John Leguizamo: From The Ice Age To The Odyssey

Summary

Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade Episode: John Leguizamo: From The Ice Age To The Odyssey Release Date: August 14, 2025

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Introduction to John Leguizamo

In this engaging episode of Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade, longtime friends Dana Carvey and David Spade welcome the multifaceted entertainer John Leguizamo. The conversation delves into John’s extensive career in film, theater, and television, offering listeners a behind-the-scenes look at his journey from struggling actor to Hollywood staple.

Early Career Struggles and Persistence

John Leguizamo opens up about the challenges he faced early in his career, particularly the limited opportunities for Latinx actors in Hollywood.

John Leguizamo [10:27]: "I was kind of humiliated by it. I mean, I did it only because I wanted. Because I got no jobs. There were no jobs for Latin folk."

He describes the limited roles available, often stereotyped, and his efforts to break out of these confines by showcasing his versatility and dedication.

John Leguizamo [11:30]: "There was no opportunities. So you would get every Monday, and they would list everything that was available in movie and television."

Representation and Breaking Stereotypes

The discussion shifts to broader issues of representation in Hollywood. John emphasizes the importance of authentic portrayal and the necessity of diverse voices in storytelling.

John Leguizamo [12:33]: "We were one in eight. We were one in eight... General Bernardo Galvez got an army of 3,000 Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Mexicans, Native Americans and freed slaves, and they kicked the British all out of the south so they couldn't ambush the New England Patriots."

John highlights historical contributions of Latinx individuals, advocating for their rightful place in all narrative genres, including period pieces.

Experiences on Iconic Film Sets

John shares memorable experiences from his time on various film sets, including working with legends like Mike Nichols and Harrison Ford.

John Leguizamo [13:32]: "Just to be anywhere near Mike Nichols and Harrison Ford is always. When he sees me, he's so lovely."

He recounts his role in Ice Age, emphasizing the unexpected success and the behind-the-scenes negotiations that led to the sequel.

John Leguizamo [20:56]: "They thought Ice Age was going to be a serious bomb... It was so huge."

Voice Acting and Character Development

The conversation delves into John’s role as Sid the Sloth in Ice Age. He discusses his dedication to the character, including his research to bring authenticity to Sid’s persona.

John Leguizamo [20:03]: "I did research on the Discovery Channel and I got all this footage on Sloth... And I was like, oh, my God, this is my character. This is it."

John’s commitment to voice acting is highlighted as a testament to his versatility and passion for his craft.

Personal Stories and Childhood Influences

John opens up about his tumultuous childhood and how it shaped his comedic and acting styles.

John Leguizamo [24:07]: "There was a lot of aggression and violence. My dad basically would edit out the humor out of the home movies."

He connects his ability to infuse humor into difficult situations with his experiences growing up, demonstrating how personal adversity can fuel creative expression.

Stand-Up Comedy and Early Performances

The hosts explore John’s beginnings in stand-up comedy, including his early one-man shows and his pivotal moments that led to broader recognition.

John Leguizamo [33:24]: "I was part of First Amendment comedy troupe where Bruce Willis used to come in New York City and Robin Williams come down, rest in peace."

His breakthrough with Mambo Mouth and subsequent HBO success are discussed as turning points in his career.

Current Projects: John Leguizamo Does America

John introduces his current project, John Leguizamo Does America, a show that celebrates Latinx excellence across the United States. He shares insights into the show's creation, its impact, and the historical discoveries that fueled his passion for highlighting Latinx contributions.

John Leguizamo [28:23]: "Our first season was at MSNBC... I go around the country looking for Latin excellence, Latin brilliance, Latin genius, Latin ingenuity."

Collaborations and Future Endeavors

The episode touches on John’s collaborations with renowned directors like Christopher Nolan, discussing his role in upcoming projects such as The Odyssey.

John Leguizamo [30:43]: "Whether you're black, Latino. They just want to see great shows."

John expresses excitement about merging historical narratives with diverse casting, highlighting the importance of inclusivity in major film projects.

Humorous Anecdotes and Impressions

Dana and David interject with humorous anecdotes and impressions, creating a lively and entertaining atmosphere. John engages with their jokes, showcasing his comedic timing and personable nature.

Dana Carvey [39:08]: "John, no offense, but you're a little bit of a girly man..."

Closing Remarks and Takeaways

As the episode wraps up, Dana and David reflect on John’s incredible versatility and relentless drive. They commend his ability to juggle multiple projects while maintaining authenticity and passion in his work.

Dana Carvey [58:50]: "You're crazy."

John Leguizamo [50:52]: "That's what immigrants do. I work my ass and four jobs at the same time."

The hosts emphasize John's role as a trailblazer for Latinx representation in the entertainment industry, inspiring listeners with his story of perseverance and success.

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Notable Quotes

• John Leguizamo [10:27]: "There were no jobs for Latin folk."
• John Leguizamo [12:33]: "We were one in eight."
• John Leguizamo [20:03]: "This is my character. This is it."
• John Leguizamo [24:07]: "My dad basically would edit out the humor out of the home movies."
• John Leguizamo [28:23]: "I go around the country looking for Latin excellence, Latin brilliance, Latin genius, Latin ingenuity."
• Dana Carvey [58:50]: "You're crazy."
• John Leguizamo [50:52]: "That's what immigrants do. I work my ass and four jobs at the same time."

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Conclusion

This episode of Fly on the Wall provides a comprehensive look into John Leguizamo’s dynamic career and personal journey. Through candid conversations and shared laughs, Dana Carvey and David Spade highlight John’s significant contributions to entertainment and his unwavering commitment to authentic representation.

For more insights and behind-the-scenes stories from the entertainment world, tune in to future episodes of Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade.

Transcript

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[Dana Carvey]

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[Dana Carvey]

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[John Leguizamo]

Because I, I, I was the flavor that they were looking for. Sort of like a ghetto hood. Yeah, you know, I had working against that because you know, my acting teachers when I was 17, they were all like, no one can understand you with that accent. Do you really speak that way? And good God. Felt like, you know, I was like, I was like, dad. Yo man, what you want? What you need? I'll be right there for you, bro. What's up? You know, I was, I used to talk like that. It was so dope because they thought it was going to be a bomb. They thought Ice Age was going to be a serious bomb. They had closed down Fox Animation because they thought it was over. Like, I'm not joking, they thought it was over. There was no merchandise, no advertising. This shit or not. It was blew up. Cut the balls. Work the shaft. Cut the ball.

[David Spade]

It's right out of my playbook.

[Dana Carvey]

All right.

[David Spade]

We have a gentleman on here.

[Dana Carvey]

Yes. Well, you're a, you're a gentleman, but so is our, our guest.

[David Spade]

Yeah, I'm A gent. I was in a club in high school called Gents.

[Dana Carvey]

I would. Would you like to be referred to as a gent or a class act? David Spade, he's a gent. David Spade, he's a class act.

[David Spade]

David Spade is a buffoon.

[Dana Carvey]

But that's, that's common now. You're called a buffoon.

[David Spade]

You know my last name is Spade. You know this, right? So, yes, it's not showbiz. It's very real. So when I played tennis in high school, I always wanted to be called the Spade of Ace. That was like in the nickname, like in the saguaro saber. Cat paper, like Spade of Ace wins again. But the only thing that caught on was Pinky Dick.

[Dana Carvey]

I don't want. How, how did, how, how, how did this turn in? How were you not named Ace of middle name? Oh, of Ace of Spades. I don't, I don't know how people.

