NEW SEASON: Mad, Sad & Bad is BACK!

Summary

Great Company with Jamie Laing: Season Premiere – "NEW SEASON: Mad, Sad & Bad is BACK!"

Release Date: June 2, 2025

In the season premiere of "Great Company with Jamie Laing," hosted by Jampot Productions, Paloma Faith returns to the spotlight to introduce a legendary guest: Samuel L. Jackson. This episode delves deep into Jackson's illustrious career, his enduring marriage, and his personal struggles, particularly his battle with addiction and its impact on his family life.

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Introduction to Samuel L. Jackson

Paloma Faith kicks off the episode by warmly reintroducing Samuel L. Jackson to listeners, highlighting his remarkable achievements and personal anecdotes that showcase their unique friendship.

Paloma Faith [00:00]: "The person I'm about to introduce has already told me if you don't know who he is, then you shouldn't be watching this. But here's an introduction anyway to you."

Paloma recounts her relationship with Jackson, emphasizing the genuine bond they share and the mutual favors that have cemented their friendship over the past decade.

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Longevity of Marriage in Hollywood

One of the central themes of the conversation revolves around Jackson's enduring marriage—a rarity in Hollywood's often tumultuous relationship landscape. Paloma expresses her admiration and curiosity about the secret behind such a lasting union.

Paloma Faith [03:39]: "So, you know, do you think... what is the key to that?"

Jackson reflects on the stability of his marriage, attributing its longevity to avoiding volatile conflicts and maintaining a consistent partnership over 50 years.

Samuel L. Jackson [04:03]: "We've been together for 50 some years... you don't have them to the point that you go, you know, fuck you, I'm leaving, you know, or stay."

He emphasizes the importance of resilience and quietude in sustaining his relationship, highlighting that not every disagreement necessitates a dramatic resolution.

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Being a Good Husband and Father

The discussion transitions to the qualities that define a good husband and father. Paloma shares her personal struggles with relationship dissolution, contrasting them with Jackson's successful marriage, prompting a heartfelt exploration of familial roles.

Paloma Faith [04:50]: "It's funny because people talk a lot, don't they, about good husbands and good fathers?"

Jackson candidly admits uncertainty about his effectiveness in these roles but underscores his commitment to his family despite personal imperfections.

Samuel L. Jackson [05:21]: "I'm just, you know, I go through it and I don't really think about it."

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Navigating Addiction and Parenthood

A poignant segment of the episode delves into Jackson's past battle with addiction and its repercussions on his family life. He narrates the challenges of maintaining fatherly duties while grappling with substance abuse, providing listeners with an unfiltered glimpse into his struggles.

Samuel L. Jackson [06:17]: "I was high, so I would do things. Like, I made all these flashcards for her... I would hold up... and she was like, watch."

He recounts how his addiction affected his ability to engage with his daughter, Zoe, balancing between moments of genuine interaction and the chaotic disruptions caused by his substance use.

Samuel L. Jackson [08:02]: "When you look back, do you feel regret for that or."

Samuel L. Jackson [09:14]: "Hell no. I was working out. I was on StairMaster. I was in great shape... I was running up and down."

Despite acknowledging the severity of his past actions, Jackson presents a complex picture of a man striving to fulfill his responsibilities amidst personal turmoil, ultimately conveying a sense of resilience and continuous self-improvement.

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Anecdotes and Personal Reflections

Throughout the episode, Paloma and Samuel share light-hearted yet insightful anecdotes that humanize the Hollywood icon. From playful exchanges about musical instruments to humorous stories about Zoe's early exposure to language, these moments add depth to their conversation, illustrating the balance Jackson maintains between fame and family life.

Samuel L. Jackson [07:33]: "I just told her. I said, look, you can do that with them, but you can't do that with grown people."

These stories not only entertain but also highlight the intentional efforts Jackson makes to foster a nurturing environment for his daughter, despite past challenges.

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Conclusion

Paloma Faith and Samuel L. Jackson culminate their conversation by reflecting on the lessons learned from personal hardships and the importance of maintaining strong familial bonds. Jackson's candidness about his struggles and triumphs offers listeners both inspiration and a nuanced understanding of what it takes to sustain meaningful relationships amidst life's adversities.

This episode of "Great Company with Jamie Laing" seamlessly blends heartfelt discussions with entertaining anecdotes, providing a rich and engaging narrative that resonates with listeners seeking depth and authenticity in celebrity conversations.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Samuel L. Jackson [00:54]: "Amazing. Thank you for coming about. This is a dope ass. How much can I get it?"

