Fred Armisen

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We're going to talk about Wednesday, the big hit show on Netflix that he is a part of. We're going to discuss the past, the present, the future. But we have a great guest joining us to discuss Fred and how wonderful Fred is. A person who is here to talk well behind his back and give me a question to ask Fred. That person is Carrie Brownstein. She is the star of Portlandia, Sleater-Kinney. She's an actor, director, writer. And Fred. Just an all-around cool, awesome person. Carrie, thank you for joining us. Hi. This episode is brought to you by Caesar. Dog parents, what do you have on the menu tonight? If you're looking to serve your favorite four-legged friend high-quality wet dog food they'll be genuinely excited about, we say, just eat Caesar. Whether it's a protein-rich beef recipe on Monday, or a savory chicken and vegetable dinner on Wednesday, Caesar offers a variety of delicious meals made with freshly crafted, slow-cooked ingredients, all designed to support your dog's everyday nutrition without compromise. That's real variety, real ingredients, and real excitement at mealtime. So if you're looking to serve a meal your dog actually looks forward to every single day, they should totally just eat Caesar. Learn more at Caesar.com. Your dog will thank you. ♪ ♪ ♪ "All I ever wanted was a really good hand." ♪ Carrie? Hi. Hi! Nice to see you. How are you? I'm great! It's so good to see you. Look at how nice your background is. I could say the same for yours. We're talking to Fred today, and we can talk about Fred forever, but I just want to talk about you for a second. I was a fan of yours long before I met you, and I just remember saying to Fred, like, "Wait a minute. Wait, wait, wait, wait. Carrie from Sleater-Kinney? Like, wait, that Carrie?" Like, I can remember this feeling of, "Oh, my God. I might get a chance to meet you." But meeting you was so important to me because I thought you were so cool. I loved you. I loved your band. I loved your music. And then to find out that you are so deeply funny, talented, prolific, interesting, um, yeah. I mean, I don't have a question here. I just want to say, remember that. Yes. Well, I mean, yeah. You're right. That wasn't a question, but I will, my retort will be that I felt the same. I mean, I was such a big fan of yours. And I think Fred did. There were a lot of people I met through Fred, obviously, like so many people from SNL that I already admired. You and Fred are such partners in so many different, how do you define your relationship? How do you describe your relationship with Fred? I mean, I think Fred is a great friend. I think he's a great friend. yes he he has he has a specific taste but he's not a snob he's not a snob and he doesn't he really is averse to that and and he's one of the few people in my life that I he can do an impression of me to me and it doesn't hurt my feelings yes a lot of impressions a lot of impressions are like the things that you don't want to hear people doing that you want to be done behind your back and the hopes that but Fred can do impressions of people to them and they feel seen but it's got it's it's just as fascinating like he he can do that Fred's impression of me he tells me he can't do my voice but so what he does is he walks and I didn't realize until Fred did an impression of me that I'm a trudger I trudge it's a weird it's a but it was inoffensive and there's also something very loving about it like you're like yeah you you notice something about me that someone else doesn't what's his impression of you his impression of me is like asking kind of the leading question is it kind of like a suspicious question it's like a little but it I it delights me like when he does it I just feel so like he he that's me like you got it or whatever yeah because what he's pointing out is just that you're curious and you're in you're is he's pointing on intelligence like that's very flattering you're like yeah I guess I am smart and I ask really good questions thank you for noticing okay so I ask my um my uh first guest to give me give a little bit of time for my second guest and I was wondering you probably know so much about Fred what do you think would be a question maybe he'd want to answer you'd want to know or that people listening might want to know we touched on this you know just the like the music stuff so I guess my question is um I would want him to describe the way that one of his musical heroes humor sensibility playfulness informed his own comedy that's something I'm actually curious about such a good question I just can't wait to to hear your talk with Fred so I just want to carry you the best thank you so much for doing this I really want us to deep dive soon together I cannot wait for those live shows I definitely want to go that sounds so fun and um I just love spending time with you thank you so much for this time thank you Amy take care good to see you you too bye Carrie this episode is brought to you by visible let's be honest wireless can feel like a world of traps expensive bills hidden fees and promises that just don't hold up you start to feel stuck don't fall for the trap escape to visible the ultimate wireless hack get unlimited data and hotspot powered by Verizon one line all for just $25 a month taxes and fees included you heard that right just $25 a month get great coverage and a reliable connection with visible switch today at visible.com and start saving on wireless terms apply see visible.com for plan features and network management details oh my god Fred and I oh my god we got our khaki on that is really funny I kind of well I'm dressing today like one of your my favorite characters of yours Nicholas Fane oh but I think like we're all starting to dress like we are that I feel like we men and women are all dressing the same yeah and we're all dressing the same way and we're all dressing the same way and we're all dressing the same way yeah I forgot what store I went to but there was like sort of a department store where all the guys clothes were stuff like all the colors I would like yeah so it's very it felt very like and I like to dress pretty mask in general like I feel safe when I'm kind of buttoned up and kind of like so Fred Armisen is here and we're we're we both have similar colors on today yeah Amy I I can't even begin I mean thank you so much for this I love this one I'm gonna call it a show yeah I love it and I can't believe it's happening I also I mean you know this everyone like we could talk forever I know I don't even know what we're gonna talk about yeah it's I know I was just like I have notes and we were going over and I was like I I feel like we could we could talk about we could talk about talking on podcasts for an hour and a half we could like the tone because people's tones do change a little bit Fred you know I'm not a fan of the tone because I'm not a fan of the tone because I'm not a fan of the tone you are you're probably talked about more than almost anybody on this podcast I I don't know if you've heard how well you've been spoken of here it's really it makes me very happy it's flattering it's the nicest thing it's all people who I love and respect and it's that's the best and you were on the first uh zoom that Drachi couldn't get her headphones on you were nice enough to do that thank you one of a million times you have come through and helped me out and been and not ever been like