Seth Rogen Returns Again

Summary

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard: "Seth Rogen Returns Again" – Detailed Summary

In this engaging episode of Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard, host Dax Shepard welcomes the multifaceted actor, comedian, writer, and filmmaker Seth Rogen. The conversation delves deep into Seth's latest projects, creative processes, personal anecdotes, and insights into the entertainment industry's inner workings. Below is a comprehensive summary of the key discussions, enriched with notable quotes and timestamps.

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1. Introduction to Seth Rogen and His Latest Work

The episode kicks off with light-hearted banter between Dax Shepard and Monica Padman before Seth Rogen joins the conversation. Seth shares his enthusiasm for his new Apple TV+ series, The Studio, highlighting its impressive storytelling and comedic elements.

• Dax Shepard [01:18]: “It's called The Studio and it's on Apple TV March 26th. So please, I couldn't recommend it enough.”

• Monica Padman [01:34]: “I lump him in with Chelsea Handler of people in this industry who are extremely generous.”

2. Seth Rogen's Creative Process and Show Production

Seth provides an in-depth look into the creation and production of The Studio. He discusses the challenges of directing a show that employs continuous shots (oners) and how this technique enhances the storytelling by maintaining tension and immersion.

• Seth Rogen [52:37]: “It's a continuous shot, like the most famous one, probably. It's like the one in Goodfellas where they start outside the Copacabana...”

• Dax Shepard [53:05]: “And the episode itself is a oner about a oner. And then all the things that are being laid out in the episode are just so satisfyingly woven into the episode.”

3. Personal Anecdotes and Substance Use

The conversation takes a candid turn as Seth opens up about his experiences with substances, particularly marijuana. He shares humorous yet honest stories about his compulsive hair-cutting due to anxiety and his trials with different forms of weed consumption.

• Seth Rogen [05:06]: “But when I have anxiety, I cut my hair compulsively... I was in a state of flow.”

• Monica Padman [08:29]: “It's a real bummer. Yeah. I've done way too many shrooms...”

4. Navigating Relationships and Partnerships

Seth discusses his long-standing partnership with Evan Goldberg, emphasizing the importance of mutual respect and understanding in their collaborative efforts. They reflect on maintaining a strong working relationship despite the pressures of the industry.

• Dax Shepard [24:38]: “Do you want to go to Paris tonight?”

• Seth Rogen [75:45]: “We have found ways to navigate that. You know, he has kids, and I. I act sometimes. We both have things that pull us away from just writing and directing together, but we've never really had any issue.”

5. Insights into the Entertainment Industry

A significant portion of the discussion revolves around the shifting dynamics of Hollywood's studio system. Seth offers his perspective on the challenges of producing films and TV shows in an era where the market demands higher budgets and greater risks.

• Seth Rogen [78:08]: “It's always been part of our philosophy, but we're never as existential about it. I feel like, as some people get, because I think I've personally seen these trends ebb and flow just throughout the time I've been here.”

• Dax Shepard [44:04]: “These two actors I don't even want...”

6. Technical Achievements and Storytelling Techniques

The episode highlights the technical prowess behind The Studio, particularly the execution of oners. Seth and Dax discuss the meticulous planning and coordination required to pull off such ambitious filming techniques without sacrificing the show's comedic essence.

• Seth Rogen [57:51]: “It's like true situational comedy. The scripts have a lot of structure and raising the stakes...”

• Dax Shepard [63:48]: “You're scared the whole time.”

7. Humorous and Personal Stories

Throughout the episode, Seth shares various humorous anecdotes, including unconventional sex stories and mishaps on movie sets. These stories add a personal touch, showcasing Seth's ability to blend humor with vulnerability.

• Seth Rogen [96:12]: “Soul Peter led me to the staircase at the Luxor...”

• Monica Padman [99:42]: “He was a little patient in there.”

8. Conclusion and Final Thoughts

As the episode wraps up, Seth reflects on his journey in the entertainment industry, expressing gratitude for his collaborative relationships and the creative freedom they've maintained. He also touches upon his aspirations for future projects and the evolving landscape of movie-making.

• Seth Rogen [66:02]: “We are trying to overd deliver. I don't take any success for granted.”

• Dax Shepard [77:48]: “So that's kind of my struggle...”

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Notable Quotes

• Seth Rogen [44:46]: “The dichotomy is art and commerce are obviously big themes in Hollywood and in our lives...”

• Monica Padman [72:41]: “So the back check is just going to be a list of staircase.”

• Dax Shepard [79:26]: “The writers and directors and actors just want something. Such a transactional relationship.”

Key Takeaways

• Innovative Filmmaking: The Studio stands out for its use of continuous shots, elevating both the comedic and dramatic elements of the narrative.

• Industry Challenges: Seth emphasizes the precarious nature of the studio system, balancing creative aspirations with financial realities.

• Personal Growth: Through anecdotes and candid discussions, Seth illustrates his journey of overcoming personal struggles and maintaining meaningful partnerships.

• Technical Mastery: The successful execution of oners in The Studio showcases Seth's dedication to pushing creative boundaries in storytelling.

Conclusion

This episode of Armchair Expert offers a deep dive into Seth Rogen's multifaceted career and personal life. From innovative filmmaking techniques to navigating the tumultuous waters of Hollywood's studio system, Seth provides listeners with valuable insights and entertaining stories. His openness about personal challenges and the dynamics of creative partnerships adds a layer of authenticity, making this episode a must-listen for fans and aspiring creatives alike.

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Transcript

[Dax Shepard]

Wondry plus subscribers can listen to Armchair Expert early and ad free right now. Join Wondry plus in the Wondry app or on Apple Podcasts or you can listen for free wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome, welcome, welcome to Armchair Expert. Experts on Expert. We have an unconventional expert today, but when you hear him talk, you will know he is an expert.

[Monica Padman]

Peek behind the curtain. He was going to be a Monday.

[Seth Rogen]

Sure. Because.

[Monica Padman]

Cause obviously he would be a Monday. But then it got really interesting. We got into a lot of filmmaking stuff and it was so cool that it was like, no, you know what you were editing. Yep.

[Dax Shepard]

And you text me, what if we moved Seth to Thursday? And I said, no, you have bad ideas.

[Monica Padman]

Fuck you.

[Dax Shepard]

You're a piece of shit.

[Monica Padman]

I hate you.

[Dax Shepard]

Don't ever think again.

[Monica Padman]

Click.

[Dax Shepard]

And then I forgot about it. And then you did it again.

[Monica Padman]

I just did it.

[Dax Shepard]

And now we're here.

[Monica Padman]

Yeah.

[Dax Shepard]

Seth Rogen is an actor. He's a comedian. He is a filmmaker. He is a martial arts star.

[Monica Padman]

Yeah.

[Dax Shepard]

Remember when he was a kid in Canada? He was all about that karate. Superbad. This is the end. Knocked Up Neighbors, Pineapple Express. In a new series that I. It'll be obvious in the episode. Truly, I love this show.

[Monica Padman]

I'm still dying to see it.

[Dax Shepard]

Oh, it's so impressive. It's so funny and impressive. And the plot is like a freight train. It's called the Studio and It's on Apple TV March 26th. So please. I couldn't recommend it enough.

[Monica Padman]

I lump him in with Chelsea Handler. Of people in this industry who are extremely generous. They say yes all the time if you ask a favor. I don't think people really know that about him, but he is.

[Dax Shepard]

I think he's just a lover of it. Know, like, there's haters.

[Monica Padman]

Yeah.

[Dax Shepard]

There's jealous people. He's a lover.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah.

[Monica Padman]

He's a nice.

[Dax Shepard]

He loves projects. He pops up in things. He just loves the whole world.

[Monica Padman]

We like Seth.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah.

[Dax Shepard]

I like when the good guys win.

[Monica Padman]

Yeah, me too.

[Dax Shepard]

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[Monica Padman]

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[Dax Shepard]

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[Monica Padman]

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[Dax Shepard]

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[Monica Padman]

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[Dax Shepard]

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[Monica Padman]

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[Dax Shepard]

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[Seth Rogen]

He's an object.

[Dax Shepard]

Something very specific happens.

[Monica Padman]

Oh, what do you want to. What happened? I already informed him about the robbery.

[Dax Shepard]

It's related.

[Monica Padman]

Okay.

[Seth Rogen]

Was there another robbery?

[Dax Shepard]

There's been a second robbery.

[Seth Rogen]

Follow up robbery. They missed some shit.

[Monica Padman]

She forgot a few things.

[Dax Shepard]

You know what's weird? That is the only thing that bothers me. I can accept that the stuff got stolen. It's the notion like, well, are they going to come back? It was very easy.

[Seth Rogen]

They had a good time. Yeah, things went well.

[Dax Shepard]

That's what's driving me a little bonkers.

[Monica Padman]

They know we're gonna obviously replace the camera.

[Dax Shepard]

We have to.

[Seth Rogen]

It's just a never ending camera replenishment. They open a camera shop down the corner, sells the same 12 cameras.

[Dax Shepard]

I'd be delighted to buy them off.

[Seth Rogen]

Just broker a deal with them.

[Dax Shepard]

Seriously, like the Mafia. I'm willing to pay them 500amonth to.

[Seth Rogen]

Just stay away, pay them camera protection.

[Dax Shepard]

But when I have anxiety, I cut my hair compulsively. Oh, no. And I was like, oh, I have a lot of time. I'm gonna really get in front of the mirror, and then I'm gonna start trimming my hair. And I got lost in it. And then I thought I should just glance them. I'm sure I got 10 minutes left. I was like four minutes after. I was in a state of flow.

[Seth Rogen]

I guess you need a rule.

[Monica Padman]

Maybe no cutting before an interview.

[Dax Shepard]

I know. I just. I thought it was going to be three snips, as I always do.

[Seth Rogen]

You just couldn't stop. It was too good.

[Dax Shepard]

What's your thing that you'll most lose sense of time doing? Is it the pottery?

[Seth Rogen]

I would say I'm annoyingly conscious of time all the time. Sometimes when I'm filming, I kind of lose track of time. But I also usually have my eye on the. Because there's an amount of time we have to do shit. But pottery, sometimes watching reality tv, sometimes I'll watch enough of that that I just kind of zone out.

[Dax Shepard]

There's another thing I fucked up. I was like, I have so much time. I'll cut my hair. I'm also going to bring a fan down and I'm going to bring an ashtray for our guests.

[Seth Rogen]

It's okay.

[Dax Shepard]

Are you sure?

[Seth Rogen]

Yes.

[Dax Shepard]

Okay. We love that you smoked weed.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah.

[Monica Padman]

That was fun for us.

[Dax Shepard]

That was fun for us, but it did lead us astray.

[Seth Rogen]

This room is small. Also, I've now done these types of things where I make people really stoned, and then I'll see them months later and be like, I was so fucked up that I apolog. And everyone feels bad about it.

[Dax Shepard]

Well, that's what happened. You did it. And we were like, that was great. Nothing happened. And then Wiz Khalid.

[Seth Rogen]

Is that his roach?

[Monica Padman]

Yeah.

[Dax Shepard]

Yeah. And I was like, hey, feel free to smoke.

[Seth Rogen]

He probably smokes at a different rate than I do.

[Monica Padman]

Exactly.

[Dax Shepard]

He did five back to back over the course of an hour and a half. And there was a point where I was like, I'm a little lost. And I looked over at Monica, and Monica was like this. And then I looked at Robin. He wasn't even looking at the board. He's just sitting on his chair, hanging out. And I was like, oh, I've hung.

[Seth Rogen]

Out with him a few times. And every time I'm like, this guy smokes. Laugh.

[Monica Padman]

Yeah, it's kind of impressive because he was fine.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah, he's fine. That man doesn't have anxiety.

[Dax Shepard]

Who's the Muhammad Ali of it?

[Seth Rogen]

Of smoking weed?

[Dax Shepard]

Yeah. Like, okay, so you were around him, and you're like, oh, boy, Snoop Dogg.

[Seth Rogen]

I mean, there's no debating. I was on Howard Stern once with him, and me and him smoked a bunch of weed. And then afterwards, he invited me to, like, his little trailer, which was, like, a tiny little room. And we smoked so much weed. And it was one of the first times from just smoking weed. I had to, like, cancel my entire rest of the day's stuff. And I was just like, I can't fucking do anything. And then I just sat in my parked car for, like, 90 minutes as I slowly regained my faculties. Snoop's the best, though.

[Dax Shepard]

There's no point in that for you, though, where you're at all nervous, right? You're just like, okay, here we are.

[Seth Rogen]

No. Okay. I was, like, eating weed, though. Some of the most unpleasantly high times I've had in my whole life. And this is a life of doing many drugs. Eating weed is the thing that can tweak me out where I'm just like, oh, I've gone too far.

[Dax Shepard]

Yeah, you can go south on you.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah. Because it's not pleasant. These other drugs have, like, a pleasant cushion.

[Monica Padman]

That's the point of.

[Seth Rogen]

That's the point of them. It'll bolster itself with the pleasant effects of the drugs. But eating weed can just go down, and there's no bolstering. It's like you're free falling without a parachute.

[Dax Shepard]

It's fun to hear. You're afraid of that a little bit. Isn't it, like, comforting?

[Monica Padman]

We love fears.

[Seth Rogen]

Yes.

[Dax Shepard]

We love vulnerables. I've said that a few times where I've been so high eating it, I was like, how could this be more powerful than crack and psychedelics? And the duration is very up in the air.

[Seth Rogen]

It's a real bummer. Yeah. I've done way too many shrooms. Even that's not that bad in comparison to way too much because there's at least, like, a catharsis. No, catharsis comes from. From eating too much weed. I should never fucking eat weed again. Shrooms. You're like, I should do this differently. I should do that. This was a rough trip, but got intense for a while, but at least I came out of it with some sort of insulin.

[Dax Shepard]

Yeah. You might dissolve your ego and learn some stuff about yourself.

[Seth Rogen]

There's, like, a sense of accomplishment afterwards. There's no sense of accomplishment that comes with eating way too much weed food. You don't feel proud of yourself at all.

[Dax Shepard]

So you'll never do it. Eating's awful.

[Seth Rogen]

No, no. I do it all the time. Of course, what I do is I drink weed a lot now. There's some weed beverages that are fantastic. Fantastic. And they have a much more moderate.

[Dax Shepard]

Amount, like a 5mg 3 or 5.

[Seth Rogen]

That I get down with.

[Dax Shepard]

My favorite thing I want to say you were doing Stern, where you had smoked a bunch of weed doing Stern, but then you were co hosting with Hoda.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Dax Shepard]

You got hammered too.

[Seth Rogen]

Yes. Like, I've drunk with them very early.

[Monica Padman]

In the morning because they drink.

[Seth Rogen]

Kathy Lee and Hoda. They would drink. Yeah. I could not believe it. Like, I thought it was like a stick. You hear, like, Frank Sinatra had apple juice in that glass. And it's one of those time where you're like, oh, a glass of wine holds almost a bottle of wine.

[Dax Shepard]

Right, Right.

[Seth Rogen]

Y give you like, a full glass bottle of wine at like 8:30 in the morning. You're just pounding it. And I was like, wow, this is legit. They are drunk on television every morning.

[Monica Padman]

What a hack.

[Seth Rogen]

What a great way to live. People love it.

[Dax Shepard]

I really am envious of that experience. I didn't drink in the morning until I did, and then I had to quit. But there were times throughout the year where you did drink in the morning. Camping, church, St. Patrick's Day, wake up.

