"Tim Robbins"

Summary

SmartLess Podcast Episode Summary: "Tim Robbins"

Hosts: Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, Will Arnett
Guest: Tim Robbins
Date: August 17, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this lively and insightful episode of "SmartLess," the hosts welcome acclaimed actor, director, writer, and musician Tim Robbins. Known for his iconic roles in "Bull Durham," "The Player," "Mystic River," and "The Shawshank Redemption," as well as being an Academy Award–winning director, Robbins joins Bateman, Hayes, and Arnett for an improvised conversation that covers everything from his love of baseball and music to his creative process, social activism, and fondness for collaboration. The episode features plenty of laughter, unexpected moments, and meaningful reflections on art, politics, and human connection.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Tim Robbins’ Introduction and Surprise Reveal (08:09)

• Will Arnett surprises Jason and Sean by bringing on Tim Robbins as the mystery guest.
• The hosts express their excitement and admiration, discussing Robbins’ legendary filmography.

Notable Quote

• Will Arnett (08:09): "I'm going to say things like Jacob's Ladder, the incredible Bull Durham... Mystic River, and Shawshank Redemption. Guys, it's Tim Robbins!"

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2. Early Gaming, Baseball, and Sports (09:53–14:55)

• The group reminisces about childhood games.
• Robbins shares his youth passion for Strat-O-Matic Baseball rather than Dungeons & Dragons and explains the game's mechanics.
  • Tim Robbins (10:12): "It's really cool... you play nine innings and you pick your teams... whether it's a hit or a strikeout... it's very complicated."
• Discussion about fantasy baseball and lifelong sports fandom.
• Robbins recounts his casting and preparation for "Bull Durham"—his dual offer from another baseball movie, mastering pitching mechanics, and experiences on set.
  • Tim Robbins (12:08): "I'm glad I made the one I did because it kind of shifted everything for me in life."

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3. Hobbies, Hockey, and the Small World of Sports (14:07–16:50)

• Robbins talks about playing softball and roller hockey with friends.
• Fun connection: Jason’s husband, Scotty, played in an adult league and faced Robbins in a hockey game in the '90s.
  • Jason Bateman (15:13): "Scotty's team played your team... he said he took a beast of a shot—you threw the... you took a shot on him. What a small world."

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4. Age, Injury, and Staying Active (16:18–17:34)

• Discussion of staying active and the effects of aging.
• Robbins maintains an active routine and a relaxed attitude toward injuries:
  • Tim Robbins (16:54): "I don't worry about it. I have injured myself, and it just means you have to sit for a while..."

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5. Podcast Behind-the-Scenes: When Surprises Go Awry (17:51–20:54)

• Robbins asks if any surprise podcast guest moments have ever gone wrong.
• The hosts discuss awkward or unsuccessful guests and how they support each interview.
  • Will Arnett (18:50): "I'm always rooting for the person. No matter who it is. I want it to be good."
• The element of surprise is mostly for the hosts since the audience usually knows the upcoming guest.

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6. Tim Robbins’ Musical Roots & New Portal (25:41–32:50)

• Robbins discusses his musical family, early inspiration watching his father perform, and his own musical pursuits.
  • Tim Robbins (26:08): "My three-year-old or four-year-old self was like, I want that."
• Details on his band, The Rogues Gallery Band, and the upcoming site TimRobbins.com launching September 1, featuring live recordings, archival videos, and family music.
  • Tim Robbins (32:12): "It's like a living archive... it's also just been a lot of fun to do."
• The site will include "Robbins Radio" with continuous, random play of family performances and recordings.

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7. Memories, Archive Footage, and Memoir (29:01–33:01)

• Robbins shares stories about behind-the-scenes videotapes, unreleased interviews (Johnny Cash, Kurt Vonnegut, Harry Belafonte), and his process of sifting through old memories to share online and for his work-in-progress memoir.

Fun Moment

• The hosts suggest funny titles for his memoir:
  • Will Arnett & Jason Bateman (33:04): "TimRobbins.com... on paper."
  • Jason Bateman (33:24): "You open the book and it's just a hyperlink to the website."

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8. Bob Roberts, Politics, and Living with Purpose (34:09–37:47)

• Reflecting on his directorial debut, "Bob Roberts," Robbins discusses its prescience in predicting the intersection of politics, celebrity, and media.
  • Tim Robbins (34:57): "At the time I said, you know, it could be either... as time has gone on, it's become very prescient as far as the current administration."
• Shares his evolved perspective on channeling energy into effecting positive change, rather than opposition and outrage.
  • Tim Robbins (36:53): "What I retired from was the anxiety, the daily anxiety of opposing something... finding worth and purpose and virtue by hatred is this terrible, terrible idea."

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9. Social Activism: The Actors' Gang & Prison Programs (38:14–43:39)

• Robbins describes his nonprofit, The Actors' Gang, and its educational/theater programs for schools and prisons.
• Details on the prison program emphasizing emotional rehabilitation and cross-gang collaboration.
  • Tim Robbins (39:04): "We do a seven-day intensive workshop... we introduce the characters... try to get them to genuinely portray emotions through these characters."
• The program builds empathy and breaks down divides, offering lessons applicable beyond prison walls.
  • Tim Robbins (42:06): "If you say anything that might be sympathetic to what you view as the other side... you're done. You're condemned."

Notable Quote

• Tim Robbins (42:41): "The main objective is to find out what all these different people have in common... It seems like in order to save your position in a certain community, you have to act in a certain way, and if you act outside of that, then you're kicked out."

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10. Influence of Prison Films on Real-world Awareness (45:49–47:55)

• Robbins shares how "Shawshank Redemption" and "Dead Man Walking" deepened his awareness of the prison system.
• Recalls a conversation with a prison guard advocating drug legalization and separation of minor offenders.
  • Tim Robbins (46:03): "The prison guards... said, 'You gotta legalize drugs... they're training criminals.'"

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11. The Enduring Legacy of Shawshank, Silo, and Fan Culture (48:05–50:13)

• Discussion about being recognized for "Shawshank Redemption," "Bull Durham," and most recently, "Silo."
• Robbins praises the "Silo" cast and production for its humane scheduling and positive environment.
  • Tim Robbins (49:59): "I was really inspired... that we used to have... This can be really fun."

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12. Directing, Collaboration, and Creative Discovery (52:02–59:09)

• Robbins touches on his writing and directing projects, including an in-progress script and memoir.

• Conversation turns to the intersection of acting and directing—how the actor/director relationship benefits when the director trusts the actors’ instincts.

  • Tim Robbins (57:09): "The actor will give you the truth... Deep respect for actors, because they're gonna tell you a lot..."

• The importance of flexibility and creative collaboration on set:

  • Sean Hayes (58:19): "There's a balance to strike there that's often somewhat tense because it's the day you have to shoot it..."

• Robbins discusses moments when actors surprised him during directing:

  • Tim Robbins (59:32): "Mind-blowing stuff sometimes... where you go, we don't have to shoot this scene anymore."

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13. Poker Games, Hollywood Nostalgia, and Friendship (53:02–55:57)

• The hosts and Robbins reminisce about legendary Hollywood poker games with other celebrities.
• Poker games on set (including on "Silo"); the allure of "beginner’s luck."
  • Tim Robbins (54:31): "Common... he'd never played before... and of course the cards are going to drop on him... he would win almost every time."

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14. Reflections on Life, Travel, and Staying Present (55:58–56:24)

• Robbins shares an appreciation for making the most of wherever he’s living or working:
  • Tim Robbins (56:00): "I'm gonna love anywhere I'm living right now. Why not think that every place you're in is the best place in the world?"

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15. Closing Thoughts & Inspirational Takeaways (60:13–61:32)

• Robbins expresses profound gratitude for working on "Silo" and the ability to fall in love with the craft and community time and time again.
  • Tim Robbins (60:26): "I can go to a set and really kind of fall in love again with people... I felt that about these people on Silo."
• The hosts thank Robbins for his honesty, humor, and wisdom.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Tim Robbins (36:53): "What I retired from was the anxiety, the daily anxiety of opposing something... finding worth and purpose and virtue by hatred is this terrible, terrible idea."
• Jason Bateman quoting Maria Shriver (38:12): "'So what are you doing about it?' And it stops people in their tracks."
• Tim Robbins (42:41): "[A good organizer's] main objective is to find out what all these different people have in common."
• Tim Robbins (57:09): "The actor will give you the truth... If you go in with an idea of how the scene should be played, that's a bad idea because you're cheating yourself from two really good artists who are going to interpret something."
• Tim Robbins (60:26): "At this stage of my career, I can go to a set and really kind of fall in love again with people... I felt that about these people on Silo."

