Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast - Matthew Broderick Encore

Episode Date: March 20, 2023

GGACP celebrates the birthday of Tony-winning actor Matthew Broderick (March 21) with this ENCORE of a frequently hilarious interview from 2016. In this episode, Matthew talks about his days as a struggling young actor, his friendship with Jason Robards, his passion for Turner Classic Movies and his memories of working with legends Sean Connery, Sidney Lumet, Neil Simon and Mel Brooks. Also, Matthew mimics Marlon Brando, lauds Jack Lemmon, defends "Godzilla" and runs afoul of the Secret Service. PLUS: In praise of Christopher Walken! Peter Lorre blows the audition! Nathan Lane does Bert Lahr! Gilbert disses Ferris Bueller! And Bruno Kirby plots his revenge! This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/GILBERT and get on your way to being your best self. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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This is Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast. I'm here with my co-host, Frank Santopadre. We're once again recording at Nutmeg with our engineer, Frank Verderosa. We're once again recording at Nutmeg with our engineer, Frank Verderosa. Our guest this week is one of the busiest, most versatile, and most admired actors of the past four decades. You know his work from iconic movies like War Games, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and The Lion King, as well as dozens of other popular films, including Glory, Biloxi Blues, Torch Song Trilogy, The Freshman, The Cable Guy, Inspector Gadget, Tower Heist, B-Movie, and a film that the two hosts of this show are especially fond of, Election. fond of election. Notable TV appearances include Frasier, Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock, Modern Family, Louie and the Jim Gaffigan Show, as well as made-for-TV movies like The Music Man and A

Life in the Theater. In a career spanning 35 years, he's worked with icons like Jack Lemmon, Marlon Brando, Neil Simon, Dustin Hoffman, Anthony Hopkins, Mike Nichols, and Sean Connery to name but a few. Busy and celebrated stage performer who starred in hit shows such as Brighton Beach Memoirs, It's Only a Play, The Odd Couple, Nice Work If You Can Get It, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, for which he won a Tony Award as Best Actor, and of course the timid accountant, Leo Bloom in Mel Brooks, the producers. Please welcome to the show a fellow admirer of the great Sidney Lumet and a man far too famous and successful to be appearing on this podcast, Matthew Broderick. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for that lengthy introduction.

That was a two-pager. Yeah, you can leave now. That was basically- So that's it? That was great. I'm sure that's two pages. Thank you. And I got to tell you, as we're recording today, Matt, you have already done a matinee.

Yes. So you've done a matinee, and in the middle of it, you're doing this interview, and then you've got to rush back tonight to do another play. I know. So we appreciate that. Oh, my pleasure. What a trooper. But I have to preface this interview by saying what everyone has told me not to say.

Uh-oh. I fucking hated Ferris Bueller's Day. Well, way to welcome the guy. Who told you not to say that? I may have said don't lead with it. Oh, don't lead with it. Warm him up. Yeah.

Why do you hate it? I don't, I mean, like we had Peter Bogdanovich on this show. Yeah. His mother saw. Do you like Paper Moon? We do. Yeah. Yeah.

His mother had seen Rebel Without a Cause. Yeah. And she hated it. And she said that it idolizes like, you know, just everything young people do is great. Yeah. And old people are idiots. Right. I hate that kind of movie too everything young people do is great. Yeah. And old people are idiots. Right. I hate that kind of movie, too.

I know what she means. Yeah. Now, what is interesting is you now, as an adult. Yeah. And a married man with children. Yeah. What do you think of both the movie and the character of Ferris Bueller? Well, unlike you, I like the movie.

Fuck you. You could say fuck on this show? Yes. Blowjob anything. Really? Wow. It's loose. For the home viewer, I'm blushing. Yes, he is. I can attest to it.

You know, I love that movie. I mean, I hate young people, too. I know what you mean. But I like that. You know, I think John Hughes did a beautiful job. I think it's like a wonderful little lark. And I'm amazed at how it's held up.

Just celebrated an anniversary. 30 years, I think. Everybody keeps telling me, their happy birthday, 30 years. A lot of people come up to you and do dial-up. Oh, five. Five. Yeah. But it's interesting that after the success of that movie,

a movie I fucking hated, by the way. Yeah, you said. But he loves election. I did. We're trying to mitigate this. Thanks. But he loves election. I did. We're trying to mitigate this. And it's like, I'm sure after the success of that movie, people are coming to you with scripts like, oh, this is a smart ass guy who is always wheeling and dealing ahead of everybody. Yeah. Yeah, I was a little bit doing that before because the Neil Simon plays Brighton Beach and was a kind of a wisecracking writer guy.

Different a little bit, but I was already in the habit of the kind of know-it-all or whatever. And after that, yeah, like everybody, though, you try, particularly when you're starting out, you get scared. I'm going to just always have to, I got to make sure I show everybody I can do everything, you know. So I was very, I was trying, it might not look like it, but I was always trying to find parts that were different from what I had just done, you know. Because Ferris Bueller is this character who, did I mention, I fucking hate. And when I see you in that, and this is a compliment, actually, because when I see you in that, I want to punch you out. Right, thank you. That's how convincing it is.

But then you also do films like Election and other parts where you're a total loser. Yeah. And you're just like dumped on. And I believe that when you do it. You do? Yeah. That's a brave part, Jim McAllister. Jim McAllister. I love that part. I love that book. I read it. I just

laughed when I read it. Tom Parada. Yeah, Tom Parada and the screenplay too. Alexander Payne. Yeah, I hadn't played a part that dumpy, I don't think, at that point. Then I got stuck in those for a while, though. You know, anytime you have anything go as well, they go, this is what he does. And you do too. And then you think, oh, God, I've been playing these kind of schmucky,

put-upon guys for, oh, five years. You know, years pass, and you say, what's happened? Maybe a credit to you, though, because that role is so, you're just so perfect in it. Well, thank you. Yeah, no, it's a great role. But even that, I started feeling like I got to make sure that it doesn't seem like I always have to play the schlub. You know what's funny?

