Happy Sad Confused - Fred Armisen

Episode Date: January 11, 2017

In his eleven seasons on “Saturday Night Live,” Fred Armisen appeared in over 800 sketches, proving to be the most versatile oddball utility player the storied late night show could hope for. Since leaving the show in 2013, rather than setting his sights on film, as many of his fellow ex-SNL-ers have, Armisen has found a groove on TV. His Peabody winning show, “Portlandia” has just entered it’s 7th season on IFC. That channel is also home to his deliciously specific documentary spoof series, “Documentary Now”. And most nights you can find him leading the band on “Late Night with Seth Meyers”. All of these busy jobs come up on this week’s conversation on “Happy Sad Confused” but you may delight most in the tangents. From Armisen’s lamenting the end of the nerd era to his creepy plans for his own funeral (he plans to have his tombstone read “Buried Alive. 666”), it’s all uniquely Fred. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Progressive Casualty Insurance Coverage Provided in service by affiliates and third party insurers Hey, guys, and welcome to happy, sad, confused. This week, Fred Armisen on Portlandia, S&L, documentary now, and what's going to be written on his tombstone? I'm Josh Harowitz, the host of this little show. Welcome aboard. Thanks for tuning in, guys, as always.

As I said, this week's guest is a, he's a true comic genius. I'm not going to, I don't think I'm overstating it. I'm obsessed with a bunch of his work over the years. Fred Armisen, of course. You know him from his, I think it was at least 10 years at S&L. He was an amazing part of that cast. And in recent years, he's shifted his attention to assume some similarly amazing TV work, including Portlandia, which is now in its seventh season on IFC. I've watched the first four episodes. They are hysterical as always. Also, you guys, if you listen to this podcast, you know I'm a huge fan of documentary now, which he co-created. We talk a bit about that. And a whole lot more. He is, as you would expect, both hilarious and thoughtful. Fred just turned the big 5-0, if you can believe it. And we talk about his plans for his death

and his funeral, which may surprise you or may not. But they are all hysterical and amusing and thrilled to have Fred on. I'd never, frankly, sat down with him until he left the studio moments ago and he was as advertised, super humble and just a good guy. So thrilled to start a beginning of a

hopefully beautiful friendship with Mr. Fred Armisen. As you can hear, I am alone here this week without Sammy. She is out of town, sadly. We'll have her back here next week. But just to update you guys on my own little shenanigans, you can check out on MTV's various social media platforms, et cetera, and on YouTube, my shenanigans over at the Golden Globes. I assume many of you watched it, if you're like me, you're a pop culture nerd.

I got a chance to be on the carpet for the show, which was fun. I don't even know, Ryan Reynolds and Tom Hiddleston and Diego Luna and Amy Adams and all those interviews are up on our YouTube page. And then the first time I got a seat in the show, which was insane. How did they let me in? Yes, it was in the back. No, they don't let me near the cool people. But it was still amazing. Honestly, it really was to be in that room when Merrill obviously gave that amazing speech, which was a real moment.

and just to see kind of like wander around saw a lot of familiar folks to the podcast, ran into Hiddleston literally as he was walking offstage after he'd accepted his award, gave him a big hug for that, saw Aaron Taylor Johnson right as he came off stage and obviously he was as shocked, I think, as anybody that he won that award, but so happy for him as you heard from that podcast, a good guy and a great performance in Nocturnal Animals. So coming off that crazy awards, high, back to business here in NYC with a lot of cool podcasts coming up. And in the weeks ahead, I'll also be visiting the Sundance Film Festival reporting back to you guys with some cool interviews there. So a lot of good stuff ahead in the weeks ahead. But right now in your future is the great Fred Armisen. Check out Portlandia. If you don't already, you don't know what good comedy is. And enjoy this conversation with good old Fred.

I am very pleased to be joined by the one and only Mr. Fred Armisen. Hi there. How's it going? I'm doing very well. Do we call you, do you go by comedic genius, just genius, comedy legend? What do you, what's your proper? I think doctor. Doctor. Did you get your PhD? Yeah, Dr. Little Armisen. Did your parents want you to be a doctor?

Yeah, my mom kind of did. I guess that's what every parent wants. the dream of their kid in scrubs. It's so weird that that's such a common thing that parents want. Because although I know it's lucrative, it's such a specific specialty that I don't understand why that particularly is like the ideal. You're saving lives and making good money. True. It requires a lot of education.

You've got, you really answered my question. Do you have anything else for me? We can turn the tables over here. That's pretty good. That's pretty good. I guess there's something utopian about it. Yes, there you go. Well, neither of us have PhDs yet.

I mean, our wives are not, we're half over, basically. We're not done. There's plenty of time for that. Maybe there's a day where it's easier to get a PhD. I don't know if that's a good. Maybe we should be rooting for that, though, Fred, should we? Shouldn't we? Well, I feel like, I didn't say my reason why.

