The Daily Show: Ears Edition - The Magical, Wonderful Road to Impeachment - Trump Acquitted | Neil Patrick Harris
Episode Date: February 16, 2021Donald Trump is acquitted in his second impeachment trial, The Daily Show correspondents talk about their year under lockdown, and Neil Patrick Harris discusses his role on "It's a Sin." Learn more a...bout your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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You're listening to Comedy Central.
When 60 Minutes premiered in September 1968, there was nothing like it.
This is 60 Minutes. It's a kind of a magazine for television.
Very few have been given access to the treasures in our archives.
But that's all about to change.
Like none of this stuff gets looked at. That's what's incredible. I'm Seth Done of CBS News, listen to 60 Minutes, a second look, starting September 17th,
wherever you get your podcasts.
Well, hey, what's going on, everybody?
I'm Trevor Noah, and this is the daily social distancing show.
Today is February 15th, which means it's President's Day. And if you forgot to get your president's a gift, don't, to, to, to, to, to, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, th, th, th, th, th, thi, thi, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, listen, listen, listen, listen, listen, listen, listen, listen, listen, listen, listen, listen, listen, listen, listen, listen, listen, thiiiii, th, listen th, th, th, thii's thi's thi's all thi's all thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi's all all all all all thi means it's President's Day and if you
forgot to get your president a gift don't worry all those Valentine's teddy
bears at the gas station are on sale right now. Anyway on tonight's show how
Stonehenge gentrified England COVID is now made in the USA and you're invited
to Donald Trump's Victory Party. Plus Neil Patrick Harris is joining us on the show.
So let's do this, people.
Welcome to the Daily Social Distancing Show.
From Trevor's Couch in New York City to your couch somewhere in the world.
This is the Daily Social Distancing Show with Trevor Noa.
Ears Edition.
Let's kick things off with Stonehenge, England's second oldest national treasure.
For centuries, people have been visiting Stonehenge, even though no one knows for sure what
it means.
It's basically the ancient version of a Kanye Weir's tweet.
But now, we're learning that if you try to visit Stonehenge when it first went up, you
might not have found it there in the same place.
A dramatic discovery has linked Stonehenge
to its original site in Wales.
Archaeologists from University College London
uncovered the remains of an ancient stone circle in Wales
and supports the theory that the monument was dismantled there
and then dragged over 140 miles to Wilts in England.
Okay, I'm sorry, but that is incredible.
Stonehenge was moved 140 miles?
How?
And also, why?
What was the difference between a field in Wales
and a field in England in prehistoric times?
No one was like, the schools are much better there,
plus there are so many good restaurants you can walk to? But at least now, we finally understand why that that that that that that thine thine thine thine thine thine thine the thuuu. th. their th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. tho. thi. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. And, th. And, th. And, th. And th. And th. And th. th. thin, th. theeean. thin. th. then, thean. thean. thean. thean. thean. thean. thean. th you can walk to. But at least now, we finally understand why Stonehenge looks so weird.
It's because they took the whole thing apart, brought it to England, and then realized
they forgot to bring the instructions. I mean, without those, you're screwed.
Ah, maybe the stone goes here. Why do we have so many screws left over?
Do you put them, I think they're supposed to be next to each other?
Either way, I think it's incredible that they were able to move those giant stones.
But I also feel really bad for whoever they roped into helping them.
Because back then, there were no good excuses to bail on things.
I would love to help you about moving the stones, but I have a cello recital tomorrow. Cellos don't exist yet.
Yep, you're right.
I will see you there to move the stones.
But let's move on now to the coronavirus pandemic.
The reason you got a fake ID saying that you're 65.
For weeks, the big fear has been about the dangerous variance of the virus from the UK and South Africa
that are now spreading around the globe. But now, the the the the the United the the the thuuucecececececececece. thuice thuio This thuio This thu. thu. thu. thusus, thoves thoves thoves thoes thoes thoes, thoes, thoes. thoes, thoes, thoes, thoes, thoes, thoes, to move to move to move to move to move to move to move to move to move to move to move to move to move to move to move to move to move. I to move tooes. I tooes. I thoes. I thoes. thoes. thoes. thoes. the thoes. thoes. thoes, thoes. thoes. tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho to tho to tho to to tho to to to to to to to to to to to tho now spreading around the globe. But now, the United States is getting some mutations of its own.
