Fresh Air Best Of: Will Arnett / ‘Song Sung Blue’ Director Craig Brewer
13 snips
Jan 10, 2026 
Will Arnett, known for his roles in Arrested Development and BoJack Horseman, shares his journey of performing stand-up under an alias for his new film Is This Thing On?, exploring themes of identity and honesty in midlife. Craig Brewer, the filmmaker behind Song Sung Blue, discusses the true story of a Milwaukee couple as a Neil Diamond tribute band, revealing insights about emotional masculinity and the creative process in capturing actors' chemistry. Both guests delve into the vulnerabilities of performance art and personal growth.
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Music As A Path To Dignity
- Craig Brewer frames Song Sung Blue as a story about dignity and purpose found through music rather than just a tribute act biography.
- He connects the Milwaukee couple's devotion to Neil Diamond with deeper themes of identity and redemption.
Studio Sessions Revealed The Couple
- Brewer pre-recorded all songs in Memphis and discovered character chemistry in the studio sessions.
- Seating Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson side-by-side on a couch loosened them and revealed their married dynamic quickly.
Positive Masculinity Resonates
- Audiences responded emotionally to Hugh Jackman's performance because the film foregrounds positive, vulnerable masculinity.
- Brewer sees the film as honoring men who quietly patch themselves and keep going.
