Randall Park

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Where Everybody Knows Your Name with Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson" featuring Randall Park

Release Date: January 1, 2025

In this engaging episode of "Where Everybody Knows Your Name," hosts Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson reconnect with Randall Park, a celebrated actor and filmmaker renowned for his roles in "Fresh Off the Boat," "Always Be My Maybe," and "WandaVision." The conversation delves deep into Randall's career, personal struggles, creative endeavors, and his meaningful relationship with his wife, Jay.

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1. Welcoming Randall Park

The episode kicks off with Ted Danson warmly welcoming Randall Park, highlighting their mutual admiration and Randall's likable persona.

Ted Danson [00:34]: "He's a very thoughtful guy who approaches his work with a lot of self-awareness and purpose. And he's very likable, I might add."

Randall reciprocates the sentiment, sharing a light-hearted moment involving an action figure he gifted Ted.

Randall Park [01:27]: "I got something for you... an action figure of myself."

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2. Randall's Audition Journey and Setback

Randall recounts a pivotal moment in his acting career, detailing a significant audition for a guest-starring role that ultimately went to his friend Eddie Shin. This experience was particularly challenging as Randall was at a "breaking point," struggling financially and emotionally.

Randall Park [07:36]: "It was a game of perseverance. It was just like, can you do you love this enough to kind of stick with it?"

The disappointment was compounded by the fact that the role was offered to a close friend, deepening the emotional impact.

Randall Park [14:07]: "It was devastating... that was the hardest for me because I needed it so bad at that time."

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3. Finding Hope and Reigniting Passion

Despite the setback, Randall found solace and renewed passion through his involvement in an Asian American theater company and the dynamic world of Channel 101—a monthly web series competition. This period was instrumental in helping him rediscover his love for acting, writing, and directing.

Randall Park [19:10]: "If I could just eke out an outlet... then that'll be a good life."

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4. Meeting Jay: A Serendipitous Love Story

A heartwarming segment of the podcast covers Randall's meeting with his wife, Jay. Their encounter was marked by mutual interests and a deep, immediate connection that blossomed into a lasting relationship.

Randall Park [30:46]: "We met at an audition... and we're just connecting like immediately, just lasting."

Their relationship, which began about 15 years ago, is celebrated as a testament to luck and divine intervention, blending Randall's grounded nature with Jay's outgoing personality.

Ted Danson [42:16]: "There's no real reason why it happened other than the blessing of it happening."

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5. Balancing Family and Career

Randall shares insights into balancing his burgeoning career with family life, emphasizing the importance of a supportive partner and a strong support system, including grandparents and a dedicated nanny.

Randall Park [49:21]: "We make it work. The constant juggling... we have an incredible nanny, Doris, who is just so a part of the family."

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6. Embracing Creativity and Directing

Transitioning to his creative pursuits, Randall discusses his passion for directing, inspired by his diverse background in graphic design, Asian American studies, and hands-on experiences in theater and web series production.

Randall Park [27:19]: "I started making a ton of shorts and web stuff... It was incredible."

He highlights his directorial debut, "Shortcomings," based on Adrian Tomine's graphic novel, available on Netflix.

Ted Danson [80:13]: "His directorial debut is called 'Shortcomings,' based on the graphic novel by Adrian Tomine. It's streaming on Netflix and I encourage you to check it out."

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7. Reflections on Identity and Society

The conversation also touches on Randall's exploration of his Asian American identity, the impact of his family's immigrant background, and broader societal issues. He reflects on the importance of telling diverse stories and contributing new perspectives in the entertainment industry.

Randall Park [63:53]: "I think it's... more conscious of the stories that haven't been told... new perspectives that I can relate to."

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8. Personal Growth and Groundedness

Randall attributes his grounded nature to his preference for authentic interactions over superficial engagements, which contrasts with Ted's love for performing. This authenticity fosters a deep connection between the hosts and Randall.

Randall Park [76:39]: "I just feel like, I don't know, I just want to kind of... be myself."

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9. Closing Thoughts

The episode concludes with mutual appreciation between Ted and Randall, emphasizing the value of genuine relationships and creative fulfillment over fame and superficial success.

Ted Danson [74:51]: "The amazing thing about a relationship where you are in love and you're aware of how blessed it is... I experience that makes me everything else feel a little bit."

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Notable Quotes

• Randall Park [07:36]: "Can you do you love this enough to kind of stick with it?"
• Ted Danson [42:16]: "There's no real reason why it happened other than the blessing of it happening."
• Randall Park [63:53]: "More conscious of the stories that haven't been told... new perspectives that I can relate to."
• Ted Danson [74:51]: "I experience that [love] makes everything else feel a little bit."

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Conclusion

This episode offers a heartfelt exploration of Randall Park's journey in the entertainment industry, his personal resilience, and the profound impact of meaningful relationships. Through candid conversations and shared experiences, Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson provide listeners with an intimate glimpse into what makes Randall both a successful actor and a grounded individual.

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For those who enjoyed this episode, "Shortcomings" is available for streaming on Netflix. Remember to subscribe to Team Coco's podcast on your preferred platform and leave a rating and review to support the show.

Transcript

[Ted Danson]

If you could hear love, what would it sound like? Son, can we talk about your drinking? Yeah, Dad, I think we should. Helping those closest to you think about their excessive drinking. Maybe that's what love sounds like. [e-mail] an OHA initiative.

[Randall Park]

It's just hard for me to not, like, be myself.

[Ted Danson]

Wow. I was about to breeze over that statement. That's huge. Welcome back to where everybody knows your name. Today I'm talking to actor and filmmaker Randall park, known for his roles in Fresh off the Boat, Always be, my, maybe WandaVision, the interview, and much more. He's a very thoughtful guy who approaches his work with a lot of self awareness and purpose. And he's very likable, I might add. Try not to like him. It can't be done. I mean, I tried, and I only add that because I'm hoping he's listening. And I made him laugh. So, anyway, I'm so happy for you to meet him. Here's Randall Park. Yeah. Thank you genuinely.

[Randall Park]

I got something for you.

[Ted Danson]

Oh, shoot.

[Randall Park]

Kind of a silly thing, but this is a. An action figure of myself.

[Ted Danson]

Oh, my God. Hey, listen, I'm gonna put this. I don't have an action figure.

[Randall Park]

No way. You.

[Ted Danson]

No, I have a really. I have a silly, goofy figure, but not action. No one hires me, ever to be active. Did you have to train? Thank you for my gift. I'm looking at a. Actually pretty well done. At least the graphic on the COVID.

[Randall Park]

Of not too bad. Yeah, that's a character from WandaVision. That's right.

[Ted Danson]

Jimmy Woo.

[Randall Park]

Jimmy Woo. The story behind that was, it came out and I was like, oh, my God, I can't believe it. I have an action figure. And I was so happy because, you know, is this Marvel or dc? Marvel. That's Marvel. And then, you know, I bought one. And then one day I was at.

[Ted Danson]

Did you really only buy one?

[Randall Park]

I bought one. Well, this is the story. I bought one. And then months later, I was at a Best Buy, and I see hundreds of myself on clearance sale. Oh, no. And I was like, oh, no. No one's buying these. So then I decided to buy 50 of them.

[Ted Danson]

That's great. And so wonderfully human that they're not rejecting you, but they are rejecting your little fake figurine here.

[Randall Park]

The people are rejecting me. So I had to kind of help myself a little bit. So I have. I have. You know, I have about, like, 30 of them now. And I'm going to. I want to.

[Ted Danson]

29.

[Randall Park]

29, 29. Well, I've given away, like, 20 at this point.

[Ted Danson]

Seriously. I think that we should only have guests from now on who will give us action figures. So this is.

[Randall Park]

I just got, I'm just, I'm really just unloading them. Really. I just, I have too many, and I got. But, but that's for you, actually.

[Ted Danson]

I appreciate this. Thank you. Because I do have one. I think it's a bobblehead from the Good Place and Mr. Mayor.