Because we just presented at the Film Forum. And we just introduced the king of comedy. Yeah. And election. Jim Taylor wrote the screenplay. For some reason, my brain is my good friend. He's like one of my closest friends. I had the honor of interviewing him. My brain went out. Jim Taylor wrote the screenplay. For some reason, my brain is my good friend. He's like one of my closest friends. At the honor of interviewing him.

My brain went out. Jim Taylor. I find a correlation between the two because they said like Gene Siss. No, Roger Ebert. Wait, which movie are you? Did you just say? Election. No, no.

Oh, King of Comedy. Yeah, Comedy. Okay. Oh, King of Comedy. Yeah, Comedy, okay. Roger Ebert said of King of Comedy that it's frustrating to watch and uncomfortable to remember, but it's effective. Yeah. And I get that feeling with election. Yeah, it's not exactly an entertainment in some way. No, no. Yeah, it's sort of painful.

High squirm factor. Very much. Yeah, that's true. That's a good point. And I definitely feel that with king of comedy too yeah like nothing happens the way you want it to in that movie that's what gilbert said about the king of comedy it takes you there and it doesn't give you the payoff just even being jerry lewis's character and it just looks so unpleasant just oh yeah being

chased through the streets and his cars that he's in and his glasses look uncomfortable. That moment in election where you're sipping, I guess it's a shake or it's an ice cream soda or something at the end. Oh, at the end. And you do the buildup where you gradually go from forgiveness. Yeah. Who the fuck does she think? And you throw the, you run after it.

That was a reshoot too. Really? That's not the original ending. That you run after it. It's just, it's just. That was a reshoot too. Really? That's not the original ending. That was shot months later. It's so effective. Because that shows in the film like, like a movie that you'd feel happy with. Yeah. You'd go, I don't, I'm not angry at her and I've gotten over it.

I've grown. Yeah. I've learned something throughout this film. Yeah. He learns nothing. Yeah. We did an episode about it. We did a mini episode about, I've grown. Yeah. I've learned something throughout this film. Yeah. He learns nothing. Yeah. We did an episode about it. We did a mini episode just about election.

Yeah. And on this show, we talk about how few actual black comedies you see anymore. Yeah. There's the Jeffersons. I'll cut that out. Good times. We talk about movies. This is very controversial.

You're a movie buff. And movies like Where's Papa. Yeah. You know, that they don't do what you saw in the 70s, those kind of really dark comedies. Yes. Aren't done so well or so often today. And Election is one that really nails it. No, he loves the 70s and even cut in 70s footage toward the end of that movie.

There's working in New York. They show just people from the 70s for no reason at all, except that he likes that. for no reason at all, except that he likes that. You know, I don't know if this is amusing, but the scene where I threw the soda or the Slurpee or whatever at the car, we did one take and Alexander Payne said, when you run, you know, because I throw it and then I chicken out and run because the car stops.

I remember, it's great. So it stops, there's a close-up, and I turn around and I run. And the White House is behind me, actually. I don't know if you can see in the film across that little park. Right. Because she goes to work for. Yeah.

So he said, just run into that park, you know, just run and just keep running because it might even be the end of the movie. You know, the credits could start as you're just disappearing, this little person running off into Washington. So I just ran straight into that park. running off into Washington. So I just ran straight into that park. And every, like, what I thought was a homeless man in the park across the street from the White House are all Secret Service. There's a team in the Secret Service,

who just saw me running as fast as I could toward the White House. And all came at me. I swear to God, there were like 20 guys around me immediately. Wow. Dressed like bums and everything. You know, the newspaper guy, the hot dog man, everybody was on me. So don't just run like a crazy person across the street from the warehouse.

Gilbert, take the heed that advice. I want to give a shout out, too, to some of his other films. I mean, their films. I mean, Citizen Ruth is great. Yeah, I love Citizen Ruth. And about Schmidt. Yeah. No, he's great.

I'll see anything he makes. Me too. Let's talk about, you're a New Yorker like us. Let's just talk a little bit about growing up here in the city. And I know you're, I was telling Gilbert, you're a TCM watcher. You're an old movie buff. I am. And you grew up, your dad was also an actor james broderick yeah and we were gill and

i were talking about him and i was we were talking about a twilight zone episode yeah he's in with james whitmore that's true yeah yeah and it's an odd length so you don't see it very often it's one of the hours one of those hours yeah like yeah or 45 minutes or something there's a few of those yeah and they don't put them on the regular Channel 11 at 11.30 when I was a kid. It's just like one of my favorite Twilight Zones. It has to be a marathon. Then you'll see it. Yeah, one of my favorite Twilight Zones is the Gig Young one.

I don't know if I know that one. That's like a mile from home where he goes back to his home. Is that where he meets himself as a child? Yes, he meets himself. And that's one of those hour long. On Thursday, we leave for home with James Whitmore and your dad. Is that what it's called? Yeah.

I have a still from it. Yeah. There's a little clip on YouTube. And if you go to Hulu and you pay the two bucks, you can watch it. A guy who was in it said, I have this picture of your dad. Wow. Yeah. He came to a play just not that long ago.

And he brought me this. He said, you'd probably like to have this. Watched your dad in Dog Day Afternoon. Yeah. I watched him shoot some of that. You did? Tell us. I went on the train with him and spent the evening watching them all pretend to be hot in very cold weather.

