>> Stephen: HEY, EVERYBODY, WELCOME BACK TO THE CITY!
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) YOU KNOW MY FIRST GUEST FROM
"BOARDWALK EMPIRE," "NOCTURNAL ANIMALS," AND "THE SHAPE OF
WATER."
HE NOW STARS IN THE NEW MINISERIES, "WACO."
PLEASE WELCOME MICHAEL SHANNON.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> IT'S SO NICE OF THEM NOT TO
ACT LIKE THEY FEEL THAT THEY HAVE BEEN ROBBED.
>> Stephen: BECAUSE IT'S YOU?
BECAUSE IT'S ME.
>> Stephen: YOU'RE AN OSCAR NOMINEE.
WHY WOULDN'T THEY BE EXCITED?
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) EXACTLY!
YEAH, YOU REELED THAT FISH IN AND THEN YOU MILKED IT.
>> YES, YES.
>> Stephen: NICE TO HAVE YOU ON.
I GOT TO MEET YOU THIS AFTERNOON WHEN WE WERE WORKING ON A VERY
SPECIAL PSA THAT WILL BE SHOWN TOMORROW NIGHT THAT WE'RE REALLY
EXCITED ABOUT.
>> VERY IMPORTANT WORK.
>> Stephen: THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME RAISE AWARENESS.
>> NO PROBLEM.
>> Stephen: I'M A BIG FAN OF YOURS FROM "BOARDWALK EMPIRE"."
YOU ARE A MEMBER OF A CULT IN A MOVIE, A KIND OF DIVIDED AND
SEPARATED SECT.
NOW YOU'RE IN THE NEW SERIES, A LIMITED SERIES CALLED "WACO" ON
THE PARAMOUNT NETWORK WHICH USED TO BE SPIKE, AND IT'S ABOUT
"WACO."
IT'S ABOUT THE TRAGEDY THAT HAPPENED AT THE STANDOFF BETWEEN
THE F.B.I. AND DAVID KORESH AT WACO.
I WAS GOING TO ASK IF YOU PLAYED DAVID KORESH.
( LAUGHTER ) >> THAT'S WHAT EVERYBODY ASKS.
>> Stephen: WHY DO YOU THINK THEY ASK YOU THAT, MICHAEL,
SHANNON?
>> BECAUSE I HAVE SUCH LONG, CURLY HAIR.
I REALLY DON'T KNOW.
I GUESS THEY ASSUME.
BUT I THINK DAVID WAS A LITTLE BIT YOUNGER THAN ME.
BUT, HONESTLY, DAVID IS A VERY CHARMING AND FASCINATING
INDIVIDUAL.
>> Stephen: TO BE A LEADER OF A CULT YOU HAVE TO BE CHARMING.
>> YEAH, YOU CAN'T BE GRUMPY AND BE, LIKE, GET OVER HERE!
TIME FOR PRAYERS!
HERE'S YOUR PORRIDGE!
TIME TO GO TO BED!
NO, IT HAS TO BE MORE THAN THAT.
>> Stephen: WHO DO YOU PLAY IN THIS.
>> GARY NESNER, A WONDERFUL HUMAN BEING WHO WAS THE HEAD
NEGOTIATOR FOR THE F.B.I. FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
HE HAS A WONDERFUL BOOK, I BELIEVE IT'S CALLED "STALLING
FOR TIME," THE DOCUMENTS, THE NUMBER OF CASES HE WORKED ON
OVER THE YEARS, BUT WACO WAS OBVIOUSLY THE MOST NOTABLE.
>> Stephen: IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING HE WAS NOT THERE
FOR NEGOTIATING THE ENTIRE TIME.
>> NO.
THERE'S A TEAM OF NEGOTIATORS, AND HE TRAINS THEM, HE OVERSEES
THE DIVISION, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S AN EXHAUSTING AND CAN BE A
SOMEWHAT TEDIOUS JOB.
