WE'RE GOING TO BE THE CHATTING WITH BOB ODENKIRK LATER ON IN
THE SHOW.
HOW ARE YOU DOING?
YOU DOING OKAY?
>> I'M DOING EVERYTHING THAT'S ADVISED, SHELTERING IN PLACE,
ONE CORNER OF ONE ROOM, THE AIR CONDITIONING ALL THE WAY UP AND
OHOT FIRE GOING.
I'M ONLY EATING BEANS.
I'VE ONLY BEEN EATING BEANS FOR TWO WEEKS NOW.
>> James: YOU'VE ONLY BEEN EATING BEANS?
>> AS ADVISED.
GOT ANOTHER CAN WARM AND READY.
>> James: RIGHT, I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T REMEMBER ANYONE
SAYING YOU COULD ONLY EAT BEANS DURING THIS?
>> WELL YOU GOT TO LISTEN.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GETTING YOUR INFORMATION FROM.
SEE I DON'T LISTEN TO THE FAKE NEWS AND I DON'T LISTEN TO FAKE
DOCTORS.
I ONLY GET MY NEWS FROM DREAMS, AND FORTUNE COOKIES.
>> James: I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT'S GOING TO HOLD UP IN THE
LONG RUN BUT WHATEVER GETS YOU THROUGH THIS ISOLATION.
>> IT'S GREAT.
I'VE BEEN TAKING THE TIME TO TEACH MYSELF VIOLIN.
>> James: REALLY?
>> WANT TO HEAR SOMETHING?
>> James: I'M NOT SURE WE HAVE A CHOICE.
LET'S.
>> THIS IS SOME BACH.
IT'S NOT ONE OF HIS BETTER SONGS.
HE DIDN'T EVEN LIKE IT, HE THREW THIS ONE AWAY BUT MORE LATER.
>> James: THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW YOU'RE HOLDING UP.
WE WILL CONTINUE WITH THE SHOW BUT SOMEONE SHOULD CHECK WITH
BOB'S FAMILY AND SEE IF THEY'RE OKAY.
>> James: WELCOME BACK.
OUR GUEST IS AN EMMY AWARD-WINNING WRITER, AND THE
STAR OF THE INCREDIBLE "BETTER CALL SAUL."
THE ONE AND ONLY, BOB ODENKIRK!
IS HERE.
HW ARE YOU BOB?
>> I'M GOOD JAMES.
THANKS FOR LETTING ME DO MY NONSENSE BIT AT THE TOP.
>> James: TO EACH AND EVERY NONSENSE BIT POSSIBLE ON PLANET
EARTH RIGHT NOW.
>> I MEAN, WE'RE ALL GOING THROUGH THIS.
AND WE JUST GOT TO FIND ANYTHING TO DO, TO OCCUPY OURSELVES.
YEAH THAT IS IT.
I MEAN LOOK.
HOW ARE YOU DOING?
BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF PEOPLE KNOW THIS BUT YOUR SON NATHAN,
HE CONTRACTED THE CORONAVIRUS.
HE'S HOME WITH YOU NOW.
BOTH YOUR CHILDREN ARE THERE.
HOW IS IT?
HOW WAS THAT?
IT MUST BE TERRIFYING AS A PARENT.
>> YOU KNOW THIS WAS PRETTY EARLY ON.
IT WAS A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
AND WE WERE ALL LEARNING ABOUT THIS THING JUST AROUND THAT
TIME.
SO I HAD HEARD, YOU KNOW, IT WAS KIND OF TALKED ABOUT, THAT YOUNG
PEOPLE DON'T GET HIT VERY HARD.
THAT, SINCE THEN WE'VE LEARNED THAT THAT'S VERY MUCH A
CASE-BY-CASE BASIS.
AND SO I JUST HAD -- I JUST WANTED TO FEEL THAT IT WOULD BE
OKAY.
AND MY ONLY BIG CONCERN IS THAT NATE HAD DEALT WITH ASTHMA FOR A
GOOD CHUNK OF HIS LIFE SO I WORRIED THAT WROTE BE AFTERNOON
EXTRA COMPLICATION.
