RE-RELEASE - Steve Buscemi

Summary

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Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade

RE-RELEASE – Steve Buscemi

Release Date: November 27, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, comedy legends Dana Carvey and David Spade sit down with the iconic actor and director Steve Buscemi. They share hilarious and insightful Hollywood stories, dig into Buscemi's unique career, discuss filmmaking, the craft of acting, Buscemi’s time as a firefighter, and the art of staying “effortlessly cool.” The conversation is relaxed, funny, and intimate, with the trio riffing on showbiz, SNL, movie memories, and personal anxieties.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The “Grown Ups” Movie Set & Adam Sandler’s Directorial Eye

[01:14 – 07:31]

• David Spade reminisces about a tricky late-night scene in “Grown Ups,” where continuity was a challenge due to filming stretches and changes in "drunken" performance.
  • “It was really hard to match the exact tone of the drunkenness. Sounds crazy, but…” (David Spade, 05:34)
• Adam Sandler is described as a hands-on creative force who oversees each detail, even though he dislikes directing’s logistical demands.
  • “He's always so involved… And I said to him, why don't you ever direct? ...He said he doesn't want a location scout.” (Steve Buscemi, 06:47)

Life on Set: Juggling Cast, Weather, and Odd Demands

[07:31 – 11:47]

• Buscemi recounts shooting "Grown Ups" in a full-body cast, feeling left behind in the rain, and the indignity of waiting for a staged “dog sniffs your balls”shot.
  • “I thought we were friends. Like, you're left out there. Nobody's checking on me…” (Steve Buscemi, 08:50)
• Dana and David highlight the grueling, sometimes absurd realities of movie set life—the fatigue, long hours, and how it tests endurance.

Behind the Scenes of “The Listener”—Directing & Storytelling

[13:04 – 18:44]

• Carvey and Spade praise Buscemi’s new film The Listener, focusing on its single-actor structure (Tessa Thompson) and the challenge of making it visually dynamic.
  • “You only see Tessa on screen for the duration of the film. And she's amazing...” (Steve Buscemi, 13:38)
• The film was shot in six days due to Thompson's schedule, heightening the intensity and creativity required.
  • “She had seven days off, and she chose to work with us...So we shot the entire film in that one week…” (Steve Buscemi, 17:33)
• Discussion about how voices—distinctive and memorable—function as “fingerprints” in the film and in life.
  • "When I think of women I've dated ...a voice is one thing I really appreciate in people because they are fingerprints." (David Spade, 16:17)

The Art of Storytelling, Directing, and Indie Filmmaking

[20:14 – 22:34]

• Even an acclaimed actor like Buscemi finds it hard to get indie movies financed.
  • “This is the first film I've directed in 15 years ...The climate out there is tough for any filmmaker. But you know, but where there’s a will, there’s a way.” (Steve Buscemi, 20:33)
• He aimed to create intimacy and subtlety in “The Listener,” focusing on movement, nuance, and letting the audience “lean in.”
  • “I wanted to create this really intimate atmosphere and have Tessa’s location be totally her...for the audience to want to lean in and be involved." (Steve Buscemi, 21:29)

Acting, Anxiety, and Hollywood War Stories

[24:12 – 31:33]

• Hilarious rapid-fire questions about Joel vs. Ethan Coen (“both hacks”, Buscemi quips 24:43), Tarantino’s foot obsession, and internet trivia about Buscemi’s “fast talker” roles.
• Spade reflects on auditioning (and failing) for Buscemi's part in “Con Air”; Buscemi is surprised and gracious about others’ struggles to land roles.
  • “I never knew that. Wow. You would have been…” (Steve Buscemi, 27:04)
• The trio discuss the pain of auditions, offers for “names,” and odd encounters, including commercial auditions nightmares.
• On working with the Coen Brothers, Buscemi describes their precise scripts but openness to occasional improvisation:
  • “Their writing is so specific, you know, that they really want you to, you know, say what's written. And so there's very little [improvisation].” (Steve Buscemi, 29:58)

SNL: Sketches, Hosting, and Stage Anxiety

[31:33 – 37:31]

• Buscemi and Spade reminisce about SNL sketches, including “Welcome Back Cotter: Tarantino Edition,” and the unique anxiety of performing live.
  • “I was so anxious and I didn't know if I was allowed to say anything or contribute...even though they were asking me.” (Steve Buscemi, 36:18)
• Lorne Michaels is described as both intimidating and comforting:
  • “He’s kind of both. He’s very intimidating and comforting…because he’s so calm.” (Steve Buscemi, 37:46)
• Odd moments like spotting friends or spouses in the audience can throw off even experienced performers.

Iconic Roles: Airheads, Billy Madison, Chris Farley, and the “Cool” Factor

[38:05 – 42:03]

• Buscemi’s one-day cameo in “Billy Madison” is immortalized thanks to the “kill list & lipstick” scene.
  • “For no reason at all, I put on lipstick, which—that was my favorite part.” (Steve Buscemi, 38:59)
• Chris Farley’s enthusiasm and Buscemi’s collaborations with comedy legends are celebrated.
  • “He really was that way. Like when he had that sketch on SNL...” (Steve Buscemi, 40:36)
• “Is Fargo the one you get asked about the most?” No, says Buscemi—“The Big Lebowski” has become his cult signature.
  • “It got to be where I knew the Lebowski fans, like, somebody would come up to me on the street ...and I’d say, ‘shut the f** up, Donnie.’”* (Steve Buscemi, 41:10)

Craft, Self-Doubt, and Staying Effortlessly Cool

[43:06 – 46:21]

• Buscemi discusses his most “in the pocket” role as "Tree's Lounge"—but admits directing and acting at once doubled his anxiety.
  • “My anxiety, I think, just gets in the way.” (Steve Buscemi, 43:39)
• Carvey and Spade joke about the pervasiveness of anxiety in show business—and how actors have learned to name and manage it.
• Buscemi is praised for his “effortless cool” and unique lane in Hollywood:
  • “He's just the guy who goes in and you can't take your eyes off that guy.” (Dana Carvey, 51:10)

Firefighting, 9/11, and Heroism

[46:00 – 47:53]

• Carvey lauds Buscemi’s real-life heroism: Once a firefighter, Buscemi returned to volunteer after 9/11.
  • “I felt really honored that they would even let me come back and work with them…” (Steve Buscemi, 46:21)
• Doing so quietly, he found his old gear made him stick out:
  • “All the equipment changed...people were like, why is this time machine a relic from the past? Oh, wait, it's that actor.” (Steve Buscemi, 47:37)

Personal Tidbits: High School Wrestling and Understated Masculinity

[48:09 – 50:37]

