Original subtitles

* *

Well, I don't have to say it, but I'm gonna say it anyway.

Today's show is quite a doozy.

That's right, it's my favorite word.

Our guest today has two Oscar nominations.

He has two Golden Globe wins and has won an Emmy.

Simply put, he's one of the biggest movie stars of all time.

And I don't just say it, I mean it.

Ladies and gentlemen, John Travolta.

-That's the real one, now. Get in here! -Brother!

My God, man! My brother! Huh?

-How you doing, dude? Good to see you. -Good, man.

-I love this format. -Do you like it?

My understanding is, we're gonna have a glass of wine together.

-Yes, we are. -Holy shit.

How funny was our shit in "Die Hart"?

KEVIN: "Die Hart" was probably one of the funniest things

-that I've done. -One of the funniest things I've ever seen.

Well, it's-it's... Well, hey, I mean, we could get into it,

but there's several things I want to tell you

-about "Die Hart," and... -And I'll tell you what else,

we never got a chance to do this, Kevin.

No.

-Sit down and, like, talk? No. -That whole time, you were...

you were like sand through my hands,

because I wanted-- you know, you're so...

Meaning I... meaning that I was small?

-What are you saying, my man? -(laughs) No, no, no.

-Yeah, you could have fit through my hand, yes. -Okay.

But in addition to that, I wanted alone time with you

-Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. -to talk and get to know you,

and because you were so busy and we had a limited time

to get the movie done, I never got a chance to really do this.

-Sit down and really get to talk. -So now...

-This is it. -Yeah, there's no interference.

-You can't get on your phone, and you can't... -No.

you can't call people, you can't look at texts.

-No. -You're-you're... You can't believe it.

-You got John Travolta on here. -I'm locked in

-on this moment right now. -That's right. That's right.

Let's get my somm out here, let's get us some wine.

-Yeah, let's get us some wine. -Uh, D! This is my somm.

-I got a sommeli... sommelier. -I know this brother.

Somme... Gosh dang it, What is it?

-Somm... -Sommelier, Mr. Hart.

Goddamn it. I'm...

Every day, I practice in the morning.

-Mr. Travolta, how are you? -Good, man.

-This is a sharp outfit, too. -I like that.

-What are we drinking today? -I've got two selections today.

-Okay. -And, uh, I think you want something in more of a Chablis,

-Pouilly-Fuissé style from France? -Correct.

-Very dry. -What the fuck is that?

-What just happened here? -DLYNN: Yes, indeed.

What?

Russian River 2019.

Chardonnay.

I'm learning stuff already.

Did anybody here know that John Travolta speaks French?

JOHN: Ah...

-2017. -2017?

Spring Mountain District Cabernet.

-Now we're talking. -Absolutely.

(Kevin speaking fake French)

(slurred gibberish): ...merci.

This is the shit.

-(laughing) -I cannot believe that I'm doing

a legitimate talk show with a fucking glass of wine.

This is awesome.

Here's to you, buddy.

-Hey, seriously, John, toast, man. -Yeah.

Um, John, you started talking about "Die Hart," right?

I want to educate my, my, uh...

-Wine got to you already? -my watchers, uh,

on what "Die Hart" was if they haven't seen it.

"Die Hart" was a short movie

that I had the opportunity to do with John Travolta,

um, with a friend of mine, uh, Katzenberg,

in a platform that he had that no longer exists.

So, we did this thing, and I had the opportunity

to come to you and ask you, it was, like, a... it was a reach.

I was like: Man, if we could get John Travolta...

And, honestly, like, you know,

those are the notches on your belt

as you go on that you just... you-you look back at,

and you-you can't believe.

Like, I got to say I shared the screen

-with John Travolta in my career. -Aw, man.

That's-that's massive for me. So, genuinely,

thank you for that, man.

-You're welcome. -That was a big...

a big thing for me, for our production company,

everything, like, down the board, man.

-Aw, man. -But you checked all those boxes for us.

Well, thank you for acknowledging that.

And, also, when I received it, from my side of it,

you know, your name attached to anything,

you got to pay attention, because you're the man.

So... but when I read it,

I never knew how hilarious it was going to be.

You know, I thought it was going to be funny.

It's got to be. You wouldn't do anything that wasn't.

-Mm-hmm. -But, damn, it went to that other level.

And I said, "How did they know to pick me?"

Because I had 40 years of dealing with stuntmen

and all their antics,

so I fucking couldn't wait to play this role.

And get in the way. You grounded the material.

You grounded it.

Like, you-you found the comedy in it,

but then you grounded it, as well,

-Thanks. -by staying so true to the craziness,

which-which helped, of course, on my side

-making the movie in the movie. -Motivated your reactions.

You know what I mean? It was... it was super dope.

You-You've always had a love for comedy, though, right?

