Paul Reiser

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Where Everybody Knows Your Name with Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson (sometimes)" featuring Paul Reiser

Release Date: December 18, 2024

In this engaging episode of "Where Everybody Knows Your Name," hosts Woody Harrelson and Paul Reiser delve deep into Reiser's multifaceted career, personal life, and enduring friendships. The conversation offers listeners an intimate look at Reiser's journey from stand-up comedy to becoming a beloved sitcom star and author.

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1. Introduction to Paul Reiser

Woody Harrelson opens the conversation by highlighting Paul Reiser's diverse talents and unexpected collaborations.

Woody Harrelson [00:47]:
"He even composed the theme song. You also know Paul from shows like The Kominsky Method and Stranger Things. Or perhaps you read one of his four books, including Couplehood. This episode was recorded last year, but I wanted to let you know that Paul recently released his first new standup special in 30 years. It's called Life, Death and Rice Pudding and it's streaming everywhere."

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2. Early Career and Influences

Reiser shares his early inspirations and the pivotal moments that steered him toward a career in comedy and acting.

Paul Reiser [02:01]:
"I just was drawn to it. Always when I was a little kid and I watched Ed Sullivan's show. So Beatles was first. I wasn't gonna be a Beatle, cause they had closed the door on that. And I was too short. I was 7."

He credits legends like Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, and George Carlin for shaping his comedic style.

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3. The Breakthrough: Auditioning for Diner

Reiser recounts the serendipitous events that led to his casting in Barry Levinson's Diner, marking his entry into the film industry.

Paul Reiser [06:31]:
"I stumbled, literally stumbled into the casting office where Barry Levinson was doing Diner. Didn't mean to. Literally was going with a friend and waiting outside for him. And the next thing I knew, I got a call, 'You're in the movie.'"

Woody adds humorously about Reiser's initial feelings:

Woody Harrelson [06:34]:
"So wait, you just wrapped up this whole hour right there?"

Paul Reiser [06:36]:
"No, I'm saying that's the beginning. This is where life will start."

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4. Navigating Early Acting Challenges

The duo discusses Reiser's first experiences performing stand-up and acting, highlighting his resilience and adaptability.

Paul Reiser [07:41]:
"I memorized it. I practiced it in front of the mirror. I was very strong in the bathroom. Still, to this day, they're not by."

Woody Harrelson [07:47]:
"That's why I don't do stand-up."

Reiser humorously shares his initial struggles on stage and the lessons learned from them.

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5. Collaborations and Friendships in Hollywood

Reiser speaks fondly of his relationships with fellow actors like Kevin Bacon, Steve Guttenberg, and the late Michael Hampton Cain.

Paul Reiser [23:00]:
"We all remain friends, you know, Danny Stern, Daniel Stern, Kevin Bacon, Timmy Daly, Steve Guttenberg. And actually, in recent years, we've kind of rejuvenated our friendship."

He reflects on the enduring bonds formed during the making of Diner and their collective experiences over the decades.

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6. Transition to Mad About You

Reiser discusses the creation of Mad About You, his collaboration with Helen Hunt, and the show's unique charm.

Paul Reiser [05:32]:
"That was part of his genius. He will see something. Go do that. You know, when you do the thing, when you ask for the sandwich, do that again."

The conversation touches upon the show's innovative approach, blending traditional sitcom elements with heartfelt storytelling.

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7. Writing and Authorship

Woody and Paul explore Reiser's journey into writing books, drawing parallels between his stand-up material and literary work.

Paul Reiser [69:48]:
"I was talking before about the ensemble. We're talking, but my music was always sort of private and singular."

He elaborates on how his experiences in comedy and acting seamlessly translated into his books, offering readers a glimpse into his personal and professional life.

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8. Personal Life and Marriage

Reiser opens up about meeting his wife, Paula, their enduring relationship, and the balance they've maintained amidst their busy careers.

Paul Reiser [62:10]:
"But I didn't, you know, I was never a real good play the field kind of guy. I mean, you'd meet girls. But I think quietly, I was thinking, all right, this is the one."

The hosts share anecdotes about their marriages, emphasizing the importance of finding and nurturing lasting love.

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9. Reflections on Career and Legacy

As the conversation draws to a close, Reiser and Harrelson reflect on their careers, the nature of success, and the joy of reconnecting with old friends.

Woody Harrelson [56:53]:
"I feel so honored."

Paul Reiser [72:48]:
"This was a pleasure. And I want to hear afterwards how this compared to your other guests."

They express gratitude for their enduring friendships and the collaborative spirit that has defined their careers.

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Notable Quotes

• Paul Reiser [03:35]:
  "You know, I just was drawn to it."

• Woody Harrelson [07:47]:
  "That's why I don't do stand-up."

• Paul Reiser [31:14]:
  "How do you write a script? He said, you type the words, fade in and then keep writing."

• Paul Reiser [62:44]:
  "Paula was a waitress. She was in college. She was 19. I was 25 or 6."

---

Conclusion

This episode offers a heartfelt and humorous exploration of Paul Reiser's life and career. From his humble beginnings and unexpected breaks to his creative ventures and personal milestones, Reiser's story is one of passion, perseverance, and the enduring power of friendship. Woody Harrelson and Paul Reiser's camaraderie shines throughout, making this episode a must-listen for fans and newcomers alike.

Transcript

[Ted Danson]

This episode is brought to you by Progressive Commercial Insurance. Trucking is a big job, so Progressive is proud to offer truckers the coverage they need and discounts to help them save quote truck insurance in as little as seven minutes at progressivecommercial.com progressive casualty insurance company and affiliates. Discounts not available in all states or situations.

[Paul Reiser]

On Matt about yout we had unbelievable good fortune and we had all our heroes. We had Mel Brooks, we had Carl Reiner, we had Carol Burnett. We had Carol O'Connor. You know, we had Jerry Lewis. For sake. It never ceased to tickle us.

[Woody Harrelson]

Welcome back to Everybody Knows yous Name. I'm very excited to talk to Paul Reiser today. He's one of my favorite kind of funny people. You never see the joke coming. He was in Mad about yout, which he co created and starred in. He even composed the theme song. You also know Paul from shows like the Kaminsky Method and Stranger Things. Or perhaps you read one of his four books, including Couplehood. This episode was recorded last year. But I wanted to let you know that Paul recently released his first new standup special in 30 years. It's called Life, Death and Rice Pudding and it's streaming everywhere. Ladies and gentlemen, Paul Reiser. I so admire you, Paul.

[Paul Reiser]

Well, go on.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah. Okay.

[Paul Reiser]

Don't feel the need to make that brief. Flowery and lengthy is my experience. I do.

[Woody Harrelson]

First off, one of my things that I thought about when I started looking all around and the knowledge I already have about you. But going on YouTube and visiting interviews and stuff, why are you so well balanced? I don't even get a whiff of desperation in you.

[Paul Reiser]

Well balanced. Elaborate.

[Woody Harrelson]

Okay, well, let me answer my own question.

[Paul Reiser]

Yes.

[Woody Harrelson]

I realize that not only do you have standup.

[Paul Reiser]

Yeah.

[Woody Harrelson]

You are also a genuinely serious actor appearing in serious films.

[Paul Reiser]

Yes.

[Woody Harrelson]

You are an amazing comedic actor. You are a musician.

[Paul Reiser]

Are you going to get to handsome? Because also handsome is in there. Very handsome.

[Woody Harrelson]

All right, let me start again. Start with handsome. So you're a very handsome stand up dude.

[Paul Reiser]

Aha.

[Woody Harrelson]

And you get down to musician and author.

[Paul Reiser]

You know what? As you know, there ain't no plan. None of us have any plan for how any of this worked out. So the music surprises people, but I never did anything with it. I was a music major in college. Why? Because I played piano. You know, I loved it, but I was decent enough, but never going to be, you know, going to make that a career.

[Woody Harrelson]

But you went to a music school.

[Paul Reiser]

No, I went to. No, I went to really liberal arts school. State University of New York of Binghamton. And I majored in music. Why? Because I looked at the curriculum. It's like, well, that'll be quick. It was like fewer courses. I already have that. I already did that. And I had a great teacher who I love, but I had no plan. It wasn't in my mind that I'm gonna. I knew I wasn't gonna be like a concert pianist or anything like that. But standup was what I wanted to do now.

[Woody Harrelson]

How? Why?

[Paul Reiser]

Why? I just.

[Woody Harrelson]

Where did that come in your life?