Agent Sheldon. Agent Sheldon. FBI Agent Sheldon. I just watched it again last night. I met Al Pacino while they were shooting, and I was, for the first time that I remember, Agent Shelton. I just watched it again last night. I met Al Pacino while they were shooting. And I was, for the first time that I remember, starstruck. Unable to, I was like, I'm going to, I'm going to, like that when I met him. Do you remember anything about Al Pacino, how he was working there?

No, I didn't. I was just a kid. I just remember, I couldn't believe it was Al Pacino. Yeah. Because I guess, I don't know why I would, I guess because of Godfather already. Oh, yeah. You must have been 12 or something. Something like that. Yeah.

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With Candace Bergen. Yep, and a bunch of, I believe, live television things in the 50s. Oh, cool. You know, like... I know that. Yeah. You know, theater theater whatever those are called playhouse 90 and that kind of stuff yeah craft yes oh and uh and he did um uh the Iceman Cometh

that Sidney directed with Jason Robards oh live television oh I forgot one I know you didn't buy Iceman Cometh now that that was a story I found interesting is that after your father passed away, you were doing The Return of Max Dugan with Jason Robards, who was a friend of your father. That's right. And he helped you deal with your father's death. That's true. Yeah, it was my very first job. I didn't – I knew my father was sick, more than sick. I knew he was not going to live, honestly. And it was my first job, and I didn't, I knew my father was sick, more than sick. I knew he was not going to live,

honestly. And it was my first job and I didn't know anybody in California. And I didn't even tell anybody at work. They didn't know. But I told, Jason had known my father, so I did tell him. And he said, he was just so miserable to hear it. But from then on, basically, He said he was just so miserable to hear it. But from then on, basically, always made sure I was in the group that went to the commissary. Just took me to his house, his son, everything. He just took care of me, basically. So he treated you like his son. Yeah, he kind of did.

I mean, he was a hilarious person, too. It wasn't all like, you know, he was just a great guy. He was a hilarious person, too. It wasn't all like, you know, he was just a great guy. And I remember I smoked at the time, and he had quit smoking, and I was walking by his camper, and I said, no, I won't come in, I have a cigarette. And he said, no, come in, I like to breathe it in.

He'd make me come into his camper with my cigarette. It's a nice story that he did that for you. Except cancer later. Except for that. No, but your dad's work, I mean, I want to tell our listeners to check out Alice's Restaurant. Yeah, that too. Fun in that one. Yeah. No, Jason was amazing to me.

And I think he had that. There were a couple of, there were, he was one of those guys who was always good to young actors. You know, he was, he was an inviting, welcoming guy. He was kind of like, he was great. I loved him. We talk a lot about movies of the 70s and New York movies, and I didn't find this doing a lot of research on you. I didn't find that specifically, but I know you like old movies,

and I know you've been a lifelong New Yorker. So I'm only going to assume that you have a fondness for those kind of, those little pictures that we talk about where you see like taking a pelham one two three with your dad's in the pawnbroker not a lament movie but pawnbroker is a sydney sydney lament movie you should see with rod steiger rod steiger oh i should know that and i don't yeah but you you gotta be uh because you grew up you grew up in it oh yeah yeah no I love sitting on the mat. I love, you know, yeah. I also like even older movies, you know, the really peculiar when New York is just clearly a movie behind. Oh, yes. I even like that.

I've heard you say you're very comfortable living in the 1930s. Yeah, I should. I got to get out of that. It's bad. uh yeah i should i gotta get out of that it's bad you know my daughter said to me why do you only watch gray movies how old is she she's seven now and i said because they don't threaten me yeah i don't feel threatened yeah i heard you say that that you that things that are too modern too modern there might be an actor that's doing better than me or something there's all that issue but if I see if everybody's dead I'm pretty I'm pretty comfortable watching the movie. And you worked with Brando. I worked with Brando yep how did that happen? Yeah. Now there's no tell me there are

I was working on the Joy Behar show. It's at HLN. I don't know if you'll even remember doing it. And she made you do your Brando impression. Yeah. It's quite good. Yeah, it's lost a little something, I think, you know, as the years have passed. I do the kind of soft one.

I don't even know how to do it. Maybe it'll come later. It's pretty good. Isn't it? Yeah. Did he crawl into the room? Was he late for the first meeting with you and Bergman? He was late, yes.

We were all rehearsing. We had been rehearsing in the director's hotel suite. Or no, it was an apartment, actually. A furnished apartment. And he was a little late. And the whole time rehearsing, even flying to Toronto, I was like, one thing I know is Marlon Brando is never going to be in this movie. I never thought for a second.

And they were like, you want to be in this movie with Marlon Brando? I said, right. And then Jerry Orbach comes and whatever. I understand. And they were like, no, no, Marlon Brando's coming. That's it. He said yes. And I never thought it was true.

But we were rehearsing. He was late an hour maybe or something like that and sure enough, the doorbell and we opened it and he was on his hands and knees because he was sorry. Or maybe he was in a prayer. I don't remember. He felt very bad about being late. In the velour sweatsuit?

And he's wearing, as my memory is, a tan velour sweatsuit, maybe a cowboy hat and sunglasses. Maybe not a cowboy hat. I'm not sure about that part. Yeah. So he showed up. He did show up and he rehearsed and he was very, very charming. Yeah.

Now, Brando, in those last years, like the last few decades, it's like I think everybody was afraid. He's Brando. Yeah. You don't tell him anything. No. And so he would come up with like the dumbest, most crazy shit in the movies. And they'd be like. Yeah, let him do it.

Yeah. Some of those things are. Yeah. Like there's a little frog in the formula. Yes. I heard. Yeah. That was all him. Yeah. And they were just like, yeah, get a frog frog in the formula. Yes. I heard he came. That was all him.

Yeah. And they were just like, yeah, get a frog. Get a frog. And then in Missouri Breaks, I think it was his idea to be in drag. Right. I like that one. Did he direct that movie? Arthur Penn.