-It's my first, uh, impact. -Exactly. Yeah.

You know, with "Welcome Back, Kotter,"

you know, and I had done a lot of theater before that

and comedies and musical comedies and what have you,

but that was my first love, was comedy.

So, so, with "Welcome Back, Kotter," right,

you know, this is a situation where--

and if I'm wrong, tell me I'm wrong--

you ended up becoming the star of a show

-that you weren't originally the star of. -That was a very generous part

-on Gabe Kaplan. -Okay.

'Cause I don't know if you... you know, this audience

will remember "Kotter" or remember what it was about--

-but Gabe Kaplan... -It was one of the biggest TV shows ever.

-It was a huge show. -Yeah, and you'd see it again on these, you know,

different stations.

-But Gabe was a very important stand-up comic. -Mm-hmm.

And he wrote that show for himself as a vehicle

to get established.

But the generous thing he did was, he...

he saw that I might take off,

but he gave me the ball and let me score a touchdown.

-Wow. -And that was very generous.

And I, you know, for 20 years, I wanted to thank him,

-just like you're thanking me tonight, -Mm-hmm.

and finally there was a meet... what is, uh,

a retro television station that had...

-had a celebration of "Kotter." -Okay.

-And I finally, in front of millions of people, -You got to see him.

got to see him and thank him personally...

-Wow. -for him allowing me to be here today.

I'd love to tap in, you know, to the beginning,

because this is my opportunity to learn, right?

This is my opportunity to really understand more

about John Travolta than I have,

outside of the picture that's been painted.

-Sure. -Like, I'm-I'm... I'm getting educated right now.

-Yeah. Wherever you want. -So, in the beginning stages,

-Definitely. -it was theater, plays, et cetera,

-Yes. -uh, and then...

-and then "Welcome Back, Kotter" came about how? -Yeah, in New York--

-Uh, where did you grow up? -Philadelphia.

Philadelphia. So it's similar.

Uh, the protocol, in my day, was, uh, do theater first,

and then... tap into a little bit of television,

because it's a natural progression.

And then, if you're lucky enough, you do movies.

Now, understanding the road to "Welcome Back, Kotter,"

uh, where-where-- how old are you at this time?

-You're... -I was, at "Kotter," I was just turned 21.

God! 21.

But I had done six years of theater.

Broadway, off-Broadway, summer theater.

-KEVIN: So you were poised. -Oh, yes, yes, yes.

Well poised, polished, uh, prepared for the moment.

-And L.A., at that time, was welcoming New York actors. -Mm.

They-they preferred them, because of the...

well, the chance that they might know their lines,

might be more professional,

might, uh, not have to be, uh, led more than another actor.

So I had a bit of an advantage.

Was that a great transition or difficult,

-Oh, I loved it. -moving, uprooting from New York to L.A.?

-Because even though I liked stage, -Mm-hmm.

-I loved film much more. -Okay.

Because I could let the camera do half the work.

-Okay, okay. -You know, I could just let... let it be.

It's funny, because it's so...

there's such a difference in opinion here.

You know, you talk to a lot of actors about the theater,

that come from the theater background,

you know, uh, they pride themselves on it being tougher,

you know, because there is no cut.

There is no stop-and-go.

-It's... it's one show, and the show goes. -Yeah.

And if you flub, you flub--

you better figure out a way out of it,

because that's the, you know,

that's the guidelines that you're under.

I think I'm just more comfortable with film

than I am-- yet I loved, uh, my...

You know, I did, from 15 to 26,

I did, like, uh, 11 years of theater.

And it's not that I didn't, you know, love it or like it.

-I just liked film more because of the, you know... -Mm-hmm.

I'm different, where if you have to do another take in a movie,

I look at it as I get a chance to do it again.

* *

* *

So coming out of it, of course, like you said, you...

the world of TV and film, you just loved that much more.

Uh, how did, how did the first film come about?

Like, normally, that's even a tough transition

-Yeah. Sure. -from your TV star going into becoming a movie star.

-How did that happen? -Okay, well, it was a little different for me...

-Okay. -in that when I got out to L.A.,

when I was 18, uh, there was a famous casting director,

Lynn Stalmaster, that really took a liking

to my abilities and talent.

-Mm-hmm. -And he, uh, cast me in a couple of things,

and he said, "You know, uh, you really should stay out here

"and not go back to New York, because I think we could...

we could do this," you know?

And he got me a screen test

for a movie called "The Last Detail," with Jack Nicholson,

and Randy Quaid ended up getting the role.

-Wow. -But it was between Randy Quaid and myself.

And that led to an Oscar nomination for...

-for Randy. -Mm.

But I was so close to getting that,

that the director called me and said, um,

"Look, you're the actor that can do this role,

"but this guy has just this... this physical presence

that feels more to the role, so we're gonna go with him."