[Paul Reiser]

You know, I just was drawn to it. Always when I was a little kid and I watched Ed Sullivan's show. So Beatles was first. I wasn't gonna be a Beatle, cause they had closed the door on that. And I was too short. I was 7. But I would always watch the comics and I just was drawn to them. And then when I was in high school, you know, I was really Mel Brooks. The Mel Brooks Carl Reiner Records was sort of my. I mean, that's not really stand up, but that was like the Rosetta Stone for me. I went, what's this? And. But I was listening to George Carlin and Robert Klein. I would go see them in the Village. I grew up in New York, so my friends were very excited when they got Led Zeppelin tickets. I go, well, I'm seeing Robert Klein at the other end. Like 180 seat little coffee house as a teenager. Yeah, me and my buddy Billy would go. And I remember seeing George Carlin and it had to have been 70 or 71, because he's by 72, he was huge. I was trying to. I was think about when that was. But I remember and it was like a coffee shop. I thought, this is so cool. And it wasn't like, I'll do that. I just was drawn to it. And then luckily, right around when I was in college, I was 17, 18. That's when clubs started to happen. And you'd see Freddie Prinze and Gabe Kaplan and Jimmy Walker and like there was a trajectory. It's like, oh, so they went to those clubs and then somehow they got on TV and worked and famous and so on. So I went to audition night and auditioned and I just kind of always wanted to do that. Even like when my act. I was never like an actor. Like I was in college. I would be in silly comedies just because I liked getting laughs and having fun. But it wasn't, you know, when I grew up, my idols were never actors, they were comics. See, I almost did a whole hour on one question. You have nothing to worry about here.

[Woody Harrelson]

I'm going to talk so long expound on that.

[Paul Reiser]

But yeah, so that was so the stand up and then. But as I say, there's no plan. So how did things happen? I was doing stand up in the back of my mind. I'm sure maybe there'll be some TV show, you'll see a sitcom someday. You'll see people on sitcoms or guest star on a sitcom and. But the goal was to get on the Tonight Show. And before that happened, I stumbled, literally stumbled into the casting office where Barry Levinson was doing diner. Didn't mean to. Literally was going with a friend and waiting outside for him. And the next thing I knew, I got a call, you're in the movie. I went, oh, that's interesting. And then I only got on, ironically, only got on the Johnny Carson show because of diner, and went, oh, here's a young comic who's not really ready to be on the show, but he's got a movie. Okay. And then that was sort of opened the door to everything else, ultimately leading to a podcast with you. That was the goal. I'm not going to lie to you, Ted.

[Woody Harrelson]

So wait, you just wrapped up this whole hour right there?

[Paul Reiser]

No, I'm saying that's the beginning. This is where life will start.

[Woody Harrelson]

Go back to. If I may wrap up. Go back to the first time you did stand up in front of an audience and were really being judged.

[Paul Reiser]

Oh, it was not good. It wasn't pretty. I have a cassette somewhere.

[Woody Harrelson]

You wrote it. Did you sit down and write or did you just.

[Paul Reiser]

So here's. And I laugh at this, you know, now you get into a thing and you know who you are and you know what works for you and you know where your comedy comes from. And we developed skills over the years, but at 17, maybe I was 18. 18, and literally sat down with a pad of paper and a pen and I put my hand on my chin and I looked up and I asked myself, all right, what's funny? Well, a lot of things, but you can't just shoot up in the air like that. What's funny? So I put together five minutes and I went audition night. I think I got on around 12:30 at night. You wait online at like 3 in the afternoon, and around 6 they come out and they give out numbers. And if you're not in the first five, you're screwed.

[Woody Harrelson]

And this, Sorry, this is written down. So you have memorized it or familiarized yourself?

[Paul Reiser]

I memorized it. I was practiced it in front of the Mirror Mira loved me, by the way. I was very strong in the bathroom. Still, to this day, they're not, by.

[Woody Harrelson]

The way, really gone. Yes. That's why I don't do stand.

[Paul Reiser]

Gotta read. But it was horrible. And it was just stuff that, you know, that would make my friends laugh. In the lunchroom, I stole from my friend Billy Grunfest. My friend Billy Grundfest, who ended up. He opened the Comedy Cellar, which became a big room. And he was a writer with me. I'm mad about you, but I think I stole this from him. He did impressions, but of vegetables. So, ladies and gentlemen, asparagus. And then the hands would go up. Broccoli. And then, you know, I went. And there's no way that could get a laugh. So I did my horrendous five minutes, and I had a little cassette recorder on a table. My sister had come down with me, and she was guarding the tape recorder lest somebody steal my valuable $19 Panasonic. And we picked up, during my set, we picked up the audio of the guy sitting at his table who didn't realize my tape recorder was there. And in the middle of my very strong five minutes, he says to his friend, well, I'll say this. The kid's got balls. I went, well, there's a positive review. He could have said, he's got no balls. But, no, I had balls. And the crazy thing is, and I don't know if it was like this first time you ever gone on stage, you're protected by a little ignorance. Like, if I knew quite how horrible I was and unprepared I was, I probably never would have gone up. But you'd think, yeah, that's not bad. I was pretty good.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah.

[Paul Reiser]

What was the first time you ever went on stage.

[Woody Harrelson]

At Kent School for Boys, Kent, Connecticut. Basketball was what I was going to do in life, small school. So any real high school could have kicked our ass, but we won our league championship, so excuse me. So I thought, well, right before I go to Stanford and try out for basketball there, I'm going to do a play here because there's nothing really left to do because basketball season's over. So my friend and I, from basketball, tried out for In White America, Martin Duberman. And I remember getting a chuckle, perhaps a laugh or two, and going, huh, that's interesting. It's not basketball.

[Paul Reiser]

You had never acted, Never been in a school player?

[Woody Harrelson]

No.

[Paul Reiser]

Wow.

[Woody Harrelson]

No. I think I stood up in fourth grade and did the Gettysburg Address, fully made up, like Lincoln. And the funny thing was, I was so skinny that I. And gaunt that I actually looked like a miniature Lincoln. So that when I came out, people just burst into laughter before I even.

[Paul Reiser]

But you weren't doing original material. You were stealing from Lincoln.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah, Lincoln.

[Paul Reiser]

Yeah, he was good too.

[Woody Harrelson]

I'm paraphrasing, it turns out.

[Paul Reiser]

Oh man. But that's quite a leap. Gee, basketball season's over. Let me get into a play.

[Woody Harrelson]

But I recognize something. I recognized the team spirit. I've always, because of basketball, loved ensemble.

[Paul Reiser]

Yeah.

[Woody Harrelson]

I love.

[Paul Reiser]

Yes.

[Woody Harrelson]

Going to work the same group of people and getting richer and deeper. And I love that. And I love that. Kind of taught me that the play is the thing. It's not just about you. Wow. It's about the team.

[Paul Reiser]

Yeah, yeah.

[Woody Harrelson]

You know, the cast, the whole group.

[Paul Reiser]

The ensembleness of it is really a big piece. And I remember for me a real cathartic moment my freshman year of college. I was a last minute substitute, got into production of Guys and Dolls. But it wasn't like the theater department, it was like the dorms, they would put on a silly little play. And so it was real. I mean, like it was in a cafeteria. And I remember I only wanted to be Big Julie. Cause I had seen the movie and I thought Big Julie always made me laugh. And they said, well, that's already cast. I said, well, look, maybe the guy will die or something. He'll call me. If the guy. He said, you don't want to audition? I said, no, I just want to do that part. So the next day I see a sign. Auditions for the part of Big Julie. I went, oh no, I killed him. Well, it turns out the guy who was doing the part was waiting to hear from another school. He transferred and he was leaving. So literally that door opened. The one thing I had asked for and again, it was just to get laughs. And every day I would. We did it, I don't know, maybe five days in a row. And what I left with was a. The thrill of getting a laugh. And I would sometimes improvise little thing, not change the lines, but I would just do things and really love and relish finding laughs. But also I realized that all day I couldn't wait till 8 o'clock curtain time. I went, you know, I just, okay, six more hours. And then we get to do that five more hours. And I thought, well, that's something that's telling me I like this. And I remember at the wrap party was all over, it was just this snowy night and I just went out and I just saw this clear sky And I just thought, this is it. And it was the camaraderie. It was getting into crappy little costumes and the makeup and laughing with the rest of the cast and putting this thing up as an ensemble. And I thought, this is really fun. It's interesting because that's not at all what stand up is. Stand up is entirely you. But there was something about broad terms. They're just, I want to be in this performing world. And up to then, I thought I'd be going into my dad's business. He had a. You know, I was going to be straight and narrow, that guy. I said, no, I really want to be somebody.

[Woody Harrelson]

I want to join the circus.

