Paul Thomas Anderson Made A Fake Infomercial With Tom Cruise | Late Night with Conan O’Brien

(Original airdate: 01/28/00) Paul Thomas Anderson talks about the fake informercial he and Tom Cruise made to promote “Magnolia.” Plus, Paul explains how growing up in “the capital of porn production” inspired him to write “Boogie Nights.”
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Running from 1993-2009, Late Night with Conan O’Brien is one of the most beloved late night shows in television history. Known for its absurdist humor, hilarious celebrity interviews and featuring the best stand-up comedians and musical acts of the 90’s and early 2000s. Hosted by Conan O’Brien alongside sidekick Andy Richter and house band Max Weinberg and the Max Weinberg 7, Late Night with Conan O’Brien featured unforgettable segments like “If They Mated,” “In the Year 2000,” “Desk Driving” and made a breakout star of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog.
ABOUT TEAM COCO
Team Coco is the KZbin home for all things Conan O’Brien and the Team Coco Podcast Network. Team Coco features over 25 years of comedy sketches, celebrity interviews and stand-up comedy sets from CONAN on TBS and Late Night with Conan O’Brien, as well as exclusive videos from podcasts like Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, Literally! with Rob Lowe, Why Won’t You Date Me? with Nicole Byer, The Three Questions with Andy Richter, May I Elaborate? with JB Smoove and Scam Goddess with Laci Mosley.
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[@joeyhyland]

How the hell have I not seen this interview before? These are like my 2 favorite people.

[@shen-long9082]

Well you haven't seen this interview before cuz you're not a bright individual or you're lying that they're your favorite people.

[@joeyhyland]

@@shen-long9082 That was uncalled for - then again this is the KZbin comments section so this kind of behavior is somewhat expected. Nevertheless please get help. When you engage, be kind. When you have something to say, express yourself without tearing people down. It can be done. Good luck.

[@mikeg4691]

Unless someone had a VHS copy, these old late-night interviews are lost until they get uploaded by the whoever has the rights to the show.

[@vincentlevelev9058]

Me too!

[@shadow4877]

I remember amidst a PTA interview binge reading on the Late Night IMDB that Conan interviewed him. I HAD to see this footage…but nobody could find it. There were no VHS recordings uploaded or anything. I’m so glad they finally uploaded it!

[@bigsassyster]

Crazy that he wrote and directed Boogie Nights at the age of 27, and then Magnolia at the age of 30.

[@dxxdsame8863]

29 ig

[@BrockLanders]

I agree. It’s mind boggling.

[@sha7303]

I love that he's such an absolute master, yet he's so goofy.

[@theorz8698]

Maybe it's a cliché i don't know, but I've noticed from my experience that people who are that brilliant don't care much about their external appearence or how they're perceived by others, it's usually the ones who lack in that department of brilliancy who try to compensate for it by acting loud and trying to sound clever and alert so people wouldn't see through their imposture.

[@jqyhlmnp]

@@theorz8698 I don’t know

[@sameerahmed-gx8js]

@@theorz8698 there is old saying in India which says ‘if you're not intellectual,act like one’

[@piovillanueva3980]

Yeah, you could even say he is "The Master". LOL. 🤭😉😁

[@inyostudio]

i read that he loves Adam Sandler movies, and he is married to Maya Rudolph, so prob a whole lot of laughter in his life.

[@cbalan777]

That informercial is exactly the kind of humor I love. The kind that makes you question reality.

[@delrey874]

PTA is one of the best filmmakers alive today.

[@sameerahmed-gx8js]

i agree...PTA,park chan wook and asghar farhadi are my three favorite filmmaker of this generation

[@georgehornsby6882]

Oh man what a bold claim. You might catch some flack for that…

[@DashLovesFilm]

*the best

[@De_liebste_un_beste_Mensch]

Protect him at all costs!

[@andrewgregerson2244]

I've been scouring the internet so long for this interview, I was starting to think it didn't exist... hopefully this means he'll be on the podcast!

[@vishwasshankar3929]

Probably not, the trailer for his new movie is out

[@mannedi8665]

The contrast between his films and his character is just awesome.

[@robertojacome8461]

I love PTA. Shocked when I found out he's married to Maya Rudolph... It's like seeing those funny weird Animal friendships. Some how it just works and I love it. 😂 Cannot wait for Licorice Pizza.