I didn't say that the standards would be lowered. I would say that because if we take it. take enough, I'd say vitamins. Maybe our brains will expand in such a way that it will be easier for us, us too, to get PhD. That's what I meant. I got it. I did not want to lower anything. Are you, are you, are you off, do you feel like you're getting smarter? Do you feel like your brain is expanding? Um, I feel like I get more, uh, wisdom. But at the same time, I feel like the more that I learn, the more that I realize I don't know. So I, I, I don't know that I'm getting smarter, really.

We are, there's several moments in pop culture and the world going on right now that we should touch on. We just, we escape the holidays. We all survived the new year. You had a birthday recently. Yeah. Congratulations. Thank you. I hit 40 last year.

You just hit 50. Yeah. We're both hitting milestones. Yeah. Was it a big one for you? 50, yeah. It was great. I celebrated the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

Amazing. And everyone got me a grave. I'm near Johnny Ramon So I was It was a real surprise I was really happy about it And So what's at the grave right now

Is there a tombstone right now Is it waiting for you? No It's blank Which is really weird Because you always figure Like how is it that they You know

Figure out who's going Like who's getting this spot Yeah But somehow they do it It's like the same person That like figures out Who's sitting at what table At the Golden Globes

Like they like have to That's a tough decision To figure out hard, but they somehow had this space and they got it for me. And I'm really glad it's also a favorite to everyone else so that everyone knows what my plans are. You know what I mean? So I had a friend die maybe three years ago or something and he was in such a bad state that he had no family or anything. No one, all he had was his friends. We did not know what to do. Right. He, we were just like, we all had to talk to each other, like, what would he have wanted?

So all that emergency stuff, now everyone knows. Now we know which cemetery to go to and where the tombstone's going to be. What's going to read on the tombstone? Buried alive, 666. I'm not kidding. What? Buried alive, 666. I want my funeral and my death to be haunting and scary.

I think there's too much celebration of death and, like, it's too happy. Right. And I want it to be a terrifying experience. I want it to be, I want people to go to my funeral and go, like, that was horrifying and I feel haunted. I want, because also that song, you know, that, you know, don't, don't, do, don't, dun, dun, done. Right. That is the funeral song. That's what should be played at funerals.

You want that blaring as the coffin is being lowered. Absolutely. Absolutely. We want a scream from the coffin, like maybe he is actually in there. Maybe he's still in there. Even better. Missing body. So I want, because I want to do the sort of hexagonal coffin that looks like a coffin.

And I do, by the way, this is all real. No, I believe you. And I want to hire an actor to sort of hunchback to sort of tell everyone like, the body is missing. I am so, I mean, I'm so bummed that I'm not going to be there for it. Although maybe you will. Maybe I will. Yeah.

Maybe I will. That's the upside. Do you think about death often? Is this been something you've thought about? I mean, it's clearly you've thought about it recently. Yeah, I think more about funerals and the sort of the traditions that have happened at funerals. But like, or ceremony. But I don't really think about death because I do believe in that sort of like we're not going to know when it happens.

You know, we won't be there for it. So it's like it doesn't, it almost doesn't exist. Why waste your time? worrying about it, about the afterlife or whatever. My hope is that I can haunt at a proper haunted house. Oh, that'd be sweet. Yeah, I'm going to find a haunted house, a nice Victorian mansion. Yeah, what's going to be your haunting methods?

Are you like just the standard like, ooh, kind of thing? Yeah, super standard. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Don't reinvent the wheel, guys. I mean, we know it works. Why? We know, like, that's, you know, there are certain things in life that are set. Just do that. You'll make it easier on yourself.

So just the sort of cobwebs, candlelight kind of thing. No blood, nothing like that, no, like, mirrors. Right. Just simple, you know, ooh, that kind of thing. Speaking of which, did you watch the Golden Globes? I did. Yeah. I loved it.

Do you enjoy award shows? I really do. Yeah? Because I feel like it's part of the entertainment industry. I am in love at the entertainment industry. I like all of what it is and it looks like it and I like knowing everybody there

or a lot of the people there and like when I was a kid I remember thinking I wonder if they all know each other and then that's what happened and I thought Jimmy was great Yeah, the opening was amazing The opening was amazing and I just really, yeah I loved it

Do you, so when you watched the opening And as I recall I was out there covering it for us and I got to sit through it for the first time which was amazing to be in that room It's a, I mean, it's, as you say, like, you kind of go back to, like, that, that kid's state where it's like, oh, this is, this is showbiz with the capital S. This is like. Exactly. Right. That's what I mean. Like, you picture yourself as a kid, like, going in there and like that, that's what it looks like. That's what those cameras look like. That's what those suits look like. It's so cool. So the first few moments, though, I think his prompter went out. Yeah. Does you, do you, you must have experienced that at some point. Has there ever, has that ever happened with you? Like, SNL was such a well-oiled machine. No, but still stuff happens. That's the fun of it, is that it's live. Yeah.