[David Spade]

My middle name could have been U.V. h of spade. But we're not here to talk about that.

[Dana Carvey]

We're not here to talk about that. Let's.

[David Spade]

We're here to talk about John Leguizamo. He's a good dude. I've met probably very briefly in the past, but very aware of him, you know, being in the comedy world and someone's out there doing one man shows. He was ruling HBO there for a while. He has a new show, John Leguizamo does America. And he gets into a lot of very interesting things. You know, he's just a different world than us. We're just straight standups. And he's like a one man performer.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, there's one man shows and yeah, he's been, he's been a fixture. I'm just gonna use the word fixture. American entertainment, theater, movies, television. Yeah, he works too.

[David Spade]

Wong Fu. Remember that one with Patrick Swayze? Patrick Swayze and who else is Wesley Snipes, I think. Anyway, very interesting movie in. In the day, probably 20 years ago, but he's always sort of pushing the envelope and doing things.

[Dana Carvey]

So, yeah, very great to have a.

[David Spade]

Chat with this dude. And yeah, here he is right now. John Legazamo.

[Dana Carvey]

It happened to me when I was doing Smart List. They said, download Chrome. An hour later with two guys on the thing, finally punt it. Not gonna happen. Yeah, did it later. But yeah, you guys got on Zoom.

[John Leguizamo]

That was good.

[David Spade]

That was like, I know what's wrong with Zoom. Zoom never hurt anyone.

[Dana Carvey]

Why does everyone hate it?

[David Spade]

Yeah, they fucking hate it.

[Dana Carvey]

Why do people hate Zoom?

[John Leguizamo]

Why are they hating on Zoom? There's no need to be hating on Zoom.

[David Spade]

None. Zoom got us here. Zoom.

[Dana Carvey]

No need to be hating on Zoom.

[David Spade]

I mean, Zoom can run, right?

[John Leguizamo]

Zoom got us, like, we don't have to go meet directors in person anymore. We don't have to talk to anybody in person anymore. I mean, Zoom saved our. You know, our lack.

[David Spade]

When I. When I talk to directors, I go, can I just not get the job from here? And they're like, yeah, I'll just say no here. If you want to have a fake meeting, I go, I do want the fake meeting. But then afterwards, like, the free food.

[John Leguizamo]

I'm not gonna lie. I like the free food. And if I'm a big fan of the director, I like meeting them in person. So I can just. Yeah, that brag. You know what I mean?

[Dana Carvey]

What's. What's that like, being in person? I mean, what happens? You go. You see him in a room or. I. I'm just on virtual, so.

[John Leguizamo]

No, I mean, like, I just met Chris Nolan for the Odyssey. We met it. We met at the Audion. You know, the big 90s Hollywood New York restaurant, and we met for two hours. We chatted, talked about life, his biography, mine, and then I did the Odyssey.

[Dana Carvey]

Well, wait a minute. First of all, he's a genius.

[David Spade]

That's a huge, huge, huge movie.

[Dana Carvey]

That's not just a regular director to me. I mean, my God. Dunkirk, Interstellar. I mean, what is Odyssey about? I've heard about it, but what is it about? And what are you doing in it?

[John Leguizamo]

Not allowed to say a lot, but I'll try to talk a little.

[David Spade]

Okay.

[John Leguizamo]

I see around it, but I can. You know, obviously, the Odyssey, The Homer.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah.

[John Leguizamo]

800 BC piece, he's doing it, period. And Matt Damon's in it, and Tom Holland and Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, an incredible cast, and it's period. It's a beautiful. I mean, he's a visionary. I mean, that. I mean, if I would have done On Zoom, it would have been all right. I mean, I was sure I still got the part. But it. Being in person, to be. To have that. That sort of vibrations happen between you, and it's wild. I mean, it's a big difference.

[David Spade]

Well, it's like being on a date. It's different. Just talking, but when you get in the same room, you go, I can get a feel for someone. I can. You know, there's. You're right. There's a vibe. There's an energy. There's something going on or not going on.

[John Leguizamo]

And if you get it, Pick as opposed to like having it there in person?

[Dana Carvey]

Exactly.

[David Spade]

I always have one ready for a director in case it comes up.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, but you, you're just meeting, right? You were just, you don't, do you audition anymore? I mean, you've done a hundred movies from what I understand, minimum.

[John Leguizamo]

Oh, yeah, yeah. I, I, I, I don't audition, I don't audition, but I do have to meet.

[David Spade]

Yeah, that's fair.

[John Leguizamo]

Meet up with people. I, I guess especially like, Nolan has an incredible asshole limit, so. No, he doesn't. He wants to meet people to, just to vet the assholes. He doesn't want to work with people who are. And that's my new fucking barometer. I, you know, you get to a certain age, I just don't want to deal with motherfucking assholes or. Yeah, or egomaniacs or sociopaths. Just don't want to do that anymore.

[David Spade]

No, I think you get to a certain point in your career, like Nolan, where he can pick and choose, and on the way up, you do have to work with. That's just for all of us. That's just the way it is. And then at certain, at some, if things are going good enough, you get to say, I don't want to do that when I've heard they're a drag. Or, you know, have a meeting and say, are you a fucking drag or not? Because I can't do this. It's so hard anyway.

[John Leguizamo]

Oh my God, it's so true. Are you going to be a fucking pain in my ass, the most miserable experience I've ever had, or are you going to play ball and make me shine, motherfucker?

[Dana Carvey]

The biggest one is when you realize the director resents you because the studio forced you on them and they hate you the entire time and are really actively trying to sabotage you. Have you had that, John?

[John Leguizamo]

I never had that. I'm not at that level, but I've seen it happen. I've seen it several times when, when the director wanted a real artist, you know, Austrian studio didn't want to go, they wanted to go with some name.

[David Spade]

Star.

[John Leguizamo]

Yeah, yeah, but I wouldn't even say star. What they consider a name. Maybe a lot of followers, which doesn't lead to good acting. I don't know how to get good acting from just having a lot of followers, but you know how the, the studio system is.

[David Spade]

You know, I, I had a meeting, John, where they said you're kind of a name and you have a lot of followers, but you're not talented. I go, listen, we're not going to get everything, so let's just do this.

[John Leguizamo]

Two out of three is not.

[David Spade]

Meatloaf said it.

[Dana Carvey]

You're not funny. You can't sing. But those Instagram followers.

[John Leguizamo]

Wow. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's. That's the majority of that talent pool. Not to dis them, but to dis them.

[David Spade]

Yeah. They say we get a big star and surround them with tiktokers, right? That tricky formula of, like, you have this demo, they have this demo, and together it will collapse, basically. It makes no sense.

[John Leguizamo]

I mean, it makes no sense. Talent is talent for a reason. And then influencers. I mean, it's a necessity of our. Our modern world, but not something I go to.

[Dana Carvey]

I have a quick question.

[David Spade]

When you were younger, weren't you in regarding Henry?

[John Leguizamo]

Oh, you got to bring that up, didn't you?

[David Spade]

Is that bad?

[Dana Carvey]

Bring it down.

[John Leguizamo]

You know, I was kind of humiliated by it. I mean, I did it only because I wanted. Because I got no jobs. I mean, there were no jobs for Latin folk. They just weren't. I mean, I don't know if you remember the Ross Report, because that's how desperate I was. I would get the Ross Report, which managers and agents got, okay, but so I could. There was no opportunities. So you would get every Monday, and they would list everything that was available in movie and television. Every role. But it was like Jim Crow, I'm not going to lie. It was like white doctor, white lawyer, white husband, white lover, Latino drug dealer. And I would ask my agent, please, can they see me? I want to do my monologue from David Mamet, Sexual person Chicago, please. They'll fall in love with me. They won't even see you. So you had to be mad, resourceful. You just had to be to try to get in that room with folks.