[Seth Rogen]

Get out of bed, Brunch. Sometimes a good brunch. I love brunch.

[Dax Shepard]

And it's a special feel.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah.

[Dax Shepard]

To have the whole day ahead of you.

[Seth Rogen]

Yes. Wine tasting. I'm glad I never ruined drinking. As I was having a martini the other night, I was marveling at I kept this relatively under control.

[Monica Padman]

That's how I feel.

[Seth Rogen]

I'll have like, two drinks and that's it. I'm not great at moderation, so I'm impressed with myself.

[Monica Padman]

Yeah, yeah.

[Seth Rogen]

As I'm doing it, I'm like, look at you, man. Two martinis and call it in a night.

[Dax Shepard]

I have that same inflated pride about not having a gambling addiction because I'm like, everything I've ever touched. If I like it, I do it too much. But I can gamble. I did it Saturday. Chris and I were in Vegas for like, nine hours. I'm like, let's gamble. Did 40 minutes. Very normal.

[Seth Rogen]

Gambling's one of the worst. It's an addiction where you're just burning your money. Basically.

[Dax Shepard]

She's losing Your life, literally. Not even figuratively, at least.

[Seth Rogen]

Drug addiction. There's moments you're like, this is fucking great. I bought a heroin.

[Dax Shepard]

There's some escape. Rob, who's your favorite guest? The chef we love, Roy Choi.

[Seth Rogen]

Oh, yeah, Yeah, I met him. I was on Jon Favreau had, like, a cooking show years ago. We were on it together.

[Dax Shepard]

Well, he had gambling addiction, and he really shared with us. And I'll say. The added fucking burn of that addiction, aside from drugs, is there is this notion you can get even for me, like, day three of a crack run. If I thought, oh, I could smoke two rocks and erase what I did.

[Seth Rogen]

Go back in time.

[Dax Shepard]

Yes, it has that promise.

[Seth Rogen]

That's worse.

[Dax Shepard]

I'm in deep shit. I've lost the house. But I could fix it all with this addiction.

[Seth Rogen]

The right hit will make my brain chemistry know how to solve all these problems. Look, I get no pleasure from gambling. I don't gamble.

[Dax Shepard]

Not even like sitting at a blackjack table and tapping into the Sinatra thing of it all.

[Seth Rogen]

I'm always afraid I'm going to get yelled. Yelled at and I'm not doing the right thing and that they're gonna get mad at me at the table. That fear overpowers any pleasure I get from it. I'll stand around and watch my friends gamble.

[Dax Shepard]

What if you went with a buddy who was kind of good at it, and he just was like, you got.

[Seth Rogen]

You hit it 16 just now. I've done that. I've gone with my friends who are like, I'll be very instructive protective. Then I just feel like a fucking idiot.

[Monica Padman]

Yeah, exactly.

[Seth Rogen]

What are you put out there, my friend? Whispering in my fucking ear what to do. I feel like a child.

[Dax Shepard]

He's gambling by proxy through you.

[Seth Rogen]

It's not fun either, being puppeted by your friend, the blackjack table.

[Monica Padman]

We both have money, so it's you, too.

[Dax Shepard]

Don't leave yourself out of 12 miles across the street. Everyone's got money in the room.

[Monica Padman]

So you can't tell yourself, oh, it's because I need it. There has to be something else sort of happening. Someone's just telling you what to do. It's not like, oh, I have a skill.

[Dax Shepard]

Well, that's kind of my struggle. I was just explaining someone else was on the trip who's a big deal.

[Seth Rogen]

You write a book called that? My Struggle. Mine Comes. It's a sticky title. It is. It did well. It did very well.

[Monica Padman]

You can't say it didn't work.

[Dax Shepard]

You could argue it was a powerful book. You can say a lot of things about him, but this. Say his book was not effective.

[Seth Rogen]

It was sticky.

[Dax Shepard]

Oh, my goodness.

[Monica Padman]

God.

[Dax Shepard]

Well, yeah, There's a dude on the trip who really gambles. And I was saying to him, I'm in this nether world where I used to gamble with $1,000 in the bank, and I would gamble a hundred, which was a tenth of my net worth. And if I won 200, I literally went up 30%.

[Seth Rogen]

It was real life alteration.

[Dax Shepard]

It changed my life.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah. Dramatically that weekend. That's bad.

[Dax Shepard]

And now, like, I'm not willing to go gamble $10,000.

[Seth Rogen]

No, exactly. That's crazy. The best time I ever had a casin. Danny McBride got married many years ago in Palm Springs, and we all went to a casino afterwards. I was with Adam McKay and Chris Henchy, who is a comedy writer and.

[Dax Shepard]

The best storyteller alive, probably.

[Seth Rogen]

This was so funny. And they did a thing at the blackjack table that was the funniest thing I've ever seen, where they sat down separately, pretending not to know one another. What McKay kept doing would be he would hand Chris objects, and Chris said he was a magician and a sleight of hand magician, and he would keep pretending to steal things from Adam McKay.

[Monica Padman]

Oh, my God.

[Seth Rogen]

And it was only for the benefit of the dealer and the three other people who happen to be sitting at the table. And the kid would be like, I bet you're not that good. And then he'd be like, then how did I get your shoe? Everyone would be like, that's incredible. And I'm like, that was lucky. Well, then how did I get your wristwatch? And it went on a very long time.

[Dax Shepard]

That's a great man.

[Seth Rogen]

It was actually one of the funniest things I've ever seen.

[Dax Shepard]

And it's so pure.

[Seth Rogen]

It was pure for four people and nobody else.

[Dax Shepard]

What are you watching? What shows are you obsessed with?

[Seth Rogen]

I've been loving Severance. It's amazing.

[Dax Shepard]

Walk me through the experience of watching it.

[Seth Rogen]

Do you watch it? Yes.

[Dax Shepard]

Obsessed. We've seen the whole thing because, like, your show, we got screwed.

[Monica Padman]

But I haven't seen the last episode.

[Seth Rogen]

I mean, I started it when it started. I'm a huge fan of Ben Stillers, and I've known him since I was 16 years old. And a lot of people I worked with when I was first starting had worked on the Ben Stiller show, and Ben was on Freaks and Geeks, and the DP who shot Freaks and Geeks had shot the movie that Ben was the star of. He was someone I just looked up to immensely, and he was a writer and director, and he did all the things that I wanted to do, and he acted, and he was so funny. I've always just been a fan of his. And so when I heard he was directing a new show, I watched it right away. I know Adam Scott for a long time. He's the best, and it's incredible. And every time I see Ben, I gush over it because I really think. And it's sort of the complete opposite of what we have tried to do with our show. But precision and comedy are hard things to marry, and I'd say almost like a sterile level of precision. Stanley Kubrick did it very well in Dr. Strangelove, but very few people have actually done it effectively since that, I would argue. And there are things that are pretty funny with that style. But I think Severn's a very funny show and the story's amazing. And I love the mystery. I watched Lost, which was a real bummer, ultimately, because I don't feel like it added up to the experience at this. Feels like it's giving me the lost energy, and I have faith that it does add up.

[Dax Shepard]

I'm optimistic as well.

[Seth Rogen]

I also loved watching Lost, and I do often in my head think, was it worth it? It's a good philosophical question. Is it worth a great journey if the ending sucks?

[Dax Shepard]

It's like a new riddle. There is no destination.

[Seth Rogen]

Yes, exactly.

[Dax Shepard]

It's a journey worth taking without a destination.

[Seth Rogen]

And I am glad I did it ultimately, because all our friends, we get together, we watch it. It was so fun, but it was a real bummer. We did not love the ending very much. And so I am getting a similar vibe with Severance, where it feel like a mystery. Everyone's trying to unpack a reveal. Everyone's excited to see what comes next. A lot of people I know watch it, so it's nice to talk about it, but the style of it is unbelievable. Most things that are, like, frame fucked within an inch when you're acting for.

[Dax Shepard]

The camera, only so precise, you could.

[Seth Rogen]

Tell they're pouring over every millisecond of the show. And usually, again, those things suck the comedy out of things, and this does not do that at all.

[Dax Shepard]

Yeah, like, Wes Anderson can have that kind of meticulous world and comedy.

[Seth Rogen]

He's literally probably the only other person to, like, really do it like that.

[Dax Shepard]

Do you like righteous gemstones?

[Seth Rogen]

I've never watched any righteous. I'm waiting for it to end, and then I'm gonna watch all of it.

[Dax Shepard]

So you can plow through.

[Seth Rogen]

It's like a treat. I left. I actually watched the first episode. I was like, I love this so much that I don't want to have a staggered viewing experience.

[Monica Padman]

That is similar, actually. It's also shot so beautifully.

[Dax Shepard]

Well, you saw the pilot, right?

[Seth Rogen]

Yes.

[Dax Shepard]

Danny directed the pilot. This tracking casino style shots with the money.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah, those guys are great. And those guys are some of the first guys I worked with. Really wanted their comedies to look a certain way.

[Dax Shepard]

Well, they were film school people.

[Seth Rogen]

Exactly. And Judd, the people that I was making movies with were not like that. It was very much performance capture oriented. Since then, everyone's style has evolved. At the time, it was cross coverage. That's it. If it doesn't look great, who cares? All that matters is we're capturing the.

[Dax Shepard]

Joke in the defense of everyone. That was the first full embracing of improv all the time. So you can't afford to miss someone's reaction.

[Seth Rogen]

No, no, no, no. And that's what people liked. And it was working, and it was very alive. Then I remember seeing Foot this way, and I made observed report with Jody Hill. All of a sudden, I was, there's shots in this movie. I was like, whoa, this is crazy. A whole other way to work. And then I watch a lot of reality tv.

[Monica Padman]

As you said, that's your anxiety release.

[Seth Rogen]

Exactly.

[Dax Shepard]

White Lotus.

[Seth Rogen]

I don't watch White Lotus.

[Dax Shepard]

Okay.

[Monica Padman]

I could see you on White Lotus.

[Seth Rogen]

Fingers crossed.

[Monica Padman]

Saying it here.

[Seth Rogen]

Exactly. I watched your wife's show. I thought that was great.

[Dax Shepard]

Okay, great. What a kiss, right? Yeah.

[Seth Rogen]

Handsy kiss.

[Monica Padman]

It's all about this one.

[Dax Shepard]

I was watching with my Aaron weekly since sixth grade. And we were in Texas on someone's couch. We're staying at someone's house. And we decided to watch the show. It had been out for maybe a week or two.

[Monica Padman]

You were playing it, like, hard to get.

[Dax Shepard]

No, I had been really busy. If something happened, and I was actually excited because I was now available to watch it. And we were sitting on a couch, a very tiny love seat, and that kiss happened. And I was like, oh, my God, that's the best kiss I've ever seen on television. He goes, has she ever kissed you like that? I'm like, no. Aaron goes, I don't know who I want to kiss more, him or her. I'm like, same.

[Seth Rogen]

It was a powerful moment.

[Monica Padman]

Can you remove yourself? Leighton and Adam are talking about this too. She's like, when I watch the show, I don't see him. I can't really do that. Every time I watch Kristen, I see her.

[Dax Shepard]

Right. So your buddy's making out with.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah, it depends. I sometimes have a hard time watching people I know in things. Sometimes it takes me a few viewings to desensitize myself, especially if it's someone I know and they're doing a real character. Sometimes that throws me for a loop, of course.

[Dax Shepard]

Or they're, like, smoking cigarettes and they've never smoked. Yes.

[Seth Rogen]

Things like that. But then I. I start to love it. I always think of, like, Jonah and Wolf of Wall street is, like, so good and so funny. And I think it maybe took me a minute where I was just like, what is going on here? And then I was just like, oh, no. It's one of the funniest performances ever. At times, it takes me a minute to wrap my head around. Lauren has acted in things where she's made out with people.

[Dax Shepard]

And how do you feel when that happens?

[Seth Rogen]

I get it. Because I also know when I'm doing it that I don't actually feel like I've kissed the people that I've kissed in movies.

[Dax Shepard]

Not one.

[Seth Rogen]

Not for real.

[Monica Padman]

No.

[Seth Rogen]

I for sure have not. I maybe never had one real moment ever on or off screen in any mom, whatever.

[Monica Padman]

Because you're in your head. You want it to look a certain way. You have to be aware.

[Dax Shepard]

Mine, that I'll say in public is, I had watched Friday Night Lights.

[Monica Padman]

Oh, no.

[Dax Shepard]

I loved Lila Garrity. And then all of a sudden, on Parenthood, she becomes my love interest. I'm like, I'm going to get to kiss Lila Garrity.

[Seth Rogen]

I'm going to drop out of character for those moments. Drop back in character.

[Dax Shepard]

Crosby had on.

[Seth Rogen]

Exactly.

[Dax Shepard]

You've heard the stories, right, of actors who've really had sex, Right? You kind of collect these stories.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Dax Shepard]

We were very bummed out to find we had Halle Berry on Dax asked.

[Seth Rogen]

Oh, there's that rumor of her interesting. On the staircase.

[Dax Shepard]

Absolutely not. Were they on a staircase? They were on the couch.

[Monica Padman]

Maybe I'm conflating staircase is something else. You talked about staircase.

[Seth Rogen]

That was Thomas Crown Affair or maybe History of Violence. I'm thinking of another very convincing sex scene, perhaps on a staircase. I just have an encyclopedic knowledge of staircase fucking.

[Monica Padman]

So the back check is just going to be a list of staircase.

[Dax Shepard]

One of my funniest moments with my oldest daughter thus far that has happened in the 12 years I was like, thomas Crown Affair. I love that movie. That snappy scene with the bowler hat. She's gonna love this. And I showed it to her when she was probably like eight. And we're watching and I'm like, oh, I forgot about this fucking scene on the staircase with Renee Russo and Brosnan. And it's just going on forever. And I'm like, I wonder if she's gonna say anything. And then she just goes, do people really do that? And I go, have sex. And she goes on the staircase. I go, no.

[Seth Rogen]

It's actually never happened. But in movies, people are const. They can't get up to the bedroom. They can't even make it up there for the extra 20ft.

[Dax Shepard]

Oh, I want to add to. There's a couple of things you've said in the previous two interviews that really, really stuck with me.

[Seth Rogen]

That's crazy.

[Dax Shepard]

Like, I think about them often.

[Seth Rogen]

I never expect anyone to think of anything I ever have said.

[Dax Shepard]

It was really aspirational. Like somehow we're talking about business managers or this or that. And you said like, I don't know if they've stolen from me. I mean, I hope they have. I hope they have. And I. It's half a joke and actually half insanely aspirational to not be so attached to it.

[Seth Rogen]

No, I still am like that. I'm a prime target for serious robbery and embezzlement. I've decided everything. You send me a docusign, I will send it back.

[Dax Shepard]

I hope they have, because I still have enough scrutiny.

[Monica Padman]

I have never read a docusign in my life, but it is aspirational.

[Seth Rogen]

What I guess I've seen over time, and I'm just so not like this. Money is a thing people really hoard and have a lot of pride in the money itself and turn their money into more and love how much money their money is making them and how profitable their money's money is. And that is just like, not how I think. I have no desire for my money to itself be out there working for me.

[Monica Padman]

It's an employee.

[Seth Rogen]

I don't view my buddy as lazy. I don't think of it like that at all. And I get how people do it. Are you like that?

