Senses Working Overtime with David Cross - Kristen Schaal

Episode Date: April 24, 2025

Kristen Schaal (Bob’s Burgers) joins David to talk about hiking Machu Picchu, Mr. Holland’s Opus, and more. Catch all new episodes every Thursday. Watch video episodes here.Guest: Kristen SchaalSubscribe and Rate Senses Working Overtime on Apple Podcasts and Spotify and leave us a review to read on a future episode!Follow David on Instagram and Twitter.Follow the show:Instagram: @sensesworkingovertimepodTikTok: @swopodEditor: Kati SkeltonEngineer: Chris OsbornExecutive Producer: Emma FoleyAdvertise on Senses Working Overtime via Gumball.fm.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is a HeadGum Podcast. This new year, why not let Audible expand your life by listening? Audible CA contains over 890,000 total titles within its current library, including audiobooks, podcasts, and exclusive Audible originals that'll inspire and motivate you. Tap into your well-being with advice and insight from leading professionals and experts on better health, relationships, career, finance, investing, and more. Maybe you want to kick a bad habit or start a good one. If you're looking to encourage positive change in your life,

one day and challenge at a time, look no further than Tabitha Brown's, I Did a New Thing, 30 Days to Living Free. In the audiobook, Tab shares her own stories and those of others alongside gentle guidance and encouragement to create these incredible changes for yourself and see what good can come from them. Trust me, listening on Audible can help you reach

the goals you set for yourself. Start listening today when you sign up for a free 30 day trial at audible.com slash wonder ECA. That's audible.com slash wonder ECA that's audible.com slash wonder ECA I got a water so you're not as fun. I would it's not as fun Those were fun drinks that you were showing me yeah Yeah, I'd drinks that you were showing me. Yeah. Alright. Guess we should save it for the podcast. Yeah, I like how you were, uh, so presumptuous as to sit in the... Wait, is this your chair? No, no, I don't.

I wasn't sure. I've never been in a... I don't think he gave it much thought, which is fine. I just started pod... like the podcast world. But you've done it before, right? I've done it, and then I was like, oh, I never want to do these. Because you talk, well, we'll save it.

Well, you talk because you talk to your friend. And then you realize that it was just a big eavesdrop situation. Yeah. And I hate it. I think the last time I saw you was at our friend's funeral. Katie. Was that the last time I saw you? It's gotta be.

That was a while ago. Cause it was right before COVID. It was like a week before COVID. No, you were at the wedding though, Teresa and... Oh yeah, I saw you at the wedding. Yeah, so I saw you at the wedding. That was fun.

That was great fun. Yeah. Yeah. So that was, I blew... great fun. Yeah. Yeah. So that was, I blew, oh wait. Those were our bookings. Oh, that's right, because we went to, we went to the beach that day.

Yes, and our daughters were playing with the horseshoe crab. Horseshoe crab. And my kid, I was, you know, proud and surprised, but she went and there was a horseshoe crab that had washed up, and she went and saved it just like on the left where we were playing. She walked down on the rocks, walked down to the beach, walked all the way across the rocks,

went over there and picked it up and put it in the water. I was like, wow, that's very nice. I gave her a treat for that on her own. And I gave her like a treat for that, on her own. I didn't say do it. What did you give her? What was the treat? A pinball machine. What, which one?

Monster Bash. Oh wow. Yeah, so it takes up most of her room. How much does she play? It's loud. She's trying to beat my high score, so. I see. Do you play pinball.

I do. Rich is really into it. Really? He's trying to like beat the jaws pinball machine right now. Where does he go? There's two arcades here. Yeah. And when you can buy like, if you pay $25,

you can play all day. I would hope so. Yeah. Jesus. 25 bucks play all day. I would hope so. Yeah. Jesus, 25 bucks to play pinball. Yeah, I'm friends with Jason Sudeikis, who is a massive. I've heard.

Huge, like he's, he, I have apps on my phone that he made me put on, I can't say made me, but he basically encouraged. Encouraged. And I was like, yeah, yeah. And put them on for you. And I have apps on my phone on where to find pinball machines if you're in, you know, Duluth and stuff like that.

And there's a couple different things. And he's introduced me to a whole world of, but he's way, way, way into it. And he has a house down the street from me and his basement, he just turned into, it's like filled with pinball machines and stuff. It's pretty cool. That's good.

Yeah. There's a basement in New York? Yeah, in Brooklyn. You guys have basements now? Do you still live in Dumbo? You must have moved out of that apartment. Oh, years ago, when Marlo was born. Okay. Yeah, we hadlo was born. OK.

Yeah, we had a one bedroom. And when we knew we were going to have a kid, we were like, we have to get a second bedroom. Yeah. We don't want to do this. And a basement. And a basement. Started, I said basement is priority.

Yeah, sure. And we could put the kid there if need be. And yeah, well, we got a, when, when, uh, we knew we were gonna have a kid, we, we had been looking really informally for about a year, to split a place with John Benjamin and Amy Silver. And, um. What does that mean, split a place? Uh, so a place?

So a lot of the brownstones in Brooklyn are multifamily. Most of them are. I mean, to find a single family is pretty rare. And so you could, you know, you have people, you know, living down either one floor and then you have the top two floors or you have four floors and people are on top two and somebody's on the bottom, whatever. But so we were looking to do that. And then I was in London working and then John said.

What were you working on in London? Bliss, a show I did for Sky. Okay, go on. So what did John say? John said, where can I check out Bliss? And I was like, I don't know, maybe Brit Box? It might be on Brit Box, I'm not sure. Great title. Oh, it's really good. I'm very proud of it. I just wrote and directed it. I didn't act in it. What? You did? Yeah, I didn't act in it. But this is a TV show you made? Yeah. After Margaret Todd? After Todd Margaret, yeah.

