-Our next guest is a very funny actor you know
from shows such as "Big Mouth," "The League"
and "The Good Place."
He stars in season two of "Close Enough,"
which is available now on HBO Max.
Let's take a look.
-Isn't it nice to spend some time outdoors
with your closest friends?
[ Keyboards clicking, phones chiming, whooshing ]
Ugh!
Whatever happened to human connection?
You'd rather worship your glowing bricks
than engage with a bon vivant like myself?
-It's nice to hang out in the park.
Whoa, bold stance.
-How's this for a big statement?
Phones have ruined society.
That's why I keep it old school.
[ Cellphone powering down ]
-Mom, I'm scared.
-Please welcome back to the show our friend Jason Mantzoukas.
How are you, Jason?
Whoo! An entrance! Look at him go!
-That's right. Boom!
I'm walking in.
-That is -- thank you very much --
like a semblance of normality,
to see a guest actually walk into the frame.
Thank you, buddy. -You know what?
I don't think I could have a conversation with you
if I didn't spend some lead-up time walking towards you.
-I agree. -So, boom, here we are.
-It is wonderful to see how animators,
I feel like, capture your essence.
Because you are a very coveted voice actor.
And we pulled together just some of the people you played.
-What do we got? -It does seem like,
across the board --
I mean, this is the least sort of shaggy...
-Yeah. -...version, but again --
-They all seem to be some version
of a shirtless crazy person.
-Right. -You know?
And I love that in "Big Mouth,"
too, they have my gray beard in there.
-Yeah. -They really want to show my age.
-Speaking of your beard,
it's really -- it's really something.
-Yeah. Well, I'm going for a full circle.
I'm growing it out.
Listen, Seth, I'm not going to lie to you.
I haven't left my God damn house in a year.
I have lost my mind, okay?
So, I'm going for a full circle of hair and beard.
That's what I'm aiming for.
-That is -- That is a goal to shoot for.
I wonder, though, what happens
mask-wise with a beard like that.
-Oh, such a great question,
'cause I did, like, honestly, have to,
like, think about that, and I made a purchase of a mask
that specifically covers my beard
and, I feel like, gives me both protection
and kind of represents to the outside world
also a little bit of how I feel on the inside.
Hold on. I'll just -- I'm going to grab it and put it on.
It's been great for, like,
when I need to go to the grocery store or the pharmacy.
-[ Laughing ]
-Is my prescription ready?
Do you have fresh avocados?
[ Laughter ]
Please, cover your mouths.
-Oh, wow.
And now, are you seeing through the nose or the mouth
when you look through that?
-Yes, Seth, I'm looking through the nose.
-Hey, you have some beautiful art behind you.
Are those both paintings on those shelves?
-Oh, yes. -Okay.
-These are paintings. These are --
Like I said, I've been home alone for a year.
so, like, these are the people I spend my time with.
These are the people -- If you're wondering, like,
who have you been talking to for a year, Jason?
Well, I'd love for you to meet my good friend Peggy,
who looks genuinely nervous.
She looks like -- I feel like the look on her face
is like, "Gary, are you painting me again?
I asked you to not. please, Gary, stop painting me."
-Right? So, you're spending some time with her.
-Spending a lot of time with Peggy.
She's very unhappily married.
She's, like, really pissed off all the time.
Oh, come on, such a sweet angel.
Such a sweet angel.
Those eyes, Seth, do you think you'll be able to forget them?
[ Laughter ]
-I mean, when you see them,
do you know right away that you have to have them?
-Oh, yeah.
There's something that happens when I see one
where I'm, like --
'Cause I'll buy a lot of them, like, on, you know, auctions,
eBay, or stuff like that, you know?
Like, one of these I actually won on an auction,
but I'm actually giving it to Tim Meadows after this.
But, yeah, there's something about them that, when I see it,
I'm like -- No matter how weird, it doesn't matter.
When I see it, I'm like, "Ooh, that."
Like, why did I buy this?
Why did I pay money for what is obviously a child's drawing.
It's not of me.
But the little cowboy on the shoulder
really, really spoke to me.
-I'm so happy, though, because the person who drew that...
-Yeah. -...thought when they finished,
"Someone is going to buy this,"
which is clearly an insane thought. -Yeah, lunacy.
-And then you, you validated it.
You made that person sane. -Ooh.
There is stuff here that I've been --
that I've had, that I've been collecting for --
there's a -- Here.
This -- This has been in every house.
We've known each other for probably 20 years.
This has been in every apartment I lived in in New York,
every house I've lived in in L.A.
It is just a trophy, right? -Yeah.
-Totally normal.
But the engraving says -- Can you read this?
-"Most meals with dad."
[ Laughter ]
-What -- I ask you,
what are the circumstances that caused that family
to be like, "You know what we got to do?
We're gonna have to make a trophy for him
so that he'll, like, calm down
about how few meals he's having with dad."
[ Laughter ]
What is that?
Not only what is that, not only what are the circumstances
that made them make this -- custom-make this trophy,
but then I buy it
and it lives in my kitchen for decades?
This is, like -- If anything,
I think this reflects worse on me
than the family that made the trophy.
-I think it reflects pretty well on all of you.
We're out of time, but I would maybe like you to come back soon
for something that we're just gonna call
"Art Beat with Jason."
-Yeah, 100% yes.
-To have a level of collector like you join us
was a true honor and privilege.
I love you, buddy.
-And, listen, I also am going to direct you
in "Streetcar Named De-Liar."
Your accent needs work. -Oh, whoa.
Alright, well, I don't know if that is where I thought that was going.
Season two -- -Yeah, see, right there. Right there.
-Season two of "Close Enough" is available on HBO Max now.