You here. Are you surprised by the response to this . Jeffrey absolutely. When i was a little kid, i went downstairs in the garage and practice doing autographs, and i would actually do talk shows. This was the day of jack parr and steve allen. I would pretend i was the and iiewer or interviewee would make the sound of the audience laughing. My poor parents, im surprised they did not arrange an exorcism. I thought the ultimate beall and all was to sign an autograph. But this is amazing. Im 71 years old. It is such a time. It is still amazing. 71 . Nt look charlie how did you know. Jeffery tambor because i could read people. This is a great time. I have been giving the role given the role and responsibility of a lifetime. Atrlie but you said, it was of the Jeffrey Tambor technique that, you did not have anything to rely on for this character. I hady tambor accent Jeffrey Tambor and the heart of Jeffrey Tambor, and the vulnerability. The surprise to me was that i got to use more of Jeffrey Tambor then i have ever been able to use in a role. Charlie what part of you are you using . Jeffery tambor me, the part that is not gender specific. Charlie male side, female side. Jeffery tambor more like the spiritual side. It is a surprise to me. I thought the hard part was going to be the external. The wig, and the costume, the pedicure. I was actually easy. And actually fun. The part that was interesting was the heart and soul. There is an adage. It goes like this. You are stuck with a character, but the character is also stuck with you. I thought, i have a lot to bring to her. I am in many ways, her. Charlie explain that. Jeffery tambor i cant. I actually cant. There is something intuitional about it, something there is a bunch of work that you do, a bunch of people you talk to, bunch of books. At a certain point, it is you. As certain point it comes out and you say, i understand her. Charlie what do you understand . Jeffery tambor Jeffery Tambor her heart, her yearning to be herself. Free, to be understood. Otherized. Ade to be comfortable in her close for the first time. To not take it here to be a woman. To not take it. To be a woman. Charlie the country has come along way on transgendered. I feel likeor yes, we are more of an arrow that got shot into this zeitgeist, and it blew up. Understand the year we had katelyn Caitlyn Jenners show, reality show. And we have exploration of this. And they all seem to meet. As im driving to you today, im on the internet and i and seeing it is alive and fluid, and the world is changing. Charlie and there are new challenges. Jeffery tambor absolutely. I had a gentleman come up to me on the airplane the other day, de was very watched, anf ringed, and he came up to me, and i thought i was going to get it. And he said, thank you. Thank you for introducing me to an area and subject i had no idea about. I said, there is a revolution. Charlie you said you were reading something on your iphone on the way over here . The capacity to access so much. Of everything. Jeffery tambor unbelievable. Amazing. Charlie for someone who grew up in a small town in north carolina, who had just dreamed about cities and places around the world, to be able to go here, and to connect. Go today, between now and an hour from now, and see so much. Just one thing of what you have done professionally. Jeffery tambor that is rather daunting. Thelie daunting, but interesting thing, im really two new 60 minute pieces, one on Artificial Intelligence and the other on gene editing. This is the frontier of where technology and science is. Extraordinary stuff. Both fraught with being to be managed meaning to be managed well, but it is extraordinary. Jeffery tambor when i grew up in san francisco, all i wanted to do was go to the library. I still do love libraries. Cried when it who kids got their library cards. That was the place i went for solace and connection. The west portal library. Book this read a size, this size. An actually read a book and im a reader. I am actually coowner of a bookstore. Charlie where . Jeffery tambor in los angeles. Skylight books. Charlie what kind of book stories it . Jeffery tambor it has all. Have you written your book . Charlie no. Jeffery tambor whats going on . Charlie im busy. [laughter] [laughter] book . Ou raising your written your book . Jeffery tambor no, maybe you and i should have a copy. I know at the title is. Guy said to me as i was coming out the stage door when i was on broadway. I walked out the stage and he anybody . You and i said, no. And i said, whatever just happened, i have to fix. Charlie have you written anything other than that . Jeffery tambor no. Its hard to talk about yourself. Charlie how has this changed your life . Now say, are you anybody you are. In terms of this perception, you are known. People knew your face, and they knew your character. Now if you say Jeffrey Tambor, people know. Jeffery tambor except the guy who loves my work in the levy today, he said i love you work on curb your enthusiasm. [laughter] charlie what is part of your story