Mark Hamill: The Best Star Wars Fans Are 'U-P-Fs'

MY FIRST GUEST IS AN ICONIC ACTOR WHOSE CAREER SPANS OVER
FOUR DECADES AND IS THE GUEST I'M LOOKING FOR.
PLEASE WELCOME MARK HAMILL!
♪ ♪ ♪( APPLAUSE )
>> Stephen: LOOK AT THAT!
YOU KNOW, IT'S NICE TO HAVE YOU HERE.
>> OH, MY GOSH.
I'M OUT HERE PROMOTING A MOVIE WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO TALK
ABOUT.
( LAUGHTER ).
>> Stephen: WE DON'T HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT, IF YOU DON'T
WANT.
WE DON'T HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT.
A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK OF YOU AS LUKE SKYWALKER.
BUT TO ME YOU WILL ALWAYS BE GORDON MILLER FROM "ROOM
SERVICE.
>> YOU SAW THAT!
>> Stephen: IN 1986, YOU WERE ON BROADWAY--
>> IT WAS IN THE ROUNDABOUT THEATER, DIRECT BY ALAN ARKIN.
HE HAD ALL HIS SECOND CITY BUDDIES I IDOLIZED FOR YEARS.
I JUST DON'T WANT TO START IN.
THEY WERE ALL FANTASTIC.
>> Stephen: I WAS A SENIOR IN COLLEGE AND I HAD COME TO NEW
YORK TO ACTUALLY INTERVIEW TO BE AN INTERN ON DAVID LETTERMAN'S
SHOW, AND A FRIEND OF MINE SAID, "I CAN GET US A JOB AS USHERS
FOR ONE NIGHT TO SEE THIS PLAY."
AND I SAID, SURE, THAT WILL BE FUN.
AND I WALKED IN, AND YOU WERE ON THE STAGE DOING THE GROUCHO
MARK.
>> THE CRITICS CAME IN THINKING I WOULD PLAY THE INNOCENT
MIDWESTERN PLAYWRIGHT-- "GOLEE.
I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN THE CITY BEFORE."
AND INSTEAD WAS A SLEAZY GORDON MILLER.
THEY WERE SHOCKED.
PLUT OF PLUS IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE ME.
I HAD PANTS UP TO HERE, A HALF JAR OF POMAID AND THE
BRILLIANTINE MISTASH, AND PEOPLE SAID THAT'S NOT MARK.
THAT'S GORDON MILLER.
THAT'S WHY WHATI LIKE ABOUT CHARACTER ACTORS.
IF IN VOICEOVERS THEY CAST WITH THE EARS AND NOT THE EYES AND
YOU GET A LOT OF PARTS YOU WOULDN'T GET ON CAMERA.
>> Stephen: MANY HAVE SAID OF ALL THE JOCKERS, YOURSELF IS THE
GREATEST OF ALL TIME.
( APPLAUSE ).
>> Stephen: THERE WAS A RECENT RANKING.
THERE WAS A RECENT RANKING.
YOU COME IN NUMBER ONE.
>> I HAVE FUN.
I LOVE THE JOKER!
BECAUSE, I MEAN, TO GET BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THAT CRAZY CAR.
I MEAN, YOU'RE NOT IN EVERY EPISODE, BUT WHEN YOU SHOW UP,
YOU JUST CREATE CHAOS, AND IT'S A FANTASTIC CAST.
KEVIN CONROY'S BEEN MY BATMAN SINCE '92.
WE'RE CELEBRATING OUR 25th YEAR.
AND YOU KNOW, I HAVE MY BATMAN FAMILY, I HAVE MY "STAR WARS"
FAMILY.
I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE HOW MUCH FUN I'M ZG ALL THIS.
YOU GUYS, I'M TELLING YOU, I NEVER EXPECTED THAT WE'D COME
BACK.
IF THEY DID ANOTHER TRILOGY THAT THEY WOULD BRING BACK OUR
CHARACTERS.
AND IT WAS REALLY INTIMIDATING AND SCARY.
