Nick Offerman

Hello everyone. Welcome to another episode of Good Hang. Boy, what a guest we have today. My brother, Nick Offerman, who, as you know, was instrumental in making Parks and Recreation, the hit that it was and played the beloved Ron Swanson. And it's just a wonderful friend, person, actor. We talk about so many good things today. We talk about Parks and Rec getting the job, how it felt to be on a show that meant so much to us. We talk about Cleopatra, how he feels about her and what do you hit that? And we also talk about his book, Little Wood Chucks, his amazing new book that is out now and how he feels deeply about how important it is to make things. So please get ready for Nick Offerman. But before we get to Nick, we always do this thing, right? We talk to somebody who knows Nick. We get a question to ask Nick. And we have the wonderful Aubrey Plaza joining us. Aubrey, April Luddgate, you know where you love her. She's zooming in from New York. Plazzy. This episode is brought to you by Starbucks. With Starbucks, refreshers, concentrate. You can personalize every poor and make it your own, right at home. Just add ice, concentrate, and top it off with your favorite mixer, like water, lemonade, or even coconut milk. For an easy to make, refreshing way to uplift any part of your day with three delicious flavors, strawberry, a sigh, mango, dragon fruit, and lime watermelon. Picking a favorite might be the hardest part. Starbucks refreshers concentrate. Find it in the coffee aisle and make it yours at home. Hello. Hi, Plaz. Hi. Hi. Thank you for doing this. I know you're about to go. I think you're about to go on stage. Oh my God. Have you been sitting there since the last time I did your podcast? Yeah. I'm so sorry. I live here now. Oh my God. And I know you don't have a lot of time, but I felt like there was nobody better to ask a question to Nick Offerman than you. Oh, I know. Well, first of all, you know that we are birth brothers. Yeah, talk about that. Nick and I have the same birthday June 26. The day that the Pied Piper led the children of the rats into the water. Real story folks. And you can feel the Pied Piper energy coming out of both of us. Jason Schwartzman also has a birthday on June 26. So it was Paul Thomas Anderson actually, but he's not in our club yet. But, yeah. So we have this like birthday text message chain, which I almost want to read out because it's so funny because it don't we only write on it on our birthday. And it's always it's always like in medieval talk. It's you and Nick and Jason Schwartzman. Me, Nick and Schwartzman. Yeah. Can you just, can you read just a little bit of it? Okay. Hold on. I got my phone. Okay. This is like sacred territory. Okay. Here's one that Nick wrote. Mighty power. This was a couple of years ago. Mighty powers and health to you. My fellow birthday triplets. Just dance under the moon and delight Gaia for another 12 moons with our dark shapes. And an emoji that I can't don't want to describe. This is another one from Nick. Dear my birthday beauties. It's 9 a.m. on our birthday in New Zealand. And I'm sending you both a massive load of my fulsome. Oh, or sign love. I thought it said urine when I read it on my birthday. But now I'm seeing it. Now I'm seeing it clearly. I thought he said a massive load of my urine. That sounds like it could be him. But Ursine love, which. Oh, or sign love. And I believe his bear like, right? Bear like. Oh, the bear. I wrote back and my load to you, my brother. But it was a different load that I was talking to. That's a little taste. And it is how Nick talks. Do you remember meeting him for the first time? I think it was probably literally on set. I don't remember. I think he scared me, you know, at first. He scared me a lot. Why? In a good way. No, just because I think, no, he was so funny. But I was always like trying to replicate his like behavior on set. Like I'll never forget. I mean, you guys all taught me how to really be on set because I didn't, you know, I didn't really, I'd only done one job. So I didn't know. But like I remember Nick kind of put not put me in my place, but like kind of reminded me of something. I probably told you the story. But like where I was like, you know how when you're on set, you get treat like actors get treated like babies. And it's so such a weird vibe. Like when I haven't worked for a while, and then I go back, I'm like, this is so weird. No wonder why actors get so weird because everyone treats you like a baby. Like you can't do anything. And I remember like I was just sitting in my little chair or something and I wasn't doing anything for a while. And one of the PAs came up and was like, do you need anything? And I was like, uh, sure, I'd take a coffee or something like that. And then Nick was sitting next to me, like reading a book or something and he looked over and he went, don't forget that you couldn't get up and get your own coffee. It's right over there. And I know that sounds kind of like an asshole thing to say, but I didn't take it like that. I was like, you're fucking right. I was like, I don't need that little PA over there to walk over there in my eyesight and form a cup of coffee. I'm like, because you get in that zone on set where you just turn into like a couch potato where you're like, uh, and he reminds it like jolted me. I was like, I'm never going to ask for coffee again. Never. It's, it's so, it's so much and you never have. And anytime anyone brings you coffee, you just throw it in their face. I slap it on the bottom so it goes not only the liquid, but the cup right on their forehead. He's, he's so, um, he is very paternal and he was very paternal on set. Like when Nick was there, he would know his lines and he loved to goof around, but he wanted to get the job done. Like he was daddy energy for sure. Yeah, he was daddy. And, but he really did that. You, you both, though, you both had such a perfect balance of like professionalism and fun. And it was a very, very good for me to witness because it was like, I wanted to, I wanted to be good for him and for you. Like I always wanted to be prepared and, but then also be ready to fuck around. And yeah, I love, I love that about working with Nick. Yeah. Um, and I have to say like the, the April and Ron stuff started early. I think it was season one when you two started doing stuff together. Mm-hmm. And it was really helpful for both of your characters. It was so helpful. I think you, I'm trying to remember, I've won memory of like that, remember that episode when we were like in the grocery store or something. I think that was one of those early on ones. I, I'm thinking I think there was an episode in season one when he hurt his neck. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Right. And he stuck in the chair. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And then I like go, I like go into his, I like stand in his office. And I'm like, I'm like kind of his assistant that day or something. Yeah. And we, we barely say like anything to each other. Yeah. We just like stare at each other. And then like, it's almost like we're telepath, we were telepathic. Yeah. Both of you are very good at saying little and talking slowly. And it's funny that he uses the word earth sign because he really is like, one could classify him as a bear. He is a bear. He is a bear. And he's a, he's a man in a very, you know, you don't find a lot of like men who can build things. I mean, in this profession. But I actually, I wonder if, if he, if that's a lie. I don't think he can. I don't think he's actually doing it. It's so weird. I've never actually seen him build anything. You ever seen him with a hammer? I haven't. Nope. And I've seen where he does it. But there's other people in there. So true. And he comes in and says I made this canoe. And it's like, when? Yeah. When? Yeah. When exactly. What question do you think I should ask him? What does it feel like when you jerk off to every episode of Parks and Rec when you're watching? Let's get a real question. I can actually ask him. All right. Okay. Two questions. Okay. One, have you ever seen a ghost? Hmm. I want to hear like, if he has any like other realm stories. Ooh, interesting. I don't know where he would land on that in the, on the woo woo scale of being open to neither me neither. Like for real, I want to ask him. Yeah. Like do you believe, do you believe in ghosts? Like do you believe in that? Do you have, do you have a good story? And do you believe in hell? No. Don't ask him that. I won't believe me. I won't. Okay. Okay. How about do you remember? good time we had working. Sorry, sorry, you're right. No, you're right, you're right. I just immediately want to know, like, if you had a hot one person in the afterlife, who would it be? And also, how just get started and show this, I don't know, or am I, is this anything? Yeah, these are good, these are good. Okay, here's my real question. Okay. If Bill and Ted's excellent adventure happened to you in real life, what time period would you go to and who would you fight? Perfect. You know, he's going to have some perfect, perfect question. Okay, good. That's perfect. Who would you fight? Would you take me with you? Yes, you want to know you want to. I mean, I have to say, you guys were like a strong duo for a million reasons, but both you and Nick have a fortitude, like a way where you could face, you, you guys are very emotionally and physically strong. Like, you know, you and Nick were the only two cast members to play on the parks and rec softball team. That's right. Still got my uniform. All right. Well, we got our question. I don't want to keep you okay with time. All right. I'm not okay with time. Okay. Actually, but why do you want to do something up? No, when you tell me you only 15 minutes. Okay. I'm out. Baby, I'm out. Watch me in less than an hour. I'm going to be on that stage ripping apart. What do you have to do between now and the show? I am interested before I let you go. What's your routine? I'm literally supposed to be there in like 20 minutes. I'm going to get a shower. I'm discussing right now. Oh, you're at home. Okay, you're not in the theater. We're okay. I didn't time my day out very well. Okay. Okay. I can actually do anything. Yeah. If I really put my mind to it, it's going to be a nightmare getting a cab. This is what I literally am going to do. Yeah. Get a shower in like the in like two minutes. I believe in you. Then I'm going to run to six Avenue. And I literally mean it. I'm going to run. It's rush hour. And I'm going to hail a cab. And that cab's going to fly me up there. And it's going to be exhilarating. And then I'm just going to I just hope I won't you know. But I can get my self-incharacter in time. I'll start in the cab. I'm going to let you go right now. Co-dependently, I'm worried about you. And, um, okay. Thank you, Pawsie. Love you, miss you. Love you. Love you and love Nick. Yeah. Okay. Okay. All right. I hope you get out of there sometimes. Okay. Okay. Drink water. Okay. This episode is brought to you by Visible. Let's be honest, wireless can feel like a world of traps, expensive bills, hidden fees, and promises that just don't hold up. You start to feel stuck. Don't fall for the trap. Escape to Visible, the ultimate wireless hack. Get unlimited data and hotspot powered by Verizon. One line, all for just $25 a month. Taxes and fees included. You heard that right, just $25 a month. Get great coverage and a reliable connection with Visible. Switch today at Visible.com and start saving on wireless. Terms apply. See Visible.com for plan features and network management details. Hold on. Sit down on the mic. Get on the mic. So I can. Oh my God. Nick. Okay. Listeners. Nick has brought me a bag of treats. Well, God, I love what do we got? What do we talk about making things? Yes, which we will. Um, this, this is the first project in my book is a slapstick. Little wood chucks. Because, and I thought you would appreciate this. Um, when Lee and I, do you remember Lee by the course? Yeah. Um, we've had so much fun. We go on tour and Lee does what she makes one of these on stage with a bench while I sing and I'm a jackass. And when we were picked, when we were figuring out the projects for the book, I said, look, I'm any kid that you go in the woods with and you're like, let's find a good stick. Let's, let's make something. A good percentage of kids are going to be like, this is a sword or a gun or like this is an implement of violence. Let's make war or whatever. Yeah. It's, we do, you know, I hate that about us, but we have it. So I said, we have to have a weapon in the book, but I have a comedy weapon, the slapstick. May I see. Yeah. So for those that don't know, the word slapstick came from this. And this says butt joint on it, which is a type of wood joint. It's not something prudent. You know, I've never used a slapstick. I'm many have intimate. I had never heard of one. It's from like comedian Del Arte or punch and Judy shows use them. And it's in the great, the great thing is you can pretend to hit people. And it, and it makes a noise. And you know, and so you make a reaction. Yes. And you have comedy. You can do spanking. You can do fake spankings. I want to talk about your book and all the stuff you're making it. And what would be for, well, hold on. You also brought a water bottle. Yeah. Sorry. Is