Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Hey palm alright, So we've been doing some really unique episodes. We had Greg Murdy and on recently. Uh DJ Caruso. I'm really proud of you because your voice sounds really good. Well, I appreciate like you could maybe have a career in this. I mean, I can't be on camera as we know, because of my face. So if my voice is working out, that's great. Least you don't have a backpack with all the food in it, that's true. Like you're you're on the up and up.
I'm getting there slowly, but sure you're getting this. Sorry I interrupted, you know, what are we here for? But what episode you're here today? We have another incredible television person that's kind of behind the scenes kind of he's I mean, he's a he's a director, producer of some of the biggest TV shows on the plane. Yeah, let's let's read off his resume, Mr Larry Tang, Let's read it all. Yeah, we are so excited to have and bring you Larry Tang. Uh. Larry has produced and directed
shows like Medium with Patriciar kett Uh. He did Animal Kingdom on T and T, which is just such an awesome show. His show, his very edgy. His show is out right now actually which they went darker with than than what we're used to, which is uh Nancy Drew, um and uh, which is on the CW. But that is Larry show. That's his baby, which that's awesome and uh currently right now, I hope I'm not going to get in trouble by saying this, but he is the man helming in c I S Hawaii, which they are
in Hawaii as we speak, and he is filming that. Um, he's doing the whole pilot and going to set off that series. Yeah, Larry Tang's got it going on. So we just we just hope that you guys enjoy a little behind the curtains, as Davo and I like to like to categorize it at and if you like it, we'll we'll we'll keep bringing on more, you know, big producers and directors. But for right now, we've got Mr Larry Tang. Larry, how are you great? How you mentioned
Blue Blow? I did one episode of Blue Blood. You happen to be in it. I love how you mentioned it. Typical Jared right there. First of all, we're gonna edit that out. Second of all, I thought you did a bunch of blue You've done a bunch of blue blood, Larry. I did one and they never asked me back. So thanks, all right, Well maybe yeah, probably because I was in it exactly. Well, sorry about that, Larry Um. Larry. So so look, thank you first of all for joining us
on the hay Pal podcast. Um uh. Secondly, congratulations, as we were just saying on on Nancy Drew. Uh, it's a hit. It's great you. I I've been friends with you for I think it's about twelve and a half thirteen years now, and I've watched you just you know, ascend, ascend, ascend, and for all of our all of our listeners. A pilot is the first episode that you film, Larry Um was was I I don't even like to say lucky enough. He was talented enough and has paid his dues and
he did the first episode which means his baby. And so my first question for you, for you, lt is what do you think is a greater moment? Do you think it's it's directing a pilot episode? And by the way, this is for you, uh, not just like in general, but is it is it directing a pilot which you've worked so so hard, you know, to get to this point in your career. Or is it when the Eagles
won the Super Bowl? When the Birds won the Super Bowl? Man, oh yeah, he didn't even have You have to sort of like weigh the odds, right, because like, as a Philly fan, it's like in my lifetime, would they win a super Bowl? In my lifetime, would I eventually get a pilot? It was more likely that I would get a pilot, So then winning the Super Bowl is a
bigger deal, you know what I mean? Okay, but Larry, I go back to Look, I've known you twelve thirteen years, and I'm sure that other people have known you longer, and it's been a long time. And and I understand that you say maybe eventually, but not I know other directors that say eventually and they don't at that opportunity. So that's why, you know, I thought the magnitude would be a little bit greater. But I understand you're going
it all serious. It was a huge honor and a big deal for me, and um, you know, I think it was a perfect storm of storts. You know, they fake empire. Um, I wasn't able to settle on a director yet so there their hunt was going on longer than people had thought. Um, I was available. I got a chance to read the script. I connected with it on a very emotional level because to me, the show was always about a father and his daughter. So that
really struck a chord with me. And emailed Josh Wartz and I said, hey, man, can I get like fifteen minutes in front of you? He said, I'll tell you what, if you can put together a presentation, they come see me in two days and we'll do that. And so I cut together this presentation reel for a bunch of different movies and uh like I showed it and um, ultimately got the job, and it was it was a it was a huge moment for me. Um, you know it's it's it's tough to crack that circle. So yeah, yeah,
that is true. So so Larry. So the common theme that I see in your work. And and by the way, you know me, you know how unapologetic I am. The people that are around me know me that I don't I don't fluff pillows, I don't bullshit. I don't like to cuss either on the show, but I did. I did just cuss. But like the common denominator that I think with Larry Tang when I watch your shows or even when you do an episode and I don't even
reach out to you. I just do my homework and watch, you know, the one that you directed is the the acting. And I watch other shows and I'm like, oh my god, just like how did you find this person? Ouity felt like where where is? And for you it seems to there seems to always be great guest stars. There seems to always be great leads, and it seems like you
