00:00:00
Okay, we got Bowen Yang. Bowen Yang more recent SNL great that does it. >> Five Emmy nominations and a win or
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something like that. >> Wow, wow, wow, that's pretty that's more than me. I'll tell you that much.
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>> You heard me. He ties me. Whoops. >> You didn't. Did you get that many? >> Mhm.
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>> What a rip-off. I want a recount. >> I'll tell you how it's done later. Anyway, Bowen Yang this is a really fun
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podcast. He's a cool dude. Funny, interesting. And humble I think he was coming off of
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>> Wicked before Wicked 2 came out. >> Yes. Yeah, yeah, we caught him right right in that cuz he's hot as a pistol.
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>> I think what happened is he's doing a lot of movies doing SNL and then I think
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I read at a certain point he felt like well, it can go on without me. And he said Lauren called him and said
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maybe do another a half season and then help with the new guys and >> Yes. >> And he said great if Lauren asks for
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something then I'll do it. >> Mhm. >> Which is nice. So, here he is he's going to tell you all about everything.
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>> Yes. >> Bowen Yang. >> If there's a movie about me Dana I don't I don't want everyone beating me
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up. They're like this is his life. He was always getting beat up. And so my descendants [laughter] would not like
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that I hope. >> The start of the movie is Chris Farley holding you over his head and throwing
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you across a basketball court. That's the cold opening. >> That's in between takes.
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Yeah, that's real. >> would be the sound that our sweet friend Chris would make?
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>> And he goes that's good. >> Yeah. >> He gets nervous. >> to have Bowen on because now we're
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talking to cuz when I went on Smartlist I said oh, I'm going to make this easy. I know how to I know what a guest is
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like. So, you do a podcast. So, it's already you get the whole thing as opposed to do can I ask questions or
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what do I say? >> I might not, but I think I think every show has its own unwritten set of rules
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or whatever and I I just got to you just got to like learn how to get in there. You guys are really good
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at it though. >> Thank you. >> Um >> We like to send 200 episodes over to each guest just to get a feel for it.
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>> Yeah, yeah. >> So they can listen all the way. What about Sarah Sherman? >> What's wrong with her? That's my first
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question. >> What happened to her? >> What's wrong with her? >> [laughter] >> Are we all are we all like in this
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limerence phase with Sarah Sherman? I think the three of us are all equally obsessed with Sarah Sherman.
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And we're coming at different angles. >> She's a one-off and it's so refreshing.
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I mean you can't even I couldn't know I wouldn't know how to describe her. >> Yeah.
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>> so charming. >> She has this she has like an intergenerational appeal. She has like
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an inter whatever gender but I think like as a gay guy I'm obsessed with her and then in you two as straight guys are
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obsessed with her. Like she just has this universal appeal that I I need to get to the
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bottom of and I would love to have this whole episode be about her. >> We have to get to the bottom of it
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because >> do. >> She has she had me at mullet and then she was funny and then she's bananas.
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And then uh >> Cute as a button. >> And then she goes on the road and she's so funny cuz I just see clips and I'm
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like, "Sarah, what's going on on the road?" She goes, "I don't know exactly." >> [laughter]
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>> It's very funny and she's got a great show, so. But really enough about her. Um
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let's bring on our second guest today. >> Sarah [laughter] Sherman. >> Boom. >> I would be so thrilled.
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>> She would love you. >> She's she's a party she throws a party wherever she goes whenever I see her and
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then we're invited. And sort of like someone at least on the surface who's knows how to navigate life a little bit,
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maybe not take it too seriously. I don't know. You know her so much better than I
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do at this point cuz you've seen her under pressure, under stress. >> Sure. >> How is she under stress and how are you
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under stress? >> is it get? >> On that freaking show. >> Uh-huh. I think we're okay. She is
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you know, her and Dan Bulla bless them both, but they will stay at 30 Rock until like
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2:30 in the morning on a Thursday trying to like get every page right. And I am someone who is going to call it at like
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9:30 and be like, "It's time to go home." >> If you you know >> That's >> The writers table is what he's talking
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about, probably the rewrite day. They they read the sketches on Wednesday. I'm telling our audience who doesn't know
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anything. Uh at 200 episodes they don't understand it at all. So they and then Thursday they pick the
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sketches and then the writers would come in maybe with one of the cast members or
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whoever wrote it together. And you the table rewrites. Is that sort of still how it goes? They go sketch by
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sketch. >> Sketch by sketch. Um ends with I mean now now I'm sure people have told you like
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we usually don't have a cold open until Friday. So the the cold open does not get a rewrite table usually.
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>> Oh, does the cold open do a read-through? >> Most of the time you don't get a cold
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open read-through until Saturday at Saturday tables. It's it's pretty it's pretty wild.
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>> Especially if it's political you want to wait as long as possible in case somebody
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some crazy crazy thing happens which is the rhythm we're in now as a culture. You feel like it's high hurdling this
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and now this and then what's the next? It could be good, don't know. But um I was just curious um
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about the how relaxed you seem. I mean it seems like this is a trajectory of on on camera.
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>> Uh-huh. >> You know, it's like I don't for our audience you were first a writer and
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then you became a feature player. >> Mhm. >> And you seem to then the audience discovers you and then there's this sort
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of massive leap that you make forward when they they know you. Here comes Bowen and
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you you made them happy every time they see you. What what phase of that are you
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in right now? >> [laughter] >> I think you're in the last one, but Maybe, but I I Did you guys ever
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Did you guys ever like take this time, let's say this time of you were recording this in in like late
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August, like right before the season starts, >> Mhm. >> you buckle down just a little bit and
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you're like, let me like get stuff in the tank and it never gets used, but you're like, let me just like make some
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>> Of course. >> some ideas or whatever. >> That's the thing for sure is that you
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start thinking of sketch ideas in August or anything you think of, >> Yeah. >> it'll never make it onto the show. You
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just feel like you want to have ideas, but then the week comes and there's nothing like that week. Um
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>> Right. But to answer your question, I think I'm in the stage now where um and I don't know if this is me tricking
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myself into anything, but I always want to go into each season as if it was my first year.
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Does that sound pathetic >> or something? >> I think that's I think that's good to
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never not kind of worry a little bit is healthy, you know, I got this, you know.
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>> but but you have to but like that that place will always knock you on your ass,
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like no matter how developed you you feel like you are, right? Like and especially like I
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I'm really curious about what'll happen if the show is still around for when I like return or just say hi to people or
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something. Just just to like visit the halls and like say hello and like I I I wonder what that'll feel like cuz I I
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that'll be bizarre. >> Have you ever gone back to your high school on a Sunday afternoon and walked around.
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That's what it feels like. >> Okay. >> [laughter] >> When I went back, I go, "Everyone's so
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tiny. These rooms are so tiny cuz I grew so much when I left and then [laughter] I came
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back to host and I was like, "Oh my god, I fit in here?" Um yeah. I think there's
00:08:00
when you're in the summer and you're trying to think of ideas and you're just really doing anything to get a head
00:08:05
start. That's that's kind of terrifying. Do you have a writer I I think Punky we
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just talked to Punky and she said >> Yeah. >> she had a writer or she >> She's great.
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>> or she was assigned a writer or maybe or just one kind of gravitated. Do you have
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someone they let you bring on or you just work with everybody? >> I I think I tend to work with everybody.
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I I was working with Sudi Green who I went to college with and she got hired for she was like the
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first person in our little like coterie of like comedians doing sketch at UCB like mid-2010s. She
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kind of got like raptured up into that spaceship first and we were like, "Oh my god, like someone made it."
