IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson - Be Free, Be Yourself, and Be Crazy with Will Ferrell

Episode Date: July 1, 2026

Actor, comedian, writer and producer Will Ferrell joins the show for a laugh-out-loud conversation about his upbringing, comedy career, fatherhood, and more. Ferrell opens up about what he was like in high school, the sketches that landed him a spot on Saturday Night Live, and how he and his wife first met. Plus, we hear all about Ferrell’s upcoming Netflix series, The Hawk, which is out July 16th. Have a question you want answered? Write to us at imopod.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Then I did Harry Carey at a play reading, doing a play reading. It was emotionally wrought, like Eugene O'Neill type. Like, damn it, Carol, what happened to us? Like, who's afraid of Virginia Wool? I thought we'd still love to show them. You're breaking my heart. Look at me, don't turn away. I still have feelings for you.

This episode is brought to you by Chase Home Lending. Hey, little girl. Hi, Craig. How are you? I'm really fine. I'm excited. That's good. Now, we will caution our listeners.

You do have a bit of a cough, an allergy cough. I do. I have an allergy cough, but we're narrowing down. It could be an air conditioning cough. Oh, thank you. So I either need a scar from me. Oh, maybe I'll put my hood on. Don't do that.

Don't do that. Because you'll get makeup on. your hood. Oh, that's right. You've got makeup on your head. You're not used to wearing makeup. You know, I'm not used to it. And why don't we give our listeners a little inside baseball? On what? On changing when you have makeup on my strategy of using. You know, I think, you know, again, you think it's a new strategy. Women, we've been doing this our whole lives. But please share as if you've discovered air. So I went home after one of my early tapings in season one, and there was makeup all over my shirts. And my wife, Kelly, said, hey, what happened here?

And I was like, oh, I was changing my shirt and got makeup on it. She was like, oh, let me give you a little hint. Use a shower cap. Put it over your head and face. Take your shirt off. Put it back on. Wow, Craig. Tell us more.

It worked. Really? Yes. I never thought of that. Unless you're in show business or something, how would you know that? Being a woman. Or a woman, but a guy, a guy, you have to know. Yeah, I know.

But that's what I'm saying. See, when men discover something, they talk about it like, I just figured this out. Oh, gosh. So, yeah, thank you. Listeners, some inside baseball and how Craig discovered how to deal with makeup. Craig Robinson, thank you for sharing. My pleasure. My pleasure.

Well, we've got a fun, fun conversation happening. One of my favorite comedians, one of my favorite people on TV. I will talk about this. But my favorite movie on the planet of all time, the only movie that I watch again and again and again, this man was in, we'll talk about it when he comes on. But I don't think I've ever told him. Oh, okay. All right, because I know what it is. Why don't you introduce our guest, Will Farrell.

All right. Will Farrell is an acclaimed actor, writer, and producer behind some of films most iconic comedies and a seven-year Saturday Night Live standout, widely regarded as one of the show's greatest cast members. He is also the co-founder of Gloria Sanchez Productions. This summer, he will saw in the first scripted comedy series the Hawk for Netflix, which you and I both watch the first two episodes, and we're cracking

up, in which he plays a fictional golf legend, which this will be interesting because I'm not a golfer, as you know. Okay, let's get him out here. Without further ado, Mr. Will Ferrell. I'm not a golfer. I'm actually a golfer. Yeah, a little bit. Hi, thank you. So you're also going to get a little brother and sister dynamic. where there's always just a little edge of arguing underneath it. Right, okay, yes. It's just a little edge of, oh, my big brother. And by the way, Craig, I did know about the shower cap.

Thank you. Thank you. And why would he know, Craig? Do you know why he would know? Because he's in show business. Exactly. Well, no, because my mother would give us a shower cap every Christmas, a new shower cap. For the reason you just described.

It's like, honey. So she was way ahead of the curve. She was. Yeah. She raised you to be an independent man. Right. Knowing about shower gas. We haven't met, but we were in the same place together.

Okay. At one of the White House parties. Right. And I want to see if you remember this because I think that you were doing this on purpose, but my wife is like, no, is he? And you were walking around the White House with the straightest. of faces not looking at anyone like this. And I said... Do you remember that?

Do you remember doing that? I'm trying to piece it together. I could never forget it because I know it was you and I have a witness to go along with it. And I was like, he's doing some sort of gag or bit. Before I knew what bit was. Right. Now that I'm in show visit, I know what the term bit means.

So I wouldn't have said bit back then, but that's what I meant. and you had the straight face. You were dressed like you had come to a party. Right. But was it not a part? It was a part? There were like 300 people that you've been to those parties. There were like 300 people.

You said not one word to anybody for the time that I saw you. Not one word and everybody's talking. The music's going. And you had the straight face. And I looked over at my wife and I was like, see, this is why this dude is the funniest dude in the world right here. I was getting credit. it for being funny.

Without, I know, I was just having a Chauncey Gardner moment. No way. No, I don't know what you're talking about. Okay. I wouldn't, that's fine. I think I was just literally being a, a nerd. Okay. Yeah, checking out.

Okay. Scons. Fair enough. Fair enough. Checking out wallpaper. This makes it even better. Thank you for being here. Oh my God.

My pleasure. Thanks for having me. I love what you've done with it. done with the place. It's wonderful. Well, yeah, what do you think? I mean, you're in this business. You know?

What interior design? No, no. Set design. You know, atmosphere. Atmospherics. It looks like, does it feel like we're at home at the kitchen table? You must be sponsored by Plezzi? Oh, good.

I'm glad you pointed that out. That's one of our drinks. It's like, yeah. Yeah, it's a good drink, hydration drink. I hope it is. Yeah, it's awesome. It's amazing. It's amazing.

But it's good to have you here. I was saying that, and my team didn't realize this when we were just sitting down getting ready for you to come. Because I don't know if I had said that because they were saying that you left Saturday Night Live. Yeah. One of the reasons was because you had, you knew of this project about Santa Claus and, you know, the idea of Elf. Was it sort of? What was that? I left.

I'd been there seven years. and you know, you always, you know, you have to, you have to leave at some point, unless you're Keenan. He's still there. He doesn't leave. And he's literally the only one who could pull it off and still be there and you love seeing him every time. Yeah.

Now, short of Keenan, yeah, you are thinking about a time of like, when's a good moment to fly the coop, so to speak. And it just felt like I'd had enough momentum, But it's not like I had a stack of scripts waiting for me. But we were developing this one movie about a human who was raised by elves at the North Pole. And it was an amazing concept, but it needed a lot of work. And so we kind of rewrote the whole thing. But it's such an interesting thing to have become what it's.

become only because two weeks of film. I'm sitting in New York in my little tiny trailer because that was one of my first bigger movies, but it was still a little tiny trailer. Looking in the mirror dressed as Buddy the elf in my yellow tights going, buddy, what was I thinking? Literally, buddy. This could be it.