-But because I was so... -The director gave you this conversation?

-Yes. -Wow.

"And because you were so close, I needed to call you

"to tell you how... it was a very tough decision.

"At midnight one night, we decided to go,

but it could have very easily been your way."

So it sent a message to this casting director,

and to the town, that this kid-- me--

was actually very possibly

a viable film entit...

-you know, a leading-man-type thing. -Mm-hmm.

-Mm-hmm. -So, uh...

Or at least a-a character actor.

So you feel like the part that you didn't get

kind of acted as your "This is my arrival" to a town,

-of letting them know... -Absolutely, 'cause there was no bigger movie

-at the time that I could have been considered for, -Wow.

and the idea that I came that close gave a message

to not only Lynn but to everyone.

And then what did I do? I went back to Broadway

two years, because it was what I was familiar with.

I was more comfortable with going back to stage.

-So, uh... -Was that... did it... did it hurt you, though?

I mean, not... Coming so close and not getting this thing.

Yeah, it was a little bit, uh, devastating,

but at the same time, I didn't expect to come out to L.A.,

and the first three months be put in that kind of position.

-Mm-hmm. -I'd done a couple of... I did an "Emergency!" TV show,

I did a "Rookies," um,

"Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law," guest part.

So I was getting a taste of it, but this was the big league,

-Yeah. -you know, getting a lead with Jack Nicholson.

-So why go home? -Exactly the question. Why did I go home?

Because, in my mind, I was a guy that grew up

-where theater was everything, -Mm-hmm.

and you're not gonna tur... you're not gonna turn down

a Broadway opportunity.

I did summer theater.

I'd done off-Broadway, and now Broadway is beckoning.

So I did two years of Broadway, two different shows.

(chuckles): But the result of it was, I didn't really want to go back.

You know? So, um, I don't know.

So now you go back.

Then what's the arrival to get back out again?

-'Cause, at this point, you're ping-ponging. -Well, finally, Lynn said,

"Look, do or die. You're 19." Well, I was 19 years old.

He said, "You're 19..." Or 20, I guess.

It was two years later.

And he said, "You can't go back."

I got offered a third Broadway show, called "The Ritz."

And Treat Williams ended up doing it

'cause I turned it down.

And I was distraught over the idea

that I was turning yet again another Broadway show down.

And he said, "You have to stay here."

He said, "Look, if I could find you a little job

"while we're waiting to get you in the big time,

would you stay and not take 'The Ritz'?"

And I said, "Yes." So he found me a job

for $800 a week

doing this really bad horror picture

-(laughing) -called "The Devil's Reign," where I was, like,

a glorified extra, but it was $800 a week for five weeks.

-Okay. -He said, "Because when you come back,

"I'm gonna set you up for a screen test

"for a show called 'Welcome Back, Kotter.'

And if you can hold off..."

I said, "Well, I need to pay the bills,

so if you can get me that, I'll do it."

So I did the five-week job, $800 a week,

and when I got back, I screen-tested for "Kotter,"

screen-tested again, all this rigamarole, and boom.

Give me the first film, then. What acted as the first movie?

-Was it "Saturday Night Fever"? -The first, uh, real movie was "Carrie,"

-Okay. -where I had a...

-Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. -I played a bad guy, that was my role.

I did a TV movie called "Boy in the Plastic Bubble,"

which was-- next to "Brian's Song,"

was the biggest TV movie in history.

So that was kind of my... the buildup

-to "Saturday Night Fever." -Mm-hmm.

Then "Saturday Night Fever," then "Grease,"

-and then "Urban Cowboy," so... -Do you feel like...

do you feel like after "Saturday Night Fever,"

did you see it?

Did you go, "Oh, wow, this is...

-"this is it? -Oh, yeah. That was the blueprint.

I'm going to be a major star."

Like, "I'm-I'm... I'm here."

-Yeah. -Like, "Now... now that I feel I've got a...

"I've got an opportunity to really put my talent on display,

-Yes. -"I'm going to be

the next biggest movie star that this town will see."

I did, for this reason.

The second indication, if you will,

of having solidity in the movie industry

was a director called Terrence Malick,

and he directed, um, very important films in the '70s,

and he wanted me for a film called "Days of Heaven."

And I screen-tested for it right before...

right after "Carrie"

and before "Boy in the Plastic Bubble."

And I got the... I got the role, and I couldn't do it

because Wolper and Eisner wouldn't let me out of "Kotter."

-Mm-hmm. -But it was such a significant role,

and Richard Gere ended up doing it,

which ended up a theme where he did many roles I didn't do.

But that was another "Last Detail" opportunity,

-where, like, the Nicholson, the second time. -Wow.

