John Slattery Is One of the Greatest Living Readers of Dialogue

Summary

Podcast Summary: Good One – John Slattery Is One of the Greatest Living Readers of Dialogue
Host: Jesse David Fox | Date: March 19, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this engaging, witty, and deeply insightful episode, host Jesse David Fox sits down with acclaimed actor and director John Slattery. The conversation explores Slattery’s distinguished career across stage and screen, his reputation as a masterful reader of dialogue, and his signature blend of charm and candor. The discussion ranges from Mad Men and his recent role in Netflix's Vladimir, to comedic turns with Tina Fey and David Wain, and unforgettable stories with Hollywood legends like Jon Hamm, Clint Eastwood, and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Through it all, Slattery’s humor, humility, and love for language shine.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Opening Moments: Humor in Family Life (01:35 – 02:18)

• Slattery recounts a recent conversation with his sister about the "insanity" of his family, including a joke about a cousin "living under a bridge."
  • Quote: "You mean like a troll?... Of the candidates who might be living under a bridge in my family, there's probably five or six where you wouldn't be that surprised." (01:41 – 02:13)

Getting the Role in ‘Vladimir’ (02:18 – 03:36)

• Slattery recalls directly pursuing the role after reading the book, a rarity in his career.
• Discusses industry realities: early involvement often doesn’t guarantee you’ll stay attached to a project.
  • Quote: “The sooner you get involved in the process, the less likely you are to be in it at the end.” (03:23)

Typecasting and Range Post-Mad Men (03:51 – 05:47)

• Offers reflection on being typecast after Mad Men, and reviews noting he plays "his one part."
• Slattery pushes back, saying he has range—serious and comedic—but acknowledges a “wheelhouse.”
  • Quote: “If you have success doing something, then they offer you the same thing over and over again. And eventually you have to work.” (04:04)
  • Quote: “Maybe I have a wheelhouse... maybe a little... I guess he's a... Roger Sterling was a philandering person who had the gift of phraseology, maybe. And as is this guy [in Vladimir].” (05:11)

The Mid-90s: Theater Over TV (05:50 – 06:59)

• Jesse asks about a supposed lull in Slattery’s film/TV work; Slattery describes being immersed in theater.
  • Neil Simon's Laughter on the 23rd Floor, several Richard Greenberg plays, Rabbit Hole with Liev Schreiber and Juliette Binoche.
  • “No, I love it and I just haven't...No accident. I just found myself on Broadway mistakenly. No, I really. I would love to do it again.” (06:50–06:59)

Hair Dye & Aging On Screen (06:59 – 10:12)

• Discusses the transition away from dyeing his hair ("I started to look like Dracula"), and how gray hair visually marked him as an “aging” character.
• Connects his roles’ anxieties about aging to personal experiences.
  • "Your currency in that realm [extramarital affairs] is finite." (09:14)
  • "Trying to stay upright isn't as easy as it used to be." (10:15)

Characters and Cultural Shifts (10:34 – 12:25)

• Slattery discusses performing archetypes of outdated white male privilege and how Vladimir and Mad Men both comment on generational and cultural changes.
  • Quote: "They're both sort of poster boys for what we don't want anymore." (10:54)
  • “Old white dudes who behave badly.” (11:18)

Marriage, ‘Vladimir’, and Relationship Nuance (12:25 – 15:21)

• The complexities of portraying a long marriage with open-relationship dynamics with Rachel Weisz.
• Rachel Weisz frames the relationship as “a love story,” subtly shifting Slattery's performance.
  • “I think it’s a love story.” – Rachel Weisz (14:04 recounted by Slattery)
  • “I thought it was more of a George and Martha kind of a thing where they are snapping at each other all the time. But I feel like it's much more interesting this way.” (15:11)

Sex Scenes: Anxiety, Vulnerability, and Humor (15:22 – 18:24)

• Reflects on the challenges, nerves, and humor of sex scenes across his career—from Mad Men to Sex and the City and Vladimir, balancing vulnerability and performance.
  • Quote: “I'm 63 and a half and I thought those days were over... I suppose it depends on who you're acting opposite. And Rachel Weisz couldn't be a better acting partner.” (16:03–16:11)
  • Quote: “I’d rather pretend to have sex in a scene than walk across the room naked.” (18:24)

Playing 'Handsome,' The Art of Dialogue (18:36 – 22:35)

• Downplays his “handsome” label, credits costumes, and sets Jon Hamm as the gold standard of “handsome.”
  • “You look good in a suit and then there’s him.” (19:36)
• Explains his affinity and talent for performing complex dialogue.
  • Quote: “If you could sort of get through the speech without it looking like you're working too hard, then it also looks like you're smarter than you are.” (20:14)
  • “You read the script and you play the scene the way it's written.” (21:00)

Stories from Set: Al Pacino, Mad Men Origins (22:35 – 31:38)

• Story about working with Al Pacino and realizing “all the adjacent stuff you have to do... to actually do the acting part.”
  • “He just goes, Oh, I hate this... I fully understand it now.” (24:36)
• Stories from Mad Men’s pilot: early camaraderie with Jon Hamm; comedic improvisation between takes; memories of his character Roger’s signature look and style.
  • “We just started goofing around and never stopped.” (27:10)
  • “I hated my suit and I hated my hair. And it all changed. Like the next episode, he dressed better. Roger must have got a makeover.” (29:40)

Mad Men: Character Arc, Tone, and Humor (31:41 – 40:26)

• Explores how little Roger really changed but how the character's resilience and comic defense mechanisms were rooted in the generational trauma of WWII.
• Discusses the "famous tone meetings" on Mad Men and how Matt Weiner’s careful shepherding shaped the show’s feel.
  • “Matthew Weiner would have a tone meeting that would go on for four hours. And I soaked it up.” (39:02)

Favorite Scenes: Vomit Gags & ‘Zoo Be Zoo Be Zoo’ (40:26 – 43:24)

• Shares behind-the-scenes stories about Mad Men’s infamous vomit scene and the legendary "Zoo Be Zoo Be Zoo" musical moment.

Comedy vs. Drama, David Wain & Self-Deprecation (43:26 – 47:43)

• Explains his approach to being funny in drama vs. pure comedy; in comedy, it’s about chasing the laugh, in drama, it’s often as relief or reaction.
• Joyful recounting of working with David Wain and Ken Marino—improv, laughter, and playing exaggerated versions of himself.
  • “Ken Marino...would do. We'd do a take...David would be on a microphone and he'd say, this time, say this instead... I just had a ball.” (45:37–49:49)
• Discusses comfort with self-deprecation rooted in a family culture of ball-busting.

On-Set with Tina Fey, Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Craft (55:53 – 62:25)

• Shares high praise for Tina Fey’s comedic and dramatic agility, with a story from directing her in Maggie Morris.
• Touching stories about working with Philip Seymour Hoffman, his deep emotional availability, and remarkable technical recall.
  • “He loses it in a way that, you know, you just go so deeply and so just like heartbreakingly that everybody just stood there.” (57:31–61:54)

Working with Nathan Lane, Clint Eastwood & Robert Redford (62:25 – 78:59)

• Warm memories of Nathan Lane’s comic genius and joy in theater (Laughter on the 23rd Floor).
• Describes best set days with Clint Eastwood: humor, relaxation, encouragement to "swing free."
  • “We’re just gonna... until you’re happy.” – Clint Eastwood (70:31)
• Two classic Robert Redford stories: the "Redford"—always stopping for a final glance at camera, and accidentally being called a pig in a Sundance lunch line.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “They're both sort of poster boys for what we don't want anymore.” (10:54) – on Roger Sterling and John in Vladimir
• “I'm not saying I believe it, but he believes that it was not an abuse of power because he wasn't the aggressor in these situations.” (11:43)
• “I strive to find things that are easy to do that with. You know, I mean, this writing...you look at these scenes and they play themselves.” (20:59–21:00)
• “I just found myself on Broadway mistakenly. No, I really. I would love to do it again.” (06:53–06:59)
• On Philip Seymour Hoffman: “He loses it in a way that...you just go so deeply and so just heartbreakingly that everybody just stood there…” (57:31)
• On Clint Eastwood: “We're just gonna...until you're happy. I'm good. So, you know, he was great, great fun to work with. Funny, generous, million great stories.” (70:31–72:50)
• On self-deprecation: “If you ever did anything worthy of ridicule, there would be a festival.” (47:10)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:41: Family humor – "the cousin under the bridge" story
• 03:22: Getting cast in Vladimir
• 05:11: Typecasting reflections post-Mad Men
• 06:53: Broadway and theater commitment in the ‘90s
• 09:14: On aging, both as a character and in life
• 10:54: Roger Sterling and John: poster boys for cultural change
• 14:04: Rachel Weisz’s "it's a love story" insight
• 19:36: On auditioning against Jon Hamm
• 22:47: Story: Al Pacino and "all the adjacent stuff"
• 27:10: Early days on Mad Men, improvising with Hamm
• 39:02: The legendary Mad Men "tone meetings"
• 45:37: David Wain film, improv, and playing himself
• 57:31: Hoffman’s bathtub scene—a director’s perspective on acting
• 62:59: Nathan Lane’s ever-changing line readings
• 70:31: Clint Eastwood’s generosity and humor on set
• 76:14: Robert Redford “pig” story

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Lightning Round Highlights (76:00–84:57)

• Legendary actor stories: Another Robert Redford moment—accidentally insulted by a friend.
• Bombing/failure: Slattery admits flop sweat would cost him jobs, saved only by beta blockers.
• Greatest living actor: Ralph Fiennes for total transformation in every role.
• Best advice: "Beta blockers"—helping him handle nerves in auditions.
• Favorite joke: A spicy nun joke (84:00).

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Overall Tone & Takeaways

The episode is funny, poignant, candid, and deeply affectionate toward the craft of acting. Slattery’s humor is self-effacing and generous, honoring collaborators and celebrating the joys of playing with great writing and great company. Listeners come away with an appreciation for the subtle art behind acting—especially dialogue—and a treasury of industry anecdotes.

