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[0:00] Robert Bannon: Are you ready? It's the Roundtable with me, Robert Bannon.

[0:08] Robert Bannon: Well, welcome to the Roundtable, everybody. My name is Robert Bannon. You're listening to us on Broadway World, the Broadway Podcast Network, iHeart, Spotify. Jon Lovitz, I know Jon Lovitz since I'm a born little child staying up too late to watch him on television. Tom, he's decided to talk about the wedding from hell. And I've had a couple of, I've had, I've had two weddings, Tom. One to a woman and one to a man. Cause you got to try both things out. You know what I'm saying, Tom?

[0:39] Jon Lovitz: No, I don't.

[0:40] Robert Bannon: Jon, never say never. Some things you can say never to, but you know, you have to be true to yourself. That's what I said. Thank you, Jon. So Tom, what made you come up with this idea? How did you come up with this crazy tale?

[0:50] Tom W. Meyers: Well, you know, after COVID I, you know, I'm a millennial. So everybody I knew was getting married in the same year. I think I went to seven, uh, within a 12 month span and I was a best man at three of them. I just had to keep on giving toasts. So by the end of it, I was like, I got to do something with these experiences. Otherwise I just wasted a lot of money.

[1:11] Jon Lovitz: That makes sense. I felt insulted when he said he's a millennial. I guess I'm old and that's okay. I masturbate every day. I didn't make a movie out of it.

[1:23] Robert Bannon: So Jon, you play the drunken dad who's going to give a toast. Have you ever given a wedding toast before?

[1:30] Jon Lovitz: No, I haven't. But, uh, I've seen people do it that are drunk. You know, the irony is I don't, I don't, uh, I, I don't, I never, I never had a drinking problem. I don't, I don't drink. I mean, maybe once a year, if I'm on a vacation, say in Hawaii, I'll have a piña colada. And then the next day I'm like, Oh, forget it. You know, I just, I just don't drink. I just don't like the taste. I just don't do it. But, um, ironically, if things just work out, I was with a friend at a, and a guy showed up, a friend of his showed up unexpectedly that he didn't want to meet because the guy was drunk and the guy showed up anyway. And he saw my friend, he goes, Hey, he's like, he's like smiling. Then he sees me.

He's like, Hey, what do you, he looked up, he was like, eh, you know, and I just studied him cause I knew I was doing the movie, you know? And, um, I have been drunk in my life. Like, I don't know, twice or something, hardly ever. But what one time actually, I was 24 driving through San after a party through Santa Monica and there's stop signs every block. And I went through two of them and I felt like I do now. I felt fine. And I couldn't stop in time. And I just pulled it over for an hour. I live in Los Angeles. I said, that's it. I can't, you can't drink and drive. I, and I didn't even, I didn't feel anything, you know, but I, um, Tom really wrote, uh, the part so great. And then Rachel Rosenstein, who plays my daughter, she, she was working for my manager as an assistant and she recommended me to Tom.

And so I thank the two of them for just such a, uh, you know, a great part and letting me, you know, do something different. And then Tom, of course, uh, yeah, he directed a little, no, he directed, he helped a lot. You know, I basically would go to Tom and go, do I seem drunk? Remember?

[3:19] Tom W. Meyers: Yes.

[3:19] Jon Lovitz: Cause I didn't want to, I didn't want to do it like, like a fake drunk, like a guy that's really drunk.

[3:31] Robert Bannon: Tom, that was the most Hollywood story I ever heard. My manager's assistant's person recommended me. And now you, you got Jon, you got Jon Lovitz in your movie. What was it like when Jon said yes, and tell us about the rest of the cast.

[3:41] Tom W. Meyers: I had nobody else on my list. I was so excited about Jon Lovitz. It wasn't just because Rachel had worked with him. You know, I grew up watching The Simpsons and Rat Race and all of his work with Happy Madison. So I knew, I knew that he could act in addition to being funny too. So I was really excited to, to see what he could do there. And I was really nervous to finally talk with Jon on the phone the first time we did. And right away, Jon said, I've been working on a laugh and he went right into the drunkest laugh I've ever heard. It went on for about two minutes and it had me on the floor. So I knew that we were all going to be in safe hands together, that we, we had the same vision of the project. And it was really, it was really great to work with you, Jon. That was, that was a very easy time.

[4:31] Jon Lovitz: Does the laugh make it in the movie?

[4:37] Tom W. Meyers: Maybe? I don't know. You know, there was one scene where I was laughing and then I started sobbing and Tom cut it.

[4:41] Jon Lovitz: I did. Why? That was like, that was the Oscar right there.

[4:53] Tom W. Meyers: At the bar, remember?

[4:58] Jon Lovitz: Oh, I remember very well. It was the first thing that we filmed actually. But we used the laugh later in the movie and I, you know, you have to pick and choose. And so this was a darling killed, but I think you're going to enjoy when you see the laugh eventually.