It was, uh, uh, oh, did I do Bliss and then do the third season? No, no, it was definitely, so I did third, yeah. I did, you were in Hits, right? Weren't you in Hits? I wasn't in Hits. You weren in hits, right? Weren't you in hits? I wasn't in hits. You weren't, okay. It was in between the hits and the, I don't know.

It's somewhere in there, I'm not sure. But it doesn't matter, it's neither here nor there. But I was in London working, it was one of the most surreal 48 hours I ever had, or whatever, it might have been like 64 hours. Amber at this point is about seven months pregnant. John had said, hey, we found a place, we can't afford it, it's like a fixer-upper type thing,

but you guys might, and check it out. Amber goes over there, takes video, does a walkthrough and she's like, I think this could really work and blah, blah, blah. So I was in Bristol, England on a tech scout at a dock and had to go do the tech scout, right? Get in a car from Bristol, drive to Heathrow, flew back to New York, woke up and we went and saw the, this is over the weekend, you know.

Yeah, it's in Brooklyn, it's a brownstone. Yep, went and saw it in person. What's the address? What borough is it at least? What borough? It's Brooklyn. Brooklyn is a borough. Oh, sorry, then what section of Brooklyn? Clinton Hill. Okay.

Yeah. And I was like, yeah, you know, asked a bunch of questions, you know, did a pretty thorough walk through and, you know, had like a late lunch and then got back on the plane and went back to London. Dang. Like going through customs and the, you know, the time zone, all that shit. And just waking back up in the bed in my efficiency flat was the weirdest thing. And then, that was like Sunday. I flew out on Friday, got there Saturday,

spent Saturday, went back, it was Sunday. It was the weirdest. Like what did I just do? That was crazy. And I was- It was worth it. Sunday, it was the weirdest. Like what did I just do? That was crazy. And I was- It was worth it. Totally worth it. It's, it, you know, we, it took a lot longer to fix

and every cliche about renovating a place, it all happened and it was, went way over budget or our budget, took way longer. But it's awesome. And I mean, it's, it truly is a dream home in the sense that I've wanted one of those beautiful brownstones, 19th century brick. I love it. It's brick and wood basically,

and it's something I've wanted for a long, long, long, long time, and the idea being, okay, I'm putting roots down, my kid goes to time and the idea being, okay, we're putting roots down. My kid goes to school down the street. Great school, public school, awesome. We know a lot of our neighbors and it's great. I'm quite happy because I've spent my whole life moving around and this is about, let's settle down here.

You'll never, never move. We will move to Toronto or London based on how the next two years shake out. Oh. Well, I just realized that we saw each other in Toronto because we were potting together when Amber was working on. Oh, that's right.

No, that was pre the wedding though. It was before the wedding. It was before the wedding. But it was between the funeral and the wedding, we had a COVID potting situation. Yes, well, cause there were a bunch of kids. So that's not bad fun for us. And what were you, oh, you were doing

what we do in the shadows. I was doing that, yeah, yeah. And we had a, and you. Oh, and I did a part on that. You had a part. That's right. That's right. That was so much fun. I think I shot for three days, maybe total.

Maybe even two, I don't know. I think it was three days, but I was so miserable and depressed and it was just an awful period of time for many, many people and myself included. It was scary, frustrating. We were stuck in Toronto. There's no going back and forth and we got our kid up there. And so it was nice to have a little community with other kids that were her age. Cause Ruby's what, a year younger maybe? Yeah. And then there were, you know, some other kids

that we'd all get together and play. You had that awesome house. I had a really cool house in, what was it called? It was right on the river. There was a little stream. Stream. What was it called? It was right on the river. There was a little stream. Stream. What was it called? What was that neighborhood called? Etobicoke, in Etobicoke, because I was so, I got the job,

and I shot one episode of season one of Shadows as this character, and then not the second season. But they had shot in Etobicoke season one. So when they told me that, when I got the job, I was like, OK, I'll just find a place in Etobicoke season one. So when they told me that when I got the job, they were like, okay, I'll find a place in Etobicoke. And then I found a place and it was awesome. And then they were shooting away across town. They changed it. I never, they never bothered to tell me.

I never bothered to ask. How far of a drive was it? It was a half an hour. That's a two-back considering Toronto. That's a massive, I love Toronto. I love it. I love it too. I mean, I,. I love it too. I wanted to become a permanent rez there. I looked into it. I'd started the process, but it was like, it was too much. It's a lot to be an immigrant, you guys. It's actually really hard to like. It's not quite the same thing as not speaking the language.

Yes, no, but even having all those things, I still, the hoops to go through and to make it happen, it was still like uncertain. And even having a job there, it was like, who cares? Yeah. Because I did Toronto's special. Yeah, I really like it. Well, I did Toronto's special. Yeah, I really like it.

It's also great for standup. I mean, when I do sets there, they're just, the Toronto audiences are great. Where do you do sets? I usually, I mean, I've done the Queen's Theater, I want to say, if that's right. And I've done the Danforth Music Hall a bunch of times. I recorded a CD there. I've done, andforth Music Hall a bunch of times. I recorded a CD there.

I've done, and when I do like workout shows, I'll go to the Horseshoe, what is it on Queen? I'm not sure, but the Horseshoe, which is music venue, but tight and just standing room. They've always been great. Any shows I do in Toronto are great. That's nice.

Yeah, and I'm going back to Canada next week. For what? Stand-up. Just to do stand-up? Just to do stand-up. That's great. And maybe pick up a syrup. Pick up a syrup. Yeah, I mean, I'm not going to brag about their food up there, but everything

else is good. I had pretty good food. I mean, I didn't get... It's fine. The sushi is good. I had pretty good food. I mean I didn't get sushi is good the sushi is very good and I found good places to eat me too, but I'm not gonna brag. You're not gonna break. Why they've got a big head No, they don't know No, the food is good, but every time I come back to Los Angeles, it's always like Los Angeles is just an edible delight in every way. Really good food. Look, LA has great food, no question.

