>> Stephen: WHAT A TREAT, WHAT A TREAT YOU'RE IN
FOR.
MY GUEST IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE ACTORS.
STARTING TODAY, YOU CAN SEE HIM IN THE NETFLIX SHOW, "BLACK
EARTH RISING."
PLEASE WELCOME JOHN GOODMAN!
♪ ♪ ♪
>> Stephen: NICE TO HAVE YOU BACK.
YOU LOOK FANTASTIC.
>> THANKS.
>> Stephen: YOU LOOK FANTASTIC.
VERY NICE.
NICE TO SEE YOU.
>> GREAT MUSIC WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
>> Stephen: YEAH.
>> THANK YOU.
YEAH, WE DID GREAT.
>> Stephen: YEAH.
GREAT BAND.
>> GO, SAINTS.
>> Jon: WHO THAT?
>> Stephen: WELL "THE CONNORS" SEASON FINALE.
CONGRATULATIONS ON THE FIRST SEASON.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Stephen: IS IT GOING TO BE--
>> THEY HAVEN'T TOLD US YET.
WE'RE DISCUSSING.
>> Stephen: YOUR CHARACTER IS STILL ALIVE.
YOU MADE IT THROUGH THE FIRST SEASON?
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: GOOD, GOOD.
>> I THINK SO.
>> Stephen: TELEVISION-- TELEVISION CAN BE VERY
DANGEROUS.
YEAH, YEAH.
SO WHAT IS IT-- WHAT IS IT LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE-- I'VE
NEVER HAD A TELEVISION SHOW.
I'VE NEVER HAD A NETWORK TELEVISION SHOW.
I'VE HAD THIS.
BUT I'VE NEVER DONE A SITCOM.
WHEN DO THEY TELL YOU?
LIKE, DO YOU GET TO ENJOY THE TIME OFF OR ARE YOU ALL JUST
WAITING TO FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN?
>> I'M WAITING TO FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
THEY USUALLY TELL US-- LIKE, LAST YEAR, IT WAS THE SECOND
SHOW.
THEY SAID, "YOU'RE GETTING PICKED UP AGAIN."
AND THEY'RE JUST... "WE MIGHT TELL YOU.
WE MIGHT NOT."
>> Stephen: WELL, IN THE MEANTIME, YOU'RE STARTING TO GET
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS.
I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE GOING TO GET ONE IN ST. LOUIS, YOUR HOME
TOWN, FROM THE ST. LOUIS FILM FESTIVAL.
>> YEAH, THEY GAVE ME THAT THIS FALL.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: IS THAT
PARTICULARLY GRATIFYING TO GET ONE FROM YOUR HOME TOWN?
>> IF I COULD GET ONE EVERY WEEK IT WOULD BE BETTER.
( LAUGHTER )
YEAH.
THERE ARE A LOT OF GOOD ACTORS THAT CAME FROM THERE.
AND IT'S WHERE I GREW UP.
I HAVE VERY STRONG ROOTS THERE.
>> Stephen: DO YOU STILL HAVE FAMILY THERE?
>> YEAH, MY BROTHER, MY SISTER.
>> Stephen: DID YOU-- WERE YOU A GOOD CHILD?
>> NOT PARTICULARLY ON THE OUTSIDE.
>> Stephen: ON THE OUTSIDE YOU WERE A GOOD CHILD?
>> I WAS A LITTLE SNEAK THIEF ON THE INSIDE.
>> Stephen: DID YOU LITERALLY STEAL THINGS?
>> YEAH, I WORE THE OO7 AFTER-SHAVE WITH BRYLCREEM IN MY
HAIR, GLASSES WITH THE TAPE ON THEM.
WE WERE NERDS.
( LAUGHTER ).
>> Stephen: BACK WHEN NERDS WERE NERDS.
>> NERDS WERE NERDS, COMIC BOOKS, "MAD" MAGAZINES.
MY BUDDY'S BROTHER, OLDER BROTHER, HAD A "PLAYBOY"
SUBSCRIPTION.
>> Stephen: THE BROTHER HAD A "PLAYBOY" SUPSCRIPGZ.
>> HE WAS LIVING IN THE HOUSE AND HE HAD CARTONS OF CIGARETTES
LAYING AROUND.
>> Stephen: THAT BOY WAS A GANGSTER.
( LAUGHTER )
>> THEY SWORE US TO AMERICA EARLY ON.
>> Stephen: I GREW UP WHERE MEN LEARNED ABOUT THINGS LIKE
THAT BY FINDING COPIES IN THE WOODS.
( LAUGHTER )
>> WE BROUGHT THEM TO THE WOODS.
( LAUGHTER )
TROUBLE, LIKE, DID YOU LITERALLY--
>> I-- I GOT SHOT SHOPLIFTING ONCE.
I SAW A HAT.
I LOST IT.
I SAID THIS HAT IS SO COOL.
IT BELONGS ON WILSON PICKET OR SOMEBODY I GOTTA HAVE IT.
I TOOK IT, PULLED THE PRICE TAG OUT.
