158. Ben Stiller and Adam Scott: Working it Innie and Outie

Summary

Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out: Episode 158 - Ben Stiller and Adam Scott: Working it Innie and Outie

Release Date: January 27, 2025

In Episode 158 of Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out, host Mike Birbiglia welcomes renowned actors and collaborators Ben Stiller and Adam Scott to delve deep into the creative processes behind their acclaimed work, particularly focusing on the Apple TV+ series Severance. This episode offers an engaging exploration of the dynamics between actors and directors, personal anecdotes from their careers, and reflections on past projects that have shaped their artistic journeys.

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1. Setting the Scene: Physical Descriptions and First Impressions

The episode kicks off with a humorous exchange about Adam Scott's physical appearance, referencing a New Yorker article's portrayal:

• Mike Birbiglia [00:00]: "This metier has been defined in part by Adam Scott's physical appearance, which straddles the line between hunky and nondescript. Medium height, slightly hang dog eyes, thick chestnut hair that juts like a cockatiel's crest."

• Adam Scott [00:25]: "100%."

• Ben Stiller [00:28]: "Look, she nailed it. That's my country club cockatiel's crest."

The light-hearted banter sets a relaxed tone, highlighting the camaraderie between the guests.

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2. Revisiting Severance: Collaboration and Creative Synergy

Mike Birbiglia expresses his enthusiasm for having both Ben Stiller and Adam Scott in the studio, emphasizing their integral roles in Severance:

• Mike Birbiglia [00:54]: "Adam Scott is of course one of the stars of Severance, the great Apple TV plus series. Ben and Adam are both producers on the show. Ben directed a ton of the episodes. It's an incredible show."

The discussion then shifts to the collaborative nature of the show, with Adam Scott delving into the synergy between him and Ben:

• Adam Scott [06:21]: "I feel like we're pretty much in sync."

• Adam Scott [07:32]: "For me, sometimes it's I get caught up in my head if I'm working on something, and it's like, okay, well, if I'll do that for you. But not trusting, like, is the audience going to be aware that we're going at this certain speed up the hill?"

This segment highlights the seamless collaboration and mutual trust that underpin the show's success.

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3. Behind the Scenes: Directing and Actor Relationships

The heart of the episode delves into the intricate relationship between directors and actors, especially in a producer-director-actor trio like Ben, Adam, and Mike:

• Ben Stiller [25:42]: "I feel like that's when I learned the most is, you know, because it's so interesting to see you work with you see how you do it."

Adam Scott adds his perspective on trust and alignment with Ben's directing style:

• Adam Scott [07:33]: "I can totally trust going down his way."

Their conversation underscores the importance of understanding and respecting each other's creative visions, fostering an environment where both direction and performance can thrive.

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4. Reflections on Past Works: The Ben Stiller Show and Reality Bites

Ben Stiller reminisces about his earlier projects, providing insight into his growth as an artist:

• Ben Stiller [12:20]: "I've been on the roster. That's right. There were not a lot of people."

Adam Scott reflects on the enduring relevance of Reality Bites:

• Adam Scott [12:27]: "When I watch Reality Bites, I so connect with sitting around like Brady Bunch trivia and smoking cigarettes."

They discuss the cultural impact of these projects and their personal connections to the material, offering listeners a nostalgic look back at foundational works in their careers.

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5. Personal Anecdotes: Childhood Memories and On-Set Stories

The episode is peppered with personal stories that humanize the guests and provide a glimpse into their lives beyond the screen:

• Ben Stiller [43:15]: "When I was on the plane going to camp when I was about 10 years old and got scared that I didn't want to go to Maine."

Adam Scott shares a similar experience with his son:

• Adam Scott [45:36]: "I was on a flight with my son when he was probably 9 or 10... he was, like, 'This whole flying thing is bullshit.'"

These stories not only entertain but also highlight shared human experiences, fostering a deeper connection with the audience.

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6. The Art of Acting: Breaking Character and Maintaining Professionalism

A significant portion of the discussion focuses on the challenges actors face in maintaining professionalism on set, especially when dealing with intense or emotional scenes:

• Adam Scott [37:11]: "Do you break in scenes?"

• Ben Stiller [37:25]: "This is an acting machine. Guy who doesn't break. Well, you will break before he breaks every time."

They explore the balance between delivering authentic performances and managing the vulnerability that comes with acting, offering valuable insights for aspiring actors.

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7. Advice for Aspiring Actors and Creatives

Drawing from their extensive experience, Ben and Adam provide practical advice for those looking to break into the industry:

• Ben Stiller [39:49]: "Know that they want you to get the job almost as much as you want to get the job."

• Adam Scott [41:17]: "Hey, you can relax. Like, you've got a lot of time. We've got all these episodes. You're gonna be watching you take this whole journey."

Their guidance emphasizes the importance of perseverance, authenticity, and the continuous honing of one's craft.

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8. Supporting Causes: Nonprofits and Philanthropy

The episode wraps up with a discussion on giving back, highlighting the importance of supporting meaningful causes:

• Adam Scott [49:54]: "Yeah, the Center for Reproductive Rights."

• Ben Stiller [50:18]: "UN Refugee Agency, for sure."

Mike Birbiglia commendably bridges this with personal admiration:

• Mike Birbiglia [50:29]: "One of the many things I admire about you is all the work that you do... you shows up for people who are struggling like that."

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9. Closing Remarks and Final Thoughts

As the episode concludes, the trio shares light-hearted banter and final messages for listeners:

• Mike Birbiglia [52:07]: "Adam Scott, Ben Stiller. Thank you for being you."

• Ben Stiller [52:23]: "Safe and warm here. I like it. Working it out. Cuz it's not done."

These closing moments reinforce the warmth and genuine connection among the guests, leaving listeners with a sense of camaraderie and appreciation for the collaborative spirit of creativity.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Mike Birbiglia [00:00]: "This metier has been defined in part by Adam Scott's physical appearance..."

• Adam Scott [06:21]: "I feel like we're pretty much in sync."

• Ben Stiller [25:42]: "I feel like that's when I learned the most is, you know..."

• Ben Stiller [39:49]: "Know that they want you to get the job almost as much as you want to get the job."

• Ben Stiller [50:18]: "UN Refugee Agency, for sure."

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Final Thoughts

This episode of Working It Out not only highlights the professional collaboration between Ben Stiller and Adam Scott but also offers intimate glimpses into their personal lives and philosophies. Through shared stories, advice, and reflections, listeners gain a comprehensive understanding of the dedication and passion that drive these creative minds. Whether you're a fan of Severance, an aspiring actor, or simply interested in the behind-the-scenes dynamics of successful shows, Episode 158 provides valuable insights and heartfelt moments that resonate beyond the screen.

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For those who haven't listened yet, this episode is a treasure trove of industry wisdom, personal anecdotes, and genuine camaraderie. It's a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of comedy, acting, and directing.

Transcript

[Mike Birbiglia]

Okay, the New Yorker article about you. Yeah, this is a direct quote. This metier has been defined in part by Adam Scott's physical appearance, which straddles the line between hunky and nondescript. Medium height, slightly hang dog eyes, thick chestnut hair that juts like a cockatiel's crest. So is that how you describe yourself?