This could be the end right here. This is either a home run or a complete strikeout, and people are going to be like, what happened to the guy on SNO? It was pretty funny. So I had no idea that we had like lightning in a bottle, but we did. It is my favorite movie of all time. I mean, it really is.

I don't rewatch movies, but it is hilarious every other second. And it is so sweet. It just does all the things. It presses all the buttons. So whenever I want to feel better. I know literally And then I make other people watch it with me So that I can say wait

Here you're going oh my God The angry elf You know And so It was a It's a thing for a reason And you know The level of sweetness

And all that How do you How do you like for a character Like buddy Do you know what You know you want to do with him Before you put on that elf costume? And those tights.

Because we shot, we shot, we shot Buddy discovering New York, all the exterior stuff first. We shot two weeks in New York and then the rest is all shot in Vancouver. So I had to quickly figure out and the game that we,

and we kind of figured out at the script level, but that, okay, so what, what is the essence, of this guy and I think he has to be the kind of mundane world that we take for granted, he has to think it's the greatest experience ever. And that's when I wrote the joke, I was like, you know those just bodega type coffee shop places that say like world's best shop of coffee? He literally thinks that's the truth. So that, when we burst in, like,

congratulations, you did it. And then, you know, all the staff looking at me, like what? But, you know, don't eat candy when you go and him discovering the gum and like, I can't resist it. And just like, yeah, but not knowing that a taxi cab, the yellow ones won't stop. So just like the wonderment, the naive tag. And I was like, oh, just I'm going to, I'm going to lock into that. And just, he's just going to be, it's going to be wondrous to him. And then I just built upon that. But it was like, it was like, hurry up and figure this guy out. Because it's life or death.

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What are some of your favorite family traditions that we used to do? You remember when dad used to make peppered steak? Yeah, that would be the one time he cooked. Once a year. And he would make apple pie. So, you know, and mom wouldn't touch pie. Right. But dad made the apple pie.

He made apple pie. But he would make the peppered steak once a year and he'd make apple pie once a year. He didn't make apple pie a few times a year. But the fact that dad would cook, that became a special milestone. I loved our New Year's Eve tradition where our mom would, instead of having a full dinner, we would stay up until midnight. She would make all these little amazing hors d'oeuvres, you know, those little cheese puffs on Ritz crackers and, you know, smoked oysters and fondue. I mean, she would be trying out all of these Betty Crocker little appetizer recipes on us. I remember.

And it got so. so popular that our aunts and uncles who were young at the time stopped going out for New Year's Eve and came and were and hung out with us. Man, and it just reminds me of a few more traditions. You remember pumpkin carving? Every year we carve pumpkins and every Easter we decorated eggs. And hit them. Yes. Or mom would.

Mom would hide them. Yeah, yeah. So if you're ready to start your own journey, Chase Home Lending is here to help you. build a future, create lasting memories, and feel connected to your community all the way home. Visit chase.com slash IMO to take your first step. Member FDIC, equal housing opportunity. So the real Will Ferro. Right, right here.

Like the guy that, you know, is not a character, you know, is just a man trying to walk around the White House looking at stuff without people thinking he's doing a bit. A poor guy. You don't have to laugh at her. You don't have to laugh at her. No, I'm just still trying to. You don't. You don't have to laugh. You don't have to laugh at that moment was, yeah. I knew I was going to like you when I was doing the research and I found out what a terrific athlete you were.

Yes. I had no idea. Are you hearing that? Terrific athlete. Terrific athlete. Three sport athlete. Four. Oh.

What is I missed? Soccer. Oh, wow. You got basketball. Basketball. What's the fourth? Football? You play, oh, you were kicker.

Kicker on the football team. That's right. I mean, I know that's why we forgot about it. Yeah, but you were captain of the basketball team. I was as the sixth man. Ooh, now you know what that says a lot. See, that's real leadership. Yes, that says a lot.

Okay, tell us more. Because usually your captain is your best player and rarely is your best player, the sixth man. Although the sixth man gets to take more shots than the guess how much I averaged my senior year. How much? My point average. 13.

1.25. No way. Yes. That makes it even better. I only average like two points a game. So what was your role? Because I figured out in the game. I was defense.

I was rebounding. Okay. I usually guarded their better post player. Okay. And I was just unselfish, unselfish player. I could set a mean screen. Uh-huh. How much did the last?

locker room help your comedy? Well, I think all of high school was formed. I mean, whether it was the locker room, whether it was the classroom, whether I was benefited from a really funny group of friends. I used, I described myself as a conscientious class clown because my mom's in education. So I, like, respected the teachers, but I would, like, I'd goof around to a point

if I got the eye, be like, you got it, no problem. I'll shut it down. Keep talking. No, I'm enjoying the lecture. Yeah, no, aren't we? So I would like, I would know how to tiptoe up to the line to where the administration, we would work out bits during the school assembly

where I could make fun of the vice principal. And he was like, hey, let's do that thing. and you make fun of me and I'll give you a look. And so we would do sketches. We do morning radio announcements that were, so it was already like the beginnings of, you know, this is really fun. But I didn't dare dream yet because I grew up in intertip.

My dad was a musician and I saw how up and down that was. He just wasn't any musician. No, yeah, he played with the right. brothers and toured around. But he had a lot of like piano bars and, you know, cocktail lounges where he'd have a gig for six months. And then he's like, got to find a new gig. I'm like, why? What happened? What happened? Like nothing? Yeah. They're done. And I'm like, I just remember thinking, oh, I'm going to get a real job. Yeah. I don't know what that is, but I'm going to carry a briefcase and I'm going to work in an office.

Did you feel it? Did it feel unstable in? in the household because of your dad's sort of up and down, in and out? It did a little bit. I mean, my folks divorced at a pretty early age. I mean, they did a really good job of kind of co-parenting.

But yeah, there were, you know, they tried to make my brother and I feel as kind of middle class as we could. But there were, they were like, if I knew I needed a new basketball, we were going to take all Saturday to comparison shop. Yeah.

To where I was like, I think I can go another month, even though there was a whole, my dad would take us to like nine different places. And I thought it was such a drag. I looked back on it now and I was like, no, he's teaching us the value of. Yeah.

Yeah. And really wise in a way, but a bummer when you're 15, 14. Yeah. But yeah, so I saw how, oh, this is very much living hand to mouth and while my mom was putting herself through school, graduate school. And so, yeah, I saw that that was like, I want more stability.