that you think is important to tell in this memoir you are now writing . Jeffery tambor thats interesting. Stick to your guns. Stick to your dreams. Help people. Open your heart, and teach. I think there are only two things we have in this world, teaching and learning. You are either a teacher or learner. That is how i approach it. I think you are a teacher. I watched you. I do watch you. Charlie in the morning . Jeffery tambor and i watch you on this. I am actually a fan. The whole problem with being Jeffrey Tambor right now charlie exactly, what is the problem . Jeffery tambor with whatever this is, aside from the curb your enthusiasm reference, my father always said, dont celebrate, because they will take it away. Charlie as good as that could be . Celebrate the joy of alan aldas company and friendship. That is who you are. Jeffery tambor i totally disallowed myself when people win, or in the basketball game, they say, yes we should do that. Charlie that was tiger woods move. Cant do it anymore. Theres another thing about the turn of life, because of injuries. To be the best. To be the best in the world at what you do, a lifetime of learning, competing, growing. And then, because of a couple of expectation, your one having to do with behavior, one having to do with injury, you cant do it as well. As you used to. Jeffery tambor but you do something different. Charlie but you are still young. Its not like you are 80 and you say, i cant this like i used to. Jeffery tambor i feel i have mye access to myself, and strokes and keys on the piano, i think they are different. I enjoy them. I enjoy playing more. I like the sense of humor. It is interesting. Charlie but beyond the idea of fame, has itd opened up other things for you . Jeffery tambor i have four kids at home. I think im a better parent. I think im more present. Im more aware of things. I see more aspects of things. I see more aspects of me. I think im a different parent. At 70, she made a break for freedom, the character. She is different also. Charlie heres the thing, no one can imagine anyone else as nora but you. Theythey think of this say, how could they have thought of anybody else, he is perfect. What a genius, these people are. Jeffery tambor thank you. People, to me on the street at times, and they will say sometimes, they will say some things, but first they will say, i saw the show. I didnt know what to expect. Which i think is code for i used to think it was code for the transgender movement. I think it is code for me playing the role, of saying, are you going to handle this right . I am also the actor who did , and they oscar bluth say, i like it. That is important to me. Usually they will say, they will talk about their family. Not just a transgender conversation charlie they think you are a listening, giving, carrying human being. Jeffery tambor yes. This is very family centric. Jill is a wonder. Working under her baton is the safest set i have ever been on. Charlie meaning you can take more risk because it is protective . Jeffery tambor totally protective. There is no wrong or right. There is the next take. Its not like woodstock, it is very specific, but i have talked about it before. There is that thing the actors do. They say, lets do it, they do the take, and then the director says, this one is for you. Sort of take is sid power starting premise. It is very free, and a very transformative set. Charlie before you got to this, you were a happy man. You were a working actor. Jeffery tambor i am the jewish son of russian hungarian parents. Happy is not on the menu. [laughter] had you are mr. Happy, i am mr. Glum. I thought it was going to be the opposite. I watch you in the morning, and you look straight ahead into the next q, i study you. I do. Charlie you could learn a lot doing that. Jeffery tambor [laughter] i have happy. When im happy, my kids in the morning, and my wife. Charlie you get to live another day. Jeffery tambor i get to live another day. They are my teachers. They are so happy to be alive. They are so exuberant. They are 100 there. Charlie you have said before, compliment you can say to an actor is to say, it does not look acting. It looks sound. Found. That is a word i did not understand. Just, itambor it is just has come together at that moment. There is an opening scene, of episode one of the second season, where our family gets together for a wedding portrait. Playing the photographer, i think he made a mistake, or not, but he called me serve. In the middle of the scen sir. Sir, in these me middle of the scene. And i said, did he call me sir . The whole family walks off. I know a lot of directors would yell cut at that point. Let it go. It turned into one of the most wonderful moments. Everyone capitalized on that. Charlie was that you being spontaneous . Jeffery tambor absolutely. That is found. The moment is found. Worknk, in watching jills in her wonderful movie, the moment seemed found and not rehearse. I have no problem with performing. I went to a broadway show last night, it performed beautifully. I