• Buscemi was a light varsity wrestler—“wiry, secretly strong.”
• He shares a humorous anecdote about his “secret move” (the reverse cradle) and the awkward intimacy of wrestling.
  • “It’s very homoerotic wrestling. It is.” (Steve Buscemi, 50:22)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "He's always so involved... He's always so involved in, like, all the films."
  — Steve Buscemi on Adam Sandler’s work ethic (06:47)
• "I was a firefighter for a few years... 9/11...it just put me back in touch, and I felt really honored that they would even let me come back and work with them.”
  — Steve Buscemi on his return after 9/11 (46:01)
• "You weren't in Fargo… It didn't feel like you were acting. You weren't an actor in that movie."
  — Dana Carvey on Buscemi’s authenticity (51:10)
• "For no reason at all, I just put on lipstick, which—that was my favorite part."
  — Steve Buscemi, on his “Billy Madison” cameo (38:59)
• "My anxiety, I think, just gets in the way."
  — Steve Buscemi, on directing and acting (43:39)
• "It’s very homoerotic wrestling. It is. Okay, you know, let’s look at a clip. It’s part of the appeal."
  — Steve Buscemi, on high school wrestling (50:22)
• "Both hacks."
  — Steve Buscemi on Joel & Ethan Coen (24:43)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |:---------:|------------------------------------------------| | 01:14 | “Grown Ups” filming story (night shoots, continuity) | | 06:16 | Adam Sandler’s creative process/directorial style | | 08:50 | Steve Buscemi’s “full body cast” rain set story | | 13:04 | Discussing “The Listener” – single-actor challenge | | 17:33 | Filming “The Listener” in six days | | 20:33 | Challenges of indie film financing | | 24:43 | “Both hacks”: Joel/Ethan Coen, Tarantino feet jokes | | 27:04 | Spade auditioned for Buscemi's “Con Air” role | | 29:58 | On Coen Brothers' scripts and improv | | 31:49 | SNL: “Welcome Back Cotter”/live nerves | | 36:18 | Buscemi’s anxious SNL monologue experience | | 38:59 | “Billy Madison” - kill list and lipstick scene | | 40:36 | Chris Farley fandom moments | | 41:10 | “The Big Lebowski” – cult status | | 43:39 | On “Tree’s Lounge,” directing, and anxiety | | 46:01 | Firefighting, 9/11, and volunteering | | 50:22 | High school wrestling stories | | 51:10 | Buscemi's authenticity and "cool factor" |

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Final Thoughts

This episode is a warm, funny, and revealing portrait of Steve Buscemi—his humility, self-doubt, peerless cool, and artistic drive shine through. Fans of SNL, classic comedies, and indie filmmaking will relish the candid stories and mutual respect.

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Transcript

[Steve Buscemi]

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[David Spade]

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[David Spade]

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[Dana Carvey]

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[David Spade]

You know Dana, we all know Steve Buscemi.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah.

[David Spade]

Show. Yeah. Friend of the happy Madison world. Saw him at Sandler's. Last time was at Sandler's Kennedy Center Award.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, we were. I was actually next to him singing. I'd not really hung out with him and he's so much fun and so nice. You know, he's such an intense actor and we. We talk about Fargo on this movie and he can play the bad guy or whatever, but man, is he a sweet, funny person in real life and can sing.

[David Spade]

Yeah. Good dude in everything. People really like him. He was in Con Air. I remember. That's the part I. Oh yeah. I love that movie. And obviously I think his Wedding singer and grown Ups we did one summer. I think he was in both of them and just all. All around. Great actor. Pretty beloved out there and does comedy, does drama, talks about everything in between. So here he is, everybody. Steve Buscemi. Well, you were in Grown, but the one I was in that.

[Dana Carvey]

I don't know if you.

[David Spade]

This was the one. You were in the cast. Which one is that? Is that both of them or is it.

[Steve Buscemi]

I was in both of them. Yeah.

[David Spade]

Okay. Yeah. So. So the one where. But Dana, this is boring as. But Steve will crack up. You're already mesmerized. That's good. Okay, so we're doing a drunk. A scene where we're all around and it's nighttime and. And we're all drinking and the couples start to pair off in slow dance and this Joe Walsh song comes on or something. And I. Or not. Josh But Sentimental lady and I go, oh, no. Oh, this is a good song. And I. And I'm drunk, and I get up and I sort of stumble around and I interrupt Adam and Selma, and then I wind up falling down drunk. But it's a seven page scene and we're all in it, so it's hard to shoot. So we shoot it all night. One night. And we get to my coverage and they go, it's getting light. We'll pick that up another time. And I'm like, another time? Because I just had it all memorized because I'm doing it all night. I'm like, I'm kind of glad I'm last because I have a lot of lines. So three weeks later, McCartney is playing in Boston. We're pretty close. We might be in Swamp Squad.

[Dana Carvey]

I just do. Yeah, McCartney sounds.

[Steve Buscemi]

Yes, sounds like, oh, I thought he was here.

[David Spade]

Everyone's looking around. When did he jump on? So I go, chris Rock is in the movie. And I say, Chris McCartney's in Boston tonight. And he goes, his ticket lady was my third grade teacher. And I said, oh, my God. He goes, let's call her right now. And he goes, we're all dialed in. I said, we're done around six, seven. We haul ass. We found exactly when he goes on. And then he goes, and he wants to say hi right before you. Or like, oh, my God.

[Steve Buscemi]

Wow.

[David Spade]

So about right before the end of the day, it was maybe Jack or someone came into my trailer and goes, we're gonna pick yours up tonight. I go, pick up my what? And I go, remember that? Remember that scene you didn't finish? I'm like. Like, it's my fault. I go, yeah, I didn't finish it right. And he goes, I think tonight's a good night. I go, no, it's not. It's Paul McCartney.

[Dana Carvey]

It just not a worker, you know, you're not a real worker.

[David Spade]

Paul McCartney waited till midnight to go on. He's like, are they coming?

[Dana Carvey]

He's 81 and he's up for half the night.

[David Spade]

Yeah. So I go. I go.

[Dana Carvey]

And then they go.

[David Spade]

I said, do not bring that cast in to do all this again. I go, I'll do it. I said, I can't do that to them. So they gladly all scrammed. And then it was Sandler, you know, he's overseeing it. And then I'm doing it to, you know, a bunch of, like, tennis balls or whatever, the eyelines. And I do my whole seven pages. I'm drunk. And so I come to video Village. This is sort of the point of the story. Yeah. And can't wait. And I'm like. Like, Adam, like, we got it. And yes, I haven't taken any classes, but yes, I'm really good. And I sit there, and he's just looking at it, going. And I go, we watch the playback. And I'm behind him, kind of chuckling, like, this is working. And then he goes, were you drunk? Or last time, were you. Was it a little. It was a little different. I don't know if it's matching. And I'm like. So I go, play me back something from the last time, you know? And I was. And so we're trying to go, okay. And it was really hard to match the exact tone of the drunkenness. Sounds crazy, but I go, I'm gonna go under on this one. And then I come back and then I go, okay, I'm gonna go a little bigger. And we did it until it made sense. Now when you see the movie, you don't even notice, but it kind of fits in.

