DVD commentary. - What happened? - Well, first of all, it did become a thing, and there was like a whole fan site devoted to it. Like, there was like a whole thing, but I said something on the commentary about one of the cast members screwing everybody in all the girls in North Carolina during the thing, and I didn't know he was engaged at the time, and the girl heard it, and broke off their way. - Well, that's her the best. - Better for him, I guess. - Yeah, yeah, that doesn't seem like someone that wanted to be married. - I believe on the commentary, I may have said, I could be totally wrong about this, but I remember saying something about the commentary. - You want your commentary? - That's what I do watch, it's my commentary. No, I believe that I said that that kid was paid to get laid. - Oh man, and Mandy and Shane were sitting across the desk, and he'd be going like, "Oh, don't, don't, don't, don't, don't." - It's too real. - Well, they were like, don't let this out because of his girlfriend. - Sure, and big. - Yeah, and I couldn't know what the fuck they were talking about. - Sure. - You know who is my, do you remember Danny from the real world? - Yeah. - Like, 'cause he had Paul, it was New Orleans and Paul, the fuzzy face. - Yeah, they were out his face. - Yeah. - They were out his face, he was like that. It was right after their season aired, that we shot that. And they lived across the street from me in Wilmington. - No. - Yeah, but Rightsville Beach, I was in Rightsville Beach, where my place was, and I'd see him out on the street like, washing his car, and I felt like I had to look away, 'cause he was such a big star back then. - Yeah. - The real world kids were like, - Huge, huge. - Maybe major, major, major, major. - And when I saw Paul for the first time, I was like, I looked away because I felt like I'm not supposed to know what it was. - You're supposed to know what it was like. - You're supposed to be a blursor. - And it looked like I ended up becoming friends with them, and it was like, oh, but it was wild. - And now, a vital break from our sponsor, Vital Proteins, you know the blue tub, you've probably seen everywhere. That's Vital Proteins, college and peptides. Now, why use them? Because they're the experts, the number one college and brand in the US. 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Huge thanks again to our sponsor, Vital Proteins. - These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. - I thought you said it was proven by science. - Never said that. I just said it was good. I survived and I've spent my life exploring how other people survive, what should have destroyed them. - I started feeling that someone at the end of my bed, and I just started screaming. - They are abducted, stalked, controlled, and nearly silenced. But these aren't stories about what's taken from them. Their stories about what it takes to make it out alive, listen to the survivor files with Elizabeth Smart on the iHeartRadio app Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. I choose option B. It's when you're alone that you're most receptive to the world as it is and not the lies you're sold about it. So whether you're a solo travel veteran or you're too nervous to book your first trip, I hope you listen to Solita on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. - Hey, this is Ace Davenport. - And Sean Clements. Each week we talk to someone in show business, aka The Biz, and try to help them with their careers and see what they have to offer us. How about we flip it on his head? How about we flip this around, okay? - What is the surprise one, man? But actually, you think it's the straight man, it's actually the one who's acting weird. - Adam Scott, love. - This entire time you've been expecting Adam Sandler to come to visit the show. - I am open to it. - I was like, I was like, is that what you need? - Ben stiller, no. Like you're like, "Oh, it's so stupid." - Everyone's so dumb. - And fake. - Right, fake and also not interested or just like, "Oh, I've got my life. I don't care about your life." - And a lot of other big shots that wouldn't be where they are without us. - Oh, and by the way, Will Ferrell told us personally he loves the show and he wants to be a guest on every episode, but he's just so busy. - If you're a bookshelf and you are for you page are equally important to your personality, welcome home. This is Pro's Society, the weekly podcast that's part book club, part group chat for thought daughters, pop culture obsessives, and anyone who thinks pride and prejudice and love island deserve the same level of discourse. I'm Eli Rallo, and every week we're connecting the dots between books, the internet, and the conversations everyone can't stop having. - I'm gonna have to look up this story. I'm obsessed, I'm obsessed. - From bestselling authors and your favorite book talk creators to the latest pop culture moments, nothing is off the table. It's like if you can hide some real messages inside compelling characters and that is a Trojan horse, whether you're looking for literary deep dives, smart pop culture conversations, or a community of readers who love to think a little too much, you're in the right place. Listen to Pro's Society on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. See you between the pages. - I, I want to say on the note of the commentary, it's like, I just want you to receive this, and I think you will believe me. And I think I've told you, it's like, that, that commentary, it just, I would just rewatch it over and over again because I was like, oh my God, it's like such a sad movie, but they're being so funny on it, especially Adam Shankman. And it was like the first time, now that we're on a podcast, it's like, it was the first time that I had heard like a gay man's voice, just like, lead this conversation in such a fun, funny direction, the way you were crap. and jokes, I was like, I don't want to be friends with this, this guy seems so great. - But it's so head-in-away. - I was actually like, I was like, and this is, it's representation is, I guess, the best word for it, but I was just like, it was a very important early moment for me to be