← Straight Shooter with Stephen A.
Straight Shooter with Stephen A.
Interview Only: Rob Lowe blows up the show with his Sports Knowledge and hypes his game show.
00:16:16
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- [00:00]
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Geico Representative
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Rob Lowe
Bikes like I do.
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Geico Representative
I'm happy as a clam. No conclusive scientific research has shown clams can experience happiness.
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Rob Lowe
It just meant that I feel really.
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Stephen A. Smith
Good about my coverage.
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Geico Representative
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- [01:02]
Stephen A. Smith
My guest is an award winning actor, producer, director, best selling author and the host and producer of the hit FOX game show the Floor. I'm pleased to welcome my buddy, the one and only Rob Lowe to the show. How are you, Rob? How's everything, man?
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Rob Lowe
I'm very good. It's, it's, it's great to talk to you as always. You know, the week leading up to the super bowl, there's nobody I'd rather talk to than you.
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Stephen A. Smith
I appreciate that. Feeling's mutual, my man. Before I get into your hit game show though, I want to offer my condolences to your family before I do anything else. I understand your brother Chad lost his homes in the Palisades wildfire. How's everything going in that regard?
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Rob Lowe
Man, you just can't imagine it. I mean, it's unimaginable what he and all his neighbors, every single one of his friends, you know, he got out with his, his kids, his wife, their goldfish, their three cats, and that's it.
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Stephen A. Smith
Wow.
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Rob Lowe
So we've, you know, I've given him lots of clothes. I've been housing people, looking for new housing for everybody. It's just a, it's truly a one day at a time for, for so many people and you just never can believe it's ever going to happen to you or your family.
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Stephen A. Smith
Until it does, I don't mind tackling the issue of politics or anything else. But I don't expect everybody to be like I am. So I'll ask this question in a general perspective and let you take it wherever you want to go, whether it's. Whether it's state politicians, whether it's a bureaucracy that's existed for years, whatever the case may be. How do you believe a bunch of Los Angeles and a bunch of Californians are. Could you pretty much explain for us your mindset and your mentality and that of folks who live out there how you're feeling right now in light of everything that's transpired and most importantly, how it's been handled?
- [02:56]
Rob Lowe
Well, 100%. And I come with a kind of unique perspective on this, Stephen. I've lived in Southern California since 1976. One of my first memories of moving to Malibu, which has burned many, many times and burned in this fire, was. Was looking up and seeing the gigantic fire roads that were cut into the mountains. They're gone.
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Stephen A. Smith
Wow.
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Rob Lowe
They haven't cut fire roads into the mountains, and you'd have to ask the policymakers, but they're not there anymore. And I play a first responder on 911. Lone Star.
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Stephen A. Smith
That's right.
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Rob Lowe
And I've housed firemen on my property during the last big fire in Santa Barbara. So I know from top to bottom, you know, that the. The culture of decision making around forestry. I'm not. I don't know the technical. But that. That's been a real problem. And they've screwed it up 100%. And you can just look at it. Where are the fire roads? They're not there. They used to be there. We used to ride our bikes on them. BMX on them. They were great. So the chickens have come home to roost on the other side of it. If a fire starts where it did during those winds, it's gonna do whatever it wants to do. Really and truly it is. I do know that there were reports of people lighting fireworks off.
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Stephen A. Smith
Right.
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Rob Lowe
Day in and day out. Not day in and day out. I don't want to. I don't want to over exaggerate this. I want to be really careful because what I'm about to say is true. There were people lighting fireworks four or five times a month right where that stopped. The Palisades community would report it. The Palisades have one policeman.
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Stephen A. Smith
One.
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Rob Lowe
One what? And when they go. One. And when they go to whoever they would go to, I don't want to name names because I don't want to be wrong. City council, I don't know if it's that. But whoever they would go to, they would say, well, you're not a high crime area and our resources are limited. So that one policeman doesn't really, you know, what are they going to do? Go up there and scout out the fireworks?
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Stephen A. Smith
Right.
