October 27, 2022 • 39 mins
Actor, comedian and host Joel McHale joins Sammy Jaye on Let’s Be Real this week! In between the jokes, they talk about his growing up with Dyslexia, developing anxiety as an adult, his career in movies and television, and some stories you won’t want to miss!
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hey guys, It's Sammy Jay and welcome back to the
Let's Be Real Podcast. I am so thrilled because this
week I got to chat with actor comedian host Joel McHale.
You know him from community. He's been in so much
and I'm truly so grateful that he took the time
out of his very, very busy schedule to chat with me.
(00:21):
I hope you guys enjoyed this episode and I can't
wait to get your thoughts. As always, here we are,
We're doing it, We're doing it well. Hello everybody, and
welcome to this week's episode of the Let's Be Real Podcast.
This week is so special because I am joined by host,
actor comedian one could are you legend? Legend Joel McHale?
(00:45):
One could argue and you would lose that are terribly
How have you been since the last time we talked?
Since this is the first time we've talked, we have
first time. What is it like being on the other end,
you know, of the hosting side being interviewed, which I
do prefer. Oh, this is way easier. What about it?
Just answering questions? Yeah, I don't have to prepare fair enough.
(01:08):
I don't have a teleprompter to go over or people
to please, because you know, when you're hosting, you gotta
usually an audience, and then you're like, I gotta tell
a bunch of jokes, yeah, which I like doing, but
it's work, which I like work. But then again, I
like doing nothing, which happens never, So it's great, very busy.
That surprises me that you like doing nothing, because I'm
(01:29):
also a workaholic. But I find doing nothing right now.
I like doing nothing. I just never do it. M
It's like something you always look forward to that just
doesn't happen, right. So when people like, oh, when I
finally get to do that thing, yeah, it's like, what
is it like when you give a cat like that
toy and they just chase after it but they never
really get it cat nip? It doesn't that just drive
them crazy? Maybe I like the cat flashlight? Yes, the flashlight.
(01:54):
It's that equivalent yea, when people like, oh, yeah, when
I finally get to that thing, Oh, we're going to
buy a beach house? Yeah, okay, yeah, go ahead and
just go do it. You know, we have a lot
in common. We do we do all right, Ready for this?
Go ahead. Both have learning differences Okay, yes, both anxiety, Well,
(02:15):
it depends on what's going on sometimes fair enough, fair enough, yes,
but I feel like those two things combined are just
never easy. So I was wondering what that was like
for you growing up. Well, I didn't have anxiety growing up,
so so that came later. That came later, as uh,
that's adulthood. That's only because mean, that's because of just
stressful travel. I didn't have it as a diagnosis. It
(02:37):
definitely dyslexia. Oh yeah, how is that like reading memorizing
lines with dyslexia? Memorizing lines is easy, that's easy. Dyslexia doesn't.
That doesn't affect a dyslexic brain. Uh, you read a
lot slower, I would say, Actually, some dyslexics probably memorize faster.
That's so interesting, Like are like we read slower and
(02:58):
comprehend it slow. Are then a person that reads typically
that can just read fast, but but we get all
the meaning once we read it. I'm the same way.
I have auditory processing issues, so it's somewhat similarity. Oh
but so memorizing, yeah, I can memorize like no problem.
Going back to anxiety. No later on now, like because
(03:21):
I travel a lot that stresses me out. That it's
because I'm trying to get back to see my family
a lot. And I lived in Georgia all last year.
So like when I start, when the jobs pile up,
which is great, I love working, but then you know,
the balance is always difficult. And then I'll be like,
why am I stressed out today? What's going on? And
(03:43):
then I started thinking in the future, I'll be like, ah,
that's what's happened. Just thinking that's what gets it going
for me. You've always been anxious, Oh yes, grown up
with anxiety. I think my learning difference has really triggered
it personally for me because the yeah, I understand that,
I always I just assumed I was dumb. Me too.
I thought I was just incapable of learning, like there
(04:03):
was something wrong with me. For so long. I mean
they literally told me I was a slow starter in
second grade, that someone diagnosed me with slow starts, um,
which is not a thing. They basically like, I don't
know what's wrong with him. You can't read, he seems fine.
Maybe he's just slow at the beginning of things, and
that's what it's like. I thought about it for years.
(04:24):
I was like, oh, yeah, well I'm a slow starter,
so I'm not going to figure this out at first,
but then later on watch out. That's how you like
you took that identity on kind of it sounds like, yeah,
that's what I was told. Yeah, I feel the same.
I know exactly what you're talking about. It's there sometimes
why I had that person hunted down and killed. Oh
and and they yeah, speaking of hunting down grills. Wow,
(04:47):
that's what a transition. Thank you, I Bear Girls. Bear
Girls is a great person. I know you traveled, did
an adventure. I need to know more about that experience.
Why is that like just spending quality time with Bear
Girls in the middle of nowhere. Yeah, we're we're trusting
your life in his hands essentially. Well, there is. I
(05:09):
mean there's insurances. There's insurance too, but imagine what the insurances.
It's probably pretty hot. But they they even were talking
like other countries you can go to and there's less
insurance required. But they're that crew is you know, that's
like a Navy seal team of television producers and they
(05:31):
know what they're doing and they've done it before many
many times. And Bear is a very responsible person. And
uh yeah, he's hurt himself a few times, but broke
his back. Yeah, shoulder maybe, but he's you know, he
was Special Forces, so he's yeah. I mean he was like,
it's fine. Do you want some Madville no? Uh? So yeah,
(05:53):
that was real fun. We got dropped in by helicopter
into a part of the Grand Canyon that doesn't have
any access, which was great. And the boy, I'm I'm
one of those people that love that sort of thing,
so I really I was talking talking about it. But
here's the crazy part. The night before in Phoenix, I
did two stand up shows. Then a airplane that they
(06:16):
rented picked me up and landed in this landed uh
wherever the heck we were in. I think it was
in northern northern Arizona, and I slept for a few hours,
and then we had ventured all day. Then I flew
back and did two more shows. So mental sanity, where's
that at That that that's a good day for me.
(06:38):
That's like a fun day. I'm like, oh, this is
gonna be a fun day. It'll be busy, but it'll
be fun. That's so much activity and so much stimulation.
See for me, because I'm would you say you're an
introvert or an extrovert, the most extroverted person probably you'll
probably in Burbank right now, in Burbank specifically, Yeah, I am.
I am a golden retriever. My friend I described my
(07:01):
set friend. Yeah, my friend Kate, she was like, I'm
a golden retriever, and I'm like, that's right. Uh so,
And my wife's an introvert, so she has to deal
with this guy all the time. So I get energy
from being around people. I get more lively when in groups,
and I recharge when I'm by myself. I do not
(07:23):
do that, like I like sitting on a plane and
watching you know, like what we do in the shadows.
But are some show that I'd be like, great, and
That'll be my nice break and then then I'm off
and running. Do you give yourself a breakthroughout the day
or is it just kind of hustle and bustle till
you sleep? Are you hustle and bustle till I sleep? Always?
No self care? Uh? Well, I drink wine? What about
(07:45):
face masks? Face masks? No, I use a sleep mask
because I'm easily awoken. Those are lovely. One. I have
this big padded one. It's great. It looks like I'm
a hostage. Oh but no, those are great. They don't
touch your eyes. I have the silk one, but it's
fallen off. It falls off every that's the thing. I'll
try them and then they just won't be on my
(08:06):
face anymore. The next morning, MC, where did they go?
And then I'll wear your plugs and then the world
is the world doesn't exist. You're in your own world.
That sounds lovely. You have to you recharge during the day.
I recharge by doing my routines and doing things that
are like for myself, and you have time to do
(08:26):
all that. I make time, even if I have less
sleep because of it. I will make time for it
because I know it will make me feel better. But
that's new for me. I feel like I'm trying to
get into it. So when you wake up, are you anxious?
Depends on the day and depends on what's happening right now.
Sometimes anxiousness it's like, well, what are you guys doing today?