To me, when I watched it happen on the Golden Globes, it felt like it was just a second. Right. Like, to me, it didn't seem like a long time. I was like, because we don't see the teleprompter not working. We actually see him out there and he's already out on stage and doing great. He had never mentioned it. He'd never mentioned it.

To me, I would have been like, wow, he's just being really loose. Right. If that, I mean, it was pretty seamless. So, yeah, it just seemed like it was just a flash. of, you know, it's, I think it's kind of exciting. Yeah. Well, has that, I mean, can you recall a moment where, I mean, do they ever screw up a cue card on S&L? It feels like, because it's old school, it's handwritten cue cards.

Like, that's what you guys have. Yeah, so that there's less, we're depending on technology less. Sure. There's something very, it's actually a little more reliable. But I don't recall anything specifically, but just a lot of little things. And that actually falls more to me where I sort of read something wrong, skipped over word, and things like that happen all the time. But part of you, as you were saying, almost enjoys that kind of like throwing you off a little bit. It should feel a little...

Like it's happening in the moment and a little rough. Yeah, a little rough. Because also when I used to watch SNL, I liked it. I liked that sort of seeing it just, you know, once in a while, like a little something happened. So let's talk about your baby here, Portlandia, entering... now entered its seventh season. I'm such a huge fan of this one. You've found such a great home at IFC between this show and documentary now,

which is also like already my favorite show on TV. Oh, you're so nice. So seven seasons in, this is remarkable. You know how tough that is. I mean, like how insane it is. And for something that, especially at the start, felt like, you know, like all of your stuff in the best possible way, weird and a little off and like not, you know, down the middle, whatever, the fact that you're still going strong and you still have seemingly

complete autonomy, I would guess, pretty much. Yeah. I feel lucky every day. Yeah. It's never lost on me. I do not take it for granted. It's insane. Also, you know, I'll see people I know or just, I'll read about some show that only went for two seasons or three seasons or whatever.

And I can't believe it, you know. And also, good for them, I'm saying, I just mean it's not easy to keep a show going. It's not, oh, great, you have a show? Wonderful. It's very, it's a rare thing, and I can't believe it. I mean, seven, you know, those first five seasons of SNL was already such a library of comedy that I can't believe it. It's incredible that I get to do it with Carrie. Yeah. It's bananas. I still can't believe it.

And documentary now, same thing. That was supposed to be what felt like a sort of side project. Right. That was like a sort of, you know. We'll talk about something so, well, we can talk about that briefly and I get back to Portlandia, but like something. so specific and seemingly like such a narrow lane documentary now, but I think it's like its specificity is kind of what makes it genius. And whether you know the documentaries, it's referencing or not. I mean, I am a, like, I love that stuff. Like this past season,

the war room spoof, the bunker is just like genius. Oh, thanks, buddy. We had Malaney in here. I'm obsessed with both. I could watch, I could watch Hater do his James Carver, like, until the end of time, I think. It is so inspired. And, um, God, Bill is, I don't need to explain to you, but Bill is just, it's a very special kind of, such a special kind of genius, you know, just, uh, who really gets into doing things. And when he does Carvel, yeah, it's fantastic. And you got such a claim and justifiably so for the Juan likes rice and chicken episode, which, uh, I mean, again, when I was talking to Malini about it. It's like, I think they, that almost functions as a drama. That's, I mean, it's comedic. It's very funny. Yeah.

But, like, it's shot so beautifully. It's like you went on location. It's like it almost functions on another level. Did that, do you enjoy kind of going on location for these kind of things? And kind of like, it seems like there's decent resources. Like, this is like someone's putting in some money or you're making good use of money on IFC. Yes or no. Like, it's not a huge budget and it seems to just pretty much going to travel.

Right. We shot in Iceland the season before that. so I think it mostly goes there and we only do six or seven episodes or something we saved a little bit where Bill doesn't want to travel Is he the anxiety about it or he just doesn't want to? He has a family and so there's no argument about it He's just like, is there any way we could do it

where I don't have to go to Iceland? For me, it's easy, you know. And also like I think I like traveling. I think I like going to places for work. I'm not a very good traveler if it's for leisure, so to have an excuse to go to Columbia, I'll take it. It seems like in reading about you, you are a guy that does better with a lot on your plate or multiple plates. Are you not good with downtime? Not at all.

I get very nervous. I really like for it to be a jumble of activity. I think I've just worked better that way. The more projects I have going, the better each project is. So, and was that part of the rationale? For instance, taking on the job over at Seth, like, again, that seemed like, in some ways it was, like, inspired and amazing, like, oh, my God, he's doing that, and I remember having the same reaction, like, also being like, how's he going to do that?

Like, I mean, I know he wants, I'm sure he wants to want to do Andy and these other things, and clearly they're giving you some flexibility, which is great. Yeah. But again, part of the rationale is like, oh, I get to be with Seth and be with these guys and have a home and, you know, and I get to play, I get to play the drums. and then also it keeps me at NBC. So I get to go there. I get to see Lorne.

