Andrew McCarthy: Very Good Pleasure To Meet You
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Hey. Hey, man. What's up? I'm so excited. This is going to be so much fun.

I mean, I don't even know where to begin. Do we have seven hours? I know, right? It's fun. In the podcast. First of all, you look fantastic. You're just in a tiny box. How do I get you in the middle of my thing? I know, you got to see the full power of the beauty that remains Rob Lowe. Oh, dude, I see it often. I see it everywhere. Hey, bae. What am I saying? Hey, bae. Hey, bae. Hey, bae. What's going on?

Jesus, this is not a good start for this podcast. Hey, baby, was that what I was saying? I don't know what I was saying. Anyway, hello. Hello, it's me. It's Rob Lowe. This is literally. I'm so excited. I feel like I say that a lot. I feel like, yeah, we get it. You're excited. But I have Andrew McCarthy on the show. Andrew McCarthy. Come on. Pretty in pink. I mean, St. Elmo's Fire. I hear that's a good movie. Class. We've known each other.

I mean, and been through so much together and the ups and downs of life and Brat Pack and 80s and surviving it. And he's written an amazing book called Brat, an 80s story, which is I don't I don't give up that so quickly to people about writing good books. I'm kind of a snob.

This book's good. Anyway, we've had this. This discussion is really, really, really fun and surprising. And I loved getting reunited with my man, Andrew McCarthy. Your book is fucking great. I love it.

Um, thank you. Wow. I am surprised you read it. Actually, you lived it. Why did you need to read it? Well, after I got done name checking me, of course, you gotta do that. Um,

I was so, I have so many questions about it. Where to begin? Jesus Christ. I've had so many people on the podcast and I think I've never been so like, where do I begin? But I mean, you and I go back so fucking far. Well, you're the first person I ever met in show business, really.

Really? Yeah. Makes sense, right? But I mean, and we're so, it's so weird. It's so nice to talk to you after so many. I'm trying to think of the first time. Well, we met auditioning for class, obviously. We met in Chicago. It's so weird because we're so in my, you know, to my world, those were so, that was my birth as it were, you know? So we're so linked in that way that I, you know, you're, I know you like,

Though I have a relationship with you that's unique to anyone I've ever met.

Cause you were the first person I met in that. And then we made, we did that movie together and, you know, we're so different and we've always been so different in what we've always been kind of like, dude, we are so different. And both of us have always said, dude, we're so different. And, but it was, you know, you forever occupy a place in my life. And even my mother says, how's Rob Lowe doing? I go, mom, I haven't talked to Robin. Tell him I said hi. I'm like, okay. You know, I know my, I, it's so funny. I have a, uh,

a mother-in-law was like, how is Sean Penn? I'm like, Sean Penn? I've never talked to Sean Penn. I've never did a movie with Sean Penn. Um,

It is true, though, like anybody from that era, when we get together, I feel it's like frat brothers, I guess, would be the closest thing I could think of. Or, you know, we're a grown men now, but we look like we've been through so much and we're like seeing each other in so many different situations. And it feels like the kind of true fraternal or, you know, thing that nobody can take away. And we pick up right where we left off almost, I think.

Well, and it's weird because of the whole Brat Pack thing and all that, and it has followed our lives. And, you know, there are very few people that were part of that thing, and it affected...

all of us to such a degree, you know, early on, I think we all had, I'd love to hear your reactions to it all. Because I would love one day to actually get the cast of St. Elmo's Fire out to dinner and just like everybody go, oh man, that fucking thing. And just because we've all lived it and all had reactions to it and survived it.

And it affected our lives so much. And yet I have no idea how anyone else sort of dealt with any of it or felt or what they took away from it all. Just because I've never seen it. Well, it's it's and that's one of the things I really liked about your your book. And by the way, and again, I thought I mean, I know you've done a lot of writing. I know that's that's sort of one of the things that's been in your wheelhouse. But but even so, I thought it made me think about something that I've lived in a way that I hadn't really thought about before in the way you described it.

And I thought that was awesome because like, let's face it, like we survived the Brad Pack. It's not like we survived Auschwitz. And then but it was like had its challenges. And I think my headline on it is that in spite of the sort of pejorative.

of that phrase which in the media there's no question that that's what it was it was like oh the brat pack like with his callow and we used you described it perfectly yeah i forget what it used the word entitled in it and that's absolutely right um that's what the media portrayed it as but here's the brilliant lovely wonderful thing that we missed at the time

is people, regular people. They never thought of it that way. They just thought of it as super cool, affectionate, in-group, they wish they were a part of. Yeah, it's totally true. Showbiz and Hollywood all saw it as this sort of, like you said, pejorative thing, but people just thought it was a cool catchphrase and like, I want to be like them.

Yeah, totally. And we didn't see that. I think that's very true. We didn't realize that. And then only in the course of all these decades that have gone by and these people, it's now said with such iconic affection and looked back through rose colored glasses. But you know what I mean? It's all the Brad Pack. But really what people are talking about is not us.

It's they're talking about themselves and remembering their youth. And so we're just like these avatars or I am particular. You've gone on to do so many other visible things, but like in many ways, I'm just an avatar of their youth, really. And it has so much to do with them and not themselves.

me or us in a very real way. We're just sort of like the recipient of that kind of what has now become affection for youth. And so, well, and as you know, as an actor, it's always a shocking day when you realize it's not about you. I mean, you know, come on. I haven't realized that yet, but, but you're, you're so, and that's the, the joy of it for me is like, I, I, I love the,

There was that the Brat Pack existed and I loved being I love being a part of it. And I it I have such fond memories of it and all of that snarky sort of gotcha press that was a part of it is I actually kind of understand that, too. There were so many of us hard to keep us there. A lot of us had three names, hard to keep us straight. Yeah.

And, you know, we were running amok and where were all the serious movies going? And by the way, if they if they could have seen where movies were headed, they would have hated us even more because we were we were that first. It was the first generation where movies were taking teenage angst seriously. And now now the movie business is frankly nothing but servicing teenage angst. Well, and people took us home for the first time. You know, we're the generation of VCR just become crazy.

popular was becoming popular so people was before you'd see a movie and then maybe it's on a year later on channel nine or something but now suddenly people could take us home in a way and well who was renting movies but young people and what movies were they watching but those movies so they could take us home and watch it 10 20 times and take ownership of us in the way that people never could before you know and i think that had a lot to do with it's embedding itself so deeply in the psyche of it all do you think the brad pack movies are any good

Well, I haven't watched them. So I think what you just said that they captured, they took young people's and young people's problems and passions and emotions seriously. I have a 19 year old son and he is in love for the first time. And it is like no one has ever been in love before.

And that is as it should be, right? I mean, I'm sure your kids are the same way. It's like young people change the world for a reason. Like old people like us don't change the world. Young people with a passion, like don't listen to the old people. You don't know what I'm going through. You have no idea. You never went through it. And we of course go, I know exactly what you're talking about, but we don't. Like they're experiencing it for the first time and

And that's powerful. And those movies honored that for the first time. You know what I mean? So are they good? I'm sure they're very dated and simplistic, but they honor the emotional life in a way that movies that I don't think necessarily did. You know, it wasn't Porky's. You took the words right out of my mouth. I was going to say it wasn't Porky's. Thank God. What is your favorite Brad Pack movie? Because I certainly have mine.

