Accessibility
Officer, Salesforce,
Good afternoon,
everyone. Thank you for
being here. I have the
pleasure of introducing
today's guest. He's
a Hollywood icon,
actor, producer,
director,
New York Times
bestselling
author, and a
philanthropist.
His career has spanned
across more than
four decades, and
he has starred in
unforgettable projects
like the Outsiders,
the West Wing, Parks
and Recreation,
9-1-1 Lone Star, and
hosts a hit podcast.
Beyond the spotlight,
he has been open
about his journey,
whether it's his three
decades of sobriety,
navigating life
with an invisible
disability, or his advocacy
for more inclusive
communities. And
I think that ties
in perfectly to what
we're talking about
today, which is
accessibility, inclusion,
and allowing people
to show up as their
authentic selves.
So please join me in
welcoming Rob Lowe.
Super excited. This
is the Super Bowl of
tech conferences, they
tell me. It really is.
So I'm psyched.
Is it your
Thank you. As long
as I'm better than
Matthew McConaughey.
That's all I care about.
Well, this is my 19th
Dreamforce. So if
you need a tour,
I'd be happy to show
you around. Fantastic.
Anytime. I am.
I would love that.
That's great. Great.
So something about
you that not a lot of
people know about. I
didn't know about it
until recently is that
you are deaf in one
ear stone deaf Stone
deaf in my right ear
have been since I was
born. I mean, well
They they think I had
the mump undiagnosed
mumps. That's like
having scurvy. It's like
a pirate thing. It's
like mumps. It's it
And it's so I
have no hearing on
this side, which
is why I was super
focused on where
we would be sitting
because I always need
to be on this so like
in movies and TV
shows I always have to
be on certain sides
of people when I'm
walking I put that phone
up to my ear because
I never put the phone
up to this ear like
I'll miss my ear it's
like really insane
stuff that goes on but
I've just figured out
how to live with it
and I don't know any
differently so that's
the blessing of it
right that makes sense
I just wish for once
I could hear dark
side of the moon
with headphones
on. Just one night.
They say it. You'll
never know. Yeah.
Have you ever used any
assistive technology
to help bridge gaps
for accessibility?
Of course, my vanity
and narcissism have
prevented me from ever
wearing a hearing aid.
No, but that won't
work for me, actually,
because it's nerve
dead. So the hearing aid
would only make this,
which I apparently have
super hearing on this
side, they tell me.
But, yeah, I host
a show now called
The Floor, which is
a big game show on
Fox. Oh, Floor fans?
Super fun, right?
I love it. It's such
an addictive game.
But when I do that,
because it's kind of like
being an air traffic
controller, you
have to pay attention
to the gameplay, who's
made what money, how
much time. They have
all that stuff being
fed with an earwig.
And so that's
super helpful, but
it's really, really
kind of having
people in your head
where you're trying
to do your thing
is a challenge.
Yeah, I can imagine.
Well, chaotic.
So I listen to
your podcast.
I think my wife is on
this week. Oh, cool.
Everybody? Everybody?
They want Cheryl
Lowe? Great. I can
do that. She's a
very cheap guest.
Yeah, that's true.
I love the name, by the
way. I'm a huge Parks
and Rec fan. Thank
you. I binged watched
it with my older daughter
during COVID. it.
So you brought a lot
of joy to that time.
Thank you. I'm very
proud of Parks and Rec.
It was a great,
great group of
people. Everybody
loved each other.
you'd come home at
the end of a long day
and go, I didn't do
anything today. I
just hung out with my
buddies and had fun.
Yeah. It was
great. Had a good
laugh. Yeah.
That's awesome.
So with your podcast
you strike me as someone
who was really curious
about how the world
changes and adapts
and when you look back
are there examples how
technology has evolved
over the years to
better support you or
others in the industry
well we're all living
obviously in a world
where technology is
advancing so quickly
and everybody is trying
to find their their
place in it and and one
of the things that that
i find myself being
really interested in
and wanting to help
in whatever way I can
is preparing people
for what AI is going
to mean to their lives.
And in leading with
hope and optimism,
as opposed to
confusion and fear.
And, you know, I have, my
sons are both
early thirties.
So, you know, it'll
be whatever it's
going to be for
them. But like I
have nieces and
nephews, and their
world will be
unrecognizable to ours.
believe that it is
the shakeout, we all
know, is going to be
really challenging.
But there are
always going to be
winners, always,
always, always, always.
And if I'd have known
early on in my acting
career when I started
what the odds were,
I don't know how I
would have coped,
what I would have done,
but I had the sense
of like, well,
somebody's got to do it.
