Transcript

Jeff Goldblum | SmarLess

From SmartLess · Episode page · Watch on YouTube

· 59 min · 11,471 words · 73 timestamped sections

This is the full, timestamped transcript of "Jeff Goldblum | SmarLess", an episode of SmartLess published April 14, 2025 (59 min, about 11,471 words). It mentions 145 people, works and ideas, including Jeff Goldblum, George Will, Smartless, Antipater (Antipot), son of Jason, Sean Hayes.

Who speaks in this episode?

What is discussed, and when

  1. – 5:00: Pete Thel, Antipater (Antipot), son of Jason, Will Arnett, Pete Thel
  2. – 10:00: Will and Grace, Jeff Goldblum, George Will, Florence
  3. – 15:00: The Seagull, Emma Corin, Smartless, Oscar Levant
  4. – 20:00: Sean Hayes, Antipater (Antipot), son of Jason, Smartless, Bruce Robinson
  5. – 25:00: Sean Hayes, The Fly, Toronto, The Fly
  6. – 30:00: Sandy Meisner, Pittsburgh, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Fly
  7. – 35:00: Sandy Meisner, Cats and Dogs, Jerry Lewis, Jerry Lewis
  8. – 40:00: Jeff Goldblum, Antipater (Antipot), son of Jason, George Will, Arrested Development
  9. – 45:00: Peter Weller, George Will, Sean Hayes, Will Arnett
  10. – 50:00: Jurassic Park, Jurassic Park, Sandy Meisner, Toronto
  11. – 55:00: Cynthia Erivo, Smartless, Ariana Grande, Cynthia Revo
  12. – 58:39: Michael Grant Terry, Wes Anderson

Notable quotes from "Jeff Goldblum | SmarLess"

  • Hi guys, we're about to do the show. How do you feel today? All right. Feel pretty good today. Feel pretty good.
    about Smartless · at
  • Will is sensitive today and tired today.
    about George Will · at
  • Was funny. you were about to say something about Pete, the great Pete Thor. Oh, yeah. Pete Thel is an absolute allar. He's the best. I love that guy. Yeah, he's incredible. A…
    about Pete Thel · at
  • Worked together a lot cuz he said I'm his favorite he's ever anyway. It doesn't matter. I literally take work just so I could work with Pete. Like I really don't care what the…
    about Antipater (Antipot), son of Jason · at
  • Supplies to correction facilities in between auditions. Today, when he's not recording amazing jazz albums, you can see him being Wizardly in one of the hottest blockbusters…
    about Jeff Goldblum · at
  • Are going to school here. Le Frances our my wife is from Toronto. She speaks French to them. They speak now three languages because they speak from Toronto. I know he is. I…
    about Toronto · at
  • And talented genius Canadian director by the name of David Croninberg when you made the fly. Yes sir. What a film. I love that film. Can you now I talk a little bit about that…
    about The Fly · at
  • Chill. Yes. Yes. It was Stepping Stone to one thing led to another. And luckily, cuz I was like my teacher Sandy Meisner said, takes 20 years to even call yourself an actor.…
    about Sandy Meisner · at

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

  • Jeff Goldblum — Person · Main guest · 2 mentions · first at
    Primary interviewee; the conversation centers on his career, films (The Fly, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Jurassic Park), music, theater work, and personal anecdotes.
  • George Will — Person · Co-host · 5 mentions · first at
    One of Smartless hosts (Will Arnett); participates in banter, asks questions, and references past work/interactions with guest.
  • Antipater (Antipot), son of Jason — Person · Co-host · 4 mentions · first at
    One of SmartLess hosts (Jason Bateman); participates in interview, asks questions, references past collaborations and anecdotes.
  • Sean Hayes — Person · Co-host · 6 mentions · first at
    One of SmartLess hosts; engages in banter, tells anecdotes, and interacts with guest; referenced as working with Will on scenes.
    Mhm. Few nights in a row. Oh yeah. Sean, you did the little work this week too with Will. That was fun though. It was really fun. Some really good laughs.
  • Will Arnett — Person · Host / interviewer · 3 mentions · first at
    One of the SmartLess hosts; participates in the interview, jokes, and shares prior work connections (e.g., The Switch).
    Great. You sound like it. Oh, welcome to Smartless. Yeah.
  • David Cronenberg — Person · Referenced director / collaborator · 38 mentions
    Director of The Fly; Jeff recounts working with Cronenberg and discusses the film and their collaboration.
  • Sandy Meisner — Person · Referenced teacher/mentor · 5 mentions · first at
    Acting teacher whose method influenced Jeff's early development; Jeff references Meisner's adage about taking 20 years to call yourself an actor.
  • Pete Thel — Person · Referenced collaborator / first assistant director · 3 mentions · first at
    Discussed as an acclaimed first AD who has worked frequently with Jeff; anecdote about set behavior and praise for his professionalism.
  • Ariana Grande — Person · Referenced collaborator (album vocalist) / referenced Wicked cast · 1 mention · first at
    Jeff mentions her both as a featured vocalist on his album and as part of the Wicked cast experience.
    Wow. Sorry. Anyway, hey, you know who sings on our new album is Scarlett Johansson and Ariana Grande and Cynthia Revo. They have songs that they half her instrumentals and half…
  • Cynthia Revo — Person · Referenced collaborator (album vocalist) / referenced Wicked cast · 1 mention · first at
    Jeff cites her as a singer on his album and discusses her as part of the Wicked cast (name appears mis-transcribed in transcript).
    Sings on our new album is Scarlett Johansson and Ariana Grande and Cynthia Revo. They have songs that they half her instrumentals and half her songs singers and they sing. How about that? Now, Wicked was probably as successful as everyone.
  • Oscar Levant — Person · Referenced historical figure · 2 mentions · first at
    Referenced by Jeff as someone he admires and as a cultural reference point during discussion of music/actors; family anecdote about being dated by guest's grandmother mentioned.
    The Barban right after her. Oh, I want to hear all about that. And I want to talk about theater. I want to talk about Oscar Levant. But the Barban I'd never heard of. I'd never…
  • Emma Corin — Person · Referenced actor (cast member in discussed play) · 2 mentions · first at
    Mentioned as appearing in The Seagull (as Nina) and met backstage; supports the episode’s theater/backstage discussion thread.
    And you know a lot of people that I want to go and revisit. Anyway, we saw this play with you. Oh my gosh. Emma Corin was Nina in it. She was the mother if you know the play.…
  • Jerry Lewis — Person · Referenced subject · 2 mentions · first at
    Mentioned in relation to Sean Hayes portraying him and anecdotes about meeting/hanging out to prepare for the role.
    Oh my god. Well, Will and Grace, Cats and Dogs. hey, of course you portrayed Jerry Lewis, and I was supposed to u play his son in that last movie he did, Max Rose, which Kevin Pollock finally did cuz I had a scheduling thing. But Jerry and.
  • Scarlett Johansson — Person · Referenced collaborator (album vocalist) · 1 mention · first at
    Jeff names her as a singer featured on his upcoming album; part of a brief promotional plug for the record.
    Wow. Sorry. Anyway, hey, you know who sings on our new album is Scarlett Johansson and Ariana Grande and Cynthia Revo. They have songs that they half her instrumentals and half her songs singers and they sing. How.
  • John Mchu — Person · Referenced director (Wicked) · 1 mention · first at
    Goldblum praises him as the director of Wicked; part of discussion about Goldblum's recent blockbuster work.
    Wardrobe was fantastic. he won an Oscar for that. yeah, that was great. but John Mchu is a delightful director and a very masterful director and those that cast and Jonathan Bailey whom I saw here in Richard II the night before the seagull.
  • Cynthia Erivo — Person · Referenced singer/actor (collaborator) · 2 mentions · first at
    Mentioned as a vocalist featured on Goldblum’s upcoming album and referenced in the Wicked discussion.
    Wow. Sorry. Anyway, hey, you know who sings on our new album is Scarlett Johansson and Ariana Grande and Cynthia Revo. They have songs that they half her instrumentals and half…
  • Linda — Person · Referenced realtor · 1 mention · first at
    Real estate agent in Jeff/hosts' anecdote about being trapped briefly in a townhouse elevator during a showing.
    Flights of stairs. No. So Scotty goes, Let's ride the elevator down. I'm Okay. So we got on, me and Scotty get on the elevator with one of our realators and Linda is her name.
  • Larry David — Person · Referenced comedian/writer (bloopers/laughter example) · 1 mention · first at
    Goldblum cites Larry David’s laughter as a favorite; reinforces the theme of comedy and bloopers.
    Love the way he laughs. Ricky Jervase, all these people have been on your show, of course. Larry, when Larry David laughs, his jaw becomes unhinged and he's Yeah.
  • Humphrey Bogart — Person · Referenced classic film actor · 1 mention · first at
    Appears in Jeff’s discussion of old blooper reels and behind-the-scenes footage from 1930s-era films.
    To see art films in the when I was a teenager in the mid60s etc. I then reme only this last weekend remembered that I saw a movie made by Sydney Lamett of the seagull with…
  • Jennifer Aniston — Person · Referenced actor (co-star mention) · 1 mention · first at
    Mentioned as co-star in The Switch with Will Arnett; used as a connection point in Goldblum’s shared-work discussion.
    And then of course, hey, Will SP Hey, we did the Switch, you and I, Dr. We played Best Friends.
  • Josh Gordon — Person · Referenced director (commercials/film collaborator) · 1 mention · first at
    Paired with Will Speck as a directing duo; mentioned for directing Goldblum in commercials and for Blades of Glory.
    Yeah. Will Speck, Josh. and Will Speck and Josh Gordon who directed me in some of these Apartments.com commercials. I adore them. Is that right? No kidding. By the way, I love those commercials. Will Speck and Josh.
  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus — Person · Referenced actor/comedian · 1 mention · first at
    Mentioned as a favorite blooper reel example (Seinfeld) in Goldblum’s discussion of laughter and behind-the-scenes footage.
    A lift, I'll go on YouTube and see the blooper reels for, I have my favorites, Julie Louie Drifus on Seinfeld. I love the way she laughs. Larry David, I love the way he laughs. Ricky Jervase, all these people have been on your show,.
  • John Malkovich — Person · Referenced actor (career/filmography mention) · 9 mentions
    Appears only in the entity list; not clearly mentioned in the provided transcript context (possible extraction error or omitted portion).
  • Jeff Goldlum — Person · Duplicate mention (low-confidence entity) · 1 mention · first at
    Duplicate low-confidence extraction of the guest's name; same as main guest Jeff Goldblum.
    See him being Wizardly in one of the hottest blockbusters this year, is the incredibly talented and utterly delightful Jeff Goldlum. Oh, yes, I am a fan of Jeff Gold. Yes, I am…
  • Ricky Gervais — Person · 23 mentions
  • Barbara Stanwyck — Person · 17 mentions
  • Jason Bateman — Person · 16 mentions
  • Pete Thel — Person · 2 mentions · first at
    Was funny. you were about to say something about Pete, the great Pete Thor. Oh, yeah. Pete Thel is an absolute allar. He's the best. I love that guy. Yeah, he's incredible. A…
  • Oscar Levant — Person · 2 mentions · first at
    To hear all about that. And I want to talk about theater. I want to talk about Oscar Levant. But the Barban I'd never heard of. I'd never been in. It's a very beautiful…
  • Jerry Lewis — Person · 2 mentions · first at
    Oh my god. Well, Will and Grace, Cats and Dogs. hey, of course you portrayed Jerry Lewis, and I was supposed to u play his son in that last movie he did, Max Rose, which Kevin Pollock finally did cuz I had a scheduling thing. But Jerry and.
  • Peter Weller — Person · 2 mentions · first at
    The piano. That's right. And in plays, I put it in a couple of plays. And then 30 years ago, Peter Weller said, Hey, you we did this movie by he said, Let's get together and…
  • Cate Blanchett — Person · 1 mention · first at
    They're they're good and they did a very good job. And but my point is that Kate Blanchett we saw in the seagull. Oh, how is that? I'm I'm doing the Barban right after her. Oh…
  • Vanessa Redgrave — Person · 1 mention · first at
    Only this last weekend remembered that I saw a movie made by Sydney Lamett of the seagull with Vanessa Redgrave and etc and you know a lot of people that I want to go and…
  • Bruce Robinson — Person · 1 mention · first at
    That's funny. It's a brilliant line, isn't it? It's brilliant. How do you know that verbatim? Bruce Robinson. I've I've seen that film thousands of times with I think it's the…
  • Philip Kaufman — Person · 1 mention · first at
    Yeah that was nice to be in California split but then invasion of the body snatchers Philip Kaufman fantastic and that was I did a movie in 76 before that with Joan Mikllan…
  • Bill Esper — Person · 1 mention · first at
    Underststudied one of the bigger parts and then went back and finished that second year work with Bill Esper who people may know. So I did that and then auditioned for a play…
  • Dean Martin — Person · 1 mention · first at
    It's it was Jeremy Norom. Norm. Okay. He played Dean Martin. So, it was about the duo and they're getting together and they're breaking up. I'm so fascinated. I've read a lot of What film is this, Sean?
  • Will Speck — Person · 1 mention · first at
    Yeah. Will Speck, Josh. and Will Speck and Josh Gordon who directed me in some of these Apartments.com commercials. I adore them. Is that right? No kidding. By the way, I love.
  • Gene Hackman — Person · 1 mention · first at
    Who were your you hear these stories about actors like these like the great Gene Hackman just passed away and you hear like he was roommates with Robert Duval and Dustin Hoffman and then you hear these different people who came up. Who.
  • Dustin Hoffman — Person · 1 mention · first at
    Just passed away and you hear like he was roommates with Robert Duval and Dustin Hoffman and then you hear these different people who came up. Who were sort of your gang? Did…

