Director's Cut

"Macarena"

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Jake! Jake! Jake! Jake...! >> Welcome to Director's Cut, I'm Charles Monroe-Kane. That was a clip from "The Godfather of Green Bay." The film chronicles L.A. comedian Joe Keegan on his ill-begotten gig in Wisconsin. That is, until he meets his former high school English teacher, the lovely Molly. We're joined today by Pete Schwaba, the film's director, writer, producer and actor. We're also joined by another actor from the film, the hilarious Lance Barber. How are you guys doing? >> Good, thank you. >> Very well, thank you. >> In a nutshell, I would love to hear this. Would you describe for me the plot of "The Godfather of Green Bay"? >> Wow, I was not prepared for that. Yeah, it's-- It's a story of Joe Keegan, a guy who has blown every major audition he's ever had. He is about at the end of his rope, until his good buddy, Kenny Caruso, calls him up and says, we got to get you out of town. We got to go. And he has a chance to get to do The Tonight Show, but the catch is that it's in a small town in Wisconsin, at a roadside bar. So, the most unlikely of places you would think that a guy would have a shot at The Tonight Show. >> You are Joe Keegan. >> Yeah. >> I mean, you're not. You're Pete Schwaba. But you're Joe Keegan in the film. Where did that screenplay come from? You were living in L.A., and you were like, oh, I'm going to write a film about a comedian going to Wisconsin. >> Yeah, you know, I had done stand-up for about ten years, and just kind of worked all over the place. It's so much fun working the road when you're just a guy in your 20s. I really wanted to write about that. So, I thought, what can I do to add to the story. You know, I just kind of played out this "what could happen" scenario, you know, with these guys, and where would the most unlikely place be for you to get The Tonight Show. You know, you do meet people, though. It's funny, with these little roadside bars, you meet people that their cousin is the booker of The Tonight Show, or this guy is a regular on Friends, or whatever. And it's like, wow, really, in this little town in Iowa, or Wisconsin, or something. So, things can happen like that. It's not totally impossible. >> You live in L.A., right? >> Mm-hmm. >> So, he hands you a script and says I want you to be in this, but you have to go to a small town in Wisconsin. I assume you'd never been to Wisconsin. >> I grew up in the Midwest. I grew up in Michigan. >> Oh. >> So I'm a Midwestern boy. I got it right away, because I know a lot of these people, as well. Your neighboring state of Michigan is quite similar in some of its culture. It was a regular audition process. I went and auditioned for Pete and the producers out in Los Angeles for the part. >> Real quick, I want to talk about your character for a second. So, what did you do to be this character? The character, is it similar to who you are? >> I got into the stand-up a little bit. In Chicago, I studied at Chicago Second City. >> Right. >> I started doing a little bit of stand-up, a guitar act. I didn't consider myself a stand-up comedian, because I felt uncomfortable just talking. It's a wonderful thing, but I had to have a guitar in front of me. I didn't feel comfortable just standing up there and telling jokes. >> So, a guitar-edian? >> A guitar-edian, exactly. >> I used to have a guitar on me whenever I did act, too, but I never played it. >> Never touched it! >> Never played it. >> I did novelty songs, you know what I mean? I did it with a partner. But it was stand-up venues, so I got to know a lot of the stand-up community. A miserable community of people.

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What a miserable community of people. So, based on some of the people that I'd met and I knew, and through Second City, I know a lot of people in the funny side of show business world, so I had taken some of the character from some friends of mine. >> Stole some stuff from the misery on the road. We're going to show a clip. This is one of Joe. Why don't you set it up? This is one where you kind of bomb in front of the network guy. >> Right, this is yet another one of Keegan's many failures. The network guys are right there. He goes after a heckler. The heckler happens to be sitting there, and they've had too much to drink. This just goes to the other level of heckling. >> A whole other level. All right, well, let's roll that clip.

