Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out - 187. Jenny Slate: Unafraid of Sadness

Episode Date: October 13, 2025

The great Jenny Slate joins Mike this week for a wide-ranging conversation about getting hypnotized after being fired from SNL, a graduation speech Jenny gave to a class of one person, and making art to feel less lonely. Plus, jokes and stories about seeing your friends naked, improv classes for the elderly, and the time Jenny’s faked case of appendicitis went too far.Please consider donating to NPR Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

With Marcel O'Shea, I was re-watching it this morning, and what stuck out to me is, like, it's so funny, and then it's, like, unafraid of being sad. I'm glad you think that, because I guess that's, like, I don't want to do that kind of, like, grad school short story about something really upsetting so that the story can be serious and good. But, like, there is something about being sad,

essentially, like, not being acceptable, just, like, sort of baseline sorrow. I agree. That makes me feel scared. And I went through a lot of years of like, why am I always as a friendly person who likes to have fun? Mm-hmm. And likes romance and chilling out. Why am I so sad?

Yeah. Like so sad. Yeah. And it just felt like if I couldn't try to talk about that or get into it a bit. It really was as if I was, like, lonely for that part of myself that couldn't be included. That is the voice of the great Jenny Slate. Oh, do we have a great episode today.

Jenny Slate is someone I've known forever. I've admired for years and years and years. She has great stand-up specials. There's a recent one called Season. professional on prime she's the co-creator and voice of marcel the shell with shoes on which is a movie i love we talk about a whole bunch today as a matter of fact if you haven't seen that movie i would almost say before you listen to this episode go and watch that movie it is on HBO it is fantastic it's like very funny stop motion animation and she's the star of it co-creator of it

And it's very emotional, just a really, really great film that started as this kind of like, it was like a viral internet sensation that became a movie. And what they did with it is, I think, really deep and really profound. We even work out jokes today. We have a great working it out section. For those of you don't know, we have launched Working It Out Premium. And we have a bonus episode on there where we tag jokes that you say. in. It's called Mike Punches Up Your Jokes. And if you sign up for premium on Apple Podcasts, which is $4.99 a month, you get an ad-free version of the podcast, no ads ever. You help support

the show, which we appreciate here on the staff. And you get bonus content that Mike punches up your jokes you get right now. And it's super, super fun. We didn't know how it was going to go. And it went great. There will be more and more bonus content like that coming soon. Check it out on the premium feed on Apple Podcasts. I love this conversation with Jenny Slate. She has a new podcast that she hosts with very funny comedians, Max Silvestri and Gabe Leidman.

It's called I Need You Guys. You can listen to it every Thursday on the Serious XM app or wherever you get your podcasts. The three of them used to do a live show called Big Terrific, which I've performed on. We talk about it today. We talk about Marcel de Shell.

We talk about S&L. We talk about the time she gave a graduation. speech to one single student graduating in a schoolhouse on a small island, which is a very Jenny Slate thing to do. We work out jokes. We do it all. Enjoy my conversation with the great Jenny Slate. It's funny, you have this great moment in your special where you go, and this is the part of the special where my mom turns it off. Yeah. Yeah. I feel like that about my entire every special I have.

Do your parents watch your work? Not really. Yeah, same. Oh, Sam? I mean, they'll watch it if I'm like, can you watch that? But like I'm, I don't do that. I don't really ask them to. But I think they've watched at least my second special.

And probably my first, because they were in it. I would imagine they were curious. Yeah. It's interesting. Like, it is an interesting thing. And also, like, your dad is a poet. So it's like, you know, in some ways, it's not that dissimilar from even what you do. I sometimes, yeah, I wonder, like, if that's why sometimes I'm like, is there something about what I do that's too close to, I mean, I wouldn't call my act of poetry.

No, I would, though. In any way. I know why you wouldn't because you don't want to be self-serving and pretentious. Yeah, that would be tam-in. But I think there's a lot of poetry to what you do. That's nice of you to say, yeah. I mean, I think first I was like. And sounds.

And sounds. Lots of like I think first I was just talking to Gabe Leidman and Max Silvestri about this yesterday because we were like why did Gabe's parents

they like always drove from Philly to see us at Rafi Oh that's sweet And that's when you and I met Yes exactly A zillion years ago And you know what I mean What that was like

Was like You might have 14 people In the audience And that was fine I performed on your show There was definitely nights For those 14 people

Oh, yeah, it fucking sucked. I mean, we didn't suck, but it's just... It didn't suck, though, because it was you guys were always... And I'm sure the podcast will be like this. You guys were always so supportive and fun. Oh, that's good. And you made the show fun no matter what. Like, it was called Big Terrific.

And it was like, it was just joyous. It was, and it was always. But that, that deeply humbling, like, whoa, this is, I really must really want to do this because, I'm performing for 11 people thing is that's like in my um in me now oh yeah like it's I'll just never forget what that feels like and like performing for six people but like on the nights where there would only be like maybe three and then you have to be like you know what guys we're going to call it yeah and then I would be flooded with relief that I didn't have to do the show and then

flooded with shame that it happened that way yeah that that's a real one two punch right right in the nads. There's nothing worse than calling off a show that you convinced those people to show up. Those three. You're like, no, no, it's going to be good. We have a great lineup. They believed.

Eugene Merman's popping in. This is happening, this is happening. And then you go, actually, we're not having the show. And then you have to say that to Eugene, by the way. Right. It's not even, it's like, and actually I am going to have to tell, you know, John Glazer and John Benner. and John Benjamin,

who I am so obsessed with that I can't even talk to them or look at their faces that we actually didn't get enough people to come here, to watch them. It's so pride-swallowing. Yeah, it's like, you eat shit. I think it's good.

It's good for us, yeah, no, it's some pride-swallowing or whatever is actually just bad for a person's self-esteem. Right. You know, like I fucking hate tough love, but, but something, Honestly, I mean, not to sound like a hybrid between, like, the greatest generation. Yeah, that's how you always, that's how you read, for sure. Geriatric millennial, but it's like some challenges, some humblings that are not, you know,

oppressive humblings, but like it's just, hey, man, you're actually, you're just like a tiny speck and that's okay. Yeah. Our very character building and passion building. You did improv with Gabe in college, right? Yes. And Max or no? No. Max didn't go to college with us.

We met him when we were 22. So you did it with Gabe. You started the group? Yeah. Well, it was like something else had a different name. There were two groups. One was called six milks. Six milks.