[Dana Carvey]

Oh, you. You notice. I noticed when I saw it that.

[David Spade]

You go, he's medium.

[Dana Carvey]

David is a little drunker in this line. Thirty seconds later, he goes, slightly less drunk.

[David Spade]

Just play it. Six and a half Tito's and Diet Cokes. And I'm like, oh, that's a big one. Okay, I can play that. And then. So that just shows you. First of all, Adam's eye is always on the ball.

[Steve Buscemi]

Yes.

[David Spade]

And. And little things like that matter. And it's. You can't tell yourself when you're acting and you need someone else's eyes to go, it was good. I just don't think it's exactly what we had. And. And so it took a little bit of a collabing right there and then that's kind of fun when you finish and you feel like you got it right. And everyone goes, got it. Then you all go home and you go, got it, got it. And you just knock it out.

[Steve Buscemi]

I have two questions for you. Did you make it to the concert?

[David Spade]

Not a fucking chance. It was until 2am we did that.

[Steve Buscemi]

All right, well, I guess my second question is not a question. It was a comment about Adam, because I agree with you. He's always so involved in, like, you know, all the. All the films. And I said to him, why don't. Why don't you ever direct? Yeah, I said. And he said he doesn't want a location scout. Like, that was the extra.

[David Spade]

Extra work. Yeah, it was the reason he works morning, noon, night, Anyway, yeah, there's Block, he's re blocking. He's doing things that, yeah, directors all do. So now I think he's listened to so much anyway and it's sort of just, you know, given then he's going to have a lot of say. But I guess you're right. It's that extra.

[Dana Carvey]

Well, it's a little bit like Saturday Night Live. If you write a sketch, you're sort of the de facto director. We had Davey Wilson, he's setting up shots, he's got just. It's live so that it's not. But you're still kind of the boss of your sketch. You're the producer and the director. If you wrote it, you're casting it with other cast members. And Sandler is like that. He's like a co. Co director. I mean he sort of. Everyone knows he's the overarching creative force. He's got his eye on every ball. So I think the way he did it was brilliant. You know, I don't think anybody else in history has done that. Many movies where they are in a sense an auteur.

[Steve Buscemi]

Right.

[Dana Carvey]

It, it is Adam, you know, and.

[David Spade]

He puts his stamp. I mean, definitely when he, he. The fact that he actually cares. And even when we're doing movies where you think this will probably not get good reviews just because they have a sort of bias, he still puts everything into it and really cares. I mean, another grown up story is. Do you have a half hour?

[Dana Carvey]

Is. We'll get, we'll get to you in a minute.

[David Spade]

No, Steve.

[Dana Carvey]

So now we're gonna ask David.

[David Spade]

I want to ask Stephen when did he get fitted for the full body cast and what was his reaction to going, wait, what do I do here? Or do you see the script and.

[Steve Buscemi]

Go, oh, yeah, I, I could tell I was.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah.

[Steve Buscemi]

In that one. Even on the day, like, because I remember and, and the whole cast was there, you know, because it's like one of the big scenes and it was. And it started to rain and they got the scene and then everybody just scatters. I thought these are like. I thought we were friends. Like you're left out there. Nobody's checking on me. Like, everybody just like. And then the ad, then I thought I was done and the AD said, well, I think they want to get a shot where the dog comes up and sniffs your balls. And I actually got mad. I went, are you kidding me?

[David Spade]

Are your, are your real hands in the real sticking straight up my goal post or do they put fake hands in there?

[Steve Buscemi]

So you don't have to put fake hands.

[David Spade]

Thank you, God.

[Steve Buscemi]

Couldn't move.

[David Spade]

Thank you, Jesus. I thought it was real until right now. I just went, wait a second. Could you hold your hands up all day? Because also the thing about it, when you're like that, like, if I was seen like that, I go, well, obviously they're going to shoot me out first. And no one even gives a fat. They're like, nope. Oh, Buscemi. We never picked up. We'll get him at the end. Sit there in the rain. We'll come to you while you're rotting and getting rusty. Yeah, it is tough. Movies are so complex and especially groms. You got 55 leads.

[Steve Buscemi]

Oh, my God, there's so many people. Yeah. That are on set. And I don't know how the producers and the ads do it, but they somehow manage.

[Dana Carvey]

And just, just for the people, young people listening that are in the Groundlings or whatever and aspiring to have a career in television or movies. We understand these are first world problems, stupid. But. But the thing is, you're on a movie set. I would say the most tired I ever been. I was, because it was one of those 21 hour days. And they said, okay, Garth's going to go in the diner. I'm going to do this thing I worked on for weeks, this dance. And I'm going. And I was young and fit. I go, I am as tired as I've ever been in my life. I've been up like 40 hours. And here's your shot for eternity. Go for it.

[David Spade]

Oh, at the very end of the night, they get you.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, well, that's with Steve's film, I'm assuming, like Woody Allen would do, like night shoots would end at 8 o', clock, let's say, you know, I think.

[Steve Buscemi]

We should get some Chinese, you know.

[Dana Carvey]

Did you. Were you able to have civilized hours, in a sense, for the listener?

[Steve Buscemi]

Pretty much. But we know we wanted to. We. We knew we had nighttime shots so that by the end of the week we were going to be shooting outside. So, you know, we started the beginning of the week normal hours, and then each day we would just start a little bit later. By the end of the week, it was.

[David Spade]

It was night shoots go into splits. Lingo. Lingo.

[Steve Buscemi]

You know, I wasn't going to say splits is lingo.

[David Spade]

And I want. The people want to hear it.

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[Steve Buscemi]

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[Steve Buscemi]

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[Dana Carvey]

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[David Spade]

First of all, we were watching your movie this morning. This is the Listener, right, Dana?

[Dana Carvey]

The Listener is a heavy film. It's very, very interesting. The conceit of it, this, this volunteer helpline woman. I mean, we'll talk to a minute. It is your movie that Steve directed. It's very, it's compelling and it, it just kind of captures the angst. Post pandemic angst or just human angst and sadness. It's, it's extremely well done and well acted by Tessa Thompson, who is the only act actor in the film. You go ahead, Steve.

[Steve Buscemi]

Well, she's the, she's the only actor that we see in the film. Thank you. There's an amazing cast of callers. Yeah. She plays a home helpline worker. She works the night shift. She works from home. And she gets all these calls during the night that she navigates. And, and we have a wonderful cast that of the callers, but you only hear their voices. But you, and you only see Tessa on screen for the duration of the film. And she's amazing because they are characters also.