Arthur Penn. Yeah. I like a lot of his late career choices, though. He's also good in Don Juan DeMarco. That one I haven't seen. With Johnny Depp. Again, people are alive in that movie one I haven't seen again people are alive in that movie I haven't seen it yeah we'll try to go back we'll try to bring up some old ones

yeah Ileana Douglas told us some great Brando stuff too we had her on the show she wanted to Marlon Brando and he was like 600 pounds she couldn't get over it did you try or what she wanted to it she wouldn't be alive today to tell the story. She really wanted to. She was so smitten with him. A lot of people did, you know. You said you were gobsmacked by him. Yeah, I don't even know what that means, but I felt it.

Yeah. Oh, I couldn't believe it. I could not believe it when I saw him. Never mind what he was doing. But it was Marlon Brando. I did a scene with him, and was i'd be like i'm doing a scene with marlon brando i never thought that would happen was he using the earpiece by this point he wasn't putting index cards in your head no right he had the earpiece uh uh but you you couldn't tell you know except occasionally and um when he'd have tech he'd have technical problems once in a while.

I'm getting an RF frequency. If I put my head here, I don't get it. Did he give you a tip during the ice skating scene? Did he give you a tip? You're leading me to something which I don't remember. Okay. Well, maybe tell us about Bruno Kirby then. Oh, Bruno Kirby.

Oh, he did give me a tip that I remember. Bruno kirby was in that movie too that's where i met him did you any of you know bruno kirby i met him at a party once but i didn't have the pleasure of knowing the greatest guy adored him he marlon gave me if this is what you mean a tip that was actually very useful that i think is is a good tip yeah so i think for acting for actors just tech i said we were doing a scene and i said i think i'm not gonna sit next to you i'm just gonna stay standing this time i would like to not sit or maybe i wanted to sit i don't remember and i thought i had to check with him and he was like yeah i don't care what you do yeah of course he didn't care at all and i said so i'll go tell the director that i'm gonna do that and. And he said, don't tell the director.

Tell the cameraman so he knows. But don't tell the director that. You're just asking for trouble. He'll tell you if he doesn't like it, which is a minor point. But it's true. They don't really want to be told, can I do this? They'd rather you just do it. And that was kind of a good lesson for me.

Did he give you any tips or advice about acting? No, no. I mean, I don't remember. Uh, yes. He told me once when we were shooting outside in a,

uh, convertible and I, it was blasting sun on me. And I was like, I was acting with him for the viewers at home. I'm squinting right now. Um, and he said, you know. I'm squinting right now. And he said, you're squinting in the sun.

Stop doing that. And I said, I really can't see if I don't. And he said, stop squinting. It's too monochromatic. I love that. Not sure what that means. I know, but that was my tip. I try not to squint.

Tell us a little bit. The great Andrew Berkman, by the way, another terrific writer. Since we're mentioning Alexander Payne, another terrific writer-director. Great person. Hilarious person. And laws, and he wrote Blazing Saddles with Mel Brooks. Yeah, he's amazing. He should be here. We're going to get him. He's speaking at the Writers Guild

this month. No, you're so sorry. The guy who you hate in Ferris Bueller. Tell us a little something about Bruno. Bruno Kirby was one of these, he was a New Yorker, although he lived in L.A., but he grew up in Hell's Kitchen on 54th or something and 10th. And he was really of that era. Like he lived on a walk-in, you know,

the ground level of one of those old tenement townhouse things. And, oh, he had stories about being bullied and then getting his uncle's hunting rifle and sitting in the window. He would say the Yankee game was on and I knew they were coming, but I didn't want to miss the, I put the radio where I could hear the Yankee game was on and I knew they were coming, but I didn't want to miss the Yankee. I put the radio where I could hear the Yankee game and I put the rifle in my lap and I just waited by the door. It's an incredible life he had.

And he was the young Clemenza. He was young Clemenza. People forget. People forget. Yeah. And he had to speak Italian, which he did not speak. Yeah. So it was all by just...

Convincing. Yeah. My father, too. And he had to speak Italian, which he did not speak. Yeah. So it was all by just- Convincing. Yeah. And that movie you did with Dustin Hoffman and Sean Connery. Right. Sidney Lumet directed. Yeah. Now, that was a very odd one because Sean Connery's supposed to be Irish, I guess. It was a little confusing.

He was the grandpa- He's Jesse. Of me, and Dustin was- It was me, my father is And Dustin was, it was me. My father is Dustin and my grandfather is Sean. So it was hard. It was a tricky, it was a tough, tough one to believe. And it was supposed to be that he's Irish, but his son, Dustin Hoffman, is Italian.

And his son, you, are Jewish. And how did this happen? I don't know. Dustin Hoffman's character, Vito, marries a Jewish woman. That's right, but they did not cast it. Just to make it a little more confusing, I can't remember her name, but they did not cast it. I kept saying, she's not at all remotely Jewish.

That's strange. Trying to make this even harder to follow? Yeah. We like that movie. It's a very original, different movie. Someday you'll explain to me what happened. The screening was done, and I was like, what did we steal? Does anybody know what just happened?

And the guy who's planning the robbery is Chinese. Yeah. B.D. Wong. Yeah, just to add. Yeah, B.D. Wong. Yeah, just to add it. Right, right. Now, what do you remember about Dustin Hoffman and Sean Connery? Well, they were great. You know, to be cast with them and Sidney Lumet, I was so extremely happy.

And I loved shooting that movie, and I'm sorry to make fun of it but I don't understand the plot you were stealing some kind of formula yeah what did it do I sort of understand they re-edited it it was after that they were like

see we fixed it I was like no because I don't understand good writer too by the way Vincent Patrick who wrote the Pope of Greenwich Village who I became good friends with at the time.