[@tomthalon8956]

Licorice Pizza was a record store chain in southern California. I would go to the one on Topanga Cyn. Blvd. The hub bub is that PTA grew up in the Valley and was familiar with the store, hence, the title. He has children with, but has never married Maya Rudolph. As for the movie, coming of age/crush by boy on teen girl movies are overdone. So, this one's success will solely rest on whether that loaded cast blows our skirts up, because that storyline is beat to death and 100% predictable.

[@BidM142]

I rolled a tear when I found out Philip Seymour Hoffman’s son is the lead. Also, how has PTA not worked with Tom Waits before Licorice Pizza??

[@juancpgo]

Maybe unexpected, but both are very smart and devotedly artistic. So makes sense to me.

[@robertojacome8461]

@@Bringadingus wat?

[@VarunBoga]

Hey, I just saw the trailer. It's good!

[@davidkymdell452]

Cruise's performance in this is one of his best. It's also one of the last movies he made where he shows real vulnerability. He would never do a role like this now. He's a great actor but chooses not to show it.

[@chubbykitten13]

I agree. Magnolia, Collateral and Born on the 4th : all so Oscar worthy of Tom.

[@filmsensei]

I really liked Valkyrie, too. Everyone just whined about the accents or lack thereof but it was a really good movie. Really moving.

[@mrpk1719]

Tropic thunder was also tom cruise exclusive.

[@chubbykitten13]

True dat! He gets major props for Tropic Thunder.I should check Valkyrie out.

[@amsheel9921]

I wonder if he'll work with PTA again considering he wasn't a fan of The Master, which was loosely based on Scientology.

[@spenser9908]

Funny how Conan was saying how disposable all his Late Night episodes are compared to film, yet here we are 23 years later watching a random episode and it's on the Internet forever.

[@mlondon1157]

He seems so sweet and funny, not how I imagined he would be. And that infomercial, brilliant!

[@willienelsongonzalez4609]

Tom Cruise as Frank TJ Mackie, will be forever immortalised in cinematic history for uttering the words “Respect the co€k, tame the cu%t!”. Cruise should have got more than a Golden Globe for his stellar performance; denied an Oscar!

[@danieltuben]

MORE PTA CONTENT! Already seen all PTA interviews on KZbin, and finally a new one.

[@barbamatteo]

Cruise deserved an oscar

[@pauljoedominic]

Tell me about it. Him as Les Grossman in Tropic Thunder too. Man was a powerhouse in both these movies. I lost faith in Academy Awards long time back.

[@marcochen9117]

@@pauljoedominic do you truly believe that tom cruise would have won over heath ledger that year? not to mention rdj was already nominated for that movie...

[@mrpk1719]

@@marcochen9117 but tom should have won for Colletral.

[@pauljoedominic]

@@mrpk1719 man. I forgot about that gem. It feels like Tom was born to play these badasses.

[@anujoseph_10]

​@@mrpk1719and for Born on the 4th of July

[@muthusid]

Conan’s comedic ability of delivering a hilarious joke with just a facial expression at 2:23 👌🏽👌🏽💯💯

[@unFILMEDtv]

He’s not kidding about movie latex props breaking down… I have a box of the frogs from Magnolia slowly turning to soup. Thankfully I separated the best looking one and put it in a display and that one is holding up better.

[@JPMJPM]

Wow! How did you acquire those frogs?

[@unFILMEDtv]

@@JPMJPM years and years ago a friend got them from a prop reseller online as a gift. They’re a few different shapes and all dark gray… they’re the texture of those sticky arm toys you slap on the window.

[@lucyg2809]

I am obsessed with Paul!!! He's a true gem, freaking genius! the Einstein of film, I would say 🤩

[@lucyg2809]

And he's so young and already be making all these great films!

[@harigovindk1234]

"Will get you this naughty sauce ,Fast!!"