that your offerman, which have water bottles? Yeah. But that, you know, I have that too. I have one of those. I just got rid of the one you gave me that huge one from making it. Yeah. I finally wore it out like a month ago. And I replaced it. Are you big? We're going to get into a lot of stuff today. But how much water do you drink a day? Generally, I've been doing a lot of working out because I did a job where I had to work out. Right. Not a, not a huge deal. Um, I got, well, I got super jacked for how much can you lift? What do you lift in these days? Two, I lift, uh, uh, uh, cyber trucks. I do two cyber trucks. Go up to them and lift them up. And then I put people in them. But I got crazy. And then I did actual wrestling. Oh my god. There's so many places to go from what you just told me because number one, I've wrestled with you in a small way on set. And you're very strong. Thank you. You have the body, like you have the carriage of someone who I feel like would be good at wrestling. Did you wrestle when you're in high school? I tried. My uncle was a wrestler. And I tried wrestling. And quite honestly, my dad was a, was great at basketball and baseball. Yeah. So I went out for wrestling, uh, one year. It was like nothing. How come? It was really hard. Yeah. It's so hard. And I wasn't, I wasn't great. Um, I was, uh, I didn't, I didn't have the fire to, to like, uh, to overcome to the vision quest, if you will. Yeah, exactly. And then your 50s though, when you have to get buffed, that's hard. I was unable to approach the lunatic friend. Um, but I've always loved being an athlete. Yeah. Uh, and so, um, I've always maintained an athleticism. But, uh, it was actually pretty fun. I worked with this great trainer, named Grant Roberts, who does this. Yeah. And he's super good at it. And it actually is only four times a week, one hour each. And there was nothing crazy. A bunch of protein. But remember when Pratt was doing, um, Guardians, like he had to eat crazy amounts of food all the time. Yeah. The good thing is I'm a former pro wrestler. You're character. There's, there's no like shower scene, well, where I'm like, langerously, you know, showing my Chris Pratt abs. Right. Uh, in fact, it's in my contract with that language. Um, I'm glad we're talking about sports because I kind of want to start with young Nick Offerman today in high school in Manuka, Illinois. It's like athletic kid in the drama club. Well, and I'm not saying that those two things don't go together. It's just in the 80s. Like, what was it like being a drama kid and a sports kid? The thing is I, there wasn't a lot of culture. And when I say this, I love my town and like, and my family, but like there wasn't, um, there wasn't a lot of counter culture or, uh, so, so like we had the Beatles, but only their first three records, you know, like when I got to college and they were like, check out the white album. What? I already loved. Please, please me. Um, and so there, like the, the drama, the drama kids weren't fully drama kids and the jocks weren't fully jobs, because I think the school and town were small enough. And there just wasn't a lot to do. I, I was definitely a polymath and I think it was just because I, I didn't, I hadn't figured out what I was going to do. Yeah. And so I was just kind of trying everything. Do you remember what made you try out for your first play? Like, like, you know, I definitely, there's a famous in my family. There's a famous, uh, like, uh, super eight movie from our fishing cabin when I was like 11 and, and it was, when you go to the Cubs game and you get a free jersey, three quarter length, like white body, blue sleeves, Cubs, and on the back was a Kebler Elf, uh, tree and the Kebler Elf sponsored the jersey. And, uh, I'm in that jersey and, and the camera's going around every family member and they're all like ducking away from the camera. And it gets to me. I'm literally going, like, just pointing at myself and making faces. Like, you have fun. If you have a camera, you, you found the right. Isn't that funny that like, you can see that sometimes in people where they're like, even just your reflection in a, in, in like, the store window or a mirror, like I used to do come commercials on my bathroom sink in the mirror to myself. Just like one day, I'm going to someone's going to be looking at my face. I mean, Megan had my champion wife, Megan Maloney, had the wherewithal, she knew, like when she was a kid, she would sit in her room and do Barbara Streisand records into a hairbrush to the point where she could now perfectly, she's like a Broadway star because she did that. I didn't have any, like I knew I wanted to entertain and I knew that I loved Jim Ignatowski, Christopher Lloyd's character on Taxi, where I was like, that guy's so weird and like scary, but he's super funny. I feel like that's somehow, that's what I'm drawn to, but I had no, it wasn't until late and when I was trying to figure out where to go to college, that I was like, oh, you can, I can try and do acting as a job. And you know, very early on in your career, in my career, we meet in Chicago and we're both kind of in Chicago in the early 90s trying stuff, just like, you know, trying to get hired. But how do you get to Chicago from, like, how do you move there? I had this crazy moment where I was, I took my girlfriend who was a year older than me to audition at the University of Illinois for their dance department. And to this day, it's so miraculous, I must have been loitering in the hallway because these two theater students who I then came to know, I don't remember how it started. I wish I had a film of this. They were, somehow it was like, hey kid, why are you loitering in the hallway of the theater facility. And somehow we, we struck up a conversation and they said there were theater students and I said, what does that mean? And they said, you can study acting. And I was like, you got to be fucking kidding me, like, because I told my guidance counselor at school that I want to be an actor and he was like, that's not available. You can't do that. Wow. And then I said, I want to be a musician and then he was like, come on. What are you going to do with that? That would be really interesting to dig into this guy's forgotten dreams. For sure. So I'm like, there was a lot going on with him, but they had told me you can't be an actor. But then I met these students that were like, we're going to the universe, like this great state school. They have a conservatory program. And I said, okay, so you become an actor then what? And they said, you can get paid to do plays in Chicago. And I was like, I took them by the lapels of their coat and was like, are you