tv Charlie Rose PBS December 29, 2016 12:00am-1:01am PST
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welcome to the program, as 2016 comes to an end we take this moment to look back on some of the best programs of the year, tonight come ed yen and act reses amy schumer. >> this is the most personal thing i've ever been a part of. it is just literally what happened and how i felt about it and there is still jokes in there because even at the time i found the humor in it. but it's-- yeah, it's completely raw, there is no fa sad. it is stand up t is still a little bit of a character even though i feel like my standup is getting more and more personal. but this book is, it's me and it's all true. i think just being open to evolving and so what was funny to me and how i was doing standup ten years ago is very
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different than how it is now. >> rose: how so? >> well, i was really doing a character when i started. sort of this irreverent. >> rose: how would you define the character. irreverent. >> irrev ent, just like white idiot. a kind of stepfordy sorority girl who didn't know any better. with like a lot of one-liners. you know, cuz you start out and you just getting stage time however you can. and most joes are open mics which means you are performing in front of only other comedians waiting to form who paid to be there. it is an ugly-- it's productive but it's a rough-- a rough thing to do and there's not great energy in the room. so i would have to actually surprise people into laughing. if you get a laugh at those, it's not easy. so that-- . >> rose: and they would be surprised that they were laughing. >> yeah, cuz everyone is looking at their notebook waiting to go up so you had to say something that caught them off guard to pay attention so there was a
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little more of a shock factor. and then as time has gone on, i have moved further and further away from that. i still love a good one-liner. or something that has a twist. >> rose: and what have you moved to? >> more story-telling and more of who i really am. i think, you know, we have different versions of ourselve. who i would be at a party with my best friends really saying what i think, and being kind of on. >> rose: an encore presentation of amy schumer for the hour. , when we continue. funding for charlie rose has been provided by the following: >> and by bloomberg, a provider of multimedia news and information services worldwide. captioning sponsored by rose communications
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from our studios in new york city, this is charlie rose. amy schumer is here. she is an actor, writer, producer and now author. as a standup comedian she plays to sold out audiences around the world. her 2016 tour was voteed pollster's comedy tour of the year. >> well, i showed up to film this movie and i was like, i think i'm a model now. like i was seriously, i think a lot of girls are like this. we have a sneaking suspicion in the back of our heads like, am i maybe gorgeous? (laughter) i think i'm gorgeous. (cheers and applause) right? i'm gorgeous but i just haven't stumbled on the right hair-do,
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you know? one day on a whim i will just cut bangs and everybody will be like yeah, and i'll be like oh my god,-- you guys. and they're like we can't, we're too hard. and i'm like i get it. but then, but then my stunt double was a guy. (laughter) just in case you have never been to l.a., it is filled with the most beautiful people from all over the world. so picture the most beautiful girl in your high school, like the one that you wanted to be, okay, i'm talking to the guys right now. (laughter) and everybody was like you're too pretty for buffalo, britney, go to l.a go. everyone is hot there. every body, okay. i saw a guy cleaning up a pizza
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hut bathroom. i would have paid this guy to [bleep] me. i would have paid him goods money. i don't-- people don't even see me there. like they're just like is that a fat tumble weed, like what-- my body type there, my arms register as legs there. they're just-- (laughter) they're like is that an october pus, i-- octopus, i don't understand. and my legs register as fire wood. they're just like, like why is the bfg on sunset? and like that's the secret, i found out. that's hollywood's secret. they don't put food in their faces. and that's not an option for me. like i don't know how it was, in your house growing up but in my house it was like, you would eat until you were in a lot of pain. (laughter) and then you take like a little breather, and you get yourself back in even more pain. right?