So, between "The Last Detail" and "Days of Heaven,"

I really got the idea that the force

-wanted me to be a film actor. -Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

So by the time I got

the "Saturday Night Fever" opportunity,

I said: "I'm gonna make this work.

"I'm gonna do everything I can to make this

a authentic, great performance."

Well, I mean, it's... that's kind of insane, though,

for you to... for you to see the trajectory

of those that ended up taking the parts

that you didn't get,

and what that then went on and meant

for those, you know, for those actors.

Oh, yeah. No, I take responsibility

for Richard and Tom Hanks.

-There's enough for everybody. You know, there's... -Mm-hmm.

Arts aren't, you know, shouldn't be hoarded.

You know, there's-there's a...

I mean, I...

I was... The role in the Hanks film called "Splash"

-was written for me. -The mermaid?

-The mermaid. -Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

So, uh, you know, but then we wouldn't have Tom Hanks.

So let's have Tom Hanks. You see what I mean?

So, what-what... what is the relationship

of-of the actors at that time?

Like, you know, you mentioned these-these massive names,

-Yeah. -which, all at the same time are young.

-Young, ambitious, driven, -Yes, yes, yes.

-Yes. -and all looking for their opportunities.

And you guys, naturally, you're bumping heads constantly,

because you're always up for the same things

that are supposed to be the biggest thing, so...

Okay, and this is the irony of it--

or interesting part of it, I should say.

-There was very few of us. -I know.

Now there's a ton of people competing.

It's much more difficult to establish yourself

in any aspect-- music, uh, movies.

It's easier and it's more difficult,

you know, depending on how your avenue is.

But it was just Richard Gere,

myself, Treat Williams...

up for most parts.

So if I didn't get it, one of those guys would get it.

Young... Where was Tom at that time?

-And then Tom was a few years later. -Yeah, yeah.

So maybe, like, by '81 or 2, Tom came into the scene.

So then it was Tom.

So it was Richard, Treat, myself and Tom,

and those roles would get...

-interchangeable, you see? -Mm-hmm.

-Uh, depending on what was happening. -Mm-hmm.

Um, and...

It...

So, in some ways...

I mean, in Vegas, what's a one-out-of-four chance?

-You know what I mean? It was, it was a good... -Yeah, your odds aren't bad.

-Yes, yes. -You're playing with good odds

based on the talent that's known to be

-the major talent in town at that time. -Correct.

-Absolutely. -I totally understand.

And we were a new generation, because the generation

right before me was the Stallone, De Niro,

uh, Pacino generation,

and then I was the beginning of that next generation,

which included myself and Tom Hanks and Richard

and, uh, Treat and that group.

Where's Denzel at this time?

-Uh, he came a few years later. -Okay.

Mel Gibson was around the mid-'80s or early '80s,

so Denzel and-and...

-Denzel-- we're the same age-- -Mm-hmm.

and Mel were, uh, were a little later.

That's insane. I-I love...

This is... this is why I love this.

-Yeah. -The-the... It's so interesting

when you really dive into, you know, the mind of the person

-that was operating back then, right? -Yeah. And if I were you,

I'd be asking the same questions.

If I had the luxury, in my day, of interviewing Cagney

or, you know, someone else,

I would be asking these very same questions,

because I love the chronology of a life and of a career

-Yeah. Yes. -and to find out what was real to that person and what wasn't.

And it's really... I-I...

I'm very impressed that you even want to ask these questions.

If you don't take advantage of your opportunity to be a sponge

and soak up information, I think you're wasting...

-you're wasting the time of these valuable relationships. -Absolutely.

And that's why you're so successful,

-because you get that. -Thank you. Thank you.

I think it's very important.

* *

* *

Here's another question for you, right?

The... the monster of Los Angeles at this time

is a different beast.

-(laughs) -The monster of Los Angeles at this time...

-The understatement of the world, right? -Yeah, I mean,

you're talking about when...

when drugs, craziness, fun, nightlife, party.

You're talking about the...

the '80s, where, I mean, damn,

if-if you were a star in the '80s,

you had the world in your hand, it seemed like, right?

How-how do you...

how do you manage that monster

with the height of success that you had at that time?

One very simple thing.

When I did that little movie before "Kotter,"

-Mm-hmm. -uh, "Devil's Reign,"

-Mm-hmm. -I was introduced to an actress

that introduced me into Scientology.

-Okay. -And at that moment, it worked for me.

-Okay. -And it still works for me.

-Okay. -So my whole life changed at that moment.

And inclusive of that was,

you couldn't study the things

that you wanted to gain in your...

-your sphere of knowledge with being on drugs. -Mm-hmm.

So drug world was suddenly not interesting to me at all.

-Mm-hmm. -And I... I want...

it was more interesting to learn what I could learn

-from that technology than it was to party. -Mm-hmm.

