Original subtitles

>> Announcer: TONIGHT ON "LATE NIGHT WITH SETH MEYERS,"

JIM BELUSHI. STAR OF HBO'S "SUCCESSION,"

ACTRESS SARAH SNOOK. AUTHOR OF "MUST I GO," YIYUN LI.

FEATURING THE 8G BAND WITH

FRED ARMISEN AND NOW, SETH MEYERS ♪

NIGHT. HOW'S EVERYBODY DOING TONIGHT?

MY PARENTS ARE VISITING ME RIGHT NOW.

SO I'M DOING GREAT EVEN THOUGH I'M APPARENTLY A

LITTLE SKINNY AND I CURSE TOO MUCH AND ISN'T IT A LITTLE EARLY

FOR A COCKTAIL, SETH AND ANYWAY, LET'S GET TO THE

NEWS DURING A PRESS CONFERENCE

YESTERDAY, PRESIDENT TRUMP CLAIMED THAT THE 1918 SPANISH

FLU "PROBABLY ENDED WORLD WAR II."

ARE YOU KIDDING? THEY WERE MORE THAN TWO DECADES

APART. I KNOW YOU DON'T THINK THAT'S A

BIG DIFFERENCE, BUT IT IS. IT IS.

THAT'S RIGHT, PRESIDENT TRUMP CLAIMED THAT THE 1918 SPANISH

FLU PROBABLY ENDED WORLD WAR II DESPITE THE TWO EVENTS HAPPENING

MORE THAN TWO DECADES APART. LOOK, I GET IT

IT'S CONFUSING WE'RE IN THE YEAR 2020 AND

SOMEHOW THE ONLY BAND ON TOUR RIGHT NOW IS SMASH MOUTH

I MEAN, THE YEARS START COMING AND THEY DON'T STOP COMING

PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID YESTERDAY THAT HE PLANS TO DELIVER HIS

SPEECH ACCEPTING THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION FROM EITHER THE WHITE

HOUSE OR THE BATTLEFIELD OF GETTYSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA

OKAY, DO YOU REALLY WANT YOUR SPEECH GETTING COMPARED TO THE

GETTYSBURG ADDRESS IT'S LIKE ANNOUNCING YOU'RE

GOING TO FILM THE NEXT "AMERICAN PIE" MOVIE ON THE SAME SET AS

"CITIZEN KANE. ACCORDING TO A NEW REPORT 75% OF

AMERICANS CAN VOTE BY MAIL IN THE UPCOMING PRESIDENTIAL

ELECTION SO GOOD NEWS

THE FATE OF OUR DEMOCRACY DEPENDS ON PEOPLE REMEMBERING

WHERE THEY PUT THEIR STAMPS. "OH, NO.

OH, NO OH, OH NO.

THE HEAD OF THE FEDERAL ELECTIONS COMMISSION SAID

YESTERDAY THAT THERE IS A "SUBSTANTIAL CHANCE WE WON'T

KNOW THE RESULTS ON ELECTION NIGHT.

OH, BUDDY. I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO KNOW MY

OWN NAME ON ELECTION NIGHT RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN

ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT HIS COUNTRY'S HEALTH CARE REGULATORS

HAVE APPROVED THE WORLD'S FIRST CORONAVIRUS VACCINE DESPITE THE

DRUG NOT UNDERGOING CLINICAL TRIALS

THOUGH IT'S DEFINITELY NOT THE FIRST TIME PUTIN HAS SKIPPED THE

TRIAL. "GUILTY.

TAKE HIM TO ROOF." ORGANIZERS OF THE UPCOMING

DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT NEW YORK

CONGRESSWOMAN ALEXANDRIA OCASIO‐CORTEZ WILL

SPEAK AT NEXT WEEK'S EVENT AND THAT NANCY PELOSI WILL TAKE THE

STAGE TO LET US KNOW WHAT SHE MEANT TO SAY

ORGANIZERS OF THE UPCOMING DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION

ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT FORMER PRESIDENT OBAMA AND FIRST LADY

MICHELLE OBAMA WILL HEADLINE TWO NIGHTS OF NEXT WEEK'S EVENT.

SO THE DNC WILL REMIND US OF HAPPIER DAYS WHILE THE RNC WILL

JUST REMIND US ABOUT "HAPPY DAYS."

AMAZON IS REPORTEDLY IN NEGOTIATIONS TO USE FORMER

JCPENNEY'S AND SEARS DEPARTMENT STORES FOR FULFILLMENT CENTERS

WHICH IS BETTER THAN THEIR CURRENT USE AS TONY HAWK PRO

SKATER LEVELS. ACCORDING TO THE LATEST NUMBERS,

FACEBOOK CEO MARK ZUCKERBERG'S NET WORTH HAS INCREASED TO MORE

THAN $100 BILLION. $100 BILLION ISN'T COOL.

YOU KNOW WHAT'S COOL NO, NO, NO

NOT FACEBOOK THAT'S FOR SURE.

AND FINALLY, A NEW JERSEY MAN WAS ARRESTED YESTERDAY AFTER

THROWING A POOL PARTY EARLIER THIS MONTH FOR MORE THAN

400 PEOPLE AMID THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

THAT'S RIGHT, 400 PEOPLE OR AS THEY'RE KNOWN IN NEW JERSEY,

COUSINS. THAT IS THE MONOLOGUE,

EVERYBODY. WE'VE GOT A GREAT SHOW FOR YOU

TONIGHT. JIM BELUSHI WILL BE HERE TO TELL

US ABOUT HIS NEW SERIES "GROWING BELUSHI.

PLUS FROM THE HIT HBO SHOW "SUCCESSION," SARAH SNOOK WILL

ZOOM IN FROM AUSTRALIA AND WE LOVE AUTHORS HERE AT

"LATE NIGHT. AND I'M GOING TO BE TALKING TO

AWARD‐WINNING NOVELIST YIYUN LI ABOUT HER LATEST BOOK. BUT FIRST, A CLOSER LOOK

WELCOME BACK TO THE CAPTAIN'S QUARTERS

IF YOU WATCHED LAST NIGHT'S "CLOSER LOOK," YOU MAY HAVE

NOTICED THAT MY PARENTS WERE VISITING AND IT WAS THE FIRST

TIME MY FATHER AND THE SEA CAPTAIN WERE IN THE SAME ROOM,

WHICH WAS AWKWARD AS MY DAD IS ON THE RECORD AS NOT BEING A FAN

OF THE CAPTAIN >> TO BE FAIR, LARRY ALSO

DOESN'T LIKE THE BEATLES >> Seth: THAT IS A TRUE FACT

ABOUT MY DAD HE DOESN'T LIKE THE BEATLES.

BUT WE MADE TIME FOR MY FATHER AND THE SEA CAPTAIN TO HASH IT

OUT AND AT THE END OF TONIGHT'S EPISODE, WE'RE GOING TO SHOW YOU

THAT EXCLUSIVE CONVERSATION. >> OUR DISCOURSE, LIKE THE SEA,

GOT A BIT ROCKY. >> Seth: SPEAKING OF ROCKY

WATERS ‐ >> FORCED SEGUE!

>> Seth: THE PRESIDENT KNOWS HE CAN'T WIN IN NOVEMBER WITH A

MAJORITY OF VOTES, SO INSTEAD, HE'S TRYING TO UNDERMINE THE

INTEGRITY OF THE ELECTION BY

SABOTAGING THE POST OFFICE FOR MORE ON THIS, IT'S TIME FOR "A CLOSER LOOK."

♪ >> Seth: THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRETY

OF HIS TERM, DONALD TRUMP HAS CONSISTENTLY BEEN THE MOST

UNPOPULAR PRESIDENT IN HISTORY IT'S EASY TO FORGET BUT HE'S

BEEN WIDELY DISLIKED SINCE DAY ONE OF HIS CAMPAIGN.

PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE THOUGHT THEY LIKED THE CHARACTER OF

DONALD TRUMP ON "THE APPRENTICE," BUT THAT'S A LITTLE

LIKE ENJOYING BUZZ LIGHTYEAR WHEN YOU'RE WATCHING "TOY STORY"

AND THEN MEETING THE BUZZ LIGHTYEAR IN TIMES SQUARE

"TO INFINITY AND LET'S GET THIS PICTURE OVER WITH.

