For some of us, personal finances aren't just personal. They include a lot more people than ourselves. Loved ones, neighbors, the communities we call home, and the causes we hold in our hearts. At SpryEvent, we help plan your financial picture with the bigger picture in mind. Because even though our business is helping guide your finances, our ambition is to make it mean so much more.
Thrive and where money means more. Connect with us at ThriveInt.com. This is The Rich Eisen Show. Hey, everybody! Can't get enough of The Rich Eisen Show?
You're in luck. You can find us everywhere. Watch us weekdays on Disney Plus from noon to 3 Eastern. Miss the show. We've got a podcast, so you can listen anytime.
But here's the best part. Our YouTube channel. Subscribe at youtube.com slash rich Eisen Show and you'll never miss a moment.
Now, on with the show. I want to thank the league for creating the play-in tournament. Thank you, Adam. This is the Rich Eisen Show. A sideline three for Steph Curry from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles.
Earlier on the show, longtime golf writer Alan Schipnop, 2026 NFL draft prospect Jonah Coleman, basketball hall of famer Chris Weber. Coming up. Actor Bob Odenkirk. And now, it's Rich Eisen. Hour number three of the Rich Hodges Show is on the air, and it's going to be great.
Bob Odenkirk is here. In about 15 minutes, we're going to bring him out, and we're going to go down every possible pop cultural lane with this guy, Jimmy McGill, aka Saul Goodman. And he is currently in theaters nationwide, starting tomorrow in a film called Normal, which is a wild movie, start to finish. And we'll talk about that with him in a matter of moments. I believe he's got a special Cubs hat with him as well.
It is all good in this hood. 844-204-Rich is the number to dial. We've already had great chatter on this program with Alan Shipnuck, the golf writer, about what's going on with the Live Tour, Chris Weber as well. Jonah Coleman is an under-the-radar running back prospect in next week's draft in Pittsburgh PA. We're going to be taking this show to Pittsburgh next week.
Cam Hayward's on tomorrow's program. Zach Galifanakis in studio first up, and then the director Peter Farrelly will be here in studio. On hour number three, lots of lives.
So, what's more likely Friday? And I mentioned 844-204 Rich is the number to dial on the show. The Kansas City Chiefs are ninth overall on the clock. Their general manager, Brett Veach, met with the media today via Zoom. And the question is: will Jeremiah Love be available for him?
That was the concept going into the combine. Then coming out of the combine, everyone's like, there's no chance of it. Daniel Jeremiah in his mock draft on the sports center I hosted last Sunday night in Connecticut from Bristol said the Chiefs can sit there and. Have Jeremiah Love drop to him. Because No one else is taking them until the Chiefs go, and the Jets are going to hop up and take Carnell Tate in front of them.
That's the way he went in his mock draft. Brett Veitsch with talking about the first sound about, I believe, is him talking about the needs for the Chiefs going into this draft. There's a lot of areas to improve on our roster on both sides of the football.
So I think it does open up that nine pick to go in any one direction. And, you know, certainly we'll see how the first five or six picks go. But I think whether it's the defensive backfield, the offensive line, edge rusher, receiver, again, we need help in all those areas.
So I do think that we'll be in a position there to get one of those players and then add throughout the course of the draft.
So I just think where we are with our roster, you really can't eliminate any one need because I think there are a lot of them.
So obviously you heard running back as not one of them. He mentioned Four different position groups. Yeah. Edge Rusher. And, you know, Bailey and Reese should be gone by then.
Um And if if they don't like um if if they Aren't going to go move up for Bailey or Reese. There's Bain, who they could snag. There's Mezador, who they could snag. There's Keldrick Falk, who a lot of people are pegging for. A much later draft status for him.
You want to go offensive lineman? It's possible Spencer Fano will be available. Francis Mauanoa, I think, would be a stretch to be available at 9. Caden Proctor, who a lot of folks. Are you talking about more and more from Alabama?
Blake Miller from Clemson is another one. Monroe Freeling is a Georgia Bulldog. There's that defensive back. They should have, if they want to take a shot at Caleb Downs, they could grab him, but that's he's a safety. You're talking about a corner, mansoor d'Alane.
You want to say, okay. Trent McDuffie's gone. We keep doing this thing where we draft him and then we just won't pay him generationally, you know, or. market changing money Let's start again with Mansword Delane. You can do that.
Um You could also snag Uh McCoy. Tennessee, right? Who I know the Cowboys, a lot of people are penciling him and 12. You could do that. The wide receiver, Jordan Tyson, that's who Todd McShea has them taking out of Arizona State.