[Adam Scott]

100%.

[Ben Stiller]

Look, she nailed it. That's my country club cockatiel's crust.

[Mike Birbiglia]

That's right.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah. New Yorker's good at doing descriptions of actors. When they did a story on me years ago, the guy spent like two paragraphs on the right side of my face versus the left side of my face.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Really?

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah. One side worked and one side didn't.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Those are the voices of the great Ben Stiller and Adam Scott. Ben Stiller and Adam Scott. We are so excited about this episode. Back in 2022 we had Ben Stiller on the podcast. It is one of my all time favorite episodes. Today we have him and Adam Scott together in the Working it out studio. Adam Scott is of course one of the stars of Severance, the great Apple TV plus series. Ben and Adam are both producers on the show. Ben directed a ton of the episodes. It's an incredible show. I think hands down one of the best television shows. And the three of us have a great chat today. It's an exciting day for me because I'm announcing the sixth count EM six performance of the Good Life finale at the Beacon Theater in New York City. We just had a sixth show March 18th at at 7:30pm Tickets are on sale today. Get them while you can. I have just a few more shows on the tour. I think Baltimore, Maryland is sold out. It looks like Palm Beach, Florida is. Is almost sold out. Northampton, sold out. Burlington, Vermont. And then join the mailing list to be the first to know about some shows I'm going to announce in Los Angeles. I'm going to do four small intimate shows in Los Angeles. Join the mailing list to be the first to know because I think those tickets will go fast. I love this chat with Ben Stiller and Adam Scott. Today we talk about severance. No spoilers. Season two is out right now. Check it out on Apple tv. Plus, Adam goes deep about his acting process on the show. We talk about the relationship between actors and directors because we have an actor and a director right here with us. We nerd out about Ben's comedy and film legacy, the Ben Stiller show Reality Bites. We even talk about which character I almost played on Severance. Bit of trivia for you, Enjoy my chat with the great Ben Stiller and Adam Scott. So in that New Yorker piece, which I loved, but it points out that you don't like being called great or you have a hard time when people are like, you're great.

[Adam Scott]

I don't want anyone to think that I think I'm great, which is. I've been in it for a long time, but also grew up watching actors and stuff, and actors getting actory and humble, bragging about, oh, yeah, no, I'm so grateful. All that stuff. It's all very kind of. I just don't want to fall into the trap of anyone thinking that I think I'm great. And I want to assure anyone who cares that I don't.

[Ben Stiller]

But still, you won't allow eye contact with anyone on set. That's true for me, that I just don't.

[Adam Scott]

But that's a whole separate thing.

[Ben Stiller]

Okay.

[Mike Birbiglia]

I don't know if you know this. Ben had considered me for a role in the series early on. Ben, do you have any regrets about the casting?

[Ben Stiller]

I talked to Mike about playing Rickon.

[Adam Scott]

Oh, fantastic.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah, you would have been a great Rickon.

[Adam Scott]

Great.

[Mike Birbiglia]

But. But the actor's great also.

[Adam Scott]

He's great. Michael Journas.

[Ben Stiller]

He's great.

[Adam Scott]

Great.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Yeah.

[Ben Stiller]

I don't. Yes, I do. Mike, sitting here now with you on your podcast, I definitely regret it. But, Mike, you. You know, I feel like a little kinship with you because there's that thing of being an actor and being a director and a writer and creating your own stuff, and sometimes the way the, you know, people in the business, like, look at you probably is like, well, Mike's doing his thing. Mike does his own movies. Mike does his standup. Mike does his podcast. Mike creates his own stuff. Do you feel that?

[Mike Birbiglia]

Yeah, no, completely. Yeah.

[Ben Stiller]

And it's like a weird thing where so, like, it just sort of, like, crosses over into, you know, oh, yeah, Mike Birbiglia could do that. It's like, but, yeah, isn't. But Mike. Like, would Mike do that? Is Mike doing his own thing?

[Mike Birbiglia]

That whole.

[Ben Stiller]

And I feel like I've experienced that, too. And I'm not saying that that's an excuse for why you're not playing Rickon. We did go kind of go down the road on it, though, so I will take responsibility.

[Mike Birbiglia]

We did.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah.

[Mike Birbiglia]

And interesting. In that New Yorker article, you pointed out that they. They. You had to audition after Ben was like, so you got it.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Ben Stiller]

That's rightly, I'm not as in charge as I thought.

[Mike Birbiglia]

I Was. That's right. That's right. So Ben. So basically, Ben. And interestingly, one of the things that you said in that. In that piece about Adam in the New Yorker was you were like, because you guys have ended up becoming collaborators and not just actor, director relationship. You're a producer on the show, and you were like, so much of collaboration is, like, really having the same taste or similar taste. And do you guys ever disagree on what is not severance enough or too severance or. Exactly severance.

[Ben Stiller]

I feel like we're pretty much in sync.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah.

[Ben Stiller]

Don't you think?

[Adam Scott]

Yeah. And I also am smart enough to follow Ben's lead because, you know, when we started in season one and there was nothing. You know, one of the most satisfying things about making stuff is just at a very base level where there was nothing, There is now something that you and your collaborators made that's super fun. But. So when we started, there was nothing except this weird set and Ben just sort of being like, uh, I don't know. I. I feel like maybe it's this. And it was like a brand new weird thing. And we were all like, uh, okay, let's. Let's try that. And we kind of eventually all were like, oh, yeah, okay, this is fun. This feels weird. And kind of found it together. But I got to sort of really see how he. Ben's always seeing the whole grid at all times. Right. Like, everything is being looked after.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Yeah.

[Adam Scott]

Because for me, sometimes it's. I get caught up in my head if I'm working on something, and it's like, okay, well, if I'll do that for you. But not trusting, like, is the audience going to be aware that we're going at this certain speed up the hill? And does it make sense for people to be chasing us if we're doing this and for me to be reacting? And sometimes when you kind of start bringing those things up, you get the sense that who. Whoever's in charge hasn't even considered any of this before. And so that's what I get in my head about as an actor sometimes. If I'm like, okay, if you want me to do that, all these other things need to make sense. With Ben, it's all been worked out and make. Make sense. So, yes, we're aligned, but I also know if we're at a fork in the road, I can totally trust going down his way.

[Mike Birbiglia]

I read that you got a concussion.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah.

[Mike Birbiglia]

And that it's on film.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah.

[Mike Birbiglia]

But I haven't gotten to that part of the season yet.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah. I can't.

[Mike Birbiglia]

You can't say how, of course.

[Adam Scott]

Spoils something.

[Mike Birbiglia]

But yeah, that's such a classic thing where I. I'm sure you've had this over the years where when someone gets injured on a set, it's just like, did we get it?

[Adam Scott]

Oh, he came up to me pretty quickly after it happened and was like, dude, it looks great.

[Mike Birbiglia]

You're gonna love this.

[Ben Stiller]

That was amazing. How many fingers am I holding?

[Adam Scott]

Yeah.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Yeah. What's your birthday?