But here's the thing with great food in LA. You can't argue that there's lots of great food, but somebody will go, oh my God, I had the best soup dumplings. They're so amazing. You like soup dumplings? Yeah. I go to blah, blahs in Chinatown. Oh man, forget it. These are better than the ones in Chinatown. Really? Yeah. It's not surprising LA has a large Chinese community. Oh man, forget it, these are better than the ones in Chinatown. Really? Yeah.

I mean, it's not surprising LA has a large Chinese community. All right, yeah. So great, where are they? Well they're in Alhambra and what you do is you take the 10 to the 110 and then you get off and you connect onto the 15 and that's about, you go about 45 minutes and then you're going to get off and it's just like there's an hour and 20 minute drive to the great foods that people tell you about which are there but sorry that's not I mean I guess I'm just gonna and I don't even know where Alhambra is

and whether it's anywhere near the 15 I don't know so if you're you sound like a typical New Yorker shitting on LA and I'm not even gonna be here for I don't know. So if you're- No, you sound like a typical New Yorker shitting on LA and I'm not even gonna be here for it. I'm not shitting on LA. Just that you are shitting on LA and I'm just taking a sip of my London Fogelati. I'm telling you a fact that people will often say the best blah blah is here.

It's you like, whatever, period. You check out, you know, the best deli in the world. I mean, I'm telling you, it's really good. People I trust and respect their taste. And I'll go, oh, that sounds great. Where is it? And it's a fucking two hour drive. It's a lot of driving here. And that's not fun. Okay, so I'm not shitting on LA. I'm telling you that aspect of having a great, whatever it is, is attendant with, whereas in New York or other places.

There we go. It's better. Tell me how it's better. I am, I'm in the process of that. You just hop on the subway and a couple minutes later, you're at the, where do you walk? Yeah. Where do you bike?

I am, I have so many questions. Well, what, like I do, when the fires happened in LA, it was, I love it here. I'll give LA that. I'll give LA that, that they- That it can burn really easily? That it can burn very easily. It doesn't take a lot. We know that now.

Well, it takes like a phenomenal 90 per hour wind. But you're right, normally it doesn't take a lot. We know that now. Well, it takes like a phenomenal 90 per hour wind. But you're right, normally it doesn't take a lot. Yeah, it doesn't. I mean, there have been plenty of fires without 90 mile per hour winds. No. No. LA, I'll give LA that. It burns easily.

It burns easily, but it's my favorite city. I think it might be my favorite city. I love, because one of the main reasons, so when the fires happened and it was like, whoa, that's, you know, you're like ready for an earthquake, but I don't think anybody was ready for the large portion of the city to go up in flames. And so many friends didn't just not have houses.

Yeah. So I was like, okay, well, where, where do we, what if, if and when, now it's an if and when we lose our house. Oh, another great thing about LA. Yeah. You will lose your house. It doesn't feel good that way.

Where do we go? And I really looked around and it was like, okay, like home is, home is people, not anything else. And there is someone in LA for me to see and enjoy and have a good, and it's funny. That's like finding like funny people is very difficult. They all kind of end up in two cities. That is not true. That is not true. That is not true.

That is simply not true. Oh no, I mean like comedians. I'm also not true. But you're right, there's people with good personality. I mean, eventually. Oh, you're right, that's not what I mean. I mean people who are funny because you've known them for a really long time and you both get each other's jokes.

Yeah. So that's what LA has for me, is good friends. So when they all leave. I believe in your ability to make good, funny, interesting friends wherever you go. And I will and I do. Okay, so then LA's not- But I just like it here now. Okay, that's fine. You're here?

Temporarily. I would like to go, where do you stay while you're here? I always get a Airbnb, you know, they won't tell you exactly the address until like shortly before you come, but within a like 45 minute walk from this studio. So I'm right now I'm like up Silver Lake shortly before it turns into Echo Park.

And usually I'm like on one side of sunset. That's how it's been. This is like my fourth trip out here. We thought about it. And so yeah, I mean, I'll be in a house somewhere, you know, in the back house or whatever. And I like it. I don't have a car. I didn't rent a car. I have friends in Highland Park and I'll lift over there. Yeah. Are you going to see Paul of Tompkins while you're here? Yeah. He did the podcast a couple days ago. Nice. He's a sweet guy. What about Jay Johnson? Are you going to see him?

Oh, he's out of prison. I don't even think he stepped foot in. Oh god. What a lucky. Yeah, what a lucky traitor No, I don't they I don't even know where Jay is now Yeah, I don't know if he's a proud boy yet, or if he's no he is he was there. Oh, okay. I don't know That's it was a proud. It was a proud boy celebration. I didn't know. It was a proud boy celebration. I didn't know that. Being so proud. And be a boy.

Yeah, and they're boys. Proud boys. They're very proud. Proud boys. Anyways. Oh, so where do you live? Where do you and Rich... We live near here too, but I'm not going to give that information away. Just tell me the neighborhood. Do you live in? In the East side.

Further East? Yeah. Because we are East, right? We're pretty East, right, Casey? Right. Wait. Yes. I have a question about... Okay.

Okay. Just to follow up, is I do want to... I was like, if my next move from LA would be back to New York, because I lived there for 12 years and I really loved it. And I feel I really, I was like told Rich, I'm like, if we leave, we'll go back to New York and stay in the city. And we were like, oh, you could stay in a suburb. And then it's like, why would I stay in a suburb of New York? I'm in a suburb now. Like what? Like Westchester? Yeah, it doesn't make sense.

Who says that? What a weird piece of advice. Rich's sister. I don't know. Just like, because it's cheaper and there's more space. Well, go to Queens. That kind of splits the difference, right? Well, I'll go, I'm going to live in Clinton Hill, I guess. Go to Marlowe's school. Why? Because you're there. Oh. And Amber's there. And then Amber and me and Rachael and I will go to Keen's.

