RE-RUN: ED O’NEILL — skirting a life of organized crime and hanging out with Tennessee Williams

Summary

Dinner’s on Me with Jesse Tyler Ferguson Episode Summary: RE-RUN: ED O’NEILL — Skirting a Life of Organized Crime and Hanging Out with Tennessee Williams Release Date: December 24, 2024

In this engaging re-run episode of Dinner’s on Me with Jesse Tyler Ferguson, host Jesse Tyler Ferguson reconnects with the legendary actor Ed O’Neill, renowned for his roles in iconic television series such as Married with Children and Modern Family. Produced by Sony Music Entertainment and A Kid Named Beckett Productions, this episode delves deep into Ed's fascinating journey from his early life, his brushes with organized crime, and his pivotal career decisions that steered him toward acting. The candid conversation, set against the backdrop of Jesse’s favorite restaurants in Los Angeles and New York City, offers listeners an intimate glimpse into Ed's world, enriched with memorable anecdotes and heartfelt reflections.

Introduction and Initial Encounters

Jesse begins by sharing his admiration for Ed O’Neill, highlighting their close bond developed over 11 years of Modern Family. He recounts his excitement in finally bringing Ed onto the podcast, eager to uncover the myriad of stories that Ed has accumulated over his illustrious career.

Jesse Tyler Ferguson (00:00): "When I was putting together a list of dream guests for this podcast, Ed O’Neill was on the very top of the list."

The Lunetta Misadventure

The episode kicks off with a humorous recount of Jesse’s attempt to meet Ed at Lunetta, a charming restaurant known for its small plates and vibrant atmosphere. Despite Ed’s long residence on the west side of Santa Monica, he gets lost, leading to a series of amusing exchanges and a delayed rendezvous.

Ed O’Neill (04:13): "Youngstown was not a good place to live... the only thing that I had that I could have done, and thank God I didn't, was organized crime."
(Timestamp: 04:13)

Brushes with Organized Crime

Ed opens up about a critical juncture in his life when he was cut from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Faced with limited opportunities in Youngstown, he was approached by a friend connected to organized crime, presenting him with a choice between a life of illegality or pursuing his passion for acting. Choosing the latter, Ed describes the intense conversation with his father, who subtly indicated his disapproval.

Ed O’Neill (19:46): "He said, I saw you take a ride with Jimmy. He liked Jimmy a lot. He said, I just want to ask you a question. Can you do time?"
(Timestamp: 19:46)

Venturing into Acting

Opting for acting over organized crime, Ed shares his early experiences in theater, including his stint on Broadway's Knockout alongside Danny Aiello. He narrates his serendipitous meetings with literary giant Tennessee Williams and actress Gloria Graham, painting a vivid picture of the vibrant theatrical community in New York City.

Ed O’Neill (23:35): "I did two shows there. Androcles and the Lion."
(Timestamp: 23:35)

Married with Children: Birth and Legacy

A significant portion of the conversation centers around the creation and impact of Married with Children. Ed discusses the show's unconventional humor and its reception within the industry, reflecting on how it was ahead of its time despite mixed peer reviews.

Ed O’Neill (34:26): "I believe the show was ahead of its time."
(Timestamp: 34:26)

He also touches upon moments of missed opportunities, such as the show's abrupt cancellation without proper closure, highlighting the emotional toll it took on him and his dedication to the ensemble cast.

Interacting with Legends

Ed recounts unforgettable nights at Ted Hooks where he mingled with Hollywood legends like Rita Moreno and Rosemary Clooney. These interactions not only enriched his personal experiences but also influenced his approach to acting and life.

Ed O’Neill (30:24): "I was sitting there going, yeah, pinch me, you know? Oh, my God."
(Timestamp: 30:24)

Reflections on Modern Family and Beyond

Transitioning to his role in Modern Family, Ed reflects on the show's phenomenal success, the ensemble cast's chemistry, and the industry's recognition through awards. He emphasizes the importance of humor and authenticity in his performances, drawing parallels between his past experiences and his current role.

Ed O’Neill (41:57): "That's the ensemble. We won it four times. No one's ever done it."
(Timestamp: 41:57)

Mutual Appreciation and Closing Thoughts

The episode concludes with a heartfelt exchange of mutual respect and admiration between Jesse and Ed. They discuss the profound impact they have had on each other’s careers and lives, solidifying their bond beyond mere professional collaboration.

Jesse Tyler Ferguson (42:40): "You remind me of my uncle. You remind me of my father, my best friend."
(Timestamp: 42:40)

Ed O’Neill (42:32): "I love you like a real dad. Well, that will be forever."
(Timestamp: 42:32)

Notable Quotes

• Ed O’Neill (19:46):

  "He said, I saw you take a ride with Jimmy. He liked Jimmy a lot. He said, I just want to ask you a question. Can you do time?"

• Ed O’Neill (34:26):

  "I believe the show was ahead of its time."

• Ed O’Neill (41:57):

  "That's the ensemble. We won it four times. No one's ever done it."

Conclusion

This episode of Dinner’s on Me offers a rich and intimate portrayal of Ed O’Neill’s life, blending humor, vulnerability, and wisdom. Listeners are treated to a behind-the-scenes look at his journey from football aspirations to becoming a beloved television icon, all while navigating personal challenges and industry dynamics. Jesse and Ed's warm rapport ensures that the conversation flows naturally, making it both informative and deeply personal for fans and newcomers alike.

Relevant Links:

• Subscribe to Dinner’s on Me PLUS: Access new episodes a week early and enjoy an ad-free experience by clicking ‘Try Free’ on the Dinner’s on Me show page on Apple Podcasts.
• More Sony Podcasts: Visit sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow @sonypodcasts on social media.

Transcript

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

The other day, I was making lemonade with my sons, Beckett and Sully, and Beckett is a little bit of a perfectionist. I'm not sure where he gets that from. It's me. It's definitely me. But he was getting really upset about.