I'VE GOT TO TAKE A DUMP, KID IT TAKES LIKE 15 MINUTES TO GET

THIS SUIT OFF. TRUMP HAS NEVER ONCE CRACKED

50% APPROVAL IN THE GALLUP DAILY TRACKING POLL, WHICH IS

UNPRECEDENTED. EVEN THE "CATS" MOVIE HAS A

53% AUDIENCE SCORE ON ROTTEN TOMATOES

ALTHOUGH, I GUESS UNLIKE THE "CATS" MOVIE, THE WHITE HOUSE

CAN'T JUST DIGITALLY BLUR OUT THE [ BLEEP ].

TRUMP AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY HAVE LARGELY GIVEN UP ON THE

IDEA OF PERSUADING A MAJORITY OF VOTERS TO SIDE WITH THEM THE WAY

YOU NORMALLY WOULD IN A HEALTHY DEMOCRACY.

THE MODERN CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT IS A FUNDAMENTALLY

ANTI‐MAJORITARIAN MOVEMENT BASED ON EXCLUDING PEOPLE, NOT

INCLUDING THEM IT'S NOT A COINCIDENCE THAT

THEIR PARAGON OWNS PRIVATE GOLF CLUBS.

THE REPUBLICAN PARTY MOTTO SHOULD BE "SORRY, YOU'RE NOT ON

THE LIST." THEIR ONLY HOPE OF GAINING AND

HOLDING ON TO POWER IS THROUGH TACTICS LIKE GERRYMANDERING,

VOTER SUPPRESSION, THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE, STACKING THE COURTS OR

COLLUDING WITH FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS, WHICH IS WHY TRUMP

HAS SPENT THE LAST FOUR YEARS COLD CALLING RANDOM COUNTRIES

ASKING THEM TO HELP HIM CHEAT. "HELLO, PERU, DO YOU HAVE ANY

DIRT ON JOE BIDEN? JOE.

BIDEN. LOVES TRAINS

LOOKS SUPER COOL ON A BICYCLE. NOW, TRUMP GOT IMPEACHED FOR

THAT OF COURSE SO HE'S MOVED ON TO HIS NEXT

SCHEME, SABOTAGING THE POST OFFICE

>> NEW TODAY, THE "WASHINGTON POST" REPORTING A SWEEPING

OVERHAUL OF THE U. S. POSTAL SERVICE.

IT WAS ANNOUNCED IN A MEMO LATE FRIDAY FROM POSTMASTER GENERAL

LOUIS DEJOY. THE POST WRITES, THE MOVE

DISPLACED TWO TOP EXECUTIVES OVERSEEING DAY‐TO‐DAY

OPERATIONS >> THIS IS COMING AS DEMOCRATS

ARE CALLING FOR AN INVESTIGATION INTO DEJOY AND HIS OPERATING

MEASURES THAT SOME SAY HAVE SLOWED MAIL DELIVERY SERVICE

>> Seth: THAT'S RIGHT. LATE ON FRIDAY, THE POSTAL

SERVICE ANNOUNCED A MASSIVE RESTRUCTURING THAT CENTERS POWER

AROUND THE POSTMASTER GENERAL, LOUIS DEJOY, A TRUMP LOYALIST

WHO DONATED OVER $360,000 TO THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN AND REPUBLICAN

NATIONAL COMMITTEE AND RIGHT OFF THE BAT, YOU KNOW

IT'S SHADY BECAUSE THEY DID IT LATE ON A FRIDAY NIGHT

NOTHING GOOD EVER HAPPENS LATE ON A FRIDAY NIGHT.

FRIDAY NIGHTS ARE FOR EATING CEREAL AT 2:00 A. M. AND WATCHING

RERUNS OF THAT COP SHOW STARRING THE GUY WHO SELLS REVERSE

MORTGAGES. YOU'RE NOT GONNA FOOL ME BY

PRETENDING TO BE A COP I KNOW YOU'RE HERE TO TAKE MY

HOUSE. ALSO, IT'S INCREDIBLY SUSPICIOUS

TO HAVE A RIGHT‐WING BUSINESSMAN AND MEGA DONOR IN CHARGE OF A

NON‐PARTISAN AGENCY LIKE THE POSTAL SERVICE

YOU THINK OF POSTAL WORKERS AS CHARMING FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS

STRAIGHT OUT OF MAYBERRY THIS IS LIKE IF YOUR TOWN ICE

CREAM MAN WAS REPLACED BY KARL ROVE.

"HERE YOU GO, KID, ONE BULLET POP, THAT WILL BE $6,000

THEY'RE MADE BY RAYTHEON." ON TOP OF THAT, DEJOY, THE

FORMER CEO OF A LOGISTICS COMPANY, ALSO HAS A MASSIVE

CONFLICT OF INTEREST ACCORDING TO HIS FINANCIAL

DISCLOSURE, HE HAS ANYWHERE FROM 30 TO 75 MILLION DOLLARS IN

ASSETS INVESTED IN COMPETITORS TO THE POST OFFICE, WHICH IS

ABSURD THAT'S LIKE FINDING OUT THE NEW

PRESIDENT OF PETA IS THE COLONEL.

"YOUR CHICKENS WILL BE SAFE WITH ME

OH, THESE LEGS AND THIGHS ARE NICE AND JUICY ‐‐ NOT FOR

EATING." NOW, TRUMP AND DEJOY SAY THE

CHANGES ARE NECESSARY BECAUSE THE POST OFFICE IS LOSING MONEY.

IN FACT, YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD TRUMP COMPLAIN ABOUT IT AT ONE OF HIS FAKE NEWS CONFERENCES

OVER THE DECADES NOBODY'S EVER ‐‐ NOTHING LOSES

MONEY LIKE THE POST OFFICE IT'S BEEN LOSING MASSIVE AMOUNTS

OF MONEY OVER THE LAST NUMBER OF DECADES.

MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF MONEY THIS IS NOT SOMETHING NEW.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN TAKING PLACE FOR A LONG TIME

IT LOSES A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY.

>> Seth: OKAY, FIRST OF ALL, THAT'S WRONG

THE POSTAL SERVICE TURNED A PROFIT AS RECENTLY AS 2006

SECOND, YOU'RE THE LAST PERSON ON EARTH WHO SHOULD BE

COMPLAINING ABOUT SOMEONE ELSE LOSING MONEY

YOU LOST A BILLION, ONE BILLION DOLLARS, IN THE '80s AND '90s,

WHICH WAS MORE THAN ANY SINGLE TAXPAYER IN THE COUNTRY LOST

AND YOU ALSO SOMEHOW MANAGED TO LOSE MONEY ON CASINOS WHICH I

DIDN'T EVEN THINK WAS POSSIBLE I MEAN, CASINOS RAKE IN CASH

LAST TIME I WENT TO A CASINO, I SPENT AN HOUR PLAYING A GAME

CALLED THE MONEY EATER IT WAS JUST A GIANT HOLE YOU

THREW YOUR CHIPS INTO AND WHEN YOU RAN OUT IT JUST SCREAMED

"FEED ME." ALSO IT MAKES NO SENSE TO SAY

THE POST OFFICE LOSES MONEY. IT'S A PUBLIC SERVICE.

YOU NEVER HEAR PEOPLE SAY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT LOSES MONEY, WE

SHOULD START CHARGING $50 PER CAT RESCUED FROM A TREE.

OF COURSE, MOST OWNERS I KNOW, MOST CAT OWNERS WOULD ALSO PAY

$50 IF YOU LEFT IT IN THE TREE SHE'LL COME DOWN WHEN SHE'S

HUNGRY BUT I WOULD LOVE FOR HER TO

LEARN A LESSON NOW, TRUMP IS NOT THE ONLY

REPUBLICAN POLITICIAN TO COMPLAIN THAT THE POST OFFICE

LOSES MONEY. IT'S BEEN A RIGHT‐WING TALKING

POINT FOR YEARS, ESPECIALLY AMONG THOSE WHO WANT TO

PRIVATIZE THE POSTAL SERVICE THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ITSELF

ROLLED OUT A PLAN TO DO JUST THAT IN 2018 AND RIGHT‐WING

BILLIONAIRE CHARLES KOCH HAS BEEN CAMPAIGNING TO PRIVATIZE

THE POSTAL SERVICE FOR DECADES, WHICH IS SHOCKING AND CRAVEN

GIVEN THAT THE POSTAL SERVICE IS LITERALLY IN THE CONSTITUTION.

IN FACT, IT'S AS OLD AS THE REPUBLIC ITSELF.

