Wil Wheaton on the Stand By Me moment that got him cast in Star Trek transcript

I want to tell a story. >> I want to finish a story. >> You may remember this. >> You when in the uh episode with Joel McCale that we did, >> reference it back if you need to. >> Yeah. >> Or if you haven't seen it, please watch it. He's a very funny guy. You'll want to see it. But anyway, at the end of the episode, I told a story. Uh and and unforgivably and unprofessionally, I cracked myself up so much telling this story that I couldn't continue. >> And so, I'll never forget it. >> Yeah.

And so for the sake of the people who who have have wondered all the letters we've gotten, what is the end of that story? Uh I'll I'll I'll finish it if I can. And and you know, by the way, I don't know if I mentioned this at the time. It is a true story. >> Of course, >> you know, it wasn't something. >> Oh, no one doubted it was true. >> Well, I don't know. Some people thought it was a joke. It it was really a true story.

Uh >> like the thermometer story. >> Well, that that's true, too. But so my friend uh he had an undescended testicle. Uh if you don't know what that is, uh >> you want to show us. >> You can imagine. >> Okay. >> Uh anyway, >> he had to go into surgery. He was a young fellow, maybe 16, something like that. Went into surgery. They they they operated. They descended the testicle. Uh and when he woke up from the surgery, he noticed that he had a button sewn to the bottom of his scrotum.

I hesitate to say that word for people who are squeamish. >> Button. scrotum. >> Yeah, it was really shocking to him and he was upset at first until he realized later on that when he went out uh on a date or whatever that he could take the bottom button hole on his shirt and button it and it [laughter] go again. [laughter] The vegetable is so strong. Unprofessional. This is so unprofessional. Okay. Okay. Let me get over myself.

There we go. >> So it would keep his shirt. [laughter] >> Some actors just tuck their shirt in the underpants to keep things. But this guy has special skill. Anyway, bottom line, he was finally very happy cuz he could keep. [laughter] Here we go again. So, wait a minute. Are you the young man you're telling the story about? Is that the ticket? >> No. No, it's not. >> You promise? >> It's not me. >> Notice I don't wear butts.

Anyway, uh yeah, so it would keep his shirt flat, you know, which [snorts] proved to him to be a wonderful thing. You know, he thought it. But the only downside was when he raised his arms, it hurt like hell. >> Yeah. >> Dropping [music] the whiskey flows and the laughings. Pull up a seat. [music] Join the game of Brad and Johnny partial. [music] >> So, here we are in the ready room. [laughter] >> I got so many I found up some weird stuff. >> Oh, yeah. >> I love it.

I mean, questions I didn't know. I mean, things I didn't know, >> references I didn't know. >> I have a whole page of him and Debbie Gibson. Debbie Gibson, you used to have that. Now, now they appear extraordinarily good friends. >> I know. Who started as somebody you were a massive fan of? Yeah, >> I remember. Like fanboy fan. >> Huge fan. >> Yes. >> Uh, you [clears throat] know who Debbie Gibson is? >> Yeah, of course.

What do you think I am? >> Do you know who Miley Cyrus is? >> Yes, of course. >> Tina Turner? >> Of course. >> Peeweee Russell? >> Yes. >> Will Weeden? >> Yes. That's who's with us today. >> Hey, will we >> W? >> Are you the studio audience? >> They are. [laughter] >> Hi. We do have a >> We do have Bleachers here with uh Thanks everybody for coming. >> Thanks everybody for coming in. >> Uh we were going to have Peeweee Russ along today, but uh my father's favorite clarinet player, >> right?

He's at the uh he's doing the Tina Turner tribute. >> Let me ask you, it said in something that I read. >> Yeah. Did you also go by Uncle Willie? [laughter] >> Is that a penis reference? >> No, I was I was doing a a live theater show with my friend. >> They're like gum. >> Oh, weird. Since you give it away. >> That's my point exactly. >> Feels like a huge branding opportunity just missed. >> Hey, let me >> That's like not eating hot wings on the Hot Wings podcast.

Have you seen that on that show? No. >> I would love to be >> all kinds of don't rate for that show. No, I am not in the tier of people they call in for that show. >> I'm not either. I would [laughter] I wing show with hookers and blackjack. >> Say what now? >> Did you ever do drunk history? >> No. >> I always wanted >> They started doing drunk history after I had stopped drinking by the time drunk history was available to me and it like I >> Oh, did you have to drink to do it? >> Yeah. >> You know, I think if if I did the hot wing show, I would have to ask could we do hot tofu?

Is [laughter] that Do you do that? Um Willie, [clears throat] let me ask you a question really quick. >> What about Uncle Willie? Okay. So, I was hosting I was I was the my friend Keith did a late night live comedy talk show in a theater. It was the Tonight Show, but we just did it live at the Acme Theater. And he started calling me Sweet Uncle Willie, >> like I was some kind of like really sexy guy or something like that, right?

And like look at me, I'm not that at all. Um, so it's it's a it's a you know ironic humor um that out of context is deeply creepy and weird. >> I love it. >> Sweet Uncle Willie. Yeah. [laughter] Come on. First one. >> But I I I haven't I haven't heard that like in over a decade. So >> you know the premise of our show. >> We sit here together and we talk all about things and then we drop the names of famous people. >> And when we get the names of a famous person, what happens? >> You ring the bell. >> Very good.

Uh you know, thank God we got through that part of the show. >> I like to stay. >> Did I pass? Do I get to stay? >> You You're gonna stay as long as we can have you. [laughter] I always like to begin with that [clears throat] big question of who have you worked with, met, been in a room with, >> yeah, >> rubbed shoulders with, uh, rubbed other things with, anything uh, that you just could not believe I'm standing here with this person, >> Henry Rollins. >> Wow. >> Henry Rollins.

For for [clears throat] everyone who for anyone who doesn't know, Henry Rollins was the lead singer of Black Flag. He was the founder of the Rollins Band. He is a poet and an essaist and one of the godfathers of hardcore punk rock. >> Wow. >> And uh and an incredibly accomplished voice actor. >> I met him at Out Loud Studios in Burbank. I was I was there working on an audio book for John Scholsey, Ring the Bell. >> Yes, of course. >> And on my way out, I see there's a guy sitting at a a little there's like a bar against the wall, right?

Right. And that's where we sit to eat our lunch. And there's a guy sitting there eating lunch and he has a black flag tattoo on the back of his neck. I have a black flag tattoo on the back of my neck. So I said, "Oh, you love black flag the way I love black flag." >> What it turned out to be. >> And and as I'm saying this, he turns around and it's Henry Rollins who is one of my absolute heroes. One of the most like he's incredibly important to me, >> right?

And uh and I I I I broke. I completely broke. I I I I stopped. I forgot how to be a human being. Right? So he said so he goes, "Hi, I'm I'm Henry." And that's the way he is. So like there is no like, "Hey, what's up? I'm Henry Rollins." Henry Rollins is always like this, right? So he goes, "Hi, I'm Henry." And he and he puts his hand out and I go, "Oh my god, hi, I'm Will." And what I can remember saying is, "I'm so sorry, but I'm going to do to you what some people sometimes do to me." >> Right? >> And I know it's a little uncomfortable. and I tell him how much he means to me.

This is when I realize that I've been shaking his hand the entire time while I'm talking to him. Oh god. And he's punk rock, so it's like the least punk rock thing in the world to do, right? So I'm like I get so [laughter] just twisted up and broken and weird and I'm like I am meeting the guy and [laughter] I'm it all up. Like I am ruining it. So I say I go, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." I pull my hand back. It's so nice to meet you.

I'm so sorry. And I go to the door, right? At Out Loud Studios, the door has a button you have to push to unlock the door. I know this because I've worked there a thousand times. You can't get out. I have forgotten. So Henry Rollins is literally here. >> I'm here pushing against the door and the door's not opening and I'm going, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. God, it just got worse and worse and worse and worse." One of the women who works it out loud walks over, gives me the sweetest, most like compassionate, "Oh, buddy, this is not working out for you." look.

And [laughter] she goes and she she goes, "Uh, I got you." And pushes the button. And I I just keep saying, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Until the door closes. >> Oh my god. Did he [laughter] Did he know who you were at all? >> I hope not. >> I hope that he doesn't. >> How long ago was this event? >> This was about five or six years ago, maybe a little longer than that. Um, and like I I just I hope that he doesn't remember. >> Well, he will now cuz he's a huge fan of the show. >> Oh, okay.

Yeah, he will. Hi, Henry. Sorry. >> He'll certainly see [laughter] >> Harry Rollins >> loves this show, >> does he? >> Have you seen the comments? >> No. >> Yeah. I said, "When is Will Weeden going to be on?" >> Oh, okay. >> I got a great story. >> Yell at me. [laughter] He still has the black flag on his neck. And yeah, >> and I didn't even show him my tattoo. I was like, "No, I'm not going to do that." >> You were too busy. >> I was too busy shaking his head. >> See, you know, being an old person, I I am completely unfamiliar with Black Flag.

I thought you meant Henry uh or uh uh Howard Rollins actually the actor. Okay. >> But I thought, "Wow, you met Howard Rollins." [laughter] >> But no, >> he's an essaist. Henry Rollins. >> Essaist. Yeah, I know his name. When I was in drama school, I used a lot of his essays as monologue material. >> Oh, really? >> So, where did you go to drama school? >> I studied with a woman named Janet Alante in Hollywood for four years.

