One
of the Frequently Asked Questions:
What is audible.com?
On this page I'll try to give as much information as
possible about the audible interviews.
In January 2000 Robin signed a 3-year contract with
audible, which meant he'd release a new online audio
interview every 2 weeks. Every interview is seperated
in 2 parts, so there was 1 new complete interview each
month. Most of the people Robin interviewed are friends
and/or collegues, which makes it definitely more interesting.
In the spring of 2001 Robin was busy making movies,
so he had to take a break from the audible interviews.
One of the things audible released in return is the
"Inside the Actors Studio interview", which was recorded
earlier that year.
The interviews are no longer available
on Audible: "all of the Robin Williams Interviews
have been removed from the website due to licensing
contracts expiring".
Click on + for
more information of that particular interview. By
clicking on the -
you can inflate the table again.
Robin says he is naked in the studio with actress/director/writer
Bonnie Hunt (The Green Mile, Jumanji, Jerry Maguire).
A couple of creative minds are given free reign
to get down about intimate sound effects, lament
the case of puppies born out of wedlock, and regard
the crucial role of leopard underwear in any marriage.
Hear about the German shepherd babysitter and
an unexpected visit with Sammy Davis, Jr. All
of this, mind you, is done with both Chicago natives
bouncing in and out of distinctive Windy City
accents. Furthermore they talk about the Born
Again Virgins Foundation, how to get kicked out
of a Catholic girls' school, and the entertainment
value in corrupting children. Hunt reveals a talented
singing voice, a penchant for Dean Martin, and
her own Sammy Davis, Jr. impersonation. The costars
of Jumanji discuss how that movie could have been
better, and Hunt describes her upcoming film,
Anniversary (you'll laugh, you'll cry, it will
change your life). Plus, "beautiful"
versus "bootiful," the "rodeo dial"
phone as a marker on the technology timeline,
and why Hunt seems to see Mickey Rourke everywhere.
This audible interview was
released in 2000. Provided by Blue Wolf Productions
Review
This is definitely the most hilarious RW Audible
interview out there!
In the "interview" we learn a bit
about Bonnie when she was a trauma nurse and
we learn about how and where she grew up. We
also get to know what Bonnie used as Barbie
doll matrasses. Now that really is a topic you
must not start when Robin is in the room!
It's
been 15 years since Robin Williams and Barry Levinson
worked together on Good Morning, Vietnam and now
the two sit down to talk politics and secrecy.
Barry Levinson has won and been nominated for
multiple Academy Awards as writer, director and
producer of some of the most popular films of
the last two decades, including Diner, The Natural,
Rain Man, Tin Man, Bugsy, Avalon, and Wag the
Dog. He's also a "card-carrying member"
of the ACLU. Robin and Barry wonder whether Miss
Cleo is really the heart of CIA "intelligence"
and why the press is going so easy on the Bush
administration's crack down on civil liberties.
Later
the conversation shifts to movies and the way
the mechanics of Hollywood keep things in place.
Barry talks about his earliest film influences
- The 10 Commandments and On the Waterfront for
starters - and that moment when he wondered how
movies are made.
This audible interview was
released in 2002. Provided by Blue Wolf Productions
It's
politics from the start when actor Peter Coyote
gets in the studio with Robin Williams. Coyote
is perhaps best known for his roles in ET, Outrageous
Fortune, Jagged Edge, and Crooked Hearts. He also
played in Patch Adams. But, before beginning his
acting career at age 39, Coyote was a Bay Area
counter-culture denizen, and his formative experiences
protesting Vietnam deeply inform his current political
views. Robin has recently returned from visiting
the troops in Afghanistan and that gives Peter
and Robin a perfect entre to talk about the Bush
administration and the problems with politics
today.
Robin and Peter talk about why Gore lost, why
Lieberman appeals to conservatives, and why campaign
finance reform is the only way to bring the government
back to the people. They even try to get to the
heart of an age-old question: Is George W. Bush
smart? You'll laugh, you'll cry and you may end
up writing a letter to your congressperson.