I don't know. Six, yeah, six milks. And then the other one that Gabe and I were in. was called two left feet. Two left feet, sure. I was like, okay, got it. You guys are joking around. But anyway, we combined the two groups,

created a new group, which was called Fruit Ponce. Again, why do college students name their stuff stuff? It's all pun. Yeah. I can see it in your work. Like, I can see the improv. Yeah. I feel like you have an improvisational spirit

to your stand-up. Your stand-up feels unpredictable. Yeah, or unplanned. Unplanned, unpredictable. It is. I mean, I follow a, like a bullet point system. Yeah. Like what you have here behind you, that's what it looks like on a page before I go up

and then I like shuffle things around as I'm going and nothing is ever, like, written. Because I find that to be very boring. Yeah. I can't do it. I have some stuff I say, you know, like to a turn of phrase. Yeah. But everything else, it's like, who does she want to be tonight? I love your stand-up, though, because it does feel, it feels unrehearsed, and it feels like, it doesn't feel like anyone else.

That's a nice thing to say. I feel the same way about you. Geez. Thanks. How much writing do you do? I write a lot. Yeah. So much of it's just junk.

Well, for all of us. Yeah, yeah, of course. You know, I mean, you got to, like, I just feel like you kind of got to, like, blow out the. pipes. Let's get all the dumps out of the pipes. Yeah. Like write all the bad stuff and the good stuff. Just like keep writing it down is my deal.

But I have a folder called scraps. Scraps. Like on my computer. I respect that so much. Scraps. There is also one called, I think it's called Fragments and Problems. That's good. Yeah.

And even in my first special, which was with Netflix, they were like, can you write out what you'll do? And I was like, no. I can't. Yeah. Like, it'll ruin it. It'll make me feel like I hate it. Yeah.

I just have never once written anything out. Everything just has a title, like Dad's Nightgown. I have a similar thing, which is I'll write out the bit, and then I will go up on stage and do my best version of it from memory. Yeah. And it usually doesn't, it's not what I wrote verbatim. But isn't that kind of like, I mean, Not that I've ever been on a date that is like this, but it's how I imagine dating to be.

Or just like dinner party, let's say. This is like the metaphor that I've used is like, you know your memories. Like, and you probably know, not in a sociopathic way, but you probably know like, oh my gosh, yeah, I can't, oh, I can't wait to tell you the story. Yes. Like the other day I was telling Rachel Antonoff and Jack Antonoff, brother, sister, who I call, my husband calls them the cousins. The cousins. My cousins. We're very Amish.

I told them this story about when I was on a summer program and I had a crush on a boy. And I was, like, pretty sure that we were making eye contact across the cafeteria. And at the time, Romeo and Juliet had come out, like, with Leonardo DiCaprio, and I was obsessed with him. Fishbowl scene, et cetera. Just so, yeah, yeah, yeah, big time. And I love that movie and whatever.

And, like, he just, it was, like, a big point of my, like, raging. horniness, you know? And I was like, this boy looks like him, and he is straight up looking at me. And I had like recently, I was 16, I'd gotten my braces off, I'd just got in my period, I had a bra. It was like a big deal for me. Big moment, yeah. Huge. And I started hanging out with him and a bunch of people in a group. I had a nickname, which was duty, which is not a good nickname, but I thought it was cool. So you were ready to go. Yeah, yeah. Now I'm just telling the story, but I'm telling the story in service of trying to say something else, unfortunately. But anyway, I was like, this guy likes me. I had never kissed a boy before.

I heard him and another couple of boys in the room below. I was on the balcony above, and they were on the balcony below, and they didn't know I was up there. And someone was like, yeah, we're going to go out and doodda, da, da, and duty's going to come with us. And I was like, when we got. And he goes, who's duty? And I was like, oh, man, he doesn't even know my nickname. And then they're like, you know, Jenny. And he's like, who's Jenny? And I was like, what? This fucking guy, like, he's definitely been staring at me.

Like, it doesn't even know my name. Brutal. And then one of the other boys goes, you know, she's that girl that looks like a chicken. And then he goes, oh, no, no, no, I know what you mean. She's that girl that looks like a lizard. And then they were like, no, she looks like a chicken. And then it was like, chicken, lizard, chicken, lizard. And it was like, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.

Like, it just hurt. It hurt so badly. Yeah, yeah. And it was like, oh. Like, I walk around being like, everyone thinks I'm ugly. But then there's like this other part of me that's like, you're not ugly. You just think that because people are mean to at school. Right.

But then I heard them like say it. Confirmation. And it was like, we were in another country. Yeah. It was like, this is like, we're in England and they also think it. So I might be, I need a little more time to cook this thing. But anyway, that story, for example. Yeah.

It's like, you know your stories. Right. Why would you write them down? Right. You can remember that. Yeah. You just tell. them to the person and try to

feed their joy that might be happening. I always have to remind myself of that because I write out jokes and then I have to remind myself like, just do it in my own words. Yeah. Because that's what the audience craves. Yeah. I just want to hear the story. Yes. My director always

says that to me like, I'll get nervous before a show and I'll go like, just tell the story. Yeah. Like, right. All it is is just telling this story. Yeah, but there's a lot to get past to be. To be. the version of yourself that can do that. Oh, yeah.

You know, you went to a hypnotist. Oh, yeah. Is that early? Like, was that, like, when I first met you kind of thing? No. I had no, I used to have stage, like, like, kind of like, like, fun, uncomfortable excitement, like, all through Rafi, through being at Sound Fix or Cameo, like, when we were in Williamsburg.

And then, I just got stage right when I got fired from S&L, like, straight up. It, like, messed. It, like, fucked me up a little bit. And I, then I moved to L.A. And, like, and there were three years also where, like, I did this thing where every, you know, general meeting I would go on. I felt like I had to be like, I got fired, you know, like, say it, even though nobody cared. Right. It was, like, a weird, like, swollen but collapsed ego or something.

You know, it just was, like, the worst situation. No, of course. Fucking sucked. And then, but Nick Kroll was like. I'm doing a show on Comedy Central, which became Kroll Show. And he, like, gave me my first job after being fired, which meant so much to me because I really admired him so much, you know, continual admiration forever. But I still had the stage fright. And I believe Nick was going to the hypnotist for like something else, maybe smoking.

I can't speak for him. Let's just say smoking. Maybe smoking. I think Aziz went to the same person. Oh, okay. There were all these people going there. I got to hit that hypnotist. I'm not sure.

How come? I don't think it worked. Like, maybe enough. Nick doesn't smoke anymore and you get on stage. It did help to get me back on stage. And to get rid of, like, a lot of the kind of, like, undead at the door. Yeah. You know, like, every time we watch The Last of Us and the, like, what are they called?

The Clickers. The Clickers. Yeah. Yeah. I'm like, that's what it feels like to have stage right. Oh, that's interesting. They're like, they're right there. And they're like, kick, kick, kick, kick, kick, kick.

That's what it feels like to me. And I still have it really badly to the point where, like, I haven't actually done stand-up in a really long time. Really? Yeah. So you still have it? Yeah. I mean, what's crazy is, I was just saying to my wife downstairs,

I was like, Jenny Slate's coming over doing the podcast. And she goes, do you remember that right after she got fired from us now, we ran into her or something? And she was like, I don't know what I'm going to do. I fucked up so badly. That sounds like something I'd say. And we were both like, you're going to be great. This is going to be great.