[Adam Scott]

That's right.

[Mike Birbiglia]

What's your birthday? This is gonna be a great episode.

[Ben Stiller]

Tell me your name. Right, yeah. No, I mean, you know, when something like that happens, it's awful because it's happened and you can't, you know.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Oh, it's awful. Yeah.

[Ben Stiller]

It's like once it happens, it happens and we can't really talk about it, how it happened. But yeah, I thought of it the other day.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Cause I'm watching Night at the Museum for the first time when it came out.

[Ben Stiller]

Be Honest, it's your 20th time. Come on, Mike.

[Mike Birbiglia]

It wasn't my age group.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah.

[Mike Birbiglia]

When it came, I.

[Ben Stiller]

He called me early because, you know, I watched Night at the Museum. I'm. I'm sorry. I just watched it for the first time because when it came out, I wasn't quite. I'm like, yeah, it's not your demo. I get it.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah.

[Ben Stiller]

You're not like a single guy.

[Adam Scott]

Don't worry.

[Ben Stiller]

Watch Night of the museum.

[Mike Birbiglia]

I was 26 when it came out. Single in New York City. Kicking back, watching Night at the Museum.

[Adam Scott]

Not going to go to the matinee by itself.

[Mike Birbiglia]

My daughter's nine and we're watching it and of course, you know, you guys know now. We've watched it six or seven times. I know, like all the frames, but like, one of the things I noticed is like, you like hop over the museum, like, desk in it.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah. Like when I'm running in the dinosaur. Can you do that? Yeah, yeah. And I said, ben could do that. In 2006.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Ben could. Right.

[Ben Stiller]

Honestly, you made me think. Cause we just did this little pickleball movie.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Movie.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah, yeah. And I have like a two day part in it. We were producing it and my character, like, is a ridiculous movie. And my character's like running away in a scene. Like, and there was like a. At a tennis club and there was like a fence or like a. Yeah, like a railing. Right. And I was like, oh, I'll do the thing where I like, I push off and I like flip my legs over.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah.

[Ben Stiller]

I swear, the first take I, like, barely cleared it, but then, like, hurt my ankle when I dropped over. And then there's like, director's like, great. Yeah, we missed it. We got. I think we're. Get it. Like, do it a couple more. I'm like, oh, no, no.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Yeah, yeah.

[Ben Stiller]

There's not. There's not. And literally in the movie, it's me jumping up, my feet land on top of the railing, and then I go, you know, like, I gotta do. I do it in two steps. So it's funny.

[Mike Birbiglia]

No. I was so impressed. He fully clears it. It's like the museum desk and he clears it.

[Ben Stiller]

We were young and bold.

[Adam Scott]

That desk is quite high. I know.

[Mike Birbiglia]

I will say I hadn't seen those movies. You and I have been friends for almost 15 years. Yeah. And is it ever. Adam, intimidating working with Ben, knowing he kind of can do anything. I apologize for complimenting you so hard, but it's a little much.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah, it's a little bit.

[Mike Birbiglia]

And he can act and he can direct and he can write. It's like, kind of a lot.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah. No, and I've told Ben many times, I was one of the people on Sunday nights in the early 90s getting high and watching the Ben Stiller.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Ben Stiller show.

[Adam Scott]

I mean, and then one of the people. Yeah, one of the people.

[Mike Birbiglia]

You were on the roster. That's right.

[Ben Stiller]

There were not a lot of people.

[Adam Scott]

Wow. And then Reality Bites. I was there a huge deal.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Yeah.

[Adam Scott]

And still when I watch that movie, it feels. It's really resonant. Have you watched it in the past few years?

[Ben Stiller]

I think I watched. Yeah. I watched it with Ella, my daughter, like, three years ago.

[Adam Scott]

What did. I'm so completely ridiculous.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Interview with Ben recently at the New York Times where. Where the guy, the interviewer was like, reality Bites isn't really resonant today. Ben's like, it stands is actually.

[Adam Scott]

Well, was it that that guy is super young. Is that what it was? I didn't understand that.

[Ben Stiller]

I don't know. Well, he had his take on. It was. What was his take on it?

[Adam Scott]

That it was Gen X's fear of selling out. He didn't understand.

[Ben Stiller]

Right. That everybody's selling. I think that was his take. That everybody's selling out now. Or like that. That, like with Instagram and social media. But I mean, honestly, like, what. What I. I found about it, it's just like my daughter's, you know, just graduating from college, and it's that period. And I remember that period of time in my life when it was like, what do you Do. How do you become a person?

[Adam Scott]

Of course. Yeah. And I think that the Generation X kind of phobia of selling out or. I mean, I think that's probably where that comes from. At the beginning of the show, when you're asking me about my fear of thinking that people might think that I think I'm great, I think that's kind of the vestiges of that might be. And because when I watched Reality Bites, I so connect with sitting around like Brady Bunch trivia and smoking cigarettes. And it was kind of a specific to the time, but also the kind of disposition of I don't want to, you know, dangle my foot out there and make anyone think that I'm gonna sell out even for a second. That was a really strong position with. With all of us back then. Or with some of us.

[Mike Birbiglia]

No, completely.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah.

[Mike Birbiglia]

One of my favorite things is that in that final episode when Heli shows up as her any self in the Audi world and she sees like, at the Expo, it's like all these videos of her being like, it's great to have an innie life and an outy life and all this stuff, but it's like she doesn't agree with it. And I was thinking, like, do you. Do you relate to that in relation to. Because you've been like a blockbuster movie star. Have you ever been in a situation where it's like, there's like, posters of you in Times Square, things like that, where you're like, oh, this feels so odd because I'm me and that's that?

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah, yeah. It's weird. It's more when you guys will have a conversation like, oh, Ben, you've done this or that, and say these things that I've done.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Right about 99. Yeah, but like that.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah. And I'm like, so grateful for all of it that it's happened. But also, there is a big part of me that's like, okay, I guess that happened. And I know it's there because people come up to me. No, but.

[Mike Birbiglia]

But that's so in the Audi, by the way.

[Adam Scott]

It is.

[Ben Stiller]

And it's like there but for the grace of God. You know what I mean? Like, it's just like a lot of it is luck. And I've. By the way, a lot of people have written about that. Sure. You know, it's like, right, I've written about that critically. Yeah. But it's like, whatever it is, it's like the thing that always gets me in a positive way that does surprise me is when people come up to me, you know, people, when I see them on the street or whatever, they recognize me. Human beings come up and say something to me about something they saw, and they're genuinely like, I really like that. I really appreciate that. Or, you know, this woman came up to me yesterday. We were doing this town hall thing, and she said, my husband and I went to see Reality Bites on our first date, and we're still married, you know, and this is whatever, how many years ago. And. And I was like, wow, that's really cool. That's a thing in their relationship that they have, and I appreciate that so much. And that's. That's, you know, it always. It doesn't. It's not like it's surprising, like, oh, but. But it's something that I always take in.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah.

[Ben Stiller]

And that resonates with me more than, like, seeing a picture on a thing or whatever, because that's just. What. Whatever. It's weird, you know?