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Um and then she kind of shepherded my like little lamb ass for the first season at SNL and then
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um and then she ended up working with Maya and um Marty a lot and then she helped Maya with her Kamala and so I I
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so I think I think she'll be back for the fall um when Maya's back and then um I so it
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Sudi so so it was Sudi Green and then she left and then um there's a writer Celeste Yim who
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uh also worked with Sarah but they were going to leave and but I I try to sort of like
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my my my my goal every season is just to like see like how like I don't know just
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throw a wide blanket on everybody. >> Sure, you want everybody to write something. You want to be available for
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every idea any any writer. >> Exactly. >> Yeah. And I think um oh this is just something I think you might find
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flattering or interesting. It was for us. So, we first started this, Tina Fey was like our fourth guest.
00:09:44
>> Oh, I remember that. >> discussing SNL and comedy. Yeah, and then she just said, "Have you seen Bowen
00:09:52
Yang do the Titanic iceberg?" She just said, "I'm not saying it is eloquently she did." She said, "It's something new.
00:10:00
It's It's an angle that's just different." And I thought that was cool. I didn't I hadn't met you at that point.
00:10:06
I thought, "What a what a interesting thing to say." But it was um I don't know what How do you describe
00:10:12
that coming about? Cuz that kind of that landed hard. >> Yeah, and I >> You know.
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>> I No one expected it to. Um but it was this thing that we did at read through
00:10:24
and it kind of just happened and people were like, "Oh, that was cute." Um but it was this idea that
00:10:31
Anna Dreszen, who used to work there, was the head writer there for a season, had where um
00:10:36
we were just on a hiatus and she was like, "Maybe in April for the anniversary of
00:10:42
the Titanic sinking, you come on as the iceberg and you just want to promote your album." And I was like,
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>> [laughter] >> "Well, that's a whole That's funny, but what would that look like? I don't know.
00:10:50
Like >> So weird, yeah. >> What What's the What's the attitude? Blah blah blah. But then April rolled around. So, a
00:10:57
couple months had passed and then I was like, "Hey, were you still thinking about that Titanic idea? I think that's
00:11:03
I still don't quite know what it is, but it I think it's it like I was like, "It
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sounds really funny. So, let's like just like put clay on the table and like get to the bottom of what it is." And
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then >> sticks with you, it's also a good idea because you're like, "I was just thinking
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>> Yeah. >> about it, yeah. >> Maybe that Maybe that's like one little secret, right? It's like if if the idea
00:11:23
still if it's still sticky in a couple months, then it's probably worthwhile in some
00:11:30
way. >> Like anything in life. You think of something later, you think of it again
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and you're like, that was kind of funny. Even though you don't even crack the code yet, you're like, there's
00:11:37
definitely something there. >> There's something there. >> you had to see it. Like once Yeah,
00:11:42
seeing is the thing was on your head and the whole thing and then >> Yeah. >> There's no wink or tiny nod to that. You
00:11:49
just are the iceberg and we the how did you get there? Why aren't you freezing? Why are you on Saturday Night Live?
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>> [laughter] >> I mean I would say if you can get to five questions for a sketch, then you're
00:12:01
in this magic area. >> Wow. >> That has a lot of questions, yeah. >> Wait. Have Have you guys talked about
00:12:08
this? This five questions thing? >> I think so. >> I love it. >> Yeah, Dana, what the heck? I love that.
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How did he get there? What is the iceberg? Why is he there? >> What is he on Why is he on update? Why
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is he not on another sketch? Does the cast know the iceberg's there? >> Right. >> It's something that hit me at one point.
00:12:26
I don't know if it's that profound, but it is fun to think a sketch is that really crushed. Does it have five
00:12:31
questions? >> Wait, I'm I'm writing this down. I'm writing this down analog. I'm not even
00:12:35
typing it everybody. I'm picking up a pencil and I'm writing five questions. That's hip. Um no, and then so we did a
00:12:42
table read. It was fine. Um it was kind of in the mix throughout the week and then
00:12:48
I forget what it was. Like Pete might have like there might have been questions about like whether or not Pete
00:12:52
was going to come back that week cuz he was kind of like dipping in and out because
00:12:56
you know, that was his want and so um it was Pete and I think there was just a question mark
00:13:02
on what the lineup was going to be for the show and then Friday night at midnight
00:13:08
we get the call from one of the producers. We get the text from one of the producers after the meeting with
00:13:13
Lauren on Friday night. They were like, okay, I think Bowen's update is a go. And then at that point Anna and I were
00:13:19
like texting each other pictures of like kids in Halloween costumes from 1998 like dressed up as the Titanic and
00:13:26
dressed up as the iceberg. We're like maybe it's this, maybe it should be like a dinner jacket. No, maybe it should be
00:13:31
like a white leather jacket instead. And then we And then we like leaned on dinner jacket and should have these like
00:13:36
jewels on them. And so it all came together over the course of I don't know, less than 24 hours. When
00:13:43
can you tell wardrobe? When do you When's the latest you could tell? I think the the worst I've I've I've done is
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>> [laughter] >> day of but not before like meal break. >> Meal break? >> like >> [laughter]
00:14:00
>> like four like four five p.m. You know, I mean like the ask has to be reasonable. It can't be like can we get
00:14:07
like a whole like >> Right. >> I want to come in on a horse. Do you have an iceberg costume on you that's
00:14:12
actually super funny and not just a regular one? >> Exactly. But um it was yeah, Friday
00:14:18
night at midnight and then God, we went in like typical update length page length right now is like
00:14:24
seven pages to clock in like three and a half minutes. We wrote 11 pages. And the entire We were just It was so
00:14:32
indulgent and like masturbatory. We were just like this is never going to make it
00:14:35
on TV. This is so crazy. >> [laughter] >> Like what? We were like We were just laughing at
00:14:41
each other in this office next to script on on nine like right across from Lauren's office.
00:14:47
And we were like It felt delirious. It felt very fever dreamy. We were like this is never going
00:14:54
to go. >> Like if it works from minute one, that's what you want. We were talking about
00:14:58
this about one joke, they get it, you push out, they start laughing cuz you look funny.
00:15:04
Then they get the idea and then they're on board. But if they're not, that's a long 11 pages.
00:15:09
>> [laughter] >> I think also I'm remembering that he was defensive, didn't the character didn't
00:15:16
want to really talk about the Titanic, was kind of angry. How do you think I felt and all that? And and wants to
00:15:20
promote his electro-pop band. So, those things were kind of inspired, you know, cuz it could have gone different angles
00:15:28
there. >> Well, that was that was all pulled from um when Paris Hilton went on Letterman
00:15:34
right after she got arrested. All Letterman wanted to to ask her about was her getting arrested and all she
00:15:40
wanted to talk about was her perfume line. And so, we were just like >> That's good analogy. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:15:45
>> Yeah, there [laughter] you go. >> That's it. >> That was it. We And so, but that was that was it. Like
00:15:49
we just like like And Anna was like, "What? Like what what do you mean what is this scan on? What
00:15:55
is this map on to?" And I was like, "I think like my favorite Letterman interview ever is him talking to Paris
00:16:00
Hilton. And so, like let's like just not drag and drop, but it was just it was it was a nice one one. So, that that
00:16:07
that's the whole story. >> I have a question for both of you. Cuz I came in as a full cast member.
