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RE-RELEASE - Robert Smigel

March 25, 2026 / 01:15:09

This episode features Robert Smiggel, discussing his career as a comedy sketch writer, his work with Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, and experiences on SNL.

Robert Smiggel shares insights about his time as a head writer for SNL and his collaborations with notable comedians like Adam Sandler and Dana Carvey. He reflects on the challenges and dynamics of working in comedy.

The conversation includes humorous anecdotes about Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, who makes a surprise appearance, adding a lively element to the discussion. Triumph's interactions with the hosts and Smiggel lead to comedic exchanges.

Smiggel also discusses his charity work, particularly the "Night of Too Many Stars" event for autism awareness, highlighting the importance of using comedy for a good cause.

Throughout the episode, the hosts reminisce about their experiences in comedy, the evolution of sketches, and the impact of their work on audiences.

TLDR

Robert Smiggel discusses his comedy career, SNL experiences, and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog's surprising appearance.

Episode

1:15:09
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Robert Smeiggel. Robert Smeiggel >> coming back at you. >> You know, we will say this a lot, but
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arguably the best sketch writer. There's no such thing as the best. He's among
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>> the greatest uh >> comedy sketch writers >> of his generation. And he's written a
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lot of movies with Sandler and so and he's our friend and uh it was just fun.
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is Triumph the dog. That's very orry. >> Yeah, I think he does a lot of Triumph.
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And Triumph actually, well, you'll see it gets a little get gets heated a little bit between us and Triumph.
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>> Oh, that's right. And Triumph Oh, also Smiggle, didn't he? Wasn't he the
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headwriter for Conan for a while for the first show? >> Uh for the the talk show he did. Yeah.
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Yeah, he was the headwriter there. And he's uh he was one of my bosses at SNL
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because he was always in the room picking sketches with Franken and Downey and Lauren. So he always had a lot of
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pole. >> Mhm. >> He does night of night of too many stars. I think that's for autism. It's
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his charity. >> He did the Dana Carvey show that lasted eight episodes with
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>> Dino Stapanopoulos. >> That disaster. >> Steve Carell and Steven Colbear.
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>> Whoops. Allstar >> Louis CK. >> Louis CK I hired as my headwriter.
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>> I mean, >> no, >> she did pretty well. >> Um, all right. So, here's Robert. We
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have a lot of laughs cuz we know him very well. >> Enjoy >> all the momentum we had with the Lauren
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impression. >> Oh, we were Oh, yeah. And you were saying Lauren, you did impression before
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that. before Mark McKini. Mark McKini did um the only person who did it my first year was Mark McKini and he did
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like a >> beautifully accurate Lauren like a wellobserved Lauren >> and actually said complete sentences
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>> and it was very impressive. But then the next year I just started doing cartoony
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Lauren on my own. And then I went into I remember going into Dana's office. >> Mhm.
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>> And uh you know I and I admitting that I sort of do Lauren like you know I want
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to show and look I think Dana and then Dana's like oh yeah I do Lauren too. And
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Dana starts going like oh what do you think of act three? Just had that move. Like something
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Lauren's never done in his life. I did a lot of things. >> Incredibly per. It was just perfect. It
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was like this self-satisfied. >> We still have no [ __ ] first act. >> I've got no [ __ ] first act. No
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[ __ ] code. >> Marcy, look at the book of horn, please. Chapter two. >> Frank and ride a bush. Frank and ride a
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bush. Franken ride a bush. Immediately >> Frank and a bush. There was a lot of
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bush cold openings. >> Franken. >> Remember Robert when you made the
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cartoon thing where you flip the pages? Which what which cartoon? >> Well, I was doing Bush Senior so much. I
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didn't know that the writing staff was kind of like again. So then I saw a thing where it's like a flip page where
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it was Bush. Yeah. And he sp You spin it and see me as Bush. >> It was like It was like a series of It
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was like one of those flip. What was it? It was like Was it Franken putting Bush cold open on the What?
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>> I thought it was Bush taking a poo or something. I thought it was scatological.
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>> It could have been. >> I like Frank and putting the card on the on the uh lineup.
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>> I have to say Franken takes a beating on your show. >> He's coming. He's coming on very very
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soon. I mean, he's become like Well, Sarah got him back by stabbing him in the head
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with a pencil. >> Yeah. >> Did you hear that one? >> Well, I went through
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>> I was not there. That was after I had um left for Conan. But but do you remember
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this? Uh Spade, I bet you remember this. So one of the impressions I I was the one I think who started that
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>> like me and Conan I used to do this thing for Conan of Al. Um and I feel bad
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because Al got me the job actually and I love Al but but he was tough back then and so everybody kind of yeah needed to
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release some energy. Mine was like Al on his back and it like a snapping turtle.
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>> Flip me over. >> Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. >> Well, I I thought that's why he would
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when he was running for senator, I thought he'll be great in there because Al is blunt and doesn't he just says
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what he thinks. I thought that'd be good for It was great. But on the but well
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boy when he was in the Senate he was my hero because he >> he kind of like
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>> contained himself from being as confrontational like I mean at the show
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>> his last few years at the show I think I think he was kind of unhappy to be
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honest with you. I mean, he was like in his 40s and I don't think this is what
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he was dreaming of doing in his 40s and I I think it was I think that's in his
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defense like he was confused as to what he wanted to do with his life and then he started writing those books and I
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think he found direction and >> yeah he's always hyper political and that was fun writing with him and Downey
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cuz you know dreams and then he's sitting next to Spade at readthrough and he's like what happened.
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>> It's like George Seagull and just shoot me. He goes in the middle of a scene.
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He'd stop and he goes, he'd look at the crowd. He goes, "I did a movie with
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Elizabeth Taylor and I'm standing next to this [ __ ] now." >> Well, I remember Jan Hooks once saying
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to me, "Shmag, don't become one of those writers who's 50 years old and wearing
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blue jeans and sitting on the floor, flannel shirt, whatever you do." It's
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always sitting on the floor with a notebook. >> It's true. I mean, it's just you never
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grow up when you're at that >> a little sache where you put your bitterness in a bitterness pouch. We're
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like just keep loading things >> and Al's defense didn't get up the show.
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I did 6 years. It gets mind-numbing and it gets you're in a box of like no sun
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and pizza and ordering in and stress and everyone else's energy. And so, >> you did a long run there, too. You seem
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pretty normal, but that that was a long run you had. >> I did a long run that I got out when I
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was like 33 and to do the Conan show and then I came back but in a much more sane capacity. I just did the cartoons.
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Yeah. And all I had to do was show up on >> Yeah. All I had to do was show up on
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Saturday. So I wasn't really a part of the the thing anymore. But Al was like,
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you know, there every day and he's like in his 40s. Well, let's get back to Schmiggel's
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unbelievable career. Do we want to be a little bit uh do we want to go a little bit to Young Smiggle first or would you
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like to go later? >> Young or what about Can my friend come on cuz he thinks Young Smiggle's a
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[ __ ] boore to be honest. >> Yeah. Let me see who do you got over there? >> He's been he's been uh he's been riding
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me ever since. >> This is This is unique for Fly on the Wall. We have a a guest with a special
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guest. You have a guest with a guest who's just I don't know. He just thinks
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that he can jazz it up. You know, >> he better behave. >> Should I bring him out?
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>> Bring him out. Why not? >> This is Oh goodness. >> WHAT? HERE I AM. Here I am. FINALLY. GOD
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Jesus Christ. What a long wait. No, this is terribly exciting. So exciting. >> Hi, Triumph.
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>> Blind. >> Do not make fun of this show or us. Triumph. I did. Please.
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>> Oh, I know. I understand. Those are the ground rules I have to work with.