[David Spade]

And they. I was watching with someone and the first guy that called in, she was more into the guy. She was like, I like his voice. I like his tone. I like what he's saying. I like this guy. And so it's actually a big challenge to be a voice and to have any sort of resonance or impact. And Tess is obviously great on her end. She's got a very calm, soothing voice. And she's, you know, she could get very riled. And it seems she's got a very, you have to. To have that sort of job. That's what her whole job is. And very interesting.

[Steve Buscemi]

I think what she worked with was, you know, because we did everything we could to make it cinematic. You know, if this was pre pandemic and she was at a call center where she was, you know, kind of tethered to a desk. I don't know how I would have made that film, but because she is able to work at home, we purposefully found a location that had a nice flow to it that she could walk around, be in different rooms, go outside and. Yeah, what's amazing about Tessa is that, yeah, her voice was, you know, she always tried to keep, you know, like a calm, level tone, but then. But you could see on her face if she was upset about something that somebody said or worried. Yeah, she had a lot of these micro expressions that, you know, sort of gave you an inkling of. Of what she was going through herself.

[Dana Carvey]

And, you know, what you really captured, which you do a lot when you're young anyway, where you'll like a girl or something, and then you'll talk on the phone. And at night, it's very intimate. It's cat. And these two people test character. And the strangers calling and they don't know each other. It's very dim. It's the middle of the night, and they're having this intimate conversation. And the voice actors, immediately, the first one just sounded very. Just extremely real. Like your eavesdropping, you know, you captured that.

[David Spade]

So.

[Steve Buscemi]

Thank you. Thank you so much. I appreciate you guys watching it.

[David Spade]

Yeah. You know, the voice is. First of all, I kind of want to ask you one other question, but about this, but when I was on the phone as a kid or dating or doing anything in life, the voice was kind of a fingerprint. So when I think of women I've dated in the past or present, a voice is one thing I really appreciate in people because they are fingerprints. It's so unique. And you. I think I was brainwashed growing up, like, trying to talk to girls on the phone and talking for hours with somebody liked. And you always remember that. And sometimes people get older and everything, but you know their voice right away.

[Steve Buscemi]

Right.

[David Spade]

And so when I go into 711 and if I ask for something, they go, oh, I always wait, waiting to hear you talk. That is you.

[Steve Buscemi]

Yeah.

[David Spade]

You know, it's kind of interesting. So when you have people call in, it's very powerful to have the right person with the right. Because you have to make them all a little different and true.

[Steve Buscemi]

Yeah, yeah.

[David Spade]

That's a trick. And then you have to make for people that don't know that sort of indie budget is like, if you have one location, what you were saying is you have to use some trickery and some movements and some things to keep it alive. And you did that. And that's the hard part. With one subject in one location.

[Steve Buscemi]

It's.

[David Spade]

It's in. It's less expensive, but it's very. It's hard to keep it going. So to make a good movie is tough.

[Steve Buscemi]

We also. We also shot the movie in six days because as it was still working on Westworld, the HBO show, that.

[David Spade]

Oh, okay.

[Steve Buscemi]

And that was her hiatus. She had seven days off, and she chose to work with us. You know, we were trying to find a window, and she's so busy with other films and other things, but she had that one week off. So we shot the entire film in that one week, which was doable because it is a confined space and one actor, but still, it was a bit of a challenge.

[Dana Carvey]

And another interesting layer, frequency. I don't know. I went to state school. Is this idea when you take on a role, like when you see a teacher outside of school, you go, they're just normal. What are they doing? So in this case, her character has her own issues, and yet she's in the helper mode. It's like when you have a therapist and you kind of wonder what's going on with them. So that was a whole nother layer to the film that the people don't. You know, she's just in the helper mode, and then she's in that mode. But she had so many other issues herself.

[Steve Buscemi]

Yeah, I mean, I think most of the people who do that work have been through it themselves. And part of the conceit of the film is that Tessa's character, she breaks protocol because you're not really supposed to tell your personal story to callers, but she does so for this one call where this woman is in crisis, and she reveals a lot about herself in order to help or save the person that she's talking with. But I know what you mean about seeing people out of context, like seeing your therapist on the street or. I remember when I was a kid, I went to Catholic school, and I remember one time during lunch seeing my teacher, who was a nun, eat a sandwich. And I was blown away. What you eat.

[David Spade]

It's true. You never see them eat. They never eat.

[Dana Carvey]

I saw Pastor Jerry. I was raised Lutheran. Pastor Jerry at the mall, and he's wearing desert boots. I go, pastor Jerry wears desert boots? Because those were very cool back nowadays.

[David Spade]

You know, I saw a rabbi on a pogo stick, and I was like, what are you. You're never on that.

[Steve Buscemi]

Right?

[Dana Carvey]

I know.

[David Spade]

You know, Steve, I'm looking at this. There's so much Dana, about Steve that we love because he's. Oh, actually one more question about the movie before I get into your illustrious.

[Dana Carvey]

I. I have a question about the movie too.

[David Spade]

Okay. My last one is being a well known actor and a name and I don't want to hype you up too bad but you know, you direct and you're well liked guy out there. Is it still hard to get a small movie off the ground?

[Steve Buscemi]

Yes. This is the first film I've directed in 15 years and there were others along the way that I tried to do. This one was, you know, hard to get off the ground as well. We. But yeah, I think the climate out there is tough for any filmmaker. But you know, but where there's a world, there's a way. And we did it.

[David Spade]

You got through it. Yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

Single location helps with the budget. And were you like. I was just at. As a. You're making your film first film in a long time and now it's, it's. It's digital, digital playback. And you're going. You get six days and so you're with your DP or your producer or whatever and you're looking at stuff and are you going at some point, holy shit, this is awesome. Or you're being self critical or. I just wonder what you want us, who will enjoy the movie? What do you, what did you want us to feel? What were you trying to reach for? And do you feel that you got it?

[Steve Buscemi]

Yeah, I just. I wanted to create this really intimate atmosphere and have Tessa's the location be totally her. Her world where you're getting clues about her and, and for the, the audience to want to lean in and, and, and be involved. And it is exciting that on set it's also overwhelming because there's so much dialogue in it. And so I'm constantly thinking, you know, I, I try not to think of the editing process while I'm doing it, but yeah, I mean that's things that you have to think about and is it. Is there enough movement? When should it be still? When you know when or if the camera should move? When should Tessa get up and move around? So we spent a lot of time actually working that stuff out before we shot it.

[Dana Carvey]

Did you ever once on the set, after a take, just go, what are you doing?