She taught a Meisner program. >> So, I went through >> when I was about 19. It was about 19. Um, I had this moment of like feeling like, you know, I've done all of this on instinct my whole life. I don't really have technique. I don't really have, you know, I don't really understand. >> Same thing. >> Same thing yesterday. Oh, really? >> Because he had start he was on st >> Oh my god. Well, if I have something in common with him, I don't feel so bad about >> We have a lot in common with him actually because you both started quite young and he was he was on Leave it to Beaver and uh, you know, >> Bonanza. >> Bonanza.

He was a regular on >> my three sons and then went on to do as you have. It was very similar but he said he had the same moment of God I got to start. So he started to study with me at actress studio and Stannislovski and then took that to Bonanza. >> Incredible. >> Yeah. And they were like what are you doing? They were like did you not realize did you not know that this is Bonanza? Did you not understand the assignment? >> And he was you know finding the moment. >> Yeah.

It was basically keep doing that but do it faster [laughter] >> or do that before you come to. >> Do I remember correctly? We had a director on on Next Generation once who said do it faster. Do I remember that? Was it [laughter] you? >> You know that >> in my memory it's Paul Lynch, but I can't say for sure. >> Paul Lynch was famous for being on a different sound. energy, energy, energy, energy. [laughter] And and and and >> but he was actually he got sick one time and uh he was on a completely different sound stage with a monitor and he would go engine and we go, "We're not even on the set yet." Uh amazing. >> Is he also the one who famously carried around the uh stuffed animals? >> Yes. >> And slept on the sound stage of where they did u Soul Train or whatever was on the other side of the lot. >> I didn't know that. >> Oh, really?

You remember that? >> No, I don't remember. Some of the It would have been solid gold when we were there. And the only reason I know that is that Tina and I used to go to the solid gold stage to see the famous people that we were excited about that were like, you know, pop stars of the moment. >> And didn't that become the sound? >> Wait, that was a name. Tina. >> Tina. Yeah. Yeah. From Family Ties. Ties. >> I did Family Ties right before I was cast on Star Trek. >> Yeah.

Wow. >> Um Gary Goldberg wanted me to be a recurring on Family Ties, which I thought was going to be really I was really excited about it. Um, I think about it a lot like if we were starting now, right, I probably would have been able to do both shows. We would have figured out a way to do both to do both shows like like >> well I mean I don't want to compare myself >> or columni >> or columni. Yeah, of course. >> Or you know I had a similar I I was going to do night court.

I was going to be a regular on night court the next season. Yeah, >> but in the hiatus I got Next Generation. >> You're talking about Elma? >> Yeah. What um what was how was Bob Wheeler going to be? Was he just going to be like hanging out in the courtroom? >> No, there was but to be honest, Bob and June can't leave June out. Uh no, we were going to there was a uh a uh a news stand and we were going to own the news stand.

And uh oh my god, >> it still could happen. >> I'm really [clears throat] glad that you got Star Trek cuz it means I get to know you. But as a fan of you on Nightcourt, oh my god, I would have loved to He was on the new Night Court, too. Yeah, I haven't seen it. But you know what? If but I could have been on Family Ties and we would have known each other if you had taken that job. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Yeah. [laughter] >> Uh but what about let me go to the very first I mean serious acting gig.

Uh although let me also say I haven't yet had that moment. I mean I've had that moment but I haven't decided to go uh learn how to actually act. Okay. >> Uh I I probably should. >> You're a lovely actor. >> Well, thank you. I consider himself a a good actor. I should tell you that true. >> Isn't that hard to imagine? >> You know what? >> I want to tell you something that I'm sure you know, but I really love this story.

When Johnny was casting L. >> Yeah. I remember I remember we were you were casting and then you and I were like somewhere else and I remember we were just talking about it and Johnny says to me, "You know, we all know how good Brent is at being data, but you don't fully appreciate how good until you watch all these people try to do it >> and fail." And like I that never left that stuck with me from that moment like >> Thank you.

Thank you both. I I you know but we looked into Hi Todd who did know how to do it >> and the only direction I gave her was she said what should I do? I said we'll just watch Brent and she did. She adopted some of this. >> Yeah she was you know her her mother was uh >> Hie gets one. >> Allie. Yeah. Her mother um >> oh I can't think of her name. >> Mary Todd Lincoln. >> It is [laughter] a name. Other than that Mrs. You remember Star Trek? >> Her mother played Millie Helper on the Dick Van Djk show the next way.

She was wonderful. >> Wow. >> Did you do Diagnosis Murder? >> I did. >> Dick Van Djk. So did I. I direct. I love Dick. >> So it was it was I was in a scene with Jerry Van Djk. >> I knew Will was going to be on fire. >> Yeah. >> Jerry was on that week. >> This is what we came for. Yeah. >> That episode was a bunch of us from Star Trek. It was like real fun. It was kind of like what they would do on Murder She Wrote where they just bring in a bunch of people, you know, and and put them in.

I was I was so excited to do that. >> There were other Star Trek people besides you, but Dick. >> Yes. Yeah. There were like four or five of us in that episode. Think of >> a whole bunch of different Star Trek people were Marina there from not from our show. >> Yeah. Somebody else from from NextGen was there and and a couple of folks from the original series were in that episode. Dorne, but he was dressed as Warf and uh they were trying to remove us was the uh >> the Michael just flew his airplane over us. >> Oh, he told an airplane story yesterday. >> Yeah. >> A crash landing story. >> He He's had a couple of really >> The wheels went out and it was sparks on the runway landing. >> He had to land on the nose. >> Oh my god. >> Yeah.

Well, we're ruining that episode right now cuz that was Wasn't that the only >> That's great stuff though. That was the only interesting thing is that feels like a tears or you'll cut that out, right? >> We'll cut it. Yeah. OKAY. [laughter] >> Have you ever gone up in a plane with Dorne? >> I haven't. And it's so funny that you say that cuz on the way over I was like, I wonder if I asked him if he'd take me up. >> Oh, for sure. >> I test drove a plane with him. >> Really? >> Yes.

Much >> the genie. >> They do the whole everything. >> Really? Yeah. Uh I've never been in a plane with him. I I will never be in a plane. >> You don't like to go in anybody's plane. >> That's true. Yeah. I as I've said before, I hate flying. >> Yeah. Uh, I hate I hate I hate height. >> Okay. Yeah, flying is that's kind of an important part of >> me, but step ladders can't do. Yeah. Uh, I feel really uncomfortable standing >> really. >> Uh, in general, uh, >> have you tried like desensitization of just standing on the bottom step for a little bit? >> Well, I mean, you know, you know what would work for you?

Maybe a nod. [laughter] >> I prefer to sit. Uh, but if uh if and if I had really my choice, I will lay down. >> Of course. Oh, sorry. We got to move on. Is that >> No. No. >> Oh. Oh. Oh. Yeah. He gives me a >> You need to do the car. >> If I'm not sitting correctly, I look at you immediately. Need plastic surgery. [laughter] >> And uh he gives me a little double bell to it though. I did. I need that. Thank you. >> And then you forgot the queue. >> But you did it more than twice.

So >> because you didn't listen to the first two. [laughter] >> I would have known if it was just ding ding. >> What do you think about the bell? >> I love the bell. >> There you go. when I was doing my own podcast called Radio Free Burrito just for fun. I did this like for a few years and basically just me making mixtapz and kind of being like a DJ that I always wanted to be. Um >> making mistakes. Is that what you said? >> Making mix tapes and and doing DJ stuff and just playing around with it.

Um I have a bell, I don't know why, that was on my desk and I caught myself saying the word interesting a lot. >> Uh and every time I said the word interesting, I would just ring the bell to try to break myself from saying it. And then I found that I enjoyed ringing the bell so much that I was finding excuses to say the word. >> Well, don't you find interesting is can be the kiss of death. >> It can mean you never really know.

It's it's uh >> it's really one of those words. >> Yeah. Well, it's like it's like if somebody says to you, "Oh, interesting." You know what that means? Is it not interesting is what it means. But it's like uh when you know agents send scripts to your house uh with a cover page, it always ends with the line, "I look forward to your thoughts." Yeah. Yeah. Which means I have no interest whatsoever in what you think about this.

Yeah. >> Just go. >> You've never had a thought that I've ever remotely cared about. >> Exactly. Did you know in England in at least in the casting when we were before I went to movie jail, we were casting English actors and the famous woman who ran the casting, Mary said uh after somebody came in, somebody who I had really really liked for uh for Lady Penelopey. >> And I said I I thought they were I thought they were fabulous.

I thought they were really quite good. She said, "Really?" And I said, "Yeah, why?" She said, "Well, apparently quite good in England means >> not so good." >> Really? >> How weird is that? >> That is very weird >> to learn it on the >> Is the only language where we say things, but they mean the exact opposite of what they would literally mean. And I'm not a polygot, so I don't know. You know, a lot of that, well, not a lot all of it, but some >> interesting is certainly an example.