[Ed O'Neill]

The seeds falling into the juice, and.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

It was turning into a bit of high drama. Now, listen, there's an easier way to do this. Who knew? Wonderful seedless lemons are a 100% naturally seedless lemon variety. They're juicy, zesty, bright, and everything you love about lemons, minus the. See, that's right. No more seeds floating in your lemonade or Diet Coke or getting caught in your teeth when you take a bite of salad. Frankly, that's just a hazard. Wonderful seedless lemons are available nationwide at retailers such as Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Walmart, Kroger, as well as select Costco outlets. Look for wonderful seedless lemons at your local retailer or visit wonderfulseedlesslemons.com to learn more. Hey, it's Jesse. Now, I have a question for you. Have you thought about hosting on Airbnb? I know so many of my listeners have such interesting lives. Maybe you're a traveling nurse running from hospital to hospital, or a touring musician, a pilot, a truck driver. I mean, there are so many jobs that take us away from our homes for long stretches of time. And even though there's perks in traveling, I love it. It's sometimes a bummer to be gone for extended periods and know that no one is there to enjoy the space we've put so much of ourselves into. So I come back to my initial question. Have you thought about hosting on Airbnb? Whether it's your whole home or just an unused space within your home, you have an Airbnb. I'm telling you, I know your next thought. Well, that's a lot of work. I got to make a listing. I got to make sure the house is clean, be by my phone in case I need anything.

[Unknown]

Ah.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Well, let me tell you, Airbnb has a solution for you. With Airbnb's new co host feature, you can now hire a local co host who handles everything from start to finish. They can manage your listing, communicate with guests, handle the reservations, and even make sure your place looks amazing for every stay so you know you're not stuck worrying about last minute questions while you're in, I don't know, a completely different time zone. Find a co [e-mail] host hi, it's Jesse. Today on the show, a legendary TV dad, you know him from Married With Children and Modern family. It's my TV dad, Ed O'Neill.

[Unknown]

Youngstown was not a good place to live. There was nothing there for me. The only thing that I had that I could have done, and thank God I didn't, was organized crime.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

This is Dinner's on Me, and I'm your host, Jesse Tyler Ferguson. When I was putting together a list of dream guests for this podcast, Ed O'Neill was on the very top of the list. I mean, having played his son for 11 years, we naturally became very close. But seriously, Ed's life is one for the books, and I just wanted to share it with everyone. His stories are incredible. Each story he tells about his early years or his career seems to top the last story he told. Ed has always been a tad shy around press, so I was so thrilled when he immediately agreed to be a guest on this podcast. I did wait until season two because I wanted to make sure I knew exactly what I was doing before I asked him on. I was so eager to spend some one on one time with my TV dad, but I was even more excited for my listeners, who were undoubtedly going to be treated to some of his epic stories. And once again, Ed did not disappoint. I asked Ed to meet me at Lunetta, a charming restaurant by chef Rafael Lunetta. He's been well known on the west side for quite a while now. He's a familiar face at farmers markets and the beach. He's a surfer. He's also a big reason that the whole small plates movement took off in the mid aughts. The thing I love about Lunetta is that they have lots of familiar comfort dishes that are just, you know, dialed up a notch. Great sandwiches, burgers, steaks. I thought this would be a perfect place for Ed, but he was nowhere to be found.

[Ed O'Neill]

Hello?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

You're lost. The streets of Santa Monica can be confusing. We'll ignore the fact that Ed lived on the west side for roughly three decades. There's.

[Ed O'Neill]

Yeah. Jesus Christ.

[Unknown]

This is. I mean, I know this area.

[Ed O'Neill]

I don't know if you do, Ed.

[Unknown]

Well, I guess I don't now. I'm at 11820. Okay, so I must have to turn around.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I offered to stand on the side of the street and flag him down, but he said that was overdoing it. Although there were moments I thought my intervention might be necessary.

[Unknown]

And I'm gonna go onto the freeway here in a second.

[Ed O'Neill]

Okay.

[Unknown]

After I run over.

[Ed O'Neill]

Don't run over anyone.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

So this Went on for quite a while. He had gone all the way to the beach and then back. So he basically done a tour of Santa Monica. But eventually he made it.

[Unknown]

I can't believe I was lost.

[Ed O'Neill]

I can. It actually reminds me. Remember when you came to see Fully Committed on Broadway? It reminds me exactly of that because.

[Unknown]

And I thought I knew Broadway.

[Ed O'Neill]

You thought you knew Broadway. You were. You knew that the show was at the Lyceum, but you didn't know which way on 46 or whatever.

[Unknown]

I was going west.

[Ed O'Neill]

You were going west and you should have been going east. It's on the east side of Broadway.

[Unknown]

Yes.

[Ed O'Neill]

And you walked basically all the way to the river.

[Unknown]

Oh, it was crazy. And then back.

[Ed O'Neill]

And then you didn't have your phone on you, so you couldn't because you just left it in the hotel room. And so you were wandering the streets of New York with your Modern Family hat on, asking tourists if they knew where Jesse. You didn't remember the name of the play?

[Unknown]

No.

[Ed O'Neill]

If they knew where Jesse Tyler Ferguson was doing his play, it was.

[Unknown]

I'm lucky I found it. I know how lucky I found. And of course I was late. Was I late?

[Ed O'Neill]

You told me you missed the first.

[Unknown]

I missed the first little bit, yeah. So how many guests have you had on this show?

[Ed O'Neill]

This is. We're in our second season now, so you are like the 26 or something.

[Unknown]

Great.

[Ed O'Neill]

So I kind of know what I'm doing now.

[Unknown]

Good. I don't. So you're lucky you do and I don't.

[Ed O'Neill]

I've had Julie on. I've had Sarah on.

[Unknown]

I knew you had those two guys on.

[Ed O'Neill]

Wait. But no, I was going to say you're not. You're not. I know you're not on social media or anything, but did you know after that reunion we had because we had that printed photo of Tai.

[Unknown]

Yes.

[Ed O'Neill]

Did you know that the Internet thought that we had gathered because Ty had passed away?

[Unknown]

Yes, I saw that. I thought that was hilarious.

[Ed O'Neill]

Hilarious. Also like kind of confirmation that the Internet is just full of misinformation.

[Unknown]

And the other thing I noticed too is I brought my 17 year old daughter.

Yeah.

Just because she knows Sophia and she got like someone somehow found out who she was and she had this on her thing. It just blew up.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Like really?

[Unknown]

I don't know. You. Your Ed's daughter. Wow. How old are you? And all this.

[Ed O'Neill]

Oh, my God. Jeez.

[Unknown]

She loved it. Of course. But I didn't. I wasn't crazy about that. We had fun. I had fun.

[Ed O'Neill]

I had so Much fun. And, you know, I. I drove Aubrey home. Like, I carpooled with her.