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like i was born weighing 150. like i just came out swinging like give me ling winnie, mom. (applause) that's how it's been. i have never in my life-- i've never said this sentence in my life, i have never said oh my god, i forgot to have lunch today. like never in my life. if anything, i've been like oh, [bleep], i had two lunches today. >> rose: she has a hit television show called inside amy schumer which plays on comedy central. according to "the washington post" the show is slated for a fifth season but not in the fore seeable future in 2015 she received a peabody for outstanding sketch series and a critic's choice award. >> amy, are you not nothing, you are not nothing. are you not overweight. okay. how does the woman who does not
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know how to sew, learn to sew and then go on to sew a flag for her country. and if so. ♪ what could her name be. snoavment oh i no for sure, her name, b, like be, t, yes, she's meant to sew your flag, that will be just like this. trying to prove that her state exists, and country. and that is act one. >> that is in act one. >> as i just said, that is act one. >> okay. and then act two is more like, i'm so bet see. i better have my-- it's getting flag in here. so wave it off, wave it off. i heard you call to have your flag sewn. called to have your flag sewn. >> rose: last year we wrote
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and starred in her first film called "train quek." that film made more than $140 million worldwide. >> are you feeling better, is this more comfortable. >> i can feel it. i'm still getting like a little bit of a whim. >> jesus. >> and if that wasn't enough she has now written her first book. it is called the girl with the lower back ta too. entertainment we cannily writes that the book is laugh out loud funny when schumer wants it to be. but more often is surprisingly honest and raw. it is a series of essays that range in subject matter from being a member of new money to which she wants people to say at her funeral. like her comedy and her life, the book received high praise for its rawness and for its insight. all of that makes me very pleased to have amy schumer at this table for the first time. welcome. >> it's an honor to be here. >> rose: it's about time, my dear. >> i know, hard to get all these
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years. >> rose: we longed for you. >> i really wanted to make you wait. >> rose: did you really? why now to write this book? cuz it really is revealing. >> yeah. yeah, i think, well, i've been working on it for like four to five years, actually. and kind of since i was 13, cuz i wrote journals from age 13 to 23. and i kept very detailed log of my life. and-- . >> rose: in anticipation of being famous and wanting to write a book. >> no, i think just like every other kid, i read the diary of anne frank and it seemed appealing and therapeutic to just keep, you know, to keep a record and kind of express myself. and it made life feel more real to me it made it feel like i was actually existed, to write down things that happened. and so there are excerpts from the journal, actual excerpts of
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footnotes and annotationsment and yeah, but i've really been working on this book for years. this wasn't a, you know, now is the time and i can make some money. let me throw it together. >> rose: this is how you start. a note to my readers, hey, it's me, amy. i wrote a book there is something i wanted to do for a long time because i lovemaking people laugh and feel better. some of the stories will be funny like the time i [bleep] myself in austin and some will make you feel a little blue, the time my sister and i were also sold into sex slavery in italy. j.k., neither of those stories are in this book even though both actually happened. unfortunately. speaking of everything in this book really happened, it's all true and nothing but the truth so help me god but it isn't the whole truth. believe it or not, i don't tell you guys everything. you do tell us a lot though. >> i do tell you a lot. >> rose: and you say you didn't tell stories about anybody that you didn't first say to them, i'm going to tell this story. >> right, nobody whose actual name is in the book.
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i checked with everybody. and they read what was going to be written about them and they approved of it. >> rose: what do you call these, essays? >> i guess, yeah. >> rose: how you felt about things at the moment. >> yeah, and just what happened. the thing that is good about keeping journals is you have the records of what actually happened. >> rose: but what is interesting to me, you say are you not nora ephron. >> rose. >> right, you don't feel that way. >> yes, i don't feel that way. i feel that if i am going to say something that might hurt someone's feelings or they might be embarrassed by, i want to make sure, have i people say please don't write about me. or i have written things and they say i'm not comfortable with, that and i won't put it out. but everything that is said on tv or in interviews or anything, i spoke to the people in my life first. and they said it was okay. cuz when i was first starting out i would make a joke and i friend would get upset. i mean this is, 13 years ago, that i learned that lesson. it's not worth it to hurt anybody that you care about for
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a joke. so everything is not copy to me. >> rose: for a joke or to sell a book. >> for a joke, definitely not to sell a book. >> rose: what's different in terms of the book and standup for you? >> this is the most personal thing i've ever been a part of. it's just literally what happened and how i felt about it and there are still jokes in there because even at the time i found the humor in it. but it's, yeah, it's just completely raw there is no fa ds sade it is stand stillup. i feel like my standup is getting more and more pernal but this book is me. and it's all true. >> rose: people like seinfeld an others have come to this table. and what they in essence are, they say, are standup comedians. >> yeah. >> rose: that's what they are. that is how they would define themselves. >> yeah. >> rose: you? >> a model. >> rose: a model.
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>> no, i-- i feel very much like a standup comic. that feels-- but i first think of myself as a woman. >> rose: well, i think they think that too. >> they think that they are women as well. >> rose: well, no, but in terms of not thinking of themselves as a writer or thinking of themselves as an actor or thinking themselves of, you know, a sketch comedian. >> i understand. i thought of my sech as a comic for the last, 13 plus years. and now i feel like i'm evolving. so i don't know, i would still say that i'm a comic but i don't know if maybe in another 13 years no, i'm really more of a writer and that is how i identify. but i identify as a come ed yen. >> rose: has this turned out how you anticipated. >> writing a book? >> rose: no, the whole life. >> life? yeah. >> rose: it was the dream. >> this is sur passioned my dreams. i always knew that i would
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perform in some capacity. but i wasn't sure how. but i always believed that things were going to work out. >> rose: did you have a comedic voice. >> always, yeah. >> rose: and you knew that early on. >> yeah, even as young as i can remember. i was making people laugh. hearing myself say that, i want to throw up. >> rose: that kind of defines you, doesn't it. you can do that, it separates you. >> yeah, it does. you either have it or you don't. and it is a little bit of a superpower as a kid cuz you can get yourself out of some trouble or into a lot of trouble. but it does separate you. and i always think of this thing that chris rock said. in actually a pbs documentary, make em laugh. he said if ignorance is bliss, then what is the opposite of that. so comedians, i feel like we observe so much that it kind of is like a living hell. so it feels like this thing that
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you are kind of blessed with you but it is also a curse. >> rose: so that means comedians see life with maybe a different eye than the rest of us. >> definitelyz. >> rose: we see the humaner in things or the absurdity in things? >> i think-- both of-- i think all of that. >> rose: yeah. >> yeah. >> rose: and you knew that early. >> yeah. yeah. >> rose: and that is a comedic voice. and how do you-- how did you then go about since honing it and making it what is became. is it just. >> i think just being open to evolving and so what was funny to me and how i was doing standup ten years ago, is very different than how it is now. >> rose: how so? >> well, i was really doing a character when i started. sort of this irreverent. >> rose: irreverent.