AND STARTING STROLLING, STROLLING TOWARDS THE FRONT
DOOR.
>> Stephen: JUST AS CASUAL AS CAN BE.
>> AND RIGHT WHEN I GOT TO THE FRONT DOOR MY SPIDEY SENSE FELT
SOMEBODY COMING UP BEHIND ME, AND I TURNED AROUND AND STARTED
WALKING BACK.
AND HE SAID, "WHERE ARE YOU GOING WITH THAT?"
I SAID, "TO THE CASH REGISTER."
BY THE TIME THEY STOPPED GRILLING ME, THAIBLGED ME, BUT
THEY HAD ALREADY CALLED MY MOTHER.
>> Stephen: HOW OLD WERE YOU?
>> WHO ARRIVED ON THE BUS WITH A BUNCH OF TEARS.
I WAS 14 OR SOMETHING.
>> Stephen: WOW.
>> AND IT REALLY HURT HER.
BUT, YOU KNOW-- I COULDN'T GET HER TO BELIEVE THAT I-- THAT I
DIDN'T MEAN TO STEAL IT.
>> Stephen: AND SO-- AND SO YOUR LIFE WAS RUINED AND YOU YOU
HAD TO GO INTO ACTING.
>> YEAH.
I HEAR THE STORYAISE LOT IN THE EQUITY OFFICE WHILE I'M WAITING
FOR A JOB.
( LAUGHTER )
YOU A HAT FOR CHRISTMAS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Stephen: YOU-- WHY DID YOU-- WHY DID YOU BECOME AN
ACTOR, THOUGH?
WHAT WAS IT-- WHAT DROVE YOU TO DO THAT, IF IT WASN'T A LIFE OF
CRIME.
( LAUGHTER ).
>> THERE ARE A LOT OF REASONS.
SOME HAVE TO DO WITH THAT.
I THINK NOW THAT IT WAS A CALLING.
I JUST-- I HAD TO TRY.
AND IF I DIDN'T, IF I DIDN'T MAKE IT, THAT'S FINE, BUT I HAD
TO TRY.
>> Stephen: WHAT WAS THE FIRST THING THAT YOU WENT-- WHERE DID
IT GET ITS HOOK INTO?
>> JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL.
>> Stephen: WAS IT LIKE DOING A PLAY AND "OH, I MIGHT BE GOOD
AT THIS."
>> IT WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, "YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU."
I GOT UP TO MAKE A SPEECH AND FORGOT MY LINES IMMEDIATELY AND
I STARTED MAKING THINGS UP AND WALKED AROUND THE TABLE, AND BY
THE TIME I GOT AROUND THE TABLE, I WAS INTO THE DIALOGUE AGAIN.
>> Stephen: AND THAT WAS A GOOD EXPERIENCE FOR YOU.
>> I LIKE BEING SCARED.
>> Stephen: OH, REALLY?
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: REALLY?
>> YEAH, IT'S A NICE CHARGE.
>> Stephen: WOW.
WHAT'S THE WORST EXPERIENCE YOU'VE HAD ON STAGE?
>> I WAS DOING A PLAY CALLED "BIG RIVER," IN '85 --
>> Stephen: ON BROADWAY HERE?
>> FOR A WEEK STRAIGHT.
EVERY TIME I WAS GOING TO MAKE MY ENTRANCE, I COULDN'T REMEMBER
MY FIRST LINE.
AND THEN I WENT INTO A PANIC.
AND I WAS-- I'D COME OUT AND "I'M SO SORRY, LADIES AND
GENTLEMEN.
I CAN'T REMEMBER THIS DIALOGUE.
PLEASE FORGIVE ME."
AND AS SOON AS I OPENED MY MOUTH, THE DIALOGUE CAME OUT.
BUT IT WAS PARALYZING STAGE FRIGHT.
>> Stephen: YOU WERE LITERALLY GOING TO CONFESS TO THE
AUDIENCE?
>> I HAD NO CHOICE.
YOU KNOW, I'M NOT UP HERE LOITERING.
( LAUGHTER )
UP TO?
WHO DID YOU LOOK UP-- WHO IS THE ACTOR YOU WANTED TO BE?
MARLON BRANDO.
>> Stephen: SURE.
>> AND ROBERT DUVALL, GENE HACKMAN AND PACINO.
PACINO HAD A GREAT RUN GOING WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE LEARNING
THIS STUFF, AND I IDOLIZED HIM.
AND ONE NIGHT A FRIEND OF MINE AND I WENT TO SEE "GODFATHER
II."
AND WHEN WE GOT HOME, "LET'S CALL AL PACINO."
"YEAH, WE'RE ACTING STUDENTS.
HE'LL TALK TO US.
IT WILL BE COOL."
HE HAD AN UNLISTED NUMBER.
I DIDN'T THINK OF THAT.
>> Stephen: WHAT WAS THE ATTEMPT?
HOW DID YOU START?
>> "I'M AN ACTING STUDENT FROM SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI."
>> Stephen: YOU WERE GOING TO CALL HIM FR SPRINGFIELD,
MISSOURI, TO WHERE, NEW YORK?