[Mike Birbiglia]

Yeah, it's weird. Like, I. I. You know, my relationship with you is like. Like, you were kind enough to tweet about Sleepwalk with me in 2012 when it was at Sundance, and then we got in touch, and then you made the cameo and. Don't think twice. And it was like, yeah, there was a period of time where I had to make the leap from that you are this iconic movie star, film director to. No, no, you're Ben, and you're a person, and you're supportive of other artists like Adam. Have you had. Did you have a leap with Ben where he went from the public him to him?

[Adam Scott]

Yeah, because, like, going from what I was talking about earlier, from, like, being into the Ben Stiller show and Reality Bites and then seeing him flirting with disaster and then seeing Ben become this giant star, having already been a fan when he was, like, his MTV show and then the Fox show, and seeing him become this giant movie star and always kind of feeling. Having never met the person, always feeling like, oh, yeah, that's a legit, like, artist. That's, like, one of us that's out there, like, doing cool shit on a grand scale and then actually getting to, like, meet him and work on Walter Mitty. That's where we kind of got to know each other a little bit. And actually getting to watch Ben direct that giant movie.

[Ben Stiller]

What I wonder, Adam, is like, why you still won't let me make eye contact with you on set.

[Mike Birbiglia]

That is weird.

[Ben Stiller]

Or anybody else.

[Adam Scott]

Again, Again, that's a separate thing.

[Mike Birbiglia]

It's not separate, though.

[Ben Stiller]

I feel like you're trying to do things.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah.

[Ben Stiller]

Or maybe you're trying to somehow. Like, is this a tactic or something?

[Adam Scott]

Listen, I'm just trying to focus on the things I need to focus on, and eye contact with you isn't one of them. I just know what I mean.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Like, you won't look at our producers and our camera people.

[Adam Scott]

I know they're there.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Or sound recorders.

[Adam Scott]

I understand they're all there.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah. Well, they also know they can't look at you. And that's, you know, which is great.

[Adam Scott]

Great for them. They can spend their time doing something else.

[Mike Birbiglia]

You were a car. You pulled up in a car. You were put in a box. Yeah, the box was carried up the steps.

[Ben Stiller]

But seriously, when he did pull up, he got out in, like, this camel hair coat, sunglasses from, like, literally, like you were your character from the Aviat or something. It's like a scarf, a silk scarf.

[Mike Birbiglia]

What is that with the aviator in your aviator? Ever since you did the aviator, you've enveloped this character.

[Adam Scott]

That's right. Listen, I think there's a little hues in all of us, and I just like to wear it on the outside.

[Ben Stiller]

Adam just mocks us with his hair every day.

[Mike Birbiglia]

So when you were in Party down and no one watched it. Yeah, I'm just kidding.

[Adam Scott]

Thank you.

[Mike Birbiglia]

I'm just laughing. I was laughing because there's that article where it was, like, it received a 0.0. It's like an iconic show. It's like the Ben Stiller show. It's like, iconic show that, like, is beloved by comedians.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah, it did.

[Mike Birbiglia]

What is a 0.0?

[Adam Scott]

What ended up being our series finale. We were like, okay, maybe finally people are watching because we had a little critical support at that point. And I remember John Embalm getting the ratings and telling us we got a 0.0, and it. It actually equaled out to 13,000 viewers.

[Mike Birbiglia]

That's amazing.

[Adam Scott]

Which is 0.0, I guess.

[Mike Birbiglia]

13,000.

[Adam Scott]

13,000.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Like, you could get them together at a stadium.

[Adam Scott]

Oh, half a stadium.

[Ben Stiller]

They didn't give you the full answer. It was 0.00000013. Yeah, exactly.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah.

[Ben Stiller]

I don't know how many zeros would have.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah, they needed to. Maybe we got off the call too quickly and they were just reading out.

[Mike Birbiglia]

When you found that out, did you feel good about yourself or bad?

[Adam Scott]

Great.

[Ben Stiller]

I wonder what cross section we're watching. The Ben Stiller show.

[Adam Scott]

That's a. That's. I bet all of them.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Adam Scott]

I bet every single one.

[Ben Stiller]

They were all 10 years old. That's right.

[Mike Birbiglia]

During. During Adam's. When you were in school, you briefly tried to use the surname Cordero.

[Adam Scott]

That's right. Cordero. I remember, I remember. I remember being in the library at the acting school. I was at writing Pacino De Niro Cordero. And just like looking at them and being like, yeah, I think this is it. I think this is what I'm gonna do.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Adam Cordero.

[Adam Scott]

Because my mother's Sicilian maiden name. Yeah. Was Quartararo.

[Ben Stiller]

Okay, that's too much. Yeah, yeah.

[Mike Birbiglia]

I mean, I. When I was in college, I had. I convinced Jim Gaffigan to have lunch with me and I asked him for advice. You know, it was in the 90s.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah.

[Mike Birbiglia]

And at the end of it, I go, do you have any last advice? He goes, you gotta change that name. Last name. Yeah, that's a very good last name. I was just like. I went back to my college and I said to my professor, I go, what do you think I should change my name? And he goes, maybe, like, maybe make it a little more Irish and Italian. Call yourself Mickey Birbiglia. For a period of time, I was writing out my signature as Mickey Birbiglia.

[Ben Stiller]

The comedy stylings of Mickey Birbiglia.

[Adam Scott]

Mickey Biggs.

[Mike Birbiglia]

What if it was Mickey Birbiglia and Adam Cordera starring?

[Adam Scott]

Could have been sitting here.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Yeah. Starring in Severance.

[Adam Scott]

Nikki and Cordero.

[Mike Birbiglia]

I didn't get that part.

[Ben Stiller]

Nikki didn't get that part in your Spike Lee phase where you had your goatee and your Knicks hat.

[Adam Scott]

I was already. At this point, I think Malcolm X was out, so I had my X hat.

[Ben Stiller]

Oh, perfect. Yeah, perfect.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Is there anything, Ben, do you have anything as embarrassing as Adam Cordero?

[Ben Stiller]

No, Mike, I never took myself seriously.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Right.

[Adam Scott]

No.

[Ben Stiller]

Never thought that I was. Yeah. You know, like, cool. Yeah.

[Mike Birbiglia]

No, no, you did, you did. We all saw it. It was in the 1990s on television.

[Ben Stiller]

But it's not on. You can't find that anywhere on YouTube or anything.

[Mike Birbiglia]

It's readily available.

[Ben Stiller]

Cuz every talk show appearance, I was incredibly humble. Well, you know, I think you.

[Mike Birbiglia]

You and I have something in common, which is we'll both, you know, I think we were both very ambitious as young people.

[Ben Stiller]

Totally, totally. And yeah, I've heard you talk about it too.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Yes.