like, wow, you can direct a movie like this as a gay man, you can like have this rapport where you're like, nurturing this talent and really bonding with them and you're at their level, you're just cracking wise. And I was like, this seems great. I was like, I consider you, and I've always considered you an incredible role model in that way. - Wow, I watched, I know, you have no idea, and I'm like, you're a very, you think you're very-- - Why is this episode sad? - I don't know. - It's not sad, it's not sad. - No, it's a little, I don't know, okay. - It's happy. - It is happy, no, it's happy. And it's time. - Watch your remember, it's sad. - Thank you for that. - No, it's hopeful, it's only hopeful. - Oh my goodness. - It's not only hopeful, but I can't see you. - Thank you, I'm so happy, I forced us to be friends. - You forced us to be friends. - We should film and for me. I was like, oh my God, this man that I've always loved, like, it's so cool. - Well, you're doing this now for other kids. You know that, that's how it would you know. - What you're describing is like a parasocial-- - Yes, exactly, and I think that that is, I was like, I was thinking about the DVD commentary of it all and how much I enjoyed it as well. - Completely never as much though, man. - No, I'm not. - So I'm the only pay attention to it. - Gotta come to it. Wasn't that a twit, but really, I was like, really what they were, it was podcasts. - No, they were, yeah. - You were listening to a podcast. - I was listening to a podcast about the movie. - Exactly. - And like, that's what those were. And you know, I never did hear the Fire Island. Oh no, yes, I did. I did watch the Fire Island DVD commentary, but I guess that's the only movie I've ever been in that had that and it was like, oh, what a nice thing. I hope people don't stop doing because it was-- - We just shot one first stop, that train. - Oh, you did. - Yeah, we just didn't. - We just shot one first stop, that train. - Oh, you did, we just didn't. - I like BTS, I like hearing, oh, that was a fun thing that happened this day, etc. I don't know. I'm into that. It's funny. - Did they forget sketch? - No. - Oh my God, that's so funny. I was just thinking. - I didn't think you could possibly remember it. - Matt wrote a sketch when we were in college. - It wasn't me. - I was a student. I was like, "Study wrote a sketch when we were in college." It was-- - Doubt. - The DVD commentary of Doubt and then one of them, it was, you know, whatever. It was literally, it was Philip Seymour Hoffman, Meryl Streep, and then the one-woman-who-grandfathers. - The one-woman-who-grandfathers. - She was like, "We're on. " - She goes, "They're trying my process and then SUNY comes in and try them and with their voice." And on that day, there was a Cobb salad for-- [laughter] - This was, it was really tough, because this was a hot day on, say, this was an opportunity and that's the day. And Cobb salad and that ended up being, um, it was a short monstri-- - That's really good, Donnie. - It was really. - It was really. - This is the DVD coming to you, Donnie. - I think I forget, I was just saying like, I just, oh, I was watching, um, I just like BTS of movies and I like movie history, et cetera. And I was watching Epic Ride, which is on Peacock, and it's a three-episode docu-series, like a little tiny thing about, like, the making of Epic Universe, but when you zoom out, it's also about, like, Universal Studios, actually, Carl Lemley in the beginning of the Universal Studios, um, you know, production company and how he bought Universal City and it literally the tram tour actually started as people could just gather around and watch Silent Films get shot and they could make noise and they could yell and they could, you know, laugh and hoot and holler because it was a Silent Film and they would stand around and just watch it and that became the tram tour, which gave birth to Universal Studios, as we know it. And I was just like, really fascinated by that history and so I just like to hear BTS about anything that I love and just so, I am motivated now to go watch the DVD commentary because I haven't seen that movie in a long time. I am curious how hard I could cry now today. I wonder if I can match myself at 11. I can't figure out how you guys can even stand given the fact that you have the schedules that you have, not just with the podcast, with everything else, with the awards that you just did with and with the press obligations that you have, um, with working your other jobs with acting like that. And then being such loyal good friends to your friends, spending time with other friends and trying to consume culture, which I don't understand how you make time to see all of these things. I don't have that. I don't have that capacity. And it's extraordinary. And I brought this up to you on set. I was like, how do you do it all? I don't think it, I think the thing that suffers most for me is consuming more culture. It's the thing that, and I'm unqualified to host this podcast or where I'm like, I've always said that. Yeah. Yeah. But here's the thing though, like, everything we do is fun. Like we have fun doing all the things that we do. And, um, and, um, and, um, storm a gonza. So, I mean, I love, I love that, that line gets used in the trills a lot, which one, um, um, this is a glamazonian express. Um, that's one of the great trailers in recent memory. Do you, do you know what I was, I was like, I was like, I was like, if you, y'all be best to be playing this as a drama. Oh, no, like, I remember being like, because you know, no, like, I was like, am I doing this completely straight? He goes, oh, dead ass. Yeah, yeah. I'm 100% honest. It's just all you do is go up to soap opera. That's it. Well, because everything is so absurd, there's, there's, in particular, there's one joke where we're in the press room. Just bleep this, um, yeah. It's just, uh, just tell you it's like, I, I, I, maybe I won't tell you. I don't tell me. But that was a great thing in the press room. It's so absurd. Like, it's so insane. Well, especially what happened with like that, like, yeah, that was like the dumbest thing that I was like, no, that's what I'm