[@mrblaoblao6981]

I love PTA, such a genius. Thanks to Team Coco for this upload

[@MrUtah1]

1990s PTA is just like me discovering dirty humour at 13 or 14

[@gregorydavidson2744]

PTA's movies are the best. Super excited to see Licorice Pizza. It'll be my first PTA film in the theater

[@owenparker6651]

When Boogie Nights came out, I thought Paul Thomas Anderson was actually Paul Thomas, a popular and well known adult film actor and director. I could not believe the good things I was hearing about him as a director of a mainstream film, even if it was about the porn industry. Imagine my surprise when I learned the truth! PTA in no way comes off as a porn actor LOL

[@shen-long9082]

Your comment is moot. Why would we, youtube strangers, would care to imagine your surprised manner when you found out the "truth"?

[@owenparker6651]

@@shen-long9082 While I can only imagine how well versed you are on moot comments, you did read the comment and felt moved to reply to it, typos and bad grammar be damned, so by your own very actions, you have decreased the validity of your point. Thanks for that! I appreciate you taking the time to add your, well, two cents might be a tad high, but we'll give it to you for the lack of a better commonly known phrase...

[@FEARYOYOYO]

@@shen-long9082 Owned.

[@patreekotime4578]

@@owenparker6651 👏the master has spoken and the curtain goes down.

[@stephenallen4625]

Magnolia and the rest of his movies are fantastic! PTA!!

[@ClappOnUpp]

This is a really cool interview

[@shoWbitz]

I love Aimee Mann and her songs in Magnolia soundtrack.

[@sg6293]

Paul is completely coked up in this interview lol

[@CatatonicImperfect]

somebody make a gif out of his hands, please

[@fhgvijmkjkllghjkwejmjjh1621]

Two legends

[@rockyelvis]

i really really really really really love pauls laughter

[@justdrewit2498]

Babe, wake up! New PTA interview!

[@Road_Warrior81]

PTA is the Master!

[@shen-long9082]

Master of what? Who exactly is he?

[@Road_Warrior81]

@@shen-long9082 Google his name

[@robertkiner9333]

Just curious here, is PTA getting back at Conan @6:09? He mentions that people who don’t like Magnolia immediately bring up Boogie Nights and “that scene” which is exactly what Conan did. Thoughts?

[@user-rs9vj6wm8i]

I was thinking the same, I’m surprised Conan missed that

[@brauliosilva9563]

LONG LIVE CONAN

[@thedude5293]

awesome

[@jo36425]

i adore this

[@trappedintimesurroundedbye5477]

I'm watching at 4am in Houston 🤣

[@CatatonicImperfect]

man! he gave his hands a good workout here

[@cactaceous]

Cocaine era PTA. Magnolia is a masterwork. The best American filmmaker living.

[@HBarnill]

The modern day Stanley Kubrick.

[@anom6707]

Even comparing him to Kubrick is doing a disservice to Kubrick. I don’t think PTA has made a revolutionary movie like 2001 and I don’t think he ever will

[@srinivassridhar5151]

@@anom6707 the master, there will be blood and punch drunk love are all masterpieces. He's definitely in the same league as Kubrick, MartinScorsese, kurosawa, fellini etc..and he writes and directs his films as well, unlike Kubrick who adapted from other source material for every film he made. They both have their merits and flaws, but for sure Kubrick had a better filmography.

[@commonlogic3646]

The man

[@isuriadireja91]

Magnolia...the best movie of 1999...and one of the top 5 best movies in the whole 90's cinema.

[@mattyryon]

Always loved this guy since Resident Evil

[@brendanhickeymovies]

wrong dude my man

[@mattyryon]

@@brendanhickeymovies Oh is this the one who did event horizon? A legend

[@docravikumarjha]

"Those things... they start to disintegrate." "The fake ones?" 😂😂😂

[@rigsby1454]

Its nuts that the genius of our time is a goof

[@123mikanchan]

PTA you're the best!

[@symonalex2152]

PTA is one of the best director of our time.

[@SeemoreDunkan]

Love that guy

[@carlobalzer3238]

Brilliant film boogie night classic

[@hypostatics9475]

Seems like Conan didn’t quite catch that PTA was sort of dissing him there at the end.

[@seangalvin3196]

I think he got it. Conan was being passive aggressive and just dismiss of PTA the whole interview and im glad PTA gave a little back at end. Either way- what an interesting interview. Their chemistry was god aweful. I'd love to hear each of their views on this retrospectively.