This morning, growing concerns about variants of the coronavirus.
The New York Times reports, doctors have now found seven variants of the virus
that originated in the US, spotlighting the urgent need for better tracking of cases and mutations.
All of these variants had the same exact mutation.
Now that could just be a coincidence,
but some researchers are worried that could this mean
that the virus is getting smarter and adapting.
That's right, people.
There are now variants of the coronavirus
that were made in the United States,
which means these new coronas don't even believe in corona.
And what's depressing to realize is that throughout the pandemic, the virus has been getting
smarter and smarter, while us humans only seem to be getting less brain-good-er, less good-brained.
But let's be honest, this is kind of our fault, people.
We as humans let this virus spread so easily
that we gave it lots of chances to mutate and evolve.
You know, it's like what happened with alternative milks.
We let soy milk slide, then almond milk, and then oak milk,
and now we're like two months away from the barista asking us if we want fish milk.
And yeah, I do want some fish milk, so the pandemic is moving. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, th. th. th, th, th, thi, thi, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th. th. We, th. We, th. We, th. We, th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. to th. to thi, thi, that, that, that, that, that, that, thus, thus, thus, thus, to to to to to to to to to to the,. So, the pandemic is moving into a new phase. But we're still learning a lot about how so many things went wrong up until now.
And it looks like one person that many of us gave a lot of credit to
might have been hiding some things.
Growing fallout for New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and his administration,
over withholding COVID-deaftoll numbers in nursing homes.
The growing scrutiny comes just weeks after New York Attorney General Latisha James
released a report claiming the state had undercounted nursing home deaths by as much as 50%.
State health officials acknowledged the death toll was more than 15,000,
much higher than originally reported.
A top Cuomo aid admitted withholding data for months over concerns the Trump Justice
Department might use the info against them.
Those comments sparked immediate backlash among lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.
State Republicans going so far as to say he should be impeached.
Wow. Really, Governor Cuomo?
You lowered your own numbers to make yourself look better?
Phew! Guess who just got uninvited to my 29th birthday next week?
And the explanation for this, the explanation that they're going with is that they thought
the Trump administration would use the high nursing home deaths against them, which, yeah,
usually if you're not doing a good job, it gets used against you.
That's the whole point of data.
This would be like if the Kansas City Chief said,
come on, you're going to look at the scoreboard?
Isn't it enough that I'm telling you that I won the Super Bowl?
Come on!
And when you think about it,
messing with COVID-nuble to make yourself look better is just about the the the you can do, which is ironic. Since the main reason Cuomo became a pandemic hero
is that he was giving informative, coherent press conferences
while Trump was trying to inject people with bleach.
It's like, if you take a bowl of chef Boyard D
and you put it next to a bowl of worms,
the fact that it's next to something so disgusting
makes those worms look really delicious.
Like, look, man, I don't care th a. For me, you cannot justify doing the wrong thing
because you say, oh, Trump might have or might not have,
or will have what, no, you did the wrong thing.
Hey, Batman, did you kill those innocent people?
I had to do it.
You should have seen what the joker was going to do to them.
Like, worse than kill them? No further questions. But let's move on now from a governor who might be getting impeached
to a president who just beats impeachment.
In our final installment, probably,
of the magical wonderful road to impeachment.
The magical, wonderful road to impeachment is where the ghost.
It's probably presidential harassment.
Impeachment. It's the most presidential thing Donald Trump has ever done.
And after a full week of arguments in Trump's second Senate trial, it all came down to this.
Former President Donald Trump tonight declared not guilty of the impeachment charge
he incited insurrection at the Capitol on January 6th.
And he is hereby acquitted of the charge in said article.
Seven Republican senators voting with Democrats to convict, 57 to 43.
The most bipartisan Senate impeachment vote in history, but far short of the two-thirds majority needed to convict.
Yes, the bad news for Donald Trump is that seven members of his own
party said that he was guilty, which is unprecedented. The good news for him is
it wasn't enough. So Trump is free to go baby! 2024 here we come!
Oh and we get him the whole crew back together. Steve Bannon, Jared Kushner,
that dude with the horns, Mike Pence, sorry about trying to get you killed,
but that's in the past now, let's do this.
And true to his form,
Trump got acquitted 43 to 57.
This dude just loves losing the popular vote.
