Gwyneth Paltrow: Dangerous and Scintillating
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That's right. Discover automatically doubles the cash back earned on your credit card at the end of your first year with Cash Back Match. Now that's a real crowd pleaser. Everyone knows how it ends. Double the cash back. See terms at discover.com slash credit card. I knew I would need to bring a sweater because Robbie likes everything so freaking cold. Do I? Yes. Yes.

You were cold. You know why you're cold? Because you're shredded and ripped and healthy, vegan, freak. I'm not a vegan. I eat everything. I'm an omnivore. It's not true. It is. I eat everything. It is. Oh, I guess you're right. I started eating red meat, like, again, like a year ago. And I'm into it. I'm very excited that you're cooking tonight for us. I know. You're the best cook. I mean, like, legitimately. First of all, Academy Award winning actresses should not be able to cook. Oh.

Couldn't they shouldn't? That's like mutually exclusive concept. That's reductive. We can be more than one thing, Rob. I haven't met many.

On today's podcast of Literally with Rob Lowe, I have one of my oldest pals in show business. One of my closest friends to this day who usually is occupying a guest bedroom in our house. Academy Award winning actress and philanthropist and business tycoon and hilarious person, great mother,

Gwyneth Paltrow. I do love cooking. I find it, it relaxes me. It's creative output. It's, um, how do you make the food look so good though?

Because it's like, it's yummy, yummy, yummy, but it also looks like it's been doctored by those people on the set that put glycerin on it with an eyedropper. I don't know. All I care about is how it tastes. But I try to make it look appetizing, obviously. But I think if you're using good quality ingredients and you care about what you're doing, it always looks good in the end. You know what I mean? That's the theory of like when you cook it for yourself, it always tastes better because you've put love into it. Yeah, I think that's true. How long have I known you?

I met you. I want to hear your side of it before I give you my side. Okay. So I met Cheryl before I met you. I met Cheryl when I was. My wife, Cheryl. I met the Mrs. Lowe when I was 15 or 16. She was a makeup artist at the time doing a certain Blythe Danner's makeup. The best. My mother. I have my own Blythe thing, which we also need to get to in here.

So she was doing my mom's makeup on this TV movie, and I went down to visit. Was it in Florida? It was in Florida. And I was...

I met Cheryl and I was like immediately obsessed with her. First of all, she was dating Keanu Reeves, who was my celebrity crush. And she was so cool. And she knew that I was sneaking cigarettes and she would come smoke with me behind the trailer. And she taught me how to give a blow job and, you know, all the classic Cheryl stuff. Um,

And I just worshipped her. I thought she was literally the coolest chick of all time. And she was so awesome to me. And I was a high school kid. Like, the fact that she's loved me that much before I was anyone or anything, you know? Same with you. Yeah, yeah. So then...

It didn't work out with her and Keanu. I don't know if you're aware. I am aware. Okay. So sadly for me. I am aware that I did best him in one regard. Okay.

Well, at least one regard. At least one. At least one. He's pretty awesome, though. Yes. He's pretty. He's done okay for himself, that kid. He's and he's still a celebrity crush. Let's face it. Like, yeah, right. 50 something. He's gorgeous. Killing it. I'm obsessed with this girlfriend. Anyway, he has great taste in women. Yeah. Amazing taste in women. Anyway. So then Cheryl started dating an actor named Rob Lowe, which was very exciting. Yeah.

Because, you know, Rob Lowe in the 90s was a dangerous and scintillating proposition. So... Even if I'm purely domesticated and in the aughts, whatever we're in now. Right. Now you're domesticated. Back then, it was another story. Yes, it was. Oh, wasn't it, though? Do you miss those days of just flinging your D all over town? Yeah.

Here's the good news. My family doesn't listen or care about anything, any content I produce. Perfect. So I can say, yes, I miss it. And my wife's not going to say shit because she she I could do 300 hours of podcasts. And, you know, how many hours will she listen to? She won't. But she'll tell you she did. Yes. One hundred percent. So this is a this is a free fire zone. Yeah.

So anyway, then she had started, she was dating you, which was fantastic. And then I was like staying with you guys for a while. I was staying with her for a while. I was staying with her for a while and you guys were dating and you made me really nervous because you were, I was still like nervous of celebrities. And even though I'd grown up with my mom's friends who were celebrities or something more like they were like old people, you know, but you were Rob Lowe. It was very unnerving.

But can you imagine? So I've known you, I think since I'm 17 or 18. 16 or 17. Because I remember that you, when Cheryl moved in with me to my Miami Vice. Oh my gosh. Do you remember my Miami Vice bachelor pad? Yes, I slept there multiple times. Yeah, that you moved into the guest bedroom. Yes. And I remember you were either going to UCSB or. It was before that. Jesus Christ. It was before that.

And it was such a bad, it was like a spaceship on the side of a hill. It was literally designed. Well, this tells you all you need to know. When the realtor took me to look at the house, I bought it because it was 12 minutes away from the Hard Rock Cafe. I don't think you should admit that.

I know. It's really bad. By the way, the notion that the Hard Rock Cafe is so bad. But was it ever a cool place to go? Oh, it was un... Wow. But it would be like today if that were where like Leo and...

You know, Timothee Chalamet. Right. And Billy Eilish. Right. We're getting french fries. That is so classic. I mean, L.A. during that time. It was pretty cool. I mean, it was, I wasn't inside Hollywood yet. I was trying, you know, I was going to go to college and then I was going to try to act, I guess. But yeah.

