Robert De Niro

Hello, everyone. Welcome to another episode of Good Hang. This is a very, very special one. We have Robert De Niro with us today. Robert De Niro, the king of New York, if New York was a person, it would be Robert De Niro. And you know what, Frank Sinatra sang. If you can make an interview with Robert De Niro work here, you can make an interview, work with anybody anywhere. We are very, very excited that we have him. We're going to talk about so many things. We're going to talk about good Phyllis. We're going to talk about him hosting S&L and what that felt like. We're going to talk about how much he paid for his first New York apartment in rent. And we get into it. What a, what a pleasure and a privilege to have Robert here. And because it is so special and he is so special, I'm doing something a little bit different. I'm going to ask a few people to talk well behind his back and to talk to me about him. Because I just want, I want to get prepared. You know, like he's such a good actor. He prepares so well. I want to do the same. So we're going to talk to Rachel Dratch, my good buddy, Rachel Dratch, who starred with him in the world famous Debbie Downer at the S&L 50th. We're going to talk to Seth Meyers, who is always an incredible friend and support and who interviewed Robert Bob DeNiro a couple of times. And we're going to talk to Jane Rosenthal, his longtime producing partner who started the Tribeca Film Festival with him, knows him so well and is going to give us a question to ask Robert DeNiro. So let's get started and see if we can get Dratchie on the Zoom. Druch. This episode is brought to you by Uber. You know those little choices you make that give you more comfort throughout the day, like planning your outfit the night before, sharing your location with a friend when heading home late, taking the actual lunch break away from your desk. Uber has one too. It's called Women Preferences and it lets women riders request a woman driver directly in the app. Because sometimes having a little more choice can make a big difference. It's a simple option that can help women feel more comfortable during their ride. Learn more on the Uber app. Rachel. Hi. Hi, bud. Hold on, let me plug in my headphone. Oh my god, headphones. I can't ride the headphones any longer than they've already cared me. Look at that. Gross. Okay, well, that's there, but you know what other than now, there's another not overall good overall. Counting Mrs. Progress. Wait, I'm just trying to think if I need a better light. Listen, Rachel's just adjusting. I mean, at this point in our lives, why are we not surrounded by ring lights? I know. You know? Yes. That looks good. Also nice lip. Thank you. I put an effort for you, Polar. With a lip, and that's about it. You get a lip. You get a lip babe. Drew Chi and I had dinner last night. So nice. We did. Yes. Yay. And I told you that I was interviewing Robert De Niro and I needed some help. I'm shy about big name celebrities. And I don't know, I'm just going to say this, you can use this or not, but I always thought you were very good when we were in our cell, you were very good at talking with celebrities when we were standing around like the host, you know, waiting for the scene or whatever. And I would be quiet as a mouth in the background. And so it's good that you're doing this podcast because you're good at it. Thanks, dude. I'm glad it's not me in interviewing De Niro. That's what I'm saying. Because I, I just clam out, but you're one of my close, one of my few close friends that has worked with him. You've worked with De Niro. You've shared the screen with Bobby. Bobby and I have shared the screen. Yes, that's true. You have. You've shared the screen and tell Bobby. I say hi by the way. He's going to be like, who? No. Bobby, I'm now committed to calling Bobby for this. Well, I'm going to call him Bob because that's what, okay. And you know, there's nothing worse than anybody calling somebody by their first and last name. So Robert De Niro, what do you think? Right, right. I am nervous because he doesn't seem to really love to talk that much about himself. And also, he feels like our generations actor. He, he really has been in everything we grew up watching. And that was, and his stuff was always a little too adult growing up. It was like, his stuff was like the scary movie or the violent. Yes. His stuff was like, you felt like an adult when you got to kind of watch his stuff. Yes. You got to do some comedy with Bobby. Yeah. Well, you know, I was thinking about this because not only did I get to comedy, but he also hosted back when we were on the show way before. And I was remembering about that is, I don't remember if I got to see them, but I remember I submitted a scene where I was doing an impression of him, like in front of him at the table. And basically, all my pride, well, you can't see this if you're listening, but my impression was just going like this. It was just like a face. And there's probably not much listeners to describe. It's kind of like listeners, listeners, Rachel is doing an impeccable impression. Well, it's a great one because you kind of back up, you close your eyes, and you kind of get your mouth open like, hey, you know, that's all that's all was. Anyways, it didn't make it to air. Okay. So, yeah. So I think we, you know, Paul and I were going to write a Debbie Johnner for the anniversary show. And then like you get the list of like who's available out of all the stars. And then I think Paul, it was like, we got De Niro, like De Niro with Debbie Donner was just like such a appealing, you know, prospect for us to imagine him to explain. What do you mean by lists like just so people don't know? The SNL 50 is what do you mean there was a list? Like there's a list of like who would be willing to be in a scene, you know, for an anniversary scene. So there's a list of the stars that we're going to be there that would be willing to play in a scene. So the combo of Robert De Niro having to deal with Debbie Donner was making us laugh a lot. So then when we find out we had him, we're really excited. And then we got to have him say like he was just trying to get a drink at the bar and she's bombing him out. And I think our favorite line was about like her saying, you don't want to use a plastic straw because my micro plastics are probably taking up residence in your testes. And then when he had his like flip out at me, he's like, I don't want to hear about the plastic in my balls. And then he went to throttle me. And we wrote in that he like goes to strangle her. But then I was in the rehearsal. I was like, you know, if you want it actually strangle me, you can't. So then he actually strangled me in the scene. I was like, I'm getting strangled by Robert De Niro. This is like no comedy person ever thinks that's going to happen to them. So that was a fun thing to experience. I've told you in Paul of this, but my favorite part is when he calls you Debra. Oh, Debra. Excuse me, Debra. Yeah. But I kind of go like out of body when I'm dealing with someone that's like a huge icon. And I was definitely nervous about being in a scene with De Niro. Like even though he was perfectly nice and he was like giggling and he was willing to be there and play in this comedy land, of course, but I still get nervous knowing that it's De Niro. You know, I would say one thing that you two have in common, Rachel. Look at the speed. Is that you're both in an extroverted business, but you're quite shy. Yes, that's true. I think he's shy. Luckily, Jimmy was there to smooth out all the social edges. Yeah, Jimmy Fallon also in the scene and he's really good at that. Well, I'm going to bring up Debbie Downer to him and talk to him about SNL because I do think that like there is this comedic side that we, you know, we've gotten to see over the years, but my experience similar to yours is like a very kind of like fun and nice and quiet giggly person. Yeah. Okay, Dratch, I'm going to go talk to another person about Bob and try to get some more info and get ready for our interview. Thanks, Georgie. All right. Thank you. This episode is brought to you by Allstate. Checking Allstate first could save you hundreds on car insurance, not checking whether you sat in alarm before having an afternoon power nap, only to wake up two hours later, drowsy, confused, so many missed calls. Yeah, checking first is a good idea. So check Allstate first for an auto quote. It