We're gonna be doing some stunt flying. That can be
(08:50):
anxiety and docing like there's some but other times where
you wake up you're like, I'm anxious and I can't
even figure out why. Yeah, so I have anxiety and
O c D. So sometimes it can just be I'll
wake up and I'll be like, oh hey, They're like
you're there. I've yeah, you're there. Got to continue the day,
I know, yeah, I've developed that and I can't feel
I'm like, oh, look at that. Look you're going to
(09:11):
feel like this today, you know. I was talking to
my friend. She's like, you should name your anxiety, and
I was like why. She goes, why not, like like
a boat? Yeah, And it's like you put a name
to it, so it's not like yourself. So I'm like,
what did your name? I haven't named it yet, so
should we name it now? I think we should. Is
it a boy or a girl? Non binary? I feel
like it could be. Honestly, it kind of feels like
(09:33):
a girl. I'm not gonna lie all right, uh Joel, Joel?
I mean I just you know, Josephine, Josephine, Josephina. I
like Josephina. Jojo Jojo? What are you doing already? Jo Jo?
Don't mess up my morning like this or just go
oh hey Jojo and you can start mocking her. Oh Jojo,
(09:53):
what are you doing? You need to be a linxous today.
You're feeling a little needy to be next to me
all day. Come on, Jojo, I'm doing my self care later, Jojo.
I like Jojo. It's going to be Jojo. Okay, I
like it. I feel like that's something that's also I
don't know, there's something that I like about kind of
taking the power away from it. Do you kind of
(10:14):
make fun of it? Because I feel like that always
takes the scariness away from it, which is right? And
now is it weird that you're used to it? You're like, Oh,
it's one of these days. It's not as scary. I've
dealt with it for so long. And I think the pandemic, like,
I agree, the pandemic was no fun for that. No,
I feel like it just exacerbates everything that we're all
going through. If I didn't have exercise, it was would
(10:36):
you say, exercise is a therapy for you? Exercise wine,
Ken Jong, my family family first, but not no specific order. Yeah,
but Kennon, I did that podcast for a brief period
of time, and that was actually very helpful because we
both are we have to perform constantly, and so that
actually helped because we were like, oh, we have a
(10:57):
way to perform. Would you ever go back into the
podcast in games? Well, the problem is that Ken and
I both work in different places, and I'm speaking of
O c D very O c D and h D. Well, yeah,
I guess I'm more a D h D. So I'm
always very disorganized and scattered to do lists. No, really,
(11:17):
I would have to then write out a list. That's
how I get through my days to do list all
the way. I have to check everything off. Hire an
assistant that I've I've had assistance for years. That's a
badass move. If I when I get there, that's the goal.
That is a luxury. So they chase me around and
say you have to do this, this and this, and
I'm like, oh, maybe we'll get to it. We'll get there.
(11:40):
It must be maddening for them. It's great. I feel
like you you you have a good podcast voice, as
do you. Thank you. That's funny said, because I don't
like the sound of my voice, but I have to
listen to it quite a bit. So then that's is
that another source of anxiety? Aren't there always sources? I
don't know how. I think it's worse if you were
(12:01):
like like if you were like I am, because I
know people that enjoy their voice too much. Those are Yeah,
you're like, okay, we hear, We're just hearing. You just
want to hear your self talking right now, you're just talking.
You love the sound of it. You don't know what
you're saying anymore, neither do we. Just so everything is
so great to listen to. So that's I don't like that.
(12:24):
So I think that's worse than a person. I guess
self loathing is not great either, but maybe maybe neutral reaction.
I think there needs to be a middle ground because
I'm very self loathing both. This year is all about
self love. That's what I'm making it about. Is it working? No,
but we're trying. Okay, yeah, do you have to do
chant like an affirmation? No? I need to get into affirmation.
(12:46):
I need to get into journaling. But then it's writing,
like I can write to do list, but because I
have so much on my mind, writing like my thoughts
is will just hurt my hand. I ever do that? Yeah,
So I'm like, what's another good outlet? Um? You could
just leave yourself voice memos? Do you do that? I
(13:06):
have done? So? I have done stuff like that, But
I got a friend. Uh. We both yap so much
that if we get on a phone call, it'll take
a long time, so we leave each other voice memos. Also,
we are schedules never aligned, so it's really the only
way uh sadly. But then we will have a call
and it will be like two hours wow, voice memos.
(13:28):
Like when I get on the phone with Ken Jong,
I'll we'll talk for ninety minutes. But I think that's
why people love the podcast and stuff, because it's just
seeing you guys in in your element. And you know,
I think community is has become something bigger than itself.
Um already that's called a transition. That's called the transition
right there. Um. So I'm a film student also that,
(13:52):
and I am really interested in just the process of
creating from start to finish. And something that really inspires
me specifically about Community is how you guys just played
around formats so often. Yeah, we filmed it like a movie.
Your shoot days were crazy. You did your research, of course,
very good. When you're filming a show like that and
(14:14):
there's such time commitment, how do you find the balance
on wanting to be a normal human and be with
your family but also you're working on something that is
a show that's arguably very being done very differently than
most shows, well, movies that are any any movie that's
shot in a cinematic way takes time. And unless you're
(14:36):
clin Eastwood where you just stop shooting at five o'clock
every day, there is no way to have a balance.
Especially in production. It's balls to the wall all the time,
early calls, late wraps, early calls. That's just the nature.
That's nothing would get done unless you had hours like that.
(14:58):
There can be way did time. Sometimes it doesn't. I've
been been lucky. There's I've been on some very efficient
sets and then some totally inefficient sets. Uh. And the
that's that can be maddening when it's not going quickly,
but where when it's when it's you can see that
time is being wasted. But the other thing is like
(15:20):
with community, we we were moving as a lot of it.
We were moving as fast as we could, but it
just takes time. When you're doing stunts and you're getting
like around the around the study table that was seven
people around there, and so every person has to be
shot and every every part of the scene has to
be gotten from that angle. So that just takes a
(15:43):
lot of time. And so if you come to peace
with that, it'll just it's just gonna be a while.
Then it's okay. The you know, to have a normal
like you get your normal life when in your months off.
Do you enjoy the process of filming and creating or
do you like, um more of the finished product? Oh well,
I like, I mean, I like acting a lot. I like.
(16:04):
I mean, it's my first true love. What about it
do you like? I don't know. I just like doing it.
It's fun. I always thought it was. I thought always
thought it was, you know, playing One of the reasons
why I kept pursuing it because I was like, I
would be terrible at a real job, and I'm gonna
do this until the real job police come and take
(16:25):
me away. So uh so far they haven't. So far
they haven't, thank god, because it's the only thing I
ever wanted to do, so which can be an affliction
because I know all sorts of people that that's all
they ever wanted to do and and they had to
get a real job, which is maddening. Uh So it's yeah,
(16:46):
it's it's a It really is a bug. It's like
having a disease, that has just can't snitch, that has
to be scratched all the time. Do you prefer acting
or hosting or they just completely separate in your mind?
I just yeah, I don't have any preference. I like
it all. Everyone Everyone was like, well, if you had
to choose, and I was like, who's making these decisions?
(17:06):
What world are we living in where I have to choose? Uh,
they're all they're super They're really all. They're fun. They're
all fun. So there's that the play of it. UM.
I think acting, you know, playing a character takes a
lot of time to develop, and you're developing another human
in a way. Yeah, you're worth So that takes up.
That is rewarding to see those things if they go well,
(17:28):
you know when you're watching it back on television. Um,
Hosting is fun because I get to improvise and screw
around and have you know, like and so I love
all that stuff. I like stand up. Stand up is
there's a there's a lot of travel, which I used
to love. I still love it, but it it is
maddening to be away from the family. Once I'm finally
(17:49):
standing on stage. It's very fun and rewarding. And challenging,
but but the whole process of kidding there, I'm like,
I gotta do all that that then then and then
finally okay take them. Yeah, anyway, it's these are all
these become luxurious problems, but they're you know or you know,
but it's also your daily life. It's part of what
(18:10):
the job is. And I love it and would never
trade it. Yeah, I mean unless you have something really nice.
I mean, I mean, if I do, I'll let you know.
But like a spaceship, I would take that, you know,
that would be pretty iconic, would be valuable, and you
could go all over the universe probably though that's so true.
We have to take a quick break. But when we
(18:31):
come back, I want to talk about Psych the movie.
I know you played a very special role in this movie.
