Stories from ‘Saturday Night Live’

[00:00] This episode is brought to you by Allstate. Checking Allstate first could save you hundreds on car insurance. Not checking your pockets before putting clothes in the washer? [00:09] Oof. Enjoy your freshly cleaned and completely destroyed earbuds. Yeah, checking first is a good plan. So check Allstate first for an auto quote. It could save you hundreds. You're in good hands with Allstate. Potential savings vary subject to terms, conditions and availability. Allstate North American Insurance Company and affiliates, Northbrook, Illinois. [00:29] . [00:34] Hello everyone and welcome to a very special episode of Good Hang. You know, we have done 52 episodes. [00:41] Deck of cards, baby. And it is time to celebrate. And we are going to celebrate with a few clip shows that puts together some of our finest and most fun moments. And our first one this week is all of our SNL stories. So we have had cast members on here. We've had people who hosted and we've had a lot of people talk about their time on SNL, the good and the bad. And so we've grabbed some of them and put them together. And you're going to hear from some amazing people. [01:11] Seth Meyers, Martin Short, Andy Samberg, Tina Fey, Jack Black, Rachel Dratch, Kristen Wiig, Anna Gasteyer. It's going to be incredible. And we are going to start this episode with someone who worked behind the scenes, someone who was brilliant. [01:29] And is still the most incredible photographer who took all the pictures of your favorite people and they are their favorite photographs. And just recently, her new book, The Art of the SNL Portrait, has come out. Mary Ellen Matthews is joining us. And let's get the skinny about what it takes.

[01:50] to work at that crazy place. [01:52] Mary Ellen, hello? [02:00] This episode of Good Hang is presented by Uber Eats. Big news, Aldi is now on Uber Eats, and you get 20% off your first grocery order with code NEWALDI26. So whether your fridge is empty and you're too tired to shop, or you just ran out of essential ingredients in the middle of a meal prep, don't worry. Fill your fridge in just a few taps [02:22] Aldi order on Uber Eats. For orders over $60, you can save up to $20. Ends February 28, 2026. Terms apply. See app for details. [02:44] Hi, honey. I'm so thrilled to be here. Never in my wildest dreams. This is amazing. Are you kidding me? We're doing our clip show of all the SNL peeps that have come through. So many of them are in your book. The Art of the SNL Portrait, your book? [03:04] I'm so excited to see it in your little pause. [03:10] Tell everybody like what your job, what is your job consist of? What does the week look like? So we find out who's going to be on the show like the week before or a couple weeks before that, hopefully. And and I just kind of have to come up with some ideas and talk to the stylist, talk to whoever's team it is. This is collaborative. It's between you and I. It's between whoever it is and myself.

[03:34] the vision, just what I want to do. So, um, you know, try to include whoever it is in those decisions. And also it's like, it's not about just doing these, you know, uh, conceptual ones. It's just about, you know, you being you in this time and space because it's all, you know, it's a documentary also about the, about the time of you doing the show and what's going on in the world. And it's so true. You're right. Like everyone has an era. Right. [04:00] Yeah, for sure. And like, for instance, there was a blizzard happening, one in 2016. It was on a Saturday. Ronda Rousey was on the show. So grabbed her between dress and air, threw her on a sled and just put her outside on 53. So things like that, if you can really like nail it down to the actual minute that it's happening is pretty special. That's cool. You want you want the pictures to feel like live, like part of a live show. [04:30] wants to do that but me. Let's talk about Tom Broker. What does he do at the show and how do you guys work together? Tom is the costume designer and he designs all the costumes in the wardrobe for the entire show. [04:41] And for me, I work with him on the photo shoots. So if he styles the photo shoots, if the person doesn't come with their own styling team. And if I have an idea of like I want Amy to be in a, you know, 17th century Dutch masterpiece, you know. [05:03] Of course, that idea doesn't come till about one thirty when when you're going to step on set. So it's like I'm like, Tom, you know, so sorry. This idea just came to me. But it happens sometimes. But, you know, so he has an archive and he's just a genius to know what to pull and know exactly how to make sense of this sort of, you know, wacky idea. Well, I'll give a perfect personal example of what it's like working with Mary Ellen. So Mary Ellen's like, I have this idea where you have an apple on your head.

[05:33] like an apple right and i'm like okay cool and then props gets the apple and then tom's like what are you thinking and you're like i feel like maybe something like angelic and i put this like kind of white dress on it looks kind of culty and you're like that's cool that's cool i'm like that's cool that's cool and then the apple goes in your head and someone's behind me holding the apple on my head and you're like don't worry well you know we'll paint it out we can paint out the hand so it looks like the apple's on the head but then you're like but it looks kind of cool with [06:04] All of these things are happening in real time. And the creativity part is the part you're getting the most excited about. 100%. And, you know, it's like, I think, who is it? Quincy. I'm going to quote Quincy Jones right now. I said, let's leave room for God when you walk into the studio because you don't know what's going to happen. Mary Ellen, anyone that's worked with you, like your proof that if you're good at your job and. [06:25] Your... [06:27] wonderful to work with like it should be easy it shouldn't be hard it shouldn't be torturous it you know everyone that has worked with you comes away with their favorite pictures of themselves that's so nice to hear I mean it's true and it's a collaborative thing I've got so many great people working with me and um you know the styling goes into it our prop department you know they're uh I can I'll tell a funny story if you have time of course okay [06:53] Um, so Paul Rudd was on a Paul McCartney and I thought of this at the very end, you know, we were all like, you know, I couldn't, you know, he's watching the rehearsal. I'm like, you got to come over here. We got this done. And at the very end, I was like, we should make you into a sixties version of Paul McCartney, the mop top.

