Broad Ideas with Rachel Bilson & Olivia Allen - Keeping It Light with Adam Pally

Episode Date: December 1, 2025

Rachel and Olivia chat with Adam Pally about growing older with your partner, the realities of family dynamics and raising funny kids, and his HBO special “An Intimate Evening”. Watch the video of this episode here!Like the show? Rate Broad Ideas 5-Stars on Apple Podcasts and SpotifyAdvertise on Broad Ideas via Gumball.fm See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is a Headgum podcast. Hax is back for its fifth and final season, and so is The Hacks podcast. Join the Hacks creators and showrunners, Lucia and Yello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky as they unpack the Emmy-winning comedy series. On each episode, here's stories from the set, what goes on in the writer's room,

and how these beloved characters close out their final season. Watch Hax streaming exclusively on HBO Max and listen to The Hax podcast, on HBO Max or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to broad ideas. Where we have an idea. I don't know. You know?

I was trying something. I was confident. Trying something new. Effortless like our sweet dear Adam Pally. Okay. Who is up next, guys? He is up. Love him dearly.

Check out his new special out now on HBO. Thanks. Please. Pizza. Who wants pizza? Me. Right? We're so happy to have you here today.

I'm so happy to be had. And Billston, you make me giggle. Apparently, likewise. It's because we've swam up. I'm around you. Yeah, but even before that too, I feel like every time I'm around you, I have like a little like school. I'm like,

I'm like, we just have that effect on each other. We do, we do. What do we just spend an hour just giggling back and forth? It's truly, it's quite nice. It's really nice to see you.

It's really nice to meet you, Olivia. It's nice to see you too. And yes, Adam is currently in what looks like a professional recording studio. Those who aren't watching. I wish I was recording something instead of just like, you are.

Broad ideas. I'm recording this. Yeah. Well, that's why I rented out the studio. Thank you. So you were in band practice? Yes.

I, I'm working on something. It's so stupid. Wait, we can't hear him. We want to know. We can hear him lowly. Very lowly. We're good.

I fixed it. Sorry. Thank you, Kevin. Okay. Oh, that wasn't my fault. I think it's your fault. Just everything is, yes, yes. I've never not been on like a podcast or anything where something happened like

that and it wasn't because like my headphones went out or whatever so quite relieved uh yeah i just am working on something that's quite stupid but it involves a band and um so in order to do that you have to practice are you going to tell us or is it a secret it's not a secret anything just i i'm trying you know like the next the next phase of what i was doing for my special i think is is is probably involves like a band and and live music and like kind of probably probably well I'm still I don't know I mean the way today went out it could not so you know you just got to you got to follow your gut and see if this is the way it's going to go what are you in the band Bilsen he's the guitar I sing and play guitar come on okay well just just checking

How do you guys know each other? Because. Who? Us. You too. Oh, we were, I guess we met on like the scene. We were engaged. And then we were engaged in a movie.

And that, but that, that engagement involved way more physical than mental. We really spent the whole movie making out and very little talking. No talking. It was quite a marriage Buy a tree just like fully Yeah I was like buy a tree making out And then we went to lunch

And then we came back And they're like okay And let's pick up where we were after For lunch And we're like Okay And then they were like Called the day

And then we came back the next day And it was like in some like House in the Valley And they're like okay You two just pick up where you left off And it's like Oh my God I'm like

I think the joke was truly How much bigger than you I am Like physically I think that was like the joke of the scene Why it looked so funny is because I'm I am like I'm big I'm big boy He's big boy I'm a big boy

I don't think of you as big boy I know but I am big boy and like I feel like the joke of it was like Ha ha look at big boy and you know Pretty little girl you know And then I feel like that's why that went I thought that movie was funny Like I really liked that movie

hilarious that was a great movie the to-do list is the name of it and yeah so funny so funny robert plaza stars in yes she does she sure does star turn a star turn you guys sound like the characters in love actually do you remember oh the the the stand-in yeah a little bit a little bit a little bit i like to think the parts were chunkier i don't know those were kind of chunky And weren't you like a dick kind of or something? Don't you like... I mean, that seems... I don't think I was a dick.

I think I was like cucked. I think I was like a hippie who was always following fish. Okay. Yes. And while I was... That's what it was. While I was on tour, you met someone. Right?

I don't remember that. I have no memory of that. I don't remember that. I don't know. I don't know. At least that's the way I made it in my mind. I love that you were following fish. No, that's really...

funny because yeah and it wasn't a hard cast to Aubrey called me and she's like you like fish right oh do you I was like yeah I love fish she's like great come down here and make out with Bilsen for a week like done and done where do I sign oh my god what a good call yeah it's a great call do you follow fish No, I mean, I That's such a Sad question To have to like Parse through the answer to

I had When I was a kid I did Like I disappeared And was following fish Through the Southwest Seriously? Yeah I feel like I need to go to a fish concert

Do you? Yeah Because the people that like them Follow them Like what am I missing Hardcore I know what I'm missing. It's the lyrics.

Like there's a lot of, right? There's like a lot of music in there. It's a lot of music. It's a lot of music. It's a lot of, um, when you do get the lyrics, it's a lot of like, uh, weird or kind of less. This is not exactly like songs about love or money, you know? It's like sometimes songs about ghosts and castles and, you know, uh, it's, uh,

It can be, yeah, it can be Tolkien-esque. It's a little nerdy. It's a little nerdier than that. But it's, but it's, you know, it's, I think fish has some good, like, I bet if I made you a mix of fish songs. We'd be in. We'd drive off a club. You'd be in. Yeah.