It was so cool to be getting toted around town with you guys. I remember one time you took me to this place for brunch. Was it called Butterfield or something? Yes. I don't remember that. Yes. And there were so many celebrities in there eating brunch, and I couldn't believe it. It was just – I think Billy Idol was in there eating brunch.

I think you're right. I remember Butterfield's, I remember you had to walk down all these stairs. It was like a garden below Sunset Boulevard. And like one of the Guns and Roses, I think, were in there. It was very, it was just, it was cool. It was very 90s. Very. Because you were, like you and your parents lived a really normal life, even though you're... Yeah. Both of your parents are show business icons. You were like...

It's true. Very well brought up, very well educated, very normal. I was blessed to know your dad and love Blythe. So my Blythe, sideline Blythe Danner story, is I was obsessed with Blythe when I was... She might have been my first crush. We've talked about this. Of course. When she was in Future World, which she doesn't like when I bring that credit up. Do you notice that? Oh, that's a terrible movie. It was a terrible sequel. Yeah.

Why did he? Oh, God. I want you to do. Can you do the whole interview as Blythe Danner? It would be so good. It was terrible. But I am. She's so cute. She's so cute. I had a book of the book version of the script, a future world, and a beautiful picture of Blythe in it. And I thought she was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. And so but and then your father, Bruce.

That's how Cheryl knows you because my wife Cheryl worked for Bruce. That came after. Home fires came after? Home fires came after. See, this is what people don't realize how far we go back. So far back. I mean, way, way back. Way. Like I was in high school or just finishing high school when I met you. And I knew I met Cheryl when I was like in 10th grade, like Apple's age I met her. Apple's age? Yes. Yes.

Okay, that makes me feel... I mean, I've known her forever. That makes you feel like an ancient person. You are. Well, I know. But I don't look it, do I? Tell me, I'm very interested in what lesson, what Cheryl's expertise was in the blowjobs. Gosh, I can't remember exactly. Oh, who are you kidding? No, I just remember it was less about remembering the technique, although I'm sure that I implemented it the first chance I got. Yes, I'm sure. Um...

But she was just, it was so cool to have someone treat me like an adult and see me as like a young woman and someone who was sexual. And she just made me feel so free. And, you know, as you said, I did have a very normal, you know, even though I came from people who worked in show business, I had a very...

You know, like a non-Hollywood kind of... Very stable, structured, like regular. Yeah, for sure. And, you know, it was like pretty... Not conservative politically, but just, you know, it was like a lot was expected of me. I had to study really hard. It was like I had, you know... So, and the gender roles were pretty defined. And, you know, my mother was... She's very prim. She's... Wouldn't you say? Is it? She's... I wouldn't say prim. I think she's just...

traditional and sort of, you know, she's like, and of that era, right? Like we didn't talk about stuff like that. So for Cheryl to be like, okay, and then hold the balls and whatever. And I was like, what is happening? She hasn't changed a bit. I know. Listen, let's face it. I did a lot of research when I was looking for a wife. Oh, really? We didn't know that, Rob. And we've been married

29 years. I know. And it's because I've never met anybody like her. I've never met anyone. And it's funny. I sat in Cheryl's makeup chair just as an actor and she was my makeup artist and that was it. And the way that she spoke to me and the way she valued me as a person. Yeah. And saw me as a person. Right. Was different than anybody else.

Ever. Yeah. And it's, it's an amazing, it's a beautiful quality and she's so loving and she's such a caretaker and she's like, there's such an amazing like Jewish mom and it's all the food and the comfort and everything. But then there's this just wild side to her. That's so fun to this day. Cause I would never survive somebody boring. No, I know. If I wasn't with somebody and I say this with all love,

a little crazy, maybe more than a little, I would run rough shot. Yeah, no, she keeps you on your toes. I think you guys have an amazing marriage and like, obviously, you know, I've known you guys for a long time and seen it through many chapters and it's just so inspiring to see you both continue to make the commitment to grow together and like to keep finding that

honesty and new levels of authenticity and commitment and what that looks like over different decades. And I don't know, I think you guys are rad. Well, thank you. I mean, it's, I think it's important in, in life and in marriages to have friends that you can count on and that you can also see through the, the chat. I mean, I, and the same, I've seen you through so many chapters in your life beyond, I mean, beyond,

You could write a book. I know. I'll leave that to you. My secrets are too explosive. They're too good. They're so good. We bury them to the barriers of the deepest. But even little things like your dad, I remember when you were nominated for Shakespeare. And remember when they used to have those crazy Miramax parties and everybody had to do charades? Yeah.

Oh, yeah. No, those weren't the Miramax parties. Those were like you would like actors. It was it was actually sweet. It was like actors who had won in previous years would sort of like host game nights for people. It was like, remember? Yeah, it was a bit. It was a thing. It was a thing. We would have these these big nights and I remember running into your dad at one at the one that was sort of done in honor of Helen Hunt through for me. That's right. Yeah. And.

I think I'm Matthew. My oldest must have been about five or six. And I must have known where the road would lead with the boys. Cause I said, what advice do you have for me? Cause Gwyneth has turned out so great, you know, for my, for raising my kids. Like what, like what if they want to be actors and I'll never forget. I call it the Bruce Paltrow rule, which is, you know, they can do, they can say they want to act all they want. They're not doing shit until they're 18. Yeah. Yeah.