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [08:09] – Mystery guest Tim Robbins revealed
• [09:53] – Strat-O-Matic Baseball and D&D discussion
• [12:08] – Preparing for Bull Durham
• [15:13] – Hockey connection with Jason’s husband
• [17:51] – Behind the scenes: surprise guest mishaps
• [25:41] – Robbins’ musical background and TimRobbins.com
• [32:12] – Robbins Radio & multimedia archive
• [34:09] – Bob Roberts and the celebrity-politics nexus
• [36:53] – Letting go of political anxiety and embracing positive change
• [38:14] – Actors' Gang and prison outreach
• [46:03] – Prison reform reflections from Shawshank
• [48:05] – Being recognized for "Shawshank Redemption" and "Silo"
• [49:59] – Humane work environment on "Silo"
• [53:02] – Poker games and Hollywood stories
• [57:09] – Directing and the actor’s truth
• [60:26] – Rediscovering joy in the craft on "Silo"

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Episode Highlights & Recurring Themes

• Tim Robbins as a Multihyphenate: His roles as actor, director, musician, and activist converge, showing his commitment to both art and social impact.
• Humor & Humanity: Despite his accolades, Robbins is self-deprecating, genuine, and generous with stories—both hilarious and heartfelt.
• The Craft & Collaboration: The interplay between acting and directing, and the value of trusting collaborators while maintaining vision.
• Healing & Activism Through Art: Robbins’ non-profit work illustrates how creative workshops can inspire empathy, self-reflection, and rehabilitation.
• Staying Present: Robbins’ attitude toward life, travel, and change: "Why not think that every place you're in is the best place in the world?"

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Final Thoughts

This episode of "SmartLess" offers a rich mix of laughs, personal stories, industry wisdom, and inspiration from a true Hollywood multi-talent. Tim Robbins’ warmth and candor make this episode a standout, whether you’re a film buff, a creative, or just someone trying to make a positive difference.

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Check out TimRobbins.com (launching September 1) for music, archives, upcoming shows, Robbins Radio, and more! Watch "Silo" Season 3 and revisit his classic films for a masterclass in character and storytelling.

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End of Summary

Transcript

[Jason Bateman]

This message is brought to you by Apple Card. Shaved ice by the beach, a trip to the state fair, and a throwback flick at the local drive in. They're more than just items to check off the summer bucket list. There are also opportunities to earn 2% daily cash back when you use your Apple Card with Apple Pay. Apply for Apple Card now and use in minutes with Apple payments subject to credit approval. Apple Card is issued by Goldman Sachs Bank USA Salt Lake City branch terms and [e-mail]. guys, we gotta talk about your secret late night Internet searches. You know the ones. Bumpy leg, rash, hair loss, itchy bum. Trying to figure out your body by endlessly searching for answers. We all do it and it never works. Thankfully, there's Amazon Health AI. It can connect your symptoms with your medical history and it can even get you care 24 7. So call off the search. Amazon Health AI is here. Healthcare just got less painful. Ready for a college degree? But your dog is giving you the side eye while silently judging your life choices. You need to check out Southern New Hampshire University. Their online programs make it possible to earn your degree without sacrificing sleep, sanity, or Scooby Snacks. And there's real support from actual humans if you want that so you can focus on what matters most. Your dog? No, your future. Get the degree your dog approves of. Apply today at Snhu. Edu. Smartless. Guys, it's so hot outside. Is anybody else hot?

[Sean Hayes]

I'm so hot.

[Jason Bateman]

I need a glass of water or something. I need something to cool off. You know what's gonna make me cool off? A new episode of Smartless.

[Sean Hayes]

Woo.

[Tim Robbins]

Smart less.

[Will Arnett]

Smart,

[Tim Robbins]

Smart less.

[Sean Hayes]

Hey, guys.

[Jason Bateman]

Hey. Will's in Italy. Oh my gosh, Will, what time is it in Italy?

[Will Arnett]

Nobody knows.

[Sean Hayes]

It's time for a Campari. Cue the music.

[Will Arnett]

It's a problem for tomorrow.

[Sean Hayes]

No. So Will, have you run into our. Our back of the theater critic.

[Will Arnett]

Oh, everybody here. What a podcast.

[Sean Hayes]

Look at this guy. What a body on him. Nobody knew. I see him on the Italian beaches now.

[Producer/Ad Voice]

No way.

[Will Arnett]

At Feast 56, I'll eat my hat. But what part we did have, we did have. We had. We're up in. We're on the Italian Riviera right now. And let me tell you something.

[Sean Hayes]

That's. That's a Portofino that's just drove up here today.

[Will Arnett]

Just drove up where? It was at a wedding in Tuscany.

[Sean Hayes]

Sure.

[Will Arnett]

And. But I did have a guy the other day came into the room to. To look at something with the AC and couldn't with the light and couldn't fix it and it wouldn't go out. And he said, it's a problem for tomorrow.

[Jason Bateman]

No.

[Sean Hayes]

With a little smile like that, too. It's too hot to fix today.

[Will Arnett]

You know what? And it was. It was a problem for tomorrow.

[Jason Bateman]

Isn't that so different? It's so different than us.

[Will Arnett]

I know. What do you mean you can't fix it?

[Jason Bateman]

Here would be.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah. They take all of August off. Europe does.

[Will Arnett]

It's so good. It's so, so good. What about you, jb? How's the city treating you?

[Sean Hayes]

Right now, the city is all right. The heat has gone down to 85 and 90% humidity. As opposed to 95 and 90% humidity.

[Jason Bateman]

Are you shooting outside?

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, yeah. On a farm. Not a lot of shade, but it's okay. It's great. I'm losing water weight, you guys. You know how I love that. And Shawnee, how are you?

[Will Arnett]

And Sean wants to go and just b. Try to. Going from the bedroom to the office and back up to the bedroom.

[Jason Bateman]

Back up.

[Sean Hayes]

Try not to sprain your ankle going in and out of the kitchen.

[Jason Bateman]

No.

[Will Arnett]

Hey, have you had any more s' mores dates with yourself?

[Jason Bateman]

I had a couple s' more of them.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, Sean has been up early.

[Jason Bateman]

I was up early.

[Sean Hayes]

Any. Anything to update us on in your life, Sean?

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, I did. Oh, yeah, I did a. Just last night, I did a. With my friend Todd Stashewick, who was an actor. I went to college with him and we. He hosted a D and D night at Dungeons and Dragons night. But I haven't played Dungeons and Dragons in, like, since I was like, 10 years old.

[Sean Hayes]

Since you lost your.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah. Because you're 56. Yeah. I mean, it adds up. If you think about it. If you look at it, the math adds up.

[Sean Hayes]

Wasn't it kind of him to, like, throw in the surprise in that sentence? Like, I haven't played since I was 10.

[Will Arnett]

Can you believe it?

[Sean Hayes]

Nor has anyone else.

[Will Arnett]

No, man.

[Jason Bateman]

No, we really did. It was so fun. I mean, it was. I think Stranger Things really brought that game back. So.

[Sean Hayes]

So what is it with that? I never did play it when I was 10. It is. It's a role playing thing. Right.

[Jason Bateman]

And you sort of all improvised. Yeah.

[Tim Robbins]

So.

[Sean Hayes]

But do you reroll dice to find out who can. Who gets the shield, who gets the sword?

[Jason Bateman]

Well, and like, damage and like, how much damage you did? Like, did you survive their hit or did you.

[Will Arnett]

Is that just based on how hard you roll or.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, no, it was. It was really fun.

[Sean Hayes]

Are higher numbers more damage?

[Will Arnett]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it is. Okay.

[Jason Bateman]

But you know what it's like? It's like playing a. It's like playing a video game, but with your mind.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, oh, okay.

[Will Arnett]

Okay. So you really get carried. You really just get taken away into a different place.

[Jason Bateman]

Wait, I heard this. I heard this.

[Will Arnett]

You get carried.

[Sean Hayes]

So fun.

[Jason Bateman]

Do you want hear a good joke? A new pun joke? A dad joke?

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, I've been getting my. My money's worth out of. Out of. What did the sushi say to the bumblebee? Wasabi. Everyone's been enjoying that around set.

[Will Arnett]

Have they. Have they been telling you they enjoyed it when you're the boss?

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

Well, I see it on their face.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah, sure. Oh, that's a good one, boss. Hey.

[Tim Robbins]

Hey.

[Will Arnett]

Has Jason hit you with that four times too? Yeah, he thinks I'm a pa. I'm a fucking.

[Jason Bateman]

I'm a driver over and over again.

[Sean Hayes]

You got a freshie for me?

[Jason Bateman]

You guys okay? This is awful. The new. The guy who invented cough drops died yesterday.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, no.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, there's not. There's not going to be any coughing at his funeral.

[Sean Hayes]

All right, I'll take that. I'll take that.

