Comedy Actors Roundtable: Sacha Baron Cohen, Jim Carrey, Don Cheadle & More | Close Up

do the scene again. Take another take, we have to get another one. They had their cars outside the hole and we were worried that they would come out, get angry, take their weapons and bring them back. - Clear. - And at that moment you have to act as a producer. And then I had a meeting with everyone. I just said, listen, we're now aware of how angry people are getting. I want you to choose to participate in the next scene. In other words, I assume everyone is going home unless you say now, I'll stay because we're aware that we can't guarantee that we won't be stuck in this hole and everyone with their guns out and it won't let us out, you know?

So we had, it was a strange thing... - People, I mean, how many stay, how many leave? - In the end I forced many people to return home. - You did it? - Yes. Because everyone said: "We're staying," and I said: "No, actually you're leaving." You know, and obviously you have an escape wherever, but at the end of the day we are in a situation where violence is being threatened. We know that most people had their own weapons and we knew there was a possibility that we would be locked in. Maybe we have to stay in the building. - How do you deal with people?

Do people have to sign? - I can't get into that, but. - Well. - Does that scare you? - Come on, come on, do the FBI. - Because your faces while telling these stories is enough. - No, it's wonderful, but it is,

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is dangerous. It is dangerous. - Comedy is dangerous. - It really is, I mean, there were many nights at The Comedy Store where I ended up at someone's table with a broken beer bottle, you know? I mean, it got crazy, crazy. - I'm sure that. - Oh, absolutely. - Yeah, I'm sure, listen, you got-- - Or kicked out the whole audience because I stayed up too long when they hated me, I was going towards them, it wasn't, it's okay, you don't like what I do. 'I'm doing. - And you used to stay up there for hours, right? - In fact, there was one particular night where I stayed up for two hours because the audience hated me, so I just... - Punish. - It turned it into an exercise in self-punishment and punishment for them. - And it's something delicate. - But what drives that, why? - I'm just, anti-authority, you know, that's how I am.

And I'd rather get hit than back down. - Wow, I would throw myself on the ground. (group laughing) - I'm with you. - So yeah, one night I stayed up so long that the chairs were flying through the air, it was like New Year's Eve. There were sticks and things like that and glass and things like that and then I said... - Where was this, in Los Angeles? - The Comedy Store. It was a Saturday night in the main room. 250 people paying a lot of money and whatever and it became a war. - Were you already Jim Carrey or was this on the way? - I was on my way. - Did you feel that in the end you won the war? - If you are Jim Carrey, sit in this chair. - Well, I don't know if I... - Yes. - Well, I'll tell you how the war ended.

So I finally came off the stage to a huge applause just because I mentioned that I was going to leave the stage. (group laughing) And they were like. (growls) Like that, and I left the stage. Then I crawled through the audience on all fours, appeared behind the piano during the presenter's part, and started hitting the keys and singing: I hate you all, you gave me cancer. And it was quite an improvised song... - And they loved that. - No, they got up. One at a time, the tables rose and... - Did you write it on the spot? - Yeah, I just blamed them for the cancer cells that were forming, so, you know, I did that until the entire audience left, literally the entire audience except five people who were standing around the piano and when I was sweating, They said, "This is the best thing we've ever seen in our lives." - But that's performing art. - Yes Yes.

Now it becomes a

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. - And then I got in the car and cried all the way home. - You did it? - Yes. - Wow. - Because I don't want to make people unhappy. I'm here to make her happy, but I have... - Then you lost. Rebellious nature. So sometimes that gets out of control. - What an enigma. - This is a left turn, but I want to ask, why do they do comedy? - You have something in you that literally pushes you. To tell the joke whether at a party or on stage, you literally have the time, you can't teach it.

You can't read it in a book. It's either in you or it's not, and that's simply the truth. It's harder than I think than just doing drama and we get less respect because it seems so easy. - And much less respect after today. - Silence. - No, but it's like being a surfer, it's like being a surfer. You're in the water and a wave is coming and it's an opportunity to be funny. And if you have that instinct of sitting there thinking, am I going to ride this wave? It's a little dangerous, but am I going to ride it? - I don't know if you make the decision.

The picture is exactly right, here comes the wave. And I don't think, well, for me anyway, I don't think I have the choice sometimes. I think that wave is coming and (imitates wind whistling) I'm on that board, come hell or high water, no pun intended. - Well, maybe I'm kidding myself, but I always feel like, especially if you say something that's a little dangerous, there's that Acapulco cliffs moment. - Good. - When the tide rises, you either dive or you don't. - Good. - And if you don't dive, it disappears forever. - Good. - But you know, most of the time you have to leave. - You have to go. - Even if you fall face down. - And I also think it's something, that taking advantage of something that Sacha said, knocks down walls and immediately, hits people, and when you know when people feel that something is funny and even if they don't want to laugh, you say, no, that I catch you. - Yes. - And once you're there, you can spin it and create touching moments and make them feel things deeply because they're not protected.