This audible interview was
released in 2002. Provided by Blue Wolf Productions
Comedian,
singer, and painter Martin Mull discusses art
school, unfulfilled desires, and the best way
to handle a heckler when he sits down with Robin.
Mull may be best known for his TV and movie roles,
such as Roseanne, My Bodyguard, FM, Rented Lips,
or The History of White People
in America, but did you know he has an MFA degree,
loves pole vaulting and some of the seven dwarves?
Furthermore Martin explains how he was able to
pull off the impossible and come back as his dead
character's brother in Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman,
why playing Roseanne's gay boss was a great opportunity,
and why, if you are a TV actor, there's a good
chance people will confuse
you with the plumber. Also, some life advice from
two wise comedians who really have tried it all:
live in New Zealand, don't get married and don't
have children. But, of course, what would be the
fun in that?
This audible interview was
released in 2002. Provided by Blue Wolf Productions.
You've
seen Robin riding in the front car of the Tour
de France and publicly defending his good friend
and four-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong
against charges of drug use. Their topics range
from cycling to parenting to respecting the European
sensibilities, and why perseverance cannot be
underestimated. Also, Lance surprises Robin with
a story about his youngest son.
This audible interview was
released in 2002. Provided by Blue Wolf Productions.
Robin's
in the studio with music producer Peter Asher.
As a producer, Asher's worked with Randy Newman,
Joni Mitchell and Linda Ronstadt, but his fame
started at an early age. In 1952, at age 8, Asher
appeared as Claudette Colbert's son in The Planter's
Wife. Later, he was one half of the musical duo
Peter and Gordon, whose biggest hit, "World
Without Love," was written for them by John
Lennon and Paul McCartney. Asher talks about playing
the local pub for a free lunch and touring the
U.S. with Wilson Pickett during the early '60s.
Peter's father, Dr. Richard Asher, was a psychiatrist
who identified and named Munchausen's syndrome.
His mother, Margaret Augusta Eliot, was a professional
oboe player and his sister, Jane Asher, is an
actress, ex-fiancee of Sir Paul McCartney, and
is now famous as the Martha Stewart of England.
When Asher's group, Peter
and Gordon, stopped touring in 1968, Asher started
producing albums and became the A&R department
at Apple records - along with all the high times
that followed. The first album Asher produced
was a solo record with Paul Jones, the lead singer
with Manfred Mann. Then, he signed James Taylor
to Apple Records and learned how to manage artists
as well. Linda Ronstadt singed
on and Asher reminisces about Ronstadt's Nelson
Riddle days (and her George Lucas days too). Asher
reflects on how Randy Newman, Joni Mitchell, Cher,
Diana Ross and many others do their work.
This audible interview was
released in 2002. Provided by Blue Wolf Productions
It's
a mix of giggles and serious talk as Robin's joined
in the studio by the charming and unquestionably
sexy Academy Award nominee, Sharon Stone. Sharon
and Robin reminisce about childhood pets - furry,
bouncy bunnies who met untimely ends, show tune
singing dogs who also met untimely ends, and growing
to love the "lumpy, honey" smells of
wet cats. Then the talk turns to Sharon's two-year-old,
Roan Joseph, and his obsession with Winnie the
Pooh, and why neither politics nor religion are
likely to be Sharon's bag anytime soon.
Robin and Sharon also talk
about the peculiar appetites of certain Komodo
dragons. Then, it's a talk of dancing with James
Brown and the manners of Sharon's two colorful
cats - Miss Davis and Boxer. And, on a much more
serious topic, Sharon talks about the things she
remembers of the
white light she saw when she nearly died last
year from a brain aneurysm, the legacy of a childhood
scar.