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>> irreverent, just like white idiot. just like a kind of stepfordy sor yority girl, who didn't know any better. with like a lot of one-liners. you know, cuz you start out and you are just getting stage time however you canment and most shows are open mics which means you are performing in front of only other comedians waiting to perform who paid to be there. it's kind of, it's an ugly-- it's productive but it's a rough-- a rough thing to do. and there is not a great energy in the room. so i would have to actually surprise people into laughing. if you get a laugh at those, it's not easy. so that-- . >> rose: and they would be surprised that they were laughing yeah, cuz everyone is looking at their notebook waiting to go up so you had to say something that kind of caught them off guard to pay attention so there was a little bit more of a shock factorment and then as time has gone on, i have moved further and further away from that. i still love a good one-liner. or something that has a twist. >> rose: and what have you
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moved to? >> more storytelling and more of who i really am. i think it's-- you know, we have different versions of ourselve, who i would be at a party with my best friends really saying what i think. and being kind of on, you know, when you are in the mood to kind of be social and you are kind of feeling it. that is me on stage. so it's very much me right now with maybe a one-liner or two thrown in, that is just something awful. but mostly it's the closest to myself that i have ever been on stage. >> in your 20st you are so corrupt with pore with. especially if you in love with your 20s. number 20s love is so arrogant. are you like we're so lucky we found each other. what are these bad songs about? i think 20s love is the same as the tsunami because i read that
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in the tsunami the tide was way in, so fish were flopping around the shore. and people were like psyched. they were gathering them with baskets. like i can't believe my luck. look at all these fish. that is like 20s love. you're like for me. and then you're like oh-- and it murders you. but yeah. but enjoy it. >> i don't like talking to really hot people. i'm very grossed out being around someone gorgeous. but my friend talked to her and he was like she was actually really funny. and i was like-- you.
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(cheers and applause) no way. there is no way. we have such low expectations for hot people to be anything. i'm like you are probably blown away she wane just sitting there playing with her-- and drooling i'm like what did she say that was so funny. and he was like well, we were talking about playing pool later and she was like get ready to lose. (laughter) i was like oh, a special coming on hbo what a great-- . >> rose: who has helped you shape it. has chris rock helped you in a way? >> chris helped me so much, just by agreeing to direct my special but jerry seinfeld really, david to you, jim norton. >> rose: you are talking about the best. >> the best. i get to be friends with the best and we help each other, you
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know. they-- i think it's a lonely-- it seems like a lonely club at the top. and they were kind of excited, not that i am in their league but they were excitedded to have like someone new who could sort of understand the level that they are operating at, just in terms of the size of the venue and exposure and how if they say something, it becomes national news. and they've really done their best to advise me, even though i don't-- i don't listen as much as i should. >> rose: what is the best advice they give? >> well, louis and-- they all tell me just to like basically shut up and not respond to any of the-- any of the-- anything going on in the media. >> rose: yeah. >> but it's hard. >> rose: it's hard to do, especially in a world of twitter. >> and i'm a comic. i'm a communicator by nature. i want people to understand what i am saying. >> rose: and you want to be part of the conversation. >> yeah. and it just seems so unfair and
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unjust when the celebrity culture that has existed for so long where straight up lies are printed, i want to say hey, that's not true. and then that makes it a bigger story, even by responding. but they're very-- they are like, amy, just-- stay off of there. >> rose: but i think many of them, louis, for example, i think he finds it irresistible. he said some things about the political race that he knew got him in trouble but he believed it and so he repeated it. >> yeah, yeah, and then there is that moment where should i have, whatever. i personally felt very grateful that he did that. and. >> rose: because you agreed with him. >> i agreed with him, of course. but yeah, their advice is to just shut my yap. >> rose: so this controversy about metzger. >> yeah. curt miss ger, yes-- metzger wsh-- . >> rose: so what is that
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about? >> what is it about? >> rose: in other words, is that an example where you waded in even though you would rather just have not or i you fell compelled because it-- . >> curt is one of the reasons he is such a great writer and such a great contributor to our television show is because his views are so different from that of mine and most of the other writers in the room, especially jesse klein who is the head writer of the show. we butt heads. we get in fights because he infuriates us. and the room is an interesting writer's room because it has always been very diverse with the views in there. we don't want it to just be one-sided. we don't want it-- jesse and i have such similar sensibilities that it is good-- it feels very positive to have someone in there saying well there is from the male perspective and not that curt is-- but is he the most male-- you know, like the most out there perspective