And then notably, notably, you went on to have like this unbelievable career that I would say, arguably, between Marcel's shell, an obvious child, like, arguably you might not have had time for if you were in SNL for fucking nine years or whatever. For a short. No, no. It's better. The end result is better. The life that I've had is really good for me.

I don't think there's like, it's weird to fail at something that you get there. And you're like, I thought I was good at what this is. But I didn't even get what it was. I thought it would be like my college improv group. And then it's like this whole system. Right. And it's a TV show. Yeah.

And there are. Cue cards. There's Q cards, which obviously I wasn't good at. And there's, like, politics, but it's also social. And it was really confusing to me because everyone was so nice, like, in my cast. But it was like, huh, this is a weird fit. Yeah. And, like, I'm going down.

But it's different than, let's say, having a soulmate and it not working out. Yeah. Like, where you're like, I genuinely don't get that. Right. We were meant to be. Like, the second I walked in there, I was like, this isn't what I thought right because you have I mean I always have thought that about that show I've always been a fan of the show but I've thought like I would never fit in in the cast or as a writer

because there's so many moving parts and you have to like like you're saying like it's regimented and you have to hit your mark in like 10 different metaphoric ways yeah and I feel like from my comedy that would feel stifling. Like, I feel like it would take away from the spontaneity. Yeah, precisely. Like, I need. And it sounds like you that you need. I mean, even, like, you cursing is hilarious because it's like, it's actually kind of a great actor's impulse.

Oh, my God. It is, uh, in a way, it's like, it's so me. Yeah, totally. To make such an embarrassing mistake. And, like, I hate getting in trouble. Yeah. I would never, I don't like make moves. Yeah.

You know? I'm not like I'm certainly not a believer in like all press is good press I'm not interested in infamy certainly not at that point I like getting A's you know like I was really feeling good

about getting on the show there's no need to judge it up with like just like eating shit right away you know like I don't know but also like yeah there it is such a weird in the way that it's very me that that happened

it's also so outrageous and so not me because I like to try to get things right on a larger scale that like I don't really remember it happening at all. Yeah, yeah. And it was so scary and embarrassing that the only thing I remember at the end is like Seth hugging me and that I thought that was so nice and Andy Sandberg like being really nice to me. But then kind of being like, wait, is this like a big deal? You know, because I had just, I literally had walked out of Williamsburg.

I wasn't like a UCB person. Right. I had no, like, I was obsessed with SNL in the way that probably like Adam Sandler was growing up or something. Yeah. But I didn't do any of the stuff to get there that most people did. Right. I was like a major rando.

Right. And then I fucked up. So that's like crazy. Yeah. That is crazy. But then it ended up being, it ended up going so well for you. Well, this is what my astrology says. Do you go to an astrologer?

Or you just read your astrology. I read it. I listen to it every week. Like I have an app, the Chani app, which I very much love. I'm not like a person that won't sign a contract when like Mercury's in retrograde. I'm like not super strict about it, but I do like it. I didn't even know people did that. Oh, yeah. They definitely do.

Wow. I mean, I'm not going to be like, can we sign this contract when it's Merck Yuri in retrograde? Right. But if it is in retrograde and it's the only time to sign, it's like, what are we going to do? I'm going to fucking do this right now. I'm not signing a lot of stuff. Doc, you sign. But anyway, my astrology says, like, every, like, great, like, epiphany, great success, big love, something like that, is sort of twinned with, like, a door that closes or, like, a darker doorway.

Mm-hmm. Yeah. So maybe that's happening to me. Yeah, I mean, I think that's true. Well, but I mean, like, you have one of those quintessential careers, though, where people go, like, I want to have a Jenny Slate career. Did you think that? Yeah.

Can I ask you something? Yeah, of course. I mean, it's your podcast. You can cut it out. Because I think of you as someone that's like, you're really successful. You have your, like, you're like Broadway success too. And they're always like pictures of like, I actually don't know if I've seen this, but I imagine it's like Tom Hanks with you backstage at your show.

He came to the last one. Yeah. Oh, wow. And also, I have not used social media in, like, over three years. Oh. My assistant will post for things I ask her to post for me. Okay. But I've made, like, a concerted effort to just, I don't even peek in to not look.

It's like, you're done. Good for you. Yeah, I was like, oh, this is drugs. It makes me feel bad. Right. I'm out. But, like, do you, do you ever feel like you're in the process of, you know, trying to, like, ascend or building or, you know, like you're not fully in the final zone you wish you would be in?

And again, that is a question that maybe is too embarrassing to answer. No, no, I don't think it's embarrassing. I'm good with it. It's just so big of a question. I'm trying to break it apart. Like, I think I don't think there's any more ascension. Uh-huh. What do you mean?

Like, you're calling it? I think I'm calling it. You're going to have to tell you, Gene Merman, that we're not doing this? Yeah, yeah, exactly. Only three people came to your career. Exactly. Three people showed up to my career. We're going home.

No, no, you know what it is? I feel like what happened was I started it out and I was like, I want to be up there and ascend to whatever that is. Yeah. And then I feel like I was high enough to see what that looks like for the people living it. Oh, yeah. And then I was, like, doing my own stuff artistically at the same time and going, oh, I like this. So you're kind of talking about fame. Yeah, I guess so.

Oh, and I was not. You're you talking about life? Life ascendancy? I think what I was talking about was opportunity. Okay. Yeah, like, I don't feel like, when you're like, oh, you had this career, people say they wanted Jenny's late career. And I'm like, I audition, you know? Oh, right. Like, I would love to be at...

As opposed to being offered, like, the leads in movies and stuff. Yeah, and actually, I actually really like. like auditioning and I sometimes like will be like, actually can I let's just make sure you want this, you know, because it's I don't like that feeling. It was just announced that you're in a movie yesterday. Yes. Did you audition for that? No.

No, okay. But when I got there, I was like, are you sure Chris Pine wants to be in this? You know, like, I was like, oh my God! You know, like, and then I had to like ask him. What? Well, I don't, look, it's not the best way to be. I'm not, I don't like how I am. That's very funny. But it's like, you're, so,

No, no, I didn't have to audition for that. Do you call him? Did what? Did you call him? Like today? No, no. Oh. To ask him to his face.

That's so funny. I mean, yeah. So you were just like, hey, are you good with this? Me being like in a romantic comedy with you kind of thing? It is not a romantic comedy. If that's what you think it is, you're going to be a little bit sad. Okay, okay, sad, okay. But, no, I think I'm more, it was like part of a more unfolded.

conversation. Okay. Yeah, where it was like, well, you know, I don't know. It's like revealing your insecurities. Totally. And like kind of having to check. But it's not like a fishing thing. It's more like, I think for me, in terms of the ascent or whatever.