You know, I mean, my favorite movie I did of that during the 80s was a movie called Heaven Help Us. It can be anything in the oeuvre. And I say that extremely loosely. So you don't necessarily have to have been in it. It was called Heaven Help Us, but that wasn't really a Brad Pack movie. But it was pre-Brad Pack. I thought that was a really good movie. But, you know, I have great affection for St. Elmo's Fire. I love that part. I thought that part was certainly my best part. And it suited me. And I liked that. And I liked everybody in that movie. And, you know...

I don't know what I'd feel like if I saw it now, but I have great affection for that movie. Yeah, I mean, I loved playing, but you know they didn't want me to, you know, it's a story, people. They wanted me to play the square Judd Nelson part. You knew this. Did you ever know this? And they didn't want me to play Billy because they didn't think I had enough edge, so I showed up drunk to Joel Schumacher's

uh, my meeting with Joel just drunk, carried a six pack of beer onto the Warner brothers lot. I was like, I'll show you I'm drunk. How can me drunk? And, uh, and, um,

Yeah, it was the first time I met Demi Moore. And anyway, so when I got that part, I lived that part for like the next 10 years until I went to rehab. I was like, I like this drunk. I like this kind of drunk womanizing guy. I think I'm just going to play him for my personal life. I did not know that. So I guess I vaguely kind of, but I didn't know the drunk part and the six pack part. Yeah, I mean, I...

But that part suited you very well. You know, you were, you know, but when you had what was really not to turn into a love fest, but you had a playfulness, you know, you always, you know, and a self-awareness about it. And that's what was the best thing that you added to that character was a sort of, so I'm a fuck up and I know it. And, but I love being me.

You know what I mean? And that is, there's great forgiveness in people like that. You can forgive them because they know that they love being who they are. And it's just, they're so frustrating people like that. 100%. And despite yourself, you love them and, you know, and that those characters are not, you know, you don't often see that. So that, that, that was all what you brought to that part. It wasn't just edge, you know, you, edge, I suppose, but,

and earrings and funny hair. And a lot of hair mousse. Let's not forget hair mousse. Come on. But it was that quality that, you know, I'm a fuck up and I know it, but I really love being me. That is, we all know that guy. And that's what I thought you brought to that role. It was made it interesting. Whereas I brought things that made the role more interesting than it might've been

On paper. Yeah. I always loved. One of my favorite scenes in St. Elmo's is that the scene where Judd confronts you and you've been with Allie and Allie is in the bed listening to you guys fight. It's first of all,

Ali's never looked more beautiful ever in anything. She's stunning with the pearls on her and everything. I mean, Joel Schumacher made us all look our absolute best. I will tell you that. I remember, I actually don't remember that scene at all that you're talking about, but I do remember Ali naked wearing pearls and that being such a Joel moment. I mean, it's too good. I mean, you know, it's funny. So Andrew, you know, so Gwyneth Paltrow can quote St. Elmo's Fire.

From the beginning to the end. She's obsessed with this movie. Every time I see her, it's some obscure Cinemas Fire reference. And so when I think about those days, I go like, you know, even like somebody like Gwyneth, like that had an impact on her. I'm going to have to reevaluate Goop. I think you should. It's...

I love, so I love, the other thing I love is, and neither one of us were in it, were The Breakfast Club. The Breakfast Club is one of the best, I think Breakfast Club is a great, great, great, great, great movie, period. Not just a Brad Pack movie, but that movie is great. I auditioned for it and they, he, John Hughes was not interested. He was like, get out.

of my office. I saw that movie. Ali took me to that movie at a screening on the Paramount lot or somewhere. I think it was Paramount. Anywhere. And I saw it that way. And yeah, I thought that was a terrific movie. That was a really, yeah, that was a very good movie. They're so good in it. They're all so good. I mean, and it's,

It's all on one set and it's amazing. Do you remember when we had to go on a tour together? So in the old days, when movies came out, you went on a multi-city tour and you did every morning show and, you know, you kind of hawked your movie and...

and then you go to New York and then you go to Boston and then you go to Denver and then you go to, and you went all over the country with the movie. Now you just do the big TV shows and do it. But man, oh man, did we have fun on that tour? That was a fun, I do remember that. We had fun doing that. Yeah. I mean, I was terrible at doing it and you were very good at doing it, which is sort of the dynamic of it all, which is you could go out there and go, Hey, and I would have to run. Hi. But, uh,

But off camera and all that stuff, it was really fun. I remember actually just getting along quite well and having a good time during that tour. And I remember it being sort of, yeah, a real mixed feeling because I felt so uncomfortable. And so just doing that stuff, I had no idea how to do it. And it was amazing how naive, you know, with all the savviness that there is out in the world now, I had no idea how to do it.

like what I was doing and nobody said anything. And you just sort of went on TV and suddenly you're blithering on TV and they go, how come you're not better at this? And it's like, well, I have no idea what I'm doing. Maybe you should tell me. And today they would. Today in your situation, you would take a media class. You'd have consultants. There was something very innocent about all of it was, you know, we all thought it was really happening a mile a minute at the time, but it was very sort of sweet and naive when you look back on it.

100%. It was not corporate. It wasn't, I mean, you didn't have, I mean, no one was guiding us. We were making it up as we went along. Yeah, but I suppose people always are. Yeah, for sure. But, I mean, there's, you know, just undoubtedly today for, you know, young actors cutting their teeth, there are, you know...

quote unquote experts all over the place. I don't know whether they're any good or not, but they're there and they weren't there for us. But you were like, you always had an intuitive savviness about you, about how to, you know, and as your career has proven and borne out of sort of keeping moving, keeping going to the next and all that, you're always very good at that, which I was never, I didn't have that wherewithal. And I found it, um,

I just couldn't do that. And I so I then I just became not into because I wasn't good at it. I told myself I wasn't interested in it. And but I admire so much, you know, you and people like you just sort of keep going and you move to this phase and some things work, some things don't. But you just keep going and just when and you've always had that kind of.

teflon kind of wow the hell with you were able to laugh at that's your greatest quality rob you can laugh at you and go boy that was like i should not have been singing on the academy awards what a knucklehead and yet then you just carry on and like like more power to him i would never have gotten out from under the rock that if that if i had done that made that choice oh bro bro do you okay so i'm doing the academy awards i'm doing that song was i knew it

It was before I learned to listen to my instincts. And it was also before I was sober. So say no more, really. You know what I'm saying? I do. Yeah. I do. And so I'm convincing myself it's a really good idea. And it's live in front of a billion people. It's the year of Rain Man. Okay. So it's Barry Levinson's year. And I look out in the audience and...

You know, like you look out in a crowd and all of a sudden you can see one face for whatever reason you sort of fixate on it. And for whatever reason, it was Barry Levinson who I saw as plain as the, and I'm singing and dancing and doing my locomotion or the hell I was doing. And Barry Levinson mouths, the words clear as day. And I see him do it. What the fuck? And that's my memory.

