We'll Do It Live! — Steve Schirripa

Summary

Podcast Summary: Bill O’Reilly’s No Spin News and Analysis

Episode Title: We'll Do It Live! — Steve Schirripa
Date: March 26, 2026
Host: Bill O’Reilly
Guest: Steve Schirripa

---

Episode Overview

This episode features a candid and wide-ranging conversation between Bill O’Reilly and Steve Schirripa, acclaimed actor best known for his roles on The Sopranos and Blue Bloods. Schirripa opens up about his tough upbringing in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, the unlikely road to acting stardom, behind-the-scenes realities of hit TV shows, maintaining humility in the face of fame, and the importance of charity work. The dialogue is warm, honest, and peppered with humor and memorable observations about show business, New York City, and family.

---

Key Discussion Points and Insights

---

1. Steve Schirripa's Upbringing and Family Background

[00:36 – 05:19]

• Mixed Heritage: Steve’s mother was Jewish (the Bernstein side) but “raised kind of like by Italians,” embracing Italian culture and food, while his father was Italian.
  • "My mother was raised kind of like by Italians. So she was, she fit right in...But I had a whole Jewish side of the family…it was great. And I'm very proud to say I'm half Jewish." – Steve Schirripa [01:31]
• Childhood Struggles: Grew up in a poor, working-class home with a father he describes as a “bad guy, small time gangster,” and a mother who held the family together.
  • "My father was below working class. He was a small time want to be gangster and did not...He sat on the couch literally for 30 years." – Steve Schirripa [02:13]
• No Forgiveness for Father:
  • "Did you forgive your father in the end?" – Bill O’Reilly [02:53]
    "No. I still hold it against him. He's been dead for 20 something years." – Steve Schirripa [02:55]
• Mother’s Emphasis on College & Responsibility:
  • "My mother badgered that we're going to college... She put that into me...I went to John Jay, played basketball..." – Steve Schirripa [04:02]

---

2. The Unlikely Journey to Acting

[05:15 – 08:21]

• No Childhood Dream of Stardom:
  • "Did you have in the back of your mind that you wanted to be a performer?" – Bill O’Reilly [05:15]
    "No. Never. Not in the least bit. I never knew what I wanted to do. I just knew to look people in the eye, be honest, shake their hand, that is." – Steve Schirripa [05:19]
• Early Vegas Years: Delivered pizza, was a bouncer, managed a comedy club—opportunities came more through personal connections than ambition.
• First Steps in Acting:
  • "...I'm doing this little short film, you know, why don't you come...Kevin Pollack, he said, come on, do an HBO special. I played a bouncer...Literally a cliche. I got literally high from doing it." – Steve Schirripa [06:49]
• Serendipity and Friendships: Success came by "being a good guy," not chasing opportunities, emphasizing genuineness and loyalty.

---

3. Inside The Sopranos

[08:21 – 18:35]

• Touring and Lasting Legacy:
  • Schirripa and Michael Imperioli have toured internationally sharing behind-the-scenes stories, underscoring the show's enduring relevance.
  • "We did 14 shows in 10 cities...27,000 tickets. Telling stories, funny, behind the scenes stories. All positive." – Steve Schirripa [08:33]
• James Gandolfini as Leader:
  • "Complete pro. Always, always trying to help you...He's yelling at me, screaming at me. He's trying to get me where I need to be. Once I do that, the scene's over. I one of the guys, you know, he's just trying to help." – Steve Schirripa [09:21]
• On-Set Dynamics & Work Ethic:
  • Very little ego, family-like atmosphere, fun but all business; Gandolfini worked long hours, was always supportive.
  • "Nobody could come in and be disrespectful to one another. That wasn't flying either." – Steve Schirripa [10:59]
• Fan Encounters & Humility:
  • Schirripa remains approachable, grateful for fan support, critical of celebrities who "can't be bothered":
    • "If 99% of the fans are nice, why should I be (rude)?" – Steve Schirripa [12:40]
    • "I'm a nicer guy now than I was probably when I was younger. I mean, I've been very lucky...There's luck involved, right?" – Steve Schirripa [12:23]
• Gandolfini’s Passing & Show’s End:
  • Gandolfini’s death was sudden and felt deeply by cast and friends; discusses intense workload and speculation about storylines echoing personal lives.
  • "He went, took his son to Italy and he died of a heart attack...I was stunned. My legs came out from under me." – Steve Schirripa [16:34]
• Gandolfini and David Chase’s Relationship:
  • Mutual respect but some tension toward the end, stemming from burnout and possible overlaps between real life and show narrative.

---

4. Transition to Blue Bloods & Differences from The Sopranos

[19:07 – 24:29]

• Different Show, Different Culture:
  • The Sopranos was shot like a movie with uncompromising scripts, while Blue Bloods was a network show, more structured and collaborative.
  • "On the Sopranos, you had no input what was on that page. You better say end of story...Tom had a lot of input [on Blue Bloods]." – Steve Schirripa [21:27]
• Comparison of Showrunners:
  • Tom Selleck had more power and input at CBS, contrasted with Gandolfini’s flexible but script-bound approach at HBO.
• End of Blue Bloods:
  • Attributed to cost and network’s changing priorities, with references to increased “wokeness” and discomfort around traditional themes.
  • "They were too woke. They didn't like the tradition...They didn't like the prayer. That's what people liked about it." – Bill O'Reilly and Steve Schirripa [23:14-24:01]
• Family and Values on Blue Bloods:
  • The centrality of family dinners, tradition, and praying on the show reflected popular appeal, and resistance to changing elements fans loved.

---

5. New York City, Politics, and Safety

[24:46 – 27:38]

• Views on City’s Leadership:
  • Criticizes mayors de Blasio and Dinkins as detrimental to the city, discussing how changes in law enforcement priorities impacted daily life.
  • "He destroyed the city. It was like him and his wife were just waiting in the wings...things go to shit. Right. Almost immediately." – Steve Schirripa [25:39]
• Safety & Common Sense:
  • Emphasizes safety as the foundation for city life and prosperity.
  • "For me, the biggest thing, Bill, anywhere is the safety of the citizens that you can go out. Because it all trickles down." – Steve Schirripa [26:08]

---

6. Fatherhood, Privacy, and Grounded Family Life

[28:42 – 32:17]

• Book on Parenting:
  • Wrote Big Daddy's Rules. Raising Daughters Is Tougher Than I Look about the importance of staying close to kids and using common sense.
  • "Common sense. Got to stay close to them, got to know what they're doing." – Steve Schirripa [29:00]
• Celebrity & Family:
  • Daughters remain unaffected by his fame; family life is centered around normalcy, privacy, and shared values.
  • "They could care less. They're very proud of me...They're not affected by any of that stuff." – Steve Schirripa [30:02]
• Wife Laura & Longevity:
  • Married 37 years, wife not interested in showbiz glamour, runs marathons, family stayed rooted despite success.