You wanted, but you wanted, you wanted to, and he just threw the hammer down. I wanted to so badly, so badly. And, and people would, you know, casting directors sometimes came up to me in New York, not knowing who my parents were, you know, asking me to audition for this or, and, um, I always wanted to, but my parents refused to let me into the public eye. And then finally, when I was 18, I just kind of, Oh, it was a frenzy. I remember it. I remember it was like, it would, it, the only thing I can think of, it would be like, um,

The NFL draft and people are just in a fucking, you know, he's going from Gwyneth Paltrow's being drafted first. Oh my God. People are trading up to get Gwyneth Paltrow. Oh my God. It was a, it was a, in like all the agents you were, you were meeting with everybody knew like it was like the fix was so in. But it's, it's weird, you know, because it's like, I, I, I don't know how I feel about it. Ultimately that sort of advantage that,

you know, kids, it's like we get doors open for us because of who our parents are, like your sons do or my children would. And so that's why I think it's so important, you know, as you say, to raise a kid that has a work ethic and whose values are, you know, they're aligned with yours or with their own sense of who they are, et cetera, so that

You know, because the truth of the matter is like the doors can be open for you. But if you think about all the people who try and it doesn't happen. Yes. And that's what I mean. When I say the fix is in, it wasn't that it wasn't that people knew you were going to succeed because of where you came from. They knew you had the goods. Hmm. Well, thank you. And you had it from the first. What was the first great movie? That weird Western with. Oh, yeah. Flesh and bone. Flesh and bone.

I love that movie. You're great in it. It's a great movie. It is a really good movie. It's a weird, slow burner, but I love it. Such a good movie. Really good movie. But I was like, oh yeah, she's going to be fine. She doesn't need to stay in my guest room anymore. I still do. No, you're doing it right now. Nothing has changed. I've never left the guest room. You're literally back in my guest bedroom. I've never left. Hold that thought. We'll be right back.

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Who are incredible. Thank you. And they always have. And again, like you, always have been. Like you look at... They're good kids. Well, there's two things. They're good kids. And they're also like, they have it. I mean, Moses, like charismatic, charismatic.

Such a... Like, his energy of, like, love and, like, he's just going to... I know. I'd like to eat him. I know. I'd like to eat him all up. I know. It's really unbelievable. And Apple, I mean...

That charisma, if we could harness it, could power a large city. What do you do with that one? Oh, you got your hands full. I know you better. I mean, what's the Bruce Paltrow rule look like for Apple? Yeah. I mean, again, you know, I won't let them, you know, be public on any social media or anything like that. I try to keep them out of the public eye as much as possible. Yeah.

you know, now it's different because kids are like, can I have a YouTube channel? I want to, and I'm like, no, you can't. No, absolutely not. But everybody else, I'm like, you're not, you know, you have this other layer and they understand. And they're, but I think with, it's really been interesting to be her mother because as she's come into her own, it's almost like, you know, it's like watching her harness her own power with every passing year. And I'm just like,

what is this child here to do? You know, she's so bright and so funny. And so she's hilarious. She's hilarious. And, and Moses is so unique and so deep and like such an old soul and, and also really talented, like scarily talented. And you're, and so you start as a parent, you think all I can do for these kids is teach them right from wrong.

And teach them what work is. And how do you go about doing that? Because I do find we're both blessed with kids who have work ethic and understand work and want to work and aren't entitled. Look, they've grown up with everything in abundance and they are entitled to work.

but they don't feel entitled, if that makes any sense. Yeah, I mean, I think, first of all, you model it, right? Like, you are an incredibly hard worker. So is Cheryl.

Cheryl doesn't have to bust her ass 24-7 on her jewelry business, but she does. So the boys have grown up with two parents who have modeled what it means to work and what work looks like and trying to do both things at the same time. And I think when you work hard and they see that and you value your work, they fuse those things and they understand that work brings value to someone's life and sense of self and

My kids work hard. I think they see their parents working hard, working hard to achieve something. And so I think that's the first part of it. We model it. And then you make them work for stuff. I really have tried not to just hand them things, which a lot of people do and no judgment, but

My father always made me have a job after school until I was in 11th grade because then there was too much homework and SAT practice and whatever. And Apple has a job. She works in retail. Not currently because stores obviously are closed. But she came to me one day and she was like, I really want to get a job at this store. And I was like, great. Yeah.

perfect. Okay. I'm totally supportive. And then I didn't hear anything about it for a while. I was like, do you need help? And you know, in any way she was like, no. And then a few weeks later she came to me. She's like, I got the job. Please sign my W-2. Please sign, you know, permission. Cause I'm not, it was unbelievable. Oh my God. And she, she, that's who she is. So I don't know. She's a self-starter. She's a self-starter. She's, I, she really is. So,

You know, I don't know. I also think that with kids, like I read this quote once from, I think it was from Banksy that said a parent will do absolutely anything for their child except let them be exactly who they are.

It's so true.

of parents got this memo. I was reading this woman, Glennon Doyle's book. It's called Untamed. And she said our generation of parents got this memo that like, we're going to keep you from everything. We're going to do everything we can, you know, to...

make sure you never feel an ounce of pain or left out. Or, you know, when the teacher calls us and says, you know, you've done something wrong, we're going to get in the teacher's face and say, I don't think, you know, my child. And, you know, basically that our philosophy is don't let them get hurt. And I don't know exactly what it's in reaction to. Like, I don't know what, how we were parented or how, you know, how it all comes together, but yeah.