[Ben Stiller]

On the podcast with fans.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Well, I'm embarrassed when I look back at myself in my 20s. I'm like, I was so, like, absurdly ambitious, and now I'm quietly ambitious. It's very subtle.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah. Yeah, sure. Me too. I mean, you know, it's crazy to go look back at that. I see myself doing stuff. I'm going, like, it's so cringy to me. There's like B roll footage of me on the set of Reality Bites where they came and, like, did some behind the scenes. And I'm like walking around like 20, whatever, 6 or 27. And I'm like going, yeah, that's a grip. And you know, like, he got stuff. Hey, what are you guys up to? All right. Oh, yeah, here's the sound, man. Your arms get tired holding that thing.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Oh, my God.

[Ben Stiller]

And I'm like wearing like a denim shirt and jean, like a denim on. Just ridiculous.

[Adam Scott]

Oh, man.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Support for working it out comes from Mint Mobile. It is new year. It's time to leave your overpriced wireless plans, monthly bills and unexpected overages in 2024. Ditch overpriced wireless. With Mint Mobile, it's so easy. You can sign up online and get three months of premium wireless service for 15 bucks a month. I really can't get over this premium wireless service. 15 bucks a month, that's extraordinarily affordable. Switch to Mint and new customers can get half off an unlimited plan until February 2nd. To get your new wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month and get the plan shipped to your door for free, go to mintmobile.com burbigs that's M I n T M O b I l e.com brebigs $45 upfront payment required. Equivalent to 15 bucks a month. New customers on first 3 month plan only. Speeds are slower above 40 gigabytes on unlimited plan. Additional taxes, fees and restrictions apply. See Mint Mobile for details. When you're, like, when you work with, like, Noah and Wes, do you feel like you're still learning things about directing when you're working with other directors?

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I feel like that's when I learned the most is, you know, because it's so interesting to see. See you work with you see how you do it. Yeah. Like, what is your process? Every director's process is different.

[Adam Scott]

And.

[Ben Stiller]

And it's subjective because directing is subjective. So it should be different. It should be your own point of view. But you can pick up things and you go, oh, that's great. I mean, you know, like, no Obama, no chairs on the set.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Right, right. No chairs.

[Ben Stiller]

No chairs. I was doing Greenberg and I think it was like 10 days into shooting, and one day I'm like, where's the chairs? And like, oh, my God, there's no chairs here. And that's his choice, because he doesn't want to have people sitting around and, like. And guess what? People find a place to sit down somewhere on the set.

[Mike Birbiglia]

That's interesting.

[Adam Scott]

I think we did that. You did that on Walter Mitty, maybe.

[Ben Stiller]

I did. I did.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Yeah.

[Ben Stiller]

Then I'll take something like that. But you know what? That's a good idea. No chairs. It keeps everybody more.

[Mike Birbiglia]

I've read that about Greta on Greta Gerwig on Barbie. No phones.

[Ben Stiller]

No phones. Definitely no phones.

[Mike Birbiglia]

No phones is great.

[Ben Stiller]

No phones.

[Mike Birbiglia]

And we had no phones.

[Ben Stiller]

And crew have to use phones sometimes to, you know, communicate.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Yeah.

[Ben Stiller]

But for me, I'm like, no phones anywhere near.

[Mike Birbiglia]

No phone severance.

[Ben Stiller]

No phones anywhere near. The eye shot of the actors at all.

[Adam Scott]

The phones were cordoned off.

[Ben Stiller]

I. My least favorite thing is to see, like, a dolly grip guy, you know, like, hunched down while an actor is, like, acting their brains out. And he's, like, just scrolling, whatever. And by the way, it's fine because he's being. He's being respectful of, like, not, you know. But if I see. The actor can't see it. But when I see it, it drives me crazy.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Oh, it drives me nuts.

[Adam Scott]

Oh, the actors can see it.

[Ben Stiller]

No, the actors can see it.

[Adam Scott]

Like, I can. I can see it in the corner of my eye of somewhere.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah, yeah. And also, it's a sense. It's such a vulnerable thing when you're doing it.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Oh, my God.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah.

[Ben Stiller]

So as a director, you want to protect that environment for the actors. But by the way, you also have to be respectful of the crew, too. That's the thing I didn't know back in Reality Bytes days, I was just, like, all about the actors. I was, like, making jokes about the crew, like, hey, that guy. But then I realized, oh, my God, these people are actually working really hard. And you have to figure out how to motivate them to want to be on the team, because they haven't been with the script that you've been writing for five years. They just came on last week. So how can you. It's on you as a director to actually figure out a way to get everybody on board. Like, hey, we want to try to do something here that might be a little different. And these are, you know, these are the things we're going for.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Chris Walken's on the show, and he's great. And he. I saw him in an interview where he's like, I don't like cut. I don't like action, and I don't like cut. Do you do action. And cut.

[Ben Stiller]

I tr. Noah doesn't. By the way, Noah Bombach doesn't do action.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Doesn't do action.

[Adam Scott]

What does he do?

[Mike Birbiglia]

But he does.

[Ben Stiller]

He does begin.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Or begin. That's a nice one.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah. Or. It depends. Sometimes you have to say something like action. To, like, cue the film, the. The dolly grip or somebody to move the camera, whatever. And people don't know when it's starting. But if it's a scene where people are standing around or sitting at a table or something, you can just let the camera roll and just go, hey, whenever you're ready.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Whenever you're ready.

[Ben Stiller]

I don't like action as an actor because it's, you know, it is that thing of like, oh, what am I supposed to do? I should do something. You know, when really you just want to just be. And cut. You know? Jessica Lee Gagne, a cinematographer I work with, we were doing Escape at Dannemora one day, and she's like, you know, you yell. Not yell. You say cut. Like, too soon. She said to me one day, oh, really? Like, yeah, just like, let it roll a little. She's great. She's directed one of the episodes this season, and she's a very good director, too. Excellent. But I was like, yeah, and it was really interesting. So I started, like, taking more time before I said cut. And it's so interesting what the actors do.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Yeah.

[Ben Stiller]

You know, because they just. They keep going.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Christopher Walken, of course, is a legend.

[Ben Stiller]

It's like, he's the best ever.

[Mike Birbiglia]

He's unbelievable. Yeah. At this point, do you have any actors who you direct where you're. Because if I were directing Chris Walken, I'd be so intimidated. Do you. Anyone you're intimidated by when you're directing them?

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah, I have natural. Natural sort of intimidation that I feel. I mean, with Chris, I feel it. And he's the sweetest guy in the world. And I've known him. I did a movie with him. I did my first play with him, 1986, the House of Blue Leaves.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Oh, my gosh.

[Ben Stiller]

He was in it, and I had a part, and he knew my folks and still intimidated by him because he's Chris Walken. And also he's. I don't know. You know, he's an actor. It's hard. You don't really want to say too much from my point. It's like, that's how I feel. You want to let him do his thing and then think if there's something that you can offer up that can somehow help, you know, and it's usually something like maybe, like, hey, maybe you want to take a little more time with this? Or. I thought that was great what you did when, you know, is there a different direction to go here, maybe? Something like that.

[Adam Scott]

He's so great, obviously, but he's so lived in as far as the role goes and who he is. And he's so relaxed that it is impossible to differentiate between life and what he's doing on camera. It's so seamless and real. It's extraordinary just to be there watching what he's doing. Yeah, he's just.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Just full relaxation fully.

