William H. Macy

Oh, I don't mean audience. I mean people you know.

Oh, I don't mean audience. I mean people you know.

Yeah, I've heard it. I've heard that I'm really rough and I don't fight fair. And early on, every once in a while, my good friend Greg Mosher, who ran the Goodman in Chicago and then Lincoln Center, innocently said, Billy, I figured out why directors find you so difficult to work with. And I don't know what he said after that because my ears were ringing.

Yeah, I've heard it. I've heard that I'm really rough and I don't fight fair. And early on, every once in a while, my good friend Greg Mosher, who ran the Goodman in Chicago and then Lincoln Center, innocently said, Billy, I figured out why directors find you so difficult to work with. And I don't know what he said after that because my ears were ringing.

I had no idea that that was my reputation, but it was. The aforementioned doing everybody's job except my own, it was that.

I had no idea that that was my reputation, but it was. The aforementioned doing everybody's job except my own, it was that.

Do you think there's something honorable about it? No. Okay, so you're just like, no, these are character flaws and full stop.

Do you think there's something honorable about it? No. Okay, so you're just like, no, these are character flaws and full stop.

Well... I guess I'm not being honest. No. There's a big thing in my family. We talk about this. If you got to say, you're fired, how do you do it? And the female way, perhaps, but certainly the women I know begin with, hi, how you doing? How are the kids? Listen, we've been doing it. And I say, that's not the way to do it. You say, hi, you're fired. And then you do the nice stuff.

Well... I guess I'm not being honest. No. There's a big thing in my family. We talk about this. If you got to say, you're fired, how do you do it? And the female way, perhaps, but certainly the women I know begin with, hi, how you doing? How are the kids? Listen, we've been doing it. And I say, that's not the way to do it. You say, hi, you're fired. And then you do the nice stuff.

Lead with the hard thing. Because everybody knows they're being played. How are you? You look good. You lost weight, didn't you? Listen, we've been thinking about – and it's not you. We've been thinking about – They know they're being good and I find it personally outrageous. I would much prefer, hey, we're going to fire you and here's why.

Lead with the hard thing. Because everybody knows they're being played. How are you? You look good. You lost weight, didn't you? Listen, we've been thinking about – and it's not you. We've been thinking about – They know they're being good and I find it personally outrageous. I would much prefer, hey, we're going to fire you and here's why.

And then get all the good stuff and maybe then I can hear it and maybe even believe some of it.

And then get all the good stuff and maybe then I can hear it and maybe even believe some of it.

I think I'm with you, but I don't want the second part. Just go, I'm fired. I go, okay. It's like when you break up with somebody, you go, we're going to still be close friends. No, you're not. This is over. I may never see you again. Isn't that fucking weird? It's when they say, it's not you. It's me.

I think I'm with you, but I don't want the second part. Just go, I'm fired. I go, okay. It's like when you break up with somebody, you go, we're going to still be close friends. No, you're not. This is over. I may never see you again. Isn't that fucking weird? It's when they say, it's not you. It's me.

You know you're fucked.

You know you're fucked.

Yeah, it's you. I almost feel like that runs counter to your story about your daughter. It may run counter to your story about your daughter, meaning... You were pretty empathetic. I was.

Yeah, it's you. I almost feel like that runs counter to your story about your daughter. It may run counter to your story about your daughter, meaning... You were pretty empathetic. I was.