[Paul Reiser]

I want to join the circus.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah. I had that same feeling the first time I saw. Right after doing the play at Kent School, because we had been in a play, this touring company of Shakespeare kids who came to perform for the school. We were invited to the after party at some teacher's house and sitting around and boys and girls swearing like crazy, using the, you know, f word all the time and smoking cigarettes. And I was like, oh, my God, look at you guys. And just was.

[Paul Reiser]

And there's also a better chance of meeting girls.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yes.

[Paul Reiser]

On a boys basketball team.

[Woody Harrelson]

And. Yes, that's true.

[Paul Reiser]

Yeah, that was part of it.

[Woody Harrelson]

And if you're doing theater, there's a good chance you're probably getting undressed, roughly. Especially if it's a cheap theater in the same area. So it's all very, very exotic. I think, when you first start.

[Paul Reiser]

Let me ask you this. How deep into your career, or maybe it was right at the top, did you get over the self consciousness of trying on wardrobe with. With two wardrobe women who you just met? People don't realize this is a moment in show business that you meet the wardrobe person and they go, all right, try these pants on. And then they stand there and you just drop your pants and you go, yeah. And I only think of, like. Oh, it's like that time in Guys and Dolls. Like, you're in a room with all these people. Just get over it. They're not that interested in seeing your drawers.

[Woody Harrelson]

As you get older, you find yourself. I'm sorry about the.

[Paul Reiser]

Yeah, I need a minute.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah, maybe I should get dressed behind the screen and come out and show you. Yeah, Nutty. Okay, so you've become an accomplished or recognized stand up by the time you auditioned for Diner?

[Paul Reiser]

No, I was really just beginning. I mean, I was working, you know, but I was.

[Woody Harrelson]

Did they see you? Is that why somebody said, that's the.

[Paul Reiser]

Crazy thing, when I look about the accidental nature of my career, such as it is, you know, that was a standard thing that casting directors would come to comedy clubs, especially if they're looking for comedy. And so you see, hey, a guy from Whit Thomas is coming in. And they'd put up 14 comics and a guy from whatever studio. And in fact, they had sent, I don't know, I guess the casting director, maybe Barry Levinson, had come into the club. Nobody told me. They didn't put me up for some reason. I said, really? Jewish guys in Baltimore, we think. But my friend Michael Hampton Cain, who was a 6 foot 1 Irish Catholic, who's not at all right for that, somehow he went up for it. And we happened to be hanging out that day. We were going out for lunch. He goes, I gotta drop off a picture at this movie, whatever. I said, all right, I'll wait outside. So I waited out in the lobby in the waiting room. And the casting director, Ellen Chenoweth, who was done great, great films and a lot most of Barry Levinson's film, just kind of looked at me and she said, do you have a picture? I said, no, no, no. And I really tried to beg out of. I said, no, I'm not up for this. I'm just waiting for my friend. She said, but you have a picture. I said, yeah, I have pictures, but they're not. Forget me, I'm not here. I'm not. She said, come back tomorrow. And recently I moved and we cleaned out our house and I found a box of stuff that had been dragging with me for years. And in there I had apparently saved a little piece of paper that she had written. Come back tomorrow. The director's name. At 12:30 I went, oh my gosh, there it is. That was literally what opened the door for everything that followed.

[Woody Harrelson]

Was your friend a little pissed off?

[Paul Reiser]

No, he was a great guy and he died already. So, you know, so even if he was upset, it's not my problem. No, he was. We laughed about it on the way out. Wouldn't that be funny if I got it? Like, yeah, no, but he was a wonderful, bon vivant guy who we went out and celebrated and he was not. And as I said, he was so not the type that they were looking for. I don't know if they even knew what they were looking for. I think all they knew is that there was five guys and then there was going to be the auxiliary sixth guy who will be kind of a funny guy in some way. And I had been taking an acting class. And so this was, I think my first audition and I couldn't wait to use all the tools and the tricks that I focus and, and Barry goes and there was no scene, there was nothing written and he just would talk like this and he was, and he's really funny guy and he knew a lot about comedy. We talked about for an hour and I went, is that the audition? He said, yeah, all right. And then he did come to see me, I think that night at the improv and then next thing I know. But yeah, all whatever I thought was going to be the way it worked was not the way it worked in my case. It's like I didn't audition. There was no scene. There literally was no part actually written in the script.

[Woody Harrelson]

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[Ted Danson]

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[Woody Harrelson]

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[Paul Reiser]

Well, yeah. And he had the idea that he was going to find something. He was. That's part of his genius. He will see something. Go do that. You know, when you do the thing, when you ask for the sandwich, do that again. But there was the first. My first day, I didn't shoot for the first five or six days. I wasn't even in it. So my whole thing. And this became the motif of my career. I always had this feeling, am I supposed to be here? Am I good? I remember there's one day they actually said, all right, principals over here and extras over there. I go, well, I'm not a principal. I must be an extra. And then they're looking for me for about an hour. And I went, asshole, come here. Oh, because I thought I was an extra. No, extras are those people. You're an actor. I go, but I haven't spoken yet. Well, but you're going to. And so I didn't shoot for five or six days. And finally when I shot, it was actually the opening scene of that movie, which is this very complicated Steadicam shot. So the night before, he had to rehearse it with the dp, the cinematographer. And all I could think of is, oh, they're using a different camera. This must be like training wheels. Okay? I'm the idiot actor. So they're using some special dopey circus camera. I had no idea. Actor proof. Yeah. I went, yeah, actor proof. Oh, it was embarrassing, but it worked out.

[Woody Harrelson]

Who did you befriend on that? There is an amazing group of kind of new actors.

[Paul Reiser]

Oh, yeah. Well, we all remain friends, you know, Danny Stern, Daniel Stern, Kevin Bacon, Timmy Daly, Steve Guttenberg. And actually, in recent years, we've kind of rejuvenated our friendship. And we had. Last year, I think there was a. Or the year before, There was a 40th anniversary of the film, which was mind blowing. We all went out to dinner beforehand and we just. It was, you know, guys that, you know, for years, you just jump into it. And we were the same idiots. And we were laughing, going, look at us. We were, you know, we were 23, 24. And it was my first anything but. It was Timmy's first movie and Kevin's maybe second time in a movie. And we thought, here it is 40 years later. And I don't know, it's interesting that it has always remained special. None of us have gotten jaded about that experience. Like, we were so lucky. That was such a beautiful film.

[Woody Harrelson]

I can't remember. It was Barry Levinson. Barry Levinson.

[Paul Reiser]

No, that was his first movie.

[Woody Harrelson]

Oh, wow.

[Paul Reiser]

That was his first movie. He had written before that, and he had been a performer, but. And he had written. I'm trying to remember the sequence now. Yeah, he had already written with Mel Brooks. He had done High Anxiety and something else. He worked on the Carol Burnett Show. But he had written that movie. Yes. Mel Brooks had sort of coaxed him. He said, you know those stories you're telling about your buddies growing up in Baltimore, that should be a movie. Barry wrote it and then kind of insisted that he direct it cleverly. And Jerry Weintraub, legendary producer, took a shot and let him direct it with the disclaimer of, I can fire you if this sucks the first day. And, you know, I kind of marvel at that, too. How did he know how to direct so not only well, but distinctively, it was such a. His own. He wrote it in such a distinctive way that at the time, there weren't movies like that where the dialogue was just the heart of the movie. There was no story. There was a famous. He for years told the story that he showed the first cut to the studio and they said, well, why. Why is he asking him for the sandwich 10 times? Why doesn't he just give him the sandwich and get on with the story? And Barry goes, there is no story. That's. That's the movie.

[Woody Harrelson]

Oh, but the Birth of Larry David right there.

[Paul Reiser]

Very much. There you go.

[Woody Harrelson]

Watch the movie. Who are we missing? Mickey.

[Paul Reiser]

Mickey Rourke. Yeah, Mickey Rourke. Didn't hang out with Mickey as much. A little bit of a. Interesting fellow.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah, I did Body Heat. I'm not sure. If that was before. Oh, my gosh. If that was his first film or Diner was his first film, but it was one and two. Either way.

[Paul Reiser]

Yes.

[Woody Harrelson]

I think it.

[Paul Reiser]

Actually, all I remember about Body Heat is you tap dancing on the boardwalk, which I thought was wildly impressive.

[Woody Harrelson]

I remember meeting Mickey, and I'm your. You know, I'm Tigger. I just want to hug you and love you. Hey, let's just be happy together. Hi, Mickey.

[Paul Reiser]

That's a.

[Woody Harrelson]

Exciting. And I don't know, he wasn't, like, mean, rude or anything, but his one statement that just kind of zinged was, if I hadn't found acting, I'd be in prison.

[Paul Reiser]

That's probably true.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah. And when somebody says that, you don't. Oh, really? Why. You know, you want to leave him alone. Yeah.

