Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade - Rosebud Baker Was Raised by War Criminals (and Writes for Weekend Update)

Episode Date: August 11, 2025

Rosebud Baker joins Dana and David for a very fun chat about writing for SNL’s Weekend Update with Colin Jost and Michael Che. They get into why Rosebud once felt “unfuckable,” what it was like growing up around political power (and possible war crimes), and how Dana met her family at the White House. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Please gamble responsibly. If you have questions or concerns about your gambling or someone close to you, please contact ConX Ontario at 1-866-531-2-600 to speak to an advisor, free of charge. BetMGM operates pursuant to an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario. And you just, you go from feeling like, uh, cool and sexy and working at S&L to being like the most unfuckable, just like uncreative human. Yeah, no, I was like raised by war criminals. I think I'm, I got this.

I'm fine. I'll be honest with you. If I had, um, if I had any real home runs, I don't know if I'd be it updated. right now. Dana, have you ever heard me say this? Having my baby. Do you know that song in the 70s? Oh, I know.

It's just so funny. You're having my baby. You couldn't say that now. Wouldn't it be considered sexist? Isn't she having a baby too? Yeah. I mean, that song is so odd when he goes, you didn't have to keep it.

I'm like, I'm sorry, what? What did you just say? We should maybe. We should play that. song and talk about it. If we don't use this for this, we should use it for our next episode. No, we'll put it on. There's two like that. The other one is, no one knows what goes on behind closed doors. These are corny, 80 anthems. So let's save those for

super, or for what we're doing. Well, it made me think of Rosebud because Rosebud Baker is very funny, uh, comic and she just did a movie where, I'm sorry, she's just a special where she's pregnant and then she does. part of the special takes time off has the baby and mixes it all together called the mother load which has gotten great reviews and yeah very interesting concept smart writer she's a performer she um oh she writes a lot for update we talk about that we asked yeah we talked all about you're going to hear all about her s and what the specificity of being a writer for update versus other things and her career plans and her child and so you should enjoy this one

yeah very interesting and it's good because not everyone knows her right now but they will so it's kind of fun to have ones like this where we got her first we got her and just say hey here's why she's good hi how's it's how nice to see you nice to see you too the last i saw rosebud baker was if you remember this one of the shows either the hunter biden one or the 50th in the hallway and I think you were prepping some update hallway stuff. Uh-huh. Is that possible? That's possible for sure.

I mean, you know, being at the show, you know, it's like you're too tired to form new memories most of the time. Yeah. New memory. Did you meet Dana during his Biden run? We must have. I did. I did. Yes.

Yes. It's pleasure to see you. I can't. I'm still traumatized. I mean, I just was not, I'd been gone so long. I really feel for the writers coming in with a pencil, kind of some of them really just drenched in sweat and just really nervous. And then it's like, could we do this or that?

We have to wait till Lauren's here. Oh, okay. Tell Lord, or one time Lauren came by, could you change that Biden line? Not so much Fred Finestone, something else. I said, sure. And then Allison Streeter and Kent came in. You talk to Lauren? What did he say?

What did he say? He hates it. He hates it. Anyway, the pressure is crazy. I saw it, because I wasn't in as much, I saw the writers what they do. So anyway, I'd like to know your stories about that time there on the 50s season. You were so great. You were so great.

I have to tell you, like, we would be sitting, you know, most of the time in update, we barely see the show. I mean, we, I was on, I was on the sketch side for three years and then moved over to update. And the way that it is, is so different. And I don't, I don't know any other writers. Yeah. Yeah. I don't know any other writers that have done that, that have gone from the sketch to update. But I, it's a completely different.

It feels like I write at a different show for sure. I mean, with the exception of like, it's still. the sleep deprivation and the stress and all of that but it's sure it's still gross yeah yeah it's mostly because of the news though that you feel disgusting oh yeah that's right you got to get soaked in that news you got to get in yeah it's like training yourself to be um like a like a sociopath or a psychopath because you just read these horrible horrific headlines and you're like what's funny hilarious about that yeah and also when you do update do you i know this is i know some of these answers but not all of them do you help uh put together the update pieces that come on from

like a sarah sherman or whoever else or is that separately like they just do them at read through and then you guys kind of chirp in like which ones you like and do you help write yeah it depends it depends on um i mean you know they'll come in on tuesdays sometimes and be like, we have this idea and then we'll pitch on it with them. But usually they're writing it with one of the sketchwriters. And then, but most of the time, it's, actually I wouldn't say most of the time. I'd say 50-50. Like sometimes they'll just show up, we'll see one at table.

We'll be like, that's hilarious. And then we work the tables and we kind of punch things up here and there if it needs it. Table. But for the most part, yeah, yeah. The tables. Listen to this. Lingo, Dana, stay close. I know, well, we've got an insider here.

