
Transcript of Episode 1191 - Nicole Kidman
Nicole Kidman keeps going for a very simple reason: She feels like her job helps her understand the meaning of life. After winning pretty all the major film and television acting awards, after being one of the world’s biggest movie stars, and after becoming a major producer, Nicole says she’s still working because it allows her to explore what makes humans the way they are. Marc talks with Nicole about those explorations, including Eyes Wide Shut, To Die For, Big Little Lies, Destroyer, The Undoing and more. There’s also a cameo appearance by Keith Urban. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- 01:23:37
- 2.1K views
- Published almost 5 years ago
Transcript of Episode 1190 - Thundercat
Thundercat thinks bass players run the world and not just because he’s a great one. The multi-talented singer-songwriter talks with Marc about growing up with music all around him, learning at the feet of his brother and his friends Kamasi Washington and Cameron Graves, and finding his own sound on the bass. They also talk about his work with Kendrick Lamar on To Pimp A Butterfly and Thundercat describes the three areas around which he has structured his life: music, Marvel and anime. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- 01:11:07
- 1.8K views
- Published almost 5 years ago
Transcript of Episode 1189 - Mandy Patinkin
Mandy Patinkin is a renowned star of stage and screen, beloved for his roles in The Princess Bride and Homeland, admired for his mellifluous voice and impressive vocal range. But Mandy and Marc barely talk about any of that. Instead, they get deep into a discussion about life, death, love, religion, the Holocaust, depression, suicide, self-doubt, insecurity, and the meaning of this whole thing we’re all going through. And believe it or not, they find some answers! It’s the perfect talk for a new year as we head into the unknown. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- 01:39:27
- 2.3K views
- Published almost 5 years ago
Transcript of Episode 1187 - Patty Jenkins
Patty Jenkins’s connection to superheroes runs deep. Long before she became the first woman to direct a major superhero film, Patty was relying on Superman to help her process the loss of her father. Marc talks with Patty about how she was intrigued by the romance of tragedy, as filtered through the type of mythic storytelling depicted in her two Wonder Woman movies. They also talk about her time as a punk rocker, her years working the camera on hip-hop videos, and how the Beatniks are responsible for her entry into the film business. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- 01:14:33
- 1.7K views
- Published almost 5 years ago
Transcript of Episode 1186 - Sam Tallent
Sam Tallent felt compelled to write a book about the guy he was afraid to turn into. As a comedian plying his trade on the road, San did enough one-nighters and heard enough horror stories from other comics to know there’s a path to ruin while going from club to club. Marc is also familiar with that path, which is why he connected so strongly with Sam’s book, Running the Light. Marc and Sam talk about the book’s fictional (but all-too-real) protagonist Billy Ray Shafer, as well as the actual rogues and borderline criminals they’ve met in their industry. Sam also explains what it was like to bet on himself and publish the book on his own. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- 01:31:45
- 2.2K views
- Published almost 5 years ago
Transcript of Episode 1185 - Andrew Bird
Andrew Bird’s music defies categorization, so much so that he’s not even sure how to categorize it himself. Andrew walks Marc through the process by which he developed his sound, from youthful obsessions with classical music and jazz to his days on the road doing Old-Time music in bars to the period of isolation and deprivation he put himself through in order to experience a musical breakthrough. They also talk about his love of whistling, which he did in a recent Muppet movie. Also, Andrew plays a song from his new holiday album Hark! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- 01:26:50
- 2.1K views
- Published almost 5 years ago
Transcript of Episode 1184 - Bootsy Collins
Bootsy Collins is one of the world’s preeminent practitioners of The Funk, although that might not be the case if he hadn’t snuck his brother’s guitar out of the closet when no one was around. Bootsy tells Marc about starting out with a homemade bass and graduating from the James Brown School of Hard Knocks as part of the Godfather of Soul’s band. Bootsy explains how he came out of that experience and shaped his own identity in the Parliament Funkadelic Universe, thanks to the freedom provided by George Clinton, and how it all ties in to his new album, The Power of the One. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- 01:26:51