We're not there a lot. We're going to where? Oh, Keen's. We'll go back to Keen's. Hey. Oh, that's right. We all went to the Keen's Steakhouse. Yes, with the pipes. Yes. So this is, okay. So David Cross was one of my first cheerleaders of stand up comedy. Yeah, I was an early proponent. He was. Right away, he did the Hot Tub Show.

And then you took me to London and we did a show at the 100 Club. And it was such a big deal for me. It was a big deal for me. Exciting. 100 club and it was such a big deal for me. That was exciting. It was a big deal for me though. A two week residency at a place where like the Who's used to perform the Sex Pistols, like that was pretty cool. It was awesome. And you, I don't know if you remember this,

but it was literally the two weeks we were doing it were the week before the smoking ban. And it was the last time in a basement with zero ventilation that was probably built in the 1880s. And it was just fucking sweaty and moist and hot, like just everyone smoking. And there's no, it's downstairs. And it's, I remember it being hot and sweaty, very, you know,

and smoky. I loved it. And then we went to the Phoenix. And that was really fun. He passed, by the way. I know, you told me. Yeah. Yeah, that was a good, that was a really fun two weeks.

And then both Eugene and I got on, what was the show where you call in? What was that? We taped it and then we showed the video. Yes. It's a show, it's weird, really weird, but it's like cable access type of thing where you can bet and they have like hot you know, pot woman, you know, dressed up and like, okay, you know, and they do a roulette or something like that and you can,

or is it acrostic type of word puzzle. Yeah, I wasn't in on that bit. But we got through, both of us, and so we filmed ourselves trying to answer the puzzles and just, and Eugene did a much better job just really fucking with them and trying to create words that were ridiculous and then we ended up showing that at the show. I remember Kitson did a set, Daniel Kitson. I've never seen anyone destroy like that. Oh, he's absolutely one of my favorite comics. I first saw him and I'd heard about him. First saw him at the Kilkenny Comedy Festival in Ireland, which I did not do well at.

And just watching him so disarming, not care, or seemingly not care and just be unbreakable, just laughing and having a good time, even though people were booing and stuff and he's just, he was amazing. And I get the sense that he doesn't care for me or my standup. Oh, really? I don't mean, I mean.

Did you see him at my wedding? Did you talk to him? Yeah, yeah. Briefly. And also I brought him over to New York and set up a show for a McDonald's, which I don't think is there anymore, but Lower East Side. And he didn't seem, I mean...

Grateful. Grateful and it felt like it was an obligation almost. And I just got the sense that he, and I was also trying to get him to be in Todd Margaret. Oh, he won't do TV. He won't do TV. He won't do TV. And maybe felt like I was pestering him or- That must have been an unusual feeling for you because- It is, because I fucking love that guy.

Most men are fanboys, like worship the ground you walk on. So that must have been a real like- Yeah, like who the fuck are you to not- I'm David Cretton, Mr. Show is the reason you got in comedy, that kind of feeling and that's not there. Well, also I'm just such a huge fan of his and it's just, it's, look, I get, I come off a certain way and I rub people with- What do you mean, like, how do you come off? Now we're getting somewhere. I think people, not even I think, I know people can find me aloof or condescending or somebody who thinks they know more than they do.

And I know that, cause I've read comments about that. Nobody knows me, but I don't think people who know me really, I mean, I have a lot of close friends, I'm not sure they're, I doubt they'd be hanging out with me if they were, if they thought like in that kind of situation, because I had, you know, 20 years where I couldn't take a compliment and I would be just awkward and weird and I'd compensate by drinking and then that would just make it worse. And I just, and when, I remember doing a Mr. Show tour, and we had a tour bus. So this would have been probably the first one, I think.

And, you know, the show would end and I'd run. I'd just run out and get on the bus so I didn't have to deal with people. And they're nice people. They're all lovely people. I mean, sometimes they're a little, it's a little awkward, but I'm much, much better. I had to make myself be, you know,

and I'm glad I did, you know. I think I'm a better person for it, but I was very awkward and not comfortable with taking compliments and that kind of early fame thing, you know. Well, I remember like everybody that I came up with in the comedy world just worshiped Mr. Show. And it really was like, this is why I got into comedy. And I think we became friends because I didn't have cable growing up. So I

didn't really have that kind of admiration towards you. Like I'd seen one sketch when I was in college because someone had it in their dorm room. And I was like, ah, this is funny. But I remember waiting in line at the Luna lounge the first day I met you and you were behind me. And I turned around and I was like, oh, this guy, that's the death out, that's from, he's in that show. So I was like, oh, I like your show. And you were like, he's like, thank you, he's in it too. And it was Brian Postade was standing behind you and I was like, okay, because I never like actually seen it. And like, I just pawned you off to somebody else like, oh, talk to him. And then I was like, I didn't know you were in it. And then I just pawned you off to somebody else like, oh, talk to him. And then I was like, I didn't know you were in it. And then I just turned around because the little lounge shows, I didn't talk to anybody.

That was my thing. Well, that was an intimidating scene too. I mean, that was like the cream of the crop. Oh, it's the best. And they were super fun shows to do. Yeah. This was a show for you guys listening that was in the Lower East Side. It's not there anymore.

Well, the building's not even there. I know. It's like a condo. Yeah, it's like a high-rise condo. But it was Jeanine Grafflo and Mark Maron's show, and they would just have – everybody would do it. And it was very alternative, I would say. I would argue.