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>> Let's bring up the next act. The next gentleman coming to the stage is a funny man who has been trying to get on network television for quite a long time now. Let me just say, on a personal note, Higgins is pulling for this kid. Ladies and gentlemen, a big hand if you would, for Mr. Joe Keegan. Joseph!

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>> Don't let this suck. >> Thanks a lot folks. How about another hand for Higgins. One more time for Higgins.

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All right. Well, it's good to be here. I actually just literally flew back into town like two hours ago. Let me just say, there are some snotty people flying the airways these days. I'm sitting there on the plane, I pull out my computer, the guy next to me gets all pissy. I'm like, excuse me. Sorry I can't afford a laptop.

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>> I guess that joke's only for people that fly a lot. >> Yeah, or people with a good sense of humor.

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I'll tell you another thing that really burns me up, folks, public breast feeding, not so much when the women do it. >> I breast fed all of my kids! You got something against breast feeding? >> I like it. I just think ideally the blood alcohol level should be a little lower than yours. >> You're calling my mom a drunk? >> Your mom? >> You're saying she's a drunk? >> No, I'm not. I think she's the sober one.

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My name is Joe Keegan. >> Ugh! >> Oh, my god, the life on the road of an actor. I can't imagine being a stand-up comic. So real quick, what is it like being-- Was that really what it's like when you have a heckler, and your on the road somewhere, just you're tired in a cheap motel, and some guy's berating you, just contront them? >> Usually, the best thing to do is collapse in tears. That really makes everyone uncomfortable. >> And feel sorry for you. >> Right. >> And lose respect for you immediately. >> Is that part of it, making people uncomfortable? I mean, is it a little bit? You can achieve it in different ways, but is that part of it? >> How so? You mean from the comedian? >> Yeah, from the comedian. >> I think if the comic is in control, people aren't uncomfortable. I think when the comic says he doesn't know what to do or how to handle this guy, then the crowd is like, oh, boy, you know. But if he goes after 'em, and slams 'em just hard enough so that there's no, you know. >> Bloodshed. >> Exactly, then things can progress. >> Do you have a classic go-to for hecklers. >> You must have one. >> I couldn't use it on public television. >> Aw, darn. >> I have to keep my clothes on.

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>> We can talk about it later. That's my plan, by the way, when I retire. Early retirement, I'm going to go on the road and do senior comedy. >> You need an opener? >> Yeah, I do. We'll be old, too.

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I want to talk about some of the people in your film, because what was odd for me, and I watch a lot of local Wisconsin films. It's what I do for a living. There was a lot of people I recognized in this film. It was interesting to me. One of them is Ms. Holly. Tell me about Lauren Holly, and why she was in this film. Tell me about her coming here. What was she like being in a small town in Wisconsin? >> We had selacious photos of her. >> Oh, that's good. >> No, Lauren actually, here's another Wisconsin connection to this. There's a woman named Sara Ramaker, who used to work at the Comedy Cafe in Milwaukee, where I did stand-up. She had become an agent in L.A. at some point, and I had no idea. She passed the script along. Once it reached the agency, she passed it along to Lauren and said, "You should read this." And she did, and liked it and wanted to do it. So, I have Sara to thank for that. I don't don't know that Lauren ever would've seen it. But we were out to a lot of people, and had a few, but Lauren was the best, you know, we hit a home run with her. >> I know she's not like the largest star in L.A., but I can imagine it must've been odd for her in that small town, or even for you and other people in this to come to this small town and stay, what at like a Holiday Inn or something? >> Lauren, I think we had for like two weeks or ten days, or something like that. But she, you know, like Lance, she grew up in a small town. I asked her, I said, "Do you have any questions about your character?" She goes, "No, I really get this person. I lived in a small town." >> "She's the woman I had to overcome before I became me..." Tell us about some of the other characters. Tell me about the Doug character. I was really intrigued by him. >> That guy is phenomenal. I think he nailed that because that guy definitely exists, especially in every small town, whatever the venue is, be it, but certainly in the stand-up world, as well. >> Yeah, Tom just nailed it. I mean, there were two parts I wrote for guys who were not that guy. But they did so well, and Tom was just so great, it's like we're changing the part for Tom. He nailed it. That character was supposed to be older. But there is a guy like that in every town. He thinks he's going places. He's been doing it for six months. He's got it all figured out. "These guys are losers. What are you doing here? You've been doing it ten years. Pfft!" You know, that's pretty much Doug. His humor is all local, you know, he doesn't have any idea he's never getting anywhere. >> My favorite part for him was when he says he's so excited to you guys, the Doug character. He just did a terrible act, and obviously finds The Tonight Show guy, and he tells him to keep in touch. He's like, "Dude, he told me to keep in touch!" I'm moving to L.A.!" I'm like, you're an idiot, man. >> That's the kiss of death, "Keep in touch." >> I want to show another one. This one features another character we'll talk about in a minute. But this is Jake, who happens to be the Godfather of Green Bay, with Molly at dinner. If you could set this one up for us real quick. >> Yeah, they're at a date. They were set up by the owner of comedy club. It's not going very well. Jake is in the hunt. He's still very full of himself. He's that guy that still lives in the glory days, you know, and was a footballs star and blew out his knee at 15, but thinks he would've made the pros, you know, and is still caught up in that world. You know, this is where Molly gets to know Jake a little more. >> Let's check out Jake in action. >> Hello. >> Uh, deer huntin'?