Why not me? And that's
kind of what I feel
about where we're
going in terms of
technology, is that
there are going to be new
opportunities, new
businesses, things
unimagined. And if you
come to it in a faithful
place as opposed
to a fearful place,
you're going to be
way ahead of everybody
else. So that's sort of
what I actually spend
a lot of time
thinking about because
things are changing so
much. So fast. Yeah.
Well, you've really
approached reinvention
throughout your career
and you seem to me
to be someone who
embraces change. Right.
How did you go about
the reinvention through
each stage? Well, I'm
you know, my business
is very fickle and
it just chews people
up and can spit them
out. And I think that
longevity is something
I'm the most,
one of the things
I'm most proud
of. And I think
I'm fundamentally
have tools that are
fundamental to who
i am so i would say
curiosity like being
curious remaining open
to new information
new ways of doing
things um i would
say the ability to
pivot yeah um the and
the ability to stay
in your lane in
terms of what others
are doing in in recovery
I've been sober a
long, long time,
like 35 years, but
who's counting? I am.
But in recovery,
there's a great
phrase, never
compare your
insides to someone
else's outsides.
So for me, what that
is, is when I did
the West Wing, for
example, that was 1999,
and it was a
time where it was
still considered
down market to come
from movies and
be on television.
It's hard to
believe now because
everybody's on
television, but
it was a thing,
a real thing.
And I'm just not a
person that was like,
oh, well, that means
I'm not a movie
star anymore, and
what's that going to
mean, and what are
they going, and
what if Martin Scorsese
is casting a movie,
he's not going to
want to, and get
caught up in what
others are thinking.
So those things are
absolute must-haves.
to adapting and being
able to reinvent
yourself. There's
probably other stuff
too, but those are the
main ones. At least
for me, they have
been. Yeah, I think
that's really helpful
is kind of staying
true to yourself and
your core abilities
and then moving
through the changes.
And also, I also
think a lot about,
you know, there are a
lot of great actors.
There are a lot
of great authors.
There are a lot of
great podcasters.
so a lot of guys and
gals can do what I
do. but I try to think
of what are the things
that only I can
do and so it's the
phrase I use is don't
just do what you can do
do what only you can
do and I spend a lot
of time thinking
about that as well and
when I come to places
like this I always
try to sort of think
about what I've been
through what I'm
thinking about, where I
want to go, and how
that could be actionable
for people who aren't
in my business.
You're very
versatile, too.
Yes. Well, the game
show is a perfect
idea. I mean, there's
a world where,
like, if you were
on a game show,
you were out of
the business, man.
I mean, there is a
little bit. I got
to be honest, there's
a little bit of
that now where,
like, if I ran into,
I don't know, if
I'm sitting talking
Leonardo DiCaprio
is like, yeah,
I'm working for
Christopher Nolan,
man. I'm like,
oh, great. What
are you doing,
Rob? I'm like, ah.
But it's like, I dig
it. And I learn on it.
I get to interact
with people.
And the real thing
I love is that in a
world where your kids
are playing Roblox
and you're watching
something on Netflix,
families watch The
Floor together.
And that's a real rarity.
I recently watched
Inside the Mind of a
Dog. Yes. And it's
a documentary about
the scientific and
emotional insights of
our beloved dogs,
including service dogs.
And my father was
paraplegic, and he utilized
a wheelchair and
had service animals
throughout his life,
service dogs. And so to
watch this and see the
science and the rigor
behind that training
was so cool. Wasn't
that amazing, the service
dog training? Yes.
I mean, of
course they have
training, but it
never occurred to
me until I did
this documentary
what that's like.
And now some
of them don't
make it. I know.
My dad had one that
didn't make it.
Really? You want
to see sad? Yeah.
When they tell
the service dog.
I didn't make it.
You didn't make it.
What drew you
to doing this? I
love dogs. I've
got six of them.
Apparently, don't tell
anybody I'm breaking
a California statute.
If you have more
than five, you have to
have a kennel license
apparently really
yeah i have six dogs
love my dogs um and
again curiosity you
know i was super
interested in the i love
documentaries and i
was really interested
in the in the area when
they when they came
to me and it's it's
performed really well
people like it yeah
it's really fascinating
it is fun and you've
also been involved
with the global down
syndrome foundations
Be Beautiful, Be
Yourself fashion show.
What drew you to
that, and what
did that experience
mean to you?
they know how to
walk the runway.
I mean, that
was the best.