It's like I would just, I feel like I still have to like prove myself. Wow. And that maybe is a good thing. and might be only in my head but like I think in a time when I mostly function as an actor I guess and it doesn't feel like it's the easiest time in the industry it's like I think my goal is to be at a place where it just doesn't seem like so hard

but maybe I'm making it hard on myself but also I don't think so but I think the thing that I'm speaking to is like Like, well, obviously, like, first of all, like, you and obvious child is a great example of, like, you playing a character, but it's in some ways a variation on the type of comedy you do. And you really, like, owned it in this way that it's kind of an iconic film. Like, people are like, that's, you know, one of the, one of those great, great indie films. And then the other one is Marcel the Shell with Shoes on, like, is a great example of, like, it's so personal. It's so personal. Yeah.

I mean, you and Dean created a thing that is like, really like alt comedy. And then it became like a mainstream movie. Yeah. So in some ways, like, that's what I'm speaking to. It's like that you did these things where people go, you can do that? Yeah. Like, that's crazy. I think a lot of, a lot of people, especially a lot of artists, even a lot of fields, go like,

how come I can't take my indie art thing that I love and this small group of people like loves they're like that's my thing and they how come I can't take that and make that the thing that I go out with? Yeah. And like you did that. That's true.

Moment of silence for that. Room tone? I just, yes, and I think that's, and it's not that I'm not, I love that movie and Dean and our work that we did together. But I think also it's like, I really am job-to-job in a good way. Like, I don't take much from the stuff that happens after the job is over.

I like a photo shoot, you know, like, I think that's, like, fun to get dressed up. Okay. And, like, a big weird dress or something. Sure. But once the job is over, I just get hungry again to perform. Right. That said, I'm, like, not a workaholic, and I'm very fine making, like, one movie a year or like the year that I made Dying for Sex,

which I think is the last time I saw you. Yes. Like, I made two things that year. And I was like, I can't work any more than this. Right. You know, like, I'm not a workaholic, but I do want to, after you're done performing, and you're a performer and you love it,

you're like, when do I go again? Yeah. You know, it's like just being on a water slide, it's like, can I go again? Can I just go again? Now that you're in New York, I'm going to just try to convince you to stand up all the time. I think I want to do it again.

Do you feel like you could do Big Terrific again? Are you done with it? Oh, no. I feel like we could do it again. Yeah. I feel like now that we have our podcast that, you know, like my dream is like we tore around with that and it kind of is like a new version of it.

Totally. Yeah, I mean. People would love that. God, it would be people meaning definitely me at least. One person. Yeah, you'd love it. I would love it. I think everyone would love it.

Yeah. And I miss Max and Gabe. They don't live here. Right. But I think, yeah. I mean, you know, my daughter's almost five. Like, there is a feeling in me now that what I talk about on stage needs to be thoughtfully sorted. Yeah.

Not like, I'm not going to say, like, clit or whatever. But it's like, I don't want to talk about her. I don't want to, I don't. she genuinely can't say yes or no about it and I don't think that's fair but there's still it turns out there's a lot to talk about there's a lot to talk about outside of her

yeah I had that recently where when Una turned my daughter turned 10 I'm not going to talk about her anymore because it's I think at a certain point when they get to a certain age it stops becoming general what any kid would say and it starts to become very specifically

what that person's saying. Yeah. And then like you're saying it, like, as opposed to like, when I was doing like the new one, for example, like, well, yeah, that could be any baby. Right. Literally any baby could say that or whatever. Yeah. Do you think you'll show her Marcel de Shell?

Yeah, I have showed her a little bit of it. She's kind of young, though. Yeah, yeah. You know, like, she's like, well, what are they doing? Right. It's an interesting mashup of like, it is for grown-ups. It's for grown-ups. And it's for kids.

Like, it's a little bit in that kind of Pixar space of, like, it's very sophisticated. Yeah. It's like, it depends on the kid, too, like, when she was two, we tried to, like, she hadn't watched anything yet. Yeah. And then we, like, all got COVID. And I was like, maybe I should show her Marcel the shell, but I just felt too weird about it. Yeah. So I showed her the, like, Winnie the Pooh from the 70s.

Yeah. You know? That's cute. Yeah. But I think eventually she'll like it. With Marcel de Shell, I was re-watching it this morning, and what stuck out to me is, like, it's so funny, and then it's, like, unafraid of being sad. Yeah. And it's, like, I think my favorite thing about it.

I'm glad you think that, because I guess that's, like, I don't want to be sad. I don't want to do anything to make myself sad, and I certainly don't want to do that kind of, like, grad school short story. Like, I wrote a story about something really upsetting so that the story can be sad. serious and good like like just kind of not that that thing darkness to seem legit but like there is something about being sad essentially like not being acceptable just like sort of baseline sorrow I agree that that makes me feel scared and I mean I also now like take an antidepressant which has really changed my world but like went through a lot of years of like why am I always as a friendly person who likes to have fun

and likes romance and chilling out why am I so sad yeah like so sad yeah and it just felt like if I couldn't try to talk about that or get into it a bit it it really was as if I was like lonely for that part of myself that couldn't be included which made it worse. Yeah, that's, a lot of times that's my favorite kind of comedy because it acknowledges in the silliness that also their sadness. Oh my God, like my favorite things to watch when I was little, now I realize how much, like, kinship or support I felt from like,

I mean, even Pee-wee weirdly feels sad to me. Like when Peeby loses his bike, it actually is really fucking sad. I love Peeby. Pee-wee is the best. Or, like, you know, Peter Sellers to me is like, there's so much sorrow. Yeah. In there's so much sorrow. And, of course, Chaplin.

Chaplin, so much in, like, Harpo Marx. There's so much, just delicate, weird, twinkly sorrow. And, like, Mr. Hulow's Holiday, like the Jacques-Too movie, my dad showed it to me as a little girl. And I remember making fun of him so much And being like, this is so boring And then watching it as an adult With Dean And watching all the other Tattee movies

And being like, this means so much to me It's the most important thing. Yeah. And Gilda Radner was like a little bit sad. Oh, yeah. In her happiness and her jumping around There was like something about And a lot of it, I guess you could just see in her body.

Yeah, I think like the best performers are, like, letting you in. Yeah. They don't have to be sad. That's right. Yeah. But it's just, like, there's, like, an openness. Yeah.

Where there, it was, like, Jody Foster once said that, they said, why are you private about your personal life or whatever? And she was like, it's all in the rules. Yeah. And I think it's true. Mm-hmm. She's like, it's all in these roles. Yeah.

It's all out there. Totally. It's just, like, represented differently. Yeah. Yeah. It's costumed or. whatever performed. Yeah.