BUT I'M REALLY APPRECIATING IT NOW BECAUSE IN YOUR 20s YOU
SORT OF TAKE IT FOR GRANTED, AND IT'S SO MUCH MORE ENJOYABLE NOW
THAT I'M IN MY EARLY 80s.
( LAUGHTER ) AND THAT'S A TIP, BY THE WAY--
IF YOU'RE GOING TO FUDGE YOUR AGE, LIE UP, BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL
SAY, "BOY, HE REALLY LOOKS GOOD FOR 83!"
>> Stephen: YOU DO.
>> "HE REALLY TOOK CARE OF HIMSELF."
>> Stephen: YOU REALLY LOOK GREAT FOR 83.
>> I DO.
THANK YOU.
>> Stephen: I CAN BE IN YOUR "STAR WARS" FAMILY?
>>, OF COURSE,.
>> Stephen: THE 13-YEAR-OLD IN ME IS GOING INSANE RIGHT NOW.
AND PLEASE FORGIVE-- THIS IS 40 YEARS COMING THIS CONVERSATION
WITH YOU, BECAUSE-- AND I'VE TOLD PEOPLE SOME OF THIS AND I
DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW THIS-- BUT THREE WEEKS BEFORE THIS
MOVIE WAS RELEASED ANYWHERE AROUND THE COUNTRY, FOR WHATEVER
REASON, MY OWN STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA WAS A TEST MARKET, AND
I WON TICKETS FROM WTMA-- >> AND SAW IT BEFORE ANYBODY
ELSE.
>> Stephen: THREE WEEKS BEFORE ANY OF MY FRIENDS AND HOW DO YOU
EXPLAIN THAT EVERYTHING IS DIFFERENT NOW.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: DID YOU GUYS WHO WERE MAKING THE FILM, DID YOU
KNOW IT WAS REALLY GOING TO CHANGE EVERYTHING?
>> OH, OF COURSE, NOT.
I THOUGHT IT WAS UNIQUE IN THE SENSE THAT IT HAD GREAT HUMOR.
AND IT HAD SUCH-- AS FANTASTIC AS ALL THE SITUATIONS AND
CHARACTERS WERE, IT WAS SO RELATABLE.
I MEAN, HERE WE RISK OUR LIVES TO SAVE THE PRINCESS, THE FIRST
THING SHE COMPLAINS ABOUT IS, "YOU CAME IN THAT?"
>> Stephen: "AREN'T YOU KIND OF SHORT FOR A STORMTROOPER."
EXACTLY.
>> ALL OF THAT STUFF.
THAT WAS JUST SO RELATABLE AND HUMAN.
AND, YOU KNOW, I KNEW IT WASN'T SCIENCE FICTION.
I GOT THE PART FROM A SCREEN TEST.
I DIDN'T READ THE WHOLE SCRIPT UNTIL THEY SAID, "YOU'RE GOING
TO BE LUKE."
AND WHEN I-- I STILL REMEMBER THE CHAIR I WAS SITTING IN AND
WHERE I WAS WHEN I STARTED READING THIS THING.
I GO, "OH, MY GOSH.
THIS IS MORE LIKE 'WIZARD OF OZ' WITH A GENDER SWITCH, WHERE LUKE
GETS SWEPT OFF INTO THIS FANTASTIC ADVENTURE.
BUT I COULDN'T BELIEVE MY EYES.
BECAUSE I WAS A FAN AS A KID.
I READ "FAMOUS MONSTERS" MAGAZINES AND BUILT THE MONSTER
MODEL KITS.
I WAS THE BIGGEST ENTHUSIAST.
I REMEMBER I WOULD GET REALLY EXCITED AND GO, "HARRISON!
WE'RE A PEZ DISPENSER NOW."
AND HE'S LIKE, "WHATEVER FLOAS FLOETS YOUR BOAT."
( LAUGHTER ) ( APPLAUSE )
>> Stephen: THAT'S JUST LIKE HIM.
I'VE INTERVIEWED HIM.
>> YEAH, YOU KNOW.
THAT'S THE PERFECT SORT OF-- I DON'T KNOW, WE JUST HAD A --
>> Stephen: WHEN DID YOU KNOW IT WAS SOMETHING SPECIAL?
