00:00:00
Fred Armanson is our special applause. Yes. >> Yeah. Our special republished. >> One of the uh most liked over there.
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He's just such a quirky, hilarious dude. And everyone seems to uh light up and get along with this dude, including
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myself, including you. >> Oh, yeah. He's super easy. And he's a drummer. He's a musician. So, you can
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see that in his comedy work. But yeah, he's one of my favorites. Whoever did that show for sure. Something funny
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about him, you know. I don't know if we talk about the Californians. Where are we going? We're going to take Iowa five
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or something. And the way he did it and how committed he was always made Bill her
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>> and everybody. Yeah. I saw him on a flight recently and when it's funny these guys that I don't know well, I'll
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walk up and immediately go into bits. You know what I mean? Like I walk up and grab my go, "Sir, you can't be in this
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aisle." >> Yeah. Yeah. Totally. and they get it right away and then they answer.
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>> They go along with it and it's like we don't even say hi. It's just we go right
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into a bit >> if there's an on switch. Yeah. That a quip from a peer is on switch. It's like
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okay we're joking around here. >> Yeah, we're going into something. Just go around. So enjoy this republish. It
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was a fun interview. >> Fred Armson. >> It feels like Fred, you're the first cast member. Are we starting or is it
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We're [ __ ] >> Wait, can you hear me? Okay. Like, is the mic working okay and all that stuff?
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>> I can hear you. Can you hear? >> Unfortunately, yes. >> Can you hear me, Fred?
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>> Yes. Crystal clear. >> Can you hear? >> Can you Can you me now? >> Okay. Can't trick a trickster.
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>> Bits. Uh, of all the cast members of SNL, you were had the widest range of uh, ethnicities or whatever the word
00:01:53
would be that you could play like you could play like any anything from all over the world. What was that about?
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>> It's just that um, >> keep your answer to one hour exactly. >> My mom's Venezuelan, so uh, and my dad
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is um, half Korean and half German, so I think that there, you know, they're they're immigrants. So I think somewhere
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in there as far as DNA goes that that's how it worked out. >> You're all over. >> Yeah.
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>> But you're not offending anyone because you're you're a part 1% of something. So
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>> yeah, that's a good idea. >> And it just that's just how it worked out. And you know how it is over there.
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Like when they have, you know, a role for you in one of the sketches, you just, you know, try to do it. You know,
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>> I played Tony Montana in a sketch. You know, I don't know if I could do that now. I was I whenever I do that because
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I enjoy doing Scarface, the Tony Montana accent. I go I'm doing Alpuccino's bizarre Cuban accent and that seems to
00:02:52
relax people like I'm not making a statement about >> people from from Kuba. It is it is tough
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if you're just trying to mimic something or mimic a look, which is the whole thing. And some are offensive and some
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aren't when you're just going, I'm just trying to do my best to represent that person, whatever that is, voice, hair,
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face, wigs, and then sometimes a wig will be counted as offensive or something about it will be offensive.
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And then more and more as time goes on. With me and Dana, not not as bad. With you, maybe it was a little tougher.
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>> A little, but then I think it just got tougher as the casts kept going. So, as
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the years kept going, that kept changing. And and it probably will keep changing. I'm guessing
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>> it's getting tougher for sure. >> I think so. But I think I there's stuff I've looked up with uh other I call them
00:03:38
bandmates, your bandmates. Yeah. >> From you know that era with uh you know line them up. It was as good as any cast
00:03:46
by far. I mean you had Maya, you had Amy, >> you Z you had you had Billy Hater. >> Yeah.
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>> You had you had Jason Sedakas. So you had an all-star >> Andy Samber. And you guys could get away
00:03:58
with a lot in 2005, I think. Yeah. Not so-called get away. You could you could expand your your comedy appetites. And
00:04:07
then it did evolve into wherever it is. >> And get away with stuff. >> And get away with it. Sounds kind of
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negative, David. >> No, but listen, first of all, I apologize. My voice is so sexy. But I
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think I might I don't know >> what >> you may have co. >> No, I don't. I don't because I did. No.
00:04:23
Fred, stop spreading the rumor. I have I went to James Cordon yesterday and they gave me a test so I don't have
00:04:31
but I just feel you know what I just I I'm a hard worker that's my crime I work so hard
00:04:38
you get it >> my Kristoff Waltz I'm doing my new Kristoff Waltz impression talking about
00:04:43
that so you're a hard worker that's when I was sold off people would say I look like a crazy person on the street and
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this is just him in real life. He's not even >> He's like You're like You're kind of
00:04:58
like him, Fred, in a way. Like you you hit these rhythms. You do stuff that makes me so happy. And I you know, I
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don't like rankings anymore because people ask us, "What's the best? What's the second?" I'll just say you're one of
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my favorites because you're you never pushed there all such quirky stuff. >> And even you and and Bill Hater's
00:05:20
Italian a fake Italian guy, which I love that sketch. just how you you just you're playing it so real. It just has
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THE GUY EATING LIKE I could listen to that forever. But shall we go back to the beginning?
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>> But Dana, coming from you, I mean, you know, like walking the halls of of SNL,
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you just came up all the time as like the the st the gold standard of uh how to have like an incredible first year. I
00:05:49
cannot believe even your first year. >> Oh yeah. He came out of the gate with a cold open and never looked back
00:05:54
>> once I had the late once I had the lady. I I was I was okay. But uh you came in
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as a feature player. So and also it was different back then that the show there was only six of us.
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>> Me, Phil. >> Jesus. >> What? >> And of of main players just >> No wonder you got fed six little birds
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in the nest. >> Yeah. >> Get you got so many worms. it. Michael Winsow, >> you [ __ ] made fun of me on Kimmel.
00:06:27
I'll talk to you after the class. >> I it I did it once because you're you're you're a fan favorite on Kimmel and then
00:06:35
every time I did it, they laugh. So, you know, I'm a comedian, so I'm like it's like, okay. I go, I'm I'm David. I'm
00:06:41
sad. >> That's pretty good, actually. >> Anyway, back. But D but David, I did not
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mean I also I it doesn't I didn't want to overlook the fact that you how great you were on SNL as well. I I didn't mean
00:06:56
to >> swinging back >> just you didn't want to gloss over that. So >> no thank you buddy. But I will give it
00:07:01
up that data was the gold stand. When I got there he was already crushing it and
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then he just continued to mow down. Yeah. >> Yeah. Thank you. We're recording, right?
00:07:10
This is recording. Okay, good. Just want to make sure. >> Put it for your clip reel.
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>> This is called gold. No, but um I don't know where to start with you and I want
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to get to a lot of things. I hope you don't have much to do today. Um >> I I have like I think four minutes and
00:07:24
then we got to we got to wrap it up. >> Oh, you got a hard fast >> I have a question for him, Dana, before
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he gets before you get to really young stuff because he hasn't really answered anything yet.
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>> Uh we just talk over them. But Fred, one of my favorite things that I did not see
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live but I saw today was such a great monologue when you when you acted out you doing a play about how you
00:07:47
got SNL. >> Yeah. Like a one like a oneman show. >> Yeah. It was so it was so weird and
00:07:54
quirky and interesting and I I loved how you Dana he does Lauren's voice in it and of course he does it really horribly
00:08:01
and nothing like Lauren just hysterical >> like a mafia boss or something. >> Yeah, he does. I went in his office and
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he's like, "Hey kid, come on." >> That's all written by Seth Myers. That that monologue.
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>> Oh, for real? Top to bottom. He just >> Oh, it was great. Cuz I thought I just
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you know when you do that I picture it at read through. Sometimes monologues for people at home don't get put up at
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read through because they're not even written till Friday, >> right? >> Uh but but if you do it at read through,
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I was thinking, [ __ ] he's got to move around and stand up and that that read throughs where you move around are
00:08:31
tough. >> Uh you can lose the crowd quickly. Also, Dana >> or in the performance on Wednesday,
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>> Fred would go cuz you walked off the stage and you went for someone in the audience and
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>> what did you ask her? >> Uh uh I don't answer. Uh you know, like what do you think? What do you think?
00:08:47
What do you think? What do you think? And she just a real person, right? >> Yeah. That was a real person. Yeah.
00:08:52
>> And then she doesn't know what to say. So she finally goes, "You think I'm lying? You think I'm lying?" She goes,
00:08:55
"No." And you go, "Don't answer. Please don't. You're ruining it." >> Part of the show.
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>> And then you keep asking her and then she said something else and you go, "God
00:09:01
damn, you ruined it." You walk back. >> Uh, all that was so funny. If you want to look it up.