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>> No, no, no jokes about the show. No, no making fun of anyone. >> Okay, good.
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>> No, honestly, this is a great show. Fly on the wall. >> Not for me to poop on. No, no, fantastic
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show. >> That's good. Fly on the wall. There's a lot of buzz I hear around Fly.
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>> Good job, Triumph. Thank you. >> Yeah, the same kind of uh buzz flies
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make around my ass. You see it because it's not as attract [ __ ] and the show is what makesense. You
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see the joke you get. >> Yeah, that took a turn. But you like it. It's
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>> it's what it's a switcheroo. >> No spade. This is a great show. It fills
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a need, you know, because let's face it, Saturday Night Live, it hasn't gotten
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enough attention or retrospectives or anniversary shows. Just I mean honestly I mean just the
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other day I was thinking this uh after watching my best of finesse Mitchell DVD I was THINKING WHY WHY HAS SNL BEEN
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written about only slightly more than World War II? Why not? And today's show my goodness. How did
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you land this guest? The hand up my ass. Seriously, I'm worried. I'm I'm a little
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concerned. This is your first season. You've already run out of people we care
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about. >> No, Smiggle's a big deal. He wrote a lot of great stuff. Hey, sure he is.
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Everybody stay tuned. We've got the fourth funniest guy from the the Bear sketch.
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>> And you have to explain what this sketch was to people under 60. It's trouble.
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>> This is what you're looking forward to. You already did Sandler, Rock, Mike
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Myers. This is your future. This is pretending to be interested in questions like tell me in coming up with goat boy
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which came first to you the goat or the boy is it a boy who becomes a goat or a goat who becomes a boy? Our listeners
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really our 10 remaining listeners are dying >> there's more we didn't get the news.
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>> No I kid I kid again. >> Oh he's kidding Dana. >> No your show's great. It's a very very
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successful money grab. I mean hit you have like how many subscri you got like 400,000 listeners right? Yeah,
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>> I'm going to say yes. >> And not to this episode, that's for
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sure. But up to now, >> now here the all we can hope today is to beat Alan's Y Bell's numbers
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>> numbers. >> And who better? >> Who better to co-host this show than
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Dana Carvey, one of the alltime greatest cast members on Saturday Night >> and then why why would you say that?
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It's almost as if you think I'm going to hurt your feelings. Oh, I think this
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will be a compliment. >> Exactly. Dana Carvey, one of the all-time greatest cast members of Saturday Night
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Live, and David Spade, who was also on the show. >> No, Spade's everywhere. Spade is doing
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great. He's everywhere. This is Dana, this is actually a boost for you. You know, audiences are connecting with you
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again. That's what's great. I only wish, Dana, that you did this show like 15
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years ago, you know, when podcasts were starting and all the people you do impressions of were still alive.
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>> Now it's like >> I've lost a lot of them. >> Now it's like, hey folks, what would
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happen? What if Ross Perau and Jimmy Stewart weren't rotting corpses slowly disintegrating into the soil? So might
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go something like the Well, you're you're trying to be president. Yeah, I can't finish one
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time. I'll just do it there. I did. >> Listen to your act. It's like the audio
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six sense. I hear dead people. >> I'm sorry. Is this wrong? This is a podcast. You're supposed to You're
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supposed to be complimenting each other on >> That's what it is, right?
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>> I mean, yeah, >> that's what podcasts are. White people complimenting each other.
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>> Yeah. We need more old white people. Very nice. >> Old white people complimenting. Old
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white people. Old white people compliment. I've got a theme song for you. >> Harmonize with me, Dana. Old white
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people complimenting. Old white people. Old white people. >> Old white people.
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>> It's very hard to do over Zoom. I just realized. >> I Yes. >> Listen, Spade Spade,
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>> I don't I don't want to uh insult you. You had an amazing career.
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>> Thank you. >> Yeah. Tommy boy then starring in a string of hit sitcoms that no one
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remembers waiting for him to fake laugh. >> I'm laughing. >> Hey,
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>> and God bless Bernie Brilstein, right? He started the whole thing off, right?
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>> Calling the creators of Just Shoot Me and gently coaxing Steve Levitan to hire
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his client. >> You need a comic relief guy. >> I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't
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mean to. No, it's hysterical. Easy trim. >> Um, snippity dippity. >> No, I think we got to put people We got
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to let them >> No, that's that's uh showed your thing. You did your thing.
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>> Did Triumph hurt your feelings? I need to know. >> No, >> not at all.
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>> Little bit spade. >> No, because I thought Triumph is a little older now and maybe he was not
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like that anymore. >> No, no, it's like it's I'm older. That's
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the problem. Like I didn't give a [ __ ] about this when I started trying. >> I I liked old white people complimenting
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other old white people or something like that. That was >> We looked it up. There's 2.8 million
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podcasts. >> Are you kidding me? >> It's like it's like co It's just there's
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more every day and no one knows what to do and people are getting affected with it.
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>> Here's what I've observed about this one because I've listened to a few.
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>> Okay. >> And what's very funny to me, Spade, is like you're one of the funniest persons
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in the world. This is an old white person. compliment compliment. >> But on this show,
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>> it's all about >> a life you lived when you were like in the 90s and you're kind of have to
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revert. >> It's you're always reverting to that guy at the show >> who hadn't made it big yet. You're like
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always like, >> "Yeah, no, you guys were incredible and I didn't know what to do."
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>> Right. It's just funny to me that Spade, who's had this amazing run.
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>> Well, it does when we throw back, >> everybody gets back in that around the
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writer table and how [ __ ] ordering Huxley's and all the stupid [ __ ] It sort of throws you back to the dim
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lighting and feeling like [ __ ] all the time. >> It was a stressful. Would you consider
00:14:46
it? I would say like I love the show so much and people I met and worked with and yet I was always stressed.
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>> Yeah. I also remember how skinny your little office was. Like I think people
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thought it was some palatial place. It's these little dungeons and then I would
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go along the line and poke my head in to see if I can get my name on anybody's
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sketch. >> Do you remember Do you remember what I my affectionate nickname for you was?
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>> No. What was it? Spudley. >> No. Well, everybody had Spudley into the
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noodles. No, Chief Not show >> Chief Not Show because I was never in the show.
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>> It's so he was but >> I wasn't in much. I think I went >> You got in it in 9345.
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>> I did go >> once Dana left. >> That's what was weird. It's so weird
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because you were kind of pigeonholed. I remember your audition. >> Yeah. >> And you were very funny, but you were
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kind of like spade light. You weren't like letting your whole kind of >> persona
00:15:47
>> persona come out later. Yeah. >> And people like saw you as like this
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nicel looking kind of blonde guy who did some impression. I think you did Tom Petty.
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>> Yeah. >> It was like oh he's going to be like a Dana Carvey type
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>> and then and Dana Carvey was still on the show. So I think people didn't know
00:16:03
what to do with >> I think I didn't but I also wasn't in in full disclosure
00:16:08
thinking I was the new Dana Carvey. I was like, "Are you this guy?" I go,
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"This guy's the best guy." And he does a million things. I go, "I got to find
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what I can do." And luckily, like even that Hollywood minute where Lauren I was
00:16:20
sort of teetering and then he's like, "Well, just do more stuff like that cuz
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that makes me a little different from Dana." And then I could find my own little niche or something. I don't know.
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It was tough. It was very that that part was tough. >> Even the receptionist, which was like
00:16:32
the best sketch of that season. >> Oh yeah. I remember someone in a high position saying, "Yeah, but could Dana