And by the way, everyone Psych is one of my
favorite shows. I also want to talk more about the
show community, how you define success for yourself, and so
much more. We'll be right back and we're back. You know,
(18:53):
you were in a movie that I watched recently and
I was like, oh, hello, John McHale, Uh Psych the movie,
Psych the movie. Yes, I'm a are you a Psych fan? Well,
how did that come about. I am I am friends
with Tim Almondson, who is from Seattle, in my hometown,
and he was on Psych and he had a stroke
(19:14):
about five years ago and which almost killed him. He
has recovered remarkably, but he is still you know, like
he actually can walk now. But there was a time
when and this is terrible, SAG was just going to
cut off the insurance because he stopped working. So James
Rode and Dole Hill, who are coming on the podcast.
(19:37):
He's so great. I'm so excited, so fucking talented and
nice and he's every those those two guys are what
you want in a leads. And like Maggie Lawson's on
that show, who was also so kind at the number
of cool people on that show doesn't make any sense.
(19:57):
And so when it starts with them being cool, which
makes a set happy, and it makes the set a
very happy place. Anyway, they wrote to that Psych movie
too for Tim to be in so he could get insurance.
I mean, it's this what a terrible policy of I
have thousands of problems with the Screen Actors Guild, this
(20:18):
being one of the big ones is that if you
stop working because you're horribly injured, yeah, you're not well protected.
So then so then they he gets his insurance back,
but he has a life insurance policy and they and
they they turned around and went, oh, he's working again.
We don't have to pay you for your life insurance now.
And so it's also it's also stupid. And he then
(20:43):
eventually got back because he has will have lifelong challenges. Um.
One of those challenges not being drinking bourbon with me um.
So he missed opportunity so that I got to play.
That was a surprise that I was playing his father
who had passed away in the show in the movie,
(21:03):
and so it was super fun and we've surprised him
on set and she didn't know that you were playing
his dad. Is there a video of this? There is?
There is video? Is it out there? No, I've kept it. No, No,
I think it is out there. Really Yeah. I think
something that I love about I know you're gonna say
(21:26):
a transition, but Psych and Community is that the creativity
and both shows I think are so prevalent, and I
think those are the kind of shows that we need
to be having more of nowadays because it's really playing
around with format, really playing around with like Psych, Red
did a whole the same episodes just six years later.
I think it's awesome that now there are these shows
(21:47):
where we can just change around. You guys did a
doc episode one time. Yeah, we did a couple of those.
Dan Harmon's brain is very unique and very special and
great and uh so that's why the show went from
started out kind of I want, I want to say normal,
but it was like, oh, what could this be? And
(22:09):
then it took off and boy, you kind of go
into his mind a bit. Yeah. I mean he has
said it over and over that ill bet is kind
of his brain, and so that's one of the best characters. Yeah,
I agree, Danny should have won an Emmy every year.
He was playing somebody on the spectrum and his brain
kind of dictated where all the episodes were going, and
(22:33):
it was in the perspective of So that's that is
pretty unique. But there's really great shows out there now.
Of course, there are so many great shows. I feel
like there's something about the nostalgia that I think, right, well,
now that is something that's comfortable, especially in that's so uncomfortable.
(22:53):
I feel like, well, but that's always the case, that's true,
that the world is always uncomfortable and there's always things
we find humpered in. But thank god people found it
in Community because well, when it was on, it was
barely stayed on the air. Every year canceled and it
got literally and because of streaming services during the pandemic,
(23:15):
like Netflix that, you know, Community found a whole new life.
And the table read you guys did during the pandemic, Yeah,
that was really fun. It was I think what so
many people needed, and it brought so many smiles to
me and my brother. It was watched it around our
dining table and it was just a moment when there
was so much darkness and we were just laughing. Yeah,
and Pedro Pascal man, he was so funny and he
(23:40):
and he you know, he's a freaking Mandalorian and uh yeah,
I cried. I can I tell I cried so hard
after that. It was because I was just like, oh,
like Bami reunion was great. If you were to be
a part of another show with the same cast as Community,
but different concepts, look, I would in a New York
minute do something again with that. That group I would
(24:03):
love because they're you know, they are family. Uh superb. Yeah.
Some of some of the best times to talk and
those hours were endless, and I had new kids, so
it is that was definitely challenging. But I knew when
we were filming it. I was like, we're making a
really unique thing. Let's do this till we can't. And
(24:24):
then they stopped and they brought us back. So yeah,
and then you know, we lost cast members and we
added cast members and they were great. How do you
adjust when that happens? Because I feel like you when
you get into a rhythm when you're doing a show
for that long and you have each other's camaraderie, and
then when cast members leave, like Donald Glever and Chevy Chase,
(24:45):
that kind of dynamic is gone and you're bringing new
people who are figuring out what is figuring that dynamic out?
That's I mean, that shows you the brilliance of Dan
and you. The show changes, there's no you can't go
back to what it was, and the show changes to
something different and that Uh, it can sometimes be great
(25:07):
and sometimes be terrible if it's not well handled. But
I think with community, Paget Brewster and Keith David, those guys,
Jonathan Banks, those guys were so good. Famously, when Cheers lost, uh,
Shelly Shelly Long. It changed the dynamic of the show completely,
and the show evolved and was just as good, and
(25:31):
definitely it evolved to something even better. I agree, And
I think there's something I feel that people are afraid
of change. It's very natural, and even me, I'm scared
of it. But when I think it's so cool when
you can see that change can be good and that
the evolution of a show it doesn't always have to
be the same. Change can be bad, it can be bad,
it can be good, changes coming whether you like it
(25:53):
or not. I'm I think people should look through like
a high powered telescope because if you're looking at a
planet through a high powered telescope, the telescope has to move.
Are you good with change? It depends on what it is.
But you know, you see those freaking huge heavenly bodies
up there and they're moving. Everything's moving, everything is swinging
around in circles. So it depends on what the changes.
(26:16):
Some change great, some change not some Yeah, you never know. Yeah.
I think I'm really easy going on some things and
probably very rigid on others. I think there's something very
um inspiring about the variety of which you do um,
because it takes like a wide variety of different skill sets. Um.
(26:37):
But speaking of going into change and something is changing,
you're back to eat. I am back to eat. Back
to Eat celebrity Beef will say, you have done more
research than a lot of different people that have been
on podcasts. Really. Yeah, some people don't. Yeah, they just
look up. You know. One of the very latest thing
(26:59):
is my Instagram be like, oh I was doing what
is he? Okay, let's be real right, yes that Um
that show. I wasn't even sure whether it was going
to come together and it did. Uh and uh, it
was super fun to make and we and I don't
know if it's doing well or it's Yeah, when I
watched it, I was like, oh that was much more.
(27:20):
That was super pleasant to do and it was really fun.
I got to meet a night a bunch of cool
new people and I think there was some good jokes
and um, he was remarkably cool about everything and the
production company was great. So uh, like the sets were
way too nice, which you know it was e So
(27:43):
I was I was used to like, I'll just bring
a set with me. I got I got something in
the back of my garage. Um, But it was. Yeah,
it was a remarkably fun experience. I will I didn't.
I didn't know what to expect, really, because you don't
when it's all coming together for the first time, you're like, oh,
I was gonna then yeah, no shows. You know, you
see people kind of in the heat of the moment,
(28:04):
and I think when when you ask those questions and
you bring your humor, it adds more of a more
of a human element to it than just you know
the the Yes, the food is secondary. Food is secondary
to that. Was any good food? Oh? Yeah, someone was
really good. Some of it wasn't um, but this food
Like I love food shows, and believe me, I watched
(28:25):
them and I like them, but this particular one was not.
It wasn't about really the best food. It was more
about screwing around and having a good Sometimes we need that. Yeah,
I would say all the time. Amen, Okay, we have
to take one more quick break, but when we come back,
I want to talk more about how you personally define
success in this crazy industry and also the fine line
(28:49):
of being a collector or a holder, because I heard
you like to keep a lot of stuff. We'll be
right back and we're back, know You've done quite a
bit in your career. You've done meet movies, you've done shows.
There is a sense of like what is success? You know,
people have different definitions for it, whether it's getting like
(29:10):
number one, or if it's success within like if you're
content with it? How do you define success? Let's be real, man, boy,
uh you can. It gets measured in different ways, and
you know our country measured it measures it in you know,
through a pretty simple capitalists view of like, well, if
(29:30):
you make it big within money, then your success and
then we all know that that is usually a disaster.