[David Spade]

Like Sandler. You sound like Sandler.

[Steve Buscemi]

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[Dana Carvey]

I want to ask a question because Steve's been famous for a long time, so it's hard. You kind of. You're okay. I get to talk to Steve. It was so much fun hanging out with you and at Sandler Singh in D.C. you know, because you're one of the people. I'd say Steve Buscemi's here. I'm, you know, I'm doing this thing with Steve. It's like, what? You know, But I just. Here's something. Maybe you've never been asked who's more talented, Joel or Ethan Cohen? You have three seconds.

[David Spade]

Go.

[Steve Buscemi]

They're both hacks.

[David Spade]

Likes feet more. Quentin Tarantino or anyone else in the planet. Is he like feet or is that like a fake thing or is it like a joke?

[Steve Buscemi]

I don't know.

[David Spade]

I don't. I.

[Dana Carvey]

If he did know, he wouldn't tell you.

[David Spade]

Well, no, he can, like, feed. It's fine. I like things.

[Steve Buscemi]

I just don't know if that's, you know, how much or.

[David Spade]

Okay, we've got a. We've got a. What's it called when the witness is being very troublesome. I'm a hostile, hostile witness.

[Dana Carvey]

We were trying to trend Steve. We're like, no one knows we exist.

[David Spade]

We have a sweetheart deal with a feet finder. Okay, I. I'm reading this. This is what I Read about Steve Buscemi because there's so much to know about him. I know this guy goes, frequently plays fast talkers, frequently plays Howardly carriage. Funny. And often characters mixed up in crime.

[Steve Buscemi]

Yes, all true.

[David Spade]

A little generic, but all true. They're just, Steve's in so many good movies, and he's so someone that everyone thinks is cool, which is really what I'm going for. Not there yet, but I think, like, Con Air. Cool movie. Just a random movie. Yeah, Con Air. Fun, big movies. I miss those. Kind of. You get to work with Nicholas Cage and his whole Nicholas Cage thing. It's great. You remember that movie?

[Steve Buscemi]

I've had a great cast. John Malkovich.

[David Spade]

Oh, yeah, yeah.

[Steve Buscemi]

Danny Trejo.

[Dana Carvey]

Can't shoot Telvid. He's lying. I'm working on a Malkovich. Nicholas Cage. Why, God, why?

[David Spade]

Oh, you know, Dana, to bore the out of Steve again. Not to bring it back to me. And it's not about me. I do not care.

[Dana Carvey]

I'm timing you this time.

[David Spade]

I read three times for his part in Con Air.

[Steve Buscemi]

For whose part?

[David Spade]

Yours. And you probably was an offer. I'm sure you got offered it. While you were milling it out and swishing it around, they were dragging me to the Valley, back and forth, going.

[Dana Carvey]

Do it like this, you monkey.

[David Spade]

And then they go, no, we got our guy. Thanks. Bye.

[Steve Buscemi]

I never knew that. Wow. You would have been.

[Dana Carvey]

I have a Steve. When's the last time you auditioned for a movie?

[David Spade]

Yeah, good one.

[Steve Buscemi]

Oh, wow. It's been a while. I, I, yeah. I remember auditioning for a movie and then reading, you know, reading one of the parts and then asking the casting director, can I read for the lead? I was like, well, you know, and, and she looked at me and she said, oh, no, we're going to get a name for that. And that's the first time I ever heard that expression, we're going to get a name for that. Like, well, I have a name. And then I thought, oh, I see. I have to get my name known. I didn't know it worked that way. I just thought if you were.

[David Spade]

Oh, it's so many things I auditioned for were offers out to people, and I was jumping around to kill time to scare them. Like, we're having auditions right now. I mean, no one, no one's good yet. Don't worry, no one's good yet.

[Dana Carvey]

I hated when he walked into an audition room and I saw all these. This is in the 80s, baby face. Men with no chins. Like, I go, okay, I get it. Oh, I, I Get them.

[David Spade]

That's your look.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah, they're all look alikes of me. No chin, baby face. Okay. Cherubic. I get it. But they. I. I was over 150 at one point. 150 auditions. I.1 time, the agent called me, you didn't get it. And you frightened them.

[David Spade]

Oh.

[Steve Buscemi]

Auditioning for Barry Levinson once and reading, you know, reading this part. And he liked it. He went, that was good. It was good. Now can you do it? And he gave me a very specific direction. Did it again exactly the same. And we both looked at each other. I was mortified. He was embarrassed. And I said, that wasn't that different, was it? She went, no, no. Okay.

[David Spade]

Okay.

[Dana Carvey]

You know, can't take direction.

[David Spade]

My acting coach, shocked. Yes, I had one. They said they might give you direction just to see if you can take direction. A lot of people can't. I'm like, why not? They're like, it's shocking. They can't. They go, steve Bumi. They just start listing people. But honestly, it's like, you just say that and you go, oh, I would just change it. And some people are coached so hard, or they're with their teacher or whatever, and they go, this is the right way to do it. Even to the director. They're like, I've got the right way. You don't.

[Steve Buscemi]

Right.

[David Spade]

And they're just testing you. But I've done that. I bomb every. Every commercial audition. Even more embarrassing. Do.

[Dana Carvey]

Do the Coen brothers give you a line by line reading, like, say the line? Like, how are they?

[Steve Buscemi]

You know, their writing is so specific, you know, that they really want you to, you know, say what's written. And so there's very little. I think I improvised something once on Fargo, and I was nervous about it, but they liked it. But I remember in the beginning, when I first started working with them, they. I think in Miller's Crossing, they just wanted my character to be even. You know, he was a fast. He was the fastest talker that I think I ever.

[David Spade]

It's hard with lines to do fast.

[Steve Buscemi]

Yeah. And they just wanted it even more. Like, they just wanted it more intense or more shrill. And I remember doing the scene where I, you know, all I do is talk, talk, talk, talk. Gabriel Byrne had, like, two words. Then I talk, talk, talk, talk, talk. He would just wait until I stopped talking, then he would say two. Two words. And there was a whole casino of people behind me on my coverage. And I remember on one of the takes, my late wife, Joe, she came to visit me on set. But I didn't know she was there yet. And as I'm doing the dialogue with the whole casino, you know, extras behind me, I see her head poke out, you know, behind somebody to watch. And I just stopped talking.

[David Spade]

Oh, it threw you. Yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

And all right, back to one, you.

[Steve Buscemi]

Know, and it would be a lot of rumbling. And she felt horrible. I could see the look on her face. She knew what happened and she just ducked back out.

[David Spade]

Yeah, because your brain just switches. You go, wait.

[Steve Buscemi]

I was like, oh, Joe.

