Everyone Is Doing Great w/ James Lafferty & Stephen Colletti (Part 1)

a Philadelphia Eagle. Um, you love it. You can put that away for the show. Put it away and don't and don't bring it out for our guests. Dave, how much did you love? Everyone is doing great? Absolutely loved it. I mean you called me. You never called me. First of all, you never call me, I mean there's no reason to. Second of all, you actually call me, and you're like wanting to talk about a show. And I know when you're genuinely excited, I did. I mean, this

show is is brilliant. Um, you know, I'm so excited to have this dynamic duo on the show today. The dynamic dynamic is a great wrote they directed it, they acted in it, they started it, they did craft services for it. Should we should we do a show when we do all those things? Probably not, because I don't think it would be successful. Okay, well that's fair. We'll just leave it to Lafferty and COLLETTI right, let's see

it to the professional. Yeah. So so everybody, look, we're gonna get into the into the interview as soon as uh, you know, as soon as we can. Um. But this show, I just I just urge everyone to watch this show. It is just absolutely awesome on Hulu. On Hulu, you you rarely ever see we're like two actors are just like, you know what, I want to go create my own thing. I'm gonna I'm gonna wear all the hats on it, and then I'm gonna go and sell it to a

place like Hulu. You know, that's a huge feat in itself, and it's gonna come out into the world and it's gonna be you know, successful. And that's what this show is doing. And we are lucky enough to have gotten the two leads um of that show as their their pals. Yeah, there there are pals, and you know, they did just an incredible job with it. It's super exciting to see them kind of take that on because it's a big

endeavor to do something like this. And then of course on Hulu you have the opportunity to stream the entire series and binge it and one night, which is awesome, which is what I did. So, um, yeah, I think it's time for our next guest, Dave. And we've got two of them, not one. I mean, this is a big, big moment in Hey pal podcast history. We have a dynamic duo. We've got you know what I'm crapping up to, Yes,

we do. We do have a dynamic duo. So our next guests have been all over your television sets for a very very long time. They are personal pals of ours. Stephen Colletti start in Laguna Beach and then made the leap over to meet James Lafferty on One Tree Hill, where now they start opposite each other in a brand new series on Hulu in which they co created, they co star, They've both directed, they write it. They I mean, the list goes on. Did you guys do craps? We

just can we just bring them in? Stephen Colletti and James laughing on Hey boys, how you doing. That's good. We should probably note that due to budget reasons, we had to wear all the hats, so yes, we did do crap service and make up positions as well. It was awesome. You guys did an incredible job. A huge, huge fan of the show. Uh really enjoyed it. Caught myself laughing l O l NG, laughing out loud multiple times.

So uh, really really great job guys. Um So speaking to your new show, Uh, you guys are a duo, and it made me think of sports duos. We you know, we talked sports here we talk entertainment. And one great sports duo was James Harden and Kevin Durant who played for Oklahoma City together and then they went their separate ways, much like you guys did. You guys were together on One Tree Hill, went your separate ways, did your own projects, and then now came back together, like James Harden and

like Kevin Durrand who were playing in Brooklyn. Now now you guys came together to work on your project. So tell us a little bit about what that was like and how it all came about. Yeah, and you know, I think it was it was working on One Tree Hill together was obviously, you know, a dream, and that was when we were a lot younger. Like I think we met on that show when we were what like around twenty one Stephen two, something like that. I just remember going to a bar with a fake I d so,

so maybe I was UM. And we spent a lot of time on that show, and you know, obviously grew very close and became friends. UM. But once it was time for us to sort of like phase into the next stage of our lives. You know, we we knew that we wanted to work on things behind the camera independently. UM. Stephen was writing, producing and I had been directing UM, and we knew that we wanted to work on something together. But it was really about just trying to figure out

what that right thing was gonna be. We didn't want to force it. We didn't want to just um start you know, I don't know, just shooting you two half bank YouTube videos or something, which we had those that we had those ideas earlier. That way, Yeah, I'm not

not worthy. We're glad that we took some years to mature. Yeah, And ultimately it just became about living I think it living enough life to get some perspective to be able to look back and get some perspective on what we had sort of gone through in this industry and how you know it took it took us, you know, a while to to sort of grow up and learn some

hard lessons, um it. Yeah, it wasn't until then that we sort of looked at each other in our lives and were like, maybe there's a comedy here, Maybe there's some maybe there's a story that we can mind out of this and some funny stuff that we can mind out of this and really make people laugh and also sort of showcase what we feel like we can do behind the camera as well as in front of the camera.