But it really it is such a cliche. But I
feel successful in the fact that the woman whom I
married continues to want to be married to me. That's
always good. Yeah, So that got that one. I have
(29:52):
two sons that engaging conversation and hang out, so I'm
like that you hang out with your kids, that's like okay,
and their teenagers. Yeah, and I'm like that's pretty good.
Pretty good. So like I look at that, I'm like, okay,
and then I heard it years ago. But like happy wife,
happy life is very true, and that more just comes
(30:14):
down to, like if you are trying to please your partner,
it's going to go. Well, if you're both doing that, Oh,
it's great. Uh so that's great. I gotta keep it
like you're always dating. Yeah, because like what could and
if you if you tend that garden, it'll grow. Um
so is marriage fun? Would you say? Would you recommend it?
(30:34):
We we've been together a long time. We still look
at each other like, look at us, like we live
with each other. Here we are and we have kids. Yeah,
and we have we've made kids. Look at us like
a house and cars and stuff. Look at us, we're
like adults. There's still that sense of it. I've really
(30:54):
it's great. I'm so lucky. And if you met my wife,
you'd be like you got the best one. And and
I did, I really did. So there's that whole wonderful thing.
In our culture, they go every parents like, oh, I
just want my kid to be happy. So there's that.
That's the end the marine culture. And then they said,
(31:15):
like in Asian culture, they go, I want my kid
to be successful, and it's like the I think the
and then someone said, both of those are very problematic
because you can't guarantee any of it. And well, and
like if you can't guarantee happiness or just create it.
That's not something that's possible. And then all being successful
you I guess you can, but but no, it should
(31:37):
be it should be like this front of I was like,
you want your kids to be good good, like with
a capital G, because you can't control all that other stuff.
So yeah, be good to each other, you know, love
one another. As far as like work goes, I you know,
like there was a time when I was like, oh,
if I can just get on the show like this,
if I can just do this, that with doing it,
(32:01):
it's fallen away. So now I like doing stuff I like.
So it sounds so simple, but I'm like that was
like playing Starman on UH in Star Girl was really rewarding.
Uh and so I was like, that was super fun,
great people. I loved playing the character. I look back
(32:21):
on that as like that was really really a cool
experience and so thank you Jeff John's, creator of the show,
and break Passenger lead to the show. Anyway, that's a
very long way to come there. There's things you can
like for success. I'm like, oh, I have a car
that I love. I'm like, that is a measure of
my success. And then I bought another one, and there
(32:43):
we go, and then it just kept going. When I
go to a grocery store, I'm not like worried about
the price of this to that, and I'm like, oh,
that used to be used to be very stressed out
about that, and so that it's a weird measure, like
getting a menu at a restaurant to go out, and yeah,
so that's so. Those were little things where I would remember,
(33:05):
like always trying to find the cheapest gas in Seattle
when I was growing up. Prices now, well, no, I
mean this is this is the nineties. So what was
in the nineties two and a half dollars three dollars
and that was a lot people like I remember when
it was fifty cents, but gas prices have come down
so much they have Yeah, my wife, that's a tesla,
and I was like, oh, this really does make a difference.
(33:27):
Have you played the Mario Kart in the tesla? I
have not, So you can park the car and play
Mario Karts. I would do that and just go And
if you ever want to do like a date night moment,
there is a romantic fire mode where heat or like
a wood place fire burning and then he comes out
and he comes out of it. It will be perfect
for the weather these days, so perfect, it's what you
(33:48):
need for degrees just to add to it. Yeah, we're
taping this when when the valley is turning into a
i don't know, uninhabitable hellscape breaking it's going to be
a hundred and five on Saturday. Yeah, Like I'll tweet
something about how high the temperature is, and then people
in Phoenix come to Phoenix and I was like, that's
why I'm not in Phoenix. There's a reason I live
(34:10):
here because I don't want it to be I know
about Phoenix, but I don't want to go to Phoenix.
It's very hot. I hosted an outdoor event at night
in Phoenix in the summer. Why would you? Why would
you put yourself through? Because I got asked by Phoenix
Suns and I'm like, yes, I'll totally do it and
burn everything off. But it's okay. It was during the night.
(34:32):
I mean it was like and I was like, it's
all it's ninety eight degrees right now and it's night,
it's ten. What are we doing here? What's happening? It's
not safe. You've done some cool stuff in your life
I get to say yes. I definitely. When I was
on Community, I knew that, like NBC Sports would show
all the tennis. So I was like, can I get
a ticket? Can we get tickets to the Wimbledon? Now?
(34:54):
Like yeah, yeah, And they were like, we're not gonna
fly you there. I'm like, I didn't want to be
flown there, but you can actually get me a take it.
They're like, yeah, it's just the World Opening. That's where
I take. I definitely ask for free stuff, so I'll
be like, if I could, should should And yeah, my
my house is full of my white drafts are crazy. Uh.
(35:14):
Would you say you're a hoarder. I'm a quality hoarder.
That's what a collector is. There's a very fine line
between collector hoarder. I collect a lot of stuff, but
knives and swords, swords. I have a lot of swords.
That's going back to my boyhood. Yeah, it's really wait
do people know about this? Okay? Swords? When did this start?
(35:37):
When I was a child, my dad brought a bunch
of stuff back from the Middle East and from Italy. Uh,
And I was just as a kid, I was like,
I was always fascinated by it. Yeah, any other hobbies
or things that people might not know. Well, No, I
talk about all. I mean I collect wine. I like that.
(35:57):
That's good. Uh, you have to moderate it. I buy
a lot of everything. I just bought. I don't know,
Like I realized we ran out of pepper sixteen bags.
Do you just go like like have a great membership
at Costco? No, I just buy mostly online. So I've
(36:18):
put it that in a store. I got a little
storage place for food and like cleaning supplies, and I'll
be like, we're not going to run out of that
anytime soon. How many hats do you have? So many thousands?
Do you have a storage unit for I have to
throw them out? No, I don't have a storage I
don't have t Do you know how much money you
make on that? You know if you sell your hats? Oh?
No one would who cares about you'd be surprised. Um
(36:42):
on where? Okay? So there are two places Posh Posh
Mark and deep Pop. You literally just upload your clothes,
put a price tag, and I think just because of
your name, people will buy it. Okay, and you'll make
a ship ton of money from your use hats. I'll
do it. I'll let you have to write those down
or you know, I can run the account. Great, I'll
(37:05):
give you a percentage. Hey, it's a business. I probably
have like like I probably you know, I probably had
a hundred different hats easily. And so because I just
keep buying them, it's not like I'm wearing it's not
like I keep them in. So we need to figure
out a way where you can keep buying them and
then there's just like a system where they're going out
the true Yeah, no, there should because I end up.
(37:26):
I don't know if you're like me, but I wear
the same things over and over again, and I got
shipped tons of clothes. I would never do that. I
would never wear the same jumper like three times in
a week. Never, never, never. And you don't have like
one other I don't have this in pink too? Why
would I Why you would never wear it all the time?
I would buy the same thing twice. That would be crazy.
That would be something if you did a thing where
(37:47):
you had a tracer on my clothes, it would just
be multiple workout shorts, two pairs of you only wear
athletic clothes? Is that your staple wardrobe? That is yes?
And I'm sure. My wife finds it super attractive just
because I wear the same thing around the house sometimes
if it's not broken wife fixing. Yes, But then it's like, oh,
(38:08):
we're going to a party. Oh what I like this
workout tome? What do we work what are we gonna wear? Yeah,
there's a lot of that. So anyway, that's a long
way to say I should just burn my clothing and
hats because I wear the same dee pop, I think.
I think it's another it's another Hey, it's another side business,
(38:30):
another hustle my life motto. Why not? Yeah? Why am
I not? All right? You can run the account. That
sounds all right, that sounds great, So make sure you
check out his deep pop here that guy. Um, thank
you so much for taking the time to come podcast.
Thank you. We are half we're at the halfway point.
(38:51):
We're at the halfway point. We finished what all right?
I know? Like an Angels game? What happened? I know,
it's just it goes by. Time goes by when you're
having fun, time goes by. What time we got here? Alright?