We got it. I love it. I think that the high for the writer is, the ultimate mic drop is when you get it in, you get it on update or whatever. It's your line, you thought of it, or your little stanza, your bit. You love it. Maybe some people went, I don't know. And then it crushes.

Because I see the writers afterwards. were just so jazzed up. All the tension was released when the sketched, the cold opening was just what they had to deal with was like at midnight on Friday, it's nowhere.

It's horrible. That's when we're running through for the audience listening. And it's nowhere. And it's like, and you go to bed and it's a disaster. And you wake up going, well,

we've got about 12 hours to fix this. So do you have some memorable ones there where you fucking landed it? And you just, that release must be I'll be honest with you if I had if I had any real

home runs I don't know if I'd be at update right now It's a sketch Because that's your your wheelhouse or what Yeah I think I think I'm more

It was like I knew By year three I was like If I don't feel useful by now. I'm like, there's got to be a better place for me. And I, I just sort of was like, I've came in as a stand-up. I wanted to learn how to write sketch. I genuinely don't, it's so different and so much harder for me to write sketch than it is to like punch up a sketch or be like second or third

writer on something. So ultimately, I was like, I really think I belong over on the update side. And that's, you know, where they put me, and I was, I was happy to move because genuinely, I was like, I don't know what I'm doing here. I didn't know at all. I remember my first week going around to like Tucker's office and being like, is there like a book I can read about like how to write a sketch? Like, I didn't know. It's hard to get your handheld, too. There's not everyone's so busy. It's hard to do a class. It's like, hey, what's your sketch? It bombed. Great. You'll be gone soon. That's all, then we don't need to worry about you. Yes.

But to get that lateral move instead of just taken off the show, which could be easier, to let you come over because they must have seen something and to go over and write jokes and update, even to me, is even more fun or interesting because there's, it's just a different muscle, but it's great joke writing skills and all that stuff. Well, let me insert this before you answer. It makes total sense to me because of your specials. these are a plus plus jokes one after the other one after the other on both that I watched so go ahead I just I it seems like a really good fit and you've got Michael and you've got

Colin and they're they're kind of dicks we understand that but that was a joke too sweet for school I love it go ahead no thank you thanks for watching them by the way I appreciate it and yeah I feel like it's uh I'm happy that they I do feel like I lucked out that they kept me on the show. I was like, oh, okay, I didn't think this would work. I, they had every reason to go, I'll just beat it. You know what I mean? And I would have understood that because there were sketches that I thought were very funny

that got on the show, but that weren't not, they were not, once they got on the show, I was like, oh, okay, I see where I went wrong here, you know. It wasn't something worse. It's hard to get it all that way. It's hard to have it work, read through, rehearsal, in front of the crew, in front of dress and then work again on air there's so many ways for it to go wrong there's so many ways for it to go wrong i mean really it's like raising a kid or something you're like i mean there's only so much i can great grades in school and then right before college

they bomb out you're like oh we're doing so good yeah well even the audience is tough or get something it's nerve-racking as hell you know anytime because i was in murderer's row we're the four horsemen. Maya would crush it and, you know, Gaffigan and, you know, Andy. And then I'm waiting, you know, it was weird. And one of those like game shows, I'm just like, you're just sitting in a silo. You've got your, no, come on, folks, you know, I'm just waiting. How will I do? You're grading yourself, your future tripping. You're not in the moment. You want to score. Don't try too hard, but, but be, you know, it's just like trying to catch the wind. Anyway, nerve-wracking on both You got it in a way that I, I just, I've seen Biden impressions, and you got it in a way that I'd never seen it.

I remember just watching it even without the sound. And you were going, and I was just like, God is fucking good. Like, you, you like zeroed in on that thing. Yeah. I'm not getting around here. That was my favorite. By the end, it was like, I'm not getting around here. I'm being serious.

So it was a, it was a fun toy. And, you know, it's just like stand up. When the audience starts to ride. it just like in stand-up and they're in your rhythm with you and you're both enjoying it at the same moment nobody has the the other voice talking it's it's it's pure joy that's what we're chasing that face dana is like funny funny uh offended and vacant hey i'm not kidding around here i'm just come on you're like he's not even thinking anything i remember seeing that face on the monitor from the update office and being like oh my god

Like, that's perfect. You made my day. You made my day because, you know, always have second thoughts months later. Was that any good or what the fuck? Oh, my God. It was so good. Thank you. I mean, I get it.

