TRANSCRIPT
Office Ladies | Episode 305 - Boby Lee and Nimrods
Jenna [00:00:04] I'm Jenna Fischer,
Angela [00:00:05] and I'm Angela Kinsey.
Jenna [00:00:06] We were on "The Office" together,
Angela [00:00:08] and we're best friends.
Jenna [00:00:09] And now we're doing the ultimate Office lover's podcast, just for you.
Angela [00:00:13] Each week we will dive deeper into the world of The Office with exclusive interviews, behind the scenes details, and lots of BFF stories.
Jenna [00:00:21] We're the Office Ladies 6.0.
audio cue [00:00:01] [musical sting]
Jenna [00:00:01] Helloooo.
Angela [00:00:01] Hi.
Jenna [00:00:02] So lady, you know that the day that this podcast airs, we are going to be walking the "Nimrods" red carpet.
Angela [00:00:08] Oh my gosh, that's right!
Jenna [00:00:09] It's the day of the premiere!
Angela [00:00:12] Today?
Jenna [00:00:12] Today!
Angela [00:00:12] When everyone hears this, that's what we'll be doing.
Jenna [00:00:15] That evening, yeah.
Angela [00:00:16] Oh my Gosh.
Jenna [00:00:17] Followed by a big old party. It's gonna be fun.
Angela [00:00:21] I haven't done one of those in a long time.
Jenna [00:00:23] Me either! And I'm actually kind of excited.
Angela [00:00:26] Oh my gosh, I never remember how to stand. Where to put my hand? I have to practice.
Jenna [00:00:31] Let's practice!
Angela [00:00:32] Okay.
Jenna [00:00:33] We'll do what we do, because you have to do this. You have to put on your outfit, and you have to have someone take pictures of you in different poses. And then what I do is I pick the one very good one, and that's the only way I'll stand. It doesn't matter if they yell at me. It doesn't matter if they say, "Over the shoulder." I only know this one way to stand. That's it.
Angela [00:00:52] I literally, the minute I get on red carpet, completely forget all the things I practiced. Then I stand like an idiot.
Jenna [00:00:58] I know, same!
Angela [00:00:59] Okay, well, maybe there's a learning curve. Who knows? But before we're at the Nimrods premiere, on the red carpet, we have a really special episode for you guys to listen to today. In the studio with us is hilarious comedian and actor, Bobby Lee. So fun, and Jenna, you did a television show with Bobby.
Jenna [00:01:19] I did. Yes, we did two seasons of the ABC show, "Splitting Up Together."
Angela [00:01:24] And we talk a little bit about that today.
Jenna [00:01:26] We do. We hash a few things out from that time.
Angela [00:01:28] You did. But you guys today, as we're getting ready to walk that premier red carpet for Nimrods, we are gonna be talking all about it because you guys get to see it out in theaters this Friday, August 14th.
Jenna [00:01:41] Yeah, you guys, I am so, so excited about this movie. Okay, here's what it's about. This movie stars Mason Thames as Tommy, and he gets a phone call inviting his teen punk band to open for Green Day on New Year's Eve.
Angela [00:01:57] Amazing.
Jenna [00:01:57] Amazing. Unfortunately, he does not realize that this is actually an elaborate prank. So, believing that his life is about to change, he sets out on a road trip with his bandmates who are played by Kyler Kaufman and Ryan Faust. And y'all, this movie is produced with Green Day. Green Day was part of writing the story.
Angela [00:02:18] Yeah, it's sort of based loosely on their early days as a band.
Jenna [00:02:21] Yes, the stuff that happens to these kids in the movie on their way to Los Angeles to "open for Green Day" was inspired by Green Day's early days of touring in a van together before their breakout record, "Dookie." So pre-Dookie, these are the things that happened to Green Day. The movie was written and also directed by my husband, Lee Kirk.
Angela [00:02:43] And Jenna, Lee spent hours with Billy Joe, the band, right? Developing the stories and everything.
Jenna [00:02:51] Yes, it started because Billy Joe called Lee and said, "I would really like to do a Green Day movie." They had collaborated before. So yes, Lee interviewed the band and then he weaved their stories into the script. So I was talking to Tre Cool, the drummer of Green Day. I was just talking to him. It's not a big deal.
Angela [00:03:10] I know, I know.
Jenna [00:03:10] We just talk, I talk to Mike.
Angela [00:03:12] I know. I know lady. I know how much you're geeking out.
Jenna [00:03:16] [laughing] But I was talking to Tre and he called the movie historical fiction, which I thought was a really good description, because it's not a biopic. But there's a lot of things in the movie that are from their lives. Like, for example, in the movie, the character Fred, played by Kyler Kaufman, has this puppet that he takes on the road named Gravy. Gravy does all these bad puns and he like drives the other guy's nuts. And in the early days, Mike had a puppet named Gravy. And also, if you are a super big Green Day fan, you're gonna see an appearance by Sleepy. And that's all I'm gonna say. Green Day fans will know who Sleepy is.
Angela [00:03:57] Deep cut. And then, of course, the movie is also just full of fantastic Green Day songs.
Jenna [00:04:02] And Lee got to choose songs from the entire Green Day catalog. They said whatever song you want. The soundtrack for this movie is sick. That's what the kids say.
Angela [00:04:11] Are you being hip?
Jenna [00:04:12] I learned that on the movie. They call it "sick."
Angela [00:04:14] Okay.
Jenna [00:04:15] But everyone, it is really such a fun movie. It's multi-generational. The young cast is incredible. I mentioned Mason, Kyler, and Ryan, but it also stars McKenna Grace, Ignacio Diaz-Silverio, and Keane Ruffalo. And then you've also got Fred Armisen, Sean Gunn, me, Angela, and our guest today, Bobby Lee, who plays Otis, the security guard.
Angela [00:04:37] What a lineup. I mean, what a group. And listen, you guys, Bobby is so funny in the movie and I really loved our interview with him. I think you guys are gonna enjoy it. It has some twists and turns I was not expecting.
Jenna [00:04:50] Same. I mean we do some real sharing.
Angela [00:04:52] We do, and some real laughing.
Jenna [00:04:54] Well, listen, before we get to our amazing interview with Bobbie Lee, we do have a fan chit chat question. This is from Brianna R. in St. Michael's, Maryland, who said, "Hello Office Ladies. My husband and I are considering quitting our day jobs and opening our own business. I'm a little nervous about mixing my home life with my work life. Sometimes it's nice to have a separate space away from your significant other. And while I love my husband to pieces, I worry a little bit about us working together and being together all the time, and then also being mom and dad. Since you have both worked with your husbands professionally, I wondered if you would be willing to share a little about how that worked for you. P.S.," and I loved this, "I couldn't figure out how to upload an audio file, but I hope you will still pick this question. I hope that you won't find it too personal to share. Love the podcast."
Angela [00:05:48] Oh, Brianna, I wouldn't know how to do the audio file either, so no worries there. This was such a thoughtful question.
Jenna [00:05:56] Yeah, I mean, first of all, it's a big thing to just pivot in life and start your own business. Clearly you have some day job and you're like, "I'm gonna do a different thing." But then also to take that on with your significant other. This is gonna be what you guys are doing. And I can relate, Angela, as I'm sure you can.
Angela [00:06:19] Yeah. I mean, we've both been in business with our husbands.
Jenna [00:06:22] We have. I mean it's how I met and fell in love with my husband, was doing a film. Since then we did "Ashland Avenue," the play, and now Nimrods. I love working with my husband. We work great together. It's wonderful. He's one of my favorite people to create with. I admire him and respect him as an artist and he feels the same. I think if you have that mutual respect with your partner, then I think you can be in business together.