saying. It was so dumb. The dumb thing upon dumb thing upon dumb thing. Adam did cut me salt. Oh, yeah. So it's all like that. He cut me swallowing a sword. Uh-huh. And I think it's because I couldn't say swallow a sword. It's tough. And then I took out a sword and I swallowed it. And it wasn't in the cut. No, it didn't. Maybe that'll be in the bonus feature. Sure. - No, I wanted to end on Rubin's uncomfortable. - Come on, I was at Trust Me, you did the right thing. - The movie didn't need me swallowing a sword. - It did, and that, not people wanted. - Other movies do, though. - Yeah, I'm the villain, I don't know. - I don't know, I don't know. - I can't do it. - Just ask Adam for the beer roll. - Yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure. - Yeah. - That's happening. - I am. - This is thrilling. That this is all coming together. - It has a blooper reel. - Oh yeah. - We are always saying bring back the blooper reel. It has one. There was no way I was not doing a blooper reel. The second I saw the first cut, I was like, let's start putting it into a blooper reel. - It has a blooper reel, and Rue and I made the blooper reel. I was so happy about it, I was very, very thrilled about that. That, see, and that is, I guess, the message I would impart to everyone, it's like the movies you remember. - Yes. - You know what I'm saying? It's like, it's just fun, and it's so, it's for you, if you're watching it at home, and it's coming at such a fun time. I'm also so happy that it comes out right before the Cultural Awards airs, because we were so excited to welcome so many of the cast of Stop That Train on the Cultural Awards. - I mean, who was there? It was Rachel Bloom, who, by the way, is the lead of the film, some of that train. - Kind of. Simone. - Simone. - Rue. - Rue. - You. - You. - Of course, Monet. - Monet. - The list goes out. - I don't know. It was, there was, it was, it was crawling with Stop That Train before. - Yeah, there was so many. - Underfoot, everywhere you looked, there was a Stop That Train. - I don't know. - Liza Rina. - Liza Rina. - Yes. - Yes. - Very much Liza Rina. - She has one of the stupidest lines in the movie that she delivers so. - Yeah. - Lately, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's absolutely insane. It's, it's all insane. - Yeah. - She can do it all. She says, she's Rina. - She's so legend. - She's Rina. - She's just Rina, babe. - Why did she work that fucking culture award? - Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait was doing a lot of that. - Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You also directed one of my favorite J-Lo's, Wedding Planner. - Wedding Planner. - My first movie, that's so great. That is something I can't, it's shocking to me. - Can I ask you a question in song? - Please. ♪ How can I plan on forever ♪ ♪ When I never planned on you ♪ - I have a lot of funny stories in that last video. - You're very warm. - The story's about now moving. - That song. It's like a scene where J-Lo has been dejected and tossed away. How could I plan on forever? He's the wedding planner, but I never planned on you. - Can you tell a J-List story? - Can I tell a J-List? - We met her. - We met her. - She's not on the podcast. She was fabulous. - She was one of the few, I've directed that didn't mention me on your podcast. - Oh! - So, what I would say, but no, I love Jennifer. - She, I will tell you this. She was rapidly on the rise when we made that movie. - Do you remember who she was dating at the time? - Ben Affleck. - No, Diddy. - Correct. - Oh, yes. - Correct. Now, at the time, also, that was crazy 'cause Bridget Everett was dating before she married Pete Samperous. - Jennifer was with Diddy. - You said Bridget Everett? - Bridget Wilson. - Oh, Bridget Wilson, sorry. Bridget Wilson, sorry, Bridget Everett. Oh, sorry. So, Bridget Everett. - Bridget Everett. - Bridget Everett. - Bridget Everett. - Oh, no. - Bridget Everett. - That's one of the culture number 30. - Bridget Everett and Pete Samperous. - Hi. - Adam. - That is awesome. - Bridget Everett just texted me, baby. - That's why I was thinking of her. So Bridget Wilson was pre-marrying Pete Samperous. Matthew McConaughey was loosely linked to Sandra Bullock. And Jennifer was with Diddy. And all of them were visiting on my first movie. - Wow. - Sandy Diddy and Pete Samperous. - What a treat. Honestly, though, at the time, that's where all the money in Hollywood was. - It was. - It was. - Music and movies, bitch. - It was, and I was just trying to get my first movie name. - To say nothing of J-Lo. - J-Lo. - Jennifer, who Jennifer and I at that time, were very, very locked in together. - You guys were very close. - We were brother-sistered down during the making of that movie. And like I remember, when we were, this was actually really funny. We went to, we went to, we were, that place, fully in up by San Francisco, where they did the spa retreat, that those scenes were there, went to the spa retreat. - Oh, sure, sure. - And we were there. It's like an hour outside of San Francisco. And we were there. And it was the day that the, no strings attached was coming out, the in sync album. And we, and we sent a PA into San Francisco to go get the DVD. - The CD. - Yes. - To go get, wow this whole thing. - 'Cause you wanted it? - We wanted it. We wanted to hear it. We hadn't heard anything of it. - We hadn't heard anything of it. - It was getting released. And Jennifer and I were super ganked to hear it. - Yeah. - And I have a picture of us sitting on the lawn outside of Fallowly, her hair, hair and makeup people. One is brushing her hair, one is touching up her lips. I'm laying on her lap and we're listening to the first thing like that and Jennifer returns to me. And she goes, there are no backstreet boys anymore. - Wow. - And that was like, I was just like, damn girl. Like she knew that that album was about to just wipe. That, that, remember how huge that album was? - It was, it was massive. - Yeah, kind of, because there had been millennium and that felt like the biggest deal. And then in sync just-- - There's no strings attached, which was huge. - Yeah, and, and Jen. ♪ Digital, digital, get down ♪ ♪ Just