Carnell Tate should be gone. Makai Lemon, if you want to go with him, or Mark Cooper Jr. is another. And Jeremiah Love, do you turn him down? Because you've already signed Kenneth Walker.
To that free agent contract. And in terms of the run game, though. This is what Veech had to say. First off, w with Ken, um, you know, to your Point, Pete. We do have some talent on the offensive line.
I mean, everyone knows the. You know, the potential and the flashes that Josh has shown, and then working on that interior with Kingsley and Trey and Creed. I think it'd be a smart play to take advantage of that interior trio there and to be more violent and to kind of use utilize those guys and their strengths. I think that. Is going to be something we're looking forward to.
And certainly with EB coming back here, I think. With his running back roots, there's going to be a high priority with that run game.
So, I think we're excited about that.
Okay. Peter Schraeger talking today about Bain to the Chiefs. That would be no surprise to me. No surprise to me. But they can go in any direction.
Yeah. They really can. And get a really good player. Yeah, and when are they going to pick in the top 10 again? I can't foresee it.
I think they're going to bounce back and they're going to be the Chiefs. Feels like it. Feels like it for sure. 844204 Rich number dial. I got a top five here.
Top five teams that should trade up in the NFL draft presented by Hyundai. Hit it, please. At five, one, two, three, four, five. Richest top five. All right, everybody, here's my top five teams that should trade up in the NFL draft presented by Hyundai.
And you know what? It's so easy to do it just that way. I can't just do it straight up. What does that mean? What I'm going to do.
Well, I'm going to go next level. That's what I do.
So we do our truth. Our truth. Come on now. What's up? I'm going to give you the team that should trade up.
And for which player they should trade. This is why you're on a different level, man. See? I mean, a top list could be here. Yeah.
I'm going here. You might think it's here. Nope. I go here, guys. And for the radio audience, each time I say the second here, it's higher than the first.
I'm painting word pictures. Uh Number five, the Brown should trade up for Jeremiah Love. Oh, wow. Why are we, I mean, what's going on here? I know Quinchean Judkins.
Yeah, no, I get it. Quinchkins love.
Okay. It's not, I have no Judkins love.
Well, he's not a state guy. I understand. It's got nothing to do with that. And he's an undername guy. This guy is that special.
Yeah. He is that special. Game-changing players. How many do the Browns have? Why not add another one?
Yeah, figure it out. and he can also play different positions. Let's go. Judkins here, love there. What are we doing?
Don't make it harder. Make it easier. They could just take him at six. They could, potentially, or just move up a spot or two. Flip a little bit of, you know, a little bit of uh...
Second, third day love. For Jeremiah Love. That could be all it takes. All you need. Is right.
Number four, the Chiefs. They should trade up for Jeremiah La. Wait a sec. You're picking us up. You're picking something up here?
This smells familiar. This is nice. Are you picking something up here? Nice.
Okay. Just the first two. Yeah, no, I gotcha. Just the first time I get it. They should do it.
Okay. I know they just signed Kenneth Walker. But love and let's go. Let's go. One more.
Kenneth Walker, he didn't even lead the Seahawks in touchdowns. That was Zach Charminer.
So But he got the trophy. I get it. I understand. He had a great game. He did.
And he had some nice run physically. Spiritually for Seattle for years, but it's Jeremiah Love. I hear what you're saying. Number three on the list are the saints. The Saints should trade up for whoever the Jets don't take it to.
That's what they should do. Or they should trade up for Jeremiah. I know they got Chimera. But you're talking Bailey Reese. Correct.
Whoever the Jets don't take it to. Yeah, yeah, yeah. The Saints go up and take at three. Yeah. Why not?
That's what the saints should do. Number two, the jets should move up. They should move up for Carnell Tate. When DJ put this one in my head, I'm like, that makes sense. And now.
We've got Todd McShea saying the same thing. I can't show that picture enough. You know what? I don't care. I just think it's cool.
It's aura. I think it's aura, and I understand where it was at Michigan. And this was the day, that was the play where it was just like, yeah, you're not, this is not going to work. Yeah, it's not happening. This was the message sender.
He sent a message to 100,000 people, and he put his hands on his hips and like, are you not entertained? And he was on our show on Wednesday. He held up the Gold Pants, the first of its kind since 2019.
So I hadn't seen that in a while. I appreciate him refreshing. Number one, the number one team that should trade up in the draft, the Cowboys should trade up, boom, for Jeremiah Love. Why will it? Come on, Joe.
No. Why wouldn't they? Why not? Because that's the one side of the ball that we're pretty decent at. We're really good at.
No, we just paid our running back. We could always be better. Devontae Williams or Jeremiah Love. What do we do? Super.