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possible. curt is my friend. i love him. i am not on facebook so i don't read his crazy rants. >> like he just-- he gets something from going after people making them mad, that is not representative of me at all. i-- and you know, i've asked him, can you just stop because it comes back to me. people, because he writes for the show it is a bigger story. because of our connection so whatever taj ent he has gone off on i have not agreed with and it has been really upset to me seeing someone i care about hurt themselves like this. so right now there is no plans for the tv show to come back in any time in the near future. so nobody is on my staff. there are no writers. i think people-- you know, they want his head. they want to burn him at the stake. >> rose: and you want? >> i want them to not attach me
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to what he is writing. and i would love to refocus the energy and the attention on the real problem which is, i feel, people understanding-- . >> rose: about rape. >> it's about rape and what is consent all and what's not. because they really-- the way that he has been gone. because he baits bsh bsh baits people, is he the problem, no question. but the focus is on him, rather than on what the real main problem is. >> rose: you mean a smart, understanding of what rape has become and what we are now understanding about it. >> yeah. >> rose: after what is happening on campuses am you look at the whole range of places. >> right. >> rose: whereas people in 2016 are stepping forward bo did not step forward before. >> yeah, i think it's great that people are stepping forward. and if it is not done in a way
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that curt feels is right, you know, that's really upsetting to hear. it's like we all need to be empowering each other. and but to focus your energy onion line trolling, if i did that, i wouldn't get anything done. let's focus on actually getting the problem done. and i am-- i am-- i was sexually assaulted. i encourage women to come out. and i want men to hear what happened so that there is no confusion. because there are different-- people have different understanding of what serks all assault is. what rape is. so let's all get on the same page so that it happens less. >> rose: it is extraordinary when you see somebody come out and make an accusation and then all of a sudden especially if it is with somebody well-known, all of a sudden you hear people experiencing the same thing and then step forward and say me too. but i was afraid to step out. >> yeah. i think it's good, it's helpful.
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it makes people feel less alone. and it's such an unfortunate, awful thing with all these gray areas where you don't know because you-- because of things like this. where there is so much victim-shaming. when a woman says they were assaulted, a lot of people's first reaction is to say no, you weren't. like why-- what were you-- what was the situation. and it's just-- . >> rose: what were the circumstances. >> they treat it like the salem witch trials and it's just-- it is really unfair and it makes women not want to come forward. >> rose: is it hard for to you talk about, you. >> was it hard for me to write about it, yes. it was very-- it was a really hard thing to revisit. it was painful because i feel like when i'm reading my journals. it feels like i'm reading about another girl. and i feel bad for her. i feel for her and my heartbreaks that that happened. and that my first reaction was, because the guy felt so bad, my
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first reaction was to comfort him. and that's really sad to me. and that's not how it should be. and so yeah, i'm hoping that some people read that and you know, on one side it makes them think oh, this is not okay. and maybe it will stop them from doing something. a women might be more likely to realize that it's unfair and that something has been taken from her. and speak out about it. >> rose: do you feel today because of the power that you have, from the success you have had, and the fact that your success has been defined in part because you're willing to confront what you believe and say, las given you more power, in other words, success has given you a power that is even more than you had had brch to be open about what you think and feel. and you are less worried about any risk to quote career.
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>> no. >> rose: you still have that risk? >> yeah t doesn't make me change my behavior but i think i'm every day more at risk to hurt my career. >> rose: because the bigger you are, the bigger game you are and speem want to show engage you in some way. >> right, and kind of take me down. like there are organized things online of people trying to literally, literally end my career. but ta doesn't-- . >> rose: how does that feak you? >> it is upsetting. and then it goes very quickly for me being upset to being angry and making me want to work harder. so i don't feel victimized for very long. it just fires me up and i'm really not going to back down now. >> rose: that's what i mean. i'm not backing down any more. >> yeah. >> rose: what you have found in yourself is not only success but confidence. >> it's confidence but it's also i have an expectation for myself to be honest and be proud of how i'm living. so do i think it will hurt my
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ticket sales on the road that i'm so vocal about being a hillary supporter? yes. i think-- . >> rose: but do you care that much? do you-- are you. >> about hillary being elected. >> rose: no, i know you care about that, you made that very, w it affects ticket sales.ut >> not enough to not say it. >> rose: exactly. >> yeah, no. i am going to say what i mean and what i think and what i am proud of. >> rose: i think people come see you because they find you really entertaining and fun even-- funny and smart and interesting. >> thank you. >> rose: well, that's true. and your politics are not going to keep them from being entertained by you. >> but it does soom what, yeah. it's people who, you know, just in the same way, if i found out right now that one of my good friends from high school was planning on voting for trump-- i would-- . >> rose: you would. >> i would really pull back from the friendship.