And I've worked a lot
over the years with
charities for people
with intellectual
disabilities, whether
it's Best Buddies
is a big one for
me. I've been
an ambassador
for them forever.
And that's through
my relationship
with Maria Shriver,
who's going to
be in one of these
chairs tomorrow.
And being able
to give back.
And again, everybody
says giving back, and
we all love it.
That's great. The part
of it for me is the
connection with people
that I might not
otherwise come across.
and and being able
to be inspired by the
courage of people
who face a kind of
adversity that would
be unimaginable to me
and and so I I always
come away so much
more pumped up and so
much more full that
um I'm the one who
gets everything out
of it I feel like
gives you a totally
different perspective.
Yeah, 100%. Yeah.
And then you've
mentioned this before,
but speaking of causes
you've been connected
to, you've been open
about being sober
and having 30 plus
years of sobriety.
Yes. Thank you.
I'll take the
applause. Why not?
I'm not too proud.
I'm also sober and we
have a community here
at Salesforce. It's a
subset of AbilityForce.
Oh, wow. That's
great. awesome yeah
sober force and it
provides community and
connection for those
who are sober sober
that's amazing that's
great yeah next year
i gotta come to that
that would be wonderful
yes you have a
sober mix and mingle
all right next year
yeah 100 um what do you
do to help foster
connection and community
in your own life or
for others it's my
it's my favorite thing
to do is to talk to
folks who are interested
in, struggling
with drug, alcohol,
any type of addiction.
Because it's all the
same. Addiction is
the same regardless of
whether it's gambling,
***, food, alcohol,
it's all the same.
no matter what walk
of life, what you do,
what you've accomplished,
where you live, the
minute you get in a
community like that you're
just like everybody
else and you know
today was so much out
there that wants to divide
us or does divide us
anything that brings
people together I'm
a big fan of so but I
particularly like um
working with adolescents
parenting are
kind of over.
And so anytime I
get my hands on
like a 16-year-old
who's, you know,
starting. Because
the other thing
is those kids all
have to figure out
their relationships
with drugs and
alcohol. That's
part of growing up.
And everybody
is going to fall
and do too much.
And it doesn't
mean you have a
problem. But like,
and I'm not talking
out of school.
My son is very open
about it. My son
has got almost eight
years sober now,
but I knew he was
one of us at the
time. I was like,
oh, yeah, buddy.
He'd just be
like, oh, go,
And so being able
to talk to other
parents about it
because it's hard.
You know, it's
really, really,
really hard to
raise teenagers.
It's really hard. Male,
female, it doesn't
make any difference.
towards the end of it,
you ever see those
running backs who get
an open field and
they're just ripping and
they get they weave
their way through the
field and finally
they get to the five
yard line and they
almost fall over? That's
what I felt like
raising kids. I was like
I was almost
at the end zone
I got three teenage
daughters so I hear
you. I hear you very
loud and clear I'm
not sure I'm going to
make it it's a siege
but now of course
that it's over
I miss it so
anytime I can help I
can help adolescents
I love being
able to do that
that's wonderful
because it's the
best life ever
being in recovery
yeah agree because
the very things
that make us
looking for great addicts
It can also make you
great in recovery.
And I'm a big
believer that our
flaws are also our
superpowers if they're
harnessed in the
right direction.
And that's really true in
recovery because
I'm selfish.
Self-centered is
the same thing,
right? Because I
get a lot of that.
Doubling up on
it. Yeah, double,
I got it, double barrels.
So that kind of
thinking keeps me sober.
Like I'm not giving up
my days for anybody.
I can relate to
that. Right? So it's
all about how you
manage your flaws. Yes,
Into your
superpower, yeah.
So overall, looking
across your career,
you've navigated this
invisible disability,
embracing emerging
technologies,
you explore
various genres and
platforms, and how
have these experiences
shaped your views
on inclusion,
empathy, and the
power of storytelling?
Listen, it's our
greatest gift as humans
is the ability to
communicate and tell
stories. And I will
always say that
storytelling is the most
important thing ever
because the first
caveman that said, hey,
that lake's got a
crocodile in it or
whatever, that was a
very important story.
for his tribe and
and those who didn't
know how to tell that
story paid the consequence
it's over there
it's kind of that
other thing and then
the other guy told the
story in a great way
like when you really
think about it it's
funny it's true and
and more than ever um
because we're we're
able to tell stories
on so many different
platforms and in so
many different ways
with so much outreach
um it's it's more
important than
ever so i feel like
it's a huge honor
to be a storyteller.
I do it in my books.