Charge it. No. Supercharge it. He's going to be great. Who loves to put stars with the star.
On the field. I can hear Monica. He wants to put stars in a helmet with a star on it. Go up to four to get ahead of Washington and the Giants. Do it.
No. Do it. Oh, I'm not sure. And then you still have one in your back pocket. For the defender you need, yeah.
All due respect to Jeremiah Love, but let me say, did the Eagles need. Saquon. In retrospect, yes, but at the time. It was a pretty big luxury. Did the 49ers need Christian McCaffrey?
At the time, listen, I'm just saying when you add special players, you turbocharge what you already have working. Do it. Yeah. No. If they do it, you'll call me.
I'm sitting. Here's what I want. I'm sitting on the NFL network draft set. Everyone else has a shoulder on me.
Okay. And I'm sitting on that draft set. In Pittsburgh on Thursday night, and the Cowboys do this. You're going to text me. This is awful.
or you will just be losing your mind. First of all, I might run up to a set with you. Jeremiah Love is more surefire than any defender the Cowboys can go ahead and get. Yeah, that sounds great when you're doing this bit, but we all know how you go about Sonny Styles, so I don't think you really believe that. It's not a bit.
But Sunday Styles isn't going to be there at 12. It's not a bit, if you believe. Apparently, we're not going to be there at 12 either.
So. No, stop him. Do you think we need one more? We've got one more. This one's for you, Chris.
This one's for you, pal. I'm not saying the patch should trade up or 31. The patch should pony up what Howie wants. Give him a turn. 31st overall and a third day pick would do it.
It would do it. I've asked a couple of people because I didn't want to come on the air and sound like I don't know what I'm talking about or I'm throwing things around just against the wall to see if it sticks. I don't do those things.
So this is a report. It's not a report. You said you made some calls. No, I've made some calls to some evaluators. Would this do it in your estimation?
Would this be something that Howie would go, yeah, I know the cap hit. 31st overall, and a third-day pick to get A.J. Brown for your guy. in Drake Mang. Do it.
Come on! Come on, TJ. Do it. You want him gone? Let the Eagles take another guy in the back end of the draft.
And do it. A lot of folks have told me this is compensation that Howie would have to sit there and go, huh. It's happening. And that's my top five teams that should trade up in the NFL draft. Our truth.
Brought to you by the all-new Hyundai Palisade Hybrid. Learn how it makes everyday epic at HyundaiUSA.com. Epic. Jeremiah Love Just like Zeke back in the day. And that was great, but what do we have to show for that?
I mean, that's his fault. Not Zeke's fault? No. Definitely not. Zeke is probably one of the most underrated running backs of his generation.
There you go. Facts. But no, I don't like that. You will text me. You would be going.
You will text me. You will text me. I can't believe we just did that. Oh, what a shame. Oh, and I'll have it live on video.
Okay. No. Yes. No. Okay.
No. Two defenders, all right? Two guys preferably in the back of the defense. Let's go right there. I understand what the conventional wisdom says.
I'm going the other way around.
Well, you don't have a connection to the Cowboys like I'm like this. I know, I know.
Now you are business cards. Yeah. Tag cards. All right, let's take a break and bring Bob Odenkirk out here, ladies and gentlemen, on the Rich Eisen Show, Normal in Theaters Nationwide, starting tomorrow. For some of us, personal finances aren't just personal.
They include a lot more people than ourselves. Loved ones, neighbors, the communities we call home, and the causes we hold in our hearts. At SpryEvent, we help plan your financial picture with the bigger picture in mind. Because even though our business is helping guide your finances, our ambition is to make it mean so much more. Thriveant, where money means more.
Connect with us at ThriveInt.com. In a world in need of a hero, one man rises to the challenge in style. He is just driving the kids to soccer practice. Make every day feel epic in an all-new Hyundai Palisade hybrid with up to an EPA estimated 619 miles of range on select trims, advanced tech, and class-leading interior space. Because when you're hauling kids, gear, snacks, and backpacks, space matters.
And so does comfort. Just make sure they keep their cleats off the seats. Visit HyundaiUSA.com or call 562-314-4603 for details. Oh, oh, oh. O'Reilly!
Check engine, ABS, or maintenance light on? Take the guesswork out of your warning lights with O'Reilly Veriscan. The service is free and provides a report with solutions verified by ASE-certified master technicians. And if you need help, we could recommend a shop for you. Ask for O'Reilly Veriscan today.
Oh, oh, oh, oh!
Alrighty. Auto parts. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. Funny and loves films so much. And it's why this movie Normal feels sometimes like a horror film, a comedy, then it's an action film.
