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It's hot. Yeah. It's hot in my mouth.
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>> Well >> Hey, what's going on everybody?
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For First We Feast, I'm Sean Evans and you're watching Hot Ones.
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It's the show with hot questions and even hotter wings.
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And today we're joined by David Duchovny.
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[music] He's a two-time Golden Globe Award winner who spent nine seasons chasing aliens as Fox Mulder in The [music] X-Files and another seven playing a self-destructing novelist on Californication.
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He also has a shelf of published novels, a collection [music] of poetry, as well as his fourth studio album as a musician on the way.
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It's called Prince of Pieces, set to release on August 13th.
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>> [music] >> David Duchovny, welcome to the show. >> Thank you. Thanks for having me.
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>> What's going through your head as you prepare to take on the Hot Ones gauntlet?
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Are you someone who enjoys a spicy [music] meal?
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>> I know I'm not at all.
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I'm I'm completely unprepared and ill-prepared to be doing this.
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I'm the the last person on Earth who should be doing this. I don't I I don't know.
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Uh we'll see how my my >> [music] >> my body holds up. >> We will see.
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Are you ready to get started?
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>> [music] [music] [music] >> What is this called?
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>> That's what she shito said. >> That's funny. I'm laughing already.
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>> Any anywhere about it? Anywhere? >> Okay.
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Can I ask you a question? >> Of course.
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>> [music] >> How did you come up with this idea?
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Cuz I I was doing a a podcast for a couple of years and it is you get you get stuck in these kind of grooves [music] of like call and response and you do want to like smack smack somebody and get something new.
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[laughter] And I I found that >> [music] >> um like I would always want to ask really smart questions and that the smart questions are the worst questions to ask cuz they have an answer. You know what I mean?
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[laughter] >> Yeah, right.
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>> Dumb questions are the best.
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>> Those are the Well, I've got plenty of dumb questions for you today. You ready?
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>> [laughter] >> So, the title of your new album, "Prince and Pieces", is one letter away from prince of peace, which is a pretty loaded pun even for an English major.
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What's the backstory [music] behind the wordplay and title there?
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>> Well, I I'm a fan of wordplay [music] on Jesus.
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Uh there is a there's a pizzeria called Prince of Pizza. >> Shout out? >> Nothing. Nothing.
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Prince of Pieces just came to me >> [music] >> as in a dream, maybe driving, something.
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I was like, "Yeah, because we compartmentalize."
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Like, I'm a compartmentalized 21st century man.
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I've got I've got walled-off places in my soul.
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I've got walled-off places in my being.
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So, we're all kind of prince and princesses [music] of pieces here in our our modern-day life.
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So, I was like, "Okay, let's start with that and let's write a rock song about it."
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Feeling rather confident, I think it's false [music] confidence.
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>> Many such cases after the first wing on this show.
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>> [ __ ] >> [laughter] >> This next one is called hot birgin. >> What? >> Hot birgin.
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>> That that's They got to go back to school on that one.
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>> [laughter] >> So, at Princeton, your senior thesis was on Samuel Beckett's early novels and then decades later, you [music] have a podcast called Feel Better. >> Yes.
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>> What was it about Beckett that followed you from a 21-year-old's thesis to a 60-something's podcast?
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>> People [music] think of Beckett or as 20th century philosophy or existentialism being pessimistic, but and and actuality, it's it's kind of optimistic through the lens of failure.
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I've never learned anything from winning.
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I've only learned from failing.
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I've only learned from situations.
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>> Can you, in plain English and as succinctly as possible, >> That was in English. That's true. It was in English.
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>> In English and as succinctly as possible, how would you distill the argument that you were making in your thesis, which was titled The Schizophrenic Critique of Pure Reason in Beckett's early novels? >> Yeah, that was dumb.
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Um So, I was young, [music] right?
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I was basically looking at Like to distill it, it's like the only sane response to an insane world is insanity.
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That would be the cliché.
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>> [music] >> So, I was looking at these French crazy French philosophers who were rebelling against Freud and his Freudian like neuroses and saying somebody like Schreber or somebody like these people that we think of as crazy are actually a conduit to the truth of what's really happening because all our neuroses is just like one shade of gray.
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They may be in pain, but they're living the entire Technicolor universe, you know?
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So, it's a little cavalier with respect to mental illness, [music] you know?
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Because like that is painful for people, very painful, but it was like trying to open a window into more color.
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>> Well, you know, >> I don't know.
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It wasn't a very good thesis.
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>> [laughter] >> Well, you know what's a thesis that I think we carry here, where the answer to insanity is simply more insanity.
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And if you're ready, we can continue that train with wing number three. >> That's good. Yeah. What's this one called?
