Episode 21: Steve Zahn

Summary

The Andy Beshear Podcast – Episode 21: Steve Zahn

Date: August 28, 2025
Host: Andy Beshear
Guests: Steve Zahn (actor), John McConnell, John Rabinowitz
Theme: The life, career, and grounded philosophy of actor (and Kentuckian) Steve Zahn, alongside a roundtable discussion on current events, family, and authenticity.

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Episode Overview

This episode welcomes acclaimed actor Steve Zahn for a candid conversation about his unconventional journey from small-town Kentucky to Hollywood and back. Zahn reflects on his early inspirations, the value of staying grounded outside the Hollywood bubble, and what it means to parent (and now collaborate with) creative children. The second half pivots to a roundtable with Andy, John McConnell, and John Rabinowitz, focusing on current civil issues, gerrymandering, and the importance of authenticity and connection in politics and life.

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Steve Zahn: Roots, Roles, and Realness

Discovering Acting & Early Influences

• The ‘Les Mis Moment’ (01:31)
  • Steve shares how seeing Les Misérables in London catalyzed his professional acting ambition:
    • “It was cathartic… I was like, I’m as good as that guy right there holding the flag. I should be up there. So that was really the moment that I decided to pursue acting.” (Steve Zahn, 02:34)
• Speech Champion Roots (03:07)
  • Steve was a two-time state speech champion in high school, performing Tennessee Williams’ "A Portrait of a Girl in Glass" and Paul’s monologue from "A Chorus Line”.

Climbing the Ranks: Stage to Screen

• Cutting His Teeth (04:27)
  • Discusses early work in Minneapolis and influence from NYC actors: “You’re a little rough around the edges… you’re kinda like the country kid… I just couldn’t believe someone was paying me to do this.” (Steve Zahn, 04:27)
• Harvard, New York, and Founding Malaparte (05:06)
  • Attended the American Repertory Theater at Harvard, moved to NYC, met Ethan Hawke and Jason Blum (now of Blumhouse Productions).

Hollywood Success & Signature Roles

• Breakout Moments (06:46)

  • Zahn points to That Thing You Do and Out of Sight as career pivots:
    • “It’s always in hindsight that you kind of go, ‘oh, that was a big moment.’ In the moment itself… I’m not very good at seizing that and taking advantage. Which I think is a good thing, actually.” (Steve Zahn, 07:13)

• On Working With Tom Hanks (07:49)

  • “It’s insane… I still get really nervous, like it’s the first day of school and I’m gonna screw up... but then [it’s] just your pals.” (Steve Zahn, 07:51-08:35)

• Current Projects (08:44)

  • Filming the final season of “Silo” for Apple TV with Rebecca Ferguson and producing through his own company.

• Character Acting Philosophy (10:45)

  • “I want to be in a good product. I don’t care if I have one scene or I’m the lead… Director is a big deal, great cast, great character—two of those three, oh man.” (Steve Zahn, 10:47-11:13)

The Farm Life: Staying Grounded Outside Hollywood

• Why Kentuckian Roots Matter (11:26)
  • “I was like the go-to stoner… totally opposite of who I am. I live on a farm, have horses and goats.” (Steve Zahn, 11:26)
  • Found happiness moving out of the city to rural Pennsylvania and then Kentucky: “We did it in 1990, before it was cool.” (Steve Zahn, 12:37)
• On Raising Kids Away from Hollywood (13:36)
  • “I think you’re either grounded or you’re not… I live in the country because I like it dark at night and I like to fish and grow things.”
  • Moving to Kentucky with young kids—“Best thing we ever did.” (Steve Zahn, 14:31)

Family, Parenting, and Creative Legacy

• Being an Involved Dad (15:01)

  • “I was always around… Even if I worked in Vancouver, I would always fly home… even for one day, it didn’t matter. You have to do it. They remember that.” (Steve Zahn, 15:07)

• Passing the Torch: Daughter's First Movie (16:10)

  • Made a film with his daughter called She Dances — “We just sold it Friday… going to be in 50 theaters in 10 cities... I just made a movie with my daughter called She Dances and we just sold it.” (Steve Zahn, 16:10-16:26)
  • Parenting advice: “Over-prepare, show up early and don’t be a jerk. And you’ll be surprised how far that’ll take you.” (Steve Zahn, 17:08)

On Going Viral and “Meme Fame” with Gen Z

• Planet of the Apes & Diary of a Wimpy Kid (18:11 – 22:10)
  • On Planet of the Apes: “I was so excited and so scared… it was difficult, then so exciting. The sets—mind-blowing.” (Steve Zahn, 18:22, 18:54)
  • Diary of a Wimpy Kid: “It was the first time in my career where my kids were excited… I could potentially move to like, God status.” (Steve Zahn, 20:20, 21:33)
  • On meme status: “My daughter sends me like, Dad, you’re going crazy on TikTok…” (Steve Zahn, 19:45)

The Artistic Life, Missed Opportunities, and Giving Back Locally

• Genres Left Untried (22:10)
  • Would've liked to do Band of Brothers: “I’m a history buff, so I like things like that… but I’m just happy to work.” (Steve Zahn, 22:19)
• Love for Theater (23:08)
  • Supports local Kentucky theater, previously founded “the Rep” with his wife Robin Peterman (now a NYT bestselling author): “It was as fulfilling as any professional job I’ve ever done.” (Steve Zahn, 23:32)

Lighter Side: Superpowers, Big Green Egg, and Packing for London

• Thanksgiving Turkey & Big Green Egg (26:04)
  • “I do make a killer turkey. Oh, I’m a Big Green Egg guy.” (Steve Zahn, 26:06)
• Packing Rituals & Spice Smuggling (26:15)
  • Preparing for a 5-month London shoot: “Packing for a five-month trip… boxes [just] full of rubs… I’m gonna bring them with me.” (Steve Zahn, 26:27-26:45)
  • Shares dry rubs with the crew: “This is what you become known for. I bring their packages and they’re like, oh man!” (Steve Zahn, 27:51)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On preparation and humility:
  • “Over-prepare, show up early, don’t be a jerk. You’ll be surprised how far that’ll take you.” – Steve Zahn (17:08)
• On career breakthroughs:
  • “It’s always in hindsight you go, ‘oh, that was a big moment.’ In the moment itself, I’m not very good at seizing that…” – Steve Zahn (07:13)
• On grounding in rural life:
  • “I like it dark at night and I like to fish and grow things.” – Steve Zahn (12:46)
• On vulnerability and catharsis in acting:
  • “It was cathartic. I was like, I’m as good as that guy right there holding the flag.” – Steve Zahn (02:34)