[Dana Carvey]

Well, did Freddie. What did Freddie Prinze mean to you, if anything? Or Paul Rodriguez? Because I came up. I always thought it was kind of weird. Oh, there's a Latino comic and there's one of them or two, you know, but he was a force of nature. Were you in your formative years when Freddie was around?

[John Leguizamo]

Oh, yeah. I mean. I mean, he's way older than I am, but as a kid, to watch him on Chico and the man was like, my God, the only Latino on television at the time. I mean, we had Desi Arnaz, but he was in the 50s.

[David Spade]

They say every two decades, we'll throw one out there. Yeah. That's the thing is that when I saw Chico and the Man, I guess as a Kid. It was just another funny show. So I would have thought, looking back, hey, maybe they should give more than Latinos a chance, because this one's working really well. This. This show is very funny. It fit right in. No one said a word. It was just like, oh, another funny show. Without even separating it. It was like, hey, whoever's funny, throw.

[John Leguizamo]

Them out there, because talent is talented.

[David Spade]

Yeah.

[John Leguizamo]

Whether you're black, Latino. They just want to see great shows. But they just weren't casting us. So when I got Regarding Henry, it was a drug dealer. I shoot this white guy. And it was like, my God, I'm perpetrating what. What they want to see, which is negative Latino images. And I didn't want to participate in that, but I really wanted to meet Mike Nichols because he's one of the greats.

[David Spade]

I mean, he's sure.

[John Leguizamo]

The rate of Virginia Woolf, the Graduate, Carnal Knowledge, some of my favorite films. Yeah, I did it because of that. But then, you know, there I am with my half my sloppy fro, and I'm in the drugstore. I mean, in the bodega, and Harrison Ford, and I'm robbing the place. Oh, even talking about it just gives me right.

[David Spade]

And I'm sorry about that. I just sort of was like, Harrison Ford, Mike Nichols. I was looking at that angle. Like, to be on a set with them when you're younger must have been in some ways, other than what you're describing, obviously. It's kind of a sore subject, but just interesting to see them on a real set and how it works.

[John Leguizamo]

Oh, yeah, of course. I mean, just to be anywhere near Mike Nichols and Harrison Ford is always. When he sees me, he's so lovely, you know? And I'm like, oh, wow, that's. He's such a great dude to be around these folks, you know?

[Dana Carvey]

But I love Harry Ford. I do. I really enjoy Harry Ford and Mikey Nichols, both. You're the guy from the bodega. Did anyone ever say to you, john, can you latten it up a little more? They ever, like.

[John Leguizamo]

Yeah, didn't have to say that to me as much, because I. I was the flavor that they were looking for. Sort of like a ghetto hood.

[David Spade]

Yeah.

[John Leguizamo]

You know, I had. Working against that because, you know, my acting teachers when I was 17, they were all like, no one can understand you with that accent. Do you really speak that way? And good God, talk like, you know, I was like. I was like that. Yo, man, what you want? What you need from me, I'll be right there for you, bro. What's up. You know, I talk like that and I don't. You don't really hear that anymore.

[David Spade]

There you go. That's what we're looking for.

[Dana Carvey]

That's. That's our man right there.

[John Leguizamo]

Yeah, they totally understand, man. This is the person that I become.

[David Spade]

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[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, and like, you know, the first pitch to the game winning fireworks, you know, there are more ways than ever to supercharge your excitement. It's like. It's like really co. You know, I think it's great.

[David Spade]

It's good that John Travolta came by.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah.

[John Leguizamo]

Why?

[Dana Carvey]

He's taking over my space. David. I don't like that Travolta is coming in and reading my copy. You know, will look because, like, they wanted me to do it. You know, it wasn't my idea. I mean, David called me last night and I said, okay, I'll be happy to reach something for you over here.

[David Spade]

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[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, that's betmgm.com, right? John Travolta. Yeah, yeah. Arnold Schwarzenegger. It's like BetMGM, you know, like dot com. Why do you add like in between every word?

[David Spade]

I don't like.

[Dana Carvey]

Know why I say like? Because it makes it fun. Yeah.

[David Spade]

Major league baseball trademarks used with permission. BetMGM and Game Sense remind you to play responsibly. See betmgm.com for terms 21+only. This specific promotional offer is not available in Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico or West virginia.

[Dana Carvey]

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[John Leguizamo]

What is up?

[Dana Carvey]

It's a chat show about women whose society is called crazy.

[John Leguizamo]

We're going to be rediscovering the stories.

[Dana Carvey]

Of women's society dismissed by calling them.

[John Leguizamo]

Mad, sad or just plain bad.

[Dana Carvey]

Listen to and follow the C Word with Lena Dunham and Alyssa Bennett. Available now wherever you get your podcasts.

[David Spade]

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[Dana Carvey]

Let me. I'm gonna calm down. I was a little excited, so go ahead.

[David Spade]

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[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, what I hear from the first pitch, the game winning fireworks. There are more ways than ever to supercharge your excitement, David.

[David Spade]

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[Dana Carvey]

League Baseball trademarks used with permission. BetMGM and Game Sense remind you to play responsibly. CBetMGM.com for terms 21+ only. This specific promotional offer is not available in Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico or West Virginia. Gambling problem. Call 1-800-GAMBLER available in the US for New York, 8778 Hope NY or text Hope NY 467-369 for Arizona, where I'm from.

[David Spade]

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[Dana Carvey]

Very funny.

[David Spade]

What? What is A sloth.

[John Leguizamo]

It's a sloth.

[David Spade]

Dude, Ice Age is a killer.

[John Leguizamo]

I did research. I did research because I gave the guy like a thousand voices. I like, you know, like, what if he's from Southeast Asia? And he talked like this and he said, what if he's from the deep, deep South? And he talked like. He goes, nah. I said, what if. What if he heard and talk like. He said, nah. So I. I did research on the Discovery Channel and I got all this footage on Sloth. And they store the food and the cheap pouches, you know, and it fermented great. And I was like, oh, my God, this is my character. This is it.

[David Spade]

And it's a hit. Yeah. I say, just such a smash. That's great.

[John Leguizamo]

My celebrity worth.

[David Spade]

It's 90% of your celebrity on Google.

[Dana Carvey]

I'm fascinated by celebrity net worth. Not that, but what did you get for the first Ice Age? What percentage more did you get for the sequel?

[John Leguizamo]

It was dope. It was so dope because they thought it was going to be a bomb. They thought Ice Age was going to be a serious bomb. They had closed down Fox Animation because they thought it was over. Like, I'm not joking. They thought it was over. There was no merchandise, no advertising, this shit or not. It blew up. It was so huge. And then when they wanted to come back for us for number two, we got. I took them to the cleaners.

[David Spade]

Yeah. The best position to be in.

[Dana Carvey]

Did you actually indicate to them that this is my number or I don't do the sequel? Because your character was essential at that point, I believe.

[John Leguizamo]

Oh, yeah, no, we negotiated hard, man. I bought a country house. I bought a massive apartment. I bought a pool.

[Dana Carvey]

Good God.

[John Leguizamo]

Jesus.

[David Spade]

I bought a pool.

[Dana Carvey]

Do you have any idea of any animated movies that are coming out now? I'll tell my mouth. I'll talk like, whatever they want. I mean, you know, anyway, just. If you have anything, just DM me.