have no problem with that. There is something about this family, that that is our ethic, it is almost like you are watching life. Charlie has acting been everything you expected . Jeffery tambor i lived across the street from the theater. San Francisco State college. I grew up in san francisco. I used to go across and wash the sectors, 90yearold actors. Years old. D 11 they would let me help them. I remember thinking, whatever this is, they would move a rock, and i would move it. There was the light of the foot light that should tell you how long ago to was it was something about how they treated each other as gentlemen. And i went, whatever this is, i have got to be part of this. I felt truly connected. The other irony is, during all of this, i had a lisp. Charlie and you got rid of it . Jeffery tambor i got rid of it. I think it is because of that lisp that i became an actor. Charlie you cant have that and be an actor. Jeffery tambor no. I remember doing anthony and cleopatra. , something you would say in shakespeare. Daresay this i am called. I remember saying to myself, this has got to change. Charlie should you have played more shakespeare . Jeffery tambor i play a lot of shakespeare. This is my lear. I would love to play that. You think a career is this, but it is always this. Said, lifehn lennon is what happens when you are doing something else. I used to watch them walk into the park at 4 00. Charlie yoko and john . Jeffery tambor yes, they would handinhand. Park another person walking down the street on the other side, was kazan. In his overcoat. I was a wonderful time to be in new york. I was thinking about today, i was driving, i said, how did i ever do it . Were in lower manhattan. I was thinking about my first commercial audition there, where i walked in and said, i am here to play the father. And they said, no you are here to play the waiter, and this is your line. [laughter] ent, do you know i got very nervous. Ice . K my line was, more i delivered it with that gravity. I said, should i leave my picture and resume . She said, if you must. That was my kickoff. [laughter] charlie that could turn you around. [laughter] more ice. Mbor charlie take a look at this. This is our first video, first erman familypfeff attempting to have a wedding video. [video clip] everybody ready . Everybody say, cindy lou cindy lou. How about a jewish reference . Scher, everybody say, i want a little wine. Just take the picture. Thats a little pejorative. Tried to lighten up. Hanukkah dy say, none of these words and in a end in a smile. Ait go back to the boat, captain. Excuse me, do you want my chin up or down . I cant hear you. What do you think . You look beautiful. One more. I think we paid for more than one photograph. Charlie after that, you left . Saidry tambor yes, they chin up, sir. And then i said, thats enough. What is interesting is, that is all contained in one shot. That is a gutsy move. Charlie gutsy for acting as well. Its easier when they do it the other way. Birdman . En those longshots. It was incredible. Michael keaton would say, if you could do it perfectly, but somebody along the way could mess it up. Jeffery tambor if you dont hit those marks, that is gone. Charlie do you get joy from the process . Jeffery tambor i love the process. Jeffery tambor the life between action and cut is where i think i am most organized, and most myself. The rest, i need the charlie rose phone call in the morning. [laughter] charlie i can help you. I can make your life [laughter] wouldnt it be funny if you became my spiritual healer . Charlie they have life coaches today. Jeffery tambor i know. Charlie i met a wanted other day, she said, i have a life coach. She is like, 25. An actress. Coach . What is a life she said, i may be having a problem. She would call me up and tell me, this is what you have to do. She will give me she is like 23. She does not have a lot of life. Maybe wisdom might help. You have had a lot of life. Jeffery tambor i do. Charlie a life coach is what you are to your kids, you would hope. You are a coach for them. Jeffery tambor yes. They are actually more of a life coach for me. Because of the exuberance. The first thing to go in life is exuberance. Charlie you have it at 71. Jeffery tambor i know. Im lucky. I know i am lucky. I think this is very odd. What is happening at this age, i thought was going to happen at 35. It is very surprising. Charlie but quite happy. Jeffery tambor yes. You keep harping on this happiness thing. What did i come to . [laughter] charlie you set it up. Jeffery tambor i am happy. Charlie could this only have happened on Something Like amazon . Jeffery tambor absolutely. Theres no doubt about it. It was so interesting, they are so gutsy and talented. Theygot jill soloway, understood her genius and beauty of what she was doing. And the people at amazon, they picked it up and ran. And not only for one year, for two years. And i sit here it is just unheard of. You go to a Television Set and easy chairs and chairs, people with ideas. We dont have any of that. Its