Books & papers

  • The Seagull — Book · 5 mentions · first at
    They're they're good and they did a very good job. And but my point is that Kate Blanchett we saw in the seagull. Oh, how is that? I'm I'm doing the Barban right after her. Oh…
  • The Fly — Book · 3 mentions · first at
    And talented genius Canadian director by the name of David Croninberg when you made the fly. Yes sir. What a film. I love that film. Can you now I talk a little bit about that…
  • Invasion of the Body Snatchers — Book · 3 mentions · first at
    Like I mean you've done tons of work before then. Was that the movie that put you over the top or Invasion of the Body Snatchers or what was the one that kind of like was Big…
  • Nashville — Book · 3 mentions · first at
    That hasn't been my focus you know from the start one thing did lead to another so yeah there was well Nashville I worked with Alman and I did that movie Nashville very little…
  • Wicked — Book · 2 mentions · first at
    Know you've talked about magic before. I did magic in that movie Nashville and I had in Wicked I do a little magic. So we could talk about that. You are magic. You are You do.…
  • Jurassic Park — Book · 2 mentions · first at
    That it closed opening night. So, that's a kind of I don't know how funny that story is, right? So, wait. So, Jurassic Park, I just want to talk for two seconds because I was…
  • Family Fang — Book · 1 mention · first at
    He's so great. So, you guys have worked together a lot. We've done We did Family Fang together. We did three or four seasons of Ozark together. We did the He was the first AD every episode of Ozark. Those first three, four. No, no,.
  • Seinfeld — Book · 1 mention · first at
    Blooper reels for, I have my favorites, Julie Louie Drifus on Seinfeld. I love the way she laughs. Larry David, I love the way he laughs. Ricky Jervase, all these people have been on your show, of course. Larry, when Larry David.
  • California Split — Book · 1 mention · first at
    Another so yeah there was well Nashville I worked with Alman and I did that movie Nashville very little California split yeah that was nice to be in California split but then…
  • The Big Chill — Book · 1 mention · first at
    Actually, Lawrence Kon saw that and I think that's what led him to be attracted to putting me in the big chill which led to Yeah. Now we're up to the fly and etc., etc. We're…
  • Death Wish — Book · 1 mention · first at
    Coca-Cola. Got that and then Alman saw me in that and I auditioned for my first movie which was Death Wish and I started to work right away in other words and I was even…
  • Max Rose — Book · 1 mention · first at
    Portrayed Jerry Lewis, and I was supposed to u play his son in that last movie he did, Max Rose, which Kevin Pollock finally did cuz I had a scheduling thing. But Jerry and I…
  • Martin and Lewis — Book · 1 mention · first at
    Well, hang on. I don't know. Do I get Do I have TB? Oh my god. What's that? Oh, Martin and Lewis. It's called Martin and Lewis. Was this a TV film? CBS. Yeah, it was CBS. Oh, was a CBS TV film. Oh, that's why you're being ky about it.
  • Arrested Development — Book · 1 mention · first at
    Okay. Will Arnette arrest? Yeah. Well, I love I saw every episode of Arrested Development. And by the way, it was on the boxing network. Oh, it's amazing.
  • The Switch — Book · 1 mention · first at
    Monster talent. Yeah. Oh my gosh. Well, and then of course, hey, Will SP Hey, we did the Switch, you and I, Dr. We played Best Friends.
  • Blades of Glory — Book · 1 mention · first at
    Right? No kidding. By the way, I love those commercials. Will Speck and Josh Gordon who directed Blades of Glory that I years ago of separation. That's right. Jeeoff, who were your you hear these stories about actors like these like.
  • Naked Lunch — Book · 1 mention · first at
    Wonderful things, but I've kept this group. Peter Weller who also worked with David Croninberg on Naked Lunch and who is also first cousin of Fred Weller my good friend theater…
  • Husbands and Wives — Book · 1 mention · first at
    To Judy Davis I've never met her but I adore her which takes us to husbands and wives which takes us to Sydney Pollock or many other people so you had a role in Annie Hall as well so that takes us we're going what I mean so wait Jeff the.
  • Annie Hall — Book · 1 mention · first at
    Her which takes us to husbands and wives which takes us to Sydney Pollock or many other people so you had a role in Annie Hall as well so that takes us we're going what I mean…
  • Richard II — Book · 1 mention · first at
    Masterful director and those that cast and Jonathan Bailey whom I saw here in Richard II the night before the seagull show by the way. he was terrific and those and Ariana and…
  • A Streetcar Named Desire — Book · 1 mention
  • Cats & Dogs — Book · 1 mention
  • Glengarry Glen Ross — Book · 1 mention
  • Mooney Shapiro Songbook — Book · 1 mention
  • Ozark — Book · 1 mention
  • The Dead Zone — Book · 1 mention
  • Whitnail and I — Book · 1 mention
  • Will & Grace — Book · 1 mention

Companies & orgs

  • Carnegie Mellon University — Company · Referenced institution / formative program · 1 mention · first at
    Jeff recounts attending a summer program associated with Carnegie Mellon which contributed to his early interest in acting.
    That really yes well I did that and I was by the end of that and I did it for two years running I was deeply in love with that campus and acting and you know just and that's…
  • Neighborhood Playhouse — Company · 1 mention · first at
    Said I was a year older than I was. I got in and that's what happened. I went to the neighborhood playhouse in 1970 when I graduated high school and at 17 just turning 18 that…
  • NYU (New York University) — Company · 1 mention
  • Verve Records — Company · 1 mention

