#65 Go Green with Ed Begley Jr.

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All right, Christopher, thank you so much for that amazing introduction. Yeah, get the show going each and every week, and this week was no exception. Welcome, everybody to Episode 65 of live from Detroit, the Jeff Dwoskin show. As always, I am your host, Jeff Dwoskin. Great to have you back for another incredible episode. This week. I'm talking with Ed Begley Jr. That's right actor and environmental activist Ed Begley, Jr. That's right star of saying elsewhere Best in Show, Arrested Development and so much more. That's right. Ed Begley, Jr. is here. And that conversation is coming up in just a few minutes.

So here's the cool thing in preparation for my conversation with Ed Begley Jr. I reached out to john eimen. Wait a minute, Jeff, do you mean john eimen from Episode 34 of live from Detroit the Jeff Dwoskin show. Yes, I do that john. I'm a child star, the 50s and 60s who happened to also be bestest friends with you guessed it, Ed Begley Jr. I reached out to john I said, john, give me some scoop on Ed he did and I asked Ed some cool stuff that john gave me the 4119 so that you can look forward to that in just a few minutes when the interview comes up. Also, check out my interview with john eimen in Episode 34. He started in a twilight zone episode he was in the first Leave it to Beaver amazing guy. Great interview. Love that episode. So check that out as well.

I also hope you checked out last week's episode with Carole Baskin. She was amazing to talk to she's been doing so many great things with her Big Cat Rescue saving Tigers from extinction. You got to check it out. If you haven't already. Everyone knows Carole Baskin from Tiger King. They really painted her as the villain of that show. She is not a villain. She is a hero when it comes to saving tigers and Big Cat Rescue. So definitely check out Episode 64 with Carole Baskin, Episode 34. With john I'm and we're here at Episode 65 with Ed Begley, Jr.

What's special about Episode 65 is that I have my power back on so I'm excited about that Michigan, we had some wind and thunderstorms. Perhaps you write about it in the news, but our power was out for days. I had to record Episode 64 in the dark in my basement on my laptop while the battery slowly ticked away. 100% 90% 80% 70% so I had to quickly get it out. So I didn't miss my midnight deadline on Monday. I didn't want to disappoint anyone wanting to get everything. So there you go. That's what you get from Jeff Dwoskin. He'll even record the podcast in the dark without power so that you don't miss a week. That's my commitment to you. I thank you so much. And thank you also to everyone who follows like supports tells all your friends about the podcast live from Detroit, the Jeff Dwoskin show go to Jeffisfunny.com you can click on a button that says follow the Jeff Dwoskin show. There's links to all the podcasts apps cashbox, podcaster Apple, Google I heart Amazon everywhere, we're everywhere. Oh my god, how did that happen? I gotta go call my family and let them know how famous I am. man Okay, so anyway, so go do that you can sign up for my mailing list to Jeff is funny calm is the link for that do that I send out an email every week you don't want to miss out the people that you work with are probably always talking about it. You're like what's going on?

And they're like hey, if you know you know from the website you can also buy me a coffee buy me a coffee calm slash Jeff Dwoskin show if you so wish, I'll sip the coffee. mention your name on the show. That's pretty cool. Oh, you know what else is pretty cool. Go to my YouTube channel. Search the Jeff Dwoskin show on YouTube. Follow me there. Every Wednesday live. We do a live show 9:30pm eastern time called crossing the streams. What more Jeff Dwoskin? Yes, more. Crossing the streams is awesome. It shows you should be streaming and watching on any of the platforms we bring in guests. So we have over 33 episodes. Last week we talked about Woodstock 99 McCartney three to one. It was kind of a music episode. And we talked about a bunch of other stuff as well. So tons and tons of suggestions for you. People are always asking, what should I be watching? Well, now there's a show for that. So check that out so much to do. I know I give you too much homework every week. But the most important thing you could do is just tell your friends to listen to the podcast. That's the most important thing you can do in the world. Thank you very much.

And now it's time for the social media tip! this is one of my favorite segments of the show where I get to share a little bit of my social media knowledge with you a little more one on one stuff I picked up on the street today I want to talk specifically about playing hashtag games with Hashtag Roundup, watch out that sounds familiar. What should I read tweets from hashtag roundup games at the end of every one of my podcast episodes, and I want you to be a superstar in a future episode, go to the Google Play Store, go to iTunes, the App Store, get the hashtag roundup app, it's totally free. I made this app and I give it away for free, because I want you all to play. Once you have the app, it has a full schedule of all the daily games. But even if you don't look at the schedule, you get a push notification every time a new hashtag game starts and you know all the fun ones because I've read them every week, but they're pawn games, movie games. Anyway, basically all that useless knowledge, you've accumulated your whole life, now's the time to apply them to hashtag games on Twitter. And here's the cool thing about using hashtags on Twitter, especially when you play with hashtag Roundup, because we're all playing the hashtag. At the same time people search for other hashtags, because they love re tweeting, that's a thing people love to retweet. And when they're searching on the hashtag, they don't have to be following you. So it's a great way to get noticed and for you to notice other people. So in the end, it's a great way to grow your follower base. The more you grow your follower base, the more you grow your influence on Twitter, how cool is that? I know and you're having fun along the way, tons of hashtag roundup games and up in news articles BuzzFeed, etc. And they and they pulled their favorite hashtags. And of course, stay with me one day, you could show up on a future episode of a live from Detroit, the Jeff Dwoskin show. So get the hashtag roundup app, play hashtag games on Twitter, have a great time and grow your Twitter following trust me, you'll love it. And that's the social media tip!

I want to take a second to thank everyone who supports the sponsors week after week after week. can't thank you enough when you support the sponsors you're supporting live from Detroit the Jeff Dwoskin show and that's how we keep the lights on this week. Sponsor Miss Rosie's innovative recycling center and kitty art Emporium journey yesterday's trash into today's art. Hey, Mr. Just because you're done wiping doesn't mean you're done with that empty toilet paper roll time to head over to miss Rosie's. Miss Rosie's has kids on staff that won't just see an empty toilet paper roll they'll see a tube ready to be turned into a bird feeder.