fucking kidding me? They told me you can't do that. I heard no one makes any money. I did. I had no idea. I just wanted to say I relate because I didn't know anyone who was an actor growing up. And although I wasn't discouraged in that way, it just didn't seem like a job. It was like, what do you mean, like being an actor, like it just seemed like that's stupid. And so we meet in the early 90s in the attic of a house. That's right. All I remember is that you always love to punch me in the arm. Yeah. I have a thing about it. It's a compliment. Big time. It is, it's a love tap, really. But you know, I think, you know, and again, I might, this might be revisionist history. But I remember when we met, I, you felt very familiar to me, even though, you know, we hadn't, we didn't know each other, even though at the time you were in kind of in deep character for a play. Oh, right. It was, that's right, because it was during clockwork orange at Steppenwolf and I was writing a big motorcycle, and I had a shaved head, I was experimenting with what Nick was going to turn out to be like, I had a shaved head, but I kept the front inch of my hair down into a full beard, and I died at different manic panic, like punk colors. Right. So it looked really scary. Really scary. And it is the thing about you that's so great to your, to the gimmick to tell you of it all, which is like, you are able to look scary, but you're not, I'm not a scary person at all. Which, which I've learned to appreciate. There was a time when I'd be like, shut up, I'd pull my knife out of you if you said that. Yeah. Yeah. And then I'd apologize. Yeah. I mean, I remember talking to you, I guess punching you in the arm, I remember talking about the play that you were in. I remember that company and, you know, at the time in Chicago, there were like different ways into the same creative experience. And I feel like they are kind of a big soup now, but at the time, it was very important that like serious theater and then improv and sketch and they were like, never the twain shell meat. I tell you something, I, so this is like early to mid 90s. I was so ignorant, even then, that if I had, I had no idea that, like I was a big fan of SNL as a kid, if I had any idea that there was a pipeline to, you know what I mean? That you guys, even could get an audition or anything, I had no idea. In fact, I remember just thinking like, you guys, so you guys make stuff up in a bar. Like what? We're performing works of literature. Yeah. Believe me. We felt that vibe. And we were like, yeah, we know it's, we have some notes three hours long. Yeah. I have to say, if I may, just digress, you have some of the best posture. Wow. Thank you. Of any friend of mine. And it feels like that. Thanks a lot. And that feels like it comes from a core training, like a, you have great posture. I mean, I, um, thank you. I, I, it's something that I do have to think about, especially after our show, everything I got offered was like somehow overweight, uh, barbeque master. And it's all these guys in their tidy whiteies in the mirror crying. And the first couple of us like, this is interesting. And then I realized, oh, I need to, I need to stay in shape, uh-huh, so that I can get a variety. It's interesting. Well, you're, you love to transform your body. I do. You are, you come from a physical body place with a lot of your characters. And, and, and I do feel like it's, you know, so Ron Swanson on Parks and Recreation had a physicality to him that felt like you understood really early on, um, and played with. And you talked about it a lot. It's really interesting to me. But before we get to that, cause I do want to talk about that, let's just talk about you getting that part. I know you've spoken about it a lot, but I think the physicality was part of the part was like what you understood really fast about him, cause you're right. If you, in the wrong hands, he's a, he's a total clown. Sure. Um, sorry, I'm, I'm being a little moved by, uh, we, we've never talked about our show. I, and I also haven't seen our show. Wait, are you crying? No, I'm not crying. I thought you were going to cry. I was thinking about this pork dish. We haven't talked about our show. No, we haven't. And that, and it's, I mean, we've talked about it with each other all the time. Sure. But, but not in this, but, you know, not publicly. I mean, where do we even start? People totally like it. I just, I just came here from a, a, a book tour in the UK. Yeah. And guess, guess how I close every show, I play 5,000 candles and I had the, these incredible, these two sisters and then flow and john opening for me. You would look, they're these super funny sisters who do funny songs. And I mean, the, when you say, I'm in a crowd, a theater of 2,000 people. And you just say, parts of recreation or Ron Swanson, the, the roof flies off the place. I know. And you're just like, you guys, that was a long time. That was a long, you know, my son just turned 17, which is when we started the show 17 years ago. Holy cow. And I know. Think about that. And the fact that there's still people are still dressing up for Ron Swanson at Halloween. And people said that you got us through the pandemic. And people are saying, my kids just starting it. And like it's, it's unbelievable. I don't, I mean, I know we knew, I got to say, and I, I think I can speak for us both. We were old enough. And I don't know, maybe a little, like we knew what we had at the time, you and me. We really did. And we tried to enjoy every minute of it. But like, Ron Swanson is, would be in the hall, is in the hall of fame of characters. I mean, he is, he is this person that people feel, what is it like? Almost 20 years later, interacting with that kind of work, like, how do people interact with you? It's interesting. I mean, mostly, first of all, I'm so stupidly grateful, like, from stupid to nuts. And also people are so nice to me and respectful, I think of Ron, like people approach me with a death parents, and also a little fear. Yeah. So they are really polite to me, where I usually have to say, please call me Nick or, you know, because they're shaking and they're scared. Mr. Swanson, if I may, may I approach Mr., may I approach the bench? They do. Yeah. And so I'm, for all of that, I'm, I'm super grateful. It's certainly weird too. There are thorns on the rose or, or, or pits in the peach of like, Ron's politics, or, or Ron's, what Ron represented sort of as a paradigm. people with poor reading comprehension. were like, "Oh, he's a shotgun guy." Like finally, so they mistook Ron for sort of things they wanted to represent in themselves. - Yeah. - And usually it was something old fashioned