Like, that's the first time I saw Eugene doing like a weird, I feel like he was wearing like some sort of astronaut helmet. Like, it was just so magical. Yeah, it was fun. And like John Benjamin would go up and he had a- With Glazer a lot, too. With Glazer a lot, yeah, John Glazer. But he would have, he did a thing at Little Lounge

where he had hired a Bar mitzvah DJ or wedding DJ. He hired somebody who had no business being there, and it was part of his set to have this DJ. I don't know, it was pretty crazy. And I don't know if you were there. One of the last one of the last nights was the night before 9-11, September 10th. Oh, wow. I wasn't there. Well, I was in New York, but I was shooting a show called Mr. Holland's Opus. Oh, the movie.

Oh, sorry. It was... No, no, no. I'm sorry I said that. Wait, that's a real... That's a legit movie. Because it was with Richard Dreyfuss and Marsha Gay-Harted. It was actually... It was called something. He was a teacher. That's a fuck up. That's a real fuck up. You're putting yourself in a well-regarded... God, I wish!

I wish! Yeah, I was in New York shooting Lawrence of Arabia. Oh no, wait, that wasn't it. What was it? The original King Kong. I was in New York shooting the original King Kong. Mr. Holland's... Which is better, Mr. Holland's Opus or Whiplash, go.

Whiplash? Yeah, yeah. I mean, that wasn't too hard. Also, I haven't seen Mr. Holland's Opus. I've seen it, but it's been a long time. Okay, wait, so- Well, you were in it, so. I know, I was in it, but I just remember it was slow

and the craft service was bad. When you did, when you're making shows in London, so you write, you direct, you're shooting them, do you prefer working in London because the actors are so much more talented? For me, it's really great to work with people that American audiences might not be that familiar with because then you can buy into the character more. And not that that's the reason I shot stuff there. I shot because I had the opportunity.

In fact, it was at the 100 Club where clearly Mountford and Jane Bell approached me after a show. And they were like, you know, we want to talk to you about the co-producing something here for here and you know, whatever. And I was like, okay, whatever. And they gave me a card and we were shooting tequila and all that stuff. And then it was later, a couple of days later, and I was like, hey, what? That lady said she wanted to do a show here? Maybe I should call her.

And then that eventually turned into the increasingly poor decisions of Todd Margaret, and then that led to Bliss. But it's just nice to, But it's just nice to, you don't have to deal with a lot of bullshit that you have to as a producer here. There's way less hoops to jump through. If you have a good producer, which clearly is one of the best,

they take care of a lot of the stuff that you might have an issue with, and then you're free to, and there's so many talented people there. And one really stark memory I have, and I think it was, it was before Todd Margaret, because I had Olivia Wingate

brought me to London to do a month residency at the Soho Theater on Dean Street in Soho. At the end of Dean Street, and Dean Street if you're listening, is it's in Soho and it's where a lot of post is. So there's tons of actors and famous people just walking around, you know, it's got businesses and coffee shops and all that stuff. But a lot of posts were condensed, you know, it's a tight city there. So you see a lot of these folks and there's a pub

at the end of the street called the Nelly Dean. And I remember going there and just getting a pint after editing session or whatever. And there is the amount of talent that was sitting at some of the tables, just everyone's leaving them alone. Nobody gives a shit, it's crowded. And like some of my idols are there, you know? And everybody's, nobody gives a shit.

And it was, I remember that being like, you know, I went to have drinks with Charlie Brooker and Chris Morris, right? I mean, two Mount Rushmore of British comedy. And we were in some, again, a different pub in SoHo, and nobody like, and they knew who they were, but nobody's, you know, people here freak out if they see a real housewife, you know? And it was just so cool. Like I loved that aspect of it. That you can hang out in a pub with amazing people

and no one's bothering them and no one's. And it's just a community, just like any other community. It's a, you know, that happens to be showbiz folks. And that was pretty cool. Yeah. Just a boy from Georgia hanging out at the Nellie Dean. Yeah. And just with like this, the amount of talent there. And you know, cause it takes a long time to be rich

off of that stuff in the UK. And people work, you work and work and work. Now the one thing I will say is they, and it's frustrating as an American, used to working on American shows, is they don't work as long hours as we will. is they don't work as long hours as we will. Like they, you know, after pretty, whatever it is, 10 hours, they're all done.

And they're like, not that they don't put in hard work when they're working, they do, they're great. And I've used mostly the same people every production. They're just really great. There's a shortcut between us two and talking and they know what I want, et cetera, et cetera. But when five o'clock rolls around, they're putting everything away. They gotta get to the pub before the tube shuts down. And you have to call Grace constantly and you have to have like French hours and, you know,

and that is one frustrating part is like, cause in America you just, you work until you get the shot. Yeah. And sometimes you work in, you know, 12, 14 hour days and you get compensated for it, but they're long fucking days. Right. And it's just understood you work

until you get the thing you need. And that's just not how they approach it. You know. America seems like isn't one of our biggest exports our entertainment. Isn't it? I mean, I would imagine that doesn't surprise me. Yeah, that's always kind of made me proud. Yeah. mean we have goods. We have you know a lot of crap, but we have some really amazing We Bob Odenkirk And I went to Machu Picchu last summer Yeah, yeah, and he's the two of you and a skeleton crew. Yes. Why?

We owe to film yourselves being there or just to be friends, like uniting on a bucket list thing? Both. It started with me, you know, I've been wanting to hike the trail for, I don't know, 25 years. Sure. And go to Machu Picchu since I saw it in a, you know, whatever or something. I saw it on Paddington just last week.

Right, there you go. Um, and... Wait, they shot in Machu Picchu? Well, I didn't do the research. I highly doubt it, because it's a bear running around and they're like fucking it up. I mean, it would give it away. Right. That it's a bear.

Well, that they're fucking it up. Oh, the bear is fucking up Machu Picchu? They're getting in the Pichu and there, and there's like boulders rolling around and crashes. Yeah, they probably didn't film with the actual Pinewood Studios. There's only one film I heard that was allowed to do so and that was Transformers. And it was during COVID and it was because like- Shot at Machu Picchu?

