Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out - 123. Please Don't Destroy: SNL’s Three Sad Virgins

Episode Date: February 26, 2024

Mike welcomes Ben Marshall, John Higgins, and Martin Herlihy, aka Please Don’t Destroy, known for their wildly popular shorts on SNL. Mike is determined to get Martin to talk more than he did on Pete Holmes’s podcast. The group shares what they like and dislike about each other, and break down what it’s like to be both sketch writers and filmmakers on SNL. Plus, what it’s like to work with Bad Bunny in a Shrek costume and get roasted by Taylor Swift.Please Consider Donating To: Meals on Wheels

do you, the three of you, have to pitch in the larger pitch writing meeting, or are you a separate island? We do everything with the show. We write sketches for other cast members. Oh, you do? Yeah, yeah. People will sometimes be like, oh, you guys play writers on SNL, right? I'm like, no, we are writers on SNL.

Wow. This sounds humblebraggy, but there's a lot of times when somebody goes like, you guys are the only thing on SNL that I like, which is not true, but they'll say that. And then immediately you go like, we write a lot of sketches for the show. We are also the other stuff. Yeah. Welcome back to Working Out. Those are the voices of Ben Marshall, John Higgins, and Martin Herlihy,

also known as Please Don't Destroy. You might know them from Saturday Night Live. This is such a cool episode today. Unlike any episode we've done before, for example, we purchased more microphones for the episode. It's the first time we're on four microphones. And we have bought chairs. We bought two new chairs, four chairs, four microphones.

We talk about all kinds of stuff. I am having an awesome time on my tour right now. I mentioned this last week because of personal things in my life. We moved the Florida shows to March and May, respectively. Jacksonville, Florida, is now March 15th. Orlando, Florida, is March 16th. Miami, Florida, is May 29th. And St. Petersburg, Florida, is May 31st. All St. Petersburg, Florida is May 31st.

All of those are at super, super cool theaters. I'm very excited about that. Then in March, I'm going to be in Colorado, basically everywhere. I'm going to be in Aspen, Beaver Creek, Fort Collins, and Denver. A few seats left for those. You'll probably see, if you come to those shows, you'll see Joe Birbiglia at the merch table, slinging merch, skiing the slopes.

Joe Birbiglia is on that leg. America's guest is joining for conveniently, conveniently joining for the skiing leg of the tour. Will he come to Tulsa, Oklahoma? I don't know. April 9th, Tulsa, Oklahoma. Then I'm going to Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and three shows in Austin, Texas

at the Moon Tower Comedy Festival. I posted about this on Instagram the other day. It's just a great lineup. A bunch of comedians who've been on this podcast recently, Rosebud Baker, Roy Wood Jr., Ronnie Chang, and Maddie Wiener are all at that festival. That festival, if you're a comedy fan, like I have some friends who live in Montana and they're thinking about going to Texas for that festival because it's that good. The lineup is that good. And Austin is a great town. So I would

consider that. We added a third and final show at the Chicago Theater April 27th. Then I'm going to be in Los Angeles at the Netflix Comedy Festival. We just added a show in Troy, New York at the Troy Savings Bank

I think it's called Music Hall. It's a place I played years ago with Chris Gethard and I love... If you haven't gotten this by now with this podcast, I'm a big theater nerd. I just love, love, love great theaters. Then I'll be in Rochester.

Then I'll be in Toronto at the Elgin Theater. By the way, join the mailing list. This is a good example of this. We're about to add a show in Toronto at the Elgin Theater. By the way, join the mailing list. This is a good example of this. We're about to add a show in Toronto at the Elgin Theater. It is going to be like the fourth and final show that we're adding. In the case of that, the first people who will be alerted to the best seats, which is, you know, the front of the orchestra,

will be you on the mailing list. You listening to the podcast and you on the mailing list on burbiggs.com. So do that now. We are going to be adding a show on May 18th in Toronto, a second show Saturday night. Then in June, I'm going to be in Atlanta, Charlotte, Richmond, and Washington, D.C. Once again, we're about to add, I'm just telling you in my mailing list, we're about to add a fourth show on Sunday night, the 30th, June 30th, if that works out. All of this is on birdbigs.com. So Please Don't Destroy is a sketch comedy group from NYU

that broke wide on Saturday Night Live. They write for Saturday Night Live. They make short films for Saturday Night Live. Somewhat in the vein of, if you enjoy the episode with Yorma Takone from The Lonely Island, in some ways they've picked up the mantle that was created by The Lonely Island. We talk about a few of their sketches. Like, if you're not familiar with them, just put in on YouTube, like, Bad Bunny and Please Don't Destroy. I love that sketch where Bad Bunny kind of shows up in a Shrek costume. I won't give away too much more of that.

And then we talk about what it's like to work with Taylor Swift. You know, I was in a music video for Taylor's song, Antihero, and Please Don't Destroy me made a song with Taylor called Three Sad Virgins. It's so funny. Check it out if you haven't.

You might notice I try really hard to get Martin Herlihy, who didn't speak that much when he was on the Pete Holmes podcast. I talked to him quite a bit on the episode. If you watch the YouTube version of it, you get the dynamics of that a lot more. I seated him next to me. He speaks.

These guys were on Pete Holmes' podcast and I was determined to make this a little better because I'm competitive with Pete. This is a fun episode we have today. I think that their stuff is brilliant. I consistently laugh at everything they put out. And of course, they recently made their first feature film, which is on Peacock now, called The Treasure of Foggy Mountain.

It is hilarious. It is ridiculous. Enjoy my conversation with the great Please Don't Destroy. So I was listening to you guys on Pete Holmes, and I just wanted to make sure it was better, like what we do here is better today. So what would we do right off the bat, like when you guys walked out of the Pete interview, what were you like, that was annoying for this reason?

I think we felt an immense wave of relief leaving that podcast because we were very in our heads about how personal his podcast is. Because we don't do that many interviews. I guess we have more lately, but we haven't talked that much about our real lives. And, uh. Martin, let's talk to you. Let's talk to you about your real life. My real life? Yeah.