[Adam Scott]

And he. It's just all 100% there. It's really something to. To see.

[Mike Birbiglia]

What are your criticisms of Ben as a director?

[Adam Scott]

Well, how long.

[Ben Stiller]

I heard you say that.

[Mike Birbiglia]

No, no, I know.

[Ben Stiller]

You tried to say only Adam would hear.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Just imagine. Just imagine it's just me and Adam right now and you're watching this on television.

[Ben Stiller]

Criticism somehow. That would miss me.

[Mike Birbiglia]

No, no. I just thought, like, let's open it up a little bit. Let's get real.

[Adam Scott]

I appreciate the question.

[Mike Birbiglia]

First, part half of the interview is kind of like friendly. Part friendly.

[Ben Stiller]

What is left for you?

[Mike Birbiglia]

Yeah, yeah. What left, Ben? What's left before you die? And then Adam, what do you hate about Ben?

[Adam Scott]

I mean, this is how Verbiglia does it.

[Mike Birbiglia]

It's the Verbiglia twist.

[Ben Stiller]

The. It's not the Gotcha interview. It's the got Ben interview.

[Adam Scott]

Oh, man. Listen, you can be totally honest. We have. How. We have enough time. Right? Like, we can. We can really go.

[Mike Birbiglia]

We can do 10 minutes on him.

[Ben Stiller]

Seriously.

[Adam Scott]

You know, there's. He's always trying to trick us.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Like, trick us.

[Adam Scott]

Performances. Playing mind games with actors off camera, like Michael Douglas and Oliver Stone. Like that kind of like diabolical. Oh, my God. Just frightening all of us into performances.

[Ben Stiller]

Oh, my God. Oh, my God.

[Mike Birbiglia]

You. But you did. You know, you have to. In the first. I think it's the first episode of the whole series, you have to deal with your wife's death.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Characters. And you were directing through a headset and you had to. Right. Because you weren't.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah, I was. I was like, on a walkie talkie that he had in the car.

[Mike Birbiglia]

He had to be like, let, you know. I think. I think the line was like, just like, open yourself up or something like that. Yeah.

[Adam Scott]

I think we had done a few takes. A couple takes where I was crying in the car and, you know, I had lost my mom about seven months or so before we were shooting the show six months. And so I was really sort of still processing her death. And I was with my family during lockdown when she died. And so I was really kind of protected and with my wife and kids, and so they really kind of cushioned the blow. But then when I got out here to shoot the show, I was by myself and realized I had a lot of grieving to do and a lot of processing to do, and all I had was the show. So I was like, why not? You know, maybe I can do some of that processing here. And so for that scene, you know, we had both kind of lost a parent in. In recent times. Was five, four years ago. Five years ago. And so I think there was a sort of unsaid connection there. And. And so after a couple takes, Ben was just like, you know, really feel free to open yourself up and just let it all out. Like, really feel it. And, like, no one's watching. Just let go. And so I did. And it felt incredible, honestly. And. And he was kind of saying stuff over the walkie that was helpful, and it was great. It was. You know, I was really glad we did it.

[Ben Stiller]

I told him a PA was making eye contact with him.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah.

[Ben Stiller]

And that's what.

[Adam Scott]

And that really gets me every time. Every time.

[Ben Stiller]

He was amazing. He was, like, amazing. And that's when, as an actor, you're totally on your own.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Yeah.

[Ben Stiller]

You know, you're totally on your own. And all you can do as a director is try to, like, empathize. Yeah. And give space to. I'm not saying holding space.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Holding space. Yes.

[Ben Stiller]

Just like holding space gives hold space. But really, honestly, it's like, you gotta. It's like, this is crazy stuff to have to do. Right. It's. There's no. Like, how do you access that? So all you can do is just try to give them a place where they go, you know what? Just go. You know, take your time and just allow them a safe place to do it.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Well, I think that's one of the things you don't realize when you're sometimes watching something is like. It's like the. For that actor who's in that case, Adam, on screen, in close up or whatever it is, like they're experiencing in real time the most personal thing. And it's so deeply vulnerable.

[Ben Stiller]

It's so vulnerable, yet it's what we all, as an audience crave. It's what we crave and need. And so it's mystical. It's a mystery. It's. You know, so I was just grateful that he was so available and there. And that really was another moment for me when I was like, you know, this is what the show is, is. It has to have this level of, you know, of reality. And I was just grateful for Adam. And then after that, I was like, Adam is like a. This guy's, like, really good. I mean, I knew it. No, I knew he. You know, I knew it was really good.

[Adam Scott]

Ben, don't look at me.

[Ben Stiller]

No, I wasn't allowed to talk to him at that point, but still.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Adam, what actor breaks, has broken you the most? Laughing in a scene? Cause I was watching this, and I was like, oh, everyone's really funny. Everyone on Parks and Rec is really funny.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Do you break in scenes?

[Adam Scott]

Yeah, I break, but I'm also. Sometimes I'm like, stone, I'm sorry.

[Ben Stiller]

This guy.

[Adam Scott]

Do I not break?

[Ben Stiller]

This is an acting machine.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Is that right?

[Ben Stiller]

Yes. Technical acting machine. Acting machine. Guy who doesn't break. Well, you will break before he breaks every time. Really?

[Adam Scott]

Yeah, I guess. Yeah, maybe so.

[Ben Stiller]

I mean, I don't know on previous things.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Yeah.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah. But just from having watched.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah. Yeah. I'm trying to think of, you know, when I broke the most was when I did a tiny role in Knocked Up. And I had never been. I've never been on. This is the first time I was on a set where, like, when Judd was like, say that and, like, calling out lines and takes would go on for 20 minutes and all this, I was like, what the f. This is great. But what is going on?

[Mike Birbiglia]

What is going on?

[Adam Scott]

And Ken Jeong, who had never really been on camera before, was there, and he did this run where he just went. And me and Seth are on camera with him, and I'm supposed to just stand there next to Ken and just. Stone face, that was a nurse. Yeah. And Seth was on the other side of him, and. And Ken just went off. And I saw Seth. Like, I could only see the back of him, and I saw him, like, going like this. And so I was like, oh. Oh, good.

[Mike Birbiglia]

He's shaking a little bit.

[Adam Scott]

He's laughing. So I can laugh. And so I just fully broke a few times. And then watching the scene months later when it was on YouTube or something, I see that Seth is not breaking. He's just, like, contorting his face so he doesn't break. And I'm standing on the other side just laughing. So.

[Ben Stiller]

But what about, like, on stepbrothers?

[Adam Scott]

Oh, yeah, yeah. We would break all the time.

[Ben Stiller]

Would you ever crack yourself up?

[Adam Scott]

I was. You know what? I was so freaked out and nervous on stepbrothers that I probably didn't break that much. Cause I was so worried about that.

[Ben Stiller]

But in that dinner. That dinner table scene.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah.

[Ben Stiller]

Breaking up happening.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Then when you're. What advice would you. Because you're on both sides of the casting table, what advice would you give for actors auditioning?