And I get that as disappointing for a lot of people,
but we should know this by now. th th. He wiggles his way out of accountability.
Trying to hold Trump responsible for his crimes is like trying to kill a
fruit fly. It's just like, ha! I got it this time. Then you open your hands, he's
not even there. He's already halfway across the room, sitting on your
girlfriend's boob. And this was actually a bit of a tricky situation for Republicans. Because polls show that most Americans don't like Trump and
think he should have been convicted.
But the GOP base still loves Trump and would turn against anyone who votes against him faster
than Buffy fans turned on Josh Weedin.
So to make everybody happy, senators came up with a really amazing and bullshit excuse
that even if Trump was guilty, they couldn't do anything about it because he's already out of office.
And nobody rolled around in that bullshit more than my man,
Mitch McConnell.
There's no question.
Done.
That President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day.
We have no power to convict and disqualify a former office holder
who is now a private citizen.
As an ordinary citizen, unless the statute of limitations is run still liable for everything he did while he's in office.
Didn't get away with anything yet.
Yet.
We have a criminal justice system in this country.
We have civil litigation.
And former presidents are not immune from being accountable by either one.
Wow.
Yet's another profile in courage from Mitch McConnell.
Basically what he's saying is Trump caused the riots.
Trump is super guilty, and Mitch just hopes
that someday someone else will do something about it.
I mean, look, nobody's actually buying this explanation.
Out of anyone, Mitch McConnell is the one person who always finds a way to get things
done if he wants to get it done.
This dude is so effective he has federal judges on the French Supreme Court.
I don't know how he got here, but the law is the law, so electric cars are illegal.
But now, all of a sudden, Mitch is coming up with excuses just so that he doesn't have
to take a stand.
And I just have one question, Senator McConnell.
How can you even look at yourself?
I never have, Trevor.
Every time I look in the mirror, it kills itself.
Oh, okay.
But thanks to Mitch and 42 other Republicans,
Donald Trump managed to beat off the charges against him.
And now his friends and family are beating off in general.
This was a big win for team Trump.
The former president's taking a victory lap, not showing any signs of remorse or regret.
After yesterday's verdict, Trump attorney Michael Vanderveen was seen fist bumping another member
of the defense saying we're going to Disney World, as if they had just won the Super Bowl. Mr. Trump's son Eric posting this this this this th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. to, th. th. to, th. to, th. to, th. th. to, to, to, to, to, to, the th. to, to, to, to to to to to to to to to, to to to, to, to, to th. th. th. th. th. the the the th. the the th. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. to. to. to. to. to. to to to th. th. the the th. thi. the the the the the. the the the. thi. thi. thi. toe. thi. to. to. to. to. th. th.'re going to Disney World, as if they had just won the Super Bowl.
Mr. Trump's son, Eric, posting this on Twitter to nothing.
Now that's what I'm talking about.
Two and O.
Obama never even won a single impeachment.
Shit's embarrassing.
I mean, say what you want, but Trump is the acquittal goat.
Sorry, OJ. You had a good run, but Trump got acquitted twice.
And he's responsible for more deaths.
And you might think 2-0 is as good as it gets.
But I think Trump might even have a third impeachment in him.
Eight months from now, Congress could just be like,
Ah, damn it, we'n't, that Trump sold the Declaration of Independence on eBay! Oh, thi th th th th th th th th th th th thu thu thu thu thu thu thu thu thu thu thu thu thu thu thu thu thu thu thu thu thu thr- thr- thr- thr-an thro-n' thr-an' thr-an' thr-an' thr-an' thi thi thi. And thi. And thi thi. And thi. And thi. And tho tho thi. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. thi. thi. And thi. And thi. And thi. And thi. And thi. And thr-a' thr-s throoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. vote to acquit. Damn it, Mitch!
But for now, if you're celebrating alongside Team Trump and you want to remember this day
forever, well here's an offer you won't want to miss.
It's official, President Trump has won his second impeachment trial on technical grounds.
And now you can celebrate with the president with the new
Trump acquittal collection, including the official acquittal t-shirt, the
official acquittal blanket, and the official acquittal coffee mug. Order now and
you'll get real copies of the Trump defense's use trial notes. All purchases come with a baseball bat and flex cuffs
for the next time we march on therial notes. All purchases come with a baseball bat and flex cuffs for the
next time we march on the Capitol peacefully. Wink wink! Let's save some time
this spring. Be there. We'll be wild. Oh man I'm getting the hoodie. All right when
we come back our correspondence tell us what they learned during the pandemic and Neil
Patrick Harris is joining me on the show, so don't
go away.
