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Tavis: Pleased to welcome Billy Bob Thornton back to this program. The Oscar winner has 2 projects of note this summer. This weekend, you can catch him in the remake of the classic film "Bad News Bears", where he takes on the role made famous by the late great Walter Matthau. And speaking of classic films, a new director's cut of "Sling Blade" is now out on DVD.Billy Bob, nice to see you again, man.

Billy Bob Thornton: You, too.

Tavis: How you been?

Thornton: I'm good, man.

Tavis: Good to see you on the program. We gotta talk baseball, since we're talkin' about the "Bad News Bears". When you were last here, before I get to the movie, when you were last here, you were hoping that your Cardinals were gonna make it happen. And they went on to let the Red Sox reverse the curse.

Thornton: Yeah. Uh...

Tavis: I just wanted to remind you of that, that's all.

Thornton: Well, I gotta tell ya, you know, I'm a Cardinal fan from the time I was born, practically, and I was so excited. But if they're gonna get beat by somebody, I mean, you know, the Red Sox, it'd been a long dry spell...

Tavis: About time.

Thornton: And that's OK. But if it'd been the Yankees, I don't know. I might've been pretty mad, but it wasn't that surprising that they lost the series to me, because the Red Sox just had that spirit in 'em. You know what I mean? And I think a lot of times it's more to do with the cosmos than it is anything else, you know? And the Cardinals just didn't have that fire in their eyes, and the Red Sox did. But what did surprise me is that they swept 'em. I didn't think that was gonna--you know. I thought they'd win a couple of games, anyway.

Tavis: Who was it, Victor Hugo who once said that there's nothing so powerful as an idea whose idea has come?

Thornton: Mmm.

Tavis: I guess it was the time for them.

Thornton: I think that's true.

Tavis: Red Sox after all those years. Back to baseball, um, "Bad News Bears". I loved that movie, loved the original. And you never, you know, one never knows why an actor chooses or selects an opportunity to do a particular role unless you ask, so let me ask. Why, for you, "Bad News Bears"?

Thornton: Well, I was a fan of the original movie, too, and, in particular, a big fan of Walter Matthau. I thought he was an amazing actor, and he has pretty big shoes to fill. I mean, it's not a real easy thing to do, to step up and do a remake to start with. But then when you're playing a part that a guy like him played, it's kind of nerve-racking. But when the idea came to me, it wasn't something that they just sort of, you know, cast me in. It was an idea that was sort of generated in house, as they say. I think because of the success of "Bad Santa', they thought, well, he's--

Tavis: Which I saw for, like, the 13th time in a hotel room the other night.

Thornton: Yeah, after "Bad Santa", they started comin' to me with all these comedies, and they also got the writers who wrote "Bad Santa" to write "Bad News Bears." So it just made sense to me, you know? It's like, "Well, yeah. I think that's the kind of part that I can play a sourpuss like that, you know?" And I think it's good to, you know--I was never big on remakes, but I think it's a good thing for kids to be able to see this movie. And when you modernize things a little bit for 'em, you know, sort of update it, they'll go see it, you know? And maybe they won't all see the original movie. I mean, all the baby boomers have seen it, but I think for teenagers and through the screenings they've had so far of it, that's held true that teenagers are really big on this one.

Tavis: When you mentioned a moment ago that you thought you could play a sourpuss in a movie like "Bad News Bears", that may be the answer to the question I want to ask now, but let me ask it anyway: what's the advantage one gets of casting, specifically, Billy Bob Thornton in a comedy. Since you mentioned "Bad News Bears" and "Bad Santa", I mean, obviously it works, but why? You know?

Thornton: Well, I don't know. Comedy is not so easy, but I think one of the things that helps it along is if you get actors who are predominantly known for their dramatic acting, which I have been mostly throughout my career.

Tavis: Exactly.

Thornton: And, you know, when you play things a little straighter in a more realistic way, I think it kind of elevates the humor in some ways if you're not just nailing it and playing the comedy. So I think if you get a pretty decent dramatic actor who also has a little bit of a funny bone, sometimes it'll work out even better than with straight comics or whatever...you know what I mean? Depending on what type of movie it is. If you're doing, like a physical comedy or something like that, I probably wouldn't be the guy. That's--

Tavis: You mean, trying to be Jerry Lewis?

Thornton: No.

Tavis: Or Jim Carrey.

Thornton: No. But if it's a more reality-based movie, though, I think it makes more sense.

Tavis: That must be the answer 'cause it worked in "Bad Santa". You were--that worked, what you just explained. Back to Walter Matthau, I'm fascinated by your description of the challenge of trying to fill the shoes of one Walter Matthau. With all that said, why do it? Why put yourself out there like that?