[07:13] And so, you know, he's got to go on and do his rehearsals and whatnot. [07:23] the gentleman who takes care of all the band's equipments and all logistics. He goes running down to like Chelsea guitar, gets like the left-handed bass for the, for the Paul McCartney. Jody's doing the wig and Tom's pulling together this and we put it together. Yeah. [07:37] during meal break. And he is like, he nails this. I could show you. Yes. He nails this. I'm, I'm a mop top Paul McCartney. [07:46] And it's one of my favorite things. [07:49] Oh, my God, I remember that picture. So listeners, it's a black and white picture of Rudd. [07:56] looking like Paul McCartney. And it's just Mary Ellen in a nutshell, which is like, I have an idea. And then everybody steps to it. It's a complete collaboration, like you said, and it looks incredible. And you can't ask that kind of [08:12] get from people unless you know it's a good idea. Well, you took an amazing picture of Tina and I when we hosted Where We Were, Simon and Garfunkel. There's a great behind the scenes picture in there, by the way, at the very end of you two laughing when we were doing that. Well, everyone should check out the Art of the SNL portrait. Mary Ellen Matthews, the best photographer around. Mary Ellen, everyone that has worked with you adores you, and you are aging in reverse. Love you, Mary Ellen. [08:42] book! [08:43] Yeah, I hope to see you soon, honey bunny. Okay, honey bunny. I'll see you soon. Thanks again. Bye.

[08:48] This episode is brought to you by Visible. This year is already in full swing, which means you're likely being pulled in a million different directions. Keep the new year, new me momentum going by switching to a new wireless plan from Visible. It's one-line wireless with unlimited data and hotspot for $25 a month, taxes and fees included. You heard that right, $25 a month, same cost every month, all in Verizon's 5G network. [09:13] It's the ultimate wireless hack to save money and still get great coverage and a reliable connection. Switch today to Visible today and cross wireless savings off your to-do list. Terms apply. See Visible.com for planned features and network management details. [09:30] Thank you, Mary Ellen. Thanks for getting on. It's so good to see you. And let's get started with our show. Let's hear first from Maya Rudolph. [09:43] And there was a cleaning lady, Rosa, that worked on the 17th floor. Teeny, tiny lady. Very teeny. And she had been there for a very long time. She had seen some shit. Yeah. [09:58] And there was a moment when, would you tell the moment when we were in that office and Rosa came in? I think it was probably, usually if we were in that office during the day, because we were there so much at night, right? [10:11] You know, we weren't keeping regular office hours, so there weren't great times for people to come in and clean and change the trash cans out and stuff. And so it was probably a read-through day, maybe like a Wednesday, and we were in there waiting for a table read to start.

[10:27] Someone was definitely crying. I think I think Emily might have been crying because her desk in that office was close to the door. And so she had her back to the door. [10:36] And she was talking to us about something that was [10:39] really hard and we were also sleep deprived and i just remember rosa coming in and she didn't speak very much english [10:47] Um, but she saw what she always saw, which was she came in and she saw a few of us just sitting around talking to each other deep in conversation. And Emily was crying and she put her hand on Emily's shoulder and she goes, oh, don't cry sexy. [11:05] Do you remember that? [11:09] I love it so much. It was like it was yesterday. Don't cry sexy. [11:17] to your friend when they're sad. It's really-- Just a little. Don't cry sexy. Don't cry sexy. [11:25] Um, [11:26] Do you want to tell everyone the first time you met Barack Obama and who you were dressed as? Yes, I would love to. The first time I met Barack Obama when he was running for office, I was dressed as Shirley MacLaine. And then the second time you saw him, you were dressed as Barack Obama. [11:49] Yeah. [11:51] It was a sketch that you and Daryl were Hillary and Bill Clinton at a Halloween party.

[12:01] Barack was new on the scene. [12:04] Looking smooth. And and at that time, I think like Barack Obama masks were popular, you know, it was like the new candidate. [12:17] So the joke was going to be... [12:19] that I come in like, womp, womp, I'm Barack Obama. And then he taps me on the shoulder with his mask and takes the mask off and goes, oh my God, it's the real Barack Obama. So we did that at Dress. [12:30] And that was it. Yeah, he didn't do it. We did not do it at air. Thank God. Why? Do we know why? I do. I mean, I did not have a take on Barack Obama at all. I didn't know. You know, I just remember you were you were a teeny tiny tall man. Very tall. It's very fun and stressful to be dressed exactly like the person you're standing. [13:00] to walk out on stage. So at dress rehearsal, there was like a little flag there and a door that's supposed to open. And I'm there waiting in my little Brooks Brothers suit. And I think we like bound my boobs. And I had, I used to play Scott Joplin and so I had my Scott Joplin wig on. [13:17] And I was standing there. And people don't know, Maya has the cutest little, tiniest little legs. From knee down, just the knee down. Knee down is like a little, teeny tiny toothpick. [13:30] little legs from knee down. So cute. I want to kick, stretch, and kick. I'm sick. Here's the three. Teeny tiny. Teeny tiny. Just from the knee down.