And this quite was >> some of it was invented by null coward, uh, who would say, "Well, that's awfully good." And >> meaning it's meaning the exact opposite. >> Uh, no. Awfully good, >> meaning awful. >> No, it meant actually really good. But nobody ever said awful connected with >> it's like jumbo shrimp. >> That's terribly interesting. You know, they didn't do the negative before the positive. >> Okay. >> And he he figured out >> coward.

Yeah, >> we can thank N Collard for a lot of things. >> I I would like to. >> What comes to mind? >> Uh well, uh for one thing, I mean, the guy was a complete genius. He he he wrote he wrote, he acted, he wrote music, he uh he was a rack on plays. He He was everything. Yeah. Did a nightclub act. >> What song comes to mind? >> We'll meet again. >> Don't know where. Don't know when, >> but I know we'll meet again. >> Yeah.

Okay. It makes me so happy to be around you guys singing. [laughter] It just brings back so many incredibly joyful memories for me. I love >> on the on the bridge with the microphone and the pretend cord. >> God the pretend mic cord and really working the extra cord, man. >> Where you from? [laughter] >> What's your name? Where you from? To >> the sound operator. Yeah. And but the mic cord was a big part of your bit. >> I've never met you before in my life, have I?

No. Okay. When uh when you direct the other casts, um do they do stuff like that? >> Not like we did, but they they they uh >> they got a talking to beforehand. >> No, no, because they when they see that how how I roll, it helps them loosen up. But mostly they're interested in in uh in what it means to be in the family >> because they some of them think >> they don't they really didn't get it. They really I mean all obviously the people that were in our sort of Voyager Enterprise Yeah. >> deep space deep throat 9 thing that was that was one thing >> but the um [clears throat] the discovery people when Tundday asked me to come over there >> they they didn't there had been enough time >> that they didn't know and the people who did know knew but the other people I said and I'd said what we always do which is your life is about to change. >> Yeah.

And you know, you're g you're in our family now. Yeah. >> And how you choose to embrace it is on you, but you are you are one of us. And you'll either be one of our crazy ants or you'll be, you know, or somebody who doesn't want to do the cons or doesn't want to smoo or what, but the level of what your recognizability will change. >> Yeah. >> And and uh people started to they were fascinated by that aspect of it. And then they said, "Do you always sing?" And I said, "Yeah, I always sing." >> Yeah. >> Are you okay with it? >> How could you not? >> You know, I've only met one actor uh on another project that I think would have fit like a glove into our world and that's uh Jeff Goldblum >> because he sings all the time. >> All the time.

[clears throat] >> So, I saw Get Jeff Goldblum at a con once and we were like, "What in the world is Jeff Goldblum doing at a con?" >> Dress to kill, right? >> Dressed to kill. Um, and uh, when I saw him meet a person and the person was like, "Hi, I'm blah blah blah." And Jeff Goldboom goes, "Of course you are." [laughter] >> I was like, "Jeff Goldboom, please come say that to me." >> You know, the thing about Jeff that's so wonderful is he is always always essentially Jeff.

There is, you know, >> Yeah. >> Uh, he he he's just a >> acting and behaving. >> Yeah. I mean, he is he is who you see, who you are. You know, he's an amazing guy. We got to get him uh over here because >> you could get him, can't you? >> Yeah. >> He's been nice to me at K. He's been nice to you. >> He was lovely. >> We Yeah, we became friends. That's what I'm saying. You've done, >> but you know, friends in show business, we never see each other.

That's uh >> Unless you work in Vancouver and you go to the bar at the Sutton, >> right? >> You go I don't even drink and I go down to the bar at the Sutton and I'm like, >> you haven't seen decades. What are you doing here? >> Yeah. It's great. >> The Sutton. >> Yeah. >> Well, all right. Let me ask you something, Will. Um, can I ask you a question? [laughter] >> I always like to start uh a question with Can I ask you something? >> Yes, of course. >> Uh, so one of the first gigs you ever did uh was the Buddy System. >> The Buddy System >> with with Drifus.

Richard Drifus and Susan Saran. Susan S. Jean Stapleton. >> Jean Stapleton. >> And Nancy Allen. >> Nancy Allen. This we had a Nancy. Keenan Wyn was in that movie. >> Kenan, the principal of my school. >> Wow. Did you talk to him at all? >> I mean, you were a little bit. I was Gosh, I was like I think I was like 10 when I did that. I was nine or 10. >> Yeah. >> Um, >> so you were asking him stuff like, "What was your favorite popsicle flavor?" >> I was like, "Listen, I really need to help.

I need your help understanding the backstory of the character relationship." Like, "How often do I get called into your office here?" Like, um, uh, yeah, that that was the very first. >> Was everybody nice to you? >> Everyone was lovely to me. Yeah. Um, They're not all nice people. >> The director was horrible. >> The director was a >> Really? No kidding. But the cast don't you don't have to say. >> No, that'd be great if you um his name was Glenn Jordan. >> Oh, Glenn Jordan.

Moonlighting. >> He just didn't want to talk to me like I was a person and he didn't want to treat me like I was a human being who knew how to do things. So like instead of directing me, he would make me parrot lines until he was happy with the way I was saying it. and great and instead of instead of helping me find like motivation to move or whatever, more than once he grabbed me by the elbow and moved me around. And you know, Cliff Bull did that to me when we were on on track and and and I was just like, "Stop it." >> Well, your your TV mother did that to me all the time. >> Oh, yeah. >> Gates would grab me by the arm and move me into a position so I either to take me out of my light >> Yeah. >> or to put me in the background of her shot. >> Oh, [laughter] no.

I could have done that. You could have been in the backgrounds of all my shots. Actually, that's my kind of director. I want that. I I want them to give me every line reading and then if I'm terrible, I can say, "Well, he told me to." >> No, I'm not afraid. I If I know an actor well enough. Yeah. >> And the writer is not getting what they want. I'll ask the writer. >> First, I'll say to the actor, "Are you cool with the line reading?" And I generally hear they'll say, "Absolutely." >> Yeah.

Like, I've done everything I can. >> Yeah. Exactly. We've given you what. And then I said, "How do you want the line said?" and all of a sudden you've saved yourself 20 minutes and you got the line the way they want. >> It's a weird world when you get on and I I had a director >> each one you know you got to read the room before you can talk about line readings. >> Yes, you do. Uh I've actually seen an actor say to another actor, "Are you giving me a line reading?" And they weren't, >> but they should have. >> Sounds like Marina.

Can I tell you something? >> Yeah, exactly. Uh >> everybody on that set was great to me except the director. I got chickenpox during production >> so they had to take me I had to go out for a couple of weeks. >> One of the producers knew that I was into Star Wars and uh while I was at home like convolesing from chickenpox a stack of Star Wars toys showed up >> like more Star Wars toys than I ever thought I would ever get to have in my entire life. >> That's kind of cool. >> It was really kind and really loving.

Um, Susan Sandon. Um, >> the only actor whose name >> What? >> The only actors whose name rhymes with abandon. >> Oh, what about Chris? >> Well, of course. >> So, >> goes without saying. >> And is it Sandon >> or is it abandoned? >> Or is it Serendon? I don't know. I I think Sandon, but I heard somebody say, >> "Oh, you say tomato. I say tomato." >> Exactly. >> She says Sarandon. I don't know if that matters. She say >> she was wonderful to me.

She treated me, she really treated me like like a mom would. Um uh um it was a really interesting experience with Drifus because he uh he bottomed out and got sober during >> production. >> Oh, is that right? >> Yeah. So, he tells this story about driving through the Seulva Basin too fast, like just super high and flipped the car several times. >> Well, that was I know what he was doing. Um Whose Life Is It Anyway when he did that?

No kidding. Okay. Um, and then there were like several days where I didn't know what was going on. Nobody would talk to me and I would go to the set and I had to stay in my dressing room and like there was just nothing to do all day long and then I went home and it was when he was like kind of getting himself back together and stuff. I didn't really see a lot of that. I didn't experience it firsthand. Um, but it was a really interesting experience to be on a really big movie for the first time.

We we had a soundstage at 20th Century Fox. I thought that was cool. I thought that was really exciting. They they painted my name on a you know on a parking place which then they parked the sound truck in front of us so you can use I know >> but I remember when you got a car >> you know what is it like will cuz uh we haven't experienced it well at least I haven't of uh having to go to school yeah >> while you're working going to school having a teacher there on the set and all of that.

When I was really little, it I I I didn't it was hard for me to understand how we could do both of these things. Yeah. Like I felt like my education was extremely important to me. >> And when I would go to do whatever, especially when I was a little kid doing commercials, it felt to me like I mean I was like eight or nine years old thinking this is not a way to learn. Right. >> Right. and and then always feeling like I can't pay too much attention to this because I've got to go to work.

This is the thing that was so hard for me as a little kid is that my mom made it about you have to go to work and you have to you know and like and the whole family's counting on you and teachers who >> you liked and were helpful and always cuz Jeie had teachers that were um kind of filled in for what was missing at home in a way. >> Jeanie Francis, come on. [laughter] Um my teacher Marian Fe on next generation >> Marian F was magnificent through she is one of the people who really saved my life. >> Oh is that right? >> She was magnificent. >> She was incredible.