-Okay. -So I was not a partyer.

And never... never really have been.

But I had a much more interesting, uh, passion

toward my career

and also becoming a pilot.

So, I was already a pilot, but I wanted to become a jet pilot.

-At a young age? -I was 15 when I started flying.

-What? -Yeah, yeah.

And I did it at the same time I was doing theater.

My paychecks would go to flying lessons, you see.

So, the point was, I want to be a pilot,

I want to be involved in Scientology, and it doesn't...

it didn't really...

The lifestyle of partying didn't, like... it was...

-that was more interesting to me, you see. -Okay.

And, uh...

-You know, I can have a glass of wine, you know? -Yes. What do you mean?

What are you talking about? You can have more. We're...

-This is, this is great. -Yeah, but then it's different

-than that other lifestyle. -Yes. You're-you're...

There's a... Your priorities are straight.

-Correct, correct. -Okay? Like, you're... you're at a young age--

-which is extremely odd and rare, right? -Yeah.

And I can't sit here in front of you and say...

that I was ever locked in like-like this at...

I think, you know, at a young age,

I definitely got hit by that...

by the fun bus.

The fun train, the fun bus.

-And, hey, it was lurking around me. -Mm-hmm.

And there were people that I adored,

like Robin Williams and Jack Nicholson, that...

they... I would have loved to have been able to join them,

because I love them, but it wasn't my style.

-Yeah, it wasn't your thing. -So, it wasn't my thing.

-Yeah. -You know, I could have a drink with them,

-but I couldn't go to the depth... (laughs) -Yeah.

that-that they were doing, because they were masters at it.

-Yeah. -But...

it was this estimation and jockeying of...

of how far do you go with something, you know?

And they just went at a distance

that I couldn't really, you know...

Back then, when you make the decision

to do what you want and practice Scientology

and, you know, uh, you're in flight school,

was there ever a conversation that came... that came about

that was negative towards what it is that you were doing

or the choices that you made?

Did the media ever try to get ahold of young John Travolta

-at that point? -This is what I've discovered.

When you're unabashed about what you do,

you don't get attacked.

-It's when you are... -What's that word again?

"Unabash-ed." Like, un-un...

unedited about what you're doing.

I like the word. I like "unabash-ed."

Yeah. Well, you're just overt about it.

And I thought... I felt like it saved my life.

-Why would I want to hide that? -Mm.

(chuckles): You know, why would I...

why would I inhibit

-what made me feel better about living? -Mm-hmm.

And why would I want to inhibit the tools

that that subject matter gave me to live a better life?

-Mm-hmm. -Why would I want to hide it?

So I think that I got attacked less

because I had nothing on it.

-Ah. -Like, I didn't... I wasn't trying to hide it.

-Mm-hmm. -I wasn't... It was, like, if anything,

I was probably more attacked at times

for trying to promote it.

The one thing that I can credit my...

my mother on is, you know...

(chuckles)

...happiness in another person's life

was never frowned upon in my household, right?

-So, so, my... -That's beautiful.

My-my mom raised a young man

that's now a grown man that...

learned to support from the... from the ground up.

I will say, one of the things that I,

of course, respect the most about you

and-and... admire,

but at the same time have such a high level of curiosity is,

you know, the...

the management of career, right?

And-and through the ups, through the downs,

one thing that... that I haven't yet experienced,

right, is the-- and I'll knock on wood--

-Mm-hmm. -is the, uh...

is the box office low

that's thrown on the talent's back

and... and, you know, uh,

"He's the reason why and he's done. It's over.

-Get the guy out of here." Right? Like, I... -Yeah. Yes, yes, yes, yes.

-That-that thing hasn't happened yet. -Right.

But it's happened to so many. It's-it's...

Well, the thing is, I'm not worried about you

-if it did happen, and I'll tell you why. -Mm-hmm.

Because I was brought up with my mother and father

instilling confidence, and I think confidence is everything.

-KEVIN: Everything. -Let me give you an example.

I was taking out the garbage once,

and my mother turned to my sister and said,

"He's a borderline genius." Like, "Really? He's a border..."

That's how much love was... to everything I did.

-Mm-hmm. -So I left my house with uber-confidence.

-Mm-hmm. -So if something failed that I ever did,

it never impinged at the level that it did with other people.

-Mm-hmm. -And in addition to that,

um, I always felt that if you chose...

good projects,

you can't control the outcome of them,

-Mm-hmm. -all you can control is,

did you, with all good consciousness,

do something you were... felt would be a good project?

-Mm-hmm. -So if you can't predict the outcome,

all you can predict is your feeling about that project.

-Mm-hmm. -And I always felt like I had a kind of integrity

about everything I-I chose,

so I never worried about the outcome,

whether it did well or not well,

-Mm-hmm. -because it was something I wanted to do.