Yeah, for sure. I mean, my wife hated fish and our wedding song was a fish song. Really? I love that. Yeah. That is, and it's truly like one of the most beautiful love songs. I've ever heard with a lyric and a chorus that is still the the chorus is the song's called waste and the chorus is the chorus is come waste your time with me it's like really beautiful you know

and when you think about that you're like fish wrote that and you're like a mad's marriage it is isn't it yeah come waste your time with you're wasting time yeah we're wasting time yeah we're dying together yeah oh god I mean that's what it is That was a little morbid, but it's true. It's true. It's what it is. I think there's joy in the acceptance of that. What a way to put it and, like, think about it.

Right? Well, I mean. I mean. You have those thoughts? That we're dying together. You and Jeff? Yeah. Of course.

Yes. I'm not married. Of course. So I guess that's why I haven't gone down that road mentally. Watching someone age. Yeah, aging is tough. Watching someone age. which is really hard.

It is, it's really hard. And you, because mostly because like, and I'm like you see, you're reminded every day of your own impending, like melting. Yeah.

You know, I'm just like melting. I'm dying. I'm just like every day. I'm just like worse and worse and melting and gross and dying. This is a really uplifting conversation. Other, well, the truth is,

but then because then you have this other person, who's also melting and dying and gross but but but like you've but like you you you love them and so and you love them for for the the the thing they were and the thing they are and the thing they're they're gonna it's like you it's like I look at my wife sometimes I see her like like her whole life like just when I look at her you know yeah and so I feel like that's the that's the the the meat on the bone is like like you're both just dying together. I mean, that's what you are doing.

Isn't that weird? Yeah. And then all of a sudden you're like, wait, my joints hurt. Yeah, no. And their joints hurt. One of you will be gone before the other, which is always... I can't. Up has the...

That movie up. No other movie has ever destroyed me more. Rocked. Yeah. And they do it right off the bat. Right off the bat. Right off the bat. They're like, deal with this.

for the next 90 minutes. No, seriously, I've never been more scarred. Have you seen in terms of endearment? I mean. Terms of endurance hard. That'll fuck you up. It is, it is, but both are similar in the idea that like, you know, nothing ends.

Nothing ends. Well. Great. Yeah. Nothing ends great because it's like, like, because there's an end. There's an end of it. like you know I that's a morbid thought that I have a lot I the morbid thoughts though are more frequent like as you get older yeah for sure well yes but like yeah but Billson you're 29

you you don't have to deal with this yet in my 20s but it's no I do I I mean I yeah I think about I lost a parent at a young age too how and so that I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm I was 29 and my mother was 50. Oh, man. That's young. Yeah. That's really young. I'm sorry.

That's hard. So that also leaves like a, you know, I don't know. You like, you become very close to the idea of like things ending. Yep. Doesn't seem as far away. Right. Right. it's a different type of reality when that happens at a young age that you know death in a different way

and you know life in a different way because you know it's not just the fairy tale of you get really old one day and you die it's like that shatters yeah i was sorry i had a really i had a a weird run too because my my mother passed away uh 20 days before my son was born and so yeah and so i had to go to new york and And my wife was in L.A. And then it was just like, and then she went into L.A. to go back. It was just like a wild time. And that was your first? Your first child?

First. Yeah. It was a wild time. It was a wild time. Question on that. And this might be weird. But did you ever question if it was her? The child?

Yeah. Spiritually? Yeah. No. But I, but I'm not opposed to thinking things like that. know like I it's like a soft no you know like I they're very different people um so it's like hard to hard to say but you know I I always I always just think it's like one of those things that like you know you're never in charge of you're especially as actors and stuff we spend so much of

our life like being out of control and it's like you know it was one of those lessons that island was like you're you're really just along for a ride and sometimes those landmark moments are grouped really close together because you know I was at the age where like yeah you're having kids and your parents are dying just might happen like really close together so you know you start to explain and everyone has a story like everyone has a lot everyone will lose a parent you know me out. What was I supposed to like? Perform a song. Performer song now? Yeah. I was just an interpretive dance. I bummed everybody out. We like it. It doesn't bum us out like because what else matters, you know? No, truly. Yeah. No, I don't know. I mean, well, you were only 29,

but you were only 29 when you had your first kid. I mean, that's really young. Yeah, that was very Yeah. Very young. So how long have you guys been married? Uh, 15 years. Wow. Yeah. That's a long time.

Yeah. Yeah, you guys are really growing old together. Yeah. But we knew each other when we were kids, too. What? Yep. Tell us the story. We want to know.

We met when we were kids. And she was a year. She was like the cool. mean girl in high school and I was like a dorky comedy kid who who did the morning announcements. Yes. Oh my God. I wish.

I want to hear your morning announcements. I had a whole, you could probably find them. I did a whole. I was so good at it that they gave me a, like my own show every Friday. And I made like the morning announcements into sketches and stuff. And then they aired those sketches on like public access.

Oh my God. It was like a thing in the town. But I, yeah. And then so we met and she was a senior. And then she went to college. And then I went to college. And then I went to the University of Arizona. And she went to Rhode Island, University of Rhode Island.

And then we both transferred back to New York. And I started doing comedy at the Apparite Citizens Brigade. And, you know, she saw a show and, you know, Billson knows. once you wind me up I'm getting it I get it I get it I see it she's fully getting so yeah so

and then and we were older and like knew each other in a different way and living in New York and and then next thing you knew we were engaged and engaged and then I and she owned a clothing store she she she was already like a full-fledged adult yeah and I was like

teaching improv you know and then and we got engaged and then by the time we got married I had booked happy endings oh my god and so yeah wow and then and then that first year she got and then so like borderline shotgun she got pregnant pretty quickly and then that's it was like off to the races wow and how many kids we have three you have three that's a lot of kid yeah it's a lot of kids i i have a joke in my special it's enough for people to think i'm religious but i'm i'm actually just uh careless and i drink what are their ages uh well the first two are um what um what um what Yeah, the first two they came kind of together, 13 and 12.