This audible interview was
released in 2002. Provided by Blue Wolf Productions
Robin's
in the studio with Mark Romanek, the director
of Robin's new movie, One Hour Photo. Mark has
an extensive history directing music videos, including
working with Madonna, Macy Gray, and REM. Mark
and Robin talk about music, state-of-the-art production,
and the pleasure of photography. They also share
notes on the ways new technology can widen the
generation gap by the hour, whether it's instant
messaging or video games.
They'll also talk about
photographs, movies, life in general, and keeping
it real. Robin and Mark talk about the difference
between still photography and video, and digital
versus film. Robin does his best Yoda-stein and
talks about what you learn when you delve into
playing bad
guys.
This audible interview was
released in 2002. Provided by Blue Wolf Productions
Robin
and his old friend Jeff Bridges will share some
of the funniest Hollywood stories this side of
the Santa Monica Pier. Jeff and Robin compare
notes on working with Terry Gilliam, Al Pacino,
Francis Ford Coppola, and Robert DeNiro, as well
as the trials of creating realistic fight scenes
(even with your own brother) and working with
heavy duty tech films, a la Tron. Plus, learn
fun facts about Jeff Bridges, such as his interest
in ceramics and his cool website, www.jeffbridges.com.
Robin
and Jeff Bridges continue talking about how Jeff
put together his album, "Be
Here Now" and the challenges of independent
distribution. Then, Jeff talks about his latest
project, a movie called "Masked and Anonymous"
with Bob Dylan, Penelope Cruz, John Goodman, and
Jessica Lange. Jeff Bridges talks about his work
with "The End Hunger Network" (which
he founded nearly 20 years ago), how much he enjoyed
working on "The Contender", and how
his dad's love of acting influenced him.
This audible interview was
released in 2002. Provided by Blue Wolf Productions
Robin
Williams welcomes Rod Steiger - and they're in
Las Vegas, or as Steiger calls it, "The Citadel
of Lost Hope." Steiger talks about growing
up in Newark and the troubles of adjusting to
life on the beach in Malibu. Also, he warns Robin
to "not get funny on me" because "I
can't keep up" but goes on to regale Robin
with his WWII services stories, including building
torpedoes and getting the clap. Also, meeting
Isaac Stern, trying to remember your lines while
suffering from depression, and what it was like
inside The Actor's Studio. Steiger got his first
breaks in 1950s New York area television productions.
His first big splash in Hollywood and the world
came with his depiction of Charley Malloy in On
the Waterfront in 1954, for which he received
an Oscar nomination. Since then, he has collaborated
with such legends as Humphrey Bogart, Marlon Brando,
James Mason, Samuel Fuller, Sidney Lumet, Sergio
Leone, Orson Welles, Martin Scorsese, Norman Jewison,
Sidney Lumet and Claire Bloom, to whom he was
married for about ten years. Steiger, 77, started working on both TV and in
the movies in his mid-20s. In 1964, Steiger was
nominated for Best Actor for what he says was
one of his favorite roles, as Sol Nazerman in
The Pawnbroker. Steiger tells Robin that The Pawnbroker
brought him to some of his greatest moments
of inspiration and some of his most embarrassing
professional moments. In 1967, Steiger won an
Oscar for his role as Sheriff Bill Gillespie in
In the Heat of the Night. Steiger shares his acting
tips with Robin and discloses his devotion to
The Little Prince in this warm and insightful
discussion.
This audible interview was
released in 2002. Provided by Blue Wolf Productions
Robin
welcomes comedian Michael Pritchard, who simultaneously
held the titles of San Francisco International
Comedy Competition Champion and California Probation
Officer of the Year, provides plenty of, uh, unrelated
topics, complete with his impersonations, for
these two comic masters to riff on. Robin and
Mike envision a new interactive gun show site
for the NRA, welcome an empty nest as Mike's 17-year-old
son (and his friends) get ready to leave the Pritchard
home, take a guess at what's first on the hit
list when the mafia from another planet makes
demands, and offer safety tips they've learned
around the house. Then, imagining Jesus's day-to-day
domestic squabbles. Tune in and sit back for a
very funny improv session between two old friends.
