Robert De Niro

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Paypal Inc. NMLS 910457. Hello everyone, welcome to another episode of Good Hang. This is a very, very special one. We have Robert De Niro with us today, Robert De Niro, the King of New York. I if, if, if New York was a person, it would be Robert De Niro. And you know what Frank Sinatra sang? If you can make an interview with Robert De Niro work here, you can make an interview work with anybody anywhere. We we are very, very excited that we have him.

We we're gonna talk about so many things. We're gonna talk about goodfellas, we're gonna talk about, um, h him hosting SNL and what that felt like. We're gonna talk about how much he paid for his 1st New York apartment in rent. And, uh, we get into it. What a what a pleasure and a privilege to have Robert here, and because it is so special and he is so special. I'm doing something a little bit different. I'm gonna ask a few people, um, to talk well behind his back and to talk to me about him.

Um, because I, I just want, I wanna get prepared, you know, like he's such a good actor, he prepares so well, I wanna do the same. So we're gonna talk to, um, Rachel Dratch, my good buddy Rachel Dratch, who starred with him in the world famous Debbie Downer at the SNL 50th. We're gonna talk to Seth Meyers, who is always an incredible friend and support, and who interviewed, um, Robert, Bob De Niro a couple of times.

And we're gonna talk to Jane Rosenthal, his longtime producing partner, who started the Tribeca film Festival with him. Knows him so well and is gonna give us a question to ask Robert de Niro. So let's get started and see if we can get Dratchy on the Zoom Drooche. This episode is brought to you by Uber. You know those little choices you make that give you more comfort throughout the day, like planning your outfit the night before, sharing your location with a friend when heading home late, taking the actual lunch break away from your desk.

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Get up, what are you saying? I don't ever wanna host Saturday night again. Rachel Hi, Hi, bud,

hold on, let me plug in my headphones. oh my god, headphones I can't ride the headphones any longer than they've already carried me. Look at that. gross. Okay, well, that's,

There is one.

that's there, but you know what other than, oh, there's Oh, now there's another, oh,

another knot.

overall good, overall counting this as progress. Wait, I'm just trying to think if I need better light.

Listeners, Rachel's just adjusting. I mean, at this point in our lives, why are we not surrounded by ring lights? I know, You know, ugh, yes, that looks good also. Nice lip,

oh, thank you. I put in an effort for you, polar with a lip, and that's about it. You get a lip,

you get a lip, babe. Drewchi and I had dinner last night, so nice. we did. Yes, yay, And um, I told you that I was interviewing Robert de Niro and I needed some help.

I'm shy around big name celebrities and I don't know, I'm just gonna say this, you can use this or not. But Amy, I always thought you were very good. When we were in SNL, you were very good at talking about S, talking with celebrities. When we were standing around, like the host, you know, waiting for the scene or whatever. And I would be quiet as a mouse in the background. And so it's. It's good that you're doing this podcast, cause you're good at it.

Thanks, dude.

I'm glad it's not me interviewing De Niro. That's what I'm saying, cause I'd I'd just clam up.

But you're one of my close, one of my few close friends that has worked with him. You've

Yes, I've worked with De Niro. you've worked, I've shared the screen with Bobby, Bobby and I have shared the screen. Yes, that's true.

you have, you've shared the screen. And

Tell Bobby I say hi, by the way. He's gonna be like, Who? No, um, Bobby, I'm now I'm committed to calling Bobby for this.

well, I'm gonna call him Bob, because that's what. And you know, there's nothing worse than anybody calling somebody by their 1st and last name. So Robert de Niro, what do you think? I am nervous because, uh, he doesn't seem to really love to talk that much about himself. And also he feels like our generation's actor, he he really has been in everything we grew up watching. And that was, and his stuff was always a little too adult growing up.

It was like his stuff was like the scary movie or the violent. Yeah, yes, his stuff was like you felt like an adult when you got to kind of watch his stuff. You got to do some comedy with Bobby

yeah, well, you know, I was thinking about this. Because not only did I get to comedy, but he also hosted back when we were on the show way before. And I what I was remembering about that is. I don't remember if I got to see him in the, but I remember. I submitted a scene where I was doing an impression of him, like in front of him at the table. And basically all my impre. Well, you can't see this if you're listening, but my impression was just going like this.

Like, it was just like a face. And I. There's probably not much listeners more to to describe. It's kind listeners, of like, listeners. Rachel is doing an impeccable impression well, it's a of me.

great one. Cause you kind of back up, you close your eyes and you kind of get your mouth open, like, Hey, you know,

That's all. That's all it was anyways. It didn't make it to air, surprisingly, but I um, uh, okay, so yeah, so I think we, you know, Paul and I were gonna write a Debbie Downer for the anniversary show. And then, like, you get the list of, like, who's available out of all the stars? And then I think Paul, it was like, we got De Niro, like De Niro with Debbie Downer. Was just like such a appealing, you know, prospect for us.

Um, to imagine him

to explain, what do you mean by list? Like, just so people don't know the the SNL 50th, what do you mean? There was a list?

like, there's a list of like, who would be willing to be in a scene, you know, for an anniversary scene? So there's a list of the stars that were gonna be there that would be willing to play in a scene. So, um, the combo of Robert de Niro having to deal with Debbie Downer was like making us laugh a lot. So then when we found out we had him, we were really excited. And, uh, then we got to have him say like he was just trying to get a drink at the bar and she's thumbing him out.

And I think our favorite line was about, like her saying, you don't wanna use a plastic straw, because, um, Mike, microplastics are e have probably taken up residence in your testes. And then when he had his like flip out at me, he's like, I don't wanna hear about the plastic in my balls. And then he went to throttle me. And um, we wrote in that. He, like, goes to strangle her. But then I was in the rehearsal.

I was like, you know, if you wanna actually strangle me, you can. So then he actually strangled me in the scene. I was like, I'm getting strangled by Robert de Niro. This is like no comedy person ever thinks that's gonna happen to them. So that was a fun thing to experience.

I've told you and Paula this, but my favorite part is when he calls you Deborah Deborah Downer.

excuse me, Deborah. Yeah, um, but I, I kind of go like out of body when I'm dealing with someone that's like a huge icon. And I was definitely nervous about being in a scene with De Niro, like, even though he was perfectly nice and he was like giggling. And he was willing to be there and play in this comedy land, of course, but um, but I still get nervous knowing that it's De Niro, you know

I would say one thing that you two have in common, Rachel, what? What and

could this be?

is that you're both in an extroverted business, but you're quite shy.

Yes, that's true.

I think he's shy.

Luckily, Jimmy was there to smooth out all the social edges. Yeah, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy, also in the scene, he's very and good at that. he's really good Yeah,

at that. Well, I'm gonna bring up Debbie Downer to him and talk to him about SNL. Cause I, I do think that, like, there is this comedic side that we, you know, we've gotten to see over the years. But my experience, similar to yours, is like a a very kind of like, fun and nice and quiet, giggly person. Okay, Dratch, I'm gonna go talk to another person about Bob and try to get some more info and and get ready for our interview.

So thanks, Drewchi.

all right, thank you. Woo hoo,

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woo hoo. Hello, Seth, are you wearing new glasses?

I'm wearing my cheaters.

Oh, that's right, you have cheaters now.

I think Paula Pell's the 1st person I ever heard say cheaters.

Seth, you look great.

Oh my god, thank you, Polar

Did you get a facelift or what? is What are you doing?

now. You always said you wanted me to announce on the pod, That's cause you used to say my face had a few parts that had a bad hang. You would point to different areas and say, that's a little bit of a bad hang.

hm, hm. Yeah, that's right.

Guess where I'm talking to you from

Martha's Vineyard.

my childhood bedroom in in Bedford, New Hampshire. Whoa, What other desk would there would be a bobblehead of me at the update desk?

