Joel McHale, Straight to Offers

I am in what my kids would call bill mode right now.

What does that mean?

When you want to get a job done, you gotta get it done yourself. Listen, I love all of the people in the stop motion industry. I love all of you. You are very expensive, though, I'm gonna keep it one hundred with you. You are not cheap at all. I'm surprised half of y'all ain't living in freaking mansions. The freaking amount of money and hours you guys work anyway, and money the money you make for the hours you work, y'all need a union. I'm just gonna put it out

Yes, I saw you with paper mache.

More than paper mache, I got, I got plaster, I got pinked woodland scenic. I have bought your company pretty much. That's how what stuff I've brought from you?

And how did you learn how to build a set? You're building tattooing.

No, I'm just building a set uh, a sand like planet. Uh. From watching there.

Is there a YouTube video that's like how to build tattooing And.

I've been watching a lot of YouTube, a lot of a lot of a lot of YouTube. Like I'm like, I'm like the kids nowadays. How about you? How are you guys doing?

No please go on and on about stopping emotional. We just want to hear all about it. Tell us more about what do you think the union rates should be for these people?

You know what's crazy is that you're being facetious. You got and I know Joelle's not, but I know you are. Zach. I do believe that all Star. I think the community of stop motion needs a union. But you know what happens when people talk about union, You wind up buried where nobody can find you.

All Right, Well, I do you think in the terms of a Scrubs rewatch podcast, we've done a good, solid five minutes on stop motion. Should we segue into a topic they might be interested in? If I tell you something, to be surprised. I'm watching that you should be watching. I know you don't watch things, but it's really good, Joelle, you're going to be shocked. To drum roll, I'm strapped in.

Penguin O.

It's a good freaking show.

That's easy to get sucked.

Are you watching it?

Donald?

I saw the first episode. It was very good.

Colin Ferrell is very, very good.

Yeah, he's very good.

It's very good Colin Colin Ferrell. You know, even under all those prosthetics, you think sometimes the performance can get lost. But he's such a good actor.

He doesn't overdo it. He doesn't overdo it, you know what I mean. He keeps it simple.

And that accent. He's got the tough guy gangster accent down. And everyone's very good in it. Very it's it's really well made.

Yeah, I wonder, I wonder how all of this fits into I know it fits in. It doesn't fit into the Joker story, but I know it fits into the Batman story that matt Reeves was doing.

That.

Yeah, I think this Colin is going to play the penguin in matt Reeves movie. Is that correct you?

Well, he already was, so he showed up in The Batman by matt Reeves, and then he'll be in the second one as well. He just announced he's in like five or six scenes in the new one.

Well, he's only in three scenes in the first one too.

M hm.

He's a small time he's a small time crook.

It's interesting though, not seeing Batman at all. I wonder why they chose to not show the Joker or Batman at all.

Well, the sequel I hear the sequel series is the Joker will be uh your boy. Yeah, that'll be the sequel, the sequel series next season.

Oh, so Colin's not going to do season two from what I.

From what I understand, there's going to be a Joker series as well as what I heard.

Well, he talks to a Joker series. The Joker is the next villain in the Batman story, like the main primary villain in the second Batman movie.

So we'll see.

But I hope, I hope, I hope they get a lot of Spinosa's rumors. There could be a Catwoman series with Zilly Kravitz, so let's see. Matt Reeves is really doing a ton of Batman work over at WB right now. I sent Donald the animation he's working on right now, which looks beautiful and weird and cool. It's like robots and puppets stop motion.

It's interesting. He's a busy guy. Colin Ferrel is a busy guy. Gosh, he's he's got two series going. He's got the other one too.

You know.

Also is a busy guy who is still the Winter Soldier kid. What's his name? Yeah, shit, you're a busy man, Sebastian stand.

Yeah, he's in a lot of things. Good actor.

I also noticed that our complete box set is number two. You know, why is that iTunes?

How did that happen?

I don't know. It's Rebels and then us.

For some reason Scrubs fans listeners. I don't know why, but we're the number two thing for sale on the iTunes store.

It's amazing. Rebels is number one, Believe it or not.

Rebels is number one, and the Complete Scrubs box set is number two. What do you think could have happened? Could it be this podcast?

You know?

I doubted.

It really has to do with the fact that Bill has been talking so much.

Shit oh about a reboot?

You think, yeah, And I think people are trying to catch up.

I did they offer it at a new price point or something. I just it just was surprised. I was looking for a show and I was slipping through Apple and then I saw the number two TV thing for sale. It's Scrubs box set. I was like, what the hell happened.

It has to feel good. It felt good to me.

Yeah, made me smile. You know I didn't. I didn't know what the raised on debttra.

Do you want to I want to ask him some matches. My name sounds like my name. I want to ask. I wanted to ask you this because I do this, and I don't think it's healthy. But sometimes I catch myself doing it because I watch a lot of movies. You know how they have the top one hundred movies. Do you ever go through that ship and see how many movies you in?

No, because I don't think one hundred movies.

So when you go through sports movies, I'm in I'm in top Oh.

Yeah, I don't. I don't know that I'm in a top one hundred movie.

I wish when you go through like Coming of Age store, I'm in the top.

Oh, I'm talking about all I thought you I assume you were talking about all movies.

And then when you go through all movies. At one point, I had like six or seven movies in that shit, and I was like, I'm fucking doing it. As time goes on, Timothy Shallamine is taking my spots man, That mofuck is in everything, dude, That dude is in everything, man, Like all of great movies are his or Florence Pugh's. They are all over the place.

Man, Generation generation is killing. I would imagine your football movie would maybe be in the top one hundred.

It was no. You know what when it comes to top one hundred movies, remember the Titans on iTunes is rarely in it? Clueless is like ninety five usual?

What about homiees Pimoni?

Never it? I don't think that's made a top anything.

What about top movies were where an African American plays an Italian person?

I think Vin Diesel is in a couple of those.

What else did I watch?