what is this no but that's that's easy because everything you're working on uh it just seems like oh of course that's gonna be great but not everybody is like that I mean I want to talk about it today but I feel like I learn a lot from the way you approach saying yes to things and when you're actually there you're actually there you're actually a present person which is pretty hard to be uh thank you but it's for stuff that I want to do so that's what that's like most of the you know the battle of being there but I don't even know how to start this conversation because I love it so much I'm so excited but okay I feel like you are a comedic genius and of all the funny people of which we know the funniest people everybody loves you the most and says you're the funniest and Martin Short told a really sweet anecdote on this where he made him laugh in that moment where you told him that you you tricked him into thinking that he said Tony McCartney instead of Paul McCartney when he introduced Paul McCartney at the SNL 50th yeah I guess what is it like to like make your heroes laugh well first of all thank you for those really kind words and we need you to live up to it yeah wait wait till you see what I do on this I memorized all these bits to do uh um it is like it's gonna sound like it it is a mutual thing yeah like it's very like I don't when I'm around Martin Short I'm not like hey I'm gonna it's just like it really does feel like he's so funny let's just goof around it really does feel that way yeah and with the Tony McCartney thing I thought for sure I thought he knew it just by me talking about it that I was joking but did he actually get fooled for a second yeah because I guess it was a very heightened moment it's like the end that was after good nights of the 50th and so they were like my might have just been a moment where he thought it really happened but I feel like that's the thing I love about working with you and knowing you is there's like a impish like playful side to you that never feels mean but feels very um fun like I feel like if shit went down I want to turn to you Fred because I feel like if someone's yelling or if someone's like if something um uncomfortable is happening it's fun to turn to you and when something if something great is happening it's fun to turn to you yeah uh likewise but I but I feel like I lean on you though because you have a gauge of like this is what's really happening there's one thing you told me when I was thinking of leaving SNL I think I'd already decided that I was leaving SNL and you said I didn't even ask you but you're like don't worry Lauren always stays in your life that's what I mean it's a bigger it's like a it's a map it's like a little further away and and you just know like the thing to say how many years were you on SNL 11 oh wow yeah and I remember right at the end I was just sort of like you know trying to decide and you had already left so yeah I looked to you as like what is this I was just I mean there's so many things to talk about one thing I learned today is is this true or is the internet wrong that your full name is given name Ferry Dunn yeah Ferry Dunn and it is your father's name yep and it is a Iranian name yep but he is German yes and Korean yes why does he have an Iranian name because his mom in Germany was dating a Persian man at the time when she got pregnant not by him so she gave her child her boyfriend's name yeah he or he chimed in on what his name should be there were there were Persian workers in Germany at the time and you know even though it wasn't his baby yeah she was like what should I call this kid and he's like he he came up with that name you have German descent Korean descent your mom is from Venezuela like and you have an Iranian name even though you don't have any Persian like it that is that's you in a nutshell that's crazy I know and so then you you were just called Fred from when you were a little kid yeah and my dad was as well it was crazy I'm not I'm not talking about myself like I'm like amazed like yeah it's crazy I mean more that learning the history of what I thought Germany was like that there were yeah immigrants there and foreign workers you know that things are just more complex than I ever learned right originally or that there was racism against Koreans in Japan right I had no idea and much like Andy Sandberg who was on here talking about how he did his roots when you did your roots you found out that you Dad was Japanese. Japanese and you found out that his relatives were Japanese. Yeah. You found out they were Korean. Yeah. It was, I was in this room for four hours, you know, as they're opening these books and, and it really feels at first, it is disbelief. Like this cannot be true. Have you done it? No, because I'm Irish white. It's not going to go well. I mean, there's no way. But you'll be surprised. You'll be surprised. And that's like, that's, that's also their job. Yes, I will be surprised. And I mean, they're just, it's never going to go back to something good. What if you're a full-blooded Canadian? And people would be, I'd be like, no way. My relatives are from Canada. Like, but when you were growing up, you have German and Korean dad, what you thought was Japanese, but Korean, you have Venezuelan mom. How did you identify, what culturally? Venezuelan. Because my dad's from East Germany, which means that it was communist Germany at the time. So we had no relatives around us. Right. And with Venezuela, the relatives are over all the time. We were traveling there. So it was a distant relationship with Germany. And you could speak, you were like, could speak Spanish from when you were young. Like you just learned, your mom speaks Spanish in the home. Oh yeah. That was a lucky thing. Because at the time I didn't appreciate it. Of course. I was like, why do we have to, what is this? And then now it's just like. And also like, you know, a lot of like first, you know, first generation, like didn't always speak there. They wanted to speak English in the home to try to, but your mom spoke both. She did. Yeah. And she kept it going. Yeah. Thankfully. And I still write to her. Like if there are things that I'm like, what is the Spanish word for this? It's great. She, she's helped me a lot, a lot of SNL stuff, a lot of cold opens and stuff. One of the nice things about working at SNL is like, you just meet people's parents because over the years, like they come to the show. Like, you're just like, you see. Like when you were talking about the name Polar, I pictured your dad. And he's always like, he's got like a smirk. Oh my God. He's always like. My dad, my parents are such fans of Fred Armisen. I'm a fan of theirs. And we, we always had our relatives there and like, we were always hosting family and it was like, you would go to sit at the table and your mom, who I have such warm feelings for when I think about is you guys look a lot alike. Yeah. Like really, she, you kind of have her face. Yeah. But you, so, okay. So Freddie, little Freddie. Growing up in? Long Island a little bit and then Brazil a little bit. Right. For a couple of years. Couple of years in Brazil. Yeah. How old when you went to Brazil? I was, that was like first, second, second and third grade. Okay. So do you remember what it was like? Oh yeah. Arriving in Brazil? What was it like? I just wanted to be home. I was homesick. Yeah. So now I can color the story with like, oh, it was so exotic and there were drums