One eight eight? Amaze, I showed up late and it's
one forty eight. All right, we did it. We did
it
Hey guys, It's Sammy Jay and welcome back to the
Let's Be Real Podcast. I am so thrilled because this
week I got to chat with actor comedian host Joel McHale.
You know him from community. He's been in so much
and I'm truly so grateful that he took the time
out of his very, very busy schedule to chat with me.
(00:21):
I hope you guys enjoyed this episode and I can't
wait to get your thoughts. As always, here we are,
We're doing it, We're doing it well. Hello everybody, and
welcome to this week's episode of the Let's Be Real Podcast.
This week is so special because I am joined by host,
actor comedian one could are you legend? Legend Joel McHale?
(00:45):
One could argue and you would lose that are terribly
How have you been since the last time we talked?
Since this is the first time we've talked, we have
first time. What is it like being on the other end,
you know, of the hosting side being interviewed, which I
do prefer. Oh, this is way easier. What about it?
Just answering questions? Yeah, I don't have to prepare fair enough.
(01:08):
I don't have a teleprompter to go over or people
to please, because you know, when you're hosting, you gotta
usually an audience, and then you're like, I gotta tell
a bunch of jokes, yeah, which I like doing, but
it's work, which I like work. But then again, I
like doing nothing, which happens never, So it's great, very busy.
That surprises me that you like doing nothing, because I'm
(01:29):
also a workaholic. But I find doing nothing right now.
I like doing nothing. I just never do it. M
It's like something you always look forward to that just
doesn't happen, right. So when people like, oh, when I
finally get to do that thing, yeah, it's like, what
is it like when you give a cat like that
toy and they just chase after it but they never
really get it cat nip? It doesn't that just drive
them crazy? Maybe I like the cat flashlight? Yes, the flashlight.
(01:54):
It's that equivalent yea, when people like, oh, yeah, when
I finally get to that thing, Oh, we're going to
buy a beach house? Yeah, okay, yeah, go ahead and
just go do it. You know, we have a lot
in common. We do we do all right, Ready for this?
Go ahead. Both have learning differences Okay, yes, both anxiety, Well,
(02:15):
it depends on what's going on sometimes fair enough, fair enough, yes,
but I feel like those two things combined are just
never easy. So I was wondering what that was like
for you growing up. Well, I didn't have anxiety growing up,
so so that came later. That came later, as uh,
that's adulthood. That's only because mean, that's because of just
stressful travel. I didn't have it as a diagnosis. It
(02:37):
definitely dyslexia. Oh yeah, how is that like reading memorizing
lines with dyslexia? Memorizing lines is easy, that's easy. Dyslexia doesn't.
That doesn't affect a dyslexic brain. Uh, you read a
lot slower, I would say, Actually, some dyslexics probably memorize faster.
That's so interesting, Like are like we read slower and
(02:58):
comprehend it slow. Are then a person that reads typically
that can just read fast, but but we get all
the meaning once we read it. I'm the same way.
I have auditory processing issues, so it's somewhat similarity. Oh
but so memorizing, yeah, I can memorize like no problem.
Going back to anxiety. No later on now, like because
(03:21):
I travel a lot that stresses me out. That it's
because I'm trying to get back to see my family
a lot. And I lived in Georgia all last year.
So like when I start, when the jobs pile up,
which is great, I love working, but then you know,
the balance is always difficult. And then I'll be like,
why am I stressed out today? What's going on? And
(03:43):
then I started thinking in the future, I'll be like, ah,
that's what's happened. Just thinking that's what gets it going
for me. You've always been anxious, Oh yes, grown up
with anxiety. I think my learning difference has really triggered
it personally for me because the yeah, I understand that,
I always I just assumed I was dumb. Me too.
I thought I was just incapable of learning, like there
(04:03):
was something wrong with me. For so long. I mean
they literally told me I was a slow starter in
second grade, that someone diagnosed me with slow starts, um,
which is not a thing. They basically like, I don't
know what's wrong with him. You can't read, he seems fine.
Maybe he's just slow at the beginning of things, and
that's what it's like. I thought about it for years.
(04:24):
I was like, oh, yeah, well I'm a slow starter,
so I'm not going to figure this out at first,
but then later on watch out. That's how you like
you took that identity on kind of it sounds like, yeah,
that's what I was told. Yeah, I feel the same.
I know exactly what you're talking about. It's there sometimes
why I had that person hunted down and killed. Oh
and and they yeah, speaking of hunting down grills. Wow,
(04:47):
that's what a transition. Thank you, I Bear Girls. Bear
Girls is a great person. I know you traveled, did
an adventure. I need to know more about that experience.
Why is that like just spending quality time with Bear
Girls in the middle of nowhere. Yeah, we're we're trusting
your life in his hands essentially. Well, there is. I
(05:09):
mean there's insurances. There's insurance too, but imagine what the insurances.
It's probably pretty hot. But they they even were talking
like other countries you can go to and there's less
insurance required. But they're that crew is you know, that's
like a Navy seal team of television producers and they
(05:31):
know what they're doing and they've done it before many
many times. And Bear is a very responsible person. And
uh yeah, he's hurt himself a few times, but broke
his back. Yeah, shoulder maybe, but he's you know, he
was Special Forces, so he's yeah. I mean he was like,
it's fine. Do you want some Madville no? Uh? So yeah,
(05:53):
that was real fun. We got dropped in by helicopter
into a part of the Grand Canyon that doesn't have
any access, which was great. And the boy, I'm I'm
one of those people that love that sort of thing,
so I really I was talking talking about it. But
here's the crazy part. The night before in Phoenix, I
did two stand up shows. Then a airplane that they
(06:16):
rented picked me up and landed in this landed uh
wherever the heck we were in. I think it was
in northern northern Arizona, and I slept for a few hours,
and then we had ventured all day. Then I flew
back and did two more shows. So mental sanity, where's
that at That that that's a good day for me.
(06:38):
That's like a fun day. I'm like, oh, this is
gonna be a fun day. It'll be busy, but it'll
be fun. That's so much activity and so much stimulation.
See for me, because I'm would you say you're an
introvert or an extrovert, the most extroverted person probably you'll
probably in Burbank right now, in Burbank specifically, Yeah, I am.
I am a golden retriever. My friend I described my
(07:01):
set friend. Yeah, my friend Kate, she was like, I'm
a golden retriever, and I'm like, that's right. Uh so,
And my wife's an introvert, so she has to deal
with this guy all the time. So I get energy
from being around people. I get more lively when in groups,
and I recharge when I'm by myself. I do not
(07:23):
do that, like I like sitting on a plane and
watching you know, like what we do in the shadows.
But are some show that I'd be like, great, and
That'll be my nice break and then then I'm off
and running. Do you give yourself a breakthroughout the day
or is it just kind of hustle and bustle till
you sleep? Are you hustle and bustle till I sleep? Always?
No self care? Uh? Well, I drink wine? What about
(07:45):
face masks? Face masks? No, I use a sleep mask
because I'm easily awoken. Those are lovely. One. I have
this big padded one. It's great. It looks like I'm
a hostage. Oh but no, those are great. They don't
touch your eyes. I have the silk one, but it's
fallen off. It falls off every that's the thing. I'll
try them and then they just won't be on my
(08:06):
face anymore. The next morning, MC, where did they go?
And then I'll wear your plugs and then the world
is the world doesn't exist. You're in your own world.
That sounds lovely. You have to you recharge during the day.
I recharge by doing my routines and doing things that
are like for myself, and you have time to do
(08:26):
all that. I make time, even if I have less
sleep because of it. I will make time for it
because I know it will make me feel better. But
that's new for me. I feel like I'm trying to
get into it. So when you wake up, are you anxious?
Depends on the day and depends on what's happening right now.
Sometimes anxiousness it's like, well, what are you guys doing today?