I do it in the
podcast. I do it in
things like this.
And I try to
embolden people
to follow their
own superpower.
And I'm a big believer
in apprenticeship
and i'm a big believer
in finding people
that you admire and
shadowing being near
them listening to them
learning from them
um so much is now
i mean it's a great
it's like if you could
if i could like spend
an hour learning
from chat gvt and an
hour learning from a
human being like that
would be the ideal
day for both for both
oh yeah both oh yeah
both okay 100 yeah
yeah relatable yeah
i i think you you
need you need both
and that's why um
bringing bringing
young folks up and and
having them be in your
your orbit to teach
them is really
important yeah right who
would you want to
who's your if you're
the apprentice who's
the oh wow i mean
again i'm super
interested in in in this
world that you all are
living in um so i've been
really blessed to have
some great mentors
that i get to learn
from whether it's mark
andresen or or uh you
know folks like that
uh you know super and
mark's one of my great
he's been on the podcast
i think twice now
yeah he's amazing and
um it's a world i i
come i came to with
absolutely no knowledge but
with a huge amount of
curiosity and um and
it's changed my life
and i i want to be a
part very much of where
the world is going
because storytelling
is going to be a huge
part of it huge part
and so yeah mentors are
are important no matter
where or who you are
so as ai continues to
transform entertainment
what excites you most
about its potential
to expand to either
like inclusion
or for the the
inclusion element is
is amazing because
when i started out
when i was a
little kid we made
backyard movies it
was eight millimeter
films which was expensive
we couldn't we had to
edit them in camera
because there was
no editing equipment
so now obviously
anybody there's no
excuse for a filmmaker
to not make their
own movie make it
now you can make it
now anybody no matter
where you're from
all over the world
new filmmakers
entree that is unimaginable
and that's that's
the greatest advantage
of of the new
technology you know
for like traditional
hollywood everybody's
dying they are so scared
and trying to figure
it out and it's this
tsunami and and i would
honestly say that 75
of the legacy uh movie
and tv industry are
rearranging the deck
chairs on the Titanic
because it's worked
for them and they're
going to milk the last
few miles out of that
Edmund Fitzgerald
before that thing sinks
because why not as
opposed to take a
couple of steps back
and reinvent and do
all that hard work
when they're going
to be out of it in
five years anyway so
it's amazing
the amount of
But there's
also obviously
we have to figure
out the license,
the rights issues,
the licensing.
All of that stuff
needs to be figured
out. But there are
folks who are like, no.
As opposed to,
no, no, no, no.
Sora can use me,
but they're going to
pay me X, Y. You
know what I'm saying?
There needs to be...
It's like anything
else. Why can't we
just have dialogues?
entrenched in their camp.
And there very
much is an anti-AI
tech bias in the
artistic community.
when photography
happened.
You think about
it, were they?
And they go, oh,
****, they were.
it's just going to
be something new
so curiosity again
curiosity and
don't be fearful
don't be fearful
someone's going to win
might as well be you
could be me could
be you, could
actually be you or
you, or you, or you
so what's something
that you're working
on or excited about
putting out next and
I did see something
about the Secret
Service. Yeah, it's
funny, I've never been
busier in my entire...
There's a lot.
I've had a
show on the air
That's crazy. Crazy,
right? I mean,
it's like...
That's incredible.
I know. It's like,
I have a Secret
Service show that
I'm developing.
I like to do things
that I want to watch.
Like, I want to
watch... Where's
that Jack Bauer
Secret Service show?
I'm like, I know. I'll
make it. So I have
that. I have a show
about the Coast Guard,
about Coast Guard
intradictions, and I've
never seen a show
about the Coast Guard.
And then I have
a comedy where I
would play like a,
I love sports, so
I'd play like a
sportscaster who,
you know, now
because of, you know,
all of the new social
media platforms
is maybe a little
behind the times and
has to re-up his
game. That's a comedy.
And I'm finishing
my third book
called What Do I Know?
A Guide to Living.
But it's cool. It's
literally everything
from like how to
take a good picture.
You have no idea.
People are like,
can I take a picture?
I'm like, yeah,
why don't we turn
towards the light?
Right? So it's everything
from like really
tiny, actionable stuff
like that. you're like
of course to you know
marriage and kids
and sobriety and so
um i'm overdue for my
deadline but i'm going
to get it done i can't
wait yeah it'll be
fun well thank you so
much for being here
thank you this has been
amazing for me the best
highlight out of all
the 19 years and I
really appreciate your
time. Thank you. Thank
you. Thank you, guys.