So I thought I was going to be like a sportscaster. I love sports. So I thought the merge of two things would be, I'd be a talking head on ESPN. So your dinner table that you were growing up in, what did that feel like? Was there funny there? Did you save the funny for school? Or was your mother also? Were you getting on her nerves too? Probably both. She's funny in her own way. My dad, obviously, being an entertainment, he had a, my mom and dad came from the same small town. Where was it? They've known each other since the second. grade and uh ronoke rapids north carolina so he she would tell so he was always the prankster growing up in school and that sort of thing so dad was and my mom had this really sly sense of humor and this and that so so yeah i think there was always us my brother and i putting on little shows in the living room and trying to be funny and being funny amongst her friends and i think

that's like your first comedy crowd are your friends and then you kind of advance into going to parties walking around a room not looking at anyone no I'll never live this now

but we would go to we would go to high school parties and mess with other like we didn't go to really party we would just start taking stuff out of the freezer of someone's and microwaving meat And like, okay, don't worry.

Oh, no. The kid who was throwing apart was like, what are you doing? I was like, well, someone told us to start emptying the freezer. Like, just random, crazy stuff. Like, why? Someone told us to defrost all the meat in your freezer. I'm sorry. Were we not supposed to?

Oh, my God. And then we would just create havoc and then we'd go to another part. Like, we just threw the weirdest, dumbest stuff. How many were in your little... Like four or five, yeah, yeah. And then we were like, that was pretty funny. That was good. That works.

Let's do that. But not other people who didn't know us aren't really laughing. We're just like amusing ourselves. Yeah. And yeah, just indulging that part of your brain. Well, how were you with the girls being so obnoxious? How'd that work for your dating life? The girl, I was a late bloomer.

No one wants the funny guy, really. Yeah. That comes later. That comes later. Yeah. But back to team sports. There was something about, like, and I think that's why I loved, when I started kind of exploring comedy,

and it started with a little bit of stand-up, and then I found the groundlings out here in L.A., which is a big sketch comedy theater that tons of people had come out of, I loved the form of sketch. I loved the team, and that's what I loved about SNL. That's what I love about movie making.

That's what I love about all this stuff, is that you're working on a team. And I told the writers my first year on the show because I'd seen some of the cast members get offended if their part was too small. And I would pull that right and I'd go like, I don't care if I have one line. If you need me to deliver a pizza and a sketch,

because I'll try to make it funny. And give me that one line. Right. Give me, if it's off camera, need someone just yelling something, I'll figure it out. Like just, and, you know, ingratiating yourself in that way. And it was.

It was like usually a bonus, just walk into a scene and say one stupid thing and then walk out. I'd either at least make my fellow cast members laugh. Yeah. Yeah. But that team thing, you know. At what point were you like, okay, I'm going to give this a try? It was, I was taking classes at the ground. I was working my way up through,

so they have a school that you do all this training, and then they start putting you in, they have their minor league team, which is the Sunday show. Okay. And then you have the main company, which is Friday and Saturday nights, two shows, four shows a week.

And I was, I was really enjoying, I was kind of, I was like, God, this just feels right. So I went to lunch with my dad. I was like, dad, I really want to give this a shot. What do you think? And he, excuse me, to this day,

he gave me the best showbiz advice ever. He was like, if it was based on talent, I wouldn't worry about you. He's like, I've seen people, you're like, I'm going to tell you,

you've got talent, but there's so much luck. Yeah. And give it a shot, but don't get discouraged if you get down the road and you're like, this is just too hard.

You didn't fail. You tried. And just you're capable to just pivot and do something else and walk. And so even though that's not like a raw, raw speech, it took the pressure off succeeding. And I thought, well, I'm not going to make it anyway. Let's just have fun. And it just allowed me to be loose. And there still was luck.

Yeah, yeah. What was the first lucky break for you? The first kind of lucky break. was I had a week out here in L.A. where I had grown my hair out for some, I was doing like a one-acted. Like the pearl?

Like the pearl look during semi-pro. And Craig saw that, it was like, is that his real hair? Is he wearing a wig? That's a real, yeah. That's where I can go. I like that. See, that's where your real self looked like a bit again.

Yeah. Right. So I had that linked hair for this, this play I was doing. Okay. And I went on, I got three different parts

on sitcoms in one week. I booked a living single. Uh-huh. I booked a Grace under fire. Uh-huh. And I booked the George Went show, which was after he left, I left Cheers,

he tried to do a show on CBS. And I might have booked another one. Anyway, it was like, bam, bam, bam. They were all one line. Uh-huh, yeah. And this is before SNL. And I got my SAG card, or I got my after,

it paid for everything. I had a little bit of money left over, like very little. And it was like so cool and validating. And then six weeks later, we were getting, we got the word that SNL was going to go through a real change. Who was on at the time? That was the year before I got there was the last year, Sandler and Farley and Phil Hart and David Harvey and Mike Myers and that whole entire crew.

They were only keeping Tim Meadows, Molly Shannon, Norm MacDonald, David Spade, and that they were going to do a nationwide search for a brand new cast. And Groundlings was on the list. And so... So did you know they were when they were there scouting you? We knew they were in the audience. the night they came and it was a really great. Everyone got to pick like their favorite sketch.

And then because I was willing to write with everyone, or they encouraged that, encourage everyone to write with it. I was in three other sketches that were other people's favorites. So I had like four sketches. And, yeah, myself, Sherry O'Terry, Jennifer Coolidge. Yeah.

Oh, yeah. And Chris Catan were all flown out. out to New York for that first round of auditions. And then that led to a call. What are the auditions like? When you got there, what are it? Very nebulous. Very, like, it was like pick a character of your choice, a political impersonation if you do one,

a celebrity impersonation if you do one, five to eight minutes long. Or if you don't do any of that, be funny. Go. That was it. Wow. on in the S&L studio, on the spot where the host delivers the monologue. That's crazy.

With the camera and like one spotlight and a disinterested guy holding like a boom mic like. Would that feel like? Were you just over the moon nervous? Are you kidding me? Yeah. No, that's what I imagine. I literally was standing.

So then you stand out, you're standing outside the stage doors by the page desk. And you're waiting, I'm hearing the audition in front of me, but I'm looking on the walls of all the hosts of that year. Oh, man.

And past cast members and everything. And I literally remember, I remember thinking, you could just run right now. Remember what your dad said? You could just get right in that elevator and go right back and say, eh.

Yeah. And then as the door flew up or like, too late. Well, next. And then you just had to step up there and it was like... Do you remember what you did? Yeah, I did.

I did this character that made it on the first show. This guy was yelling at his kids to get off the shed. Which is so weird to talk about. Yeah, it's like a dad at a barbecue. He was just talking about school and golf and this and that. And then he's like, hey, buddy, want to do me a favor and get off the shed? Like we don't see what the shed is

It's just like a gardening shed or whatever And then back to the conversation Anyway, yeah Hey, what did I say? Get off the shed Anyway, so yeah I took my car and I Get off the shed!