We're gonna be doing some stunt flying. That can be
(08:50):
anxiety and docing like there's some but other times where
you wake up you're like, I'm anxious and I can't
even figure out why. Yeah, so I have anxiety and
O c D. So sometimes it can just be I'll
wake up and I'll be like, oh hey, They're like
you're there. I've yeah, you're there. Got to continue the day,
I know, yeah, I've developed that and I can't feel
I'm like, oh, look at that. Look you're going to
(09:11):
feel like this today, you know. I was talking to
my friend. She's like, you should name your anxiety, and
I was like why. She goes, why not, like like
a boat? Yeah, And it's like you put a name
to it, so it's not like yourself. So I'm like,
what did your name? I haven't named it yet, so
should we name it now? I think we should. Is
it a boy or a girl? Non binary? I feel
like it could be. Honestly, it kind of feels like
(09:33):
a girl. I'm not gonna lie all right, uh Joel, Joel?
I mean I just you know, Josephine, Josephine, Josephina. I
like Josephina. Jojo Jojo? What are you doing already? Jo Jo?
Don't mess up my morning like this or just go
oh hey Jojo and you can start mocking her. Oh Jojo,
(09:53):
what are you doing? You need to be a linxous today.
You're feeling a little needy to be next to me
all day. Come on, Jojo, I'm doing my self care later, Jojo.
I like Jojo. It's going to be Jojo. Okay, I
like it. I feel like that's something that's also I
don't know, there's something that I like about kind of
taking the power away from it. Do you kind of
(10:14):
make fun of it? Because I feel like that always
takes the scariness away from it, which is right? And
now is it weird that you're used to it? You're like, Oh,
it's one of these days. It's not as scary. I've
dealt with it for so long. And I think the pandemic, like,
I agree, the pandemic was no fun for that. No,
I feel like it just exacerbates everything that we're all
going through. If I didn't have exercise, it was would
(10:36):
you say, exercise is a therapy for you? Exercise wine,
Ken Jong, my family family first, but not no specific order. Yeah,
but Kennon, I did that podcast for a brief period
of time, and that was actually very helpful because we
both are we have to perform constantly, and so that
actually helped because we were like, oh, we have a
(10:57):
way to perform. Would you ever go back into the
podcast in games? Well, the problem is that Ken and
I both work in different places, and I'm speaking of
O c D very O c D and h D. Well, yeah,
I guess I'm more a D h D. So I'm
always very disorganized and scattered to do lists. No, really,
(11:17):
I would have to then write out a list. That's
how I get through my days to do list all
the way. I have to check everything off. Hire an
assistant that I've I've had assistance for years. That's a
badass move. If I when I get there, that's the goal.
That is a luxury. So they chase me around and
say you have to do this, this and this, and
I'm like, oh, maybe we'll get to it. We'll get there.
(11:40):
It must be maddening for them. It's great. I feel
like you you you have a good podcast voice, as
do you. Thank you. That's funny said, because I don't
like the sound of my voice, but I have to
listen to it quite a bit. So then that's is
that another source of anxiety? Aren't there always sources? I
don't know how. I think it's worse if you were
(12:01):
like like if you were like I am, because I
know people that enjoy their voice too much. Those are Yeah,
you're like, okay, we hear, We're just hearing. You just
want to hear your self talking right now, you're just talking.
You love the sound of it. You don't know what
you're saying anymore, neither do we. Just so everything is
so great to listen to. So that's I don't like that.
(12:24):
So I think that's worse than a person. I guess
self loathing is not great either, but maybe maybe neutral reaction.
I think there needs to be a middle ground because
I'm very self loathing both. This year is all about
self love. That's what I'm making it about. Is it working? No,
but we're trying. Okay, yeah, do you have to do
chant like an affirmation? No? I need to get into affirmation.
(12:46):
I need to get into journaling. But then it's writing,
like I can write to do list, but because I
have so much on my mind, writing like my thoughts
is will just hurt my hand. I ever do that? Yeah,
So I'm like, what's another good outlet? Um? You could
just leave yourself voice memos? Do you do that? I
(13:06):
have done? So? I have done stuff like that, But
I got a friend. Uh. We both yap so much
that if we get on a phone call, it'll take
a long time, so we leave each other voice memos. Also,
we are schedules never aligned, so it's really the only
way uh sadly. But then we will have a call
and it will be like two hours wow, voice memos.
(13:28):
Like when I get on the phone with Ken Jong,
I'll we'll talk for ninety minutes. But I think that's
why people love the podcast and stuff, because it's just
seeing you guys in in your element. And you know,
I think community is has become something bigger than itself.
Um already that's called a transition. That's called the transition
right there. Um. So I'm a film student also that,
(13:52):
and I am really interested in just the process of
creating from start to finish. And something that really inspires
me specifically about Community is how you guys just played
around formats so often. Yeah, we filmed it like a movie.
Your shoot days were crazy. You did your research, of course,
very good. When you're filming a show like that and
(14:14):
there's such time commitment, how do you find the balance
on wanting to be a normal human and be with
your family but also you're working on something that is
a show that's arguably very being done very differently than
most shows, well, movies that are any any movie that's
shot in a cinematic way takes time. And unless you're
(14:36):
clin Eastwood where you just stop shooting at five o'clock
every day, there is no way to have a balance.
Especially in production. It's balls to the wall all the time,
early calls, late wraps, early calls. That's just the nature.
That's nothing would get done unless you had hours like that.
(14:58):
There can be way did time. Sometimes it doesn't. I've
been been lucky. There's I've been on some very efficient
sets and then some totally inefficient sets. Uh. And the
that's that can be maddening when it's not going quickly,
but where when it's when it's you can see that
time is being wasted. But the other thing is like
(15:20):
with community, we we were moving as a lot of it.
We were moving as fast as we could, but it
just takes time. When you're doing stunts and you're getting
like around the around the study table that was seven
people around there, and so every person has to be
shot and every every part of the scene has to
be gotten from that angle. So that just takes a
(15:43):
lot of time. And so if you come to peace
with that, it'll just it's just gonna be a while.
Then it's okay. The you know, to have a normal
like you get your normal life when in your months off.
Do you enjoy the process of filming and creating or
do you like, um more of the finished product? Oh well,
I like, I mean, I like acting a lot. I like.
(16:04):
I mean, it's my first true love. What about it
do you like? I don't know. I just like doing it.
It's fun. I always thought it was. I thought always
thought it was, you know, playing One of the reasons
why I kept pursuing it because I was like, I
would be terrible at a real job, and I'm gonna
do this until the real job police come and take
(16:25):
me away. So uh so far they haven't. So far
they haven't, thank god, because it's the only thing I
ever wanted to do, so which can be an affliction
because I know all sorts of people that that's all
they ever wanted to do and and they had to
get a real job, which is maddening. Uh So it's yeah,
(16:46):
it's it's a It really is a bug. It's like
having a disease, that has just can't snitch, that has
to be scratched all the time. Do you prefer acting
or hosting or they just completely separate in your mind?
I just yeah, I don't have any preference. I like
it all. Everyone Everyone was like, well, if you had
to choose, and I was like, who's making these decisions?
(17:06):
What world are we living in where I have to choose? Uh,
they're all they're super They're really all. They're fun. They're
all fun. So there's that the play of it. UM.
I think acting, you know, playing a character takes a
lot of time to develop, and you're developing another human
in a way. Yeah, you're worth So that takes up.
That is rewarding to see those things if they go well,
(17:28):
you know when you're watching it back on television. Um,
Hosting is fun because I get to improvise and screw
around and have you know, like and so I love
all that stuff. I like stand up. Stand up is
there's a there's a lot of travel, which I used
to love. I still love it, but it it is
maddening to be away from the family. Once I'm finally
(17:49):
standing on stage. It's very fun and rewarding. And challenging,
but but the whole process of kidding there, I'm like,
I gotta do all that that then then and then
finally okay take them. Yeah, anyway, it's these are all
these become luxurious problems, but they're you know or you know,
but it's also your daily life. It's part of what
(18:10):
the job is. And I love it and would never
trade it. Yeah, I mean unless you have something really nice.
I mean, I mean, if I do, I'll let you know.
But like a spaceship, I would take that, you know,
that would be pretty iconic, would be valuable, and you
could go all over the universe probably though that's so true.
We have to take a quick break. But when we
(18:31):
come back, I want to talk about Psych the movie.
I know you played a very special role in this movie.