Whoa. Yeah. So that was during, that was like a hectic period because like I happy, like, it was like, wow. You had a lot of happy endings. Yeah. Yeah, I was like, my mother just passed away. My first kid had just come. I was like on Entertainment Weekly.

people were like stopping me in the street and I also am careless and drink and it was like as soon as like Danielo was like let's go let's take a weekend it was like yeah let's take a weekend it was like fuck oh my oh my god and then we were pregnant again whoa okay now did you and that hurt

that hurt yeah that hurt yeah that hurt Did you plan for the third? No. No. No, we didn't, Olivia. Okay. In fact, we, for the third, I was doing a play that got extended in New York. And so we had decided, because the other two were at a good age, that we would move to New York and sell our beautiful house in Studio City.

So we bought a really nice. three-bedroom apartment in New York City and on the day we closed she was pregnant oh my god so if there's a pattern in my life that you're seeing is like nothing is ever too good and nothing is ever too bad right or enough everything just comes at once all the right but I like I've grown to like that and so yeah no none were planned none none

I like that none were planned I know it's like none were planned but they're they're great kids they're great how old's the youngest

he's eight he'll be nine soon oh yeah Drake Drake that's so cute and the other ones Drake is the youngest

uh Gigi is the middle. She's the, she's my favorite. And, and then Cole is the oldest. Poor Cole.

Do you think every parent has a favorite? Well, I mean, I have two boys and a girl, so it's like, of course, like, Gigi's gonna be my, like, everything. So, like, I love my boys. They're great.

I just, like, I can tell, I see it myself. Like, you know, like, the boys will come home. home like how's school like good good I'm a starting defensive end I'm like sick dude that's great and then Gigi walking will be like how is school yeah and she's like oh dad leave me alone I'm like okay you hungry if you're hungry I'm down here it's like clearly I just am obsessed with her that's cute are you still in the three bedroom apartment no no we moved out of Chelsea we we moved out of Chelsea we moved to Harlem which is such a great move I love

Really? Yes. It was such a great move. Are you considering it? No, I was just like, you don't hear. I thought you were going to say Brooklyn. I feel like everyone's like natural progression in Brooklyn and you said Harley. I didn't want to go to Brooklyn. My sisters live in New Jersey. Yeah. And I am very close to them and like kind of like, you know, I have a lot of responsibilities.

And so moving to Brooklyn was just like another bridge, another. Yeah. separation and also Brooklyn is like super expensive you know and I really wanted a house I was like if I'm leaving like I mean our apartment our three bedroom was so fucking cool and it was in like the coolest area and I loved it I was like if I'm leaving this I want a house and I want a car and I I don't want to go to Brooklyn I want to be on the train I want to be on the one online. And so we found a place and it's like it's great. It's awesome. That's so cool. Yeah. I always think about like raising kids in New York City. Like it's such a dream. Something I just have always wanted to live there

and never done. But then I feel like, because you were in Studio City before, right? Yeah. So how old were the kids when you moved to New York? Six and five. Did they go to school there first? Yes. Where'd they go? They did. They went to the temple. Oh, okay. Um, because we didn't. Because our friends who told us to move to Studio City sent their kids to the temple, and that's kind of the way we do things. Got it. You're just like, okay. Tell me where to go.

I like fish. Where will they be? My friend Dan Levy was like, we send our kids to the temple. I was like, that sounds great. Dan, I love Dan so much. Sorry. I was like, yeah, no, truly I was like, great. Is it expensive?

He's like, no, it's a temple. It's like great. No, great, done. Love it. Easy. And then we're going to go to Carpenter. but oh yeah Josh his friend

yeah sorry we just have the side sidebar there's so many Dan Levy's there are so many I have a but I think it's the same one

I think it is probably I feel confident in that he is funny but that's tough with all the other Dan Leavies because they're also funny oh they're all funny also known as Rachel's husband

Dan Levy that's the Dan I'm talking about yeah yeah okay love him our kids were our kids were besties

aw and so they were like romie romey uh Abe and Gigi were like inseparable Abe and Gigi are the same age okay yeah yeah got it

they were inseparable and so we just like did whatever they did yeah and then but then when we moved it was like now they all go to different private schools they do you have all three kids in different

schools yeah why yeah please walk because they They need different things. Yeah. Okay.

And it also means like I'll never be rich again. Right. Which is such a fucking bummer. Maybe it'll come back to you? No, I don't think it will. I think this is it. You don't think you putting them in those schools will have a payoff? No.

Not if they come out like me. But did you go to schools like that? I got kicked out of them when I did Why? Why did you get kicked out? I did not like religion And I didn't like My kids don't go to religious school But I was first sent to a religious school

And I rebelled against it And got kicked out Were you the class clown? Yeah, I guess so How do we feel about class clowns? I love them I did too I feel good about it

I encourage them I went to my daughter's like my wife was sick and I went to her like one-on-ones you know they do that where they like teacher conference yeah where they like want to give you like it's the beginning of the year they want to tell you like they're for it's kind of like here's what we think is going on yeah whatever and every single one of Gigi's teachers was like she does like to talk and it made me and like I got this like

aggression in me instead of being like oh well oh she'll hear it for me i was like yeah so what yeah like you can't deal with a talker like i'm not gonna go tell my like bright smiley 12 year old bubbly bubbley girl that she talks too much yeah you're like she has something to say i was like like you're like give her the mic just like she wants to do morning announcement i was like yeah i was like they know who i am i was like Yeah? Yeah, why is this so surprised? I was like, well, is her material not good enough?

Because we could work on that at home. Like that's the real issue here. If she's not funny, then we have a problem. Yeah, she's not killing. And I came home and I was like, Georgia, are you opening with a self-effacing joke? We've gone over this. Is she funny? Yeah, they're all like sharpshooters.

They are. I love that. See, I feel a lot of pressure with my kid because I'm like, she better be funny. You know? Because I don't think there's anything more important, personally. Oh, completely agree. You know? I completely agree.