---

7. Relationship with Fans and Fame

[32:17 – 38:59]

• Fan Interactions:
  • Not bothered when fans call out character names—sees it as part of the job and a mark of good fortune.
  • "They say Anthony or Bobby, especially the younger kids. Bobby Bacalot. It really doesn't bother me." – Steve Schirripa [32:35]
• Charity Work:
  • Garden of Dreams Foundation and Garden of Laughs events at Madison Square Garden and Radio City raise millions for children in challenging situations.
  • "Every dime goes where it's supposed to go. I'm very proud of this." – Steve Schirripa [35:24]
• Self-Perception and Confidence:
  • Candid acceptance that not all actors will like him, recognizes jealousy in the business, attributes his longevity to hard work and staying true to himself.

---

8. Stories from the Old Days: Vegas, Sinatra, and Bouncing

[43:17 – 48:00]

• Early Jobs as a Bouncer: Both O’Reilly and Schirripa reflect on being bouncers in the 1970s and ‘80s, sharing colorful memories of clubs, “Go Go girls,” and their approach to the job.
• Vegas Stories & Sinatra Encounters:
  • Schirripa tells a vivid story of meeting Frank Sinatra at a private party, including the cherished photo his wife took—revealing both the glamor and the humility with which he regards such experiences.
  • "...we went, we were invited to a party...Sinatra's coming. Come on, get dressed. Got out of bed...He was great. Yeah, great to me. I got a great picture. That's the one person I had to have a picture." – Steve Schirripa [46:25-47:56]

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "The more that I got into being a father, I'm saying, how could you allow this to happen? ...I had two daughters. I have a responsibility. I gotta take care of these two." – Steve Schirripa [03:05]
• "I've never met someone for (networking) or went to lunch...If I liked you, I liked you." – Steve Schirripa [05:35]
• "Jim (Gandolfini) was always a pro...not without problems...but not on the set. Never." – Steve Schirripa [10:35]
• "I'm a common sense guy. You do something wrong, you get in trouble for it." – Steve Schirripa [27:31]
• "My daughters to this day want to go on vacation with us. And they're both married now, so now I got, you know, we got the whole group." – Steve Schirripa [29:30]
• "You say, 'Why'd you get the role and not me?'...I've worked extremely hard. But I came to New York for a wedding. I was working as the entertainment director... I just figured I'd grab a couple lines...I had a big house on an acre of land, big job." – Steve Schirripa [37:36; 38:59]

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time | Segment | |-------------|-----------------------------------------------------------| | 00:36–05:19 | Family background, childhood, college | | 05:15–08:21 | Journey to Las Vegas and start in entertainment | | 08:21–19:45 | Inside The Sopranos: casting, Gandolfini, touring, fans | | 19:07–24:29 | Blue Bloods, TV industry contrasts, CBS changes | | 24:46–27:38 | New York politics, city safety, changing urban life | | 28:42–32:17 | Parenting, raising daughters, family fame | | 32:17–38:59 | Fan relations, character names, charity work | | 43:17–48:00 | Old Vegas, bouncing stories, Sinatra meeting |

---

Overall Tone and Takeaways

The conversation is respectful, humorous, and thoughtful. Schirripa's grounded sense of gratitude and pragmatic outlook shines as he reflects on his journey, relationships, and charitable activities. O’Reilly consistently steers the discussion towards “No Spin”—straight talk, authenticity, and everyday wisdom. The episode offers not only showbiz stories, but a master class in resilience, humility, and common sense both on and off screen.

Recommended for:

• Fans of The Sopranos and Blue Bloods
• Listeners interested in NYC and entertainment industry stories
• Those seeking inspiration on rising above adversity and staying grounded amidst fame

---

End of Summary

Transcript

[Fox News Announcer]

FOX News is now streaming live on Fox 1. When news breaks, we don't just report it. We go beyond the headlines to get the full story. Get live coverage in depth analysis and perspectives from the voices you trust all in one place, whether you're at home or on the go. Stay connected to the stories shaping our world stream. Fox News on Fox 1 download today.

[Bill O'Reilly]

All right, O'Reilly here with another edition of We'll Do It Live, which I hate because when I was 12 years old, I said it on Inside Edition and it was some F bombs and my staff turned on me. They betrayed me and they forced me to do this she show called We'll Do It Live so people could mock me. This is my own staff that I'm paying. Anyway, we got one of the best guests who I've known for years tonight, Steve Sharipa, you know him, Sopranos, you know, Blue Bloods. He's been in a lot of other programs and fine actor. And we're going to go all over the place. So you're not going to be bored. Bensonhurst, Brooklyn boy.

[John Stamos]

Yes, sir.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Okay, so this is what I don't understand. So your mother's Jewish and your father's Italian.

[Steve Schirripa]

Yeah.

[Bill O'Reilly]

I must have been quite a house.

[Steve Schirripa]

Well, you know, the thing is my mother was raised kind of like by Italians. So she was, she fit right in, you know what I mean? She was cursed in Italian, cooked Italian. So she was like kind of more Italian than she was Jewish, you know. But I had a whole Jewish side of the family. I had Aunt Ida and Aunt Sylvia and we would go and visit. And my grandmother, my grandmother's made a name. My grandmother's name is Sally Moskowitz. My mother's made her name Lorraine Bernstein. So I knew that whole part of

[Bill O'Reilly]

the world cross cultural.

[Steve Schirripa]

Absolutely. And it was great. And I'm very proud to say I'm

[Bill O'Reilly]

half Jewish, very proud and working class. Right. Bensonhurst.

[Steve Schirripa]

My father was below working class. He was a small time want to be gangster and did not. He was a bad father. And we had five kids who grew up on welfare. My mother held us together and he was a bad guy. He didn't want to work. He was one of these guys he would love what's going on now, free stuff, you know. He sat on the couch literally for

[Bill O'Reilly]

30 years, the welfare guy. Now, did your mother know he was a bad guy?

[Steve Schirripa]

Yeah, but I guess she was kind of trapped.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Boy, she got five kids.

[Steve Schirripa]

She got five kids the best she can. I'm the middle kid. Everybody turned out okay. And she held it together, you know.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Did you forgive your father in the end?

[Steve Schirripa]

No.

[Bill O'Reilly]

You held it against him.

[Steve Schirripa]

I still hold it against him. He's been dead for 20 something years.

[Bill O'Reilly]

That's the Italian.

[Steve Schirripa]

Absolutely. So, yeah, yeah, yeah. No, I. And you know what? This is the thing, Bill. You're a dad, right? I'm a dad. The more that I got into being a father, I'm saying, how could you allow this to happen? How could you get the lights shut off? What could the power Bill have been in 1965? $17? I mean, how can you allow that? I had two daughters. I have a responsibility. I got to take care of these two. This is what I signed up for. Even if something happened with me and her mom, which she's the greatest mom on earth and a wonderful wife to me for 37 years, but these kids I gotta take care of.