[John Leguizamo]

I'll keep an eye out.

[David Spade]

Listen, I'm waiting for Hotel Transylvania 5. Oh, yeah. When they get up.

[John Leguizamo]

How much did that bring you, bro?

[David Spade]

I got a wading pool.

[John Leguizamo]

But I know, 84 pool.

[David Spade]

No, I think by 5 I should get a pool. It was. Listen, it's very. It's a very fair paycheck. Fair. I mean, not. It's not fair to the real world, but it's great. And then it usually goes up increments. I'm not as crucial as you would be an Ice Age, but it's really fun to be a part of it. Also, in the way that when I see kids, it's a good relatable thing because they see them.

[John Leguizamo]

But, dude, I get the. I get the. For me, it's a weird experience when I meet the kids because parents come up to me and they go, oh, hey, I'm a huge fan of isis. Can I introduce you to my son? I go, yo, it's not going to.

[David Spade]

Go really well because it'll ruin and scare them almost.

[John Leguizamo]

And that voice is. And they really relate. And then the parents come up and I go to the kids and I go, hi, how's it going? And the kids are, like, horrified. Oh, I know. I don't song and dance explaining to the child so they're not traumatized. For them.

[David Spade]

Yeah. They don't get it. And they don't. They don't love it. It's better on the phone.

[John Leguizamo]

Yeah, they don't love it. It's. It's fascinating and. And I. I can understand it. I mean, I'm not. I wouldn't force myself, you know, on these poor kids. I'm like, please don't do this to them.

[Dana Carvey]

Does Ice Age have a ride? Are you a ride in a ride yet?

[John Leguizamo]

I know, I know. Kanto. Bruno. There's a ride because that's Disney, you.

[Dana Carvey]

Know, I mean, Disney. Yeah.

[John Leguizamo]

Yeah. Bruno Encanto is Disney. Sorry, that's another anime.

[David Spade]

Oh, and Kanto Encanto.

[John Leguizamo]

Yeah. The biggest hit song that Disney has ever had.

[David Spade]

Yeah. Dana.

[Dana Carvey]

Oh, yeah.

[John Leguizamo]

Oh, bruh. Bruh.

[David Spade]

Thank you, John. Sing it. Explaining it.

[John Leguizamo]

No.

[David Spade]

Let me see. I have more questions for this. Most talkative. I love that in school.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah. Chatterbox. High school.

[John Leguizamo]

Chatterboxes too.

[David Spade]

I. I think I was. Because I was in a bad sort of area where I. I think I read you felt like you might get beat up when you were growing up. And I was in the same. If that's true. I was in an area that was. And I was a little pipsqueak, which you would never believe, but. And I wasn't as tough as I am now with these quads and how I work out all the time. So I would just go to school and go, I'm going to get beat up today, or pushed into a wall. And so I would try to joke my way out of it. And I. And also my dad had taken off. And I think when I look back, I'm trying to joke around and make friends because sort of to get some happy stuff going. Just to talk and talk and have fun.

[John Leguizamo]

Oh, my God. That's kind of like me. It was like, my house was really difficult. My house situation was. There was a lot of aggression and violence. My dad basically would edit out the humor out of the home movies. It was like there was a fun, free zone in my house. So I was always trying to bring humor and light and life to every situation. Plus, my neighbor was really tough. So I was always fighting all the time. But let me correct. Not fighting. I was getting beat up.

[David Spade]

Thank you.

[John Leguizamo]

Yeah, a few times, but not. Not a lot. But I did have a good. Right. Right punch. And. And I could knock people out. But I got beat up a lot. Yeah, it was top school. I got. People took my lunch money. They would pick on my brother, so I'd have to try to defend my brother, too. So, yeah, there was a lot of fighting going on at home and in the streets, which prepared me for Hollywood. Hollywood ain't got shit. They can't take me down. I mean, yeah, I'm invincible. Now.

[David Spade]

You try to keep it light at school. Try to keep things fun because you want to be, like, valuable as funny so you don't get beat up all the time. So you're like, we like this guy. He's kind of a clown. Yeah, that was my angle. Like, just leave me alone. I'll joke around with everyone. I'll stay out of your way.

[John Leguizamo]

But I didn't back down, though. That was my problem. I didn't have that thing that I could back down if people cornered me. I wanted. Yeah, I don't know. I needed to, I guess. I had a lot of aggression and anger, so I. I needed to get it out.

[David Spade]

I do have that thing, so I do back down easily. Dana, I.

[Dana Carvey]

We all have similar childhoods. It was not. Not fun at home. There was a monster in the neighborhood. In the neighborhood, there was a monster, a scary monster. And then. And the monster was my dad.

[John Leguizamo]

So how is he a monster?

[Dana Carvey]

You know, if you. He would. If you did something he didn't, like there were five kids, you know, he'd gather everyone around. You'd have to go get his belt, and then he would snap it, you know, snap that belt. And then you'd have to grab your ankles, and then he would ask your siblings how many lashes. And then it. He'd just whale on you. Yeah, but I learned to be like a mouse. I learned to be, you know, not seen or heard because of the threat of violence. So, anyway, I kind of concur with you. I'm only fascinated that you had a right hand that could knock people out. I just need to know how old were you? Like fifth grade. Knocking people out or.

[John Leguizamo]

No, no, I was 13. 14. Yeah. No, no, no, no. I mean, the fights that I had before were like stupid little kid fights, you know, you just wail on each other, you know, like that kind of fight.

[Dana Carvey]

Right, sure.

[John Leguizamo]

No, but then by the time I got 13, you know, I hung out with some tough kids who would protect me because I make them laugh. So I hang out with them and I do their homework, too, because I was a ghetto nerd, so they would protect me. But then I got. You know, I got. I think. I think I had so much rage and fear when kids. Some kids would corner me and try to beat me up. I would talk a lot and I'll go, hey, dude, I'm sorry. I'd look down and I'd be like, I'm so sorry. I didn't. And then I'd sucker punch him and knock him out with one punch.

[David Spade]

Shit. I like that. That's. You know, I was kind of a puss, so I didn't get that. And I just had the rage build up and it just stayed. So that's why my neck hurts. Other than that. Wait, I want to hear a little bit about Lego's Almond Is America, because I also want to ask about some other movies, too, but can you tell us a little bit about that right now?

[John Leguizamo]

Yeah. You know, our first season was at msnbc. Number one original show for the last three years, so we got a season two out of it. And bas. I go around the country looking for Latin excellence, Latin brilliance, Latin genius, Latin ingenuity. And I celebrate it, you know, and I go to six different cities every year. And, you know, last season I went to la, New York, Miami, Chicago, the big Latin places, right? And then this time I went to Raleigh. People down there. And no New Orleans. Nola. San Antonio, obviously. Big Latin population there. And Phoenix and Denver and Philadelphia.

[David Spade]

Yeah, I'm from Arizona. So when you go to somewhere like that, do you have, like a crew, you kind of scout out, or do you kind of walk out in the world and just start talking to people or how does it work?

[John Leguizamo]

Oh, no, no, it's. It's. It's. It's very heavily planned.

[David Spade]

Okay.

[John Leguizamo]

You know, I have a great team. My director, Bende Jesus, my. My showrunner, Caro Saavedra, and, you know, and then producers for each segment. And, you know, we find the best people, we walk and we do all these, you know, like. Like an Anthony Bourdain, but of Latino culture.

[David Spade]

Okay.