00:16:40
play that?" No [ __ ] >> No, of course he could. >> I came in and played an alien, right?
00:16:47
Did I play? I felt bad because I said, you know, it's always hard, smile, if
00:16:51
you're a writer and if you're a new writer to put Mike Myers or Dana in something where they don't have a lot to
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do. >> But, you know, in your head you're like, "Oh, it'd be fun. I have access to all
00:17:00
these great people and I don't know." They're quietly going, "Ah, it's not
00:17:04
that great." But Dana goes, "Yeah, I'll do whatever." So I go, "You come in at
00:17:07
the end as an alien." I don't realize they're gonna put him in like three
00:17:10
hours of makeup and hair. Remember, you had a big bulbous head on. >> I had a giant like, "Oh no, I can't put
00:17:16
Dana through this shit." >> And it also makes sometimes >> I was part of being on the team.
00:17:22
>> Yeah. You know what I have to say? No one complain. >> McKinnon still gets into crazy outfits
00:17:26
and says two lines in a sketch. I liked on the 40th anniversary Steve Martin goes in full King Tutt outfit for three
00:17:32
lines in a song or whatever cuz he's committed and it's fun. I love it and
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everyone's there to have fun. >> And it's also like 70 million people are
00:17:40
watching that one. >> It's all different. Yeah, you're right. >> Everybody's Yeah. Yeah. But yeah, the
00:17:46
receptionist I mean it's it was so exciting to see a new person kill too. Like that's one of the great things on
00:17:54
the show when that happens. like uh that guy James when he did Trump for the first time this year.
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>> Yeah, he was great. >> It was like thrilling, you know. >> Oh, it was amazing. Yeah.
00:18:05
>> And when audience finds it cuz I had been sort of kicking around the show for
00:18:08
a while and that was a hard one to to get on. I think it took a few swings. >> Oh, the receptionist.
00:18:13
>> Yeah. And then it got on with MC Hammer at 5 to one >> and then the next time it got on first
00:18:18
sketch. So that with Ros. Yeah. With Rosanne. There's really there's only
00:18:22
like three. So that's the one you remember. It's like bye-bye. There's
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there's only two of them, but you know, if they remember what they remember, you
00:18:29
know. >> Yeah. Church lady was on more than 20 times the first season. >> More than they had shows. Were you on
00:18:36
twice? >> An early chat and then they I do a good night chat after Jack >> DY show. We tried to sneak the church
00:18:43
lady into commercial shows. Remember that? >> Oh yeah. >> For real. We did that. We were like, can
00:18:48
we superimpose the church lady or George Bush over a commercial? Were you allowed
00:18:53
to use that stuff on on Dana Carvey show? >> I technically because of my contract
00:18:58
when I came in. I owned the church slave. >> It was very different back then. you
00:19:02
could like write you could write a list of the characters that you created before going to Saturday Night Live and
00:19:09
Dana had a long list >> and so yeah nowadays it's the complete opposite like they own everything and
00:19:16
then you have like after seven years you have to do movies with the I don't know
00:19:22
>> just do a mandatory >> I know then you do movies you go back to the show it is different you do
00:19:26
commercials and movies and you miss shows and you go back to the show it's pretty cool for the cast I think
00:19:30
>> yeah it's really Yeah. And now that's true now. Yeah. Leading up to this 50th,
00:19:35
they're all they're all they all come and go. >> They they told me to told me, my manager
00:19:39
said, "Write on the flight out there, write all your characters and give them
00:19:43
to Jim Henry." And I'm sitting there with a blank piece of paper on them.
00:19:46
Delta going, "I don't what characters? What are you [ __ ] talking about? I'm
00:19:49
a standup." So I'd go, "Skateboard crazy guy talks with the lisp." You know, I'm
00:19:54
just like making up something in case I write it one day or in case it sounds like a sketch I do and it clicks.
00:20:01
anything like yeah you need a man or thing but Robert do you want to talk about some of our hits
00:20:08
>> your big hits >> me and you well you know together yeah >> yeah well I mean I Dana so I was there
00:20:15
for a year >> before Dana >> and then I got in in ' 86 with Phil and
00:20:20
J6 and he was like someone I had I connected with what I loved about Dana was that he spade you'll understand this
00:20:30
like generally like passive aggressive behavior rules at that show. Like who? I'm good. I could possib No, my sketch
00:20:39
is terrible. Don't put my sketch on. >> It couldn't possibly me. I'm I I'm being
00:20:44
paid. Like that's what And then there's people like Love it who are like,
00:20:49
"What's going on?" >> They're anti-semitic. That's why this
00:20:54
sketch didn't make it. >> You know why they cut it? Because it's funny. That's it. It was too good that
00:21:00
it was too funny. That's why they didn't put it on. Yeah, I was John was great.
00:21:04
>> I was sadly a little closer to John. I was like, "Robert, you have no poker
00:21:08
face." Lauren, I remember him telling me. >> There were people like me. I didn't
00:21:13
really make big stinks, though. But I was, you know, imitating Lauren behind his back like everybody eventually. Now
00:21:19
everybody I'm told I'm told you go to the show now, everybody does Lauren.
00:21:24
>> Literally literally everyone >> they all You've seen this? Have you
00:21:30
witnessed this? >> Well, >> that's what I heard. >> James Austin Johnson had a good one. You
00:21:35
know, Bill Hater, of course. Any reason. >> No, but I think people they say that
00:21:39
people just do it around the office. >> Oh, just around you to each other.
00:21:43
>> Uh read through is going to start everyone get to their seat, you know,
00:21:46
and that's like a first, right? But what I loved about Dana was that he had he
00:21:52
just came in. He had a list of impressions that he like handed out to the writers. Like he wasn't
00:21:59
>> he didn't pretend that he was above doing that >> which was like so refreshing to actually
00:22:06
admit that you care >> without being like cutthroat or anything. He was just being
00:22:11
straightforward. >> I just thought it made sense. I I was able to do a bunch of voices. I thought,
00:22:15
well, let the writers know cuz I realize you guys are just writing sketches and if someone sees Casey Kasem or
00:22:22
something, maybe they put him in. I don't know. >> Of course, that's the best way to do it.
00:22:25
Here you go. Here you go, Jack. Handy. Here you go, Odenkirk. >> Robert, you approached me with was Robin
00:22:31
Leech doing some kind of Japanese pruning or >> I don't know why. >> I don't remember.
00:22:38
>> Yeah, cuz you'd seen his name on the list, but I had a catchphrase for that
00:22:41
one. I'm Robert Leech. I'm yelling and I don't know why. Right. >> So I had
00:22:45
>> I loved Robin Lee, but then it was Robin Lee for everyone under 70. >> But Robin Lee was such a lifestyle of
00:22:53
rich and famous. >> Another one of a celebrity that is no longer with us. One of my impressions,
00:22:58
you know, Dino Stapanopoulos, who our listeners might know. Every time someone I do an impression of passes away, he
00:23:04
texts me. Another one, another one down. Whether it's Regis or Bush, you know,
00:23:09
>> you're going to kill in heaven, Dana, someday. >> Yeah. I didn't know Dino did that.
00:23:16
>> I thought Robin Leech was so hilarious and he had a great hook for it. I don't
00:23:21
know why. >> Oh, no. Everything Dana I thought Dana's Travolta was hysterical because it was
00:23:25
so it was so not what Travolta sounded like in the 80s anymore. >> It's just like he's basically doing an
00:23:32
exaggerated welcome back Cotter. >> Welcome back Cotter for everyone >> listen to that. If you want to do a John
00:23:39
Travolta, just say the word weird. Is slack so weird. >> Slack weird entry to that. But
00:23:47
>> slack, but also slack. So >> what's that? What's that? >> Well, it's like Dana would say slack so
00:23:55
weird. >> Slack slack so weird. You know, everybody should do whatever. >> We very much connected because we liked
00:24:04
and doing we liked doing impressions that were kind of abstract. We like creating abstract impressions. And so,
00:24:12
you know, Dana had some under his belt obviously and then I tried to help him with, you know, Johnny Carson and Regis.
00:24:19
The Regis thing was very strange cuz like I wrote it for Phil Hartman. I wrote it for Phil Hartman and it went
00:24:25
to dress >> and it didn't do great. And then Dana in his gentlest non-cutthroat way just
00:24:32
happened upon me like a week later and was like, >> you know, I'm Regis is kind of small and
00:24:38
Irish and like I had just had a total blank. I had just picked Phil because he was the oldest cast member.
00:24:44
>> Yeah. >> And I thought of I thought of him as just okay, he's the old guy
00:24:48
comparatively. But Dana was absolutely right. He looked more like Regis and then he started doing him and
00:24:54
>> well I I didn't realize when I started watching him in New York he had
00:24:58
essentially just just got on nationally but we would get up around 9 Paul and I and we would watch it and we just fell
00:25:04
in love with him. >> Oh yeah shining guy in the world >> and then getting to know you. Yeah. Just
00:25:10
hanging out in your office and we started you know bouncing off. Are you ready for this? This guy's crazy. You
00:25:15
got all the I think one of your things very Robert Smeiggel or something about you know I'm down at the Shriders and
00:25:20
I'm behind Broka I can I can't get a seat you know. So we we bonded all >> there was that thing of like the
00:25:26
explosion. This was something that he really did on the show and THEN BROKA'S
00:25:31
GOT THE FRONT ROW SEAT AND I'M SITTING WITH YOU KNOW PATRICK SEES IN THE IN THE
00:25:35
BACK. ANYWAY, it was a great event >> and he takes a sip of his coffee. Anyway, it was terrific. It's like he's
00:25:42
got nothing else. So, he just goes to >> Joy was there. Joy. >> Anyway, we wish them well. Oh, yeah.
00:25:47
When Joy hosted that was always uh Regis was uh >> But you can't let Dana around an
00:25:53
impression. He comes circling. It's like all right, just give it to him. He's
00:25:56
going to figure it out. >> So, and then his when he wrote his book, they said we want to call it I'm out of
00:26:01
control. And he had to go out, you know, all said I'm out of control. >> That was something that made up Dana
00:26:07
Gardi made up, but I don't understand Garnney. But um the you know one so we
00:26:13
had you know and then Carson came around um yeah and just I started playing around with it.
00:26:19
>> I think the Turners actually had written the Carson sketch. >> Did they?
00:26:24
>> And I looked at it. You showed it to me and I had just a couple of moves in my
00:26:28
head and then it sort of brought out some moves that you had. >> Like the thing that
00:26:35
I love Johnny Carson so much. He was like he was incredible voice >> in the 70s when I was a teenager growing
00:26:40
up um I used to watch him constantly and >> um he was so charismatic and he's still
00:26:46
the greatest ever but there was then Letterman came on >> in like the early 80s and immediately
00:26:55
>> got some you know >> the ant show or whatever you want to call that. Well, he was like reinventing
00:27:00
everything and then Johnny for no good reason started feeling insecure about it. You could see it on the show because
00:27:07
he started trying to do things that Letterman was doing, but he didn't know how to do it
00:27:12
>> the way Letterman did. Letterman would just let them happen. >> Johnny would be like, "We're about to do
00:27:18
something that's a little weird. >> This is a little different. This is not
00:27:23
not the norm." >> That's right. You know, we're going to walk over. We're gonna take a camera and
00:27:29
it's gonna follow me. I can't do them as well as you, Dana, but it was like your
00:27:34
jaw. >> I'm gonna Yeah. Clench your jaw. Thank you. >> Camera is going to follow me and it's
00:27:40
going to walk out of the studio and I'm going to go to another set. It's like,