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Rob Lowe
New Year's Eve there was the fireworks were set off again. It lit off a brush fire about an acre. They put it out, but the working theory I'm hearing is that it wasn't fully put out because embers, you've had a fireplace. If your fire goes out and you come back and look at it the next day, there's still embers, that maybe those embers blew in the wind. But my point being, Stephen, is at some point when you cut and cut and cut and you change policy and you don't listen to experts, the chickens are going to come home to roost. And they have.
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Stephen A. Smith
My last question on this subject would be this. We all know the kind of politics the state of California has leaned towards for many, many years. And we see a new president in office and how he came to California and he went right at the mayor of Los Angeles and Karen Bass. He didn't pull any punches in terms of how he talks about the governor, Gavin Newsom. And for the first time in many, many years, if not my lifetime, I feel a shift taking place where you got Californians that they look like they're sick and tired. This was like the last straw, as far as I could say, as far as I could tell. And it looks like there's the possibility of, of change coming to the state in that regard. Am I off in saying that?
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Rob Lowe
No, you're not off. I watched the roundtable from start to finish and you know, people were being told by the National Guard and FEMA and people like that that it would be 18 months to rebuild. That's they were actually being told. And then the mayor would say something else. So, you know, you saw firsthand the rigamarole and the mumbo jumbo that's going on. And I look and I get it. It's unfolding in real time and people are doing the best that they can. But I think people are ready for some accountability and they're ready to have water in the reservoirs when they need it, frankly.
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Stephen A. Smith
Yeah, I got you. Let's move on to more pleasant topic because you've got a hit show, it's the Floor, and I want you to talk about that a little bit. Tell us about it and for those who are not familiar with it, explain the premise of it.
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Rob Lowe
All. So the Floor, you know, STEPHEN A. We, we. Fox gave us the most coveted. Other than the Stephen A. Smith empire, the most coveted thing in media is what is on after the Super Bowl. They gave us that slot. So my show, the Floor, will be right after the super bowl, you know, and it's because the, the gameplay of the floor, the game itself, the Floor, is so addicting that Fox has said we got to get more, you know, people are going to love it and just become insta fans. And it's really true. You'll go from watching, you know, America's favorite game to playing the most addicting game that I've, I've come across. I love it. And I love that whether you're 10 years old, 80 years old, male, female, no matter what, everybody loves the Floor. They love playing that damn game at home.
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Stephen A. Smith
I heard it's filmed in Ireland. Is that true? Ireland.
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Rob Lowe
Talk about California. Ready for a change? I sit in the offices at Fox. We look out at all the sound stages. They're five feet away. And it's cheaper and more productive to take 100American contestants and fly to Ireland. Do it. That's something about. I don't know much about business, but that can't be very right.
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Stephen A. Smith
Yes.
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Rob Lowe
For a business climate.
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Stephen A. Smith
That can't. That can't. So basically it's an island because it's cheaper than it is to do it in California. That is insane.
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Rob Lowe
Yeah, 100%. That's exactly it.
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Stephen A. Smith
Wow. I don't even know what to say about that. How could you feel good if you're the state of California and think it's cheaper to take an Entire crew, over 100 people, out of the country to another place than it is to do it right there in their own backyard?
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Rob Lowe
That, by the way, STEPHEN A. That's the way it is with everything. I'm. I'm looking at what my next show is going to be because Lone Star is finishing in every studio, every network is telling me they will not shoot in Los Angeles. Will not.
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Stephen A. Smith
Wow. Wow. And how does that make you feel considering that you've been living there since the 70s?
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Rob Lowe
It's outrageous. I mean, this is. This is the one thing, not the one thing, but certainly it's probably America's single best export is entertainment.
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Stephen A. Smith
Wow.
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Rob Lowe
We do that better than anybody in the world.
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Stephen A. Smith
You do.
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Rob Lowe
Still you do. And where do we do it? Hollywood. Not anymore. It's Vancouver, it's Budapest, it's Ireland, it's New Mexico, it's Toronto, but it is not Hollywood. And we have had and I. Idiots in charge of this. And letting that this has slipped away is criminal. Criminal.
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Stephen A. Smith
Wow. And let's not forget Atlanta. They're in Atlanta.
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Rob Lowe
Two films in Atlanta.
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Stephen A. Smith
Absolutely.