Angela [00:06:52] Yeah, I agree. I also think something that works well for Josh and I (which I also thinks works well with me and you, Jenna) is that we both have different things we're good at. And I'm so thankful for that. Because when Josh and did all of the baking stuff and our YouTube baking show, he's just so great at baking and cooking and the recipes and curating them. And I am sort of color commentary, you know? The two of us each bring our own thing, and I so appreciate what he brought, and he was appreciative of what I brought. So it was easy to work together because of that.
Jenna [00:07:28] Well, I'm glad you brought up us, Angela, because I thought of us going into business together as best friends when I saw Brianna's question. I would say that the one thing, and this is true when I'm doing a project with Lee and it's true with our best friendship, is that the one pitfall to being in business with your significant other (or best friend) is where suddenly you forget to have the other conversations.
Angela [00:07:55] Yes, that is so true, because...
Jenna [00:07:58] Because you're only talking about work.
Angela [00:08:00] Yeah, and you want to make sure you're still a couple and you still have all the things that make you a couple, you know? Not a business partner. When we were really in the middle of our cookbook and all of our conversations were about the cookbook, I remember us, both at the same time, being like, "We need to go away for the weekend. We need to just go stay at a little bed-and-breakfast and go for a hike and go on a date night and just not talk work." Because that's what feeds the partnership; is everything you do outside of the business. That's what makes you want to do the business together. Does that make sense?
Jenna [00:08:38] Yes, because we do that as best friends. And you're really good at that, Angela. You'll say, "I want to have a conversation and we are not allowed to talk about work. Like, period. Best friends stories only. Domestic life stories only."
Angela [00:08:53] You said it to me just this morning, because we trade messages every day. You guys know that, right? We leave each other voice notes, and especially when we're both busy running errands, you know? I love nothing more to see that I have a voice note from you, but you said this morning because I had left you one. I was like...
Jenna [00:09:10] You were like, "Is this boring? This is so stupid."
Angela [00:09:13] "This is boring. This is the lamest message." And you were like, "Ange, I loved it. It was slice of life."
Jenna [00:09:18] I love slice of life.
Angela [00:09:19] Yeah, it's important to keep that in the relationship, Brianna. So I guess that's our advice: find out what strengths you each have, respect those separate things, learn how to work with them, and then also still make time for each other as husband and wife.
Jenna [00:09:37] I think that's great advice. I mean, I don't know what it is you're planning to do, but if you do take that leap, I wish you all the success.
Angela [00:09:43] Yeah, just all the good things coming your way.
Jenna [00:09:47] Alright, well listen, why don't we take a break and then we are gonna be back with Bobby Lee.
audio cue [00:09:51] [musical sting]
Bobby Lee [00:09:55] We already started, right?
Angela [00:09:56] Yeah, we're in.
Jenna [00:09:57] We're recording.
Bobby Lee [00:09:58] Can I do my own self intro, or do you wanna do one?
Jenna [00:10:00] You wanna to do it?
Bobby Lee [00:10:03] Yeah, I'm a comedian, sometimes actor, and I'm Bobby Lee.
Jenna [00:10:09] Hi Bobby!
Angela [00:10:09] Bobby Lee!
Bobby Lee [00:10:10] Yeah, and how we know each other is we did a sitcom together.
Jenna [00:10:14] Splitting Up Together.
Bobby Lee [00:10:16] Splitting Up Together, and I want to apologize, I don't know if I ever apologized to you for not showing up that morning.
Jenna [00:10:21] Which morning did you not show up?
Bobby Lee [00:10:23] Remember that one morning that I slept in?
Jenna [00:10:26] [laughing] Oh yeah. Oh my god, I do now!
Bobby Lee [00:10:30] Yeah, so I woke up, Angela,
Angela [00:10:32] Yeah, what was it? Wait, can I ask what your call time was?
Bobby Lee [00:10:36] Like, six in the morning.
Angela [00:10:36] Okay, so you had an early call time.
Bobby Lee [00:10:38] So it's now 10:30, okay,
Angela [00:10:41] Uh-oh.
Bobby Lee [00:10:41] and I'm in my house, sleeping.
Jenna [00:10:43] I remember. Did someone come knock on your door?
Bobby Lee [00:10:45] They entered my room, my house.
Jenna [00:10:47] Somebody came into your house? That's what I thought.
Bobby Lee [00:10:50] Yeah, and then I felt somebody wandering around the living room.
Angela [00:10:54] Well, that's creepy.
Bobby Lee [00:10:54] It's creepy, yeah. I come out and I realize, as soon as I see the person, what time it is and the panic of it.
Angela [00:11:03] Oh no.
Jenna [00:11:03] Who did they send?
Bobby Lee [00:11:05] Like a PA, or something.
Jenna [00:11:06] I feel like I remember who they sent. I remember the conversation on set.
Bobby Lee [00:11:10] Yeah. They shot your coverage first.
Jenna [00:11:14] Was it a scene with me?
Bobby Lee [00:11:16] Yeah, it was you. You were waiting. You were doing all your coverage.
Jenna [00:11:19] [laughing] I was?
Bobby Lee [00:11:19] Yeah and I came in with my pajamas on and was freaking out.
Angela [00:11:26] That kind of panic is just right to your core.
Bobby Lee [00:11:28] Has that ever happened to you?
Angela [00:11:30] I mean, I've woken up late. Actually, the time it happened to me, stakes were a little bit lower because it was when I was an operator at 1-800-Dentist. I had the 6 AM shift and I overslept.
Bobby Lee [00:11:43] How old were you?
Angela [00:11:44] In my 20's, like probably 26. The guy called me, who was managing the call center, and I woke up out of this dead sleep and my home phone rang and I was like, "Hello?" And he was like, "Angela. You are two hours late for your shift." And I was like, "Yeah, I'm gonna go back to sleep."
Jenna [00:12:04] You went back to sleep?
Bobby Lee [00:12:06] So you got fired.
Angela [00:12:07] No, you would think. I did not get fired. I was like, "Okay, I'm coming."
Bobby Lee [00:12:10] What's an operator?
Angela [00:12:12] An operator at 1-800-DENTIST?
Bobby Lee [00:12:13] Yeah, so I call.
Angela [00:12:15] Okay, you call.
Bobby Lee [00:12:17] [imitating a ringing phone] Ring ring
Angela [00:12:17] 1-800-DENTIST, this is Angela. Do you need a checkup and cleaning today or do you have a specific dental problem?
Bobby Lee [00:12:21] Yeah, all my teeth hurt.
Angela [00:12:23] Okay, well you know what? We're going to get you in to see someone that can help you with that.
Bobby Lee [00:12:26] Oh, so that's what you do.
Angela [00:12:27] Do you have a PPO or an HMO?
Bobby Lee [00:12:29] We're gonna keep going? [everyone laughs] Cash, I'm gonna pay cash.
Angela [00:12:34] Oh, okay.
Bobby Lee [00:12:34] Yeah, I'm gonna pay cash.
Angela [00:12:35] Okay, well there's several dentists who will take you if you're paying cash. But so I overslept, and then he told me you overslept. And then I was like, "Yes, I did." I did get up and go in, but I was like, "I'm just gonna sleep, just a little bit more."
Bobby Lee [00:12:52] Yeah, you need that extra.
Jenna [00:12:55] What happened when you got to set? What I remember is us going from being kind of annoyed, like, "Ugh, he's late." But you were not late. You weren't a late person. You generally were very punctual and you knew your sh*t.
Bobby Lee [00:13:09] Yes!
Jenna [00:13:09] Right!
Angela [00:13:10] You were very punctual today.
Bobby Lee [00:13:12] Yeah, I'm punctual.
Jenna [00:13:13] You were 10 minutes early.
Bobby Lee [00:13:14] I'm a punctual person!