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I think it's time that I shared my conversation that I had with Ed Begley Jr. With you actor environmental activists if you don't know how to go green if you've thought about going green This is the episode for you. You're gonna love it. Enjoy.

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm honored to introduce to you Spinal taps legendary first drummer john stumpy peeps. john Welcome to the show. Good to be here on the show with you Good to be here I'm kidding of course loved in st elsewhere Best in Show the in laws Arrested Development, countless other TV shows and movies most recently reoccurring on young Sheldon honored to be joined by television and film icon Ed Begley Jr.

Ed Begley Jr. 9:11

Thank you pal, but I love being associated with spinal tap I die in an absurd gardening accident I seem to remember and I sure have a good time with Chris cast to doing all the movies we've done since two.

Jeff Dwoskin 9:21

Yeah, that must be amazing. Just being part of that whole ecosystem with press mazing and Best in Show and for your consideration. I recently watched mascots. I didn't even know there was one I must have missed it hilarious. Eric pretty played. Thank you, AJ Blomquist.

Ed Begley Jr. 9:36

That's right. Yeah, that was a Netflix movie. I think the mascots one so we did a TV series for a while to that was on HBO called family tree and anything that Chris is doing I want to be part of I just had lunch with him yesterday. He is a dear friend and great, great guy.

Jeff Dwoskin 9:50

That's amazing. The you did have one of the funniest lines in mascota where you're explaining Danny the donkey for the two people who don't know Danny, the dog, you Refer to anatomically correct costume. Hilarious, do funny.

Ed Begley Jr. 10:03

That's right. Chris comes up with these great things. And then Jim pedic used to be Eugene Levy and Chris who would write the 25 page treatment. They did the heavy lifting for these movies. Then we come in, you know, with Fred Willard and all the other wonderful people, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Jane Lynch, you know, we just have a party and do improv. But the hard work was done by Eugene, and Chris. And now for years, it's been Jim pedic and Chris and they came up with whole mascots idea that I would be this character and so and so would be the other character. And from there, we just had fun and like a jazz, you know, group, you know, you just have chord charts and you just hit the right chords at the right time. And then you have a finished product.

Jeff Dwoskin 10:42

It's amazing. So it's a 25 word treatment you base so when you're sitting there going mano a mano with Jane Lynch in that opening scene. So it's just you kind of just basically have a direction start here, get to here and then you guys just roll.

Ed Begley Jr. 10:55

Yeah, but when you're working with a great lip, Jane Lynch or Michael Higgins for these Fred Willard, you know, Eugene, Larry Catherine O'Hara, you got to be on your toes because they they're very quick, very smart, very funny people and my challenge is usually just not to just to keep a straight face and not to blow sky high because they're so damn funny.

Jeff Dwoskin 11:14

How do you because I mean I get the best show and they're sitting there trying to find no that's the good card.

Ed Begley Jr. 11:20

I was the hardest job I've ever had in my life to just be straight faced and be like you know Easter Island try to be a statue and not crack it was rough going

Jeff Dwoskin 11:29

the most fun rough going I can imagine Exactly. Do not have to burst into laughter we should all be that lucky. They come out with some every few years. Is there anything coming on now? Well, Eugene, maybe you think come back now that I'm assuming he was busy with shits Creek for quite a while.

Ed Begley Jr. 11:44

Yeah, we've all been in a break for a while. And but I started working last July on I did a hallmark movie in Nevada, in Reno. And then I did young Sheldon, this and that Mr. Mayor ventually things middle of last year, and then certainly by late last year started to open up a lot. And only because they had a very good procedure with COVID testing before you got on set days before you came on set. You get a series of COVID test temperature swabs and sanitizer, distancing everything, we had no outbreaks, and that was very good. A few people tested positive, but they were sent home. And that was the end of the day shooting. And you know, we got through it. And now we're, as you know, in California, relaxing the mask rules and lots of other things. And so you've done a good job, I think, and we are to be rewarded for it. And now things are really picking up with work.

Jeff Dwoskin 12:32

You seem to be one of the most busy people in the industry there. You're everywhere. You're always everywhere.

Ed Begley Jr. 12:37

I never thought I'd still be working at 71 years of age soon to be 72. I thought I'd be retired by now. But I don't necessarily want to retire. I thought they would just retire me despite what I had in mind. Somehow I'm still working and I'm loving every minute of it.

Jeff Dwoskin 12:52

I don't think they'll say you're retiring. Maybe you're like one of those actors where you come on stage. You know, as an audience member, you're like, you know, you're in good hands. You know, like everything is going to be okay. Everything is going to be entertaining. That's how I always think of you when you come out any character you're doing.

Ed Begley Jr. 13:06

You know, when I was a young man, I would see people like Tom Poston. And these guys are a part of the you know, the Steve Allen crowd and these actors of that day and Harvey Korman this one, I thought, well, I like to do that. And then I realized, again, not to compare myself to these huge talents, but I went Wait, oh my god, I am I'm doing something like that. I'm like a tom post and kind of guy in 2021 This is a great gig. I'd never thought I'd get something like this. And here it is. I'm that guy who's a character actor and still working, you know? Well into his 70s you're gonna keep going so which is pretty awesome. Just to circle back real quick.

Jeff Dwoskin 13:40

So you were spinal taps drawmer a mutual friend of ours, john eimen who also had on the show. amazing person. amazing guy. I love him. mazing guy so he told me you actually play drums. So the you guys had a little Garage Band Together? We did. And he told me that you guys played with at a party, Sonny and Cher.