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>> It's called Pickled Garlic Sriracha.
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Not as funny as that what Chichito said. >> At least it's honest.
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Already I think it's something's happening.
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Oh, I feel that one a little more.
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>> You grew up in the Ukrainian Village on Manhattan's East Side.
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[music] For the uninitiated, what's the ultimate order at Veselka on Second Avenue?
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[laughter] >> I think it's cheese perogi.
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[music] I'd have to go with cheese perogi.
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Potato perogi also good, but cheese perogi [music] for me.
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>> I understand that you and your friends would play baseball at the St.
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Mark's Church in the Bowery Cemetery, and then you would use the gravestones as bases.
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Just reaching here, but do you remember who was buried at home plate?
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>> I think it might have been uh Brevort.
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There were all these Dutch names, right?
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Everybody is Dutch who's buried there.
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It's Peter Stuyvesant is actually buried there.
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Stuyvesant might have been second base, but all all Dutch names were the names of bases.
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>> What was the best concert or show that you got to see or at least hear through the walls when you were working as a bartender at Radio City Music Hall? >> question.
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I used to I watched all cuz we would we would set up and uh we would just have to serve drinks at intermission.
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So, after [music] we broke the the the stations down, we could go watch.
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The the memory that sticks with me, I watched Prince do a sound check.
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He's got like a big overcoat on and he's walking through uh >> [music] >> the the seats at Radio City and he goes to a spot >> [music] >> and he goes he flips his coat back and he goes He flips his coat back up and then walks to another spot and he goes He does this like 10 I'm just watching Prince move from space to space at Radio City Music Hall, do a little shimmy pop it back up.
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That's all I That's That's I d- I didn't talk to him.
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I didn't ask him like, is that like [music] it's cool here?
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It's good good sound, you know?
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Uh so, that's that was my Prince story. All right.
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I feel like you're going to sucker me, but Never.
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One of these looks particularly sweaty.
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>> [laughter] >> Bad omen. >> Yeah.
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>> So many of the monsters in the X-Files were played by real people using practical effects. >> Yeah.
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>> Which one looked like the gnarlies or freakiest when you finally saw them in full prosthetics on set?
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>> Well, I'll tell you a story um the opposite of that which was uh we were doing some episode in like a perfect community and the whole idea was that the all the repressed [ __ ] literally, of this community was going into the sewers and it was creating this return of the repressed.
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It was creating this monster that was made out of everybody's repressed desires and everything. So it was a cool idea.
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But I had to see and fight off this poop monster, basically.
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That's what he looked like. He was [music] poopish.
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I just always made me laugh.
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That was who I That was He was my mortal enemy for that day. >> Oh, fancy.
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I feel like this is the turn.
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I feel like this is when it starts to get weird. >> Mhm.
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And then with this one in particular it's got kind of a sweetness up [music] front and then >> Mhm.
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>> you get the violence behind it. >> Violence? >> Mhm. >> Oh, yeah.
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>> [laughter] >> Story checks out.
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>> You know what you're talking about.
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>> Can you tell me about the time that Shaq checked out of a Laker game early to sit next to you courtside? >> Yeah. It was a highlight. I have the picture. I have it framed.
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I look like a child next to Shaq.
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I look like a little baby next to >> We all do.
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>> So So it start the game starts and you know, one of the things [music] about being in the at least for me about being in the front row there was like trying to catch the eye of players that I like and just like, you know, getting my What's up?
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You know, like like see that you know, we know each other.
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So before the game, Shaq gives me the And I'm like, "Shh, Shaq."
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So I'm like, so the ball boy comes to me and it says, "Shaq wants you to know that he doesn't watch the X-Files when you're not on it."
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I'm like, "You tell him I don't watch the Lakers when he's injured."
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They go back and and Shaq's like, "So it's like me and Shaq."
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So they kill Portland and Shaq gets taken out in the middle of the fourth quarter cuz it's it's over.
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But instead of going to the bench, Shaq sat next to me.
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>> [music] >> And I'm like, "Me and Shaq are going to be friends now. Look at this."
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>> [snorts] >> I said, "You really, you know, I didn't say this cuz not as lame."
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But I basically said, "You kicked Sabonis's ass tonight."
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And he was like, "Sabonis don't want no part of me."
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I was like, "Well, yeah, that's kind of what I was saying."
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>> [laughter] >> But that was like the the end, you know, and I thought me and Shaq were really going to have something.
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So Shaq, if you're watching this, I'm still here. This is a situation.
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Oh, this is going to be trouble. >> Mhm. >> I can tell.
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>> So when you were a TA at Yale, I heard you say that you were too much of a performer as a teacher [music] and too much of a teacher as an actor. Can you unpackage that?