[Unknown]

I almost said, do you know what you're doing? You know, but she had to. She had to have a ride.

[Ed O'Neill]

No, she.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Her mom dropped her off.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Ed O'Neill]

And then I drove her home. She looks great, by the way, doesn't she? I know.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I'm so proud of her.

[Ed O'Neill]

I just seen her in her school play. She was really good, by the way. She's really good in the play. And. But Justin and I were laughing because I've spent so many scenes with Aubrey, you know, with her in the back of the car. You know, we're shooting these car scenes, and it was just like. It was just like that. She was sitting in the middle of the back seat so she could be like, you're looking.

[Unknown]

Where's the camera?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Ed O'Neill]

It was so weird, but it was such a fun night. I'm so glad we did that.

[Unknown]

Hi.

[Ed O'Neill]

How are you? I do anything besides water. Do you want a glass of wine or.

[Unknown]

No, just water is fine.

[Ed O'Neill]

Yeah, I'm fine with water, too. Thank you.

[Unknown]

We're good.

[Ed O'Neill]

Thanks.

[Unknown]

Thank you.

[Ed O'Neill]

It's interesting because, like, with people that I've known, I've worked so closely with.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

For a long period, you don't know.

[Unknown]

A thing about us.

[Ed O'Neill]

Well, I don't know a single thing about you. The one thing I didn't know is that you worked in the steel mills.

[Unknown]

Yeah, but I got in the mills about when I was, like, freshman in college.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay.

[Unknown]

I would work the summers in the mills.

Yeah.

Because my father had worked there, my grandfather had worked there, my brother worked there after me.

That's.

[Ed O'Neill]

That's just unbelievable.

[Unknown]

It's good. Good training for someone for what, you know, it's. It's a good. Good incentive to get out.

Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

[Ed O'Neill]

But you were doing theater also in Youngstown?

[Unknown]

I started right around that time.

Yeah.

The last, you know, stint in the mill.

Right.

[Ed O'Neill]

But I mean, you were, like, an athletic guy. You're like, you know, you. I mean, I. How did you, like, fit in with that group?

[Unknown]

With the mill workers?

[Ed O'Neill]

No, with the theater people.

[Unknown]

Oh, very weird. It was very strange because I had been working as a bellhop in Florida.

Okay.

In Fort Lauderdale when I was cut by the Steelers.

[Ed O'Neill]

Right. I want to talk about that, too.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

So I hooked up with my college roommate. His name was Sammy Angot. Sammy pitched short relief for the Pirates. Pittsburgh Pirates. So I was a rookie with the Pittsburgh Steelers. I got a job at the Galt Ocean Mile Hotel, which was the only hotel in Lauderdale, actually, on the beach. And we had a little apartment on the canals.

Yeah.

[Ed O'Neill]

When you were recruited by the Steelers, Chuck Noll was the head coach. That is.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay.

[Ed O'Neill]

So I don't know a lot about sports. You know this about me, but even.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

I know who Chuck Noll is.

[Ed O'Neill]

I mean, that's a big deal. He's, like, one of the most iconic.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Head coaches of all time.

[Unknown]

Yeah. Oh, yeah. Four Super Bowls.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah.

[Ed O'Neill]

Force. And he, like, has one of the longest careers of any head coach.

[Unknown]

I mean, he was a wine connoisseur. He was a very intelligent guy, very kind of sophisticated guy. And. And I really liked him. And, you know, I didn't make it. I mean, he basically said, ed, look, you know, you're trying to make the team and learn the position you never played. That's hard. My first year.

[Ed O'Neill]

So, wait, you were recruited from college and you were playing a different position?

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Ed O'Neill]

And then when you were with the Steelers, you were. They wanted you to play something different or.

[Unknown]

We didn't have that position on our college team. It was an outside linebacker. And in the college, we ran what they call a 5 4.

Okay.

There's a middle guard and two linebackers behind on either side. The outside linebackers play out by the defensive ends. It's a little trickier.

Yeah.

So I had never. We never had the position.

Right.

[Ed O'Neill]

I mean, was that, like. Because, I mean, that's pretty exciting to be recruited by such a.

[Unknown]

It was.

I mean, it was Joe Green and I played with all these guys, you know, hall of Fame guys.

Yeah. Yeah.

And it was. Yeah. It was interesting.

[Ed O'Neill]

I mean, what was it like? Was it rough for you to get cut? Did you feel kind of like, what, now? Or did you have the backup plan?

[Unknown]

You know what was funny about it? I'll tell you what's funny about it, because I haven't really thought of this really Too much. When I got cut, you know, I made it, I was pretty far along. And then they come and they say, you know, the coach would like to see you bring your playbook. That means you're cut, Right?

Yeah.

So I went in, and Noel could not have been nicer. You know. They're nice to you.

[Ed O'Neill]

Sure.

[Unknown]

When they're cutting you, they're very nice to you.

[Ed O'Neill]

I mean, have you. After you had your success, did Chuck Noel ever reach out to you?

[Unknown]

No. We never spoke again.

[Ed O'Neill]

Really?

[Unknown]

But I heard from him.

[Ed O'Neill]

Did he know that.

[Unknown]

Yes.

[Ed O'Neill]

That you were the same.

[Unknown]

He got a message from somebody from him after he was finished.

[Ed O'Neill]

Right. Because he retired after, like, 23 years.

[Unknown]

And he just said, Tell Ed O'Neill I'm so happy for him because he actually said, well, before I left and never saw him again, he said, well, I wish you the best of luck. He said, I think you're gonna be okay.

Huh.

Whether he meant it or not, you.

[Ed O'Neill]

Know, it sounds like some.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

A line.

[Unknown]

Yes. And the thing was, I. I was sort of in a, like, almost sleepwalking for the next few months.

Right.

Because I didn't have a clue.

Right.

What I was gonna do.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

So that was, you know, and Youngstown was not a good place to live for, you know, opportunities.

[Ed O'Neill]

Right, right, right.

