Severance Creator BEN STILLER: Are We Stuck In the WORST UNIVERSE EVER?! | Bulwark Podcast

With Elon's 20-something operatives running the Treasury Department, it's hard not to feel that we've been severed from reality and a better Earth someplace else. Ben Stiller talks with Tim about metaphysics, avoiding politics in public, and advocating for the millions of people displaced around the world. Plus, the origin story of Severance, Adam Scott, John Turturro, and whether the show is a metaphor for life itself. Also, Tim gives a pop quiz, Ben shares his love for the Knicks, and both ponder why there aren't good comedies anymore. Ben Stiller joins Tim Miller. show notes Watch Severance https://tv.apple.com/us/show/severanc... The Albert Brooks film, 'Real Life.' https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/real-li... Trailer for "Real Life'    • REAL LIFE - (1979) Trailer   Ben's New York Times interview https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/11/ma... Video of one of Musk's engineers/operatives https://x.com/YIMBYLAND/status/188660... 0:00 Intro, confirmations & Elon’s young helpers 10:10 Is this real? 15:45 Hollywood’s reaction to Trump 2.0 22:45 Quince 24:20 “Bag Man” adaptation 26:30 Elon Musk attacks 30:05 Can Dems learn from Hollywood? 33:15 US steps back from supporting refugees 37:35 Why Severance? 44:00 SelectQuote 45:45 Corporate commentary 50:35 The four tempers 51:50 Why can’t we make good comedies anymore? 55:30 Deep cut recs 58:00 Who did Stiller’s characters vote for? 1:00:25 Hoops talk 🔥 Get 30 days of Bulwark+ absolutely free: https://thebulwark.com/freetrial