I get to see everyone at SNL. It just keeps me in that building and also in New York to an extent, too, because Portland is in Portland and documentary now is wherever. This is Happy Say I Confused. We'll be right back after this. With one of the best savings rates in America,

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What's in your wallet? Terms apply. See Capital One.com slash bank for details. Capital One and A member FDIC. Can we talk a little bit about the process? on Portlandie. I'm just curious from like a production and creative standpoint. Like it seems, I would think like every year this is something you look

forward to, kind of like this pocket and time of when you and Carrie can get together and just create crazy amazing shit. So how long is the writing process? Do you guys bring ideas for the upcoming season into that writer's room when you kind of get together? Yeah, there are five or six of us. Jonathan Chrysler is the director as well.

Or Kerry directed some episodes too. But Carrie, John, myself Graham Wagner Carrie Dornetto Karen Kilgareff Megan Nuringer and we all get together

and it's very traditional there's like a table a board people taking notes and we just start talking about we actually look at our phones because all our notes are there

and I noticed blank I noticed this I noticed that I don't mean blank that there's no I'm saying something written I got it got I noticed that people have been wearing this kind of vest

this year or whatever and we just start throwing it all together and it is it's fun but it's work we definitely try to figure out how we can turn it into a sketch has someone done it already is this going to be dated right away is all that stuff

we start trying to turn it into a story and then something crazy will happen where we'll say what do you want for lunch well let's get ramen let's get noodles and then I remember Graham was like

you know what's weird about noodles all it is is like you're trying to figure right away for it not to whip soup at you and then right there we were like why don't we do an episode that's like a noodle monster that just whips soup of people by the way that sounds like a story I would have told a thousand

times but it's not this is the first time I've told that stuff that's exclusive for happy second for those listeners thank you Fred. But it's that kind of, that happens as well. And I'm sure it happens on every show. But it's a balance of our notes and what's coming. And then sometimes it's just a sound or like an idea or an experience.

Every time I go to a hotel, it seems like they over-explain everything. Right. The amazing sketch with Vanessa that you have in this season. Yeah. I just loved immediately. Yeah. Carrie directed that one. And that one is just from experience of like, I just.

Just get me in my room. I just want to go to the bathroom. That's all I want. But no, this is how the light switch works. Have you ever had a duvet before? Have you, this is... A hundred percent that has happened to me. Especially with light switches and also the temperature.

Right. Do you think, do I look slow in some way? I mean, am I exuding some kind of issue? If there's a problem, I will certainly call down, but I think I know how arrows work. Well, then you need to know how to use the phone. The phone, it's just endless. I'm already getting annoyed thinking about it. Same thing with room service, too.

It's the same thing. Like you just can I unwrap this, unwrap that? It's kind of the whole experience, especially if you're, frankly, in a nicer hotel. It's like treating you like a child. Yes. Like, you know, even ordering room service is like, do you want water? Do you do you do you do? What size of a cup do you want?

And that's a stranger. You've got to deal with. It's a stranger standing very close to you. Right. Holding your hand. Can I pour it for you? And I'm like, I'm very much a ground maker. So how does something like, there's also kind of a, I've been privileged to watch the first four episodes and there's a running motif of kind of like the bro culture versus kind of nerds.

And like, you know, we've been talking a lot in recent years about like the rise of nerd culture and how it's like, it's a wonderful time to be alive for people like you and me with all due respect. I hope you take that as a compliment. No, I'm with you on that. And that, do you have legitimate concerns that this time is coming? Oh, that's fading. Oh, come on. I'm so sorry. I absolutely have a sense of humor now

they're more vulnerable they are really in comedy you just see them paired up with other comedians and paired up well they're really delivering and they're built they've got the they really work out and they're funny musical music fans there are hunks who are just like

this is the playlist of the cool bands that I like we are what we've done is we've put ourselves into such a narrow lane that we've become, we're back to being nerds again in a very isolated way. Because we've made all these rules for ourselves and now we're like left out of the game. I feel like the embodiment of that and I love him. It's like you think of like the rock. The rock is like the coolest man on the, like he can like.

A perfect example. A perfect example where there was a time where he was limited to his own corner of the room. And that is not the case. He could be in any comedy now and not as the joke. No. When he's on SNL, he's great and it really works and he gets it. I mean, Hunks are intelligent. It's okay for Hunks to be well read.