Yeah. She just had a birthday where every person had to go up and say something about her. Yeah. Like, there was this thing they were doing. They took a bead and they were like, whatever. It was a jewelry thing. And almost every single one was like, you're so funny. And I was like, fuck, yes.

That's great. Yeah. I was like, I don't care. You could talk about how kind she is. You can talk about all those things. They all said she was funny. She's funny. Yeah.

Well, I feel like you're funny. Like, it's, I feel like that is something that is nature, like, nature. Right. Or nurture versus nature. Like, my kids, they can't help but have a thicker skin than most kids. They can't help. But, like, you know, they just hear stuff and they're around stuff all the time. And they, like, you know, like, the amount of sets they've been on,

the amount of times they've seen. me do crazy shit. It's like they have to understand comedy more than the average person because otherwise they wouldn't be able to communicate in the house. Right, right.

What about your wife? Is she funny? Oh my God. She's funnier than, yeah. She's funnier than me. And she tells everybody. She tells everybody that. I feel like that's our job, though, right?

Yeah. You do. I do what tell everyone that you're funny or than Jeff? Sometimes he's funnier than me. He can be funny, but his is discreet. You have to get to know him. That's the best kind of comedy. It's good.

But my son's funny. I'm like, he gets the beat. He does. He does. It's weird. Yeah. Yeah, no. I mean, all my kids, like, I think the other thing that they really are good at with me,

at least is like they're very unimpressed by anything I do or have done and so that leads to a lot of the comedy in the house is like where like I'm the butt of the joke for a lot in the house which I think is kind of healthier than

being revered. I don't know why. There's something like my dad was really like that like we all used to joke with my dad about his intricacies and his flaws and like there's something very assuring loving about that as opposed to being like where you can't enter a room when your dad's there or something i don't know

it's a precarious role that i'm like trying to to like uh fit the best i can and i feel like i'm kind of lucky that they they don't care about me that's a good thing in a way you know yeah what also is a safety thing i noticed that the other night with my kid was roasting his dad and i was like he feels so safe. Like the things he was saying, if you're easily offended, you'd be offended. But I think for a kid to hold you in that position means they feel safe. Yeah, completely. And so I guess, I guess then my kids feel extremely safe.

Does Breyer make fun of you? Yeah. Oh, good. Yeah, for sure. You need that. What does that mean? You need it to survive. Oh, yeah, yeah, for sure.

I'm like, don't compliment me, just be an asshole. It did come out, I will say, Billson. It did come out, like, as if she was saying, like. You're right, thank you. No, like, put her in her place. Yeah, because it's like, because if your child didn't do that, God knows where you would be. That's true. That's a little true, too.

Yeah, but it just doesn't like that. No. But I knew what she meant. Yeah, no, my kids, like, they, there was this picture the other. day. When I started in comedies at the Upright Citizens Regade and their social team was like digging through old pictures and they found this picture from like 20 years ago at the Montreal Comedy Festival and it was like me and and Ben Schwartz, who is my comedy partner and Bob Odenkirk and David Cross who were like directing our show and they like put it on social media.

And my son who follows that account independent, I don't even think he knows I, you know, was there, like runs into my room. It was like, whoa, dad, you know Bob Odinkirk? And I was like, yeah, you know, I mean, not like, we're not tight, but like, you know, like, yeah, I know. And when I was a kid, he directed my, my show. And he goes, wow, so how long ago was this? I was like, that's about 20, 20, 20 years ago. And he goes, man, Schwartz doesn't age.

I love it. I was like, get the fuck out of my room. Oh, my God. You're raising them right. Yeah. So if that's security and love, he's very secure and loved. He loves me so much. He loves me so much.

I think that's cool. But what was it like for you? Like growing up were you, you have sisters? Is it the three of you? I have two. Yeah, I have two younger sisters. Oh, you're the big brother. Were you like...

I'm the big bro. Did you just terrorize them? No. No, no, no, no, no. I... My middle sister was like a super athlete. And in that, you know, there was a lot of... You know, athletics can bring a lot of tension into a house sometimes.

A lot of places you have to be. A lot of, like, you know, type of. So I feel like my role in the family, much like it is in most of my relationships, became very much like people pleasing. Like, you know, I had to make everybody like calm and smooth it all out. You know, a lot of cycles linking up and, you know, my dad working a lot. It was like I had to kind of like make sure that everybody was okay, you know, or at least I felt I did.

Right. Are they okay? They're great now. They're great. Yeah, they're great people. They're really unbelievable. They live like a half a mile from each other in Westfield, New Jersey. Really?

That's cool. Yeah. It's really sweet. Yeah. It's really, really sweet. And, yeah, they're good people. They're really good. Do they have kids?

They do. They have kids. Their kids are close. And they work. is yours, like close cousin? They are. They're a little younger than mine, but they're,

they think my kids are the coolest, you know, and my sisters are cool. Like my youngest sister, Risa used to be in charge for like 10 years of window design at Christian Lubiton. Oh, wow.

Which was like a fun job. Yeah, really fun, really cool, really high, like, devil wears Prada lifestyle. And my, other sister was head of pediatrics at the hospital for special surgery. She's really successful and they're great. You're like, and then there's me.

And there's me. In a rehearsal studio from band practice. Oh my God. It couldn't be better though. Wait. Yeah. She was the head of, say it again. Pediatrics.

That's a big job. It was. Yeah. It was. Were your parents doctors? Well, my dad was a doctor, is a doctor, but they were, when I was a child, they were lounge singers. Seriously? Yeah.