Products & tech

  • SmartLess — Product · 2 mentions · first at
    Great. You sound like it. Oh, welcome to Smartless. Yeah.
  • Apartments.com — Product · 1 mention · first at
    Yeah. Will Speck, Josh. and Will Speck and Josh Gordon who directed me in some of these Apartments.com commercials. I adore them. Is that right? No kidding. By the way, I love…
  • SmartLess After Hours — Product · 1 mention · first at
    Ballpark. That's that's right. And movies. We could talk about it over on Smartless After Hours, our new podcast that we're launching. That's a followup.
  • Real Book — Product · 1 mention

Concepts & topics

  • Smartless — Concept · Podcast / show · 4 mentions · first at
    The podcast on which this episode is recorded; hosts and format referenced throughout the episode.
  • The Three Stooges — Concept · 1 mention · first at
    How about the trios? How about which brings me to the three stooges of course and well there's the March brothers. And how about applause? I loved it. Commitment. What are you kidding me? Braavo. I love that.
  • Cherny — Concept · 1 mention
  • Fake Book — Concept · 1 mention
  • Marx Brothers — Concept · 1 mention

Places & events

  • Toronto — Place · Setting · 3 mentions · first at
    Mentioned as the hometown of Jeff Goldblum's wife and where his children attend school.
  • Pittsburgh — Place · Setting · 3 mentions · first at
    Mentioned as Jeff Goldblum's hometown and where he had early artistic experiences.
    To myself this is what I want to do. I had it then this was a theater camp. No, you know it was a Chattam in Pittsburgh where I'm from music day camp it was called. It wasn't…
  • Florence — Place · Setting · 1 mention · first at
    Mentioned as the current residence of Jeff Goldblum.
    Couple of floors. It's very nice, but and I want to be relatable. No, we've been living here for, the last couple of years, a few years.
  • Cafe Carlyle — Place · Setting · 4 mentions
    Mentioned as a venue where Jeff Goldblum will perform with his jazz group.
  • The Booth Theater — Place · Setting · 1 mention · first at
    Mentioned as a venue where Jeff Goldblum performed in a play.
    Think. or 15. this girl came backstage. I think this is how it happened to see me in the Pillow Man. I did this thing at the Booth Theater with people, it was I enjoyed doing…
  • Massie Hall — Place · Venue · 1 mention · first at
    Mentioned as a venue where Jeff Goldblum will perform.
    Of that, we're going to these places to play. We're going to play the Palladium and in London. We're going to be in Toronto at Massie Hall, etc. Give us some dates. Give us some dates on those.
  • Brooklyn — Place · Setting (anecdote) · 1 mention · first at
    Location of anecdote where hosts toured a townhouse and got stuck in an elevator during a showing.
    So, Scotty and I were looking at real estate in Brooklyn and we go see this new townhouse. Not that we can afford it, we just were Let's see what's around. And my broker's You.
  • The Chattam — Place · Setting · 1 mention · first at
    Mentioned as a place where Jeff Goldblum attended a music day camp.
    Adventure of the heart. when I was 10 years old, it the seed was sort of planted. I got the bug. I was in this campa ga. I was a part of this drama show and my dad had already…
  • The Holiday House — Place · Setting · 1 mention · first at
    Mentioned as a venue where Jeff Goldblum saw the Three Stooges perform live.
    Kid. I saw all of the their things on television. But listen to this. I saw them live. They came to a place called the Holiday House in 1960. It must have been, do two or five…
  • Palladium — Place · Setting · 1 mention · first at
    Mentioned as a venue where Jeff Goldblum will perform with his jazz group.
    Hope they have a good experience and that's what it's for. Anyway, we'll be there. Then Luxembourg, we go. And then on the 26th, April, then May 25th, Atlanta, Symphony Hall.…
  • London — Place · 2 mentions · first at
    Leaving the kids here with their helper with good people and we saw two plays and we went to a in London a gallery and saw you know a couple of good people helpers. Yeah, I…
  • Holiday House — Place · 1 mention · first at
    Television. But listen to this. I saw them live. They came to a place called the Holiday House in 1960. It must have been, do two or five or something. And I saw Mo and Larry…
  • Luxembourg — Place · 1 mention · first at
    Hope they have a good experience and that's what it's for. Anyway, we'll be there. Then Luxembourg, we go. And then on the 26th, April, then May 25th, Atlanta, Symphony Hall.…
  • Atlanta Symphony Hall — Place · 1 mention · first at
    There. Then Luxembourg, we go. And then on the 26th, April, then May 25th, Atlanta, Symphony Hall. May 27th to the 31st, we'll be at the Carile, the Cafe Carile in New York…
  • BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) — Place · 1 mention
  • Barbican Theatre — Place · 1 mention
  • London Palladium — Place · 1 mention
  • Massey Hall — Place · 1 mention
  • Troubadour — Place · 1 mention
  • Whisky a Go Go — Place · 1 mention

Media & podcasts

  • The Fly — Media · Referenced film · 3 mentions · first at
    1986 film starring Jeff Goldblum directed by David Cronenberg; discussed in relation to Jeff's career and collaboration with Cronenberg.
  • Will and Grace — Media · Referenced work · 3 mentions · first at
    Mentioned as a show where Jeff Goldblum was a guest before becoming a Hollywood treasure.
    It was such and it was such an honor when he was a guest of ours on Will and Grace before becoming the beloved Hollywood treasure that we know today.
  • Jurassic Park — Media · Referenced work · 2 mentions · first at
    Mentioned in the context of Jeff Goldblum's career.
    That it closed opening night. So, that's a kind of I don't know how funny that story is, right? So, wait. So, Jurassic Park, I just want to talk for two seconds because I was…
  • Arrested Development — Media · Referenced work · 1 mention · first at
    Mentioned as a show Jeff Goldblum admires.
    Okay. Will Arnette arrest? Yeah. Well, I love I saw every episode of Arrested Development. And by the way, it was on the boxing network. Oh, it's amazing.
  • Nashville — Media · Referenced work · 3 mentions · first at
    Mentioned as a film Jeff Goldblum worked on.
    California split but then invasion of the body snatchers Philip Kaufman fantastic and that was I did a movie in 76 before that with Joan Mikllan Silver that I got some attention for and that led to some other things.
  • Nashville — Media · Referenced film credit · 3 mentions · first at
    Jeff references having worked on Robert Altman's film Nashville as part of his early filmography.
    That hasn't been my focus you know from the start one thing did lead to another so yeah there was well Nashville I worked with Alman and I did that movie Nashville very little…
  • Cats and Dogs — Media · Referenced work · 2 mentions · first at
    Mentioned as a film Jeff Goldblum worked on with Sean Hayes.
    That's very good. You guys are sharp as tax. It's a tick. by the way, remember Cats and Dogs? We did that movie together, although we weren't on screen together. Do you…
  • Martin and Lewis — Media · Referenced work · 2 mentions · first at
    Mentioned as a TV film where Sean Hayes played Jerry Lewis.
    Was fascinating because I had grown up with his. I kind of adored him early on. Yeah. Yeah. Wait, Sean, when did you play Jerry Lewis?
  • Ozark — Media · Referenced work · 1 mention · first at
    Mentioned as a show where Jeff Goldblum worked with Pete Thel.
    He's so great. So, you guys have worked together a lot. We've done We did Family Fang together. We did three or four seasons of Ozark together. We did the He was the first AD…
  • Ozark — Media · Referenced production / collaborator context · 1 mention · first at
    Mentioned as a show where Pete Thel worked as first AD; Jeff references doing multiple seasons with Pete.
    He's so great. So, you guys have worked together a lot. We've done We did Family Fang together. We did three or four seasons of Ozark together. We did the He was the first AD…
  • Dean and Jerry — Media · Referenced TV film / project · 1 mention · first at
    Reference to a TV movie about Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis (mentioned in conversation about Jerry Lewis); used when Sean describes playing Jerry Lewis previously.
    Why are you trying to bury it? It's called Dean and Jerry. I don't know. It was Dean and Jerry. And where is it streaming? Is it on Tuby? Cuz Jason doesn't get Tubie. He's not sure.
  • Chaos — Media · Referenced work · 1 mention · first at
    Mentioned as a series where Jeff Goldblum played Zeus.
    Ozark, wait a minute. Wait a minute. I did this I did this series recently, Chaos. I played Zeus. And you know who played my wife? Janet McTar. Oh boy. She's a beast. She's a wonderful.

Full transcript with timestamps

Hi guys, we're about to do the show. How do you feel today? All right. Feel pretty good today. Feel pretty good. Great. You sound like it. Oh, welcome to Smartless. Yeah. Give us a chance to catch our breath. Slight. Slight. Smart less. Oh, Willy's like really sensitive and kind of like he's like delicate today. He's like very delicate. I am. You're picking up on a vibe. I am super delicate. We know who you are. Backwards hat kind of vibe. Like it's great. Yeah. Just took it off. Hair getting a little long. He's an artist. He's an artist.

And he didn't get much sleep last night. It's like Crystal Gale over there. Dude, get it. I don't know what you're doing, but you are dialed. You are dialed, dude. Here comes JJ's back. You're picking up on a vile. Oh, there you are. There he is. Okay. Will is sensitive today and tired today. He's a sensitive, tired little boy. Uh, well, it's Sunday morning. Well, no, it's Sunday afternoon. It's lunchtime where you are, Willie. Yeah. Great, great week. Long late nights. Shnie was there. do some nights. Shnie was there.