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Summary Table of Select Timestamps

| Segment | Key Moment/Topic | Timestamp | |------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------| | Family Humor | "Cousin under a bridge" | 01:41 – 02:13 | | Getting Vladimir | Direct pursuit, early involvement paranoia | 02:18 – 03:36 | | Typecasting Post-Mad Men | Range, wheelhouse reflections | 03:51 – 05:47 | | Theater over TV | 90’s stage focus | 05:50 – 06:59 | | Hair/Aging/Character Connections | Dye, roles, reflecting on time | 06:59 – 10:12 | | Cultural Shifts | Poster boys for old privilege | 10:34 – 12:25 | | Love Story Performance Switch | Rachel Weisz's influence | 14:04 – 15:11 | | Sex Scene Anxiety | Mad Men, Sex & the City, Vladimir | 15:22 – 18:24 | | On-Set Improvisation | Mad Men debut memories | 27:10 – 31:38 | | Tone Meetings | Mad Men's four-hour sessions | 39:02 | | Slapstick & Zoo Be Zoo Be Zoo | Vomit gags, musical moment | 40:26 – 43:24 | | Working with Comedy Greats | David Wain, Ken Marino, Tina Fey | 43:26 – 47:43 | | Theater Legends | Nathan Lane | 62:59 – 64:17 | | Clint Eastwood/Redford Stories | Generosity, meta-acting advice | 70:31 – 78:59 | | Lightning Round/Best Advice | Audition nerves, beta blockers, jokes | 76:00 – 84:57 |

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This episode is a masterclass in the actor's craft and a must-listen for anyone who loves smart comedy, sharp dialogue, or simply hearing brilliant people talk about what they do best.

Transcript

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[Jesse David Fox]

This is good one. I am Jesse David Fox, senior writer, Vulture and author of comedy book. My guest today is John Slattery. We talk about Mad Men, his role on the new Netflix series Vladimir, and his work in comedy with the likes of Tina Fey and David Wayne. Also, John tells some really great stories about working with Jon Hamm, Clint Eastwood, and Philip Seymour Hoffman. So here is John Slattery. I'm here with John Slattery. Thank you for joining me.

[John Slattery]

That's my name.

[Jesse David Fox]

That's your name.

[John Slattery]

I was curious. Glad to be here. Thank you.

[Jesse David Fox]

So the first question is, what is the funniest, strangest, or most interesting thing that's happened to you this week?

[John Slattery]

Well, this week I just got off the phone with my sister and I realized we were laughing about the insanity of my family because they said that one of my cousins may currently be living under a bridge. And I said, you mean like a troll? And they. And then we're going. And then we started in on various members. We said, you know, of the candidates who might be living under a bridge in my family, there's probably five or six where you wouldn't be that surprised. You know, who's living under a bridge? So and so.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah. Yeah.

[John Slattery]

Oh, well, that took, you know, it took longer than I thought it would, but that makes sense.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah. Yeah. So that's funny. So I read that you were more direct than normal in your approach to trying to get the role in Vladimir. I was wondering if you could tell me the story of when you read the book and your response to it?

[John Slattery]

Yeah, I've only done it once or twice. Where I. Well, although I can't remember if Sharon Horgan, who's a friend and I'd worked with before, who was involved, I think. I don't know, purchased the book in galleys or who. I'm not sure the direct who, but what. When. But she either suggested I read it or someone said she had control of it. And I read it and I said, I just read the book and I think I'd be a good fit for this guy. And she said, as. As a matter of fact, I agree. And. And we. I think she said we. We've been. We. You're on a list or something like that. And then it happened. And. And. Which is rare because I feel like the sooner you get involved in the process, the. The less likely you are to be in it at the end.

[Jesse David Fox]

Why is that?

[John Slattery]

Because someone will come in at the end. Because they'll be sitting there either looking at your picture on the wall or they'll be looking at your name on a list, and then somebody else will come in at the last minute and go, holy shit, that's an amazing idea. And then you're out.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yes. Because that is exciting momentum.

[John Slattery]

Yeah. You get tired of talking about having the same discussions, and then all of a sudden somebody enters it and you go, ooh, that's a good idea.

[Jesse David Fox]

That'll shake things up.

[John Slattery]

Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

Even though the show has not started yet. You're just imagining.

[John Slattery]

Even though. Yeah, it hasn't even started. Right.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah. It's been over a decade since Mad Men ended. I was curious in the year since how you've thought about the roles you wanted to take, how you've approached your career after having a thing like that that was a big breakthrough for you.

[John Slattery]

Well, wait, I was listening to the first part of the question. I was thinking, oh, the roles that I've taken. And then, you know, you're. Offer you. If you have success doing something, then they offer you the same thing over and over again. And eventually you have to work. So sometimes, like, for example, I read a review of Vladimir and it said, he plays. I forget where it was. He plays his one part and I'm like, what the fuck? But he plays it so well. And then they were complimentary, and I was like, well, I mean, how much range, you know, if you're not Daniel Day Lewis do you actually have? And I do have range, and I can do serious stuff and comedic stuff and all that, but I guess maybe I have a wheelhouse. And it's, you know, it's a character much like John in this thing and maybe a little, you know, I guess he's a, you know, Roger Sterling was a philandering person who had the gift of. Of. Of phraseology maybe. And as is. Does this guy.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah, I mean, there. There definitely is. In many ways they do feel in conversation with each other. But yeah, I think the thing what you're saying, which is like, you've tried to do other things, but also like, you would. You're not get turned down. Oh, you're not gonna get. You're gonna get lots of offers of good roles that you would be good at. You're not gonna be like, yeah, I can't do that well.

[John Slattery]

Right. I mean, that's true. And then there are other things that you've done that are wildly different that no one's ever seen. So. Yeah, you know, maybe for that reason.

[Jesse David Fox]

I don't know there. You've worked pretty consistently since your 20s. But I was curious. There was a time period, when I look at your IMDb in the mid-90s, where it seemed to slow down a little bit.

[John Slattery]

Really?

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah, it just. You still some got gigs, but like in the early 90s you had like a couple series and then in the late. Like by 1999 is things picked up again. But it's curious about that, that period where if it felt like even in your memory that it slowed down a bit and if that changed how you thought about your career.

[John Slattery]

Well, you know, I was doing a lot of theater actually. It occurred to me like. Well, you just said that I was like, what the hell was I doing? Because I'm not very good chronologically as to what I was, where I was when. But I did a Neil Simon play in 93, 94 that lasted a year. Laughter on the 23rd floor. And then I did Richard Greenberg play several of those. I did a Terrence McN finale play. I did a lot of theater in the. In the, I guess 90s.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[John Slattery]

I did the Rabbit Hole with Liev Schreiber and Juliette binoche in maybe 2000 or. And then. Did I say Betrayal or Rabbit Hole? You said Rabbit Hole, but Rabbit Hole was another play. So like a lot of. Maybe a lot of plays.

[Jesse David Fox]

Is that. Did you do that on purpose?

[John Slattery]

Yeah. No, I love it and I just haven't.

[Jesse David Fox]

I'll do it.

[John Slattery]

No accident. I just found myself on Broadway mistakenly. No, I really. I would love to do it again.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah. So I was curious also. It seemed like after that period of theater is when you stopped dyeing your hair as much. And that seemed like, in retrospect, a sort of pivotal thing. And I want to talk about the decision because it did seem quite interesting. Can you talk about when you first decided to dye your hair?

[John Slattery]

Somebody said, how the hell old are you? Or whatever. Someone. Either it was an agent or a casting person or someone said, well, would you consider it? I dyed my hair once for an audition and it wasn't even dry by the time I went to the audition. It's a longer story, but I was dripping. Like the dye was dripping down the sides of my face and I was wiping it off. I was in this crazy audition on my knees trying to go, was the Stallone? There was a Stallone. It was exactly. Have you heard?

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah, I heard part of it. That's what. Curious division.

[John Slattery]

Yeah. Joy. What was the name? She was a great casting director. She was reading and she was really giving it her all and being a gangster. And I'm going, no, Charlie, no. Whatever I was doing on my knees, like kind of weepy and just wiping off this hair dye off my face. It was having kind of an out of body experience. Well, mainly because my sister's building had run out of water. I was sleep. I was staying at my sister's. And so I used all the water in the refrigerator, you know, water bottles, you know, club soda, whatever. And it's. Didn't quite rinse it out. I don't know. I stopped dyeing it when I, you know, it wasn't. I started to look like Dracula. It was. I wasn't any. I wasn't looking any younger. I was just looking stranger.

[Jesse David Fox]

Looking like a guy who dyed his hair.

[John Slattery]

Yeah, like an old guy with dyed hair. Which is a good look. Yeah, yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

I bring it up because I think partly by having gray hair younger, it. Sometimes to put you in a position playing roles where the character. It's like a visual reminder that you're aging. And I was thinking about Vladimir as a character. Your character in Vladimir is processing their aging. And I think Roger Sterling is also a character who's processing sort of their aging. I was curious. How do you think your character on John thinks about aging? How is that similar or different to Roger Sterling, as you said?

[John Slattery]

Well, given that they traffic in. Extracurricular relationships, if you will, it. It plays a part because I guess your currency in that realm is finite. So. And they both consider and mention that more than once. So. Yeah, I mean, there. And. And I. And I think. And I think Speaking for Roger, that character, you know, he had a heart attack, and he. And so there was the finite quality of life in general to contemplate. And I think the same thing with John in this is like, you know, this isn't going on forever, and do I want to do this anymore? And if I get kicked out of this situation, do I even care? So, yeah, you start to question everything.

[Jesse David Fox]

Are these things you relate to with your. To your characters?

[John Slattery]

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. I've just had my surgery on my knee, and I've had issues with my other, you know, injuries over the years, and just. Yeah, just kind of trying to stay upright isn't as easy as it used to be. Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

What's interesting is, you know, as I said, they're in these roles somewhat feel in conversation with each other because not only are they processing aging, but they're doing so at a moment of, like, generational cultural shifts.

[John Slattery]

Right.

[Jesse David Fox]

How do you think of these characters as some sort of representation of those shifts or how people relate to them?

