♪ ♪
>> Stephen: THERE YOU GO. WELCOME BACK, EVERYBODY.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THANKS, FOLKS.
MY FIRST GUEST TONIGHT IS AN ACADEMY AWARD-WINNING LEGEND YOU
KNOW FROM "WALL STREET," "ANT MAN,"
"BEHIND THE CANDELABRA," AND "THE KOMINSKY METHOD."
NOW HE PRODUCES AND NARRATES THE NEW DOCUMENTARY,
"AMERICA'S BURNING." >> WHAT CAN HELP US OUT OF THIS?
THERE IS COMPETITION WITH A RIVAL SUPERPOWER.
THE AMBITIONS OF CHINA AND THE EXTERNAL THREAT IT CONSTITUTES
MAY HELP US PUT OURSELVES OUT OF THIS DANGEROUS SPIRAL OF HATRED
AND STAGNATION. WE CAN DISAGREE ABOUT A WHOLE
RANGE OF CULTURAL ISSUES WHICH SEEM HUGELY IMPORTANT TO US AT
THE MOMENT, BUT IF WE ASK THE QUESTION, WOULD YOU RATHER BE
RUN BY THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY OR WOULD YOU
RATHER STICK WITH THE RULE OF LAW AND CONSTITUTIONAL
GOVERNMENT, I THINK WE MIGHT STILL FIND SOME CONSENSUS ON
STICKING WITH THE LATTER. >> Stephen: PLEASE WELCOME
BACK TO "THE LATE SHOW," MICHAEL DOUGLAS.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] ♪ ♪
THERE YOU GO. >> Michael: THANK YOU.
>> Stephen: LOVELY TO HAVE YOU BACK ON THE SHOW.
WE HAVEN'T TALKED IN ABOUT SIX YEARS.
YOU DON'T GET A MICHAEL DOUGLAS EVERY DAY.
>> Michael: EVERY OTHER DAY. >> Stephen: YOU ARE A GEM TO
HAVE ON THE SHOW. YOU ARE IN THIS BUSINESS WHAT WE
WOULD CALL A REAL STAR. YOU'VE DONE EVERYTHING, AND KNOW
EVERYONE. YOU ARE A WRITER, PRODUCER.
YOU JUST CAME BACK FROM THE BRITISH GRAND PRIX.
WERE YOU RACING YOURSELF? >> Michael: NOT QUITE.
I GOT TO SEE LEWIS HAMILTON. WON YESTERDAY.
[APPLAUSE] NICE TO SEE THE BRITS AT HOME.
IT WAS REALLY MOVING. HE WAS VERY TOUCHING.
>> Stephen: I UNDERSTAND YOU DID RACE WHEN YOU WERE YOUNGER.
>> Michael: A LITTLE BIT. FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
I HAD AN ACCIDENT UNDER A YELLOW FLAG WHICH IS NOT GOOD.
YELLOW FLAG MEANS YOU SHOULD BE GOING SLOW BECAUSE THERE WAS AN
ACCIDENT SOMEWHERE ELSE AND YOU SHOULD SLOW DOWN AND EVERYTHING
ELSE. IF YOU HAVE AN ACCIDENT YOURSELF
UNDER A YELLOW FLAG, THAT'S A NO-NO.
>> Stephen: BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT OBEYING THE YELLOW FLAG.
>> Michael: NOT OBEYING THE FLAG.
>> Stephen: SO YOU ARE A REBEL IN ADDITION ANY EVERYTHING ELSE.
>> Michael: I WAS TRYING TO. 1970.
I WAS DOING A MOVIE PRODUCED BY STEVE McQUEEN.
STEVE McQUEEN -- IN THIS DAY AND AGE, YOU TALK
ABOUT. [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
>> Stephen: IS THAT THIS? I'VE GOT A PHOTO.
>> Michael: THAT'S THAT. YOU'VE GOT IT.
I'M IN THIS MOVIE AND IN THE PICTURE, I GOT TO DRIVE A
TANGERINE PORSCHE. I LOVE IT.
SO THE FILM IS OVER. I WAS ON IT FOR TWO MONTHS, GOT
PAID LIKE $3,000, MY FIRST PICTURE.