[5:12] Jon Lovitz: Apparently there's other people in the movie.

[5:15] Tom W. Meyers: That's true too.

[5:15] Tom W. Meyers: You just have to show them. Tom, who else was in the movie? Tell us about your cast.

[5:21] Tom W. Meyers: Well, we've got Andy Richter and then we, it's, it's an ensemble, you know, we've got an entire wedding party. We've got the best man, we've got the maid of honor. And so we've gotten Nardeep Khurmi, Michelle Ortiz, Rachel Rosenstein, Jackson, Kendall, Jessica Vann, just a whole slew of talent and everybody really is locked in. And there's something really harmonious about, about a film like this. It makes me look good as a writer and director. So I'm really grateful to my cast.

[5:49] Jon Lovitz: Incredible.

[5:49] Jon Lovitz: Yeah, I was impressed. I, outside of Rachel, I didn't know them. And well, Andy, I didn't, I know Andy, but I didn't have scenes with them, but, but I was so impressed by how talented they were. And then I guess they all went to, with you, Loyola Marymount College, a lot of them. And then, and then while they were waiting for a scene to be set up, they'd be in a room where all the food was, which of course I was there. They'd all be there and they start singing. And then they're singing like, like they could do a musical, like just like professional singing, like crazy great. And I was just really impressed by everybody in the cast. And I thought everyone did a great job, Rachel. And what's her name? The girl that's pregnant, I forget.

[6:29] Tom W. Meyers: That's Michelle Ortiz.

[6:31] Jon Lovitz: Yeah. Really, really funny, but everybody, you know, and it's just, I did, it made me realize that I, that I was lucky that somehow I broke through to become known. You know what I mean? Cause they're all just as talented, you know, but it, and it was the first movie, honestly, that I did where I was not, usually I do movie, I have supporting roles and I go, well, who's starring in it? Like, who am I working with? Who are the big people? Now, and then this movie, the, I mean, not to do your dick, but the biggest name was me. So there was nobody, they're all looking up to me, which was the first time I've had that experience. And, and, and I've been doing standup for 23 years and I learned from standup.

I do my best show and I say, relax, like two and a half years, three years ago, I go, I did a show. I hadn't done a while. I don't remember everything. I go, what's next? What's next? So the next night I thought, that doesn't work. Just relax. And then ever since then I go relax more and more and more. And that's for like two years. Then I got to this movie and I go, I should do the same thing with my acting. Just relax, relax, relax. And then I read the, what's his name? Lee Strasberg said, 90% of acting is relaxing, but it's not like you'd go to sleep, but it's just like you, you just relax. You can think and come up with stuff on the fly and everything. And so I applied that to the movie. And then the toast, he wrote it.

[7:57] Jon Lovitz: I really had to work on that because the guy's thoughts, which you do when you're drunk, are just going all over the place. There's no logic to it. So I said to Tom, I gotta figure out how this guy's thinking. I do that in every part, but how are you getting from A to B to Z to Q to, you know, back and forth? And so that's what I had to figure out, you know. And it was a challenge because he wrote it great. It's harder to play a part that's written great because you're going to rise up to the level of the material.

[8:30] Robert Bannon: Well, and you were juggling so much physical comedy at the same time, you know. It's not just the delivery of drunkenness, but you've also got to stumble around, and you are on the floor so much.

[8:42] Jon Lovitz: No, I was very impressed with you every day.

[8:46] Robert Bannon: So for Tom, for you, when you see this and it's going to be at this festival and it's going to be a big deal, like it's a big giant deal that's going to be and open here this weekend and now audiences get to see it, how do you feel as the writer and director? Are you nervous? Are you excited?

[9:01] Tom W. Meyers: Yeah, I'm terrified. I haven't seen it with the crowd yet. I haven't seen it on the big screen. I'm so excited for other people to enjoy it. Obviously, I am a huge fan because I cast people that I love, and so I get to see them just deliver a lot of fun stuff, and I'm really ready to share that with everybody. So I think it's going to be a warm reception in Austin.

[9:24] Jon Lovitz: Well, ironically, I did a movie, Tom, God forbid, called Casino Jack with George Hickenlooper, and it was starring Kevin Spacey and Kelly Preston and Barry Pepper. And so I went, and I'm in it, but I went to the fest in Austin, and then sadly George passed away that weekend. So don't do anything, Tom. But it's the only film festival I've ever been to, and my part in that was kind of dramatic. And now I'm going back to that festival, and it's a good. My face froze. Let me restart your video, one sec.

[10:11] Tom W. Meyers: What?

[10:12] Jon Lovitz: Oh, just a sec. Can you hear me?

[10:15] Tom W. Meyers: Yeah.

[10:16] Jon Lovitz: John, I just asked you to restart your video. That should work.

[10:19] Tom W. Meyers: All right. There we go. Anyway. So it was incredible. It has to be the second time I've been to that festival, and I'm looking forward to it.