[John Slattery]

Yeah, well, they're both sort of poster boys for what we don't want anymore.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[John Slattery]

Yeah. You know, Roger Sterling was. I think maybe there was. I was wondering if you were going to say there was a gap in my work, in working after Covid or, you know, when the MeToo movement happened, because I feel like I was the poster boy for, like, here's what we don't want, you know.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[John Slattery]

Old white dudes who behave badly.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, I guess they're bad.

[John Slattery]

And that's what I'm playing now, you know, Another one. So, yeah, I mean, I think that's. I mean, it's just more ammunition to. To. Because the character in. Certainly in Vladimir doesn't believe he's broke. Broken the law or the rules.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah, yeah.

[John Slattery]

For that matter. And. And Roger Sterling, same thing, you know, different time, different behavior was allowed. That was the commonplace, and it wasn't. It is, you know, any better ethically, I suppose, but. But it was a thing that was done. And John feels like he hasn't trafficked in that area in 10, 20, 30 years even. And everyone was. It was consensual. And everybody, you know, I'm not saying I believe it, but he believes that it was not an abuse of power because he wasn't the aggressor in these situations. And it's even proven out in the testimony, so it gives John a lot of Runway to defend himself.

[Jesse David Fox]

The marriage between your character and Rachel Weisz is really interesting because in some ways it's Atypical, they have an open marriage and, you know, you both sleep with other people. But in many ways, your dynamic feels just like a marriage of a couple that's been together for 30 years.

[John Slattery]

Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

You've been married for almost 30 years. I'm curious how your thoughts on marriage and how you, like, approached this role knowing that it was both. You had to manage both this sort of like, oh, they're a couple. But also, like, there's this other aspect to it.

[John Slattery]

Well, yeah, I mean, you hear. I don't know anyone actually with an. I mean, I've heard stories about open marriages or agreements or arrangements, and I know people probably have them. I know they. I do know people that have arrangements, but a sort of quote unquote, heterosexual open marriage. Take that hint as you will, but I just assumed that eventually someone's feelings are going to get hurt because the relationships that you're having outside of the marriage aren't the same. And in this, it's revealed that M has had more of a love relationship than John has. He's had sort of flings. And then you also find out that it wasn't his idea in the first place. And it wasn't because necessarily in the book, it's different, but it was because they didn't want to be conventional. Um. So, yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

But then in the scenes with Rachel, are you thinking about how unconventional you're being or are you ultimately like. No. Yeah, that's the.

[John Slattery]

Well, I forgot that trailer. So I. So when I first met Rachel and I had questions lined up and was thinking about it, and she just sort of said, here's how I'm thinking about it. You can, you know, obviously you think whatever you want, but I think it's a love story. And that was so interesting. It's such an interesting and smart positive choice to me, as opposed to what I was doing, which was looking like, where are the warts? And where's the scar tissue? And what would a relationship like this do to somebody? And how resentful would you be? Or how. How, you know, where would the pain be be lodged? And she wasn't considering that as much as the other side of it, which was, again, more interesting because the warts of the relationship are on the page. So it was just. So I guess probably that might be responsible for what seems like a loving domestic relationship.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah. Cause if you played it as these characters are quietly resentful of each other and there also is the text, it would be. Maybe feel heavier, but more redundant.

[John Slattery]

And I thought, you know. Cause I said I thought it was more of a George and Martha kind of a thing where they are snapping at each other all the time. But I feel like it's much more interesting this way.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah, I think so.

[John Slattery]

Yeah. Not that I think that I don't think who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf is the best thing that was ever written. So, as.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yes. I didn't mean. We didn't mean to imply that this is better than that. There are a number of sex scenes in this show, you know.

[John Slattery]

Thank you.

[Jesse David Fox]

You know, you do your performance of them. People who follow your career. There's sex scenes in Mad Men. A lot of people first came aware of you because of, I guess, what you would call sex scene. Sex in the City.

[John Slattery]

Oh, yeah. Gosh.

[Jesse David Fox]

I was curious how you approach them, how you think about them. Is it something that you've. Is there something you've gone more comfortable with over time, through your time? Acting?

[John Slattery]

No, I mean, in that I'm 63 and a half and I thought.

[Jesse David Fox]

But who's counting those?

[John Slattery]

He. Yeah, those days were over. And. And I'm trying to think in the book, there is. There are, I guess, several mentions or they do have sex, but it isn't, I guess, dwelled on. Or maybe it's something I. I didn't consider that would be in the script. And. And, yeah. And. Yeah, they are. So, you know, how do you describe. I mean, everybody's described them and talked about them and how unsexy they are or whatever. I don't not enjoy doing them. I suppose it depends on who you're acting opposite. And Rachel Vice couldn't be a better acting partner in that aspect and in every other aspect. So there's vulnerabilities and there should be. And it's funny in that way. And it's organic enough so that, you know, you're pretending, but it has to look, you know, you have to be convincing. And part of that is sort of letting go and being vulnerable, I suppose.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[John Slattery]

So. Yeah. And I don't know, the. When I was younger, I mean, the. The Sex and the City, somebody reminded me. I. I forgot. I had forgotten that it was in the script that we were lying in bed and I said, let's go take a shower. And I. And. And then it says. Then he walks across the room and I. And I didn't. I must have blocked it out when I read the script because Michael Patrick King, who was directing it, said, and then he gets out of bed. And then. So then you get out of bed and go. And I'm not wearing anything. And I said, I'm not doing that. And he said, well, it's in the script. And I was like, it is. And then I looked at it and I said, well, I don't want to do that. And he said, oh, all right, well, forget, we won't do it. But I really didn't want to do that. And I luckily didn't have to.

[Jesse David Fox]

Do you wish. Why didn't you. Do you feel like there's a version where you wouldn't find doing it? Is it that you didn't want to because you're.

[John Slattery]

I guess I'd rather pretend to have sex in a scene than walk across the room naked. I don't know. It's at least you. I don't know. At least there's something to do in the. In the former,

[Jesse David Fox]

partly because you're. You tend to be self deprecating about this stuff, but especially around Mad Men, people talk about how handsome you are to you. And you'd be like, you know, it's just the costumes is this or that. But I'm curious, like, is there a way to act handsome?

[John Slattery]

Wait, someone said that to me and I said it was just the. When. When did that happen?

[Jesse David Fox]

There is a. There are multiple interviews where people imply some version of your attractiveness. And you say, you know, it's easy when you put on all that thing, you're.

[John Slattery]

Well, I mean, I'll tell you when I. This is a story I've told a million times. When I auditioned for Mad Men, I auditioned for the part of Don Draper because there wasn't enough Roger Sterling in the pilot for them to, you know, judge me by, I suppose. And they said, here's the thing, we have this guy already. And because I wasn't sure, I was like, really? They want me to read for this part. And then when I saw Jon Hamm, I was like, oh, shit, they sure do. You know, so, like, there's. There's handsome and there's handsome. Sure. You know, you look good in a suit and then there's him. Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

So, you know, I guess that's fair. You play a professor in Vladimir, and there's a scene in the first episode where you're explaining why the Kardashians is a Greek tragedy.

[John Slattery]

Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

And reminded me how good you are at playing smart, eloquent characters. Is that something that you are drawn to? Just like obviously, Mad Men, but spotlight. You just sort of have ability. I saw you in the Front Page. Is that the name of that play?

[John Slattery]

Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

You just Sort of like large dialogues of people being clever and smart you sort of are comfortable with. Is it something you were drawn to, you think, or is it something you're just sort of adept at?

[John Slattery]

I think the verbiage part I'm good at, the pretending to be smart part, is taken care of by that verbiage. You know what I mean? I mean, if you could sort of get through the speech without it looking like you're working too hard, then it also looks like you're smarter than you are.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah,

[John Slattery]

yeah, I do like language. I. I do like to tell a joke and I do like to turn a. You know, I'm.

[Jesse David Fox]

I'm.

[John Slattery]

I'm drawn to that kind of writing.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah. Because I was saying, even to your point, like watching a lot of your work together, it. I was really struck by how you don't push at all. Like, it's so gentle and you'll have like, really complicated or like clever lines and it just feels effortless. Is that something you strive for?

[John Slattery]

Well, I strive to find things that are easy to do that with. You know, I mean, this writing to that scene you're talking about is such a well written scene that it's not, you know, I used to say, you know, you look at these scenes and they play themselves. I mean, when someone goes, oh, the choices you make as an actor. And I'm like, what choices? You read the script and you play the scene the way it's written. And that's, you know, if you're lucky enough to get scenes written like that, there don't seem to me to be a lot of choices. I just sort of read it and, you know, someone will say, don't do it. You know, they'll give you adjustments and you might be way off. But yeah, that scene and the whole part of In Vladimir was. I don't know, it was a really, really strong roadmap as to who that person was. I mean, I suppose someone would have played. I know there was someone that wanted to play the part who I really admire as an actor. And I thought about it and I wonder if, you know, they go, that guy stinks. I would have been twice as good as. And that might be the case, actually. And I would like to see that person play this part. But I'm glad I'm not going to

[Jesse David Fox]

because you can imagine the person playing all of it more like pompous or more full himself or more.

[John Slattery]

Or just different, you know, and equally specific and inhabited or better or more or whatever. But. But I'm glad it Wasn't.

[Jesse David Fox]

I heard you once tell a story about when you worked with Al Pacino. You were like, you're a driver in a scene, so you spent a lot of time with him.

[John Slattery]

I was about 12 years old.

[Jesse David Fox]

Can you talk about that and what you learned watching him?

