Only Murders in the Building Official Podcast
Episode: S3 E4: The White Room (Part 2)
Date: August 25, 2023
Host: Michael Cyril Creighton (Howard), with Maggie Bowles & Ryan Tillotson
Featured Guest: Adam Shankman (Director, Ep 4)

Episode Overview

This episode dives behind the scenes of Season 3, Episode 4 (“The White Room”) of Only Murders in the Building, guided by director Adam Shankman. Unable to interview writers or actors due to ongoing strike conditions, hosts focus on production insights and fan theories. The episode brings to life the creative challenges, comedic highlights, and fan engagement that make the series so engaging, especially the creation of the “White Room” sequence and quirky on-set humor.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bringing "The White Room" to Life

[01:21–05:00]

• Defining the "White Room":
  Adam recounts his experiences with the "White Room" — a performer’s mental state of blankness or astral projection mid-performance.

  “I have done it before… it’s kind of other world… when I come down, I just don’t know where I am.” – Adam Shankman [01:29]

• Filming Challenges:
  Adam reveals uncertainty about translating the White Room conceit to the screen:

  “That felt something on the page that had never been done in the show before…was never probably going to be done again.” – Adam Shankman [03:07] Director John Hoffman wanted a single overhead shot, but Adam advocated for a Steadicam to capture Steve Martin’s expressions dynamically—ultimately blending visions for the final result.

2. Funniest Set Moments & Actor Chemistry

[05:57–09:43]

• Tina Fey’s Improvisations and Laughter:
  Working with Tina Fey and Selena Gomez led to nonstop laughter due to Tina’s improv:

  “All we did was laugh. We never, ever, ever stopped laughing.” – Adam Shankman [05:57]
  “In my cut, I kept a bunch of her ad libs. I don’t know if they’re still there.” [06:34] Memorable details included Tina’s character bathing in “the healing soil of the Pacific Palisades” and using a “jade egg.”

• Quoting and Extending Gags:
  Fans get snippets of funny dialogue (some ad-libbed) that made it into the episode, e.g.

  “...I invested in fluffy towels, a fleet of soy candles, and a jade egg that is currently nestled in my privates.” – Tina Fey as Cindy [07:20]

• Donna & Cliff’s Outlandish Elevator Scene:
  Adam recalls uncontrollable laughter thanks to Marty Short’s reactions during the elevator/“breastfeeding” scene:

  “I don’t know that I’ll ever get over shooting that scene. I was laughing so hard. The two of them were so bloody funny.” – Adam Shankman [08:33]

3. The Pleasure of Quiet Moments

[09:12–09:43]

• Despite the big musical/comedic set pieces, Adam’s favorite scenes were the quiet, emotional moments between Steve Martin and Martin Short’s characters sharing scotch:

  “Really my favorite stuff to shoot…is the intimate kind of acting moments like that. That’s down and dirty. That is my favorite stuff to shoot.” – Adam Shankman [09:29]

4. Filming With Limited Knowledge & Visual Clues

[10:05–12:59]

• Directing Without Full Story Spoilers:
  Adam explains working several episodes ahead without knowing full season resolutions or who the killer is. He was only briefed on specifics if a shot contained major clues.

  “I still don’t know.” – Adam Shankman [10:25]
  “Just so you know—you know more than me.” [11:11]

• Visual Clues Are Key:
  Sometimes told to “get a shot of this scarf” or “make sure you get the lipstick” for future plot points.
• Surprising Revelations:
  Adam was floored (“laughed so hard”) by the reveal of who was visible in a key piece of surveillance footage, noting it wasn’t someone anyone would guess.

5. The Set’s Unique Joyful Energy

[12:10–13:08]

• Adam describes the set as “the happiest set I’ve ever been on in my career,” crediting showrunners and main cast for creating a welcoming, home-like atmosphere.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On The White Room:

  “I've never called it the White Room ... I've been in shows where suddenly I will go to a place ... I suddenly just space out and then I'll come back.” – Adam Shankman [01:29]

• On Tina Fey's Character:

  “I invested in fluffy towels, a fleet of soy candles, and a jade egg that is currently nestled in my privates.” – Tina Fey as Cindy [07:20]

• On Set Happiness:

  “This is like the happiest set I've ever been on in my career ... It just has that feeling. Everything felt like I was coming home ... I will literally treasure it forever.” – Adam Shankman [13:02]

Listener Fan Theory Highlights

1. Decoding Ben’s Dressing Room Conversation

[14:09–15:49]

• Multiple listeners speculate on whom Ben was talking to before the murder.
  • Lucy, producer’s son, Jonathan, Howard, Kimber, and Loretta all floated.
  • The hottest theory: Ben was talking to the cookies (especially after noticing possible cookie tattoos).
    • “The cookies.” – Ryan & Maggie [15:19]
• Schmackary’s, the real NYC cookie shop referenced in-show, gets a shoutout [15:42].

2. Suspect Motives & Identity Theories

[15:49–18:47]

• Michael M.: Amy Schumer did it “because he wouldn't leave her apartment”—and Dicky and Ben might be lovers, not brothers.
• Ken A.: Suggests possible suicide, citing Ben’s resigned expression.
• Reddit user UA1000X offers two ideas:
  • Tobert may have involvement for a juicier documentary.
  • Ben faked his poisoning, perhaps to draw out his murderer or gain attention.

3. Ben the Twin?

[18:54–19:56]

• Reddit’s “birdlord420” shares the most popular theory of the week: Ben has an identical twin; one twin died at the show, the second killed by someone from the Arconia. Loretta might be mother/nanny to both Ben and Dickie.

4. Dickie as Killer

[19:56–20:52]

• User Abel_AD1920 and several listeners suspect Dickie (Ben’s brother/manager), citing long-term resentment from working under Ben.

5. Additional Reddit & Email Highlights

[16:20–21:08]

• Tobert and Theo are under additional suspicion.
• Multiple users believe there may be two separate murderers for Ben’s poisoning and his elevator shaft fall.

Voice Memos – Listener Theories

[21:32–23:42]

• Alana:
  • Ben’s murder was a two-person job: Jonathan (poison) and Cliff (push).
• Fabian (Netherlands):
  • Dickie is the murderer, after years of working for Ben, possibly snapping due to abuse or neglect.

Host Reactions:

• Hosts Maggie and Ryan agree Dickie is highly suspicious, referencing his breakdown.

Memorable Close & Listener Engagement

[24:13–24:39]

• Hosts invite listeners to try singing the tongue-twisting “Pickwick Triplets” song, encouraging fan submissions.

  “Try it. See how far you get.” – Maggie Bowles [24:37]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:21: Introducing “The White Room” and Adam’s personal experience
• 03:07: Directing challenges and staging the White Room
• 05:57: Tina Fey’s improvised wellness scene
• 08:33: Laughter filming Donna & Cliff’s elevator moment
• 09:12: Favorite intimate scenes with Steve Martin & Martin Short
• 10:05: Filming with limited information, visual clues
• 12:10: The happiest set ever
• 14:09: Listener theory deep-dive (who was in the dressing room)
• 15:49: Cookie theories & speculation on the killer
• 21:32: Listener voice memos and final theories

Overall Tone

The episode balances playful fandom (lots of laughter, commiseration over theories), directors’ professional insights, and listener interactivity. The tone is warm, witty, and irreverent, mirroring the show's signature mix of comedy and suspense.

Useful for:

• Fans eager to catch hidden clues behind the scenes
• Those wanting director insights on creative decision-making
• Viewers who enjoy dissecting and debating whodunit theories

Note: The episode skips over advertisements, intro theme, and outro credits for focus on content and fan experience.