could save you hundreds. You're in good hands with Allstate. Potential savings vary, subject to terms, conditions and availability, Allstate North American insurance company and affiliates, Northbrook Illinois. Hello. Seth, are you wearing new glasses? I'm wearing my cheaters. Oh, that's right. You have cheaters now. I think Paula Pell is the first person I ever heard say cheaters. Seth, you look great. Oh, my God. Thank you, Polar. Did you get a facelift over? You always said you want to meet two announce on the pod. Because you used to say my face had a few parts that had a bad hang. (laughing) You would point to different areas and say that's a little bit of a bad hang. Yeah, that's right. Guess what I'm talking to you from? Moth is vineyard. My childhood bedroom and bed for New Hampshire. Wow. What other desk would there be a bobble head of me at the update of this? I bet your childhood bedroom is similar to mine, which is my parents have now put things about me in my childhood bedroom as if I would like that. It's a living museum. Yeah, old press, like an old time out article from 1997 framed. People don't know that the White House if you sleep in Lincoln's bedroom, it's a lot of clippings that Lincoln's mom saved. It's got the old shovel that he did his homework on. That's basically all it is. Who made that bobble head when was that made? After you left, we got a lot of our own merch. (laughing) I mean, you know what's out of you left. The fact that there's a literally, it would be great if it had been a two person bobble head and my mom had just saw you out. (laughing) That was the one time my mom learned how to solder. (laughing) What are you doing in your childhood home? I'm doing a charity event in Manchester, New Hampshire. And I'm sure by the time this airs, it will be too late for anyone to buy tickets, but if you came, God bless. Hey Seth, and you asked me to ask you this, you do a lot of charity, yes? I asked you to leave out the sort of tip, the top of that? I am, I'm constantly doing charity. It's a little tiring, but it's worth it. You know, I always say it's worth it. And my good deeds are the wind beneath my wings. Yeah, it's what you get out of it. It's not the people you help. Anytime I'm feeling low, I just think of all the good things I do. Yeah, I know, and not the people, 'cause you refuse to meet them. Oh, I, you know, most of the charities are for pets. (laughing) They're mostly animal based. I feel like people can take care of themselves. People can take care of themselves. You get in a jam as a person keeps up out of the jam. Exactly, you're an animal, you don't know what you're doing. Much of what's gone wrong for you as an animal is the fault of people, and I'm just doing my best to clean up. Well, you are doing an active charity today, actually, 'cause you are getting on and helping me, because I'm gonna speak to Robert De Niro. I'm quite nervous, and you've already done it, and I need it. Always nervous. I will say, I wish I could tell you not to be nervous. I've been nervous every time I've talked to him. Okay, how many times have you spoken to him? I think I'm at 20 times in my life, because of his time on SNL. Okay, sure. I will tell you this, I've never been able to pull the trigger and call him Bob. (sighs) No? No, I can't bring myself to do it. It just feels too familiar for a legend. So should I just call him Robert De Niro? (laughs) I mean, Mr. De Niro. Mr. De Niro, that seems too much. I did do this once, and it was not, I did once call him Danny De Vito, and that I cannot recommend enough, you don't do that. Robert De Niro is like, everybody knows that name. He's so famous. He's so famous, I, again, because I'm aware of how little you guys do. I did a little research before Danny gone. And I looked back, 'cause he's our second season is the first time he hosts. And so he's about 25 episodes into our run on SNL. I think he's the first true legend who hosts the show when we were there. Yeah. And it's very surreal to work with legends. And the wonderful thing about when he showed up, and you never, it never reads the point where I was like, "Oh, he's just like us." But he laughed so hard at that table read. Yes. And he laughs just like Robert De Niro. (laughs) Yes. Yes. It's so much fun how much he laughs like Robert De Niro. And he laughs, he's an incredibly generous laugher, to the point where if you, early, if your sketch was early and he laughed at it, you might think you'd written a perfect sketch, and then like 25 sketches and you're realizing like, "Oh, he's laughing at everything." I wanna try to get that energy today. I don't know. (laughs) This is for anybody, for anybody about to listen to the interview, if Bob's not laughing. (laughs) Sad. (laughs) Look, okay, it's maybe it's because he's so moved by the conversation. Oh, well, I mean, trust me. Hey, a lot of people think I might even say my best quality is my sense of humor, but when I did good hang, I was just choked up, crying most of the time. People still ask me if I'm okay. Maybe I'll get to Niro to cry. You think? Maybe. You never know. How do you get to Niro to cry? We'll see. Tell him you thought Grodin carried midnight run. (laughs) Looking back, do you agree that Grodin's name should have been first in a minute? It's a mutually person, it deers. Seth, get serious. I'm about to interview Robert De Niro, and I need it, okay? You've done it. Here's something you should know before you interview Bob, and this is a genuine. And you did just call him Bob. I'm gonna call him Bob to you. Okay, okay. Bob gives great answers. There's a lot of important information in his answers. I think he answers with authenticity. What he does not give are long answers. (laughs) Oh no. And I think it's one of the great things about Bob De Niro. When Bob has made his point, he has no need, like a lot of us do. He and I, I think, over talk. Yeah. You know what I mean? An interviewer with us often is wondering when it's their turn to get a word. Often when we're being interviewed, we both see this, which is just someone going like, that's enough. Or like this, sometimes when they point at the watch. Yeah. I'm gonna guess, I'm gonna look into your future and think there's not gonna be a moment where you're gonna be like, oh my God, buddy, wrap it up. (laughs) Right, like maybe there'll be some moments where I go and what else? But again, what a thing. I mean, I feel like the fully realized Robert De Niro is not, he does not need to hear his voice more than he feels is necessary. No, I mean, I think it's something interesting to talk to him about is the idea of like, he seems quite introverted for such an extraverted job. I mean, he is like, he, it feels like his characters and his work is where he's able to, you know, he's spoken about it, he's quite a shy person. Yeah, it's very, and part of that, you know, shyness is, I think what allows you and I to be intimidated. But the reality is, he's not, you know, he's not bored or put off by people. I think he is just genuinely shy. I know I've told this story and I apologize if I've told it to you, but I remember the first tape we've been doing with him. I like ran to get in the elevator to go home on a Wednesday night and I ran in, not realizing he was the only other person in the elevator. And so then the door to close and again, it's only, it's only said, you know, 17 floors, but it felt like the longest, because it was just me and Robert De Niro and he was very, he was complimentary to about how the day have gone, but like in the fewest amount of words that you could be. I mean, it's gonna be hard not to turn into Chris Farley and just be like, dear Hunter, like, like that's so good. That's the problem with interviewing legends. I, in fact, the first time De Niro was on my show, he directed a movie called The Good Shepherd with Juliana Jolie and Matt Damon. I think he's only directed one or two things. And I really liked it. It's right up Seth Sally. It's a CIA movie. And I remember the first time he was on my show as a guest, I told him, "Hey, I really like that movie." And he was like, "No, thank you, thank you." And then the next time he was on my show, I think again, from that moment I'm not feeling awkward. I was like, "Hey, by the way, I really liked it." And he's like, "No, I remember." And it'd been like four years. I'm like, "Oh, right." Just 'cause he's quiet doesn't mean he's not hearing you. (laughing) But I liked that he