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♪ >> STEPHEN: WELCOME BACK.
MY FIRST GUEST TONIGHT IS A "NEW YORK TIMES" BESTSELLING AUTHOR
AND AN ACTOR YOU KNOW FROM "BOMBSHELL," "THE CROWN," AND SO
MANY OTHERS.
PLEASE WELCOME, JOHN LITHGOW!
JOHN, HOW ARE YOU RIDING OUT YOUR QUARANTINE NOW?
WHAT'S A LITHGOW QUARANTINE LIKE?
>> I'M A LUCKY MAN.
I'VE HAD A PROJECT IN QUARANTINE.
>> Stephen: PLEASE DON'T TELL ME YOU'RE ONE OF THOSE
PRODUCTIVE PEOPLE.
>> I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN PRODUCTIVE.
EVERY WRITER FRIEND I HAVE IS HAVING WRITER'S BLOCK.
I HAVE NO WRITER BUT I'M WRITING MY HEAD OFF.
>> Stephen: WHAT'S THE PROJECT?
>> I'VE COMPLETED A FOLLOW-UP TO MY BOOK DU DUMPTY FROM LAST YEAR
>> Stephen: I REMEMBER IT WELL.
>> MY POETRY BOOK YOU INTRODUCED TO THE COUNTRY ABOUT A YEAR AGO.
THAT CAME OUT IN OCTOBER, WAS A BIG HIT, AND MY PUBLISHER SAID
WE HAVE TO HAVE ANOTHER ONE PRIOR TO THE ELECTION IN FALL.
I RECKLESSLY SAID YES.
I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MEET MY DEADLINES IF WE HADDON
HAD A GLOBAL PANDEMIC, BUT I'M DONE.
>> Stephen: WHAT'S IT CALLED?
IT'S CALLED "TRUMPTY DUMPTY WANTED A CROWN," VERSUS FOR A
DESPOTIC AGE.
LAST YEAR IT WAS DUMPTY VERSUS THE AGE OF TRUMP.
>> Stephen: WHERE ARE YOU IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW?
ARE YOU COMPLETED OR ARE YOU WELL UNDER WAY?
>> I'VE COMPLETED THE POEMS BUT I'M ILLUSTRATING IT.
THE MONTH OF MAY IS ABOUT GETTING THE ILLUSTRATIONS DONE.
>> Stephen: I FORGOT YOU DO THE ILLUSTRATIONS, TOO.
YOU'RE A RENAISSANCE MAN.
>> WELL, HARDLY.
>> Stephen: YOU'RE A JACK OF THREE TRADES.
>> AS AN ILLUSTRATOR, I'M A VERY GOOD ACTOR.
I DID THE COVER ART, AND ALL OF THE POEMS ARE ACCOMPANIED BY
LINE DRAWINGS.
>> Stephen: WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO READ US ONE OF THE
POEMS NOW?
CAN YOU GIVE US A LITTLE TASTE?
>> SURE.
I WILL READ YOU THE TITLE POEM.
IT WILL BE THE FIRST POEM IN THE BOOK AND IT'S CALLED "TRUMPTY
DUMPTY WANTED A CROWN."
I'LL READ IT BRISKLY SO AS TO NOT TAKE UP TOO MUCH OF YOUR
TIME.
>> Stephen: TAKE ALL THE TIME YOU WANT.
EPIONE'S ON A SLIGHT SENSE OF HIATUS AT ALL MOMENTS.
>> ALL OF US ASPIRE TO WASTING AS MUCH TIME AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
TRUMPTY DUMPTY WANTED A CROWN, TO MAKE CERTAIN HE NEVER WOULD
HAVE TO STEP DOWN.
HE WANTED A ROBE MADE OF ERMEN AND VELVET, THE CONSTITUTION HE
WANTED TO SHELVE IT.
A WASH HIS AMBITION HAD GROWN, HE WANTED AN ORB, A SCEPTER, A
THROWN.
SIX ROYAL PALACES, SIX ROYAL.