>> WELL, LISTEN, IT WAS SO INTERESTING, BECAUSE WE WENT OFF
IT'S THREE OF US-- I CALL THEM CARISON AND HARRY-- ANDY WE
WOULD GET ON THE PLANE INGE VAN TIEWFER, FIRST.
AND THE MOVIE OPENED WHEN WE WERE ON TOUR, AND BY THE TIME WE
GOT TO, WHICH I LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW AS WE LANDED AND THERE
WERE MOBS OF PEOPLE.
>> Stephen: AT THE AIRPORT?
>> AT THE AIRPORT!
I SAID, "HEY, YOU GUYS, I THINK THERE'S SOMEBODY FAMOUS ON THE
PLANE."
AND I'M LOOKING AROUND FAIR CELEBRITY.
AND AS WE GOT CLOSER, I WENT, "CARRIE, THERE'S A LITTLE GIRL
OUT THERE WITH YOUR FURRY HEADPHONES.
AND HARRISON, THERE'S A GUY WITH YOUR VEST."
THERE WERE KIDS OUT THERE WITH SIGNS "MAY THE FORCE BE WITH
YOU."
THEY WERE DRESSED LIKE US.
AND WE WERE LIKE -- >> Stephen: IT WAS ME.
( LAUGHTER ) ( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
IT WAS-- IT WAS KIND OF ME.
I WAS ONE OF THOSE KIDS-- I WAS ONE OF THOSE KIDS WHO, LIKE, AT
NIGHT, WHEN NO ONE WAS AROUND WOULD DO THIS... THINKING IF I
COULD JUST CONCENTRATE ENOUGH.
>> I STILL DO IT AT SUPERMARKETS.
>> Stephen: REALLY?
>> YEAH, WHEN THE DOORS OPEN.
( LAUGHTER ) >> Stephen: OH REALLY!
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS.
I MEAN, I'M ENJOYING-- LIKE I SAY, IT'S JUST SO WONDERFUL TO
BE ASSOCIATED WITH SOMETHING THAT MAKES PEOPLE SO HAPPY.
THIS COP STOPPED ME TO SAY, "DO YOU KNOW HOW FAST YOU WERE
GOING?" I'M SO SCARED OF THE COPS YOU
KNOW, LIKE THE MIRRORED GLASSES IN "PSYCHO."
I SAID, "NO, OFFICER."
I'M ALWAYS REALLY POLITE.
"I'M SORRY."
YOU TRY TO TALK YEARS OUT.
"I'M GOING TO LET YOU GO WITH A WARNING.
WHEN LIGHT CYBER DO YOU USE IN THE MOVIE, GREEN OR BLUE."
AND YOU SEE THIS 40-YEAR-OLD GUY TURN INTO AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD
RIGHT BEFORE YOUR PIPES WHAT A TREAT IT'S BEEN.
>> Stephen: WHICH COLOR LIGHTSABER.
I KNOW YOU CAN'T TELL US ANYTHING SO TELL US EVERYTHING!
IN "THE FORCE AWAKENS" YOU SHOW UP AT THE LAST MINUTE IN THERE.
>> THE MOST ELABORATE ENTRANCE IN THE HISTORY OF CINEMA.
( LAUGHTER ).
>> Stephen: IT'S A TWO-AND-A-HALF-HOUR FORPLAY.
>> AND EVERYBODY IS TALKING ABOUT ME FOR TWO HOURS.
>> Stephen: YEAH.
>> "THE SWORD OF SKYWALKER IS TOO POWERFUL.
SKYWALKER MUST BE STOPPED."
I'M GOING, "OH, GOOD."
I'M WRITING ALL THIS STUFF DOWN.
I REMEMBER THINKING WHEN I GOT TO THE SCENE-- I HOPE EVERYBODY
HAS SEEN IT-- WHEN THE LIGHT SABER JIGGLES IN THE FOREST AND
FLIES OUT OF THE SNOW, I'M LIKE, "OH, BABY, HERE I AM!"
IT GOES TO REY.