She was so great about establishing boundaries and limits for me and and really keeping me honest and like um >> had you had her before Star Trek? >> We had worked on a couple of commercials, right? >> And I feel like we had done I think she was my teacher when I did Highway to Heaven. I can't remember. >> I was going to pull Highway to Heaven out of your list here, too, because we both did that show as well. >> Landon was a big influence on me. >> Really? >> Well, he got people out by six. >> He knew what he was doing. >> Yeah. >> He was generous and kind and >> the crew loved him.

I mean, like they loved >> Well, they were the same crew from Bonanza. They remember Brad Jacobian? >> Yeah. >> Brad was on Highway to Heaven. He was on every Landon thing. He he loved >> Oh, I wonder if he worked on my episode. >> He did. I'm sure he did. >> So, Marian was my teacher there and I you know and I remember that like >> Brad gets one. I'm sorry. >> I [clears throat] had to read we had to read like a little bit of the Call of the Wild you know and at [clears throat] that point in my life I was like but I really want to read more Stephen King.

Um, so she was like, "Listen, all you have to do is read one chapter and we're going to talk about that chapter, right?" And that's what we did. And and it was great when I was working on on on Next Generation, you know, it was >> I felt so loved by all of you. I felt so loved by all of the adults. Um, but it was lonely for me to be the only kid. I didn't have anybody to hang out with. you know, there wasn't there weren't there just >> I could like tell you that I loved Depes Mode, you know, but that's kind of where it died, right? >> Marian >> gave me a place where I could be a kid or I could be a teenager.

I was in school and she was like, "What do you want to do after Star Trek? What do you want to do >> after, you know, after this?" Like, "How do you want to go to college?" No one in my life had ever talked to me >> about, "What do you want to do when you're not doing this?" >> Wow. the right. I spent my entire childhood and most of my teens feeling like this is the hand I have been dealt. I have no choice. I have to do the best that I can. >> And Marian really helped me see that there were other things that I loved.

There were other things that I could do and that my worth and value as a person was not tied to what I was doing for work. One of the great regrets of my life, one of the huge regrets of my life, and you guys know this, after I left the show and kind [clears throat] of left the industry and had this kind of like major freak out of trying to figure out who I was and what was important to me and all that. And I felt this incredible burden of shame and regret for not being the person I wished I had been, for not being more present and involved and and like all I could think about were times where I was just like kind of a shitty teenager going through things.

And um after the show, I never made an effort to reach out to her >> because I was so embarrassed and so ashamed. And by the time I got myself together, I got sober, I got therapy, and felt like I could, she is she was gone. >> Oh, that's too bad. >> And it it really breaks my heart. She was a wonderful woman. She was an incredible influence on me and a bunch of other actors of my generation who had the privilege of >> working.

I I have a feeling she knows. >> I hope so. >> I have a very strong feeling. >> Teachers, you know, our greatest resource really. Uh >> my my teacher, Mrs. Wester Homes uh from 7th grade, >> saw me at the grocery store in around 2002 or something like that. And she was like, I've never seen a person so excited to see me, right? And she came over to me and she hugged me and she was like, "What are you doing?" And I was like, "Well, you know, I'm trying to be an actor." And she looks at me with this very confused look on her face and she goes, "Why aren't you writing?" >> Yeah. >> And I was like, "Uh, I don't I don't I don't know." and and she was like, "You're such an incredible writer.

All of us thought you would grow up to be a writer." >> And and you have >> and I and I have. It was >> You're hyphenate. Will >> that momentate? >> You're a multi-hyphenate. Accept it. >> That moment with my teacher. >> Yeah. >> The teacher, not my parents, >> not my peers. My teacher years after I graduated, >> made that difference for me. She just asked me a question that made me go, "Yeah, I wonder why I'm not doing that." because that is really what >> I turned it on. >> Yeah, >> of course it did. >> Everybody needs to be lucky enough to have a teacher who gives something to them that changes their lives.

And I I know I did. Uh >> and I had a teacher who >> utterly changed my life, Cecil Picket. He uh basically just let me know that I had something to offer, which was nothing I had ever considered prior to that. And uh it made all the difference. >> It's so incredible. I I I meet teachers at cons all the time and just my heart explodes when I meet a teacher and I always make an make a point to tell them however many times someone says thank you it's not going to be as many times as you deserve >> like you make such a huge difference in people's liv they're the like nurses they're the >> librarians too you know it's just like there is >> it's you are in service to humanity you are in service to the future in in professions that it seems like people just don't respect >> Yeah It's bizarre and like we know as underpaid we we know as actors that like you know someone will look at us and go I can do that >> right? >> Oh okay go ahead I'll wait >> you know and I see people do it to teachers too and it's just like >> I don't think you can. >> Yeah.

No it's it's requires a certain skill and those that have it uh change the world. >> Yeah. >> Do you have anything you want to ask will about 400 things came up. Yeah. Me too. Now, um, Stephen King, The Body. >> Yes. >> Yes. I Let's hit that for a moment. >> The Body, the Nolla, >> um, that was adapted into Stand by Me. >> Exactly. >> The movie I am in. >> The movie you are in. >> You are the star of actually. >> How did that tour go by the way? >> It was awesome.

I will the vibe. What was happening? You guys got together again. Yeah, tell us. Okay. So, Jerry and Corey and I got together with Dan Pastnack and we have taken the movie on tour. >> I know. >> And we've done I think eight days. >> Wait a minute. So, Jerry and Corey get some. >> Yeah. >> And Dan give it. >> Um and and it's it's wonderful. It is a screening of the movie. >> Um uh I really wanted it to be a 35mm print.

Um, a lot of the places we're run we're we're screening don't have the projector, so instead it's a 4K projection, which is really cool. >> Yeah. And >> you watch it with the audience and I sit together and watch it with the audience. We've done it for every single show. My wife Ann sat with us for a bunch of those as well. By the way, she says hello and she loves us. >> Hello to Ann. We love her. >> Um, and uh, and then we >> her socials are great. >> She's amazing.

I know. She >> You really married up, dude. Um, Ann being married to Ann is the best part of being me. >> I can't I couldn't agree more. >> Ann and my kids are there like there is no second place. >> She's the bomb. >> So, u So, we sit out there and we watch it. Then we do Q&A and then a little VIP photo thing afterward. >> And do you fill the places? I bet you do. Yeah. So, we we've had between 1,800 and 2,000 people every single time.

There are there are people coming in there there there are are people my age bringing in their grandchildren. There are people who haven't seen it in the theater since it was in the theater. There are kids seeing it for the first time. It's really incredible. And we, you know, we in the first few shows, we had this wonderful opportunity to remember River Phoenix and and and just kind of talk about what he meant to us and and and that. >> And then we came back after we had done a bunch of shows in December and like two days after we got back, Rob was killed. >> Oh. >> And Jerry texted Corey and me and he was like, "You guys, this is this is really bad." and just be, you know, this is going to be a whole thing.

And over the next couple of days, we watched all that come out. >> We were all incredibly upset by that because all of us >> presumed that we would just see him this year. Like, of course, it's 40 years. Of course, we've seen Bruce and Ray. We've, you know, we've seen other people from production. Of course, we will. And he's just gone. >> Yeah. And I was so grateful that we had spent the that the three of us had spent the time together that we had like immediately prior to that because >> it was like we spent three days in 1985 with him again, right?

Remembering what it was like to be those people in that place. And because we had done that together, the three of us really had a place to land and process all of the grief and the loss and and all of that. >> That's fabulous. Since then, it's been really great. We've been able to >> Well, the Oscars, it was such the tribute at the Oscars was beautiful and you guys were >> What a >> Yeah, >> what a weird experience that was.

I mean, it was wonderful and it was such an honor and such a privilege. And um uh backstage before we went, you know, we're in this room with people who have made such a difference in my life. >> Yeah. um who have meant so much to me as as actors and stuff and they're coming to me and telling me like, "God, we love you and we love your career." And I didn't want to be weird. I didn't want to be inappropriate, but I just I know, right?

I didn't want to do [laughter] that, but I did find myself. I just turned around and there's Meg Ryan. Yep. And we're just And she goes, "Hi, I'm Meg." [laughter] And I'm like, "Hey, don't this up." And I said And I said, "Hi, I'm Will." and she and and and and she says, "I I just want you to know how much I love your work." And I was like, "Okay, I'm going to regret it for the rest of my life if I don't say this. Your work's meant everything to me.

Joe Versus the Volcano is maybe one of my is is one of my favorite movies. It's maybe in my top five." [laughter] >> And when Harry Met Sally was a huge part of my courtship with my wife, >> and I had gotten to tell Rob that, and I'd gotten to tell Billy that, I'd never gotten to tell her that. >> And she was like, "Oh my god, thank you." And it was just this thing of like looking around this room and seeing these people, so many Academy Award winners in in this little tiny room, smaller than the room we're in right now.

And looking around and looking at Jerry and the two of us communicating to each other, can you believe we're in this room? >> Oh, this is the green room before you went before the Oscars before we went out. And then, you know, we we we walked out and you know, people I've seen the thing. I am >> completely overwhelmed by all of it. I'm trying not to cry. >> Yeah. you know, um >> cuz it's just it's just so much. >> Um >> I I was >> I was really grateful that we got to do that. >> Really grateful that we got to we got to have that.