So when you, in Marcel, what part of you in real life has Marcel elements and what part it doesn't? I think Marcel is like way more succinct than I am. I think I'm like painfully long-winded

no matter what. Like I was just recording a new cartoon and they're like, okay, like, you know, you do the line and like just like say a little bit more. And, like, the riff was, like, five minutes. You know, it's like they can't use this. It's just too long.

Yeah. It just unwound too much. But I think, like, at the end of the Marcell movie, the last monologue where he's, like, talking about needing space but not wanting to be totally far away from other people and liking the sound of himself connected to everything. Like, that is, like, an improvised bit that I had said at another time that eventually went there. I believe and that to me feels like my kind of central state and ethos and also why I love living in Brooklyn again is like you can be with other people be you can be a true introvert extrovert combo and get it all and you know there's that and then also like Marcel is really um when he says like I don't want to just survive like I want to have a good life yeah like I I am really that I seem to have, in spite of all of the things that can get me down, an inexhaustible appetite for life's small beauties and for creating little playful games to make things that would be boring just out of like autopilot, like this is boring.

The last piece actually in my book that came out last year, Lifeform, is called The Graduation Speech. It's about why it's so important to, like, play games in your daily life. Yeah. And a lot of the way that Marcel gets through his state of being left, abandonment is by making a game out of things that would be tasks. Yeah. Yeah. I'm like that. Oh.

There's a Marcel line. He goes, guess why I smile a lot? Because it's worth it. Yeah. That's beautiful. Yeah. It's a big deal. It's true.

Did you play on the set of that? Like, was it just like, what about this? What about this? What about this? On the movie? Yeah. Yeah, I mean, we had like a very heavy treatment. And then some scenes would be like written out.

It was just so much improv. Yeah. And then Dean and our co-writer Nick Paley would like listen to the audio. Sometimes they would be able to put a scene together with audio that was there. And then they would be like, well, we were really getting. to something or like the plot of the movie actually needs to change now that we see this and then they would like write a scene right then we would record and improvise again so it was like a really big like a work in progress yeah like always yeah yeah but also it was like you know during that

like dean and i were getting divorced and we were recording in the middle of that at the start we we told our like Cinerich the people who gave us the um who funded the film I think we told them that we were getting separated, like, right after we signed the deal to do the movie with them. So we hadn't even started recording yet. Wow. And then, um, and we were recording in the house that we used to live in. And there are parts of the movie where like Michelle, Michelle, Michelle, Michelle, Michelle, Michelle, Michelle, Michelle, which is, you know, what the movie's called. Um, where Marcel, even I, there's also a joke about Marcel being like, oh, like, I mess it up too. Like I mess up my, he's like, oh, I can't believe I just did that.

Yeah. I do that, yeah. But where he's like talking about, I think like what happened when his family got moved in the suitcase and he's like crying and you hear Dean say like, this is the last thing we'll do today. Yeah. And it's just, and I wouldn't break character anyway, like, unless we were like eating lunch. Yeah. I would just be like, not like in a method way, but like we were just always recording and we had the microphones taped to our heads literally on like a little sweat band and like I would just like be like this I was just like talking like hang out like you just like ask me whatever you want and I would just like kind of stay in the state of mind and just like hang out just whatever might come up it was like that and then but you can hear him be like

this is the last thing we'll do today and you can hear me as me as Marcel be like you know like it just I don't know it was a really weird thing that we did to do that but it I think allowed us to be the people who like yesterday I was like hey do you want to have lunch you know that's what someone wiser than me one said that but that's the difference between film and television is that television is serialized so it's like a chemistry experiment and and film is like a biology experiment because it only happens once right it's like that's an exactly example of like, that's in there. Yes.

Like your personal relationship and your collaboration, it's all in there. And the movie is like, I mean, not to be like such a douche, but like it is an organic form that happened in those conditions. And I think we were even planning on kind of a slightly different movie. And, yeah, I mean, it all fed into that and it didn't, even the parts that hurt or were painful were not, they were not dead weight. Yeah. Yeah.

That's awesome. It's cool. Emotional stuff. You did a graduation speech. How did that even happen? They asked me, and I said yes. They say it was one person? Yeah, because it was, so Cuddyhunk Island is like the smallest, I believe, of the Elizabeth Islands, like the islands that are, you know, the famous ones, like Martha's Vineyard, where my parents live, Nantucket, and then there's all these, like, other little ones.

And Cuddyhunk is one of them, maybe not the smallest, but either way. And they had a one-room schoolhouse, and their very last student was graduating from it. And there weren't any more kids on the island. Oh, gosh. And, yeah, her name was Gwen, and I spent, like, an afternoon walking around with her, getting to know her. Yeah. And then I gave a graduation speech just to her. My gosh.

I mean, her family came, and the islanders and my husband. And I think my in-laws came. What did it feel like? it felt exactly like giving a speech to a big class except that like because a lot of it is like at least for me and I think for many people

if you've like given a graduation speech before and weirdly I've done it like a couple times now you got to get past the like who the fuck am I to be telling these kids what they should do like I am really not the one you know and like I kind of resent having to do it That I didn't to her, but it's like, look, I don't, I'm not sure that I have this for you. Yeah.

But then the other side of it is like this exciting thing that I felt the first time that I gave a graduation speech. And I felt it again, just like, it's so beautiful out there. Yeah. And actually, I am the one to tell you about it because I feel it in a really specific way. And my advice to you is like, find out what your receptors are. Yeah. for, like, feeling what you like about life. Like, it's, you know, whatever.

But I liked that I could tailor it to her and give her, like, specific compliments. Yeah. And that I could give her, like, a big, big send-off. That's really great wisdom. It was really fun. Figure out what your receptors are. Yeah.

Because actually, once I did, my life got a lot easier. It's so crucial. Yeah, like once we've got to figure out what you enjoy. Yeah. Yeah. I know like, well, especially, you know, that thing that you said before about, like, if you've seen anyone that is, let's say, like, unfortunately, like, really hampered, limited or maybe like sort of incarcerated by fame.

Like, they can't go to the grocery store and they want to, you know, like, everyone has different experiences with it. but like if you see something that you're like oh i actually don't want that you know like i or i don't want to play one role i don't want to be irkle or whatever like i don't want to play one role forever so i can't do anything else right those kinds of things like you can start to know like oh okay i think i know what i want in terms of like that thing but then there's another thing that happened like when we made marcel the shell which was like i've been looking at something out of the side of my eye sort of assuming that it couldn't ever be in the center and I've

never looked at it hard enough to understand what it is but like I like helping people feel both like as if I just threw open a window but so like a dose of freshness but that they're comfortable but without being like sappy about it like I like nice pretty stuff yeah and I'm not like a Geico commercial. I'm not like sassy. I'm not like sarcastic and I'm not dry. Yeah. And like I I like it in like remember three to one contact on PBS? On PBS. Like when a flower blooms in fast motion and it looks a little shaky. Like I like that kind of stuff. Yeah. I like that kind of stuff and I'm supposed to be finding that like in my daily life I'm supposed to be finding it and in my comedy I'm supposed to be finding in it. It's not like a gross like mandate, you know,

like a cult leader thing. It's more like this is my appetite. It's totally consistent in my private life, my private moments, and in my larger like work. And once I figured that out, I was like, oh, I don't have to try to be on like three and a half men. I don't have to have that goal. I believe that show is called two and a half men. Two and a half men. What's the other one with the three guys? They're dorks. What's it called?