Yeah, I've just broken into a cold sweat with you just even talking about that. I would have left show business. That's the beauty of you, Rob. I would have left show business. You would have never heard from me again, ever. You know, I have too much shit. I'm going to write a 17-page treatise on the Galapagos Islands. Exactly. And that is the end of it. Hold that thought. We'll be right back.

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Qualifying plan required. Wi-Fi were available on select U.S. airlines. Deposit and Hilton Honors membership required for 15% discount terms and conditions apply. One of the great little factoids in your book, and I want to hear what you think the other ones are, but the one that blew my mind, I didn't realize you were living with Jackie B. and Alexander Gudanov. We used to have a really good Gudanov impression. Do you still have it? No.

You had a really good one. Thank you. Yeah, very good pleasure to meet you. Would you like a podcast? Very good pleasure to meet you. And then he would break your hand shaking it. Yeah.

I mean, I can't even, you know, I've thought, I mean, I didn't live there. I mean, I stayed there for extended periods on a couple of occasions. And I mean, there was a crazy time because it was right after we finished class, we'd finished and, you know, she literally said to me, what are you doing, Andrew, after the movie? Oh, Andrew, you must come live with Alexander and I. Kind of that, yeah. And I went, okay, Jackie. And I did. And it was just sort of like a mind blower. And it was...

Yeah, I mean, I don't even know what to say about it. It was, it happened. It sort of seems like someone else, like all those things. It seems like it was someone else. It seems like a movie. It seems like, is it a, who would have made that movie in the 70s? It feels like a 70s,

Well, that was the problem with that movie the whole time. Marty wanted to make Porky's and Lou wanted to make, you know, Catcher in the Rye kind of thing. He wanted to make some 70s auteur film. And Marty was just like, give me some sex. Yeah, we so they my favorite is, is when we made class. It's a it's it was, I think, a really perfect script is a very perfect hybrid of.

of those two genres. It didn't lean too heavily into one or the other. And as you alluded to, our producer wanted parkies. He wanted just a blatant sex farce, as much nudity and just gross stuff as he could possibly. And then our director, Louis John Carlino, wanted sort of an esoteric

Catcher in the Rye thing, both of which I don't think are particularly good in and of themselves. But my favorite thing is how do they go? It's a teenage comedy. And who goes, I know who should direct this. The guy who directed The Great Santini, that laugh riot. Well, that was a great movie. But yeah, it was a weird. By the way, I've done a lot since our experience. I've done a lot of research. And that's all Duvall. Great Santini is all Duvall. In fact, he hated Duvall.

Lewis hated him. Yeah, no, that I knew that I knew. But it was, I heard the same thing about tender mercies as well. Actually, he, you know, we also discovered John Cusack in class. Yeah. Remember John? And Alan Ruck. And Alan Ruck. And Virginia Madsen. And Virginia Madsen. Yeah. I mean, there's so much talent in Chicago. Yeah.

And, and, and everybody, the, the filmmakers had the smarts to go. These people are great. Oh, you know who else? What's her name? She was, she, uh, she was in blaze with Ron Shelton.

Listeners out there, you're screaming the name to me, but I can't hear you because this isn't live. Anyway, she was one of the girls. Rob, that's your greatest attribute right there. You always had one eye on the action and able to laugh about it. That is your absolute greatest survival attribute, and you've had it since day one instinctively. And then to be able to just laugh, that is absolutely fantastic.

why you have survived and succeeded as well as you have. It's a great attribute. You're very kind. No, it's true. It's distinctly you. Lolita Davidovich.

Yeah. Was she in that movie? Lolita Davidovich is one of the girls who's with me when I come in and catch you in bed with Jackie. That's Lolita Davidovich. Okay. Okay. How come I know more about your career than you do? And apparently Brad Pitt was an extra in a scene in which is in Less Than Zero.

Uh, which is, I didn't, we gave him his start there too. Anyhow. And David Duchovny in, um, what was he in? Bad influence. Oh, really? Yeah. I mean, and apparently I was nice to him. Thank God. Thank God. Um, um, what else? So, uh, yeah, my greatest Jacqueline Bessette memory was in my, my son is, is an actor writer and he's about to go do night shoots and he's so torqued. He's 24.

And he's torqued about night shoots. And I remember that being a big thing. How will I sleep? Can I get turned around? I'm going to fall like, and I remember being on class when it was my, I think my second movie and couldn't figure out the night shoots. And Jack was like, Oh darling, you just need to take some of these and handed me these horse pills. They just knocked me out. And it was like, it was very Judy Garland, the whole thing. She didn't have me any of those.

And that was before we discovered cocaine. So I guess, yeah. I wasn't before for me. Speak for yourself. Yeah. The other thing I remember about Jackie and boy, do I relate to it now is she had her own light installed in right in front of the camera lens. They actually called it the, the Jackie light. And it was just a big, beautiful fill light. And, you know, I go, yep, I get it. I so get it. I didn't understand it then.

See, this is the problem that beautiful people have and people that are extremely attractive is that, and it's my problem too, and I'm not beautiful or extremely attractive the way you and Jackie are. The awareness and the sort of

that has to be honored in a certain way. I wish I could be rid of one of the things that was so glad of when I stopped acting as much as getting rid of the vanity of, of acting and being aware of how I looked and aware that this was a better angle than this was. And people that are attractive are, you know, I understand totally how people end up carving up their faces and things, but it's such a, a burden in a weird way and a slippery slope of,

But I'd forgotten all about Jackie's key light there. Gigantic key light. And it's, and listen, it's hard. It's everybody knows it's much harder for, for women in our business way harder.

And, you know, men are allowed to age gracefully and women, you know, have much more of a microscope on them. And Jackie is right at that moment in her life, I remember. And it was a very, very, I remember that she didn't want to have the onset photographer take pictures of the two of us together because she didn't want anybody to think that she could have a son my age.

in spite of the fact that that was the character. There are only three frames in existence of Jackie and I together from that movie. That's funny. But this is the shit that I knew even then, though. Like, I was keeping my eye on all of it. See, you did, yeah, I was just like, oh, what do you mean a mark? What do you mean a mark? Stand on a piece of tape? Okay. You know, but you know, you always add that kind of, yeah. Yeah.

What was the other? Okay, so I know what it's like to birth a book like you are doing. What's the what's been surprising you about the process or the reaction or what people are picking up on or what are they not picking up on? Like what what what are you finding as you're introducing your book to everybody?

Oh, that's an interesting question. I mean, it's the third book I've put out there into the world. And so it is always a very naked feeling, as you know, it's sort of I find it much, you know, you do a part. It's sort of like, yeah, you can talk about the part that's over there. But the book, a book is much more naked, didn't you? Don't you find? Didn't you find when you did? One hundred percent. It's it's.