everywhere. But at the time I just wanted to like, I just wanted, I wanted to be with my friends back in Long Island. It's so true though. You're right. Like we look back at stuff and we're like, it was such an amazing experience. And like when, when I would travel, I'd be like, this food is weird. I hate this place. The word hate got used so much. I hate it. I hate it. I must've said that most of the time. I hate it here. Were you sad when you had to move back? Or like, had you gotten used to it? I'd gotten used to it, but I don't know if I was sad. I think I was okay moving back. You were ready to go back. Yeah. So then you go back to Long Island. Then you think about going to college for visual arts. Yeah. That took a while. That was more like, went back to Long Island, went to high school there. Yeah. And then I really had it in my head that I wanted to be in a band. So the common way to go is to go to art school. So then. Why is it, why is it a common way to get into a band is to go to art school? You just want to be around artists and just like. Yeah. Like all my favorites. I was talking heads. The Beatles were all like art school. I don't know what it is. Like, but I'm glad I did it. I mean. Did you, did you think you were going to be like, was it like a medium that you were into working with? Like, did you, were you painting or? You know what? Photography? It was, it was, I went for film. Yeah. And to be honest, oh, people say it to be honest so much. I hate that I just said that. Oh my God. Everything I say in this podcast, I hate. To be honest. I don't think I was really drawn to it because I went to school with like filmmakers. Yeah. And they would talk about it so much. And I'd be like, why are we actually talking about this? They would talk about editing and I'm like, we're supposed to get good grades, but we're not supposed to like. Talk all day about this stuff. Yeah. And that's the difference in, in like a passion for doing something. I thought it was like, no, we're just going to art school to be in art school. That's so true. That's such a good distinction. Yeah. Because you realize you don't have a passion for something when you see other people wanting to spend all day, every day doing it. And you're like, we're going to do other things, right? Yeah. That was. Exactly that. And so then you meet your bandmates. Yeah. At art school. Yes. And you're in a band called. Trenchmouth. And Trenchmouth is like what, 1988 Chicago? That's right. More, more like 89, 90 is when it like really took, took shape. So let's just for the heck of it. Let's listen to a little Trenchmouth. Let's go back. Let's go back. Do you still remember how to play this? Yeah. This photo of you guys is so of this era. You guys are all in front of a, you're a VW, in front of a VW van and just being like, yeah, I don't even know how we got here. We loved being on tour. Okay. What was it like playing? Like, was that feeling? The feeling was like, it's like a campaign. Like we're going to do it. We're going to drop our jobs. We're going to do it. This band did it. This band did it. Go. What's the gig? Des Moines, Iowa. Great. No money. Fine. Go, go, go. Fill the tank. You know, like we kept the van running and clean and it was like being a Boy Scouts and, you know, packing up the drums. Come on, come on. Lifting and putting things on. What time are we going on? Let's all dress in black for this. Great. Let's all dress in white. Great. Everything. The energy. The energy of, like it's us. Yeah. How'd you like that? They were awesome. Let's exchange information with them. Didn't like that band so much. That's okay. They're lame. I don't want to be like them. Right. A lot of like looking up to bands. Like that's the way to go. Who were you looking up to at the time? Lungfish. No means no. Fugazi. Jawbox. Nation of Ulysses. We looked up at these. Like we, they, cause they were also really like possessed. They're possessed with this thing. How much longer can we be on the road? Go, go. It was just this. And then playing, as you hear with this music, everything, come on, there's a change here. Another change and louder. And everything was kind of mathematical. This wasn't like jam out music. Right. Let's enjoy. How about something? There was no groove. I laugh and I love that. Like the, the feelings that I remember in that, at that age where you would argue about like something for hours. Like you had the luxury of time. Oh, yeah. Like you just would just like. You know, I remember thinking about like jokes we would write or whatever. And would we just spend hours. Yeah. Talking about it. And it was so important. And like just the energy of getting everything right. God, that. Did you guys have like. Oh, yeah. Were you an arguing band? You know, a couple normal. Sure. Arguments. But what you're talking about, about those discussions, they would go into the night. As it's getting dark, as we're driving, everything's getting dark and we're still like, but that's not, that's not what puns are. That's not what puns are. That's not what punk is then. Or by your definition, that's not what it is. Well, that's not what I'm saying. And then silence. And then endless. Endless. And into, you know, I get like the feeling it's giving me now of like, I remember like, it's like you have a flag in your head. You're like, no, this is the way it's got to be. Yes. And very like, I mean, so much of it I feel like in your 20s is like rejecting some version that you think if you're not careful, you'll turn into. Yes. And playing punk is such a true expression. It's such a true expression of that, of like being like, I'm not going to be that person. Absolutely. I always find that interesting that like bands have to keep reinvesting in the band like every couple of years. And I can relate because it felt that way with like Sketch. Like you were in a group and you were like, no, let's. And then, you know, certain people would like get opportunities and you'd have to decide like, no, I'm doubling down. I'm staying with the band. And then you'd see other success happening and you'd think like, it's because. Because we're not like, it was like, we need to be more committed for that success to happen. But sometimes that isn't always the case. It's so. It's exactly that. Yeah. That's so funny. So you went through the same thing. I did with UCB because we had to, you know, we were like, you know, we were like doing shows and people were trying to, you know, cherry pick us or like, and you had to just keep like, you had to just keep like renewing the contract. Yeah. Or renewing the goal. Yeah. Renewing the goal. Now, as long as we're this, now if we get on this label or whatever. And we were in Chicago at the same time, like all that, like smashing pumpkins, Liz Fair, like, ah, so cool. So cool. This episode is brought to you by Visible. Why does it feel like summer ends as soon as it begins? One day, the sun is finally shining bright. And next thing you know, there's football on the TV again. It's time to soak up the last dog days of summer. And that means staying connected to what you love. Visible Wireless can help you do just that. With Visible, you get unlimited 5G data. An unlimited hotspot powered by Verizon for just $25 a month. So you can treat yourself. before the summer ends. Visible is more than just a wireless plan. It's unlimited wireless designed to always keep you connected with no contract to tie you down. Switch today at