00:09:06
>> Um, thanks. But what I was going to ask you guys is where at readthrough, what
00:09:11
space did you go to to do stuff where you had to walk because you know how difficult it is around a table. Where
00:09:16
where were you when you had to sort of act something out? >> It was kind of over by Cheryl Hard on
00:09:23
the piano. There was just a little wedge of a space there. >> Yeah. >> And I did one once. I I really didn't
00:09:29
like to do it because it felt like you're trying too hard, but I did one once with Ben Stiller
00:09:35
>> playing Bono. I was playing the edge and Dolly Pardon had to stand up and we stood and did our little sketch there,
00:09:42
>> you know, that was the one I remember for you. Did you stand up a lot and move
00:09:45
around in the >> I I'm I'm the same. Like I did not like to do it because it was just also, you
00:09:50
know, three sketches before it. You're sort of thinking, okay, where do I have to go? Where do I have to walk to? and
00:09:54
like um but uh it was sort of over um by kind of by the piano but in between those door there's like a main these two
00:10:03
main doors before you go into that that writer's room >> in there looked like it looked like a
00:10:07
little bit of a stage kind of >> but god that >> oh the entrance to the writer's room
00:10:12
>> yes kind of kind of in front of it towards the table >> but we had so many [ __ ] people jammed
00:10:18
in readthrough room I mean it was if people at home can picture like a big sort of square where everyone sits
00:10:22
around all the main cast and Lauren and the host Yeah. >> Post and Lauren were by the window. I
00:10:27
got to sit next to the host >> when Dana left, but I think I sat behind Dana. >> And then Do you know where you were in
00:10:34
that thing? Cuz it was like three deep. Like people were stacked in there >> at the table. I was diagonally across to
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the left. And I think I was at the same place every year, >> which I liked. I like it was like
00:10:46
>> once you pick a place, you kind of stay there. And and you know, for people at
00:10:49
home, again, it's uh it's like three or four deep and you have every department.
00:10:53
And you have a rep from every department. So wigs will be watching a sketch like you do and you see them
00:10:57
scribbling going, "Oh, this is going to [ __ ] suck. This guy needs eight wigs in here."
00:11:01
>> And then music, if you need them, Cheryl hits the piano or maybe G's in there.
00:11:06
And they help a bit. But you're right, it get it. You know what it you don't want to be sweaty. No.
00:11:11
>> And so if you get up to do a bit, everyone's like, "This better be three times as funny as it was sitting down."
00:11:16
>> Yeah. Cuz you've got to walk up to that spot. That's the hard part. You got like
00:11:20
>> a 5 hour read through. Everyone's like, "What are you doing?" because you're snaking through with your little script
00:11:25
and oh, he's moving up there now. Now he's going to perform >> with a ukulele and it's it's
00:11:31
>> if it bombs it's even 10 times more sickening. >> Awful. Dead silence. >> Yeah, that was on a nerve scale of 1 to
00:11:39
10. I mean, where was Rethrough compared to the actual show? I mean, it had its own terrors.
00:11:45
>> I mean, you know, it it went so long that um sometimes it just got, you know,
00:11:49
you just get sleepy as it's going. hours, right? Four, five hours that kind of dissipates after a while, but it's
00:11:56
it's the buildup up to your sketch that, you know, >> oh, you see it coming and you're like,
00:12:01
"Oh no." And then something kills right before it and you're like, "Oh my god, that just [ __ ] me."
00:12:05
>> Oh my god. >> Oh yeah. I'd see like right before it. It's like Adam's new song. I'm like,
00:12:09
"No." >> Or, "Come on, give me a chance." >> Or something where you think it's brilliant. Something that you think is
00:12:17
brilliant and then when you get there, it's the exact opposite. And that silence is is the worst.
00:12:22
>> Yeah. When they don't bite in the first joke that you think is really great, you
00:12:27
think the premise has been set up and you get your first thing and it's it's less than nothing.
00:12:33
>> No. >> There's there's disdain subconsciously in the room nine pages of pain.
00:12:40
>> Yeah. when it Tom Davis well no names but when Tom Davis would write like a 17
00:12:44
pager and and some of them really worked and if it doesn't work by page four and
00:12:50
and you feel the whole wave just tap out and one leans back >> and you just go oh and if you're in it
00:12:56
or if you wrote it and you're like please God just Lauren just go to the next one don't even don't do this to me
00:13:02
because I don't want to be like yeah they're just swinging hard and everyone already just said no not on this one
00:13:08
>> nobody even your best friends are like >> it's not clicking and they kind of were
00:13:11
quietly going >> so Fred you you since we're on SNL cuz you were on it so you come in as a
00:13:18
feature and then in two seasons they you go to the main company like how was that
00:13:23
journey how did that change and what what what begot that >> I I felt lucky to even be there at all
00:13:30
you know even that first show I didn't know that I was going to get on you know >> so um
00:13:36
>> whatever it was I kind of liked there was like less pressure to be a feature player. This is kind of like it's okay
00:13:42
if on a couple of shows I play an elf or something. >> Um, so >> or you're not on at all.
00:13:47
>> That that happened. >> That happens a lot. Yeah. >> And we had a lot of cast members. So,
00:13:52
it's kind of nice. I kind of liked sort of easing into it. And then, you know, however many that was like two years
00:13:57
later. Uh, it it was like a nice I don't know. It's like a it's a good feeling to
00:14:01
oh, I guess this I'm actually part of the cast. But it all felt like uh just a lucky break every step of the way, you
00:14:08
know, even and and not exaggerating even the audition. Even the audition just being there up on, you know, just at the
00:14:16
you know the where people do the monologues even I was like I cannot believe I got this terrifying
00:14:22
>> can't believe that like I I'm actually on the stage in front of Lauren Michaels. I was star struck by when
00:14:27
Michael's >> and they sit in those little seats like where the audience at home sits during
00:14:31
the monologue and the little chairs in front >> and the the theater's empty. The studio
00:14:36
is dead empty and it's a death march. What were the like I I don't really know your journey. Uh just to go back a
00:14:43
little bit because I want to talk about your music career and your your m musicianship. I just had a little pop
00:14:49
earlier. He's a musician and a drummer and and then you start did you how did you get your stuff together that ended
00:14:56
up auditioning? Were you going to theater groups for three years or what was that journey from music to comedy?
00:15:03
>> I was doing music for a long time like all through my 20s. I was in a band and
00:15:07
that's all I was going to do. We broke up >> and then I started making videos of me
00:15:13
interviewing bands and stuff as uh different characters. >> Yeah, I'm sure they were weird. It was
00:15:19
weird and you know and I knew the band so it was just a little it was kind of uh and all of a sudden that video and it
00:15:25
was on VHS like sort of made the rounds >> and I started to um uh I would be asked
00:15:32
to be on some variety show you know some like Cornelius Cornelius Street you know
00:15:37
something where there's a couple of comedians and some music and um I just started doing characters I uh I did this
00:15:45
uh one character who I auditioned with Feticito like a a timbali player. It was like Tito
00:15:51
>> and um >> yeah, that one. And then uh somewhere in there like it it fit into standup shows.
00:15:58
So there would be like all these regular standups and in it there would be this one weird thing I would do, you know, do
00:16:04
a character. I don't think there were any jokes >> and that was something that I could um
00:16:10
sort of use as an act >> and then Bob Odenkirk. So I started doing this at Largo in LA
00:16:16
>> and I would do fito. I did this self-defense expert. I did a bunch of um characters. And you know, this scene was
00:16:23
like where like Zack Elephanakis was, Nick Wardson. >> Oh, Largo is great. >> Yeah, Largo is amazing. It was kind of
00:16:29
like the only place I performed at. And then Bob Odkirk >> uh had me on a pilot for a variety a
00:16:37
sketch show called Next for Fox. It was just a pilot. Mhm. >> And I did these characters and you know
00:16:42
there were sketches with you know everyone there was like you know a cast and everything but I had enough the
00:16:48
pilot didn't go but I had enough video to send to SNL. >> So we sent it. >> Did Odenkirk help you with that? Because
00:16:55
he's a big deal at SNL. >> He really he's responsible for me having all that all of that together. Before
00:17:02
that I was just just at Largo. He was the one who sort of made >> the work that I did legitimate to be on
00:17:08
a Fox pilot. Sure. And he could spot that you were good. >> He Yeah, he was >> He's great, too. He knows all that [ __ ]
00:17:17
Goes and does like three other great sketch shows. >> Yeah. Incredible. >> Yeah.
