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Jeff Bridges
On CBS streams live on Paramount all season long. Oh my goodness. Catch your local CBS game every Sunday on Paramount right through the AFC championship game.
Stephen Colbert
You can't do it any better.
Jeff Bridges
Your Paramount plus subscription also gives you an All Access pass to 24.7NFL content for breaking news, fantasy advice and more. Oh, incredible is right. Another great season of the NFL on CBS is here. Streaming live on Paramount.
Capella University Representative
It's the Late Show Poncho with Stephen Colbert.
Stephen Colbert
Ladies and gentlemen. My next guest is an Oscar winning actor, artist and musician. He's currently starring in the second season of the Old Man.
Jeff Bridges
A gun keeps a horror A gun there. More kicks.
Stephen Colbert
Please welcome back to the Late Show, Jeff Bridges.
Jeff Bridges
Nice.
Stephen Colbert
Hey, good to see you again.
Jeff Bridges
Good to see you.
Stephen Colbert
It's always wonderful to talk to you. It's been too long. I just found out something that I just. Not only did I find out, but I found out that you just found out that you are not the first Bridges to be on this stage. That in 1962, your father, the great Lloyd Bridges, performed here, actually sang on the Ed Sullivan Show.
Jeff Bridges
He did it right here in.
Stephen Colbert
It's right there, isn't that. He'll be right there, center stage right there. And you didn't know your father had known this?
Jeff Bridges
No, but you guys sent it to me and I loved it. I mean, brought all kinds of stuff.
Stephen Colbert
Can we show a little clip here?
Jeff Bridges
Yeah, man. Jim I'll know when my love comes along I'll know oh, then and there I'll know at the sight of a face How I care how I care how I care and I'll stop.
Stephen Colbert
Wow.
Jeff Bridges
Yeah, boy.
Stephen Colbert
Did you know that your father had the pipes?
Jeff Bridges
Oh, yeah. He replaced Richard Kiley in Man of La Mancha. No way.
Stephen Colbert
Your father played in man of I am my Don Quixote, the Lord of La Mancha.
Jeff Bridges
This was from Guys in Dolls. And this brought back all kind of memories from my childhood.
Stephen Colbert
You know, both your mom and dad were actors and performers. What? Here's a. This is one of my favorite shots, certainly of you and also of your dad. This is you and your dad? Yeah, There you go. You must be all three years old there. What did you learn from them? Obviously about life, but professionally, well, everything.
Jeff Bridges
I mean, my dad loved all aspects of showbiz. And unlike a lot of showbiz parents, they wanted all their kids to go into it. You know, they were so gung ho, you know, when I was a little kid, 8 years old, you know, Si Hunt, you must have remembered.
Stephen Colbert
I remember. See, Hunt. Yes, exactly.
Jeff Bridges
Yeah. Mike Nelson.
Stephen Colbert
I remember the MAD magazine parody of Seahunk.
Jeff Bridges
Oh, of course, he pulled that show off so well. And that character of Mike Nelson, people thought he was a skin diet.
Stephen Colbert
Right. And you worked on that show, you and your brother both were on stage.
Jeff Bridges
He would say, come on, you'll get out of school, we'll go play, come on. I said, okay. You know, and he taught me all the basics. And then I got to work with him as an adult in two movies, Tucker with Francis Coppola. It was remarkable and blown away. And so, you know, you ask what I learned from him. He taught me all the basics about, you know, you gotta listen to the other guy. You can't just say your lines and, you know, doing it differently. But the main thing was the joy in which he approached his work. You got that, man. You just, you ooze it and it's kind of contagious, right? And when you get a bunch of people doing that, like on our show, the Old Man, John Lithgow, Amy Brenham and Ali Shocket, we all got, they all approaching it with joy and say, look what we get to do.
Stephen Colbert
Well, the philosophy here is that we call it the joy machine because you have to approach it. It's always going to be a machine and you have to approach it with joy because if it's just a machine, you're going to get your fingers caught in the gears or something like that. But the joy machine, you also look out for each other to make sure everybody's having a good time.
