>> funding for overheard with evan smith is provided in part by mfi foundation, improving the quality of life within our community, and from the texas board of legal specialization, board certified attorneys in your community. experienced, respected and tested. also by hillco partners, texas government affairs consultancy, and its global health care consulting business you unit, ho health and by the alice kleberg reynolds foundation and viewers like you. thank you. >> i'm evan smith. he's best known for playing the modern era of television, hank kingsly. his new web-only series is transparent. he's jeffrey tambor, this is

overheard. >> actually there are not two sides to every issue >> i guess we can't fire him now. >> i guess we can't fire him now. the nights that i win an emmy >> being on the supreme court was an improbable dream. it's hard work and it's controversial >> without information there's no freedom and it's journalists who provide that information >> window rolls down and this guy says, hey, he goes until 11:00. >> jeffrey tambor, welcome >> my pleasure. thank you >> so nice to have you here >> thank you. i'm honored. >> i want to ask you first about transparent i'm excited about this. amazon >> the revolution is here. when we delivered the show, i remembered talking to some people and i thought the revolution was here, it's actually been here for some time >> it has >> and i just didn't know about it. >> yeah. >> but, yeah, i like that other side of the fence very, very, very much >> very different than what

we're used to with traditional television. we'll come back to this, but you lived in a world of nontraditional distribution for a long time. >> yeah, i did the hbo series, the sanders show. i like the edge. as i was talking to someone earlier, every time i veered from that i sort of lost my way. but i do like edgy. my first film role was in justice for all. i like the edge. transparent directed by the great jill soloway >> magnificent writer, great talent >> great director. every time she talked to me, every time she just said anything to me, i just got better. you want to be around those kind of people >> in this show, you play a transgendered character >> that's transparent >> transparent >> i didn't get that, about a week in, i went, oh >> so it took you a week it was a play on words >> yeah. but it's a wonderful -- he's the head of the family and he os

stenbly calls out -- well, not ostensibly called his family over that your dad made a decision in his life and he wants to transgender -- he's not going to change his sexuality >> right >> he's just going to dress up, he feels a feminine urge and he dresses and everything, but he does it. and we end on him talking to a group, he's coming around >> contemplating >> no, no, he's in there, he's just in the beginning stage of his transformation >> not there yet >> yeah. which is -- oh, gosh, i love the role. >> have you seen it? >> i've seen the pilot. the pilot on amazon, so you go to amazon >> and you love it, right? >> you love it. and i was frustrated that there was not more episodes >> : well, no, it's a pilot. based on your response, and y'all will be watching it by 5:00 tonight. they go on that >> they're going to make the decision on the basis of the response weather to go forward

>> it's looking very good. we've gotten tremendous response and very, very nice >> how does a show like this come to you? what happens you're a great character, done so many interesting shows, what happens when a show -- >> you land at los angeles aimpt, you're about to do -- airport, you're about to do some publicity, i think i was going to go on a show call "the talk. i got an e-mail saying read this script. by the time i got to the hotel, i was in the car, i fell in love with the show. i met jill the very next day and i was in love >> and it didn't matter to you that it wasn't a show that necessarily people would see -- we talked about nontraditional distribution, you're cool with all that? >> you know, you vas late between -- i've learned my thing is to go for the role. the actor will always go for the role, and i fell in love, and that's my job. i also -- we're going to talk about, i lecture and i do things >> we'll talk about that, yeah. >> i do things, i'm not -- my

whole deal and the thing i teach when i teach my workshops is you've got to be nimble in this world and you've got to follow your purpose. and, you know,al po cheen no said to me when i was doing injustice for all >> 35 years ago? >> is that it? >> 35 years ago. >> good night. i need to rest [laughter]. >> wow. i remember i was going out to do a show called the ropers. >> right. >> and i was going to get the great $6,000. and i talked to him and i -- >> 6,000 a week >> 6,000 a week, yeah. we were talking about money, and he said, how many steaks can you eat? that's a great, great thing >> well, you try to eat $6,000 a week worth of steaks >> it's a great piece of advice. i do like that. and, of course, arrested development, i like that side of the fence. and, you know, this is just the beginning. hold on. but the whole idea of just, you

