Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Where Everybody Knows Your Name with Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson"
Episode: Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman
Release Date: November 6, 2024

In this engaging episode of "Where Everybody Knows Your Name," hosts Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson reunite to welcome the dynamic duo of Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman. Known for their memorable roles as Mopey surly characters on "Parks and Recreation," Megan and Nick bring a blend of comedy, acting prowess, and personal anecdotes that captivate listeners from start to finish.

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1. Introducing the Power Couple

[01:05] Ted Danson opens the episode by introducing Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman, highlighting their deep-rooted friendship and professional collaborations over the years. Ted reminisces about his and Woody’s separate encounters with Megan and Nick, setting the stage for a heartfelt and humorous conversation.

Notable Quote:
Ted Danson: "Woody and I have separately crossed paths with Nick and Megan over the years... I'm very excited for you all to get to know them."
[01:05]

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2. The Genesis of Their Friendship

The conversation delves into how Woody and Nick first met during the "Berlin Circle" play in 2000. Woody shares humorous insights about Nick’s unconventional living conditions at the time and the initial impressions that led to their lasting bond.

Notable Quote:
Woody Harrelson: "Nick was living in someone's unfinished basement with no floor... By morning it's gone. It's undetectable."
[02:32]

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3. Building Chemistry On and Off the Stage

Woody recounts the surprising chemistry between Megan and Nick, despite their differing backgrounds. He humorously describes his initial reluctance and eventual attraction, emphasizing the genuine connection that fostered their friendship.

Notable Quote:
Woody Harrelson: "At first, I just was like, oh, you're really funny. We were friendly and cordial. ... And then I introduced myself and was like, oh, this is going to be fun."
[04:55]

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4. Megan and Nick’s Creative Ventures

Megan praises the couple’s creativity, noting their ventures beyond acting into music and woodworking. Woody introduces their band, "Nancy and Beth," detailing how they blend singing, dancing, and innovative choreography to create unique performances.

Notable Quote:
Woody Harrelson: "I try to take each song and create like a little world for it. ... The key to the band for me is picking the right songs and then coming up with how to interpret them through, you know, singing and movement."
[14:24]

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5. Celebrating Acting Careers and Personal Growth

The discussion shifts to their acting careers, with Woody reflecting on his transformative role in "Parks and Recreation." He credits director Mike Schur for enabling his creative freedom, which allowed him to develop the beloved character Ron Swanson.

Notable Quote:
Woody Harrelson: "He saw through the facial hair to a spark of charisma... He gave me total freedom."
[35:18]

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6. The Art of Improvisation and Collaboration

Ted and the guests explore the nuances of improvisation in acting. Megan shares her reputation as an "improviser killer," while Woody and Nick discuss the balance between spontaneity and maintaining the narrative integrity of a scene.

Notable Quote:
Megan Mullally: "I will improvise with you and I'll be having fun. It'll be great. And then I get scared. Like someone's chasing me and I freeze and scream."
[33:43]

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7. Woody’s Passion for Woodworking and Sustainability

Nick delves into Woody’s woodworking endeavors, highlighting his commitment to sustainable practices through his business collaborations. Woody proudly discusses his projects, such as the custom "Zeus's Wagon Wheel" table, and his involvement with programs like Woodworks Downtown, which empowers individuals experiencing homelessness through woodworking skills.

Notable Quote:
Woody Harrelson: "We make bespoke pieces, custom pieces, but then also we work with a great program called Woodworks Downtown that teaches people living with homelessness."
[25:23]

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8. Personal Stories and Family Ties

A heartfelt segment where Woody shares the discovery of his late mother’s extensive collection of love letters, contemplating a potential podcast series centered around these poignant correspondences. This revelation leads to a nostalgic discussion about family, love, and the enduring impact of parental relationships.

Notable Quote:
Woody Harrelson: "I found two giant barrels stuffed with letters... some of the guys were so chaste. They were all virgins."
[59:42]

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9. Reflections on Religion and Spirituality

The guests touch upon their upbringing in religious households, contrasting their experiences with organized religion versus personal spirituality. Woody expresses his appreciation for nature as a spiritual sanctuary, moving away from the rigidity of his early religious education.

Notable Quote:
Woody Harrelson: "Organized religion is not as effective as Eastern religions. I get a lot more churchy feeling out in the woods."
[56:36]

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10. Wrapping Up with Laughter and Camaraderie

The episode concludes with light-hearted banter and reflections on their collaborative projects. Megan and Nick express their gratitude for the opportunity to connect with Woody and Ted, celebrating their shared history and the enduring friendships that have shaped their careers.

Notable Quote:
Nick Offerman: "You don't seem like the type of people who wait for the phone to ring... you're making your own magic."
[59:24]

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Conclusion

This episode is a delightful blend of humor, heartfelt stories, and insightful discussions. Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman's presence adds depth and warmth, making it a must-listen for fans of comedy, acting, and genuine friendship. From woodworking tales to reflections on love and spirituality, the conversation offers a comprehensive look into the lives and creative minds of these beloved actors.

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Notable Quotes Overview:

• Ted Danson: "Woody and I have separately crossed paths with Nick and Megan over the years... I'm very excited for you all to get to know them."
  [01:05]

• Woody Harrelson: "Nick was living in someone's unfinished basement with no floor... By morning it's gone. It's undetectable."
  [02:32]

• Woody Harrelson: "At first, I just was like, oh, you're really funny... And then I introduced myself and was like, oh, this is going to be fun."
  [04:55]

• Woody Harrelson: "I try to take each song and create like a little world for it... through singing and movement."
  [14:24]

• Woody Harrelson: "He saw through the facial hair to a spark of charisma... He gave me total freedom."
  [35:18]

• Megan Mullally: "I will improvise with you and I'll be having fun... And then I get scared. Like someone's chasing me and I freeze and scream."
  [33:43]

• Woody Harrelson: "We make bespoke pieces, custom pieces... Woodworks Downtown that teaches people living with homelessness."
  [25:23]

• Woody Harrelson: "I found two giant barrels stuffed with letters... they were all virgins."
  [59:42]

• Woody Harrelson: "Organized religion is not as effective as Eastern religions. I get a lot more churchy feeling out in the woods."
  [56:36]

• Nick Offerman: "You don't seem like the type of people who wait for the phone to ring... you're making your own magic."
  [59:24]

---

This comprehensive summary encapsulates the essence of the podcast episode, providing listeners with a clear understanding of the key discussions, insights, and the vibrant chemistry between the guests. Whether you're a longtime fan or new to their work, this episode offers a rich and entertaining experience.

Transcript

[Ted Danson]

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[Woody Harrelson]

Summer of 69. No apostrophe.

[Ted Danson]

Welcome back to where everybody knows your name with me, Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson. Sometimes. Today, Woody and I are welcoming our first couple to the podcast, Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman. Actually, they're more like a comedy and acting power couple, which is obvious if you saw them on Parks and Recreation as Ro and Tammy. Woody and I have separately crossed paths with Nick and Megan over the years. Woody did a spell on Will and Grace back in the early 2000s. Mary and I have known them for several years. And I got to work with Nick on Fargo and hearts beat loud. I'm very excited for you all to get to know them. So here they are. Nick Offerman and Megan Mul.