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>> There's just nothing like it. Seeing the sun come up, with snow on the ground, smell the pine. It's

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beautiful. Finally, when you see it, there's rustling, you know? And you hear a twig snap!

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You start to get that rush, that feeling inside that says this little

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is mine! You've got him in your sights. Bam! Buck shot! Put that sucker down! Then you do the three Ts. You tag him, take him home, and cook that sucker. You're not one of them vegans, are ya? >> Oh, um, no. No, I eat just about anything. >> Sweet. >> Hi, Jake. >> Hey, there.

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>> You know everyone in this town? >> Oh, yeah. I grew up here. I was the best football player in all of goddamn northeastern Wisconsin, till I blew out my knee. >> Glory days. >> Yeah. You can't grow up in a town 15 minutes from Green Bay and not want to play for the Packers, you know? Big game this weekend. >> Yeah. >> You're not a Bears fan, are ya? >> Well, I grew up in Chicago. Then I blew out my knee.

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>> Wow, an uncomfortable dinner, I love it. Tell me about that character, because when I hear him, I couldn't-- It's like, is he from Green Bay? Did you guys get local actors? >> No, that character, that's Tony Goldwyn. He was in Ghost, The Last Samuri, and he directs big Hollywood films. I was very nervous to have Tony in the film, because he's actually an MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. >> A Goldwyn. >> He's a Goldwyn. He's Samuel Goldywn's grandson, I think. >> I keep asking why. I should quit asking, but why would he be in your movie? I'm not saying your movie's not awesome, and it's probably a great screenplay, but why? >> We told them it was "The Big Lebowski."

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>> You get to bowl. >> And we knew we had him. He just liked the script. Tony's a great guy. I read afterwards he's really picky about what he chooses. He's really into his body of work. >> Interesting. >> Yeah, so I was really thrilled that to hear that, that he wanted to do the film. He just nailed it. He really wanted to get the accent, and after every take he was like, how was that? Was that okay? >> He studied the accent a bit, didn't he? Didn't he have some diction? >> We had the casting director send a couple PAs out to Walmart and asked if they could record them talking. They were talking about deer hunting, sent the tape to Tony so he could study the accent. He got it. He nailed it. A great guy. >> I'm just picturing him in some apartment in L.A., you know, walking around with a script, you know,