[Dax Shepard]

I am.

[Seth Rogen]

You love your money to make more money. It's a thing people like.

[Dax Shepard]

Mine's just a fear.

[Seth Rogen]

What are you afraid of? That you're going to run out of money?

[Dax Shepard]

Yes. Yes.

[Seth Rogen]

That's not a fear I have. I'm afraid I'm going to die with too much money. That is my fear.

[Monica Padman]

You don't have children.

[Seth Rogen]

I don't have children and I'm afraid I'm gonna die and be like, I gotta fucking place. I'm gonna die. I don't want to die with $10 million in the bank that I could have spent doing fun alive things.

[Dax Shepard]

A jet to Paris on a whim.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah, exactly. I'm gonna look back on. You would never do that. I could have been jetting this whole time.

[Dax Shepard]

I also have that fear. I'm so nuts about it, and I'm such a hoarder. And then I'm gonna die, and I'm gonna be like, all I see now is a bunch of trips I could have taken.

[Seth Rogen]

Exactly, yes. That's more of the fear that I.

[Monica Padman]

That I live off of.

[Dax Shepard]

So I was single mom, money was tight. We were panicked about it. You guys weren't fucking rolling in cash.

[Seth Rogen]

Not at all.

[Dax Shepard]

But was there no fear around it in the house?

[Seth Rogen]

I actually remember as a young person being very concerned about the amount of money we had. And a lot of my friends had way more money.

[Dax Shepard]

Yeah. You also went to school where there was some hacks.

[Seth Rogen]

Yes, I went to a school that was way across town from where I live. So I essentially was surrounded by much richer people than me. And so it was something that I remember being worried about. But then I just. Just. I mean, at a very young age, I started making pretty good money. That's true. And I remember being like 18 of my dad being like, in the last two years, you made more money than I have in my entire life put together. Basically. If he lived this long off that amount of money, I'm sure I can live. And I think not having kids, I would imagine people seem to want to leave their kids money, I guess, which is, I guess, a good thing to do. And that's complicated in of itself, I'll.

[Dax Shepard]

Tell you this much. I went into this going like, no, no, you don't give your kids money. It ruins them and they need to be hungry and work and blah, blah. I started feeling a little guilty. Guilty. It's like, if I didn't get when I grew up, that'd be fine. All of our family vacations were in a van eating caramels, and we slept in the van. I, unfortunately, have given them a lifestyle that they're gonna feel it.

[Seth Rogen]

It's too late. Yeah. Oh, you can't go back from that.

[Dax Shepard]

It's gonna jump off a cliff. And I'm like, well, that wasn't very fair to them either.

[Seth Rogen]

No, exactly.

[Dax Shepard]

So now what's the ethical thing I do?

[Seth Rogen]

I don't know.

[Dax Shepard]

Had I raised them like shit Pigs like I was raised then I would be like, cool.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah. Had you just started like that?

[Dax Shepard]

Yes.

[Seth Rogen]

You had like another little house on this property. That was bad. Yes.

[Monica Padman]

Oh, that'd be hilarious.

[Dax Shepard]

And we went on vacation. They didn't.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah, you keep it up in the bath.

[Dax Shepard]

And then when they get out of college and they can't go on vacation. Yeah, that's normal. But now the realization, like, you might not travel for 13 years.

[Monica Padman]

Yeah, that's a hard kind of crazy.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah. You can't go back.

[Monica Padman]

I don't know. I still kind of think it's a.

[Dax Shepard]

Good idea to not give them anything. What about when they're old?

[Monica Padman]

Amount, but not too much.

[Seth Rogen]

Spend it all.

[Dax Shepard]

Do you want to go to Paris tonight?

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah, exactly. I was in a Beastie Boys video many, many. And one of the things I remember is they were showing me pictures or something on one of their phones. They had recently gone to Paris and there was all these pictures of them in an incredibly expensive menswear shop just in like ridiculous matching outfits. And they were like, oh, yeah. Every time we go to a foreign country like this, we all go buy funny matching tuxedos and stuff like that. And I was like, that's a good thing to do with your money. You'll never regret buying matching tuxedos with your three friends with top hats and canes and tails and going out on the trail.

[Monica Padman]

I will never regret that.

[Seth Rogen]

If you're rich, that's the thing. That is to spend your money too.

[Monica Padman]

I'm struggling with this currently.

[Seth Rogen]

Very much how much money your money's money should be making.

[Monica Padman]

Yeah, mainly that. No, just kids versus feeling very free. I really, really like feeling very.

[Seth Rogen]

Are you a married person?

[Monica Padman]

I'm not married and I don't have children. I literally have nothing except that house I'm building for me only.

[Seth Rogen]

That's great.

[Monica Padman]

I mean, it does feel great, actually. But then I'm like, oh, am I going to regret it later? Is it going to feel empty later? I mean, there's so much that I struggle with. I like being able to go on vacation and do it up. Fly first class, stay in the hotel.

[Seth Rogen]

And not worried if you're fucking your kid up.

[Monica Padman]

Exactly. I'm also very scared of that too.

[Seth Rogen]

Oh, yeah. When I was young, we would do these press tours and I'd be on like a private jet, going to do press with a 9 year old and I'd just be like, this child is going to have a hard time coming back to earth from all these years.

[Monica Padman]

Exactly.

[Dax Shepard]

It's harder than I anticipated, which is. Well, I worked my whole life so I could fly first class. They're too young. I got to be with them. So what the fuck am I going to do? I'm going to sit back in the exit row next of the toilet? No, that feels unfair to me.

[Seth Rogen]

It is unfair to you. It's unfair to everybody. No one should have to do that.

[Dax Shepard]

I agree. I re listened to the second interview. I want to publicly apologize. I was coming really hard at you about kids, and then I've censored other remarks you've made, and I certainly was a part of the problem.

[Monica Padman]

Oh, no, you were pushing.

[Dax Shepard]

I never did articulate what I was going for in that.

[Seth Rogen]

I've never felt you needed to apologize for the record.

[Dax Shepard]

Well, it was pretty court press. The real essence of it was, is I was like, you would be such a fun dad for me.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah.

[Dax Shepard]

Sometimes you see people and you go like, that would be a very fun dad. He has the spirit to be a dad. Ultimately, I think I was just trying to give you a compliment that you would be such a fun dad.

[Seth Rogen]

Thank you. Being a good parent is nowhere on our list of reasons whether or not we would or would not have children. I assume we'd be good parents. I know people who are so much fucking stupider who are good parents.

[Monica Padman]

Seriously.

[Seth Rogen]

I do think I would be a good parent, but I. I just don't think I want to be a pimp.

[Dax Shepard]

Yeah, I love it. I heard you say something recently, and I was like, yeah, yeah, that's fucking ideal for him. And I should have shut up. It was in the press recently. Him basically just saying that we're having a great fucking time and I don't feel like I've missed out. And everything's groovy. Paraphrasing.

[Seth Rogen]

Things are good.

[Dax Shepard]

This is a random question, but I think maybe because of our guest that came out today, which was Nikki Glaser, and we went through this whole thing where she had made some jokes about me and I was very, very sensitive.

[Seth Rogen]

Really?

[Dax Shepard]

Yeah, yeah.

[Seth Rogen]

What did she say?

[Dax Shepard]

But no, it was great.

[Seth Rogen]

Everything's random or out in the world.

[Dax Shepard]

She was going to make it in the Golden Globes, and I had found out that it was too hard for the Golden Globes, and I was like, oh, no. And then during the whole monologue, it was just one of those cameras was on us, and I was just waiting to have to fake some positive reaction to being shit on.

[Seth Rogen]

And then.

[Dax Shepard]

So she didn't tell it there, but then she told on Stern the next morning. But then I purposely didn't want to hear it because I thought I made up these fucking jokes that were so mean to me. And I was kind of just devastated. And then I heard the joke. It wasn't bad at all. And I was like, what a waste of my time. Then we had her on. We talked about it. It was so fun. But I think because she was the guest today and I posted and I was just reliving that whole thing. I was curious, are you sensitive? I'm so sensitive, yes.

[Seth Rogen]

I am sensitive to people making jokes about me, for sure. It's really hard, especially if it's comedians I like. Yes, yes. It's happened a few times. Like when we made the interview, we kind of became open season because we were like, the news to remind people, North Korea hacked Sony, started a war. Biggest act of industrial espionage in history, I believe.

[Monica Padman]

Kind of cool. You were a part of that.

[Dax Shepard]

That's a cool deathbed thing. Like, oh, yeah. I up world relations for a minute.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah. Geopolitics like, powerful. Well, that's another good lesson. You can hit the bullseye too effectively at times. There was comedians that I like making jokes about us in the movie, Whenever they would make jokes that the movie sucked, that I just didn't like because that's all I care about. But again, you get over it, and it's happened again.

[Dax Shepard]

You've been obviously invited to all these roasts.

[Seth Rogen]

Yes.

[Dax Shepard]

Have you ever gone to one?

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah. Nothing at those has ever really insulted me. I have, like, a pretty thick skin about. Because I also make jokes about other people all the time, Especially in our movies. We make a lot of jokes about people. And I've had people come to me and been like, that wasn't great. Being in a theater full of people, having them laugh hysterically at a joke, making fun of me. Like, I've received direct text messages from people being like, why would you do this? And I'm like, yeah, I get it. I'm sorry. And I've gotten better. I have been in some situations recently where I was going to make jokes about certain people and certain things and had the foresight to ask the people beforehand as to whether or not they felt as though this would be in poor taste. And when it was told to me and no one certain that it would in fact be in poor taste, I was happy to not do the joke. And I know enough about myself now to know that I'm drawn in a bad way to the joke I shouldn't be making sometimes. And I get a kick out of saying the thing that I know I probably shouldn't. And it's not even always the funniest. Sometimes it's very personal something. It's just something I know I shouldn't necessarily be saying. I used to be much more inclined to do it. And because I think I wanted to show I would do it, or I didn't care, or I thought it was just funny that I was treading into these walks, daughters that even if the average person didn't think they were taboo, like, I knew in my head I was like, oh, this is fucked up.

[Dax Shepard]

It's like you're answering the calling to the commitment to comedy. Like in that moment, you elevate it.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah, but I actually thought it was funnier. It's not even always funnier. It's just like a thing that I know I shouldn't be saying. It's a slippery slip.

[Dax Shepard]

This is terribly corny. But hurt people, hurt people. There is some reality. And we even had fun talking with Nikki. It's like, the bottom line is I'm really sensitive. And because I'm really sensitive and insecure, I'm great at seeing other people's sensitivities and insecurities. So it's like you almost have to. To be a little wounded to even know what to do.

[Seth Rogen]

Or sometimes you've just tread into an area where you are fodder for comedy, whether you like it or not. That's what it felt like with the interviewer. This is such a big story, you have to make a joke about it. And I just got that.

[Dax Shepard]

People wouldn't be doing their job exactly.

[Seth Rogen]

Like you'd feel as though you were ignoring a big thing that was happening if you didn't do it. And in those moments are the feelings of a few more important than, like, addressing the elephant that all sees in the room, like, Diddy?

[Monica Padman]

I mean, it's not going to happen now that those jokes aren't going to pop up at the shows and stuff. You're just like, waiting for it.

[Seth Rogen]

I know. And all I'm thinking is, how does Diddy feel?

[Monica Padman]

I know.

[Dax Shepard]

I'm pretty worried about it.

[Monica Padman]

Poor guys.

[Seth Rogen]

All I'm thinking is, I'm watching this stuff. This guy has to watch all these jokes.

[Dax Shepard]

For all of his improprieties, he never really made fun of people. You know, he didn't even earn this.

[Monica Padman]

He didn't deserve it.

[Dax Shepard]

That's not what his bag was. He wasn't out there shitting on other people. Stay tuned for more armchair expert if you dare. Thank you to our partner. Mentos Gum. You ever feel like you're just going.

[Seth Rogen]

Through the same motions day after day? We've all been there, staring at brake.

[Dax Shepard]

Lights in traffic or stuck in a long meeting. Not anymore. With Mentos Gum. Listen up.

[Seth Rogen]

This isn't just your regular regular gum.

[Dax Shepard]

We're talking about a whole vibe refresh. Think of it as your personal reset button. One piece and suddenly that traffic jam becomes your private concert venue.

[Seth Rogen]

That meeting that should have been an email.

[Dax Shepard]

It turns into a full on fiesta. From flavors like fresh mint to bold strawberry, Mentos Gum transforms ordinary moments into fresh possibilities. Whether you want to switch up your route home or keep your mind fresh in a meeting, Refresh the everyday with Mentos Gum. Yes to fresh with mentos gum at.

[Monica Padman]

24, I lost my narrative. Or rather, it was stolen from me, and the Monica Lewinsky that my friends and family knew was usurped by false narratives, callous jokes, and politics. I would define reclaiming as to take.

[Dax Shepard]

Back what was yours.

[Monica Padman]

Something you possess is lost or stolen, and ultimately you triumph in fighting finding it again. So I think listeners can expect me to be chatting with folks both recognizable and unrecognizable names about the way that people have navigated roads to triumph.

[Dax Shepard]

My hope is that people will finish.

[Monica Padman]

An episode of Reclaiming and feel like they filled their tank up, they connected with the people that I'm talking to, and leave with maybe some nuggets that help them feel a little more hopeful. Follow Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky on the the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to Reclaiming early and ad free right now by joining Wondery in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts. Imagine this. You help your little brother land a great job abroad, but when he arrives, the job doesn't exist. Instead, he's trapped in a heavily guarded compound, forced to sit at a computer and see scam innocent victims all while armed guards stand by with shoot to kill orders. Scam Factory, the explosive new true crime podcast from Wondery, exposes a multi billion dollar criminal empire operating in plain sight. Told through one family's harrowing account of sleepless nights, desperate phone calls and dangerous rescue attempts, Scammer Scam Factory reveals a brutal truth. The only way out is to scam their way out. Follow Scam Factory on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes of Scam Factory early and ad free right now by joining Wondery plus.

[Dax Shepard]

Before we get to the Studio. I just want to say I love the boys so much and I love Gen V so much.

[Seth Rogen]

Oh, that's so nice.

[Dax Shepard]

How much time does that whole thing take up? I want it to go forever.

[Seth Rogen]

I know. It'd be great. They're doing the last season. Oh, they are, yes. But they're doing another show. We've slowly become the thing we are making fun of, which is the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Yeah, good though. Go ahead. So we are doing another show that's like a prequel about the formation of Vought, set in World War II with soldier boy and those characters. But it's a funny thing with the boys, where me and Evan, it's a very well run show and the guy, Eric Kripke, who runs the show does such a good job that it makes it, though it does not occupy very much of my time or energy. We were very involved in the very beginning of the show. We, like cast the show and kind of designed a lot of the uniforms.

[Dax Shepard]

I'd imagine you were taking all of your cultural capital and power at the studio to allow that tone to exist and be that bold, and then once that was achieved and rewarded, you could step away.

[Seth Rogen]

Well, it was also Amazon. It was a good moment for us. We found ourselves at a place who was like, looking for its identity. Some ways they didn't have like a flagship show and so they kind of didn't know what it was. The people who were running it changed over in the midst of the time we were doing it. So I actually think we kind of just got lucky and no one had any reason to tell us no. Basically, they actually really believed in it. And our pitch was very clear. People want the R rated version of superhero.

[Dax Shepard]

Well, but maybe the X rated.