The. Well, actually, no one has ever done this. No, let's start by saying. Okay, let's start by saying. I'm immediately starting on the defensive. We're going to start. We're going to start. All right. We're going to go immediately starting on the defensive. We're going to start with... All right, we're going to go around the room. We've never done this before because it's four voices.

People are used to two voices on the pod. So, Martin, say your name, where you grew up, and then something that identifies you as being different from these other guys. Martin, Ridgefield, Connecticut, and glasses. Okay. Ben? Shit. No, Ridgefield, Connecticut, and glasses. Okay. Ben. Shit. No, no. That was really good.

That was really good. Ben Marshall, Savannah, Georgia, and I'm tall. There he is. Going with just surface level physical attributes. You guys are blocking already. John. Deflecting out of the gate. Italian. We're getting deeper. Physical attributes. You guys are blocking already. John.

Deflect. John. Deflecting out of the gate. Italian. We're getting deeper. Italian. Yeah, Italian. Italian. Sorry.

Don't say that. Short, fatter than the other two. And Moncler, New Jersey. Yeah. Wait, so yeah, we have this odd thing in common, which is that I was in Taylor Swift's music video for Antihero, and then you guys made this awesome short for us in Elko, Three Sad Virgins. Yeah. Wait, so yeah, we have this odd thing in common, which is that I was in Taylor Swift's music video for Antihero, and then you guys made this awesome short for us in Elko, Three Sad Virgins.

Yeah. We, for a little, I don't even know if I should say, it's like now I'm self-conscious. We worked with both Taylor and Travis Kelsey, like before they got together. Oh, yes, yes, yes. We, and we can cut this out if you guys don't want to say this, but like she oh what

should i say that she kind of told us that she watched his snl episode oh yeah yeah and was like saw him in our video and was like oh this guy seems funny that's sweet yeah so like a little bit brought them together and we were like thinking about maybe saying that on on Fallon and then we're like I think that if then they ever break up we will somehow be like right like causing this disaster it's just a very precarious situation right people have such strong feelings about them you know for me what was interesting about working with her and then also like you and I both were in A Man Called Otto. Fuck yeah, dude. Oh, yeah.

Otto Brothers, dude. Yeah, we're Otto Brothers. You guys were doing A Man Called Otto. What was the vibe on set? Wait, dude, I have a question. Were you invited to the premiere? Yeah, I was. Oh.

That's interesting. Wait, you didn't get the email? Yeah, it got lost, I think. Oh. Oh my gosh, so you didn't get invited to Premiere. No, but I don't think that they remembered I was in it. So, that's okay. Well, they had a list, probably.

With your phone number and your email and your address. Yeah, you're in the call sheet. They had all the information. Can't miss. No, you're in the call sheet. They had all the information. Can't miss. Can't miss. No, but you had a part part. Yes, sort of. But you and I both worked with Tom Hanks.

You worked at the store, and I was this kind of evil real estate man. It was funny seeing you as a dick. It felt so, you did a great job, but it was so not you. It was like real acting. And that's what Mark Forster wanted from the part. He's like, wouldn't it be fun if I got someone sort of funny and nice? To play like an asshole. Yeah, you did a great job.

Thanks, and you too. You were great. But we both, yeah, working with Tom Hanks. Compliment from Mike. Wait, wait. Are you guys both like burning him on taking the compliment? He looked in the lens.

Because I get a compliment from Burbeg. It's all good. No, but when you work with someone like Taylor Swift or Tom Hanks, I don't know about you, but I have to actively not be in my head about it. Yeah. And be like, and you had to like, in your case, you're directing Taylor.

Did you have any hint of like, oh, we don't want to say the wrong thing. We don't want to direct this in the wrong way. It was, the pitch of it was scarier than her on set. Because when she came on set, she had already recorded her vocals, which she did such a good job with and she was excited about so i was in the room and we all were in the room when she was recording her vocals and she was like what about if i added something like this so you could tell that she was excited by it yeah so by that point when she came on set it sounded so fun and good and she's such a good actress and performer that it was just like two takes and it was like oh She nailed it really quickly.

Like what you see was like immediately what she did to the point where everybody was like, I think we got it. Like that kind of vibe. And it wasn't a lie. It was like, that's it. We don't need anymore. But it is funny at SNL with like other shorts we've made,

having an incredibly like famous and esteemed actor who you're just like on zero sleep and you need a certain thing out of them. So you kind of just like forget who they are. 100%. Hey man,

can you just do one where you're just not trying to be funny? Oh my God. Can you just do one straight, please? And you're talking about Bad Bunny.

Well, Bad Bunny didn't need anything. Bad Bunny was another two takes. Yeah, it was perfect. And Bad Bunny actually was asleep during. Bad Bunny was perfect. And Bad Bunny actually was asleep during part of it because it was so late at night.

He was so tired. And it so helped. For real? Yes, and it so helped. It helped his performance. Because he was just like, it would be like, hey, Benito, and he'd be like, yeah. And it'd be like, just one more take,

and you'd enter the room. Hi. And we were like, perfect. Like that level of like not commitment to it yeah the Shrek costume

was perfect what's the thing from the personas of please don't destroy that is that is an exaggeration

of the reality of who you are and your dynamic as friends and what's like kaput on that's a good question yeah I would say that like of who you are and your dynamic as friends? And what's like kaput on? That's a good question.

Yeah. I would say that like sometimes I'm like sassy in the videos or like in the movie and I think I'm kind of sassy in real life. So I guess that. So it's like a double sass? Yeah, double sass. You're up to sass. Yeah. In the vids, in the movie.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like you're the outspoken one. Yeah. Yeah, I would say that. And then kaput, I don't know. Nothing. I fucking put my life on the line. Isn't that what you said? Something that's kaput? No. What did you say before?

You just pulled kaput out of it. I thought you said something that you exaggerate, then something that you don't. That's like a put-on? Oh, I said kaput. Martin had to call you out on that. Yeah, yeah. That was kaput. You really misheard that.

No, and I don't let that shit slide. No, thanks for getting in there. Yeah, no problem. Because I know you would have done it if I didn't do it. Something bad is happening where you guys are teaming up. Yeah. I like it. We're going to get a separate dinner after this.