[Bill O'Reilly]

But the leap that you make from unstable home, lower working class, lights coming out into stardom, celebrity status, that's a pretty big leap.

[Steve Schirripa]

Yeah. You know, look, my mother badgered that we're going to college, right? So she had that.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Drilled it into you.

[Steve Schirripa]

She put that into me. We're going to college. So my one sister went to college and I went to college. I went to John Jay, played basketball, went to John Jay College my freshman year, 1975, played there and then transferred to Brooklyn, took the train from Bensonhurst all hours of the night to John Jay. I mean, I'm stunned that I did it then. 1975, the city was a disaster. Taking the train one o' clock in the morning, you know, from 59th street, you know where it was, you know, went to Brooklyn, graduated, actually tried out for a team in Israel. They wanted me to work on a kibbutz. I didn't want to do that. A friend of mine that I grew up with, he moved to Vegas. He said I could get your job.

[Bill O'Reilly]

I went out to Vegas as a greeter as well.

[Steve Schirripa]

At first, I started delivering pizza. Yeah, I was delivering pizza. And then I became a bouncer at Paul Anker's club.

[Bill O'Reilly]

But did you have in the back of your mind that you wanted to be a performer?

[Steve Schirripa]

No. Never.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Never, Never, ever dawned on you?

[Steve Schirripa]

Not in the least bit. I didn't know. I never knew what I wanted to do. I just knew to look people in the eye, be honest, shake their hand, that is.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Well, you have a good personality.

[Steve Schirripa]

Yeah. But my father didn't instill it in me. I always knew a lot of people. I like playing basketball. I played in the garden. My Senior year. I always was around a lot of people. I had a lot of friends. Always, you know, played basketball all over the city. The worst neighborhoods, the best neighborhoods. That was my thing. That's what I was passionate about. Right. You know, when you try. This is my opinion, you know, like, when you try, like, they go, yeah, I want you to meet this guy. He could help you. That guy. That's not my bag ever. I've never met someone for that reason or went to lunch with them, or maybe this guy could advance me. Never. If I liked you, I liked you. If I didn't. There's a guy, he was from Israel. He used to come into the club. I was a bouncer, and he was lonely. He moved there. He was working at the Riviera Hotel. And I buy him a drink. His family was there. He was there by himself. He worked the front desk in the hotel. Long story short, six months later, the guy becomes vice president of the hotel. Of the hotel.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Yeah.

[Steve Schirripa]

And he calls me up, he said, we're opening up this comedy club. He said, I want you to have the job. So I go in, I interview for everybody. I get the job.

[Bill O'Reilly]

So you manage the comedy club.

[Steve Schirripa]

Imagine the comedy club. That's where I started. It was an improv, right? Then they. I took over. There was a topless show, and then there was a female impersonator show. So I was running it, making a lot of money, a lot of tips. Those are the days you could still, you know, I wore a tuxedo. You still had to pay, you know, to get a good seat, right? And that's where I started acting. Of course, I was working with a lot of comics. Bill Maher, Richard Mc. No, no. I just was seeing people in the back of the room. But they would say, hey, you know what? I'm doing this little short film, you know, why don't you come and do this? Kevin Pollack, he said, come on, do an HBO special. I played a bouncer in his thing, and it was just fun to me. It was fun. I had no. I never read a script. Never did anything. Flew myself to la. I had a ball. Literally a cliche. I got literally high from doing it.

[Bill O'Reilly]

So it was meant to be. You didn't. You didn't seek.

[Steve Schirripa]

It did not.

[Bill O'Reilly]

It wasn't on your mind. You're a basketball player from Brooklyn. You ride that train. Then you go to Vegas. You ride that train. Then you start to get little roles in L. A. And you wind up in two of the biggest monster hits in modern television. So let's zero in on the Sopranos, which you are still making money from. Oh, yeah, you're going out all over the world. You were just in England and they couldn't get enough of you over there. It was crazy sopranos.

[Steve Schirripa]

We did 14 cities. 14 shows in 10 cities. Started in Belfast, Nottingham, Birmingham, London, Edinburgh. I mean, we went through the whole thing.

[Bill O'Reilly]

The whole thing.

[Steve Schirripa]

Me and Michael Imperioli. We have a comic with us on stage, Christopher. 27,000 tickets.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Unbelievable.

[Steve Schirripa]

Telling stories, funny, behind the scenes stories. All positive.

[Bill O'Reilly]

We'll get to that in a minute. But Gandolfini and Tom SELLEC were the two titans that these shows revolved around. Okay. Both very interesting personalities. I know Selleck a little bit. I never met Gandolfini. Now, when you went on the set to play a low level gangster, New Jersey gangster. All right, there's Gandolfini, who already had established himself as one of the great actors in the country. Okay. How did he behave on the show?

[Steve Schirripa]

Complete pearl. Always, always trying to help you. My first scene is with him. Stevie Van Zant, Vinnie Pastor, Big Pussy, Paulie Walnuts, Tony Sirico. That's my first scene. I didn't know anyone. A lot of these guys knew each other. I came in the second season at the beginning of the second season. I knew no one said hello, did the scene. Jim is trying to help me. I'm supposed to be intimidated, scared. He's helping me. I was green. I had work. Don't get me wrong, I had done a bunch of stuff, but, you know, this is a different level. Boom. You know, I did a few movies and he's trying to help me. He's yelling at me, screaming at me. He's trying to get me where I need to be. Once I do that, the scene's over. I one of the guys, you know, he's just trying to help. At one point he said, come on. Me, him, Dominick Key and Azzy, Uncle Junior. Come to my trailer. Let's go over the lines. Let's run lines. It's almost an out of body experience. I'm going myself. How the hell did I get here? I'm watching these guys on TV a week ago. Right now I'm here with the three of them.

[Bill O'Reilly]

And they're all very eccentric characters.

[Steve Schirripa]

Absolutely. But good guys. Jim was always a pro. You know, people say, did you guys have fun on the set? Yeah, we had fun. It was all business. He was working 16 hours a day, five days a week. Listen, a great guy, not without problems. I mean, that's Common knowledge. Right. But not on the set. Never. When he was working, you saw none. There was none of that.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Was he the leader of the gang?

[Steve Schirripa]

Absolutely.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Okay.

[Steve Schirripa]

In a positive way. So you can't come in and, you know, it was a good vibe. It really was like a family. We were close, very respectful. Nobody could come in and be disrespectful to one another. That wasn't flying either.

[Bill O'Reilly]

All right, so Gandolfini was kind of like the chief of police, if you

[Steve Schirripa]

want to use a band, I mean, you know, but kind of by example, you know, I mean, he was the

[Bill O'Reilly]

guy, you know, but it was such an intense program. Did you guys have any laughs off Gavin?