[Seth Rogen]

Very much so. In a world that was like so inundated with superheroes, people will get such catharsis to see what this would kind of be like in real life and how gruesome it would be and how gross it would. And I remember that was the thing we would always say in the pitch is just your whole life you've seen Superman shoot lasers out of his eyes. You've never once seen how grotesque the effects of that would be on, like an actual human's body.

[Dax Shepard]

6,000 degrees.

[Seth Rogen]

Exactly. And that was like a thing we were just like, that is what the show is. They really don't fight us very much on stuff on that show. From a content standpoint, I'm amazed at what they let us get away with.

[Dax Shepard]

The reason I love it so much and Kristen, I'll say this all the time mid sequence. Were like, I can't believe it's on television. I mean, half the appeal is, I can't believe it's on television.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah. And that's like our favorite tone. And that's like a thing we've always chased. It's a thing I was actually just talking to my wife about. I actually think there's something about Barry was a defining moment. I could always be, personally, but I do think it was a moment where I saw things in a movie where I was like, I didn't think you.

[Dax Shepard]

Could show putting calm in her hair.

[Seth Rogen]

I always think of the first thing where you see his nuts and dick stuck in the zipper. It's so funny because you're just like, they don't show that. And the joke is they're not showing it. And it was still one of the funniest scenes ever, even though they aren't showing it and then they show it. And it was one of those things where you're looking around in the theater at the people around you, strangers, and you're just like, are we fucking seeing this? Like, is this real? Are we actually in a theater where this is happening? We've seen throughout the years when our movies are functioning the best. That is a moment we've been able to elicit from a crowd. And that's like a thing me and Evan are always referencing. It's not like laughter and it's not cheering. It's disbelief that people were allowed to do this thing. And that also somehow it's serving the overall story in the movie, in the comedy. That's like the dragon we're chasing. A lot of the time when the audience is just like, are we fucking seeing this? And, yeah, with the boys based on a comic. And it was one of the first things me and Evan read. We were just like, I can't believe someone even drew this.

[Dax Shepard]

Okay, so the comics are, as.

[Seth Rogen]

The comics are even more hardcore. Oh, they are. I would say anything. We toned it down, honestly, and made it more comedic. The comics are a little less comedic and are a little. Just dark and violent and gross. We added a slightly more more human. You know, like, it's a little over the top with the blood and the popping of the human heads, which I think adds comedy to it.

[Monica Padman]

Yeah, definitely.

[Seth Rogen]

It's so much fun to work on.

[Monica Padman]

I have a weird question. Were you attracted to dangerous things when you were young?

[Dax Shepard]

Well, he's a karate master.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah, sort of. I was.

[Monica Padman]

That's controlled danger. I mean, like, that type of danger.

[Seth Rogen]

I played rugby. I wasn't adverse to danger and adrenaline. As I've gotten older, I'm very averse to physical danger, injury in any way.

[Dax Shepard]

Because of the Todd Phillips thing.

[Monica Padman]

Yeah, your comedy's dange. What you were just describing is the shock and awe and disbelief of, oh, my God, we're gonna do this. Is bringing people along on a dangerous ride comedically, which always is the funniest, really.

[Seth Rogen]

It is all in service of the audience. As a fan of movies, I've felt these moments where I'm like, oh, they're.

[Dax Shepard]

Fucking going for, yeah, your novelty meter goes up. Like, oh, I'm gonna actually see something new and original.

[Seth Rogen]

Exactly. Did you watch the Substance? I love that movie. Yeah, it was so good. And that was one of those times. Times, honestly, recently, where I was like, holy. I know Coralie a little bit, and I think she's a genius. Her first film, Revenge, is very, very good. I don't know if you've seen it, haven't recommended. It's another 10 out of 10 movie. But in a movie that already showed me it's willing to go as far as anything. I never thought it would go this far. I loved it.

[Dax Shepard]

It's almost more rewarding, I think, the older you get, because it gets harder to do that to you. So, yeah, I was sitting in the Substance going, like, here we go, man. I'm 18 again.

[Seth Rogen]

I feel like I was watching, like, Dead Alive or an old Sam Raimi movie or something like that, where you're just like, oh, my God. Yeah, those were movies we love. Dead Alive, which is one of Peter Jackson's first movies, is this grotesque kind of horror zombie movie that is so gross. And me and Evan would watch it and just be like, oh, my God, this is what we're looking for.

[Dax Shepard]

Too much.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah, this is the stuff right here. And Evil Dead and Army of Darkness in those movies, they're so gross and funny.

[Monica Padman]

It's amazing the two of you have been able to continue together.

[Dax Shepard]

And Evans had kids.

[Seth Rogen]

They have.

[Monica Padman]

Really amazing.

[Dax Shepard]

Yeah. Okay. So before you came in, it was told to me that you were hopeful I would watch all 10 episodes of the studio.

[Seth Rogen]

It's always helpful.

[Dax Shepard]

And I go, man, I love them, but this is a tall order.

[Seth Rogen]

That's five hours.

[Dax Shepard]

I normally have to watch someone's movie or I watch an episode or two.

[Monica Padman]

Oh, they're half hours.

[Seth Rogen]

They're half hours. Yeah.

[Dax Shepard]

But I'm like, man, I gotta watch the whole series. So of course, I go into it with a little, like, oh, fingers crossed. From the bottom of my heart and sincerely, I have probably told 40 people already. That's so nice how much I love it. I watched two by myself, and then I said to Kristen, you've got to go watch these two and catch up because we're going now for the next five nights, we're doing this show. And then. So she, too, is obsessed. I just plowed through it and I loved it, and I'm so glad I had all 10, to be honest. But I don't know what part of your dick to start sucking first exactly. Like, I want to tease the tipple of whatever the sha is calling my name.

[Seth Rogen]

That's why I do this.

[Dax Shepard]

Holy. I think the first thing I wanted to say is this cinematic accomplishment, I did not see it coming, and it's so fucking impressive. Let's go premise first. Just because I want to get to the one or so bad. But hit me with the premise of the studio.

[Seth Rogen]

It exists in a world where there's just kind of one other studio in Hollywood. There's, like, Universal and Netflix and Columbia, and then there's Continental Studios, which in our world was founded 100 years ago, and it's in our Hollywood as we know it. Except there's one other fictional studio, and every other movie exists, and there's the movies that this studio has made, basically. And in the pilot, my character, who's worked at the studio for decades and has always wanted to run the studio and who loves films more than anything, finds himself to be the head of the studio. And it's really based on our dealings with studios. We've been producing a very long time and writing a long time. And honestly, this one sentence that was said to us by an executive many years ago was the colonel of the whole ideas. We were getting notes on something, and he goes, you know, I got into this job because I love movies, and now it's my job to ruin them. And we were like. And that's honestly something. Something We've seen a lot because we've befriended a lot of executives over the year. We've worked with great executives.

[Dax Shepard]

Catherine O'Hara seems a little archetype of Amy Pascal, a little bit inspired by.

[Seth Rogen]

Her role in our lives, especially as, like, a mentor and someone who taught us a lot.

[Dax Shepard]

I adore her.

[Seth Rogen]

Oh, she's the best. She watched the whole show. She was very nervous about it, but she loved it.

[Monica Padman]

Wait, Amy.

[Dax Shepard]

Amy Ben Scale used to run Columbia.

[Seth Rogen]

Sony, and was sort of unceremoniously and unfairly. Yes. Sort of in the wake of the interview. I would be lying if I was.

[Dax Shepard]

Her email partially responsible for it all happening.

[Seth Rogen]

Which adds a layer to it all.

[Monica Padman]

Wow. Okay.

[Seth Rogen]

But since then she's become a very successful producer and it's a much better job. But it's a hard transition which is something we deal with in the show.

[Dax Shepard]

And. Can we talk for one second? Because for years the president of the studio was a threatening figure for me. It was who I would have to really bowl over and impress in a pitch to get them to buy it. And then to get it greenlit was its own fiasco. And so hard. And so I just had this weird relationship. And then over the years I've been able to step back. I imagine we feel the same way. Which is might be the worst job in all of Hollywood.

[Seth Rogen]

Exactly. Anything you do could get you fired. So it's a constant dance of how much responsibility or ownership do I take over any given thing. Because you want to be associated with successes and not associated with failures. But you don't know which one is going to be which. There's countless movies that everyone wrote off as bombs that become huge hits and vice versa. Things that everyone's betting on as a huge hit that becomes a bomb. And also art and commerce are obviously big themes in Hollywood and in our lives, I would imagine. And they are truly the inflection point of those things. And they really are the people who every day are faced with the choice of do I support creativity or do I mitigate risk and bet on commerce.

[Dax Shepard]

These two actors I don't even want. No one agrees are good. But they're going to secure me x.

[Monica Padman]

Amount for 50 million followers.

[Seth Rogen]

Exactly. Or you make the dumber version of the movie and the smarter. And it's a very fear and panic based job because you could actually lose your job at any moment. I've known people that run movie studios for like, like six months. They're gone.

[Dax Shepard]

They're never even there to see their movies come out.

[Seth Rogen]

No. Or they don't do anything. That's actually a strategy a lot of people take is to do nothing. So you can't be blamed for it. A lot of people's strategies are to come in and to try to not make movies.

[Dax Shepard]

It's just an all fear run job. I started getting really empathetic and sympathetic. These people I used to kind of hate or was scared of. Now I'm like oh my God.

[Seth Rogen]

It's like hard to fully villainize them once you get to know them. So it was during the pandemic. I Rewatched the Larry Sanders show, which was one of my favorite shows ever when I was young. And I was just like, it'd fun to do something kind of like this. What's my version of this type of character who's constantly at odds with what he wants to do and what his job is making him do. He wants to make art. He wishes he was Robert Evans in Robert Evans's time. Yeah, no one is anymore, but a lot of studio heads are like that still currently. Sad.

[Monica Padman]

Really.

[Seth Rogen]

It is.

[Dax Shepard]

It's a bummer of a job.

[Seth Rogen]

It's really sad, but it's funny. It's, like, inherently was very comedic to us. We would constantly just see these people in these situations where we're just like, thank God this is them, because it's so fucked up. And a lot of it is also. They just want famous people to like them, and they just want directors to like them, and they want writers to like them.

[Dax Shepard]

And the writers and directors and actors just want something. Such a transactional relationship.

[Seth Rogen]

At best, they like you because you're giving them things, and at worst, they don't because you're not. Or they just think you're a fucking idiot. And a lot of them just want to be like, if there's that group of people at the party talking, that's the filmmakers. They just want to be invited into that group.

[Dax Shepard]

Well, the show starts with Seth's character. Matt, you're visiting set for the first time, and Pete Berg's directing. I don't even think I've put it other than I've been directing a movie and the president stopped by and I'm just panicked. I don't want him there because I'm afraid I'm gonna do a bad job in front of him. I really underestimated how rough it is for the studio.

[Seth Rogen]

They often don't want you there, and I think that is palpable to them as well. And they just want to be there.

[Dax Shepard]

And they killed themselves for 30 years to get this job. And then they show up at their movie. That's their financing, and no one wants them there. It's really sad, but you make yourself the joke of the whole movie, which is fantastic. Back to the sensitivity thing and who you can make fun of. I think it's very fair because you're the one who's probably most embarrassing in all these situations.

[Seth Rogen]

Oh, for sure. And it really is tapping into my own fears. I am a producer now. I produce more things than I act in or Right. I am often in the position where I'm like, am I making these things worse or better? Are people happy when I show up or are they bummed out when I show up?

[Dax Shepard]

It's hard to know.

[Seth Rogen]

It is hard to know. And a lot of the stuff that I wanted to write about and put into the show was my own feelings of insecurity. Just as someone who at times we are the people who decide which movies are getting made and which ones aren't. And we're betting on people and not other people. And we're casting people and not other people. And it really is that fear that I'm ultimately mitigating risk as opposed to nurturing.

[Monica Padman]

It's weird to be on one side of the line and transition to the other side, identity wise.

[Seth Rogen]

That conflict is really something about like the character that I thought was very funny and interesting. I've put so much more work into this than anything I've done in a very long time, it seems. So, yeah. And so I really knew I wanted to be a character that I thought I could perform in a funny way. But also you're very spoke to my own struggle.

[Monica Padman]

You can say it.

[Seth Rogen]

My struggle book coming soon.

[Dax Shepard]

Look for the German translation.

[Seth Rogen]

But yeah. So all those things were really the reason that we made the show.

[Dax Shepard]

So you get this job, but you make this Faustian deal right out of the gates with the chairman, Bryan Cranston. He basically says, like, I will give you this, this job if and only if you get on board with making this exciting new franchise. Kool Aid. Yeah.

[Seth Rogen]

Oh, Aid the movie.

[Dax Shepard]

God, a movie on Kool Aid?

[Monica Padman]

Yeah.

[Dax Shepard]

Which isn't even that nuts.

[Seth Rogen]

It's not crazy.

[Dax Shepard]

It's just enough to be something.

[Seth Rogen]

It's like 1 degree stupider.

[Dax Shepard]

Probably would make a great movie the more I watch the show.

[Seth Rogen]

Well, what's funny is in the show we come up with like a plot for the Kool Aid movie. And we really put a lot of thought into it. It's funny. I watched the bear and I really like it. That was something I would say a lot as we were making the show is like a ser. As they take cooking is as seriously as we have to take filmmaking. We can't pretend that something would happen that wouldn't. And we can't present the audience with an idea that we are telling them people would be excited about. But in the back your head, you know, they wouldn't make that fucking movie or that cast wouldn't be exciting or you wouldn't be nervous. Talking to this person has to feel real also.

[Dax Shepard]

Okay. So that's the premise. Ike Barinholtz is one rung under Seth's character.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah.

[Dax Shepard]

And fucking couldn't love Ike more. Katherine Hahn is the head of marketing.

[Monica Padman]

These are all our favorite people.

[Seth Rogen]

She's so funny.

[Dax Shepard]

What a monster she is. She's so fucking.

[Seth Rogen]

Oh, my God. I never really worked with her. I did, like, a live reading with her once a few years ago, and I just always been a fan of hers. It's funny because in the script originally, that character was sort of like the straight person, the smartest in the room, the most buttoned up. And then she came in, was like, no. But also was like, that's not who the hens of publicity are. They know everyone. They're kind of in on influencer culture. They're so online, want to be the hippest in every single thing.

[Dax Shepard]

These archetypes are pretty consistent through all the studios. They really are.

[Seth Rogen]

Sure. Building up to the show, we interviewed almost every person who runs a studio in Hollywood, almost every person who runs marketing for a studio in Hollywood, people who used to run studios. One of actually the resounding feelings from the marketing people was that they view themselves as more creative than the executives. They're like, we actually make stuff.

[Dax Shepard]

They do.

[Seth Rogen]

We actually create things. We're making commercials, content. We're thinking of posters. We're thinking of little ads. These guys are just sitting in rooms fucking giving notes and shit that I'm sitting in front of an editing machine.

[Dax Shepard]

They're the arbiters of good ideas, and we are the creators of good ideas.

[Seth Rogen]

And so that was like, a really funny dynamic. They have extreme ownership. They're incredibly confident, a lot of them, which is also like, the dichotomy. A lot of the executives are sort of like me. They're kind of like Nebisti, Jewish people who are feigning confidence at best. But the marketing people come from sales. They have, like, a whole different energy.