[Paul Reiser]

I remember my only time hanging with him. You know, we shot in Baltimore, and one weekend I went up to New York and for the weekend, and he went up to New York, and somehow we were on the train back together. So that was the most. We sat for three hours. And he was delightful. And I remember him. And he was very aware that that was my first acting experience. And he was, you know, really giving me some pointers. I don't remember what they were, but they were very generous and like, sort of, you know, big brother. You know, we'll try and do this and, you know, make some choices and so on. I was like, oh, he was so. Yeah, he was very sweet and talented guy. I mean.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah. You can't take your eyes off him. I don't really know him. I never really hung out with him.

[Paul Reiser]

But I think Bonny Heat was first, and I think he. Barry had seen him in. In that. And he only had the one or two scenes, right? Yeah, yeah.

[Woody Harrelson]

But boom.

[Paul Reiser]

Compelling.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah.

[Paul Reiser]

Yeah.

[Woody Harrelson]

I've never been accused of being compelling. I am.

[Paul Reiser]

Do you want to be compelling?

[Woody Harrelson]

He's nice.

[Paul Reiser]

I'm not compelling. I get the opposite. You can't keep your eyes on him.

[Woody Harrelson]

It's good for throwing. Focus on the other act.

[Paul Reiser]

Yes. Just. That's a trick I learned is when you don't. If you want to blow the scene, you realize you're not good. Just walk off. Just walk away. Or just look somewhere and they go, kyle, what'd you do? I had to look over there. Look at.

[Woody Harrelson]

So was that a hit? I know it was a critical, raving hit, but was that. Do you remember?

[Paul Reiser]

It was a critical hit and a novelty hit. It wasn't a gazillion dollars. I think they more than Made their money. But I think it was like a $5 million movie. But it's one of those. The people who did see it and appreciate it, it was really important film for them. And I always assumed, because it's about guys and it's sort of how guys behave when they're not around women, that it would be strictly a guy movie. And it certainly was for a lot of guys. Oh, that's my friend. We were like that. We used to have our place in Jersey and so on. But I've heard from a lot of women that they found that so compelling because, yeah, we can see. Oh, that's what you idiots are like. Oh, that's what you do when you're unattended.

[Woody Harrelson]

So. But that was an important film. So that opened the doors for you.

[Paul Reiser]

And there was a whole article. You talk about Larry David, There was some article that said that was basically about that. That Curb, consciously or not, was stood on the shoulders of. And you know, Seinfeld, too. It's like, it's not story. Well, that's not really true. Seinfeld claims to be not story centric, but it's wildly story centric, as is Curb, really.

[Woody Harrelson]

They spent three months.

[Paul Reiser]

Yes. And you go, boy, that looked effortless. Like, it can't be effortless, but. But the dialogue, the tone of the overlapping and not waiting for the laugh and so on. And that was, you know, we did the year after, or the year that Diana came out. They did that summer we made a pilot. I was the only guy from the cast who was in the. ABC did a pilot of Diner. And it was really. Could have. It looked exactly like the. And it felt like it.

[Woody Harrelson]

Three camera or no, no single camera.

[Paul Reiser]

Film, no audience, no laugh track, anything like that. And a similar type of thing. It wasn't jokey, it was funny in its offbeat way. But it was. And it wasn't picked up. And the cast was Mike Binder. James Spader was Kevin Bacon's role. I forgot who else was in it. But looking back, it really was ahead of its time because there were no single camera comedies. There were no shows that had that sort of atmospheric. I mean, the atmosphere was the whole basis of that movie, you know, And. But it was because of that that I actually became a writer. Because Barry Levison very generously said, you know, why don't you write the next episode? I went, say what? I don't know how he goes.

[Woody Harrelson]

So this was Barry's.

[Paul Reiser]

Yeah, Barry directed it. Yeah, Barry directed, wrote it and directed. And then he kind of Encouraged me. He says, you should write the next or a script for when this gets picked up. Knock on wood. And I did. And I remember I said, I don't know how to write a script, but I knew Diner pretty well. I knew the feel, I knew the character and I said, well, how do you write a script? And this is the truest thing anybody's ever said. I said, how do you write a script? He said, you type the words, fade in and then keep writing. And well, that sounds like, you know, haha, but that's actually true. Yeah, Write, fade in and then what comes next? All right, yeah, Commit, commit.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah.

[Paul Reiser]

Somebody talks.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah. What was your next film that came as a result of Diner, do you think?

[Paul Reiser]

Citizen Kane. Oh, that I was in. I thought that I watched the next one I did. I was in and it was literally like a link. Because of Diner, I got Beverly Hills Cop because Martin Brest, who directed that, had seen Diner and because of my three minutes in Beverly Hills Cop, somehow that got to James Cameron's eyes and I got Aliens.

[Woody Harrelson]

Nothing like a monster hit, no matter how big your part is to propel you.

[Paul Reiser]

Yes. So, and I look back, it's like it looks like, well, one thing led to another. Yeah. But not with any planning on my part. It just, it's sort of fortuitous and you know, with a lot of gratitude.

[Woody Harrelson]

Not everybody can do what you do, stand up. A lot of times if you work with a stand up in a drama or even a comedy, they don't always throw the ball back. You know, they, they, I got the ball and I'm going to hold on to it. And you went not only from stand up to a film that made you laugh, but it was based on character. Then you went and played a villain. I mean, you really can, you're a really good actor. You really truly are.

[Paul Reiser]

Yeah, but you know, it's funny. He's talking about throwing the ball back. And sometimes, and I've really only. I think I've been aware of this more recently, but sometimes doing nothing is much more powerful than doing something, especially if you're clearly just trying to, you know, be the tumbler and get the laughter. But I remember.

[Woody Harrelson]

Wait, what was that word?

[Paul Reiser]

Tumbler. Look it up. It's not, it's not a, it's not a dating site. It's not timbler. Literally, you can't be here. This. In Hollywood, you'd never heard the word of Tumbler.

[Woody Harrelson]

Tumbler.

[Paul Reiser]

Okay, get him a Yiddish dictionary. A Yiddish Ted Danson dictionary.

[Woody Harrelson]

People don't waste Time explaining Yiddish to me. They go, oh, he's so fucking out of it.

[Paul Reiser]

And a Tumblr, you know. Really? Okay, I thought you were fooling. You really don't know the word? No, it's a playful gesture, you know, fooling around. I gotta go.

[Woody Harrelson]

But a bit of a schmuck.

[Paul Reiser]

I thought this was gonna.

[Woody Harrelson]

I threw in schmucks.

[Paul Reiser]

You threw in schmuck.

[Woody Harrelson]

But tumblers are usually schmucks. Often.

[Paul Reiser]

Or schmuck is. There is an overlap between Tumlers and schmucks. A Tumler is making me spits.

[Woody Harrelson]

You really are.

[Paul Reiser]

You're doing great. Yeah, let's do the whole thing just in Yiddish now, people. I had no idea Ted was fluent. Yes.

[Woody Harrelson]

Wait, are you fluent?

[Paul Reiser]

My mother was fluish and my father. But so what was I saying? God damn it. I was on. Oh, so Beverly Hills Cop.

[Woody Harrelson]

So I had known doing nothing as opposed to filling every moment.

[Paul Reiser]

So Eddie Murphy. I knew Eddie from the comedy clubs, and he was, you know, the first. He was sort of legendary. He was out on Long island, and we were in the city, and we kept hearing, oh, there's a kid out on Long Island. He's so funny. So funny. And kept hearing. And he's 16. And then whenever he came in, he was 16, 17. He went on stage, and we all went, oh, my God, this guy. You've never seen that kind of talent and charisma. It's just powerful. So anyway, so I knew him. And so when we did got to play in my little bitty part in Beverly Hills Cop, it was very easy. And I wasn't intimidated because I knew him and it was easy to play. But I remember somebody goes, oh, you were so funny in that scene with Eddie. I go, look at the scene. I'm not talking, but here's a rule for all of you kids. If you're in a scene with Eddie Murphy, shut the fuck up and just stand there and let him be Eddie Murphy. And you'll go, oh, he looks good. The other guy looks good, doesn't he? And you go, yeah. And I real. I would get credit. Like, I'm just standing there and Eddie's bouncing stuff off of me. And, you know, in Aliens, too, it's another thing where I actually didn't have a line. This was a very important lesson for me as an actor. I didn't have a line again for the first couple weeks I was in scenes, so I had to come up with, what are you doing? You can't just stand there like in a school Play and be, you know, guard number two and stand there. You have to be invested. So what are you thinking? And it made me dig a lot deeper than if I had to say something. And so, you know, it wasn't such a bold choice. It was one of those scripts where you go, this is gonna be a huge hit. This is the best script I've ever read. And I had seen the first day at Leneagle and James Cameron I'd seen Terminate. I go, well, this is unbelievable. I can't believe I got invited to this party. So my motto was, just don't bring the film to a grinding halt. Just don't. You know what I mean? Don't make funny faces or light yourself on fire. If you can get out of here without calling undue attention to yourself, you're going to be very pleased. So that was my goal. Very low bar.

