♪ ♪ ♪ >> Stephen: HEY, EVERYBODY.
WE'RE BACK WITH THE CREATOR AND CAST OF "THE WEST WING."
OBVIOUSLY, BEING ON THE SHOW CHANGED THE ARC OF ALL YOUR
CAREERS.
ALLISON, DO YOU REMEMBER AUDITIONING?
>> OH, YES, VERY WELL.
IT WAS MY FIRST FORAY INTO THE WORLD OF TELEVISION, AND I-- I--
I AUDITIONED WITH THE FIRST C.J.
PRESS BRIEFING, WHERE SHE HAD TO TELL THE PRESS THAT THE
PRESIDENT HAD RUN HIS BICYCLE INTO A TREE.
HISTORICALLY FUNNY.
THIS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT POSITION THAT C.J., PRESS
SECRETARY, HAVING TO DELIVER THIS KIND OF NEWS TO A PRESS
POOL AND NOT, YOU KNOW, LAUGH.
AND IT WAS A LOT OF FUN TO DO.
BUT I REMEMBER AUDITIONING FOR AARON AND TOMMY, AND I DID IT,
AND THEY WERE VERY-- THEY HAD POKER FACES.
I LEFT THERE AND THOUGHT, "WELL, THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT PART."
SO I WAS VERY SURPRISED WHEN I GOT A CALL BACK AND DID THE SAME
SPEECH AGAIN, AND NOT A LOT OF DIRECTION AS I REMEMBER.
I JUST REMEMBER THINKING THAT I JUST HADN'T GOTTEN IT EACH TIME.
THEN WENT IN TO TEST FOR IT, WHICH IS ALWAYS A VERY
NERVE-RACKING EXPERIENCE.
IT WAS MY FIRST, AND YOU SIT THERE IN THE ROOM WITH ALL THE
OTHER ACTORS WHO ARE AUDITIONING FOR YOUR ROLE.
AND I SAW WHO I WAS UP AGAINST --
>> Stephen: WAIT A SECOND.
THE FIRST SHOW YOU TESTED FOR WAS "WEST WING"?
>> YES.
>> Stephen: AS SOMEONE WHO DID MANY PILOT SEASONS, YOU GO TO
HELL.
( LAUGHTER )
I WAS NOT, YOU KNOW, THE NORMAL STORY.
IT WAS MY FIRST TIME.
AND I HIT IT OUT OF THE PARK.
AND I'M SO GRATEFUL.
I GOT THE PHONE CALL FROM AARON THAT I WAS JOINING THE TEAM.
I WAS OVER THE MOON.
AND I ALWAYS WANTED TO ASK AARON IF THE REASON I GOT THIS PART
WAS BECAUSE OF "PRIMARY COLORS" MIKE NICHOLS.
I FEEL LIKE THAT WAS WHY I GOT THIS PART, ONE OF THE REASON S.
>> Stephen: AARON?
>> YES, IT IS.
I HAD SEEN ALLISON DO EXACTLY ONE THING, WHICH IS TRIP WHILE
CLIMBING UP A FLIGHT OF STAIRS WITH JOHN TRAVOLTA IN "PRIMARY
COLORS."
AND LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE, I FELL IN LOVE WITH HER IN THAT MOMENT.
SHE WAS GOOD ENOUGH TO COME IN AND READ.
I-- I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU HAD TO COME IN THREE TIMES.
YOU HAD IT AFTER YOU TRIPPED ON THE STAIRS.
YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO COME IN AT ALL.
MY LIFE CHANGED WHEN YOU DID IT.
>> AND THEN YOU GAVE ME ANOTHER FALL.
YOU GAVE ME ANOTHER FALL ON THE TREADMILL.
>> I GAVE YOU A FALL ON THE TREADMILL.
THAT'S RIGHT.
TURNED OUT THAT, UNSURPRISINGLY, THAT YOU WERE GREAT AT PHYSICAL
COMEDY.
( LAUGHTER ).
>> BY THE WAY-- >> LISTEN, EVERYBODY ON THIS
SHOW SLIPS ON A BANANA PEEL AT SOME POINT OR THE OTHER.
BUT THEY DO IT WHILE THEY'RE REACHING HIGH, YOU KNOW.
>> Stephen: MARTIP, YOU HAVE THE GREATEST OPENING LINE OF ANY
CHARACTER IN ANY TELEVISION SERIES.
YOU COME IN DECLAIMING THE FIRST COMMANDMENT.
( LAUGHS ) AS IF YOU WERE MOSES COMING DOWN
FROM THE MOUNTAINTOP YOURSELF.
WHEN YOU READ THAT, DID YOU KNOW, LIKE, "OKAY, I HAVE TO
TAKE THIS GIG?" >> ABSOLUTELY.
IT WAS THE MOST DISARMING, MOST EXTRAORDINARY ENTRANCE I COULD
IMAGINE BEING GIVEN.
AND I ACCEPTED IT WITHOUT HESITATION.
AND, MIND YOU, WHEN I AGREED TO DO THE SHOW, IT WAS ONLY TO
PERFORM IN FOUR OR FIVE EPISODES PER SEASON BECAUSE BARTLETT WAS
NOT THE MAIN CHARACTER.
HE WASN'T-- THE FOCUS WAS THE STAFF, THE WEST WING STAFF.
>> Stephen: THIS STAGED READING, THIS STAGED PLAY--
>> DON'T SAY IT LIKE THAT.
IT'S -- >> Stephen: HOW DO YOU
DESCRIBE IT AGAIN?
WHAT IS IT AGAIN?
I'M NOT GOING TO SAY "REUNION."
I WILL NOT SAY "REUNION" I PROMISE YOU.
>> IT'S A STAGED READING, BUT YOUR "READING" HAD SKEPTICISM IN
IT.
>> Stephen: I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A BETTER WORD FOR
"READING."
YOU'RE OFF BOOK SO IT'S NOT READING.
>> I KNOW THAT, I KNOW THAT.
>> Stephen: THE STAGED PLAY-- HOW ABOUT JUST A STAGING.
>> IT'S A BENEFIT FOR "WHEN WE ALL VOTE," AS YOU MENTIONED.
AND I DO WANT TO MENTION THEM AGAIN.
IT IS A NONPROFIT, NONPARTISAN ORGANIZATION THAT AIMS TO GET
OUT THE VOTE, THAT AIMS TO COMBAT VOTER SUPPRESSION, AND
WE-- WE HAVE-- WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS WE'RE AIMING AT A VERY
NARROW DEMOGRAPHIC.
WE WANT TO MOVE FANS OF "THE WEST WING" TO THE POLLS.
JUST -- >> Stephen: WHAT DO THEY DO
FOR YOU?
WHAT DOES "WHEN WE ALL VOTE" DO?
CAN YOU GO TO A WEB SITE AND GET THE INFORMATION YOU NEED?
>> YES.
YOU CAN GO TO WHENWEALLVOTE.ORG.
YOU CAN QUICKLY FIND OUT IF YOU'RE NOT REGISTERED TO VOTE,
HOW TO REGISTER.
WHERE YOUR VOLG PLACE IS.
YOU CAN VOLUNTEER TO BECOME A POLL WORKER IF YOU'RE YOUNG AND
HEALTHY.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED.
MOST POLL WORKERS ARE SENIOR CITIZENS WHO ARE NOT GOING TO BE
ABLE TO RISCH BEING POLL WORKERS THIS TIME AROUND.
SO ONE OF THE WAYS WE CAN FIGHT THOSE FIVE, SIX-HOUR LINES IS
FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO SHOW UP AND WORK AT THE POLLS.
AND I ALSO JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT A FEW OF US ARE
MISSING TODAY.
ROB LOWE, DULE HILL, JANEL MOLONEY.
THEY'RE IN THE SHOW.
SO IS -- >> Stephen: I HAVE A PICTURE
RIGHT HERE OF-- >> THERE YOU GO.
>> Stephen: MARTIN, BRADLEY, AND DULE.
DULE WITH THE P.P.E.
GOOD FOR HIM.
>> AND WE WERE-- WHEN WE WERE SHOOTING THIS, THE SAFETY PLACE
IN AMERICA WAS THE ORPHUM THEATER IN LOS ANGELES, THE
COVID PROTOCOLS WE WERE UNDER WERE STRICT AS COULD BE.
WE ALSO HEAR FROM DURING THE SHOW, MRS. OBAMA, PRESIDENT
CLINTON, LIN MANUEL MIRANDA, MARLEY MARTIN, DONNA MOSS.
>> Stephen: IN THE SHOW.
>> IT'S FUN.
IN THE ACT BREAKS, WHERE COMMERCIALS WOULD BE, IF YOU'RE
GETTING THE SENSE THAT IT'S NOT A REUNION, YOU'RE RIGHT.
>> Stephen: IT'S ON HBO MAX.
IF THE ORIGINAL SHOW HAD BEEN ON HBO ARE THERE THINGS YOU WOULD
LIKE TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET AWAY WITH ON PREMIUM CABLE THAT
YOU COULDN'T GET AWAY WITH ON BROADCAST?
WERE THERE-- WERE THERE WORDS YOU'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE
WRITTEN, PUT IN THE CHARACTERS' MOUTHS?
WAS THERE NUDITY YOU WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SHARE
WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE?
SOME BARTLETT BUTT, WOULD THAT HAVE BEEN-- MARTIN, WOULD YOU
HAVE GONE-- MARTIN, WOULD YOU HAVE GONE FULL FRONTAL IF THE--
IF THE PLOT CALLED FOR IT, IF IT WAS IN KEEPING WITH THE
CHARACTER'S INTENTION?
>> HE DOESN'T NEED THAT MUCH TO GO FULL FRONTAL.
( LAUGHTER )
ANSWER.
>> I WAS 59 WHEN I STARTED, SO I DON'T THINK THAT I WOULD HAVE
HAD ANYTHING THAT ANYBODY WOULD HAVE BEEN INTERESTED IN.
>> Stephen: I BEG TO DIFFER.
>> THAT HURTS.
THAT REALLY HURTS.
>> Stephen: I BEG TO DIFFER.
AS A 56-YEAR-OLD I HOPE IT DOESN'T ALL GO AWAY IN THE NEXT
THREE YEARS.
ADMITTEDLY, THERE'S SOME OF IT I CAN'T SEE ANYMORE.
OKAY.
( LAUGHTER )
RIGHT NOW.
I'VE BEEN TOLD WE HAVE AN EXCLUSIVE CLIP FROM THE SPECIAL.
AND I KNOW YOU'RE WORKING REALLY HARD TO GET IT TO US, AARON, BUT
WE DON'T ACTUALLY-- "A," WE DON'T REALLY HAVE IT, NOR DO WE
OR YOU KNOW WHAT THE CLIP WILL BE.
SO LET'S JUST RUN THE CLIP RIGHT NOW, AND WHEN WE COME OUT OF IT,
WE'VE ALL REALLY ENJOYED IT, AND WE'LL SAY A FEW VAGUE BUT REALLY
INFORMATIVE THINGS ABOUT THE CLIP.
OOB.
>> SO YOU THINK THE STRIKE AGAINST ME IS NOBODY LIKES THE
SMARTEST KID IN THE CLASS.
>> I DON'T KNOW, SIR.
BEING THE SMARTEST KID IN THE CLASS IS A PRETTY GOOD PITCH.
IT'S NOT A STRIKE UNLESS YOU WATCH IT AS IT SAILS BY.
>> I DON'T DO THAT.
AND I'M NOT A SNOB.
>> I DON'T BELIEVE YOU ARE.
>> THE GUY'S A GOOD NEIGHBOR.
HE PUTS IN A DAY.
IF EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE HE SMILES.
IF EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE HE THINKS OF SOMEONE ELSE AND IF HE
FIND HIS WAY TO TOLERANCE AND COMPASSION HE'S MY BROTHER.
WHAT I CAN'T STOMACH IS PEOPLE WHO ARE OUT TO CONVINCE PEOPLE
THAT THE EDUCATE READ SOFT AND PRIVILEGED AND OUT TO MAKE THEM
FEEL LIKE THEY'RE LESS THAN.
HE MAY BE EDUCATED BUT I'M PLAIN-SPOKEN JUST LIKE YOU.
WHEN WE KNOW EDUCATION CAN BE THE SILVER BULLET FOR CRIME,
UNEMPLOYMENT, POVERTY, DRUGS, HATRED.
>> WHO ARE YOU TRYING TO CONVINCE?
>> I'M JUST SAYING I DON'T WATCH THE PITCH GO BY.
( SIGHS ).
>> CHECK.
>> Stephen: AMAZING.
AMAZING.
( APPLAUSE )
>> Stephen: IT'S LIKE-- IT'S-- IT'S LIKE YOU'RE THERE.
IT'S LIKE-- IT'S LIKE--
IT'S LIKE, I MEAN, I'VE GOT GOOSE FLESH.
I'VE GOT GOOSE FLESH.
>> ME, TOO.
>> I'LL TELL YOU WHAT IT WAS LIKE.
IT-- IT-- IT TOOK THESE GUYS A MATTER OF SECONDS TO GET RIGHT
BACK TO WHERE THEY WERE 20 YEARS AGO DURING THE SHOW.
IT TOOK NO WARM-UP TIME AT ALL.
THEY WERE RIGHT IN THE GROOVE.
>> Stephen: WE HAVE TO TAKE A QUICK BREAK.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH MORE MARTIN SHEEN, AARON SORKIN,
BRADLEY WHITFORD, ALLISON JANNEY, AND RICHARD SCHIFF.