[Megan Mullally]

Megan Mullally, Nick Offerman. That's who we're sitting here talking to. In case you didn't catch on, there's.

[Nick Offerman]

Gonna be some kind of intro that we'll put in after the fact. Dude, they don't. You're not telling him anything new right now. They are told to.

[Megan Mullally]

I'm just trying to be a good boy.

[Ted Danson]

We hate intro.

[Nick Offerman]

You're right.

[Woody Harrelson]

Now you'll know for sure.

Nick, say good afternoon.

The signature.

[Megan Mullally]

Now we know who we're talking to.

[Nick Offerman]

Anyway, let's get back to them. So you guys met on Berlin Circle?

[Woody Harrelson]

Yes. In the year 2000. Ironically. Yeah. And so I was between the second and third seasons of Will and Grace during the hiatus, and Nick was so. And I knew this guy who was the producer, and he was like, what are you doing? Do you wanna read this script? Do you wanna do this thing? So I thought, oh, yeah, that seems fun. It's like an equity waiver play that we did called the Berlin Circle. And Nick was living in someone's unfinished basement with no floor. And he would just, like in the night, if he had to pee, he'd just go over in the corner and pee.

[Megan Mullally]

Okay. You had to train that out of him, though, right?

[Woody Harrelson]

I mean, that's one advantage. One Advantage of the dirt floo. By morning it's gone. It's undetectable.

In our bedroom now. We just. In one little corner. It's just dirt.

[Megan Mullally]

So he can.

[Nick Offerman]

That's good. You put that dirt in the car.

[Woody Harrelson]

He wasn't able to shake it.

[Nick Offerman]

But I just want to get into the. How did you guys. I mean, how did that all just develop?

[Woody Harrelson]

I know it's funny because on paper it doesn't seem like it would have happened, but Because.

[Megan Mullally]

Why do you say that?

[Woody Harrelson]

Well, he was driving because you're more sophisticated and refined.

[Nick Offerman]

Is that what you.

[Woody Harrelson]

Maroon convertible. What kind of car was it?

A Chevy Cavalier.

Chevy Cavalier. Like, what year was it?

It was a 91.

Okay.

And one of the good years.

And he was wearing like gold overalls that were his notepad. So he. Anything he had to remember, he'd just write it on his overalls. The first time he went out to dinner, he tucked his napkin into the bib of sad overalls. So like I'm saying on paper, but you know, he did. He came up and introduced himself to me on the first day when we did the. We did a read reading of the script. And he was like the only person, because I think the other people thought like, oh, she's like on tv. We're just gonna. We're gonna ignore her before she ignores us, you know. And he came up and introduced himself and so I was like, okay. But he. I don't know. My previous type had been quite different from Nick. Like very like skinny, androgynous, like rock drummers and so.

[Megan Mullally]

Wow. I'm surprised we didn't hook up.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yes, you are very much my type. Yeah.

I mean, doesn't that just go for most women within a three state radius of you? Yeah, I'm surprised.

[Nick Offerman]

Ted's every woman's type.

[Woody Harrelson]

I mean, for sure.

[Megan Mullally]

Yeah.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah.

[Megan Mullally]

So who. In that moment of meeting, sparks flew for whom first?

[Woody Harrelson]

You're looking at him.

[Megan Mullally]

Well, that's the way it has to be. Or should be. Nick. Speak for yourself.

[Woody Harrelson]

Sure. Yeah. I hate to belittle it as to be as conventional as. Cause I felt like we were on such different echelons. Like, there's no way Megan should have done this play. She had just. She was about to win her first Emmy that fall. Will and Grace. So she had become this, you know, world comedy champion. And she. She did a play for free with strangers because she thought it would be fun, which just doesn't make sense. That's not. Simply not done. And so. And so to meet her I guess there were levels of sparks because at first I just was like, oh, you're really funny. We had done our first read through and I was like, oh, shit, you're a genius. And then I introduced myself and was like, oh, this is going to be fun. And she then was like real with me and was. And we just were friendly and cordial. I was like, oh, you're like a real person, but you're also like a Mel Brooks movie. And so I was fascinated and it was all kind of magical and I had to get through a few different levels. I think before I was like, oh, I'm getting a boner. Also, this is. Oh, you're a human woman.

I knew you were getting a boner before you knew you were getting a boner.

[Megan Mullally]

Still do as you are. Yeah.

[Woody Harrelson]

We haven't even gotten to the first commercial yet.

[Megan Mullally]

No. Oh, God, do we do commercials? I guess we do, don't we?

[Nick Offerman]

This one will have to be about erectile dysfunction.

[Megan Mullally]

Hey, hey, look.

[Ted Danson]

No, I told you that in private.

[Woody Harrelson]

Bless me.

[Megan Mullally]

All right, so then who made the first move? Keep going.

[Woody Harrelson]

I mean, come on.

Yeah, So I mean, we began the ways, as I'm sure you guys are aware, that sort of backstage or off screen friendship, when you are with like minded performers and you have time on your hands and in the theater, I think it's. For me, it's a lot more like when you're in church and you are giggling with your friend or your cousin because somebody farted in the middle of church. It's that sensibility. So whispering filthy things to each other by way of making friends before we're about to enter a scene on stage is a great bonding category. And so we were doing that and it really, I mean, it took me by surprise because I had a class problem. I was a broke, you know, actor living in a basement, drinking too much bourbon. And so it took me a while to swallow the idea that there could be chemistry, that I was like, oh, she is treating me like I'm legitimate. And it. And I was terrified. I had the worst butterflies. But it was clearly heating the heat, the brew, the goulash was warming up. And one day after rehearsal, she was pulling out in a gorgeous Range Rover. And even that was like a flying saucer to me. And I, and I, I went over and opened the passenger door as she was about to pull into the street and got in to simply to say to her, this is. I'm not crazy, right? There's something here, right? And she said, I don't Know what you think is happening, but you can get right back out of this vehicle. And I said, well, hear me out. And so, I mean, I think that was kind of the first official.

[Nick Offerman]

Overall, that seems like about the worst thing you could hear. I don't know what you think is happening, but you can get out of this vehicle.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah, it's.

You can get out of my Range Rover, to be clear.

[Megan Mullally]

Oh, well, that makes sense. Yeah. Get out of her Range Rover.

[Nick Offerman]

You have. Yeah.

[Woody Harrelson]

No, I mean, I had started thinking he was funny. And the other thing that dawns on me is that I had only done these two seasons of Will and Grace, and any kind of success or any kind of, like, having a Range Rover was very new to me. And so I was sort of still in a mindset of, like, doing a play for $7 a week and.

[Nick Offerman]

And talking to the peasants.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah, talking to the. Yeah. And so that's why I think I. It never really occurred to me that he. It's just that when you look back on it, it's funny. Like, it seems like there would have been this huge divide, but there really wasn't. And I had started thinking he was funny. No. And I. Yeah. And I had started thinking he was funny, and that was the attraction. And then. Yeah. So I think that's how it all evolved. And I think my saying get out of the Range Rover was more about not wanting to rush into something, especially since we were doing this play together and. Yeah. Wanting to take it really slowly.