[Woody Harrelson]

Mario says to me, keep your voice down low because when you get up high, you're pushing, you're pushing. And don't tilt too far forward is kind of our phrase for that.

[Paul Reiser]

Don't lean.

[Woody Harrelson]

But you do discover I discovered in Cheers that Notice how I threw that in.

[Paul Reiser]

Were you on a show? Yeah, yeah, you know, I saw it and I don't recall.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah, all 11 years, nothing. Huh. Okay, that's so funny.

[Paul Reiser]

I would have thought you. 11 years, I would have noticed you.

[Woody Harrelson]

Was if you were next to the joke, if you were in a two shot with someone else who's doing the joke, you will get equal credit for being in something funny.

[Paul Reiser]

Yes.

[Woody Harrelson]

It's literally the same thing. So if you don't have much to do that week, doesn't matter. People will come up to you on the street and go, you were so funny.

[Paul Reiser]

And also, one of the luxuries of doing a long running sitcom is the audiences are comfortable with your character. So they can kind of know where you're thinking. Once in a while I'll be flipping channels and I'll come across an old all in the Family. Were you in that? No, you were not in that. Yes, you were. And those characters were so well established. You know, Edith would say something and they'd be in a very tight shot, almost an unappealingly tight shot of Carol O'Connor. And you just. And he's just looking. And the laugh would bill and go. He didn't say anything. You just, you know what his brain is thinking. And that's another luxury. It's like, oh, we know where you're going.

[Woody Harrelson]

That's the situation comedy, ness. That is 11 years.

[Paul Reiser]

My God, that's a lot of episodes.

[Woody Harrelson]

A lot of episodes.

[Paul Reiser]

Like 250 episodes or something.

[Woody Harrelson]

Smidge more. I can't remember, really. Two separate or something. Yeah.

[Paul Reiser]

So that worked out well for you.

[Woody Harrelson]

It did, yeah.

[Paul Reiser]

Now, did that come out of. Off of Body Heat?

[Woody Harrelson]

How'd you get Body Heat?

[Paul Reiser]

But he would have been like 83 or.

[Woody Harrelson]

You know what? No, you know what I auditioned for Jimmy Burroughs. There was incredible director, co creator of Cheers and everything else. I think it was Best of the west was the name of this sitcom that lasted a year or two. And I auditioned for it and didn't get it, but he remembered me.

[Paul Reiser]

I love that.

[Woody Harrelson]

And I happened to be called in at the last minute to replace somebody or something on Taxi, and they were Les and Glenn. Charles and Jimmy were involved with Taxi, and they were in an office around the corner starting to set up Cheers. And I think Jimmy went, huh? And brought me in. And that's how that came.

[Paul Reiser]

Well, see, again, being in the right hallway at the right time, not getting.

[Woody Harrelson]

Cast in things sometimes can lead to getting cast in good things. Whatever.

[Paul Reiser]

Yes, exactly. What's that? Is it like great Garth Brook songs? The dreams that. Oh, I can't come up. Wishes that. Dreams that never. Oh, I'm feeling embarrassed myself. Okay. Wishes that didn't come true.

[Woody Harrelson]

But you just brought up music. Yes.

[Paul Reiser]

Oh, look at you, the Segway King.

[Woody Harrelson]

Oh, yes. And you notice that I have not looked down to my notes once because I'm afraid that you'll catch me looking down and that'll. The magic will go away.

[Paul Reiser]

At our age, we have notes and we can't quite read them. I go on stage with my little set list because it's a crutch, and I look at it periodically. I go. I am like a 48 font, and I still can't see the fucking thing. So, yeah, look all you want. I know you ain't getting. I know you're getting nothing from it.

[Woody Harrelson]

Okay, so you the musician during this time. Now you're making. Now you're actually a big deal. You are. You're in big deal movies. You're doing standup. Are you. Is music included in this moment in your life or not?

[Paul Reiser]

Yeah, it's always. I've always. It's always been. See, I was talking before about the ensemble. We're talking, but my music was always sort of private and singular. I mean, I played piano. I didn't play with an orchestra. I didn't play with a group, and I kind of missed that. I think it Thwarted my growth as a person. Because once in a while, when I do play with somebody, oh, this is really fun to collaborate. Collaborate and throw the ball around. But no, it was. I always, Always played. Whenever I moved, I always. The piano was the first thing in the house before bed, and I would sleep in the piano, which is not comfortable, by the way. And. But. So I always played, but it was always, you know, for my own enjoyment. It was never. It was never. There wasn't even ever a thought of, I'm gonna do anything with it. The only. The first and only, really first time I ever did anything with it. Again, last minute accident. Ended up writing the theme song for Mad about yout. And that was like, oh, I'm actually merging. Or, you know, running parallel with two interests here.

[Woody Harrelson]

And you did music and lyrics.

[Paul Reiser]

Yeah, I wrote the song with Don was. Why? Because two weeks before the show premiered in September 92, Helen Hunt, she was also on the show. I don't know if you remember. She was the girl.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yes.

[Paul Reiser]

Love her, loved you.

[Woody Harrelson]

Both gone.

[Paul Reiser]

So she and I were flying to New York to do publicity and On MGM Grand. Do you remember MGM Grand? I do. Oh, I miss that. Somebody should come up with that. It was the greatest airline. And it was a private jet. It was a private jet, but for poor people. For poor people, yeah. It was a regular. It cost the same as a regular coach. And somehow. And you're always on with amazing people. Anyway, so we was in this little lounge and she knew Don from Somehow. And we just started talking and I said, well, we're going on. I said.

[Woody Harrelson]

He goes, wait, do Don for me. Don is and Was.

[Paul Reiser]

Don Was. Don Was. He had a band called Was, not Was. But he has since gone on to become, like, one of the most successful producers. Did Bonnie Raitt's album.

[Woody Harrelson]

Oh, wow.

[Paul Reiser]

He does the Stones, Willie Nelson, Amy. Done Everybody. And he's done, like, the last five or six or more.

[Woody Harrelson]

Please give him my apology. So big deal.

[Paul Reiser]

He's never seen Cheers, by the way, just so you shouldn't feel insulted. Fuck him.

[Woody Harrelson]

All right, go on.

[Paul Reiser]

So Don was. Yeah. Brilliant musician. Anytime you see any kind of industry thing, if it's not Paul Schaefer, it's Don conducting the band and a sweet guy. And he said. Or somehow came up about theme song. I said, yeah, we have one, but I don't really love it. He said, well, let's. Why don't we write one? I said, well, that's nice, but it's in two weeks. He said, well, let's you know, we have time. I said, well, we're flying to New York. He said. I said, I'm busy tomorrow. I said, well, let's do it tonight. I was like, what? What's. Again? He was stepping into high cotton. It's like, really? So we flew to New York and he said, come out at 11:30 to what? I think it was the Record Plant or something. And I get there 11:30 at night, and he's finishing up a session with Felix Cavallari of the Rascals. I'm going. He goes, you know. I said, yeah, hello. This is cool. Felix leaves and Don goes, what do you got? I said, I don't know. Nothing really. And we start playing, and I'm playing piano, and I come up with a little riff, and he adds a thing.

[Woody Harrelson]

To it for the first time, that.