And they were in a band called Pally and Pau that toured the Catskills. What? That's so cool. It is. It is a lot of what my special that I just played. it out was about um and uh yeah so when i was a kid they were or they like to say they were in the industry but they were they were not in the industry they were industry adjacent that what a cool did you so when they were doing that were you with them uh-huh you'd go around mm-hmm there's something

i really like about that yeah it was beautiful you know it was really cool that is really i want to be a lounge singer take us through it he was a doctor that did that on the side or did he run a clinic he was no he was uh always wanted to be a musician and an actor and so to my mother and my mother went to NYU and my father went to Binghamton and while he was at Binghamton like he was really good undergrad as well like science and math but he really wanted to be an actor so he left Binghamton, went to New York, married my mom, and they started a band called Pallion Pall, which would like, you know, they would go around the Catskills and they would be in the lobby playing and my mom would be like in a dress on the piano. My dad would be playing or they would

like, you know, and they would have a whole act where they would like do schick and stuff. And then during the week, my dad would play piano at like the Empire Diner or all these, you know, famous places all over New York. And that's where I would wait for him to be done. And then, you know, that was my life. And then at like eight, he got very close to some part on television. And it like messed him up, you know? And so he was like, I don't think it's going to happen.

But I was really good at math and science. So he enrolled in Fordham and pre-year-old. and pre-med and like like nailed it and then was offered a scholarship at like 34 to go to the University of Chicago to study like emergency medicine and osteopathic medicine. So he took two kids to Chicago and we went into like supreme debt and he got his degree and then he opened up a practice in New Jersey where I went to high school. Oh, wait, what part of Jersey? Livingston. I was acting like, my mom's from Philly and my, there's, we have a lot of connections to Jersey. Your mom's from Philly and you have no trace of that accent?

I don't. She does sometimes. She does some weird shit. Yeah. Add letters to things and, but I can always like hear it. If I hear anyone from Philly, I'd be like, you're from Philly because it's very distinct. You're right. Over.

Uh-huh. Wooder. Wooder. Question about your dad. Yes. Do you think that he got fulfilled through you? Do you think that scratched something inside of him? Yes.

I don't think that the word I would choose would be fulfilled. Okay. But I do think he loves it. He is, it's very weird to have a showbiz dad when I'm in my, like, I'm 43, you know, and my dad, like, shows up everything. Does he? Oh, I love that. You have a stage dad.

Is he in your band? No. Well, he does play with me in the special. Thank you. We do a song together. I can't wait to switch it. But he, no, but he, like,

when I was doing a play, you know, sometimes you do a play and then, like, there's this part of the, when there are other, like, uh, known people in the,

in the audience that if they like, they like the play, they'll come backstage, you know, to meet the cast, you know. And so that happens sometimes, you know. And my dad would show up every night after work to the play. And so he started to become friends with the people at the door and everything. And then he started, he would just start to be in the dressing room when I would get off. Like, I would take my curtain call. And then I'd come back and I would be like, oh, my God.

Like, he would be in the dressing. And then it was like every day. And then he started to introduce me to the celebrities that would come to see the show. And it was like truly like I really had to like do a lot of like therapy and like, like, that's it's okay. It's okay. It's okay. It's okay. Because like there would be nights where I would like come off stage.

And I'd be like, you know, dealing with my own, you know, doing a play is hard. You're like crying. and you're like giving your all and like you're you know in this one I was like naked it's like you know this is a real play and I'd come off stage

plays are only real if you're naked that's right you have to like naked pretend to fuck cry and then kill yourself that's a play and so like I had to do all that and then I would like come off stage and my dad would be like

Adam come here I want you to meet Anthony Edwards from ER and I'd be like oh my god I dad I you have this stuff Oh my God. I love that so much. Does he still want to act? Um, yeah. I think he, I think some part of him, I don't, I don't think it's how I don't, I don't think it's a good idea. I mean like he's a great doctor. He's a great doctor. What's your dad's name? I need to know. I feel like we should get like he needs we need something. It's all he was on my podcast. Good. He was on my.

my podcast. Yeah. And he was great. What was the show that he came close to getting? I don't know. I think it was a campaign actually. Okay. I think it was like an ad campaign or something.

Yeah. Yeah. Got it. But he was on my podcast and within a week, he was like, I want to talk to you about what a podcast from me would look like. And I was like, for who? For what?

For what? What are you talking about? He's like, For serious satellite radio. I was like, you're not doing a podcast on serious satellite radio. I was like, no one knows who you are. Yet.

No one knows who you are. He's like, well, but I'm like, I could be like Dr. Oz. I was like, you don't want to be Dr. Oz. I don't know. I don't want you to be doctor. No. You just be a doctor. You're a doctor.

That's it. I don't know why I feel for him as the doctor. I feel like he wants. Wait, what? He's fine. He's fine. He's got a penhouse on Central Park West. He's fine.

He's fine. He's fine. He's great. He's great. He's great. You're going to tell me his name? And he's got screen time in the Dr. Stephen Pally. He's got screen time all over the HBO special.

He's living life right now. Okay, good. As long as he's getting this. I would not be surprised if he was on Raya. Matching with Uma Thurman. Oh, my God. I like it. I like it.

Oh, my God. We need to know. Yeah, I know. I'm like all in on the dad. No, 100%. No, he's married. No, I don't mean like that. Oh.

No, I know. I was kidding. What is he? He's remarried? Yeah. Yeah. How's the stepmom? Oh, I don't want to call her that.

Got it. At a certain age, it's not that. She's great. It's just not. Yeah. Ew. But she's great. I love her, but like, I don't want to do that.

I feel like if they get married at a certain age. She's great. She's great. She's great. But I don't want to do that. She's awesome. And I'm so happy that he's happy. But I don't want to.

How old were you when they got married? 30. That's why? Because you're an adult. Is she 32? No. She's older than him. Oh.