And it was important to me to go anyway because everything that's good in my life started with Stand by Me. >> Wow. >> Without Standby Me, I don't get Star Trek. Do you know that like they just Bob just was like, "You guys, I don't know that the kid character on the show is a really good idea." And David Gerald was like, "This is like the audience is going to hate this. If you're going to do this, you've got to put a kid in this role who has like some weight behind him." And he said, "I just saw this kid in Stand by Me, and I think this is who you should cast." I've seen the memo. >> So Jasmine is responsible for you and for Patrick. >> Patrick.

Uh, and you when we started, you and Lavar >> were the only names on the show. I mean, anyone had ever heard of really. Uh, I mean I when I was told that the kid from uh Standby Me is going to be on the show, I thought it's got to be Jerry, right? >> Yeah, of course. Who [laughter] else would you put in that role? >> You know, it's funny. Jerry's coming on with uh Rebecca. >> Oh, you're going to have super super incredible fun.

It's very funny because Jerry is Ransom on Lower Decks. He uh uh some sometimes gives me Well, now he's a captain. Um uh he gives me he sometimes gives me about like I outrank you, right? And I will say uh I resigned from Starfleet. I do not respect your authority here. [laughter] Your authority is not recognized. >> Um Jack Quaid. >> Yeah. >> Oh, also coming on >> and Tony Nome >> amaz both. >> Oh my god. >> Right. >> When I was doing Ready Room and they came in, I said this to everybody who came through ready room.

I [clears throat] I would say to them, look, >> George Teay gave me an incredible gift when I was a teenager. He said Star Trek can just be a job for you or >> George Decay. >> It can be it can be something really, you know, you can choose to be part of something so much bigger than you and someone from each cast has kind is sort of embracing that, you know, and if you want to be the person who embraces that, like I can give you some pointers, right?

And I was like, "Oh, I love that." Right? And I've really I thought about what Star Trek meant to me and how it shaped me before I worked on NextGen and how it continued and all that. And um and and I was and I thought this is a responsibility but it's a privilege and as host of ready room seemed natural right that I can do that. I had I had such a I was the four time I had a job. >> I did I I only did [clears throat] it once but uh it didn't have you back.

Uh, [laughter] >> I'm sorry. We went a different >> Are we allowed to mention the new podcast? >> No. No, it hasn't been Oh, my podcast. >> No, not your podcast. >> The one that hasn't been announced yet. >> The one that hasn't been announced. >> No, we can't. Okay. >> But I think if we say we can't announce the podcast that hasn't been announced yet, that we could probably say that. >> Okay, good. >> So, Jack Quaid. >> Yeah.

Jack, who is also uh related to Meg Ryan. Yes. So, Jack came over to me uh uh the the first time he was on the show, right? Ready? >> Um on Ready Room and and was like just he was like, "What?" He asked me questions about being a part of Star Trek, you know. And I answered him to the best of my ability and I said, "Look, man. If you want it, >> it's awesome. Like, it's great. It's so cool. >> You gave him the wonderful." And I was like, "If you want it, I will be to you who George was to me.

No pressure. Whatever." you know, and he was like, I could tell that he was like, "That is the sweetest thing in the world." And absolutely not. Right [laughter] >> about 4 months later, I saw him and he came over to me. I can't remember where we were, but he came over to me and he said, "I get it. I I get it." And I knew what he was talking about. Like he didn't No preamble. He goes, "I get it." And I [clears throat] said, "Really?" And he says, "Yeah, I went to a show.

I was at a Star Trek convention in Chicago and I was talking to a person and they told me what Star Trek means to them and it all clicked and I completely understand and he says, "Thank you." >> I wonder if that was before or after he had done the Strange New Worlds crossover where he changed the he and Tony came on and did that episode of and they I told the story earlier. It was the only time when we all know in the history of our Star Trek >> Yeah. we ever changed any lines >> because Tonyy's from Second City, Jackson improviser >> and the two writers were in the room and they were start they were you know she she went she called him hot Spock and he did the whole famous Rker on the you know >> Riker onto the horse >> on the saddle. >> Yeah. >> Top three Star Trek moments of all time. >> And it was Jack's instinct to do it.

So the writers and I looked at each other and there was no adult supervision anywhere. We like okay. [laughter] So, it opened up improvising on a show that >> famously does not allow it. >> Famously does not allow it. >> Wow. Um, it makes me really happy when I talk to our colleagues who have come after us. >> Yeah. >> And they talk about us like, "Oh man, we love what you guys had and we really want that." And you know, the kids, I got to talk to some of the kids from Starfleet Academy.

Um, and they were amazing. >> Boy, they got short changed. >> Yeah. I'm I'm real mad about that. I'm I'm real real real real mad about that. I think it was a really bad call and very shortsighted. Um uh and and something that just before that ever got to hit its incredible potential and it was really going there, man. >> Well, there's just lack of understanding really, I think, you know, that it takes a little while for the soup to to, you know, >> the R the R to grow.

So grateful that we happened when we did because we never would have gotten out of the first season. No, we wouldn't have gotten past. >> There were some stinkers in there. Yeah. >> I mean, I would have, but you guys would have been gone. [laughter] >> We had Giamati on the show who in Starfleet Academy. >> Yeah. >> Great guy. >> Great guy, but [snorts] astounding >> and great actor. >> We're lucky, right? Like we get Oh, there was another one. >> Great actors that want to come and play in our sandbox. >> Yeah, totally.

Totally. >> And they're and they're just they're more excited to be there than we are to have them there. Like I mean, I can't even believe that. >> I'm going to shift gears quick. Let's do it >> because I just reminded uh and the man who fell to earth. You and Picardo were in this together. >> Oh, Picardo's in that. >> Yeah. You didn't know that? No. >> And the great Lewis Smith from North and South. >> Yes. I worked with Louis.

All of my scenes were with Lewis Smith and Beverly D'Angelo played my mom. >> Oh, man. Oh, this got a lot. >> Wow. Beverly the Edgel Man fell to Earth. Bowie that >> was a TV pilot. It was a sort of a backdoor pilot. It was a movie of the week. Back door pilot. Louis Smith played the Bowie role. Okay. >> And Beverly D'Angelo was his love interest. She was a single mom. I was the kid. Um and and it was like the the whole thing was I'm stealing a bunch of records from a record store.

Um and try to climb over a fence. I fall down. >> Louis Smith comes over and heals me with one of those magic space crystals. Um, that's all I remember of of of it. Uh, I got to work in a warehouse record store on Sunset just uh west of Labraa. It's no longer there, but it is where I bought my first giant stack of heavy metal records. I was like uh I think I was like I was like 11 or 12 years old. I think that was it was I think that was right before Stand by Me. >> But you triggered something that we would be remiss if we didn't mention.

I reached out to Felicia. >> Uhhuh. >> Said, "Give me some tea." >> Oh. >> And it was, you know, because we know each other quite well. I would say is is under. And when I say quite, I mean quite. >> I told Adam this morning, "I'm going to go see my two dads." >> Yeah. Exactly. My two dads. >> First of all, she describes you as her muse. >> Yeah. >> Really? >> Yes, she and she's dead serious. >> Oh, I did that. >> Second thing that she said was >> she's a much better improviser than anyone would know, which is what you just referenced.

Oh, >> and the third, which was the tea, you were the first person to have ribs with her daughter. True story. >> Yeah. >> You know what ribs are, pescatarian? Used to remember when you used to eat pork. >> You mean of a person's [laughter] Oh. Oh. Oh, >> ribs. >> You can I'm from Texas, man. >> Dude, >> Texas ribs. >> Exactly. You used to eat ribs. Remember all over your mouth big stack of bones? I sometimes miss that. >> Digging up bones.

Exum in things is better left alone. >> What is that? >> Remember that song? >> No. >> Um I I adore Felicia. I'm so >> And she you awesome such if >> if she was just a little smarter [laughter] and and quicker, >> more creative, too >> and more likable and more attractive and more useful as an actor and as a writer. >> We had a great time with her. We were in Orlando. Was it? No, in Springfield. >> Springfield. Did you see a tornado went through there?

We were just in Springfield, Missouri with her. Yeah, that was Felicia. Uh, >> she was the tornado. >> She was the tornado. I believe that. >> I got that. But we had so much. We the three of us hung the whole time. We had a great time with her. >> She adores you. You know that. >> We have a really good time coming back. Are you part of the guild? >> I got when when so uh gosh little less than a year ago, she uh Felicia reached out to me. >> Did Felicia get a bell? >> She reached out to me and a few of the other people from a few other people from the guild, few people who were writers, right? and and asked if we wanted to get together just to spitball and pitch >> and and I was like, >> "You want to work together?

I'll be right over." >> Yes. Exactly. >> So, I went over and we had a really fun time. You know, it was one of those there's no bad ideas in a brainstorm, right? And we were just just goofing off and having all kinds of fun. I don't know if there is a place for my character in this movie. I don't know if that makes sense. If it does and she asks me, I will say yes. She knows that there's maybe three people in the world who like they just need to to say to me, "Hey, would you please show up for this?" And like I will say yes no matter what.

And she's one of those people. >> Yeah. >> Um uh [clears throat] when we when we were working together doing tabletop, um it was like just >> by the way, were you ever on tabletop? >> I was never on tabletop. >> Were you ever asked? >> I was never asked. But you know what? I would have had to pass. Of course, as much as I love Will, >> he hates playing games. >> I don't like games. >> Tell him why, Brett. >> Well, I I I [laughter] don't like to win and I don't like to lose. >> I can see how that would really take away kind of the two [laughter] primary experiences of playing a game.

