Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum
I’m Michael Rosenbaum, I’ve spent the better part of the last two decades in and out of film and television - mostly known for playing the bald dude on the show Smallville. I’m the guy that you probably don’t know by name, but when you see my face you might say “oh, that guy from that thing.” I’ve befriended some of the most talented people in the business, but it wasn’t until I started inviting them into my home that I realized, I didn’t really know these people. What started as me having some fun, quickly evolved into something I’ve fallen in love with. What I’ve discovered is that all these people aren’t that different from you and me. They have the same insecurities and flaws that we all deal with every day. In a dark, yet enlightening way... I find a lot of comfort in that. I invite you all to join me while I get inside each of these fascinating people.
351
Kumail Nanjiani
Kumail Nanjiani (Silicon Valley, The Big Sick, Portlandia) discusses getting bullied in high school and the toll it took on him, the way movies and video games became an escape for him, and how different America was from his expectations. Kumail discusses his comedy career in New York and Chicago, meeting and falling in love with his wife Emily, and how shockingly close the Big Sick was to what happened between him and his wife.
80 min
352
Bert Kreischer
Bert Kreischer (Stand-Up Comedian) tells an incredible story about accidentally smoking PCP with Tracy Morgan and how to skip out on a bill, how Rolling Stones named him the biggest partier in the country, and his introduction to alcohol. Bert discusses running for president of the PTA at his daughter’s school just to fuck with another student’s mom, his hardcore codependency with his wife and why he thought Will Smith wanted to have sex with him the first time they met.
86 min
353
Jamie Lynn Sigler
Jamie Lynn Sigler (The Sopranos, Entourage, Dark Ride) discusses landing a role at such a young age, what it was like working alongside the late James Gandolfini, marrying and divorcing her manager when she was in her 20’s, and how being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis has affected her career. Jamie discusses the juicy details of the long lost love (spoiler: it’s me) that got away because she was running around with Mark Sanchez in New York.
63 min
354
Ep 30: James Roday & Dulé Hill
James Roday (A Million Little Things, Psych, The Dukes of Hazzard) and Dulé Hill (The West Wing, Psych, Suits) are reunited again and discuss falling in love with one another on Psych, James secretly dating their co-star on the show, and the moments they realized the show was going to be a hit. James discusses being a New York theatre kid with a chip on his shoulder and how much Dulé helped him with his social anxiety. Dulé talks about his success on The West Wing, inheriting a 13-year-old daughter, and understudying Savion Glover.
65 min
355
Ep 29: Stephen Merchant
Stephen Merchant (The Office, Extras, An Idiot Abroad), tv royalty joins us and discusses how dumb the bullies were at his school growing up, the lessons he learned shooting a film with Ralph Fiennes, and how uncomfortable small things make him. Stephen complains about Ricky’s impatience but also explains how it contributes to how well they work together. Stephen explains how he’s been able to find fulfillment in show business and how much Hello Ladies was like his real dating life.
73 min
356
EP 28: Andrew McMahon
Andrew McMahon (AMITW, Jack's Mannequin, Something Corporate) discusses his writing philosophies, how influential Billy Joel’s music has been to him, and the profound impact his uncle’s passing had on his life. Andrew opens up about getting diagnosed with Leukemia, the moment his doctor called him and gave him the news, and how reckless he became with his body once he got better.
83 min
357
Ep 27: Henry Winkler
Henry Winkler (Happy Days, Barry, Arrested Development) tells me about his parents escaping Nazi Germany during WWII with jewelry smuggled in chocolate, how uncool and nervous he was as a kid, and getting his big break in a repertory group at Yale. Henry discusses his amazing career - how he got cast at the Fonz, dating Shirley from Laverne & Shirley, and his new show with Bill Hader.