They were very different, Dustin and Sean Connery, very different style. You know, Sean Connery is all business, and Dustin likes to explore, I guess. But they got along, but we were just all very different very different people and i got to know dustin pretty well back then i hung out at his house and stuff i used to say to my friend that i wanted to write a book called they called me pal because i always had like these kind of celebs who would take me in for a little while but i never wrote the book. You got time. They called me pal. That's fun. You got plenty of time. You might be in it now.

Even after the Ferris Bueller thing? Yeah, no, actually, you're out. Yeah. You're out. He came to you first, I understand, Sidney Lumet. He cast you first before he went to Hoffman and Connery. That's usually how it would go, isn't it? Yeah, well. No, I don't remember. Originally it was supposed to be De Niro, Sean Penn, and Brando as I recall. How about that? Wow.

And that turned into Sean, Dustin, and me. And in real life, you're an Irish Jew. I am. So in a sense, I thought I was kind of made sense because I had this Irish, this Scottish grandfather. Right. And a Jewish mom. Like it could have been. And Leo Garcia was an Irish Jew.

Did you know that, Matthew? Yeah. Leo Garcia. From the Bowery Boys. From the Bowery Boys. Oh, really? And so is Kenny Lonergan, my friend. That's right.

Kenny Lonergan? No, Kenny Lonergan. He's an Irish Jew. Jack Warden. He's an Irish Jew. Oh, Harrison Ford, Irish Jew. Is that true? Yeah.

I didn't know Harrison Ford was Jewish. Yeah. He's so strong and handsome. That's amazing. He knows. Ben Stiller, Irish Jew. Yeah. He's so strong and handsome. It's amazing. He knows. Ben Stiller, Irish Jew. Yeah. Yeah, I guess that's right.

That's right. Yeah, that's right. I went to a psychiatrist once who said, I don't know which part of you is more guilty. I just don't know what to do. Oh, Harry Potter. Is that right? Daniel Radcliffe? Yeah, he's an Irish Jew. It's actually a thing.

You know, my wife is half, well, she's an English, half English, half Jew-ish. Yeah, and your wife, for anyone who doesn't know. Sorry, Jessica Parker, excuse me. Yes. He knows every person that's Jewish in show business, and it's come up on this show. Rod Carew. Rod Carew. Yeah, he knows who Rod Carew is, but if he did, is it true that when you're having, when you're having sex

with Sarah Jessica Parker, that you dress up, ask anything you dress up as Leo Gorsi and she dresses up as Hunts Hall. That is true. I'm just, I'm just glad he knows who Leo Gorsi and Hunts Hall. That is true. That is true. I'm just glad he knows who Leo Gorcey and Hunts Hall are. Tell us, I don't know where to go. You've done so much. You've worked with everybody. I can go back to the Bowery Boys. It's funny. You can be boring even if you've done all that. Tell us about Jack Lemon. One of our favorites.

Jack Lemon I worked with. Yeah. He was great. I did a Sidney, no not not Sidney Lumet, David Mamet play for TV that, A Life in the Theater in L.A. And I got to know Jack. Jack Lemmon kind of kept himself. Very, very nice. Very nice. Down the line to everybody, you know.

Very classy. But I never really got to know him he was not like come to my house sunday we're having a little thing he was not one of those guys he got in his car and his car that said jay lem on it i like the license plate we've talked about jack lemon on the show you like save the tiger yeah oh Yeah. Oh, yes. Well, Jack Lemmon was also a drinker. Maybe. I don't know if he still was. That I don't know.

He said every take this is a known thing, I think before every take he would be loose. You could be talking about the Dod dodger game or whatever right up until action like he wasn't one of those unprepared yeah but he would say um magic time just very quietly say that just before his first line oh i love that yeah it's like

scheider and all that jazz when he keeps saying showtime well he said magic every time it was like a tick. Like he couldn't help it. He'd be like, yeah, I don't know if they're going to trade. If Penella comes over, action, magic time. And then he'd start to sing. So it was like a talisman or like a good luck thing. Yeah.

You ever favorite Jack Lemmon performance? Because we have a lot of them. Oh, there's so many. He has such an admirable career, I think. You know, the range of things that he was able to do is amazing the great directors one after another worked with him you know billy wilder i i guess probably the um the apartment yeah it would probably be my it's great yeah it's great i mean i can name there's so many i even like him in broad stuff i mean we've talked about

blake edwards the the great, which if you've never seen. I have seen. Choose the scenery. Yeah, he can be very, very broad. Yeah. Yeah. But he's fun to watch. Usually.

Always fun to watch. I can criticize him a teeny bit. Yeah. No, I don't think I should. Sure, go ahead. No, no. Yeah. No, he's not broad.

Yeah. No, he can do whatever. That man could. He's the versatile actor if there ever was one. Yeah, I mean, drama and comedy were equal. No problem. Yeah. No problem.

Oh, you like How to Murder Your Wife? Oh, yes. Which one? How to Murder Your Wife. I don't think I've seen it. Oh, you should branch up to that one. You should probably see Terry Thomas and, of course, music by Neil Hefti. Neil Hefti, who composed the Odd Couple theme.

Really? I bring it back to you. Now, how do you feel about The Out of Towners? Do you like that movie or not like it? This is funny. I actually saw The Out of Towners. Oh, not The Out of Towners. I'm into Sandy Dennis one.

Yeah, the first one. That was funny. Yeah. That was very funny. The Randy Dennis one. Yeah, the first one. That was funny. Yeah. That was very funny.

I remember then they tried to remake it with Steve Martin. Yeah, right. I hadn't seen that one. Right. I forget. Goldie Hawn? Goldie Hawn. Yeah, it was Goldie Hawn.