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that's such a huge-- that's such a huge line-- . >> rose: a value designing. >> value and just-- . >> rose: character. >> all of it. so you know, i think, i think that people, i think if i kept my mouth shut about my real feelings about politics or gun violence, i think financially, financially and careerwise it would be-- it would be financially better for me. but i don't care. >> now speaking of per feblght gifts, now this is a no brainer, all right. now this is a gun. just your regular, run of the mill meat and potatoes handgunment now how cute is that. >> i love that. >> you can pick it up, heavy. >> you can hold it. >> oh, wow. >> sure. >> look at that. >> wow. >> like a toy but it's extremely real. >> and now here is what is great about this. now pretty much anyone can purchase this. >> oh my god, this is so fun, i love this. >> it's fun. >> hey, lady, give me all your money and makeup.
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so fun. and it's on sale now. call in. >> hi, i wanted to buy a lot of these but i am a suspected terrorist on the no fly list. >> oh. you're fine, sweet potatoe fries. the no fly list, no one can tell you that you don't have a right to buy a gun in this country you're trying to destroy. >> u oh. you know what that means. >> mass shooting. we've had a mass shooting. >> which means the government could be coming for your guns soon like they never have but always might. >> scary. >> rose: is your attraction to the candidacy of hillary more about her or more about the values and the position she has shall more so than the fact that she is a historic candidacy. >> oh, yeah. i i don't care that she has ever gotten her period or had a baby. i care about what a great
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candidate she is. >> rose: yeah. >> i have loved her for so long. have i been a fan of hers forever. and i think the work that she has done. she is so crazy overqualified. it's not because i want a woman in the white house. i really don't care about that. i think that's an exciting thing and that it will be good for little girls and whatever. just in the same way i wasn't interested in the race of obama. it's like i wanted him to win. it is her. >> rose: you wanted him to win against her? >> no, no, i was excited about hillary. but once it became her, it-- i pen once it became him. >> rose: in 2008 you were excited. >> i was very excited about barack once he was the candidate. >> rose: but once he won the nomination reasons right. >> rose: before that. >> i was hoping hillary would win. >> rose: uh-huh, yeah. how do you think he has been as president. >> i love him.
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i'm going to miss him so much. >> rose: what are you going to miss, his style, the intelligence. >> his smile, no-- . >> rose: his play list. >> yeah, no, i thought his play list was a little weird. >> rose: did you really? why. >> i don't know a little dit-- whatever t tha is not what is important. >> rose: it's not important but it's interesting. >> it was cool but i don't know, it was so all over the place. >> rose: what surprised you most on that play list? >> rose: have i had right here. >> you have it, oh, cool, let's look at it do you? >> rose: i do. well, it will take me a minute to get it. >> we have time, don't they easyity this? >> rose: no, we don't edit. >> did they edit that out of cbs the other day, our joke. >> rose: oh, our joke. >> yeah. >> rose: you mean about snoozing. >> no. >> rose: which joke. >> when you said how long. >> rose: oh, yes, yes, yes, did they take that out. >> i hope not. >> rose: let's do it now. >> okay, let's talk about it.
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>> rose: so i said to him, how long do you think this relationship will last. >> no, you just said we were talking about my relationship. >> rose: that's right. >> with ben. >> rose: and i said how long. you just said how long. and i really meant. >> i know you what meant. >> rose: but what did you do. you just said how long. >> and i said-- . >> rose: i don't know if they edited or not but we're certainly not going to edit it out. i promise you. we're not going to edit it. >> that's comedic talent. >> thank you. >> rose: you think that way. you play off of words, words, meaning. you have associations. >> uh-huh. >> rose: and you know what's funny. >> i think so. >> rose: you say that. >> it made you laugh. >> rose: of course it did. >> caught you off guard. >> rose: everybody at the table laughed too, none more than mean, because i knew what it meant and to watch you take it to that place. >> and i really took my time with it too. >> rose: that's the other thing, the timing was stunning..