This audible interview was
released in 2002. Provided by Blue Wolf Productions
The second installment of the Star Wars prequel,
Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones, hits theaters
on May 16, 2002 and all eyes are on George Lucas.
But, while the world is wondering if Episode II
will live up to the hype, Lucas is worried that
American children aren't getting the education
they deserve. He and Robin talk about the George
Lucas Educational Foundation, which creates media
- films, books, newsletters and a website - to
promote success stories in education and the use
of technology.
Lucas grew up in the small town of Modesto, California,
and attended the University of Southern California
film school. As a storyteller, visionary, and
innovator, his imagination reached into the galaxy
with the phenomenally successful Star Wars saga.
He is also the creator of the successful Indiana
Jones series and the TV series The Young Indiana
Jones Chronicals. In 1992, George Lucas was the
recipient of the Irving G. Thalberg Award, the
highest award a film producer can receive from
the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
This audible interview
was released in 2002. Provided by Blue Wolf Productions
In addition to behind-the-scenes stories from
one of the top five tennis players in the world,
Robin and Andre share stories of changing diapers
and sleepless nights. Andre and his wife, former
tennis champion Steffi Graf, became the proud
parents of a baby boy named Jaden Gil in October
2001.
Robin and Andre wax philosophical about the joys
of domesticity. When's he not at home or touring
Australia, Agassi's fame and fortune are being
put to good use with his philanthropic activities.
He's involved with a charter school in Las Vegas
which gives Robin pause - charitable transactions
in Vegas can be (and usually are) conducted exclusively
in casino chips. Agassi's also been playing a
bit of doubles recently with Bill Gates against
Pete Sampras and Jeff Bezos. What do you say when
Bill Gates misses a shot? Agassi quips, "It's
not your fault, I blame the government."
Recently, Robin acquired one of the much talked-about
Segway Human Transporters. Robin says this hyper-modern
scooter is a combination of skateboard and old
person's walker. Reaching speeds of up to 18 miles/hour,
the Segway's inventor, Dean Kamen, has grand plans
for the Segway's eventual home on the streets
(or would it be sidewalks?) of New York City.
Robin's not so sure New Yorkers are ready to really
see each other in this new, less protected and
non-horn based environment.
This audible interview was
released in 2002. Provided by Blue Wolf Productions
Robin
Williams talks with Phil Bronstein, senior vice
president and executive editor of the San Francisco
Chronicle, one-time foreign correspondent, husband
of Sharon Stone, and former Komodo dragon appetizer.
As a reporter, Bronstein specialized in investigative
projects. He won awards for his coverage of the
Philippines from the Overseas Press Club, Associated
Press, the World Affairs Council and the Media
Alliance. He was a 1986 Pulitzer Prize finalist
for his work in the Philippines and went on to
cover conflicts in other parts of Southeast Asia,
El Salvador, Peru, and the Middle East. Bronstein
and Robin talk about sending Hunter S. Thompson
to cover Gary Condit's re-election; being seduced
by Imelda Marcos' shoe collection and being served
cat meat in the Philippines; listening to LBJ's
taped conversations with Jackie O., and more.
Robin
Williams and newspaper man Phil Bronstein cover
a lot of ground, which they suggest might be better
called Crackpots Corner. In fact, Bronstein wonders
if Crackpots Corner is a good name for the new
op-ed page in his newspaper, The San Francisco
Chronicle. For example, a recent letter arrived
from a man claiming to be both the creator of
the theory of light and the lawyer for Osama bin
Laden, with copies sent to President Bush, Prime
Minister Blair, and Tom Brokaw. Then, it's on
to lesser-known daytime TV choices, like Moral
Court and the yet-to-be-created You're Stupid.
Then, while they're on the subject of TV, foreign
bureau chiefs, and Radioman, Bronstein wonders
what kind of news editor Robin Williams might
make. Would Robin be able to say enough is enough?