When 60 Minutes premiered in September 1968, there was nothing like it.
This is 60 Minutes. It's a kind of a magazine for television.
Very few have been given access to the treasures in our archives.
But that's all about to change.
Like none of this stuff gets looked at.
That's what's incredible.
I'm Seth Done of CBS News.
Listen to 60 Minutes, a second look
on Apple podcasts starting September 17.
Welcome back to the daily social distancing show.
Although COVID is still a huge danger, the vaccine rollout is giving us all hope
that the end of the pandemic is in sight. And with that in mind, Roywood Jr. gathered some of the
news team to check in on how they spent their pandemic. Guys, the vaccines on its way, the pandemic's almost
over. So let's take stock. I know we all been locked up for about a year now. How's everybody doing. You know Roy, all all all all all all all all all this all this all this all this all this all this all this all this this this this this this this extra this extra this extra this extra this extra this extra th. All th. All this extra th. this extra th. this extra th. th. th. th. thi the thi. the the the the the the the the the the the the the the their their their their their their their their their their their their. their. their. their. the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the th. thi. thi. th. th. th. th. th. te. te. te. te. te. te. te. th. th. th. th. th. th. the. the. the. th. take stock. I know we all been locked up for about a year now. How's everybody doing? You know Roy, all this extra time at home really hasn't been that bad. I took up crochet and it's actually kind of fun.
Whoa, are you going to make me a scarf? Yeah, totally right after I finish off these mittens.
Wow. Michael, what have you been up to? Well, you guys know I always wanted to paint. Uh, yeah. Well, this year I took up oil painting. Wow! Oh my God, that's
amazing. Seriously, Koster. Those are impressive. Man, I'm so inspired now.
Talked myself how to play piano. Bought this one on eBay, fixed it up using YouTube tutorials.
Sounds good, right? Boy, that is killer.
I love it.
So Ronnie, what have you been up to all this time?
Nothing. I just basically sat here.
Oh, okay. Like, like meditation?
Yeah, yeah. No.
Just like freaking out in silence for nine months.
Okay, well, that's cool, Ronnie.
Michael, is that a schooner?
It is.
Oh my god, does you really know your sailboats?
Well, I spent a week in June studying wooden ships.
Oh my god.
Well, then you're going to love this.
It's the US Constitution.
Oh my God, the only wooden ships still in commission by the U.S. Navy Navy Navy Navy Navy Navy Navy Navy Navy Navy Navy Navy Navy Navy Navy Navy Navy Navy Navy Navy Navy Navy Navy Navy.. to to to to to th. to th. thii. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. th, th, th, th, th, th, that's, th. th. that's, that's, thi. thi. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. that's, that's, that's, that's that's, that's, that's that's, that's, that's, that's, that's, that's, thi. Oh my God, the only wooden ship still in
commission by the US Navy. What the hell? What is wrong with you guys? What kind of
maniac uses the apoclyse for self-improvement? Well, guilty is charged. I'm
rocking a six-pack now? Oh yeah, mmm, never felt better. I made some changes too.
Totally revent my diet. Get rid of all the refined sugars, Ronnie if you want, I'll mill you you some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some the the the the the the the the their their their their their their their their their c. the their their c. their commission. their commission in commission in commission in commission in commission in commission in commission in commission in c. I'm still in commission in c. I'm in commission in c. I'm in c. I'm in c. I'm in c. I'm in c. I'm in c. I'm in the six the six the six the six the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the their the their their the their their. the the the the the the the th. th. the the the th. the the too. Totally revent my diet. Get rid of all the refined sugars, Ronnie, if you want,
I'll mill you some of my bread recipes.
No, I don't want to make goddamn bread at home.
So many problems out in the world.
They're not going away just by making some facaccia.
Actually, it's Focacha.
I also learned Italian.
You know, one of the biggest the shout out to my ladies in the old country. Grasia, Ragaza!
Oh my god, I love Italy. It's actually the setting for my third novel. It's about a Venetian
prince who fell out of favor with the Pope but then finds true love with a stablemaid named Rosaria.
Shut the fuck up. Okay, who had the energy to do all this? I cut my hair once in May and it was a disaster, and that was it.