Yeah. Yeah. I I understand. >> Yeah. Uh >> were you on Big Bang? >> I was on Big Bang with Will. >> I know. Yeah. I wasn't. >> Yeah. Uh but >> I pitched the idea that I had hoped you would pitch to Chuck. >> I pitched it to I Listen, I pitched it to Brady. >> Yeah. I pitched it to Brady and Chuck and Zach. I think it may maybe got the gig as a director over there, which was I didn't have to speak. >> Yeah. >> I would work in the bowling alley being the guy who was spraying the disinfectant into the shoes.

Yeah. [laughter] >> And people who knew knew that's and they said, "That's a great idea. Why didn't I said Will Weaten didn't pitch that to you?" >> And they said, "No, no, no, no. He if he had, we would have used you." I thought that's not true. Right. >> That's not true. How dare they? How dare they throw me underneath a Starship design uh decorated bus. [laughter] >> That is not true. The time that you and I had that conversation, I went directly to Bill. >> It's a great idea. >> It's a terrific idea. >> And they thought the same thing.

And I was sure that you would share that. >> I did. >> They had selected >> How much fun was that? >> Oh, it was a blast. I I mean, I've said before that I had it was the easiest gig I ever did because uh it took 10 minutes data or yourself? >> No, I played myself. better do a spin-off, but I [laughter] couldn't. No, I uh I uh it took me an hour and 20 minutes to get there >> and 10 minutes to do the job and an hour and 20 minutes to go home. >> That sounds You complain about this all the time.

This like when you came to do leverage. >> Well, I got to complain about something. >> Yes, you do. >> How long did it take you to drive up to leverage? >> Oh, >> he did not. This was when he was in Glendale, wasn't he? Even in the Vancouver leverage. >> Yeah. The difference I wanted to do big back. Oh, [laughter] damn. Can we turn the heater back on? >> Yeah. >> Holy cow. >> But no, we had such a good time. >> That's a good That's better than Is it cold in here or is it just you?

[laughter] >> Turn the heater back on. It's good. >> When I'm at cons, people bring me that action figure. >> I know. Isn't it weird? You know, I I >> You guys talk amongst yourselves. >> Yeah. Yeah. [laughter] It's okay. >> Remember when we were on >> Remember how fun it was on the Big Bang Theory? >> So great about it cuz Jonathan won there. >> It was so good on [laughter] stage 25, man. I'd be super bummed if I never got to go there. >> I know.

Me, too. >> Gear change again. >> I want to ask about something. >> Go ahead. You take it >> if you don't mind. Uh something I'm majorly impressed with because we were talking about it earlier. >> Celebrity Jeopardy. >> Oh, yes. It's on my list. >> Because we watch Jeopardy almost every night. Me, too. U >> we uh Celebrity Jeopardy is my favorite because the questions are easier. >> Jeopardy with training wheels. >> Yeah, exactly.

[laughter] And uh and because it's longer, too. Yeah. Uh they have three rounds. Celebrity Jeopardy. We had Steven Weber here. Did he win? >> No. But Weber, did you play with Weber? >> I didn't. >> No. >> No. But you you won uh you came in third. >> I won the first round. I won the second round. Made it to the finals. >> Yeah. >> And I finished third behind Ike Baron Holes and and Pat Oswwell. >> Pat Oswwell. That's nothing to be ashamed of.

I mean they talk about Baron Holtz as being like this uh he is the god of celebrity Jeopardy. >> The thing that I I observed with him was his he had a supernatural ability to get the buzzer. >> That's a really that's really so what I was worried about was I don't want to look stupid. Right. >> Right. I don't want to mess up answers and feel stupid. >> That's what I lead with. [laughter] Um, so even if I couldn't get in on the answer, I knew all the answers and I was very proud of that, but I couldn't get in.

And in the finals, I was like, "All right, the only way I have a chance is if I grab both daily doubles, >> right? And I and I know that." And and I got the strategy down. And then Patton got him back to back and I was like, "I'm coming in third place, >> but nobody else is coming in third place cuz I'm the guy that's at this podium." This this is the brilliance of the game is it's not even it's not just about knowledge uh and speed and the ability to get the buzzer going but you luck plays a role too. >> Yeah. >> If you get the daily double your shot is, you know, you got a better shot. >> Do you remember playing Jeopardy on the cruise with Jason Isaac? >> I remember the three of you and he kicked our ass.

And Jason, who's a genius, too. >> Jason's very smart. >> And Jonathan, you're pretty bright. >> I'm not but pretty bright. >> Yeah. Not as smart as those two guys. And I complained about the buzzer. >> Yeah. >> And I was right. >> Yeah. >> It's a It's about It wasn't like I was going to beat either of you guys, but my buzzer >> Yeah. >> as they say, >> didn't go. I remember uh Oliver Stone seeing him on a celebrity Jeopardy and he couldn't get the buzzer at all.

And he was like convinced it was uh conspiracy. >> Conspiracy. >> Yeah. >> I forgot to hit Oliver Stone. >> Yeah. >> Um I want can I I I want to say something. >> Yeah. Yeah. Um, during the writer strike, >> I got really mad there was a moment where I felt very betrayed by Ken Jennings >> because he was staying on the show and and and letting, you know, and and working through material that that that I believed was was strikebreaking. >> And I I spoke in a really unkind and in retrospect embarrassing and regretful way.

Every night that I watch Jeopardy, I feel bad about that. [laughter] And every night I have gone to my desk to write an email to Ken to apologize. And every night I think he doesn't care. He doesn't want to hear that. But maybe he does. And if I'm in public and I did that very publicly, I was an ass very publicly. Maybe this is a great way to very publicly say, "Ken Jennings, I'm really sorry, man. That was entirely inappropriate of me to behave that way.

I deeply regret it." Um, and uh I'm just sorry. >> Well, there you go. And and with any luck at all, Ken is a fan of well, mine and watches the [laughter] uh watches the show. But uh yeah, I hear you. But you know, Ken Ken Jennings, by the way, I think is doing a terrific job. >> I didn't want to love him because we wanted Lavar to have the show. >> Yeah, we wanted Lavar to have it. And Lavar sort of has good friends with May.

So I was a great job. And when they announced Ken, it was like, uh, Ken Jennings, he's not he he's excellent. >> He's great. >> He really is. >> Have you Have you gotten to see Lavar on Trivial Pursuit? >> Yeah, sure. >> God, I love him. >> He was promoting it on uh on the view the other day. >> How cool does Lavar look right? Oh my god. >> What about so good right now? >> Right. There's something. I don't know. Genetically, he becomes more elegant as time goes on.

I don't you made the choice [clears throat] to to hang with that beard and it was great. >> Every time I see Lavar, I'm like, you're more beautiful and more cool than you were the last time I saw you. And I don't know what to do with that [laughter] when I was starting. Um, >> what do you do with that? >> What do you do with that? You know, there's a I mean, I was going to go to the cool story, but I guess we'll tell that a little later.

But the um you're sort of carrying on the Lavar Burton legacy with the story. >> I'm doing my best. Yeah. No, but it's very real and it's very it's it's in the right hands. >> Thank you. >> And he I'm sure has shared that with you guys. >> Yeah. >> So I started when Lavar finished his podcast, he finished Lavar Burton. I listen to every episode and I was like, Lavar, it's time for me to go to sleep. Will you read me to sleep, please?

You know, and like I just >> I'm one of those people who just feels so comforted and soothed when I hear his voice, you know? He's been there my whole life. Um, and like I think about what a privilege it is that I know him and I worked with him. >> So >> when his podcast was was ending, um, I I was like, well, who's going to do this now? Like, who's going to tell me my stories, >> right? And around that time, a good friend of mine uh publish got his first story published and he sent it to me and I thought, I'm going to narrate this and send it back to him just as a, you know, hey buddy, I'm super proud of you and I'm so excited for you. >> And as I started to do that, I thought, wait a minute, >> yes, >> there's a space that I might be able to step into.

What if I stepped into that space that Lavar has has opened up right now? And what if I found story, speculative fiction stories, the stuff that I love, right, from amazing authors who may not be well known in the mainstream, like cuz The Big Bang Theory have a big kind of like normie audience, you know? And um uh what if I could introduce authors to their their their biggest fans who don't yet know them and promote the arts and promote artists?

Okay, I think I know how to do that, but I really got to go talk to Lavar because I'm not doing this if he if he if he's not into it. So >> So he blessed you. >> We were sitting in the airport. >> We were getting ready to go to a con together >> and I just I got up all of my courage >> and I was very w I was very willing to not do it if Lavar was like that's really stepping on my toes, right? if if if I was like, "Okay, I love you and respect you.

I'm not going to do that." I had not even gotten through that first the little bit of my pitch where he was where Lavar just puts his hand on my arm and he says, "I would love for you to do that." >> Yeah. >> And he says, "And I if there is anything I can do, >> y >> anything I can do to help you. >> Please do not hesitate to ask." >> How lavar is that? >> Yeah. The day that our first episode released, Lavar called me and he said, "I know today is the day your podcast launches and I want you to know how proud of you I am >> and congratulations." And I thought I could text you, but like today is a day when I really needed to hear your voice.