know, a family gathered around the show turning on a television at a certain point in time >> on an appointed channel is prehistoric >> long gone. >> you grew up in san francisco >> i did >> parents were not in the business, in entertainment >> barney and eileen tambor >> right. what got you -- you went to school out there >> i got a little theater in san francisco state college, i went across, i watched them rehearse, i went, whatever they're doing, vi to do. i -- i have to do. i was a little fat boy with a lisp. i'd say my name jeff >> i'd say no, jeff. and they'd say...whatever. and i went in the theater and i would help them strike the sets. and i remember one day i lifted up this one fees of rock and it was -- piece of rock and it was made out of elastic, and i remember bursting into tears saying whatever this is -- i

felt so connected, whatever this is, it feels so powerful and it feels so wonderful and i have to do it. it was the first moment i actually knew -- i thought, i know what i'm doing. it was the first moment of connectedness or -- it was very, very powerful moment >> so how did you get to that from being -- you're describeing optimal you'd imagine before getting before the cameras. so what was it >> i believe once you find your deal, joseph campbell calls it your blits. once you find your purpose, that sounds a little pe dan tick, or your groove, you fly. you get fire in the belly and you wake up every morning. i had an actor teaching i've never talked about this >> go ahead >> i had an acting teacher named seamus, he told me jeffrey, you cannot and you should not be an actor. and i remember saying seamus, i'm going to take you down. >> right. >> that's the motivation i need,

right >> every moment i went seamus, he and a guy named george. i had a lisp still then and in rehearsal i said...and george returned to the rehearsal audience and went [descriptive noise] you'll see. >> that's the motivation >> you have to have fire in the belly >> as long as you do. >> i love it. i like the -- between whatever happens between ladies and gentlemen, places please and the curtain call or action and cut, i love. >> and theater was indeed the start, you did repertoirery theelt tre >> i did 14 years based on a four-minute audition in chicago. went to san diego. oh, my goodness, $55 a week. >> good training.

>> oh, great. great. >> but then we mention injustice for all. that was '79, that was really the first big credit on your resume, and then you seem to have worked pretty steadily. a lot of tv in those next two decades, right? >> yeah, yeah. >> a fair amount. and you enjoyed it. i remember "hill street blues." i remember "the rope pers." >> cross-dressing judge >> i said my sister over there and they said, no, you're putting on the dresses. and i went, what's going on? i hadn't seen the scricht. -- script. >> what was working in tv back then like. tv then is different from tv now >> well, first of all, first i thought it was a big deal, i was on broadway with george c scott >> ar ther pen is directing you. >> and then the next thing is happening to me i'm doing "the ropers." what happened? what did i do?

which is a very interesting thing, and it happened to me a lot. i don't quite understand it but it's part of my lecture series when i go and talk to people. what's your question? >> the question is what tv was like then versus now >> it was live. archie bunk irwas the next one, mary tyler moore was the next thing. it was live, it was very nervous. i was very, very, very nervous, it was very, very exciting. film was -- film, i didn't understand. i had no idea what film was. i had a big adjustment to film >> well, there is no audience. >> well, there really isn't an audience in live tv either because that's not really your audience. if you look back at "the rope

pers" i don't like right. i look like this a little bit like i don't know -- i'm scared stiff. >> yeah. >> 400 people who have been bussed in are now controlling my life. >> right. but as you say, they're not your audience >> no, this little microbe behind the things. how did hank kingsly come about, was that a character that was a creation of the program, or was it a character -- >> it was all there in the script >> all there in the script >> i went for an audition, there was another gentleman, and he said, you know, you're 23409 -- not right for this. iep very sorry >> was he trash talking you >> no, i wasn't right for to other part. he said would you mind if i gaul my friend gary. i said no. he picked up the phone and the next day i was in gary's office auditioning for hank, and that character is right on. there are about four or five, six times -- transparent is one

of them, where your personality, your character and the kaicialght that is written -- character that is written and your character comes together. there's about five or six of those that you go, oh, i know this guy. >> this but was one >> this was one. >> it's one of the shows from that period, a long time ago that that show was on >> your team seems to be everything was a long time >> you're old, that's my theme. >> it holds up. >> except for the gift -- >> oh, i think -- >> this is our first argument. >> the point is that if you watch the show, it holds up, and if you watch the show, it is impossible to think of you and that character as not being together. it's such a perfect fit >> do you know, i felt the same about him. >> no one could imagine that character played by anyone else >> he was very real to me. he was very real. i understood him inra way that i don't know -- i just got him.

