"People are real down on the subway lately but I still like taking it!!" Kareem and Michael continue on the train and talk about Michael's directorial debut, Eric Larue, directing as a way of developing every character in a movie, Kareem and Michael's future buddy comedy where they open an indie Target (and also their buddy drama where they're roommates), male best friend breakup stories as a new genre, Michael's love of R.E.M., doing a cover band, being a loafer, having a fake Chicago accent, Windsor Terrace, how being from the midwest makes you endearing, GoFundMe to pay for a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame, not being invited to the Oscars, there are too many screens on the subway, Michael's colonoscopy and other stuff. Host: Kareem Rahma Creators: Kareem Rahma and Andrew Kuo Camera: Maksim Axelrod and Tian Sippel Editor: Tyler Christie Mixer: Dale Eisinger Associate Producer: Ramy Shafi Artwork: Andrew Lawandus Theme Music: Tyler McCauley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Chapter 1: What are Michael Shannon's thoughts on taking the subway?
Well, I thought since this is Subway Takes, I should talk about the subway. Okay. People are real down on the subway lately. They're saying it's getting more dangerous or something, but I still like taking it. I don't mind.
You like the subway?
Yeah, I like the subway.
So your subway takes is that people should take the subway?
Yeah, yeah. The subway is getting a bad rap nowadays. I guess people, I hear people say, you know, it's changed or they don't feel as safe on it. You know, there's a lot of negative press about, oh, this, that, or the other happened on the platform or people... assaulting people or whatever.
But you take the subway often.
Yeah, I think public transportation is the way to go. I can't believe how many cars there are in this city.
It's really ridiculous. There's a lot of cars. What does it take for you to take a car?
oh god i don't know maybe if it's like really super late at night and i just want to go to bed you know but pretty much during the day i'm always on the subway and people are like don't people bug you on the subway i'm like no not really you know every once in a while somebody will say hi or you know i like this that this movie you did or whatever but it's pretty simple nobody gives me too much aggravation they're pretty nice to you yeah yeah you know what they do to me
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Chapter 2: What inspired Michael Shannon's directorial debut 'Eric Larue'?
Yeah, I mean, people have always been asking me about it. There hasn't been a specific thing, but people keep wondering when I'm going to do it or whatever. I don't know. I was reluctant for a long time because it just looked like a lot of work.
Directing, it seems stressful.
Yeah, yeah. I wondered how I would sleep at night. I just figured I'd be worried all the time about... About the film.
Yeah, yeah. So you'd much rather prefer to show up and do the job?
Yeah, when you act, you're just kind of responsible for that one element, you know, but... I was surprised. I actually really enjoyed it.
And what drew you to this story in particular? I saw, yeah, you mentioned just about a school shooter, and it's really about his parents coping with, what did we do? Is this our fault? Right, right. And so that kind of... That's tension. I mean, that's a big tension.
Yeah, but I thought through the microcosm of this particular story and these particular people, I could tell a story that kind of reflects, like I was saying earlier, on a larger scale about our society in general and society. What a confusing country we live in right now. I think America likes to identify itself as a country full of good, honest, decent, hardworking people.
And yet there's all this loneliness and alienation that causes people to do really crazy stuff. And it's like, well, where is that coming from and why is it not going away? Where do you think it's coming from? Well, I think it's about authenticity. I think it's about actually taking a closer, harder look at who we are, which I feel like was happening during COVID, you know.
A lot of the realizations people are having, particularly when it came to race and things like that, you know, these ideologies that are embedded in our culture that we kind of take for granted and that we, you know, I kind of need to toss a little bit, shake it up and see who we really are and how we really treat each other.
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Chapter 3: How does directing differ from acting for Michael Shannon?
Okay. It's a buddy comedy.
A buddy comedy?
Yeah, it's about this guy named Kareem. Okay. And his pal, Michael. Oh, okay. And what they're doing is they are on a mission. Mission? To open... A new New York City souvenir shop.
That's hard.
I know. And that's why it's so crazy and zany.
Yeah, yeah.
Because everyone's like, you can't open a New York souvenir shop. The city's filled with them.
Yeah.
And they're like, no, no, you don't get it. We have a vision. Right. It's going to have a coffee shop in it. Right. And it's also going to sell vinyls.
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Chapter 4: What is the idea behind Kareem and Michael's buddy comedy and drama projects?
I love you!
No, no. I've been thinking about this movie a lot. Okay. I'm serious. Okay. So it's me and it's you. Alright. We're roommates. And we've been roommates for 20 years. Like, we're good friends. Best friends.
Really?
After 20 years? Platonic heterosexual life partner. Okay. But... Like an odd couple. Then I get a girlfriend.
Oh, man.
And I got to go, Michael, I'm moving out. And you are so sad. It's like marriage story. I'm already upset. Yeah, exactly. You're just pitching it. And you do everything in your power to keep me there. And I'm like, dude, it's not your fault, Michael. I'm growing up. I'm in love. I want to move in with my girlfriend.
Do I use voodoo? Do I get like a doll and start sticking pins in it? No, no, no, no. That's torture. Oh, okay.
No, no. It's more like marriage story. Oh, okay. It's more like you're like, is it my fault? Can I do something? Did I do something different? And I'm like, no, it's over. Right. It doesn't have to be over just because you met somebody. But the roommate ship is over. Me and you being roommates, we're done. Can't she just move in with us?
Of course she can move in with us, but that's a different movie. That's not the drama.
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Chapter 5: What role does music play in Michael Shannon's life?