It's kind of just such a mix of genres because these guys, this is their life. This is all they thought about since they were kids. I focus on sketch comedy. I can talk to you about Bob and Ray. I can talk to you about Stephen Leacock going back to the 1800s, early 1900s.
They did movies and they did action movies.
Well, you came up with part of the story, though, right? Like you're credited. I helped with the first third, which is the small town. I grew up in Naperville, Illinois. Sure.
And I actually was the one who pitched the title Normal because of Normal, Illinois. And by the way, we showed this movie in Normal, Illinois, which was so fun to do. No kidding. Yeah, yeah. I went there.
I. Went down to normal. They have an old theater. They still have the old marquee and the old entrance. And then they built a beautiful new theater inside it.
And we showed this film to Anybody who can get a ticket and they loved it. And and So anyway, Derek wrote the story, and I said. I want to build out that small town fun. Yeah. And then I said, what if we call it normal?
Because, of course, he's from Wisconsin, Derek Colstad. Right next door. And he knew normal Illinois. Yeah. And it's it's it like I said, it's just a ton of fun.
And it looked, you know, this and nobody. You've been kicking ass the last couple of well, once you get up to speed on it, I mean, why stop? I would happily do more if people want. It was always a bit of a lark, you know, like a side that wonder if this could work. This would be weird if this worked.
Right. And then it worked. And also, the training was actually really good for me. Like, I like it. If I have to work out, we all do, I would rather do a stunt workout than just some dumb thing that I would do on my own.
It's more interesting. Yeah, not a lot of workouts required for Saul Goodman back in the days. No, but I was doing nobody workouts starting in the third season of Saul Goodman. Yeah, because that movie took two plus years to get. You know, in shape.
Yes. And I was getting in shape doing the workouts. And Daniel Bernhard, who trained me for nobody and normal. Would fly down to Albuquerque. Twice a year, and run a workout with me and sometimes show because I would work out at like the MMA gym.
Uh, Jackson Wink, there. ABQ. Uh, yeah, uh, I would work out that they're uh they're beginner gym, okay, or the one that anyway, fighters know it. And then there I would be doing my stunt fighting workout, which is not real fighting. Guys, please, I know.
And they would laugh. They would laugh.
Well, we would show them the moves. And they would be like, What are you doing? Because it's not really anything you really want to do. It's actually dangerous, what I learned. If you were in a real fight, I put myself in more danger.
Yeah, I mean, because you know, you're because you open your face up and you do these wide swings, different dishes. All different things you should never do. Survival is different than acting, for sure. Normal again is available in theaters nationwide tomorrow, April 17th. Go check it out.
Look at Henry right there. Do you love that poster? I love it. It's like it's old school. It's old school.
It's old school. That's what the movie is. Yeah. Yeah. You know, it's got like a Jackie Brown feel to it.
Yeah. You know what I mean? Like a Tarantino. There's some Tarantino. And if you look at it and you blur your eyes, it's kind of a skull.
Oh. With the teeth of the uproar. Look at you, man. I didn't know that. Brilliant piece of work by the artists.
Bob Odenkirk here on the program. You're wearing your Cubs hat? I am. I like to get interesting Cubs hats. There's a couple of stores across from Wrigley Field.
I like the Cubs' normal hat, but I like. Oddball ones.
Okay. Like interesting. This is a kind of it's a little too much of a choo-choo train hat, a little too high up. But I like to wear it's got like an old, you know, 79 Pittsburgh Pirates hat. It's not right in a way.
And from a distance, you're like. You're not that's not a cubs hat. But obviously it screams cubs at you. It does indeed. But I like to wear uh the more offbeat ones.
One was the l uh do you got a did you ever meet Harry Carey? Did you ever meet him? I didn't meet him. No. I sat right under him.
When I was a kid, my grandfather grew up four blocks from uh Kamiski. You saw Babe Ruth. My grandpa saw Babe Ruth play in whiskey. Yes. No.
And then he took us. He was a Sox fan because of that. Yes. But then he changed his allegiance to the Cubs. And I think it's because he lived in Oak Park then as a retired older man.
And the Cubs signal was very good as opposed to the Sox signal. Not to mention the games were on every day in the afternoon. And if you're getting old, you don't want to wait up and watch all night with a bad, terrible signal. Your eyes are already bad. And now the signal's bad.
So he switched to the Cubs.
So we all switched to the Cubs.
Sorry, Sox. But the first time I saw Harry, we sat right under him at Kamiski, and he put the net down and got stuff to sign. And that's where I met that's where I Nick was introduced to the Legend that was Harry Carey. I met him one time because I went to Northwestern Medilla School of Journalism graduate school program. Wow.