[Paul Reiser]

Riff for the first time. Yeah. And then. And I had the idea that I wanted that sort of beat, that sort of New Orleans, whatever it was. And so I had that, and we started doing chords. And then he gave me that little sliding open piano. Da, da. I said, that's cool. And then we sat. He was playing his guitar, and then on one, he did another track where he turned the guitar over and was playing that beat on the back of his guitar. It was really like, you know, in your garage. And we had no words. He said, well, just scat. Whatever you think. I said, well, I'm not a singer. It doesn't matter. Just scat. So I go, scuba. But that is that buffoon, see? And I'm going. He goes, all right, that's cool. I said, that's not cool. That's. That's like me in the shower, stupid. That's not. And he said, well, who do you think would be good to sing this? I said, anybody else but me. I said, well. And I was a big fan of Lyle Lovett. He said. He goes, I know Lyle. I'll send it to. L go, no, don't. You going to send Lyle Lovett a cassette of me singing Scav Shield? Was that. So Lyle somehow diplomatically passed, but we had, like, a week to do this. We ended up. I wrote some lyrics on the plane back to la. I wrote the lyrics. And he has all these musicians. He's assembled Bonnie Raitt's band and Andrew Gold, who I was a huge fan of Andrew Gold, Lonely Boy and thank you for Being a Friend. He wrote that for the Golden Girls. He was singing. I went, oh, my gosh, this is pretty cool. And I was playing piano on it. Cut to. So Lyle Lovett ended up doing an acting role on Mad about yout and we became friends. Cut to a few years ago, we did the revisit of Mad about yout and I said, how about now? Do you want to do the song now? I goes, yeah. He goes, I can't believe I said no 30 years ago. That was so stupid. I said, well, here's your chance. So he did it. And anyway, so how did this come into. So anyway, my point was that, no, I never was intending to do anything with music that was just for my own fun. But that was actually something that paid off. And I, to this day, I keep hearing people go, you know, we played that at our wedding. I went, that's so sweet. And you owe me a nickel, by the way. If you play it at your wedding. Yeah, I get a nickel.

[Woody Harrelson]

But you do. I take it from a large sum of money every time I sold that.

[Paul Reiser]

I don't remember seeing big chunks of change, but I'm bad at that.

[Woody Harrelson]

Does the artist who sings your theme song get more than the writer? I never figured out.

[Paul Reiser]

I don't know. I'm the worst. Do you have any idea where your money is? I don't mean physically at the moment. Are you good at that? Like you?

[Woody Harrelson]

No, I am not. I have both. Sadly, both Mary and I have the same total lack.

[Paul Reiser]

And this is so important that all of our business managers are listening to this. They're not looking. And then they steal. Let's put it right out there.

[Woody Harrelson]

We've been very lucky.

[Paul Reiser]

We're very lucky. I can't believe they haven't thrown us out of the business yet, but they will.

[Woody Harrelson]

I'm jumping around now.

[Paul Reiser]

Jump around. Don't look at the notes because I can tell.

[Woody Harrelson]

Watch.

[Paul Reiser]

Boom. Boom.

[Woody Harrelson]

Hey, can you scoot that back?

[Paul Reiser]

I didn't know my reach was that far.

[Woody Harrelson]

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[Ted Danson]

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[Woody Harrelson]

Okay, let's jump ahead.

[Paul Reiser]

Go.

[Woody Harrelson]

Jump to Reboot.

[Paul Reiser]

Yes.

[Woody Harrelson]

What was that like? I mean, we've been approached upon occasion.

[Paul Reiser]

The reboot are mad about you.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah.

[Paul Reiser]

Because I actually did a show last year called Reboot, which confused people. We did. Literally. There was a show. It was one season, eight episodes that Steve Levitan of Modern Family did, and it was on Hulu, didn't get picked up. And it was called Reboot. But it was only shortly after we had done the reboot of Mad about yout. So the Mad about yout reboot, it was an interesting proposition. The one thing that Helen Hunt and I were very clear about and in unison on was, we're never going to ever come back. Why would we?

[Woody Harrelson]

Right.

[Paul Reiser]

To me, anytime you ever see a reunion or sometimes at an award show, bring out the cast. To me, the only purpose of those things is so that people at home can go, whoa, he put on weight.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah, wow.

[Paul Reiser]

She had some bad work done. You know what I mean? It's not good.

[Woody Harrelson]

It's right up there with the where are they now? Cover People magazine.

[Paul Reiser]

And it's better to be where are they now? As opposed to, oh, there they are. Wow, that's bad. There they are.

[Woody Harrelson]

He's alive.

[Paul Reiser]

He's alive. So whose idea was it? It was a studio. Well, it was. All these shows kept coming back and finding success. So Roseanne and Full House and a whole bunch of. A couple of others. So they kept talking about it. We were very clear that we never wanted to do it for a bunch of reasons. We were just so proud of how we ended it. We did seven seasons, and we even in the finale, we wrapped it up and we even showed future how it'll be in 10 years and 20 years thinking, well, now we tied our hands. We couldn't come back even if we wanted to. We've already told people, but so they came to us and they kept saying, you know, would you want to come back? Would you want to come? Would you just do it? And so we. We would have lunch every month or two, and we said, we should talk about this. And we thought, well, okay. First thought was, like, what if we screw it up? Like, we ended up. And what if we just piss on the whole legacy and thought, well, that's dumb. We know what we're doing. We're not going to stink suddenly. But we thought it would really be fun to play together because we just had such a great working relationship and we got along so well. But still we were like, but why? It just seems so unnecessary. If you like the show, go watch the old one. You don't need to see. But then what we thought about, we just did the math and we said, It's 20 years. So the little baby that we had when we ended would now be more or less leaving the nest, heading off to college, leaving the two knuckleheads alone again. We thought, oh, that's really what the pilot was, two idiots alone. But now we're 20 years later. We're not newlyweds, we're fatigued, and life has taken bites out of us. And that little adorable baby is quite a handful. And dreams didn't work out. And so where are they now? And I thought, well, that we both know that that's really an interesting place to write. And the great thing about, by the way, if you want to do it coming back 20, 30 years later, the scripts are only half as long because every other line is what? And then you have to repeat it. Come in the room. You have to do a lot of that.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah, that's what I thought Cheers would be like. You know, we horse walks into a bar.

[Paul Reiser]

What?

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah, a horse.

[Paul Reiser]

You know the other funny thing we had the, you know, the walks from. It was a inappropriately long apartment. I'm mad about you. And so we used to walk from the. If you were the kitchen sink and somebody rang the doorbell, we had. It was like 22 steps. So we had to like backtrack the script. It's like, okay, so start. Ring the bell here, because that's a long ass walk. Now, 20 years later, it's the same walk, but we're slower. So like add four lines. We actually did one scene where I was walking and talking on the way to the answer to the doorbell. And halfway through the room, I said, you know, 20 years ago, I would have been there already. It's like. It's just longer.

[Woody Harrelson]

Did you guys have fun?

[Paul Reiser]

Had a great time. It was a great time. And I'll tell you, we had been gotten together and even all the cast, we had seen each other, but never as a group. And you get that group back together at the table, Reed. And then you get on the set and it's like, oh, my God, you know, have we been gone a weekend or 22 years? It was instant. And I'm sure it would be.

[Woody Harrelson]

I don't know. I mean, I think Cheers is passed, but I do any kind of half hour situation comedy in front of a live audience. I don't know if I have the adrenaline pump to do that because it is an athletic. It is different than one camera.

[Paul Reiser]

Yeah, it is. And you do have to. When I went back, having taken a long time off of doing standup, when I went back, I went, oh, I have to sort of recalibrate to be awake at 9 o'clock at night and be sharp and like to work for an hour, to talk for an hour, it's like, oh, it's.

[Woody Harrelson]

What do you do? Do you sleep later? Do you take naps?

[Paul Reiser]

I mean, I sleep while I'm talking during the set. The set is so tight they don't even notice, you know, I think he's dozing. That's how good I am. Ted. Yeah, you have to, you know, you try and sleep later that morning. But there's also a thing, the adrenaline kicks in. So fear. Yeah. But I bet you, and I bet you I think this is true for doing multicam. When you have an audience, the adrenaline kicks in. So I don't remember ever feeling sick or tired or under the weather while on stage.

[Woody Harrelson]

Even if you're hurt, what is that? You don't feel that.

[Paul Reiser]

Is that.

[Woody Harrelson]

It is adrenaline, I think Adrenaline, yeah. I can still, even though the tiger wounded me, I can still run like hell.

[Paul Reiser]

But I remember certainly in stand up a couple of nights going, ooh, I think, gee, I don't feel well, or have a cold coming on, or, boy, I shouldn't have eaten that entire veal parmesan, whatever. And then you get on stage and you're fine and you get off and then you're back to feeling bad. But there's something always that brings it. And that only serves to remind me of, like, oh, yeah, we're lucky we're doing what we kind of intended to do.

[Woody Harrelson]

Was there a temptation to recapture, you know, the first mad about you or did you just let first go away? And this is who we are now and we don't have to live up to or say, we're back and we're the same, you know.

[Paul Reiser]

No, no, that was actually the saving grace is that the premise was, what are they like now, 20 years later? It would have been foolish if, like, oh, he's 35. Like, no, he's really not. They're newlyweds. No. And the show was always about, you know, I used to always say, like, it's more. It shouldn't look like a TV show. It should look like life and Sometimes writers would come up with a great line. I go, that's really funny. Nobody would really say that. It's too funny. You know, it was a lot of great lines went away. But it's like, it's gotta be funny. But as you have to be, it has to be believable. So the wealth of comedy for coming back was, yeah, we're older, we're tired. Like we've seen each other, we know each other's good and bad. And let's mine that.