[Will Arnett]

I mean, yeah, they'll love the only. The only? Yeah, the only. And this is not a criticism, Sean. It's funny, you know, it is. It's just that you say coffin. Coffin. You say cough in the setup.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah.

[Will Arnett]

You know what I mean?

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, but the cough. Oh, right. Cough drop.

[Sean Hayes]

Well, the guy.

[Jason Bateman]

By the time you say it's just throat lozenges. Maybe that's better.

[Will Arnett]

I don't know. Listen, let's open up a suggestion line for peeps. If they want to do like a punch up line on smart and they can punch up our jokes, we got a table together.

[Jason Bateman]

Punch up line, please hold. Punch up line, please hold.

[Will Arnett]

Tell you who doesn't need a punch up. Here we go. Here we go. This is a segue.

[Sean Hayes]

I could tell you it's a female. I heard whispering earlier. She sounds like she's got a pretty whisper voice.

[Will Arnett]

Okay, well, aren't you gonna be surprised? And no, he's gonna get a great chuckle out of this. Cause he's an academy award winning actor. Academy nominated director. Jb. He's made some great films. And I don't use that term lightly. He is David Lean. He's done iconic roles. And I'm gonna go backwards on the

[Sean Hayes]

Kenneth Branagh as an actor.

[Will Arnett]

I'm gonna go backwards on. I'm not gonna lead with some of His. Because you're just going to know immediately because he's just done some of the most iconic films of all time. But I'm going to say things like Jacob's Ladder, the Incredible Bull Durham. I'm going to say the Player, mystic river and Shawshank Redoubt. Guys, it's Tim Robbins.

[Sean Hayes]

Tim.

[Jason Bateman]

Oh, my God. Tim Robbins.

[Sean Hayes]

Welcome, Tim Robbins.

[Jason Bateman]

This is really exciting.

[Tim Robbins]

So who.

[Sean Hayes]

Who, who was the female whisperer? Was there any. She's just off camera.

[Tim Robbins]

No, it's. It's basically someone. Because I'm an idiot with technology. Someone that they sent you and me both Apple to help me set up the.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, the microphone. Yeah. Us granddads have trouble with it. You have a smartphone, don't. You're not still using, like a flip phone, are you?

[Tim Robbins]

No. Rotary.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, portable long cable.

[Tim Robbins]

Right.

[Jason Bateman]

You got. You carry that with you everywhere you go.

[Tim Robbins]

Yeah, I know. It's. And you have to find there's fewer and fewer places to plug in.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah. Tim, man, I feel like it's so overdue having you here. First of all, let me just say that.

[Tim Robbins]

Thank you.

[Will Arnett]

It is so overdue. It's great to have you, man. It's great.

[Sean Hayes]

Such a big fan of yours.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah. Whereas JB says, where are you? What part of the world are you in? East. West coast.

[Tim Robbins]

West coast right now?

[Will Arnett]

West coast.

[Jason Bateman]

Oh, in Los Angeles.

[Will Arnett]

Don't give him an address, Tim. Don't tell him where.

[Tim Robbins]

I can't give you my quadrant.

[Sean Hayes]

No Dungeons and Dragons set up.

[Will Arnett]

He's gonna show up with his golden die and he's gonna ask you to roll.

[Sean Hayes]

Roll for damage.

[Tim Robbins]

Knock on the door. Are we doing a barbecue?

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

Have you ever played Dungeons and Dragons, Tim?

[Tim Robbins]

You know, that's what I missed. I was more, you know, that kind of long form, nerdy kind of game. Mine was stratomatic baseball.

[Sean Hayes]

Ooh, tell me about that. You're talking to a baseball I didn't

[Will Arnett]

play, but I'm aware of it. Tell us a little bit about it.

[Tim Robbins]

It's really cool. You know, it's a long, long game, but, you know, you play nine innings and you pick your teams and, you know, basically there's a roll of the dice and a multi sided die that determines whether it's a hit or, you know, a strikeout or a grand slam, you know, whatever. It's, it's. It's very complicated.

[Sean Hayes]

Do you pick real players? You say you pick your teams.

[Tim Robbins]

Yeah, we pick real players. Yeah. I haven't played for a while. Back in the day when Cal Ripken was on his long streak.

[Sean Hayes]

Sure.

[Tim Robbins]

You know his. I don't think anyone's ever going to break that record of consecutive times played without missing a game. We kept Cal out.

[Sean Hayes]

1400 games or something.

[Tim Robbins]

We kept Cal out.

[Will Arnett]

You kept him out?

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, we kept him out. Just to spite him.

[Tim Robbins]

Yeah, yeah, just to spite him. It was. Cal won't play.

[Sean Hayes]

Billy was in there.

[Tim Robbins]

We ended the streak.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

What about fan? What about fantasy baseball? Do you play that at all?

[Tim Robbins]

I don't know.

[Will Arnett]

Cool it, jb.

[Sean Hayes]

Sorry.

[Tim Robbins]

Are you a fantasy guy?

[Will Arnett]

Yeah. He's up at 4am I'm.

[Sean Hayes]

I'm like the. I'm the commissioner of my league. It's really. It's my Dungeons and Dragons dork stuff.

[Tim Robbins]

Can you be bought?

[Sean Hayes]

I could, sure. Everybody's got their price.

[Tim Robbins]

Anybody?

[Sean Hayes]

Everybody on my team's up for sale except the Dodgers.

[Will Arnett]

Wait, so, Tim, were you. Are. So you. I. I'm gathering by the fact that you played that that you were a lifelong baseball fan and mentioned Bull Durham, which I saw in the theater twice. I love that movie. I know it was a million years ago. It's an iconic movie. It's one of the great sports movies. It's not just about sports. It's about so much more and about. So when you. I guess you were a big baseball fan. So when you got the chance to play. And that character you played, what was his name? Nuke. Was that his name?

[Tim Robbins]

Yeah. Ebby Calvin Nuke Lelouch.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah. I mean, were you. Was that a role when that came your way? Were you. Do you remember the process of getting that. Were you stoked to get that to play port?

[Tim Robbins]

Oh, are you kidding me? You know what the weird thing was that I got cast in another baseball movie the same time Eight Men out that John Sals was directing. And I love John Sales. It was, you know, I had to make a decision, and I'm glad I made the one I did because it kind of shifted everything for me in life. I was so psyched. I mean, I had. I did. I did the audition section and then I got the. My. My call. Callback was basically, you gotta come play some baseball. Throw. Throw the ball with Kevin Costner. Right. And so.

[Will Arnett]

Wow.

[Tim Robbins]

They wanted to see if I could throw. He didn't want to have to fake any of that stuff.

[Sean Hayes]

And could you.

[Tim Robbins]

So I had played all my life and I was mostly third base. And so I had a pretty good arm, but I didn't know the mechanics of the pitching. So I had to go, you know, earlier and Try to, you know, put that together.

[Sean Hayes]

Did you end up becoming a fairly decent pitcher? Like, did you learn a couple of pitches?

[Tim Robbins]

I. I did. I got it up to. I got it up to 85.

[Sean Hayes]

Wow.

[Will Arnett]

Wow.

[Tim Robbins]

No control at all. No control at all.

[Jason Bateman]

I threw it into the stand.

[Tim Robbins]

When he hits the bowl, you know, that, that's, that was, you know, basically me. But I could, I could, I could throw it pretty fast.

[Sean Hayes]

And how were you as a hitter?

[Tim Robbins]

Pretty good. Could.

[Sean Hayes]

Could you get around on an 85 mile an hour pitch?

[Tim Robbins]

No way. No, no.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah.

[Tim Robbins]

Oh, no, no, I didn't play. I grew up in Manhattan, so we didn't have a lot of. We didn't have a lot of baseball fields.

[Sean Hayes]

Right. You had show leagues.

[Tim Robbins]

Yeah, we had concrete playgrounds. So we played softball. Gotcha. And so mostly softball. And so I, I could hit a softball. I could hit very well, but. And I still, you know, I still play a little bit.

[Sean Hayes]

Do you really?

[Tim Robbins]

Yeah, I play first base now, you know. Yeah, yeah, it's easier.

[Sean Hayes]

Tell us about that. Is that just your buddies? Is that like, is it. Is it a show league? Is it.

[Tim Robbins]

What.

[Sean Hayes]

How are you doing that?

[Tim Robbins]

Usually just friends, you know, get together. There's some regular leagues. When I'm on the east coast, there's a game I get involved in. It's. I play hockey that way too, still. Roller hockey.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, my God.

[Tim Robbins]

We can get a game every Sunday out here that I'm missing for this.

[Will Arnett]

Well, you're playing roller hockey, Tim.

[Tim Robbins]

Roller. I used to play ice. I haven't played ice for a while, but I play roller hockey every Sunday, Tim.