Thornton: Well, you know, it's always good to have a challenge, but I don't really pick movies based on what type of movie it is or who made it before or anything. I pick it based on the idea and the script, and if I think it's a quality project. So it just so happens that at the time I did "Bad Santa", that was a script that I read that I really loved, and when the "Bad News Bears" idea came along and then I read the script, that was the one that made the most sense to me. I try not to think about the whole Walter Matthau thing as much as possible. As a matter of fact, I didn't watch the old movie before we shot this. I mean, I'd seen it years ago, of course, but I didn't want to be influenced by what he did. But at the same time, I remembered enough of what he did that I could at least stay true to what the character was all about.

Tavis: Speaking of remembering, I'm remembering now our last conversation when you were on this program, and your dad, as you were talking, just popped into my head 'cause here we go again playing another coach.

Thornton: That's right.

Tavis: So how funny is this?

Thornton: It's odd. You know, that wasn't by design. As a matter of fact, as it turns out--

Tavis: I should explain, when you were here last, we were talking about "Friday Night Lights", in which you played a coach, for those who didn't see that conversation. But go ahead.

Thornton: What's happened, actually, is that I did the coach in "Friday Night Lights", which is a very, you know, serious movie, very heavy drama, playing a pretty straight coach. Then "Bad News Bears", which is, you know, a comedy and the guy's not really a coach. He's just hired to be one in a Little League organization. So they're entirely different. So I don't look at them as much as playing coaches as it is just these 2 very different types of people. But then after "Bad News Bears", I just finished doing a movie called "Mr. Woodcock", where I play a very strict P.E. teacher, so I ended up doing 3 in a row, but once again--

Tavis: You better be careful. You're gonna get typecast.

Thornton: I know, right? But the thing is is "Mr. Woodcock", it's a very dark comedy, and it's with myself and Susan Sarandon and Seann William Scott, who are both wonderful in it. And it's a movie that, once again, even though it's a P.E. teacher, he's very different than the guy in the bad news bears, very different than the "Friday Night Lights", and probably in some ways more like my dad really was 'cause this guy's--he's very particular.

Tavis: Speaking of your dad and growing up, so much to talk to you about, I'm delighted to have you back on this program again. We did not get a chance to get to this in our last conversation, but I've been dying to ask you how it is that you navigate this world in which we live, where people who are from the south, and you hail proudly from Arkansas, are looked at as being, shall we say, a little slow? Has that ever bothered you? What do you think of...?

Thornton: Well, it didn't affect me. It didn't affect me, uh, sort of the same way in the beginning as it does now. When I first came out here--I've been in California 25 years. So I've actually lived in California longer than I did back home. But when I first got out here, I saw a real sort of prejudice, you know, within the movie business anyway. I mean, if you're from the south, you can't play a guy from L.A., but yet if you're from the Bronx, you can play a guy from L.A. It was always really weird. And most movies about the south weren't written and directed by people from the south. So I think, uh, that was a mission that I had that I was gonna make some movies with those kind of characters and show it more for what it really was. And, um, I think it came across in the early movies I did, "One False Move", "Sling Blade", some of those, but, um, these days--see, once you become a big enough star, they don't look at you like you're from the south anymore. It's like Jack Nicholson used to play all these weirdoes, but then once he became a big star, then he could play anything. Not that he's from the south, but just in terms of the type they have you sort of cornered into. But, um, I don't think there's as much problem with it anymore like when I first came out here. But, um, I mean, I have to look at it this way. I mean, I had a rough way coming up out here, and because of that stereotype, but then again, you know, you have to look at Hispanic actors or black actors or Asian actors, too. It's not an easy road there either. So I just have to look at it like I'm in another group that's, you know, you have to fight through, but then in the end, I think because it's difficult, it builds a backbone in you, you know, and maybe serves you well later on.

Tavis: You navigated the journey quite nicely, speaking of which, um, I was blown away when I learned just reading more about you, because I became so fascinated at our first meeting and conversation. Speaking of your journey about the time when you were down to just a bag of potato chips to last you for a couple of weeks.

Thornton: It was actually just potatoes.

Tavis: Not even potato chips, just potatoes. And you found yourself in a hospital.

Thornton: Yeah. I was hospitalized.

Tavis: For malnutrition.

Thornton: Yeah.

Tavis: You're such a star now, speaking of big stars, do you remember this?

Thornton: I remember it very well. You know, you got a pain in your chest like that, you don't forget it.

Tavis: So what happened?

Thornton: Well, what it was, this was in '83 or '84.

Tavis: I feel a great story coming on. What had happened was...speaking of Arkansas...go ahead.

Thornton: You can always tell it's not a quick story when somebody says, hey, quick story.