just like, go, go, we trust you. Go. Charlie Larry Sanders was fun. Jeffery tambor it was. It changed my life. Gary shandling did a show. I remember watching it and saying, whatever he is doing is what i think comedy is. Its a little messy, little unstructured. Sometimes you have to lean in. Past aassed a joke joke, to something else. And then cut to, im in his office, and auditioning, because they couldnt find it. Charlie they couldnt find someone they like . Jeffery tambor they could not find anyone they liked. I auditioned. I remember, i left my house at 12 00. I had a 3 00 audition. I kept circling. [laughter] charlie what were you thinking . Jeffery tambor i was just getting it and getting it. I walked in, and i gave it, that was the best audition. Charlie did they come after you and say, it is yours . Jeffery tambor there was a who was sore hank, nervous gary read with me. He started to leave. Him,ome reason, i stopped i took an entire couch and put it in the door to block his way. I remember gary turning to francine and going like that. And i said, i have it. I called him later that afternoon, around 4 00, or much later, and he was at the gym. I said, i have never done this before, but i have to play this role. I have never made a call like this. I had the role. Charlie did it make you happy . Jeffery tambor yes, charlie. I was happy. God. [laughter] i was very happy. Came arresteden development. Jeffery tambor its like the trifecta. It is really something. I know that. Nature called me and said, can you come down and play the father . I actually had another series in the works. I played with jason babin that day, ijason bateman that put on the orange jumpsuit, and i had a great time. My other project pulled through. They said, we are going to do a 13. How many would you like to do . I said, 13. [laughter] charlie tell me this. Looking at you today, avenue one, you seem to me has been the personification of a talented actor who was always working. That was your life. Loved the profession. Loved everything about it. A great life, great family. Thereen all of a sudden, comes a role that elevates you to a different place. Jeffery tambor yeah. Charlie couldnt happen to a better guy. Jeffery tambor what a nice thing to say. Thank you. I always thought i was going to exist between when we grew up, there was a character prototype, fred clark was one. The r guy, mel, from Dick Van Dyke show. I said, i will be that character. Im bald. I went bald when i was 18. I never expected this. I thought it was just good to be, the bald guy. Charlie it is this. Being this. Jeffery tambor and you know what . Im happy. Charlie thank you for coming. Jeffery tambor you are fantastic. You are not good, you are fantastic. Inc. You. Charlie thank you. Back in a moment, stay with us. The only way to get better is to challenge yourself, and thats what were doing at xfinity. We are challenging ourselves to improve every aspect of your experience. And this includes our commitment to being on time. Every time. Thats why if were ever late for an appointment, well credit your account 20. Its our promise to you. Were doing everything we can to give you the best experience possible. Because we should fit into your life. Not the other way around. Charlie spike lee is here. His thumbs have become synonymous with new york city. He turned his focus from brooklyn to the windy city, and his newest film, chiraq. The New York Times turned calls it urgent, surreal, funny, and an improbable triumph. Here is the trailer. [video clip]\ this is an emergency. Homicides in chicago thenois, have surpassed death toll of American Special forces in iraq. Aq. Welcome to chir land of pain, misery, and strife. Riskingbody is everything, all for the bang bang. It all started with a gorgeous nubian sister. A woman like no other. You just tried taking away their guns. My gun will go boom. What else do they love . Repeat after me. I will deny all rights of access or entrance. I will deny all rights of access or entrance. She had them all take up a solemn oath. Lock it up stop the murder madness, or there would be no more. Thats right. You get none. We are going to make sure these fools put down the guns. Charlie i am pleased to have spike lee back at the table. Welcome. You have been so many times. Spike this table could talk. Charlie we would have a bestseller. Spike how are you doing . Charlie thank you for coming. What brought you to this . Cowriter, who is also a filmmaker, upper first the a professor, he had this ideal, and we tried to get the script made six years ago. Upon thept is based. Reat play by aristophanes this play is about women using sex to stop the war. We took that premise. Charlie we give you no sex, you have to stop the war. Spike its locked up. [laughter] and we took that premise and moved it to the south side of where, i am not bragging about it, but chicago is the murder capital of the united states. Part of chicago, not the whole city. The south side is the murder capital of the u. S. Today. Charlie there is a lot of gun violence there. Why is that . Spike i have been trying to figure this out since i started doing this film. I still dont have the answer, but it is true. What i want people to take away with this film is that we have to, as americans, do something about guns in this country. It is crazy. 