[Will Arnett]

I used to play. I used to play on the Upper west side for. I played ice hockey. And then when I moved to New York, I used to play up on 84th street and there's a school between Amsterdam and Columbus and they paved it. And then for some reason it wasn't open for like six months. And all these Canadian guys that I knew and a bunch of American guys, we played every. We played all. All day Saturday and Sunday. Like right when rollerblades came out, like 91, 92.

[Sean Hayes]

So nice.

[Will Arnett]

And I lived by the Holland Tunnel and I would skate uptown with my stick all the way up to the Upper west side. It was the best through cars and shit, you know.

[Jason Bateman]

Tim, Scotty, my husband, was a goalie in an adult ice hockey league in New York at a place called Skyrink. And he played you guys?

[Will Arnett]

Sure.

[Tim Robbins]

No way.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah. In the 90s, Scotty's team played your team. And he said he said he took a beast of a shot. You threw the. You took a shot on him. It was great, but he blocked it. Isn't that wild? What a small world.

[Will Arnett]

Scotty the Sieve. Do you remember Scotty the Sieve? Scotty the Sieve.

[Jason Bateman]

Isn't that wild? What a small world.

[Sean Hayes]

Wow.

[Tim Robbins]

That's crazy.

[Will Arnett]

I remember Scotty.

[Tim Robbins]

Goldies are a special breed, by the way.

[Sean Hayes]

They sure are. There's ways.

[Will Arnett]

I used to be a goalie. I used to be a goalie. I was a goalie growing up.

[Sean Hayes]

Really?

[Will Arnett]

Yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah.

[Producer/Ad Voice]

Yeah.

[Jason Bateman]

Wouldn't you agree?

[Tim Robbins]

There's something different about them. The kind of weird.

[Sean Hayes]

It's like the catcher in baseball. It's usually the brains of the bunch.

[Will Arnett]

And, well, there's always that thing. They always say that goalies are the best skaters on the team because they have to be really nimble. I don't know if that's necessarily true, but I think that goalies, you know, they're spending a lot of time. Think about it. Even in soccer, too, they spend a lot of time on their own, and then all of a sudden, they got to kind of perform. They kind of. They're the king of their own little domain. You know what I mean? So they have to have a certain temperament.

[Sean Hayes]

I don't know.

[Tim Robbins]

Yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

What about injury? Are you, Are you, Are you worried about injury? I'm worried anytime I get active, like, you're going to blow out a hamstring or a lower back. I mean, you know, we're not 25 anymore.

[Tim Robbins]

Yeah, but were you ever like that before? Or is it age that's telling you that or bringing that.

[Will Arnett]

You're sneak. JB Sneak. Not sneaky. He's very athletic. I will say. I've seen him hit a softball out of the park. And he's. And he's a heck of a golfer, but he does pull it. He'll pull a muscle now, you know, pulling Greek yogurt out of the fridge. So, yeah,

[Sean Hayes]

you know, it starts to wear on you after a while. But anyway, no, I, I, I, I,

[Tim Robbins]

I don't worry about it. I don't worry about it. I, I, I have injured myself, and it just means you have to sit for a while, you know?

[Sean Hayes]

But you're. You're not legging out ground balls, are you?

[Tim Robbins]

Oh, no, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Will Arnett]

I went, I went the last time I, I played.

[Tim Robbins]

Chelsea Pierce.

[Will Arnett]

Sorry. Go ahead, Tim.

[Tim Robbins]

No, I was gonna say, yeah, I leg them out as fast as I can, but I'm not, you know, gonna tear a Muscle for it.

[Sean Hayes]

Have you guys ever tried to not say when you, when, when you're talking over each other and someone says, go ahead. Have you ever tried not to say, oh, yeah, no, I was just gonna say, yeah, you can't, you can't. You can't do it.

[Jason Bateman]

Not. Yeah, you can't. Oh, that's right.

[Sean Hayes]

If somebody says go ahead, you don't just go ahead. It's always. Yeah, yeah, no, I was just gonna say, I'm telling you, try to do a week without that. You can't do it.

[Tim Robbins]

It doesn't work with an edit either. Like if they edit out the interruption.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah, right.

[Tim Robbins]

Yeah, it doesn't work with the edit. You know, I've been curious about this. You know, I listen to this show and I love it and has it ever gone wrong? The surprise guest is actually someone that's the one of the other two hate or has had a bad relationship with or that's funny or some kind of.

[Will Arnett]

Yes.

[Tim Robbins]

You don't have to say names. Don't have to say names.

[Will Arnett]

Well, I tell you what, Tim, it's funny you asked because I got, I got not in trouble. But about six months ago, guys, I was doing. I did this guy's podcast in the uk, this really funny dude, Rome Ash. He's hilarious, dude. And I mentioned that a couple of. That we had had a couple of guests that didn't go so great and everybody I knew asked you guys, right. And asked me who I was. I didn't say who, but we had a couple that didn't go so. So shit hot.

[Sean Hayes]

Give us the names now, Will.

[Will Arnett]

But we have had. Yeah, and you have. As you know, I mean, it's. We all, we all kind of are in. We do the same. We work with a lot of people and we know a lot of people and we know and there's a lot of crossover. And there are certainly times where you have people who they're hurt, feel or whatever. And there are times where you have. Who you're like, yeah, I got a history with this person.

[Sean Hayes]

But it's never. But it's never gone wrong. Like, the reason the episodes have not aired is not because there was anything contentious or something like that. It's more just like that was sort of like not really a flowing interview and probably. And just to. Just to protect the guest mostly it's like they don't need that out there. You know, where they were sort of tight or we were tight and it's just not an entertaining thing. And so we just. We scrap It.

[Tim Robbins]

We do.

[Sean Hayes]

We do so many things.

[Will Arnett]

And we also, I think, Sorry, I was demanding to say that, That we always, once we get on, I think that you guys chime in too. That we want. I always want it to go well. Like I want it to go. I'm always rooting for the person. No matter who it is. I want it to be good.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, always is.

[Tim Robbins]

Yeah. I just was, I was curious about like. Like two of you don't know who the next guest is going to be.

[Will Arnett]

Correct.

[Tim Robbins]

So what if like you had an affair with somebody that was, that was previously undisclosed and it ended poorly.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

Guess what? We're way too close. We know each other's bodies and everything. So when there is somebody that we know the other person has mentioned before as maybe not being their favorite person, we will sort of break our little rule and say, hey, man, I was thinking about having such and such on. Are you guys good?

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah.

[Tim Robbins]

Yeah.

[Jason Bateman]

Tell you when.

[Will Arnett]

But yeah, we don't say when. And we and we. And people do ask we legit. The other two legit. Don't know who the other per. Who the guest is going to be on that day. So there is as JB says, there might be like down the road, like as you're like, hey. But we never let him.

[Tim Robbins]

I like that element of surprise about it. Yeah, I think that's a good thing.

[Will Arnett]

Well, what's funny is, and we, we know this is the audience knows who's on because we advertise who the upcoming guest is. So.

[Sean Hayes]

So we're the only two idiots.

[Will Arnett]

It's just for us, I guess.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, it's just to save the homework.

[Jason Bateman]

Right.

[Sean Hayes]

And we will be right back.

[Jason Bateman]

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[Producer/Ad Voice]

this

[Jason Bateman]

is a paid ad by BetterHelp. You know, when I do theater in New York, which I love doing, it sometimes gets me out of my comfort zone and I miss family and friends and my routine that I'm so used to back in Los Angeles in my home. And the adjustment can be jarring and a little off putting. You know, life rarely follows a perfect plan and real growth often comes from learning and adapting along the way. Therapy with Better Help the world's largest online therapy platform can be a space to pause, reevaluate and adjust to any unexpected changes. With over 30,000 therapists worldwide, BetterHelp is one of the leading online therapy platforms. Having served millions of people globally, BetterHelp makes it easier to fit therapy into your routine with flexible ways to connect that work for different schedules and lifestyles. You're in good hands too. Better Help therapists have at least three years and 1,000 hours of hands on experience and hold all required education, training and certifications. You can meet with a range of professionals from marriage and family therapists to social workers and counselors. You don't have to navigate life's changes alone. Sign up and get 10% [e-mail] smartless that's betterhelp betterl. August is the perfect time to hit reset before the autumn rush begins and your closet is a great place to start. Quince is the perfect place to refresh a wardrobe with timeless high quality essentials like their ultra soft organic cotton tees and premium Mongolian cashmere sweaters. They're versatile, timeless and transition seamlessly from a casual workday to dinner out. Everything at quince is priced 50 to 80% less than similar brands. They work directly with ethical factories and cut out the middlemen so you're paying for high quality, not brand markup. I got the heather gray Mongolian cashmere sweater. Why? Because at night in Los Angeles sometimes it gets cold and if I'm going out, I put on my quince Mongolian cashmere sweater and I'm warm and fuzzy and cozy. I got it in the summer before they're out of stock in the fall. Upgrade your everyday go to quince.com smartless for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. Now available in Canada and the UK too. That's Q U I-N C E.com smartless for free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com smartless. And now back to the show,

[Will Arnett]

Tim. So let's. So I mentioned Bill Durman, you auditioned for that and talk a little bit about. So you grew up, I mean your parents were musicians, right? You grew up in the city, really?