So that's sort of how how it came about. And so the thing with with k d And and Harden is like, you know, you're in each other's lives every day, right when they were in Oklahoma City, just like we'll use that example for that's One Tree Hill, and then they go their separate ways. They're both professionals, just like you guys are. James, You've gone on to do other shows and movies, and Steven has gone on to do other shows and movies. So they aren't able to really

stay that much in in in contact. I know that you guys are are are very close just like they they formed a bond. You know, were you able to stay in contact as much as you like or or were you not? And then when you get back together, like what is that? You know? Is it like first day of school and like it's like, okay, the band, the band is back, kind of like they're feeling right now on the court. I feel like there was, like, thankfully, like a trust built up to that point where when

it came time to shooting this thing. Well, I'll take you back a little bit more when we first sat down to talk about writing this thing and James came to me with with the idea originally and said, you know, I want to build this out with you. What do you think? And I think we both went in that first session of like, well, let's see how this goes. Like, you know, we enjoy having a beer together, but as far as you know business, we've worked together before in

the past. We didn't have a ton of scenes together in one trial, but like, all right, you know, if we're gonna, you know, um get serious about something, how is this you know, how is that working relationship in work and thankfully. After the first time we sat down and we're writing together, it felt like it went smoothly. I feel like, you know, um, we just both participated in a way that by the end of the day,

I know, I had a sense of relief. I was like, oh, I'm glad that that went well, um, and that we can continue forward because you just never know. I was like, I feel like I'm understanding his vision. I've got an idea, and when I kind of shared that with him, he seems to be receptive to that, and so I knew pretty quickly. I was like, sweet, exhale, I think this is gonna work. Let's move forward. I don't know where your experience was, James, Yeah, I mean it's similar. I guess.

You know. It's like with with sports or with this or anything that you do. What you guys are doing with the podcast. You know, it's like everything is um. So much of it depends on chemistry, and so much of it depends on each individuals. Like when you're talking about a team of two people, uh, the ability to compromise, UM, and the ability to like you know, to listen to the other person. And UM, I mean, I'm so glad bringing up James because this is a good less and

for Jared because he doesn't understand the word compromise. I don't think he needs to spell it. I don't think he knows the definition. So please go on. But yeah, man, I mean that's why you see so many you know, It's like you see these NBA super teams that get formed and for some reason they don't work, and you're like, well, how can that not work? There was all these amazing players on this one team. There's all these all stars,

and you're like, well it. I mean, it seems pretty clear to me after going through this process that the reason it doesn't work is because you have to have the right personalities mixing, and you have to have the right people that are willing to settle into certain roles for the good of the team. And I think that's honest, actually naturally to have that trust. I'll tell you, move that microphone away from that thing on your on your hoodie right where that it was just scratching a little bit.

There you go. I was like, mud, wait, so let's let me ask you. Let me ask you this, who before we get to the next question, who is k D and who is hardened in this relationship. That's all we want to know, guys, that's all we want to know. Man. Uh, I would say it's like both shades, popping both sides because I feel like KDS a better baller, and I give I'll give James the better game before me. But but I'd like to think that I'm in a lot

better shape than James on that front. I'm kidding. I'm getting like Superman over No, no, no, no, I think yeah, no, listen, you guys make the decision. I mean, it's it's it's close. There's there's pros and cons to both beards. I'm seen, maybe we've got Skype does a lot for my beard. I have to say it's a lot more wiry than it looks on camera. But to be honest, and I enjoyed your beard when you went off the deep end on the show where you just let it kind of

grow everywhere with like all over the next bed. Yeah, I'm like, how is he dealing with this right now? It's like that steel hair that you use in chem class in high school. It's just like bush, don't go anywhere. Hey, Pam will be right back after a word from our sponsors. Okay, so here here's the deal. Guys. We we watched the show. I've watched it multiple times. Um, we we love we

love the show. And like we talked about at the top, you guys are wearing so many hats, right, Um, so we it got Dave and I, uh, you know, thinking about sports and how Dave was actually pointing out when when was this Dave in the seventies, how they used to uh there used to be well, you guys did so many like he said, you wore so many hats on this project. In the seventies, it was pretty popular for a major League baseball player to play and to