[13:49] They're like breakable, I think. I know. They're so little. So you had your little suit on. My little suit on. And it was teeny tiny. And then he came over. And here's the thing. I didn't [13:58] It was written then. I didn't have a good impression. I was sort of like, I'm Barack Obama. [14:05] And... [14:06] So I was standing there, and then he came over and I said, [14:11] Well, what do you think? And all he said to me was... [14:16] I don't wear a three-button suit. [14:19] Damn. I still don't know what that means. It's like a guy knowledge thing. [14:27] Sounds like blurting to me. [14:31] Just kidding. No, I'm not. I will take that. I've gotten two tonight, and I'm taking them home with me. I'm taking them into the spank bank tonight. [14:42] And you have a lot of female friends. I do. Great. Like a great number. I count myself as one of them. Women in your life who are your friend, who you're deeply... [14:52] uh, uh, uh, tender to, and very like, you really like take care of us and you care about us. And you like, I mean, you're the only, you and Shoemaker are the only men that are ever allowed [15:04] even close to a lot of the SNL women we gather together as a group. And just recently we let you sit with us for 30 minutes. Yeah. [15:12] And then we said, I think maybe it was Tina, but Tina said, thank you for coming. And also thank you for leaving. Yeah. Well, on the way there, I said, Seth, heads up, we're meeting. And I think you have about a half an hour window. And you said, fine, I'll take that. And then we sat down at the steakhouse and we're.

[15:31] You hung and then Tina said, and now it's time to go. Yeah. Yeah. It was. Can I point out my favorite observations about you guys' group? Yes. [15:40] You needed a second table. [15:43] for all your jackets and every one of you had two totes yeah and most of the meal again i think if people saw the seven women that were there they would be like oh my god how funny was it and i would say mostly they were looking through their totes and at no point were less than two people looking through a tote for something well yeah because we [16:13] Yeah. Rustling through totes. And it was like, it was a lot of hand me my tote. And it was like, is this my tote? A lot of matching totes. Yeah, I think we had gotten some totes. Matching totes and puffy coats is how I would describe it. It was, I mean, it was the SNL 50th week and it was very cold. It was. Also, we were all dealing with like a lot of temperature. So our bodies, you know, we're of a certain age. We get hot and cold really fast. So it was a lot of putting on coats, taking off coats. It was a lot. And a lot of like, oh my, I'm so hot. And then taking the [16:43] was louder than the next coat. When you moved the coat, it was like the sail of a schooner. Which are like... [16:54] It's very hard to hear any conversation due to the wrestling. Which is weird because we were shouting at each other. We do shout at each other across the table very loudly. Yeah.

[17:03] Also, Paula within, Paula Pell, within like five seconds, had set up a home office at a third table. You're right. She got a third table because she had to do some rewrites. It was during the show week. Real-time rewrites on SNL 50th. She immediately had like a laptop and also like a TV monitor hooked up. There's also, when we all go out, there's a ton of food panic. Yeah. When are we going to get our food? Who ordered? What should we order? [17:33] about like how fast we should order. And, and there was a lot of talk about what you guys are going to get. And as soon as, uh, the server came over, [17:41] The minute they spoke, everybody forgot everything that had been agreed upon. Yeah. [17:45] And yeah, because it went right back to square one. Yeah. And don't forget, you know, I'm a woman of a certain age. I need like [17:51] 85 grams of protein a day. So we were just like, how many steaks? We need to get like 40 steaks? They put us in... [17:59] A private room where you could have a wedding. That's how big it was. Yeah, they knew what they were dealing with. And yet, within like 10 minutes, I thought we might need a second room. The sprawl. Well, luckily, in 10 minutes, we asked you to leave because it was enough time. It was so... [18:19] It was so much. Putting on and taking off code, sometimes I think of an SNL. [18:23] sketch just at the table. [18:25] that [18:26] for whatever reason stays with me forever. Do you remember Fred did a sketch once where he was someone [18:31] at a dinner party who kept taking off and putting on a scarf. Yes. The longest scarf. It was a really long scarf. And he kept being like, oh my God, it's so hot. And he would take it off. And it was like, he had to like loop it around his head and he had a practical scarf and he'd loop it around his head like 10 times while everybody waited. And then he started telling a story. He's like, oh my God, it gets so chilly. And then just looping. I think about it all the time. Did it make it on air? No. But I can't, I think about it all the time. Also, Fred,

[19:01] court stenographer character oh yeah and it was they had a name i think his court stenographer had a name i think anilda anilda i think i'm not sure okay typed like this [19:12] Kind of a little bit like this. It was a lot like that. But also paused the trial a lot to look through her bag and just would say over and over, I can't find my chapstick. I can't find my chapstick. I would say I don't see a scarf without thinking about the first one or hear somebody say chapstick without thinking about the second. Fred Armisen is like... [19:34] And we talk about him all the time on here. Like he is truly like the funniest of the funny people. I think Fred can do these physical things. The slightest, there is no one funnier than Fred. I agree. This is what Fred said to me. [19:48] This is what, [19:50] First of all, this is visual, but his dressing room is beside me. So... [19:55] I would pass his room and he'd be on his phone. I'd say, hey, Fred, and he'd go. [20:01] See, Fred, you're not really asleep. Oh, hi. How long have you been here? Fred, I just saw you. And the other thing he did, which she completely convinced me, was true. [20:11] was, um, [20:14] When I left the stage after the good nights, he said, why did you call Paul McCartney Tony McCartney? [20:23] I said, what? [20:27] Yeah. I mean, you said, oh, Tony McCartney.