Yeah, Joey, you know him right too? You know right? Joel Ben I.

Was like, he's there's a black relative in there somewhere.

Got more than one black relative, he's one of us. What's going on? Ben? Stop fronting?

And I don't get it. Vin Diesel's black.

No Vin Diesels to pop up in a lot of movies that like black audiences would flock to.

I just like and.

He he's got my features where he's like you if I don't know if you like me. I'm from a very mixed family, and so some of our relatives passed for white, and so sometimes you look at white pertus you're like, are you one of us? I'm trying to figure it out. Vin Diesel, I was like them in the mid two thousands. I spent a lot of time being likes Bendy.

I don't know.

He's put it out there, Listen. I went to school with his sister and him. That dude had an afro back in the day. Yo, that motherfucker black. I don't get fuck what he's saying. I love you, I love Listen, I don't. We don't know each other no more. His sister I run into I used to run into all the time, uh at like at like Comic con and shit like that. And she would be like, I just remember when you guys were kids, your brother singing five Golden Rings at the Talent Show, and so that was

There, all right. Well, that's our segment on is Vin Diesel black?

Listen? We should That's a good question. That's I wish we could get him to answer the question.

Why don't you ask chat GPT Daniel?

Okay, Daniel, do you have chat GPT?

Do it? But he has chests the website.

Yeah, I don't have chat GPT.

It's just a website.

Cash the question. I think I would enjoy it too, to be honest.

With you, I use it all the time to answer questions for myself.

Well, it's a Google search. Everybody's looking at AI like AI is a is A is terminator. It's not like terminator right now. It's just a really strong, powerful search engine, is what AI is. If I'm correct, I.

Don't think it's a search engine. No, it's a language learning model. And so what it does is it basically cribs answers from the Internet, as opposed to being like a search engine.

But it's not.

The thing is, it's not searching the internet for answers. It's kind of like acquiring language from how people talk about stuff and using that to train itself to respond to inquiries. So the thing is as opposed to trying to like find the best answer for stuff, it will kind of just like say what it thinks you want to hear, which is not necessarily a search engine.

But then you can do a feature. I think I mentioned where you say, check your work and and how would you have improved your your work? And then it'll give you some thoughtful responses on how it looked back on its work. Impressive come up with an answer.

Yes, Vin Diesel is of mixed heritage, but he does not identify as black.

His father said his father is said. This is what chat gpt is saying.

His father is said to.

Be of African American and possibly some other ethnic origins, while his mother is of predominantly white, mostly European descent. And interviews, Vin Diesel has mentioned that he does not know the specifics of his biological father's ancestry, as he was raised by his mother and stepfather.

Well there you go, Donald, Are you satisfied?

I am? I am. I am satisfied with chat GPT's answer, but I am not satisfied with it.

Seems so upset about it that with the reality, this would really throw I never thought that this question would throw you so much.

I just don't like hearing people say they identify as something other than what they are.

But he just said he doesn't really know his biological father's ancestry what it was. You just think he's black because he had an afro. I think there's lots of Jews who have afros.

Very sure, we don't listen. I don't want to get into this. I don't want to get into I don't want to get into this. I don't want to get into this. Man.

Let's get into Joel McHale is he here, Sir?

Joel McHale is in the way.

The word gosh, six seven stories.

I'm not sure we made about a bunch of dogs and.

Nurses in.

He said, he's the stories nat so yeada rab here a yeahda ra here obwe me.

Wiz Oh, oh my god.

Wow, he is handsome.

Look at that jaw line. Look at that jaw line.

And then look at the gray. He's distinguished.

Joel, you gotta put headphones on her. You're gonna fuck up all our sound.

Your fucking headphone addiction is so stupid. It's what what is.

The I happened? We want good sound from Joel mchel He's a good get.

How much more of a velvety fog do you want than this?

God? Listen to that voice.

He probably gets so much voice over work. Donald's listen to that voice.

Here we go I got this.

Are these ears? Are these monitors?

I'm a warning in Uh, let's see.

Since you've got since your R and B days, how dare.

You it used to be a actor for Imagine Dragons.

Well you were just with Imagine Dragons, weren't we?

No, no smokers, They're they're often mistaken for your.

Joel Joe McHale. Welcome to the program. You are a very funny man. We are honored that you joined.

Thank you for having me, and I'm very excited about the Imagine Dragons episode.

They're no, they weren't on the podcast. Donald just is conflating two different bands he knows nothing about. We ended up at a Chainsmoker's concert in Vegas, and he thinks that's imagined Dream because.

I also thought that. I also thought that they were what's the other band? All my friends or he Din's take twenty one pilots, twenty one pilots. It's just like, oh, yeah, that was whatever, white whatever white?

What about the Killers?

They're from Vegas too, No, not a killer.

We had this really cringe moment where we were with the Chainsmokers and Donald was like, I love it when y'all did. All my friends are Heathens and they were like, that's that's not that's our song.

That's not ourselves, Like no, no, no, no, no your song.

And then Donald tried to play it all No, no, I just love that radio you played.

Radioactive, right, I love right You're song is right radio.

And they're like, no, Donald, do you remember when you tried to play it off like you weren't saying it was their song. You were just saying you liked that song.

Yeah, it didn't. It didn't work.

And then like and then about thirty seconds and he gave up. He's like, I did think that was you, guys? I did?

He was like, no, No, I just wanted to tell you about songs that I love for no reason.

I just I wanted to mention songs by other white people.

Have you guys heard of Peter Paul and Mary? I just love the Joel.

I think I hustle hard in town, but I don't think anybody does more in a given year than you. You do a lot of shit.

Well, it's part of my new book coming out called Always Say Yes and No Matter What. So I just agree to anything that's ever offered, and sometimes that ends up being fentanyl.

No, but you do hustle hard.

You do hustle hard.

You got a lot of stuff.

Hardest working people in Hollywood right now.

I agree, but it may not be quality, but I will work very hard.