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[25:35] Current Events Roundtable

National Guard Deployments & State Sovereignty

• Discussion about the federal government sending National Guard troops to cities without state/local consent (29:37).
• Emphasis on public safety concerns versus local autonomy.
• Andy Beshear:
  • “It is wrong for a president to send National Guard into an area that hasn’t asked for it, doesn’t want them… it’s a violation of our state sovereignty.” (Andy Beshear, 32:14)

Gerrymandering and Redistricting Chaos

• Critique of partisan redistricting, escalation across states (34:49).
• John Rabinowitz:
  • “These maps in every state are getting out of control… The whole idea of gerrymandering is so wrong…” (35:59)
• Andy’s philosophy: don’t change rules mid-cycle unless you want others to do the same.

Authentic Communication in Politics

• The importance of speaking plainly (“talk like a normal human being”, 37:24).
• Use authentic, meaningful words—avoid political jargon (“addiction” vs. “substance use disorder”).

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[39:55] Life, Family, and Kentucky

Football, Sports, and Connection

• High school and college football season kickoff as a time for community and fun (40:25).
• New era of college football, NIL deals, Kentucky sports betting (40:59).

Parenting College Kids

• Reflections on the real motivations for Family Day invitations: “Not just dinner… money on my card before you leave!” (John Rabinowitz, 42:09)

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[42:52] “In My Kentucky Accent”: Leadership Philosophy

• Andy shares his approach to public office—putting people before politics.
• Willingness to praise or challenge any president based on Kentucky’s needs:
  • “You only have credibility in criticizing a president… if you’re also willing to admit when they do right.”
  • “If there’s a prescription for healing this country: Number one, put our people first. Number two, push the politics out of it.”

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Summary: Why This Episode Stands Out

• Steve Zahn’s journey from small-town Kentucky to Broadway and Hollywood, then back to rural life, underscores the value of humility, hard work, connection, and staying true to roots—even as his career and family expand into new creative territories.
• The roundtable discussion exemplifies what the podcast stands for: real conversations, civil disagreement, and a focus on community above partisanship.

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Key Timestamps

• 01:31 – Steve Zahn’s ‘Les Mis’ epiphany: the moment he chose acting
• 06:46 – Career breakthroughs: That Thing You Do, meeting Tom Hanks
• 11:26 – On being a “go-to stoner” vs. country life reality
• 14:31 – Moving back to Kentucky, family choices
• 16:10 – Making a movie with his daughter (She Dances)
• 18:11–22:10 – Pop culture fame: Planet of the Apes, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Gen Z memes
• 25:35 – Current events: National Guard, redistricting, and leadership philosophy
• 39:55 – Kentucky sports, authentic political talk, and college parenting
• 42:52 – Andy’s call for people-over-politics leadership

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Closing Thought

This episode is both a masterclass in creative resilience and a reminder that authenticity, family, and humility matter more than resume lines or viral fame. As Steve Zahn puts it: arrive early, over-prepare, don’t be a jerk—and keep coming home to what grounds you.

Transcript

[Steve Zahn]

Foreign.

[Andy Beshear]

Hello, everyone, and welcome to episode 21 of the Andy Beshear Podcast. We are excited about this episode. Actor Steve Zahn is going to talk about his life's journey and some of his favorite roles. Remember, you can download the Andy Beshear Podcast on all major platforms, but we need you to go to our YouTube channel so you can watch this famous actor and my conversation with the Johns. If you'd like, you can subscribe at Andy beshear podcast on YouTube. This is going to be a good episode. Let's get right to it.

[John McConnell]

This week on the Andy Beshear Podcast, we have a very special guest. We've had C. CEOs, we've had politicians.

[Andy Beshear]

We'Ve had folks from all walks of.

[John McConnell]

Life, but we have never had a Hollywood actor.

[Steve Zahn]

Nope.

[John McConnell]

So this week we have Steve Zahn, actor, farmer, dad, also Kentuckian, which is, I think, the part I like the most.

[Steve Zahn]

I do, too.

[John McConnell]

Welcome to the podcast.

[Steve Zahn]

Thank you. I appreciate it.

[John McConnell]

Well, excited to have you here. And I want to start at. That's something we have in common with that. I read that that you decided you were going to get into acting when you saw le Ms. Yep.

[Steve Zahn]

Well, yeah, professionally, like, I had been acting and doing. You know, I was the, the kid in the, the leads in, in the school plays and musicals and, and then. But I never thought of it as a career. That was something that other people did, you know, movie people.

[John McConnell]

Those people.

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah, they, like. It wasn't a career, you're thinking, right.

[John McConnell]

Other people.

[Steve Zahn]

So I went to, I went, I went to London with this dance group, and I stayed longer because I was in college. It was my first year as a freshman, and I went to see Les Mis by myself. And at intermission, I was in the restroom and I was. Oh, everyone was talking, and I thought, I don't want to be in here. I, I, Yeah. And I, it was cathartic. It really was. And I sat there and I, I was like, I know. It wasn't like, I want to be the lead, right. I was like, I'm as good as that guy right there holding the flag.

[John McConnell]

Wow.

[Steve Zahn]

I know. I'm as good as that. Like, I should be up there. So that was, that was really the moment that I decided to, to pursue acting. Drop out. Then I went to a conservatory and all that. Yeah, that was, that was the moment.

[John McConnell]

You know, I had a moment because I never wanted to be governor where I'm standing in an elevator with my dad and somebody walks in, bursts into tears and says, I'm Alive because of you, because of the expansion of healthcare. And I. And I looked at that moment and I said, if that's something I can do for somebody, then I want to do it.