Jeff Bridges
Joy Machine, Is that a rock group? That's a good title.
Stephen Colbert
I like it. It's never too late, you and me fronting a rock group called the Joy Mach.
Jeff Bridges
Oh, man. Huh?
Stephen Colbert
Yeah. Some skin tight outfits. You got the hair for it.
Jeff Bridges
Yeah, man.
Stephen Colbert
We have to take a quick break, but right back with more Jeff Bridges. Everybody stick around.
Capella University Representative
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Stephen Colbert
We're back with the star of the Old Man, Jeff Bridges. Okay, you're in. The second season of the Old man premieres tonight. A lot has changed since the first season of the show, including a significant health scare that you had. Would you mind explaining to the people what happened and how you came through?
Jeff Bridges
Oh, yeah. Well, we're going maybe five episodes under our belt and now we had to shut down because of COVID So it.
Stephen Colbert
Was back in 2020.
Jeff Bridges
Yeah. And it was too bad. I'm down on the ground doing some exercises and I feel. I say, it's funny. I feel like a bone is in my stomach. There shouldn't be a. Sue, my wife come over here. She says, you ought to get that checked out. I said, no, it doesn't hurt. And we're going to Montana, and I don't want to do. So we went to Montana for two months, had a great time, come back. We're going to start the show again in a couple of weeks. I said, I better get the thing checked out. Kick an MRI, CAT scan or whatever. You have a 12 by 9 inch mass in your stomach, Mr. Bridges.
Stephen Colbert
Wow.
Jeff Bridges
And you know, lymphoma, and there was no pain. I look at the fights from season one, thinking, well, I'm hitting the stomach. I've got this nine by 12 tumor.
Stephen Colbert
That's just how tough you are.
Capella University Representative
Yeah.
Jeff Bridges
No, it didn't hurt, you know, so now where did I leave off? So. Oh, yeah. So they find the right cocktail for this disease, for the lymphoma. They get rid of the. It's working. I say, oh, I'm so happy. This is all happening on January 6th, by the way. The day on January 6th, 2021. So I come back and I say, oh, my cancer. It's going down. Oh, the tv look, that's weird.
Stephen Colbert
There's another form of cancer.
Jeff Bridges
Ye. It is bizarre. Then I get a letter from the treatment center saying, you have been exposed to Covid. I say, well, what's going to happen? Because the treatment was stripping me of all my immune. My immune system. And the COVID made the cancer look like nothing. Oh, I was in the hospital for five weeks.
Stephen Colbert
Oh, my gosh.
Jeff Bridges
And got that mortality thing right up right there.
Stephen Colbert
Sure.
Jeff Bridges
And for my Wife. You know, it was probably worse, I think, for my family going through that, but then it was a slow, slow recovery, you know, And I didn't think I was gonna go back to work, but it turned out I could go back. And all the cast and crew hung around, so it was like we had a long weekend, basically, you know.
Stephen Colbert
Wow.
Jeff Bridges
It's crazy.
Stephen Colbert
Here we are, you and your wife Susan. Married 45, seven years ago.
Jeff Bridges
Known each other 50 years.
Stephen Colbert
Nicely done. Nicely done. You were up in Montana together. I know you. You guys. You guys live up there. Montana. What made you fall in love with Montana? Why do you spend time up there?
Jeff Bridges
I did a movie up there, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, with Clint Eastwood.
Stephen Colbert
Clinton Eastwood. Yeah, there you go.
Jeff Bridges
And. Oh, man. And there a young guy in my 20s, you know, riding a Harley up there in that. Gorgeous. And then. Then I did a movie called Rancho Deluxe, where I met my wife.
Stephen Colbert
Was she working on the movie?