one of my favorite times is when he refused -- he fell in love -- well, he didn't -- he fell in love with the woman rabbi at the reform temple, and he refused the to take his yamaca off for the camera and so they cut him right there. >> right there. >> we had great writers. it just went on and on >> think about all the talent on the show. and in fact the people you all are playing, all the people who are on that program have all then gone on and done amazing things. >> and rip is and was the walking best. >> that was inthg that was handed to you? >> right there. the secret is, and every actor will tell you, is that no script, no -- it's not going to work. >> but, of course, i think about some of the people we've gotten used to running -- the

equivalent of improvisational companies like the christopher guest troop, a lot of that stuff is not on the page. >> i've been very lucky -- i've had three writers now with jill, gary and mitch erwood from arrested and now with jill soloway, and jill is very gracious about all of that. it's right there. i did the -- it's all there. yes, you see, you're stuck with the character and the character's stuck with you, and that's the magic >> right. >> but, no, the david rabes >> even down to the level of hey now... >> make it yours >> yeah. >> arrested development is obviously a very different program than larry sanders. it feels a lot more layered, you know, there's a lot more about it, the characters are enter

woven, the last season which was on netflix and hopefully there will be another season beyond that, the idea of having every show be from the vantage point of a particular character would seem -- >> how he did that >> it seems revolutionary, even though it may be all that -- >> it's may be all that what? >> it's revolution naish but tv has gotten to be pretty out of the box these days. but even by those standards, i feel like i would never see anything else like that. >> it's adding another element on the elemental chart >> right >> and we weren't all together. it was a very big -- because of mitch, we all went on to -- not better, but things, and -- except for michael sarah. i don't know what happened to him. >> poor guy. >> nothing really happened. >> no career. >> jason was unheard of. >> hardly working at all >> no, they're all burgeoning. so i don't know how he did it.

he is a genus. mitch is a jeanious. >> and that character >> i played two characters >> you didn't start with oscar until how long? >> no, i think two years into it. they put on a wig for george and they were going to cut the wig, and we went to mitch and he called all the writers there and they were -- i thought they were talking about where they were going to cut it, because the wig i had before was like this -- thing you get at -- i don't know, the woolworths or something, it was like putting a dog on my head. and we got this wig and he said, hold on a second. and then the next script was oscar, they never cut it. >> new character, didn't cut it >> new character >> bringing the show back after all that time being off >> yeah >> how hard it to get back into character >> four minutes >> didn't even take a -- >> yeah. i remember a beautiful moment was when we all did the first living room scene and we all -- >> like a family reunion, right? >> it was really something. this was after five years, after

yes, no, maybe, can you do, can you be, yes, no, and then we're all in the living room and we're looking at each other and everyone just burst into -- just into applause >> oh, sure. it's a feat to get everybody back together >> yeah. but this is a family. >> yeah. >> and hooray. and this was a revolution, because the audience brought us back >> all the questions and all the demands when are we going to have another season. and honestly let's glif the netflix -- give the netflix people credit foreseeing >> and also 20th century fox. they put it on. and it's a numbers game, and they just didn't -- technology being what it is, now with algorithms, everybody knows what they're going to do. then they didn't know. they didn't know that 500 people from usc were watching it in a gymnasium. they didn't know >> do you think they'd like to have it back? knowing what they know now? >> yeah.

[laughter]. >> i'm just saying that to be mean. how do i know? >> let's assume that they came back and said we're going to fight netflix hammer and tongue to do the season five >> did you say hammer and tongue >> well -- >> let's say they're going to fight them and they're going to say we want to have it back on network. do you think it's better on netflix or better on network >> better on netflix. it's all about how you send it. i'm all -- there's a certain way, because you're sending it a certain way, the audience is getting it a certain way. it's very special >> and they're in control >> who? >> the audience >> when they watch it and -- >> but also i get to go -- yes, but i also get to go wider berth and i don't have to go 21 minutes and i don't have to do a commercial, and i can -- i have a widerberth in my cracte >> thas >> the revolution ise. t my youny you actos -- i've been a teacher 45 years, i've been a lecturer for five years. i've been touring all over the

united states. and when i talk to people, i just say, you know, the opportunities are more now >> yeah. >> i mean, my son, my ni-year-old son went out with his friend, just out in our back field and came back and had a movie made on his little phone. so it's here. >> yeah. >> yeah. i optioned the movie and now we're -- >> now you're going to make it. >> no. >> but i think you bring up a good point, kids the age of your kids, kids the age of my kids a little bit older, they've only known the way of this world. it's a diy world. they don't need convention or institution >> i have 24 year olds, two twin boys, and i was -- two four years old, two twin boys, i do a lot of voice over >> and now when they're sitting me, is that you? >> well, they're hip to this stuff. >> they used to tell people, what does your dad do for a living, they would say he eats

lunch >> he eats lunch. >> because they would ce to the set during lunch >> cab services >> when i ate lunch. dad eats lunch, which must have gone very well at school >> many, many worse things >> in the time we have left talk about the lecturing that you're doing and the acting workshops that you've led because obviously you're imparting so many years of experience from the business >> i don't understand it at all. i've been a teacher for 45 years, teaching acting. i started at -- i started at wayne state university as actually a teaching assistant >> yeah. >> and then i went and did acting classes and i studied at the beverly hills play house, i was a teacher at his place for 20 years and then i went out on my own. somebody saw me when i was lecturing over at dreamworks and they said you've got to take this baby out.