[Lowe's Home Care Plus Announcer]

No.

[Steve Schirripa]

No, absolutely. We went out constantly. I mean, we enjoyed every moment. I mean, those guys, Michael, Jim, were in their late 30s. I was my early 40s. We went out. We. We were, like, playing for the Yankees.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Where do you go? In Jersey?

[Steve Schirripa]

No, here.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Oh, in New York. Yeah.

[Steve Schirripa]

We all lived in Tribeca.

[Bill O'Reilly]

So you run it around all over. But you guys are big stars then. Because that show took off fast.

[Steve Schirripa]

Sometimes you walk into a restaurant, they give you a standing ovation.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Yeah.

[Steve Schirripa]

I mean, you know, even to this

[Bill O'Reilly]

day, people don't know, but I know Sharipa from the Knicks because we were both sports fans, and you're one of the nicest guys.

[Steve Schirripa]

Thank you.

[Bill O'Reilly]

All the fans always treat them respectfully. You know, smile on your face, eye contact. And some of those celebrities, they're not. You know what I'm talking about?

[Steve Schirripa]

Yeah, but why? But why?

[Bill O'Reilly]

Because they can't be bothered with.

[Steve Schirripa]

But this is the thing. My good fortune. Right. I mean, why should I? I'm a nicer guy now than I was probably when I was younger. I mean, I've been very lucky. I mean, let's not kid ourselves. There's luck involved, Right?

[Bill O'Reilly]

Sure.

[Steve Schirripa]

Absolutely. You know that. Yep. I mean, with your success, right time, right place, somebody gives you a break, you take advantage of it. Et cetera, et cetera. Don't forget, don't get me wrong, it's a lot of hard work, but why should I not? If 99% of the fans are nice, why should I be?

[Bill O'Reilly]

Because you're not screwed up like a lot of these other people are.

[Steve Schirripa]

I guess so.

[Bill O'Reilly]

You know them. You know, I know them. How crazy they can be.

[Steve Schirripa]

I hang out with very few. I know a lot of actors, a lot of celebrities, a lot of sports guys. I don't. I hang out with my wife, my kids, people I grew up with. Those are my friends.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Right. It's like your father, they self absorb these people and then, you know, fans are an annoyance to them, whereas you appreciate the fact because they made you who you are.

[Steve Schirripa]

I mean, I walk down the block, I say hello to everybody. I mean, I walk all over.

[Bill O'Reilly]

And everybody in New York knows you.

[Steve Schirripa]

Sure.

[Bill O'Reilly]

You know, when Sharip and I are together, it's hysterical in the garden and people are screaming or they like you. They don't like me, but.

[Steve Schirripa]

Well, you're at a quiet taste.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Yeah, I know I am. And it takes a long time.

[Steve Schirripa]

Half the crowd likes you. That's true.

[John Stamos]

Hey there, it's me, John Stamos, in partnership with Cologuard. And a little birdie told me you're over 45. Listen, that's not old. It's really not. But it's an important age. If you're at average risk, that's when you start screening for colon cancer. And look, it's okay to be nervous, but it's not okay to ignore your own health. It's time to see if the Cologuard test can be an option for you to get screened. Alright, I'm glad we had this little chat.

[Xtandi Medication Announcer]

Wherever Bud goes, his harmonica goes with him. It's a pocket full of soul. Now he's living with prostate cancer. He asked his doctor about xtandi. Enzalutamide xtandi, 40mg tablets, treats men with prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body and responds to a medical or surgical treatment to lower testosterone. Xtandi may cause serious side seizure, a brain condition called press allergic reactions, heart disease that can lead to death, falls and bone fractures, swallowing problems or choking that can lead to death. Stop Xtandi and get medical help at once. If your face, tongue, lip or throat start swelling, tell your doctor at once. If you faint, have a seizure, quick, quickly worsening headache, decreased alertness, confusion, vision problems, chest pain or discomfort or shortness of breath. Xtandi can cause harm to an unborn baby or miscarriage. Use birth control during and three months after Xtandi. Common side effects include muscle and joint pain, feeling unusually tired, hot flashes, constipation, less appetite, diarrhea, high blood pressure, bleeding, falls, fractures and headache. Talk to your doctor and visit xtandi.com

[Bill O'Reilly]

so the show the Sopranos was so intense. The plot lines, what Chase was trying to do, getting across, you know what the mentality of this crew is, this criminal crew. That's what the show is all about. It's gonna show you Carmela and the different People and the skill level of the acting, they're all perfect. Couldn't have been better.

[Steve Schirripa]

Could not have been better cast.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Okay, so at the end of the show, the run of the show, did it wear you guys down? Were you going, oh, my God, you know, how long can we keep this up? It's so intense.

[Steve Schirripa]

I don't think so. I think every single person would have continued to do that show. Jim was getting burnt out and David. And when David Chase came to us and said, this is going to be the last season, nobody, everyone said, everyone knew. Everybody said, okay, that's fine. I mean, whatever you want. You took us here, you're the boss. I mean, Jim did most of the heavy lifting.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Sure. There's no light line guy. And Gandolfini died a short time later.

[Steve Schirripa]

Well, no, the show ended in 2007. Jim died in 2013.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Okay. That's not a long period of time for men that age. And he died in kind of mysterious circumstances, I think we know.

[Steve Schirripa]

No, he went, took his son to Italy and he died of a heart attack. I mean, there was no. There was no. Were you surprised? Was I surprised? Well, I'll tell you what. I got a call from our attorney. We all had the same business manager attorney. And I was at Yankee Stadium with Mitch Modell and Tommy Losada, you know, before the game. And I got a call and he said, by yourself? And I said, I'm at the gang, blah, blah. And he said, jim passed away. And I was stunned. My legs came out from under me. I said, are you sure it's not one of these hoax?

[Bill O'Reilly]

Yeah, I was surprised.

[Steve Schirripa]

And he said, no. And then I said I had to leave. I mean, I was shaking, seriously. And I was going down the west side highway, my phone was blowing up. Cbs, NBC, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. I wasn't talking to anyone. You know, Michael called me and Michael Pierioli, some of the producers of the show. But it wasn't mysterious. I mean, he was there with his son. It was, you know, when Jim. When the show ended in 2007, him and David Chase did not speak for two or three years. They respected each other, but personality, towards the end, started butting heads. Yeah.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Okay, what was the crew? What was the main problem there?

[Steve Schirripa]

I think Jim a little bit thought they would. They would take in some of the storylines from his personal life. And I think he was just burnt out as far as 16 hours a day. Yeah. Yes, he made a lot of money, but you really have no life because, you know, you're going to Work on a Monday at six in the morning and then you finish up Friday night at 3am and you really have no life.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Gandolfini was a guy like you who didn't chase fame. No, he didn't chase it.