What do we do? What do what happens next? I mean, you're fine. You've found you're okay. I'm still trying to find my niche, my friend. What do us? No, it's still we. And maybe that's the discussion.

question we have to have is that what do we do we have to become more of the hunks do we have to I don't want to go more to the gym now I nor do I but they did it right they started reading books so you tell me maybe we do you know maybe genetics are against us it's not about like if I went to the gym for six hours a day I'm not going to turn into a hunk but they would have said the same thing about reading and doing comedy yeah we have to step outside of ourselves you think I'm happy about this this is called tough love you know we maybe we have to bleach our hair. I don't know. Right. Right. But it's push-ups time. What's the nickname that your character has on the show? You get like Scoot? Is that what

he goes by? Oh, yeah, yeah. We came up with that on the day. Do you have any nicknames? I don't. Someone pointed out to me that on Wikipedia, they gave me a nickname, like nicknames. And one of them was Army. I'm like, I do not have a nickname. I'm called Freddy sometimes, but I, no, I don't have a nickname. Do you? No, I don't. Just Josh. Not even Joshua. Yeah. But I feel like when I think of Fred's traditionally, I don't think, like, I don't know, your image wouldn't come up. I wouldn't think of you as a Fred. Do you feel like your name suits you growing up?

No, no, no. No. No. Did you want a different name? I picked it. I picked the name. Oh, did you? Yeah, because my father and I were both named Ferry Dunn. It's a Persian name. And he was named Ferry Dunn. I was Ferry Dun, and then everyone called us Fred. Got it. In the United States. So he decided Is like look Everyone called me Fred

I'm calling myself Fred Do you want to do the same And I said yeah Okay So we chose the name Fred I agree It doesn't quite fit I could have

I should have thought ahead And just kept the name And have been super cool Yeah It's not too late You can reinvent I could On the other hand

Would it be too cool Too cool to like Like of course I've got this like Crazy name It's like better to like Balance it out a little bit Well you're

your idol the artist prince did it a couple times he kind of kept reinventing and yeah that was brilliant i'm gonna miss that because now because that is something i took for granted i was like oh he's being crazy but how awesome was that genius it's amazing he's like i don't i am not that person anymore i'm a symbol i'm a symbol i remember when that happened you you obviously remember when that happened oh yeah that was mind blowing mind blowing also no one's doing it i'm like that is something that has to happen more often yeah you would think a symbol by the way a symbol i would think yeah by now like conier would be like ampersand or something like if he was a smart guy by now come on oh my god i'm gonna miss that

a symbol you what symbol would you be if you could change your name to any symbol maybe like that yin yang with the uh but crossed out okay there's a band called no means no who used that as their logo and i just thought it was so aggressive and funny you uh you mentioned that Carrie got to direct a couple episodes. You directed an episode, too, I believe, yes. I did, but she really directed. What does that mean? Meaning she is a real visual.

I just, you know, I just trying to want to make a show that is where everything works out well. Like, I was just like, I just want to make the episode of Portlandia that is just like the sweetest one. Right. Just like pure, just chocolate. But she is actually, she's very visual and she's made to direct. Like it was, it suited her so well, because she's very direct. I don't think I'm as direct. You think it's about what, so, I mean, she, she'll, she really, and that's her personality.

She just states it and it happens. Right. Can you do it more like this? I'm always so worried about what people think. I'm like, hey, maybe, I just say maybe, I say, what do you, what would you think if, which is really not productive? And taking every suggestion from an actor. No, sometimes you have to, you have to be tough and say, you know what, it's economical to actually be direct. Right.

You save time. Without, okay, so you've worked with all manner of directors in your career, illustrious career. Without naming names, what's the worst directing kind of experience? What's the worst kind of director you've worked with us? Can you think of a specific instance? That's a really good question. There are directors who are clearly. afraid. There are

directors who are pretend to be indulgent so they will talk a lot and I'm like I think he doesn't know what's happening and who do waste time. I'm like this so it's the ones who have let everything run

amok that it's just as far as economics go is a waste of time. Yeah. So this is and also yelling does not help. Right. I feel like you're not a Oh, not at all. But I've seen that where I'm like, you're making everyone afraid. Yeah.

This is the seventh season. You've already said that the eighth will be the last, yes? Yeah. I mean, I think so. You think so. You know, Carrie and I have this idea that we should definitely have an end point, so we have some control over it. I'm also a fan of, like, you never know.

Sure. Because, I don't know. So many, like, last albums, so many, like, last tours. And then all of a sudden, there they are again. So I'm trying to, like, shy away from it. Sure. But the more I talk about it, the more it keeps happening. So eventually I'm sort of shrugging going, okay, great.

It was an idea. But now, I think because of contracts and stuff, they have to really sort of nail it down. Nail it down and go. So have you started to think about what you're going to fill that kind of hole with once Portlandia is out of your yearly ritual, which is obviously such an important part of your creative and personal. personal life every year. Oh, I'll do another show for sure. Yeah.

Oh, yes. That's already, years ago, I was trying to start getting that together, but I, you know, no matter what, I want to be working on another show. So it'll have to start at the beginning again, but that's the fun of it. Can you say anything about what kind of show? What's the, what's the dream? What kind of format is it? I have two ideas.