And so it was just a game of like yelling at the first and then going back And then the people around me like getting so nervous That was one thing I did Then I did Harry Carey Oh yeah At a play reading, doing a play reading of like, which was a sketch I'd written at the ground. During the baseball strike that Harry Care was unemployed, so now I was doing a play.

But it was a, it was emotionally wrought, like Eugene O'Neill type, like, like, damn it, Carol! What happened to us? Like, who's afraid of Virginia Wool? I thought we still love to show them. You're breaking my heart. Look at me, don't turn away. I still have feelings for you. So I did that.

But you got to understand. It's dark. No one's laughing. Lauren's in the back of the room. You know, let cigarette like shit. So you get no feedback. No feedback. And then I did, I think I did, like,

Ted Kennedy doing stand-up comedy. I don't know. Oh, come on. What did that sound like? It was, what did I do? Like, I don't remember the jokes at all, but I would do Ted Kennedy like this. And what did the chicken say as you crossed the road? No, I don't know.

I was like, I'm doing that. Yeah, and that was, that was it. And then you left. And then he had no idea. How long did it take for them to get back to you? We kind of heard after the fact, like, the groundlings had done really well. Okay. So there was a little bit of, and then flew back to L.A.

Mm-hmm. But once again, at that time, I was doing, I got great advice. I was doing a class, which was a cold reading class, which is you just show up, and they're just like, they hand you script. this guy, Ian Tucker, I think his last name, great teacher. And it was just, it was such a cool class because you had to get out of your head

and you just been like, do you play Sam, you play Barbara? Go. And you just had to like be in the moment. And so after class one day, I'm like, Ian, guess what? I got an Estenel edition. He went, you did?

What? Oh, no, good. He kind of was a little too. He was like, whoa. And I go, I go, because he had worked with Lisa Kudrow and from friends. and he'd work with a couple of, and like, do you have, do you have, he's like, wow, okay, just, you know what?

Once again, he took the pressure off. He's like, you're just throwing darts at the dartboard here. Treat it if you can as a trip to New York. Have a great time. Yeah. If nothing happens and, you know, you can at least come back and maybe have a meeting with an agent and say, hey, I got to audition for us and out. Like, it's still a cool thing. Yeah.

I was like, okay. Let's just treat it that way. So they did call back all the grant. We had to do a second audition in which you sat down with Lauren Michaels first. You came up for two days. And then he had me change everything. I had to rewrite my audition the night before. Well, how do you get that feedback?

You sat with these. He's like, what are you thinking about doing tomorrow? And I had always heard in callbacks for network, like, just do the thing you've done. been doing because that's what it brought you there and just keep don't try to change anything and so he said what what are you thinking about for tomorrow i'm like well i'm thinking i'm going to i'm going to do this and he's like no i wouldn't i wouldn't do that no no no the only thing is like okay do the get off the shed thing again uh-huh in hindsight what he was he was doing a favor because he knew the executives in burbank were watching and he wanted me to just show your range

exactly yeah yeah so there i was sweating it and out i was in my tiny New York hotel room trying to figure out what I was going to do. And then that's when I did on this audition tape. You can look it up. I'm a guy who plays with cat toys. I don't know if you've ever seen this. I will look it up as soon as we leave.

I did that. I was like... How do you think of this stuff on the fly? Well, no, it was another sketch I'd done at the ground. Okay, yeah, yeah, okay, I got you. And then... So I just tried a couple other different things. And then I really had no idea.

But then a couple weeks went by, and then I heard they were going to come see us at the show. And then... What was it like sitting down with Lauren Michaels? What was he like that first meeting? Were you just scared out of your pants? Lauren was very, yes. In fact, he thinks the story is so funny now.

But I had read a story how Adam, Sam Saller had done some crazy bit and had a five-minute meeting and was hired on the spot. And I thought, well, that's, be free, be yourself and just be crazy. And you'll get, so my version of craziness was I bought a whole bunch of fake money from a novelty store. And I was going to, I had a briefcase and I was going to let him talk and I was just going to start piling money on his desk. I was like, Lauren, we can keep. talking till the cows come home, but we know what really talks. Money.

And I'm going to stack this money up on your desk. And it was bad carrot-fit money. Toy money. I'm like, and no one's going to know. You can take it or leave it. It's up to you. And then I was going to pack up my thing and walk out. And that was going to be my meeting.

I walk in there with my briefcase. And the atmosphere is like, not that. No. So you didn't even get to do it? What comedian walks in with a briefcase? I'm at my little briefcase, and I'm like, okay, so don't do that? Okay, throw up my entire edition.

Okay, and then I'm leaving going, I have a brief, like what? What weirdo walks in with a leather briefcase? Yeah. It's not like I had sketch, or, and even Steve Higgins, who was hired as the new, who's still there today, Lauren was like, Steve, do you have anything you want to ask? He's like, nice briefcase.

And I'm like, yeah, thanks. You have no idea. And then when I finally, Lauren wanted to meet with me again, and they were very vague as to why. It was the meeting where he told me I got it. Oh, okay. So then I was in my apartment out here, and I was like, damn it, I'm bringing the briefcase back.

I'm going to show him. I'm going to stack the mind. I'm going to do it. This time I'm doing it. I walk in, the assistant goes, you can leave your briefcase. I'm like, okay.

So we sit down. He has to meet, you know, Lauren can be obtuse at times, and I didn't even know I had the job. And he's like, so have you ever lived in New York? I go, no, no.

No, thank for small talk. Love it. It'd be fun, though. He's like, well, we're bringing Sherry so you won't be alone. I'm like, what do you mean I won't be alone? What?

Yeah, what? It's like, I think, you know, since you guys know each other, so Sherry was at the groundings too and we'd work together there too. And I'm like, what do you mean? So I won't be alone. Oh.

This is the meeting. This is the meeting. And then I got self-conscious that I didn't leap up out of my chair. Yeah. And so he's like, so anyway. And I'm like, and I stood up and like,

thank you so much. And I'm like, I was like, well, I'm going to, I'm going to shake your hand. And he goes, do what you have to do. And then I leave. And I'm like, I'm like, oh my God, I got to call, you know, I got to call my folks. I got to find a pay phone.

You're right, really. Before herself. Young people. Yep. That's the thing that doesn't exist anymore. I found one on Mel. Rose. And I like, I grab my briefcase.

And then now everyone in the office is like going, where they had to keep it a secret. And I go, hold on. I've been trying to give this fake money to him twice. Will you just give it to him and say, this is what I was trying to do, I was going to stack all this fake money. He got it later.