[Steve Schirripa]

I mean, he was like a Birkenstock wearing guy.

[Bill O'Reilly]

He was just very talented.

[Steve Schirripa]

Music, big music guy. Green day guy. Started late acting also in his 30s. A family guy, a Jersey guy. You know, he wasn't a mobby. He didn't grow up like in Bensonhurst like I did.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Right.

[Steve Schirripa]

He grew up, you know, but he knew.

[Bill O'Reilly]

He knew the rhythms.

[Steve Schirripa]

He knew. And you know, sometimes he would say, hey, before the season he would call and say, let's go down to Little Italy. Let's have dinner. I've got to start getting back into that world.

[Bill O'Reilly]

So then you segue into Blue Bloods, which is a whole different thing because it's a network show. Guy named Kevin Wade was the runner, picks you up, contrasts you to Bridget Moynihan, Beauty and the Beast or whatever you want to call it. Okay, but it was a brilliant move. And so now you're in a tighter structure with cbs. Right. It's not like the Sopranos. There's a big difference in production. Right?

[Steve Schirripa]

Yeah. Well, because Sopranos was shot like a movie. Don't forget it was an hour with no commercials. A network TV show, 44 minutes, 42 maybe.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Yeah.

[Steve Schirripa]

You know, so it's a whole different thing. But the writing was great. What I enjoyed a lot about Blue Bloods. Everyone got along wonderfully. Great cast, really nice people.

[Bill O'Reilly]

But the guy that everything centered around, like Gandolfini, was Tom Selleck.

[Steve Schirripa]

Well, listen, iconic TV character. I mean, he's a star, Tom. Right, right, A star. A star. A star is Magnum. Did a lot of good movies.

[Bill O'Reilly]

But this is my question. So Gandolfini, when he starts the Sopranos, wasn't mega. Tom Selleck, his private jet guy. Here I am.

[Steve Schirripa]

Yeah, that's who he is.

[Bill O'Reilly]

I know him a little bit. He almost punched me one time. Yeah, I was giving him jazz about guns. You didn't want to talk about it, but you know me. So anyway, so now this huge star comes in and everybody revolves around him. Just like the Sopranos. That is the linkage between the two shows.

[Steve Schirripa]

This is the difference somewhat. Now, I came on in season six, so they already had shot. Right. I did 146 episodes. I came in for one, maybe two, and then I stuck around. Right. Tom, at the beginning, I don't know if there was Private Planes and all that at the beginning. But he. This is the difference. On the Sopranos, you had no input what was on that page. You better say end of story.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Right.

[Steve Schirripa]

David Chase wrote it. You better be word perfect. Word perfect. Now, I could ask a question and say, wait a minute. When Bobby does this. Sure. But if I say, well, you know what? I don't want to say this line, and I don't want to see that line. You better say the line or you're not around for the next thing.

[Bill O'Reilly]

You get whacked.

[Steve Schirripa]

Thousand percent.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Right.

[Steve Schirripa]

For real? For real. Okay. So there was none of that. You did not have that input.

[Bill O'Reilly]

It's like a play.

[Steve Schirripa]

Tom had a lot of input.

[Bill O'Reilly]

You bet he did.

[Steve Schirripa]

Tom had a lot of input. Tom and knows what he's doing. Guy's an actor for 50 years, but

[Bill O'Reilly]

he's a traditional guy. He brought that in.

[Steve Schirripa]

Absolutely.

[Bill O'Reilly]

And that's what catapulted himself.

[Steve Schirripa]

He's a common sense guy.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Right. He's not some kind of flaky.

[Steve Schirripa]

No. And he knows. And he'll come in and they'll say, well, the light there and why are we shooting that? And they'll question. And he knows what he's talking about.

[Bill O'Reilly]

But if he wants it, he gets it. Well, of course.

[Steve Schirripa]

He's the star, right?

[Bill O'Reilly]

He's the guy.

[Steve Schirripa]

He's the star of the show. Now, that was a big difference. Jim read the script, and he did it like the rest of us. That's it. He read the script.

[Bill O'Reilly]

But Selick had power.

[Steve Schirripa]

Tom would give his opinion to the writers, and the writers would do what

[Bill O'Reilly]

we pretty much wanted to do, you know? And it worked.

[Steve Schirripa]

Yeah, of course it worked. It was a. Listen, when the show ended, it was what, 6 million people plus 3 or whatever.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Number one primetime CBS show for years. And they. And they whacked it, to use a Sopranos word, because they don't want to pay you guys.

[Steve Schirripa]

Well, I guess it was the pay, and I guess it was. I think they were going in a different direction. It's very diverse.

[Bill O'Reilly]

They were too woke. They didn't like the tradition that I know.

[Steve Schirripa]

There was questions at times about the prayer. You know, a lot of people didn't

[Bill O'Reilly]

like them saying, I know Wade. I know him. I know what he went through.

[Steve Schirripa]

Yeah, I know.

[Bill O'Reilly]

I know the bosses at CBS are all left wingers or were announced guy dances in there. And then what? They turned it into Boston Blue. As woke as you can get.

[Steve Schirripa]

Yeah.

[Bill O'Reilly]

You couldn't get more woke than that.

[Steve Schirripa]

Yeah, I've never seen it. You know, I. Listen, I wish Donnie the best because I happen to like Donnie Wahlberg, but

[Bill O'Reilly]

it's a Heat show.

[Steve Schirripa]

Loved the dinner scene. That was a big deal.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Right.

[Steve Schirripa]

I remember I went once to the dinner scene. I was invited. I was very proud of that moment, honestly.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Right.

[Steve Schirripa]

I mean, I got to sit next to Tom. You're one of the cool kids right now. They didn't like the prayer. Why didn't like the prayer? That's what people liked about it. They liked the prayer. They like the family coming over at dinner. They liked them arguing. They liked them sticking up for each other. They liked them. They liked all that. So why are you trying to change all that? This is what people liked. So you're shoving something down there.

[Bill O'Reilly]

But they couldn't change it because Selleck wouldn't change it.

[Steve Schirripa]

That's right.

[Bill O'Reilly]

That's what they ran into. But it was money that made the final decision.

[Steve Schirripa]

But I always think you know that more than me. Yeah. I don't know, because I know it wasn't the quality of the show.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Oh, no.

[Steve Schirripa]

By any means.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Right.

[Steve Schirripa]

The writing was wonderful, Siobhan.

[Bill O'Reilly]

But can you imagine today if Blue Bloods are still on the air and you got a communist mayor in New York City. Mamdani.

[Steve Schirripa]

Yeah.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Slashing up against Selleck.

[Steve Schirripa]

But then again, I know it's communist, but we got through de Blasio, who was so far the worst mayor in the history.

[Bill O'Reilly]

In the history of the city.