Oh, good. Yeah. Good for her. Yeah. Great for her. Great for her. Good for, you know what? Good for her.

we've touched on something here no no no no this is the full this is great stepmom great great what I never thought of that do you call Dan your stepdad not often

like my mom's husband I call him my mom's husband because if you meet at a certain age you're like that's not my dad I'm a grown adult sometimes I just introduce her by her first name oh I think it's like

What are your kids call her? Her first name. Okay. Oh. Okay. Got it. We feel this.

How long have they been married? They've been married about five years, but they've been together for a long time. Because you said they're using. Yeah. Yeah. Got it. A long time. Okay.

I think we're going to pivot. Yeah. I think we want out at this one. I think we want. I didn't, just to be fair. Billson was the one that said stepmom But come on No

At a certain age it's not a step parent Mommy Step mommy I thought we were pivoting I tried guys You said you said pivot and Rachel started going mommy I doubled down Mommy

I doubled down for you You're welcome No, she's great. She's great. My face hurts a little bit. I'm sorry. It's okay. Okay. Is that good?

Is it a facer from laughing or is like face hurts because like from grinding your teeth? She does do that. I do, I do it too. I'm supposed to wear this mouth guard, but it's like so unsexy. I really want to see you in a mouth. card. Oh, it's awful. It's so, because like I consider myself like a sexy, cool person, you know, and it's like, it's like not something I enjoy doing, like putting in my mouth card and I'm like, okay, guess I'm

going to watch real until I fall asleep. I love you. I guess I'm going to. No, that was it. That was it. But I want to start like walking around the world being like, I consider myself a sexy, cool, person. I do. I know. I like it. I do. I consider myself like I I feel my I feel my daughter says I have aura. Are aura farming? Do you aura farm? No, she says people or farm me. Sick. The fuck is or farm. That's a new one. You don't know aura farming. No, I don't know aura farming. She says sometimes I get aura milked.

Oh, so much milked. I get milked for my aura. And then sometimes they sell it as a cheese. I quit I'm quitting right now oh my god I'm sweating at Erawan no I this is comforting

oh my god do you not know of or a farming I mean I gather what it is but like it's a new one it's newer on the scene on the Riz scene of things yeah

but did she really say that or did you come up with that no she really no she really did say that I that people aura farm me No, I know that, but did they milk you and make it into cheese or was that you? That was Pally.

Oh, no, that was beautifully made up by me now that you say it back like that. So not just sexy and cool. But cheese. But dairy. But dairy. But highly high allergen. High allergen. Like a Greek yogurt.

That fucks up. my stomach worse than anything. Really? I thought the probiotics were supposed to help it. I did too, guys. It's depressing. Are you sure you're not doing the Jamie Lee Curtis yogurt? Oh.

Activia? Because that does what it's called. It makes you shit, right? It makes you active. Makes you active. Yeah. I thought it had a lot of fiber or something. Yeah, it activates. Yeah, it activates. Yeah. No, Greek yogurt

makes my tummy what do you what's your favorite food Adam pizza I try not to eat I'm really trying not to eat like a lot of pizza because I eat pizza a lot like a lot like a lot like more than favorite though in New York oh I don't give a fuck I literally if it's got sauce and cheese I'm throwing it down my gullet I don't care it's all everyone's good I'm like obviously there are like nice ones like you know like lucali or lucia or um upside is good if you're like you know slinging around but like honestly any slice and and the worst thing since i'm driving a lot in new york now anytime i park if i'm like walking back to my house or i'm walk if like i parked the car and i'm walking to work or something like or the rehearsal space and i pass like a pizza

it's very hard for me enough to get a slice of pizza and that's like i'm in a rut you know i got to fix that it's hard what do you get on it cheese i just get cheese i like because i'm not i'm trying because like if i'm going to order like three four slices then maybe i'll mix it up with like a pepperoni or something in there but if i'm just like literally having a meltdown then it's to be like two slices of cheese okay and it's like frequent i understand i eat a lot of pizza no no no this is like frequent It's like you can't pass the pizza place and not eat them slices. Literally, like, I know where I'm parked outside,

and I know that I have to walk by a famous race. And it's, like, really shitty because I work out a lot, too. I'm trying, but. Just to keep up with the pizza. I work out so much to look this shitty. I work out so much. Thank you. It's the angle again.

I work out so much to even look like this. Do you go to the gym? How much is he working out? He's like, no. I don't, I'm not like a gym. I have like a gym in my house that I, that I like. And I don't, I don't have a gym in New York, but I love, you know what I love? A hotel gym.

Oh, yeah. I love a hotel gym. Do you just go randomly to hotels in the city? I only work out when I'm in a hotel. I work out so much. Yeah. I just show up with bags. And then I walk straight to the gym and I pretend like my room's not ready.

I'm like, stupid. It should be 11 when you check in and four when you check out. Am I right? And then I just walk right to the gym. I can't say no. No, I, I have like, you know, I have a Peloton and I got a tonal machine. and I got like weights and I got like an infrared sauna down there. Jeez.

And I so try to do that a lot like every day. And I still look horrible. You do not. I'm on television. My job is supposed to be on television. I eat pizza every day. It's not right. It's not, it's not okay.

Like I was looking. the other day I was like talking to someone I was driving and I could see a reflection to myself in the mirror a little bit and like the amount that my face moves when I talk is unhealthy it looks like I'm in a wind tunnel it looks like I'm I'm have the window open at all times have you tried Botox no I'm thinking about it I'm thinking about it I just I just in the movement of the face Like just like my move like when I when I it's like if I'm like hey how's it going it's like five seconds later the fat of my face stops moving Hey it's like brer that that did did did dear

Oh my god I'm gonna pee my pants like my face looks like Anthony Kedis his body in the under the bridge video when he's running The specificity and it's so accurate just when I'm speaking You guys, I think I have to quit the podcast. My face actually does. I'm frozen like how you're like wind tunneled. I'm frozen like that from laughing so hard. Well, man, I'd rather be that because this is not no way to die.