And the Cubs were introduced when I was a student. The Cubs were introducing Tom Treblehorn as their manager in 1994, 95. And I went to a late morning press conference at Wrigley Field. And I showed up early because I wanted to be one of the first ones there. And there was only one person there.
Already deep into a Bloody Mary. Oh boy, was Harry Carey at 10 in the morning? Already was what a thing to be Harry Carey. Right? What a what time, what part of his life did he realize?
Oh, I'm Harry Carey. I'm a mascot. It's like I live inside of a costume that everyone is so happy to see the minute they see it. I think sometime during his sock.
Sox years, don't you think? Right. Because before that was some turbulence in his life. Yeah, very much so. Yes.
Yeah, yeah. St. Louis. Not great. Yeah, I know St.
Louis. Not good. Not good. If you want to read about it, go ahead and read about it. But after you get through that, I think you go, like.
So I can drink in the morning and watch a baseball game. And just chatter, and people are gonna all right, I'll do that. I will choose that over what I just got through. What he went through, right? No doubt.
I don't really know the specifics, but I kinda know. It'll give you a different Look on life, I'd imagine. Yeah. It's a wonderful thing that he knew who he was and he shared it with people and was so happy to do that. Were you on the SNL staff when Will Farrell was doing him?
You're already gone. You were there before that, right? Yeah. 87 to 91 or something like that, right? That's right.
Who was on the staff when you were there? I had two sort of. teams of cast members. Uh Jan Hooks, Nora Dunn, Jon Lovitz, and then into Dana Carvey and Phil Hartman, and then into I guess three, one year with Farley and Spade and Sandler. Yeah, so I tr I knew all those people and I worked with all those people, but I did my best work with the Latest crew, you know, Sandler and Spade and Rock, because I I finally understood how to write for that show.
It was very hard for me. That show was so hard for me. Why? I mean, it's hard for anyone. It's just that damn thing is happening.
It's happening in four days, right, right. And What the show wants, it was never easy for me to grasp what the show wanted. Of course, I love Monty Python. And uh That's just sort of fundamentally a different thing. Right.
And so I just hadn't adjusted. It took me three years to adjust, really. Right. And then here comes Sandler and Spade and Rock, and I'm finally getting good at this thing. And then they don't know how to do anything, and I was able to help them.
That meant a lot. That felt good to me. And of course, I'd written the motivational speaker for Farley while I was doing Second City over the summer in between SNL seasons. I wrote that scene for him, which later played well on SNL. But just to be able to help in my last year at Saturday Night Live, To help Chris, to help Adam and Farley, was such a good feeling.
And it was a weird moment of like, boy, I could actually do this now. But I knew I wanted to perform, and I knew I wasn't going to get that chance because I just wasn't good enough. I wasn't going to ask Lauren.
So I called Lauren and I said, I think I have to leave. Thank you. 'Cause I want to be a performer sometimes. I felt embarrassed to say it. He was very gracious about it because he likes to perform too.
Yes. And so he understood. And I just felt weird, you know, like, sorry. And I said, you don't have to, I'm not asking you to put me on, I'm not good enough. I gotta go get good.
And then I left and came to LA and You know, I did. I did one-man shows and stand-up, and I, and I also carried on writing for television as well. Sure. So you wrote The Van Down by the River? I did.
I wrote that for Chris at Second City. I've talked about it a lot. Please, but it was actually a big deal to me. Of course, I love Chris, and everyone who knew him loved him. And it was just a Perfect little lightning strike.
He did this improvisation. I was in it too with Jill Talley. At the state. Second City show and he did a coach yelling at the kids about, you know, a drug anti anti-drug thing. And and I had been listening to Tony Robbins a little bit.
Somehow he was coming onto the scene. Yeah. And then I had this thought about a motivational speaker who Uses himself as a negative example of what you don't want to be. And then I had just seen Chris do this coach. I sat down, wrote that sketch just the way it's done, and Brought it in, handed it to Chris.
Boom. I mean, magic. And magic is right. I mean, really, just You know One of the things that's hard at This is not a show for comedy sketchwriters, is it? We talk about this sort of stuff all the time, Bob.
Can I just. Is it okay to go a little um They're a little deep. Uh in the in the writing game. Writers want the writing to be the star. Mm-hmm.
But the writing is not the star in sketch comedy. Uh the s the performance is the star.
So what's great about the motivational speaker sketch is it is really f fifty fifty. Maybe maybe 60-40%, which is to say the writing has a value up to 40%. it's still weighted towards performance.