-Gotcha. -Like, even when I said yes to your film,

it fucking was so funny to me

-Mm-hmm. -that I said, "I don't care what it does.

-Mm. -It doesn't matter to me."

-You're happy with your choice. -I was so freakin' happy with my choice,

-Mm-hmm. -because I knew I could kill it.

I knew I could be funny in this and ridiculous,

and you allowed me to even be beyond that,

-Mm-hmm. -that it was a winner.

Nobody could have seen it, and I would have been happy, you see?

So there's a certain kind of "thinkingness"

that you have to have, whether it succeeds or failure.

-It's a... It's a game, man, you know? -Mm-hmm.

Sometimes you win the Super Bowl, sometimes you don't.

-So can't you just accept it as a game, you know, -Mm.

and be happy about having a game?

* *

* *

This is my opportunity to really understand more

about John Travolta than I have,

outside of the picture that's been painted.

Do your kids have this? This-this level of confidence,

-this understanding, this, uh, -I think so.

you know, this...

Let me tell you how brilliant my children are

without-- and I don't mind being braggadocious, because...

It's your kids, what you talking about?

-It's my kids, so... -If you're not, if you're not...

If there's one thing that you should never have

to apologize for, it's uplifting your children.

-So... Well, let me tell you what my son said to me the other day.

-Okay. -We're taking a walk in the neighborhood.

-Mm-hmm. -It's at night, late at night.

2:00 in the morning.

And he said, "How does it feel to be in your 60s?"

I said, "What do you mean?"

He said, "Well, how does it feel?"

He's ten. He's ten years old.

I said, "I'm... I feel like I've achieved a lot. I feel like..."

And he said, "No, I don't mean that."

And he was trying to say: Cut the bullshit.

"How do you view life now that you're in your 60s?"

And I thought, you know what, my son has always wanted truth,

and he's only accepting truth.

I said, "You know what, Ben?

"I can't believe it.

"I can't believe I'm in the last chapter of my life.

"I can't believe it. I'm, like, eternally 21.

-I don't... I don't understand being in my 60s." -Mm-hmm.

And he said, "Okay.

Do you remember 30 years ago?"

This is what he said to me. I said, "Yes."

He said, "Does 30 years ago seem like a long time?"

I said, "Yeah." He said, "Don't you think

you have 30 more years in your life to live?"

I said, "Yeah, I do.

I think I have at least 30 years."

He said, "What's wrong with that?"

-This is a ten-year-old telling me that. -Yeah. Yeah.

-It changed my viewpoint, and I realized that -Yeah.

it's about viewpoint in life

that allows you to settle down about something.

-Mm-hmm. -And there ain't nothing wrong with 30 years.

-Mm-hmm. -But, yet, I was, before he said that,

thinking that, "Oh, this is my last...

-Oh, how sad it is." -Yeah, yeah, coming from a position of...

of-- I don't want to say negativity,

'cause that's not the word-- but you're already...

you're already talking about the problem.

-Yes. -And the problem hasn't even reared its head.

-Yes. -And you're... you created a fog

-that doesn't necessarily have -to exist. -Yeah. And, uh,

-and from his viewpoint, a falsity, 'cause he, you know, -Mm.

he said to me once, he said, "You know,

because Mom passed away, I'm afraid you're going to."

-Mm-hmm. -And I said, "Well, it's a very different thing."

And then I went through the differences

-about my longevity and her limited life. -Mm-hmm.

-Mm-hmm. -I said, "But, you know, Ben, you always love the truth,

"and I'm gonna tell you the truth about life.

"Nobody knows when they're gonna go

or when they're gonna stay."

I said, "Your brother left at 16-- too young.

"Your mother left at 57, and that was too young.

But who's to say?" I said, "I could die tomorrow.

You could. I mean, anybody can."

I said, "So let's look at life that...

"it's part of life, you see?

"You-you... you don't know exactly.

You just do your best at trying to live the longest you can."

When you're talking to your ten-year-old son like that,

-the value... -Mm-hmm.

...the value in that little boy

receiving said gems from this...

from this older man.

I was talking... I was talking to a friend of mine, and I said,

"You think it's luck

that grandparents are the favorite from kids?"

-(chuckles) -"Do you think it's luck?"

-Right. Yeah, yeah. -Think about it. Think about how many kids

-Yeah. -gravitate towards Grandpa, Grandma.

-Yeah, that's so true. -"Where's Grandma?

"I love Grandma. I love Grandpa. Ooh!

-Gonna go see Grandma and Grandpa." -Mm-hmm.

Grandma and Grandpa knew that a peppermint

would grasp the attention of a child before anybody else.

-(laughing) -Grandma and Grandpa knew

-that it's the simplicity that can keep this child occupied. -Yeah. Yeah.