Oh, wow. Oh, my gosh. You know what's funny about you guys is like, I remember like messaging with John like a while back, and my first impression of you guys was just like, you don't mess. With your shorts on SNL. I'm like, you don't mess. And I'm like, it's baffling to me because you guys are

age 25 to 29-ish, right? And he's like, when I was 25 to 29, I missed a lot. Nope. Nope. Nope.

I think that's us. When do you miss? When do you miss? Do you miss in high school, college? Definitely missed in high school and college. No doubt.

But I think we still miss. Yeah. And we just, a lot of that shit gets cut out or doesn't like air. Yeah. Oh, interesting. It gets shot down at some point. That's kind of a lucky thing. Like people talk about like, is there anything that you guys so badly wanted to get on the show that just wasn't quite working and you just couldn't get on?

And it's like, not really, because if it's not working, it's kind of embarrassing. You don't want something to go through, really. I don't think we've ever had something that didn't do well that we've been like, fuck them. We're right. We're nearly always like, and you've said this before, Mark, but we're nearly always like, yeah, no, you're right.

That sucked. Especially when you're coming up with it. Martin always points that out. How stupid we are. Yeah. Martin's a genius. Pretty observant. Martin and I have decided that we're going to break off from the four-person sketch comedy group that we have here.

God damn it. And do a duo. You guys really do. God damn it. And do a duo. You guys really do. I feel it. What if you guys did like confessional storytelling? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Together. Yeah. Nothing could make me more uncomfortable.

Yeah, yeah. But you, well, it's funny. Fallon, Jimmy Fallon, who's my friend, was the person who told me about you guys. And when you guys were were hired on the show. Yeah. And he was literally like your dad. Yeah.

Higgins' son has a sketch group. He was. They're fucking hilarious. And I swear to God, in my mind I go, yeah, they're probably not good. Yeah, of course. I swear to God. Totally, yeah. I swear to God.

This is my total exact experience of this. And then I watch it on the show. I'm like, immediate convert. Immediate convert. I went total 180. Wow. Do you feel like coming in, you were in your head about that? Because your dad is a bit of a comedy legend.

Yeah. Not in your head. And your dad is like a chiropractor? Yeah, yeah. That's what we're telling people. I don't think that it was so in my head or in all of our heads that it almost wasn't because we're just like,

oh, there's no way that you're gonna... If I heard that about somebody else, I would be like, fuck that shit. Yeah, of course. Yeah, that's just what you do. But then, so it's just like you kind of accept it and understand how lucky you actually are. And it's kind of just easier to process and then to just keep working, I think. So it was like, you think about it all the time so much that you don't almost.

Yeah. If that makes any sense. Not really, no. Martin? yeah I mean we work a lot I think and then

so it just like is something that by the way is like our favorite thing like finding out that someone didn't like us upon hearing about us and then watch the shit

and liked it you want to flip people that's the best that's better than like people not caring than people hating us and then liking us yes

it was like literally as a stand-up comedian it's my favorite thing you walk into a room That's the fucking best. That's better than like people not caring. Yes. People hating us and then liking us. Yes. It's like literally as a stand-up comedian, it's my favorite thing. You walk into a room, person dead-faced, and by the end they're just like losing it. There's nothing that feels better. Yeah. So when you guys,

is your goal to put one on every week? Yeah. We write one every week. You write one every week? Yeah. Do you, the three of you, have to pitch in the larger pitch writing meeting

or are you a separate island? We do everything with the show. Yeah. We write sketches for other cast members. Oh, you do? Yeah, yeah.

Yeah. A lot. Oh, interesting. Yeah. People will sometimes be like, oh, you guys play writers on SNL, right? Yeah.

I'm like, no, we are writers on SNL. Wow. This sounds humble braggy, but there's a lot of times when somebody goes like, you guys are the only thing on SNL that I like, which is like not true, but they'll say that. And then immediately you go like, we write

a lot of sketches. We are also the other stuff. It's really funny. It's supposed to be a compliment, and it's like, well, we're there. Yeah, well, it's funny. Seth Meyers always says this thing because he wrote for the show for so many years and hosts a weekend update and everything. But it's all SNL, and I think this is true.

It always has some great sketches, some bad sketches, and some okay sketches. Totally. Almost every episode in the history, the Farley years, the Chevy Chase years, like,

it never was 100% by the nature of what the show is. Sometimes I'm like, I'm going to go back and binge watch SNL and just like,

go through like, seasons of full episodes. Full episodes of SNL are exhausting. Yeah, of course. Like back to back, it's like, oh my God, this is like tiring. How are these people watching a full episode live and then tweeting like, hasn't been good since 75. You just watched that whole thing

and then came to the same conclusion you walked in with? I would never. By the way, great point, Martin. Thank you. This is ridiculous. I really appreciate that. No, I mean, I just feel like the two of you blabbering on and on. Meanwhile, Martin barely says anything.

And I cut in with a perfect observation. That no one's made before, by the way. No one has ever criticized the people who say that SNL hasn't made good since the 70s. No one said that, no. No, yeah. No one who works at SNL. No, no, no. So you guys came up with this crazy class of Iowa Debris and Rachel Sennett

and all these people who were at NYU were great. Yeah. When you were there, and, like, more, right? Yeah. Yeah. Chloe Trost. Chloe Trost was on the show. It was great.

But, like, when you were there, did you know? Were you like, nah, it's good. We're, like, this is better than other college theater programs. A little bit. You kind of did. There was that energy of like, I remember us going to, because John and I were on a sketch group called Hammercats at NYU, which was like.

I know. I remember when Donald Glover was in it. Yeah, he started it. Wow. Yeah, when I was coming up at UCB with my group Little Man, Donald Glover used to improvise at UCB with Hammercats. That's so crazy.

It was great. He was like 20. We're all like, Donald Glover's really good. This is crazy. Now he's like an international phenomenon. You were in Hammercats. We were in that, but we would do college comedy festivals at

Skidmore and Brown and stuff. Yeah. And the vibe from everyone else was that they hated the NYU groups for being pretentious. Like, we're in the city. We're doing comedy for real. I think there was a snobbiness to that. Like, we're doing it.