It should be. It should be noted that I did not, in fact, get out of the rain.

You did.

I mean, I did, but we. We record. You know, you. You basically intimated. Yes. Maybe something is going on here. Now get the out of my range rope.

Yeah, that'll do.

[Megan Mullally]

That'll do.

[Nick Offerman]

Yeah, exactly.

[Woody Harrelson]

I was in for. For the long haul.

Yeah. No, I wasn't being brutal. I was just being cautious.

[Nick Offerman]

Coy.

[Woody Harrelson]

Coy. Yeah. The rules. No, not that. That's dumb. Wasn't that a book? The rules. I didn't read it.

[Megan Mullally]

I don't know. Let me back up just one second, because when I first met you guys, it was like, oh, they're actors. Sawyer and Will and Grace. She's an actor. I got it. I'm an actor. Yeah. We're on the same thing here. And when I met you on Fargo, it was the same thing. Oh, I got it. He's an actor. Really good. Both really good. But I'm like you. And then I see you.

[Ted Danson]

Megan, do.

[Megan Mullally]

What was it? Megan. No, Nancy. And Beth and I have never. Which was song dance. But to say that brings it down a notch because it was the most extraordinarily creative thing I've ever seen. It was just mind boggling. And so it was like, oh, shoot, all right, she's an actor. No, she's like this genius talent dancing, singing, and knocked me for a loop. Then I find out, Nick, that you have your own woodworking shop and you build your own canoes, you build tables. You have a for real going business of being a woodman, a woodworker, and you write the most incredible books. You are a humorist. It's like y'all left me in the dust. So I almost don't know how to begin asking you questions. But you are truly a remarkably creative, creative couple.

[Woody Harrelson]

Thank you, Ted. Yeah, that I have this band called.

Nancy and beth and.com nancybeth.com if you'd like to check it out.

My manager. And yeah, the show, it's. It's being reinvented right now because. For a variety of reasons. But yeah, it's going to be better than ever. We have a record that's going to come out next year. And thank you, though. It's a band where we do all covers and I choreograph it, choreograph every song. And yeah, it's a little bit, I think it's a little bit. I think it's a little avant garde, but it very like crowd pleaser at the same time. What were you going to say?

[Nick Offerman]

Oh, man, I can't wait to see this. But because you did the, you, you really started in ballet, like when you were a kid and, and you. And like, I didn't know anything about that. Like, then you were in Oklahoma City Ballet. And then you. And then you went into the. What was the one in New York.

[Woody Harrelson]

New York City Ballet. Yeah, I went School of American Ballet, which is New York City Ballet School. I studied there. Yeah.

[Nick Offerman]

So you were really thinking, I'm going, I'm going to be a ballerina. That was your focus.

[Woody Harrelson]

That was what I was going to do until I realized it was too motherfucking hard. It was like my toenails were falling off. And I was like, no, thank you. This is too much. So I decided that I liked this sort of acting, like the couple of ballets that I had the lead. And what I really liked was the acting part of it. But my main, I. My main thing always even more than that was I love to sing. So that was sort of my first love was just music Anything involving music? Yeah.

[Megan Mullally]

How would you describe Nancy and Beth, the movement? Because when you say you do, you sing and you dance, but it's not just dance. I mean, it's like this amazing movement to the music. So it is dance. But how would you describe it?

[Woody Harrelson]

Well, I think it's just very, like. It's. I try to, like, take each song and create like a little world for it. So the, the movement styles are a little bit different from song to song. And of course, you know, I'm too old to do, you know, anything crazy dance wise, but I feel like you can really do so much without, like, doing anything crazy. Crazy. Like anything too aerobic or anything like, involving a lot of, like, jumping or. So I feel like I would just, like, listen to each song and get in front of a mirror and we have one little room in our house that has one little wall of mirrors. So I was like, listen to the song, listen to the song and just let it kind of come out. So I want to express the lyrics in a way that's either kind of, you know, and. Or funny or moving or thought provoking or kind of like reinvent the movement to go with each song. And like, using. We would do a lot of. I do a lot of choreography using. Using a chair where we were like, sit on a chair, lay on a chair, do a lot of crazy things with that. We, we had one song that was like more of an old fashion, like a hat and cane kind of song. So it's just a big variety of. Just depending on the song. The key to the band for me is picking the right songs and then coming up with how to interpret them through, you know, singing and movement.

[Megan Mullally]

Right.

[Nick Offerman]

Well, if you're gonna do the chair song, you gotta do to Saint Mein. It was a fine affair.

[Woody Harrelson]

That's my favorite. I love cabaret. I love cabaret 100%.

And her stuff would fit very well. It's of a piece with the cabaret because each. I was going to say you make each song like a piece of theater.

Thank you.

[Megan Mullally]

Yes, thanks. That's a good way to say it.

[Woody Harrelson]

I'm trying to create a little world. Each song is its own little world. Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

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[Megan Mullally]

Zip up.

[Ted Danson]

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[Megan Mullally]

Now, will you be able to go with Megan? Because I know you sometimes join up and do stuff together.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah, whenever possible. I mean, we have a lot of fun where I step into the dad role and I drive the tour truck. So I'll be her driver.

You know, when we've been on tour before, we've done longer tours that were more like, you know, six weeks or seven weeks, he'll come out. You know, at a certain point, you gotta introduce the band. Right? It's a great band. Like five other, you know, seven people total. And he'll come out and introduce the band. And of course, people go wild. They love it.

[Megan Mullally]

They love it.

[Woody Harrelson]

And he does, like really funny intros for everybody. It's really great.

Yeah, well, I mean, I need to earn my keep now.

[Megan Mullally]

One thing I haven't seen, and I wanted to check out videos. You guys also do a song and dance thing together, don't you? That's separate from what you're talking about.

[Woody Harrelson]

Well, yeah, I mean, we toured. We did a tour where we kind of combined our chocolate and peanut butter.

What was the name of the tour?

The name of the tour was summer of 69. No apostrophe.

It's every summer in our house.

[Nick Offerman]

Yeah.

[Woody Harrelson]

Or just summer at our house.

When we got married in 2003, I don't know why I was like, we had a little small wedding in our backyard. It was only 20 people total. But then we were gonna have a reception, which never happened, and invite everybody. And I was like. I got it into my head that I wanted to do to choreograph Nick and I doing Carly Simon. Nobody does it better. And so then I did for the tour. So it was pretty involved. Nick tour is meniscus at one point. That's right. But we were doing like lifts and like running around in a circle doing grand chocolates. I mean, it was pretty crazy. Yeah, it was really fun.

[Megan Mullally]

Is that a one off or do you think you'll do that again?

[Woody Harrelson]

You have to talk to the boss.

Yeah, I want to do it. I wanted to do, like, I wanted to have, like, a big party, and I wanted to do, like, a flash mob where we'd get, like, other people like to dance, and we'd just play it and then we'd have, like, Nick and I would start, and then, like, 15 other people would join in.