-Of course. Of course. -Whereas new parents,

-we go for bells and whistles. -Yeah, yeah.

I bought my kid every damn toy, every toy possible.

Get the big box, get the thing,

put it together so the kid can...

He plays with it for five minutes and then turns his back.

But my dad, my dad gets the kid a toy this big

that makes noise and has got a bunch of lights.

-(chuckles) -His life experience and what he's been through

and what he's seen, he knows that kids will love

-this thing here... -Absolutely.

-more than they will love this thing. -Absolutely.

The experience and knowledge

that comes from said older individual,

-That's so true. -it's priceless.

-Priceless. -This is, this is...

-Yeah. -This is priceless.

I don't have enough money to pay for this information.

I don't have enough money to...

to pay for a genuine conversation of honesty.

And what... I'm telling you, what I'm receiving from you now

is... information,

information of value

that helps me process and understand.

I love it. Well, listen, you're... you're brilliant,

and you are capable of absorbing and analyzing and navigating

better than I've ever seen anyone.

That's beautiful. I love it.

So if I can... if I've helped you in any way

have insight, I'm-I'm thrilled.

* *

* *

When this different level of money comes in,

and you start to make this different level of money,

who acted as young Travolta or middle-aged Travolta's...

You know, who-who's... who's helping you in this space?

Who's helping you understand and process

the value of money and what to do and what not to do?

Um, honestly, I haven't...

I've actually been my own, uh...

kind of...

I haven't had a lot of...

-It's been my own "thinkingness" on it, you know? -Mm-hmm.

I haven't had a lot of luck with others advising me on money.

I've-I've actually had to pay attention,

because I've never had a problem with money,

meaning money's always...

Well, this is my feeling about money.

People-- young people in particular--

say, "I want to become a movie star

because I'll make a lot of money,"

or "I want to become a billionaire."

Blah, blah, blah. I go: What are you gonna do for it?

Like, forget the money.

What are you gonna give someone

-as a valuable final product for that money? -Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

What is it? Describe it.

Articulate what that is,

-and you'll get the money. -Mm-hmm.

You know, if-- okay, let's take my interest as a pilot.

If I'm a really good pilot, I'm trained well,

I deliver a product, I will get a job as a pilot.

Not because I want the money,

-but because I give a good job as a pilot. -Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

No different with the arts.

Are you gonna give a good painting,

a painting that people like,

a painting that people can tribute?

You'll sell that painting.

You don't have to... it's... The emphasis is wrong.

-It's, "What can I do for..." -The emphasis is on the wrong thing.

-Yes. -People are thinking about the reward,

-and they're not thinking about the work. -Yes!

-About the work and what they can do. -Yeah. Yeah.

Because if you have a passion and you love to entertain people

and you love to-- in our business--

you love to change their viewpoint or whatever,

whatever you do that is special for the audience,

whether you like it or not, you're gonna get money.

-Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. -I've seen it from the beginning.

So, if I could advise young people,

I'd just say: Please put the emphasis

on what you can do for someone

-as opposed to what you'll get for it. -Mm-hmm.

It will bite you in the ass every time

-Mm-hmm. -if you concentrate on the other.

If you like money that much, be a banker, be an investor,

you know, play with money, like, you know,

if you like it that much.

You know, if that's... if that's your thing.

I, like, I had a saying--

well, not "had," 'cause it's still a saying--

goes what me and my friends said early on in our career,

to keep me hungry, to keep me focused.

It was, "Everybody wants to be famous,

-but nobody wants to do the work." Right? -(laughs): Right.

Uh, another one that I've held on to is,

-"Everybody wants to be a lion, -Mm-hmm.

-till it's time to hunt." -Mm-hmm.

Right? So... so the cool things about the things that you do

-Yeah. -are what opens up the eyes.

-That's right. -But the underlying truth

-of what has to go into becoming that thing -Yeah. That's right.

-That's right. -is what people are sometimes oblivious to.

-Exactly. -Right?

And it's a simple switch.

If you can really get the idea, so if you can demonstrate

in different ways, but if they can make the flip successfully,

they will achieve what they want to.

But the emphasis always has to be on the product,

-not on what you're gonna get for it. -Mm.

-You know? -I love it. I love it.

-With-with... the world of flying, right? -Mm-hmm.

The most fascinating thing that I've ever heard was:

John Travolta takes off and lands at his home.

You're barking up my tree, man, because when I was younger,

when I was my son's age, every...

the future looked like "The Jetsons."

Everybody was gonna have, you know, a little...

a little, uh, air...

-airplane-type thing, -(imitating whooshing vehicles)

personal, you know, a flying car,

-Mm-hmm. -a little flying spaceship, whatever it was.

And then 2000... the year 2000 came,

and nothing was happening.