[Randall Park]

But, yeah, it was there. Were there any. Because Cheers was so big, I'd assume there was, like, some kind of merchandising going on.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah, but mostly T shirts and mugs and things like that. It was, it was pre. Pretty cool dolls.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

So what can I. Quickly. We're jumping around, but Marvel. What is that? You know, is that like Scientology? Once you're in, you don't get out. What do you. What are those? None of my business. Not, not financially, but are there, Is there commitment to be available to do the next Marvel that needs your character?

[Randall Park]

Not really. I mean, I mean, I'm sure it's different for different people, but if I was, if I was like a superhero, I think, I think it would probably look a little different, but because I'm a civilian, it's kind of, you know, I'll get an inkling beforehand if they're thinking of me for something, and they'll reach out and, and, you know, usually be like, absolutely, I'd love to. And so I'll find out a little while before. But. But it's not, like, set for me.

[Ted Danson]

Right.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

Right. You haven't signed your life away. You can go off and do whatever you want.

[Randall Park]

That's right. Yeah. Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

Let me ask you about podcasts.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

Do you like doing podcasts? No. Yeah. Good.

[Randall Park]

No, I don't. I don't.

[Ted Danson]

Why are you here? I'm so right here.

[Randall Park]

Because it's you. Because it's you. And, and, and also I've heard. I, I, I, I was trying to remember if I had met you at one point and.

[Ted Danson]

Help me help you.

[Randall Park]

No, Well, I have, I have a story about that, but. But I, I feel like I had. But I don't think I have. I've just heard so much about you from friends who have worked with you, and it's all such lovely things that when they reached out about this podcast, I was like, oh, my gosh. I felt like I, you know, I didn't feel like I knew you, but I felt like I, I just felt like, oh, he's lovely. Of course. You know, wow. Because just word around town about you as you, I'm sure you know, it's just how amazing you are. And so it was like, that's true. Yeah, it's.

[Ted Danson]

And by the way, this is a podcast trick. You fish for the compliment in the first, you know, 20 seconds, then you can relax. Oh, he likes me. He really likes me.

[Randall Park]

But I, I, I, I normally don't like doing these, and I.

[Ted Danson]

Why?

[Randall Park]

Because, well, how it works is they'll reach out about a podcast, and, and sometimes I'll, I'll be like, no, that. And I, that's not for me. But if the person that, you know, the person's podcast, if, if I'm a fan of theirs or if I, you know, if I, if, if they're interesting to me, I'll be like, yes. And then as the date comes closer, I'll be like, oh, my God. Why did I agree to do that? Why did I agree to do that?

[Ted Danson]

I'm terrified right up. Literally, I'm. I was terrified about you until we sat down. And then it's like, okay, it's all right.

[Randall Park]

Yeah. And then afterwards, usually I'm like, why did I do that? Why did I do that?

[Ted Danson]

That happens to me if I listen to the podcast.

[Randall Park]

Oh, I don't.

[Ted Danson]

Which I won't.

[Randall Park]

Yeah, I don't.

[Ted Danson]

No, no, no, no.

[Randall Park]

It's funny you mentioned help me help you, because when people, when I've been asked about, like, low points in my, like, acting journey, you know, the first story is a help me help you story. I was never on it.

[Ted Danson]

Right. I was barely on it just to set it up. It was a sitcom, Beautiful, beautiful, wonderful, talented writers and cast, and it just didn't quite work. And this was about, I don't know.

[Randall Park]

15 years ago, maybe, like a season.

[Ted Danson]

Maybe a season.

[Randall Park]

Okay.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

At that time, I was, like, several years into pursuing this acting career, and I was really broke and really struggling. And it was one of those where, you know, I didn't book anything for a long. I mean, it had to been, like, I don't know, seven months since I had. Seven, eight months since I had booked anything, right? And, And I told myself, you know, I can't. I can't take this anymore. This is, this is, this is too hard. And, and then I got this one audition, and I was like, you know what? This. I'm just gonna give it my all, this audition. Because the audition came, the role was, like, pretty. Pretty right for me. It felt comfortable for me. And I was like, I'm just gonna Put everything into this and all my hopes and dreams in this one audition. And if it works out, then I'll stay in the game. And if it doesn't. And I had rent due. Could not. I did not have the money, and I was like. So there were multiple reasons why this booking. It was very irrational for me to put so much onto this one gig. But it felt right, the role. And at the time, I was in this kind of theater company, this Asian American theater company. We were doing shows around town, and so I was doing that. I was kind of trying to do everything I could to kind of keep my spirits up and to stay active and to. But I was just broke, you know? And then this audition comes. I go in, I work really hard on it, and I felt so good. I felt so good and good.

[Ted Danson]

In the room.

[Randall Park]

In the room. Yeah. And I was playing. I was improvising. I was. But I was, you know, like, I knew that. I knew I was. Felt very comfortable. I knew the. Knew the script, knew the. I had my arc. I had. You know, I just put everything into it, and it paid off. And I got a call back, and I'm like, oh, boy. Okay, go into the callback. I kill it. Even better. I do. Even better than the first time. I feel so loose. I feel so. Just connected. And if I remember, there were, like, producers in the room and. And the director probably. Yeah, I mean, it was. I just felt so. Oh, this was just for. This was a guest star. Just a guest star. Like, maybe a couple days work. But it was a big opportunity for me. I don't think I had booked a guest star at that point. Going to the callback. Kill it. And I'm like, ah, this is a sign. This means I was meant to do this. I was meant to do this because right when, at my breaking point, the right thing came and, you know, and then you start fantasizing, oh, they're gonna like me so much, they'll bring me back in. And, you know, this is gonna turn into a series regular. You know, get home, call my agent. I've never had an audition as good as that. The agent's like, great. Couple day. You know, a couple days pass, I'm like, what. What's going on? This is like, they. You know, they should be calling me. Why aren't they calling me? You know what? I'll call my agent. Call my agent. I'm like, hey, what's going on with that role? My agent. Give me a. Give me a minute. Let me. Let me find out. Calls Me back and is like, you know what? They loved you. They loved you.

[Ted Danson]

Oh, fuck.

[Randall Park]

Oh, they really. They love you.

[Ted Danson]

Wow.

[Randall Park]

They love you. It's down to you and one other person.

[Ted Danson]

Oh, that. That's horrible to hear though, isn't it?

[Randall Park]

Yeah. And I shouldn't have asked who the other person is. And I was like, who is this? Who's the. Who's the other person? And it was this great actor. His name's Eddie Shin. Dear friend. He's in that theater group with me. We're in the theater group together. And he is. And I always thought he was so much better than me. And he worked a ton. And he is just a fantastic actor. Someone who really inspired me, you know, but he was my friend, you know, And I was like, oh, no. Well, you know what? It's okay because I. I killed it. I killed it. And Eddie's great, but no one could have done what I did in that room. Few days pass, still haven't heard anything. We'll find out on Friday. Friday comes. Hey, what's going on? Oh, they haven't. They haven't made a decision yet. And now I have to wait the weekend. And the whole weekend I'm like, oh, gosh. You know, just more and more anxiety. Monday, nothing. Tuesday, I'm like, okay, what's going on? Call my agent. They're like, oh, oh, yeah. They gave it to Eddie. And I remember sitting in my apartment, my studio apartment and just breaking down crying. And I had never done that, you know, before for like this, you know, for like an audition, you know, especially just like a one day or two day guest star audition. It was. And I. I've had so many heartaches and heartbreaks and, you know, just horrible kind of experiences and. But when I think back, that was the hardest. That two day guest star and helped me help you was the hardest for me because I needed it so bad right at that time, you know, and then also to lose it to a friend who, you know, who hadn't told you.

[Ted Danson]

No, no.

[Randall Park]

And I don't think I even told him, you know? Yeah, yeah. Because I didn't want to, like, jinx. I was just like, just leave it, you know, and it was devastating. It was devastating for my part in that. And I blame you. Sorry, I'm here.

[Ted Danson]

I know. I noticed you put little horns on my. So wait, wait, keep going.