[20:31] And because I didn't know Paul was standing beside me, I thought, what? [20:35] Did I? And then I told Bill Hader this and Bill told Fred and Fred sent me a text like a few days ago. Sorry, I thought you knew that was a joke. I literally thought I said Tony McCartney. The stupidest thing in the world. Tony McCartney. I wish I said it, of course. [20:54] Not knowing Paul's name. Fred used to send me long texts about his flight schedule, like when he was arriving, what airport, what time to get picked up as if I was picking him up from the airport. Yeah, I know. He is so deeply funny. He also does a bit that I love where if you haven't seen him for a long time at a party and you go, hey, Freddie goes, hi, how are you? He pretends you're just a fan bothering him. He's so funny. He loves a bit. He does – [21:17] A million of them, too. And everyone's funny. Yeah. I mean, that's what's so funny about [21:25] The stuff that we do is like nobody remembers the text. [21:27] 10 to 1 versions of things that were just stinkers. Always. Crazy stuff. Stuff where I was mad that it would get cut and then I would go back and be like, oh, my God, there's nothing here. I was just running on fumes. Why was I so mad? It was just because like. [21:46] It was literally as much as like, I do this too. I want to be on the show too. Emily Spivey and I wrote a scene one night that we thought was so funny. And it was just about these two giant like trucks, like truck drivers who would come up next to each other and keep telling the other one to honk it. Yes. And it was like honk it, honk it. And just telling the other one to honk it. And we were like, oh, we were dying. And we turned it in like, you know, 8.45 a.m. And Shoemaker was like, we're not doing honk it.

[22:16] And we were like, what? [22:20] We already made t-shirts! He was like, we can't produce Honkin. We can't get two giant, like, you know. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, we can't get two cabs. And also, like, you guys, we're like 35 sketches over. And, like, you turned us in at 845. And we were like... [22:35] Justice for Honk It. Like we were still, we were so mad. So just to be clear, you're not going to let us read Honk It? [22:46] Okay. Okay. Noted. Looking forward to having an employer that supports Honk It. Fucking noted. Looking forward in the future to working with someone who understands Honk It and what it means to us. [22:59] Oh my God. [23:05] was this clip of Bobby Moynihan from, they did these really great SNL documentaries. And it was a documentary about auditioning for SNL. And it was people, you were in it, you were great in it. And they talked to people about the process of auditioning, and then they show them their audition back. And people get emotional, people, you know, they've never seen it, or they, oh my gosh, this is from 50 years ago, or whatever. And they showed, they made Bobby watch his audition [23:35] that's just beyond inappropriate. And he's watching it and he's watching it and he goes... [23:41] Oh no. [23:43] And then he just goes, oh, Bobby. And the way he says, oh, Bobby, the way he calls himself by name is so gentle. And so it made me laugh so hard. And I think it should be the TikTok sound that people play. Like when you have to you have to see a piece of comedy that you're like, OK, we did we realize now that that's not OK. You just show the content and just hear about hear the voice of Bobby going, oh, Bobby. And that's how you apologize for problematic content in the past.

[24:13] over it and it means I see it. I'm sorry. Let's all move forward. I know better now. I know better now. I do better now. I'm an ally who makes mistakes. Oh, Bobby. Oh, Bobby. Oh, Bobby. That really made me laugh. I couldn't stop watching it. You can make that, get that audio. You should trademark that audio and make merch. Well, you could have been a cast member. No, I don't think I could. I don't think I could handle it week in and week up. 100% disagree. [24:43] is more my speed for that gig. [24:45] but you could have, I mean, did you ever audition or want to audition? Cause I didn't want to audition, but then I didn't audition. I had an idea in mind that I never went and followed through with, but, um, [24:57] What do you mean you had an idea? Well, I don't want to repeat it because now it really sounds stupid in my mind. But my audition was going to be basically I was going to be a superhero that I created. I don't remember what it was called, but it was like a combination of the Hulk. And maybe it was just the Hulk. It was I was going to come in as the Hulk and just jump around and do like this weird slow motion kind of performance art dance where I would crush things with my foot and then do like a mind. [25:27] Tracking. It was not I was not going to get in. And I knew that. But I had practiced it in the mirror in my living room a few times. [25:38] But I never pulled the trigger. You didn't. No. [25:41] How come? Like, did you get an audition and you just didn't do it or you like,

[25:45] I'm fascinated by it because [25:48] Also, I'm interested in that story because that is a little bit of sabotage. Yeah. Yeah. [25:53] Maybe there was a party that didn't want to be on it. Well, that's the constant battle is the fear of failure. Totally. Sometimes you're up for the battle and sometimes you're just like, ah, pass. Okay. Do you remember – [26:07] Boys Night Out? Yes. Do you remember that? The sketch that didn't make it on SNL when I was there with you. Yes. Emily Spivey and I wrote a sketch called Boys Night Out, and it was Jack waiting for the boys to arrive. Yes. And they never showed up and just kept ordering more wings. But there was a song. Do you remember the song to it? Boys Night Out. Boys Night Out. Now we're really rocking and the chicks are all squawking because they're talking about a boys night out. [26:35] You never forget a song like that. Thank you so much. That's all I needed to hear. [26:46] This episode is brought to you by L.L. Bean. Yes, I may record this podcast in a studio, but I'll be the first to say that some of the best memories are made outdoors, especially in summer. Long sunny days on the coast, swimming, camping, eating lobster rolls, you just can't beat it. And L.L. Bean has all the clothing and gear you need to make these memories. Their effortless styles are designed for summers spent outside with family and friends,