I bet your childhood bedroom is similar to mine, which is my parents have now put things about me in my childhood bedroom. As if that would, as if I would like that.

It's a living museum, it's a living museum.

Yeah, like old press, like, like an old timeout article from 1997, framed.

people don't know that, uh, the White House. If you sleep in Lincoln's bedroom, it's a lot of clippings that Lincoln's mom saved. It's got the old shovel that he did his homework on. That's basically all it is.

Who made that bobblehead? when was that made?

Um, after you left, we got a lot of our own merch. I mean, you know, it's after you left. The fact that there's a literally. It would be great if it had been a two person bobblehead and my mom had just sawed you out. That was the one time my mom, uh, learned how to solder.

What are you doing in your childhood home?

I'm doing a, um, a charity event, uh, in Manchester, New Hampshire. And I'm sure by the time this airs, it will be too late for anyone to buy tickets. But if you can, God bless.

uh, Seth, and you asked me to ask you this. You do a lot of charity. Yes,

I asked you to leave out the the sort of t the top of that I am. I'm constantly doing charity. It's a little tiring, oh, I bet, but um, it's worth it. You know, I always say, it's worth it. And um, and my good deeds are the wing, the wind beneath my wings.

yeah, it's what it's, what you get out of it, it's not the people you help.

Anytime I'm feeling low, I just think of all the good things I do.

Yeah, I know, and and not the people, cause you refuse to meet them.

Oh, I, you know, most of the charities are for for pets. They're mostly, they're mostly animal based. I feel like people can take care of themselves, people can take care of themselves. You get in the gym as a person, get yourself out of the gym.

Exactly, you're an animal, you don't know what you're doing.

Much of what's gone wrong for you as an animal is the fault of people. And I'm just doing my best to clean it up.

Well, you are doing an act of charity today, actually, cause you are getting on and helping me. Because I'm gonna speak to Robert de Niro. Ugh, I'm quite nervous and you've already done it, and I n I need, I need.

always nervous. I will say I wish I could tell you not to be nervous. I've been nervous every time I've talked to him.

Okay, how many times have you spoken to him?

I think I'm at 20 times in my life because of his time on SNL. I will tell you this, I've never been able to pull the trigger and call him Bob. No, I can't bring myself to do it. It just feels it just feels too familiar for a legend.

So should I just call him Robert de Niro, And Mr. De Niro, Mr. De Niro? That seems too much.

I did do this once, and it was not. I did once call him Danny DeVito, and that I

You never know.

cannot recommend enough. You don't do that.

Robert de Niro is like, Um, everybody knows that name, he's so famous,

He's so famous. I again, because, uh, I'm aware of how little you guys do. I did a little research before jumping on and I looked back, cause he's our 2nd, he's the our 2nd season is the 1st time he hosts, and so he's about 25 episodes into our run on SNL. I think he's the 1st true legend who hosted the show when we were there, and it's very surreal to work with legends. And the wonderful thing about when he showed up and you, it never, it never reached the point where I was like, Ha, he's just like us.

But he lo, he laughed so hard at that table read, and he laughs just like Robert de Niro. It's so much fun how much he laughs like Robert de Niro, and he laughs. He's an incredibly generous laugher. To the point where if you early, if your sketch was early and he laughed at it, you might think you'd written a perfect sketch. And then, like, 25 sketches in, you're realizing like, Oh, he's laughing at everything.

I wanna try to get that energy today. I don't know I, I, I

But this is for anybody, for anybody about to listen to the interview. If Bob's not laughing,

Seth, Seth, look, okay, it's. Maybe it's because he's so moved by the conversation.

oh well, I mean, trust me, hey, a lot of people think I'm, uh, might even say my best quality is my sense of humor. But when I did good hang, I was just choked up, crying most of the time. People still ask me if I'm okay.

Maybe I'll get De Niro to cry, You think maybe you never know,

how do you get him to cry?

we'll see.

Tell him you thought Groden carried Midnight run. Looking back, do you agree that Groden's name should have been 1st on it?

Just immediately burst into tears. Ooh, Seth, get serious. I'm about to interview Robert de Niro and I need okay, you've done it

here's something you should know before you interview Bob, and this is a genuine.

and you did. Just call him Bob.

I'm gonna call him Bob to you, cause he's Bob. Gives great answers. Uh, there's a lot of, uh, important information in his answers. I think he answers with authenticity. What he does not give are long answers. I'm just telling you like, and I think it's one of the great things about Bob De Niro. When Bob has made his point, he has no need, like a lot of us do. You and I, I think, we'll over talk.

You know what I mean? An interviewer with us often I is wondering when it's their turn to get a word in.

Often when we're being interviewed, we both see this, which is just someone going like, that's that's enough.

Or like this, this. Sometimes when they point at the watch, Um, I'm gonna guess I'm gonna look into your future and think there's not gonna be a moment where you're gonna be like, Oh my god, buddy, wrap it up.

right, right. Like, maybe there'll be some moments where I go, and and what else?

But again, uh, what a thing. I mean, I feel like the, uh, the fully realized Robert de Niro is not, he is not. He does not need to hear his voice, uh, more than he feels is necessary.

No, I mean, I think it's something interesting to talk to him about. Is the idea of like? He seems quite introverted for such an extroverted job. I mean, he is like he, it feels like his characters and his work is where he's able to. Like, you know, he's spoken about it, he's qui a quite a shy person.

Yeah, it's very, and part of that, you know, shyness is, I think, what allows you and I to be intimidated. But the reality is, he's not, you know, he's not bored or put off by people. I think he is just genuinely, uh, shy. I know I've told this story and I apologize if I've told it to you. But I remember the 1st, uh, table read we did with him. I like, ran to get in the elevator, uh, to go home on a Wednesday night, and I ran in not realizing he was the only other person in the elevator.

And so then the doors are closing. And again, it's only, it's only s, you know, 17 floors, but it felt like the longest. Uh, El, cause it was just me and and Robert de Niro, and he was very, uh. He was complimentary, too, about how the day had gone. But like, in very, in the fewest amount of words that you could be,

I mean, it's gonna be hard not to turn into Chris Farley and just be like, Deer hunter, like, like, that was so good.

that's the problem with interviewing legends. I, in fact, the 1st time De Niro was on my show, he directed a movie called The Good Shepherd. Uh, with Angelina Jolie and Matt Damon, and I think he's only directed one or two things and I really liked it. It's right up Seth's alley, it's a CIA movie. And I remember the 1st time he was on my show as a guest, I told him, I hey, I really liked that movie, and he was like, Oh, thank you, you know, thank you.

And then the next time he was on my show, I think again from that moment of not feeling awkward. Once again, I was like, Hey, by the way, I really liked. And he's like, No, I remember. And it had been like four years. I'm like, Oh right, like, just cause he's quiet doesn't mean he's not hearing you. But I like that. He's like, Yeah, what are you gonna tell me? Every time I'm here about a movie I did in 2006?

And I'm like, I don't, I got nervous.

Well, he, Yeah, I'm, I'm genuinely nervous. I don't get, you know, I think you're similar, I don't, I'm not, don't get that nervous. I mean, I'm sure with your like, you've interviewed so many people, you probably. It's very rare that you probably get nervous, right?

Well, it's always that it's always somebody who was, uh, you know, iconic when you were young. That idea that not only are you talking to him, but you're talking to them. Because they, like, they got in a car and came to where you worked.

and yeah, and you look, you turn and look at them and you're like, you're talking to me

Oh, very nice. And now you've blown it and I can't use it when he's there. I can't believe you blew. You have one, by the way, every interview with De Niro, you get one, you're talking to me and you used and I is doing it on. Free. you. Oh my god, what a waste.

I already blew it.