[Dax Shepard]

To defend them for a minute because that other job's so terrible. They have nothing to do with what gets made.

[Seth Rogen]

They actually are on the green light committee at some of the studios.

[Dax Shepard]

That's true. But most often, they are handed a movie. Their task was make everyone in America well.

[Seth Rogen]

They could have directly been overruled is what happens a lot. Often they will have said, we should not make this movie.

[Dax Shepard]

We can't sell this.

[Seth Rogen]

We cannot sell it. And then they're like, guess what? We did anyway. And if it fails, you're the one who's going to get fired.

[Dax Shepard]

They got to polish a lot of Turds.

[Seth Rogen]

Yes, for sure. That was just a very funny dynamic to add into the show. And Catherine O'Hare is on the show.

[Dax Shepard]

Katherine O'Hara, Canadian fellow Canadian legend, icon. She's a so perfect and everything. Okay. The episode that I have to imagine you feel proudest of, I can't stop talking about, is episode two. It's called the Oner.

[Seth Rogen]

That was a tough one.

[Dax Shepard]

I don't want to give too much away, but I also want to wet people's appetite because it's an incredible accomplishment. The episode's called the Oner. It starts with you and Ike driving to visit set. We already know people do not want you to visit set. And the stakes couldn't be higher because Sarah Pauley is directing a movie and they're getting a shot at Magic Hour, which means you have this tiny window of 40 minutes, minutes of good light, and then the shot's going to be the camera and it's going to do a one or we're never going to cut. It has to be perfect. And you guys decide to visit in.

[Monica Padman]

That moment, tell people what a oner is.

[Seth Rogen]

It's a continuous shot, like the most famous one, probably. It's like the one in Goodfellas where they start outside the Copacabana and they go through the kitchen and they weave their way through and they drop the table and the comedian starts.

[Monica Padman]

There's no cuts.

[Seth Rogen]

No cuts. One long, uninterrupted.

[Dax Shepard]

And everything has to be done perfectly. You can't fuck up once there's no coverage for it. It's a full commitment.

[Seth Rogen]

Very full.

[Dax Shepard]

Famous one in Hit and Run.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah, very famous.

[Dax Shepard]

The second most famous one. But by the way, when you commit to one and it works, the exhilaration beats anything you can do on a Saturday.

[Monica Padman]

Because it's a team sport. Everyone has to hit everything perfectly.

[Dax Shepard]

A lot of moving parts. They're very hard, and the show is so menace. So also they're acknowledging what masturbation a oner is.

[Seth Rogen]

How no one notices, how it's just for the filmmakers to get off on their own technique. Yeah.

[Dax Shepard]

I've even heard stories about people having the existing record on the monitor that they're trying to be. Yes, yes, yes.

[Seth Rogen]

Okay.

[Dax Shepard]

So what's impossible is the episode is also a oner in real life. The episode itself is a oner about a oner. And then all the things that are being laid out in the episode are just so satisfyingly woven into the episode.

[Seth Rogen]

Is a. Yeah, well, in the whole show, every scene is a winner. On the whole show. There's a few episodes where it's maybe only four or five shots throughout the.

[Monica Padman]

Whole thing for 30 minutes.

[Dax Shepard]

Yeah, that is impressive.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah.

[Dax Shepard]

But also, not only are they choreographing their own oner, which is the episode, but there's also a real life oner happening in the show.

[Monica Padman]

Jesus.

[Dax Shepard]

It is so mind scrambly. It's an insane accomplishment.

[Seth Rogen]

Thank you.

[Dax Shepard]

Because it's not just the oner, it's the like payoff. It's magic.

[Monica Padman]

Oh my God. Holy shit. Did you direct it?

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah, we directed the whole show. We wrote the show knowing it would be wonders. It wasn't like a thing we just decided when we showed. And for that episode especially, we had to really block basically the entire episode in the days leading up to it, but not with the actors. So like me and Evan, who I direct with and the writers, we only had access to this house for like two days before we started shooting it. And so as they were rigging the house, we just would walk through it and really try to block it. What we would do is we could only actually shoot for around an hour a day because of the light. So we could only shoot between 5 and 6pm, basically. So everyone would show up in the morning and we would rehearse whatever that day's chunk was. And they were eight or nine minute chunks. There's very little trickery in that episode.

[Dax Shepard]

Oh yeah, yeah. It seemed like you had three cuts.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah, exactly. There's like three or four cuts total.

[Dax Shepard]

In the whole thing, which you can't tell. They're stitched beautifully. Chris and I, we were even arguing. I'm like, probably there was a hood mount on the car that was somehow easily detached.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah, it's exactly what it was.

[Dax Shepard]

Oh, thank God. I just won one.

[Seth Rogen]

You do visual effects to erase rigging. That's like a trick we would do.

[Dax Shepard]

Well, it be on the hood.

[Seth Rogen]

There's a lot of slight of involved.

[Dax Shepard]

This is a cinephiles whack off session. Like we were geeking out.

[Seth Rogen]

It was so fun for us. It was just like the opposite of how we were always brought up making movies. It was always about two cameras, improv. We'll figure it out editorially later. We were like, what if we do the exact opposite and we are painting ourselves into this corner that we cannot paint ourselves out of.

[Dax Shepard]

Because there's 15 actors in that episode that all have lines. If one person forgets their line.

[Monica Padman]

Scary.

[Dax Shepard]

Nine minutes into a take, it's back to the car.

[Seth Rogen]

Oh, the Golden Globes. One was the Heart because of the amount of people. That has a lot of long shots in it. But there's also 400 extras in every single scene.

[Dax Shepard]

So my question about that episode is, did you guys piggyback on when the show was actually.

[Seth Rogen]

No, we created our own Golden Globes. That's another episode we shot at four days because we couldn't have that room for very long. And we had to load in and load out in the same week. But no, we threw the Golden Globe.

[Dax Shepard]

No, it's a full Golden Globe. So that show has to be functioning as a real Golden Globe show in the background.

[Seth Rogen]

Oh, yeah. We had to cast so many people, and the choreography biography of it was unbelievably complicated. But it's funny because as we were doing it, we're like, I don't even know if the average person will be able to articulate what is happening here. The energy of it, I think, is what we were excited about.

[Dax Shepard]

Well, okay, so another achievement of the show is you have fucking plot. A lot of comedies really don't have plot. They don't have an engine. And these episodes, every one of them are so stressful. The tension is thriving throughout the whole show. And that's because of the oners.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah, it's because you're never cutting. And I think it's also because it never settles into a rhythm of cutting back between two people. We were always like, the tone should be stress and panic. It is. And there's only a stories in the episode, which I think was also conducive to that type of storytelling is we're never cutting between. You set up my story and I'm doing this thing, and you set up Ike's story and he's doing this thing. The stories are all singular. And so that also helps with the singular camera and the singular style of being in the room with the characters. From like a writing standpoint, you know, it's funny, I did these table reads. It's actually where I met Katherine Hahn for the Netflix is a Joke festival. A few years ago, we did a lot live reading of Seinfeld scripts.

[Dax Shepard]

Oh, I remember this.

[Seth Rogen]

I was Jerry and Aziz Azari was George and Jack Black was Kramer and Katherine Hahn was.

[Monica Padman]

Oh, my God.

[Dax Shepard]

Incredible.

[Seth Rogen]

And I feel like in reading them, it was like the Rosetta Stone or something like that. It's all the structure math, and it's not even the jokes. It's the order of the scenes and the raising of the stakes. That, to me, is what I would want to do with a show. It's like true situational comedy.

[Dax Shepard]

And then also the score. You have this like chaotic jazz and that's fucking nerving you up to nowhere.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah, it's like never rhythmic. That's what we'd always tell the composer. Just like never have it settle into a rhythm. Whenever it feels rhythmic, it would get boring. Always make it a little off and uneasy. It really is stressful.

[Dax Shepard]

So driving home the night of that episode, the oner, did you get a burst of elation?

[Seth Rogen]

I was pretty happy. You could also watch it the next day.

[Dax Shepard]

You don't have to wait for an editor to assemble it.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah, exactly. I was honestly really nervous about how we were shooting the show. And I would talk to my, my wife Lauren a lot about it and I talked to Evan a lot about it. The first few weeks especially, I was just like, are we fucking up? Are we making mistake? Are we so up our own asses with this that we're just sacrificing comedy? That was my real fear. I was like, are we making it less funny in service of this style? And I kept being like, no, I really think we thought of this because it would be additive to the tone and the comedy. And then I saw it cut together and I was like, thank fucking God. And I was so excited about it, so happy by it. And yeah, when we finished the one episode, I was really happy. And Sarah Pauley is someone I've known a very long time. I was in a movie she directed 15 years ago or something like that. And she's such a funny person and such a funny actor. Go was one of mine and Evan's favorite movies, was inspirational to us.

[Dax Shepard]

It's wild and frenetic and.

[Seth Rogen]

Exactly. I think Pineapple Express is very inspired by Go and Dawn of the Dead. I was just always a huge fan of hers and then I worked with her and I'm just like, she's one of the funniest people I've ever been around.

[Dax Shepard]

But again, you have a non actor in this kind of high stakes situation where she's going to have to hit all of her beats really well.

[Seth Rogen]

She like nailed it. It couldn't have been funnier. Yeah, that was the thing with the show. We have a lot of non actors on this show. Filmmakers, writers, directors. That was another fear I had where it's like we're taking these non actors and essentially ask them to do like.

[Dax Shepard]

The hardest kind of acting you can do as an actor.

[Seth Rogen]

Now you got to be a part of this seven minute scene.

[Monica Padman]

Yeah. A play.

[Seth Rogen]

You literally say one word Wrong. We have to start over.

[Dax Shepard]

And we got a 50 minute reset sometimes.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah, literally, we got to get back in the car.

[Monica Padman]

This is so back up the block.

[Dax Shepard]

You're breaking shit all the time.

[Seth Rogen]

I'm falling. There's stunts in the chat.

[Dax Shepard]

My God.

[Seth Rogen]

So what you were saying, it did become, like a real team effort. Those are also my least favorite moments on sets. Often is just you're sitting on an apple box, the crew guys are on their phone, because it's just, okay, now it's this shot. Now it's this shot. One out of 200 people feel like they're working. And that's kind of the person who's on camera then. I've been in some movies. I got to be in a Steven Spielberg movie. And he had these very elaborate shots sometimes where it was like, oh, no, it's all going to play in this one shot. And I would just see how the whole crew would come together and be so psyched about it.

[Dax Shepard]

You're right. People rarely all do their job at the same time.

[Seth Rogen]

Exactly.

[Monica Padman]

That's why people like doing theater, because it's everyone coming together.

[Seth Rogen]

And in this, even if you had two lines in the scene, it was so fun. You didn't feel like you were just window dressing or just waiting for your part. You were part of a huge scene. And that was another reason that it was partially procedurally alluring to us.

[Dax Shepard]

Yes. So I think there's a lot of ways you can be a good director.

[Seth Rogen]

I really, I think, have grown a better understanding of what is needed to accomplish these things and how much time it'll actually take and how much preparation it will actually take. And so we're very prepared. And it would get very discouraging at times, this shooting style, where we would joke often that until sometimes, like the 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th take of these long sequences, it's just not even fucking close. And we would be looking at each other being like, is this the one that, like, can't do? And sometimes it's just the camera has to, like, latch onto the car and the fucking magnet keeps fritzing out. We're relying on technology to do what we want. That isn't as reliable as you would hope it is sometimes. And sometimes it's just an actor keeps missing the thing or tripping over the thing.

[Dax Shepard]

Imagine if you fucked up your line twice.

[Seth Rogen]

No, I feel comfortable saying this because he's my dear friend, but David Krumholtz is in a few episodes of the show, and there's a very complicated sequence of me entering The Golden Globes. It literally starts in the limbo. And then I walk the whole red carpet and I walk through the hall.

[Dax Shepard]

Joke. He's got to hit you.

[Seth Rogen]

Exactly. And then I walk, walk through the ballroom. I'm interacting with a bunch of people throughout it. Adam Scottson and Ike and O'Hara. And all these people at the last moment is me and Krumholtz. And it's like a three line exchange. And there's 500 extras. Cars, limos, all this.

[Dax Shepard]

And he's just got nine minutes sitting.

[Seth Rogen]

In a chair waiting to up and fly. Exactly. More and more nervous, he sees the machine, like, coming towards him. He's like, he moved.

[Dax Shepard]

Guy is holding his side somewhere.

[Seth Rogen]

Yes. You like rolling down the tracks. And I will say God bless him, because I would tell the actors, look, if you genuinely think you've thought of something that is better than what we've written or additive, and it comes to you in the moment, I want you to do it because I don't want it to be too rigid and I want it to feel alive. But just know if it's not good, it's fucked up everything.

[Dax Shepard]

Workshop it in the mega trailer.

[Seth Rogen]

I'm trusting you to gauge in your own whether or not you think I will think it's good enough.

[Monica Padman]

Oh, my God.

[Seth Rogen]

To warrant this risk you're taking. And Dave, several times was just improvising stuff. And even he would do it. We would cut and he would just look at my face and be like, I should have said that.

[Dax Shepard]

She is one of my favorites. And he's spectacular in your show.

[Seth Rogen]

So good on the show. He's one of the best. And then he nailed it. I think some of our moments are some of the best moments in the show. And we would put him in it more after that because it is so alive. And you do feel like I don't quite know what he's gonna do. And at its worst, the show in the earlier takes, that was always. To me, the scary zone is we would start to get it, but it would just feel sort of rigid because everyone was too focused on hitting the mark and the timing and the camera point in the wrong place. And that's why it's good to have agents of chaos like Dave in there in some ways. Just can't say the lines the same way twice. And Han was like that too. She would just say other stuff. And you could see there's like a moment where everyone's like, oh, no, is this gonna cause a major problem?

[Dax Shepard]

But then that becomes its own fun. Thing for you to play with, right?

[Seth Rogen]

Very much so.

[Dax Shepard]

You're scared the whole time.

[Seth Rogen]

The characters are actually stressed out. Actually like quite on edge that we're not going to get it.

[Monica Padman]

Oh, there's something so Kids in a playground about it.

[Seth Rogen]

That's what was also fun about it. It's like. It is how kids film things. You just point the camera at who's talking and you walk around and that's it. And so there is that energy. It did feel a lot like that.

[Dax Shepard]

It's a cool way to keep yourself interested in year 30. It's like you gotta do something to wake yourself.

[Seth Rogen]

Definitely.

[Dax Shepard]

I'm afraid of the next show you do.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah, exactly. Underwater. What are we going to do? You know what I heard is impossible. It's underwater.

[Dax Shepard]

Stay tuned for more Armchair Expert, if you dare.

[Seth Rogen]

Me and Evan, we kept saying as we were doing it, we're like, this is one of the most creatively invigorating things we've done since we made Superbad.

[Dax Shepard]

Yeah. How long did it take you from start to finish writing it and then shooting it and finishing it?

[Seth Rogen]

I was shooting the Fabelmans when I first thought of it, so that was two and a half years ago or something like that. And then it maybe took six months for us to start writing it. And then I think it took like a year of writing because we wrote the whole show, basically, and then we shot the whole show. So not that long, actually. Like, on the grand scale of things.

[Dax Shepard]

No. With how intricate it is and how well done it is, any amount of time would not have shocked me.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah. Okay.