00:27:46
okay, we >> ask unusual questions to people. >> Unusual questions that people are not
00:27:51
going to know is even they don't know what's going to happen. All right, so
00:27:55
let's start doing it. Now, I'm walking. See, I'm walking across and it was
00:27:59
>> this is a bit you were witnessing a bit. >> It's a little weird. And so I was giving
00:28:04
him this a little weird had this expression. He had a couple of things like when Johnny
00:28:09
>> like calls people over to the comedians like funny stuff. Funny stuff. >> That was funny stuff. And then you had
00:28:16
weird wild that >> weird wild stuff. And for those of you at home, you're watching a thing called
00:28:20
a television. You know how you would bring? >> So then it became that where we just did
00:28:24
the overly setup >> Johnny Carson thing and then it was so dry. It was maybe the driest thing you
00:28:31
ever did on the show, Dana. And then but it always Ed McMahon's Ed McMahon's rhythmically kind of uh
00:28:39
>> Yes. >> acknowledging it and um you know giving it like just like yes, you were correct
00:28:45
sir would always make it work. was like the fact that you would say these strange things and then Ed would kind of
00:28:52
affirm them. >> Yeah. He was the release button cuz but that was the first time and I've said
00:28:57
this before but when I was on SNL and wasn't concerned with the laughs I just
00:29:02
was having so much fun being Johnny and when I got the wig on I am Irish Carson Carvey my eyes are a little close
00:29:08
together and I I god I kind of look like him you know and then I could just look
00:29:13
in the mirror and just uh just get into that attitude of being just this whatever that
00:29:18
>> you going to hair and makeup too it's just that >> really sets you up and um then the the
00:29:23
third rail of the ones that really had a lot of episodes. Carson did Carcinio. We
00:29:28
could talk about that, too. Regis had a lot of >> love to talk about Carinio anyway.
00:29:32
>> Well, Carcinho, let's let's do that now. >> That was the extension of the Carson
00:29:36
impression. We did this >> we did one before that that actually did piss Johnny off and and then they
00:29:43
>> I don't know I don't know if they asked you to do that late night history show
00:29:47
but they asked me so I did it and I talked about it >> and then they edit it to make it look
00:29:51
like >> we didn't really give a [ __ ] how Johnny >> felt >> responded to it and we did we were
00:29:57
really upset about it like we did this sketch where our so Chris Rock gets hired in like
00:30:05
1990 and um >> plays our senior hall. >> Yeah. Which he didn't do like I remember
00:30:12
I that's another guy I got to see audition and he was hysterical and like obviously
00:30:18
you know incredible obvious hire but I remember asking Lauren does it matter he doesn't seem to be an impressionist.
00:30:25
He'll do areno. It was that. >> Don't worry about uh Chris. >> He's got the hair and he he can do our
00:30:33
sineo. Just remember it's like black guys on the show always have the burden of having to do like every black
00:30:41
person. >> Yes, we talked about that with Chris. Yeah. >> Oh, you did a
00:30:45
>> little bit. I think David brought it up. >> Yeah, it is tough because everything
00:30:49
just gets assigned and no matter, you know, if it's even closed. Okay, Chris,
00:30:53
you're doing Al Roker this week. >> Exactly. >> Yeah. Joe is diverse now.
00:30:58
>> Bit played an Asian character. I played Tony Montana as like a Cuban character.
00:31:04
You know, I had a bigger >> I wonder if you could write that, Robert. Um, today is like, can you write
00:31:10
anyone to play anything but they are what they are? I don't know how they do
00:31:14
it there. I wonder if they have meetings and go, could I play this or >> Oh, at SNL.
00:31:19
>> Yeah, at SNL. >> Well, they definitely let women play >> men.
00:31:22
>> Men? >> Yeah, >> they still let that happen. No, I know. It's it's it's it's interesting because
00:31:28
like even like something like I mean I totally blackface thing is obviously a red flag and it's oddly it's something
00:31:38
we didn't do in our era and never found it happening in the '9s. >> Yeah.
00:31:42
>> The '9s were a strange time where it seemed like the floodgates opened and
00:31:46
people were doing >> exceptionally rude stuff. I don't know if it's because cable was starting and
00:31:52
the networks felt the need to compete, >> but >> you try too hard and you go in different
00:31:57
directions that are sometimes wrong directions. You just don't know and then
00:32:01
>> Yeah. >> it levels out. Yeah. >> But like I just did this puppet show
00:32:06
that uh failed whatever. like and and we had this guy who we was going to do Obama
00:32:12
>> and he had done Obama on the Conan show for like three or four years and he just
00:32:17
sounded exactly like Obama. >> So I wanted to hire him and then I found out that he was white. I didn't realize
00:32:24
I had no idea. I just knew he sounded exactly like Obama >> and they said you can't hire him.
00:32:30
>> Do they ever call you now smile to uh write or help or come off the bench and
00:32:34
uh >> No, I I was there when Adam No, they never called me. They don't
00:32:40
>> they um >> although I actually sent Colin Jo an idea this week and didn't didn't hear
00:32:45
back. >> Didn't hear back. >> It was an on a winour idea. >> I thought
00:32:51
>> Don't don't try to give him Iraqi Pete. That's Adams. >> Actually, you would be great for this on
00:32:56
a win idea. >> Is that me playing him or Dana? >> No, I'm talking about Spade. It's It's a
00:33:02
very >> Hey, it's a very >> You could own that. Spade playing Anna
00:33:06
Winter. The idea was um that she uh it was like an update feature where Anna Winour is uh sitting next to somebody
00:33:16
like uh who's the guy? Jared Leto. He's always wearing something insane.
00:33:21
>> They just had the Met Gala. >> Yeah. Yeah. Jared Leto. Yeah. He's got
00:33:25
great, >> you know. And then it was just going to be on a win tour very quietly and dryly
00:33:29
and very stiff. uh insulting, you know, um Michael Chase outfit, Michael Chase suit, you know, like uh is this a
00:33:39
fundraiser for victims of fashion? And then like um you know, and then she turns to Colin Joes like,
00:33:48
you know, is that a suit or are you being humped by a couch? And then she starts getting rim shots and just starts
00:33:56
walking into the crowd and starts doing >> walking around. >> Yeah. walking around the eight. She
00:34:01
stands up and starts just doing crowd work, but she's she's completely stiff,
00:34:06
you know, and it's just if that tie was any louder, Marley Matlin could hear it.
00:34:14
>> Looks like Joseph A. Bank made it tonight. >> What if Triumph was at the Met Galler?
00:34:20
>> Yeah. What would he do? Crazy. >> Actually, I've tried to I've wanted to
00:34:24
do the red carpet. >> That's perfect. That's one of the few things I've
00:34:28
>> I still want to do as triumph. >> Please don't let triumph own Kim K.
00:34:35
>> Well, >> she lost the >> Now I have like these personal relationships that I care about. Like I
00:34:40
would never touch her because Pete Davidson's a friend. >> Oh, friend of the show.
00:34:46
>> No, I He's a great guy. I know him. And but like Dana, this is something
00:34:51
>> Well, we never talked about the Carson thing, but this is another one that All
00:34:54
right. I don't know if you want to talk about this, but >> I'll talk about anything.
00:34:58
>> We're 30 or I'm 30 or 32 or whatever you were >> and Dennis gets bounced from his
00:35:05
syndicated show >> and I have this idea to do Dennis is now doing a cooking show,
00:35:11
>> right? Which we we called Dennis and he said [ __ ] go ahead. Right. >> You did call him.
00:35:16
>> I thought that I did. >> Maybe you called him. I didn't call him.
00:35:19
>> Yeah, I believe I called him. Yeah, >> I don't think we But that was like then
00:35:25
>> and I and I thought in my head I was like this is my duty as a Saturday Night
00:35:29
Live sketch writer. I can't play favorites, >> you know? >> I I this is my privilege to work.
00:35:34
>> Duty comes first. >> Yeah. That's how I seriously I took it. And now to show I would say by like the
00:35:40
time I was 40 I was like no I would never do that again. >> Yeah. Well, I don't think at that point
00:35:46
there was any sort of uh idea that Dennis wasn't on his way with a career. Like he'd done the black and white
00:35:53
special. He had the talk show, you know, Dennis I mean all he did after that was
00:35:58
host an HBO show that got like 20. >> Exactly. So to me to me I thought it was
00:36:03
so funny and the way you wrote it Dennis's vernacular >> in a in a daytime cooking show. I don't
00:36:09
know if you could quote some of that. I mean, maybe it maybe you're right, but I
00:36:12
feel like I still wouldn't do it now. I wouldn't be able to I'd be too nervous
00:36:16
about >> whoever's feelings it was. >> I I understand that. I I feel the same
00:36:22
way. I I like I kind of sometimes feel bad for Biden when I see him sort of lost or whatever. And so, it's different
00:36:29
doing it now. It's weird when you get older and life kind of kicks you on the
00:36:33
nuts and and you learn what pain is and uh >> Yeah. >> Well, you know how careers are so hard
00:36:40
and up and down, you're like, I'm going to probably hurt someone's career
00:36:42
somehow accidentally. >> You know who would >> Biden's hair looks like a spiderweb. Go
00:36:47
ahead. >> The one person who would always scold me when I was even when I was younger, and
00:36:51
I guess it's because he was sensitive to all the bad reviews he was getting was
00:36:56
Sandler. He was like like I was doing those cartoons and they were going really well.
00:37:01
>> Yeah. Yeah. >> You know, and I would do a cartoon about like David Brener or something. Yes.
00:37:06
>> Being a guest on a talk show and it was fun with real audio. And I would use a
00:37:10
real David Brener story, but I would have him going on every talk show and each host would get bored and press a
00:37:16
trapoor button and he would fall down and go like, you know, so he starts on like the Tonight Show and then trap door
00:37:23
goes down to Conan and then it goes down to like Tom Snider and then >> hilarious.
00:37:28
>> I remember that one. Yeah. >> Yeah. And it was really funny and everybody I played it for Conan because
00:37:34
Conan was in it and he was laughing really hard and then I get a call from Stanley. You feel good about yourself,
00:37:39
bud? You feel good about that? >> No. >> That guy that What if that guy's home
00:37:43
watching? You know, he's like had a hard day and he's watching the show and he's
00:37:46
like, >> "Yeah, >> what is this? Why? What did I do?" >> Yeah. Why?
00:37:51
>> He did Brener, didn't he? Sandler could do Brener on the show. >> He did a great David Brener.
00:37:55
>> That's right. >> But it wasn't nearly as mean as this cartoon.
00:37:59
>> No, it wasn't mean. It wasn't. >> Remember the one you did where you had
00:38:02
you had Steman hiding from Oprah in the mansion? >> Oh my god. That was that was from the
00:38:07
Comedy Central show. And it's interesting you bring that up because that was a cartoon I wasn't going to do.
00:38:14
It was one of those lines that I would draw for myself which people are always shocked. You had
00:38:20
>> lines. I did. But I I I like I didn't like to make fun of drug addiction.
00:38:25
>> I I always felt like when people are, you know, that desperate. >> It's not funny. you know, it's it's
00:38:32
like, you know, everybody >> it's easy to to reduce somebody to a cartoon character,
00:38:38
>> but I that was one and another one was women's looks. I really hated
00:38:44
>> making fun of a woman for her looks because women are held up to these ridiculous standards and uh it just felt
00:38:52
shitty. And so this Oprah one was Andy Breman's premise. And it the premise was
00:38:57
that Steedman uh every time Oprah wants to have sex. Steedman has convinced Oprah that he's
00:39:04
an international spy. And every time Oprah wants to have sex, Steman pretends he's getting an alert
00:39:13
and he has to go off. I'm not making it sound as funny as it was funny and so I
00:39:18
like it. I broke the rule because it was just too funny. And it it remains like one of the funniest cartoons I've ever
00:39:26