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"You know, get on da boat..." I was just like, oh, my god, that was awesome. >> Tony wore a mullet around my home town for five days. We'd go out to the mall, and nobody had any idea this was Tony Goldwyn, probably, you know. >> That's fantastic. One thing I want to talk about was the film is set in a bar. Really, the whole film is really about bars. Tell me. I mean, you're from, we're all from the Midwest. Here, we get it. But a lot of people don't. How did you capture the bar for your friends in L.A., so if they've never been to that scene. Because you don't get that in L.A. and New York. >> You couldn't find a better bar to capture. It was the epitome of a Midwestern roadside. >> How did that happen? What happened? >> Well, when we were scouting locations, we found this place, and it was like a homerun. We knew the second we walked in. There was kind of a heavy set guy with really short shorts passing out cold cuts that he made himself. And he's a great guy! Yeah, he was handing out cold cuts to the patrons of this bar, one of which was asleep at the bar. There was another one, we walked in and there was a woman dancing at the jukebox, and we're like this, these are my people. We're shooting here. It was great. It was so much fun. >> How many people, when you're doing this, how many people? What town was this? >> The bar was in Menominee, Michigan. We actually did most of the filming in Menominee and Marinette, Wisconsin. >> What happens when, what, a huge crew shows up in a small town like that? Where do they even sleep, let alone where do they hang out? >> Well, they rarely left the bar, I should say. >> It seems like they were a bunch of drinkers, right? >> Yeah, we had a really good time. Shooting in a bar, a couple nights, we shot like day as night and night as day, and we put the shades over the windows, and just kind of stayed there. A couple days we left, it was daylight, you know. But it was fun. We had a great time. The crew had a blast, too. >> Oh, my god, that's so hilarious. It seems like it would be, like I remember the first time I had an Old Fashioned. I was like, I was at a lodge up north, and I'm like, I'm never going to leave. This place is awesome. >> Well, it was hard. To shoot in Marinette was really difficult. My producing partner on the film, Brian Etting, and his brother were like, there's no way. Brian and Josh are like, there's no way you can film in this little town. Maybe Chicago. But there's no crews. Finally, I said we have to do this. This is where it takes place. It's got to be in a real, authentic small town. He said, well, if you can figure out a way to house the cast and crew for free, we'll go to your little hometown and make a movie. So, I talked to some people in the community, and this guy, John Hofer, who ran the hospital, and he had this building that was being unused. It was where the psych ward used to be. >> Oh, sweet! >> He said, you guys can stay here. That was our production office. The crew stayed there. And before long, I mean, the whole town opened up hotels for free. People were dropping by with meals. In their homes, they were giving us their bedrooms. They were amazing people. I knew that if we shot there, that's the kind of cooperation we'd get. They were just amazing. >> Gotta love Wisconsin. I want to show another clip. This one doesn't need much of an explanation. This is a great fight between you and the comedian, Dug, we were talking about. >> D-U-G. >> Interesting shows tonight, Dug. >> Thanks, man. >> I don't know about that new thing you're doing up there. It's Rocktober Fest. I want people to feel like drinking and dancing, not commiting suicide. >> It's about the truth, man. >> Well, it's gonna be about no more bookings. >> Hey, don't listen to him. I admire you, Dug. >> I don't know man, maybe he's right. I gotta work. >> Don't talk like that. Give it time. Bill Hicks wasn't an overnight success. >> Who the

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is that? >> You don't know who Bill Hicks is? >> Why the

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should I know who that is? >> All right, who needs a shot? >> How's your face? >> Fine, how's yours? >> I'm all right. Bill Hicks was a comic, a legendary comic. >> I know who he was. >> It's okay to say you don't know who Bill Hicks was. >> I know who he was! I was kidding! >> No, you weren't! >> Jesus...!

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>> Hey! Knock it off! Knock it off! Hey! I'm serious! Jesus Christ. Shake hands, both of you. I'm serious, right now. Shake hands. Both of you. Do it! Shake hands! Right now! Geez. Here, let's toast. To Rocktober Fest. >> To Rocktober Fest. >> And Bill Hicks.