I guess it'd be like doing a one man show. It's just you for better or worse. Yeah. And it's, and I didn't, you know, you have to write it as truthfully, honestly, as nakedly as you can. And then you, without thinking that people are going to read it and then you kind of go, they're reading it. I think the most, what I'm most happy about is that I named the book brat, which I wasn't intending to. I didn't, I gave it to a friend to read when I finished an early draft and he said, what are you calling it? And I,

I said, I have no idea. They said, well, you know, the name of this book is Brat. And my response was, the name of the book will never fucking be Brat. I can promise you that. And which made me then realize I hadn't sort of done my work yet in the book and about coming to terms and coming to all what you said so nicely earlier about like embracing it so much and like that legacy of what it has become.

And so in naming it that, it just takes possession and ownership of it in a way that we never got to when we were kids. And it was hurled at us like mud. And to sort of own it, and it's ironic maybe, or it is just the truth. Maybe it's just, it is just there and you just sort of claim it. And I found that to be very kind of liberating, really. And so when people talk about it, I'm not on the defensive, whereas I've always felt on the defensive when talking about the Brad Pack.

It's funny that you say you didn't want to call it Brat. And by the way, that's when I knew I was really going to like it because I thought, man, that's such a great fucking title. Oh, the second I heard it, I too, I was just like, fuck yeah, of course. It's like, of course. Oh, no.

Oh, no. So I realized I can't be thinking, oh, no, about this. I still have to work. So then I rewrote the last 30 pages to really, I really, it took me several months then to kind of just noodle it around and think about it. Like, what is it and what does it mean to me? You know, I was still running from it in a certain way till that moment. I had an acting coach once who, you know how there's every, there's always a line in a script you get, you go, well, there's no way I'm saying that. Yeah.

Right. And he, he, his thing was always, that is the very line you have to say. That's exactly right. That's always where the gold is. The thing you're avoiding is exact until you can get to the place where you can own doing that, then you're not ready to do it. Yeah, that's right. And that's, that's what it was with brat. And then what else was I going to ask you? There's just, there's just so much to, to go through and seen almost fire. So,

What is your what's your number one memory from from doing St. Elmo's? Because I mine would I have so many of them and half of them are that I don't remember them. I remember being blacked out, lying in the gutter.

of Georgetown. And I felt like I've never been happier in my life. Like if people say, when were you happiest? Like in the Proust questionnaire at the end of Vanity Fair, like, I don't think it would look very good if my answer was, when were you happy? When were you at your most content? And I'd be like, oh, for sure. I'm passed out in the gutter of Georgetown during the Cowboys Redskins game in 1985. We did have fun in Georgetown, I have to say. Um,

I don't, you know, I remember so much of it, that movie. You know, there are many movies I don't remember hardly at all, and it wasn't to do with alcohol. But they just didn't matter to me. They didn't penetrate me in very deep ways. But there's just a lot about that movie that I remember doing. And I, you know, and I remember being like, for the first time, feeling like I, like you always had, you just felt at home there on a set. It took me a long time to feel like I belong here.

And that was the first time I ever felt that way on a set or anything. And so that, you know. Do you remember, is it my imagination or in class, did we film that fight scene for 17 weeks? Oh my God, that was days and days of doing that fight scene, right? Why? Who was our stunt coordinator on that? John Moyo was the stunt man. I watched the movie the other day. Why? Why? It's just us running around. What was going on? Why did we have to shoot that so much? Yeah. I mean, yeah.

Those days, I mean, you just can't. So we both, you're sober now, right? You're in recovery, yes? For 29 years now, yeah. 29 years? Well, yeah, it was, wait, 28, it was July of 92. So that would be, it'll be 29 years, so 28 years, yeah. So we more or less got sober at the exact same time, more or less. And it's like,

I think that's why, well, that's why we're still alive. Yeah, I mean, I can't imagine my life without, I mean, it taught me how to live. It just taught me how to live. I didn't know anything before that. And it gave me sort of rules to live by. Well, one of the things that's interesting about the book is when, and I had no idea either, was you're talking about your relationship with your father. And like, I have my own variations of that.

And I was never able to navigate any of that complexity until I got sober ever. Wouldn't have had the first idea how to do it. Oh, no, I didn't. But see, before I stopped drinking and all the rest of it, I was just reacting all the time. And I had no idea. I was just reacting. And so if you're just reacting all the time, it's just you're in for a mess.

Right. So at least with some sort of roadmap for like how to live, you kind of go, oh, no, now I have to go apologize to that person and not do that again. And that didn't occur. They just you just sort of ran away from that and just cross the street before that. But, you know, and with my father, I mean, that was, you know, my my relationship with him was was it took more than getting sober to reconcile that relationship.

which never really did until he was dying. You know, it was with my wife. My father and I were fairly estranged for decades. And, you know, I would see him rarely. But when he was very ill, my wife at once said, you need to go there. And I was like, really? She goes, yeah.

Or you want to be a father to your own kids? And I was like, okay, I'm getting on the plane. And it was one of the most liberating, wonderful things that ever happened to me. I mean, what a gift it was to be with my father when he was dying. I mean, that was an amazing gift that he gave me. And to be, you know, like I, we didn't solve our past, but we put it down. And that was a big deal. The liberation of that was that amazing.

has been a huge, you know, my life has changed because of that. Not in intangible ways, but just in a way of feeling comfortable in the world and feeling okay. And to be there and have that experience. And I'd never been around death before, you know, feeling someone's hand that's clammy and the smell and the stench and, you know, that last gasp of breath and all that kind of, not to get too deep on it, but it was a great gift to be able to be around that. And I felt very lucky.

You know, so I told my brothers, I said, I'm going down to see dad. You should come. And neither of my brothers, none of my brothers wanted to go. And I'm glad that I did. Yeah, I'm glad you had that opportunity. I was able to have it with my mother. My dad's still alive, luckily. But, you know, one of the things that I know is as a parent, which we both are, that if we can't forgive our own parents, then we can never be parents.

And if you carry that resentment, you just carry it. You literally carry it down to the next generation. For sure. And it unconsciously affects so many of the actions, you know, and I don't even particularly think I had to forgive my father. It was sort of like he didn't ask for my forgiveness and it wasn't my place to forgive him. Did he need to be, you know, but it was my place to kind of go, I love you and whatever you say, I forgive.

I know that you love me the best that you can love me. And it didn't even matter what he said. It's that I'm here to tell you, I love you and I'm not going anywhere and I'm going to sit here. And, you know, when I saw when my father was dying and I saw the fear that was in his eyes,

That made me realize to a real degree how much I carry that same fear and how liberating that was to see it in him and liberate a lot of my own, you know. So, and yes, and of course, I did it selfishly for to be a better parent to my kids, like you're alluding to. But it was, I mean, I'm just glad, I'm grateful that I got to do that. Yeah, it's really true.

You know, hearing that, it makes me think about Molly Ringwald. No, just kidding. I...

As one is apt to do. Yes, I mean, nobody's tuning into this to hear us talk about anything real. They want to know about Molly Ringwald, goddammit. Well, Molly totally, you know, my career to Molly really in many ways, because Molly got me the part in Pretty in Pink for sure. You know, when I went into audition for that, like you said, John Hughes had no interest in you in that movie in Breakfast Club. I walked in and he was just, could not have cared less. Yeah.