Yeah, the buddy drama.
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I think you're 50-ish. Yeah, 50 on the nose. Directed your first movie at 50. Yeah. Kind of a renaissance, man. You've got a band that you play in. Yeah. I believe there are two bands. There's the R.E.M. band. There's a bunch of bands. Yeah, the R.E.M. band. That's the one I've been doing mostly lately, the R.E.M. band. And I'm assuming... That you love R.E.F.
I do. I really do. I've loved them for... Yeah, almost 40 years, yeah.
Now, when you started that project, did you hit stipe on text and say, I'm starting an R.E.M. cover band, or you just did it and surprised them?
No, we didn't really set out to start a cover band, honestly. It was just a one-off show that we did in Chicago. Oh, really? Yeah, yeah. We started out with just a one-off show in Chicago, and then after we did the show, promoters around the country were asking if we would bring it. So we did, and it's turned into this thing.
But it wasn't our... The band that Jason and I have, Jason Arduci, we've done a bunch of records from a bunch of different... No, it's just called Michael Shannon, Jason Arduci, and Friends Play a Record. But we've played lots of records, and nobody's ever asked us to... play them anywhere else. This was the first time that ever happened.
How do you decide what to pick up and what to put down? Because I suffer from the same disease, I suppose, which is that I like to do a lot of different things. And sometimes they don't connect. So I have a band. It's called Tiny Gun. We make rock and roll. I act. I'm in a movie. I directed it. Or no, I didn't direct it. I wrote it, produced it, and starred in it. Then I have shows like this.
I'm kind of just doing whatever I feel like doing. That's the way to do it, man. I mean...
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Chapter 6: How does Michael Shannon balance his creative pursuits and lifestyle?
But not in the way that you sometimes now see people on the internet being like... I wake up at 5 a.m., I journal in my diary, then I dunk my face in a bucket of ice, and then I take a cold shower. Right. And then I do that. Like, you're not saying you've got to optimize.
No, no, no. But if you've got creative energy, you know, put it to use. And it can be hard sometimes with that energy if you don't get the opportunities. A lot of people are waiting for somebody to say, hey, you want an opportunity? Yeah. I don't know. You got to have some self-determination, I think, to make it.
You have a Chicago accent? Well, you didn't really grow up in Chicago?
No, but I lived there a long time. I lived there.
I know, but is it fake?
Everything about me is fake.
But is the accent fake? That's the only thing I care about. I don't even know how to answer that question. Answer it honestly. Is the Chicago accent fake? Are you doing it because you're like... Because I'm on your program?
You're like, oh, I'm a humble... For Subway takes, I'll do Chicago accent? Oh, no. Oh, I'm a humble Midwesterner.
No, I mean, my accent changes around, I guess, depending on my mood. I'm kind of a chameleon. I don't know if you know that.
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Chapter 7: Is Michael Shannon's Chicago accent real or fake?
Little known neighborhood. I like it. It's a great neighborhood. The Chicago accent, though. Yeah. I'm not going to let it go. Okay. People... I'm from Minneapolis. Oh, I've been there. I've been there, too. Whoa. Whoa. Service train. Yeah. So I'm from Minneapolis, and what I've found is that when I tell people that I'm from the Midwest, they like me more, honestly. They do?
They do like me more, yeah. It's like an endearing quality.
You don't find that that's... From being from Minneapolis?
Being from the Midwest. People love you more, I think. They're like, oh, look, Midwestern guy. You don't agree with that?
This is the first time this is ever coming up.
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Chapter 8: How does being from the Midwest affect Michael Shannon's persona?
That's not true. It is. It's not true. I think that's one of the reasons you're so beloved. You think so? I think it might be. I don't think it's your acting chops. Yeah, no, it wouldn't be that. It wouldn't be that. I think that in terms of acting, you could use a little bit of... Help? Appreciation. Oh, yeah. Well... I feel like you're underrated, personally.
I bet you don't want to talk about this right now. Really? I think you're underrated. I think you're very underrated. I really do. I don't know if this is an uncomfortable subject for you.
Well... I mean, it doesn't do any good to gloat, but, you know, it's just my job, you know?
I know, but I think we need... I want to generate more excitement around Michael Shannon.
I'm not the guy to help you with that.
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Chapter 9: Why does Kareem think Michael Shannon is underrated and how to make him a star?
No, you don't need to be there. Okay. You don't need to be there, but I think we need to call your agents and say, like... Or my publicist. Jesus. Is that... Great. So we need to tell her. To amp it up? No, we want to make Michael Shannon a star. A star. Not a famous actor or a great actor or one of the greats. We want to make him a star.
I should probably try and get my star on the Walk of Fame. You don't have a star? No.
This is my fucking point, okay? I'm sorry. I'm just going to... This is my fucking point. Michael Shannon doesn't have a fucking star on the Hollywood Walk of... What is this? It makes no sense. Well, you know, they cost money. I don't care.
$75,000?
It's $75,000 to get your star in a walk of fame. You have to pay? Yeah, you have to pay. Every star you see in a walk of fame, somebody paid, they're like, okay, I'll pay $75,000. Well, then let me ask you a question.
Can I pay for my own star? You could. Right now. Yeah, I think so. Oh, so it's not even a real thing?
Yeah, like Joe Schmoe could get their star. No, I thought that they have to invite you to have a star. No, you just have to want it and have a lot of change in your sofa.
This is good information. I'm buying you a star. When this video comes up, I'm going to do a GoFundMe.
I like the GoFundMe.
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