[Ben Stiller]

Know that they want you to get the job almost as much as you want to get the job.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah.

[Ben Stiller]

They're looking for the right person, so.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Right. Their job is actually to find someone who's great for.

[Ben Stiller]

When you find the right person as a director, writer, you're so happy. You're so happy that that person came in and they were the right person. And know that it's so many different factors that don't have to do with your acting talent. And that's. That's the. The big thing, I'd say, because auditioning is hard.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Yeah.

[Ben Stiller]

And you just have to kind of keep doing it, too. It's one of those things, I think, that you literally get better and better as the more you do it, because you have more experience, you get used to the situations more. You start to relax more.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Yeah.

[Ben Stiller]

My daughter just got a job in an off Broadway play, her first play. And she said she had this moment in the audition where she was like, oh. I was like, I'm relaxed. I'm in this chair, man. I feel okay here. I feel free to just do my thing.

[Mike Birbiglia]

This is called a slow round. What's the best piece of advice someone's given you that you used early?

[Adam Scott]

The first episode of Party down we shot. I got good advice from Fred Savage, who was directing the episode, because up until then, I had, like, smaller roles, supporting roles, and I. You know, it's really hard playing small roles in things because you're trying to. The bad habit I was in was trying to stuff so much into whatever time I had, just to show that I had all these ideas and whatever. And we started shooting Party down, and I was in a scene with Lizzy Kaplan where we meet each other and kind of start flirting. And after a take, he was like, hey, you can relax. Like, you've got a lot of time. We've got all these episodes. You're gonna be. You know, we'll watch you take this whole journey. And then you're meeting Lizzie's character. Just talk to her. Don't worry about it. We'll get to it.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Oh, that's nice.

[Ben Stiller]

Can I just. That. That made me think of when I was in a movie with Andrew McCarthy in 1986. One of the first jobs I had, and he'd done a lot of movies, we were in a scene in a car. We were like, best friends, and we just had an argument. And the scene was me just dropping him off in my car. And he got out. There's no dialogue. And I remember he just turned to me and said, you know, like, we really don't have to do anything here. Cause the scene just happened, the big fight, and the audience will fill it in. And I was very similar to you at that point in my career where I was doing a lot, trying to be funny and, like, you know, and he was. And I think he probably was picking up on that.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Yeah.

[Ben Stiller]

He was like, hey, man, we can just, like, be. And he was so right, because it just. The audience will fill it in.

[Adam Scott]

It's so true. The audience does a lot.

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Can you think of a time when you were so scared you ran away?

[Ben Stiller]

First thought that comes to my mind is when I was on the plane going to camp when I was about 10 years old and got scared that I didn't want to go to Maine. I was in New York and somehow convinced the Delta Airlines, the flight crew, to turn the plane around on the tarmac and go back to the gate to drop me off.

[Mike Birbiglia]

That's outrageous.

[Adam Scott]

And did they. They have to.

[Ben Stiller]

They. They did.

[Mike Birbiglia]

You were just terrified to fly at all?

[Ben Stiller]

No, I didn't. I was. I got homesick.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Okay.

[Ben Stiller]

I had second thoughts about the whole thing.

[Mike Birbiglia]

It's like, what did the other passengers. How they feel about that?

[Ben Stiller]

It's pretty funny because I was on. So we had a housekeeper named Hazel, a Jamaican housekeeper who was part of our family, and she had seven of her own kids, and she lived in Brooklyn, and we lived in Manhattan, and she would come stay with us five days a week. And her kids were on their own for, you know, they should go home on the weekends. But they became like brothers and sisters to us, too. And Lincoln, her son was with me. My parents were sending Lincoln and me to camp together. And he lived in Brooklyn. He didn't get a chance to get out of the city. It was an exciting thing for him, and he was so into it.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Oh, God.

[Ben Stiller]

And I'm there. Poor Lincoln in his story. And I like, yeah, exactly. And I'm like. Basically, I'm like, every man for himself, Lincoln. And I'm like, bye, bye. We're turning this thing around. So we turn the plane around. My mother is at the gate. Really not happy with me. When the gate opens and I come running out and Lincoln stayed on. Cause he was, you know, excited to go to camp.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Yeah.

[Ben Stiller]

And the plane took off without me.

[Adam Scott]

Did you flag down a flight attendant, or did you, like, run up to the front?

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah, I think I must have run up to the front. I mean, I kind of have blocked it out, but it was definitely.

[Mike Birbiglia]

That's what this show's all about.

[Adam Scott]

I was on a. About to take off on a flight with my son when he was probably 9 or 10. And we were about. We were, like, on the tarmac, and he suddenly was, like. Made a decision that this whole flying thing is bullshit, and he does not want to participate and be on a plane. And I had to ask them to turn around and bring us on the same thing. Yeah. Yeah.

[Mike Birbiglia]

My God, I didn't even know this is an option.

[Adam Scott]

That's right. I know.

[Mike Birbiglia]

The turnaround, the plane on the tiny.

[Adam Scott]

Listen.

[Mike Birbiglia]

What?

[Adam Scott]

Anytime you want change your mind, you go back.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Okay. Who are you jealous of?

[Adam Scott]

Like, right now?

[Ben Stiller]

I mean, Adam Scott.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Other than Adam Scott.

[Ben Stiller]

Oh, really?

[Mike Birbiglia]

Yeah.

[Ben Stiller]

Because I really am jealous of Adam Scott. Okay.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Are you jealous of each other?

[Ben Stiller]

Sure, I'm. I'm definitely jealous of you.

[Adam Scott]

Sure.

[Ben Stiller]

I think it's kind of a healthy. I feel like it's a healthy jealousy.

[Adam Scott]

Right. And I'm. You know what I'm jealous of with Ben is. You were talking about earlier about ambitions, of the. The work ethic. Because we talk all the time, and we're always, like, talking about, like, the show and stuff. And I'm like, when I get a break from work, I'm always like, okay, I think I can squeeze in a Survivor episode or, like, Real Housewife, you know, I'm just always, like, shutting my brain off and just. And. But Ben's always like, Yeah, I was just editing, and I'm hopping on a call right now, and I got in. I have a meeting for this thing, and I'm just like, jesus Christ. Okay. Holy shit. So that just ethic. That work ethic is I'm a busy person, but really filling the day up is something that. I feel like my mind is too, like, chaotic to even organize it.

[Mike Birbiglia]

I was thinking about this. With the show, it's like, it's. It's a weird irony that it's on Apple, right? Isn't it?

[Ben Stiller]

I bet Apple, like, would do the.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Thing that happens on the show in 10 years from now.

[Ben Stiller]

I look at it as synchronicity.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Do you?

[Ben Stiller]

Yeah, I do. I think. I mean, look, whatever you want to, like, Sort of like what your interpretation of what that means. Like, it's like, you know, yeah, these big corporations, but the Apple aesthetic, you know.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Yeah, yeah, no, I know all of that.

[Ben Stiller]

It just kind of, to me, like, fits with the show, fits with Apple, you know, Apple tv Plus, like, it's. And that doesn't mean, you know, anything other than it just does.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Are they ever, like, so how do you do it? How does it work? How can we do it?