They have lowered their defenses and you are there and you can move there. And it's easy to do-- - But you've excelled in both spheres, I mean, it's... - I guess, I mean, it's just that I never saw the separation between them when I was growing up, which is where everyone Probably, you're still that kid, eight, nine, 10, whatever years, like, oh, this is cool. I can play this character and people laugh and then they get sad. It's still kind of like that, although after 55 years it's still the same, except it's

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disarming, I think, when you approach it from a comedic point of view because people... - I don't know, Hotel Rwanda, I just remember it. that being... - Incredible. - It's so shocking, you know, as much as we can do in comedy, I mean, that really changes the way you think about it. - Yeah, and even in that, I mean, even in that at the beginning we really, he was disarming.

The character told jokes and was enthusiastic, joking and making jokes. You go in with him because you think, oh, I like this person. This person makes me feel comfortable, my guard is down. And once you let your guard down, you can take people everywhere. And that's something comedy is easy to do. - I think comedy is not always the end of the game. People like Bill Maher and... - It's about art. - And Colbert and them are attacking this issue in a comedic way, but I think when it comes down to it and the wolf is at the door, there's nothing funny about that.

And if you tell them a joke about it, that's fine. It heals at that moment, but it is also an outlet for the public and for the enemy. And the enemy says, is this a joke? I want people to know how serious I am about the threat we face, you know? And if I do it as a joke, I can do it, that's part of it, but if I do it as a joke it's not that serious... - Okay, well, I saw Stephen Colbert and Seth at the end of the night because it's like an antidote to the day. - Yes, mm-hmm. - And let me tell you that underneath those jokes, they are serious. - Yes, sure. - Well, it's no joke unless you're on edge anyway.

You know, if it's just frivolous, and that's something we talk about on the show, it really has to be about something that's grounded and impactful or the joke won't have any power. - So there you have it, you are absolutely right. When it's frivolous, you're absolutely right, then you're missing the entire opportunity, but wow, when you walk that line. - That's right on the nerve. - Wow. - Yes. - It is, but I think there is a time to say things clearly so they know what you mean. - I feel like I don't know if I had much choice in the matter.

I think I've always been someone who, since I was a kid, could see serious things, but I've only been able to deal with them through this lens and this lens of, oh, well, I need to do this. I feel comfortable in this approaching from the side. And there's, I don't know if you guys did, I had a conversation with a friend of mine about this recently that sometimes when things come up with your family, I don't know if you're a bomb thrower, sometimes you throw bombs, sometimes they explode, but I just, I don't know when it happened, but ever since I was a kid, in any situation, it was like, okay, well, I'm going to put this here. and see how that goes.

It's fun. - Absolutely. - And I feel like you can... - But taking that risk is great. - There's a risk there, but the reward sometimes is, like, this is an impenetrable person and you came in with that. - Yes ok. - That's a really amazing thing, and whether or not you can get to it in a different way, it's certainly possible, but my path to this has always been through that. - Complete this sentence. I knew I made it in Hollywood when. - He wasn't dead yet. (Lacey laughs) - Interesting, when you weren't dead yet? - Sort of, I mean, people really ask that question.

I really feel like they say, well, your career, I say, well, let me look back when it's over and say, okay, I did it, I felt good about it because... - Racing is something you watch. back to. - Yeah, I mean, I feel like all of us, there's a little bit of imposter syndrome, I think that comes up for a lot of us and you're like, at some point they're just going to say, yeah, we've had that taste, thanks, next guy. . - I feel like everyone I've ever met, outwardly you look at them and think, oh, well, that person is fine, like they're perfect.

They're cruising along, like they never have to put in the effort and then you find them and they're still putting in the effort. - You can bet. - And they still look for it and it doesn't matter, and that feeling that I did it in Hollywood, I don't know if that really exists. - Exactly. - Okay, but you have your kind of first dose of success and you feel like, oh, I can make a career out of this. - But it's fleeting. - I once met Steve Buscemi at a party and I'll tell you he was amazing. - That was your moment, okay. - That was a big piece of shit. - I love it. - I knew people were watching Happy Days when I came out for my first personal appearance.

I got off the plane at 11:30 and there were 3,000 people dressed in 1950s clothing and I thought it was a party. And the flight attendant said, "No, I think that's for you." And I said, "Oh, people are watching. - Yeah, wow. - Okay, so the rest of us haven't made it, basically. - Yeah, apparently not. - We just found out. - A lot of times it's the people." . who you know, the people you associate with. You know, I grew up with Dick Van Dyke and I was a complete Dick Van Dyke nut. Me too. And I got to meet Dick Van Dyke. and he wants to hang out and for them to say they love what you do is really meaningful. - Yes.

I just drew you a cartoon I sent you from RCA Television from 1969 and a black and white version of the opening credits. the Dick Van Dyke show where he trips over the ottoman. - What a great show. And I'm up front, and I made a cartoon of myself tripping over the ottoman in front of the TV, and that's the kind of thing. That keeps happening to me. I am constantly reminded, oh, I made it. Oh my gosh, that's wonderful. And the first time I think In Living Color was huge, it was a huge thing for me and it was like they planted it.