I get it. I think we're all just sort of mentally ill and that we're like plagued by self-doubt and stuff like that. But it's really. We're all mentally ill. That's confirmed. It's a pretty common denominator. You know, you never. want right before you go on you're going to crush you're you're going to crush you always want to

go well we'll see i don't know it could turn you know you just it's a kiss of death to kind of go we got this and then you just pull up right how about an update when you're on update are there i mean obviously it starts sunday or monday you know it starts right after the last show like what's in this week's news are there joke counters do you look at the monitor and you know someone told me there was a talk show like Ballin where someone is like one two okay i got i got three on today i got three on today i mean i'm sure people are in their heads but yeah is it is it actively out there that people are like that one person that's moron no thank god um i think he used to be right yeah they get tweaked and they get changed and like by the end of it it's almost like you could have come up with a joke that

got in the show but then they're you know when you're sitting with the others and you're just like they're pitching stuff on it. I think there was a joke this year that I had pitched about Paddington Bear. Okay, I like it. It was like it was about how I felt like Paddington Bear should be executed. I was like, well, he ruins apartments and that, you know, I just think he's a menace. And I think, I don't think he belongs in someone's home. So anyway, I pitched, it was like some sort of crazy.

reaction, overreaction to Paddington Bear. And everybody sort of latched on to it. And by the end, by showtime, it was this long bit that was like a built-out, like a chunk that Colin did that everybody was throwing stuff in on. And it was just for no reason, just like six jokes. And it was about a lo-bobooboo at that point. Yeah. I've seen those.

But even single jokes, Michael might put a spin on it. Like, when you do monologue jokes or something, if you, you get someone close enough, that's value also. I used to do jokes that lights out show. They can write me a joke that's close enough to my voice. I can run with it. And that's a value, even though it's not the exact same joke. I just want to say that Patty Dumbare is funny.

I mean, because it's not iconic. It's not like Barney or something, but everyone knows it when you hear it. And this is just a little insert for me. maybe in the early 90s there was this catch where I as Tony Montana's Scarface Al Pacino got to say

padding bear several times and so with that I'm a paratum bear what are you doing with a parikam bear so I just sorry it triggered me

I didn't want to override it sounds funny it looks funny what the fuck what a baritam bear is such a perfect for that but I you know

I wanted to ask this of you and you can say whatever you want to say. But it seems like I'm watching your specials, watching you here, photogenic on and on. Oh, thank you. That if you should be on update, either in a segment or if anyone ever decides to retire. Have you ever thought of that? Because it seems like you got all the skill set to do that. You don't have to say, yeah, Michael and Colin out. Or do you pitch yourself doing update? Are you allowed to? um i don't i don't know i don't know if i don't know if that i don't know if that's like i there was one

moment i think it was like two years ago where there was like an ivf story and i had worked on all this this bit you know that was like about ivf and i was like i thought about pitching a feature because it made sense um in that one week that i was like oh okay i could i could do something with this you know i have material on this um but right I was like right as I was getting up the courage to like talk to somebody about it. It was like Colin had written something and I was like, oh, okay, never mind. So, you know, I think there's like, I don't know. I'm like Colin and Jay are so funny that I feel like they've almost ruined it for whoever comes next.

I'm like, they're so good. And, you know, I don't know. I'm like, would it be cool? absolutely but I don't know if it's like I don't know when just a bit yeah like at IVF for one week I would imagine would be good but I know being a writer there and it isn't always 1,000% welcome at least by someone somewhere wouldn't love it that's what I'm saying yeah and you know some people would be like that's fucking awesome we need it get out there and you're already a stand of it's not crazy wait a minute David are you so I just think it's a little weird that she

David, are you suggesting, I just want to clarify this. Are you suggesting that there's a political environment to the S&L experience? The politics come and play. Everyone's pulling for everyone. I know. Yeah, it is, it is overall a great experience. But I do, to your point with Michael and Colin, I don't think we'll see this again for a while because their relationship and the boundaries they can cross because of, you know,

know, for the reasons are obvious and stuff they can go at, you know, when they were on this podcast, you know, when I told them, I said, you guys are in the Hall of Fame. I mean, I was just talking about Dennis Miller and, you know, obviously Tina and Jimmy, whatever, just you guys are up there now. You're in, you're in Mount Rushmore. They were kind of like, thank you. I don't think they're. And some people don't know anything else. I mean, they've had a long run where people that just sort of tune in here and there, and they go, those are the update guys. You've mentioned Bill Murray or Chevy Chase's like, huh? So we remember, but not, it's like everything.

You go, some people said, I go back to your career all the way back to grownups. I'm like, that's how far back. That was like newer, but they're like, one year old. So I don't know. 2008. I don't care. I go back to early. I started in 86, so I'm disappointed when people go, oh.

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Would you like to talk about your special a little bit or your tour or where would you like to go? I mean, yeah. Listen, there's a lot we could talk about here. I guess my special, we could talk about that. It's up to you guys. It's your podcast. You know what I mean? I, it's, it's really up to you. We want to make sure you get something covered here because we get all our interesting chatter, but you also have some business. I definitely, yeah, I definitely, I had my special come out. I was literally just talking to another comic about their special, their Netflix special. And they were like freaking out.