IN THE END IT WAS PRETTY BAD AND IT WAS WORTH THAN THE FLU AND
ACCORDING TO HIM, YOU KNOW, THE PAIN IN HIS THROAT WAS THE WORSE
THING OF ALL.
BUT I THINK ALSO THE FATIGUE AND IT LASTED LONGER THAN THE FLU.
BUT YOU KNOW I'D SAY HE GOT OUT PRETTY EASILY OBVIOUSLY COMPARED
TO A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO SUFFER A LOT.
AND THEN WORSE.
AND SO YEAH, IT GOT SCARIER THE LONGER IT WENT AND THE FURTHER
WE GOT FROM IT I BECAME AWARE THAT WE BECAME VERY LUCKY.
>> James: BOTH OF YOUR CHILDREN ARE AT COLLEGE, AT
UNIVERSITY.
HOW IS IT WITH THE FAMILY BACK UNDER ONE ROOF?
>> IS IT OKAY TO SAY I LOVE IT?
>> James: OF COURSE IT IS.
OF COURSE IT IS.
>> THESE KIDS ARE OFF LIVING THEIR OWN LIVES MOSTLY, THEY'RE
GOING TO DO THAT MORE AND MORE AND WE ARE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE A
HOME THAT IS BIG ENOUGH FOR US AND THAT HELPS A LOT.
I THINK A LOT ABOUT THE HOMES I'VE LIVED IN BEFORE, I DID WELL
ENOUGH.
>> James: YEAH.
>> AND HOW HARD IT WOULD BE TO SHELTER IN PLACE IN A MUCH
SMALLER -- >> James: FOR SURE.
>> SOME BASEMENT APARTMENTS I LIVED IN.
THAT MUST BE VERY HARD FOR PEOPLE.
I JUST THINK, I THANK PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING IT.
AND YOU KNOW IT'S AMAZING TO ME JAMES, HOW PEOPLE ARE
COOPERATING WITH THE STAY AT HOME ORDERS.
IT IS REALLY STUNNING TO ME.
I'M A CYNIC, I THINK, AND IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS I LIKE
COMEDY.
BUT I'M JUST STUNNED AT THE COOPERATION FROM THE PEOPLE AND
THE COMMUNITY.
AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE CARING FOR EACH OTHER REALLY BY DOING
THIS.
AND SO IT'S -- THAT'S BEEN HARDENING I'D SAY.
>> James: LET'S TALK ABOUT COMEDY FOR A MINUTE.
BECAUSE THERE ARE VERY FEW PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED
WITH AS MANY ACCLAIMED COMEDIES AS YOU.
YOUR CAREER IS ASTONISHING, SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, LARRY
SAUNDERS, MR. SHOW, WHICH TO THIS DAY I FIND MYSELF IN
YOUTUBE WORM HOLES AND WATCHING MR. SHOW SKETCHES.
IN MOMENTS LIKE THIS WHEN YOU HAVE A MOMENT TO KIND OF STOP DO
YOU FIND YOURSELF LOOKING BACK AT THE CAREER YOU'VE HAD AND
THINKING WOW, I REALLY DID ALL OF THAT?
DOES THAT EVER CROSS YOUR MIND?
>> YES, IT DOES.
WHEN I STARTED ON "BETTER CALL SAUL" I HAD A WONDERFUL
ASSISTANT WHO WAS IN COMEDY HERSELF WHO WAS AN IMP IMPROV
PERFORMER HERSELF.
BACKSTAGE PREPARING TO DO MR. SHOW AND ALL THE WAY BACK TO
STARTING OUT.
AND I STARTED, I WAS JUST PUTTING THIS THING AWAY AND I'M
LIKE OH TAKE A LOOK AT THIS AND I'M LIKE GOING, HOLY COW, ALL
THESE THINGS THAT HAPPENED.