[27:16] course, the boat and tote. This iconic bag has been made in Maine since 1944 and is tested to hold up to 500 pounds. That is a lot of sunscreen or groceries or beach towels. You can even personalize it with a custom monogram or cute tote charm. In L.L. Bean's home state of Maine, vacation land is more than a state motto. It's a state of mind. L.L. Bean, be an outsider. Visit llbean.com to learn more. [27:44] This episode is brought to you by PayPal. Imagine getting to the checkout at Sephora, a cart full of your favorite beauty products, and saying to yourself, I don't have to pay the full amount today. [27:55] Crazy, right? [27:56] Wrong. With PayPal Pay in 4, you can buy what you love now and pay the rest later. With no fees, no interest, and no impact on your credit score. Pay in 4 with PayPal. Subject to approval. Learn more at paypal.com slash payin4. PayPal Inc. NMLS 910457. [28:16] This episode is brought to you by Subaru. Most cars just stick to the asphalt, but hybrids can be found on dirt roads, back roads, and everything in between. Because the Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid and Subaru Forester Hybrid were built for adventure. With up to 597 miles per tank in the Crosstrek Hybrid and 581 miles in the Forester Hybrid, love goes the extra mile in the Subaru Forester Hybrid and Crosstrek Hybrid. Visit Subaru.com slash hybrid to learn more.

[28:46] Maximum range based on EPA estimated combined fuel economy and a full tank of fuel. Actual mileage and range may vary. [28:54] This episode is brought to you by Ultima Replenisher. You know what no one has time for? Over-the-top wellness trends. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for taking care of yourself, but being healthy should make your day better, not harder. And that's where Ultima comes in. With all six essential electrolytes, Ultima provides balanced hydration that fits right into your day. Available in delicious plant-based flavors with no sugar, calories, or carbs. Shop Ultima on Amazon or in-store at Target and Whole Foods Market. [29:24] Thank you. [29:27] Do you remember the first scene on SNL that like you got we're getting laughs and you thought like it's working like that. No. [29:39] Gosh, I don't remember the first because I remember the first few times I got on. [29:43] Like, [29:44] I wasn't even, I like left my body. So I don't remember like, this is going really well. I was just like, I'm on! Like that kind of thing. Yeah, yeah. [29:53] Well, the first, very first show... [29:55] I wasn't in, like the, you know, season premiere, whatever. And, like, you've told all your friends, like, I'm on a set. And, like, everyone's watching it. Your scene gets cut. Like, it does. And then the next week, the same thing happened. The scene got cut. So it was, like, the third week. Who was the host? Do you remember? The one that I got on was, uh, I should know this. Oh, my God. Well, I know the first one was Jerry Seinfeld. Then it was Norm Macdonald. And then it was...

[30:18] Thank you. [30:18] and does not compute. Oh, my God. Well, it's funny. The brain remembers trauma. So you remember the two shows that you were on? [30:30] Dana Carvey? I'm going to have to go look. They're going to do those three guys in a row? What year was it, Drachi? It was 1999, third episode. Okay, this will be a fun game. Dana Carvey? Okay, and I'm going to have you guess the musical guest, because that's always fun, too. Oh, my God. So 1999, I don't remember anything. No. 1999, SNL, hosts. And don't worry, we're going to keep all those things. Oh, but let me tell you one cool thing, though. Let me tell you. I just heard that. Wait, let me tell you one cool thing, though. Please. [31:00] Please. [31:01] The very first musical guest. [31:04] was David Bowie. And when I was, I've told this before, but when I was getting my photo taken for like the very first opening credits, [31:12] Like it was on the stage, you know, like in 8-H. And David Bowie was, it was Thursday. He was rehearsing with the band. So like I'm getting my picture again. And he's right over there singing Rebel Rebel. I mean, I've chilled every time I think about that because that was just like, [31:28] Yeah. [31:29] I mean, I don't even have words for like... [31:32] the surrealness and like very that's yeah like you have a soundtrack of that moment for your life and it's david bowie it's david bowie icon yeah so i remember that should we tell the black crow okay so one time so i don't do drugs at all so and then one time the black crows were the musical

[32:02] that's my drug offer voice hey do you want um whatever you call it not a joint but just like a hit off a joint I see and I was I don't know I've I've tried it a couple times it's never really worked I've never really dug it and then I was like okay sure so I took like one puff off [32:32] I took a hit off the black crow's pot. I took a hit off the black crow's pot. And my cousin was visiting me, my cousin Zach. And I came back to the table and I was like, oh, I guess this is like I'm really high right now. And I was so embarrassed because like it was my little cousin. [32:53] And I never, ever, ever get high. And then I came back and I was kind of like, I don't really remember if I told him or not. [33:02] Oh, he didn't. He might not even know. I don't even know, but that was my one, like... I remember you telling me you couldn't get up from your chair. Oh, I don't remember that. But it's possible. That you were kind of stuck. I was just like... [33:14] really like [33:15] Anyway, and that's why I don't do drugs. [33:18] I mean, no, I'm just not into that feeling, I guess. No, you're not into that feeling. Only if it's from the Black Crows. And then, yes, Chris, Chris Robinson, call me. Call me.