No, You've got a lot of quality on your resume. I want to go back to the beginning, because the first time I found out that you were really funny and you made me laugh so hard was the soup.

Oh that's going way back, way back.

Well, that's when I first That's when I first discovered you.

This was our executive producer. It was also he was also when.

Steely Dan Donald it was a big It was a huge Steely Dan's that band that beat eminem that year at the Grammys.

I remember, you know.

Steely Dan sayings, all my friends are he's taking Joe. How did this the soup come about? Because I read that you didn't even have an agent at the time. How did you get that? I?

Well, I was at the time.

I had a commercial agent aka who are who were great and continue to be great? Uh? And then I was hip hocketed at gersh which is a Hollywood term.

Everybody, Yeah, I explained to what hip hockets.

Don't know Hollywood? Was that so you're not a fit.

So there's these agencies they got all in Hollywood or in New York. They all have these separate departments.

They got a lot.

You always have a team, it's usually not just one person. And I had this friend from high school, Jason Burns. He was an agent at GERSH and he he really helped me. And he was like, look, so what happens is the hip hocket means this one person will send you out kind of under the table to auditions and stuff.

And they're not they're not signing you.

They're they're feeling you out there.

And I had had an agent.

I was with an agency called Stone Manners and they dropped me after a year because I wasn't working. And they literally said, uh, you're too green. Literally said you're too green. Come back when you have more experience, and and that was that. So that was that wasn't demoralizing at all, not at all. But because I got here and did two quick jobs, got an agent.

And then it all went away.

Yeah, and so then I had a hip pocketed Gershon. Jason my friend said, look, I'll send you out, but no one here is going to be excited about you. So it's a you should not sign here across the board because no one's going to do anything. And I that at the time, was like how dare you? And then I now I was like, oh, that was really great advice and really was showed me the where I was in my career.

And then this woman named Anny Roberts.

Who cast everything out of E I began booking commercials through AKA and she would see actors in those commercials and.

Go bring them in for one hundred and one celebrity Oops, and we'll show videos of you know, Chris Cross going to a club and then comedians.

Will comment like you know. It was like an early or like a parallel version of Best Week Ever. And just from her continuously bringing me in, she got me the audition for what became The Soup, which it was not at the time. It was called The What the Awards, which was a terrible, terrible title for a television show. Yeah, and then then the show went on the air and it was on for like six months, and then GERSH was like, we would love to sit down with.

You for lunch, and I was already paying.

Them, so to get some of.

My commission back at lunch, I ordered an eight pound lobster and like, I think I ordered two bottles of wine to take home with me. So they and that's when I signed with them. And then then you know, the show was slowly but surely gaining popularity.

But that's that's how that came together.

And then when all these other agents of you guys know what, Like when all these other agents show up and.

Be like, we're just big fans, we love your work. And I was like, didn't you loved it when it got on? You know, you're sure you sure liked it after.

I know, it's really hard because there's no interest in you when you're starting out, and then you get a little bit of heat and all of a sudden, there's so much interest in you, and you're like, well, how am I supposed to get started?

Yeah, Joe, you're the first. You were the first host of the super.

No It was called Talk Soup in ninety one with Greg Kinnear.

Greg.

Yes, So he's the pot he's the true pioneer. And then John Henson came in and really, you know, the show fully exploded then and then how Sparks came in after John Henson left, and then Aisha Tyler was the fourth host and then she Then the show was canceled in two thousand and two because talk shows. It was

We came in.

They brought the show in as like, we don't want They literally said, we don't want talk soup. We just want some some kind of version of that.

And then the new.

President came in and went, why is this called the what the awards? It's a terrible name. Let's call it the soup. And that was that and uh.

And then well, yeah, I technically the it was never on my radar, so it was never on my radar before you, Joel.

Well you were also an infant. You were you were just a baby.

I was young, but I I started watching it because of you. You made me laugh really hard, and I thought it was very irreverend at the time too. And I remember thinking like it was almost like a like a roast. I mean, it was so funny and and I couldn't believe some of the ship that they were letting you say I think at the time, I just was I just found it so funny.

I do remember when you took over and how the show all of a sudden became it became a little bit more for me, you know what I mean. I feel like when Kanear was a host, we had Aisha, and I thought Aisha did a great job too, But when Kanear was doing it, it just seemed like it was older comedy and it wasn't necessarily the comedy I was laughing at. But then when you got on it, it felt like it it was aimed towards me, and I was like, I fucking watch. I would tune in to watch the soup.

I remember Bless You.

No, it was we got because the President believes in it, and nobody watched it for six months, but the President's like, oh, it seems good. You're you're doing better than the the rerun of Sex and the City that we put on at ten o'clock. So once you keep going, uh what, we were just trying to make ourselves laugh, and I and I would literally namecheck high school friends and see if they would call in or like.

See like that.

They're like, hey, you said my name, Dean's get and I was like, all right, Dean watched it, but yeah, we got, we got. Really it was because on top of that, I'm very dyslexic and cannot read teleprompter very well.

I'm way better at.

It now, but those first few shows that were like here read twenty two minutes of jokes with cameras and clips coming in and out, it would take me four hours. So it was like God had was like, all right, we're gonna let you fuck this up for a while and then you'll get a little bit better at it, and thank God, and so that's how it. You can The poor people who are at the tapings were they like this, this guy's an idiot and he can't read and that's Oh.

That must have been really hard because reading a teleprompter live in front of an audience. Oh, dyslexia must have been really stressful.

Yes, it was very Half of it was anxiety, and thankfully I'm way I mean, you learn different and now you're still not very good at it, but you learn different ways to deal with it. And but boy, those first few days, I remember one taping to four hours to get through twenty two minutes.

Of jokes, and I was like, oh, boy, and.

Then we did it live, and I was ashamed of being dyslexic, but then I kind of I got over that. And then when we did it live live, because we did, I was like, Hi, it's Joel from the Soup.