• Samuel L. Jackson [03:23]: "Yeah, I feel like a grown up all the time... the pressure of the world is a little greater than it should necessarily be."

• Samuel L. Jackson [04:03]: "We've been together for 50 some years... you don't have them to the point that you go, you know, fuck you, I'm leaving."

• Samuel L. Jackson [09:14]: "Hell no. I was working out... I was running up and down."

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This detailed summary encapsulates the essence of the "Mad, Sad & Bad is BACK!" episode, providing an insightful overview for both regular listeners and newcomers alike.

Transcript

[Paloma Faith]

Hi, great company listeners. It's me, Paloma Faith. You may remember me from episode three. And I'm back. I hope you all love the first series of my podcast, Mad, Sad and Bad. I thought if you do that, I'll make another series. Here you go. Hello, I'm Paloma Faye. Each week I welcome someone amazing into my home to talk about when they've been mad, sad, sad and bad. Roll recording. Sorry. No, thank you. So nice to see you.

[Samuel L. Jackson]

Amazing. Thank you for coming about. This is a dope ass. How much can I get it?

[Paloma Faith]

You can't buy everything. Come on, come through. This is the living room. Can't buy everything he sees.

[Samuel L. Jackson]

Ooh, white piano.

[Paloma Faith]

Do you want to get on there?

[Samuel L. Jackson]

No.

[Paloma Faith]

The person I'm about to introduce has already told me if you don't know who he is, then you shouldn't be watching this. But here's an introduction anyway to you. He's an internationally acclaimed actor and cultural icon. His breakout roles were Gator purifying, Spike Lee's Jungle Fever, where he was so good the Cannes Film Festival created the Best Supporting Performance award for him and Jules Winfield in Tarantino's pulp fiction age 46, which earned him an Oscar nomination. He's gone on to play some of the most iconic characters in movie history, from Nick Fury in the Avengers franchise to Steven in Django Unchained and Neville Flynn in Snakes on a Plane, earning him cult status, and actually is the highest grossing actor of all time. He's an activist and campaigned for the civil rights movement as a student, even locking Martin Luther King Sr. In a room as part of a protest at College. And 56 years later, he appeared as Uncle Sam in Kendrick Lamar's super bowl performance in A wor. He's a cool motherfucker, and that really doesn't sound as cool when I say it, but to me, he's a man I met a decade ago at an event and struck up a friendship that no one ever believes I have. He's someone I once did a favor for helping with a charity fundraiser he'd organized for prostate cancer. And after the event, he said he owed me one and he really meant it. Since then, he's done me too many favors, and all I've managed to do is buy him some tonic water and a coffee. It's Samuel L. Jackson. Was it great?

[Samuel L. Jackson]

It was awesome. It was amazing.

[Paloma Faith]

I left the French horn there because I know you play it and I don't expect you to play it, but I just thought it's pretty. It looks Beautiful.

[Samuel L. Jackson]

Very beautiful instruments.

[Paloma Faith]

It is.

[Samuel L. Jackson]

Yeah.

[Paloma Faith]

And I just thought, you know, if you felt compelled to respond or you were like, I can't even think of an answer. I'm just going to play some music. You can. It's there. Do you feel like a grown up yet?

[Samuel L. Jackson]

Yeah, I feel like a grown up all the time. Yeah. It's one of those. One of those things where you wish you could, you know, have a childlike attitude about something and now you can't because you know too much and the world's. The pressure of the world is a little greater than it should necessarily be.

[Paloma Faith]

So, you know, do you think. Cause my marriage, it wasn't a marriage, but my relationship with my kid's dad ended. It didn't go well. I failed at that. And I was just wondering about what it is that makes you think your marriage has endured the way that it has. Like, what's the key to that?

[Samuel L. Jackson]

I don't know.

[Paloma Faith]

Because that's unusual in Hollywood for a marriage to last as long as yours.

[Samuel L. Jackson]

Unusual for the world, you know, or it used to be. Used to be the norm, I guess. You know, I mean, we've been together for 50 some years, you know, so when you do have those, those volatile moments, you don't have them to the point that you go, you know, fuck you, I'm leaving, you know, or stay.

[Paloma Faith]

And work it out.

[Samuel L. Jackson]

Well, you know, sometimes you don't have to stay and work it out. You just have to be quiet and sit. You know, even when I was. Back when I was, you know, when I was an addict, that was crazy. It was crazy times in the house. She always. She always calls it her villa in hell. But, you know, it was a time and it happens.

[Paloma Faith]

Do you think you're a good hus. Husband?

[Samuel L. Jackson]

I guess so. I don't even know what that means.