It really struck a nerve with me because I think we have to let our children experience life. And, you know, life is like the first rule of Buddhism says suffering. Like we suffer here. It's really hard and it's part of it. And we want our children to know who they are, to have good manners and to have resilience. Right. So that's what I try to do. Well, and I think that we come out and I agree. It's the same. We come at that. I think the other part is resilience.

And I'm not saying anything about your parents. Just remind me. I think that generation had a level of narcissism that we don't have. Like my...

My parents were very, very self-involved and I felt really, really, really on my own. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, that's funny because that's what Glennon says is that our parents' generation were like their memo was. Yeah. What was their? Their memo, she says, is like, OK, we're home from the hospital. You look after yourself. I'm going to smoke and talk to the other adults and like don't come home till dinner.

Yeah. And you're on your own. Like you're on your own. Which is also beautiful. Yeah. Like the days of like running around the yard and then coming home only when the dinner bell rang. Yeah. I know. The stuff my parents used to let me do. Oh my gosh. Well, when I moved, when I was a young actor and I moved to California from Ohio, I was 12 and we lived out on Point Doom and we figured out that Point Doom in Malibu, the only reason we lived there was my mother was a universal allergic or so she thought. We don't really know. I think she was just a hypochondriac.

And the air quality in Point Doom was supposedly so great. That's why we moved there. But I would take the bus alone from Point Doom to Santa Monica, get on a different bus, take it from Santa Monica to Beverly Hills, get on a different bus, take it from Beverly Hills to like deep in Hollywood, audition.

Do my homework repeating back to, wow, to point doom. And, and like they, we never thought anything of it. Yeah. I mean, when I was, I moved to New York when I was 11 from Santa Monica and I was out. I mean, I was on multiple subways going downtown to my friend, Julia's house, walking the streets, walking,

You know, and then you have an 11 year old and you're like, wait a minute, what? I'm supposed to let you out on the subway alone? Like, this seems nuts, but I actually think there's something to it.

It is that weird thing of when you look at your kids and realize what you were doing at that age. I know. It's shocking. I read this article maybe six or eight months ago that there was a brother and a sister, maybe I want to say five and seven, who lived somewhere in the Midwest and they walked to school every day. It was like half a mile walk. And people kept calling child services. Yeah.

Because they saw these kids alone. Like, I mean, that's. That's where we are. That's where we are. That's so insane. Yeah. Well, and you know, the other thing about you, this could be, this could turn into the gooiest love fest ever. Oh, God. I love you too, though. Imaginable. But you 100% are the pioneer of, and I don't want to use this word I'm about to use because it's so icky. Vagina eggs? Vagina eggs.

Well, there's that, which that's a whole other second podcast. You thought you were getting out of this by telling me vagina eggs.

You don't know me very well. It's not reinvention, but branding is gross. I hate that word. Why? It's okay. It's okay? Yeah. Okay. Then I'm going to say it. But I mean, I remember when you were starting Goop and when you were, like I said, I've been, we've been through it all together, but I don't think anyone has any idea how hard you have worked and work. There's no way they do. No fucking way do they know.

I think probably the only people who would know are other entrepreneurs who've started companies and go through the same kind of thing. There have always been people starting companies, but there were not people in your position who went, oh,

Not only am I going to be an Academy Award winning actress, but I have this other thing that I'm going to do. Now it's almost you almost have to do that. Like you and it's all good. You've been a trailblazer and enabled people and shined a light so people can go, hey, there are other opportunities if you're interested and you feel like you have the goods. But before you.

I feel like there were some people who had, you know, shown interest in other things and, you know, other actors who were entrepreneurial. But I think I, I really didn't want, you know, I didn't want to act really, you know, you know me. I mean, I've never really, I never really felt like it was at a certain point. You know, I do believe that we have chapters and we live chapters of our lives. And there was a period of time where acting was what I did. And,

what I loved for part of it, certainly. But after I had Apple and we were just talking about this upstairs, but I, I really felt like I got in touch with some other calling that I had and, and I always loved business and I was always fascinated by it and always reading about it. And I

And I didn't know when I started Goop that it was, I would ever be able to figure out how to monetize it or that I would ever even be able to hire somebody to, you know, one person to work on it with me, let alone 250 people. And it's been the most incredible experience. I love it so much. It is so hard and so incredibly educational and expansive. And I have to be so grateful.

I start every day almost at square one, just with the mindset of learning. And I just love it. It's the best. It's the most exhilarating time professionally I've ever had. Do you feel like on any given day, I've done it? No. But on certain given days, I'm like, I can't fucking do this anymore. I don't know what I'm doing anymore.

I'm going to fail. This is way too hard. I don't know what I've gotten myself into. And you do have those feelings. Yeah, sure. And then I have days where I'm like, oh, this feels like maybe I'm figuring this out.

Maybe I've cracked this. You know, it's like you ricochet from one. It's like a pet, you know, I think that's so important for, for, for, for me to hear, for people to hear, because you always compare, like they say in AA, you always compare your insides to somebody else's outsides. So this is like, you know, one could easily think, I mean, goop is, is this sort of iconic thing that you could be like, yeah, man, I did it. And it's great. And, and,

The truth of it is there are days where you work up and go, man, I've bitten off a lot. I don't know. I don't know what tomorrow is going to bring. Oh, my God. It's crazy. The bigger it gets, do you feel more pressure? Yes. The more money you raise, the more people you hire, you know, you're responsible. Was the first money raise frightening or did you feel good? No, because I didn't know what I was doing, you know? Yes. I was like, okay, I guess, you know, we need to raise some money and somebody else was helping me.

figure out what that meant. And I was just sort of trying to tell the story. And I, I raised my first round of seed money from this amazing group of women who just were readers of the site and who got what I was trying to do. And they weren't, um, intimidating and they were so loving and so supportive. So my first experience with raising money was incredible. My second, when I went to raise the series a, that was a whole other story. I mean, that was brutal.