Which didn't work as well, but the Jack Lemmon one was very funny. Funny and very dark. Yes. Like for a comedy, remarkably unpleasant. Like it's dark. Yes. People are constantly comedy, remarkably unpleasant. Like it's dark. People are constantly getting hurt. It's really kind of awful. But we like that.

Yeah. Who doesn't? People being hurt, having to sleep in the park, being mugged. Like where's the joke? Yeah. And it's like, so it is. Oh no, I need a root canal. Yeah.

That's it. Wouldn't you put Prisoner of Second Avenue in that category as well? Yeah. Yeah, I love that movie. Us too. And it's it. Wouldn't you put Prisoner of Second Avenue in that category as well? Yeah. Yeah, I love that movie. Us too. And it's funny. Prisoner of Second, that was Jack Lemmon in the movie. And I saw it on Broadway with Peter Falk.

Oh, did he do it on Broadway? Yeah. Yeah. That was a very good movie. You saw it with Peter Falk and Lee Grant. Yeah. Yeah. Who we're going to have on the show.

Oh, that's nice. Next week we have Lee Grant. Yeah, and Anne Bancroft. The wonderful Anne Bancroft, who's so beautiful in that movie and great in that movie. I really like that movie. I don't find it as dark as what we were just talking about. It's that dark side of Neil Simon, though, if you will. Yeah. And they want to get a children's camp because he can't get a job

and they're like want to put money and buy a camp. It's really sad. We're just we're suckers for any New York movie of the 70s.

Yeah. Basically. And he steals Sylvester Stallone's wallet. That's right. That's right. I got him back. I finally got him.

Yeah. You left your wallet on the counter. That's not your wallet. Right. Yeah. And then he goes, oh my God,

I mugged a kid. Yes, Stallone is on screen for like a second. Yeah, just running from Jack Lemmon in terror. Isn't he a hoodlum

in Bananas 2? Yes. Yeah, on the subway with the porno magazines. Right. I just, which brings me back to Harrison Ford in some movie shows up as a bellboy.

Really? And he walks in the hotel lobby and he goes, a letter for you, sir, and walks out. Wow. I should know this. Yeah. Shame on me that I don't. There's so many people we can ask you about so many things. I mean, since we're talking about Neil Simon, I mean, what was your experience of,

you work with arguably the two greatest comedic writers of the latter part of the 20th century, Neil Simon and Mel Brooks. Yeah. Well, it was amazing. Neil Simon, I was just starting, and I auditioned for his play, Brighton Beach Memoirs. And I read for the casting director a couple of times. And then eventually I read on, I stood on a Broadway stage and I knew that Neil Simon was out there, you know, and i could see him i don't maybe shook his hand could see his glasses out in the house you know and he was so famous at that time that i was i remember thinking like i was surprised it was a man i thought it was like a a small factory in uh a town in new jersey i thought that's what neil simon was yeah like It must be a team of people. Neil and Simon.

Yeah. Like it's a company that makes shows. Right. Manufacture shows. That's interesting. Yeah. I was really surprised

that it was just him. And then I, yeah, and then, yeah, it was an amazing thing to happen. I got the part.

I don't know how that happened. And then you worked for him in a lot of Neil Simon productions. then the same day as I read happened and then you worked for him a lot then i worked for him he did my then the same day as i read when i finally read for him and the director in the morning and they were like hang around and uh uh we want you to read with zelko ivanoff who's going to be playing the brother see if you have good chemistry and then while we're waiting for zelko will you take a look at this movie script and I looked at it and they said

will you read some and I said I have to leave but I can I'll come back but I got I made I was lying because I wanted to cheat and I did I went and got coffee and I read as much of the script as I could so that I'd have a little but I came back and I sat with the director, Herb Ross, in the audience of this Broadway theater. And we read every scene of the screenplay together. Then I went back on stage and did the play scene again with with Jalko Ivanovic. I'd been there by at this point, you know, many hours. And when I was leaving, the casting director said, you had a good day. And I was like, did I get that movie?

And she said, yeah, both. Wow. Oh, my God. And I had had Torch Song. So that had made a difference. But I really walked out of that theater with my first movie and a lead in a Broadway play. So what was it like walking down the street, real heist?

Very surreal. I was floating. i was like a cartoon character i don't know what i didn't really know what to think i was i went to get some food with zelko who was going to be playing the brother and i said i guess we're doing a minute as they said so they can't take it back now right and he said no i don't think so. And then we went to some diner, and I remember at the pay phone, I called my father and told him. And he was flipped out with excitement, and he was already sick too. And until I heard him, when I heard him go, oh, my God, are you serious?

Oh, my God. He was like that, you know. I had not released any of that, but when I heard him do it, I was like, wow, this must be good news. Well, you know a had never i had not released any of that but when i heard him do it i was like wow this must be good news well you know a veteran actor right he knows he you know yeah he was very excited but i was sort of too stunned or something i didn't know what to make well and you'd had the negative experience first right with no small affair yes i had one of the worst yeah i was cast the lead in a movie opposite sally field Martin Ritt. They both won Oscars.

Great Martin Ritt. I auditioned again a million times. They were like, I remember leaving and I overheard Sally Field say, he's perfect. He trips all over himself. Oh, wow. So I didn't love hearing that, but okay. And I got to play it all. I didn't trip.

I didn't trip. But I got the part. I didn't trip, but I got the part. And nobody seemed to be getting along all that well while we were shooting. And I could just sense a little tension. And then the tension sort of came at me a little bit. They'd say, you know, no, do it again. Open it up.

I was yelling. I'd never been yelled at by a director. I got yelled at a little bit. Then I got to the Central Park where my little camper was, and they were like, well, we have a little delay in shooting, but hang out, and then more delay. And then I was playing catch with some of the crew. There was a football or something, and they were like, go home. And then the next day they were like, don't come in.