00:17:22
>> And then from that video, this um we sent it into SNL and uh Marcy Klein saw it. She showed it to Lauren
00:17:29
>> and then next thing I know, >> Marcy uh who's going to be on our podcast. >> Marcy's coming on. Yeah, we got
00:17:35
>> She knows where all the bodies are buried. We got to hear it. I mean, she really, you know, made sure that Lauren
00:17:41
saw it, the video. >> Yeah. >> And from there, then I just, you know, came into audition and I just did the
00:17:46
same. >> Was that like five years? Sorry, just that timeline of what between >> four. It's like for So, let's let's of
00:17:55
>> Yeah. Something that was 2002 is when I got on the show and then >> uh 99 is like kind of when I was making
00:18:02
those videos like 98 99. So, yeah, whatever that is. And then >> were you ever a a a straight I'm sorry a
00:18:09
a straight standup or was it always like >> you just came on I don't want to say
00:18:12
variety act because that sounds like you're reducing it too much. So as characters you go on and do
00:18:17
>> but that's hard to find stage time if you don't go in and say I'm a standup >> they don't know what to do with you
00:18:22
right >> yes but there are venues and shows going on that where it works for the show. So
00:18:29
if there's like if you know Patton Oswalt and Paul Fmpkins and Cargara for doing a show,
00:18:34
>> it's like the one little weird thing at the end that kind of works with the rest
00:18:38
of the show. So that was like my >> little paprika at the end. Yeah. >> Yeah. That was like my sweet spot. So So
00:18:44
I did the audition as Federicito, that timali player, and I did him doing impressions and characters. So this way
00:18:52
there's like a way in. >> He does Liberace. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. Um, I did I did Sam Watston from
00:18:59
Law and Order. >> And >> can we hear a line? I can't even picture it. >> That's such a subtle one, isn't it?
00:19:07
>> THE TRIAL JUDGE HEARD THE TESTIMONY. WHY DIDN'T YOU CALL 911? WHY DIDN'T you call the police like
00:19:13
this, you know? >> Oh, yeah. That's awesome. >> He just has something like his teeth or
00:19:19
something. There's the way that that it's in his it's in like his skull. >> It's very trebly too. almost garbly.
00:19:27
>> I kind of want to ask you because these are things that popped into my head. It's like your musicality
00:19:32
>> and your all that. How do you I mean it's obvious it's informing your comedy >> and is that uh how how do you find that
00:19:40
connection? Like when I when I was a guest host, you wrote a really funny >> musical thing we're in and I was
00:19:46
watching you just tap it out on some little computer and >> Yeah. just like I don't know if there's
00:19:51
been a cast member who was really a musician like you were and a and a a brilliant drummer. That's all. We'll get
00:19:56
to that later. But how does that inform your your your stuff or is it just a completely separate part of your brain?
00:20:02
I think it's just intuitive. >> No, it's it's completely it was the the only thing I knew, you know, like being
00:20:08
in bands for that long, that's all I knew was music. And you know, I did have aspirations to, you know, I I I
00:20:15
definitely had ambition to be on TV, but uh I was just in in bands for so long that that's the only that's all I had
00:20:22
was, you know, the I could do parodies of of songs or of a style. The one that we did that you're talking about was
00:20:29
like a parody of just like new wave music. The sketch was that there's a Super Bowl party. There's they're
00:20:34
watching a Super Bowl and then they pause it >> because like let's let this New Wave
00:20:39
band play. So, everyone's really upset and it's really new wavy and wavy kind of like uh yeah, Soft Cell or the Pet
00:20:47
Shop Boys or something. Um, but it's just all I knew and and just the same way that some people, you know, can talk
00:20:54
about their families or whatever or do impressions. For me, it was just music is is like a crutch. It's like my my
00:21:00
only way in. >> It's a big plus on SNL if you can weave in music into something. They love it.
00:21:05
>> Yeah. Yeah, >> but like your Sam W is kind of musical, >> you know, it's extenduating him into a
00:21:11
these musical rhythms, you know, that's a rim shot and >> he's like doing a speed, you know, he's
00:21:17
like performing for the the court, you know. >> Yeah. But picking that out, you know, it's like you're playing a
00:21:24
cowbell. >> It's one of those impressions where you don't know there's an impression and
00:21:28
then you do it and everyone goes, "Oh, right. Okay." Yeah, >> those are good because it's hard to
00:21:32
break. It's hard to break ground in impressions and just come up with a new one.
00:21:36
>> But I think that like uh Lauren is a really musical person. In fact, it's >> it was like the first Oh, thank Oh,
00:21:43
hello. It's It's the >> Hello, Fred. >> Hello. Hello, Ding. Hello. >> Do you mean as an impression of him or
00:21:50
as a person? >> No, as a person. As Fred >> as a as a person. I think he's such a
00:21:56
music fan that Oh, yeah. That's where it was easiest for me to connect with him as a person. So for me to talk to him
00:22:01
about all the musical guests he's had on the show. >> Interesting. >> It's a such a quick easy conversation to
00:22:07
talk to him about all those music which I love talking to him about. You know, all the bands that he booked and it's
00:22:13
just easy and he's into it. Like a lot of those were his decisions booking a lot of those bands.
00:22:18
>> Fred, what do you think of Eagle-Eyed Cherry? >> Should we do it? I don't know if the
00:22:22
year but >> yeah I did when I hosted it was Eagle-Eyed Sherry and I go Marcy why do
00:22:27
I get I mean not no offense but I didn't know who that was and then the next time
00:22:31
I didn't and and they go the formula is big host we don't need a huge music act are you saying I'm a big host like
00:22:40
>> well in this situation it's a little different no I like the first I don't want to be exception to the rule no so
00:22:47
yeah it's fun to have I want I always wanted a big band but >> I remember when both both of you hosted.
00:22:53
Those were both really >> Did we do something with me, you and Maya? And we were like
00:22:57
>> and we were dressed like very snoody and I came to your house or something and
00:23:01
>> Yes, we were you we were this this design couple. >> Yes. >> Like this Danish design. So we had all
00:23:06
these chairs and the whole joke's uncomfortable design of the chairs. >> God, I love Maya. Maya and I did a song,
00:23:15
too. Who cares? Um but back to Fred. Fred, you're gonna get to talk to the end of this,
00:23:20
>> but Um, I do have another sketch. I like Dana. I'm going to tell Fred just to,
00:23:25
you know, boost his ego so he doesn't like zone out. >> Uh, have you ever had someone zone out?
00:23:31
>> A couple. >> Uh, yeah, we've a couple of No, I don't think so. >> I I We always have to scream at them for
00:23:37
interrupting me and Dana talking when it's their show. >> So, you had one called Coche, but was
00:23:42
that really cut? Is that really wasn't on air? >> Yes, that's a Cesily Strong one.
00:23:46
>> That's a great one. And but but but they put it online which is kind of the same
00:23:50
thing. >> It's great. I mean I wish we had [ __ ] online. Oh my god. >> I know. Thought about stuff getting Can
00:23:56
you imagine? >> We used to joke about best of dress. Oh, that'll be on best of dress because it
00:24:00
never gets on. But she was your girlfriend in it. >> Yeah. It's so good. Wow. Okay.
00:24:07
>> Remember when she kept saying that? You go, "Hey, we're we're a couple now." She
00:24:11
goes, "Couple?" Wow. Okay. >> It's so good. That was a really weird one and it was perfect cuz
00:24:19
>> it was pretty simple >> and you and Dana he kept asking for his coat. It's hard to explain but
00:24:25
>> yeah and like this is not my coat. This is the coat I would wear. >> God damn.
00:24:29
>> You know how it is. I mean >> but it would seem like it was working. >> But I do feel like it made its way on. I
00:24:34
mean >> Oh well the fact that I saw it like that's great if anyone can just see it.
00:24:38
>> Yeah. And they I think they put it online the next day or something. So I it's it has it had its own life for
00:24:44
sure. But it was brilliant. >> Sometimes dresses are a little rough on the edges because you don't even know
00:24:48
the [ __ ] lines. You haven't done it since Thursday or something or Friday. >> No, you don't.
00:24:52
>> And you're just doing it live. You're like, I didn't I rehearsed this once two
00:24:55
days ago and we're already in front of a crowd. >> It's dress, but you're still like
00:24:59
figuring it out and you're remembering the blocking air. You kind of go, okay, I know it a little better.
00:25:03
>> Yeah. Yeah. >> That's fun of that's the fun of dress. >> I like that. Um, yeah. So, I mean, there
00:25:08
also there are those times where you don't quite understand what what's happening in the sketch. Like, where am
00:25:13
I? What am I in this? >> Yeah. >> Do I have an accent halfway through? >> I did a Jack Handy sketch with Robert
00:25:21
Mitchum >> and neither of us knew what the sketch was about. He was a beekeeper in the
00:25:26
Himalayas or something. >> Jack Handy, you know. So, >> did Jack Handy stay around for you guys
00:25:31
or No, >> no, he was gone already. >> Have you heard about him? >> Yeah. I mean, also his his work is
00:25:38
amazing. You know, that really stood the test of time. >> It's almost like a fake guy. You hear
00:25:42
deep thoughts of Jack Hannandy. People go, "Wait, is that a real guy?" >> That's what I thought when I got there.