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>> Time, time! >> Time?! Who calls time?! >> "Who calls time?" Nobody calls time. My seven year old calls time. I have a question for you. Talking about comedy, and I know you guys have both done stand-up. You do stand-up, and I think you're really funny in this movie. We get a lot of movies sent to us, and I watch a lot of movies that are local movies. The comedy movies are the ones that aren't good. People are having a hard time pulling it off. Why is comedy harder than other stuff? What's it about the timing about comedy that makes it so tricky, I think, compared to others? >> I think you said it right there. It's timing. I think there's so many factors that go into why comedy fails or not, you know, so it's real subjective. But funny is funny across the board. And I don't know, what do you think? >> I think Lance, I mean he's very naturally funny. So, when he came in for his audition, we had auditioned so many guys and they were all great. There was a lot of people we were obviously like, wow, he can do it. And then Lance comes in, and he was just on another level. There's people we went out to with offers that said, well, I don't want to play D-U-G, but I wanted to play Kenny. And we're like, there's no way. Like, he is Kenny. When he's on stage doing his puppet act and that, it's so real. I just think the comedy has to be consistent and true to the character. And he thinks his stuff is really funny, his character anyway. >> My biggest complaint with comedy that you see in television and movies is inconsistency. It's the lack of tone, a consistent tone. There's different levels to the comedy and I think if you keep it on the same tone, it's not confusing and people appreciate it. >> Right, at my local bar where I go, there's this guy that comes there a lot. He tells jokes. He's the kind of guy that tells jokes, but he's not funny, right, because he doesn't have a story. There's no narrative arc at all. He just tells jokes. He's got these things memorized, but there's no interaction with anybody. He's just going to tell the next joke. >> Hopefully, in this movie, in "The Godfather of Green Bay," the comedy comes from the characters and situations. If you're invested, I think, in the characters, you kind of buy into their comedy a little more, because you can relate to it. Like you know Joe's struggling, you know Kenny's struggle, and you know what Eugene is trying to do. So hopefullly, if it comes out of the characters, to me, that's the comedy I like to write, you know, as opposed to big huge gags. >> And that you like to watch. Relationship based stuff is definitely something that people can relate to more. >> Yes, right. >> On a deeper level, for sure. And it's like the funny bones thing, you know. There's people that say funny things and there's people that have funny bones. It's kind of hard to explain. Intrinsic, if you will. >> It's intrinsic. >> That's a good comedy word. >> Where did you, what was more or less the budget for this kind of film? Where do you get the money for this kind of movie? >> I started with my college roommate who had some money at the time. You know, it just kind of snowballed from there. You'd find a little bit from this person. You'd go to a family member. You'd meet some new people. >> Did you give them the screenplay and say, hey-- Or did you just say, here's my idea? >> You don't give them the screenplay. >> I gave them the screenplay for "Titanic." And people emptied their pockets. >> Oh, my god, this is brilliant. >> When they saw this movie, it was a little different. No, you just start with family and friends, and then it just kind of, you know, you go to people who have some money, and who think this might be a fun project. You just have to be honest with them, because it's an independent film, and say look, you know, most of these don't make any money. Some of them do. I think this one will, and that kind of thing. We had a lot of fun. It was mostly friends and family, though. >> That's good, I like that. We're going to show another clip here. I really like this one. This is Molly finding out that Jake is the Godfather, is a drug dealer. I really like this scene. Let's roll that clip. >> Hey. >> Well, if it isn't the prettiest girl in Pine Lake. And Janice. >> Hi, guys. >> Molly! >> I convinced my friend Janice to come out tonight for a nightcap. >> Cool. Hey, Janice, how ya doing? Here, have a seat. >> How do, ladies? >> Are you okay? >> He sucker punched me. >> How many times?