I'm dyslexic. We're doing it live. I don't know what the fuck's gonna happen.

And how often would you do it live?

Well, there was like two years we did it live, I think, but it was too like. That was also when the ratings went up, but then it was beginning to win. Like towards the end, that's when the old you know, like streamers were coming in. Television's ratings were diving, and of course they blamed they always blamed the talent. And so that's one of the reasons why I went away.

But the same thing, big.

I was on the last episode you were, I was, Yeah, I was on a couple episodes. Actually, yeah, you and I. You and I became You and I became friends while you were doing this show.

Joel doesn't remember that.

Donald, Well, we played on a basketball team together for several years. Actually, he and I and and competed against a lot For a while, it was just me and you bro and that was it, like you know and Anto Montana and Montana.

Jeff and Jeff Sltz was good.

And salts and starts. Yeah, he was with us too, and we competed and got we did really well. This is this NBA Celebrity League Entertainment League.

Oh yeah. Donald was very into that.

If you were to have taped those games and shown them, people would not believe, like the different heavy hit like the different real celebrities that were coming in and be like, Oh, we're playing Will Ferrell today.

And yeah, yeah, oh wow, I'm gonna go to Adam Sandler. This is gonna be great.

Do you remember how Brian McKnight was on our was on our team?

No, you were on Brian the nice team. He was never on my team. He one year I had Bill lay It was like me, Bill Lawrence, Uh, Jeff Stultz, I think we had. I want to say Adam McKay was on our team. I could be wrong, but he never showed up. All I know is we had a stacked team of like big time television producers.

Who were on the last few years of their knees and.

Right and and couldn't run and stuff like I remember we dude, we had had.

A fights broke out. I mean it was it was no joke, it was it was good. It was good competition.

And then there was some lawyer.

I remember there was like, who's the freaking lawyer? Who's this who's the six to seven guy? They're like, he's an entertainment lawyer. I'm like that guy, and they're like, oh, he was on the Lakers for he had a good that he was on the Lakers for a year.

And I was like wow.

I was like, that's that's cheating.

But Bob Myers was a fucking Bob Myers played in our league. Bob Myers ran the Golden State Warriors in their glory days when they won all of their championships. He was he played in our league, and he was a sports agent at the time.

So I was like, okay, but there's this There was no quality, there was no levels of qualifying.

But people took it very seriously. I know Donald took it very serious.

Oh.

I think I'm gonna be honest with you. I think there's some people like Guy Richie doesn't talk to me today because of that league. Guy Richie's like, if I ever I'll never go.

You got in lifelong fights with people.

No, not guy Richie, my bad mcg. Mcg's like, I'll never hire him.

Wait, what is mc g made lately?

It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter. I know a lot of people hated me, and I knew. And I found this out because one day we were playing and some dude followed me and he's like, I didn't follow him and I turned into him. I said, yeah you did, and he wanted to fight me, like fuck you, Donald, kill you, and I was like, whoa. I didn't realize I was hated like that.

Do you think the soup could be on today? Joel? I mean, I wonder in.

This transition, Zach.

But listen, Donald was the best person to have on the team because he fucking cared. And I was like, I'm glad Donald's on my team because he doesn't.

It's yes, he was very passionate.

Do you think do you think it could it could make it?

Well?

We tried it on Netflix and it didn't work. We lasted two seasons. But I don't I always say I don't think so because everything it's very.

Hard to write today. It's very ten.

People are very people are very sensitive and the show to me. I mean, it's funny I'm saying this, But at the same time, people love the roast. Yeah, Tom Brady roast was so many and it was so insane the ship that was being said on the roast. But I think in the quality in the context of a roast, people allowed different rules because it's like this old tradition.

Like a roasted.

Yeah, you's also showing up to participate, your right, Donald.

But I actually don't think that. When I hear older comics say, oh, crowds are too sensitive now, I actually do not subscribe to that because I because, like I when I heard Seinfeld talk about college crowds that he didn't you know there, I was because when I do colleges there they seem on board. But maybe they're just being nice to this old man and uh but we shots fired, sorry Jerry Seinfeld and uh but but but I have noticed no difference with young people that you

But I don't know.

But I think it's too instantaneous, the U, because we would always we wait a week to tell all that here's your entertainment news, and then here's some clips from reality shows. And I think that stuff is up. Maybe if we did it all TikTok every day, every ten minutes.

But I don't, I don't, I don't know.

I mean, no one's tuning into television uh on time seemingly, or maybe they do.

You're right.

And also everyone's watching so many different things that unless it's one of the the sort of three things everybody's talking about that week, no one. People don't have the reference mayb.

Yeah, I don't know.

I mean, but SNL is huge, right, so they're I don't know, but they're doing sketches more than a click, right, But it could maybe it could. But he was turning in on itself when I when I.

Was fired, You guys were you guys were like memes before they were memes, you guys.

Yeah, it was kind of like it was TikTok before it was TikTok, you know what I mean, Like we used to we used to watch I used to watch it to see people stumble and fall and make fun of it and then you make fun of them, you know what I mean?

Like that was the that was the purpose of the show. And now I watched and now I watched Facebook or Instagram or TikTok, and people are just doing the soup all by the you know what I mean, they got they're superimposing themselves all to the background and everything doing it's ridiculous. We used to do. Yeah, I think there is a space. I think there is a space for it. I don't know. I don't know that you want to do it, but I think there's a donald.

Do you remember this is so.

Yeah, we have chicks Man, chicks Man. There wasn't like when he had Joan and Chelsea and me and we had a real comedy brand. And then Joan died, Chelsea left, and then the network was turning in on itself.

I'm like, oh, this is all going away very quickly.

I don't even know what he does anymore.

At the House of Villains on E hosted by this guy, Thank.

You, Joel, Joel, thank you for remembering.

Another show.

You just sat here and talked about how E was turning on itself and how they didn't know what they're doing, and yet they hired you again.

Well, Donald, let me explain.

So I was talking to the lead singer.