Yes, they were allowed to shoot at Machu Picchu, but they had major rules. Like they weren't allowed to, like they had to carry the equipment up. And I think there was even something where they were only allowed to put sticks down for the camp. Like it was like major rules, but the people up through our huge transformer fans.

So they're like, yes to you and no to you, Paddington. I haven't seen it, and then there's drones and everything. Sure, sure, but they have anti-drone rules there too. Well, probably after Transformers, I guess. I'm making this up, but sounds good. It sounds really good, I was totally buying it. No, I'm not making up the fact that they shot in Peru, because I met an AD who had just come from that job.

Well, then what were you making up? Oh, that they shot with drones. I'm making, I don't know if they did or not. They probably did. They have a rule about all kinds of stuff. Sure. Oh, wait, so you were there. Go back to you.

So you were there with Bob Odenkirk. Yep. Wow. And I gave him a one dayday head start and then I... Why? Because he's healthier? Because I had a gun and he, you know... So I had been wanting to do it for a long time and I was in a very nice family vacation in the water, pleasant, which I loved.

I love swimming. I love whatever. It was really fun, a bunch of families together. I was sitting there and it was really pleasant. I was like, I love this, but this isn't my thing. I'd rather I want something challenging and and I was like I've been saying I Wanted to climb Machu Picchu for 30 years and I'm gonna fucking do it. I'm gonna do it next year no more and I'm also More aware of my body not cooperating and I've got issues with my feet

How old are you now 60 you. You turned 60? Yeah. Happy birthday. When was your birthday? September? No, well I'll be 61 in April. So April what? Fourth. Oh, happy birthday. Thank you. Yeah. But anyway, I was like, I'm going to do it. And then I thought, who can I get to go? Who likes hiking? And I thought of Mark Rivers. And then I thought, who can I get to go, who likes hiking? And I thought of Mark Rivers. And then I was like, oh wait, Bob loves hiking. He's a big hiker and he's in good shape.

And who could tolerate me for a week, camping out and stuff. And then I thought, oh Bob, I'll ask Bob. And then my next thought was like well I guess we should probably shoot it if it's Bob and I and so we got a literally just two cameras and a sound guy and went when you say two cameras two camera men yeah okay yeah yeah you just didn't add that there was a person attached to the camera the sound had a guy but to the camera. The sound had a guy, but not the camera, so I didn't know.

If you each had a camera. I thought it'd be easier to say, yeah, and then say two cameramen, because then you'd say, did the cameramen bring their cameras? I guess you'd assume. Yeah, well, I just know the sound guy's bringing sound. Yeah. Yeah.

Right. OK. Yeah, so two cameras that were attached at times to two gentlemen operating them. Did you know this crew? No. Because they're spending a lot of time with you. Yeah. No, they were great. They were, and that was part of it. Were they Peruvian?

No, no, no. They were American. They're out of New York. you know Bob and I, when we decided to do this, we met with a bunch of different doc producers, film producers, and they were all great in their own way. And then we went with this company, Left Right, because of some of the stuff they had done already and it's been great. And in fact, I go home to Sunday and I Sunday or Saturday, and that Sunday, Bob and I are in the editing room for four hours in New York at the office. Reliving your trip. Well, trying to put it together and make it something. I don't know how this came up.

It was about hiking? I don't even know. Oh, for this conversation? Yeah, yeah. I'm just keeping you talking. But wait, when you were in, when you were at Machu Picchu, what was it like? Did it feel,

cause I was just like, is it just like, cause I don't think I'll ever get there. So is it just like, oh, those are old stones? Or is there like a vibe? To be completely honest, once we, so we hike the Inca Trail to get there. There's two ways to get there. Either hike, and it's either a four day or five day,

depending on where you camp out and whether you choose to do two passes in the same day, or you take, which 95% of the people do, take a train to this place and then you take a bus up this winding thing and then you get to go. And then you're just there. And then you're there. Oh, that's good to know. And it's in the middle of the Andes, and I had no interest in that.

And one of the, like, he was going to be our guide, but there was some reason why he couldn't be. And his dad is Guy Max, and he's an awesome guy. And he grew up in Alantaytambo, which is a tiny, tiny little town that is where you start the hike basically. And his dad, like, what's the word? Not discovered a trail, like created an alternate, harder trail along the Sauconte Mountain.

And he was, he's just the coolest guy and he was sort of a consultant. And he told me, we were having drinks one night, and he's like, look, you know, by the time you get to Machu Picchu, which is beautiful, it's stunning, it's amazing, that's in the middle of nowhere, how'd they do this, by the time you get there, because he's taken the, he's walked the trail like 20,

30 times, he's like, it's just a pile of rocks. And he could not have been more correct for the struggle of hiking this 37 kilometer trail that is not, it's just rocks. And they, you know rocks and they carved it out of nothing. There was no trail. So they created the entire thing and it's really steep ascensions and descending. It's difficult at times and there's lots of steps. At one point you're over 14,000 feet above sea level and the oxygen is thin. You go through so much.

You also pass other ruins along the way that are not even close to the extent and the grandeur of Machu Picchu. You mean that pile of rocks. That pile of rocks. But by the time you get there and you get up to the Sun Gate and you go through, and then they have a thing, which is really cool, I'm glad they did this, where if you got to Machu Picchu by the trail, and there's only two ways, there's no other, you can either go and there's no left or right.

Left is the mountain, then right. Well, Paddington takes a plane and crashes into it. Okay. Well, he's a magic bear imbued with ability to, you know, with cognitive. He's incredible. Grown up thinking. Yeah. And, well, if I can get Paddington to tell you the story, how about that?

No, I- Jesus Christ. No, because he had a lot going on. He had a different journey. Yeah. Anyway, the point is this guy, like we, so if you take the trail, you have access to other parts that the other folks don't. That's fair.