[Dana Carvey]

Oh, what have you doing this show, has there been surprises to you or experiences of learning or. Or is it you're just showcasing people from.

[John Leguizamo]

Learning is happening? For me, yeah. I mean, when Philadelphia, I learned that, you know. You know, it's a big center American, the colonies in the nation, and that 10,000 unknown Latino patriots fought in the American Revolution. And then I. I went home when I got that news, and I started reading it and researching, and I found out that there were 80,000 troops. And then I realized we were one in eight. We were one in eight. And then Juan de Maraes funded George Washington. They had a bromance, and he gave them $2 million from Cuba, Mexico and Spain. General Bernardo Galvez got an army of 3,000 Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Mexicans, Native Americans and freed slaves, and they kicked the British all out of the south so they couldn't ambush the New England Patriots. The. The Revolutionaries. Not the football team.

[David Spade]

Not the team.

[Dana Carvey]

Okay, that's interesting. Yeah.

[David Spade]

Yeah. Well, I'm very interesting.

[Dana Carvey]

Is the Alamo a sore point for people from Latin America? Because it's kind of like John Wayne did the movie and remember the Alamo, but from the other side of the fence. Is it?

[John Leguizamo]

Yeah. I mean, being a Latin person and. Yeah, it's kind of because, you know, all these Latin people, it was. First of all, it was Mexico and Latin for, like, ever. And then we let all these white people come in thinking that, you know, maybe we could. The people in Texas could become a country on their own, and they would ban. And so they worked with the Texans to the. Whatever the white people that started coming in there, and they freed themselves from Mexico. But then the Texans turned on them and took their, you know, their land, their political power, and then started massacring and lynching all the Latin people there.

[Dana Carvey]

So the John Wayne movie wasn't a fan favorite of yours or.

[John Leguizamo]

You know, I didn't know, but I was rooting against myself.

[David Spade]

He likes it. Yeah, well, until you know something, it's hard to.

[John Leguizamo]

John. I bet you. Dana. I bet you do. The killer is.

[David Spade]

Yeah, Dana, where's your.

[Dana Carvey]

What?

[John Leguizamo]

Come on.

[Dana Carvey]

Hey. All right. Here's my John Wayne.

[David Spade]

Yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

John Wayne and Walter Brennan. The. The thing I do like about John Wayne is not that he had no fear. He was furious at the idea that anyone else would have any fear. So, you know. Well, let's attack them, Pappy. No, Duke. There's 10,000 of them and 40 of us. Duke, we're gonna die. I said attack, Pappy. You'll attack when I tell you. Don't make me do what I did last time.

[David Spade]

Was that what he do?

[Dana Carvey]

That's how he ends it. He never says, oh.

[David Spade]

Everyone goes, oh, I don't want to have anything.

[Dana Carvey]

Let me do one more. And then I want to ask you about your very first stand up bit, because this is one of my earliest stand up bits. I would say Lucille Ball in 1952. Oh, Ricky. Lucille Ball today. Well, oh, wait, no, sorry, sorry. It goes like this goes. John Wayne, 1952. Well, let's go over the ridge. John Wayne today. Well, well, let's go over the ridge. Lucio Ball, 52, let's go. Come on, Ricky. Lucille Ball today. Well, let's go, Ricky. I didn't do it very well, but it killed.

[David Spade]

It sounds like it's. There's something there and we're still going to work.

[Dana Carvey]

It always killed. So your first stand up bit, that really worked for you. You have five seconds.

[John Leguizamo]

Oh, fuck.

[David Spade]

You have 25 seconds.

[John Leguizamo]

You know, I was part of First Amendment comedy troupe where Bruce Willis used to come in New York City and Robin Williams come down, rest in peace. And I was part of the C Company. And the great thing about it, there was a lot of cute women and. And that was. Comedy was wonderful back then for me. And. Yeah.

[David Spade]

When was was it Mambo Mouth? That wasn't your first one, was it?

[John Leguizamo]

That was my first one man show, 1990.

[David Spade]

Okay. Because I remember hearing about that. Was that HBO?

[John Leguizamo]

Yeah, then it went to HBO. But I was doing it in, in the performance arts spaces downtown. And then I did it at the American Place Theater where Sam Shepard, Arthur Miller, Al Pacino, George Plinth, I don't know if you all remember who he was. John F. K Jr. Rest in peace, all came down and were in my tiny, tiny theater, bro. I had 70 fold up seats because they would lift my little tiny platform out of the way for the real show. I wasn't even a real show. I was like a sideline.

[David Spade]

So they all came down and watched you do that. How cool. And so HBO hears about this, you get some buzz and that's how they come in and they. Yeah, yeah. Like they hear about a stand, they hear about something and they want to see what's going on, so they throw it on hbo. And that must have blown you up a little bit, right?

[John Leguizamo]

What happened then after that was I wasn't in tiny spaces anymore. Now I was in big ass theaters traveling around the country. And especially because Latin people now found me because they were getting the bootleg hbo. They couldn't afford the regular hbo.

[David Spade]

Yeah, I know.

[John Leguizamo]

I know because everybody told me I got the bootleg and I was like, oh, great. I didn't get it. But, yeah, then I. Then all of a sudden we met each other and it was beautiful, man. It was like religion. I mean, I think my audiences have always kind of kept me going against all odds, you know, because, you know, we land people at 20% of the US population, but less than 3% of the leads in Hollywood, less than 0% of the executives are stories being told. It's just. It's so crazy, you know, but that's.

[Dana Carvey]

27 of the population. Oh, really?

[David Spade]

You'd be a good executive, actually, Dana.

[Dana Carvey]

Yes.

[John Leguizamo]

Would you be. Would you be Lucille Ball as an executive or Josh?

[Dana Carvey]

Well, John Leguzziamo. Well, he does the One man shows. That's him all the time. Pappy. Is he good? Duke. He gets Emmy nominations and all kinds of stuff. Well, I don't know. Pappy. Don't make me do what I did last time.

[David Spade]

Sorry.

[John Leguizamo]

That's the last time.

[David Spade]

Yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

You're the only one who likes my John Wayne. That's what I'll take.

[David Spade]

I like it, too. I like the Lucio ballpark better.

[Dana Carvey]

Well, I. I don't know. I'm available for parties or whatever, you know.

[John Leguizamo]

Lucy, don't do that to me. You got a lot of.

[Dana Carvey]

Let me ask you a question about. Sorry to interrupt. Desi Arnaz Jr this is supposedly a thing I heard from a crew guy that, you know, he liked the ladies and Lucy and the marriage and the whole thing. And she's wandering around in this backstage in the studio. Ricky, Ricky. She comes along, sees him up in the slats, up in the whatever. And a woman is performing oral sex on him. He sees Lucy and goes, get out of here, man.

[John Leguizamo]

What are you doing?

[Dana Carvey]

What are you doing? He's pretending he's being attacked by the woman. Get away from me.

[John Leguizamo]

What are you doing? What are you doing?

[Dana Carvey]

That's what I heard from a guy. Could that be true?

[John Leguizamo]

Have you heard the one about Stallone that he left the speaker on in the trailer and.

[David Spade]

He was miked and he was like.

[John Leguizamo]

And he was like, yeah, yeah. And he was going to cut the balls, work the shaft, cup the ball.

[David Spade]

It's right out of my playbook.

[Dana Carvey]

You know what I'm talking about? Yeah.

[John Leguizamo]

It's good technique. I mean, it's functional.

[Dana Carvey]

People don't know outside of Hollywood, you have a mic on a lavalier mic and you don't turn it off. Sometimes yeah. And a lot of. A lot of bad stuff can happen with that.