[Dax Shepard]

I hope you're able to do this. So the appearances are one after another. Like, Martin Scorsese's in it, Steve Buscemi, Ron Howard's in it, Charlize Theron's in it, Zack Afron's in it, Olivia Wilde's in it. Ice Cube's in it. It never stops. And when I'm watching that, I'm so happy for you because to me, that is this crazy reflection of what you've built. You can call Martin Scorsese and he'll show up and do your thing.

[Seth Rogen]

Call his manager.

[Monica Padman]

Ultimately, he has to say, I've never.

[Seth Rogen]

Met Martin Scorsese before.

[Dax Shepard]

There's a lot of accomplishments on display. There's the technical accomplishment, there's the writing. There's the life story of you and Evan. But also there's the goodwill. Yes. What you've built, goodwill wise, really, it's all there.

[Seth Rogen]

Part of my whole thesis in general, is to try to overd deliver. I don't take any success for granted. When we made this the end and all these things, we were just like, give people more than they're expecting. Don't tell them it's Hollywood and then have a few people and try to sell that as Hollywood. So that was something for us that was very important, is we were like, if it. If it's going to be about Hollywood, you have to believe that these are the people a studio head would be excited by, intimidated by wanting to impress, wanting to befriend the actual people who are in movies. And we're not trying to tell you, yeah, this guy's in a movie.

[Dax Shepard]

This is the Tom Cruise of this show.

[Seth Rogen]

Exactly. We really didn't want to do that. And Larry Sanders, again, was a thing that was hugely inspirational for that, because as a kid, I remember Sean Penn's on it and Jim Carrey's on it and Tom Petty's on it and Elvis Costello on it, and all these great comedians and actors are on it. And I was like, that's part of the fun of it. They got them, and it feels real as a result.

[Dax Shepard]

There's so many that Kristen said to me mid episode, do you ever start feeling offended you're not in something the whole time?

[Seth Rogen]

We're just like, I just hope this is easier the second season.

[Monica Padman]

She's also an acting robot. She would have killed those waters.

[Dax Shepard]

She's built for a water.

[Seth Rogen]

Also, we didn't want to only do people that we know and that we work with, and they're kind of, like, associated with us. So it was kind of a mix of people that we didn't even know that well.

[Dax Shepard]

Do you have a relationship with Scorsese?

[Seth Rogen]

I met him once for two seconds before this.

[Dax Shepard]

It was a cold call.

[Seth Rogen]

We really tried to make the roles good. Honestly, that was like a big part of it was. Even if you had one joke, we wanted it to be, like, a great moment and to not feel like you're just kind of there. And they're not just, like extras in the scene. Everyone has to have a moment that they can really sink their teeth into. But it was really hard. And we spent a ton of time rewriting the scripts for people. They want it to be good, and once they commit to it, they're like, okay, what if I do this and what if I do that? It was always very welcome.

[Dax Shepard]

Everyone that came had some leverage.

[Seth Rogen]

Everyone has leverage. You want them to think it's funny. And that's the other thing, is we're always Just like, we want you to be excited about this. Like, we don't want you to feel like you're doing us a favor. We want you to feel like you're getting to do a thing that you think is cool. It was by far one of the biggest challenges of the show was to get all these people and to schedule it and to not let them down.

[Dax Shepard]

Honestly, did you find it hard to direct these huge people? Were you like, oh, I gotta tell.

[Seth Rogen]

Yes.

[Monica Padman]

I have to tell Martin Scorsese.

[Seth Rogen]

It was different. Talking to the actors is the thing I struggle with most as a director. And it's also because I'm an actor in the scenes, and some actors just don't like to be directed by the other actors. Me and Olivia Wilde were talking about it. Me and Evan would kind of do like a good cop, bad cops thing. I would be in the scenes and be like, great, perfect. And then I'd go to Evan and be like, tell her to slow down. She's not hitting her mark. She's not saying the slide properly. And she actually would the only one that clued into it. But it's really hard.

[Dax Shepard]

I had to do a thing with Michael Peno, and I didn't figure this out until like, two weeks into shooting because we're in every single scene together and I'm directing it. And about two weeks in, it occurred to me, he doesn't hear me give myself a note. All he hears is me say something to him. So two weeks in I go, I need you to know, after these takes, I go, like, that was too slow. I got to speed it up. I give myself notes and then I come to you. I just want you to know, I don't think I'm doing it perfectly. I'm berating myself and then I go on to you.

[Seth Rogen]

I would have a hard time doing it alone. Having a partner makes it much easier, I think, in a lot of ways.

[Dax Shepard]

Because they got to be a little suspicious, like, how the fuck he know what happened? He's inside the scene with me.

[Seth Rogen]

A thing that would happen is the people I was in the scenes with could tell when I just was dropped out. Yeah. Because I was also very aware where the camera was and what it was capturing at all times. So there'd be times I would just see, like, oh, the camera guy, he just missed it. You started talking too soon.

[Dax Shepard]

So that's easy to call cut on. But I think the thing that would be hard. How on earth did you manage when someone did a shitty delivery of a line? Minute one of a five minute one, or did you go like, oh, I'll just go through to the end, or will I just be brave right now and say cut?

[Seth Rogen]

It depends what take it was because also you got to navigate just not bumming people out. Yes. And that's something me and Evan talked a lot about. And that's something we actually learned a lot in improvisational comedy is it's a fine line between directing improv and just shutting people down. Sometimes we would let people go on these runs for 10 minutes where we're just like, this isn't going to be in the movie. But like, they seem to really think funny. We'll get 10 other good things out of them today because we didn't tell them this sucked, basically. And so that was math that would happen in our heads. Sometimes. It was a hard reset. I would stop early because I would just know, like, oh, once this happens, it's going into a new zone. But that was something we were constantly navigating.

[Dax Shepard]

Well, this is the most I've ever talked about a show when someone was promoting a show. But I have still yet a couple more questions.

[Seth Rogen]

Great.

[Dax Shepard]

One is, the other thing that I became hyper aware of is your own aesthetic, or at least what I think is your aesthetic is really on fire. Every single house we go to is an arc architectural masterpiece.

[Monica Padman]

I complimented Seth's outfit when he got here. It's very nice. Are those Bottega shoes?

[Seth Rogen]

They are, yes. Yes.

[Dax Shepard]

Very nice. He's like a little style boy.

[Monica Padman]

You can do that when you don't have kids. You can spend all your money on.

[Dax Shepard]

Clothes, couches and clothes.

[Seth Rogen]

It's a thing I'm like, sort of making fun of myself with. I like all that stuff.

[Dax Shepard]

And then of course, for me, I got hyper focused on all the cars. So every episode, Matt Remic is driving a different 60s, different car. There's an MG, then there's an old Merc, then he's in a 53 vet. You don't have a car thing though, do you?

[Seth Rogen]

I do like old cars. I don't have like a collection of old cars.

[Dax Shepard]

Do you have any old cars?

[Seth Rogen]

I have a Carmen Ghia that's perfect for you. Yes. Yeah. And I have a Studebaker Lark. Not the one in the show, but I have one like that one that we drive in the water.

[Dax Shepard]

Have you ever eyed an Avante?

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah, those are amazing. I like those.

[Dax Shepard]

Oh, I'll add to the complexity. He's driving these old fucking 70 year old cars that are all stick shifts up, even in the water episode, getting in the driveway for real. I'm starting to think he's got his hands full. He's directing this thing.

[Seth Rogen]

I'm just driving that car and I'm driving so fast. In that episode, Ike was so scared the whole time we were doing it.

[Dax Shepard]

And you have a look on your face when you drive. I started clocking. You almost like, lick your lips as you're navigating.

[Seth Rogen]

There's a giant fucking camera. I can't see.

[Dax Shepard]

I can't see. You're an irreplaceable car. If you fuck it up, you're down for the day.

[Seth Rogen]

It's what we made. This is the end. Honestly. We were designing the house for the movie to be set in. And at first the joke was like, it's a douchey, over the top, overly stylish house. And by the end, I was just like, oh, no, I just made my dream.

[Dax Shepard]

Yes, yes. You're like Nancy Meyers in this way.

[Seth Rogen]

It worked in both ways, though. To the average viewer, it was a douchey, over the top house. And to me, it was my dream house. And so that philosophy carried through me. And Evan joked about a lot. A lot of my memories in Hollywood are being in beautiful places with beautifully dressed people screaming at each other about the stupidest shit ever. And that was, like, an energy we wanted to capture. It's glamorous and it's institutional, and it's been here for decades. And great architects have built these homes that people live in, and they're these beautiful homes. And then you're in there just, like, screaming at each other about, like, how much of the guy's balls you can show in the movie. Amy Pascal. This, like, gorgeous architectural house, and the studios are very beautiful.

[Dax Shepard]

Is this real?

[Seth Rogen]

No, we built that completely.

[Dax Shepard]

Okay. I got really angry because we're watching it and you seem to be on Warner Brothers for lots of this.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah.

[Dax Shepard]

Show. And there's a Frank Lloyd Wright building in the show.

[Seth Rogen]

The idea is that Frank Lloyd Wright designed the main offices in the Mayan period or. Yeah, exactly. It's like maybe Revival.

[Dax Shepard]

So I was like, I worked on that lot for two years and I.

[Seth Rogen]

There's a Frank Lloyd Wright. I was angry.

[Dax Shepard]

I was beating myself up for having missed that. So that's entirely fabricated, entirely fake.

[Seth Rogen]

Thank God.

[Dax Shepard]

Because I could see where it was.

[Seth Rogen]

Positioned, and I was like, you kind.

[Dax Shepard]

Of buy into it. It's like, oh, yeah, I could see that.

[Seth Rogen]

It was part of the idea of making it seem, like, old and monumental. A lot of these Studios are gorgeous. The Paramount offices are beautiful. The Columbia offices are these like art deco marvels. So much artistic thought went the building and then inside they're making decisions of all time. They're so bucking against any creative freedom as they're standing in these like cathedrals of cinema that people were given free reign to make beautiful. But I'm just a huge architecture fan and I love Frank Lloyd Wright buildings in LA especially, and they are all this Mayan revival. But there's a great documentary about Frank Lloyd Wright and it talks about how all of his buildings in Los Angeles are essentially uninhabitable because he had suffered like a terrible family tragedy before he came to la. And they are all very tomb.

[Dax Shepard]

Like this one right on the street. The Black Dolly house.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah, exactly.

[Dax Shepard]

Constantly being run.

[Seth Rogen]

They have like a sarcophagus esque vibe to them. And to us, that was a funny work environment for a lot of reasons because it feels very old and it feels like we're trying to uphold this days that have gone by institution. We're like encased in this tomb, basically.

[Dax Shepard]

A big cement blob.

[Seth Rogen]

But it's also kind of beautiful. And all the houses in the show are John Lautner houses, who is a student of Frank Lloyd Wright. A lot of his houses are in movies. In Lethal Weapon 2, the Garcia House is a John Lautner house. So, yeah, we also like this idea that it was an architect whose work is in film. And a lot of the music in the show is from other movies.

[Dax Shepard]

Chinatown.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah, we use the Chinatown score. We use the Long Goodbye music.

[Dax Shepard]

I also started adding up your budget as I was watching. I was like, he got a nice.

[Seth Rogen]

It was pretty good. Just keep buying those iPhones.

[Monica Padman]

I always ask this when we have people on who are in creative partnerships where one person's more of the phase. And same with Ike and Dave. Has there ever been tension there? He doesn't get it occurred to me.

[Dax Shepard]

On this interview, Monica. I was like, it's time. The next time we need to have evidence.

[Monica Padman]

Yeah.

[Dax Shepard]

Would he be up for that?

[Seth Rogen]

Totally.

[Dax Shepard]

I was like, is this starting to feel immoral for us to not include Evan?

[Seth Rogen]

Whenever I'm on Howard Stern, he's also fascinated with Evan and he's always like, what is his deal? Yeah, the fact that Evan has no desire to be in front of the camera, I think is an instrumental part of our dynamic and that he is not jealous. If anything, he's like, I'm so glad.

[Monica Padman]

I don't have to do all the.

[Seth Rogen]

Stuff that I have to do as the performer in the things.

[Monica Padman]

Sometimes that gets tricky. We had also Phineas with Billy, obviously, always, like, how are you guys doing it? In a way that. But some people just don't care.

[Dax Shepard]

But it's also reflective of us personally.

[Monica Padman]

Well, yeah, of course, I.

[Dax Shepard]

It's always interesting.

[Monica Padman]

Of course I find it interesting because it's not that easy for us. It's a little more complicated, I think.

[Seth Rogen]

I know so many partnerships that have broken up over the years and more than haven't, actually. I know a lot of teams that have split up.

[Dax Shepard]

We had a therapist actually say to us, we were producing a show.

[Monica Padman]

Things were getting real hairy for a second there.

[Dax Shepard]

And she looked at us and she said, you guys are in the Beatles. Look what you guys get to do and what you make. Don't break up.

[Seth Rogen]

Don't fuck it up.

[Dax Shepard]

That's really great. Thank you for saying that out loud. Yes, that's true.

[Monica Padman]

It's true. But when you're in it, you can feel like, I'm not getting this recognition or I'm not getting this. I could see for Evan or Dave or for Phineas, like, no one knows what I'm doing. Maybe they don't.

[Dax Shepard]

But it's interesting because Phineas doesn't have that. Some people have it. He knows damn well what he's doing.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah, Evan, too. He doesn't care at all. He does get a lot of credit for a lot of stuff.

[Dax Shepard]

Sure. He's got a really nice house.

[Seth Rogen]

Great.

[Dax Shepard]

He'll probably leave his kids some money.

[Seth Rogen]

Exactly.

[Monica Padman]

Well, Phineas said something really interesting. He said, actually, I get attention, but it matters that Billy gives me the recognition. If she wasn't doing it, then, yeah, I'd have a problem with it. If within the partnership, there wasn't that acknowledgement, definitely.

[Seth Rogen]

I feel very fortunate about it. And it's not lost on us. We recognize it. We are like, isn't it great that we still like each other and we still work together? Well, and his life is very different than mine in many ways. And we. We've found ways to navigate that. You know, he has kids, and I. I act sometimes. We both have things that pull us away from just writing and directing together, but we've never really had any issue. I feel very lucky about it. It's very fortunate.

[Dax Shepard]

Okay, last question. In the show, you're acknowledging the real context of our industry, which is, like, movies are harder and harder to get to make money. It's just gotten more stressful. They make less movies. Less of them work. The whole thing's terrifying.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah.

[Dax Shepard]

You perfectly pivoted into tv. And I wonder, do you consciously do that or did it just accidentally happen? When I look at a lot of your peers, you somehow went perfectly into doing virtually what you were doing in movies and tv.

[Seth Rogen]

It was sort of conscious. I think what's good is we are also able to keep making movies just in a different way than we did before.

[Dax Shepard]

Yeah, but like making a $30 million comedy that's going to make 120, that's just off the table.

[Seth Rogen]

Ninja Turtles to us is a movie that we can write that's like a high school comedy that is really fun and we love it. But in order to make that movie now it has to be Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. And it's a lot of ideas that we would put into any movie, but it's just like, oh, or Barbie.

[Dax Shepard]

For me, that's a comedy. That's a straight up comedy.