And it is, I think, and it's pretty cool. And you're also there with, it's a real true sense of accomplishment when you get there and you get to the end because it's fucking hard that Day three is a motherfucker and they all tell you that they tell you that but I remember at the end of The third the third day. I was just like if you told me I had to do this again tomorrow. I would say no I'm just gonna I'm gonna take my time. I'll get there on my own. I'm not I'm not doing this again. Yeah. Was Bob just constantly being like, oh, this reminds me of when I was doing those Lost in the Desert scenes of Better Call Saul, and I survived that.

Oh, that's what you've brought it full circle because that's what I was going to talk about. Brought it full circle. That's what I was gonna talk about. So we went And yes, he did but we went to home So we were in Peru and he was Constantly I'm talking in Lima. Didn't matter where we were in Lima in Cusco and Alante Tambo and on the trail, and the airports. Like, excuse me, Saul, Saul, can I get a picture? And like constantly. I've seen Better Call Saul, the series twice.

It's great. I love it so much. Yeah, and there are two moments in particular that are some of the best acting. One is when he, it's, I wanna say third season, and he's trying to, he's lying to the insurance lady, and he's totally making it up, about his brother and stuff, and he's all,

but obviously it's a script that he's memorized, but he plays it so perfectly, and you can see every little thing as he's making it up, but also imbuing himself with confidence that, and just that scene is great. Not to take anything away from Bob Odenkirk, but sometimes I'm like, imagine if we'd been given that. Given?

Something so well written to perform. Of course, yeah. Shit. But I mean, yeah, Bob is great and can pull it off, but you know, I think... No, he's special. And so are you, but wait, hold on. So you're it.

And so are you. I just wanna... KC, so are you. We're all special. We're all really special. We're all special in LA. When you were, so when you got to Machu Picchu, there was the Sun Gate, you were saying, but I want to know what your reaction was then,

when you finally got there. Was it just like they said, like a little bit overwhelmed? It wasn't about Machu Picchu anymore. It was about the hike. It was about the hike. And that was, I didn't expect that. There was a sense of relief, a sense of accomplishment. And also the idea that whatever, because it happened, it got together so quickly. It was like, what, six months ago I was standing in the ocean going I want to go to Machu Picchu. I'm going to go. God damn it. What a life you have.

I mean I it's a thing that I don't defend it. No, I chose to do it. It's not anybody can have that life. Wait, wait. When you when you so you didn't experience any Machu Picchu citizen ghosts No at all. Okay, and did you take the train back or did you just slide on your butt back down? Oh you yeah, there's no going back the other way Okay, it's it's a you know narrow trail and there's enough if you stand against the mountain side You can let people pass and stuff And occasionally it's wider in some places and somebody will have a donkey with packs and stuff. But it's not, I mean, mostly it's a,

you're not going back 37 kilometers. That would be awful. Okay. You know. So you took the train. So you take the train, everybody basically. You get, take a bus, you get there and there's, you know, it's got its it's

Fucking cool and beautiful and you're again you're in and the Andes Mountains are particularly jagged I don't know why but just and I think it's the youngest mountain range on earth. I believe but It's just a stunning every every It's just a stunning, every turn you take and every... That's why it goes by Andy instead of Andrew. But I don't understand. The Andes. No, I get that. Because they're so young.

Oh, okay. Did you get that right away, Casey? No, Yeah. Honestly. You know, that's why I don't do standup in Toronto anymore or anywhere. Have you stopped doing standup? I did stop. It's so nice. Really?

You're a wonderful standup. Thanks, Casey. You know, you always believed in me. I mean, you made a lot of fans in London. I know. You're right. You know what? It's so funny because you because do you remember Liam?

Well, I'm forgetting his last name. Liam was around, and he always did shows in New York. Liam. Liam like mixed something. He sent me a- From Oasis? No, no. He was a standup in New York, but he produced a lot of shows.

And he did one, he taped one that I did at comics like 15 years ago or more. Yeah, that's been gone for a while. Yeah. And he asked if he could post it on YouTube and I just saw it this week and it was, you know, it was so fun. I actually enjoyed my performance. And then I was like, oh, I could actually do stuff with that. What do you do you do you Kurt?

We had our 20th anniversary. A hot tub? A hot tub. Or doing And we're and we ended hot tub. So officially, officially. Yeah. Nice. That was good. That felt good. Hot tub was a fun show.

It was a fun show. You and Kurt were always had fun stuff. Yeah. Kristen Shaw is a horse. Kristen Shaw is a horse. It was a fun show. You and Kurt have always had fun stuff. Yeah. Kristen Schaal is a horse. Kristen Schaal is a horse, a solid bit. Yep. Yeah.

I can say that I would probably do Stand Up Again, but I have this weird... I really like acting, and then I really want to write my own thing. I want to write- We can do both. I can do both, but I don't know about, but like my day is packed with a kid. Like, you know, it's like I get her to school and then if you have like any other thing during the day, let alone like, I wish I could exercise, but you have jobs and other things and then you then you school after care is over and then you're home, and then I don't wanna do shows at night right now.

Like I really like putting her to bed. She's having like trouble with nightmares. And so I just feel like I wanna do that. But I think I will always come back to that, I hope. Because it was fun. What is Ruby gravitating towards? Like, what is she starting to show you about herself? She likes, she has crushes. That just happened like a few weeks ago.

And she, what else? She really likes animals. She likes nature. She loves, does a thing too. I was like, God, if we moved to New York, we had to make sure we go to Central Park a lot. We'll go to Prospect Park. I live in between Prospect Park and Fort Greene.

I would always imagine if I came back to New York, I would want to, my dream living- You said you wanted to be in the city. My dream living when I was in Brooklyn and maybe, cause you know, I worked in Manhattan every day. So every day I was in Manhattan and all my fancy Manhattan friends never took the train to Brooklyn. And I was like, must be nice. Yeah.