[Randall Park]

Then that was it. And then afterwards I was like, I'm done, I'm done. And I think. I don't remember exactly what happened, but.

[Ted Danson]

I probably sometimes when you give up in life is when the. You know, that door opens where you're really supposed to go through. Because you probably were auditioning towards the end of the season of Help Me Help you, which means you would have been on it and the whole show got cancelled, which may have been even more devastating.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

I'm making an excuse.

[Randall Park]

I'm sorry. That. That would. Yeah. Because I would have gotten paid for those couple days and I would have been able to pay rent.

[Ted Danson]

So. Sorry. But what was. What was.

[Randall Park]

But it was great. I mean, in retrospect, I'm so glad I went through that, and I'm so glad I went through multiple versions of that. Never quite as hard for some reason as that. That day, but. And even crazier things happening. But, I mean, that was. That was, you know, to me at that time, particularly, it was a. It was a game of perseverance. You know, it was just like, can you. Do you love this enough to kind of stick with it? And that was like a big challenge for me.

[Ted Danson]

And you better have a passion for the process.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

Or else if you. If it's just, how do I get ahead? How do I become famous? It's. That would be unbearable.

[Randall Park]

Oh, yeah.

[Ted Danson]

But you can at least go back and go, all right, but this is what I have to do in life.

[Randall Park]

Yes. Yes.

[Ted Danson]

And somehow persevere. But, oh, my God, it's. When we've had kids. Our kids are now in their 40s.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

My wife, Mary Steenbergen, and I have both had two kids. I mean, brought two kids together to our relationship. Anyway, some of them decided to be actors for a while. And it's like, you want to be supportive of everything creative, and we were. But inside you're just dying because you know what a life of rejection it can be. If you're lucky.

[Randall Park]

That's right.

[Ted Danson]

If you're lucky. So what was that thing that after total despair. Can I just throw in my little story around that. Which was. I think I was probably 50 when I did Help Me Help youp. And they were wonderful writers, truly wonderful. So this is not on them because I think we. I don't even know if we completed a season, but let's say it was one season and then we got canceled. And it was, for me, that period where, oh, I'm no longer able to play that Sam Malone, aging adolescent slash, you know, thing. And I think I was being called to do that, and I was willing to jump in and do it, and it didn't work. It didn't fit Me. And I came out of that and said, all right, I'm not going to do comedy anymore. I'm not going to do tv. People are doing it so much better than me.

[Randall Park]

Out of help me help you. Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

Out of Help me help you. And to those who are listening, who are involved, truly, lots of respect. But for me, it was like, oh, I need to not do this anymore. I'm not funny. There are people doing this kind of thing that are really funny.

[Randall Park]

This is after. After getting canceled, but this is after, what, 10, 11 seasons of Cheers.

[Ted Danson]

Right. But you know, this. That you. You can't go repeat what you did last.

[Randall Park]

For sure.

[Ted Danson]

For sure. So it was, yes, you had a great run being that, but that ain't you anymore.

[Randall Park]

That's right. Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

And I remember calling Jeffrey Katzenberg and saying, put me, please put. We had had a relationship because the three men had a baby.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

Put me in anything. Put. Don't pay me, don't bill me, don't do anything. Small part, but let me start trying to build a movie career again.

[Randall Park]

Yeah, yeah.

[Ted Danson]

It was devastating.

[Randall Park]

Oh, wow.

[Ted Danson]

But go back to you. What.

[Randall Park]

What's. That's so. That's so crazy to me, especially now, you know, like. Like thinking that you. Because at that point, in my mind, you were already kind of legendary and iconic, and you could probably do anything you wanted to do, you know, for.

[Ted Danson]

Me to put my story next to your story is full of shit. Because I was filthy rich at the time. I think I was your landlord, to be honest, and I want to apologize for that.

[Randall Park]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. You evicted me.

[Ted Danson]

So what gave you hope next? What allowed you to go, all right, I'm up. I'm gonna. I'm gonna make it.

[Randall Park]

You know, I think it was a few things. It was. It was doing that work in the theater company, you know, because that was a source of validation and a source of just acting and writing and working and seeing, you know, the rush of being on stage. And I think that kind of, you know, after a period of, oh, I'm not gonna pursue this professionally. I'm just gonna do this. You know, I think that kind of slowly brought me back to pursuing it professionally. And then I also think it was just this change of mindset, which I think happened around this time, if not. If not even a little before, where I. I was like, you know, I don't have to. I don't have to be famous or rich even. I just. If I could just eke out of an outlet. Yeah, yeah. If I could eat. If I could even not even eke out a living. But I could work part time jobs. I could work full time jobs. As long as I could do this afterwards and keep doing it, then that'll be a good life. Yeah. So I think the. The. The coming to terms with the. The what was most likely which was that it was going to be not a hobby but. But just something that I could always do. But not necessarily like in. In, you know, professionally. I was okay with that, you know. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Ted Danson]

If you could hear love, what would it sou. Son, can we talk about your drinking? Yeah, Dad, I think we should. Helping those closest to you think about their excessive drinking. Maybe that's what love sounds like. [e-mail] An OHA initiative at AMECA Insurance.

[Randall Park]

We know it's more than a life policy. It's about the promise and the responsibility that comes with being a new parent, being there day and night and building a plan for tomorrow today for the ones you'll always look out for. Trust amica life insurance. Amica empathy is our best policy.

[Ted Danson]

Wow.

[Randall Park]

What's up? I just bought and financed a car through Carvana in minutes. You, the person who agonized four weeks over whether to paint your wall's eggshell or off white, bought and financed a car in minutes. They made it easy, Transparent terms, customizable, down and monthly. Didn't even have to do any paperwork. Wow. Mm.

[Ted Danson]

Hey, have you checked out that spreadsheet.

[Randall Park]

I sent you for our dinner? Options finance your car with Carvana and experience. Total control financing subject to credit approval.

[Ted Danson]

We're going to jump all around. Cause that's my brain. But.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

Shortcomings.

[Randall Park]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Directed.

[Ted Danson]

To me, it's like. Is. Let me ask you, is this where you would like to live in this area of directing your own work?

[Randall Park]

It's definitely. It was such a great experience that it's definitely something I want to keep doing.

[Ted Danson]

Right.

[Randall Park]

Along with writing. Keep writing and kind of doing everything. Yeah. Stuff that I was doing in that theater company.

[Ted Danson]

Right. You know, and earlier, if I read this correctly, that you were. You would do stuff in your parents backyard.

[Randall Park]

That's right. That's right.

[Ted Danson]

You know.

[Randall Park]

That's right.

[Ted Danson]

And you studied architecture or were involved with graphic design.

[Randall Park]

Graphic design. Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

Asian American studies at ucla.

[Randall Park]

That's right.

[Ted Danson]

All these things that you did. Music is a big part of your life, which to me is. Oh, you're a director in the making. Because if you have that vast a curiosity in different creative outlets, that to me is Somebody I would want to work. Work for as a director. I want someone way smarter than me that knows a lot about everything, or at least, you know. You know, that may not fit you in your mind, but it seems like it does.

[Randall Park]

I never thought of, like, I never, like, as I was going through doing all these different things, I never thought, you know, that I'd be utilizing all those skills. Right. You know, for a specific job. But I would say you're right. Like, directing definitely is, like. I mean, it's just. There's so much to do. You know, there's. And you're utilizing so many parts of your brain and. And. And those were parts that were, you know. Yeah. Were exercised for me and during different, like, phases of my, you know, my progression. And in that sense, it was very fulfilling because it definitely felt like, oh, gosh. Yeah, I feel very alive right now because everything's firing, right? Yeah, yeah. And so it was great. And I can't wait to do it again.

[Ted Danson]

Had you picked up camera knowledge and language and lighting or, you know. Cause I, as an actor, I could not direct my way out of a paper bag if I had your. Although I've been in front of cameras and all of that forever.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

Because I don't observe that. Did you have a sense of what, cameras, lenses and all of that?