Before we finish, Dratchy talked about, um, how fun it was to do Debbie Downer with, um, with Robert de Niro. And um. And I do wanna talk to him about comedy, cause he's done a lot of it and he's in a new one. Uh, meet the parent, another meet the parents, which is gonna be a big hit. Um, I'm sure. But what did you write when you were, when he was hosting? do you remember stuff you wrote for him?

you know what I wrote, and I, it's I. I did it twice, uh, and this is a a wonderful callback. If we were doing a Harold right now, this would be the last beat. I did a sketch called Pranksters, where I played a kid on Nickelodeon who hosted a prank show. And the 1st time I did it with Walken, and the 2nd time I did it with De Niro. And the game was that older gentlemen had recorded their pranks, and their pranks were, uh, vicious in nature.

And so it would be like a kid would come on 1st and his prank would be like, I put a rubber, you know, Catan would be like, I put a rubber spider in my teacher's drawer. And then De Niro would come out and his neighbor borrowed his lawnmower. So he hid in his garage and then cut him up with a chainsaw. And the thing I'll remember about it, or the thing I do remember about it, is, uh, Jim Signorelli, uh, commercial parody director, SNL legend, you know?

Again, we filmed the 1st take and Robert de Niro got covered in, you know, whatever pudding type substance was supposed to be blood. It just like they just sprayed him with it. And I remember Jim was like, All right, let's clean him up and take it from the top. And I was like, and uh, De Niro just looked at me and said, Uh, do we get it? we get it? And I was like, Yeah, yeah, we got it.

He goes, Okay, goodbye, just like again, like it was a perfect take. But I had this moment of like, I don't wanna have written. A thing that makes Robert de Niro take a full shower to shoot a 2nd take. And again, we just did, um, uh, a lonely island podcast about the uh, party at Mr. Bernard's, which was,

That's right, that's right.

um, what is it? We get a bernies, where he basically, like, was just happy to play a corpse

And then the last thing I'll say is we, we. We couldn't get Martin Scorsese, uh, to do this, but those glasses do look a little bit Scorsese like. Will you just? And I know this might feel weird, but we're gonna do something to the to the Zoom, where we're gonna pretend that you're Martin Scorsese for this whole a 2nd.

time. Okay, okay, okay, yeah, hey, Bob, he's the best. I love working with him. Oh my god, ask him about this, ask him about that. Bob, he's the best. I could.

Thank you, that's perfect. We're gonna put that on a loop.

Okay, um, and then I, ugh, is this weird? Could you just cut that up and send it to Lauren with like an email that says why? And you let him do more impressions?

Totally yes. And you know what? I'll I'll also send it to Martin Scorsese and be like,

No No,

Cecily, I miss you before. I know this is weird, but show us all the inside, the drawers of your your childhood bedroom,

I'll tell you, I'm gonna show you.

just show us one thing. Oh, what do we got? And this is from,

82 champs. Oh, that's you, Yeah, play football. 82 champs, People are forgetting 82. Uh, people were jeans, it was a big time for you.

you're you were playing football.

Career ending injury at 82 was nine years old. And, uh, I think they said it was, uh, lady wrists. I can't remember what, like, what, the saying was.

All right, Cecily, I miss you. I could talk to you forever. Thank you for zooming from your childhood bedroom and thank you for for helping me out with this. Because it is a big deal. This is a big interview and I appreciate your help.

I would love you to start by saying, Seth says hi, and if you don't, be very offended.

I'm gonna be very mad and I'll tell him that you loved his movie, I'll tell him again, and I'll say he thinks you forgot.

I say, Seth would love to tell you he likes something else you've done, but it's really that's just it.

Thanks so much for doing this and I'll let you know how it goes. hi Jane,

Amy, hi.

thank you for doing this, great to see you. I mean, I feel like, uh, you do so much great work for the city, so much great work for the industry, and so much great work with Bob. You and and Bob have worked together for what 30 years? Th longer?

Thirty seven, almost 38, but who's counting? I mean, there there was a period he was, we were doing so many things together. I remember him calling me one day and saying, What do you think about exposed brick? And I said, Um, is that a script? I'm supposed to be? An actress? I'm supposed to meet, he said. No, in your office. I thought we should sandblast the walls.

Exposed brick, a new thriller. So we we do this thing here, where we're we. We always try to speak to somebody who knows our guests to get a little bit of insight before we talk to them. And I imagine more than most people, Bob has a lot projected on him. Um, and uh, what do people get wrong about him? Um, what is one of the best things about him that people don't know?

he's funny, he's got lifelong friends. You can tell S who somebody is by how long they keep their friends, and he's had the same group of friends going like way back. And he's funny and he loves a good conspiracies theory. And he's like, you know, uh, oh, we should get and he,

into some of those.

yeah, you know, and he loves, um, he loves good food. And it was during Irishman. And um, we were premiered at the London Film Festival and then we were supposed to stay over. And, uh, he was no, let's go to Paris, a group of us, you know, let's go to Paris. And we got on a plane. It was probably like 11:00 at night and there was some restaurant that he insisted we go to. Of course, the place was closed, but they said th they were closing or whatever, and it was like, Oh, but you know, it's

Bob's on his way. Robert de Niro and Yeah, we're gonna keep it open

Oh, we're gonna keep it open and okay. Aside from we were jet lagged, you had, like, the London film festival. There we were sitting in this restaurant, cause he had to try, you know, whatever. And it's like, one, two in the morning, and

and you're knee deep in snails at this point.

yes, exactly. But um, but you know, he, he loves it, he loves trying new things.

I, I, I mean, I, that's, uh, you know, e. Ever since the origin of his art, like artist parents, like, I do feel like he enjoys. He's like an aesthete, like he enjoys beautiful things and things done well, and people who are good at their jobs. And like, in a lot of different mediums. And I know you're the same way, too. I mean, that's where Tri the Tribeca Film Festival, now celebrating its 25th year, is exactly that.

It's like a a compendium of talented people who have all different kinds of points of view. And you're, you know, using your currency to support their visions. Basically, it's, it's really, it's really something.

Thanks, we try.

Is there a question, um, you have for him today, something you'd wanna know, big or small, something that you think he wants to talk about? Also, what does he not like to talk about?

Uh, he probably doesn't like to talk about, like, how did you gain weight, lose weight I love it, for people I love this, you fantastic. You know that,

just saved me 25 min of. yeah, uh, you Yeah, know, I mean, I, I feel like Bob doesn't even really like to talk about acting.

you know, he's been famous for so long. And like, So, you know, how do his kids look at him? He shows his daughter Helen a lot of movies, they haven't, and he goes to movies with Helen all the time.

how old is Helen? So that would be a nice question. What, what, what have you and Helen watched lately that you've liked together?

yes, as opposed to he and Gia, who's three, and he goes off about Miss Rachel. Amazing, Yeah,

maybe we can get Bob to talk about his favorite Miss Rachel moment. Um, that's a great question, like, cause I, cause I, I would like to know what he's watching and and responding to. And um, because, you know, if you're a New Yorker, you know y. y. It's about the present moment. Like this city moves fast and it keeps moving and things change, and you have to stay present and current always.

the one thing about Bob that I find so like, amazing. If you say, if you said to him, Okay, well, on Taxi driver, on a Bronx Tale, on Silver Linings, I mean, uh, just almost on any movie, like, Where, um, you shot the movie on 6th Avenue? No, no, we really shot it on 8th Avenue. And it was the northeast corner, and it was this little deli that's still there. It used to be a smiler's and now it's a desk.

And we were on the 2nd floor. And you could. I mean, he goes into such, I mean, he has a photographic memory. There's certain things he doesn't remember, but he is like, why? He calls me sometimes, he'll like, call me and then say, Do you have anything you need? It's did you need to tell me? And I'm like, No, you called me, oh, uh, when I remember, I'll call you back. I mean, it's, but he's, you know, he can pretty much tell you where things were shot, up to the the exact corner and what was on it and what's on it now.