00:16:20
>> Mhm. >> You guys came in as feature writers. And is there an advantage and or
00:16:25
disadvantage cuz you're seeing the show, you're seeing the cast members do their
00:16:28
thing. You're kind of being acclimated to the idea of it. And then I do want to know how it came about. Was it always
00:16:34
pretty obvious that your goal was to be a cast member and it was almost like a nod do you do one year, you write, um
00:16:42
you you find your lane. And and then you play like a [ __ ] ass uh ice bird on update. [laughter]
00:16:48
>> Really warm. >> Hey, Sfen Golli. David. I'll let Bowen answer this one. >> Bowen, you're first.
00:16:55
>> What do you mean? >> Oh, okay. But I would love to hear David's answer. >> I'll do it My answer is very
00:17:01
Well, it's 22 minutes long. Here it is. Um I was born in Arizona. Oops, back too
00:17:08
far. [laughter] Um >> Oh boy, here we go again. >> No, I'm just going to take a little
00:17:12
break. >> [laughter] >> Sandler when I tell him a story, he goes, "Back too far. Speed it up."
00:17:18
Uh so, anyway, I I basically was a writer before with Schneider, but they didn't they said, "Don't write
00:17:26
yourself in." They said, "For sure, don't. We got so many people." I didn't want to be a writer. I didn't know how
00:17:31
to be a writer. So, write yourself in maybe a line or two here when they have punky kids.
00:17:36
And then they would if you had too much, they would pull you out. >> Yeah. >> They'd say, "That's five lines. Give
00:17:43
that to Mike Myers." And I'm like, "Ah, fuck." So, you you do that. It's just so
00:17:48
hard to write for myself already and then write for someone else and writing a sketch. So, it did take a long time to
00:17:55
learn that stuff and then uh >> Yeah. >> And then we came back for the next year
00:17:58
and Schneider put himself in copy machine and I was flabbergasted. I'm like, "Rob, you're breaking all the rules."
00:18:05
And then it got on and I was like, "Wait. Um no one said it was fair." And I was like, "Oh, it's not fair. You
00:18:12
took it out of my mouth." I was about to say that. >> Yeah, yeah. >> So, it's okay because I think that
00:18:18
technicality I learned was it was something that they said, "If you do it the best,
00:18:24
you can write it for yourself. But if it's just a funny idea for a sketch, give it away."
00:18:28
So, Rob did that well, yeah. >> Well, that's funny though because I feel like it
00:18:34
you're lucky if you have someone like Rob there to show you that like the you can just break the rules and if you do
00:18:40
it well enough, no one's going to say anything or no one's going to take issue with it.
00:18:43
>> Right. >> You know, that's what happened. >> that we why I was like, "What are you
00:18:46
doing, dude?" And he But he's very like, "Fuck that shit." He would always write
00:18:50
himself in and make them take on. Adam wrote himself in so fast. And I was like, "This is the way we do it here?"
00:18:56
because I was brainwashed. But >> Uh-huh. >> And when it worked, I'm like, "Well,
00:18:59
what am I doing?" But they had a hookier stuff. So, it was harder for me. So, but
00:19:03
I could see it. Like Adam's stuff was so a little nutty, a little left of center
00:19:08
and it was really him and I'm like, "Shit, I am not really like that. I'm more dry jokes and whatever the [ __ ] I do.
00:19:15
So, it took a more >> [snorts] >> it took longer to get a foothold, but it was they kind of skipped some of the
00:19:20
rules and it worked out, yeah. >> I I have to true confessions, remember when you came to my office that one
00:19:26
night, you were a feature writer and I said, "First thing you never do is write yourself into a sketch."
00:19:32
>> Mhm. >> And I regret that. >> Well, it's true though. >> My point is that my other point is that
00:19:38
we all had seen you we knew you were funny, me and Dennis and Kevin and we knew you and Schneider were stand-ups.
00:19:43
We'd seen you kill at clubs. So, when I saw Schneider out there doing the coffee
00:19:47
machine, yeah, that's something Rob would do. >> Bowen? >> Yeah, I >> [laughter]
00:19:55
>> I screen tested four times by the time uh Lorne was like >> you at UCB. >> Yeah.
00:20:03
>> Or is that where they saw you? In New York or where? >> In New York. It was New York. I sent I I
00:20:07
sent in a tape on a lark. I was like, they're never going to hire like an effeminate Asian guy. Like like like why
00:20:13
would they? There's no need for that. Like >> [laughter] >> let me let me let me think the way Lorne
00:20:16
Michaels thinks. Like not going to >> They have so many. They've got Leo there. They've got
00:20:24
um I was just like that this is just never going to happen. So, I'm I'm I'm just going to have fun with it. And then
00:20:29
uh tape was kind of w- w- w- w- w- w- just cleared each stage stage gate. So, I did like the the
00:20:36
UCB showcase and then um did screen test callback one year. Then they and Lorne just decided to throw another
00:20:43
round of screen tests in March of the following season and then holding deal until August and then that was the
00:20:49
fourth time. And the and so holding deal. So, yeah, that was like I I was the first time I was on one. Like it
00:20:55
felt so special. >> deal, yeah. For people at home, that means what? You get paid to do nothing
00:21:01
until they decide. >> A little bit of money and you're might be on on >> Wet the beak.
00:21:06
>> Yep. >> Wet the beak. It was It was like It was peanuts and like but at the time it just
00:21:10
>> But it's for SNL, it's a big deal. >> Right. Right. Right. >> Yeah. >> It's $78 a month, but you if you stretch
00:21:18
it, it'll it'll last. >> Sorry. >> And and the MoviePass. >> Yeah. >> It's from my personal checkbook.
00:21:23
[laughter] >> And did you have a breakthrough on live with everyone? Did you have to do that
00:21:28
thing or was you just gradually all of a sudden they called you and said you're a
00:21:32
writer? >> Um no, it was So it was after the tape it was the live thing at UCB. So they
00:21:37
just did like a live showcase with a bunch of people. Um and then at from then on it was just screen tests
00:21:44
and then I remember my first meeting with Lorne I I I [ __ ] it up cuz the first thing I the first thing I said
00:21:50
was, "I also grew up in Canada and I can speak French." Like I like that was and he he saw through that immediately
00:21:56
and was like "Who is this?" Yeah, totally. >> Uh-huh. How did >> [laughter] >> How did you dig yourself out of that
00:22:02
hole? >> I didn't. I stayed in the hole. I I I I stayed in the hole and then thought I
00:22:08
was done. Um then the second meeting he was in LA. >> It's always something crazy. It's never
00:22:16
It's never normal situation. >> normal. No. He was at the Beverly Hills Hotel cuz he
00:22:22
was doing the Emmys that year cuz Cheyne Cheyne Callamer hosting and so >> And in room 31 it's it's it's a suite.
00:22:29
>> I I always get that. >> Yeah. That's his hotel. He's a creature of habit. Of course.
00:22:35
>> Yeah, but he likes to go [clears throat] for a walk. >> Uh-huh. He loves his walk in Beverly
00:22:39
Hills. [laughter] Oh, we're we're we're revealing secrets. >> like, "Jesus, I thought we were lost." I
00:22:44
go, "Lorne, where's the Beverly Hills Hotel?" We walked and walked. I'm like, "I thought
00:22:48
this is a cute little jaunt." But it was honestly it was It's exactly 5 mi. I'm like, "No, this is I have to prep a
00:22:54
lunch >> getting his 10,000 steps. I I had a long hike with him with a bunch of people on
00:22:59
Long Island. And eventually at one point I believe he did say, "Oh, trees are violent."