[John Slattery]

Well, I was in a movie called City hall, and it was directed by Harold Becker, and I got the job. And then they decide. And then, you know, and then they were cutting stuff that they didn't need, and most of that was my part. And. And so I ended up basically opening the door and closing the door and sitting in the front seat while we were driving around with Al in the backseat. And I never really got to meet him. I mean, I met him, but I didn't really get to know him at all. And I was just sort of watching and standing around. John Cusack was in it, and I. I was. One day in the car was a big driving scene, and. Which involves a tow rig, which, like. So that it's a limousine on a trailer.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[John Slattery]

With cops in the front, in the back. And the sound car, you know, the camera truck. And it was like a. Like this, like, 50, 60 people. I don't. In a parade, just going up the. Fdr. And we're in a parking lot. I think it was fdr. Fdr. We're in one of those parking lots by the east river and getting ready, and there's a million people on walkie talkies. And Al gets in the car, and I think I had the visor down so that I could look in the mirror of the visor, pretending I was picking my teeth or something, but watching what Al Pacino was going to do in the scene. And we pull out of the parking lot, and they go, you know, okay, ready? Really? You know, rolling. Okay. You know, there's all kinds of yelling and screaming on the walkie talkies. And they go, rolling. And action, Al. And then he doesn't even open his mouth, and they go, oh, cut, cut, cut. Sorry, sorry. We get. We lost a video. Okay, everybody, we got to go back to one. Sorry, Al. And going back to one means you have to go up to 23rd street, turn around, come back down the thing, get back ready. Like, that's like an hour.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[John Slattery]

And he's looking out the window, and under his breath, he just goes, oh, I hate this. And. And it was. I was like, what? Al Pacino hates this. What does he hate? What? And then, you know, and then I realized not long after that, all the. All the adjacent stuff, you have to do. To get into a position to actually do the acting part of the movie is really what he was talking about. Getting in a car and driving to somewhere and stay. You know, all the stuff. And it was just. And it was. You barely. He barely said it. And I was stunned. And now I'm not stunned. Now I fully understand it.

[Jesse David Fox]

So it's been almost exactly 20 years since you shot the pilot for Mad Men. Beyond the story you've told that you auditioned, you used the Don Draper part to audition. Do you remember anything from the pilot?

[John Slattery]

Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

That stands out to you?

[John Slattery]

Day one. I think it was day one of the pilot. Ham sent me a picture of a screenshot of his tv, wherever he was, with he and I sitting him behind his desk and me with a drink in my hand in the chair in front of his desk. I think Rich Summer and Michael, Gladys maybe, or were in the background. And I said, is that day one? And he said, yep. And day one, the first scene I was in, and I'm not sure it was the first scene he shot, but it was a scene with Christina Hendricks and Elisabeth Moss. She was saying, you know, they were walking. It was Lizzie's first day of work or Peggy's first day of work, and she's saying, go home. Put a bag over your head. And she. And she. You know, she's like, basically. And judge your strengths and your weaknesses and then. And then act according. Dress accordingly or something. And so he and I would. And then come in at the tail end of that speech, and she'd go, Mr. Sterling. Mr. Draper. And I'd go, lady, you know, some whatever, you know, creepy look. And then walk into the office. And we would be going. We would leave. You know, we'd get in the office and go, put a bag over your head, then take it off, then put it back on again, then turn it around so that the eyes are in the back. And when you have the bag, then sit down at the table, make yourself a sandwich. You know, we just start fucking around. And then, like, immediately. And, like, the list went on and on. I said, okay, take the bag off again and put it on your foot. And then. And then. Yeah, and it just went on and on. And that's all we did all day, was around like that. And that was like, the first time I met him.

[Jesse David Fox]

You and John?

[John Slattery]

Yeah, I did. Not the first time I met him, because I think I met him once before we started shooting, but that was, like, day one, and we just started goofing around and never stopped.

[Jesse David Fox]

All right, let Me play the. We're gonna play your first scene on the television show Madman.

[John Slattery]

My first scene.

[Jesse David Fox]

This first scene that aired. So Rod, our. The character's introduction to this is the Day.

[John Slattery]

This is that day. Good evening, Mr. J. There we are doing the. Put your bag on your head. Yeah, we just said that. You look like a hundred bucks. Long knife. That's his tobacco thing.

[Jesse David Fox]

Is it?

[John Slattery]

It's been on my mind. So he's doing. Look at what he's doing. Lee Garner, his father takes his tie off. Eastrike family will be here at 4. Takes his take out a new shirt. Oh. If I was worried, I'd ask you what you've got. I do nothing. I'm just going to assume you've got something. He takes off his shirt, which means you should be wearing. So you came here because you wanted to watch me get dressed? No, I wanted to make sure you were here. And body. I don't like my hair. I changed my hair after that.

[Jesse David Fox]

Oh, yeah.

[John Slattery]

I didn't like the hairdresser. I forget his name. I tried to get my hair the way I wanted it and he said no. Called in Matt Weiner and he ratted me out. So I make a joke about Jews and then he's still changing his clothes. I know. Selling Jewish products to Jewish people. That's very good. It's just at our 11 o' clocks with Mankin's department store. And I wish we had someone to make them feel comfortable. You want me to run down to the deli and grab somebody? Funny. Missed a button. And he was. And you know that. Yeah, that was. He's like, you're not doing anything. I have to, like, change my whole wardrobe. And. And yeah, that was literally dead. That was day one.

[Jesse David Fox]

What's it like seeing it now other than the notice?

[John Slattery]

Still don't like my hair. It's it, you know, right away. Phil Abraham, the great Phil Abraham, who is a director. Cinematographer. Was the cinematographer on Sopranos.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[John Slattery]

Then came over to. Because Matthew was a writer, you know, in Sopranos, and came over and established that look. Alan Taylor, great director. And Matt, you know, I mean, look how good it looked. The colors, the costumes. Janie Bryant, Lizzie Moss's like, the color of that, like, green shirt she's wearing or whatever. And of course, Christina, you know, so everybody looked incredible right out of the gate. Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

It's a small scene.

[John Slattery]

Except me. I hated my suit and I hated my hair. And it all changed. Like the next episode, he dressed better. And Roger must have got a makeover or something. Episode 2.

[Jesse David Fox]

It's a small scene, but at that point, what did you know about Roger, or what did you think you knew about him?

[John Slattery]

I knew that he. Well, I mean, you know, that he appreciates Don because he says, you know, Jewish and making Jewish. I know. Making Jewish wine for Jewish people. Whatever he says, like, they're in the same. They're in sync. He just. I don't know. It was. It was concise. It was funny. It was. I didn't have to do a lot to communicate what I needed to communicate in the scene. He was there. He's like, you know, whatever. He's my thoroughbred, as it were, And I'm just like. I don't know. It was just a great scene.

[Jesse David Fox]

Did you know that Sterling was. The Sterling of Sterling Cooper was your dad? Did you know the World War II stuff by that point?

[John Slattery]

Yeah, I mean, I knew that my name was on the door because my father started the company and that I took over and. And I never was made to understand that he wasn't good at his job. Yeah, like, he's always was good at his job. Different job, certainly, than. Than Don's job, which I think is. Is part of what made Roger good was that he recognized how good Draper was. And. And, yeah, so that was all evident early on. I mean, I didn't have, again, much to do in the pilot. Matthew said I was in a bad mood the whole time because I. Because he. Because I wasn't playing Don. But I. I think I was now. Now that I look at it, I think I was in a bad mood because of that shitty suit and my bad hair.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah, well, you get to rewrite the history book about why you're in a bad.

[John Slattery]

Not that nitpicks sense to me now. Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

What were you most surprised about over then the next seven seasons? About who he was or became?

[John Slattery]

Surprised. I don't. It was hard to be surprised because it remained so good. And I got to direct a bunch of them, and so I saw a little bit of how the Sausage Was was made, you know, not really, because they were written by the time I was given the script to direct, but I saw rewrites, I was. I was allowed to sit in the room and. And watch what they thought of their own writing. After we did these table reads, which were really great experiences to partake in and of. They were so electric, some of them. One of me in particular. I remember where Draper has the schoolteacher in the car outside. He's gonna basically run away, I think, and he comes in And Betty's found the box under the bed with all his identity in it or whatever, and he has to spill the whole thing, which he does, you know, brilliantly. The whole. I mean, emotionally and then collectively the room turns the page and the stage direction is the scoo. You know, what's her face. She. I forget her name is still in the car, waiting in the car. And everybody's basically like, holy. The complete. Everyone forgot that she was in the car still outside. I mean, so it wasn't that. It wasn't surprising as to the quality. Just it was, you know, evolved and the. It was always. I mean, every time we'd come back and there'd be a couple of years difference and then you go, well, I wonder what that will be like. And then they go, well, here's what it's going to look like, here's what you're going to be wearing. And this is what you're so. You were so well supported with all that.

[Jesse David Fox]

I want to play the Roger's final scene.

[John Slattery]

I've seen that scene. I haven't seen all the episodes. Funny. I remember that last line. Look at that. One day that will be yours. Yeah, Tomorrow, Ascot. What are we drinking? Fernet or something?

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah, it looks like frenette.

[John Slattery]

Funny that he knows French just well enough to make. To make a joke about my something for my mother.

[Jesse David Fox]

I want to play both of us. Like, who is that? How has that person changed when you see that character versus who you were at the beginning? Beyond hair.

[John Slattery]

I don't know whether he changed. Did he change that much? I mean, despite taking LSD a bunch of times and how many marriages. That's what, two? I don't know. Do people change? I don't know whether he. Actually he's seen a lot and he's probably. Yeah. Could size up a situation as well as he could in the beginning. He probably can do it even better. And he decided to bail out and spend the rest of his life with Marie.

[Jesse David Fox]

You're funny in both these scenes. Roger's obviously funny throughout the show. I was curious how you think about playing a character who is funny. You're reading funny dialogue. But also is using comedy as a defense mechanism. Especially that became clearer with Roger as the show went on.

[John Slattery]

Yeah, I mean, doesn't everybody? Isn't that what it's for?

[Jesse David Fox]

Well, that was my next question.

[John Slattery]

I think some people it's either it's for. You're trying to get a laugh out of somebody. So you're trying to influence them or affect them or get them to like you or laugh at you or with you or. Yeah, like you said, not discuss something more serious. Yeah, yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

There's a scene. The scene scene that I remember is this JFK episode. JFK gets assassinated. You still have the wedding and you're still being Roger Sterling. And then Joan says you're really upset. And he's like, what's that about? And then she goes, there's nothing funny about this. And it's truly like you don't know how to react to a situation where you can't find something funny about is

[John Slattery]

that being in that generation of World War II veterans where you saw a lot of. You saw people get killed all the time.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[John Slattery]

And. And. And he occasionally describes, you know, having to jump off of a ship that was. I forget. Sinking or something at the very. One of the last episodes. Or. And then. And then in one of the early episodes with Draper when he's at his house and he does this speech about I. I forget some other. A violent occasion that he was. That he was privy to. And I think it was that. I mean, that was the generation that I experienced as a. As a kid. My parents.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[John Slattery]

You know, they were in. My father was in Korea. My uncle was as well. And then, you know, I mean, they were war veterans and they had. So they didn't, you know, sweat the small stuff. I get. I don't know. That's such a cliche, but.