And I said: I'm gonna make my vision

of when I was a ten-year-old come to fruition.

I'm gonna do it. So I did.

And...

it's been so spectacularly successful for me.

And I thought that once I moved to this community

and I, you know, had this lifestyle,

that I would... I would bring in lots of people,

celebrities and artists, that would want to live

the same lifestyle.

It's not turned out, except for Pitbull.

He's the only one.

Your enthusiasm that you just this minute expressed,

he's the only one that I've known

that's expressed exactly the same enthusiasm.

He said, "I got to see that house, man.

I got to come to that house."

So I flew him in on my plane to the house.

He freaked over it. Freaked over it.

So he said, "I got to live here. I'm going to move here.

I want to buy a place." So I said, "Please do that.

"I want company. I want...

-"I want people in this. -Mm-hmm.

-Because," I said, "You're Mr. Worldwide. -Mm-hmm.

-You need this even more than I do, you know?" -Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Uh, so, anyway, I love that you admired it

-and that you appreciated it. -Mm-hmm.

But it was a dream that happened years ago

that I made come to fruition

because I was so disappointed at the year 2000,

when nobody was flying around in their own vehicles.

It's gonna happen.

Uber's probably gonna create drones

that will come pick you up at your house

-and take you elsewhere and all that. -(laughs)

It will happen.

But it's a little, like, late.

-You know, my son will see it, you know, -Mm-hmm.

and my daughter will see it.

So... But I just have a vision of that kind of life

that meant a lot to me,

and, uh, I'm so happy that you dig it.

-Yeah. -Because there's not a lot of people

that dig it at your level.

I mean, like, you really understand it,

-that this was a practical thing as well as it was a fun thing, -Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

-Mm-hmm. -you know...

That's the part that I admire the most.

Yeah. I had to be, uh, in Europe, uh...

in Rome, and I went from the backyard to Rome.

I came to see you,

and I went from the backyard to come see you.

-The craziest... -You know?

...the craziest thing I've ever heard over a walkie.

You ready?

"Uh, Mr. Travolta has landed.

"He's here.

Uh, he should be here within an hour."

Nine times out of ten,

"landed" means the person has arrived to set.

They landed.

They were talking about you physically landing your plane,

-(laughing) -and it landed.

"Mr. Travolta has just landed.

He's here."

-Oh, my. What a... what a... -That's awesome.

What... what a...

a thing to take in and process.

And, you know, once again, the way I was brought up,

-I was brought up to applaud. I was brought up to celebrate. -Aw, man.

So, in that I give you flowers in person.

-Aw, man, thank you. -Um, you-you sit across from me, man,

like I said, poised, polished,

-but an example of real strength, an example of, -Thank you.

you know, uh...

I mean, a man that has overcome

and withstood the test of time

and all that time can throw at you.

And life isn't over.

-We just got finished talking about the next 30 years, -Yeah, what my son said.

what your son said. So, with that being said,

before we come to an end,

what else does John Travolta want to do?

Well, I'm looking forward to basically forwarding the gift

that... the gifts that I've been given to my children.

And my daughter, Ella, is set. She's a brilliant actor.

She's a brilliant song-and-music writer.

Um, she, uh-- and singer.

Uh, my son, I'm-I'm... coaching for the...

'Cause I love the... the life of an actor

and life of a performer.

I think there... there's no better life,

so I'd like them to continue.

-Mm-hmm. -And Ella's set.

She's gonna be on her way,

and she is already on her way.

And my-my boy, I need to get him going.

So I want to leave this world with them doing great, you know?

-And they already are. But that's... -Mm-hmm.

My main thing is to pay it forward to them.

I'm so glad that we took the time

-Aw. -to truly sit down and talk.

And I'm... and I'm glad that you were open to doing it this way.

This was... You had no idea of where the conversation would go,

-No. -what roads we would go down, man.

-I trusted. -And it was...

-it was so good, so good. -Yeah, man.

I'm... I truly do thank you for information, man.

Information.

I-I'm a fan forever, I'm a supporter,

and I'm proud to say I'm a friend.

-I mean that, dude. I'm proud to say that I'm a friend. -Thank you.

Ladies gentlemen, goddamn it, John Travolta.

-Aw. -Doesn't get any better than that.

Kevin Hart. Doesn't get any better than that.

(laughs)

-Holy shit. Damn. -Okay, look at that.

This is good. Come on, John.

-This is good. -Come here, baby. Oh.

* *

* Go. *

Okay, time for today's life anecdote.

Ladies and gentlemen, steps are important.

My advice to you is, count the ones that you take.

The reason why is because memorization is key.

With that being said, don't do geometry.

Huh? Right?

Don't do geometry. You get what I'm saying?

'Cause your memorization...

Come on, y'all not picking up what I'm laying down. Okay.

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