One is based in the city of Mexico City. and linked to Los Angeles and the other which I might mix these two ideas together is a show where it's all purposefully there are no stakes all positive I'm just so tired

of going into the writers room and thinking like but what's the challenge I'm like let's do something where what's the obstacle what's the journey what's the how they change because I'm not good at coming up with those things. I'm like, well, I don't want to anymore. Yeah. And by the way, that doesn't really happen on Partlandia. I'm just saying, like,

in general, like this sort of, we've got to make, you know, what's the challenge? Enough. Yeah. There's enough of that out there. So, so those are two things that I want to do. No, is there a reason? And looking at like, sort of like the films you've popped up in and TV shows over the years, like, correct me if I'm wrong, you haven't really been like the guy, the lead in the movie of your own. Yeah. That's not for me. That's not my role. I mean, is that, was that, is that an aspiration? I mean, like, you know, I'm sure there could be some level of opportunity to do that. If there was a Mike Myers version of it, sure.

You mean, in terms of having some control and steering it. Yeah, the way he's done it, where he plays a character when he's done it. Yeah. But film and television have changed so much that I've kind of been, in my own way, able to do what Mike Myers has done on this scale. Yes. You know, playing characters and stuff. But as far as me being me, I just do not diminish the idea of being on a television show. So to me, I'm like, this is, it's almost delusional, and it's sort of, but the reality is that television, I think, is huge.

And the amount of people that it reaches everywhere I go, to me, is its own sort of leading character. Yeah. There's more happy, sad, confused coming up after this break. I know you've talked at length in a number of podcasts, et cetera, about sort of like your career leading up to S&L. And for those, you know, I don't want to rehash everything, but like, you know, obviously had musical aspirations as a drummer and spent a whole kind of like another life before you even got to S&L. Yeah. And what intrigued me about that is like, Again, I think you were about, what, 35, probably when you're...

34 on my... Yeah, but then turning 35 on that first year. Which is interesting, because, like, that's not the usual... No. ...kind of person that comes to SNL. Like, where were you at? I mean, I did the math for it. Like, I sort of looked at other cast members to be like, who am I?

And Phil Hartman, I think, started at 37 or something. So I just... And he had a whole other career. Was he like advertising or whatever, right? Yeah, graphic design. Right, right. So I took that into consideration. but that's just how it unfolded for me

and lucky for me, you know? But I'm sorry, what was your question? No, no, I guess it really wasn't a fully formed question except that I find it curious and interesting and I guess you kind of answered in that like it was for the best, you think? Like you were in the right space in terms of where you were. Oh, I could never question it.

Yeah. I mean, that's, it worked out so well. It is literally that was and is, those are my dreams coming true. So whatever it took for me to get there, I'll take it. Did you ever have like... I mean, and also, and it still continues to happen. I think Bobby was maybe 33.

Right, right. And Leslie. Leslie, of course, sure. Yeah, yeah. And Leslie is hugely famous. Yeah. No one questions her age. No one goes like, well, but...

But you only started when you were 40, whatever. Yeah. Whatever. You know, as soon as she hits the screen, people cheer. Yeah. And, you know, so... Did, um... And, you know, again, you can't always trust Wikipedia, but according to Wikipedia, I think you, like, have appeared in 800 plus sketches, like a second only to Keenan over the years.

Like, you were really, like, you know, and I don't need to, like, enumerate all the different kind of memorable characters, but you were really an amazing kind of utility player that I felt. It feels like everybody felt like they could use you as an asset in virtually any kind of a sketch. Did it feel like from the get-go that you were, you had found a niche and that you were being utilized and you were like, okay, this fits. Because, you know, the stories are famous of, like, many talented people that were at S&L and just never found their groove and never found the right whatever for you. No, it was the right fit. Yeah. It was like, I got along with the writers. I loved being in sketches.

I didn't care what I did in him. I also didn't mind not being in sketches. I love being there, watching people be great. Yeah. It was all very fortunate. I had a really great time at S&L, super lucky. and those relationships are still thrived today

and yeah I got to be in all these sketches it was awesome Did you ever have dreams every week when like a the guest star would come in that you would emerge out of that week being best friends

with the host and like oh I think I'm going to probably click with this we're probably going to be lifelong friends as a matter of fact I would say yes not everybody but once in a while it would happen

and then sure enough we would stay in touch I think I would say Jack Black is one of those people who just also, you know, getting to bump into him at different things, but he was one of those people that I thought, oh, I'd like to get to know this person more and then, and then did. Did any, did you ever, like, use as a basis, I would think most comedians do, like a friend or family member for certain characters? And I guess my question. Oh, yes. Did you ever piss

anybody off when they learned that they were being utilized in that way? Oh, no. That never happened. They all took it as a compliment and in the spirit it was intended. Yeah. My grandmother used to say, adios me, for the first character I did. Did you have a favorite obscure impression that you did or an obscure character? Because I was like kind of the more specific bizarre ones. I mean, it's fun to do like an Obama, but in some ways it's more rewarding and exciting to kind of do the fringe. I would say the couple weird ones was, for some reason,

reason I enjoyed it was one sketch I don't know if anyone ever saw it but for one sketch I got to be David Lee Roth and I enjoyed that Gene Simmons I was a couple of times and I just really enjoyed that so

and then Robert Durst but that then turned out to be something for for a commission and stuff but at the time he wasn't as famous as he is known. Did you do you have dramatic aspirations. No.