[Steve Schirripa]

David Dinkins thinks he's a bad mayor. You know, Mondani. We're yet to find that out, which I'm sure that's the way that's going. But de Blasio was terrible for the city.

[Bill O'Reilly]

And you wrote it into storylines terrible for the city. Not Chase Wade made sure that the writers got that tension in between the liberal mayor and Selleck.

[Steve Schirripa]

Absolutely.

[Bill O'Reilly]

And those things worked like crazy.

[Steve Schirripa]

You know, I don't understand the thing with. I don't want to talk politics. I don't know that much about it.

[Bill O'Reilly]

No, go ahead.

[Steve Schirripa]

But I just. The thing with de Blasio, he did it almost immediately. He destroyed the city. It was like him and his wife were just waiting in the wings. He wins, Bloomberg's out, and things go to shit. Right. Almost immediately.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Because they don't see it that way.

[Steve Schirripa]

But what do they see?

[Bill O'Reilly]

They say they're enlightened and they're empowering people who are getting screwed. That's the don't enforce the law philosophy.

[Steve Schirripa]

Yeah, but that's what I'm trying to say. I mean, do they want it dangerous out there. For me, the biggest thing, Bill, anywhere is the safety of the citizens that you can go out. Because it all trickles down. Right?

[Bill O'Reilly]

And your family.

[Steve Schirripa]

That's right.

[Bill O'Reilly]

So I worry about my daughter.

[Steve Schirripa]

My two daughters live here in the city. Yeah, okay. But my point is everything works if it's safe. People go to restaurants, people go to concerts, people do this, people that. A lot of people don't want to go out after a certain time because they're afraid.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Look, traditional New Yorkers.

[Steve Schirripa]

So they want people to get hit over the head.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Traditional New Yorkers like you and me, born, raised, know the rhythms of the city because we know it. We know Yankees, we know Mets, we know Knicks, we know restaurants. We know everything. Okay? The traditions that made this city strong are considered racist by the far left progressives. So the Blasio comes in and goes, no. All of the traditions that we had, holding people accountable. If you get smacked in the face, you go to jail. Somebody. No, that's racist. Okay? That's the way they think. And then if they get power, then you have anarchy. And that's what we're looking at.

[Steve Schirripa]

I don't know. I'm a common sense guy. You do something wrong, you get in trouble for it. And.

[Bill O'Reilly]

And Blue Bloods was a common sense show.

[Steve Schirripa]

It was a great show. Listen, there's nothing better than shooting on the streets of New York City.

[Credit Karma Announcer]

Not sure how to tackle your taxes? Are you sweating the small print? You may be experiencing FOMO, the fear of messing up the answer. Using TurboTax on Intuit credit Karma. They help you get your biggest refund, and then we help you do more with it with a personalized plan designed to help you hit your money goals. It's time to take your taxes to the max. Start filing today in the Credit Karma app.

[Lowe's Home Care Plus Announcer]

Introducing Home Care Plus, a new subscription service from Lowe's that helps make life easier by giving members a hand with home maintenance. Let Lowe's tackle the tasks you keep meaning to do, like electric dryer, vent cleaning, replacing hard to reach light bulbs, and more. Subscribe to Home Care plus for just $99 a year and consider your to do list done. Members get more at Lowe's. Available in select zip codes only. Cancel anytime. Non refundable fee. Product purchase required. Terms and service restrictions apply. Details@lowe's.com Terms subject to change now.

[Bill O'Reilly]

You wrote a book about raising girls.

[Steve Schirripa]

Yeah.

[Bill O'Reilly]

So I didn't know that. I'm going to now read the book. Of course.

[Steve Schirripa]

Big Daddy's Rules. Raising Daughters Is tougher than I look.

[Bill O'Reilly]

What was the big thing that you learned raising the girls?

[Steve Schirripa]

Common sense. Got to stay close to them, got to know what they're doing.

[Bill O'Reilly]

But they're emotional all the time.

[Steve Schirripa]

Yeah, but then you know what, I'm going to tell you something. Not with mine. My daughters, we never had that big problem, me and my wife, you know, we never had that problem where the daughter disappears and they go, you know, people say, oh, they'll be back when they're 18 and all that. We never had that. My daughters to this day want to go on vacation with us. And they're both married now, so now I got, you know, we got the whole group.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Right, right.

[Steve Schirripa]

But honestly, we stayed close. We knew who their friends were. They played sports, big sports, softball and soccer and gymnastics and, you know, we had them try, you know, all the things. Some things stick. No pressure on them if they were good. We just wanted them to be good people. Good people and happy. Just be a good person. And I. I felt everything and my wife felt everything will fall into place.

[Bill O'Reilly]

How did they handle your celebrity?

[Steve Schirripa]

They could care less. They're very proud of me. They're very proud of me. They could care less, really, And I'm very happy about that. They're not affected by any of that stuff. I take them to the Knick games. They love going to the game because they like to go to the game. Honestly, not affected by that. They don't. Never bugged me, you know, could I do that? And none of that stuff.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Did you take them to the sets? Did they?

[Steve Schirripa]

You know what? I took them to the Secret Life set because they were teenagers, right, Charlene?

[Bill O'Reilly]

Sure.

[Steve Schirripa]

You know, a couple times. Soprano sets. A couple times, though. They knew, you know, we were close, so we socialized. Socialized a lot, you know. You know, look, you together 10 years, divorces, married, kids, you know, stuff like that. So they knew Jim and everybody. They came to, I think, blue bloods maybe once. My wife's not that person to hang around like some wives, you know, hangs around. They're sad. And my wife's my wife. She ran 13. She's going to be 63 in a couple of weeks. My wife Laura, she's just finished her 13th now New York Marathon in 37 years. You've been married? You said 37 years. Geez. We're together 40 years.

[Bill O'Reilly]

She a Brooklyn girl?

[Steve Schirripa]

No, Las Vegas. I met her.

[Bill O'Reilly]

She's a Vegas girl. Wow.

[Steve Schirripa]

Las Vegas. Unlv, you know, so, no, they're not affected by that, you know, because we didn't allow that either, but they're not affected by, you know, As a matter of fact, my daughter is working. She didn't want anyone to know.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Who.

[Steve Schirripa]

Yeah, who her father was.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Mine don't have any choice.

[Steve Schirripa]

Yeah, but you know what I mean.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Yeah. Oh, I know.

[Steve Schirripa]

And. But I. So it wasn't that, like, you know, like spoiled like that. It wasn't that at all. You know, they. They grew up in Battery Park City. That's where we live. They went to Poly Prep in Brooklyn. You know, normal. Normal.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Kept it as normal as you could keep it.

[Steve Schirripa]

Very normal. Now, they both got the jobs on their own. I had nothing to do with anything.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Now, when people yell out your character name when they see you, because everybody recognizes don't bother me. Doesn't bother you.