Ed Begley Jr. 14:01

This is a true story. There's a place in the valley where I grew up and where I still live the San Fernando Valley in LA. There's a place called Don Drysdale is dug out. Don Drysdale was a pitcher for the Dodgers. And he had a place with a bat handle instead of a regular door handle that was a bat that you opened and pulled on this Louisville Slugger something to open the door called Don Drysdale still got numbers of New Year's Eve gig 1968 into 1969 at transition here, and we were playing there and in walks Sonny and Cher they had apparently been invited by Don Drysdale to come in part of the New Year's there and we did we rang in the new year with Sonny and Cher and Deacon Jones was there a sports figure Deacon Jones and he went to playing knock on wood relinquish my drum kit to Deacon Jones and he played but that was a big thing for us to be playing with Sonny and Cher on New Year's Eve. 1969. It was big stuff this guy carries there and is the guy who organized the group carries around me, john Iman grant Webster, maybe that was it. That might have been Give us cash money at the end of the game and we split it up. It's pretty good to be paid to do something you love

Jeff Dwoskin 15:05

anticipating taneous Lee be able to do with Sonny and Cher that would have been doing it was that was during their heyday, right? I mean, that was

Ed Begley Jr. 15:11

it was it was that yeah, it was wonderful. And I've seen her many times since she and I've remained friends and so when I see her I always remind her that she's seems to be amused by the story so nice lady.

Jeff Dwoskin 15:22

That's awesome. JOHN also told me which I did not realize that you were a stand up comic point a while

Ed Begley Jr. 15:28

I did stand up for years I I started doing it on my own. When I was very young. My dad got me a space that this evening called the hollywood comedy club on Highland at the American Legion Hall. All these old comedians literally one guy was in the silent film troupe called the Keystone cops, people like that. Were there Milton Berle would come in, and all these big time comics of the day would come in, and people from very early Hollywood would come in, but I got a spot there like a five minute spot or something to get up and as a young comedian, and I didn't exactly bomb, but I've definitely been wild. And because I had the worst corneas jokes, I didn't write very many jokes at all. I got them from a gag file subscription. And they're pretty seedy jokes. I went up there and didn't have my time onstage. So then when I partnered with a man by the name of Michael Richards, I went to college with Michael and did plays with him. He played Kramer and Seinfeld, many other things. And so we had a comedy duo. And we did that for a while, never got any bookings, really, but we, we worked out the troubadour and the ice house in many places Comedy Store, the week that they opened, and then he went in the military. So I branched off on my own after he got drafted and I did stand up around the country and really enjoyed it and then got too busy to do it because my acting career and TV and films started to pick up and I I dropped Stanhope in about 1976. But I did from really 1971 to 76. So I did stand up quite regularly. And he mentioned that you and Michael Richards would do some kind of pirate improv together. That's right. Made from his amazing brain. It was just this thing with lots of pantomime swords and all sorts of stuff produced from scabbards. He would just do this thing. And as a aspiring young comedian, I would just try to keep up with him. He was the funniest guy at Valley College where we went to college. Everybody was doing michael richards impressions, including me, so to be on stage with him was quite a gift. He was very, very talented back then it was a talent that he was born with. But he nurtured that he watched all Charlie Chaplin movies and Buster Keaton movies and all the great silent film stars and many other comedy legends. He watched out and honed his craft over years. And so when he came back to clubs, like the improv in the Comedy Store in the late 70s, it was he moved from San Diego to back to LA, he did very well instantly how to big manager Charlie jofy. And he got this show called Fridays that he did with Larry David and others, and he did very well. From that point forward.

Jeff Dwoskin 18:00

john was also kind enough to share a story that you were once arrested for impersonating a cop,

Ed Begley Jr. 18:05

true story, the misfortune of being arrested for impersonating an officer when you're doing a stand up routine, who is my bad though I walked out in front of the troubadour. I was hoping to get a like just a little guest spot to go on stage. I've been on stage there before and not a police uniform. There was part of my outfit. I was walking from the troubadour to town is this Italian restaurant next door and these cops came up and they thought I was a real cop. So they then I think felt embarrassed because I had a full LAPD uniform on but I was not at all a cop. They took me into West Hollywood tank there the West Hollywood sheriff's station just before it was a city of West Hollywood. The Sheriff's Department ran that la incorporated area. They're called the Sunset Strip and on Santa Monica Boulevard. So I was arrested and put in jail for the weekend because I didn't know anybody that had $500 for the bail. That was a lot of money back then. They didn't have ATMs back in 1972. And so I just sat in jail for the weekend and got out my own recognizance and I got off all the charges I even made them give me my uniform back but it wasn't like I was going door to door saying I'm a cop Give me your drugs your money. I was just walking down the street as

Jeff Dwoskin 19:15

Little Miss misunderstanding i get i get it with the Christopher gas stuff. That's all improv do you have with the stand up background? Do you just draw on the stand up back on a dude, did you ever train an improv trained in improv for a bit?