[Seth Rogen]

I think we've always been realistic as to what the market wants and can bear. We made Knocked up in Superbad, but very quickly we were like, we gotta add machine guns and car chases to this shit or it's gonna start to feel the same. And after that we're like, oh, we gotta add like demons and monsters and meta celebrity in order for this to new and relevant. I don't know if we've ever spent that much time lamenting the trends and instead have tried to really see what is working and work through that. So with television, that for sure was like a conscious thing. We're like, oh, now you can do in television. That used to be the stuff we did in movies. And it's different, but it's kind of the same.

[Dax Shepard]

Yeah. Now on the other side of all of it. And as much as I lamented the disappearance of all that and I suffered, I've made movies that didn't work in this era. I also recognize I am so glad the Boys isn't a movie.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah.

[Dax Shepard]

So on the other side of it, have you found making TV is just as fun or even more?

[Seth Rogen]

I mean, we had so much fun with this show. I've always been able to really wrap my head around writing movies. And I think writing TV and movies are very different, as is evidenced by the fact that there are brilliant TV writers who write terrible movies and brilliant movie writers who make terrible TV shows. They are not the same skill set. And I actually did always find I struggled to be a meaningful contributor on a lot of our TV shows because I think the thing that. That I had a hard time wrapping my Head around was this seven hour movie idea. And then with the studio, one of the big revelations for me was like, no, it is not a serialized show. It's very episodic. Oh, I can actually really wrap my head around one 30 minute movie. Basically something with a beginning, middle, end, a setup and a payoff. That's the thing that is exciting about television is you can sort of create your own type of narrative and they're just much more open to risk. I mean, in the 80s, maybe this would have been a movie. In the 70s, but this was conceived of for TV. Knowing this is not at all the type of thing that they would make into a movie. But this is exactly the kind of thing that they would make into a well budgeted TV show. But we still have movie ideas. We are working on movies and we would like to keep making movies, but we just try to be realistic. I saw One of Them Days with Kiki Palmer and sza. Yeah. And it was fucking hilarious. And it did well. R rated comedy. I saw it in the full theater and I was like, it works. It can still work. I just saw Judd give an interview where he was saying like, like, if the Hangover came out today, it would fucking annihilate. I think it's a trend. I do think it ebbs and flows. There are moments where all seems lost.

[Monica Padman]

And then Barbie comes out and then.

[Seth Rogen]

A movie comes out where you're like, oh no. Like people are into this stuff.

[Dax Shepard]

But also I'm watching Fall Guy and I'm like, this movie is flawless. It's got everything you would ever want. This thing should make half a billion dollars.

[Seth Rogen]

It's just too expensive. That's the thing you have to be smart about also. And that's the thing we've always tried to really consider is you have to be realistic about what your movie costs, what you're asking of people. You know, if I making was essentially a romantic comedy, I would not spend 80, 90, $100 million on it. I spend like 20, $30 million on it. That's always been part of our philosophy, but we're never as existential about it. I feel like, as some people get, because I think I've personally seen these trends ebb and flow just throughout the time I've been here, you know. And like Sandler makes movies that are on Netflix, but they're great and people love them. And if I was out to dinner with his, we just were talking about comedy and the waitress was there and she's like, who's the best comedian alive? Right now. Adam Sandler, without skipping a second, she.

[Dax Shepard]

Said it or you?

[Seth Rogen]

She said it.

[Dax Shepard]

She said it.

[Seth Rogen]

We were like, we don't get an obligatory nod.

[Dax Shepard]

We're right in front of you.

[Seth Rogen]

Those things give me hope. People still like these things. People always will want a comedy movie. Just the system has crumbled a little bit. When I was younger, you could write a funny movie. They would buy it and then and cast it. That doesn't happen very much anymore. Now they want you to have everyone attached. But actors don't want to get attached. Kind of rightfully so, because you're exposing yourself. And if you attach yourself to a thing and no one buys it, then you could feel as though that's a knock on your career.

[Monica Padman]

You don't have any capital.

[Seth Rogen]

Exactly. But also, that shouldn't be the system. The studio should just buy into the idea of it if they like it. And trust me, once that movie exists, it is going to be made. You will be able to cast it. Actors who are great, who know it's a real thing, who aren't exposing themselves and their name, instead of studios doing what they should do, which is buy and develop films and then decide which ones to make and then cast them and hire directors and make them, that system has gone away a little bit. And I think that's out of just pure terror and risk mitigation and panic and all the stuff that is in the show. And it's people thinking that that will give them a more sure bet, but it's also negating the entire system. That's in place of, like, executives developing ideas that are hopefully good and working with talent that is hopefully good.

[Dax Shepard]

Well, I love it, man. I'm so glad that I got to see all.

[Seth Rogen]

That's so nice. Feel very lucky.

[Dax Shepard]

It comes out on March 26th on Apple plus, and it's spectacular. And this is number three, and I can't wait for number four.

[Seth Rogen]

We'll get Evan in here.

[Dax Shepard]

Yeah, we have space.

[Seth Rogen]

You do, too. Yes.

[Dax Shepard]

Tell him there's a seat waiting for him. All right, well, thanks for coming in. Those.

[Seth Rogen]

Thanks for having me. That was great.

[Dax Shepard]

Hi, there. This is hermium, Permium. If you like that, you're going to love the fact check, Ms. Monica.

[Monica Padman]

Oh, okay. Oh. Oh, my God. You're excited because you're getting a boat today.

[Dax Shepard]

Not today, but.

[Monica Padman]

Oh, you're getting a boat.

[Dax Shepard]

By the time this is out, it's.

[Monica Padman]

Christmas for this little boy, and he's for the gearhead.

[Dax Shepard]

I'm gonna have my first pontoon boat.

[Monica Padman]

You're very excited.

[Dax Shepard]

It's gorgeous. I can't Monica. The leaps that have been made in the pontoon world, I could bore you.

[Monica Padman]

For hours then see Sim.

[Dax Shepard]

Why?

[Monica Padman]

Because by the time you got your boat, it's the best. It's much better. Don't look at me like that.

[Dax Shepard]

Oh, oh, I got you. I thought you were sitting by the tower. I get it. Like, I receive it tomorrow. But, yes, by the time I got in the market for yes, there was a huge leap forward. Let me hit you with some of the feech.

[Monica Padman]

Okay, let's hear it.

[Dax Shepard]

Pontoon. I grew up on a pontoon boat. Dave Barton, my sweet stepdad, he had himself a pontoon boat. Two steel pontoons on the bottoms.

[Monica Padman]

What is a pontoon?

[Dax Shepard]

A pontoon's a big steel rod. What would I say? Pontoon. I mean, I don't know what other word to use. If you could picture a kayak, but completely sealed, and it's stainless steel or aluminum, and you have two in the water, and then there's a flat deck. So it doesn't have, like a hull. It's not made out of fiberglass like a normal boat. It's just got these two pontoons and then a big flat deck on top. They're ideal for maximum passengers.

[Monica Padman]

Right.

[Dax Shepard]

But what I've got is called tritune, Monica. They've added a third pontoon in the middle of the boat. So very buoyant. And then it has these little runners on the side that actually lift it out of the water at speed. So less Dr. Okay, Barton's pontoon, which this was standard, you generally have, like a 50 horsepower Johnson outboard motor, and you'd go. It could maybe go 13 miles an hour. I thought you just said 15 with a tailwind. That's Barton's boat. But now we're up to tritune with the elevation. Mine has a 400 horsepower V10 on the back, so eight times the amount of motor that Barton's.

[Monica Padman]

So how fast is it going to go?

[Dax Shepard]

I think It'll go about 55 miles an hour.

[Monica Padman]

I thought you just said his went 50 miles an hour.

[Dax Shepard]

15, 13.

[Monica Padman]

That's why I said with a tailwind one five, not five zero. It sounded like 50.

[Dax Shepard]

Full ski rig on it, so I can pull skiers, tubers. Everything you used to want a speedboat for is available on this with 13 passengers.

[Monica Padman]

Wow.

[Dax Shepard]

Oh, money. The sound system is off the charts. We're going to be dancing. Dancing on this.

[Monica Padman]

That's really fun. Oh, boat culture is.

[Dax Shepard]

I'm New to it.

[Monica Padman]

You're not new to it.

[Dax Shepard]

Well, I'm not new to it, but as an owner, sure, sure. Shout out Ken Kennedy. He's my, he's my brains. I'm like, I'm getting to pontoons. Like, well, you need. These are the two brands. Then he found one. He's like, this one's pretty perfect. So you gotta get the easy top. I'm add one more thing that'll bore everyone to tears. The pain of owning a boat.

[Monica Padman]

Anyone who owns one will know about the negative.

[Dax Shepard]

I'm gonna. The worst part of owning a boat is that when you're done driving it, you have to take the COVID and put it back over so that the cabin's completely covered. And there's all these snaps and it never fits right. And it's like a fucking 15 minute ordeal every time you get off the boat.

[Monica Padman]

Okay.

[Dax Shepard]

So then you get lazy and you go, I'm going back out in a couple hours. I'm not gonna put the COVID on. And then you don't put the COVID on. And then the interior of the boat just gets destroyed. And you're slowly destroying this boat. It's the big problem with owning a boat. Mine has an easy cover. Monica. It's a remote control. So when we're driving, I have three options. Bimini. I can have the front of the boat in shade, the back fully exposed to sun, if that's your jam. The back fully shaded in the front, open to sun bathing or full open. So total shade. And then when I get back, I hit a button the whole fucking time. Top drops down and seals the whole top as if I put the COVID on and snapped it with a butt again.

[Monica Padman]

That's really privileged.

[Dax Shepard]

It's so privileged.

[Monica Padman]

That is.

[Dax Shepard]

And it didn't exist.

[Monica Padman]

Yeah.

[Dax Shepard]

Five years ago.

[Monica Padman]

Exactly.

[Dax Shepard]

I waited just long enough to get into this pontoon game.

[Monica Padman]

I think one of the best things in life is to have experts in your life. I mean, this is, I guess, what we've accumulated over the past seven years. It's part of the joy is you. You get experts in your life in different areas. So you always have something. You don't like asking for help. But I love asking for help. And I like asking the smartest, best, most knowledgeable person for help.

[Dax Shepard]

Yeah.

[Monica Padman]

So it's just accumulating a mass of people who are the saves you a lot of time. So much. In fact, last night I reached out to someone, an expert, a medical expert.

[Dax Shepard]

Oh.

[Monica Padman]

That we met here.

[Dax Shepard]

Okay.

[Monica Padman]

In this job for help with an important Question.

[Dax Shepard]

Perimenopause question.

[Monica Padman]

No.

[Dax Shepard]

Okay.

[Monica Padman]

But I am gonna. I am gonna marry Claire. Something did come up that I was like, oh, I need to ask her about that.

[Dax Shepard]

How receptive were this?

[Monica Padman]

Were they extremely nice? Okay, I guess I'll say it. I wonder if I should say it. Yeah, I think I can. So I was listening to. Nobody's listening.

[Dax Shepard]

Right.

[Monica Padman]

Elizabeth and Andy. Elizabeth was telling a story about her taking her son to urgent care. The doctor comes in, and the description of the doctor is very unsettling.

[Dax Shepard]

Okay. Extremely beard, eye patch, and a hook.

[Monica Padman]

I think would be better.

[Dax Shepard]

Okay.

[Monica Padman]

I mean, I've been watching a lot of the pit ner, so I'm like, I know what's going on.

[Dax Shepard]

Yes.

[Monica Padman]

He has a drug problem.

[Dax Shepard]

Okay, sure, sure.

[Monica Padman]

I really do think so.

[Dax Shepard]

Oh, okay.

[Monica Padman]

He was, like, over his scrubs, wearing this, like, puffy vest. It was all stained. And then he was wearing a. His mask was stained.

[Dax Shepard]

Oh, jeez.

[Monica Padman]

And then he was, like, incoherent.

[Dax Shepard]

Okay. Cte.

[Monica Padman]

Probably. Yeah. So anyway, she is telling this story, and I was like, oh, my God. And so I. I texted her, and I said, elizabeth, I. You need to report him.

[Dax Shepard]

Oh, report him.

[Monica Padman]

Yeah. I was like. I really. I just think. Because she obviously has the ability to say, like, I'm gonna get my kid out of here, and I'm gonna take him to another doctor, but a lot of people there don't.

[Dax Shepard]

Yeah.

[Monica Padman]

And they're just gonna have to take this doctor at face value. And so I text Elizabeth. I said, I really. Not to scare you, but I think you need to report this. I'm watching ER and, like, it's bad. Yeah.

[Dax Shepard]

And also the pit and Chicago Hope, and.

[Monica Padman]

Oh, my God. Something so excited happened. I thought I was done with the pit. Like, I thought it was over, and it's now not.

[Dax Shepard]

It's ongoing.

[Monica Padman]

Yes.

[Dax Shepard]

Oh, my God.

[Monica Padman]

So then I got to watch another episode.

[Dax Shepard]

Oh, congratulations.

[Seth Rogen]

Thank you.

[Monica Padman]

I was so excited. Anyway, so I DM'd a old guest of ours.

[Dax Shepard]

Yeah.

[Monica Padman]

And said, what do I do if. Yeah. Is there a way to report. He helped me. He gave me some resources.

[Dax Shepard]

Oh, good.

[Monica Padman]

So I sent them to Elizabeth.

[Dax Shepard]

We'll see. Tbd.

[Monica Padman]

Speaking of er.

[Dax Shepard]

Yeah. You were continue. When you're the one speaking of it, you could just continue speaking of it.

[Monica Padman]

I wasn't speaking of it. It came up.

[Dax Shepard]

Speaking of what if I said. What if I literally. But what have I said? Speaking of pontoon boats.

[Monica Padman]

Okay, so speaking of er, guess who was on. I posted about this.

[Dax Shepard]

Oh, Dr. Adam. Dr. Adam.

[Monica Padman]

Dr. Adam Scott.

[Dax Shepard]

Dr. Adam Scott.

[Monica Padman]

He, he was a little patient in there. He was only in like the very beginning of the episode.

[Dax Shepard]

He's great.

[Monica Padman]

Of course he's great. But he's so young and I was staring and I was like, is, is that Adam? He had a neck brace on and he was being brought in, so it was kind of hard to tell.

[Dax Shepard]

Yeah.

[Monica Padman]

And so I had to wait till the credits to double check and it was him.

[Dax Shepard]

And then he needed a freeze frame and a photo and a post.

[Monica Padman]

Of course.

[Dax Shepard]

Yeah, naturally.

[Monica Padman]

He's a friend of the pod.

[Dax Shepard]

Gotta promote his episode. Ar.

[Monica Padman]

Yeah. And in the episode before that, another friend of the pod, Bradley Whitford. Saddest episode of top three saddest episodes of er. Total.

[Dax Shepard]

Okay. Ding, ding, ding. Bradley Whitford was on an episode of Brooklyn Nine Nine that they were watching yesterday. That show is way, way funnier than I had guessed it was. It's quite, quite, quite funny. It's a very good show.

[Monica Padman]

Mike Schur, he doesn't fuck up. No, speaking of Mike Schur.

[Dax Shepard]

Speaking of er, Speaking of Mike Schur.

[Monica Padman]

I was watching ER last night.

[Seth Rogen]

Have you guys seen the show Adolescence? That's on Netflix.

[Dax Shepard]

Oh, so it keeps getting recommended to me. Have you watched it?

[Monica Padman]

It's amazing.

[Seth Rogen]

I've seen half of it. It's all oners also.

[Dax Shepard]

Oh, it's one hour oners and isn't.

[Monica Padman]

It like really intense?