or right wing-ish, like misogynistic or violent or anything like that. And so that's been weird too, where people love the character. And I've even had people argue with me on a line, where they'll say something about, like they'll say, "Ron definitely would have voted for this jerk." And I'll be like, "Hang on, hang on, one second." And I'll call Mike, "Sure, the main creator and writer," and say, "This somebody said this, dude." And he would give me a pair, oh, he would whip out a perfect paragraph of that's hilarious, but also why Ron. For example, anybody that went from the world of business to the world of politics, Ron would think was a fool, 'cause Ron's like, "What are you doing?" You were a capitalist. And so then I would, you know, this is back when I used to participate. When social media wasn't just a cesspool. - Yeah. - But I would go back and say, "Mike, here's what Mike sure says." - And they'd say, "Nope." - They would say, "No, you guys don't know. You guys don't know shit about Ron's wantson." And I was like, "Well, I'm just gonna leave it up there." - Yeah. - I thought I did, but I guess you got me on that one. - Did people come up to you and say, "People call me Ron's wantson?" - Yeah. - I get that a lot with Leslie No. People say I'm like Leslie Noep. And usually that means like to your point, it can mean a bunch of different things. It can mean I work hard and I'm fighting the good fight. It can mean I kind of drive everybody crazy. And I talk too much. And I'm like, you know, like it can mean a million things. - Yeah. - I mean, I feel like when I think of Leslie Noep, I think of her abuliance the most. Like that sometimes, and sometimes when people are like that, it's a very heroic characteristic, but it can be too much. - Yeah. - Because you're like, "Okay, like I'm doing what you asked me to do." And when people say that to me about Ron's wantson, it's like, it usually means they're taciturn. Like, and they're like, you know, like I imagine a husband in the grocery store carrying like 112 pounds of stuff. And his wife's like, "Let's just get a cart." He's like, "No, I got this. I got it. Just keep going." And so being too stubborn or like relying too much on. - I could just remember us doing scenes together. And I would have a hundred words to your one. And I would just circle around you in that office. Just like, and you would just sit and watch me. And it was like old archetypes of like the, you know, different animals, two different animals in the same room, basically. And that was so fun as playing those energies. And then as we got more comfortable, like flipping those energies and having fun with those energies. But like those early days of just being able to just kind of come in and buzz around while you stood your ground was so fun. - That was really fun game. And just picturing that, you describing it and me picturing it. (laughing) - There's a giggle. - I love Sean Amalway Tweep on Becam, on a scooty scooter. - Yeah. - And she, we would always make her laugh and she would slam into the game. (laughing) - Yeah, the camera operators were in the room with us a lot. And they were part of the family for sure. And we would make them laugh. And you talk pretty, you don't talk as slow, you don't talk differently than Ron, but you talk pretty slow. - I'm the slowest talking, like-- - How do you do that? - I don't know, anything that I see myself in. (laughing) Even now, I'm like, pick it up, man. Like, what is your deal? - Oh my God, I'm the exact opposite. I'm like, babe, take a breath. (laughing) And now that I have a podcast, I hear myself and I'm like, (laughing) I'm like, whoa. It's weird to, especially when people enjoy, when people like, praise some acting work. And I'll, and you know, I have to watch everything, like watching your baseball swing to make, you know, see what's working. And every time I speak my dialogue, I feel like, I feel like I can do an impression of you. Can you do an impression of me? - I would never want to. - Really? I'm gonna do you right now, to your face. - I don't have it in me. - Well, I have it in me. (laughing) (clapping) - When you were playing Ron on the show, what did you do, like, what were some like, ways to get into that character? Like, was it wardrobe, was it the mustache, was it? - I mean, it's funny, Megan, we've been together for 25 years. And only about five years ago, God bless her. I mean, you've seen the crazy ways, I never get cast as like, good looking people. So I get cast as, I'm like, okay, great. I'm gonna shave the top of my head off, and have like, Larry from the Three Stooges hair. And Megan's like, there was one time I was doing a play, and she wouldn't let me get in bed. (laughing) 'Cause I looked so upsetting. And I slept on the couch for two nights before I figured out I could put on a stock head cap. And then I got in, but she, five years ago, she finally said, you know what? I really don't like your facial hair. (laughing) - Oh my God, bless her heart! - I know, after two or one years of it, she said, I mean, I think she has liked it at times, but it's a practical thing where she said, it's a mouthful of fizzles like. - Yeah, some, yeah. - We're getting into it. - And I was like, well, when you put it that way, it is like a bristle brush. It's like the kind of brush that people, farmers have to get the mud off your work boots. - Yeah. - It's a really stiff bristle. - And if you have sensitive skin at all and you have a make-out sash, you can just be totally red faced. - Right, yeah. - And so, and so, now we negotiate. So, I've got some work, and so I'm maintaining a mustache for the moment. But in a couple of weeks, I'll be shaving it. - Yeah. - And something I've noticed is my talking changes. When I have the mustache, I call it my constipate of rictus. It's like a sort of invisible clamp comes over me. And things become more stentorian and more like Sam the Eagle from the Muppets. Like where, I can feel my brown more. And when I shave, I look 15 years younger, and I just become boyish, where I'm just like. - Okay, guys. - Yeah, what's up? - But do you give free mustache rides until you shave your mustache? - I don't. - I've, you've always charged for mustache rides. - For sure, yeah. - And I've always thought that was rude. So we do this thing where we talk to someone who knows our guests to get a question from them. So we talk to Aubrey. - Oh Jesus. (audience laughs) - I know. And there's nothing we can use. It's barely usable. - Born on the same day. - She speaks of that. And she might read us a little bit of some text that you guys had back and forth. Nothing bad, nothing bad. You guys share a birthday. And I feel like