It's like the week that it's, you know, it's, you know, when your special first comes out, you're like freaking out. And you're just, I was telling this comic. I was like, oh, yeah, I was, I just wanted everybody. I wanted to move to the woods. I was like, I just wanted to walk into the woods and live there for the rest of my life. It's like, you know, and then some months go by and it starts getting some play. And you're like, okay, thank God.

Like, this wasn't, you know, for nothing. You're always scared it's going to be for nothing. But, yeah, I'm like, I'm really happy with it so far. It feels like, you know, when you make something, you're like, well, that feels like me, you know? Yeah. It's like that feels like that. That's a good representation. And for people, do you don't know, it's not after, let's explain what's unique about it.

But go ahead, David. I was going to say, do you think a special in this day and age, what about it sells tickets? Because that's sort of the idea is to sell tickets on the road and also gain awareness. But is it the special itself or is it clips in the special or is it long? Does it take like a year for it to sink in and people start to see, oh, I saw this on this. I saw a little piece here. and then that's the value right that's you want to do a special it's it's yeah i don't even know anymore man i'm like i really feel like i don't i don't even know i i'm you pull one out and

ultimately you want to make something that is seen within the context of an hour you want it to be seen as a whole and that's how comedy should be watched um that's how it's meant to be watched unfortunately it now people watch it in like 30 second one minute clips and if they like those 30 second one minute clips they might might go watch the whole thing three minutes of your show yeah you know they might go watch a full five minutes right inch their way up to an hour yeah I mean some people tell me when I just did mine they go it's still an honor I mean I'm I'm not negating anything you're doing of course obviously everybody wants a special. It's such a big deal and Netflix is a big deal. And they get out there and you see

a billboard. It's really, really fun and relevant, all the great stuff you want. But you also say, okay, what are they actually seeing? Are they seeing? Like, don't put this in your act because when you go on the road, you're in your head, you're like, everyone in the audience has seen 100% of every special. And they're like, no, I saw two clips on TikTok. That's why I'm here. Yeah. No, I mean, literally you could you could tour with the same hour you know like in the 80s they would tour with the same hour for like three four or five years and you could do that again you could do that now and it wouldn't there's no problem no no one's i open for guys and every time i saw them every year yeah not not a word different yeah yeah i mean ultimately you want to keep writing you want to keep doing and

and i i'm the idiot who goes up there with brand new stuff and is like kind of struggling and then people get pissed, you know? And I'm like, well, I got to try new things. I want to put out a new hour. But it is nice to know that the pressure's off a little bit to like, you don't have to do 100% new. You can do some stuff from the special. I agree.

You want some stuff to kill for sure. You owe them that. And you want some stuff that's a little different for those people that are like comedy files that are like, I must have. I got something on Instagram the other night that goes, I saw you. the comedy store the night funny but a little off wasn't your best night i'm like i'm trying i have to where can i try it i have to i even know when i get off it wasn't great but there's something fun even dana will agree when you watch someone it's fun to watch them bomb too you go

whoa where was that one going like you go yeah but it's a different thing to see i had i had a show in um there was a show in dallas like three years ago or something two years ago i don't remember I was there in Dallas and the guy a guy took a picture of me and posted I just saw Rosebud Baker um I think she was tired I get that too but I had fully bombed it was like I was it was a bomb it was just a bomb night I remember there was like a heckler in the front they wouldn't get rid of and the whole time I was like well this is it's this is on I can't do it you know what I mean? I'm like, we're the ship's going down and we're just all going to go down together. But that guy kind of covered for you instead of saying you fully drowned completely,

he was like, she was a little tired, I think. Instead of going, which was my guy, my people go, it was fucking horrible. I know. I'm like, but that's almost better than them feeling bad for you. She shouldn't do this. It's hard on her. There's a, there's a, I guess it's a, a trope. It's kind of funny, but they would maybe say about you, which I just want to talk about special in the way you just stand up. She doesn't pull any punches. I feel like you are so connected to your material that I've seen

and you can see where it's too burnt out or the comedian's not quite in their eyes, right, really connected or whatever. I've done a couple like that. But for this one, it was so personal literally for people don't know, explain the conceit of the mother low that's on Netflix right now.

Yeah, it was essentially I, I was, so the whole thing is shot over two years, one year where I was about nine months pregnant or eight months pregnant and then exactly one year later after my kid had been born. And I had this crazy experience with trying to get pregnant. First, I didn't want kids. Then I got pregnant by accident. Then I had a miscarriage. Then I was like, well, do I want kids?