Tavis: Exactly. We got time. Go ahead, Billy Bob.

Thornton: What it was is, uh, I was too embarrassed to tell anybody exactly how down and out I was. I was in a theater group. And I was in an acting class. And I didn't really have the money to--I didn't have the money to go, really, to the acting class, but my teacher, thank God, he was a really nice guy. He let me slide and didn't make me pay him for classes there for a while till I got on my feet. So people in the class were really my only friends I had at that point, my only acquaintances really. And, uh, I was too embarrassed to tell anybody, and my mom wasn't exactly loaded either, and I didn't want to ask her for anything and I was living in this crummy little apartment out in Glendale, and one morning, I woke up and I had this pain in my side. It was pretty intense. It went away after a while, and I thought, well, it was just some muscle spasm. And I hadn't eaten in a couple of weeks. And the last thing I did have was a bag of potatoes. And I didn't have any oil or anything, so...I had a skillet. It's all I had. So I put on this electric stove I had, and I just sliced 'em up and put 'em in there, so they would just burn to the skillet. You know, just stuck on, you had to scrape 'em off like this. So when those were gone--

Tavis: I'm laughing, but this ain't funny.

Thornton: Oh, it wasn't funny at the time, let me tell you.

Tavis: It ain't funny, but I'm cracking up. Go ahead. Yeah.

Thornton: But, uh, it's funny how, you know, how funny near-death experiences are later on. But what happened to me is essentially I didn't have any potassium or anything like that which is what runs you, and on that Wednesday night, kind of late, it was really not good. And the only person I was really close to was my writing partner, Tom Epperson who wrote "One False Move" with me and the gift, and he lived in an apartment over in Hollywood, but he had gone back on a train to see his family. So he didn't even know--I couldn't even call him up. So I ended up at the Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital with something that was never diagnosed, but all I knew is it felt like, uh, from the waist to the neck, I was on fire. It was bad. And I didn't have any money or insurance or anything, so they--I remember they put me in the emergency room there with the curtain, which wasn't quite drawn all the way shut and, uh, started the morphine drip and everything, and, uh, when you have any kind of chest pain, they gotta let you in no matter what your circumstances. So fortunately that happened. And if I could find this woman, I'd love to give her a big hug, but I never knew who she was.

Tavis: You know what's gonna happen now you said that. You're gonna get 25 phone calls tomorrow. "Billy Bob, I was that woman. Here I is."

Thornton: You know, maybe I shouldn't say that.

Tavis: Yeah, you probably shouldn't say that.

Thornton: It was an intern who was working there. She made sure that they got me in there and took care of me, and it just so happen that the doctor on duty, they were gonna ship me over to, or as I tell my friends, they were gonna ship my ass over to county. Right quick. You don't have any insurance. You're going down there. But there was a doctor, his name was Dr. Richard Dwyer, and he had gone to school in the Ozarks, and he found out that there was this guy, you know, they were kinda about to lay to rest over there. He made sure they kept me in there for a few days.

Tavis: You can always tell. You made a joke a moment ago about you can always tell it's really not a quick story when somebody says, here's a quick story. What's also amazing about the story though is that you can tell things that are really meaningful to people. When they remember the name of the guy, the doctor, who came--you can tell a story really, a moment really impacted someone. They remember that level of detail, that many years ago.

Thornton: Sure. He was great. And so was that intern.

Tavis: I was gonna make a bad joke and say, speaking of interns, I wanna ask you about Bill Clinton, but I'm not gonna say that. Let me ask you though about Bill Clinton. You and Bill Clinton are friends. I assume that you know Hillary Clinton as well. A lot of talk these days, obviously, new polls come out all the time about what Hillary's chances are in '08, so what do you think? As I shift gears here, talk about politics for a second.

Thornton: Well, I mean, I think it would be great, and obviously I would always be for her and for Bill. They're great people, and I've known 'em for a long time. I happen to think that as far as politicians go, they really do at their core mean what they say. Of course, you know, if you're in politics, there's a lot of stuff you have to do to satisfy a lot of people. But, that being said, I think they really mean well. And I would love to see her get in there. I don't know if this country is capable yet of electing a woman. I'm not sure that they'll do it right now. And because of a lot of backward thinking in a lot of places here. And, you know, um...that's an interesting subject. I mean, let's say, uh, there's a black man and Hillary Clinton running as the president, vice president team.

Tavis: Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Yeah.

Thornton: I don't know.

Tavis: They ain't ready for that.

Thornton: I don't think they're ready.

Tavis: They definitely ain't ready for that.

Thornton: Yeah. And I'm not even sure they're ready for Hillary. Although, you never know, depending on who the running mate is, maybe. I think that might have a lot to do with it. Um, it's a real crucial time for us politically, I think.