We're in the city. I don't know. I feel like, because I came up, like, I cast Nick Kroll at Georgetown Improv. Yeah. And Nick Kroll ended up casting John Mulaney and Jacqueline Novak. And there's a handful of other people.

Yeah. Who are from that universe. And I feel like, like, I have one friend, Chris, and don't think twice, my movie, like, there's a character who, like, have one friend, Chris, and don't think twice, my movie, like there's a character who like leaves show business, leaves comedy. And that was my friend, Chris. Yeah.

Who I'm still friends with. I talked to him the other night. And like, we were like, he's the best. Yep. And then he just left. I literally said to him after a show at UCB one night where I'm at Manist Bar, like on 19th Street. And I was just like, I go, Chris, you don't understand.

We're going to make it. Like he was going to move back to Naperville, Illinois with his girlfriend and their kid. And like, you don't understand, we're going to make it. He was like, I don't care. He literally said, I don't, he goes, you might be right. He goes, but I look around and it was like a room full of like, literally like SNL cast members and people like that. And I look around and it was like a room full of like literally like

SNL cast members and people like that. And I look around at the people who've made it and like, no, I don't want their life.

God. You have anyone like that at NYU where you're like, I can't, you don't have to name names, but where you're like, I can't believe

they left it. Wow. Yes. Definitely. You do? Yeah. I think so. I mean,

I don't want to say specifically. No, I get it. I get it. I'm 45 Yeah, I think so. I mean, I don't want to say specific people. No, I get it. I'm 45, so I can bring it up now. I'm thinking of, like, specific people who are so funny that just, like... Yeah. But they don't need it, and then you envy that so much more. They're like, oh, yeah, I have... I know I'm super funny, and I don't need people to...

The affirmation. Yeah, the constant, like, reassurance. I have, I know I'm super funny and I don't need people. The affirmation. Yeah. The constant like reassurance and. You ever try and talk anyone into staying in comedy? No, because I know that it's not like, I'm like good for you. I know, I'm like jealous. Right. Yeah.

Anybody who is like, you earnestly feel that they're like, no, I, it's just, I love being funny and doing shows, but I don't want to go through that hell of trying to find a career. It's like, that's amazing. Like, yeah, it's so cool to just bow out. Yeah.

Top in a way. Yeah. Yeah. It's great. That's why we're leaving the industry next year. Yeah. Yeah. Because we reached the top.

Yeah. When did we reached the top. Yeah. We reached the top. I was at the taping of one of your specials. Were you really? Yeah, I was at... Think of the ones. At BAM? I think it was Think of the ones. BAM Harvey.

At BAM, and it was with the lady cop guy. Yeah, I remember seeing you in the footage. No, you don't. As you're saying it right now, I remember seeing you in the footage. No, you don't. Are you doing a special? Do you cut to the audience? I think you are.

Wow. I didn't realize until he's saying it, but when you edit, as you know, you guys edited a movie. That's crazy. You spent so much time with the footage. I mean, you were literally spending like 65 hours with the footage. So I was like, yeah, I remember you. Wow.

I think what I want Ben to do is just reference this in more of his interviews. Yeah. So when I was first coming up, and I was a featured extra in Mike Radiglia's Thank God for Jokes special. Were you in college? I think I was in college, yeah. Yeah, because it was 2016. Yeah.

Yeah. I was just a fan. That's so nice. I am not anymore, but it's so cool. Why would you? Maybe we're going to cut that. Thanks for being here, guys. Yeah, of course.

Of course, man. You have a Taylor Swift? Something about Taylor was like, we were all like, she's the best at everything. You talked about this on Pete Holmes, but we're going to break it apart in a sort of a more elegant way on this podcast. Yeah. You did stand-up before. Yes, we're going to break it apart in a sort of a more elegant way on this podcast. Yeah.

You did stand-up before. Yes, we did. They did. Yeah. And what was that like? I only did it for probably like two years. But yeah, it was great. Do you think you'd do it again?

No, I don't think so. I think it'd be, I would like to. Like as a thing, it seems like an exciting way to write and perform. But I would be so embarrassed at how bad I would be. Starting again. Martin,

I'd like to mentor you. Whoa. I hope this isn't weird. I'd like to mentor you. I'd like to take you out on the road in the off season, not during SNL. That sounds good to me.

I mean, we have plans, but we can push them. Yeah, I don't know if you were going to do another movie next summer, but... I was touring with Sebastian Maniscalco. What is the actual... When you guys burn each other as friends, what's your burn of one another? What's your real burn? Well, John's Johnny Showbiz. I'm Johnny Showbiz.

So I'll just call it like I sees it. Do you think that's who you are? No, that's my character. What's your burn? Like in real life, do you guys make fun of John for being Johnny Showbiz? You know what? They make fun of John for being Johnny Chavez? You know what? They make fun of me for I say words wrong a lot. Like the kaput was an example of that.

Wait, what did you say earlier today? Wheels for meals. Oh, yeah. Wheels for meals. Wheels for meals. I'll do that constantly. Versus meals on wheels. Yeah, which is our charity. Wheels for meals. Wheels for meals. I'll do that constantly. Versus wheels on wheels. Yeah, which is our charity.

Wheels for meals. Well, that's an exchange program where they exchange cars for food. Yeah. No, it's oil. Yeah, it's oil. Oil for food. Wheels for wheels. It is oil.

Yeah. At the end of the day, it is oil, yeah. So wait, then what's the burn on you? What's Ben's burn? It's not as, I don't think that it's. What's the burn on you? What's Ben's burn? It's not as, I don't think that it's... What's the real life one? I would say I make fun of John for going to Paris all the time. And I realize that ultimately that's making fun of me

for not living my life that way. Do you really go to Paris a lot? As much as I can. John will like on the Sunday we get off of SNL for a hiatus, he's like, I got to go. I'm leaving the country. I just zip out of here. You really do go to Paris.

Do you speak French? Nope. This is absurd. It's really not. It's just like it there. You want to live big, live well? Yeah, I get it. You can do it.