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Rob Lowe
Oh, last time I was in Atlanta, Stephen A. Yeah. We couldn't get enough people to work on the crew because there were like, I believe, 67 Productions. I'm not making that up in Atlanta.
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Stephen A. Smith
Wow. Businesses thriving in other places, but not Los Angeles, California or California, period. Listen, let me tell. Let me put a smile on your face about something in California. The Lakers, they're kind of relevant right now. I mean, they're top. They're top five seed in the Western Conference right now. About six games above.500. I mean, you know, they're not looking so bad right now. Rob, how you feeling about it?
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Rob Lowe
Listen, if we'd have had this conversation a few weeks ago, it wouldn't have been this conversation.
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Stephen A. Smith
That's true.
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Rob Lowe
They turned it know they've got Superman, you know, they've got the ageless wonder, LeBron James. And, you know, AD is doing his thing. And, you know, I always say, as AD Goes, so go the Lakers. And they got this, the kid, the point guard. God. I mean, it's exciting. Exciting times to be a Laker fan.
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Stephen A. Smith
You know, I said, I was on TV the other day, and somebody said to me, what should the Lakers do? And I said, whatever Anthony Davis wants. If Anthony Davis says they need a five, get him a five. Because the way he's balling right now, you know, they go where he'll take them. Because even with LeBron still being great, you need AD to be AD at his best. And he's saying, I need a 5 so I can play my natural position. So now it's up to Rob Pelinka. All right? Your. Your. Your doppelganger, as they say. And then now it's up to. Right now it's up to Rob Pelinka to go out and get a five for the Los Angeles Lakers so AD can be happy. Wouldn't you say that's a good strategy?
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Rob Lowe
It's a great strategy. They need to take a page from my Dodgers and go out and get the best in class.
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Stephen A. Smith
Yes. By the way, speaking of your Dodgers for a real quick second, you don't have any problem with them buying every damn thing. I mean, you know, you got Shohei Ohtani deferring, you know, most of his $700 million. You got them having everything. I mean, they could buy everybody right now, and there's nothing you could do about it. You don't mind that at all.
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Rob Lowe
Here's what I. Here's. No, I don't, because I'm a fan and I like to win. But, you know, there's a lot of guys with a lot of money. The Mets could be doing it. I believe it's Mr. Rubenstein. The Orioles could be doing it. They've got. They've got every bit as much money. They're not doing it. Why are they not doing it?
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Stephen A. Smith
Yeah.
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Rob Lowe
So where I do find it tough is, you know, my friends, the Atanasios own the Brewers.
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Stephen A. Smith
Okay.
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Rob Lowe
And they don't have that kind of money. The Castellinis own the Reds. You know, I know all these folks, right. And the. So that's where I feel like, you know, at some point, I actually hope I'm wrong, but I feel like we're working our way to a lockout or something, because at some point it will be untenable.
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Stephen A. Smith
Yeah.
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Rob Lowe
But it's all within the rules. I think there's going to have to be a change that. The Players association is not going to want that. Obviously, they want to get the people play paid. So I. I don't know where it all ends, but the. The Dodgers are just being smarter and more generous, but. Hey, man, Stevie Cohen, open up the checkbook, you.
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Stephen A. Smith
He is. I don't think he's going to hesitate to, but then again, he's fighting with Pete Alonzo. I don't know how that's going to work out.
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Rob Lowe
That's unbelievable.
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Stephen A. Smith
Why is that? Why is that? Right?
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Rob Lowe
I know. I love the polar bear. I love watching him. There's nothing more exciting in baseball than a pop fly that you're not sure he's going to catch.
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Stephen A. Smith
Right.
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Rob Lowe
There's nothing. There's. There's nothing. But I love him.
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Stephen A. Smith
Listen, I like him a lot. I hope he resigns. But there was some slippage last year. I mean, they were the best. They were a great, great story in the postseason. Like the Cardiac kids, the way they were so feisty or whatever. But there was some slippage for him, and. And I don't think that's about him. I think it's about Scott Boris getting in the way, and I think that's problematic. He's got to watch himself. Don't let your agent get in the way of the bottom line. And when all is said and done. But before I let you go, let me transition to football, because we had a Super bowl coming up, and I can't let you go without getting your take on this. The Philadelphia Eagles ramroded the Washington Commanders and, and, and we saw Patrick Mahomes once again pulling out a victory against the Buffalo Bills. It's going to be Kansas City, Philadelphia, rematch in the super bowl from a couple of years ago. What are your initial thoughts?