Oh, that's fantastic to know, that's really helpful. Um, these are great questions and and and thank you for helping me prep for this interview.

I'm a huge fan of yours and huge respect, so thank you,

Thanks so much, Jane, great talking to you and I hope I see you soon.

thanks bye.

Bye. I. I have to say, I know you don't love interviews. Thank you for doing this. I'm already worried that nobody told you that you were doing this today.

So I looked on my schedule, I said, Oh God, I, uh, so, but I, I'm fine,

You were like, how can we get out of

I'm fine.

this? No, I'm kidding No, because we're gonna talk, but I know, like, you're, you know, you've described yourself as kind of a shy person at times, and I don't think you like to talk very much.

and sometimes I don't. Yeah, Well, I, I, I know what's, what's, what's the point?

okay, well, I'm gonna. I'm gonna ask you a favor,

Oh, to talk a little more, just a little I'll try.

bit more. I get paid by the word. If I I got it, don't get,

I got it, so I know that.

if I don't meet my word count by the end of this interview, I'm screwed. I. I. I think it's really interesting that you've described yourself as a shy person and a shy kid. Because I think there's a lot of introverted people in this business, and I don't think people always assume that about people that are actors. Would you consider yourself an introverted person?

in some ways, uh, I am, uh, uh, yeah, in some ways I am, uh,

Okay, we're gonna have to talk depending depending more. Then,

on the situ, uh, depending

okay, we need at least ten more.

on. Okay, let me have to, now I have to come up with something.

We need at least ten more words Yeah, okay, let's every sentence. see. Uh, Okay,

I have to fill the quota here.

okay, were you a shy kid?

I w was. I was quiet at some time, but uh, when I would have to speak up, I would. But, and I think being an actor, it allows you, I always used to say this, and still say it allows you to be other characters that you would normally not know at all. Or this way, it gives you a little taste of what they would be like and that experience would be like. And so, without having really to pay a price, uh, though, you're aware of the price, whatever that character price is, you know,

you know, when I'm around people who are quiet, cause there is a difference between quiet and shy. When I'm around people that are quiet. I mean, I notice that a lot is projected on them. And then also I feel like a responsibility to keep talking. Does that happen to you? A lot?

you mean with me? Yeah, I don't mind that, I bet cause you talk and I can just sit and listen. I have friends who like like to talk a lot and we and we get along real well.

Well, you know, we're gonna get along great because there's gonna be a point in this interview where people are gonna be listening to it. And being like, Amy, please be quiet. But but I as preparing for today, and you know, uh, we're talking about, we're in New York City, you know, you're celebrating 25 years of Tribeca Film Festival. I feel like there's no other person that personifies the city more than you. Um, it's like, Y, if if the city was a person, it would be you.

And I'm sure you've been told that, but it really is true. There is a directness and a sense of the present moment in you. There's a, um, you know, New Yorkers are not necessarily overtly friendly, but they're secretly kind, which yeah, I'd I've, say, Yeah, yeah, and there's a, uh, a, like, a a ambition and drive, uh, that's that's you've had throughout your entire career and your history of being in New York. Like, S, you know, I'm always fascinated by kids that grew up in New York.

It just seems seems like a fairy tale. What, wa, what was it like? what was your neighborhood like? what was it like when you were a young person? Could you describe it to me?

well, I grew. I grew up in the village and um, uh, you know, it was I, I, uh, and then I had f. I hung out in Little Italy for years with, and that's how I know. Marty, Scorsese, and Marty was hung out with his other friends on another street, and I hung out with my friends. What street And

were you on and what street was he on?

he was on, uh, around Prince and Mott, if I remember, and L and Elizabeth, and where he, where he lived, and I was on Kenmare and Mulberry, or Broome, sometimes, and Mulberry.

well, I mean, I th. It's really amazing. You grew up with two artist parents, like, you know, your what you had, both your parents were artists. Your mom was a poet and a painter, your dad was a painter. Like you were and and a poet around, and too. a poet, too, you were around art all the time, and I know art's still really important to you. When you were growing up in New York, do you remember that art scene?

Like, did you ever meet Warhol? You never went to the factory? You ever see, like, a fa, I mean, I mean, in New York, you always see somebody walking past you. Do you ever? Did you ever meet a famous artist during that time, like the 50s and 60s? Or,

I wasn't too much really into art. It was cause my father and mother, you know, I. He'd take me to a gallery that he, ha, that that he was owed money, uh, uh, by, um, uh, from, and um, and that was it. I mean it, it wasn't, uh, yeah,

I mean, I know. When I moved to New York, I saw Lou Reed walk down the street and I remember thinking, Okay, I'm in the city. Was there somebody that you used to see in the city and be like, that's a R? That's like a quintessential New Yorker?

no. When I was a kid, I saw, uh, Alan Arkin once. I think Alan was from, he was from New York, I'm sure. um, I'm not sure where, but or maybe it was Long Island, but I think he's a New Yorker in spirit.

he has my favorite line in Glengarry Glen Ross in the film, when he says, Uh, shoes, boots, yes, you know that line, No, I mean, maybe Yeah, well, I guess, so I, I guess. I know

what's it about?

Mammoth better than you is what is what we're finding I, out.

I mean, I. I saw the original production with Bobby Duvall and, um, John Savage, and I'm forgetting who else.

Oh, John Savage, incredible. Um, you and I do have one thing in common, which is, I think our 1st profe, uh, semi professional productions or something was, uh, was from a similar show. You were the lion, the cowardly lion in Wizard of Oz, in 4th grade,

when I was ten, yeah, or ten, maybe, yeah,

okay, and I was Dorothy around that time in my. And I'd like to know what you brought to the role of the lion.

I don't know. I, I, I Do you remember liked it. I, I, I, uh, said my lines, and um, and that was the the part I was given. okay, okay, okay, it's Yeah, a funny part, yeah, it was good, too.

it's a good song. Did you sing, too?

I don't know. I didn't s know that part, I didn't do. I, I, it was. It's been so long, I was ten,

The last question in that in that timeframe that I wanted to ask you is it felt like you knew from a very early age what you wanted to do.

yeah, and it all in all, I did. I. I was sort of drifting in that direction or gravitating in that direction.

and uh, do you find as you get older? I know I do that, like that's one of the things you wis wish for anybody, especially your children, is just do whatever you wanna do, just know what you wanna do.

Know what you wanna do and do it, and do it as well as you can. Uh, you know, and

so you.

if you really like it, you'll, you'll try to do it as well as you can.

You started out doing in the very early, in your early films, like a lot of comedy. Can you do a couple? Like,

well, I did. Greetings, hi mom with De Palma, and then, um, another comedy we did was The Untouchables years later.

you know a little thing about the untouchables? Do you know what I'm gonna say? I don't, maybe not. Uh, I don't think he worked with you actually. But there's a gentleman in the Untouchables, this guy named Del Close, who says the titular line in the movie. He says, You think you're untouchable, don't you? Del Close, Yeah, And I think his his scene is with, uh, Elliot Ness, with, um, with, uh, Costner, and um, and uh. He was a Chicago actor and he.

He formed an improv theater, um, that I studied at in Chicago.

Are you from Chicago?

Uh, well, I grew up in Boston and then I moved to Chicago after I graduated college and studied at Second City. And yeah, boy, yeah, and he had this like kind of new theater call. At the time, it was called Improv Olympic, it was an improv, improvisational theater. And Del's kind of one of his like. Brushed with greatness claim to fame is he's in the Untouchables great movie.

yeah. I I enjoyed doing it. I have d d. So there's Viola Spolin and Paul Soder,

did you ever do improv?

that's ahead of, that's ahead of you, though. Yeah, that is ahead, that's I had friends

that was a little ahead who were, yeah, of me. Um, you know, Del Close used to talk about Nichols and May and that, and that like Second City being formed. And back then, there was a I don't know if you ever were in. V. Like, there was a big kinda controversy about whether or not improvisation was its own art form or a tool. A means to an end. Did you ever do improv when you were?