Jenna [00:13:15] This is what I mean. We're on set and by 6:30, we actually are worried. Like, we've moved from just like-
Bobby Lee [00:13:23] Yeah, now it's 10:30.
Jenna [00:13:25] Yeah, and we're like, he-
Bobby Lee [00:13:27] I could've died!
Jenna [00:13:27] We were concerned! So there was this great relief when the PA was like, "He's okay, he's coming, he just overslept." We were like, [sigh of relief]. We were worried for you.
Bobby Lee [00:13:40] But what was scary is, at the end of the night.
Jenna [00:13:43] What happened?
Bobby Lee [00:13:43] The show runner came up to me.
Angela [00:13:45] Oh, did you get it a talking to?
Bobby Lee [00:13:47] And she walked this way and I was sitting down and she put her hand on my shoulder. She goes, "Don't ever do that again."
Angela [00:13:55] Oh my gosh!
Bobby Lee [00:13:57] And I was scared.
Angela [00:13:59] I would have been scared.
Jenna [00:14:03] I wanna talk about something else from Splitting Up Together.
Bobby Lee [00:14:06] Okay, go ahead.
Jenna [00:14:07] You talked about this time you were late. Should we talk about it?
Bobby Lee [00:14:10] Wait, wait, wait.
Jenna [00:14:11] Should we discuss?
Bobby Lee [00:14:13] No, because I'll tell you why.
Jenna [00:14:15] Why?
Bobby Lee [00:14:16] I think I know what you're getting at.
Jenna [00:14:17] You've talked about it on your podcast!
Bobby Lee [00:14:20] Yeah, that's fine.
Jenna [00:14:22] So now you're here.
Bobby Lee [00:14:24] Okay what you're saying... May I say it or no?
Jenna [00:14:26] Yes, you already have talked about it, and I just wanted to know if you wanted to...
Bobby Lee [00:14:29] Yeah, but not in front of you. I don't want to talk about it with you.
Angela [00:14:33] Too late, she's been tagged in all the reels and clips.
Bobby Lee [00:14:36] Okay, so here's the thing. I don't know if people know about shooting things, but there's coverage. Is that what you're talking about?
Angela [00:14:43] Like on a film set.
Jenna [00:14:43] I'm talking about the phone incident.
Bobby Lee [00:14:44] Yeah, so it's on you, the camera, right?
Angela [00:14:49] Wait, so let's set it up. We're on the set of ABC's Splitting Up Together.
Jenna [00:14:53] I'll set the scene for you. It's the Christmas episode. If I remember correctly, we're dressed in Christmas onesies. It's a big group scene. Everyone's in it. Like, all the kids are in it. You're in it, Oliver's in it, Lindsey, Diane. Everybody's in this right? Am I remembering the right scene?
Bobby Lee [00:15:10] Yes.
Jenna [00:15:10] And it's in the living room There's a Christmas tree.
Bobby Lee [00:15:13] Yes.
Jenna [00:15:14] And I have to stand up in front of the tree and face all of you guys and give this kind of emotional speech,
Bobby Lee [00:15:20] And you did a great job.
Jenna [00:15:21] I have to well up with tears a little bit, then hold them back. It was a whole thing, right?
Bobby Lee [00:15:26] Yep.
Jenna [00:15:27] So there's one camera. We do your coverage, where the camera's on all of y'all, getting your lines and I'm off camera, and I'm giving my speech.
Bobby Lee [00:15:38] Yes, very good job.
Jenna [00:15:40] Great. Camera comes around, now it's shooting me,
Bobby Lee [00:15:43] Yes.
Jenna [00:15:43] And you guys are all off camera.
Bobby Lee [00:15:46] Sure.
Jenna [00:15:46] But you're still there, because you have lines that you have to say to me while I'm giving my emotional speech.
Bobby Lee [00:15:51] Which I memorized.
Jenna [00:15:51] You were memorized. You were, and on time.
Bobby Lee [00:15:55] Yeah, do I have to lock eyes with you?
Jenna [00:15:57] What do you think?
Bobby Lee [00:15:58] No.
Jenna [00:16:00] [angry sounds]
Bobby Lee [00:16:01] I don't think, because you're a professional actor. [Jenna's sounds of anger] No, just stop. I'm sorry for even saying that. This is your podcast. You can keep going if you want.
Jenna [00:16:10] Well, I'm just gonna say, I wanna paint a picture for people. So it's time for my coverage, and I'm going through the scene, take one. I'm up there, scanning the room. Everyone's looking at me.
Bobby Lee [00:16:21] Sure.
Jenna [00:16:22] Everyone: the children, all the people, they're all looking me in the eyes, giving me my lines that they have to say, and then I get to you, Bobby. And you are looking down, like, kind of into your lap.
Bobby Lee [00:16:32] Playing Candy Crush, yes.
Jenna [00:16:34] But I don't know that. You're just looking down and I'm like, "That's odd."
Bobby Lee [00:16:38] No, it's not. I'm like 896 level and I want to get 897.
Jenna [00:16:43] Take two. Scans again. I get to you. Now I can see you're looking at a phone. And my first thought was, "Oh gosh,"
Bobby Lee [00:16:51] He doesn't know his lines.
Jenna [00:16:52] No, I thought, "Oh my gosh, I hope everything's okay." Like, a text.
Bobby Lee [00:16:58] Okay, can I defend myself?
Jenna [00:16:59] Like a text. Like, "Oh no, he must have gotten a text."
Bobby Lee [00:17:01] Angela, may I?
Jenna [00:17:03] - "that's like super important. Because why else would you be on your phone in the middle of a taping?"
Bobby Lee [00:17:08] Okay, it's a group shot. It's a wide. Okay?
Angela [00:17:11] Yeah.
Bobby Lee [00:17:13] Maybe they were punching in, but I don't know. But from what I remember, it's a wide, so why would you...? I mean, focus on Oliver.
Jenna [00:17:22] But you have to talk to me! So it's very distracting because I'm like, "What's happening with Bobby? Is everyone okay? Has someone contacted him?"
Bobby Lee [00:17:29] But you were mad. I remember you being mad.
Jenna [00:17:31] Well yes. By table five when I I thought you were on Instagram. I thought you were scrolling Instagram and so finally I go, [shouting] "Bobby! What the actual f**k, dude. What is happening?"
Bobby Lee [00:17:41] Yeah, I apologize. That was bad. Angela, back me up.
Angela [00:17:46] I don't think I can. Cause here's the thing.
Bobby Lee [00:17:51] It sucks.
Angela [00:17:51] You're a scene partner right? So it's like, "What I give you, you give me back."
Bobby Lee [00:17:56] So, if you and I were doing a scene solo, you would get my attention. Right?
Angela [00:18:00] Yeah.
Bobby Lee [00:18:01] But in a group shot. It doesn't matter.
Angela [00:18:03] Yes, it does!
Bobby Lee [00:18:04] In a group shoot? C'mon.
Angela [00:18:06] Well, I think you have to know, too, we did nine years of group scenes. Nine years of conference rooms, nine years of Steve Carell being up in front of everyone and us just looking at him.
Bobby Lee [00:18:17] So Steve would do, even in his reverse, 100%?
Jenna [00:18:21] Yes!
Bobby Lee [00:18:21] I don't - See? I'm learning.
Angela [00:18:24] Yeah, yeah, no, there is a learning curve.
Bobby Lee [00:18:28] There's so much to learn.
Angela [00:18:29] There is a learning curve, yeah.
Bobby Lee [00:18:31] You know, I was trying to defend myself. I apologize. The reason why I brought it up on my pod is because I remember the shame of it.
Jenna [00:18:40] Oh, well, you should release yourself of that. I mean, you were forgiven moments after it happened.
Bobby Lee [00:18:45] Yeah, I wish that Angela took my side every once and a while.