And then I did like IVF and then I got pregnant without IVF. And so the whole journey to it was so crazy and all over the place that I was like, there's so much experience packed into that that I was like, it doesn't really make sense to shoot the special until the kids have been born and I can let them know what it's like as a mom. Because, yeah, I'm like, ultimately, I really wasn't sure about kids or not. And I really wanted, I wanted there to be something to watch where I was like, what is it like really? like what does it feel like and um because I was really curious about the postpartum shit and all of that so

yeah I shot both um and the material cuts back and forth between so some of the jokes that I wrote while I was pregnant um I expanded on after I'd had a kid um there were jokes that I that I liked better that I had written before

that I liked better from the perspective of having had a kid and then And there were certain ones that I was like, no, you've got to cut back for that. So the whole thing is like editing wise was obviously a challenge, but I really, I really enjoyed kind of reporting from both, from behind enemy lines. You know what I mean? And just telling jokes about what it really feels like because I was somebody that was so confused about the deciding to be a parent, especially as a woman in comedy. you're just like, is everyone going to think I disappeared? Is everyone going to think I died? Like, you know, am I going to be written off? Luckily, I think in a way, I wrote this special kind of out of a feeling of like self-consciousness or being afraid that if I didn't, I would just stop or something. I didn't know what was going to happen afterwards. So, um, Yeah, there's a lot. It's definitely personal. I was up there fighting for my life for sure.

I was like, where you say like, was there parts where you say, this is how I feel about to have a baby. It's the most beautiful thing in the world. And then now you get to say some is beautiful. Some is tougher than I thought. Some is easier than I thought. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I wanted to talk about like what it felt like to go back to work, you know, what it feels. was like to go back to work and how to go away from your kid and you separate yeah yeah and well no just to be back at work and to be to want to be treated the same way okay um as like as like a working member of society you know but like also having just had a kid and being like i'm kind of an open wound right now but i'm but i'm capable and i can be here you know and you just you go from feeling like cool and sexy and working at S&L to being like the most unfuckable

just like uncreative human and you're like surrounded by cool young rich people and you're like shit you know and you just feel like you got to compete in that so there was a lot of that

I feel that way at restaurants I don't even know what that means I'm unfur and uncool, and everyone's cool around me. You're in the corner, nursing a cocktail. Is SNL still Rosebud Baker? Is it still 20 hours a day you have to be there? Or can you come in late?

Or do they do jokes from home and you write them and send them in? Or is it really the world of be there? I got to be there. I got to be there. Like, personally, I don't want to be writing jokes from my house. It's kind of fun to be there. I think that's a new world of people that don't are buying into this. But as hard as SNL was, you wish you weren't there, but you have to sort of be there all

the time to be involved in jokes that, like, organically are coming up or sketches or interacting with everyone. And it's all important to me. Yeah. It feels like it was all important. I want to be there because I want to remember, like, who I am, you know? It's also like, it's this feeling of, like, you know, when you're a creative person, you got to be

like you got to be surrounded by creative people and to stay in touch with that and to kind of be in the mix and you know I I think COVID kind of did a number of all of our on all of our brains making us think that oh it's we

it's possible to work from home so we should and I don't know I don't think that really I don't think that really works in a creative setting I never thought it wouldn't come back I thought people would want to come back and not want to come back some jobs obviously are fucking horrible but this The creative, you're right.

Everyone around us there, when I was there, I got Dana. I got everyone, like, I could say, Dana, can I grab you for one second and pick your brain? And the fact that you have that, the value of like, oh, my God, I have all these like superstars. I'm just, and writing geniuses to go, can I just talk to you for a second about this? And maybe they can crack a code for me or something I'm trying to figure out is great because everybody's good. I know. And the other thing is that I really love about it is it kind of feels like, um like you went to like you went to college at the same place as some of your favorite people

you know like that oh yeah yeah like i get to talk to you guys you know what i mean or i get to talk to people that i i wouldn't necessarily like i don't know maybe my career would have we would have crossed paths i mean but it's i don't know it's just this special kind of uh bond that you have like worked at s andl and you go okay so you get it you know what i mean it's like you you understand running down the hallway 8-H you know the grease paint the smell the roar of the crowd it's identical Lorne Lorne Michaels is still there you know so I do think do you find it's kind of fun of someone you're in a writer's room it's someone else's idea and sketch and everyone's bouncing around it's it seems more relaxing to kind of punch up someone else's sketch in a way

like oh how about this how about that and the other fun part I've found is like I'd be in the chair getting the Biden thing on and we're just right almost going live television and Allison and Kent and and Streeter would be there and then we go round and round and we always completely agreed when we got it. Oh, it's that. Yeah. Usually all the writers go, oh, we got it now. So this fantastic. So to your experience, you had all those kinds of experiences, I assume. Yeah. It's very much like that kind of feeling of like when something just when something fits

it's like Tetris or something you know like you go oh yeah that goes there that's absolutely there's nowhere else for that to go but there um I think I did one of those shows go ahead Rose sorry no I go ahead I was just saying when I popped out I think it was maybe the Hunter Biden

week when I popped out and I just looked down the hallway from that dressing room because I was over there with Dana and I think I saw you in the hallway with Che and that you were doing Q cards in the hallway, because update was coming up. Is that kind of where you guys do it over by Q cards, where they write them and you're just kind of cramming and just going like maybe a last thing before? Is that what that is?