00:25:52
>> Oh, your camera went uh David, your camera went dark. >> I know, but David, what are you what are
00:25:58
you doing? >> Heather, >> did your lights did your work out front? They probably cut through the [ __ ]
00:26:04
>> Oh, there you are. You're like, you're like fading in, but your sound is good.
00:26:08
>> Jeez, how >> made it worse. >> Wow. Your Oh, there you go. >> There you go. >> Fericito.
00:26:16
>> I didn't think that was possible. >> You know what? #mansionprobs. >> Hey, Fred, did you What was your u
00:26:26
mansion probs? >> Uh your team stuff. What was your favorite? like you know I know you had
00:26:32
the Californians which I was watching that like maybe three weeks ago and you came in and there was you did it so
00:26:40
earnestly. >> Yeah. >> Your your guy and it just I don't know that sketch really kills me and I I
00:26:46
guess the arbitrariness of that like I think Bill said you got on the sound stage and suddenly you were doing that
00:26:52
guy or was it in readth through? It's it was like a common it was really it was a
00:26:57
bit also we would do at the table you you know that moment before you're actually reading the sketches
00:27:03
>> we did it like we would you know everyone goes to LA in the summer >> so when we came back we would just start
00:27:09
talking like where were you were you oh I was in LA like did you go up barum did
00:27:12
you make a left on and then that sort of >> you know built up and bu we kept doing
00:27:18
it and then I worked with this um writer James Anderson >> and I was like what what do we do with
00:27:24
as Californians, what can we do with these directions? And he was simply like, why don't we just make it a soap
00:27:29
opera? And so, >> it's such an odd call though. >> I know, but that's kind of like the
00:27:35
magic of a This is so corny. It's the magic of working with writers that like I never would have thought of that and
00:27:40
just to have someone say, "Let's make it a soap opera." And then it's done. >> But um
00:27:45
>> Oh, for for standups who write their own material for uh utterly. And when you
00:27:50
get on SNL and suddenly somebody is handing you something and you go, "Wow, this is great."
00:27:57
>> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> And it just got handed to me. That was relevatory to me like, "Wow." Or or
00:28:04
taking taking your idea and greatly improving it like, "Oh, this is so much better."
00:28:10
>> Yes. >> So it's it was exhilarating really to >> you knock on anyone's door and you go,
00:28:16
"We read this once. Do you have a second? And they go, even Downey goes, "You know what? What I might what I
00:28:22
might do is at the end, >> there's something funny about if you just don't ever say that." And I'm like,
00:28:27
"Oh, okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah." And then that's all you get and then you go and you figure it out. But if they can give
00:28:33
you any anything, just fresh eyes, you know, and they're all smart, so they're all thinking, "What's the best for
00:28:40
this?" That's such a gift, man. It's hard to get people to write with >> And they care. They care about the piece
00:28:45
being good, right? So they're their their advice is always the best advice. >> Oh, I'd see them if if you came off
00:28:50
something that someone else had written and it worked. There was like a little quick little party
00:28:56
>> kind of backstage like hugging and oh man, crushed it. So that was a real high
00:29:00
for them. And I didn't really realize till later that at least back then at least half the writing staff wanted to
00:29:06
be performing >> as well. They just they were they were in the writer box for a while and then
00:29:11
they you know like Bob Odirk you know. >> Yeah. >> And then he got out of that. Yeah, they
00:29:15
were both on our our Conan Conan as well. >> They'd write themselves in just little
00:29:19
things and it it wouldn't seem to work. They would just not that they weren't good, but they would be replaced. Maybe
00:29:25
we had too many cast members and uh it was very hard. It was because I was a feature player, very hard to get on. We
00:29:32
had too many miles to feed. And I think that's sort of the norm now. Just too many.
00:29:36
>> How many were in your cast? >> Uh >> you were in like different casts. I feel
00:29:41
like you were >> Yeah, he was overlap bridge. Yeah. >> Yeah. It was tough when I got there
00:29:47
because these guys are everyone's a [ __ ] >> you know, first ballot hall of famer and
00:29:52
and so you got, you know, you're going to do something instead of Phil Hartman. No chance. You, you know, Love it was
00:29:58
even there for a bit. Dana and Dennis Miller and Jan Hooks and Nora Dunn were both on real.
00:30:05
>> So, and then they influxed Farley and >> Sandler and Schneider's a very good sketch guy and
00:30:11
>> Chris Rock >> Chris Rock and Tim Meadows. So, you know, it's just not enough to go around.
00:30:17
It's just >> But that's that's your memory of it as a viewer. I never thought of that. I was
00:30:23
never like, "Ah, David Spade isn't getting enough." I was like I was always like, "Did you see the thing that he did
00:30:28
on Update?" >> Yeah. Something for them to remember. Yeah. >> Yeah. And then that's like the Yeah,
00:30:32
that's the main memory from it. Never did I think >> it's better to be in almost less than
00:30:36
just make him try to work cuz I told Dana that the first show I came in they brought you in a day early
00:30:42
>> and to watch the show and Loveance was all depressed he's only in two things and he goes well Dana's in six and I go
00:30:49
I said what you said I said I've never seen the show and thought someone was light
00:30:54
>> still >> I just think there's that guy I love oh that's funny he's in that >> couldn't even was never counting lines
00:30:59
or sketches and then when I got there I fell right into it >> I I preferred heard personally like to
00:31:04
be in two things maybe >> totally >> you know or or a third as a supporting character. Yeah. But to to shepherd a
00:31:11
sketch even one where you're kind of the uh executive producer of your sketch is
00:31:17
very nice. That's why >> and I was going to ask you about when you hosted SNL the difference in that
00:31:24
because you you have to really let it go. There's you're you're kind of in have to prepare 13 or 14 sketches and
00:31:31
then six or eight get cut. So, what was that like emotionally for you when you you came back? You you let you did 11
00:31:38
seasons at the time, as long as anybody, right? >> Huge run. >> And then you come back and host and you
00:31:45
come out and do your monologue and they're screaming. It's surreal, isn't it? How did you feel about it?
00:31:49
>> I mean, re I mean, I loved it so much, you know, like what a highlight in life
00:31:55
just in general. Mhm. >> Um, but the experience, you know, of handing everything over, like I really
00:32:01
was like I was still in the mode of like, oh man, I got to take care of all these sketches, make sure I write this
00:32:06
much >> and you're doing so much other stuff that everything is taken care of for
00:32:10
you. So all these writers are coming up with stuff. >> I didn't even have time to think and
00:32:15
then then it it just turned out great on its own. So I I really like that part of
00:32:18
it of just trusting everyone and then that worked out. I >> And they're laser focused on you.
00:32:24
>> Yes. And they know you. they know what you like to do and what you you know what what's going to work. It's such a
00:32:30
big transition on the show when you the audience starts to be familiar with you and I don't know how many shows it takes
00:32:36
but I you see people all the time who come on unknown and then they they turn it turn it better better better the
00:32:44
audience goes I like you man or woman >> and then it gives you so much more confidence.
00:32:49
>> Yes. >> Because you can feel that they're on your side already as opposed to is this
00:32:53
guy gonna make it or is this woman gonna make it on the show? And so when did you
00:32:57
start to feel that? Like four years in, three years in? >> That's what I was going to say. I was
00:33:02
going to say like three or four years in. >> Um I did this judge uh what was his
00:33:09
name? Judge Sidelin or something. Uh and something he was like the Anna Nicole Smith judge, you know.
00:33:15
>> Oh yeah. >> Uh something in there felt like I had to work less. Meaning like I was like, "Oh,
00:33:22
please please like this." this it felt a little more like uh I could come out an
00:33:26
update and it was okay and and you're right like there's a feeling of there's like of being familiar that I really
00:33:33
liked but I something in there I don't know three years or something. >> Yeah, that that I think is that's pretty
00:33:38
typical. And when you were out there with your different band mates, >> um I it seemed like you, you know,
00:33:45
obviously had G and Cat with Christian Wig who's supernatural sketch performer. And then you and Bill her
00:33:52
>> just to me just had a symbiotic thing as well. We just mixed really well. And was
00:33:58
he someone who when you got out there and the band's playing, you get they're doing your tie or whatever it is and you
00:34:03
see Bill, he calms you down. I mean, how where were you on the nerve scale? I was
00:34:08
kind of okay on the nerve scale. I I don't know why. I just, you know, I just enjoyed it and had such a great time.