And by the way, everyone Psych is one of my
favorite shows. I also want to talk more about the
show community, how you define success for yourself, and so
much more. We'll be right back and we're back. You know,
(18:53):
you were in a movie that I watched recently and
I was like, oh, hello, John McHale, Uh Psych the movie,
Psych the movie. Yes, I'm a are you a Psych fan? Well,
how did that come about. I am I am friends
with Tim Almondson, who is from Seattle, in my hometown,
and he was on Psych and he had a stroke
(19:14):
about five years ago and which almost killed him. He
has recovered remarkably, but he is still you know, like
he actually can walk now. But there was a time
when and this is terrible, SAG was just going to
cut off the insurance because he stopped working. So James
Rode and Dole Hill, who are coming on the podcast.
(19:37):
He's so great. I'm so excited, so fucking talented and
nice and he's every those those two guys are what
you want in a leads. And like Maggie Lawson's on
that show, who was also so kind at the number
of cool people on that show doesn't make any sense.
(19:57):
And so when it starts with them being cool, which
makes a set happy, and it makes the set a
very happy place. Anyway, they wrote to that Psych movie
too for Tim to be in so he could get insurance.
I mean, it's this what a terrible policy of I
have thousands of problems with the Screen Actors Guild, this
(20:18):
being one of the big ones is that if you
stop working because you're horribly injured, yeah, you're not well protected.
So then so then they he gets his insurance back,
but he has a life insurance policy and they and
they they turned around and went, oh, he's working again.
We don't have to pay you for your life insurance now.
And so it's also it's also stupid. And he then
(20:43):
eventually got back because he has will have lifelong challenges. Um.
One of those challenges not being drinking bourbon with me um.
So he missed opportunity so that I got to play.
That was a surprise that I was playing his father
who had passed away in the show in the movie,
(21:03):
and so it was super fun and we've surprised him
on set and she didn't know that you were playing
his dad. Is there a video of this? There is?
There is video? Is it out there? No, I've kept it. No, No,
I think it is out there. Really Yeah. I think
something that I love about I know you're gonna say
(21:26):
a transition, but Psych and Community is that the creativity
and both shows I think are so prevalent, and I
think those are the kind of shows that we need
to be having more of nowadays because it's really playing
around with format, really playing around with like Psych, Red
did a whole the same episodes just six years later.
I think it's awesome that now there are these shows
(21:47):
where we can just change around. You guys did a
doc episode one time. Yeah, we did a couple of those.
Dan Harmon's brain is very unique and very special and
great and uh so that's why the show went from
started out kind of I want, I want to say normal,
but it was like, oh, what could this be? And
(22:09):
then it took off and boy, you kind of go
into his mind a bit. Yeah. I mean he has
said it over and over that ill bet is kind
of his brain, and so that's one of the best characters. Yeah,
I agree, Danny should have won an Emmy every year.
He was playing somebody on the spectrum and his brain
kind of dictated where all the episodes were going, and
(22:33):
it was in the perspective of So that's that is
pretty unique. But there's really great shows out there now.
Of course, there are so many great shows. I feel
like there's something about the nostalgia that I think, right, well,
now that is something that's comfortable, especially in that's so uncomfortable.
(22:53):
I feel like, well, but that's always the case, that's true,
that the world is always uncomfortable and there's always things
we find humpered in. But thank god people found it
in Community because well, when it was on, it was
barely stayed on the air. Every year canceled and it
got literally and because of streaming services during the pandemic,
(23:15):
like Netflix that, you know, Community found a whole new life.
And the table read you guys did during the pandemic, Yeah,
that was really fun. It was I think what so
many people needed, and it brought so many smiles to
me and my brother. It was watched it around our
dining table and it was just a moment when there
was so much darkness and we were just laughing. Yeah,
and Pedro Pascal man, he was so funny and he
(23:40):
and he you know, he's a freaking Mandalorian and uh yeah,
I cried. I can I tell I cried so hard
after that. It was because I was just like, oh,
like Bami reunion was great. If you were to be
a part of another show with the same cast as Community,
but different concepts, look, I would in a New York
minute do something again with that. That group I would
(24:03):
love because they're you know, they are family. Uh superb. Yeah.
Some of some of the best times to talk and
those hours were endless, and I had new kids, so
it is that was definitely challenging. But I knew when
we were filming it. I was like, we're making a
really unique thing. Let's do this till we can't. And
(24:24):
then they stopped and they brought us back. So yeah,
and then you know, we lost cast members and we
added cast members and they were great. How do you
adjust when that happens? Because I feel like you when
you get into a rhythm when you're doing a show
for that long and you have each other's camaraderie, and
then when cast members leave, like Donald Glever and Chevy Chase,
(24:45):
that kind of dynamic is gone and you're bringing new
people who are figuring out what is figuring that dynamic out?
That's I mean, that shows you the brilliance of Dan
and you. The show changes, there's no you can't go
back to what it was, and the show changes to
something different and that Uh, it can sometimes be great
(25:07):
and sometimes be terrible if it's not well handled. But
I think with community, Paget Brewster and Keith David, those guys,
Jonathan Banks, those guys were so good. Famously, when Cheers lost, uh,
Shelly Shelly Long. It changed the dynamic of the show completely,
and the show evolved and was just as good, and
(25:31):
definitely it evolved to something even better. I agree, And
I think there's something I feel that people are afraid
of change. It's very natural, and even me, I'm scared
of it. But when I think it's so cool when
you can see that change can be good and that
the evolution of a show it doesn't always have to
be the same. Change can be bad, it can be bad,
it can be good, changes coming whether you like it
(25:53):
or not. I'm I think people should look through like
a high powered telescope because if you're looking at a
planet through a high powered telescope, the telescope has to move.
Are you good with change? It depends on what it is.
But you know, you see those freaking huge heavenly bodies
up there and they're moving. Everything's moving, everything is swinging
around in circles. So it depends on what the changes.
(26:16):
Some change great, some change not some Yeah, you never know. Yeah.
I think I'm really easy going on some things and
probably very rigid on others. I think there's something very
um inspiring about the variety of which you do um,
because it takes like a wide variety of different skill sets. Um.
(26:37):
But speaking of going into change and something is changing,
you're back to eat. I am back to eat. Back
to Eat celebrity Beef will say, you have done more
research than a lot of different people that have been
on podcasts. Really. Yeah, some people don't. Yeah, they just
look up. You know. One of the very latest thing
(26:59):
is my Instagram be like, oh I was doing what
is he? Okay, let's be real right, yes that Um
that show. I wasn't even sure whether it was going
to come together and it did. Uh and uh, it
was super fun to make and we and I don't
know if it's doing well or it's Yeah, when I
watched it, I was like, oh that was much more.
(27:20):
That was super pleasant to do and it was really fun.
I got to meet a night a bunch of cool
new people and I think there was some good jokes
and um, he was remarkably cool about everything and the
production company was great. So uh, like the sets were
way too nice, which you know it was e So
(27:43):
I was I was used to like, I'll just bring
a set with me. I got I got something in
the back of my garage. Um, But it was. Yeah,
it was a remarkably fun experience. I will I didn't.
I didn't know what to expect, really, because you don't
when it's all coming together for the first time, you're like, oh,
I was gonna then yeah, no shows. You know, you
see people kind of in the heat of the moment,
(28:04):
and I think when when you ask those questions and
you bring your humor, it adds more of a more
of a human element to it than just you know
the the Yes, the food is secondary. Food is secondary
to that. Was any good food? Oh? Yeah, someone was
really good. Some of it wasn't um, but this food
Like I love food shows, and believe me, I watched
(28:25):
them and I like them, but this particular one was not.
It wasn't about really the best food. It was more
about screwing around and having a good Sometimes we need that. Yeah,
I would say all the time. Amen, Okay, we have
to take one more quick break, but when we come back,
I want to talk more about how you personally define
success in this crazy industry and also the fine line
(28:49):
of being a collector or a holder, because I heard
you like to keep a lot of stuff. We'll be
right back and we're back, know You've done quite a
bit in your career. You've done meet movies, you've done shows.
There is a sense of like what is success? You know,
people have different definitions for it, whether it's getting like
(29:10):
number one, or if it's success within like if you're
content with it? How do you define success? Let's be real, man, boy,
uh you can. It gets measured in different ways, and
you know our country measured it measures it in you know,
through a pretty simple capitalists view of like, well, if
(29:30):
you make it big within money, then your success and
then we all know that that is usually a disaster.