you and me ♪ (laughing) - So, but I remember like, that was also very traumatic though because when that movie came out, basically I think it was number one for three weeks. - Huge. - But the reviews, somebody texted me and said, Mark Sheen, it actually texted me and he said, "How does it feel to be the most hated man in America?" - Oh God. - They literally called me the Jeffrey Dahmer of the DGA. It was like, they were like-- - Oh my God. - It was like, the headlines were so mean. - And to my couch. - Well, is it anything she was attached to? - And anything he puffed. - It was the same time I was a rock man. - To have a strong reaction to it. - Yeah, I was warned that people, you know, rom comes generally unless they are like, Julia Roberts, we got unfavorable reviews. - They still do, and so-- - Well, good news, you killed them. So thanks, thanks everyone out there. You killed them. - It was, you know what I'm saying, right? I feel, yeah. And that was wild. That was wild. - Yeah. - But yeah, I got a lot of stuff. Oh, I'll tell you another good, Jennifer's story. So we were outside doing the horseback riding thing, where she's on the runaway horse. Do you remember that? - Yeah, yeah, yeah. - She adds up on a runaway horse. - This is after she was almost hit by the-- - And she was, you saved my shoe. - You saved my shoe. - Yeah. - The two of them together was, that was comedy. The two of them together was the most extraordinary thing. - I love that kind of thing. - I do too, I love that man. There's nothing but goodness in his that part. That is just kindness and goodness that runs through that man's face. Anyway, so Jennifer, the day we were supposed to be out there, Sony shut us down for a day. So the Jennifer could go to the Grammys. And at that Grammys-- - For the dress. - For the dress. - And I saw the, but Sony, who is making the wedding planner, shut us down, they paid for us to shut down for the day. So she could go to the Grammys. - Wow. - And then she came the next day and walked it. And I walked in, I was like, and she just looked at me and I just was shaking my head. And she's like, "Mom, I fucked it up, right?" And I was like, I was like, "Yes, girl." - And Google image was born. - And add Google image was born. - But on that day, then it ended up being, Jennifer famously, obviously wears a lot of lip gloss. I mean, she always has that beautiful shine on her lip, that glass lip. And on this beautiful day, the temperature dropped to like zero. And we were doing the part where they were like, and we were in that Disney back lot, like the ranch. A Disney ranch. And Matthew's walking her down the house and her claws froze. (laughing) - And she froze. - And like while we were talking, I noticed that she was suddenly having troubles, like she was like, at any rate. And I was, I was like, this is the greatest thing that I've ever seen in my entire life, you know? But it was, God, we had so much fun making that movie, though, that two of us, like I really cherish that time. - It's so fun to watch. It's so fun to watch. I love that movie. - That is a silly, silly movie. Like her apartment would be like four and a half million dollars back then. And her hair is absurd. It's like, it's so done. I made that movie to be like an old 1940s movie. - Yeah. - And that's what I wanted to do. Everything's a little too big. Everything's a little too pretty. Of course. - The flower budget on the thing was particularly the whole budget. Like it was crazy. - But you back to the important stuff. - It has to be like aesthetically something like that thing. - I mean, that's what she does. - I honestly love you. I love this song. What do you think? - I think it's perfect. - First scene we shot. - Wow. Fab, first scene we shot. - That was that car. That was, that was, that was the top there. - Day one. - Day one. - No, day one was, there were the opening moments were stressful, but for another time. (laughing) - Plenty of stories there. But yeah, so I can't remember what I did earlier today. But I can literally remember everything about making all this. - It's always the case. - It's always how it is. - Do you have that about Wicked? - Where like you just can, you, you. - I, yes. Absolutely. Wicked was, there's different moments of it where I'm like, yes, I remember this vividly. And then there are other moments of it where I'm like, I was on a plane. - Like, I was, that was a really tough time. You, I, I was going through it with you on the podcast. I, I felt everything, I think I even texted you a couple times, but I was concerned about you and I was concerned about you and you broke up with the gut. Like, I, I, I thought I was like. This is the weird thing about podcast friendships. Like, I was like, it's strange knowing you, when I have you with me so much at the time. It's just a flavor of, it's a different one. Like, it's a new flavor of friendship. Yeah, let me know this is all fake. - Yes, this is, this is, this is, this is, this is, this is, this is, this is, you know, this is all fake. But it's been hugely a success right now. - I know, I know. - I don't even know that. - You guys figured out you pulled that wool so far over that size, it's pretty easy. - We're not even big guys. - I know. - My wife's name is Terry. (laughing) - Like, I didn't know, like a gay name. - I have two kids. I legit want to write a play that is like, a director of great renown at success. I got to, I basically have to option your life. I want to write the movie. No, and I like it, I like the play about, just one, one, one, one set on stage of what you described of like watching your movie, but like, try not really. - Well, I'm gonna, like, you know, because you've had so many varied, I've worn a lot of hats between the dancer, choreographer, TV personality, director, all the other shit. You know, all the stuff that I've done, I have garnered a lot of stories. And I have been in a lot of rooms. And not as the featured player in many of them. And so there's been a lot of fly on the wall stuff that I've seen. And then there's some stuff where I have it, sort of the featured player where, and it's been fairly extraordinary. And, and I, you know, sometimes