No, here's wait, what's what's a house?

The villains is on E But when I was offered the job, because you know, it's straight to offers, guys, I'm leaning right in. Uh No, it's uh because they were Annie was still there. She's not there anymore. She was like, Hey, everybody who fired you has been fired and the people the people were cool again.

And I'm like, oh, and so we take all.

The the people that did best on reality shows and who were considered the most evil or the most uh rough and uh you know who caused the most friction, and we get all those people together in one house, and we have them compete for money. Uh.

And so it's called, yeah, a bunch of villains. They let me say whatever I want.

And I was like, we include like when planes are flying over and you can't hear audio speak speaking too precious people of their audio, and we show people stumbling and falling that you me screwing up my teleprompter. So it's competing to see who is because all these players, like someone like Johnny Bananas from the Challenge are very good at what they do. And then you also get like Teresa Judais who's really good on TV and really can be really funny, or like Tiffany Pollard, who's really

I just watched what's the show that's like Mafia, the Sopranos, Mafia. They the game Mafia, Joelle, what's that show where they all compete celebrities? Yeah, talking about Traders, thank you. It's called Traders.

They had a lot we were on actually before Traders, and Traders really has done very well and we would like some.

Of their work, so we ye Traders.

Traders took a lot of villains and and uh from from reality to us and put them on this show where they could sort of compete to survive and it's pretty funny, entertaining.

So we actually hope our opening monologue was everybody who wasn't on Traders is here.

So thanks.

That's a really good show.

Though, let's take a break.

We'll be right back after these fine words. We got to talk about one of your most beloved things of all time. Community. It's your agent, remember, I think.

Everybody that's kind of hard to forget.

No, that is a very beloved show that produced so many talented.

People on.

Daniel PODi.

Yes, no, yes, no, there's so many.

I was watching it recently on a plane. I watched the pilot again on a plane, and it's just amazing to see how many incredibly talented people came out of that where we're born out of that of that cast.

Yeah, no, I mean too bad for Donald Glover, but everybody else did well.

He'll be okay. I think he's going to be okay. One thing we have in common is that people have always asked, is there going to be some sort of reincarnation of the show? Ours is all talk, but it looks like you guys have a script and are really making a movie.

We really are.

It's it's very similar to the Scrubs movie that you guys have been trying to make forever. But no, it's we have Peacock has given us the money. We have the green light to make the movie. So that was the hardest part, and everybody is agreed. We were supposed to shoot it last June, I ruined it and couldn't do.

It because you had a television show, right.

No, I had three and uh that's what's thank you, thank you so much, kidd four and so uh what a dick. But no, but so I we.

Are going to do it.

I hopefully it'll be in twenty twenty five and then come out in next holiday season.

Is my is my fantasy. It's hope.

Must be so hard to schedule all you guys, because you're all doing so well and that and of course you are not exaggerating of so many shows and how do you so that's the Have you guys found a time to making it for the fans who love the show. There is actually going to be a bit.

There will be a movie.

Yes, it's we're circling in on the time.

It won't take too long to shoot because because we'll be were like, we can't. We just need to we it's got to be a truncated schedule. And but what we have to we have to all be there. That's the only caveat. It can't be like we.

Shot the one side of that scene when once his name was in Thailand, and then this other side was shot in Toronto like that.

Yeah, I agree, I think that arrested development. Like when they came back, they tried to they had to do something like that, and I remember them being trying to figure out a way to shoot the show that where they weren't all together, and I remember feeling like that was not as as good as the Multigether.

I mean, obviously it was one of the greatest shows of all time, but yeah, you sometimes you can tell what that stuff and yeah.

Now you've been outspoken about a certain cast member. He probably won't be back on a Sandy.

Yes, but he didn't last throughout that. He didn't last. He didn't last at a show either though. Man, I know that he.

Left, but I'm just saying, like, I know, you're not going to do something fire. Yeah he didn't. That must have been hard because it's a weird balance of like, wow, this is a living legend, but he's driving us all nuts.

Yep. Uh, there's no other way to put it other than.

Yeah, I guess no.

And he you know, he was really really funny and when the thing when the camera was on him and he was doing his thing, it was he was incredible.

And uh, but.

You know, he said that.

I mean, I literally have a part in my book thank You.

It's called Thanks Thanks for the Money, came out eight years ago where you know I talk about fighting him and.

Uh physically fighting yeah yeah, yeah, yeah.

We did it all the time, and and he he just didn't want to be there. He didn't like the hours, and I you know, you know the hours on something crazy is yea is they're they're endless. And but I was like, the hours are always the hours. I mean, if you're it is going to be what that That's how it always was. We weren't making a four camera sitcom, and so he didn't want to be there, and then eventually he wasn't And uh.

So that's really interesting.

He's really fun.

Could you watch him on camera? I mean, he's a he's a bona fide movie star for real.

Look at SNL. He only did one season at SNL and he's one of the most popular and no cast members ever. You know, there's something special about him, obviously, But same thing with SNL. People had a hard time with him there too, you know what I mean. It's not like it's not like Chevy Chase is walking around with the best reputation on.

The I know they talked.

They all talk about him, so I mean, I he's all those like real a list like he made. He was the highest paid star of the eighties. I mean he made more than Eddie Murphy, which is saying, which is incredible. And I mean those vacation movies and flip between fl I mean there were but then you know, he you know, we get to this little DN show that didn't become really popular until after it was canceled twice and off the air. That so, yeah, it's all fine.

I wonder if he I wonder if he enjoyed it. Sounds like he was miserable, and I wonder if he enjoyed making those eighties movies. I wonder, I wonder if he was a happier fellow than I you know, I mean, I'm not saying it's for you to answer. I just wonder out loud, like, you know, if he if you know, when he was, when he was at the top of his game, if he was you know, movies have crazy hours too. Maybe I wonder if he enjoyed it more.

I think he definitely had a fastball then that. And you know, I I think he loved being a movie star, and who the who wouldn't.