Say no more. Oh, and then what's Ben's? What's Ben's? It's not, I don't know. You guys are holding it out because you guys make fun of each other yeah definitely we definitely do

but it's not like a go to it's not like a thing you know what I mean it's not like you know what I was thinking of that I this isn't even what you were asking but I was listening to the John Hurley episode

and it was what is something that you like about yourself something that people find annoying about you or whatever. And I thought of the most annoying thing that I do, which is when you guys or any group of friends is like shit talking somebody, I have this

horrible urge to go like, yeah, but he's a pretty nice guy. And then everybody's like, why do that? Do you guys notice that? Not really. i feel like i've ever stood up for anybody i was like the worst quality about myself is standing up for people that is no i meant like i know you know when you're like when you like ruin a like ragging on someone in a fun way and then it's like

I have like this superstition about like talking bad about somebody behind their back will like fuck you up. I don't know. Cut this whole part out. Fucking idiot. No, I think it was circle take. Can we just delete that?

Jeez, I love it. Wait, so who takes the lead on the pitch? We each pitch. Oh, you do? it. Wait, so who takes the lead on the pitch? We each pitch. We each have to do it. Oh, you do? Yeah, yeah. You're talking about that, like the Monday meeting with the host? Yeah.

Yeah, everybody has to do it. But when they come... What about when it's the video? Oh, they come to our room separately. Usually on the Monday pitch meetings, we're not pitching real ideas. It's more just like something to make the room laugh. They're like a real sketch you're working on that week. And we're not that good at it. Oh, really? Yeah, we bomb a pitching real ideas. It's more just like something to make the room laugh than a real sketch you're working on that week. And we're not that good at it.

Oh, really? Yeah, we bomb a lot. No. We're pretty good at it. I think we're decent at it, but every Monday it's like, dude, we have fucking pitch again. And it's just like the worst feeling.

Because you have to think of like five real ideas and then you're like, oh, I forgot I have to think of a fake idea yes exactly yeah so like with the the bad bunny dressing up as shrek for example yeah which i love like what is that separate with bad bunny kind of thing the one we just wrote yeah like one in the morning or whatever And then we read it at the big table read with everybody. But we didn't pitch it to Bad Bunny or anybody verbally before writing it. What was the cardinal on that?

It's Martin. Oh, it is? It's your buddy Martin. It's your buddy Martin? Well, I want to say like, I want to compliment Martin basically on everything you do. But like specifically when it comes to the Bad Bunny being track sketch,

it didn't get me at first. I was like, come on. And then I'm crying. I'm crying by the end. That's so funny. What switched you? Okay, here's what didn't get me at the jump. He's in the costume at jump.

Yeah. Right? So you're like, all right, can what didn't get me at the jump. Okay. He's in the costume at jump. Yeah. Right? So you're like, alright, can you follow the costume? Yeah. Kind of thing. Yes. And then I think it's when you're dressed up as Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson! Wait, so

Martin, let's focus on you. Of course. No, like, where did it come from? I think that the kernel part that you didn't like at the beginning, that I think was what I brought. That was your idea. And then how does it develop from the kernel to what we see? Because basically, for the listeners,

people can watch this really quickly on YouTube, but it's like Bad Bunny basically comes to your office and is in a Shrek costume, fully garbed. Like a guy at Disney World kind of thing. And you're like, so you want to do something like a sketch or something? And he's kind of like, no. Like he just plays a straight man and says no. He's being really coy. He won't admit how much he loves Sh though he's in the full costume okay let's start from square one you love

the shrek movies not really yes yes i think honestly like what kind of got us into that like attitude for him was like he is not a native english speaker yeah there were like there was a lot of like rumblings of like oh my god like this might be like a challenging week like yeah yes yeah like having trouble a little bit communicating with some people people were pitching him ideas and it didn't seem like he was totally getting them or whatever but he still had this like very mellow like energy of like yeah I'm down for whatever. He was an amazing guy. Yeah. But then we were like, God,

there is just like a layer of disconnect in the communication that we could try to utilize. Yeah. And you use that because basically he's like, you can't connect with him. Yeah. You're like, you want to do something with him. He's very, yeah.

Exactly. He's also very like cool and aloof. And it was hard Shrek and he's like, a little bit. Exactly. He's also very cool and aloof. And it was hard to parse what was like, he didn't understand me or he's not reacting because he's like... Such a cool guy. Yeah, yeah. Well, I think one of my favorite things about your shorts

is the way you guys act is so real to how it would be if a guy showed up as dressed up as Shrek. Like it's like, and like there's something, the performances, I don't want to dwell on performances because it's just like one of those things. It's like you either lock into someone's performance or you don't. But like I really lock in because I'm like, this feels so grounded. Do you ever direct each other? Like, hey, Ben, let's do that one again.

Just take it back. You know, like, take it down a notch. Big time. All the time. Yeah. And we can be very direct with each other. Yeah. I do one way smaller.

Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And, like, if anyone else said that, I'd be like, hey, come on. Totally. But with you guys, it's just like, oh, yeah. Yeah. Like, you can, in terms of be like, hey, come on. Totally. But with you guys, it's just like, oh, yeah. In terms of burning each other, you can say to somebody

like, hey, do it where it doesn't sound like shit this time. And you laugh and you get it of like, yeah, that one sucked. We're all on the team of trying to make this thing great, so it's not going to hurt my feelings if that thing wasn't good. What's funny is I was thinking today,

I said to my wife, Jenny, I go like, what would you ask the Please Don't Destroy Boys, which is what Sarah Sherman calls you, which is on the podcast. She calls you boys. Yep. Defended by him. No.

You're like boys. Yeah. You don't mind it. It's what we are. Boys. The Please Don't Destroy Men feels a little aggressive. It's like a gang. Right. Right.

Right. Please don't destroy men. Yeah, John Slogan. So please don't destroy boys. Come on. So please don't destroy boys, I said to Jenny. I go, like, what would be your thing that you would ask? What would be your burning question?

And I thought it was really cool. She goes, goes like it's like that you guys were all together today the four of us are just here in this room and it's like in a certain way it's a moment in time right so it's like so it's like you look at like lonely island like i'm friendly with all those guys it's pretty hard to get them all in the same room together they're all they all have families now wives and children like they live on different coasts and it's like do you guys ever have this moment of like oh this is it this is the moment in time jake nordwind who's a writer at snl will constantly say that these are our salad days

yeah and he's like doing it as a bit at this point. When everyone's miserable and stressed, he's like, these are our salad days. But it is true. I do feel like this is... It's the coolest job that I could have ever dreamed of having and doing it with my best friends is really cool. Yeah.