[Tim Robbins]

Yeah, yeah.

[Will Arnett]

And your folks were musicians. And so when did you know that you, well, weren't going to go in the family business necessarily be a musician and that you were going to go and. But you were going to perform, you know, as an actor.

[Tim Robbins]

I probably got the bug from watching my dad on stage with his group the Highwayman. He was a folk musician and I remember specifically, not very clearly, but the audience responding to him saying something and laughing. I felt that was like the entry point. That was the moment my three year old or four year old self was like, I want that.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah.

[Tim Robbins]

So he became, you know, he went out on the road till 1965 with them and they, they made several albums together. I had the music bug though too as well. Acting I started in grade school, but music I also had. And I actually, I'm glad you bring that up because I've been working the past couple weeks on some mixes of some concerts I've done. I have a band called the Rogues Gallery Band.

[Sean Hayes]

Really.

[Tim Robbins]

And we occasionally will perform live. We've done tours but of Europe and the United States and we recorded several of those shows. So I'm mixing a couple of them right now. I'm opening a kind of new website performance kind of platform where.

[Sean Hayes]

What's the website?

[Tim Robbins]

It's TimRobbins.com okay. And it's available.

[Will Arnett]

How did you come up with the name?

[Tim Robbins]

I fed it through an AI computer to tell me what would be the best.

[Producer/Ad Voice]

Sure.

[Tim Robbins]

Best available.

[Sean Hayes]

What do you do? You play guitar and sing or you.

[Tim Robbins]

I play guitar and sing and I write most of the songs. We do some covers, but usually covers that are you Know really not well known songs. The Rogues Gallery started as a band put together by Hal Wilner. And it was originally the albums they made were about sea shanties with, you know, all kinds of different guests, guest artists. And Hal was, you know, such a genius and one of the angels in my life. You know, he used to work at Saturday Night Live. And.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah, I was gonna say Hal.

[Tim Robbins]

Right, yeah.

[Will Arnett]

Not well, but I knew him a little bit.

[Producer/Ad Voice]

Yeah.

[Tim Robbins]

Yeah. And so I'm on this new site. I don't want to call it a website because it's sort of like.

[Jason Bateman]

It's a destination, it's an experience.

[Tim Robbins]

Yeah, whatever.

[Will Arnett]

It's portal. It's a portal. Basically.

[Tim Robbins]

It's my way of my portal that's dead Tim Robbins Portal. I have a storage unit that I have so much stuff in and I want to get rid of and that's what they're for. So I was looking through some boxes in there and I found some old videotapes of. I used to mess around on sets with old school video camera. You know the ones where you could load the entire video set in.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, yeah, the VHS thing.

[Will Arnett]

Sure.

[Sean Hayes]

You'd shoot like behind the scenes stuff of projects you were on.

[Tim Robbins]

Yeah. But it would be more like stories that I was making up. Right. Like, so I have one from Howard the Duck.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah.

[Tim Robbins]

And so I made up a story about, you know, what was this intrigue that was happening on the set of Howard the Duck. And this. I did two with Howard the Duck. I did one that was about this actor that goes to set and everybody hates. And the other was about this place called Kiddieland that we were filming at. And it was this location we kept going back to because there was always a shot that they needed. And so you thought you were finished with Kitty Lynn and it would not end. I was on that movie for six months. It was supposed to be three. And the last six weeks of it were the ultralight sequence, which is like maybe five minutes in the film. So. So it was pretty extraordinary. So I was going a little crazy. And so I had this video camera and I had friendships with the crew members and we would, you know, just make shit up.

[Sean Hayes]

And so you sat there and you, you were watching this video after going through your, your storage unit and like.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah.

[Tim Robbins]

So I said, I want to put that out there. I want. This is this. I think people would like this. I also have all these interviews with, with people like, you know, Johnny Cash and Kurt Vonnegut and whoa, Harry Belafonte. And I, I, you Know, I've never released them.

[Producer/Ad Voice]

Wow.

[Sean Hayes]

Did you remember these, or did they just come back to you? As you were going through the storage unit and you started seeing all these tapes, did you sit down and have, like, a weekend of. Of going down memory lane? That must have been really kind of powerful.

[Tim Robbins]

Those. Those journeys can be powerful and dangerous, too.

[Sean Hayes]

Old version of ourselves.

[Tim Robbins]

I know stuff and what it means, and what did I. What was I thinking? And so you have to give a listen and make sure that you weren't an idiot at the time that you were doing this. But I think there's some good stuff here. And. And the people that have been working with me are. You know, they're the ones kind of driving. They were like, why aren't you doing anything with this stuff?

[Sean Hayes]

So these are up on TimRobbins.com or you're in the process of doing that?

[Tim Robbins]

No, it's. It won't be up till September 1st.

[Will Arnett]

Oh, okay.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, but that's like a visual. You know, people say, you know, you should write. Write a book, you know, but, like, this sounds like a kind of like a visual.

[Jason Bateman]

I mean, it's really cool.

[Will Arnett]

Multimedia.com is a multimedia experience. It's a portal.

[Tim Robbins]

Exactly.

[Will Arnett]

It's a portal.

[Tim Robbins]

Thank you, guys. This is my marketing team. All right. What else can we call. I've got this thing called Robbins Radio, which is going to be my live shows, my father's show, my father's albums, and my brother, who is a film composer, his scores. And it'll be, you know, kind of on a kind of random play.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah.

[Tim Robbins]

Continuous. When you come to the website.

[Will Arnett]

Dude, that's cool.

[Tim Robbins]

Yeah. I'm excited by it. It's. It is like a. It is like a. A living archive. I'm. There's. But it's also just. It's also just been a lot of fun to do.

[Will Arnett]

It's.

[Tim Robbins]

It's.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah.

[Tim Robbins]

And at the same time, I am actually writing a memoir, so it's all just coalescing, and I'm trying to find stuff that might be interesting.

[Sean Hayes]

You have a name for the memoir yet?

[Tim Robbins]

No, I don't say.

[Will Arnett]

Timrobbins.com.

[Jason Bateman]

no.

[Will Arnett]

Poor Timrobbins.

[Tim Robbins]

Timrobbins.com. timrobbins.com on paper.

[Will Arnett]

You used music in. I was just thinking about. Sorry, Sean. I was.

[Tim Robbins]

Timrobbins.com.

[Will Arnett]

yo, that's good. Oh, that's really good.

[Jason Bateman]

And it'll drive people to the website. They'll buy the book, and the website's right there on the COVID by the

[Will Arnett]

way you open the book and it's just a. It's just a hyperlink to the website. It's a QR code.

[Jason Bateman]

It's a one page.

[Will Arnett]

Oh, my God, it's so good. Oh, it would be so cheap to make. The publisher would be stoked. Do you think you. I was just thinking about. Thinking about your dad and the Highwayman. Highwaymen?

[Sean Hayes]

Now, wait, the Highwayman, wasn't that Bob Dylan?

[Tim Robbins]

No, that was. No, I think you're thinking of the Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Highwayman, Willie Nelson might have been.

[Sean Hayes]

And that's not it.

[Tim Robbins]

No, that was the. That was. No, this was in the early 60s.

[Jason Bateman]

Okay.

[Tim Robbins]

Before your time. Sure it was. Yeah. 1960-65 were their years.

[Will Arnett]

But you took, you took. I was thinking about the. I think the first film you directed was Bob Roberts, right? Am I right in that?

[Tim Robbins]

Yes.

[Will Arnett]

And that was about a guy, which is a great movie about a guy who. He's like a right wing politician, but he uses folk music to kind of sell what he's doing. And it was like a confluence of this guy kind of used media and personality. And if in a lot of ways it was very sort of prescient, if you think about it, of considering where we are these days, unfortunately. I mean, it was a little. Yeah, I mean, it's pretty. Can you. Do you ever think. Have you thought back on that over these last years and gone like, wow, we were. We kind of predicted the way politics might go in terms of the celebrity aspect of it?

[Tim Robbins]

Yeah, you know, it's. Yes, it's weird, but it also. I was looking, you know, going through all this stuff, realizing that at the time when I was doing press for it, but I was also in some of the interviews, they were saying, is this, you know, is this because the coming election was George Bush Sr. Vs. Clinton when it came out? And so the press was asking, you know, is this movie about Bush? And I said, well, yeah, he's actually in the film. You know, there's clips of him in the film. But it also could be about, you know, the Gore Vidal character too. You know, it could be about why change doesn't happen. And so when Bill Clinton was playing his saxophone on Samuel Hall, I was like, that's kind of Bob Roberts. Y too.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah.