Bazinga. You know what I mean. Yeah, yeah. Big Bang theory. Yeah, yeah. I don't have to be on big bang theory. I don't have to be on two and a half men. What did I say?

The Big Bang? You're talking about all my favorite shows. You're trashing all my favorite shows. Oh my God. I'm not even trashing them. I just mean, I was like, I never felt like normal enough to like be on those shows. No, I get it. You know?

No, I mean, the thing that you're saying, I think is really. I hope that didn't come off as like being shitty to that. What are you talking about? They're off the year. They all did a great job. What you're saying, though, it's really hitting me hard. That thing of like wanting to understand your receptors and then be open to, you know, new things and seeing and having the wonderment about all the things. Yeah.

For me, the worst is when I know that and I can't do it. What is that like? Like, what's an example of that? like literally feeling like walking around dropping my daughter off at school or something like that, and then being like, I just don't feel like I can take in the wonder of the world and I fucking know that I should. Well, yeah. I know that's the answer and I can't do it. Yeah. I mean, for me, that's when I think when I can tell that like there is like depression happening in me because it's not like I'm walking around being like, there's a bee.

There's a, you know, like, I'm not like an alien. Yes, you are. I've seen you. Like, I mean, I will say the other couple days ago, I, like, caught myself, like, staring at, like, a, what are those things, you know, like, it's like a machine in it. Like a prize-grabber machine at an arcade? No, like a, um. Oh, like a forklift. Yeah, but it has a big scooper.

Okay. Yeah, yeah, but, like, at a construction sky. Excavator, sure, yeah. And I just was like, fuck. Yeah, man, and it was like not on. Like, nobody was operating. Yeah, even just existing at all. Yeah, and then I was like, oh, I've looked at it a bit too long.

You know, like if anybody saw me doing this, they would be like, what the hell? You know, like, oh, what are you doing? Looking at that. Right. But then, but then. Meanwhile, you're doing it right. I was doing it right. And then I went to the Montiqi diner, and I broke my gluten-free lifestyle,

and I had a beer and a side of french fries by myself, and I listened to two old ladies behind me in the booth. The best. Talking about their sunglasses. Oh, overhards are the best. Oh, my God. Can I just tell you one thing I heard? Please. Okay.

It's much better, by the way, than television or movies. Oh, my God. These ladies are as good as it gets. They're so old, okay? And they know they are. It's not me being like, they're old. It's like, they were very elderly. They were in their 80s.

100, 200 years old. Right, they were like 300 years old. They come in, they're like, I'll have scrambled eggs. The other one's like, scrambled eggs as well in an iced coffee. And they don't get anything else I'm like you guys are going to blow out your stomach lining Like what the fuck You're so old

You better have some bread girls But anyway they didn't Then they're like talking They were literally talking about the senior citizen center And they're like You know what I love The Improft classes And I'm like the improv classes

I'm like I am like tightening up Like I was like the emotional version of like getting hard or something Like I was like oh I love that they're doing this right now I was, like, standing on end, listening to them. This lady's like, oh, well, I know why you like the class because you love, because Stanley's your guy.

And then there's a weird silence. And the same lady goes, I know he's been to your apartment. Oh, my gosh. That's good. That's good, gee. It was like, you know, have you seen the episode of Seinfeld where Jerry tells George, like, maybe what Elaine said during sex? And George squeezes the ketchup and it, like, ejaculates.

He's like, and it like, and then he looks. It's like the best acting in the world. That's what, like, when I heard, like, I know he's been to your apartment. I was like, I'm dead. I loved it. But anyway, I was like, oh, I guess I do do what maybe you might think I do. Sure. You know, I'm like, but I'm like doing my life.

Yeah. But when I am in a more kind of like, she's down, she's down, folks. Yeah, yeah. moment, which is not great. One thing I notice is that I understand what is so beautiful and what are normal beauties that are there and I can see my separation from them and that I have no receptor. Yeah. And it compounds the feeling of isolation and I feel scared.

Yeah. And I have a deep sense of like what's wrong. Something's wrong. Yeah. Yeah, it's like the difference between like, you know, being like, watermelon is so beautiful and then being like watermelons stupid. Yeah, yeah. It's like the same fucking watermel.

Get that fucking fruit out of here, man. I don't even know why it's here. It's a mess. This is a mess. Why is everything a mess? With seeds, forget it. The same thing. We went to apple orchards last weekend with my daughter.

It's like, this is the most beautiful thing I could possibly behold. And then like later in the day, I'm like, I'm like, I'm going to. tired. This sucks. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's all the, yeah, it's all the sides of the same thing, but yeah. This is a slow round. Okay. What are people's favorite and least favorite thing about you? In my life? Yeah. I would say, like, my husband's favorite thing about me is that I always want to talk about, like, what's happening, like what's happening here? And I would also say that's his least favorite thing about me as well. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I have some similarity on that. Yeah. Yeah.

Who are you jealous of? I'm jealous of, um, who am I jealous of? Um, I guess I'm jealous of, God, what an ugly word. The follow question is,

who are you jealous of that you didn't say, but you thought of? Um, yeah, like, I'm, like, jealous of, like, Tilda Swinton. Sure. You know, because it's like, I don't wish her.

Like, I, I don't wish her ill. No one wishes her ill. I want her to live for a million years. I just think, it seems like she fucking figured it out. The body of work stands for itself. Yeah. The Tilda Swinton canon. Yeah.

Is gold. Yeah. Yeah. You know, I get it. She seems like she's doing it. And I want to do my version of what she does, whatever that is. whatever that is. Tilda, if you're listening,

we want you here. Let me know what I should do. Let us know what we can do. Like I just, I heard her on like an interview where they were asking her like the most intense questions like kind of about like political things and stuff.

Like she had no fear. She was so, she just had all this, she just did everything. She said everything. Do you remember time you were caught in a lie? Oh God. Yeah. In fifth grade,

I read Roald Dahl's autobiography. Oh. And he faked in appendicitis. Oh. And I did that. Oh, really? And I was like, oh. Did you get the idea from the Roll Dahl book?