00:34:15
But being with Bill um really felt like uh I was really with my friend. Like we made each other laugh so much and we
00:34:23
just identified with each other, supported each other. Something there was something in that relationship where
00:34:28
it just was uh really supportive and fun all the way. God, he made me laugh all the time. I mean, everybody did, but
00:34:35
there was something with him that I felt like we were going through uh I don't know, the same experience, you know,
00:34:41
being there. >> Um, do >> you have a favorite writer? >> James Anderson, because we wrote so much
00:34:48
together. We wrote, we just always ended up writing together. >> Um, but you know,
00:34:52
>> someone >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> But, you know, uh, but when you're there, I mean, there's so many people
00:34:57
who are so prolific. I remember when I first got there, seeing Tina Fay's work ethic was incredible. that changed I
00:35:04
just to see how focused someone could be on writing uh without ego uh that was like a real uh it kind of I was like
00:35:13
that that's the way to be that's the way to be a writer she was god she was so good
00:35:18
>> she can churn it out >> she can just write great jokes just one after the other
00:35:23
>> yeah I don't know >> she has some kind of frequency that just they come to her she reminds me of Steve
00:35:28
Martin in many ways I don't know why just kind of put them together in some ways you know they write great books And
00:35:33
>> yeah, >> they're they're intellectuals, but they don't wear it on their sleeve at all,
00:35:37
you know? >> No, there's a humility to it. >> Yeah. >> But it's still effortless somehow. They
00:35:42
just sit down and then all of this stuff starts coming out week after week. I I I
00:35:46
couldn't believe it. So, yeah, she But everyone, Seth Meyers is >> uh also um sort of uh selfless and and
00:35:55
works really hard. Like he would just work throughout the whole night. >> Were you hired as a writer, performer?
00:36:01
>> No. Uh, I was >> just feature player. >> Feature player. But you know how it is.
00:36:06
We just we write. >> Sure. I'm just saying cuz Dane and I we asked people because I was a writer
00:36:11
performer. I didn't want to be a writer and they wanted me to be more than they wanted me to be a feature player.
00:36:18
>> And Schneider, same thing. We hired together. >> But Dana was hired straight cast cuz
00:36:24
he's such a home run hitter. And then but no writing. But that kind of sucks because everyone writes
00:36:29
>> and so it's like who decides? >> It's a weird decision to go you're not a writer especially feature because you're
00:36:35
just >> scrambling to get on so you have to write an update or something. No one
00:36:38
even knows you. >> Yeah, >> we just accepted it. I mean it's really just the plat the platform of being on
00:36:44
SNL if you were a main player >> only Phil did get a writing credit because he had written Peewee's big
00:36:50
adventure with with Peewee Herman. Um, >> bad bad apple rotten. I never added that
00:36:56
a problem with it. But I >> What one? Oh yeah. >> Remember when he goes, "I'm a bad bad
00:37:00
apple rotten to the core." >> Oh yeah, >> that was he was in jail all the time. >> So, do you mind if we go back a minute
00:37:13
and just talk about your drumming? cuz I I'm just a big fan of drummers and I have favorite drummers and uh
00:37:20
>> I loved your special >> um standup >> for drummers >> for drummers where you just go through
00:37:27
at the great American Music Hall in San Francisco and all the set kits set up and you did all the styles.
00:37:33
>> Yeah. >> So so great that do you get a lot of feedback from other musicians and
00:37:37
drummers about how >> it's like exactly first of all thank you. very very kind of you and um you
00:37:44
know I I love drumming so much. It's like the biggest part of my life and you know that's how I got into whatever show
00:37:51
biz or entertainment. Uh I just still love watching drummers. I still love playing
00:37:56
>> and um the the things people have said to me is that it's like it that was my
00:38:01
goal. I was like, I just want something where like drummers can come up to me and feel like they're part of an inside
00:38:05
joke that they can, you know, have like a really heartfelt conversation about like, oh man, I'm I'm a drummer and I
00:38:12
know exactly what you're talking about. And it's really that's really gratifying. And that um that whole thing
00:38:17
with the drum kits um was just like it visually looked cool just to have all these kits and go to the so it was one
00:38:25
to the other and play all these styles. I mean, it's such a a singularity as a as a standup special. It's like
00:38:32
completely its own thing. >> But thanks. Thank you. >> I I love the way you play. I just would
00:38:37
call you just very musical. You have a heavy foot. >> Um you're you're very light on it.
00:38:42
You're very organic with it. I just like to watch you play. Some drummers you you
00:38:47
can kind of work with them a little bit like are they going to make it with you?
00:38:50
I feel very relaxed. >> I mean, what a what a thing to say. That's so so >> I just All sincere. I I just wondered
00:38:57
the drummers that uh inspired you, stood out for you. I mean, people Pepsi Coke.
00:39:01
It's always was for my generation with a friend of mine. It was Ringoar >> or or Rolling Stones. Uh Charlie Watts.
00:39:09
>> Charlie Watts. Are you I like you like you have to be one or the other. You're
00:39:13
either Charlie Watts or Ringoar. That was like back in the 70s. >> And who some of your favorites just
00:39:19
>> Well, my favorite like the the guy who like I really emulated was uh Clen Burke
00:39:25
from Blondie. And the first time I ever saw him was on SNL >> and he's cuz he's like cuz you know he's
00:39:30
um he dresses like in a little suit like he looks like a mod and his drum kit is
00:39:35
set up like it's like this red sparkle like very flat. >> Yeah. >> And so the aesthetics of how he was I
00:39:41
was like that's a great way to be. So he was like he's like my favorite drummer.
00:39:45
But to your point I love Ringo. I think >> I think everybody loves Ringo. I I think
00:39:51
there's like a myth that like there's some controversy about a bad rap right? He doesn't rap. He's not good. Right.
00:39:56
>> What's the myth? The myth is sort of like, well, you know, he's People talk about him like, you know, he's actually
00:40:01
a great drummer. Every drummer I know loves Ringo. Even privately, they'll go, no, those are expressive fills. He's
00:40:08
He's great. Everyone loves him. Everyone loves him. >> You put on She Loves You on YouTube.
00:40:14
>> Yeah. >> Live remix. And the way he goes to the lower tom, I know he's a left-handed
00:40:19
drummer. Just this little fill. >> Yeah. Yeah, >> like he did these little fills and they
00:40:23
were so electric and he gets shinier and brighter just like the whole band does for me personally. I think that it was
00:40:30
such a >> a wave that is still hitting the the sand. We were trying to comprehend why
00:40:36
and how that happened. >> Yeah. >> That much great music in in in 72 months with these four guys.
00:40:42
>> Yeah, it was perfect for them. And everyone knows that sound. everyone knows. You just you can picture you can
00:40:48
hear his drumming in your head when you think of any of their songs, you know. >> Yeah. He stylized to the to the to the
00:40:54
song. So when you're playing with your bands and you came up, you know, kind of DVO clash.
00:40:59
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. All that >> that type that type of sound. >> Yeah. >> And what is the
00:41:06
>> I'm doing DVO going. And you're you're kind of probably a ride the pocket guy with with with some
00:41:12
fills or you just how would you describe your stuff? >> Ride the pocket guy. >> Ride the well the ride the pocket is a
00:41:21
like fewer Phil there's this thing alert. >> Say again. You integrate the fills into
00:41:26
the beat. >> Yeah, >> that's exactly what I was going to say that in new wave and in punk they had
00:41:31
this thing where like they would do these busy beats these beats that were like that had toms in them
00:41:37
>> you know throughout. So it wasn't a fill. It was just like so the toms were in it without like a a
00:41:45
crash at the end of it. It was just like that's what the beat was and that's how
00:41:48
I learned. Um Alan Meyers from DVO played like that. Um so yeah, it was just it was just part of the beat. So
00:41:55
but it it was all none of it was complex uh time signatures. They were all four.
00:42:00
So I'm really into like four on the floor. Just keep the kick drum going. I like the simplicity of that. But um
00:42:08
yeah, it's like busy, but those aren't fills. >> Can you play to a a click track in a
00:42:14
studio? Does it throw you or does it help you? >> It it helps. It's frustrating. I'm like
00:42:19
>> I I actually I don't think I'm great at tempo. I think I speed up. Um so sometimes I have to, especially uh
00:42:27
during the pandemic, there was like a lot of stuff that I had to do to a click, but now I'm used to it. So it's
00:42:31
frustr that that in your headphones and on the fourth beat you come in. Yeah. And it
00:42:37
sounds like this on the headphones. >> Is it like looping? It's just so that you don't lose the the tempo.
00:42:47
>> You know, Leaderman over there. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yes. He's like the producer of
00:42:52
>> Do you find yourself drumming uh like if you're driving a car or just drumming
00:42:56
with your mouth or tapping away all the time or tapping on your keyboard fingers just doing a
00:43:03
beat, stuff like that? >> Yeah. Me too. >> Yeah. when you're driving. >> I just love rhythm. Yeah. Yeah.