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>> Drinks on the house for this table. >> Miller Lite and a shot of Jager. >> Whoa! >> I'll have a Jack on the rocks. >> So, hey, Molly, how are things going there with Jaker? >> Uh, it's not gonna happen, but thanks for asking. >> Sorry to hear that. Well, back to work. >> Just 'cause she hasn't dated in a long time. I told her she's nuts. Big Jake Norquist is a hunk. I dated him in high school. They should call him huge Jake Norquist, if you know what I mean.

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Compared to Art, he's a stud. >> Wait, Big Jake Norquist? >> I know, I know. Best goddamn football player in all of northeastern Wisconsin. >> I don't know about that, but he's also like the biggest drug dealer in the entire state. >> What? >> Oh, yeah, he's the Godfather of Green Bay. He's a bad guy. >> Uh, Ralphie fixed me up with a drug dealer? >> Oh, I doubt he even knows it. He owns a consulting business to look legit. >> Big Jake a drug dealer? No way! He's a sweetie. >> Big Jake. I think he is a drug dealer. One thing I like about that scene and throughout the whole movie, I hadn't realized it, that's the BoDeans. The BoDeans, did they do all original music for you, or did they let you play the music, or how did you work with them? >> Well, Kurt Neumann of the BoDeans did the score, wrote an original score, or a lot of original numbers for the movie. >> That's cool. >> Then, there's some BoDeans stuff in there, too. He just did great. They're one of my favorite bands. I just kind of approached them. So, it really is kind of an all-Wisconsin movie. I was so happy he wanted to do it. Then I was kind of panicky, like, oh, god, what if he says he's never done a score. What if it comes out and it's like "Da-da-da-da, da-da-da!" What if I've got to tell one of the guys I idolize that-- But he nailed it. He did a great job. The BoDeans make it an even more Wisconsin movie. >> And also not just that, but that bar music feel throughout that's original, that you don't recognize, but feel it. That's fantastic. It's really good. I have a question for both of you, because I'm really curious. I know now, and I'll start with you. You live here now, and you grew up here. But you moved out to L.A. Where's the better place for you as a filmmaker, as a screenwriter and artist? There, where the connections and the people are? Or here, where you can probably do it, but you're not going to accidentally run into someone? >> Yeah, you know, that's interesting. I think when I first moved to L.A., I was so energized, and that was a great place to be then. Like, I wrote this film in two weeks. I had gotten cast in some cable pilot and thought I was going to be rich and famous. It got canceled before we ever shot an episode, and I was like suicidal. I'm like, what?! Then you realize that happens. People didn't even bat an eye when I told them that. So, I sat down and wrote this film. At that time, that was the place to be. I got a lot of inspiration from that. But now, being back in Wisconsin, I find myself kind of rejuvenated. It's fun being here. I've gotten a lot of writing done since I've been here. And I'm still back and forth. >> Lance, what about you? I mean, you're from the Midwest. L.A.? Just a quick answer for us. Would you come back here, do you think? >> I'm in L.A. I feel like I'm in L.A. as just a pure actor, because I don't write. I've written a little bit with no success, and don't pursue it as much as I do the acting. But certainly for acting, I feel like I need to be there for work. Personally, I have family now, and a wife who came from the Midwest, as well, and we want to raise our kids back here. So there's a goal for getting back here eventually. >> Thank you very much. Your movie was hilarious. Make another one. >> Oh, thanks. >> Thank you. >> And thank you very much for joining us today and for watching Director's Cut. For more information on the "Godfather of Green Bay," please go to wpt.org and click on Director's Cut. While you're there, send us an email, 'cause we absolutely love hearing from you. I'm your host, Charles Monroe-Kane. For everyone here at Director's Cut, thank you very much for joining us today. Check the gate. >> We think differently than you folks do. That's our job. A good example of that, a couple of weeks back, my girlfriend sends me out to pick her up some pads. With wings.

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I said, "Baby, wings? What are you gonna do, fly away on me?" I'll tell you what though, folks, if we ain't having sex, she might as well take off.

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Come on, who's with me?!