MR. JEFF DANIELS ON THE SHOW
TONIGHT, HOW ARE YOU, JEFF?
SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU.
I'M WONDERING IF YOU ARE FEELING SLIGHTLY SMUG RIGHT NOW WHILST
LOTS OF PEOPLE ARE FLEEING THE CITIES IN WHICH THEY LIVE, YOU
WERE WAY AHEAD OF THE CURVE.
YOU'VE BEEN LIVING IN MICHIGAN FOR YEARS NOW.
HOW IS EVERYTHING THERE?
IS EVERYTHING GOOD?
>> I HAVE BEEN PREPARING FOR THIS PANDEMIC SINCE 1986.
WE MOVED BACK HERE, TO A SMALL TOWN IN MICHIGAN AND RAISED THE
KIDS HERE.
AND YOU ARE RIGHT, PEOPLE ARE, ARE GOING TO THE CITIES.
THEY'VE LEAVING THE CITIES, GOING TO THE SMALL TOWNS.
WE'RE ALREADY HERE.
IT'S BEEN GOOD.
IT'S A LITTLE, I MEAN WE'RE HEALTHY, START THERE.
BUT IT'S ALSO A LITTLE BIT LIKE A FORCED RETIREMENT.
EXCEPT FOR THE GOLD WATCH, THAT IS WHAT IT FEELS LIKE.
>> James: WHAT IS IT LIKE FOR YOU IN MICHIGAN WHEN YOU WALK
AROUND THE TOWN AND THINGS-- DO PEOPLE CARE ABOUT YOUR CAREER
THERE?
DO THEY CARE ABOUT YOUR CELEBRITY?
ARE THEY INTERESTED IN FAME?
>> IT DEPENDS.
THE PEOPLE AROUND ME, CLOSER TO ME, YOU KNOW, ARE KNOW THAT IT'S
A JOB AND THAT I HAVE BEEN DOING IT A LONG TIME.
IT'S THE PEOPLE THAT SEE ME THAT THEIR VOICES GET A LITTLE
LOUDER.
THEY TALK A LITTLE FASTER.
IT'S NOT TOO MANY OF THEM.
PEOPLE ARE REAL GOOD ABOUT KIND OF LEAVING ME ALONE AND LETTING
ME LIVE MY LIFE.
I DON'T, I CERTAINLY DON'T GO AROUND YOU KNOW SAYING, I DON'T
KNOW IF YOU SEE ME IN A RECENT THING BUT, YOU KNOW, I WOULD
LOVE TO TALK ABOUT IT WITH YOU.
WHAT IS YOUR NAME, I'M SORRY.
THERE IS NONE OF THAT.
I KIND OF, I'M PRETTY RECLUSIVE TO BE HONEST.
>> James: WEREN'T YOU ADDED TO THE MICHIGAN WALK OF FAME?
IS THAT RIGHT?
>> YES, APPARENTLY THAT WAS AN HONOR.
(LAUGHTER) UP AT THE CAPITOL LANCING, THIS
WAS EASILY 10, 15 YEARS AGO.
THE GOVERNOR DE SUEDED TO LET ME-- WANTED ME TO GET A STAR ON
THE MICHIGAN WALK OF FAME ALONG WITH GERALD FORD AND THOMAS
EDISON AND I BELIEVE STEVIE WONDER.
>> James: RIGHT.
>> THERE WERE ABOUT 30 PEOPLE THERE.
IT IS THE MIDWEST, THEY KIND OF DON'T KNOW WHAT TO MAKE OF IT.
SO YOU HAVE WHAT, SOMETHING ON A SIDEWALK?
>> YEAH, YEAH.
>> HUH.
IS THAT, DO I HAVE TO STEP OVER THAT OR WHAT IS THAT?
IS THERE A GATE.
>> IT'S JUST PEOPLE WALK OUT ON T OUT IN HOLLYWOOD THERE ARE
LOTS OF THEM.
REALLY, HOLLYWOOD, NOW DO WE HAVE ONE.
>> DO YOU HAVE ONE IN HOLLYWOOD.
>> NO, I DON'T, I DON'T, THESE ARE THE CONVERSATIONS I HAVE
WITH PEOPLE ABOUT FAME IN MICHIGAN, YES.