I WAS VERY, VERY HAPPY, EXCITED. STEVE McQUEEN COMES UP AND
SAYS CONGRATULATIONS, KID, YOU DID A GREAT JOB.
THANKS, STEVE. APPRECIATE IT.
HE HANDS ME THE KEYS AND HE SAYS THE CAR IS YOURS.
[CHEERING] I WENT, WHOA.
>> Stephen: WHAT YEAR? >> Michael: 1970.
>> Stephen: DO YOU STILL HAVE THIS CAR?
>> Michael: WHO KNEW I WAS GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL?
I WOULD HAVE KEPT IT. FOR A CHARITY ITEM OR SOMETHING.
AND THEN STEVE WAS PREPARING FOR A MOVIE CALLED "LE MANS."
HE TOOK ME UNDER HIS ARM AND WENT TO PALMDALE AT WILLOW
SPRINGS RACETRACK. THERE WAS A DRIVING SCHOOL.
I STARTED RACING FOR A WHILE THAT SEASON AND THEN I HAD MY
ACCIDENT AND I REALIZED YOU CAN'T DO THIS JUST ON THE
WEEKENDS. THESE PEOPLE ARE SERIOUS.
>> Michael: McQUEEN WAS A SERIOUS RACER.
DID YOU EVER DRIVE WITH HIM? >> Michael: I SURE DID.
HE HAD A SPECIAL CAR. THE CLASS REQUIRED TWO SEATS BUT
THE SEAT NEXT TO HIM WAS A PLASTIC LITTLE SEAT.
>> Stephen: TECHNICALLY A SEAT.
>> Michael: TECHNICALLY A SEAT FOR THE CLASS.
I WENT. I'LL NEVER FORGET.
THIS ONE SWEEPING TURN, 150-MILE-AN-HOUR TURN IN THE
DESERT. IT WAS GREAT.
>> Stephen: WERE YOU WORRIED? >> Michael: A LITTLE BIT, YE
YEAH. CHANGE MY UNDERWEAR.
[LAUGHTER] >> Stephen: IT'S HARD TO
BELIEVE BUT YOU, AFTER YOUR LONG AND STORIED CAREER BUT YOU'VE
NEVER DONE A PERIOD PIECE. >> Michael: NO.
>> Stephen: RIGHT NOW YOU ARE PORTRAYING BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.
[APPLAUSE] IN THE SERIES "FRANKLIN," LONG
TIME COMING. IS THAT A WEEK OR IS THAT YOUR
HAIR? >> Michael: THAT IS MY HAIR
WITH A LITTLE HELP. MY HAIR WAS THAT LONG BUT WE
FILLED IT UP IN THE BACK. A LITTLE BIT THERE.
>> Stephen: HOW DID YOU LIKE THE PERIOD PIECE?
DID YOU ENJOY TIGHTS? >> Michael: THE TIGHTS WERE
GOOD. >> Stephen: YOU'VE STILL GOT
THE LEGS FOR TIGHTS? >> Michael: STILL GOT THE LEGS
FOR TIGHTS. WE SHOT IT IN FRANCE.
I TELL YOU, 1776, THE WHOLE PERIOD.
WE BUILT TWO SETS. EVERYTHING ELSE WAS PRACTICAL.
>> Stephen: YOU WENT TO THE FRENCH LOCATIONS?
>> Michael: ALL OF THEM. WE SHOT TEN VERISIGN, ONE OF THE
GREAT THINGS, I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT EVERY MONDAY WE WOULD SHOOT
AT VERSAILLE. GOING UP TO MEET KING LOUIS XVI.
I GO TO THIS ROOM TO SHOOT THE SCENE AND IT'S THE ACTUAL
BEDROOM OF LOUIS XVI. >> Stephen: FRANKLIN MET THE
KING IN HIS BEDROOM? >> Michael: YEAH.
>> Stephen: I KNOW HE WAS A PLAYER BUT THAT'S PRETTY AMAZ
AMAZING. >> Michael: LOUIS XVI WAS IN
HIS PAJAMAS. >> Stephen: HE WOULD MEET
PEOPLE, HOLD FORTH IN HIS BEDROOM.
>> Michael: HE WAS A CHARACTER.
>> Stephen: WE HAVE TO TAKE A QUICK BREAK.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH MORE MICHAEL DOUGLAS.
STICK AROUND.