He thought it was so funny that I tried twice. And he didn't. So he laughed later. Right. Right. Do you have a favorite character? I mean, I know everybody has theirs of yours, but of all the many characters you've played,

is there one that, you know, it's like... They're all like my children. But everyone has a favorite. That's true. Do I have a favorite... I'm lucky enough to... When people come up and bring up various things, It's so fun to hear what their kind of favorite movie is.

And I'm lucky enough to have, you know, have worked on enough of these movies that for whatever reasons, have, you know, landed, hit the zeitgeist in the right way. The one, I mean, Tala Daganites was so much fun. That's where John and I first got to work at. And then we got to do Stepbrothers. So those characters are near and dear to my heart. And then probably the silly, I tend to land on the square of Ron Burgundy and Anchorman,

only because that was super hard to get made. It was, we had so many rejections because people were like, I don't get why this will be funny. And we're like, just trust us. Yeah, it's just buffoonish guys. And it's not so much, it's a little bit satirical. It's more cynical than we ever thought. but and now it's just really what the news is like.

But that was such a struggle and we finally got to make it and it felt like we were playing with the house's money. And we were just like, we never thought we get to make this. So let's make it as crazy as we can. And so that one's Bromberghny's pretty great. Yeah. I've lived in quite a few major cities over the years and I've always loved how much each one should

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I can text directly with my shopper and make sure I'm getting exactly what I want, no matter how specific. With shipped, you can get the main courses, the seasonings, and even an extra bag of charcoal shop same day. You can also order from lots of different stores, including Safeway, Albertsons, Michaels, Target, and Petsmart. With an annual membership, you can place as many shipped orders as you want, and you'll always pay $0 in delivery fees on orders over $35.

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Kelly already is deep in on the online reselling game. She would go crazy for that. And I already know exactly where I'd start. Shopify. What I like about Shopify is that you don't have to be a tech expert or have some giant company behind you. Shopify gives you all the tools to build your store, manage your customers, and grow your business without feeling overwhelmed. And these days, it's not enough to just have a website. People are shopping everywhere on social media, on YouTube, through apps and platforms you and I probably never heard of. Shopify helps get your products

in front of customers wherever they already are. You probably use Shopify without even knowing it every single day. Every time you see that purple shop pay button at checkout, you know that's another business supported by Shopify. Build your store, own your audience, and create something that lasts. Start now at Shopify.com slash IMO. When did you meet Viv? Where in your journey?

Did she show up? We were in an acting process. program down in Orange County here in California. And so part of, so when I graduate from college, I immediately moved back home. I had a lot going on. A lot of prospects. I moved back home because I thought, okay, I could try the sports casting thing, but the comedy thing, you know. So I'm trying to, I'm working at like a local cable news station.

I'm also doing some stand-up comedy. And my mom says, that's okay. Let's just treat this as your graduate school. Your gap year. Yeah, your gap year. And she gives me a gift of a scene study class. It's the first acting class. And there's a great theater down in Orange County called South Coast Repertory Theater.

It's a Tony Award winning. And we had grown up there going to see plays. My mom would be a docent from time. You know, she'd take us, we were like 10 years old, watching Chekhov going, I don't know what's going on, but it looks like it's good. And they had a summer conservatory program,

and I thought, oh, I should audition for this. And anyway, that's where I meet Vivica. Wow. So she was in the same program. And we were both, she was like, She thought I was some rowdy frat guy. Because you kind of wore. Because I kind of wore.

Yeah. But I think the only thing that evidenced that was I wore my hat backwards one day. And she was like, uh-uh. Uh-uh. I know your type. I'm like, really? And then I thought she was some erudite stuck-up actress girl. So you saw her?

I saw her right away. I think she auditioned after I did because I think I was like, who's this girl in the hallway going, ooh. She was practicing. She's doing vocal words. I was like, what? Who does that?

La, la, la. Oh. Oh. Oh. I was like, who's that chick? And I had my hat on backwards. What's up? But I was like, Viv, I think that was you.

She's like, yeah, I think I used to do those. I used to do that. And she was a, yeah, she was an art history major and a theater minor and soccer player out at Pomona. And so, yeah, we met there. We were just, but we were, we dated a little bit and then we were friends for five years and then we kind of double back. So what, wait, wait, you date it and then became friends? Yeah. What happened?

What did you do wrong in the first eight? You wore your hat forward. How did you give friend zones? How did It was Viv. Viv was like we really liked each other she was like

she was the more mature she was like what are we going to do though where's this going and we were just both kind of the one that got away for each other for a while there but we had the same circles of friends and so we'd see each other all the time

and then and we always had this connection where if someone thought I was weird, she was like, that was really funny, by the way. I saw that. And we just kind of were like, yeah, I don't know how it just became, it became a friendship to the point where, like, I had a steady girlfriend. She would tell me about her dates.

She was like, wow. She's like, let me ask your opinions. Is it bad if a guy pulls out a coupon on a first date? I'm like, probably not good. I don't know. I mean, I don't want to, I don't want to, I don't want to, cast judgment, but maybe not. Yeah, maybe, maybe, maybe keeps looking.

So when did you guys make it official? When I got Saturday Live? No, no, I'm just kidding. But it kind of coincide a little bit, but I was on my first year of the show and I came back to L.A. during one of our breaks. I called her up.

she was like, I remember, this is how I knew, I really still really liked her. It was the Lakers Houston playoff game. It begins with basketball. It does. And diehard Laker fan saw a magic and bird playing their first game together. That's how Diard I am,

up in the rafters at the forum in eighth grade. Okay. Congratulations. Congratulations. Congratulations. Congratulations. Do I get some pleasanties for that? Yeah, right.

We'll give you a case. You do. There's three of us in the room, five of us in the room who can appreciate that. I stop listening. So it starts the basketball. Vivica calls me, he's like, hey, do you want to go for a walk and Runyon Canyon? And I was just going to go walk the dog. And I was like, yep.

I'm like, wait a minute, I'm blowing off watching the Laker game to go. So we go for this really fun walk. We're laughing. We're talking the whole time. She's like, hey, what are you doing? Do you want to stop by my place and have a beer? I was like, okay. She, I hope she's okay with me telling us.

Anyway, too late, honey, sorry. It's us. Okay, yeah. We'll just keep it between us. She gives me a beer, and she drank her beer in two sips. Ooh. Yes. She's like, do you want another one?

Who's the frat boy now? No kidding. And so she drinks it And she's like, do you want another one? I go, I haven't even finished the first one. And I go, sure. So I'm like double-piced. And she's really nervous.