people are like, are you gonna write a book? And I'm like, absolutely not. There's no freaking way. Because there's no way for it, to not end up taking down some people. And I would never, I would never. Because you can't have a story without conflict. There's no good story that happens without conflict. - Well, you have to either be willing to say, I guess for me, I think about that too, like whether or not down the road, I would write like some sort of thing like that. - I witness people being really terrible, you know? - Yeah, that's the thing is it's like, I would do it if I, but only if it was, all was a story I was trying to tell. Like if there was something of value to be learned from things and that would, but that would be the only way that I think it will be worth it in a, in a voyeuristic world like the one that we live in where people just get off on knowing anything or being privy to information that they shouldn't. - What would I gain from it? - Exactly, I just like, there's nothing, there's nothing, my, what I, my legacy hopefully is going to be when I'm gone, but my good relationships were with people and the way that I treated people and hopefully, you know, like it's not like I've always been great to everybody, but I try really, really hard. And I'm also, and I want, I want to be known as nice, you know? I mean, again, that sounds so awesome. - You wouldn't necessarily be known as not nice if you told your story and the characters in it are ones that we know. - So it would just be you being, I guess, - Snitch is good to you. - Snitch is good to you. - There's such a thing called fake name, sir. - This is the thing, 'cause people like grill us all the time, ever since Tina Fey was like, "Oh, I think this is good to you." Like you guys aren't as authentic anymore, are you? - It's like, it's not about us being authentic or inauthentic to ourselves. It's that we know that if we say it out loud on a microphone, it will be interpreted and likely misinterpreted by people. - Yeah. - It will be like, there will be a game of telephone that happens where, I don't know, it's like the context doesn't really matter anymore. People just want like backs or tea or something along the lines of like, but like, which is fine, totally valid, but to quit that with like being inauthentic is always confusing to me. It's like, well, it's, I don't know. - Well, it's like when an act of kindness is interpreted as manipulation. Like, would you have really done it? Like, is that self-serving in some way? And I was like, well, I mean, I guess I get the hit of like, I did a nice thing, but I didn't do it for that hit, right? - And, and. - That's what I mean though. If you want, if you ever had the desire to tell your story, you should tell it because you have so many, you have a story to tell. Of course you have stories to tell and to share, but you also have a story to tell. And you are such an amazing storyteller. But I've made, who knows? Maybe one day you will want to do your little fable mints. Like, who knows? - Well, there's things like. - Well, like for example, somebody got ahead of me and my sister and they made the movie of my childhood, which was sex education. - Really? - Because I had a sex therapist mother and an attorney dad, but we and grew up here. And my sister and I always were like, "We've gotta put together." 'Cause my sister gave me my first job, my first directing job, my sister produced Wedding Planner. - Wow. - And. - Nebid isn't. - She couldn't actually, she couldn't actually, I'm such a nebba, baby. No, she, no, she, I was about to direct my first, my short film, which I made and she sent me the script and I read it and I was like, "Oh, well, you're my thoughts on, "she said would you ever meet with the studio?" I met with the studio. They hired me and that's how that went. But they didn't hire me because of that. Anyway. - That's cool. - Yeah. And she and I had a deal at Disney for over a decade. And I love her, she's great. - Two guys would love her. (laughing) - And you're good storytellers, what I'm not saying. Like you, you should feel compelled to tell your story if it not happens to you. - Yeah, and there's like dark days that I would make very funny about, you know, during like the shit that I got into during my heavy using and all of that was like, it's dark. - As it, as it usually is. - Yeah, using the, if it hadn't gotten dark, I'd still be doing it. I survived and I've spent my life exploring how other people survive what should have destroyed them. - I just remember this low taunting voice next to my ear saying, shut up, don't say anything. - I started feeling that there was someone at the end of my bed and I just started screaming. Their story is about what it takes to make it out alive. Listen to the survivor files with Elizabeth Smart on the iHeartRadio app Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. - I can wait four hours for the next bus or this random dude is offering me a ride on his motorcycle. I chose option B. - I'm Julie Pignero and I travel by myself because it's a rare space where I can say yes without asking anyone else first. I'm on a mission to reclaim the word Solita, trading the pity for possibility. - Every time I tried to be alone, I kept meaning people and they were like, you smiled at us, not a lot of people smile around here. - It's when you're alone that you're most receptive to the world as it is and not the lies you're sold about it. It can be a time where you push your limits, change your mind or wake up to a new version of yourself. So whether you're a solo travel veteran or you're too nervous to book your first trip, I hope you listen to Solita on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. - And Sean Clements. - We host the podcast Hollywood Handbook on the big money players network. - Can you help me shape this? - No. - How about we flip this around? - No. - Okay, what is the surprise one, man? Actually, you think as the straight man is actually the one who's acting weird. Adam Scott, love. - I am open to it. - I'm always going to accept. - Okay. - You know, Danny McBride, fine. - Yeah, it's all this fragile masculinity exuding. - I was like, I smell