also manage at the same time. So like Frank Robinson did it, Pete Rose did it later in like the eighties, but it was kind of something that was was pretty common. Um yeah, so we were yeah, just got us thinking, like, do you guys think that maybe, like with the six

says that you're having. I know that that's in the entertainment field, right, but do you think that it would behoove like a Lebron James or somebody to not have a coach and to bring that back and to have like a player coach and and to and to wear those hats because because I'll tell you what, guys, Colletia and Lafferty, like, the reason that I think it's so good is because, and this is just obviously my opinion, but I think it's so good because you've you've been

an actor, right, so you you've you've been an actor. You've seen what the director does, and you've seen what what a director needs to do to speak to his actors. And so now you're stepping in the director's chair and you know how to relate to other actors. You know how to get the best performance out of your supporting cast. You also know how to like coach yourself now because you've been through it. You know, you've been on the playing field for a while, so you know how to

do do it all. And so, like does that translate to you, guys with with athletes, you think that they could get to a position where like if Lebron was coaching himself, you know that it would it would be better than than if like Frank Vogel was coaching the team. I would say that I think you need to have that um, that kind of foundation of somebody who's who's a little little a little further away from the painting.

If you will, maybe it'll will step out of the team and who who can look from the outside perspective and you know, and so I don't know, I think that. I mean, we had we've had a lot of help on this, the Nelms Brothers that James have worked with, Johnny Durango, Michelle Lange. These are like instrumental producers that came in and we're you know, if James and I were both on camera at the same time, um, you know, there to to guide us. Otherwise we would have just

been you know, swimming in circles out there and see. So, um, I think it's important. And I will say, like it's funny when Frank Vogel went onto the Lakers, everyone was like, like, who's this guy? I think they were trying to get somebody else and then Vogel was like the second or third choice and everyone just kind of wrote them off. And I love how he stepped into the role and you know it. He knows when to stay out of

the way right and let them do their thing. But I think to have a grounding point, the kind of centering spot for somebody that's a little bit outside out of that that circle that's say on the court. Will I think it's important to have that because you can kind of tell, you know, the guys of hey, there's another perspective that needs to be offered here. Um So I don't know that's my feeling. I mean, I think

that that's a great point. But I will go back to your said you you are Stephen, You and James have been like the head coach, and I understand that you have help off the court, and those could be like the GMS and the owners, right, but you guys

have head coach this thing. You also are the players going out on the court, you know, I mean, you guys have been been doing it all and I guess to round out that at that point, I'm just saying like it's it's damn impressive and it got David and I just are head circling, like I wonder if players could do that nowadays, you know on the in the

in the sports world. Well, what's interesting because Bruce arians talked about it after the the goat Tom Brady you know, going to another Super Bowl, which is just bananas, and he talked about that was one of the things that he's he lets him coach on the field, and you know, someone was talking to Brady about it, and I think that was part of why him in Belichick butted heads, because Belichick wanted to be the coach and wanted to call the shots, and Arians is like, sometimes I just

let Tom, you know, do what Tom wants to do, and obviously it's worked out for them. Yeah, I agree with you as far as in the heat of battle, right, I think that that having the on field coach or being able to coach on the field, I think that, yeah, that that that is important and and the head coaches should let those guys do that, especially when they're out there, they're in the trenches and they're really you know, taking

the hits. They know what's going on. Like it's one thing to be calling the place from the sideline, but to actually, you know, be on the field taking the hits and seeing what's what's going on in you know, real time. Yeah, it's important to have somebody that can do that, you know, in that position. Yeah. Great, Um, all right now, James, you're a huge basketball fan, a

pretty skilled basketball player. You played in a bunch of celebrities, A very skilled basketball player, very skilled, Uh in New Orleans. You played in this celeb game. I've thrown I've thrown James Lafferty some lobs where he's caught them and uh, well at uh, I don't know if we ever connected on a on a lab dunk. I think it was like we got close a couple of times. But yeah, we did get a lot of a lot of Jared's basketball plays in his head. Anyways, Off, it is possible.