Who wouldn't love being a movie star? Right? That sounds like such a fucking you know, I'm gonna say something. We I think we all and a lot of the guests that we've had on the show, we all come from an era of television where you had to fucking fight really hard to keep your popular show going. You know what I mean, all of us. It's the conversation that so many people are having when they come on

Yeah, well the showrunner was fired then yea.

How many seasons did Dan not do?

And then I and then I quit and said I'm not coming back unless Dan comes back, and then they thankfully allowed you know, Dan came back. I mean, the fact that Dan William would come back was a lot, and but the show wasn't the same even though you.

Know, yeah, that season that he wasn't there. What season is Do you find that that's the fans like that one the least?

I Yeah, I would say like, but there's some people that are like, it's you guys are all still great on I'll be like, oh, thank you, I'll take that.

Some of it was we kept celebrating a lot.

Of holidays that season, but there was a lot of those holiday episodes. But but some people are like, hey, it's great, and I'm like, well take it. But no, I do not think I personally don't think it has

All the way through.

Uh, you can make the argument that like Glee shot out of a cannon and then kind of faded, Yeah, tapered off, but still very popular. But you know, you're always now in this environment, there's not as many episodes, so you like you get two seasons maybe or if you're really lucky, but it's just so difficult to keep those plates spinning. And uh. And when I you know, I hear people go like, well, you're just on a show, And then you're on a show, I'm like, you out.

Of your mind.

We're constantly building a ship while it's in a storm on the water.

We are fucking shit is sinking and I'm trying to build.

That is happening every week.

And we were like this episode that is beloved Dungeons and Dragons, like Dan was told.

After we read that script, they were like, oh, no.

One likes dungeons and dragons, we should do something else, and they're like what, and so that's those.

Sorts of Lord of the Rings.

Yeah, that that stuff happens. I'm sure.

Right, let's talk about animal control because one of your current.

Three to air January something.

Is it true that Sarah Chalk is on this season?

Yes, she's been on two seasons and uh, talk about a difficult person who's not talented.

About it, talk about she was Chevy Chase.

Untalented.

Yeah, she's listen, I don't care. I don't care how bad your Chevy stories were.

So oh my gosh.

She she she created the Proud Boys.

I think.

That's what I heard.

She's she's trying to start She's trying to start a Vancouver brands she was.

She created that.

Yeah, she created the next cult I think up there.

Does she play your love interest? She does, Yes, that hussy.

I can't tell you how many love interests that hussy has played.

She was how I met your mother. She was a love interest.

She's a little hottie.

Man.

It does a reason. There's a reason.

She is hot and fun.

I think you would call her like they call Dan Marino in the eighties.

She is the cant like he was called the Candy Store because they.

Just she had he had every skill and every She's so funny, talented, kind, normal, beautiful.

I mean, yeah, it's really pisses me off.

Do you get to have quality time with wacky animals because I really like exotic animals.

Yes, we they're around a lot. And then there's the animals that are to terrifying but also sweet.

And then we had a.

Sloth who which that sounds like a lot of well the sloth was really I had a slough one time that was really like cuddly and all that, and then this other sloth. They were like this, They're like, this is the best on camera sloth we have. He'll do exactly what we say. But everyone, but everyone believes the sloths are friendly and slow. And the guy was like, this one is neither. And they're like they were like, let him do his thing. He's going to do his thing.

Was hoping you'd hold up your hand and it was like missing two fingers like they were not It was.

It was great. It was terrifying.

So you had you had a bad encounter with the sloth. I've never heard of him.

I had a.

Great experience, but I did not. They were like, don't put your hand near its face.

But then I feel.

Like, if if a sloth came for you, you could just just slowly.

Know they slow, they wanted to slow. They're like I watched this baseball players.

They just sit around and then all of a sudden, they're like, what the what happened?

I was about to do. I was about to say that they're like athletes. Athletes just sit around and then all of a sudden, out of nowhere.

Yeah, got there.

I saw some nature video where a sloth was like booty calling. They were like calling each other. And then he took his time and he swam across and he finally climbed up the tree, and and the chick sloth already had a man there like he he had taken.

Too much job.

It was too late.

Here's the funniest video I ever saw. Wow, that's it sounds like a Hallmark movie.

Yeah, I love slough, I know that.

And it was like, also, this sloth was as big as a like a full grown golden retriever.

It was huge. It was I mean, I.

Thought they were like bear size for some reason, I thought sloss for like bear size.

No, they're they're there.

They're as bad as big Yeah, there was bad as big as big dogs. And the one I also had a tiny little one who was super cute and cuddly. Anyway, nuts.

So because of this show, have you found yourself very interested in exotic animals? Do you own any exotic animals? Yeah? Do you have a crazy?

Do you have a bubbles? Do you have a bubbles?

Yeah?

I think it's bubbles.

Yeah. I said he's a bubble, which would be a bubble.

Yeah, I have a I have a couple of snow leopards that I just checked in my.

Luggage, brought them down from Canada.

No, uh no, I I did on The Great Indoors, which was a sitcom I did. There was a pug to which when this character at a puppy pug and I was like, that's coming home with me, and yeah, and that pug.

Is still well, it's our beloved pug.

Let's take a break.

We'll be right back after these fine words. That you've been married a long time.

Huh, this is a weird transition.

But no, you were just talking about your family. You gestured to your family and your home. So I many think that's not your wife, that your wife's funeral.

No, haven't, haven't you.

You're the rare Hollywood guy who's been married for thirty years.

I have been with my wife for thirty married for twenty eight.

Wow, that's incredible.

What's your secret?

Well, Uh, you know, I'm the patriarch and I'm kind of, you know, the boss, and I tell her what to do, and I screen what she reads. And our house has its own religion. We don't pay taxes, and you know. No, what is the secret? Well, she's very patient. Uh you're you seem like a big personality.

Yes, it's extremely annoying all the time.

My wife is the queen and I am the vassal, not not the king.