[Steve Zahn]

That's great.

[John McConnell]

I think what people. Other people don't know is that he could have been doing this job because I think you were state speech champion twice. Twice, yeah.

[Andy Beshear]

So you had to repeat to repeat.

[Steve Zahn]

I did. I did. Okay. So the first year was in serious prose.

[John McConnell]

Okay.

[Steve Zahn]

And then the second year it was trauma, you know, but in speech, you know, declam. We called it declamation. Yeah. You held your speech and. Yeah.

[John McConnell]

Do you remember your prose, what the speech was?

[Andy Beshear]

Yeah, it was called A Portrait of.

[Steve Zahn]

A Girl in Glass, which was the short story that we cut that Tennessee Williams wrote before he wrote the Glass Menagerie. So it was a. It was really interesting, kind of like shortened version of that play. And then I did Paul's speech from Chorus Line. It just became public.

[John McConnell]

So after you, you're state speech champion twice, and I'm sure that's all downhill extra Super Bowl. It's just, it's. It's really hard to repeat. All right. And you see Les Mis. You decide, I'm gonna do this, you actually start putting together some comedy troupes and some. Some different acting groups.

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah, I was. Well, started working in Minneapolis and. And I, I did this eight month run of Biloxi Blues as. And so I, I met all these New York actors and, and, and then they were like, hey, man, you gotta. You should go train. You're a little rough around the edges. You know, you're kind of like the country kid that. Everything was great. I just couldn't believe someone was paying me to do this, you know? And so I auditioned for some. Some good schools and I got into the American Repertory Theater at Harvard. It was a two year program. It was great. Changed my life. Moved to New York.

[John McConnell]

That's a school in Boston, right?

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah.

[John McConnell]

Okay.

[Steve Zahn]

And then, and then, yeah, when, when.

[John McConnell]

You go to Vanderbilt, that's how you feel.

[Steve Zahn]

Oh, right. Oh, okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Code tied. But I was an actor, so it was like, you know, it's a different, different, whole different deal. But. But I was there, met a bunch of people, then moved to New York. And then I started, you know, just pounding the pavement. And that's when I met Ethan Hawke. We did a play together. We started a theater company called Malapart, and our producer was Jason Blum.

[John McConnell]

Wow.

[Steve Zahn]

And Jason Blum runs Blumhouse right now, which is one of the biggest Production companies around. He was our. Yeah, it was crazy.

[John McConnell]

And so one of the first friends you make in New York, hitting the pavement is still one of your best friends today.

[Steve Zahn]

Yep. Ethan is still. We're very tight. He came to my wedding here in Lexington in 1994.

[John McConnell]

Okay. And now kids even making movies together.

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah. He, he shot a movie, Wildcat here with his daughter Maya. Audrey was in that. My daughter. And God, it was so great, man. We were just sitting, sitting by the monitor watching both of them in, in the same shot. We're like. And we just turned to each other and we're like, yeah. It was just like pretty amazing little kids. Yeah.

[John McConnell]

What was the moment where you said, I can be pretty good at this. What was that moment where, where you knew it was going to get bigger?

[Steve Zahn]

That's a great question. I always knew that I had a talent for it. I think it was when other people recognized. I think it was like that thing you do was a really big moment.

[Andy Beshear]

It's a really big movie.

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah. Where people were paying attention to me on a different level. I will criticize. My out of Sight was another one.

[John McConnell]

Okay.

[Steve Zahn]

Steven Soderbergh movie. It's interesting though, as I think back at those times, it's always in hindsight that you kind of go, oh, that was a big moment. In the moment itself, I'm not very good of seizing that and taking advantage of it. I, I. Which I think is a good thing actually. But yeah, because it was all just so gradual, you know, it wasn't like that moment, you know, where everything hit.

[John McConnell]

Is it, what's it like though, say in early in your career having somebody like Tom Hanks.

[Steve Zahn]

Right.

[John McConnell]

Walk on the set of one of your movies?

[Steve Zahn]

It's insane. Yeah, it's. It's so exciting. I still get really nervous. I still, I still get nervous like it's first day of school and I'm gonna screw up, you know, that's why I over prepare. I just, I, I thought if probably makes you better. Yeah. I mean, it's out of complete fear, you know, but yeah. And then you, you meet Tom Hanks and it's incredible for five minutes and then it's like, oh, yeah, now we're just gonna hang out for the next six months and it's just if we do the. It's like a normal dude. Yeah. It's like. And that's how it always kind, you know, it turns into just your pals.

[John McConnell]

So you're about to head off to, to London.

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah.

[John McConnell]

You've got another season of one of your hit shows on Apple coming up.

[Steve Zahn]

Silo. I'm on a show called Silo, which is. It's our final season. There's only four, and I do that with Rebecca Ferguson. It's a big show. My partner. My production company called Macaroni Art Productions, and Rick Gomez, my. The. My partner is also on the show, which is a total coincidence and very strange. And another coincidence is that this year our characters are together, so we have the same schedule, which is just insane. But that's a. That's a big show.

[John Rabinowitz]

So when you look at a show.

[Steve Zahn]

I mean, of course, that's a dystopian.

[John Rabinowitz]

Kind of a different type of show. You see that script.

[Steve Zahn]

What draws you to something or what.

[John Rabinowitz]

What made you look at that one.

[Steve Zahn]

And say, this, this one's.

[John Rabinowitz]

This one's me?

[Steve Zahn]

Well, Rebecca Ferguson, who's an executive producer and the. And the star of it, she. She was working with Rick, my partner, and Rick gave her a couple shorts that we made, and she watched one of the shorts that I did, and it was about a. A. A famous photographer who was a fictional character, but an artist who was a famous photographer who took pictures of fireworks, and he had, like, really thick glasses. And anyway, she saw this short we did, and she was like, oh, my gosh, he would be perfect for this. This character next year. And so they approached me with it, and there was already a show shot, so I was able to. To see the product. Yeah. You know, that I was going to be inserted into in the second season, so that's an easier decision. You're not. You're not wondering what it's going to look like or trying to. Trying to talk. Talk. What the tone is. And, you know, but. But generally speaking, you know, you know, a good script within a few pages, you know, you really do. And for me, it's like characters, huge. It's not them. I.