>> James: NOW THE LAST TIME I SAW YOU WE WERE AT THE TONY
AWARDS WHERE YOU WERE NOMINATED FOR TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD WHICH
WAS A HUGE SUCCESS.
AND A MASSIVE UNDERTAKING, TAKING ON THAT ROLE.
IF YOU REMEMBER THE LAST TIME YOU WERE HERE, AT THE STUDIO, WE
WERE CHATTING IN THE DRESSING REALLY AND YOU WERE SAYING THAT
YOU WOULD UP FOR A WHOLE YEAR AND IT IS EIGHT SHOWS A WEEK AND
HOW DIFFICULT THAT CAN BE.
AND I WAS AMAZED TO HEAR THAT YOU NEVER MISSED A SINGLE SHOW.
WHICH IS ASTONISHING IN A YEAR.
HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?
AND DID EVERYTHING GO SMOOTHLY DURING THE RUN?
>> I, WELL, YOU DID ONE MAN TWO GUVNORS, HOW LONG DID YOU DO
THAT?
>> WE DID IT FOR, ON AND OFF, REALLY, ABOUT 22 MONTHSK BUT I
MISSED FOUR SHOWS.
>> SEE, IT'S THE THING.
IT'S THE THING THAT, AND YOU WERE ALL-- I WENT TO SEE THAT.
I SAW YOU BACKSTAGE.
I LOVED WHATYOU DID.
AND IT WAS, LIKE BUT THE SHOW HAS TO HAVE YOU OUT THERE.
AND THAT IS HOW I TOOK MOCKINGBIRD.
ESPECIALLY AFTER WE GOT THE FIVE STAR REVIEWS.
PEOPLE WERE STARTING TO, YOU KNOW, BUY TICKETS FIVE MONTHS
AHEAD OF TIME.
SO I SAID YOU KNOW WHAT, I'M NOT TAKING TWO WEEKS OFF IN THE
MIDDLE OF JULY WHEN PEOPLE HAVE MADE ALL THAT MONEY FOR PLANES
AND HOTELS AND GOD KNOWS BROADWAY TICKETS.
SO I JUST SAID LET'S SEE IF I CAN DO IT.
BUT YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENS IS IT NEVER GOES PERFECTLY EVERY
SINGLE NIGHT.
IT IS ALWAYS SOMETHING, WHETHER ST AN ACTOR FORGETTING LINES.
ONE NIGHT WE HAD Z-- WE HAD A OF COME DOWN AND COME IN, SO THEY
NEEDED AIR PRESSURE, A COMPRESSOR, BIG THING IN THE
BACK OF THE STAGE.
AND ONE NIGHT A VAL OF BLEW ON-- VAL-OF-BLEW ON IT AND IT
JUST-- IT SOUNDED LIKE A SHUTTLE WAS TAKING OFF IT WAS JUST SO
LOUD.
AND I WAS ON STAGE WITH CALPERNUA AND THE STAGE MANAGER
CAME ON THE GOD MUK WE CALL T AND SAID ACTORS LEAVE THE STAGE,
ACTORS LEAVE THE STAGE.
AND YOU GOT 1400 PEOPLE SITTING OUT THR IN THE THEATER LISTENING
TO THIS PSSS THING GO FOR 30 SECONDS.
AND I COULDN'T LEAVE, I SAID THIS IS-- THERE'S JUST TOO GOOD
AN OPPORTUNITY HERE SO I WAITED FOR THE COMPRESSOR TO KIND OF
PETER OUT, AND ABOUT 30 SECONDS BEFORE IT RAN OUT OF PSS, AND
THEN I WALKED IN THE FRONT OF THE THEATER STAGE AND SAID
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, CONGRATULATIONS, WERE YOU HERE
ON THE NIGHT THE SHU BETTER THEAT-- SCHUBERT THEATER FARTED,
AND THEN I WALKED OFF STAGE.
>> James: AND THEN DID YOU CARRY ON WITH THE PERFORMANCE.