Yeah, we like to have fun. And I wanted to say thank you for complimenting my other work earlier. And the answer to that is when you're not the lead of a TV series or film, you have a lot of time on your hands to build canoes and write books, so.

Well, we met in two you two.

Will never become great boat builders.

I love it. That's funny.

[Nick Offerman]

I just admire it.

[Woody Harrelson]

I know.

[Nick Offerman]

You know, I started recently, like, for Christmas. Christmas, I gave my family and friends. I would give them either. I made spoons and I made chopsticks. Now, this is obviously small potatoes for you. It involved a lot of sanding.

[Woody Harrelson]

For me, it's huge. To take a stick and turn it into something that will carry soup is a superpower.

[Nick Offerman]

Thank you.

[Woody Harrelson]

It's fantastic.

[Nick Offerman]

Yeah. I thought you might demean, and instead I feel lifted up. So thank you.

[Woody Harrelson]

That's not my bag.

But I was also going to say that. That Nick. So when we met. We met in 2000, and then he was working as an actor, but it was pretty sporadic. And he didn't get Parks and REC till 2009. So rather than just, like, laying around the house, he got this space and he created a wood shop, and he started, like, making furniture all the time and then hiring people to work there and turned into a whole thing.

[Ted Danson]

I mean, this is big time.

[Megan Mullally]

This is not me and my garage whittling or trying to make a sale.

[Woody Harrelson]

How many people are working in your shop right now?

Four now. Yeah.

But it has been as many as how many?

Six or seven. Yeah, I would say.

[Megan Mullally]

And you're filling orders not just for friends or for your own canoe. Right, Right. Yes. So what is it you make? I know. I've seen some of your tables. You know, Zach Galifianakis has a beautiful dining room table.

[Woody Harrelson]

We call that Zeus's Wagon Wheel because.

[Megan Mullally]

It'S like a Lazy Susan.

[Woody Harrelson]

Right.

[Megan Mullally]

As well.

[Woody Harrelson]

It's pretty astonishing. You could park a Hummer on that thing because he's very green. And he took this warehouse in Venice, and they were going to turn it into a living space, but he wanted to reuse all of the materials they pulled out, which included these gigantic laminated wooden beams. And he said, can you make us a dining table out of these giant beams? And we said, sure. It'll weigh three tons. Like, you'll need a forklift to move it around. But so we. I mean, so we make bespoke pieces, custom pieces, but then also we work with a great program called Woodworks Downtown that teaches people living with homelessness. We teach them woodworking skills so they can then get a job reference and help them get back on their feet.

[Nick Offerman]

So that's great.

[Woody Harrelson]

So with that program, we. We make cutting boards and coasters, things that are simpler.

[Megan Mullally]

Right.

[Woody Harrelson]

But they're also more affordable. So if fans want to get something, you know, our tables are stupidly expensive.

[Nick Offerman]

But if you need any guidance on chopsticks, let me know.

[Woody Harrelson]

I will.

[Nick Offerman]

We'll maybe work a joint venture.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah, we'll do, like, a seminar, a workshop.

[Megan Mullally]

Have you been able to track whether or not any of the kids that came into the workshop, it actually was a springboard for them into something else? Do you know what I mean?

[Woody Harrelson]

I mean. Yeah. Our main. The most badass woman in my shop right now is named Diane, and she had a life of misfortune and just a lot of abuse and found her way into this program. And now she's our. She desperately wanted to learn woodworking. She loves it. And now she's, like, the leader. She's our number one woodworker.

It's kind of like what I did with Nick.

It is shape.

[Megan Mullally]

Inform him.

[Woody Harrelson]

Megan rescued me in 2000. She got me my shots.

Got him some.

[Nick Offerman]

Gave you a bath, Took me.

[Woody Harrelson]

Took me to J. Crew and bought me a bunch of sweaters. And here we are.

[Megan Mullally]

This has been a great day. This morning, we were with Jimmy Burroughs.

[Woody Harrelson]

Oh, nice.

I love that.

[Nick Offerman]

Yeah.

[Woody Harrelson]

Sweetheart. Yeah.

[Megan Mullally]

You worked with him for a. How many did he do?

[Woody Harrelson]

He did the whole 246 episodes. He did every episode of Will and Grace.

[Nick Offerman]

He didn't miss one.

[Megan Mullally]

That's six more than he did on Cheers. So.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah.

[Megan Mullally]

Yeah.

[Nick Offerman]

I wish. I know that before we did that.

[Ted Danson]

We were all over and I love you, Jimmy. We love you.

[Nick Offerman]

We love you.

[Megan Mullally]

And now, is he one of your favorite directors?

[Woody Harrelson]

Yep. Absolutely. He's the best. And he gave me total freedom. Like, the thing about Jimmy is I don't think he ever said to me, don't do that.

[Megan Mullally]

Yeah.

[Woody Harrelson]

He only said, do it, do that, but do it more. Yeah, you said, do that. And then what else can you add on to that? But you did something.

[Nick Offerman]

You did something I've never seen, which is, you know, when I watched the pilot. You speak differently than you started in the next episode.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah, I think it was.

[Nick Offerman]

I think we talked about this back then.

[Woody Harrelson]

I think so, yeah.

[Nick Offerman]

What was the. Tell me how you. You saw the pilot and you had a revelation or.

[Woody Harrelson]

No, it hadn't aired yet. I think what happened was when I auditioned for it, I had always gone into auditions, kind of like the acting version of that band, Nancy and Beth, that you were talking about, where I would come in with something so crazy that I knew in my heart was amazing, and they knew in their hearts was definitely not what they wanted. So I thought. I think when I auditioned for Will and Grace, I thought, okay, I'll just, like, kind of. It. The pilot was written. It wasn't. I don't know. In my opinion, it wasn't a very interesting. It was kind of like I'd seen it before, kind of sidekick thing, and just my opinion. And so when I went in, I thought, okay, well, I'll just do it the way it's written. And then I got the part. And then as it was going along, I was like, I'm just going to start, like, judging this up a little bit episode by episode. And I think by episode 10, it was kind of there. Like, I had sort of, like, gotten out more or less where I wanted it. And then. Yeah. So I think it was like a subtle thing where I don't know if they necessarily were noticed. Incremental.

[Nick Offerman]

If you look at the first episode from.

[Woody Harrelson]

It is crazy what it became. Yeah.

[Nick Offerman]

Which I just was like, oh, my God, I didn't even know you could do that. But it just.

[Woody Harrelson]

I felt.

[Nick Offerman]

You can't argue with the result.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah. In the pilot, I felt very eggy, which is the term in showbiz. Right. You know, eggy, where you feel like you've got egg on your face. And I felt it was very eggy. And then as it went along, I was like, okay, yeah, this egg is good egg. Yeah. Yeah. So it became that. And then they really, like, jumped on board, they being the writers, and they started, like, writing to it, and then they would. Then they would come in with something I hadn't thought of, and then I would play to that. And then we always started building on each other's. On the. You know, the writing and the acting, and it all started coming together really well. Yeah.