I SAID SHE DIDN'T GONE FN DO ANY TRAINING.
WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.
>> Stephen: WHAT IS GOING ON.
SHE DIDN'T DO TRAINING.
HOW CAN SHE STAND UP.
>> FANS POINT OUT, "YOU QUIT YOUR TRAINING, YOUNG MAN.
DON'T GET SO MOUTHY."
THERE WAS THE ORIGINAL, THERE WAS THE PREQUEL, AND THIS IS THE
NEXT GENERATION.
LUKE IS NO LONGER THE PROTAGONIST, IT'S REY, AND IT'S
NOT MY STORY ANYMORE.
IT'S JUST SO FUN TO BE INVITED BACK TO THE PARTY, ESPECIALLY
WHEN YOU DIDN'T THINK IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.
>> Stephen: I KNOW YOU CAN'T CLEAR MUCH UP FOR US.
BUT CAN WE-- WHAT CAN WE INFER FROM THE PHOTO I'M ABOUT TO
SHOW?
HAVE YOU SEEN THIS AT ALL.
OKAY, SO, "STAR WARS--" YOU CAN SELL ANYTHING WITH "STAR WARS,"
INCLUDING FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.
AND IF YOU LOOK ON THIS PHOTO OF DOLE PRODUCTS, YOU'VE GOT DARTH
VADER ON APPLES, YODA ON GRAPES-- NATURALLY, GREEN.
YOU'VE GOT R2-D2 ON A HEAD OF CAULIFLOWER, AND LUKE IS ON A
BAG OF ICEBERG LETTUCE.
( LAUGHTER ) DOES THAT MEAN YOU'RE GOING BACK
TO THE ICE PLANET OF HOFF?
WHAT CAN WE DISCERN FROM YOU BEING ON ICEBERG LETTUCE?
>> WELL, IF YOU GO TO @HAMILL-- SHAMELESSLY PANDERING FOR MORE
FOLLOW EARS YOU CAN SEE MY TWEETS ON THAT.
I SAID WE LOVE "STAR WARS" FRUITS AND VEGGIIES.
BUT YODA AND VADER HAD IT MUCH EASIER BECAUSE WHO DOESN'T LIKE
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.
LUKE HAD IT HARDER.
POOR R2-D2, NO MATTER HOW ADORABLE HE IS ON THAT COVER,
IT'S STILL CAULIFLOWER!
NO KID IS GOING TO BE FOOLED BY THAT.
THEY WANT IT TO BE M&Ms.
>> Stephen: I THINK THIS MEANS YOUR CHARACTER DIES AND I'LL
TELL YOU WHY.
BECAUSE IF YOU EAT ONLY ICEBERG LETTUCE, YOU WILL DIE OF
MALNUTRITION.
>> I GOT A LOT OF BACKLASH FROM PEOPLE WHO LOVE CAULIFLOWER, SO,
PLEASE, NO MORE HATE TWEETS.
>> Stephen: THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO HATE TWEET OVER CAULIFLOWER?
>> YES.
NO, I'M NOT KIDDING.
THEY SAID, "WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM?
HAVE YOU EVER HAD IT ROASTED WITH GARLIC?"
I MEAN, IT'S ONLY A JOKE, YOU KNOW.
DON'T TAKE ME SERIOUSLY.
I'M JUST ANOTHER CRANK ON TWITTER.
( LAUGHTER ) ( APPLAUSE )
( CHEERS ) LISTEN, IF YOU'VE PLAYED THE
TRICKSTER AND THE JOKER, AS I HAVE, FOR SO MANY YEARS, THE
UPSIDE IS NOBODY TAKES ANYTHING YOU SAY SERIOUSLY, AND THAT'S A
GOOD THING, BECAUSE IT'S LIBERATING, YOU KNOW.
YOU'RE JUST-- YOU'RE A JESTER.
YOU'RE THERE FOR FUN.
I'M HAVING SO MUCH FUN, AND TO ME, THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT
THING, YOU KNOW.
I'M IN THE BUSINESS OF ESCAPISM.