[Jesse David Fox]

Well, is this something that you relate to? It is a thing that obviously John and Vladimir has as well as curious if it's something you relate to in these characters. Using comedy as a defense mechanism.

[John Slattery]

Deflect to defense mechanism. Yeah, I sure. I certainly relate to it. I mean, it's a survival mechanism. When you're a kid. You have to be funny or you'll get the shit kicked out of you. I wasn't the best athlete. I was a kid who could play. Play every sport I could. I could do well enough to make the team, but that was about it.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[John Slattery]

And, you know, so my. And. And. And, yeah, so that's how I got by.

[Jesse David Fox]

There also feels something very Boston about the. Like, don't take yourself too seriously.

[John Slattery]

There was that in my family. There was, you know, definitely, someone will take you down a peg. I have really funny people in my family. Yeah, very funny. Uncles, cousins, smart, funny. Whether they were educated or not. A lot of them are very well educated. A lot of them aren't. And. And they're equally funny and they all mix really well. And. Yeah, that was what the first question you asked me, I was on the phone with my sister and we were talking about one person after another. It started with like, who's living under a bridge? And then you were like, wow, this happened to this guy. This happened to that. That. And I mean, it's a crazy list of characters that I grew up with.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah. So, yeah, as an experiment, I watched Mad Men through, but only watch your scenes for this. It was a very interesting thing to do. God, it was actually sort of just like an interesting experiment to see what would happen. And the main thing is, I think other than Don, it's the only character who still kind of feels like Mad Men throughout all of it. Because I think tonally, I think your tone, especially in the first season, was the tone the show then landed on. I think you're a little bit bouncier than every other character is, and I think this show finds a little bit more of your rhythm. I was curious, especially when you were directing, were there ever conversations about tone? And I'm curious what those conversations are.

[John Slattery]

Like, there were famous tone meetings. That's what. You know, there's a. Most episodes have tone meetings, and most shows, they go on for 20 minutes. But Matthew Weiner would have a tone meeting that would go on for four hours. And I soaked it up. Like, I mean, I had my pen and my pad and I was glued. Because in those meetings, he basically told you, this is what this line means. This is what this line means. I want this to be like this. I want that to be like that. And some people would feel sort of cloistered by that, but I felt the opposite. I hadn't ever directed. He was giving me the keys to the car and I didn't want to it up. And I. And. And yet I knew, because I could, because Phil Abraham again told me simply, just think about it in picture. Just think, do you want to be in the room when the guy walks in the room, or do you want to follow him in the room? And it's a simple way to put it, but, like, it's not a hard thing to do to visualize. Where do you want. Where does the scene start? And when you think. I mean, if. You know, you just think about it in pictures. So I had my own vision of it, but that. Those tone meetings. Yeah, I mean. And so it was something that was discussed all the time. He was very concerned with the cause, you know, I mean, that's what they say. Everything is about tone. Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

The Batman was put on HBO Max in December. And for whatever Reason the version, the raw footage of your throwing up was put up, it went viral. The photo of the tube they used to show you throwing up in the episode where you hit on Betty. So Don makes you eat oysters and stuff. So I'm curious. People see, that goes like, wow, acting is amazing. You had to act and like, truly. Can you remember shooting that scene?

[John Slattery]

Sure, yeah. There were those two guys you see in the frame were part of a company that was special effects company that would do stuff like, you know, I don't know, blood or squibs or, you know, gunshots, probably all kinds of stuff. And it was like Campbell's soup. And, and, and there's is a hose, like a clear, probably 1 inch diameter clear plastic PV, you know, not PVC, but like a hose that would go up the outside of, you know, the upstage, your ear or whatever, tape it to your. I forget how they did that. It was like taped to your face or whatever. And then they'd go 3, 2, 1. And it was a separate shot. So the dialogue was, you know, you cut and then in a, in a special shot they would go 3, 2, 1. And then you would bend over and throw up. And we did it, I don't know, a couple times. And. And it worked great.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[John Slattery]

I mean, I don't know whether if you look at it, I mean, it kind of ruins the effect obviously because you're like, oh, it's a steady stream of, of, yeah, Campbell soup. But the good part of it was, you know, when you see people throw up on camera and usually it's just one mouthful of throw up.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[John Slattery]

You know, whatever it is they give you, they put in your mouth and you go. And then you're like. At least this looked like it was much more than I could just hold in my mouth. Yeah, yeah. And then, yeah, they unfortunately, they showed those guys and somebody fucked that up.

[Jesse David Fox]

That's all right. Last madman question. I forgot how wild it is to watch. Zooby zooby zoo.

[John Slattery]

Oh my God. What was it like? What was it?

[Jesse David Fox]

That's what. Like, what was it like to be there?

[John Slattery]

She did it in one take. I mean, they. We did it. I mean, she did it a bunch of times after that, but she did it in one take. She was incredible. And we were all where we were standing and they. And she was, I think, nervous and they. And they, they. I guess they hit a playback button, but so she's, I think lip syncing to herself on a speaker because I had to sing a song once and I think you I. I heard it in my ear, but I don't think. I don't know if they played it out loud. I forget. Anyway, it was like one take, and it was. We were all just, you know, our mouths hanging open. Like, that was the reaction. Whatever you saw, everybody just standing there going, holy shit. And she. And that was what it was like.

[Jesse David Fox]

Like what? It's like otherworldly.

[John Slattery]

She was great. She was great.

[Jesse David Fox]

Thank you. So you've done a lot of comedic work in the last decade, especially. Is there a difference in how you approach roles where you're funny in a drama or a comedy drama or being funny in a comedy? Do you approach those things differently, like being in a capital C, comedy versus you're obviously funny on Mad Men? Is that a different thing for you?

[John Slattery]

I don't think so. I mean, I've been the sort of comic relief in dramas a lot. Like, I just did this movie Nuremberg, and I. And I recognized when I did it that it was sort of the same function I provided in Spotlight, which was kind of the bad news got so bad that somebody finally goes, are you fucking kidding me? And basically. Basically, that was me. And. And you could see it was clear. Like, I said, wow, that's a great laugh. If I. If you get. If they do. If we get to that point, that's a funny moment. And. And they were. And so, yeah, I just did a movie with David Wayne.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yes.

[John Slattery]

That is coming out hopefully soon. And that is just out and out. Like, let's try to be as funny as we can.

[Jesse David Fox]

You are astounding in that movie.

[John Slattery]

Oh, you saw the movie.

[Jesse David Fox]

You're so good in that movie.

[John Slattery]

Oh, that's funny. Where did you see it?

[Jesse David Fox]

I got a screener because I knew I was going to interview and I heard how good you were in it. And I'm watching. It's like, you're.

[John Slattery]

Isn't that. It's just a ridiculous. It's such a. We had the most fun doing that because there was. You couldn't. I mean, I don't know how he does it. I don't. David and Ken Marino as well, who, in between takes, say this time. Say this instead. You know, and just like. And everyone. I think he. Down goes Frasier. I mean, like, we were just, like, laughing. He'd say, say this, and then you couldn't say it because it was so funny that you had to laugh it out before you could actually say the line. But David Wayne, I mean, we shot it in, I don't know, 15 days or 20 days or something. It was unbelievable. Unbelievable. And he sat down one day and said, I've never shot anything this slow. Or this is the.

[Jesse David Fox]

This is.

[John Slattery]

It's been a while since I shot anything this sl. And I was like, what are you talking about? But you never felt rushed. You never felt like you couldn't try something. I was saying, I said somewhere that there was a scene where I slapped Ken Marino in the face like 12 times in a row. And it was never in the movie. And they probably had no intention of using it in the movie, but they never told me to stop doing it.

[Jesse David Fox]

There's so many scenes I would. The movie's not out yet, so I would just be spoiling the scenes. But I think this is to say, I think on IMDb it says that you're playing John Slattery. It's the third time you played John Slattery.

[John Slattery]

I really gotta get a better part.

[Jesse David Fox]

If only you could have got that Jon Hamm part again. You auditioned for John Ham.

[John Slattery]

What if they picked Bradley Whitford to play me? Would have been. Thank God they didn't. But like, you know, Whitford and I have grown to look a lot alike with the glasses and the hair and everything. And I, you know, he's so funny. I go way back with him. He said that he and I should give a diversity award out together,

[Jesse David Fox]

you

[John Slattery]

know, and this is the diversity award. Go. He and I come out and give out the award.

[Jesse David Fox]

Have you always been so comfortable making fun of yourself?

[John Slattery]

Yeah, probably because my family was such a bunch of ball breakers. You know, that's really what their stock in trade was. If you ever did anything worthy of ridicule, there would be a festival.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[John Slattery]

Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

So you always thought of yourself like, I am a comedic.

[John Slattery]

Well, you.

[Jesse David Fox]

I have a thing to be laughed at.

[John Slattery]

Yeah. I mean, well, my father was like that. He was very self deprecating and he was very, I guess that's, I don't know, a sign of not taking yourself too seriously. He was very funny. My mother too. I mean, she was, I don't. Somehow tougher than he was maybe, but she was funny too.

[Jesse David Fox]

And.

[John Slattery]

But, but, but yeah, a lot of funny people again. And they all sort of took the piss out of themselves as well as everybody else.

[Jesse David Fox]

This is this, I think, second project or I guess you're on Children's Hospital. So the third time you've done it and been in this. Did you do Children's Hospital?

[John Slattery]

No.

[Jesse David Fox]

Maybe done what a David Wayne universe.

[John Slattery]

Oh, no, I was in.

[Jesse David Fox]

We were in American Summer.

[John Slattery]

Briefly, yeah. Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

Do you have a way of describing what the David Wayne tone is as a person dropped into that world?