88 americans die every day due to gun violence. Our images that it is only in the hood, it is black and hispanic. That is wrong. Gun violence affects every american in this country. Year. Ay, that is 32,000 a americans are no longer here, due to gun violence. Charlie by definition, you believe, if you take guns away, if you could eliminate that, it would make a huge dent. Spike what i would like to see is not infringe upon american citizens Second Amendment rights. I just wish it would be more stringent. If you grew up where i did, you might have become a hunter. Spike true, but hunters dont hunt with ak47s. Charlie right, were not talking about that. Spike its the same thing. I think there are many things we can do. Shouldfilm, i think we talk about title guns like cars. There are so many things we can do to bring the number down from 88 per day. Charlie you know the mayor, rahm emanuel, is not happy about the title. Spike we met in may. At this moment, i think the title is the least of his problems. With the feds coming in to look at the police. From top to bottom. And the Police Commissioner already resigned. Is 10 to one, the title of this film is at the bottom. Charlie of the problem for this mayor. Spike yes. And then, for whatever reason, they sat on that tape. That is a horrific tape. Charlie for a year. Spike for over a year. For me, that is a snuff film. And now, they have another tape that cannot yesterday. I saw that tape, of the guy in san francisco. Charlie video has opened our eyes to examples of spike and who is to say, we dont know what happened before. For me, the first time something i saw was the rodney king tape. Where ae first time tape became a national thing. Charlie did make life difficult for you in chicago . Spike no. We had the police with us. Charlie everybody helped you . Spike yes. There was an alderman giving us a hard time, trying to stop us forhaving a block party, things that i financed myself. Trying to make us be disqualified for the tax rebate, because of the title of the film. Both of those were unsuccessful. Charlie tell me the story. Back is story goes charlie yes, i know that, but here. Spike the women are tired. They live in the southside of chicago. They are tired of the killing. Their families are being destroyed. They say, we are going to come together, and lock it up. But the whole strike is a metaphor. In no way are we saying this is the way to stop gun violence in chicago. No one is saying that. Woman won a Nobel Peace Prize using that tactic secondhers, to stop a civil war in liberia. For me, the film is a heightened reality. We have musical numbers, people speaking in verse. In no way are we saying this is reality. O be charlie this is also a new arrangement with amazon. First yes, it it is there the article release. They believed in the project. The film came out december 4, and it is doing well. Eventually it will go to amazon prime. It is in theaters first. There is a lot of confusing. They think automatically it is straight to their homes. Charlie there will be a delay. Samuel jackson, what do you get . Spike [laughter] the biggest star in the history of cinema, if you go by the amount of money that his films have made. Charlie is that right . More than Harrison Ford . Sam beats them. He beat everybody. He works a lot. [laughter] hes doing a lot of ads also. Spike i directed one of those. Charlie as a favor to him . [laughter] spike no, he asked me to do them. Actually charlie the Advertising Agency . Spike i direct them. We have not worked together since jungle fever. The commercials have brought us back together. So thank you, sam. Charlie this film is about a serious subject. But it is a satire. As you know, this is not the first film in the history of cinema where satire is used to deal with a serious subject matter. One of my favorite films is strangelove, about the new gear holocaust. Charlie stanley kubik. Spike yes. What could be more serious than the destruction on gods planet, and yet, that film is hilarious. It is hard to do, but i think we were very successful. If ite you were saying was about nuclear weapons, you can do it about guns. Spike yes. But you have to find the right balance between crying and laughing. Charlie in terms of doing satire, john q sex character cusacks character. Spike yes, a white, Roman Catholic priest, in the south side of chicago, he has been there for 40 years and the obligation is all black. Amazing human being. He has been at the forefront of cigarettes,lence, alcohol, he has been at the forefront. He has been a blessing to the film. He was the one who came to chicago. He showed me who to talk to, who i should meet with. He has a real stamp on this film. That is to the character is based upon. Charlie and you have wesley snipes. Spike