00:23:06
>> [laughter] >> Think about it, Dana. >> Root systems, and there's this aggression. It's a bio-evolutionary
00:23:13
thing. Look into it, please. And I need another hit [ __ ] character. No, and >> [laughter]
00:23:20
>> I think I think Dana's got Dana's got the most like timbre-perfect Lorne impression, I think.
00:23:25
>> Uh I don't know. I love everybody's. >> Bill Hader's. I love different incarnations of them. Bill's is very
00:23:31
laid-back and sort of right here. Um But, um So, So, you [snorts] get hired. I was
00:23:38
curious just for a second at UCB when they would do showcases. Were you kind of Did you knew you had something? Were
00:23:45
you killing it eventually on stage at UCB pre-SNL? >> We were doing like >> assuming you were doing
00:23:53
>> Yeah. We were doing like monthly shows. Like we had like a monthly sketch show there.
00:23:57
Like they called them Spanks, and then it turned it into like a monthly show. And so, it was like a half hour
00:24:03
um little sketch thing. And uh we were doing stuff at the PIT. And I was doing Like I went to I went to school in the
00:24:09
city and met a lot of like cohort people there. And it was nice. And like I I liked that.
00:24:15
>> Did you audition with anyone that made it all the way? >> Did I audition with anyone that made it
00:24:20
all the way? I So, my the first year I auditioned was the same year as Heidi and Chris Redd and Luke Null.
00:24:27
So, they So, they were people. And then Andrew Dismukes was also that year. And um he got hired as a writer first as
00:24:33
well. Then, the next year I came on to write for just one season. And then, when Lorne called me to like give me
00:24:43
give me cast, he was like, "This was the plan all along. I I had to let you I had
00:24:47
[laughter] to I had to let you cook. And if I threw you out there without a paddle, it would have been irresponsible
00:24:51
because there's going to be a lot of eyes on you." And I was like, "Okay. Great." But, I mean, I I I I I It was a
00:24:56
really stressful year cuz I I like David was like I don't identify as a writer. I
00:25:00
don't know how to write for myself or other people let alone. Um But then I'm But I'm glad I had that
00:25:07
time though. That gestation cuz like I would have Like I saw how the sausage got made, you know, and like it kind of
00:25:13
demystified it. So. >> I literally only figured out how sausage was made, but not how to write a sketch.
00:25:20
But you know, also I don't think you have like >> I wrote a sketch about how sausage is
00:25:24
made. Um it >> Write it up, Dana. >> We had three episodes. >> But I When you see these other guys go
00:25:30
by you on a rocket ship, that's the hard part. On my own, I could just sit there
00:25:34
and learn like school. >> Right. >> But every 2 weeks someone else is getting hired and then on the show I'm
00:25:39
like, Wait. And then the the insult was I think after 2 years he was like, We're going to keep you on as another
00:25:46
feature player. I'm like, I'm the only one left. Am I just I'm not full cast. So that was
00:25:51
humiliation. >> Like >> Like yeah. >> Again, I walked out. And when it all is said and done, it feels like I was on
00:25:58
there and and did what I should do, but it was never when I was there I never walked away going Nailed it. I was like
00:26:05
[ __ ] walking away like with a limp going, I don't know what happened. >> It's just hindsight. [clears throat]
00:26:10
>> It only like it only comes in Yeah. I mean, do we think that that's like character building or do we think that
00:26:16
that's traumatic? >> Mhm. >> Both? >> It's been trauma since Yeah, I mean I feel like it was really
00:26:24
tough. Yeah. And but I got a lot out of it. I think it depends. I mean, some people you don't hear from again
00:26:30
and that's just how it works. And that's probably what happens. And so you leave
00:26:34
there. I remember one time we were doing movies and I said, I think I want to leave.
00:26:38
And they go, Where are you going to go? Cuz I they were like, You leave SNL, then what happens? I'm like,
00:26:43
>> You'd already done Tommy Boy, which was a smash. >> I was like, I don't want to
00:26:47
I don't want to leave because I'm getting more stuff. And they go, But that stuff dries up if you leave. Cuz I
00:26:52
didn't have time to do it all. And I was like, never quite got that. And then later you go, "Oh, if you work, you
00:26:58
usually get more work." And I But that didn't make any sense. And then it did later, but I was like, "Ugh."
00:27:03
>> I I actually your quote I would just say it you it puts armor on you that you'll
00:27:07
never be in another thing like this live unprepared. It's in the cards, all the nonsense, all your relatives watching.
00:27:14
They're not using you so much this week, hey, you know. Um so you get resilient.
00:27:19
I mean, um you are coming out in a huge movie. I don't want to jump ahead cuz I have some
00:27:25
sketches I want to get to. >> Yeah. >> Um Wicked Wicked um and so that and then SNL I mean, it's a little
00:27:34
bit of a and then your podcast is >> Yeah. >> it's huge. I mean, it's it's it's right
00:27:39
in the top 20 out of 4 million >> a lot of you guys. >> So there's a lot of success happening to
00:27:45
you right now and I had a phase like that with Wayne's World and so forth and so on. So
00:27:50
what do you >> [laughter] >> I am a licensed therapist, but how are you feeling?
00:27:55
Are you you're in your sixth season as a cast member or going into your sixth season as a cast member?
00:28:01
>> Going into six, yeah. >> And you have just for the audience I think three or four Emmy nominations.
00:28:09
>> Oh. >> Like stacked in a row. >> Yeah, sure. It wasn't it's not it it wasn't I didn't do the Dana thing of
00:28:14
consecutive. But yes. >> Um >> Is that what Dana did? >> Dana I I I think Dana has like five
00:28:20
consecutive in consecutive years. >> Six. >> Pretty cool. >> Six! >> Oh, boy. >> And then seven for the win. Um
00:28:27
>> Yes. >> Well, we'll get this online for people listening. It'll >> [laughter]
00:28:32
>> No, but um >> We'll go to a side chat for that. >> I'm just I'm going around in my head cuz
00:28:36
I'm watching your stuff and it's like as you know, Lorne loves people. He loves comedians basically. He loves us. He
00:28:43
loves funny people. He also loves funny people who can go and score and make the
00:28:50
audience really happy consistently. That's where you're where you are. I mean, I watch all your stuff. It's like
00:28:57
you're landing constantly on that show. >> my hit rate is average. Like there's there's some
00:29:03
>> All right. Uh um I'm also I'm also an attorney. >> Yeah. >> [laughter] >> The doctor sketch with Ryan Gosling.
00:29:12
>> Oh god, stop stop stop stop. >> Boneyang is straight with Sydney Sweeney. I just saw that.
00:29:18
George Santos on update in the cold opening. You know, just things that are kind of killer viral stuff. Now I'm
00:29:24
going to let you talk. >> It doesn't It doesn't feel like you're asking me how it feels. Like
00:29:29
Someone asked What it was Sure, totally surreal. But someone asked and I'm not comparing myself to share or
00:29:35
anything, but someone asked share recently like what does it feel like to be an icon? She goes, "It doesn't feel
00:29:38
like anything." Like when you guys Don't you guys agree like like when when someone's like, "What did it feel like?"
00:29:43
or what does it feel like to have been on SNL? And I'm like I don't know. Feels like Doesn't feel
00:29:49
like anything, right? >> Most of the time people in life, unless you're unless you're on a chain gang or
00:29:55
or building things, most of us just hang out most of our lives. So you're even at SNL, you're hanging out.
00:30:02
Then in between shows, you're hanging out. Right now we're hanging out, which is a miracle.