- 2.3K views
- Published almost 5 years ago
Transcript of Episode 1183 - Scott Glenn
Scott Glenn is convinced that every good thing that’s ever happened to him has been an accident. That includes serving in the Marines, getting his start in acting, meeting his wife, finding religion, gaining Lee Strasberg as a mentor, moving to Idaho, and getting the part in Apocalypse Now that kickstarted his confidence as an actor. Scott tells Marc about the serendipitous circumstances behind those moments in his life, as well as stories from the sets of The Right Stuff, Nashville, Urban Cowboy and Training Day. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- 01:28:53
- 1.8K views
- Published almost 5 years ago
Transcript of Episode 1179 - James Caan
It may not surprise you that James Caan has been in a few fights. He also played football, boxed and was in rodeo competitions, among other “non-Jewish activities,” as he calls them. James and Marc talk about how he turned his rough and tumble life into an acting career and how the same instincts that served him in competition helped him create memorable performances. They also talk about Robert Duvall, John Wayne, Misery, Thief, The Godfather, and the unexpected person who helped him create Sonny Corelone. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- 01:28:19
- 2.9K views
- Published almost 5 years ago
Transcript of Episode 1178 - Mike Campbell
Mike Campbell was more than Tom Petty’s bandmate. He was more than a friend, too. He was a partner who had an almost telepathic writing relationship with his famed frontman. Mike talks with Marc about crafting so many of those Petty hits, how they developed the Heartbreakers sound, what song he played that made Tom put him in the band, and why he wants to keep playing guitar and writing music into his 70s. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- 01:11:29
- 2.2K views
- Published almost 5 years ago
Transcript of Episode 1176 - Michael J. Fox
Michael J. Fox didn’t intend to be an inspiration but he’s glad he can help out. As Marc learned from talking with him, Michael maintains a perspective on life filled with gratitude and optimism as he lives with the effects of Parkinson’s disease. Recently, after a run of health setbacks, that perspective faltered. But Michael tells Marc how he got back on track, how he maintains strong bonds with his wife and children, how he felt about giving up show business for a second time, and what he realized about mortality while spending several months on the couch watching re-runs. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- 01:08:53
- 1.8K views
- Published almost 5 years ago
Transcript of Episode 1174 - Rhea Seehorn
Better Call Saul features characters who are not honest about their lives and identities, so it’s appropriate that one of the show’s stars, Rhea Seehorn, suffers from imposter syndrome in real life. Rhea and Marc compare notes on why they both feel insecure and inadequate despite their natural talents, such as Rhea’s skills at painting, sculpting and building. They also talk about her father’s secretive life in the Naval Intelligence Services, the perils of pilot season, and why Bob Odenkirk is so hard on himself. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- 01:33:42
- 1.9K views
- Published almost 5 years ago
Transcript of Episode 1173 - Frank Langella
Mel Brooks once told Frank Langella, “Nobody would believe you’re from Bayonne. You look like a prince without a country.” But whether he’s playing Dracula or Richard Nixon or King Lear, Frank is still a Jersey Boy at heart. Marc asks Frank about that upbringing across the Hudson and how being an introverted, sensitive middle child led him to a life of transforming into larger than life characters. They also talk about an amazing gift Frank was given by Ron Howard, the line of dialogue from the movie Dave that is his favorite in his entire career, and his performance in The Trial of the Chicago 7. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- 01:15:38
- 1.6K views
- Published almost 5 years ago
Transcript of Episode 1172 - Heidi Schreck
With the world still wondering what this year's Presidential election really means, it's the right time for Marc to talk with actor and playwright Heidi Schreck, who knows a thing or two about power structures and why they don't serve everyone equally. They talk about Heidi’s acclaimed Broadway show, What The Constitution Means To Me, and how her recognition of generational trauma in her family prompted her to write a show about unequal rights and the people who help stack the deck. They also talk about her time living in Russia, how she started a writing career in her 40s, and her newborn twins. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- 01:33:11