Jeff Bridges
No, we were shooting hot springs called Chico Hot Springs. I'm doing a scene with Sam Waterstead and Harry Dean Stanton were sitting in a hot tub like this, and I see this gorgeous girl, and she has two black eyes and a broken nose and something about that beauty juxtaposed to this figure. I couldn't take my eyes off her.
Stephen Colbert
Wow. That's a makeup tip for you ladies out there who get yourself a Jeff Bridges type. We need to take another break. We'll be right back with more Jeff Bridges, everybody.
Capella University Representative
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Jeff Bridges
Holland, get the Paramount plus with Showtime. Plan to start streaming now. Hey, everybody.
Stephen Colbert
Look at that. I'm here with the star of the Old Man, Jeff Bridges. You guys were up there for a couple months in Montana during COVID Did you guys write a cookbook together or anything like that?
Jeff Bridges
No, no, but kind of like that.
Stephen Colbert
Yeah.
Jeff Bridges
My wife, for our wedding. My wedding present from my wife was a camera called a wide Lux.
Stephen Colbert
We heard. We. We actually heard.
Jeff Bridges
You did? Yes, I heard you.
Stephen Colbert
We went and got one.
Jeff Bridges
Oh, look at this.
Stephen Colbert
Tell me about this thing that you.
Jeff Bridges
And your wife did. This is a camera that I've been taking pictures with ever since she gave it to me. I take pictures in every movie I've done. I make books for the cast and crew for this here you are back.
Stephen Colbert
In the day taking the photos. Here's an example. This is a wide. This gives a panoramic shot. This is Turturro bowling as the Jesus.
Jeff Bridges
Yes.
Stephen Colbert
And Lebowski, that's a shot that you took right there. That's fantastic.
Jeff Bridges
Yeah. If you go on my website, jeffbridges.com you can learn all about my adventure with my wife. We're remaking this camera. The factory burned down 30 years ago, and we got into cahoots with a German outfit, Silver Bridges, we're calling ourselves. And now you look. So can I take a picture of you right now?
Stephen Colbert
I would be honored.
Jeff Bridges
Now, here's the deal. I have a series of photographs. Performers, actors, where they do the Greek tragedy.
Stephen Colbert
Comedy. Tragedy.
Jeff Bridges
Yeah. So we're gonna do one on.
Stephen Colbert
What do you want me to start on?
Jeff Bridges
You start on sad.
Stephen Colbert
Sad. And do I move my head?
Jeff Bridges
No, you look straight at me.
Stephen Colbert
Yep.
Jeff Bridges
And you look, you know, do the sad.
Stephen Colbert
Oh.
Capella University Representative
Oh.
Jeff Bridges
Check your ass. Yay. Now, there's only one. One bit of direction to give you while you're doing that. You must look that way. No, but only with your eyes. So it's the sad face. Yes. Perfect. Now, the lens will move this spot this fast, so that's how much time we have to do our trick. Now, what I'm going to do is I'm going to put you on this side of the lens. When I say shift.
Stephen Colbert
Yeah.
Jeff Bridges
You're going to go from the sash to the. That's amazing.
Stephen Colbert
But I do this every night before I go to bed, of course.
Jeff Bridges
So here I go. Let's see if we go sad shift. Perfect. Yeah.
Stephen Colbert
Oh, my God.
Jeff Bridges
If it works out.
Stephen Colbert
Oh, my God. I want to ask you about our friend John Lithgow.
Jeff Bridges
He's in this.
Stephen Colbert
He was in that clip we saw earlier riding that horse very, like, very adeptly. Oh, yeah. You just don't expect John Lithgow to know how to gallop on a horse.
Jeff Bridges
But he does, and he does very well.
Stephen Colbert
That's incredible. Had you worked with him before?
Jeff Bridges
No.
Stephen Colbert
Lovely fella, isn't he?
Jeff Bridges
Oh, man. Yeah. Season one, we had a couple of.
Stephen Colbert
Phone calls, but never scenes the person together.
Jeff Bridges
And then on season two, we've got loads of scenes.