SO THERE WAS ALREADY A YEARS‐LONG RIGHT‐WING EFFORT TO

PRIVATIZE ONE OF AMERICA'S MOST CHERISHED PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS,

THE POSTAL SERVICE THEN CAME TRUMP AND HE WAS

JOINED IN HIS CRUSADE BY A BUNCH OF SOULLESS RIGHT‐WING HUSKS WHO

WANT TO TURN EVERY POST OFFICE INTO ONE OF THOSE COMBINATION

FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS. YEAH, I'LL TAKE TEN STAMPS AND A

DORITOS LOCOS TACO SUPREME AND LOOK, IT'S ABSOLUTELY TRUE

THAT THE POST OFFICE IS STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW

THANKS IN LARGE PART TO THE PANDEMIC AND A DECREASE IN

FIRST‐CLASS MAIL VOLUME. EVEN THOUGH PACKAGE DELIVERIES

HAVE SURGED. BUT THERE'S ANOTHER REASON THE

POST OFFICE LOSES MONEY. AND IT'S ACTUALLY THE FAULT OF

THE VERY SAME REPUBLICANS WHO ARE NOW COMPLAINING THAT THE POST OFFICE LOSES MONEY.

CONGRESS DID PASS A LAW THAT AFFECTED THE USPS'S BOTTOM LINE.

IT REQUIRED THE POSTAL SERVICE TO PREFUND HEALTH BENEFITS FOR

FUTURE RETIREES. WE TALKED TO EXPERTS WHO SAID

THAT BECAUSE OF THIS LAW, USPS HAD TO PAY MORE THAN $6 BILLION

THAT IT REALLY WASN'T READY FOR. SO BEFORE THE LAW, USPS PAID OUT

THESE BENEFITS AS THEY CAME DUE. AND THEY POINT OUT THAT NO OTHER

AGENCY HAS THESE RESTRICTIONS. SO WITHOUT THE LAW, THE POSTAL

SERVICE WOULD DEFINITELY BE BETTER OFF

>> Seth: THAT'S RIGHT. IN 2006, REPUBLICANS FORCED THE

POST OFFICE TO PAY 75 YEARS OF HEALTH FUND BENEFITS IN ADVANCE.

WHICH IS INSANE. WHO KNOWS WHAT POSTAL SERVICE

WILL EVEN LOOK LIKE IN 75 YEARS. IT MIGHT JUST BE A CHIP IN YOUR

BRAIN AND YOU'LL CHECK THE MAIL BY WINKING

OH, DAMN IT, MY STUDENT LOAN OFFICER FOUND ME

I'M REALLY BAD AT WINKING. [ LAUGHTER ]

SO WITHOUT THAT LAW ‐‐ I CAN'T GET MY MAIL ANYMORE.

SO WITHOUT THAT LAW, IT'S VERY LIKELY THE POST OFFICE COULD

HAVE BEEN OPERATING AT A PROFIT BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.

IN FACT, FROM 2003 TO 2006, THE POSTAL SERVICE ACTUALLY DID

OPERATE AT A PROFIT. UNTIL THE 2006 LAW WRECKED THEIR FINANCES

>> FROM 2003 THROUGH 2006, USPS RECORDED A TOTAL $9.3 BILLION

PROFIT THAT ALL CHANGED AT THE END

OF 2006. ENTER THE POSTAL ACCOUNTABILITY

AND ENHANCEMENT ACT, WHICH WAS PASSED BY THE

REPUBLICAN‐CONTROLLED CONGRESS AND SIGNED INTO LAW BY PRESIDENT

GEORGE W. BUSH IT REQUIRED THE POST OFFICE TO

CALCULATE ALL OF ITS RETIREE PENSION AND HEALTH CARE COSTS

FOR THE NEXT 75 YEARS INCLUDING FOR PEOPLE IT HADN'T EVEN HIRED

YET AND PUT AWAY ENOUGH OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS TO COVER THEM

TO PUT THIS INTO PERSPECTIVE, THAT WOULD BE LIKE YOU ONLY

WORKING FROM AGE 18 TO 28 AND THEN EXPECTING YOU TO LIVE ON

THAT INCOME UNTIL YOU WERE 103 YEARS OLD.

>> Seth: YEAH, EXACTLY IMAGINE WORKING FOR TEN YEARS

THEN LIVING OFF THAT UNTIL YOU'RE 103

THE ONLY PERSON WHO'S EVER DONE IT IS RUDY GIULIANI.

WITHOUT THIS LAW, THE POSTAL SERVICE WOULD HAVE ACTUALLY

RECORDED OPERATING PROFITS IN THE LAST SIX YEARS

INSTEAD, IT'S NOW IN A DIRE FINANCIAL SITUATION THANKS TO A

REQUIREMENT THAT VIRTUALLY NO OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY OR COMPANY HAS TO DEAL WITH

>> THERE IS CONGRESSIONAL LEGISLATION THAT REQUIRED THEM

TO PREFUND THEIR PENSION LIABILITIES IN A WAY THAT

BASICALLY NO ONE ELSE HAS TO, WHICH HAS CREATED AN ENORMOUS

BURDEN ON THEIR BALANCE SHEET. >> THEY'RE DEFINITELY IN

TROUBLE. AND WHAT YOU MENTIONED, THE

PREFUNDING REQUIREMENT, LITERALLY HAVING TO PAY FOR ‐‐

OR SET ASIDE MONEY FOR THE WORKERS THAT HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN

BORN YET THAT WILL BE COMING IN 75 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD IS THE

PRIMARY REASON PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC

>> Seth: JUST THINK ABOUT THAT THEY HAD TO PAY FOR RETIREMENT

BENEFITS FOR WORKERS WHO HADN'T EVEN BEEN BORN YET

THAT'S LIKE GOING OUT ON A FIRST DATE AND SAYING "I HAD A GREAT

TIME TONIGHT, WHAT DO YOU SAY WE GO BACK TO MY PLACE AND OPEN UP

A 529 COLLEGE SAVINGS PLAN FOR OUR EVENTUAL CHILDREN?

IT MADE NO SENSE AND IT WEAKENED THE POSTAL

SERVICE DRAMATICALLY NOW THE POST OFFICE DESPERATELY

NEEDS A BAILOUT OF AS MUCH AS $25 BILLION FROM CONGRESS.

WHICH IF YOU ASK ME WE SHOULD IMMEDIATELY DO

$25 BILLION IS NOTHING COMPARED TO THE $740 BILLION PENTAGON

BUDGET YOU'RE TELLING ME YOU CAN'T FIND

A BILLIONAIRE TO BUY AN F‐15 OR TWO?

RICHARD BRANSON DEFINITELY HAS THE VIBE OF A GUY WHO WANTS THE

WIND TO BLOW THROUGH HIS HAIR AT 1800 MILES PER HOUR.

AND YES, I SAY THAT JOKE KNOWING MY HAIR IS GETTING MORE BRANSONY

BY THE DAY AND YET, RATHER THAN SPEND THE

MONEY NEEDED TO SHORE HER UP, ONE OF HIS COUNTRY'S MOST VITAL

AND CHERISHED INSTITUTIONS, TRUMP AND THE GOP ARE USING THE

FINANCIAL SITUATION AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DESTROY THE POST

OFFICE FOR THEIR OWN POLITICAL GAIN

JUST THIS WEEKEND, "POLITICO" REPORTED THAT TRUMP'S AIDES ARE

EXPLORING EXECUTIVE ACTIONS TO CURB VOTING BY MAIL INCLUDING

EVERYTHING FROM DIRECTING THE POSTAL SERVICE TO NOT DELIVER

CERTAIN BALLOTS TO STOPPING LOCAL OFFICIALS FROM COUNTING

THEM AFTER ELECTION DAY. THAT IS CHILLING

THE PRESIDENT THINKS HE CAN JUST DECIDE WHICH VOTES COUNT AND

WHICH ONES DON'T SOON, HE'S GOING TO START

CROSSING OUT BALLOTS HIMSELF AND WE'LL ALL KNOW BECAUSE HE'LL

SIGN THEM HIMSELF. AND WHETHER OR NOT TRUMP

ACTUALLY SUCCEEDS IN STOPPING MAIL‐IN VOTING IS ALMOST BESIDE

THE POINT. EITHER WAY, HE'S SOWING

CONFUSION, SETTING UP LENGTHY COURT BATTLES AND LAYING THE

GROUNDWORK TO CLAIM THE RESULTS ARE DISPUTED EVEN IF THEY'RE

NOT. HE'S MADE THAT AS CLEAR AS POSSIBLE

ELECTION, YOU KNOW, SO MANY YEARS I'VE BEEN WATCHING

ELECTIONS AND THEY SAY THE PROJECTED WINNER OR THE WINNER

OF THE ELECTION. I DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT TAKE

PLACE IN A WEEK AFTER NOVEMBER 3rd OR A MONTH OR

FRANKLY WITH LITIGATION AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT CAN HAPPEN,

YEARS. YEARS.