just have an eye for for that talent. Do you think that you have the same eye for that talent in the in the sports world, like is there do you remember is there like a story where you're like, man, this guy right here, this guy is gonna be good and then the ends up blowing up and being you know, somebody of substance in the league or you know, in
any sport. You mean when I like forecasting, I was actually right, sure, yeah, honestly, um, I I was so high on de Sean Jackson when he got drafted out of cow really and for a second round or I was like, you know what, that's some good value there and drafted in my fantasy league as a rookie draft from the following year. The guy just exploded and I felt like, look, I mean the second rounder. So it wasn't like, oh my god, I really reached for that
and I really like saw that coming. But um, I was high from the get go, you know, And um you know that that's when being a homer sort of works in your favorite because like, you know, you sort of keep tabs on a guy like that and blown up and just you know, rack up points for you. Yeah, and it's just like you know, the un tell the audience by the way, the homer is. We know what homer is because it's when you just rep your hometown and I go, I go, I go beyond that because
like I read my hometown but barely. It's when you can't speak like objectively about it, you know, like like Dave for sure, No, I'm just kidding. Actually you are pretty objective. But like you talked about Deck, yeah, unfortunately I did. And and even Edelman. You know, it's amazing that you brought up de Sean being drafted in the second round. How incredible is Edelman? He was drafted in the seventh round. He actually didn't even think he might
get drafted. Yeah, lt he was giving a state quarterback turn receiver crazy. Yeah. He was telling Dave and I on the show that he was just like, man, you know, he got there and he was like behind Wes Welker and all those guys, and He's like, I don't even know if I'm going to make the team. To becoming the second greatest. We looked up to stat second greatest, um, you know, behind Jerry Rice for postseason. Yeah, receiving for postseason. I mean wasn't wasn't Kelsey like a fifth round pick
or something or a sixth round pick out well? And then the greatest of all time? I mean Tom Brady, I mean Tom Brady was what was like it's he was the hundred or something and I know and and by the way, like a cool story for for people that listen, is yes, Larry and I did do um do a TV show called Blue Bloods together. I acted in it. And the girl that he cast opposite me that I had not met obviously until I got to set,
was this actress Jessica Roth. And this just you know, is more of of an attestament to Larry and his I have what I'm talking about is you know he found this girl, I got to act with her. We leave set, Larry and I have have a friendship and I'm like, dude, that girl is really good. And he was like, that girl is good. Like that girl is good. She's gonna move out to l A. Watch she's gonna end up being somebody. And she ended up moving out to l A. And now she has her own franchise
and Happy Death Day. She's the lead of that movie. And uh, and is doing a bunch of other studio films. But but uh, yeah, I just always wanted to ask you, ask you that question. For sure. In her career, low Light was acting opposite you. It really was. Yeah, I mean literally, she went from Blue Bloods and then she she did like lah lah Land. Yeah, and I went from Blue Bloods to doing a fucking podcast with YouTube. Don't go anywhere, Hey, Pam will be right back after
a word from our sponsors. All right now, Larry, I have a question. And I love this Philly connection. Um, I hate it's It's incredible. Fly Eagles Fly. I want you to recast some of the top actors in Hawaii five oh with eagles. Let's start with LLL cool J who who would play L cool J's Hawaii five O character? What wrong? That's the wrong show. That's n C I s l A. Oh wait why did that come up? Hang on, We're either gonna have to edit that out or we gotta know it says or wait, hold on,
wait wait why does it say wifive? Oh maybe he did an episode. I think he did an episode, Larry, they did look at crossover, but he's not a regular. Yeah, the lead is Scott con And okay, let's go with Scott con Let's go with Scott con. Um. I want to go with John Doranbo because he could do magic. He's like entertainment psychic. You love it all right, that's a great one. Um. Daniel day Kim's character, Oh they do, we go there. He's like the reliable dude. Um, never
lets you down. I feel like it's like David Akers. Okay, wow, impressive this one. I feel it could be potentially easy because I can already see it in my mind. George Garcia, who plays Jerry Ortega. Oh, um, he's kind of funny, he kind of loves himself. Um, I would want if you want to throw a cowboy in there, You're more than welcome to Larry, just just letting you know with the pay of the Lane Johnson there. Okay, my my pick for that was actually Jason Kelsey I thought would
be a fun one um. And last but not least, would be Alex oh Lafflin who would play Alex's character. I think you gotta give that the Sea Wentz. Okay, I like it. So we've recast in Hawaii five oh character. Right, he's like, he's that stock character. He's a straight guy. He's he's a straight guy. He's not the funny guy he's got he's got you know, just that that good radar about him, you know what I mean, and that that's Carson Wentz. Like he's not like a funny dude.