was like, "Yeah, what do you get to tell me every time I'm here about a movie I did in 2006?" And I'm like, "I got nervous." Well, yeah, I'm genuinely nervous. I don't get, you know, I think you're similar. I'm not, don't get that nervous. I mean, I'm sure with you're, you've interviewed so many people, you probably, it's very rare that you probably hit nervous, right? Well, it's always that. It's always somebody who was, you know, iconic when you were young. Yes. That idea that not only are you talking to him, but you're talking to them because they like, they got in a car and came to where you worked. And yeah, and you turn and look at them and you're like, "You're talking to me." Oh, very nice. And now you've blown it. And I can't use it when he's there. (laughing) I can't believe you blew. You have one, by the way, every interview with Denira, you get one, you're talking to me. I used to do it for you. Oh my God, what a way. I already blew it. Before we finished, Drachi talked about how fun it was to do Debbie Downer with Robert Deniro. And I do want to talk to him about comedy 'cause he's done a lot of it. And he's in a new one, meet the parents. Another meet the parents, which is gonna be a big hit. I'm sure, but what did you write when you were, when he was hosting, do you remember stuff you wrote for him? You know what I wrote? And I did it twice. And this is a wonderful callback. If we were doing a herald right now, this would be the last beat. I did a sketch called pranksters, where I played a kid on Nickelodeon hosted a prank show. And the first time I did it with Wank, and in the second time I did it with Denira. And the game was that older gentlemen had recorded their pranks and their pranks were vicious in nature. And so it would be like a kid would come on first and his prank would be like I could have rubber, you know, Katan would be like I put a rubber spider in my teacher's drawer. And then De Niro would come out and his neighbor borrowed his lawn mower so he hid in his garage and then cut him up with a chainsaw. And the thing I'll remember about it, or the thing I do remember about it, is Jim SeenRelly, commercial parody director, SNL legend. You know, again, we filmed the first take and Robert T. Niro got covered in, you know, whatever putting type substance was supposed to be blood. It's just like they just sprayed him with it. And I remember Jim was like, all right, let's clean him up and take him from the top. And I was like, and De Niro just looked at me and said, uh, can we get it? We get it? And I was like, yeah, yeah, we got it. He goes, okay, goodbye, just like again, like it was a perfect take. But I had this moment of like, I don't want to have written a thing that makes Robert De Niro take a full shower to shoot a second take. And again, we just did a lowly island podcast about the party Mr. Bernard's, which was. That's right. That's right. What is it? We get a Bernie's where he basically was just happy to play the corpse. And then the last thing I'll say is we couldn't get Martin Scorsese to do this. But those glasses do look a little bit Scorsese-like. Will you just, and I know this might feel weird, but we're going to do something to the zoom. We're going to pretend that you're Martin Scorsese for so long. Hey, stop. He's the best. I love working on them. Oh my god. Ask him about this. Ask him about that. He's the best. Thank you. That's perfect. We're going to put that on a loop. And then I, uh, is this weird? Could you just cut that up and send it to Lauren? If I can, you know, that's like, why can you let him do more impression? Totally. Yes. And you know what? I also said it to Martin Scorsese and be like, "Sently, I miss you before I know this is weird, but show us all the inside the drawers of your childhood. Just show us one thing." Oh, what do we got? And this is from 82 champs. That's you? Yeah, like football. 82 champs. I'd go for getting 82 people or jeans. You're, you're playing football. Rear-ending injury at 82 was nine years old and, uh, I think they said it was, uh, lady wrists. All right, Seth, I miss you. I could talk to you forever. Thank you for zooming from your childhood bedroom. And thank you for, for helping me out with this because it is a big deal. This is a big interview and I appreciate your help. I would love you to start by saying sets us high. And if you don't, they're very offended. They're very bad. And I'll tell him that you loved his movie. I'll tell him again. And I'll say he thinks you forgot. I say Seth would love to tell you if he likes something else you've done, but it's really that's just it. Thanks so much for doing this. And I'll let you know how it goes. Hi. Jane? Hi. Thank you for doing this. Great to see you. I mean, I feel like, uh, you do so much great work for the city. So much great work for the industry and so much great work with Bob. You and and Bob have worked together for what 30 years? They're longer? Almost 38, but who's counting? I mean, there was a period he was. We were doing so many things together. I remember him calling me one day and saying, what do you think about exposed brick? And I said, um, is that a script I'm supposed to read actress I was supposed to meet. He said, no, in your office, I thought we should sand blast walls. Exposed brick, a new thriller. Yeah, exactly. So we do this thing here where we we always try to speak to somebody who knows our guest to get a little bit of insight before we talk to them. And I imagine more than most people, Bob has a lot projected on him. And what do people get wrong about him? What is one of the best things about him that people don't know? He's funny. He's got lifelong friends. He can tell who somebody is by how long they keep their friends. And he's had the same group of friends going like way back. And he's funny. And he loves the Good Conspiracy Theory. Yeah. Oh, we should get into some of those. You know, and he loves some. He loves good food. And it was during Irishman. And we were premiered at the London Film Festival. And then we were supposed to stay over. And he was, no, let's go to Paris. Like group of us, you know, let's go to Paris. And we got on a plane. It was probably like 11 o'clock at night. And there was some restaurant that he insisted we go to. Of course, the place was closed, but they said that they were closing and whatever. And it was like, oh, but, yeah, Bob's on his way. And we're going to keep it open. We're going to keep it open. And okay, besides when we were jet lagged, you had like the London Film Festival. There we were seeing in this restaurant because he had to try, you know, whatever. And it's like one, two in the morning. And you're knee deep in snails at this point. Yes, exactly. But, but, you know, he loves it. He loves trying new things. I mean, that's a, you know, ever since the origin of his art, like artist parents, like I do feel like he enjoys, he's like in a seat, like he enjoys beautiful things and things done well and people who are good at their jobs and like in a lot of different mediums. And I know you're the same way too. I mean, that's where tribe, the Tribeca Film Festival, now celebrating his 25th year is exactly that. It's like a, a compendium of talented people who have all different kinds of points of view. And you're, you know, using your currency to support their visions, basically. It's, it's really, it's really something. Thanks, we try. Is there a question you have for him today? Something you'd want to know, big or small, something that you think he wants to talk about? Also, what does he not like to talk about? He probably doesn't like to talk about like, how did you gain weight and lose weight? I love it. I love this. Fantastic. No, you just saved me 25 minutes of. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I, I feel like Bob doesn't even really like to talk about acting. You know, he's been famous for so long. And like, so, yeah, how do his kids look at him? Yeah. He shows his daughter, Helen, a lot of movies. They haven't, and he goes to movies with Helen all the time. How old is Helen? 