00:30:06
>> Um and so yeah, I remember the first time I got recognized and my wife said, "You're
00:30:14
famous." It really shocked her. And then it made her see other famous people as just people. So yeah, we've been behind
00:30:21
the the curtain, so we kind of understand. >> Right. >> You know. >> Yeah. But it's But But that But that
00:30:26
that still feels like a mystifying thing to you like if you if you see someone else go through it, is that Is that fair
00:30:32
to say? >> Um I I relate to it. I'm interested in it. I when I watch um cuz I can get Saturday Night Live, which
00:30:40
is great on Peacock at 8:30 on the on the West Coast. >> West Coast. I'm watching it live a lot
00:30:46
more. I get the YouTube clips. So it's kind of fun and I watch um you know, I notice cast members getting
00:30:52
confidence, a sketch they're breaking through that Saturday Night Live is unintentionally,
00:30:57
I think, unless Lorne is more brilliant than people give him credit for. That it's a reality show. You you take
00:31:04
unknowns, you put them on this show and see how they go. Or you take a football player, hey, maybe that guy can do
00:31:12
sketch comedy. So the the show is all always entertaining and interesting to me cuz I'm kind of watching it from this
00:31:20
other perspective. >> Yeah. And I think like I get caught up in the the the meta narrative sometimes,
00:31:27
especially now. I'm like, oh, like there's like um like I'll get wrapped into like a
00:31:33
headline like or like into like some pickup every now and then I'm like, oh god, this is so unfair. This is so
00:31:37
stressful. This is not what I meant or this is not what I was doing like >> Yeah.
00:31:41
>> while like Chappelle was standing on stage with me. But it's like but but it ends up I think Lorne understands that
00:31:46
it ends up being this thing that like is what the show is, which is like the way
00:31:51
that like people's emotions are on display for this and the way that like the culture changes or the pendulum
00:32:01
swings one way and then back the other and you know, I think like it's all I I think Lorne has an awareness of it.
00:32:07
I think Lorne knows that it's a reality show. >> Well, he >> Higgins said that he he wrote the
00:32:12
Constitution basically and it's a a liquid, you know, it changes with the passage. I come from the analog era. I
00:32:19
mean, you know, >> Yeah. >> basically landlines and fax machines and no >> Lorne likes pickup.
00:32:26
>> Yeah. >> Lorne likes pickup. >> Lorne would like pickup. If you make some noise,
00:32:30
you're coming back. I think that's what he wants. He just doesn't want anybody flatlining.
00:32:34
>> Sure. >> And if they are, I remember by the way, just to go back, I just saw the Sydney
00:32:39
Sweeney one. I like when Heidi at the beginning casually goes, "He just plays gay as a shortcut to
00:32:45
jokes. Shortcut [laughter] to laughs." I was like, >> Shortcut to laughs. >> Shortcut to laughs. And and then uh
00:32:51
there was a couple other burns that was pretty funny, but that was a good one. Um she was she was great in that, too.
00:32:58
>> She's such she seems like what a score. I think Kim Kardashian did a nice job,
00:33:03
sort of surprisingly. >> I don't think Sydney's a surprise that she was good, but it's just good when
00:33:08
people everything kind of falls in their in the in the right way on a show, cuz it can go the other way so easily.
00:33:14
>> Totally. I think she's an example of a host who came in and understood how she was
00:33:21
being consumed and perceived already. Like she she came in she was like, "Please everyone make jokes about my
00:33:27
boobs." Like she was she was practically begging everybody >> Say no more. >> Say no more. Like I And then And then
00:33:35
she um like I went down her went down her dressing room on Thursday right before the the tape. I was like, "Just
00:33:40
so you know, like we're getting an intimacy coordinator. And uh if you're any point uncomfortable,
00:33:47
um you know, you can tap out. Like if, you know, if we make out and you hate it, no problem. We can cut it." And she
00:33:53
goes, "Well, I'm on Euphoria." But then she also said >> [laughter] >> But then she
00:33:57
But then she also said um She goes, "You're You're You're You're living every gay man's dream by like
00:34:04
having sex with me." And I'm like, "How do you know that?" Like she knows that like she is so she's so raw sexual power
00:34:11
that like anyone would be thrilled to like simulate sex with her. It's so crazy.
00:34:19
Were like were there hosts like that when you guys were there where like it was just like some like
00:34:24
just just a stunner? >> on hosts for sure. Sometimes you see someone that's really like an actress
00:34:29
that's great and they come on. And then like anything in the world their personality or their talent during
00:34:36
the week just shoots them even higher. You're like, "Oh my god." They're either super cool or they roll with anything or
00:34:41
they're just good in the sketches or nice to everybody and then you're like it goes up or some people they can lose
00:34:47
>> Of course. >> points. Of course. I think Sweeney seems like a good one. And Dana worked with a lot of lot of
00:34:53
great people too, yeah. >> This goes back I was Dolly Parton >> [laughter] >> being filmed and John talking to Dolly.
00:35:00
And she's got a little cut the thing whole thing and she goes, "All right, well I'm going to look away so you boys
00:35:06
can look. Let's get it [laughter] over with and then you know." >> Her monologue was great cuz camera just
00:35:11
kept going over to her to her her cleavage. That was a great monologue. >> Yeah, she had a sense of humor about the
00:35:17
whole thing and and when you talk to her she's really just kind of this brilliant
00:35:21
songwriter. I mean she created Dolly Parton. But you know, the theme to Bodyguard I shall always love
00:35:28
you. >> Spears the one that had the boob monologue where her boobs were moving? >> The moving tits, yeah.
00:35:33
>> So funny. Oh my god. >> [laughter] >> What a great easy not easy idea just a good idea that
00:35:39
>> [music] >> worked. >> Mhm. Yeah. And she had to buy into it. >> Oh yeah, you were about to tell us the
00:35:48
the host that was mean to everyone. >> Yeah. I'll I'll tell you I'll tell you guys off mic.
00:35:53
>> You're trying to trying to tran We were going to be on mic. >> No, but this was
00:35:59
>> Yeah, we got in trouble for saying Steven Seagal wasn't I mean we all everyone gets in trouble for saying
00:36:04
something but that's what everyone asks and then you >> Right. >> can only dodge it for so long or you
00:36:10
just try to explain why they weren't great. I heard Paris Hilton was not great but that was after I left and
00:36:15
then you go why or Bieber. I've heard so many people but some it just doesn't work out and some
00:36:21
are fighting it and there's a reason but it's scary it's scary place. >> Could be some people deal with stress by
00:36:27
lashing out. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I've seen that. And being kind of overly angry and it's all just anxiety
00:36:34
and fear, you know. >> It was just I I think I think the the layer on my little quote, my little
00:36:40
poll, which by the way, like I was like it was like it was like on Andy Cohen show and they they play this game and so
00:36:46
like >> I saw [laughter] that. It's a game called "Get Picked Up". >> It's a game It's a game called "Stay on
00:36:51
Another Season" or >> But you didn't say the name of the person, so I felt it was pretty benign
00:36:56
when I watched it. Just saying it was this one But then at the game of because of all the
00:37:01
>> I think it was the game and I think I I think it was me saying that it that this
00:37:04
person made multiple cast members cry. And I think that is more about >> That's >> That is more about the environment of
00:37:10
the place. That Well, that that's like Wednesday like some like a like imagine like you stay up till 4:00 a.m. writing
00:37:15
a sketch and then the host is like, "I [ __ ] hate this." Like you're going to have some your your your nerves are
00:37:20
frayed. You're going to have some >> Yeah. >> weird bizarre emotional response. I'm
00:37:24
not saying I was the only one to cry. >> You're emotionally spent. I get it. I mean,
00:37:28
>> Did Laura Jean tear up at all? >> [laughter] >> Did Laura Jean get born? >> Fading on Bowen. He's he's dressed as a
00:37:37
Irish potato. Um >> [laughter] >> Irish potato. >> Update could use a potato. An Irish potato I don't know. I don't I
00:37:47
don't know where I was going. But some of those shows like Andy Cohen's I'm saying is that the questions are like
00:37:53
whatever you answer is going out there because they're like "Who did you hate the most in your Who
00:37:59
did you like the most?" It's like who do you like "Who's the funniest?" Then it's
00:38:02
like "Click here to hear who is the funniest." >> No, totally. [clears throat] Totally.