He's not just a personality. He's just a straight up solid guy. I'm gonna tell you about Carson. So one of the first times, uh, I've been blessed enough to spend a lot of time with the team, and I was a training camp and a bunch of the guys they were like, Dave, you gotta we introduce to Carson. And I'm like, yeah, I would love to meet him. So they bring him by and Uh, they go, Carson,
this is our guy Dave. You know, he does a lot of stuff in l A. If you ever need anything in l A. And he's like, I hate l A. And I'm like, no, no, I know you do, you know, but you know I've spoken to your brother about before. I know you guys are in l A people, and I go, but if there's anything you ever need in l A, you know, you can call me let me know. And he goes, Dave, I care about three things, God, family, and football. And I almost like wet this guy. This
is amazing. Friday Night Lights moment is a Friday Night Lights moment. It's pretty cool. Clear clear eyes, full hearts. Can't lose. Yeah, like a Cowboys, they lose a lot. Okay,
right on. You can definitely get injured. Unbelievable, um LT when when you're We wanted to use this episode to give people kind of like a look behind the curve, and we wanted to keep with our you know, hybrid of sports entertainment, but we also just wanted to, you know, let let people get some inside to your world and and what you do and can you can you just talk about like, for instance, you know, when you go in and you you have to. It's kind of odd, Like I do kind of compare it to um people
out there don't know. In TV, you know, they're always changing directors. And the reason they have to change directors is because you know, if Larry goes and directs an episode, he can't then start prepping the next episode while he's directing this episode, so they would lose time. So they so so you actually have to come in. So, you know, I kind of liken it to a guy that has been traded right midway through the season has to now come in, go into the law, straight into the locker room.
He's got to now meet all of his new players, he's got to learn the new place, and then he's got to get his butt out there and he's got to perform. And so I wanted to give you know, the fans and the listeners a little insight on how that kind of is, you know, synonymous with what you have to do maybe the first time you go to a show, you know, um, look, I remember doing a skype interview for for Walking Dead with with Scott Campbell, the show runner, and he, uh, you know, we went
through this whole process. We talked about a bunch of stuff. And then he just basically said to me at the end, He's like, look, man, I just want you to you know, you just use your instruments, man, but just play my song.
And that's basically that's basically the deal when you go when you go onto a series that's pretty on the air, that's already established for the pilots are e st um, you're basically doing your your best to carry forth that vision, um and that style so that you know, when these guys watched you, when you when the audience watches the show week the week, it feels like the same show. And I am ultimately you know, I'm watching past episodes.
I'm sort of just studying the visual grammar of the show, and then I'm going to try to infuse a little bit of myself into it. Um because you know, I believe all the directors have a certain style that you know that we gravid and take towards you're just like a whole all artists do. Um. But that is the challenge. The challenge, this is sort of you know, you have to sort of work within their parameters. You know, if on Animal Kingdom, that whole show is handheld in some steadicamp.
And if I decided to shoot it like David Venture, I'm definitely not gonna get hired. They're probably gonna want to reshoot the show and it's not gonna look like it's gonna stand out, and it's gonna feel very, very different. That's not what you want to do. Um. Conversely, like, you know, if you work on a show like My Hunter and then you decide to go all handheld, it's just gonna be the wrong field completely. Um. So you gotta you gotta be smart. You gotta be aware of that.