been involved in. And uh but it was Andy Breckman's idea. Also one of the nicest
00:39:32
people I've ever worked with, >> Andy Breman. And yet he had this idea
00:39:36
that I thought was too neat. >> Ask him about the bears. The bears the big one. I love it.
00:39:47
I just want to say very quickly that I know that John McGlaclin, which you completely created,
00:39:53
>> loved loved our sketch. >> Oh yeah, >> Regis loved it. Perau loved it. George
00:39:59
Bush Senior loved it. It was only sweet. Johnny Carson got a little tweaked and I
00:40:05
don't >> Carson, we should talk about this one cuz it was like uh So yes, so Rock comes
00:40:10
on. I got I'm sorry. Cario comes on and plays Arcio. >> Rob comes on and plays Arsenio. And this
00:40:17
was at this time when Johnny >> was getting sort of threatened by Arsenio's presence. Arcenio was white
00:40:23
hot. >> That's a bad choice of words I suppose, but Arenio was like >> on fire. Everybody was talking about him
00:40:32
and we did that thing of like now I understand that this you know that would overexlaining thing but in this case it
00:40:37
was like >> I understand you have a show >> Dana you should do it. you remember.
00:40:42
>> I understand you have a show and um it's um >> and it says here he was like looking at
00:40:48
his notes. It says here that your show is up against my show. >> Yes. And it says here I did not know
00:40:56
that and your ratings have actually gone up higher than my mine starting to decline.
00:41:02
>> Right. It's weird. Weird. >> I did not know that. And now it says
00:41:06
here, it says further that your show is considered hip and mine I am starting to be considered
00:41:12
out of touch. >> Yeah. >> I did not. Did you know that? >> Yes.
00:41:18
>> A really sad yes. >> Yes. >> But but the thing that Johnny got
00:41:23
maddest at, Dana, do you remember this? It was the first guest. We had a throwaway first guest
00:41:29
before we bring on our cine. >> Susan Day, right? It was Susan Day and I had written it for Chenade O' Conor for
00:41:37
Jan Hooks to play Chenade >> because she had already done it and it was hilarious and um she's very serious
00:41:43
and you know you guys are just would be doing >> not a not a lot of hair on her head.
00:41:49
That is that is that is quite a dome you know all that kind of stuff. >> A little smooth on the upper turf.
00:41:56
>> Yeah. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Not a hairy woman sir. >> From ear to ear not a lot going on.
00:42:02
Lauren was like, uh, you know, she's done Chenade, she does a killer Susan Day, which she had done once on the
00:42:08
show, and it was killer. >> So Lauren suggested, >> Lauren suggested, and it wasn't like it
00:42:14
wasn't funny. He suggested, what if he has Susan Day on, but he keeps wanting
00:42:18
to talk about the Partridge family >> and it had been years since it'd gone
00:42:22
off. Yeah. >> Yes. And so that was how we wrote it. And then Johnny took it
00:42:28
as like, are you seeing this, Ed? He really, he said this on the show. They're saying I'm scenile.
00:42:34
>> Mhm. >> He literally thought we were now calling him scenile >> all because we had changed that opening.
00:42:41
>> That was the one that I thought was Yeah. Yeah. He said it on He said it as
00:42:46
Dana or he >> No. Johnny said it on his own show. He started >> Wow. Wow.
00:42:51
>> bitching >> about Saturday Night Live on his own show. And Dana, I heard you say this to Regis and it
00:42:59
broke my heart because I had never heard this. You said to Regis in an interview
00:43:03
like I don't know five, six years ago. I saw >> you said that you heard that Johnny said
00:43:11
when they start making fun of you, it's time to go away. >> Well, he would say it over at in Burbank
00:43:19
in the hallway, the big giant studio, and just yell it out. They're making fun
00:43:23
of me now. It's time to go. Yeah, that that that >> but what what I realize and I would take
00:43:29
it for anyone in show business that eventually >> you become a characture of yourself if
00:43:36
you're a comedian. It doesn't matter. You I don't want to name the person. You
00:43:40
could see someone and kind of go is that a celebrity impersonator or is that the
00:43:44
real guy? So you do become a caricature of yourself. It's kind of flattering.
00:43:48
But you know for Johnny I couldn't get on the show after that. body from SNL did for a year
00:43:55
>> and he really took it took it to heart and so then >> it was heartbreaking for us but then
00:44:01
>> then I think I also heard from you back then. So then we did the Carinio
00:44:07
sketch which was basically Johnny >> as trying to be like Arcenio. >> Trying to be like Arsenio Hall and it
00:44:13
was a big hit sketch. He had the pointy hair and had elongated fingers. >> Yeah.
00:44:18
>> And he would do you see this head? All you have to do is go whoop whoop whoop
00:44:22
and the audience goes whoop whoop whoop. >> Do you know that a house is called a
00:44:26
crib? Ed, did you know that? >> I did not know that. Yeah. Yeah. >> You know, Robert, I did Carson two
00:44:33
months before he quit as standup. >> Oh wow. >> And he came back to the back and he
00:44:39
goes, "Who hates Dana Carvey?" I go, "I do." And he goes, "That's my boy."
00:44:43
>> Really? >> No, he No, he didn't. He came back and said hi to me. But I remember it was
00:44:46
very hard to get on the show. I did do it two months before he got off. And he did come back, but he came back.
00:44:53
>> And you were on Saturday Night Live. You broke the code. >> No, I I was I on I went off in 93, I
00:44:59
believe. >> You were absolutely on the show, Dave. >> Yeah. Okay. Okay. For sure.
00:45:03
>> But let me just say this real quick. Carvey told me that that he liked the
00:45:09
Carcinio sketch, but he said, "What do you say? It makes fun of both of us."
00:45:13
>> You know, they're making fun of Arseno as much as they're making fun of me. I
00:45:16
mean that that that's funny stuff, you know, that kind of thing. >> So So I remember feeling a lot better
00:45:21
about And then and then he did start letting people on the show again. >> No.
00:45:27
>> I mean I I was saying I got on somehow and uh >> I don't know just did my crummy act and
00:45:32
got out of there. But uh he he did he waved me over Mike. I say that >> and I left. I didn't go.
00:45:40
>> You gave him the finger. >> Well the guy backstage Macaulay said he
00:45:45
goes get on there. hit your mark and get off. And I go, "What if Johnny waves you
00:45:49
over?" And he goes, "He won't. Just go do it." And I go, "Oh my god."
00:45:52
>> So I went out and turned and left and he goes, "There he is." And
00:45:57
come over. He goes, >> he goes, "Martin Short was with him." And he goes, "Have him come over." And
00:46:01
he goes, "I'm trying to, but he won't look at me." And he goes, "He's too
00:46:04
nervous." All right. There he goes. All right. Well, that was David Spade. >> He said that on the air.
00:46:08
>> Yeah. >> That's amazing. >> And then he came backstage.
00:46:11
>> Where were you? Uh, and I went, "What the [ __ ] were you me there with egg?"
00:46:15
>> I had my shirt off. >> You made a [ __ ] fool. >> Yeah. And it was a bo [ __ ] torrential
00:46:21
storm back in my room cuz I was so scared. I have my shirt off and I have Pepto-Bismol. And they knock and I open
00:46:26
and it's it's Ed, I think, Doc and Johnny. And he goes, "Uh, >> all three of you.
00:46:31
>> I didn't." Yeah. He goes, "I didn't." He goes, "I didn't get a chance to say good
00:46:36
job. I wanted I come over and nice job." And I go, "Oh, I didn't even see you or
00:46:40
whatever." And he goes, "Pepto-Bismol, I'm trying to quit the stuff myself."
00:46:45
And then he walked away. Isn't that great? It's terrible. >> That's a fantastic story.
00:46:49
>> He did a bit. >> He did a bit, but in in reality, he was um he was broken inside and he he went
00:46:57
around the office and says, "When they start not not coming over to the couch,
00:47:02
it's time to >> Who put you up to this?" Dana Carvey that [ __ ] >> So, it's you, Spain.
00:47:09
>> Yeah. You're the one who pushed him out. >> Let's go. Let's go. Ed. Ed, let's go
00:47:14
back and find him. John, come on. LET'S GO. >> I'LL HIT HIM HIGH. YOU hit him low.
00:47:19
>> Hit him. >> Well, talk about McLaclin, too, because we Well, that was a great McLaclin
00:47:24
group. >> John McLaclin ran a round table. >> Well, we got to everyone know you did
00:47:30
Mclaclin. You did the Bears. So many. You did Clucky [ __ ] Gaga. >> Hey, what did you help me with the
00:47:38
Clucky or or Schmidz gay? You helped me with one of those two. >> I was almost in Schmidz for a rough
00:47:43
draft and then it went to Sandler and >> Farley. It went to far that was that was
00:47:46
Downy's idea and it was a brilliant call to take the two youngest guys in the
00:47:51
cast and make them the guys. That was that was >> What was I was I older than them?
00:47:56
>> I originally I had it as Dana and Kevin because I thought it this is going to be
00:47:59
the first sketch of the year >> and Dana and Kevin are the guys and then I don't remember a draft with you. No,
00:48:06
someone maybe Shoemaker or someone said, "I think you're in this."
00:48:09
>> Remind me what this sketch is. Gay. >> Oh. Oh. Oh. Schmidz Gay. That was a
00:48:14
became a film, didn't it? >> That was a big one. Yeah. Yeah. >> No. You think it was the ambiguously gay
00:48:18
duo? >> No. I was thinking commercial. >> Sandler and Farley did something by a
00:48:23
pool. >> Yeah. With Van Hal. >> It was a parody of all those uh >> So that that was,
00:48:28
>> you know, sexist beer commercials. It's one of the ones I'm most proud of.
00:48:34
hysterical, but that ended up being >> also like that the gay people weren't
00:48:38
like portrayed in any kind of like mocking way, right? >> The whole joke was turning the tables on
00:48:45
these objectifying these ridiculous commercials that associate beer with objectifying women.
00:48:52
>> And it just got this huge It got one of the biggest responses. >> So great Halen song in it. Oh yeah.
00:49:00
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. and Farley and Sandler doing the conga line. Yeah, it was
00:49:05
amazing. >> But um but Spade, I thought you either helped me with that or cluck and
00:49:09
chicken, which is my personal favorite. >> Oh, cluck and chicken. I don't know. I
00:49:12
mean, sometimes I just get in there and try to help anywhere. >> I think you threw in I think you threw
00:49:16
me some jokes in there. >> Maybe I threw you gaga gagi. >> That sounded like me. The gag
00:49:24
me. >> Oh, I love uh uh Sandler's voice. And that was so funny. That was a cartoon.
00:49:30
That was half cartoon commercial parody. >> Yeah, cartoon. Yeah, cartoon super.
00:49:35
That's how I met the guy JJ Settlemeer who ended up doing um the first few years of fun TV funhouse
00:49:42
>> cartoon V5 house. Welcome back to my show. You But you put Lauren's voice in
00:49:47
there. Did anyone say anything? >> That's maybe the hardest I've ever
00:49:51
laughed in my life because I became a 10-year-old again. Like the way I would when I was 10, I would draw cartoons of
00:49:58
my teachers, that kind of thing. >> Yeah. >> And when a teacher would see, I would
00:50:03
like giggle like and I remember the first time >> you saw the dress rehearsal that the
00:50:10
ambiguously gay duo ran and and then this little cartoon Lauren comes out and chases the dog. Lego my show. LEGO MY
00:50:19
SHOW. AND I'M WATCHING Lauren watch it. >> Oh my god. >> And I'm just in tears. I was like, you
00:50:26
know, Lauren would call it, you put a beanie on the boss. >> You put a >> What is that? Just make fun of the boss
00:50:34
or a beanie on the boss. >> It's like it's like reducing the boss to
00:50:37
a, you know, lower status. It's like he, you know, Lauren had a term for every
00:50:42
comedy move in the world. >> Totally. >> I've seen every sketch four times, you
00:50:47
know, so it's hard for me. Everything you've anyone's written, I've seen a
00:50:51
version of it in my >> One of my favorite recent Lauren ones within the last 5 years around funny
00:50:57
people, people that do comedy. There's only 900 of us on the planet. >> Oh, really?
00:51:04
>> Yeah. It's a specific number like Well, maybe that's true. I don't know.
00:51:08
>> We did run some numbers. >> He's down to 898. >> Yes. If you don't count Steve and Marty,