yes, we worked together before. Angela bassett, we worked together on how can ask. Malcolm x. I like to have a team, seasoned veterans, with the youth. Charlie take a look. , explainingstrata her plan to the other women in the neighborhood. Here it is. [video clip] im down for the cause, but how . Men to exercise is, by exercising total abstinence from knocking their boots. You really think Something Like that could bring peace . You know the problem we have just withholding a day. A week. Imagine a month. A year. They are going to bring the peace. Suppose that they just dump us . If we all hold out, who can make up for it . The hoes. We will and less than two. If we want to drive, we have to organize. Repeat after me. Rights of access or entrance. I will deny all rights of access or entrance. Lover, orery husband, male acquaintance. From every husband, lover, or male acquaintance. Who comes to my direction in erection. [laughter] who comes to my direction in erection. Spike that is one of the things we kept in the play. Multiple first, inverse. Verse. Iple in charlie was it hard . Spike it wasnt hard, but we , it was spoken word two. A couple of times, they would get with it. Charlie did you get that idea from hamilton . Spike no, we wrote this before hamilton. I have seen that six times. Screening foral the company. Charlie a special screening . Cast, and the company of hamilton. They loved it. That is a work of genius. Charlie it really is. Spike theyve done it again. Thats amazing work. Charlie what is next for you . I have to continue to teach class. Charlie you are a tenured professor at nyu. Spike tenured professor at nyu graduate film school, sir. [laughter] teach thirdyear students getting ready to do their thesis. Charlie there is a great school at southern cal. [laughter] spike they will kick their ass in football, but when it comes to film, nyu is numero uno. In the world. Charlie are you living in manhattan or brooklyn . Spike i have lived in and hunt for the past 16 years. Charlie because of your kids . Spike no, my wife said we had to move. Everybody knew where we lived. So people were ringing the bell 4 00 in the morning. My brothers and sisters cousin went to school with you, and seventh grade, and we were a landmark. We had to go. But my office is still in brooklyn. Charlie you go out there every day . Spike every day. That is where we do work. Charlie how many movies have you made . Spike i dont know the number. 25 . Lie spike more than that. Jungle fever came along after three or four years. Five years. Have you made the great movie you wanted to make . That is a funny question. Charlie its just a suggestion that somehow you have been working on in your mind, at some you wantedoject x,. Ke malcolm spike there were two films i wanted to make an work on, but for whatever reason, i did not do it. One was a film about jackie robinson. And the other was about james brown. Charlie they both got made. Spike but not by me. Charlie [laughter] now . Ou get financing spike i think so. I am very grateful to amazon that they wanted to do this. Charlie they have a contract with you, with woody. Spike but that is tv. Im grateful to amazon. It was rough until they said ok. Charlie you are perfect for them. They are building a huge empire. An emmy. E one i spike i like that show very much. I would like to do tv for them. Charlie i suspect that can be worked out. Congratulations on this. Thank you very much. Spike great to see you. Next question . [laughter] im excited, 71, 23 years old. Spike just turned 20. He can shoot a three, hes got game. Dirk nowitzki was skinny too, but sensational. Who playedd guess the most points . Spike i was not one of those people crying. Charlie were you there . You knew he was going to be good. Spike im not saying that, i just wasnt crying. Charlie have you become a huge Carmelo Anthony fan . Spike ive always been a fan. Come onehe lakers time. Usually they came later. But they came early this year. There was a feeling in the garden that this might be kobes last, the worlds most famous arena. Garden. Square sorry that we wont see him there again. Not on the court. Charlie best team in the nba . Spike you know the answer to that. What team is undefeated . [laughter] the warriors. I love the way they play. I love stephen curry. They dont even have their coach. Charlie hes under contract for under armour. Spike im putting that aside. But he could play. Charlie lebron just signed a lifetime deal with nike. How much do you think that is worth . Spike what did the wall street journal say . More than i got. More than me and you both. Charlie is great to have you. Thank you for joining us. See you next time. Last night, the road to the white house led through las vegas. Tonight, it detours through next day analysis. Oneliners front and center. Performances right. Now, this stage is set for the final Republican Debate next day analysis this year, and americas opinion is at stake. John on the show tonight, the 2016 candidates on the attack, and some republicans holding