[Woody Harrelson]

You don't have to pretend.

[Paul Reiser]

No, in no way. In fact, embrace it. Embrace the fact that, oh man, I'm tired and that walk is longer. I don't want to get off the couch.

[Woody Harrelson]

Let me just go back one more. Another conversation ender. But that dance that the two of you did, you and Helen, is really hard. And you made it look so effortless. The two of you. Just, here we are, it's the two of us. And it was really. I know how hard that is.

[Paul Reiser]

It is, it can be. But we were lucky that we had that naturally from the get go.

[Woody Harrelson]

Well, she's as smart as you are and you're as smart as she is.

[Paul Reiser]

So smart and so funny. And people in the beginning go, oh, she's funny too. I go, no, she's really funny.

[Woody Harrelson]

Really funny.

[Paul Reiser]

And also one of the things that endeared me to her. She grew up on all the comedy albums and all the TV shows. So she knew every Lucy episode. She knew every.

[Woody Harrelson]

But she knew every father was a.

[Paul Reiser]

Great director, wonderful director, Gordon Hunt. But Helen knew, you know, my tight circle of guy friends are my friends because they know the 2000 year old man records by heart, as did Helen. And we had David Steinberg was our director and she would quote his albums back to him. Well, nothing makes a guy happier than a pretty girl saying, wonderful. I know your albums by heart.

[Woody Harrelson]

I'm interrupting you. Aren't you thrilled to be part of this tradition of funny people that go way, way back? Yeah, I'm not like Mel Brooks is way, way back, but he is way back. No Sid Caesar. That whole strain of comedy. I feel so honored.

[Paul Reiser]

Honored and merit. You know, we had on Matt about yout, we had unbelievable good fortune. We would have guest stars that we managed to fit in organically. And we had all our heroes. We had Mel Brooks, we had Carl Reiner, we had Carol Burnett, we had Carol O'Connor. You know, we had Jerry Lewis sake. And it never, it never ceased to tickle us. We had Yoko Ono.

[Woody Harrelson]

Oh, wow.

[Paul Reiser]

And, and we had, you know, was.

[Woody Harrelson]

She able to find the camera?

[Paul Reiser]

She. Well, I'll tell you a funny story about that. How long is this podcast? Because I got. I got more stories. We, we, we. We did one scene. It was Carol Burnett and Carol O. Connor played Helen's parents. They were the third incarnation. We had three sets of parents.

[Woody Harrelson]

Really? Yeah. I forget why. I don't.

[Paul Reiser]

We just. We just. Just swapped out, like the new Darren. But then we got Carol Burnett and Carol O'Connor go. I don't think we're going to beat this. I think we'll go with this couple. And there was one scene where the premise was Carol O. Connor retired. He got an RV and he wanted to go cross country. And of course, Carol, his wife, Carol Burnett, it was like, game. But she really didn't want to be in this little, tight little space. And so they gave us the tour, quote, the tour of the house. And like, here's our living room. And. But the whole joke was how, you know, stateroom scene, it was all compressed. And Helen and I look at each other going. We're shoulder to shoulder, literally in the foreshot with Carol Burnett and Carol Connor. We're going, holy shit.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah.

[Paul Reiser]

How lucky are we? And then we did. When Yoko was on the show. I've told this story, but never on your show. You know, we used to do these tags after the show was over that would run under credits, and they would break the fourth wall, and they were a little silly. And we had Yoko, and we didn't have an idea. And we said, well, we have Yoko and the clock is running. The audience, what do we do with their cruises around? And I was. I was so nervous. I was such a huge, you know, such a John fan. And I was tripping all over myself. Like, we have Yoko. My God, we feel. So after we're coming up with nothing, Yoko sort of politely raises her hand. She goes, well, I have a suggestion. She said, you know, John and I always thought, whenever we can, can we just get. Give Peace a chance? Can we get that in there? And so maybe if the three of us were in the bed, like a bed end. And we went, okay, yes, please. All right. So we go, you know, you had me at John and I used to, okay, soldiers, whatever the hell you're gonna say. So we just running credits, and Helen and I are sitting up in bed reading the LA Times or the New York Times, as it were. And Yoko's in between us, and we're running credits. And then at the end of the 30 seconds, she just Gives the peace sign and says, give peace a chance. And I say, this is all we are saying. But in there, I think you can see Helen and I look at each other like, fuck, are you kidding me? We're in a bed in with Yoko on a stupid little television show. And it was just, you know, so we never took it for granted and we never were not aware of that.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah, I had that moment with Dick Van Dyke before I even thought about being an actor. Because I grew up without a tv. No tv, no popular culture. Until I went to Stanford and I wired into some teacher's antenna and bought this little black and white console that was on the floor. And the first thing that I turned on at 11 o'clock in the morning was a rerun of the Dick Van Dyke Show.

[Paul Reiser]

That's a good way to say black and white.

[Woody Harrelson]

And I was just mesmerized.

[Paul Reiser]

How long has this been going on?

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah, yeah, really. I'm just amazed and to the point where at an event or whatever, he'd see me coming and he'd almost blanch and want to run away because I just fanned out on him so much. He was like my idol. His physical humor to me was like, oh, brilliant, brilliant. And he got to play. Not. He got. I got to have him play my father on Becker.

[Paul Reiser]

Oh, gosh.

[Woody Harrelson]

And so for a week, all we did, you know, that we barely rehearsed because. Just one more story. Just wait, wait. He's in the middle of a story. Don't interrupt.

[Paul Reiser]

Don't interrupt. The man with the story.

[Woody Harrelson]

I would love to take this little podcast on the road and go. I would love to talk to all these people while they're still around these legends.

[Paul Reiser]

That's how I got here, by the way, because the clock is ticking. Yeah, Get Paul. Yeah, but, yeah, Dick would do this in a heartbeat, wouldn't he?

[Woody Harrelson]

I don't know.

[Paul Reiser]

But go to his house.

[Woody Harrelson]

We're going to try.

[Paul Reiser]

That's a big plus, by the way. Go to people's houses.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah, Next time we'll come to you.

[Paul Reiser]

Would you? Because this was. This is great fun, but not convenient.

[Woody Harrelson]

No, no, I agree. I accept. I love driving to work. I love coming here. I'd rather do it here than at home, but let's talk home, house. So where along this career path that we're talking about, did you meet your.

[Paul Reiser]

Wife Paula, early 1982.

[Woody Harrelson]

And before that, were you boyfriend, girlfriend, married? Somewhere along the line.

[Paul Reiser]

We started off marriage and then got Paula.

[Woody Harrelson]

But before Paula, were you. No, I was a single Guy.

[Paul Reiser]

I look back, yes, before marriage, everyone's a single guy. But I didn't. That's a wise ass answer. I'm sorry.

[Woody Harrelson]

No, it's good.

[Paul Reiser]

But I didn't, you know, I was never a real good play the field kind of guy. I mean, you'd meet girls. But I think quietly, I was thinking, all right, this is the one who was sort of, you know, there were many other. Clearly, this is just going to be, you know, Tuesday in Cleveland. This is going to be great. This is not marriage. But I was in 82, November of 82. Or I did. I was playing a comedy club in Pittsburgh and she was a waitress.

[Woody Harrelson]

We're now Paula.

[Paul Reiser]

Paula. And she was a waitress. She was in College. She was 19. I was 25 or 6. And for reasons we never understood, the club owned these two young guys in their 20s. Two brothers ran a club. And they were both funny, kind of knucklehead guys. And he picks me up at the airport and he says, oh, you have a great time. It's a great club, a lot of cute waitresses. I go, I got you. I know what you're saying. He says, no, but there's one you really like. I said, no, I got you. He goes, no, no, no, no, not like that. This one. You're going to really like her. She's really different. And this was a running joke with Paul Viggood for years. He said, no, you're earthy. I went, does she smell like soil? What does that mean? She goes, no, you're gonna. And for some reason, and we don't know why he was telling her. I'd never met the guy, but he said, oh, you're gonna like this guy Paul. So for some reason he was teeing us up for each other. And so there was this thing in the air and she came over and very just confidently put it on her hand. She goes, hi, I'm Paula. And I went. Literally, I just. Oh, my God. And she was just gorgeous. And that was it. And there was literally. There's no nobody else ever since. That was 40 something years ago.

[Woody Harrelson]

Wow.

[Paul Reiser]

And I'll be honest, Ted. Enough is enough. Yeah, I'm tired of it. Yeah. I mean, it's still good, don't get me wrong, but it's like Vegas. You got to know when to walk away. Do you know what I'm saying?