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>> i really, yeah, i just stretch out that moment-- yeah, it's a rare fun moment. >> rose: it that is what it is. that is the gene you have. >> yeah, uh-huh. >> rose: the ability to see sort of that funiness in something like that. >> yeah. >> rose: but back to hillary for a second. >> hillary. >> rose: you were for her against barack and when she did not win you were all in for barack. >> yeah. >> rose: how much of how you feel politically is anti-trump? i know people. >> almost entirely. >> rose: it's not so much-- they are not. >> who even really knows what he stands for. it's such a-- . >> rose: or does he mean what he says. >> right, it's such a farce. it's awful. i-- you know, i think we all thought it was kind of funny. >> rose: right. >> when it started. and was like oh my god, trump, that's hilarious. >> rose: someone from the apprentice is going to be president. >> and then once it became a reality that he was a candidate, it's so disturbing.
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it is i had yok see. i don't even talk about trump in my standup. >> rose: too easy shooting fish in a barrel. >> what rewith talking about. yeah. >> rose: what is the most contemporary thing you talk about in your standup today. >> contemporary. >> rose: yeah. >> politically? >> yes. i talk about hillary. and meeting her and i talk about gun violence. >> rose: i know you do. >> yeah. i think those are the most. >> rose: people, i know this from talking to lots of comedians at the table. shaping stand up is hard work. >> yes, it is. it's time consuming and hard. >> rose: it's joke by joke, isn't it. >> 15 seconds, after a full weekend of a bunch of shows, i might get a new ten seconds out of-- a new ten seconds in what i am trying to shape for an hour set. it is a lot of work, yeah, yeah. >> rose: and you-- i mean i
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have talked to them. and they go to clubs and are tested, go up and you will find out what is good about t how to shorten it. >> right, or if it's just bad, yeah. >> rose: but what is the essence you have to have of all the people you know, what does chris have, what do you have, what does jerry have, the range of people. and you know more of the young comedians than i do. >> yeah, i hope so. everybody is pretty strange. >> we're at the cutting edge of all the new comics. like what are you doing? >> you better be impressed. >> aren't you busy. >> what did they have. >> we all have-- first of all, a enormous love and obsession with comedy and with jokes, yeah, it's just this love and this, you know, when chris agreed to-- he just offered to help me with the hour, and then i asked him to direct my hbo special. but it was really just the
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excitement of-- and it doesn't need to be you delivering the joke. if i can help someone with thrair jokes, it's so fun. it's just this drive that we have. this love of language. and this, you know, working out of ideas. we think of a premise and it's just like yes, oh my god, you can go so much further with that. and yeah, we all like just delight in it the same way. >> do you ever go back to things used in an earlier standup and bring them back and just try them again? >> yeah, well jerry changed my thinking of using bold material. just in terms of, he said you know, my generation of comics is this once you say it on tv it's burned. and you can never say it again. and he is kind of like without do you think are you that everyone is seeing every joke you have ever said. give the audience the best possible. right now if i am doing an hour and change show, i will do two jokes that might equal like a
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minute of some of my older stuff that-- the jokes that i'm the most proud of, having ever written. and i liked that philosophy. and you have to remind yourself it's not about you. these people have bought tickets. they have come, you know, they got dressed up. they parked. and they want to you entertain them. so i go up every show, promising myself that i will do the best show i have ever done in my life. and i want them to just leave happy. >> rose: and will you do anything-- i mean will you give everything. >> i will give everything. >> rose: it's like springsteen on stage. >> that's exactly how i think of myself. well, no, because i don't do like three hours. and i don't get as sweaty. >> rose: is an hour about the right time? >> an hour, an hour and 20 minutes is about what i do, yeah. >> rose: did acting come naturally? >> yeah. i -- just pompling came naturally. i got-- i studied acting.
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i was trained, i went to college and after i did this two year program with william esper. and so it was something that i wanted to get better at. i've only ever cared about acting, comedy and volleyball my whole life. everything else-- . >> rose: did you watch at the olympics. >> yeah, i did. i watched beach. i didn't watch indoor even though i played indoor. >> rose: you played indoor as well. >> now i play just if i play at all i play beach just because it's hard to get-- like hey, can nine friends come meet me at a gym. it's easier to get people to play just doubles on the beach. >> rose: how has the money made a difference in your life? >> it's-- money has been so nice. it's changed the way i travel, where i stay. and it's just made the people i'm closest to, it's been such a pleasure to be able to give to them, to my brother and sister and friends and just make life
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easier, you know. just to be able to spread it, to spread it out. and yeah. and that security, it's really nice. and it's really nice to have not come from money, to have it. cuz i really appreciate it. but yeah, it's the security. cuz you know, all i really care about is my friends and my family and being healthy and happy and i can help with that. >> how long does this last? do you have any sense of that, not that you should know how long this lasts but do you worry about that. do you worry about five years from now i have to do everything i possibly can i am so hot now. i'm so good now. they have so many things that they want me too do. i have to go as fast as can i, as feaster asi can to do as much as can i. >> i have felt that way my whole life. and since i have got everyone in this business. yes, that's how i felt. i don't feel like that right now. i feel like i've hustled so hard for so long, and i need to keep
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myself sain and healthy-- sane and healthy and now i feel like i can slow down a little bit. but i don't expect to be at this level for ever or even necessarily much longer. and i don't aspire too. i want to just, i want to keep doing standup. he want to keep writing and creating stuff. but i don't-- i don't want to do the work to keep myself at this sort of level of buzz. >> rose: you don't want that. >> no. >> rose: because it's so intense. >> it's so intense. >> rose: everybody is hanging on everything and everywhere. >> yeah, i never wanted that, and i don't want it now. >> rose: but it goes with the turf that you are part of. >> yep. >> has there been a lan though, was there some sense i'm going to make it in standup and i know how good that will bement and i know how to be good because i know have i timing and i know i have comedic instincts, i just have to pay the price.