I mean, luckily there's tons of crew the DP obviously, you know, sometimes you have a director producer there who will guide you through the look of the show, the style of the show, you know. And then you know, I could be like, hey, can I get a crane here? Can I can I use this piece of equipment there? And they'll be like, you know what, we don't actually use that kind of thing, but we do this kind of thing, and so you sort of have to embrace and adapt. Um. You gotta stay fluid, right, you gotta
be liquid about it. Um. And then once you get on the set and we start shooting, then then then we start baking eggs, you know what I mean? And and um, you know, and I think it defines itself pretty easily, but you gotta do the homework. There's definitely a lot of homework. And that's why it's so cool. You know that you got you finally got your own pilot because guess what, it has your your you know,
fingerprints all over it. It's like you said, you you got to make a call, you got to pitch what what how you saw the show going and they ended up going with you out of everyone else that they could have gone with. And so now it's everything that you pitched and you formulated in your mind and you created you know, kind of mixed and meshed beautifully with the writer and whoever created the show. And uh and and that's why it's such a big deal, or I
feel like it's such a big deal. Get they set the look, the style, the lighting, um, you know, the sort of the the style of performance to all these things are are you know, get to sort of go through my filter. Um, and you know, thankfully that the show got picked up. Know, but like Nancy Drew was, um to me always sort of a darker, more grown up sort of feeling show. And so I was leaning a lot towards Fincher for his work and a little
bit of Egger right. Um, and that's that's um. You know, some some just some modern stylistic montage just cut between um some just some stylistic filmmaking. You know, when we shoot very simple, we shoot very efficiently. Um, you know, because I believe, you know, I wanted to look like a movie. You know, we're shooting animal for glens Is you know here all that stuff. Um. So it was
a great honor. You know, this, this last pilot that I was on before U before the whole industry shut down because of the coronavirus, UM was going to be an all handheld show. So I was totally going the other way with it. It was called Maverick w um. So you know, and hopefully I'm excited to get back into that, you know, whenever that happens. So, so Larry, let me let me let me ask you this before we let you go. Let me ask you this, Larry Tang.
If the first season of Nancy Drew, which was a success because it got picked up for a second season, right, Okay, So if the first season you were like, let's call it ten and six. They were ten and six this year, right, you know they were probably you know, first place, nine and seven who made the wild card. Okay, okay, so you're gonna you're gonna go not even better. We got to hear that from from you. My question is what is your prediction for season two? What is your record?
Do you make the playoffs? And what what? What is going to happen? We absolutely make the playoffs and we will hit the double digit wins. We'll tell you that. First. We're gonna go for the first six games. You're gonna start off three and three, right, and then and then we're gonna like rail off like seven in a row.
I do I do like the Eagles did last season, Jared to take some playoff l L T one One quick one last question before I let you go, um is if you could pick any actor, it doesn't I don't care who it is, Right, you get free reign here to come on and guest star for you for one episode. Okay, guest star. They're not gonna be lead. They're gonna guest star one episode. We don't know what the TV show is, right, I'm not saying Nancy Drew. I'm not saying one of your you just it happens
to be it's gonna be an episode of TV. Who is that guest star that Larry Tang would like to see on his show and he's directing? Oh my god, I would say, it's gotta be de Niro. Oh all right, that is good. Yeah, I juste like the clocks take it on that guy, and I just need like I just I just need to be able to work with it, you know. So yeah, I like I would say, if I had to guess, I would guess de Niro is
seventy seventy seventy five. He was in his seventies when they started The Irishman, and he probably, Oh my god, that is so that is so funny. Well, Larry, we would love to have you as a recurring guest here, you know, pop in and out. We just we just can't thank you enough for for coming on the Haypal podcast and talking to us. And I just think it's cool because you know, normally, like like Davo and I said, you know, we've had Edelman on. We we've actually had
Joe buck on, which was cool. We had yeah, we had Jeremy Piven. You know, we're gonna have j. J. Watt, Uh, Kate Hudson, you know, a bunch of people here on the show. And we also want to you know, flip that in and we want to get people behind the curtain and and and let you know, our listeners, uh get the other side that they don't really get to hear that often. And we think that that's pretty pretty cool. Um, So thank you for for taking our call, and thank
you for for for coming on. We really appreciate it. Thank you, Larry Tang. Hey Pal is a production of I Heart Radio, Common Enemy and Tender but Be hosted by Jared Einson and Dave Osaka. Producer is Kyle Tequila. Executive producer for I Heart Radio is Shaun Taitone. Executive producers for Tenderfoot TV are Donald Albright and Payne Lindsay. Catch new episodes of Hey Pal every Tuesday on the Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 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