[Megan Mullally]

That was a huge show. I mean, politically, in every way.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah, it was. It was groundbreaking in a lot of ways. And. Yeah. And as for Jimmy, like, I really. I really love him for giving me the Leeway to do what I needed to do. And then I feel like sometimes in other things since then, when directors try to give me a lot of, like, they try to, like, like, if I have an idea that I think will be good and they're. And they. And it's very early on and they're like, no. Oh, what are you doing? Like, no, I see it this way. I'm always like, where's Jimmy?

[Megan Mullally]

Where's Jimmy?

[Woody Harrelson]

And I just did a movie that Larry Charles directed and he was amazing also in that same way of like, go, you know, do it. So I love that.

[Megan Mullally]

Yeah. I think some writers, if they didn't write it, it's very hard to pitch them another idea because. No, that's. That's not my idea.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah.

[Nick Offerman]

Oh, right.

[Woody Harrelson]

And, you know, back in from our day, it was all like you. There was no way that anybody would ever have improvised anything. And it's so different now. Like, everybody improvises and people want it.

[Megan Mullally]

Yeah. Which has good and bad results. Because sometimes you'll go along with a movie and you'll go, that's a good story. Oh, there they go.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah.

[Megan Mullally]

You know, a little fancy turn that.

[Woody Harrelson]

Kind of takes out the story.

[Nick Offerman]

It's rough when you're, like, doing scenes or whatever and. And there's one person who really can't improvise. Right. Or maybe more than one, but often there'll be one person. But then they never stop throwing in new bad lines, you know, like, they just keep. And they say, how do we continue? You know?

[Megan Mullally]

Anyway, they call me improviser killer. I will improvise with you and I'll be having fun. It'll be great. And then I get. I get scared. Like someone's chasing me and I freeze and scream. And I do scream. Yeah. And that's usually the end of the improv. I mean, I'm fun to have around.

[Woody Harrelson]

It's good to have limits.

[Megan Mullally]

Yeah. Let me. Let me talk to you for a second. Because we share a director, writer, creator. Mike Shore.

[Woody Harrelson]

That's right.

[Megan Mullally]

Yeah. Parks and Rec Tell. How did. Was that the first kind of big leap for you, acting wise?

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah. I mean, I was very happy. I was Mr. Mullally. I had a wood shop and I was working regularly at guest star jobs and Sundance movies. And we were big fans of the Office, the American Office. And I have known Rainn Wilson a long time. And I said to Megan, I feel like if I'm ever going to make it, if I'm going to break out, it's going to be on a show like the Office in a role like Dwight Schrute. And then I auditioned for Mike for a part on the Office, and I couldn't do it. So he ended up. When he then created Parks and Rec, he remembered me and wanted to put me on it. And so that's exactly what happened was, you know, if Ron Swanson was like any other character, it was similar to the Dwight Schrute paradigm. And so from the get go, he, you know, it's just that thing where he saw me, he saw through the facial hair to a spark of charisma where he's like, I think I can turn you into something palatable to an audience. And by God, he did.

[Megan Mullally]

Oh, that was a great character.

[Woody Harrelson]

He said, if you just say these words in the right order, by God, they'll laugh. And he's this wonderful, great hearted guy.

[Megan Mullally]

Mike Schur you're talking about.

[Woody Harrelson]

I think my second book had dedicated to him and said thank you for showing me how funny we can be while saying I love you, because that's kind of his thing.

[Megan Mullally]

It is.

[Woody Harrelson]

He's a highly intelligent guy. Came through the Harvard comedy pipeline, you know, following the.

Our.

Our show's other creator, Greg Daniels, who was Harvard roommates with Conan and who, you know, under whose auspices we. We. I'm drinking his water right now, in fact.

[Megan Mullally]

Yeah, you are. This is Conan's water.

[Woody Harrelson]

It's good.

[Ted Danson]

It is good.

[Megan Mullally]

It's good.

[Woody Harrelson]

It's clean. Yeah, it's. It's from Iceland. But I mean, so he's. I love these people that are. That go to, you know, Ivy League schools and could become, like, captains of industry. But they say, you know what'd be really fun? What if we make people laugh? Yeah. What if we tell stories and they're medicinal? And Mike is one of the greatest examples of that. I mean, your show is a show about morality.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah.

[Megan Mullally]

Who knew?

[Ted Danson]

It's taught.

[Megan Mullally]

The Good Place is taught in some universities as part of their ethics.

[Nick Offerman]

Really?

[Megan Mullally]

Yeah, literally. Notre Dame had a. I don't know if it's still going on, but they taught. We had. We had on speed dial. We had like three or four ethics professors who would talk to the writers daily to make sure what we were talking about was right.

[Nick Offerman]

Was ethical.

[Megan Mullally]

Yeah, it was ethical. It wasn't.

[Nick Offerman]

Sometimes it's good to get a second third opinion.

[Ted Danson]

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[Megan Mullally]

But now I didn't hadn't seen this, but there's a clip of your relationship, you and Megan's. I don't fill us all in on the relationship, but it was the funniest, hottest.

[Woody Harrelson]

Oh really?

[Nick Offerman]

Oh, was this when you guys toured together?

[Megan Mullally]

No, no, this is on the show on Parks and Rec. You came in as her. As his Tammy too.

[Woody Harrelson]

His ex wife. Tammy too.

My second ex wife.

Yeah, all of his wives were named Tammy.

[Megan Mullally]

But it was violent, it was passionate, it was insane.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah, yeah. So the first, that first episode was so fun that we shot that. The first Tammy episode. The very first scene that we shot was like, oh, so early. It was like 6:30 in the morning. And we were shooting in Burbank, some location. It was a motel and we were supposed to be like desperately trying to get to this motel so that we could like get it on. And. And so we're in this crazy car, supposed to be Ron Swanson's car, whatever it was. Nick was driving, and I was in the passenger seat, and I was like, I'm going to take my bra off. So I took my bra off. And then they were like. And this is. And then they were like, action on camera. Yeah, this is off camera. I took my bra off and I had it. And they were like, action. So he, like, screeches into this parking lot, and I, like, throw my bra out the window of the car. We get out of the car, I slam the doors, run in, and I pulled my sweater off. And they had to put, like, a circle, like a dark circle to block out my boob. And we ran into the motel. And then, like, this guy comes over and he's like, hi, I'm the director. Like, I hadn't met anybody yet. He, like, introduced himself. Who was it?

Troy Miller.

Troy Miller. He's like, hi, I'm Troy. I'm the director.

It's like, nice, great first take.

And they used it, right? And then that same day, we went to a diner and we. They at a certain point were like, just do whatever you need to do. And so we were, like, wildly, like, making out on the table and throwing things. So they had, you know, atmosphere. People as customers throwing food at people. We asked them first if we could do it. And then Nick, at one point, was so, like, Ron Swanson is so, like, riled up on testosterone that Nick actually pulled the. We were in a booth, you know, at this diner. He pulled the table out of the wall. The real table. He pulled it out of the wall.

[Megan Mullally]

It was some of the best. Have you seen that kind of compilation of your relationship? Yeah, it's amazing. It really is.