You know what I like about you? The effortlessness. Yeah. The delivery is just. The delivery is just. It's all dying. It's like ASMR. It's just real effortless and just.

Yeah. People have often called my comedy a sdomar. They like to put me on to go to bed. Something soothing about my delivery. It's true. Oh, my God. We don't like effort. No, this is the best.

We don't like every thing. There's zero effort. There's no effort. I couldn't even put enough effort to get to a second location today. I was like, well, if I'm going to be there rehearsing, I might as well rent it out to do the podcast from there. I'm going to walk out and there's going to be like a professional band out there being like, the fuck was going on in there. You're just talking? You're just talking.

You just recording. Because they don't hear you. They just hear me. You're painting. I'm fucking dying. I'm going to walk out past like geese, like the coolest New York fucker. They're going to be like. Huh.

You're just talking. Oh, God, it's so good. I don't even understand. I think we've recorded. We just recorded your next special, so you're welcome. Yeah. When do we talk about the movie we all watched? Wait, I want your next special to just be your side of this conversation.

The audience has to fill in the rest. Truly, the receptionist of the recordings, you were like, I was on board when you were, like, rambling about death, but it went off the rails when you started getting into your own delivery. Oh, my God. What is your special? Excuse me now? What was that transition? I don't know. My special is

It's a comedy special on HBO Um It's not Not funny I was to say it's not particularly comedic Um Or special But it is an hour

So Yeah No I You know it's one of those things I'm really proud of it And it is very like vulnerable and it isn't that funny it truly like I don't want you to go into the expectations of like it being it's not super funny but I uh I forgot that like people can see it yeah do you ever get that when you like

put something out always and so someone when like someone texts me like hey I loved your special this like wave of embarrassment comes over me instead of a wave of like like if it was a movie or a TV show or something I would be like oh awesome but instead I get on almost like this like oh my god like i get like i'm like i can't believe you saw that i wasn't supposed you weren't supposed to see that oh you know uh so it does feel a little like weird to to at the same time be sitting here like asking you to watch it you know um but it is on hbl we just we want to see dr stephen you'll get your fill question on that isn't it much more comfortable if you think a bunch of strangers are watching it

but then when it's someone you know you're like that that was for strangers yeah I guess that's a great way of saying it yeah it's like when someone I like I had like a peer tell me they watch it like someone I respect and they were like oh I like this and I instead of being so happy and excited about it I got like this wave of like

utter panic that like oh my God that means they saw it right you know like and I was like Oh shit. Fuck. That's going to change our relationship. You know, like, and I wasn't really like necessarily wanting that from from a piece of work, but that's what it is. Yeah.

When that happens, do you ever be like, oh, should I go back? Like, what did I say? Do you remember everything? Or do you think like I want to hear what they heard? You know, that's a really good question. I do, I wonder if you do this too. I don't do it after it came out but I do do it in like the before process sometimes

like I will I will like if I sent like if I was like if I had a script that I wrote and I was like Rachel I really want you to to read the script to be in this movie and I sent you the script like right after I sent it to you I would read it as you that's what I do like if I send someone a song

send someone a song to listen to to I immediately I'm like wait I got to hear it here exactly what they're going to be hearing that I just told them to hear yeah but I do it yeah but I don't do it when it's released like once it's out it's out and I because like I can't there's something I can do about it right except being be embarrassed but in the before process I immediately go back to it and I'm like can I trust my own work can I trust that this is like something I want sent out and like sometimes it is that feeling of like whoops right that should not have been sent there

you know yeah and then you just got to move on yeah i think that's healthy do you watch do you like to watch your own stuff or hate it um i feel indifferent it depends on the thing and the time i don't go back and watch my stuff ever i i feel like that would be weird like to like to your wife on a sunday like i've got an idea babe yeah i was like let's put on the minnie project yeah just vibe like i no i i i i don't I don't ever watch my stuff like that, but I like a premiere or a big screening of something with like all the people involved. I do like, I do enjoy that. Like I'm not one of those people that you'll find like pacing in the lobby. Like I can't watch myself.

Yeah. Like I will gladly be in there being like, like, you know, I'm thirsty. I'm so thirsty for your love. But yeah. So I feel indifferent on it. you know yeah i think i'm the same way i i don't see a need like i don't ever think like oh i'll watch happy endings again because it's like i i did it so i know most of it but like if someone sends me a clip or something i will like check it out or watch it or you know um so it depends on the thing

fair answer have you ever known someone that thoroughly likes to watch their own stuff and like has you do it along with them. Uh-huh. Yeah. I know what she's getting at. Why? This is an off-mic tidbit. What are you making her watch, Rachel?

Yeah. In this one, I'm from a small town. Yeah, exactly. No, I haven't, you know, I find that I have. You know who does that a lot is, and this is no shade, but like directors. Love to be like, if you have friends who are directors, they love to be like, come look at this on my phone. Yeah. And you're like, dude, I don't want to watch fucking cut of your preview.

You know, and then they're like, and here will obviously be, you know, they'll be like a dragon. They were just, you know, whatever. It's not rendered. But like, then. And you're like, fuck, I can't watch this. Oh, my God. I fucking love you Pally I am so happy that you took the time in your studio

to talk to us Not in our studio I'm sorry I wish I would next time I'm in L.A. I would love to around to it Please please I love you Bilsen so much And thank you so much for having me Yeah thanks for being here

Listen send me a script anytime I'll be in it You send me a song and I'll sing it Deal I'll listen We just wrote one. You did. Oh my God. Send me a pizza.

I'll eat it. And that's how you get it. And we did it. And that's it. Full circle. And that's it. Full circle. Thank you.

What are you responsible for, Lou, for Thanksgiving? My children. Big responsibility. I, no. You're cooking your children? Don't do that. I'm cooking them like tons of late. Like Shepherds.