[Unknown]

Really, there was nothing there for me. The only thing that I had that I could have done and thank God I didn't, was organized crime, because I had friends in organized crime.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

We're gonna take a quick break, but don't go away. When we come back, we'll hear more about Ed's career decision to go the acting route and skip the whole organized crime thing. Probably a good idea. Okay, be right back. Hi, this is Jesse, host of the podcast Dinners on Me. The holidays are always hectic, and by the time January rolls around, I am craving simple, healthy me that don't take hours to prepare. That's where Whole Foods Market's meal hacks come in. Last week, after a long day at work, I grabbed one of their salad kits, I paired it with one of their famous rotisserie chickens, and dinner was done in under 10 minutes. No stress, no mess, just good food made easy. And the best part, it's all high quality. No questionable ingredients. Just fresh, wholesome options that I can feel great about eating. Their ready to cook veggies and heat and serve soups are lifesavers as well. Whether I'm in a rush to hit the gym or I just want some extra time to play with my kids, Whole Foods helps me spend less time in the kitchen and more time doing what I love. Whole Foods makes it easy to stick to my wellness goals without sacrificing flavor or time. Terms apply to all sales. Pickup and delivery make Whole Foods Market the home in your wellness routine. So, recently, I've gotten back into somewhat of a consistent workout routine. But one thing I did realize, and I'm embarrassed to say this, is that some of my athleisure wear was looking a little worse for wear. I ended up doing a little refresh with some items from Quince. I got a few of the flow knit Breeze performance tees and polo shirts. They're super comfy and lightweight. They look really great. And fun fact, the fabric is made from recycled water bottles. All right, but we gotta talk about the price. These shirts feel just as nice as the name brand shirts I have that were quadruple the price. Okay, how is this possible? Let me tell you. Quint's partners directly with factories, cutting out the cost of the middleman and passing the savings directly on to you. And I appreciate that they only work with factories that have safe, ethical and responsible manufacturing practices. Upgrade your wardrobe with pieces made to last with quince. Go to quince.com JTF for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. That's Q-U-I-N C-E.com JTF to get free shipping and 365 day returns. That's a year, people. Quince.com JTF and we're back with more dinners on me.

[Ed O'Neill]

This is a. Jeff. Hello.

[Unknown]

How you doing?

[Ed O'Neill]

Now, you two have met before, I was told.

[Unknown]

Yeah, you look familiar to me.

[Chef Rafael Lunetta]

We had coffee almost every morning at Cafe Luxe. I used to bring my son in there.

[Unknown]

Oh, that's right.

[Chef Rafael Lunetta]

That's.

[Unknown]

I haven't been there in so long.

[Chef Rafael Lunetta]

Yeah, it's been a while. But I would bring him there every morning and on the way to school. Enjoy.

[Unknown]

Cappuccino. It's good to see. I looked at. I know this guy.

[Ed O'Neill]

Great to see. This is Chef Lynette's place. And then he has a place next door, too.

[Unknown]

It's a nice place. I mean, I've never been here before.

[Chef Rafael Lunetta]

Well, it's great to have you here. Thank you.

[Ed O'Neill]

Tell us what you're known for and what you're.

[Chef Rafael Lunetta]

So. I mean, for lunch, I think we could do, you know, a fish sandwich. The grilled. The grilled fish sandwich is quite nice. The burger is amazing. The chicken sandwich is good. If you like, we can.

[Unknown]

So fish sandwich and chicken sandwich.

[Chef Rafael Lunetta]

Sandwich.

[Ed O'Neill]

I want the burger.

[Unknown]

Do the burger.

[Chef Rafael Lunetta]

Do the burger.

[Unknown]

Okay, so let's. Let's do it.

[Chef Rafael Lunetta]

Let's do a chicken sandwich.

[Unknown]

Do the chicken. No onion. No onion.

[Chef Rafael Lunetta]

Beautiful, crispy chicken sandwich, no onion. And a steak river burger.

[Ed O'Neill]

Perfect.

[Unknown]

Tim.

[Chef Rafael Lunetta]

Gotcha.

[Unknown]

Like Rob.

[Ed O'Neill]

Thank you.

[Unknown]

Good to see you.

Yeah.

[Ed O'Neill]

He told me he'd met you before.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

Unbelievable.

Yeah.

So what was I saying?

[Ed O'Neill]

Oh, but you were so. After the Steelers cut you, you didn't know what you were going to do. How long? How long? Organized crime.

[Unknown]

Organized crime. So here. Here. Here's what happens. I went to see. Here's the funny thing about My life. So I had friends whose fathers were in organized crime. Now, most of them actually were not Mafia made guys. There weren't that many made guys in Youngstown, but there was a lot of gangsters in Youngstown, all associated with these made guys. And a lot of these guys were called associates. So I had a friend. I went to school with, a kid. Even today, I can't name these guys. He was.

[Ed O'Neill]

You can't name them because you don't remember.

[Unknown]

No, I remember them. I can't get out there.

[Ed O'Neill]

I understand what you're saying.

[Unknown]

So this guy was an associate.

[Ed O'Neill]

Okay.

[Unknown]

I went to grade school with him. I went to high school with him. I played football with him. He's a dear friend of mine.

Yeah.

So. And he came to every play I was in. So when he. When he. Right around that time, so I would be like, 23, he called me and said, hey, take a ride with me. I want to talk to you. Pick me up. We're driving. And he said, how you doing? You know, you got cut. You got no money. I said, no, I'm broke. You know, I don't know what I'm going to do. Jim. His name's Jim. He said, well, let me stop. And I got to see a guy about something. Come in with me. I want to get a drink. So we went in this place, fancy place. I never would go.

Yeah.

And he went to the bar. He started talking to the bartender. I'm right next to him. Yeah, I'm 23 years old. I'm right off the Steelers, you know, I'm in great shape.

Yeah.

He says, I'm looking for this kid, his name is whatever. Demco. His name is Jimmy Demco. Do you know him? And the guy says, no, it doesn't ring a bell, you know. He said, well, I heard he comes in here a lot, you know, big kid, you know. No, I don't. I don't know. So he gives him 20, and he says, look, he's an old friend of mine. I haven't seen him in years. You know, I'm looking to reconnect, but I'd like to surprise him. So if he comes in again, this is my. You can call this number. You can reach me.

[Ed O'Neill]

You put it on the 20, Bill?

[Unknown]

Yeah, on the 20. Gave him a 20. And this was, you know, 60, 68.

Okay.

So we left. And he said, you can do this kind of stuff for me, you know, I'll protect you.

Yeah.

I'll give you easy stuff. Just. You collect here. You do that. You run you drop something off here and there, you know, you may have to lean on a guy. You're good at that. He said, you can make some good money until you, you know. I said, let me think about it, Jim. Cause I'm. I don't know, I might be leaving town to pursue this acting thing, which he knew about.