Especially SNL where it's like you only have so many hours. Yeah. And it's so, you can forget how fun it is with how stressful it is. Yeah. But every Saturday

after the show's over, there's this writer, Gary Richardson, who like, I love Gary. He's the best. He was in Don't Think Twice. Yeah, yeah. The funniest dude. He's like the best he was in don't think yeah yeah the funniest dude he's like the best dude a little bit yeah we were getting ready for that movie we would improvise with him he's so funny and and has a really good like kind of like regarding this he

has like a this idea of like salad days or whatever he has a good vibe of just kind of like hanging out and having fun and you can see how he relishes in it and he does this thing we do this thing called writers good nights where it's after the show it started as a bit

of like when the cast is all hugging each other on stage we were in the writers room going like should we just go down there like the writers

and then but it turned into a thing where Gary gives this like pump up speech about like what we did that week and then what we're gonna to do for the next week. And it's all very ironic and stupid, but it feels like this is the most fun you could ever have.

Like, yeah. Beautiful. Yeah, it's great. Okay, slow round. This is called the slow round. Okay. Martin, what are people's favorite and least favorite things about you? Oh, man. Oh, I know. and least favorite things about you? Oh, man. Oh, I know.

Maybe least favorite. Maybe there are things that people just like more about me. But I think I can kind of, if you can believe it, sometimes I can ramble. Sometimes I'm very like, this is not true at all. I'm shocked by this answer. Really? Are you doing a bit no do i not because i've been really worried about this ben you need to respect martin i do no no if it's not a problem i'm that's so funny no i just thought you're doing a bit about how like you're the quiet one no people people don't like about you

that you ramble i feel like when i'm explaining i am so worried about a point getting misconstrued that i like am really will like really double back and like go over every detail of which is why all your answers today have been whittled to perfection and i thank you oh my you guys The two of you. I hate this dynamic. By the way, this is the first time we've had four microphones, four chairs. We had to decide. Originally, it was going to be three of you on one side and just me on the other. Like a principle. Yeah, it doesn't make any sense. It is weird.

That is a bit of a dance-off. That we always do when we're on late night shows or like even like photos getting taken for a movie. It'll be like, great. So we were thinking, John, if you just come up front here and Ben and Martin, you guys just back up a little more. So fun. A lady did that on our movie. And we were like, yep, just back up a little more. Okay.

Yep. And then John just get closer. So and what's people's favorite thing about you, Martin? Yeah, I don't know. Oh, fuck. Keep it all in. Keep it all in. Keep the air.

Keep the air. Keep the air in. I think maybe I really enjoy writing. And I think I... really enjoy writing, and I think I – Oh, fuck. I really enjoy writing is what people like most about you. I don't know. I don't –

Martin, Martin, you've got a big problem here. Dude, dude. Say something. Hair, hair, hair. There you go. That's it. Oh, boy. I you go. That's it. Oh, boy. I really enjoy writing is your answer.

I really enjoy writing is your answer. You're so, Martin, I'm sorry. I just feel like we're so close at this point that I feel like I can tell you. Yeah. That, like, you're just blocking out the compliments of your life. Oh, God. Why don't you guys save him then? What's your favorite?

Mine is that he enjoys writing. Oh, what I meant by that is... Mine is that he enjoys writing. I think sometimes I'm a fun vibe in the room. Hey, there you go. I like that. That's a real answer, Martin. I want more of that out of you.

People who don't, who just know you from your work wouldn't know that you were life of the party a little bit. Oh. Can be. In certain situations. In a writing scenario. No, come on.

Can we cut all of this out? No way. This is literally the best part of the whole interview. It's the only part that's been good. All right, you go. That's good, though. I think he did admit that he's a good vibe. Yeah, for sure. And then you guys affirmed that he's a life of the party kind of guy.

No doubt. Unexpectedly, in contrast to his on-screen persona. It is an intense question in a good way. What's yours? What are people's least and most favorite things about you? I tried answering this earlier before you even asked it, and it didn't go well. Remember?

The shit-talking thing? Yeah. Okay, favorite. Wait, ask me the question what are what are people's favorite and least favorite things about you i think i can be uh uh it is hard isn't it's really hard I think I can be like a

calming presence yeah that's nice when we blow stuff up you'll be like let's just I think I'm level headed sometimes um this is I'm doing I enjoy writing

I'm doing that aren't I I enjoy writing I think I'm doing I enjoy writing. I'm doing that, aren't I? I enjoy writing. I think I'm funny and nice and, you know. All right, funny and nice. What am I supposed to say? What is yours? Oh, I don't know. I think that what people like about me often

is that I'm open emotionally. And I think in my comedy, I try to do that. I try to be open emotionally. That's a good answer. I think that... People like that about you? Yeah, but I think it's a double-edged sword. You just do a double-edged sword to the lens?

No, no, no. No, I totally think that that's... But then it's a double-edged sword to the lens? No, no, no. No, I totally think that that's... But then it's a double-edged sword because I think that I... I also sometimes cannot shut it off. Where it's like I'm reading in to the emotion of a situation to a degree where I'm like,

this is too much. I'm kind of unbearable. Can I ask you a question? Yeah. I'm not trying to deflect. Deflect from you being the third person of this question. And then I'm going to go again. Yeah.

If you go again. Do you, when you do a podcast, is a good podcast to you one that is more emotionally resonant or one that's really funny? Well, it's interesting. one that is more emotionally resonant or one that's really funny? Well, it's interesting. The, you know, recently like, you know,

John Early was on and the emotional parts of that I found to be most interesting. He was talking about like missing a sexual prime and we kind of, it's a joke and it's special, which is hilarious, but then we're kind of unpacking that a little bit. And I think that's, in some ways, that's the part I love. Yeah. I love funny people, in some ways, that's the part I love. Yeah. I love funny people opening up. Yeah.

Yeah. That's kind of what I'm into. Yeah. Look at all of our body language right now. Is this like guys who have been opening up? I'm opened up. Is mine open or closed? I'm not opening. You're both.