[Tim Robbins]

So at the time I said, you know, it could be either. I don't know. I really don't know. So as time has gone on, it's become kind of, you know, very prescient as far as the current administration. But I personally am Not a happy guy with either. I gotta say. It's. There gotta be better ideas and better, you know, better motivation for people to vote for Democrats. They have to get their stuff together. They really do.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah, I think there's a lot of shortcomings. No shortage of shortcomings.

[Tim Robbins]

I've learned at 65. You know what I did is I realized I have to retire from something, right? And I didn't want to stop acting, I didn't want to stop directing or writing. So what I retired from was the anxiety, the daily anxiety of opposing something.

[Jason Bateman]

Oh, that's good.

[Tim Robbins]

The idea that you can find your worth and purpose and virtue by hatred is this terrible, terrible idea. And the idea that if the source of your hatred is this particular person, you don't know it's even a worse idea. You're battling a concept or an idea or a philosophy. You're not dealing with an individual. And so I feel like there's too many people that wake up agitated about political figures and then they use that

[Sean Hayes]

as a fuel to get through the day.

[Tim Robbins]

That's so true on either side. And it's not a good way to start your day if you're. The first thing you're doing is doom scrolling about something that will make you feel better about your political beliefs. You know, you might try a little yoga or you might try a little exercise or take a bike ride or.

[Jason Bateman]

Totally. Because I always say that I have this discussion with Scotty all the time. You can watch it all day long on TV or read about it online or whatever, but there's nothing you can do about it necessarily. But we have the power to vote and we have the power to protest. But to actually, you know, my friend Maria Shriver, she always. One of the greatest quotes ever. If anybody's complaining about any of it, she goes, I totally agree. So what are you doing about it?

[Will Arnett]

Yeah, right.

[Jason Bateman]

And it stops people in their tracks.

[Tim Robbins]

Well, here's the thing. This is what I learned, was that what are you doing about it? Well, about 15 years ago, I had that epiphany of like, what are you doing about it? And I started working in spaces where I could make a difference. So with my nonprofit, with the actors gang. So I put a lot of attention into how can I expand the programs that we have, the education programs that we go into schools that do not have theater programs, and we introduce them to theater. The prison project that we have that goes into California state prisons.

[Jason Bateman]

What is that?

[Tim Robbins]

It's a rehabilitation program that we've been doing for 20 years now through, like

[Jason Bateman]

theatric, like theater and acting and stuff like that.

[Tim Robbins]

It's basically. I made a documentary about it, actually.

[Jason Bateman]

I know. That's why I asked. I feel like I saw it.

[Tim Robbins]

It's called 45 seconds of laughter and it will be coming to Criterion in November.

[Jason Bateman]

Oh, then I saw something else.

[Tim Robbins]

Yeah, you may have seen it. We've screened it around. We went to the Venice Film Festival and to New York Film Festival. No, what we do is we don't go in, as some groups do, and I think that's valid too. But we don't go in to do a production. We don't, you know, try to make a production. What we do is we do a seven day intensive workshop to train them, which is basically in the four states of emotion that we have. And we introduce these states of emotion. But first we introduce the characters they will be playing them in. So we create a distance between their expression of emotion and their personal story. So we use the commedia dell'. Arte. So you have the rich old man who wants to marry off his beautiful daughter, who's in love with a young man. He wants to marry her off to one of his business associates. It's a tale as old as the time. It's done in every culture. It's told in every culture. I saw it in Bali in a town square. But the reason is it keeps the characters simple and stock kind of characters. And then we try to get them to genuinely portray emotions through these characters.

[Producer/Ad Voice]

Wow.

[Tim Robbins]

So what happens is they get in touch with emotions that they have kept dormant or suppressed for many, many years. Survival in prison is one emotion. It's anger. It's about keeping safe on the yard. You have to project an image of anger. And so when they start playing these other emotions, some of them tell us that they haven't been, you know, allowed to be sad or in fear or happy for years. And so it allows them this place. The other great thing about it is when we set a program up, we ask the prison to give us people from different sections. Like, it has to be integrated with different gangs, different, you know, so they're all in the same room. And what we find out happening is this bond that happens in the room between them when they're sharing emotions together and looking in each other's eyes and realizing that they have a lot more in common than they thought.

[Jason Bateman]

I mean, imagine if we could do that for people who aren't in prison.

[Tim Robbins]

That's what set me on this path of, like, if these guys can do it, we can do it. You know, we can't. We don't. We have created our own yard where you have segmented populations that stick together. And if, if anyone crosses over the line, it's at their own, you know, detriment.

[Jason Bateman]

Right.

[Tim Robbins]

And that's, that's the way it is now in our society. If you cr. If you, if you say anything that might be sympathetic to what you view as the other side. Yeah, you're done.

[Jason Bateman]

You're out.

[Tim Robbins]

You're done, you're condemned. You're, you're, you're. And it's, listen, it's a terrible way to build a movement. Let's just put that, put it that way. When a good organizer walks into a room to organize a movement, they have. The main objective is to find out what all these different people have in common.

[Will Arnett]

Right.

[Tim Robbins]

There's going to be. They have to walk in knowing they're not all going to agree with them. So what can we agree on? Right? It seems like the opposite now. It seems like in order to save your position in a certain community, you have to act in a certain way. And if you act outside of that, then you're kicked out of the community.

[Jason Bateman]

That's right.

[Tim Robbins]

And that's on both sides, by the way. That's not a partisan thing. That's something that happens on both sides. And that's not a good way to build a movement.

[Jason Bateman]

I totally agree.

[Tim Robbins]

Because basically you're making people. You're saying you have to agree with me or you're done. And then, so people learn very quickly, oh, well, I shouldn't talk. I shouldn't say anything. I won't say anything. Even though I don't agree with what they're saying, I'm not gonna say it. And so that's not an alliance. That's fear that's causing that. So.

[Jason Bateman]

Right.

[Sean Hayes]

We'll be right back.

[Jason Bateman]

Guys, we gotta talk about your secret late night Internet searches. You know the ones. Bumpy leg, rash, hair loss, itchy bum. Trying to figure out your body by endlessly searching for answers. We all do it, and it never works. Thankfully, there's Amazon Health AI. It can connect your symptoms with your medical history and it can even get you care 24 7. So call off the search. Amazon Health AI is here. Healthcare just got less painful. This episode is brought to you by FX's love story, John F. Kennedy Jr. And Carolyn Bissette. Now nominated for seven Emmys, including outstanding Limited Series, the series features acclaimed performances by Emmy nominees Sarah Pidgen and Constance Zimmer. In what decider has dubbed the most irresistible show of 2026. All episodes of F. S Love story, John F. Kennedy Jr. And Carolyn Bissette are now streaming on Hulu and Hulu on Disney for bundle subscribers. For your Emmy consideration, choose love. Today's episode is brought to you by Muscle Milk Protein. It's all anyone's talking about, right? And with Muscle Milk, getting enough protein doesn't have to be stressful. Muscle Milk has a great tasting new formula perfect for life on the go. Whether you're commuting, stuck in back to back meetings or need some post workout recovery, you'll love Muscle Milk's new taste. Made with no artificial sweeteners, flavors or added colors, I always grab one after my workout. It's a quick, easy protein fix and it tastes great and it comes in four delicious flavors. Chocolate, vanilla, cream, cookies and cream, and strawberries and cream.

[Tim Robbins]

Cream.

[Jason Bateman]

Try the new great tasting Muscle milk today, available in stores nationwide. Muscle Milk protein for all. And back to the show.

[Will Arnett]

Tim, did you get involved with the prison stuff when you, when you did? Because I was thinking about Dead Man Walking, which is your second film, which is so different from Bob Roberts in every way. Is that when you first started getting involved with that or becoming really aware of that?

[Tim Robbins]

I was kind of aware of it growing up. I had friends that went to jail. So it wasn't, it was, it was one of those, you know, there but for the grace of God go I. You know, I had maybe different parents or different upbringing that, that kept me away from that. But. And then I did some work with some prison organizations back in New York when I first, you know, after Bill Durham. But then I did Shawshank and then Deadman Walking. So I was around that space more and more. And one of the things I, you know, one of the prison guards on Shawshank said to me was, you know, I asked what would you do to change things if you could? You know, and these are salt of the earth, Republican, conservative, Ohio kind of prison guards. And the guy said, you know, you gotta legalize drugs. Because what we have is we have people coming in for possession for a year and they're winding up becoming better criminals. It's basically, they call it crime school. The prison guards were calling it crime school. And so it basically, they said, you know, there's no GED programs, no job training. Those are year waiting lists. So these kids come in and they have to survive with violent offenders. And they basically are training criminals. So you gotta either either legalize it or create a separate Prison.