there was, you know, there's so many people that talk about on the show obviously that we worked with and we love. But Ron and April's relationship to me, especially in the rewatch is very special. - Most of the podcast so far, I'm willfully not crying, by the way. - Yeah. - Like I know that you would like some crying. - I don't, I don't care either way. (audience laughs) - Like if you just say Ron and April. - I know. - I'm in trouble. - Ron and April. - I mean, I have a lot of love for all of this subject matter. (laughs) - I mean, that's my fucking shit. - Wait, I have tissues. (laughs) - To hold it with the slapstick. - Look, I have good hang tissues. - All of your group. - I'll just keep them here, just in case. - All right. (laughs) - You were saying it's a run, I forgot. - No, but Ron and April, because, because if we're gonna extend the mommy daddy metaphor, definitely Aubrey/April was our daughter on that show. And we, both of our characters kind of helped raise her and loved doing it. And by doing it like any good parent, you learn something about yourself by doing it, like, you know, Leslie learned that like her kind of pushy ambition, it needs to be replaced with like a gentle listening as to what people want and need from her. And Ron learned what? Ron didn't learn that. (laughs) Ron learned what rap music was. (laughs) - Yeah, yeah. What, but I mean, what was it like doing scenes with Aubrey? - I mean, it was, it was so fun because she, you know, she could, she could meet me in my own game. She took my, 'cause, One of the things, one of the formative things when we started the show was, I said to the guys, I mean, I just couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe that they created a part for me. Like, I was so aware that if someone had said to me, write your dream part. I would have written something so much stupider because I'm not my shirt, you know? Like, I would have been like, okay, he's got a fucking, he's got a motorcycle. And he always wears T-Shirt with no sleeves. Like, it would have been like some 12-year-olds version of like, he's like David Lee Roth. And it would have been very superficial. And in my final audition with you, which I, you know, I had to audition for five months to get the job. - Wow, I didn't know is that long? - Yeah, it started with, it started with Adam and I were brought in to read for a role named Josh. - Right. - And it was, it was chemistry reads with Rashida. - Right. - And, you know, if you're going in to read a chemistry for a TV show, guess who you don't want to walk in the fucking door, Adam. - Adam Scott, fucking chemistry. - This guy, fucking charisma. Believe me, I had to do scenes with him. I was like, this guy. - I'm his, I'm like, his plumber if I'm lucky. And, - Gorgeous, both of you have gorgeous hair though. - Yeah, but they were, and people should know this is your hair. - It is, but they also photographed the fleshy parts. But so, so that was crazy and that didn't work and somehow Mike and Greg also were stuck on me. Thank God, I mean, they called my agent and said, it's not going to happen. If you can imagine, we're not going to cast you with someone who Rashida has to kiss. If you're going to wrap your head around that. But we really want you on the show and there's this part of Amy's boss that should have really been like 20 years old. - Yeah, yeah, I think they were thinking a lot old during the beginning, yeah. - But, and I was, and I was like, I don't, great, whatever. And so then they had me come in and they read every guy in the world. So then finally, the net got as wide as possible than a narrow, narrowed, narrowed. And they brought me in one more time for like, and Mike said, okay, we're looking at like eight guys. And then you came to town and Mike said, all right, we're going to have you come in and read with Amy. And this is it, this is going to be it. And it was one of those things, this happened to me a lot where I got the job and it blew my mind. - Also, you cried, we called you and you cried. - Oh, I sobbed my eyes out. I mean, I said to Mike, I'm going to, I was like, I'm going to, I said, I'm going to openly sob, but I want to stay on the phone. (laughing) I was 38 years old, like I had been through a lot of experiences where I almost got a life-changing job. And this one was so much better than any of them had been. - Before we get off of parks, I do want to talk about the other stuff that you have done and are doing. Favorite episode. I know it's hard to pick, but just like to know pick one. Don't overthink it. - I have two answers in there, and it's funny, but one is called Ron and Tammy, and one is called Leslie and Ron, I believe. But I mean, you know, Megan is just the most wickedly funny person I've ever met. And getting to, again, the alchemy of what Mike and the writers came up with for her to do, you know, the two of us banding together against this evil librarian slapping her face with like a big cock of beef jerky. Like, we're just like, Mike knew that, you know? He was like, do you think Megan would? - I still have people come up and go, you really got the library, right? Those people over there, I'm like, what? The people that run the library are like, Tammy? That's insane. - That's so funny. - But they, they, they, they, they, they, yeah. But then the, you know, the entire series paying off in this episode that was such a gift that was like this crazy one-act play. - Yeah. - Um, oh God. - I don't hear it come. - Ugh! - I love that episode so much. And it was so like senior, our senior year. - That was totally amazing. - It was like senior year we got to be in that, we got a whole week together in that room. That whole thing that they did with, uh, where, where, you know, Ron, that, that whole story, I go into that last season was so gorgeous because they laid so much pipe for Ron to like swallow his pride and come to ask you for a job and, and then the way it all went down. That was possibly the greatest thing about the show. For me was the history of, of me and Tammy bred so much hilarity, but then what developed between Ron and Leslie was, was the first time in my life that, you know, that I was counted on by a show to, you know, to carry some emotional weight. - Yeah, and it was, and also I think just like a great example of like the different kinds of love. I mean, we really lionized romantic love and we'd make a lot of art about it, but there's so many different ways to love. - Yeah. - And love, platonic love and friendship and the idea of like being there for each other and being, going through things with each other and like mentor, mentee, and then equals, and then, and just, and also just the idea, if