OR YOU NEVER EVEN KNOW WHO WON THE ELECTION

I WANT TO HAVE THE RESULT OF THE ELECTION

I DON'T WANT TO BE WAITING AROUND FOR WEEKS AND MONTHS AND

LITERALLY POTENTIALLY IF YOU REALLY DID IT RIGHT ‐‐ YEARS

BECAUSE YOU'LL NEVER KNOW. I WANT TO HAVE THE ELECTION.

BUT I ALSO DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO WAIT FOR THREE MONTHS AND THEN

FIND OUT THAT THE BALLOTS ARE ALL MISSING AND THE ELECTION

DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING. THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

>> Seth: IT'S ONLY GOING TO HAPPEN IF YOU MAKE IT HAPPEN

TRUMP'S LIKE A LOAN SHARK TELLING YOU "I'D HATE TO SEE

YOUR THUMBS GET BROKEN." WE CAN HAVE A SAFE, SUCCESSFUL

ELECTION IF WE JUST ADEQUATELY FUND AND PROTECT THE POST

OFFICE YOU WON'T HAVE TO WAIT YEARS FOR

RESULTS. BUT EVEN IF YOU DID, WHY ARE YOU

COMPLAINING? WAITING AROUND IS LIKE THE ONE

THING YOU'RE GOOD AT YOUR FAVORITE SPORT IS

98% WAITING AROUND YOU SPEND MOST OF YOUR DAYS

SITTING IN YOUR BEDROOM WATCHING TV AND LOITERING ON THE WHITE

HOUSE LAWN LIKE YOU'RE WAITING FOR A CROSSTOWN BUS.

YOU SHOULD BE SMOKING A CIGARETTE SAYING, "I SHOULD HAVE

TAKEN ‐‐ I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THE M‐66

I COULDN'T DECIDE HOW TO HOLD MY CIGARETTE.

WHAT DO YOU THINK, TRUMP LIKE THIS OR TRUMP LIKE THIS?

EITHER WAY TRUMP IS OPENLY TRYING TO

DISRUPT TIMELY DELIVERY OF THE MAIL AHEAD OF A NOVEMBER

ELECTION THAT WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY RELY ON AN

UNPRECEDENTED SURGE IN MAIL‐IN BALLOTING BECAUSE OF THE DEADLY

PLAGUE HE FAILED TO STOP DEJOY HAS ALREADY ANNOUNCED

MAJOR OPERATIONAL CHANGES LAST MONTH INCLUDING SLOWER MAIL

DELIVERY, POST OFFICES HAVE BEEN SLASHING HOURS, LOCAL UNION

LEADERS AND CARRIERS SAYING MAIL IS PILING UP IN OFFICES

UNSCANNED AND UNSORTED

IT'S GOTTEN SO BAD A DEMOCRATIC SENATOR IS FINALLY OPENING AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE DELAYS.

POSTAL SERVICE FOR OUR CHECKS, SOCIAL SECURITY CHECKS,

PAYCHECKS, PRESCRIPTION MEDICINES THAT ARE COMING IN

I'M HEARING FROM FOLKS, LETTER CARRIERS AND POSTAL WORKERS THAT

ARE SAYING THEY'RE SEEING PILES OF MAIL THAT THEY'VE NEVER SEEN

BEFORE IN THEIR POST OFFICES >> Seth: THAT'S INSANE

MAIL'S NOT SUPPOSED TO PILE UP IN POST OFFICES.

IT'S SUPPOSED TO PILE UP ON YOUR KITCHEN TABLE.

TILL ONE DAY A MUSTACHIOED STRANGER COMES TO TAKE YOUR

HOUSE AWAY TIME TO PAY THE PIPER, OLD

FRIEND BUT YOU SAID YOU WEREN'T GOING

TO TAKE MY HOUSE I FIBBED

I DISTRACTED YOU WITH MY MUSTACHE AND I FIBBED.

AND LETTING MAIL PILE UP IS HERESY FOR POSTAL WORKERS WHO

PRIDE THEMSELVES ON TIMELY MAIL DELIVERY

REMEMBER THEIR MOTTO, NEITHER SNOW NOR RAIN NOR HEAT NOR GLOOM

OF NIGHT THAT'S WHY TRUMP WOULD HAVE BEEN

A TERRIBLE MAILMAN HE WOULD HAVE SEEN ONE CLOUD ON

THE HORIZON AND DUMPED HIS MAILBAG IN THE EAST RIVER AND

HEADED FOR THE OTB "THEY'LL NEVER CATCH ME.

OH, NO OH, NO, SINCE WHEN DOES PAPER

FLOAT? THIS IS ALL TRUMP HAS LEFT

HE AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY HAVE GIVEN UP ON FAIRLY WINNING A

MAJORITY OF VOTES SO NOW THEY'RE TRYING TO UNDERMINE THE ELECTION

ITSELF BECAUSE TRUMP KNOWS THAT IF WE

HAVE A SAFE AND FAIR ELECTION IN WHICH EVERYONE CAN EASILY

PARTICIPATE, HE HAS NO CHANCE OF BEING THE ‐‐

>> PROJECTED WINNER OR THE WINNER OF THE ELECTION

>> Seth: THIS HAS BEEN "A CLOSER LOOK."

♪ WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT CITY

HARVEST SINCE COVID BEGAN AND NOW MORE THAN EVER, THEY NEED

YOUR HELP FEEDING NEW YORK FAMILIES

THERE'S A WEBSITE BELOW TO DONATE

WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH JIM BELUSHI.

♪ >> Announcer: FOR MORE OF SETH'S

"CLOSER LOOKS", BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO "LATE NIGHT" ON

YOUTUBE. >> Seth: OUR FIRST GUEST TONIGHT

IS A TALENTED ACTOR AND COMEDIAN YOU KNOW FROM SUCH SHOWS AS

"ACCORDING TO JIM" AND "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE."

HIS NEW SERIES "GROWING BELUSHI" PREMIERES ON THE DISCOVERY

CHANNEL ON AUGUST 19th HERE'S MY CONVERSATION WITH JIM BELUSHI.

>> Seth: HEY, JIM. WELCOME TO THE SHOW.

>> WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON, SETH. THANK YOU.

IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE >> Seth: SO I WANT TO ASK ABOUT

THE SHOW >> YEAH.

>> Seth: WHICH IS ABOUT YOUR FORAY INTO CANNABIS FARMING.

BUT I WANT TO START BY ASKING HOW DID YOU DECIDE TO BECOME A

CANNABIS FARMER? >> TOTALLY BY ACCIDENT

I GOT THIS REALLY SWEET LITTLE PROPERTY ON THE ROGUE RIVER IN

SOUTHERN OREGON. AND THE PROPERTY BEHIND ME IS AN

80‐ACRE FARM AND IT CAME UP FOR SALE.

I BOUGHT IT. AND I WAS LIKE, UH, NOW WHAT

UH, HAY, ALFALFA, CORN, CATTLE AND IT JUST SO HAPPENED THAT THE

CANNABIS WAS LEGAL IN THE STATE OF OREGON JUST THAT YEAR

AND I WENT, WELL, GOT A COUPLE GUYS

ONE CAPTAIN JACK WHO USED TO BE THE WEED DEALER AT "SNL" IN THE

EARLY '70s >> Seth: THAT'S GREAT.

>> YEAH. [ LAUGHTER ]

>> Seth: THAT'S REALLY EXCITING BECAUSE I DO THINK YOU WORRY

THAT WITH THE LEGALIZATION OF CANNABIS THAT IT MIGHT BECOME A

LITTLE CORPORATE IT'S REALLY NICE TO KNOW YOU'RE

WORKING WITH A GUY NAMED CAPTAIN JACK

>> CAPTAIN JACK. WELL, THERE ARE NO CORPORATE

GUYS IN THE FIELD. THEY'RE ALL OLD‐TIME GROWERS

OLD SPIRITUAL CREATURES. AGRICULTURALISTS

REALLY NATURAL, NATURAL INGREDIENTS.