Ed Begley Jr. 19:27

I was in a group at Greenberg his friend of mine who is an improv actor. And we were part of a loop group together does ADR movies that adds voices to movies and TV shows. And he came up with a group that included Betty Thomas if you know who that is from Hill Street Blues and a fine director for many years. Shelley long was in the group, Joe Spano from coast three blues like that a great great people were in it. And we had an improv group. Our intention was to get it home to the point where we would you know, go on at the Comedy Store at the troubadour or somewhere. I don't know why. We never did. We trained and trained and trained to rehearse, rehearse. And we never got to that point where Ed and others felt comfortable to go on stage. I was the other side of that spectrum. I would just go on stage with Michael with no idea even what we were going to do. We were totally insane. We go on stage and we didn't have any set material. We just gotta go wherever the you know, the room takes us and it wasn't like we'd asked for like a suggestion. Now, where are we laundromat? Okay, we're in a laundromat. Who are your podiatrist and your flight trainer. Okay, go. You know, that's another improv game you can do, we probably would have done fine with it. We didn't even do that. We just kind of went on stage. Instead of doing stuff. He was like, the arrogance. I don't know who we thought we were. We hadn't read Viola spolin. His book about improv. We didn't know any of the rules about you know, you always agree. I'm the king of Spain. No, you're not. You know, you're not supposed to do that, as opposed to Yes, you and you are the kings of Spain. But sir, you're about to be beheaded. You know, whatever you want to say but you never disagree. We didn't know any of that. We kind of went on stage and got a lot of laughs on occasion. But we were not consistent because we didn't adhere to the what are probably very good rules about improv. And finally, Avery Schreiber, a wonderful improv actor from second city called Avery Shriver from a comedy duo called burns and triber. He came to the troubadour and sauce and he went, I have a feeling you guys think you invented this? But actually, you didn't people have been doing this with what you know, we didn't quite get it. We we thought we were inventing improv or something. I don't know what we thought we just didn't think of it. We just went on stage without a plan and and occasionally did well and occasionally did not.

Jeff Dwoskin 21:31

Oh, that's funny. You invented in front of like Al Gore invented the internet. We thought we'd invented but you were having a good time. And you were making it. That's that's pretty cool. That's pretty awesome. Well, let me let me ask the question. I asked Jennifer candy, this Her father was john candy. What was it like having a famous father in the sense that you kind of share a famous father with the world?

Ed Begley Jr. 21:54

And the answer is, you know, compared to what is what we knew what Jennifer knew, growing up what I knew, I thought it was very normal to have a guy who had a bunch of little pictures sitting in his office that were pre autograph that he'd hand to people forgotten to carry an Oscar around in the trunk of his car. I just thought that was kind of normal, because I didn't know anything else. And wasn't till years later that I really realized how lucky I was and how much what a foot in the door I got being at Begley son, I somehow miraculously got an agent when I was like 16 or 17. I never thought well, wait a minute, how did that happen? How did I get an agent? I was like a student at Valley College along with Michael Richards, and others. How come they didn't get an agent and I did I don't think I really thought it through to realize because I was Ed Begley son, for a while even rebelled against that I wanted to change my name for a while. And I was talked out of that, thank God because I didn't want to like ride on my father's coattails. I wanted to be a different person. The truth was, Everything about it is positive. That is to say one, they're going to remember your name, whether you're live in LA, Rob Reiner, Ed Begley, Jr. You know, whoever they're going to remember your name number one, and number two of equal importance, they're gonna have something that's gonna make the job interview called reading or whatever you want to call it, make the job interview more comfortable. That is, they knew of a new my dad, I work with your dad on a physical Playhouse, and we did a we did a twilight zone together. And I tell you, I love your old man, such and such. So let's start a pop top of page eight, Eddie, good luck. Now they kind of were inclined to like root for their friend's son or something. That was the good news. I finally figured that out too late after my dad passed away. So I don't think I ever got to show him how grateful I was by what he gave me. And he never really talked to me directly about acting, but I would help him learn his lines. I read to him and read all the other parts in the script that he was trying to learn for Wagon Train, or Gunsmoke. Whatever he was doing, I'd read the other lines. And in so doing by doing him a favor doing that, I suppose he was doing me an even bigger favor because I was getting to act with Ed Begley, you know, with this fine actor for 12, Angry Men and many other things, this award winning actor, so it was a big gift. Most people suffer from that syndrome, though, they don't really appreciate their parents fully till years later, some people are wise enough to see it as it's happening. But I didn't really get it till years later, how much what many gifts my dad did give me.

Jeff Dwoskin 24:16

It's hard to recognize things always in the moment. And sometimes upon reflection, I totally get that. That's great that, you know, he helped you out in that way. And it's great that you were able to make those connections. I did read that he was he did a Rod Serling won. And I was like, because Brad certainly I love and I read that your dad was in one of those. And that was pretty cool. So he won an Academy Award. Do you have it? Do you get to do have you have this academy award? Can you see it there? Yeah. Oh, that's nice. That is nice.

Ed Begley Jr. 24:46

That's his. That's my father's award. He left it to me and I'm very grateful for that to another thing to be filled with gratitude about that he cared enough to give it to me very, very sweet and thoughtful of him because he knew I wanted to do what he did. He knew I wanted to be an actor. Indeed, I had done a few acting jobs while he was alive. I got an interview for a show called My Three Sons, which was a hit show at the time. So this is 1967. I went in and read for Fred decordova, who was a producer of the tonight show all those Johnny Carson years he was a producer of The Tonight Show, and I read for him and got the part and did the job. And I had a paper route. So I left my makeup on and did my paper out that day with makeup on hoping that somebody would look at me and go, Hey, wait a minute. Is that makeup? Are you an actor? I literally was hoping to get recognized even though the show had merit yet. I just shot it a few hours earlier. But then think about that again. I didn't really think it through. I don't I don't remember thinking through thinking how did I get an interview for a hit show my three sons. I got it because I'm Ed Begley son, I didn't get it because I saw a tape of mine or what have you people didn't have tapes back then. They saw me because it was a favorite to my dad, and then possibly even a favorite to my dad that they hired me. But then eventually, I kind of learned on the job and got better. I didn't. I wasn't so bad that I got fired, you know, or do the job well enough to get another job in another another built from there and kind of learned as I went along and finally got to the point I learned something.

Jeff Dwoskin 26:06

That's great. You know, everyone needs an end. Everyone needs an end. So yep, you earned it. Right? I mean, like they could see you just because it's your dad's name. But then you had the talent to kind of back it up and they're like, thank you. I got lucky you kind of made the rounds Adam 12. Mannix, The Love Boat, how was it being on The Love Boat?

