-Reese. -Yes.
-You know we love you. Welcome back to the show.
Thanks for being here. I want to talk about "Busy Betty."
-Oh, yes! -I also want to talk about --
You're in New York.
You're doing "The Morning Show" here in New York.
-Yeah, we're shooting "The Morning Show" in New York.
[ Cheers and applause ]
-So, I love -- I love that show.
I think we talked about it last time you were on here.
But we had Jon Hamm on recently,
and he said that he's joining the cast.
-The Hamm. Yes! -Jon Hamm is joining the cast?
-I know. And we are beyond excited.
-He's the greatest. -He's the greatest.
-Can you -- What can you say --
Or you can't say what his character is?
-Not allowed to say. -You can't.
Do you have scenes with him? -Did he say?
-He said that he's having a lot of fun with Billy Crudup,
which --
-Okay. Well, then I can't say anything.
But -- No, he's the greatest. -I know. We said that already.
But is he in a scene with Jennifer Aniston?
-Uh... -We don't even know.
We can't say anything. When is it coming out?
-Um... -You can't say that either?
-I can't say that. [ Laughter ]
All I know is he's amazing. He's great.
I think it's been everywhere.
He has a whole -- some scenes with Jennifer Aniston.
-Ohh. That's a little hot goss right there.
-That's a little tea.
-I have -- We have something in common.
-We do? -Yeah.
[ Laughter ]
We both love Dolly Parton. -Well, come on. I can't.
[ Cheers and applause ]
-We have that in common with a lot of people.
-I mean -- -I was just with Dolly --
You're going to be jealous. -What?
-I shot a -- -Her Christmas special?
-Yes. -Didn't get the call.
-Yeah. -Did not get the call.
-"Mountain Magic Christmas."
I'm in a full-on scene singing and dancing with Dolly Parton.
-Stop right now. -Yeah, it's the greatest.
I went to Tennessee. -What?!
-I went to Tennessee -- -And you didn't call me?
-I didn't ca-- I'm sorry. Yeah. But you know what I did?
I went to Sevierville, which is her hometown.
-Yeah. -And I went to -- I said
I got to find a local mom-and-pop barbecue place.
So I went and found a place called Preacher's barbecue.
And I don't know if they watch the show, but they were awesome.
-They will now. -And one guy was there.
I went. It was delicious barbecue.
And I said, "Do you have T-shirts?
I go, "Do you have T-shirts?
Cause I'd love to get just a shirt from you."
He said, "I could check in the back, see what we have.
I don't even know what we have here.
I don't even know if we have a T-shirt.
People don't buy T-shirts."
I go, "I don't know." He goes, "Well, we have one."
He goes, "It's just a logo."
And I go, "Yeah. And what's on the back?"
And on the back it said, "We're kind of a pig deal."
[ Laughter ]
That's the best thing.
That's the best thing I could ever purchase in my entire life.
Now, I know you -- -I need one of those T-shirts.
-Right? Isn't that a great T-shirt?
-Yeah. -I know you've met Dolly
and talked with Dolly before.
-I'm making a movie with Dolly.
Well, I'm -- Okay. Hold on, hold on, hold on.
-Not a Christmas holiday film. -Well, I mean, sorry.
Some of us didn't get invited on her Christmas special.
But, no, she wrote this book with James Patterson
called "Run, Rose, Run." -That's right.
-And my company is producing it. -You are the greatest.
Come on. Are you kidding me? You get to work with Dolly?
-Yes! -How awesome is that?
-I don't know if she'll let me be in the movie, but I get to
stand on the side and go, "That was amazing."
-Can we talk about your production company, by the way?
Hello Sunshine. -Aww. Thanks.
-Congratulations on -- Everything you're doing...
-Thank you. -...turns to gold.
-Thank you. -It's quality stuff.
It's great stuff. You just got named by
"Hollywood Reporter" one of the TV producers of the year.
-That's so amazing. -That's a giant deal.
-Yeah.
-Does that mean more work for you?
'Cause once you reach that list, everyone's like,
"Let's just call Hello Sunshine,
see if she'll produce something we're doing."