[John McConnell]

Do you want to play different characters?

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah, yeah. I'm a character actor. I mean, I, you know, it's just play the gamut, really, and, but it's. I really want to be in a good product. I don't care if I have one scene in it or I'm the lead. You know, I just, you know, director is a big deal. It's got a great cast, you know, great character. Two of those three. Yeah. Oh, man.

[John McConnell]

So you being a character actor, you really get into that character, and that's what people see on the screen. But tell people about you. Me, because. Because, like, you get up early, you've got A ton of energy. It's about as different from some of.

[Steve Zahn]

The early years that, you know, I was like. I was like the go to stoner. I was like the go to, like, urban guy. Like, totally opposite of who I am. I live on a farm, have horses and goats.

[John McConnell]

And you do it all yourself?

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah, pretty much, yeah. I mean, when I go, obviously I have help, but. And we've been. We were like that at the beginning. We, my wife and I, Robin, we met doing the national tour Bye Bye Birdie and with Tommy Tune and ANN ranking in 1990, 13 months on the road. And then we moved back to Hoboken, N.J. couldn't afford our apartment. We bought a cabin in Pennsylvania, this little cabin, and we thought it was going to be our weekend place. Unemployed for three weeks. And that became our house, so we moved out there. So we were always these. The weirdos in New York that lived in a cabin and contended with bears, you know, and our birdseed. But it became like this, this unique. Like now people, everybody's moving out of the city, moving into the. We did it in 1990.

[John McConnell]

So anyway, do you think living outside of Hollywood and living outside of New York has, Has affected your career positively?

[Steve Zahn]

Sure. I mean, it keeps me naive and curious. I. I can't wait to go back to work and be with people and be in and. And being with those amazing, funny, smart folks. I, I mean, I. I think you're. You're either grounded or you're not. I mean, that's just. That's a good point. You know, you're not going to go find that. I like, I live in the country because I like it dark at night and I like to fish and I like to grow things. But, yeah, sometimes I think I missed out on some stuff. I'm sure I did. I'm sure I missed out on some group. Like I was part of groups early, you know, like theater groups and stuff. But I'm sure that I missed out. But I don't know what those things are, so it doesn't really matter.

[John McConnell]

I know raising kids outside of Hollywood and New York was important to you, too. Huge.

[Steve Zahn]

I mean, when we had kids, I was shooting a movie, Sahara in Africa, and I was there, and that was. That's when we shot with 35 millimeter and it took forever. And you were on a movie for seven months and we were living on a farm in New Jersey, and it was beautiful, but it was in the middle of nowhere. And then I convinced Robin to move back to Kentucky. She grew up Here?

[John McConnell]

Yes.

[Steve Zahn]

And she was like, I don't want to move back home. I was like, we're not going to move your parents basement. We're going to get a sweet place.

[John McConnell]

That helped as an international calling.

[Steve Zahn]

Early Internet. Yeah. Yeah. And then I came home. I was like. She was like, well, what could we get? I'm like, check this out. You know, it's like, really? That's interesting.

[John McConnell]

You were coming off the right movie in the right paycheck to be looking totally us.

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah. And we were young and dumb, so we were like going way too far. But you kind of happy you do that because otherwise you would never do it. So anyway, we, we moved here with, you know, a two and a four year old and it was the best thing we ever did.

[John McConnell]

I think about how, you know, before we, we came on to do the interview and then other times we've talked. You put being a dad as important as anything professional you've ever done.

[Steve Zahn]

Sure. Yeah.

[Andy Beshear]

So what do you, what do you.

[John McConnell]

Take, what do you take pride in?

[Steve Zahn]

I'm very proud of. I've, I've. I was always around. Yeah. You know. Yep. Even if I worked in like Vancouver. I've spent two and a half years of my life in Vancouver. All the movies. Planet of the Apes, Saving Silverman. I mean, crazy. But I would always fly home. And it was a pain, man. And even if it was for one day, it didn't matter. You have to do it. They remember that. And then people would apologize and like, I'm so sorry that you have to be gone so much. I'm like, when I'm here for four months, I'm the dude. Picking up, dropping off, going to dance, going to, to lacrosse, you know, it was, that was my gig.

[John McConnell]

My thing was, no matter how late I got home, I was going to get up with the kids that next day.

[Steve Zahn]

That's. Yeah. That's huge.

[John McConnell]

It was just that time, especially when they were young, before they go to school or, or go to camp and.

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah.

[John McConnell]

And that's when I felt like I got the, the real interaction with them and hopefully they knew I'd always be there.

[Steve Zahn]

Yep. And they do. I think that's really important. And, and now my, my kids are my pals, you know, they're 25 and 23. I just made a movie with my daughter called she dances and we just sold it.

[John McConnell]

Oh, wow.

[Steve Zahn]

Congratulations.

[John McConnell]

Tell us about it.

[Steve Zahn]

We, we just sold it Friday. It's still in the works, but it's a really good deal. And now her first deal on A.

[John McConnell]

Movie that she's made.

[Steve Zahn]

Yes. And. Right. And right now she had that. No one even knows about this movie.

[John McConnell]

That's exciting.

[Steve Zahn]

And she's doing an Apple show right now in la. It's crazy, but I don't know when they want to put it out there, but it's going to be in 50 theaters in 10 cities, so that's huge.

[John McConnell]

Being somebody who does what their dad did at one point, you know, do you try to be careful about how much nice how.

[Steve Zahn]

Oh, totally.

[John McConnell]

But asking for a friend with my kids.

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah. But, you know, it's like. It's like I told both my kids, it's like over. Prepare, show up early and don't be a jerk. And. And you'll be surprised at how far that'll take you. Yeah.

[John McConnell]

Or how many people fail.

[Steve Zahn]

Right.