that. - Nope. - It's a fragile masculinity. - Ben stiller, no. Like you're like, oh, it's so stupid. - Everyone's so dumb and fake. - Right, fake and also not interested, or just like, oh, I've got my life. I don't care about your life. - If you're bookshelf and you're for you page are equally important to your personality, welcome home. (upbeat music) This is Pro's Society, the weekly podcast that's part book club, part group chat for thought daughters, pop culture obsessives, and anyone who thinks pride and prejudice and love island deserve the same level of discourse. - I'm Eli Rallo, and every week, we're connecting the dots between books, the internet, and the conversations everyone can't stop having. - It's like if you can hide some real messages inside compelling characters, and that is a Trojan horse. - Whether you're looking for literary deep dives, smart pop culture conversations, or a community of readers who love to think a little too much, you're in the right place. Listen to Pro's Society on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. - Well, we veered into I don't think it's a honey territory, so why don't we just do that, let's do it. - This is our 60-second segment, where we pop off, actually. We haven't really really said it, and I don't think it's wanting us just popping off. - If it's really all it is. - If you get down to it, and I have one. - Okay. - This is Matt Rodgers, I don't think so when he's time starts now. - I don't think so, honey, Steven Spielberg. - Oh. - You think you're gonna own June 12th, bitch? - No. - We're gonna see you there, just close your day, more like stop that train day. - Yeah! - Steven Spielberg is doing a movie about aliens. Yeah, I saw that back in the '70s. You know what I haven't seen? Drag queens on a train. I haven't seen a drag queen president. I haven't seen RuPaul as president Judy Gagwell. Well, I may have seen it 'cause I was in the Oval Office with her, the fake one, which guess what? isn't as much despair. in this film, as any room is in disclosure day. Oh, what? The aliens are gonna come get us? Well, guess what? Guess who's gonna come get us and stop that train? Hmm, I kind of forget the plot, actually. - Stormagonza. - Stormagonza. Stormagonza? - 15 seconds. - Stectomy aliens. You could never handle a Stormagonza. This is really good stuff. Hey, Mr. Miller. - 5 seconds. - Mr. Director. Take a seat and take a hike. And that's one minute. Dude, this is harder than I thought just because, a week in real time, one minute is long. Like, it is so long. You always have like 20 seconds of gas and then you're like, "Yeah, yeah, yeah." Just just pay, just paste it out, you know? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But you posted this, they're calling, they're calling the Barbara and I were doing this. - STD, yeah. - STD. Stop that disclosure day. I love STD, yeah. - STD day. - STD day. Yeah. Oh, it's, I think you guys will be just fine. I think we're gonna do great. That would be nice. I know we're gonna do okay. I think, or I don't know anything. Well, do they ever tell you, like, "Oh, hey, here's the pre-sale." It's an equivalent. So, I don't know. It's like, when there's the studio machine behind it, I really know what's going on. - Yeah, yeah. - But this track. Yeah, all of that. But I've also, I've also, like, I've just, I've just given over to the gods on this one because we're all so existing in a time where there is so much homophobia. Like, I don't know who's gonna rise up. I mean, there's the heated rivalry of it all. And there's the-- It's gonna do amazing. It's gonna do amazing. If people will allow themselves to go and drag their straights-- Because, by the way, straight people are laughing harder than the gay people. - That's true. - That's crazy. - Because it's funny. - That's crazy. - Yeah. And it doesn't punch at anyone particularly often. And then-- - One person. - One person. Okay, are you ready to do your other things, honey? I do. And I think this will cause a huge debate. - Okay. - Okay. - Okay. - This is Bo and Yang's. I don't think so honey. It's time starts now. - I don't think so honey. Apparently, you're not supposed to talk to people when they have wet hair. I was talking to a friend. And he was like, well, I saw this woman, but she was in the elevator, but her hair was wet. So I couldn't talk to her. I was like, is this so cool? That like, especially with longer-haired people, if their hair was wet, the etiquette is you don't engage in conversation with them. I'm losing my mind at the notion that there's an unspoken rule that I now have the bravery to say out loud that you're not supposed to talk to someone when they're here. I think if our hairs, if our hairs were wet, we'd be like, oh, sure, Adam's hair is wet. Matt's hair is wet. That one's hair is wet. - But let's say, if Anna's hair was wet, we're not supposed to like ask her why it's wet. It's like, well, clear she came out of the shower, but it's like, but apparently it's like disrespectful to engage in conversation with someone if their hair is wet and succumbed. I don't try to invent these new rules, etiquette is for squares. I don't want to talk about this. - And that's one minute. - You are so brave. - Who told you this? - Why did they say it? And what was this? - My friend, the great, my friend named Jesse. Over dinner, he was just like, yeah, was just this woman was. - This woman in a film festival, I'd seen the night before, and then we were staying at the same hotel, and then the elevator doors opened up, and our hair was wet, so I didn't want to say hi. - Well, maybe-- (laughing) - I don't think it's a thing where like, it's like, oh, you can't talk to a woman with wet hair. I think he just felt, I don't know. - No, because I think the wetness of her hair create a thing that felt inappropriately intimate. - Have the wind up in the rule ever heard of this? - Never. - Never heard of this once. (laughing) - I think we're about to, the people will come out from the shadows after this. - You don't talk to me when my hair is wet. - You know what the problem is? He just let the genius out of the bottle. - Yeah, I know. - Now, I'm never going to be like, "I