we're to really widen out that people don't have to agree to treat each other with respect. - Totally. - Remember that? - Yep. - Okay, speaking of beautiful roles, Nick, the last of us, oh my God, let's both get a tissue. That was so good, Nick. - Well, thank you. - That was so beautiful. I mean, I remember texting you right after and congrats on winning the Emmy. - Yeah, crazy. - I mean, it was so, how did you get that part? - Well, I wrote a joke about this. They needed a guy who could use a shovel and there were only three of us in Hollywood. (laughing) Harrison Ford passed and Jane Lynch was not available. (laughing) I, Craig Mason, who wrote that, I mean, that everyone knew when you read that script, you were like, this is going to, if we don't fuck this up, this is going to win awards or whatever. For many years, my godson had a little league team and I sponsored it. It was the offerman wood shop, little league team, and Craig was one of my little league dads. So I was just friends with him from a pretty wholesome place and we had expressed some mutual affection for each other's work over the years, but he got ahold of me and was like, I'm sending you something and you have to do it. And I read it and it was funny 'cause Megan and I had just had a talk about that I still to this day, my vice is that I overload my calendar with fun. - I have seen that in real time. We worked on making it together, really fun show together. You would tell me your year and I would think, this too shall not, this isn't going to hold. Too many things. - The problem is, I'd love it. It's all, but that's my vice, that's my problem. And Megan and I had just had a talk about where I was like, okay, I'm gonna take a break. - I'm gonna do less. And this thing came in and they needed me in Calgary for a month and I didn't have the month. - Yeah. - And so, but I read the, so I had Megan read the script and she was like, guess what, buddy, you're going to Calgary. - Okay, I mentioned it. We made a really fun show called Making It about makers and like the process of making it. You have little wood checks, the book that's all about like your guide to tools and tom foolery. But it is, the idea of making things has always been very important to you. You've spoken about it a lot. The spirituality of it, like how important it is for your life, your peace of mind. You work primarily with wood but all different types of material. Why are you writing, and you've written many, many books, this book is for little people. Why is, how do you get little people, young people, to get interested in making things? And why is it important for them to do that? - I just took my mom and dad on this book tour with me in the UK and we were just talking about how, they brought me and my siblings up in a house where it wasn't talked about. They just taught us all to sustain the family. Like part of the family was we make things together, whether it's a meal or if we are mending our clothing or making firewood, building out buildings, we've gardened and woodworking is a great way to think about what's this made of. And that it's true of everything. Who's making this, who made this car, who made these shoes, who made this pie? Are they having a good time? - Yeah. - Are they being cool with our resources, the way they're making this car? Or, you know. - Yeah, beautiful. - You can feel it in here. It's awesome. So I love it. - Thank you. People are responding really well to it. Because all of us, I'm a kid who looks at me. a screen too much like we all understand that and making things with each other whether it's your family or your neighbors or your co-stars is a great way to not look at a screen and still have a delightful life. Can I show you a prop? Yes, of course. The thing sitting in my shop is so I want to make a guitar because I tour and I do songs and I thought if I do that with a guitar I made amazing. I'm done. I can just do that for the rest of my life. The guitars are daunting so I started with a ukulele. So this is a mahogany ukulele and I've got 12 of them sitting in my shop that are just the bodies and the necks waiting to be put together. This is beautiful. So I think probably instruments and boats. Can you play the ukulele? You play something else? Let's see if it's in tune. Shall I turn my ukulele song? Yes please. The show from my wife whom I'd like to stay the husband of. I love beer and whiskey perhaps a bit too much given the chance I'd fall off a bar stool daily to keep me out of the pub and also out of the dutch I make things like the soprano ukulele. Give me one more first. Everywhere I go people staring at a phone sitting in a crowded room completely alone it gives me more willies in the twilight zone or brains I hooked on that shit like a dog on a bone put down your gadget and look me in the eye so our interaction can proceed more galley silence your tablet then ejaculate a sigh to the sweetly strumming sounds of ukulele oh Nick how is so good there's there's more but that felt like enough now you're gonna get me going now you're gonna get my water works going okay we're gonna end our interview today with a speed round and you don't you got the wrong guy for a speed round I should just do one snap or two snaps all I'm allowed but you mentioned hot takes and people having hot takes and how we don't really need hot takes I want your hot takes on history and philosophy okay because I know you love history you love philosophy I'm gonna try lightning round today but I'm gonna only ask you questions about history and philosophy okay I'll try to go fast but it's it's pretty pretty daunting okay I know well don't worry it won't be hard Aristotle smart or weird smart Kierkegaard used different pseudonyms to debate it what would be a pseudonym you would use to debate oh um pilotus Freud yes or no no I say no too okay um true or false the unexamined life is not worth living uh true I think therefore I am true or false false you cannot step twice into the same river oh true that's a that's a huge one that's that's on my some my up on my board is it oh yeah it's it's something that that occurs to me a lot um you know there's nothing you can never recapture especially in our business you know if if if we ever had caused to do some sort of reboot or something of parts in wreck yeah it would it's not the same river different river yeah can't step twice into the same river no I'm a Joker I'm a smoker I'm a midnight toker true now we're moving on to history okay what was the coolest thing Egyptians invented man uh in your opinion this is a guess because I don't I'm not sure if that was Egyptians I was going to say irrigation yeah I think so but yeah they did