Mhm. Few nights in a row. Oh yeah. Sean, you did the little work this week too with Will. That was fun though. It was really fun. Some really good laughs. That was fun, wasn't it? Oh my god. We had Oh, did you guys really work the scenes? Huh? No, we did. I mean, yes. Yes. First of all, yes. Was it? It was good. Yeah. Was it? Yeah. And then then we had a couple moments. We had We're sitting around this table that's all done up. you know, the props to put the food out and stuff. And Sean picks up these noodles and goes, somebody says to me, he goes, "That's really low, man.

So dumb." We were all trying to think of like Chinese food puns. And he was so dumb. Was it on camera or was it just in between setups? Just in between setups. And we were just laughing cuz it's so dumb. Everybody's giddy cuz it's, you know, 1:00 in the morning or whatever. Yeah. And then and then Sean said Sean said, "Oh, we got dinner." He goes, "I got a meal with somebody this week tomorrow." And I go, "Oh, at dinner?" He goes, "No, at lunch I try to keep my keep my dinners free." And I said, "Free of what? Vegetables. Did you get any of this on camera or is it just for your own?" No, but that was pretty funny. Fun. Um, that was funny. Uh, you were about to say something about Pete, the great Pete Thor. Oh, yeah. Pete Pete Thel is an absolute allar. He's the best. I love that guy. Yeah, he's incredible. A total. So fast. He's the first AD. He's the for Tracy that the guy basically just keeps everything on track and

running and for everybody on this guy runs the show. Yeah. And so it was like 1:00 in the morning and I everybody's so tired and not in the mood for any jokes and I and Pete was just talking about the how the scenes goes and I said, "Hey Pete," he goes, "Yeah." I go, "Can you keep your process inside cuz we can all hear it and and we have enough to think about." Did he laugh for a second? Yeah, he laughed, but for a second on his face, he was like, he thought he was serious and and I could see that Pete's like, "Is this guy really saying this to me?" Like, it's so complicated when he was running and Sean just did it in front of everybody. Hey, Pete. Like across the set. Can you just keep You're vocalizing outside your process. Pete Thel, one of the all-time greats. Jay, that Jay Jay, that came he came from you. He was a recommend from you. Yeah, that's because you worked with him and he's just the greatest. Yeah. Pete and I

have done a ton of stuff together. It's my first ad and things that I've directed. He's just like, he's so great. He's so great. So, you guys have worked together a lot. We've done We did Family Fang together. We did three or four seasons of Ozark together. We did the He was He was the first AD every episode of Ozark. Those first three, four. No, no, no. He alternated with uh you rotate two. There's two of them. Oh, right. There's two. But I I get Pete on everything I direct if he's available. But he's very fancy now. He's working with a bunch of uh you know directors that you know make me look like a little punk. No, which I am. Which is weird. He worked together a lot cuz he said I'm his favorite he's ever anyway. It doesn't matter. I literally I literally take work just so I could work with Pete. Like I really don't care what the script is. Yeah. He's I now get it. He's he's incredible. He's an incredible

dude. Anyway, the great Pete. So, wait. So, Willie, I wanted to wait to share this with you today cuz I already told Jason last Sunday that this is one of the craziest things that happened to me. So, Scotty and I were looking at real estate in Brooklyn and we go see this new townhouse. Not that we can afford it, we just were like, "Let's see what's around." And my broker's like, "You should see what's Anyways, this beautiful townhouse. It was crazy. It was like five floors." And so, we're walking, we're walking up, walking all the way upstairs. We get to the top of stairs totally out of breath. And I'm like, "Okay, great. Let's just move on to things that are real." and uh and and because riding five walking up five flights of stairs is just it's not even in the real world. No, no, not five flights of stairs. No. So Scotty goes, "Let's ride the elevator down." I'm like, "Okay." So we got on, me and

Scotty get on the elevator with one of our realators and Linda is her name. She's great. And so it's like shoulderto-shoulder this like post. Hey Linda, if you're out there, apparently you're great. Sorry. Good for you, Linda. You're part of the team. one of our realators. Go ahead. So, you're in the [ __ ] elevator in a townhouse. This is a hashtag relatable. Keep going. But wait. So, Willie, she The door is closed, the gates close. I press the button, doesn't move. Open the door, won't open. Press the button again.

We're shoulderto-shoulder. And now, even 10 seconds in, I'm like, "This isn't I was freaking out." and uh 30 seconds, 1 minute, 5 minutes, she's calling the real Scotty's blood sugar is dropping like crazy that cuz they're double arrows. I was like, "Okay, so he's going to die in here. I'm going to like it was crazy." And so I yell through the door. I'm like, "Call 911." So they call 911. They call 911. The fire a box of Reese's. So the firefighters come and just now we're like 30 seconds is a long time to be stuck in something with that. Now you got a boner.

Makes it even worse. That that would have fixed it. So wait, so you think 30 seconds is long or or a minute? We were in there for like 10 15 minutes. It was crazy. I had to I had to squat down and like breathe. I was going crazy. So, of course, hey Will, is the gum good? Does it taste good? Cuz it sounds awesome. Me, it's just a podcast, you know. Unreal. Sorry. Keep going, Sean. This is awesome. That's the end of the story. So, the fire as the firefighters pull up, there was a latch in the door. I pushed it. The door opened. I got out.

That's it. And you're out. And you and and and Scotty made it. Okay. We're not too sure. He's still in the box. Never looked back. Never looked back. Chasing fain interest. Is Scott is Scotty. Okay. Is Is Scotty got Okay, let's get to the How's Linda's dad a plan? And so you passed on this one back in the SUV. Did you ask if you could put it an escalator? Uh, oh god, is that funny? All right, let's get let's get to our guest. Jesus Christ, you guys all We're all big big fans of this guy. He's amazing. Not I'm not I'm not committing to that yet. I promise you are. I don't know who it is.

It was such and it was such an honor when he was a guest of ours on Will and Grace before becoming the beloved Hollywood treasure that we know today. He used to write affirmations in the shower, asking God to let him be an actor. Spoiler alert, God delivered. But before that, he was pedalling office supplies to correction facilities in between auditions. Today, when he's not recording amazing jazz albums, you can see him being Wizardly in one of the hottest blockbusters this year, is the incredibly talented and utterly delightful Jeff Goldlum. Oh, yes, I am a fan of Jeff Gold. Yes, I am a fan as well, Jeff. Yes, the best. The best. Hi, John. I'm so I'm literally crying. Oh, Sharon, I'm so happy to be here. I'm so happy to be here. I I love you all so much. By the way, where are you? Uh, you know where I am? In my in our apartment in Florence, Wow. Another hashtag relatable. Jeffy's doing very well. Is do you don't have an

elevator in there, do you? Oh my god. Yes, you do. You do. Yes, we do. It's a couple of floors. It's very very nice, but um and I I want to be relatable. No, we've been living here for, you know, the last couple of years, a few years. Our two kids, seven and nine, two boys are going to school here. Le Frances uh our my wife is from Toronto. She speaks French to them. They speak now three languages because they speak from Toronto. I I know he is. I have much to ask. I I'm I'm so interested in you guys. I'm I adore you. who I adore this show and just your little um tetat tetat before I came on coffee chat. Yeah, your coffee chat. Um I love so much and I love this show. But you know what I love? Uh, it reminded me is is people making each other laugh. I if I have my brothers, I oftentimes if I really need a lift, I'll go on YouTube and see the blooper reels for, you know, I have my favorites, you know, Julie Louie

Drifus on on on Seinfeld. I love the way she she laughs. Larry Larry David, I love the way he laughs. Ricky Jervase, all these people have been on your show, of course. Larry, when Larry David laughs, his jaw becomes unhinged and he's Yeah. So great. I love it. It is true. The bloopers, the bloopers from things, it is really fun to watch cuz you know it's coming and so you watch the people as it like it it surprises them. It sneaks up on them and they try to hold it together and then they full release. It's always better phrase than that. I love it. Hey, how about And then I I sometimes because my algorithm knows I like it. I guess I see bloopers from 1930s and so you see, you know, Barbara Stanwick and Humphrey Bogart, you know, forgetting Betty Davis forgetting their lines and swearing.

Isn't that interesting? Doesn't that make them I don't think I've ever seen anybody curse me. I've never seen that. No. Yeah, it it's kind of interesting. I mean, I love behind the scenes of all kinds. One of my little obsessions is to go on now the device and you can see interviews with everybody about the craft and directors and actors and these podcasts. We have to talk about that if we were really at dinner and we could talk for a few hours. You know, I feel like I have so much to talk to you guys about that we need to be pathy on all these issues. But if I you know I would like to talk about the the history of talk shows and the new podcast phenomenon of which you guys are now the kings of the hill uh and and the form which allows us to know you and to know all your guests. So thank you for that and because I know there are people I like particularly on your show that I now know better than ever. I just saw a

play. We just came back. Sorry if I'm too, you know, self-starting and chatty, but I'm excited. Yeah. Um you we just came back from a little weekend trip uh leaving the kids here with with their helper with good people and we saw two plays and we went to a a in London a a gallery and saw you know a couple of good people helpers. Yeah, I know. No, they're they're good and they they did a very good job. And um but my point is that Kate Blanchett we saw in the seagull. Oh, how is that? I'm I'm doing the Barban right after her. Oh, I want to hear all about that. And I want to talk about theater. I want to talk about Oscar Levant. But the Barban I'd never heard of. I'd never been in. It's a very beautiful theater. And it was one of the I mean the seagull I'd seen my parents like that. Well, my parents who took us to see art films in the when I was a teenager in the mid60s etc. I then reme only this last weekend remembered that I

saw a movie made by Sydney Lamett of the seagull with Vanessa Redgrave and etc and and you know a lot of people that I want to go and revisit. Anyway, we saw this play with you. Oh my gosh. Emma Corin was Nina in it. She was the the mother if you know the play. And um uh at the end we went back to see the actors, all of whom it's a lovely cast and I hugged. I'm always it's one of my favorite things about a theater experience going back. Uh even though I love this three-hour show, but I went back, everybody was lovely. I met Emma Corin D. And then Kate herself uh allowed us to come back. She couldn't have been lovelier. I've crossed paths with her. We've been in a couple of movies, never had scenes together, but I saw her in another play. Anyway, for the second time I went back, the first time was after she did Blanch Dubois in Street Car Named Desire, which I saw at Bam. But I went I went back this time

and I just burst I blubbered. I burst into uh deep the deepest tears. I do I do that too when I see something great. I I really get moved. Yeah. Or some Lain. Or some Lain. I want to talk about you guys about food to you guys too. I love Lain. And I love all manner of food. We have to talk about that. But and then my other the point that I was really getting at is that we went tuned into your show cuz I'm doing all my research. I'd, you know, heard about your show, but it's mostly since I've had this assignment in the last couple of weeks that I've been immersed in it. I've seen I've heard many, many things. I've hours and hours and hours, including her thing. And I So the point is I learned more about her and I felt like it was the best interview. And the way you guys do it, it allows us not only to know you, but your guests in a very beautiful way. We can't wait to get to know you today,

Jeff. Here comes here comes Sean's podcast character. Um, every time I hear like the seagull, I'm reminded of that line from Whitnell and I. And he says, "I loathe those Russian plays. They're always filled with women staring out of windows whining about ducks going to Moscow." Anyway, um, is that true? That's funny. It's a brilliant line, isn't it? It's brilliant. How do you know that verbatim? Bruce Robinson. I've I've seen that film thousands of times with I think it's the most perfect film of all time. Do you know for years I have heard about that film and I I saw I saw the first 15 minutes. I don't it wasn't because of the movie I I I took a an exit ramp and I haven't re gone. So I've never seen it really and I know people highly esteem that like you do. I know I went down the same ramp. I haven't been back yet. I'd like to. So, so you and I will do a double feature.

We'll see the this the lame met piece and and with nail and I when are you back in the country? You me and you. Yo yo yo, I'd love boy. What a reaction. What? Me and you. I thought you were talking to your confrs. No, I I'm looking at my schedule now and it's really tight right through Christmas. Let's go to the movies. Let's do many things. You know, you're my favorite. You're my best friends now. You know. Uhhuh. We'll be right back. And now back to the show. Now Jeff, I want to talk about this this this thing about about go I I poll uh anyone who uh will answer this thing about going backstage uh when you go see the play on Broadway. And apologies to the listener. This is uh hashtag not relatable again. But so there's this thing where Well, Sean did it the other night, Jason, by the way. Sean did it the other night at uh Glenary Glass.

Yeah. Well, okay. So, now I didn't Okay. I went I saw Glengary last week as well. And now I don't know those actors except for the fact that they have been on this show right now. And you know, you know Bob, you know Bob. talked to Bob at a couple of parties, but that I don't think that counts in order to what I think is disruptive and potentially annoying to an actor that's just finished a two-hour performance. And now they have to like meet and greet and and like play host to a bunch of people backstage they don't know except for the fact that they are also famous. And but are you planning on being a handful? Is that what it is? I mean, what are you going to come back? you're going to hear like, "Oh, you were so great. Thank you so much." Right? You can't tell if it's work for them and they want that or they don't want that and go and they want to go home. But Sean, as you pointed out,

as you pointed out, you're made generally you're made aware. They'll the stage manager will come and say so and so and so and so and so is in the house. And what happens is Jason, so a lot of those people, they they they look they they are fans of yours and they respect you and of what you've done for some reason. And then they say, "He's out there tonight." And then they go and then they're backstage and they're like because it's become disregarded to do that if you don't do it. The also the opposite is true. They go this guy big shot baitman as he's known. He rolls in, puts his eyeballs on us. We we pour it out for hours with our snappy uh dialogue, mammoth dialogue, and we're, you know, and our and our wonderful blocking that we're doing and everything. It's like this orchestra and this guy's he's in an Uber uh back to the Greenwich Hotel. No, no, but now really, Jeff, I I and and Sean and I

mean, I'm with you, Jay. I I I'm 50/50. Like, I I when I did Oscar, I went straight home only because I couldn't do it. It was just too much. And shaking hands. I didn't want to get sick. And you know what I mean? You instructed the stage manager, no guests. Yeah. Well, guests like if they were friends that I knew could come backstage, but I didn't want to go out to the crowd after. Jeff, what do you think? I'm glad we're talking about this. um um uh because things always change and it was an issue the other night. I'm 50/50 with you. I know exactly what both of you are saying. I want to be sensitive. It's very true what you're saying, Jason. But it's also true what you're saying, Will.

And I always think, "Oh boy, they know I'm here. You know, I got to I should I should go back." D. But oftentimes I want to go back. Um, but the other night and this is a three-hour version of the seagull and they do eight shows a week and you you know and yes I can well imagine they don't and so when I as I I guess is the way to do it you know contact the nearest person with a bad who looked like you know an usher d or a man the house manager comes up I said is it how can we will it be okay if uh would it be you know I don't want to bother anybody but what if we want to go etc., etc. At first, there seemed to be in this case, and it was uncommon. I hadn't encountered it before. They said, um, here here's what they did. They were like m already making hm faces, etc., etc. So, I made it clear right away. I got the picture and I said, okay, I I get it. Well, whatever works. you you know if if if it would be nice for us to

go back we we're available but please I don't want to bother anybody or if that's not cool that I want to help the serve them etc etc etc anyway by the end she said yes sent him back and she was very nice I was very aware of the time I went oh my gosh I was blubbering but also excusing myself quickly I said here this is Emily my wife and oh so great and goodbye goodbye go home and d and that was it but so it was a whole yeah so I'm glad we're having this conversation because it it is a thing ultimately ultimately I think you it's better to air on the side of going back because it's a nice thing to do and it's a and people what actor doesn't like to get like hey great job well what about should I do a followup then with our with cuz Karen and and Bill and Bob I guess it would be appropriate for me to potentially text them. Should I text? I would I would definitely do what you always do, which is have Amanda

write something up and then you Hey, Sean. Sean. But Sean, how was it going back? Were they receptive? Oh my god, it was so fun and easy and they loved it and they love people to come back there and I was hanging out with Karen and Karen poured me a glass of whiskey to share with them and they didn't say something like, "So, we heard Baitman was here last week. What's his problem?" Your name was not brought up once. They all love the show so much. Nobody wants to bring your name up because they're all so hurt. Because see, I like I think it's presumptuous to for me to think that they know I'm in the audience and or that they want to see you, right? I know it's it's tricky. It's tricky.

Listen listen listen. We're we're not going to solve it today, but what I want to get to because we mentioned Toronto, you're you're wiping from Toronto and French and stuff, but what I want to get to, and I've always I've never been able to talk to you about it. We we've only sort of run into each other a handful of times. We don't know each other. Jeeoff, I'm a massive fan of yours like everybody else. I just think that you're just incredible. Thank you. Me you me you uh you also worked with uh you know a very uh prominent and prolific and and and talented genius Canadian director by the name of David Croninberg when you made the fly. Yes sir. What a film. I love that film. Can you now I talk a little bit about about that process of working with David Croninberg if you might. Yes I might and I will. And here I go. Um uh I I love him. Here's what happened. What happened? It was 1986ish I think. Uh the script came uh

uh to me. Uh I was immediately struck by it. Um did I I there wasn't a re I met him. Oh, was there a reading? I don't think so. We met and d and they offered it to me. Um and then uh um yeah and then and it was great. He he he was uh wonderful. It was the most proactive I'd been creatively at that point. I had I worked on it like I always do conscientiously, but I had I was very passionate about it. I I I I I wanted to make it work. I had a big feeling about it and and he, as you've probably heard, is a even though he makes those, you know, wild movies, is a very buttoned up kind of sweet Canadian, civil, polite, delightful, smart uh intellectual uh um uh artist who marches to his own drum, of course. And that movie, I'd seen all his other movies. The la the one prior to that was the one with Chris Walan, Dead Zone, which I love a lot. Yeah, that was great. I used to always do this dead zone. I wanted to do a remake of

Dead Zone, but when the guy, you know, he grabs the arm and he can see the future, right? He touches people and he can kind of see their future. I wanted to do a remake when he grabs people, but all he can see is he can give you traffic updates. So, he grabs you and he goes, "Don't take the 405." You know what I mean? That's good. I'd like to say that. So, so it was great. So, we rehearsed and then um and you know uh Chris Wales who won the Oscar for the special effects makeup had and David and I got together and did these camera these elaborate camera tests for which which they had designs and d and it was five hours finally in makeup. But he was great and we went from scene to scene and actually I had a kind we were I had a vigorous conversation with him about the ending.

There was an ending uh which had me uh painted me retros retroactively retros in a kind of villainous even though I try to kill her at the end and meld all all three of us and uh and then she goes with this guy John gets she kind of goes gets with him finally and by that time I had so kind of I was such an advocate and a passionate protector of my character I was possessive and I didn't want her to wind up with him. Wow. And I said, you know, uh, wait a minute, wait a minute. Um, couldn't it be that, etc., etc. We had some I had some dumb idiot conversations. Who was I to talk to him about that? But as it turns out, that's it kind of wound up ending kind of like that with her, you know, killing me and we don't have that aftermath where, you know, the bad guy's gone and and she's now with this other guy. So, I was happy about that. But it was a very, you know, arduous but lovely, passionate

experience, etc., etc. I could tell you much about it. It's a great film. It really It's a great film. Do you think that was the the one that kind of really like I mean you've done tons of work before then. Was that the movie that put you over the top or or Invasion of the Body Snatchers or what was the one that kind of like was Big Chill was before that, right? Oh, Big Chill, right? Big Chill. Yes. Yes. It was Stepping Stone to one thing led to another. And luckily, cuz I was like my teacher Sandy Meisner said, takes 20 years to even call yourself an actor. Now, luckily I had right away miraculously good some parts but small parts that led to bigger parts and I felt like I was learning and you know I guess career-wise even though that hasn't been my focus you know from the start um one thing did lead to another so yeah there was well Nashville I worked with Alman and I did that movie Nashville very little California split

yeah that was nice to be in in California split but then invasion of the body snatchers Philip Kaufman fantastic and that was I did a movie in 76 before that with um Joan Mikllan Silver that I I I got some attention for and that led to some other things. Actually, Lawrence Kon saw that and I think that's what led him to be attracted to putting me in the big chill which led to Yeah. Now we're up to the fly and you know, etc., etc. We're up to truth to you doing the prequel uh the maggot. No. Jesus. Nice Jason. Yeah, Jason. Good for you, dude. you give me a little bit of time, I will work on some stuff. Yeah. No, but you know, you you have done you have played you have done so you you've been very prolific and and and you've made a lot of films and so I always want to know uh we always sort of ask what what was the first thing you talked about your parents taking you to to see film u when you were a teenager

which is great. So, I'm sure that that maybe you tell us inspired you, but what was the first what was your first professional gig where you went, I'm going to do this. Um, and then you actually went out and did it and and and and worked and did a job. Mhm. Good question. It was a a wild uh you know, adventure of the heart. Uh when I was 10 years old, it the seed was sort of planted. I got the bug. I was in this campa ga. I was a part of this drama show and my dad had already said if you find something you love to do that might be a vocational lighthouse and compass.

Uh something clicked in me after this kind of thing at in in when I was 10. I and I thought to myself and kept secret to myself this is what I want to do. I had it then this was a theater camp. No, you know it was a Chattam in Pittsburgh where I'm from music day camp it was called. It wasn't sleepover. was 6 weeks and they had I loved this group of people that was different and more uh my my family than than the kids I'd gone to school with. And uh and I seemed to excel at at art and piano and and badminton and softball and arts and crafts. And they had this acting um uh little little moment in the day.

And at the end of the six weeks, they cast me in this Gilbert and Sullivan takeoff thing where I sang and I was the the lead in that and I kind of rehearsed, you know, with my mom and d and you know and I leaped leapt on stage uh which was my first entrance and and that was it. And I got some laughs and it was fun. It was exhilarating and it was after that that they said, "Hey, how'd you like that?" And I went, "Um, yeah, I I I I like that. I I like that." But I kept that drug. Did that inform high school? uh choices and and college choices and no well here's what happened briefly. The um uh between 9th and 10th and 10th and 11th grades in Pittsburgh there was a a six-w weekek offering at at Carnegie Melon University in art and I taken I' you know had some flare for that and then music da da da and my mom was taking me through the brochure and she said you want to go to this thing. I said yes. She said well they have this

the acting thing. I said maybe maybe this the act acting thing maybe I'll do that really yes well I did that and I was by the end of that and I did it for two years running I was deeply in love with that campus and acting and you know just uh and that's when I started to write on the shower door every every morning please God let me be an actor d and then uh I tried out for that school they turned me down I had I gave a couple of bad you know I gave a bad audition to get into the school it's very competitive But one of the teachers there, Morai Loner, said, "Oh, I'll I'll I used to teach with Sandy Meisner." I took with him, then I taught with him. Uh, you know, I'll help you, you know, audition if you want to go to New York and audition for NYU and then check check in with Sandy Meisner. I did. Sandy Meisner, I lied about my age. You weren't supposed to be uh 17, but I I said I was a year older than I was. I

got in and that's what happened. I I went to the neighborhood playhouse in 1970 when I graduated high school and at 17 just turning 18 that fall started that course. We I love you always hear stories about people lying lying about their age to get in the army never to get into theater school. No but no college Jeff no college that that you know being in that college six week that that was that was it Jason and I respect that. Yeah. Yeah. Well, that's good. But this was a fancy two-year program if you really wanted to be an actor. And I think and they used to Sandy Meisner and other people that imitated him has have a jaundist eye um make kind of comments about the college programs. He did at the time going that's not where you learn to act. We from the group theater know what we're doing and they require you to be a little more cerebral and academic and this is about this is a real studio and

I'm going to teach you the real thing and he and he was that real thing and I was imbued with that. That's so cool. Talk to me about um is this true? One of your survival jobs was the office to to do office supplies for prisoners like to get them office supplies. Like what how in the world pencils and things like that? Yeah. Like how in how in the world did you blunt them? You had to blunt them. Here, here's what happened. That's a nice red drink you're drinking there, Jason. Oh, thank you. It's just red wine that's spoiled. Really? Really? No, it's electrolytes. I like a nice Oh, I see.

It's like a Gatorade. I like a nice mocktail these days, you know. I I've enjoyed uh a couple of those recently. I think they're starting to get that down. All these restaurants have on the menu, you know. Oh, they're good. I did. They're really good. Yeah. But uh uh but uh the answer to your question. Oh yes. So I I lucked into like I say a couple of jobs to gentlemen of Verona. The first thing I did on stage at the in the at the Delicort was a big hit. Ral Julia was in it. G McDermott wrote the music. I was in the chorus. I just kind of lucked into that. Uh and then it went to Broadway. I stopped the second year with Sandy Meisner. did this year on Broadway as one of the chorus members and underststudied one of the bigger parts and then went back and finished that second year work with Bill Esper uh who people may know. So I did that and then auditioned for a play I'll grunded to Coca-Cola. Got that and then Alman saw

me in that and I auditioned for my first movie which was Death Wish and I started to work right away in other words and I was even uh um uh supporting myself and all that except when I came to California in this four years later after doing Nashville and a couple other things uh and and kind of moved out here and got an agent um Abby Gresler. There was a moment when I was paying rent and with the was getting my money was getting low and I thought gez I looked in the trade papers and they said hey are you an out of work actor you want to make a you know little money uh come and and do this thing so I joined this boiler room operation which I guess is illegal you in at 5 6 in the morning you go to Hollywood and you go to this place and you call correction institutions on the east coast and you say hi I'm Bob and we have a surplus government surplus program just went bust and we have a surplus of magic markers and pens and

pencils. Can I send you do you use the green or the red or the or the or the blue? Can I send you a gross over the you know and you get them to commit to that is my my least favorite thing. And maybe not coincidentally after a week of that was only my straight job ever. After a week of that I got this illness. I wound up in the hospital. Uh I'm just too sensitive for that kind of regular regular work. And after that, I I went back to supporting myself, luckily, and ever since with acting. That's amazing. Well, I I Jeff, so you're saying that selling the markers wasn't a highlight of your career?

Wow. I didn't get that at first. Wow, that's very good. You guys are sharp as tax. It's a tick. Uh, by the way, remember Cats and Dogs? We did that movie together, although we weren't on screen together. Do you remember that movie? I have. Look, I I know I have I these are all the things I want to talk to you about, but I wrote down several things. Well, I several things, you know, that overlap with us, connections that we have. And I have not only Will and Gret cats and dogs and really. Okay, watch this. So, here it is. I have Sean Hayes. Hey, I like that. I like just free associating anyway. And uh and anyway, now here's our our connections.

Oh my god. Well, Will and Grace, Cats and Dogs. Um, hey, of course you portrayed Jerry Lewis, and I was supposed to u play his son in that last movie he did, Max Rose, which Kevin Pollock finally did cuz I had a scheduling uh uh uh thing. But Jerry and I uh hung out in order to bond uh at his office in Las Vegas for a day. And that was fascinating because I had grown up with his. I I I kind of adored him early on. Yeah. Yeah. Wait, Sean, when did you play Jerry Lewis? 2000. And And in what? What can I see this? A movie? I don't know where it is.

It's um it was uh Jeremy um Jeremy Norom. Norm. Okay. He played Dean Dean Martin. So, it was about the the the duo and they're getting together and they're breaking up. I'm so fascinated. I've read a lot of What film is this, Sean? Why are you trying to bury it? It's called Dean and Jerry. I don't know. It was Dean and Jerry. And where And where is it streaming? Is it on Tuby? Cuz Jason doesn't get Tubie. He's not sure. Well, hang on. I don't know. Do I get Do I have TB? Oh my god. What's that? Oh, Martin and Lewis. It's called Martin and Lewis. Was this a TV film? CBS. Yeah, it was CBS. Oh, was a CBS TV film. Oh, that's why you're being ky about it.

Okay. So, listen. I love that. So, on remember that until he just told me Scotty just told I want to talk about that comedy duo. I want to talk about Jerry. I want to talk about Dean. But uh how about but talking about you guys? How about the trios? How about which brings me to the three stooges of course and well there's the March brothers. And how about applause? I loved it. Commitment. What are you kidding me? Braavo. I love that. I believed every moment of that deal. I was transformed. Oh my god. Now wait the three I loved when I was a kid. I saw all of the their things on television. But listen to this. I saw them live. They came to a place called the Holiday House in 1960. It must have been, you know, do two or five or something. And I saw uh Mo and Larry and Carly Joe at that time. And they came into the audience, I remember. And my sister, two years younger than me, was like five or six or something. Mo, who

had big bags at that point, did something to her kind of uh aggressive. She burst into tears and he kind of retreated and uh you know he later got his eyes done and didn't have that problem anymore. Wow. Different mode. Different mode. Different mode. Hey, promises promises. Jerry Or was the original. And by the way, I went I went three times and and you came backstage and I appreciated that. So, thank you. Oh, now we're full circle. Now we're all full circle. All right, let's move on to Jason and Will or I have a bunch of questions for you. Well, Oscar Levant, listen to this though. My grandmother, Anna Catz, claims she dated Oscar Levance, who's also in Pittsburgh, on one occasion. Now, I don't know if that meant he flirted with her, if they had some encounter. I don't know what that means, but anyway. Sean, you did not discover that during your extensive research. I didn't, but I'll use it.

Okay. Will Arnette arrest? Yeah. Well, I love I saw every episode of Arrested Development. And by the way, it was on the boxing network. Oh, it's amazing. Sean Sean's character goes, "What channel was it on?" Yeah, exactly. Couldn't find anything. So, but I saw but I loved all your every character in it. Of course, Eliza Minnelli I I knew a little bit and Charlie's throne. Fantastic. But you, the magician, the magic in that, and I know you've talked about magic before. I did magic in that in that movie Nashville and I had in Wicked I do a little magic. So we we could talk about that. You are magic. You are You do. I bet you you strike me, Jeff, as the kind of guy who knows like a few card tricks and a few slide of hand things. Do you?

I know. I Well, Robert Alman told me to learn some. I had this guy in New York taught me a bag full of tricks. I brought it to Nashville and we used a bunch of them. The only thing that I've kept up my sleeve are these rope tricks. Um Yes. which I've pulled out too many times. Uh, and I know that. Then I know one card trick. That's all I know. But the the rope tricks I can do. The rope trick. The rope trick. That's always tough. You got to make sure you're in a big group for that. So, Jeff, I want I want to I'm pitching that as a halftime show at the Super Bowl. I think those ro closeup magic would go over well. Sure.

We'll be right back. And now back to the show. I want to talk about the famous Jeff Goldblum delivery which is like you're known for. It's brilliant. It's made you Don't break it down. Don't break it down. Don't break it down. Don't talk about a magic trick. No, I want I want I thought this was interesting. I read that in Invasion of the Body Snatchers kind of when you kind of discovered this thing and it was the line, I never thought they would come in metal ships. Is that right? Yes. I mean, I would say it. I would have never thought they'd come in metal ships, but you would say it.

I I never thought they'd come in in metal ships. I I don't know. I'm not making that up. I I have no idea. Really good, by the way. That's really fun. I'm doing a caricature of my own, you know, fun butchery. I don't know. I don't know. But it was at that moment that Phil Kaufman said, "Oh, yeah, that's good. I like the way he did that." And I kind of thought to myself, hm, check check note to self. I think that's something that's something I can build upon. Something like that. Anyway, uh so there we go. Horton, here's a who. Oh yes, Legos. My kids and Legos. Now, Chase Ozark, wait a minute. Wait a minute. You know, I did this I did this series recently, Chaos. I played Zeus. And you know who played my wife? Janet McTar. Oh boy. She's a beast. She's a wonderful.

She's incredible. She's incredible. And you know who I know a little bit. Have not seen her since when she was like what, 12, 13, 14, something like that, I think. or 15. Uh, this girl came backstage. I think this is how it happened to see me in the Pillow Man. I did this thing at the Booth Theater um with people, you know, it was I enjoyed doing that. So, she came back. I think then said, "Oh, I like what you do." You know, I want to be an actress. Um, maybe could we talk sometime and you'll tell, you know, I I have a script. We could, you know, read something or or and you'll to tell me. I said, "Sure." She seemed like an interesting and and smart girl. That was Julie Garner. Oh wow.

Wow. And I have not seen her since. I haven't seen her to congratulate her on everything that's gone on. She's interesting, isn't she? Oh, yeah. So, what a sweet, sweet person. And just a monster talent. Yeah. Oh my gosh. Well, you know, and then of course, hey, Will SP Hey, we did the Switch, you and I, Dr. We played We played Best Friends. Yeah. Best Friends in uh in The Switch with uh with Miss Jennifer Andiston, directed by the great Jennifer Anderson. Yeah. Will Speck, Josh. and Will Speck and Josh Gordon who who directed me in some of these Apartments.com commercials. I adore them. Is that right? No kidding. By the way, I love those commercials. Will Speck and Josh Gordon who directed Blades of Glory that uh that I years ago of separation. That's right. Jeeoff, who were your you know, you hear these stories about actors like these like um you know, the the great Gene Hackman just passed away and and you hear like

he was roommates with Robert Duval and and Dustin Hoffman and then you hear these different people who came up. Who were sort of your gang? Did you have like a gang of actor friends that we didn't know about or like people that who worked a lot and you guys were all coming up at the same time or was it a more solitary existence for you? Meaning did you have no friends? Um, you know, uh, I fit into the more solitary category. Yeah. Are you an introvert or an extrovert? Do you do do you mind your business and and say in a in a in a dark room by yourself like me? Well, I like time alone. I have my homework. I'm kind I'm a good boy and I'm conscientious and I play the piano for an hour every morning and I work out and I I like to work on my things. I'd rather not I don't go to I don't stay up late in order to hang out or all of that stuff.

Um so you know there there's that but you can be friends with us by itself. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. You're hard workers obviously but I adore people and I you know you know like I said you know I can imagine being pals with you and I have a I have a good friend Gary and Ed Begley Jr. is a good friend from Arrested the We love Ed Begley so much. Now, are you are you a concert uh pianist like our friend Sean Hayes? He's a j incredibly accomplished jazz pianist. I don't know. I'm a humble student, but I I do like the jazz. I I you know, I started off getting the chops playing Churnney and you know, John and uh this and that and then discovered the fake books and or now called the real books and and jazzed and I fell in love with that and that's what happened. And then 30 years ago uh now I put it in some movies. The fly character plays the piano and in our girls play the piano. That's right. And in plays, I

put it in a couple of plays. And then 30 years ago, Peter Weller said, "Hey, you you know, we did this movie by he said, "Let's get together and play a little bit." And and and then a couple of people told Miles Davis, who he knows, and uh said, "Oh, Jeff, you and Jeff should go out and play play a gig and you'll get better and enjoy it." And we that's what we started to do. So 30 years ago, I've had this group. Peter Weller kind of went off and did wonderful things, but I've kept this group. Peter Weller who also worked with David Croninberg on Naked Lunch and who is also first cousin of Fred Weller my my good friend theater actor love Fred Weller I saw him in a play I saw him on stage but how about speaking of the movie game so the Naked Lunch takes us to Judy Davis I've never met her but I adore her which takes us to husbands and wives which takes us to Sydney Pollock or many other people so you had a role in Annie

Hall as well so that takes us we're going what I mean so wait Jeff the the um has jazz music like playing jazz music have you ever had to make a decision about doing acting work over J you know your music or you do you always kind of make sure everything's separate se separate um they were they went on parallel tracks like I said I at 10 I I had my heart set on being an actor in my life uh as a career like have you ever turned down like a big movie because you're like I can't I have a gig? Nope. Nope. I have not. And as a matter of fact, I have gigs coming up.

We have we have our fourth album on deck and Verve coming out April 25th. Uh uh and uh around that and and so in support of that, we're going to these places to play. We're going to play the Palladium and uh in London. We're going to be in Toronto at Massie Hall, etc. Give us some dates. Give us some dates on those. You have dates on those, Jeff. Let's plug any April 25th. This may by the time people hear this may be too late but we will have been at the the palladium and my two boys who play the piano and I work with them where they have a great teacher but I work with them are going to come on stage with it's a surprise nobody knows yet they're going to come on stage with me and play something. I hope that's not abusive. I hope they have a good experience and that's what it's for. Anyway, we'll be there. Then Luxembourg, we go. And then on the 26th, April, then May 25th, Atlanta, Symphony Hall. May 27th to the

31st, we'll be at the Carile, the Cafe Carile in New York City. You've been to the Carile. I played there before. I saw you play at the Trouidor, I think, a long long time ago. And you're mixing me up with uh with Bob Dylan or something. I don't I've never played. Then it was somewhere else in LA. It was like a I just Anyway, it was it was I've been all over the LA. Yes. And I did a play at the Whiskey Agogo down the block from Believe it or not. El Granted Go. Yes. It was a cabaret theater. Any good theater stories from the Whiskey Go?

Anything happened there? That was Sean. Sorry to cut into your mind. Jeeoff, I always ask people if you have any crazy like the All right. I know you do. Well, I did the Mooney Shapiro song book, which there were five of us. Judy uh uh uh um uh uh Gary Beachch was in it who you know from Yeah. Yeah. Gary Beachch of course he was just five of us singing and dancing. Uh we were at the Morasco Theater and uh we were rehearsed for four weeks. We previewed for two weeks. Opening night seemed to go well. The reviews came out. They weren't so great for the play. I got nice reviews and then Stuart Ostro called me up and said, "So, um we're not going to be doing it anymore." What? What do you mean? Well, Tuesday. Tuesday. This coming Tuesday. I We're off tomorrow, Monday. No, no, no.

We're That's all. We didn't sell enough advanced tickets and the reviews didn't that it closed opening night. So, that's a kind of I don't know how funny that story is, right? So, wait. So, Jurassic Park, I just want to talk for two seconds because I was so jealous when you uh came you you I saw you on a talk show and you had your own lyrics to the melody and I had my own lyrics that I was singing for years and years and it was put a wallet in his mouth. Sorry. And can do you remember yours? Mine went like this. Kill the dinosaurs. Kill the dinosaurs. Kill them all before they eat you. And that was all I had. And then you came on and I was because it's And you had years to work on that yourself.

It begs for lyrics, doesn't it? [ __ ] Yeah. Uh I don't know if it begs for it, but here's mine. Here's all I know. Uh in Jurassic Park, scary in the dark, I'm so scared that I'll be eaten. That's a lyric. Now, Jeff, Jeff, with all of the films that you've done, all the projects that you've done, you you've you've done you've done it all. Does how do does the way that you choose what job to do? Has that changed over the years since you've checked so many boxes? Like what what what gets you to work? What what gets you to say yes nowadays? A good question. Well, it's always fluid as you know and that's always clarifying itself as the days and the weeks go on. But now as I have this family which is I adore and these two little boys, you know, it's not just for any reason that I'm going to go off to, you know, the ends of the earth for for a year uh and uh or do a you know do all sorts of things. So

so so it has to be special. and my own criteria. You know, when I was when Sandy I took to heart what Sandy Meisner said and uh it takes 20 years of constant work and then a lifetime of continual work if you get opportunities to keep growing and that's a good worthwhile way to spend your life. Yeah, I took that to heart. Uh but I I I I went through a couple of decades where I worked a lot and wanted to work and wanted to work more and exercised myself and find and test myself and find out what I had in me and and etc etc etc. Um now yes I have as big an appetite as ever for creative uh um the creative experience so-called. Yeah. But um but I don't have to do I don't have to work every day. I don't I don't feel you know ashamed if I'm not working every day.

That's okay. And so I want to do special things. Uh special special things whatever that means. But talk about that what I thought you you were about to say about you went through a period where it was all about testing yourself. So that was kind of what drove your decisions. And now are you feeling like I don't want to put words in your mouth, but it's not like you don't have things to prove to yourself anymore, but is it less of a of an urgency like Yeah. Yes. It's less urgent, although in another way more urgent because as we know time is running out and um and I still feel I feel like I'm doing my best work. I feel at the top of my form. I'm injuryfree and I feel like I'm enjoying it more than ever. I'm freer than ever and can do my best work. So I feel like grand things could be ahead. And you've satisfied whatever sort of personal doubt might be the wrong word that you whatever you were working through there

and and and sort of having fun exploring. Now you've sort of found this place of uh not satisfaction but just sort of like I I feel uh content. Thank you. Um, and and now work takes on a different role perhaps. I'm asking all this because I I feel like I'm playing with it myself. Well, you're intuitive. You're a good therapist. You're a good friend. Well, we talk about it all the time, don't we? Like the balance and what is the things that what are the things that truly make us happy, right? And and the way that we measure our happiness, our joy. Uh it it evolves over time, especially when you add sort of kids and family and and and experience and age and all those things.

Work represents a different thing in different decades. Yeah, all of that. We could talk about all of that at length, but yeah, that that I I'm in the same ballpark. That's that's right. And movies. We could talk about it over on Smartless After Hours, our new podcast that we're launching. That's a followup. Well, I like this long form. This long form is great to me. I mean, I like the six, seven minutes you spend on these talk shows. And, you know, that's another kind of thing which would be fun to talk about, but I I like these. I like listening to them conversation.

Yeah, I love it, too. Um, I do too. And then we're gonna end on By the way, thanks for being in Italy and talking to us for an hour. I mean, this is incredible. I mean, I can't What time is it there? This it is, you know. So, Oh, a quarter of eight. Oh, that's already I know. I said hello, but they're now in bed. So, so it's two. No, no, no. It's No. Oh, sorry. Two, but I Sorry. I was thinking two is a quarter of eight. All right. Oh, yeah. Quarter of eight. It will be. Wow. Sorry. Anyway, hey, you know who sings on our new album is um is Scarlett Johansson and Ariana and Ariana Grande and Cynthia Revo. They have songs that they half her instrumentals and half her songs singers and they they sing. How about that? Now, Wicked Wicked uh was probably as successful as everyone thought it might be. Um thank God and deservedly so. There is a second one coming that you've already shot or that you're that you're going to shoot? No,

no, we've already shot it. We shot them all all at once, but they're um editing it and scoring it and special effectsing it and a a fun process, I'll bet. Uh despite all the special effects and the wardrobes and and all those things, wardrobe was fantastic. You know, he won an Oscar for that. Um yeah, that was great. Uh uh but John Mchu is uh is is a delightful director and a very very masterful director and those that cast and Jonathan Bailey whom I saw here in Richard II the night before the seagull show by the way. Uh he was terrific and uh and those and Ariana and Cynthia Fent. It was a magical and great great experience. I loved that show when I first saw it with uh Adina Menzel and Christian Chenwith and cried my eyes out at that and and so I loved loved playing that. Joel Gray played the part originally on stage, you know. Oh yeah.

Yeah. It's great. Yeah. Yeah. Well, just great great congratulations on this success. That's that that's amazing. You're a type. It's always so fun to see you in anything. So when you pop on the screen, you're like, "Ah, I'm going to be taking you elevate. You raise you raise all boats, my friend. You raise all boats." Yeah. Thank you. Well, you are so fun. This is a great honor. I hope we see each other often and immediately and get back to this country. But I know now comes the part of the show I'll say my farewells. Now, now no has nobody's sung this song because you always say nice things afterwards. You have a little recap and a debriefing. But you know that song, please don't talk about me when I'm gone. Yeah. You know that song? Please don't talk about me when I'm gone.

That's a good that's a good thing. And then of course, do you know that song from Oliver? You know any songs from Oliver? Well, who will this glory? No, I know. I know. As long as he needs me. Yeah. But who will hide this? Who will hide this? I don't know. I don't know what is it. Uh, who will buy? Wait, what are the words? Who will buy what? Who will buy this glorious something something? Who will buy this? Da da. Okay, thank you. A guest has never a guest has never given us a given. Okay. Well, now we you've given it's so good. You've given us an out.

And of course, I sang on the one of those albums. I sang Little Man, You're Crying, I Know Why You're Blue, which is a a version of a what you sing to your kids when they go to bed. A save it. Save it. It save it. It He's waving goodbye. All right, Jeffy. Thank you. We love you. I love you so, so much. Goodbye. I'll see you soon. Bravo. Bravo. Bravo. Um, that was amazing. Yeah, he's great. Jeff and uh we didn't get to Wes Sand. He's worked with all the greatest directors. Wes Anderson he's done something like 80 films or something.

It's like it's insane. And like almost no bad ones. No, almost no bad ones. And always happy. Always happy. Always happy. And again, another one of those never a bad performance. Yeah. You never catch him acting. He's just always doing he's got his own rhythm. And And you know what? I think you were you were right not to sort of dissect his thing and not not that I would know how, but if I were to guess Well, no. I only did it because I read that he likes to talk about it. Well, but he it's like he's you can see the next thought coming into his head and so he races through the old thought to get to the new like there's he's always like that's I don't know I try to do I try to think about what I'm going to say before I say it which is how the brain works you know but in acting you have to you have the line in front of you you know what's coming and you that's that's the missing point you

have to sort of like get the thought sometimes but somes Sometimes don't you feel like I didn't want him to share it like you want you don't want to know too much how the sausage is made and Sean correct me if I'm wrong you just want to enjoy the sausage sausage that is correct the sausage correct that is right that is correct and keep the casing on it or cut the casing it doesn't matter you can be cut or untight massage the casing and make sure it's all evenly oh boy that took a real turn I tell you that took a real turn what about the um what's that song from Oliver You said what was it? Who will no buy? Oh, no. No. I think what the the the better image is just sort of like a nice peaceful uh house there in the in the in the in the in the Italian countryside. Yeah. And put uh the family's going to bed. Huh. Yeah. And the kids the kids go you go to sleep.

You go to sleep. And then you might sing them something. Right. Sean, how would that song go? You know, like you got somewhere you got to go. Yeah, that's lazy. I mean, you know what? Just bye. Smart. Smart L Smart List is 100% organic and artisally handcrafted by Bennett Barbco, Michael Grant, Terry, and Rob Armjarf. Smart less.

Questions about this episode

Who speaks in "Jeff Goldblum | SmarLess"?

Jeff Goldblum (Guest), George Will (Host), Antipater (Antipot), son of Jason (Host), Sean Hayes (Host), Will Arnett (Host).

What is discussed in "Jeff Goldblum | SmarLess"?

In order: 0:00 Pete Thel, Antipater (Antipot), son of Jason, Will Arnett, Pete Thel; 5:00 Will and Grace, Jeff Goldblum, George Will, Florence; 10:00 The Seagull, Emma Corin, Smartless, Oscar Levant; 15:00 Sean Hayes, Antipater (Antipot), son of Jason, Smartless, Bruce Robinson; 20:00 Sean Hayes, The Fly, Toronto, The Fly; 25:00 Sandy Meisner, Pittsburgh, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Fly; 30:00 Sandy Meisner, Cats and Dogs, Jerry Lewis, Jerry Lewis; 35:00 Jeff Goldblum, Antipater (Antipot), son of Jason, George Will, Arrested Development; 40:00 Peter Weller, George Will, Sean Hayes, Will Arnett; 45:00 Jurassic Park, Jurassic Park, Sandy Meisner, Toronto; 50:00 Cynthia Erivo, Smartless, Ariana Grande, Cynthia Revo; 55:00 Michael Grant Terry, Wes Anderson.

What is mentioned in this SmartLess episode?

145 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Jeff Goldblum, George Will, Smartless, Antipater (Antipot), son of Jason, Sean Hayes, Will Arnett. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "Jeff Goldblum | SmarLess"?

The episode runs 59 min; the transcript is about 11,471 words in 73 timestamped sections.

More from SmartLess

About this transcript: the episode's spoken words as captioned on YouTube, split into timestamped sections. Reclip.Me locates every person, work and idea in the text, keeps the time it is first named, and quotes the words around it verbatim. Last updated February 10, 2026.