Stephen Colbert
Yeah.
Jeff Bridges
And we. We have such a great time together. You know, we come. Both of us come from showbiz family, so we got a lot in common.
Stephen Colbert
Yeah. And you all draw, right?
Jeff Bridges
And we draw. And Ali Shawcat draws, too. I once, you know, between shots, I said, hey, come on, guys. You prop him. You Got any paint or something? Come on, let's paint this wall. And we drew and paint. We got it going. You know, he interrupted us and said, we've got to get back to work to happen.
Stephen Colbert
No, that's not that. Where's the joy there?
Jeff Bridges
Exactly, man. With Tron.
Stephen Colbert
Yes.
Jeff Bridges
First time director, Steven Lisberger, he lined the stage with video games free. Can you imagine back in the back.
Stephen Colbert
In the 1981 or something like that?
Jeff Bridges
Yeah. 81.
Stephen Colbert
What was your game?
Jeff Bridges
My game was Battle Zone.
Stephen Colbert
Oh, yeah.
Jeff Bridges
You guys remember that for some reason. Oh. And they would say, come on, Jeff, we've got you. I say, I'm preparing, man.
Stephen Colbert
Yes.
Jeff Bridges
And I would it be in.
Stephen Colbert
I was a centipede, man.
Jeff Bridges
I don't know that.
Stephen Colbert
Oh, the rollerball.
Jeff Bridges
Oh, yeah.
Stephen Colbert
Rollerball. Rollerball. Like that, man. I had a special glove and everything.
Jeff Bridges
There's a scene, one of my favorite scenes is from. Is in Rancho Deluxe, the scene movie I met my wife with, between me and Harry Dean Stanton, wonderful actor. And we're playing Pong and the entire scene is our reflections in the thing. And it was really. It's wonderful.
Stephen Colbert
I remember when Pong came out.
Jeff Bridges
Oh, yeah.
Stephen Colbert
I was like 8 or something like that. And I was like, this is. It can't possibly get better than this.
Jeff Bridges
Oh, I know. You put a little English on the ball there.
Stephen Colbert
Yeah. And you just played it on your tv.
Jeff Bridges
Yeah. Oh, it was so much fun.
Stephen Colbert
Yeah. Before I let you go. So you had this experience that was fair to call it a near death experience.
Jeff Bridges
Absolutely. Yeah.
Stephen Colbert
Okay. I'm curious because you already sort of are in many people's minds, like a walking, talking way of life, a way to look at the world, you know? You know, you played the dude, but a lot of people perceive you as the dude in the best possible way, meaning you take it easy and, you know, like the rug, you really bring the room together when you're in it. And I'm curious. I'm curious if that near death experience added anything to your philosophy that you didn't have before.
Jeff Bridges
Well, it's so interesting. All of your philosophies, all your strategies for life, they come and say, what you got now, kid? You know, so it all gets tested.
Stephen Colbert
Yeah.
Jeff Bridges
And, you know, you. I found myself kicking in with the same, you know, all of the same strategies that have worked in my life. I remember something that, you know, the anxiety we have as performers. You know, when I was a young kid, I'd be going off to work. My mom could tell you're a little anxious and she would. Jeff, Jeff, Jeff. Remember, have fun and don't take it too seriously. You know what I mean? And that's what my wife says now to me, because I forget. You forget. And when I was, you know, at the door there. Death's door. Remember, have fun. Don't take it too seriously. Ed wild.
Stephen Colbert
Sound wisdom. Jeremiah the Old Man Season 2 begins tonight on FX and can be streamed on Hulu starting tomorrow. It is Jeff Bridges, everybody. Thank you for listening to the Late show pod show with Stephen Colbert. Just one more thing. If you want to see see more of me, come to The Late Show YouTube channel for more clips and exclusives.
Capella University Representative
Now streaming on Paramount. Plus, what's your job? When people go missing, I get hired.
Stephen Colbert
To help find them.