Inquiring minds may never know.
This audible interview was
released in 2002. Provided by Blue Wolf Productions
In
Inside the Actors Studio, hosted by James Lipton,
Robin talks about his early childhood through
his early career in television playing "Mork"
(on Mork and Mindy). Robin was born in the Midwest
but attended high school in Marin County, California,
where his classmates voted him the funniest person
in class, but ironically, also the least likely
to succeed. Robin talks about his parents' affection,
the art of being silly, and why being a mime in
New York City just won't get you out of the box
(or the wind for that matter).
Then Robin talks about some
of his early films - Popeye, Moscow on the Hudson
- and his groundbreaking 1986 solo comedy show
at the Metropolitan Opera House. James Lipton
asks Robin if his comedic timing and overall zaniness
is a genetic trait or a learned trait. Robin answers
in his usual hilarious, non-linear way. Robin
also talks about the experience of watching his
children grow up and become funny themselves.
Robin also talks about some of his later movies,
such as Dead Poets Society, The Fisher King, Awakenings,
and Aladdin.
Robin Williams also talks
about some of his best-known roles. He explains
why Mrs. Doubtfire had a Scottish accent, why
his breasts were like beanbags, and how Robin's
personal life informed that role. He talks about
starring with Nathan Lane in The Birdcage, a role
that he almost turned down. Robin talks about
entertaining the troops while shooting Good Will
Hunting, and the mixture of horror, surprise,
and delight of winning an Academy Award for his
role as psychiatrist Sean Maguire. Robin passes
with flying colors host James Lipton's rapid-fire
questions about his preferences. Then, Robin answers
questions from
the audience about his creative process.
This audible interview was
released in 2002. Provided by Blue Wolf Productions
Review
Some of you have seen the show on Bravo...if
so, you know how energinic Robin was during
the interview. The audio version is amlost the
same, except they cut out the parts in which
they show some movie clips and the scenes in
which Robin was doing only mimics. BUT they
also added several parts, like the questions
about The Fisher King and Aladdin. So if you're
unable to watch the show, this is a very, very
good alternative!
This
interview is for Video game fans! Bing Gordon,
Chief Creative Director and co-founder of Electronic
Arts, sat down with Robin to talk about the evolution
of video games from the view of one of the pioneer
companies in the field. Bing Gordon started with
Electronic Arts back in 1982 - think back to playing
games on the Atari 800, getting hooked on John
Madden Football for the Apple II, playing on your
old Commodore 64, or even the much-loved but short-lived
Amiga. Electronic Arts was behind it all. Robin
was a big fan of John Madden Football and wonders
what would happen if Stephen Hawking and John
Madden met on the field - "A Brief History
of Time-Outs," perhaps? Also, Bing Gordon
and Robin weigh in on the current game systems
from Sony, Microsoft and Ninetendo and the growing
concerns about violence in video games.
In
addition to his other accomplishments, Robin Williams
plays video games. Bing Gordon talks about recent
trends in video gaming - from the dollhouse-like
environment of The Sims to games like Diablo where
players are motivated by assets acquired during
play, to the multi-player Ultima Online and the
hyper realism of games like Majestic. Bing Gordon
says the new games prepare people of all ages
for the experience of working, living, and communicating
in a virtual world. Robin wonders when Gary Condit
will become a Sims character - begging the question:
How much more life-like can you get?
This audible interview was
released in 2001. Provided by Blue Wolf Productions
Academy
Award-winning animator John Lasseter tells Robin
Williams that, as an animator, there's just no
way to get sympathy when you get home from work
- it's just too much fun. Lasseter tells Robin
how he and fellow Pixar animators came up with
the plot of Toy Story and Toy Story 2 and how
each of the characters came to be and how they're
doing now. Lasseter has been a lover of traditional
hand-drawn animation since adolescence. He made
his mark in the field as a pioneering director
of computer generated animation, helming both
the first computer-animated film to win an Oscar
- 1988's Tin Toy, which won for Best Achievement
in Animated Short Films - and the first computer-animated
feature, Toy Story.
