>> Stephen: HEY, EVERYBODY!
YOU CAUGHT ME STANDING UP HERE.
I DIDN'T REALIZE-- OH, MY GOSH.
FOLKS, I'M SO EXCITED.
MY FIRST GUEST HAS PLAYED SOME OF THE MOST MEMORABLE ODDBALLS
AND COLD-BLOODED KILLERS ON THE SCREEN.
HE NOW STARS AS NIKITA KHRUSHCHEV IN "THE DEATH OF
STALIN.
OF THE.
>> HE'LL BE LYING FACE-DOWN IN A DITCH FULL OF VODKA WITH VET
LAWNA.
>> HE LOST HER.
>> SVETLANA IS HERE.
>> THE (BLEEP) HAS STARTED.
WE NEED TO START PUTTING TOGETHER A PLAN.
WE NEED CHANGE.
PUT A HALT TO THE ARREST, PRISON RELEASE, MAYBE EVEN REFORM THE
CHURCH.
>> HOW CAN YOU RUN AND PLOT AT THE SAME TIME.
>> HELLO!
SVETLANA!
>> Stephen: PLEASE WELCOME STEVE BUSCEMI!
( BAND PLAYING ) ( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
>> Stephen: HEY, GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> GOOD TO SEE YOU, TOO.
>> Stephen: ARE YOU BACK IN NEW YORK OR DO YOU LIVE IN NEW
YORK BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE FROM NEW YORK?
>> I LIVE IN NEW YORK.
>> Stephen: GOOD FOR YOU.
GOOD FOR YOU.
WHAT AN ACHIEVEMENT.
>> IS IT.
>> Stephen: HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO HAVE YOUR WHOLE CAREER IN NEW
YORK?
>> PRETTY MUCH.
I NEVER LIVED ANYWHERE ELSE.
>> Stephen: YOU NEVER LIVED IN L.A., NEVER HAD PERMANENT
RESIDENCE OUT THERE.
>> NO, I RENTED A HOUSE ONCE WHEN I WAS DOING THE MOVIE "AIR
HEADS."
>> Stephen: THAT I WAS LONG TIME AGO, MAN.
>> HAVEN'T BEEN BACK SINCE-- NO, I'VE BEEN BACK.
BUT I JUST NEVER HAD THE DESIRE TO MOVE OUT THERE.
I JUST-- I-- I LIKE NEW YORK.
>> Stephen: YEAH, I--
I DO, TOO.
I JUST EYE LOVE THE CITY.
I ALWAYS-- I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW I WAS GOING TO BE AN ACTOR WHEN I
WAS A KID AND I WAS LIKE, "I GOTTA LIVE IN NEW YORK."
>> REALLY?
>> Stephen: IT JUST SEEMED LIKE THE MOST EXCITING CITY IN
THE WORLD TO ME.
HOW DID YOU NOT MOVE TO LOS ANGELES, BECAUSE IT'S THE MOTHER
SHIP, AND IF YOU'RE IN ENTERTAINMENT IT'S ALWAYS
SHOOTING ITS TRACTOR BEAMS TO ENTERTAINERS SAYING YOU HAVE TO
MOVE OUT HERE TO WORK.
>> IT'S TRUE MIP PRESSURE FROM MY AGENT AGENT AT THE TIME-- LIK
EARLY 90s-- TO MOVE OUT THERE.
AND THEN I GOT "RESERVOIR DOGS" AND QUENTIN TARANTINO DID A HUGE
FAVOR TO THE ACTORS BY PUTTING OUR NAMES IN THE OPENING
CREDITS.
AND THAT HELPED ENORMOUSLY, BECAUSE NOW PEOPLE IN THE
INDUSTRY COULD PUT THE NAME TO THE FACE.
>> Stephen: WOW.
I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT THAT.
THAT'S VERY GENEROUS OF HIM.
>> IT REALLY-- IT REALLY HELPED.
>> Stephen: WERE YOU-- WERE YOU MR. WHITE?
WHAT WAS YOUR COLOR?
>> I WAS MR. PINK.
>> Stephen: MR. PINK.
THAT'S RIGHT.
YOU'RE LIKE, "WHY DO I HAVE TO BE-- WHY DO I HAVE TO BE
MR. PINK?" THAT'S NICE.
I REMEMBER THAT NOW.
I SAID THE GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT OF MY CAREER IS NOT WHAT I GET
TO DO BUT THAT I GET TO DO IT HERE.
BRAWF OH, BRAVO.
>> YOU TOO, YOU TOO.
>> Stephen: THANKS VERY MUCH.
THE ONLY WAY NOT TO MOVE TO LOS ANGELES IS JUST NOT TO MOVE TO
LOS ANGELES.
THAT'S IT.
NOW YOU'RE IN THE NEW I.F.C.
FILM IS IT @IS IT IN THEATERS NOW?
>> IT OPENS NEXT FRIDAY.