14. So that would be a nice question. What, what would you and Helen watch lately that you've liked together? Yes. As opposed to he and Gia, who's three, and he goes about Miss Rachel. Yeah. Maybe we can get Bob to talk about his favorite Miss Rachel moment. That's a great question. Like, because I, because I, I would like to know what he's watching and, and responding to. And because, you know, if you're a New Yorker, you know, it's about the present moment. Like, this city moves fast and it keeps moving and things change, and you have to stay present and current always. The one thing about Bob that I find so, like, amazing. If you say, if you said to him, okay, well, on taxi driver, on a Bronx tail, on silver linings, I mean, just, almost on any movie. Like, where, you shot the movie on 6th Avenue. No, no, we really shot it on 8th Avenue when it was the Northeast corner, and it was a little deli that's still there. It used to be a Smilers, and now it's like this. We were on the second floor, and you could go, I mean, he goes into such, I mean, he is a photographic memory. There's truth that he doesn't remember, but he is, like, why he calls me sometimes, he'll, like, call me and then say, do you have anything you need to tell me? And I'm like, no, you called me. Oh, I remember, I'll call you back. I mean, but he's, you know, he can pretty much tell you where things were shot up to the exact corner and what was on it and what's on it now. Oh, that's fantastic to know. That's really helpful. These are great questions, and thank you for helping me prep for this interview. I'm a huge fan of yours and huge respect, so thank you. Thanks so much, Jane. Great talking to you, and I hope I see you soon. Thanks, bye. Bye. - I have to say, I know you don't love interviews. I'm already worried that nobody told you that you were doing this today. (laughing) - Well, I looked at my schedule. I said, oh, God, yeah, so, but I'm fine. - You're like, how can we get out of this? - No, because we're gonna talk, but I know like you're, you know, you've described yourself as kind of a shy person at times. And I don't think you like to talk very much. - Sometimes I don't, yeah. - Well, I know what's the point. (laughing) - Okay, well, I'm gonna, I'm gonna ask you a favor. - Oh, they're talking a little more. - I'll try. - I get paid by the word. If I don't get, if I don't meet my word count by the end of this interview, I'm screwed. I think it's really interesting that you've described yourself as a shy person and a shy kid because I think there's a lot of introverted people in this business and I don't think people always assume that about people that are actors. Would you consider yourself an introverted person? - In some ways, I am, yeah, some ways I am. - Okay, depending on the situation. (laughing) - Okay, we need at least 10. (laughing) - Okay, let me have to know I have to come up with something. - At least 10 more words. - Yeah, okay, let's see. - Okay. - I have to fill the quota. - Okay, were you a shy kid? - I was quiet at some time, but I wouldn't have to speak up, I would. - Yeah. - And I think being an actor, it allows you, I always say this and still say, it allows you to be other characters that you would normally not know at all. And this way it gives you a little taste of what they would be like in that experience would be like. And so without having really to pay a price, no, you were aware of the price, whenever that character is prices. - You know, when I'm around people who are quiet, 'cause there is a difference between quiet and shy. - Yeah. - When I'm around people that are quiet, I mean, I notice that a lot is projected on them. And then also I feel like a responsibility to keep talking. - Right. - Does that happen to you a lot? - You mean with me? - Yeah. - I don't mind guys. - I bet. - 'Cause you talk and I can just sit and listen. (laughing) I have friends who like to talk a lot and we get along real well. - Well, we're gonna get along with it. 'Cause there's gonna be a point in this interview where people are gonna be listening to it and being like, "Hey me, please be quiet." (laughing) But as preparing for today, and we're talking about, we're in New York City, you're celebrating 25 years a Tribeca Film Festival. I feel like there's no other person that personifies the city more than you. It's like if the city was a person, it would be you. And I'm sure you've been told that, but it really is true. There is a directness and a sense of the present moment when you, there's a, you know, New Yorkers are not necessarily overtly friendly, but they're secretly kind. - Yeah. - I'd say yeah. - Yeah. And there's a, like a ambition and drive that's you've had throughout your entire career. And your history of being in New York, like, you know, I'm always fascinated by kids that grew up in New York. It just seems like a fairy tale. What, what, what was it like, was your neighborhood like, what was it like when you were a young person? Could you describe it to me? - Well, I grew up in the village. And, you know, it was, I, I, I had, I hung out in Little Italy for years, and that's how I know Marty. Just go say, even Marty was hung out with his other friends on another street and I hung out with my friends. - What street were you on and what street was he on? - He was on a, around Prince and Mart. I remember, and Elizabeth, and we lived, and I was on Ken Mayer and Mulberry or Brum, sometimes a Mulberry. - Well, I mean, it's really amazing. You grew up with two artists' parents. Like, you know, you had, both your parents were artists. Your mom was a poet and a painter. Your dad was a painter. Like you were around. - And a poet too. - And a poet too. You were around art all the time. - Yeah. - And I know art's still really important to you. When you were growing up in New York, do you remember that art scene, like, did you ever meet Warhol? - No. - You never went to the factory? - No. (laughing) - You ever see like a, again, I mean, New York, you always see somebody walk and pass you. Did you ever meet a famous artist during that time, like the '50s and '60s or something? - No, I wasn't too much really into art. It was because my father and mother, you know, he'd take me to a gallery that he was owed money by, from, and that was it. I mean, it wasn't, yeah. - I mean, I know when I moved to New York, I saw Lou Reed walk down the street and I remember thinking, okay, I'm in the city. Was there somebody that you used to see in the city and be like, that's a, that's like a quintessential New Yorker? - No, when I was a kid, I saw Alan Arkin once, I think Alan was from, he was from New York, I'm sure, I'm not sure where, but maybe he was long Alan but he's a New Yorker in spirit. - He has my favorite line in Glen Gary Glen Ross in the film when he says, shoes, boots, yes. You know that look? - No, I mean, maybe. - Yeah, well. I guess I know me in a better way. - Yeah, I'm finding out. - I mean, I saw the original production with Bobby DeBal and John Savage and I'm forgetting who else. - Oh, John Savage, incredible. You and I do have one thing in common which is I think our first semi-professional productions of something was, was from a similar show. You were the lion, the cowardly lion in Wizard of Oz in fourth grade. - When I was 10, yeah, maybe, yeah. - Okay, and I was Dorothy around that time of my, and I'd like to know what you brought to the role of the lion. - I don't know, I liked it. I said my lines and that was the part I was given. - Okay, okay, it's a funny part. - Yeah, it was good. - It's a good song. - Yeah. - Did you sing too? - I don't know, I didn't know that part I didn't do. - Yeah. - It was, it's been so long, I was 10, so. - The last question in that time frame that I wanted to ask you is, it felt like you knew from a very early age what you wanted to do. - Yeah, and all in all I did, I was sort of drifting in that direction or gravitating in that direction. - And do you find, as you get older, I know I do that like, that's one of the things you wish for anybody, especially your children, it's just do whatever you want to do, just know what you want to do. - Know what you want to do and do it as well as you can. - Yeah, totally. - You know, and if you really like it, you'll start to do it as well as you can. - You started out doing in the very early, in your early films, like a lot of comedy. - A couple, like. - Well, I did greetings, high mom with diploma, and then another comedy we did was The Untouchables, years later. - You know a little thing about The Untouchables. - Yeah. - Do you know what I'm gonna say? - No, maybe not. - I don't think he worked with you actually, but there's a gentleman in The Untouchables that's guy named Del Close, who says the titular line in the movie, he says you think you're untouchable, don't