John Lasseter gives you an even closer look at
the way Pixar makes their subjects seem so real
and so darn funny. Lasseter says the Pixar motto
is "Reality is just a convenient measure
of complexity" and it's the attention to
those complex details that make Pixar's movies
such as A Bug's Life, Toy Story, and Monsters,
Inc. so visually rich. Robin offers his impressions
of your favorite box-office candies come to life
(Jack Nicholson as a Pez-gun, anyone?), and Lasseter
makes everyone feel jealous when he can buy toys
on the company account - you know, for research.
This audible interview was
released in 2001. Provided by Blue Wolf Productions
Robin
Williams sat down with premier political comedian
Will Durst to talk about the state of comedy in
these post-September 11 days. Will Durst is a
bi-partisan smart ass who has built his comedy
career on his political observations. He says
he reads six newspapers each morning and says
his shtick is basically repeating the news, with
a touch of editing. As Durst always says, "you
can't make this stuff up."
With Robin's assistance, Durst says he's prepared
to testify before the House Committee on comedy.
Durst has a report on what's still funny in these
post-September 11 days, some concerns about Vice
President Dick Cheney's undisclosed location,
and a couple of questions about former governor
Tom Ridge's role as the Head of Homeland Security,
all peppered with some Cajun spices. The impersonations
abound as Robin riffs on Durst's political observations.
This audible interview was
released in 2001. Provided by Blue Wolf Productions
"Whoop-eeeee!"
It's all good when Robin Williams welcomes the
one and only Whoopi Goldberg to the show. As an
actress, writer, director, producer, and humanitarian,
Whoopi is equally at home on stage or screen,
and just as compelling in an array of genres -
drama (an Academy nomination for The Color Purple),
science fiction (five seasons on Star Trek: The
Next Generation), awards shows (two Emmy nods
for Oscar hosting), game shows ("center square,
please"), and of course comedy - as in Comic
Relief with Billy Crystal and Robin.
Robin and Whoopi go way back, farther than either
of them care to remember. In part two, they contemplate
the not-so-pretty parts of aging, consider what
the men do now when the
Girl from Ipanema walks by, ponder what stories
the Oval Office rug would tell, if rugs (or their
DNA) could talk, and praise one of the holiest
of comedic grails - the fart joke.
This audible interview was
released in 2001. Provided by Blue Wolf Productions
It's
an audible love-fest when Robin Williams sits
down with fellow Audible Original host and comedian
Greg Proops. Proops is best known for his unpredictable
appearances on Whose Line Is It Anyway?, the hit
improvisational comedy series hosted by Drew Carey.
He's also currently taping a soon-to-be-released
dating show, Rendez View. Proops shares his Moroccan
memories of taxis, Roman ruins and open-air markets.
Also, Proops reminisces about his former life
in England and Proops and Robin share their love
for Scottish slang, British fighting, and Highland
mating habits.
And, while Proops' idea of roughing it is an unstocked
hotel mini-bar, Proops and Robin ponder the outback
and sub-Saharan Africa as seen through the
lens of CBS' Survivor.
This audible interview was
released in 2001. Provided by Blue Wolf Productions
Robin
talks with San Francisco-based rocker Huey Lewis.
Huey Lewis and the News was one of the most popular
rock bands of the mid-'80s, with catchy, power-pop
hits like "I Want a New Drug," "Heart
of Rock & Roll," "Hip to Be Square,"
and "The Power of Love." After a 10-year
hiatus, the band has just released a new album,
Plan B, which is steadily climbing the charts.