[33:33] And then when you were at SNL, like, I feel like we got it. [33:38] I was thinking today about all the stuff we got to do together and we got to do a lot of dumb. So fun. So fun stuff. Oh my gosh. And. [33:45] But – [33:47] You know, and I was thinking it was like, I mean, [33:49] in many ways, I wish we had, I wish we had more time together when I was more experienced there because I was new and kind of stressed. And I felt like I loosened up more and figured out how to like, just have more fun as, as I got older. Yeah. [34:05] Um, [34:05] But we did get to do some fun stuff together. Well, first of all, you were in the original Debbie Downer, and that was so fun. I mean, just to be laughing there with you. Well, you bring this up, and... [34:16] You know, I ask this question to people on this podcast, and I truly feel like it is because of Debbie Downer that I ask this question. Again, I owe you a lot of money. Thank you for building this podcast with me. [34:29] So Debbie Downer, I've said it many times before, was and is the thing that I go to, um, [34:35] also maybe now replaced by the clip. The clip. The clip. The clip of this podcast. I watch the clip a lot of times. And I just want to clarify, I don't go like watch my work. Like I don't go watch like a movie I did because like I just like to [34:47] have it in my head. But that, it's like I said, it was like seeing your biggest crack up. Yes. And just like, I have to laugh every time I watch it. Me too. And Debbie Downer was like that for me during very dark times because it was the combination of [35:02] Thank you. [35:03] us all having fun.

[35:05] You... [35:06] Your... [35:09] Like the way in which you are physically trying to hold it together, like the way like the laugh was like something you were trying to hold in combined with the zoom in and sound effect. And we've watched it so many times. Like Emily Spivey knows everything is like, this is the part where your lip starts quivering because there's one part at the very beginning. I'm going get it. [35:33] And then there's the part where something falls backstage. I look away. [35:39] there like we know every single moment it is it's like the dipruder film like frame by frame yeah and it proves it just it got me it's such a serotonin boost before we move on talk to us about the like who did you write debbie downer with and how did it start oh like the origin yes the origin oh okay people will want to know so um [36:00] Well, it really started because I went on a vacation by myself. [36:06] So it had been suggested to me by a therapist. And I also leave that detail out. But since I'm on this one-on-one Amy interview, no, I said it like once or twice, but usually I leave that part out for the masses. But no, not like this. Number one podcast, masses. [36:30] by yourself and I was like why like I don't want to do that I can go with friends like I don't want and I just kind of took it as like

[36:36] doctor's orders like I just feel like I'm doing this and I like self-propelled myself to the jungles of Costa Rica no but I wanted to pick somewhere that it wasn't going to be like [36:51] honeymooners. I wanted to pick someone that was like [36:53] just like, I don't know, somewhere kind of remote, I guess. So it was like very remote. It was in the Osa Peninsula. You had to take like the big plane. Then you take the smaller plane. Then you take the two hour Jeep drive. I mean, I was going deep out of society. And each time they were like, it was like Barbara Potty one. Well, no. So I picked this. It was like this eco lodge thing. So I went there and and then it was just like it was. So there was like these commune. It wasn't [37:23] people there. And it was actually really cool. Like, and I did meet really cool people. And [37:27] And I met these two sisters that like, like they were older, but they're like my age right now. But, um, [37:34] I mean, they age I am now. And they were sort of like, they sort of told me like the rudimentary fundamentals of what is later known as the secret. Like, did I tell you this? When I was on this trip. People should know Dratch knew the secret before anyone knew the secret. And I learned it from the jungles of Costa Rica, from two white ladies that were from Colorado. But anyway, so they were just weird, you know, because you're like chatting.

[38:04] I was with French. Right. You know? Right. So I'm like having this conversation and these women were telling me about like, you know, basically like what's the law of attraction, I guess. But they put it like, you know, if you if you think on positive things, positive. And if you're if you're focusing on lack, you'll attract lack. But then it almost like the whole thing got like sealed because then we were on this like, you know, you could do like nature walks or whatever. And we're on this like walk on the beach, like with the little like it wasn't like a group. It was like whoever's here and wants to do all this thing. [38:34] And this woman was saying, like, there were these, like, beautiful birds overhead, these, like, scarlet macaws. And it was, like, way up in the sky. And this woman goes, I want a feather to bring home for my daughter. And I swear, like, 20 seconds later from, like, way, way up high, this feather starts to just go bloop, bloop, bloop, like, falls down. We all, like, kind of see it, like, bloop, bloop, and it lands, like, right at her feet. Wow. Wow. [39:03] Amy doesn't believe in any of this stuff. I do. That's cool. [39:07] But I believe in manifesting. That was cool, though. So then I was just like, sold. I'll join your cult. [39:15] No, but then, okay, this isn't anything about Debbie Donner. This is just other stuff on that trip. But anyway, but then the Debbie Donner story is that when later it was like sitting at dinner, like you're with randos that are there. And I'm. [39:27] people just making chit chat and someone said like where are you from and i said new york and then they said like oh were you there for 9-11 and it was like three years after 9-11 it wasn't like it just happened it was kind of and then i was kind of like uh yeah and then