00:38:06
>> Set it up for horrible. Um but you survived. Gossip is in our DNA. I mean, the Homo sapiens from
00:38:15
200,000 years ago. Gossip Excuse [laughter] me. The gay The gay sapiens. >> Yeah.
00:38:23
>> By the way, I mean in the gay community cuz you're the first person to really
00:38:27
have so many sketches around someone being gay. I mean, the gay Oompa Loompa is especially hysterical.
00:38:34
>> Oh, thanks. >> Did I mean, are you embraced? Are you iconic? Are they Is it [laughter]
00:38:39
because of it or are you >> [snorts] >> ridiculed? How How does it go over? >> I think there's a healthy
00:38:45
I think I think a gay audience is always going to be a little leery and they're always going to be like, "Well, I could
00:38:50
have done it better." You know, like there's there's there's a >> [laughter] >> there's a
00:38:54
It's a It's a It's It's I think but I think it's healthy. I think it's like a fun like I can't get
00:38:59
too upset. >> so, too. >> So, just like us. >> I think I Yeah, I mean, it's just
00:39:02
>> [laughter] >> I was told they're jealous. >> Yeah. >> The closest I got [laughter]
00:39:08
is I I was from San Francisco in the stand-up scene. Had gay friends and they said uh the church lady would play at
00:39:15
the gay bars >> Of course. >> They would play the sketches and I go I just thought it was flattering.
00:39:21
>> [laughter] >> Oh my god, no, church lady is very gay gay iconic. And then >> [laughter]
00:39:26
>> and David, I will say >> Uh-oh. >> I think I think No, and this is not something SNL related, honestly. I think
00:39:32
Just Shoot Me is like very queer canon. >> What is it? >> Queer canon. Just Shoot Me is a queer
00:39:40
canon. I think like there's there's something about like you and like Wendie Malick and like
00:39:46
Laura San What's her name? Laura San Giacomo. >> Yeah. >> Like I think like there's something like
00:39:51
it's it's like it's like it's like it's like a the first sitcom that was like out of a magazine. And so I think it's
00:39:55
like I think gay people of a certain generation >> Yeah, and so it was all that and so it
00:39:58
was all that that world. >> Um and then what Yeah, and then that was that that was honestly how I first
00:40:04
discovered David. I was like it was it was pre it was before I was aware of what SNL the history of SNL was.
00:40:08
>> Mhm. >> I was like I was like I I was like I I was like I I just moved to the States. I
00:40:12
started watching TV all the time. >> From Australia. >> Yeah, from Canada. It was Australia then
00:40:18
Canada then the states. Yeah, yeah, yeah. >> You know what's funny Bone is that for a for a a model magazine, there was
00:40:26
no gay person on the show. Was it was me? I don't know. >> [laughter] >> I mean I I thought you were telling me.
00:40:32
Yeah. The whole time you were like the gay Finch was our favorite. I'm like wait that's me.
00:40:38
Yeah, I don't know maybe. But I loved Wendy on that show. She was so I mean I well I had I had a blast with everybody.
00:40:44
And I thought Wendy every read through was so funny as Nina. Such a blast. That was a lucky
00:40:51
break of leaving SNL and doing something else cuz it's >> I was just said. >> said next move is terrifying.
00:40:56
>> I was going to say I I feel like you landed really on a nice sort of pad and >> [ __ ] Yeah, I I was just lucky you know
00:41:03
that the way this business is it's you think you're good bad but if you are in the right place and you got in the right
00:41:09
show and there's writers and a network loves it and all those people were good around me. It
00:41:14
just It just really really helps and then you just try to tread water for the rest of your [ __ ] life. This is This
00:41:21
is easier Bone. >> It is. Well well this is how I feel like you guys are asking me like how I feel
00:41:25
going into my sixth season. Like I I completely completely abide by this thing that it's
00:41:30
it's it is just luck. Like if I was I think even Tina mentioned this like on on her on her episode where she was like
00:41:35
this would never have flown like the iceberg would have never been on the show like even 10 years before.
00:41:42
Like I I got very very like I feel like it's like I feel like the Mars rover landing on that square inch of Martian
00:41:51
soil that they have to land it at that exact spot on land. Like that that's me. Like I I I like I couldn't have
00:41:59
I could not have been any kind of even like yeah I I I just couldn't have made it to the show period
00:42:06
had it not been for like a very specific set of >> Yeah. alignments you know? >> A lot of fluky things. I mean, I
00:42:11
auditioned twice uh as a stand-up and it wasn't for Lorne but for the and you know, pass pass, you
00:42:19
know? >> Yep. Yep. >> And then going back to your Cher analogy, the night that I I was in a
00:42:23
club and Rosie O'Donnell uh was playing there. I'd not met her and I said, "I think I have a Lorne Michaels
00:42:32
is going to come see me at this little club on the west side of LA." >> Mhm. >> And so she agreed and we flipped a coin
00:42:39
and we both got the same and what happened was I'm nervous as hell. Lorne comes on the head of the network and
00:42:45
then Cher. So, I just when you said Cher, oh [ __ ] >> Wow. >> And when I run into Cher, very rarely,
00:42:50
she'll go, "I was there the night you, you know." >> That's incredible. >> there.
00:42:55
>> [laughter] >> I just I I thought it was >> David's got a Cher. >> Half-breed Michelle Obama authority.
00:43:00
I've never tried to do Cher and >> Do you believe I'm 74? >> You should do Cher.
00:43:06
>> I would love to do Cher. I've got a good Cher impression. >> I bet you do. Can we give you five five
00:43:13
five seconds of Cher? >> Sure. If I want to put tits on my back, that's nobody's business but mine.
00:43:20
>> Pretty good. >> [laughter] >> Was that her on Mike Douglas? >> people just go half-breed.
00:43:26
>> They do the limp. >> Half-breed and that's it, you know, boom. >> They they go too low. They go too like
00:43:31
snap out of it. But she did she she was never that low. She's got a pretty high like literal pitch. She pitches her
00:43:36
voice out pretty high. Yeah. >> I love her. The funniest [ __ ] person. >> I met her when I was 11 or 12 at a
00:43:43
theater near where I grew up in the peninsula. It was Sonny and Cher and we waited outside to get her autograph. So,
00:43:50
to your point about the kismet and the weirdness of getting on this or any of this happening, I happened to be in the
00:43:57
right place at the right time over and over again and then, you know, like Mike Myers said, "Cha, would you like to play
00:44:03
Garth?" Well, okay, what is it? You know, and then it goes to that. So, I I agree, but um
00:44:11
you know, there's one sketch that I the your the your look who the the designer of your look really stood
00:44:17
out for me as instantly funny. And that was uh the doctor sketch with Ryan Gosling.