As the band prepares for a cross-country tour,
Huey Lewis and Robin share hilarious memories
of European travel experiences with Robin switching
accents faster than you can say "I'm happy
to be 'Stuck with You.'" Robin
and Huey Lewis do their impressions of the quietly
frenzied fans in Bukodan, ponder the inner life of trout
caught by amateur fly fishermen, share memories
of growing up in Marin County, and talk about
when it's okay to stop worrying about ambition.
And, for an extra treat, James Brown impressions!
This audible interview was
released in 2001. Provided by Blue Wolf Productions
Robin's
guest is the inimitable Bob "Bobcat"
Goldthwait, the comedian whose signature screaming-n-screeching
delivery won him movie roles and instant fame
in the 1980s and 90s. He made his debut on Late
Night with David Letterman when he was just 20,
then skyrocketed into national celebrity with
starring roles in the Police Academy movies. His
career since then has been diverse, including
several successful gigs in voice work (Beavis
and Butthead, Disney's Hercules) and a film directorial
debut (Shakes the Clown), with promising cult
appeal. Among Bobcat's most outrageous acts was
his 1994 Tonight Show appearance - in which he
set fire to Jay Leno's guest couch.
You probably know Bobcat for his distinctive vocal
qualities,
his movie and voiceover roles, and his spectacular
appearances on television talk shows - just don't
mention his name to Jay Leno if you know what's
good for you.
This audible interview was
released in 2001. Provided by Blue Wolf Productions
Over an award-winning career of almost 30 years,
Grace has worked for The New York Times, Time,
Newsweek, and UPI. He's also published two critically
acclaimed photography books, Comedians and Choose
Me: Portraits of a Presidential Race. Perhaps
most importantly - nudge nudge, wink wink - Grace
has photographed Robin extensively...in fact,
Grace took all the audible.com shots of Robin!
Grace has described his craft thus: "Most
photographers...they're not writers and they're
not poets. They pick up the camera to communicate."
In
addition to shooting all the audible.com shots
of Robin Williams, celebrity photographer and
photojournalist Arthur Grace has shot (photographically,
that is) George Bush, Jimmy Carter, Billy Crystal,
Matt Damon, Bob Dole, Michael Dukakis, Whoopie
Goldberg, Al Gore, Alexander Hague, Gary Hart,
Bob Hope, Jesse Jackson, Alan King, Sam Kinison,
Richard Lewis, Steve Martin, Jackie Mason, Dan
Quayle, Joan Rivers, Lily Tomlin, and Steven Wright,
to name a few. His 30-year career makes fabulous
fodder for part two of his conversation with Robin!
This audible interview was
released in 2001. Provided by Blue Wolf Productions
The
premiere guest for Robin's second season @ audible.com
was actor/comedian/writer/director and all-around
funny guy Billy Crystal. Crystal's latest project,
the HBO critically-acclaimed film 61*, told the
surprisingly touching story of the 1961 home run
race between Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris.
Here are some facts from the Betcha-Didn't-Know
file on Billy Crystal: as a child, his sometime-babysitter
was jazz legend Billie Holiday...he made his film
debut as a pregnant
man in a 1978 film written by Joan Rivers...and
he and Robin have appeared in three movies together,
not just one as is commonly thought: they starred
together in Father's Day and both had supporting
roles in Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet and Woody Allen's Deconstructing Harry. Find out more
in this one-of-a-kind conversation.
This audible interview was
released in 2001. Provided by Blue Wolf Productions
Robin
is on stage in front of a San Francisco audience
with prolific author, humorist, and funny family
man Calvin Trillin, who's penned 20 books and
writes a weekly column for Time and a weekly poem
for The Nation. It can be said that Robin and
Calvin are the flip sides of one very wacky coin,
and they prove it in this conversation, which
includes a multi-language rant on "the tic-tac-toe
chicken," a dissection of The New York Times
wedding announcements, and a debate of the relative
merits of Mickey Mouse in France versus the American
counterpart. Plus, The Wizard of Oz starring Paula
Jones, the requirements that ought to exist for
the presidency, a lighthearted rundown of jokes
about Hitler, Stalin, and Trotsky, and a definitive
answer to the age-old question: Is anything not
funny?