you? - Del Close, yeah. I think his scene is with Elliot Ness with Cosner, and he was a Chicago actor. - Yes. - And he formed an improv theater, that I studied at in Chicago. - I grew up in Boston, and then I moved to Chicago after I graduated college, and studied at Second City, and he had this, like kind of new theater call, at the time it was called Improv Olympic, it was an improvisational theater, and Del's kind of one of his, like, brushed with greatness, claimed to fame, and sees in The Untouchables. - Okay. - Great movie. - Yeah, I enjoyed doing it. (laughing) I am, so there's Viola Spolen and Paul Silver, but that's ahead of you, look. - Yeah, that is ahead of you. - That's a little ahead of me. - Yeah. - You know, Del Close used to talk about Nichols and May, and that, and that, like, Second City being formed, and back then there was a, I don't know if you ever were involved, like there was a big kind of controversy about whether or not improvisation was its own art form, or a tool, I'm sure. - Sure. - Did you ever do improv when you were, - Well, in probably movies, and with the parma, you know, and greetings and high mom, you kind of, and other movies here and there, or you have the script, but you can go off it, and know as you make the points, and don't get off on a tangent, and stay in the right direction. - It's okay. - Do you like to, like, get it as scripted first, and then improvise? I know directors like to have. - Well, I mean, some directors will tell you to improvise, give you the situation, and tell you to improvise. I work with a director who would, we'd sit down in the camper and go over what was written, and then he'd say, well, what do you think about this, and it was kind of loose, he opened it up, and it worked out. - Yeah, I feel that way about improv. Sometimes it's exciting to be allowed to do it, and other times it feels like this is a little too loose. - Yeah, yeah, you got, you know, the one thing I don't like seeing is a movie that goes off in the direction, and that maybe the director likes what they're doing, and but they let it go too far, too long, it goes off on another tangent, and you forget what the situation is, and that's important. - Or like everybody's speaking the same way. - Yeah, exactly, yeah. - Yeah, we used to make a joke when we were doing this TV show that I was in Parks and Recreation, we used to make a joke like, If you want us to do a take that's longer and less free, we'll give you that. Speaking of of your work, Mean Streets, Deer Hunter, Goodfellas, The Godfather too, Raging Bull Taxi Driver, Cape Fear, Weg the Dog, King of Comedy, analyze this. Silver Lining's Playbook, Meet the Falkers. No questions, just great job. Thanks. I just want to ask you. You're very nice. Well, I have a hot take because you're the best actor of our generation. But I think there's just like so much to talk about in all those films and I know they they're like, you know, so many of them are different parts of your life. Do you watch your old films ever? No, but I've always been wanting to watch all the movies I did from the latest one, all the way down or the other way. So the earliest ones just go through them all. But it takes it's more easy, easier said than done. That would be like your own festival. Yeah, I just, you know, I make comments and somebody said, you know, a writer friend said, you know, that's a great idea. I wasn't sure. But there's no downside to doing that. So just knowing I wanted to get a sense of what I've done where I, you know, and where I could go, what's missing in that that I can make a choice of something different. That's interesting to look at your body of work and also to like visit old friends. I imagine what it must be like. Yeah. Yeah. Can I ask you about, so I won't get deep about, because again, we, we don't have the time. But, uh, and we want to talk about what the present stuff that you're doing. But can I ask about one specific scene in one specific movie? Yeah. Okay. So good fill is, uh, you know, a lot of people's, you know, top five favorite movies. It is stood the test of time, incredible, um, credible cast, credible performance by you, and so many people in that film. There's just that wonderful scene with you and Lorraine Braco, where Lorraine is playing the wife of Ray Leota, and she's kind of worried that he's fallen out of favor with the rest of the organization. Right. And, um, you, uh, Jimmy, you kind of play, like his patriarchal, what would you say? Like, yeah, like his, his mentor, yeah, kind of his mentor. Yeah. And there's a scene where she comes to try to get some help from you, and you ask her to walk down an alley to go get some Dior clothes, yeah, for her. And there's a, it's just, it's a perfect example of real tension. Yeah. Can you tell me what you remember about shooting the scene that day? I think it's a perfect scene. Well, the thing that I was concerned about is just that as Marty, it was like, remember, it's just that you don't know what he really is doing. Is he setting her up or not? And so it's just make it as, which happens in life, too, in that way. You know, the same thing. God. Man, it's okay. See, you know, just be very casual and God knows what'll happen to you. Could, could be nothing. It could be something. Did you make a decision as an actor to know what you thought was going to happen? I, I think I thought more that it something would happen. Yeah. And that, but I, my main thing is to make the act as if everything's good, you know, just go in, you know. It's such an incredible lesson in how to create suspense, intention, and also to remind people that people don't often telegraph what they're going to do. Right. No, no, no. I mean, you never telegraph, Bob. Can I call you Bob? Yes. To start it. But you never, there's never, we never, ever see you ever doing that. Even you've never indicating it's just, and it's one of the millions of examples of that, I think, in that scene. Well, it's important to not, you know, indicating and acting is indicating. And so you say to an actor who's, you just watch a scene or something, not in a negative, critical way, but you can't, you don't indicate or you are indicating. So it's better not to, you know, in life, people don't do that. They just do, they're very good actors, people in life and it's life and it's, it's real. And the way you behave, it could be life dependent. For me, it was a great example of a woman's intuition. She has an intuition there that's very strong. Yeah. That she listens to. That saves her life. Yeah. Yeah. And then she comes home and says, I don't know. And she's, she's starting to kind of gaslight herself a little bit like, I don't know. I just got scared. You know, it's, and it's, I think a beautiful journey for that, for her character of like, what's real? Yeah. When you do a scene like that, what is, what is Martin Scorsese's, like, how do you know you got it? What does he say? I can't remember. It's been a while, but I think Marty, you know, basically said, you know, you're going to go, she wants to go when you want. I'm going to go in there. You're going to, and I forget what's set up. But the whole thing is to show the ambiguity. We don't know. We don't know. We see it very possibly something could happen, but at the same time, it couldn't. So that's part of the whole, um, reason the scene is done. A one piece of it. Do you like when a director says we got it? I don't, I don't, I don't hear it too much. We got it. Well, it's okay. It's good on this. You just like when they go, it's okay. We got it. Well, you could say we got, I guess, but it's on the scene and what it is. You like when they're going to say like, it's good. It's good. We're good. We're good. We're good. Yeah. Yeah. But the low key. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, just, and you know, you know, say Marty, uh, Marty says, you guy, we, we, he's happy. We have, we talk. So we got this piece. We got that. I don't know. He'll say, yep, yep. We're good. Yeah, yeah. It's okay. Yeah. Yeah. And that happens in a second. And like, you just mumble that to each other. Yeah. Are you suspicious of people that are like, I guess I'm projecting, but I'm a little suspicious sometime when people are too like, I don't know, when they're flattering me. Sure. Well, you know, it's funny. I don't mind the, um, when a director or somebody tries to tell you very good or certain types of that's good. And um, because it's like, when I was, I did the last tycoon with Alec Kazan and we came out of a looping stage and he said, you know, that was great because he was like, you know, that was really, you know, just got it. I said, well, thanks. I feel good. Even though I'm not sure you really meant it, but I'm happy. You say, he got, he, he got a little offended. I, he thought I didn't believe it. And I said, no, no, I said, the effort is the most important thing. You know, it's like telling your child when, when they do something, they show you something. Isn't that nice? That's great. You know, oh boy, it's a proud of you. You know, it's real. You believe it. Yes, it is. That's right. It's true. I know what you mean. And it's a fine line though. And it's a fine line in that moment. But as a director, you must also feel the urge sometimes to take over if somebody's not a strong captain. Well, I don't like to be in that situation. Right. You know, I don't put myself, if I'm in, I'm in with the director. Maybe certain things, but I, but I trust them and trust me and I'm not going to mess with them and play games, you know, we have an objective to achieve. And we're there working together. We don't want to waste time, you know, than in nonsense. And the other thing in the many years of the incredible work that you've done again, which we could talk about forever, what, what are some skills that you had to learn for parts that you still, like, that you still maintain or retain? Well, I practiced a lot with the saxophone in New York, New York. And, but I never kept it up and I regretted that because I did work very hard on, I did everything phonetically. But it's, it's the skill that you can't take away. I mean, that's real. So I just wish I made it something that I would practice. Even a half an hour every day to keep. I feel that way about like instruments. I can't, it's so embarrassing. I can't play any other instruments. No, I mean, I wanted to play the piano, but one thing you want to play it is another thing to do it. I know the piano feels like an instrument when you sit down at it, you think, I'll be able to play this. Yeah. And then you can't. No, I, I wish, and my, my mother tried to make me take piano lessons when I was five and I had no interest that I was drudgery. Yeah, you know, I wish I was, I wasn't smart about it. Yeah, I do regret not being able to play an instrument. Well, there's no, there's still time, Bob. Right? Okay. And then do you ever use TikTok as I want to show you something? Do you know what a thirst trap is? No. Okay. So it's basically like hot pictures of people. But TikTok loves you. And they make videos of you, of, of, of you in different movies. And can I show you? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's going to make you feel great. Oh, good. I mean, I feel like these are, these are to make people feel good. And this one is specifically for you. But look at this. It's usually sex. music. Look. These are young pictures of you. And young kids making it. Kids doing it. Yeah. Wow. Look. Look at you. Yeah. Oh yeah. Listeners. Bob is staring at this as it look. Yeah. I don't know. I guess just good job at being so handsome. Oh, thanks. Let's talk about some comedy stuff because we met I think for the first time or at least in my mind for the first time, although I'm sure in various early times when I moved to New York, I probably, you know, followed you down the street without you knowing, but at SNL 2002. You've hosted three times. Yes. You obviously have done it more than once because you liked it. What do you like about doing it? What I like about it is that it's so fast. You can't. It doesn't give you time to think. Yeah. And you've got a change. Get into different costumes and that. You know, boom, they've got the cards for you. It's so fast. Yeah. You know, you can not worry about failing if you will. Whatever that means and just have fun with it. Yeah. I have a real image stuck in my mind of Donna, the woman who pulls you around and changes you. Yeah. She's still there. Yeah. Oh, wow. She's incredible. Yeah. She's kind of the one that should write the book. She knows. She's seen everybody. Exactly. And she, I remember us doing it. It was, it was my second year. I started in 2000. That show after 9/11 was my first SNL. Oh, wow. And you hosted anything first in 2002. You were being pulled by Donna while you're dressed as SIG Freed. I think from SIG Freed and Roy. Oh, okay. I'm glad. Do you remember that? No. But you should look at those. Better not to look at that. Maybe when you go back over the over your Canon of work, just keep that up. And one thing I'll say is like, you know, you are a person that people like to do impressions of. Is that weird? No, I mean, it's kind of flattering. Alec Baldwin does really good impressions. And I and I know one that he did. He did. He was on. I can't what talk show he was on. And he was saying. Climbing on the godfather reunion with me and Al and Bobby DeValle and Francis and tell you Shire and Jimmy Connor, everybody. And he said, did you see that? And you know, they're talking to engineer or now they told they talk. And he's just making the way he makes fun of you. It's just hysterical. You know, we're all mumbling. You don't know what the hell we can understand what we're saying. Well, you have what what I love about what I love about you, Bob is when you're laughing. And when you're upset, it looks like the same face. It's kind of you, you're a quiet laugher. Right. Would you say? Yeah. Yeah. I mean, sometimes if it's I would have a more a more a voice to laugh depends. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Okay. We're almost done. We were at 45. I like you. I like to know how long things are going to take. So we're almost done. Okay. So here we go. I feel like a lot of a lot of your career has been defined by lasting partnerships. People that you've met and continue to work with. And I think it's it is a sign often of like somebody's character that they maintain friendships and partnerships throughout their life. I talked a little bit about Martin Scorsese and the ways that you guys have, you know, it's really something that you grew up around the corner from each other, mean streets was based on people that you knew what what is it like to have a friend in this business for this long. I think it's it's great. And and I don't always say it's kind of amazing that Marty and I were aware of each other. We had a mutual friend who passed away, but he was a main rest in piece. He was a I did a movie called alto nights and I he Marty and I did this. Well, he does a documentary about him was in the consent of when they wrote the script Nick Bellegi wrote this. I said, how do you know about this place called the alto nights. I said, well, I you know, I was a crime reporter down there and the reporter and I knew this that social club was I said, that's a place I used to hang out in. Yeah. And I was a kid. And so my friend one of my friends, but he he remembered things that I had forgotten what went on there and stuff like that. So it was interesting and they were terrific in the movie. So that was a nice thing. I would love to meet Nick and I would have loved to met Nora. Yeah. Yeah. Um, Meryl Streep. Meryl. Yes. You know, she claims that you're not very good at charades. Yes, I know. I know that. Yeah. I probably am not. I think we did it somewhere. I was not inspired. And that's that's my fault. Well, you can try harder next week. I will. I will. Where did you meet her for the first time you saw her on stage? Meryl, I went with Mike Chimino to and it's funny because I went to the double wears product thing. And we had at Lincoln Center and they had the 10th right across from where I saw her do a cherry orchard. I think it was in Raul, Julia. And Mike Chimino, I went because for that part, thinking for her for the dinner. So that's the first time. I don't even know if we went backstage. I'm not sure. But she, you know, she had it. You have worked together a lot in many different ways. What, what, what's so wonderful about working with her? Meryl is a great actress and so skilled and smart and just terrific and very funny. Yeah, great sense of humor. And she's just a wonderful person. Ben Stiller, you're back with Ben again. You've done quite a few features with him. Yeah. Does he still run all the time? Does he run every day? He's a good shape. I guess he does. I don't know. I see him run to him from