00:44:22
>> Oh. >> You had this white suit, long straight black hair. It was such a cleverly
00:44:28
written sketch, and then just about First of all, nothing went wrong. You're talking to the relatives,
00:44:34
you know. >> Yeah, yeah, yeah. >> And Ryan Gosling comes out. I mean, that whole show, I have to say, just did
00:44:39
exude joy. For whatever reason, it had the Beavis and Butt-Head and, you know, >> Yeah.
00:44:44
>> something about Ryan Gosling on that show. >> He's a star. Just yeah. I And someone
00:44:51
who like You know, you know, every time like there's like like anytime like an actor
00:44:55
would come on like a serious actor would come on, like they would just like they
00:44:58
they just ask not necessarily the right questions. They'd be like, "Well, what's
00:45:01
like Where's he coming from? What's his motivation?" You're like, "It's just just say the line, read the card."
00:45:07
Um but he he I think he at that point like that was like his fourth time hosting. He was asking those
00:45:14
same questions, but for some reason like there was an endearing quality to it, and I think he really was That's his way
00:45:20
of Maybe that's some people's way of just finding the comedy of it. Like it's it's it's
00:45:25
just their process. It's not a comedian's process at all. But it's an it's an actor It's like an
00:45:30
Oscar-nominated actor's process for sure. Like, you know, that's that's something he's working on.
00:45:34
>> What is your Cuz we were writing pen and paper uh a lot of the time. I mean, we the cast
00:45:40
back in the early days. Sure, sure. Sometimes I would write a sketch, I would just put a check mark for either
00:45:44
something funny or an actual laugh. And I would try to >> In read-through. >> Well, and all if in read-through or even
00:45:52
ahead of time and afterwards, like, "Okay, there's a gap here. Hmm, what what can I put? Maybe a funny physical
00:45:58
move?" Or there What's your methodology? You do you And I sat with a lot of writers as well. Or I write alone, but I
00:46:05
liked I was a stand-up. I love working with writers and bouncing, you know, love that process. So
00:46:12
>> Me, too. >> You probably are you are you riffing with with some of these writers in the
00:46:16
room? >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Ends up being that ends up being the best method. Um there's always someone
00:46:20
like on keys just like typing everything everyone's saying and then we just >> Oh, really?
00:46:26
>> And then what And then what what I've started to do or what I learned from Sue
00:46:29
me was you know, you would just type out everything everyone would say in a big old document and then you'd print out it
00:46:36
it there's something important about printing it out and holding it in your hands.
00:46:40
>> And then circle it and then you would have your selections. Circle the jokes that would Yeah, tap Yeah, it's very
00:46:45
tactile process. >> It works and then you just and then it's just a matter of rearranging them and
00:46:49
then doing filling in with connective tissue. >> the fat. >> Yep. And then you get it tighter and
00:46:54
then you cut out more fat. >> Yep. And then it's >> This I need this line. I need this. We
00:46:57
need this. >> Right. >> Yeah, yeah, yeah. >> Um I would do the check mark thing that
00:47:01
Jay Dane said it reads or like you do a sketch and you're and you're it's read through and you're hitting what worked.
00:47:06
>> Yeah. >> And then you look after if it didn't get picked, you go, well, I only had three
00:47:10
check marks on eight pages. >> That's it. Um I think Higgins even like told us one time like what you do is you
00:47:15
set up the thread, you yank at it, loosen, yank again harder, bring in another thread, cut both threads, pull
00:47:21
one again. Like it's it was just like such a like that is I don't know. Like that's such a
00:47:25
complicated way of like doing it, but I mean it's it's a nice >> Yeah, it's something like that. It's how
00:47:32
I do stand-up. >> Colorful vernacular would be like just Well, we beat the [ __ ] out of it.
00:47:36
>> Yeah. >> We took the idea and we just went beat the [ __ ] out of it, you know, just like
00:47:41
How about this? How about this? How about that? But what is the What's the easiest one that you've had that was a
00:47:47
big score that just sort of came together really fast? You know, some of them just sort of fall together and
00:47:53
others are just um >> are really fixed Republicans. >> George George Santos >> George was fun. That was that was mostly
00:48:02
that was mostly Jost. I mean the the Weekend Update one was me and Allison Gates and Kent Sublette, but um
00:48:09
Jost would do the cold opens and that candle in the wind thing was Jost. Um but there's one called Sara Lee with Harry
00:48:17
Styles where um >> Yes, I saw that. >> We it was that was me and Julio and that was that was just the two of us.
00:48:25
It's kind of a one like it's like a one and done straight line path and that was
00:48:29
it. And basically that went to TV and that was another thing where we were like, "I
00:48:33
can't believe this is going on air." Like I can't believe and and that makes you go every now and then like, "Oh,
00:48:39
like Lauren Lauren does just kind of get when to like he understands when something is just
00:48:45
ready to be out there even though you as the person who wrote it might not agree
00:48:50
with him. Even though you as the person who wrote it like even you have doubts about whether or not this is meant for a
00:48:55
wider audience than the people internal at SNL. Lauren is like, "No, like America's ready to see this, you know,
00:49:01
which is crazy." >> Yeah. Can you imagine? >> Sometimes oh, sorry. Go ahead, David.
00:49:04
>> [laughter] >> So you just [clears throat] sometimes Monday meetings you pitch something and
00:49:07
he goes, "This is the week." Or he'll say or he'll say it's not ready yet. >> Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:49:12
>> he goes, "That feels like 2 weeks from now." And then he goes, "This is the week." And then
00:49:17
this is when we need it and uh it's usually right >> I know. >> when it's supposed to be.
00:49:22
>> I know. It's pretty amazing how yeah, he's he's he's right. >> downloaded I mean Lauren is almost like
00:49:29
a human AI when it comes to that show because a half century of downloading everything
00:49:36
what will kind of work instincts around it in that room all filtered through his
00:49:40
gigantic brain. He's incredibly bright. And then um yeah, it's all intuitive at this point. I mean it's like cuz he's
00:49:47
never he's never sweating well right before air shows when Lauren is really the most ham tough. [laughter]
00:49:55
We'll lose the wig. We'll play that after update. Can we the wine glasses could it be a little
00:50:01
shorter? All right, you know, I mean you couldn't there's never been a camera on
00:50:05
that meeting has there? Like is anyone ever just taken a video and put that Picking the show at like 10:45
00:50:13
that's on live to the world at 11:30. >> I think they finally did put a camera in
00:50:17
the room. So they're they're releasing all they're releasing all these doc No, because they're releasing all these
00:50:21
documentaries for the 50th anniversary. >> There's five documentaries. >> Yep. >> Are you in any of the documentaries?
00:50:26
>> I don't think so. I think they just sat me down and just talked. I think so there's one I don't know what they're
00:50:31
like but each one is about a different aspect and like one's about Lorne, one's about the musical guest, one's about
00:50:36
like >> Jesus. One one's about cowbell, the sketch. How about cowbell? Yes. There's
00:50:41
a whole documentary on it. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Incredible. So I I I'm I'm just excited to see how they
00:50:48
cut it together. I have no idea. >> One time Lorne grabbed me by the cue cards and he went, "I'm scared." [sighs]
00:50:56
And then I go he goes, "No one will believe you." And then he walked away. >> [laughter]
00:51:09
>> By the way, Bowen, while I'm waiting for this idiot, when I do stand up I do I
00:51:13
try joke out >> Uh-huh. >> or I put it on a voice note just off top of my head. >> Yep. Yep. Get it typed up.
