Transcribed by The Stationmistress

Jay Leno: My next guest is a terrific actor, currently starring in the new NBC series "Mister Sterling," which airs at 8 Friday nights here on NBC. Please welcome Josh Brolin. (Josh enters from stage left, raises left hand and waves to audience. He shakes hands with Leno) Why, Senator, how do you do? (Josh greets Catherine Zeta-Jones with a kiss on the hand).

Josh Brolin: (To Catherine Zeta-Jones) How are you? Nice to meet you. Wow, look at you. I have two kids and I think they're in there right now. Wow, so beautiful, so beautiful.

JL: Have you met Catherine before?

JB: I've never met Catherine, no. But she doesn't know this, I was offered twice by two different directors -- Robert Rodriguez and Martin Bell -- am I right?

Catherine Zeta-Jones: Martin Campbell.

JB: Right, right. I was offered to play your fiancee on "Mask Of Zorro."

CZJ: I remember that, the captain, I remember that.

JB: And you weren't attached.

JL: She wasn't in the movie?

JB: And I'm so angry.

CZJ: (Laughs) I remember that now, yeah.

JB: Nothing against my girl. But yes, I saw you in "Mask Of Zorro."

JL: (In background) Boy, are you screwed.

JB: I know, I know. My kids and I watched. And my kid was only 10 at that time was like "Oh my God, look at her." I was like, "Man, don't rub it in. I understand." Anyway ...

JL: Hey, well, congratulations n your new show. It does very well, I understand. You play a senator? There you are. Are you a ...

JB: Thank you very much. It's nice to come on your show when your show has already aired. No a lot of confusion.
 

JL: That's true. Are you into politics? Are you a political guy by nature? 

JB: No, you know what, I've never really been into politics. And there's only one other political show and I've seen it a couple of times and I like it. But I'm not a smart guy (Jay Leno laughs) so I can't follow it. You know, I don't want to go there. I'd rather stay creative,

JL: I've never heard an actor say that.

JB: I'm an honest guy. That's the reason I got this part. I've never really into politics. I get into politics with my kids. I've got a 14 year old and a 9 year old. I get into schools. I get into all that stuff. But for the most part, what's happening in Iraq and who's the president, I get it.

JL: There you go. But you went on the "Hardball" show, right. Tell the story. 

JB: I did go to the "Hardball" show. Well, I went on with Chris Matthews. I get a call "Do you want to do "Hardball?" I love Chris Matthews, I think he's amazing. First of all, it's me. And I'm no political analyst, you know. So you have Lawrence O'Donnell Jr. who was senior political analyst at MSNBC, Chris Matthews and the schmoe, me, over here.

So what are they gonna do? Are they gonna promote the show? Are they gonna be nice? Are they gonna actually ask me intelligent questions. Again, I'm not an intelligent guy. I don't want to be put in that position. So, did you see it? I mean ...

JL: You know, I saw it. And I have the tape. The thing that made me laugh is you play a senator on TV ... Chris Matthews ...

JB: It's a script.

JL: Right, He thinks you all of a sudden Tom Daschle ...

JB: That I'm a senator.

JL: This here's a clip. Take a look. Here he's talking to you as a senator. Take a look.
 

(Shows a clip of "Hardball")

Chris Matthews: You're on "Hardball." Are you ready? Let's play hardball. Where do you stand on guns? Are you for the Second Amendment, on honoring the Second Amendment, the constitutional right to bear arms? Are you against that constitutional oath which you took when you became a senator?

JL: (Looking a bit flustered) That's a very, very direct question. And I'm not gonna answer a direct question (inaudible) stay out of trouble. How's that for an answer? Am I learning well?

(End of "Hardball" clip. Back to the show. Josh covers his face.)

JL: He was badgering you.

JB: Why do you got to put me in that position, first of all, you know. And he asked me another question about Iraq and I think I took about 15 sips of coffee while I answered the question. Just avoid it and distract it in any way. It's very political.

JL: That's what real senators do ... That was very good. So did you visit the Senate? Did you do all that kind of ...

JB: Well, you know, research and all that. Having done a lot of theater, being into that, sure looks good to. I wanted to go to the Senate just to see what was going to happen. And we just got back from a long Winnebago trip. And when I got to the Senate ... first of all, I had come back from the Winnebago trip and I was a little overweight. (Points to Catherine's tummy) Kind of like that without the baby. I like eating. I just love eating when I don't have to work. So I have a long goatee, I have shaggy hair, I'm fat, basically. 

And I got there and I go "I don't know how to play a senator. I don't know why they hired me." And I get there and I see Strom Thurmond with his walked looking like something from "Little Big Man." And I see Ted Kennedy. I'm like, "That's brilliant. I could do that."

So what if I ... and I was, I was panicking ... But what if I had a walker, what if I'm big, maybe losing a little hair, you know, something political. Know what I'm saying?

JL: You said something that intrigued me. I have never heard ... You said you were on a Winnebago trip. You're the only star I know that drives ... Fantastic Sam, you pull in there ...

JB: You come on here and you wanna be a star. But it's true. I'm just full-blown white trash. (Audience cheers)

JL: (Laughs) But there's nothing wrong with a Winnebago. You just made me laugh. You said it so matter of fact. So where did you go on this Winnebago trip. 

JB: We took ... I was me, my girlfriend and out three kids and we went on this Winnebago trip. We got a 27-foot long Winnebago, we got a generator, luckily and the first leg of the trip was to Tucson, Arizona. So, it's the summer and it's 114 degrees in Tucson. Now the major thing ... luckily they gave me this note but before I left where I rented the Winnebago, they said don't go Number 2 in the toilet because you don't want it sitting in there, doing, you know, whatever it does, whatever grows out of that, you know what I'm saying. But it's OK to go to go Number 1. Make sure you empty it every few miles. If you stop, empty it. 

Well, my kids and I were on the Winnebago trip. My girlfriend and all that kinds of stuff. We get to Tucson, Arizona. There's a friend of mine in Tuczon. We go to his house. We completely forget that it's full, so we go back after a beautiful day with my friend. So it's 114 degrees outside (audience groans). My son opens the door and it was ... you know "Oh!" So, four days it took to air it out. We had the windows open. My son had his head out the vent. Everybody gasping for breath. It was awful but we had a good time. (Jay Leno chuckles).

JL: Well, let's show a clip from "Mister Sterling." Now, you should explain. You play the son of a former governor ...

JB: who has really gone against the idea of politics. He works in a prison. He wants to do something personal, make a difference one on one. There's a senator who dies and his name comes up because his father has such high ratings. So he is thrown into this governmental process. He's blue collar in this white-collar arena.

JL: Here's a scene from "Mister Sterling."

(Shows clip from the second episode, I think. Bill Sterling talks to Jackie about not doing drugs because he didn't want his father to use his influence to get him out of trouble.)

JL: Congratulations on your success. Please come back and see us again. Bring the Winnebago next time. 

JB: Yes, I will. (Shakes hands with Leno.)

January 16, 2003