[10:30] Jon Lovitz: I didn't think we insulted you that badly yet, John.

[10:33] Jon Lovitz: No, my face froze all of a sudden. She had to reset it. But anyway, it'll be the second time I've been to this festival, and ironically, in not a part that's like, you know, funny but dramatic. But Tom, it's Tom's movie. You know, I was like, I'm a part of his film.

[10:52] Robert Bannon: But you come, John, from the Groundlings to Saturday Night Live to character. So what is your process to find a character, especially like this guy? Did you sit and think about it, study? You talked about that you find a voice. How has it evolved over time from when you were young, little John Lovitz?

[11:08] Jon Lovitz: In a diaper doing impressions. No, no, this is crazy. When I saw the Al Jolson story and James Cagney in Yankee Doodle Dandy when I was seven, I was home sick. So I was seven. I was singing Mammy. So see, that's what I picture. But he was so dynamic. You know, now people go, oh, it's racist. I go, you know, okay, but the point is, Al Jolson was one of the greatest entertainers ever, and he's like, hey, how are you? You know, and he's dynamic.

[11:42] Jon Lovitz: So I used to try to be like, how are you, folks? You know, and I don't know my process. I mean, you know, you're pretending, but you try to—I always think you try to figure out how the character thinks, and it's always a puzzle at first, you know, and then you just work on it and you think about it, and you just keep thinking about it and trying it. And then you get to the point where it's weird. You go like, I'll never get it, you know, and then like the next. And then when my teacher taught me, he goes, you know how you're talking about, you can't get it because you're thinking this, but it's this, but it's this, you know, and you're confused. I go, yeah. He goes, that's the character. And you go, oh, right. And then it clicks because you're in the mind of—you don't even realize it. And then something clicks. I don't know. And all of a sudden, you can just do the guy and improvise because I learned the Groundlings, you know.

[12:30] Jon Lovitz: The Groundlings was great because in improv, you have to do emotions. One part of an improv is just throwing, coming up with the adding information through an emotional change. And so you learn to just go like immediately, which helps in movies tremendously because you don't have time to go, give me an hour to go now to like, yes, Tom, do you like when people play? Are you one of those people who likes a very strict? You obviously hired someone who you know is going to give you some takes and ideas and fun along with the rest of the group. Do you like that? What is your advice on the set?

[13:07] Tom W. Meyers: Well, really early on, on set, I told all the actors that I was very precious about the script. That mostly was a tactic to get everybody to learn their lines because I think sometimes too playful an environment can prevent people from actually learning what the script is. But once everybody has their character down, then I love to let them go wild. With John, we have this language of old movies, and we kept on talking about Jimmy Stewart and Harvey or W.C. Fields. There was that actor, John, that you were talking about who did this, who snapped above his head.

[13:41] Jon Lovitz: Oh, Robert Walker. He was a great actor. He was in Strangers on a Train, the black and white movie, Robert Walker. And he had a sad life because he was married to Jennifer Jones, who was a beautiful actress and had a kid. She got in a movie with David O. Selznick, and he basically stole his wife. And so he lost her. They'd come from New York, you know, struggling, and then she became a big star, and she dumped him. And then he died an alcoholic, and he was drinking, and he was a great actor, that guy. And he got arrested once, and there's a picture of him arrested, and they go, you're arrested. And he's like, if you could look, a snap in his fingers, like, eh, you know what I mean? And it's all there.

It was very sad to me because he was so great. The guy was just like a genius actor, like, really, like, should have been, you know, one of the greatest actors ever. I mean, he was fantastic. And so I thought of that, you know, in real life, what he was going through. And it's like, I don't care, but he does. It's sad, you know.

[14:47] Robert Bannon: Well, Tom, John, October 30th, everybody, Austin Film Festival, another screening on the second. And I'm just so grateful for you all and this incredible cast. The show is—the movie's called The Toast. Tom, hopefully it's going to be out streaming or in theaters after this. Follow him for more information. Follow John Lovitz. John Lovitz is always on the road. The train moves, not the station. That will live forever. And good luck on your third marriage.

[15:11] Jon Lovitz: That's right. No, I'm done, John Lovitz. No, this is it. I've discovered what I've liked. And I wish I had.

[15:18] Robert Bannon: What about the cat?

[15:20] Jon Lovitz: So you don't like the pussy cat? No more cat. The cat is gone. Hot dogs only. This, right to the gutter. Right to the gutter.

[15:31] Jon Lovitz: Bye, everybody.

[15:32] Robert Bannon: Goodbye.

[15:33] Jon Lovitz: Get out of this show, John Lovitz.

[15:34] Robert Bannon: Thank you, Robert. Bye, everybody.

[15:36] Jon Lovitz: Goodbye.

[15:49] Jon Lovitz: Goodbye.

[15:50] Jon Lovitz: Goodbye.