Fresh Air – January 10, 2026

Best Of: Will Arnett / ‘Song Sung Blue’ Director Craig Brewer

Episode Overview

This “Best Of” edition of Fresh Air, hosted by Tonya Moseley and Terry Gross, features in-depth conversations with actor/comedian Will Arnett and filmmaker Craig Brewer. The episode explores pivotal themes of reinvention, vulnerability, and the intersection of art and personal life. Brewer discusses his new music-driven film “Song Sung Blue,” while Arnett reflects on channeling personal turbulence into his latest dramatic comedy, “Is This Thing On?”. The episode also includes Maureen Corrigan’s review of Ben Markovitz’s novel, "The Rest of Our Lives."

Craig Brewer on “Song Sung Blue”

(Segments ~02:35–14:53; resumes at 16:48–28:05)

Key Themes & Insights

• Chasing Dignity and Purpose through Music
  • Brewer’s career is defined by films about characters on the margins finding meaning in music (e.g., “Hustle & Flow,” “Black Snake Moan”).
  • “Song Sung Blue” tells the real-life story of Mike and Claire Sardina, a Milwaukee couple who become local legends as a Neil Diamond tribute act, Lightning and Thunder.
• Origins and Artistic Process
  • Brewer discovered the Sardinas’ story via a 2009 documentary, and was struck by Mike’s devotion to Neil Diamond’s music as a source of solace, especially post-Vietnam and in maintaining sobriety.
  • Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson star as the couple; Jackman’s musicality was well known, but Kate Hudson’s vocal capability was an on-set surprise.
• Music and Performance Methods
  • Brewer pre-recorded all film music in Memphis, working with longtime collaborator Scott Bomar and veteran Stax musicians.
  • The actors' chemistry emerged not in rehearsals, but side-by-side in the recording studio:

    “We put a couch out, put two microphones in front of it, and just sat them next to each other…by the end of the day, they felt married.” – Brewer (08:26)

Notable Quotes & Segments

• On Positive Masculinity in the Film

  • Brewer reflects on how the film affected crew and viewers:

    “Why is it that Field of Dreams just unashamedly makes men cry? …Am I able to take care of my family, and does anybody know, perhaps even though I’m kind of quiet, that I am suffering with it? …It’s nice to see positive masculinity, an era of men that…are just patching themselves up and in silence, moving forward.” (11:10)

• Withholding “Sweet Caroline” as a Narrative Device

  • Brewer explains delaying the famous Neil Diamond singalong until the right moment:

    “I always knew, man, when that song hits, you better really land it. But you have to lay some seed for it…You need to tease your audience.” (13:01)

Reflections on Real Life, Grief, and Art

• Mike’s Unfulfilled Dream of Meeting Neil Diamond

  • Brewer frames this as a poignant narrative choice:

    “It’s so sad. And then there’s another part of me that goes, oh, it’s so perfect…He claimed that the music of Neil Diamond saved him and kept him sober…and yet did not get to meet him.” (17:34)

• Parallels to Brewer’s Relationship with His Father

  • Brewer’s father advocated simplicity and authenticity, influencing his storytelling. His father’s final words:

    “Don’t be afraid. Film this movie with no money and a digital video camera and don’t apologize for it.” (19:42)

  • Inheritance from his father funded his first film ("The Poor and the Hungry").

• Lessons for Young Filmmakers

  • On authenticity versus ambition:

    “He was like, it sounds like you’re trying to get in and you’re not trying to get good.” (24:03)

  • Brewer cautions aspiring filmmakers to work within their means and trust their own lives as worthy subjects.

Memorable Moments

• Crew members, even “tough grips and electricians,” were brought to tears watching Jackman’s character—a testament to the film’s emotional resonance. (11:10)
• Brewer recalls producing plays with his father post-high school—both the practical (counting ticket sales) and the creative—eventually leading to their shared company name "BR2" carried by his own daughter now. (24:05–26:23)

Maureen Corrigan’s Book Review

“The Rest of Our Lives” by Ben Markovitz
(28:28–33:14)

Discussion Highlights

• Literary road trip novel about Tom, whose marriage limps along post-affair, whose children are grown, and who aimlessly heads west after dropping his daughter off at college.
• Corrigan praises the book’s understated emotional intelligence—likening Tom’s perspective to Richard Ford and John Updike characters.
• The book’s resonance comes from its subtle depiction of searching for meaning at midlife, using a perfectly mundane road trip as a metaphor for deeper existential journeys.