Well, improv in movies and with De Palma, you know, and Greetings and Hi, Mom, you kind of, um, and other movies here and there. Or you have the the script, but you can go off it as long as you make the points and and don't get off on a tangent and and and stay in the right direction. It's okay.

Do you like to, like, get it as scripted 1st and then improvise? I know directors like to, uh, you Well, know, work that I mean, some directors way.

will will tell you to improvise, give you the situation and tell you to improvise. Um, uh, I. I worked with a director who would, um, we'd sit down in the camper and go over the what was written. And then he'd say, Well, what do you think about this? And it was kinda loose, it, he opened it up and it worked out.

yeah, I I feel that way about improv. Sometimes it's exciting to be allowed to do it, and other times it feels like, Oh, this is a little too loose,

yeah, yeah, you got, you don't. The the one thing I I I don't like seeing is a movie that goes off in a direction and that that that maybe the director likes what they're doing. A. And. But they let it go too far, too long, it goes off on another tangent, and you forget why you're, what the situation is, and that's important.

or like, everybody's speaking the same way. Yeah, yeah, I, I, I. We used to make a joke when we were, when we were doing, uh, this TV show that I was in parks and recreation. We used to make a joke like, Do you want us to do a take that's longer and less funny? We'll give you that. Speaking of of your work, Mean Streets, Deer Hunter, Goodfellas, The Godfather II, Raging Bull, Taxi Driver, Cape Fear, Wag the Dog, The King of Comedy, Analyze This, Silver Linings Playbook, Meet the Fockers.

No questions, just great job. thanks. I just wanna ask you,

You're very nice.

well, I have a hot take you're the best actor of our generation. Um, but but I I think there's just like so much to talk about in all those films. And I know they they're like, you know, so many of them are different parts of your life. Do you watch your old films ever?

no, but I. I've always been wanting to watch all the movies I did. Uh, from the latest one all the way down, or the other way, the the earliest ones, just go through them all. But it takes, it's, it's, it's more easy, it's eas easier said than done.

that would be like your own festival.

Yeah, I just, you know, I make comments and somebody said, Well, you know, well, a writer friend said, You know, I'll, I'll write,

Oh, that's a great idea.

or something, but I, I wasn't sure. But it. There's no downside to doing that, to just knowing. I wanted to get a a sense of what I've done, where I, you know, and where I could go. What's missing in that that I can make a choice of something different?

that's interesting to look at your body of work and and also to, like, visit old friends. I imagine what it must be like. Can I ask you about? So I won't get deep about cause again, we we don't have the time, but, uh, and we wanna talk about what the present stuff that you're doing. But can I ask you about one specific scene in one specific movie? Okay, so Goodfellas, uh, you know, a lot of people's, you know, top five favorite movies.

It has stood the test of time. Incredible, um, incredible cast, incredible performance by you and so many people in that film. There's this, that wonderful scene with you and Lorraine Bracco, where Lorraine is playing the wife of Ray Liotta. And she's kind of worried that he's fallen out of favor with the rest of the organization. And, um, you, uh, Jimmy, you kind of play like his patriarchal, what would you say? like, it is, yeah, you uncle know, he's, in a way, like his, his mentor,

yeah, but kind of his mentor, yeah,

And there's a scene where she comes to try to get some help from you and you ask her to walk down an alley to go get some Dior clothes you got for her. And there's a. It's just it's a perfect example of t real tension. Can you tell me what you remember about shooting the scene that day? I think it's a perfect scene.

Well, the thing that I was concerned about I is just that a. As Marty, uh, was, as I remember, it's just that you don't know what he really is doing. Is he setting her up or not? And and so it's just making this, which happens in life too, in that way, you know, same thing. God, that's okay, so, you know, just be very casual and God knows what'll happen to you. Could could be nothing, it could be something.

did you make a decision as an actor to know what you thought was gonna happen?

I I think I thought more that in something would happen and that. But I my main thing is to make to act as if everything's good, you know, just go in, you know,

it's such an incredible lesson in how to create suspense, intention, and also to remind people that people don't often telegraph what they're gonna do.

not at all.

I mean, you never telegraph Bob, Can I call you Bob? I should have started in that, but you n I mean, never, there's never. We never, ever see you ever doing that. E even in you're never indicating it's just, and it's, uh, one of the millions of examples of that, I think in that scene.

well, it's important to not, you know, indicating. And acting is indicating. And and so you say to an actor who's, you just watched a scene or something, uh, not in a negative, critical way, but you, you, you can't, you don't indicate, or you, you are indicating. So it's better not to. You know, in life, people don't do that, they just do. They're very good actors, people in life, and and it's life, and it's it's real, and and the way you behave, it could be, um, life dependent.

For me, it was a great example of a woman's intuition. She has an intuition there that's very strong, that she listens to that saves her life. And then she comes home and says, I don't know, and she's get. She's starting to kind of gaslight herself a little bit, like, I don't know, I just got scared, you know, it's, and it's it. I think, a beautiful journey for that, for her character of, like, what's real? Um, when you do a scene like that, you f what is what is?

Martin Scorsese's like, how do you know you got it? What does he say?

I can't remember it's been a while, but I think Marty, you know, basically said, Uh, you know, you're gonna go. She wants to go and you want him, go her to go in there, you're gonna. And I forget what's set up, but the whole thing is to show the ambiguity. We don't know, we don't know. We see it very possibly something could happen, but at the same time it couldn't. So that's part of the whole, uh, reason the scene is done, or one piece of it.

do you like when a director says, we got it

I don, I, I, I don't I. I don't hear it too much. We got it.

what really?

Uh, well, you did. Is this what okay? it's good, or this or that? you just It's like, you

like? When they go, it's okay, know, we, we it's okay,

got it. Well, you could say we got it, I guess, but you don't like depends on the that. on the scene and what it is. And

You like when they're, say, like, W, it's good, it's we're

we're good, we're good, it's good. good, we're good, Yeah, we're good, yeah, but so but low key, yeah, yeah, I mean, just, and

are you? S?

you know, you know that, say, Marty, uh, Marty says, he got we. He's happy. We're happy. We talked, we got this piece, we got that or da da da. He'll say, yep, yep, we're good. Yeah, yeah, it's okay.

Yeah, yeah, and that happens in a 2nd and like, you just mumble that to each other. Are you suspicious of people that are like, I guess I'm projecting, but I'm a little suspicious? Sometime when people are too like, I don't know when they're flattering me.

sure, well, you don't it. It's funny. Uh, uh, I don't mind the um, uh. When a director or or somebody tries to tell you very good, or certain types, that's good, that's good. And um, uh, because it, it's like I. When I was, I did the the last tycoon with Andy Kazann and we. We came out of a looping uh stage. And he said, You know, that was great, cause he was like, you know, that was really, you know, just kinda.

I said, Well, thanks. I feel good, even though I'm not sure you really meant it, but I'm happy. And he, he said, he got he f. He got a little offended. I. He thought I didn't believe him. I said, No, no, I said. The effort is the most important thing. You know, it's like telling your child when when they that's right, do something and they show you something, isn't that nice? That's great, you know? Oh boy, I'm so proud of you, you know, it's, it's real, you believe it, it's, it's, it is

that's right, it's true. same thing. Yeah, I I know what you mean. A. A. And it's a fine line, though, it's a fine line in that moment. Um, but as a director, you must also feel the urge sometimes to take over if somebody's not a strong captain,

well, I don't like to be in that situation.

right? You don't put yourself I, I don't in that situation.

put myself. If I'm in, I'm in with the director. Maybe certain things, but I, but I trust them and I trust me, and I'm not gonna mess with them and play games. You know, we've g we, we. We have a a an objective to achieve and we're there working together. We don't wanna waste time, you know, with any nonsense.