And I can't figure out what's going. Once again, I'm telling you, we're just friends. Like, I've lost, I blew it with her. And so she sits down, she's like, so, I mean, I just want to tell you, I still really like you. And I said, what? I go, and of course, I can't play it cool.

I go, you're not going to, I just told my uncle if there was anyone I would marry, it's you. And then she goes, did you really say that? I swear to, yes. You said that. You turned into Buddy the else. I turned into Buddy the else. And then she was like, okay. And then we didn't know what to do.

And then she drove me home. And I thought, I thought it was like game on. and I went in to give her a kiss and she gave me the cheek and then I was like and then it was yeah and then we were in this weird kind of thing of like

we had both it was out there it was out there but we were friends and then she's got by the way I'm still kind of by the way I'm also dating someone right now

like wait a minute hold on and then I was like okay well okay take back what I said then I got and then we saw

When the season's over, she's like, by the way, I'm not, I broke up with that guy just so you know. I'm like, okay, well, good for you. Yeah, for you. So? And then, anyway, it's been a whole summer of courtship. Yeah, of that. Of just like, hang out, going to get coffee. That's cool.

Did she move to New York eventually? And then by the end of that summer, we're like, I think we're dated, right? We're like a thing. And then, but she was still working out here. And I, the S&L schedule is so conducive. There's so many breaks. Yeah. I could go back and forth.

So she'd come visit. And we, you know, we still, I still did SNL when we were married and we still, we just, we just knew we'd end up back here. Got it. Yeah. Did that settle you down? Did you feel, you know, did that, did that help you in your career feeling like I got my person, you know, my ride or die? she gets me, I'm not doing this thing alone.

Or was it, you know, was it harder? No. She was, she's kind of just a very unique person in the thing that she was always, because you'd work on something and someone would be on the phone, you know, and it's like, that's my girlfriend asked me how much later, how much longer are we going to shoot? And Fiff would never, she'd be like, I get it.

Yeah. It's a movie. And she just had this easiness about her. I think because she tried acting a little bit and she, but she had this understanding of like, and we'd always have this open discussion of like, if I was going to take on a project, I was like, I may be here for three months.

She's like, don't worry, we'll come visit. Yeah. And but we also made a plan that I always would take the summer off for the most part. So we just, we would bank the time when we could. Yep. And she was just like,

no, this is what it takes, you know. And so I lucked out. Yeah. You sure did. How long were you all married before you had kids, your first kid?

Four years? Okay. Yeah. Magnus was born in 2004. So you were still at Saturday Night Live then? No, I left. No, I just left. Okay.

I left in 2002. Okay. Yeah. Ooh, so big, big wrist moving, big jump and then baby. Yeah. Way to go. Way to double down on it all. How did that feel?

Left the set of kicking and screaming. Mm-hmm. I don't know if you guys remember that movie. Left the set when I heard Viv was in labor and the crew was like, yes, way to go, Will. They thought it was so cool, even though it was worked out ahead of time. Right. And, yeah, we just built in a little break and Magnus was born, yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. How was it being a dad? How did that change you? I did not like it. It's like he's messing up everything. No, it was, it's been amazing, like every step of the way. Yeah. So she's surrounded by four big, big, stinky men.

Yep. Poor thing. Yeah. Does she have girlfriends that help ease the sisters? Anything to break up that testosterone? She, yeah, I mean, once again, she's kind of unfazed. She was actually like, I remember when our youngest son was born and one of the nurses at the hospital was like, you got to go for the girl. And I was like, no, we're good.

That's three. That's three. We're good. And she's like, who am I kidding? I'm just not going to have girls. And she's like, and I don't know if I might, I don't know if I'd be a good girl mom. Yeah. I always thought I was going to have three boys.

Yeah. You know, where does that come from? Exactly. You know, my two girls are amazing. And I was not going for the boy, you know. It was just like I got two healthy girls. And Barack was in politics. So I said, that's your third child, right?

Right, right, right. So, yeah. But yeah, we kind of just, I mean, there's obviously a transition, but I don't, I don't remember it. I mean, now it's so long ago, but. Not that long ago. Yeah, yeah. But having a new baby around, we just kind of, it was a new thing we were doing. Even though Viv, Viv was never the type who's like,

like, she's like, I wanted to have kids, but she was not obsessed with it. And so when it finally happened, and she is the biggest dog person in the world, and I remember when it was getting really close to her due date, and she collapsed on the floor one day, very hormonal and feeling everything and feeling that, and I'm like, what is it?

What, are you okay? She's like, what, if I love this? the dogs more than the baby. And I was like, in my head, I'm like, is that a thing? Is that a thing? And then, but I was like, then we'll just work it out. I was like, I doubt that's going to happen. But we'll work it out.

And sure enough, when we came home with Maggie, she's like, dog stayed downstairs. Right. Yeah. And it was all. Yeah. That changed. It all took up. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Oh, that's great. Yeah. What kind of dad are you? Strict disciplinarian. We don't believe that. I'm, I wouldn't say I'm strict, but yeah, I've had to learn.

I've gotten more frustrated than you would think, though, in a way. Where I've lost my temper. Get off the shit! Yeah, that's become real sometimes. And I've learned to, once again, now the boys are 16, 19, and 22. So there's not as much of that. But yeah, growing up, I was surprised at where it'd be like, I tried to use all the parenting techniques,

and then it just turned into, because I said so! Yes. Yeah. And so I'd turn into that guy. Yeah. And they'd look at me like, who are you? You're crazy. And so I'm like, uh-oh, that's not.

not good. Are they funny? No, I was, I was, I was, I think I was, I never pushed, like, or we never talked about my word, and if they, if I happen to have a billboard of a movie, they'd be like, oh, there's Papa. Oh, yeah, oh, yeah, that's going to come out soon. Yeah, uh-huh. We just kept it like.

Yeah. How old were they when they could figure out what was really going on, though? Like, when they started school, like first grade, second grade. kindergarten, they started realizing, oh, okay, other kids know who you are. And, and, but then I would try to always like, hmm, I just try to find fun ways to diffuse the tension. So there'd be like a big argument,

and then I would just leave for a while and just come out my underwear, nothing about my underwear. I go, guys, we got to be serious about this, okay? Great. Look at me. Listen to me. And they would, they try not to, they just start loud.

And I was always trying to like just change up. Oh, I want you for a dad. And then I would always have them do this thing if they got in a fight. And be like, okay, you guys don't get to do this, whatever you want to do, whatever the thing we've just worked out, hands in the middle, Hermano Sampris, which is brothers always. They're like, what? What?

Just say it. They'd be like, Hermanos, Ampres. Nope. You got to say it like you mean it. You got to say it, right. Hermonosanpros. No, I'm sorry. I'm throwing the Xbox in the pool.