[John McConnell]

That. That easy test.

[Steve Zahn]

Go, go. Really strive for this and fail. Fail big. You know, but. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, I mean, you know, she knows that I can't get her a gig. She's got to get her own gig. You know, you got to get your, you know, be elected on your own. It's. It doesn't. You know, and so. And so I'm just really proud of her. And the movie's fantastic and it's shot all in Kentucky and it's. It's. It's gonna be. I think it's gonna be huge.

[John McConnell]

Well, I tell you what, when it's. When it's coming out, when you're allowed to say more. If she wants to come on the podcast, let's make sure that we talk about it.

[Steve Zahn]

That'd be great.

[John McConnell]

And would. Would love to hear her perspective.

[Steve Zahn]

That'd be really.

[John McConnell]

So you men. Planet of the Apes.

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah. And.

[John McConnell]

And what was it like to think about, I'm gonna do something I grew up watching that was on what every Saturday. They'd replay those over and over. Yeah.

[Steve Zahn]

I mean, I was so thrilled. Beyond thrilled. I was so. I was so excited. And then I was so scared because they can make you look like an ape or a chimp in Mike in my circumstance, but they can't. You know, you gotta do it. You gotta do all the physical stuff and everything. And it was. And I didn't realize how difficult that was going to be. And then I was with. Inserted into a world where people had done it over and over again and Andy Sergus was.

[John McConnell]

And huge followings and.

[Steve Zahn]

And so I was really nervous about it. But then it was so exciting. It was. It was a monster. I've never been in something I Think that big when you would go to work and it was just like the sets and mind blowing. But we did it like we rehearsed like it was theater. We'd rehearsed for an hour. It's just unheard of. But that's why those movies are good, you know?

[John McConnell]

Well, and I think your performance has since gone a little bit viral in different ways.

[Steve Zahn]

It has. Oh, no.

[John Rabinowitz]

Yeah.

[Steve Zahn]

That whole thing is like crazy how many different memes there are.

[John McConnell]

So. So what's it like now being. Being a Gen Z meme? Because we often have my son Will or daughter Lila on who explain Gen Z concepts to us.

[Steve Zahn]

Funny. That's funny. Yeah. It's always my daughter that sends me like, dad, you're going crazy right now. On TikTok, there's like. And it's also. I played the dad and Diary of a Wimpy Kid, so there's a bunch of those things too.

[John McConnell]

My kids love that growing up where.

[Steve Zahn]

I was like, what was it like? He's like, I was psychotic. And I like, dad. Yeah, that's crazy.

[John McConnell]

How different is it from. From the way people might consume it to what you were thinking in your head at the time playing a character like that?

[Steve Zahn]

What, like dad? Yes. In the. I don't know. I knew that was going to be huge though, because I. I had, I had insider trading kind of knowledge. It was like my agent called and said, do you. Do you know this called Diary of A. I'm like, yeah, I read it every night. And. And they said, yeah, they're. They. It's a three picture deal. And I said, yeah, definitely, I'm in. And I had the script and I had it downstairs in our little kitchen, like breakfast nook. My son came down. He was like. It was the first time in my career where my kids were excited. I was just, I just go to work. It's like, it's not really that big of a deal. And he was like, dad, are they making this into a movie? I was like, yeah, man. Are you gonna be the brother and go, no, I'm gonna be the dad. He was like, oh, okay, that's really cool. So I knew that I would. At pickup line, I. I thought I could potentially move to like, God status.

[John McConnell]

I was like, and with our kids, that'll last six months to a year.

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah, right. But it keeps getting. They get. But then they give it to their kids and they give it to their kids pretty special. So it's weird. It's. Find it very strange to be in, in at. At the K. Roger and being. Getting some cereal and the adult, the adults kind of going like not noticing me and having like a nine year old going.

[John McConnell]

Wait, it was, you know, that's him.

[Steve Zahn]

It was.

[John McConnell]

Or is that him?

[Steve Zahn]

It's. That's why you do kid children, you know, movies for kids.

[John McConnell]

As you, as you look back at your career, is there a type of movie that, that you haven't done that you're maybe looking for?

[Steve Zahn]

No, I mean, no, not really. I mean I didn't, you know, I, I was regret this. I, I could have done Band of Brothers and I, I didn't love that. And yeah, and I would have met Rick, my, my, my business partner because he played. He was in that. I'm a history bub, so I like things like that. Right. You know, I.

[John McConnell]

101St Airborne in Kentucky for Campbell.

[Steve Zahn]

There you go. Yeah. So that's the kind of thing that I gravitate towards. But I've been really lucky. I mean I've done like three westerns and you know, and I've done Rescue dawn, which is a Vietnam POW movie, you know, and then. So I, I have fulfilled some of those things. But yeah, I don't know, at this point I just, I'm just happy to work. Really.

[John McConnell]

You still love theater?

[Steve Zahn]

I love theater.

[John McConnell]

You even do some theater here in Kentucky from time to time? I have support theater, yeah, for sure.

[Steve Zahn]

We used to have a company called the, the Rep. And my wife, before she was writing. My wife is a New York Times bestselling author. She's written. She's. She's a big deal. Robin Peterman is her name.

[Andy Beshear]

She.

[John McConnell]

She is a big deal.

[Steve Zahn]

And before she was writing her, her outlet because, you know, she was an actress. She did a lot of Broadway dancer. And then, and then her outlet was, was directing these shows with these amazing people in our community that probably could be pros if they would have followed that path. And, and it was so much fun. It was, it was as fulfilling as any professional job I've ever done.

[John McConnell]

So I made my theatrical debut.

[Steve Zahn]

You did?

[John McConnell]

About a month ago in, in the Opera House in Lexington.

[Steve Zahn]

Nice.

[John McConnell]

I'm told I broke one of the cardinal rules, but people seem to have liked it. You. You broke a worthy audience.

[Steve Zahn]

I did.

[John McConnell]

I broke that fourth wall, but I figure they expected it for me.

[Steve Zahn]

What was it?

[John McConnell]

I played the doctor in 42nd Street.