I finally did it, but you know. Did you have to do like a road show and stand in front of? Yeah, basically. I mean, you're going from one VC to the next and you're, you know, and at that point too, when a business is really young, there's, it's so risky. I mean, nobody has any idea. You're making up numbers out of thin air. You have no idea like if marketing ultimately is going to work

or if product is going to resonate with people. And you're like, well, we think this is going to be the thing. Do you want to, you know, and I was going into all these VCs. They're all men, all men. And I'm talking about, you know. Big vaginas. You hadn't had those yet. No, those hadn't come into play yet. But I was talking about

women and what women want and what they're missing and who they are as consumers and how there's this big white space in the market. And, you know, at the time, like clean beauty was not really a thing. And as you know, I'm really passionate about not having toxins where you can avoid them on your dermis or in your air and your water, whatever. And men, you know, didn't totally get it.

Shockingly. They got you like that. They're like, I don't know what the hell this one's selling. Well, I mean, it's funny. The reason that Tony Florence, who is my main investor, my biggest shareholder, he invested in the company because he had had an anecdotal experience with Goop because he sat on the board of another company that we had talked about.

And after they were on, you know, he was reviewing a board deck and looking at a graph and, you know, they were sort of down towards the bottom in terms of numbers of customers they had. And then on this one day it spiked and those customers became really productive, high LTV customers. And he said, what happened on this day? And they said, oh, well, we, they talked about us on this website called Goop. So.

Because he had experienced the power of what Goop was, he was like ready to invest. And so he's been my biggest champion and mentor. And I got so, so lucky because I have a lot of, you know,

a lot of entrepreneur friends who don't feel that way about their investors. So I got there. For sure. Yeah. It can be not a good shotgun marriage. Yes. And I feel like the pressure of, that's not just your money. It's not just your time and energy. You're beholden to other people. I've seen that with Cheryl with her, with Cheryl Lowe Designs is when she got her investors, the level of seriousness and the level of responsibility just...

that pressure can be really insane. Yes. That's why I'm just a stupid idiot that wears makeup for a living and stands on a mark. I just did like, I'm keeping it very, very simple. It served you well, Rob. Yeah, and the other thing is, I will do anything to avoid math. Right, then you definitely don't want to start a business because it's- Anything. It's a math nightmare. It's an Excel K-hole. Have some kind of visual processing disorder. My son Matthew has it as well. Where when I look at

certain stats on a screen, they, it would be like, it's like, it's like being dyslexic. Cause if I can read, like, you can't believe, like I'm one of the quickest best readers, like off the charts crazy. But when it's like an Excel or numbers, they like move around in my eyes. Like googly eyes. I get googly porky pig eyes. Oh my God. Yeah. So I would, that would be a real problem. I need to have somebody like,

Well, you could be a founder. You just probably couldn't be a CEO. That's for sure. No, we don't want any. Well, how was the name Goop? That was your nickname as a kid, right? Is that what it was? No. What was it? So it was actually a nickname that Chris used to call me, Goopy sometimes, for fun. That's great. You're so Goopy. I know. He'd be like, hey, Goopy.

Because GP were my initials and he would, you know, and then weirdly and unrelatedly, when I was trying to think about this business, speaking of branding, I went to go see this guy in New York, Peter Arnell, who was a branding master. And I said, I needed help to think about what the, I didn't want my name in it, but it would be nice if it was somehow related to me. And he just said one, he was like, I got it. It's goop.

And I thought it was really like a terrible name. And he was like, no, trust me. And I was like, why? Goop is like, it's gross. It's like, he said, no, you're going to reframe the way people hear the word. It's your initials with two O's in between. And all big internet companies have two O's in the name. I love that. All big internet companies have two O's. That's the problem with Quibi. That's where they fucked up.

It should have been called Quobe. That Quobe. So then it was born. And then I just stuck with it. So good. We'll be right back after this.

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I want to tell the story about, because again, I've seen you through all your iterations of love. You have. But the best was the boyfriend you brought up, passed out in a jacuzzi.

Can I just say that I was such a, I was so naive about drugs and alcohol. I mean, I still am like, of course I drank alcohol, but I had a boyfriend who really was like taking pills and stuff. And you didn't know. I had no idea. And he had taken pills. He painkillers, I think.

Just the way you're saying it, I wish people could see your face. You're saying painkillers, like they're these newfangled things that you've never heard of. This was a long time ago. So he had taken a painkiller and other stuff, and we all were in the hot tub. This is at your old house in Montecito. And he got up.

Out of the hot tub and literally like splatted on the brick. His head hit the bricks. Oh, my God. It sounded like. No, it wasn't his head. It was his body hit the. Was it his head? Oh, my God. I blocked it out. No, because he had a concussion. Oh, it was so terrible. Because then he was seeing visions. Oh, yeah. So. Well, maybe that was the hallucinogenics. He. And then and then he got back in and looked at you and clearly didn't know where he was or who you were at all.