[Seth Rogen]

It's about a boy. That like 13 year old boy that stabs a little girl and it's his dad like dealing with it.

[Monica Padman]

Yes. I've heard there's all these articles that say it's flawless.

[Dax Shepard]

Okay, I'm gonna do it. Maybe when I'm driving the bus home, I'll plow through the whole season.

[Monica Padman]

It seems a little intense to watch driving.

[Seth Rogen]

Four episodes only.

[Dax Shepard]

Oh, it's only four episodes hour long. Okay, so that'll get me 280 miles.

[Monica Padman]

Why don't you just watch it tonight?

[Dax Shepard]

Because I'm waking. I have to get in the car at 5am tomorrow to go to the airport. So I'm not gonna watch anything tonight.

[Monica Padman]

Why don't you just try?

[Dax Shepard]

Okay, I'll watch it tonight.

[Monica Padman]

Okay.

[Dax Shepard]

Stay tuned for more Armchair Expert if you dare.

[Monica Padman]

Okay, okay. Let's get serious.

[Dax Shepard]

Let's get serious.

[Monica Padman]

Seth Rogen.

[Seth Rogen]

Yes.

[Dax Shepard]

He's so serious.

[Monica Padman]

I love Seth Rogen.

[Dax Shepard]

Me to.

[Monica Padman]

Okay, now, does History of Violence have staircase sex? Yes. Top 10 movies that have stair sex.

[Dax Shepard]

Oh, okay, great.

[Monica Padman]

Now I think it's worth us revisiting you did bring up that you'd rather have sex on a unicycle than on the stairs.

[Dax Shepard]

Absolutely. And not only would I rather. It's a personal goal. Once I thought of it. I would love that.

[Monica Padman]

Yeah.

[Dax Shepard]

Talk about a high wire act. I mean, the stakes would be so high if everyone reached orgasm in that dynamic. I bet it would be explosive because you'd be scared you're gonna fall and get a concussion.

[Monica Padman]

But you didn't. Okay. I just feel like you wouldn't be able to fully let yourself go.

[Dax Shepard]

That's the challenge.

[Monica Padman]

Okay. Yeah. History of violence. Close enough to touch. Never heard of a woman in the mirror X Deal these. I know.

[Seth Rogen]

I'm.

[Monica Padman]

I am worried. I'm worried about that, but I don't. No Spanish Fly.

[Dax Shepard]

Okay, let's talk about Spanish Fly.

[Monica Padman]

Okay. Teach us about Spanish Fly. Because I didn't know what it was.

[Dax Shepard]

You didn't know what Spanish fly was. And you taught me in Spanish Fly. And again, I gotta be very, very clear about this. This was not. This is an urban legend.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah.

[Monica Padman]

It's not real.

[Dax Shepard]

All growing up, I knew about Spanish Fly. And it wasn't a drug that would knock women out so you could rape them. Let's just be very clear. It was not.

[Monica Padman]

It's not roofie.

[Dax Shepard]

This was a magic pill you would give girls that would make them. Them super horny and they would find you irresistible.

[Monica Padman]

Yeah. It's more like a witchy thing.

[Dax Shepard]

Yeah.

[Monica Padman]

Like a love spell.

[Dax Shepard]

And probably still some deception. But anyways, that's a. Yeah, that's a urban legend that there's a pill. Then the other one that I was always told growing up, most of my brother told me this is that actors to prevent getting erections took saltpeter. And I don't know if saltpeter's real. And it really does prevent you from getting an erection. Rob, will you do a perfunctory search of saltpeter?

[Seth Rogen]

Potassium nitrate, component of gunpowder.

[Monica Padman]

Gunpowder.

[Seth Rogen]

It's been used to prevent blowing up hard cheeses.

[Dax Shepard]

Prevented from what? Blowing up hard cheeses.

[Seth Rogen]

Blowing of hard cheeses.

[Dax Shepard]

What makes hard cheese soft? Let me erections search. Erections. Yeah. Do saltpeters. Erections. The belief that saltpeter can suppress erection.

[Seth Rogen]

It is a myth.

[Dax Shepard]

There's no scientific evidence.

[Seth Rogen]

So. Good.

[Dax Shepard]

I said it was. The equivalent is salt.

[Monica Padman]

Peter, this is like Marilyn Manson's ribs.

[Dax Shepard]

Yeah.

[Monica Padman]

Okay.

[Dax Shepard]

But we. This is worth noting that we were doing an episode of Armchair Anonymous yesterday and it had occurred to me that I had had sex in a stairwell.

[Monica Padman]

Exactly. And last Time we fought. We fought about this because you thought it was crazy that I said, I think I would rather. I would definitely rather have sex on the stairs than a unicycle. And then you thought that was crazy and that could have done it.

[Dax Shepard]

Well, hold on. I don't think you would. Because you have to imagine how painful it is to have three thin points of contact on your body. So your own weight on these three very hard, tiny points of contact. Then someone else's weight and thrusting on you. It would be insanely painful.

[Monica Padman]

I would expect the guy to kind of prop themselves up also on the stairs. So they're not slant. They're not like, whole body weight is on mine. I think you'd be surprised at how good I am at lying on the stairs.

[Dax Shepard]

I would be quite surprised because I don't know how you get around the fact that you have these three points of contact.

[Seth Rogen]

Better.

[Dax Shepard]

Huge improvement. But anyway, someone said, well, I bet a lot of people had sex in stairwells. And then I realized, oh, I had done that. What a blessing. One of the real blessings of my life.

[Monica Padman]

No, don't say that. No, don't say that. You have children.

[Dax Shepard]

One of. Not the blessing of my life.

[Monica Padman]

One of how many?

[Dax Shepard]

I've had hundreds of blessings in my life, and this is one of them.

[Monica Padman]

Okay.

[Dax Shepard]

I was gambling in Las Vegas at the luxury casino in my 20s. And I met a very attractive woman from Australia.

[Monica Padman]

Oh, my God.

[Dax Shepard]

Yes. And after a couple hours of flirting and drinking at the blackjack table, we excused ourselves.

[Monica Padman]

Her request.

[Dax Shepard]

Her request. Spanish fly led me.

[Monica Padman]

Did you?

[Dax Shepard]

No.

[Monica Padman]

Are you sure?

[Dax Shepard]

Soul Peter led me to the staircase at the Luxor. The stairwell, which is a very weird staircase because it's diagonally.

[Monica Padman]

Right.

[Dax Shepard]

It's Diagon Alley.

[Monica Padman]

Diagon Alley is a pyramid shape.

[Dax Shepard]

Yes. So the staircase is going up like an MC Escher.

[Monica Padman]

Yep.

[Dax Shepard]

Situation. But again, that was not on the stairs. That was like, more leaning over one of the railings.

[Monica Padman]

Sure. Listen, what if you had taken saltpeter and she had taken Spanish fly?

[Dax Shepard]

That's a match made in Halloween.

[Monica Padman]

Mad Max.

[Dax Shepard]

That's the worst. That was me on coke, to be fully honest with you.

[Monica Padman]

Oh, God.

[Dax Shepard]

Yeah. Everyone's horny, and then I can't. Why perform?

[Monica Padman]

That's so weird that. Then you loved that drug because you loved having sex.

[Dax Shepard]

I told you, that's when. I mean, there were numerous times where I had to acknowledge what a problem it had become. But, yes, there was a moment where I was at a bar and I decided. I told the dude like, oh, get the guy and let's get an April. And I ate. There was a girl there that liked me, and I was like, this is something you're. You would rather do that drug than have sex with this attractive person. And I, previous to that, would have thought there was nothing I would want to do more than have sex with an attractive person.

[Monica Padman]

Then you'd rather poop in the bed.

[Dax Shepard]

Say what? You're just on. You're, like, grabbing. You're grabbing from everywhere.

[Monica Padman]

Speaking of er. So, no, you did poop in the bed once.

[Dax Shepard]

That's not. That's not relevant to this conversation. Yes, an excessive amount.

[Monica Padman]

So that's my point.

[Dax Shepard]

Yeah.

[Monica Padman]

Anywho, I'm glad for you that you had sex in the stairwell.

[Dax Shepard]

Me too. Me too. One of the blessings. But there's blessings all around if you keep your eyes open, I guess.

[Monica Padman]

That's right.

[Dax Shepard]

If she remembers me and she's hearing this. Thank you so much. What a great memory. No, no.

[Monica Padman]

Yeah. I just. I just had, like, a very, very prudish judgment.

[Dax Shepard]

Oh, cool. What was it about? Just sex?

[Monica Padman]

No, it was just like. I don't think she's okay.

[Dax Shepard]

Oh, my God, Monica.

[Monica Padman]

I know. I'm sorry. You asked and I wanted to be honest. I just.

[Dax Shepard]

Blood shaming.

[Monica Padman]

No, I know.

[Dax Shepard]

That's why I'm glad you're owning it.

[Monica Padman]

I said it was a prudish judgment. Yeah, and it's not necessarily true.

[Dax Shepard]

But you can imagine how.

[Monica Padman]

What if you had killed her? Like, what.

[Dax Shepard]

What happens with my nice boy?

[Monica Padman]

You know?

[Dax Shepard]

Right. I don't think murderers. Like, that's not how it works with murderers. They're not like, you know what? I'm gonna go gambling. If I meet someone who wants to fuck in the stairwell, I might murder them. I don't think that's how it works.

[Monica Padman]

No, that's not how it works. They're there knowing they're gonna be charming. And Ted Bundy.

[Dax Shepard]

I don't even think murderers are gambling and having fun and getting drunk.

[Monica Padman]

No, they are to lure.

[Dax Shepard]

They're in their grandma's underpants.

[Monica Padman]

No, not that.

[Dax Shepard]

Seven.

[Monica Padman]

Oh, y. Ted Bundy. He was hot and out in the cold.

[Dax Shepard]

He was in a cast, hanging out by cars, acting like he couldn't get his crutches or something.

[Monica Padman]

Whatever. He was still playing it. He was still luring.

[Dax Shepard]

He was playing a victim and luring people.

[Monica Padman]

You don't think anyone's been lured? Please. That's what roofing. That's what a lot of roofing is at bars.

[Dax Shepard]

Okay, we're talking about. No, we're talking. We're talking about killers.

[Monica Padman]

Yeah.

[Dax Shepard]

And we're talking about roofing.

[Monica Padman]

Well, rapists.

[Dax Shepard]

And we're talking about me playing blackjack in Vegas.

[Monica Padman]

No, I'm saying. Okay, I'm saying that just cause you're having fun in a bar and you're fun doesn't mean you're safe.

[Dax Shepard]

Well, I was, though. I know.

[Monica Padman]

I'm not talking about you anymore.

[Dax Shepard]

Okay, okay, okay.

[Monica Padman]

I'm not talking about you. Okay, I know.

[Dax Shepard]

You're just saying there could be someone drinking at the blackjack table who's a killer.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah.

[Monica Padman]

Or a rapist.

[Dax Shepard]

And then they're using that method to meet people that they'll kill or rape. Right. And they'll be on all the Vegas cameras with a ton of documentation.

[Monica Padman]

So much trouble for this.

[Dax Shepard]

And a lot of documentation that they were talking to their victim. It'd be a really dumb serial killer to get their victims in a Vegas casino. Cause it's so filmed.

[Monica Padman]

Okay, well, I just.

[Dax Shepard]

You want to be out in the woods in a parking lot with a cast on and some.

[Monica Padman]

No, a lot of. No, they Dr. They. They act like they're going to hook up with someone and then they rape them or kill them. This is common.

[Dax Shepard]

Okay.

[Monica Padman]

So my point is, I just don't know if she's still with us.

[Dax Shepard]

I think she is. She was really a cool, smart.

[Monica Padman]

I'm sure she was.

[Dax Shepard]

But you can imagine how neatly it filed into my whole thing about Anglos. Right. Cause the only other really time that that had happened in such an aggressive manner was when I was in 10th grade. The aforementioned snowboard trip story with my friend from Munchester.

[Seth Rogen]

Right.

[Monica Padman]

That was in a stairwell too.

[Dax Shepard]

No, but it was an English gal. And now I had an Australian gal. And I was like, something's going on with these gals. They're very assertive.

[Monica Padman]

Right, right, right.

[Dax Shepard]

Yeah. It funneled nicely into my stereotype.

[Monica Padman]

Right. Okay. Oh, my God. The next movie is Impulse. The Thomas Crown Affair.

[Dax Shepard]

Oh, there we go. That's my favorite.

[Monica Padman]

Serve the People. Misty the Room.

[Dax Shepard]

Okay, so I have heard of three of those ten movies.

[Monica Padman]

Yeah, me too. Okay. Existing record. Record for a oner. Several movies have filmed. Have been filmed to appear as if they are shot in one continuous uninterrupted take, including 1917, Birdman, Children of Men, Silent House. Okay, now hold on. I'm gonna pull up another article here.

[Dax Shepard]

Okay.

[Monica Padman]

Goodfellas.

[Dax Shepard]

Yeah.

[Monica Padman]

That's three minutes.

[Dax Shepard]

Feels so much longer.

[Monica Padman]

Yeah, well, it was early. It was early days of runners creed, four minutes. Atonement, five and a half minutes. Children of men. Six minutes. 1917. Eight minutes. Extraction, 12 minutes. Birdman, 15 minutes. Now we're talking gravity. 17 minutes. We're climbing boiling point nine two minutes.

[Dax Shepard]

Was boiling point a John Woo movie? Nope.

[Seth Rogen]

It's Stephen Graham from adolescence, isn't it? No, he's the lead in it, but a London restaurant.

[Dax Shepard]

Oh, my God. I'm cutting that. He said I'm cutting that.

[Monica Padman]

Too scared of cutting it.

[Dax Shepard]

It's too much.

[Monica Padman]

Russian arc, 96 minutes.

[Dax Shepard]

Wow. They're so rewarding when you are directing one and everything goes right.

[Seth Rogen]

Yeah.

[Dax Shepard]

Nothing really feels like that stunt. Like when a stunt goes right. That's a really. Like. The hardest I've ever celebrated was in Chips, when my friend drove a Humvee through a motorhome and drove it right through the center of it and broke it in half and made it through the other side at full speed as explosions were going off. And I was on the 6th Street Bridge and I screamed with elation like you can't imagine. Oh, high level. About another blessing of my life.

[Seth Rogen]

There's a lot of stunt people in your movie.

[Monica Padman]

Yeah.

[Dax Shepard]

And Chips. Yeah. Oh, yeah. The whole movies.

[Seth Rogen]

Hundred people.

[Dax Shepard]

Stunts.

[Monica Padman]

So many stunts.

[Dax Shepard]

I'm listed as a stunt performer for Michael Pena.

[Seth Rogen]

That's.

[Monica Padman]

You did brown Face.

[Dax Shepard]

I did all the driving in his getaway car scene.

[Monica Padman]

That's appropriation.

[Dax Shepard]

I didn't do brown Face. I just went to a tan spray tanning and went too far.

[Monica Padman]

Okay, that's it for Seth. We love Seth.

[Dax Shepard]

Oh, God, we love him. I can't wait for number four.

[Monica Padman]

Me too.

[Dax Shepard]

Bye bye. Love you. Follow Armchair Expert on the Wondry app, Amazon Music or. Or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to every episode of Armchair Expert early and ad free right now by joining Wondery plus in the Wondry app or on Apple Podcasts. Before you go, tell us about yourself by completing a short [e-mail] survey.