Ed Begley Jr. 26:25

It was great. It was the year that I did that, I think was 1983. I just been on sales where for one year at that point. And I remember that Bruce palco was less than thrilled with me, the producer of St. Elsewhere was less than thrilled because I was a regular on that show that I was offered and took the job of being a guest star on a competing network show called Love Boat. It wasn't like it was on opposite St. Elsewhere. I would have been sued or fired over that you can't compete with yourself back in those days. You really couldn't do that Bruce was even upset. I understood why because our competition every week was a show called hotel that was a big ABC and Aaron Spelling show I believe and so I've kind of gone into enemy territory and I'm supporting the opposition by doing that show and there were people who were less than thrilled by me but I didn't get fired or sued thank god and i just careful not to do anything like that again to fuel the fires of who we're competing with.

Jeff Dwoskin 27:19

That makes sense because I know that though they definitely had people on as guest stars to help them you will shows it we're on that network. That was part of exactly

Ed Begley Jr. 27:27

but I remember being thrilled working with Mary Crosby. She was a star she played a mermaid in that sequence. I did that there was a movie called it was with Daryl Hannah called splash splash. Thank you. Why could I not think of splash that had just come out at like a year before lovebug was trying to capitalize on that story. So she was a mermaid Mary Crosby and I was a human and fell in love with her and I somehow threw my back out of the wardrobe fitting by putting my pants on too quickly. The first time my back had ever gone out I was a man 3233 years of age never had a bad back in my life. So then I had to pick up very Crosby with a bad doc. And fortunately, I didn't fall down or what have you heard of either of us. But I was and she was was not now over she then I have a woman rather petite. But still, I was in excruciating pain. And I should see some of those episodes to see if any of it reads in the close up

Jeff Dwoskin 28:17

as a guy with a bad back. I always joke if I drop a pen, I buy a new pen so it doesn't I don't bend over. I don't do nothing. So I get it. It's once you hurt yourself. It's It's It's hard. So St. Elsewhere. That was your first regular series that you did, right? So how did how did that come about?

Ed Begley Jr. 28:34

I was literally thinking of not quitting the business but quitting the LA business. We lived in a house my wife and I in this is 1982. And we had been there for a few years about three years I at that point in 1982 been an actor for 15 years for decade and a half. And I was still struggling to get a guest star here guest three line part there whatever I could get loop group kind of work, you know, anything I could get to put food on the table. And I was I talked to my my wife has said, here's what I think we should do. We should sell our house in LA and move to Atlanta. And I'll try to be a big fish in a small pond in the town of Atlanta tried to get a job as a local weatherman or what talk show host on the radio and build up to the point where I had a you know, an on camera kind of a hosting show like a local talk show in Atlanta, because I know all these friends who are actors come into town to shoot in Georgia musicians to come into town to do it because I had been an opening act for you know, like, can't eat Loggins and Messina and john Sebastian and poco and all these 70s groups or what have you. And so I thought I'll have a talk show in Atlanta and that's the plan. Let's sell the house in LA and we'll move to Atlanta getting the phone at one second, honey. Hello, always my agent. What's going on? What do you mean what I don't understand the words and saying what is a saint elsewhere? What does that mean? Saying elsewhere? Where do they want me to come in? Great. I got an interview honey. So I went in I read for St. Elsewhere read for the part of Dr. Peter wife. Turns out they gave to a wonderful actor named Terrence Knox. I did not get the part but they said because I kind of liked me mark Tinker kind of liked me I think john nations like me, I think Bruce culture at that point tolerated me. So I read for another part called Eric that had one line is air like they're going to combine it with this character called Stanton that I had two lines. I had three lines in the pilot, very small part, but I said yes to it, of course to be in this wonderful shell and somehow thing with Bill Daniels they wrote a scene in which I resist tall mutton Jeff and he shorter kind of numb nuts kind of a guy aerotech with the Chief of Surgery, Bill Daniels being impatient with me, and that really clicked. So they started writing for that character. Pretty soon, they said, We want you to be a regular pretty soon the character of Dr. Peter White gets told off turns Knox's character was no more. And I was in every episode in the show, and one of the main characters in the show, so I didn't get what I wanted. But I got something better than what I wanted. You know, I got this wonderful part that lasted for six wonderful years. So that was a real gift that job.

Jeff Dwoskin 31:02

It seems like it's a lesson I've heard other people tell stories where they go in and it's a small role, but then they click with who's playing like Scott Valentine when I interviewed he's was Nick on family ties supposed to be one episode, right? They're like, Oh, we love you. We you got an amazing smile. And then he just became a fixture. You know, it's like, you hear like that story. Like over and over again. It's

Ed Begley Jr. 31:22

Yeah, something clicks and they like it. And then they start to write for it.

Jeff Dwoskin 31:25

How did you feel about this snowglobe ending,

Ed Begley Jr. 31:27

it was out there was pretty bold, it was just points for being bold. But it wasn't a crowd pleaser. I'll tell you that, that the whole six years was all in the mind of an autistic kid as he looked into a snow globe. But I thought people for God's sake, and they did and you know, they didn't play it safe, which they didn't the whole run of the show did crazy things for six entire years. So there to be applauded for the craftsmanship of the show with a very good show a very funny, very moving show. And also quite daring in many ways for its time.

Jeff Dwoskin 31:57

Like I didn't have to look up it's been a while since the showing off here. I didn't have to look up how it ended. You know, it's like one of those shows that you that because of the bold way they ended. It's you remember the show, right? Like new heart. You know, when he wakes up in the old show, and all that kind of stuff. It seems to be hard to end shows that is

Ed Begley Jr. 32:16

look at mirror of easttown they ended mirror of easttown. I won't do a spoiler alert here. But if you saw a mirror of easttown that ended in a very surprising matter for me and many other people. So you could do that was only one season though. But it was a big shocker was like it didn't see it coming. That's kind of nice. And they certainly didn't see a snow globe coming. So I guess I'm giving praise to that general notion now that I think of it.