Will Arnett on “Is This Thing On?”

(34:42–52:27)

Key Themes & Insights

• Movie Premise & Arnett’s Approach

  • Arnett plays Alex, a middle-aged man floundering post-separation, who stumbles into standup comedy as a form of self-discovery (“Is This Thing On?” refers both to a comic’s mic check and his sense of marital disconnect).
  • Arnett performed incognito at open mics under the name “Alex Novak” to tap into the raw, unfiltered terror of first-time stand-up.

    “I went to the Comedy Cellar almost every night for about six weeks and performed under the name Alex Novak…” (37:14)

• Personal Parallels and Realism

  • The film draws inspiration from British comic John Bishop’s late-in-life standup career, focusing less on success, more on reconnection to self and loved ones:

    “Becoming a successful standup was really the icing on the cake…reconnecting with his wife, with Mel. That stuck with me.” (40:31)

• On Midlife Honesty and Vulnerability

  • Willingness to be direct—ask tough questions of partners, embrace discomfort—marks a new phase of self-awareness:

    “I think at this stage, I’m much more willing to be honest about where I am…You have to allow people to have their own reaction to what you say.” (43:05)

Notable Quotes & Segments

• On Playing Alex & the Standup Arc

  • “I was using sets that we had written for the film…always trying to track, you know, his development as a standup…his relationship with his estranged wife…they all affect how he is on stage.” (39:50)

• Comedy, Voiceover, and Self-Image

  • Arnett parodies the gravitas of ad voiceovers; recounts 25+ years as the voice of GMC Trucks, which surprises Terry:

    “I’ve been doing the ads for GMC since 1998.” (49:11)

• Authenticity and Early Career Anxiety

  • Deep vulnerability making this film reminded Arnett of being a 20-year-old newcomer in New York:

    “I feel much closer to that kid I was…I’ve shed a lot of that stuff and hopefully a lot of the ego stuff over the last year…It’s good to feel nervous.” (50:49, 52:21)

Memorable Moments

• Voiceover Spoof (46:30–48:21)

  • Arnett hilariously riffs on pseudo-ads for trucks, Crest White Strips, and satirical “racist butter,” blending the bravado of his signature ad voice and his own comedic absurdity.

• Deeper Reflections on Authenticity

  • Arnett and Brewer (from earlier) both circle back to the same filmmaking lesson: be honest, start with what’s real, and allow yourself to show vulnerability.

Select Timestamps for Key Segments

• Craig Brewer Interview: 02:35–14:53, 16:48–28:05
• Song Sung Blue background & method: 04:52–13:01
• Brewer on fathers, loss, and storytelling: 17:34–28:05
• Maureen Corrigan book review: 28:28–33:14
• Will Arnett Interview: 34:42–52:27
• Standup Comedy method and research: 37:14–39:50
• On midlife honesty/vulnerability: 43:05–44:04
• Voiceover segment & humor: 46:30–48:21
• Reflections on early auditions and nerves: 50:44–52:21

Tone and Style Highlights

• Conversations are intimate, warm, and often punctuated by humor (Arnett’s segments) and insight (Brewer’s reflections on life and art).
• The episode blends existential pondering (what makes life meaningful, the role of art and love in survival) with playful banter, especially around performance and show business.

Conclusion

This episode of Fresh Air seamlessly weaves together stories of artistic reinvention, personal vulnerability, and the ways creative work can transform and redeem everyday life. Through Craig Brewer’s tender exploration of music as salvation, Maureen Corrigan’s subtle literary critique, and Will Arnett’s candid journey through midlife and performance, listeners come away with a richer sense of the courage required both on- and off-stage.

Recommended for anyone interested in the intersection of art and life, the craft of performance, and the quiet drama that underpins ordinary experience.