THE CORPORATE GUYS KIND OF CAME IN TO SEE WHERE THE MONEY IS,

BUT ‐‐ >> Seth: AND NOW I ‐

>> AND NOW I'VE BECOME ONE OF THEM

>> Seth: WELL YOU ‐‐ LOOK, I WILL SAY, YOU DO NOT ‐‐ LAYING

EYES ON YOU, I HAVE NOT IN ANY WAY WORRIED THAT YOU'VE GONE

CORPORATE. YOU LOOK VERY ‐‐

[ LAUGHTER ] YOU LOOK WAY MORE LIKE A GUY

WHO'D BE HANGING OUT WITH CAPTAIN JACK THAN ‐‐

[ LAUGHTER ] >> YEAH.

>> Seth: DO YOU NAME DO YOU HELP NAME THE DIFFERENT

STRAINS, JIM >> WELL, I HAVE ONE STRAIN

WE HAVE ABOUT SIX, SEVEN STRAINS.

AND ONE IS CAPTAIN JACK'S, OF COURSE

WE CALL IT "THE SMELL OF 'SNL.'" [ LAUGHTER ]

BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HE WAS KNOWN AS BACK THEN, "THE SMELL OF

'SNL.' BECAUSE IT WAS THE HALLWAYS, YOU

KNOW, IN THE EARLY '70s. >> Seth: SURE, SURE.

>> I HAVE ONE CALLED "CHERRY PIE" THAT I REALLY LIKE, SETH,

BECAUSE IT'S A VERY LOW THC, IT'S LIKE 18%.

BUT IT HAS LIKE 3% TERPENES, WHICH IS THE FLAVOR AND THE

SMELL. AND WITH A LITTLE BIT OF CBD

THE THREE OF THEM CREATE WHAT THEY CALL AN ENTOURAGE EFFECT,

WHICH IS JUST KIND OF THIS CALMING, THERE'S NO ANXIETY AND

THERE'S NO PARANOIA. YOU CAN STILL BE CHILL AND

SWEET. ACTUALLY, I NAMED IT BECAUSE I

WOULD COME DOWNSTAIRS AT NIGHT AND MY WIFE WOULD GO, "ARE YOU

HUNGRY?" I'D GO, "YEAH.

AND SHE GOES, "LET'S GO OUT TO EAT.

OKAY, WHAT DO YOU HAVE A TASTE FOR," SHE'D SAY?

I WENT, "WELL, I'M FROM CHICAGO, I WANT A CHEESEBURGER.

SHE GOES, "OH, JIM, IT'S A LITTLE HEAVY FOR ME.

ANYTHING ELSE? [ LAUGHTER ]

"WELL, HOW ABOUT SOME SUSHI? "OH, I HAD SUSHI WITH MY MOM

LAST NIGHT ANYTHING ELSE?

"WELL, HOW ABOUT IF WE GO TO A NATURAL FOOD ‐‐"

"CILANTRO, CILANTRO, CILANTRO. THEY PUT CILANTRO ON

EVERYTHING." I GO, "WHAT ARE YOU WASTING MY

TIME FOR YOU KNOW WE'RE GOING TO EAT

WHERE YOU WANT TO EAT, AND EAT WHAT YOU WANT TO EAT!"

[ LAUGHTER ] SO NOW, I TAKE ONE LITTLE HIT

BECAUSE I'M A MICRODOSER I ONLY TAKE ONE LITTLE BIT

>> Seth: YEAH. >> I COME DOWNSTAIRS AND SHE

SAYS, "ARE YOU HUNGRY? "YEAH.

"YOU WANT TO GO OUT TO EAT?" "SURE, WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO?"

I GO BABY, "WE CAN GO TO TACO BELL AS LONG AS YOU'RE SITTING

ACROSS FROM ME." >> Seth: AWW SEE

>> AND SHE'S LIKE ‐‐ >> Seth: WHAT A GREAT

ADVERTISEMENT. >> "AREN'T YOU BEING CHARMING?

[ LAUGHTER ] RIGHT?

SO I CALL THAT STRAIN "THE MARRIAGE COUNSELOR."

>> Seth: OH, "THE MARRIAGE COUNSELOR.

THAT IS ‐‐ THAT'S WHAT I'D WANT. >> I TOLD THAT STORY IN OREGON,

SETH, AND IT SOLD OUT IN TWO MONTHS

I CAN'T KEEP IT IN [ LAUGHTER ]

>> WOMEN ARE COMING INTO THE DISPENSARIES ‐

>> Seth: VERY GOOD MARKETING >> THEY COME INTO THE

DISPENSARIES AND SAY, YOU KNOW, "WHERE'S THAT 'MARRIAGE

COUNSELOR? HE NEEDS SOME.

AND ON THE OTHER END I HAVE A THING CALLED "BLACK DIAMOND,"

WHICH THE VETERANS REALLY LIKE BECAUSE IT HELPS WITH THE PTSD,

AND PAIN AND SLEEP, ESPECIALLY THE PTSD

AND ONE OF MY FRIENDS IS PARALYZED FROM THE CHEST DOWN

AND HIS LEGS GO INTO SPASMS. AND THIS "BLACK DIAMOND" STOPS

THOSE SPASMS AND SO IT'S REALLY ‐‐ THERE'S A

LOT OF MEDICINAL PROPERTIES TO THIS

AND I CALL THAT ONE "ASSISTED LIVING."

>> Seth: THAT IS ‐‐ YOU'RE OBVIOUSLY PROVIDING A SERVICE

THERE. YOU'RE ALSO, REAL WORLD

PHILANTHROPIC. YOU KNOW WHAT, I SHOULD SAY,

EFFORTS. CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT

THE LAST PRISONER PROJECT? BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A REALLY

GREAT ORGANIZATION THAT'S TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THAT WHAT USED TO

BE ILLEGAL IS NOW NOT, AND YET THERE'S STILL PLENTY OF PEOPLE

SERVING JAIL TIME FOR MARIJUANA. >> SETH, THERE'S 40,000

PRISONERS THAT ARE SERVING JAIL TIME FOR NON‐VIOLENT CANNABIS

CONSUMPTION OR POSSESSION. THERE'S A GUY NAMED

MICHAEL THOMPSON IN MICHIGAN I HOPE THE GOVERNOR OF MICHIGAN

IS WATCHING THIS PLEASE RELEASE HIM

HE GOT SENTENCED TO 40 TO 60 YEARS FOR HAVING THREE POUNDS OF

CANNABIS HE'S BEEN IN FOR 25 YEARS.

HE IS NOW ‐‐ WE WANTED TO GET HIM OUT BECAUSE WE WERE SCARED

FOR HIM TO GET COVID HE HAS COVID

HE'S IN THE HOSPITAL AND THIS SHOULD NOT BE A DEATH

SENTENCE FOR SOMETHING THAT IS LEGAL, IT'S MEDICINE, IT'S

NON‐VIOLENT, AND THERE'S THOUSANDS OF PRISONERS

STEVE D'ANGELO AND MYSELF, AND A FEW OTHER PEOPLE ARE ON THE

BOARD AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET THESE PEOPLE OUT OF PRISON

AND IT'S ALWAYS ‐‐ IT'S ALWAYS BEEN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR

SUBJECT TO THE DISAPPROPRIATENESS OF THIS KIND

OF PRACTICES AND IT'S ‐‐ SO I'M PART OF THAT.

YEAH >> Seth: THAT'S GREAT THAT

YOU'RE DOING THAT. THIS IS SUCH A FUN SHOW.

IT'S REALLY COOL TO SHOW YOU BEHIND THE SCENES OF THIS FARM

AND THE TRAVELS YOU MAKE TO COLOMBIA AMONG OTHER PLACES.

AND THANKS SO MUCH FOR MAKING ‐‐ >> OH, YEAH.

I WENT TO COLOMBIA FOR NINE DAYS WITH CAMERAS AND IMPROVISED THE

WHOLE TIME AND IT'S PROBABLY THE MIDDLE

PART OF OUR THREE EPISODES IT'S ON DISCOVERY COMING UP ON

WEDNESDAY THE 19th >> Seth: WELL, I CAN'T WAIT.

AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING TIME FOR US, JIM

ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO SEE YOU >> YOU KNOW, SETH, IT'S ALWAYS A

PLEASURE TO SEE YOU AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

>> Seth: WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH SARAH SNOOK

♪ >> Seth: SARAH SNOOK IS A

TALENTED ACTRESS WHO WAS RECENTLY NOMINATED FOR HER FIRST

EMMY, FOR HER PORTRAYAL OF SHIV ROY IN HBO'S "SUCCESSION.