Uh-huh. Wow. My mom took me to the doctor, and I knew just what to say. I just wanted attention. Yeah. But it got taken too far, and they took me to the hospital, and they gave me a series of, like, very aggressive enemas. Oh, my God.

And I was like, I was lying, I'm lying. But it was too late. Wow. I didn't have any shit left in my body. Exactly. My God. And they're like, we can't figure out what's wrong with her. It's not her appendix.

And I was like, I was lying! And so I wasn't even really caught in a lie. I just got taught my lesson. Wow. With friends and family, what topic do you worry that you talk about too much? That's a new one. Um, I, I worry that I tell my parents too often that they need to go to therapy. That's great.

And they never go. No. They're like in their 70s. Yeah. They're not going to change. And I'm not saying in that sort of reality TV way, like, you need therapy. Like, it's not like that. I, you know, I don't watch a lot of reality TV, but I remember that being a thing.

Everybody should go the way they should go to the dentist. That's what I think. Not everyone has the means or the time. Yeah. But, like, it's not an insult. No, it's not like, you're hysterical, you're mental. It's like, hey, you seem to be grieving. Yeah.

Maybe you should talk to someone. What do you daydream about? Sometimes I have a really specific daydream that I've been cast in a movie where I get to sing, like, a pretty song. Yeah. And that I'm singing it at the table read, and everybody realizes that I'm, like, a lot better than they thought. It's really funny. Do you have anything in your notebook? What do you call it?

You call it like bips and bops or something? Well, that's on my computer. It's problems. Well, no, I have scraps. Scraps. Scraps. Scraps. And then fragments and problems, I think.

Are you open to sharing any scraps or fragments and problems today on the show? I have one thing. And I just, I can never make it work. I always feel like I come off really mean on stage when I do it. So basically, like, I was just trying to, or maybe I just old and people don't think what I'm saying is funny, which is like a terrible, you know, it might be, you know, a comedian in your 40s, you don't know. But anyway, it's that like how weird it is that you're, you're, you're, you're, you're, that like, my husband's not doing this, you know, so also he gets implicated. The whole thing

doesn't work. But anyway, let's say, it's weird that my husband can look at like a picture on Instagram of like his friend's cousin in her bathing suit. Right. Because if he came into the bedroom and I had like a shoebox of physical photos and I was looking at like the cousin of his friend Nick or something and he's like, what are you doing? And I was like, like, I'm looking at a picture of this guy, Neil, in his bathing suit, he'd be like, why? Why are, why? Why do you even have that picture? Yeah.

And so, like, it's this, like, weird world where it's like, what are we all doing? You know, like, is anyone keeping tabs on what we're doing? And I know it's, you know, really been exacerbated. But then there's the other thing of, like, when, you know, he, again, imagine it's, he hasn't done this, but whatever. It's my fear fantasy. Like he posts a picture of spaghetti and meatballs And one of his ex-lovers Like hearts that likes the picture

And it's like, at best She's like, I like your spaghetti, right? And at worst, she likes it And it's like, remember when I came? Totally Remember when I was like riding you Like my titties are bouncing up and down And I came?

Yeah, yeah. That like eight years ago. You know, it's like, why are you fucking talking about his spaghetti? Right. But, A, that doesn't really represent my personality anymore. Right. Like, I kind of feel like, I just, like, don't care. Right.

But I really like that bit. No, it's funny. But it's not really my style. Maybe that's why I can't do it. I think it's your style in the sense of, like, it's a very true observation about the odd sort of, like, voyeuristic, like, role that we allowed us ourselves to slip into. Yeah. It's so strange. Yeah.

I think about that a lot. Like, that you can know what so many... Like, I haven't seen most of my male friends with their shirts off, for example. And now you can zoom into them. Comedians aren't, yeah, like pizza partying at the pool or whatever. Like, I don't feel like it's happened. In fact, someone asked Gabe Leidman, like, or Max, one of us,

like, what is the key to having a 20-year, like, best friendship? And one of them said, don't see each other in your bathing suits more than twice a year. And it's like, I think that's actually fair. But now I'm like, I actually know what a lot of people's, like, nips look like and that's kind of weird it is weird i'm not comfortable with it but yeah it's almost like the it's almost like the era of mystique gone yeah it's like no mystique yeah and and nothing also like just nothing feels inaccessible yeah everything feels like yeah what's that person's what does that person's stomach look like let me find a photo it's so weird i don't think we should have it

But I'm not saying anything new. No, I know what you mean. But what's funny is with you, because you're not on social media, you are putting your money where your mouth is in terms of like making a point? Yeah. That like I don't go down this rabbit hole. Well, it is true. I don't.

Yeah. And like that was one of the last things that I thought of before I was like, I don't want to do this anymore. Is that why? Because you were in that rabbit hall and you were like... Oh, no. It just made me feel bad in all the ways that everybody feels bad. You're not doing a good enough job.

You're not, you're ugly. Everyone hates you, but everyone likes you. Right. How are you going to, what is it? Like, it's, I felt the pull of it. It felt like the ring, the Gallum ring. Yeah. I feel like you could do something, do a bit where you like are arrived.

I mean, this is not like the funniest part, but it's like narrative-wise, like how you arrived at being off of it. Actually, that's- Because you actually are off of it. That's really the key. Yeah. just going to have to try to remember something funny that happened and not just like all the sad stuff. Also like leaning into the act out of the photos and all that could be good just because like

when I watch your stand- This is good, right? Yeah, it's good, right? It's fun. Well, because like, whenever I watch your stand-up, I'm always like, if I worked with Jenny, I would just be like, everything you're doing that's weird, I would fucking lean into it a thousand percent. You know what I mean? you're doing your sound effects or your actouts and you're just like non sequiters and like I'm always like do I just keep going oh I feel like I'm I'm so leaned into it that I'm lying down basically it's rock and roll like it's so good oh thank you so I would just like I wouldn't give up on the bit you're saying I would do it but I would I would explore the act outs of the photos of the videos of the whatever yeah I think like you have a superpower in that that that That I don't have, that 99% of people in comics do not have, which is you're an amazing actor and you're amazing improviser. So, like, if you live everything that you're saying, if you're passionate about the thing you're saying,

it's going to pop hard. I'm pulling my mind right now. That's, I genuinely, like, have been like, I'm not going to do stand-up again. I think I'm done. You have to do stand-up again. No, you're great. Cool.

Okay. Cool. Do you have any other bits that you're like, that are half premises, half ideas? No, I, no, no, I want to hear yours. Okay. I think I've taken too much time. This is not correct.

I'm sorry, I hate myself. This is one that has a front but doesn't have a back, which is like I was on a subway platform with my daughter, and she just turned 10, and she goes, sometimes I don't feel 10, And I go, sometimes I don't feel 47. And she goes, I don't even think of 47 as an age. I just think of it as a number I use in math class.