[Randall Park]

A little bit. A little bit. You know, during one. Again, during kind of these. These periods of just struggle and not working that much and just wanting to keep acting, even though, like, the work wasn't being offered or even the, you know, the opportunities to audition weren't coming my way. There was a period where, you know, the technology had kind of caught up to me and my friends. And, you know, I'd have a friend who had a camera and another friend who had lighting equipment. And so there was, like, a period where we were just making a ton of shorts and web stuff, and there was a thing called channel 101 out here at It Still Might Be going On, and it was a monthly web series competition, and I used. And basically every month you'd screen a pilot, and if the live audience liked it, then you got to make the next episode.

[Ted Danson]

Oh, wow.

[Randall Park]

Yeah. And then the next month, you'd screen that episode. If they'd like it, then you get to make the third episode, you know, and it kind of kept going as long as the audience voted for it. And. And I got involved in that community and started making just a bunch of, you know, writing, directing, shooting with my friends, working on other people's projects. It Was like a small TV network.

[Ted Danson]

With a budget that came from somewhere else. No budget.

[Randall Park]

No budget. So outside of, like, you know, what we'd pay for, like, wigs or, you know. But usually there was a friend with wigs. Usually there was a friend who had a. Oh, they have a nice house. Let's use that person's house. You know, there was always somebody with that resource who are also part of the community. So it felt like very, very much. We had, you know, the world at our fingertips.

[Ted Danson]

And how long did you have in this competition to shoot your next episode?

[Randall Park]

I had a month to write it. Cast, you know, cast it, or find locations, shoot it, edit it, and then submit it, and then the next month they screen it.

[Ted Danson]

It's an amazing discipline.

[Randall Park]

It was incredible.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah, because you could, with the technology, make something that looked like a feature film. Yeah, the lighting package was small, and you could.

[Randall Park]

Some people in that. I mean, some people in that community, they were so. Yeah, they made, like, professional quality things. You know, my. My stuff looked a little more shoddy, but the, you know, but the writing was, you know, and the performing and, you know, like, it was. Everyone kind of had their strengths and their, you know, so it was a great community to be a part of. And it was started by Dan Harmon, who created Community, and Rick and Morty and. And Rob Schrob. And these two guys started this thing. And it was. I think it's still going on, but it was such a great thing for me at that time because it just kept me creative and it kept me. And I got to direct and I got to write, and I got to act, and I got to work with friends and cast and do everything when.

[Ted Danson]

You were not struggling, but when you weren't making money necessarily as an actor, writer, director. Were you married at that time or was that single years?

[Randall Park]

I was single for a lot of it and then. And then married during it.

[Ted Danson]

Right?

[Randall Park]

Yeah, yeah. Somebody. Somebody agreed to marry me during that time.

[Ted Danson]

Wanna name her?

[Randall Park]

Her name is Jay. And who's an actress. She's an actress. And. And at the time was, you know, we were kind of both in the same boat, you know, and experiencing similar things. So we kind of really understood each other on that level.

[Ted Danson]

And how'd you meet?

[Randall Park]

We met at an audition. We met at an audition. Yeah. It was in a waiting room of an audition. We had seen each other. So we had seen each other at a party, right. One night from across a room type of thing, and our eyes locked and I thought, oh, wow, she is so beautiful. And then a guy walks right up to her and they walk together and I'm like, oh, okay. She had, you know, that's fine. Not that I was gonna do anything anyways. I mean, it's, you know, but we just kind of momentarily locked eyes. And then a couple days later, I go into an audition for a pilot and she's sitting there and it's just her and in this big empty waiting room. And I go to sign my name and we find out that we're. Or I see that we're in this. We have the same agency, you know, at the time. And so I sit down and we just start talking and, and we're just connecting like immediately, just lasting.

[Ted Danson]

This is her story too, by the way. In hindsight. Okay, yes, that's cool.

[Randall Park]

And we're just, we feel so comfortable and we're talking for like, I don't know, it felt like 30 minutes or so. It was a long wait. And at this point no one else has come into the waiting room. It's just us two. And then the casting director calls her in and I'm think. And so she goes into the hallway, goes into the cast, and I'm thinking, oh, she's gonna come out back and maybe we could exchange numbers or something. Cause it felt kind of magical, you know. She does her audition and I could hear the door open in the hallway. And then I hear her footsteps just like leaving.

[Ted Danson]

Were they sad footsteps?

[Randall Park]

Well, I would learn later that yes, she didn't have a great audition. And she says in part because she was talking to me, but I thought she was gonna come back, but she didn't. I was like, that's fine. You know, that was, it was nice talking to her, but that maybe she has a boyfriend. Maybe it's the guy at the party, you know, probably together, and that's fine. And then a couple days later, I go into another audition and she's sitting there in the waiting room. And I'm like, what are the chances of this and this one? There's other friends there too, and people that I know and other actors. And she's there and I'm like, this is a sign. So I go up and we're talking and again, just connecting. It's so easy, you know, the conversation. And my birthday was coming up, so I say, hey, would you like to come to my birthday? I'm having a thing. And that year I decided I was gonna have an all day party. Friends come whenever you want. I'm gonna be drinking from the moment I wake up. To when I go to sleep, come whenever, you know. And I was like, you could come any time of the day. And she's like, oh, yeah, sure, you know? And I'm thinking, oh, she's probably not gonna come. A few days later, it's my birthday, I'm drinking, and some friends come over. And then she shows up and she's alone, and I'm like, oh, my God, she showed up. And she comes over, more friends come over, and she's getting along with all my friends, and, you know, she's so fun, you know, And. And I'm just like, oh, my God, she's. She's amazing, you know, I find out she didn't have a boyfriend, that. That guy at the party wasn't her boyfriend. And. And I'm like, oh, gosh, I gotta ask her out on a date. And as the night goes on, she. She hangs around. But we had one other friend there. My friend Dave was there, and he would not leave. He just wouldn't leave. And I'm like, I don't think he knows what's going on. And at that point, I was getting real tired, and I was like, guys, I gotta turn in. I've been drinking all day. This is not good. I need to sleep. And Dave says to Jay, I'll walk you to your car. And. But before she goes, I'm like, jay, call me. Call me when you get home. So I know you got home safe.

[Ted Danson]

Good. Yeah, that was good.

[Randall Park]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And then I was to learn this later, but when they got to, you know, my friend Dave walked her to her car. He was like. He stops for a moment. He was like, oh, my God, did I just cockblock you? He realized.

[Ted Danson]

He said that to you? Clearly not.

[Randall Park]

He said that to Jay because he walked her to her car.

[Ted Danson]

Was this the first time Jay had heard block? Because it's still new to me, by the way, but.

[Randall Park]

Oh, no, I. I think she got it. She got it because it was very clear what. What was going on, the dynamics.

[Ted Danson]

What did she say?

[Randall Park]

I. You know, I don't remember what she said. I think she kind of laughed it off because she didn't want to assume anything, but. But then she got home, she called me right away. I'm like, do you wanna go on a date with, or can I take you out on a date? And she's like, yes. And then we go out on a date and we stay together ever since.

[Ted Danson]

How long ago?

[Randall Park]

That was about 15 years ago.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

I don't know where you are. On the woo woo part of life. But I do believe that it's divine intervention. I really do. There's no reason in the world why my wife, Mary Steenburgen, would even have stopped and looked twice at me if I hadn't chosen to grow up and mature the year before. I was such a hot mess, you know, and there's just no, there's no rhyme or reason other than how did you two meet? Well, we met several times while we were both married to other people. She's married. She was married to Malcolm McDowell, the actor, and had two kids, and I was married and had two daughters. And I don't think it was Cheers years, but it was after that. Maybe it was cheers years. And she just said, hey, hi, I love your show at a party. And I said, thank you. Thank you. And then another time we were. Where were we? I think it was like a. The inauguration. Bill Clinton.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

And we were both at the same kind of event kind of thing.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

But then it was a movie that we both got cast in, and I was at the height of my hot messness publicly in the news. Hot mess.

[Randall Park]

Oh, really?