00:43:09
>> Who What about you? Who's your your favorite drummer? >> I don't know. The it I think over time
00:43:16
there is a the most mesmerizing thing I watch a couple times a year. There's so many Buddy Rich solos. There's one I
00:43:24
think it's in black and white. Whatever. To me, uh his just technical skill >> is so mesmerizing. Yeah. uh in that solo
00:43:32
that he does and he did it over and over again, but it builds to a certain way and he's got the snare going from super
00:43:38
fast to like just down to nothing and then right back again and then he's doing all the fills and all the stuff.
00:43:45
Um but you know, I was listening to Fleetwood Mac the other day because I have a car stereo that blows my mind and
00:43:51
I just go, man, I love Mick Fleetwood. He has a sound and a pocket that's so simple, but it it really weights all
00:44:00
that brilliant melody. >> So, I kind of I go for the band. >> Yeah. It's so bassy. I mean, obviously
00:44:07
John Bonham, everyone says him. I still don't understand him. >> I don't know where he got his sound like
00:44:13
his kick drum. >> The the value of that with his snare blows my mind, you know, just the sound
00:44:19
of it and how it was. >> I know. You know, >> people keep it People keep trying to
00:44:25
explain him his his style to or how he got that sound. And I've heard so many different explanations. Sove I've heard
00:44:31
people say, "Well, he's actually very jazzy and he plays lightly. It's the way he tuned his drums." And I have no idea.
00:44:37
I I I'm the same. I have no idea how how he got to be that way. >> Um Keith Moon, I love Keith Moon I could
00:44:43
listen to forever. >> Love Keith Moon. I just uh couldn't imagine anyone better knowing who's
00:44:50
who's next. the way he >> is so busy, but it it's it's so part of the music. Yeah, he's like a genius.
00:44:57
>> He's fun. It's like it's fun to listen to him. >> Playful and fun. Yeah. >> Oh, David, I feel bad. We won't talk
00:45:03
about drummers. That's I just I'm sorry. >> Jesus. >> Let's talk about Tinder and How to Meet
00:45:08
a Gal. David, I'm kidding. >> Look at I'm looking at Google. Fear of heights and he feels bad for everyone
00:45:15
he's gone out with. I think I have one of those. So are those are those your quotes?
00:45:21
>> These are quotes. Yeah. >> Fear of fear of heights and feel bad for >> not any not any I feel less that way. I
00:45:28
mean that quote a while ago. So I feel less that way as you know as time has gone on.
00:45:33
>> I feel like I'm not married so I feel like I'm not nailing it somehow along the way. That's
00:45:38
>> that's not true. That's a uh that's that doesn't have to be the end point because
00:45:42
some people do get married and it it doesn't work out. So I know so so go easy on yourself on that. Thank you.
00:45:48
Because it is tough because it is it is if you really think about it, it's very hard to sync that up perfectly. It's
00:45:54
very hard. >> I would say that's true. >> Yeah. >> And Dana did it right. And that's why I
00:46:00
got to deal with Dana because he >> he's had the same beautiful wife for >> I was a terrible single person. It's
00:46:07
just I would feel >> so sorry because that no woman who wanted to be with me was carnal about it
00:46:14
if they wanted boyfriend. He's cute, you know, and if I was there for other purposes, but um I I really enjoy being
00:46:23
married. I like having a a friend. You meld into each other. We're very She She's She listens to the podcast. She's
00:46:29
our She's our eyes and ears. >> She's my uh confidant. Like I run everything by her just cuz she knows me
00:46:37
since 1979. >> Oh, that's so nice. >> You know, and she enjoys this podcast. And I go, "Really?" cuz I can't listen
00:46:44
to myself bloate. But Fred, can I you're >> bloate >> you're a you're an emotional character
00:46:51
and you're a sensitive character and I remember you like we all are. We're clowns that are wounded but whatever it
00:46:57
whatever it came from. But I want to ask you first you >> you sent me an email after you left SNL
00:47:02
and you you kind of said how do you >> process no longer being on the show? Speak to that.
00:47:08
>> Yeah. cuz like like I I like the experience of being an ex-cast member cuz we all get to go back and do stuff,
00:47:16
but you know that feeling I cuz I used to or still do admire um uh excast members. I like how they go on to do
00:47:26
other stuff. >> Uh you know I there's something about that tradition, whatever it is, movies,
00:47:31
other TV shows. I was like what is that life like? and you know just seeing how Molly Shannon was afterwards and she'd
00:47:38
keep working on stuff and then uh just watching your career same same thing. I was like, "What does Dana Carvey do
00:47:45
afterwards?" And then every year there's a new feeling like, "Okay, I'm still kind of there. I know a
00:47:53
lot of those cast members." Then another I'm talking about SNL, right? Just turns
00:47:58
>> couple more cast members. And in in about four or five years, all of a sudden, it's all new people and you
00:48:06
there you start to see people you do not know. And so, um, that feeling, that's what I was asking you about. I was like,
00:48:12
"What is what does that look like? What does that feel like?" I I kind of like it, but every year that goes is just
00:48:17
like you're further and further away, you know, from from like the the actual, you know, the blood, the meat of the of
00:48:25
the show. >> Well, how about hosting when you don't know anyone? It's just so much different
00:48:29
because you go, I wish I could host >> when I was on the show and you go, I know this thing works. I know everyone
00:48:34
is and be perfect. >> First time I hosted, I knew a few people. I think second time I didn't
00:48:39
know one person. And then you feel scared like, "Oh, I feel like a real host." Where what does everyone do?
00:48:44
Who's that person? You know, people talking to me. I don't know if they're a cast member. I don't know if they're a
00:48:47
writer. I don't know. >> How How do you handle it, Fred? Feel >> when um people or other performers or
00:48:54
people come up and and sort of, you know, uh tell you very very flattering, sincere things like you're in that mode
00:49:02
now. I'm sure if you run into cast members now somewhere, they would be Fred Armson, I got to tell you that
00:49:07
sketch you did. And it's all it's all a surreal circle and it's still going. And
00:49:12
the fact that we're we're part of the continuum is sort of where the gratitude comes in. But how do you HANDLE PEOPLE
00:49:18
JUST FRED ARMERSON GET OUT OF TOWN. >> I I it's so nice and people are really kind. People are so nice about it. They
00:49:26
say all the right things and remember all the sketches that that that I love. They love doing deep cuts. someone will
00:49:31
mention, you know, a dress rehearsal sketch and >> uh I love it because that's the way I
00:49:36
was when, you know, I got to meet whoever Chvy Chase, you know, whoever it is that um Lorraine Newman, I'm the same
00:49:44
way. So, I I like that. I like that tradition. And just people are just are cool. I don't know what it is.
00:49:50
>> When they get excited, it's nice. Also, they're they're while they're talking to
00:49:53
you, they're figuring out other things you've done or other sketches. They're like, "Oh, wait." And you also did Oh,
00:49:57
cuz when they walk away, they go, "Oh, I didn't even think that." >> But that's cool. Like I just saw your
00:50:02
new girl your your new girlfriend sketch where you played Regina or something. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
00:50:07
>> God damn, that was funny. >> Also with with James Anderson. That was like an intellectual. I just like, you
00:50:11
know, someone it's that that's um people who don't like to do small talk like every conversation has got to be deep.
00:50:18
>> Yeah. Exactly. I know. >> See, like that that premise is uh just so great >> and it's well rather than just church
00:50:25
lays out there. She's a religious nut. No, it's fine. I mean, every era has its own style. It's just evolution. Once you
00:50:33
get to SNL, even back when I was there, you're going, >> "Fuck, every sketch has been done." You
00:50:38
think in your head, right? >> And then it's been 20 more years of just new sketches. But it's hard to crack the
00:50:43
code. It's like writing a song. You go, "This is kind of like that one they did.
00:50:48
This is kind of, you know, it's hard." >> I know. And the g the game of which cast
00:50:52
was the best. And you always you forget all that. It's just the current cast is the is always the best.
00:50:58
>> I I agree. And also for every cast there's always a great enough people in it that you could pick out stuff that
00:51:04
is, you know. >> Yeah, that's fantastic. And I still >> great writers. They still I look at I
00:51:09
know Dan Bula is a writer there. That's the only one I think I know. But >> these guys come up I watch the sketches
00:51:14
even if somehow it doesn't work. >> I I look at the writing and go, "Shit, man, that was a good idea." you know,
00:51:20
they did it pretty well or there's still good stuff and they probably get hammered right now about it like cuz
00:51:25
like every present cast there people have had because the old one's gone. >> Yeah. But I I I watch all the time.