[Steve Schirripa]

Don't bother me.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Bobby Bacalar.

[Steve Schirripa]

Doesn't bother me. No, no, because I tell you what, if they say Steve, that's. I question that. Who's that? Do I know that guy? No, listen, they call me Anthony from Blue Bronx.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Yeah. They can't pronounce the last name of the detective.

[Steve Schirripa]

No, they say Anthony or Bobby, especially the younger kids. Bobby Bacalot. It really doesn't bother me.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Right, Quick question. How do you normally get your medication? Because there is a better way. When you need something, it's always a hassle. You call a doctor, next appointment, and days away, you sit in a waiting room full of sick people. Then you stand in line at the pharmacy. Sometimes they don't even have what you need. That system is slow, frustrating, outdated. But there's one pharmacy doing it a smarter way. All family pharmacy. You go online, choose what you need, fill out a quick medical form, and a licensed doctor reviews your request and provides a prescription if it's appropriate. Then they ship it right to your door, stock up on essentials like antibiotics, Ivermetkin, and 300 other prescription medications. Please go to allfamilypharmacy.com Bill Use code BILL10 in order to get 10% off your order. Now, people don't know this, but you're a very generous guy. I do a lot of charity work, and you've got something coming up that I want to mention at Radio City, April 13. Garden of Laughs charity. And it helps younger people who get into circumstances beyond their control. Is that correct? Do I have. No.

[Steve Schirripa]

Some of it. No. Some are just, you know, some of them are disabled. Some are just learning disabled. Some are just come from poor families. And it's the Garden of Dreams Foundation, Madison Square Garden. Let me Tell you about Jim Dolan, who I'm sure you know Jim. Jim does a lot of good stuff and a lot of people give him heat and it's wrong. He spends so much money, puts up so much money. We've raised over the years, just as Garden Lifts. $8.5 million. Garden of Laughs. We've done it. This is our fifth time, I believe. Yeah, I've hosted it every time. It's the first time at Radio City. We did it in the theater before comics, no one gets paid a dime. It's all volunteer. Jim puts up a lot of money and obviously donates the radioactivity in the venue and does a lot of great stuff. It's a wonderful night. We've got six or seven great comics on the bill and every dime goes where it's supposed to go. I'm very proud of this. You know, it's. I'm very proud that they asked me to do it. I come out, I do a few minutes. You have these great comics. We have a lot of celebrities presenting, you know, introducing the comics. Athletes, hockey guys, Ranger guys, Knick guys, you know, Cece Sabathia did it one year and all kinds of people. So it's.

[Bill O'Reilly]

The money goes though.

[Steve Schirripa]

How does the money goes in the Tri State area? Right. And so it goes to kids that kind of like a. Not make a wish, but on that order. Some of the kids dreams come true. They also do a talent show. It's, you know, it's not troubled kids, it's kids that having a tough time growing up. Like I would have. This would have. This would have been great for a kid like me.

[Bill O'Reilly]

And how do the kids connect with

[Steve Schirripa]

the charity, to different organizations, feeding organizations, and they decide who gets the money. You know, the Garden of Dreams board and, you know.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Right. Because it's hard being a kid these days with the electronics and all of that.

[Steve Schirripa]

Terrible.

[Bill O'Reilly]

You can lose your way.

[Steve Schirripa]

It's terrible. But I tell you what, they have a prom for these kids. You know, some of these kids can't afford prom dresses and can't afford to go to the prom. They have a whole thing, they pick their dress out. It really is wonderful. The Radio City we started out, I remember I went to the first few years bill, 200 people, hundred people. They fill up Radio City, now they have 5,000. It's incredible. And so many celebrities have donated their time, time and time again. And I've been involved for years. And then this Garden of Laughs is like an offset of that. Last year, I think we raised 2 1/2 million dollars in 2024 was the last time we did this.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Almost everybody I know, and I know a lot of people in show business likes you.

[Steve Schirripa]

Oh, thank you.

[Bill O'Reilly]

I wouldn't say it wasn't true. They like you. All right. You know, that's not real universal.

[Steve Schirripa]

No, listen. I am. Listen. What you see is what you get.

[Bill O'Reilly]

But is it important to you that other people like you?

[Steve Schirripa]

It just depends. I don't care if some people don't like me. I mean, I am who I am. I mean, if you don't like what I do, and there's a lot of jealousy, you know that?

[Bill O'Reilly]

Oh, yeah.

[Steve Schirripa]

Every day I come on TV and they say, that guy sucks. I could do better than him. I've been an actor for 50 years, and I got three roles or blah, blah, blah. Why did he get it and I didn't? Very tough relationships. Very tough decisions. You know that, right? And I understand that. Like I said, I am a believer. I've worked extremely hard. But I came to New York for a wedding. I was working as the entertainment director. I was an executive. I worked my way up at the Riviera. I was an executive. I came here for a wedding. I had been dabbling in the acting. An agent friend of mine, I said, could you get me to audition for that show, the Sopranos? I had seen an episode or two I read for the role of an FBI agent. He got me the audition. I went. It was George Ann Walken, Christopher Walken's wife. She said, I don't see you as an FBI agent. Read this. We have someone in mind. I read it. She said, if I get you in front of David, would you come back? And I'm saying to myself, who the hell is David? I have no idea what you're even talking about. I just figured I'd grab a couple lines. It would be fun, right? You know, no. Thought of. I could make a living. I could get on this show. I could do this. I'm going to move back to New York. I had a big house on an acre of land, big job.

[Bill O'Reilly]

You're doing well in Vegas.

[Steve Schirripa]

I'm fine. I know everybody and their mother in Vegas. I get anything I want at any time. Free buffet, anything. Caesar's Palace, Sinatra.

[Bill O'Reilly]

But it was meant to be, right?

[Steve Schirripa]

So I come here and I work hard. I move my family back. It was very hard to pay my own way. The first year cost me 24 grand. I made 22 grand. The agent had told me not to take the job. How to get rid of that guy. Right. So that's my point, is, if you don't like what I do. I'm not a purist. I'm not, you know, you're not needy. Listen, I'm very confident in myself. I've come this far. I'm 68 years old. You know, I only do things now that I like. Knock on wood. I've done fine. I'm okay.

[Bill O'Reilly]

The most important thing is you got nice kids.

[Steve Schirripa]

I got nice kids. They married two nice guys. My wife's wonderful.

[Bill O'Reilly]

You're a 10 percenter in Hollywood. 90% don't have that. Yeah, 10%.

[Steve Schirripa]

Well, I just was talking to a friend of mine on the way here, a character actor. You know him, if you've seen him.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Well, tell me who he is.