Well, I mean, when he comes out dressed that way. I mean, he his movie. I mean it's insane. Right. And by the way, when he did it at Second City, which is where we first did it, and I played the dad, Chris would not finish that sketch until he made every performer laugh every single night, seven shows a week.
He would not stop. And you know, he didn't it won he won. He won every time You know, my daughter asked me wh When she was very young, like seven years old. Yeah. What's the most fun you ever had doing what your job?
And right away, and it was years earlier than I'd done that sketch. I said this this sketch that I did with my friend Chris Farley, every time I did that sketch was the most fun I ever had. I love it. Bob Odenkirk here on The Rich Eisen Show. How did you first hear about Saul Goodman?
I was sitting at my desk. Here in Hollywood, I'd been directing some feature films. I'd been writing TV shows. In fact, I'd written one about a minor league baseball team called the San Diego Snakes.
Okay. And FX was great about it and they went. I love minor league baseball. I love reading about it. Um It's just such a tough World, you know, and it asks a lot of people, and you know, there's some great books about it, sure, and uh.
So my friend Reed Harrison uh He knows a lot more about baseball than I did. We had written this pilot.
So it was in the stages of dying. FX was great about it, but they were like, we can't. It was so much hassle, Rich, because we wanted to shoot alongside a real minor league team. And we had found this. Private league.
Okay. Three teams? that was gonna consider letting us shoot. you know, with them. But it was such a hassle.
I mean, it was so much hassle.
So it's a good thing you got this call about solving.
So I'm sitting there. Here's two stacks on my desk. I have film scripts here. I have TV scripts here to direct to consider directing. I had some cachet as a director at that moment.
And I get a phone call. My agent says this to me They're going to ask you to do a s a part in a T V show. Mm-hmm. Don't say no. Yeah.
Because I said no to a lot of stuff.
Okay. And he goes, it's called Breaking Bad.
Now, Breaking Bad had been on already. Yes. But it had been on for an abbreviated season, seven episodes, and there was a writer's strike. And it paled in. In light of Mad Men, which was such a breakout, massive hit.
For AMC. And then this other show, Breaking Bad, is like, why are they even keeping that on? I mean, they've got their big hit. Why do it? And um So he goes, don't say no.
They're going to offer you this role.
Okay. Yeah. Okay. Well, yeah, don't worry about it. Just send me the script.
Of course right away I'm like, I don't know. I called my friend Reid, who had written this pilot with. I go, did you ever see the show Breaking Bad? He goes, That's the best show on T V. You gotta do it.
Do not say no. I go, all right, all right, all right, all right I hadn't seen it. I had only seen the billboards. I only knew it from the tidy whitey guy. And well, Lucy Whitey, I think.
Anyway, You know, Vince sent me the script and I'm looking at it. And I immediately knew how to play this guy. But I also was like, boy, he talks a lot, this character. They're not going to use this. This is way too much chatter.
You know, you don't do it. And in comedy writing, no character talks for a paragraph. It's two lines, three lines, and then somebody else says something. And so this this character just ran and ran.
So he Vince calls me and I go, He goes, we need you for three or four episodes. We're not sure which. All I was there to do was to get this plot to move forward. You know, they were kind of stuck in a corner. And uh I said, well, I can't do four because I was signed up to do How I Met Your Mother.
So I figured that might kill it. But he's like, okay, well, do three episodes with you. And uh And also, I didn't learn the script because I was like, there's no way they're going to have me talk this much. Nobody talks this much on TV.
So I didn't bother to learn it. And I didn't watch the show. I knew it was a drama. Jeez. I had little kids at home.
Yeah. And I knew it was violent.
So and my kids, you know Kids will wander into your room when they're that age, five years old, four years old. You put anything on the TV that you don't want a kid to see, a movie or something. What's that? Guaranteed they're walking in at 2 a.m. It doesn't matter what time it is.
That's going to magically make that happen. You know what I mean, right? It's like The life, you know, you turn your phone off because you're like, I'm going to take a break for my phone. Yeah. You turn it on an hour later, 50 message.
Where the hell are you? That's right, I know. Go figure. And so I hadn't watched the show. I knew it was a drama.
I was, you know, thankful for the opportunity to try to live in that world. And, uh, And I didn't learn the script. And I get it on Friday, I get the blue pages, the last pages, and I fly down there like on Friday, and I get the blue pages on Thursday or Friday morning. And it's exactly the same. One word has changed.
One word. I'm like, oh, thank you for that. I got to learn this.
So I spend all weekend. You know, I'm kind of scared, and I learn this wonderful dialogue.