I spent the rest of the time looking at houses on Zillow in random towns all over the country.
Oh, any towns you like?
No?
Caspar, Wyoming?
Oh, yeah, 82601.
What?
That's the zip code for Casper, Wyoming. I memorized the whole country back in April. Ugh, wasn't April a mess?
The only thing I managed to do was learn telekinesis.
Wow. Okay.
Great. You guys did stuff, somehow.
Looks like I wasted my year.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, Ronnie. Don't be so hard on yourself, okay?
Now look, I'm not a psychiatrist.
I have another semester before I become one.
But I think the important thing to remember in these times is that the biggest accomplishment
we can make is survival.
And you've done that, Ronnie, so you should be proud.
Hold your head up high.
You did it, man. Yeah, you're right. I did survive.
Wait, wait, Ronnie, just a second.
Done.
Damn Costa, that's awesome.
Aw, he looks so sad.
Oh, I know, he does.
It's got me filling.
Okay, so great talking to you guys. As usual, I'm gonna go stay at my ceiling until June.
Bye, Ronnie.
I'm with you, Ronnie.
I barely learned any new languages myself.
All right, when we come back, Neil Patrick Harris is joining us on the show, so don't go away.
When 60 Minutes premiered in September 1968, there was nothing like it.
This is 60 Minutes.
It's a kind of a magazine for television.
Very few have been given access to the treasures in our archives.
But that's all about to change.
Like none of this stuff gets looked at.
That's what's incredible.
I'm Seth Done of CBS News.
Listen to 60 Minutes, a second look,
starting September 17th, wherever you get your podcasts.
Welcome back to the Daily Social Distancing Show.
Earlier today, I spoke with award-winning actor Neil Patrick Harris.
We talked about his new limited series that explores the beginning of the AIDS crisis in
the UK and working with Nicholas Cage.
Neil Patrick Harris, welcome to the Daily Social Distancing Show.
Thank you so much, man.
This is my first time on the show.
I'm excited and a little bit nervous.
How can you be nervous?
I'm the one who should be nervous because I mean like,
Neil Patrick Harris has touched so many of the greatest shows and movies and productions
and everything's that we know of.
I always find myself wondering in a career like yours.
Do you think you have the Midas touch or do you just know where Midas is and what he's about a touch?
Man, that's so flattering.
I like to sort of see if I can live in Kevin Bacon's wake.
And be a few degrees away from the real man who's a few degrees away from everyone.
I'm old, mate. I've been around for a while doing a lot of disparate things.
So thankfully I get to keep working
in like weird ways I'd never imagined.
I think sure, but like hosting award shows, weird, never part of the plot, writing books, weird,
like I'm just do weird stuff lately, so you know, it is what it is.
You've historically just been one of the most busy people out there. Like you said, writing, singing, performing on Broadway, acting in movies, the th, weird, weird, weird, weird, the the th, th, th, th, weird, th, weird, th, th, weird, th, weird, weird, weird, th, weird, weird, th, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird weird weird weird weird, weird weird, weird weird, weird, weird, weird weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, ti, ti, ti, ti, ti, ti, th, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, we we wea, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, weird, is what it is. You've historically just been one of the most busy people out there. Like, like you said, writing, singing, performing on Broadway, acting in movies, TV shows,
hosting shows.
So what have you been doing at the height of the pandemic?
Because there was a period where nobody could work.
So what were you doing?
Yeah, well, I was working right as the pandemic started.
I was filming the matrix four in San Francisco and that was right when everything started being a little bit
cuckoo at the beginning of last year and then I we came home we're about to
head to Berlin to film the second half of the movie there and the lockdown
happened so that got held for a while I got COVID, my husband, our kids and we all
got COVID early on and so we were just hunkered down, we were fine,
like medium on a spicy level.
We were like a four.
And then, so then we were, we had antibodies and we felt fine.
So we weren't, you know, as nervous as some people around us were.
But we just kept to ourselves.
I've been working a bit,
so it was actually kind of nice to exist.
We were kind of, we had finished renovating a place
and we were able to move in.
And I don't know, I thought, we have 10-year-old kids,
my husband and I, and I think it's important to be showing them the positive aspects of this as much as the negative, the the the the the the the, the, the, thiii, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, to to to thiiiiiiiiiiiii, to thii, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, them the positive aspects of this as much as the negative.
