About this episodeTed Danson and Mary Steenburgen discuss their collaboration on the Apple TV+ series 'The Great Take,' explorin…AI summary
Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen discuss their collaboration on the Apple TV+ series 'The Great Take,' exploring themes of aging, intimacy, and family dynamics. They share personal insights on navigating professional creativity, the challenges of being a parent to adult children, and the healing power of music and community, while reflecting on their own life lessons regarding recovery, sadness, and staying curious.
Key takeaways 6
The music community is described as highly supportive and collaborative, contrasting with the actor's perception of the acting industry as more competitive or 'dog-eat-dog.'
Ted Danson reveals that his character Fred in 'The Great Take' is a plumber who is self-assured but struggles with knee-jerk apologizing and fear of inadequacy, mirroring Danson's own journey to confidence.
Mary Steenburgen discusses the difficulty of balancing artistic ambition with motherhood, noting the lack of support systems for touring artists who are parents.
Ted Danson shares that he lost both parents at a young age (20 and 25), which contributed to a sense of sadness but also taught him about mortality and the finite nature of life.
The concept of 'life is not fair' is reframed not as a victim narrative but as an acceptance that desired outcomes may not happen as expected, leading to different, potentially better paths.
Ted Danson created a choir called 'Chorus Harmonia' to combat despondency during the pandemic, using music to create community and hope rather than just performing for career advancement.
Notable quotes 5AI-generated: wording and quote attribution may be wrong. Use the play link to verify.
“Sadness is a function of winning.”
▶ 34:18Ted Danson shares a piece of wisdom from a guru-like figure, suggesting that sadness comes from achieving goals or experiencing loss, and should be embraced rather than avoided.
“I think that when I was growing up, I thought that by the time I'd get to this age of my life... that that would be a distant memory... And it seem it's not that. And so I think that the more that's sort of spoken about, I think that's a good thing.”
▶ 21:31Ted Danson discussing the importance of portraying sexual intimacy in older adults on screen, challenging stereotypes about aging and sexuality.
“Discomfort is where you're learning, is where you're actually growing.”
Mary Steenburgen explains her philosophy on parenting and life, encouraging her children to embrace discomfort as a catalyst for growth.
“Don't leave before the miracle.”
▶ 42:18A principle from Ted Danson's recovery journey, meaning one should not give up or leave a situation before positive change or 'miracles' have a chance to occur.
“You have to remain curious. You have to remain like open. Like I have a lot of young friends... I hang with like younger people.”
▶ 50:20Ted Danson emphasizes the importance of staying teachable and humble as one ages, avoiding the trap of arrogance or rigid wisdom.
Chapters & Sections (31)▼
0:00New Apple Show and Family Lifechapter2
1:41Shyness and Husband's Absence
3:25Katey Sagal's Songwriting and Performance
5:11Music Community and Professional Singing Careerchapter2
7:18Early Professional Singing Jobs and Venues
8:59Session Work and Music Industry Evolution
11:07Nashville songwriting and family dynamicschapter2
13:10Balancing parental support and creative boundaries
15:23John Ritter's face acting and legacy
17:15Actors Discussing Sexual Intimacy and Agingchapter1
20:42Overcoming Insecurity About Sexual Performance
22:25Acting, Feminine Self, and Relationship Patternschapter1
25:34Acting Confidence and Overcoming Insecurity
28:14Acting in Retirement Village Rolechapter2
29:57Inventing Fictional Backstories for Roles
31:27Acting with Backstory and Grounded Humor
32:57Avoiding Stereotypes and Processing Early Losschapter2
34:53Childhood Sadness and Mother's Radio Career
36:20Mother's Role and Early Parental Loss
38:22Growth Through Discomfort and Letting Go of Rigid Desireschapter2
40:00Life's Unfairness and Hidden Rewards
41:26Letting Go of Rigid Desires in Recovery
43:41Recovery, Faith, and Parenting Anxietychapter1
45:36Acting in the Moment and Parental Anxiety
49:04Generational Arrogance and Lifelong Curiositychapter2
50:23Intergenerational Connection and Pandemic Impact
51:46Longevity and Late-Life Motherhood
53:30Creating a Hopeful Community Choir Performancechapter1
56:09Music's Healing Community Impact
58:32Charity Work and Authentic Connectionchapter1
1h 23m⏭ 2
1h 9m⏭ 1
59m⏭ 1
56m
1h 13m⏭ 1
1h 19m
1h 7m
1h 5m
1h 24m
1h 7m⏭ 1
1h 13m⏭ 1
1h 6m
1h 20m
2h 35m⏭ 2
1h 0m
32m
40m
1h 10m
2h 28m⏭ 4
1h 13m
1h 20m
54m
1h 3m
46m⏭ 1
33m
1h 0m⏭ 1
3h 54m⏭ 7
54m⏭ 1
3h 59m⏭ 5
6h 26m
54m⏭ 2
46m
1h 13m
1h 16m⏭ 2
9h 11m
1h 26m