[David Spade]

Yeah. Turns you off, you know, Dana, I don't know if you remember this one. Of course you do. I don't know who you played in this. Maybe Travolta. One of my favorite sketches was welcome Back Cotter. Queen Tarantino's Welcome Back Cotter.

[Steve Buscemi]

When John hosted. When John.

[David Spade]

Oh, was. John was playing John. Okay.

[Steve Buscemi]

Hosted. And it was welcome Back Cotter, directed by Quentin Tarantino. And at the end of it. Yeah, because Michael McCune was on the show. And they had Lenny and Squiggy Pop out, remember? And then I came out at the very end as Mr. Pink and said something like, up your hole with a jelly roll. Something like that. I remember in the rehearsal. The dress. The dress rehearsal show, I was late getting out there, and I didn't think it was my fault. I thought I was queued late. But you probably don't remember this, David, but afterwards, you did give me a little shit about that.

[David Spade]

Shut the fuck up. Did I? You gave me a little bit.

[Dana Carvey]

You did.

[Steve Buscemi]

You did. You were like, hey, you know, Johnny on the spot there. What happened? Something like that. And I went, they didn't kill me. You know, how dare I?

[David Spade]

I was. I was nervous. Nervous. I was Horse shack and I was in character. I got to play Horse Shack. It was the. I loved it. I thought that was such a funny idea. Funny sketch.

[Steve Buscemi]

It was great.

[David Spade]

One of my all time memorable ones. That's fun. You got to be in that. And I just watched your monologue of character actors. That was a good idea. You were people in the audience. Cast members were character actors asking you how to be a lead. Wait, yeah. They said like, hey, you're a lead, but you play a lot of character actors. But now you're a leading man. I play the girl with all the bags at a store. That's the best friend. And then she. Pratt falls out of frame. And then Kristen Wiig is like, I'm the girl running from the killer with a knife, but I don't know where anyone is. Steve, are you here? So everyone was Playing a character. And they were asking for your advice to get past being a character actor. I thought it was pretty clever. I thought that was good.

[Steve Buscemi]

That was good. I should watch that again, because I totally blanked that out.

[David Spade]

I'll send you a link.

[Steve Buscemi]

Thanks.

[Dana Carvey]

All right, let me ask you a question.

[Steve Buscemi]

But now that you say it, now that you describe it. I do. I do remember it. Yeah.

[David Spade]

I mean, it is a blur, because you've got 13 sketches you've hosted, I think twice.

[Steve Buscemi]

Twice, yeah.

[David Spade]

Yeah. So it's hard to remember every nook and cranny, but it was a good job. I thought that was interesting.

[Steve Buscemi]

I like what I remembered about the first time hosting. During the dress rehearsal, I came out to do the monologue, and I spotted a friend of mine from high school sitting in the front row. And again, it was just like seeing. Seeing my wife on set. I looked at him and I was like, hey, it's Eddie. And I was like, ah, fuck. What's my. Like, I don't know what to do now.

[David Spade]

On top of your nerves. You see that throws you off.

[Steve Buscemi]

Oh, scary.

[David Spade]

One take. That's the hard part. I know you're like, let me start over. Nope.

[Steve Buscemi]

But thank God it was a dress rehearsal. And then at the. For the show, I just went. Just told myself, just don't look at anybody. Just avoid eye contact. Yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

So what a run you had in the 90s. I mean. And then the SNL calls. You'd been in at least five giant movies, Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction. When did Fargo come out?

[Steve Buscemi]

Yeah, that came out, like, in 96. I was surprised that I got the call for it because I didn't think I had really done enough to, like, warrant me being like, that people would even know me. But John Turturro was also on that year, and I thought, oh, is this the year that they're, like, going after independent film actors or something? And I was like, I'm so thrilled to, like, get it. But I was nervous that I think I suggested because in the opening monologue, it was some monologue about my name, Steve and something, you know, it was. And it just wasn't me. And I was nervous about that. So I sort of addressed that. And then I suggested something. I can't remember who came up with the idea that we were gonna, like. I was gonna take suggestions from the audience and do, like, an improv with the rest of the cast. And then I would just insert scenes from movies that I was in.

[David Spade]

But part of.

[Steve Buscemi]

But the ulterior motive was to, like, to Remind people I was in Fargo, where Reservoir Dogs. Nervous people wouldn't know, like, who was this guy? But I was glad that they changed it. I was very sort of shy to say, can we. Do I have to do this opening monologue? Can we change it? And Lauren was really open to it and receptive. But that first time you host, it's just so mind boggling. I was so anxious and I didn't know if I was allowed to say anything or contribute. And even though they were asking me, is there anything that you like to do or you have any special talents? Can you sing? Yeah, whatever you want.

[David Spade]

Right. Do you feel like you're being a problem if you say too much on a set?

[Steve Buscemi]

Yeah, yeah. And then also, like, what do I know? Like, aren't. Like, you're the experts.

[David Spade]

Yeah. You put yourself in their hands. I think they just test you to say, we have a sketch we've been sitting on, but we need someone that can speak Russian. Or we need someone that can, you know, sing. And they. And yeah, and you need just dialects and weird. And you go, I can juggle. They go, okay, we can put that in something. And then. Right, that helps.

[Dana Carvey]

Did. Did Lorne calm you down or is he sort of imposing in his own way? But normally he would really take a host. You go to dinner with him, you'll be nervous on the dress rehearsal, and then on air it'll all just come together. That's.

[Steve Buscemi]

Yeah, he's kind of both. He's very intimidating and comforting at the same, you know, kind of at the same time because he's so calm, you know that, like. And it's. No, this is what we do. And you'll be fine. And it's like, okay, I'll believe you.

[David Spade]

Do you? You know, we had an old movie you did, was called Airheads. I saw it again on the flight because we had lovely Brendan Fraser, who was a super sweetheart. He's great. And then. Or Sandler for seeing Airheads again, because I went and saw it on Broadway in like 69th, wherever. There's that little theater in New York during. I think it was at snl. And I saw the whole thing again. Pretty fun. Let's see the whole thing again. And Billy Madison, of course, is such a big one. And that people remember you from.

[Steve Buscemi]

You know, I did one day on.

[David Spade]

That movie and everyone remembers it. Is that you. When you cross the list of kill who to kill that thing and that.

[Steve Buscemi]

Yeah, yeah.

[David Spade]

So memorable.

[Steve Buscemi]

He. He calls me up and he apologizes for his bullying behavior in high School. And then I cross his name off.

[David Spade]

Just people to kill and to kill.

[Steve Buscemi]

And then I. For no reason at all, I just put on lipstick, which. That was my favorite part.

[David Spade]

You know, we went.

[Dana Carvey]

You think? I mean, being the character actor is great.

[David Spade]

We saw Sandler tape his thing. I thought I might see it. He's doing his stand up special. And Bridget was there.