THERE'S A LOT OF WAITING AROUND AND --
>> Stephen: DID HE ESTABLISH A RELATIONSHIP -- IS THAT PART OF
THE NEGOTIATE'S JOB IS TO ESTABLISH A RELATIONSHIP WITH
SOMEONE LIKE KORESH?
>> YES, YOU WANT TO ESTABLISH A RAPPORT AND GAIN SOME SORT OF
TRUST.
IT'S DIFFICULT BECAUSE THERE IS THE NEGOTIATING BRANCH AND THEN
ALSO A TACTICAL BRANCH AND THEN THERE IS LEADERSHIP THAT CAN
SIDE WITH EITHER BRANCH, DEPENDING ON HOW THEY FEEL IT'S
GOING.
SO SOMETIMES YOU GET PUT IN A POSITION AS A NEGOTIATE WHERE
YOU SAY SOMETHING'S GOING TO HAPPEN AND THEN IT DOESN'T, AND
THAT OBVIOUSLY BECOMES VERY FRUSTRATING FOR THE PEOPLE
YOU'RE NEGOTIATING WITH.
>> Stephen: OBVIOUSLY EVERYBODY REMEMBERS WACO ENDED
IN TRAGEDY.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE A CLIP HERE WHERE YOUR CHARACTER IS TALKING
TTO KORESH.
WHAT HAS JUST HAPPENED?
>> WELL, THIS IS THE VERY OUTSET OF THE NEGOTIATIONS.
IT'S THE FIRST TIME THAT IMPAIR IS TALKING TO -- GARY IS TALKING
TO DAVID ON THE PHONE AND GARY IS VERY QUICKLY TRYING TO FIGURE
OUT WHAT WILL APPEASE DAVID AND GET THESE PEOPLE OUT SAFELY.
>> Stephen: LET'S TAKE A LOOK.
JIM?
>> ALL RIGHT, DAVID.
THIS IS GARY, F.B.I.
>> HEY, GARY.
HOW ARE YOU DOING?
>> YOU KNOW, I SUPPOSE WE BOTH HAVE HAD BETTER DAYS.
>> YEAH.
YOU'RE TELLING ME.
>> YEAH.
HOW DO YOU SAY YOUR NAME, DAVID?
IS IT KOR-ESH OR KO-RESH.
>> YOU EVER HEARD SOMEBODY DIE, GARY?
>> UNFORTUNATELY.
THEN YOU SAY THE LAST SYLLABLE OF MY NAME LIKE A DYING
MAN, KORESSSSHHHHH.
>> Stephen: WOW.
THAT'S NOT KETCHUP ON THE SHIRT.
HE HAD BEEN SHOT.
>> Stephen: BEFORE THE STANDOFF STARTED?
>> YES.
>> Stephen: YOU STARTED OFF AS AN ACTOR IN CHICAGO.
SO DID I.
I GUESS YOU'RE YOUNGER THAN I AM, THAT'S WHY WE DIDN'T
OVERLAP.
>> BUT THE FIRST TIME I LAID EYES ON YOU WAS A PLAY CALLED
SCHUMACHER DIRECTED BY A DEAR FRIEND OF MINE DEXTER BULLARD.
>> Stephen: HE'S BRIGHT AS A SHINY NEW DIME.
>> HE REALLY IS.
>> Stephen: NOBODY SAW THAT PLAY BECAUSE THERE WERE ONLY 20
SEATS IN A HOUSE.
WE DID IT IN A STOREFRONT THEATERY YOU PAINT THE WINDOW
BLACK LIKE A STOREFRONT LIKE A LOT WERE.
>> IT'S NICE TO GET TO A POINT WHERE PEOPLE ARE PAYING YOU TO
ACT.
>> Stephen: HOW LONG DID THAT TAKE FOR YOU?
HOW LONG DID YOU STRUGGLE IN THE FIELDS OF THE LORD BEFORE
ANYBODY SAID WE'RE GOING TO CUT A CHECK FOR YOU TO DO THAT?
>> YEAH, IT WAS A FEW YEARS.