I'VE BEEN VERY LUCKY TO HAVE BEEN A PART OF SUCH A VARIETY OF
COMEDY PROJECTS THAT I PERSONALLY STILL SMILE ABOUT.
AND STILL LOVE.
AND I ACTUALLY STARTED WRITING A MEMOIR ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, AND
IT WILL COME OUT WHO KNOWS WHEN, IF I CAN -- IT'S OKAY.
IT'S IN DECENT SHAPE.
IT'S CALLED "COMEDY COMEDY COMEDY DRAMA."
THAT IS WHAT IT IS.
SO MUCH COMEDY, WHAT I LOVED, WHAT INSPIRED ME TO TRY THIS.
AND SO IT'S JUST TONS OF WRITING ABOUT THAT.
AND THE HARD PART IS, I REALLY WANT TO WRITE A BOOK FOR PEOPLE
WHO MAYBE KNOW ME FROM "BETTER CALL SAUL" AND "BREAKING BAD"
AND ARE MOSTLY DRAMA IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
AND I HAVE TO, IN TRYING TO CAN WRITE ABOUT ALL THESE LITTLE
PROJECTS THAT I LOVE SO MUCH THAT STARTED MY CAREER AND THE
THINGS THAT INSPIRED ME, OH, I GOT TO FIRST EXPLAIN, WHO THIS
PERSON IS, TO PEOPLE WHO JUST KNOW ME FROM "BREAKING BAD" IT'S
HARD.
>> James: YOU HAVE PERFORMED WITH SOME OF THE FRA ALL TIME
COMEDY GREATS.
WHO WOULD YOU SAY IS THE FUNNIEST?
>> I GOT TO SAY CHRIS FARLEY.
I WONDER HOW YOUNG PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT CHRIS FARLEY, WHO NEVER
GOT TO SEE HIM WHEN HE WAS DOING HIS GREAT STUFF.
CHRIS, HE WAS JUST SO POWERFUL AND PURE AND LOVABLE AND HE HAD
DEPTH.
HE COULD HAVE DONE DRAMA.
>> James: FOR SURE.
>> FOR SURE.
THERE IS NOT MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THIS SPECIAL LIST OF YOU JUST
KIND OF LOVE THEM AND ARE KNOCKED OUT BY THEM RIGHT AWAY.
CHRIS WAS DEFINITELY ONE OF THEM.
I FEEL LIKE JACK BLACK, FOR SURE.
PERSONALLY, I KNOW CAN EVERYONE DOESN'T LOVE MY GOOD FRIEND
DAVID CROSS BUT HE'S THE FUNNIEST.
>> James: FOR SURE.
THEY'VE GOT A SIMILAR THING IN COMMON WHERE THEY'VE GOT A THING
WHERE THEY WALK ON STAGE AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHY YOU INHERENTLY
ROOT FOR THEM.
>> RITE.
>> James: YOU INHERENTLY WANT THEM TO DO WELL, YOU WANT THEM
TO BE FUNNY.
>> I THINK YOU HAVE THAT, JAMES I WOULD PUT YOU IN THAT CATEGORY
FOR SURE.
IT IS A SPECIAL GIFT AND YOU MUST KNOW THAT YOU INSPIRE THAT
WARMTH AND CONNECTION FROM AN AUDIENCE.
IT MUST BE A GREAT THING.
I WISH I DID.
(LAUGHING).
>> James: I THINK DO YOU, DO YOU NOT FEEL THAT?
REALLY?
>> I DON'T HAVE TO.
THERE'S ALSO ROOM FOR ALL KINDS OF TALENT.
IT'S A WONDERFUL THING.
I'VE NEVER WORKED FOR WILL FARRELL BUT I THINK WILL IS LIKE
THAT.
YOU JUST ARE SMILING FROM THE SECOND YOU SEE HIM.
AND THAT'S A SPECIAL THING.
AND IT'S SOMETHING YOU USUALLY FIND IN COMEDY.
BECAUSE IT REALLY WORKS.
IT'S WONDERFUL FOR COME DID I, TO HAVE THAT IMMEDIATE WARMTH.