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>> You know, acting is about reaction and about instinct.
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It's not about intellectual, it's not about thinking, it's about feeling. So I was coming into it.
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In fact, that's why I became an actor was I think I wanted to educate that part of myself.
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That was the feeling part of myself.
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Aside from whatever would happen making a living, having a career, whatever, I think just naturally I I gravitated towards this [music] space because I wanted to educate my emotions the way my head had been educated.
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So there I was, but I was just using my head.
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I was like cuz that's all I'd been taught to use.
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You know, acting is just reaction just like gut it out.
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Just try and educate your gut.
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Try and listen to your gut.
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Try and work with your [music] gut.
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Which is probably what I'm doing here.
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>> [laughter] >> Certainly I have an educated gut over here.
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>> Later on later on my gut will have a lot to say. >> here.
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>> [laughter] >> Eight dragons. This is the sweaty one.
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I uh I bet this is a >> A lot like five.
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Where it has a very sweet And then because of the texture it's almost candied.
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You know, it's kind of like a spicy candy in a way. >> Yeah.
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>> But then >> Oh, there it is. >> It's happening.
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[laughter] >> There it is. All right.
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>> A feeling I know all too well.
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>> [ __ ] >> As a novelist yourself, was there an aspect of playing a novelist in Californication that hit closest to home?
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Like in what way do you most relate to Hank as a writer?
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>> What I always responded to with with Hank was we had this Hank had this uh thing he would do after every uh when he finished.
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He'd have whiskey, weed, and Warren Zevon.
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And so I just that idea of like having [music] gone through this gauntlet of trying to write something trying to reward >> Yeah.
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And just like to sit back and go, well, we did that, you know.
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Now we can we can treat ourselves. >> All right.
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Well, you know, we're only three wings away from a little weed and Warren Zevon [laughter] ourselves.
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If you're ready to move on, this next one is called the bomb beyond insanity.
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>> I've been warned about this one, I think. >> For good reason.
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>> Yeah, there's something there. Oh, jeez. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, you see that? I was getting cocky.
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>> It humbles us [music] all. >> Yeah. >> This sauce. >> Yeah. Okay.
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Do I look like you right now?
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>> I hope I look like [laughter] you, by the way. I hope I look like you.
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>> You look You look like sad.
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>> [laughter] >> It's a lot of years doing this, you know?
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>> But you still >> And this sauce in particular.
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>> You're still so good at it, though.
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You're You're You're You're there. You're present. >> I'm present. I'm connected.
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>> I've done so many interviews with people. >> Yeah.
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>> People that get lauded for being interviewers, and they're nowhere to be found. They're not present.
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You are present, so thank you for that. It's hot. It's hot in my mouth.
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>> Well, you and me both.
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There's a presence and an awareness and a shared experience there. >> Okay.
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>> But >> Do you mind if I have a little more? >> Yeah. No, please. >> Cheers.
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>> Do you have >> That's just spread to my lips. >> There's no escape.
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>> [laughter] >> Do you have a fondest memory from playing in those MTV Rock 'n' Jock games, you know?
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It is kind of crazy how you're on a softball team with like Frank Thomas and Ken Griffey Jr.
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And then you're playing basketball [music] alongside Clifford Robinson and Queen Latifah.
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Like, what do you remember about those experiences? >> So much. Because uh jeez.
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Uh because uh because uh I was big I wanted to be a an athlete.
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That would have been my dream.
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So, the whole MTV Rock 'n' Jock thing was a fantasy for me.
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But the basketball one, Cliff Robinson was on my team and and Boys II Men was on the other team.
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One of the Boys II Men Do you know the term low bridge? >> No, put me on game.
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>> Low bridge is like Can I stand up? >> Yeah, ahead.
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>> Like [snorts] if somebody goes up to dunk or for a layup and you kind of like you take their legs out, you know, you kind of you kind of get low. It's a dirty play.
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>> [snorts] >> So uh Boyz II Men low bridge Cliff Robinson.
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>> [laughter] >> Not all three of them, one of them. I don't know who it was. >> boy. >> Wanya?
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That I know one of their names?
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>> Cliff Robinson comes back.
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>> And he's like, "I'm going to [ __ ] up Boyz II Men."
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It's like [laughter] all of a sudden Cliff Robinson is going to to beat up Boyz II Men.
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And we're like, "Cliff, no."
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He's like, "Could have ended his career." It was a shitty move.
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It was it was it was a bad move.
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Cuz Cliff went down on his hip.
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And uh I really thought he was going to go after Boyz II Men, but he >> he controlled himself.
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>> Those Rocket Jack games are cutthroat. >> Yeah, right?