[John Slattery]

God, no. But because I wasn't in Wet Hot enough to know what the hell I was doing, it was just really ridiculous clothes. And I got to work with Amy Poehler, and it was a couple scenes, and I just went as big as I could. And honestly, I think I could have, if I had a better understanding of Wayne's world, I would have done it better. But this time, you know, it's this sort of effortless determination to do the most ridiculously funny thing you could do. So there is an aim and there is a bar that's set, and there's a. You know. No, that's not it. You know, and then when you get it, you know, they know they've gotten it. They move on. When they know they have what they

[Jesse David Fox]

want, they have a sense of it.

[John Slattery]

Yeah. And it happens fast. But it's just so. I think everybody. I can't speak for everybody, but to a person that I spoke with, like, everybody just felt so free to just try things. And, you know, I didn't come up doing improv. Neither did Zoe Deutch or Ben Wong or Miles Gutierrez Riley or. I mean. And that was sort of the core group. And Marino did, but he was kind of like the Go. You know, he would do. We'd do a take, and he'd be standing there, and David would be on a microphone and he'd say, david, should we try, you know, this time let's do the thing we talked about. And there was alts. And there's nothing more fun than doing a scene and go, this time, say this instead of that. And it's, I just had a ball.

[Jesse David Fox]

Another time you played yourself was in Girls five. Eva. In the.

[John Slattery]

Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

In the sort of, like, legendary New York Lonely Boy episode where the characters debating if they should have another kid or just raise a New York lonely boy. And it's you and your wife, Talia Balsam, and your son Harry. Harry. And I do think that became a seminal text for people in cities deciding if they should have another kid. Do you remember that episode, what you thought about when they approached you as the sort of definitive example of a. Tina.

[John Slattery]

Tina. I think we had worked together before.

[Jesse David Fox]

We did in Modern Love, and you did 30 Rock.

[John Slattery]

Oh, yeah, we did. That's right. I'd done 30 Rock. But then I forget, if we had done this Modern Love thing we did, which was really fun, and she just said, would you guys be interested in playing yourselves in this thing. And then they, I guess they sent the script and that's amazing song. And you know that, that, that Jeff wrote. And so yeah, it was like a no brainer and, and, and I knew that Harry was sort of considering he was in school doing other things. I guess he was in college by then. It was Covid, like deep, like full on early Covid face masks. Like you had to wear masks and shields. And it was, you know, it wasn't like fun to. Everybody was sort of introducing themselves in, you know, wearing like diving bell helmets. And. But it was so funny and Harry had to tell a joke which was, you know, what was that thing you said about, you know, and he had to like land a punchline. And I mean, I think Talia said, are you nervous? Or maybe asked him afterwards, were you nervous? And he was like, not really. And he doesn't really rattle. I mean, he just told me of an experience. He's acting now and he's auditioning for stuff. And he told me that he couldn't stop his knee from shaking. And at recent meeting, which of course is the natural process of trying to figure out how to do. How to make that stop happening. But yeah, but that was very funny. Like John Slattery, you know, whatever. And there we are standing there like a family.

[Jesse David Fox]

Did you feel proud to be like we are the we believe in the New York lonely boy?

[John Slattery]

It's such a great. Yeah, I mean, you know, we do know a lot of only one child parents and it's such a funny. Yeah, it's so funny the way, the way it was written and so. Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

What's it like seeing your son pursue acting like you, you know, go through, but added this completely different time period than when you started out. Does it seem oddly similar? Does it feel completely different?

[John Slattery]

You know, it's different in that. And I said this. I thought I was doing some other interview about Vladimir and we were talking about the audition process and I feel as though the actor has been cheated as the result of COVID and people having to tape and send the tape in that you don't get your five minutes anymore. And I know it's cheaper. And casting directors say they can see more people if it's on tape. I sort of beg to differ because I feel like in any situation there's only about 10 people that are realistically gonna get this part anyway. So, yeah, they can see more people, but you don't get to go into a room with a director and a casting director and get you Know and feel it out and what the vibe is and show them, convince them, get, you know, I feel like, where's my five minutes? Yeah, I always, you know, and I wasn't even very good at it, auditioning. But you wanted to be there and have that human contact and you saw other actors and you saw how it's done and everything. And so the young actors today, they have to put it together in the basement. And yes, you get the control over the, over the finished product that you send in. And I just did it. And he just got a, you know, a call back and for a thing I helped. We were, you know, out there in LA and helping my kid read for something. But yeah, I feel like, I feel like that's a skill that then you have to have because, you know, you go from, you know, your basement to a, to a set if you get the job and there's 75 people staring at you. And so that's a big adjustment.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[John Slattery]

So, yeah, I wish it would go back to the other way. I feel like it. I feel like somehow in the next contract, actors should, should have that as. As, as. It should go back to people being seen live.

[Jesse David Fox]

I feel like so many stories of people getting things. Whereas I auditioned for X and I wasn't right for it, but that's when that person first saw me.

[John Slattery]

Because you met a person and they go, you know that person. Yeah, I mean, that's, I mean, so many stories of that happening.

[Jesse David Fox]

Do you remember shooting the 30 Rock episode where you played Stephen Austin, an independent congressional candidate for Rhode island? Did feel like prescient for a direction of the political.

[John Slattery]

It was a bit of a blur because I didn't, I think it happened last minute. Somebody must have fallen out of it because Tina called or texted me or somehow. I was at my sister's house in New England at the beach, and I was just like. I just got a text from Tina Fey and she said, do I want to be on 30 Rock? And it's like tomorrow. And so clearly they've. Somebody fell out of it. And I, and, and, and it wasn't, you know, it was, it was Rhode island, the guy to be from Rhode Island. So it was an accent and, and all that. So that part of it was. But it was a level of humor or a level of sort of insanity that I wasn't, that I was self conscious about doing. So I don't know, you know, I mean, I know I don't know, some people thought it was funny, but I sort of was like, I Wish I could have a do over for that. But anyway, so.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah, so then you worked, obviously, you were in Girls by Eva. You did the Modern Love and then you directed her in Maggie Morris.

[John Slattery]

Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

Do you have a story that captures what a. Like working with Tina or.

[John Slattery]

I mean, you know, she's obviously a master of. Of. She's a great light comedian, as they say in the. In the. In the Cary Grant school. You know what. Is that what somebody said? Light comedian? Is that what he is? Just great in that. That's, you know, a wheel. She had that in their back pocket. We had to shoot a scene where we drove around in a trailer. They were on a tow rig with a car. And a guy named Happy Anderson, who played the bad guy, had a gun to her head and he was gonna kill her, and she knew he was gonna kill her. And we drove around for, I don't know, an hour. And she had to just dissolve in tears over and over and over again. And I think this was like right after. I mean, it was. There was so much going on in New Mexico at the time that Rust had. That happened. That had happened like two days before. And she. We got in the car and he's got a, you know, a gun at her head. And he said. I mean, she said, my husband, you know, my husband was like, can you just check the gun again to make sure. So, like, there was, you know.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah, yeah.

[John Slattery]

And she just killed it. I mean, it was. She's. If you see this performance that she gives, she's fantastic in it. It. And, you know, I'm a fan. Yeah, she's great.

[Jesse David Fox]

You. I believe Philip Seymour Hoffman's last movie role was in the movie. Directed.

[John Slattery]

Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

Do you remember anything from that experience that stood out about what it was like working with him?

[John Slattery]

You know, I mean, two things stand out. One was a scene where he had to. He had just come back from dealing with this kids. He had to put the kid's body in his frozen meat truck because he couldn't. He took the. He had to bury this kid to stay married to his current wife because the kid had died in a. In an accident on a construction site. He was not a good person. He got clunked on the head and killed. And he had. Instead of. So he took the money that he had to the racetrack to try to win money for a funeral, and he lost it. So he had to put the kid in his frozen meat truck. And it all. It goes badly. Yeah, he dislocates his elbow. It's at one point so he's, it's all gone to shit. And he's. And, and he thinks his wife is having an affair. And he goes home and he just, just runs a bath for himself. And he gets into the bathtub and starts weeping. It was this big, tough guy. And he just loses his. And starts crying and, and, and Phil, I think that's all he had to do that day. And we were waiting because we had shot something. We were waiting around, and he showed up and he was wearing some robe that they'd given him that had pulled something to do with the Playboy magazine on it or something, just some prop robe. And he was like, okay, hi. You know, and he was clearly had gotten himself into this, you know, into a, an emotional, you know, area to play the scene, I guess. So we were all like, all right. Everything good? You say, okay, this is the tub. So, you know, whenever you're ready, you know. And he, so he takes the robe off, he gets in the tub, and we get ready, we roll it. And he loses it in a way that, you know, you just go so deeply and so just like heartbreakingly that everybody just stood there until he said, you know, And I don't even think I said, cut. He's just like, okay, should we do it? Like, he goes, let's do it one more time. Time gets out, whatever gets reset, does it again and does the. Does the same. Basically the same thing, only even deeper. And, and I, and, and I. And then said, okay, I think we're good. I'm like, yeah, yeah, I think we're good. And he leaves, just. And we're in this house in Yonkers shooting on. In a location. And he goes downstairs to. Or go back to his trailer or. I don't know if we even had anything left to do. I don't think we did that day. And I ran outside to just try to communicate that, like, I don't know anybody that could. And I started crying in the yard, telling him how great it was. And so I'm that. And then I remember at one point, after. Months after we had finished shooting, we were editing, and he was a producer on the movie, and he came in to watch for the first time. We were really nervous, and I was like, like, oh, God. I was thinking I was riding my bike around the edit facility for like an hour and a half while he watched it, just trying to. And he liked it. He really wrote me a text that, that was, you know, I, I, I, unbelievably, I don't have anymore. But he Said, but there's one shot at the bar, like, when he does find out that his wife is, in fact, sleeping with Richard Jenkins. And the music kicks up, and I think Whiter Shade of Pale is the only song that we could really spend money on. So that's the scene, that's the music that kicks up. And he said, but there's another shot. They think there's a better shot for when I find out. And I'm like, I don't think there is. He's like, yeah, there's one. We did one other shot where it's a little bigger and it's a little off angle, the one that we're using. And I was like. And even the editor was like, I'll comb through. And he went through the notes and he goes, there's one broken take, a busted take where we shot and something happened. And then Lance Accord, the cinematographer, was like, you know what? Let's just bag this and move over here. And he was right. There was a half of a take where he finds out that news in this angle. His head was about a third again, as big in the screen. And that was the take we used, because he was absolutely right. Like, that's the moment that it hit him like a ton of bricks. And that's.