Jeff Dwoskin 32:39

I haven't seen mayor of East town yet. I did what just watch no Jean smartzone that I just watched hacks with her, which was excellent. And

Ed Begley Jr. 32:47

I got to see that she's so wonderful. She's such a great actress. Did you see her in Fargo? She's always great. Amazing in Fargo amazing America. easttown. She's just wonderful in everything. I'm a big Jean Smart Fan. I've worked with her on a movie called protocol. And what a great actress What a great lady. She is

Jeff Dwoskin 33:04

you worked with. There was a million great actors on there. But you worked with Denzel Washington. Was he done away? I'm trying to remember was he Denzel? Yes. Or was he just becoming Denzel Washington.

Ed Begley Jr. 33:14

He was always a great actor. The talent was there from the get go. He was clearly a wonderful actor. He hadn't done a lot at that point. He done a lot of wonderful stage. He was in a CT and he was excelled. They're very well respected there for his fine work. Eric came on to st Ellsberg and was exemplary every year he should have gotten one me after another for his fine work on that show. He was so talented back then. Then during the hiatus of that show, he would go and do a movie like glory, like cry freedom, and boiboi he got to really shine and show his incredible talents. Then, as I said great and sales were but somehow it didn't get the recognition he deserved. But he sure got it in glory and an cry freedom and dozens of other films. He's done a sense in which he just always blows me away is one of the best actors I've ever worked with. I have tremendous respect for his talents and and what he does in his personal life. He's given so many scholarships to young people, college scholarships, and help so many people and help the community so many ways. He's extraordinary what he does in a philanthropic sense him and pauletta do so much. They're an incredible couple. What about his son? Have you seen john David Washington and anything?

Jeff Dwoskin 34:24

I don't think I have.

Ed Begley Jr. 34:25

Oh my god. Isn't that wonderful movie the black and white movie that his that he did with that wonderful actress? It's just a two hander the two of them in a house in like the Malibu hills or something. God was he good? It was a very good movie. so so good. JOHN, David Washington, I work with him on a movie and think the world of him. He clearly has great talent, which is both his parents are tremendously talented. And he got it from both ends. He's incredible.

Jeff Dwoskin 34:49

You have a lot in common sign of a variable. That's right. That's right. Definitely. So you've done a lot of amazing stuff, too. You're a very strong environmentalist. How did you get into non-green

Ed Begley Jr. 35:00

that happened in 1970. As far as me actually becoming an activist and really taking action as regards the environment. Prior to that, I knew there was a problem because I lived in smoggy LA for 20 years. So I knew what smog was and how it hurt your lungs and how it made it difficult to run or even just sitting the bench in the schoolyard had hurt. And I knew there was water pollution because I went down to Santa Monica Bay and sought after rain, or anytime there was horrible pollution. And I knew there was horrible pollution. Elsewhere, the Cuyahoga River caught fire in 1969. So by the time earthday came around in 1970, me in LA and many of other people around the country around the world thought I want to be part of something called Earth Day to revere the web of life that supports us all, you know, the earth and the ecosystem that we all need for fresh water and fresh food and all that we need. And so I became involved. And what I did is interesting to note, but what I didn't do is also interesting, that is to say, I didn't run out and buy things I couldn't afford, I wanted solar panels in a fancy electric car, but it couldn't afford anything like that solar panels were very expensive 1970 but I started riding my bicycle taking public transportation. I did both those things anyway, before Earth Day, the first Earth Day, but I did them even more. So after Earth Day I started recycling, I started composting, I became a vegetarian. And I quickly realized that this green stuff was good for another kind of green. Besides environment, that green stuff called money. Because I was saving a lot of money doing all of it, it was cheaper to use vinegar and water instead of a glass cleaner. With ammonia, it was cheaper to use baking soda instead of harsh comet cleanser, and on and on, it was cheaper to ride a bike or take public transportation, it was even cheaper to get the electric car that I got I bought electric car for $950 very slow and didn't have long range. But it was cheaper than buying 1970 gasoline to fuel it with an outlet 110 volt outlet and it was definitely cheaper to maintain. Because there's no tune up Oil Change your fan belt to radiator flush or smog check or valve job you didn't have any of those things, you know with a regular car is very cheap. So I went I'm gonna stay with this green stuff because it's good for my budget. And I stayed with it ever since it's always made always made environmental sense. For me, I got solar hot water panels in 1985 finally got solar electric in 1990. And I haven't looked back since and now I live in a LEED Platinum home. That's the silver, gold and platinum. And I was able to get Platinum rating on this house that I'm talking to you from very good for the long term. And I'm really in it for the long term. This is something I always my kids and grandkids will have. And it will last a long time it's made out of steel instead of cutting down trees to make a home. We made it out of steel and steel can last when it's enclosed like this and out out in the rain and the open air can last for hundreds and hundreds of years, this house surely well. So I'm very happy with all the green stuff I've done since 1970.

Jeff Dwoskin 37:48

That's incredible how much how much of the electricity and energy that comes into the house. Are you able to do through the technologies that they have right now when