[Ed O'Neill]

Oh my God, this fork in this road. Acting.

[Unknown]

So here was. Here was the thing. I went home and I was thinking about it. I thought, you know, what else am I going to do?

[Ed O'Neill]

Wow.

[Unknown]

So my father, unbeknownst to any, he didn't know anything about this. He knew I took a ride with Jimmy.

[Ed O'Neill]

Okay.

[Unknown]

Cuz he was on the porch.

[Ed O'Neill]

Was that enough for him to know something?

[Unknown]

Yeah. I didn't know that.

Okay.

Cuz I thought my father was just a. A steel worker.

Uhhuh.

And he said, hey, the next day I came out on the porch and he said, I want to talk to you about something. I said, yeah, Dad, I didn't have a clue, you know?

Yeah.

He said, I saw you take a ride with Jimmy. He liked Jimmy a lot. He said, I just want to ask you a question. Can you do time?

Wow.

That was my father.

Yeah.

I said, no, you couldn't do time. You'd have a hard time being in jail, right?

Yeah.

I said, no, I don't think I could do time.

[Ed O'Neill]

He said, okay, that's all I signed.

[Unknown]

That's it. That's it. And I said. And then I went, and then I called Jimmy and I thanked him and I said, I'm going to New York.

Yeah.

I'm gonna try this other thing.

[Ed O'Neill]

That's unbelievable.

[Unknown]

That's what happened. Wow.

[Ed O'Neill]

So he went to New York instead.

[Unknown]

Yeah, yeah.

[Ed O'Neill]

You know, it was pretty unbelievable because I was looking at your career and your life and like, kind of just where you were in the world. And I didn't realize there's a lot of parallels where I kind of followed your footsteps in a lot of ways and in ways that surprised me.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

So you.

[Unknown]

Well, you were. Came from a family of murderers, did you?

[Ed O'Neill]

I mean, I did, I did, yeah. My episode of who do youo Think youk Are? Yeah. We discovered that my great grandfather was like, acquitted of maybe murdering my great aunt. I know, I know, I know.

[Unknown]

I laugh so hard because the other kid from, you know, that great show that your friend.

[Ed O'Neill]

Oh, Jim Parsons, he was on.

[Unknown]

He was on with you and he was like, from Royal.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Yeah, exactly.

[Ed O'Neill]

They like took him to like, middle gang murdering family. That's right, that's right. That's exactly right.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Ed O'Neill]

Yeah. But you lived at the Imperial Court on 79th Street. I, like, literally six blocks up is where I first landed in New York at this place called the Cambridge House. It was student housing for the school that I went to. The school was the Dakota. So I was at the. I was 86th and West End Avenue. And you were at 79th and West End Avenue.

[Unknown]

Yes. And when I was at that hotel, it was a resident hotel. It was basically the elephant burial ground at this point. There was old people dying there.

[Ed O'Neill]

Same. Same with my place.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Ed O'Neill]

Oh, my God.

[Unknown]

My night with Tennessee Williams. We can do that.

[Ed O'Neill]

No. Are you sure? Please.

[Unknown]

Well, here's what happened.

[Ed O'Neill]

No, you got to.

[Unknown]

Okay. You'll love this story.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

We're gonna take a quick break, but don't go away. When we come back, we'll hear some of Ed's insane New York stories, which include Get Ready, Tennessee Williams and Lucille Ball. Oh, my God. The life he's lived. Okay, be right back.

[Unknown]

This episode is brought to you by Google Gemini. With the Gemini app, you can talk live and have a real time conversation with an AI assistant. It's great for all kinds of things, like if you want to practice for an upcoming interview, ask for advice on things to do in a new city, or brainstorm creative ideas. And by the way, this script was actually read by Gemini. Download the Gemini app for iOS and Android today. Must be 18 to use Gemini Live.

This episode is brought to you by US Cellular. You shouldn't have to sacrifice a great experience to get a great deal. And US Cellular Prepaid agrees, which is why right now, you'll get a new Samsung Galaxy A15.5G for free without any hidden fees, like the device activation fees you get with those other prepaid providers. So you can use your free phone with US Cellular's nationwide 5G coverage to stay connected to the ones you love without having to make SAC terms apply. Visit uscellular.com for details.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

And we're back with more dinners on me.

[Unknown]

When I was doing the Broadway play, my only Broadway play, the Knockout. Knockout.

Yes.

[Ed O'Neill]

Which was your first.

[Unknown]

And it was Danny Aiello. You know, that whole thing. I had a ball.

Yeah.

Believe me, I had a ball.

[Ed O'Neill]

It was your first professional job, right?

[Unknown]

Well, no, it wasn't my first professional job, but it was my first. Yeah, well, it was.

[Ed O'Neill]

Well, it was your first Broadway show.

[Unknown]

No, it was my first professional job. So it started as the understudy.

[Ed O'Neill]

That's right.

[Unknown]

So, okay, where am I going with this now?

[Ed O'Neill]

Tennessee Williams.

[Unknown]

Yes.

There was A woman hanging around the show who was friends with somebody, I don't remember who. And I was introduced to her, you know, we'd come in for the matinee and she was there and she was really a nice looking, probably, I don't know, mid-40s. I was probably, I was 30. And she was like really pretty, you know, I don't know, there was something about her. And so I was introduced to her and I said, what is your name? And she said, gloria Graham. And I said, I know that name, Gloria Graham. She said, yeah, you're an actress. She said, yes, she was huge. Yeah, Gloria Graham, yeah. So I'd see her, you know, like for maybe a week. And she said, I'm on my way to London to do a play. And I said, oh great, what are you going to do? And she said, the Glass Menagerie. And I said, oh, it's one of my favorite plays at Tennessee Williams. And she said, yeah, do you know him? And I said no, I don't know him, you know, but you know, I've read all his stuff. And she said, well, he's, you know, he's a friend of mine. She said, as a matter of fact, I'm having drinks with him tonight at Ted Hooks backstage. You know, that was on 46th.

[Ed O'Neill]

Uh huh.

[Unknown]

No, 44th. And would you like to join us? Because I told him about you. So she had a crush on me, right? This is a crazy story.

[Ed O'Neill]

Oh my God.