>> WE CAME BACK LIKE TEN MINUTES LATER WHEN THEY SHUT THE
VAL-OF-AND THEN YOU JUST PICK UP, THE AUDIENCE IS GLAD THAT
YOU ARE COMING BACK.
>> James: WHEN YOU ARE DOING A SHOW LIKE THAT, WHEN YOU ARE ON
BROADWAY, ARE YOU SOMEONE, DO YOU LIKE TO BE VISITED BACKSTAGE
AFTERWARDS?
IF PEOPLE ARE IN, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN, FRIENDS OR OTHER ACTORS,
DIRECTORS, DO YOU ENJOY IT WHEN PEOPLE COME BACKSTAGE?3
>> I DO.
I-- YOU KNOW, IT IS A CHANCE TO MEET PEOPLE THAT YOU NEVER WOULD
MEET OTHERWISE.
>> James: TOTALLY.
>> BUT THAT'S THE GREAT THING.
AND YOU KNOW, IF YOU ARE IN A HIT, THEN THEY'RE COMING BACK
BECAUSE THEY LUKED IT.
THAT IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT-- THIS' GREAT.
NO ONE HAS TO COME BACK AND LIE AND GO OH WONDERFUL WHEN IT
WASN'T.
SO WE HAD, MY GOD, WE HAD THE BIDENS, WE HAD MUSH EL OBAMA,
JUSTICE SOTO MEYER, WE-- SOTOMAYOR, PACINO, DE NIRO
CAME AND SAT IN MY DRESSING ROOM.
I MEAN ARE YOU JUST, ON AND ON AND ON, BETTE MIDLER CAME, I WAS
IN BETTE MIDLER'S DRESSING ROOM WHEN SHE WAS THERE FOR HELLO
DOLLY.
SO PEOPLE WOULD COME IN TO THE DRESSING ROOM AND I WOULD TELL
THEM BETTE MIDLER'S DRESSING ROOM.
REALLY, YEAH, THEN I WOULD OPEN THE BATHROOM, HER TOILET.
WHO CAME THAT REALLY-- OH, JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE CAME.
HE AND JESSICA CAME, AND I HAD NEVER MET EITHER ONE OF THEM.
AND HE, AND ATT ICU S FINCH WAS SO STILL AND PRIVATE AND
BUTTONED UP THAT USUALLY THE BROADWAY PERFORMANCE THAT YOU GO
TO THE BALCONY WITH, THAT WASN'T WHAT I COULD DO.
SO I WAS PULLING THEM IN AND THERE WAS A LOT OF STILTNESS.
AND JUSTIN CAME BACK.
AND IT WAS GREAT.
HE TALKED TO ME ABOUT THE POWER OF STILLNESS AND USING THAT.
AND HE SAID YOU DID IT.
AND HE TALKED ABOUT THE FIRST TIME HE SAW MICHAEL JACKSON,
WHEN JUSTIN WAS, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HIGH SCHOOL,
SOMETHING.
AND HE SAW HIM AND MICHAEL STOOD THERE IN THE FIRST TWO MINUTES
OF THE SHOW AND JUSTIN GOT UP IN MY DRESSING ROOM, AND IS FIVE
FEET FROM ME SHOWING US.
A GUY THAT CAN DANCE LIKE NOBODY, RIGHT.
AND HE IS STANDING THERE.
AND HE GOES MICHAEL JUST STOOD THERE AND I WATCHED HIM WITH
BACK LIGHT.
AND THEN FOR LUKE A MINUTE AND THEN HE JUST RAISED HIS HAND UP
ABOVE, AND THE PLACE WAS GOING, THAT'S ALL HE DID.
AND THEN BOOM, AND THEN HE WENT INTO THRILLER OR SOMETHING.
HE GOES THE POWER OF STILLNESS.
IT WAS LIKE A DEMONSTRATION OF IT BY JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE IN MY
DRESSING ROOM, STUFF LIKE THAT, YOU WILL NEVER-- YOU WILL NEVER
GET THAT.
>> James: YEAH, THIS NEVER, EVER HAPPENS UNLESS I HAVE JUST
BEEN ON STAGE.
I KNOW THAT THEAT CERTIFICATE A BIG PART OF YOUR LIFE.