Ed Begley Jr. 37:55

I was just when we first moved in, I was just one car charging one car and running Dallas like electric bill was $10 a month, then stay with me as he walked through the other things we started to turn on. My wife wanted this pool activated. There was a pool here, but it was a weird geometric shape that you couldn't contain. I didn't want to have a pool. So we compromise and turn this weird geometric shape of a pool into a rectangle that we could cover so you didn't lose a lot of water to evaporation also would keep the heat in so you could swim it It wouldn't freeze to death. So we covered it What have you but then to run a pool pump now pretty soon as we turn that on, we're using 20 bucks a month. Then she wanted ozone treatment instead of chlorine for the pool. So now it's like there's an ozone treatment thing now No, we're $30 a month and it wasn't warm enough so we had a pump the water up to the roof, but there's no room for solar panels left in the roof because I've nine kilowatts of solar electric and I've got two big four by 10 solar hot water panels for the house. There's no room left for panels for the pool. So I put rubber tubing on the back this company hot sun h2 Oh sun, hot sun put solar black tubing on the back the flip side of the solar electric panels and we heat the water with that but now still that pumps running all the time. then pretty soon my wife got an electric car pretty soon my daughter got an electric car pretty soon my grown daughter moved back to LA and she charges electric car here to now all that is by way of saying I'm spending probably $150 a month on electricity but I'm charging for cars and keeping a pool filtered and hot and all of that so I'm very proud of that to be now I'm running a electric vehicle charging station here at my house for four vehicles so but the power that I buy that is beyond my nine kilowatts of solar is all la DWP that stands for Department of Water and Power la DWP green power, you pay three cents extra a kilowatt hour and they give you power every bit as green as my solar panels. They buy new wind and solar out in the marketplace and feed it into their DWP grid. And so when I need to use extra power to charge my daughter's car something I have enough to Do that with power as green as my rooftop solar. So there's no coal, there's no natural gas, really in my green power, it's you know, it's not like they run a separate line to my house with just a, you know, a solar array from somewhere in the desert. But if you take 20s out of the bank and an ATM and you go put them back in later, you don't expect them to be the same 20s you take out and put in, but it's still a real cash transaction. There's nothing there's no borrowing or line of credit involved to it. It's just it's a real cash transaction. And that's the way it is with la DWP green power program. If I pay extra for green power, they buy new green power in the marketplace, which means they build more wind turbines and put up more solar

Jeff Dwoskin 40:39

isn't incredible. I'm learning I'm learning so what could a guy like me who just recycled the corner you know you put to the ban and all that what are some like things people can do that are just are smart. Go Green. What are some baby steps

Ed Begley Jr. 40:53

you do the 2021 version of what I did in 1970. You do what you can what you can afford, you don't run up to the top of Mount Everest, you get the base camp and you get acclimated you climb as high as you can you pick the low hanging fruit first, you get some energy saving light bulbs. If you like them, you know buy some more put them in every you know what every outlet that you want. Get in a water saving faucet that's gonna save you know the air raid or kind of thing for your faucet, put up weatherstripping around your doors and windows, you get an energy saving thermostat, you ride a bike of weather and fitness permit, take public transportation if it's available near you home composting, home gardening, all those things are very inexpensive, so do what you can. There's many besides my list of my website, Ed Begley Comm. There's many any environmental group has a list of things you can do to save energy. Also, I make some cleaning products called Begley. It's best that we sell at Amazon, you can just type in Begley is cleaning it, Amazon will ship them to you. They're non toxic, green and clean, wonderful cleaning products, and they clean every bit as good as harsh cleansers. But they're entirely non toxic.

Jeff Dwoskin 41:59

It's incredible. How did you get into that business of creating these safe for the environment products,

Ed Begley Jr. 42:06

I wanted to do something that would like Newman's Own Paul Newman was a friend of mine and Nell Newman is a friend of mine. And so I wanted to do some very small version where they do in a very big way, which is to raise money for charities that are dear to them by selling good products. So I met this guy at a vegan restaurant in Santa Monica, he had some cleaning products that he wanted to promote. So I wound up buying drums of the product from him going to a bottle or taking those drums of product, bottling them and selling them in Whole Foods. and Mrs pooches and you know whatever other place was around back then sprouts and I just had a whole bunch of places I sold it to and I did that for years shipping it out of my garage, but I became so busy as an actor. I didn't have time to run it anymore. So a guy came to me called Mark Cunningham. He said we'll handle all the shipping for you. You don't need to be shipping them out of your garage. We'll have this stuff bottled. We'll do it all and we'll have we have new formulas for you add totally different than the formulas you've been working with now. We have them certified by EPA designed for the environment certification. I did that and it's doing very very well. Nicole deglaze Earth responsible products, just type Begley cleaning products and a Google search or at Amazon Begley cleaning you'll find them and they work really good thing I'll put a link in the show notes like to that really easy thank you for that buddy. Thank you.

Jeff Dwoskin 43:25

So what are the negative effects of the products that I likely have in my house right now like with the chemicals like what is it doing to me? Is it slowly killing me over time so

Ed Begley Jr. 43:36

you got what you got to realize the most vulnerable your kids, little toddlers and what have you kids babies crawling they crawl around on the floor and they put their hands in their mouth and everything your pets lick their paws all the time lick things off the floor. So if you're using a toxic cleaning product, they're going to get it in their system and given their body weight it can really have a bad effect on their health. There's our dog right now putting in a little out of guy very proud that I brought this up so I'm looking out for you. That's my daughter's dog. For me, but I'm telling you

Jeff Dwoskin 44:08

totally safe because he's licking bag. Having products exactly his paws. He's a

Ed Begley Jr. 44:13

fruity flavor so he's not harmed by it at all. So at any rate is for that is for certainly if you do what I'm encouraging people to do, which is to make your house more energy efficient to seal it up with double pane windows and weatherstripping big thick walls out we're asking people to do that to make their home home more energy efficient by sealing it up. What if you've got it sealed up with all these toxic products inside of it? You don't want that people are out there with me with their placards protesting a hazardous waste site. The worst hazardous waste site is not near their home. It's in their home. It's under their sink. All these toxic products, get them out of there. Use non toxic products, certainly the ones like begbies Earth responsible products that clean very well do that and you'll have a non toxic environment for yourself, for your pets for your children.