don't want to be spoken to with my hair." - Is that true? - I'm telling you-- - Let us know in the comments down below. - I'm telling you, it's a thing, apparently. Like, if someone has their hair wet, it's like, you can't engage. You can't ask them, "Pools and peaches are going to be at night." - Yeah, yeah, yeah. - With Nora blocking to any of the women. (laughing) - They don't hang out with any, anyway. (laughing) - Wow, I'm out of that voice. - Okay, Adam, do you have one? - I do, I do, hold on. Let me just, 'cause I've done a couple. - Okay. - I'll just meld, I'm going to free-ball it. - I'm going to sort of free-ball it. - Go command a free-ball. This is Commando a little bit, okay. - Okay, this is Adam Shaikman's. I don't think so any as time starts now. - I don't think so, honey. People who give me side eye or puff out their chest when they see me living my life at the gym dancing around. I am listening to Doja Cat. - Yes, I am listening to Doja Cat. I am listening to New Madonna. I am having the time of my life. - Yeah, I know. - I was once a dancer who danced for, like, Paul had dual and Janet Jackson. I lived my life back then and that was the happiest I've ever been. I had no responsibilities and went and it is a signifier of how happy I am. So if I'm in the gym and I have them bitches in my ear giving me life and I am popping, do not give me like the ill or like what? - What's that gay doing or thing like that? First of all, I don't really dance gay. I don't even know what dancing gay is. Well, I kinda know what dancing gay is, but I'm in there. I'm in there living and you know what? Maybe I am glorifying some new piece of entertainment that you're about to consume. - Oh, please. You giving me side eye at the gym while I live my life. - And that's one thing. - By the way, nothing I've ever done is side eye. I'm always in a position. There is a lot of peacocking and preening and there is a lot of a very specific kind of influencer-like body pride. - Right. - And there is, and it does feel replete with judgment. - Like horrible. - Like it's so first thought of course. Like I want this male peacocking body fascism at like the grove. - And I want it where you least expect it. - By the way, what about those guys who are like straight, but they're like into yoga and they're doing handstands and walking across the floor on their hands. And I don't, I give them their flowers. - Yeah. - You do, you do, you baby. - Like I'm like, I'm just standing right by my little Smith machine and I'm just bopping away. I'm just like, you know. - You're not taking up a lot of space. - No. - You were, you were taking like across the floor. - You're not a Stormagomza. - You can use your body in whatever way you wish as long as it's like within me. - Oh no. - God, this got so hot. It was sad, then it was hot. This is the best podcast ever. - In a sad, hot episode. - Yeah. - Well, honestly, I hope to see your creations on Drag Race. Well, you go back and do more. I feel like you could have me. - I don't know, I told them that I wanted, speaking of a full circle moment, the last thing I did was star booty. The bruise call. And I felt not happy with that one for me. And so I want to, I need a redemption. You need a redemption. You're going to get a redemption. - So we'll see. - By the way, just a close loop on that. They never did make that star booty movie. But it was offered to me that weekend. And then I found out on Monday, nevermind because they wanted to be someone. They wanted to, it was so, they asked me to write it as like an Austin Powers movie. - So fun. - And I did. And then they were go, nevermind. Roo wants to do like it to be more like black exploitation. - Yeah. - And then they go. But he still would love for you to write it. And I was like, I don't think I'm the person. - This. - Yeah. - That would be tricky. - Yeah. - That's now, that was 2019. - Isn't that crazy? - It's sitting somewhere. - She's, someone's working on it. - Yeah, I want to be. - I just said G's Louise. That's how old I am. - Yeah, I said G's Louise. - You do? - Yeah, I mean, he is so exactly as Louise. - She's Louise. - Doesn't matter. - Sing out Louise. - That's who she is. - So it's another break back to gay pride. - No, it should be someone named Louisa's Christ. I think it's Jesus' cousin. - Louisa's Christ. - Louisa. - Louisa. - Jesus' cousin Louisa. - Jesus had a Louie. She just like Mario. Louisa's. - Oh, let's pitch that animated show. - I'm in. - For the. - I have some really fun ideas. - We would rock the Christian cartoon show. - I made. - Okay, so how about this? After "Walked Remembrance," they buried me. I never did one lick of press for "Walked Remembrance," because I was a gay Jew. - And they're. - This one doesn't get applied. - And they. I didn't do any. - That's crazy. - And so they. But when the movie came out and was a success, I got a letter from the head of the Crystal Cathedral. - What's it? - And like, there was in the letter, it had something to do. Thank you for the new voice of Chris Giannady. - I was like, "Girl, girl." This is like when they got a scholarship from the Mormon church in suburban Colorado. - It was. I was looking around going like, "This is comedy." - It's never seen anyone more Christian than you. - You went more Mormon than you. - Me. - Yay. - Yay. - Oh, look at extension. - Well, stop that train is out. June 12th. - It sure is. - It sure is. - I'm in my life with Adam. My first pair of social besties. - Wow. - Oh. - No, I'm really, really grateful for all that you have given me in terms of like, you're just being authentic. and doing what you're doing and having these conversations with people, and it's funny now because I can tell when they're going well now, and when they're not going as well as you want them to be, but it's because I just know. - Wait, I'm actually curious that I'm not going to cut it, but we're not going to respond to what's the time you didn't think it went well, and you can be honest. - Where I felt like, where I felt, it's not that it didn't go well, I'm sorry, it's where you guys felt more tense, less free. - Sure, yeah, go ahead. - I'll have to go back and remember. - No, no, no, no, I