[David Spade]

But I've not always say they can't. They can't hear you when you walk away from the set. I go, that's the biggest lie. I would just listen to people. That would be so fun. They always go, once you get to this, I go, I'm having a meeting. I don't want to take all this off. Can you just turn it off? They go, sure, yeah.

[John Leguizamo]

That happened with, with Bette Davis. The director, I can't remember what his name is right now. Worked really hard to get her into, I think, was it Jezebel, one of those big southern ones. Then she left a mic on it. She was telling the producers to fire him, that she couldn't stand the director.

[David Spade]

Oh my God. That's what happens. Alec Baldwin and Kim Basner were.

[Dana Carvey]

That's the worst.

[David Spade]

Fighting or getting it on or something in a car, like between takes.

[Dana Carvey]

I mean, I think Cary Grant. His was on. He was doing north by Northwest, you know, and he's with the producers and he said, I don't believe it. Hitchcock is a hack. He couldn't direct him sway out of a paper bag. Get that dumpy freak out of here. No more Hitchcock for me.

[David Spade]

I knew that set you into a bit. That was just too much.

[Dana Carvey]

Nobody, nobody does, you know, Cary Grant anymore. Nobody wants to do it. Nobody wants to even think about it. There, I've got John Wayne.

[David Spade]

Okay, here's my last one.

[Dana Carvey]

Only from John.

[David Spade]

Here's my last one. And it's the worst one. This is Madonna on the last day of her 180 city tour.

[Dana Carvey]

Holiday.

[David Spade]

That's it. Because she's all her voice is so.

[John Leguizamo]

Dana, you still have.

[Dana Carvey]

It's the same joke, but very much Lucille Ball.

[David Spade]

You can have it.

[Dana Carvey]

You're my friend.

[David Spade]

If we took a holiday, good night it.

[Dana Carvey]

That's the last show.

[David Spade]

No, because I heard a video of her in Japan and when she was singing Holiday, she was bottomed out a little bit. But listen, let's not over talk about how good that impression is.

[Dana Carvey]

My wife's in laws came to visit and they're in their 80s and they're Irish and they didn't. They. We wanted to put them up somewhere and so we. We got an Airbnb and we went to it. It was right in the little town and it was spectacular. It was just amazing. And they loved it. And so they had privacy in their time. They could walk around the little town and we didn't have to put them up here and have someone say, do you know, could I, where would I get a towel if I needed a towel? You know, that kind of thing.

[David Spade]

Where do you keep your shillel?

[Dana Carvey]

Could I get a washcloth, please? But anyway, keep your potatoes. They were really. This goes to Ireland, you know. No, but they're incredibly sweet and they had a great time. Time. You already have an Airbnb.

[David Spade]

That's right. While you're away, your home could be an Airbnb. Your home might be worth more than you think. Check it out. Find out how [e-mail] host Dana what does a confident smile say to you? And maybe more importantly, what does it say about you with Smile Generation? It says you're taking care of more than just your teeth. Because confidence doesn't start and stop at a bright smile. It's about your whole body wellness. Smile Generation reimagines oral health as the gateway to long term confidence. Why? Because oral health issues have been linked to heart disease, diabetes and even cognitive conditions. When you care for your smile, you're investing in your future and that confidence. It starts with feeling supported. With Smile Generation trusted providers, you're not just another patient, you're a partner.

[Dana Carvey]

They prioritize personal, patient focused care that truly listens to you. Plus, with education and preventive care at the core, Smile Generation empowers you to understand the connection between your mouth and overall health so you can stop issues before they start. Here's your chance to take the first step. Smile Generation is offering a $59 new patient special. That's a comprehensive exam, cleaning and x rays, a $290 value. New patients only offer not valid for Tricare or Medicare Advantage. May be covered by insurance, subject to plan restrictions. Booked by December 31, 2025. Visit smilegeneration.com 5 for full terms and to book.

[David Spade]

Now listen, you know you're always talking about Quincy, the old show you watch, but there's also Quince.

[Dana Carvey]

I love the reference.

[David Spade]

You're always talking about Quince, the, the grouchy mortician or whatever. Quincy.

[Dana Carvey]

Well, you always, when you hear it, you always think it's Quint. And you think of the guy in John Jaws.

[David Spade]

That's right.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah. But that is not what we're here.

[David Spade]

We're here to talk about with a C at the end. Why drop a fortune on basics when you don't have to? Quince is high quality, great stuff. Clothing. Oh, yeah. Quince has good stuff. High quality fabrics, classic fits, lightweight layers for warm weather, all at prices that make sense. Everything I've ordered from Quince has been nothing but solid.

[Dana Carvey]

Quince has closet staples you want to reach for over and over, like cozy cashmere and cotton sweaters from. Get this, David. Just $50 breathable flow knit polos and comfortable lightweight pants that somehow work for both weekend hangs and dressed up diners.

[David Spade]

Dress weekend hangs and dressed up dinners. That's right. The best part, everything with quints is half the cost of similar brands. I mean, look at that. 50 bucks you're getting a cashmere that's very rare.

[Dana Carvey]

Yes.

[David Spade]

By working directly with top artisans and cutting out the middlemen, Quince gives you luxury pieces without the markup.

[Dana Carvey]

And Quince only works with factories that use safe, ethical and responsible manufacturing practices and premium fabrics and finishes. David.

[David Spade]

Yeah, I like the cashmere. I like some stuff just for around the house for right now. It's great, you know what I mean? Because you forget that you need those basics and this is the place for them. You know, throw it in your cart. You can do stuff for your home too. They have bedding, they have towels, they have cookware, they have luggage, they have bags. Listen, keep it classic and cool with long lasting staples from quints, go to quince.com/fly for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. Whoa. That's Q-U-I-N C E.comFly to get free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.comFly I want to know from. Look at all my notes on John. I want to know. When you did Romeo and Juliet, was Theo coming off of like Titanic? Was, was Leo huge at that point?

[John Leguizamo]

No, this is before Titanic.

[David Spade]

Oh, was it?

[John Leguizamo]

Yeah, yeah. But he was living large. I mean, I don't want to speak out of turn or, you know, go ahead. But we were living large. We were living crazy. I mean, we were in Mexico City and you know, he had a crew all. It was a lot of male actors and we were just, we were just acting like old Hollywood.

[David Spade]

Yeah, I'm sure you can leave it at that.

[John Leguizamo]

But it does that anymore. You can't do. You shouldn't, shouldn't be doing that.

[David Spade]

Good. I like that you added that. You should not be doing that.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, we. Not quite sure what you're talking about. But anyway, did Leo have a vibe then? Did you think, hey, that kid's gonna be a superstar?

[John Leguizamo]

He was just another so good in the movie, man. And he was amazing. Like as, as, as another actor. You know, there are actors that are really mad selfish and they just take care of themselves. And they walk off. They don't even try to hang or. Or even off camera is. A lot of actors will walk off. He would give the same or better performance off camera for us. And I was. It was so generous and so beautiful. And he was incredible. The kid was incredible. And he. He, like, gathered all the actors, only 19, and he brought us all together. I was almost 30. And the other actors were like, in their late 20s. Dash my hawk. I can't remember all the other actors because I'm old.

[David Spade]

Who else is there? Claire Danes was Juliet.

[John Leguizamo]

She was 16. She was mad young. She didn't hang with us.

[Dana Carvey]

Did you see the movie Titanic with Leo?

[John Leguizamo]

I didn't see it. I don't see commercial movies.