[39:46] Like it's kind of like just like a nebidarnia to like get the conversation back because it was like vacation times. [39:52] And then like about a week later after I got home, [39:56] I was like out... [39:57] listening to some band, which isn't something I usually do. But I think that's kind of interesting because like doing something you don't usually do, [40:03] And then your brain is kind of like... [40:05] I don't know. You're not on your usual channels, I guess. Yeah. But then I just had that idea of this... [40:11] kind of based on that, like a Debbie Downer popped into my head. Yes. And then... [40:17] Which this is kind of just... [40:19] Talking creativity. I found at SNL, you couldn't just go in there and like, okay, let's think of a scene. Like it had to be like moments like that. Like, [40:27] And to me, that only happened like once or twice a year, which is why like you might sit there at home and be like, why isn't there like SNL, man? But it's like thinking of really original characters that kind of hit on something. It's not something you can... [40:42] like steer the ship on. Like to me, like it has to like... [40:46] vibe out with you i don't know yes you have to be like you have to to your point you have to like keep the channel open and yeah like find the muse and like yeah find you it just can't be like yeah turned out exactly and how but then so then i said i took it to paula pell who we wrote with often and is hilarious and everyone knows paula now because i love paula's like [41:05] out there more in front of the camera. But anyway, and then we were on writing night, we were trying to write it, we set it in an office, and it just kind of wasn't really flowing. It just wasn't really jiving, and then

[41:16] We were like, maybe we need to put her somewhere really happy. So then we thought of Disney World, of course, happiest place on earth. And then while we were writing it, like, of course, Paula was cracking me up with these one-liners and everything. And then we started just going, like, just... [41:31] for ourselves and then we're like what if we put that in the scene with the actual trombone sound so then for read through we had i don't remember if we had like the live person or someone just had done it but then at read through like it killed but then you never know because sometimes something can kill at the table and then when we were in dress rehearsal jamie and horatio were kind of laughing and i was thinking like you guys like i feel like this could work like yeah keep it together guys and then like on air i just flubbed one of the lines and then i don't even [42:01] So nervous. Sure. [42:02] And then we all started laughing. But thankfully, you just like... [42:07] like the good Pisces fish. You just went along for the... [42:12] It was, it's so joyous watching it because it is just the, it's like what real live TV is supposed to feel like. [42:21] Okay, well, you've talked about this and I've heard you talk about it and really made me laugh. You're, for the first sketch you were in at SNL. Oh, yeah. Was when... [42:29] Uh, you... [42:31] Right? Yeah. We're pregnant in the butt. My character was pregnant. Your character. [42:39] But it's funny because back it up even to like my first pitch. Because that was J.B. Smoove. Right. The great writer. The former J.B. Smoove. The great everything. Yeah. The best pitcher. Incredible.

[42:51] And he pitched this thing where you were pregnant in the butt and everyone was laughing. And I didn't know that, like, he just does, like, funny pitches. Right. And he wrote it? I think. And he often, JB, I think you often pitch stuff that maybe you weren't going to write. Yes. You know what I mean? I always pitch stuff I wasn't going to write. That was kind of the thing. On Monday night, you would be like, um, and you just kind of bullshit your way to get a laugh. [43:13] And then you'd be like, okay, now I really have to buckle down. But I think because the response was so funny, JB was like, I should, I gotta write this. That's the other thing. And you're like, I wasn't really going to write that thing. Yeah. It was my very first sketch. [43:26] Jason Lee. Jason Lee was the host. Foo Fighters. Yes. Foo Fighters. Foo Fighters. I did say that. Foo Fighters. [43:36] I'm so happy. [43:38] That was my first catch. That was your first catch. And do you remember the first, like, I mean, the first character of so many, but do you remember the first one that was a recurring that you thought, was it Target Lady? Like where you felt like... [43:49] Oh, I'm going to get to do this again. Like I have some kind of. I don't know. I know it might. Was it a-holes with Sudeikis? It was either a-holes or Target Lady. Yeah. I mean, for people who don't remember, you know, Kristen has done so many characters. I mean, we could talk about them all day. But there was Target Lady who was, of course, very, very excited about things getting improved. Yes. And had an incredible haircut. Great wigs. Thank you. Incredible wig.

[44:19] a-holes, which is Sudeikis, Jason Sudeikis, and you guys were kind of like... [44:24] Just like the worst people to show up anywhere. Yeah. And you did a great move where you would play with your hair and chew gum. Real simple. [44:35] There's so many funny characters. [44:37] that I want to talk about, but I won't embarrass you by going through them. But I've said this to you before, my favorite character is the surprise lady. [44:46] That's one of my favorites. I love her. I love her for a million reasons. I love her because the way you play her is so funny. I love her wig. Fantastic wig. Oh, always in a turtleneck. Always. Well, she had to hide in it. She had to hide in it. That's right. That's right. Did you, [45:07] We pulled it over. Yes. [45:12] And when I say that was one of my favorites, that comes from doing it. Yeah. Like I... [45:18] I like being in a sketch where... [45:24] There's a lot of people and there are moments where everyone is looking around like what is going on. I love that moment. Yes. I love a cut to Kenan. Just like we got to get out of here. Like this lady is nuts. That's my favorite thing. That actually would be a really good way to sum up a lot of your characters. Oh, yeah. Most of my sketches, if you go back and look, like, no, you've got to cut to people being weirded out by me to remind the audience.