He was in the back of the room. I remember it so clearly sitting in one of those chairs, tipping back up against the wall, didn't speak to me and just kind of nodded, you know, at me from the back of the room behind the video monitor.

And I remember thinking, I hope you fall, you fucker. And when I read, you know, I read once and the casting associate could tell there was no love in the room. And she said, thank you for coming in. And I just walked out and I was just like, fuck you people. And Molly turned to John right after that and said, that's the guy. That's the kind of guy I'd fall in love with. And John's response was, that wimp? No way.

And but, you know, to John's credit, like he did, you know, he not only gave people on screen credit for being, you know, fully rounded people with, you know, opinions that should be listened to. He totally got on board with what Molly said. And I was cast only because of Molly. And the minute he cast me, he got behind me completely and was, you know, good with me. But it was all her. That's really great to know. She, um.

I like her writings. I like, I think she's a lovely writer. Yeah. Right. I mean, her, her writing about John Hughes. I mean, that's a movie I want to see. I want to, that I love that that relationship is so, I mean, she's what, she's a 15 year old, 16 year old girl. And he's a grown man. And he's got it. And he's got her picture pinned up on his computer. And he's writing movies for it's the whole thing is insane. And I,

kind of it's just i i just i'm fascinated fascinated by by that relationship and did you see their article several years ago she wrote new yorker sort of the re-evaluation of it all you know yeah i mean you know the sort of withholding father figure because that's the other thing is like when when you're dealing with young actors they you know i i directed this beautiful wonderfully talented young actress named mckenna grace who's everywhere now she's

I think she's probably now 14, but she was just a girl, a young little girl. And they can't help but look at you as not only an authority figure and a director, but like as a, you know, some sort of weird surrogate father. And it's all very, very like complicated. And you just, it's a huge responsibility, I guess is what I'm saying. I mean, I look back on even doing The Outsiders with Coppola and as a 17 year old kid, you know, my feelings about Francis today are really like,

I realize convoluted father-son themes just because of the ages and the way you look at them and the way they treat you. And it's the position. I mean, I experienced it to a much more modest degree during directing TV shows. I direct TV shows all the time. And everybody in these actors generally sort of look at me as if I'm this sort of authority figure in a way that they don't when I act with them.

And it's weird. It's just the dynamic that's set up. How did you get on with Joel? You and Joel got on great, didn't you? Schumacher? Yeah. Loved him. Because he loved me. He was unfashioned. I mean, listen...

I loved him because he loved me. Yes. Andrew, I have a very simple, my life motto is very, very simple. I like anyone who likes me. It's really, really very simple. Well, then you like a lot of people. But yeah, like I liked Joel, I got affection for him, but I didn't particularly enjoy working with him very much. Oh, listen, he, listen, Joel accused me of being on cocaine when I wasn't.

Well, it was a Tuesday though, Rob. It was a Tuesday. So if he had got me one day later, he would have been right. But turns out on that day, he was wrong. So, I mean, listen, he was... Look, I know why he was... He could be very tough, but he...

loved us, all of us. You know, he really, truly did. And when you watch, when you watch the movie, you, you see, I mean, the way he photographs everybody, holy shit. I mean, I don't think any of us have ever looked more like movie stars in our lives than, than, than in that movie. Yeah. That's true. You see the effect, you know, I noticed that when I direct people, if you like them, you just kind of shoot them better.

It's unconscious. It's unconscious. There are other people just like, it's fine. Let's just move on. If it's a pain in the ass, I'm just like, just, you got it. Okay, let's go. But if it's somebody I really like, I'm like, let's just push in a little, let's just do a little push right there. You know what I mean? And you don't know, you're just human. You just naturally, you know, people, or if you're attracted, you think someone's attractive and just, okay, let's give it a little bit there. And yeah, totally. I do that without even knowing it. I've never had better closeups ever.

than Joel Schumacher. And then when sometimes the people aren't, don't love you, you're like, I, when I, I remember like on, on the West wing, they never gave me a closeup. I never had a closeup of the West wing ever. I defy you to watch four seasons of the West wing and find anything closer than a chest shot. And then, and then you got Brad Whitford lit, like, you know, Julia Roberts, um,

And the glinting close-ups, even in the main titles, which makes me laugh. People out there, if you ever want to have a laugh, go look at the West Wing main titles early on.

And when they have me, it's like literally from head to toe. You can't even really tell it's me in the frame. And then they cut to Brad Whitford and it's literally like shot through a cheesecloth. It's literally looks like he looks like Joan Collins in Dynasty. It's fucking hilarious. Yeah, not many people compare Brad to Joan Collins, but yeah. But when you, when you, when people like you, they make you look good. Yeah, it's true.

And we'll be right back after this. All set for your flight? Yep. I've got everything I need. Eye mask, neck pillow, T-Mobile, headphones. Wait, T-Mobile? You bet. Free in-flight Wi-Fi. 15% off all Hilton brands. I'll never go anywhere without T-Mobile. Same goes for my water bottle, chewing gum, nail clippers, passport. Okay, I'm going to leave you to it. Find out how you can experience travel better at T-Mobile.com slash travel. ♪

Qualifying plan required. Wi-Fi were available on select U.S. airlines. Deposit and Hilton Honors membership required for 15% discount terms and conditions apply. Tell me why, and I don't mean this to sound like I don't get it, because I get it. I understand the movie perfectly. Weekend at Bernie's simply is... The movie is Bernie. It won't die. That movie is...

In the zeitgeist, it's not going anywhere. No, it's like Bernie. He's just dead and he's just still there. He's still there. He's still... Because it's just so fucking stupid and happily so. Happily, just the best. Yeah.

Now, was Bernie of the movie ever based on Bernie Brillstein, the manager who ended up being my manager? Did you ever hear that? Is that a possibility? I've never heard that one. That's just a catch-all name for that type of guy. Yeah, I think that's just that guy. No, I mean, that movie was, I don't know. I think that movie works. I mean, it's just so, my son watched it. The only movie of mine my son has ever watched. And he just, his response was like, dad, I love you, but.

That's the stupidest movie I ever saw. And I'm like, Sammy, that's the point. Of course it is. I mean, you know, I love Bernie. I think he's great. And there's a certain, you know, I still walk down the street and a truck driver is just leaning out the window. Hey, where's Bernie? And they're like, oh my God. You know. Is that the one? Well, it's got to be saying, I mean, what is the one movie you find that people hate?

um, want to talk to you the most about? Oh, you must experience this. You can tell when people are approaching you, you can totally, um, profile them by them approaching, you know, it's like, oh, here comes a pretty and pink person. I mean, that's easy. That's, that's a woman of a certain age who's going to go, oh, she's pretty in pink. And, you know, the kind of shady kind of guys that might be in recovery and might not are always the less than zero people. And, you know, the truck drivers are the Bernie people, you know, and the same almost for the people that are kind of, um,

Kind of a little lost and sort of innocent. They're the people that like mannequin and, you know, and people that like are really social. They love weekend. They love St. Elmo's fire. People that like,

are just social, like Satan was far. I love that. I love it. You profiled everybody. I was going to make you do it. You did it of your own volition. I love that. But it's just, it's so true though. It's like you could just, and everybody, everybody falls into stereotype. Always. You know? That's why they call it a demographic. Yeah. I mean. And who do you, what movies of yours do you like people most approaching you about? Do you,

Do you find it, do you find, do you much prefer when people approach you about your book than about like a movie? I do. See, it takes one to know one. Yeah, I do. I have just such satisfaction. It is, isn't it? It's just like, oh, you're prepared to go, oh, thank you, thank you. And then they talk about the book and go, oh, oh, thank you. Hi, what's your name? I know. I know.