[David Spade]

Yeah. Good job.

[Dana Carvey]

Okay. I was just curious because there was a problem I have with the movie. It's brilliant, but ask me. Well, when the ship is going down, you know, it's Jack and Rose are the characters. He's Jack. And they say each other's names over and over again throughout the whole. Going. Running around the ship. You know, Rose, Rose, Jack, Jack. You know, I mean, every Jack, go this way. Rose, come over here. It's never, hey, you, or let's go. They say Rose or Jack like 200 times. Just.

[David Spade]

I watch a lot of that observation.

[Dana Carvey]

I watch too many movies.

[John Leguizamo]

You wanted them to just go, hey, well, just don't.

[Dana Carvey]

It'd be like me saying, john, David. Hey, John, David, David. It was a bit much.

[John Leguizamo]

It's kind of like bad writing. Like, you, like, you want to. You want to get your character names in early and then.

[Dana Carvey]

But I want to ask you, because what movies blow your mind? I mean, what do you. What. What is. What are your favorites and what are your favorite directors? I just curious.

[John Leguizamo]

Oh, I'm a cinephile, so I like a lot of old amazing movies like Carl Dreyer's Joan of Arc. It's an amazing movie, silent film, where he took the actual transcripts of the lawyers and from the 1400s and turned it into a movie. And then his first movie, because it was made from nitroglycerin, the film back then, it blew up, so he had to take. Go back into the editing room and take all his B sides and reconstruct the whole entire movie. It's amazing. That's the kind of shit I like.

[Dana Carvey]

Literal silent films.

[John Leguizamo]

You're going way back films, great films for Sawa, Ozu, Porkies, you know, Pollini, Pasolini, all the Enies.

[David Spade]

All the Enies.

[Dana Carvey]

All the Enies.

[David Spade]

Spaghettini.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, yeah.

[David Spade]

Okay, what? Well, what's the word?

[John Leguizamo]

White.

[David Spade]

Worst example of whitewashing out there.

[John Leguizamo]

Oh, wow.

[David Spade]

I'm sure there's a handful of period.

[John Leguizamo]

Pieces that, you know, I was. I was pitching a lot in Latin period pieces because I had a lot of great stories and they kept telling me, no, John, sorry, we're not doing any period stuff. And then all of a sudden the crowd comes out. All of a sudden a thousand period pieces with only white folk comes out. And I was like. But then, you know, here, here. That's why Nolan is such a visionary. I mean, Lupita Nyong' gos in it. I'm in it. Corey Hawkins is in it, Zendaya's in it. I mean, you can do period and have people of color. We've been here for, you know, for hundreds and thousands of years. It works. It doesn't have to be just a whites only show, you know, I mean.

[David Spade]

Well, Odyssey seems like it's going to be a monster. I think a lot of people looking forward to that. Oh, yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

If it's Christmas, I'm going. Rhymes. Gotta see that. Gotta see his movies.

[John Leguizamo]

If it's Nolan, I'm going.

[Dana Carvey]

If it's Nolan, I'm gone. All right, I'll stay away.

[David Spade]

No, no, that's not a saying joke. That's something that happens, but it's not a common thing. Well, let me see, we've got Dana. Anything else for this lovely young man?

[Dana Carvey]

Did you do anything with Arnold Schwarzenegger?

[John Leguizamo]

Yeah, yeah. I love Donald. I did this terrible movie called Collateral.

[Dana Carvey]

It wasn't terrible.

[David Spade]

Collateral.

[John Leguizamo]

Not. I think, you know, I think. I think either the Collateral damage. I did the one with Arnold, not the one with Tom Cruise.

[David Spade]

Oh, yeah, that was Collateral, I think Collateral Damage.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, I was.

[John Leguizamo]

It was between me and Jamie Foxx with the Tom Cruise one. But I. I messed up my fourth callback.

[Dana Carvey]

Ah.

[John Leguizamo]

So I. Arnold. I ended up with Arnold. The consolation prize. I did the other.

[David Spade]

Okay.

[Dana Carvey]

How did he. How did he pronounce your name?

[John Leguizamo]

He didn't pronounce my name. He didn't call me by my name. He go, hey, John.

[Dana Carvey]

Oh, he never tried. Because I just thought his accent with your last name.

[John Leguizamo]

I mean, he's so. He's so fun, man. He's a funny ass dude. He had me rolling all the time. Like, he's a crazy funny guy.

[Dana Carvey]

He's the most positive.

[John Leguizamo]

He let me use this gym. I go, come on, are you kidding me?

[David Spade]

Do some flies.

[John Leguizamo]

Yeah. All the ways. Is so massive. I couldn't pick anything up I was like, I'll just stand in the corner and look, because.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah. John, no offense, but you're a little bit of a girly man. You know, Your arms are puny, like little chicken sticks. Your buttocks are like marshmallows. You're lucky. I don't have a campfire here.

[John Leguizamo]

Me nude.

[Dana Carvey]

You have such a resume. I was blown away by how much you've done and how varied it is, and you're still going full bore. It's amazing. We've not had a guest like you with this many things.

[David Spade]

It's like there's so much going on here.

[Dana Carvey]

You're crazy.

[John Leguizamo]

That's what immigrants do. I work my ass and four jobs at the same time.

[David Spade]

Yeah, that's good. Yeah. You got two Wong Fu. You've got. It was. What? It was. Wesley Snipes.

[John Leguizamo]

Yeah, Wesley Snipes. And. And rest in peace, Patrick Swayze.

[David Spade]

Patrick Swayze. Okay. That's right. And they were ahead of its time.

[Dana Carvey]

The original.

[John Leguizamo]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

That was. That was bold. That was a bold move for. By you guys.

[John Leguizamo]

Oh, my God. Especially for the two of them, because they were action stars.

[David Spade]

Yeah.

[John Leguizamo]

For them to play drag queen is what we call them back then, that was a huge rift for me. Nobody really knew who I was, so for me, was just. I got to steal this movie from them. That was my only objective.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, I think you did look exceptionally good.

[David Spade]

Yeah, it's shocking. You don't know how good a guy will look in drag. And some look horrible and some look great. As a girl, it's crazy. Can't really predict it.

[John Leguizamo]

I mean. Well, you know, Wesley was still working out. I stopped working out, like, six months before the movie and went vegetarian so I could lose all my muscles. And it just makes a difference, you know, I. I committed like crazy to it. I wanted to, but. Right. And, yeah. I wanted to steal the mood from them.

[David Spade]

That's smart. When I go to a movie, I don't do anything ahead of time. Then the day on the movie, I go, what's this one? And then I pick up the script. Then I look at it.

[John Leguizamo]

Technique. That's.

[David Spade]

Yeah, that's something. Yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

Brando would never. He's had lines everywhere. He'd open an orange and read the line, and Brando wanted.

[David Spade]

That gets inside the orange.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, it's inside the orange.

[John Leguizamo]

Come on. You're gonna have a Brando. Come on. I know you got.

[David Spade]

He worked hard enough at that point. He just goes, just make it easy on me. Come on.

[Dana Carvey]

Everybody does that. I mean, Brando and Apocalypse Now. Brando and Superman. The first original Superman is a man.

[John Leguizamo]

That was sad. But he got $8 million. He needed the cash for the island heyday. Street card in desire on the one. Touch him. Nobody can touch him.

[David Spade]

Stud, stud.

[Dana Carvey]

The way I got Trump initially was I did Brando and I mixed in Regis Philman.

[John Leguizamo]

Do it, do it, do it. Do each one.