YOU FOUNDED A THEATRE IN MICHIGAN, THE PURPLE ROSE.
OBVIOUSLY EVERY CORNER OF LIVENT TAINMENT IS SUFFERING RIGHT NOW.
WHAT CAN BE DONE?
WHAT CAN WE DO TO SAVE THE THEATER?
>> WHERE A MASK.
START THERE, WE ALL WORE A MASK.
(APPLAUSE) >> THIS WOULD BE OVER MORE
QUICKLY.
IT IS SO SIMPLE.
YET THAT'S NOT THE COUNTRY WE LUV IN RIGHT NOW.
I HOPE THEATERS COME BACK, SMALLER THEATERS.
LIVE MUSIC VENUES.
I HOPE THEY COME BACK.
WE'RE GOING TO NEED THEM-- WE'RE LOOKING AT A YEAR FROM NOW
BEFORE PEOPLE CAN SIT SHOULDER TO SHOULDER AND WE'RE HOPING
THEY CAN.
YOU KNOW, I THINK BROADWAY WILL COME BACK.
I THINK PEOPLE ARE GOING TO WANT THAT LIVE EXPERIENCE THAT IS
HAPPENING RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF THEM, JUST FOR THEM, THAT
MIGHT.
I STILL THINK PEOPLE ARE GOING TO WANT THAT, GOD KNOWS IT SUR
PRIEF-- SURVIVED FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS, IT SURVIVED THROUGH A LOT
OF THINGS WORSE THAN THIS, WORLD WARS, YOU KNOW, 9/11, I LIKE OUR
CHANCES FOR THEATER AND LIVE VENUES TO COME BACK.
IT'S JUST WHETHER THEY CAN FINANCIALLY HANG ON.
>> I HOPE THEY CAN.
SO MUCH.
NOW WE HAVE TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON YOUR BRILLIANT NEW MUNI
SERIES, THE COMEY RULE, YOU PLAY FORMER FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY.
AS I WAS WATCHING IT I EXPERIENCED A LITTLE PTSD IF I'M
HONEST.
FOR ANYONE THAT DOESN'T KNOW, TELL THEM WHAT IT IS ABOUT.
>> IT IS JAMES COMEY'S STORY.
IT IS HIS SIDE.
STORY OF WHAT IT WAS LIKE WHEN TRUMP BECAME PRESIDENT AND TRUMP
SAT HIM DOWN AND SAID I NEED LOYALTY AND JIM DIDN'T DO THAT,
AND THEN JIM WAS HISTORY.
IT'S JIM'S SIDE OF THE STORY.
WE KNOW TRUMP'S SIDE OF THE STORY, WHICH IS COMEY IS A LIAR.
WELL, THIS IS JIM'S SIDE.
ARE YOU ALSO, AND I LEARNED THIS.
YOU ARE GOING TO FIND THAT THIS GUY WAS BETWEEN A ROCK AND A
HARD PLACE WITH THESE DECISIONS THAT WERE SO, FOR THE REST OF
US, LIVING ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WHAT IS HE THINKING.
WELL, THE MOVIE SHOWS YOU WHAT HE WAS THINKING.
AND WHAT HE WAS UP AGAINST AND HOW THESE WEREN'T EASY
DECISIONS.
IN HIS WHOLE NORTH STAR WAS SOMETHING BIGGER THAN HE WAS.
AND THAT WAS THE WAS THE RULE OF LAW, FOR INSTANCE.
AND HE HUNG ON TO THAT AND WAS GOING UP AGAINST SOMEONE WHO
BASICALLY IS TRASHING THE RULE OF LAW.
AND HE IS NOT ALONE, TRUMP.
AND I THINK THAT, WITH THE COMEY RULE WILL SHOW YOU IS THAT THAT
HAS TO STILL MATTER IN THIS COUNTRY.
THINGS LIKE THE RULE OF LAW.
THAT HAS TO BE RESPECTED BY EVERYONE.
CERTAINLY BARRY GOLD WATER RESPECTED IT ENOUGH THAT WHEN
NIXON WAS BREAKING THE LAW HE MARCHED THE REPUBLICANS UP TO
THE WHITE HOUSE AND SAID YOU NEED TO RESIGN.