will have to go back and remember, because I remember. - How did you think we were with Jennifer? - I thought you were fine. - We ended up having a great time, because we were like, it was like a Sunday, it was like after us and we were, - She is, Jennifer is a big present that she turns into super like a girl. - I thought we immediately got her liking us and on our side, and she had an amazing time, and she even DMed me after. - Great, I mean, no one ever DMed me after. - Right, and she was generally after the mic's rough, she was like, that was so much fun. - Yeah, it's just that it's just that about with Jennifer, there is so much authenticity, but there's also, there's been so much pain and so much stuff and she's very, and it's important that she protects herself. - Of course, I liked listening to you guys talk to Nicole. - That was fun. - I love that. - It was fun, but it felt like very, there was nothing, it's all good. - Yeah. - It's all great, but with John, he's just like an older guy. - Can I tell you though, that was the first episode in a lot in years where I was like, well, I was very, very nervous throughout the entire time. - It did feel like with Nicole Kidman, didn't feel like more, like our other like a-listers, but John wanted, that he's just someone who's so important. - There's just like certain people, like, by the way, I would have the same fucking thing. It's not like, I think it took me a while to get there today. - No. - No, it's like, I don't know what I'm going to say, what are we going to talk about. I'm generally honest. - That's fabulous episodes. - I'm very, I'm generally pretty uncomfortable talking about myself. So it's like, it's the same thing as like watching, I don't tell anything about my personal life ever. So that's why I'm sort of a thing. - We're really happy that you shared that story because I think so many more people have a version of it than people know. It's one of those things that it's just not sexy to talk about. - It's just being a sex worker. - I don't feel like I'm going to have to wear like I'm a poster boy for like conversion there. - No. - Because there was a version for a long time. I couldn't figure out how to tell the story without inditing my parents. - 100%. It took me a lot of realize that that is just another wave of pain that was caused and robbed by the person hitting the harm. Our parents were just collateral damage. - Interestingly enough, I didn't get over that until I actually had a long sit down with my mom. - Recently. - Recently. - Really? - Yeah. - Where I was like, can you tell me exactly what you were doing during this period? Because I've never gotten into what you actually thought was happening. - And your experience. - And your experience of it. - And she was lied to. - And she was very unhappy about that. - Anyway. - Thank you guys. - We love you. - This has been amazing. Stop that train. - This Friday. - And we end every episode with a song. - Oh yeah. - I'll always remember. - It was late afternoon. - Yeah. - It lasted forever. - And it's so soon. - Yeah. - You were run by yourself. - Staring up at a dark grey sky. - I was changed. - In places no one will find. - Oh, you're feeling so deep inside. - Take it. - Deep in. - Yes. - Was there where I realized that forever was in your eyes. - The moment I saw you cry. - Oh yeah. - Damn, that song is so fucking much. - I can't say that. - You can feel it. - You can feel it. - I remember when they shot the video I went to the video shoot. And I was like, what is she? Because it was for Wachter remember. And they had her in that black dress. - Black dress. - Yeah. - And I was like serving. - What is happening? - Well, she went to heaven. - She went to heaven. - And then I was like, well, in heaven, she's like, it's like, she's a slut. - She was a diva goddess slut in heaven. Jamie. - And then I was like. - Okay, we are going to use all this too, by the way. - Bye! - Bye! - Bye! - Bye! - Lost Culturist is the production by Will Ferrell's big money players in my heart radio podcasts. - Created and hosted by Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang. Executive produced by Anna Hosniay and produced by Becker Ramos. Edited by Hot Dog Sandwich. And our music is by Henry Comersky. - You heard it? Now? - See it. - Lost Culturist is now available with video episodes for free on the iHeart app. Watch full episodes from start to finish all on the free iHeart app. Here are the voices you know. Now see the moments you miss. Open the iHeart radio app, search Lost Culturistus, and click watch or tap. - I'm Mungus, your teacher, and I'm back with a new season of my podcast Skyline Drive. This time I talk to scientists, biopunks, cormugins, blues owners, super seniors, and go as top cryotherapy lab to try to understand this obsession with living forever. And what it means for all of us. - That doesn't work. - They say it works. I don't know. - Listen to Skyline Drive, how to live forever on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. - If your bookshelf and your for you page are equally important to your personality, welcome home. Pro Society is a weekly podcast that's part book club, part group chat for anyone who thinks pride and prejudice and love island deserve the same level of discourse. Each week we're connecting the dots between books, the internet, and pop culture. With your favorite writers, book talk creators, and plenty of over thought opinions. - Yeah, I'm obsessed, I'm obsessed. - Listen to pro society on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. - I survived nine months in captivity, and I've spent my life exploring how other people survive what should have destroyed them. Listen to the survivor files with Elizabeth Smart on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. - Hey, this is Hayes Davenport. - And Sean Clements. - We host the podcast, Hollywood Handbook. - We've had a lot of great guests like Sarah Sherman, Adam Scott, Danny McBride, Ben Stillert, and a lot of other big shots that wouldn't be where they are without us. Listen to Hollywood Handbook on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. - This is an iHeart Podcast. Guaranteed Human.