00:51:15
>> Steve counts for three. Marty, he counts for a hundred. >> I think uh Robert asked that good.
00:51:21
>> Didn't we ask William Shatner if he was okay with that sketch you wrote? I think
00:51:26
he was right. >> Oh, yeah. I pitched it to him >> and he like sketch.
00:51:30
>> Yeah, that was a big famous sketch that you wrote. Still resonates all the time.
00:51:34
>> That's a big big one. >> Well, I have an affinity for nerds because I was an SNL nerd. I was big a
00:51:40
nerd as anybody. I was completely in awe of the show when I got there. I like knew who Edie Baskin and Leo Yoshimura
00:51:49
were. Like I memorized them. That's how pathetically nerdy I was. >> So yeah, like you know, a lot of my most
00:51:57
famous stuff has to do with like Triumph and the Star Wars line >> is one of my happiest memories because I
00:52:04
was like making fun of them, but I felt an affinity toward them at the same time. The the nerds waiting online for
00:52:11
Star Wars and Triumphs. Uh they were all like they all took it so well. They were
00:52:18
all just comedy fans. It was like uh >> Yeah. It was like when it was like Have
00:52:23
you guys did you guys I'm sure you spayed espec you both probably got to meet Don Rickles, right?
00:52:28
>> Yeah, I did. Yep. >> Did he insult you when he met you the first time?
00:52:32
>> Do do an impression of a gorilla is what he said to me. >> Oh, really? Yeah. you know, uh, Smag's
00:52:39
on, um, one time, uh, Chris Farley took his mom to see him on one of the breaks on the weeks off and he goes and he
00:52:45
goes, I go, "What happened?" He goes, "We sat right in the front row." And,
00:52:49
uh, he goes, Rickles comes over to him in the middle and goes, "What's your
00:52:54
name, Tiny?" >> And he goes, "Uh, he goes, my name's Chris." And he goes, "How much you
00:53:00
weigh, Chris?" And he goes, "About 260." He goes, "Hm, the left side of your ass,
00:53:04
maybe. And then he went to the next table. >> Yeah. Then he just >> So he knew that it was Chris, right?
00:53:11
>> I don't know. I don't know. It's just all funny. >> So funny. He's just like, I'm just going
00:53:15
to treat him like anybody else. >> Yeah. He just goes, "There's a fat guy
00:53:18
in the front, sir. Maybe go for him." >> Yeah. >> He has a little bug in his ear when he
00:53:23
got older. Fat guy. Three. Three >> lady wearing a flower box hat. >> Take four steps to the right. Fat guy
00:53:30
alert. >> Closer. That's him. That's him. >> Get him. I took it as a badge of honor. I love
00:53:39
being ripped by >> Oh, yeah. When when I met him, I was a producer at the Conan show, I think. Or
00:53:43
no, I was doing Triumph, >> I think. >> And I did it for for Rickles, but but I
00:53:49
met him first. They introduced me because they wanted to make it okay that it, you know, make sure he would be cool
00:53:55
with it. >> And he sees me and he just says, "Hello, Rabbi." Which I later heard was a move
00:54:02
he had for a lot of Seemetic. That was his move. >> Like John Stewart told me once that that
00:54:08
was the first thing he said to John Stewart when he >> I'm Yeah, he had his biggest just a good
00:54:13
safe offensive across the board thing to say. >> Yeah, you know, we've all got our
00:54:17
standard zingers >> going full full circle toward the end. >> You think Triumph never said the buzz
00:54:22
around flies around my ass before. You're sadly right. >> There's only so many mathematical ways
00:54:29
to get a ass joke. Okay, they can be flying around. But Regis told me once, this was to when when Rickles was still
00:54:37
on the road, you know, honest to God, some nights you don't know if he's going
00:54:40
to make it. They give him two eyeballs. He's rubbing his knees. Honest to God, I
00:54:44
don't know. When they play the music, he goes out and he kills him for an hour,
00:54:47
kid. Then he lies down. >> I like I like honest to God. >> Honest to God.
00:54:50
>> Honest to God, who's better than Robert Smeaggel? Honest to God, this guy, he's
00:54:55
everywhere. I mean, you know, it really is. >> He was really nice to me, too. I You
00:54:59
know, one time, this is insane. I had an idea for a sitcom and it's one of the happiest half hours of my whole
00:55:06
life. I got to sit in a hotel room and pitch Larry King and Regis Philin a sitcom where they played an old gay
00:55:13
couple and they took it dead serious like this is a great idea and they had already
00:55:20
like consulted Rickles about it and Larry King's like Rickles says we can do
00:55:25
it but we can't be too swishy swish and um you know we would just talk about
00:55:32
it and Regis the funniest was Regis he was like so Bob, again, I apologize for my inferior reges, but it's like,
00:55:39
>> so if we do this, you know, I know there's going to be a script, but not
00:55:43
not really, right? I mean, >> you know, we can get out there and Larry and I can just go off, right? Just play
00:55:49
off each other, right? Oh, there's a story to the, you know, it's a sitcom.
00:55:54
It's got to happen. Yeah, but Bob, I mean, yeah, Bob, >> learning lines and Yeah. I mean, we have
00:56:00
a natural thing, Bob. Uh, >> Rickles says, Rickles says we just have to look natural. I'm like, when did
00:56:07
Rickles become the oracle of Su everything by Rickles? >> Mr. CPO Sharky. >> CPO Sharky 1975. Yeah.
00:56:16
>> If if you have a copy of that treatment, can you send it to me and Dana?
00:56:19
>> Um, >> I don't think I ever bothered to write it. Somehow they said yes
00:56:23
>> to just meeting with me for a half an hour. One one one other thing >> that Smiggle has that's one of the
00:56:30
funniest titles is the autism benefit. The night of too many stars. >> It's the funniest thing.
00:56:36
>> Both of you have done. >> Of course. >> Thank you. One. Well, both of you have
00:56:39
done it. >> You um you've done it a couple of times. Dana, you did the first one and it was
00:56:46
one of the greatest bits that it's ever been on that. We've done like seven of
00:56:49
them. >> What was it? >> Well, Hal Wilner, rest his soul. >> Yes. music
00:56:54
>> was an incredibly great guy who uh was the music um >> supervisor
00:56:58
>> supervisor at Saturday Night Live and >> for 200 years >> for 200 years. He missed the first um
00:57:05
300 and he um he would help me book he knew everybody in music. >> Yeah. and he would help me book the show
00:57:15
with, you know, he we had a booker who would be paid and then Hal for free would get me, you know, he got me Elvis
00:57:22
Costello once, he got me Sting and this particular bit he got me Lou Reed and it
00:57:27
was like a surprise appearance. the people in Rosland. You remember we did this in Rosland and they were crazy.
00:57:33
>> And Lou Reed comes out and it's like Jimmy Fallon saying Lou Reed and he's
00:57:37
gonna have an all-star band >> and then one by one he introduces the all-star band and it's all comedians.
00:57:45
>> Mhm. >> It's on the drums Dana Carvey on the guitar. Con O'Brien
00:57:50
>> I think Sandler was there too. >> Jack Black, Adam Sandler, and Lou Reed
00:57:54
played it perfectly like this is the all-star band. And and then they did this incredibly
00:58:01
funny, somewhat disrespectful, but affectionate >> version of Walk on the Wild Side.
00:58:09
>> Oh, I love it. >> And it's on it's it's on YouTube and and
00:58:12
Sandler literally like is right in his face going Lou Reed got mad at me. It was very
00:58:26
awkward. I still remember it. >> Yeah. After the rehearsal, I didn't really have a monitor. I could hear it.
00:58:32
He used to go and take a walk on the wild side. So, he very seriously as everyone scattered just walked over to
00:58:37
me and just was intense Lou Reed and goes, don't do that. Don't do that.
00:58:41
>> Don't do what? >> Whatever he thought I was doing on the drums. I go, I'm a comedian and I can't
00:58:45
air myself. Don't play like that. You know, he just got very serious. Maybe it
00:58:49
was nerves. But then we came out later, he was totally affable. He was probably just that that was the only thing he
00:58:55
probably cared about was that it sounded good. >> Right. And I wanted I wanted to I wanted
00:58:59
to play well. I just that my monitor drummer and and and you did you did it sounds amazing.
00:59:04
>> Oh, that's good. I guess I got it on the air show. We just had a brief rehearsal.
00:59:08
>> Absolutely. It was kind of an incredible >> Adam's a great guitarist and Conan's a
00:59:14
good guitarist and and Jack Black's I mean these are like all the most musical. They just happened to all be
00:59:20
there >> and that song is brilliant but it is very very austere and very simple which
00:59:25
is you know take you know it's like >> it was perfect and everybody got a turn.
00:59:31
>> Mhm. >> Uh you didn't cuz you were the drummer but every all these other guys did solos
00:59:36
in their different ways >> right you know >> and um >> I learned a few things from Smiggle
00:59:40
today. I learned that Franken and Davis hired him. >> Franken and Davis hired me. That is
00:59:46
correct. His dad invented crest white strips. >> No, that's not true. >> Okay. I invented I I heard that he
00:59:53
>> tooth bonding. He he was the he developed the whole tooth bonding technique.
00:59:58
>> Right. And I and Lou Reed hates Dana Carvey. These are the only things I
01:00:01
picked up. Another one of my impressions has gone to the stars. I have insight insight onto this involves you. Someone
01:00:09
told me today. So Michael Gordon wants to go right for the the Conan show. He talks to Bob Bob Odenkirk
01:00:18
and Bob Odenkirk said, "Wait, wait till we get Smiggle as the headwriter."
01:00:24
And then somehow you got you became the head writer and then >> Oh, you're talking about the original
01:00:30
Conan Show. I thought you meant Michael Gordon wants to write for the new Conan.
01:00:33
>> Oh, sorry. This is always back in time when they But he said >> Michael Gordon knew Bob Odenkirk.
01:00:39
>> I think so. Or at least casually. Hey. A, that's so funny. >> Dana, so good. SO FUNNY.
01:00:46
>> OH MY GOD, that's so funny. Oh my god. No, you're not doing that, are you? No.
01:00:53
Was he mad about Chipos? Cuz there's a rumor down said I was really mad about
01:00:57
it and I wasn't. >> Yeah, that was something Downey read online. He read online that you It was
01:01:02
the most ridiculous lie imaginable that you like marched into Lauren's office.
01:01:06
>> I just like you people. You you you were like you'd been there for like four weeks.
01:01:13
>> Yeah. I go, you know what, Marcy would have >> talked to the last per you could have
01:01:17
been there for 5 years. You never would have pounded on Lauren's door. >> That was clearly made up. But there's a
01:01:23
comfortity around >> was that exploitive of Chris or not? People have their difference opinions.
01:01:29
when he did the Chip and Dale sketch with his shirt on. >> I thought that I thought the opposite
01:01:34
which was I mean I just have an inherent I thought the people were not laughing at Chris. I didn't see it that way. I
01:01:42
thought cuz there have been a million fat comedians who you know exploit their bodies in some way or another play off
01:01:50
being sure >> heavy >> Jackie. The thing that >> I saw that night was an audience fall in
01:01:57
love with Chris >> because he was so committed and he was such a good dancer
01:02:01
>> and he wasn't he acted like he wasn't remotely ashamed >> of his body. You know that whether
01:02:07
that's you know obviously not necessarily the truth but that's what he projected. Mhm.
01:02:13
>> And to me it was like if anything they didn't use the word empowering back then
01:02:18
but to me that's how it felt to me like you know the way somebody like Bridget
01:02:24
Everett where the person is >> you know completely unself-conscious about their body. At least it played that way
01:02:33
to me. But, you know, >> I would say this. I would say if you saw that in Chris, if you felt that that
01:02:41
that was happening to Chris, then maybe you should have talked to Chris about it
01:02:45
and made sure it was cool with Chris instead of just saying tutt. This is >> I didn't know a thing. I just saw a
01:02:52
young cast member. >> Yeah, I barely knew. >> I did not. Look, there's different
01:02:57
levels. This was young Chris. I saw a guy very athletic. I think anyone ne next to Patrick sees would look kind of
01:03:04
chubby. And so Chris was moving really like a chubby guy. Not like a next level.