[Sean Hayes]

And did they? Since then there has been movement there. Right. Certainly legalized marijuana to a large extent. Yes.

[Tim Robbins]

Yes. I don't know if it's that way in Ohio.

[Sean Hayes]

Okay.

[Tim Robbins]

Yeah.

[Will Arnett]

I made a far inferior prison film called let's Go to Prison. Tim, if you ever get a free afternoon.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah. And by the way, Tim, I love that you just rattled off those movies that are so.

[Will Arnett]

I know. Shawshank.

[Jason Bateman]

Your friends that were in prison must have watched you in Shashing. Be like, wait, how did he break out? That. I gotta take some. Gotta figure that out.

[Will Arnett]

Do people. People must still stop you on the street about Shawshank. It is one of the iconic. I mean, it's always at the top of people's list when people go like, what's your favorite movie? Shawshank's always there.

[Tim Robbins]

Yeah, that's a real, that's a real beautiful thing.

[Sean Hayes]

Bull Durham. Not right next to it.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah.

[Jason Bateman]

I was gonna say, I was gonna ask you what today you get stopped for mostly when you go to the store or you're out in public. I was gonna guess Shawshank Redemption or Bulldorm, but then I was like, but Silo, which I watch and you're fucking brilliant.

[Will Arnett]

On which, by the way, season three is coming.

[Jason Bateman]

I know, I can't wait. Tim, when you showed up on. I had no idea you were in that. Because we're sci fi nerds, right? Dungeons and Dragons, everything sci fi. And I watched. I was just like, your performance is just incredible in that.

[Tim Robbins]

Thank you.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah. I really love the show. Do people stop you now? Like nerdy, kind of.

[Tim Robbins]

Yeah. Yes, nerdy. And others too. Yeah, it's, it's. A lot of people are seeing it. It's really nice. It's really nice. And it's such a good show. Rebecca Ferguson is a great actor.

[Jason Bateman]

She's amazing.

[Will Arnett]

So good.

[Tim Robbins]

I, you know, I've had a blast on it. You know, I was shooting over. We were shooting over in London, so it was, you know, a real human experience, let's put it that way.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah.

[Tim Robbins]

Ten hour days, you know, never, never going over because there's never any weather. You know, it's always in the silo. Everything is in the silo. Right. So, you know, it was. And I, I actually now can talk because this is airing in mid August. I, I've been under a, like kind of a gag order, shut the hell up kind of thing about the show because I wasn't supposed to be in season three.

[Will Arnett]

Oh, it's funny. Sean just ordered a gag. But that's A different. Okay.

[Jason Bateman]

Also coming in August.

[Tim Robbins]

Also coming in August.

[Jason Bateman]

I can't wait.

[Will Arnett]

They're back ordered.

[Sean Hayes]

Did you get the ball option too, Tony?

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, of course I did. And I paid extra to get it here sooner.

[Tim Robbins]

But does that come in hello Kitty style?

[Jason Bateman]

Of course. And Dora, the exception explorer.

[Will Arnett]

What happened? What was the guy. What was the.

[Tim Robbins]

I just want to say a little bit more about Silo that we would. You know, the thing about human is that it allows the crew to have lives.

[Jason Bateman]

Right, Right.

[Tim Robbins]

If you're working 10 hour days on rolling lunches and everyone knows they're going to get home for dinner with their kids.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah.

[Tim Robbins]

It creates a happy crew.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah.

[Tim Robbins]

You get people that, you know, the younger people, they have time for a date, you know, it's not driving you into the ground, you know, and I really, I was really inspired by that. You know, that's Graham Yost, the executive producer. That's his achievement, that he created a great group of people and he created an environment that wasn't oppressive that, you know, we, we tend to take for granted now. You know, we just know, oh, we're going to go 12, 14, you know, 16 to get the day, you know, and I've done it as an actor and as a director and I never stopped to think really until I worked with Clint Eastwood when we had like six hour days, seven hour days, like some time. Most of the time we were out by lunch.

[Jason Bateman]

Wow.

[Tim Robbins]

Because you would only do one take on everything.

[Jason Bateman]

Wow.

[Tim Robbins]

But it created a discipline and more family. It created this idea that we used to have. I think in the business of. This can be really fun.

[Sean Hayes]

What about directing, Tim? Do we get to see some more of your great directing anytime soon?

[Tim Robbins]

Well, as a matter of fact, yes. I'm working on what that is on the long term. Yeah, I've got. I'm writing a couple scripts right now, which I'm kind of reluctant to jinx. Right, yeah, sure. Yeah, yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

I'd love to see you write one that you star in and direct about. About somebody doing what you were talking about earlier about, you know, figuring how to not be so sort of tribal with, with. With their, with their, with their beliefs and practices and passions and things like that and trying to be more sort of inclusive. And you're the kind of guy that could handle something as, you know, kind of nuanced and delicate as that.

[Tim Robbins]

Well, thank you. Where's the conflict?

[Sean Hayes]

We need that story.

[Tim Robbins]

Where's the conflict?

[Sean Hayes]

Well, there could be a bag of money and a gun, you know, I mean,

[Tim Robbins]

perfect. We Got it.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, yeah, I remember. Tim, I don't know if you remember this. We probably don't. But I've already asked. How did you meet Jason, Sean and Will? How did you guys all meet? We met playing poker. I mean, we kind of knew each other before that, but we really started hanging out when we were playing poker. I was like 27, 28, 29. And you would come over and play poker too, sometimes with us at Cage's house. Yeah. Kyle Gass.

[Will Arnett]

Yes.

[Jason Bateman]

That was so wild for me, who just got off the boat from Chicago. I'm like, I'm playing poker with Tim Robbins. I told all my friends it was so cool. I just loved it. It was so wild for me. But you probably don't remember.

[Tim Robbins]

I do remember those games. Yeah, yeah, yes, absolutely. But there's. There was an element at Cages that, you know. Yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, sure.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah.

[Tim Robbins]

Would lead one to forget.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah, yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

You'd have to crack a window every once in a while.

[Will Arnett]

This dude, for the listeners should know that this dude had a. In his living room was dominated by a custom made 12 man poker table.

[Tim Robbins]

Right.

[Will Arnett]

And. And he was the bank as well,

[Sean Hayes]

which served as a kitchen table, the kitchen counter, the dining room.

[Will Arnett]

Sean, one of the first times, Sean, one of the first times that you came, Sean came in and I think you went all in on like three of your first five hands and you took it, but. And then you were like, oh my God, it's so late. I said, remember, it was Tuesday nights. It was often Tuesday. Like it's Tuesday night, you'd be like, oh, I gotta go. And everybody's like, you're not going anywhere, right?

[Jason Bateman]

Like, oh, okay, dumbass. Like, I'm great. They want me to stay.

[Tim Robbins]

I had a running Friday night poker game on Silo.

[Jason Bateman]

Oh, really?

[Tim Robbins]

And Common was the, you know, he was the. He was that guy that walks in and goes, I've never played this before.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh.

[Tim Robbins]

And all of a sudden. And I. And by the way, I don't. He wasn't bullshitting. He hadn't, you know, he'd be. And of course the cards are going to drop on him.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah.

[Tim Robbins]

And he would win almost every time. It was.

[Sean Hayes]

Were you playing Texas Hold' Em or dealer's choice?

[Tim Robbins]

Texas hold'.

[Sean Hayes]

Em. Yeah.

[Will Arnett]

God. Remember those games, Will?

[Jason Bateman]

How do you remember Tuesdays? Like it was Tuesday.

[Sean Hayes]

Because I know that I thought about the same thing as soon as he

[Tim Robbins]

said that it was.

[Will Arnett]

So there were a couple people who came in who had first night luck too. Richter did. Andy Richter did one time and Then I remember, remember 80 miles came in and did the same thing. And. Yeah. I don't know.

[Tim Robbins]

Tuesday night, Commons went into second and third night. I won the first week hands down. Right. And I realized I can't win everybody week. You know, I can't do.

[Sean Hayes]

Not a good look. Yeah.

[Tim Robbins]

So I kind of was an idiot the second night. And that's when Common won. And then he. He went on a string like three or four, five, till Rebecca showed up in the last poker game and she won. So that sounds like fun first night.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah.

[Jason Bateman]

You. You always shoot in London the whole. The whole time? Silo.

[Tim Robbins]

Silo. Yeah. Yeah. I was over there for three years. Really? I mean, back and forth, but a lot of time over in London in the past five years.

[Sean Hayes]

How do you like living over there?

[Tim Robbins]

I loved it.