-Yes, yes, it does, Jimmy.
More work is good. I'm so lucky.
-Isn't it fun to see it grow and become --
-It's incredible.
And then we get to work with amazing people.
We have a show with Zoe Saldana coming out this month.
And then next year we have a show with Jennifer Garner,
which is really exciting. -[ Gasps ] Wow!
-It's just so much cool stuff.
-Yeah, and the book club is crushing.
-Yeah, the book club's doing really well.
[ Cheers and applause ] -You're just -- Everything.
I've got to say -- -Doing really well.
-It's because you're a hard worker and you're just awesome.
This is something I saw
that you responded to on Twitter and it made me laugh.
It says, "If Reese Witherspoon and Dwayne the Rock Johnson
were ever fighting in an arena
and only one could come out alive...
I'd bet my life savings on Reese Witherspoon winning.
Don't ask me why."
-Wait. Can I tell you a story?
I actually sent that to the Rock,
and he's like, "She's not wrong."
-Wow! Dwayne said it.
-Dwayne's like -- He's like, "Not wrong."
-Not wrong.
I put my money on Reese Witherspoon all the time.
-I get a little scrappy, guys. Don't count out the shorty.
The shorty will come for you.
[ Cheers and applause ]
-Can we talk about "Busy Betty"? -Yes. Please.
-I love this. My girls are going to love this.
-Yay!
-I love the illustrations, by the way.
-Yes. It's all about m--
I actually, during the pandemic,
I had this idea about a little girl who builds businesses.
But I was like, "Wait.
I built a bunch of businesses when I was little."
So it's all about how I had a lot of energy.
I was kind of the kid who -- their parents got called to say,
"Reesy's talking a little bit too much in class today,
and we're going to have to separate her from her friends."
But I just had so much energy and so many ideas.
And when my brother would pitch businesses to me,
I would be like, "I could do that."
And so I started lemonade stands, magic shows.
And then I started selling barrettes
out of my desk in the third grade.
That one got shut down.
[ Laughter ]
-Of course. Famous story.
-Wasn't up to code. Had supply-chain issues.
[ Laughter ] -Supply-chain issues.
-I realized ever since I was little,
I just loved building businesses.
-Yeah, and that's good.
I think that's great for anyone who reads this and goes --
'Cause when you have a mind of a child, which...
-Yeah. -...some of us do.
-That's what we have in common.
-Yeah. Being creative and just going, "I've got an idea."
And you're like, "Oh, yeah. I want to wash the dog."
And then it's a disaster,
but it turns out to be a great business.
-Yeah, and the good thing is people like you and me
meet responsible people who actually keep us on track.
Which are the amazing people you guys don't see.
They're all standing behind stage,
but they keep the wheels on the wagon.
-Yeah, I wouldn't be here without everybody.
-Yeah, they're amazing.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Your team is amazing. -Absolutely.
-Amazing, amazing. -But I love this because I --
"Busy Betty." I know who Betty is based on.
The name, Betty. It's your mom.
-It's my mom, yeah. -I love your mom.
She's so cute. -I love my mom.
And in my dedication, I say,
"Thank you for encouraging my magical thinking."
Because you got to have somebody
who believes in your kookiness, and my mother did.
-Yeah. -She just was like --
She just thought it was great and funny and charming.
-Yeah. It is good. And it's a fun book.
A funny book. But then look at the back of the book.
"Busy Betty" is holding a photo. Look at this cute.
-That's me.
-That is -- That's the original Busy Betty.
-That's me. -Wow. Glasses and all.
-Yeah.
-You're already, like, entertaining.
-Glasses. -"Hi!"
-My brother's hand-me-downs. The tube socks with the sandals.
-I love the tube socks. It's so fantastic.
-The tube socks! -It is so cute. Come on.
Congrats on this book and thanks again for coming on the show
and always playing with us. We love you.
Reese Witherspoon, everybody.
"Busy Betty" is available now.
Kevin Nealon joins us after the break.
Stick around, everybody!