I just want to do, like, my lot in life is to do comedy and to do this, I'm good. But I'm surprised, like, I mean, that said, if, like, Francis or P.T. Anderson say, like, oh, you'd be fun for a couple of scenes

in Inherent Vice, too. Right, but they would have hired me because they wanted some sort of comedic angle. So Martin Short and Inherent Vice is like, yes, it's a drama, but you could feel Martin Short. Martin Short.

He's a... I think of Martin Short as an example of a way I'd like my career to go. In that he can do it all.

He can do Broadway. He can... Yes. And he personally is happy with what he does. So he doesn't

have a chip on his shoulder. He's like, this is what I do. I love it. And it's infectious when you see him on like a talk show

or something. You can feel it. He's enjoying it. Yeah. You know, he doesn't take it so seriously that is he,

he doesn't seem to be needy. He just loves doing it. Do you think that's kind of like the old myth of like the tortured kind of comedian is indeed that? Or is that, are you the exception to the rule? I've seen examples of both. I know other people also who are like having a great time. Yeah.

I think Steve Martin really enjoys his life. And so there are examples of both. And also there's no right or wrong. Sure. People appreciate it or they don't. So growing up, I know like it seems like music was your first love, right? Growing up that was yes or no? Yes.

But also, I mean, I always loved comedy. I always watched Saturday Night Live. Yeah. I always loved comedians. I always loved Andy Kaufman and SCTV and kids in the hall. So it was always mixed up for me. And I also loved Devo and David Byrne who used comedy in their own way. So it was always a mix.

What about film? Were you a big film guy growing up? Not that much, a little. But, you know, I liked the Terry Gilliam movies and stuff like that. But I'm not one of those people who was like movies changed my life. Got it. Television changed my life. But I love movies like everybody.

Sure. I am not one of the, I am not, I don't have like a long, I don't have like a lecture on what was. Right, right, right. So what you could talk at length about, Monty Python. In fact, I think all films are very poorly made. Oh. They're all very poorly made. There's our poll quote.

There's your poll quote. There's our breaking news. The lighting is off in all movies. Fred, that's a very kind of broad statement. Watch all movies again. All movies. Watch them and you'll see what I mean. The lighting is off.

That doesn't make any sense because you're saying you're... Not in every scene, but the lighting is off in some scenes. A little... You'll see. Okay. I'm not even sure what I'm looking for. Look for the lighting of backdrops. Okay.

Some of car lighting when they do the... Oh, sure. When they're driving by, it doesn't match the... the speed of what the car should be going. Yeah. And that takes you out of it, huh? Immediately. I have walked out of 100 movies.

As soon as I see the speed not match, I'm like, look, if you're not going to match that up, I don't need to be here. Huh. That's not very pleasant for you. Sound editing is sometimes off. You know you've seen it. No, I'm not noticing. You know you've look again. Or listen for it.

Also, when extras are talking, you don't hear them. I'm like, I want to be hearing every extra. Why are they talking if I don't hear them? Do you encourage your extras to be vocal in Portlandia? Always. Try and drown me out if you can. Drown me out. So what can we look forward to in the next, Pat?

There are probably six more episodes that I haven't seen in Portlandia this season. Some regulars returning, some new folks. Like, how do you get your guest stars? Are they mostly folks that you know? Yeah, although it's become blurry. We're like, there are people I text and I say, come up and to Portland, and there are some that are just through agents, like the regular channels of can you get so-and-so, and then it happens.

What was the biggest kind of leap of faith, like, just like, could we get them, and then bizarrely they came through? I'd say Claire Danes. She's great in her episode. Yeah, that was a very, like, we were like, she's got to be busy. Because you have to fly up to Portland, which is not, you know. And they don't shoot Homeland in a week. No.

That's an intense show. So that was a little bit of like, oh, this is happening. Laurie Metcalf, I found also was like that was through agents and stuff. And that was another one. I think she had just been nominated for a bunch of Emmys. I was like, this is not going to happen. She's so good. She's always, yeah.

She was right there. So is, um, whose idea was Kyle in the first place, Kyle McLaughlin? That was Jonathan, our director. Yeah. Who said, we need someone like Kyle McLaughlin. We were sitting in the office. This is for our pilot. I'm like, we need like, something.

on like Kyle McLaughlin and then we were just like we're in Los Angeles don't we make a phone call that says can you find and he showed up he turned up came in for a meeting or whatever

and there it was and he's God he's great yeah has you given you any hints about Twin Peaks do you have any dirt on the new season? No but I don't think there's any

like dirt dirt anyway I guess there's not it's not like I'm looking for plot I just want I just want to bathe in 18 hours of David Lynch. Right. I think all of that is a little bit like, I think all of that is like pretty open.