>> Stephen: IT'S CALLED "THE DEATH OF STALIN," AND YOU PLAY
NIKITA KHRUSHCHEV.
>> IT'S BEEN A DREAM OF MINE TO PLAY THIS.
THAT'S WHY I GOT TO ACTING.
WHEN I SAW HIM ON TV IN 1964, I SAID, "I'M GOING"-- NO, I DON'T
-- >> Stephen: "THAT MAN IN A
SUPER STAR!
I'M GOING FOR THE SEX APPEAL."
IS THAT A BALD CAP OR ARE YOU SHAVING YOURED IN THAT.
>> I SHAVED MY HEAD.
>> Stephen: HAVE YOU EVER DONE THAT BEFORE?
>> NO, NO.
I ALWAYS WONDERED WHAT I WOULD LOOLOOK LIKE WITH A SHAVED HEAD.
BUT IT'S DIFFERENT WHEN YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, JUST THE BALD
HEAD.
IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, LIKE-- YOU CAN'T REALLY ROCK THAT LOOK.
I MEAN, I MEAN, I HAVE A THE LOVE BALD FRIENDS AND I DON'T
MEAN TO OFFEND ANY-- ANY BALD PEOPLE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IT-- IT MADE ME FEEL DIFFERENT, AND IT MADE ME
FEEL OLDER.
I DON'T KNOW.
>> Stephen: UH-HUH.
>> MAYBE MY STASE FACEIS JUST OLD, TOO.
BUT I REMEMBER GOING INTO A MOVIE THEATER, AND WE WERE
SHOOTING IN LONDON, AND I WENT INTO THE THEATER, BOUGHT THE
TICKET, AND WENT IN, AND I REALIZED THAT SHE HAD GIVEN ME A
SENIOR DISCOUNT.
( LAUGHTER ) SHE DIDN'T ASK ME.
SHE DIDN'T, YOU KNOW-- AND I JUST --
>> Stephen: YEAH, YEAH.
>> SO THIS IS WHAT IT'S LIKE.
AND THEN SO, WHEN THE MOVIE WRAPPED, I DID SHAVE MY HEAD.
>> Stephen: THE WHOLE DAMN THING.
>> WHOLE THING.
>> Stephen: BECAUSE KHRUSHCHEV HAD THE THINGS ON THE SIDE.
>> HE HAD THE THINGS ON THE SIDE.
>> Stephen: IF YOU SHAVE THE WHOLE THING YOU CAN ROCK A BRUCE
WILLIS.
>> I THOUGHT I'M GOING TO LOOK SO COOL ONCE I SHAVE MY HEAD AND
I LOOKED LIKE AN ALIEN.
PEOPLE DIDN'T WANT TO COME NEAR ME.
SO I JUST-- I'M GLAZ GLADI HAVE SOME HAIR.
>> Stephen: THE MOVIE IS ABOUT STALIN-- THE STALIN DIES, AND
THEN THERE'S THE WHOLE POLITBURO IS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO WILL
BE THE NEXT-- THEY'RE ALL ANGLING FOR POWER, TO BE THE
NEXT PERSON.
>> YEAH.
IT WAS-- I MEAN, NOBODY THOUGHT THAT KHRUSHCHEV WAS GOING TO BE
THE GUY.
>> Stephen: REQUEST NOT?
>> BECAUSE HE WASN'T-- I DON'T KNOW.
I MEAN, HE WASN'T CONSIDERED THE BRIGHTEST OF THE GROUP.
HE WASN'T THE MOST AMBITIOUS.
HE WAS JUST SORT OF A-- HE WAS-- I MEAN, STALIN LIKED HIM BECAUSE
HE WAS FUNNY.
HE WAS A TALKER, AND HE WOULD MAKE STALIN LAUGH.
AND SOMETIMES LATE AT NIGHT, STALIN WOULD HAVE THESE MEET AGO
OR THESE DINNERS AT, LIKE, 1:00 IN THE MORNING AT HIS-- IN HIS
COUNTRY PLACE.
AND THEY ALL HAD TO SHOW UP.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD SORT OF HAVE A MEETING AND AFTER
DINNER, AT 3:00 IN THE MORNING HE'D WANT TO PUT ON A JOHN FORD
MOVIE AND THEY HAD TO STAY.
>> Stephen: STALIN WAS WATCHING JOHN FORD WESTERNS?
>> OH, YEAH, HE LOVED THEM.
>> Stephen: WOW.
WAS HE PULLING FOR THE INDIANS?
WAS IT JOHN WAYNE FEIGN FAN?
>> I THINK SO, YEAH, YEAH.
AND THEY'D HAVE TO WATCH THESE WESTERNS AND DRINK WITH HIM.
AND THEN KHRUSHCHEV WOULD GO HOME AND SAY TO HIS WIFE-- HE
WOULD TRY TO REMEMBER WHICH ONE OF HIS JOKES WORKED AND WHICH
ONES DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, SO THAT HE WOULD KNOW, LIKE, THE NEXT
DAY.
