Barry Levinson | Club Random with Bill Maher

Video Description

Bill Maher sits down with Oscar-winning director Barry Levinson for a fast and funny masterclass in storytelling. Levinson revisits the Diner years and the “controlled chaos” of getting real performances – why loose, actor-driven rhythm can beat perfect dialogue, and how ensemble films changed the game. From there, it’s a hop through Hollywood history: Robert De Niro’s work ethic and the behind-the-scenes realities of building Rain Man during a writers strike. Maher and Levinson also go big-picture – why comedy ages faster than music, what’s been lost in today’s committee-driven studios, and a darkly hilarious debate about AI, jobs, and why machines still can’t do human funny. #billmaher #barrylevinson #masterclass #hollywood #storytelling #comedy Subscribe to the Club Random YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/clubrandompodcast?sub_confirmation=1 Watch episodes ad-free – subscribe to Bill Maher’s Substack: https://billmaher.substack.com Subscribe to the podcast for free wherever you listen: ⁠https://bit.ly/ClubRandom Support our Advertisers: -Upgrade your wardrobe and save on @trueclassic at https://www.trueclassic.com/RANDOM! #trueclassicpod #ad -Go to https://www.zbiotics.com/random and use code RANDOM for 15% off your first order Buy Club Random Merch: https://clubrandom.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices ABOUT CLUB RANDOM In Club Random, Bill Maher unleashes his comedic wit on an unpredictable lineup – from Bill Burr and Jerry Seinfeld to Quentin Tarantino and Neil deGrasse Tyson – digging into everything but politics. It’s Maher in his familiar element: one-on-one vibes, unfiltered laughs, and the kind of freewheeling banter only he can deliver. For advertising opportunities please email: [email protected] ABOUT BILL MAHER Bill Maher was the host of “Politically Incorrect” (Comedy Central, ABC) from 1993-2002, and for the last 23 years on HBO’s “Real Time,” Maher’s combination of unflinching honesty and big laughs have garnered him 41 Emmy nominations. Maher won his first Emmy in 2014 as executive producer for the HBO series, “VICE.” In October of 2008, this same combination was on display in Maher’s uproarious and unprecedented swipe at organized religion, “Religulous.” Maher has written six bestsellers: “True Story,” “Does Anybody Have a Problem with That? Politically Incorrect’s Greatest Hits,” “When You Ride Alone, You Ride with Bin Laden,” “New Rules: Polite Musings from a Timid Observer,” “The New New Rules: A Funny Look at How Everybody But Me Has Their Head Up Their Ass", and most recently "What This Comedian Said Will Shock You". 00:00 – Open 03:44 – Paul Reiser, Diner, and Casting by Vibe 05:30 – Letting Actors Improvise the Scene 09:56 – Diner and the Power of the Ensemble Cast 13:02 – The Big Chill and Aging Out of Idealism 15:25 – The ‘60s: Pills on the Sidewalk & Laurel Canyon 20:04 – Baltimore Comics & Early Stand-Up Pain 27:41 – Lenny Bruce, Muhammad Ali, and Ego as Revolution 29:08 – Movies vs. TV After the 1950s 31:08 – Sergio Leone, DeNiro, and Seeing America Outsider-Style 33:26 – Ennio Morricone, Coyotes, and Sound as Story 35:20 – Playing Dual Roles and Old Friend Rivalries 37:31 – Why Long Friendships Hit Deeper 41:01 – DeNiro’s Work Ethic and Loving the Set 45:15 – Acting at the Highest Difficulty Level 48:12 – Warren Beatty, Reds, and Old Hollywood Power 52:34 – When AI Starts Kissing Your Ass 55:37 – Waymo, Self-Driving Cars, and Human Judgment 01:00:57 – AI, Energy Use, and Tech’s Blind Spot 01:05:14 – Dustin Hoffman Becoming Robert Evans 01:12:05 – Writing for Carol Burnett & Marty Feldman 01:14:30 – SNL vs. Old-School Sketch Comedy 01:18:07 – Sid Caesar, Live TV, and Pure Genius 01:25:47 – Movies That Age Well—and Ones That Don’t 01:31:48 – How Rain Man Really Came Together 01:36:25 – “So When Do You Want to Start Recording?” FOLLOW CLUB RANDOM https://www.clubrandom.com https://www.facebook.com/Club-Random-101776489118185 https://twitter.com/clubrandom_ https://www.instagram.com/clubrandompodcast https://www.tiktok.com/@clubrandompodcast FOLLOW BILL MAHER https://www.billmaher.com https://twitter.com/billmaher https://www.instagram.com/billmaher