COURT YEARS INSTALLED ON HIS OWN SUPREME COURT AND BEHEADINGS IF
ONLY FOR SPORT.
HE CRAVED THE OCCASIONAL ROYAL PROCESSION AND GASP THE EVENTUAL
ROYAL SUCCESSION.
TRUMPTY DUMPTY GETS HIS WAY UNLESS THE PUBLIC HAS SOMETHING
TO SAY.
IF WE LET HIM HAVE ALL HIS FAVORITE THINGS, WE'LL HAVE TO
ENDURE THE DIVINE RIGHT OF KINGS.
THAT'S MORE OR LESS THE TONE OF THE BOOK.
>> Stephen: BRAVO.
I WAS CURIOOUS WHETHER RUDY GIULIANI SHOWS UP AT ALL IN THE
BOOK BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT'S FREE LAWYER, RUDY, HE COMES ON
THE SHOW ALL THE TIME, USUALLY ON THE SAME NIGHT YOU'RE THERE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU EVER RUN INTO EACH OTHER BACKSTAGE.
>> I SIMPLY CAN'T EXPLAIN THE COINCIDENCE, STEPHEN.
>> Stephen: ALL RIGHT.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, I DID WRITE A VERY QUICK RUDY WITH --
RUDY POEM, AND I EVEN HAVE AN ILLUSTRATION FOR IT.
IT REFERS TO HIM AS A WEATHER VANE.
SO HERE'S THE ILLUSTRATION.
IT'S RUDY POINTING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION ON A WEATHER VANE AND,
HE, IN FACT, DOES LOOK UNCANNILY LIKE ME.
>> Stephen: HE REALLY DOES.
THE POEM IS CALLED RABID RUDY.
WHAT GOES ON WITH RABID RUDY, MONSTER OF INEPTITUDE-Y.
DUMPTY'S SPINNING WEATHER VANE BOTCHED HIS MISSION IN UKRAINE,
MIXING BRIBES AND DIRTY TRICKS, HE SOILED OUR GEOPOLITICS.
FILLED WITH RAGE AND BABBLING BLUSTER, AMERICA'S MAYOR HAS
LOST HIS LUSTER.
SOME OF THEM ARE LONG AND SOME OF THEM ARE SHORT.
>> Stephen: I LOVE IT.
I LOVE IT.
I WANT TO READ YOU A QUOTE FROM NOTED WISE MAN JOHN LITHGOW.
HE GAVE THIS ADVICE TO ACTORS -- HAVE SOMETHING IN YOUR LIFE THAT
IS ALL YOURS, SOME CREATIVE THING THAT DOESN'T DEPEND ON
SOMEBODY ELSE HIRING YOU.
WHAT DID YOU MEAN BY THAT, AND DID YOU ALWAYS FOLLOW YOUR OWN
ADVICE?
>> WELL, IT'S A HARD PROFESSION BECAUSE IT'S A PROFESSION THAT
ABSOLUTELY DEPENDS ON YOU BEING HIRED, AND, SO, A LOT OF IT IS
WAITING AROUND FOR IT TO BE SOMEBODY ELSE'S BRAINSTORM.
>> Stephen: YES.
AND THAT'S VERY DEPRESSING.
AND I JUST SORT OF PRESENT THAT TO YOUNG ACTORS WHO ARE SO EAGER
TO GET SUCCESS AND GET WORK.
SOMETIMES IT'S A REAL HARDSHIP.
SO I ALWAYS SAY, FIND SOMETHING THAT IS ALL YOURS, SOME CREATIVE
OUTLET, YOU KNOW, PAINT OR TAP DANCE OR WRITE OR IF THERE'S A
ROLE YOU REALLY, REALLY WANT TO PLAY, FIGURE OUT SOME WAY TO
PRODUCE IT.
GIVE YOURSELF A GREAT GOAL, A GREAT PROJECT.
CHANCES ARE, IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN.
THE REASON IT DOESN'T HAPPEN IS SOMEONE WILL HIRE YOU TO ACT,
WHICH IS WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN HOPING FOR ALL ALONG.