01:03:10
>> He was not even that big back then. >> No. And I saw a guy killing with
01:03:15
physical comedy. But if he was sad about it inside, I I was clueless to it. >> I was clueless too if he was. But I mean
01:03:23
he when I saw him at Second City that summer, he was another person I had the privilege of seeing audition back then.
01:03:29
And he what struck me about him at Second City was how graceful he was. Like he was the opposite of how he falls
01:03:37
down >> who got who gained some weight. He's he's a he was an athlete.
01:03:40
>> Yeah. >> Yeah. and he was incredibly graceful and that's what separated him
01:03:45
>> besides you know his incredible characterizations like >> but you know so to me that's um the
01:03:53
sketch was the only thing it was exploiting was his incredible was what made him special
01:04:00
>> I would go by David's athleticism >> only because David was probably the
01:04:04
closest to I don't remember any >> I don't think David was the closest back
01:04:08
then though >> maybe not back then but after they did their movies and stuff. Well, right up
01:04:12
there. Right there. >> That's different. By then, Chris started to get like like, you know, in the
01:04:18
motivational speaker sketch, I remember adding I had one contribution to that sketch because Bob was no longer there,
01:04:24
oddly enough. >> Yes. >> Bob wrote the entire sketch and Spade, you know, I I added just that little
01:04:29
part at the end where he's like, "Matt's going to shade you. You're here. Matt's
01:04:34
here. You're You know that thing." And then he knocks Yeah. That's great.
01:04:38
>> And he knocks over the coffee table. Yeah. >> And that was like I just felt it needed
01:04:43
like a physical topper at the end. >> Yeah. A good >> So we put it in and it worked.
01:04:48
>> And then I feel though that it did lead to like the slippery slope of Farley
01:04:52
knocking things down. >> Oh, he's going through walls to the ceiling. >> Yeah, it started it started something
01:04:58
that I did not intend to h to happen. >> Well, they're kind of waiting for it
01:05:03
after that. Every sketch they're like, "What's he going to hit? What's he going
01:05:05
to fall through?" >> Well, certainly with the Matt Foley ones. Yeah. But it started happening in
01:05:09
other sketches too. >> He just walks in >> fatty falls down falls down. That's all
01:05:14
you got. Far >> I would call then then we started getting cynical about like Chris you
01:05:19
know we would just come up with different names for >> but that Nancy Carrian sketch he was a
01:05:24
great ice skater too. That's true. There you go. >> Yeah he could ice skate as well. Yeah.
01:05:31
So that canceled out Chippendale. So were you >> I just you know when people say it's
01:05:36
just very glib to like you know that sketch >> set him off that it's just so I just
01:05:43
find that irresponsible to >> well I never heard him complain about it in the years to come. So I I I think he
01:05:49
was just like if you're a young cast member >> and that and you get a sketch that's a
01:05:54
10 out of 10 and he took it and it blew him up. I don't think he ever looked
01:05:58
back and said, but I felt like >> no, so many other things got >> Did he ever take his shirt off again on
01:06:05
the show? I mean, he he fell around and stuff and walk through walls, but I don't remember. I'm
01:06:10
>> sure he did. >> It didn't become a thing. Let's get Chris's shirt off.
01:06:13
>> So, that's good, too. >> I mean, there was a lot of restraint
01:06:17
until >> like the later I think it was wasn't until his like third or fourth year. It
01:06:22
was like people were running out of what to do with him and >> and it became like a shorthand kind of
01:06:27
cheap move to >> have Farley break something, you know, but he was like, "Oh my god, Spade." Do
01:06:35
you remember his acting in that uh Tom Schiller? >> Oh, the coffee one. >> Yeah. Just the way his face changes when
01:06:43
he >> when he hears that they've switched folders. >> Great idea. That was a great idea. How
01:06:50
many takes does he get to trash the whole set? >> I know that was all Tom Schiller.
01:06:54
>> The Schiller vision of the Folders commercial was a real hit that is kind
01:06:58
of a and a gem that not everyone saw. >> I put it in the best of because of that.
01:07:04
>> Yeah. Great one. >> So that people would see it cuz it was it was one of his greatest acting jobs
01:07:10
ever. >> Yeah. They could look it up. All right, let's wrap. What? Anything
01:07:20
else for this guy, Dana? >> Let's see. Um, anything else for this guy? Your social security number? Just
01:07:26
for this is just uh housekeeping basics number. >> Stay on and do the paperwork. We're
01:07:31
going to jump off, but >> um um >> No, that's we covered literally
01:07:37
everything you've ever done. >> Well, we did a lot of SNL, but obviously
01:07:40
Robert and I did the Dana Carvey show and he go and biggestly gay. Funny that we didn't talk about the Dana Carvey
01:07:46
show. >> It's all right. It's a really We're Sarah at Life Focus, but that was uh
01:07:52
>> You'll do a whole podcast about that some, >> right? We have a Hotel Transennsylvania
01:07:55
podcast after this if you want to stay on. >> That's right. That's what I'm waiting
01:07:58
for. >> You want to stay on? You you were Zohan. >> Just a Hotel Transennylvania 2 podcast.
01:08:05
>> He did the Clutch Cargo characters on Conan, which I loved. You know, the
01:08:10
Arnold just the lips and the arag. Oh my god, we didn't talk about the Hans and Fron movie. That was
01:08:16
>> a Hans and Fr. >> This is the part of the show where we just talk about how much better the show
01:08:21
could have been. >> Well, we Hans and Fron movie. Oh, >> we have to have you back. That's
01:08:28
>> We saw I wrote all your stuff out today and I I knew there was no way this was
01:08:32
going to fit into an hour and so >> I know. I just more than anything I wish
01:08:37
I talked about that. >> Which one? the Hans and Fron movie >> because
01:08:42
>> because it's so funny and it's hysterical movie talked about it on here
01:08:46
because it was the whole way it got put together and then it didn't work out but
01:08:51
there was so many >> Hans and France the girly man dilemma but it was not it's not homophobic it
01:08:58
was just girly men are not are just men without big muscles like them >> you know
01:09:04
>> do you remember the part okay well this is gonna we can't I was going going to
01:09:09
talk about the Cisco and Eert part was one of my favorite. >> Yeah, that whole story. You have 12
01:09:14
seconds. Go ahead. >> Hans and Fron were doing their movie and they're running around somewhere and
01:09:18
they go into a room and Cisco and Eert are watching. >> It's a movie with I mean they're they're
01:09:22
not they're just doing the movie. They're in the movie and they're doing a
01:09:25
cross-country trip to Los Angeles because they want to be in the movies and be with Arnold.
01:09:30
>> Yeah. >> And then they're riding a bicycle across country. And then at one point they
01:09:35
happen upon a big a big uh edifice and they just walk in and Cisco and Eert the most famous critics at the time Cisco
01:09:45
and Roger Eert are sitting in the theater and it's just like >> how's the movie? You like it? It's
01:09:50
pretty good so far. They're watching the movie. >> Lots of action and collapse.
01:09:57
>> They're in this in this dark room watching the exact movie that's taking
01:10:01
place. So on the screen is them us talking to them. >> Yeah. It's you talking to them. They're
01:10:07
like in their movie seats and then >> watching on the screen is us talking.
01:10:11
>> You see them watching >> the movie, >> right? >> And it's like like 4 seconds behind
01:10:17
>> 4 seconds behind. Got it. >> Yeah. That kind of thing. >> Yeah.
01:10:21
>> And then eventually they get kidnapped because they're girly men, >> right? Like you go to check in on them
01:10:27
later and they're gone >> because the the the evil villain has kidnapped he's like remember Sunny Bono
01:10:34
disappears and >> right >> uh I can't remember who who famous girly
01:10:39
man of the day >> the bad the bad guy had a big button that said hurt the weather and then we
01:10:44
cut the window look out his window go hey the weather seems hood somehow you know
01:10:49
>> yeah it was uh it was going to be Dolph Lungren >> Mhm. And he had like this kind of like
01:10:54
final solution villain kind of thing where I am going to eliminate all the girly men of the earth
01:11:03
>> and then he'd turn to the camera and say and I'm going to hurt the environment.
01:11:08
>> Oh, that's had the button that said hurt the environment. That's right. Yeah,
01:11:12
>> cuz we were obsessed. My I I desperately wanted to do like Mike Myers was my hero
01:11:18
later because he with Dr. evil created a character that >> remember all these 80s comedies the
01:11:25
villain you always had to like take it seriously for like >> right rather than
01:11:29
>> you know whether it was Max Fido or in Strange Brew or like >> there you always had to have these
01:11:35
obligatory villains >> and so we were trying to >> make fun of that and have the villain be
01:11:41
as funny as the and Mike and then Mike ended up doing it perfect. >> Good for Mike.
01:11:48
Good for Mike. All right, I go my show. >> This has been Robert Smeiggel, one of I
01:11:55
would say he's the greatest sketch writer of his generation. You you he's
01:12:01
in the he's in the discussion. I put him at the top, but everyone can have their
01:12:05
opinion. >> Jack Andy was the guy that I >> Different different lane though. I put
01:12:11
him in a different lane. But yeah, >> it's a different lane. But here's what
01:12:13
I'll say about Jack. That was why all the writers I would say if he pulled at
01:12:17
least the writers of that era >> they would have gone with Jack and it's
01:12:20
because >> someone like me wrote a lot of I'm very proud of a lot of things I wrote but I
01:12:26
feel like you know there are ideas that only I could have thought of but there are other ones that I think other people
01:12:32
>> could have and where Jack >> like nobody else could have thought of
01:12:37
almost any of the sketches Jack >> Handy any read through you'd be like oh my god
01:12:43
this is Jack handy within three lines. You're like, "Everyone looks >> exactly over there smiling." People act
01:12:48
like he was just the act seven guy, like the 5 to 11 guy was huge. >> Was the biggest character on the show
01:12:56
for a couple like literally the biggest character on the show was a cat pup. >> Yeah. Yeah.
01:13:04
>> Look out. And we frozen caveman lawyer. >> Yeah. would always they would get no
01:13:10
laughs practically, but everybody from Lauren on down was in awe of that brilliant sketch. And so it was always
01:13:19
it always made the show. It was never at the end of the show because we were all
01:13:23
collectively just so proud to >> put it on. >> I am a simple unfrozen caveman or
01:13:29
something. >> Yeah. No. That was just the perfect use of >> you did that perfect. I don't know
01:13:36
what's going on. Yeah, it's almost like I'm a cave. Simple cave, man. I think a
01:13:44
simple cave. >> I think 60 million punitive damages feels about right. >> So, we all love Jack.
01:13:53
>> Yes. Okay. Thanks, Robert. Thanks, Robert. >> Thanks, guys. >> Loved it.
01:14:02
>> Hey, guys. If you're loving this podcast, which you are, be sure to click
01:14:06
follow on your favorite podcast app. Give us a review, fivestar rating, and maybe even share an episode that you've
01:14:13
loved with a friend. If you're watching this episode on YouTube, please subscribe. We're on video now.
01:14:19
>> Fly on the Wall is presented by Odyssey, an executive produced by Dana Carvey and
01:14:23
David Spade, Heather Santoro, and Greg Holtzman, Mattie Sprung Kaiser, and Leah Reese Dennis of Odyssey. Our senior
01:14:30
producer is Greg Holtzman and the show is produced and edited by Phil Sweet Tech. Booking by Cultivated
01:14:37
Entertainment. >> Special thanks to Patrick Fogerty, Evan Cox, Mora Curran, Melissa Wester,
01:14:45
Hillary Shuff, Eric Donnelly, Colin Gainner, Sean Cherry, Kurt Courtourtney, and Lauren Vieiraa. Reach out with us
01:14:53
any questions to be asked and answered on the show. You can email us at flyinthewala.com.
01:15:00
That's audacy.com.