53 min
358
Ep 26: Jana Kramer
Jana Kramer (Country music star, One Tree Hill, Dancing with the Stars) discusses growing up in Detroit, catching her dad cheating when she was a teenager, and the daddy issues she deals with. Jana opens up about her ex-husband that tried to kill her and the PTSD she suffers from it, the drama on the set of One Tree Hill, and how her country music career started on a CMT reality show.
54 min
359
Ep 25: Dave Bautista
Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy, WWE, Final Score) discusses his tough childhood - being raised by a single lesbian, what it was like to not have a father in his life, and seeing a dead body in his front yard. Dave opens up about the day that he made a conscious decision to change his life, his career in the WWE, and landing the role as Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy.
69 min
360
Ep 24: Michael Rooker
Michael Rooker (Walking Dead, Guardians of the Galaxy, Cliffhanger) discusses his childhood - how he got paddled in 1st grade and refused to speak the rest of the year, how he’d get run over by his cousins on their bikes, and how he realized acting was the creative outlet his artistry needed. Rooker tells me about blacking out all his mirrors as he went method for a role, how he almost didn’t get the role on the Walking Dead over a dispute with a producer, and how his cousins used to hit each other with rattlesnake whips.
89 min
361
Ep 23: Erika Christensen
Erika Christensen (Traffic, Parenthood, Swimfan) discusses getting into showbiz at an early age, how she was able to book commercials are twelve years old, and the different ways she’s learned to deal with her nerves. Erika opens up about the role religion and Scientology plays in her life, her long run on the hit show Parenthood, and the time she tried to kiss me at a Foreigner concert and I apparently turned her down.
66 min
362
Ep 22: Zachary Levi
Known for his roles in Chuck, Tangled, Thor, and upcoming DC Comics Shazam...Zachary Levi joins me on the podcast this week. Zachary opens up about his tragic relationship with his mother (which I relate to very much), how getting cast in Shazam is started to reshape his life, and how he tested for Lex Luthor on Smallville - find out who got the role. Oh, and while I’m inside him, he sings a very beautiful song
69 min
363
Ep 21: Stephen Amell
Stephen Amell (Arrow, The Flash, Hung) discusses the beginning of his career, the surreal experience of getting cast on Arrow, and his experience with crossover episodes. Stephen opens up about his first marriage, what went wrong, and dealing with depression towards the end of their relationship. We end the episode on a high note, Stephen tells the fairy tale story of meeting his now wife and becoming a father.
86 min
364
Ep 20: Michael Gervais (Sports Psychologist, Se...
Michael Gervais (Sports Psychologist, Seattle Seahawks, Finding Mastery) enlightens me on his philosophies, how he’s learned to condition people’s mind so they can be more present, and his studies of how the most exceptional people in the world work. Michael discusses working with Felix Baumgartner for the Red Bull space jump, walking into the locker room after the Seahawks lost the Super Bowl, and how he’s impacted 1 in 5 people at Microsoft to be more present.
85 min
365
Ep 19: Dax Shepard
Dax Shepard (CHiPs, Parenthood, Hit and Run, Idiocracy, Armchair Expert) opens up about his rough past - the domestic violence he had to deal with as a kid, his run-in with gang members in his neighborhood, and how he used to try and fill a void in his life by sleeping with lots and lots of really attractive women. Dax talks me through his journey to getting clean...quitting drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, and meeting a special lady, getting married, and having kids. He tells me the secrets of maintaining his relationship with Kristen and how he’s learned patience with his family over the years.
103 min
366
Ep 18: Topher Grace
Topher Grace (That ‘70s Show, Spider-Man 3, BlacKkKlansman) joins me to talk about landing the role as Eric Forman on his first ever audition, the events that led up to him signing his contract without an agent, and how there was no sweeter first than that whole first year of the show. Topher discusses hanging out with Tom Welling before his wedding, gives me an amazing Michael J. Fox impersonation, and discusses auditioning for one of the most hated characters in US history in BlacKkKlansman.