Angela [00:18:49] [stammering]
Bobby Lee [00:18:50] Yeah. Anyway, it's comedy. Let's talk about comedy. Do you wanna talk about the movie?
Jenna [00:18:53] Let's talk about Nimrods.
Angela [00:18:57] First of all, I have to say one thing.
Bobby Lee [00:18:59] You're both great in it.
Angela [00:19:00] Well, you're hilarious in it, but Jenna told me that from the early days (like when we did a table read of it) Lee was like, "I want Bobby" and she was like, "Bobby's got to be in this." That's how much of an impression you made on her and Lee in Splitting Up Together.
Bobby Lee [00:19:22] [laughing in disbelief]
Angela [00:19:23] No truly! It's true! I'm giving you a real compliment!
Jenna [00:19:23] Yes! It's true!
Bobby Lee [00:19:23] Playing Candy Crush?
Angela [00:19:25] No.
Bobby Lee [00:19:25] Angela?
Angela [00:19:26] You were forgiven for that.
Bobby Lee [00:19:27] Okay.
Angela [00:19:28] That is behind you.
Bobby Lee [00:19:29] Alright. Now it is.
Angela [00:19:30] Yes.
Bobby Lee [00:19:31] I've been thinking about it since.
Jenna [00:19:33] Clearly, I wasn't holding anything against you, because-
Bobby Lee [00:19:35] Yeah, but I didn't want to bring it up on set. Like, [dumb person voice] "Hey, I'm gonna apologize for..."
Angela [00:19:41] No, you know what you should have done? Is you should've got out Candy Crush in one take. That would have been so great!
Bobby Lee [00:19:49] Do we have a scene together?
Jenna [00:19:49] No, we didn't have any scenes together. We're all three in this movie, but not in any scenes together.
Bobby Lee [00:19:55] Yeah, no scenes.
Angela [00:19:55] I know.
Bobby Lee [00:19:55] Can I be honest with you?
Angela [00:19:57] Yeah.
Bobby Lee [00:19:57] Yeah, I saw the movie up until I came up on screen.
Jenna [00:20:00] Oh, and then you... Do you not like to watch yourself?
Bobby Lee [00:20:02] I don't. So I stop watching.
Jenna [00:20:04] Oh Bobby, you're so funny in it!
Jenna [00:20:05] Bobby, you have a line in this movie that my kids do
Bobby Lee [00:20:10] What is the line?
Jenna [00:20:11] [in a silly voice] "Yeah, he did!"
Angela [00:20:12] Oh yeah. When you mock him, it's really funny.
Jenna [00:20:15] You mock one of the kids.
Bobby Lee [00:20:16] "Puberty is hard."
Angela [00:20:17] "Puberty is hard." Did you improvise that?
Bobby Lee [00:20:19] Yeah.
Jenna [00:20:19] He did.
Angela [00:20:20] That's really funny.
Jenna [00:20:21] Yeah, and then you improvised, [in same silly voice] "Yeah, he did!"
Bobby Lee [00:20:23] Yeah, because he had such a squeaky voice.
Jenna [00:20:25] He did.
Bobby Lee [00:20:25] I wanna say something about the movie. It feels lived in and real.
Jenna [00:20:30] Oh, that's a nice compliment, I agree.
Bobby Lee [00:20:32] Do you understand what I'm saying?
Jenna [00:20:33] I do.
Bobby Lee [00:20:33] Like, when you watch old Spielberg movies, he's good at that in "E.T." and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind."
Angela [00:20:39] I love that.
Bobby Lee [00:20:40] Do you?
Angela [00:20:41] [laughing] I do! I do.
Bobby Lee [00:20:42] Did you see the movie?
Angela [00:20:43] Close Encounters of the Third Kind?
Bobby Lee [00:20:45] Yeah! What's it about, Angela?
Angela [00:20:46] We're 55, of course we saw it.
Bobby Lee [00:20:47] What's it about, Angela?
Angela [00:20:48] Oh my god, first of all, it's Richard Dreyfuss. Like, phenomenal performance.
Bobby Lee [00:20:52] Okay, that's enough. That's enough, alright. I believe you now.
Angela [00:20:55] Okay.
Bobby Lee [00:20:55] But, you know, early Spielberg, the houses look lived in. And if it's not lived in, I can't buy into it. If it doesn't feel real. Sometimes you watch a sitcom, and everything's so clean.
Angela [00:21:10] Squeaky.
Bobby Lee [00:21:11] You can tell it's on a stage, and I don't like it. I like it when it's lived in, is what I'm saying.
Jenna [00:21:19] The production designer on Nimrods, Adam Riemer, was a genius. The home, the garage, all the sets.
Bobby Lee [00:21:27] I've never seen you in a role like this before, as a mom. It's crazy.
Jenna [00:21:32] Oh, well... You know...
Bobby Lee [00:21:33] Well, you were on mom on Splitting Up Together. [starts laughing]
Jenna [00:21:36] Except for that. Except for that two years that we were on a sitcom together. But to your point, it's a different kind of role. And I mean, I could get personal.
Bobby Lee [00:21:48] Oh my god, get personal.
Jenna [00:21:49] Should I?
Bobby Lee [00:21:50] Yes!
Jenna [00:21:51] So I shot this movie two weeks after I had my port removed. After having gone through all my cancer treatment. I had my last infusion and I'd been kind of living in my house for a year, you know? Because I was a little bit on my own personal lockdown, where my life was just about the treatments. I had. My last immunotherapy infusion early in 2025 and then I got my port removed and two weeks later I was on set shooting this movie. From that experience, I had a kind of heaviness in me because a lot had happened to me in that year. I had a literal heaviness. I gained 15 pounds during chemo and during all my treatment. And my hair had just started to grow back. Like, I had just enough for this movie, that's my real hair. People have asked if it was a wig. But I had enough hair, they kind of brushed it forward, they were brilliant. It was such a gift to me to take that and put it into this part, this part of this mom who also has a real heaviness to her. She's a widow. She's raising two teen boys on her own. She's a little bit at the end of her rope, but trying to be kind of optimistic at the same time. I mean, I love this woman. I don't think this is a part that I would have been offered or asked to play, had I not gone through everything I went through.
Bobby Lee [00:23:15] Wow.
Jenna [00:23:15] Because I didn't have it in me. I didn't have it in my body, I didn't have it in my tool kit. Like, I just didn't have it. So for me this movie is really, really special because I got to take something hard that happened to me and I got to put it into art, which is kinda just the best thing ever. It was really healing for me. So thank you for saying that. It really means a lot.
Bobby Lee [00:23:40] I just... I'm sorry. I remember you telling me on set, it was devastating. I had no idea. Yeah, I am so sorry. But you're...
Jenna [00:23:51] I'm in full remission, yeah. And now it's like, it's good. God, it is weird to say it was a good thing that happened to me. But it was definitely one of those moments in life, it was a before and after, you know? There was my life before and now there's my life after. And my life, after, it has been transformative. But I mean, I feel like you must have had before and after with getting sober, right? I mean that's a very before and after.
Bobby Lee [00:24:21] I think it's different though. I don't think I was as scared as you might have been. You know? I always have thought, you know, "I can always get sober or whatever." I mean, that's all I needed to do was to get sober. Right?
Jenna [00:24:33] Mm-hmm.
Bobby Lee [00:24:35] But you have no control over whether you were gonna do this or not, you know? So it must be terrifying.
Jenna [00:24:40] Yeah.
Angela [00:24:41] You know, truly it's really hard to watch someone you love go through something and you don't know how to help them.
Bobby Lee [00:24:46] Yeah.
Angela [00:24:46] And anything you do to try to help doesn't feel like enough, you know? And so you just try to show up, you know?
Jenna [00:24:56] Yeah.