00:51:33
>> If you can do like you were kind of like a jazz player. I'm just using words loosely, but if you can do dry smart
00:51:39
stuff and make it kill with like huge laughs, you know, that's always a real rush. There's some things are more rock
00:51:47
and roll and more high energy and home base and pushed and some are kind of subtle and a little different, but when
00:51:53
the when you hook the audience on SNL on one of those, it's really fun. I I got it with Carson. That was
00:51:58
>> it was a very for my part in that sketch was very dry. Did you have some favorites kind of? It's hard to ask
00:52:04
people their favorites. >> That's okay. I I don't mind like um >> well the way you envisioned it and the
00:52:09
way it turned out, you know, >> I because the thing is like as much as I could take credit for it, I got to give
00:52:16
credit to Lauren. That's why it's easy to talk about this. He's the guy who, you know, on paper it looks like it's
00:52:22
not going to work. And he's the guy who goes, "Let's put it on and see if it's it's going to work out." And for me, it
00:52:28
was like this >> comedian I used to do on Update who had no had no punchlines. like he just would
00:52:34
open up a newspaper and just point out the headline. >> Can you do that on command? Could you do
00:52:39
10 seconds of it or I I >> It's just kind of like, you know, pick up the New York Times.
00:52:43
>> He interrupts himself. >> Yeah. And it's just it's just him going like like look at this
00:52:48
Congress is going to donate. It's going to have like $8 billion for the Ukraine.
00:52:52
You can't what? You can't. There's no on any other day if any of us and he just keeps going until there's no, you know,
00:53:03
there's no there's there's no punchline. It's just pointing things out and being
00:53:07
outraged. >> It's very funny. >> Then another then another headline. Anyway, I don't God, it sounds like I'm
00:53:12
I don't mean to pat myself on the back about it. I >> I feel bad. >> You got to like you got to like some of
00:53:16
them. Come on. >> No, that that's a skilled thing. If you try to do it yourself, it's it's
00:53:21
difficult. It's it's get a weird bit like that and get it to work. It's [ __ ] huge victory.
00:53:27
>> And yeah, and the fact that they put it on update. I just feel like that would
00:53:31
there's no jokes in it and then you know and >> but we you know we do uh give Lauren
00:53:36
credit for stuff like you just said that that he will go for the really weird dry
00:53:41
things sometimes. He likes the rock and roll things. He likes a mix. He likes big laughs, but he also
00:53:47
>> Let's just see if it works. Everyone has a Lauren impression officially. What
00:53:50
What What's your take? I like doing the one uh I like doing the one of the of like the warm greeting. So like if if
00:54:00
everyone comes out to dinner, you know, >> uh there's this thing that he does where
00:54:04
he sort of uh is super polite and if he saw you, he'd say like, "Hello, Dana. >> Hello, David.
00:54:13
>> Like a very warm um I like that's a frequency I've not heard." >> Uhhuh. >> That's That's Lauren. Everyone always is
00:54:22
doing this. You know that that's that's an exaggeration of Lauren backpedaling because you misunderstood what he was
00:54:31
saying. All I'm saying is that this and that. Oh, you mean we shouldn't put it on? No, no, no.
00:54:37
>> And then you get them back. >> And then you get them back. And >> but you can't imagine SNL without
00:54:43
Lauren. I do think he's the uh >> he's obviously the lynch pin sensibilitywise. I think the the Ivy
00:54:50
League guys come in and they respect his intellect. They respect him as a smart person.
00:54:57
>> Yeah. >> And he has that and he also likes, you know, standups that kind of shoot for
00:55:02
the fences. >> Yeah. >> Um before we go, I always and know we don't have to wrap up because I'm having
00:55:07
so much fun, but I always like to ask our guests three things. >> Sure. >> Just to just I like to put Fred I'd like
00:55:14
to put you at like you know 8, 10, 11 years of age. know a toy that and you don't if you don't have to dance, you
00:55:20
don't have a toy that you remember that you really liked as a kid, a bicycle that you might have got and any music or
00:55:28
television show or film that really rocked your blew your mind in those formative years.
00:55:34
>> So you're saying eight Well, like what grade is that? >> Well, I I always say five to 12 is the
00:55:39
formative years. >> So like kids like like like being a little kid. >> Yeah, I had rocks and robots to get you
00:55:45
started. They they didn't last long, but that really blew my mind. >> Rock, I would say. Uh I think I really liked I
00:55:52
had like $6 million man action figure. >> Yeah. And there you go. >> It had so many um details to it. Like
00:55:58
you could add so much to it. >> Yeah. Put on little helmets and stuff. >> Yeah. Little helmets.
00:56:04
>> And then like the eye. >> And the You know exactly what I'm talking about. The eye like you could
00:56:09
look through the eye and it sort of like blinked. It had like a It didn't have a
00:56:13
light, but like a sort of lens. And then if you rolled off his skin off of his left arm,
00:56:18
>> there's the mechanics of his bionic arm. >> Yeah. >> You know, it was it was really cool. And
00:56:23
you were like, >> it took a lot of imagination cuz it looks cool, but it doesn't really do
00:56:26
much. So, you've got to kind of make your own scenarios in your head, which is good.
00:56:30
>> Would you put it in dirt and stuff and make a little trench or >> It would be like a little I can't a
00:56:36
rocket ship or some space some rocket he was in, you know? I don't know. Yeah, some some vehicle of some kind. So,
00:56:44
there were a lot of things you could get for it that I really liked. Um, bicycle.
00:56:48
I had like an I'm thinking of the word Apollo. I had an Apollo something like a yellow one with like a banana seat.
00:56:56
>> Um, I grew up in the suburbs of New York and uh I remember endlessly riding with
00:57:02
my friends and I was really young, but there was no sense of like, hey, be careful.
00:57:05
>> None. >> Uh, tell us where it was. Just >> not a helmet in sight. >> Nothing. We could have gone, you know,
00:57:11
main streets like with traffic and uh me and my friends would just ride around and forever all afternoon.
00:57:18
>> Not even be careful. Nothing. >> Nothing. >> Nothing. Wipeouts. You just had to get
00:57:23
home like squeak squeak squeak. Your legs bleeding. >> Yeah. Was it if you can look back at in
00:57:28
a sense memory say way when you had your I had a stingray kind of a knockoff but
00:57:33
you get on your bike in Saturday morning and you start going and the wind in your
00:57:38
in your hair and you're you're pedaling this bike and then if you go shoot hoops
00:57:43
or run around a park or a school your bike's just tilted over and you go and you get your bike with your friends it's
00:57:49
just sort of magic. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> And the aimlessness of it like also being with your friends and you're just
00:57:55
>> Yeah. you know. Yeah. Going up hills and Yeah. >> Yeah. That's it. Just like laughing with
00:58:00
them >> when it's not a school day and you've got the whole day to do anything. >> It's getting dark. I remember the
00:58:06
getting dark part. That's kind of like >> all of a sudden it's like there's no lights and your friends look different
00:58:11
in the light. You know, >> you got to get home. You're supposed to get home and it's getting darker and
00:58:15
darker. Yeah. Yeah. >> The best. The best. It's funny that there's dirt involved. I feel like
00:58:19
there's a lot of dirt like fields and Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. A park where there was
00:58:25
mud. Someone made a little dirt jump. I could do a wheelie for like a quarter mile.
00:58:31
>> I I had a >> You had that loot like kind of a very light chain. >> Yeah, I had a great heavy back.
00:58:37
>> I had a BMX bike. So once I got up >> I was a skateboarder, too. I don't know
00:58:41
if that helped. I could do goddamn wheelie and I I thought it was King K. I had I had medium dick energy.
00:58:47
>> King K. Was that a doll that you had too and and when you were 10? You know, like
00:58:51
>> King K. That would have been a great doll. So Fred, also just um I like either TV
00:59:02
shows or movies that blew your mind between 12, whatever. >> I don't know if this was 8 and 12. I
00:59:08
think it is might be it might be >> it could be 13. There's no heart. This is just a conversation starter.
00:59:13
>> For some reason, uh Planet of the Apes jumps out at me as like of like the idea
00:59:18
that like I thought about Planet of the Apes all the time. So there was there was there was the movie, but I there was
00:59:24
still this sort of there was still like in my head I'd be like, "Wow, the Statue
00:59:27
of Liberty and wow, they they took over and you know there were these these intelligent
00:59:34
Statue of Liberty at the end. Were you like what the [ __ ] >> That was unreal." I was like this
00:59:40
>> no way. Where are they? >> I know Rod Serling, I guess, came up with that. Did you notice after the
00:59:46
spaceship crashed that they they walked across the desert for like 20 minutes having philosophical arguments, John H
00:59:53
and the two astronauts and then they reveal the uh the monkeys riding horses. >> Yeah. With the with the nets and they're
00:59:59
all grabbing >> with the nets and the music. >> Yeah. >> That was, you know, Bill her, your
01:00:05
bandmate, he mentioned his one was Taxi Driver. >> What? >> Yeah. As the movie that blew his mind.