[Steve Zahn]

Oh, great.

[John McConnell]

Yes.

[Steve Zahn]

Oh great.

[John McConnell]

So. So I have not gotten any offers since.

[Steve Zahn]

Oh, but, but in there.

[John McConnell]

I appreciate that encouragement.

[Steve Zahn]

Show up early. Don't be a jerk. Over. Prepare over Prepare.

[John McConnell]

I got that because they didn't give me my line until I got there. And they're really.

[Steve Zahn]

That was a hard one.

[John McConnell]

It had been emailed to me.

[Steve Zahn]

Oh, really?

[John McConnell]

But they gave me a clipboard to where I had it. Okay, you had it right there.

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah.

[Andy Beshear]

Okay.

[John McConnell]

So if you hadn't gone into acting and theater, what do you think you'd be doing now?

[Steve Zahn]

Well, as a kid, I always wanted to be in the military, and that was kind of it. My, My dad was a Lutheran minister, and he was like, he was always baffled with me. Like, I was just fascinated with that world. I don't think I would have gone into the military because I could have out of high school. And I kind of went, I don't, I don't have the thing for it. I, I probably would have been doing something outdoors. Like, I would have been a outfitter up in northern Minnesota. Like, canoe outfitter.

[John Rabinowitz]

The Boundary water.

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah, I would have been, you know, I, I would have done something probably like that.

[John McConnell]

We always ask what people's secret superpower is. That's something that you're good at, that no one knows. And most of the time serves no good purpose for me. I make, I make a Thanksgiving turkey better than most people I know. It works one day a year. That's my superpower. Brittany can pack a suitcase better than anyone I've ever met. John, we're still looking for something. We'll find something someday that helps us out.

[Steve Zahn]

Man, that's a tough one. That's a good question.

[Andy Beshear]

You get a lot of interviews.

[John McConnell]

I gotta have something.

[Steve Zahn]

I know. I do make a killer turkey. Oh, I'm a big green egg guy.

[John McConnell]

See, I. I think, I think this might have to be that next big cooking shift.

[Steve Zahn]

You know that I'm packing for London right now.

[John McConnell]

Yes.

[Steve Zahn]

And so when you pack for a five month trip, you have like the dining room table, and that's where you put this stuff. And then upstairs, you put your coats and your shoes.

[John McConnell]

Yes.

[Steve Zahn]

And then. And you just. And you do that for a week. So it's not like the day before because you don't really know what you want to bring or you forget. And so the other day I put, I ordered. Robin was like, what did you order from Amazon? It was like boxes and it was all rubs.

[John McConnell]

Oh, all dry tubs that you were sending.

[Steve Zahn]

I'm gonna, I'm gonna bring them with me. Wow. So I don't know if it's legal or not, but it doesn't matter.

[John McConnell]

I. So I could pardon you in Kentucky, it's gonna be tough.

[Steve Zahn]

I know you can't buy spices there.

[John McConnell]

Really?

[Steve Zahn]

No.

[John McConnell]

I was gonna say in robbers.

[Steve Zahn]

Five months of like my, my rubs for my chicken and my.

[John McConnell]

That's great. That's great. By the way, Amy Clodeshar told a story on this podcast of Minnesota always provides the turkey that the White House then. Then.

[Steve Zahn]

Oh, yeah, of course, because big turkey state.

[John McConnell]

So apparently one year the all. All the press is still in Minnesota. The governor does something before they leave. The turkey sees all the flashing lights, leaps out of its cage somehow into the media and the White House calls and will not take this turkey.

[Steve Zahn]

Really?

[John McConnell]

Then became Thanksgiving dinner.

[Steve Zahn]

Really?

[Andy Beshear]

Yes, yes.

[John McConnell]

See, we like to get good stories. So I love that you've got to order and take the rubs to. You have to.

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah. And then I have a couple crew guys who are like, hey, would you bring more of those rubs? Like. Yeah.

[John McConnell]

So. So this is what you become known for.

[Steve Zahn]

Yeah. I bring their little packages and they're like, oh, man. Oh, my. So grain.

[John McConnell]

Well, really grateful. You take the time.

[Steve Zahn]

Oh, yeah.

[John McConnell]

Thanks a bunch for joining the podcast. Hope to have you back.

[Steve Zahn]

Thank you. I'll be back.

[Andy Beshear]

You're listening to the Andy Beshear Podcast. And now our segment where we process the issues of last week and the week to come. My conversation with the Johns. A conversation among friends. This is when John Rabinowitz, John McConnell and I try to make sure we can make sense of the news that's out there that hits us minute after minute after minute. And it's where we, as friends, Democrats and Republicans, find that we typically agree on a whole lot more than we disagree on today. We're going to start with news coming out of Illinois. I think the lieutenant governor made a post that they believe that Chicago is the next place that the president plans to send federal agents and National Guard troops. Now, they have been very clear, Both the governor, Governor J.B. pritzker, the lieutenant governor, I believe the mayor of Chicago has also weighed in that they do not want federal agents and National Guard on the streets of Chicago. So this is a little bit different than Washington, D.C. though. I think Washington, D.C. is certainly feeling the impacts of having National Guard on their streets. I think the law is a little bit different. But let's turn it over first to John Rabinowitz. What do you think about this newest threat of National Guard on the streets of Chicago without the permission or the request of the local and state officials?

[John Rabinowitz]

Yeah. So I think it's going to be a real challenge for Trump. I think it's going to be litigated heavily. Chicago and the other cities, unlike D.C. don't have that federal status. I, I will say this. It appears, if the articles are correct, that it obviously has a deterrent, as allegedly there wasn't a murder in the last 10 days in the last article I read. So I think it will have an impact. But I do think it is concerning that they're going into states, they say, I'm all about public safety. It's very, very important. It's one of the number one things that we should focus on. But to do it without being aligned with the mayor and the governor and to put our friends and neighbors at risk is. Is really a struggle for me.