and so i started taking it out and my gosh sh i've taken it out to -- yesterday i talked to 6,000 educators here in austin. >> south by southwest edu, big education conference >> my adrenal conference only crashed >> what did you tell them -- what in your experience as an actor over all these years can translate to a teacher? >> well, i am a teacher, i come to them as a father, i come to them as a -- myaughter is a professor of european history, graduate of columbia >> just published >> just published. thank you, oxford university press. and i -- i went all the way to my ph... >> very close >> page 38 i went, what the hell am i doing? i left. i come at it a lot of ways. i am about education, i am about finding. so many of my students have gone on to success, but most of them

have stopped >> have stopped >> most people stop and take their dream, their police, tir purpose, whatever -- blis, their purpose, i believe -- without sounding woo woo, i believe you come into this world with field orders and if you don't go by those orders and do them, it's a problem. and most people kind of do the two-step aside, no offense, but just an aside and kind of settle into easier, more comfortable rooms >> do people even know -- >> i thought you were going toe say do people even know what you're talking about >> do people even know that they have field orders? i think a lot of people get to a point in life >> my kids do >> even at that age >> adults don't, but my kids do. they know. you know that when i talk to you about that san francisco state college moment, that was my moment >> you knew it >> joseph campbell calls that, joseph campbell, finding your bliss, you know, he says you get the call.

and woe the tide you don't answer that. absolutely and a mentor will take you through, the good teacher >> how important it is it to have -- >> the mentor? >> yeah. >> everything. we can go through this audience, i remember ba, ba, ba >> right >> i had two people. the first time i was about 11 and no one has ever told me i knew what i was doing right. >> yeah. >> and the other one was a bookstore owner, who i -- i own a bookstore. i don't know if you know that >> i don't know that where? >> hold on. >> okay. i'm holding on >> skylightbooks.com. you can buy a book even as we're speaking. >> yeah. >> buy a book even as we're speaking. skylight books in los angeles. it's been one of my dreams. books and the theater saved my life >> and because the bookstore owner previously was a big

influence >> books saved my life. i came from a family russian, hung gair ran, it was not quiet tion and books were my place to go >> demonstrative, right? >> yeah. and i remember going when i would close the door to the library, my dad would drop me off at 6:00 and pick mow up at 9:00, i would go [sigh] and i feel the same way when i open the book in the morning. it's very interesting, i just got emotional. that's the ticket. that's the ticket into what we're talking about >> yeah >> most people do are training for what interests them. i try to get them to train for what grabs them around the throat and they go, oh, no, not that. oh, because i don't want to disappoint mom, i don't want to disappoint dad or -- >> and some, it might be hard >> it is hard. but you know what? it's easy once you find it, you know. once you find it -- and it's easier now >> i appreciate all the time after doing what you've done, you still seem entirely

energized for it >> well, i had half of a candy bar >> so you had some sugar >> no, i loved it. i don't understand it. i talk to people. they go why are you doing this? >> yeah >> i think at a certain point, you just said, i want to be useful, and that's all. it's not about giving back. i have no humanitarian purpose at all, i just love it >> well, good. >> thank you. >> good. you sound like my mother, well, good. >> fine >> go do whatever you have to do. >> jeffrey tambor, we're out of time. thank you so much. >> the pleasure is mine. thank you so much. jeffrey tambor. we'd love to have you join us in the studio, visit our website at klru.org/overheard to find invitations to interview, q and as with our audience and guests and an archive of past episodes. >> i went to new york and i -- i

met arthur penn, and i got three lines of plain called "flat box." people told me not to take it. >> funding for overheard with evan smith is provided in part by mfi foundation, improving the quality of life within our community, and from the texas board of legal specialization, board certified attorneys in your community, experienced, respected, and tested. also by hillco partners, texas government affairs consultancy, and its global health care consulting business unit, hillco health, and by the alice kleberg reynolds foundation and youers like you. thank