It is true. Do you want to have dinner? It means that, you know, somebody is committed. You know, it takes a lot to, you know, take the time and effort to read a book and carve that time out in this era. Same with, by the way, same with the podcast. I have the same kind of reaction to people who are enjoying this. It really makes me happy because also it's not exactly the same as a book, but it's you can't not –

listen to a bunch of these podcasts and not really know who I am. I mean, it's, it's me. I'm not editing any of it. I'm letting it all fucking fly. And, but it's also yours. It's like, it's a book. It's just, this is me. It didn't exist until I did this or it's a movie or a TV show. You know, it didn't exist till you interpreted it, but somebody else would have done it if you didn't. And these things wouldn't have existed if you didn't write it or talk it or, you know, and so it comes from a very different place.

of creation that's different. And it's really true. And it's utterly, it can't be anything but utterly personal because it's like, I am inventing this whole cloth out of nothing and giving it to you and saying, receive me. Like you're exposing yourself. You're being robbed, talking to a bunch of people endlessly. So sooner or later, you're going to get tired. And just, even if you're putting on a facade, you're going to get tired and just be robbed. And so it's like, here I am warts and all, you know? Well, you know, it's funny. I think being in recovery is,

As you know, the number one thing you have to be in recovery, other than willing, is honest, right? And, you know, over the years of being, you know, in the rooms and doing all the things we need to do to stay in recovery, you learn to get honest really fucking fast. Oh, I think it takes some longer than others, but you know. It takes some, no, listen, everybody works at their own pace, but eventually you're not going to make it if you can't get honest enough.

Pretty quick, quickly. And that, I think, has been helpful in writing the books and then in talking to people, because if there's any pretense and there's no point in doing it, you know what I mean? There's like people aren't reading brat to they want honesty. That's what they want. They want to. That's for sure. If you're not willing to lay yourself out there and for that, then why should they invest the time in that? I totally agree with that.

You know, and it's the same with this kind of thing. If I'm going to invest that time, I want to feel like I am with that person and I want to create some kind of identification. I want to have my head nodding my head and kind of that, you know, their circumstances are different. And yet I'm the emotions are the same, which they've been willing to expose. And I want to be with spend time with that person.

Who was your biggest crush? Who is you? Who did you said somebody in the book? But I was I wasn't buying it. I was like, wait a minute. I'm going to get Andrew on the fucking podcast. I'm going to put a little more a little more than that. What? Who who who were you? I think you had an Elizabeth Shue anecdote that who was like the one that you were like, was there one for you? Fifty. But see, I knew it. See, I had I had it.

I developed a deep crush on Mare Winningham when we did our movie. And that lasted for years, years. For good reason. And she just came to represent this kind of thing to me. And long, that had probably had very little to do, the way it crushes are, that probably had very little to do with her. But in my mind, she, I, you know, I just projected this onto her and her.

So, yeah. And even though I long past hadn't spoken to her in a number of years, I still sort of harbored this kind of held up this thing of this kind of idea that probably had nothing to do with reality. She's so spectacular in the movie. She's terrific. She's terrific in everything. She's a terrific actor. She's great. She's she's definitely the best actor in that movie for sure. Mayor Winningham. I like that. I like that. It's very interesting, McCarthy. It's very revealing.

I'm trying to think who my, well, Madonna in those days. Really? I know it's kind of like, well, I'm just, again, not editing. That's who I, that's who I, in those days I had my eye on. I was like, I mean, it's hard, it's hard to put yourself back in that time. I mean, so much has gone on and she's lived through so many iterations, but that first showing up,

you know, with the boy toy wedding dress. And who is this? And I remember we were doing the press for St. Elmo's fire at the same time that album was out. And I remember when we did the Rolling Stone cover together, do you remember shooting that Rolling Stone cover? I remember that being like it was yesterday. And by the way, the only, the only time I've ever been on the cover of Rolling Stone. But I think no recollection of that.

Andrew, you need to talk to me. None. I know. What happened? What happened? It was just, you know, one of those, you know, like, I remember the photographer. I remember the article and the writer. Your name, I can't remember, but she did a lovely job. I remember I liked her, but I can't remember who it was. But anyway, I have no recollection of any of that. It's just one of those photo shoots where we were doing our thing in like,

getting our picture taken. And, you know, at the end of it, the photographer was like, I know, let's just do one crazy one. You guys are all pushing each other or something. We're like, this is stupid. We don't want to do this. And we did it. And of course that was the cover. Um, but yeah, uh, the Madonna was, I think in the next studio, I think that's,

But see, this is why you and I are so different. You had the lofty, nuanced, deep, substantive, multi-talented, Mayor Winningham. And I was going for like the hottest, greatest new thing. I mean, that's sort of, that's our yin and yang, Andrew. It just is. There we are. Yeah. What, tell me, tell me what the next thing

the next six months holds for you. Are you traveling? Are you, are you at home with the, with the kids? Are you on the book tour? Well, the book tours of your like virtual for now, which is kind of nice in, in some regards. I mean, it's bad because I'm technically an idiot on the computer. So if something goes wrong, it's over. But, uh,

But it's sort of nice that. And then I just did a few more TV shows to direct and stuff. And I'd like to get back to my travel writing if the world starts travel writing ever again. Yes. So and you, what are you up to? We I'm about as we're as we're talking, I'm about to finish year two on 9-1-1 Lone Star. And where do you do that?

We do it here in L.A., mostly at Fox and all over L.A. And it's it's listen, we know how hard it is to get a hit. You know what I mean? So I'm thrilled to have something that's working and that people are enjoying. And the other day was great because Chad Lowe directed the episode that John Owen Lowe wrote. Oh, my God.

I know. How cool. I know. It was really, really, it's so, I mean, to look over at the monitor and see my brother and my son is really kind of a special thing. Wow, super cool. That's great. Yeah. Yeah. It's really, it's really something. And, you know, this year, my wife and I will have our 30th wedding anniversary. Wow.

And, um, Jesus, that was the best thing that ever happened to you. Pulled you right out of the gutter and like straightened your ass out. Yeah. Pulled me out of the gutter in Georgetown. Yeah. You know, I feel about gutters. I think we established that on this podcast. I enjoy them. And, uh, and by the way, I was thinking the same though, when you were telling me that your, your, your wife's advice to you to go visit your father, I'm like, he married a good woman. Yeah, no, I mean, yeah. Left to my own devices. I mean, shit.