Badges

This episode stands out for the following:

  • 75
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  • 70
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  • 70
    Best overall
  • 65
    Most quotable

Episode Highlights

  • Robert Smeiggel's Impact
    Arguably one of the greatest sketch writers of his generation, Smeiggel has left a mark on comedy.
    “He’s among the greatest comedy sketch writers of his generation.”
    @ 00m 18s
    March 25, 2026
  • Triumph the Insult Comic Dog
    Triumph makes a surprise appearance, bringing humor and tension to the conversation.
    “Do not make fun of this show or us.”
    @ 07m 48s
    March 25, 2026
  • The Church Lady's Legacy
    A look back at the iconic character and its impact on comedy.
    “I owned the church slave.”
    @ 18m 58s
    March 25, 2026
  • Sketches That Didn't Make It
    Exploring the reasons behind cutting certain sketches from the show.
    “You know why they cut it? Because it’s funny.”
    @ 20m 56s
    March 25, 2026
  • Johnny Carson's Unique Style
    Analyzing the quirks and style of Johnny Carson's comedy.
    “It’s a little weird.”
    @ 28m 01s
    March 25, 2026
  • The Burden of Duty
    Duty comes first, but at what cost?
    “Duty comes first.”
    @ 35m 34s
    March 25, 2026
  • Johnny Carson's Reaction
    Johnny Carson felt threatened by the rise of Arsenio Hall.
    “He literally thought we were now calling him senile.”
    @ 42m 34s
    March 25, 2026
  • The Weight of Fame
    Fame can turn you into a caricature of yourself.
    “You become a caricature of yourself if you're a comedian.”
    @ 43m 36s
    March 25, 2026
  • Rickles' Humor
    Rickles treats everyone equally, even a fat guy in the front row.
    “He’s just like, I’m just going to treat him like anybody else.”
    @ 53m 15s
    March 25, 2026
  • Lou Reed's Awkward Moment
    A funny encounter with Lou Reed during a rehearsal.
    “Lou Reed got mad at me. It was very awkward.”
    @ 58m 24s
    March 25, 2026
  • Chris Farley's Physical Comedy
    Discussion on Chris Farley's unique physical comedy style.
    “He was not even that big back then.”
    @ 01h 03m 12s
    March 25, 2026
  • Jack Handy's Impact
    Discussion on Jack Handy's unique contributions to sketch comedy.
    “Everyone looks exactly over there smiling.”
    @ 01h 12m 46s
    March 25, 2026

Episode Quotes

  • It's a very successful money grab.
    RE-RELEASE - Robert Smigel
  • I owned the church slave.
    RE-RELEASE - Robert Smigel
  • It’s a little weird.
    RE-RELEASE - Robert Smigel
  • You become a caricature of yourself if you're a comedian.
    RE-RELEASE - Robert Smigel
  • Rickles says we just have to look natural.
    RE-RELEASE - Robert Smigel
  • Yeah. It’s you talking to them.
    RE-RELEASE - Robert Smigel

Key Moments

  • Smeiggel's Legacy00:18
  • Podcast Banter12:00
  • Career Reflections35:40
  • Johnny's Heartbreak43:15
  • Dark Room1:09:57
  • Watching The Movie1:09:59
  • Jack Handy's Genius1:12:13
  • Caveman Lawyer1:13:29

Tension Over Time

Words per Minute Over Time

Vibes Breakdown