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i have to do the 10,000 hours of whatever it is, that kind of thing. >> yeah. >> malcolm gladwell, right? >> no, i never thought about making even a dollar from standup. i tried it and i liked it and it was a way of performing. and i didn't know that people had managed. a college agent came and saw me at a show and said you can perform at colleges and you can make like 500, $800 an hour and i was just like-- my head exploded. and then it was like i would find out something as an opportunity would present itself. i'm a comedy manager. oh, okay. so it was never a means to any sort of ends of this will help me act. i think in l.a. you see a lot of models or people who are like well, if i do standup that will be good for me to get hosting work. it was never like, it was never a plan, no. i have never had a plan. >> and that's part of what
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was-- you don't know. >> it's not like a plan so it evolves. find its own direction. >> i followed the river. >> and its own speed too. >> this is what you said in here. now that all of my work, my relationship, my tweets, pie body parts and my sandwiches are publicly analyzed, my sandwiches, i'm proud that i label myself a flawed normal human before anyone else did i have been called everything in the book but i already branded myself a tramp so that hates are going to have to come up with something fresh. >> uh-huh. yeah. that is about my tattoo. >> rose: was it intent or-- . >> what do you mean. >> rose: i mean branding yourself as a tramp. >> yeah. oh, my-- you know, that's what is sort of the metaphor of the book, it's like have i this big stupid lower back tattoo, so as soon as i am in a bathing suit-- . >> rose: you don't want us to see it.
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>> well no, it's on the back. >> rose: oh, yes, it's on the back. >> i didn't see it. st, there st. that's a nice tattoo. >> no, it's not. >> rose: yes t is. >> it's stupid. no, it's raised because he went too deep. it's crooked it doesn't mean anything. >> rose: so you are really defining the kal ig fee of tat too. >> it is an awful tattoo. it's stupid. and as soon as i-- but you know, i think it's funny and i don't-- i'm not having it removed. but that's what i am saying. >> rose: does ben like it. >> he seems to like everything. i haven't heard a complaint yet. >> rose: can we talk about how you and ben got together. >> yeah, sure. >> rose: tell me. >> well, we met on a dating app. >> rose: a dating app. >> a dating app. >> rose: amy sheum certificate looking for. >> you know t was like my friends vanessa bayer and i told me about this appment and we just were kind of, we were looking through, we were like let's sign up for it we're goog
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gigelling but we both are single and were always kind of seeing somebody but nothing that we were really wanting to nurture so we both signed up. and it's fun. you are like oh my god, people. so i-- . >> rose: this is not swiping and all that stuff. >> no, its-- it kind of is. >> rose: oh, it is. >> it's not tinder or bumble or anything like that. but you know, it is a site for creative people where it was supposed to be kind of private. you can't screen shot anything. so we both signed up. and the first match that i got, the very first day was ben. and a picture of him dancing at a wedding with his grandma, just funny. and it didn't look like the other people on there trying to look interesting, play some song that would make you think that they were cool. and he is the first person i talked to. and so i got off of the app and under 48 hours, so i was online dating for 48 hours.