SARAH IS IN AUSTRALIA. BECAUSE OF THE TIME DIFFERENCE,

WE HAD TO RECORD HER LATE LAST NIGHT.

SO IF YOU'RE WONDERING WHY MY HAIR LOOKS SO DIFFERENT, THAT'S

WHAT FIVE EXTRA HOURS OF

HUMIDITY DOES TO IT. HERE'S MY CONVERSATION WITH THE WONDERFUL SARAH SNOOK.

>> HI. GOOD

YEAH THANKS

HOW ARE YOU DOING? >> Seth: I'M DOING WELL.

THIS IS THE LONGEST DISTANCE INTERVIEW WE HAVE DONE SINCE

SOCIAL DISTANCING STARTED. YOU'RE IN AUSTRALIA RIGHT NOW.

THANK YOU FOR WAKING UP SO EARLY TO DO THIS

>> I AM. I AM

IT'S NOT TOO BAD IT'S LIKE 9:00 A. M

IT'S FINE. IT'S A REGULAR WORKDAY

[ LIGHT LAUGHTER ] >> Seth: IT IS A REGULAR

WORKDAY. AND I SHOULD ‐‐ I WANT TO

CONGRATULATE YOU FOR YOUR EMMY NOMINATION FOR "SUCCESSION," BUT

BECAUSE OF THE TIME DIFFERENCE THAT MUST HAVE HAPPENED IN THE

MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT FOR YOU. ARE YOU THE KIND OF PERSON WHO

SETS AN ALARM TO FIND OUT IF THIS HAPPENED?

>> NO. I TOTALLY ‐‐ MY MANAGER ASKED IF

I WANTED TO BE WOKEN UP. I WAS LIKE, NO

IT'S LIKE 2:00 IN THE MORNING. I'LL SLEEP

EITHER I'VE BEEN NOMINATED OR I HAVEN'T.

IT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE WHETHER I WAKE UP OR NOT

NO, I GOT WOKEN UP BY MY FRIEND WHO I'M LIVING WITH AT THE

MOMENT IN LOCKDOWN AND THEY RAN INTO THE ROOM AND

PULLED THE PILLOW OFF MY HEAD AND SAID "YOU'VE BEEN NOMINATED

FOR AN EMMY! AND, UH, YEAH.

IT WAS A PRETTY GOOD WAY TO FIND OUT.

>> Seth: THAT'S A GREAT WAY TO FIND OUT

YOU KNOW, I WAS TALKING TO MATTHEW MACFADYEN ‐‐ HE WAS ON

THE SHOW HE OBVIOUSLY IS FANTASTIC

PLAYING YOUR HUSBAND TOM AND HE WAS SAYING ONE OF THE

DISAPPOINTING THINGS, THE DEPRESSING THINGS, ONE OF THE

MANY DEPRESSING THINGS, BUT YOU GUYS WON'T BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE

TOGETHER AT A VIRTUAL EMMYS. IS THAT A BUMMER

>> YEAH, IT IS IT IS, BECAUSE I MISS EVERYBODY.

AND YOU KNOW, I WANT TO BE WORKING AGAIN.

YOU KNOW, EVERYONE'S IN THE SAME BOAT GLOBALLY NO MATTER THE

INDUSTRY EVERYONE WANTS TO GET BACK TO

WORK TO BE SOCIAL AND WITH THEIR FRIENDS.

BUT I FEEL LIKE WE'VE GOT SUCH A GREAT TEAM AND HAVE SUCH A GREAT

CHEMISTRY ON AND OFF SCREEN, THAT YEAH, IT'S A SHAME NOT TO

BE ABLE TO DO THAT ALL TOGETHER, PARTICULARLY FOR SO MANY OF US

BEING NOMINATED AT THE EMMYS IT'S WILD.

>> Seth: I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO

MEET YOU LAST YEAR AT LIKE THE NIGHT BEFORE PARTY

AND THE WHOLE "SUCCESSION" CAST, NOT JUST YOURSELF, BUT ALL OF

YOU, YOU GUYS WERE LIKE THE HOT PEOPLE THAT EVERYBODY WANTED TO

TALK TO. [ LAUGHTER ]

EVERYBODY WANTED TO COME UP ‐‐ BECAUSE I FELT LIKE RIGHT AS THE

EMMYS WAS HITTING LAST YEAR WAS WHEN EVERYONE HAD FINALLY CAUGHT

UP TO THE SHOW IT WAS CRESTING JUST AT THE

RIGHT TIME >> IT WAS PRETTY ‐‐ IN SOME WAYS

CONFRONTING, I GUESS, FOR ME, BECAUSE I REALLY DIDN'T EXPECT

TO GO TO THE EMMYS LAST YEAR AND LIKE SLIP UNDER THE RADAR AND

NOT BE SEEN, JUST WORK OUT WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT

"OKAY, THAT'S A VERY FAMOUS PERSON, THERE'S ANOTHER ONE, I'M

FROM AUSTRALIA, JUST BE COOL, CHILL OUT.

BUT THEN WHEN THEY ALL STARTED COMING UP TO ME AND GOING, "HEY,

I LOVE YOUR WORK," YEAH, THAT ‐‐ [ LAUGHTER ]

>> Seth: I DO FEEL LIKE NOW EVERYBODY IS, YOU KNOW,

THIRSTING FOR A THIRD SEASON, WHEREAS THE SECOND SEASON MAYBE

CAUGHT PEOPLE A LITTLE BY SURPRISE

OBVIOUSLY, YOU'RE THIRSTING FOR A THIRD SEASON AS WELL

IS THERE ‐‐ I MEAN, YOU HEAR WHISPERS THAT IT'S MAYBE GOING

TO START IN THE WINTER >> YES

I MEAN, I WANT TO GET BACK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

AND IN A COUPLE MONTHS TIME THAT WILL HAPPEN.

BUT I THINK EVERYTHING CHANGES SO FAST AT THE MOMENT, THAT YOU

CAN SAY, IT'S OCTOBER AND IT WILL END UP BEING SOMETIME

LATER, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO

HAPPEN >> Seth: IT'S GOOD THAT YOU GUYS

AS A CAST ARE TAKING THE PANDEMIC SERIOUSLY, BECAUSE I

DON'T THINK A SINGLE CHARACTER ON THE SHOW WOULD.

>> NO. NOT IN THE WAY OF LIKE

CONSTANTLY HAND SANITIZING AND JUST ISOLATING THEMSELVES WAY

AHEAD OF ANY ADVICE TO ISOLATE THEY'VE WOULD ‐‐ YOU KNOW, AND

THEY'VE GOT THEIR SUMMER PALACE. THEY'VE GOT ‐‐ THEY WOULDN'T

EVEN HAVE TO ISOLATE TOGETHER. THEY COULD ALL HAVE A HOUSE TO

THEMSELVES >> Seth: THEY'D BE ALL RIGHT

>> YEAH. BUT THEY PROBABLY WOULD WANT TO

ISOLATE TOGETHER IN SOME WAYS, JUST IN CASE SOMEBODY MADE SOME

MOVES OR POSITIONING >> Seth: RIGHT

JUST TO KEEP EYES ON THEM. HAS THE SHOW TAKEN OFF IN

AUSTRALIA? BECAUSE SOME MIGHT EVEN SAY IT'S

BASED ON AUSTRALIANS >> IT HAS TAKEN OFF IN A WAY

THAT I FEEL IT'S STILL LIKE WHAT FIRST SEASON WAS IN AMERICA.

LIKE, THERE'S STILL A BIT OF WORD OF MOUTH GOING ON

IT'S ON A TV CHANNEL ‐‐ LIKE IT'S ON FOXTEL AND ON BINGE NOW,

I THINK. SO IT'S THERE.

BUT IT'S STILL SIMMERING, WHICH IS NICE.

YEAH >> Seth: YOU DID FIND OUT ON

HALLOWEEN THAT IT WAS SLIGHTLY MORE POPULAR THAN YOU HAD KNOWN.

>> I DID, YES. I KEPT BEING TAGGED IN

PHOTOGRAPHS THAT SORT OF JARRED ME A LITTLE TO GO, OH, THAT'S

NOT ME THAT'S NOT ME.

THAT'S A TERRIBLE RED WIG. BUT IT'S MEANT TO BE ME.

OKAY THAT'S JUST PAPER BAG PANTS AND

A TURTLENECK WITH A GOLD CHAIN THAT'S YOU DIDN'T KNOW YOU WOULD

BE GOING TO THIS HALLOWEEN PARTY TONIGHT, AND YOU JUST FOUND THAT

IN YOUR CLOSET AND YOU MADE A COSTUME.

