Ben Stiller

She was. She was. She was Irish Catholic. Very funny. I think I actually share more of my mom's sense of humor than my dad's. She... was a serious actor who then my dad drew into comedy, who came up with the idea for them to do their comedy act to make money after they'd been married for five or six years in the 50s. And I think she never loved comedy. She was very good at it.

She was. She was. She was Irish Catholic. Very funny. I think I actually share more of my mom's sense of humor than my dad's. She... was a serious actor who then my dad drew into comedy, who came up with the idea for them to do their comedy act to make money after they'd been married for five or six years in the 50s. And I think she never loved comedy. She was very good at it.

I think she was more naturally adept at it than my dad, actually. My dad was funny, but his dream was to be Eddie Cantor or Jack Benny. My mother was more of like a polished stage, you know, like a nightclub. She really just knew how to work a crowd. And she wrote plays. And she wrote plays. And she was more interested in writing and reading and acting and different kinds of things.

I think she was more naturally adept at it than my dad, actually. My dad was funny, but his dream was to be Eddie Cantor or Jack Benny. My mother was more of like a polished stage, you know, like a nightclub. She really just knew how to work a crowd. And she wrote plays. And she wrote plays. And she was more interested in writing and reading and acting and different kinds of things.

She, I think, always was like when she saw me doing comedy, she was like, oh, that's great. But I like, you know, I liked Greenberg or I like Permanent Midnight. Yeah. Yeah.

She, I think, always was like when she saw me doing comedy, she was like, oh, that's great. But I like, you know, I liked Greenberg or I like Permanent Midnight. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah, right. What was that about? Well, in the idea of the movie was, that's funny, I'd forgotten about that. My family had to play my family. And also there was a psychiatrist who sort of like kicks off the whole thing. I think it gives my character a pill or something. But I wanted Gene Wilder to play that guy. And I sent it to my mom and to Gene Wilder and they both nixed it.

Yeah, right. What was that about? Well, in the idea of the movie was, that's funny, I'd forgotten about that. My family had to play my family. And also there was a psychiatrist who sort of like kicks off the whole thing. I think it gives my character a pill or something. But I wanted Gene Wilder to play that guy. And I sent it to my mom and to Gene Wilder and they both nixed it.

Gene Wilder, he's like, I think you're great, but I do not like this project. I thought it was really good. Yeah. My mother didn't want to go there. Now, that's very atypical of her because when I was starting out, like audition tapes or I did an audition reel for Saturday Night Live where I had my parents in it and they were in so many things that I did. It was never a thing.

Gene Wilder, he's like, I think you're great, but I do not like this project. I thought it was really good. Yeah. My mother didn't want to go there. Now, that's very atypical of her because when I was starting out, like audition tapes or I did an audition reel for Saturday Night Live where I had my parents in it and they were in so many things that I did. It was never a thing.

But for some reason, that specific role and maybe it was what I don't know. I wish I could ask her.

But for some reason, that specific role and maybe it was what I don't know. I wish I could ask her.

That's my lore. Ben's going to do what Ben's going to do. It wasn't great, but I knew that I couldn't do well there because I wasn't great at live performing. My mom would have been better on that show. I got too nervous. I didn't enjoy it, and I wanted to be making short films.

That's my lore. Ben's going to do what Ben's going to do. It wasn't great, but I knew that I couldn't do well there because I wasn't great at live performing. My mom would have been better on that show. I got too nervous. I didn't enjoy it, and I wanted to be making short films.

In the moment, there were reasons why, and I had this opportunity to do this MTV show, and it had been a dream to be on Saturday Night Live. But Looking back on it, I don't remember exactly how I had the... Fortitude. Gumption. I was going to say, yeah.

In the moment, there were reasons why, and I had this opportunity to do this MTV show, and it had been a dream to be on Saturday Night Live. But Looking back on it, I don't remember exactly how I had the... Fortitude. Gumption. I was going to say, yeah.

Gumption. Thank you very much to do that. But for whatever reason, I followed that instinct.

Gumption. Thank you very much to do that. But for whatever reason, I followed that instinct.

Hmm. That's interesting because when I hear that, I know that my dad knew why he wanted to perform. It's a good question. I think so. For me, I think it's about trying to get closer to expressing my true self. trying to somehow make something that feels truthful and real and maybe is just more opening up myself in a way that's closer to the bone.

Hmm. That's interesting because when I hear that, I know that my dad knew why he wanted to perform. It's a good question. I think so. For me, I think it's about trying to get closer to expressing my true self. trying to somehow make something that feels truthful and real and maybe is just more opening up myself in a way that's closer to the bone.