It is possible, But I'm curious it is you know, having that relationship with basketball and for you, Stephen, having a relationship with baseball and being a big baseball fan. And I'll ask James first, what have you taken from the basketball court that you've brought, um, from that sport into your acting or into your directing. That's a great question, um, And I think it's I think it's more than I

actually am conscious of. And the more I get older, the more I realize how valuable my experience and UM and with basketball was, UM and like my formative years, you know, just the ability to work with a team, UM, the ability to find and settle into your role, UM and the ability to sort of you know, see the court right, like see several things happening at the same time.

And basketball, to me is such a fluid game, right, and there's so much that happens in the moment that you don't have the advantage of, um a lot of time to plan for your next move. You can study the game tape, you can you know, really of the game in your head after the game is over and look back at things in hindsight and try to make your adjustments from there. UM and and I think UM film and television shooting is very much the same way. When you're on a set, things are moving so fast

and there are so many moving parts. There's so many you know, there can be thirty to fifty people on set at any given time, each of which is working towards the same thing but has different individual objectives. So there has to be a certain cohesiveness to all of it and a connection to all of it. And to me, that is directly related, you know, it is is totally parallel as what you're going through playing in a basketball game.

So um, you know, I actually I haven't touched the ball for years now, which is like tragic to me.

And the more I the longer I go without actually being on the court or playing, the more I miss it and the more I actually have this light context as perspective where I look back and I'm like, I think the reason I'm missing it so much is because it informs so much of what I did in my outside life and the way that I lived, and and it's and it's interesting too because you know, like I said, we we've played basketball before and Stephen, all three of us.

And the cool thing about you two that I always would tell people is how unselfish you are. You're such you're such teammates, like it is unreal, Like it doesn't matter if if Stevens scored a couple of buckets in a row, or if James has scored ten points in a row, like uh, you know, like you guys are always like no, no, no, I don't want the ball again,

Like let's get everyone else involved. And I feel like that translates not only to your friendships you know, um, but also to now your professional you know, careers where you have the power and you're the ones directing and and kind of like spreading your DNA throughout everyone else. You know, the fact that you've played in a basketball game with me where I made consecutive shots. I wish

I could hug. It's happened, Stephen, It's happened. It's one thing to be on selfish in the core, but it's also one thing to shoot a low percentage and just give the ball ap. It's a big part about sports and also and being on set and enacting in film and TV is stay in your lane, know what you do well, and you know what your weaknesses are. And

I think that you know too. Back to James and I working together, I feel like we there's a common sensibility of of um, you know what we set out to do with this thing, but um also bringing you know, different things to the table and understanding you know, our strength to weaknesses and and you know, making that work.

And that's that's you know, obviously big in sports and a sport like like um like basketball and even baseball, you know, trusting the other people to do their job and staying out of their way when you need to. That's also how the game is the most fun. It doesn't matter what game you're playing. It's like the game is the most fun. I mean, I don't know about you, guys, but I enjoy watching great teams play. There's nothing more magical than watching an epic team play and whatever sport

it is. And just like it's like that that alchemy that happens is something that is truly you know, great players they come and they go. There's a great player for every generation. You can argue whether or not they were better or worse than the one that came before them. But there since there's always gonna be sensational players. But every single team that comes together to do great things

is so incredibly unique for so many different reasons. Like I feel like that's what makes you love the game, is those teams. And so I feel like we have that similar sensibility with like, you know, the set that we try to build. It's like this can be, this can be that we can make this the greatest working experience that we've ever had and try to make that

the same for everybody else. And when that's happening, when when it's when there's that vibe on set and that's what makes it special and that you feel that on the screen, like once that like that energy, it's it's somehow it translates, It translates, and it's sort of like seeps its way into whatever you're making and you can feel the difference between a project that was, um, you know, made for money and a project that was made for love.

I really think you can. Yeah, absolutely, especially if you guys are in charge of craft services. You know, whether it brings sour Patch kids or not. Dave, I was just gonna tell you, and no, I can't spell alchemy, so don't don't, Okay, I just didn't want you to ask. Don't go anywhere. Hey, Pam will be right back after a word for our sponsors. But but Stephen, before I get to my next question, I do. I do agree.

Like it's just the fact that you can, even um be so self aware to stay in your lane though you know, I know, we kid and you say like I don't score a lot of points and I gotta stay in my lane. But like that that is what makes you you because a lot of people will go like, yeah, but if they would give me the ball, I could score twenty in a row, like you know and the wise.