MY FAVORITE WAS ‐‐ >> Seth: BUT IT WAS FUNNY TO

HEAR THAT AND REALIZE, OH, YEAH, SHIV DOES HAVE A VERY ICONIC

STYLE THAT YOU COULD ALSO NOT HAVE TO DO A TON OF PLANNING

FOR, BUT ALSO NAIL THE SHIV LOOK

BUT THIS IS A STYLE YOU SORT OF BROUGHT TO THE CHARACTER

YES? >> YES

I MEAN, I WEAR HIGH‐WAISTED PANTS AND SORT OF A WIDER LEG

PANT, I GUESS. BUT THERE'S NO WAY IN WHICH THAT

I AM STYLISH AS SARAH. [ LAUGHTER ]

ANY STYLE I BROUGHT TO THE CHARACTER WAS CHERRY‐PICKED FROM

OTHER THINGS AND THEN PUT TOGETHER BY MICHELLE, FAR MORE

THAN IT WAS ME YEAH

>> Seth: I DO WANT TO PROVIDE YOU THIS OPPORTUNITY BEFORE WE

GO TO CLEAR UP AN INTERNET RUMOR ABOUT YOUR BIRTHDAY.

>> OH, YES PLEASE

I'M A PROUD SAGITTARIAN. I AM NOT BORN JULY 28th.

MY BIRTHDAY'S THE 1st OF DECEMBER

SOMEONE MADE A WIKIPEDIA PAGE UP FOR ME, AND THEY JUST DECIDED

THAT 28th OF JULY WAS ME AND SO, FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS

NOW I'VE BEEN GETTING HAPPY UN‐BIRTHDAYS FROM FRIENDS, AND

EVEN MY AGENT ACTUALLY WISHED ME A HAPPY BIRTHDAY ONCE A COUPLE

YEARS AGO. >> Seth: IT'S NICE, THOUGH

I FEEL LIKE IT'S A GOOD WAY TO DISTINGUISH YOUR REAL FRIENDS

FROM YOUR FRIENDS WHO JUST SORT OF ARE LIVING OFF INTERNET

KNOWLEDGE OF YOU >> OH, 100%.

YEAH WHENEVER I GET A HAPPY BIRTHDAY

FROM SOMEBODY WHO'S MAYBE NOT IN THE KNOW, I'M LIKE OKAY, WELL,

WE NEED TO WORK ON THIS FRIENDSHIP

I NEED TO LET YOU IN A LITTLE CLOSER

MAYBE IT'S MY FAULT THAT I HAVEN'T TOLD YOU MY BIRTHDAY IS

DECEMBER 1st >> Seth: UM, THAT'S VERY

HELPFUL. I'M THINKING OF, LIKE, PLANTING

A POISON PILL FAKE BIRTHDAY MYSELF NOW ON MY INTERNET PAGE

JUST SO I CAN LIKE SEPARATE, YOU KNOW, THE POSERS FROM THE REAL

DEAL >> YEAH.

I MEAN, IT'S LUCKY THAT I'M ONLY SIX MONTHS OUT

BUT I FEEL LIKE IF I WAS GOING TO FAKE MY OWN BIRTHDAY I SHOULD

HAVE GONE, YOU KNOW, THREE, FOUR YEARS, FIVE YEARS EARLIER.

>> Seth: YEAH, THAT'S TRUE THAT'S I GUESS HOW WE KNOW YOU

DIDN'T DO IT >> YEAH, IT'S TRUE

YEAH YEAH

>> Seth: UH, CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN ON THE NOMINATION.

THANK YOU. AGAIN, IT'S 9:00 A. M., BUT FOR A

LOT OF ACTORS THAT'S A BIG, BIG DEAL

SO WE WILL SAY THANK YOU AND, UH ‐‐

>> I'M GOING BACK TO BED, TO BE HONEST

[ LAUGHTER ] >> Seth: ALWAYS GREAT TO SEE

YOU, SARAH >> GOOD TO SEE YOU

>> Seth: SEE DIFFERENT HAIR

WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH YIYUN LI

♪ >> Seth: OUR NEXT GUEST IS AN

AWARD‐WINNING WRITER WHOSE LATEST NOVEL "MUST I GO" IS

AVAILABLE NOW WHEREVER BOOKS ARE SOLD

BUT NOW IS A GREAT TIME TO

SUPPORT INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORES HERE'S MY CONVERSATION WITH YIYUN LI

>> Seth: HELLO, YIYUN. HOW ARE YOU?

>> GOOD. HELLO, SETH.

HOW ARE YOU? >> Seth: I'M WELL.

WE WERE JUST TALKING WE HAD NOT MET BEFORE, BUT WE

WERE AT A PEN LITERARY AWARDS MARCH 2nd, IN NEW YORK CITY.

YOU WON AN AWARD FOR YOUR BOOK AND THAT'S THE LAST TIME EITHER

OF US WENT OUT IN PUBLIC >> THAT'S RIGHT.

I WAS VERY HAPPY TO RECEIVE THE AWARD FROM YOU AND THEN I WENT

INTO THE LOCKDOWN MODE AFTER THAT NIGHT

[ LAUGHTER ] >> Seth: SO I WANTED TO ASK YOU

ABOUT THIS YOU DID NOT SET OUT TO BE A

WRITER YOU WERE ACTUALLY STUDYING TO BE

A SCIENTIST, AN IMMUNOLOGIST NO LESS

WHAT HAPPENED THAT MADE YOU DECIDE THAT YOU WERE ON THE

WRONG CAREER PATH? >> WHAT HAPPENED

SO I CAME ‐‐ I CAME FROM CHINA, I CAME TO THIS COUNTRY TO PURSUE

A Ph. D IN IMMUNOLOGY.

AND I THINK PARTLY SCIENCE WAS EASY FOR ME AND I WAS GOOD AT

SCIENCE. AND WHEN YOU'RE GOOD AT

SOMETHING YOU GET A LITTLE BORED.

SO, I ALWAYS SAY I HAD AN EARLY MID‐LIFE CRISIS.

I WAS 27 ALL OF A SUDDEN I REALIZED I

COULDN'T STAY IN SCIENCE ANYMORE.

SO, I WANTED TO TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND CHALLENGING.

AND WHAT COULD BE MORE CHALLENGING THAN WRITING

>> Seth: WAS IT TRUE THAT YOU WERE ONLY TAKING WRITING CLASSES

TO TRY TO TEACH YOURSELF ENGLISH IN THE BEGINNING

>> YEAH. SO, I TOOK A COMMUNITY WRITING

CLASS, YOU KNOW, SIX‐WEEK, ONE NIGHT A WEEK, AND I WAS BY FAR

THE YOUNGEST STUDENT THERE, AND EVERYBODY ELSE WAS LIKE OVER 60.

I WAS TRYING TO LEARN ENGLISH. [ LAUGHTER ]

>> Seth: AND DID YOU ‐‐ DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOUR APPROACH TO

WRITING INSOFAR THAT YOU'RE DISCIPLINED IS HELPED BY THE

FACT YOU HAD A BACKGROUND IN SCIENCE?

>> VERY MUCH SO. I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE TWO

THINGS I BROUGHT FROM SCIENCE TO WRITING.

ONE IS AS YOU SAID, DISCIPLINE YOU KNOW, IN SCIENCE I DON'T

THINK YOU SIT AT HOME WAITING FOR INSPIRATION.

YOU JUST GO INTO YOUR LAB AND YOU DO THE BENCH WORK.

AND IF IT FAILS YOU DO IT AGAIN. SO THAT'S PRETTY MUCH HOW I

APPROACH WRITING AND THE OTHER THING IS, IN

SCIENCE, WE NEVER SAY WE ARE 100% CERTAIN ABOUT

SOMETHING. WE ALWAYS HAVE HYPOTHESES AND WE

DO EXPERIMENT TO EXPLORE THESE HYPOTHESES AND WE'RE PROVEN

RIGHT OR WRONG IN FICTION WRITING I DON'T THINK

I CAN EVER SAY I KNOW A CHARACTER WITH 100% CERTAINTY.