Marty's not feeling well. And a few days later my agent called and said, are you sitting down? This was two weeks into shooting. And he said, it's over. The whole movie's canceled. It's never happened. They're getting an insurance thing. So did you think at that point you should get a job in a pizza store or something?

What I really thought was, well, obviously, since I got that, I'm going to be fine. I'll get another one but I then started but I was wrong I started out I mean I didn't really think that I was like I think my career just ended and I'm 19 is what I thought

which was sort of true because then I would go read for things and be like I'm the guy from No Small Affair and they'd be like yeah yeah, that doesn't matter. And I just was right back. Like nobody cared about me or liked me at all. Like I auditioned for a summer stock version of House of Blue Leaves, this monologue, this kid, you know, he's going to blow up the Pope. This is long, famous speech.

And I worked, I was like, even though it's just two weeks in the Berkshires, I want, I'm going to work hard on it. And I did. And I got through a quarter of a paragraph and they said, thank you. You know, get out. And I was like, God damn, I can't even, I'm nothing. I was really that, that was one of the lows for some reason, that audition, I cried in the elevator because I was like, it's added up to nothing. Right. I would read for like a director that knew my father and he'd be like, no. Like I could not get a part. Things changed.

Things changed because of Torch Song Trilogy, which was not something everybody was like thinking would do that. It was a little play in a little theater. And Harvey Fierstein liked me and hired me. And then that play became like a sensation. So that's what, once that happened, then, then you're reading for Neil Simon and you're the guy from that play that everybody's talking about. And then everything is a hundred times easier that's what that's what did it it's kind of it's inspirational because there you were at 19 thinking it's over yeah and you had not even begun to to turn the corner yeah it's inspirational and and lucky and you never know what the hell that you lose a part you really want and it made you free for something

else i mean careers are just bizarre, aren't they? They are. They are. You wind up down a different road than the one you thought you were going down. And one thing we have in common is we're both Disney characters. That's true.

Oh, you guys are in a fraternity. Are you in Lion King? I'm in Aladdin. You're in Aladdin. I'm a Yago the parrot. Uh-huh. And you're in Lion King. I'm in Aladdin. I'm a Yago the parrot. And you're in Lion King. I'm Adult

Simba. Yeah. I like saying that because I like that I'm Adult Simba. It's like an encounter group. Adult Simba? That's my name. Adult Simba. I'm Adult Simba and I'm an alcoholic. Yeah. I didn't tell my mother that I was an alcoholic. Oh, that's funny. Yeah. I didn't tell my mother that I was...

Oh, that's funny. Yeah. I ate a zebra that I shouldn't have. I remember, I forget what it was for, because I remember I've run into you at voiceover sessions. Yeah. Because I'd be doing something because i'd be doing something you'd be doing and and i i once heard a story that they said to you well you're going to be playing the father of this character

and so you got to work on a voice for it yeah and you said well what about my own voice? And they said, oh. I don't remember that. That's funny. I do remember auditioning for like a commercial and doing it, and they were like, you don't sound like you. Yeah. I was in the booth, and I was like, well, that can't be true. I know it's me, so this has to be sounding like me because I am me. So there's no way that I could dump that.

It's so funny. They're like, well, I remember hearing a story that they got Peter Lorre to do a voiceover one time. And they say, we want you to say, hello, it's Peter Lorre. And he goes, hello, it's Peter Lorre. And they said, no, no, no. Hello, it's Peter Lorre. And they said, no, no, no. Hello, it's Peter Lorre. And he goes, hello, it's Peter Lorre. No, still not good enough.

He couldn't do a good Peter Lorre imitation. I guess that was my problem, yeah. We will return to Gilbert Gottfried's amazing colossal podcast. But first, a word from our sponsor. Well, what do you want to talk about? We can talk about Christopher Walken. We're watching our time because Matthew has to go, and he's going to be on stage in a little bit.

Just want to give you a couple of choices on the questions. A little bit maybe about Christopher Walken. Oh, yeah, I wanted to ask about Christopher Walken too. And Biloxi Blues. And you guys watched it again last week. You guys are a great team. Yeah.

Funny and scary. Yeah. Which both of us. That movie. Oh. And the tension. Yeah, yeah. That's what it should be.

He's one of my favorite actors, Chris Walken. I've worked with him twice. And I've seen him and I always see him when he's on stage, you know, and I love him. He's one of my very favorite actors. Christopher Walken, I heard always, well, he's done a few, he's shown it a few times, like in Pennies from Heaven.

But he really wanted to be a song and dance man. Yeah, and I believe he was one. I think he was a hoofer for a time. He was a trained, I think he was like a chorus guy, you know, or an ensemble guy, as they would say. Yeah, because in Pennies from Heaven, he's terrific. Oh, that's the greatest scene. Yeah. Isn't he great in that?

He's unbelievable. He's great in the Anderson tapes, which I think is his first movie. I know. That's another Sidney Lumet. Yeah. Yeah. And I just always love him. And I loved, loved working with him.

He's just the most, and he's so tuned in to you and generous, loves talking about a scene and always made me feel good. Like he's, there's some actors who just make you feel like you're being, he just wants you to be good. Makes it so much easier. He's a wonderful actor.

What do you got, Gil? Nothing. I don't want to talk to you. Yeah, I don't blame you. I'm sick of you guys, if that helps. Speaking of your friend, Kenneth Lonergan. Yeah. Just another terrific movie. Yeah. You're not in it all that much, but you can Lonergan. Yeah. Just another terrific movie.

Yeah. You're not in it all that much, but you can count on me. Yeah. Which I've talked about on this show. And I just saw Margaret. Margaret, yeah. Which I know had a tortured path to the screen. I had a tortured path.