[Steve Buscemi]

Yeah.

[David Spade]

Veronica Vaughan, a teacher in Billy Madison. And. And I said, you get to be for history in one of Farley's Funniest Things, saying that Veronica is one fine piece of ace. And then Billy goes, you weren't with her. And he goes, I had a couple fun nights. But then he goes, no, you didn't. He goes, ah, no, I didn't.

[Dana Carvey]

Or whatever.

[David Spade]

He says, it's so funny.

[Dana Carvey]

It's very, very, very Chris.

[David Spade]

Yeah, yeah. He plays the bus driver in Billy Madison. So funny. Yeah, yeah. That's fun. It's fun to be a part of. Even like that one scene you did, just everyone remembers it.

[Steve Buscemi]

I loved. And, you know. Yeah. And Chris was in Air. And I remember when we did the read through, and afterwards, Chris said to me, there's a part in their heads where, you know, like, my character gets angry, and I'm, like, yelling at Adam, and Chris says to me, wow, Steve, when you were yelling that one time, you sounded just like you did in Reservoir Dogs. And I kind of looked at him like, what are you saying? And I realized Chris really was that way. Like when he had that sketch on snl.

[David Spade]

Yeah, he was.

[Steve Buscemi]

Oh, God. You know. Remember when you were in the Beatles?

[David Spade]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Steve Buscemi]

He really was that way, kind of.

[David Spade]

But he was excited, I'm sure, to see you.

[Steve Buscemi]

I know, I know.

[David Spade]

Yeah. It's fun.

[Steve Buscemi]

And I just, you know, and. And I kind of looked at him and he looked at me, and. And then we, like, just laughed. But it was a really funny thing for him to say.

[David Spade]

Yeah, he's. He is a sweetheart.

[Dana Carvey]

Was Fargo the one you get asked about the most? Only because it won best pitcher, right? It was.

[Steve Buscemi]

No, it's the Big Lebowski.

[Dana Carvey]

Okay. That was another.

[Steve Buscemi]

And it took a few years for that to happen, because that was the one that followed Fargo. And I think critics, like, didn't know what to make of it at the time, and it kind of fell through the cracks. But then, like, five years later, I would start to get these, like, college kids come up to me and mention it because they watched it on VHS, like, over and over. And then in 10 years time, then it was. Yeah. And then I. It got to be where I knew the Lebowski fans, like, somebody would come up to me on the street, and they'd be about to say something, and I'd say, shut the up, Donnie. And they'd like, look at me like, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[David Spade]

God, I. I'm telling you, I hear about that. Like, people. I'm not in it, but people go, God, have you seen the Big Lebowski? Like, one of my. When they Listing movies they like and comedies, and it just really did resonate.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah. Hey, I'm the Dude, man.

[David Spade]

Jeff Bridges is such a stud. Such a stud.

[Dana Carvey]

Jeff Bridges. I always say that when he became a cowboy actor, he always sounded like it just had a hoagie. I'm gonna do a take here in a minute. But I just had a big, deep pride. Busted sandwich.

[David Spade]

He.

[Dana Carvey]

You know, he a. His Jeff now, if he listens to our podcast, he just. Once he did true. True Grit, and then he just stayed. His voice got gravelier. Well, he just sort of. He went post acting. I think some people, if you see Hell or High Water, he's been so playful in that. It's almost like Anthony Hopkins and the one he got the Oscar for a couple years ago. So kind of like, beyond acting, they're just playing. I. I don't know what to describe. He's like, let's get a giddy up on this car. You. I. I don't know. In the hell or high water, I went, oh, he jumped the shark. He's not acting anymore. Do you know what I mean?

[David Spade]

Yes.

[Steve Buscemi]

He's just become whatever, you know, you just.

[David Spade]

He.

[Dana Carvey]

Yes.

[Steve Buscemi]

Yeah.

[David Spade]

Rules are out.

[Dana Carvey]

What's the most in the pocket you feel you've ever been, like, in a role? Like, okay, this is the most. I'm not thinking that I'm acting in a way, or I'm just feeling so, so great in each take, if it ever happens.

[David Spade]

Well, no.

[Steve Buscemi]

I mean, the first feature that I directed, Tree's Lounge, was a character that I wrote for myself that kind of was like an exaggerated version of me, but it was me. And.

[Dana Carvey]

So.

[Steve Buscemi]

But it was weird because I was also directing it, and I always get very anxious when I direct, so it was hard to really enjoy it, you know, fully in the moment. If somebody else was directing, I think I. Maybe I would have felt like, oh, yeah, I'm nailing this. Otherwise, I'm just like. I'm just thinking about the rest of the day and just wanting to get through a scene, make sure I got it right. But, yeah, but my anxiety, I think, just gets in the way.

[David Spade]

Wait a minute.

[Dana Carvey]

An actor with anxiety. I mean, and, and self. And so you're telling a brilliant actor has self doubt and anxiety. Except for Brando, maybe. I don't know. But everybody else was a little shaky. I don't know.

[David Spade]

Hard.

[Dana Carvey]

Hard to place. Brando.

[Steve Buscemi]

I'll bet he was insecure. Brando?

[David Spade]

No. Well, he got the earpiece at some point, so I think he was, like, memorizing lines. It's too stressful.

[Dana Carvey]

Not giving a is is another way to do this.

[David Spade]

No, I'm saying the word anxiety. I didn't know growing up, or I would have said it every day. But I think now that you give people this word, like kids, they're like, I'm anxious at school. I'm like, well, no, I've been anxious since the day I was born till right now. Like, it's a very rough life out there. And they're like, I don't want to do my homework. It gives me anxiety. No, like, everything does.

[Dana Carvey]

Oh, I had panic attacks before. I do stand up, but I didn't know I was having a panic.

[David Spade]

Yeah. You don't know what it's called.

[Steve Buscemi]

You're just like, I was.

[Dana Carvey]

I'd give it a name, and then I'd have to go talk to a therapist for 225 an hour. Maybe a talker down to 200. That's enough personal information for tip. But, yeah, everybody is anxious now and depressed.

[Steve Buscemi]

Steve, we can. Now we know what we are.

[David Spade]

We know we're screwed up. We have vocabulary. Before I let you go, Steve, because you're a wonderful guy. I, I.

[Dana Carvey]

And you're doing 12 other podcasts after this for the listener.

[David Spade]

You know, the good thing about Steve is he's not totally out there on everything. Like, that's the interesting mystery of Buscemi. He's just kind of cool. Lays back a little bit, doesn't smother us.

[Dana Carvey]

He.

[David Spade]

I don't.

[Dana Carvey]

It's. I think it's unintentional, but, yeah, he's effortlessly cool. Cool. And the fact that you. I mean, I'll just throw this out here, because I don't. It's not common knowledge to everybody that you were a firefighter who dreamed of becoming an actor.