And the the other thing, in the many years of the incredible work that you've done again, which we could talk about forever. What? What are some skills that you had to learn for parts that you still like, that you still maintain or retain?

Well, I, I practiced a lot with, um, uh, the saxophone in in, um, New York, New York, and. But I never kept it up and I w I regretted that cause I did work very hard on it. I did everything phonetically. Um, but it's it's the skill that that you can't take away. I mean, that's real. So I just wish I made it, uh, something that I would practice even a half an hour every day to keep that.

I feel that Some,

way about like instruments, I can't. It's so embarrassing, I can't play an InC. Can you play any other instruments?

I know, I mean, I w wanted to play the piano, but it's one thing to wanna play it, it's another thing to do it.

I know the piano feels like an instrument. When you sit down at it, you think I'll be able to play this and then you can't.

no, I, I, I wish. And, uh, my. My mother tried to make me take piano lessons when I was five, and I had no interest in it. It was drudgery. You know, you're not s. I wish I was, I wasn't, um, uh, smart about it.

yeah. I do regret not being able to play an instrument. Well, there's n there's still time, Bob for Yeah, there is, us, there is. Sure, yeah, um, okay, and then do you ever use TikTok? Cause I wanna show you something. Do you know what a thirst trap is? Okay, so it's basically like hot pictures of people, but TikTok loves you and they make videos of y of you, of of, um, you in different movies. And can I show you one?

Yeah, yeah, it's gonna make you feel great. oh good, Uh, uh, good, it. I mean, I feel like these are these are to make people feel good, and this one is specifically for you. But look at this, it's usually sexy music. Look, these are young pictures kids. of you and young kids making this.

kids doing it. Yeah, wow, Look, look at you yeah, oh yeah,

listeners. Bob is staring at this as it look, I don't know, I guess. Just good job at being so handsome.

oh well, thanks.

Um, let's talk about some comedy stuff. Because we met, I think, uh, for the 1st time, or at least in my mind, for the 1st time. Although, I'm sure, uh, in various early times. When I moved to New York, I probably, you know, followed you down the street without you knowing. But, uh, at SNL two, 1,002, um, you've hosted three times, you obviously have done it more than once, cause you liked it. What do you like about doing it?

What I like about it is that it's so fast, you can't. It doesn't give you time to think and you, you gotta change, get into different costume, this and that. Boom Boom. They've got the cards for you. It's so fast. If you, you know, you, you. You cannot worry about failing, if you will, whatever that means, and just have fun with it.

yeah, um. I have a real, uh uh image stuck in my mind of Donna, the woman who, um, pulls you around and changes you. Do you remember that?

is she still there? Oh wow, shoot, She's incredible, she's yeah, yeah,

kind of the one that should write the book, she knows, she's seen everybody naked and insane. Yeah,

I'm sure. and she, Wow,

um, I, I remember, uh, us doing a, uh, it was I. It was my 2nd year. I started in 2000, well, that, that that show after 09:11 was my 1st SNL, and um, you hosted, I think, 1st in 2002. Um, you were being pulled by Donna, um, while you were dressed as, um, Siegfried, I think from Siegfried and Roy.

okay, I'm glad.

Do you remember that? No,

No, but but you should look at those episodes.

better not to look back. Yeah, probably not, Maybe when you go

probably not.

back over the over your canon of work, just Let's skip it, skip just keep that that one. up. Um, and one thing I'll say is like, you know, you are a person that people like to do impressions of. Is that weird?

No, I mean, it's kind of flattering. Alec Baldwin does really good impressions

You have great impression, do you?

and I and and I had no wonder he. He did a, he did. He was on, uh, I forget what talk show he was on. And he was saying, commenting on the Godfather reunion with me and Al and Bobby Duvall and Francis and Talia Shire and and, uh, Jimmy Caan. Everyb. And. And. And he said, Did you see that? and he said, Well, you know, they're talking, De Niro and Al, they're, they're talking. He's just making the way he makes fun of of you.

It's just hysterical. You know how we're all mumbling, you don't know what the hell we, he can't understand what we're saying.

Well, you have what? What? What I love about, what I love about you, Bob, is when you're laughing and when you're upset, it looks like the same face. It's kind of you, you, you're, you're a quiet laugher, right? Would you say,

yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, sometimes if it's I, I see would have a

I?

more, a more, uh, boisterous laugh, it depends.

Yeah Yeah, okay, okay, we're almost done, we're we, we're at Oh good, 40, we're

okay, I see.

at 45 min. I like you, I like to know how long things are gonna take, so we're almost done. Okay, so here we go. Um, I feel like a lot of, uh, a lot of. Your career has been defined by lasting partnerships, people that you've met and continue to work with. And I think it's it is a sign often of, um, like somebody's character, that they maintain friendships and partnerships throughout their life. You talked a little bit about Martin Scorsese and the ways that you guys have, n- you know, it's really something that you grew up around the corner from each other.

Mean Streets was based on people that you knew. What, um, what is it like to have a friend in this business for this long?

I think it's it, it, it's great. Uh, and and I, it's, I would always say, it's kind of amazing that Marty and I were aware of each other. We had a mutual friend who passed away, but he was, uh, may he rest in peace, he was, uh, uh. I did a movie called Alto Knights, and I, he, uh, Marty and I did this. Uh, well, he. There's a documentary about him. It was at Lincoln Center when they wrote the script.

Nick Pileggi, he wrote this. I said, How do you know about this place called the Alto Knights? Uh, he said, Well, I, I, I, you know, I was a crime reporter down there and a reporter, and I knew this. That social club was. I said, that's a place I used to hang out in when I was a kid. And so my friend, one of my friends, Butch, he, he remembered things that I had forgotten, what went on there and stuff like that.

So it was interesting and they were terrific in the movie, so that was a nice thing. Nick, Yeah,

uh, I. I would love to meet Nick, uh, and and I would have loved to have met Nora. Yeah, um, uh, Meryl Streep, Meryl, Yes, you know, she claims that you're not very good at charades. Do you have a

I know I heard that.

response? Yeah, I, I probably Do am not, so you? You don't, you don't.

I always. I think we did it somewhere, and I, I was not inspired, and that's that's my fault.

Well, you can try, try harder next I will, time.

I will.

Um, where did you meet her for the 1st time? You saw her on stage?

Meryl. I went with Mike Cimino to, Um, and it's funny, cause I went to the Devil wears Prada thing and we had, uh, at Lincoln Center, and they had the tent right across from where I. I saw her do, uh, the Cherry Orchard, I think it was with Raul Julia, and, uh, Mike Cimino and I went. Because it was for that part, they needed for her, in the dinner for the for jacket. Yep, the dinner, so that's the 1st time.

I don't even know if we went backstage, I'm not sure, but she, you know, she had

you have worked together a lot in many different ways. What, what, uh, what's so wonderful about working with her?

Meryl's a g a a a great actress and so skilled and smart and just terrific and very funny and great, uh, sense of humor. And and, uh, she's just a wonderful person.

yeah, yeah, um, Ben Stiller, you're back with Ben again. You've done a quite a few features with him. Um, does he still run all the time? does he run every day? Still,

he, he's in good shape. he does, I, I,

he runs a lot.

I guess he does. I don't know. I see him run to and from the set. No, I'm kidding, I don't know that, but I, I, he does something, you guys are he exercises.

very, very funny together. What, what, what's been your what's been your experience of well, working with Ben?