But it really it is such a cliche. But I
feel successful in the fact that the woman whom I
married continues to want to be married to me. That's
always good. Yeah, So that got that one. I have
(29:52):
two sons that engaging conversation and hang out, so I'm
like that you hang out with your kids, that's like okay,
and their teenagers. Yeah, and I'm like that's pretty good.
Pretty good. So like I look at that, I'm like, okay,
and then I heard it years ago. But like happy wife,
happy life is very true, and that more just comes
(30:14):
down to, like if you are trying to please your partner,
it's going to go. Well, if you're both doing that, Oh,
it's great. Uh so that's great. I gotta keep it
like you're always dating. Yeah, because like what could and
if you if you tend that garden, it'll grow. Um
so is marriage fun? Would you say? Would you recommend it?
(30:34):
We we've been together a long time. We still look
at each other like, look at us, like we live
with each other. Here we are and we have kids. Yeah,
and we have we've made kids. Look at us like
a house and cars and stuff. Look at us, we're
like adults. There's still that sense of it. I've really
(30:54):
it's great. I'm so lucky. And if you met my wife,
you'd be like you got the best one. And and
I did, I really did. So there's that whole wonderful thing.
In our culture, they go every parents like, oh, I
just want my kid to be happy. So there's that.
That's the end the marine culture. And then they said,
(31:15):
like in Asian culture, they go, I want my kid
to be successful, and it's like the I think the
and then someone said, both of those are very problematic
because you can't guarantee any of it. And well, and
like if you can't guarantee happiness or just create it.
That's not something that's possible. And then all being successful
you I guess you can, but but no, it should
(31:37):
be it should be like this front of I was like,
you want your kids to be good good, like with
a capital G, because you can't control all that other stuff.
So yeah, be good to each other, you know, love
one another. As far as like work goes, I you know,
like there was a time when I was like, oh,
if I can just get on the show like this,
if I can just do this, that with doing it,
(32:01):
it's fallen away. So now I like doing stuff I like.
So it sounds so simple, but I'm like that was
like playing Starman on UH in Star Girl was really rewarding.
Uh and so I was like, that was super fun,
great people. I loved playing the character. I look back
(32:21):
on that as like that was really really a cool
experience and so thank you Jeff John's, creator of the show,
and break Passenger lead to the show. Anyway, that's a
very long way to come there. There's things you can
like for success. I'm like, oh, I have a car
that I love. I'm like, that is a measure of
my success. And then I bought another one, and there
(32:43):
we go, and then it just kept going. When I
go to a grocery store, I'm not like worried about
the price of this to that, and I'm like, oh,
that used to be used to be very stressed out
about that, and so that it's a weird measure, like
getting a menu at a restaurant to go out, and yeah,
so that's so. Those were little things where I would remember,
(33:05):
like always trying to find the cheapest gas in Seattle
when I was growing up. Prices now, well, no, I
mean this is this is the nineties. So what was
in the nineties two and a half dollars three dollars
and that was a lot people like I remember when
it was fifty cents, but gas prices have come down
so much they have Yeah, my wife, that's a tesla,
and I was like, oh, this really does make a difference.
(33:27):
Have you played the Mario Kart in the tesla? I
have not, So you can park the car and play
Mario Karts. I would do that and just go And
if you ever want to do like a date night moment,
there is a romantic fire mode where heat or like
a wood place fire burning and then he comes out
and he comes out of it. It will be perfect
for the weather these days, so perfect, it's what you
(33:48):
need for degrees just to add to it. Yeah, we're
taping this when when the valley is turning into a
i don't know, uninhabitable hellscape breaking it's going to be
a hundred and five on Saturday. Yeah, Like I'll tweet
something about how high the temperature is, and then people
in Phoenix come to Phoenix and I was like, that's
why I'm not in Phoenix. There's a reason I live
(34:10):
here because I don't want it to be I know
about Phoenix, but I don't want to go to Phoenix.
It's very hot. I hosted an outdoor event at night
in Phoenix in the summer. Why would you? Why would
you put yourself through? Because I got asked by Phoenix
Suns and I'm like, yes, I'll totally do it and
burn everything off. But it's okay. It was during the night.
(34:32):
I mean it was like and I was like, it's
all it's ninety eight degrees right now and it's night,
it's ten. What are we doing here? What's happening? It's
not safe. You've done some cool stuff in your life
I get to say yes. I definitely. When I was
on Community, I knew that, like NBC Sports would show
all the tennis. So I was like, can I get
a ticket? Can we get tickets to the Wimbledon? Now?
(34:54):
Like yeah, yeah, And they were like, we're not gonna
fly you there. I'm like, I didn't want to be
flown there, but you can actually get me a take it.
They're like, yeah, it's just the World Opening. That's where
I take. I definitely ask for free stuff, so I'll
be like, if I could, should should And yeah, my
my house is full of my white drafts are crazy. Uh.
(35:14):
Would you say you're a hoarder. I'm a quality hoarder.
That's what a collector is. There's a very fine line
between collector hoarder. I collect a lot of stuff, but
knives and swords, swords. I have a lot of swords.
That's going back to my boyhood. Yeah, it's really wait
do people know about this? Okay? Swords? When did this start?
(35:37):
When I was a child, my dad brought a bunch
of stuff back from the Middle East and from Italy. Uh,
And I was just as a kid, I was like,
I was always fascinated by it. Yeah, any other hobbies
or things that people might not know. Well, No, I
talk about all. I mean I collect wine. I like that.
(35:57):
That's good. Uh, you have to moderate it. I buy
a lot of everything. I just bought. I don't know,
Like I realized we ran out of pepper sixteen bags.
Do you just go like like have a great membership
at Costco? No, I just buy mostly online. So I've
(36:18):
put it that in a store. I got a little
storage place for food and like cleaning supplies, and I'll
be like, we're not going to run out of that
anytime soon. How many hats do you have? So many thousands?
Do you have a storage unit for I have to
throw them out? No, I don't have a storage I
don't have t Do you know how much money you
make on that? You know if you sell your hats? Oh?
No one would who cares about you'd be surprised. Um
(36:42):
on where? Okay? So there are two places Posh Posh
Mark and deep Pop. You literally just upload your clothes,
put a price tag, and I think just because of
your name, people will buy it. Okay, and you'll make
a ship ton of money from your use hats. I'll
do it. I'll let you have to write those down
or you know, I can run the account. Great, I'll
(37:05):
give you a percentage. Hey, it's a business. I probably
have like like I probably you know, I probably had
a hundred different hats easily. And so because I just
keep buying them, it's not like I'm wearing it's not
like I keep them in. So we need to figure
out a way where you can keep buying them and
then there's just like a system where they're going out
the true Yeah, no, there should because I end up.
(37:26):
I don't know if you're like me, but I wear
the same things over and over again, and I got
shipped tons of clothes. I would never do that. I
would never wear the same jumper like three times in
a week. Never, never, never. And you don't have like
one other I don't have this in pink too? Why
would I Why you would never wear it all the time?
I would buy the same thing twice. That would be crazy.
That would be something if you did a thing where
(37:47):
you had a tracer on my clothes, it would just
be multiple workout shorts, two pairs of you only wear
athletic clothes? Is that your staple wardrobe? That is yes?
And I'm sure. My wife finds it super attractive just
because I wear the same thing around the house sometimes
if it's not broken wife fixing. Yes, But then it's like, oh,
(38:08):
we're going to a party. Oh what I like this
workout tome? What do we work what are we gonna wear? Yeah,
there's a lot of that. So anyway, that's a long
way to say I should just burn my clothing and
hats because I wear the same dee pop, I think.
I think it's another it's another Hey, it's another side business,
(38:30):
another hustle my life motto. Why not? Yeah? Why am
I not? All right? You can run the account. That
sounds all right, that sounds great, So make sure you
check out his deep pop here that guy. Um, thank
you so much for taking the time to come podcast.
Thank you. We are half we're at the halfway point.
(38:51):
We're at the halfway point. We finished what all right?
I know? Like an Angels game? What happened? I know,
it's just it goes by. Time goes by when you're
having fun, time goes by. What time we got here? Alright?
One eight eight? Amaze, I showed up late and it's
one forty eight. All right, we did it. We did
it
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