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Rob Lowe
I have so many thoughts. I mean, you can't argue with. With greatness. You know, a lot of people want to hate on greatness. A lot of people get tired of greatness, you know. You know, the refs are in the tank all whatever the heck. I'm tired of Taylor Swift and whatever. They're great, dude.
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Stephen A. Smith
Yeah.
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Rob Lowe
And you know what? I went to Arrowhead, I want to say last year. And when you watch these guys up close, it's a whole different thing. There's something about television that does not capture his ability to see with eyes behind his head and just move to the left and extend plays. He. We should be thankful that we get to watch this kind of greatness. I was bummed for Josh Allen, but you know what? They're not ready. That team ain't ready. They're not ready.
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Stephen A. Smith
Yeah.
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Rob Lowe
Sorry.
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Stephen A. Smith
Yeah.
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Rob Lowe
King Cage.
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Stephen A. Smith
King Cage. You got to catch that pass. You got to catch that pass. Just like Mark Andrews against. For Baltimore. You got to catch that pass. You got to catch that two point. It's what you do. You get paid to do this. You can't mess that up. Having said all of that, Philadelphia, Kansas City, you're leaning towards.
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Rob Lowe
So I saw Saquon play against the Rams this year.
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Stephen A. Smith
Yes. When he ran. I mean, I saw, I got to.
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Rob Lowe
See Ladamian during his gigantic season in San Diego back in the day.
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Stephen A. Smith
It wasn't.
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Rob Lowe
And that's what it reminds me. It's just like you just get that energy. You can see every time he touches the ball, you think, oh, he's, he's, he's breaking it to the house. You just kind of know it's going to happen. So I think this is going to be a great, great, great, great super bowl for sure. The best two teams are in it.
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Stephen A. Smith
I think that's what it's going to take for the Eagles to beat Kansas City. Saquon has to have a big game even though Jalen hurts. Got to play two. It can't be. It's in. Jalen hurts hands against Patrick Mahomes. That ain't going to get it done. Saquon has to demoralize Kansas City and Steve Spagnola's defense in order to for the Eagles to win the super bowl championship. What do you think about that prognostication I agree.
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Rob Lowe
And I think you go to that first. One of the things I didn't like about Buffalo, I didn't like Buffalo's play calling on first and second down at all. It's like when they finally got into, like, when they needed it, then they started calling the plays I thought they should have been playing all along. So let's not wait till the, you know, the, the, the second half to go. Where's Saquon? Let's get. Feed that man the ball from the jump.
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Stephen A. Smith
New season of The Floor premieres February 9th on Fox. The one and only Rob Lowe. Appreciate you, my man. Always good talking to you. Can't wait to see you. You take it easy, all right?
- [17:05]
Rob Lowe
Thank you. It's great to see you, as always.
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Stephen A. Smith
All right, buddy.
- [17:07]
Rob Lowe
Thank you.
- [17:15]
Greg Rosenthal
What's up, everyone? It's Greg Rosenthal, and I'm teaming up with the king of spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season season. From DJs, mock drafts to my top 101, free agents will have it covered for you with all new episodes every Thursday, keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents starting on March 6th on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.
- [17:46]
Stephen A. Smith
What's up, everyone? Julie Swearbinks here along with former NHL player Nate Thompson.
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Geico Representative
We're doing a new podcast together. Here we go.
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Stephen A. Smith
The name Energy Line with Nate and jsb.
- [17:57]
Geico Representative
Each week we'll get together and talk about hockey life. All topics are fair game, right?
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Stephen A. Smith
Exactly. And you'll never know who will drop by to join us.
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Geico Representative
Julie is pretty well connected. She has text threads going that you wouldn't believe.
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Stephen A. Smith
Listen to Energy Line with Nate and jsb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.