80 min
367
Ep 17: Seth Green
Seth Green (Can’t Buy Me Love, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Austin Powers, Family Guy, The Italian Job) started acting at 7 years old and he’s the genius behind Robot Chicken. Seth tells me the best things he learned growing up in show business around all levels of celebrity, how he met his wife at the grand reopening of Golden Apple Comics, and why he chooses acting over everything else he does.
80 min
368
Ep 16: Katherine McNamara
Katherine McNamara (Shadowhunters, Maze Runner, Monsterville) discusses graduating high school at fourteen years old, the moment she knew she wanted to do with her life (hint: it’s acting), and how she likes to make up curse words. Katherine talks about what it was like to work alongside Angela Lansbury and Catherine Zeta-Jones, how scotch makes her feisty and Irish, and we bond over her love of horror films.
68 min
369
Ep 15: Karen Gillan
Karen Gillan (Jumanji, Guardians of the Galaxy, Doctor Who) discusses growing up in Scotland next to Loch Ness, writing a play called Scream: the Musical at ten years old, and where her self-confidence stemmed from. Then we bond over scary movies - she tells me about how everything she creates ends up being really dark and scary, the horror movie she just directed, and she sings me a traditional Scottish Gaelic song.
70 min
370
Ep 14: Rob McElhenney
Rob McElhenney (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Fargo, Lost) sits down and talks to me about his childhood, growing up in a broken family, how he adjusted as a kid to his mom coming out of the closet, and how he lost his virginity at sixteen. Then, we get into It’s Always Sunny - the first night Kaitlin made a pass at him and the biggest fight he’s had on set with Charlie and Glenn.
85 min
371
Ep 13: Jennifer Love Hewitt
Jennifer Love Hewitt (Heartbreakers, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Ghost Whisperer) discusses her descent into show business at an early age and living in the Oakwood Apartments around the likes of Elijah Wood, Neil Patrick Harris, and Johnny Galecki. Jennifer opens up for the first time publicly about the passing of her mother...how catastrophic and devastating it was to lose the most important person in her life and what she’s done to deal with the pain since.
79 min
372
Ep 12: James Gunn
Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn joins me to talk me about the filthy commercials he used to make with his friends when he was a kid, how he used to think sex was just putting a penis in the vagina to help the baby come out at birth, and the start of his miraculous and inspiring career. James opens up about his insecurities in relationships and how hard it is for him to be vulnerable, his marriage with Jenna Fischer, and how he’s finally found a way to juggle his career and personal life.
89 min
373
Ep 11: Jeanie Buss (Los Angeles Lakers owner)
Controlling Owner and President of the Los Angeles Lakers, Jeanie Buss sits down and talks about her childhood - how she dealt with her parents’ divorce, how she used to sneak away by the horses at the racetrack, and what living at the Pickfair Mansion was like. Jeanie gets into her life with the Lakers...what it was like when her dad bought the team in ‘72, her dad bringing Magic Johnson to the team and they became great friends, and the tough decision she had to make in firing her brother as the executive vice president of basketball operations.
79 min
374
Ep 10: Colin Hanks
Colin Hanks (Dexter, Fargo, Life in Pieces) discusses what it was like growing up as Tom Hanks son, his mom finding Jesus after her divorce, and the time Madonna sat on his lap when he was 13 years old. Colin talks to me about leaving Roswell to do the Orange County movie, the emotions he dealt with while making the Eagles of Death Metal documentary about the Bataclan shooting, and how he was able to learn to handle his depression.
87 min
375
Ep 9: Chris Hardwick
Chris Hardwick (Nerdist, ID10T, Talking Dead, @midnight) opens up about his alcoholism, his anxiety attacks and how he copes with them, and how he got his start in the 90s with MTV. Chris tells the story of meeting his wife, and how he thought she was blowing him off when they first started dating...about doing Talking Dead episode after episode and how he really feels about the show, and how he really, really wants to direct a horror movie.
84 min