>> NEW YORK.
212 AREA CODE.
>> Stephen: YOU STARTED 212.
>> 212-5551212.
>> Stephen: OH, INFORMATION.
>> THAT WAS THE CALLBACK PLAN, JUST START MAKING UP NUMBERS.
>> Stephen: TRY 1-800-AL-PACINO.
I DON'T ASSOCIATE YOU WITH DOING A LOT OF POLITICAL THINGS, BUT
THIS SUMMER YOU CUT A COMMERCIAL IN OPPOSITION TO MISSOURI
BECOMING A RIGHT TO WORK TODAYSTATE.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: RIGHT TO WORK STATES, FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T
KNOW, BASICALLY IS A WAY TO KILL A UNION, ESSENTIALLY.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: WHAT DROVE YOU TO DO THAT?
AND WHAT DID YOU SAY?
>> IT'S THE IDEA THAT IT TAKES AWAY THE ABILITY TO ORGANIZE.
>> Stephen: COLLECTIVE BARGAINING DIDN'T--
>> ALL THE FAT CATS NOW JUST GOT EVERYBODY IN A SQUEEZE, AND THEY
CAN DO WHATEVER THEY WANT TO.
AND THERE'S NO RECOURSE.
YOU HAVE TO ORGANIZE.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE A STRONG LABOR BODY.
AND THEY'RE KILLING IT RIGHT NOW.
SO I JUST-- AND I ALWAYS PICTURED MYSELF A LEFTY WITH THE
CLOTH CAP AND THE BUTTONS ON IT AND YELLING, "STRIKE!
STRIKE!
STRIKE!" AT CAB MEETINGS.
>> Stephen: LIKE 1931 KIND OF.
>> 1931.
>> Stephen: EXACTLY.
>> AND LOSING MY CAREER ASK MY HOUSE IN THE 50.
>> RIGHT, BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T INFORM.
>> I WOULDN'T TELL.
I WOULDN'T SQUEAL, SEE.
>> Stephen: SNITCHES GET STITCHES.
>> WITH THAT IDEA, I THOUGHT MAYBE I COULD HELP.
THAT'S ALL.
>> Stephen: WHAT HAPPENED?
>> IT FAILED.
>> Stephen: OH, GOOD.
( APPLAUSE )
HERE.
YOU HAVE A NEW MOVIE CALLED "BLACK EARTH RISING."
WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
>> WOW.
IT'S ABOUT-- IT'S AN ATTEMPT TO BRING SOME OF THE BAD ACTORS IN
THE THE RWANDA GENOCIDE TO JUSTICE AFTER ALL THESE YEARS.
>> Stephen: WHO DO YOU PLAY?
>> A LAWYER, AN AMERICAN EX-PAT LAWYER LIVING IN LONDON WHO HAS
BEEN INVOLVED WITH THIS FOR YEARS.
JUST TRYING TO STRAIGHTEN THINGS OUT.
>> Stephen: AND WE HAVE A CLIP HERE WHERE I THINK ANOTHER YOUNG
LAWYER HAS COME TO YOU TO SAY THAT YOU'RE TRYING THE WRONG
CASE, THE MEN.
CAN YOU TELL US AGO WHEN GOING ON.
>> HER MOTHER WAS MY PARTNER, AND DURING THE GENOCIDE, HER
MOTHER RESCUED HER FROM A DEATH CAMP, WHERE A MASSACRE HAD JUST
TAKEN PLACE OF THEIR TRIBE, AND THEY WERE TRYING TO BRING THEM
TO JUSTICE AND SHE DOESN'T QUITE LIKE THAT.
>> Stephen: JIM?
>> WHY DID YOU GIVE HER THAT CASE?
>> I'M NOT SAYING THERE'S ANY PRESSURE ON YOUR ROOM RENTAL,
KATE, BUT, OBVIOUSLY, I WOULDN'T BE SAYING IT IF IT WASN'T.
>> YOU'RE PRIEWGHT THE WRONG MAN ON THE WRONG SIDE AND YOU'RE
CHOOSING THE WRONG MAN TO DO IT.
>> HE'LL BE DELIGHTED WITH THE JUDGE AGREES WITH YOU.
>> IT ISN'T YOUR WORLD.
>> THE CONGO?
>> THE GENOCIDE.
>> I PROSECUTED ONE OF THE FIRST CASES FOR THE I.C.T.R. IN '98.
YOUR MOTHER WAS MY JUNIOR.
IT'S WHERE WE MET.
I'D GO SO FAR AS TO SAY IT'S WHERE WHY YOU'RE HERE.
>> AND I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK TO ANY OF IT, EVER.
>> AM I SLURRING MY WORDS THERE?
>> Stephen: NO.
>> OKAY.
>> Stephen: PERFECT IN EVERY WAY.
JOHN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU, STEPHEN, THANK YOU.
>> Stephen: "BLACK EARTH RISING" PREMIERED ON NETFLIX TODAY.
JOHN GOODMAN, EVERYBODY!
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.