Yeah, I mean, we are not. Listen, it really is true that, you know, a partnership, if you're lucky enough to get one, man, hang on. And I certainly have been. It sounds like you have, too. I'd love to meet your kids one of these days. Are you ever in L.A.? I, you know, my son is on a TV show that he's just going out to L.A. to start. He's on a show called Dead to Me on Netflix. And so he's going out to start his third season of that. So I'll go out and see him while he's out there a bit.

When he said he wanted to act, did you want to kill him and yourself? My daughter does, too. She does plays on Broadway. And so I was like, oh, my God. She was eight years old. We took her to go see Matilda, the musical on Broadway. And she came out and she goes, I want to be Matilda. And I'm like, yeah, OK. And then she found out that she had a babysitter and they saw that there was an open call for Matilda. She goes, can I go? Can I go? And I'm like, oh, my God, no.

And that's how I got class, was by going to an open call. And so I said, sure, sure, we'll take you to the open call, Matilda. And she got the part and was playing Matilda on Broadway for a year. And then it was like...

So then she was in like a bunch of other Broadway shows. So yes, my kids have become accidental actors, which is the last thing I ever wanted, of course, for any of them. But, you know, if people want to act, you have to let them. I mean, who knows what they'll do later in life. And it's funny because, and by the way, congratulations, that's insane. It doesn't do with me. You know, I was just, at least they know, they have no illusions about how it's a fantastic and glamorous. They just know it's like, get the next job.

You know? Yeah. But, but it's funny though, if we were, I mean, it's like, if we were LeBron James, we would, you know, LeBron James was like, yeah, my son's Bronny and he's not only is he going to play basketball, he's going to play in the Lakers and I want to play with like sports figures have no comp, this, they don't have any compunction about the second generation following in their, in their footsteps. And, but for some reason as actors, we're always like, no, don't do this. But like, you know,

You know, senior Mahomes was like Patrick Mahomes. Yeah, man, you're going to be a quarterback. You're the best one that ever lived. And my son is like, I want to be an actor. I'm like, uh-uh. Right? No, you don't. You don't. Never mind. Yeah. But, you know, people want to act. You have to let them because you don't want to be one of those people that look up at 30 and go, I really wanted to, but my parents, I went to law school. I was like, oh, you don't want to be that person. No, you don't. And look, at the end of it, it's like, you know, if they have the dream.

And, you know, it's a self-selecting group acting. I mean, you know, it reads itself out pretty quickly. It's pretty, you know, so...

And if you want to do it and you get to do it and, you know, hats off to you. I mean, it's been great, obviously, to you and to me. So, I mean, who are we to say, you know? Yeah. I mean, what would people like you and me do otherwise? Nothing. I can't screw in a light bulb by myself. I am alerted of that on a daily basis by my wife. It's like, do you know how to even? No, I don't. No. I can fake do so many things because as an actor, like I could fake fight you.

I can, you know, fake shoot a gun. I can do so many. I can fake ride a horse. I can't do any of it. Real.

None of it. And the other thing I've noticed is years and years and years, because I started when I was eight. So years and years and years of being led around, told when to pee, when I can't pee, when I can eat, when I can't eat, what time I have to be somewhere. Years and years and years and decades of it. Like that muscle in me is atrophied to the size of a pea. So like I get lost walking out of a room because there's nobody there to lead me around.

How can this be? Do you find that? But that's not really true. I know you say that, but I don't really believe that. You know, that's your great. It's like when I do a fight scene with somebody, I always go, well, I don't know how to throw a punch. So just show me. Because then anything you do is gravy.

You know, it's the people that go, I got it, I got it, I got it. So I had to ride a horse in a movie and I walked in and I said, I have no fucking idea. You've got to help me. And they took care of me. The other actor walked in and go, I ride. And I said, okay, asshole. And that guy just floundered. And, you know, so I don't entirely believe you when you say that because...

The weird thing is we pick up such a weird bass-ackwards, half-ass kind of education, like you were kind of saying, in so many things. We kind of do know how to do a lot of things. And what we kind of know how to do best is sort of get by in lots of different ways, you know? Yeah. So, you know. And, you know, what I also really enjoy, and it's great because talking to you, I can tell you the same, is like we both have an appreciation for...

We get to live the dream. It is not what you think it is. And it's tough as fucking hell.

But at the end of the day, I mean, are you fucking kidding? What else would we be doing? We should get down on our knees every second of the day and go, thank you. And I do. I'm so grateful to have been able to do and continue to do what I'm doing when, you know, there are other people in the world who are really doing stuff that matters. Like, I play a fireman. I play a fire captain on 9-1-1 Lone Star. And it's like...

to be able to represent those folks who are really doing what matters is that's what's great. At the end of the day, we play make-believe for a living. That's what we do. That's why I always say when an actor should kind of be this kind of tough, I go, dude, you wear makeup for a living. I mean, come on, you're not a tough guy. You're not a, so you're wearing makeup right now when you're acting all tough at me. So let's, don't be silly. Yeah.

Is that your bedside manner as a director? I love that. I would love if you came at me with that. If you came flying off the monitor, hey, Rob. I had somebody last week and I just had no patience. I was just like, what the fuck are you doing? Yeah, no, but you really do want to try and be nicer. What drives you most crazy as a director and an actor? When you're watching an actor, do you have a thing that just drives you insane? Well, I don't mind when people have no talent because that's not their fault.

But I don't like when people are not prepared. You know what I mean? And they just show up and then they, because when people are invariably not prepared, they invariably start blaming other people and other things for their problem. But if you're like you, you show up and you're trying and you just happen to be no good, that's not your fault.

You know, would have it helped to get some training, whatever. And I can't believe you actually got this job. All that aside. But if you're trying and you're present and you know what you're like, when people show up utterly unprepared, I have no patience for that. None. Because it's nothing can happen until you say I would be fired if I showed up as unprepared as you are. So what are you doing? You know, what's the what's the telltale sign other than not knowing your lines? Or that probably is it? Oh, that that's mostly it. Or you can tell when they've just.

On the van over or walking down from the dressing room, they've looked at the sides for the first time. They've got all these problems with the scene. And they decide, I'm going to go there. I'm going to do this. And you're like, wait a minute. You've just you've been thinking what you what you can't say is you've obviously been thinking about this for about 90 seconds.

I actually have a plan. I've thought about this. I've done a lot of work in prep and why you go over to the window is this and this. And but you can't just tell a person that because you'd be busting them and you can't bust it out because when people get busted, they get defensive and they go, you know, very few people are going to go, you're right. I don't really know what I'm doing.

most people are going to get defensive and you can't act when you're defensive and you can't talk to somebody when they're defensive so you have to then just be people have asked me was being an actor a good preparation for directing and i said no the best preparation for directing is having small children and it's totally true because you just have to redirect you have to sort of humor you have to make jokes you have to support and be positive and also and and

It's often just childish behavior. All you want when you're directing is somebody to just walk in, nail it, do it. Boom. Thank you. You know, ever since I started directing, I'm the easiest actor in the world. I'm like, you want me to walk over there, stand on my head facing the other direction? Sure, that's fine. You know, I used to come in with a lot of ideas. I'm just like, sure, where you want me?