You're both. I think it's both. Can we all say it about each other? It feels like that's better. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So what's yours about John? My favorite thing about John is that he is the life of the party. Oh, that's nice.

That's nice. I think people love being around him. That's sweet. And count me as one of those people. Whoa. That's nice. That's super nice. John is the ultimate friend.

Everybody feels like John is their friend. He's very good at connecting with people, making them feel special. That's super sweet. Can I say what I was going to say? My least favorite thing about me? Sometimes I bring people in too close and I can seem obnoxious or mean, and that's my least favorite part about me.

Through trying to connect to somebody. In other words, you're doing a bit with someone and it kind of goes too far. Yeah, like especially in college, like making these guys laugh would be like my goal. So then it would be like I would just be like crazy at a party or something like that. Like let's steal these beers. Blah, blah, blah. Yeah, I was thinking about that recently.

I was like, oh, I remember in college being in class sometimes. And then I remember being in a shopping cart on M Street at three in the morning. The things you remember are just like not what you choose. Do you guys remember, like it's so funny, like I always ask this question on the show, like what's an inauthentic version of yourself from your life?

And like a lot of times, like when I do myself, it's like when I'm your age. You know what I mean? It's weird talking to you guys because it's like, do you guys have that from when you're younger? Or do you sometimes now go like, oh my God, I'm actually living a thing that I'm going to be embarrassed of later.

Oh, I think about that all the time. I am embarrassed of every previous version of myself. Me too. And it's like on such a short timeline too. In like two months, I'll, if I listen to this tomorrow,

I would be like, I hate this guy. I think that's just like the nature of growth though. It's like you're changing and growing as a person and then you look back and you're like cringing

at who you thought you were. Yeah. Yeah. I think that the goal is that those like, it gets smaller and smaller where it's like, I look back on a version of myself in college that I'm like, I don't even know who that person is. Like I would wear a tweed blazer because I was trying to like be old. Like there's so much of that stuff. Hopefully now it's like,

oh, I didn't need to think that way about my relationship with my mom. Stuff that is more just emotional and easier to, instead of your truly different personality and that matches what you're wearing, entirely different versions of yourself or something. You know what I mean?

Can you remember a time in your life where you were so afraid you ran away? I almost got mugged and ran away. From where to where? It was in, I think it was in like Lower East Side, maybe Chinatown. I was like walking around on the phone really late at night. And like these two guys on bikes seemed like they were going to mug me so i ran and then i like stopped that's funny i haven't thought about this i like stopped a couple and i was like these guys are on bikes

and they thought i was on drugs because they were like we don't know what you're saying we're not on the same side we don't see anyone. You seem like the dangerous person to us right now. Well, they're just on bikes. Yeah. They were just two guys on bikes. Even according to your story, they are not malicious in any way, shape, or form.

Two guys on bikes. But they were like, they were like, they said stuff. They were talking back to you. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Is that it? Hi.

How's it going? I was like, oh. No! Evening. Martin, have you ever run away from something? You know, I briskly, that reminded me of a time that I briskly walked away. When I was talking, it was night, I was in Central Park.

I was talking to a stranger, for about 20 minutes and then I looked down and he was jerking off. My God. Didn't even get a run out of Martin. Didn't even get a run out of Martin. I said, oh. He started following me and then I went into a lobby of a building that I

didn't live at so I could wait out. Slowly we realized Martin is the man. Yeah. Was there a group that wouldn't let you in when you were a kid? Hammercats, the sketch group they were talking about. Wait, did they not let you in? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

So your college sketch group that you guys were in, Martin wasn't in. Yeah. But then we, later that year, my freshman year, started working together. Just off, separately from the group? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Wow. Is it because you were just friends? That he didn't get on?

No, that you started working together. Oh, oh. You just were like buddies from school? Yeah, we started together. We were doing stand-up. Yeah. And then he knew John through Hammercats. But I didn't really know you when you auditioned.

No. No, that's what I was going to say. I didn't know Martin when he auditioned. Yeah. So he's just some random guy with a bad audition. You don't think twice about it. Just kidding. No, it was terrible.

I was so scared and so like low energy. Kind of the way that I am now but it's weird that what the end result is that you're the best one in the group yeah isn't life funny that is funny damn it's all so whimsical what was the group that you guys did bend that you didn't get let into? I don't know. I guess I remember asking my friend when I was in grade school if he could help me become popular.

And I remember that feeling like you're a part of something I'm not a part of. Not a real group, but just... Yeah. I'm a little bit taking a liberty with the question. No, I like that, though. That's a good initiative you took. Did you go like, dude, can I talk to you about something?

For real. Fully. I was probably in like third grade. Oh, wow. Right. I thought it was high school. Oh, no. So you're in third grade and you identify that there's a social group

that you're not included in, but you'd like to be a part of it. And it seems like kind of a grown-up thing to do. Just be like, hey, I'd like to be a part of this. It is such a perfect, innocent third grader thing to do. I'm just like, I notice you guys are all... How can I enter that? There's something to that, though. Yeah.

I remember him one time threatening to tell everybody that I had asked him that. Oh, fuck. That sucks. Yeah. That's... Go ahead. What's his name and where does he live

address no but there's there's something to that because I will say like like one of the best pieces of advice and we always ask this in slowdown

is like what's the best piece of advice you've ever been given that you used and like for me it's like tell people what your dreams are tell people you care about that you're what your dreams are because otherwise there's two things that could happen one is they support it the other one is

they don't support it yeah and either of those is actually fine. Yeah. Because they don't support it. It's a little bit embarrassing, but who cares? Yeah. The show business is embarrassing anyway. Yeah. Like, the good case scenario is you tell them your dream. They go, oh, you know, actually, my buddy's doing a sketch thing, and maybe they'd want to have you do something.

Like Martin. Yeah. And you're working with Martin. But, like, actually, there is something to your third grade self that had, I think, the right idea. Hey, I'd love to be considered part of the group. What about you? What about you, John?