visible.com. Plans start at $25 a month or get the premium Visible Plus Pro plan and save $10 on your first month with promo code HANG. Terms apply. See visible.com for plan features and network management details. Teens share everything. That may include the bacteria that can cause meningococcal disease known as meningitis. Even if your teen's been vaccinated in the past, they could still be missing meningitis vaccinations. Ask your teen's doctor or visit meningitis.com today. Sponsored by GSK. College football is back. So Hilton called in me, the superstition concierge, to make your fan rituals a reality. Need a room to match your lucky number? We got you. Want to make sure our team doesn't wash your lucky jersey? Ooh, that smells lucky. Hilton's unmatched hospitality can keep up with any superstition. Even a marching band wake-up call at 555 in 55 seconds. Hit it! When you need a team that will do whatever it takes on game day, it matters where you stay. Hilton, for the stay. Honey, what are you listening to? Mom! Your teen might not share everything with you, but teens share everything with each other. And certain everyday behaviors, like sharing food, drinks, or kisses, could mean sharing bacteria that can cause meningococcal disease known as meningitis. Although meningitis is uncommon, about 1 in 10 who develop it will die. Ask your teen's doctor about missing meningitis vaccinations. Learn more at meningitis.com. Vaccination may not protect all recipients. Sponsored by GSK. Okay, so you're there, you're in the band. You're like, we're close, but we're not quite there yet. Then you, how does joining Blue Man Group happen? Oh. Well, you know, I have to give credit to my wife at the time, Sally. Um, she's in this band, The Mekons. And she was kind of a little bit like, if you're going to do stuff, you have to sort of open up to not just being in this one band. They were coming to Chicago and I auditioned. I went to this rehearsal space. What was it? Were you just drumming for the audition? Is that all? Did you have to do anything else? I was drumming and they were like, there were other musicians there kind of playing. And they were, they did a thing where they're like, do a fill, but don't end it. Don't end on the one. So usually, you know, you'll, you know, you do a fill and it's like a resolve that's very predictable. They're like, make it a little, which is kind of like what Trench Mouth was like anyway. It was a little jagged. So then I got it. Then they, they had a series of drummers, different rotations of bands. Yeah. And it was like my first showbiz paycheck. What was it like? Like how, was it like a Broadway run? You had to be performing all the time. Did you, you rotated? I rotated. So there was a full-time drummer and I would, I would play like two or three shows a week or something out of whatever, eight. What was it like? It was fantastic. What was your favorite part? I've never, I never saw the Blue Man Group, but I was, they were such a big, humongous. Oh, we'll pull it up. Let's pull it up. Is there footage of you in the Blue Man Group? I wonder. I wonder. But what was your favorite part of the show? You know how like, it's always like, oh, I like that song. Oh, I like that moment. I like when the. The opening. So like the opening, like the first, there's just three, three Blue Men on these paint drums and they do their own thing. And then the band kicks in when they're done. And it's, it was great. Cause it, we were lit by blue, you know, those black light. Yeah. And so we had like stick figure drawings on us, on our costumes and there's a stick player, a zither player. So we'd start playing and that was just like, it really felt like a big, a proper beginning of a show. Very loud. Huge drum kit. Huge. Really? Yeah. I went through training for it. I trained a little bit. I was in Boston, in New York, and it made my drumming better. It was really frenetic and crazy. And I really loved it. I learned a lot. And the dumb question, but like, is like, what was the makeup application and removal like? Well, for me. For people who don't remember, you had to paint yourself blue. Yeah. But the band didn't. The band we had, we had like, we painted like stick. Yeah. Like sort of, you know, on our hands and like. But easy to get off. Easy to get off. Easy to get off with water. The blue men had like a bald cap that went over their ears. Uh-huh. And layers of like glow-in-the-dark paint, then blue paint. Wow. And they had a lot. They had like blue gloves on. That was a real ordeal. And then the rest of the time, they would walk around with like, they'd always have a little blue in their nose and ears. And they were like interesting people. Yeah. They were like all kind of, I would say like juggler, performance artist, athlete, those types, like those perfect, you know, like perfectly fit people. Yes. Who also drummed. So they were really great to be around. Okay. So then you do that. And then there's so much that happens after that. But you create this video series that pre-SNL, that is a version of a character that you played interviewing musicians. And you kind of play this like hilarious, like German interviewer who knows nothing about the bands. Yeah. Or is very mean to bands. Because we experienced it all the time. And I don't think they meant to be mean. I think they just, that's their, where they are, is that they would always tell us how poorly we were doing. You know, they'd always say like, oh, your group is not so good. Fugazi was here a week ago and it was very crowded. And that's not so crowded today. And it was just based on that. It was so genius because it didn't, it didn't expect much of the musicians. Like the musicians could just kind of play it real. And you were steering, like you were doing the comedy basically. But what was so fun is watching all these musicians who, and realizing that a lot of them were very naturally funny. That like, like that was so fun is watching them make choices with your character. Yes. Steve Albini did it. A bunch of people, Bob from Pavement. Yeah. I got, it was, I just put a video together. I mean, that was back when you just like filmed it and made a. Ask someone to edit it. Can you edit this? No concept of money. You're like, I don't even know. You know, just like, can you do it? Yeah. And then they did it. And then they give it back to you and you carried it around. Thank you. And then that's, that's what existed. I mean, to like age us, I don't know if this was like it when you started in 2003, but in 2001 at SNL, there was still, when we wanted to do an impression, you'd have to go. VHS. Get a VHS tape. Yep. Can you believe it? No. And they'd tape it off the today show or TV. And then you'd get a big bulky tape that you would put in a VCR and you'd watch like six minutes of whatever thing that they had. And they'd have tapes and tapes of, of people that you were impersonating. This is so funny talking to you about all this. Cause I've, you don't need to put this in, but like, I've known you for so long and to talk about blue man group actually makes me like, it jumps like a track in my head of like, Oh yeah, we've never talked about blooming. We've never talked about it. We talked about it very briefly, but everybody's road to where they get is so circuitous. Like one different, one different change. And we're not where we are, but I would say Freddie more than anyone. I know, you know, that every day, like you really know