IT WAS A FEW YEARS FOR SURE.
>> Stephen: WHAT DID YOU DO TO GET BY?
( LAUGHTER ) >> I DID A VARIETY OF THINGS.
I WORK AT A PET STORE.
I WORKED AT A BAGEL PLACE, A BOOK STORE.
BUT I THINK ONE OF MY MOST LUCRATIVE GIGS WAS PLAYING
BONGOS ON THE SUBWAY.
I SOCKED AWAY QUITE A BIT OF CASH DOING THAT.
>> Stephen: REALLY?
DO THEY PAY YOU TO STOP BECAUSE THAT COULD GET LOUD.
WERE YOU A GOOD BONGO PLAYER?
( LAUGHTER ) >> NO, NOT AT ALL.
BUT THE THING IS I PLAYED IN THIS TUNNEL.
THERE'S THE RED LINE AND BLUE LINE IN CHICAGO AND A TUNNEL
THAT CONNECTS THEM AND IT HAS GREAT REVERB, SO IT DISGUISES
THE FACT YOU DON'T HAVE ANY RHYTHM WHATSOEVER, YOU JUST KIND
OF POUND ON THEM AND IT'S A VERY SOOTHING -- OR I THOUGHT IT WAS
SOOTHING.
>> Stephen: HOW MUCH WOULD YOU MAKE IN A DAY PLAYING THE
BONGOS?
>> I THINK MY BIGGEST DAY WAS FIVE BUCKS.
>> Stephen: WOW.
BUT THAT WAS A PITY DAY.
THAT WAS FIVE BUCKS OF PITY.
YES.
BUT I SPENT IT VERY WISELY.
( LAUGHTER ) >> Stephen: I BUSED, ALSO.
I HAD FRIENDS ON NORTHWESTERN AND I BUSED TOGETHER.
WE DID TERRIBLE MIME.
>> TERRIBLE MIME?
>> Stephen: EVEN WORSE THAT BE YOUR BONGO PLAYING, I BET.
A BONGO WOULD HAVE IMPROVED OUR MINE.
>> WE SHOULD HAVE HOOKED UP.
THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLER.
>> Stephen: $7.
ENOUGH TO GO GET A BEER, GO TO, LIKE, THE HARR HARE KRISHNAS AND
THEM READ TO YOU WHILE YOU EAT A FREE CHICK PEA SALAD BECAUSE YOU
WILL DO ANYTHING AS A YOUNG ACTOR TO SURVIVE.
>> WHAT WERE YOUR MIME SCENARIOS.
>> Stephen: YOU KNOW PIN AND MAGNET EXERCISES WHERE YOU STAND
IN A NEUTRAL POSITION, YOU'RE THE PIN, SOMEONE ELSE IS A
MAGNET AND THEY PUT YOU IN DIFFERENT POSITIONS LIKE THAT.
ME AND ANOTHER GIRL WOULD BE FACING EACH OTHER AND ANOTHER
MAN WOULD COME BY AND HE WOULD MOVE US JOINT BY JOINT AND TELL
STORIES.
HE WOULD MAKE US KISS OR DANCE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND IT
TOOK FOREVER.
MY FAVORITE THING IS PEOPLE WOULD TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS OF US
WHILE WE WERE STANDING PERFECTLY STILL.
I IMAGINE THEM GOING HOME AND SAYING, YOU CAN'T TELL FROM THIS
PHOTOGRAPH, BUT THEY'RE PERFECTLY STILL.
( LAUGHTER ) >> CAPTURING THE MAGIC.
>> Stephen: SPEAKING OF MAGIC AND PERFECTLY STILL, AS A STAR,
PEOPLE ASK YOU FOR SELFIES ALL THE TIME.
>> SELFYS, YES.
>> Stephen: AND YOU'VE BECOME FAMOUS FOR YOUR GREAT STONE
FACE.
THIS IS THE FACE YOU GIVE PEOPLE.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: FOR SELFIES.