I was like, if I ever come back to New York City, I'm gonna like, I'll be a Manhattan gal. That's what I can say. But you did live in Manhattan. And then I did live in Manhattan. I forgot. Yeah. With Rich for a couple years. You guys on all your Emmys. We still have all his Emmys.

Shelves and shelves of Emmys. What's Rich doing now? He's, he's like writing, writing movies with Rob Anderson. I don't know if you know Rob. I don't. But he wrote this funny movie that they're not gonna make it, but it was about a QAnon person who it's like what if every conspiracy theory

of QAnon was true? And so she just starts discovering that she's right the whole time. That's the movie. That is kind of close to a crazy, you know Mark Chappell at all? I don't. British writer.

He had this idea and I was helping him with it. That was about a kind of similar thing where they discovered in Ukraine, this guy, this guy who I was going to play, he was like this washed up, he had one hit, and he was still living off that hit. And he lives in like a, you know, one room bungalow somewhere off of West Hollywood. And people remember him but it was like a dumb thing and he was just a party too much and blah, blah, blah. And this show took place in the Ukraine and it was discovered that in the show that Russia had been interfering

in the presidential election, all this stuff. And it was all kind of through the show that he produced in Ukraine and where he stumbles upon going like, wait a second, this is real. And then Russia invaded Ukraine. Oh my God. We were like, well, second, this is real. And then Russia invaded Ukraine. Oh my God. We were like, well, there goes that. Yeah.

There goes that idea. But it was kind of similar in the sense of like, all the things that you've heard are, you know, it's bullshit. Yeah. It actually did happen. Yeah. And, you know, and people from the show

have mysteriously died and all this stuff. And it really was a Russian You know, he was manipulated into making this propaganda Anyway, that was similar thing. Are you um, do you use Botox? Your skin is like so smooth and you don't have any like wrinkles I Yeah, I don't know. I mean I've been told when they do nothing I do nothing. No facials? No no facials but uh. You must use some eye cream or something. I don't use eye cream. I have a moisturizer. I'll put moisturizer on my yeah rub it on my

hands and rub it on my face and head I Did have a biopsy if you take a look at that just recently. Oh, oh it turned out to be benign So that's no cancer. Oh, I gotta tell Amber Call her now. I'll call her but yeah, I forgot to Amber doing she's great, you know, she's she's a little frustrated You know like anybody who has a period where they're not working like they want to work and so she's kind of going through that. And, but she just, she had this project she was trying to write a new novel and she went on this writer's retreat and she said it all kind of clicked for her. And so that was good. So she has this thing to be working on.

But Kristen, Shaw, thank you so much. Is there anything you want to plug, let people know about upcoming stuff? Yeah. Well, as Casey knows, we have a podcast starting in April with your friend Tony Hale. Oh, great. Love Tony. And Matt Oberg called The Extraordinarians, where we interview people who have broken world records and things like that. That's going to be a big hit.

Okay. You're doing that with headgum? Yeah. I guess. So you'll be here. I love the headgum. I'll be next door. Okay. Well, yeah, literally right there? Yeah. I guess. So you'll be here. I love the headgum. I'll be next door.

Okay. Well, yeah, literally right there. Yeah. But in the studio? Yeah. The same. Okay. Well, great.

That's what I knew about this. This is a very good tea. Okay. It's called London Fog. It's from your other favorite city. How's Wendy? She just had to put down her dog today. Oh, no. So I got to down her dog today. Oh no.

So I gotta call her. Okay. Yeah. God, you gotta do some calls. You gotta roll some calls with your ladies. I don't have cancer. Sorry about the dog. So I end every episode with a question from my daughter, Marlo, who you know.

And your question is going to be. Is this specific for me or is it just a question? Yeah. Okay. Kristen Shaw, my, my daughter Marla would like to know what is the least bad thing that Trump did? What is the least bad thing that Trump did? What is the least bad thing? And that's a legit question. You feel free to answer it in any way you see fit. Yeah. No, this is good. I mean, okay, this is good.

I feel nervous talking about politics just because only because I feel like I need to read more stuff. Well, you're talking to a seven-year-old who and she worded it that way least bad What is the least bad thing that Trump did? I think the least bad thing Well, okay in my mind when he was when Okay, what he was saying that he when he was saying that he was gonna go talk to Kim Jong-un in North Korea. And everybody was like, we don't talk to him because he's evil. And the way we handle evil people is we ignore them until they're good and then we'll talk to them. And I kind of was a little, I didn't tell anybody,

but I kind of liked that he was like, I'm gonna go talk to him. I just don't know how that, it seemed like a good move actually. There you go. Perfectly acceptable answer. Yeah, just a, why don't you chat to everybody? Yeah, least bad thing you did. I think that might be the least bad thing. Yeah, I'm not judging, I'm not giving you a that's right, that's good, but it's perfectly acceptable. And yeah. Yeah. Thank you. What else did he do? Oh, you know what? Wait, Marlo, and also Marlo, he did a pretty good job in Home Alone.

Do you think so? I don't. Was that the original Home Alone? The original Home Alone, didn't he just say- Second, Home Alone 2. Oh, it's Home Alone 2. He just like looked at him, right, and then walked away. Yeah, gave him directions.

That was it. Yeah. That was the least bad thing he did. Yeah. Okay, great. Sense is Working Over Time is a HeadGum podcast created and hosted by me, David Cross. The show is edited by Katie Skelton and engineered by Nicole Lyons with supervising producer Emma Foley.

Thanks to Demi Druchin for our show art and Mark Rivers for our theme song. For more podcasts by Headgum, visit Headgum.com or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Leave us a review on Apple podcasts and maybe we'll read it on a future episode. I'm not gonna do that. Thanks for listening.