[Dana Carvey]

And then. Are you an assassin? What are you talking about? You walk your way to Regis a little bit. You do the two together and you got them here. We're going to do a lot of good things. We're going to do amazing things. Are you ready for this?

[John Leguizamo]

Oh, you said that's fire. That's fire.

[Dana Carvey]

It was. I. Everything was better when I first did it. But anyway, Super Mario Brothers is a classic. Super Mario Brothers 92. 3. That was huge.

[John Leguizamo]

Yeah, you know, it's huge because the directors fought for me to be in the movie because they didn't want me. And they fought really hard. Annabelle Tanklin, Rocky Mourner. Big props to them. And obviously me and Hoskins don't share any DNA. We played.

[Dana Carvey]

It worked.

[John Leguizamo]

Hey.

[David Spade]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

What is your name? What are you doing in a Faulkner movie? I don't know. Bob Hoskins is great.

[John Leguizamo]

Oh, man. He spoke cockney English, not English. He didn't speak the King's English.

[Dana Carvey]

The queens, right?

[John Leguizamo]

They get a more sensation. Oh, great. Let's do it.

[Dana Carvey]

Was.

[David Spade]

Was that around Roger Rabbit and she.

[Dana Carvey]

Sent me what did. With me. You gotta put me in a movie. Is that your idea on a movie?

[John Leguizamo]

I needed subtitles for when I talked to him because I was like, I can't, I can't.

[David Spade]

Did Roger Rabbit ever come to the set?

[John Leguizamo]

No.

[David Spade]

That sucks.

[Dana Carvey]

Who played. Who played Roger Rabbit?

[David Spade]

Charles Fleischer.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, you're right.

[David Spade]

Yeah. Comic.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah. Please.

[David Spade]

Eddie.

[John Leguizamo]

What a month.

[David Spade]

Yeah, that was a hit. Hey, John, listen, it's called thanks for talking to us, John. John Legazamo does America and along with.

[Dana Carvey]

1 million other things, MSNBC. Because I like specifics.

[David Spade]

Yeah.

[John Leguizamo]

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday, West coast and 9pm East Coast.

[David Spade]

Yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

Yes. Because when people say they got a show, I go, where? What platform form. Where are you?

[David Spade]

Say it.

[John Leguizamo]

I don't mind plugging myself.

[David Spade]

Of course. Why not? That's what we're here.

[Dana Carvey]

You're the star of the show. I mean, you're the host. It's not like it's.

[David Spade]

Thank you, John. You're a good dude and it's nice talking to you.

[John Leguizamo]

It was a blast, man. Great to see you.

[Dana Carvey]

Thanks. For laughing at my goofy old impressions.

[John Leguizamo]

No, I love them, bro. I love them.

[Dana Carvey]

I hope we run into each other.

[David Spade]

I hope so, too. All right, Dana. So we just hung up with John.

[Dana Carvey]

Yep.

[David Spade]

And it feel. You know, I feel like I had met him in the old SNL days, I feel like. Because, you know, he was out there. That was right around those HBO things. And I brought up Mambo Mouth because it was such a. It was a big deal on hbo, and a lot of people saw that thing. That was when HBO was. You know, HBO is really big now. Euphoria, obviously, White Lotus, but HBO was big. So you get a show on there, and that must have blown him through the roof.

[Dana Carvey]

That was. That was. Yeah, everything was a lot bigger then because there were less venues to do stuff. But, yeah, that was big. And this was one of those things where I didn't. I'd never really met him or hung out with him, so it was. He's a really fun guy, got a big laugh. And, you know, he's. He's. He's. He's. I don't know. He's. He's just a character he's part of.

[David Spade]

Yeah, he's a charming dude. I got off on the wrong foot asking about Regarding Henry, but I was. He understood Mike Nichols, Harrison Ford. How exciting. I mean, he's a bad guy in a movie, but what a great movie. That was a big deal. I mean, I remember Regarding Henry because later when I ran into J.J. abrams, who wrote it, he had the. He had the porn version in his office called Regarding Heiney, which, if you get a chance, it didn't follow the exact story perfectly, but close enough for me.

[Dana Carvey]

Well, that doesn't sound like J.J. abrams, but maybe he's got a secret side. I don't know.

[David Spade]

No, someone gave it to him as a joke. You know, you're famous when your movie gets turned into a porn.

[Dana Carvey]

I don't think they do it anymore. Wayne and Garth are in a porn or something. I don't.

[David Spade]

Yeah, they take the title. You have a good time. You know, you have to have your ass licked. Park. You have to have, like, a good title that kind of lends itself. And basically it's a porn with a dinosaur in the background. You know, they. They don't. They're not sticklers to their original script.

[Dana Carvey]

Right, right. So, yeah. You brought up Hank Ford or Harry? Harry.

[David Spade]

Hank. For what did I used to say? Oh, this is too old of a movie. Bang the nun Slowly. That was an old joke.

[Dana Carvey]

I knew two comedians who Just went back and forth. It was part of their actual, was a kind of a.

[David Spade]

They do porn.

[Dana Carvey]

Porn. Do porn titles, fake porn titles, back and forth. It's very exciting.

[David Spade]

Anyway, back to John. He's done so many movies. I, I heard he was. Oh, I didn't ask about Caro's weight. That's what I want as the Sha Pen Pacino cool movie. I just didn't want to step in again, but I, I, I just remember Caro's Way and Sean Pen was so hilarious in. Was such a cool movie.

[Dana Carvey]

Sean Pen is a, is a brilliant character.

[David Spade]

We gotta get Sean on here.

[Dana Carvey]

He loves putting a accent. I mean you can, he was such.

[David Spade]

A, in Carlito's way.

[Dana Carvey]

It was so. Yeah, it was hilarious.

[David Spade]

It's like a coke snorting lawyer or something.

[John Leguizamo]

I don't know.

[David Spade]

Anyway, I think people. I hope you liked it, John Legazamo and check out his show. The guy is a force to be reckoned with. He's, he's out there and he's always working.

[Dana Carvey]

I guess that the takeaway is like here's a guy who just started from where he started, scrambled for everything he got and he still looks at it that way. It's still going for it. Yeah. You know, after a hundred movies, 100.

[David Spade]

Movies, and, and you're, and you're presently in a Chris Nolan movie. I mean, yeah, that's as good as it gets. Yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah.

[David Spade]

So anyway, all right, thanks for watching, guys. Thanks for listening and we'll see you next time.

[Dana Carvey]

Peace out.

[David Spade]

Peace. Hey guys, if you're loving this podcast, which you are, be sure to click follow on your favorite podcast app, Give us review 5 star rating and maybe even share an episode that you've loved with a friend.

[Dana Carvey]

If you're watching this episode on YouTube, please subscribe. We're on video now.

[David Spade]

Fly on the Wall is presented by Odyssey and executive produced by Danny Carvey and David Spade, Heather Santoro and Greg Holtzman, Maddie Sprung Kaiser and Leah Reese Dennis of Odyssey.

[Dana Carvey]

Our senior producer is Greg Holtzman and the show is produced and edited by.

[David Spade]

Phil Sweet tech booking by Cultivated Entertainment.

[Dana Carvey]

Special thanks to Patrick Fogarty, Evan Cox, Maura Curran, Melissa Wester, Hillary Schuff, Eric Donnelly, Colin Gaynor, Sean Cherry, Kirk Courtney and Lauren Vie era.

[David Spade]

Reach out with us. Any questions be asked and answered on the show? You can email [e-mail] that's a U-A C-Y dot com.