[Woody Harrelson]

No, I don't.

[Paul Reiser]

You and Mary been together.

[Woody Harrelson]

It's not dirty.

[Paul Reiser]

Is that right?

[Woody Harrelson]

28 years married on this coming Saturday. Wow, nice.

[Paul Reiser]

28. That is the. I believe that is the. Not diamond. That is the herring. I think you get each other herring.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yes.

[Paul Reiser]

On the 28th.

[Woody Harrelson]

Diamond studded herrings. Yes. We're going to a Sting concert.

[Paul Reiser]

Why not?

[Woody Harrelson]

Because we got married in Martha's Vineyard and James Taylor backed up Kate Taylor, his sister, who was singing Fields of Gold at our wedding. That's what we came down to.

[Paul Reiser]

Had me at the house band was James Taylor.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah. Oh, it was amazing. And we also, because of Mary's relationship with the Clintons over many years, because they're both, of course, Arkansas and all of that, he basically gave her away at our wedding.

[Paul Reiser]

Oh, my gosh.

[Woody Harrelson]

Because they're buddies. So we also. We had a great band and we had Stinger missiles at our disposal, basically.

[Paul Reiser]

Wow.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah. Okay. So how long after that fortuitous meeting did you guys get married?

[Paul Reiser]

It was about six years later. We were together. She was finishing college, and then so we were long distance for like two when we met. I was just about to move to California from New York, and so we were sort of long distance and she was sort of saying, look, this is not going to work. I have school. And I go, just don't give away the ending. Let's see, let's play it out. And then she finished her undergraduate and she planned she was going to come out to California and she did her. She's a psychologist, and so she got her masters and then she got a PhD and she was so cool. She was packing and she was planning to move out in two days. And she just looked me and she goes, really think, seriously, because if this is not going to work, just tell me now, I don't have to move out. I go, no, it's going to work. And she, okay. And she jumped in and moved out, and that was that. And then after three or four months, a few months into that, and we were renting a house and we got a dog. And then I got Aliens, which shot in London. And my manager said, you got. I said. He said, you got the part. Because I had auditioned in like in July but didn't hear about it till months later. He said, you got it. And I said, why? My girlfriend just moved out. I can't. He goes, oh, no, you're going to London. You're doing. I said, I don't think I can do that. And then, God bless her. And Paul said, no, go, and we'll make it work. And we actually, that's why we got a dog. And she said, okay, but I get a dog. I went, that's the equivalent I leave, but a dog takes my place. Fair enough. It's either you or a puppy.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah.

[Paul Reiser]

Then, you know, and then she, of course, came out to London several times and that was it. Yeah. I, you know, it's nice when you meet the right person.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yes.

[Paul Reiser]

And.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah.

[Paul Reiser]

I don't know. Yeah. I don't know how people. The idea of shopping, looking, marketing yourself.

[Woody Harrelson]

Like, oh, gosh, couldn't do it. If you don't want to say divine. It's up there in that category. Really. I think when you find that person, I mean, I used to think in other relationship, if I crossed the street and got hit by a bus, part of me would go, fuck. I didn't get to experience that really incredibly human thing of experiencing being loved and loving somebody. And when that.

[Paul Reiser]

That's good.

[Woody Harrelson]

Goes in a little spiral circle thing, it's really heaven on earth. It really is.

[Paul Reiser]

Yes.

[Woody Harrelson]

Now, but I'm assuming that we play around. Mary does.

[Paul Reiser]

Mary does. And deservedly so.

[Woody Harrelson]

But.

[Paul Reiser]

No but there. Tell me, and this is such a stupid question coming from me, but there are days when you guys have squabbles. There's some stupid shit.

[Woody Harrelson]

Okay.

[Paul Reiser]

I feel better because you look so sweet.

[Woody Harrelson]

Mostly when I'm wrong.

[Paul Reiser]

Because if that's a given.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah. No, seriously, when I'm wrong, I get pissed. I to be immediately defensive.

[Paul Reiser]

Yeah. Why would you be?

[Woody Harrelson]

But if she's wrong and I'm not, it's like, oh, look at that. That's kind of sweet.

[Paul Reiser]

1993 was the last time I was right in my house. I've been wrong an awful lot consistently. But then you also realize there's no great fruit in being right. It's like, no, okay, fine, you're right. Well, that wasn't fun at all.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah. Are you happy now? No.

[Paul Reiser]

No.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah. I have one more go category.

[Paul Reiser]

By the way. Those of you listening and not watching, Ted has no notes. This is all just the genius of Ted Danson. Just can carry on a conversation with no notes. What is it, Ted?

[Woody Harrelson]

That's all I got.

[Paul Reiser]

Ah, shit. I just pumped you up and you had nothing.

[Woody Harrelson]

Okay, here it is. Writing.

[Paul Reiser]

Yes.

[Woody Harrelson]

Now you're also so shit. You do. You're stand up, you're a sitcom, you're a serious. I'm a remarkable musician. No, you are. You are. I think that's why you're well balanced. Because if you get bored with where you are, you don't bitch and whine. You move to the category. I've never been category.

[Paul Reiser]

I don't know how to be bored.

[Woody Harrelson]

Because you have five things you're really good at.

[Paul Reiser]

Yeah, I don't know what it is.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah, that's it. I'm telling you. I got one thing, one thing. Hold on to that tight, Ted. Books. Books. Did you always know you wanted to write and when did that happen?

[Paul Reiser]

No, it happened in the middle of second season or something of Mad about you. And Seinfeld had a big hit with his book. And so his editor came to me and said, do you want to write a book? I don't know how to write a book. And basically he said, well, basically the first book was actually just taking a lot of my material, which was very much of the same. It was really the source material of what Mad about yout was. It was like being a couple and all the little fun things. So. But it was a very fun process, taking standup and transposing it, translating it to the page, because I'm not going to be there to do these jokes, so I have to write them so you can read them, you know, on your couch and it can read funny. And then that was a nice big hit. It helps to have a big TV show when you put out a book. And then the second one was, you know, was about when we had a baby and there was no shortage of material there and I enjoyed it. And the next one I did was 15 years later I did Familyhood and that was a very different. But I actually probably like it the. Because there were really more little essays and there's so much more life to draw on. It's like I've had kids, I've seen them grow up and you realize your limitations and your little moments. And when you have kids, there's little moments of just life bounces back at you in a way that was so fun to explore and write.

[Woody Harrelson]

Hey, I've really, really enjoyed.

[Paul Reiser]

This is Fun.

[Woody Harrelson]

The opportunity to sit opposite you and look at this.

[Paul Reiser]

How we didn't even need our wives today. It turns out they were holding us back, weren't they?

[Woody Harrelson]

You did work with my wife.

[Paul Reiser]

I did.

[Woody Harrelson]

And she loved you because of the music connection as well.

[Paul Reiser]

Yeah, well, we did a little movie together, but we also had. Each were in another movie, but we never. What was it called? The Bill Purple Movie in New Orleans Changed names. Jason was Jason Sudeikis.

[Woody Harrelson]

Yeah.

[Paul Reiser]

And shoot. Yeah. But anyway, we were. We were on the set that we were doing this movie that we did together, and I said, oh, you know, I was in this movie in New Orleans and it was an interesting, really nice music. And she went asshole. I was in that with you. And I went, oh, my God, have I already becoming this guy? And she said, we had a scene together. I went, yes, but we actually did. She wasn't there. We filmed because our schedule's. Yeah. So we did my angle on one day and she had done the day before. So I said, forgive me. That's why I didn't see you until the movie came out.

[Woody Harrelson]

Thank God.

[Paul Reiser]

But that she called me asshole was so endearing. That's so like her. You gotta get out of this marriage. It's no good. She's just vicious. We had such a great time. It was really fun getting to pretend to be married to America's sweetheart.

[Woody Harrelson]

Much admiration. Thank you so much.

[Paul Reiser]

This was a pleasure. And I want to hear afterwards how this compared to your other guests. And not that I'm competitive, but I'd like to know that I was among the top two or three.

[Woody Harrelson]

You were. You were. That was the great Paul Reiser. Thank you for joining me, Paul. His new standup special, life, death and Rice Pudding is streaming everywhere. Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, YouTube, Google Play, and more. That's it for this show this week. Hello to Woody and special thanks to our friends at Team Coco. If you've enjoyed this episode, please send it to someone you love. Subscribe on your favorite podcast app and give us a great rating and review on Apple Podcasts if you're so inclined. Means a lot. We'll have more for you next week. Where everybody knows your name.

[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 Sax, 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 Lissa 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 Navarret. We'll have more for you next time. Where everybody knows your name.

[Paul Reiser]

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[Ted Danson]

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