[Jesse David Fox]

And he just, like, had it in his.

[John Slattery]

And he had it in his head from five, six months, four months earlier, you know, and it wasn't even a. The thing probably took, you know, 40 seconds.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[John Slattery]

So, you know, he had the technical wherewithal and knowledge that was running parallel with this deep emotional facility.

[Jesse David Fox]

I appreciate it, sharing this.

[John Slattery]

I feel lucky that I even knew him.

[Jesse David Fox]

You've been in four plays with Nathan Lane, is that correct?

[John Slattery]

Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

Do you have any stories? Is it.

[John Slattery]

What was it? Laughter on the 23rd floor. Oh, Lisbon Traviada was first. Terrence McNally. Laughter on the 23rd floor. The front page. What was the other one?

[Jesse David Fox]

I can't. I'm sorry.

[John Slattery]

No, I think there's three.

[Jesse David Fox]

I think I looked anyway. Is it four? I think it was four, but I cannot remember what it was. But anyway.

[John Slattery]

Yes.

[Jesse David Fox]

Well, do you have any stories about what it's like working with him?

[John Slattery]

Oh, my gosh, he is. I mean, one day we were doing laughter on the 23rd floor, which is a Neil Simon play that was really, really funny. And Frank Rich gave it a shitty review just before he left the Times, and he kind of took all the fun out of it because he was like, eh, the play, you know, half the jokes work, half the jokes don't work. Which was bullshit because maybe on the day, one day or something, but it was like, it was like raucous. People were. I remember looking out into the audience and I saw someone laughing so hard they stood up and then they sat back down again. And I was like, what? You know, the laughs would go on for long. You know, maybe it wasn't a masterpiece of a play, but it, the laughs were incredible. And then we did it for a year. And then one day, Nathan changed every line reading just for fun because he was bored. And he changed every single line reading and he got a. This. He got at least this big a laugh. Changing every, you know, just for the, Just for. That was like Larry Bird deciding. I think he told Charles Barkley, you know, I'm just going to use my left hand today just for the fuck of it. And like, yeah, yeah, he's. He's pretty incredible.

[Jesse David Fox]

Are you in Doomsday?

[John Slattery]

Am I in Avengers?

[Jesse David Fox]

Doomsday?

[John Slattery]

Is that a new movie?

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah, yeah, I think that's.

[John Slattery]

No, no, I don't think so.

[Jesse David Fox]

In general.

[John Slattery]

Barely an Avengers. Whatever. The last one, the last one was. I'm in it. I mean, glad I'm in it. Don't get me wrong.

[Jesse David Fox]

When you're in, you know, it's not a huge part you play, but it's a fairly iconic and pivotal for what it means to the character. How do you act when a million things are happening? The universe of the movie is huge. How do you try to be an actual actor trying to do something?

[John Slattery]

The first time I did it, Jon Favreau called me up and because I said, no, thanks, because I didn't know from Marvel, you know, they only made one movie. And I, I thought, while I thought it was like, you're an Iron man too. Yeah, it was Iron Man 2. And he said, are you crazy? You know, do you have children? And I said, I, yeah, I have a son. He's like, how old is he? I said, He's 5 or something. And he goes, he's gonna disown you if, if. When he gets to. When he realizes that you turned down a part in one of these movies, which I thought he's probably right. So I said, yes. And that scene in that Iron Man 2 is a really good scene. It's a really well written and well directed scene by Jon Favreau. And it was just me, I think, talking to the camera or something and kind of getting emotional about knowing that if he sees this, I'm probably dead or something like that. And so I was pleasantly surprised by how great, how good it was. I don't even think I saw it for about a year later until about a year later, I was like, wow, that scene was really good. And it was always like that. Like that. You would. It wasn't a large part. It was never a large part, but it was always taken seriously, and it was always free. Like, they would rewrite, you know, you've heard the stories, and, you know, they would get there and they go, well, what would you. And by the end of the, you know, the event, the last Avengers, we're standing in an elevator and he did. Well, if I said this, what would you say? And he go, well, I would probably. And there's somebody there writing it down. And you. And you. And then they slip those lines under the door and you basically do what you just improvised. But. And it sounds. It sounds kind of seat of the pants and. But they'd all been doing them for so long, and they. And they also, you know, there was. There aren't many surer things than a. Than a Marvel movie. You know, sort of midway through or two thirds of the way through that run in that last. So they're like, we don't really have to rush. We know this is going to work. And it was really fun to do.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah, it does speak to. That you get to be in almost every time you're in a movie, it's because one of the Avengers needs to, like, reckon with. With being a father or being whatever their legacy is. So you get to have oddly weighty scenes in pivotal parts of movies. Even though you've only been like, seven, like, five, six scenes the entire.

[John Slattery]

Well, that was. I knew they couldn't cut the scene. Yeah. So that's part of it. If you go, well, I know they can't. At least I know they can't cut this scene because it's, you know, there's information that he needs.

[Jesse David Fox]

Is there a role? Do you have a. Like, the part that got away? The role that you wish you still to this day are like, you auditioned for, you didn't get. Or you got closer.

[John Slattery]

That you're like, I don't have one that I auditioned for, that I didn't. I mean, I'm sure there were a bunch of them. I'm trying to think if anybody, you know, if I've seen someone play a part that. Man, I wish I was in that show. I wish I was in succession. Like, I just figure, like, that would have been really fun.

[Jesse David Fox]

Any of the characters specifically, or just

[John Slattery]

be Just one of those. I don't. Just one of the meaner ones, you know, like. Like Tom. Tom, you know, who's just. Just great. I mean, what a great character, what a great performance. And just go in there armed with all that dialogue, you know, I mean, that's really the best. And Jay Smith, Cameron's a friend and. And she would just, you know, say how much fun it is because that's what you're looking for. You're looking for those kinds of. Those kinds of scenes. Aaron Sorkin too. Yeah, well, that's Aaron Sorkin's. You know, it wasn't so much the West Wing as like

[Jesse David Fox]

Sports Night.

[John Slattery]

I don't know all. I mean, just like that does seem like what's the one that the. The one about the. Christ, you know, the trial, you know.

[Jesse David Fox]

Oh yeah. The trial is Chicago 7.

[John Slattery]

I mean, Chicago, right. But just what a great storyteller he is. But not only writing wise. Just when to get into a scene and out of a scene and how to, you know, you leave it with a question and then answer it with the next shot. Like, he's just a really smart filmmaker that I would love to work.

[Jesse David Fox]

He was the one that, when preparing for this, I was like, how can he. You're just. Would be. So it's the thing that you're good at is the thing that he does. I mean, it's partly like you. Well, that's why.

[John Slattery]

That's why I wanted to be him. Because I know that I'm good with dialogue and that dialogue is just the best we got.

[Jesse David Fox]

That gotta happen. Do you have a favorite day ever on set of any set or the day that you think of.

[John Slattery]

It's funny, you know, I was in Flags of Our Fathers, which is a Clint Eastwood movie. And my friend John Hickey, John Benjamin Hickey was. Is in it too. And he was on before I was, a couple days before I was. And a lot of our scenes are together. And he texts me one day and he goes, best day ever in show business. Clint Eastwood is. Is the best. This is the best day I've ever had. We wrapped at lunch and then I was like, what? Wrapped at lunch? I have like a four page speech. My introduction was a four page speech. And I was like, wrapped at lunch. And then he said. And then the next day he said, scrap what I said yesterday. Today is the best day I've ever had in show business. It's unbelievable. You won't believe what fun this is. Wrapped at lunch. And I was like, wrapped at fucking lunch. So then I got there, and I got in the clothes, and he wanted to make sure I had the same mustache that I had when I auditioned for the movie. So I had to go say hi. And he was great. And then. And then we got on set, and I was like, okay. And he said, and I just want you. He come up to me and he's famous for, you know, doing. Shooting the rehearsal and say, okay, we're done. We're moving on. And a lot of. Some of the actors didn't like that. You know, they were like, you got to give me a couple. But he said to me, I just want you to know we're going to do this until you're happy. And I was like, huh? And he said, we're just gonna. We're just gonna. So. So then I did it. And then. And then I, you know, I was nervous and I did it, got. Got through it. And then he goes, let's. You want to go again? And then I was like, yeah. And then. And then I could hear the. The camera crew going, well, if you got a little closer to that poster, you know, they were like, talking amongst themselves because he doesn't put marks down like they've worked together for. So. And I'm like, you want me to get. I can get closer over there if you want. And he'd go, no, no, no, just swing free. He'd go, swing free, man. Just. Just. And then. And then, you know, the hair and makeup would come over, and he's like. And he's kidding with him. He's like, get up, get up. Get out of here. He's fine. He hasn't done anything. And he would just let me go and do it, and we did it. I don't know how many. Until I was like, I'm good. So, you know, he was great, great fun to work with. Funny, generous, million great stories. One story, he said, I told this to Amy Redford, who's. Sadly, her dad passed, and I was at Sundance, and I saw her, and she's a pal, and she was saying, all these stories people are telling me about my father really make me feel good. And I said, well, have you ever heard this one? And then Clint goes. He goes, this time, when you leave the room, give me a Redford before you leave. And I go, what? A what? And he goes, don't you ever watch Robert Redford movies? And I'm like, yeah, only every single one of them. A million times. And he goes, the guy never. And then I realize. And he sort of takes on A tone. He's kidding. But he's. And I realize, oh yeah, they're contemporaries all the way up, right? So they're probably, you know, kind of elbowing each other for the same turf once or twice. And he goes, the guy never leaves a room without stopping and giving you one last look at his beautiful fucking face. And I was like, oh my God, a Redford. You know, like, stop and give and look back once before you leave. So great. Fox Creative.