[Woody Harrelson]

I mean, Megan. When. When Megan. When they came up with the idea and Megan agreed to do it, she took me out in the backyard for kissing practice.

Like, violent, disgusting.

A safe hero.

We had to come up with, like, new ways to kiss that witch.

Who's that?

[Nick Offerman]

Or put newspaper down in the house. That's better to get outside.

[Woody Harrelson]

The dirt area wasn't big enough in the bedroom. Mike Scully wrote that episode, and he. He sadly had a. An acrimonious divorce. But he then, like, openly said, but here. It's all in this script.

[Megan Mullally]

This is you, darling.

[Woody Harrelson]

It's a really funny script. Yeah.

[Megan Mullally]

Wow. So did that. Did. Did. When did Parks and Rec kind of open up more leading man film feature stuff?

[Woody Harrelson]

I mean, you know, when the show kind of caught on in a couple. First couple of years, you know, it was just one of those things where it changed, where a certain much Larger audience was like, oh, that guy with a mustache. But it's interesting because I. I don't know. I still feel like I'm kind of an underground property, you know, I don't. I didn't become, you know, Steve Carell or something. But. But shows like Fargo, like Noah Hawley, got ahold of me and said, how would you like to do something?

[Megan Mullally]

Which is how we met.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah. And so I've been really grateful for the way it went because the. That show was a blast. It was very well received. And then it became even exponentially more popular in the. In the time of streaming. So young people now don't realize that it actually was never a hit. It was critically well received, but only then later it became like a comfort show.

[Nick Offerman]

Is that right?

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah.

That's crazy, right? Yeah.

[Nick Offerman]

I had no idea.

[Woody Harrelson]

We were not, like, we didn't get awards. We didn't. In fact, we were almost canceled every year. It was always a question mark.

[Megan Mullally]

That's right. I remember hearing that.

[Nick Offerman]

How many seasons?

[Woody Harrelson]

Seven seasons.

[Megan Mullally]

Yeah.

[Woody Harrelson]

Well, so we had a great run, and I'm very grateful, but I'm also glad that it. That the world still allows me to do other roles.

[Megan Mullally]

Yeah. Forgive me. I'm forgetting the name of the movie that you so graciously asked me to do with you.

[Woody Harrelson]

Hearts beat loud.

[Megan Mullally]

Hearts beat Loud. I was so impressed with you. It was like. Cause you do. And the work before this comes across as a character actor, you know? And I think this was your first full on romantic lead.

[Woody Harrelson]

Sure.

[Megan Mullally]

And you just hit it out of the park. You were so good.

[Woody Harrelson]

Such a good movie.

[Megan Mullally]

Yeah. Really lovely.

[Woody Harrelson]

Thank you. Brett Haley made that film, and Kiersey Clemens, who plays my daughter, kind of steals the movie. We have a band together and she sings. And it was. So you and I had become friendly, but not good buddies. And so it was a little bit of a flyer where I called you out of the blue and asked you if you would come to Brooklyn and do like three scenes as my buddy. And you agreed to do it without reading the script, which is incredibly generous or just smart. You said you named the amount of marijuana you required.

[Megan Mullally]

Yeah, I called Woody first, and he said, this is what is okay to ask.

[Nick Offerman]

Come on down to the woods. 8271 Santa Monica Blvd. Anyway.

[Megan Mullally]

You were magnificent in that. And I.

[Woody Harrelson]

And I.

[Megan Mullally]

But yeah, I felt like our relationship was cemented forever.

[Woody Harrelson]

It was so fun. It was so fun to have you. To have you play my bartender.

[Megan Mullally]

Yeah.

[Woody Harrelson]

As everyone can attest.

[Ted Danson]

It's so funny.

[Megan Mullally]

Whenever I'M asked to get behind a bar, whether it's charity or in your film scares the crap out of me. I start to sweat. I feel just, you know.

[Woody Harrelson]

Sure.

[Megan Mullally]

I don't know why, but anyway. PTSD from Cheers. Something.

[Woody Harrelson]

Well, we all wondered, you know what. Do I still have it?

[Megan Mullally]

Yeah, I think that's.

[Woody Harrelson]

Can I, can I still shake it?

[Megan Mullally]

Can I still cut a lemon or two?

[Nick Offerman]

What's in it? Ramen Coke. What the hell?

[Megan Mullally]

I got one for you. Your books.

[Ted Danson]

When did you know you could be.

[Megan Mullally]

You know, you're writing. You really are a humorist and your writing is so wonderfully worded. It's not everyday language. It's an elevated language. And you're talking about. In the last one I read about the environment, about our parks and about beauty and being out in the wilderness. But you write like you're a buddy of Thoreau. It's amazing. When did you know you had that ability?

[Woody Harrelson]

Thank you. I really appreciate that. I don't know. When I was in high school, I wrote one paper for my senior final in English class where the teacher taped a poem on the board and you had three hours to write an essay. He said, here's your subject matter, you got three hours. Go. And with a piece of masking tape. And so I made up a history of masking tape that was very smart ass. But I just, I just had this idea where. And he was in. And I was a, I was a good student, but not, but not exemplary. And my teacher like read it to the school. He was like, we have an original voice here. And he thought it was, he thought it was brilliant and funny.

Do you have it?

I don't. I should.

[Nick Offerman]

So when that was happening, you must have been so psyched.

[Woody Harrelson]

I was really stoked because, because I come from a small farm town, very conservative. And so it was me sort of taking a Megan Mulally swing of like, I want to do something weird here. I'm going to take a chance. And. But I never aspired to writing books. Only later I had the opportunity and I said, well, I think I could take a swing at this. I love Bill Bryson and Garrison Keeler.

[Megan Mullally]

Right.

[Woody Harrelson]

And of course Mark Twain. But like I was like, I think my family's funny and they're bucolic and folksy and so.

And not in an attempt to take credit for your writing career, but I always thought Finley Valley, failed attempt. I, I always thought that you even just your emails and stuff, I'd be like, honey, this is so good. Like if I had anything Important that I needed to write in an email back in the day. I'd be like, could you write it?

You're just in. Even before email, I used to always leave notes. I'd get up early to go to the shop and I'd leave a post it for Megan and I'd come home and she'd be like, this post it.

[Ted Danson]

It's really.

[Woody Harrelson]

And I. And listen. I saved every single one. I have everything he's ever written on paper saved.

[Nick Offerman]

Oh my God, I love that.

[Woody Harrelson]

Every single thing. Every note, every card, every post. It.

[Megan Mullally]

It almost has a language of yore, you know, it's like not of this moment.

[Woody Harrelson]

I know. Sad. It freaks me out.

I appreciate it. And it's. It's something that I don't take for granted. To have the opportunity to have a readership and try to like in whatever I'm trying to learn about. I try to do that with my audience. And I'm very grateful I get to do it because it also keeps me curious. It keeps me young because I'm still trying to learn. I'm very interested in people making things with their hands like spoons, but also people knowing where their food comes from and getting back in touch with farming and understanding farming and forestry. So to remain in that conversation helps us live better, helps us all keep an eye on citizenship.

[Megan Mullally]

Did you see Woody, what is the movie you did the soil kiss the ground?