every day. I can't believe I got here. Like you say it, you live your life that way. Yeah. Like, like what, like, what are we doing here? Every bit of it. Yeah. Standing on that stage, uh, auditioning for SNL or that already felt like this is insane. Yeah. Whatever from blue man group to be here in front of Tina. Yeah. How'd you get the audition? Through, um, Marcy Klein. Yeah. She found a producer on the show. Marcy Klein. She found a video of like all the stuff that I'd done. Yeah. And she showed, she made Lauren watch it. And then they called me in. Wow. Insane. And you were like, you know, 30, what, when you auditioned? Three, 32, 32 or 33. And I was 30 when I got the show. And I, I just wonder, like, there's something about having a little bit of life before that really helped. I appreciated it so much because also, cause I'd been through being in the band for so long so that I, I, I mean it, like it all felt like icing. The whole thing felt like, ah, this is, I was just in the van, you know? Like whatever, maybe five years before that, it felt very like, ah, this is all, even with like the money part of it. Yeah. Where some people would say like, that's not a lot to get paid for your first year. I was like, are you kidding me? To me, it was so much money. Yeah. To me, it felt like a million dollars. Yeah. Yeah. And it was a million dollars. Fred insisted on a million dollars a week and it almost took the show down. I asked, but I asked really nicely. I was like, please, come on, come on. Give me a break. Come on, man. Come on, Lauren, give me a break. Come on, Lauren, come on. It's just me. It's me, your friend, Fred. What are you going to do, spend it? Come on, Lauren, look at me, buddy. And you were like, all right. I feel like a lot of people that got on SNL have like evidence when they were younger of like, see you on SNL or like writing in their journals. Like, was it a dream growing up? Did you watch the show and think, I want to be on it? The relationship I had to SNL was, I've watched it all the time, but I really, connected to the B-52s and Devo and Talking Heads like and I'm not saying it in a way that's like I just only like the bands I'm saying that like Lorne was communicating with me these bands that he had on I did feel like I there's something I understood about the show and then like Mr. Bill and every like the sketches but also like the bands on there I was like that must be fun yes that's kind of was like and then as the years went on when Mike Myers was on was more of a like I felt like that was a direct message of like there's got to be some way to I felt like we were speaking the same language oh have you ever told Mike Myers that I think I might have told him yeah um but it's a good way to put it yeah like that sketch Sprockets yeah was a a favorite one of my favorite songs of all time I think I might have told him yeah um but it's a good way before I'd even seen it someone described it and I was like what is going on over there so then you make you're on SNL you you like some of my most fun memories of being on that show is doing bits with you when we weren't on when we weren't on camera and the in-betweenness of that job like I'll never have anything like it the talk about luxury of time like just the amount of time wasted not even waste amount of time the amount of time like thinking about sketches and talking about stuff and fucking around basically which is like the most which is like that was the preciousness of it that's the the best I have a million memories of it too and of you it's for me to even describe bits you've done it doesn't do it justice I just I knew I was gonna describe all your bits and that was like it's like inside jokey yeah it's like too difficult to even but I in some dressing room somewhere for no reason and it's the funniest times in my life same and and what I love about and always loved about playing around with you is and I'm just gonna say it Freddie I do think that you and I share this which is we definitely liked we wanted to not forget that we were having a good time like we really it matters to us it matters to us that we don't forget the joy part in all of the other hard stuff we don't love a complainer no you and I do that's a real crime if SNL is a microcosm of life you can spend your whole life figuring out what you don't have you can you can it doesn't matter how much you have you can focus on what you don't have you sure can and the more you talk about what you don't have like the more you it's wild I know I've met some real complainers and it's really shocking it isn't really interesting when I'm complaining because we always we all complain but when I find myself complaining I'm like oh something's off yes something's off like not other people I'm off I'm trying to get better at spotting it because sometimes you fool yourself into you like this isn't really a complaint and like well that might actually be a complaint but I don't think of you I think I don't think of you as conflict diverse but you don't love conflict no so let's say you're doing let's say you're getting ready for your tour and like the light is light the lights aren't working the way you want them to work and you don't and you're like hey can we adjust the lights and it still isn't working what do you do next um I let's say so Fred you have a very intense light show and you're like here's how the lights go and then you've run it and the lights aren't working and you're like okay and then okay I'm just gonna talk out this talk this thought experiment and then the show happened you're like just make sure that the blues come up at the right time they don't what do you do oh well if it's hour to hour day to day it's gone it's I really do feel treat it like a page that's turned I'm like oh that didn't work out but to your point let's say if I'm being asked too much you okay all good see we're very you know and I'm like how do you tell someone I know exactly because I've done it this is where Fred and I are a little different I've said I'm notice you're asking me a lot I Fred hates this this is where because I you hate I don't think you like this this direct conflict I had I envy it I wish I could do it I wish I could be a little less direct because sometimes I feel like it comes on too strong but I would say I'm noticing that you're asking Fred so uncomfortably I've I've said like okay I think about it like when I'm in like I'm getting my um let's say you're getting your hair like I'm getting my hair done for a scene yeah and you know if you're doing like if you're doing a couple days in a new show in new people they don't exactly know what you like and they're trying to like you know figure out like or they're giving you a hairdo or whatever I've had very nice people be like just checking in do you like is this working you know and I'll say I notice that you're asking a lot I promise you I won't suffer if I don't like something I won't suffer if I don't like something you'll know if I don't like something I'll let you know but I have to nip it in the bud because it makes me insane because are you okay are you okay are you mad are you okay it makes me nuts it makes you nuts too but what do you do instead for me I just sort of I know that I know that it's temporary and I think well the next tour that person isn't they'll be on they'll be doing that to somebody else and maybe that other person loves it I'm not saying that the way that I do it is same I just