Yeah, yeah. It was cool, whatever it was. Generally speaking, it was, so we'll go through Q cards. Colin will read jokes. It's in that hallways where Colin reads them. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Che is under the bleachers. Okay.

Usually we're all, there's more of the writers that are out by Colin because Colin wants to change things a little more, like right up until the last minute. There might be little words that he wants to change. Che is pretty much like, he knows what he wants to do. By the time he's under the bleachers, he's like, we're doing it, you know? Okay. So we tend to like be right out in that hallway just running things like and making little tweaks and changes and little words here and there.

you know or you'll be like period there you know yeah those things matter because you like dana is you trust the card so once you're out there and you're on a card it's hard to edit while you're talking so it's like i'm saying what's on this card we already went over it so i trust while he did it everyone did it right because if it's the wrong one or if it's in the wrong place that buys you time and that stutter step will kind of ruin the momentum there's little things you got to have it like I'm always curious as cast members, like, how, because there's some, some people you can tell it's harder for them to lean on the cards to, like, take their eyes off. You know, they, they just rely more on their own memory, and it always kind of backfires. It's so true.

That's like a host. Yeah, it's like just read the call, read what's on the card. And I'm always wondering, because I've never been in that position, it's so easy to be like, just read it. the card but how it goes against every instinct yeah because you want to act with dana like i want to look at dana and if you're looking a little to the side of dana you also want to go hey like i want to scoop up the lines and then say them to dana but you're supposed to just act like this is dana here and people will believe that until you look over like this and go back and they go oh wait where they what's he looking at you know it goes back and forth yeah yeah there's so many metrics to this

The one thing I was thinking about was just if it's getting too late, but you know that your little piece is the rhythm is not right. So it drives you a little crazy. It's off by a couple syllables, but it's too late. So that's one thing that's very frustrating. So I think that me coming back, coming from the 80s, I didn't feel like it was a career move, like, I've got to score. But you still want to just do the best you can.

And a lot of it is the mind fuck of like have a sense of playfulness. It doesn't mean you're sabotaging anybody or going off the script, but a sense of being playful when the cameras there are being alive in the frame, you know, not locked on the car. It's not scared. And so it's a great place to get to, but it's nerve-wracking as hell, like I said. Yeah. I mean, yeah, it just seems like some people got it and some people are like, you know, like, it's tough. It's not. I'm never going back. Just read the car. I think Dana likes to add-lived by this interview. The hardest part of ad-libbing is if it affects the next car or the next actor, because if you don't give them their feed line, then they're thrown. And you don't want to do that.

But you also go, shit, I could go on a run right here. Something you just think of that second and go, the crowd's right here. This would work. And if like Dana's doing Biden directly to camera, he can just go off, you know. Yeah. But if someone's waiting for their line, it's like, eh, that's the hard. Well, I would have loved to have done Biden in one. It wasn't the Dana Carvey show.

If I had one for like five minutes, but when I was doing George Bush Senior, I'm going way back, but I was the first time I didn't have any bandmates with me. It was just me with the cards, and I was getting so into it toward the end that I just said to myself that the cue cards are suggestions. I still did them,

but I said they're just suggestions, because if the audience is going to go for something, I'm going to ride that wave because it was just got to do it, all that stuff. But by the way, by the way, this is just an interesting, fun fact about you.

Your grandfather was James Baker. Yeah. You don't know this, but your grandpa. The guy behind the throne, the guy that everyone, in that era that your grandfather came up is like, that was the guy that was kind of the president or like he was so respected.

It was between the Reagan administration and George Bush senior that, you know, I met him. at one of the events. You did. Isn't that funny Dana, madam? Well, I had to go down because they said they wanted me to perform in the East Wing. This is after Bush lost the election.

And he invited me to come out to cheer up the troops. And so I thought, I thought it would go about it. You guys will love this. I thought he'd go, well, you do 10 minutes, then bring me up. He goes, you'll do 45. 45 with his staff it would have to be all about him

for 45 this is like 20 and I saw your grandfather over there and he just kind of smiled and he's looking around you know it's like 40 fucking five minutes of night I don't know how long it is

da-bye boo-boo but then here's the other one about your grandfather I've never said this it's not that it's not dramatic but it's just so I'm having dinner with the president

Barbara, my wife and I were having dinner. There's a phone there, and something's going on in Somalia. He goes, well, I've got to go talk to James. And I go, at this point, he transitioned into being the secretary of state into the chief of staff. So he was chief of staff. And I said to Barbara Bush, I go, why is he talking to James Baker? And he goes, well, you know, once a secretary of state, always a secretary of state.

even though it was cheese stuff. That's all I got. Sorry, we can edit that out. You know, they're really, they were like tennis partners. And sometimes I love the fact that they would like chat like, like girlfriends on the phone. Like they were kind of just like gossip buddies, you know?