Well, and when you start to look at, depending on the next city, let's say it is Chicago, when you've got people visiting there all of a sudden and you're downtown and you're walking through the streets and then you've got National Guardsmen in fatigue standing on corners, it's gonna, it's gonna have a different impact on you just there as a visitor. And are you gonna feel safe or are you gonna feel more nervous?

Listen, I do think it's a deterrent.

[Andy Beshear]

In some of these cities.

[John Rabinowitz]

Some of these cities, there. There are issues, like I also heard St. Louis is one, and St. Louis is a city that I have to go to quite often. And when I tell you that downtown is dead because people are scared to go out, that might be an understatement.

[Steve Zahn]

So.

[John Rabinowitz]

But I think that you have to be aligned with the mayor and the governor. I think there needs to be. Everybody needs to be on the same team and rowing in the same direction. I think just throwing people out there is a problem.

[Andy Beshear]

I think we can recognize that there is a problem. If people don't feel safe, then that's bad for both the people, their mental health as well as the businesses. But then it's. What is the answer to the problem? I think the answer to the problem has to be recruiting more local law enforcement, increasing pay or benefits, making sure that you're getting the best people in. I think in D.C. you're seeing militarizing the streets is hurting small businesses, too. People aren't going out to restaurants. It might have a deterrent effect on crime, but it's also having a major effect on life. And I think that the ethos of the United States, part of why we've always claimed we're so free and a country that people want to come to, is that we don't have military in our streets. It's not like when you get off the plane in another country where there's that show of military force in the United States. One of, one of the things that we've always loved is, yes, you have local law enforcement, but you don't have those folks on the streets. And I just want to be clear in my position that it is wrong for a president to send National Guard into an area that hasn't asked for it, doesn't want them. Remember that most National Guards are under a governor's control. And so if a governor of a state is saying no, I think it's a violation of our state sovereignty and this idea that we are sure one country, but we're also 50 states that elect governors and other officers, and then we're cities and, and counties that elect local officials. And you've got to honor those differences and those localities and that sovereignty.

[John Rabinowitz]

I was going to ask you, what is the process like if the governor of these states says no, like you can't use, I mean, does. Can the president come on top of that and order them out?

[Andy Beshear]

There are generally two different ways to call up the National Guard. One puts them directly under federal control. One calls upon governors at the request of the president to authorize. What we've seen in the news is at least one governor, the governor of Vermont, say no to the D.C. operation. And that's another thing that concerns me about D.C. it's really two pieces. Number one is chain of command, because at least under the law, all those Guard from other state are technically under the instruction of, of their own governor, yet operating in a different state, potentially with police power. And then the second is training, because most of these Guard don't have law enforcement background. Most of them are mechanics or CPAs. They have different jobs, but they join the Guard in case our active military needs logistical help and, or we need help after a natural disaster. Those are what the Guard are trained for, not for this. And again, I mentioned on the last, on the last podcast, I've had to call the National Guard in to make sure that a, a massive protest didn't get out of hand. I know what it looks like when you need to do that as a governor in your own state. And that's not what's going on in D.C. and it's not what's going on in Chicago.

[John Rabinowitz]

And then speaking of what's happening in other states and other cities, you know, we've still got Texas, who has moved ahead with their redistricting plan. And now all of a Sudden, California is preparing with their own. So, you know, Andy, what's your, what's your feeling on this?

[Andy Beshear]

Well, I think I made a little news on the last podcast when I said I supported what Gavin Newsom was doing. And to be clear, I think this mid cycle redistricting is wrong. It's bad for democracy. But you can't have one party changing the rules in a way that favors them and not expect the other party to do the same. That's just not reality. You know, Texas knew when they did this that other states would respond or they should have known. And if they thought other states wouldn't, then they were simply saying, we're willing to break the rules and we expect everyone else to be so good that they won't break the rules and we will get the advantage that President Trump is asking for. So now we've seen Texas move ahead, we've seen California move ahead.

[Steve Zahn]

We've.

[Andy Beshear]

The question is, what is the next domino? There are folks in our state that say maybe now they'll take a look at our maps. We have five Republican congressmen and one Democratic congressman. And if they redraw that one very Democratic district, you might get what you're not looking for. You might get two Democratic congressmen instead of just one.

[John Rabinowitz]

You know, Andy. But it depends how they redraw it. These maps in every state are getting out of control. Just ridiculous. The, the whole idea of gerrymandering is so wrong, in my opinion. I understand that both parties do it. The Democrats probably did it before the Republicans and vice it. It may never end. And I just think it's so unfair. And if people really sat down and looked at these maps and saw who represented them, they'd be very unhappy.

[Andy Beshear]

And if, if Texas would just go back and say, okay, this wasn't what we wanted to start this state by state, by state, mid cycle, mid decade redistricting. California's resolution that they put up even conditioned it on Texas moving forward.

[John Rabinowitz]

Yeah, and you're hearing already redistricting in Missouri, redistricting in Illinois, redistricting in Indiana. Even like you said this week, all over our local news, they're talking about redistricting in Kentucky. Where does it end? How does it end? Why can't people from either party just talk normal? And my understanding is that an article came out recently that, you know, basically said, hey, politicians speak to people in a normal tone in a normal way. Can you tell us a little bit about that article, what it said and the significance of it?

[Andy Beshear]

Well, I think it picked up two of our podcast rules, one is be authentic you be you. And the second is talk like a normal human being. And I think what this article was about, and it's, and it's. What I talk about as I travel the country, is that we've got to stop using terms that don't have meanings, that are sterile, that sound like we're talking down to people or at people instead of to them. One of the best examples is the opioid epidemic that Kentucky got hit by, maybe worse than anyone, save maybe West Virginia. Now, we've all lost people we love and that we care about, but we didn't lose one of them to substance use disorder. We lost them all to addiction. When you say the word addiction, it is mean, it is nasty, it kills people, it takes them from you. And when you've lost someone, that word is how you feel, feel. It evokes that emotion of hurt and of loss. Or if you have beaten it, if you are in recovery, you deserve credit for going up against that mean, nasty, difficult opponent. That is addiction, not substance use disorder. Now, when we talked about the big ugly bill, you know, pushing back against that, you don't push back against it saying more people will be food insecure. It's. It's tough to actually feel that it's about more people going, I hungry.