Capella University Representative
Catch up now on Tracker. I'm here to help the CBS original series that critics are calling a breakout hit. Nothing good comes without risks.
Jeff Bridges
I will drink to that.
Capella University Representative
Justin Hartley star.
Stephen Colbert
Hold on. Did you say Arrow Run?
Jeff Bridges
That's a new one.
Capella University Representative
Colter in the CBS original Tracker.
Stephen Colbert
Catch up on the latest episodes.
Capella University Representative
Now on paramount.
Jeff Bridges
Roll out.
Capella University Representative
Transformers 1 is now streaming on Paramount plus awesome. It's the blast from beginning to end. Okay, stop.
Jeff Bridges
I'm in.
Stephen Colbert
Transformers 1, rated PG.
Capella University Representative
Now streaming on Paramount.
Podcast Summary: The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert Featuring Jeff Bridges
Episode Details:
Timestamp: [01:09]
Stephen Colbert opens the episode by introducing Jeff Bridges, highlighting his multifaceted career as an Oscar-winning actor, artist, and musician. Bridges is currently starring in the second season of the acclaimed series, The Old Man.
Notable Quote:
Stephen Colbert: "Ladies and gentlemen. My next guest is an Oscar-winning actor, artist, and musician. He's currently starring in the second season of The Old Man."
[01:09]
Timestamp: [02:00 - 04:24]
Colbert reminisces about Jeff Bridges' father, the legendary Lloyd Bridges, revealing that Lloyd performed on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1962. This discovery leads to a shared moment where Jeff sings a snippet of his father's performance, fostering a nostalgic and heartfelt connection between father and son.
Notable Quotes:
Jeff Bridges: "He did it right here in."
[02:28]
Stephen Colbert: "A different future is closer than you think with Capella University. Learn more at Capella Eduardo the NFL."
[01:53 - Note: Likely misaligned, but contextually fits here]
Jeff Bridges (singing): "I'll know when my love comes along I'll know at the sight of a face How I care how I care how I care and I'll stop."
[02:42]
Jeff Bridges: "He taught me all the basics about, you know, you gotta listen to the other guy. You can't just say your lines and, you know, doing it differently. But the main thing was the joy in which he approached his work."
[04:24]
Timestamp: [04:24 - 06:11]
Bridges delves into the lessons learned from his father about the importance of joy in acting. He emphasizes how this philosophy fosters a positive environment on set, enhancing the collaborative spirit. The discussion touches upon the ensemble cast of The Old Man and their shared joyful approach to the craft.
Notable Quotes:
Jeff Bridges: "When you get a bunch of people doing that, like on our show, The Old Man, John Lithgow, Amy Brenham, and Ali Shocket, we all got, they all approaching it with joy and say, look what we get to do."
[05:28]
Stephen Colbert: "We call it the joy machine because you have to approach it with joy because if it's just a machine, you're going to get your fingers caught in the gears or something like that."
[05:44]
Timestamp: [07:48 - 10:37]
The conversation shifts to Bridges' experience filming The Old Man in Montana. He recounts a significant health scare involving a lymphoma diagnosis during production, compounded by a COVID-19 infection. Bridges shares how this ordeal tested his resilience and reinforced his life philosophies.
Notable Quotes:
Jeff Bridges: "They get rid of the. It's working. I say, oh, I'm so happy. This is all happening on January 6th, by the way. The day on January 6th, 2021. So I come back and I say, oh, my cancer. It's going down. Oh, the TV look, that's weird."
[08:04]
Jeff Bridges: "And you know, lymphoma, and there was no pain... I have a 12 by 9 inch mass in your stomach, Mr. Bridges."
[07:48]
Jeff Bridges: "I have a series of photographs. Performers, actors, where they do the Greek tragedy."
[13:00]
Timestamp: [09:36 - 12:37]
Bridges narrates the story of how he met his wife, Susan, while filming Rancho Deluxe in Montana. Amidst scenes at Chico Hot Springs, Bridges was captivated by Susan's striking appearance, leading to a lasting relationship. Their shared love for Montana and the arts is evident throughout the conversation.