[@paulovemx2222]

Though I think I've heard that it's one of Conan's favorite movie directors

[@dennispaulson6954]

For some reason this is exactly what I expected of a Tom Cruise porn ad😂😂😂

[@waqasbajwa3006]

Love Tom's "Stunt Work"😂😂😂

[@vishrutbajaj337]

Best director of all time.

[@vivo.latino]

Marky still has "it" and Tom has the "naughty sauce".

[@33tarot]

He's GEEEEEEEEEEKED

[@Pubrick]

Some say that the character Coked Up Werewolf was based on PTA's appearance in this episode.

[@Lateralus-yf3ek]

Magnolia is my favorite movie!

[@jonryanisdead]

naughty sauce

[@docdaytona108]

Perhaps Jorma Taccone’s most developed and subtlest character….

[@dontbefatuousjeffrey2494]

so THAT'S who I was thinking of! Thanks, man.

[@docdaytona108]

@@dontbefatuousjeffrey2494 Don’t worry, it took me a minute or two or ten.

[@georgiostemirsidis1966]

It feels really odd to see a genius who just seems like a regular guy. She's so goofy and humble.

[@wastrel333]

Glad to see Conan on the right side of history FINALLY #conan3rdreich #conanjan6th

[@brokenglassshimmerlikestar3407]

Lol what the f was that ad

[@jeffentwistle05]

For some reason he makes me think for Harmony Korine

[@paulkossak7761]

Only director to dare on Pynchon.

[@YouTubeKnight]

Love PTA. His Resident Evil movies are gold.

[@jpaxonreyes]

Wait...

[@shoWbitz]

😂😂😂

[@thomasm3100]

That’s Paul W.S. Anderson lol

[@richiecuna5781]

naughty sause for the win

[@skimasker3049]

Press 1 for "Naughty Sauce!"

[@Nebbb]

this nauty sauce

[@scottmaytham3429]

Naughty Sauce or Blue Cheese

[@user-tc7ms3hu2m]

":LOL

[@caseyspaos448]

This interview made it seem like Magnolia about the sleazy Tom Cruise character. If wouldn't see it based on that description, if I didn't know PTA's work.

[@nicholasbiddle7893]

Wait...didn't Conan immediately start talking about boogie nights lol? 6:24

[@offspringfan89]

Yeah, Conan did exactly what PTA described fans would do lol, definitely a subtle jab at Conan.

[@McPablo98]

HE WAS JUST A CHILD!

[@davek7706]

Controversial take: Magnolia is his greatest film.

[@tomthalon8956]

"My name is Donnie Smith, and I have lots of love to give."

[@sameerahmed-gx8js]

magnolia is complete roller coaster of human emotion but still i would There will blood is his best work

[@davek7706]

@@sameerahmed-gx8js I think Magnolia is the most PTA film there is. I think it's his most personal film, and his most meaningful. TWBB is meant to be a certain kind of film, and because of that there is a distance between the director and the film. I don't think pretentious is the right word, but it's close. That distance isn't there with Magnolia.

[@bcast9978]

Hip to be Square.

[@Gbo.]

He looks so young

[@Selina_luvs_coffee]

CONAN SHOULD DO HOT ONES

[@bobdebuilda3877]

My favorite part of this interview was that angry balding man just to the left of the camera

[@thekingofcool2105]

One is the loneliest number that could ever be Two.. can be as bad as one It's the loneliest number that you'll ever know...

[@JK_Clark]

Aww, RIP FSH who is amazing in this. Along with Julianne Moore. And William H Macy. Not forgetting John C. Reilly. Philip Baker Hall was excellent. Luis Guzman great as always. Little Jeremy Blackman (Stanley) was great too.

[@Dan-ux3gz]

Can't stop analyzing PTA's body language.

[@nubbynater_8894]

PTA BABYYYYYYYY!!! #moo

[@ShredCo]

Hard Eight is underrated.

[@gabrielidusogie9189]

I didn’t know PTA was on Conan? I knew he went on Kimmel but not Conan.

[@JDSundeavors]

Late Night lasts forever.

[@wy4553]

I thought Magnolia was terrible but I must admit that the performances were pretty great, especially Tom Cruise's.