And then looked at me and recognized me like, oh, my God, it's Rob Lowe. And look back at you and did not know you. And then slowly at all, he kind of came to me like, oh, my God, that was insane. Because, honey, I'm so sorry. I didn't know where I was and I didn't know who you were. And I looked at Rob and I thought I finally made it in Hollywood because if I'm in a jacuzzi with Rob Lowe, it must be the best Hollywood party ever. That's right. Right. Yeah.

So fucking... Oh my God. Oh my God. Yeah, I had some interesting boyfriends along the way. But your husband now we love so much. I mean, I've loved all your guys. You have very good taste. That's not true. You've not loved all of them. I've appreciated all of them? No? Yeah, okay. Your current and your final, your husband, Brad, you know, he's my boss. Which, how weird is that? He's my boss. Okay.

happened because you were friends. That's right. So on Lone Star, 911 Lone Star, Brad created, wrote it for me. I knew he really wrote it for me when he wrote a firefighter who cared more about his hair than his moisturizer and hair than saving lives. I was like, yeah, that sounds about right. That sounds about right. But that's what's so fun is to be able to work with somebody like that. You know, the value of working with somebody you love and a friend and somebody who gets you

And understands you. And that is his superpower. I think. Really understanding people. And really getting people. It's true. And he's able to articulate. Like what someone's strengths are. In a really interesting way. When we sit in casting meetings. And he wants to talk about.

The actors that just come in or were maybe going out to offer it to an established star, he'll articulate why they're right for it or not right for it in the most amazing way. Oh, wow. See, I don't get to see his work side. I mean, I have— But he directs you in The Politician. Yes, which is great, but I mean, I haven't— And you're great in it. You are great in The Politician and, because it reminds me a lot of Blythe— Yes, yes.

There's a lot of blithe going on there. There's a little blithe sprinkled in there. A little blithe sprinkled in there. You're like the hot,

Waspy, multi-decades younger Maggie Smith in Downton Abbey. I've never seen Downton Abbey. Oh, come on. I know. I've got to get it together. You have to get it together. Is it great? Do you know what? It's great. It is. It's great. I mean, I know that I don't really seem like a Downton Abbey guy. Yes, you do. Do I? Yeah. Oh, good. Okay. I love it. Okay. I'm going to watch it. I never, there are like certain series that I missed along the way. Yeah.

I think also partially because I was an expat in London for so long, and shows would debut in America and be this huge deal, and then it would be a year later.

Until it got to London. By that point, I was so annoyed hearing everyone talk about how amazing Lost was or whatever that I was like, I'm not watching this. I missed the whole... I'm like, I missed the boat. I was in London doing a play when Lost was... So I never saw that. There's like all these big TV shows that I missed. Well, when you see Maggie, who crushes... She's phenomenal. And you crush. Okay, I'm going to watch. So what's it like working with your husband directing you? It's great. I mean...

I just love being around him and he's so smart and he's so soothing and he just like gets me so well. And I think I'm a pain because I, you know, I don't, it's not my favorite thing to do. Acting is not your favorite thing anymore. No, it's not. You're very funny about it.

I just like, I don't, I don't, I don't know. I don't know what it is. I just like, it's, I feel embarrassed and I like can't remember lines anymore. I don't, but let's, I promise you ask him, ask him. Cause I used to be, I used to be able to read a scene one time in the hair and makeup chair and know it perfectly. And now I struggle so much. Genuinely ask Brad. I think because I have so much in my head.

You know, it's like I'm on set and I'm thinking about my business and the day's numbers and whatever, blah, blah, blah, the issues and the people. And like, I just don't have a lot of room to remember lines and stuff like that. But I swear, I know you're looking. I know. I don't believe it. Okay. Ask him after this.

I've only acted with you once and you were a machine, but that was many, many, many, many years ago. Yeah, it's a long time ago. Now I'm like, I can't remember this fucking line. And then he writes me these monologues that are like a page long. Just to fuck with you? I'm like, Brad, you're killing me. Your wedding was the greatest wedding ever.

It was so beautiful. Wasn't it fun? She literally had Steven Spielberg doing the, was filming. He was filming the wedding on his video camera. I know. Because I thought it would be weird to have, for a few reasons. I thought it would be weird to have like a produced video.

With like a team of videographers. Like I, I'm a, I feel self-conscious in front of the camera, which is part of the reason acting makes me a little uncomfortable. No one would ever believe that. That's the thing. That's seriously. That's why people go back. Gwyneth, who she is, who she thinks it's, but it's the truth. No, it's really the truth. Like I get uncomfortable in front of a camera.

And Stephen gets uncomfortable in social situations. So I was like, this is perfect. I'll hand on the camera. He'll be so happy. And then I'll get a wedding video. You are fucking unbelievable. Oh, he filmed everything. He filmed the whole wedding. It was unbelievable to watch, to watch Steven Spielberg make home movies. Oh my gosh. But you know what? That's, that's how I know him my whole life. All he does is make home movies. Like if you go there for dinner,

And it's more than just a double date or something. He is filming it. Really? Always. Always, always, always. He has more home movie footage than you can possibly fathom. He always is filming. He loves it. How has he not made...

That, I mean, how much would you love to see that documentary? I know. I know. And he loves you so much. It's so funny to watch him with you, to watch you guys together. It's like you forget he's Steven Spielberg. Yeah. I had the greatest conversation with him about Jaws at your wedding. You did? I did. Because I'm a huge Jaws fan. And he was like, I feel so bad about Jaws. I just, I feel that people hate sharks and I feel I'm responsible for it. He is. He is.

He's responsible. He's responsible for people not swimming in the ocean, like my husband, who's like scared to swim in a lake because of Jaws. It really did traumatize a generation of people. I'm so glad I didn't see Jaws until much later because I love swimming in the ocean. It's such a good, it's one of my all-time favorite movies. Same with Brad. You know, his son Brody is named after. Oh no, after Chief Brody? After Chief Brody. I never knew that. Yes. Come on. I swear. I swear.

Yeah. He calls him chief. No way. See, this is why I love your husband. He's a Jaws fan and he's a Bruce Springsteen. You too and you're Bruce Springsteen. Are we the whitest? Beyond. Middle-aged. Are we the whitest middle-aged guys that you know? Yes. Painfully white and painfully middle-aged. With our Bruce Springsteen power fisting.

And your football games after Thanksgiving. It's called the Turkey Bowl. It's not after Thanksgiving. It's before Thanksgiving. I'm always cooking, so I'm not paying attention. You didn't go to the... I've never seen you at a Springsteen show. Brad goes. I've never been. We're like bro-ing. It's so good. It's so upsetting. I can't even talk about this. It's the whitest. It's the most white. It's so white. But, you know...

You know what? I love that he and you or anyone, when someone has that level of fandom about someone, it's actually so beautiful. And for him, I honestly think between Springsteen and the Red Sox, it's religious for him. Whatever religion provides for people, structure, meaning, emotion, understanding where you are in time and space,

masculinity. Like it provides him with such fullness. Yeah. Now that Tom Brady's gone from the Patriots, he's, I can't. Is he wearing a black armband? That was a rough day in our house. I'm not going to lie. Yeah. It's, it's, it's, I don't know what we're going to do without sports like this. I really, I really, I truly, truly,

I haven't noticed. Do not. I mean, I'm losing my mind with all this. It's crazy. Okay. You should start cooking with me and then you'll get your mind off sports. I'm a terrible cook. I know. I'm a good eater. I know. I've seen your quarantine baby. Yeah. I'm pregnant with an ice cream baby.

I have a quarantine baby. You literally sat down last night and ate a pint of Haagen-Dazs ice cream. I'm having a gender reveal for my baby next week. What is it going to be? I don't know, but then I'm going to paint the nursery because I'm definitely in my third trimester when I look in the mirror. I think that the upside of this surreal, crazy, tragic, indescribable time is

Is that I feel like we're one, one positive aspect is we're all being a lot easier on ourselves about our bodies. Cause we're just, what are we going to do? Yeah, no. And, and easier on ourselves about,

If you want to take a nap in the middle of the day, that's okay. If you want to work, you work. You don't work. It's kind of the sky's the limit. It's been very strange. It really has. And I just think stillness like this brings up so much to the surface. And that's been a really interesting part, like examining what is really going on beneath all the stuff that we busy ourselves with all day. Yeah. I'm good in my own company. I spend, as you know, when I'm here...

I can sit up by the fire and just sit. I know. And just great. And she'll be like, Cheryl's not like my wife's not like, I think opposites are good. Right? Like she's, you don't want, I wouldn't want to be married to someone who's too much like me. No, I think that gets hard. I mean, I think, I think you guys share a lot of the same values, but your personalities are very different. Right. 100% on the values. Like, I don't know how people stay married who have like legitimate, like,

No, you're very... Differences in how to raise kids or whatever. You're very aligned, but you just have a different way of operating in the world. Yes. 100%. No, I've been very lucky. All right. Do you remember... How many times have you been on the cover of Vanity Fair? Once, maybe? Twice? For sure. At least once. Yes. I think twice. So at the end of Vanity Fair, they used to have the Proust questionnaire. Oh, yeah. I love that questionnaire. Okay. So I have my version of it. Okay. Okay.

It's called The Lowdown because every hacky article ever written about me had that title. Oh, God. So gross, right? So this is my version of the gross questionnaire. Okay. First of all, okay, let's start with this one. Rolling Stones or Beatles? Rolling Stones. That was fast. But most overrated Beatle? I don't actually think there was an overrated Beatle. Most overrated cast member friends? Is this really a question? Yeah.

This is the Rob. This is the Rob. All right, all right. No, they're all great. We can keep moving on. But you know, the thing about Friends is it was what it was because of each one of them. Like the chemistry of the six of them was so perfect. You didn't, that was, you already had won an Oscar by then. You wouldn't have been auditioning by Friends, would you? I did not audition for Friends, no. What did you ever audition for that you didn't? That I didn't get? Yeah. Legends of the Fall.

Really? Julia Ormond part? Yep. I got really close, like down to the wire. There's another movie I lost to Julia Ormond. What was it? It was a remake of an Audrey Hepburn movie with, what was it called? Oh, yeah, yeah. Help me. Yes. Sabrina. Sabrina.

So Julia Ormein was your nemesis. No, that's a bit extreme. But I did lose two movies to her. That's nemesis where I come from. There you go. I used to lose movies to Tim Hutton in the day. Ordinary people being, I mean, come on. That's a bummer. That's as big as it gets. But my mom always said, you know, she said, if you don't get a part, that means it's just not your part. There'll be other parts that are yours and you'll get those.

Right. And then I felt much more relaxed about it. It is true because when people give me shit about turning down Grey's Anatomy, you know, it's like it wasn't really like it would have been a lot of money and all that stuff. That's another TV show that I have to start watching. My daughter loves that show. It's great. It's great. You turned it down. McDreamy could have been me. You know who reminds me of that all the time? What? Who? Cheryl.

I don't know what McDreamy is. You don't know who McDreamy is? No. The best. What are you talking about? This is the best. Because there's a whole, this is the other thing I love about you. There's a whole part of you that literally has no idea about anything. Oh my God. Not anything. It's like pop culture stuff. That's what I don't know about.

But you own it. Like, today, to not know pop culture, I could give a flying fuck about most of it, too. I want to be more like you. I really do. You have a way of, like, owning your lack of interest.

In pop culture. But it's true. It's awesome. Because you're like, McDreamy, what is that? What is that, though? What is McDreamy? This is the best. What is it? McDreamy is the leading man on Grey's Anatomy. His name is McDreamy? Well, that's part of the issue. Oh.

Which is like I intuited, I think, when I had the meeting with everybody, that there was a level of objectification of men. Oh, my God. Because, no, of course his name isn't McDreamy. That's the objectified name. It's basically saying hot guy.

But in the script? It's Patrick Dempsey. Oh, but they wrote in the script, McDreamy? I don't know how it came up, but it's a thing. I'm going to have to be right, but it's a thing. Oh, yeah. Yeah, McDreamy. Absolutely. Was his name like Macmillan in it or something? I don't even think so. No, it's something normal. Okay. It's like Derek. Yeah, Derek. Yeah, Derek. Derek, like Shepard or something like that. Yeah, I think that's right. But admit that Patrick Dempsey in Can't Buy Me Love

was dreamy well if you think he's dreamy in that way do you see him in this really oh yeah because he's like a guy and his hair is amazing i like okay i gotta watch it um and then think about the money that i lost oh rob it's conservative bad for you it's conservative 70 million dollars rob it's not polite to talk about money and don't talk about on a podcast blithe is here are you crazy i'm

That's what he makes. Okay. That's dreamy money. It could have been mine. All right. Back to the questionnaire. Has there ever been a cartoon character that you were sexually attracted to? A cartoon character? Yeah. Like, I like the female rabbit with the purple eyes and the aristocats when I was little. Let me think. No. No.

How did I know that that answer? No, I can see how a guy. Well, we'll sexualize anything, first of all. Right. But like you've got Jessica Rabbit and we have like Papa Smurf. Who are we supposed to get a boner over? Paul Bunyan. Popeye. Somebody did. And it was a guy. And recently say Porky Pig. That's really. Because the hooves made his legs like he was wearing heels. Stop being friends with whoever said that.

Is that the best? It's so dark and disturbing. Isn't it the greatest? We have to just really quickly talk about one of the great pieces of trivia that in The Cat in the Hat. Okay. Oh, yes. The Cat in the Hat, Mike Myers, Cat in the Hat. Mike will be on the show at some point.

He based his character on your father. Yes. He did the best Bruce Paltrow impersonation of all time. And he used to do it to my father. And my father would cry laughing. Cry. It was so fun. That was during the period of time where we were all making View from the Top. Yep.

which is really not a good movie. And it's not our best work. No, but we had the fun and Mike Myers was so freaking funny. Oh my God. And honestly, like my dad and Mike Myers fell in love and had such this great friend. Those two had the most amazing. Oh my God. And Robin, Mike's ex wife and my father were really close to, he loved Robin. I just love the idea of Mike rolling into the set one day and going, so here's what I'm thinking with the character.

Of the cat in the Cat in the Hat. He's really Bruce Paltrow. I know. But my dad was a great character, as you know. Yeah. I love that. So do yourselves a favor. Watch the Cat in the Hat. Bruce Paltrow lives again. It's true. It's so great. So great. Darling, I love you so much. I love you, too. Thank you for having me. Tell me just briefly, like, how did you... When did you start this podcast? So what happened was...

I have thought that I had like a talk show in me. And I was talking to Ellen for a minute about taking over her show when she quit. And then the timing was never going to be right on that. So I just sort of put that to bed. And then I did...

The Goop podcast, the Marc Maron podcast, a couple other podcasts and had so much fun because it was an area where people could get together and talk. And what you used to be able to do on actual talk shows before it was like, we want you to come on and play pin the tail on the donkey. Yeah. It's like, what the fuck? It's not...

I'm not enough. I've worked my whole life to be entertaining and interesting. And it is crazy when you see clips of old talk shows like Dick Cavett and there's like weird long pauses and long stories. It's like people sat out there for 15 minutes. It was amazing. But you got to know them. Yeah, you did. It's true. And you go like on YouTube and watch great appearances on Carson.

They're amazing. Yeah, it's true. But now you get these amazing people on and the next thing you know, they're playing a go, it's a go-kart rally backstage. I'm like, I don't want to see Elon Musk in a go-kart. I want to. I do, but I get it. You know what I mean? Yeah. Like, so I love this, that this exists, that we can do that because, you know, you'd never get to talk like this anywhere other than. And the other thing is I know enough people

interesting people and have had a history with enough people that I can bring out stories that there's no way anybody else will ever know they're fun and interesting. That's true. Stories I only tell my friends. The podcast version. The podcast version. That's exactly it. All right. Thank you. Thank you. Yay! Good job, Robin. Thank you. It was fun, right? Yes!

I love that woman so much. She is just, there's nobody like her. There's just no one like her. She's got every club in the bag. That was as good as I had hoped it would be. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. And I'll see you next time. 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 Santos. 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.

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. ♪

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