- 1.7K views
- Published almost 5 years ago
Transcript of Episode 1171 - David Cross
David Cross is one of Marc’s oldest friends in show business. And right now is a good time for them to catch up, as David balances his life as the dad to a three-year-old with the demands of going back to work on film and television sets during the pandemic. David explains to Marc how he was feeling more antisocial even before COVID-19 hit, why he wanted to become a dad late in life, and what he had to physically endure while making his new movie, The Dark Divide. Marc and David also compare notes after both of them played Jerry Wexler for dueling Aretha Franklin projects. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- 01:28:32
- 1.7K views
- Published almost 5 years ago
Transcript of Episode 1170 - Melinda Hill
If comedy equals tragedy plus time, comedian Melinda Hill has reached the point where she can make some funny out of the traumas from her past. Melinda and Marc talk about processing the pain, particularly dealing with parents suffering from mental illness. They also talk about Melinda’s trajectory in the comedy business, starting with success in voiceovers to her influential LA stand-up showcase What’s Up, Tiger Lily? to her acting, writing and podcasting ventures. Plus, Melinda talks about the connection she has with Marc’s past, something that requires a bit of processing on Marc’s end. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- 01:38:22
- 1.8K views
- Published almost 5 years ago
Transcript of Episode 1169 - Hari Kondabolu
When Hari Kondabolu was a college student, he interviewed Marc for a research paper about standup comedy. Twenty years later, they’re talking to each other as peers whose lives have changed considerably in the past two decades. With a newborn baby, a recent Netflix special, and a documentary about Apu from The Simpsons that spurred a global conversation about representation in pop culture, Hari gets Marc up to speed on where his life is at right now. He also explains how he developed his comedy career while engaging in human rights work and immigration activism. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- 01:29:13
- 1.9K views
- Published almost 5 years ago
Transcript of Episode 1168 - Matthew McConaughey
These are appropriate times for reflection and Matthew McConaughey just went through the process of reflecting on his whole life while writing his memoir, Greenlights. Marc talks with Matthew about the revelations he encountered, the perspective he gained, and the philosophies he was able to codify in the process. They go through Matthew’s upbringing in Austin, his first movie role in Dazed and Confused, his launch into superstardom, his self-imposed hiatus, and his career rebirth that saw him win an Oscar. Matthew also explains how an ad lib changed his life and why pressed jeans helped him understand how to take control of his destiny. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- 01:45:03
- 2.2K views
- Published almost 5 years ago
Transcript of Episode 1166 - Lewis Black
Everyone needs to let off some steam these days and there are few people better who do it better than Lewis Black. Marc welcomes his old friend back to the show for a talk about pandemic comedy, going stir crazy during quarantine, avoiding cults and pulling for democracy to make it through these times. They also talk about Lewis's new standup special, Thanks for Risking Your Life, which was filmed the day before the country shut down. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- 01:09:28
- 2K views
- Published about 5 years ago
Transcript of Episode 1163 - John Cusack
John Cusack is always trying to stay engaged with the world. From a young age when activist priests used to visit his parents to the Reagan years when he underwent a political awakening to present day, John uses his perception of how the world works as a way to build the characters he plays. That comes in handy in the new series Utopia, where John plays an evil billionaire. John also tells Marc what it was like to play Brian Wilson while working with Brian Wilson, how Being John Malkovich got made, and why Danny Trejo told the world that out of all the tough guys on the set of Con Air, John was the baddest mother of all. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- 01:16:56
- 2.3K views
- Published about 5 years ago
Marc Maron welcomes comedians, actors, directors, writers, authors, musicians and folks from all walks of life to his home for amazingly revealing conversations. Marc's probing, comprehensive interview style allows guests to express themselves in ways listeners have never heard.