And I wanted to just jump right in front of the train. But then I thought that would feel too causal. Yeah, right. I actually swore that I would not tell that joke publicly. But I do think it is kind of funny. It's really funny. But I also don't know where to go with it. But it is an odd thing when your child,

can't even conceptualize your age. Yeah. Because you know where I would go with it? Yeah. It's like all the ages, and maybe you're just not like this, but like there were a bunch of ages, numbers. Yeah.

That I could know what that is. You know what I mean? Like you say 17 to me. I'm like, you are drinking a fountain soda. You have a boyfriend. That's right. You know, you have the windows down. It's a summer night.

That's right. And you're just so cool. 100%. He's 95, I'm like, you can't. Right. You know. Right. And then even like, it's like, yeah, 23 year old, but I kind of get you.

Yeah. You're coming home. You're like, hey, dad. They're like, oh, welcome back. Look at this guy. You know, like you can see that person. But it is, that's where I would go with it. It's like, what is 47?

Yeah. Like, you know? Yeah, what is it? It's also, is it a prime number? It's just a super problem. Yeah, I think it is prime number. Yeah. I don't know.

No, that's good. She's like, I can, yeah, I can only, I only see it as a number that is divisible by itself. Yeah. I don't know. I'm trying to think a prime number, prime number trivia. I think that's actually kind of it. It is, right? Yeah, yeah.

They do one thing. I wrote this also, which is your age sneaks up on you. I'm hitting that age where I'm like, I guess I'm never going to go to China for sure. You know what I mean? I think I'm not going to hit North Korea. Yeah. I don't even think parts of Alabama are going to be on the list. Yeah.

I mean. That's what I'm hitting, though, with my age for real, where I'm like, not China necessarily, but like there's certain places where I'm like, I don't think that's on the list. Yeah, you're not. Yeah. I don't think I'm going to hit it. Yeah. I might go to.

Greece. You might. Maybe. Maybe I will. Also, why not? Have you ever been there? Nope. Me neither.

Yeah, and you know what else is like, like that for me is like, it was already a slim chance that I would ski. And now it's like, skiing is a good one. Absolutely not. I'm out. You know, snowboarding, no one ever thought that was going to happen for me. That's right. Weirdly I water skied, but that's because of camp. But like skiing, it's like, oh, I'll never, I'll probably never dribble a basketball again.

Why would I? Totally. You know, I only did that because they made me in school. No, you're right. Yeah. You know, I think where that bit goes, if I end up doing it, is like you're saying, essentially like going into a list. The list.

The list is so fun. Just the list of things. I'm just not going to do. Yeah. Yeah. And then you can really throw in some fun ones that are, like, weirdly almost boring. Yeah. But they were just already boring, so you're definitely not going to do it now

because it's too boring or I'm like obsessed with things that are boring that actually makes me think of the bit that I've been doing this on stage recently which is like when you're with someone a long time you you can say so much with so few words like I said my friend was like I want to go skydiving for my birthday and I want you to come and I relayed this conversation of my wife and she said you're going to do that and that's when I realized I wasn't going to do that yeah yeah that's like no way perfect no way why would I want to do an activity that seems so dangerous yet so fun oh my god when we were in cleveland um someone said to me we're gonna go to the um rock and roll hall of fame on our day off do you want to go yeah and i

genuinely without any hesitation or trying to be funny about it was like i can't do that because i don't want to yeah what am i going to do like see a guitar in a case right it's not no one's like playing there's not a concert there which by the way i don't want to go to anyway because i don't like going to concerts. Good on you. For the honesty on that one. That's strong. Yeah.

I can't do that because I don't want to. I can't do that because I don't want to. I can't do that because I don't want to. I can do that because I don't want to. It should be a fucking t-shirt. All right, the last thing we do on the show is called Working It Out for a Cause. Is there a nonprofit that you like to contribute to because what we will do is contribute to them, link to them in the show notes and encourage others to contribute?

Yeah, I thought about this. And I was like, Okay, what should I do? Like, should I ask my older sister works at Dana Farber Cancer Institute and has been working there for like, I think, 20 years now. Wow. And she's cared for so many people. And I was like, okay, maybe I should ask her.

Maybe I should ask this. And then all of a sudden I was like, uh, NPR, man. Oh, yeah, that's a good one. Like, I just, this is, I think they're on like week, what, two or three maybe without federal funding. Yeah. I contribute to my local NPR. station here, WNYC, I contribute to what used to be KPCC in LA, the LAist. I contribute to WGBH in Boston and KCRW as well in L.A.

And I really, I just, I genuinely fear for the world without public media. And I feel that it's excellent journalism and that's where I'm at. I think that's such a great idea. Radio, baby. That is such a great idea. We will contribute to NPR. We will link to them in the show notes. And thank you, Jenny Slate, for coming.

This is such a joy. I loved this. Thank you for having me. This is so fun. This was so fun and useful. And now we're neighbors, and we can talk about jokes all the time. Yeah, that's really, this is really nice. Thank you. Working it out because it's not done.

We're working it out because there's no. That's going to do it for another episode of Working It Out. You can follow Jenny Slate on Instagram. at Jenny Slate, listen to I Need You Guys every Thursday on the Serious XM app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can watch the full video of this episode on our YouTube channel at Mike Barbiglia. This is a really good visual one today, especially when she does Marcel de Shell voice, and I did not see that coming.

You can see my face being astonished. She goes into this iconic voice. We are putting more and more videos on the YouTube channel. If you don't mind, click subscribe. you will get more and more content that we are posting. Check out berbiggs.com and sign up for the mailing list. We are going to be doing another Jayhope Stein jokes and poems at Joe's Pub

coming soon. We're going to announce that on my mailing list. So sign up at berbiggs.com to be the first to know. Our producers of working out are myself along with Peter Salomon, Joseph Berbiglia, Mabel Lewis, and Gary Simons, sound mixed by Ben Cruz, supervising engineer Kate Balinski. Special thanks to Jack Antonoff and bleachers for their music. Special thanks as always to my wife, the poet J. Hope Stein and our daughter, Una, who built the original Radio Fort made of pillows.

Thanks most of all to you are listening. If you enjoy the show, rate us and review us on Apple Podcasts. I saw it today. Someone wrote a really nice review of our premium episode where we work out listeners, jokes. But you don't need to be premium to get all 180 episodes for free with no paywall right now. Check those all out.

Thanks most of all to you who are listening. Tell your friends, tell your enemies. Tell the two senior citizens you just overheard gossiping at the diner in the booth behind you. Don't be shy. Pop, your head in that booth as they're discussing senior center romances and say, hey, if you're taking improv'd classes, you might enjoy this podcast all working it out. Mike Brubigley is an improviser, and he talks to other comedians and improvisers and creatives about the creative process. You can listen to it with Stanley back at your apartment. Thanks, everybody. We're working it out. We'll see you next time.

Thank you.