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[John Slattery]

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[Jesse David Fox]

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[John Slattery]

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I'm grabbing my phone and switching to T mobile right now.

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[Jesse David Fox]

Plus tax and 35 device connection charge.

[John Slattery]

Credit end and balance due. If you pay off earlier, Cancel. Contact us $800 via virtual prepaid card. Card typically takes 15 days after rebate submission, no cash access and card expires in six months. Check out in 15 minutes per line. Visit t mobile.com this Friday, the time traveling comedy movie of the year arrives. Mike and Nick and Nick and Alice. Only on Hulu. The film stars Vince Vaughn, James Marsden and Asa Gonzalez in a wild action comedy about one disastrous night that spirals out of control.

[Jesse David Fox]

And here's the twist. There are two Vince Vaughns.

[John Slattery]

Don't miss Mike and Nick and Nick and Alice. Written and directed by Ben David Grobinski. Streaming this Friday only on Hulu. Rated R.

[Jesse David Fox]

Now it's time for our final segment. It's like a lightning round. But these questions don't have to be fast. It's just questions I asked every. Okay, so do you have a short story of an interaction with a legendary actor living or dead you're willing to share that you haven't already shared? A new. A new story?

[John Slattery]

I'll tell you another Robert Redford story. I was at Sundance in the lab, like early, like 30 years ago. I was a kid and I was with this friend, James Waterston, who's Sam Waterston's son. And we're in the lunch line and they treat you so well there, you know, it was like this wedding tent with a buffet line, you know, it was unbelievable. And we're going through the line and Robert Redford comes in. And you would rarely see him around there. Cause he purposefully kind of kept a low profile because everybody would freak out when they saw him. And we're like, holy shit. It's holy shit. It's Robert Redford. And he comes in and he grabs the tray and he kind of cuts and he goes, you guys mind if I cut in front of you? And he's wearing like a bike outfit. He's just taking a long bike ride, you know, a cycle, street cycling. And he's like, I just rode like 50 miles. And I got a meeting about five minutes. I'm starving. And we're. He's putting food on it. You know, he's. I think he was a vegetarian. So he's putting mainly like greens on his, on his plate. And James Waterston says, Mr. Redford, my name's James Waterston. I'm my dad, Sam and you know, obviously you guys did Gatsby together. And Bob stops and looks at him and is like, oh my God, I can't believe that Sam, you know, I'm something. Like, I can't believe that I'm old enough that my friend has a grown son. How's your father? And you know, and that's amazing and nice to meet you and who's your friend here? And I'm like, you know, I can't even talk. And, and we're going through the line and he's still, you know, talking and putting your arugula. And he's putting. He's literally has a, like a two foot pile of lettuce on his plate. And, and we're talking and we're still like, you know, just kind of basking in, in. And. And he goes, he goes, geez. And he stops and he looks at his plate and he goes, geez, look at this plate, man. He goes, I, I'm starving. And I, I don't know, whatever. He goes, what the heck? And. And James goes, yeah, it's like you're like a pig. And like, literally like all the air went out of the tent. All the air went out of my head. And Redford stops and looks at him like, without saying, he, like, what the fuck did you just say? And like, he didn't say that, but he looked at him like that. And I'm thinking, what the fuck did you just say? And poor James is going, what the fuck did I just say? And Redford goes, well, it's nice to meet you guys. I'll see you later. And he takes his plate and he leaves. And I'm like, whatever. What? He's like, what happened? I'm like, what the hell did you just do? You just called Robert Redford a pig. And you know, and I told Amy that story too, the, the last week, and it made her laugh. It's very sad that, you know, he was, he was a hero of mine. Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

Did you meet him again after that?

[John Slattery]

I read for Ethan Hawke. I think I wasn't there. Gave a speech about reading for him for River Runs through it, which I did too. And he was really, really sweet. And it was just the two of us and he read the scenes and he, he activated the phone, the other phone in the room, so that when I picked up the phone to do the scene, he said, because there's nothing worse than a dead phone. So he actually did the scene on the other phone in the room. Like he, he just was, you know, the guy, he was very, very smart, very nice guy.

[Jesse David Fox]

What is the. The best time you ever bombed or the. The worst day at a job? Or just some version of you were acting in some capacity and failed.

[John Slattery]

This guy? Oh, I was just trying to think of a play or something. I don't know. Let's skip that question, go to the next one while I think about it. Sure. Because I know there's a bomb. The hell. Something. Flop sweat.

[Jesse David Fox]

I feel like you did enough theater that something had it not worked. Who, in your opinion, is the greatest living actor?

[John Slattery]

Oh, my God.

[Jesse David Fox]

Really?

[John Slattery]

Ralph Fiennes is the first person that comes to mind.

[Jesse David Fox]

Why is that?

[John Slattery]

Because every time you see him, he's like a different. He has, like, different DNA. I mean, he just did that 28 days, 28 years later, whatever it is. And he looks like. And then he's, you know, Grand Budapest Hotel, and then the dig. And then he's in Bruges. And, I mean, he's just kind of a miracle worker, I think. What's that? A bigger splash? I mean, he's just. He's prolific, and everything's different and they're always good. And, I mean, I don't know. You know, it's, like, not a contest, obviously, and there's a lot of great actors out there, but I look at him and I just think, boy, that guy's incredible.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[John Slattery]

Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

What is the best advice you've taken in

[John Slattery]

Beta Blockers? Seriously? A guy named Howard Goldberg. Rest in peace. May he rest in peace. He had an agency called Howard Harrison Goldberg, and he was my agent. Like, maybe my first agent. I think he was my first agent or second, maybe. And he was. And I was auditioning, and he. And I. And I was getting close on a lot of stuff, and then I would, you know, blow it at the end because I was nervous. And that's probably one of the. You know, the answer to the prior question was, how did you bomb? Like. Like everything. I would get to the Right to the. You know, they're basically giving me the job, and I would just have flop sweat, and I couldn't. All I saw was, this is mine to lose. And I would. And then. And then he called me up and he said, what's happening? What the hell's going on here? Because you're. You're the guy on all the. You. You literally are the guy walking in the room, and then you. The bed, and you don't get the job. And I said, I. I don't know. I just freak out. I get nervous. And he's. Like, well, there are these things called beta blockers. And I was like. And I. And. And it changed my life.

[Jesse David Fox]

Yeah.

[John Slattery]

Because the acting part doesn't freak me out. It's just the. The failure part.

[Jesse David Fox]

Maybe.

[John Slattery]

I don't know. And I mean, maybe now not so much because I've failed so many times. But, you know, it's like, in the beginning, it's so important. You want that job so badly that you tie yourself up in knots. Yeah.

[Jesse David Fox]

What is an idea or an opinion you have that everyone tells you is bad or wrong, but you'll go to your grave being like, I'm right, they're wrong. It can be an idea for a project. It can be just an idea. It can be opinion about anything. But do you feel like there's a hill that you.

[John Slattery]

Donald Trump is misunderstood? That's what I think. I think he's really a prince of a guy, and everybody's got it wrong. That is. Yeah. All right.

[Jesse David Fox]

No, we'll leave it at I would

[John Slattery]

rather die than cool. No. Well, I mean. But I do. I'm just trying to think. Do I actually have an opinion that no one else. I don't know. But I do give advice. One time, I gave an advice. One time, I was doing a play with two actors, and they were both like, I think I want to have an affair with him. And he's like, I think I want to. I think we're gonna. And they were both married. And I was like, okay, here's my advice. Don't do it. Don't. It's gonna fuck everything up. You're gonna. You're both gonna get divorced. You're gonna hate each other. Well. And they said. He said, well, we've actually been doing it for. We've already been doing it for three weeks. I'm like, well, why the fuck did you ask me that? And sure enough, they both got divorced. The whole thing fucking blew up. And I'm like, well, you know, nobody ever takes my advice.

[Jesse David Fox]

Do you have a favorite joke? Joke? Joke.

[John Slattery]

Well, how dirty can it be?

[Jesse David Fox]

It can be as dirty as you can be.

[John Slattery]

All right, well, then I just heard a joke. Four nuns die in a car crash, and they are standing outside the pearly gates, and St. Peter comes out with a bowl of holy water. And he says, I have one question to ask each of you, and then you can enter the kingdom of heaven. And he says to the first nun, have you ever touched a human penis? And she says, yes, but just with the tip of this finger. And he goes, okay, very well then dunk that finger into the holy water and enter the kingdom of heaven. And she does. And he says to the second nun, have you ever touched a human penis? And she says, yes, but just with this left hand. And he says, okay, dip your left hand in the holy water and then you may enter the kingdom of heaven. And she does. And then the fourth nun jumps in front of the third nun and says, listen, you better let me go next because I ain't gargling that shit after she sticks her ass in there.

[Jesse David Fox]

Thank you so much.

[John Slattery]

That kills me, that joke. You're welcome.

[Jesse David Fox]

That's it for another episode of Good One. Good One is produced by myself, Zachary Mack, Neal Janowitz and Ann Victoria Clark. Music Composed by Brandon McFarland, writer, review and rate the show on Apple Podcasts 5 stars please I am Jesse David Fox and you can follow me at Jesse David Fox Buy my book, comedy book, wherever books are sold. Thanks for listening to Good One from New York Magazine. You can subscribe to the [e-mail] pod we're back with a new episode next week. Have a good one. Two teams, one cup the primetime stage is set for the TGL presented by SoFi. Finals Los Angeles Golf Club vs Tigers Jupiter Links Keep up it's playoffs. Tune in. Monday, March 23, 9pm Eastern on ESPN2 and Tuesday, March 24, 7pm Eastern on ESPN and on the ESPN app. This episode is brought to you by Athletic Brewing company. No matter how you do game day, on the couch, in the crowd or manning the snack table, Athletic Brewing fits right in with a full lineup of non alcoholic beer styles you can enjoy bold flavors all game long. No hangovers, no buzz, no subbing out for water in the second half. Stock the fridge for tip off with a variety of non alcoholic craft styles. Available at your local grocery store or online at athleticbrewing.com near Beer Fit for All times.