I wasn't made fun of at all until freshman year. This is kind of like Ben's answer where it wasn't a group, just like a cool group of people. I was finally made fun of and bullied my freshman year of high school because of videos and stuff, which Ben has a similar story too of making YouTube videos and people shitting on them. But then I sang a Katy Perry song at a school talent show

and I won them all over. Because it was like everybody knew that I was being bullied. I had to go to the dean about it and stuff, so I was like the best thing I could do is own it and pretend like I'm hurt and then I sing a song. That's also a good instinct. Yeah. Johnny Showbiz was born.

You three are real winners. Your answers are even like, they represent a good instinct even when you're younger. You're the loser in the story, but actually you're victorious. No, you became the king. You won everybody over.

It was literally awesome. It was probably hilarious. It was the bit of, if it was in a movie, it would be earnestly like, I'm just going to sing anyway. And I had that emotion as I was singing. Do you ever feel like a plastic bag?

And people were like, oh, he's making fun of the fact that we've made fun of him. Wow. Yeah. Humble brag, he's got a good voice too. Thank you What? It does?

Well not No way I know Maybe we'll try to end on Best piece of advice you've ever used That you've been given That you used Either in life or comedy or anything

I'm curious to hear martin's answer or i the first thing that comes to mind is uh when we were starting carmen christopher was really really good to us uh he's a comedian who's like hilarious really funny in l.a and um he there was a time where we were talking after a show, and I told him that I didn't like performing. And he was like, you should just keep doing it. And trust me, just keep performing. And don't just write or whatever. And I was like, you know, it meant the world to me,

because he is the funniest dude still at that time. And I'm like 18 or whatever. That was sick. I love that time, and I'm like 18 or whatever, like that was sick. I love that. Wow. I mean, it's very similar to like when young comics ask me like advice, I just go, the best thing you can do is keep doing it. Yeah.

Like when I witnessed the trajectory of like being in stand-up comedy for 25 years, it's like the people who endure are the people who keep going. And like literally their careers go like this and they just hang on. And a lot of times they get really good and even people, you guys will probably experience this down the road, it's like people you underestimate

and you're like, this person's kind of a hack and then they find it. Yeah, dude, for sure. That exact thing happened with John. It's been so cool to see him just like get through that I know

and you still see it obviously you see the the remnant but it's just you've really hung on yeah man dude

you really hung on just keep going what about you Ben? two things and I don't know I guess that it was kind of from a bunch of people but just start your own show.

So you can book people, you can meet other comedians, you have a consistent place to perform. Yes. That's like the biggest thing. Start your own show. And by the way, people listening anywhere. Seattle, Cincinnati. Find a bar.

Yes. It's like, yeah Dallas find a bar be like hey can I split the door with you if we do a Monday night stand up I really do feel like we didn't do we made videos kind of more like short films

before the TikTok or Twitter stuff and we mostly did live shows every week we did a weekly show and we did that for so long. And I really think doing comedy live, even if it's sketch or improv or whatever, really you can see the difference between just Internet people and people that have done comedy live. I think it's important to keep...

Just get on stage. Yeah. Yeah. Just get on stage. Yeah. Yeah. The last thing we do is working it out for a cause. And if there's a nonprofit you guys like to contribute to,

I'll contribute to them and we'll link to them in the show notes. Wheels for Meals. That's not one. Wheels for Meals. No, it's not. John, is that yours? Yeah, that's for oil and one. Wheels for meals. No, it's not. John, is that yours? Yeah, it's for oil and stuff. Wheels, okay, so we're going to contribute to wheels.

For meals. Wheels for wheels. Is that how it came up? Is that you were like, what's our working it out for a cause going to be? Yes, that is 100% how it came up. Okay, okay. This is completely ridiculous. This is the most full circle that Working It Out For A Cause has ever been.

You made fun of John for like five minutes about this earlier. You didn't mention what the context was going to wrap it up in the end. You're motherfucking

please don't destroy. You do not fuck around. No, bro. Geniuses, all of you. Every last one of you. Thanks for coming on, you guys. We love you. I love you too. Huge, genuine, huge

fans for a long time. This is really cool. Working it out because it's not done. Working it out because there's no That's going to do it for another episode of Working It Out. I love those guys.

So much fun. Such a great time. Again, you can watch the whole thing on YouTube. I think you'll get even more out of it. You can check out their short films every week on SNL. You can follow them on Instagram at PleaseDon'tDestroy. If you want to see these guys on tour and you are in London, you are in luck. In March, they are going to be performing

at the Leicester Square Theatre March 16 through 21. I love that theatre. Our producers of Working Out are myself, along with Peter Salamone, Joseph Birbiglia, and Mabel Lewis. Associate producer, Gary Simons. Sound mix by Ben Cruz.

Supervising engineer engineer Kate Belinsky. Special thanks to Jack Antonoff and Bleachers for their music. They got a new album coming out soon. It is so good. Special thanks, as always, to my wife, the poet, J-Hope Stein. Special thanks, of course, to my daughter, Una,

who built the original Radio 4, made of pillows. Thanks most of all to you who are listening. If you enjoy the show, please rate and review it on Apple Podcast podcast. It really helps us out. We, you know, we had a recent episode with Roy Wood Jr. that broke really wide, which was fun. Like it was in the news. It was on, it was in variety and all this stuff. Cause he was talking about all this daily show stuff on the show, which I didn't know was news. But then apparently you find out when you have something on the podcast that is news, that it's news. You go, oh, okay. I guess

that's that people hadn't talked about that previously. So that was kind of a cool thing. And people, I think a lot of people found the show because that was a really popular episode. And one of my favorite episodes we've ever done. It's very personal and very Roy. I just want to take a moment now that we're deep in the 120s of episodes, this little pandemic project that we have made. We've worked really hard on it. We're proud of it. But we thank you, the listeners, for coming on this journey. And if you've liked the show, tell your friends, tell your enemies. Let's say you're in a comedy sketch group with your friends and you're pitching ideas and you get an argument over what's funny and then

that person becomes an enemy. So here's what you do. You say, hey, let's not fight about what's funny. Let's take a moment and we could share a pair of earbuds and listen to a Working It Out episode with Please Don't Destroy. And then maybe you'll stop arguing and you'll start collaborating.

Thanks, everybody. We'll see you next time. We'll be right here working it out.