Like, yeah, I could see that. They can't all be super serious. Yeah, they can't all be super serious. Yeah, love island, Somalia. Yeah, they break it all down and behind the scenes. you know it's right well that guy's he's kind of a shit you know or whatever it is you know they're just seeing to talk to this prick everybody's the high school senior that's why i say people are intimidated by politicians or anybody everyone is recent high school senior yeah i think

that's also why i like um you know people my first year at s and i remember people coming up and be like are you okay are you good it's everything okay they only ask they only ask you your first week because after that nobody cares and no one's going to ask you no everyone in the building will ask you how you're doing your first week because no you'll never hear it again no one ever again will be like how are you feeling so i remember people coming up and being like are you nervous are you okay are you good and i was like yeah no i was like raised by war criminals i think i'm i got this. I'm fine.

Oh, that's your next special raised by war criminals. Yeah, it's like, doesn't scare me. Why just survive back to school when you can thrive by creating a space that does it all for you, no matter the size.

Whether you're taking over your parents' basement or moving to campus, IKEA has hundreds of design ideas and affordable options to complement any budget. After all, you're in your small space era. It's time to own it. Shop now at Ikea.CA.ca. By the way, I was going on Fallon, and I think people don't realize that to change gears, and I think we've all been in this position, I'm backstage, and something

happens, and I get a call, and there's a huge argument and some bad news, and they're like, you're up after this commercial. I'm like, oh, I'm up right now, and I'm so mad. I'm behind the curtain going, because you have to flip in one, and 30 seconds are coming back. The guy's like 30 seconds. I'm like, I'm so mad. I cannot walk out there. And people forget that you do have normal things in life and you got to come out and be like, yeah, da, da, da, da, that. Yeah. It took a second for me to honestly even walk out like almost mad and shake his hand and give him a little push and go, fuck, let's do this. It was almost like that. And then, of course, he's in a great mood. But of course, the crowd is great.

And you can change up. But in your head, you're like, it was, that was, that one was almost too fast for me to switch. It was very, you know, we've all been in that spot. But a lot of times if you're, what, have you, must have had horrible experiences where something happened. I bit my tongue and I was bleeding. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome the shenanigans. So you must deal with that all the time.

You get a call and maybe it's your husband or the nanny and something happened. Yeah. Not, no, whoa, shit, we'll do this. And then you got. I would be on. Ordinarily, though, I really thrive in those moments. Like, I was like, I really enjoy like a piece of dark news and then having to perform with like while working on that. You know what I mean? It's just a fun, you know, like a piece of, you know? Yeah, you're woken up and there's just, there's something I just universally ironic. You're living in the

irony of just being alive, right? And so that's just funny automatically because it's like, here we are. We think life's like so great. Everything's so good. And they get a piece of news and it's like the, you know what I mean? It's like, it's the universal stepping on a rake and then having to like keep going. And then you got to go, hey, dogs are funny. Do you ever notice dogs? And everyone's like, I have a dog. And you're like, but in your head, you're like, oh my God. A good, a really good set in the early days I noticed the one I had strep throat or whatever the fuck it was doing so much stand-up

and I got to go up and I'm really sick so there was no picture. It was like I can just get through this and then usually those are really good sets to learn from that kind of sort of what you were saying like when you don't do the fuck

this is just ridiculous what I'm doing don't take it too soon. Yeah and it makes me think of that it was like a famous set that TIG Nataro did when she was like, hi, hi, I have cancer, you know? Yeah.

It's like that, that's like a perfect comedy. That's a perfect comedy set, you know? Yes. Yes. And it's a weird way that just releases so much whatever energy or any anticipation. It's like,

what, what? I mean, the audience has to wake up too, you know? Right. It's like, well,

I'm processing it. So you should. So, you know what I mean? It's like, let's all just, process this together, I'm going to do the thing where you said, where you step on a rake. Yeah, yeah.

It's not a bad one. Slip on a banana peel. I've said this before. You might find it interesting. Stephen Colbert. He does a great Scooby-Doo. Stephen Colbert said to me the right before he goes out every night, even recently, that he slaps himself so hard.