[Ted Danson]

Had a car accident, you know, that was like kind of my wake up. One of my wake up calls.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

During that time, I was working like crazy on myself, going to therapy and this and that. Yeah. I wanted to stop being a liar. I wanted to, you know, be real and. Yeah. But I knew we weren't going to get together because I knew that I could fuck up any relationship because it was me always at the center of these relationships that didn't work. She was saying to herself, well, she had just broken up with somebody. I guess I'm not relationship material. Even though I look like I should be, I'm not. And so we both kind of gave up at the same time that we met. And it was speedy in that, you know, within a month of starting to shoot together, I, I, I will speak for myself, was madly in love.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

And I, you know, it was like I couldn't wait to be around her. I didn't think about marriage or relationship. I just thought, wow, I just have to be around this person who makes me so happy.

[Randall Park]

Yeah. Well, at that point, you say you were in a hot mess or you were a hot mess, and then you. And then you. Was it before you two kind of got together that you felt like, I'm no longer a hot mess?

[Ted Danson]

I feel like I, No, I had started to work on myself, so I had stopped being an active hot mess.

[Randall Park]

Right.

[Ted Danson]

But I was really Looking at it and the press and the public were catching up. But the work that I was doing was way deeper than any of the press and it really kind of saved my life. I mean, it was a big moment in my life.

[Randall Park]

It's so interesting because I was around during that time. I was a big fan of yours. Cheers was one of my all time favorite shows. I was. I felt like I was very kind of invested in you as a famous person. And that's one of my guys. And now sitting here and looking back, I don't remember any of that hot mess stuff. I'm sure at the time I did good. I'm sure at the time I did. But now it's funny how just memory works and how I associate Ted Danson with all this and that all of that stuff is just. And I. My guess is it would be the same for most people. They just. It's one of those things that was. Probably gave you a lot of anxiety at the time, but. But nobody remembers.

[Ted Danson]

I wasn't even anxious about public opinion.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

Because I was. I had so much genuine work to do on myself. Life changing work that, you know, and I was lucky enough. My mentor who took me through all of this, you know, it was like, if you stop. It's like sobriety. If you stop lying and you start really checking yourself out, that too becomes addictive. Taking responsibility for who you are and realizing it's no one else but you.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

And why is that? You know, all of that stuff.

[Randall Park]

Had you always been pretty good with kind of public opinion and not. Not really kind of paying anything?

[Ted Danson]

No, no, I want to be. I calmed down as soon as you gave me a compliment. It was like, oh, my breath is coming back in, Mary. You know, I get up. We went to a concert last night and I said I have to get up and walk through this huge crowd to go find a men's room and everything. But to her it's like, no, you don't. You just need to, you know.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

You just need to take a stroll and see if anyone recognizes you so you feel better about yourself. So. No, I'm. I'm the joke. Every human frailty I dabble in.

[Randall Park]

Yeah. Okay. Okay. That's. That makes me feel good. It makes me feel better.

[Ted Danson]

Okay, you're in love. But who makes that final? The. The first real move. Oh, let's. Let's get married. Let's. Let's have a life together with you. And.

[Randall Park]

Well, it happened super fast after, you know. You know, after that first date. It just we both just felt so sure. I don't even know if there was any. Like this is it. It just like naturally all felt so right and organic and it wasn't really a conversation, you know, like, are we gonna get married or. It just kind of all felt like this is happening and this is. And we're both. We both felt so lucky, you know, like we always felt so lucky, you know? And I think.

[Ted Danson]

Do you celebrate it? We celebrate all the time how unbelievably lucky we are to have found each other.

[Randall Park]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. We. It's a. You know, I think when you know, you know, it's cliche, but it's just like. Yeah. You know, for us it was truly that, you know. Yeah. Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

And why. There's no real reason why it happened.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

Other than the blessing of it happening.

[Randall Park]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Totally. When work gets crazy, I like to.

[Ted Danson]

Stop by the bar after, have a few cold ones. I don't drink at all until 4:00. 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] NoHE Initiative Wow.

[Randall Park]

What's up? I just bought and financed a car through Carvana in minutes. You? The person who agonized four weeks over whether to paint your walls eggshell or off white bought and financed a car in minutes? They made it easy. Transparent terms, customizable, down and monthly. Didn't even have to do any paperwork. Wow.

[Ted Danson]

Hey, have you checked out that spreadsheet.

[Randall Park]

I sent you for our dinner? Options finance your car with Carvana and experience total control financing subject to credit approval.

[Ted Danson]

How old is your daughter?

[Randall Park]

She's 11.

[Ted Danson]

11?

[Randall Park]

Yeah. Yeah, she's 11. She's. I'm just so obsessed with her. Yeah, yeah, yeah. She's the greatest.

[Ted Danson]

That's amazing.

[Randall Park]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

During those 11 years, did you. Were you then making a living and it wasn't such a stressful thing?

[Randall Park]

I'd say by the time we had. When we had her, I would. I definitely started working more. I wouldn't say that I was. I felt in any way secure. Right. And. But I, you know, I mean, do you ever feel secure in this career? Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

No.

[Randall Park]

Yeah. So I, but. But it. I did feel like, you know, I'm doing. I'm doing well enough to not feel super stressed. We did live in a tiny apartment in Mar Vista. It was this rent controlled apartment, the same one I lived in when I first met Jay. And she moved in. We found out we were gonna have a baby and we were like, we should get a bigger place. And I remember we found this house in Valley Village. And I remember having this conversation with Jay. I was like, okay, we can like afford to, you know, put in the down payment. But after that, we probably got a good three months.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

And then we're probably gonna lose the house. Let's really enjoy these three months. And then if we're lucky, we'll get six months. And if we're real lucky, we'll get a year, maybe two years. But, you know, the way this business works, let's not be heartbroken when we have to move out and downgrade. Let's just really enjoy this, you know. And so we both kind of got our first little home, you know, not, not really stressed out about it, you know, it's kind of like, well, who knows what's gonna happen? We'll live here and enjoy it and, and, and then if we have to move out, we'll move out, you know, and. And slowly work just started coming, you know.

[Ted Danson]

See, I think to get a little woo woo again.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

That's how life works. I really do. I mean, and if it's not how life works, it's how I choose to think life works, which is find joy in this moment. Know what it is you want to. Where you want to go. But don't use the discrepancy between where you are now and where you want to go to invalidate yourself. Just experience the joy.

[Randall Park]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure, for sure. I do think like, if we were in that house and worried about how are we going to, you know, how are we gonna keep this house, Then you would generate that.

[Ted Danson]

You would have your life reflect back to you. Oh, he likes to worry about not having stuff. Let's give him not stuff.

[Randall Park]

Yeah, yeah.

[Ted Danson]

So he can worry.

[Randall Park]

I mean, I do think like one of the benefits of timing with Jay and I was, you know, we were fairly older when we met and we were.

[Ted Danson]

How old were you?

[Randall Park]

I was 35, 36, something like that. Married at around 37. And we were broke most of our adult lives. So we knew how to live like that and we knew how to do a lot with little. And so that house, when we first, I mean, it was a tiny house, but it felt like a castle for us, you know, so it was really something that we like. Oh, My gosh, can you believe even to this day, like, I. I talk, talk to. I'll say all the time. I probably said it to Jay earlier today, like, can you believe this? Like, this is crazy.

[Ted Danson]

Like, we do the same thing. I swear to God.

[Randall Park]

Oh, yeah.

[Ted Danson]

And if you listen, if you put a tape recorder in our bedroom or anywhere in the house, you know, it would be like, oh, they're sickening. They're so nauseatingly sweet and joyful and, you know.

[Randall Park]

Yeah. Yeah. But I mean, I really like, you know, gratitude so key just to. That's everything, you know, And. Yeah. And I think us finding each other when we did and, you know, being appreciative of where we're at constantly, no matter where we're at. I really. I agree with you. I feel like, yeah, maybe it is.

[Ted Danson]

Woo, woo.

[Randall Park]

But it definitely brought us to where we are, I think. Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

Is Jay get to work or is she having to take care of home life or. She gets.

