>> Stephen: WELCOME BACK, EVERYBODY!
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, YOU KNOW MY FIRST
GUEST FROM "PULP FICTION," "SNAKES ON A PLANE," AND "THE
AVENGERS."
HIS LATEST FILM IS "SHAFT."
>> WE'RE JUST HERE LOOKING FOR THE OWNER, BENNIE.
>> I'M BENNIE.
HUH.
OH!
COULD YOU GIVE US ONE MOMENT, PLEASE?
>> YO, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?
SHE PICKED UP A BAT.
YOU CAN'T BEAT UP A WOMAN.
WHY NOT?
BECAUSE SHE'S A WOMAN.
THAT'S LIKE MISOGYNISTIC.
>> YOU'RE THE ONE BRINGING HER UP AS A WOMAN.
'EM AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PERSON.
>> CAN I HANDLE THIS?
BENNIE, WE DON'T WANT TROUBLE, WE JUST CAME TO ASK YOU A COUPLE
OF QUESTIONS.
>> OH!
DAMN!
>> Stephen: PLEASE WELCOME SAMUEL L. JACKSON!
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) ( BAND PLAYING )
>> FIND MY WAY.
>> Stephen: YEAH.
NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) I LIKE SOMEONE WHO TAKES THEIR
TIME TO LET THE AUDIENCE APPRECIATE THEM.
YOU CAN'T TEACH THAT.
>> IT'S THE SOUTHERN WAY.
I NOTICE YOU DO IT.
>> Stephen: YEAH, THAT'S THE ONLY REASON I'M HERE.
WHERE ARE YOU FROM ORIGINALLY?
>> CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE.
>> Stephen: OH, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.
CHOO-CHOO.
>> ROCK CITY, BABY.
>> Stephen: LAST NIGHT, YOU WERE AT THE TONIES.
>> WAS I?
>> Stephen: HERE YOU ARE PRESENTING ALONGSIDE YOUR WIFE
LATANYA RICHARDSON JACKSON.
>> YES.
>> Stephen: ONE OF THE STARS OF "TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD."
A BEAUTIFUL PORTRAYAL.
>> SHE'S KILLING IT ON BROADWAY IS THAT HOUSE OF IT?
YOU PRESENTED TO ELAINE MAY FOR BEST ACTRESS.
>> AWESOME.
IT'S A GREAT FEELING TO PRESENT TO A THEATER GREAT LIKE THAT.
IT FEELS ALL FUN.
I LOVED THE TONYS.
I NEVER GOT TO GO AS A YOUNG ACTOR BECAUSE I NEVER DID NEG ON
BROAD WAY.
>> Stephen: WOULD YOU WANT TO GO BACK?
IS THERE A SHOW THAT WOULD TEMPT YOU BACK TO BROADWAY?
>> I THINK ABOUT GOING BACK TO THE BOYS ALL THE TIME.
WHEN I GO AND SEE A SHOW I MISS NOT BEING THERE.
THEN WHEN I TALK TO MY WIFE ABOUT EIGHT SHOWS A WEEK, IT
MAKES ME NOT MISS BEING THERE.
( LAUGHTER ) >> Stephen: HOW ABOUT YOU AND
ME, THE ODD COUPLE?
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> I COULD DO THAT.
WE MIGHT SELL THE TICKETS.
>> Stephen: MIGHT SELL ONE OR TWO.
NOW, YOU WERE HERE IN 2016.
I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S BEEN THAT LONG.
SO HAPPY TO HAVE YOU BACK.
2016 WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WERE HERE.
LAST TIME YOU WERE HERE WAS BEFORE THE ELECTION.
IT'S A DIFFERENT WORLD.
>> I'VE GOT TO SAY THAT, YEAH.
>> Stephen: WE HAVE A CLIP HERE, VERY FEW PEOPLE THOUGHT
THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP COULD ACTUALLY MAKE IT TO THE OVAL
OFFICE.
>> AND I DID?
( LAUGHTER ) WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?
>> Stephen: YOU'RE A PROPHET AND YOU DIDN'T KNOW IT.
YOU HAVE A LITTLE CAUTIONARY TALE FOR US.
JIM?
>> PLEASE.
DON'T THINK -- DON'T THINK THE OTHER THING CAN'T HAPPEN BECAUSE
THAT'S WHY THE BREXIT IS TRYING TO GET A RECALL RIGHT NOW.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET A
DO-OVER.
>> Stephen: YEAH.
ALL RIGHT, LET ME MAKE ANOTHER PROPHECY.
YOU THINK I CAN MAKE SOMETHING ELSE COME TRUE?
>> Stephen: SURE.
NO, I CAN'T TO THAT.
THERE WILL BE PEOPLE KNOCKING ON MY DOOR.
>> Stephen: HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE RIGHT?
>> I DIDN'T WANT TO BE RIGHT.
I HOPED I WAS TRYING TO BE FUNNY.
>> Stephen: I THINK YOU WERE TRYING TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE WOULD
GO VOTE.
>> I WAS HOPING THEY WOULD GO VOTE, AND I HOPE THEY WILL GO
VOTE NOW BECAUSE NOW THEY KNOW WHAT CAN HAPPEN.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: UNLIKE BREXIT, WE
DO GET A REDO.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: NOW, HAVE YOU LOOKED AT THE CROP OF
CHALLENGERS TO THE PRESIDENT?
IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE WHO REALLY FLOATS YOUR BOAT?
>> NOT YET.
>> Stephen: REALLY?
I JUST HAVEN'T BEEN INSPIRED BY WHAT EVERYBODY'S TRYING TO
DO, SAY, PROVE, WHATEVER.
I KIND OF WISH SOMEBODY AS PEOPLE-FRIENDLY IN MY MIND AS
STACEY ABRAMS WAS RUNNING.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) I KIND OF WISH THAT.
BUT I'M DEFINITELY VOTING WITH THE RESISTANCE, WHATEVER
HAPPENS.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) ( PIANO RIFF )
LET THERE BE NO DOUBT.
>> Stephen: NO DOUBT AT ALL.
YEAH.
>> Stephen: NOW, YOU ARE REPRISING YOUR ROLE AS JOHN
SHAFT II.
>> YES.
>> Stephen: IN "SHAFT."
IS THAT A FUN CHARACTER TO REVISIT?
>> IT'S ALWAYS FUN TO PLAY JOHN SHAFT BECAUSE HE HAS SO MUCH
LICENSE TO BE SO MANY THINGS.
SOME OF THE THINGS I NEVER GOT A CHANCE TO BE IN THE SECOND ONE,
OR THE ONE THAT I DID.
I WASN'T REALLY A SEX MACHINE FOR ALL THE CHICKS.
>> Stephen: THAT'S THE NEXT ONE.
>> GOT IT TO SAY REALLY CORNY LINES LIKE "IT'S MY DUTY TO
PLEASE THEIR BOOTY."
( LAUGHTER ) BUT YOU GET TO BE COOL YOU GET
TO BE IRREVERENT.
YOU GET REALLY NICE CLOTHES.
>> Stephen: LEATHER COATS?
LOTS OF NICE LEATHER COATS, SHORT ONES, LONG ONES, SUEDE,
ALL KINDS OF STUFF.
IT'S JUST VERY FUN TO DO.
IT'S VERY DIFFERENT BECAUSE THE OTHER TWO SHACHTS WERE BASICALLY
THRILLERS, BUT THIS IS AN ACTION COMEDY BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO DO
SOMETHING LIGHT FOR THE SUMMER.
SO I GET TO TEACH A KID WHOSE MINE BUT HIS MOTHER TOOK HIM
AWAY FROM ME BECAUSE I WAS TOO DANGEROUS AND SENT HIM TO
PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND HE ENDS UP IN THE F.B.I.
HIS NAME IS JOHN SHAFT, ALSO.
HE COMES TO ME BECAUSE HE NEEDS MY HELP, AND I HAVE TO TEACH HIM
THE RESPONSIBILITY OF WHAT HAVING THE NAME SHAFT ACTUALLY
MEANS.
>> Stephen: YOU'VE PLAYED NICK TEN TIMES NOW?
>> TEN TIMES.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: WHO IS -- IN YOUR
OPINION, AND NO OTHER OPINION WOULD BE MORE IMPORTANT, WHO IS
COOLER, JOHN SHAFT OR NICK FURY?
>> WELL, NICK FURY.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) YOU KNOW, NICK FURY IS SORT OF
LIKE SOME OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE IN POWER NOW, HE'S A LITTLE BIT
ABOVE THE LAW.
>> Stephen: OH, THAT'S TRUE, TRUE.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: HE HAS QUESTIONABLE, ETHICAL CHOICES.
>> YOU CAN'T INDICT A SITTING OR STANDING NICK FURY.
THAT'S HOW IT GOES.
>> Stephen: IS NICK FURY STILL ALIVE IN THE UNIVERSE?
HE IS.
HE'S IN SPIDERMAN FAR FROM HOME.
>> YEAH, THAT WILL BE EXPLAINED.
>> Stephen: IT WILL BE EXPLAINED HOW HE'S STILL ALIVE?
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: OKAY.
( LAUGHTER ) YOU'VE DONE SO MANY --
>> YOU SAW "END GAME," RIGHT?
>> Stephen: NO, LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.
LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.
( AUDIENCE REACTS ) NO, I SAW IT!
I SAW IT!
>> NOT IN MY BOX OFFICE TOTAL.
FINE.
( LAUGHTER ) >> Stephen: HAVE YOU DONE SO
MANY FILMS?
YOU'VE DONE 125 FILMS FROM THE IMDB, IS WHAT THEY SAY.
>> PROBABLY MORE THAN THAT.
>> Stephen: HAVE YOU EVER FORGOTTEN HAVING DONE A FILM?
>> NOT REALLY.
>> Stephen: DID YOU HEAR GWYNETH PALTROW FORGOT SHE WAS
IN SPIDERMAN HOME COMING?
SHE WAS ON JOHN FAVE ROUGH'S SHOW AND THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT
IT AND SHE SAID, OH, THAT WAS GOOD.
THEY SAID, NO, YOU WERE IN IT.
( LAUGHTER ) >> NO, I REMEMBER ALL THE BIG
ONES.
>> Stephen: IS THERE A CHARACTER YOU WOULD LIKE TO GO
BACK TO YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO?
>> I WOULD REALLY TO GIVE ONE MORE RUN AS MACE WINDU IN
"STAR WARS."
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: NOW, DO YOU SEE A
WAY THAT HE SURVIVED THE ATTACK OF --
>> THERE'S A LONG HISTORY OF ONE-HANDED GUYS, YOU KNOW, THAT
WERE JEDIS THAT HAVE LIGHTSABERS AND CAN MAKE IT.
>> Stephen: HE FELL OUT OF A WINDOW.
>> JEDIS CAN FALL FROM INCREDIBLE HEIGHTS AND NOT DIE,
LIKE CATS.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: YOU'RE ALSO IN
GLASS AS CAPTAIN MARVEL, AVENGERS END GAME AND FAR FROM
HOME.
>> RIGHT.
>> Stephen: YOU'RE, PARDON THE EXPRESSION, 70 YEARS OLD.
HOW DO YOU KEEP GOING SO -- HOW DO YOU DO SO MUCH?
I JUST DO ONE SHOW AND I'M EXHAUSTED.
>> THE OTHER TWO GUYS THAT DO HALF THE JOBS THAT I DO THAT
LOOK LIKE ME -- >> Stephen: OH, THE STUNT
GUYS?
>> THEY MAKE IT WORK, YEAH.
>> Stephen: DO YOU DO EXERCISE, A DIETARY REGIMEN, ARE
YOU VEGAN?
>> I DO PILATES, I PLAY GOLF, AND I WAS A VEGAN BUT THEY WERE
GOING TO FIRE ME BECAUSE I WAS TOO SKINNY SO I RAN THE SHAKE
SHACK AND GOT MY WEIGHT BACK UP.
BLESSING IN DISGUISE.
I ENJOY THE JOB.
IT'S A GREAT JOB, A FUN JOB.
I CAN'T IMAGINE DOING ANYTHING ELSE AND BEING BORED AT HOME,
SITTING AROUND, WAITING TO COME HOME FROM EIGHT SHOWS A WEEK.
EASIER FOR ME TO COME HOME FROM LOCATION.
I GOT BACK FROM CR CROATIA, HAVI A BALL ALL OVER CROATIA.
AND I LIKE GUN MOVIES.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE I HAVE TO PUNCH PEOPLE AND LEARN, YOU KNOW,
MARTIAL ARTS MOVES.
I JUST STAND BACK AND GO LIKE THAT.
IT'S KIND OF FUN.
( LAUGHTER ) YEAH.
>> Stephen: SAMUEL, SO GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>> Stephen: I LOOK FORWARD TO "ODD COUPLE."
>> BROADWAY, 2020.
>> Stephen: SHAFT IS IN THEATERS THIS FRIDAY!
SAMUEL L. JACKSON, EVERYBODY!
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH FORMER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE ASH CARTER!