[Nick Offerman]

Did you see what do you think of regenerative agriculture?

[Woody Harrelson]

I love it. I own some cows in England. Like it's something that I'm a big cheerleader of.

[Nick Offerman]

And they're just in a warehouse or are they out on the field or how's that work?

[Woody Harrelson]

They are in a herd. A friend of mine is a shepherd and so. And he's a popular nature writer and regenerative supporter.

[Megan Mullally]

Oh great.

[Woody Harrelson]

And so it's very grass fed Charles. No.

[Megan Mullally]

She is though.

[Woody Harrelson]

His name is King.

[Nick Offerman]

Charles is the biggest regenerative guy I think in the world.

[Woody Harrelson]

He is. No, it's.

[Nick Offerman]

Yeah.

[Woody Harrelson]

And. And their government does. Does a much better job than ours does.

Get James's name out there.

Oh, James Rebanks is my friend. He's a great. And he has great books called the Shepherd's Life.

Beautiful farm up in northern England near Scotland. Beautiful.

[Nick Offerman]

Oh wow.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah. And in Kentucky, my favorite writer, Wendell Berry is a great agrarian. So my last book was inspired by a conversation with Wendell just about that. About we no longer know where our food comes from. And that allows corporations foods from the store.

Honey.

Exactly. And so People take advantage of that. They sell us food that's not that good for anybody.

[Nick Offerman]

Franken food.

[Woody Harrelson]

That's right.

[Megan Mullally]

Woody. Well, huh. Woody's boy on the same page with you and that.

[Nick Offerman]

Yeah. I really. I would like to see it all shift. You know, the corporate agriculture has just become so. It's disgusting and I. And especially the pesticides and you know, I don't understand how the pesticides are still absolutely a. Okay. You know, like just massive, massive amount of pesticides put on our food. It's like you don't think that this. Basically there's a nerve gas gets into.

[Megan Mullally]

You, you know, and in some states I think that you can't get a bank loan unless you sign on Monsanto.

[Nick Offerman]

You have to have Monsanto seeds and you have to obviously use the pesticides that go with those seeds, fertilizers and such. But before we get too depressed, let's have a hamburger.

[Megan Mullally]

No, sorry, go on.

[Nick Offerman]

Anyway, I just. It's amazing because both of you are so original at what you do to be. So it's to have a couple here. But both of them are extraordinary. Usually it's one, you know, let's face it, one's amazing and a couple and the other person's kind of there, just kind of there for, you know, ballast or whatever.

[Woody Harrelson]

But there should be. There should be a projection of Mary Steenburgen.

[Megan Mullally]

Right. And her ballast.

[Nick Offerman]

That is my friend, that's a bottom.

[Woody Harrelson]

Heavy ticket for sure.

[Nick Offerman]

Yeah. Now what about you guys? So you were raised Catholic and you were raised Episcopalian?

[Woody Harrelson]

Well, I went to Episcopalian school, but my mother was Catholic. Yeah. And I mean we both. I think early on when I was nine, we were. I got in the car after Sunday school and I informed my mother that I wouldn't be returning and. Or to church. And she had two nuns in full. This is back when they wore the full like black habits, come over and sit in our living room and like, I guess like bless me so that I'd be good to go for life. And they gave me a little round, a little oval thing of the Virgin Mary that I still have. And it had a little teeny like 16th of an inch square wrapped in like tin foil in it. And it was supposed to be a piece of the Shroud of Turin. You guys are hooked up like these two nuns from some place in Oklahoma City got a whole Shroud of Turin.

[Nick Offerman]

Yeah, I thought they were going to give you the old lecture, you got to go to hell if you don't.

[Woody Harrelson]

No, they go like, set me up for life.

Oh.

[Nick Offerman]

So your mom said, come on in, do this. And.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah. She said, look, she's out. What do I do? And they were like, we've got this. And they came over and like, that's kind of sweet. I thought it was voyage and with love.

[Megan Mullally]

Yeah.

[Woody Harrelson]

It's like they put the spell on me.

It is. It's a good. That's a good parenting style. Instead of saying, no, I'm going to fight your impulse.

[Megan Mullally]

Yeah.

[Woody Harrelson]

It was really cool at my mom. Yeah, she was cool.

[Megan Mullally]

And you, Mr. Catholic.

[Woody Harrelson]

My mom and dad are still very influential in our hometown Catholic Church. All the kids pretty much quit going, but I think we all have great values. I don't know. For me, organized religion is not as effective as Eastern religions. Like, I get a lot more churchy feeling out in the woods where I'm like, oh, shit, this is. This feels holy. As opposed to, you know, the drudgery. At least in my upbringing, church was a drudgery. I was like, man, you're talking about rapture and, you know, passionate feelings and faith and everyone's just kind of droning and can't wait to get to the football game. So I've remained very spiritual and like. Right. My mom and dad just lead the most incredible lives of service. And I think me and my three siblings really aspire to them without needing to bring any religious text into it.

[Megan Mullally]

Right.

[Nick Offerman]

Well, it seems like the whole Catholic thing now, I don't want to be inappropriate here, but Catholic and Episcopalian, it seems like. Couldn't they zhuzh it up a little? I mean, could they make it more boring? It's so boring. And then Catholic, you got all the stuff in Latin. It's like, but if you know Latin, first of all, do you know Latin? I didn't even know.

[Megan Mullally]

Nevermind.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah, it's true.

[Megan Mullally]

Some churches in the south, you'd go, yeah, now I want to be part of this.

[Nick Offerman]

Oh, yeah, they make it fun. Episcopal or rather. Huh.

[Woody Harrelson]

Baptist.

[Nick Offerman]

No, what's the one? Yeah, Southern Baptist. But also even further starts with the P. Pentecostal.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah.

[Nick Offerman]

You know, and they're shaking and.

[Woody Harrelson]

That's. Right.

[Nick Offerman]

Speaking in tongues. Not that to me. You know, even if you don't believe it, it's good theater. Yeah.

[Megan Mullally]

We just lost the Midwest. But moving on.

[Woody Harrelson]

Have the decency to have a rock band.

[Nick Offerman]

I'm not saying I don't believe.

[Woody Harrelson]

Have the decency to have a rock band on the altar.

[Nick Offerman]

Get a rock band up there. Christian rock.

[Megan Mullally]

If the phone rings and you're. And you answered Are you hoping for a playwright to call you or a book deal or TV or a film or dance? You know, you have so many outlets.

[Nick Offerman]

You don't seem like the type of people who wait for the phone to ring, though. You're doing stuff. You're making your own magic, right?

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah.

[Nick Offerman]

I mean, both of you, you're doing. What's it matter if the phone rings? Great. If the phone rings. But, like, you're. You're doing your own thing.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah.

[Megan Mullally]

Can I ask you about a project that you found your mom's letters in a truck?