sort of gently like if it's like on water like the little boat just goes the other way and you go I'm okay now I'm okay and then they then they're off yeah but I'm like I can get my own things I can get my water I can get yes to be asked if you know yeah but now now that sounded like complaining that was very complaining of me no that was not complaining of you I you never ever complain that would be a funny sketch you should have done where you were like the head of the complaint department and you were like what are you joking you have a complaint you've got a job in show business and there's a problem of some kind god it's true though and that's what's fun about working at a place like SNL is you have someone come through every week as a new guest they're really vulnerable when people are vulnerable they're kind of they're like a lot of stuff comes up and when people are scared they get they act all different kinds of ways and you kind of see like this very human moment where people feel vulnerable and sometimes they misbehave oh yes and it's like and also often they're often they're great often you don't have to put this in you probably won't but you your reaction to some hosts oh my god it's delicious it's the best thing in the world like you really I just I'm like you said not even like actually and you're not insulting to the audience you're not insulting to the audience you're not insulting to them you just put it in in a way that is so good you're like and I'm like oh that's exactly what's happening I mean people are audacious yeah outrageous outrageous I mean and people ask like in interviews like who's been the worst host the best and I always keep it same I would yeah that's the most low-hanging like why yeah why would I ever say that but I have a lot of thoughts yeah oh yeah I have a lot of thoughts and I do I I mean I've actually tried to work on it because I like that's my stuff is like I like to be like paying attention to like detective-y like you know like like I hate that part of myself that's very like you did it right you did it wrong but no little some I pay attention yeah yeah you do and I and I won't for like I remember I'm like I remember you were not very nice or I remember that you were very late Tina has a good memory for that Tina and I that we're like yummy food we're just like yum yum yum yum yum yum yum that's our favorite food like um oh we love it so much and that's what I mean is bad behavior is sometimes kind of fun because I'm like holy shit my favorite feeling sometimes in the world is when someone's acting badly and you can feel everybody else like watching them and just like I can't wait to talk about this it's like telepathy and it's almost like everyone's waiting for the moment to be done like everyone's like let this finish and there's a little electricity and no one's looking at each other everyone's like uh-huh and you're just like I'm just trying to remember every moment yeah so I can I know I'm trying to have like a face that's like oh and then I know but I've but in general like and I think you would say the same thing like every I found people to be awesome to work with and like incredible who did you meet on SNL that like you just think about now and you're just like they just met what you thought they'd be like like you just you think about them and love them do you mean like uh hosts anyone hosts or people that came in to do a bit or old cast members like for example I'll give you one right now like I didn't really know Lorraine Newman that well um she's great and hung out with her at the 50th fuck she's so cool I mean so cool I knew she would be cool and I didn't really get a chance very much to talk to her over the years and she's the fucking coolest she is the coolest excuse my language that's okay um Lauren yes um you and Lauren had a really you have a very sweet sweet relationship how would you define it how would you both fans i think he's a fan as well when whenever he describes because i grill him all the time on musical guests he is he you know how some people are like i don't know what you're talking about yeah he knows what i'm talking about who do you talk like i mean there's there was an amazing quest love um doc about all the musical guests but if you can remember like who were like the you know i'm thinking of like elvis costello's oh the specials the specials was the best thing i've ever seen why was it because for me i'm from long island you know so we were like long island and everyone had kind of like longer hair and these guys with these little suits and crew cuts this like energetic band running off the when they were done i that really hold on i i want to watch it again with you right now i have a laptop i've watched it so much there's a song called gangsters that i wonder if you'll find it it's right here look at the drummer is like back straight jumping around holding a machine gun yeah they're so cool did you like drummers that played like this yeah i like clem burke was that way really good really good posture clem burke uh from blondie ah the blondie drummer my favorite drummer ever really oh yeah yeah and really like my suit i think he had a turtleneck on snl uh just really like you know placed on the drum throne loved it and blondie was great on snl devo um and the b-52 is really like that was like i remember that was the first moment of like oh there are weirdos in the world yes and like talk about full circle at the snl 50th you get to play with b-52s and devo what was that like it was like the top like the very crystallized top of of a mountain like i it's almost scary because i was like that's it yeah you're like i'm gonna have a heart attack it felt that way i was like that's all right that is the very like you know that shows at radio city music hall i had seen devo when i was 14 at radio city music hall i paid for wow tickets to see them and and also getting to meet them they're great people being friends with them it's like it really yeah those two that was unreal and also on snl not at some gig not some show somewhere like hey i got up on snl yeah it's it's everything at once yeah i can't believe it yeah okay so now i want to just get on to um a new section but the person that will help us get to this section is carrie brownstein oh because we talked to her today you did yes you know i was saying this to carrie but maybe you can speak to this too like your relationship with carrie is very special it's it's like how do you define your relationship with her she's like she's my soulmate she is a person who i feel like i've known forever i don't mean to speak in those terms i know that you know those like sort of spiritual terms but it does feel spiritual and and it's immediate it's just a feeling i had as soon as i met her and every time i talk to her it feels the same i'm completely stripped of being worried if i'm boring or or talking too much or anything i'm completely completely myself around her and it's always been that way and i just love her so much and i'm uh really into everything she does when i watch her play guitar i'm like there's nothing better than watching her play guitar and sing and then getting she's so smart and so funny that i feel like getting to do that show with her it was just that was a lucky thing but it keeps going we just keep it's so it like remains like it has such a life portlandia and um those characters in portlandia are so fun are so specific and therefore feel so