My guest this week is Connor Ratliff, actor, improv performer, and host of the podcast “Dead Eyes.”

Connor and I discuss how moving from being an amateur to a professional actor ruined it for him, how he rediscovered the joy of performance through improv, how he was fired by Tom Hanks because he had “dead eyes,” and how that turned out to be one of the best things that ever happened to him.

NOTES

(00:06) UCB (Upright Citizens Brigade)

(08:38) Band of Brothers (TV series)

(10:02) Del Close

(10:47) John Belushi

(16:26) The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (book) and the “real” story of the Tin Man

(31:12) 12 Hour Day with J.D. and Connor (podcast)

(34:14) Guster (band)

(36:45) You Can’t Always Get What You Want

(44:15) Tom Hanks on SNL

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This episode is sponsored by P. Johnson, Bespoke Box (enter BLAMO for 20% off your first box!), Rowing Blazers  (enter BLAMO for 10% off your order)

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