the set. No, I'm kidding. But he does something. You're very, very funny together. What's been what's been your experience? Well, Ben, he has a way of when you, when he reacts to what you say, which is kind of a funny line, say my character, Jack, he'll go, uh-huh. Oh, yeah. He has a way of commenting on what you just saying that it's not too smart, little stupid. But uh-huh, I'm giving you the respect, but he has a way of commenting on it. So there's three different things, four different things going on at once in his reaction. And he's very funny. Yeah, the status between the two of you is just such funny comedic fodder. And you, um, you join him again in, um, in your new film, Falker and Law, with Ariana Grande, who is in here, who was a delight. What did you think of working with her? I, Ariana was terrific. Yeah. And nice, nice young lady terrific. Yeah. A real pro. Perfect for it. And, um, Jane Rosenthal. Jane. Well, Jane and I worked together for 37, 38 years. And, uh, we had a thing last night at, um, uh, the Chanel party, and I did a contribute to her for all. Yeah. Congratulations on that 25 years of the Tribeca Film Festival. Amazing like way to amplify new voices and use your currency. I mean, it's, you know, um, it's, it's really, I mean, I was speaking to Jane earlier. And, um, we were saying it's wild how everything is now 25 years ago. Yeah. I mean, it's like, I know. It's been a really, it's been a really, really, I mean, it always is an intense period in New York. But the past 25 years have been something else. Yeah. Yeah. Um, so before we get into that and Jane and Jane had a question for you, I got very quick. Um, this is, this is speed round hot takes. Okay. Okay. It can be slow round. Okay. But, um, NYC hot takes. Do you remember the cost of rent of your first department? I think it was a 75 dollars. Where was it? An Irving place. Was it a studio? One bedroom, one bedroom, one bedroom, 75 bucks. It might have not even been a one bedroom. It's one room. You put a bed in there. Favorite New York museum. Uh, the metropolitan and the museum modern art. Do you have any art that you, any, um, paintings that you go back to like that? Like, are you like, you know, no, I don't, but my, my mother or father might have something in the museum, but I think I'm not 100% sure. Really? I don't know. I know where Jane would be. I, I don't know. But I think, yeah. Mama, if you're listening. Yeah. And, uh, well, sushi order. What do you order? What's your favorite? Well, I always say we say black card. The black card is good and noble. Uh, and, uh, pizza order. What do you get when you get a slice? Pizza, pizza, pizza place. I'm happy to be like pepperoni. Okay. Um, New York restaurant. Best New York restaurant that you don't own because you own a few. And one that I said I want to say because I, I, I want to. Give it away. Yeah, yeah, you don't want to blow up the spot as a kid say. Yeah, which you would know if you weren't to talk. When you get into taxis to people, taxidermen here and there very little, but I don't get in caps. But maybe once in a while or two or somewhere in here. Yeah, yeah. But you don't get in caps. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And when you walk down the street, you like to walk in the city, everybody does. Yeah. You've spoken about how like there's, you know, what the best thing about the city is you can just be blending in and part of it. Nobody bothers you. Nobody cares. People have peripheral vision. And if they see somebody physically like me, I'm older and stuff, I look like an older guy. You know, so not on TikTok, huh? Not on TikTok. But they're not gonna, they're not going to look at you. The peripheral vision that doesn't make them interested in looking at you anyway. So I just walk in there. But I get not recognized much. When do you listen to any music when you walked you? Are you a podcast person? I like to listen to music in the car right around a lot of cars have to go here and there. And I read the paper and listen to music. So listen to all these, all these, certain all these from the 70s. Yeah. But they're for music. Yeah. I mean, that's, there's a stage. I listened to a serious that 70s and 80s. Like, yeah, it's got music that I used to always hear and listen all the time. It was, it was almost unconscious. You know, you just so much brought back so many memories. And as it does now is channel 16, the blend is cold. I know exactly what that channel is. It's great. Yeah. Yeah. It's the music that we like our lives to. Yeah. And then last question is, we spoke to, we always try to talk to somebody who knows our guests. We get like, you know, we kind of talk well behind their back. And Jane and I were talking earlier today. And we were talking about the festival and talking about you too and your long history together. And you know, she just, I thanked her as I would like to thank you for, you know, the film festival. It started at a time when the city was, was really hurting. And that coincided with, for myself personally starting SNL, it was like, okay, being on a live sketch variety show during a time when New York was really had, you know, had just suffered through 9/11. And it was like the city really needed. And, you know, you and Jane and so many other New Yorkers stepped up for the city during that time. And I know a lot of people were grateful for it. And I asked Jane to ask you a question. And she had a sweet one, which was, what, what of you in Helen, you're 14 year old, seeing recently that is, is she, you know, I trying to tell her that we should look at movies. She looks at things like stranger things who got me into it. She into, I saw a movie called House Made. Yeah, it was good. Yeah. I saw another movie that she, you know, I'm walking by her while she's watching. And I said, that's not bad, that movie. And there's something in just walking by, I get a sense of the film that I say, you know, but I don't like to look at those. So I wind up looking at it because she wants to look at it and rather find classics that she could look at on movies. Did you show her anything that she liked? Because it's, I have teenagers. It's hard to get them to like what you like. No, it's, it's hard, it's hard. Yeah. And she does very little on, you know, on her iPhone at this point, keeping that pairing on the wraps as much as I can. And so, yeah, that's the hell energy to stranger things. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And you like that. Oh, yeah. It was good. That's good, right? We went to see the play to another musical. Yeah. That's good. Okay. And so is there anything for your last, my last question with you? And by the way, congratulations on Falker Law coming out, big new comedy movie that we need right now. And I just want to say as we wrap, you know, I just personally want to thank you for like doing what you do, it's speaking out in the way that you do about where we are in the world. There's a lot of people that are asked to speak truth to power and they're usually, you know, members of the, like the margins, there are people that are young don't really have as much currency or a footing as other people. It's often people of color. It's often women and to see a person like yourself, the age that you are and the status that you are, it reminds me of the best way I can describe it is when it's like if someone's giving a terrible speech at a wedding and they're ruining the wedding. Yeah. And the wedding is America. And there's another adult who says like we don't talk like that. That's not how you're supposed to treat people. This is insane. It makes everybody feel very safe. And so I've seen you do it over and over again and I really appreciate it. Thank you. Yeah, it means a lot to a lot of people because you're standing up for a lot of people who don't have the power to do that. So thank you, Bob. And thanks for doing it over and over again. And this is going to be a real switcheroo because I can't believe I just made you cry. I feel incredible right now. Hold on. We're going to get you your tissues. Thanks. We got good hang tissues for you, Bob. But it's true. It's true. It is, you know, there's not a lot of men who in your position who do that and white men of a certain age like who who frankly, you know, have a ton of power and don't use that responsibility in a way that they could. So thank you. Yeah, of course. I don't, it's so upsetting to see what's happened in this