[Jason Bateman]

I love it.

[Tim Robbins]

But I'm gonna love anywhere I'm living right now. It's like, why not think that every place you're in is the best place in the world?

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, right, right.

[Tim Robbins]

There's so much to do in London. There's also a lot to complain about. But I was just like, well, how crazy is my life? How great is my life that I'm being forced to live in one of the world's great cities for, like, almost three years?

[Will Arnett]

Will.

[Sean Hayes]

Will doesn't like it much. Will's not a big.

[Will Arnett]

I love.

[Jason Bateman]

I love London.

[Will Arnett]

I love London. I want to ask. I was just thinking about this before we let you go, Tim and jb, Kind of for you too, a little bit, because I remember we were working on my thing with Bradley. I would ask, like, you guys, as actors who are also directors, have such a luxury of working with directors and really good directors. And we get to do that as actors, but also then to do that as director, you get to observe and have that experience with a lot of great directors. How did working with directors as an actor then influence you as a director? It must have, right?

[Tim Robbins]

Absolutely. Yeah. You know it. So you know what they're going through, you know what their process is. One thing I've also understood is the actor will give you the truth. If you're directing someone and you go in with an idea that you know how the scenes should be played, that's a bad idea because you're cheating yourself from two really good artists that are going to interpret something. And oftentimes when they can't say a line or they keep messing up a line, it means the line needs to be changed. They're the truth through line. The director has to modulate their performances so that it fits into what they're trying to construct. But deep respect for actors, because they're gonna tell you a lot and hopefully they'll tell you in a way that is not upsetting a set or something. Hopefully you have a good relationship and that you can find as much as you can out from them and then guide it towards what your truth is.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, it's really well said. The tricky part sometimes is that the director is somewhat obligated and I would say it's sort of required that they come in with a plan such that everyone who is obligated to follow them has something to follow and there's a strategy to get the call sheet done that day and everything. But oftentimes that plan can be at odds with like, what you're saying, Tim, about how the actor might have a completely different idea or perspective or interpretation of what the scene is about and how it should be played. That could be at odds with some of the plans for the camera work and whatnot that have been in effect for months through prep and tech scouts and all that stuff. So there's a balance to strike there that's often somewhat tense because it's the day you have to shoot it and there's not a lot of room for reinterpretation.

[Tim Robbins]

Right. That's where you. That's where. That's where your talent as an actor, when you're directly comes in.

[Will Arnett]

Exactly.

[Sean Hayes]

To try to talk them into your way.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah.

[Will Arnett]

Do you. Do you guys. Do you guys remember. Good. Do you guys remember moments where you did a scene where you're directing a scene and an actor did something that so surprised you in the best way that you were like, fuck, yeah.

[Tim Robbins]

Yes, absolutely. Like, mind blowing stuff sometimes, you know, it's like. No, it's like. It's that moment where you go, we don't have to shoot this scene anymore. This is done. This is like that truth has been laid down.

[Sean Hayes]

Well, you don't need coverage of the other actor because this actor is killing it here. I'm just gonna wanna watch them listen and talk.

[Tim Robbins]

Yeah.

[Will Arnett]

The guy's like, wait, Wait a second. Are you turning around?

[Jason Bateman]

No, no, we got it. We got it.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, man.

[Will Arnett]

Tim, we've taken up way too much of your time, man. What a pleasure, dude.

[Tim Robbins]

My pleasure.

[Sean Hayes]

It was very nice of you to come and talk to us.

[Tim Robbins]

My pleasure.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah. And Silo season three. Silo season three is happening. It's coming. It's. It's on.

[Tim Robbins]

Is it on now?

[Jason Bateman]

It's on right now.

[Sean Hayes]

You May or may not be in it.

[Tim Robbins]

Well, I. Now I'm in it. I wasn't in. I wasn't in it till the end of July.

[Will Arnett]

Right.

[Tim Robbins]

And now we're somewhere in August.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah.

[Tim Robbins]

And the truth has been revealed. I'm actually alive. And I really love this show. I really stand by it 100%. It's a great, great show. Great writers, great actors, great everything. Crew. Everything was so beautiful about it. I love that at, you know, this stage of my career, I can go to a set and really kind of fall in love again with people. And in that old way you'd had when you were young, you know, you walk on a set and. And you're like, oh, my God, this is the best thing ever. I felt that about these people on Silo. I felt it.

[Sean Hayes]

That's great.

[Jason Bateman]

That's so great.

[Tim Robbins]

I love it. Such a great crew.

[Will Arnett]

Well, Silo, season three, timrobbins.com it's a multimedia portal. We've been through that.

[Tim Robbins]

Coming September 1st.

[Will Arnett]

Coming September 1st. Tim, you're just. You're just a. You're an icon. You're the best.

[Jason Bateman]

And thanks for the inspirational words today. Some of this really, really cool stuff. Thank you.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah.

[Tim Robbins]

Thank you, guys. Appreciate it.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah. All right.

[Will Arnett]

Thanks, dude.

[Sean Hayes]

Enjoy your day. Bye, buddy. The great Tim Robbins.

[Will Arnett]

Great Tim Robbins. The. The movies he's been in.

[Jason Bateman]

I know we didn't really talk. I. I. Did you. Did you guys see Arlington Road?

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, wow. No, I did not. I watched it.

[Tim Robbins]

Good movie.

[Will Arnett]

I don't think I ever saw.

[Jason Bateman]

I mean, I. I haven't seen it such a long time. I remember loving that movie. He plays some, like, psychotic or some. It's, like, about a small town that turns on them or he turns on them.

[Sean Hayes]

What about Jacob's Ladder? Wait, did one of my friends.

[Will Arnett]

Did you see it? It sounds like you didn't even see it.

[Jason Bateman]

I did, and I loved it, but I haven't seen it in decades. It was so.

[Sean Hayes]

Jacob's Ladder was one of the greatest movies. I have not seen it for years and years and years. I don't know if it holds up, but, man, I bet you it does.

[Will Arnett]

I bet you it does.

[Jason Bateman]

And with him in War of the Worlds. Did you see War of the Worlds with Tom Cruise In Spielberg film, right? Yeah. Really good. He was so good.

[Will Arnett]

Dude, dude, Think about the player, right?

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah.

[Will Arnett]

Remember how groundbreaking that was? The player was amazing.

[Sean Hayes]

What the. Did we just talk about for an hour?

[Jason Bateman]

I know.

[Sean Hayes]

Cover any of this.

[Will Arnett]

Sorry.

[Sean Hayes]

I know it's drive that interview.

[Jason Bateman]

Nobody Was. He was.

[Will Arnett]

He was teaching us stuff about life, man.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah. Just open up your mind, Sean.

[Jason Bateman]

I love that we're talking.

[Will Arnett]

Who are you mad at? Me?

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, we're. I love that we fan out after he leaves.

[Will Arnett]

I know, I know. Well, we did.

[Sean Hayes]

We get shy. Yeah, we get shy.

[Will Arnett]

I know, because I'm like. I'm like Shawshank Redemption, right?

[Jason Bateman]

I've seen that movie a hundred thousand times. God, is that so good?

[Sean Hayes]

And Dead Man Walking. What. What a director.

[Will Arnett]

By the way, Dead Man Walking is this.

[Sean Hayes]

I think Sean Penn won the Oscar for that.

[Will Arnett]

He did.

[Jason Bateman]

He did. Yeah. I remember when my dog had cancer and I was talking, taking. For his last walk around before we put him down, I said to his face, I said, dead dog walking felt so bad.

[Sean Hayes]

And he.

[Tim Robbins]

He laughed.

[Sean Hayes]

He laughed and he laughed.

[Will Arnett]

Oh, he laughed that way. In that way. He used to laughter.

[Jason Bateman]

A poor little Buzzy. Remember Buzzy?

[Will Arnett]

And he was also in. You know, I was thinking about the other film that he was.

[Sean Hayes]

Here it comes. Here it comes.

[Jason Bateman]

Well, I.

[Sean Hayes]

You could always hear when the. The little turn off the highway. Let's get to the off ramp. Willie, what's the name of the off ramp today?

[Will Arnett]

It's so sweaty.

[Jason Bateman]

What is it?

[Will Arnett]

Yeah. Do you remember that one film? Yeah.

[Jason Bateman]

What's this one?

[Will Arnett]

He had a great part of that movie by Fidelity.

[Jason Bateman]

Oh, God, that is terrible.

[Will Arnett]

Hi, Hot guy.

[Tim Robbins]

Vanilla.

[Jason Bateman]

Be

[Tim Robbins]

Smart Glass. Smart glass.

[Will Arnett]

Smartless is 100% organic and artisanally handcrafted by Rob Armjarv, Bennett Barbaco and Michael Granteri. Smart Less.

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[Jason Bateman]

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