Shepherds pie. Nice. Yes. We kind of do everything together and then everybody like else brings a dish. And then I do like the whole hosting part, like the tables and the chairs and the. You don't cook something specifically. I usually do. But because we're moving.

Everyone's bringing out of that. So everybody's bringing. But then we cook everything together. Yeah. You know. Yeah. But I just don't have to. I was talking in past tense, but now we're kind of present tense.

So everyone listening, we are recording this before Thanksgiving, but you're going to hear it after Thanksgiving. So that's why you're getting both sides. You're getting all universes. Yes. Well, it's kind of like a multiverse. Yeah. Right.

We're the Marvel of podcast. Yes. What are you responsible for? Rachel. Well, I'm hosting and I'm responsible for the turkey. So I have the most pressure, especially because my brother, he's a natural curmudgeon. But like if the turkey is too dry, it's like, you know, it's always the test. Like, I hate saying this word.

Moist is like a really weird word to say, but he's always concerned with if it's not. Interesting. Yes. Why do people hate the word moist so much? I don't know. That's like a thing. It is a thing. It's a thing.

Do you guys have any words like that that you feel weird about saying? Or because you're weird feeling? Yeah, like jurisdiction doesn't feel good. That's a long one. You know what I mean? Doesn't that feel like? You know what? I don't feel like you ever stay there.

No, why would you never say that? A word that used to always trip me up as a kid if I thought about too much is Screen. Screen. Like if you think about the word over and over, you're like, what the fuck is that? Um, you know what I mean? I will flip up phrases sometimes, uh, the one most famous in our household is I tried to say the bar is low, a common saying in our household. We don't need to look too deep to do.

Um, and I said the low is the bar. and didn't even realize that I said. I was like, oh, the low is the bar. And Leah was like, what did you say? So we say that a lot. And I took an Italian class for two years in college,

and our teacher said, take it with a salt of grain. And so I say that a lot, too. I have a friend who always says, like, if she's talking with her mouthful, she's like, I'm sorry, I always talk with my mouth open. I'm like, a lot of people do.

Everyone talks with their mouth open. You mean chew? You mean chew with your mouth open? I keep talking with my mouth open. What's your favorite word? I don't know if I have one. Fuck. Yeah, fuck's good.

It's a good word. Have you guys watched The Chair Company with Tim Robinson yet? It's on HBO. It's really funny. I think you both would like it. There's a scene where he opens up a Google Doc at work and just Microsoft Word and just writes fuck a bunch of times. really, really fast.

It was very relatable and funny. I don't know if I have a... I should have a favorite word. I need to come up with one. You do. I mean, fuck is a great one. Which is a good one, you know? What's yours, Lou? Did you say?

Honestly, I feel like my favorite word is cookie. Because I like saying it's like cookie. It's like it is what it is, you know? like a good cookie that's like crumbly. We've been. It sounds like what it is. Like talking about like what it is or like looks like what it is. Olivia and I keep like changing people's names in our minds.

Like that person looks like it should actually be this. Do you feel like all of our names fit our faces? Like who we are? Yes. Yes. I think so. I don't really. I haven't really had that experience with people where I'm like, you don't look like a Tom or.

or something. You don't? We do. We have it often. Often. We've had it with two people in the past two days. Wow. We're like,

that guy should be a Greg. Yeah. Yeah. That guy should be a Greg. That guy should be a Paul. Like, that's just what comes to mine. My friend's dog's name is Louis,

but I always want to say Leo. Like, it just looks like Leo. Yeah. There's just things, you know? Yeah. I feel like Kevin, you're coming in strong as a Kevin. I agree. I'll take that as a compliment.

Yes. We had Paul Fieg on another podcast I worked on and I was looking at his Instagram and he has a new dog named Kevin. And it was very off-putting to me just seeing like someone with a dog. I don't know. It would just be so funny if I was like, this is my dog, Rachel. Oh, our best friend had a dog named Rachel. Really? Yeah.

Which is, I think, very weird. It's funny how, yeah, the dog name stuff kind of trips me up. I was watching a show last night, and the guy said his daughter's name was Ruby. And I was like, oh, Ruby's a really pretty name. Then I was like, oh, that was my grandma's dog name. So, I don't know. It trips me up a little. I like old names for animals.

Me too. I like them for kids, too. Yeah. Yeah. I had a strong pitch for Fern for a while. Ooh. I love Fern. I know.

I loved it. I couldn't get everyone on board. I was like, come on board. I was like, come on. Fern? Yeah. I love it. Do you feel like Briar looks like a Fern?

She looks more like a Briar. Well, yeah. Yeah. She's a full. She's giving Briar for sure. Briar Fern. Sounds like a lawyer. Does.

Doesn't. Yeah, but there's certain people where their names don't work and they don't stick. Yeah. And you're just like, ooh, if only you were Greg, everything in the world would make sense. Mm-hmm. You know? Yeah. I think this is important to cover you guys.

You know what? This is important. You know, people pay like thousands of dollars for like a name specialist to like help with like naming their future kids and stuff. Yeah, I've seen Lauren Lapka's post. I forgot what her name is. but she is like a naming specialist that will kind of come in and consult of like this is what I feel like your child's name should be or like this is the history with your name specifically.

Super fascinating. Yeah. Yeah. I think that Rachel and I, if anyone wants us to do that, would do it. That'd be really fun. I would love that. I think we would take that job. We 100% like.

Yes. The answer is yes. That would be such a cool pivot for us. We're like, we're no longer into anything else. Yeah. Name consultants. Name specialists. That'd be really fun. I know I'm named after Kevin Bacon because my mom thought he was cute and she didn't know anyone named Kevin. What? Yeah. What does she name you, bacon? That would have been much better. That's amazing. Well, guys, I think we're good. We did it. My internet is unstable, guys.

You're unstable, but I love you. All right, everyone. Thanks for listening. Bye. Toodles. That was a hit gum podcast.