[Unknown]

And I said, and I didn't know she had a crush on me because I was usually. I was a little dumb in that regard. A little like I am anyway, sort of the last to know, right? So I said, well, yeah, I'd love to join you, but we're doing a show tonight. She said, well, come over after the show, you know, at 10. We'll just be getting started.

Yeah.

So I do, I go over and he's in there with the Greek Fisherman cap on. And you know, they're drinking. And I remember he, you know, she introduced me to him and he said, well, hello young man, I've heard quite a bit about you. So we're having a wonderful time. And then she goes to the. No, he goes to the men's room. And she said, don't tell him I never read the. I haven't read the play yet and I've never seen it done.

[Ed O'Neill]

Glass Menagerie.

[Unknown]

Glass Menagerie, yeah. And I said, well, that may be, you know, I'm being. That may be a good thing, you know, you're not Influenced by.

[Ed O'Neill]

Sure.

[Unknown]

Laurette Taylor and maybe read it. I just say, you should probably read it.

Yeah.

So then he came back and it was really a wonderful night. You know, we talked about everything. You know, Brando, when he did the whole everything. And that was great.

[Ed O'Neill]

That is incredible.

[Unknown]

That was great. And so then she left, and I kind of looked for the play, and I didn't realize it was. It was touring as well.

[Ed O'Neill]

Okay.

[Unknown]

Throughout England. And so I think they were in Manchester. They were getting great reviews. She was getting rave. I thought, oh, I want to see her, you know, when she comes back. She's doing so great. She died on the way back, I think, on the plane.

[Ed O'Neill]

What, like a plane crash?

[Unknown]

No, it was some kind of. Apparently she had some kind of cancer that.

[Ed O'Neill]

Oh, my God.

[Unknown]

Metastasized. It killed her. And then Tennessee died a couple of weeks later. He was in a boutique hotel on the east side, and he got up and he had been drinking and he had to take a pill. And he thought he threw the pill down, but it was the cap. And he choked to death.

[Ed O'Neill]

Is that how he died?

[Unknown]

That's how he died. He choked to death.

Wow.

[Ed O'Neill]

I'm so. What an incredible night that must have been.

[Unknown]

Oh, it was. It was.

[Ed O'Neill]

How are you?

[Unknown]

Good. Uh. Oh, here we go. Thank you. Of course. One night I was in Ted Hooks and I was with Lucy Arnaz. Lucy Arnaz was doing a comedy with Robert Klein.

[Ed O'Neill]

Okay.

[Unknown]

They were doing a musical on. Right. Right by our theater. Right. But we were at the Helen Hayes.

[Ed O'Neill]

Wait. That's why he didn't take me out.

[Unknown]

What?

[Ed O'Neill]

That I just won a Tony Award for. That's why he did take me out. The Helen Hayes.

[Unknown]

Oh, yeah.

[Ed O'Neill]

Another moment that we've prized.

[Unknown]

We did the last play at the Helen Hayes before they.

Yeah.

[Ed O'Neill]

And they rebuilt it.

[Unknown]

Yeah. So I had met her, and her mother was flying in, said, you have to meet my mother. I said, Lucy. Yeah. She's coming in from California.

[Ed O'Neill]

Wow.

[Unknown]

So Lucy comes in. Are you telling me that Jane's smoking? No, Drinking. She was great, though. That was the day on that flight. She was banned for life on TWA.

[Ed O'Neill]

Because she was disruptive.

[Unknown]

Yeah, Disruptive.

Wow.

These bastards, you know.

[Ed O'Neill]

Incredible.

[Unknown]

But so that night in Ted Hooks, they had this young guy who played the American Songbook on piano. You know, that's very common.

[Ed O'Neill]

Was Ted Hooks, where you just would always hang out in the theater district.

[Unknown]

After every show in.

[Ed O'Neill]

That's where you would have. That's where you had drinks with Tennis.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Williams and same Place.

[Unknown]

Okay.

And so I had a. We had an expense account in there from the show.

[Ed O'Neill]

Okay.

[Unknown]

Our show was financed by gangsters.

[Ed O'Neill]

Are you serious?

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

No.

[Ed O'Neill]

A show called the Knockout on Broadway is financed by gangsters.

[Unknown]

Somehow that chs out all Italian guys.

[Ed O'Neill]

Uhhuh.

[Unknown]

So. So that night with Lucy and her daughter, in comes Rosemary Clooney.

[Ed O'Neill]

Stop it.

[Unknown]

Cheetah Rivera.

[Ed O'Neill]

No.

[Unknown]

And Rita Moreno.

[Ed O'Neill]

No.

[Unknown]

The three of them, they walk in. Lucy, they come to bar table. I'm at the table.

[Ed O'Neill]

Oh, my God.

[Unknown]

I'm at the drink. Hi. Hi. Oh, this is Ed or.

Hi, honey.

How are you? They all join us. So the guy. Young guy on the piano, American Songbook. So he says to everybody, rosemary, would you like to. Would you please honor us with a song? She said, sure. So she gets up and I think she sang. It was either Autumn Leaves or it was April in Paris.

[Ed O'Neill]

Okay.

[Unknown]

It was so beautiful. And then she had Cheetah and Rita go up and they did the one from west side Story about in America.

[Ed O'Neill]

I like to be in America.

[Unknown]

They did that. It was fabulous. Oh, I was like.

[Ed O'Neill]

I was sitting there going, yeah, pinch me, you know? Oh, my God. Absolutely.

[Unknown]

Because I had only been in New York six months.

[Ed O'Neill]

This is incredible.

[Unknown]

I mean, I come from this other life.

[Ed O'Neill]

When you were having dinner with Tennessee Williams.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Ed O'Neill]

And now you're meeting Chita Rivera and Rosemary Clooney. That's incredible. How long were you in the play for? Did you close or did you leave it? No, it closed. And then after that is when you were, like, doing regional theater and went to Hartford Stage to do Mice and Men. You know that. So this is another place where we cross. I did. I did a show at Hartford St. Stage as well.

[Unknown]

What did you do? I did two shows there.

[Ed O'Neill]

You did Mice and Men? What else?

[Unknown]

Androcles and the Lion.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Okay.

[Ed O'Neill]

I did Comedy of Errors, that old chestnut.

[Unknown]

But.

[Ed O'Neill]

But wasn't it that performance in Of Mice and Men that the casting director for Married with Children saw you?

[Unknown]

Right, yeah, yeah.