[Steve Buscemi]

Yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

Who became an actor. 911 happens, and then you apparently volunteer and you're going into the rubble with the firefighters. Not to bring up such a dark subject, but that's an extraordinary thing for a human being to have done, you know.

[Steve Buscemi]

Well, thank you. No.

[Dana Carvey]

Yeah.

[Steve Buscemi]

Because I. I was a firefighter for a few years in the early 80s, and then, you know, as the years went by, I got further and further away from it and lost touch. But then. 9 11. Yeah, it just put me back in touch, and I felt really honored that they would even let me come back and work with them with my. My company, Engine 55. And I had access, but I know so many people who would have done the same thing that wanted to be there but just couldn't get in there. And I had the opportunity and the access because I used to be on the job, and I felt very honored that I was able to do that.

[Dana Carvey]

It's hard for any of us to imagine that scene and what you went through, and you were invisible, in a sense, with the gear and everything. No one. No, hey, that's the Fargo guy.

[Steve Buscemi]

You know what's weird is that, you know, I still had my. My turnout coat and my helmet and boots, and so I went there thinking that I would. That I could blend in, but I had been off the job, like, since the mid-80s, and all the. And all the equipment changed and the bunker gear.

[David Spade]

You look like Curious George or something.

[Steve Buscemi]

I kind of stood out anyway. And then people were, like, kind of looking at me like, why. Who is this guy? Why doesn't he have, like. Why is time machine a relic from the past? Oh, wait a minute. It's that guy. It's that actor. Yeah.

[Dana Carvey]

You know, Dana, that's funny.

[David Spade]

He did that anonymously, and he. He helped for weeks. In a related story, I brought cookies down and. And had tipped off TMZ to follow me. And then later, and I was in full makeup.

[Steve Buscemi]

And then.

[Dana Carvey]

Hey, man, you both. You both are heroes.

[David Spade]

And I sent them a bill.

[Dana Carvey]

You're different kinds of heroes. I want to ask Steve a qu. Because I don't know if this is true either, because I was a pip. David and I were pip squeaks in high school. Like, I. I graduated. I was probably 125.

[Steve Buscemi]

Me too.

[Dana Carvey]

But I. I heard you wrestled at 105 on the varsity.

[David Spade]

Oh, really?

[Dana Carvey]

But you got bigger than that, right? Were you that a freshman 105 or.

[Steve Buscemi]

I know I did that up until my senior year. Maybe I went up another. I don't think so.

[Dana Carvey]

105? Yeah.

[Steve Buscemi]

That's crazy. I know.

[David Spade]

Were you.

[Dana Carvey]

Your heights?

[Steve Buscemi]

I. But because I. I was pretty wiry, and I was pretty strong from my weight. I did pretty good during the year, you know, like in the. In the team matches. But then in the tournaments, I always. I Always choked.

[David Spade]

When you started wrestling guys, was it harder? He says the girls a little easier. And then they started putting me up against guys. When I got to 110, then it.

[Dana Carvey]

Was two girls versus Steve and he. He take them down. Three girls and it was getting hard. And then they had a 87 pound guy. No, but you were good. I mean, you were actually. You would seem like the kind of guy who would be good at wrestling. I don't know why I think that, but yeah, your intellect and kind of, I think wiry people are secretly strong.

[Steve Buscemi]

I was okay.

[David Spade]

I did.

[Steve Buscemi]

I, you know, I had, I had a great coach, Mr. Earl, and his son Richie. Earl was my wrestling partner, so. And like he was like the best on the team. So it kind of rubbed off on me. I had one secret move called the reverse crayon. And if I got you in it, if I got you in the reverse cradle, you know, it was like a surprise. And I actually beat some like, guys who were probably better than me. But then, you know, that's why I would choke in the tournaments, because then you wrestle these same people again.

[Dana Carvey]

It always seemed a little close quartery in a way. You ever wrestling a guy and all of a sudden your face was right up against his junk and you're going, why am I doing this?

[Steve Buscemi]

It's very homoerotic wrestling. It is. Okay, you know, let's look at a clip. It's part of the appeal.

[David Spade]

It's part of the appeal. It does get a diverse audience.

[Steve Buscemi]

Yes.

[David Spade]

Yes.

[Dana Carvey]

That's good. Yeah.

[David Spade]

All right, Dana, what do we do with Steve? We let him go.

[Dana Carvey]

Well, we could do ours because of. He doesn't need our help. But yeah, he's Steve Buscemi. He's a national treasure. I'm going to use that as a. Because you're just been around so long, and if I see one in a movie, I'm just happy.

[David Spade]

You're like this guy.

[Dana Carvey]

It's this guy. And I think when you are in your lane, I. I don't know who your peers are. I don't know if it's Christopher Walken. These are older people. But it's. There's the cool factor. You're not in. You're not a pretty boy in front of a movie doing all the press. You're just the guy who goes in and you can't take your eyes off that guy. You know, I mean, it's like you weren't in Fargo. It was like. It didn't feel like you were acting. You weren't an actor in that movie.

[David Spade]

They're like, they got a real guy to do this.

[Dana Carvey]

They got. Where'd they get this? I had that once with Rip Torn. I saw a movie. Where'd they get this guy? Off the street. He was so good in this movie. And I think you have that vibe about you.

[Steve Buscemi]

Thank you. So I'm not a pretty boy, that's what you're saying?

[Dana Carvey]

Well, I'm saying you're. You're ruggedly handsome.

[Steve Buscemi]

Thank you. Thank you.

[David Spade]

I agree.

[Dana Carvey]

Do you think David's a pretty.

[Steve Buscemi]

Yes, absolutely.

[David Spade]

Thank you. I've gotten away with every time I date someone, it's Beauty and the Beast in every article. I'm like, enough for this. Like, just. Why not just say I don't look like a beast? They say, they go, yuck. That's like, exclamation is the headline. I'm like, all right, you can't do that. You can't do that with the girls. You can't say, look at this great looking guy with this dog. It's like, you can't. You can do with me. All right, Steve. That's really what I wanted to get off my chest.

[Dana Carvey]

Okay.

[David Spade]

Thank you for talking to us. You're a stud. And we'll talk soon, hopefully.

[Dana Carvey]

Thank you.

[Steve Buscemi]

I love you both.

[David Spade]

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, an executive produced by Dana Carvey and David Spade, Heather Santoro and Greg Holtzman, Maddie Sprung Keyser and Leah Rees 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, Mora Curran, Melissa Wester, Hillary Schuff, Eric Donnelly, Colin Gaynor, Sean Cherry, Kurt Courtney, and Lauren Vieira.

[David Spade]

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