awkwardness

Somebody — Anybody — Give John Goodman a Hug and Tell Him How Great He Is

2015 Toronto International Film Festival
John Goodman. Photo: Walter McBride/Getty Images

John Goodman is a swell guy, and no one needs to hear that message more than John Goodman himself. In his appearance this week on “The Howard Stern Show,” Goodman revealed that, even though he is an almost universally beloved actor, he could still use a hug and some words of encouragement. Take the time he tried to talk to Kristen Wiig at a party. “I think she’s so great, and the social barriers broke down and I interrupted the conversation,” he revealed. “And I would just hate for somebody to do that to me. And she goes, ‘Yeah, I’ll talk to you in a minute.’” At this, he made a sound of a bomb exploding. “I really like her, and it was embarrassing, so I’ll never speak to her again.”

Which is fine, because nobody should speak to John Goodman whose first words aren’t “I loved you in Roseanne.”

That feeling apparently extended to his time on The Monuments Men. Though Goodman says he had a great time with Bill Murray, he admits that he felt a little bit insecure around co-stars George Clooney and Matt Damon. “I tried to hang with them, but Matt and George would always have these conversations and they’d go out for cocktails afterwards and I don’t really drink. I don’t bring a lot to that party because they’re super A-level guys.”

If the world of Monuments Men is a world where John Goodman is not a super A-level guy, I don’t think that’s a world I’d care to join.

And if that hasn’t made you sad enough, Goodman also notes that he doesn’t think he did a good enough job the last time he hosted Saturday Night Live: “It’s the first time I felt I let them down … I ran out of gas.” But luckily, it’s not all awkwardness and embarrassment. Goodman is effusive with praise for his Skull Island co-star Brie Larson, who apparently did a great job of making everyone feel included on the set: “Every weekend she would organize stuff to do for peopleBecause she’s over-sensitive about people getting nervous and angry and on each other’s nerves. She’s incredible.” Cheers to you, Brie Larson, for being the only person in Hollywood who can make John Goodman realize he’s a good man.

John Goodman Shares Awkward Kristen Wiig Story