[Paloma Faith]

I don't know. It's funny because people talk a lot, don't they, about good husbands and good fathers? Is a big one. Like, I didn't have a great father. You've obviously got a child. And I. I feel like I'm quite blessed because my kids. I broke up with my kids dad. But I think they've got a brilliant father because I didn't have that, like.

[Samuel L. Jackson]

But I didn't either, so. Yeah, well, I had my grandfather.

[Paloma Faith]

But then you've become a good father and a good husband. Yeah, well, we all have flaws. I'm not saying anyone's perfect.

[Samuel L. Jackson]

Well, I'm just, I'm just, you know, I go through it and I don't really think about it. I know that, you know, when she and I were in college together, and we were both, you know, we were acting and doing all the stuff that we're doing. It's like doing theater and going through it. And at one point, she was the breadwinner because she way. She made way more money than I did. I was running around New York trying to figure it out and going to auditions and doing off, off, off, off off off Broadway or, you know, busing truck, you know, whatever it was to do. There are times when she was the responsible person and I was there with Zoe. So our relationship was tight. Cause I fed her. I did my best to do her hair or whatever I could do to it. We were always together. We could do some stupid shit with her, but whatever. But we had fun together. And I also made.

[Paloma Faith]

But that is a gift. I keep saying to my kids, you must.

[Samuel L. Jackson]

I'm gonna sit here. I'm gonna sit here with you. I'm gonna read my book. You read your book? You know, I did stuff with her that was, you know, it's fun for me, but it's. It's very addictive behavior, I guess. You know, I was high, so I would do things. Like, I made all these flashcards for her. So when she was even in the bassinet of the crib, and she was like. She couldn't talk and she couldn't do anything. I would, like, hold up, you know, hey, B, C. And she was like, watch.

[Paloma Faith]

And you think that was a manifestation of your addiction? Part of it, yeah.

[Samuel L. Jackson]

But I was like, you know, interacting with her, but it was fun.

[Paloma Faith]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Samuel L. Jackson]

This is. This. This is. This is a cool thing to do. So I would do that, and I would go, you know, eyes. And I would hold up and think of eyes. And then I go, dad, Mommy, Zoe. So she was. When she finally started talking, she was like, there she was. But she also learned to curse early because she was. Because she was with me all the time. So that was happening too. You know, I could hear her talking to her little friends, and they would be messing with her. You know, you.

[Paloma Faith]

My kids do that. And unfortunately, it is one of the cutest things ever, watching a child curse. And we can't. Like, you do that thing where you're like, I can't laugh. But it's. It's amazing.

[Samuel L. Jackson]

I just told her. I said, look, you can do that with them, but you can't do that with grown people. You know, you can't do that when you're not in the house. When you're here, you can do that, but you can't. You know, it's like, my wife always tells this story when we were at a wedding somewhere and this woman had Zoe in her arms, and she's like, do you want something to eat, baby? And she's like, what is that shit? And that lady was like. And then she looked at you and said, no, that shit looks fucked up so good. So she didn't eat.

[Paloma Faith]

How old was she?

[Samuel L. Jackson]

She was up there. The woman was holding her. She was like, barely talking. I was like, give it to me. Who the baby is this?

[Paloma Faith]

And you're like, oh, you're the guy that swears in movies.

[Samuel L. Jackson]

Here you go, right here. So we had a great relationship in terms of I had to be with her, and I was the singular person taking care of her when my wife was doing whatever she was doing. And then she came back and, you know, then she was with her and we had, you know, all these things. But, you know, during my addiction, I tried to do everything, you know, to make sure she was cool. I mean, I would be. I would be downstairs in the kitchen. We had a brownstone. So it's like a four story brownstone. She slept on, like the third level. So if I was in the kitchen cooking cocaine and sitting there smoking it, I would smoke it. I'd take a hit and my brain would say, zoe's choking in the covers. And I would like run up steps, look in the room. Okay, she's okay, go back down the kitchen. She's choking in the covers now.

[Paloma Faith]

It's like, oh, so do you regret it now? Like, when you look back, do you feel regret for that or.

[Samuel L. Jackson]

Hell no. I was working out. I was on StairMaster. I was in great shape, you know, I was like, I was just the best shape addict you could ever, you know, I was running up and down.

[Paloma Faith]

The street, highest functioning addict ever.

[Samuel L. Jackson]

I was like, yeah, I was going to work. I had a job. I was, you know, I was working on Broadway. I was. I was doing shit.

[Paloma Faith]

Join me every Tuesday with a new effervescent companion. You can follow Mad, Sad and Bad with Paloma Faith on your favorite podcast app and search for Mad, Sad and Bad podcast to follow on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok out now.