Tavis: You know what's funny about that? I was in a conversation about this with somebody the other day. My sense is--I just wanna check my radar against yours. See how wrong I am, how off I am. My sense is, though, if and when the country ever does get ready to elect a woman president, that interestingly, that woman will be a Republican and not a Democrat.

Thornton: Hmm. That could be.

Tavis: What do you make of it? That's just my own theory.

Thornton: Yeah. That could be. Um, because I think, and this is my theory. So funny, you have to qualify things so much these days.

Tavis: Exactly.

Thornton: In my humble opinion...

Tavis: It seems to me...

Thornton: Oh, I've learned so much over the years.

Tavis: They say, "In the view of this one Senator..." Exactly. Go ahead. Yeah.

Thornton: I think it might be...you may have a point there. Because I got a feeling that the people who might not elect...-who might be more against electing a woman would be Republicans, and so if they had their own woman, as opposed to a Democratic woman, it might be a little easier.

Tavis: See, Condi Rice is a bit complicated for me because she happens to be an African-American, and that raises a whole 'nother issue you raised earlier about being black. But if Condi were a white female, with her credentials now, Condi might have a real-- you know what I'm saying?

Thornton: Could be. I thought there for a minute that, uh, um...wouldn't you know it? I forgot his name.

Tavis: Colin Powell.

Thornton: Thank you. Uh, the cells don't grow back, you know.

Tavis: We might give Brian, the stage manager, an assist on the Colin Powell reference. Thank you, Brian. Go ahead, Billy. I'm sorry.

Thornton: The liver you can clean out. The brain cells don't come back. But, uh...there for a minute, I thought Colin Powell might just go for it and might be successful. But I don't know what happened there.

Tavis: It's out on DVD now. You directed this thing. You starred in this thing. You wrote this thing. When you look back on it now, what do you think? That was a--it's a classic now.

Thornton: Yeah. It's weird to have been in something, or to have been involved with something that's become iconic in your lifetime, you know--

Tavis: That was scary?

Thornton: It is a little bit. Because when we made it, it was, uh...I mean it wasn't like we were making...the Peter O'Toole thing, the desert deal. The guy just left.

Tavis: Arabia. "Lawrence of Arabia."

Thornton: "Lawrence of Arabia." Uh, I told you.

Tavis: Cells don't come back. I wanna know why you keep looking at Brian. Conversation's over here, Billy Bob.

Thornton: We actually know each other. We used to hang out.

Tavis: I think John's gotta put camera 3 on Brian for a second.

Thornton: Well, see, you don't have an Ed McMahon. I gotta use somebody.

Tavis: Brian, stay quiet over there. You shut up.

Thornton: But, uh, yeah, it wasn't like when we made "Sling Blade" that we thought we were making "Lawrence of Arabia" or something, you know. So the surprise of the whole thing, the fact that it was as successful as it was at the time was mind-blowing. I mean, that's a life-changing thing right there. Here I was a working actor and a working screenwriter who literally overnight became a movie star from playing an extreme character, which doesn't happen very often. Normally, you become a celebrity from...well, I mean, you know, guys like Tom Cruise or whatever. You know, or Julia Roberts or somebody who, you know, they become celebrities when they're younger than I was. I mean, I was already in my mid-30s. Mid to late 30s and, uh, I thank God for that now. I mean, I'm glad it happened that way. If I had become a big deal when I was 21 or 22, I might not be here right now.

Tavis: But the flip side of that, a lot of folk who I know who when they had the success even at an advanced age like in your 30s as you said, they don't know what to do after that. They think their best work is behind them already. You don't feel that way?

Thornton: No. Not at all. As a matter of fact, I'm probably in the last couple of years I'm more driven than I was even at that time. Because I didn't expect it, you know, at that time. I thought, well, if I can get this movie made, then maybe I'll get to get another movie made, and that kind of thing. But now that I--it's almost like, uh, you know, they say, "Coyotes don't like to eat people until they eat one." Then once they do, it's like hmm...

Tavis: See, that's what I love about that Arkansas humor. It all comes back to Arkansas and one Billy Bob. I'm delighted to have you on the program. Any time. Go check out "Bad News Bears", starring Billy Bob Thornton playing that classic role made famous by one Walter Matthau. He does justice to it, and I think you'll like it. Billy Bob, nice to see you.

Thornton: You, too.

Tavis: All the best to you. That's our show for tonight. A reminder, you can catch me on public radio this weekend and every weekend on PRI, Public Radio International. Check your local listings. We'll talk on the radio and see you back here next time in PBS. Good night from L.A., thanks for watching, and keep the faith. Announcer: For more information on today's show, visit Tavis Smiley at PBS.ORG.

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