Ben, he has a way of when you, when he reacts to what you say, which is kind of a funny line, say, my character, Jack. He'll go, uh-huh, oh yeah. He has a way of commenting on what you just said, saying that it's not too smart, a little stupid, but, uh-huh, I'm giving you the respect. But he has a way of commenting on it. And so there's three different things, four different things going on at once in his reaction, and he's very funny.

yeah, the the status between the two of you is just such funny And so, comedic fodder. And you, um, you join him again in, um, in your new film, Focker in Law with Ariana Grande, who was in here, who was a delight. What did you think working with her? Ariana was terrific, Yeah,

a nice, nice young lady, terrific. Yeah, yeah,

a real pro.

she was perfect for it. And, um, Jane Rosenthal, Jane Well, Jane and I worked, uh, together for 37, 38 years. And, uh, we had a thing last night at, um, uh, the Chanel party, and, uh, we did like a tribute to her for all the things congratulations on together. You on that 25 years know, yeah,

of the Tribeca Film Festival. Amazing, like way to amplify new voices and to use your currency. I mean, it's, you know, um, it's, it's really. I mean, I, I was speaking to Jane earlier, and um, we were saying, it's wild how everything is now 25 years ago, 25. I mean, it's like,

I know.

it's been a really, it's been a really, really. I mean, it always is an intense period in New York, but the past 25 years have been something else. Yeah, they have Um, so before we get into that, and J and Jane had a question for you. I I got very quick. Um, this is, this is speed round hot takes. Okay, it can be slow round, but um, nYC hot takes. Do you remember the cost of rent of your 1st apartment?

I think it was, uh, $75

Where was it?

on Irving place.

Was it a studio, one A walk-up, bedroom? Yeah,

like a one bedroom.

one bedroom, seventy five bucks.

It might have not even been a one bedroom, it might have been just this one room that you put a bed in there.

favorite New York museum?

Uh, the the Metropolitan and the MU and the Museum of Modern Art.

Do you have any art that you, any, um, paintings that you go back to like that? Like, are your like, you know,

no, I don't, but my my mother or father might have something in the Museum of Modern art. I think I'm not 100 sure. really, but you I don't know. don't know, I know, Emma Jane would be. I, I haven't really thought, but I think, yeah,

Moma, if you're listening, that's yeah, and us. and uh, well, Sushi order What do you order? What's your favorite?

well, I always say, I always say, black card, black card is good, no boo.

No boo, uh, and uh, pizza order. What do you get when you get a slice?

As long as it's a good piece of pizza place, I'm What kind I'm happy.

of pizza do you like? Just plain

Yeah, pepperoni is good.

pepperoni? I, I, yeah, Okay, um, New York restaurant, best New York restaurant that you don't own, cause you own a few.

the one that I'd say I don't wanna say because I, I, I'd wanna give it away.

yeah, yeah, yeah. You don't wanna blow up the spot, as the kids say you, which you would know if you were on TikTok. Um, when you get into taxis, do people and quote Taxi Driver? little here and You? there, very little, but Yeah,

I don't get in cabs, uh, maybe once in a while or an Uber or something. Or,

yeah, but you don't get in cabs. Yeah, yeah,

in the street, too anymore.

yeah. And when you walk down the street, you like to walk in the city, everybody does. You've you've spoken about how, like, there's, you know, but the best thing about the city is you can just be blending in a part of it. Nobody bothers you, nobody cares. People have peripheral vision, Hm,

and if they see somebody physically like me, uh, I'm older and stuff, I look like an older guy, you know? So they're not on not, they're not gonna, TikTok, huh?

not on TikTok.

But they're not gonna, they're not gonna look at you. Their their peripheral vision, it doesn't make them interested in looking at you anyway. So I just walk and nobody I get, not not recognized much.

when do you listen to any music? when you walk? do you? are you a podcast person? I like Do you?

to listen to, uh, music in the car. I ride around a lot in the car, cause I have to go here and there, and then I read the paper and listen to music. So so I listen to oldies. A s move, well, oldies, certain oldies from the 70s and maybe yeah, best era 80. Yeah, I for music, mean, that's there's a stage I listen to on, uh, Sirius.

that 70s and 80s, like, Yeah, it's got Oh,

music that I used to always hear and listen all the time. Uh, uh, it was, it was almost unconscious, you know, you just so much. It brought back so many memories. And as it does now, it's Channel 16, the blend, it's called.

hm, I know exactly what that channel is. It's great. Yeah, it's the music that we like had Neil l our lives Diamond. Yeah, to. Yeah, um, and then last question is, um, we spoke to. We always try to talk to somebody who knows our guest. We get like, you know, we kind of talk well behind their back. And Jane and I were talking earlier today, and um, we were talking about the festival and talking about you two and your long history together.

And, um, you know, she just w- I. I thanked her, as I would like to thank you for, you know, the the film festival, it. It started at a time when the city was was really hurting, um, and and that coincided with, for myself personally, starting SNL. It was like, okay, being on a live sketch variety show during a time when New York was really, um, had, you know, had just, um, suffered, um, through 09:11. And it was like the city really needed.

And, you know, you and Jane and so many other New Yorkers stepped up for the city during that time. And I know a lot of people were grateful for it. And I asked Jane, Uh, to ask you a question, um, and she had a sweet one, which was, What, what have you and Helen, your 14 year old, seen recently? That is is, um,

she, you know, I trying to tell her that we should look at movies. She looks at things like stranger things, which got me into it into. I saw a movie called Housemaid, it was good. Yeah, I saw another movie, um, uh, that she, you know, I'm walking by her while she's watching, and I, I said, that's not bad, that the the movie. And there's something in in in just walking by. I get a sense of the film that I see.

And but I, I don't like to look at those, so I wind up looking at it, cause she wants to look at them. I'd rather find classics that she could look at, or movies, um, uh, did you show but it,

her anything that she liked? Cause it's I, I have teenagers, it's hard to get them to like what you like.

no, it's, it's hard, it's hard, uh, and she does very little on the, uh, you know, on on her iPhone at this point, keeping that very, uh, on the wraps as as much as I can. And so, uh, but um, but. yeah, that's the yeah,

But Helen introduced you to stranger things. Yeah, and you like that,

oh yeah, it was good.

that's good, right?

We went to see the play too, the the musical. It was good.

um, okay. And so is there anything for your last, my last question with you? Um, and by the way, congratulations on Focker in Law coming out. Big new comedy movie that we need right now. And and I, I just wanna say, as we wrap, um, you know, I, I, I. I just personally wanna thank you f- for, like, doing what you do and speaking out in the way that you do about where we are in the world.

There's a lot of people, um, that are asked to speak truth to power, and they're usually, you know, members of the M, like the margins. They're people that are young, don't really have as much, um, currency or a a footing as other people. It's often people of color, it's often women, and to see a person like yourself, the age that you are and the status that you are. It reminds me of the best way I can describe it is when it's like if someone's giving a terrible speech at a wedding and they're ruining the wedding and the wedding is America.

And and there's another adult who says, like, we don't talk like that, that's not how you're supposed to treat people. This is insane. It makes everybody feel very safe. And so I've seen you do it over and over again, and I really appreciate it.

thank you.

Yeah, it means a lot to a lot of people, cause you're standing up for a lot of people who don't have the power to do that. So thank you, Bob, and thanks for doing it over and over again. And this is gonna be a real switcheroo, cause I can't believe I just made you cry. I feel incredible right now. Hold on, we gotta get you your tissues. Thanks. We got good hang tissues for you, Bob. But it, it's true, it's true, it is, uh, you know, there's not a lot of men who, uh, in your position, who do that.

And, uh, uh, w- white men of a certain age, like who? ha, who, frankly, you know, have a ton of power and don't use that responsibility in a way that they could. So thank you.