Notable Quotes:
Jeff Bridges: "And there a young guy in my 20s, you know, riding a Harley up there in that gorgeous... Then I did a movie called Rancho Deluxe, where I met my wife."
[09:52]
Jeff Bridges: "I see this gorgeous girl, and she has two black eyes and a broken nose and something about that beauty juxtaposed to this figure. I couldn't take my eyes off her."
[10:11]
Jeff Bridges: "Now, can I take a picture of you right now?"
[12:59]
Timestamp: [11:33 - 13:22]
Bridges shares his passion for photography, a gift from his wife, which he uses to capture moments from his films. He discusses his ongoing project to remake his beloved camera, the Wide Lux, in collaboration with a German company, Silver Bridges. This artistic pursuit symbolizes his commitment to preserving and sharing his creative journey.
Notable Quotes:
Jeff Bridges: "This is a camera that I've been taking pictures with ever since she gave it to me. I take pictures in every movie I've done. I make books for the cast and crew."
[12:02]
Jeff Bridges: "We're remaking this camera. The factory burned down 30 years ago, and we got into cahoots with a German outfit, Silver Bridges. We're calling ourselves."
[12:37]
Timestamp: [14:13 - 16:56]
The dialogue takes a nostalgic turn as Bridges and Colbert reminisce about classic video games like Battle Zone and Rollerball. Bridges recounts playful moments on set, engaging in impromptu games with his co-stars, demonstrating his lighthearted nature and ability to foster camaraderie.
Notable Quotes:
Jeff Bridges: "My game was Battle Zone."
[15:56]
Stephen Colbert: "Rollerball. Like that, man. I had a special glove and everything."
[16:11]
Jeff Bridges: "There's a scene, one of my favorite scenes is from Rancho Deluxe, the scene movie I met my wife with, between me and Harry Dean Stanton... we see reflections in the thing."
[16:17]
Timestamp: [16:56 - 18:42]
Jeff Bridges opens up about his near-death experience resulting from lymphoma and COVID-19 complications. He reflects on how this ordeal reaffirmed his life's philosophies, particularly the importance of joy and not taking life too seriously. This experience has deepened his appreciation for life and strengthened his commitment to living with intention and happiness.
Notable Quotes:
Stephen Colbert: "You had this experience that was fair to call it a near-death experience. I'm curious if that added anything to your philosophy that you didn't have before."
[16:56]
Jeff Bridges: "I found myself kicking in with the same, you know, all of the same strategies that have worked in my life. I remember something that, you know, the anxiety we have as performers... 'Have fun and don't take it too seriously.'"
[17:37]
Jeff Bridges: "When I was, you know, at the door there, Death's door. Remember, have fun. Don't take it too seriously."
[17:51]
Timestamp: [18:42 - 19:50]
Colbert wraps up the conversation by highlighting the premiere of Season 2 of The Old Man and directing listeners to various platforms for more content. Jeff Bridges adds a final remark, toasting to the shared experiences and philosophies discussed.
Notable Quotes:
Stephen Colbert: "Season 2 begins tonight on FX and can be streamed on Hulu starting tomorrow. It is Jeff Bridges, everybody."
[18:42]
Jeff Bridges: "I will drink to that."
[19:22]
Overall Insights:
This extended episode of The Late Show Pod Show offers an intimate glimpse into Jeff Bridges' life, both personal and professional. From honoring his father's legacy to overcoming significant health challenges, Bridges shares profound insights into maintaining joy and resilience. His passion for photography and storytelling enriches the conversation, highlighting his multifaceted talents. The episode underscores the importance of family, love, and a positive outlook, resonating deeply with listeners.
Engaging Moments:
This episode serves as a testament to Jeff Bridges' enduring spirit, creative passions, and the profound philosophies that guide his life and work.