[Ben Stiller]

They're not a med tech company.

[Mike Birbiglia]

We'd like to do it. We'd like to do this to be. Wish.

[Adam Scott]

I wish the audience could see the look you're giving as you're portraying the Apple executive.

[Mike Birbiglia]

How do you do it? How do you do it?

[Adam Scott]

Okay, now it's shifting.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Now they're Norwegian.

[Adam Scott]

Now it's turning into something else.

[Ben Stiller]

This could be the character that we do on severance.

[Mike Birbiglia]

That's right.

[Adam Scott]

There it is.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Jesus. Ben's gonna have me read for 10 other roles and not give me those roles also someday. He's looking forward to it someday. Ben just keeps saying, you have to relax, Mike. Just like I said, I'm working it out. You have to relax in the audition, Mike.

[Ben Stiller]

I said I'm on your side. I'm rooting for you. Now do it again.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Do it again. I do it right this time. Do it funny.

[Adam Scott]

Everyone wants you to get it right.

[Ben Stiller]

Okay, thank you.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Do it funny. Do it real good. That's what he keep saying to me over and over again.

[Adam Scott]

Do it real.

[Mike Birbiglia]

And then he. After I leave the audition, he texts me, no, do it real this time.

[Ben Stiller]

I Right now. Do it real, wherever you are.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Oh, God. While we're being critical, I think you both are too handsome to be comedians.

[Ben Stiller]

I think Adam Scott is for sure.

[Adam Scott]

I don't think anyone would accuse me of being a comedian.

[Mike Birbiglia]

I think we talk about this a lot. This metier. I think this metier has been defined by Scott's physical appearance, which straddles the line between honky and nondescript. Hang dog eyes, thick chestnut hair, and a cockatoo.

[Ben Stiller]

Cockatiel crest.

[Adam Scott]

Cockatiel crest.

[Mike Birbiglia]

So the last thing we do is working it out for a cause. Is there a nonprofit that. That you guys would like to contribute to? We will contribute and link to them in the show notes.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah, the center for Reproductive Rights.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Great. We will. I will contribute to them. I will link to them in the show notes. And thank you both for making this brilliant show.

[Adam Scott]

I wasn't speaking for both. I was.

[Ben Stiller]

No, I don't really support any. Any of these things.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Well, I'm sure, Ben, I would guess that you would be something with refugees because you do so much international refugee work.

[Ben Stiller]

Unhcr. UN Refugee Agency, for sure. Especially right now with everything that's going on in the world and just. Yeah. The attitude towards people who are stateless.

[Mike Birbiglia]

One of the. One of the many things I admire about you is all the work that you do. Because I. You are one of the people who shows up and does the work with that and travels the world and. And shows up for people who are struggling like that. And I. Yeah.

[Adam Scott]

So I'm on the fence on which thing? Ben's work with that.

[Mike Birbiglia]

His nonprofit.

[Ben Stiller]

I think it's. It travels for refugees.

[Adam Scott]

Might be. Might be great. I just haven't done the research, so.

[Mike Birbiglia]

What do you mean you haven't done the research?

[Adam Scott]

I just haven't looked in.

[Mike Birbiglia]

We've seen the videos of him in these.

[Adam Scott]

I've seen all the videos.

[Mike Birbiglia]

You need to see the raw footage to believe it's real.

[Adam Scott]

Everything.

[Ben Stiller]

You're talking about jealousy thing before.

[Adam Scott]

Yeah, like not jealous. Just haven't seen the footage.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Ben does things that are selfless.

[Adam Scott]

Ben does a lot of things.

[Mike Birbiglia]

What does that mean? What do you mean?

[Adam Scott]

Take what you. Take what you want from that? No, I'm just saying he does a lot of things.

[Mike Birbiglia]

No, I'm saying to you, Ben does a lot of nonprofit work for people other than Ben Stiller and Adam Scott. And what do you do?

[Adam Scott]

I keep an eye on what Ben's doing.

[Ben Stiller]

And I'm telling you, for profit, Scott.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Oh, for. For process.

[Adam Scott]

I like.

[Mike Birbiglia]

I'm sorry, let me rephrase.

[Adam Scott]

Money.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Let me rephrase the question. Are there any for profit businesses that you guys like to support? We'll link to the show Notes.

[Adam Scott]

Okay, where's the camera? Which camera? Okay, okay.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Right down the barrel.

[Adam Scott]

Listen, everybody go to AdamScott. AdamScott.com. we got all kinds. We got some sunglasses, camel hair coats. We got all kinds of shit.

[Ben Stiller]

Cockatoos.

[Adam Scott]

For cockatoos. Cockatoos. Crest. You'll find it there.

[Mike Birbiglia]

The cockatils. Crest.

[Ben Stiller]

Sweatshirts are really nice.

[Adam Scott]

Right? Thank you. You put the hood up and it has this swoop. It's great.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Adam Scott, Ben Stiller. Thank you for being you.

[Adam Scott]

Thanks, Mike.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Being here today.

[Ben Stiller]

I don't want to leave Mike.

[Mike Birbiglia]

I want to see.

[Adam Scott]

I know. This is fun.

[Ben Stiller]

Safe and warm here. I like it. Working it out. Cuz it's not done. Working it out.

[Mike Birbiglia]

Because there's no. That's gonna do it. For another episode of Working it out. That's an exciting one. You can follow Ben on Instagram at Ben Stiller. You can follow Adam Scott on Instagram Radamscott check out Severin Season 2 on Apple TV. Plus I couldn't recommend it more highly. You can watch the full video of this episode on our YouTube channel, Ike Birbiglia. Subscribe and then you'll get more and more videos that we are posting. Check out burbigs.com to sign up for the mailing list. As I mentioned, I'm gonna be announcing some shows in Los Angeles and there will be limited tickets to those shows, so be the first to know. Our producers of Working it out are myself, along with Peter Salomon, Joseph Birbiglia and Mabel Lewis associate producer Gary Simons sound mix by Kate Belinsky. Special thanks to Jack Antonoff and Bleachers for their music. Special thanks as always to my wife, the poet J. Hope Stein and our daughter Una, who built the original radio fort made of pillows. Thanks most of all to you who are listening. If you enjoy the show, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts. That really helps us out. If you're new to the podcast and you enjoyed this episode, there's almost 160 other episodes we've done since June of 2020. They're all free. There's no paywall. We've had Stephen Colbert and Maria Bamford and David Sedaris and all kinds of folks in our back catalog. You can comment on Apple Podcasts. Which one is your favorite? We appreciate that so much. Please tell your friends, tell your enemies, tell your Audi. I know that Lumen has ways of detecting messages that you try to send to your Audi, but not many people know this. Podcast recommendations are the one thing that's allowed so you can put a little note in your pocket. Hey Audi, it's your innie. I can't tell you what I'm up to down here, but I can tell you that you should check out this great podcast called Mike Birbiglia is Working It Out. It's where a comedian named Mike Birbiglia talks to other creatives is about creative process. Even Milchick likes it. Thanks everybody. We're working it out. We'll see you next time.