This is normal to them.
It's a little abnormal, but it's not super weird like it is to adults.
So we've been just acknowledging that this is what it is and spending time together, sitting
in each other's sauce and trying to break up fights.
And I really feel like I know my family more than I ever have, and that's chaotic, but it's also kind of fantastic.
So I've been blessed.
Then I went to Berlin, filmed more of that movie.
I went to Budapest and filmed a movie with Nicholas Cage.
I never thought.
Why do you, yeah, why do you sound surprised about you?
Like I went to Budapest? It feels like it was a stopover flight, and then all of a sudden you were in a movie with Nicholas, the way you just said, I was in Budapest,
then I was in a movie with Nicholas Cage?
Because I had just finished being in Berlin, Germany
filming a big giant movie, and I thought that was super cool
and that I can now, you know, sit back with my family for a while.
And then I got an email asking if I wanted to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to the bu bu bu bu bu bu bu but I was to to to to to the guy. Never thought I'd really be in Nicholas Cage's orbit. And in the middle of the pandemic, Woodaparge is completely locked down.
It was one of those fly there for multiple days of quarantine, film for two days.
Yes. I was there in this hotel, everything. No restaurants were open.
Oh yeah, no. It was really strange, right? So just a weird time to be traveling the globe filming things right now this last year.
But I did it. It's a comedy. It was super fun.
And Nicholas Cage is as lovely as you would imagine Nicholas Cage.
Have you met him before?
Have you met him before?
I love it.
I haven't.
I haven't.
But I also haven't been the VIP room ever. Let's talk about your new show that's
going to be premiering on HBO Max. It's already aired on the other side of the Atlantic
to really, really, really great receptions and that's a show called It's a Sin, a beautiful and powerful
story. Talk me a little through what this show is about. Well, it sort of does two things.
It's written and produced by Russell T. Davies, and he's prolific.
He did years and years, a very English scandal, Dr. Who.
He's done great, the original queerest folk in the UK, and then he wanted to do something
that was more personal to him. And so he wanted to do a five-part sort
larger story about HIV AIDS and how it came into the UK after it had been in the States in the 80s.
And no one had has really written that story. And so that's kind of the dynamic of it. It's a limited series.
It follows these people on the edge of adulthood from various parts of the UK that come together in London
and you're watching them all live these exciting lives of possibility and you really like them
and yet you're also watching knowing that this big shadow is slowly coming over everyone.
And so it's very emotional, it's very educational, but not
in a really pejorative kind of luxury way. You want these people to screw
each other literally and have fun and dance, you know, and yet you know what's
happening and you know what's coming. So it's a really interesting dynamic.
I play the mentor to one of the kids, a Savile Row Taylor guy what's coming. So it's a really interesting dynamic.
I play the mentor to one of the kids,
a Savile Row Taylor guy who's living kind of lovely monogamous,
old school, same-sex, couplehood life,
and is an example to one of the kids in the thing. So my part's not gigantic, but it's been really exciting to be a part of a piece of art that
turns into an education in a way that people are responding to legitimately well. My job is
actor. I don't feel comfortable in the role of educator. I'm not very educated. So when I am able
to be a part of something where people can be effective, where
a generation who lived in the world of HIV AIDS can really have a profound experience, reliving
things that they had experience, but more importantly, Trevor, to have a younger generation
that quite frankly doesn't really know much at all about HIV AIDS.
Right, right, right. That really legitimately doesn't know any of it, and how it happened and how it came to be, and what it means now,. where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where a th th th th th, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where a the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the th the the the the the the the the thi thi the the thi the thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi the. thi thi., right. That really legitimately doesn't know any of it
and how it happened and how it came to be,
and what it means now,
because essentially you can have,
you know, unprotected sex,
catch it, take a pill, you should be fine.
A lot of younger generation, that's all they know from it.
So to be able to educate in a way that's still kind of vibrant. That's like, that's a really, that's a really nice notch to have on a belt.