universal god it was the best week i got to hang out with her all the time we could she's a great writer she's not that you need me to tell you that but so funny brilliant and she came up with like a lot of those ideas that are now sort of things that people repeat put a bird on it and all that stuff is like that's all carrie okay carrie said describe the way one of your musical heroes informed your comedy oh that's easy uh david byrne the way that he would direct a movie and then sort of choreograph part of his show like the way that he presented everything to me was like that really informed like you know what a comedian can be like there was a way that he was like not exactly making a joke but also not being totally serious that whatever that was right really i was like that's a really great way to be like like a playfulness and he kind of also he was also like i guess not afraid to he like wasn't trying to be cool at all nope but he was very cool yeah just the way like for no reason you know i have a fuzzy suit or something so i'm gonna do a rapid fire tell me what you think about these things or what you remember you can be as fast or as slow as you want um freddie you do many accents really well and one of the things i love about you is you can do accents from anywhere what are some of your favorite state or countries like that you like hearing i really love how texas just really it just changes from city to city yeah i there's something about it that there's something about texas that has so much varying personality yes that uh always that does exceed my expectations so with that in mind can you please do someone from houston and someone from dallas i feel like has got a whisper to it uh houston um i've some people i know from there are going through some personal growth personal growth personal growth personal growth personal growth personal growth uh dallas i always my idea about them is that uh they're kind of business-like uh i i hear them on planes on a conference call i had been uh at uh i was on a layover uh we know someone from beaumont and that's kind of beaumont's the biggest i've ever heard i can't imagine they're like there's a little why before i'm imagining the longest word yeah and then countries um can you do iceland we we iceland iceland iceland has a whisper to it um uh iceland uh has a a hushed you're pushing to the throat i think it's like it's it's very light and uh i i feel like sweden so devoid of accent that i hear people from sweden and they sound almost like they're american they sound like i don't love that the door is closing right now there's like this thing where they no longer are swedish people yes you're right there's this like thing where they're like so casual with english that i actually feel like i'm talking to someone but you know what gives the swedes away is the yeah that is the swedish thing people don't know is you know instead of going uh-huh uh-huh swedes go yeah it's true and you hear them on the phone you just always think they're getting the worst news yeah they're like but they're just saying uh-huh uh-huh uh-huh yeah that is because their face doesn't change no um okay what do you like to do when you travel oh wake up early have breakfast coffee alone just down in the restaurant yes not room service okay i love then i really feel like i'm in a country so i've like landed somewhere that's my i can't wait for breakfast breakfast oh i love it and then you want then do you try like let's say you're doing a show in another country do you walk during the not that much i kind of stick around like hotel maybe there's a little store of some kind i'm not a big like i'm gonna go explore this side of the city i'm a little bit like i get the by the way this is an ignorant thing to say and i'm sorry but i just kind of like this seems like berlin okay and then um uh what do you hate doing when you travel what do you what do you not do like uh do you ever check a bag i try not to but sometimes you do sometimes you have uh sometimes you have to but no i'm pretty good about it i travel pretty light got it um but i i did a tour recently and i had did have to bring some equipment yeah okay got it um broad city oh yeah that was so fun amy that's people and parks people talk to me about broad city all the time all the time when i everywhere i go someone brings it up some people do it as a deep cut they think they're like i'm actually a real fan yeah which is great yeah but oh my god fred came and did the first episode of broad city which was a huge get for us and I've seen people dressed up as it as as the baby yeah I'm just a baby mustache yeah thanks for that thank you very much for that you're so welcome that I could put you in a diaper and make you a Halloween costume for real thank you for that that was like that really kept on going okay dogs or cats cats interesting I didn't know that no doubt like just no thank you to dog when we first met I the first thing I told you I was like cats if I cats I just met Lauren cats you know that right uh I love I mean that makes sense that you would that you're a cat person I feel like you're more of a cat you're you're more of a cat than a dog as a person I would say although you have a lot of dog qualities because you're very loyal and friendly but you are a cat I like how they don't ask anything and they sort of they don't that's their own yeah their own business yeah um sweet or salty sweet that you say that I wish I wish it wasn't that way salty's not good either I don't believe it I don't either I think salty is better I think when people say that salt costs hot problems I never believe it but it does I know but I'm like why what does it turn into that's like it's just high blood pressure I know you're right but I know what you mean but whenever they're like there there was too much salt in it I'm like I don't think that's gonna be the thing that's just the ignorance do you ever put salt on anything no no you never like like salt your chocolate chip cookies or oh I see what you mean if there's um a chocolate bar that has salt in it great I like that you like that okay but uh I love sweet I mean I love chocolate so much yeah too much do you think yeah too much are you trying to cut down or like you have to cut down too dependent on it at the end of the day especially after a show I'm always like oh there's a cookie there's a I love a little cookie treat oh it's the best yeah you guys had great I have a hard time I have a harder time with sugar because I had get on a real ride and I had crashed pretty hard after sugar like I have big sugar crashes oh yeah but salty it's perfect it is um do you like to be scared yeah I like horror movies and and all that stuff I do but I don't like to be scared in real life like on a flight have you ever been scared on a flight um you know the usual I'm not afraid of flying do you have any phobias oh heights that's right I couldn't do a taping of this because of it yeah because you were like it's on the whatever floor and I'm like I'm not afraid of it I'm not afraid of it I'm not afraid of it on the can't do it that's right in New York may we speak of that is that okay we record in at and and Spotify in New York and it's a really really high floor and Fred was like nope yeah and uh I totally forgot about that yeah but I told you about that I think one time we were at a hotel and you guys were so nice because I we I just went up to your hotel me you and Tina went up to you