Because there's so much else going on that has nothing to do with you that you're just so not, you just think the world is about you when you're acting in the large degree. And it's just, that is, you're a fraction of what is on the director's mind. And so they just want you to come in and nail it. And so they can get on with the rest of their day and make their day because I've got to shoot the scene by lunch. So really don't ask me any more questions because I've only got 10 more minutes. I once worked with a very, very famous actor

And the scene was, and this is fairly recently, the scene was in a honky-tonk bar. And it was packed. And there were those little stools at the bar. And there was one seat that was open. One seat. And this actor spent 45 minutes in a rehearsal asking why they would sit on that one seat. I'm not kidding. Because that's the only seat that's open? No. 40, on a TV show schedule. 45 minutes. Wow.

And what it is, is it's an actor who's not prepared and is doing everything they can do to not have to actually act. Totally. And or they're just got a lot of anxiety about doing it, particularly if they're sort of were well known and are coming in on something. They feel like they were better than this and they're not, you know, and they're sort of slumming. And yet they're sort of ashamed that they're not as successful. So they bring in all this fucking baggage as opposed to just getting on with it. And it is always about it's never about what it's about.

these when people start doing the bar stool thing and it happens all the time and you just and you can't go dude dude dude you're just not prepared or dude it's okay we were all successful you're not as successful now you're still great just sit on the stool and you can't say that to people but that's like if you could and they could hear it without being defensive they'd be like oh thank god yeah sure i'll sit here you know no it's it's so true it's it's

So you've just become this sort of pop psychologist, you know, and why I'm good at TV directing is because I have all the actinorosis. I know them all. So I go, oh, you're doing that. When I have that, I'm doing that. Okay, I understand what you're doing.

Yeah, I don't think anybody could pull anything by you. You've seen it all. You've done it all. You've felt it all. Well, I mean, we've also – how many directors have you worked with? You've worked with literally 1,000 directors, right? And I've worked with hundreds of directors. And so – and how many good ones have you worked with? A handful maybe? Yeah, exactly. Most of them are sort of fine technicians or traffic cops. Okay.

A few, most of many have no clue, have no right to be there. And then a few are like, wow, they're really good. They were helpful, you know, and because mostly directors aren't paying attention that much. They just need to get it in frame. They need to get it by lunch and they need to just move on to actually notice that they're paying attention to what I'm doing. You know, that's that's rare.

And, you know, when I was acting, I was often so defensive. The director would start to walk across toward me and I just, my shoulders would go up and I'm just like, just get behind the box. Leave me alone. Leave me alone. Whereas other actors like input. I just wanted someone to come up and tell me, you're fantastic. That's all I ever wanted to hear. Yeah.

Like I said, Andrew, I like people who like me. I've come from the Rob Lowe school of acting. It's just like, you love me? I love you. He's a great director. He's a great director. He's great. He said everything I did was great. And I love that.

This is so fun. I hope it's not another however many decades and you have to write a book for us to get together. But this was such a great excuse. I was like, let's get Andrew ASAP. I'm so glad that you did this and that it was so quick. It was like...

I thought about it yesterday, and today here we are, and it's been so much fun. No, it's great. Yeah, no, I got to close it. You're going to do Rob's thing. Oh, awesome. Great. I haven't talked to him. I'd love to. So I'm, like I said, I've always had such affection for you and this weird relationship that we have of our history. So it's just, it's so nice to see you. I know. It's been great. And your book is great. What comes after the colon in Brat? I know there's something else. It's Brat, colon, what? An 80s story. Okay.

Well, there you, I mean, well, listen. No, because really that's what it was. It was such, it was such of a time, you know? No, it is. It's a time capsule. That time is, we were so lucky. It was so lucky, lucky to live in that time and, and, and to have the fun that we had and make movies like we did and, you know, make the mistakes that we made and have the success. It's all, I mean, I, I don't, I regret nothing. And I, we're, it's a miracle. I look, I've been, you and I've been alive a lot of decades now.

Uh, that was the decade. If I had to pick in a time machine, any time in the world to go back and live, it's that time. 100%. Just before you, what other decade would you want to go back and live in? Name it. No, there was a lot of fun there. That's what I'm saying. That's what I'm saying. And everybody out there is listening. He's like, yeah, that's right. Yeah, there was. Yeah. No denying it.

Well, listen, brother, I love you. It's great to see you. Congratulations on everything. I'm so happy for you and keep it up. Write another one. I'm ready for book number two. Thanks, dude. It's great to see you. Keep it up. All right. Oh, man. Gosh, I have such affection for that guy. That's so great. I'm all warm inside. I'm all warm inside. I hope you guys are as well. That was really, really, really special. You know, there are very few people in life

that you've known for so many years and gone through so much, and then you don't see them for 20 years. You get reunited, and that's what you get, that talk that we just had. And I hope you guys had as much fun listening to it as I had having it. All right, everybody. It is time for the Lowdown Line. Hello. You've reached literally in our Lowdown Line, where you can get the lowdown on all things about me, Rob Lowe. 323-

570-4551. So have at it. Here's the beep. Hi, Rob Lowe. My name is Hope Fritton, and I'm from Lenexa, Kansas. And I wanted to ask you this question. What was the worst part of high school for you, and how did you get through it? Thank you so much. Have a good day. Bye. Hi, Hope.

You're from Kansas. I was from Ohio and sort of came out to California for my high school years. But I think we all have this in common. High school kind of sucks, I think, kind of. I mean, I think it's because of what we're going through. Changes in, you know, just changes in our lives. And it just, you know, I don't think anybody looks back on their high school experience and goes, yeah, I killed it. God, boy, did I kill it there. For me, no.

It was really, really hard because I wanted to be an actor and people didn't really understand that in my high school. And it's...

It was a different time. There wasn't so much entertainment. There wasn't, you know, you know, there wasn't all this, the CW and kids on TV everywhere, Disney channel or any of that. There was none of it. And there are very few opportunities. So there aren't that many kid actors. So they really, people really didn't get it even in Southern California. And they made, you know, they made fun of me. I guess, yeah.

By today's standards, I was bullied about it really badly. In those days, you just took it and nobody thought twice about it. And I was just never one of the cool kids because the cool kids played football or beach volleyball. I'm so cool. I'm playing beach volleyball. But that was, you know, that's what I dealt with. And I was like all psyched for the talent show.

And people weren't weren't weren't into it at all. So that was definitely my thing. You know, it's great to have a dream. The tough part about having a dream is, you know, because so few people do. A lot of people don't relate to it. So, you know, follow the dream. Thanks for the really sweet question. I like that question. Thank you for calling in and I will see you all next week. Don't forget to subscribe to this little opus that we have.

Don't just hit me once. Don't just baby hit me one time. You know, buy in, would you? All right, see you next week. You have been listening to Literally with Rob Lowe. Produced and engineered by me, Devin Tory Bryant.

Executive produced by Rob Lowe for Lowe Profile. Adam Sachs and Jeff Ross at Team Coco. And Colin Anderson and Chris Bannon at Stitcher. The supervising producer is Aaron Blairt. Talent producer, Jennifer Sampas. Please rate and review this show on Apple Podcasts. And remember to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. This has been a Team Coco production in association with Stitcher.

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