if people disagree with that they're wrong Cleopatra smash or pass pass the Vikings got to America before that shit is tired yeah the Vikings got to America before Columbus why doesn't anyone talk about that um because uh because the Vikings did not have good PR Columbus had a great fresh wrap Columbus didn't even set foot on the mainland he like hit an island um okay and now we get to Aubrey's question for you so Aubrey had she had a few questions her first one was do you believe in ghosts okay uh no but but I don't disagree I when people do I believe them uh well said do you uh do you believe in hell no um and if you could go back in a bill and Ted kind of way where you could basically you could get zap back to any point in history and um it sounds like a good movie and she's never seen Bill and Ted I missed a lot oh my god fun that's a great one well anyway they zap back in like a time machine um right and a bill and yeah and they go back and they're just bill and Ted and different and they're just two dummies it's like dumb and dumb or in a time machine totally um and um they so what if you could zap back in a time machine to any era who where would you go who would you fight and would you take Aubrey with you oh man um yeah if taking Aubrey is an option of course and weapons are involved by all means um I uh I suppose I would go uh to the Roman Empire and I knew it and I would have Aubrey fight them with her wiles and uh I would discover Cumberland sausage and take over the British Isles and become king Cumberland sausage got made people king in my hands in this narrative you'd be the sausage king you gotta damn right yeah guys we guys we could do this or follow me you could try this sausage have you heard of caraway seed come with me um why do you love history so much um I don't uh do you I do I'm I'm I mean I think because I'm fascinated with what assholes we are you know yeah yeah but also what incredible creatures we are like it's when you look at my own anybody's the foibles of your own life and you look at like I don't know a lot of what's going on in our in our world right now it's astonishing that the lights are on like it's pretty crazy yeah that a civilization has even lasted this long do you believe in aliens I'm agnostic about all that I it seems like there is probably life in the universe yeah but until I get to shake hands with them or uh I don't mean to be racist whatever their appendages yeah yeah um you know all of all of those things I think I think there's a lot we will never know as humans and I like dwelling in that so if there are ghosts or spirits I don't I don't I don't think hell exists because that's a fiction written in a book by people um but uh that that sensibility whatever the afterlife is um I I don't think anyone will ever know what it is and so if some people are like the I speak to spirits or whatever I have I have no cause to disagree with that yeah they just have never talked to me that's a very wrong swanson answer actually it's a very libertarian answer basically which is like to each his own yeah yeah everyone should be allowed you know they're they're on trip and to to like what they like um and last question Nick what are you watching listening where do you go right now to laugh where do we're right there are two shows uh because I feel like it comes up a lot that there's not a lot of great it's not a great time for comedy on television um the the big hits like hacks and the studio those are the make us laugh quite a bit but there are two that we've really loved that I that are more obscure that I would love to your listeners to know about one's Australian and it's called Colin from accounts yes excellent show funny and also so heartwarming yes really moves me then there's one in England called I think it's called such brave girls do you know that show I do very well cat cat saddler. And and I think the credits the opening credits that are the words spelled out in pubic hair on a tile floor on a bathroom floor and that's it's a great example of the the tone of the show. Yes. It's so delightfully filthy and so funny. That is a great show. That's a hilarious show and those ladies are great. There's a lot of good stuff out there. You just gotta find it. Nick, did we cover everything? I think we did. I think so. Yeah. You know, did we weigh in on Aristotle? Yeah, we did. And you said pass on Cleopatra. You're not going to smash it. Come on. I love you. I'm not I'm like a step in that river twice. I mean, you came all the way from England. You just landed. Thanks buddy for doing this. I know. Imagine how fast I would talk if I hadn't just gotten off a plane. Should we just try to do this like every month? Totally. I love you. I love you. Thank you. And I can't wait to make something else with you soon someday. Amen. Yeah. That would be awesome. But thanks for doing this and making this. And thank you for my slapstick. Or is it is it mine? If you would like it. Oh, no. This is the one you travel with. By all me. It says it says but on it. It does say but joined on it. It scares me a little bit. Thank you so much, Nick Offerman, for being here today. I love you and it's always good to spend time with you. And for this polar plunge, I'd do want to just highlight something I didn't get a chance to talk to Nick about which is you know, we spoke a little bit about the physicality of Ron Swanson and how important it was for him to figure out that character. But do yourself a favor when you're watching Parks and Recreation. Take a look at how Ron runs. It's one of my favorite things about Nick is Ron Swanson runs in a very specific way. And sometimes he wipes out how he wipes out. It's beautiful. It's like stunt level wipeout. But I can't explain it other than to say just gives me total delight. The choice Nick made to run the way Ron runs. And I'm I'm gesticulating for those listening so you can't see. But it's just so funny. The tucked-in shirt, the way Nick sits when he plays Ron Swanson, the way he stares, all that stuff is just like a masterclass, I think, in comedic acting and probably you know what a trained actor learns. And I wouldn't know. But anyway, look, he's that he's a genius at work, watching Nick work. And so happy he could join us. Thank you for listening to Good Hang. And we'll see you soon. Bye. You've been listening to Good Hang. The executive producers for this show are Bill Simmons, Jenna Weissberman, and me, Amy Poler. The show is produced by the Ringer and PaperKite. For the Ringer, production by Jack Wilson, Kat Spalane, Kaya McMullen, and Alayah Zaneras. For PaperKite, production by Sam Green, Joel Lovell, and Jenna Weissberman. Original music by Amy Miles.