01:00:12
He saw it when he was young. I mean, >> I did not >> very dark. No, I saw >> No, I was I was a grownup. I was a grown
01:00:19
up, right? >> I wouldn't understand how crazy that was. I didn't It made me scared or sad
01:00:24
or something. >> Yeah, >> Bill would have been like 10, >> 10 years old or something, but he
01:00:29
always, you know, >> I was like powder, you know? I'm like very sensitive, so I couldn't handle
01:00:33
those moods. >> Yeah. I saw Taxi Driver. I kept blew my mind. >> No, I'm Phil hater. I know.
01:00:44
Uh I don't know >> his voice is so interesting >> and then he in he went into a Daniel D
01:00:53
Lewis in um There Will Be Blood that was his voice was so transformed because his
01:00:58
speaking voice you don't wouldn't imagine he'd have such a range that he has. >> Yeah because he really bas
01:01:06
Yeah. It's not enough the eyes, you see. But um now what about >> what do what do you think goes on in in
01:01:13
in Bill's skull? Like where why can he do that? Like what can why can he do that with his voice that he can go that
01:01:21
deep but he talks up here? >> Yeah. >> Uh that's uh unique. I think that's kind of unique. I I
01:01:29
>> That's a real physical It's like talent, but there's something physical going on.
01:01:33
>> Like something's wrong with him. Yeah. >> Yeah. cuz uh >> he'll he could go into Howard Stern like
01:01:39
really deep. Yeah. Like he he goes really basic. >> I found that really hard and I found I
01:01:44
found which a guy you did too, Obama difficult for a long time because of the the basiness. That's but I finally got
01:01:52
it. That's what you got to do. The thing about Obama, >> you got to stay calm. That's we're going
01:01:56
to be fine. There's no reason to panic. No one's got to do a thing. So I finally
01:02:00
do them now and now I feel like I got him. But back in the day it was like so down here.
01:02:05
>> We didn't know him as well or I guess. >> No, I when I first four years I did him
01:02:10
didn't work at all. Even his second term a little more. But I can do him now and
01:02:14
everyone >> he's successful. We love him. He's he's no drama Obama. So he's just to me he's
01:02:19
just coolest guy. That's what that's what he was. >> Save the drama for Obama. >> Did you watch any u for music since
01:02:26
you're a musician? One last question. What was your first like record you bought or the love?
01:02:33
>> You mean as a little kid? >> As a little kid. I bought >> Do You Want to Know a Secret as a 45 in
01:02:39
1960. >> Yeah, cuz I Want to Hold Your Hand was sold out. Yeah, it was Do you want to
01:02:43
know a secret? And I don't know if it's Please Please Me. I don't know. Anyway, 45.
01:02:47
>> Yeah. >> Wait, listen. Do you want to know a secret? Wait, wait, where did where did you grow up?
01:02:57
>> I I from Montana, but I grew up on the peninsula, San Carlos, 20 miles south of
01:03:03
San Francisco, and the Beatles came on at Sullivan, and I went down to this little record store. I must have stole
01:03:09
some quarters from my dad, right? I don't know where I got I think it was 50 cents for a 45. And I remember it was I
01:03:16
was disappointed because I wanted I want to hold your hand. and I saw her standing there, you know, but I had
01:03:21
three older brothers, so they probably had them already. I don't know why. >> I just picture for you.
01:03:26
>> I picture you buying LPS for some reason >> later. Yeah. In the very beginning, I we
01:03:32
we were buying both, but all all of us were buying albums uh later and my brothers were. They were older than me.
01:03:38
So, but in the beginning, it was a 45. >> Kind of kind of hip. I know. I'm I'm so
01:03:43
old, Fred. I'm I'm really >> You wouldn't believe it, Fred. I go way back. Don't let this face fool you.
01:03:51
>> Wow. So, you were getting 45s. I >> in early days and I we bought we I bought a Beach Boy album with my brother
01:03:58
and we had a band called the Surfers and my kick drum was a clothes hamper >> and my Hearty Boy's book was my snare
01:04:04
drum and I stole drumsticks from Mickey Hart's drum store, the guy who was in the Grateful Dead.
01:04:10
>> Wow. >> Yeah. Welcome to my podcast. Where did you get what's your first drum
01:04:16
set, by the way? >> Um like like a a weird mix. I think a Japanesem made >> uh sort of I think it was like a
01:04:26
knockoff of a Gretch. So it had that sort of uh you know pearl inlay to it, but it was like
01:04:34
>> fake and cheap. But it was it was but it was great. I loved it. I loved my my
01:04:37
kid. It was like a you know we got it used. My dad got it for me. and first record. I think my parents got me The
01:04:43
Candyman by um Sammy Davis Jr. >> Oh, really? Oh, >> yeah. >> That's like the first memory of like I
01:04:50
mean I think I was really little, but I >> Candyman. >> Yeah, it's a great one though.
01:04:55
>> Yeah. >> It is great. >> Yeah. >> Oh, yeah. Sammy Davis was genius. There's a documentary on him, you know,
01:05:01
just and so such a great drummer and great dancer. Talk about >> entertainer rhythm. And then my parents
01:05:07
would get me um Beatles albums and during the 70s like they were already broken up but then I'd get
01:05:13
>> solo albums and stuff like that. I remember >> which one rocked your world. >> Ram Paul McCartney.
01:05:18
>> Ram. >> Ram is that's my favorite album ever. >> It's a that's a masterpiece. Yeah, I
01:05:24
love that album. >> Yeah, it is brilliant. That is probably his best song. >> McCartney
01:05:28
>> I think he had gems on every album and I love McCardney. That's how much >> it's a 19 this 1971 album that is boy
01:05:37
that blew my mind. I I still listen to it. It's like a weird It's like a hip It's like a weird like countryish hippie
01:05:46
>> kind of a It's a experimental album I would say. >> I know. >> And he won't play those on his tour,
01:05:53
right? >> No, I don't think I've ever heard one song from that album. >> Are you familiar with uh Arrow Right
01:05:59
Through Me from Back to the Egg? I think that's I think >> it's one of his best songs because that
01:06:07
um horn part the horn part at the end is insane. >> Wow. This is making my day because it turns around weird like it
01:06:21
doesn't land on the >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Arrow through me. God so good. >> Oh god. Fred, you made my day. Someone
01:06:27
else knows back to the egg and arrow right through me. I just Geez, that's awesome. This is the greatest podcast
01:06:34
ever. >> Anyway, Fred, >> we love you. We We just say that now. I'm old enough now. I just say I love
01:06:41
you, too. >> I love the both of you. I admire the both of you. I look up to both of you
01:06:46
and I love hanging out with you guys. And uh >> thank you for chatting, buddy. It's a
01:06:50
lot of laughs. >> And let's uh let's have let's have let's have let's have a a lazy dinner one of
01:06:57
these nights in LA somewhere. We'll run into >> Yeah, I feel like we I feel like the
01:07:02
three both of you I feel like we do run into each other once in a while. >> I bet we
01:07:07
>> through Largo and this sushi restaurant we go to right near Largo and doesn't
01:07:13
matter. >> Well, I don't know if I'm supposed to say it. I I there's no one there. If you
01:07:17
go with Sandler or Conan, there's nobody on the street with cameras. It's just very mellow.
01:07:22
>> Great place to have a conversation and hang out. So, >> Fred will go and Dana will buy.
01:07:27
>> Okay. Please do. Thank you for >> love it. >> And you did the horn part of the end.
01:07:38
>> Oh, I love that part. Yeah. >> So much fun, Fred. >> Thanks for Thanks for asking me to do
01:07:42
this. >> This was awesome. >> All right. Bye, brother. Love you. >> Okay. Bye-bye.
01:07:51
>> All right. Listen, if you're enjoying the fly on the wall, of course hopefully
01:07:55
you are. Click follow. Oh, we don't want to be desperate, but obviously smash that goddang button on your favorite
01:08:01
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>> Whoops. >> And maybe even share an episode with a friend. If you're watching this episode
01:08:12
on YouTube, please subscribe. Dana, what do you think? >> I'm going to tell you this right now.
01:08:16
Hear me now. Believe me later. Fly in the Wall, believe it or not, is presented by Odyssey and executive
01:08:24
produced by, hold for it, Dana Carvey and David Spade, or David Spade and Dana Carvey. We don't write this stuff.
01:08:32
Heather Santoro, Greg Holtzman, and Leah Reese Dennis. The show is edited by Evan
01:08:39
Cox with production support from Phil Sweet Tech. Talent production and booking by Sophia Leapor.