Yeah. Really. I think, because Kyle's very open. He's very sort of, he likes talking about it. He's not like, I'm not going to say anything. Sure. I auditioned for it. Did you really?

Yeah, I did not get it. What? But it was a great audition. Because all it was was they said, they asked me, what do you dream about? Of course they did. That's so great. That's what I want a Twin Peaks audition to be like

I'm like You got what you needed Absolutely It was great Was there a dwarf in the room? Maybe behind a curtain I've been re-watching Twin Peaks

Yeah It's been a while for me But it's I've meant I mean it's genius The first season in particular Yeah It's really It's really great

It's shocking that it got made Yeah and apparently It was on it was on ABC was on a major network And like It would never happen It's crazy. Even the opening credits, it's like this green light for the title is just...

And that score? Angelo, I can't pronounce his last name, Baldlmenti or something, amazing, right? Incredible. So do you... Was David there for the audition? No, no. But it was still a worthwhile. Great, great, great experience.

What did you answer when they asked? So now we know the wrong answer, unfortunately. My real answer was that I don't dream. I don't know what it is if I don't remember or something like but I was just trying to be honest

without being like well actually I was like let me just I don't remember my dreams and you just like walked out of the room I said none of your business

I was like none of your business if David wants me he knows where to find me I should have said something really funny like getting this job really I think about getting this job

oh it was so lame do you still go out for auditions if it's like a project like that like where it's like once in a while if it's exactly like if it's a project like that other than that no feels like you're busy enough you don't need to I'm busy enough or when someone wants me to do something they seems to be they email me it's like an email and it and it's always seems like the right kind of project and then it just happens there you go and what's the schedule for documentary now have you guys started work on the next season no I think we're going to rest for a minute take a breather take a breather for a year or something we'll see what happens at after that, but we wanted it to feel not like a job. Yeah. Like, let's just make these special, take our time. Well, they definitely feel like that. And Bill's got a show going on at HBO this year, so he's going to do that.

Right, and Mr. Mullaney's doing a great show on Broadway. Oh, hello, very funny. Broadway ambitions for you? What do you want to do? Never. Really? No. I admire that you know what you don't want to do as much as you know what you want to do. Yeah.

I mean, first of all, that, they did it right. I like their show. I just don't know the world of Broadway enough to know how to get there. There are enough great Broadway shows. Gotcha. Well, keep making great television and doing what you do. I'm such a fan, as I said. Portlandia now in its seventh season on IFC going strongly.

I should check it out. You know it you love it. And I can't wait to see what's in the rest of the season and documentary now and that's Seth. And as I said, I'm a great admirer, and I really appreciate you coming by today, man. Thank you. And I want to say to all the listeners out there, please listen to this podcast. Please listen. Fred.

If you're tuning in, don't change that dial, I guess. Well, it doesn't even matter. I mean, that's besides the point because they're now at the end of the podcast. So why would they be listening to the last minute? Because it's not the end of the podcast. Keep listening. There's going to be silence for half an hour and way at the end. We've got a couple surprises.

see you there okay let's talk off mic about this but um thanks for listening and so ends another edition of happy sad confused remember to review rate and subscribe to this show on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts I'm a big podcast person I'm Daisy Ridley and I definitely wasn't pressured to do this by Josh this episode of happy Sad Confuse was produced by Michael Catano, James T. Green, Mukda Mohan, and Kasha Mahalovich for the MTV Podcast Network, with additional engineering by Little Everywhere. You can subscribe to this and all of our other shows on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Spotify, or wherever else you find your favorite podcasts. With one of the best savings rates in America, banking with Capital One is the easiest decision in the history of decisions. Even easier than choosing Slash to be in your band. Next up for lead guitar.

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Capital One and a member FDIC. I'm Amy Nicholson, the film critic for the LA Times. And I'm Paul Shear, an actor, writer, and director. You might know me from The League, Veep, or my non-eligible for Academy Award role in Twisters. We love movies, and we come at them from different perspectives. Yeah, like Amy thinks that, you know, Joe Pesci was miscast in Goodfellas, and I don't. He's too old. Let's not forget that Paul thinks that do.

Dude to is overrated. It is. Anyway, despite this, we come together to host Unspool, a podcast where we talk about good movies, critical hits. Fan favorites, must-season, and case you miss them. We're talking Parasite the Home Alone. From Greece to the Dark Night. We've done deep dives on popcorn flicks. We've talked about why Independence Day deserves a second look.

And we've talked about horror movies, some that you've never even heard of like Ganges and Hess. So if you love movies like we do, come along on our cinematic adventure. Listen to Unspooled wherever you get your podcast. And don't forget to hit the follow button.