but every once in a while, marlon brando, james gandolfini, people like that, people who are beautifully who have the technique but who bring to it this genius that they have. martha: that's a magical combination. >> precisely. but one needs both. martha: you do. james lipton, pleasure to speak with you today, and thank you so much for being with us. >> thank you very much. bill: you know, martha, the outpouring of emotion from the people who knew gandolfini's been staggering. he's been remembered as a genius and a best friend. joining me now, gandolfini's costar in the sopranos who played a character opposite. vito was your character. joe, good morning to you. >> good morning, how are you? bill: i'm doing fine. how are you doing, and what was it like to work with james? >> i'm doing all right. um, he was, i was lucky enough to, you know, know him somewhat and work with him and, you know, admired him as a tremendous actor but just a regular guy that put a lot of people at ease that might be nervous being on the show or being, you know, scenes with him. he was just a gifted guy. bill: joe