[Steve Schirripa]

Good guy. Good guy. And he's been in a million things. And he's unhappy. He hasn't been working. The last years have been, you know, he's 75, 6, and then he got a job. He's like a recurring character. And I said, you know, you put too much. I said, you know, you put too much into your life as happy or not happy by getting a role. I said, you got money, you're fine. What did. You've been depressed for two years because things have slowed down, which are just natural. Not everybody stays here. The tide goes in, the tide goes out. I said, everything, your mood, everything revolves around if you're working. I mean, you know, it shouldn't be that way. You're more than just.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Did you convince him or no?

[Steve Schirripa]

Of course.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Because he wants to be that way. Of course. Wants to be morose. Seen your credit card statement lately? You're working 40, 50 hours a week just to buy groceries and gas, things you used to be able to afford easily. And the credit card companies are charging you more than 20% interest. American financing is helping people. They have mortgage rates in the fives. They're showing homeowners how to use their equity to wipe out debt. The average savings, $800 a month, no upfront fees, to see how much you can save. And if you begin today, you could delay two mortgage payments. American financing. 888-4629-557888-62957. Americanfinancing.net bill. Now, I've been around long enough to know who holds real power in this country. And the IRS at the top of that list. They don't need a judge to freeze your bank account, garnish your wages, seize your home. Even the president has faced multiple IRS audits. With the best legal minds in his core, you deserve the same. The IRS is understaffed right now. Their process is broken. And if you don't speak their language, you lose. I've done my homework. America Tax Group has a direct line to the irs. No waiting, no guessing. You will know exactly where you stand. If you are listening to me right now, pick up the phone. [phone]. Don't wait for the IRS to make the first move. When they do, it's already too late. Americataxgroup.com americataxgroup.com Now, I'm going to tell you a story that coincides with you. So you're a Balancer in 1975. Okay. In Vegas.

[Steve Schirripa]

No. 19. No, no, no. 1980.

[Bill O'Reilly]

1980. Okay. So in 1972, I'm a bouncer at the rec bar in Miami. The Castaways Hotel. Mobbed up place. Okay. Hottest place to steal a line from Barry Manilow, north of Havana. Okay. This is crazy. Now the reason they wanted me. I know why they wanted you to be a bouncer. But I don't look like a bouncer. Even though I was college football player, I was about 15 pounds heavier. But then they wanted guys to stand on the floor who you had to wear a jacket and a tie. They wanted to class it up.

[Steve Schirripa]

Yeah, yeah.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Okay. I was a teacher, a high school teacher. But I wasn't making enough money to have food. And food is important.

[Steve Schirripa]

Yeah, you gotta have food.

[Bill O'Reilly]

So I had to work on Saturday and Friday nights and at this rec bar as a bouncer. But I told the guy, Bernie, I said, look, if somebody gets out of control in here, don't expect me to mess up this face. I'm not doing it. Okay? So you have to have other guys that I can like the bullpen. Send in the right handed guy with the Glock to take care of this guy. You'll see me because I'm tall. That's okay. So my job at the end of the evening and all the bars close at 1am in Miami back at that time, was to walk the Go Go girls to their car. Remember the Go Go girls? White boots. And they had the cage.

[Steve Schirripa]

They had them in the cage, the whole thing. Okay.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Which I did.

[Steve Schirripa]

Sounds wonderful to me, Bill.

[Bill O'Reilly]

But I was very polite because I felt that most of them had kids and they had, you know, they had rough lives. So about four years ago, a colleague of mine, Bernie Goldberg, you may know him, TV guy, he calls me up and he says, do you know Penelope somebody? Now this happens to me all the time. Sure, it happens to you and we don't.

[Steve Schirripa]

Yeah. I said, well, if I see him,

[Bill O'Reilly]

right, I know the face, but I'm

[Steve Schirripa]

never rude about it.

[Bill O'Reilly]

No, no, you always respect him.

[Steve Schirripa]

Yeah, I probably know him.

[Bill O'Reilly]

So I said, Bernie, the name doesn't really conjure up anything. He goes, well, she knows you. And I go, oh. And he said, she was a Go Go dancer at the Rec bar. And she said, you were the nicest bouncer they have ever had there. People remember, I bet you if you went to Vegas now, they don't forget about the Sopranos and Blue Bloods. They remember.

[Steve Schirripa]

They're still around out there.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Still.

[Steve Schirripa]

Listen, Vegas, at the time, that was just a wonderful time.

[Bill O'Reilly]

The Rat Pack.

[Steve Schirripa]

And I got to see Sinatra about 20 something times, right?

[Bill O'Reilly]

Elvis, you know.

[Steve Schirripa]

Yeah, that was before my time, but Elvis, I would have loved to see it before my time. All right. I would have loved to see Elvis. But Sinatra I met numerous times.

[Bill O'Reilly]

And he was respectful to you, right?

[Steve Schirripa]

Oh, he was great. Yeah, great to me. I got a great picture. That's the one person I had to have a picture. I have a great picture. My wife took it and she was young and she took the picture. We weren't even married yet. She took the picture. We went, we were invited to a party. It's Jerry Vale was there. Jerry Vale, Corbett, Monica, some other guys.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Blast from the past.

[Steve Schirripa]

It was Jilly Rizzo, who was a friend of mine, and his son. I lived with his son for a while there and they invited us. It was about 25 people started at 2 in the morning. I called my wife, Laura, she was in bed. I said, sinatra's coming. Come on, get dressed. Got out of bed, comes down. We're there until 4:30 in the morning. He's drunk and he's wearing a Members Only jacket. And it says Frank, like, you know, like. Right, we know he, you know. We do, yeah, we know. He's yelling. Don Rickles is there. He's yelling at Rickles. Rickles is up there. And he's going. It's like a little like. Well, at the end I said, I gotta get this picture. So the end, take the picture. They were like, oh, how dare you ask. And it's Jilly, his son Willie, Frank and me. And then my wife, who was 21 at the time, she said, hold on, Frank, I want to get one just like that. And he went, come here, sweetheart. We got the greatest picture.

[Bill O'Reilly]

And it's on the wall, I bet.

[Steve Schirripa]

On the wall.

[Bill O'Reilly]

In the fall of fame. Right, with all the Knicks.

[Steve Schirripa]

Absolutely. Absolutely. Okay.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Just hang tough for a minute. So that was a very entertaining chat, and I want to thank you very much. You're a good guy. No, Sharipa off camera. A little bit from the Knicks and the Yankees and all that. And he's a genuine guy. Now we're going to have more for you premium and concierge members in the Killing Time segment. All right, so that begins now.

[Vanta Announcer]

Security program on spreadsheets, new regulations piling up and audit dread. It's time for Vanta. Vanta automates security and compliance, brings evidence into one place and cuts audit prep by 82%. Less manual work, clearer visibility, faster deals, zero chaos. Call it compliance or call it compliance.

[Bill O'Reilly]

Get it?

[Vanta Announcer]

Join the 15,000 companies using Vanta to prove trust. Go to vanta.com calm.