[Randall Park]

She works. Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

Great.

[Randall Park]

Yeah, we make it work. The constant juggling. And, you know, we have an incredible nanny, Doris, who is just. She's just so a part of the family and grandparents around. Grandparents around. Yeah. Yeah. My. My parents are. Are close. I grew up in la, so they're. They're close.

[Ted Danson]

Right.

[Randall Park]

Yeah. So it's. My brother is here and.

[Ted Danson]

Right.

[Randall Park]

Yeah. He's crazy about Ruby. So it all works out. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Ted Danson]

We have granddaughters now and it's like, oh, my God. You just. You can't describe. It always sounds like, didn't you enjoy your kids? Because the comparison, you. You just start. First off, grandkids come along when you're going, oh, I'm getting old and a little cranky.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

Oh, shoot, you know, whatever. I'm in decline. Oh, a granddaughter. I'm in.

[Randall Park]

I'm in. Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

You know?

[Randall Park]

Yeah. I couldn't imagine. I couldn't imagine. Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

How wonderful.

[Randall Park]

Yeah. I feel. I mean, I feel that way with Ruby. You know, I'm like, oh, my. Our daughter. I'm like, oh, my gosh. Like, this is wild. You know, it's so great. Like, what a source of just pure joy and just like the best, you know, it's the best.

[Ted Danson]

And I think it's great for careers in this way. I think that as soon as you have a kid, it's check your ego at the door.

[Randall Park]

Oh, yeah.

[Ted Danson]

This ain't about just about you anymore. And I will go out and do whatever it takes. And I think that's a big key. With or without children, the Check your ego at the door because it is just too bumpy a ride. It's all about ego diminishment, ironically. Because actors, you know, are so full of shit and so full of themselves and all of that. But the truth is, you better have.

[Randall Park]

You know, I mean, I feel like life is all about ego diminishment.

[Ted Danson]

Yes.

[Randall Park]

I mean, the Jimmy Woo action figure, come on. You know, it's. But, but the kids really, having a child really supercharges that ego diminishment for sure.

[Ted Danson]

I think they made your jaw a little stronger than it really is. Does the head bobble if I shake it? No.

[Randall Park]

Maybe. I don't know. Maybe they didn't put as much effort into that one.

[Ted Danson]

Okay, let's go back even further.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

First off, there's something that popped out for me. So this is the story about me. You can sit back and relax.

[Randall Park]

Oh, great, great.

[Ted Danson]

But I noticed that one of the shows that you said that you watched the sitcoms when you were a kid was the Dick Van Dyke Show.

[Randall Park]

Love it.

[Ted Danson]

Me too. And that I grew up without a tv.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

And the other thing I saw was you used to read TV Guide cover to cover.

[Randall Park]

Oh, yeah.

[Ted Danson]

So did I. I did not have a television growing up. I was a freshman at Stanford when I got my first TV that I found on the street, rehabilitated and put in my. And the first thing that happened when I turned it on, it happened to be 11 o'clock in the morning, was a rerun of the Dick Van Dyke Show. And he has been my physical comedy, you know, hero my entire life. And I, Yeah, I just love that. I saw that.

[Randall Park]

Oh, my God.

[Ted Danson]

In the notes about you.

[Randall Park]

I mean, when I was a kid, I would, you know, we didn't have the technology we do now, but I. But I did have this mini tape recorder, like a little cassette tapes, you know, you put in. And I would lean it up against the TV whenever the Dick Van Dyke show was on or I Love Lucy and those two were my favorites. And I would audio record the episode and hope that my parents wouldn't walk in and ask me, you know, start talking or, you know, I would just, just get the audio. And then every night I would just as I would lay in bed, just listen to these shows.

[Ted Danson]

How old were you when you did that?

[Randall Park]

I was, I don't know, 9, 10.

[Ted Danson]

What do you think it gave you creatively to not be watching it and having the visual and the audio, but just the audio. I wonder.

[Randall Park]

I mean, I did watch it a ton Whenever I could, but I think just the audio. What. But what thrilled me the most was, especially with those shows back then, you could really hear the audience.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

You know, you could hear the individual laughs. And sometimes there'd be like an oddball laughing, you know, a little late. And sometimes, you know, sometimes the jokes would only get like a handful of laughs, you know, and other, you know, only a few. It only connected with a few people and they wouldn't like, sweeten it, you know, it just, it would just. They'd keep it like that. And something about that was so thrilling to me.

[Ted Danson]

And this is my two cents. But I bet it also stimulated your imagination because you were visualizing things at the same time, which to me is another little box to check on your way to becoming a director.

[Randall Park]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I think so. Yeah. And I think it probably shaped my sense of timing and. And my, you know, I mean, it probably did a lot of things that I don't even, like, know. I'm not even aware of. But just listening is. Yeah, I do think that there's a. There's a power in that.

[Ted Danson]

Did you. You probably didn't, but did you at that? 9, 10, whatever. Early teens think, oh, someday I'm going to be in the business you're in now. Or was this just a source of enjoyment? It wasn't, didn't mean anything.

[Randall Park]

Purely source of enjoyment. It wasn't even an. I couldn't even fantasize about that. It wasn't like it was so far out of any option for me.

[Ted Danson]

Right.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

So what was the first time in school or college or wherever where you went? Oh, okay. I could do whatever. It is this.

[Randall Park]

I was in college at ucla. I.

[Ted Danson]

And I don't mean show business. I mean, what was the first thing you might have had a career in, in your mind?

[Randall Park]

Well. Oh, for me. Well, when I was really young. And this connects also to filmmaking, and I loved comic books and graphic novels and I loved drawing them and making my own. So I would draw pages and pages of my own, like, comic books, and I would staple them together and I'd have like, like a. Copies and a bunch of copies of my own, like little books. And. And that was something that I thought I would end up doing. Oh, I'll be a comic book artist or, you know, graphic novelist or something.

[Ted Danson]

Like that, which is being a director.

[Randall Park]

Yeah, it's like storyboards, storyboarding. Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

At how old?

[Randall Park]

I mean, I was doing that really young, you know, probably. Yeah. 8, 9, 10. Into middle school, high school even. I Was doing this. So I have like shelves of these comic books that I drew.

[Ted Danson]

And here you are working for DC and Marvel and you're a director. Life is astounding.

[Randall Park]

It's crazy.

[Ted Danson]

It really is.

[Randall Park]

It's crazy. And I collected all that stuff, you know, it's insane.

[Ted Danson]

Who was in your family? My mother was the acknowledger in chief about anything creative. Yeah, she hated guns. She would not let me even buy toy guns. But if I carved one out of wood, which I did a lot, she was thrilled. Oh, how beautiful. What a good job. You know, I learned how to play the cello, but could squawk out maybe two notes. Oh my God, do it again. You know, she was anything creative was. What was in your family that kind of encouragement about creativity?

[Randall Park]

No one.

[Ted Danson]

I am a self made creator.

[Randall Park]

I mean, so my mom was a painter.

[Ted Danson]

All right.

[Randall Park]

So I grew up with a bunch of like canvases like leaning against the wall and there was always like paintings like at various stages of, you know, so she. So I grew up with that and.

[Ted Danson]

It was serious for her. That's serious.

[Randall Park]

It was serious enough that she was doing it a lot, but she was also working a full time job. She worked at ucla. Yeah, she worked at UCLA for the student store. She was doing accounting for the student store. And my dad was not creative. He just worked and worked very hard. But his sister in Korea was a filmmaker. Yeah. And he had a brother who was a painter. So there was like these little like kind of in my lineage, like there was definitely art, you know, but as far as in the house, my parents, I mean, they encouraged, you know, writing and you know, whenever I would like write or even draw something, they'd be like, that's great. But it was never like gonna be.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

A future. You know, it was always like that. It was the whole doctor, lawyer, you know, the immigrant parent thing, like, you know, which is very real. Oh, very real.

[Ted Danson]

I mean, and. And not. Not wrong.

[Randall Park]

No.

[Ted Danson]

From their point of view, especially at.