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It could have been so great if Cliff Robinson went after Boyz II Men.
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[laughter] And also Reggie Miller's on the other team.
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And I'm a Knicks fan and I >> You want to get in a fight with him?
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>> I hate I was going to [ __ ] up Reggie Miller.
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So I get the ball and I'm like I do something and I I pull up for a jumper and I hit it.
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I'm like, "Oh, thank god."
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[ __ ] you, Reggie Miller.
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And uh buzzer sounds like a minute later and [music] I'm like, "Yeah, [ __ ] you, Reggie Miller."
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Reggie Miller comes up and he's like, "Hey, man, me and my sister are such big fans. Can we have a picture?"
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I'm like, "Ah, Reggie Miller."
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>> [laughter] >> My man, Reggie Miller.
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I was like, "Yeah, sure."
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So me and Reggie are fine.
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>> [snorts] >> Little burpy, but here we go.
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I'm nervous about this one.
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Do you ever feel it on the tip of your nose? So itchy?
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>> At this point [music] like my lips are numb and then my throat broke.
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>> [laughter] >> You're a magician. >> Yeah.
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>> What happened to my throat as soon as you said that? Yeah.
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>> So, I've heard you say that The Larry Sanders Show is the only show that you've ever binged.
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Is that still the case and what was it about Larry that had that kind of magnetism for you?
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>> So, I was up I was up in Vancouver working on the X-Files and I just said, >> [music] >> "Please, just send me those those tapes."
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And that sound Remember the theme song? Da da da da da da.
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Like, that would just make me happy.
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So, I got to do Sanders and I got to meet Garry and we do a scene.
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He does this, which is a Garry thing.
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Like, the director calls cut and Garry goes, "How old are you?" And I said, uh, "32."
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And he goes, "What took you so long?"
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And just saying that makes me want [music] to tear up because, like, you know, like, to be it was like being anointed by the king of comedy, >> [music] >> you know, like, he's saying, like, you're doing something, you know?
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The greatest [music] compliment I've ever gotten from somebody who I respected in that way.
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And and the way it came was just the greatest [music] way.
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He was just a prince that way.
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>> Larry Sanders Show back then would have avoided Hot Ones, but you didn't today. >> Yeah. >> You can't.
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>> [laughter] >> But, thankfully, there's only one more wing to go. >> Who is this? Yeah, sure. All right. So, okay, dab it. >> Dab it. Textbook. Perfect.
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>> I'm sure I'm going to regret that.
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>> And with that, the wings of death are behind us.
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As we've learned today, you've lived a very rich, artistic, and creative, intellectual life from bohemian New York City to the corridors of academia to the heights of Hollywood.
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I'm curious at this stage in your career, what are the notes from your younger self that play in your head?
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Like, do you have any foundational advice for someone in their 20s, whether it's as simple as wear SPF or as heady as read more Beckett?
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>> That's such a That's a good question.
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Um >> [snorts] >> I think just embrace the shadow.
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However that happens, just embrace the opposite. Embrace the darkness. It's not dark. It's the richness.
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And don't be afraid cuz it's all going to end at one point. >> And you know what?
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We certainly embraced the darkness today.
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But look at you, David Duchovny, taking on the wings of death and living to tell the tale.
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Now there's nothing left to do but roll out the red carpet for you.
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This camera, this camera, this camera, let the people know what you have going on in your life.
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>> I've got I've got this album, Prince of Pieces, coming out.
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Um and I just [music] finished up a movie that I wrote called um >> [snorts] >> I don't remember.
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[clears throat] Um Soapbox.
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And I was able to act with my daughter, which was just a dream come true.
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>> [music] >> For me, not for her.
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I had That's all I can think of.
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A book of poetry's out right now. Blah blah blah.
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You know, like if if you like my stuff, you like my stuff. You'll go find it.
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>> [applause] >> Thank you.
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I enjoyed I mean, regardless of that stuff, I enjoyed the the the interview.
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>> Oh, thank you very much.
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And enjoying the ice cream. >> Yeah. Okay.
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>> [cough] >> Oh, [ __ ] >> [snorts] >> The gift that keeps on giving.
21:17
Hey, what's going on Hot Ones fans?
21:17
This is a very special announcement for the heat heads out there.
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If you're someone who needs a little spice in your life, then the Hot Ones monthly subscription box from Heat Nuts is for you.
21:25
This monthly delivery from Heat Nuts features a trio of saucy surprises each month.
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You can always count on a fresh assortment and be the first to try new Hot Ones sauces.
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By now you know the drill, heatnuts. com, heatnuts. com, that's heatnuts.
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com to get your hands on the Hot Ones monthly subscription box.
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