yeah and it was um I told you and you guys were so nice you just closed the door and I was like I'm not afraid of it I'm not afraid of it I'm not afraid of it but I did it I wasn't like I'm not going up there yeah but you don't like it I don't like it and I don't like that I don't like it how come because it's too like it's not real like buildings are built well for centuries there's never been like yeah watch out going up in buildings that one fell I've never seen that in the news you know like oh New York is this one gonna fall I actually never even think about heights until I'm reminded that when someone who's afraid of heights and then you go like whoa wait that is weird that we're up here so high but there's so much engineering that's gone into it yeah an engineer would actually be insulted by that like do you have any idea like we studied like hundreds and hundreds of people going to build it millions of people going to buildings around the world yeah well everywhere yeah but could you ever like climb a tree or like is it that kind of height too I don't know I don't know I don't know I don't know like you could a ladder um a um would you be able to get like I don't love it but I you know I do try to like expand a little just so have you ever done any kind of like a bungee or no no nothing like that no I like that about you Freddie I feel like we're very similar we don't I don't like I don't like like what am I insane like I don't like taking risks no no no no none of that I'm not interested no I'm also not interested in watching it I'm not like no stories about it like all that I'm not no like if you're gonna free if you're gonna free climb you know I don't want to know about it I don't want to know I don't want to know about it I don't want to know but I don't want to see it I'm oddly not impressed yeah of all the other thing you want me to be I'm like I'm like whatever yeah I don't know yeah you what is free climb that's when you do the rocks yeah when you do the like no with no with no ropes and just like you just crevice and crevice and just thumb and foot yeah and then like one more slow and then no and then you get what happens you get to if you had to do that by accident if you if you were stuck somewhere and you did it I'd I want to know everything about your story if you do that for fun I was chased and I saw this mountain I was like there's nowhere to go and I was like get out of here and then the person couldn't they were like they were like and then yeah and then you stayed on there and then you were like I'm not gonna do it there I feel bad because if someone's watching I don't feel bad for people who recreationally free climb what's wrong with you what's what is wrong with you I think there there's something wrong with them I'm gonna say it wow with no ropes no one's making you do it what if it's your job some people are unemployed and they that's they fill out the application they're like I guess I have to no way there's no one monday kind of I hate this job you're right there might be a few people that's their job that's their job and they and I'm sorry for those people I'm sorry and then last question what are you like what kind of stuff do you watch read go to to make you laugh like what comedy comedy are you watching who are you watching like anything like anything you'd recommend wow for real the thing that I'm most religious about of like actually catching is SNL yeah it's the one it's the one thing that I'm like I watch it when it's live and you know that those moments that you're like that was pretty great oh god I could talk forever I know we've ended this but I but I just want to say I do feel like we you and I I think we've played this game before it's like a it's like an improv game of experts but I think I talked to you about this I always wanted to do like a fake TED talk like a fake you know kind of like experts symposium where you just can talk about anything for like a minute for a minute you can seem like an expert on almost anything I think so you have to memorize a couple things and then there'll be a word or something where people will go huh she doesn't know what she's talking about but I think almost anything it's reachable it's reachable it's a fun so on our way out I'm going to give you a little bit of a rundown of what's going on and then I'm going to give you something that I want you to pretend to be an expert and for one minute okay okay I'm gonna set the timer um I'm gonna say um the Alaskan pipeline the Alaskan pipeline yeah ready so with with me today is a expert um Fred Armisen um who uh has been studying the Alaskan pipeline and is here to talk to us about it Fred what should we know about the Alaskan pipeline well the first uh misnomer is Alaskan so uh many many people do know this that it's the originally the Siberian pipeline why is it the Siberian pipeline oh because it goes through Siberia no because the the shipping magnates shipped oil through there from Siberia and through Russia and the only people who benefited from it were people from Canada you think it would be Alaska since Alaska was not yet a state and the pipeline uh was built 1951 Canadians were the first to benefit it but they didn't have oil refineries ah why didn't they have oil refineries because of World War II and as we knew Canada to be a series of provinces they did not have the capacity to have these refineries ah who comes in then but Mexico and that's a minute fantastic ah answering your own question ah you did it I don't know if any of that's true when you said 1951 I have no idea no idea um thank you Fred love you thank you so much for doing I love you thank you so much for the best I'm glad we dressed we did thank you so much Fred Armisen thank you for coming and being on the pod I love talking to you and you know for this polar plunge we like to go deep on something that we talked about and there's so many things that we could go deep on we could talk about David Byrne we could talk about all these cool cool things but I just want to um shout out Fred's new record that he made with Drag City called 100 Sound Effects but in this case I believe he does 101 spoiler alert uh check out his record um and and everything that Fred does all the time and um and yeah and and go back and look at old performances of all the music on SNL it's an incredible impressive gigantic mix of culture all in one place um thanks so much for listening to Good Hang thank you always for um tuning in and checking us out. And we'll see you soon. Bye. You've been listening to Good Hang. The executive producers for this show are Bill Simmons, Jenna Weiss-Berman, and me, Amy Poehler. The show is produced by The Ringer and Paper Kite. For The Ringer, production by Jack Wilson, Kat Spillane, Kaya McMullen, and Alea Zanaris. For Paper Kite, production by Sam Green, Joel Lovell, and Jenna Weiss-Berman. Original music by Amy Miles. We got you. Hit it! Hilton, for the same. This episode is brought to you by Allstate. Checking Allstate first could save you hundreds on car insurance. Not checking whether you set an alarm before having an afternoon power nap, only to wake up two hours later, drowsy, confused, so many missed calls. Yeah, checking first is a good idea. So check Allstate first for an auto quote. It could save you hundreds. You're in good hands with Allstate. Potential savings vary subject to terms, conditions, and availability. 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