[@michaelmcdonald8452]

I couldn’t wait for it because I loved BN so much and when it finally arrived in theaters I thought it was junk, a few scenes aside. I revisited it for the first time last year thinking to re-evaluate it and everything I disliked the first time, I felt the same twenty years later

[@SallyMankus130]

@@michaelmcdonald8452 You may personally not like it, but the objective craftsmanship within this film is rivalled by very few pieces of art.

[@mcgurkryans]

Cut to the chase … 5:01

[@jiyama]

Tom looks like hes the alternate version of Patrick Bateman. Bale really did his homework

[@Rlrlrl1962]

Not my sweet Tommy..

[@Hunteriscoming]

Fook Christian Bale. Boring Batman!

[@carlosconesa]

Loved MAGNOLIA when it came out. It may not have aged that well, but it will always have a special place in my heart. Also, Tom Cruise was robbed at the Oscars.

[@SallyMankus130]

I’ve seen the film at least 50 times and there’s still new details that I catch during every viewing.

[@KianMillz]

Team Cocaine

[@brauliosilva9563]

52 second ago gang

[@hemmojito]

"...You wouldn't believe the crap that's running on late night TV..." Conan ...

[@OstrichRidingCowboy]

Back when he was still a squeaky voiced twentysomething.

[@tomthalon8956]

No. Born 1970.

[@davidparker527]

@@tomthalon8956 Born June 26, 1970. He was 29 at the time of this broadcast.

[@brauliosilva9563]

No views gang

[@dariusradu2369]

Tom Cruise in Magnolia was the first alpha male guru weirdo. Guys like Andrew Tate got nothing on him😎

[@Toxxsicklemons]

Oh yeah he's on that White girl

[@DrAwesome2570]

Fun Fact: Magnolia is the greatest movie ever made

[@harrytheodorakis5442]

There is no comparison between him and Tarantino. He is a genius making movies for clever people, Tarantino is a smart ass making movies for idiots,it's all about publicity.

[@jqyhlmnp]

The thumbnail makes Paul look like the actor and Tom look like the director

[@tomallen5837]

this is not from four hours ago

[@tse7794]

#2

[@tarico4436]

It's simple, really: "Short Cuts" by director Robert Altman depicts a dozen or so main characters whose lives oddly interact in phenomenal ways; all of it chance, one might say, and none of our human stuff is predetermined. Anderson's "Magnolia" was clearly a response to "Short Cuts." Tons of main characters? Check. These characters interacted in odd and unusual ways even though they lived totally different lives and a betting person would bet a lot of money that they really should never meet? Check. Add to that the scene where hundreds of frogs falling out of the sky just happened to save one of the main characters, and then on the screen were the words, "It happened once; it could happen again," or something to that effect. Which is an allusion to one of the nine plagues sent to the Egyptians by the one and only God, the Hebrews' God, and these plagues were sent to convince the Pharaoh to (as Chuck Heston once so eloquently put it) "Let my people go!" Altman was saying it's all chance, there is nobody up there pulling strings, and Anderson was replying: "No, Altman, you're wrong. There is a God." I will leave it up to you to watch both movies, and then tell me I'm wrong.

[@tarico4436]

Oh, and I forgot one other similarity: both films were just over 3 hours long. There were a few other similarities, but I've given you enough to chew on for the time being.

[@pauljoedominic]

I remember that movie. I would like to add "Happiness (1998)" also into the list. I felt that one also had similar vibes.

[@tarico4436]

@@pauljoedominic Wasn't that "Happyness" with a y not an i? With Will Smith in the lead? I did not see that movie.

[@SallyMankus130]

I believe PTA is simply saying that existence is simultaneously insignificant and filled with meaning. One can’t exist without the other.

[@tarico4436]

@@SallyMankus130 To judge the currency of your comment, J B, I'm sure I'd have to rewatch both films in the next few days. Yours might be more to his point, or mine might. Also, it helps if you've seen both, too, and not just PTA's contribution to this debate.

[@jeanniemaycrawford4466]

Is this the guy married to Milla jovovich?

[@AlejandroPetruk]

That's Paul W. S. Anderson.

[@IEatBananas]

He's married to Maya Rudolph

[@jeanniemaycrawford4466]

@@IEatBananas sorry, mistook him for the other Anderson

[@_Rick___Grimes_]

no thats the guy who makes all the resident evil movies and old mortal kombat movies

[@tomthalon8956]

@@IEatBananas Never married her.