AND EVERYBODY WANTS TO GO TO HOGWARTS OR MIDDLE EARTH, OR
WHEREVER-- OZ, THE LAND OF OZ, OR TO A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY--
BECAUSE IT'S THERAPEUTIC.
REAL LIFE IS REALLY UNPLEASANT AT TIMES.
AND THIS IS A GOOD WAY FOR YOU TO, YOU KNOW, FORGET ABOUT YOUR
PROBLEMS FOR TWO HOURS.
OH, IN THIS CASE, THIS IS THE LONGEST "STAR WARS" FILM.
THIS IS TWO AND A HALF HOURS, WHICH YOU'LL FIND OUT IN ABOUT A
WEEK.
( APPLAUSE ) I KNOW, I KNOW.
>> Stephen: QUICK QUESTION ABOUT ESCAPING.
DO YOU EVER WISH YOU COULD HAVE SEEN "STAR WARS"?
>> I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN.
BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENED WAS WHEN I KNEW IT WAS GEORGE LUKAS WHO HAD
DONE "AMERICAN GRAFFITI" AND EVEN FROM THAT ONE SCENE I SAID,
"I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THIS.
I WOULD HAVE BEEN THERE FIRST DAY, FIRST SHOW, REGARDLESS OF
-- >> Stephen: AGAIN, LITTLE ME.
>> YEAH, YEAH.
>> Stephen: TOTALLY CHANGED MY-- WHAT I WANTED FOR MY
ENTERTAINMENT.
>> SO MANY PEOPLE COME TO ME AND SAY, "I BECAME THIS OR THAT
BECAUSE OF THE FILM."
PEOPLE IN THE BUSINESS, LIGHTING PEOPLE, MAKEUP PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE CERTAIN FILMS THAT JUST INSPIRE PEOPLE
IN A WAY THAT THEY CAN'T EXPLAIN.
>> Stephen: HAS THE FILM DOES DONE THAT FOR YOU?
>> WELL, WHAT I FIND MORE INSPIRING IS THE REACTION OF THE
FANS, THE PEOPLE THAT LOVE IT.
I MEAN, I-- I---- STIPULATE THAT IT'S NOT FOR EVERYBODY.
NOT EVERYBODY LOVES "STAR WARS."
BUT THE PEOPLE WHO DO, I CALL U.P.F.s-- ULTRAPASSIONATE
FANS.
AND THEY LOVE THIS THING TO THE POINT WHERE THEY RELATE STORIES
OF HOW IT GOT THEM THROUGH THEIR MOTHER'S ILLNESS OR THEY MET
THEIR LIFE ONLINE OR THEY-- IT JUST-- IT'S BECOME SUCH A FABRIC
OF THEIR LIVES.
IT'S TRULY MOVING.
I DON'T SEE IT ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS, BUT WHEN GIOUT IN PUBLIC
OR TO THESE CELEBRATIONS AND SO FORTH, IT'S JUST ASTONISHING HOW
PASSIONATE THEY REALLY ARE.
AND I DON'T TAKE IT FOR GRANTED.
AND, YOU KNOW, IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE FANS, I WOULDN'T BE SITTING
HERE TALKING TO STEPHEN COLBERT.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Stephen: FOR YOUR MOVIES.
THANK YOU FOR COMING BACK TO DO THIS.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
>> MY PLEASURE.
>> Stephen: MARK HAMILL, EVERYBODY.
"THE LAST JEDI" IS IN THEATERS DECEMBER 15.
Lost 'Star Wars' Footage Of Luke Skywalker At The Cantina President Trump's Pedophile Stump One Week Older, Mueller's Holiday Gift Guide Star Wars Fan Adam Scott Surprised by His Idol Mark Hamill Mark Hamill reveals 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' script left him 'stunned' Bobby Flay Prepares Healthy (And Boozy) Holiday Treats Does God Believe In Mike Pence? Mark Hamill Goes Undercover as a Stormtrooper on Hollywood Blvd Mark Hamill talks about his disappointment John Hodgman And Stephen Debate: Is A Hot Dog Is A Sandwich?

Mark Hamill: The Best Star Wars Fans Are 'U-P-Fs'

Latest Posts