That's who Lavar has always been to me. I know that there were lots of times when I was a teenager and I was hurting at home so much. I tried my best not to bring it to work, but sometimes it came through and I was a cuz I was a teenager who was having a hard time and even on my worst days. And there was I remember being in engineering once and just just I sucked that day, you know, and Lavar came to me and I could tell that he was frustrated.

Why wouldn't you be? And he he came over to me and he was like, "You got this, WW." >> Yeah. >> Come on, man. You got this. Right. If I was in his shoes, I would have been like, "What the are you doing when you pull your get it together, >> you know?" And instead, he chose kindness and compassion and like >> it just really I will You never forget what people say, but you never you forget what people say, you never forget how they made you feel. >> Exactly.

Right. When I look back on the years I had the privilege of working with all of you, all I remember is how loved I felt all the time. >> Well, you were. >> And you were and we weren't aware of of how the pain you were in. >> No, exactly. And I have to say I never felt there was a moment where you were anything other than just wonderful to be around and uh >> Thank you. Yeah, we had we had always had a good time when you were there and enjoyed you being >> Except that that one time in engineering when he up the desk >> with Yeah, it was the worst.

[laughter] But because I remember Lavar saying Yeah. >> Yeah. >> No, but [laughter] I tunnel in this role. >> Exactly. No, it was uh I loved having you there and uh from the beginning I loved having you there. >> It was um I love having you here. Yeah, me too. >> I should tell the I should tell your listeners my podcast is called It's Story Time with Will Weaten. New episodes drop every Wednesday wherever you get your podcasts. >> Good. >> And it's just me narrating a short work of uh short work of fiction.

Short speculative fiction. What could be better? >> Um uh it's under an hour cuz nobody has time anymore. Uh >> Uncle Willie, >> that sounds good. [laughter] And you're a very good reader, too. Thanks. You've done this. I was going to ask you about Yeah. >> When you you post This is me working in your in your booth. >> Do you work at home? No, I work at a studio called Skyboat out in the valley. >> And do you um how many hours can you can you do before your voice changes? >> I used to be able to go about five.

Right. Um >> with a break or without? >> With a break. >> Yeah. >> These days I can go about three and a half, take a little break, and then I've got about an hour left, maybe a little bit less. It just kind of depends on >> when you're doing stories in which you're doing character voices, which I've made the mistake of doing, and you forget the what I did because it was in the first chapter. >> Yeah. Does do they come back and give you a taste of it and it's easy to get back? >> Yeah.

I um if I'm going to do a character voice, my trick is that I cast the character in the book with an actor whose performance and voice style I like. >> So as you prepare, >> so as I prepare I'm like, "Okay, so this character is Natasha Leon. Okay, this character is David Allen Greer. Okay, great. this character, >> these are all characters you think you can do in your voice. >> This character is fat is is is fat Tony from the Simpsons.

Uh, [laughter] right. So, like, you know, it's just sort of like that. And then I just do my impression of that. It's kind of like, you know, you backpocket characters for improv. It's the same idea. Most of the time, you know, I have a I have a small ensemble [laughter] and do you have the same director and mixer generally? Oh, yeah. So it's >> Yeah. So I work >> You're kind of doing Natasha Leon right now, aren't you? >> A little bit.

Yeah. [clears throat] >> Uh I >> I thought it was the Simpsons guy here for a minute and I didn't. >> It's multitude. It's It's a tough job being in a booth narrating a book. >> It is harder than It is harder than I think anybody average person would believe it is. It's a lonely gig and it's a lot of pressure when you're in there by yourself. >> Uh you're just hoping you can get through before the person in your headphones says, "Can we do that one again?" [laughter] Yeah.

You know, and do you find yourself they always say, "Can you go back and we'll do the first couple pages >> or not anymore?" >> Not anymore. At the beginning of my career, yeah, all the time. And sometimes I'll ask to go back if I feel like, "All right, you know what? I thought I had this, but I really, you know, I just I just want to do this again for me." >> I have such a good time when I'm doing it. This has been a complicated experience for me figuring out who I am as an artist because I didn't want to be an actor.

That wasn't my thing. Wasn't my dream at all. And I'm I think I'm pretty good at it. >> I think I understand story. I understand character and and I and I know how it all comes together. And I'm and I'm real good at understanding what is my function in the in the greater narrative. And I love it. And I love artists. I love actors. I am the h I am so happy when I'm on a set or backstage somewhere. I don't necessarily want to be in front of an audience.

Mhm. >> I don't necessarily want to be out being an actor, but my god, do I love being around them. >> Narrating audio books lets me use everything that I do as an actor >> without any of the stuff that reminds me of being a little boy and just being scared to death on the set that I was going to get in trouble for making a mistake. Right? One of the reason I am really good in these roles where I'm little, every role is a kid without a dad.

It's a kid who's scared. It's a kid who's lonely. There's something like the kid is hurting in some way. I never put that together until I was in my 30s. Oh, wow. That's why I was playing that. So, it is a a lonesome kind of experience, but it is actually incredibly comfortable for me >> to be in the booth. The the exhausting part of it is it's I'm the only one. >> Yeah. >> I'm doing >> That's why I asked about the hours.

That's why it's it's Yeah. It's your It's your voice as an instrument and and you need to take care of it and and it does change. >> Very illustrious books, too. >> I've been really Yeah. Uh Ready Player One was a big >> Ready Player One. Yeah. Besteller. So, we haven't been able to get this confirmed like uh uh and I don't remember why. I I talked to Ernie Klein about this. Um there there's like we need a little bit of data to absolutely confirm this, but but Oh, damn.

We we are the bestselling audio book of all time. >> Is that right? >> Ready Player One has sold more than any other audio book before or since. That's what That's what how it was. That's what we're going to stick with. I mean, it's a it's a great story, isn't it? >> Yeah. >> It was just such a privilege to do that work and to tell that story and get to tell a story where I mean, the only other thing I think I was a better fit for was my own memoir. >> Yeah. >> Just in terms of like really annoying or when I did red shirts for John Scholsey and just like I really know this world, man.

I really know, you know, I know I I get this. >> Um >> Yeah. It's really >> And you did The Martian as well, which >> the They asked me. That was crazy, man. Cuz the original recording of The Martian, the original narration of The Martian, the actor is Canadian. He won a Grammy for it. And I was like, >> "Come on, what are you doing? What a shot forshot remake psycho? What's wrong with you?" [laughter] And and uh and and and it was from Audible.

And they were like, "Listen, this is we we need an American recording for reasons and we want you to be the guy. Um, but look, if you feel like you can't do it, then that's fine. And and I I was and I just thought, listen, this is gonna happen no matter what. I love this book. Like, I I am obsessed with that book. Um, and uh yeah, I think I can do it. >> And, >> you know, one of the things I really love about voice acting and audiobook narrating is that I get to play characters I would never be cast as in live action. >> That's great. like uh you know I get to be superheroes sometimes.

We were superheroes together on on uh uh um uh you were playing my dad um on uh on something. I can't remember what it was. It was you and me and Will Fredell and uh >> I love Will. Me too. >> See Will's doing me now. [laughter] >> Yeah. You can't remember. >> Yeah. Good. >> Anyway, it's Thank you. Um it was it was really fun. I got really wonderful notices for it, which was which was which was really nice. >> What about uh Hail Mary Project?

Did they They didn't come to you with that. Too bad. Uh have you ever done a read a book? >> Oh, yeah. I did Seth's uh Million Ways to Die in the West. >> Oh, you did? >> I did I did Marina's voice and I have you done a book? >> I've only done one book. >> No. Well, yes. I No, I've done two. I did my book and >> it's hard work. Oh, the I did a book uh called The Grid by Philip Kerr. Do you know Philip Kerr? He's a sci-fi writer. >> Um and it was about a building that took on a life of its own and started, you know, >> Oh, cool. >> screwing around with the people who, you know, were in the building.

Um >> but I had to do maybe uh 60 characters. >> Yeah. >> And uh >> that's why I asked cuz it you can bury yourself. >> Really tough. And I I was doing Asian women. Uh which I don't know if you can do that anymore, can you? When I >> First of all, you can't say that anymore. >> Oh, you can't even say it. >> Yeah. >> I didn't say it. Uh >> okay. >> Can we cut that? [laughter] >> In um in in in Jewish men, [snorts] >> in Ernie Klein's book, book Armada, >> um there is an old Asian man uh old Japanese man who's a a software developer or something like that.

And um I uh asked George if it was cool if I just did if I just could I just do George Teay as this character and [clears throat] George was like absolutely you know and I was like great. So I did that and what's real funny is after that book came out hearing from people were like did you just do >> yes you did I sure did. >> That's called an homage. Yeah, of course. When I narrated the body um uh for uh >> something that I've wanted to do for years, like I thought with this being 40 years of Stand by Me, it really makes like it makes sense, right?

People have said to me for for decades, would you redo the narration in the movie? Uh right. Um so I went after them and I was like, I want to do this. And um uh >> took forever to make it happen. It finally happens. >> I'm in the booth. I'm doing it. We get to this scene. There's a scene in the movie where it's the four of us. Teddy and Verer in front. They're talking about Mighty Mouse fighting Superman. Gordy and and and Chris are in the back talking about going into the college courses.