MOSTLY I WRITE TO EXPLORE THE CHARACTERS

>> Seth: WAS IT HELPFUL TO HAVE A BACKGROUND IN IMMUNOLOGY WHEN

THIS PANDEMIC BEGAN? >> WELL, IT VERY MUCH HELPED

I THINK SCIENCE TO ME ‐‐ I MEAN, SCIENCE MAKES ME A REALIST

I LOOK AT FACTS. I LOOK AT THE WORLD WITH FACTS

AND ALSO I FEEL LIKE REALLY SCIENCE JUST GIVES YOU COMMON

SENSE. YOU KNOW, YOU GO OUT TO THE

WORLD, YOU WEAR A FACE MASK. THAT'S COMMON SENSE.

EXCEPT I THINK SOMETIMES PEOPLE HAVE COMMON ‐‐ I CALL THEM

"COMMON NONSENSE" WHEN THEY GO OUT INTO THE WORLD WITHOUT

MASKS. SO, I THINK, YOU KNOW, SCIENCE

REALLY TEACHES ME THIS IS LIFE, THIS IS REALITY, AND WE LIVE

WITH THAT. >> Seth: WELL, I'M NEVER GOING

TO FORGET THE TERM "COMMON NONSENSE" BECAUSE I WILL SAY

NONSENSE HAS BECOME VERY COMMON. SO, YOUR LATEST NOVEL "MUST I

GO," YOU WERE WORKING ON AND YOU ACTUALLY STEPPED AWAY FROM TO

WRITE, "WHERE REASONS END," WHICH IS THE BOOK THAT YOU WON

YOUR AWARD FOR EARLIER THIS YEAR

AND THEN YOU RETURNED TO WRITE "MUST I GO."

WHAT WAS THAT PROCESS LIKE OF, ONE, WALKING AWAY FROM ONE BOOK

AND THEN TIME PASSING AND COMING BACK TO IT

>> YES SO I WAS WORKING ON "MUST I GO"

FOR A COUPLE YEARS AND IN THE NOVEL, LILIA, THE MAIN CHARACTER

LOST A CHILD WHEN SHE WAS 44 AND THEN, YOU KNOW, I THINK

SOMETIMES LIFE IS STRANGE. LIFE FOLLOWS FICTION'S

FOOTPRINT. AND MY LIFE RAN INTO THE SAME

SITUATION. I LOST A CHILD WHEN I WAS 44

AND THIS OVERLAPPING OF MY BIOGRAPHY AND THE CHARACTER'S

BIOGRAPHY, I THINK I WAS UNSETTLED.

SO I LEFT THAT BOOK AND I WROTE "WHERE REASONS END," WHICH IS

MORE AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL. AND I CAME BACK, AND I DIDN'T

WANT TO COME BACK. AND LILIA, HOWEVER, IS SUCH A

BOSSY CHARACTER. I THINK IN THE NOVEL SHE BOSSES

EVERYBODY AROUND SHE ALSO BOSSES ME AROUND.

"MUST I GO" FROM THE NOVEL I MUST NOT

SO SHE ACTUALLY INSISTS THAT I COME BACK TO WRITE HER STORY

>> Seth: THAT IS VERY NICE WHEN CHARACTERS HAVE THAT PULL ON THE

CREATOR. I THINK THAT THEN SHOWS UP ON

THE PAGE >> YEAH.

>> Seth: THERE ARE TWO BOOKS I'VE READ THAT YOU REREAD EVERY

YEAR THOSE BOOKS ARE "WAR AND PEACE"

AND "MOBY DICK." CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU GET

FROM REREADING THOSE TWO CLASSIC WORKS OF LITERATURE?

>> YES SO I READ THOSE NOVELS, YOU

KNOW, SIX MONTHS OF "MOBY DICK," SIX MONTHS OF "WAR AND PEACE" A

YEAR, EVERY YEAR SO "WAR AND PEACE" IS THE MOST

REALISTIC FICTION. YOU KNOW, THE EPITOME OF

REALISM. AND "MOBY DICK" IS THE OPPOSITE.

IT'S ALL METAPHORICAL WRITING. SO I ENJOY JUST GOING FROM

REALISTIC SETTING TO METAPHORICAL SETTING AND BACK

AND FORTH JUST SO MY LIFE HAS THAT GOOD RHYTHM

>> Seth: I READ "WAR AND PEACE" IN COLLEGE AND I NEVER WOULD

HAVE READ IT, EXCEPT IT WAS ASSIGNED AND WE HAD THE MOST

WONDERFUL TEACHER, PROFESSOR WEIL

AND YOU HAVE ACTUALLY SHARED THE EXPERIENCE OF READING THIS BOOK

WITH PEOPLE. YOU BASICALLY HAD AN ONLINE BOOK

CLUB WHERE YOU INVITED PEOPLE TO READ A LITTLE BIT OF "WAR AND

PEACE" EVERY DAY BECAUSE IT CAN BE DAUNTING

BUT AS YOU NOTED, IT IS, YOU KNOW, IT IS ROOTED IN REALISM.

IT'S ACTUALLY NOT THAT HARD OF A BOOK TO READ

>> YES SO IT JUST HAPPENED THAT AT THE

BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC I REALIZED I WAS DUE FOR MY ANNUAL

READING OF "WAR AND PEACE" AND I HAD THIS IDEA OF JUST INVITING

PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE, TO JOIN ME FOR A READ‐ALONG.

AND SURPRISINGLY, I THOUGHT 10 PEOPLE WOULD SHOW UP

AND 3,000 PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE WORLD SHOWED UP.

AND I MEAN, WE GOT ALL SIX CONTINENTS, BUT FOR ANTARCTICA

AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, TWEET ‐‐ THEY SENT TWEETS IN 24/7, IN ALL

LANGUAGES. AND I REALIZED IT GAVE PEOPLE A

GOOD STRUCTURE OF THEIR LIFE DURING THE PANDEMIC, ESPECIALLY

AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC

EVERYBODY ‐‐ YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE READ WITH THEIR MORNING

COFFEE SOME READ WITH THEIR, YOU KNOW,

COCKTAIL AND A LOT OF OLDER PARENTS

READING WITH GROWN‐UP CHILDREN I HAVE HEARD AT LEAST, YOU KNOW,

FROM FIVE, SIX FAMILIES THEY'RE READING TOGETHER

SO ‐ >> Seth: WELL, IT IS ALWAYS

WONDERFUL TO ‐‐ THAT COLLECTIVE JOY OF READING, AND IT'S REALLY

NICE THAT YOU SHARED THAT WITH PEOPLE

CONGRATULATIONS ON THE BOOK. IT'S SO NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN,

ALBEIT VIRTUALLY >> THANK YOU SO MUCH

>> Seth: GET A COPY OF YIYUN'S BOOK "MUST I GO" AT YOUR LOCAL

BOOKSTORE. WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.

♪ >> Seth: COME BACK TOMORROW WHEN

OUR GUESTS WILL BE JEFF GOLDBLUM, AND FROM

"SCHITT'S CREEK," ANNIE MURPHY PLUS SAM JAY, A TERRIFIC

COMEDIAN AND "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE" WRITER WITH A WONDERFUL

NEW NETFLIX SPECIAL. THEN ON THURSDAY, THE HILARIOUS

PAULA PELL AND JOHN LUTZ WILL BE HERE

PLUS WE HAVE "CLOSER LOOKS" AND AMBER RUFFIN

SO MAKE SURE YOU TUNE IN WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.

♪ >> Seth: I WANT TO THANK

JIM BELUSHI, SARAH SNOOK, AND YIYUN LI

I WANT TO THANK FRED ARMISEN AND THE 8G BAND.

STAY TUNED FOR "LILLY SINGH. STAY SAFE, WASH YOUR HANDS, WEAR

A MASK WE LOVE YOU.

♪ >> SO EXCITED TO HEAR YOUR

FEEDBACK, LARRY. >> WELL WHAT I LIKE ABOUT "A

CLOSER LOOK" IS THAT THEY'RE FUNNY.

>> HMM‐MM. >> BUT THE JOKES ARE ABOUT THE

NEWS WHEREAS WHEN YOU TALK, IT'S NOT

ABOUT ANYTHING >> UH‐HUH.

>> AT BEST IT'S PUNS, WHICH ARE THE LOWEST FORM OF COMEDY.

>> MMM‐KAY >> AND ANOTHER THING, AND DON'T

TAKE THIS THE WRONG WAY, YOU SOUND LIKE WILL FORTE.

>> LOVE HIM. >> I WAS ALWAYS MORE OF A

BILL HADER GUY >> HADER

>> OR EVEN JASON SUDEIKIS. >> I GUESS MY ONLY RETORT TO

THAT WOULD BE [ BLEEP ] YOU, LARRY!

♪