[Woody Harrelson]

I was thinking about that when you. When you said that a minute ago. So I found. When my mom died, I found two giant barrels that they would ship things in, like, China, and like, big giant barrels that would come like three feet high and maybe like two feet around, stuffed with letters. And they're all from the 30s and 40s, primarily. 30s and 40s. Thousands of letters. Right. Okay. So my mom saved all of her letters from the time she was. And her mom had saved all of her letters from the time she was, like, 7 or 8 years old, like, writing a letter to her grandparents or whatever. Okay. So she has all. Everything she ever wrote, all of my grandmother's letters that my grandmother ever wrote to her, all of my aunt's letters, et cetera, including 732 love letters that were written to my mom. Some of the guys, like, there weren't, like, my mom wasn't, like, a big, you know, famous prostitute.

[Nick Offerman]

732 guys, was it?

[Woody Harrelson]

No, it was. So some of the guys. So some of them, like, say 300 of those are like, wannabes, like, all sarans. Right. But then they were like the main guys that she, like, she was engaged to.

[Nick Offerman]

A couple hundred something guys were not.

[Woody Harrelson]

Also ran.

So some of the guys say there were like 10 guys that she dated from the time she was, like, in high school until she met my father when she was 26. Right. So for 10 years, she dated maybe like 10 different guys. Like, she was in college and she was seeing like, one or two guys, like, at the same time, but she wasn't. I know, but they were all virgins. Everybody was a virgin. Right. It was so chaste. And so some of the guys wrote like 100 letters. So that's how it.

[Nick Offerman]

Oh, I see.

[Woody Harrelson]

All added up. Anyway, I wanted to. I want to. I'm getting ready to write something to write a podcast where I also have all of my dad's letters, but that's a whole other story I wanted to do A podcast where each episode is a different suitor of my mom's. And because I'm telling you, these letters are so heartbreaking. They're. These guys were so. I also have pick photo photos of all of them. And they were so cute. They all look like movie stars. It's crazy.

[Nick Offerman]

My mom was all totally in love with your mom.

[Woody Harrelson]

Totally in love. My mom was the most beautiful girl in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I mean, gorgeous. She was a model for a while in New York and But like, so she's such a sweet person and so like the girl next door. But anyway, I wanted to like focus on a different guy for each episode. And the letters are just heartbreakingly. They're so funny and sweet and insightful. And then, you know, the joke is that she met my father who was hideous, and for some reason that's the one she picked. He was just heinous. Heinous person.

[Nick Offerman]

So is that how you feel about Pops?

[Woody Harrelson]

Yes.

[Nick Offerman]

Not a good dad.

[Woody Harrelson]

No. He was a really bad alcoholic and he cheated on my mom constantly. So he wasn't. But I mean, he had like moments where he was. He was really funny. So he had moments of being funny. But no, not good. I felt my mom, my poor mom was so nice.

[Megan Mullally]

Well, this would be a kind of a wonderful honoring of your mom and her happy love life.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah.

[Megan Mullally]

That's cool.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah.

[Megan Mullally]

Are you going to do it?

[Woody Harrelson]

I want to write. It has to be written though, because it's not that. It's not a loosey goosey. You really have to like.

[Nick Offerman]

It's not all cohesive.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah. You really want to like make it right and get it all in there.

[Megan Mullally]

That's exciting.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah.

It's also pretty incredible and kind of a bummer in a way to see what young people's correspondence used to be like. Like these kids, their handwriting is gorgeous. But they also would write a three page letter that has now become, you know, three. Three emojis or whatever. And it's astonishing. Megan would read me these letters. It's like a 22 year old guy on a ship. And I'm like.

It was also wartime. World War II.

Gorgeous. Yeah.

Yeah.

[Nick Offerman]

And like great, great letters.

[Woody Harrelson]

Fantastic, great letters. Like you would not believe.

[Nick Offerman]

I want.

[Woody Harrelson]

There were.

[Nick Offerman]

Love to read.

[Woody Harrelson]

There were a few. God. Well, I'll send you some. There were a few guys that I got to the end. Like, I knew there were only three more letters or whatever and I cried. I was like, why? Why didn't you pick this guy?

[Nick Offerman]

But then you wouldn't be here.

[Woody Harrelson]

I don't care.

[Nick Offerman]

Isn't that a catch 22?

[Woody Harrelson]

It really is, Mom.

[Nick Offerman]

You picked the wrong. Well, hold on now.

[Woody Harrelson]

It's inexplicable. And yet.

[Nick Offerman]

Well, we. We just so grateful you guys came here.

[Woody Harrelson]

Oh, gosh. This is so fun. I love seeing you. I love seeing you guys together. We've never seen you guys together. Even cute couple.

[Megan Mullally]

Thank you. You should have seen us in the bathtub earlier.

[Woody Harrelson]

Would have loved to have seen that.

[Nick Offerman]

I think our relationship definitely took. It's in another level now.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah.

[Megan Mullally]

I'm curious.

[Nick Offerman]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

Ladies and gentlemen, Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally. Thank you guys for coming in and talking. Special thanks to our friends at Team Coco and to you for listening. Once again, tell a friend about us and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. If you're on Apple Podcasts, perhaps you'd like to give us a great rating and review. It actually helps a great deal.

[Megan Mullally]

Thank you.

[Ted Danson]

If you like watching your podcast, full episodes are on Team Coco's YouTube channel. I'll see you next time. Everybody knows.

[Nick Leo]

You'Ve been listening to where everybody knows your name with Ted Danson, Woody Harrelson, sometimes. The show is produced by me, Nick Leo. Executive producers are Adam Sacks, Colin Anderson, Jeff Ross and myself. Sarah Fedorovich is our supervising producer. Our senior producer is Matt Apodaca. Engineering and mixing by Joanna Samuel with support from Eduardo Perez. Research by Alyssa Grohl, talent booking by Paula Davis and Gina Bautista. Our theme music is by Woody Harrelson, Antony Gen, Mary Steenbergen and John Osborne. Special thanks to Willie Navarre. We'll have more for you next time where everybody knows your name.

[Ted Danson]

When work gets crazy, I like to stop by the bar after, have a few cold ones.

[Woody Harrelson]

I don't drink at all until 4:00.

[Ted Danson]

We limit ourselves to one bottle of wine a night. Excessive drinking has a way of sneaking up on us. A few drinks a few nights a week, it can add up. And suddenly we're at greater risk for long term problems like heart disease, cancer and depression. Reason enough to rethink the Drink [e-mail] an OHA initiative. Cheers to a great day and this ice cold corona. You know what would make this day even better?

[Nick Offerman]

My grandma's carne asada.

[Ted Danson]

Or your grandma here with us making carne asada.

[Nick Offerman]

She does love a cold corona. Throw in some dancing. Oh, we can watch the game. I'll drink to that. So a backyard concert with football, food.

[Woody Harrelson]

Dancing and corona and your grandma.

[Ted Danson]

Or we could keep it simple. Simple is good.

[Woody Harrelson]

Want a Corona?

[Nick Offerman]

Thanks.

[Woody Harrelson]

Salute to the perfect day.

[Ted Danson]

Corona la vida Masvina. Get your Corona at order Corona.

[Megan Mullally]

Com.

[Ted Danson]

Relax responsibly. Corona Extra beer. Imported by Cronyport, Chicago, Illinois.