She is the queen and everybody else is.

Yeah, she's I believe me.

When I met her, I was like, I'm going to try to let it was like the old trying to land a marlin.

In the Gulf of Mexico, Like this is going.

To be very difficult for she's she was so far above my station that I got her. I can somehow tricked her into dating me, and I'm like, oh, yeah, so I got very very lucky. Yeah, I guess the secret is cocaine, A lot of cocaine.

Okay, I'm gonna say. I'm gonna say cocaine and sex.

Yeah, just keep Donald.

Also lets his his wife sort of be the queen and run the Roostah. She she wrangles him, right, Donald, I.

Learned at a very very very young age in this relationship if I wanted to work, there's certain things that she likes to that she likes, and that's control.

I remember when you guys were dating, when like we were playing basketball, and I remember thinking, wow, Donald, is he's out of his league.

But here, here we go.

I am very very very very very much aware that I am out of my league.

He had to work hard to woo her.

I think, you know, when you get on TV, people think, oh my gosh, you guys are if you've done so well, and they're so lucky, and you're like, once you get past that part, actors are pretty stupid and boring, and so then why once you get past then you know, and that's why so lucky.

My wife is in entertainment though, man, she was like she knew, I don't know man, my wife, I don't know you. You said you were very lucky and you, your wife is the queen. I come to a very realization at a very I'm very well aware my life would be ship if I didn't let her take control.

Happy wife, your happy life.

Truly, that's a perfect segue to talk about the Bear Jrol Michale. Well, thank you another hit show that Joel is on. How did that come about? Because I was excited to see you play an asshole? You you normally no, you play a wise ass, but I mean, this was a dramatic part. This was a really frightening character for for the for the for the main protagonist.

How did that? How did that come out?

I thought it was really inspired casting, and I thought it was I thought you were I think you're really great on the show.

Now it made me feel weird, But thank you very much that I got, once again, extremely lucky because Chris Storer, who created that show, who was a freaking genius.

Yeah he's so talented that Yeah he is.

Gillian Jacob's long term boyfriend. And so we started getting to know each other during community.

Also a fantastic chef truly, like he could have he could have had his own restaurants a thousand times.

Oh, is that where his interest in the subject came from?

I didn't know, yes, But at the same time, like he wrote this script, this movie script where I was.

I read it and I was like, when did this? I literally I was about a basketball coach, and I was like, when did this happen? He goes I made it up and I was like what. I was like, that's how good he is. So anyway, Chris asked, because the Bear started three and a half years ago, and he just said, well, you play this guy and I will do anything for him.

And at the time, you know, when the show were were, I.

Was in the pilot.

So look there was like two trucks parked outside and we're shooting in a restaurant till it opened that evening, and you know, it's one of those things where you know you do with zillion jobs. You're like, well, that was really fun and Jeremy was really really good, and I hope this works and good luck to you guys.

And I So I only appeared in.

One episode in each season, so it wasn't like I was a series regular.

And anyway.

So I was just lucky to get in there. And then on this third season, you know that he wrote that scene and I was like, holy crap, I hope I don't fuck this one up. And then Jeremy is he's such an extraordinary performer and that so I was I got all. I got so much from him, so I got it was really fun to do, and then you know, the show exploded. It was to go watch a show to be like two trucks and now there's twenty trucks and there's people across the street trying to

Yeah, it really blew up, man, it really blew up. And there's so much love it and there's so much talent in the cast. I really really across the board. It's such it's such a unique, uh group of people.

For story Back, he brought all that together and he is, he really did.

And he directs. How about all of them are he's for most of them?

I don't know the ones I've been in he's directed, so.

Yeah, at least three.

Yeah, but Joelle will look that up for us. I forgot if he directs all of them or most of them.

I'm sorry, this is a show that I don't watch.

So yeah, Donald doesn't watch The Bear.

But you know all that there's all that twenty one pilot music in it.

Yeah, if there were more twenty one pilot music in it. Donald, the Blanchet did makes me up, makes me believe.

Yeah, twenty one pilots.

Yeah, that's my favorite. One that thinks whatever it takes. Yeah, makes me up believe. I believe.

Christopher's directed nineteen episodes, but he's also given episodes Toronto yusuf I, owe A Debris and Duco Fabri and Joanna Halo has also done six episodes.

And his sister thinks like the Chief Food Consultant.

And yeah, the food is done. I mean the food is its own character obviously. The way it's shot and the way that they make it, it's real. Yeah, it's like a It's like it makes me think, and is it really over? Is it just three? And now it's over? I have no idea. Oh, you don't know, you're just trying to come in.

I don't know im. Yeah, you believe me. I'll I'll drop everything to do it because it's so much fun and stuff.

So you do you ever want to direct anything?

I think I'd be terrible at it, So I I don't have I don't have the Zach Braff brain even have the patience.

It does take some patience, and it does take anxiety management, which is the real I.

Think I would forget to do most shots. I'd be They're like, do you want to get a wide of this?

What?

Uh?

What?

Now, let's do it.

So I don't know. I don't know. I don't know if I would be good at coverage or yeah, it's a lot to think about, and i'd be I think i'd be.

Without naming names, have either one of you worked for a director that was more difficult than an actor? Without naming names, what do you mean that he that he or she like the director was late every day, or the director didn't have a shot list or a plan for the shoot and was relying on the crew.

Or yeah, okay, yeah, yeah a million times.

Not necessarily we.

Had a director in community which I won't say, but they did not actually get coverage and we had to go back and get a bunch of stuff when they weren't there.

Wow, Yeah, I mean to do a master We definitely had directors on scrubs in all those years where I was like, why we have so many there's so many talented people. Why is this person here fumbling us through the week in a really ineffective way? You know that? Donald? Do you remember that?

Yeah? I've worked with I've worked with directors that were late for work.

That is not just that is just that is unforgivable.