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and we met up. you know, we talked a little bit for like a month. he's from chicago. he was going to be in new york. and we met up. he came to-- i was like can you just come over. and my sister was like you can't have a stranger from the internet come to your apartment, amy. so it was rainy. >> rose: didn't you know that. >> i'm just lazy. that is how lazy i am, i am risking murder so i don't have to put a bra on. sew was downstairs waiting and it was raining. and he was holding a bottle of wine. and it was just this-- we just kind of saw each other. and it was just like, i don't know, kind of a peaceful moment. i had never experienced it. it was just-- we just kind of smiled. >> rose: you never experienced it. >> i had never experienced-- . >> rose: a peaceful moment. >> that kind of moment of seeing someone, cuz i had never gone on a date with a stranger anyway. yeah, just seeing each other and we just kind of walked to the restaurant we were going to
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drink at. and it just felt easy and calm and real and nice. and yeah, it was just sweet. >> rose: what surprise mees is you hadn't found that before was that because you had been all work? >> well, no i usually have dated people that i have known. so it wasn't that shall-- . >> rose: or ssh set you up with. >> the setups that i had had were not like that. it was kind of like oh, okay, yeah. >> rose: i will do it. >> yeah. and i'm sure they felt the same way. but no, it felt different it felt really sweet. >> rose: how much is acting now because of the success of the film? how much is that going to be a part of your future? >> acting? >> rose: yeah. >> i don't know. >> rose: people loved the movie t is evident in ticket sales but they loved it. >> yeah, they did. that was really nice. >> rose: tea bawk talk about, like my favorite movie that
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year. >> yours? oh. you know, i want to do projects that i'm excited about and make me proud of. i just filmed this movie, thank you for your service. it's a drama. and it is-- . >> rose: did you choose if for what reason? >> i auditioned so and i haven't auditioned for very much this year just because you know, there haven't been things that have i come across that i really wanted to be a part of. i thought oh, i don't have a chance. but i auditioned and jason hall who wrote american sniper wrote this and directed it and-- was producing it i thought why am i wasting my time. >> rose: the writer from american sniper, steven spielberg, who else is in this project. >> i know, well, miles teller, hailey bennett and it's-- you know, it's a great movie. >> rose: that is what it is
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like to be amy schumer, because are you good at what you do, a, and because you have box office appeal, people want to work with you. but i think in the end it's people like steven spielberg, it's quality. >> it was my audition. that's what they said. they said our audition got you the role which meant everything to me. >> rose: how hard did you prepare for that? >> i really prepared. it is an actual story. david finkel wrote the book so i went and met the woman who i am playing and spent time with her. we became friends. >> rose: amy, this is you. i mean you are what you are because you cared more than anybody else to be good. >> that's true. >> rose: it really is. >> i'm surprised that other people don't work harder. >> rose: i know. >> that is why you are who you are. i go don't you over-- . >> rose: and they don't understand it if you-- and they. >> why am i not doing that thing and are you-- i had a phone interview the and the other
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person said you are the senator of new york's daughter. and i went you know what, you know, good-bye. >> rose: this is going nowhere. >> people that you meet, yes, you really care and you work your ass off too. so like goldie hahn. >> rose: absolutely. >> i got to make this movie with her, she hasn't worked for 14 years but she trusted me and she chose to do this projected and we had the best time. and it's funny and it's an action movie. so and i did it because i really care about it. so it's like, i don't want to do-- i'm not trying to make tons and tons of money acting. i could make money from standup, you know, if it is something about finance. so i'm going to do stuff that i can be really proud of. >> rose: are you getting now because people know that and because they know what you have done and what you are capable of doing, really an attractive look at interesting scripts? i mean are you getting a chance now, are you seeing things that you
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couldn't imagine you would have seen four years ago? >> no, i'm being sent crap. >> rose: are you really? >> yeah. >> rose: so you don't see anything really compelling. >> not that reaches me, not that there aren't great scripts out there. but the people i work with-- . >> rose: i would think you would be so-- i'm not trying to flatter you. i just think that you would be, because of what you have, you know, you have a sense to talk that are you so very real and so very into the moment of being as good as you possibly can be. >> yeah. >> rose: and for all of that, that you would be first on the list of people. >> thank you. i think people don't know what i am yet. you know? and that's fine. but i think cuz it's like people don't know where to place you. so the scripts that i'm getting are, you know, it's like i'm going to like, you know, my cousin's wedding and she's, you
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know, and i'm like the drunk friend. and it's like, i don't want to ride a moped through a plate glass window by accident. i want to-- i mean that does sound pretty funny but i want to do-- i want to do what i want to do, you know. so it's like the things that i'm being sent or that are reaching me because the people i work with know if they send me something, do you wap me to do this? >> rose: maybe i should reconsider my management. >> and they know i'm so soafer yorked that i think they are taking easy on me. >> rose: how are you taking care of yourself? >> imed tait twice a day. i get acupuncture. gi for long walks. i talk to my friends. i do standup. yeah. i'm doing the things that make me feel good. and i know that i have been hustling too hard for too long so you know, i am going to go on tour and do standup. and then i'm going to kind of take it easy for a little bit.
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>> rose: you used the word hustle sferl times. what does that mean? >> just from the moment you wake up till the moment you go to sleep, doing everything you can is to work hard and be prepared, whatever i'm working on. and it has been several things for several years. just everything has an intent. and really kind of no time to myself or very little time, for kind of leisure so i've really tried to make that time. >> a component of your life. >> yeah. >> rose: thank you for coming here. >> thanks for having me. the book is called the girl with the lower black tattoo, the lower back tattoo. and it looks black there, i don't know what color it is. >> well, you'll find out. >> rose: really? much success. >> thank you. >> rose: thank you for joining us. see you next time. for more about this program and earlier episodes visit us online
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