WE DON'T HAVE THOSE REPUBLICANS RIGHT NOW.
>> James: NO.
>> AND SO THE COMEY RULE WILL DEMONSTRATE THAT THAT IS
IMPORTANT.
SO IS DECENCY, SO IS HONESTY, SO IS TELLING THE TRUTH.
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT MATTER.
AND IF IT MATTERS TO YOU, PERHAPS WE'LL ALL GO INTO THIS
ELECTION A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMED THAN WE WERE IN OCTOBER
2016.
>> James: I MEAN PRESIDENT TRUMP IS PLAYED BRILLIANTLY BY
BRENDAN GLEESON WHO I JUST SEEMS TO JUST SHOCK ME WITH EVERY
PERFORMANCE HE GIVES.
BUT IS ST TRUE THERE WAS A MOMENT ALL IT BE A SMALL ONE
THAT YOU CONSIDERED THE NOTION OF PLAYING BOTH COMEY AND TRUMP?
IS THAT TRUE?
>> YEAH WHAT WOULD THAT HAVE BEEN LIKE?
>> MADNESS.
I DON'T-- YOU'RE TOO YOUNG BUT THE PATTEE DUKE SHOW WAY BACK
WHEN SHE PLAYED TWO PEOPLE, IN THE '70S.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU ARE PLAYING TWINS.
I DID IT IN PURPLE ROSE OF CAIRO WITH WOODY ALLEN WHERE I PLAYED
TWO PEOPLE TALKING TO EACH OTHER.
WE WERE HAVING TROUBLE GETTING SOMEBODY TO DO IT.
NO AMERICAN ACTOR WANTED TO TOUCH IT, BRENDAN HAD PASSED
ONCE.
AND WE WERE ABOUT TO GO BACK TO HIM HOPING AND I WAS THINKING
WHAT IF I DID BOTH.
AND MY WIFE SAID THINK OF ALL THE LINES YOU WILL HAVE TO
LEARN.
BECAUSE TRUMP NEVER STOPS TALKING.
AND I SAID YOU'RE RIGHT, I'M OUT, NEVER MIND, FORGET IT.
>> James: NOW TOMORROW NIGHT IS THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL
DEBATE.
EVERYTHING YOU HAVE LEARNED ABOUT TRUMP DOING THIS PROJECT,
THE PEOPLE THAT YOU HAVE MET, THE RESEARCH, I KNOW YOU WILL
HAVE DONE, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR ONE BIT OF ADVICE FOR JOE BIDEN
BEFORE HE STEPS ON THE STAGE TOMORROW NIGHT?
>> CALL HIM ON IT.
CALL HIM ON IT, VERBALLY, VERBALLY.
YOU WANT TO TAKE ON A BULLY, PUNCH HIM IN THE MOUTH WITH YOUR
WORDS.
CALL HIM ON HIS, ALL OF THIS, CALL HUM ON THE LIES.
CALL HUM ON THE FLUP FLOPS.
CALL HUM ON DON'T WORRY T IS JUST A HOAX, IT IS JUST LUKE A
FLU, AND THEN TALKING ABOUT WOODWARD, HE HAS NEVER CALLED ON
IT, HE BRUSHES OFF LIKE IT NEVER HAPPENED.
CALL HIM ON IT, RIGHT IN FRONT OF AMERICA, LET'S G ANSWER YOUR
LIES SHALL ANSWER YOUR FLIPFLOPS, ANSWER YOUR
TWO-FACED.
ANSWER YOUR TELLING THESE PEOPLE AT THESE RALLIES ONE THING AND
THEN YOU'RE DOING ANOTHER.
THESE PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW.
I MEAN THEY WERE-- THEY WERE CONNED ONCE.
IT CAN'T HAPPEN AGAIN, YOU KNOW, NOT FROM, NOT NOW.
IT'S TOO IMPORTANT.
THIS ELECTION IS TOO IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE.
I THINK BIDEN NEEDS TO JUST COME OUT AND GODS HELP HIM WHEN HE
BRINGS UP BEAU BIDEN AND YOU CALL MY SON A LOSER AND A
SUCKER.
TRUMP BETTER HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THAT.