I THINK IT ALL STARTED BY THE FACT THAT I GREW UP WANT ING TO
BE AN ARTIST.
I DIDN'T REALLY WANT TO BE AN ACTOR.
I GREW UP IN A THEATER FAMILY AND WASN'T ALL THAT INTERESTED
IN IT.
SO I JUST HAVE ALWAYS KEPT CREATIVE IN OTHER WAYS, AND I
GUESS THAT'S WHY I HAVE SUCH AN ECCENTRIC CAREER.
I HAVE BEEN ON YOUR SHOWS PROMOTING CHILDREN'S BOOKS.
>> Stephen: YEAH, SURE.
ALBUMS AND NOW A POETRY BOOK.
IT'S ACTUALLY BORN OUT OF PURE FEAR THAT NOBODY WILL EVER WANT
ME AS AN ACTOR.
>> Stephen: WELL, A LOT OF MY BEST IDEAS HAVE BEEN BORN
STRAIGHT OUT OF PANIC, SO I KNOW THE FEELING VERY WELL.
YOU KNOW WHAT ERNIE COVAC SAID ABOUT TELEVISION?
HE SAID EVERY GOOD IDEA HE HAD WAS BECAUSE IT WAS 3:15 AND HE
HAD A 3:30 PRODUCTION MEETING.
>> EXACTLY.
STEPHEN, YOU'RE A POLYMATH, YOU'RE INTERESTED IN SO MANY
MORE THINGS THAN YOUR SHOW.
>> Stephen: I DO.
I TRY KEEP MY MIND BUSY WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
THE NICE THING ABOUT DOING ONE OF THESE SHOWS IS THEY REQUIRE
YOU TO KNOW HOW TO DO A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
IT'S NOT A CLASSIC VARIETY SHOW BUT, BASICALLY, JOHNNY CARSON
SAID THESE SHOWS WILL ASK OF YOU EVERYTHING YOU KNOW HOW TO DO.
AT SOME POINT, YOU WILL DO IT ON CAMERA BECAUSE THE BEAST IS JUST
SO HUNGRY.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: YOU HAVE TO FEED IT EVERY NIGHT.
SPEAKING OF FEEDING THINGS, HAVE YOU -- I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU AND
YOUR WIFE HAVE BEEN DOING SOME BAKING.
>> WELL, YES.
SHE IS A FABULOUS BAKER, AND I HAVE, OVER THE YEARS, LIKE TOM
SAWYER AND HIS WHITE PICKET FENCE, SHE TAUGHT ME AND THEN
LEFT THE KITCHEN.
SO, YEAH, WE HAVE BEEN SHELTERING IN PLACE FOR SIX OR
SEVEN WEEKS NOW, AND WE T DID A LOT OF BAKING AT FIRST, BUT WE
ALSO GAINED A LOT OF WEIGHT, SO WE'VE BECOME MAYBE A LITTLE
BIT -- WE'VE BACKED AWAY JUST SPECIAL OCCASIONS.
>> YEAH, THAT'S NICE.
JOHN, LOVELY TO SEE YOU, THANKS SO MUCH FOR COMING ON.
>> YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE I'VE INVITED YOU INTO MY HOME.
IT'S A BRAVE NEW WORLD, THIS ACTIVITY.
>> Stephen: I HOPE WHEN ALL THIS IS OVER, I CAN ACTUALLY
COME OVER SOME TIME.
>> THAT WOULD BE A LOVELY THING, STEPHEN.
>> Stephen: ALL RIGHT.
TO WELCOME YOU AND EVIE AT THAT.
>> Stephen: THANKS SO MUCH AGAIN.
HIS NEW BOOK "TRUMPTY DUMPTY WANTED A CROWN" COMES OUT IN
OCTOBER.
SO THERE'S YOUR DEADLINE, JOHN.
JOHN LITHGOW, EVERYBODY!
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH COOKBOOK AUTHOR ALLISON ROMAN.
STICK AROUND.
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