I want to hear it. And then they'd be laughing again. And, yeah, because my mom would do things like that with my brother and I. Yeah. Make us run around the car 10 times on a car trip. And by the time we were down, we were laughing. Yeah. And so I would try to do those sorts of things.

So people don't realize when you have boys. Yeah. They're going to fight, but it's not a real fight. Right. It's like you don't have to worry about them killing each other. Right. Yeah. But they fight.

Yeah. Yeah. And we've, we've been lucky that are, and we got three big guys and they've never had the full, because my brother and I had had some full, like, throwing punches. Yeah. And the guys, it's been one punch. Yeah. And they're like, ah.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Nobody fights anymore. Right. But we told our boys that if you guys can fight. Yeah. But when you're done, you have to kiss and make up on the mouth.

Okay. I like that. And it ended everything. How about that? Who thought of that? Kelly. Okay. That's so good.

I was like, where did you get that? Really? Yes. It's like, well done. Well done. Well done. Viv was always good because she learned, she like had, of course, read all the books and everything.

And then she was just like, okay, so, Magnus, what do you want? What, what would you, what upset you about what Matias just did? Hold on, let me see. Okay, Matias, what would you like to see from that? And like do this conflict negotiation, which worked great at first. And then as I got older, like, do we have to do this again? They see right through it. You're like, I know, you're going to ask me what I, my problem I have.

And I'm going to say this. I don't want to do that anymore. Did they follow in your footsteps as a three-sport athlete? Not, you know, sports are so different now. It's all so specialized. Yeah, it is. It's a shame. Right?

Magnus is a big soccer player. Okay. Matias is basketball and volleyball, and Axel's basketball and volleyball. College players? Are they playing in? No. No. Magnus is singing now.

Wow. Yeah, he's got, he's got music out there. Magnus Farrell. Way to go. He's got music out. Yeah. What's his genre? Can I play you a little something?

Please. Right? Is that okay? Yes. Okay. Sorry. Proud dad. I love it.

Yes. So proud. But like this is this little five-year-old you met in the map room. Oh, yeah. Yeah. When they brought Whoopee fissions? Yeah. The boys brought whipped cushions to the White House.

Oh, nice. But this is. They were ready for prime time. They were ready for prime time. But this is that kid. So. Wow. He's got our groove going on.

Grumpy. Right? Oh, my God. Yeah. 22. Okay. Yeah. Right?

Okay. Okay. Madness. Is he this cute? More handsome than me, and I'm pretty handsome. Yeah, that's true. But this way, hold on. Okay.

This next part is Craig. Coming up. This is for you, Craig, in your Airbnb. Okay. Okay, Magnet. Oh, yeah. Okay. Okay.

Okay. Okay. Magnus Farrell. Magnus. Is that out? That's out right now. A sleep talking. A sleep talking.

Did he write? He's on Republic Records. Wow. He's got an amazing groove. And his buddy Gabe, they met in seventh grade jazz band at Harvard Westlake. They were the competing piano players. Yeah. Magnus was very hated Gabe.

In fact, wrote his college introd. paper on how he hated the guy who eventually became his best friend. Oh, that's cool. And they left USC music school sophomore year to go, and they're both making stuff like this. Wow. That's good. That's good. Okay.

Very soulful. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's throwback kind of R&B. Oh, God, yeah. And it's right up, you know, it's what's happening. And he's got a, he's got a, he's got a, he's got a,

good voice, that falsetto is just... Right, yeah. So, yeah, I mean, you can sing too. I can not like that, but yeah, sure. So where does the music come, that's your father, did your mom sing? Does Vivica, I mean... Viv's a really good singer. Oh, wow. It was in bands in college and did, like, was Rizzo in Greece.

Okay, yeah, all right. And so she's really musical. boys all grew up playing piano and so yeah in terms of following my so and then Matias is doing some acting stuff and Axel's playing ball for right now but he can sing anyway so we'll see you know that's so cool

we're just happy they are because there's so much like teen like mental ang like it's so tough out there and they're finding stuff they're just passionate about and it's just like Mm-hmm. Go. Yeah. I love having a well-balanced, satisfying snack on hand.

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Let's talk about the hawk. Oh, yeah, right. The Hawk. How'd that come around on Netflix? Yes. We got to see a couple of episodes. Oh, okay. It's good.

Yeah. It's very silly. Very funny. Very funny. Yeah. No, that's, I play a, kind of a down and out golfer, Lonnie, the Hawk, Hawkins.

Yeah. Who's still, he's down in the minor leagues of golf. The Corn Fairy Tour, which is a real thing. Yes. Hanging on to his dream of winning the fourth major. And he's a jerk. He's a jerk.

Yeah. Very selfish. He's very narcissistic. I wasn't ready for the first episode, though. I was looking forward. I don't want to spoil anything. But, man, you hit it hard right at the beginning. It's very, yes.

It's, yeah, it's kind of an old-school comedy where we don't really hold any punch. Not at all. There's not a big message. Not Buddy the El. It's not, no, it's not funny. This guy, but as you watch the series, he does have a heart. Yeah, yeah.

But he's competing. Good, because in the first episode, you're thinking, this dude is a colossal jerk. Oh, man. Yeah, he, just when you think, yeah, he's kind of a broken, flawed, guy, yeah, a bit of a scallywag.

Does everyone know that word? Oh, yeah. Okay. Yeah, the younger people. Yeah, we were like, yes, of course. But it's a really funny kid. Molly Shannon plays my wife, who's, everyone thinks he's ex-wife,

but I refuse to sign the divorce papers. Jimmy Tatro is my son. Is that the son? He's good. He's great. And he's the next prodigy in golf, which I'm very proud of, but compete against at the same time.

I want to take credit for his success. And kind of the polar opposites. You don't eat well, you don't train. Your caddy is crazy. And he's like the Uber, you know. He's training and eating the right stuff and living just a totally different life. But yeah, it was it's just a super fun cast, super fun comedy where we kind of explore golf in a, make some comments about golf that haven't been made.

And the PGA was very cool and was on board and we're like, yeah, poke fun at us. We're good. We're good with it. Good. Yeah. Yeah, they need it. So, yeah. They need it.

Yeah. Yeah. I was telling our colleagues that, and thank you, by the way, because you are one of a handful of actors that I can watch whatever you do. You, Robert De Niro, you are still that one line. If you've got one line. Bill Farrell's in. Good time. Oh, yes.

Well done. Yeah. You've brought a lot of joy to a lot of people. And I just, we're just grateful to have you here. Thanks for having me. Yeah. We usually do a listener question. Okay.

This is in my opinion. So we try to offer some advice to people who write in. All of us, all of us chip in? We all chip in. We all chip in. You think this is a good time for our listener. question. Lena. Lena. Lena from, Lena who is in her late 30s from the state of Washington. As opposed to Washington, D.C. Washington State. Seattle. Yakima. Let me guess. Olympia.