Angela [00:24:56] And so, even as you were saying all that, it was so great to watch this movie and have seen you through that and on the other side and getting to create. I love the character and I love the movie that Lee made. It's really great. I'm excited for people to see it.
Jenna [00:25:10] Well lady, you took me to get my port removed because Lee had started shooting the movie. It was a weird thing for us too because he'd been with me the whole journey and now his movie gets green lit in the last two months of my treatment and he had to be away. So Angela took me to get my port moved. Which was amazing because she's the best BFF ever.
Bobby Lee [00:25:31] You're family.
Angela [00:25:32] Yeah, we're family. Yeah.
Bobby Lee [00:25:34] Yeah, that's amazing.
Angela [00:25:35] So we take care of each other.
Bobby Lee [00:25:36] I don't think I have anyone like that in my life. Maybe my girlfriend.
Angela [00:25:40] [laughing] I'm sure your girlfriend. She would take you to LAX, right?
Bobby Lee [00:25:47] I don't think so, but I think that she would for a port. I dunno. But Santino? I dunno. Andrew Santino? I dunno.
Jenna [00:25:54] I'm not sure Lee would drive me to LAX. He'll see me through cancer treatment, but I'm not sure he's dropping me at LAX. Or picking me up.
Angela [00:26:03] For people listening, LAX is the worst airport to try to drop someone off.
Bobby Lee [00:26:07] It's the worst. Burbank, yes.
Angela [00:26:08] Burbank for sure.
Jenna [00:26:08] Oh, he's taking me to Burbank!
Bobby Lee [00:26:10] Burbank is fine.
Jenna [00:26:11] All the time. For sure.
[00:26:12] I was taking you to Burbank.
Angela [00:26:11] I would take you to the Long Beach Airport. I would do that.
Bobby Lee [00:26:14] Yes, yes, yes.
Angela [00:26:15] But LAX, man... Wait, back to Nimrods.
Bobby Lee [00:26:19] Yes, of course.
Angela [00:26:19] Will you tell us how you got the role?
Bobby Lee [00:26:22] I got a call from my agent. He said, "You were offered this part," and I said yes immediately.
Angela [00:26:27] There you go.
Bobby Lee [00:26:28] Because I knew Billy from a long time ago, during my MAD TV days.
Jenna [00:26:33] Billy Joe Armstrong from Green Day, producer of this movie.
Bobby Lee [00:26:37] Yeah, and I used to hang out with them. I'd run into them, hang out. Back then, LA was different. I remember going to Baja Fresh and then running into The Strokes. You know what I mean? You'd just run into people.
Jenna [00:26:47] That's so cool.
Angela [00:26:48] What was your first neighborhood in LA?
Bobby Lee [00:26:50] It was North Hollywood, then Silverlake, then West Hollywood, then Hollywood, and now Studio City. Yeah, so I've been around.
Angela [00:26:58] Where were you in West Hollywood?
Bobby Lee [00:26:59] I lived above the Comedy Store, Pauly owned it.
Jenna [00:27:02] Are you serious? What was that like?
Bobby Lee [00:27:05] It was terrible. It was a human nightmare.
Jenna [00:27:07] That seems really difficult.
Bobby Lee [00:27:09] I would come home and he'd be on my bed sleeping.
Angela [00:27:11] Oh my gosh.
Bobby Lee [00:27:13] Pauly Shore. "Dude, I own the house, brah. I can sleep wherever I want to sleep." I go, "I pay rent! Dude." But anyway, so I moved out of there because the house is falling off a cliff they said.
Angela [00:27:30] The Comedy Store?
Bobby Lee [00:27:31] No, no, so that house above the comedy store. The inspector came in and goes, "You could die in here." And then I remember a bunch of comics were like, "Just buy a house. You can buy it." So I bought my first house nice after that.
Angela [00:27:44] Nice.
Bobby Lee [00:27:44] Yeah, which is freeing in many ways. It feels grown up. And back then you could afford it. Now you can't. But yeah, now it's crazy.
Angela [00:27:53] Okay, wait, there's one thing I have to tell you. I really want to come see your stage show.
Bobby Lee [00:27:58] No, what do you mean stage show?! Stand up?
Angela [00:28:00] Yes.
Bobby Lee [00:28:02] Yeah, it's just stand up. I have a special coming out on Hulu in November.
Angela [00:28:05] Okay, I can't-
Bobby Lee [00:28:06] It's my first hour special.
Angela [00:28:08] I know, it's your first hour special, that's amazing.
Bobby Lee [00:28:10] For what company?
Angela [00:28:11] Hulu.
Bobby Lee [00:28:12] Okay, good.
Angela [00:28:12] I was listening.
Bobby Lee [00:28:13] Okay.
Angela [00:28:14] But my sons love you. They were so tickled that I was meeting you today. They just can't believe that you're in the podcast.
Bobby Lee [00:28:20] Where are they? Are they here?
Angela [00:28:22] No, they're at home. But you're a big deal.
Jenna [00:28:25] You met my nephew on the set of Nimrod.
Bobby Lee [00:28:28] Yes.
Jenna [00:28:28] He flew out because he wanted to see a couple days of filming. It's because of you.
Bobby Lee [00:28:33] Was I nice to him?
Jenna [00:28:34] Yes, very.
Bobby Lee [00:28:34] Because I'm a nice person.
Angela [00:28:36] Yes, you are.
Jenna [00:28:37] Exactly, and he was so excited to meet you and that was so nice of you.
Bobby Lee [00:28:40] [to Angela] Stage show?
Angela [00:28:41] I sometimes get phrases wrong, just a little bit.
Jenna [00:28:44] I wanna brag on you, I wanna talk about what a nice person you are. I hope this won't be embarrassing to you, I don't think it would be. Okay, so there's a young guy in this movie, Ryan Faust.
Bobby Lee [00:28:54] Love him.
Jenna [00:28:55] He plays the drummer in the young punk band.
Bobby Lee [00:28:58] Yeah, I understand.
Jenna [00:28:59] He's so great. I'm letting other people know.
Bobby Lee [00:29:01] Oh.
Jenna [00:29:02] This guy, first of all, he's just so good in the movie. He's just funny.
Bobby Lee [00:29:05] He's so good in the movie. He's SO good.
Jenna [00:29:08] And he had to learn to play the drums, because he's really playing.
Bobby Lee [00:29:13] They all had to learn, right?
Jenna [00:29:14] Yes, well, Kyler Kaufman already knew how to play guitar, but yes. Mason Thames had to learn to play a guitar and then Ryan had to learn drums and he was really dedicated.
Bobby Lee [00:29:24] Yeah, because he's a student of acting. He wants to immerse himself into the role and not look fake. That's what I love about Ryan, is that he's brave and he commits and I know what the compliment is.
Jenna [00:29:36] You do?
Bobby Lee [00:29:37] And I don't think it's a compliment. I don't think it' me being a nice guy. It's just that I like bravery. Ryan said to me on set, "I wanna try stand up." Is that what you're getting at?
Jenna [00:29:48] You said, "You write a set, let's set a date, and I'll let you open for me."
Bobby Lee [00:29:55] Yeah. That's what I said.
Jenna [00:29:56] I mean, that's f**king cool.
Bobby Lee [00:29:58] And he did it a bunch of times.
Jenna [00:29:59] I know!
Bobby Lee [00:30:00] Yeah, and he was very good.
Jenna [00:30:02] That kind of mentorship, that is so cool.
Bobby Lee [00:30:06] Yeah, I've done that a lot. But I just love people that are brave, and that walk through fear, and I'm willing to hold someone's hand to do that. But yeah, I'm not one of those guys that are completely jealous or whatever. I want people to make it.
Angela [00:30:21] That's a beautiful thing.
Bobby Lee [00:30:22] Because in order to achieve success, you have to help people achieve their success, I believe.
Jenna [00:30:28] And people probably helped you.
Bobby Lee [00:30:31] Yeah, they did. I think the Shore family was very vital. Pauly's mom owned the Comedy Store and she saw me do open mic. Then she saw me open for her son and then she made me a paid regular and I moved to LA. This was in San Diego. So they really helped and a lot of comics helped. Dice Clay helped in a weird way. But people really kind of pulled me up by my sleeves. Is that the term or...? [starts laughing]
Jenna [00:31:00] I don't know. But people took a chance on you, right?
Bobby Lee [00:31:06] People helped you, no?
Jenna [00:31:07] Of course!
Angela [00:31:07] Yeah, of course.
Jenna [00:31:08] And this is the thing. This is what I love about our industry, when you find those other people who are like that. I believe there's enough room for everyone. If you've got a talent, we've got room for you.
Bobby Lee [00:31:19] Yes, I do believe that too. I'll tell you something. I was plagued by jealousy, early on in my career. I had to have a moment where I was like, "What about me?" About a year of that, I like, "This is not who I am," and It's painful to live in that.
Angela [00:31:37] Yeah.
Bobby Lee [00:31:39] I have to admit that, but yeah, I'm completely different now.
Angela [00:31:42] Yeah, abundant universe. You kind of come to that, I think as you get older.
Bobby Lee [00:31:47] I think that to survive in this biz, and also, can I just say this too? You're adapting to the transitions of show business. Like for me, I saw the writing on the wall a little bit. I was like, "I had to create my own thing." Right? And so you created this thing. It's your own thing and you're adapting because it's obviously transitioning into something else. We don't know really what it is, with the emergence of AI and other things, but we're adapting to what it is. So for you to survive this long is amazing. You're survivors.
Angela [00:32:28] Well, thanks for saying that. Yeah, you have to be able to adapt, right?
Jenna [00:32:32] Yeah.
Angela [00:32:33] So what do you want to do next?
Bobby Lee [00:32:35] I'm gonna retire in three years.
Jenna [00:32:38] Is that true?
Bobby Lee [00:32:39] Yeah.
Jenna [00:32:39] Retire from what?
Bobby Lee [00:32:40] Everything.
Jenna [00:32:41] From podcasting, comedy, and acting?
Bobby Lee [00:32:43] Yeah, everything.
Angela [00:32:43] You're just going to piece out. Where you're going?
Bobby Lee [00:32:46] I wanna go to Hawaii.
Angela [00:32:47] Oh, yeah.
Bobby Lee [00:32:49] And just by little place.
Angela [00:32:50] Amazing.
Bobby Lee [00:32:51] And just retire, and farm.
Angela [00:32:52] Yes!
Bobby Lee [00:32:54] But I'm never going to do it, am I?
Angela [00:32:55] Why not?
Bobby Lee [00:32:57] Because I say it, but I don't think I will.
Angela [00:32:58] This is a beautiful idea!
Jenna [00:33:00] Don't you feel compelled to be artistic and creative though? Like, where will you take that energy in the Hawaii farming chapter?
Bobby Lee [00:33:09] Okay, so here's what I'll do. This is my plan, okay?
Angela [00:33:13] Okay.
Bobby Lee [00:33:14] I'll still do my own solo podcast in Hawaii, but more ranting and raving about things.
Jenna [00:33:20] Okay.
Bobby Lee [00:33:21] And then I'll also do local standup in Hawaii. I think that'll fill that need.
Angela [00:33:26] Gotta check your box.
Bobby Lee [00:33:29] Yeah, but I think I've been chasing this since I was 23 years old and it never seems like I made it.
Jenna [00:33:35] You made it.
Bobby Lee [00:33:36] I know, but it doesn't feel like it.
Jenna [00:33:40] I want to unpack this. What do you expect making it would feel like?
Bobby Lee [00:33:46] Well, can I be honest with you?
Angela [00:33:48] Yeah.
Jenna [00:33:49] Of course!
Bobby Lee [00:33:49] This is the first movie, Nimrods, where I was in the opening credits. So thank you for that experience.
Angela [00:33:56] Yeah.
Bobby Lee [00:33:57] I've done a lot of movies before, but I was always in the end credits and 52 names would come down. And it would say, "Bobby Lee, Ken Park..." But no one's watching that. My point is that I've been in this business for so long. I've be on sitcoms and series regular, so God bless America. But my point is this is that this is the first movie where I was in the opening credits.
Jenna [00:34:18] You're on the movie poster too.
Bobby Lee [00:34:20] I know. My point though being that I'm grateful for what I've had, but it's this chasing thing. I think I'm done with it.
Angela [00:34:27] Well, that's a real thing to listen to. I'm with you. I feel tired of just
Bobby Lee [00:34:31] Chasing.
Angela [00:34:32] Chasing, I don't want to be a hamster on the wheel. I've been telling Jenna that, and I'm happy, and I think everything I've done is enough for me. Really.
Bobby Lee [00:34:42] [singing] Happiness is a warm, yes it is, guuuuuun [speaking] I don't know why I did this, I'm sorry.
Angela [00:34:51] Can you tell us more about MADTV? What was that like?
Bobby Lee [00:34:55] You have to understand, when I was on Mad TV, I'd never taken an acting class. I'd never been on TV. I didn't know what a jib camera was, or what a mark was, or any of that. So you're learning how to do TV. I was an open-micer, doing just little rooms and empty rooms. No one knew who I was. Then all of a sudden, there was a cattle call, pretty much. Then it came down to me and Taran Killam.
Jenna [00:35:20] That's crazy.
Angela [00:35:21] Wow.
Bobby Lee [00:35:21] And they hired both of us. He was on Mad TV before he was on SNL. Then all of a sudden I'm on a show and I don't know how to do it. Like, I just didn't know how to do it.
Angela [00:35:30] How old were you?
Bobby Lee [00:35:32] I was 30.
Angela [00:35:33] 30. Yeah.
Jenna [00:35:34] I was 30 when I booked the office.
Bobby Lee [00:35:36] Yeah. And I was like, "How do you do this?" I did some commercials, but those are different. Cause sometimes when you're a commercial, you'll see somebody running by you and you just do a facial expression. Those I can do. Right? But anything with substantial lines, would be nerve wracking for me. Back then, also, there was no teleprompter. So if I would played Connie Chung and I had to do a monolog, it was literally -
Angela [00:36:03] You had to learn the whole thing.
Jenna [00:36:05] Is that right?
Bobby Lee [00:36:05] Oh, yeah.
Jenna [00:36:06] Wow.
Bobby Lee [00:36:07] And you're looking in the camera and you have to memorize a page worth of things. I remember one time, one of the producers came up to me and she held my hands and she said, "Just breathe." It was in front of a live audience, too. I don't know. I never did... In high school, I maybe did some plays, I was in "The Sound of Music." I played Kirk... Whatever, or Kurt? Whatever his name is. I played huckleberry Finn. Why you laughing?
Jenna [00:36:34] [laughing] I don't know. I wish I could go back and see you in these productions.
Bobby Lee [00:36:42] When Fraulein Maria calls us for the first time coming down the stairs, I was in high school and I was the only Korean kid in the cast. Every time the audience would see me, the audience would laugh.
Jenna [00:36:53] Oh no, that's terrible!
Bobby Lee [00:36:56] I asked the director of you know... You're in high school. You're like, "Can we change the lines?" They go, "What do you mean?" I go, "Just to justify why I'm there." Like, "I'm Kirk, I'm adopted," or something.
Angela [00:37:07] So you're like, [singing Sound of Music] so long, farewell / Auf Wiedersehen good night / I'm Kirk, I'm adopted.
Bobby Lee [00:37:15] [laughing] Something like that, right? Even playing Huckleberry Finn, it's like, "We have to justify why I'm Korean in the South, and in this time period."
Angela [00:37:26] Yeah, that's where things have changed, I feel like.
Bobby Lee [00:37:28] Yeah.
Angela [00:37:28] Yeah for our kids.
Bobby Lee [00:37:30] I couldn't believe I even got those roles. So I was scared, but I'm fine now. Yeah. Can I tell you what they did to me at Mad TV?
Angela [00:37:38] What?
Bobby Lee [00:37:39] They made a compilation of my bad table reads.
Jenna [00:37:42] Do you do bad table reads?
Bobby Lee [00:37:44] I do.
Jenna [00:37:44] You're not good at a table read?
Bobby Lee [00:37:45] I hate 'em.
Angela [00:37:46] Table reads are intimidating though. They are.
Bobby Lee [00:37:48] I think you killed it.
Angela [00:37:49] No, I don't ...
Jenna [00:37:50] She does.
Bobby Lee [00:37:51] She does.
Jenna [00:37:51] She'll get a guest spot on a show and she'll do the table read, and then they'll give her more lines the next day because she crushed the table read.
Bobby Lee [00:37:59] Wow.
Jenna [00:37:59] That's Angela Kinsey.
Bobby Lee [00:38:00] Wow.
Jenna [00:38:02] No, it's true, lady. They're always expanding. They're like, "Oh we wrote you in another whole scene because you crushed the table read."
Bobby Lee [00:38:06] They take scenes away from me.
Jenna [00:38:08] This is the truth.
Bobby Lee [00:38:10] I've literally had people go, "We're not doing that scene." And you go, "Oh, why?" But I know why. Because I f*cked up the scene before. It's hard when you're guest starring.
Angela [00:38:21] It is so hard.
Bobby Lee [00:38:22] Because people have been working together for maybe sometimes years.
Jenna [00:38:25] Yeah.
Bobby Lee [00:38:26] And you're a new person, and sometimes they're not even that nice to you.
Angela [00:38:31] Here's the thing, I'm okay at a table read, but I'm horrible at the chitchat small talk once we're on set.
Jenna [00:38:39] When you're a guest star?
Angela [00:38:40] Yeah, because I assume if someone's like, "Oh, how are you? How was your day?" Jenna knows. I'll just say, "Well, here's the things. I think a rat is eating the inside of my car."
Jenna [00:38:54] This is true.
Angela [00:38:55] But I will tell this person who's just an AD, who just is wanting to walk right past me.
Bobby Lee [00:39:01] But it's a funny thing to say.
Angela [00:39:03] But it's just what's happening. Do you know what I mean?
Bobby Lee [00:39:07] Those are inside thoughts.
Angela [00:39:08] Yes, and then I watched the person's eyes glaze over of like, "Oh my god."
Bobby Lee [00:39:13] I told Sarah Jessica Parker I had foot fungi.
Angela [00:39:16] Did you really?
Bobby Lee [00:39:16] We're sitting there and she's doing crosswords or something, as they do.
Jenna [00:39:20] Oh yes, you were so good on that show!
Bobby Lee [00:39:22] No, it wasn't.
Jenna [00:39:23] "And Just Like That."
Bobby Lee [00:39:25] I don't think I was, but thank you.
Jenna [00:39:26] STOP IT!
Bobby Lee [00:39:27] But yeah, I remember doing that, like,
Jenna [00:39:29] Making conversation.
Bobby Lee [00:39:30] Yeah, but I'm around a lot of comedians. She was super nice I love her. But I didn't know what to bring up.
Jenna [00:39:40] Can I tell you my super cringe story of being a co-star?
Bobby Lee [00:39:46] Tell me.
Jenna [00:39:46] Not even a guest star, not a recurring.
Bobby Lee [00:39:48] What's the difference?
Jenna [00:39:49] Okay, you were recurring on And Just Like That. You were in several episodes, but not every episode. You're in many episodes though. That's recurring, that's great. You're kind of part of the cast.
Bobby Lee [00:40:00] What's guest starring?
Jenna [00:40:00] Guest star is when you have like-
Bobby Lee [00:40:02] One day, one episode.
Angela [00:40:03] One week, one week.
Jenna [00:40:04] One whole week, you probably have multiple scenes. Some part of a story involves you. And then co-star is usually also referred to as a five and under. You have five or less lines. Okay, but I had a co-start role on a comedy. I had five or less lines and it was on -
Bobby Lee [00:40:21] Post Office?
Jenna [00:40:23] Pre-Office.
Bobby Lee [00:40:23] Oh, then that's good!
Jenna [00:40:24] It was "Spin City," the Charlie Sheen years. So I'm in this scene. So it's Charlie Sheen, Heather Locklear, Scott Wolf, and Vanessa Marcil. So all of these people are household names and I am hired to play their waitress. But I'm new. This is my first speaking role on a television show.
Bobby Lee [00:40:46] You were nervous.
Jenna [00:40:47] I was in hair and makeup with Heather Locklear. She was so nice to me. Then we get on set and we rehearse. But now we're waiting for notes, and the four of them start talking. And oh my God, they're talking about all these tabloid stories and they know if something's true or not true.
Angela [00:41:07] They're gossiping.
Jenna [00:41:07] They're gossiping!
Bobby Lee [00:41:08] And you're listening in.
Jenna [00:41:09] I'm listening but I don't know where I'm supposed to be. Like, am I part of this group? Or am I not part of this group?
Bobby Lee [00:41:15] You're not.
Jenna [00:41:17] And so, I, before I knew, because she was so nice to me in the trailer...
Bobby Lee [00:41:23] Heather Locklear.
Jenna [00:41:23] I think I'm part of the group.
Angela [00:41:25] You think you're a pal.
Bobby Lee [00:41:26] What are the signs that you're part of the group? Because she was nice to you?
Jenna [00:41:30] Because she was nice to me in hair and makeup, and we're standing there.
Bobby Lee [00:41:33] When you say nice, she said hello!
Jenna [00:41:35] She also asked if I wanted some cheese.
Bobby Lee [00:41:37] Oh, that's good. That's really nice.
Angela [00:41:40] BFF.
Bobby Lee [00:41:41] [laughing] Yeah, BFF, okay.
Jenna [00:41:43] Someone came in and said, "Does anybody want a snack?" She's like, "Oh my god, could we get some cheese and crackers and stuff?" She's like, "Do you want some cheese and crackers? To share them?"
Bobby Lee [00:41:49] What a sweetheart.
Jenna [00:41:50] Right? I'm like, "I'll take cheese and crackers." So anyway, I can't move. I'm not allowed to leave the set. I have to stand next to the table while we're waiting for our notes and they're talking and I think I'm in the conversation So I chime in.
Bobby Lee [00:42:06] Oh, no!
Angela [00:42:09] Oh, no!
Bobby Lee [00:42:10] Instinctually no.
Jenna [00:42:10] Do you feel it?!
Bobby Lee [00:42:11] I feel it right now. Oh, no no no.
Jenna [00:42:13] Bobby, you know how you're still carrying around the phone incident from Splitting Up Together? I carry around my chime in on Spin City.
Bobby Lee [00:42:20] Oh, yeah. Wow.
Jenna [00:42:22] Still, in my body.
Angela [00:42:23] Can you tell me what the reaction was, like, do you remember?
Jenna [00:42:26] Crickets! It was crickets, it was silence. It was silence and then Heather Locklear broke the silence with a completely kind gesture, like a kind of like in agreement kind of sound. You know?
Bobby Lee [00:42:42] But imagine them when you got The Office.
Jenna [00:42:45] Ugh, well, when-
Bobby Lee [00:42:46] And then they look back and they went, "You know what, hey, we should have been nicer to her. We should have laughed."
Jenna [00:42:51] No. It's not that they were unkind.
Bobby Lee [00:42:55] What'd you say?
Jenna [00:42:56] I don't remember. I just chimed in on the conversation and I realized it was just a record scratch. But then the very next year I booked a pilot opposite Scott Wolf.
Bobby Lee [00:43:07] Wow.
Angela [00:43:08] Tell them the name of the pilot. This is amazing.
Jenna [00:43:11] "Rubbing Charlie." [Bobby starts laughing] That's a real title.
Angela [00:43:14] Who bounced that around a writer's room?
Bobby Lee [00:43:16] Is Scott Wolf Charlie?
Jenna [00:43:17] Yeah, I rubbed him.
Bobby Lee [00:43:19] Really?
Jenna [00:43:19] I was a masseuse.
Bobby Lee [00:43:22] Wow.
Angela [00:43:22] Times were different.
Jenna [00:43:22] He was a successful doctor and he would come to see me, as his masseuse.
Angela [00:43:28] What is this show?
Bobby Lee [00:43:29] What is that show?
Jenna [00:43:30] I was kind of like therapy for him, but I was the female lead. I did not remind Scott Wolfe that I had been on Spin City to him.
Bobby Lee [00:43:36] Why?
Jenna [00:43:37] Because I wanted him to just forget.
Bobby Lee [00:43:40] But you know why you shouldn't bring it up? I think you're instinct is right because, and I'm gonna say this, is that you perceived it that way.
Angela [00:43:47] Oh, you just got deep, Bobby.
Bobby Lee [00:43:51] Because we perceive things personally and we ruminate about things.
Jenna [00:43:55] Yeah.
Bobby Lee [00:43:56] And it might not even be true to them.
Angela [00:43:59] Oh, that's so good!
Bobby Lee [00:44:01] So I do that a lot. I'll bring it up, something up, and I'll go, "I was so embarrassed." They're like, "We don't even remember that. What are you talking about?" Then you kind of go, "Oh, it's in my mind." And you lay in bed, and you think about it.
Angela [00:44:15] You replay it.
Bobby Lee [00:44:16] Over and over again, but I'm sure none of them even remember you being in the show.
Jenna [00:44:22] That's what I mean.He didn't see me on day one of our pilot and be like, "Oh my gosh, the waitress who said that weird thing." He didn't say anything. Just like, until you reminded me, I did not remember about that time you didn't show up to set because you overslept.
Bobby Lee [00:44:38] Yeah, but I've been thinking about that every day since.
Angela [00:44:40] But now you can let it go.
Bobby Lee [00:44:43] I'm gonna let it go now. Yeah.
Jenna [00:44:44] Yeah, yeah.
Bobby Lee [00:44:45] Alright, so that was a good podcast.
Jenna [00:44:47] Thank you for coming on Office Ladies!
Bobby Lee [00:44:49] Of course, dude! I wanna say, watch Nimrods. It comes out, what's the date?
Jenna [00:44:53] August 14th.
Bobby Lee [00:44:54] August 14th.
Jenna [00:44:56] In theaters.
Bobby Lee [00:44:56] In theaters.
Angela [00:44:58] Bobby plays Otis, he's hilarious.
Bobby Lee [00:45:00] I play Otis and then, you know, it's really good to be here.
Angela [00:45:07] Awww!
Bobby Lee [00:45:06] We could do this for ten hours, I think.
Angela [00:45:09] We could.
Jenna [00:45:09] We're a good team.
Bobby Lee [00:45:11] Don't you think we could go on forever?
Jenna [00:45:13] Yeah, I think we're good together.
Bobby Lee [00:45:15] I do too.
Jenna [00:45:15] I do.
audio cue [00:45:16] [musical sting]
Angela [00:45:19] My gosh, Bobby is just so fun and so great to talk to. We talked about things I could never have anticipated.
Jenna [00:45:29] That's the great thing about Bobby, is he's really really funny (obviously) so you know you're just gonna have a fun time when you're with him, but he isn't afraid to get serious. Oh! But before we go, Sam, I want to share that you are also in Nimrod.
Sam [00:45:44] Yes, there's a big crowd scene at the end that I am in. If you have an eagle eye, you should be able to spot me and my friend Steve and my friend Samantha.
Angela [00:45:51] You're at the New Year's Eve big concert.
Sam [00:45:54] Yes. I just wanted to say, I don't think we talked about that moment since then. I grew up in a real small town in Wisconsin. I still have a lot of friends and family back there. They often think my life is a lot more exciting than it is, due to this podcast and my social media and stuff like that. That was one of those moments I remember leaving being like, "I can feast on this for months. This is why I left my small town in Wisconsin."
Jenna [00:46:17] Awww.
Sam [00:46:17] Yeah, that was so cool. Thank you for having me.
Jenna [00:46:20] I mean, it was really neat. When you got there, everybody had to put their phones in a little pouch. Nobody was allowed to have their phone, but I sneaked pictures of you and your friends.
Sam [00:46:32] That's right!
Jenna [00:46:34]
Angela [00:46:34] Sam, it's good to know the director's wife.
Sam [00:46:36] Yeah, but keep in mind, this is the second cool thing. You invited me to the table read.
Angela [00:46:40] A long time ago.
Sam [00:46:42] At the Palladium.
Jenna [00:46:43] Oh my gosh!
Sam [00:46:44] This is my second time being up close in front with Green Day, thanks to you.
Jenna [00:46:48] And what a full circle moment, that you were at the very first table read of this movie when it was in development.
Angela [00:46:55] I read multiple characters, so did you, Jenna, because Lee just needed to hear it out loud.
Jenna [00:47:01] Yes, but Green Day was there.
Sam [00:47:02] That's right, Billy just sat next to me. Also, did you mention earlier, this is THE sleepy?
Jenna [00:47:07] ...Sleepy.
Sam [00:47:09] Copenhagen's sleepy?
Jenna [00:47:10] Mm-hmm.
Sam [00:47:11] That is bananas.
Jenna [00:47:13] I hope I'm not going to get in trouble for sharing that Sleepy makes an appearance.
Sam [00:47:19] That is insane.
Angela [00:47:20] Do you need to ask and make sure?
Jenna [00:47:22] I mean, a few people have mentioned it when they have written about the movie. So I think at this point, it's coming out on Friday.
Sam [00:47:31] That is a deep cut by the way.
Jenna [00:47:33] It's a deep cut.
Sam [00:47:34] That's awesome.
Angela [00:47:36] Well, so cool. Everybody go see the movie and let's all look for Sam. And wow, thank you, Bobby Lee, for joining us in the studio today.
Jenna [00:47:44] He is wonderful, I love him so much. Everyone, please remember he has his comedy special coming out in November on Hulu, and be sure to check him out on his two podcasts, "Bad Friends,"
Angela [00:47:56] and "Tiger Belly." They're very funny and you can find them on YouTube and wherever you listen to your podcasts. Check all three of us out in the movie Nimrods coming out August 14th!
Jenna [00:48:08] Everyone, it is a really, really fun movie to see in a group in the theaters.
Angela [00:48:14] So grab your pals, we'll be there, and we hope you enjoy it.
Jenna [00:48:18] Alright, we'll see you next week.
Angela [00:48:20] See you then!
Jenna [00:00:17] Thank you for listening to Office Ladies.
Angela [00:00:19] Office Ladies is a presentation of Audacy and is produced by Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey.
Jenna [00:00:24] Our senior producer is Matt Beagle. Our audio engineer is Sam Kieffer, and our associate producer is Aynsley Bubbico.
Angela [00:00:32] Audacy's executive producer is Leah Reis-Dennis.
Jenna [00:00:35] Office Ladies was mixed and mastered by Bill Schultz.
Angela [00:00:37] Our theme song is "Rubber Tree" by Creed Bratton.