00:51:20
>> Heather helps me with that and then I go through and underline what I need. It's
00:51:23
the exact same thing. So funny you said that. >> That's great. >> And then I do it at a club, tape it and
00:51:27
then go what cuz I try to memorize I go what did I miss? Tighten and brighten and then you go this is the this is what
00:51:33
I this is what works this part. >> Mhm. >> What you need. Go ahead. >> Well, no, I just I you know, I kind of
00:51:39
do my own sort of research. So this is from you on I don't know some of >> Oh, [ __ ] Oh, no.
00:51:44
>> You just said it and I understood what you were talking about. It's not It's not
00:51:48
>> Is it the cringeworthy thing? >> Yeah. >> Yeah, okay. So, I was stoned off my
00:51:53
gourd last month on my podcast. >> Yes. >> No, I'm kidding. No. >> You were stoned, really?
00:51:59
>> Well, yeah, yeah. No, but we were I was So, my my friend Matt and I were just
00:52:02
talking about like this concept of like pushing past like a feeling of cringe cringiness, like pushing past this
00:52:09
feeling of like embarrassment or humiliation or shame. Like RuPaul has this thing like your fear of looking
00:52:14
stupid is holding you back. And he like says this to so many of the drag queens on the show. He's like, "Your fear of
00:52:19
looking stupid is holding you back." And I'm like that It's so It's just applies
00:52:23
to so many things. And I was I was saying that we were I was like making this larger point about how
00:52:29
SNL is like the the biggest arena for looking stupid, for like trying out an idea that you think is brilliant, and it
00:52:36
is like all week it's this idea that has been great, and then it [ __ ] bombs on live
00:52:42
television, and you have to like >> Yeah. >> You got to You got to develop your coping mechanisms fast, or else you're
00:52:48
going to go crazy. >> Yes. >> So, so that's that's the context for it. >> it makes you And you In the middle of
00:52:54
it, you're thinking, "How is this not working? What are we doing wrong?" >> Yeah.
00:52:58
>> Cuz everyone loved it. >> Everyone loved this, but like you you never know, and
00:53:01
>> It's Yeah, it's weird. >> saying it killed at read-through, and vice versa, and it's the opposite live
00:53:07
on air, and you [snorts] know, we I think Phil and I and Victoria used to say we're just clowns, and really think
00:53:14
of ourselves as clowns, you know, cuz they can get highfalutin, these sophisticated comedians who are
00:53:19
commenting on society, you know. >> No, no. >> So, you know, put a dress on me, put a wig,
00:53:26
>> Yeah. Put me in a big diaper. I was in a big diaper once with Matthew Broderick
00:53:32
and the sketch bomb. We were bare-chested in giant diapers with bonnets on, and it played a dead
00:53:37
silence, and then the commercial break. This is my first season. We walked by the bleachers. we kind of trying to wave
00:53:43
to the audience as they look away, you know. >> [laughter] >> They're like, "Fuck you."
00:53:47
>> Yeah, you want They're like, "We hate you." >> if you're not you know, I mean, do you have sketches
00:53:53
in your head that are you feel like are too far or not ready or that are sort of
00:53:57
fantasy if I could get that to work, you know? Do you Do you play guitar, kid? >> [laughter]
00:54:03
>> Yeah, oh my but no, funnily enough, I like I've I've always wanted to write like a yacht rock sketch or something.
00:54:09
Like >> musical Here we go. >> musical thing, but like I don't know, like it's just not that seems That's not
00:54:15
even like I can see it. It's just it it I feel like there's just I've got a million
00:54:20
steps to that. But but what you're saying is so is so real. It's this thing of like this
00:54:25
is what this is what I mean by SNL being the cringe the most cringeworthy place in show business. It's like it is you
00:54:30
need to learn how to push past that embarrassment or else you will you you'll you'll die, yeah.
00:54:37
>> Or you'll pull your next good idea and go, "Ah, I don't know about this." >> Yeah, exactly. And and this is this is
00:54:42
the beauty of comedy is that it's no one agrees on what funny There's no universal definition of what funny is.
00:54:49
And that's that's that's the amazing thing about it. There's like no No one agrees. And and and for something
00:54:56
to be funny all it has to be is funny to two people. That is the smallest unit of
00:55:00
measurement for comedy and that's all that matters. Like the political [ __ ] that gets attached to it doesn't really
00:55:05
matter. Like it's it's just about that. And I agree with this whole clown thing. Like
00:55:11
we're just clowns. I never want to comment on society. I just want to >> Number one, you want to you want to what
00:55:17
they say, kill. You want people to be helpless. And you also want and I'm sure you've had this, people see you at an
00:55:23
airport or whatever. Man, me and my friends just went crazy for you know, the iceberg sketch or whatever you would
00:55:29
get and that's also your That's a that's really fun. I mean, that is very satisfying. When people you know they've
00:55:36
they've it multiple times and they're quoting lines, you know, that's the best. One thing I
00:55:42
was going to ask you, cuz I'm curious for myself, like, why do I love when people, cuz I'm pre-rap and hip-hop.
00:55:50
I've been exposed to it massively. When there is a a sketch where people are rapping together, it always entertains
00:55:57
the hell out of me. Timothy Chalamet and I guess Marcello, was it? The baby-faced one?
00:56:02
>> Uh-huh, uh-huh. >> And then Kenan came in and syncopated movement and it's just always is
00:56:08
entertaining to me. I don't see it as anything other than just I'm immediately entertained, especially when it you
00:56:13
don't expect it. All of a sudden, people are Well, I'm just saying I'm kind of curious to how [laughter]
00:56:20
>> [snorts] >> There'd be people, you know, real purists a long time ago. Oh, it's it's
00:56:25
hack, you know, the rapping, rhyming, you know, but I'm entertained every time, so that's all.
00:56:30
>> I think it's just a I think it's just like a a structure. I don't want to get too
00:56:34
>> Do you think if it works Do you think What if What if >> Shh. What if Biden did a rap?
00:56:40
>> [laughter] >> I think people would go crazy. >> All right, let's wrap. >> Let's wrap.
00:56:49
>> [laughter] >> Bowen, you're a stud. We got to know you. We got to know a little bit about
00:56:53
the iceberg. We got to know all everybody, so we appreciate it. >> 2200 on his SAT. He's got highly
00:57:02
educated. >> I know, I'm just throwing this out at the very end, but I was like, damn.
00:57:07
He taught himself Adobe Photoshop. I read that earlier. >> Mensa much. [laughter]
00:57:14
He went These are These are just >> Talk about it, Marrone. Thanks, Bowen. I know you got to run. I
00:57:19
appreciate it and we'll see you at the show at some point. All right, listen, if you're enjoying
00:57:28
the Fly on the Wall, of course, hopefully you are, click follow. We don't want to be desperate, but
00:57:34
obviously smash that god damn button on your favorite podcast app. Leave a review, a good one. Leave a five-star
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rating, nothing else. And maybe even share an episode with a friend. If you're watching this [music]
00:57:47
episode on YouTube, please subscribe. Dana, what do you think? >> I'm going to tell you this right now.
00:57:52
Hear me now, believe me later. >> [laughter] >> Fly on the wall, believe it or not, is
00:57:57
presented by [music] Odyssey and executive produced by Hold for it. Dana Carvey and David Spade or David
00:58:05
Spade and Dana Carvey, we don't write this stuff. Heather Santoro, Greg Holtzman, and Leah Reese Dennis.
00:58:13
The show is edited by Evan Cox with production support [music] from Phil Sweet Tech.
00:58:19
Talent production and booking by Sophia Lepore.