[Randall Park]

The time, you know, when I was a kid, I was like, gosh, what? You know, I don't want to do any of that stuff, you know, but.

[Ted Danson]

But to them it was. This is what we wish we had been able to do.

[Randall Park]

That's right. Yeah. Yeah. And they sacrificed a lot to make the journey to the, you know.

[Ted Danson]

How old were they when they did that, when they immigrated?

[Randall Park]

Well, it was 1970. I mean, my mom was in her very early 20s and my dad was later 20s, but my dad had moved to San Francisco before my mom even meeting My mom, so. So they both had to have been in their earlier 20s when they, when they first.

[Ted Danson]

Still resilient enough, I guess, to embrace the odds, you know, against you kind of thing. Because I sometimes think about people in their, you know, when they start to get brittle like me, having to do that, having to leave a country and go to another country to make a home, it is like way incredibly brave.

[Randall Park]

I mean, I, I was born in la, raised in la, live in la, went to UCLA in la, in la. I, I could never do what they did.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

And I, I marvel at it. I. I marvel at it.

[Ted Danson]

Did you. Was it a marvel to you? Probably not as a kid or was it?

[Randall Park]

No.

[Ted Danson]

Were you? No, no, it was like, who's aware of their parents?

[Randall Park]

Yeah. I mean, if anything, it was like, why can't you be more like my friend's parents, you know, like, who were so fun and, you know, let their kids do this and that and, you know. Yeah. Back then, especially growing up, it was like, it wasn't cool to come from a family like ours, you know, like ours meaning what? Like an Asian family, you know, in the 80s, early 80s. But as you get older, or as I got older, it's like, oh my God, it's super cool. That's like the coolest thing and the bravest thing, like you say, to make this trek to this new world for opportunity. And yeah, I'm like, wow, that's amazing because I could never do it.

[Ted Danson]

Why not? Why the Sam's? Okay, now I'm walking on my oh so white privileged life ice. But why? I glimpsed, to be honest, at the New Yorker article. So why Asian American studies at ucla? Yeah, why?

[Randall Park]

I think because I grew up in, in a very, very, very diverse community, but, but not with a strong sense of kind of my Asian American identity or my Korean origins or, you know, I kind of grew up in a lot of ways. Not denying it, but definitely not celebrating it, you know. And when I got to college at ucla, I just found myself kind of immersed in this community, this Asian American community, and it just felt so new and exciting.

[Ted Danson]

More so than growing up in a neighborhood and your parents, friends?

[Randall Park]

Yeah, I mean, my friends growing up as a kid were just every race. We were, you know, we were. I mean, it was very idyllic in a lot of ways. The, this LA kind of city, just very multicultural upbringing, you know, but going to college, it was kind of like there, there were these pockets of kind of Asian American and an Asian American community that I found myself in and it felt very exciting, you know, and, and it felt like I want to learn more about this, you know, this, this kind of history. And so that led me to the major. Right, yeah, yeah.

[Ted Danson]

And do you think it obviously must have had a huge impact on what you choose to do now while you're in the position of having choice as a director or as an actor?

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

And how so? I mean. Yeah. To what?

[Randall Park]

Yeah, I think.

[Ted Danson]

Agree.

[Randall Park]

I think it's. I think for me it just made me more conscious of the stories that haven't been told, you know, the stories that are new and interesting that I can relate to. I mean, not that I can't relate to. I mean, I could relate to Cheers just as much as anything, but. But it's just new perspectives, you know, that to me are the most. They're interesting, you know, not just for me, but for everybody. So to be able to contribute those perspectives in any way is exciting. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Ted Danson]

I often thought that we got really messed over in LA by General Motors, who got rid of our streetcars that went everywhere.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

And then somebody made a decision, no cars in the future. So we're going to get rid of all the trolley. Because everything was connected.

[Randall Park]

Right.

[Ted Danson]

You could go to any ethnic grouping in the LA area anytime you wanted and you could immerse yourself in cultures that are here and then that got taken away and then we became these pockets and of others and not like me's and.

[Randall Park]

Yeah, yeah.

[Ted Danson]

What a shame.

[Randall Park]

Do you, do you feel like we're, we're getting back to that with the, the sub, with the subway system?

[Ted Danson]

I, I don't know.

[Randall Park]

I don't know.

[Ted Danson]

I don't either. You know, I like to think, oh, maybe all this racial. And if you're not like me, you know, I wanna, I'm gonna be angry and want to harm you or what. This whole thing, I'm dancing around how bigoted we seem to have become, but I'm. My brain who's always, you know, I'm always trying to find the positive. Is, is this kind of the extinction or last.

[Randall Park]

The last gas. Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

You know, because sure, you know, we'll elect a black president, but I'll be God damned if I'll, you know.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

Let them tell me what to do. You know, it's like in the whip anyway.

[Randall Park]

Yeah, I, I don't know.

[Ted Danson]

I don't know.

[Randall Park]

I don't know either. But I do feel that on the ground is a lot different than online. And I feel like on the ground it's very, it's great. For the most part. For the most part, at least in la, because that's the city I know.

[Ted Danson]

We are blessed to live in California, I think.

[Randall Park]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Ted Danson]

I also think that, you know, go to the. Whatever, the part of the world that is the least like you.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

And if you go in and say, this is what I believe, you'll have a fight on your hands.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

If you say, hey, I'm hurting, and they will come in their motorboat and pick you up in the flooded area and not ask any questions about you, they will be the most human, caring, nurturing people until you say, this is what I believe, you know?

[Randall Park]

Yeah. Yeah, that's right. That's right.

[Ted Danson]

I hope.

[Randall Park]

Yeah, I think so. Yeah, I think so.

[Ted Danson]

There is something good that's happening, though, because there I swore I wasn't going to start talking about being white and stupid. But I grew up. I grew up in Arizona. My father was the director of a museum. Sit back. This will be a moment. And anthropologist. So, you know, there's a real sense of. There's a lot that's come before you, and this is not about you, and there hopefully will be a lot that comes after you. And there was a common humanity. And my best friends, because the museum was there to nurture, partly there to nurture the Hopi, Navajo, Pueblo tribes and their arts and their culture. So my best friends growing up were Hopi. And I would go to their villages on these three mesas in Arizona and watch because they hadn't gone to war with the United States, they were not moved. So their villages had been there 500, 600 years. And their spiritual, religious, kachina dances in the plazas, the dirt plazas, had been going on in that plaza for centuries. And I, with my friend Raymond, Hopi would play and intermingle and. And, you know, and then go on Sunday, I would go to the church in Flagstaff, the Episcopal Church. And it was both. I grew up knowing, not intellectually, but just feeling. Oh, it's the same thing. There's no difference between going to the Episcopal Church and going to the kachina dances in the village. Yeah. And why did I go there? Oh, okay. So then in my mind, not examining this in any moment any more than this is my friend, my best friend Raymond and his family. And this is what they do, and this is what we do, and da, da, da.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

Oh, how wonderful. I celebrated the Hopi in this kind of glorious. Aren't they wonderful? And they never went to war, so they have all. No they were. I don't know, in the early 1900s or even after that. Yeah, after that, probably the 50s or something. They, meaning us white folks, came in and said, you, children cannot be educated here. And they forcefully took them someplace else to educate them. And if they spoke Hopi, they'd get whooped. And, you know, it's like, oh, this is the part about being white that you don't really have any idea. It's not true about everything, everybody. But I, you know, I am constantly confronting in myself, oh, your good intentions and your good heart aren't enough.

[Randall Park]

Right.

[Ted Danson]

Truly.

[Randall Park]

Right, right.

[Ted Danson]

You need to absorb the whole fabric here, you know?

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

And then don't go. These are all the things I wasn't going to say then, you know, Then don't go to your friends who you love and work with who are black and doing Black Lives Matter, go. I'm so sorry. You know, so that they would fix it and make it better for you, you know?

[Randall Park]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Ted Danson]

You know, it's. It's wackadoo.

[Randall Park]

Yeah. I mean, so. But. I mean, so random. But it's still.