I mean, but not just like five minutes late, like an hour late, like the actors are sitting on set waiting to do the Uh. You know, you get to set in the morning and you do this, you practice the scene before you go to the trailer and put makeup on and everything waiting on set in full makeup and hair. I have never ready to block and shoot, ready to block, ready to block the scene.

That never happened to me.

That's happened.

What did you say when they walked in?

Nothing?

Does anyone have any blow?

Now? The director walked in and was like, you blocked this without me?

Yeah, I would say, and that Maybe I wouldn't actually do this in the in the moment, but I would. If we're a TV show. I would have that person fired. I'd be like, unless they're unless there was a catastrog accident or.

Something and some but I would be like, we're not doing this.

Yeah, I couldn't believe it.

I was like, Wow, okay, all right, Joel, you're a legend. We appreciate your time. We know you're a busy man because you got to go do four shows just to.

Well, here's what I can tell about Zach.

I know you're a director, and you must be a good director because you keep these freaking trains on time.

Well, Donald will have a yem Yang thing because Donald smokes a lot of weed and he goes off on tangents. And then my job is to be a little bit of like steer the ship.

All I ask in favor is that maybe we go to all to go to dinner sometime.

I would love to. You're you're a very funny man.

Let's let's see.

I'll pay for it.

I'm rich. You make me wonder you got a lot of shows.

Yeah, with all those Oh you better be rich. Yeah, those kids better be in Gucci sneakers.

Oh yeah, they're so lucky. They look great.

We missed a lot, man, We could have got into a lot. That dude's been in so much stuff.

I know, but you know, we did an hour with him, and I don't want to you know, we don't like to push it. We asked people to come on for an hour, and we like them to We like to keep our word.

I agree, I agree, But man.

He's got a lot of energy and he does so much. It makes me want to hustle harder. I don't think I'm hustling hard enough.

I know I'm not hustling hard enough right now. But I've got a plan. I'm gonna make this little short and then, you know whatever, I.

Do like game shows and shit like that. I mean, you could be hosting a Villains of a Villain house. Yeah, you know, we used to do the occasional game show.

Yeah, I I you know how it is, man, I do you like to work, which is very true, But I want to work on things that I'm that I feel great about now. You know what I mean too.

And if it sounds like Joel was just saying he just says yes to everything.

That's what he said. He said. That's what he said was saying. But that's fine. Some people really really like to do that I don't know. I don't. I don't know if that's for me, But I'm not going to be mad at anybody for saying yes to work. Work is work, and no, I know, I don't.

I'm just thinking my version of it, like I miss working more and I want to work more, and I but I don't want to just do something I don't like. I would never do something that I don't have an interest in watching right or or or or I don't know. I guess I am precious about associating myself with something that I don't think is his quality. I don't want to work just to work.

I used to not give a shit, but now I really do care about what it is that I do. I think the next thing. I think the next thing is the most important thing, regardless of what I just recently did, you know, And I want the next thing to be better now, Whereas before it's like I just want quantity, quantity, quantity, and now I'm all about Now it's like I just want to do something.

Well.

You have You're lucky that you have that ability and that blessing to be able to do that. A lot of people, I mean, the town is very slow right now, and a lot of people are not working and need work and are suffering. Crew members and actors.

What's going on? Can I ask you what's going on? Because there seems to be a show coming out every week, but then you listen to our contemporaries and we're not working. Man.

I think the town is still very slow post you know, when you factor in post COVID, post strike, multiple strikes, I don't think the town has fully recovered. Los Angeles certainly hasn't recovered. I think more and more jobs are not in Los Angeles. The governor just signed a new version of the tax incentive to try and keep more work in town. But as we all know, most jobs are going out of state for tax incentives Canada and Atlanta, Georgia.

So it behooves you to live in like Austin, Texas? Now?

Is that to know?

If it behooves you to live in Austin, Texas? I think I just think that, you know. I think the strike gave the studios and opportunity to sort of reframe their attitudes towards production and slow everything down and just sort of clear the slate, clear deals, catch their breath. I mean, I would imagine their shareholders want them to recoup the money they lost. I'm making all this up, by the way. I'm not a pundent on the entertainment business.

We're talking about the next Marvel movie, Captain America. That's what it's all really big. You can't, it's I can't. I mean, Zach tried to release a movie in theaters, and that was he found out how difficult that was, you know what I mean.

Yeah, well it never really truly found its audience until it was on Prime, which it was. Then it fucking crushed Donald. We can't end the episode without discussing something you might not even know because it's on the interwebs this morning, that Denzel Washington will be in the I know, Black Panther.

Movie and he's also going to retire. And he's also going to retire.

But I thought that Denzel in that stuff.

Yeah, it's it's it's bound to happen. If Harrison Ford is in fucking Marble, Denzel is, if fucking Russell Crowe is in Marble, Denzel eventually will it has to be because it's just, I mean, he can't finish the career without that. But now he's saying he's going to retire after that ship.

I don't believe that.

I don't want it to happen. How about that. I've been in I've been in a movie with Denzel Washington, But really we didn't know, and I still when he's when I heard he said he was going to retire, part of me was like, I'm not gonna get the chance to work with Denzel. I'm not gonna have an opportunity to work with Denzel.

Well, I think that you're going to be in Black Panther. That's what I'm manifesting for you.

I would love that. Ryan, call me, Bro, You're.

Gonna be Black Panther Cub. You're gonna be, You're gonna be, You're gonna be Denzel's little cub.

You know, I got a lot of Nigerian in my blood, which is which is you know, very West African. You know what I'm saying.

Well, I know Ryan, but I'll call him right now.

But you know.

I don't get called in for the for them rolls.

Well maybe will say, you know, I get.

Called in for I get called in for the best friend role.

Well, Donzel is going to need a best friend in in in Wakanda.

It'll probably be somebody else.

All right, what a show? Thank you?

I have at times?

Stories show we made about a bunch of talks and nurses. He's the story next.

All should know. So Gatherer round you here, op gether around you here, our scot we watch your wiz and