I WANT IT TO LOOK LIKE WE'RE FRIENDS, YOU KNOW.
LIKE WE'VE KNOWN EACH OTHER A LONG TIME.
OLD BUDS.
>> Stephen: OH, REALLY?
YEAH.
>> Stephen: GIVE ME THE FRIEND FACE.
( LAUGHTER ) >> I CAN'T DO IT NOW, I'M TOO
HAPPY IS THAT YOU'RE TOO HAPPY?
OKAY.
NOW SHOW ME FRIENDLY -- ( LAUGHTER )
HOW DO YOU RESPOND?
BECAUSE PEOPLE COME UP TO ME ALL THE TIME FOR SELFIES AND YOU
WANT TO BE NICE, LIKE, DO YOU LIKE THAT OR DO YOU ENCOURAGE
THAT?
>> I PREFER HAVING A BRIEF CONVERSATION WITH SOMEBODY AS
OPPOSED -- YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES, PEOPLE JUST RUN UP AND
THE FIRST THING OUT OF THEIR MOUTH IS CAN I GET A PICTURE
WITH YOU?
THEY DON'T EVEN SAY HELLO OR HI OR WHATEVER.
YOU KNOW, I GET IT THEY'RE EXCITED OR WHATEVER, BUT THE
THING IS, BACK IN THE OLD DAYS, IF YOU REALLY WANTED A PICTURE,
YOU WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE A CAMERA AND IT WOULD HAVE TO BE HANGING
AROUND YOUR NECK.
IF I SAW THAT, I WOULD HAVE SYMPATHY, THIS PERSON IS LUGGING
THIS CAMERA AROUND EVERYWHERE, OF COURSE I'LL TAKE A PICTURE
WITH YOU.
BUT NOW EVERYBODY HAVE THESE PHONES AND THEY TAKE PICTURES OF
EVERYTHING.
I HAVE A BAD HABIT ON THE SUBWAY OF LOOKING AT WHAT PEOPLE ARE
DOING ON THEIR PHONES.
IT'S HORRIFYING.
I'VE SEEN SOME OF THE MOST RIDICULOUS STUFF.
THE OTHER THING I DON'T LIKE IS SOMEBODY WILL SAY, I'VE GOT THIS
GREATEST PICTURE.
THEY GO ON THEIR PHONE AND THEY HAVE, LIKE, 5,000 PICTURES IN
THEIR PHONE AND THEY'RE LIKE, IT'S GOING TO BE WORTH IT.
JUST WAIT, OH, MY GOD, I'LL NEVER FORGET WHEN I TOOK THIS
PICTURE.
IT WAS, LIKE, SO FUN IN -- AND UH -- AND IT WAS STILL LIKE --
IT WAS THE BEST TIME -- WELL, ANYWAY, IT WAS GREAT -- YOU HAD
TO BE THERE.
AND YOU NEVER ACTUALLY SEE THAT PICTURE.
SO I DON'T WANT TO BE THAT PICTURE ON SOMEBODY'S PHONE.
I MET MICHAEL SHANNON, IT WAS INCREDIBLE.
I ASKED IF HE WOULD TAKE A PICTURE WITH ME, HE SAID YES.
NO, THAT'S NOT HIM.
THAT'S SOMEBODY ELSE.
I JUST DON'T WANT TO BE THAT PERSON.
>> Stephen: I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: COULD I GET A SELFIE WITH YOU?
>> YEAH, FOR OLD TIME'S SAKE.
>> Stephen: ALL RIGHT.
DO YOU WANT A FRIENDLY FACE?
>> Stephen: I WANT THE MICHAEL SHANNON FACE.
FLIP THAT BAD BOY AROUND.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?
WE'RE FRIENDS HERE.
BEAUTIFUL.
>> GREAT.
>> Stephen: MICHAEL SHANNON.
"WACO" AIRS WEDNESDAYS ON PARAMOUNT NETWORK!
MICHAEL SHANNON, EVERYBODY!
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH MEGHAN McCAIN!