[Ted Danson]

I'm so sorry.

[Randall Park]

It's still it. That's not to devalue good intentions and. And kindness and. And those. Those, you know, kind of simple things that are, you know, on a daily.

[Ted Danson]

International level that you're talking about.

[Randall Park]

Yeah, yeah.

[Ted Danson]

Maybe not Internet.

[Randall Park]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Ted Danson]

Or news or whatever.

[Randall Park]

Oh, my gosh. That's a whole. That's a whole nother whole nother thing.

[Ted Danson]

It is.

[Randall Park]

Are you. Are you on social media?

[Ted Danson]

No.

[Randall Park]

Yeah, me neither.

[Ted Danson]

I. I don't know. It's. I don't. It's partly because I don't think I could take the, you know, the hate part.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

Coming my way. Partly because I think it would absorb too much of my day and I didn't grow up with it, so I'm not good at it.

[Randall Park]

Yeah, yeah. Same, same.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah.

[Randall Park]

All the same. Yeah. I was on it for a bit, and then during the pandemic, it kind of. All of that. All of what you just said became crystal clear to me. Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

I find that just looking, the simple act of looking in the mirror for two or three hours a day suffices for, you know, self absorption. That's all I need.

[Randall Park]

Sure. You just stare in the mirror. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Ted Danson]

And you don't age as much, I've discovered. Oh, boy.

[Randall Park]

No, I think that's. Yeah. I mean, I don't tell anyone how to live their lives, but I do whenever people ask. At least I make it very clear how, especially having been on social media and then being off of it, just how freeing it is to not be on it.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah, it's human nature. It's not the bad guys, but it is human nature that we are drawn to conflict. Whether it's because we were sitting around a fire and you had to be on your toes, you'd get eaten. Or you realize Shakespeare realized conflict sells. It's how you make drama and it's how you sell news as well. Even your guys side of the cable news networks depend on scaring you and better not to be living in fear all the time.

[Randall Park]

No. And then that conflict plays, plus anonymity. Mixing that in there, it's like, yeah, it's just not a place for me.

[Ted Danson]

No.

[Randall Park]

Yeah, yeah.

[Ted Danson]

Randall, if you had a magic wand five, ten years from now, what are you doing? A magic wand that will create anything without any obstacles. What would you want to be doing in life? Are you going to be directing full time? Are you or did your brain not think that way? You probably don't.

[Randall Park]

Yeah, yeah, I don't think. I don't. I, I'd want to kind of. I'd want to stay on this path and, and, and be wherever I'm supposed to be in five years. And as long as it's not like really bad, as long as not like really bad, that, that's, that's where I want to be. I mean, but I guess in an ideal world, kind of a little bit of everything, you know, really just to do things that are fun, you know.

[Ted Danson]

My mother used to wish us children of hers, I wish for you that you will be fully human, which I kind of love, you know, And I think the amazing thing about a relationship where you are in love and you're aware of how blessed it is, is I feel like, oh, I understand what it is to have been loved and to be able to love in that circular thing that happens with love in a relationship. And I feel like, oh, that to me is the most human blessing in the world. And I got to experience that makes me.

[Randall Park]

That's amazing.

[Ted Danson]

Everything else feels a little bit.

[Randall Park]

Yeah, it goes back to that. Can you believe this? This is all. This is so cool, you know. That's great.

[Ted Danson]

Can I ask you, are you working on writing anything for yourself?

[Randall Park]

To direct, writing stuff. Sold a few projects that were. That I'm writing with a partner and possibly to direct, but it's kind of like, well, let's just, just see if we get there, you know, let's focus on the writing right now, but definitely, like, in the back of my head, I'm like, oh, I could possibly direct this. I think I'm. From what I learned from the last one, I think I could definitely. I feel ready for the next one. And, yeah, so I'm. It's possible. It's possible, but I'm open to, like, projects come to me, and if it's the right fit, I'll definitely be open to considering it.

[Ted Danson]

I watched a couple of. As one is wont to do when you do a podcast, a couple of interviews, and one of the questions I had was, how come he's so grounded? And I feel like. I don't know if I could write an essay on why you're so grounded, but I feel like I experienced it right now. I mean, I. I'm one of those people who tilt way too far forward in life. I'm like, tigger, oh, hey. You know? And you're not. You are. You seem really thoughtful and grounded. I don't know if it's an act or a defense mechanism, but you really.

[Randall Park]

You know, I think it goes back to that question about podcasts. Like, what do you like doing them? I said no. And I think it's because I always come away from them thinking, oh, man, I wish I would have been more entertaining. It's hard for me to. But it's just hard for me to not be myself.

[Ted Danson]

Wow. I was about to breeze over that statement. That's huge.

[Randall Park]

But. And I think a part of me is like, I don't like that about myself. I wish I. Because I could definitely, like, I know, you know, I could perform, and I love, like, performing, and I love being funny, but in these kinds of settings, I just feel like. I don't know, I just want to kind of.

[Ted Danson]

But to me. Oh, my God. To me, that is what. I guess why I really like sitting here talking to you. Because we're not at a cocktail party or an interview on a TV show where you have to score in, you know, 30 seconds and then move on and feel good about yourself.

[Randall Park]

Fills me with anxiety. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Ted Danson]

Mary. Mary. And I think I've caught it from her. My wife Mary, clutches my hand. I mean, if she grabs my left hand where the wedding ring is, it's painful. When we walk into a party and she says, do not leave me. Do not leave me.

[Randall Park]

I'm saying, with Jay, I'm Mary.

[Ted Danson]

With Jay, small talk terrifies her.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

Sit down and have a real conversation. She loves it.

[Randall Park]

Oh, me too. Yeah, yeah. Jay. Is the public face of our family. Like, she is, like, so good. She's so charming and fun and funny and loves being around people, you know, and I love being around people but not interacting with them, maybe directing them.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah, move over there.

[Randall Park]

Yeah, like that. Like, we. Sometimes we'll throw a get together at our house. And my favorite, you know, I love, you know, having all our friends there and it's so fun. But my favorite thing is, okay, Ruby has to go to bed. I'm gonna put her to bed and I'll be upstairs with Ruby. And I could hear all the people having fun. And I'm with my daughter and she's falling asleep and just sitting there with my kids sleeping and hearing people, that's like the best part of the party for me.

[Ted Danson]

Yeah, I kind of identify with that. I really do.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

Oh, we threw a wonderful party and I'm not in the middle of it sweating bullets.

[Randall Park]

Yeah, yeah. But I don't know how much of it for me is like kind of a self hate thing. Like, oh, this party's even better because I'm not there. I'm up here. They don't have to deal with me. They're having a great time.

[Ted Danson]

Dose of self hate is not bad.

[Randall Park]

Oh, I think. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. A little dose I think is good. Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

I can't thank you enough, Ted. That was fun.

[Randall Park]

Thank you. This is one where I'm like, oh, I'm so glad I did that.

[Ted Danson]

Oh, good, good.

[Randall Park]

Yeah.

[Ted Danson]

And love that compliment within the first 20 seconds. That put me at ease. Seriously.

[Randall Park]

It was all from the heart.

[Ted Danson]

That was me talking with Randall Park. His directorial debut is called shortcomings, based on the graphic novel by Adrian Tomine. It's streaming on Netflix and I encourage you to check it out. 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. Who knows? We appreciate it. If you like watching your podcasts, full episodes are on Team Coco's YouTube channel. I'll see you next time. Where everybody knows your name.

[Randall Park]

You've been listening to where everybody knows your name with Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson sometimes. The show is produced by me, Nick Leal. Executive producers are Adam Sachs, 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 Batista. Our theme music is by Woody Harrelson, Anthony Genn, Mary Steenburgen and John Osborne. Special thanks to Willie Navarre. We'll have more for you next time. Where everybody knows your name.

[Ted Danson]

If you could hear love, what would it sound like? Son, can we talk about your drinking? Yeah, Dad, I think we should. Helping those closest to you think about their excessive drinking. Maybe that's what love sounds like. [e-mail] an OHA initiative.