country. And it's so crazy. Yeah. It's not like it's, I mean, in a way that's better than it's so blatant because this will happen again and people and this guy will have a influence people and they'll come up and they'll say, well, I can do it this way or that way. And we have to always be on guard with what's happening now. What do you say to people who feel very hopeless because that hopelessness sometimes paralyzes people? I understand that, but you have to fight. You have to fight because if you don't fight, you're not going to get anything. Yeah. You're not going to. And you have to fight. You have to join people like this. I use this example Jason Crow saying the courage is contagious. And and you know, the other thing in the negative feelings can be contagious too, but why not have courage and be contagious and stand up and you might find out it's not so difficult. And people will stop the nonsense that they're doing. It's, it's just out of control. Well, it is. When people like you do that, it makes it easier for other people to do it. So thank you. Well, I hope. And then I don't like to use the word hope. I know what we keep using. I mean, whatever. You know, and what are you watching these days to make you laugh when you're feeling really? Well, oh, another one's mom and family I watch. Yeah. My daughter put me onto it. It's very funny. Very funny. Yeah. And just a good one to watch. Yeah. There's a million of them. It's great. And you can just crank through. Yeah. Yeah. They're very funny, likeable people. Yeah. It's well cast. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think the comedy right now, and I know you've talked about it, but like when things get particularly stressful in the world, people want to watch that rupture and repair and that way that people are getting along and they just need some kind of self soothing. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I texted the SNL ladies, Maya and Paul Appell and Rachel and Tina to act because I knew we were talking today. And I was like, do you have any questions for Bob? And they were all saying they have a really fun memory of when we were doing the read through, you just laughing a lot me. Oh, yeah. I know I'm giggling a lot. I love SNL. I think it's so I always when I see movies, I say that that's a great skit from this or some political situation. Yeah. This is a great one that SNL will do. Yeah. When you were growing up, what did you do? What was comedy? Like what kind of comedy were you watching in your house? What did you like? Who'd you like? Well, when I was kid was Abbott Costello, the three stooges, Laurel and Hardy, there was a theater called the laugh movie on 42nd Street and not only comedies and I would go or maybe they'd have a Frankenstein movie or something like that or Frankenstein meets Abbott Costello or something. But I'd go there every weekend and we saturday and take the subway. There's nothing like watching a comedy in a theater. Yeah. Do you remember when SNL premiered? Yes. I think it was a show with Rob Reiner. Was it a Rob? George Carlin, I think was the first. It was one of the few. One of the early ones was Rob, yeah. He did a thing where he was playing like a Wayne Newton type character or something and he kept singing and singing and singing and singing and it was going on and on and on. I'm saying, this is good because he's not stopping when you'd expect him to. He's just going on and on. Oh, I thought that was great. Well, I like this a lot. - Did you feel like at the time you were like sensing this was like a show for you? I mean, it really was your generation's anti-establishment. - Yeah. - I'm curious, you and Lauren are both examples of longtime New Yorkers who've been working for a very long time and been successful and famous for a very, very long time. What do you take from working with him and? - I think he's great. Lauren, I think, and I use him as an example of someone who had this show going on all these decades and is able to do it. - Yeah. - Compared to what goes on with the clown show with the Trump and all that, you know, he doesn't know what he's doing. And it's, it's just a good example of leadership. - Yeah, I agree. And it was kind of on display on the SNL 50th. - Yeah. - Which was very special evening that you got to be a part of. And for people that didn't see, what did you get to do on the SNL 50th show? - What did I do? - Yeah. - I did the thing with Debbie Downer, you (laughing) which was fun. - Was it fun? - Yeah. - So what, can you explain to people what, what do you remember doing in the sketch? What was your, what was your motivation? What was your character? - Well, the most important thing to me was not to, you know, even though I can laugh and rehearsal and enjoy your kick out of it when you do it, you got to do it straight. - Yeah. - You have to really commit to it. - Yeah. - So I don't do any indicating to just strain on what you're supposed to do with that person as if it was a real situation. And that's how I looked at it. - I spoke to the writer, Paula Pell, and she said it was like, her dream for you to get upset at that character. (laughing) And to call her Debra, Debra Downer, you see. She said, look, Debra. (laughing) - And I think you stragg, I think you fake strangled her. - Yes. (laughing) - Rachel Dratch. - Yes. - She was great. (laughing) - Makes you rest in peace. (laughing) - Yeah, I mean, that was, so that was, that was, I mean, that character really makes me laugh because to your point, people like that make me really angry. - Yeah. - It'd be like, hey, cut the shit. - Yeah. (laughing) - Yeah, it was a good, good skit. - Should we end by just quickly watching you and Debra Downer? - Okay. (laughing) Bob, thanks for doing this. - We got through it. - We got through it. (laughing) - Did you hear it, folks? We got through it. (laughing) And that's what I want my guests to feel. (laughing) - Okay, no, it wasn't bad. (laughing) - Wait a minute, that's a great review. It wasn't bad. - Yes. - Good. (laughing) - I'm surprised you want a straw. (laughing) - What's up? - Microplastic. (laughing) It feels like we're all walking landfills. (laughing) Also, we've already taken a residence in your testes. (laughing) (laughing) - Debra. - I've been a talk now and you're gonna show it. (laughing) I do not appreciate this conversation. I don't wanna talk about plastic in my balls. (laughing) I laugh and feel joy. (laughing) I'm so nervous, I forgot the hours of my life. Joy, came here tonight to get a little friggin' break from our world right now, which is like living under a, in a full diaper. (laughing) I think there's our leading culprit in the microplastic saga. - Here comes the strangle. (laughing) (laughing) (laughing) - Stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it. - She thinks she's helping, okay? (laughing) I can't stop it. (laughing) - She's speaking out. - You very much enjoy that. (laughing) Bob, thanks for your time today. - Thank you. - I really, really appreciate it. - Thank you. (clapping) - Thank you, Bob, for coming on. What an interesting conversation. It's really something else. I just wanted to take this moment for our polar plunge, to just basically, I don't know, just speak to the past version of me. (laughing) Because moving to New York City in 1996, being an actor, if you had told me, 30 years later that I would have a podcast, I would say, what's a podcast? And then if you told me you're gonna interview Robert DeNiro, and you're gonna be talking to him about acting, and you're going to be talking about SNL, a show that you will have been on. It's just nuts. And New York City remains my favorite city in the world. I've lived here for 30 years, sometimes in LA, but let's not talk about it. And I just have to say the fact that I get to be here, that I feel like I know the city, and that I get to talk to people who represent how much the city needs to me is really something else. So my plunge today is plunging back into the time machine, and telling my younger self to hang on because good things are ahead. So hope you can all do that too. Thank you so much for joining us and 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 Spalaine, Kaya McMullen, Aleia Zeneres, Bridget Kearlings, Paige Garberini, Bell Roman, and Drew Van Steenbergen. For PaperKite, production by Sam Green, Joel Lovell, and Jenna Weissberman. Original music by Amy Miles. ♪ All I ever wanted was a really good hang ♪