[John Rabinowitz]

Yeah.

[Andy Beshear]

You know, if you're talking about the fishes and the loaves, the, the miracle that appears in every book of the gospel. Jesus was helping people who are going hungry. Or one of the newest ones is justice involved population. Those are our inmates. Those are folks that are in our jails. And, and I believe in second chances. We've. We have one of the lower recidivism rates we've had in a decade. I'm. I've got now a trade being taught in every one of our prisons. I believe that second chances are something that we are called to do. But you know what? Our inmates call themselves? Inmates. And so if we're going to actually communicate with each other, if we're going to be able to talk to the American people about tough issues, we at least have to use language that they, that they understand that, that that actually has meaning and can evoke real conversation.

[John Rabinowitz]

And I think that was one of the missions that we had when we first started this podcast. I mean, we all sit down and we said, when the three of us get together to talk, it's going to be about things that people actually communic across their kitchen table and in a normal way. And I think we've done that, and this article talks a lot about what that is.

I will say this. We did say we were going to have some discussion on politics in these podcasts from Inception, but we also said we were going to talk about life and other things. And there, in my mind, is not a better time of the year than right now. What's about to kick off, which actually kind of kicked off Friday and Saturday with high school football, college football. Found myself watching an Iowa State vs. Kansas State game in Dublin, which I probably would never.

[Andy Beshear]

In Dublin.

[John Rabinowitz]

Yes. Yeah. But we're back. You can kind of see the fall. Temperatures are coming in this week. The stars are aligning for the best time of the year, in my opinion.

[Andy Beshear]

Sports are a great chance to breathe, to root for your team, to come together with different people, and to root for that, that common cause. And it's fun. And now with nil, we've got players staying in college football longer. We may see some really good teams this year because of it. I think it's going to be exciting.

[John Rabinowitz]

And guess what? In Kentucky, you can wager on these games, which is a lot of fun.

[Andy Beshear]

We also have baseball coming down to the wire, you know, getting closer and closer on what teams are going to make the playoffs. And then as we move into those, you see these powerhouse teams playing each other. You got the brewers that have been on just a tear, looking like they might be the team to beat in the nl despite the Dodgers and everything they've been these last several years. This is when you have all these different sports, professional college, all playing high school, all playing at the same time.

[John Rabinowitz]

I will say, John, I don't know if you noticed this or not. My daughter said, hey, dad, are you coming to Family Day, the football game of Family Day uk? And you think Family Weekend UK would play a team that was somebody that. It's Texas, the number one team in the country. That schedule is brutal.

[Steve Zahn]

Yep.

[John Rabinowitz]

It's going to be a heck of a football game. You're correct.

[Andy Beshear]

Now, from a guy whose kids are still in high school to two guys whose daughters are now in college, when they ask you to come to Family Day, is it because they want a nice dinner or they want to see dad?

[John Rabinowitz]

You hope it's to see dad, but I'm assuming they expect a dinner as well. What do you think?

Not just dinner. It's probably Target or Walmart. Probably a couple dinners. And don't forget to leave or put some money on my card before you leave.

[Steve Zahn]

But.

[John Rabinowitz]

But great to see you, dad.

[Steve Zahn]

Yep. Yes. Yes.

[John Rabinowitz]

Hey, don't worry, Andy. It's right around the corner for you. Couple more years and you'll, you'll come commensurate with us.

[Andy Beshear]

Well, as you all know, my kids are a year and three days apart, so it's going to happen pretty quickly. The bills are going to stack up pretty quickly. But very excited for when they get that chance to pursue their next level of education. Proud of both Will and Lila, and they've taught us a whole lot of lingo.

Our next segment is called In My Kentucky Accent. It's what's on my heart in mind this week. This week, I want to talk about my approach towards elected officials, whether they are in my party or not. I believe that once we are elected, we are elected to represent our people and we always have to put them first. For me, that means the Commonwealth of Kentucky. When I was first elected, President Obama was president, I was attorney general. There was a lot that I agreed with President Obama on and cheered him on. While certain legislation was passed, there were other regulations that were harmful to Kentucky, and there were even instances where I had to sue that administration. Then came the first Trump administration. And while a lot of attorneys general sued on everything, I sued on those pieces that impacted Kentucky the most and that I thought was unlawful. The Biden administration became governor. I took the same approach. When that president, who I supported, did something good for Kentucky, I thanked him. When he did something that I thought hurt my state, I spoke out. And that's where we come to now for how I deal with President Trump. You only have credibility in criticizing a president when they do wrong if you also are willing to admit when they do right. I've told you on numerous occasions that the FEMA response in Kentucky under President Trump has been some of the best that I've seen. That doesn't mean that I don't vehemently disagree with him on the devastating Medicaid cuts under the big ugly bill, or his actions as it relates to sending National Guard from other states to Washington, D.C. or a tariff policy that is going to wreak havoc on our economy in Kentucky and across rural America, I can stand up and say I think this president is harming rural America at a level that I've never seen before, while at the same time, when he does something I agree with, making sure that I say that, too. That's the idea that we put our people first. And if we did that in Congress, we wouldn't just have straight votes with Democrats over here and Republicans over there, but you'd actually have people talking about policies that help a region, policies that help a people, policies that could help the country, and not just policies that can help one party. So if there's a prescription out there to healing this country, number one, put our people first. Number two, push the politics out of it. And then let's get a lot of things done. That's the end of episode 21 of the Andy Beshear Podcast. And folks, we are so much closer to our big, gigantic announcement. We are really excited about what we're going to be able to share with the world. Remember, you can download us on all major platforms, but follow our YouTube channel at andy Beshear Podcast. This is going to get fun. Come along for the ride. I promise you we'll continue to process the tough information, but we'll also work towards that better United States of America and that better world that we all so desperately want. Remember, you can download us on all major platforms or subscribe to our YouTube channel @andy Beshear Podcast. Your downloads and your subscriptions are what keep us going and keeps this conversation going. So make sure you're a part of it and let's do this together.