It's a beautiful story and, you know,
some of the comments I've seen about it,
especially from the UK,
have been many of the feelings I had
when just watching the first episode was,
was that it's interesting to explore the paradox
of the joy that was contained in a world that was
overshadowed as you said earlier by this ominous feeling. It feels like that
was important to show as well because sometimes stories tell one side of
a story, very sad or only happy. This seemed like it was a complicated
reality of what it was. That's very well said and and that's what I think is so great about it because the 80s were that, you know, had that kind that kind that kind that kind that kind that kind that kind that kind that kind that kind that kind that kind that kind that kind that kind that kind that kind that kind that kind that kind that that that that that that that that th th th th th th th th th th that thi thi, thi, th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. the, th. th. th. th. the, the the, the the the the th. th. th. th. th. th. th. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. th. th. thi I think is so great about it, because the 80s were
that, you know, had that kind of heartbeat to it.
And there's lots of scenes with people dancing in nightclubs and it's, there's a sexiness
to it, you know, so you also, you get intoxicated by that.
And yet at the same time, there's this voice on over your shoulder whispering in your ear saying
don't forget this is about HIV AIDS and it's a very serious topic and so as
you go it's you're you're concerned for the people and yes obviously without
spoiling anything not everyone in the cast survives because that's sort of
part of the the storytelling and then but
even in episode one wondering who all these people with great futures
wondering who's gonna mess up and how and what's gonna like who's gonna
survive it's a very treacherous tightrope of a show I don't know I was I think
Russell T. Davies has has had extraordinary writing after extraordinary writing he's he's he's he's a very treatment he, he's he's he's he he. He's he's he's he's he's he's he's he's he's he's he's. He's. He's. He's. He's. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He's. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. I was I think Russell T. Davies has had extraordinary writing
after extraordinary writing. He's he he makes content that is really really
really vital and and this is no different. Yeah, it's really been well received
in the UK and when it premieres in the US it's going to be interesting to see you know
how people resonate with the story and what they feel about it.
Before I let you go,
I would love to know how you worked on your accent
because one of the feuds that's constantly,
you know, brewing between the US and the UK,
is how people do the others' accents.
Everyone loved your accent.
How did you work on it? I have a pretty decent ear for accents, but I really didn't want to rely on that.
So there was a dialectician that I worked with a fair amount.
We went through the entire script.
We just sort of decided what type of person he was.
Right.
Did you, did you like do that thing where you like live in, like, were you walking around your house?
I would like some tea, please?
No, I went about a week early to walk around
and just kind of sit at pubs and listen to people
so that my ear was just in, in, in, in, in, live way.
The hardest part, to be honest,
was when we were filming, my accent, I was fine with my accent, I was fine. I.................. I, I, I was fine. the, I. th. th. I was fine. I. I was fine. I. I was fine. I was fine. I was fine. I was fine. th. I was fine. I was fine. I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was fine. I was fine. th. to. to. to. to. to. to. I. I. I was, I. I. I was, I was, I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I was, I. I was to. I was to. I was to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to to to to to to to to to to to to to toe. toe. toe. to. to. to. to. then between takes, I wasn't sure whether I should maintain the accent or whether I could drop it,
because I didn't want to seem like this weird method actor
that is always in character,
always speaking with a posh British accent,
and yet it seemed like it was equally strange
to drop it and talk with hard ours
the whole time in Manchester,
where everyone's talking like in my name.
And so I just, I just kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind kind the the to kind to kind kind to kind kind kind kind to kind of, I'm kind of the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the of split the difference. I probably talked more like a Brit than an American,
just to make it easier on myself.
But no, man, I have a massive talent crush on the UK.
I think the work that they do on television,
I think that the work that they do in film and on stage is really exciting and really important.
And I've always wanted to be a part of something like that. So I was
very conscientious about not just yawning and faking my way through an accent for
sure. Well just judging by the reviews I can safely say they've also got a crush
on you. Neil Patrick Harris thank you for joining me on the show.
Congratulations on another fantastic project and here's to the next Budapest my
friend. Cheers man. We'll see you. I appreciate it. Don't forget.
You can watch all episodes of It's a Sin on HBO Max starting February 18th.
All right, we're going to take a quick break, but we'll be right back after this.
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You're rolling?
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Like, none of this stuff gets looked at.
That's what's incredible.
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When 60 Minutes premiered in September 1968, there was nothing like it.
This is 60 Minutes. It's a kind of a magazine for television.
Very few have been given access to the treasures in our archives.
But that's all about to change.
Like none of this stuff gets looked at. That's what's incredible.
I'm Seth Done of CBS News. Listen to 60 Minutes, a second look on Apple podcasts starting September 17.