Their converstation include topics like bubble-blowing
on Venice Beach, a visit to French and Italian
talk shows, Trillin's tribulations trying to tell
jokes to a Japanese audience, why Los Angeles
is funnier than San Francisco and an explanation
of English humor. Plus, they discuss why some
occupations should not be combined with others,
clothing prejudices, Henry Kissinger and Martha
Stewart. Finally, Robin and Calvin go head to
head on the subject of mimes, answer audience
questions, and Robin reveals a serious side.
This audible interview was
released in 2001. Provided by Blue Wolf Productions
Robin
and comedian Rick Overton are in the studio for
some fun and hijinks - complete with sound effects!
There's a visit with a cranky yoga instructor,
some walk-the-plank versions of pirate adventure,
an interview with a blues legend who's seen too
much Slingblade, and a laid back take on dog obedience
training. Robin auditions a "little person"
for the Harry Potter movie, there's a Crocodile
Hunter visit to a really wild kingdom, and the
Roman Coliseum gets an up-to-date sound system
(complete with stadium-style reverb). Plus, Rick
scares Robin to the depths of his soul, and someone
sounding just like Elmer Fudd shills for "Psychic
Cartoon Friends."
(You thought "Kotter" was gonna be somewhere
in that sentence, didn't you?) Robin and Rick
are pretty far out in left field, as they answer
listener email and improvise as they go. Both
comedians exercise various accents and give their
voices a real workout, as Mrs. Doubtfire gives
cooking and parenting advice, the Italian Men's
Club has their annual cookout, and Pope John Paul
I enjoys his last supper. Plus, the Iron Chef
meets the Donner family, and Robin waxes eloquent
about Monica Lewinsky in sonorous Shakespearean
prose. Only from Robin Williams, and only at Audible!
Robin and Rick also go on a musical adventure
with Ranger Bob, sit down around a forest fire
for a Q&A, conduct a job interview with a
wanna-be astronaut, and play Dead Man Joking.
In addition they visit with Sean Connery, Robert
DeNiro, and Christopher Walken - or reasonable
facsimiles thereof. Plus, essential Glaswegian
phrases, the call-in radio show "Two Cardiac
Guys," and a trick question from the depths
of Hell.
This audible interview was
released in 2001. Provided by Blue Wolf Productions
Hackett, who gained fame by spouting dirty jokes
while managing to look completely innocent, talks
with Robin about the old days of comedy, when
"damn" qualified as foul - and foul
language wasn't allowed. We learn about Hackett's
ill-fated career in upholstery, how to pass a
lot of time in Budapest, and why a greasy pastrami
sandwich is better than healthy food. Plus, lunch
with Danny Kaye, Yiddish lessons with James Cagney,
and passing gas with Orson Welles.
It's jocularity galore, as Hackett tells some
classic jokes about old folks, doctors, sex, parrots,
Neil Armstrong, Joe Louis, and Sonny Liston. We
learn how to tell a sight
joke on an Internet audio show, and that the difference
between being a clean or a dirty comedian is the
difference between being a millionaire or a billionaire
- and you may be surprised at which is which.
Hackett also talks about Singita, the unique Los
Angeles County shelter he and his wife founded
to benefit the homeless - both people and animals!
This audible interview was
released in 2000. Provided by Blue Wolf Productions
Putting
Robin Williams and Cheech Marin in a studio and
turning on the mikes is something akin to walking
a pyromaniac into a kerosene plant with a lighted
Zippo. Firestorm is an understatement. Robin and
Cheech (yes, the same one, of Cheech and Chong
fame) ricochet through a rapid-fire series of
topics that might be mundane in anyone else's
hands - marriage, parenthood, cell phones, living
and working in San Francisco - but of course nothing
is ever boring in a Robin and Cheech world. And
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