I, you know, my seedling in the garden and I had the opportunity to bloom in that program. So I tried it there. And that time in Chicago when Siskel and Ebert hated my movie and then it happened on Friday and it was a huge hit, and the staff at the hotel where I was staying put a dog bowl in my room with candy in it. - Oh. - (hits the table) I did it. It will never be the same. - I love that. - I think for me it's also a balancing act. Because races, if you celebrate your race in the moment, you feel like you're slowing down.

So you're always looking for what's next or what can I do better? Or one of these days, literally, I'll be good. You know, that kind of thinking, you know, instead of celebrating, but you also don't want to be a shmo and not go, thank you, thank you. - You can bet. - Yes. - Thank you, but it's a delicate balance. - You can bet. - At a certain moment you have to take the crown and wear it well. - Absolutely. - You know that whatever that crown is, wherever your place of fame is, there are two options.

You reject him, you push him away, you don't think you deserve him or you say, you know what? I'm going to use this the best I can. - And it's usually in the eye of the beholder. Fame is not, you know, you don't sit around looking for fame. Someone comes up and says you're famous and you're nice and you know them on whatever level they're talking about and that's... - Was there a pinch-me moment for you? - No, but I'm going to have one, I swear. - Is coming? -When he finishes acting. - Is coming. -He is coming for you. -Can I go back and celebrate Dick Van Dyke for a second? - Yes. - Because I grew up without television in the country. - I'm still doing his things.

By the way, Sonic is coming out and I have moves I can't wait forsee. - That's one. (group laughing) So, the first thing I bought was a black and white TV. Freshman at Stanford University, and it was literally my first television, I plugged in a professor's cable, I crawled out of it, I turned it on and it was 11 in the morning and there was a rerun of Dick Van Dyke, and That was the first time and I fell madly in love with Dick Van Dyke and years later, Becker played my father and it came full circle. - Wow. - And some amazement. - Yes. - He was my hero, my physicist. - Yes, he is the man. - There was this time when Paul McCartney, in a Twitter Q&A, someone asked him what his two favorite shows were and one I think was just a UK reality show, and then he mentioned our show in it, Like, those are my Two Favorite Shows.

And I think there was a moment of silence in the room. It was interesting to know at the time that you were part of something that a Beatle noticed. - Yes. (group laughing) - That seemed like something gigantic. You didn't even get to take the rest of the day off, but there was this thing, like, I grew up, I lived my whole life and it came to this moment and a Beatle knew something that I did and that seems in itself. insuperable. That was a great moment. - John Cleese for me. - I love that. -When he met Cheers and knew who we were. - Oh really. - Amazing. - What is the moment for you? - All those guys. - There were many moments.

I mean, related to this table, I used to play a character called Ali G. I was filming in Los Angeles and then I met Jimmy Miller, who was Jim's manager, and he said, "Jim loves your stuff." He wants you to come. home." At that time in England no one was ever supposed to make it to Hollywood. You know, it had been 30 years since Sellers or 25 years since Python, just English comedy was never supposed to travel. Across the pond. And I remember that the next night I showed up at Jim's house. They invited me, not only... (the group laughs) - I had something and he opened the door and you know, he was the star. biggest movie theater in the world and he obviously had a brilliant talent and he knew what he was doing and my other hero was there, Gary Shandling, who unfortunately passed away And I was completely terrified because I remembered Jim and Gary started making jokes and in a. moment he made a joke, you won't remember any of this, he made a very funny joke, he said like this.

And I thought, my God, at some point they're going to expect me to get it... - Get on the board, get on the board. - Get on the board. - I'd be in trouble. - But that was an incredible moment for this guy who grew up in a suburb of London and who never thought, you know, that he was going to be a lawyer or anything like that. I never thought he could make a career out of being funny, you know? - Yes. - I had two options with you, admiration or jealousy and I chose admiration. - Oh, that's very kind. - But I guess it's a navigation that you do. - Yes it is. - And that's two, yes. - When a new voice comes along and you've been the voice and you say, ooh, there's a part of you that says, wow.

You know, have you lost your place or something? - Yeah? - Yes, sure. - But it wasn't that. I've always tried to choose: what is this person doing? - Oh, you were very kind that night, yes. - That makes me feel uncomfortable and laugh out loud. And it's admiration, and that's the only way to go, you know? - Two things, I guess it's knowing who you are, whatever you want to call it. - I made it. - That you've managed to determine who you hang out with, who you know, you know, who play relatively at the same level, is really exciting.

Do you remember People magazine who's hot and who's not? - Oh, sure. - I was never the one who is hot, and I was always the one who is not. (group laughing) - I kept thinking-- - No, no. - I did not have...? - They robbed you! - Didn't I have to be hot at some point to not have it? - (laughs) I was never hot, I'm just not hot, no, no, no. - You're really destroying the logic of this People magazine. - Thank you so much guys. - Oh thanks. - Thank you. - For being part of this conversation. (upbeat instrumental music)