[45:54] wig in it, I think, because she is... [45:57] nervous, but excited. And she loves a party and she cannot wait to deliver that good news. She can't wait. And the physicality of her and the way. So funny. God, I just watch clips of it all the time. I love it so much. It's so funny and stupid. Funny and stupid. Yes. Which we know is [46:27] praise and comedy. Agree. Like the, the more people go, Oh, that's so dumb. And you're like, for people that didn't see the, the SNL 50th music special, which was amazing. You, there was like sketches in between acts and a lot of musical sketches and Bobby and Marty came out and you [46:51] crushed. That was not an easy audience. It was an audience of truly every single person was either performing or a performer or like it was a cynical audience. Yeah. You guys, [47:04] crushed. What was that feeling to do that that night? [47:09] It was so fun, for lack of a better word. Like it was so... [47:15] There was something, you know, as you go back to these reunions and you bring all of your [47:21] kind of history and baggage and whatever with you. Um,

[47:25] Again, kind of speaking to your point of the fact that this is all just so embarrassing, because first of all, like, [47:31] It's Radio City Music Hall. It's 6,000 seats. I mean, it's a huge, epic space. Yeah. [47:39] We followed Lauryn Hill. Sure. That's who you want to follow. So you have to understand that in the wings, there are like thousands of cool music people. I mean, my dressing room was next to Jack White and his band, and I'm dressed as Bobby Mohan Culp. Okay. I've got the giant glasses and my like striped dress and Will's got his bald paint and his, you know, we were rehearsing in the keyboard. So already we're like the losers in the wings. [48:09] Do you know what I mean? Oh, yeah. I mean, the winners for me, but yes. It was fantastic. I mean, actually, you're like, you've got the violin and you've got the eye patch. 100%. And so we're already just like, what is happening? What is happening? Why are we here? And who invited us? And then we just started to giggle because it was so cute. Because doing the sketch and doing that, it was very easy to imagine how excited Bobby and Marty, the people, would have been to be at Radio City. [48:39] what was it like that said you see jack white who else are you seeing i mean mayhem like posses and people with like you know music people so they got like yeah they're so cool big cool hair and glasses and like lorne hill's a fur coat and an afro and like everybody's got like floral pants that come up to here and there's posses and you know weed everywhere you know chris martin's in the corner like cool people actual cool people who just looked right past us like they were they

[49:09] They were just like, who brought Granny and Gramps? Like, just right past us. That actually probably was fun. It was so fun. That's fun. And then going, and then we like, you know, going out there and all that stuff just suddenly worked. You're right. Now that I'm remembering, Lauryn Hill had a surprise, incredible performance. Insane. And then it was like smoke. And then it was like, ahem. Test. [49:35] And you guys cried. And that's what I mean. You know what I did? I knew it was streaming. [49:39] And I also knew, I mean, it was really funny because we were like, they just, and all of their stuff was about how they'd come to New York for an ophthalmology appointment. You know, they were just lucky to slip in and just everything about it was so fun. And so we're sitting there and, uh, yeah. And I did have the feeling, I was like, this is streaming. Cause one thing about SNL for me, again, I don't know if you ever had this, but it's a little bit of an A student girl, you know, nerd girl thing. I was always, my greatest regret about the show, not that you would go back in time is that I couldn't, I never like settled into it and enjoyed it. [50:09] of the time and of running down the clock, somebody else's sketch is going to get cut. Like I was always, and when we were there, it was such a... [50:18] you know, like explosive surface of, of talent that there were always three sketches a night that might not make it, you know? So I always felt like I had to like, keep it moving, keep it moving. So I was suddenly very aware that it was streaming and that I was not going to be rushed. And I was like, I'm going to be Bobby. The funniest thing in the world to me is this woman and this man, these, these choir teachers getting people to settle because there's just nothing funnier.

[50:48] people to settle. I need you to settle. I need quiet in the back. Hand goes up, mouth goes shut. [50:54] Hand goes up, mouth goes shut. I was like, I'm going to keep going until they settle. [50:59] I'm not going to worry about it. And if I had been at 8H, we never would have done that. Right. Very good point. But we took a full probably 45 seconds to, you know, get people to pipe it. [51:09] David Spade piped down. That's right. You guys called him out by name. I don't want to hear it, Pierce Brosnan. [51:17] so stupid you've been listening to good hang the executive producers for this show are bill simmons jenna weiss berman and me amy poehler the show is produced by the ringer and paper kite for the ringer production by jack wilson cats the lane [51:34] Kaya McMullin and Alea Zanaris. For Paper Kite, production by Sam Green, Joel Lovell, and Jenna Weiss-Berman. Original music by Amy Miles. [51:47] This Father's Day, when you ship UPS Air at the UPS Store, your items arrive on time with your money back, guaranteed at no extra cost. It's like the father of all shipping services. It shows up to the airport way too early just to play it safe. It's overprotective about all the things that truly matter. And it's always prompt, especially to be with family. Make it your first choice to celebrate your dad. Ship UPS Air with our money back guarantee. Exclusively at the UPS Store U.S. retail locations. Visit the upsstore.com slash airshipping for full details. [52:17] I knew about investing, but I really didn't know how to go about it.

[52:47] results.