He wants to worry that did I do it too hard this time right before he goes out. He wants to have that stress of like maybe I bruise myself or maybe I really hurt myself. Just whack and then he would go out, you know. So we all have. Is that just to, is that every night? Is that what he says? That's what he goes out to dinner or when he goes to your show. Unless he stopped doing it, he says every single night.

And then coincidentally, I told that story to Lord. And he goes, oh, I do this. same thing. My pinch my apples. Marcy, please. Ryan Shrocky. Did you end up having a...

Let me see. Get your last question in. No, what's my last question? I'm having a nice time with Rose. You ask her one more thing. We'll let her go. Let's see. Well, you want to just tell people you're out there a little bit. You're not on a massive

tour, but you're going to Dublin, Ireland. you're going to do you dobblin yeah i'm doing dublin and then i'm coming back to the states i'm doing westchester or westport connect what fuck one of those west uh uh very fair what's that one i did westchester or west port i think it's westchester um but anyway i'm all of my tour dates are like on my website at rosebud baker dot com yeah and you're playing the punchline the original comedy club in the San Francisco comedy scene

that was the first time there was an actual dedicated comedy club in San Francisco in like 78 79 Is that true? That came before comedy magic?

Well just that's down in Hermosa Beach but in the in San Francisco scene it was all just bars What about Cubs? Cubs was after

Punchline Punchline was first What about stand-up cafe or whatever you call it? The other cafe. A comedy cafe. Other cafe.

Well, Rosebud, thank you. And you have a fun name. It's fun to talk to you. It's very show. The mother load. I actually, I went on Reddit actually,

and it's just like five stars. People are coming on to it. Good. That's where they say the worst thing. So I appreciate that. Those are the haters. Yeah. I'm glad you went to the haters first,

just to make sure. Yeah, because I wanted to get, you know, I'm still competitive at this age, and I still want to go, what the fuck are they saying about her? Yeah, yeah. Chee good. God damn. But anyway, you got it all going on?

Just have fun. I don't know. I don't have any words of wisdom. It's been a pleasure. If I end up out there and you're out there, please, please come and say hello during all the madness. I would love to. I would love to. Thank you guys so much for having me.

I really appreciate it. she's so weird anything about the episode except these were my notes done yeah you got to everything we dug deep no one expects anything from this podcast that's the best part okay go rose she's leaving all right that was RBB we were just she was totally she was still on there now she left um that was rose bud Baker really got to know her. Lots of fun. We learned a lot about update,

which people are very curious about. Weekend Update is a huge part of that show. Colin and Michael do a great job, and she helps write and put it up there. And that's really fun. It was fun for me to see it from a different perspective when I was there. You were there.

And then when people come on and do update, that's a whole other interesting world of writing your own bit to go on update. who cuts how many they cut it's all scary yeah and you can tell that there is a um you have to have have really good people skills so meeting her and her whole vibe and how copacetic she was and smart that uh of course she fits in it's just a it's a tough place we always say it too much but it's also a lot of fun and it sounds like she's having a good time and it's fun to be a valuable part of all that. And then she's also got her kid. She's got her stand-up. She's got a lot of things

going right now. Well, it's interesting to me after we've done, what are we, this, that was our 12th podcast, I think, as flying the wall up. But I never get tired of the, the human experience of someone saying what they're feeling about going through that. I still find it really interesting because it's her own personal story around all the different things. And everyone has a slightly different take on it. Sure. That's true. It's a little different. We relate to her in a lot of it, but she's got her own life in different things. So different things are stressed to her. Different things are more valuable and fun.

And I was like, I liked hearing about what is the week like? Because I'm so wrong on a lot of stuff now because read through his move, there's different things. What's the work week like? And who adds what? Blah, blah, blah. Yeah. It's identical and yet it's slightly different, you know. But it's only been 50 years.

But anyway, that was very, very interesting. I liked her. I'm glad we got to know where because they did not really know her at all. I just said hi to her at the show. She turned it out to be a blast. So, I hope you guys liked it. We'll see you next time. Hey, guys, if you're loving this podcast, which you are,

be sure to click follow on your favorite podcast app. Give us a review, five-star rating, and maybe you can share an episode that you've loved with a friend. If you're watching this episode on YouTube, please subscribe. We're on video now. Fly on the Wall is presented by Odyssey, an executive produced by Danny Carvey and David Spade, Heather Santoro, and Greg Holtzman,

Maddie Sprung Kaiser, and Leah Reese Dennis of Odyssey. Our senior producer is Greg Holtzman, and the show is produced and edited by Phil Sweet Tech. Booking by Cultivated Entertainment. Special thanks to Patrick Fogarty, Evan Cox, Mora Curran, Melissa Wittek. Wester, Hillary Schuff, Eric Donnelly, Colin Gaynor, Sean Cherry, Kurt Courtney, and Lauren Vieira. Reach out with us any questions to be asked and answer on the show.

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