Hirschfeld. His name was Hirschfeld. Hfeld Mark Hirschfeld. He was in to visit his aging aunt in Connecticut, and it was like a Sunday or something, and he was bored and he said, I'm gonna. You know, this play is supposed to be good. Yeah, we got rave reviews.

[Ed O'Neill]

You played Lenny.

[Unknown]

Lenny, yeah.

But I mean, the Mice and Men got me Married With Children.

[Ed O'Neill]

Right. Did you have to fly to LA and test for all that?

[Unknown]

Yes and no. I was out there anyway.

[Ed O'Neill]

Okay.

[Unknown]

For a failed pilot that never got off the ground.

Okay.

And while I was out there. I was at the Y playing handball, the Hollywood Y. And I got a call from my agent saying, you know, there's this thing that, this new thing, Fox, they're getting into tv. I said, oh, that's great. I got this pilot called Married with Children and it's a horrible show. I said, why are you talking to me? Well, they want to see you. Levitt and Moya, these two guys, they've done some things, Jefferson's and some things. He said, okay, well where are you? I said, I'm in the locker room with the Hollywood Y. And they said, can we send over the script? So read the script and then, you know, call us and then tell me if you want to go over there. And I read it and I thought, this is kind of funny. Never work broad. It will be thrown off the air.

[Ed O'Neill]

Right, right.

[Unknown]

My whole thing when I read it was my uncle who had this self deprecating sense of humor. So in other words. And this actually happened and he was a judge. Yeah, very brilliant guy. Come home from work. His wife's nickname was Curly. Hi, Curl, how you doing? She said, joe, I killed the dog today. Right. I was in the driveway sleeping. I ran over dad, his dog. He said, what's for dinner? Because he expected bad news. News.

[Ed O'Neill]

Yeah.

[Unknown]

And got it. And that's how I read it. And they never heard that.

Right.

[Ed O'Neill]

You said you thought it was funny and your agent was like, it's terrible. What did you do you remember like what the, like the industry's response to it was?

[Unknown]

I mean, it was a success.

[Ed O'Neill]

Yeah, it was a huge success, but.

[Unknown]

It was not, it wasn't respected, you know, by, by my peers. I thought though that. Not always, of course, course, you know, some of the shows, especially towards the end, we were basically out of gas. But some of those shows I thought were very funny. I didn't just poo poo.

[Ed O'Neill]

And I, I mean it was definitely one of those shows. I think I've told you this, but like in my household growing up, like you would hear, then my parents would.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Run in and like turn off the tv.

[Ed O'Neill]

Like I was not allowed to watch it. I mean they would watch it without me, but like I wasn't allowed to watch it.

[Unknown]

You know, there's no question that it wasn't everybody's cup of tea.

[Ed O'Neill]

Well, I mean, I was watching some episodes, you know, recently before sitting down with you today and like, of course I like gravitated toward the ones that were controversial.

[Unknown]

Right.

[Ed O'Neill]

Like there's the one where you go bra shopping.

[Unknown]

Right.

[Ed O'Neill]

That was a hugely controversial one at that point. I think people were calling on advertisers to boycott the show, and that maybe happened for, like, a few weeks, and then they were back. Do you think any of, like, the. The controversy around the show was, like, overwrought? I mean, I. I personally think the show was ahead of its time. And usually when you say things like ahead of its time and shows that didn't get their due. This show obviously ran for 11 years, but I do feel like it was a bit ahead of its time.

[Unknown]

And it was also kind of a show that nobody wanted to admit that they liked.

[Ed O'Neill]

Sure.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

Or, for example, you do 260 shows, you run into a lot of people, and they'll tell you how if they like the show, if they didn't like it, they usually don't even come around, but they like it. They would say, you know, you remind me of my brother. You remind me of my uncle.

Yeah.

You remind me of my father, my best friend. Never them.

Yeah, Yeah.

I never once heard you remind me of me.

Yeah.

Because that was.

[Ed O'Neill]

No one wanted to admit it. Yeah. Wow. That's incredible. No, it was. I mean, you all had incredible chemistry, and it was. You know, did you ever, like, kind of draw parallels to, like, you know.

[Unknown]

You know what? Let me say. I'm going to jump here. I did a thing on the show that involved Amanda Burst that I regretted we didn't get along.

Yeah.

And we did. We did for a long time.

[Ed O'Neill]

Right.

[Unknown]

We were. We were great friends.

Yeah.

And I. I could guess, you know, I don't want to speak for her.

Yeah.

And I think it was. It started when we got the COVID of TV Guide, and her and David Garrison were the neighbors, and they. They were told they could not be on the COVID because they had a rule. There's only so many can be on the COVID right now. They violated that for, like, two shows. I think it was MASH and Dallas.

Yeah.

That was an exception. They weren't doing it for us. We were lucky to get it. And it was like the sixth year in or something, you know, but we were thrilled. We got to cover a TV guy that was big. And Amanda and David came out in unison from the dressing room. We were on the soundstage, and she said, we expect you to go to Ron Lovett and tell him, this doesn't work.

[Ed O'Neill]

Right.

[Unknown]

We're all on the COVID I should have said, if I was diplomatic, I should have said, fine, I'll talk to him about it. But instead, I said, no, I'm not doing that.

Right.

I'm sorry you guys aren't on the COVID I really am.

[Ed O'Neill]

I wish you were.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

But I can't do. We can't do anything about it. What do you want me to do, lie to you and tell you that, you know, I'm gonna go to bat for you? I'm not.

Yeah.

[Ed O'Neill]

Do you think in hindsight you would have handled it differently or.

[Unknown]

Yeah, I would have. And that's my regret.

[Ed O'Neill]

I know that that show ended also in a way that there was not.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

A lot of closure.

[Unknown]

Oh, there was none for you. There was none. Yeah, they. They came in. We were doing the last show of the 11th season.

Right.

Actually ten and a half.

[Ed O'Neill]

Okay.

[Unknown]

And it was Christina getting married, and it didn't. And she blocked at the altar. Yeah, it was pretty funny. But we're on. We're in, like. It's like a Wednesday. So we had kept. We were camera blocking, I think, and I look up and I see all the guys, all the suits from Fox, you know, four or five lined up. You know, I thought, I know what this is.

Yeah.