Jeff Dwoskin 44:59

It's great you Using your name and your star power to raise awareness around environmentalist going green, being safe in the home with all these products. Thank you, for it's very, very cool Burt Ward who was Robin on Batman in the 60s. Interestingly enough, when I was talking to him, he's into dog rescue, he saved over 15,000 dogs, and he created a dog food that helps dogs live like three times their normal lifespan. So it's like to me, check out my blog. So the bird Ward episode of the room, Episode 50. It's fascinating. And that's why I'm excited about this episode too. Because when people visited my Bert Ward episode, and they heard about the dogs and how you can help dogs live longer, and all that kind of stuff. I have friends that have the when they bought the products, his dog food, and we bought it too, and we changed our dog's lifestyle. And there was all these things that I never even realize, as well as I was excited to talk to you, especially about this part of your life. And your focus is the whole environment and everything. It's because I think what people struggle with what I struggle with, so I assume others is where to start what to do, what type of real impact Am I going to have? Right? I think this is a good, good starter,

Ed Begley Jr. 46:09

it is a good start to do something simple. You know, take that first step, something that you can afford, and if it works well, with all this stuff does. I haven't found anybody that says that doesn't work, you know, you do something else in something else, and you do it at a pace that you can handle and you do it right in the right order. You're going to save money at every turn and save the environment.

Jeff Dwoskin 46:27

I have one one last question. You seem to be blessed with Well, just in general, but also in your working life to work with pasts that are just unbelievable. Like we talked about all the Christopher Guest movies and all that. But the years you spent on Arrested Development. I mean, again, that's another that's another cast that's just like so amazing. I

Ed Begley Jr. 46:48

mean, like realizing that no, Jeffrey Tambor is just amazing this so Jessica Walter rest her soul. No, just amazing, amazing actors. Everybody's so good on it. I just I'm very grateful to work with these people.

Jeff Dwoskin 47:03

I just pray that Mitch does another season. Yeah, it would be sad to see one without Jessica Walters. But But yeah, they've just the chemistry of all of you and your character. I did it. Did you ever get any letters about from people with alopecia?

Ed Begley Jr. 47:16

I did not get any letters. So they had a sense of humor about it. I hope they found that the humor in it stand sit well, a character that had alopecia. We tried to be respectful to

Jeff Dwoskin 47:27

you when I got the letters by now for sure. So probably worth There you go. You nailed it. You made everyone laugh with it. So that's great. That is so great. I can't thank you enough. This was dope, enjoyable and educational. Loved it. Thank you so much for spending this time with me. Thank you for having me on, buddy. You want to spill any tea and Jimin? Now's the time I'll hear it whatever you say, No, john, I

Ed Begley Jr. 47:49

moved my pal for life. He's so great. I I got to give him a call and thank him for bringing me up in his time on your wonderful show. He said, talented guy, a dear guy, and I've been friends with them since the 1960. So I got to give him a ring. Thanks for reminding me.

Jeff Dwoskin 48:03

Yeah, give him a call. Tell him I said Hi, Tom. Jeff said hi. And thank you so much. I really appreciate it. Thank you, Jeff. It was a wonderful time together. Thank you. Thank you. All right. How amazing was that? Ed Begley, ladies and gentlemen. Ah, that was so so much great information. I was so excited to be able to talk to him about going green and ways that I can help the environment. I hope you all enjoyed that as well as dedicated his life as we all heard. He's also written a couple of books that we didn't even talk about living like add a guy to the eco friendly life and Ed Begley Jr's guide to sustainable living learning to conserve resources and manage an eco conscious life. Both are available at amazon.com so check those out. I'll put links in the show notes to his product line, and the books so you don't even have to worry about it. Just go to Jeffisfunny.com, go to the show notes. There they are. I do want to thank once again, john eimen for hooking me up with some great questions to ask Ed. I do encourage you all to check out my episode with john eimen in episode 34. It's really great. We talked about Burt Ward real quick. He was Episode 50 of the podcast check that out great information about his dog rescue and Batman Of course.

Well here we are nearing the end of another Episode. Episode 65 is coming to a close so you know what that means. That's right. That means it's time to read some tweets from a trending hashtag when the family of hashtags and hashtag around up you all know the drill from the social media tip today. You grabbed the hashtag roundup app you play along and one day All together now, one of your tweets may show up on a future episode over live from Detroit, the Jeff Dwoskin show. Today's hashtag comes to us from the unlikely game a weekly game on hashtag ground up the hashtag is #UnlikelyWaysToSaveThePlanet. We've talked about some really good ways and now we're going to talk about some unlikely ways Some ways it may not be what you might expect. And that's what you get from a fun hashtag game to hear some #UnlikelyWaysToSaveThePlanet: print out enough CVS coupons to completely encircle the globe. That would keep it nice and cozy. Here's another unplug it and plug it back in that usually solves most things. Make more ice cubes to help cool it down. I'm not sure ice cubes will help with global warming. But I mean, I'm not saying it won't help. I'll give it a dry save on paper towels by using big fluffy cats. Not sure that's gonna go over well made cows stop farting. I guess we could shame the cows. Get them to stop that way. Teach the planet self defense. Not a bad idea. That way can save itself put a mask on it. All right. Yeah, I mean, the planet needs protection too. Right. Go back in time for a couple of whales. I mean, I work for Star Trek for thoughts and prayers. For some people. They think that's a good way to go eat all the plastic. Oh, that way it won't end up in the oceans and our final #UnlikelyWaysToSaveThePlanet: Let the dolphins have a go at it. Oh, all right. Those are fine and unlikely ways that we can save the planet. combine those with Ed Begley Jr. is excellent ways to save the planet. And we might have a shot at saving this thing. Let's do it. Everyone together, we can make this happen. The only thing we can't make happen is make this episode not be over. It is I'm sad. I hope you're not too sad. But know that we'll be back next week. I do want to thank my guests again, Ed Begley, Jr, for joining me. I also want to thank all of you for joining me week after week. It means the world to me, and I'll see you next time.

Announcer 51:46

Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the Jeff Dwoskin show with your host Jeff Dwoskin. Now go repeat everything you've heard and sound like a genius. catch us online at the Jeff Dwoskin show.com or follow us on Twitter at Jeff Dwoskin show and we'll see you next time.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai