>> Stephen: WELCOME BACK, EVERYBODY.
MY FIRST GUEST IS THE EMMY AND TONY AWARD-WINNING ACTRESS YOU
KNOW FROM "MAMMA MIA!," "INTO THE WOODS," AND "THE GOOD
FIGHT."
PLEASE WELCOME CHRISTINE BARANSKI!
HELLO, CHRISTINE BARANSKI.
HOW ARE YOU?
>> I'M SO WELL.
HOW ARE YOU?
>> Stephen: I'M DOING AS WELL AS CAN BE EXPECTED.
>> I KNOW.
I KNOW.
>> Stephen: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
>> FOR YOU, ANYTHING.
>> Stephen: HOW HAS YOUR QUARANTINE BEEN SO FAR?
>> WELL, I GUESS I'M EIGHT WEEKS IN, AND I'M HERE IN MY HOME IN
CONNECTICUT WITH MY THREE LITTLE GRANDSONS AND MY --
>> Stephen: NICE.
>> AND MY SON-IN-LAW, AND MY GRANDSONS ARE AGE ONE AND A
HALF, FOUR, AND SIX.
>> Stephen: WELL, HOW-- HOW IS-- HOW IS THAT TO BE
QUARANTINING WITH THE YOUNG GRANDSONS?
I BET THAT KEEPS THINGS VERY LIVELY?
>> VERY LIVELY.
THE DAY STARTS VERY EARLY.
AND THE ONLY TIME I HAVE ANY PEACE IS AFTER 7:30, WHICH IS
WHEN I HAVE TO DO MOST INTERVIEWS AND, YOU KNOW-- IT'S
THE ONLY TIME HOUSE IS QUIET.
SO IT'S BEEN A BIT OF A COMEDY TO, YOU KNOW, I WOULD THINK
EIGHT WOAKS OF QUARANTINE, WOW, I CAN READ THE COLLECTED WORKS
OF EDITH WHARTON AND HENRY JAMES.
AND I SPEND MOST OF MY DAY PICKING UP LEGO S.
>> Stephen: HOW OLD ARE THESE CHILDREN AGAIN?
>> ONE AND A HALF, FOUR, AND SIX.
IT'S ROCK 'N' ROLL HERE, LET MOW TELL YOU.
>> Stephen: AS I SAID BEFORE, SMALL BUT RELENTLESS OPPONENTS?
>> YES.
I CALL THIS "AUNTIE MAIM'S DAYCARE CENTER FOR BOYS."
>> Stephen: THERE HAVE BEEN SOME RED LETTER DAYS WOE MISSED.
MOTHER'S DAY, YOUR BIRTHDAY, BOTH IN THE SAME WOKE, I
UNDERSTAND.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: HOW DID YOU CELEBRATE THOSE?
>> WELL, MY LITTLE GRNSZ, THE THROW OF THEM CAME INTO MY ROOM
ON THE MORNING OF MY BIRTHDAY WITH A TRAY WITH COFFEE AND A
HOME MADE MUFFIN AND FLOWERS.
>> Stephen: COULDN'T ASK FOR MORE.
>> AND THE SIX-YEAR-OLD HAD AN ORANGE TROMBONE THEY BOUGHT HIM
WHEN HE WAS TWO, BUT IT'S AN ACTUAL SIZE TROMBONE.
IT'S JUST ORANGE PLASTIC AND HE TOOTED A FEW LOUD NOISES FOR ME.
>> Stephen: WAIT A SECOND, HOW WAS THAT RECEIVED BY THE PARENTS
THAT YOU GAVE A CHILD A TROMBONE?
THAT'S LIKE GUESSING YOUR CHILD A TIN DREM DRUM.
YOU'VE JUST GIVEN YOUR GRANDCHILD A NOISE MAKER AND
SAID, "HAVE FUN RAISING HIM?" >> IF I REALLY WANTED REVENGE ON
MY DAUGHTER AND SON-IN-LAW, I WOULD BUY THEM A DRUM SET.
BUT THIS COMES BECAUSE I HAVE SUCH A PASSION FOR MUSIC AND I
WANT TO PASS ON MOI LOVE OF MUSIC.
SO I TOOK MY LITTLE GRANDSON, EVEN AT THE AGE OF TWO, TO SAM
ASH IN NEW YORK, AND THEY SELL EVERY MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.
AND I TOOK HIM TO INTRODUCE HIM TO ALL OF THE DIFFERENT
INSTRUMENTS.
AND I SAID, "WHICH ARE YOUR FAVORITES?"
AND OF COURSE THE DRUM WAS HIS FAVORITE.
HE LOVED THE TROMBONE.
OF COURSE YOU CAN'T BUY A CHILD AN ACTUAL TROMBONE.
IT'S HEAVY AND UNWIELDY.
BUT THEY MAKE THE ACTUAL TROMBONE THAT ARE THE ACTUAL
SIZE.
AND WHEN HE WAS TWO HIS BIRTHDAY HE ACTUALLY-- IT TAKES A LOT TO
PRODUCE-- YEAH, HE DID IT.
HE DID IT.
>> Stephen: HE'S A NATURAL.
>> AND HOE DID IT AGAIN ON MOI BIRTHDAY.
AND ON MOTHER'S DAY, I TOCK A FIVE-MILE HIKE, AND WE HAD A LOT
OF-- A LOT OF OUTDOOR ACTIVITY MAKES US HAPPY, OBVIOUSLY.
( LAUGHS ).
>> Stephen: YOU CELEBRATED ANOTHER BIRTHDAY RECENTLY, QUITE
BEAUTIFULLY, WITH SOME OF YOUR FRIENDS.
STEPHEN SOND MIME'S 90th BIRTHDAY, YOU, MERYL STREEP AND
AUDRA McDONALD SANG "THE LADIES WHO LUNCH" FROM "COMPANY"
ON SOND HAM'S 90th CONCERT.
IT'S BECOME OF BIT OF A SENSATION.
DID YOU KNOW THAT IT WOULD BE SO WELL RECEIVED BECAUSE IT'S JUST
FANTASTIC TO WATCH THE THROW OF YOU DO THIS.
♪ ANOTHER REASON NOT TO MOVE ANOTHER STINGER
♪ I'LL DRINK TO THAT ♪ >> I CAN ONLY TELL YOU THAT
MAYBE TWO DAYS BEFORE WE PUT IT DOWN, IN FRONT OF OUR CELL
PHONES, WOE ACTUALLY HAD A ZOM CALL BETWEEN THE THREE OF US,
AND WE SAID, "DO WE REALLY WANT TO DO THIS?
I MEAN, THIS COULD END OUR CAREERSMENT.
WE ANYHOW WORKPLACE GOING WAY OUT ON A LIMB.
>> Stephen: HOW?
HOW WOULD IT END YOUR CAREER?
>> BECAUSE-- BECAUSE WE WOULD BE SINGING IN THE COMPANY OF SO
MANY OF THE TRULY GREAT BROADWAY PERFORMING ARTISTS.
>> Stephen: SURE.
>> AUDRA IS NO SLOUCH.
SHE HAS WON MORE TONYS THAN ANYBODY AND THEN THERE'S
MERRILL.
BUT WE WERE GOING TO DO THIS TONGUE IN CHEEK.
AND THE WAY IT CAME ABOUT, AUDRA AND MERRILL AND I HAD TAKEN
STEVE OUT TO DINNER LAST YEAR BECAUSE WOE ALL ADORE HIM.
"LET'S TRY AND MAKE IT HAPPEN THAT WE CAN TAKE STOVE OUT."
AND AFTER THIS MARVELOUS DINNER AT AN ITALIAN RESTAURANT, WE
KIND OF VOWED THAT WOE WOULD DO IT AGAIN AT SOME POINT SOONER
RATHER THAN LATER.
SO IT WAS STEVE'S 90th ACTUAL BIRTHDAY IN MARCH, AND I
EMAILED HIM AND SAID, "YOU KNOW, WE REALLY HAVED TO THAT DINNER
AGAIN WITH THE THREE OF US-- THE FOUR OF US, BUT WE MAY HAVE TO
DO IT VIA SKYPE."
THIS IS BEFORE I WAS EVEN ASKED TO DO THIS BROADWAY CELEBRATION
ONLINE.
ANYWAY, I GOT THE CALL FROM ARE YOUULE ESPARZA, ABOUT THIS
WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION "ARTISTS STRIVING TO END POVERTY."
AND HE SAID, "WOULD DO YOU SOMETHING?"
AND I SAID, "WELL, OF COURSE."
AND I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO SING "LADIES WHO LUNCH," AND
"COMPANY" WAS THE FIRST MUSICAL I SAW WHEN I GOT TO NEW YORK IN
1970.
AND IT WAS THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF "COMPANY" THE
BROADWAY SHOW.
>> Stephen: SURE.
>> SO THAT POPPED TO MIND, AND WITHIN A MILLISECOND, I THOUGHT,
WAIT A MINUTE, WHAT IF MERRILL AND AUDRA AND I DO IT-- THE
THREE OF US WILL SHARE THE SONG?
AND OILSTART IT OUT, AND EVERYBODY WILL THINK, "OH, OF
COURSE CHRISTINE IS GOING TO SING THAT SONG.
SHE'S ALWAYS PLAYING THESE SOPHISTICATED WITTY DRUNKEN
TYPES."
SECOND STANZA WE'LL CUT TO MERRILL, THIRD STANZA AUDRA WILL
DO, AND WE'LL DIVVY IT UP.
IT TOOK SOME DOING BECAUSE WE COULDN'T HEAR EACH OTHER.
>> Stephen: IT'S VERY HARD TO SING OVER ZOOM AND TO KEEP IT IN
THE SAME-- TIME SIGNATURE.
>> WE HAD-- WE WERE SINGING-- YOU KNOW, WOE CHANGED KEYS TO
ACCOMMODATE AUDRA BECAUSE SHE HAD SOME OF THE HEAVY LIFTING
VOANG LOW.
SHE HAD TO LET IT RIP.
BUT WE WERE DOG IT, YOU KNOW, IN OUR-- IN OUR SELECTIVE CAVES.
I WAS IN A BACK OFFICE, AND THE ONLY TIME I COULD RECORD THAT
SONG, AS I SAID, AFTER MY GRANDCHILDREN WENT TO SLEEP.
SO AT 8:00, GRANDMA IS DOWN HOAR IN THE OFFICE WITH SEVERAL
BOTTLES OF RED WINE, WHICH WERE MY PROPS.
>> Stephen: I HAVE SOME OF THOSE PROPS, TOO.
>> YEAH.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE FUNNY THING IS I HAD TO DO MULTIPLE TAKES OF
A SONG THAT REQUIRES YOU TO OPEN UP VOCALLY IN SOMETHING OF AN
ALCOHOLIC RAGE.
SO -- >> Stephen: I KNOW.
>> THERE'S THAT WONDERFUL PART OF THE SONG, WHICH WOE SANG, THE
THREE OF US SANG, WHICH IS ♪ ANOTHER REASON NOT TO MOVE
ANOTHER VODKA STINGER --
>>-- >>--
>>-- I... I... I... I'LL DRINK TO
THAT."
CAN YOU IMAGINE?
THE GRANDMOTHER?
WHAT'S HAPPENING.
AND AT THE END OF THE SONG, YOU ARE VTO DO EIGHT RISES IN A ROW,
"RISE!
RISE, RISE!" I DO THIS.
I HAVE IT ON TAPE.
I THINK I HAVEN'T TRAUMATIZED THE CHILDREN.
BUT THE NEXT MORNING THE AFORMENTIONED FOUR-YEAR-OLD SAYS
TO ME AT BREAKFAST, "I NEVER WANT TO HEAR THAT SONG AGAIN."
>> Stephen: "THE GOOD FIGHT," THE "THE GOOD FIGHT" RETURNED
LAST MONTH FOR THE FOURTH SEASON.
THE SHOW HAS ALSO BEEN SORT OF ENMESHED WITH CURRENT EVENTS,
AND I UNDERSTAND THE CORONAVIRUS IS GOING TO SHOW UP IN THE SHOW.
>> IT REMAINS TO BE-- THEY HAVE NOT SAID.
THE KINGS HAVE NOT SAID THAT.
BUT I CAN'T-- I MEAN, EVERYTHING'S GOING TO HAVE TO
BE-- WE WILL ALL HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS GIGANTIC
THING HAS HAPPENED.
>> Stephen: HOW YOU CAN IGNORE IT?
>> HOW YOU CAN IGNORE IT?
MY HOPE IT'S ONLY UPSIDE OF THIS IS THE ACTRESSES GET TO WEAR
FACE MASKS AND WE'LL ONLY HAVE TO MAKE UP THE TOP HALF OF OUR
FACES.
AND IF WE'RE WEARING FACE MASKS, YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE TO KNOW
YOUR LOINS, DO YOU?
YOU CAN JUST DO IT IN A.D.R.
YOU KNOW.
SO THAT'S A POSITIVE.
I HAVE NO IDEA.
ALL I KNOW IS THE KINGS KNOW HOW TO WRITE THIS SHOW IN-- AS
CONTEMPORANEOUS AS ANY SHOW.
AND RIGHT NOW, THIS-- THIS SEASON FOUR IS REALLY ABOUT
GOING AFTER THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
AND DIANE TAKES ON THESE PRO BONO CASES AND IT SEEMS SHOW
DISCOVERS THAT CASES ARE BEING DROPPED, AND CERTAIN PEOPLE,
WEALTHY, WELL-CONNECTED PEOPLE, DON'T HAVE TO COMPLY WITH
SUBPOENA S.
>> Stephen: WOW.
>> OFFICIAL RULINGS OR REVEALING THEIR TAX RETURNS.
DOES ANY OF THIS SOUND FAMILIAR?
>> Stephen: I DIDN'T REALIZE YOUR RUNNING FANTASY.
>> IT'S MY FAVORITE SEASON BECAUSE PAST SEASONS WERE ABOUT
DIANE BEING DRIVEN CRAZY BECAUSE OF TRUMP.
THIS IS GOING AFTER THE BIGICA HOONA, THE BIG ENABLER, SHALL WE
CALL HIM?
>> Stephen: SURE, WHY NOT.
WELL, LOVELY TO HAVE YOU HERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> OH, THANK YOU.
IT'S ALWAYS FUN.
AND THANK YOU FOR DOING THE SHOW AND KEEPING OUR SPIRITS ALIVE.
I MEAN, GOD BLESS YOU.
MUCH LOVE.
>> Stephen: IT'S ALL THERAPY FOR US, TOO.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
YU YOU CAN WATCH "THE GOOD FIGHT"
ON CBS ALL ACCESS. CHRISTINE BARANSKI, EVERYONE!
WHEN WE COME BACK, I'LL GIVE YOU PLENTY OF REASONS TO STAY
INDOORS.