So great. But in learning that dialogue, In deconstructing it, Thought a lot about Drama and what this is, and how it's not just a run-on paragraph of me talking to Walter White and yammering for no reason. It's a guy. watching another guy's eyes And trying stuff on him. Trying this, trying that, trying this, trying that.
Is he am I getting him? Am I getting him? Have I got him? Have I got him? It's he's, you know, taking stabs in the in the dark with whoever he's talking to.
Right. And looking to Get a reaction and connect. And so that was then That was Saul. Saul was always Everything he said mattered. even though he said a lot and it kind of flew off into the Right, but then obviously Better Call Saul comes around.
Yeah, well, then that's a whole nother level. I imagine, like, you would have to have, you had to have reconfigured the way you thought about playing Saul Goodman for I had to reconfigure how I thought about acting and being serious about that job and what that job was. 'Cause it really was a a huge uh, you know, uh Qualitative difference. It wasn't quantitative, which is how I talked to myself. I said, so what?
I'm going to talk more. It doesn't mean anything. I mean, in other words, I was trying not to be intimidated by being the lead, by just saying to myself, You've done a lot of acting.
So, what? You're going to talk a little more. Right. Nothing. Don't don't Don't get build it up in your mind.
But it it was not that. It was fundamentally a different thing. The degree of uh Depth and layering, you have to think about and try to bring, and that the writing presented. Um You know It just set me back for, I mean, it was two years of sweat, of real fear and sweat. I lost my voice.
On the first week before. And by the way, I'm losing my voice now because I've done so much promotion for normal. But I'm happy to do it because I love that movie. But anyway. Uh it was um Boy, that thing knocked me on my ass.
And so did Broadway when I did uh Glenn Gary Glenn. I thought it was past being intimidated by this job. But um It was a beautiful thing. It's a wonderful thing at an older age to be invited to challenge yourself. It's a gift, it's a crazy gift.
But it's also scary as hell. I got to tell you, though, you pulled it off because, I mean, you know, Saul Goodman went from a character in Breaking Bad that was occasional. Uh, comic release, yeah, and obviously a very important part of the plot and the story, and a crucial character. to in Better Call Sol, um, uh a st it was a love story. It was a a a story about brotherly love or jealousy.
It was uh, you know, um a breaking bad drug. Um cartel. Intense storyline. It was all of that. You know, all of that, man.
And you killed it. You killed it. Thank you so much. I mean, the fear helped me, of course. Fear can help you.
Uh to dig in and work hard. I always felt that the guy's story was one that You know, we tell in America, we tell stories of people who find their voice and their strength and their. confidence at the age of twenty one, at the age of seventeen, at the age of twenty three. That's the story we like to tell. And Saul was a guy who had a gift of some sort.
Of uh speaking, of analyzing people, of uh persuading people, convincing them of things. But he couldn't find a place to put it. He didn't know where it belonged. And he wanted this respect from his brother and from his. His love uh interest uh And he couldn't get it.
And I think that his journey is probably a more understood and shared thing of a guy leaning moving into his thirties and forties even and going, I know I've got something to offer. I know it. I've seen it work. But where do I put it? That people will look at me and go like, hey, you're great.
Hey, good job. I can't find a place to put it that you that everyone agrees. And I just think it's a it's a sh people relate to that. They love to hear stories about magical You know, unicorns. Who, you know, Pete Crowe Armstrong's.
Yeah. Right? That's a story we want to hear. We love that story. But that's not most people's story.
Most people's story is stumbling through their twenties Somewhere in their 30s, going, I think, oh, I belong over here. And then grinding it, making their way. To some power and some confidence and some appreciation, hopefully by their 40s. And every single time I was sitting there rooting for your character to find the right spot to put it, and it looked like you were going to do it, it just all turned to crap. Yeah, yeah, which is what led me to being an action character.
That not quitting that Saul had. I've got to take a quick break on the radio side of things, and if you don't mind, we'll just finish up the hour together. I love it. Bob Odenkirk is here. Normal is going to be in the theaters starting tomorrow nationwide.
We're back with Bob Odenkirk to just wrap things up in a sec. Rich Eisen here. I've traveled all over for some of the biggest NFL moments you can imagine. Conference championships, Super Bowls, draft weekends, and everywhere I go, the city just feels different. It's buzzing, packed, electric.
Now take that energy. and multiply it by the entire world. That's what's coming this summer with the FIFA World Cup. Fans from every corner of the globe are going to be traveling to experience it live. And when that many people come to town, they're all looking for a place to stay.
And that got me thinking. If you live in or near a host city, this is one of those rare moments. You already have a space. This summer, you could list your space on Airbnb while fans are in town for the FIFA World Cup, not as a full-time thing. Not as some huge lifestyle change, just during an event when demand is naturally high.