Yeah, of course. No, in fact, I don't. It's so upsetting, uh, to see what's happening in this country, and it's so crazy.

Yeah, crazy.

It's not like it's, I mean, in the way that's better, that it's so blatant. Because this will happen again, and people, and and this guy will have influence, people and they'll come up and they'll say, well, I can do it this way or that way. And we have to always be on guard with with, uh, what's happening now.

What do you say to people who feel very hopeless, cause that hope, uh, hopelessness sometimes paralyzes people?

I, I understand that, but, uh, you have to fight, you have to fight, cause if you don't fight, you're not gonna get anything, you're not gonna, and you have to fight, you have to join people. I just, I use this example of Jason Crow saying, um, that, uh, courage is is contagious, uh, and and uh, you know, the other thing can. The negative feelings can be contagious too, but why not have courage and be contagious and stand up?

And you might find out it's not so difficult. And and people will stop the nonsense that they're doing. Uh, it's, it's just out of control.

well, it is it, uh, when people like you, uh, do that, it makes it easier for other people to do it. So thank you.

Uh, well, I hope, yeah, Um, and then, um, and I don't like to use the word hope. I know, but I, uh,

we keep using, I mean, whatever, you know, I, I, um. And what are you watching these days to make you laugh when you're feeling really?

well, oh, another one is Modern Family. I watched my daughter put me onto it. It's very funny. very funny Yeah,

and a just a good one to watch. And there's a million of them

it's great.

and you can just crank through em. Yeah, yeah, they're Yeah, very funny, likable people, yeah, it's well cast, very yeah, good. yeah, yeah, um, yeah. I think the comedy right now, and I know you've talked about it. But like, when things get particularly stressful in the world, people wanna watch that rupture and repair, and that way that people are getting along and they just need some kind of self soothing. And yeah, yeah, I texted the SNL ladies, Maya and and Paula Pell and Rachel and Tina to.

A. Cause. I knew we were talking today and I was like, Uh, do you have any questions for Bob? And they were all saying they were. They have a really fond memory of when we were doing the read through. You just laughing a lot,

me, oh yeah, no, I, giggling a uh, lot. I love SNL. I think it's so I always when I see movies, I say that that's a great skit from this or some political situation. This is a great one that SNL will do, you know

when you were growing up, what did you? What was comedy like? what? what kind of comedy were you watching in your house? what did you like? who'd you like?

well, in the in, uh, when I was a kid, it was Abbott Costello, the, uh, the Three Stooges, um, Laurel and Hardy, um. And there was a theater called the Laugh Movie on 42nd Street, and it had only comedies. And and and I would go, or maybe, like, they'd have a Frankenstein movie or something like that, or Frankenstein meets Abbott and Costello or something. Um, but I'd go there every weekend every Saturday, take the subway.

it's, uh, there's nothing like watching a comedy in a theater. Yeah, do you remember when SNL premiered? What do you remember from was, uh, I that time?

think it was a show with Rob Reiner, wasn't it, Rob,

George Carlin, I think, was the 1st

it was one of the few one of the early where ones was Rob. Yeah, he did a. He did a thing where, um, he was playing like a a Wayne Newton type character or something. And he kept singing and singing and singing and singing, and it was going on and on and on. I'm saying, this is this is good because he's not, you know, he's not stopping when you'd expect him to, and it's just going on and on.

I thought that was great, but you remember, I I liked SNL w- did almost

you feel like at the time you were like, sensing this was like a show for you? I mean, it really was your generation's like it. It was, anti-establishment. it was, yeah, yeah, Yeah, um, I. I'm curious. M. You and Lorne are both like examples of longtime New Yorkers who've been working for a very long time and been successful and famous for a very long time. What do you? uh, what do you? uh, what do you take from, like, working with him?

And and and

I think he's great, Lorne, I think, uh, and I use him as an example of someone who had this show going all these decades and is able to do it. Compared to what goes on with the clown show, with, uh, Trump and all that, you know, he doesn't know what he's doing, and it's, uh, it's just a a good example of leadership, yeah, y- you know?

I, I agree. And it was kind of on display on the SNL 50th, which was a very special evening that you got to be a part of. And for

it was.

people that didn't see, what did you get to do on the SNL 50th show?

What did I do? I did the thing, uh, with Debbie Downer, dude, which was fun.

was it fun? So wha- wha- can you explain to people what, what do you remember doing in the sketch? What was your, what was well, your motivation, what was your character?

well, the mo- the most important thing to me was not not to. You know, even though I can laugh in rehearsal and enjoy it and kick out it. When you do it, you gotta do it straight. You have to really, uh, commit to it and so don't do any indicating, they're just straight on what you're supposed to do with that person, as if it was a real situation. And that's how I looked at it.

I d. I spoke to the writer, Paula Pell, and she said it was like her dream for you to get upset at that character and to call her Deborah Deborah Downer. You said, I said, Look, Deborah. And I think you strang, I think you s fake strangled her.

yes, yes, I did, I did, I Rachel did. Dratch, the oh Yeah, she was, she was great. May she rest in peace.

yeah, I mean, that was so, that was so, uh, that was so. I mean, that character really makes me laugh, because, to your point, people like that make me really angry. And to be like, Hey, cut the shit.

yeah, yeah, it was a. It's a good s good skit.

Um, should we end by just quickly watching you and Debbie Downer? Okay, no, we're done, Bob. Thanks for doing this.

we got through it.

We got through it. Did you hear it, folks? We got through it. And that's what I want Pleasure. my guest to feel. Okay, I just

wasn't bad, it was good.

wait a minute, that's a great review. It wasn't bad.

Yes, good.

I'm surprised you want a straw.

What's up?

Microplastics. At this point, we're all walking landfills. All the time, you've already taken up residence in your testes.

I'm gonna Deborah talk now and you're gonna shut up. I do not appreciate this conversation. I don't wanna talk about plastic in my balls. I wanna laugh and feel joy. I don't wanna slumber off the forgotten hours of my life. That's all I want. I came here tonight to get a little friggin break from my work right now, which is like living under a in a in a full diaper.

David, you are a leading culprit in the microplastic saga.

Here comes the strangle. Come on, now, stop it, stop it, Bob, it's not working, it's not working. She thinks he's helping. Okay, I can't tell. Oh,

Speaking of.

very much enjoy that, Bob. Thanks for your time today. Thank you, I really, really appreciate thank it. you. Thank you, Bob, um, for coming on. What an interesting conversation. It's really something else. I just wanted to take this moment for our polar plunge to just basically, uh, I don't know, just speak to the past version of me. Because moving to New York City in 1996, being an actor. If you had told me 30 years later that I would have a podcast, I would say, What's a podcast?

Um, and then if you told me you're gonna interview Robert De Niro and you're gonna be talking to him about acting, and you're going to be talking about SNL, a show that you will, you will have been on. Um, it's just nuts. And, you know, New York City remains my favorite city in the world. I've lived here for 30 years, um, sometimes in LA. But let's not talk about it. And, um, I just have to say, um, I, uh.

The fact that I get to be here, that I feel like I know the city and that I get to talk to people who represent how much the city means to me is really something else. So my plunge today is plunging back into the time machine and telling my younger self to hang on because good things are ahead. So hope you can all do that too. Thank you so much for joining us and see you soon.

Bye. You've been listening to Good Hang. The executive producers for this show are Bill Simmons, Jenna Weiss-Berman and me, Amy Poehler. The show is produced by The Ringer and Paper Kite. For The Ringer, production by Jack Wilson, Kat Spillane, Kaya McMullen, Alea Zanaris, Bridget Geerlings, Paige Garbarini, Belle Roman and Drew Van Steenbergen. For Paper Kite, production by Sam Green, Joel Lovell and Jenna Weiss-Berman. Original music by Amy Miles.