BECAUSE THEY WERE ALL-- YOU KNOW, THEY WERE ALL-- STALIN
INSTILLED SUCH FEAR-- NOT ONLY IN THE WHOLE COUNTRY, BUT ALSO
IN HIS CLOSEST CABINET MEMBERS.
>> Stephen: YEAH, YOU COULD JUST DISAPPEAR.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: DISAPPEAR, AND THEN THAT PERSON WOULD BE
PAINTED OUT OF THE OFFICIAL PHOTOS AND THEY WOULD BE GONE.
>> AND SO WHEN STALIN DIED, YOU KNOW, "THE NEW YORK TIMES," THEY
MADE A LIST OF, YOU KNOW, WHO WOULD BE THE SUCCESSOR, AND I
THINK KHRUSHCHEV WAS, LIKE, AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LIST OUT OF,
LIKE, 10 GUYS.
>> Stephen: SO HOW DID HE DO IT?
>> HIS MAIN THING WAS HE JUST DIDN'T WANT THE TWO GUYS THAT
WERE CLOSEST TO GET IT IT, BERRIER AND MALCOFF, SHE JUST
THOUGHT BERRIER WAS THIS REALLY SADISTIC PREDATOR, AND JUST BAD
NEWS.
AND HE JUST DIDN'T WANT HIM TO GET IT.
AND MALCOFF WAS SORT OF LIKE A "YES" MAN, AND HE THOUGHT HE WAS
INCORM TENT.
SO KHRUSHCHEV WANTED HIS MENTORS ON THE POLITBURO.
HE THOUGHT THEY SHOULD GET IT, THE GUYS WHO WERE OLDER THAN HIM
AND HAD BEEN AROUND.
HE WAS ANGLING TOWARDS THAT, AND THEY SORT OF REALIZED YOU'RE
KIND OF GOOD AT THIS.
LIKE, MAYBE YOU SHOULD BE THE ONE TO DO IT.
>> Stephen: THIS MOVIE IS CREATED BY AMANDA IANNUCCI, WHO
ALSO CREATED "VEEP" AND "DAY TO DAY."
DOES THE COMEDY OF IT TRANSLATE TO THE RUSSIANS?
HAS THIS BEEN SHOWN IN RUSSIA?
>> IT'S BEEN BANNED IN RUSSIA.
( LAUGHTER ) I DON'T KNOW WHY.
>> Stephen: REALLY?
I DIDN'T KNOW THEY STILL DID THAT.
I'M SERIOUS, I DIDN'T KNOW THEY STILL THAT.
>> WELL, APPARENTLY, WE HAD A DISTRIBUTOR, BUT THEN-- BUT THEN
IT WAS BANNED.
BUT I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S TOTALLY BANNED.
I MEAN, I THINK YOU COULD PROBABLY STILL SEE ANYTHING YOU
WANT THERE.
I ONCE WENT TO A FILM FESTIVAL WHERE I HAD A FILM THEY
DIRECTED, IT WAS IN THE FESTIVAL, AND THIS RUSSIAN
GENTLEMAN CAME UP TO ME AND SAID THAT HE LOVED THE FILM.
AND I SAID, "WELL, IT HASN'T SHOWN YET.
IT'S SHOWING TOMORROW NIGHT."
AND HE SAID, "NO, NO, I SAW IT ON TV, YOU KNOW, IN HOMELAND."
I WAS LIKE, "REALLY?" YEAH, THEY JUST --
>> Stephen: THEY SOMEHOW STOLE IT AND SHOWED ON TV BEFORE THE
MOVIE CAME OUT?
>> YEAH, YEAH.
( LAUGHTER ) THEY-- THEY HAVE THEIR WAYS.
>> Stephen: WOW.
>> AS WE KNOW.
>> Stephen: I HOPE THEY'RE ENJOYING THIS RIGHT NOW.
( LAUGHTER ).
>> YES.
>> Stephen: HAVE YOU BEEN-- HAVE YOU BEEN TO RUSSIA
YOURSELF?
>> NO.
>> Stephen: OH, IT'S WORTH A TRIP.
>> YEAH?
YOU'VE BEEN?
>> Stephen: I WENT OVER THIS SUMMER FOR A LITTLE BIT.
AND I DON'T THINK-- I DIDN'T-- I DIDN'T KNOW IF THEY GOT THIS
SHOW THERE, BUT PEOPLE WHO WHO I WAS.
AND I THINK THEY WERE ALL SECRET POLICE.
( LAUGHTER ) AND I'M NOT JOKING.
BECAUSE WE WERE FOLLOWED EVERYWHERE.
BUT DO GO.
>> OKAY.
>> Stephen: DO GO.
( LAUGHTER ) WELL, WE HAVE TO TAKE A BREAK,
BUT WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH MORE STEVE BUSCEMI.
STICK AROUND, EVERYBODY.