When I travel for big games, I just want a comfortable place in a real neighborhood, and that's exactly what so many visiting fans will be looking for. If you've ever thought about listing your space, this summer is a great time as we welcome FIFA World Cup fans. Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.com/slash host. Quick time out, some breakfast intel you want to know about.
Kodiak frozen power waffles and flapjacks are built for busy mornings. Heat it, eat it, and you're out the door. No long prep, no complicated game plan. They're packed with 12 to 14 grams of protein per serving a good source of fiber and crafted with 100% whole grains, not refined white flour.
So you're getting something that actually fuels you. And there's depth on the roster. Buttermilk and vanilla. Blueberry, chocolate chip, even gluten-free options. Breakfast that delivers.
Snack that delivers. Find Kodiak Frozen Waffles and Flapjacks in the frozen aisle at your local grocery store. They're the ones with the bear on the box. The Rich Heisen Show, the podcast. Every time you see Saul squeal that car to a stop or turn a corner really fast, that's me going hard.
I swear to God, I almost flipped that esteem. I'm pulling into a parking lot, and I turned so hard, and I was going so fast. And I caught so many great Um, kudos from the stunt uh team because I would stop that thing on a freaking time. I love it, I would. Fantastic.
This is the perfect time for me to tell you that you can make every day feel epic in the all-new Hyundai Palisade Hybrid with up to an EPA estimated 619 miles of range on select trims, advanced tech, and class-leading interior space. Because when you're hauling kids' gear, snacks, and backpacks, space matters, and so does comfort. Just make sure they keep their cleats off the seat. Visit HyundaiUSA.com or call 562-314-4603 for details. That's the all-new Hyundai Palisade Hybrid.
Normals in theaters near you starting tomorrow. Bob Odenkirk here. We've got about three minutes left. You got a good favorite Cranston story. Brian Krantz.
Oh, well, it's the one where I'm sitting in the makeup trailer, and I'm in my second season of Saul. I still haven't seen the show. I'll remember Breaking Bad. Yeah, right, right. Breaking Bad.
Yeah, yeah. And. And we're looking at the pages or talking about something and talking about Gus, and I'm like.
Well, you and Gus, you know, you're working together, right?
So you should, I don't know, I said something about he and Gus. By the way, they always show this damn picture of me. I'm wearing a bulletproof vest. People are like, Odenkirk lost weight. The character is wearing a bulletproof vest for like five episodes under his shirt.
And everyone's like, boy, remember when he was so chunky?
Well, now we know why you were.
So you're talking to Cranston. And he goes, he looks at me and he goes. Cuss and I aren't friends. You don't know the show, do you? He goes, You've never seen the show, have you?
And I go, He's right. I haven't seen it. I went home and watched it after that, though. I felt bad. No kidding.
Because that was disrespectful to not actually have watched and understood. Cranston sniffed you out. Oh, he sniffed it out. And I did watch the show, and my daughter did come in when Gus pulled out the. Box cutter.
Are you serious? Wow. She walked right in the room. Did it change how you viewed the show, having then caught up and watched her? Sure.
Yeah. It was a complicated show. I had this stupid scheme in my mind that Walter White and all the drug dealers were friends, friends, hanging out together. They were trying to do this work. I really Yeah.
But you know, here's how I justified it. This is going to sound weak, but it's really, I said. My job here is to be Saul. And Saul doesn't know what's going on in life. He only knows what the person he's talking to.
He doesn't know this. Yeah. Show that he's in.
So, hey, it's actually an actor's choice to not read and understand the story. What's your favorite Saul Goodman line? Uh now you're the handsome one. When J Jesse gets his the shit. It kicked out of them.
And I look at him in the hospital bed and What do I say? I don't have the exact line, but I look at Walter White and I go, how about that?
Now you're the handsome one. You're the pretty one. Fantastic. What a pleasure. Thanks for coming on.
Hey, man, thank you. This is just your. It's great to sit and talk, and thanks for letting me go deep on these things. I love it. That's what we're here for.
And I greatly appreciate you wanting to.
So thank you for being here. Normal is available in theaters nationwide tomorrow, April 17th. Everybody, go see it. And you won't believe what happens to Henry Winkler. Unbelievable.
Yeah. Great stuff, man. Only in the movies. Only in the movies. Thanks for listening to the Rich Eisen Show podcast.
You can watch and listen to The Rich Eisen Show live weekdays from noon to 3 Eastern on ESPN Radio, Disney Plus, and on the ESPN app, The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast.