And Chris is saying, you know, Gordy is saying, "I don't want to be a writer." And Chris is like, "That's your dad." It's that scene, right? Um >> in in the book, the half of the scene with with Corey and uh sorry, with with with uh with with Teddy and Vern isn't there. It's just Gordy and Chris. I remember being on set the day that we filmed that and I remembered uh what all the choices River made in that scene. >> So, I made a choice as the narrator of of of the nolla to homage and honor him, >> of course. >> Um and I did to the best of my ability with my memory what he did >> in that in that side of the scene.

As I was doing that, I had the most ridiculous all five senses flashback I have ever had. I was on the set. I could see him, right? The camera's on me. I can see him there. I can see the boom guy over here with his little short 1985 blue, powder blue denim corduroy shorts, you know? Uh, I can feel the heat of the key light. I could feel all of it like I was right there again. And I was just like, "All right, let's bring it all in." And um uh I didn't talk about that at all uh uh for the first few weeks that the book was out and somebody reached out to me, I don't know when Threads or Blue Sky and was like, "Did you do River Phoenix in that scene?" And I was like, "I sure did." >> It was a real Stella Adler moment you had, you know, manifesting the truth. >> Yeah.

Yeah. And [clears throat] uh Sense Memory was just going crazy there. Yeah. I got a couple more. >> Yeah. >> What about this? >> Two things I wanted to ask. Three. I got a lot more actually. You can ask apologize. All the things. >> I when you went to Kansas >> Uhhuh. >> and you went to work with uh New Tech. >> Yes. >> They say in something I read that you were a technology evangelist. >> Yeah, that's true. >> You preached a little bit.

[laughter] >> You preach [clears throat] as well. You're a preacher. You have a you have a little Lavar preacher in you. You have that that's a compliment. >> Wow. I thank you. I will do my very best to earn that every day. >> And and you do. So that's that's a that's a term that applies. >> Yeah. So that was how that all came down. That was a really fun time. Um >> we missed you cuz you were in Kansas. >> I missed you.

I missed you a lot. I had to leave NextGen to be my to be me. I was I was not going to grow into myself. And I thought about it a lot. If id stayed through and done all the movies, you know, and like had the money and the success and the attention and all that stuff, I never would have met myself. So, in that moment, I was missing being on the set. I was missing all of you guys. I was like wondering if I'd made a big mistake in my life.

But at Newech, we were making what was the very first version of nonlinear editing software that lived in your computer. Didn't exist back then. >> And what we were doing was taking the ability to make your to tell your story or do your TV show or whatever. And we were taking the cost of that from about $100,000 to about $7,000 in 1990 and 1991. It was like nobody was doing anything like that. >> Were you doing the codings? they would get the software would come out and my job was to break it, >> right? >> Um and then I I was part of the marketing department.

So I went around the country and gave demos to dealers and worked at trade shows and stuff and my message was network TV is boring and formulaic and it's never going to change and there's an explosion of bandwidth coming and that's going to need some we're going to need to fill it up, right? Like I was saying back then someday there's going to be a channel that's nothing but the love boat. >> This is the evangelist and that's exactly what it is, right?

And I was like, if it's going to be, you know, they're going to want to put programming in it. Well, why not make why don't you make it person, right? And I was really, really excited about it. And we were right. Where we were wrong is that the distribution didn't exist then. >> Of course, >> there was no way. All you could do was put it on videotapes and try to get them out. And that was so if we had done this like 5 years later, right, I would be having this conversation with you guys on my yacht. >> Yeah.

Exactly. >> How much they pay you? >> It wasn't a lot. It was a really low appearance. >> He'll say yes. >> Not anymore. These days I say no to just about everything. But but back but back then back back then I just thought, "Yeah, that sounds like fun." >> Yeah. So >> by two dads, two different [laughter] it was great. And I just But after I was there for a couple of years, >> I started to feel like this isn't right.

This isn't my calling. This isn't where I'm meant to be. >> I need to be with artists. Yeah. >> And I don't quite And at that time I thought I need to go back and try to be an actor again. >> Mhm. This when I was able to get you on Powers. >> Yeah. This No, Powers was after that. Powers was was was well after that ball. We were in Atlanta. Nobody saw this show. >> It was a great show. >> I know. >> It was a really wonderful superhero show um that Sony produced and and and and released through like one of their PlayStation things and then they didn't promote it at all.

They never promoted it, so you never so nobody knew about it. And it's a shame cuz it was really, really fun. Um, I had a really good time. I loved working in Atlanta. >> I loved the crew. That cast was wonderful. Charlton CPPley was a surprisingly lovely number one on the call. >> He was to you. Charlton, that's South Africa. He was Trisha Hber was in it and she had a different experience with him, but he was uh >> It bugs me out when someone's lovely to me and terrible to someone else cuz then I feel like oh you're a terrible person who chose to be nice. >> What was the big sci-fi movie he did that was so great?

Uh >> District Nine. >> District Nine. What a great and I think he's in Ellesium too. He does a lot of the big South African movies. >> I had one more. >> Yeah. >> You spoke to or a member of or what is this with the Mensah Society? >> Yeah. You can be honest. >> My son Ryan, >> yes, >> is in Mensah. >> Ah, >> Ann had to take him because he was a minor and he had to get special permission. He was the only kid in there.

He came out, right? He went in very confident and he came out like white as a sheet like he had just walked through baston, you know, and and he and he goes, "Well, that was humbling." >> They grade the test. They never they you pass or you don't. They don't tell you anything. >> They don't give you your number. So Ryan was in Mensah and um over time he came to he he reached the conclusion and I agree with him that that's there's it's problematic.

Um and and and it draws some folks that I would rather not associate with. But on this particular >> day I was invited to speak at a thing they call the gathering of the geeks. >> The gathering of the geeks. And I and I and I thought I had an opportunity to talk about how really smart people get stuck in our heads and feel weird and try to logic out stuff in situations where we just kind of can't logic stuff out and we get bullied like crazy.

And I talked a lot about bullying and I talked a lot about how like you can be really really smart um and like and feel like um nobody gets you right. That doesn't make it okay for you to go and be a bully to people. Um and and I think that I called I think I titled my keynote address stop hitting yourself. Oh, >> when we're smart kids, adults who are threatened by that or feel uncomfortable around that are shitty to us and they and they knock us down and they try to like just take away that thing that makes us special. >> And like I think that as adults in this world, we have this opportunity and a responsibility to see that in kids and nurture it and encourage it.

And that's just what that's what I talked about. And it was it was lovely. After I gave my speech, a guy comes up to me to introduce himself and um and and he thanks me for giving the speech and he thanks me for everything I say. And then he he he just casually drops uh that he's the guy who invented and developed the CMOS chip which is a tiny little chip which is the reason that our phones can have uh cameras in them.

He is the person who invented that type of photography and he had done it for the space program >> for because it had to be lightweight and you couldn't have big heavy lenses and things like that and I was like this is like meeting >> Marie Curi like this is crazy and he was just a guy you know and he was so excited to meet somebody from Star Trek. >> Wow. Doesn't that happen all the time? >> What does Ryan do? Does he >> Ryan is working on his PhD right now? >> Okay. >> I love both of my sons so much.

I am so grateful for what we have. We have done the hard work of being a family. I cherish my boys. I cannot wait to see them. We do stuff together all the time. Um >> I am the dad I needed with them. >> A good influence at home. >> My my kids are just >> they're just they're just wonderful. >> So are you. >> Oh, you guys. [laughter] Thank you. >> Well, we've loved having you with us. >> It's been so great to see you guys.

Fabulous. >> It's uh it's fun to hang out >> like old times. >> Yeah, I have I have missed you >> the last few months. There's >> the last few months have been really hard for me and and I have stopped myself from texting the entire group to be like, >> I just need some parents right now. >> Um cuz you always show up when I do that. >> Always. >> Stop. Don't resist. >> Um >> that's why we're here. >> We're here, man. >> I know, dude. >> Absolutely.

Anything else you need to plug besides the podcast while we have you on camera? Yeah, that's what I thought. >> I can tell sitting here that you used to be cool. [laughter] >> You know this story. Should we tell this story quickly? >> Patrick Stewart and Will Weaton both got the same car at the same time. Will Weaten had just gotten his driver's license. It was a Ford No >> Honda Prelude. SI 4 WS slightly better than Patrick's. >> Yeah.

Will and I were released at the same time one day and we're walking from planet hell, I think. And we're going to the park to the car park as Patrick would call. We're going to and we're smoozing. Will's my height by this time and we're and he looks over at me like this and he's he's walking to Jack because he's got a car and he's got a driver's license and he said, "You know, Franks, I can tell by the clothes that you wear and the music comes out of your dressing room.

You used to be cool, [laughter] >> which has lived in infamy." True story. >> 35 years ago. I will never live it down. >> I love it. And I use it when I was the title of your book. No, I was going to tell the title of my book when we were talking about people moving in and out of frame. Yeah. Because I everybody used to do these two shots on the bridge. It would be over me, but it' be focused on Patrick and I was out of focus.

So, my book's called Soft in the Foreground, [laughter] >> dropping names out of [music] >> [music]