So they came over and they said, they're so good. You know, we love this show. And is there any way we could make this, like, if maybe like a last episode, just in case? Because we're going on hiatus. We don't think so, but you don't know. And I said, no, no, can't make this over now. We're shooting the thing on Friday.

[Ed O'Neill]

They wanted an alternate ending.

[Unknown]

Alternate ending, you know, probably wouldn't have taken too much, and it wouldn't have been very good.

[Ed O'Neill]

Right? Well, it wouldn't have been thought out at all.

[Unknown]

No. So I said, no, guys gotta live with this one. Yeah, that's what it was. We just shot that show and then we went back and it's so funny. I've told this story, but it was. I was in Youngstown, and there was a university hotel called the Wickpolic Inns. It was really old, very nice. And I was coming out to get my rented car to go somewhere, and I saw this car pull in with the. Just Married, you know, with the things they. The cans and everything. And the girl. The girl gets out. They're young, she's got the wedding dress on, and they see me, you know, like, oh, my God. You know, I said, oh, congratulations, you guys got married.

[Ed O'Neill]

And.

[Unknown]

Yes, and. Yes. And we're so sorry about your show.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh.

[Unknown]

And I said, what? What do you mean, oh? Well, it's on the radio that it's been canceled.

[Ed O'Neill]

Oh, my God.

[Unknown]

Oh, my God. And the girl said, my God, we're so sorry. And I said, I'd rather hear it from you.

[Ed O'Neill]

Yeah, yeah.

[Unknown]

So I said, let's go in. I'll buy you. And I bought him a bottle of champagne. You know, I mean, you know, the least you can do make him feel better. And then I. That was it. And then months went by, and I got a call from Peter Roth, who have taken over.

[Ed O'Neill]

Yep, Ed.

[Unknown]

And I said, hi, Peter. How are you doing? Good, Ed. Oh, geez. You know, the way that came down. You know, there were so many regrets. So many. I said, peter, Peter. I never got a call from you guys. It's the first time talking to anybody. Yeah, it was months. I said, but let me ask you something, and this is the most important thing. No gifts for 11 years.

[Ed O'Neill]

No gifts.

[Unknown]

You know, Golden Girls, they got Mercedes Benz. Ed, do you really think we'd let you go without a wonderful, wonderful going away gift? I said, yes. What is it? He said, no. That's a surprise.

[Ed O'Neill]

What did you get?

[Unknown]

Nothing. Oh, nothing. He was lying. Oh, no. I mean, it's so beautiful.

[Ed O'Neill]

You didn't scramble and find something? No.

[Unknown]

They lied.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Oh, no.

[Unknown]

No. I lied.

[Ed O'Neill]

You had no closure to that.

[Unknown]

None.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

That's crazy.

[Unknown]

And not only is it crazy, it's stupid.

[Ed O'Neill]

Yeah.

[Unknown]

Because I said, you could have won the night. All you had to do was say, it's their last show.

[Ed O'Neill]

Huge missed opportunity. You do deserve that.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Absolutely.

[Ed O'Neill]

No, and the fans deserve it, too. The people who invested 11 years. Was that one of the reasons that you were nervous to do Modern Family? Cause you felt like you kind of had already done that.

[Unknown]

I did a sitcom. Yeah. 11 years. When I read it, I read it twice, and I said, fuck, this is good.

[Ed O'Neill]

What did it feel like for? Cause, I mean, that was, you know, one of my first shows on television. But what for you having done something for 11 years that the industry maybe didn't appreciate? What did it feel like to be a part of this thing that was getting these incredible reviews that you were suddenly being nominated for Emmys for?

[Unknown]

It was great. It was great for. Not so much for the industry for me, but it was the peers, Our peers. Spielberg came up and said, oh, my God. And that I really liked. And that's why I only gave one fuck about best comedy, because that, to me, was the diamond. Yeah, that's all of us.

Yeah.

That's the ensemble.

Yeah.

[Ed O'Neill]

That's why I think those SAG awards for the best comedy cast really Meant a lot to us.

[Unknown]

Oh, yeah. Best ensemble.

[Ed O'Neill]

Yeah, Best ensemble. Those screen. Yes.

[Unknown]

We won it four times. No one's ever done it.

[Ed O'Neill]

You know, my dad, when he came to set, finally it was on a day. Then you weren't. When you weren't there. And I was so excited for him to meet everyone. He just wants to know where you were.

[Unknown]

Oh.

[Ed O'Neill]

He's like, where is that? I want to meet Ed.

[Unknown]

Why didn't you tell me coming on the set? Did you?

[Ed O'Neill]

I know you ended up meeting.

[Unknown]

You probably told me and I said, I don't care.

[Ed O'Neill]

You ended up meeting him at my 40th birthday party. And he was really excited.

[Unknown]

That's right. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I knew I met him.

[Ed O'Neill]

And you're basically almost exactly the same age. And you remind me so much of each other. And I just. Now I love you like a real dad. Well, that will be forever.

[Unknown]

Listen, you know, I feel the same way about. I mean, I just think you're one of the really, really fine actors that I've ever worked with. You're a joy to watch and to work with. You know, when I worked with you on so many of those scenes, like the starry night scene, the back of.

[Ed O'Neill]

The car, you know, when I'm in Sophia's. Gloria's dress.

[Unknown]

Yes, yes. It just always seems so real to me, you know? I mean, you know, there's real and there's real real. And when it's that good, you really do get caught up in it.

Yeah.

And I always did with you.

[Ed O'Neill]

Well, a lot of that. I think you would understand. This comes from the people you're playing with. Yeah. You made it very easy. So thanks for meeting me for. For dinner. I'm happy you found it. Finally. Now you know where it is for next time.

[Unknown]

What if I just walked in now? You know, I've been walking down.

[Ed O'Neill]

I would have waited.

[Unknown]

I know you would have. That's what was making me crazy. I said, he'll wait. Anyway, this was great. I hope. I hope you got enough.

[Ed O'Neill]

We're gonna start now. That was is a warm up.

[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]

Dinner is on Me is a production of Sony Music Entertainment and a kid named Beckett Productions. It's hosted by me, Jesse Tyler Ferguson. It's executive produced by me and Jonathan Hirsch. Our showrunner is Joanna Clay. Sam Baer engineered this episode. Hans Dale. She composed our theme music. Our head of production is Sammy Allison. Special thanks to Tameka Balance Kolassny and Justin Makita. I'm Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Join me next week.

[Ryan Seacrest]

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