And he's got one called Manchester by the Sea coming in the fall, which is. Oh, good. I'm glad he's directing another feature. It was the Darling of Sundance, which usually... I bet no one will ever see it. Yeah, that's gone. But not this one. It's really... He got, like, the best

reviews of his career. It's a wonderful movie, that one. I want to tell our listeners, too, check out Margaret, and You Can Count on Me, which is just pitch perfect. And I heard you were saying that a lot of times people stop you in the street and ask how your wife is doing.

Yeah. Or they just say, I like your wife. Thanks. Thank you. Thank you very much. I've also had people just say simply, are you Sarah Jessica Parker?

Those people don't usually, their English isn't their first language sometimes. Excuse me, are you Sarah Jessica Parker? That's hilarious. I never know what to say. Yes, I am. Yes. Who are you, if I may? Yeah.

You want to talk about Mr. Brooks, who turned 90 yesterday? God. Melvin Kaminsky? Melvin Kaminsky. Well, he's just, you know, I wish I could. Yeah, I got to know him pretty darn well, but I haven't seen him in a while. He lives in L.A. That man is a genius.

And I grew up on, you know, the 2,000-year-old man. Maybe you did too. Oh, yeah, sure. I'm like a million of us who fell asleep with the headphones on. Oh, yes. Were you a comedy album fan in general? Yeah. And that one I knew backward and forward.

2013 was the one I had first. And I had the record of Young Frankenstein. They would make records out of a movie sometimes. Oh, sure. We talked about that on the show. Yeah, I know that by heart. So to me, when I was a kid, Mel Brooks was – Oh, my God.

I went to see my father who was shooting Family at 20th Century Fox. I remember that show. It was a good show. Your father was picked, I think, the New York Critics or something as the best. Oh, TV Guide. Oh, yeah. Picked him as one of the greatest fathers. Oh, that's nice.

That was a sweet show. Family. Yeah. He was a good real dad, too. Mostly. I'll have a few criticisms. There was this parking space that said Mel Brooks. You know, they would.

Yeah. I don't know if they still do it. They would paint the name to have your own space at 20th Century Fox. You know, see Gene Wilder, Mel Brooks, Dom DeLuise or whatever. It was amazing. Yeah. You know. And now I got to bring up Godzilla. Yeah?

Why? Okay. Are you going to? Do you like that one? No. Okay. Oh, God. All right.

What was your opinion of Godzilla? Well, I thought it was pretty, you know, I thought it was pretty good. Got some good in jokes. Well. Yeah. You know, it's one of those movies where they destroy everything. I like those movies. Oh, yeah. I didn't see what the problem was. But, you know, and Roland Emmerich, the director of it, is a very good friend of mine.

And everybody worked very hard on it. And it made a lot of money, too. And it got beat up. And I don't know. Yeah it made a lot of money too. And it got beat up. And I don't know. Yeah. You know, I tried. Maybe I'm not the right, for your listeners at home,

I'm now gesturing running. He's gesturing running. Over my shoulder in fear, which is why I'm not good at that. Little trivia. The fisherman, Ralph Manza, the guy, the little old man that put the, he's in the trailer, the that throws the water in the...

Oh, yes, and then the big thing comes out of the water. He's also the guy who plays Hitler in the cafeteria scene, the commissary scene in Blazing Saddles. Is that right? Yeah. Oh, wow. A little trivia. Okay. And Matthew's got to run because he's got to get on stage.

You have to get back. Can I tell you one thing before they... No, go. All right. Okay. No, sure. Go. All right. Okay. No, go. Just because we said about Mel Brooks, I met back then in the commissary when Jason Robards was eating with me and he took me out and we went through the fancy area of the commissary and Mel Brooks was there.

He said, Jason, Jason Robards. He stood up at the table and he said, I have a roll for you. I have a wonderful roll for you. It's a Kaiser role. That is great. And then he said, no, I'm kidding. We love you. We love you at the right price.

You know, you remember those jokes because I'd never seen Mel Brooks in person. When I saw you guys in the producers and Nathan pulled out every, I mean, am I wrong that he was doing a little bit of an homage to every, to Burt Lahr and Jackie Gleason and Luke Costello? Yeah. I know he's a showbiz historian. Oh, he sure is. He pulled out Burt, I mean, and Ed Wynn.

Everybody was in that performance. And of course, Zero Muscle. And Zero himself, of course. And various dramatic roles. He put anything, we both, we'd been in a long time. We started just doing whatever play we felt like doing. Keep yourself amused. Yeah.

Right. Yeah, that was great. We barely scratched the surface with this man. Well, because I'm so old and I've done a lot. 35 years. Thank you for your lovely comments about Ferris Bueller. I've never had that happen before. Like I said, I hate you and Ferris Bueller because I hate Ferris Bueller.

Oh, I get you. Yeah, that makes sense. But I believe you. So I did a good job being a hateful person. I believe you as this total smartass, obnoxious kid. And I also believe you as these losers. Right. That's a good compliment.

I'm being complimented. And I know. I mean, it really is. Both characters. I go, oh, my God. Yeah. I'm feeling it both ways. So you are a fine actor.

Thank you. Thank you. And now we have to go. This has been Gilbert Gottfried. The man has to go. He's still working. Yes, so what do you have? I'm wrapping up.

This has been Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast with my co-host Frank Santopadre. And we have been talking to the Irish Jew, Matthew Broderick. Hi, be shameaming be shalom. Yeah. Thanks, Matthew. Thanks for being a sport and putting up with his... Yeah, it was a real pleasure.

It's a busy day for you and I appreciate it. Oh, yeah. We both appreciate it. No problem. Thank you for having me. Thank you.