WHEREAS, I'VE BEEN VERY LUCKY TO DO WELL IN DRAMA.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE REASONS IS, YOU'RE NOT AS SURE OF WHAT
MY PRESENCE WILL BRING.
YOU'RE NOT SURE IF IT WILL BE FUN, OR A LITTLE SCARY, OR
DANGEROUS, OR PAINFUL.
I MEAN, YOU'RE INTRIGUED BY KIND OF THE UNCERTAINTY, AND --
>> James: BUT DID YOU THINK THAT -- DID YOU THINK THAT WHEN
YOU WERE DOING COMEDY -- >> I DID.
>> James: DID YOU THINK OH I COULD DO A DRAMA SO WHEN
"BREAKING BAD" CAME ALONG, I MEAN LET'S TALK ABOUT "BETTER
CALL SAUL" FOR A BIT.
WHEN YOU ARE DOING A SHOW LIKE "BREAKING BAD" THAT IS AN
UNBELIEVABLY HIGH BAR TO BE SET.
DID IT EVER CROSS YOUR MIND, YES LET'S MAKE THIS SPINOFF SERIES,
QUITE HOW MUCH PEOPLE WOULD JUDGE IT?
>> YOU KNOW, IT DIDN'T.
THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH ME.
I'VE BEEN IN THIS TOO LONG, I THINK.
BUT I WAS UP FOR THE CHALLENGE, I WAS CURIOUS WHAT THE WRITERS
WOULD COME UP WITH, VINCE GOOLIGAN AND PETER, I THOUGHT IT
WOULD BE A VERY INTERESTING PROJECT THAT MAYBE WOULDN'T
SATISFY ENOUGH PEOPLE BUT IT'S JUST AT THE LEAST IT WOULD BE
INTERESTING.
BUT JAMES, I MOVED INTO THIS PROJECT LIKE IT WOULD JUST BE
ANOTHER ATTEMPT.
EVERYTHING WE DO IS A TRY.
AND YOU GET ALL THESE -- I TOLD MY DAUGHTER THIS THE OTHER DAY.
WE WERE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING, A MOVIE THAT JUST DIDN'T WORK.
AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, WE ALL THINK EVERYTHING IS GOING TO
WORK.
YOU START WITH THE BEST SCRIPT YOU HAVE, YOU FIX IT AS MUCH AS
CAN YOU, AND THEN EVERYONE BRINGS THEIR BEST GAME.
AND TALKS ABOUT THE PROBLEMS AND TRIES TO FIX THEM.
AND THEN, YOU END UP WITH WHAT YOU END UP WITH.
YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE WHEN IT'S ALL PUT TOGETHER.
SO I WAS TOTALLY WALKING INTO "BETTER CALL SAUL" THINKING
WELL, ANOTHER GOOD PROJECT WITH GOOD PEOPLE.
WE'LL GIVE IT A TRY.
BUT IT WAS ONLY WHEN THEY PUT THE BILLBOARDS UP.
WE WERE DONE WITH THE SEASON, IT WAS CUT TOGETHER, IT WAS COMING
ON IN THREE WEEKS AND I'M DRIVING BY A BILLBOARD ON VINE,
IT IS A HUGE BILLBOARD WITH ME IN THE DESERT AND THE PHONE AND
I'M LIKE, OH NO!
I'M SERIOUS.
I'VE GOT A LITTLE GROCERY LIST IN MY HAND, EGGS, BREAD,
BANANAS, AND I'M LIKE OH MY GOD, EVERYONE IS GOING TO LOOK AT
THIS THING!
I HOPE IT WORKS WELL ENOUGH.
AND THAT WAS THE MOMENT WHERE IT HIT ME THAT BOY, YOU REALLY --
IT'S ONE THING TO MAKE A PILOT, AND NO ONE SEES IT.
>> James: SURE.
IT'S ANOTHER THING TO MAKE A SPINOFF OF THE BIGGEST SHOW ON
TELEVISION AT THAT POINT.
WELL, THE SHOW WAS BRILLIANT.