Some water. Unknown. Unknown. Okay. Oh, boy. I got more. That's pretty good. I know. It's a lot. Okay. I am the parent to four amazing children, a new baby, a three-year-old,

a five-year-old, and an eight-year-old. They are my whole world. However, to be frank, my three-year-old is a total shit disturber. He's super, super smart, really energetic, and is incredibly sweet,

but he can also use all of his charm and strength to kind of bully his older siblings into doing things his way. He's a great kid. but I think just so high energy and advanced that he gets bored very easily. He's a little force of nature and we're tired. I've literally had family tell me, I think lovingly, that this kid is either going to discover the cure for cancer or be a serial killer. I have two questions. One, how do I make sure he ends up going on path one? And two, my actual question, how do I parent a kid who demands a lot of time

and energy without sucking the whole family and especially the other children into all of these antics. And that's Lena in Washington in her late 30s. Whoa. That sounds like a perfect question for you. Four. I'm just thinking about four. You just start there. Yeah. It's like they, she went for the one you did not. Yeah. Right. And it's the three-year-old, right? Yes. That's in question. Yes. Lena, I think you're screwed. No. No.

Yeah, what, I mean, you got to, you got to kind of tie yourself to the mast and weather the storm and let these. You have to, you know, I think you have to let kids be who they're going to be. but at the same time, try to set up some boundaries that won't compete with the other, well, it sounds like an infant, but the other two who are conscious of that stuff. And because it sounds like this little guy

needs to stretch out and do his thing. Yeah, I just, I don't know, you just have to try to find a way to manage both sides of it in a way. Right? Yeah, it's a... No, go ahead. I'm still, you know, I'm still trying to figure out how to help Lena. But, you know, it's three is a unique time.

So, you know, I think part of what you said, Will, there's some weathering the storm, you know. It will pass. Yeah, where he is at three developmentally, he still is, he may still be formulating language. He might, you know, he might, he's got a lot of growing up to do. And so you got to get. give him a little grace of just three-year-old, three-year-old boys in particular, and I didn't have boys. And I know that there's a distinct difference between girls and boys. I mean, my girls, you know, girls can sit in color, you know. And even when we would have, when we just had two of

the boys, for whatever reason, we were like, why is it so calm? And then the third one would come along and there'd be no rhyme or reason. They just seek chaos and then smack someone in the head. And then it was game on again. They were like, oh, so that's just going to happen. I mean. And he may need a different kind of attention. I mean, if the other two kids, they're older and they probably can be a bit more self-sufficient

and the baby is a baby. And, you know, this is the one thing I learned. Babies are, you know, you don't need to put. tons of time into the, if you're dividing, it's like, let the baby feed the baby, you know, have the baby around, the baby's learning through osmosis through all these other kids, and they're going to be okay. The older kids, put them in activities, you know, get them focused on some stuff so that maybe you can give the three-year-old the tension that he's craving, you know, so that it's not, you know, don't consider it a suck, right?

It may just be that you might need to give him a little extra time. If she has that time to give. So that's what I'm saying. Try to create it where it isn't, doesn't feel like it sucks. The baby is good. Or take this little guy to the dog park. Just let him run around in an enclosed area. But that's, she may need to figure out what motivates him.

What motivates me. Right. I agree. What is, you know, she does. doesn't have the time to really focus in on. What is he really asking for? Yeah. You know, is it time?

Does he need more attention? Does he need to run more? Right, right. You know, she might need to solve him, and it may take her a minute. And now she has four. I'm sure she doesn't have the time that she had with the two older kids to see them.

Yeah. And to really be like, this is who you are. And if there's a way to do a little divide and conquering for a minute, I don't know if she has a husband. She has friends or family members that can take the easier kids for a period of time. And it doesn't have to be forever. Right, right, right.

It might just, he may need to be, it's like the puppy. He may need to have an individual walk. Yeah. Or run or whatever it is. You know, she's going to have to experiment with some things, you know. But with all kids, I think you can set boundaries. You know, you just have to, you know, and it may take an extra level of energy with this one, but you've got to kind of keep at it.

You know, he still has to follow some rules and not be a jerk and be nice and listen. You know, it's just harder with that many kids to stay on the one. It's nicer when they just cooperate, right? Well, she's got one that's like, no, I need to hear it a hundred times. You know, I think now is the time to try to figure him out. And if the other two kids are relatively okay, the older ones, then I would spend some time on this three-year-old just to try to figure out what buttons need to be pushed for him. So both of you give good advice, but I've got a couple things that I want to.

Okay. And thank you. Thank you for that encouragement. A couple things I want to tell Lena. First of all, the likelihood of him becoming an axe murder is pretty small. It is. So don't let those folks scare you into thinking this guy's going to be a psychopath. But when you, I've got four kids, but I had two older and two younger.

So I didn't have this dynamic. but I suspect if we did have this dynamic, this would be how we would attack it. And that advice, our mom would say that. Whenever there was a new baby around, babies don't need a whole lot of attention, she would always say. Give the attention to the kid who's the next one up

or whatever you have because they're feeling the addition of that kid. And when you look at these ages, eight, five, three, and newborn, the three-year-old got sandwiched between a short age. Like the eight-year-old got to have his time. And then the five-year-old has a three-year-older kid to help with sort of socialization. Right.

And so probably got treated more like an only child, like got a lot of initial. So the three-year-old is feeling the brunt of all of this. And what I would say to Lena is start with. with when you when you're when you give the three year old choices make them two choices or three choices however you're going to give them where you don't care which one they pick so they feel empowered so they feel empowered and feel like you're treating them like a five-year-old or an older kid yeah we've always found that that worked when when kids are acting a little bit bit brady.

You're just looking for a little control. Little control. Like, okay. Like your wife said, all right, what do you need in this situation? Yeah. And, you know, as long as it's not candy, we can probably figure it out.

And so I just think Lena needs to be just a tad bit more strategic. And don't take the tongue-in-cheek psychopath, the axe murderer to heart because it's unlikely to happen. Well, well, thank you. You guys are so much fun. It was so much fun. This was really neat.

The normal regular Will Ferrell is kind of a nice guy. Right? Yeah. I mean, normal. Yeah. Sort of funny. More and more normal than I would have thought. He would have thought.

Yeah. Yeah. Yep. Yep. So now you know he would just stare at his face. He was just looking at the artwork. You were looking at the artwork. But now that we know each other,

I'm, when I know people, I'm going to make, huh? I'll be funnier. If I don't know you, I'm like, I can't waste the energy right now. But now I know you, oh, I'm going to be so funny.