But but but what I'm saying is like I'm just like I go back to like this show, and I really hope that everybody who's listening goes and watches uh this show because I'm just circling back to it on how floored I was and guys, I'm I'm like, I'm like in it with you. Guys. You know, we've known each other since we were twenty one years old, and I am the most critical person of all the work, all the time. And I've texted James probably like twenty times going wait, how did you do this? And how

did you do that? And godlie man, Steven this and Steven that, and it just is it's the fact that you can say things like stay in your lane that then allows you to have the perspective of going, that's that person's strengths. That's that person's strengths, and then you go and you empower them, and you know, it makes for better chemistry, makes for everybody being able to shine in their own light, you know, in a show like this,

and and anyways, okay, I'll stop. I have my next question in really quick, James, you brought up a great point when you can see a team and all their elements, Like I'm a lunatic Sixers fan, see my team be good in years, But when you see a like a factory, like what Golden State did, what they're passing, you know, recently the last few years, or what san Antonio did.

When you know, you just every player on that team, Like for the Spurs when they had Duncan and Genoboli and Parker, they knew their exact roles and what they had to do. And watching that, whether you're a fan of those teams or not, like watching Golden State, when you see those guys make those passes to that open guy, You're just like, this is incredible. Like everybody knows their role,

everybody knows their spots. So I was just gonna say, I feel you because the Spurs for so many years, like the Spurs of them, I was, I'm a Lakers fan, and I just I honestly despise them. And it's kind of like early Lebron James too. And then over time you see one how the Spurs pop a bit and they work. I went to a Laker game and and could hear Tony talking to Pop and and they're going through places, and I was like, man, respect for this team,

Like the egos are checked at the door. Everyone knows their job, and I honestly started loving watching the team. And then Lebron after all these years, you've seen what he's done the pressure because early on it was easy to you know, he made himself low hanging fruit with the chosen one and all that, and so you would naturally just you know, almost wished to see him in a way and and and um, he hasn't. And then he's also been like a model citizen, like everything on

and off the court. You gotta respect the hell lot of what that guy's done over the years. So he's respect everything but his hairline. But by the by the way, by the way, Steven, staying on this, on this parallel that we do on the show, that's exactly how I feel other people in the industry are gonna feel when they watch your show. Right, they're gonna go. They're gonna first go. You weren't even saying it out loud because you didn't mean it fully, but it was like a

mouthing like fuck the spurs. They're gonna look at this show and go, fuck these guys. How the fuck did they go? And and we never cussed on the show, so sorry anyways, but you know, how did these guys go and and you know, fund it, how did they go and make it? How did they go and execute it?

How did they go and wear all these hats, and then over time they're gonna study it and study it, and just like you started to respect him, they're gonna go, man, I respect these guys, And just like then, it probably motivated you, you know, to to now love that kind of basketball. It's going to motivate aspiring filmmakers or filmmakers that are already in the business to then go, man, I want to be like Stephen and James, and I

want to go and do that. And you know what, it's just the kudos to you guys, because it's it's really awesome. I mean, I remember when you guys were coming had this these thoughts. I mean this was four and five years ago now, you know, and it's just been a long path and it's been, uh anyway, can we give a round of the place to them? Just

just very impressive. I mean, it's impressive. Ship alright, Pal's That was the end of part one with James Lafferty and Stephen COLLETTI wait, what do you Why are you? Why are you stopping at part one because we are doing two parts now, Jared, Okay, but when is that going to air on Thursday? So I gotta wait two whole days. You gotta wait two days, buddy, all right, You just gotta wait two days for a lot of things in life, and now you just gotta wait. Continue.

You wait to be successful, you wait to make money. What about a girlfriend waited for the touch of a warm touch from a woman. You've waited for all those things. You can wait two more days. Look, I'm sorry for interrupting. You. Just finish and we will be back with James Lafferty and Steven Colletti on Thursday for more hijinks, for more hay Pal, for more Pal, for hey more hay Pal. That's right, Hey Pal is a production of I Heart Radio, Common Enemy and tender Foot TV, hosted by Jared Einson

and Dave Osako. Producer is Kyle Tequila. Executive producer for I Heart Radio is Shawn ta Tone. Executive producers for tender put TV are Donald Albright, Payne Lindsay. Catch new episodes of hay Pal every Tuesday on the Heart Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts. And if you love the show, don't forget to rate us five stars, share it with your friends and subscribe and needing net and net